From: Diplomat John Green Date: Thu, 03 Mar 16 14:58:28 +0000 Subject: Please you can contact me on view SMS or Call on this line: ( +19376410420 ) ASAP or send me an mail To: I am Diplomat John Green,the diplomatic agent carrying your package from DHL office Benin Republic West Africa. I received your email address from Anthony Boote who handed over this package to me. This delivery has caused me a lot of stress while I was told that it will take me only 11HOURS.The way USA airport security inspects consignment shipped out of OUR Country is not well pleased. I had a little problem with the South San Francisco Airport Security; intercepting the package your fund the sum of $10.5Million with regards to the yellow tag and International Delivery Permit certificate which cost $75 USD which delayed my coming to your place to make the delivery to you. They persisted I must provide yellow tag and International Delivery Permit certificate which cost $75 USD before I will be allowed to connect my flight to your home airport. I presented the the Airway Bill from DHL office and Insurance certificate but they refused. I asked the man in charge Diplomat John Green the reason of all these delay because the entire necessary documents were complete and this package your fund the sum of $10.5Million was not stopped in my country because the authority over there in Africa did not demand for such certificate and he did not detailed the reasonable answer than its illegal to enter the country with the Unknown Package without the yellow tag and International Delivery Permit certificate At the moment I decided to contact you on telephone. The security officer Edward told me that it will cost sum of$75 USD to obtain this certificate in USA but it will only take $75 USD to get it over there in Benin Republic. Kindly get back to me so that I can direct you on how to make the payment of this $75 USD. I will give you the Airway Bill of your fund the sum of $10.5Million once i hear from you. Again, do remember to forward to me your contact information such as: Your name ----------------- House address------------- Country------------------ Telephone number------------ In a similar development, you can also send this $75 USD to them over there in Benin Republic with this payment detail: Receiver's name : Mr Nelson Nwaosu Country : Benin Republic Amount : $75 Question : Friend Answer : good Thanks very much for your response. Diplomat John Green (diplomat.icdeliveriy@hotmail.com) If you received a similar letter, please ignore it. Do not answer it. If you do, you will end up on more of the mailing lists used by the criminals behind this fraud. Read more.... , , , , . WASHINGTON In a significant victory for the Obama administration, Chief Justice John Roberts on Thursday refused to block an Environmental Protection Agency regulation limiting emissions of mercury and other toxic pollutants from coal-fired power plants. The decision comes three weeks after the full Supreme Court, in a highly unusual move, blocked another major Obama administration rule that would limit planet-warming greenhouse gas pollution from coal plants. Opponents of Obamas environmental policies were buoyed by the high courts decision to halt the global warming rule, known as the Clean Power Plan, reading it as a sign that the court was willing to halt other regulations while they undergo changes and review. But legal experts said the chief justices decision Thursday signaled that they might not be successful in further attempts to halt environmental rules while they are still subject to legal challenges. This is a pretty strong way of sending a signal that the fact that the court granted a stay of the Clean Power Plan was highly extraordinary, and they dont want to be inundated with these, said Jeffrey Holmstead, a lawyer with the firm Bracewell and a deputy administrator of the EPA in the George W. Bush administration. I think this is Justice Roberts effort to say that the Clean Power Plan is an extraordinary situation. The order was issued solely by Roberts, who did not refer the question to the full court. Roberts rejected an application from 20 states that said a federal appeals court in Washington had effectively thwarted their victory in the Supreme Court in June, when the high court ruled that the EPA had failed to take into account the punishing costs its mercury regulation would impose. In that 5-4 decision, Michigan v. Environmental Protection Agency, the Supreme Court ruled that the agency had run afoul of the Clean Air Act by deciding to regulate the emissions without first undertaking a cost-benefit analysis to show the regulation to be appropriate and necessary. It is not rational, never mind appropriate, to impose billions of dollars in economic costs in return for a few dollars in health or environmental benefits, Justice Antonin Scalia, who died last month, wrote in June. Statutory context supports this reading. The decision did not strike down the regulation, but it did require the EPA to take costs into consideration. The question before the Supreme Court now was what should happen in the meantime. In December, a unanimous three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit allowed the regulation to stay in place while the agency completed its review, noting that the agency is on track to issue a final finding by April 15. In their Supreme Court brief, the states said that blocking the mercury regulation is even more warranted than the halt to the climate change plan since the Supreme Court has already decided that the agency had exceeded its authority. The mercury regulation, the states said, has imposed literally billions of dollars of compliance costs on utilities. But Holmstead and other experts noted that blocking the mercury rule would have had little practical impact, since most electric utilities have already put it into effect. Industry groups estimate that it has already led to the closing of about 100 coal-fired power plants. The EPA has estimated that the rule will impose about $9.6 billion annually in costs to industry as they either clean up or close down coal plants. Melissa Harrison, a spokeswoman for the EPA, said the administration was very pleased with Roberts decision. The Obama administration has put forth nearly half a dozen major rules aimed at cutting coal pollution, and critics, who have called them a war on coal, have sought to block them in the courts. But Thursdays decision is an indication that Scalias death has altered the balance of power on the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court voted 5-4 on the climate change stay, issued Feb. 9. Scalia was in the majority, and his vote in that case was one of the last he cast before he died. ANAHEIM The cars with the large eyes on the windshield dance, shimmy and spin. Some shake their trunks, while others twist a bit. The 18 ride vehicles on the newest Disney California Adventure attraction, Luigis Rollickin Roadsters, move about in sync as if at a traditional Italian party lining up, forming a circle and sometimes one going into the middle to perform a dance move to upbeat music. The 90-second ride will debut Monday, nearly a year after Disney shuttered the unpopular Luigis Flying Tires, which opened in June 2012 with Cars Land. It was time to bring a new story to Cars Land, said Kevin Rafferty, a creative director for Walt Disney Imagineering. The new cars are modeled after the Fiat Jolly and the Autobianchi Bianchina minicars popular in Italy in the late 1950s. They seat two adults, or one adult and two children. This is Disneys first so-called trackless ride in the U.S., Rafferty said. Disney uses the technology in Hong Kong Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, and Tokyo Disneyland. Disney controls the cars movements. You never know where they are going to go next, Rafferty said. If we brought a bunch of track out there, then our guests will see how its done and (it) removes the magic. Contact the writer: 714-796-2443 or jpimentel@ocregister.com The Walt Disney Co. announced Star Wars land will officially break ground next month at Disneyland and Walt Disney World. Speaking at Disneys shareholders meeting Thursday in Chicago, CEO Bob Iger did not give a specific groundbreaking date but reiterated that both 14-acre sites with two main signature attractions in the Orlando and Anaheim parks will be fantastic. We are creating a jaw-dropping new world that will transport guests into the Star Wars story, Iger said. The announcement is the latest news about the much anticipated Star Wars-themed land to be built at Disneyland and Walt Disney Worlds Hollywood Studios. Since the closing of several attractions at Disneyland to make room for the new land in January, construction vehicles have been spotted clearing out the backstage areas and parts of Rivers of America. Disneys shareholders meeting is held annually and recaps the companys recent fiscal performance. Its not uncommon for Iger to break news at the event. It also allows shareholders to asks questions about the company to Iger and sometimes other Disney executives. Iger addressed a shareholders concern about Disneys recent move to increase annual passes and one-day ticket prices to reduce the large crowds at Disneyland. Disney recently upped annual pass prices by as much as 30 percent, and switched one-day tickets to a three-tiered demand-based pricing structure rather than an across the board price to enter the parks. A man who identified himself as Dwight Morgan suggested to Iger to remove the interest free monthly payment option to lower the number of annual pass holders who flock to the park. The idea has never been brought to our attention, Iger said. We will consider it. Iger added he hopes the recent switch to demand-based pricing will spread out visitation and perhaps reduce crowds during peak times. Disney also announced it will be adding two new cruise ships to the fleet of four by 2023 and Star Wars: The Force Awakens will be available in stores April 1. Contact the writer: 714-796-2443 or jpimentel@ocregister.com BUENA PARK A 57-year-old man was hospitalized Wednesday night after he slammed his car into a pole outside a fire station, officials said. The man lost control of his late-model Honda Accord at 10:52 p.m. and ran into a pole directly across from Orange County Fire Authority Station 62, at 7780 Artesia Blvd., fire Capt. Larry Kurtz said. Firefighters ran out of the station to help the man and used pry bars to remove him from the Honda. The driver was taken to UCI Medical Center in Orange with traumatic injuries, and hes expected to survive, Kurtz said. Police did not immediately release crash details. Contact the writer: 714-796-7802 or aduranty@ocregister.com WASHINGTON Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is the Supreme Courts most ardent protector of abortion rights, outspoken enough about their importance to become an icon to young feminists and a source of outrage among her detractors. With her valedictory on the court undetermined but within sight, Wednesdays oral arguments in a Texas abortion case gave Ginsburg, 82, one more chance to leave a mark on reproductive rights. It came in the most consequential abortion case during her time on the court. And Ginsburg made the most of it. She left little doubt that she finds unconstitutional a Texas law that puts new requirements on doctors and tougher regulations on abortion clinics in the name of patient safety. Abortion providers say the restrictions are unnecessary, in some cases impossible to satisfy and would reduce the number of clinics in the state from more than 40 to about 10. The providers strategy for defeating the restrictions depends in part on Ginsburgs uniting the courts three other liberals to find that Texas erected an unconstitutional obstacle to a womans right to choose to terminate a pregnancy. What its about is that a woman has a fundamental right to make this choice for herself, Ginsburg told Texas Solicitor General Scott A. Keller. Thats what we sought as the starting premise. With her role on the issue pivotal, it is difficult to remember that 23 years ago Ginsburg was considered suspect. No less than Kate Michelman, then head of the National Abortion Rights Action League, was worried. Her criticisms of Roe raise concerns about whether she believes that the right to choose is a fundamental right or a lesser right, Michelman said. If the questions about Ginsburgs reliability on the issue have been put to rest, still open to debate is what impact she had made on the courts jurisprudence. The lawyers in the case were making their arguments to an audience of one and it is not Ginsburg. Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, as in so many other issues, is the decider. Before him, it was Justice Sandra Day OConnor. And it is likely that Ginsburg will end her long run on the court with only a limited influence on the issue with which she is most identified. Although she cares deeply about abortion rights, I would guess that she may have had less of an impact in this area than she might have wished, said Richard Fallon, a Harvard law professor who studies the court. So far, Ginsburgs most meaningful statement on abortion rights during her time on the court came in a scathing dissent she wrote in 2007, when the court voted 5 to 4 to uphold the federal Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act, which outlawed a late-term abortion procedure. It was the first time the court had ever agreed that doctors could not use a specific abortion method and the first time the justices ratified a restriction that did not include an exception for the health of a woman. In candor, Ginsburg wrote, the Act, and the courts defense of it, cannot be understood as anything other than an effort to chip away at a right declared again and again by this court and with increasing comprehension of its centrality to womens lives. Ginsburg was incensed by an assertion in Kennedys majority opinion that said it was self-evident that women who had abortions through such a method could come to regret their choice and, consequently, suffer from severe depression and loss of esteem. Ginsburg answered: The court deprives women of the right to make an autonomous choice, even at the expense of their safety. This way of thinking reflects ancient notions about womens place in the family and under the Constitution ideas that have long since been discredited. That is indicative of Ginsburgs view that the Roe decision was wrongly grounded in a constitutional right to privacy. The finding in Roe, she has said, is based on the woman in consultation with her doctor. So the view you get is the tall doctor and the little woman who needs him. Sonja West, a constitutional law professor at the University of Georgia, said Ginsburgs view is that women must be autonomous. The key to understanding Justice Ginsburgs views on the constitutional right to abortion is that she sees it as a question of equal protection and not of privacy, West said. She has said on many occasions that for women to attain true equality with men, they must have sole control over their fertility. This control, in Justice Ginsburgs view, is tied to a womans ability to be independent, which is in turn tied to her status as an equal citizen. That was the position that even Clinton termed very provocative when nominating Ginsburg to the high court in 1993. Likewise, it found, the ability of women to participate equally in the economic and social life of the nation has been facilitated by their ability to control their reproductive lives. That was why Ginsburg reacted so sharply to Kennedys language in the partial-birth abortion case, West said. She saw a group of powerful men putting their views about what was the best or most moral choice for women over the views of the women, she said. And that they did so at the risk of the womens safety, by not including an exception for the health of the woman, made it all the more upsetting to her. It is how Ginsburg has expressed herself outside the courtroom that has drawn the ire of abortion opponents. The side that wants to take the choice away from women and give it to the state, theyre fighting a losing battle, Ginsburg told Emily Bazelon in a 2009 interview for the New York Times Magazine. Time is on the side of change. And conservatives initially said Ginsburg should recuse herself from the Texas case because of comments she made in a 2014 New Republic interview. Asked if states could be entrusted to guard abortion rights, she answered: How could you trust legislatures in view of the restrictions states are imposing? Think of the Texas legislation that would put most clinics out of business. The courts cant be trusted either. Ginsburg made clear in her questioning Wednesday that she had not changed her mind. Her questioning was both protective of Stephanie Toti, the lawyer representing the clinics, and cutting of Keller. In fact, Ginsburg continued questioning Keller after Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. had indicated Kellers time was up. Ginsburg pursued Keller on his claim that the clinic closings would not affect a large number of women in Texas. You earlier in your argument, you were quoting how many women are within a reasonable range of the clinic, Ginsburg said. But dont we know from Casey that the focus must be on the ones who are burdened and not the ones who arent burdened? She continued to press the point about the decision which was written by Kennedy, sitting next to her. Casey was quite precise in this. MONTGOMERY, Ala A white Alabama police officer was charged with murder Wednesday in the shooting death of a black man who, a family lawyer says, was walking home when he was slain outside a neighbors house. Montgomery police officer Aaron Smith, 23, was in custody, with bond set at $150,000, Montgomery County District Attorney Daryl Bailey said Wednesday. I will do everything in my power to protect a police officer who is operating within the law, Bailey said. I will also use every ounce of my power to prosecute a police officer who is acting outside of the law. Bailey said state investigators have obtained the arrest warrant in the death 58-year-old Greg Gunn, but he wouldnt say what evidence led to the charge. Mickey McDermott, Smiths attorney, said his arrest is a political witch hunt to quell public unrest. This is on the back of a 23-year-old police officer working by himself in a high crime area, with a larger man who ran, McDermott said. Were sorry for the loss of this man, but he brought it on himself. Smith is on leave from the police department pending termination, city officials said. Gunns death comes amid a national conversation about law enforcements use of lethal force in minority communities, after multiple cases of black men dying at the hands of police. In the history of Montgomery, this is not one of our great days, Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange said Wednesday. Authorities said Smith shot and killed Gunn around 3:20 a.m. on Feb. 25. Police Chief Ernest Finley said Monday that Smith deemed Gunn suspicious, left his car and approached Gunn on foot. Authorities have not said what Smith found suspicious about Gunn. The Gunn familys attorney, Tyrone Means, said Gunn was walking home from a friends house at the time. He said earlier this week that Gunn attended a regular card game with friends on Wednesdays after he got off work, and he frequently walked from his friends house to his home a few blocks away, where he lived with his mother. Authorities initially said Gunn was holding a stick or cane and the two men had struggled. But Gunns next-door neighbor Colvin Hinson told The Associated Press the stick was actually an extension handle for a paint roller that belonged to him. He didnt have anything, other than the cane they was talking about was my paint cane laying right there. Been there two or three weeks, Colvin Hinson said Wednesday. Hinson said he was awakened by loud banging on his front door before he heard gunshots. He opened the door to see Gunn in the grass beside the stick. Hinson said hes always felt safe at home and supports law enforcement, but questioned the shooting. You know I tip my hat to them because we do need them, Hinson said. I just want to know if the protocol is to shoot an unarmed man down dead in front of somebodys house anytime they feel like it. City officials on Wednesday would not confirm if Smith was injured in the incident or if they still believe Gunn was carrying anything. Bailey said the State Bureau of Investigations will continue to investigate the case, and all findings will be presented to a Montgomery County grand jury. He said he believes Gunns death is an isolated incident, and asked the community not to criticize the citys police department. I want to be crystal clear that the arrest that is being made today is in no way an indictment on the Montgomery Police Department, Bailey said. In fact, 99.9 percent of the Montgomery police officers do an exceptional job on a daily basis protecting us and our community. They are, in fact, the thin blue line between order and chaos. San Clementes 73-bed community hospital will close May 31 because of declining patient numbers and legislative constraints, its owners said Wednesday. Saddleback Memorial Medical Center announced the decision to close its San Clemente campus, at 654 Camino de los Mares, in a statement. The closure will leave a nearly 40-mile gap in public emergency rooms between Tri-City Hospital in Oceanside and Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo. Saddleback Memorial did not mention any plans for the 6.6-acre site. In August of 2014, MemorialCare Health System announced a plan to convert the Saddleback Memorial Medical Center San Clemente into a comprehensive outpatient medical campus with advanced urgent care. The plan ran into local opposition when residents became aware it would cost the south end of Orange County its emergency room. Under state law, without an acute-care hospital there could be no emergency room receiving patients on 911 emergency calls. Local physicians formed a Save San Clemente Hospital group, and San Clementes City Council appealed to the owners to preserve the hospital services and ER. Dr. Gus Gialamas, a local physician and co-founder of Save San Clemente Hospital, said Wednesday that he hopes MemorialCare Health System, a nonprofit, will sell the site to another operator. I think they are abandoning our community, he said. I am hoping the city will act on the communitys behalf and keep this hospital open until someone can come in and operate it as an acute care hospital. I personally know of two hospital consortiums that would like to purchase the hospital, he said. In Wednesdays announcement, Saddleback Memorial said it worked with State Sen. Patricia Bates and Assemblyman Bill Brough on legislation allowing a Saddleback Memorial satellite emergency department to operate as part of the San Clemente outpatient campus. In January, the bills failed. The San Clemente City Council then voted to rezone the site to require hospital services. Without legislation to allow a satellite emergency department, and given this new restrictive rezoning that requires hospital services and a declining census that makes operation of an acute care facility unsustainable, the vision to convert the campus into a modern ambulatory care center cannot now be achieved, Saddleback Memorials announcement said. Tony Struthers, hospital administrator, said the decision was not reached quickly. This is not the outcome we had sought or expected, he said in a statement. We envisioned a new modern ambulatory center that would better meet the communitys future health care needs and transform the campus into a health care destination. San Clemente Mayor Bob Baker said more than San Clemente residents will be affected. Well just have to go on from here and find another healthcare partner who wants to serve the citizens of south Orange County, Baker said. This is not just a San Clemente issue. This is a south Orange County issue. It affects the entire region. Struthers said in his statement that Saddleback Memorial is grateful to the hospitals dedicated staff and is working with them to identify opportunities for them within the healthcare system. We will continue to serve San Clemente and the greater community through our health centers, imaging facilities, breast centers, ambulatory surgery centers and dialysis centers in San Clemente and surrounding communities, as well as the Saddleback Memorial Laguna Hills campus, he said. We are also exploring adding new urgent care services in San Clemente, and we remain committed to seeking ways to meet the growing demand for convenient, affordable, high-quality health care. Contact the writer: fswegles@ocregister.com or 949-492-5127 DANA POINT About 100 unionized Kaiser Permanente employees protested what they called excessive salaries and bonuses for executives, Wednesday, at the nonprofit insurer and hospital systems board meeting at the Ritz-Carlton. Members of Service Employees International Union United Healthcare Workers West carried picket signs along the sidewalk in front of the oceanfront resort and chanted, Hey, hey, ho, ho, corporate greed has got to go. Kaiser spokesman John Nelson declined to disclose the boards vote on executive bonuses or amounts, saying affected employees would be notified later this month. Richard Hall, who works in IT at Kaisers Irvine Medical Center, said he was concerned not only about executive compensation but the choice of venue for the three-day meeting. I think its a bit excessive, Hall said. We have plenty of conference rooms in Orange County. The union represents about 18,000 Southern California Kaiser employees, in jobs ranging from licensed vocational nurses to janitors. Members are collecting signatures to put an initiative on the November ballot that would limit compensation of hospital executives to $450,000 a year the salary and expense account of the president of the United States. If he can make $450,000 and run a country, they can sure as hell run a hospital, Verna Hampton, who collects co-pays at Kaisers West Los Angeles hospital, said at the rally. Hampton said she is also upset because union members modest bonuses, of up to $2,000, were not given this year because the Southern California Kaiser division did not meet its budget goal. Instead, employees were told they would receive a special payout of $215. Union spokesman Sean Wherley said nationwide Kaiser employs 50 executives who earn $1 million to $10 million a year. Executive compensation is made public annually when Kaiser files its Form 990, the tax return for nonprofits. An analysis of nonprofit hospitals by Modern Healthcare magazine named former Kaiser CEO George Halvorson a top earner for 2012 receiving $9.9 million, up 24.6 percent from the year before. Contact the writer: cperkes@ocregister.com 714-796-3686 SANTA ANA A 35-year-old man was arrested Thursday on a federal charge of intentionally aiming a laser pointer at a police helicopter. Mario Deleon Lopez of Santa Ana was taken into custody without incident by FBI agents. An indictment by a federal grand jury includes one count of aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft, which is a felony that carries a penalty of up to five years in prison, said Thom Mrozek, a U.S. Attorneys Office spokesman, in a statement. On the night of Nov. 14, sheriffs deputies were patrolling over Santa Ana when their helicopter was struck with the beam of a laser, according to investigators. A pilot reported that the aircraft was struck multiple times with a green laser that illuminated the helicopters cockpit, Mrozek said. Deputies, along with Santa Ana police, tracked the source of the laser to a suspect in a backyard, he said. Police on the ground took Lopez into custody, Mrozek said. Lopez posted bail while the federal investigation continued and culminated with the filing of the indictment. The conduct charged in this indictment placed both the sheriffs deputies and innocent bystanders on the ground in danger, U.S. Attorney Eileen M. Decker said. Had the pilot lost control of the helicopter, lives could have been lost. Consequently, we take these cases very seriously and will continue to prosecute those who commit this crime. Contact the writer: 714-796-7767 sschwebke@ocregister.com Twitter @thechalkoutline Most of us can attest to knowing a few extraordinary individuals. Individuals who have accomplished much and whose overall skills, talent, intellect and character make them extraordinary people. Over the last four decades I have had the good fortune to meet more than my share of extraordinary people. Individuals who restore ones faith in humanity, who are intellectual adventurers and outbound enthusiasts. People who are self-effacing, have creative minds and are analytical thinkers. Individuals who have heart, backbone and a healthy dose of humor. Extraordinary people stand out. How rare is it to then meet an individual who is so extraordinary in so many areas that they stand above other extraordinary people? Allow me to introduce you to just such a person. His name is Jim Lewis. Jim is a Senior Test Engineer at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, where he is the lead test and integration engineer for chemical propulsion subsystems and the Mars In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment. Among Lewiss responsibilities is how to create enough oxygen for the astronauts who will someday travel to Mars. For additional details on the NASA/JPL Mars 2020 mission and Jim Lewiss responsibilities see a recent CBS News report and video. Lewis has also worked on the space shuttle program at the Kennedy Space Center, where he was the shuttles system engineer and on the International Space Station, where he was the test director for the mechanical truss systems. Lewis has a BS degree in physics and two masters, one in aerospace engineering and the other in space systems engineering. He is working on his doctorate in aerospace engineering. In addition to his NASA/JPL duties, Jim teaches undergrad and graduate engineering courses in spacecraft propulsion, astronautics and jet engine thermodynamics at Cal Poly Pomona and Cal State Long Beach. Lewis also consults with a number of private sector technology companies, including one that has developed multiple innovative proprietary systems to eradicate all biologic contaminants from multiple water sources including wells, aquifers, streams, rivers, lakes and even sewage to produce safe, germ-free drinking water. His skills and responsibilities would make Lewis an extraordinary individual, but there is much more to know about him, including his active military duty. Lewis is a Special Forces officer with 27 years of experience, including multiple active-duty combat tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. He has also served as an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle consultant to the government of Jordan and has conducted counter-drug operations in Bolivia. Lewis is the recipient of the Bronze Star Medal, numerous Army and Joint Commendation medals and has received the Meritorious Honor Award from the U.S. State Department for his work with Afghan district governors in central and eastern Afghanistan. In defining an extraordinary individual I stated above that they should possess heart, backbone and a healthy dose of humor. I also said they should be an outbound enthusiast, which is exactly what Jim Lewis is when he gets a trombone in his hands. Playing the trombone is not just something Lewis does on the side. Lewis is so talented as a trombonist that he plays with Grammy Award winning professional musicians in an instrumental progressive funk band called the San Gabriel 7. Lewis not only plays with the SG7, he is their manager. The SG7, which Lewis describes as the band Chicago on steroids, has performed all around the country and have released six CDs. The last job Lewis has and the most important, is being a father to four. Over this past year as I have gotten to know Jim Lewis, I have marveled at all he does so exceptionally well and wondered how you define someone, who is beyond extraordinary? I dont really have an answer but I do know Jim Lewis is just such an individual. Ians weekly column covers regional, state and national issues. His 40 year media career, includes 20 years as Publisher & CEO of various media companies. He welcomes comments from readers, and can be reached at ilamont@lbregister.com. LA PALMA A gunman robbed a Walgreens store in La Palma of about $800 Wednesday night, but no one was injured. The robbery occurred about 8:50 p.m. at the store at 5961 La Palma Ave., said La Palma police Sgt. Jesse Amend. The gunman walked into the store, walked up to a cashier, pulled out a gun a semi-automatic handgun and demanded the money from the register, Amend said. The clerk handed over the cash and the gunman left the store. No one was injured in the robbery. The robber was described as a black man about 5 feet 7 or 5 feet 8 inches tall with a heavy build. He was between 35 and 40 years old and wore a gray sweater, gray ball cap and blue jeans, Amend said. Anyone with information on this robbery was asked to call the La Palma police at 714-690-3370. All tips can be made anonymously. SALT LAKE CITY A male who authorities say was wielding a broomstick was shot and critically injured by Salt Lake City officers Saturday night, touching off several hours of unrest downtown as officers donned riot gear and blocked streets and bystanders threw rocks and bottles. The male shot by two Salt Lake City Police officers was in critical condition at a local hospital Sunday morning after being struck twice in the torso, according to Det. Ken Hansen with the Unified Police Department, which is investigating the shooting. Hansen did not have details about the males identity or age, but a bystander told The Salt Lake Tribune and Deseret News that the male was a teenager. Hansen said the shooting occurred when two Salt Lake City officers were called around 8 p.m. to break up a fight near a downtown homeless shelter that sits next to a shopping mall and movie theater. When the officers arrived, they found the male in the street, hitting another person with the broomstick, Hansen said. Officers tried to break up the fight, but the male with the broomstick tried to attack an officer, he said. One or both of the police officers then shot the male, hitting him in the upper and lower torso, Hansen said. He did not have details about the identity of the other person involved in the fight, what prompted the dispute or whether anyone else was injured. Theres still a lot to go through, Hansen said. Police are not releasing the identity of the officers, he said. Bystander Selam Mohammad told The Salt Lake Tribune and Deseret News that his teenage friend was shot by police. Mohammad told the newspapers that his friend was holding the broomstick at his side when officers arrived and that police shot him as he turned around. He barely even turned around, then boom, boom, boom and he just dropped, Mohammad told the Deseret News. When asked about that account, Hansen said he did not have details to confirm or deny that information. Hansen had no information about how many shots were fired or how far away the male with the broomstick was from police when they pulled their guns. He did not know the size of the broomstick or whether it was sharpened. He also did not know whether the male had a gun, knife or any other weapon on him at the time. After the shooting, bystanders began yelling obscenities and throwing rocks and bottles at police, who called in about 100 officers to help. Hansen said one officer was hit with a bottle, but he did not have details about whether that officer or any other was injured. He did not have details about any arrests and directed those questions to Salt Lake City Police. Salt Lake City Police did not return messages Sunday morning. Det. Greg Wilking with Salt Lake City Police talked to reporters Saturday night but had few details about what prompted the fight or how the shooting unfolded. Our officers arriving on scene encountered a lot of hostile people upset about what had taken place, Wilking told The Deseret News. Police, including officers wearing helmets and carrying riot shields, barricaded four surrounding city blocks. A light rail stop in the neighborhood was closed. Were locking down the area, barricading off streets and having a strong officer presence in the area, Wilking told the newspaper Saturday night. He said some people were detained and witnesses were being interviewed at a police headquarters Saturday night. There were pockets of that disturbance for hours, Hansen said Sunday. He said the protesters throwing rocks and bottles were people hanging out near the shelter. He didnt know if they were homeless, but he said they were not customers of the nearby shopping center. Hansen said the area was relatively busy, with people visiting the shopping center and restaurants and others hanging out near the shelter and homeless facilities. A 51-year-old man is behind bars after he was arrested on suspicion of a sex act in the childrens reading area of a Barnes & Noble bookstore in Huntington Beach last week, police said Wednesday. The man later admitted to committing more than 20 similar acts at random areas in Southern California, police said. About 9 p.m. on Feb. 23, authorities were called to the bookstore inside the Bella Terra shopping center on Edinger Avenue after store officials reported a man was seen exposing himself, according to the Huntington Beach Police Department. The man ignored a witness who talked to him, but the man later left after a store manager confronted him. Officers searched the area for men matching the witness descriptions but didnt find him. He was later identified through DNA and fingerprint evidence found at the scene as Bradley Meenahan, a local transient, said police spokeswoman Jennifer Marlatt. Meenahan is a registered sex offender with several felony convictions for sex-related crimes. He had been living out of his van in the Venice Beach area. Two days after the Barnes & Noble incident, he was found and arrested in Dana Point where he admitted to other similar crimes. According to jail records, Meenahan was being held at the Intake Release Center on $100,000 bail and is set to appear in court Tuesday. Court records show he pleaded not guilty on Monday to indecent exposure. Police are looking for possible victims or anyone with information about Meenahan. People can call the Huntington Beach Police Department at 714-375-5066. Anyone who wants to stay anonymous can call Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1-855-TIP-OCCS. Tips can also be submitted on the Submit a Crime Tip link on the departments Facebook page. Contact the writer: 714-796-7865 or afausto@ocregister.com STOCKHOLM Swedish Crown Princess Victoria gave birth to her second child, a boy, her husband Prince Daniel said late Wednesday. Victoria and the baby were doing very well, the prince told reporters at Karolinska University Hospital where the baby was born at 8:28 p.m. local time. He said the newborn boy was 201/2 inches long and weighed 8 pounds. The baby boy is third in line to the throne after Victoria, and his older sister, Princess Estelle, who was born in 2012. Everyone is very happy, Daniel Westling said. The 36-year-old princess and her 42-year-old husband married in June 2010. Victoria and Westling met in 2002 and were engaged in February 2009. Westling was the princess fitness trainer. The name of the newest addition to the royal family was to be announced by King Carl XVI Gustaf after a Cabinet meeting, likely Thursday, the prince said. Sweden in 1980 changed the order of succession so that the monarchs eldest heir, regardless of gender, inherits the throne. BEIRUT Even as Iran and Saudi Arabia supported opposite sides in a bitter and bloody proxy war in Syria, the two adversaries managed to preserve a tense calm just over the border in Lebanon, where they have long competed for influence. Now, suddenly, it looks like Saudi Arabia is walking away leaving Lebanon perhaps more firmly than ever in the grip of Hezbollah and its patron, Iran. Instead of vying behind the scenes to counter Iran, as it has for decades, the kingdom has taken to punishing Lebanon for Hezbollahs siding with Iran in Syria. It has slashed billions of dollars in aid, ordered Saudi tourists to avoid the Mediterranean nation, and, Wednesday, declared Hezbollah, Lebanons most powerful political, social and armed organization, a terrorist group. Suddenly, this sliver of a nation long beloved by Saudis for its night life, beaches and mountains, is once again thrust into the middle of the battle for regional dominance between Shiite Iran and Sunni Saudi Arabia. The consequences could be enormous for a nation that barely survived its own civil war, borders Israel, hosts well over 1 million Syrian refugees and relies on a shaky power-sharing arrangement between sects for its own stability. Iran has not shifted tactics in Lebanon. But Saudi Arabia has in what is seen as the latest of a series of newly assertive critics say impulsive foreign policy moves pressed by a new king and his son, the deputy crown prince. In each case, Saudi Arabia has asserted what it calls its right, even duty, to counter Iranian influence. In Yemen, it is fighting an Iranian-backed rebel group. In Syria, it has supported rebels fighting the government of President Bashar Assad, whom Iran supports. So it was surprising that in Lebanon, rather than once again taking the fight to Iran, the kingdom has taken a step back a move that risks increasing Irans influence and fragmenting its Sunni rivals. It is a tactic that virtually no one here thinks has any chance of actually coercing Lebanon to constrain Hezbollah. Ali Rizk, a Lebanese political analyst close to Hezbollah, echoed many analysts across the Middle East in saying that Saudi Arabia had been prone to hair-trigger reactions since its leaders became incensed over the nuclear deal between Iran and the United States. They just went crazy, he said. The move by Riyadh threatens not only to reshape the politics of the region, but to undermine this tiny nations fitful economy and delicate political balance. Already, the tensions have boiled over in small ways; after a television station aired a spoof ridiculing Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollahs leader, the groups supporters blocked roads and burned tires Saturday night, sparking brief confrontations in the streets with rival groups. In a speech Tuesday night, Nasrallah struck back, accusing Saudi Arabia of crimes and massacres in its air war in Yemen and calling on it to settle scores with Hezbollah and not with the Lebanese people. Diplomats and analysts have spent several weeks trying to understand why the Saudis would precipitously start penalizing Lebanon and arguably their own Lebanese allies over the powerful influence of Hezbollah, which is nothing new. Even politicians in the Saudi camp say that the kingdoms moves have put Lebanon in an impossible position. The Shiite groups forces are more powerful than the Lebanese military and act autonomously; most notably carrying out a major ground operation in Syria that helped keep Assad in power. Political figures on all sides point out that what Saudi Arabia has demanded from Lebanon condemning Iran and Hezbollah, for example is unrealistic. If some think that Hezbollah will pull out from Syria due to some Arab stances, Walid Jumblatt, the Druse leader who lately has been allied with the pro-Saudi Future Movement, told Orient TV, a Syrian opposition news outlet, well, they wont withdraw. Not even the Future Movement, the Lebanese party closest to Saudi Arabia, could bring itself to call Hezbollah a terrorist group rather declaring Wednesday that Hezbollah was involved in terrorist activities. Tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran, and their allies in Lebanon and throughout the region, have been increasing since the start of the conflict in Syria, which is now in its fifth year. Those tensions have risen further since King Salman rose to the Saudi throne last year and pursued a more assertive foreign policy, including the war in Yemen. The Saudis have carried out an airstrike campaign that has killed civilians and destroyed hospitals and historic areas, and has been roundly criticized by Hezbollah even as Hezbollah was backing an indiscriminate Syrian government campaign to put down the rebellion there. The newest round of recriminations began when Saudi Arabia executed a pro-Iranian dissident Shiite cleric, Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr. Iranian demonstrators attacked the Saudi embassy in Tehran. In January, at meetings of the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Saudi Arabia sought formal condemnations not only of the embassy attacks but also of Irans and Hezbollahs roles in the region. Lebanon did not sign on. The countrys foreign minister, Gebran Bassil who leads the Free Patriotic Movement, a Christian party aligned with Hezbollah declared that Lebanon stood in solidarity with Saudi Arabia over the embassy attacks. But signing onto the statement, he said, would violate Lebanons policy of disassociation, or official neutrality, on the Syrian conflict. Saudi Arabias main Sunni allies in Lebanon, the Future Movement led by Saad Hariri, criticized Bassil, saying that his stance did not represent Lebanon. Finger-pointing ensued among Lebanons political factions, whose stalemate over Syria and conflicts on other issues have kept the country without a president for well over a year. Next, Riyadh declared it was canceling $4 billion in aid pledged to Lebanon, $3 billion of which was earmarked for the Lebanese army. The aid had been offered in a bid to bolster the army and make it more able to hold its own and operate independently from Hezbollah. The kingdom and its allies suggested that the decision was because of what it saw as undue influence from Hezbollah in foreign policy, as well as security concerns after several Arab governments in the Persian Gulf said they had uncovered Hezbollah cells in their countries. Ghattas Khoury, a former Lebanese parliament member speaking for Hariris camp, said the kingdoms Lebanese allies understood its position but would lobby the Saudis to change their minds. The Lebanese army is essential for us, he said. Last week, Saudi Arabia and four of its five allies in the Gulf Cooperation Council declared Lebanon unsafe for their citizens, although there has been no discernible shift in the security situation. Arguably, those moves will have little concrete effect, since the $3 billion in arms had yet to be delivered, and Saudi and other tourists have already largely abandoned Lebanon during the Syrian war. But Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies have other leverage: They could also throw out the half-million Lebanese who work in the Gulf, a major economic lifeline for the country. And Saudi Arabia already seems to have cut its support to Hariri, whose father, Rafik, a former prime minister close to the kingdom, was assassinated in 2005; the Saudis blame Hezbollah. Employees of his partys media outlets say their pay has become irregular. And the party is short of cash ahead of municipal elections this spring, when they could lose ground to Hezbollah and other rivals without funds to mobilize voters. Asked to explain the decline in Saudi support, several diplomats and analysts said that Lebanon was taking a back seat to Yemen, Syria and other conflicts. Its just not a priority anymore, one diplomat said. TEHRAN, Iran Five days after national elections in Iran, the Interior Ministry has yet to release official results, and some analysts are beginning to doubt that it ever will. While the government and its supporters clearly won a sweeping victory in the capital, the picture in the rest of the country is much more diffuse and may remain that way for some time, if not permanently. Irans Interior Ministry, which is overseeing the voting for the 290-seat parliament and the clerical Assembly of Experts, announced on Tuesday the names of 222 parliamentary candidates who won nationwide. It also announced that there would be a second round of voting for 68 seats in several constituencies in April. But there has been no official comment on the affiliation of the winning candidates, and there may never be, making it difficult to determine how many seats the various factions have won. A consensus seems to be developing based on the most credible news media efforts at a tabulation that the reformist-moderate combination seems to have secured 80 to 90 seats in the Majlis, or parliament. The hard-liners seem to have won a similar number. Around 60 seats have gone to independents, and the rest will be determined in the second round of voting. The problem is that there are no parties in Iran, only individual candidates and temporary, loose alliances. This makes it extremely complicated to count which person supports which faction. One famous politician, for example, Ali Motahhari, came in second in Tehran on the combined list of government supporters. But when it comes to social issues like the obligatory Islamic head scarf for women, he will probably side with the hard-liners. In the end, all the members of the parliament are free to choose their own positions, said Farshad Ghorbanpour, a political analyst close to the hard-liners. We expect most of our supporters to help the government, at least on economical issues. What seems likely is that the new parliament will find itself without a dominant faction, a rarity in the Islamic Republic. Analysts expect that even the second round will not bring a majority to any of the groups. This could lead to gridlock, experts say, because under Irans Constitution, laws need a two-thirds majority for passage. Factions can obstruct the votes simply by not showing up. In the absence of official results, Iranian news outlets, many aligned with one of the factions, have been making their own calculations, announcing victory for their respective patrons. A moderate newspaper, Arman, in many ways a fanzine for Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, a former president, ran cheering headlines saying their favorite ayatollah came out on top, after he attracted the most votes in the assembly election. Underneath they printed a picture of a grinning Rafsanjani, known as the shark in Iran because of his relatively smooth face and absence of facial hair. The state newspaper, Kayhan, a mouthpiece of Irans hard-liners, dismissed claims by the reformists and moderates of a huge victory, with a front-page headline on Monday screaming Big lie! In an editorial, the paper claimed that the hard-liners had won 153 seats in parliament, a clear majority. The reformists, it said, seem to have discovered a new form of mathematics. President Hassan Rouhani, following the official line, has not disclosed the number of seats he thinks were won by the different factions. He did write a letter to the interior minister on Wednesday thanking him for conducting glorious elections. The vote, the government news agency IRNA wrote, quoting from a statement by Rouhani, was a brilliant new chapter in the record book of religious democracy. The semiofficial ILNA news agency said the reformist-moderate coalition had won 83 seats, and put the hard-liners at 78 seats. It said the rest were independents or were headed for the second round of voting. But the agencys count, like all the others, was unofficial, it noted. Clearly the hard-liners have won, we have 115 seats, concluded Hamidreza Taraghi, a hard-line political analyst. We will be the dominant faction. A political opponent concluded the opposite. The reformists and moderates have 130 seats, more than everybody, argued Ghorbanpour, the political analyst close to the Rouhani government. We will set the agenda. MAARZAF, Syria Just days into a U.S.-Russia-brokered cease-fire, many residents in a pro-government Syrian village long engulfed in fierce fighting in a central province expressed hope Wednesday that the truce will prevail and that a sense of normalcy could soon return. But the cease-fire is partial. While it has mostly held across the war-wrecked nation, it excludes Islamic State as well as Syrias al-Qaida branch, known as the Nusra Front, and other militant factions that the United Nations considers terrorist organizations. In a stark reflection of those limitations, a car bomb killed 18 commanders of a U.S.-backed rebel group on Wednesday, a serious blow to the rebels, while Syrian Kurdish-led forces took strategic ground in Aleppo province from the Nusra Front, in a surprise offensive aimed at encircling the provincial capital. Russias Defense Ministry, in a bid to secure the cease-fire, said it has set up a coordination center that includes several dozen officers who visit opposition groups and local communities to help negotiate local truce deals. On a trip to central Syria organized by the Russian government Wednesday, an Associated Press team saw one such document being signed in the village of Maarzaf, about 9 miles northwest of the city of Hama, the provincial capital. While the city of Hama has been firmly under the Syrian governments control throughout the five-year conflict, other parts of Hama province have seen intense fighting. The town of Salamiyeh, on the northern edge of the province, has been a front line between government forces and Islamic State fighters. The Syrian army has been making significant advances in the area, recently securing the desert highway from Salamiyeh to the village of Athriya on the border of Raqqa province, the main Islamic State stronghold, and linking that road to the Salamiyeh-Khanaser-Aleppo road. That gives the government control over a strategic road linking the three provinces together. As part of the process, local leaders sign declarations pledging to abide by the truce and to bow to government control over their territories; in exchange, they get security guarantees and other assistance. The Syrian people need peace, said Sheikh Ahmad Mubarak, a local leader whose private militia has apparently fought alongside Syrian President Bashar Assads army in Hama. The hike had been invigorating invigorating, as in just this side of grueling. A 6-mile ascent into Mount Aspiring National Park had brought us to an overlook of Routeburn Falls, a thundering multilevel cascade of crystalline water (standard for New Zealand) jumping from the rock face above our heads and rushing into the deep valley below us. There we could see the Routeburn River winding through the high-shouldered Humboldt Mountains on its way to Lake Wakatipu. We were breathless not only because of the impressive scenery but because we had run out of time. Sights along the Routeburn Track earlier in the day had slowed us down, and in order to see the falls, we had sprinted the last mile up the steep trail. We were sweating, struggling for air and, most importantly, feeling that the extra effort had been completely worth it. Other than the danger of overextending yourself, hiking New Zealands abundance of trails is almost never disappointing. In fact, if you come all this way and dont take advantage of them, youve truly missed out. And the Kiwis work hard to make hiking attractive. The maintenance on the trails we hiked was impressive: crushed-rock trail beds; comfortable clearance even in the most dense areas of the beech- and fern-dominated rain forests; boardwalks that meander over wetlands; and well-built, if sometimes unnerving, suspension bridges that span the roiling creeks. Richard Davies, a recreation manager for New Zealands Department of Conservation, said about $65 million is pumped into the countrys park areas annually. Much of that money is devoted to trail development and making sure they are maintained properly. It hasnt happened by chance, Davies said of the manicured trails. All our staff is working on certain service standards how much vegetation is cleared, the gradient of the track, whether the watercourses are bridged or not. We can provide a really consistent service. Wherever you go in the country you get a similar experience. From our hikes in the Bay of Islands on the North Island, to the southern regions of Fiordland National Park on the South Island, we found this to be true. And there is good reason for the effort. The spectacular scenery this island nation has to offer is unsurpassed. Director Peter Jackson didnt just film his J.R.R. Tolkien epics here because he didnt want to leave his home country. The vertical landscapes, whether they anchor themselves in mountain rivers, broad lakes or the Pacific Ocean, perfectly lend themselves to fantasy. What we were seeing often felt unreal: The knife-edged ridges on the mountains, the steep faces of which are frequently laced with waterfalls. The dense, verdant forests filled with calling birds and towering giant ferns that make you feel as if youve stumbled into some prehistoric world. The glittering lakes, where the water is so clear you can see the bottom until reflection gets in your way many yards from shore. All of these, and more, make this a country of constant surprises. And hiking is one of the best ways to see it. Originally, we had planned to backpack some of the trails, throwing our lot in with a largely younger crowd frequently seen not only on the trails but in the cities and by the sides of the roads, their thumbs extended. But when my girlfriend broke her arm four days before we were due to fly out of LAX, we had to alter our itinerary. Nevertheless, she was determined not to be slowed down, and we got in plenty of trail time and plenty of those wonderful surprises. What we call hiking, folks here refer to as trekking or tramping, and its a bit different than what were used to in the United States. There arent many places on the popular trails where you can head out into the wilderness and plunk your tent down when you think youve found a good campsite. On many trails, you can set up camp only in designated campgrounds. On some, trekkers can only stay overnight in huts, many of which are rather primitive. Davies said the oldest one his agency manages was built in the 1860s by early farmers. Some, such as the one at Routeburn Falls, are relatively new and while it is a dormitory the bunked beds are partitioned off in a way that provides a moderate degree of privacy. New Zealands most famous trail, the Milford Track in Fiordland, is also its most restrictive. Both ends of the track are accessible primarily by ferry. Hikers can only do the route in one direction, and you have to have a permit or be with a guide to access the trail at all. Reservations are hard to come by. When I looked in October, shortly after we decided to travel to New Zealand, there were no reservations available until April. Davies said the coveted spots usually get booked a year ahead of time. He didnt know the exact timetable but said reservations for the 2016-17 season would soon open. Booking campsites and huts is required on the more popular trails. January weekday spots for the Routeburn Track, perhaps the next most popular after the Milford Track, were still available when I checked in late November. But if you go during New Zealands summer, January to April, there is plenty of competition, especially for space in the huts. There are cancellation penalties, but you are best off booking as early as possible. However, there are other options. On less popular trails, huts are often available on a first-come, first-served basis and, according to Davies, you can camp wherever you find a good spot. If you venture onto some of these trails, dont expect the carefully tended paths of the major tracks. We have many that are essentially just a few markers, Davies said. Every park or piece of land has trails like that. They tend to be not advertised as much. But choosing the advanced or expert category on the conservation departments website will direct you to such trails. We may tackle some of those next time around. But on this trip we found ourselves on some of the more popular routes. We started our South Island trip in Nelson, a quiet town but one with enough restaurants to make it interesting. After an overnight stay at the very comfortable Brettons Retreat bed and breakfast amid the vineyards of nearby Brightwater, we took a 45-minute drive to Lake Rotoiti, one of the Nelson Lakes. Here there are several trails around the lake and up adjoining valleys. We took one of two steep trails to the top of Mount Roberts, a 3,800-foot climb, where there was a spectacular view of the lake below and of the steep slopes of the St. Arnaud Mountains to the south. Trail distances in New Zealands parks are typically measured in time rather than distance. We found the times to be pretty liberal estimates. The Mount Roberts loop is listed at five hours. We finished in 31/2 without pushing it. Our drive for the remainder of the day took us through the Marlborough region, famous for its wineries and its distinctive sauvignon blancs, and down the picturesque east coastline, where we saw ample numbers of surfers and sea lions, to Kaikoura. The seaside village is known for its crayfish, or spiny lobster, and ocean excursions to see whales or swim with wild dolphins. One of the things we had hoped to see was Mount Cook, New Zealands highest peak, in its Southern Alps. So the following day, we drove through the busy city of Christchurch and miles of green farmland to reach the tiny resort town of Lake Tekapo. Along the way, we stopped at the occasional roadside stand to buy blueberries, peaches and, of course, kiwi. We were surprised to discover that the quality and price of the produce was pretty comparable in the supermarkets. And while the cost was a bit higher than in the States, we did not run into the exorbitant prices wed been warned about. The same held true for hotel rates and dining out. We left Lake Tekapo in the morning rain. The weather hadnt improved much by the time we had skirted the shores of glacier-fed Lake Pukaki with its steel gray surface, and reached the trail leading into the Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park. An hours hike took us over roaring streams and along the base of cliff faces cut with waterfalls. When we reached the trails end at the milky Hooker Lake, the clouds had only slightly lifted and offered us only occasional glimpses of the shoulders of Mount Cook. Nevertheless, the scenery was stunning. New Zealands weather can be dicey, even in summer. These are, after all, rain forests that we were hiking through. Theyre called rain forests for a reason. Three days later, when we were trekking along the southern end of the 30-mile-long Routeburn Track, we took a detour to Key Summit. There we were perched above a dramatic landscape. I know this because it said so in large letters on the sign in front of us. It was one of those sloped metal signs that depict the view before you, labeling all of the important geographic features. To our left was Mount Christina or, to the Maori, Te Taumata o Hinepipiwai. Far below, cradled in a glacial cirque, was Lake Marian. Wrapped in a drizzling fog whiteout, we could see none of it. There was nothing else to do. I took a picture of the sign. Fortunately, this was the exception. Though we dealt with overcast skies on many of the days we were in New Zealand, the clouds often added to the landscape, rather than detracting from it. They were part of the experience. But, as if bestowing a parting gift upon us, the following day was sunny. We had returned to the North Island and had started our final day with a hike on the coast directly west of Auckland, above Mercer Bay, where the coastline rivals Big Surs. At one headland stands a carving of the Maori maiden Hinerangi, who married a young chieftain but lost him at sea. Legend says she died on this spot of a broken heart, looking out to sea, hoping for the return of her love. Her face is said to appear on a nearby cliff side. I wasnt able to pick out her features, but that hardly diminished the beauty of the place. Nor did her sad tale dampen my enthusiasm or appreciation for what we had experienced along the trails we tramped in New Zealand. Contact the writer: mmuckenfuss@pressenterprise.com or 951-368-9595 The rapidly intensifying effort by the Republican establishment to dislodge Donald Trump from the top of the partys presidential nominating race will star 2012 nominee Mitt Romney, who is preparing a speech for Thursday when hell lay out his case against the front-runner. With Trumps convincing victories on Tuesday, the single biggest day of voting in the Republican race, Romney was motivated to make a more formal case against him in hopes of keeping him from coalescing more support, according to a Republican source familiar with Romneys plans. Romney has voiced criticism for Trump in recent months, including his attack last week on the New York businessmans refusal to release his tax returns. Mitt doesnt believe Donald Trump is the right person to lead the party, the Republican said. There are a number of mainstream Republicans falling in line with Trump, and he wants to speak up before more people go that route. While making the case against Trump, Romney is unlikely to endorse one of his opponents, the source said.Closing Window Romneys attempt to shape the race comes after 15 states have held nominating contests. Trump has won 10 of those contests, and has 46 percent of the delegates awarded so far. Trump has also collected endorsements by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, a leader of the party who once served as head of the Republican Governors Association, Maine Governor Paul LePage, and U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama. The battle inside the GOP is so fluid that Romneys circle of advisers are not in agreement about how to respond to Trumps rise towards the nomination. There are Republicans opposing Trump, but they are a tiny minority when you look at the voting, Eric Fehrnstrom, a Republican consultant who was a senior adviser to Romneys campaign, said in an interview. The party leadership could make more progress if they focused on building bridges instead of burning them. Fehrnstrom noted that Romney won six of 10 contests on Super Tuesday four years ago. In the Super Tuesday contests that took place this week, Trump won seven of 11 states. What usually happens right now is the party rallies behind the presumptive nominee, Fehrnstrom said. I suspect that will happen, but it looks like the process will take itself a bit longer to work out. Republican strategist Alex Castellanos is urging the party to line up behind the front-runner. Donald Trump whipped the establishment and it is too late for the limp GOP establishment to ask their mommy to step in and rewrite the rules because they were humiliated for their impotence, Castellanos said in an e-mail to the Washington Post on Wednesday. If Trump is going to be our nominee, as I believe he is, it is our mission to support Trump and make him the best nominee and president possible.Beating Trump in Florida Ahead of Romneys speech, a pair of conservative groups were spending millions on TV ads that hammered Trump, including spots that targeted Michigan, which holds its primary on March 8, and Florida and Illinois, two of the biggest prizes in the race, both of which hold rare, winner-take-all contests on March 15. The ad campaign effort was focused mostly on the troubled Trump University, which the New York businessman is defending against a pair of fraud claims in his home state. One 60-second ad from Our Principles PAC, a super-PAC that can take donations in unlimited amounts, contends Trumps real estate school was a scam calling it unlicensed, illegal, and offering no actual degrees. The spots are backed by a seven- figure ad buy, and will air in Florida, Illinois, Michigan, and on national cable, said Tim Miller, a spokesman for the group. The truth about Trump University? Donald Trump made millions, while hard-working Americans got scammed, the ad says. Donald Trump belongs in 3 a.m. infomercials, not here. A second super-PAC, known as Americas Future Fund, is airing multiple spots that feature people they identify as victims of Trump University. The spots are part of a $3 million by and running nationally. I was duped by the Donald, a man identified as Bob says in one spot.Scene in Congress Word of Romneys speech came as the Republican Party wrestled Wednesday with whether to rally behind Trump or pursue a bloody fight to take him down, with no clear alternative to replace him. At least some in the party began showing a willingness to get behind Trump after his big night. Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, who faces an uphill run for reelection in a state won twice by Barack Obama, said Wednesday he sees Trumps appeal to voters. Johnson, like Trump, left a lucrative life in business for politics in a bid to shake up Washington. Ill accentuate the positive of anybody, he said. Ill look for areas of agreement. Certainly, I would assume a businessperson like Donald Trump can understand a financial statement, understand what needs to be done. I like the fact that he knows how to negotiate. Weve had seven, eight years of somebody who doesnt know how to negotiate. I mean thats one of his appeals. Elsewhere, Republicans dug in. Neither Florida Senator Marco Rubio nor Texas Senator Ted Cruz, who was buoyed by a home-state victory on Super Tuesday, showed any readiness to make way for the billionaire. It could spell a brutal war of attrition stretching well into the spring. Many party stalwarts are loath to back Cruz, an unpopular senator who forced a federal government shutdown in 2013 and then irritated leaders by threatening to do it again. But even some of them began publicly entertaining the idea as Trumps Super Tuesday rout became clear. Ted Cruz is not my favorite by any means, Senator Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, told CBS Tuesday night. But we may be in a position where we have to rally around Ted Cruz as the only way to stop Donald Trump. Others in party seemed resigned to Trump, or whatever outcome the partys voters preferred. Im not worried about whats happening now, Texas Senator John Cornyn, second-ranking Republicans in the Senate, told reporters, saying the party would eventually unite behind the nominee. Cornyn also said it was up to senators to speak for or any against any particular candidate. Im flattered that you think that voters really care what senators think, Cornyn said. My impression is that voters are voting their own minds and theyre not looking for guidance or direction from me or anyone else.Anti-Trump Playbook The conservative Our Principles PAC also said it would hire new opposition researchers to examine the real estate moguls past. The group on Tuesday night unveiled a YouTube clip featuring several television personalities decrying Trump as a racist. Among the new hires is Miller, the communications director to Jeb Bushs shuttered presidential campaign. Donalds general election campaign will fail worse than Trump Mortgage and Trump Steaks did and Hillary Clinton will destroy him even if shes campaigning from jail, Miller said in a statement, vowing the group would fight until the last delegate is counted to stop that from happening. Trumps competitors also pitched themselves as the last, best alternative to preventing Trump from earning the nomination while encouraging each other to exit the race. So long as the field remains divided, Donald Trumps path to the nomination remains more likely, Cruz said during a victory rally at the Redneck Country Club in Stafford, Texas. And that would be a disaster for Republicans, for conservatives and for the nation. Paired with an emerging Democratic playbook to accuse Trump of being anti-woman, intolerant, and too hotheaded to have his finger on the nuclear button it would be the first concerted effort to convince voters that Trump isnt fit to be president. Democrats in Washington see opportunity in the Republican melee. Most Republicans that are on the ballot, if they share the ballot with Mr. Trump, probably wont see their prospects enhanced, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Wednesday. Trumps rhetoric is directly contrary to the values this country has long defended, he said, which made him bullish about the Democrats prospects. Not long ago, the world of whiskey was about as changeable and trend-conscious as an elderly deacon. Hoity-toity Scotch drinkers had a lifelong affiliation with their beloved brand of single malt. Barflies with a taste for Irish whiskey ordered Bushmills or Jameson. Bourbon was for Southerners. Rye was for Canadians. Asians drank Suntory. Connoisseurs were a small and exclusive breed. Times have changed, and the new philosophy that has revolutionized food, beer and wine lets called it gourmet-ization has swept through whiskeys formerly staid ranks. Cock your ear at a well-stocked whiskey bar and youll hear average Joes batting around terms such as angels share, mash bill and cask strength. Consumers are ever more interested in different types and tastes in whiskey. Diversity, in a word, said Sazerac Co. President and CEO Mark Brown in Eaters analysis of 2016 whiskey trends. The ascendancy of bourbon and, more recently, rye and Irish whiskey is part of the swing away from smooth whiskey that disappears into a mixed drink in favor of something with a more complex and pronounced flavor profile, an important component of the modern cocktail. Even single-malt Scotches are used in mixed drinks now an act which would have been considered sacrilege to a previous generation of Scotch drinkers, who hesitated to sully their wee dram of heaven with anything more than a single skimpy ice cube. I have 21-year-olds coming in who have never tasted whiskey before and theyre curious about it, said Andrew Aoun, beverage manager at Macallans Public House, a new bar in Brea that currently offers 213 brands of whiskey. They want to branch out. Theyre willing to try it neat, with ice, or in a cocktail, Aoun said. And theyre asking intelligent questions. At Pizzeria Ortica near South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, wine and beverage director Joel Caruso sees a lot more adventurousness in his clientele, too. They like the rule benders of the whiskey world, he said. There is a great whiskey finished in Madeira casks called Tyrconnell. Its quite lovely on its own, but (its) magical with a drop of water in it. As the water blooms, the salinity comes to the forefront of your palate. The cult Irish whiskey, rated among the worlds 20 best by review aggregator Proof66.com, is a hit with Carusos regulars. Buh-bye, vodka The trend reached a turning point in 2014, when whiskey passed vodka in total dollar value of U.S. sales. After years of growth in the United States, vodka is slowing down, Quartz magazine reported that year. For the first time since the clear spirit took the sales crown in 2007, whiskey is projected to pass it this year, and widen the gap for years to come. It doesnt appear to be a passing trend, but a serious and long-term shift in American consumer preferences. Certainly the backbone of the movement has been bourbon, which has been trending for more than a decade. But two other whiskeys have been posting even better numbers. Rye consumption in the U.S. has risen 536 percent in just five years, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States. Canadian rye, long a sleepy member of the whiskey family, is finding American fans. Bulleit, Knob Creek, Angels Envy, Templeton and other distillers big and small now offer uniquely American expressions of rye. But the biggest success story concerns Irish whiskey. Sales in this country grew by nearly 23 percent in 2012 and 18 percent in 2013, according to the Distilled Spirits Council. Euromonitor International predicts that Americans will spend about $2.5 billion on Irish whiskey by 2019, a fivefold increase over 2008. Smaller brands such as Green Spot, Redbreast and Teeling are rapidly gaining market share here. These are very, very good days for Irish whiskey, said Ken Reilly, a marketing director with William Grant & Sons, the company that represents Tullamore whiskey, in a MarketWatch article. Most Irish whiskey is distilled three times Scotch typically goes through that process just twice and it is usually blended, not from one distillery as single malt is. The result is a smoother, sweeter taste, making Irish whiskey anathema to die-hard fans of Scotch but palatable to many less doctrinaire drinkers. Irish whiskey has always appealed to those who generally arent fond of Scotchs strong taste profile. Its always been the most approachable style of whiskey out there. Its neutral, a bit sweet, Aoun said. Its those qualities that make it popular with women, in Aouns opinion. Even those who traditionally shunned Irish whiskey are noticing its improving quality and growing more appreciative of its character. I have never been a fan of Irish whiskey until recently as I have been trying more and more pronounced whiskeys, Caruso said. Being a (Scotch) purist, I tended to shy away from them. Now I like Irish whiskey for its (agreeability). I like Scotch for its ability to speak loudly. Improvement in quality drives trend Aoun thinks one of the reasons for the increasing popularity of many types of whiskey is that its much better made than it was a generation ago. For example, theres a lot of depth and complexity now to rye, even at the low end. Aoun cited George Dickel as an example of that trend. He thinks such reasonably priced and well made whiskeys act as a powerful gateway for first-timers. Caruso said that in his restaurant, whiskey long ago transcended its demographic confines as the drink of older, tradition-bound men with a certain level of disposable income. Aoun agreed. Our bar (sees people of) all ages. We have a huge female demographic too; women are drinking a lot more whiskey. Theyre going for rye, bourbon, Irish whiskey everything except Scotch. The next frontier is Asia, and it has already been breached, Aoun said. Were seeing a surge (of interest) in Taiwanese whiskeys. Kavalan is one. It costs almost $100 a bottle, but its ridiculously well balanced, with the precision you get from that part of the world. And Japanese whiskey has completely taken off. Were constantly out of stock. They werent prepared for the skyrocketing markets. One sure sign that the whiskey trend has legs: serious investors are getting involved. The Platinum Whisky Investment Fund, the worlds first investment fund devoted exclusively to the brown spirit, reports that the top-valued whiskeys have appreciated in value anywhere from 130 percent to 230 percent from 2011-13. Want to buy in? All you need is a passionate interest in whiskey and at least $250,000. Contact the writer: 714-796-7979 or phodgins@ocregister.com Santa Ana police are asking for help identifying a woman who took out her frustration after getting a parking ticket by carving a profanity-laced phrase onto a city vehicle last month. At 2:40 p.m. Feb. 2, a parking enforcement officer cited a 1998 Honda Accord for an expired meter in the 100 block of West 4th Street, said Cpl. Anthony Bertagna of the Santa Ana Police Department. A woman had just come out of a nearby store pushing a baby stroller and, apparently upset, tore up the ticket as it was handed to her and used her keys to voice her displeasure on the hood of the car when the officer left. When the officer returned to the car, the video shows one of the women two were seen in the police video tapping the city cars window and pointing to the damaged hood. The car, license plate 2LPH359, was recently sold in a lien sale, and has not been registered by the new owner. The woman faces a misdemeanor charge and possibly restitution for the damage to the vehicle, Bertagna said. Right now, its on the taxpayers to fix the vehicle, he said. The woman is described as 20 to 30 years old, 5 feet 2 inches to 5 feet 4 inches tall with a thin build, dark hair and possible blue eyes. Anyone with information about the womans identity is asked to call the Santa Ana Police Department at 714-245-2919. Contact the writer: 714-796-2478 or lcasiano@ocregister.com SANTA ANA Orange Countys first licensed medical marijuana dispensary also has become the first in the county to unionize, offering benefits to workers plus a boost to the shrinking organized labor movement. South Coast Safe Access, which employs up to 22 people at its Warner Avenue shop, signed a labor agreement with United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 324. This is a game changer, said Derek Worden, president of South Coast Safe Access. Were bringing something to the industry that really doesnt exist in the county. The contract provides employees minimum starting pay of $13.50 an hour, health benefits, vacation and paid pension contributions. It is another sign of the growing alliance between organized labor and the rapidly emerging retail marijuana industry. Already, UFCW has thrown its support behind state and local campaigns aimed at permitting additional dispensaries. South Coast Safe Access started negotiating with UFCW 324 after Gov. Jerry Brown in October signed the Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act. One of the bills in that act, SB643, requires marijuana business owners with 20 or more workers to sign agreements saying they wont block unionization if they want to get licensed by the state starting in 2018. Workers at South Coast Safe Access voted unanimously to jump ahead of the deadline and unionize now, Worden said. UFCW began signing labor agreements in 2010 with dispensaries in the Bay Area. The South Coast Safe Access pact marks the first with a dispensary for the unions local branch, based in Buena Park, Executive Vice President Rick Eiden said. That local, UFCW 324, has 23,000 members in the retail food and drug industries throughout Orange and south Los Angeles counties, Eiden said. It includes workers at most major grocery stores, plus pharmacy workers at CVS and Rite Aid. We saw an opportunity to bring that legitimacy to the cannabis industry through not only just providing safe working conditions, but also to advocate for additional training for workers, Eiden said. UFCW 324 also is in talks with other dispensaries licensed to operate in Santa Ana, Eiden said. The potential growth of workers in the industry offers organized labor an opportunity to offset declining membership, which has fallen from 20.1 percent of the U.S. workforce in 1983 to 11.1 percent in 2015. The drop has been less severe in California, which had 15.9 percent union membership in 2015 down from 18.9 percent in 1989. Representatives for UFCW have worked with proponents of the leading recreational marijuana legalization initiative headed toward the November ballot, Eiden said. The union backed an unsuccessful 2010 state initiative to legalize pot for recreational use, but hasnt yet endorsed the pending measure. UFCW 324 leaders also are encouraging Orange County cities to lift marijuana cultivation and sales bans and allow for medical access to pot. Supporting more dispensaries is an opportunity to grow the membership, Eiden said. But I think it is a dual purpose. Were also helping an industry grow and develop a positive image. Contact the writer: 714-796-7993 or bstaggs@ocregister.com Although hes been homeless for two years, this Sacramento man refuses to accept money from anyone. Instead, Frederick Callison gives people copies of his resume in crisp white envelopes outside Smart & Final store at Watt Avenue and Arden Way, asking them to help him find a job if they really want to help him. Callison, a former line cook with years of experience at several restaurants, also carries a Food Handlers certificate and Social Security card, in a bid to show people that hes serious about wanting to work. I dont like to beg, he told CBS Sacramento reporters. And I wont. I am handing off my presentation of myself of what Im trying to achieve and what Im trying to do. Because I dont want to be out here. A nearby business apparently allowed him to use their supplies to print copies of his resume, which he hands out to people willing to help. Apart from a list of restaurant he has worked at in the past and his various qualifications, the 52-year-olds resume also reveals his work ethics. I am a firm believer in proactive productivity rather than reactive, the piece of paper mentions. Photo: CBS Sacramento screen caption Sacramento resident Michael Marteen was very impressed by Callisons enterprising attitude. Hes not at downtown stomping on steps trying to get some help, he said. Hes out here trying to work for it. Its something literally we all try and get, just a chance. In fact, Marteen was so moved that he shared Callisons story on Facebook, asking people to help the man in his quest for a job. This homeless man was sitting outside of Smart & Final NOT asking for money, Marteen wrote on the Facebook post. His sign said Need work, and hungry not just that but he had MULTIPLE resumes printed out and enveloped. SWEAR TO GOD. He has a cell phone and is trying to get off the streets. PLEASE SHARE HIS RESUME FOR ME. He deserves a shot more than people begging for money. Photo: CBS Sacramento screen caption I gave him what I could, he added. Bag of some raviolis, chips, and a sandwich. Jug of water. Id rather buy someone food, hungry looking for a job than someone begging for money with a cigarette in their hand. The post was shared hundreds of times over and it eventually caught the attention of the nonprofit Volunteers of America Northern California & Northern Nevada. They made a separate post on their own Facebook page, promising to help Callison find a job. To avoid any complaints regarding his constant presence outside Smart & Final, Callison moves carts from the parking outside, for free. At night, he says he tries to find a business open 24/7 with good lighting and video surveillance to make sure no one tries to steal his belongings while he sleeps. Its a tough life, but apparently not tough enough to make him break his rule about begging for money. Frederick Callisons story went viral in the days after being featured on CBS Sacramento, so hopefully all the exposure will help this inspiring man finally secure a job. Worried American parents are resorting to extreme ways of finding out if their kids are into drugs theyre actually hiring private K9 services to sniff out any narcotics that their kids might be hiding in their rooms, bathrooms or cars. These sniffer dogs are specially trained to find hidden narcotics such as meth, barbiturates, marijuana, heroin, and cocaine. Some of the searches turn up empty, but in most cases the parents suspicions are confirmed. Michael Davis, who runs The Last Chance (TLC) K9 Services in Louisville, Kentucky, says that 90 percent of the time his companys dogs do find narcotics stashed away by teens. One of his German Shepherds recently found four grams of heroin tucked into a boys tube socks. Another teen had hidden marijuana inside his five-year-old brothers cereal box, which was apparently a brilliant hiding spot because no one else in the family ate that brand. In Floyd County, Indiana, a father freaked out when he spotted his 14-year-old daughter with new friends and picked up an unpleasant odor from her room. Im not a snooping parent, he said, choosing only to reveal his first name, James, in order to protect his daughters identity. I want my daughter to be able to be able to trust me, but I gotta protect her. So James was pretty worried about his daughters activities when he came across a TLC billboard advertising their services to worried parents. Photo: The Last Chance K9 Services Kids using drugs? the board read. Our dogs find drugs! Only $99. James was pretty desperate, so he decided to give the service a try. I know girls can be sneaky and hide things in places I wouldnt even think of, he said. I was so nervous. What can occur from letting this stranger in my house with a drug dog? But its been nothing but positive. Davis brought in Miss Oakley, one of his specially trained dogs, to go through the house and Jamess worst nightmare came true when the dog uncovered a glass pipe of marijuana hidden in an Altoids tin, stashed away in the teens makeup stand. My heart just sank, he said. I would have easily overlooked it. Photo: The Last Chance K9 Services The teen was at school during the search, and Davis advised James on how to deal with her when she got back home. Dont yell or scream at her, he said. Just sit down and talk to her. Be stern but be cool, calm and collected. So when the young girl got off the school bus, James told her, Baby, we need to talk. It worked, as the teen apparently regretted her action and promised never to do it again. Davis has helped many other parents take control of their kids drug problems before the situation got out of hand. He has tactical training in drug detection, firearms and bombs, and although he focusses more on bigger contracts for businesses and private parties, he uses his skill to help parents whenever he can. Hes passionate about it because he himself lost his baby when a drug addict attacked his pregnant partner in 2005, demanding money. Photo: The Last Chance K9 Services Daviss team includes dog handlers with military backgrounds, and together they work towards eradicating drugs from teenagers lives. We want to take drugs off the streets, he explained. What we do is help the family fix the issue. Were not the police. The pep talk is a personal touch that he adds because he knows how tough it is to grow up in a place like Louisville. Davis has tried to reach out to local police departments, explaining his business and asking for their cooperation in these cases. The response hasnt been too great, but some officers are concerned about how parents might be disposing of the drugs found in their kids possession. Davis said that he encourages parents to dispose the narcotics if theyre in small amounts, but call the police if the stash is too large. Photo: The Last Chance K9 Services Weve had to leave narcotics in the hands of many parents, he said. And thats sad. Thats not what were designed for. Not a lot of drug rehab professionals are entirely in favor of K9 businesses stepping in to help distressed parents. MeriBeth Adams-Wolf, the executive director of Our Place Drug and Alcohol Education, said she wouldnt endorse such services, but they might be a tool for parents to consider. WBRC FOX6 News Birmingham, AL WBRC.com What happens if theyre not willing to change, not remorseful? she questioned. A lot of young people think theyre in control and theyre not. They can even make promises to quit and mean it and be unable to do so. The only caveat I have: Be prepared with what you need to do next. Sources: Courier Journal, TLC K9 Services It appears that in some parts of the world, prayers have legit market value. For example, a church in Russia is getting away with a $11,500 debt by promising to pray for the good health of the creditors instead. The Nizhny Novgorod diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church owed 916,000 roubles to construction company Era for designing a heating system for one of their buildings. The church was only able to settle half the amount, and the company decided on taking legal action. But the owners of the company happen to be religious people, so the church was able to convince them to agree to a pre-trial settlement in which the loan would be written off and the church would pray for them in exchange. Photo: Ooinn/Wikipedia (generic image) Although it is common to make financial donations to Russian churches in exchange for a prayer, this is perhaps the first time such a legal agreement has been reached. In fact, the dioceses legal department was rather taken aback when the company readily accepted the offer. We had an agreement on the design of the heating in a building that belongs to the diocese, and which houses the pilgrim center, a church representative said. It turned out that there were financial difficulties. But we ourselves were surprised when the plaintiffs before the court suggested to make a settlement agreement in place of prayers. They even constituted the wording themselves. It seems that the company was more than willing to withdraw charges when they realized that the goodwill of the church was at stake. It obviously was a great deal for them perhaps they thought that the churchs prayers might bring them far more benefit than the amount in question. Photo: Victor Vizu/Wikimedia Commons (generic image) Since the company had no objection to the settlement the court ruled that it does not violate the law, asking the church to repay the remaining 258,000 rubles ($3,244) for the heating system, and 65,000 rubles ($817) towards fines and legal fees, in the form of prayers. The defendant promises to offer prayers for the health of Gods servant Ivan Arsenyev and Gods servant Sergei Lepustin, the decision signed by the judge read. It also added that the prayers would go out to their families, and for their well-being in all their good works and deeds. But the company doesnt plan to check if the church is actually holding up the prayer agreement or not. We respect the diocese and we are all Orthodox believers, said Era sales manager Andrei Lepustin. Itll be on their conscience if they dont, but we trust them and have already felt the fruits of their prayers, as prosperity indicators for both the company and its employees are growing. Photo: Mikhail Rodionov/Wikimedia Commons (generic image) Legal experts in Russia are calling the settlement a historic first for the nation. For the first time in the modern history of Russian law, in the international agreement concluded within the framework of the arbitration process, it included a condition of offering prayers for the health of your opponent, the St.Petersburg Legal Portal wrote on their website. Sources: Znak, Gazeta.ru San Francisco-based consumer and B2B technology agency Blanc & Otus has appointed Neil McAllister media and content director. Neil McAllister McAllister, a former reporter at London-based IT industry publication The Register, covered stories relating to IT, software development and mobile. Prior to that he was a senior editor for tech publication InfoWorld, and served as technical lead and a web development consultant at Red Sky Interactive. He was also previously a systems administrator at Primo Angeli and an IT manager at Big Top Productions. McAllister will now head Blanc & Otus's content marketing team, and will work with the agencys roster of tech clients to develop content across media channels. Blanc & Otus general manager Annemiek Hamelinck said McAllister's background as a reporter and his experience in IT are invaluable to us and our clients. He will lead our fast-growing content team and build upon our services that help our clients tell the right stories, to the right audiences, at the right time, on the right channel. Hill+Knowlton Strategies sister agency Blanc & Otus was founded in 1985. Citing grave concern for the public interest, public safety and the local economy, the Fair Media Council says it opposes the $17.7 billion purchase of Cablevision by Altice. Jaci Clement, CEO of FMC, Bethpage, comprised of nearly 200 companies and institutions dedicated to fostering media fairness, said Altice CEO Patrick Drahi is promising $900 million in cost cuts at Cablevision, which posted net debt of $7.43 billion as of Dec. 31, 2015. It has $5.04B negative net equity. Drahi is taking particular aim at 300 Cablevision employees who are said to make more than $300,000 yearly. This we will change, he has said. That total would be $90 million+. Jaci Clement Altice has also proposed $315M reductions in network and operations; $135M cuts to eliminate duplicative functions and public company costs, and $135M in other unspecified costs. Cablevisions current 14,000 employees may not be future Altice employees, Clement has said. Any informal agreements will be at risk and Cablevision employees have no ability to make promises of what the future will hold, she said. FCC, NY State Review Deal The Federal Communications Commission is reviewing the proposed merger. FMC, in a Feb. 5, 2016 filing with the New York State Public Service Commission, expressed no confidence in the proposed sale of Cablevision and said Altices strategy amounted to little more than profit margins gained through cost-cutting measures. A conference call hosted by Altice with investors said Altice will dramatically cut expenses by hundreds of millions of dollarswithin an eight-month time frame with more expense cuts to follow, according to a statement by FMC. FMC calculates the debt load in the deal at about $15 billion. It is incomprehensible that such a high-risk sale shall be approved for one of the regions biggest employers, with nearly 14,000 workers, and an economic engine for New York, said Clement. FMC says that the City of New York and the Communications Workers of America are also opposing the deal. FMC Opposed Cablevision Newsday Deal FMC had opposed the takeover of Newsday by Cablevision in 2008, saying it put too much power into too few hands. Such consolidation leads to diminishing the quality and quantity of local news, she said. Since that time, Newsday has changed mightily, she added. Whats to become of Newsday, in all this hullabaloo surrounding Altice. No one has specified. Newsday, the biggest paper on Long Island, has circulation of 420,000. Also involved in the proposed sale to Altice is News 12 Networks and amNewYork. Publishing behemoth Conde Nast has acquired Poetica, a London-based tech content startup. Poetica produces text-editing software that allows users to collaborate on web-based content via services such as Google Docs, Wordpress and Evernote in real time. The company was cofounded in 2012 by Twitter founding engineer Blaine Cook, who serves as chief technology officer, along with CEO Anna Maybank and chief product officer James Weiner. Financial terms of the acquisition were not made public. Conde Nast purchased the company as a means of improving its editorial workflow. The publisher will now integrate the company's proprietary technology into its current content platform, Copilot, as a means of providing its editing teams the ability to collaborate on content creation. The Poetica team will remain in London. Talking New Media on Tuesday reported that platforms public service will be discontinued, and current customers will have access to Poetica until June 1. Conde Nast which owns Vogue, Glamour, Wired, Bon Appetit, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair and other household publications has made impressive digital content forays in recent years, moving into territories that might formerly be considered foreign to its wheelhouse. The publisher last year opened its 23 Stories by Conde Nast shop, which creates content for the publisher's roster of advertising partners, and in October acquired Chicago-based digital music publication and concert promoter Pitchfork Media. In a statement, Conde Nast executive vice president and chief digital officer Fred Santarpia said the company is building the best possible editorial platform to manage and deliver content from our world-class team of writers, editors, designers and photographers." The OECD Observer online archive takes you on a journey through half a century of public policy and world progress. Since November 1962, the OECDs experts and leading guests offer insights on the questions facing our member countries with concise and authoritative analysis, and provide our audiences with an excellent opportunity to understand policy debates and consider solutions. Each edition of the OECD Observer reports on a core theme of the OECDs on-going work, from economics and society through governance, finance, and the environment, and articles are bolstered by tables and graphs. A convicted burglar had been charged with dealing heroin two months before he knocked an 83 year old woman unconscious in a handbag mugging. A convicted burglar had been charged with dealing heroin two months before he knocked an 83 year old woman unconscious in a handbag mugging. Last Thursday, June 21, Offaly man Trevor OShea (35) of Bulfin Park, Birr was given a two year prison sentence after he pleaded guilty to dealing drugs in Dublin city centre in 2010. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that OShea was charged in January 2010 after gardai arrested him with over 20,450 worth of heroin and 396 worth of cocaine. OShea, who has 58 previous convictions including four for drug dealing, ten for burglary and two for serious assaults, was granted bail after being charged with possession of heroin for sale or supply. These charges were struck out on March 25. Five days later OShea mugged grandmother-of-seven Bridget Campbell on the steps of the Pro-Cathedral in Dublin. Ms Campbell, who travelled once a week from her home in Sandymount to Dublin city to shop and say prayers at the Pro-Cathedral, suffered a broken leg and spent a week in intensive care. Last March Judge Patricia Ryan sentenced OShea to five years with the final year suspended. OShea pleaded guilty to possession of heroin for sale or supply at the South Circular Road., Dublin on January 27, 2010. Garda Eamon Taaffe told prosecuting counsel Roughan Banim BL that OShea admitted he was dealing the drugs but wouldnt name the person who was supplying him because he was in fear. Sean Gillane SC, defending, said his client began drinking and smoking cannabis at the age of 13 and now has a virulent addiction to heroin. He said OShea comes from a good family. Judge Martin Nolan added two years to OSheas current prison sentence. THIRTY staff, parents and friends of RehabCares autism respite service Charleville Cottage, Tullamore, ran and walked 10km, alongside Niall Murphy on Sunday, April 1 to raise money for their service in Charleville. THIRTY staff, parents and friends of RehabCares autism respite service Charleville Cottage, Tullamore, ran and walked 10km, alongside Niall Murphy on Sunday, April 1 to raise money for their service in Charleville. Niall, whose son Ryan uses the RehabCare outreach respite service, took the ultimate challenge to raise 100k for Irish Autism Action (IAA) by running 100km. IAA have kindly included RehabCare Charleville Cottage, as a benefitting service for their dedication in supporting those with autism in county. The run took place to mark World Autism Awareness Day and saw over 1000 people joining the challenge in Rhode to support the event. In partnership with the HSE, RehabCare provides high-quality centre-based and outreach respite services for over 90 children and adults with autism in county Offaly every month. Activities in the centre are based on the persons age, level of ability and personal interests. Outreach activities include speech and language development, shopping, sports, social outings and accompanying service users to medical appointments or family occasions. Money raised by the staff and families of those who use the service will go towards providing these activities. For more information on how to sponsor RehabCare race participants call Charleville Cottage on 057 932 9991. For information on Niall Murphys 100k for 100K log onto www.autismireland.ie If you would like to try another sporting challenge to support people with disabilities in your county why not take part in the Rehab 1K Swimathon which will take place on Thursday, April 19 at the Aura Leisure Centre in Tullamore. Further details are available from the Aura reception or contact Niall Cole, Rehab Organiser on 086 043 2267. Loading... OilVoice will be with you shortly... SALEM, Ore. (AP) Oregons governor on Wednesday signed trailblazing legislation that will raise the minimum wage to nearly $15 in six years and do so through a three-tiered system. Gov. Kate Brown said the new law is a path forward so working families can catch up, and businesses have time to plan for the increase. The Oregon increases over six years surpass those adopted by any other state so far. Oregons current minimum wage is $9.25 an hour. What makes the Oregon plan especially different is that the minimums will be based on where workers are employed. Portlands minimum will rise to $14.75 by 2022, smaller cities to $13.50 and rural areas to $12.50. The first increases will occur in July. Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. A University of Nebraska-Lincoln professor has joined a new effort to help farmers keep more nitrogen fertilizer in their fields where it can boost crop growth. Mistakes in the timing of application or natural challenges such as heavy rains can result in fertilizer being washed away or ending up in the atmosphere as nitrous oxide. Thats not only a waste of farmers money, it can poison well water, kill aquatic life and contribute to climate change. Kenneth Cassman, an agronomist who specializes in soil fertility and plant nutrition, is part of a new Environmental Defense Fund program that will test products and services that claim to reduce fertilizer losses. The program, called NutrientStar, is a Consumer Reports-type review that aims to show how well these products work in real-world farming through field trials, EDF said. While the makers of fertilizer and products that reduce nitrogen losses may make claims about their products, theres not a lot of publicly available data that is accessible by farmers and their advisers to really understand how they perform, said Karen Chapman, agricultural sustainability project manager at EDF. She said the goal is to increase fertilizer efficiency on 45 million acres across the Corn Belt, enough to see an improvement in water quality. Cassman said agriculture is challenged to feed a growing world population while at the same time reducing its environmental impact. Although he said the ag industry has long been concerned with minimizing pollution he noted Nebraskas system of natural resources districts it now is under pressure from consumers who pay increasingly close attention to the food they buy, including how the grain used in livestock feed and as a food ingredient is grown. There is going to be tremendous value in the market for products that minimize negative nitrogen impacts on the environment, Cassman said. Food retailers like Walmart are looking for ways to ensure that the foods they source are produced using methods that are known to minimize the loss of nitrogen. Major food manufacturers including Campbell Soup, Kellogg and Smithfield Foods, some of which have operations in Nebraska and Iowa, are lending their support to NutrientStar, saying it could support other sustainability efforts they have. Smithfield has launched a program, MBGro, that offers free agronomy advice to grain growers, including free trials of tools to improve fertilizer efficiency. NutrientStar is the perfect complement to MBGro because it provides growers certainty that the tools were recommending work as advertised, said Kraig Westerbeek, vice president of engineering and environmental support services at Smithfield Foods. The new sanctions that China has agreed to impose on North Korea are truly a major upgrade to existing penalties, as American diplomats say. To make sure they are ultimately effective, however, its important to appreciate their limitations. Under the terms of a U.N. Security Council resolution approved Wednesday, countries will have to inspect any cargo going into or coming out of North Korea. Sales of conventional weapons and aviation fuel to the North are prohibited, along with its exports of gold, titanium and rare earth minerals. More than 30 new people and entities will be added to a U.N. blacklist for travel and trade. Its promising that China has agreed to the tough resolution despite recent frictions with the U.S. and its allies. As North Koreas main trading partner accounting for nearly 80 percent of its imports and exports China will be critical to making the new measures bite. In recent weeks, some encouraging but unconfirmed reports have suggested that the Chinese may already be tightening up on cross-border trade. That said, Chinese enforcement of previous resolutions has been inconsistent. The new sanctions reportedly allow North Korea to continue selling coal and iron ore its two top exports as long as the profits arent used for illicit weapons programs. And both the North Koreans and Chinese traders have become expert at conducting business outside of traditional financial channels. Even if this time the Chinese do put extraordinary pressure on their ally, the sanctions cannot be expected to force all the changes the world wants to see in Pyongyang. They wont bring down the regime and wont dissuade Leader Kim Jong Un from pursuing his ultimate goal: a working, nuclear-tipped ballistic missile that can reach the U.S. The sanctions also are unlikely to lure North Korea back into six-party talks to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula. What the sanctions can do is slow North Koreas nuclear and missile programs and reinforce international resolve to block Kims ambitions. To the latter end, its worth pursuing South Koreas proposed five-party talks, without North Korea, to work through differences and show a united front to Pyongyang. Meanwhile, it seems clear that Chinas new cooperativeness is driven in part by a desire to prevent the deployment of U.S. anti-missile defenses in South Korea. Talks on this program should continue, not least to encourage China to fully enforce the new sanctions. The U.S. should encourage coordination with Japan so that the allies respective missile defenses reinforce one another. The U.S. has additional options. Recently approved legislation mandates sanctions against companies that aid the Norths weapons programs. The U.S. Treasury could do more to trace and isolate banks that the regime uses to pay its suppliers. And the U.S. could work to persuade some of its Middle Eastern allies to send home North Korean workers, who remit hundreds of millions of dollars a year. The North Korean threat will persist as long as the present regime wields absolute power over its isolated citizenry. This is why the U.S. and its allies are right to continue efforts to increase formal and informal efforts to expose North Koreans to life beyond their borders. Such campaigns may take years to bear fruit. But like sanctions, theyre essential to eliminating the nuclear danger North Korea poses. India and Iran Ties Evolve Feature oi-Lisa By Lisa The meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President of Iran Dr Hassan Rouhani in Ufa, Russia on 9 July 2015 on the margins of the SCO Summit provided a roadmap for developing India-Iran bilateral relations and consulting closely on regional issues. This meeting was followed by the visit of Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran in August 2015, which built on the momentum generated at Ufa. External Affairs Minister co-chaired Joint Commission Meeting with Minister of Economy and Finance of Iran on 28 December 2015 in New Delhi. In the Joint Commission Meeting, which was preceded by meetings of Joint Working Groups on Trade, Infrastructure and Energy, several decisions to strengthen bilateral economic cooperation were taken. These decisions pertain to India's involvement in the Chahbahar port development and exploration of natural gas in Farzad B field etc. Relations since lifting of sanctions against Iran: Relations between the two nations have evolved greatly since then. India welcomed the announcement of lifting of nuclear-related sanctions against Iran in January 2016. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, in a letter to her Iranian counterpart, stated that the milestone represented triumph of diplomacy and signalled a new chapter of peace, progress and prosperity for Iran and our region opening up vast opportunities for our two countries to expand their ongoing mutually beneficial cooperation in a number of spheres including energy infrastructure and regional connectivity. Increase in oil imports from Iran: Since the sanctions have been lifted against Iran, India's oil imports from Iran rose over 21% in February. Iran has already increased its exports by 500,000 bpd last month as it works towards regaining its market share after getting reliefs. Efforts to improve connectivity: Number of steps in this regard were also discussed during the Foreign Office Consultations led by the Foreign Secretary on the Indian side and Deputy Minister for Asia and Pacific, Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the Iranian side on 4 February 2016 in New Delhi. A contract between Indian Special Purpose Vehicle and Arya Bander of Iran for development of Chahbahar Port has been finalised. Government approved Credit of USD 150 million to Iran for development of Chahbahar Port. Requisite credit by EXIM Bank for beginning supply of 2.5 lakh tonne of steel rails under contracts negotiated by State Trading Corporation (STC) was also approved in January 2016. Indian oil companies are in negotiation with their Iranian counterparts for investment in Farzad B upstream project. Trilateral transit corridor: Negotiations on an Agreement on India-Iran-Afghanistan Trilateral Transit Corridor have made progress and the next meeting of Experts to finalise the clauses will be held in India shortly. Cooperation among banks of two nations: Iranian banks' accounts in India will be activated once Reserve Bank of India reinstates Iran under the Asian Clearance Union (ACU) mechanism. RBI has sought the concurrence of Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance for reinstating Iran under the ACU. Also, requests of Iranian banks regarding reactivating their accounts existing in various Indian banks and opening branches in India are under consideration of Government/ Reserve Bank of India. Manohar Parrikar answers queries posed in Parliament Feature oi-Lisa By Lisa With no mention of defence outlay in the Budget 2016-17 presented by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley many are raising questions as to why this year there has been no provision for defence. It is interesting to note that Defence Minister has been in thick of many activities and has been replying to queries posed to him in the Parliament. Here are some questions that Mr. Manohar Parrikar answered to in recent times. All weather roads by Border Roads Organisation: Indian Army has identified 14 rail lines as Strategic Railway Lines. Two of them are in Leh-Ladakh region. Out of these two, Bilaspur-Mandi-Manali-Leh rail line has been prioritised for undertaking Final Location Survey (FLS). Border Roads Organisation (BRO) constructs all weather dependable roads to provide connectivity up to international borders in a planned and phased manner. At present BRO has 40 roads of length 2970.62 Km under construction or up-gradation and additional 13 roads of length 282.49 Km under maintenance only to provide connectivity to the border areas in the Ladakh Region. In addition to above, BRO is constructing Rohtang Tunnel in Himachal Pradesh to provide all weather road connectivity in the Ladakh Region. An operational committee in the Ministry of Railways has been constituted to monitor time line for FLS. For road networks various initiatives at functional level are undertaken by BRO to expedite the infrastructure development. Latest equipments for soldiers posted at Siachen Glacier: The soldiers deployed at Siachen glacier are provided special winter clothing including extreme cold climate clothing which includes trousers, jackets, gloves, sun glasses etc. to withstand extreme temperatures as per authorization. There is constant effort to provide better and more comfortable equipments to the troops based on requirement felt and user feedback. Further, the soldiers deployed at Siachen are provided pre-fabricated insulated shelters (Fibre Reinforced Plastic) except at certain locations wherein due to terrain configuration and altitude, it is not possible to construct integrated shelters. Management training for retiring defence personnel: Approximately, 55,000 personnel retire annually from the armed forces. Government is providing training to the armed forces personnel before their retirement. The government provides 24 Weeks Management Courses at IIMs and other reputed B-Schools; Modular management courses like Project Finance, Academic Institutions, Supply Chain, Retail, Six Sigma, Seafaring etc. Newly introduced courses from the government for the retiring defence personnel for 2015-16 were Strategic Retail Management, HRM, Facility, Transition, Export and Import, Event Management etc., Corporate Social Responsibility and Jet Transition. Apart from the above mentioned training programmes at Institutes at least two courses are conducted every month at all the Regimental Centres to provide variety of courses to the retirees on pension drill. Indian Institutes of Management Ahmedabad, Lucknow and Indore are conducting 24 weeks Management Courses regularly for Armed Forces personnel, which help them in taking up employment at managerial levels. Inking new defence deals: During the year 2015-16, 44 contracts have been signed with value of Rs.39955.36 crore for capital procurement of defence equipment including helicopters, Radar, Rockets and Simulators. An MOU has been signed in January, 2016 with Government of French Republic for purchase of 36 Rafale Aircraft. Capital Procurement of defence equipment is carried out as per the current Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP-2013) which gives priority to indigenous design, development and manufacture of defence equipment by according higher preference to Indian vendors in procurement of defence equipment. The new DPP which will come into effect shortly will further promote indigenisation and self-reliance in defence through the public and private sector. Disinvestment of defence public sector undertakings: Government has approved disinvestment of the following defence sector CPSEs: 1. Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL): 5% paid-up equity of BEL out of Government of India's shareholding of 75.02 per cent, through Offer for Sale (OFS) 2. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL); 10% paid-up equity of HAL, through Initial Public Offer (IPO). 3. Strategic sale of Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) is not contemplated. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, March 3, 2016, 17:08 [IST] Modi speaks in Parl: Congress needs a leader with same oratory skills Feature oi-Shubham By Shubham Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday hit out at the Congress in the Lok Sabha, capitalising on the drawbacks of the latter's long periods of rule since Independence. He pinpointed issues like public toilets, rural electrification and social welfare schemes like MGNREGA and said it was because the Congress's work did not meet the targets that it his government had to take up the responsibility of doing some real service to the country. [Modi's jibe: Rahul not learning with age] [Modi invokes Rajiv, Nehru for peace in parliament] Top Congress leaders like Sonia and Rahul Gandhi were visibly upset with Modi's verbal onslaught, which invited claps from his fellow partymen. Rahul Gandhi was even seen missing towards the later part of the speech. The prime minister also played it cleverly by quoting former Congress PMs like Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi while making his speech. This onslaught was a well-calculated one by the ruling party. The Congress has been trying to corner the BJP-led government over issues like JNU fiasco, Jat protests, Smriti Irani episode and taxing the EPF in this year's Budget. On Wednesday, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi accused the government as a one-man show and criticised it over the EPF tax issue. Modi decided to reply to the Opposition's attack by speaking on each point. It was a contest that the Congress was bound to find tough. The grand-old party of Indian politics has ruled the country for 60 years since Independence and that means the anti-incumbency mood against it remains strong always, even after elections. Modi cleverly raked up this point and there is little credible defence on the part of the Congress to counter this. The prime minister also used quots of the Congress's own PMs against the latter, something which it also find difficult to debate. The problem with the Congress is that it lacks a leader who can match the PM's oratory skills to corner his government. Rahul Gandhi has fallen very short of that task even if he had enough reasons to script a turnaround for the Congress after almost two years of Modi's rule. But still it is Modi who is speaking and Congress is listening. Seeking Rajiv's killers release: Jayalalithaa's googly foxes DMK, BJP, Congress Feature oi-Shubham Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has produced a googly through seeking the Centre's opinion on releasing the convicts in Rajiv Gandhi assassination case and all the other parties are finding it very difficult to negotiate. TN polls 2016: DMK, DMDK inch closer DMK divided: A day after DMK chief and former chief minister M Karunanidhi expressed support for the release of the seven convicts, his younger son and heir apparent MK Stalin took an opposite stand, saying the move made the AIADMK supremo was a "political game" ahead of the Assembly elections. A day after DMK chief M Karunanidhi showed his support for the release of the 7 convicted in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, his heir apparent DMK treasurer MK Stalin contradicted his father's statement, calling it a "political game." He said this hours after his father released a statement backing Jayalalithaa's demand saying the convicts had served "almost double life sentence" by "languishing" in jail for two-and-half-decades. India will observe the 25th anniversary of the former prime minister's assassination in Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu on May 21 this year. Stalin has read the situation perhaps better than his father. Sources in the AIADMK hit back at the DMK over its charge, saying it is the latter who played politics by allying with the Congress, a party which is strongly against the convicts' release, ahead of the Assembly elections. They also said the issue was also into a petty family rift between the father and the son and that Stalin needed his nonagenarian father to contest the elections. Did the AIADMK precisely aim for to make the recently sealed alliance between the Congress and DMK uncomfortable through this move? The DMK leadership could not ignore the arch-rival's "humane approach" and had to respond in its favour since it involves Tamil sentiments and the stakes are all the more high ahead of the Assembly elections. But in doing so, it was certainly not acting in tune with the Congress which is against the release of the killer of one of its leaders. It was not surprising that Tamil Nadu Congress spokesperson Americai Narayanan tweeted to express his displeasure with the DMK's appeal to the Centre to release the convicts. "I don't agree with our partner," he said. Jayalalithaa will be more than elated with this. BJP in a dilemma: The BJP also has its share of headache in this case. The saffron party banks heavily on nationalism, a strong political currency which it often uses to mobilise support at the national level. But in this case, the BJP, which a few days ago, whipped up nationalistic sentiments in the JNU controversy, will find itself at the receiving end if it supports Jayalalithaa's demand. But at the same time, the decision to not release the convicts could also hurt its prospects in Tamil Nadu. On Thursday, Union minister Pon Radhakrishnan avoided the issue by saying the right decision will be taken at the right time, after he was asked over his stand. The BJP-led NDA agreed to the AIADMK government's demand on lifting ban on the controversial bull sport of Jallikattu just not to annoy the Tamil electorate. But the Rajiv Gandhi case is far more complex as it involves human beings and not bulls. Congress also in a spot ahead of TN elections: The Congress, though is a fringe player in the Tamil Nadu elections, but with an alliance in place this time, the grand-old party still has some stake. This makes it challenging for the party to maintain a consistency for it has always been against releasing the convicts. It has moved an adjournment in Rajya Sabha over the AIADMK government's move while its vice-president Rahul Gandhi put the onus on the government. The move shows how Jayalalithaa's shrewd move has put all her opponents in a tricky situation. This move has every potential to harm the DMK-Congress alliance and put the BJP's efforts in getting closer to the DMDK in a jeopardy, ahead of the elections. It could help the ruling party divert attention from issues like accusations of playing politics with flood relief or corruption charges against the chief minister. Assam polls 2016: BJP, AGP form alliance; supporters protest Guwahati oi-Shubham Guwahati, March 3: The BJP has joined hands with the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in Assam. Party-wise vote-share of BJP and its allies (AGP and BPF) vs Congress & AIUDF in 2014 LS & 2011 Assembly polls: Source: IndiaVotes AGP leader and former chief minister of the state, Prafulla Kumar Mahanta said on Wednesday that his party has sealed a deal with the BJP. AGP chief Atul Bora announced about the alliance following a meeting with the BJP's top brass, including its president Amit Shah, at his residence in New Delhi. Mahanta said the seat distribution plan between the two parties would be revealed in a day or two. BJP's chief ministerial candidate Sarbananda Sonowal and Bora were present on the occasion. However, the grassroots workers of the two parties were reportedly not happy with the alliance. BJP supporters in Sivsagar district of the state vandalised the party office to protest against the alliance. AGP cadres were also dissatisfied with the alliance and are expected to build up on their protests that were hald in different parts of Assam recently. The BJP already has made an alliance with the Bodoland People's Front for the upcoming polls. The ruling Congress, on the other hand, will fight the polls alone in the election. Oneindia News Bengaluru Church Street blast, Israeli Centre attack linked? NIA, cops differ India oi-Vicky Bengaluru, Mar 3: Was the attack on the Israeli visa centre at Bengaluru a terror strike? On November 29 2015 there was a fire at the Israeli visa centre in Bengaluru. The local police had dismissed it as a minor incident and even said it was a result of personal rivalry between the owners of the building. However the NIA is attempting to draw a link between this attack and the Church Street blasts. The NIA feels that it could be the same man Alam Jeb Afridi behind both the attacks. Afridi was recently arrested in Bengaluru on the allegation that he was part of an ISIS module. He was taken to Hyderabad as he was a wanted accused over there. Out there the police claimed that he had confessed to planting the bomb at Church Street in Bengaluru. The NIA which questioned him too confirmed his role in the attack. The Israeli link: NIA officials say that they are only drawing out similarities since the CCTV footage shows the same man at both the places. Further it is also stated that he had a hatred towards Jews and hence may have wanted to target the centre. If one may recall during the investigation into the Church Street blasts case it was being stated that the bomb was planted with an intention of killing an Israeli delegation which was to have dinner at the restaurant where the bomb had been planted. However there was a strong denial from the Israeli mission in India. In an official communication the mission had said that no delegation was scheduled to visit the restaurant that night. On the attack on the visa centre, the Bengaluru police say that it was not a terror attack. While probing the case, it had found that it was a civil dispute which had led to the arson. In this incident someone had hurled a kerosene bomb at the centre thus setting off a fire. The other point of dispute is that Afridi had planned on planting the bomb at a restaurant on Church Street as he was aware of a visit by an Israel delegation. He wanted to time the bomb with their visit, the NIA had stated. However both the Israel mission in Bengaluru and the police have denied any such knowledge. OneIndia News Dhanteras 2022: How much gold can you buy from Dubai 'Brand Delhi' campaign: AAP govt to organise grand 'Delhi Festival' in November India oi-PTI New Delhi, March 3: The AAP government has decided to organise 'Delhi Festival' in November, on the lines of such celebrations held in Dubai and Singapore, aimed at showcasing the city's culture and heritage and promoting the national capital as a world-class city. Delhi Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra said the government will make separate budgetary allocation for 'Brand Delhi' campaign which will be launched in August. He said the campaign will try to rope in a brand ambassador besides going for television promotions to make it a success. "We have so many beautiful monuments...We are going to launch an aggressive campaign to make Delhi a world-class city. "On the lines of Dubai and Singapore festivals, we will organise a mega 'Delhi Festival' in November this year and for this, government will launch 'Brand Campaign' in August," Mishra said while addressing industry leaders at the Confederation of Indian Industry's Annual Conference. He said the government will showcase the city's culture and heritage at the festival, adding, they will launch campaign on a larger scale. The minister also announced that the city government will construct this year two exclusive venues for organising cultural events. "I was sad to see Zubin Mehta performing at Nehru stadium. Government has decided to construct two exclusive venues for organising events in Delhi," he said. PTI For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, March 3, 2016, 12:15 [IST] Cong-BJP spat in RS over alleged land scam in Gujarat India oi-PTI New Delhi, March 3: Rajya Sabha on Thursday, March 2 witnessed a spat between treasury and opposition benches when Congress leader Anand Sharma raised the issue of alleged land scam in Gujarat. Making a Zero Hour mention, Sharma said Parliament has passed laws and there is a separate ministry to protect endangered wildlife. "Now we have a situation...(where there is) serious violation" of laws and guidelines relating to environmental protection in Gujarat. He said in violation of norms, 422 acre of land at a rate of Rs 15 square feet was alloted in an eco-sensitive area in Gujarat in 2010. Ownership of land falling in wildlife sanctuaries cannot be changed, he said. As Sharma was speaking, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi raised a point of order and said if a matter is pending in court, no member can raise the issue in the House. He demanded a ruling from the Chair, to which Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said he would give one later. When some BJP members including Manshukh Lal Mandaviya objected vociferously to what Sharma was saying, Congress members countered them. As BJP members kept objecting to Sharma, Kurien said the Chair has permitted the Congress leader to raise the issue. PTI Lost my father to 'hate and division', do not want to lose country: Rahul Congress strategy meeting to oppose TN's decision to free Rajiv's killers India oi-Vicky New Delhi, Mar 3: The Congress has decided to oppose in both houses of Parliament the decision by the Tamil Nadu government to free the killers of Rajiv Gandhi. Will Tamil Nadu be allowed to free Rajiv's killers? Here is what the law states While an adjournment motion is being moved in both houses over this issue, the Congress strategy committee meeting is underway. The Congress has made it clear that it will not accept the decision to free the seven persons who are in jail for the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi. The Tamil Nadu government had written to the Union Home Ministry seeking its consent/opinion on freeing the seven convicts. The home ministry is yet to take a call on the issue. The last time around the home ministry had opposed the decision to free the killers and even intimated the Supreme Court about the same. The Supreme Court had in a recent verdict had said that states had the power to offer remission to convicts provided they have not been investigated by the CBI or any other central agency. The court had also said that no remission shall be granted to those booked under TADA or POTA. However the court stated that this would not apply to the Rajiv Gandhi case in the view of the central government's submission. The Central Government while opposing the decision last time had said that remission could not be offered since it was a case probed by the CBI. Further the centre said that the Tamil Nadu government could not take any decision on this issue unless it has its approval. OneIndia News Dhanteras 2022: How much gold can you buy from Dubai Delhi: 9-year-old boy abducted on pretext of 'dance party', later killed by teenagers India oi-Preeti New Delhi, March 3: In a shocking incident, a nine-year-old boy was brutally murdered by two teenagers in Pochanpur village of Dwarka area of south-west Delhi. According to reports, the deceased, Lalit Sehrawat, a student of Class 3, was on Monday, Feb 29, lured by two teenagers, aged 16 and 17 (one of them was Lalit's distant cousin) to take him to a dance party, as Lalit was fond of dancing. The little boy, who was excited to go to party, got dressed up and went alongwith two boys at around 5 pm, with no idea, what they had planned for him. The duo took Lalit to an isolated spot where they slit his throat in a col-blooded manner and hid his body under debris of under-construction flats. When Lalit did not return home, his family began a frantic search for him and then filed a police complaint. The police got a lead from Lalit's 12-year-old sister, who told them that she last saw her brother with a known boy. Within hours, police got hold of one of the accused, who initially tried to act innocent, but later spill the beans. The killers had planned to demand ransom money from Laliit's parents, to buy a car and gifts for their girlfriends. Lalit's body was recovered on Tuesday, March 1. The second accused was arrested from Jind district in Haryana. Delhi: Family members of 9-year-old boy who was allegedly murdered by two juveniles yesterday pic.twitter.com/5gKk4nSFdH ANI (@ANI_news) March 3, 2016 OneIndia News Farmers refuse to clear land for Modi's function in Bihar India oi-IANS By Ians English Patna, March 3: Around three dozen farmers in Bihar's Vaishali district have refused to reap their standing wheat crops to make space available for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's function on March 12, officials said on Thursday. Farmers of Sultanpur near Hajipur, the district headquarters of Vaishali and about 30 km from Patna, have been protesting against attempts by local authorities to cut their unripened crops for Modi's function. "These farmers are adamant not to cut their crops and threatened to protest if forced to do so," a district official told IANS from Hajipur. According to officials, the farmers have made it clear that they would not go for early harvest of standing crops since these would fetch low prices in the market. "Farmers have also rejected the offer of adequate compensation." The land on which Modi's function is proposed to be held belongs to nearly 40 farmers. "We will not allow the administration to harvest our unripe crops at any cost. Even if they offer us five-fold compensation, we will not go for early harvest; it is our (final) decision," an angry farmer, who did not want to be named, said. A team of local officials, during their visit to the area two days ago, said that the farmers should cooperate to clear their farmland for the prime minister's function. But the farmers said they would harvest only the fully ripened crops by March-end. IANS Dhanteras 2022: How much gold can you buy from Dubai Green tax continues to be levied on vehicles entering Delhi India oi-PTI New Delhi, Mar 4: Commercial vehicles entering Delhi are continuing to pay the Environmental Compensation Charge (ECC) as per directions of the Environmental Pollution Prevention and Control Authority, after the initial trial period for imposition of the green tax ended on February 29. The Supreme Court had last year imposed ECC of Rs 700 and Rs 1300 on small and large commercial vehicles respectively entering Delhi, in addition to the toll tax, from November 1 for four months on a trial basis in a bid to check high pollution levels in the city. The nodal agency South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) said that as per the directions of EPPCA, the green tax is being charged beyond February 29 and the concessionaire DEP Toll LLP has been issued requisite direction about it. EPPCA in its letter, dated February 26, issued directions for collection of ECC by SDMC beyond February 29 till further orders, said a senior municipal corporation officer. Delhi government's Special Commissioner (Transport) has also endorsed that ECC will be levied by the Corporation beyond February 29 till further orders, he said. The apex court had in its order on December last year doubled the ECC to Rs 1400 and Rs 2600 on small and large vehicles, respectively. PTI JNU row: Delhi govt contemplating defamation case against TV channels India oi-Vicky New Delhi, Mar 3: The Delhi government which has been opposing the view of the police in connection with the JNU incident is planning on initiating a series of measures which it terms as course correction. One among the many decisions that the Delhi government has taken is to sue some television channels on the allegation that they ran doctored videos. The Delhi government had instituted a probe of its own at the Magistrate level to get into the details of the incident. Among the many findings one of them was that a television channel had been taken to the JNU campus ahead of the February 9th event in which anti national slogans had allegedly been raised. The Delhi government feels that the videos were tampered with. They are now planning on filing a criminal defamation case against some television channels. Further the government of Delhi had also sent some of the videos to the forensic sciences laboratory to verify the authenticity of the clips. The result was that two videos had allegedly been tampered with. Even during the hearing at the Delhi High Court, the Delhi government had doubted the validity of the sedition charge filed against Kanhaiya Kumar. In its submission the counsel for the Delhi government had also said that no innocent should be in jail. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, March 3, 2016, 10:46 [IST] JNU row: Teachers ask Modi government to stay away from campuses India oi-Oneindia By Maitreyee Boruah Bengaluru, Mar 3: On Wednesday (March 2), the JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar, arrested on sedition charges, was granted interim bail for six months by the Delhi High Court. Moreover, forensic reports released by Truth Lab in Hyderabad reveal that at least two out of the seven video clips of the alleged 'anti-national' sloganeering in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on February 9 and 11 have been 'doctored'. These two latest developments have been welcomed by the teachers, academicians, students and activists, who have been vouching for Kanhaiya's innocence, since the controversy erupted. In the wake of the JNU row, student and teacher communities from across the country have been strongly speaking against any government intervention in matters related to higher educational institutions. In fact, as a part of their campaign, Save Academic Freedom and Preserve University Autonomy, university teachers' community has organized a press conference in Delhi on Thursday (March 3) evening. The two main demands to be raised by the teaching community on Thursday are--the government should respect the autonomy of the universities and stop interfering in matters internal to the universities and charges of sedition should be dropped against all students. Some of the prominent scholars and academicians to address the meeting are Prof. Satish Deshapande (Delhi School of Economics, Delhi University), Prof. Rukmini Bhaya Nair, (IIT Delhi) and Mukul Kesavan, (Department of History, Jamia Millia Islamia), to name a few. "An atmosphere of intimidation, repression and unrest has been unleashed by the government after the arrest of the JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar and two other students, Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya. The autonomy of a university stands violated when the police raid hostels and detain students on the basis of the thinnest of evidence," says a statement by the teaching community. The teachers have urged the government not to destroy higher education and academic freedom through intimidation. "Universities must be nurtured as spaces for intellectual experimentation and courageous thinking. JNU row: AAP criticises TV channels for showing alleged doctored videos They harbor the highest values that humanity aspires towards and in them there can be no place for fear of retribution. What concerns us most is that the incidents relating to the JNU are not isolated ones, but appear to be part of a concerted policy towards devaluing and thereby destroying higher education and academic freedom through intimidation. No more brutal example is needed than the criminalization of dissent, of speech, of argument; the very values and skills patiently sought to be inculcated in our schools and universities. Rohit Vemula's life was tragically cut short by unwarranted interference of precisely such a sort," it adds. "We condemn such attempts in unequivocal terms and assert that the citizens of India must be allowed their fundamental right to voice their dissent. There is no surer touchstone for measuring either the pulse of a democracy or the heartbeat of a university," the statement ends. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, March 3, 2016, 9:47 [IST] NDMC invites Sanjay Dutt to be brand ambassador for Swachh Bharat India oi-Preeti New Delhi, March 3: New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) on Wednesday, March 2 invited Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt to become its brand ambassador for the Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan and Smart City initiatives. In a letter sent to 56-year-old actor, the NDMC wrote, "The NDMC is intensifying its efforts to provide better civic services to citizens as well as visiting patrons. Being a youth icon and a leading personality of our country, your association is sought in its 'Swachh Bharat Mission' and 'Smart City' initiatives," the civic body said in a letter to Dutt. "This collaboration will intensify the NDMC's efforts to reach out to the public for greater engagement in keeping the city clean, improving civic behaviour in public places and transforming the NDMC into a smart city," it added. "Your presence shall have great impact on millions of your fans, including NDMC inhabitants, who will feel motivated and participate in the endeavour", it said. NDMC was in the list of 20 smart cities that were announced by Union Urban Development Ministry. The area under NDMC's jurisdiction comprises the territory known as Lutyen's Delhi and covers the VIP zone that houses the seat of authority in the national capital. [List of 20 smart cities to be equipped with modern facilities released] Dutt, who was released from Yerwada jail in Pune on Feb 25, has reportedly agreed to accept NDMC's offer. NDMC launches initiatives as part of Swachh Bharat campaign On Swacchh anniversary, NDMC launches cleanliness drive OneIndia News Partial solar eclipse on Diwali: Can you perform Lakshmi Puja on Oct 25? NCW summons editor-in-chief of Kannada daily over post against President News flash: Kanhaiya Kumar reaches JNU, addresses students India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Staff Writer New Delhi, Mar 3: Security forces on Thursday killed three separatist guerrillas in a gunfight in south Kashmir's Pulwama district. Get all the latest national, international, politics and other news of March 3, Thursday here. 11.24 pm: The struggle is long. The more you try to suppress us, the higher we will rise, says Kanhaiya Kumar. 10.55 pm: Kanhaiya Kumar at JNU after his release from Tihar Jail. Slogans of 'RSS se Azaadi' being raised #KanhaiyaKumar at JNU after his release from Tihar Jail. Slogans of 'RSS se Azaadi' being raised. pic.twitter.com/Rz03tgTMLS ANI (@ANI_news) March 3, 2016 9.35 pm: Encounter underway between security personnel and Maoists in Chhattisgarh's Sukma. One sub-inspector injured. 9.10 pm: A foxhole looking like thing was spotted by BSF on the ground this morning: Rakesh Sharma, IG BSF Jammu Frontier. 8.05 pm: Kanhaiya Kumar reaches JNU after being released from Tihar jail. 7:30 pm: TN CM writes to PM Modi urging him to intervene and direct MEA to secure immediate release of 35 fishermen & 73 fishing boats from Sri Lanka. 7:25 pm: I don't want to make any further statement as the matter is sub judice, says Loknath Behera (Then NIA officer). 7:15 pm: I have been saying since beginning that my son is not anti-national. He should have been acquitted of all charges, says KanhaiyaKumar's Mother. 7:00 pm: Kanhaiya Kumar released from Tihar prison on interim bail: Celebrations at his residence in Begusarai,Bihar on JNU Row. 6:51 pm: I don't want to make any further statement as the matter is sub judice, says Loknath Behera (Then NIA officer). 6:30 pm: We went to US in 2010.We interrogated David Headley,recorded his statement and reported it to Central Govt, says Loknath Behera (Then NIA officer). 6:15 pm: Kanhaiya Kumar who was granted 6 months interim bail by Delhi HC yesterday, released from Tihar Jail on JNU Row. Dhanteras 2022: How much gold can you buy from Dubai No proposal to give central funds for CCTVs in schools: Smriti Irani India oi-PTI New Delhi, Mar 3: There is no proposal before the government to provide central grants to state governments for installing CCTV cameras in schools, HRD minister Smriti Irani said today. "The matter relating to installation of CCTV cameras in schools is within the purview of state governments," she said in Rajya Sabha, adding that at present, there was no proposal with her ministry to provide central grants for this purpose. Asked whether government proposed to install CCTVs in all schools to ensure safety of children, Irani said that education being on the concurrent list, majority of the schools were under the jurisdiction of state governments. During Question Hour, she said the Bombay High Court had during a hearing suggested that Maharashtra government should consider fixing of CCTVs in schools. Irani said some Kendriya Vidyalayas and Navodaya Vidyalayas have also installed CCTVs. She assured members that state governments were quite serious with regard to the safety and security of children in schools. Congress member Rajiv Shukla also raised doubts about the efficacy of schemes for adult education on which upto Rs 6000 crore was spent. Irani responded by saying that adult education has been a priority not only for the current government but the previous ones as well. PTI Pathankot: They don't know how many of you are there, handler told terrorists India oi-Vicky New Delhi, March 3: For the National Investigation Agency ascertaining how many terrorists were present at the Pathankot Air Force station is extremely important. There appears to be some confusion on this issue and while it was said at first there were six of them, evidence suggests that there were only four. This confusion regarding the number of terrorists at the air force station was there at the time of the attack itself. On January 3, one of the handlers from Pakistan is heard telling the terrorists, " inko pata nahin char hai ya che" (they do not know how many are there- 6 or 4.) However nothing in the calls intercepted clearly indicate how many terrorists had infiltrated into India to undertake this attack. There was also some amount of confusion when the Home Minister said that the attack was over but later deleted his tweet. The encounter lasted a good 30 hours after that statement and it was said that the NSG was battling two more terrorists at the air base. The NIA which was handed over the charred mass following the attack has sent the same for forensic analysis at Chandigarh. The NIA says that it is yet to receive any report from them and reminders too have been sent. NIA awaits final report: An NIA official said that they are yet to receive any report from the forensic laboratory. We are still ascertaining the case and have not concluded anything as yet, the officer also informed OneIndia. According to the original version, there were six terrorists. While four terrorists had been killed and their bodies too had been found. In the second encounter that lasted 30 hours, it was said that two more terrorists had died. The bodies had not been recovered and it was said that only the charred remains had been found. The NIA had managed to recover four AK-47 rifles and three pistols the weapons of the other two terrorists has not been recovered. The question is whether the rifles had melted due to the fire. Highly unlikely since an iron cot was found intact. The investigations that are being conducted would suggest that the the recovery of weapons took place from the first encounter site. That means investigators have managed to recover four assault rifles and three pistols from the four terrorists who were involved in the first half of the encounter. There has been no recovery from the second encounter which according to the security forces had lasted over 24 hours. There are questions that are being raised by the investigators in the wake of this. What happened to the clothing of the two other terrorists. During the recovery bed sheets had been found, but the military clothing was missing. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, March 3, 2016, 12:30 [IST] Selective: Ishrat encounter outraged, not a sound on the one at J&K India oi-Vicky New Delhi, Mar 3: There have been a series of allegations and counter allegations over the Ishrat Jahan issue. What is actually surprising is that the government of India in 2009 decided to file two affidavits in a span of one month which ran totally contrary to each other. Ishrat Jahan encounter - P Chidambaram needs to answer these questions There are questions that come to one's mind about the manner in which the government handled this issue. Why was all the focus on the Ishrat Jahan case in which people tried to term the encounter as fake. Why was a similar noise not raised when two persons from the same module were killed in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir. Two persons Mehmood and Zaid were arrested 11 days after the Ishrat encounter and while they confirmed one part of their team was in Gujarat, it came as a surprise that the duo were killed in the encounter when the Gujarat police had sought to examine them. Witch hunt? There were murmurs in Jammu and Kashmir when the encounter of the two Lashkar-e-Tayiba militants had taken place. However there was no nation wide outrage as we got to witness in the Ishrat Jahan case. This encounter had become the talk of the town with a large majority questioning the authenticity of the encounter. The question is why didn't the same people question the encounter at Jammu and Kashmir which happened in the same year (2004). Those killed in the J&K encounter were part of the three team module. One module was to carry out attacks in Srinagar while the other two at Delhi and Gujarat. The duo killed in J&K had confirmed that those in Gujarat were part of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba module. There was however no talk about Ishrat about them which gives the impression that she was roped in as a cover at a later stage. The timing of the encounter in Jammu and Kashmir is also quite suspicious. These two persons were in fact in custody and the version given by the police was that they tried to escape and hence had to be killed in an encounter. While it is the job of a court to verify the authenticity of an encounter, the bigger question is why was the selective outrage restricted just to the Ishrat encounter. OneIndia News 'Kantara' impact: 'Daiva Narthakas' above 60 years of age to get Rs 2,000 monthly allowance Late actor Puneeth Rajkumar to be conferred with 'Karnataka Ratna' award on Nov 1 Karnataka to strengthen ATS and up the number of prisons Vijay Mallya objects to SBI's plea for arrest in debt case India oi-IANS By Ians English Bengaluru, March 3; Liquor baron Vijay Mallya will on Thursday file objections to the State Bank of India's (SBI) interlocutory application (IA) before the debt recovery tribunal seeking his arrest in the defunct Kingfisher Airline's multi-crore-rupee loan default case. "We are filing our objections today (Thursday) against the IA on the merit that the tribunal was not the right forum to seek a defaulter's arrest or impound his passport," Mallya's counsel said here. The bank's IA on Wednesday also sought a direction from the tribunal, headed by judge R. Benkanahalli, to the authority for impounding Mallya's passport, seize his assets and claim on the $75 million (Rs.516 crore) severance package British liquor major Diageo signed with him on February 25. After arguments by the bank's advocate, the judge posted the IA for next hearing on Friday and gave notice to Mallya for filing objections, if any. "The quasi-judicial tribunal is meant to facilitate banks and financial institutions recover outstanding loans speedily and avoid the inordinate procedural delays in civil courts," Mallya's counsel said. Bank's advocate also admitted that he had filed four IAs before the tribunal for Mallya's arrest, impounding his passport, seizing his assets and seeking rights to the Diageo's sweetheart deal in exchange for his resignation as chairman and non-executive director of United Spirits Ltd (USL). Mallya, an independent lawmaker from Karnataka in the Rajya Sabha, is reportedly in New Delhi for attending the budget session of Parliament. A consortium of 17 state-run and private banks led by SBI moved an application a day after the February 25 Diageo deal in the tribunal seeking a directive to Mallya for paying the amount Diageo agreed to pay him over the next five years, including $40 million this year and balance $35 million by 2020. Kingfisher Ltd. owes the consortium Rs.7,800 crore as outstanding loans, including Rs.1,600 crore from SBI as a lead bank over a decade from 2004-12. The debt-ridden airline suspended operations in October 2012 due to staff strike and termination of its licence by the civil aviation regulator DGCA subsequently. IANS Tamil Nadu: Light to moderate rain in the next few days Will Tamil Nadu be allowed to free Rajiv's killers? Here is what the law states India oi-Vicky Tamil Nadu, Mar 3: The government in the poll bound Tamil Nadu has once again sought the release of seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. There is bound to be a legal debate on this subject with the Supreme Court frowning upon states who tend to remit life sentences with much ease. The Tamil Nadu government in a letter to the Union Home Ministry has said that they have received petitions from the convicts who have been in jail for over 20 years. TN also said that they had already decided to free the convicts, but as mandated under Section 435 of the Code of Criminal Procedure they were seeking an opinion from the centre. What does the law state: In the year 2014, the Supreme Court had come down heavily on state governments for taking liberties while remitting sentences. The Supreme Court has time and again said that a life sentence means imprisonment for life. In most states a life convict walks free thanks to remissions after 14 years. However the Supreme Court in 2015 broke the year long hiatus and modified its earlier order. It stated that state governments could exercise their power of remission and free convicts. The Supreme Court however had a rider. It said that the powers of remission cannot be used if the convicts were booked under laws such as TADA or POTA. Further it also stated that if the case has been investigated by the CBI or any other central agency then the powers of remission cannot be used. The court also said this relaxation would also not apply where the convict has been awarded life term in cases of rape and murder, or when there is a specific court order not to grant remission. The court however noted that since in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case the central government had challenged the decision of the Tamil Nadu government, this interim order would not be applicable. The centre had immediately challenged the decision of the Tamil Nadu government when it decided to release the convicts. The Centre has made it clear to the Supreme Court that the case was probed by CBI and hence only the Centre could take the decision. The ball now is in the court of the centre. Since the above mentioned interim order is not applicable to the Rajiv Gandhi case, it is only the centre which can take the final call on the matter. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, March 3, 2016, 8:38 [IST] Donald Trump is phony and fraud, dishonesty his hallmark: Mitt Romney International oi-PTI Washington, Mar 4: US Republican front runner Donald Trump on Thursday came under a brutal attack from party's former presidential nominee Mitt Romney who called him "phony and a fraud", alleging that "dishonesty" is the hallmark of the real estate tycoon. "There's plenty of evidence that Trump is a con man, a fake. Trump has changed his positions not just over the years, but over the course of the campaign," he said. Video: How host John Oliver launched a blistering attack on Donald Trump "We will only really know if he's a real deal or a phony if he releases his tax returns and the tape of his interview with the New York Times. I predict that there are more bombshells in his tax returns. I predict that he doesn't give much, if anything, to the disabled and to our veterans. I predict that he told the New York Times that his immigration talk is just that talk," he said. In a rare speech, Romney gave a clarion call to his party men not to let Trump become the presidential nominee as he is the "wrong person" to lead the party and the country. "Here's what I know: Donald Trump is a phony, a fraud," Romney said. Romney, who was defeated by President Barack Obama in his 2012 re-election, joins a growing chorus of anxious Republican leaders who appeared to have ganged up against Trump in a last ditch effort to prevent him from becoming the nominee for the November presidential poll. Trump so far has won 10 of the 16 States where Republican primaries and caucus have been held in the last one month and has a substantial lead in terms of number of delegates as against the three other major Republican candidates Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and John Kasich. 30 black students 'ejected' from Trump rally Claiming that there is a "bombshell" to hide in the Trump's tax returns, which he has not released it so far, Romney said Trump's nomination would only help Hillary Clinton become the next president of the United States. Trump so far has won 10 of the 16 States where primaries and caucus were held Romney alleged "dishonesty" is Trump's hallmark. "He claimed that he had spoken clearly and boldly against going into Iraq. Wrong. He spoke in favour of invading Iraq. He said he saw thousands of Muslims in New Jersey celebrating 9/11. Wrong. He saw no such thing. He imagined it," he said. "He's not of the temperament of the kind of stable, thoughtful person we need as a leader. His imagination must not be married to real power. The president of the United States has long been the leader of the free world," he said. Think of Trump's personal qualities, Romney urged his party men. "The bullying, the greed, the showing off, the misogyny, the absurd third grade theatrics. You know, we have long referred to him as 'The Donald'," he said. "He's the only person in the entire country to whom we have added an article before his name, and it was not because he had attributes we admired," he said. PTI Search for missing MH370 to end in two weeks Authorities with better understanding of where MH370 is, says Australia Depressed pilot of Flight MH370 may have 'crashed plane' in murder-suicide Man who found MH370 debris was searching for missing flight International oi-Jagriti Washington, Mar 3: The man who found piece of wreckage from a Boeing 777, likely from Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, was actually searching for the missing flight. A piece of wreckage from a Boeing 777, likely from Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 was found washed ashore on the coast of Mozambique. Blaine Gibson, a US lawyer from Seattle found the debris. Gibson launched a self-funded mission to know the whereabouts of the missing plane, reported the CNN. With an aim to recover the missing plane he travelled from the Maldives, to Mauritius and Myanmar. "I've been very involved in the search for Malaysia 370, just out of personal interest and in a private group -- not in a for-profit way or journalistic way," said Gibson. Likely piece of doomed flight MH370 found in Mozambique? "I went for the one year commemoration in Kuala Lumpur and met some of the family members and families and it inspired me to keep on looking." He has since trawled beaches, spoken to witnesses, and interviewed people who have reported debris; all in a singular effort to discover the truth of what happened to the ill-fated flight. Flight MH370 with 239 people onboard, left Kuala Lumpur on March 8 2014, scheduled to land in Beijing roughly six hours later, but it disappeared from the radar screens some 40 minutes after takeoff. OneIndia News 'Osama warned against declaring an Islamic State too soon' International oi-PTI Washington, March 3: Osama bin Laden warned al-Qaeda affiliates against prematurely declaring an Islamic caliphate and cautioned his fighters against excessive display of brutality, according to newly declassified files seized from his Abbottabad hideout. In letters to subordinates, Osama denounced almost every aspect of the Islamic State playbook but the admonishments were issued several years before al-Qaeda's affiliate in Iraq severed ties and rebranded itself as the Islamic State. But the documents released Tuesday show the extent to which the ideological dispute behind that rupture was becoming intractable even before the slain al-Qaeda leader's demise. In one undated letter to Nasir al-Wuhayshi, who led the al-Qaeda branch in Yemen before he was killed in a US drone strike, Osama warned against taking over the capital city to quickly establish a new Islamic state. "We want Sana'a to establish an Islamic State, but first, we want to make sure that we have the capability to gain control of it," Osama wrote. "The enemy continues to possess the ability to topple any state we establish. We have to remember that the enemy toppled the Taliban and Saddam's regime," he said. Defeating the US was Osama's first priority, and he consistently pushed back against al-Qaeda members who called for hitting local targets instead. In the letter, Osama instructed al-Wuhayshi to remind "the new generation" not to pursue "separate operations rather than concentrating on the main objective." Osama, in the letters, warned against seizing more territory than would be possible to hold, against prematurely declaring the restoration of the Islamic "caliphate" and even against "publishing pictures of prisoners after they were beheaded". The origins of the disagreement between al-Qaeda and (its Iraq wing) all the guts are there," a senior US intelligence official, involved in reviewing the Osama letters and other materials that were declassified for Tuesday's release, was quoted as saying by the leading media. Osama was essentially warning subordinates that if they pursued the Islamic State model, "it will fail", the official said, adding that he and other counter-terrorism analysts are now "waiting to see if bin Laden was prescient". Although the Islamic State has experienced significant setbacks in recent months, the organisation has eclipsed al-Qaeda as the dominant brand of Islamist militancy in the years since Osama wrote those messages and has replaced the parent group as the most feared sponsor of terrorist attacks against Europe and the United States. The documents released on Tuesday were the second set of materials from the 2011 raid made public. The first came out last May. PTI Authorities with better understanding of where MH370 is, says Australia Suspected MH370 debris to be transferred for inspection International oi-IANS By Ians English Canberra, March 3: Airplane debris suspected to be of the missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 flight found off the coast of Mozambique, would be transferred to Australia for examination. Australian Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester on Thursday said the debris is a piece of metal of about one metre in length, which was found in a Mozambican beach, Xinhua news agency reported. "The debris is to be transferred to Australia where it will be examined by officials from Australia and Malaysia, as well as international specialists," the minister said. Chester said the location where the debris was found is consistent with drift modelling commissioned by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) and reaffirms the search area of the missing plane in the southern Indian Ocean. The piece was found three days ago by local fishermen accompanying an American tourist along the coast of Vilanculos, Inhambane province, and was handed over to the Mozambican National Civil Aviation Institute on Wednesday. Last year, an aircraft flaperon was found on the island of La Reunion, which lies at the same corner of the Indian Ocean as Mozambique. The flaperon was later confirmed to be the only debris from the missing aircraft. Likely piece of doomed flight MH370 found in Mozambique? Malaysian Airline Flight MH370, a Boeing 777-200ER, disappeared on March 8, 2014, en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, with a total of 239 people on board. Two years into the disappearance, the search operation in the southern Indian Ocean has yielded no concrete results so far. IANS Community Its now easier than ever to connect and chat with others in your local area. You can connect with your community by asking general questions, give area updates and recommendations and even let your community know about local events that are taking place. OK! Magazine 21 Oct 2022 Taylor Swift's new song 'Would've, Could've, Should've' might be about John Mayer and fans are already warning him of the.. Yvonne Jegede Nollywood actress, Yvonne Jegede welcomed her first child, Xavier few months ago. She has taken to her social media space to share adorable maternity photos with caption; Pregnancy brings a new meaning to the concept of beauty. It is a period of immense joy coupled with excitement. The feeling of carrying a little soul within you is magnificent. Every kick and every turn was as precious as every minute I hold my angel in my hands. I love you Xavier Jegede-Fawole Yvonne Jegede who has been enmeshed in marital crisis with her estranged actor husband, has disclosed that she doesnt regret getting married to Abounce. Speaking about her barely two-year-old marriage to Olakunle Fawole, aka Abounce in an interview with Sunday Scoop, the actress revealed that her marriage started having hiccups in her third month of pregnancy. See more images: Komfie Manalo, Opalesque Asia: Hedge funds posted mixed performance in February as the global financial markets weigh in on the U.S. political primaries and Brexit. In its monthly report, Hedge Fund Research said that the HFRX Global Hedge Fund Index declined -0.32% last month (-2.72% YTD). The report said that macro and CTA strategies gained to offset losses in directional strategies with the HFRX Macro Systematic Diversified CTA Index gaining +2.75% (+5.03% YTD), its strongest performance for the past year, as energy posted sharp gains in final trading days of month, recovering intra-month losses. The HFRX Macro Index gained +0.30% (+1.35% YTD) for the month. HFR said, "Global equity markets pared steep losses across many sectors into month end, with sector weakness led by biotechnology, financials and energy, European & Asian equities also posted mixed performance. Gold posted a sharp gain for the month following a strong gain in January; oil traded in a volatile range to end the month with a gain, while Natural Gas posted a step loss. The U.S. dollar gained against major currencies led by the decline in the British pounds Sterling on concerns about the impact of Brexit, while the USD declined against the Swiss franc and the Japanese yen. U.S. treasury yields ended the month with a modest decline, though yields fell sharply intra-month o...................... To view our full article Click here Results of SuperTuesday Voting Bernie Sanders won four of the states that had either caucuses or primaries on Tuesday. March 1st . The fifth state that he had hoped to win --Massachusetts -- Clinton won in a squeaker. Final tally not yet in. However, the seven states that Clinton won does not a general-election-winner make. At least five of the states -- Texas, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, and Arkansas are Republican -- red -- states. Virginia is a maybe with Massachusetts a solid blue. So the newspapers and TV networks that are bloviating about this being a huge victory for Clinton, claiming that she can win in all voting categories simply reveals their bias. This was no firewall. There are even calls for Bernie to drop out. Yet three of the four states that he won are blue -- Vermont, of course, was a blowout where he got more than 85% of the vote, Minneapolis, and Colorado. Oklahoma is usually a red state. Can Hillary win a general election if she cannot win blue states? Some delegate counts include Superdelegates. These should really be added after the primaries have been concluded. Thirty-five other states have not yet voted plus the non-state places like the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Democrats living abroad have another week to tally their votes. Was It Illegal? The Boston Globe and some Internet news sites reported on Bill Clinton's questionable activities in Boston on Tuesday. People began reporting Tuesday evening that the former president, accompanied by Mayor Marty Walsh, had been going into polls and chatting with voters. State law is very clear that there can be no campaigning of any kind within 150 feet of a polling place. Voters are not even allowed to wear a political button that is visible on a jacket or backpack. Will a former president or a mayor be charged with violating the law? Or is it just ordinary people that can't do this? Michael Whouley is the go-to-guy for a Democratic candidate whose campaign is in trouble. John Kerry called on him in 2004 when he faced the prospect of losing in Iowa. One wonders whether he was behind persuading outgoing Senator Harry Reid to call casino owners in Las Vagas to ask them to hold caucuses in their casinos when it looked like Sanders would win there. Their employees would be able to participate in a caucus and still be paid for this off-duty time. CNN's Wolf Blitzer reminded viewers that Las Vegas was a Clinton stronghold and, sure enough, Las Vegas put her over the top in Nevada. But not by much. Whouley has a consulting firm in Boston. Could it be that he persuaded Bill that visiting polls on Election Day would be a help to his wife in a close race? Democratic Debate in Flint, Michigan on Sunday, March 6 th CNN will air the debate, one of three add-ons after protests forced the DNC to schedule more than the paltry six. Chuck Todd will probably be one of the moderators. Caucuses and Primaries Coming Up Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Don't Assume Bernie Sanders Supporters Will Back Hillary Clinton If She's The Nominee. The DNC has poisoned the well, especially for the next generation. The day after the New Hampshire primary I wrote an article about superdelegates: Bernie Didn't Win New Hampshire. No Joke. Huge crowds, Huge winning margins don't matter if the Democratic Party rigs the election. If the Democratic party's superdelegate system is not ended, the Democratic party will not be a viable part of the future. Huge crowds, Huge winning margins don't matter if the Democratic Party rigs the election. If the Democratic party's superdelegate system is not ended, the Democratic party will not be a viable part of the future. I received a decent about of pushback from people saying not to worry, that it would work out in the end like it did for Obama. Wow, were they wrong. Very day you see the mainstream media using Hillary's super delegate count to suggest that the race is over, that she is so far ahead of Bernie his pursuit of the presidency is hopeless. That is what the DNC and Debbie Wasserman-Schultz want. Understandably this is hugely pissing off Bernie supporters. They are pissed at the DNC. They should be. I'm hearing from a lot of people who support Bernie Sanders that they will not vote for Hillary if she becomes the primary candidate and I blame the DNC and Democratic party conservative insiders. I'm not saying "if she wins" because the DNC and the Democratic establishment has been so undemocratic, coordinating with the mainstream media, using the artificial, top-down superdelegate vote to make it look like Hillary is a sure thing. And don't you dare stupidly tell me that the superdelegates are not important at this stage. The mainstream media are synergizing with the conservatives in the DNC to make it look like Bernie Sanders has already lost and is a loser. Samantha Jo Roth, writing for the huffingtonpost.com says, "I will never support Hillary Clinton," said Adam Burch, 28, of Minneapolis. "I identify as a socialist. She stands for everything that I'm against. It's Bernie or nothing." Burch isn't alone. He's part of a group on social media called Grassroots Action for Bernie that has promised to support only Sanders in the election, using the hashtag "BernieorBust" to spread its message. Similarly, 50,000 people have signed an online pledge to write in Sanders' name or vote for the Green Party candidate in the general election if the former Secretary of State wins the nomination. If that happens, some in this crowd are willing to go a step further in the general election and cast their ballot for Republican front-runner Donald Trump. "I would vote for Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton in a heartbeat," said Patt Coltem, 60, of St. Paul. "She's just too shady. She's a pathological liar." The latest CNN/ORC poll shows Hillary's negatives are the highest ever, at 55%. Bernie Sanders, in that poll has a higher positive than ever, even higher than Bill Clinton. Polls Roth writes, in her Huffpo article, A CBS/New York Times poll released in January found less than than half of Democratic voters nationwide said they would enthusiastically support Hillary Clinton if she were to become the Democratic nominee. Fourteen percent would not support her in the general election... But other polls have shown that up to 30% of Sanders supporters will not support Clinton, staying home, voting for Green Party candidate Jill Stein, writing in Bernie Sanders or voting for Trump. If the DNC succeeds in rigging the primary so Hillary wins becomes the candidate, it will further damage the Democratic party brand and cost America the bright future that a Bernie Sanders presidency, with real change, promises. I can't write this article without mentioning DNC leader Debbie Wasserman-Schultz. This troll has done more to damage the Democratic Brand, for people who are inclined to vote Democrtic than anyone in recent history. Her recent position, supporting payday lenders, is so offensive to Democratic principles that she should be summarily fired from her job. And that should be just the start. Tulsi Gabbard should be appointed to replace her, to make up for the damage done. Gabbard will probably start by setting up fund raising events that Bernie Sanders will guest host, to raise money for other Democratic candidates and the DNC, since Wasserman-Schultz has failed to do that, setting up Hillary as the only fundraiser Democratic candidates owe support to. Personally, the profoundly undemocratic, offensive approach the DNC has taken has clinched it for me. I will not vote for Hillary. Will you? Jewelry ring (Image by Gnilenkov Aleksey) Details DMCA Some thirty or more years ago I took up hand reading as a hobby that soon grew into a vocation. I taught it for about ten years, spoke on it around the country in Western Canada and attended or hosted conferences on it in Europe, China, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia, becoming acquainted with some of the leaders in the field. I still administer one of the more active sites on Facebook, The Encyclopedia of Palmistry, named after my first book, and participated in several others. I have written a second book, Fingerprints and Behavior. I started as a complete skeptic, but most of my skepticism over possibilities has erased over time, though remain for some traditional nonsense. For some time I have been interested in the effects of gem stones and rings on the behavior and thinking of the wearer. If you observe the hands of many Indian and other Asian businessmen, they are often seen wearing a gold ring with a yellow sapphire gemstone on the right index finger. Traditionally this is to boost self confidence and give them more power in business. Rather than write these traditions off, I like to explore if they work, and if they do, by what mechanism do they work, or what actions in the body do they represent. Example: At one point I determined that the vertical crease in the middle of the palm going up to the middle finger represents the central axis of the body, at least well enough to predict potential break down points under gravity stress. This helped me understand why a mark was related to drowning in the older books. They said that if a star, a point where five or more lines meet or the more traditional shapes, is found just below the middle finger, the person will die by drowning. By following my logic, this could mean that the subject may have problems with balance, a very important capability in the days when travel included much crossing by and on water. Lose balance and you may drown. Some time ago I surmised that if the rings had effects, it would be at a very low energy level, nanometer energies, very much like the energies used by implanting electrodes on shattered bone to aid healing through nanometer-directed currents that was pioneered under the US Veterans Administration. The worn ring goes through changes of temperature during the day and when it expands or compresses a gem stone that touches the finger, and this will cause a very small piezoelectric effect, causing the body to receive a small, unfelt, electric pulse. If the gem is transparent or translucent (like pearls or moon stones), the body also receives energies from light, This is why the stone "doctors" insist on stones that are clear to a jeweler's loop, a ten magnification, to control the light so that it does not break up going through flaws. Rings are commonly worn on the third phalange, though they can be worn on the middle or distal (nail) phalange. Checking Korean hand acupuncture, it is noted that not only does the finger have the two major meridians going through all these areas, but in the third phalange, there are additional branches of four other major meridians. Thus this is one of the most susceptible parts of the body to receive low-level energy that could be conducive to affecting the behavior and traits of the subject. When I suggested that this might be used for constant medication in the medical fields, one wag said that would be unlikely as you could not get a prescription refill every month and thus the pharmaceutical industry would not be impressed. However, today I ran across an article on successful, though temporary, treatment of autism through the use of cannabis, either by the parent or child. The conclusions stated though the relief was temporary there was hope in the process: click here It would be reasonable to begin studies on the applications of various energy-changing gem stones and metal rings that can be worn to effect a more permanent relief from autistic conditions and at a greatly reduced cost over the long run. These reliefs may actually be tailor-made for particular individual uses. Or we can just wait and let the Asians including the Indians do it. Edward Campbell Social Media Pages: AB 1959 and JD 1963, University of Missouri, Columbia. 50 years active member of Washington State Bar Association, mostly civil and commercial office, trial and appellate practice and Superior Court Arbitrator for about 40 years or so, since the ( more... The views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors. OpEdNews depends upon can't survive without your help. If you value this article and the work of OpEdNews, please either Donate or Purchase a premium membership. Reprinted from Truthdig College-educated elites, on behalf of corporations, carried out the savage neoliberal assault on the working poor. Now they are being made to pay. Their duplicity -- embodied in politicians such as Bill and Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama -- succeeded for decades. These elites, many from East Coast Ivy League schools, spoke the language of values -- civility, inclusivity, a condemnation of overt racism and bigotry, a concern for the middle class -- while thrusting a knife into the back of the underclass for their corporate masters. This game has ended. There are tens of millions of Americans, especially lower-class whites, rightfully enraged at what has been done to them, their families and their communities. They have risen up to reject the neoliberal policies and political correctness imposed on them by college-educated elites from both political parties: Lower-class whites are embracing an American fascism. These Americans want a kind of freedom -- a freedom to hate. They want the freedom to use words like "n-word," "kike," "spic," "chink," "raghead" and "f*g." They want the freedom to idealize violence and the gun culture. They want the freedom to have enemies, to physically assault Muslims, undocumented workers, African-Americans, homosexuals and anyone who dares criticize their crypto fascism. They want the freedom to celebrate historical movements and figures that the college-educated elites condemn, including the Ku Klux Klan and the Confederacy. They want the freedom to ridicule and dismiss intellectuals, ideas, science and culture. They want the freedom to silence those who have been telling them how to behave. And they want the freedom to revel in hypermasculinity, racism, sexism and white patriarchy. These are the core sentiments of fascism. These sentiments are engendered by the collapse of the liberal state. The Democrats are playing a very dangerous game by anointing Hillary Clinton as their presidential candidate. She epitomizes the double-dealing of the college-educated elites, those who speak the feel-your-pain language of ordinary men and women, who hold up the bible of political correctness, while selling out the poor and the working class to corporate power. The Republicans, energized by America's reality-star version of Il Duce, Donald Trump, have been pulling in voters, especially new voters, while the Democrats are well below the voter turnouts for 2008. In the voting Tuesday, 5.6 million votes were cast for the Democrats while 8.3 million went to the Republicans. Those numbers were virtually reversed in 2008 -- 8.2 million for the Democrats and about 5 million for the Republicans. Richard Rorty in his last book, "Achieving Our Country," written in 1998, presciently saw where our post-industrial nation was headed. "Many writers on socio economic policy have warned that the old industrialized democracies are heading into a Weimar-like period, one in which populist movements are likely to overturn constitutional governments. Edward Luttwak, for example, has suggested that fascism may be the American future. The point of his book The Endangered American Dream is that members of labor unions, and unorganized unskilled workers, will sooner or later realize that their government is not even trying to prevent wages from sinking or to prevent jobs from being exported. Around the same time, they will realize that suburban white-collar workers -- themselves desperately afraid of being downsized -- are not going to let themselves be taxed to provide social benefits for anyone else. "At that point, something will crack. The non-suburban electorate will decide that the system has failed and start looking around for a strongman to vote for -- someone willing to assure them that, once he is elected, the smug bureaucrats, tricky lawyers, overpaid bond salesmen, and postmodernist professors will no longer be calling the shots. A scenario like that of Sinclair Lewis' novel It Can't Happen Here may then be played out. For once a strongman takes office, nobody can predict what will happen. In 1932, most of the predictions made about what would happen if Hindenburg named Hitler chancellor were wildly over optimistic. "One thing that is very likely to happen is that the gains made in the past forty years by black and brown Americans, and by homosexuals, will be wiped out. Jocular contempt for women will come back into fashion. The words "n-word" and "kike" will once again be heard in the workplace. All the sadism which the academic Left has tried to make unacceptable to its students will come flooding back. All the resentment which badly educated Americans feel about having their manners dictated to them by college graduates will find an outlet." Fascist movements build their base not from the politically active but the politically inactive, the "losers" who feel, often correctly, they have no voice or role to play in the political establishment. The sociologist Emile Durkheim warned that the disenfranchisement of a class of people from the structures of society produced a state of "anomie" -- a "condition in which society provides little moral guidance to individuals." Those trapped in this "anomie," he wrote, are easy prey to propaganda and emotionally driven mass movements. Hannah Arendt, echoing Durkheim, noted that "the chief characteristic of the mass man is not brutality and backwardness, but his isolation and lack of normal social relationships." In fascism the politically disempowered and disengaged, ignored and reviled by the establishment, discover a voice and a sense of empowerment. As Arendt noted, the fascist and communist movements in Europe in the 1930s "... recruited their members from this mass of apparently indifferent people whom all other parties had given up as too apathetic or too stupid for their attention. The result was that the majority of their membership consisted of people who had never before appeared on the political scene. This permitted the introduction of entirely new methods into political propaganda, and indifference to the arguments of political opponents; these movements not only placed themselves outside and against the party system as a whole, they found a membership that had never been reached, never been 'spoiled' by the party system. Therefore they did not need to refute opposing arguments and consistently preferred methods which ended in death rather than persuasion, which spelled terror rather than conviction. They presented disagreements as invariably originating in deep natural, social, or psychological sources beyond the control of the individual and therefore beyond the control of reason. This would have been a shortcoming only if they had sincerely entered into competition with either parties; it was not if they were sure of dealing with people who had reason to be equally hostile to all parties." Fascism is aided and advanced by the apathy of those who are tired of being conned and lied to by a bankrupt liberal establishment, whose only reason to vote for a politician or support a political party is to elect the least worst. This, for many voters, is the best Clinton can offer. Fascism expresses itself in familiar and comforting national and religious symbols, which is why it comes in various varieties and forms. Italian fascism, which looked back to the glory of the Roman Empire, for example, never shared the Nazis' love of Teutonic and Nordic myths. American fascism too will reach back to traditional patriotic symbols, narratives and beliefs. Robert Paxton wrote in "The Anatomy of Fascism": kea10 em4100 key fob for access door systems (gyrfidstore) ABS material em4100 key fob RFID keyfob is the extension products of normal ISO card, which is designed for easy carry by person. 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With its E1 automotive certification, the NB2710 is the ideal communication solution for use in buses and other road vehicles. En route the router gives the solid foundation for passenger-WiFi, passenger information systems, infotainment and digital signage, VoIP communications and electronic payment systems.The NB2710 enables wireless access to the Internet by use of up to two LTE modules, each with up to 100 Mbps downlink or 50 Mbps uplink. The usage of multiple mobile communications modules allows channel bonding and thus a higher data transmission speed. Thanks to the integrated load balancing function, the data traffic can optimally be distributed.Depending on the network coverage, the NB2710 switches seamlessly between LTE, UMTS, or GSM using of the Mobile IP protocol. The router can manage up to six SIM cards, which, together with the modern WAN Link Manager, assure high availability in network connections from different providers.An integrated CAN port allows the transfer of data between CAN- and IP-based networks. This is an important feature especially in the automotive industry. Thanks to its E1-certification, the NB2710 can be integrated ex works in new vehicles.Additional features include WiFi IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n working as a hotspot or a client, a SIP-to-GSM Gateway (bidirectional), Audio line in / out, OpenVPN and IPsec, digital I/O as well as the fail-safe OTA software update. Devices without WLAN support can be connected via Ethernet, as well as additional access points.About NetModule AG ():NetModule is a technology company applying communication & Internet technologies to Embedded System solutions for the segments Automation, Tele/Datacom and Life Science. The offering comprises hardware & software products as well as extensive professional engineering services and consulting.Founded in 1998 NetModule is a Swiss based company with headquarter in Berne (Niederwangen) and offices in Zurich (Winterthur), Basel, Frankfurt and Hong Kong. From these locations, NetModule serves the central European market (D, A, I and Eastern Europe). A subsidiary in Hong Kong supports sourcing activities in Far East and serves as a stepping stone for the commercialization of our products and services China.Customers are i.a. Siemens, Philips, ABB, Alstom, Bombardier, MAN, ZF, DB, OBB, SBB, Vodafone und Swisscom, as well as a multitude of SMEs.NetModule AG, Meriedweg 11, CH- 3172 Niederwangen; ph: +41 31 985 2510;, sales@netmodule.comMedia contact:Agentur Lorenzoni GmbH, Public Relations, Phone: +49 8122 55917-0,Beate Lorenzoni-Felber, beate@lorenzoni.de Global Acute Coronary Syndrome Market: Analysis and Forecast to 2015 to 2021 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/3746 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/3746 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Acute coronary syndrome is one of the serious medical conditions characterized by sudden and reduced flow of blood to the heart. The symptoms of acute coronary syndrome are the same as those of a heart attack. The most common symptoms of acute coronary syndrome includes chest pressure which patients feel during heart attacks and pressure in chest at the time of rest or doing light physical activities.Treatments of acute coronary syndrome depend on their symptoms and overall health condition. Acute coronary syndrome is often diagnosed in hospital. It is a treatable disease if diagnosed quickly. If acute coronary syndrome isn't treated quickly, heart attacks will occur. It is important to diagnose and treat acute coronary syndrome at its earlier stage. This is due to it reduces flow of blood and hampers normal functioning of the heart.Based on evidence of heart muscle damage, the acute coronary syndrome is divided into three main types: unstable angina (UA), ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). UA occurs when heart doesn't get enough blood flow and oxygen which leads to heart attacks. STEMI occurs when the coronary artery is completely blocked off by the blood clot. NSTEMI occurs when a coronary artery suddenly becomes partly occluded by blood clot.The global acute coronary syndrome market is categorized based on various antihypertensive, antithrombotic and statins drugs.In terms of geographic, North America and Europe dominates the global acute coronary syndrome market. This is due to increased awareness about acute coronary syndrome in these regions. The U.S. represents the largest market for acute coronary syndrome market followed by Canada in North America. In Europe, Germany, Italy, the U.K. and France holds major share of acute coronary syndrome market. However, Asia is expected to show high growth rates in the next five years in global acute coronary syndrome market. This is due to many companies constructing their manufacturing facilities in the region. In addition, increasing awareness about acute coronary syndrome is also supporting in the growth of the market in the region. Japan, China and India are expected to be the fastest growing acute coronary syndrome markets in Asia.In recent time, increasing aging population is key driver of the global acute coronary syndrome market. Increased pharmaceutical R&D investment and introduction of innovative drugs have fueled the growth of global acute coronary syndrome market. Extensive pipeline drugs with properties, such as high patient compliance and improved safety, are also supporting in the growth of global acute coronary syndrome market.Increasing prevalence of diabetes and rising number of obese or over-weight people holds immense potential to the growth of global acute coronary syndrome market.Request Brochure of this Report:However, stringent regulations hamper the growth of global acute coronary syndrome market. Moreover, less number of approved drugs for the treatment of acute coronary syndrome also obstructs the growth of the market. Increasing mergers and acquisitions between drug manufacturing companies and rapid number of product launches are some of the major trends of the global acute coronary syndrome market.Request to view TOC:Some of the major companies operating in the global acute coronary syndrome market are Boehringer Ingelheim, Dr. Reddys Laboratories, Johnson & Johnson, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Portola Pharmaceuticals, AbbVie, AstraZeneca, Amgen, Bayer, Daiichi Sankyo, Eli Lilly, GlaxoSmithKline, Sanofi, Regeneron, Novartis and Merck.About Us:Persistence Market Research (PMR) is an innovative provider of market research reports and consulting services. The three PMR pillars of strength that have helped us win clients for years are: Quality Research, Quick Research, and In-depth Research.PMRs team of seasoned analysts and consultants are experts in their domain. At PMR, we process complex, exhaustive primary and secondary research data into valuable insight. We uAbout Us:nderstand that each client has a unique problem statement, and address it with our strengths.Contact:Persistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: +1 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Global Aerospace Coatings Market: Analysis and Forecast to 2015 to 2021 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/3649 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/3649 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com A coating is generally referred to as the substrate, is a covering that is applied to the surface of an object. The new technologies in aerospace coating which provide significant value advantages to the aviation industry in terms of longer service life, light weight products and improved application efficiencies. Growth in the aerospace industry can be driven by an emergent middle class in emerging economies and more and more people being able to travel for leisure. To fulfill this demand various airlines are trying to adapt strategy accordingly. Resulted in the increase in demand for aircraft and associated services. Indirectly boost the demand for aerospace coating market. Research and development plays an important role in aerospace coatings market. The leading companies such as AkzoNobel N.V and PPG Industries Inc. of aerospace coating market focus on research and development in response to the market growth and rising demand from customers. The leading companies are investing huge amount for future advancements and improved technology for aerospace coating to reduce coatings life cycle, engineered materials, improved performance and to meet the new demands coming from various types of end-user industries. For instance, PPG Industries Inc. launched Solar Heat Management (SHM) coatings. These coatings allow the reduction in air conditioning requirements while the aircraft is on the ground in warm conditions.On the basis of end-user, aerospace coatings market is bifurcated into three types: military, commercial and general aviation. Increased in the demand for light weight coating systems durability, environment-friendly solutions, unique color styling, variety of colors and faster product drying times from the commercial and military end-user segment, influencing the growth rate of global aerospace coating market. Commercial aerospace coating is the largest end-user segment, whereas military segment is also a growing end-user industry for aerospace coatings.In terms of geographic, Asia-Pacific dominates the global aerospace coating market, followed by Europe and North America. China and Japan represent the largest market for aerospace coating followed by India in Asia-Pacific. India is emerging as the fastest industry for engineering and design services. Due to this, India has an enormous potential for establishing maintenance, repair and overhaul centers for civil and military aircraft sectors. This may help in creating demand for aerospace coating market. Some of the major factors influencing the growth of aerospace coatings market in Asia-Pacific region are increasing cargo traffic, international trade and rising number of air travelers. In Europe, France, Germany and the U.K. holds major share of aerospace coating market. The U.S. represents the largest market for aerospace coating followed by Canada in North America.Request Brochure of this Report:The global aerospace coating market is experiencing a good growth, which is expected to continue in the coming years. Some of the major drivers contributing the overall market growth of global aerospace coating market are environment-friendly products, chromo free technology, time saving and cost saving products and growth in the number of people travelling by air.Request to view TOC:Some of the major companies operating in the global aerospace coatings market are The Sherwin-Williams Company, Akzonobel N.V., Zircotec Ltd, Henkel Ag & Company, BASF SE, Mankiewicz Gebr. & Co., Hentzen Coatings, Inc., Ionbond Ag, PPG Industries, Inc. and Hohman Plating & Manufacturing Llc.About Us:Persistence Market Research (PMR) is an innovative provider of market research reports and consulting services. The three PMR pillars of strength that have helped us win clients for years are: Quality Research, Quick Research, and In-depth Research.PMRs team of seasoned analysts and consultants are experts in their domain. At PMR, we process complex, exhaustive primary and secondary research data into valuable insight. We uAbout Us:nderstand that each client has a unique problem statement, and address it with our strengths.Contact:Persistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: +1 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Alkyl Polyglucoside Surfactants Market: Industry dynamics, segmentation, Historical, current and projected industry trends, competitive landscape and etc http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/4387 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/4387 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Alkyl polyglucoside surfactants commonly referred as APG, are nonionic surfactants manufactured from renewable raw materials such as starch and vegetable oils. Alkyl polyglucoside have good foaming ability and offers fine and smooth foam. Alkyl polyglucoside surfactants have strong decontamination and good wetting characteristics. Alkyl polyglucoside has no turbidity point and is easily soluble in water and electrolytes. Alkyl polyglucosides are derived from fatty alcohols and sugars. Alkyl polyglucosides are manufactured from catalytic reaction of monofunctional alcohols and glycoses. Alkyl polyglucoside surfactants offer properties such as soil removal, foaming, filming, and anti-streaking and skin compatibility among others. Alkyl polyglucoside surfactants are used in home care products, detergents, emulsifiers and cosmetics among others.The market for alkyl polyglucoside surfactants was mainly driven by personal care industry. Increasing demand for eco-friendly products from the consumers has been driving the alkyl polyglucoside surfactant market in past few years. Alkyl polyglucoside surfactants are used in shower gel, facial cleanser, and hand soap and laundry detergents among others. The demand for alkyl polyglucoside surfactants is growing due to its non-toxicity and high surface activity. Alkyl polyglucoside surfactants can also be used for preparation of plastics additives and solid dispersions among others. Alkyl polyglucoside surfactants find applications in I&I industrial cleaners, car wash and hard surface cleaners among others. In addition, alkyl polyglucoside surfactants are used in fabric softeners, inks, dispersants, and anti-fogging products, ski wax used in snowboard, laxatives, defoamers, and agrochemical formulations such as herbicides and insecticides and biocides among others. However, higher processing prices associated with alkyl polyglucoside surfactants are likely to hinder the growth of the market in years to come.Request Brochure of this Report:In terms of demand, Asia Pacific was the leading region in alkyl polyglucoside surfactants market in 2013. Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest growing markets for alkyl polyglucoside surfactants due to increasing demand from personal care, home care and agrochemical formulations among others. China had the highest demand and production in alkyl polyglucoside surfactants market in Asia Pacific region. China was followed by Japan who is second-largest consumer for alkyl polyglucoside surfactants in this region. Asia Pacific was followed by North America. Increasing demand from car washing, home care, and hard surface cleaner and fabric softeners are driving the demand for alkyl polyglucoside Surfactants in this region. U.S. had the largest demand for alkyl polyglucoside Surfactants owing to huge demand from home care products. Europe had the third-largest demand for alkyl polyglucoside surfactants market in 2013. Increasing demand for alkyl polyglucoside surfactants from I&I industrial cleaners and home care products has been driving the market for alkyl polyglucoside surfactants in Europe. The market for alkyl polyglucoside surfactants in Europe is dominated by Germany. Other European countries such as Sweden, the UK, France and Italy among others are likely to provide better opportunities for alkyl polyglucoside surfactants market in next years to come. Rest of the World market is anticipated to show positive outlook for the alkyl polyglucoside surfactants market in near future. Latin America is likely to be potential market for alkyl polyglucoside surfactants owing to increasing demand for bio-friendly surfactants from customers in various applications such as home care and agrochemical formulations among others.Request to view TOC:Some of the key manufacturers in the alkyl polyglucoside surfactants market are AEB Group, BASF SE, Colonial Chemical Inc., Fenchem, Huntsman Corporation, Lubon Industry, Polyrheo Inc., and The Dow Chemical Company among others.About Us:Persistence Market Research (PMR) is an innovative provider of market research reports and consulting services. The three PMR pillars of strength that have helped us win clients for years are: Quality Research, Quick Research, and In-depth Research.PMRs team of seasoned analysts and consultants are experts in their domain. At PMR, we process complex, exhaustive primary and secondary research data into valuable insight. We uAbout Us:nderstand that each client has a unique problem statement, and address it with our strengths.Contact:Persistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: +1 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Europe Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR) Market Trends, Company Share To 2022: Grand View Research, Inc. http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/europe-real-time-polymerase-chain-reaction-market http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/europe-real-time-polymerase-chain-reaction-market/request http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry/clinical-diagnostics Europe Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR) market is expected to reach over USD 395.8 million by 2022, according to a new report by Grand View Research Inc. Technological advancements on the grounds of accuracy, portability, and cost-effectiveness are expected to serve this market as high-impact rendering drivers over the forecast period. For instance, Applied Biosystems has QuantStudio Dx series for rapid and affordable diagnosis of molecular abnormalities at early stage of diseases development.Increasing amount of R&D expenditure by the major players and development of novel assay kits are expected to provide potential growth platform for adoption of qPCR instruments for diagnostic use.Browse full research report on Global Europe Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR) Market:Growing prevalence of cancer and other chronic diseases is anticipated to be the key driver for the industry growth. Moreover, growing geriatric population base in EU-28 countries is expected to increase age-related conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disorders.Furthermore, major pharmaceutical companies are entering into collaborations with diagnostic instrument development companies through mergers and acquisitions or co-product development activities. For instance, in 2011, Life Technologies signed an agreement with GSK Biologicals to develop a companion diagnostic test. Life Technology will develop a qPCR based diagnostic assay for GSKs MEGA-A3 cancer immunotherapy.Emerging opportunities for both companies for development of products pertaining to early detection of diseases such as cancer and infectious diseases are estimated to enhance such collaborative activities over the forecast period.Read detailed report or request for free sample of this research report:Further key findings from the study suggest: Thermo Fisher/ABI dominated the market with a revenue share of over 38% in 2014 owing to high installed base of instruments such as StepOne, 7500, ViiA 7, and QuantStudio from ABI Bio-Rad qPCR instruments market is the second largest in terms of revenue share over USD 7.0 million in 2014. Presence of licensing agreement with companies such as Mobidiag in Europe for the distribution Bio-Rad qPCR instruments, availability of user-friendly software and good technical support are some factors attributing for its high market coverage. Thermo Fischer Scientific, Roche, Bio-Rad, and Qiagen accounted for over 84% of market share in 2014. Product development and distribution agreements are the key strategies adopted by the company for its growth. Whereas, the four countries namely UK, Germany, Spain and France covered around 56% of the total European market for qPCR used as IVD platform in 2014. Germany dominated the European market with revenue of around USD 9.5 million in 2014. It is estimated to be one of the major countries for use of In-Vitro Diagnostics (IVD) platform in Europe. The UK is expected to witness significant growth with a CAGR of around 13% over the forecast period owing to rising prevalence of target diseases and introduction of new automated technologies. Countries such as France and Spain are experiencing economic growth over the past few years; these countries are expected to offer immense potential for Europe real time PCR industry mainly due to growing economy and high unmet needs Market participants are constantly engaged in the introduction of technological advancements. The real time PCR instruments market involves extensive technological advancements to match user requirements.Browse more reports of this category by Grand View Research:Grand View Research has segmented the Europe Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR) market on the basis of instrument and region:Europe real time PCR Market Instrument Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, Volume, Units, 2015 2022) Applied Biosystems/Life Technologieso 7500o QuantStudio Dx Reagentso ViiA 7 Dxo StepOne/StepOne Plus Rocheo LightCycler 2.0o Cobas 4800o LightCycler 480 Bio-Rado CFX96 Cepheido SmartCycler Qiageno Rotor-Gene Q Eppendorfo MasterCyclerEurope real time PCR Market Country Outlook(Revenue, USD Million, Volume, Units, 2015 2022) UK Germany France SpainGrand View Research, Inc. is a U.S. based market research and consulting company, registered in the State of California and headquartered in San Francisco. The company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. To help clients make informed business decisions, we offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries, from technology to chemicals, materials and healthcare.Sherry JamesCorporate Sales Specialist, USAGrand View Research, IncPhone: 1-415-349-0058Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519email: sales@grandviewresearch.comWeb: grandviewresearch.comRead Our Blogs legalworkshop.org, mediafound.org Infotecs showcases secure communication from any device at Mobile World Congress. Provides Enterprise Mobility and enablement for Digital Enterprise, IoT, Industry 4.0. MWC 2016: Josef Waclaw explains the ViPNet Mobile Security solution to interested customers www.berlin-partner.de/en/ www.facebook.com/pages/Infotecs-Gmbh_english/400720220013566 Berlin, March 1, 2016 Last week (22.-25.02.2016), Infotecs a leading international security software and solutions provider showcased its ability to deliver secure communication from any device across the extended enterprise at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain.This years MWC event "Mobile is everything", addressed topics as diverse as Enterprise Mobility, Virtual Reality, Internet of Things (IoT), Connected Cars, Smart Cities, Industry 4.0, and attracted over 101,000 visitors from 204 countries. It was not solely the latest smartphones, tablets, or wearables which attracted the most attention, but the fact the mobility covers everything and is a significant enabler of the digital enterprise of the future. Infotecs is leading the way in putting this approach to work for clients through its Cyber Security platform encompassing Mobile, Cloud, Network, IoT and Industrial Security.Infotecs presented its groundbreaking ViPNet Mobile Security solution which provides complete enterprise grade security for mobile without compromising on usability or performance in one flexible, scalable, cost-effective solution. It delivers continuous connectivity, true mobility and portability that work with multiple devices such as smartphones or tablets encrypting voice, video, email, chat and file exchange traffic on the move and on the device. Moreover, the ViPNet Mobile Security solution can encrypt point-to-point IP telephony connections a feature, which goes far beyond other offerings on the market. Furthermore, it enables secure voice and fast and efficient secure document exchange. The solution is scalable and suitable for companies of any size, who value maximum security of their mobile communications."The explosive growth in mobile computing means that an ever increasing variety of devices are being used to access sensitive corporate data and transact business across the extended enterprise", says Sergej Torgow, COO at Infotecs GmbH. "Cyber criminals can easily access vulnerable mobile devices and unprotected communication channels and put the entire enterprise at risk. Our solution offers maximum security, supports stable roaming, fast processing speeds and high throughput while, minimizing disruptions and eliminating data loss. We enable always on, continuously secure connectivity even when the network changes, e.g. from 4G/LTE connection to a WLAN access point in a hotel the reconnection is seamless."Infotecs, attended as part of the Berlin Partner for Business team which identifies and helps to promote innovative technology companies from the German capital region of Berlin-Brandenburg.More informationGSMA press release: 2016 GSMA Mobile World Congress surpasses record 100,000 visitorshttps://www.mobileworldcongress.com/news/press-releases/2016-gsma-mobile-world-congress-surpasses-record-100000-visitors/About Berlin Partner for Business and TechnologyBerlin Partner for Business and Technology offers business and technology promotion for companies, investors and science institutes in Berlin. With carefully tailored services and excellent links to research, our experts provide an outstanding range of offerings to help companies launch, innovate, expand and secure their economic future in Berlin. As a unique Public Private Partnership, Berlin Partner for Business and Technology is a cooperation between the Berlin State Senate and over 200 companies dedicated to promoting their city. Berlin Partner is also responsible for the German capitals global marketing, for example with the successful be Berlin campaign. Additional information on the company is available at visit:About InfotecsA pioneer of software-based VPN solutions since 1991, Infotecs developed its Peer-to-Peer ViPNet technology to deliver greater security, flexibility, and throughput than IPSec and other standards-based VPN products. ViPNet is the only VPN solution that supports true endpoint to endpoint security. More than 1,000,000 clients, offices, and servers have been securely connected with ViPNet products, backed up by an unparalleled world-class support, development, and technical team. Our solutions are designed to solve the toughest security challenges by providing superior protection that is flexible and effective. Company has a strong network of partners and actively develops its international presence having subsidiaries in Europe and Americas. Additional information on the company is available at visit: infotecs.biz.ContactInfotecs GmbHAnja MuellerMarketing & CommunicationsOberwallstr. 2410117 Berlin, GermanyPhone: +49 30 206 43 66-52anja.mueller@infotecs.bizTwitter: twitter.com/InfotecsEnglishFacebook: Russell Bedford welcomes K.J. Westerberg & Co as a member firm in Tampere, Finland www.tilitoimistowesterberg.net www.russellbedford.com International professional services group Russell Bedford has expanded its European coverage with Tilitoimisto K.J. Westerberg & Co., Tampere, Finland, joining alongside the existing Finnish member, WaBuCo Financial Services Oy, Helsinki.Located in Finlands third largest city, K.J. Westerberg is a long-established family-owned group founded in 1959 by the father of the current partners, Kaj and Tommy Westerberg.Originally a small audit practice, the firm has developed into one of the leading providers of outsourced accounting, tax and payroll services. It has over 400 clients, many of which are large corporations such as telecoms businesses, retail chains, pension funds and Finnish subsidiaries of overseas corporations.The firm has two specialist subsidiaries TW Laskentapalvelut Oy, handling back-office accounting and data processing for retailers and DOC Finland Oy, managing the accounting and financial operations of healthcare businesses.Managing partner, Kaj Westerberg, commented: We are very pleased to have been accepted into one of the worlds leading accounting networks. We are looking forward to working with our fellow members and having access to global resources to support our growing client base.ENDSAbout Russell Bedford InternationalEstablished in 1983, Russell Bedford International is a global network of independent firms of accountants, auditors, tax advisers and business consultants. Ranked amongst the worlds leading accounting and audit networks, Russell Bedford is represented by some 600 partners, 5000 staff and 290 offices in more than 100 countries in Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific. Russell Bedford International is a member of the IFAC Forum of Firms and a member of EGIAN, the European Group of International Accounting Networks and Associations.Contacts:Kaj WesterbergTilitoimisto K.J. WesterbergT: +358 3 270 270E: kaj.westerberg@tw-laskenta.fiW:Kempton Bedell-HarperRussell Bedford InternationalT: +44 20 7410 0339E: kempton.bedell-harper@russellbedford.comW: WBLCA & Technology Seminar Singapore Just as technology has reshaped how individuals communicate and how organizations do business, it also having a profound impact on the practice of law. Technological developments are affecting management strategies in corporate legal departments, and changing how legal services are delivered.Venue: Singapore (Hotel Mandarin) Date: 15 May 2016Registration: 8.15am to 9.00am (Singapore Time)Event: 9.00am to 5.00pmWBLCA & Technology Seminar examines both the: (a) legal challenges (b) opportunities that emerge from technological developments.It aims to showcase how In-House legal teams have managed to harness the power of technology and innovation to stay ahead of the curve to accomplish a lot more with a lot less. Through a combination of focused presentation sessions and interactive panel discussions, this Seminar will help In-House teams make the right choices with regards to technology, people and processes. It also provides insights on how you too can think strategically about the opportunities and challenges technology brings. Target Audience In-House / General Counsels Private Practice Decision-makers CTOs.WBLCA Ltd has built a solid reputation for its knowledge, flexibility, reliability, as well as the ability to successfully implement projects within its core sectors: FDI, International Trade development, economic trade and regional integration, Market entry and Client Acquisition Consultancy.The WBLCA helps companies define their strategic direction and remove the obstacles to profitable growth. It is also a key resource for businesses and organizations in the Capital Region and worldwide. The WBLCA helps its members build upon their successes through an array of skills development, resource sharing and networking opportunities, while working together to maintain the standards and reputation of the consulting profession. Our organization is the ideal first stop shop for anyone seeking consulting services. We can help you to build and develop your business giving you the right information which will help you to perform better on the market and eliminate the concurrency, so our professional consultants will eliminate the obstacles from your way.40 Bank Street, Canary Wharf, London Indonesias first Peer-To-Peer Lending for micro student loan launched Jakarta, 2 March 2016. DANAdidik officially launched Indonesias first Peer-To-Peer Lending for micro student loan. A step to provide an equal education opportunity for Indonesian students. DANAdidik facilitates: (i) students that are looking for education loan and (ii) sponsors or lenders that want to lend student loan. DANAdidik acts as a social alternative investment that can provide return and self-recycle.Indonesia financial institutions and banks typically can only offer credit card and/or unsecured loan (KTA) to fund education. Often, these credits do not work well for borrowers, since loan repayments usually starts the following month. DANAdidik student loan is designed to fund education; having key characteristics such as (i) long-term tenor and (ii) loan repayment only starts after graduation.Any students that will work after graduation, college students and/or vocational students, can apply at DANAdidik in a matter of minutes. Once a loan application is submitted and reviewed, students are allowed to list its profile and youtube campaign to attract sponsors or lenders.Education is one of the most productive investment a person can make said Dipo Ramli, CEO Danadidik.About DANAdidikDANAdidiks mission is education equality in Indonesia. DANAdidik is a crowdfunding site (also called Peer-To-Peer Lending) specifically for student loan.DANAdidik is Indonesia's first Peer-to-Peer Lending startup that focusses in student loanDipo Ramliinfo@danadidik.comCreohouse. Gedung 15 3rd floorJl. Kemang Raya 15Jakarta 12750 Good Growth Opportunities in Global Special Purpose Needles Market Till 2025, Finds New Research Report http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-583 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/special-purpose-needles-market www.futuremarketinsights.com Future Market Insights has announced the addition of the Special Purpose Needles Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment 2015-2025" report to their offering.Needles and syringes are collectively known as a sharps. These are the most widely used medical disposables around the globe. Needle or syringes can be defined as the device consisting of a glass, metal, or rubber tube with a nozzle and piston for sucking in and ejecting liquid in a thin stream. The main purpose of this needles is to clean wounds by injecting or sucking fluids into the body. Special purpose needles are the syringes or needle that are made for the different disease or disability in the body like blood collection needles, suture needles and etc.The market of needles, syringes, and disposable needles or we can say for disposable medical products has expanded considerably due to increase in the number of outpatient procedures and due to the increasing awareness of disease such as HIV/AIDS, simplex malaria, typhus and etc.Special Purpose Needles Market: Drivers and RestraintsPresently, special purpose needles global market is driven by the aging population, rise in demand of better healthcare infrastructure globally. Special purpose needles global market drives by the aging population, rising incidence of infectious disease. Demand for better healthcare infrastructure around the globe, advancement in product designs, increased emphasis on preventing hospital acquired infections are some of the other factors that drives the special purpose needles market globally. However, lack of knowledge and lack of skilled professional act as a barriers for special purpose needle global market.Special Purpose Needles Market: SegmentationSpecial purpose needles market is segmented into following types: Fine Aspirating Needles Biopsy Needles Blood Collection Needles Bone Marrow Needles Catheter Needles Dental Needles Epidural Needles AV Fistula Needles Pen Needles Intravenous Needles Ophthalmic Needles Spinal Anesthesia Needles Suture Needles.Special Purpose Needles Market: OverviewWith rise in demand of better healthcare infrastructure around the globe and rising incidence of infectious disease, the global special purpose needles market is expected to grow at healthy CAGR in the forecast period (2012-2025).Visit For TOC@Special Purpose Needles Market: Region-wise OutlookDepending on geographic region, the global special purpose needles market is segmented into seven key regions: North America, South America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan, and Middle East & Africa. Asia pacific represents the largest regional market worldwide due to large number of population and high development in healthcare sector. While the North America ranks as the fastest growing market with a double digit growth rate.Special Purpose Needles Market: Key playersSome of the key participating market players in special purpose needles global market are Becton, Dickinson and Company, Ethicon Inc., B. Braun Medical Inc., Covidien Plc, Argon Medical Devices Inc., Smiths Medical. Terumo Medical Corporation and others.Full Report Analysis@Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.616 Corporate Way,Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage,New York 10989,United StatesTel: +1-347-918-3531Fax: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Latest in Automatic Concentration Management Technology Featured at IPC APEX EXPO by ZESTRON ZESTRON EYE CM www.zestron.com ZESTRON, the global leading provider of high precision cleaning products, services and training solutions in the electronics manufacturing and semiconductor industries, will be exhibiting the ZESTRON EYE CM, an automatic concentration management closed loop control system for aqueous based cleaning processes. Incorporating the ZESTRON EYE 3P-Technology, the ZESTRON EYE CM measures and controls wash bath concentration in real-time.Wash bath solution is continually pumped through the ZESTRON EYE CM for real-time concentration analysis. An integrated PLC receives and interprets the data and actuates the ZESTRON EYE CM pumps to accurately dose DI-water and concentrate cleaning agent into the wash bath as required; thereby, maintaining the desired concentration level. All concentration data is continually monitored and recorded for process traceability.The IPC APEX Expo will be held at the Las Vegas Convention Center from March 15th to March 17th. For live demos and information on ZESTRONs automatic and manual concentration monitoring tools, please visit booth #2624. Our team stands ready to provide comprehensive solutions to your cleaning needs.For additional information please visitHeadquartered in Ingolstadt, Germany, ZESTRON a business division of Dr. O.K. Wack Chemie GmbH, is the globally leading provider of high precision cleaning products, services and comprehensive solutions in the electronics industry. With seven technical centers worldwide, cleaning trials can be replicated to the processes conducted on customer sites.It is ZESTRONs philosophy to develop cleaning products that are innovative and unprecedented in the industry, thereby ensuring that our customers always remain one step ahead. More than 20% of ZESTRONs staff is dedicated to our extensive research and development programs, with more than 10% of profit reinvested in this sector. As the innovation leader, we are fully committed to providing the most cost-effective and environmentally sound solutions while meeting all other aspects of cleanliness, reliability and safety requirements.Franz WutzZESTRON EuropeBunsenstrae 685053 Ingolstadt Thermoflex Warm Edge Spacer with Free Inkjet Printing www.thermosealgroup.com Thermoflex Warm Edge Spacer can now be supplied with insulated glass (IG) sealed unit manufacturer company details inkjet-printed on its surface. Leading UK manufacturer, Thermoseal Group offers this facility for free as part of its service commitment to customers.The Groups Sales Director, Mark Hickox says: Inkjet printing Thermoflex on our production lines means that we can offer a bespoke service to IG manufacturers and help them to achieve requirements for CE Marking. This means that customers can now purchase a bespoke foam spacer with the lowest Thermal conductivity value of 0.135W/mK (according to Bundesverband Flachglas Data Sheet) from a leading UK manufacturer and at a competitive price. Thermoflex is also Passive House Approved with an A+ rating.Thermoflex Warm Edge Spacer is now an established product with many IG manufacturers using it to make highest performance IG sealed units. We have a strong relationship with our customers and make every effort to seek feedback and act upon their requests. It is because of this that we quickly introduced Thermoflex in a wide range of sizes in black and grey. We have also invested in additional buildings to house our growing Thermoflex production facility and increase our capacity four-fold.We currently supply over 50% of the spacer into the UK and this percentage is increasing on a continual basis. Thermobar and Thermoflex are two of the most thermally efficient spacer systems available, and now due to increased manufacturing capacity exciting times are ahead as we take our warm edge range onto the global market.Thermobar and Thermoflex are fully tested to EN1279 standards and various international standards which require performance over and above the 1279 minimum requirements. Both products are also subject to continual in-house batch testing to ensure that the products that we offer are always of the highest quality. All of Thermoseal Groups products are in continual development in our innovation centre.We have invested massively in our innovation centre and EN1279 test facilities, to ensure that we understand the conditions within a glazing unit and how each component performs within the lifetime of the unit. This helps us to ensure that the components we manufacture and supply are second-to-none.Thermoflex sales are continually increasing with the growing demand for this product as customers try it and see its advantages in production.We are looking forward to demonstrating the benefits of Thermobar and Thermoflex at both the Fit Show and China Glass in April, and will again be exhibiting on the global glass industrys leading stage at Glasstec Dusseldorf in September.To find out about Thermoseal Group and its comprehensive range of insulated glass components and machinery for glazing manufacture, call +44(0)121 331 3950 or visitThermoseal Group is dedicated to insulated glass. We have our own innovation centre where we develop new insulated glass components with a focus on energy efficiency. We manufacture warm edge spacers in the UK, as well as many other insulated glass components. We supply over 1,500 insulated glass components, including: sustainable warm edge spacers, aluminium spacer bars and steel spacer bars and accessories; integrated blinds; Victorian grille; Georgian style window components; molecular sieve desiccant; sealants; lead; decorative glass bevels and accessories; adhesive tapes; tools for glazing manufacturing, and most other items required for sealed unit manufacture.Thermoseal GroupGavin WayNexus PointOff Holford DriveBirminghamB6 7AFSamantha Hillmarketing@thermosealgroup.com0121 331 3950 Accsense VersaLog for Thermocouple Measurement and Alarm Standalone Thermocouple Dataloggers www.DataLoggerInc.com www.dataloggerinc.com Standalone Dataloggers Replace Paper Chart RecordersCHESTERLAND, OHMarch 2, 2016For accurate standalone temperature monitoring and alarming, the Accsense VersaLog TC Temperature Data Logger offers connection with all thermocouple types. The TC is a versatile device featuring 8 channels recording at high resolution, internal 4MB memory, and Windows configuration and analysis/plotting software. Accsense VersaLog dataloggers are a low-cost replacement for aging data acquisition devices and paper chart recorders. Their USB, Serial port and Ethernet connections make for easy local and remote access. CAS DataLoggers provides these solutions along with FREE on-call tech supportgive us a call at (800) 956-4437 and save!No More Manual Measurements!Ideal for continual temperature monitoring in life science and healthcare, the Accsense VersaLog TC logger is compact and lightweight for simple deployment. The loggers 7 external input channels accommodate all types of external thermocouple probes, and the TC can also record ambient temperature. Additionally the unit can also function as a small voltage data logger with the input voltage range as small as -8 mV to +8 mV.Accsense VersaLog data loggers feature a rugged, splash-resistant aluminum enclosure, and their internal electronics are protected against moisture by a PCB conformal coating. For extended standalone operation, an internal battery is standard with the logger with a life of about 10 years.The TCs 16-bit analog-to-digital (ADC) converter meets most high-resolution requirements, whether monitoring temperature in medical refrigerators and freezers or for use in the lab monitoring processes and liquids.TC VersaLog thermocouple data loggers support a wide sampling interval range from every 20 milliseconds to every 12 hours. These data loggers record information and save measurements onto a non-volatile 4MB flash memory for quick retrieval. This amounts to up to 2 million measurements with the choice to stop or overwrite logging on a full memory.Flexible Communications:All VersaLog data loggers feature a built-in USB port for configuration and downloading data via PC connection. These temperature recorders offer users their choice of connection options, supporting modem or Ethernet connections with an auto baud rate of up to 115 kbps.Alarm Outputs:Users can configure the TCs two programmable alarm control outputs with low or high limits to activate a relay, switch on a light, trigger an audible alarm, or signal a PLC or other device. Two configurable alarm thresholds are available per channel, and the ALARM1 & A2/EXT terminal strips can be configured as alarm outputs so users can stay on top of sudden changes in their data.The onboard LED lights red when in alarm condition, and with purchase of the inexpensive software, the VersaLog also reports its alarm status to a host PC via USB, modem or Ethernet device server.Real-Time Software:The intuitive Versalog SiteView software is available for configuration/setup, data download, plotting, analysis and alarm reporting. SiteView is a Windows-based application with an intuitive graphic interface and supports USB, serial port and Ethernet connections. Fast communication speed up to 115200 bps enables quick downloads, while multiple file loading makes it easy to compare your data.To get more information on our Accsense VersaLog data loggers with models recording Temperature, Humidity, Voltage, and Current, contact a CAS Data Logger Applications Specialist at (800) 956-4437 or visit our website atContact Information:CAS DataLoggers, Inc.8437 Mayfield Rd.Chesterland, Ohio 44026(440) 729-2570(800) 956-4437sales@dataloggerinc.com ManageEngine to Host Fourth Middle East User Conference in Dubai Raj Sabhlok, President of ManageEngine https://www.manageengine.com/events/2016/userconf/dubai.html ManageEngine, the real-time IT management company, today announced that it will be hosting the fourth Middle East User Conference between March 7 and 8, 2016 at The Address Dubai Marina. In this two-day conference, senior global executives and technology experts from ManageEngine will present IT management trends, conduct product training, and discuss use cases. Raj Sabhlok, president of ManageEngine, will welcome the delegates and draw an over all picture of the state of IT and discuss the importance of being proactive in evaluating, adopting, and managing technology to remain competitive. He will also engage with customers and partners at the event.Middle East has been one of the fastest growing markets for ManageEngine, and over the last few years, theres has been a significant growth in IT adoption in the region. We are excited to host our fourth annual Middle East User Conference this year. We believe its a great forum for us to connect,andshareIT best practices and trends with our customers and partners," says Raj Sabhlok, president of ManageEngine. "Past conferences have been a huge success. We are looking foward to another great event this year," he added.The User Conference 2016 in Dubai will be an interactive session centered on major IT management disciplines, including IT operations management (ITOM), IT service management (ITSM), Windows & Active Directory management, and IT security. After the sessions, customers can try their hands on our upcoming products like RecoveryManager Plus, SharePoint Manager Plus, File Audit Plus, and the data analytics and reporting tool. The conference will also feature product-training sessions on some of our flagship products like ServiceDesk Plus, OpManager, ADManager Plus, Desktop Central, and Mobile Device Manager Plus. The training sessions will focus on solving business problems through effective IT management in ensuring profitability. Delegates can avail of a 30-minute one-on-one session with the companys product experts and have an exclusive opportunity to get officially certified as a ManageEngine Product Associate at no additional cost.Registration and agenda for the Middle East User Conference is available online atManageEngine delivers real-time IT management tools that empower IT teams to meet organizational needs for real-time services and support. Worldwide, established and emerging enterprises including more than 60 percent of the Fortune 500 rely on ManageEngine products to ensure the optimal performance of their critical IT infrastructure, including networks, servers, applications, desktops, and more. ManageEngine is a division of Zoho Corporation with offices worldwide, including the United States, India, Singapore, Japan, and China.OAK ConsultingSheikh Zayed RoadShaina Dsouza0502531818 Ports of Jersey Ltd selects VoIP VCS Solution by Schmid Telecom AG to equip the new ATC Contingency Facility at Jersey Airport After a competitive tender process carried out by Systems Interface Ltd, based in the UK, on behalf of Ports of Jersey Ltd, Schmid Telecom AG has been chosen to supply their ED-137B compliant VoIP Voice Communication System Solution for the new ATC Contingency Facility for Jersey Airport.The new VCS is fully redundant and distributed with integrated VoIP access via a fibre optic network to modern VoIP radios as well as interconnection to the existing ICS 200/60 system and legacy phone lines.Systems Interface Ltd commented, The system offered by Schmid Telecom fits the long-term requirement to provide an economic and modem cluster solution based on VoIP technology.Jan-Patrik Kurmis, VP Sales & Marketing at Schmid Telecom AG, proudly announces: This contract award underpins our excellent VoIP VCS solution with smooth migration and interconnection capabilities to existing legacy systems, while having the lowest end-to-end delay available on the market. We are very happy to continue the long-lasting relationship with Jersey Airport.About Schmid Telecom AGSchmid Telecom AG is one of the leading suppliers of highly reliable Voice Communication Systems with an installed base of more than 5000 Operator Positions and satisfied customers all over the world.Headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland. As a global company, with worldwide subsidiaries and reliable experienced business partners in all important markets, Schmid Telecom AG is close to the customer.The VCS solutions are especially designed for Air Traffic Management and are ready for todays and future needs in Air Traffic Control by using a decentralized architecture, being fully compliant to the VoIP standard ED-137B. The solution covers the full range of applications within ATM from largest centres to small and mobile towers.One of the key benefits of system is the cost of ownership. The quality of the system in connection with the high reliability results in very low operating expenses.About Systems InterfaceSystems Interface manages complex logistical and technical requirements, sourcing and supplying fully integrated bespoke ATC systems, navigational aids and airfield lighting, designed, installed and commissioned to exacting requirements.About Jersey AirportJersey Airport air Traffic Control annually manages in excess of 100,000 flights within the Channel Islands Airspace. Jersey Airports passenger numbers exceeded 1.5 million people in 2015, its highest level since 2008Schmid Telecom AG provides network solutions for digital voice and data transfer, and voice communication systems used in air traffic control. The company offers access solutions, such as Watson NGN, a multiservice access solution for business and residential networks; and Watson TDM, a dedicated access solution for leased line and infrastructure networks. It also provides Platform ICS 200/60, an integrated communication systems for air traffic applications; ICS Sky, a voice communication system for large ATC centers; ICS Traffic, a voice communication system for international airports; ICS Compact, a voice communication system for regional airports; ICS Mobile, a voice communication system ...Schmid Telecom AGBinzstrasse 358045 ZurichSwitzerlandPhone: +41 44 456 11 11info@schmid-telecom.ch Quadsimia Helps Local Businesses become Google Friendly Quadsimia LLC recently helped local businesses understand the importance of building a strong online presence at the Google Workshop events presented by the Mohawk Valley Small Business Development Center at Herkimer College and Mohawk Valley Community College. At the events, businesses learned how to market themselves through Google and the importance of having a strong social media presence. At the conclusion of each event business leaders were given the opportunity to have their questions answered by the esteemed panel of web experts that attended the event.The Google workshop event, hosted by Judy Wolf of the Mohawk Valley Small Business Development Center was part of Googles Lets Put our Cities on the Map campaign. This Campaign focuses on getting local business information on Google Search and Maps; getting them on the map. Contributors to this events panel included Quadsimias Kandi Humpf, Brockett Creative Groups Scott Mathias, Site-Seekers Carl Pfranger, and MPW Marketings Allison Liesch.Quadsimia's operations are headquartered in scenic Central New York, but we apply the latest technologies to reach beyond our geographic location to clients around the globe. We have more than 120 years combined experience in website design, development, social media, search engine optimization, engineering, software development, computer science, system analysis and integration, graphic design and multimedia, business acquisition and valuation. Quadsimia also leads the way in introducing businesses to the newest technologies related to the web.Quadsimia LLC.587 Main St. New York Mills, NY 13417Kandi Humpf eSentire Launches Cloud-based DNS Firewall Service https://www.esentire.com/what-we-do/esentire-dns/ www.esentire.com Controlling Endpoint Security Threats with Cymon, the Worlds Largest Open Threat Intelligence FeedCambridge, Ontario & San Francisco, CA March 2, 2016 eSentire, Inc., a leader in Active Threat ProtectionTM solutions and managed security services, today launched eSentire DNS Firewall to help control endpoint security threats by automatically blocking the domains of known malicious sites. The entirely cloud-based solution provides advanced cyber protection for any device on the network, whether from an unsuspecting employee clicking on a malicious email link, or an infected USB device attempting to call home to deliver a harmful payload.Powered by eSentires Active Threat Protection service, DNS Firewall leverages data from Cymon, the worlds largest open threat intelligence aggregator of its kind, to feed its whitelists and blacklists. Cymon ingests more than 180 sources daily to track malware, phishing, botnet, spam, and more, adding more than 20,000 unique IPs to its database every day.eSentire DNS Firewall benefits include: Malware protection on any connected device (e.g. desktops, laptops, mobile devices, POS, etc.). Operating system agnostic. Pre-emptively blocks requests to millions of known malicious domains, extending security perimeter beyond the firewall. Protects against malware that uses shifting IP addresses to evade detection by intercepting domain names. Delivered as a fully-managed service and monitored 24x7 by eSentires Global Security Operations Center with managed alerts, investigation, and remediation support. Delivered as a service with zero infrastructure footprint no hardware or software deployments allow users to be up and running in minutes.eSentire has been making substantial R&D investments in its cloud solutions capabilities and DNS Firewall is an excellent example of an advanced cybersecurity solution based on elastic computing horsepower and global distribution, said J. Paul Haynes, CEO, eSentire. We are very excited by how rapidly we can deploy it and bring value to customers.DNS Firewall provides real-time threat detection, and mitigation and remediation capabilities to automatically prevent users from unknowingly connecting to known malicious sites. It is currently in beta, with the full service launching in Q2 2016. Existing customers are invited to reach out to their account manager to learn more about applying eSentire DNS Firewall to their existing Active Threat Protection services. Interested users can sign up for the beta solution at:eSentire will showcase DNS Firewall, as well as its threat intelligence aggregator, Cymon, in booth #S2315 (South Expo) at the 2016 RSA Conference (February 29-March 3) in San Francisco, CA.About eSentire Inc.eSentire is a proven industry leader, keeping mid-sized organizations safe from constantly evolving cyber attacks that traditional security defenses simply cant detect. eSentire combines people, process, and technology to deliver an unmatched, premium level service that detects, remediates, and communicates sophisticated cyber threats in real-time, 24x7. Protecting more than $3 trillion in Assets Under Management (AUM), eSentire is the award-winning choice for security decision-makers in mid-sized enterprises. eSentire has received multiple accolades for exceptional service, including the HFM (Hedge Fund Manager) Service Provider award (2013, 2014, 2015). In 2015, eSentire was named to Deloittes Technology Fast 50TM and Fast 500TM lists, and included in the 2015 Cool Vendors in Cloud Security Services report by Gartner, Inc.For more information, visitand follow @esentire on Twitter.About Active Threat ProtectioneSentires Active Threat ProtectionTM service keeps mid-sized organizations safe from constantly evolving cyber attacks that traditional security defenses are unable to detect. It delivers continuous monitoring, real-time threat detection, and containment technology as a service, with human threat analysts on a 24x7x365 basis. eSentire challenges legacy security approaches, combining behavior-based analytics, immediate remediation, and advanced threat intelligence.PR Contacts:Angela TuzzoMRB Public Relations+1 732.758.1100, x. 108atuzzo@mrb-pr.comMandy BachuseSentire Corporate Communications+1 226.338.7135mandy.bachus@esentire.com### Looking For A Great Dentist In San Clemente? Dr. Eric Johnson, DDS, Dentist in San Clemente www.drericjohnson.com http://www.drericjohnson.com San Clemente, CA -- Wednesday March 2nd, 2016 -- Dental health is an important aspect of a comprehensive personal health plan. It is often said that dental health is a window to overall health. Things like bacteria in your mouth if left unchecked can cause other health problems, and certain medications can reduce saliva which normally washes away food particles and neutralizes acids produced by bacteria in the mouth. So it's clear that a top-quality dentist is the best thing to do for optimum health. In Southern California -- Orange County to be exact, there is a great dentist in San Clemente, CA whose patients routinely give 5-star reviews. To fulfill these stated health needs, the dentist in San Clemente to call is Dr. Eric Johnson. With years of experience, a dedication to patient comfort, and a reputation that says expert in every way, there is no other dentist in San Clemente that delivers excellence to each and every patient.For example, read what Gina A. has to say about Dr. Eric Johnson on 2/29/2016:"Very compassionate dentist. Dr. Johnson is the very best dentist!"Or read what Diane S. has to say about Dr. Johnson and his "dental team" on 2/28/2016:"Great Experience Every Time! Marlena does a great job with my hygiene appointments. The whole office is wonderful including Tracy and Stephanie at the front desk. Dr Johnson is the best around - hands down!!"Janice M. has great things to say about Dr. Johnson from a visit on 2/22/2016:"The best ever dentist! I have total confidence in and respect for Dr Johnson and his staff . Both my adult children and my two grandchildren go to Dr Johnson also. That tells you a lot. What mother and grandmother would recommend a dentist that was not the best!"Finally, have a quick read of what Jackie A. has to say about her experience on 2/1/2016:"Dr Johnson has a very warm and caring practice. Excellent DDS and his staff is very professional. The entire office really cares about the patient. Everyone is warm, friendly, professional, thorough, and take the time to explain everything and follow up on every detail. Everything you would want in an excellent dentist!"After reading just a few of the very many satisfied patient reviews, this dentist in San Clemente has got the whole town talking about dental excellence and Dr. Eric Johnson in the same breath.To read the many more outstanding patient reviews Dr. Johnson routinely earns, visit:Dr. Johnson and staff are available for San Clemente residents, as well as residents in the neighboring communities of San Juan Capistrano, CA, Laguna Niguel, CA, Dana Point, CA and Laguna Beach, CA. When a dentist in San Clemente is considered tops by patients, that is the one to call: (949) 493-9311.Dr. Eric Johnson, DDSSan Clemente Dentist647 Camino De Los Mares, Ste. 209San Clemente, CA, 92673Phone: (949) 493-9311Website:Email: smile@drericjohnson.com The World at her Feet on an epic journey to Egypt http://www.theworldatherfeet.com/egypt/ www.theworldatherfeet.com www.graceandgarbo.com - the land of the Pharaohs, Great Pyramids & Sphinx-Egypt, the name itself transports you to a time when dynasties of pharaohs governed the land and powerful women like Nefertiti and Cleopatra, whose political ambitions, dominance and symbol were curved deep on temple walls to narrate their story for centuries to come. This April, join The World at her Feet, Middle Easts premium women travel consultancy, on an adventure of a lifetime, a trip to one of the worlds greatest civilizations. Scheduled to take off on 22nd April 2016, this 7days/6nights expedition is curated to view the most significant historical monuments including The Great Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx, a journey to Memphis, Saqqara, Egypts largest Archaeological site and burial ground, the Egypt National Museum to view the treasures of boy king TutanKhamen and his regal tomb and the ultimate Nile Cruise. The World at her Feet, Free to be ME, 7days/6nights tour to Egypt features all excursions to Memphis, Luxor, Giza and the epitome Nile Cruise for only US$ 1400 on twin sharing basis with daily breakfast plus all meals, domestic flights, private tours, entrances to various excursions and airport transfers.Egypt continues to mesmerize the world, from this ancient civilization we romanticize the epic history of Cleopatra and Marc Anthony. And as we continue to journey to the end of the world, one trip at a time, we find ourselves drawn to destinations etched into the sands of time. Free to be me spirit of our women travelers has given them the freedom to discover not just the world but also a journey within. We believe that Egypt is a perfect backdrop for such a discovery. Whether it is the towering Pharaonic Temples, the Sphinx, gorgeous Nile Cruise or a journey to Luxor, the magic of Egypt will captivate you every step of the way. Our 2016 trips are all set with complete itinerary and women can book in advance for all or any of them said Paulomi Bhatt, Founder, The World at her Feet.As the women travel group journeys to Egypt, new lifelong friendships will be formed and memories created. Since its inception in 2013, the group has worked tirelessly to create female-friendly travel experiences and has taken women around the world for sightseeing, shopping and culinary tours. Free to be Me travel calendar includes adventures to Africa, Europe and Asia. Free to be ME trips encourage independent traveling for women without the intimidation of being alone. The World at her Feet captures the spirit of women explorers offering them adventure, culture, cuisine and art at every destination Bookings for Egypt and all future trips are now open visitor write to info@theworldatherfeet.com.Future Trips:Greece: May 2016 Bulgaria: June 2016 Iceland: July 2016Japan: September 2016The World at her Feet is a women travel consultants aimed at female travellers who out of choice choose to travel alone because their spouses or companions may not have time for frequent trips. As a women-only travel group, The World at her Feet handpicks every journey with its traveller in mind. From choosing the bucket list destination to planning a unique itinerary, every detail is considered to guarantee memories as long lasting friendships are made along the way. Whether married, single or partnered; wives, mothers, daughters, sisters or friends, women unite to enjoy their passion of travelling the world.Private excursions include sightseeing, shopping and culinary experiences where women traveling with The World at her Feet can save a substantial amount when compared to tour operator or travel agency. Join the group and discover a whole new world., info@theworldatherfeet.comGrace & Garbo PR (G&G)Rahma HimidP.O.Box 119027, Dubai, UAEMobile: +971 (0)56 8263211Email: rahma.himid@graceandgarbo.com Wellbe Creates National Advisory Board of Nine Leading Experts on Healthcare Transformation Wellbe http://www.wellbe.me Wellbe, the leading provider of Integrated Care Delivery solutions for hospital service lines, has brought together nine nationally-renowned healthcare experts to form an Advisory Board. The Board members will contribute their insights to define a new framework for a value-driven service line, and the group will drive a new paradigm of thinking on clinical and business transformation in response to payment reform and other industry trends.The Board will provide a multidisciplinary outlook on the fields of Orthopedics and Neurosurgery and its implications for patients and providers. Members will contribute their clinical best practices, financial knowledge and operational expertise to advance the applications for Wellbes Integrated Care Delivery. The Advisory Board members are: C. Lowry Barnes, M.D., Adult Reconstruction Surgeon in Arkansas Kristi Crowe, MPT David A. Fisher, M.D., Adult Reconstruction Surgeon in Indianapolis Kathleen Gillespie, RN, MBA, NE-BC Richard Iorio, M.D., Adult Reconstruction Surgeon in New York Jeffery Masciopinto, M.D., Neurosurgeon Eula Ramroop, MsHA Scott Springman, M.D., Anesthesiologist Phillip Swain, PT, MBAWe chose our multidisciplinary Advisory Board members from positions across the care continuum - including surgeons, nursing, anesthesiology, physical therapy and hospital administration - to gain insights into how we can better manage the total episode of care, said James Dias, Wellbes CEO. This is an unrivalled team of innovative thinkers and visionary clinicians, whose insights into the intersection of medical best practices and business savvy will be a valuable input to our company strategy.Dr. Iorio said, I am honored to participate on a board of peers I hold in the highest esteem. We are all excited by the opportunity to provide Wellbe with our collective view on how the patient-as-consumer movement and value-based care payment reform will affect the healthcare industry and Wellbes clients across the country.Biographies:Dr. Barnes is Chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at UAMS and Director of the Musculoskeletal Service Line. He also holds the Carl L. Nelson, M.D. Chair in Orthopaedic Surgery. Barnes graduated with honors from the UAMS College of Medicine and was a founding managing partner of Arkansas Specialty Orthopaedics. At St. Vincent Infirmary Medical Center he has served on the board of directors and as president of its Physician Hospital Organization. Barnes is a member of the Knee Society, Past President of the Arkansas Orthopaedic Society, the Southern Orthopaedic Association and the Society for Arthritic Joint Surgery. In addition, he is Vice President of MidAmerica Orthopaedic Association and serves as Treasurer for The American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons.Kristi Crowe leads Sg2s orthopedic and spine service line team and directs the development of intelligence, forecasting, and analytics interpretation in orthopedics, spine, and rehabilitation. As a thought leader and national educator, she offers expert insight on payment innovation and guides leadership teams in developing strategic growth plans, ambulatory strategies, and physician alignment initiatives. With 20 years of health care consulting, management and clinical experience, Kristi helps hospital and health system executives and suppliers maximize their current orthopedics strategies and prepare for the future to appropriately succeed in an increasingly value-based environment.Dr. Fisher is a practicing orthopaedic surgeon from Indianapolis. He has more than 28 years of experience and annually performs more than 500 total joint replacement procedures. Dr. Fisher is devoted to providing the best possible service to his patients and has maintained a massive outcomes data repository throughout his career. His dedication to outcomes collection and analysis has led to prominent roles such as: Director of the Total Joint Service at Methodist Hospital, Director of the Total Joint Center at the Indiana Orthopaedic Hospital, Past-President of OrthoIndy, and serving as a consultant/designer/advisor for several orthopaedic manufacturers and healthcare organizations.Kate Gillespie, RN, MBA, NE-BC is the executive administrator for the Virtua Joint Replacement Institute and AVP of the Orthopedic Service Line, where she oversees operation and financials for this successful program. Kate is a certified Six Sigma Black Belt with expertise in operational efficiency and lean methodology. She received her ANA certification in Nursing Administration and her MBA in Health Administration. She has been with Virtua 20 years starting out as a staff nurse, moving into nursing management and then administration. As a Six Sigma Black Belt, Kate has led quality and financial projects, and co-led multiple Kaizen projects.Dr. Iorio is the William and Susan Jaffe Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at New York University Langone Medical Center Hospital for Joint Diseases and Chief of Adult Reconstruction at NYU Langone HJD. He co-founded Labrador Healthcare Consulting Services and the Value Based Healthcare Consortium in 2015. He is a member of the Board of Directors for LIMA, the Lifetime Initiative for the Management of Arthritis. Dr. Iorio is a national expert in physician and hospital quality and safety and a leader in the implementation of alternate payment paradigms in orthopaedic surgery. He is a graduate of Harvard University and Boston University School of Medicine. Dr. Iorio has published over 150 papers, 22 Book Chapters and participated in 23 funded grants.Dr. Masciopinto is a practicing neurosurgeon with a focus on spine care. He has 16 years of experience in single specialty and large multi-specialty group practices. Jeff has been integral in developing a multi-specialty spine center within his current large group practice. The focus of the spine center is to provide efficiencies and best practice implementation throughout the continuum of care for spine disease. The goals are to maximize patient and provider satisfaction as well as provide cost savings, and to collect data to allow for economic and quality outcome analysis.Eula Ramroop, MsHA is a visionary leader who has over two decades of healthcare administration experience. She was recruited to CHI Franciscan as the Regional Associate Vice President of the Orthopedics, Spine and Podiatry Service Line in Tacoma, Washington. She previously served in outreach, development, operations and service line leadership roles at UCSF Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, and UCLA. She has led multiple performance improvement initiatives that resulted in value-based care with high quality, cost savings and physician alignment. Eula earned her bachelors degree from UCLA and a masters degree in health administration from Cal State Northridge with honors commendations.Dr. Springman is a practicing anesthesiologist and has 30 years of experience in both academic and private practice medicine. He strongly believes that focusing on the entire procedural experience for patients will help both patients and healthcare personnel go beyond the basics of effective medical care. Scotts work in implementing electronic medical records and developing pre-procedure medical guidelines gives him a unique insight into the entire process.Phil Swain, PT, MBA has worked in the healthcare arena for the past 20 years. Phil attended the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Therapy. He earned his MBA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His career began as a physical therapist at Upland Hills Health, which turned into progressive healthcare management roles including Therapy and Wellness Center Director and Director of Physician Clinics. In 2012, Phil assumed the role of Director of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation at Meriter-UnityPoint Health. In this role, he is responsible for oversight of Meriters Orthopedic Service Line, Orthopedic Clinic operations and all therapy services.About Wellbe (High-performing health systems use Wellbes Integrated Care Delivery to move from fragmented silos of care to value-driven service lines. Our web-based platform enables patients to participate as partners in their care while giving providers the ability to coordinate and monitor large patient volumes more effectively. Wellbe's track record at hospitals across the U.S. shows that engaging patients in a coordinated plan of care that's based on Connected CarePaths across the continuum results in reduced episode costs, higher patient satisfaction, fewer readmissions, and improved outcome scores.Wellbe, Inc.8040 Excelsior Drive #402Madison, WI 53717800-960-4118info@wellbe.me Online Marketing Agency Emergent Digital Forms Senior Advisory Board mergent Digital, an active digital advertising agency has formed a 5-member advisory board for all future business. San Diego, California - March 2, 2016: Emergent Digital, a California-based agency practicing Digital Marketing For Good has announced the creation of a five-member executive advisory board to guide strategy and fuel their business endeavors for nonprofits and companies involved in social enterprise.This highly decorated and accomplished team of advisors have been brought together for social good by Emergent Digital founder and CEO Dave Roth, a digital marketing professional who built significant advertising relationships in his years spent as an early search marketing adopter in Silicon Valley, CA:In 2014, we launched Emergent Digital so we could use digital marketing to make the world a better place. Our growth since then has validated this concept and mission. By adding seasoned digital executives to our newly formed advisory board, we will both inform and accelerate our growth trajectory, and ensure our continued success into the future.-David Roth, Founder & CEO, Emergent DigitalThe 2016 Emergent Digital Executive Advisory Board:David Rodnitzsky (@rodnitzky) - CEO, 3Q Digital A Harte Hanks CompanyEthan Giffin (@opie) - CEO, Groove CommerceJoe Morin (@josephmorin) - CEO, Social RewardsJim Banks (@jimbanks) - Global Head of Biddable Media at Cheapflights, a part of the Momondo GroupMelanie Mitchell (@MelanieMitchell) - RVP/Head of Central Region, Strategic Search at Microsoft###About Emergent DigitalA San Diego-based advertising agency providing digital marketing services for purposeful businesses, nonprofits, & social enterprise. They specialize in search engine optimization (SEO), search advertising (SEM, PPC), social media management (SMM), and content marketing services.We support non-profits and higher purpose companies, making them more visible, productive and powerful, allowing them to achieve their goals with greater speed and scale.We built Emergent so we can use digital marketing for social good. We focus on organizations trying to make a positive difference in our world, giving social enterprise instant access to our deep experience in emerging media. Our goal is to support those who are making this planet a better place, working with individuals and groups that seek to improve our existence, our environment, our future.What We DoSocial media, search engine marketing (SEO/SEM), Paid advertising on social networks (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram), display media and email marketing we support client organizations on missions of progress, peace, and social change. We expertly deploy the sophisticated marketing tactics of the Fortune 100 for the benefit of our clients, their constituents, and the world around us.Why We Do ItWe spent a decade in Silicon Valley driving millions in profit to multibillion-dollar corporations. That was a truly awesome experience. Using the same passion and energy to make positive change in the world? We think thats, well, awesomer. Come with us, lets change the world together.Emergent Digital4112 Kansas StreetSan Diego, CA 92104 Matrix to showcase well-engineered Telecom and Security solutions at DEFEXPO 2016, 28th 31st March, Goa Matrix, a leading manufacturer of Telecom and Security solutions, is participating in DEFEXPO 2016, Goa. Matrix will showcase its well-engineered telecom and security solutions specifically designed for the defence sector.DEFEXPO 2016 is a great platform for promoting products and services designed for Defence, Aviation, Aerospace and Homeland Security Solutions. We are looking forward to meeting key personnel to share our insights with and explain our innovative solutions added Akshay Sheth, National Sales Manager.Here at DEFEXPO 2016, Matrix will showcase its range of IP-PBX, VoIP & GSM Gateways and all new range of User Terminals. Its complete range of IP-PBX is designed for large HQs that transcend all technological and geographical boundaries. Additionally, Matrix will also present its stand-alone radio gateways and media gateways which allow easy integration with most of the IP-PBXs, TDM-PBXs, Soft switch and Hosted Solutions. It is interoperable with Radios available with Defence, Paramilitary and Police Organizations.On the Time-Attendance and Access Control front, Matrix will be launching its cutting edge multi-spectral, biometric fingerprint based door controller, which outperforms other sensors by improving accuracy, speed and security. COSEC ARC, a unique IP based access control panel having multiple benefits over conventional access control panel, will be showcased at the event too. Being PoE based, it eliminates complex wiring and local power requirements. Its din rail and wall mount option gives flexibility to mount even where the space is a constraint. Additionally, Matrix will be showcasing its range of enterprise grade Time-Attendance and Access Control solutions at the event.Under the Video Surveillance domain, Matrix will be launching its Enterprise Video Management solution SATATYA SAMAS, which offers much more than just security. This comprehensive, intelligent and reliable solution is designed to offer enhanced security of physical assets, safety of employees, improved productivity & discipline, centralized control with more visibility and real-time preventive security with quick investigation.Matrix cordially invites you to visit at Stall No. 10.5.21, Hall No. 10, DEFEXPO 2016, Goa from 28th 31st March 2016 and see how our cutting-edge telecom & security solutions can meet your stringent, mission critical needs.Established in 1991, Matrix is a leader in Telecom and Security solutions for modern businesses and enterprises. An innovative, technology driven and customer focused organization; Matrix is committed to keep pace with the revolutions in the telecom and security industries. With more than 40% of its human resources dedicated to the development of new products, Matrix has launched cutting-edge products like Video Surveillance solutions, Access Control, Time-Attendance, IP-PBX, Universal Gateways, Terminals, Convergence solution, VoIP Gateways and GSM Gateways. These solutions are feature-rich, reliable and conform to the international standards. Having global foot-prints in Asia, Europe, North America, South America and Africa through an extensive network of more than 500 channel partners, Matrix ensures that the products serve the needs of its customers faster and longer. Matrix has gained trust and admiration of customers representing the entire spectrum of industries. Matrix has won many international awards for its innovative products.Matrix Comsec394 GIDC,Makarpura, Vadodara+91 0265 2630555Mary Thomas LinkVista Digital Inc. Announces Opening in the World's Safest City http://www.linkvistadigital.com/ Davao City, Philippines With its humble beginning as an SEO company, LinkVista Digital Inc. continues to expand its enterprise, now covering six business lines (SEO, Content Marketing, Pay Per Click, Web Design/Development Staff Leasing and Contact Support.) Formally opened last January 27, 2016, at LS Violan Bldg, Inigo St., Poblacion, Davao City, Philippines, this fast growing company is set to conquer the market in the next months.LinkVista Digital Inc. has grown prominence with the efforts of its Founder & CEO, Patrick Joseph C. Panuncillon and CFO, Arsenio B. Grospe. These two entrepreneurs dedication paved the way to launch a more effective, well-rounded and a completely bigger enterprise. In fact, with its business niche's potential in the 21st century, a good number of business owners looking for an efficient and cost-effective way to solve their online solutions needs will surely set an eye for LinkVista Digital Inc.Its new area, equipped with latest technology and employee amenities is developed at its finest to further promote workers' efficacy and eventually give way to an ultimate client satisfaction. Housed in the world's safest city (as reported by numbeo as of July 2015), this company is projected to generate a good number of jobs to suffice its labor needs. In fact, Panuncillon had also announced his openness for future expansions to accommodate later client growth coming from both local and overseas."I am from Davao City, I was born and raised here, I also want to nurture the young motivated professionals of our time as it's my long life dream to do so," said Panuncillon when asked if what made him choose Davao City for his business location. "Also, Davao City is strategically located in this part of Mindanao that allows us to continue to operate from the core hub of the growing Philippine economy while tapping with excellent labor market and energetic community" he added.While guaranteeing a premium quality job for the clients, Panuncillon also said that he makes sure that he is able to give back to his employees, like allowing those undergraduates to go to school. This is just one of the many values he practices to make everyone around his company happy.We are LinkVista Digital Inc., setting standards in Digital Marketing and in providing Online Solutions. We want to extend our help to as many businesses as possible. It is our duty, our job but above all, our PASSION.We have been in the epic ride ever since. From being a small SEO Agency to launching numerous services tailored to our client needs namely; SEO, Content Marketing, PPC, Web Development, Staff & Seat Leasing and Contact Support. We have held to our beliefs and continued delivering exceptional experience to our clients.Linkvista Digital IncorporatedInigo St. Poblacion, Davao City, Philippines Cooling Tower Market Projected to Reach USD 2.88 Billion USD by 2020 Cooling Tower Market http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/cooling-towers-market-268219049.html http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=268225660 http://www.marketsandmarketsblog.com/market-reports/chemical The report "Cooling Tower Market by Type (Dry, Evaporative, Hybrid), by Design (Natural, Mechanical), by Construction Material (Concrete, Steel, FRP, Others), by Application (Power, HVACR, Food & Beverages, Others), by Region - Trends & Forecasts to 2020", The market size of cooling tower is estimated to grow from USD 2.34 Billion in 2015 to USD 2.88 Billion by 2020, at a CAGR of 4.2%.The market is driven by the rising HVACR deployments, increasing power generation capacities, and rise in technological advances in cooling towers. Asia-Pacific and RoW are estimated to witness a strong growth in the next five years. The demand across these regions is reinforced by the emerging markets, namely, China and India.Browse 75 market data Tables and 56 Figures spread through 152 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Cooling Tower Market - Trends & Forecasts to 2020"Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report.Power Generation: The Largest Application Segment of Cooling Tower MarketCooling tower is used in applications, such as power generation, HVACR, food & beverage, chemical, petrochemical and oil & gas, and others. These are the main applications considered in the report. In 2015, the power generation application segment is estimated to account for the largest market share among all the applications, in terms of value, followed by HVACR, food & beverage, and chemical applications. The HVACR application is estimated to grow at the highest CAGR between 2015 and 2020. The high growth can be attributed to the growing construction industry, especially commercial buildings. Growth in the construction industry has triggered the demand for HVACR systems, which has positively influenced the growth of the cooling tower market in the region.Asia-Pacific: The Largest Market of Cooling TowerAsia-Pacific is currently the largest market for cooling tower. China is the largest market for cooling tower in the region.The following factors are the main driving forces for the cooling tower market in Asia-Pacific: High demand for cooling tower in the region Growing building & construction industry Growing chemicals and HVACR industries in countries such as China and IndiaRequest for Sample PDF:Baltimore Aircoil Company (U.S.), Bell Cooling Tower (India), Brentwood Industries Inc. (U.S.), Enexio (Germany), Hamon & Cie International SA (Belgium), Paharpur Cooling Towers (India), SPIG S.p.A. (Italy), SPX Corporation (U.S.), and Star Cooling Towers Private Ltd. (India) are the key players of the cooling tower market.This report covers the market size, in terms of value, for cooling tower and forecasts the market size till 2020. The report includes the market segmentation by type dry, evaporative and hybrid, by design natural and mechanical, by construction material concrete, steel, FRP and others, by application power generation, HVACR, food & beverages, chemical, petrochemical and oil & gas, and others, and by region Asia-Pacific, Europe, North America, and RoW. Regions are further segmented into countries such as China, India, Japan, South Korea, the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Germany, France, Italy, the U.K., Sweden, Brazil, and Saudi Arabia. The report also provides company profiles and competitive strategies adopted by the major market players in the cooling tower market.About MarketsandMarketsMarketsandMarkets is worlds No. 2 firm in terms of annually published premium market research reports. Serving 1700 global fortune enterprises with more than 1200 premium studies in a year, M&M is catering to multitude of clients across 8 different industrial verticals. We specialize in consulting assignments and business research across high growth markets, cutting edge technologies and newer applications. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors.M&Ms flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "RT" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. The new included chapters on Methodology and Benchmarking presented with high quality analytical infographics in our reports gives complete visibility of how the numbers have been arrived and defend the accuracy of the numbers.We at MarketsandMarkets are inspired to help our clients grow by providing apt business insight with our huge market intelligence repository.Contact:Mr. RohanMarkets and MarketsUNIT no 802, Tower no. 7, SEZMagarpatta city, HadapsarPune, Maharashtra 411013, India.Tel: +1-888-600-6441Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.comVisit MarketsandMarkets Blog @MarketsandMarkets is worlds No. 2 firm in terms of annually published premium market research reports. Serving 1700 global fortune enterprises with more than 1200 premium studies in a year.Markets and MarketsUNIT no 802, Tower no. 7, SEZMagarpatta city, HadapsarPune, Maharashtra 411013, India. Future Electronics President Robert Miller Congratulates MADC for Heart Foundation Fundraiser www.FutureElectronics.com www.FutureElectronics.com Robert Miller, President of Future Electronics, a global leading distributor of electronic components, recognized the company's Memphis Area Distribution Center (MADC) team for its efforts in promoting healthy heart awareness and raising money to benefit the American Heart Foundation of Memphis.The American Heart Awareness campaign consists of promoting heart awareness materials and stressing the importance of getting appropriate health screenings. Employees participated in the event by donating red, silver or gold hearts to support the American Heart Fundraiser. The donated hearts were displayed on an "awareness board" in memory or in honor of family members and friends of employees who have been diagnosed with heart problems.All donations were donated to the local American Heart Foundation of Memphis. The fundraiser is held annually during the month of February, which is American Heart Month.The MADC holds a variety of fundraising events on an ongoing basis. Future Electronics' team members say they are inspired by the company's President, Robert Miller, who supports a variety of philanthropic endeavors, and encourages his employees to be involved in their local communities and help make the world a better place.About Future ElectronicsFuture Electronics is a global leader in electronics distribution, ranking 3rd in component sales worldwide, with an impressive reputation for developing efficient, comprehensive global supply chain solutions. Founded in 1968 by President Robert Miller, the company has established itself as one of the most innovative organizations in the industry today, with 5,000 employees in 169 offices in 44 countries around the world. Future Electronics is globally integrated, with one worldwide IT infrastructure providing real-time inventory availability and access, while enabling full integration of its operations, sales and marketing worldwide. Offering the highest level of service, the most advanced engineering capabilities and technical solutions through all stages of the design-production cycle, and the largest available-to-sell inventory in the world, Future's mission is always to Delight the Customer. For more information, visitMedia ContactMartin H. GordonDirector, Corporate CommunicationsFUTURE ELECTRONICS514-694-7710 (ext. 2236)Fax: 514-630-2671martin.gordon@FutureElectronics.com###Future Electronics is a global leader in electronics distribution, ranking 3rd in component sales worldwide, with an impressive reputation for developing efficient, comprehensive global supply chain solutions. Founded in 1968 by Robert Miller, the company has established itself as one of the most innovative organizations in the industry today, with 5,000 employees in 169 offices in 44 countries around the world.237 Hymus Boulevard, Pointe Claire, Quebec H9R 5C7, Canada Asia Pacific PoC Diagnostics Industry Trends, Analysis To 2020 by Grand View Research Inc. http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/asia-pacific-poc-diagnostics-market http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/asia-pacific-poc-diagnostics-market/request http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry/clinical-diagnostics The Asia Pacific point of care (PoC) diagnostics market is expected to reach USD 5,427.1 million by 2020, according to a new study by Grand View Research, Inc. Growing base of geriatric population and the ability to render immediate results and improve patient care coupled with rising market penetration of PACS (picture archiving and communication systems) and EMR (electronic medical records) are expected to drive demand over the next six years. Skilled staff shortages, especially pertaining to the field of diagnostics are also expected to accelerate the market penetration rates of PoC products, by expediting lab automation processes. Rising demand for home healthcare and other healthcare establishments catering to the elderly population and initiatives undertaken by governments to shorten hospital stays by establishing out-patient care models are also expected to be key market factors.Browse full research report on Global Asia Pacific PoC Diagnostics Market:The rapidly growing use of point of care diagnostic products has introduced a decentralization trend in the overall healthcare industry. Healthcare facilities and patients, in an attempt to attain or cater medical facilities remotely, encourage early diagnosis and curb costs are now decentralizing their facilities. Furthermore, these trends have also triggered the establishment of remote and stand alone diagnostic facilities.Read detailed report or request for free sample of this research report:Further key findings from the study suggest: Glucose testing segment dominated the market in 2013, accounting for over 29% of total revenue. High prevalence of diabetes coupled with the requirement of constant monitoring of blood sugar levels attribute to the aforementioned fact. According to statistics published by the International Diabetes Federation, the global prevalence of diabetes is expected to increase from 382 million in 2013 to 592 million in 2035, which is expected to have a positive impact on glucose testing demand. The infectious disease testing is expected to be the fastest growing product segment, at an estimated CAGR of 16.2% from 2014 to 2020 with projected market revenue of USD 478.50 million in 2020. Hospitals and clinics together constitute the largest revenue share of the Asia Pacific PoC market. Large volume of diagnostic tests performed in these healthcare facilities and the growing demand for decentralized point of care diagnostic facilities are two of the most important factors attributing to their large market shares. Clinics based PoC diagnostics market was valued at USD 1,104.51 million in 2013. Japan dominated the Asia Pacific market in 2013, accounting for over 48% of total market revenue. However, the region is expected to lose market share by 2020, primarily due to faster growing markets such as India, Malaysia, Indonesia and China. China followed Japan in terms of revenue share in 2013 owing to the presence of high unmet medical needs coupled with constantly improving healthcare infrastructure. Some of the key players of the Asia Pacific PoC diagnostics market include Roche Diagnostics, Alere Inc., Danaher Corporation, Abbott Laboratories, bioMerieux, Siemens Healthcare and others.Browse more reports of this category by Grand View Research:For the purpose of this study, Grand View Research has segmented the Asia Pacific PoC diagnostics market on the basis of product, application and region: Asia Pacific PoC Diagnostics Product Outlook Blood Gas/Electrolytes Infectious Diseases Glucose Testing Cardiac Markers Hematology Coagulation Primary Care Systems (Includes Lipid and Hba1c tests) Decentralized Clinical Chemistry Urinalysis Drug Abuse Testing Fertility OTC Diagnostics and Rapid Tests Feces Asia Pacific PoC Diagnostics End-User Outlook Hospitals Laboratories Assisted Living Healthcare Facilities Home Healthcare Clinics Others Asia Pacific PoC Diagnostics Regional Outlook India Japan China Taiwan Philippines South Korea Malaysia Singapore Indonesia Australia New Zealand Hong Kong Vietnam Pakistan Thailand Rest of Asia PacificGrand View Research, Inc. is a U.S. based market research and consulting company, registered in the State of California and headquartered in San Francisco. The company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. To help clients make informed business decisions, we offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries, from technology to chemicals, materials and healthcare.Sherry JamesCorporate Sales Specialist, USAGrand View Research, IncPhone: 1-415-349-0058Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519email: sales@grandviewresearch.comWeb: grandviewresearch.comRead Our Blogs legalworkshop.org, mediafound.org Interactive Fair Design for NEC at ISE Interactive Fair Design for NEC at ISE 2016 www.d-art-design.de Dart Design Gruppe (Dart) develops an interactive fair design for NEC Display Solutions Europe GmbH, which make this years fair motto Your World is our Showroom at Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) 2016 tridimensionally tangible. The multimedia showroom arranges not only the newest NEC display technology. As Corporate Architecture it also impressively represents the key topic Orchestrating a brighter world of the Japanese parent company NEC.For the first time, NEC Display Solutions a 100% subsidiary of the renowned Japanese technology brand NEC Corporation assigned the creative agency Dart with its new appearance at the leading fair for professional audio-video and electronic systems. The 425 square metres large fair appearance highlights the companys objectives with its mediatectonic elements: The focus for this years fair appearance of NEC was meant to be the topic interactivity in order to tangibly show the positive influence of the NEC display technology on business processes. ISE visitors can thus experience all NEC products live and in direct use at the fair stand.The showrooms facade initiates the media dialogue with the fair visitors. Video walls that are integrated into the white facade create optical accents and visualize the brand message Orchestrating a brighter world with a 3D animation. The Curve animation takes up the NEC campaign topic with its key visual of a conductors baton. The motion motif orchestrates the five topics of the fair appearance share, present, analyse, review, control across the whole exhibition area: On so-called blades media walls that are integrated into the stand the Curve creates an immersive space experience consisting of rhythm, melody and moving pictures.The media arrangement finds its culmination in the mainly black showroom with its integrated live studio. The whole black room is arranged with flowing moving pictures using laser projections and translates NECs corporate wording space- and media-wise. In the TV studio, which is located there, DailyDOOH chief editor Adrian Cotterill gives hourly interviews to especially chosen experts. Furthermore, it allows live insights into post production.The NECs showroom is architectonically and visually tripartite: In the mainly black entree or show area the brand vision is implemented media and communication-wise. In contrast, the communication area at the stands centre is revetted in warm wood and offers space for exchange and dialogue. Fair visitors can experience the display products in interaction with their respective software solutions in the white test area supported by presentation and multi-touch stations.The Dart Design Gruppe is one of the leading agencies for spatial communication in Germany, in which creative design skills are merged with interdisciplinary expertise. A recipient of numerous international design awards, the Dart Design Gruppe designs brand experience and adventure spaces for clients such as 3M, adidas, Amtico, Bundesdruckerei, Britax, C.H. Beck, Electrolux, Gabor, Grafe und Unzer, Grundig, Kanzan, Lloyd, MFI, Norske Skog, Panasonic, Parador, Philips, RWE, Schuco, Turck, Wurth und Zaha Hadid.Dart Design Gruppe GmbHInge Bruck-Seynstahl (Director Corporate Communications)Haus am Pegel | Am Zollhafen 5 | 41460 NeussFon: 02131 - 40 30 7 - 37pr@d-art-design.de | IBS Software Inks Five Year Contract with Tway Airlines Seoul, 03 March 2016: IBS Software (IBS) has been selected by Tway Airlines as its Passenger Services System (PSS) provider for a further period of five years. The contract for the extension of the engagement was formally signed in Seoul earlier in the week by Hong-Geun Jeong - President and CEO, Tway and Ryo Funakoshi - Vice President & Head of Operations East Asia, IBS. The engagement will see Tway Airlines continue to use IBS Passenger Services System (PSS), iFly Res, for integrated reservations, ticketing, and departure control operations. Tway Airlines started operations in late 2010 and the IBS PSS platform was implemented a few months later. During the period, IBS supported Tway Airlines grow from 1.5 million to over 4 million Revenue Passenger Boarded (RPB). The airline is now poised to grow significantly with induction of additional fleet and opening of new routes.The multi layered architecture and modular design of iFly Res will considerably augment the operational scalability of Tway Airlines to expand to newer markets and support increasing passenger volumes. The system will enable superior customer service since it can easily be configured to suit both the business needs of the airline and market specific requirements. iFly Res will continue to optimize operational and maintenance costs by seamlessly integrating with existing systems irrespective of their technology platforms. With best in class rules engine for creation and distribution of ancillary products and services, the airline would be well positioned to significantly increase its ancillary revenue. Additionally, iFly Res will natively support New Distribution Capability (NDC) and thus address the industrys current distribution limitations.IBS, which recently received $170 million private equity investment from Blackstone, has a global presence with nearly 3,000 professionals across nine offices and provides a range of new-generation software products to some of the worlds best airlines, busiest airports, leading cruise lines, major travel distributors and top oil & gas companies.iFly Res from IBS has been providing a stable and resilient platform for our commercial operations & continues to offer an impressive range of functions that allows us to enhance our passenger management processes, respond more efficiently to customer needs, and enable efficiencies in cost control. Our relationship with IBS now moves to the next level and we look forward to iFly Res being a noteworthy asset in supporting our expansion plans said Soo-Young Choi Vice President & Sales Director of Tway Air.Our firm understanding of the Korean market, a full-fledged office in East Asia to provide 24/7 support to our customers combined with the robustness of our product were key considerations for the extension of the contract. iFly Res has a well-defined road map and we ensure that our investment in the product encompasses incorporation of relevant business functions and industry trends such as compliance with IATAs New Distribution Capability (NDC) program. To get repeat orders from existing customers is a true endorsement of IBS outstanding record of delivering value to them, as well as the professionalism and commitment of our people said Paul Lynch - Senior Vice President & Head of Passenger Services line of business.IBS Software is a leading provider of new-gen IT solutions to the global Travel, Transportation & Logistics (TTL) industry. Its offerings manage mission-critical operations of major airlines, airports, oil and gas companies, cruise lines and tour operators. IBS owns IP rights to 17 software products in the areas of Airline Passenger Services, Airline & Airport Operations, Airline Cargo & Logistics, Oil & Gas Logistics, Travel & Cruise management and Hospitality Distribution. IBS also offers bespoke software services in these business domains. IBS has 09 offices in the Americas, Europe, Middle East & Africa and Asia-Pacific. IBS customer list includes names like ANA, BP, British Airways, Cathay, Chevron, China Southern, Emirates, Etihad, JAL, Jet, Lufthansa, Qantas, Qatar Airways, KLM, Malaysia Airlines, NCA, Oman Airways, Orbitz, Shell, Turkish Airways and Virgin Atlantic.Bratati GhoshChief Marketing OfficerIBS Software Services+1 470 363 6488 Houston Personal Injury Attorney Offers Free Info To Victims of Work Accidents and Medical Malpractice Personal injury victims often have many questions about their legal rights. As a Houston law firm helping those injured by work accidents and medical malpractice, Richard J. Plezia & Associates strives to offer high-quality legal help to those in need. As part of this effort, the law firm has recently updated its website with in-depth information about these types of claims.No matter how someone has been injured, whether in a maritime accident or by a doctors mistake, theyre going to have questions and concerns about how they move forward, how they recover, and how they make it financially, said law firm founder Richard J. Plezia. One of the first places an accident victim will go for to find answers is the Internet. We want our website to be a source of information to help to those in need.Key Practice AreasWhile Richard J. Plezia & Associates helps victims of all types of accidents, the information most recently added to its website focuses on three main areas - workplace accidents, maritime and offshore injuries, and medical malpractice.Workplace Accidents: There are many reasons why workplace accidents occur, and they can happen in any work environment - from construction to office jobs. When an on-the-job injury is caused by negligence of your employer or coworkers, its important to get help protecting your legal rights.Maritime Accidents: The maritime industry comes with many unique hazards for the workers who labor in it, from seamen working aboard vessels to rig hands working offshore. There are many different laws that govern the rights of injured maritime workers, including the Jones Act, the Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act, the Death on the High Seas Act and more. If youve been injured while working in a maritime job, its important to get help from an attorney who is experienced in handling claims under these laws.Medical Malpractice: Negligence by doctors, nurses, hospitals, pharmacies, or nursing homes happens more often than many of us would think. When a medical mistake injures a patient or causes a wrongful death, the negligent party should be held responsible for the damages caused.The firm will continue to regularly add new information to these sections to better serve and inform injury victims. As always, the legal team will continue to provide experienced legal assistance to those who need it.About Richard J. Plezia & AssociatesSince 2006, Richard J. Plezia & Associates has been helping Houston accident victims maximize recovery for their injuries and damages. The firms philosophy is to provide careful, thoughtful representation from an experienced lawyer to each and every client.If youve been injured in a workplace accident or by medical negligence, contact Richard J. Plezia & Associates today to schedule a free, confidential consultation.Personal injury victims often have many questions about their legal rights. As a Houston law firm helping those injured by work accidents and medical malpractice, Richard J. Plezia & Associates strives to offer high-quality legal help to those in need. As part of this effort, the law firm has recently updated its website with in-depth information about these types of claims.11200 Westheimer Rd #620Houston, TX77042 Malta in March Although the beautiful weather happens year-round in Malta, each month of the year reserves special surprises and events to be experienced differently. March in Malta is a special month to be in the Maltese Islands and immerse yourself in the islands cultural and historical heritage, mainly associated with its long-standing religious traditions and pre-historic ties it is the month of rebirth brought along by spring and resurrection as everyone looks forward to Easter. Easter Sunday is greatly celebrated by the islanders, with various significant events leading up to the day taking place throughout the preceding weeks.Feast of St. Joseph in RabatOfficially celebrated on the 19th of March, which is also a Public Holiday. Celebratory religious and traditional events are held in the town of Rabat. The charming character of this old town along with all the activities associated with a traditional Maltese feast festa make Rabat especially worth a visit on this day. Traditional foods, fireworks, music and a pleasant atmosphere characterised by the boisterous locals that gather in the village core are to be expected.In order to welcome spring, Heritage Malta each year organises the Spring Equinox at Mnajdra Temples. The magical setting of these temples looking out towards the sea along with their systematic structure and remarkable orientations make this event worth attending. The activity is open to a limited number of attendees who gather at the Temples before sunrise and delve into the myth and mystery of these pre-historic structures.The last few days in the run-up to Easter Sunday are in themselves a celebration that leads up to the long-awaited day. Throughout this week, various traditional processions in several Maltese towns and villages are held, where the passion of the Christ is re-enacted and revived through the processions in which the participants dress up as Biblical characters.Good Friday ProcessionSeveral Good Friday processions take place around Maltese towns and villages, in which the participants dress up as Biblical characters. Photo: viewingmalta.com.Numerous exhibitions around the island are also held by artisans and craftsmen that skillfully create elaborate statuettes depicting significant events from the Bible. These exhibitions truly deserve to be visited an appreciated as they demonstrate remarkable craftsmanship and artistic talent. In addition, Easter pageants organised by several local groups are held and widely attended locally combining dramatic and musical talent to create an original and stirring representation of the Biblical events.Easter SundayFollowing 40 days of Lent and the sombriety of Good Friday, Easter Sunday is celebrated with much ardour. As tradition has it, figolli the traditional Easter treat made out of pastry with a sweet almond filling and cut out in symbolic shapes, are eaten today to break the fasting and celebrate Christs resurrection. The island seems to be in a happier and festive mood and the statue of the Risen Christ is carried around several towns and villages as a commemoration of Christs triumph over death.Easter Procession in BormlaThe mood on Easter Sunday is festive, breaking the sombriety and fast of Lent. Photo: viewingmalta.com.Freedom DayCelebrated on the 31st of March, this day, also a public holiday, marks the anniversary of the withdrawal of British troops and the Royal Navy from Malta in 1979. On this day, it is a good idea to head to the Grand Harbour in Valletta and watch the Regatta a traditional rowing event in which rowing teams from various harbour towns and villages in Malta participate in this race and contend against each other for the trophy. The vibrant atmosphere created by the competition against the remarkable beauty of the Grand Harbour makes this event one that should not be missed. You may even want to take some leftover figolla to snack on while standing and cheering in the early spring sun. Day made.Valletta Grand HarbourMagnificent view over the Grand Harbour, where the annual Regatta takes place.For more information, kindly direct your request to info@maltasothebysrealty.com.About Malta Sothebys International RealtyMalta Sothebys International Realty aims to serve the high-end residential and commercial real estate market, representing lifestyle properties of exceptional quality and unique characteristics. A brand that represents quality and luxury, its presence in Malta serves international clients looking for high-end real estate investment in Malta and Gozo, and local clients seeking real estate investment opportunities worldwide through our international network. Services include: Residential Sales & Letting, Commercial Sales & Letting, Property Management and Relocation & Residency.Tower Road, Sliema 1602 Malta Global Low Cardiac Output Syndrome Market Size, Share, Growth, Trends, Competitive Strategies and Forecast To 2016: Acute Market Reports http://www.acutemarketreports.com/category/healthcare-market http://www.mobilecomputingtoday.co.uk/ http://www.acutemarketreports.com/ SummaryGlobalData's clinical trial report, "Low Cardiac Output Syndrome Global Clinical Trials Review, H1, 2016" provides an overview of Low Cardiac Output Syndrome clinical trials scenario. This report provides top line data relating to the clinical trials on Low Cardiac Output Syndrome. Report includes an overview of trial numbers and their average enrollment in top countries conducted across the globe. The report offers coverage of disease clinical trials by region, country (G7 & E7), phase, trial status, end points status and sponsor type. Report also provides prominent drugs for in-progress trials (based on number of ongoing trials). GlobalData Clinical Trial Reports are generated using GlobalData's proprietary database - Pharma eTrack Clinical trials database. Clinical trials are collated from 80+ different clinical trial registries, conferences, journals, news etc across the globe. Clinical trials database undergoes periodic update by dynamic process.View Full Report with TOC @ acutemarketreports.com/report/low-cardiac-output-syndrome-global-clinical-trials-review-h1-2016The report enhances the decision making capabilities and helps to create an effective counter strategies to gain competitive advantage.*Note: Certain sections in the report may be removed or altered based on the availability and relevance of data for the indicated disease.Browse All Reports of This Category @Scope- The report provides a snapshot of the global clinical trials landscape- Report provides top level data related to the clinical trials by Region, Country (G7 & E7), Trial Status, Trial Phase, Sponsor Type and End point status- The report reviews top companies involved and enlists all trials (Trial title, Phase, and Status) pertaining to the company- The report provides all the unaccomplished trials (Terminated, Suspended and Withdrawn) with reason for unaccomplishment- The Report provides enrollment trends for the past five years- Report provides latest news for the past three months*Note: Certain sections in the report may be removed or altered based on the availability and relevance of data for the indicated disease.Blog URL -Reasons to buy- Assists in formulating key business strategies with regards to investment- Helps in identifying prominent locations for conducting clinical trials which saves time and cost- Provides top level analysis of Global Clinical Trials Market which helps in identifying key business opportunities- Supports understanding of trials count and enrollment trends by country in global therapeutics market- Aids in interpreting the success rates of clinical trials by providing a comparative scenario of completed and uncompleted (terminated, suspended or withdrawn) trials- Facilitates clinical trial assessment of the indication on a global, regional and country level*Note: Certain sections in the report may be removed or altered based on the availability and relevance of data for the indicated disease.About Acute Market ReportsAcute Market Reports is the most sufficient collection of market intelligence services online. Acute Market Reports provide online reports from over 100 best publishers and upgrade Acute Market Reports collection regularly to offer direct online access to the worlds most comprehensive and recent database with expert perceptions on worldwide industries, products, establishments and trends. Acute Market Reports database consists of 200,000+ market research reports with detailed & minute market research.For More Information, VisitContact:Chris PaulOffice No 01, 1st Floor,Aditi Mall, Baner, Pune,MH, 411045 IndiaPhone (India): +91 7755981103Toll Free (US/Canada): +1-855-455-8662Email: sales@acutemarketreports.com Global Cloud Automation Market is Expected to Reach $70.98 billion by 2022: Acute Market Reports http://www.acutemarketreports.com/report/cloud-automation-global-market-outlook-2015-2022 http://www.mobilecomputingtoday.co.uk/ http://www.acutemarketreports.com/ According to Stratistics MRC, the Global Cloud Automation market is poised to reach $70.98 billion by 2022 growing at a CAGR of 12.92 % during the forecast period. Some of the key drivers for the market growth include dynamic nature of cloud computing, increasing focus on life cycle management, and growing deployment of hybrid clouds where as security, compliance, interoperability, privacy are hampering the cloud automation market. U.S. is the largest market for cloud automation. Asia Pacific and Europe are expected to grow at a faster pace during the forecast period. Growth in Europe is mainly attributed by the EU government support and initiatives taken by government to enhance digital communications between people and them. Latin America and Canada are anticipated to have prospective growth during the forecast period.Browse Full Report With TOC @Some of the key players in the global cloud automation market are Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Microsoft Corporation, CA Technologies Inc., Cisco Systems Inc., Dell Inc., EMC Corporation, Flexiant Limited, Skydera Inc, VMware Inc., CloudVelox Inc., Parallels, Skytap, Inc., Google and HP.Browse All Reports of This Category @ acutemarketreports.com/category/market-researchDeployment type covered: Private cloud Public cloud Hybrid CloudEnd Users covered: Cloud service providers Enterprises OthersRegions Covered: North Americao USo Canadao Mexico Europeo Germanyo Franceo Italyo UKo Spaino Rest of Europe Asia Pacifico Japano Chinao Indiao Australiao New Zealando Rest of Asia Pacific Rest of the Worldo Middle Easto Brazilo Argentinao South Africao EgyptBlog URL -What our report offers:- Market share assessments for the regional and country level segments- Market share analysis of the top industry players- Strategic recommendations for the new entrants- Market forecasts for a minimum of 7 years of all the mentioned segments, sub segments and the regional markets- Market Trends (Drivers, Constraints, Opportunities, Threats, Challenges, Investment Opportunities, and recommendations)- Strategic recommendations in key business segments based on the market estimations- Competitive landscaping mapping the key common trends- Company profiling with detailed strategies, financials, and recent developments- Supply chain trends mapping the latest technological advancementsAbout Acute Market ReportsAcute Market Reports is the most sufficient collection of market intelligence services online. Acute Market Reports provide online reports from over 100 best publishers and upgrade Acute Market Reports collection regularly to offer direct online access to the worlds most comprehensive and recent database with expert perceptions on worldwide industries, products, establishments and trends. Acute Market Reports database consists of 200,000+ market research reports with detailed & minute market research.For More Information, VisitContact:Chris PaulOffice No 01, 1st Floor,Aditi Mall, Baner, Pune,MH, 411045 IndiaPhone (India): +91 7755981103Toll Free (US/Canada): +1-855-455-8662Email: sales@acutemarketreports.com Global Facial Recognition Market is Expected to Grow $8.74 billion by 2022: Acute Market Reports http://www.acutemarketreports.com/category/market-research http://www.mobilecomputingtoday.co.uk/ http://www.acutemarketreports.com/ According to Stratistics MRC, the Global Facial Recognition market is projected to reach $8.74 billion by 2022 growing at a CAGR of 17.83% during the forecast period. Growing Surveillance Market is the key factor fuelling growth of the market. However, interoperability is inhibiting the growth of global facial recognition market. Identifying differences among like faces or appearances poses a key challenge for the market.View Full Report with TOC @ acutemarketreports.com/report/facial-recognition-global-market-outlook-2015-2022Due to growing technological advancements, when compared to the 2D facial recognition technology, 3D facial recognition technology is expected to witness much faster adoption in the near future. The government and law enforcement agencies majorly utilize facial recognition systems for security issues. Additionally, facial recognition systems are being gradually used in BFSI sector to guarantee security and reduce crimes due to the raise in frauds in this sector. Furthermore, to figure out the age, sex, and facial expressions of the customers facial analytics systems are used in the retail industry in order to aim them for marketing suitable products of the respective company.Some of the key players in Global Facial Recognition market are NEC Corporation, Cross Match Technologies Inc., Animetrics, Inc., Cognitec Systems, Safran Group (Morpho S.A.), Aware Inc., Ayonix, Inc., 3M Cogent Inc., FaceFirst Inc., ZK Software, DAON, Inc., Gemalto, RCG Holdings Ltd., Iris Id Systems Inc. and Avalon Biometrics.Browse All Reports of This Category @Technologies covered: Thermal Technology Mobile Facial Recognition Forensic technology Facial Analytics Emotion Technology 3D Facial Recognition 2D Facial Recognition OthersServices covered: Consulting services Cloud based services OthersIndustries covered: Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI) Government Homeland Security Military Retail Industry Automotive Others Modeling & Restructuring MiddlewareSoftware covered: Facial Recognition Software Databases Analytics Solutions OthersHardware covered: Cameras (Motion Sensing) Scanners Handheld Facial Recognition Device Integrated Devices OthersRegions Covered: North Americao USo Canadao Mexico Europeo Germanyo Franceo Italyo UKo Spaino Rest of Europe Asia Pacifico Japano Chinao Indiao Australiao New Zealando Rest of Asia Pacific Rest of the Worldo Middle Easto Brazilo Argentinao South Africao EgyptBlog URL -What our report offers:- Market share assessments for the regional and country level segments- Market share analysis of the top industry players- Strategic recommendations for the new entrants- Market forecasts for a minimum of 7 years of all the mentioned segments, sub segments and the regional markets- Market Trends (Drivers, Constraints, Opportunities, Threats, Challenges, Investment Opportunities, and recommendations)- Strategic recommendations in key business segments based on the market estimations- Competitive landscaping mapping the key common trends- Company profiling with detailed strategies, financials, and recent developments- Supply chain trends mapping the latest technological advancementsAbout Acute Market ReportsAcute Market Reports is the most sufficient collection of market intelligence services online. Acute Market Reports provide online reports from over 100 best publishers and upgrade Acute Market Reports collection regularly to offer direct online access to the worlds most comprehensive and recent database with expert perceptions on worldwide industries, products, establishments and trends. Acute Market Reports database consists of 200,000+ market research reports with detailed & minute market research.For More Information, VisitContact:Chris PaulOffice No 01, 1st Floor,Aditi Mall, Baner, Pune,MH, 411045 IndiaPhone (India): +91 7755981103Toll Free (US/Canada): +1-855-455-8662Email: sales@acutemarketreports.com Middle East Data Storage Market Revenue to Expand at a CAGR of 14.4% during 2015-2025 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/middle-east-data-storage-market http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gc-1237 www.futuremarketinsights.com According to a new market report published by Future Market Insights, titled Data Storage Market: Middle East Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment, 2015 - 2025, the Middle East data storage market was valued at US$ 1,475.9 Mn in 2014 and is expected to register a CAGR of 14.4% from 2015 to 2025. Growth of the Middle East data storage market is primarily driven by declining prices of consumer storage devices and advancements in information and social technology.On the basis of application, the data storage market is segmented into consumer data storage devices and enterprise data storage. The consumer data storage segment is further sub-segmented into Hard Disk Drive (HDD), Solid State Devices (SSD), memory card, optical disk and USB flash drive. The enterprise data storage segment is further sub-segmented into flash storage and hard disk, cloud based storage, software-defined storage and hyper-converged infrastructure. In the consumer data storage segment, the reduction in cost of Solid State Devices (SSD) is contributing immensely to the growth of the segment. The consumer data storage devices segment was valued US$ 275.5 Mn in 2014 and is anticipated to register a CAGR of 12.4% during the forecast period 2015-2025. In terms of volume, the hard disk drive segment accounted for 1,533.0 thousand units in 2016 and is expected to expand at a CAGR of 12.1% during the forecast period. The enterprise data storage segment is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 14.8% during the forecast period in terms of revenue. Enterprise data storage is a common repository for business information, ensuring common data management and providing data recovery solutions. Strong growth witnessed in the cloud computing (due to increased spending on storage by service provider) is the primarily contributing to the growth of the enterprise data storage segment in the market.The cloud based storage sub-segment is expected to expand at the highest CAGR of 19.1% during the forecast period in terms value. Stability and flexibility offered by the enterprise storage, coupled with its lower cost, is the prime reason responsible for the robust adoption of cloud based storage across the globe. Cloud computing is a hassle-free and cost-effective data storage facility. Recently, in 2014, NetApp Inc. reported that its revenue from cloud computing service doubled from that in 2013. In addition, NetApp announced that, globally, over 200 cloud services were based on its technology. EMC Corporation is also aggressively targeting the cloud storage market in the region.Browse the full "Data Storage Market: Middle East Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment, 2015-2025" market research report atSurge in demand for smartphones and other IoT devices and rise in number of social media channels are among the major factors that have increased the need for additional storage facility, which in turn is further driving growth of the enterprise data storage segment. Increased adoption of cloud based storage in small and medium-sized business (SMBs) and in-house data centres is the primary factor responsible for driving growth of the market in the Levant region. Various verticals, including BFSI and telecommunication and IT, are investing highly on the IT platform for improving their ease of operation, as compared to the conventional storage platform.The data storage market in the GCC region is primarily driven by the emergence of Internet of everything (IoE) and Big Data. Rise in number of consumers on social media networks, increase in broadband Internet penetration and proliferation of smartphones are factors that have led to a significant increase in cloud and data center traffic in GCC countries such as UAE and Saudi Arabia.Growth of the storage flash array sub-segment is a potential revenue opportunity in this market. Flash-based devices reduce data access time and increase an applications performance speed. Data storage solutions vendors are expected to leverage huge benefits from the growing storage flash array sub-segment in view of the increasing demand for Solid-Sate Drives (SSD) and memory cards.Request Free Report Sample@Leading players in the market are focusing on expanding their cloud offerings portfolio. For instance, Microsoft Corporation is investing significantly in cloud storage solutions by building additional data centres and increasing its cloud storage capacity in the existing regions. The company is also increasing its hybrid cloud offerings portfolio through StoreSimple and InMage (a hybrid online cloud storage service for enterprises). Additionally, EMC Corporation is focusing on offering hybrid services by partnering with hybrid cloud service providers around the world.Key players in the Middle East data storage market include IBM Corporation, Microsoft Corporation, VMware, Inc., Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co., NetApp Inc., Open Text Corp., Sandisk Corporation, Hitachi Data Systems Corporation, EMC Corporation, and Nexenta Systems, Inc.Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature.Mr. Sudip saha616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Global Polyurethane Foam Market : Industry Outlook, Size, Share and Market Forecast to 2022 by Brisk Insights http://www.briskinsights.com/sample-request/45 http://www.pdfdevices.com/global-polyurethane-foam-market-is-expected-to-grow-at-the-cagr-of-7-8-during-2015-2022-brisk-insights/ http://www.briskinsights.com/ According to a recently published report, the Global Polyurethane Foam Market is expected to grow at the CAGR of 7.8% during 2015-2022 and it estimated to be $XX billion by 2022. The Global Polyurethane Foam Market is segmented on the basis of application, solution and geography. The report on Global Polyurethane Foam Market forecast 2015-2022 provides detailed overview and predictive analysis of the market.The global polyurethane foam market is expected to grow exponentially due to rise in demand for polyurethane foam in growing end user industries. The increasing demand for Global Polyurethane Foam Market is expected to bring new players into the market. Multipurpose and versatile physical properties enabled polyurethane foam market to grow fast. It is a widely-used polymer and plastic also available in flexible and rigid foams. Rigid foams are used primarily as an insulation material in the construction and refrigeration applications.Browse Here For Full Report With ToC : briskinsights.com/report/global-polyurethane-foam-market-forecast-2015-2022Global polyurethane foam market is expected to contribute highest in North America followed by Europe. Rise in adoption of Global Polyurethane Foam in bedding & furniture, Building & Construction, Electronics, Automotive and so on are major drivers for the global polyurethane foam market. BASF SE, The DOW Chemical Company, Bayer AG, Sekisui Chemical Co. Ltd, Nitto Denko Corporation, Compagnie De Saint-Gobain S.A., Huntsman Corporation, Wanhua Chemical Group Co., Ltd, Trelleborg AB, Chemtura Corporation, Inoac Corporation, Recticel NV /SA, Armacell Gmbh, Foamcraft, Inc. are the key market players. Mergers and acquisition, partnerships are the key winning strategy of the market.Request For Sample :1. Global polyurethane foam market by type 2012-2022 ( $ billion)1.1. Global flexible polyurethane market 2012-2022 ( $ billion)1.2. Global rigid polyurethane market 2012-2022 ( $ billion)2. Global polyurethane foam market by end user 2012-2022 ( $ billion)2.1. Global bedding & furniture market 2012-2022 ( $ billion)2.2. Global building & construction market 2012-2022 ( $ billion)2.3. Global electronics market 2012-2022 ( $ billion)2.4. Global automotive market 2012-2022 ($ billion)2.5. Global footwear market 2012-2022 ($ billion)2.6. Global packaging market 2012-2022 ($ billion)2.7. Global others market 2012-2022 ($ billion)3. Global polyurethane foam market regional outlook 2012-2022 ($ billion)3.1. North America3.2. Europe3.3. Asia Pacific3.4. Middle East & Africa3.5. Central & South America4. Competitive Landscape4.1. BASF SE4.2. The DOW Chemical Company4.3. Bayer AG4.4. Sekisui Chemical Co. Ltd.4.5. Nitto Denko Corporation4.6. Compagnie De Saint-Gobain S.A.4.7. Huntsman Corporation4.8. Wanhua Chemical Group Co., Ltd. (Former: Yantai Wanhua Polyuretanes Co., Ltd.)4.9. Trelleborg AB4.10. Tosoh Corporation (Nippon Polyurethane Industry Co., Ltd.)4.11. Chemtura Corporation4.12. Inoac Corporation4.13. Recticel NV /SA4.14. Armacell Gmbh4.15. Foamcraft, Inc.4.16. Foampartner Group4.17. Future Foam, Inc.4.18. Fxi-Foamex Innovations4.19. Rogers Corporation4.20. UFP Technologies, Inc.4.21. The Woodbridge GroupClick Here For Same Category Reports : briskinsights.com/category/chemical-and-material-industryOur Blog :Contact Us :Jennifer SmithOffice 1094109 Vernon HouseFriar LanenottinghamNG1 6DQPhone : +448081890034 (UK)Email : sales@briskinsights.comWebsite :About Us :Brisk Insights is a global market research firm. Our insightful analysis is focused on developed and emerging markets. We identify trends and forecast markets with a view to aid businesses identify market opportunities optimize strategies.Working in a highly dynamic and multi-dimensional business makes decision making complex. Effective business decisions are a result of the synthesis of market information. Our Research and data analysis is an efficient and cost-effective way of providing robust market analysis and can yield highly valuable intelligence relating to consumers, competitors and markets.Jennifer SmithOffice 1094109 Vernon HouseFriar LanenottinghamNG1 6DQ Global Aquafeed Market is expected to grow at the CAGR of 12.1% from 2015 to 2022 http://www.briskinsights.com/sample-request/14 http://www.briskinsights.com/category/agriculture-industry http://www.pdfdevices.com/global-aquafeed-market-is-expected-to-reach-170-33-billion-by-2022-brisk-insights/ According to a recently published report, the Global Aquafeed Market is expected to grow at the CAGR of 12.1% from 2015 to 2022 and by consumption value and expected to reach $170.33 billion by 2022 with global aquaculture (Aquafeed) additive market is expected to reach $1.28 billion by 2022. The Global Aquafeed market is segmented into micro-markets, based on the share of each additive (by product,), animal species (by application), and by geographical region. The report on Global Aquafeed market forecast 2015-2022 provides detailed overview and predictive analysis of the market.Browse Here For Full Report With ToC : briskinsights.com/report/aquafeed-market-forecast-2015-2022The global aquafeed market is increasing with factors such as growth of the global aquaculture industry and growing demand for fish for human consumption is anticipated to drive demand for fed fish species, which in turn is expected to push forward aquafeed market growth over the forecast period. In the past decade there is growing expectation for aquaculture to meet the shortfall of aquatic products and to cater to the growing demand of the increasing population. This industry is driven by the increase in the fish meat consumption which is due to the boom in the world population. China is responsible for most of the growth that is happening in the Asia-Pacific region. There is a clear trend towards the development and implementation of safety and quality standards. Growing demand for fish and fish oil products owing to rising consumer awareness regarding the health benefits of omega 3 is further expected to expand aquaculture activities, consequently fuelling the demand for aquafeed. Several factors such as high raw material cost and widespread occurrence of diseases in Aquaculture Industry are impeding the market growth of aquafeed.On the basis of segment the carp is the largest segment of the market, accounting for over 26% of global aquafeed demand presently. In addition, demand for aquafeed in carps is expected to be the highest over the forecast period. Carps are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and offer high sources of protein that are low in fat.The key players in the Global Aquafeed Market include Alltech Inc, Biomar A/S, Cargill Inc., Aller Aqua A/S, Cermaq ASA, Archer Daniel Midland (ADM), BASF SE, Biomin Holding GmbH, Skretting, EWOS, De Heus and Nutriad International.Request For Sample :SCOPE OF THE REPORT1. Global Aquafeed market by products 2012-2022 ($ BILLION)1.1. Amino acids1.2. Antibiotics1.3. Vitamins1.4. Feed acidifiers1.5. Others2. Global Aquafeed market by material 2012-2022 ($ BILLION)2.1. Carp2.2. Mollusks2.3. Salmon2.4. Crustaceans2.5. Tilapia2.6. Catfish2.7. OthersClick Here For Same Category Reports :Our Blog :Contact Us :Jennifer SmithOffice 1094109 Vernon HouseFriar LanenottinghamNG1 6DQPhone : +448081890034 (UK)Email : sales@briskinsights.comWebsite : briskinsights.com/About Us :Brisk Insights is a global market research firm. Our insightful analysis is focused on developed and emerging markets. We identify trends and forecast markets with a view to aid businesses identify market opportunities optimize strategies.Working in a highly dynamic and multi-dimensional business makes decision making complex. Effective business decisions are a result of the synthesis of market information. Our Research and data analysis is an efficient and cost-effective way of providing robust market analysis and can yield highly valuable intelligence relating to consumers, competitors and markets.Office 1094109 Vernon HouseFriar LanenottinghamNG1 6DQ ISO Software Systeme at Passenger Terminal Expo in Cologne Display Departues with SKYport FIDS. www.iso-gruppe.com During Passenger Terminal Expo 2016, ISO Software Systeme will present the latest additions to its Airport Management Suite SKYport. ISOs highlights at the trade show will be the Modules FIDS Client and Customer Portal of the Airport Management Suite SKYport. Visit us in Cologne, from 15 to 17 March 2016, in hall 10.1 at stand 2017.Passenger Experience is the big catchphrase in airport management today. During the Passenger Terminal Expo 2016 in Cologne, 1517 March, ISO Software Systeme will present the latest version of its SKYport FIDS as well as the new SKYport Customer Portal for automated data collection without media disruption.Media-rich FIDS for enhanced Passenger ExperienceUsing this web-based FIDS, airport operators can optimize their passenger experience with individualized Web services (e.g. the current weather at the destination) and advertisements. The easy-to-use layout editor lets you create media-rich content in your corporate design.Seamless Integration with the AODBSKYport Customer Portal integrates seamlessly with SKYport AODB, eliminating the hassle of having to re-enter information that is usually sent by mail or fax. SKYport makes all customer information readily available for further processing with a simple click. Registered customers can even enter flight plans directly, particularly the desired additional services. Once approved, the flight plans become immediately in the daily flight schedule.Visit us during PTE 2016 in Cologne, hall B5, stand 2017 and see for yourself what our new solutions have to offer.The ISO Software Systeme GmbH has established a solid reputation as a major player in IT consultancy, software development and related services. Software development with a focus on Java, Microsoft and Oracle is our core competence for our own products as well as on behalf of our customers. The core competencies of ISO Software Systeme for the aviation industry include: SAP consulting and development for airports, IT solutions for airport operators, Air Traffic Control and airlines as well as ground handlers.Software solutions from ISO are in use at more than 40 airports worldwide from the regional airport in Dortmund to major airports in Europe such as Zurich to major international airport in Bangkok.ISO has been active in the market since 1979 and has since become an international IT service provider. Targeting specific markets has resulted in several powerful and innovative companies under the umbrella of the ISO-Gruppe. These include ISO Software Systems (specialized in software engineering and IT consulting), ISO Travel Solutions (an IT expert for the tourism industry), ISO Professional Services (a specialist for SAP and infrastructure services) and ISO Recruiting Consultants (a provider of IT personnel services).A total of 400 permanent employees work at several sites throughout Germany as well as in associate companies in Austria, Poland, Canada and the UAE. The companies ISO Software Systeme, ISO Travel Solutions and ISO Professional Services of the ISO-Gruppe, with their respective offices in Nuremberg, Munich and Offenbach, are certified to the requirements of the quality management system in accordance with DIN EN ISO 9001:2008.For further information, please visitISO Software Systeme GmbHEichendorffstrasse 3390491 Nuremberg, GermanyRalf Regner, Marketing/PRTel.: +49 (0) 911 / 9 95 94-0Fax: +49 (0) 911 / 9 95 94-129E-Mail: ralf.regner@iso-gruppe.com Trinova Capital Announce New Institutional Business Development Manager www.trinovacapital.com Trinova Capital today announced the appointment of Kieran Bessington as Institutional Business Development Manager. He will be responsible for building new client relationships and driving Trinovas presence in the corporate and local authority pensions market. Mr Bessington joins an existing team of 14.Kieran Bessingtons career spans over two decades, with his most recent role focusing on institutional sales and consultant relations. Kieran has also held roles in fixed income and currency business development at various global financial institutions.Spencer Conway, Senior Portfolio Manager at Trinova commented, Kieran is another great addition to the Trinova Capital team. His experience will complement our existing fourteen-strong team and help drive our long-term strategy to increase focus on key investment strategies for both defined contribution (DC) and defined benefit (DB) pension schemes, and to grow our business.In February, Trinova Capital announced the appointment of Mark Albright as Human Resources Manager, who for eight years was a key member of an institutional sales team responsible for distributing funds to institutional clients, with a specialist focus on multi-asset strategies.Trinova Capital is an independent asset and wealth management firm based in Tokyo who provide sound, ethical and transparent financial advice to their institutional and private clients worldwide. For more information visit, email info@trinovacapital.com , or call +813 4588 8434Trinova Capital is and independent wealth management firm based in Tokyo who offer sound, ethical and transparent financial advice to their private and institutional clients worldwide.Otemachi Financial City North Tower 1-9-5 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 100-0004 Handheld Imagery Market Is Expected To Grow At The CAGR Of US$ 3.60 billion by 2022 Brisk Insights http://www.briskinsights.com/report/handheld-imagery-market http://www.briskinsights.com/category/consumer-goods-industry http://www.pdfdevices.com/global-fermentation-chemicals-market-is-expected-to-reach-66-billion-by-2022-brisk-insights/ According to a recently published report, the Global Handheld Imagery Market is expected to grow at the CAGR of 12.13% during 2015-2022 and it estimated to be US$ 3.60 billion by 2022. The Global Handheld Imagery market is segmented on the basis of by products, by applications and by geography. The report on Global Handheld Imagery market forecast 2015-2022 provides detailed overview and predictive analysis of the market.Click Here For Full Report with TOC:The Global Handheld Imagery market is expected to grow exponentially due to increasing demand across several applications of imagery, as reported by, Occams Business Research. Rise in adoption across the industrial and construction sector is expected to provide avenues for handheld imagers market growth. In addition to that, decline in microbolometer cost is also expected to fuel market demand over the forecasted period.Key application areas of handheld imagery market includes: construction, industrial, security, and medical. Handheld imagers are widely used across these sectors owing to several benefits provided by these imagers such as low price, low power consumption and lightweight quality. Surging demand across the security sector is expected to drive the global handheld imagers market. Currently the market of IR scanners exhibit high growth potential, which may be primarily due to decline in product prices. On account of growing security concerns and rising terror threats, the security segment emerged as the dominant application segment, and accounted for near 30% of the overall market. Geographically, North America dominates the Global handheld Imagery Market and is expected to emerge as a dominant regional market over the forecast period, owing to increasing government mandates pertaining to rising terrorist threats and aviation security followed by Europe and Asia-Pacific.Request For Free Sample: briskinsights.com/sample-request/75The key players in the Global handheld Imagery Market include Zircon Corporation, Fluke Corporation, FLIR Systems, BAE Systems, Stanley Black and Decker, Defence and Security Equipment International, General Dynamics Corporation and so on. The Global handheld imagers market is highly competitive with existing players facing tough competition from new vendors entering the market. New market entrants emphasize on vertical integration and alliance with strategic partners for product marketing and business expansion.Scope of the Report1. Global Handheld Imagery market by products 2012-2022 ($ BILLION)1.1. Stud Finders1.2. IR Scanners1.3. Millimeter Wave Scanners1.4. MicrobolometersClick Here For Same Category Reports:2. Global Handheld Imagery market by application 2012-2022 ($ BILLION)2.1. Construction2.2. Industrial2.3. Security2.4. Medical2.5. Others3. Global Handheld Imagery market regional outlook 2012-2022 ($ BILLION)3.1. North America3.2. Europe3.3. Asia Pacific3.4. Middle East & Africa3.5. Central & South AmericaLatest Report:Global Fermentation Chemicals Market is expected to reach $66 billion by 2022 Brisk Insights:4. Competitive Landscape4.1. BAE Systems4.2. Bosch4.3. DRS Technologies4.4. Defense and Security Equipment International4.5. C.H. Hanson.4.6. FLIR Systems4.7. Fluke Corporation4.8. Franklin Sensors4.9. General Dynamics Corporation4.10. Newport Corporation4.11. Raytek4.12. Sago Systems4.13. Stanley Black & Decker4.14. Zircon CorporationWebsite: briskinsights.com/Brisk Insights is a global market research firm. Our insightful analysis is focused on developed and emerging markets. We identify trends and forecast markets with a view to aid businesses identify market opportunities optimize strategies.Jennifer SmithOffice 1094109 Vernon HouseFriar LaneNottinghamNG1 6DQPhone: +448081890034 (UK) Latest Industrial Fasteners Market Size, Share, Industry Growth, Analysis And Forecast to 2022 Brisk Insights http://www.briskinsights.com/report/industrial-fasteners-market http://www.briskinsights.com/sample-request/74 http://www.briskinsights.com/category/retail-industry According to a recently published report, the Global Industrial Fasteners Market is expected to grow at the CAGR of 5.23% during 2015-2022 and it estimated to be $95 billion by 2022. The global industrial fasteners market is segmented on the basis of product, industry applications and geography. The report on global industrial fasteners market forecast 2015-2022 provides detailed overview and predictive analysis of the market.Click Here For Full Report with TOC:In both developing and developed regions the market of industrial fastener market is expected to witness high growth during the forecasted period. Increase in living standard in various economies helps to fuel the demand for fastener containing durable goods such as motor vehicles and boost the OEM (original and equipment manufacturing) market sale. However during the forecasted period the market of developed region will not grow as strong as developing regions as the industrialization in these regions are increasing rapidly.The industrial fasteners market is growing rapidly as the activities such as maintenance and construction is increasing across the globe. In emerging economies such as India, China and Brazil the automobiles demand is increasing which helps in fuel the demand of industrial fasteners market globally. Industrial fasteners market is segmented on product basis such as aerospace grade, externally threaded and standard fasteners which includes internally threaded fasteners and non- threaded fasteners. Externally threaded fastener is estimated to witness high growth over the forecasted period and is estimated to be the most dominant product segment as the use of externally threaded fasteners is increasing in machinery OEM, construction and automotive applications. Similarly aerospace grade fasteners will witness high demand over the forecasted period as the government investment in aerospace industry is increasing along with the infrastructure and defense industry.Request For Free Sample:The major players profiled in the report include Stratasys Ltd., Acument Global Technologies, ATF Inc, Alcoa, EJOT, Dokka Fasteners, Hilti, Kova Fasteners Pvt. Ltd, LISI Group, ITW, MW Industries Inc., Penn Engineering, Nifco And so on. Innovation and R&D are the key winning strategy of the market.Scope of the report1. Global industrial fasteners market by product 2012-2022 ($ billion)1.1. Externally threaded1.2. Aerospace grade1.3. Standard2. Global industrial fasteners market by applications 2012-2022 ($ billion)2.1. Automotive OEM2.2. Machinery OEM2.3. MRO2.4. Construction2.5. Other OEM3. Global industrial fasteners industry regional outlook 2012-2022 ($ billion)3.1. North America3.2. Europe3.3. Asia Pacific3.4. Middle East & Africa3.5. Central & South AmericaClick Here For Same Category Reports:4. Competitive Landscape4.1. Acument Global Technologies4.2. ATF Inc4.3. Alcoa4.4. EJOT4.5. Dokka Fasteners4.6. Hilti.4.7. Kova Fasteners Pvt. Ltd4.8. LISI Group4.9. ITW4.10. MW Industries Inc.4.11. Penn Engineering4.12. Nifco4.13. Precision Castparts Corp4.14. Stanley Black & Decker4.15. Standard Fasteners Ltd4.16. Nexo Group4.17. TR Fastenings4.18. Special Washers Pvt. Ltd4.19. PANCHSHEEL FASTENERS PVT. LTD4.20. Fasteners N Fittings (FNF)Website: briskinsights.com/Brisk Insights is a global market research firm. Our insightful analysis is focused on developed and emerging markets. We identify trends and forecast markets with a view to aid businesses identify market opportunities optimize strategies.Jennifer SmithOffice 1094109 Vernon HouseFriar LaneNottinghamNG1 6DQPhone: +448081890034 (UK) Big Data Small Devices www.germaninnovation.org Are we facing a new way of doing data science? Do we need novel methods for machine learning? On Monday, March 7, leading IT experts will convene at the German Center for Research and Innovation (GCRI) in New York for a discussion on Big Data and resource-restricted systems.NEW YORK (March 3, 2016) The amount of digitally recorded information in todays world is growing exponentially. Massive volumes of user-generated information from smart phones and social media are fueling this Big Data revolution. As data flows throughout every sector of our global economy, questions emerge from commercial, government, and non-profit organizations interested in the vast possibilities of this information. What is Big Data? How does it create value? How can we as digital consumers and producers personally benefit? While Big Data has the potential to transform how we live and work, others see it as an intrusion of their privacy. Data protection concerns aside, the mere task of analyzing and visualizing large, complex, often unstructured data will pose great challenges to future data scientists.On Monday, March 7, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., please join our speakers at the German Center for Research and Innovation (GCRI) in New York as they discuss the impact and challenges of using distributed computational power and data. Questions addressed will include whether new methods for machine learning are needed which respect local constraints on energy, computational power, and varying communication links as well as whether access to Big Data helps in the automated discovery of hypotheses and their validations.Prof. Dr. Katharina Morik, Head of the Collaborative Research Center SFB876 and Professor of Computer Science at TU Dortmund University in Germany, will discuss resource-aware data science. She will present the smartphone as a resource-restricted system, drawing upon studies of thousands of app usages. She will also describe logistics hardware made by SFB876 and explain resource-restricted machine learning. Starting with natural language processing, Prof. Dr. Moriks interests transitioned to machine learning ranging from inductive logic programming to statistical learning and then to the analysis of very large data collections, high-dimensional data, and resource awareness. Since 2011, she has been leading the Collaborative Research Center SFB876 on resource-aware data analysis, an interdisciplinary center comprising 14 projects, 20 professors, and about 50 Ph.D. students or postdoctoral fellows.Prof. Dr. Morik will be joined by Prof. Dr. Kristian Kersting, Associate Professor of Computer Science at TU Dortmund University. Prof. Dr. Kersting will present real-time traffic as a resource-restricted system and explain the role of Markov random fields (MRF). He will focus on how Big Data analytics enables better logistics and transport. Prof. Dr. Kersting moved to the Fraunhofer IAIS and the University of Bonn using a Fraunhofer ATTRACT Fellowship in 2008 after completing a postdoctoral fellowship at MIT in Cambridge, MA. Before moving to the TU Dortmund University in 2013, he was appointed Assistant Professor for Spatiotemporal Patterns in Agriculture at the University of Bonn in 2012. His main research interests are data mining, machine learning, and statistical relational artificial intelligence, with applications to medicine, plant phenotyping, traffic, and collective attention.Prof. Dr. Dr. Wolfgang Rhode, Professor of Astroparticle Physics at TU Dortmund University, will also speak. He will elaborate on using data science for science, presenting the telescope as a resource-restricted system. He will explore how real-time Big Data analytics are revolutionizing science to become data-volume driven. Since 2003, Prof. Dr. Dr. Rhode has been working as a professor in Dortmund. His current experiments IceCube, MAGIC, FACT, and CTA focus on the observation of high-energy neutrinos and gamma-rays from extraterrestrial sources. A central topic of his research agenda is the development of new methods to enable Big Data analysis in physics.Dr. Claudia Perlich, Chief Scientist at Dstillery, will draw upon her experience in real-time advertising, highlighting ad pushing as a resource-restricted service. She will speak about real-time services on apps and how Big Data analytics can help create new business plans. Dr. Perlich leads the machine learning efforts that power Dstillerys digital intelligence for marketers and media companies. With more than 50 published scientific articles, she is a widely acclaimed expert on Big Data and machine learning applications, and an active speaker at data science and marketing conferences around the world. Dr. Perlich is the past winner of the Advertising Research Foundations (ARF) Grand Innovation Award and has been selected for Crains New York 40 Under 40 list, Wired Magazines Smart List, and Fast Companys 100 Most Creative People. Prior to joining Dstillery in 2010, Claudia worked at IBMs Watson Research Center.Dr. Tina Eliassi-Rad, Associate Professor of Computer Science at Northeastern University in Boston, MA, will moderate the discussion. Dr. Eliassi-Rad is also on the faculty of the Network Science Institute at Northeastern. Her research is rooted in data mining and machine learning and spans theory, algorithms, and applications of massive data from networked representations of physical and social phenomena. Her work has been applied to personalized search on the World-Wide Web, statistical indices of large-scale scientific simulation data, fraud detection, and cyber situational awareness.This discussion will take place on Monday, March 7, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the German Center for Research and Innovation (871 United Nations Plaza, First Avenue, btw. 48th & 49th Streets).Follow @gcri_ny and the hashtag #BigData for live tweets. A video recording will be available onshortly after the event.This event is co-sponsored by the German Center for Research and Innovation (GCRI) and the University Alliance Ruhr (UA Ruhr).The German Center for Research and Innovation provides information and support for the realization of cooperative and collaborative projects between North America and Germany. With the goal of enhancing communication on the critical challenges of the 21st century, GCRI hosts a wide range of events from lectures and exhibitions to workshops and science dinners. Opened in February 2010, GCRI was created as a cornerstone of the German governments initiative to internationalize science and research and is one of six centers worldwide.Jennifer AudetCommunications OfficerGerman Center for Research and Innovation (GCRI)871 United Nations PlazaNew York, NY 100171.212.339.8680 X302 New Home Fabric Collection by Homes Furnishings Homes Furnishings, one of the leading Brands in India in the home furnishings segment from the house of GM Fabrics, recently unveiled its new collection. With the objective of Premium Quality Fabrics at Competitive prices, the Brand has a loyal customer base across the globe.Homes Furnishings comes with a promise to give you the experience of International Living. The collections recently launched include:1. FLEROA collection of unrefined textures refined into finely woven polyester jacquard, made in deep silvery grays and gold beiges, Flero takes us back in time, giving an unmistakable baroque feel to a decor.2. MELODIEMelodie is a poly-viscose jacquard collection in soothing color options, with simple nature inspired designs to intricate allover damask patterns. Fresh lilac, lime green, taupe, etc. combined with white, all in a matte finish make this collection a subtle treat to the eye.3. ODOLOAn upholstery texture collection made of laminated polyester, Odolo makes for the perfect choice for modern homes looking for class, simplicity and durability. It is available in array of solid matte colors ranging from pale pastels to deeper hues giving wide range of options to choose from.4. PERTICAPertica is a range of textured upholstery fabrics in basic neutral colors natural, grey and off white. These rustic textures, finished to give a soft, organic feel, bring a relaxed aura to a living space.Talking about the new collection, Mr Gurvinder Singh, Managing Director, Homes Furnishings, said, Home Furnishings is a very demanding category. Customers are always on the lookout for new, innovative designs and fabrics. Keeping this in mind, we constantly strive to give our customers something new.Based in Mumbai, besides having a robust network in India, GM Fabrics exports its material to over 25 countries in Europe and USA. In India, Homes Furnishings is available through multi-branded outlets in over 150 cities in India.Homes Furnishings, one of the leading Brands in India in the home furnishings segment from the house of GM Fabrics.Homes FurnishingsAndheri East, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India PLEEC Final Conference PLANNING FOR ENERGY EFFICIENT CITIES: How to achieve the Sustainable Energy Smart City" www.pleecproject.eu How can we make sure that our cities will be and remain sustainable places to live in?The PLEEC project (Planning for energy efficient cities) - funded by the EU-Seventh Framework Programme has now been working for three years on these issues.On 8 March 2016 the PLEECs Final Conference PLANNING FOR ENERGY EFFICIENT CITIES how to achieve the Sustainable Energy Smart City will present the latest research findings on sustainable city planning and energy efficiency.75% of EU citizens are living in cities today whereas at the same time the demand for energy is growing - cities belong to the main CO2 emission sources. One of the crucial questions is how to find suitable measures to make our cities more energy efficient. How can we make sure that our cities will be and remain sustainable places to live in? The PLEEC project (Planning for energy efficient cities) - funded by the EU-Seventh Framework Programme has now been working for three years on these issues: 18 partners from 13 European countries are collaborating to make European cities more energy efficient ().On 8 March 2016 the PLEECs Final Conference PLANNING FOR ENERGY EFFICIENT CITIES how to achieve the Sustainable Energy Smart City will present the latest research findings on sustainable city planning and energy efficiency. Members of the PLEEC partner consortium will showcase the results achieved within the PLEEC project and share their experiences on how to plan for the Energy Smart City. Meet our university experts and smart city partners and take part in discussing future paths of sustainable development!The PLEEC Final Conference will take place on 8 March 2016 from 14 17.30 hrs in the venues of HafenCity University Hamburg (Uberseeallee 16, 20457 Hamburg). The event will be organized in the framework of the International Conference on Sustainable Built Environment - SBE 16 in Hamburg. SBE Hamburg showcases new and innovative concepts of sustainability in the building sector and the sustainable development of new as well as existing neighborhoods. Under the theme Strategies, Stakeholders, Success Factors SBE16 Hamburg expects to attract around 400 scientists, planners, stakeholders, architects, engineers and politicians from all over the world. We are looking forward to welcoming you in Hamburg!The PLEEC project "Planning for Energy Efficient Cities" funded by the EU Seventh Framework Programme uses an integrative approach to achieve the sustainable, energyefficient, smart city. By coordinating strategies and combining best practices, PLEEC will develop a general model for energy efficiency and sustainable city planning.By connecting scientific excellence and innovative enterprises in the energy sector with ambitious and well-organized cities, the project aims to reduce energy use in Europe in the near future and will therefore be an important tool contributing to the EU's 20-20-20 targets.M.A. Julia HaselbergerResearch and Transfer Centre Applications of Life SciencesHamburg University of Applied SciencesFaculty of Life SciencesUlmenliet 20/21033 Hamburg/ GermanyTel.: +49-40-42875-6358/ Fax: +49-40-42875-6079julia.haselberger@haw-hamburg.de Prchard Parks Maya Clinard Orchard Parks Maya Clinard, far right, took runner-up in singles at this past weekends Section VI Girls Tennis Championships at... Boys soccer peaking into sectionals It was not an ideal start to the 2022 season for the Orchard Park boys soccer team, dropping its first... Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. The Dow Chemical Co. and DuPont Co. have filed reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission detailing payments of almost $80 million combined for the top official of each company if they separate from the merged companies in or by 2017. Dows CEO Andrew Liveris would leave the company with $52.8 million in cash, stock and tax reimbursements payments in 2017, after DowDuPont has merged and separated into three independent businesses. If DuPont CEO Edward Breen leaves in 2017, he will receive $27 million. A Dow spokesperson said Liveris would receive about $13 million in additional compensation as a result of the change in control agreement, versus what he would have received prior to the merger announcement. Both Liveris and Breen will continue to receive health benefits following their exits from the merged companies, about 18 months for Liveris and three years for Breen. These figures are based on the price per share of Dows common stock of $50.49, the average per-share closing price over the five business days that followed the Dec. 11 announcement that Dow and DuPont were merging into a chemical giant worth about $130 billion. Liveris is expected to be named executive chairman of DowDuPont, with a focus on establishing the material sciences business to be spun off once the merger is complete, with its headquarters to remain in Midland. Likewise, Breen would become CEO of DowDuPont and focus on agriculture and specialty products, which would be headquartered in Wilmington, Del. A 16-member board of directors would be made up of equal numbers from the current boards of both companies, including Breen and Liveris. There would also be two independent, co-lead directors. An estimated timeline puts the merger completion in the second half of 2016, with spin-offs of the three independent businesses as soon as possible, according to Dow-published highlights of Form S4. The highlights states Dow will be considered the acquiring entity in the merger. It does not mention what the SEC is calling Golden Parachutes for the merging companys top officials in its own filing. The SEC filing includes more than 200 pages and details the merger process. Included in the filing is information on special meetings for Dow and DuPont, where stockholders will be asked to adopt the merger agreement, vote on adjournment proposals and approve the compensation for some executive officers of the companies. Both companies have announced jobs cuts since news of the merger broke. A cut of 500 jobs from the workforce of Dow Chemical was quickly mentioned in the companys earnings conference call in early February, with few details provided such as what locations or types of jobs will be affected. DuPont has been aggressive in tackling a $700 million cost reduction and restructuring, plans of which were revealed after the intended merger was made public. In a memo sent after Christmas in 2015, Breen detailed the elimination of 1,700 jobs. That figure would account for 28 percent of DuPonts current Delaware workforce. The SEC filing is available for viewing at http://1.usa.gov/1UBcQSi. To the editor: Hunters: Imagine that you have traipsed through the woods or set up a blind to hunt for wild birds and turned around to find a flock of spectators waiting hours and hours for you to shoot a flying target that might fly over! Not so preposterous! The news recently reported that Antonin Scalia died at a ranch where he had gone to hunt. This is a tourist ranch that provides a fake hunting experience. Go to the website of Cibolo Creek Ranch and keep tabbing until you come to Bird Hunts. The site states that a European driven bird hunt will be provided; hunters are always thrilled by the shoot and so are the spectators who watch, and an open-air breakfast will be provided for all. How Justice Scalia got his kicks killing birds in a fake hunt without slogging through the woods is his business. But, making decisions that he made which killed our democracy is another thing. Over 80 percent of American citizens oppose his and the Supreme Courts decision known as Citizens United which allows unlimited financial funds from billionaires to candidates for office. He provided fake arguments and justifications in that monumental court decision. He has been eulogized by Washington politicians for service to his country and somber tributes have been made. But, he helped kill my power as an individual voter and handed democracy over to the wealthier political players. Hapless in America, JEAN SARANTOS Midland Airpowers greatest strategic strength lies in its speed, range, flexibility, precision and lethality. Airmen exploit the third dimension, and no one else can ensure rapid power projection at a time and place of our nations choosing like the U.S. Air Force. As tensions escalate across this vast region, due in large part to Chinas continued militarization of the South China Sea, the need to demonstrate credible combat power while leveraging our network of like-minded partner nations has only increased. PACAF airpower plays a crucial role in ensuring our nation continues to exercise the freedom to fly and sail in the international airspace and waters of this region so we dont risk losing it. With the vast array of challenges that come with planning and executing air operations across 52 percent of the globe, it can be difficult to take stock of the impact PACAF Airmen are having in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. If you look, however, at the range of simultaneous operations weve conducted over the first two months of 2016, our contributions as U.S. Pacific Commands air component become very clear. On Jan. 6, our Airmen were called to action after North Korea conducted its fourth underground nuclear test in clear defiance of UN Security Council resolutions. A few short days later, in a demonstration of the steadfast commitment to the U.S.-Republic of Korea alliance, a B-52H Stratofortress from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, conducted a low-level flight with a Republic of Korea Air Force F-15K Slam Eagle and a U.S. F-16C Fighting Falcon Jan. 10 in the vicinity of Osan Air Base, South Korea. This extended deterrence mission highlighted our ability to mobilize strategic bombers throughout the region in support of our allies. At the same time, more than 200 Airmen with the 112th Fighter Squadron from Toledo Air National Guard Base, Ohio, deployed to Andersen AFB as the 112th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron in support of the U.S. PACOMs Theater Security Package mission. This routine deployment greatly strengthens our capability to project power throughout the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. A few days later, PACAF airpower was on the move again; this time, 14 F-22A Raptors and approximately 200 personnel from Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson, Alaska and 12 F-16Cs and nearly 150 personnel from Eielson AFB, Alaska spent several days training at Yokota Air Base, Japan, before flying to Kadena Air Base, Japan, to participate in our winter training cycle. Rotating these Alaskan forces through Japan provides invaluable combined training opportunities with the Japanese Air Self Defense Forces and demonstrates our flexible capability to mobilize the most advanced fighter in our fleet throughout the region. Additionally, maintaining credible combat power is about having the right capabilities in the region, including the F-22s fifth-generation capabilities. It is our F-22s and the F-35 Lightning II we will bring to the region in the coming years that will help to maintain security and stability by giving us an edge over potential adversaries. As we made our way into February, PACAF Airmen continued to demonstrate their presence and build partnerships throughout the region. On Feb. 9th, a B-52 arrived in Darwin, Australia, to conduct training with the Royal Australian Air Force, advancing interoperability between our allied Airmen. Meanwhile, the U.S. along with the JASDF, RAAF, Philippine Air Force, ROKAF and the Royal New Zealand Air Force kicked off exercise Cope North 2016 at Andersen AFB, Guam, on Feb. 10. This exercise featured more than 900 U.S. Airmen and Sailors training alongside approximately 1,000 service members from partner nations. More than 100 aircraft participated in the exercise, which included both humanitarian assistance and disaster relief training and large-force employment training. Concurrently, more than 150 joint personnel, eight U.S. airframes, and two PACAF demonstration teams showcased their capabilities at the Singapore International Airshow from Feb. 16-21. Included among them was the debut of the F-22 in Singapore, which not only highlighted U.S. Air Force fifth-generation capability to crowds of thousands, but demonstrated our enduring commitment to ensuring regional stability. Of course, this was not the only location where F-22s operated that week. In response to continued North Korean provocations, a four-ship of F-22s from those rotating through Japan, joined ROKAF F-15s and U.S. F-16s in yet another formation of solidarity on Feb. 17, in the vicinity of Osan Air Base, South Korea, further demonstrating our ironclad commitment to regional stability. Within mere days of this show of force, the Airmen providing our continuous bomber presence and flexible deterrence executed a B-52 mission flying through the South China Sea from Andersen AFB to conduct a fly-by during the final day of the Singapore International Airshow, afterwards conducting an exercise mission during Cope North. As all of these missions were underway, PACAF also oversaw airlift operations in support of Operation DEEP FREEZE, the Department of Defenses support of the U.S. Antarctic Program and the National Science Foundation, which runs every year from September through March. This list merely captures the wave tops of everything our PACAF Airmen have done in the last eight weeks. Behind the headlines are the tireless efforts of thousands of Total Force Airmen who, along with a network of like-minded allies and partners, work to ensure airpower is delivered whenever and wherever it is needed. The past two months have demonstrated the regional demand for PACAFs unique blend of speed, range, precision, and flexibility. We live and work in a dynamic and increasingly tense region that is absolutely vital to our national interests and to the interests of our allies and partners in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. The scale and scope of the challenges we face are tremendous, but I have full faith that our Airmen will continue to deliver and make it all look easy. Time may pass, but the legacy of the crew and passengers of Stray 59 will never fade. Thirty five years later, the 1st Special Operations Squadron continues to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. A 1st SOS crew conducted their 35th annual memorial flight Feb. 26 off the coast of the Philippines to pay tribute to the crew of Stray 59. Stray 59 was the call sign of an MC-130E from the 1st SOS that crashed Feb. 26, 1981 during an exercise killing eight of the nine crew members and 15 passengers. The memorial flight has been flown by the 1st SOS every year since the crash 35 years ago. This year marks 35 years since we lost the fine operators aboard Stray 59, said Lt. Col. Shane Vesely, 1st Special Operations Squadron commander. The legacy left behind by the crew and passengers of Stray 59 will continue to impact who we are and how we operate as a unit. I am humbled to be a part of the Stray Goose community; a community that always comes through even when the potential costs are very, very high. Four Airmen from the 320th Special Tactics Squadron also joined the Talon II crew to honor those who died in the crash, which included two combat controllers. In February 1981, crews from the 1st SOS were responsible for the specialized airlift needed to support Special Warfare Exercise '81, an annual joint exercise in the Philippines hosted by the U.S. Navy Seals. The squadron established a base of operations at Naval Air Station Cubi Point, Philippines, and crews flew day and night missions involving low-level, psychological operations, and infiltration and exfiltration of forces. During the 16-day exercise, the crew of Stray 59 conducted 12 missions. The Feb. 16 mission was scheduled to be the crew's final mission during the Specwarex '81. On the morning of Feb. 26, 1981, the crew of STRAY 59 departed without issue from Cubi Point, Philippines, at 4:28 a.m. before returning at 5:06 a.m. to quickly load 15 passengers participating in the exercise. STRAY 59 then departed two minutes later. All normal checks and calls were conducts within the first six minutes of the flight. The second, and last, transmission from STRAY 59 was received at 5:21 a.m. There had been no indication from the crew of any issues. Shortly after, a local fisherman watched the aircraft explode upon impact with the water. Eight crewmembers and 15 special operators died. One crew member from the 1st SOS, the electronic warfare officer, was thrown from the wreckage and rescued by a local fisherman. The wreckage from the crash sank 240 feet within minutes. Due to lack of physical evidence from the crash, investigators did not determine the cause of the crash. Its an absolute honor to be a part of this mission, said Maj. Casey Cunningham, 1st Special Operations Squadron. I personally have been a part of all three Talon operational units. What I have come to recognize is that each one has a special history and being a part of that unit, you realize that that history becomes a part of you just as much as you become a part of it. The 1st SOS members lost Feb. 26, 1981, during the STRAY 59 crash were Maj. James Kirk, aircraft commander; Capt. Norman Martel, pilot; Capt. Thomas Patterson, navigator; Capt. Gregory Peppers, navigator; Tech. Sgt. Stephen Blyler, radio operator; Tech. Sgt. Barry Chumbley, loadmaster; Tech. Sgt. Gary Logan, loadmaster; and Staff Sgt. John Felton, flight engineer. The 15 passengers lost were: From the U.S. Air Force and the 320th STS Senior Airman James Bach, Senior Airman David Bingaman From the U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Glenn Bloomer, and Airman First Class Kyle Wells. From the U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Danny Janecki, Staff Sgt. Patrick Estel, Staff Sgt. Davis Hagen and Sgt. Bryan Broadwater. From the Philippine Navy Radioman Petty Officer 3rd Class Rodrigo Penol and Seaman Manuel Dumo. From the Australian Army Sgt. Ewen Miller, Sgt. Murray Tonkin and Signalman Gregory Fry. From the New Zealand Army Warrant Officer 2nd Class Dave Heywood and Sgt. Dennis Terry. KADENA AIR BASE, Japan -- Time may pass, but the legacy of the crew and passengers of Stray 59 will never fade. Thirty five years later, the 1st Special Operations Squadron continues to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. A 1st SOS crew conducted their 35th annual memorial flight Feb. 26 off the coast of the Philippines to pay tribute to the crew of Stray 59. Stray 59 was the call sign of an MC-130E from the 1st SOS that crashed Feb. 26, 1981 during an exercise killing eight of the nine crew members and 15 passengers. The memorial flight has been flown by the 1st SOS every year since the crash 35 years ago. This year marks 35 years since we lost the fine operators aboard Stray 59, said Lt. Col. Shane Vesely, 1st Special Operations Squadron commander. The legacy left behind by the crew and passengers of Stray 59 will continue to impact who we are and how we operate as a unit. I am humbled to be a part of the Stray Goose community; a community that always comes through even when the potential costs are very, very high. Four Airmen from the 320th Special Tactics Squadron also joined the Talon II crew to honor those who died in the crash, which included two combat controllers. In February 1981, crews from the 1st SOS were responsible for the specialized airlift needed to support Special Warfare Exercise '81, an annual joint exercise in the Philippines hosted by the U.S. Navy Seals. The squadron established a base of operations at Naval Air Station Cubi Point, Philippines, and crews flew day and night missions involving low-level, psychological operations, and infiltration and exfiltration of forces. During the 16-day exercise, the crew of Stray 59 conducted 12 missions. The Feb. 16 mission was scheduled to be the crew's final mission during the Specwarex '81. On the morning of Feb. 26, 1981, the crew of STRAY 59 departed without issue from Cubi Point, Philippines, at 4:28 a.m. before returning at 5:06 a.m. to quickly load 15 passengers participating in the exercise. STRAY 59 then departed two minutes later. All normal checks and calls were conducts within the first six minutes of the flight. The second, and last, transmission from STRAY 59 was received at 5:21 a.m. There had been no indication from the crew of any issues. Shortly after, a local fisherman watched the aircraft explode upon impact with the water. Eight crewmembers and 15 special operators died. One crew member from the 1st SOS, the electronic warfare officer, was thrown from the wreckage and rescued by a local fisherman. The wreckage from the crash sank 240 feet within minutes. Due to lack of physical evidence from the crash, investigators did not determine the cause of the crash. Its an absolute honor to be a part of this mission, said Maj. Casey Cunningham, 1st Special Operations Squadron. I personally have been a part of all three Talon operational units. What I have come to recognize is that each one has a special history and being a part of that unit, you realize that that history becomes a part of you just as much as you become a part of it. The 1st SOS members lost Feb. 26, 1981, during the STRAY 59 crash were Maj. James Kirk, aircraft commander; Capt. Norman Martel, pilot; Capt. Thomas Patterson, navigator; Capt. Gregory Peppers, navigator; Tech. Sgt. Stephen Blyler, radio operator; Tech. Sgt. Barry Chumbley, loadmaster; Tech. Sgt. Gary Logan, loadmaster; and Staff Sgt. John Felton, flight engineer. The 15 passengers lost were: From the U.S. Air Force and the 320th STS Senior Airman James Bach, Senior Airman David Bingaman From the U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Glenn Bloomer, and Airman First Class Kyle Wells. From the U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Danny Janecki, Staff Sgt. Patrick Estel, Staff Sgt. Davis Hagen and Sgt. Bryan Broadwater. From the Philippine Navy Radioman Petty Officer 3rd Class Rodrigo Penol and Seaman Manuel Dumo. From the Australian Army Sgt. Ewen Miller, Sgt. Murray Tonkin and Signalman Gregory Fry. From the New Zealand Army Warrant Officer 2nd Class Dave Heywood and Sgt. Dennis Terry. BUSAN, Republic of Korea - Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) 7, including three ships and more than 4,000 Sailors and Marines, arrived in Republic of Korea ports March 3 for scheduled port visits. The Strike Groups flagship, the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) with embarked 3D Marine Expeditionary Brigade(MEB), Amphibious Squadron (PHIBRON) 11, and 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), along with the dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48) arrived in Busan while the dock landing ship USS Germantown (LSD 42) docked in the port city of Chinhae. "This port call gives Sailors and Marines the opportunity to forge lasting relationships with our partner nation," said Capt. Jeffrey A. Ward, commanding officer, USS Bonhomme Richard. "They will also have some time off to recharge and experience the Korean culture." The Sailors and Marines of the ESG will engage with members of the ROK Navy and conduct cultural exchanges where they will participate in several community relations projects, subject matter expert exchanges and host a reception aboard Bonhomme Richard with key U.S. and ROK Navy and Marine Corps leaders. Following the port visit, the ESG and ROK Flotilla 5 ESG will get underway to commence exercise Ssang Yong 2016. Ssang Yong 2016 is the largest multilateral amphibious exercise to date. It is a bi-annual exercise conducted by integrated MEB/ESG forward-deployed forces with the ROK Navy and Marine Corps designed to strengthen interoperability and working relationships across a wide range of military operations ranging from disaster relief to complex expeditionary operations. Bonhomme Richard and recently completed amphibious integration training (AIT) and a certification exercise (CERTEX) along with USS Germantown (LSD 42) and the embarked 31st MEU. Bonhomme Richard, Germantown and Ashland are forward-deployed to Sasebo, Japan and ESG 7, 3D MEB and 31st MEU are stationed in Okinawa, Japan. The BHRESG is currently on patrol in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations Breastfeeding is the normal way of providing nutrients to infants as an aid for healthy growth and development. The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding for newborn basically with the Colostrum, the yellow sticky breast milk produced right after the end of pregnancy. WHO further suggests exclusive breastfeeding up to 6 months of age in infants. Breastfeeding beyond 6 months should be properly accompanied with complimentary foods up to two years of age or beyond. Complimentary food should be adequate for the child's need -- providing sufficient energy, protein and micronutrients to meet a growing child's nutritional requirements. It is important to prepare and serve infant foods in a safe manner to minimize the risk of contamination. How long should moms breastfeed for? Well, it actually depends. Some mothers would breastfeed their children for a year. There are mothers who continue to nurse children even at the age of 4 or 5. At this stage, children are old enough to enter kindergarten. Some parenting experts state that breastfeeding too long could potentially stunt child development because it may impede a child's ability to self-soothe. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics supports mothers who want to nurse as long as necessary. Benefits For Babies The natural milk of mothers provides the best nutrition for infants, containing the perfect mix of vitamins, protein and fat. Breast milk contains antibodies that help infants fight off viruses and bacteria. It lowers the tendency for asthma and allergies. In addition, babies who are breastfed exclusively for the first 6 months have fewer ear infections, respiratory illnesses and bouts of diarrhea. Kids will have lesser trips to hospitals, as well. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends breastfeeding because it is linked to higher IQ scores in later childhood. The AAP says breastfeeding also plays a role in the prevention of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome). Benefits for Moms Moms can benefit, too! Breastfeeding burns extra calories, allowing mothers to lose weight faster. Breastfeeding also reduces uterine bleeding after birth and also lowers the risk of breast and ovarian cancer and osteoporosis. Breastfeeding creates a wonderful bond between mother and child, promoting better relationships in the family. It indeed does wonders! Kate Middleton's plan for the upcoming Mother's Day on Sunday was revealed. The mother-of-two chose a simple celebration with her kids, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, and husband, Prince William, in their home at Anmer Hall in Norfolk. The 34-year-old Kate Middleton, too, might choose to celebrate at their ancestral house in Berkshire with her family, her mother Carole, her dad Michael and her siblings James and Pippa. She would surely enjoy the day with her "lively" and a "little monkey," as Prince William described their firstborn, Prince George. The 2-year-old Prince would join the celebration by running around the house and play with his toys like what he did last Christmas. Princess Charlotte, on the other hand, was "very easy" and "very sweet" as told by her proud dad, Prince William. "[She is] very sweet," the 33-year-old Duke of Cambridge said the rugby players at a gathering hosted by the Welsh Rugby Charitable Trust. "But all fathers say 'just you wait, when they get to nine, 10, 11 they go crazy'. I'm looking forward to it, there will be some drama." Moreover, fans of the Royal family can wait for the release of the official pictures of Kate Middleton's Mother's Day celebration. Meanwhile, the bathrobes used by Kate Middleton and Prince William recently made noise as the designer Daniel Hanson revealed that it has a whopping price of 8,000 or $11,000 each. The wraps were specially made for the couple as wedding presents in 2011. Prince William got the navy robe while Kate Middleton got the white one. It was custom-made by the outfitters Turner & Bull. However, Daniel Hanson was still careful to divulge all the details about his client, but he's pleased to talk about the bathrobes. Kate Middleton's robe was inscribed with "Princess Catherine" while the Duke's wrap was embroidered with his title, "Prince William." Ariadna Gutierrez or best known as Miss Colombia, once again, made noise as she joined the cast of Vin Diesel's "xXx: The Return of Xander Cage." The first runner-up of the 2016 Miss Universe will have her film debut as the love interest of the 48-year-old actor. "xXx: The Return of Xander Cage" is a big-budgeted action film directed by D.J. Caruso, the director behind the success of "Eagle Eye" and "I am Number Four." They are all looking forward in hitting the box-office record like Vin Diesel's previous "xXx" movies, "Fast and the Furious" film franchise and "The Chronicles of Riddick." "xXx: The Return of Xander Cage" also stars Samuel L. Jackson, Kris Wu and Ruby Rose. Moreover, Ariadna Gutierrez is set to start shooting six scenes with three pages of dialogue as noted by TMZ. In fact, she's ready to fly to the Dominican Republic on Tuesday to film her part. The addition of Ariadna Gutierrez will give another twist and a fresh female face is what "xXx: The Return of Xander Cage" needs. Moreover, it has been known that Vin Diesel's films are more focus to offer "internationally-flavored diversity" giving different races a chance in Hollywood. Also, he is known for being "often partly attributed to his multiethnic background" and "post-national" character. Meanwhile, Ariadna Gutierrez is already a known actress in her country, Colombia. She was then crowned as Miss Colombia in 2014 and joined the Miss Universe pageant alongside Miss Philippines Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach. However, the two crowned beauties broke the internet as Ariadna Gutierrez was mistakenly called as the grand winner of "Miss Universe" title by the anchor of the night, the "Family Feud" host Steve Harvey. The unexpected scene was internationally broadcasted live and watched by the many, which made Ms. Colombia "an instantly sympathetic household name worldwide." "xXx: The Return of Xander Cage" is set to be released on Jan. 20, 2017. After a stressful grocery experience with his baby, a Swedish IT specialist Robert Ilijason had been inspired to start the country's first unmanned, 24-hour convenience store. He used his experience to put up an ideal shop especially for parents who find shopping with a baby on their side stressful. His business idea started when he and his hungry son was home alone late at night that he dropped the last baby's food jar on the floor. Tired, he pushed himself and eventually managed to drive for 20 minutes along with his hungry crying baby to the nearest town of Viken in southern Sweden where a 24-hour supermarket was available. Thinking it could also help other people especially those parents who live in remote areas, he decided to make his business idea into reality. Through his business, customers only have to download an app using their smartphones, register online to avail its services and they are good to go. As posted by Times of Malta, customers will be charged of their purchases in a monthly invoice. Just by using the app, customers will now be able to do their shopping in less than a minute. It will let them unlock the door which will only require a swipe of a finger and scan and credit their purchases without any hassle. Tuve Nilsson, a 75-year-old resident that had already visited the shop said with Ilijason's new store's technology, it would sure open more convenience to customers especially to elders who are living alone. According to him, Ilijason must only consider to properly introduce his business to his potential customers especially on how to properly use the app. Meanwhile, Ilijason is considering improvements by switching to credit card reader and fingerprint-reader for faster customer transactions, as posted in The Daily Meal. "My ambition is to spread this idea to other villages and small towns," said Mr. Ilijason. Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow is about to roll out for Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Plus following Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge. The latest Google mobile OS will bring 159 new emojis and new features that promise to improve the use of the smartphone. The Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow update is now ready for Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Plus units in South Korea and SK Telecom subscribers. However, Samsung users from the other telephone companies and countries don't have to worry as the latest update will soon come to their ways. Moreover, the Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow update for Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Plus has build number G928SKSU2BPAG. It is over 1 gigabyte in size and can be downloaded via Smart Switch desktop application or Over-the-Air or OTA update. The latest update comes with more than one hundred emojis for the emoticon lovers out there. Emojipedia confirmed that 159 new emojis will be added to Samsung's upcoming flagship models, like Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge. Also, Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Plus and the previous models will also be qualified to have this feature when they already have the Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow update. Meanwhile, it has been four months since Google started to release the new operating system. The Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow, too, carries changes to the update's interface. It substitute blue with white and switch the looks of some application icons. Additionally, it now has the famous Google Now on Tap feature and a number of key changes for the Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge. The Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow update comes with: The parliament of Singapore has recently forwarded an amendment on Feb. 29 that would help couples who are planning to have a divorce. All divorcing couples would have to attend a mandatory parenting program before they can file for divorce. Minister for social and family development Tan Chuan-jin told the parliament of Singapore that the existing law requiring divorcing couples to attend the mandatory mediation and counselling after filing a divorce is not ideal. It is because those couples who will attend the mediation and counselling have already been "too caught up with emotions" by that time. According to Straits Times, Tan explained that the new law aims to have couples planning for divorce be educated with its consequences to their children in the future. He added that this would effective since this will "enable couples to be more informed and make child-centric decisions during the process of divorce." Louis Ng who is one of the parliament members expressed his opinion that there should be an exception which will be explicitly stated for cases that involves domestic violence. He believes that if there is a spousal abuse then there may also be a child abuse happening. So this exception should be applied because this is not in the interest of the child. Tan has mentioned that all the amendments were created because of the evolving trends in the society like the increasing dual income family and divorces, and the wives being the main provider of the family. The amended law also extends to marriage preparation programme for all those marrying couples who have a partner below the age of 21. There will also be an extension for spousal maintenance for husbands and ex-husbands who are incapacitated. According to Parliament Member Lee Bee Wah, this includes those husbands who quit their job with mutual consent from their wife and have performed their roles adequately. Louis Ng also agreed that the eligibility for spousal maintenance will not be based on gender but should be based on fairness. Another part of the amendment is to void all marriages where one of the couples have proven guilty of "marriage of convenience" under the immigration Act. The mother of a newborn who set her own baby on fire on a road in Mount Holly, N.J. has pleaded guilty to the charge of aggravated manslaughter. She was previously charged with murder to which she pleaded not guilty. According to Yahoo News, prosecutors of 23-year-old Hyphern Kemberly Dorvilier recommended that she will be sentenced to 30 years in prison. Her sentencing is due on April 22. Dorvilier, who lives in Pemberton Township, New Jersey, reportedly doused her newborn with an accelerant and set her on fire. Residents in the neighborhood confronted her, and she tried to hide her actions by saying that she was burning feces, which were left by her dog inside her vehicle. Reports have it that Dorvilier tried to flee after putting out the flames using bottled water and the baby started crying. However, those concerned neighbors detained her and called the local authorities. Court documents stated that when police arrived at the scene, the neighbor was holding down the woman on the ground, while the baby was wrapped in towel and paper, both of which were smoldering. A lighter and a can of WD-40 were found in the jacket pocket of Dorvilier. The police also found that the umbilical cord and the placenta of the baby were still attached when they unwrapped the baby in the police cruiser. The burnt baby was immediately flown to St. Christopher's Hospital in Philadelphia hospital. But due to the massive third-degree burns that the baby suffered, affecting 60 percent of her body, she died two hours after arriving at the hospital. In another report by CBS News, Dorvilier was trying to hide her pregnancy from her mother and sister. Based on her actions, she must have opted to set the baby on fire to get rid of any evidence of her pregnancy than inform her family about it. Cuba and South Australia are joining the ranks of countries and regions reporting the first cases of Zika virus outbreak. On Wednesday, Cuba reported its first case of Zika diagnosed in a 28-year-old Venezuelan doctor. According to the Independent, the doctor's husband and brother-in-law contracted the virus previously in their home country. The patient arrived in Cuba along with 37 others on Feb. 21, to take a post-graduate course in medicine. A day later she reported a fever and on Monday was diagnosed with Zika. The Health Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday that the patient was recovering well in hospital. The doctor's brother was diagnosed with Zika two weeks before she traveled and her husband was diagnosed with Zika two months ago, according to the official statement. In order to contain dengue, another mosquito-borne virus related to Zika, the Cuban government has fumigated homes and neighborhoods for decades. The government ramped up mosquito eradication efforts and put doctors on alert for the Zika virus weeks ago. The first reported case of Zika infection in Cuba will certainly escalate the prevention efforts in the country. Meanwhile, according to South Australia Health, a 25-year-old man has tested positive to Zika virus. The man acquired the virus overseas. This is the first confirmed case of Zika infection in South Australia this year. However it is the third in the region, after reports in 2012 and 2015, according to ABC News Australia. The SA Health officials declared that there is no risk to the public in South Australia. Chief medical officer Professor Paddy Phillips explained that the man acquired the virus overseas and the mosquito that spreads the Zika virus is not present in SA. Professor Phillips added that the patient had already recovered from the virus. Professor Phillips reminded South Australians to wear long-sleeved, loose-fitting shirts and trousers when travelling overseas to countries with Zika virus outbreak or where mosquitoes are an issue. Johnson & Johnson made the headlines as the company admitted that some of their products contain cancer causing ingredients. One of the biggest baby product providers made the headlines after facing a multi-million dollar lawsuit. According to The Guardian, Johnson & Johnson was sentenced to pay $72 million in a case that linked their baby powder to ovarian cancer. A Missouri jury granted the family of a deceased woman who died from ovarian cancer caused by Johnson & Johnson's baby powder containing talcum. Jackie Fox from Birmingham, Alabama filed a lawsuit claiming that her ovarian cancer was due to the talcum component in Johnson & Johnson's baby products. Though she died at the age of 62, her foster son, Marvin Salter took over the lawsuit as a plaintiff. According to Salter, Jackie Fox used Johnson and Johnson brand talcum powder every day for her daily regimen, "It just became second nature, like brushing your teeth, it's a household name." Fox's attorney stated that the verdict came after almost 5 hours of thorough deliberations. They came into conclusion after a three week trial. Fox's case against Johnson & Johnson was the first among 1,000 lawsuit filed against the company nationally to result to a monetary award. It was also mentioned that Fox was entitled to "$10 million in actual damages and $62 million in punitive damages." Fox's attorney stated that he expects Johnson & Johnson to appeal to the verdict. Aside from Fox's talcum lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson, which is known as one of the biggest health care products producers, it was also reported that some of their products contains a cancer causing ingredient which is not safe for everyday use. According to Healthy Food House, Johnson & Johnson's baby shampoo contains Formaldehyde, which is used for embalming. The company admitted to using Formaldehyde on their shampoos and other products, but they did however cite that they're using minimal amounts. In addition to their claims that the Formaldehyde content is minimal, it was also stated that they will soon remove the chemical from their lists of ingredients for good. Fans to His Royal Highness Prince Harry may be in for a treat if Prince Harry sits down with PETA for an "I'd Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur" campaign. PETA Director Mimi Bekhechi has already reached out and asked Prince Harry to star in the "I'd Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur" campaign. The PETA website displayed the letter that detailed what PETA termed to be their "indecent proposal" to Prince Harry. Yahoo reports that PETA sent the "I'd Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur" campaign proposal to Prince Harry on Leap Day, which supposedly embodies a tradition of women taking the initiative to propose to men. PETA has received the support of celebrities and fashion models for their "I'd Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur" campaign. Such celebrities as "X-Men: Apocalypse" star Olivia Munn, "Ghost Rider" star Eva Mendes, musician-actor Dave Navarro and comedian-writer David Cross are just a few who helped PETA with "I'd Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur." Customarily, celebrities and non-celebrities who sign with PETA to go on the "I'd Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur" campaign pose without clothes. "I'd Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur" is meant to be a shocker of sorts that is designed to raise awareness for global incidences of animal cruelty. Should Prince Harry agree to be the latest face - and body - for "I'd Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur" with PETA, Prince Harry's fans will have an interesting souvenir of His Royal Highness. The PETA proposal is unsurprising as Prince Harry is not only known for his much publicized love life and social engagements. Much like Princess Diana and Prince Charles, Prince Harry is also known as a philanthropist with his own charity involvements. The biggest of these is Sentebale, which a charity for orphans in Lesotho, South Africa that Prince Harry co-founded with Lesotho's Prince Seeiso. Speaking of love life, Prince Harry has been getting fresh attention from the media, thanks to "Suicide Squad" actress Margot Robbie. According to Time, Margot Robbie elaborated on her encounter with Prince Harry at model-actress Suki Waterhouse's recent housewarming party. While other news insisted that Prince Harry and Margot Robbie are involved, Time reports that Margot Robbie did not know Prince Harry at all. So much so, that Margot Robbie actually mistook Prince Harry for Grammy awardee Ed Sheeran. Glad he got his mums looks mate @example A photo posted by @teddysphotos on Nov 27, 2015 at 10:35pm PST Margot Robbie related that Prince Harry coincidentally opened the door for her when Robbie arrived at Suki Waterhouse's party. Not knowing each other, Margot Robbie and Prince Harry made polite, small talk. This eventually led to the much-publicized photobooth images in which Prince Harry and Margot Robbie appeared. All the while, Margot Robbie thought that she had been talking to Ed Sheeran. How Prince Harry and Ed Sheeran would respond to Margot Robbie's faux pas would be interesting to know. The British royals have never escaped the scrutinizing eyes of the public. With all the issues being thrown to them, it's quite impressive how these well-respected individuals deal with the rumors all these years. Now, reports claimed that Kate Middleton is furious with Camilla Parker-Bowles after she learned that she was the one responsible for the agony of Queen Elizabeth. Queen Elizabeth suffers pain from Botox injections Rumor mill has it that Queen Elizabeth has been suffering for quite some time now after she received few Botox injections. Celeb Dirty Laundry claimed that Camilla Parker-Bowles was the one who encouraged Queen Elizabeth to try Botox injections. It has been previously reported that most ladies of the Royal family has been undergoing some procedures to keep their face fresh and younger-looking. Little did fans know, they're secretly sneaking off for Botox injections for years already. While Camilla Parker-Bowels truly believes that Botox and fillers are really good for their skin as it erases wrinkles and fine lines on her aging face, the Duchess of Cornwall shared her secret to Queen Elizabeth. A source told GLOBE that Camilla was the only one responsible for letting Her Majesty try Botox that later caused her agonies. Camilla Parker-Bowles assured to Queen Elizabeth that Botox causes no side effects to which the queen truly believed in. After learning how Botox injections work, a Buckingham Palace insider claimed that Queen Elizabeth ordered the Royal dermatologist to apply to her the procedure and received a few injections over six months. Kate Middleton blames Camilla Parker-Bowles Rumors have it that Queen Elizabeth is currently having a hard time moving her jaw after receiving a few shots of Botox. In fact, unnamed Royal sources divulged that Queen Elizabeth can barely chew her food and that she cannot smile that well, unlike before. With this, Kate Middleton is furious with Camilla Parker-Bowles for encouraging Queen Elizabeth to try the procedure. Moreover, the Duchess of Cambridge is also mad with the Duchess of Cornwall for revealing to the world their fondness for Hollywood-style cosmetic surgery. However, up until now, no official word from the Royals was made public. Whether or not these reports are true, on thing is for sure: the Queen Elizabeth should be careful especially now that she not getting any younger. Do you think Kate Middleton should put the blame on Camilla Parker-Bowles for causing Queen Elizabeth unnecessary pain? With this reports, do you think Queen Elizabeth will still choose the Duchess of Cornwall to become the next queen? Share to us your thoughts in the comment section below. This service applies to you if your subscription has not yet expired on our old site. You will have continued access until your subscription expires; then you will need to purchase an ongoing subscription through our new system. Please contact the Parsons Sun office at (620) 421-2000 if you have any questions Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. Theres a lot of weird to admire in China. Culinarily, its the corndogs ugly cousin scorpion on a stick. Medically, to the Chinese, urine cures hyperthyroidism. But, according to the Chinese government, the countrys architecture is a bit too weird. In a statement by the Chinese government, China plans to forbid the construction of bizarre architecture that is not economical, functional, aesthetically pleasing or environmentally friendly, hoping to, instead, fill cities with economic, green and beautiful buildings. The upcoming regulations aims to curb the trend of bizarre architecture by encouraging the use of prefabricated buildings, which the government hopes will, not only drastically reshape city skylines, but also limit urban sprawl and improve the overall urban layout as more and more people flock to the cities. The move shouldnt come as too much of a surprise considering Chinas president, Xi Jinping, has been calling to replace odd structures with morally-inspiring architecture since October 2014. That means no more designs like the snail-like Henan Art Center or the hilariously phallic Peoples Daily building. Worse still, the move could ruin the annual ugliest building rankings. Tom is a travel writer, part-time hitchhiker, and hes currently trying to imitate Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? but with more sunscreen and jorts. It sounds obvious but your feet are exceptionally important to your well-being. Walking pain-free is something you take for granted until, if youre unlucky like me, you break a few bones and suffer complications. The healing process is when you realize that there are shoes that look cool, but are awful at protecting your feet. Thats when BASE by Wiivv a type of insole for your shoessuddenly becomes worth its weight in gold. The insoles began as an idea between Shamil Hargovan and Louis-Victor Jadavji, founders of Wiivv, after being in need of assistance. One of us had a bad experience getting custom orthotics made by a practitioner using traditional methods, and speaking to friends and family, the issue appeared widespread, explains Jadavji. BASE insoles are 3D printed, closely following how your foot curves to give you the maximum amount of support and stability you require. Much of this is thanks to the pairs 3D printing expertise, and their ability to spot a gap in the market between over-the-counter insoles and those provided by a practitioner. The difference between BASE insoles is that unique quality. Theyre truly custom made without any need for templates. Custom arch support, sizing, among other things, can provide great fitment, comfort and improve biomechanics, Jadavji says. This is all done through your smartphone and the Wiivv app. You take various 2D images of your feet and then send them to an expert who verifies them before the photographs are used to produce a pair of insoles that will only fit you perfectly. Our measurements mirror closely, or are more accurate than, measurements extracted from traditional methods where human error is an inherent risk, Jadavji says. Wiivv has a convenient digital measurement flow built for mobile devices, so results are repeatable. The process only takes a few minutes, saving you the hassle and expense of visiting a foot specialist by allowing you to do everything from your home. BASE insoles use silicon treads and cushioning to ensure theyre exceptionally comfortable, but the magic really comes from how they mould perfectly to your feet. They offer a specially designed heel cup to deliver optimal stability, shock absorption and comfort. That ensures not only can you see increased performance in endurance sports, but your joints are put under less stress when walking or running. The product has taken over a year to finalize. Initially built for power-users first or, as Jadavji refers to them, industrial athletes. These are our community heroes, like nurses, search and rescue workers, fire-force workers and others, who spent many months getting measured and monitored so that the comfort product we launch provides real benefits over prolonged periods of heavy use. With the insoles proving a great success, the team moved onto raising funds through a Kickstarter project. Our first inclination was to target specific markets first, namely, the US and Canada. However, we had a significant amount of requests to expand into other regions with our campaign, like the UK, Jadavji told us. Such expansion was introduced in the last few days of the campaign. It was a wise move. The BASE campaign is now the most funded 3D Printed Product on Kickstarter, and the third most funded footwear product on the site, having acquired pledges amounting to $235,054. The firm hopes to sustain similar momentum through its IndieGoGo project. While it might not be the coolest sounding technological Kickstarter project out there, BASE is potentially a life changing product. For those who regularly have to walk or run, it has the potential to significantly reduce joint strain, as well as aches and pains that all too readily slow us down. If youre interested in trying a pair for yourself, you can pre-order via the IndieGoGo campaign. Seventy-five dollars will snag you one pair with a choice of colors and designs, as well as the peace of mind that comes with knowing your feet are well looked after. New information about how hackers were able to steal so much of Sonys company information back in 2014 has surfaced, further enforcing that the hack is a gift that just keeps on giving. In our digital day and age, and with the constant threat of identity theft and hackers, most companies force their employees to generate intricate passwords involving a slew of letters, numbers and symbols to make cracking open your accountand private dataa lot more difficult. So were clear, Sony is apparently not one of those companies. Its been revealed that the major cyber attack against the studio, which took place back in late 2014, was in part a result of poor password generation. In an effort to piece together how their security walls had been breached and their companys data spilled (including that famous string of uncomfortable emails from former Sony President Amy Pascal), the company brought in a security firm to identify and amend its digital issues. What that company found was that Sonys servers and networks were being protected by the likes of the always reliable password password our parents still use because they think its clever. That wasnt the only surprising password they uncovered. Others included 12345 and ABCDE, and thats if there was password protection at all. Its hard to say why Sony wouldnt work to ensure that it could actually safeguard its content against a new generation of content thieves and digital outers, but its safe to assume they have since stepped up their password game. Perhaps 23456? Its not uncommon to see move to a place that is anywhere but here searches spike around election time. Its a political season where voters feel their most polarized, and in some waysdespite an actual increase in political say-so and controlat the whim of their fellow Americans. However, after the release of this years Super Tuesday primary results, where Hilary Clinton and Donald Trump took home the most wins in the all-important primary cluster for Democrats and Republicans respectively, one particular search hit a historical high. Google Data Editor Simon Rogers shared via Twitter on Tuesday that over a four hour period searches for move to Canada had spiked 350 percent. Digging through the @google archives = searches for "move to Canada" have hit an all-time high. #Election2016pic.twitter.com/nKLiswqwWr Google Politics (@googlepolitics) March 2, 2016 So whats particularly ideal about Canada? Nothing really, says The New York Daily News, a tabloid thats been quite vocal about its disdain for Republican nominee hopeful Donald Trump. Canadas people are as friendly as the stereotypes make them out to be, there are plenty of options for education and childcare, and theres that famous universal health care, The New York Daily News wrote on Wednesday, in its complete guide to fleeing President Donald Trumps America. So what are some other options you might like to consider if you arent really feeling that maple leaf love, but still want to flee a potential end of days that apparently wont cross any water or land-based borders? Singapore, Ecuador, and Austria would be ideal destinations when you consider their quality of life, friendliness, and their top tier health, safety, and well-being rankings, according to the daily publication. Hungary may be best-known for some of its savory contributions to the culinary scene, from chicken paprikash to goulash, but its sweets are nothing to scoff at either. Budapest has an excellent assortment of cukraszda, or pastry shops, where you can try some of the citys most popular cakes, most of which layer several flavors and textures for a true gustatory experience. Gerbeaud is an absolutely beautiful locale to sample pastries and coffee. This traditional European coffee house features elaborate chandeliers, rococo-style ceilings, and some of the most elaborate cakes youll ever see. Its the perfect place to try Hungarys traditional Dobos Torte, a sponge cake layered with chocolate buttercream and topped with caramel. The cake is the rather ingenious invention of Jozsef Dobos, who was attempting to create a cake that wouldnt dry out over the course of a day or two. He came up with the technique of layering five thin sheets of cake with five layers of creamy and moist chocolate frosting, topping the cake with a caramel sheet, and coating the exterior sides with ground nuts. Youll find flodni throughout Budapest; its a traditional cake made by local Jewish bakers. While the most famous flodni may be made by Raj Rachel youll see signs advertising her flodni throughout the city I actually preferred the one made at kosher bakery Frohlich in the Jewish Quarter. Flodni is traditionally made up of layers of apples, walnut paste, poppy seed paste, and plum jam, each layer sandwiched between a thin sheet of flaky pastry. The version I tried at Frohlich forewent the plum layer, but the apple was more than enough to lend fruitiness to the pastry. What I loved were the walnut layer, which was creamy and slightly reminiscent of halvah, and the poppy seed layer, which was very smooth and had a deep, rich flavor. The thicker layers of fillings as compared to other versions of this cake didnt hurt either! Alongside her version of flodni, Rachel also makes quite a nice Esterhazy torte. The cream cake was originally created in the 20th century in Budapest and has since travelled throughout the former Austro-Hungarian Empire, to appear in cake shops as far as Vienna. The cake was originally made of almond sponge cake, though today most bakers in Hungary use walnuts instead, sandwiched with layers of yellow buttercream frosting. While many versions are topped with fondant, at Rachels bakery, a far more palatable whipped cream topping is used, adding an airiness to this very sweet cake. This surprising slice combines blueberries and poppy seeds for a deeply-colored purple cake thats as delightful to look at as it is to taste. The layers of thick blueberry jam bring a nice tang to this cake, which is topped with powdered sugar and an individual poppy seed and blueberry macaron. While this cake may be less traditional than some of the others on this list, the use of poppy seeds in sweet dishes is a local tradition, and the pairing of the richly-flavored seeds with the sweet-and-sour blueberries is perfect. This was one of the most surprising plays on an apple pie-like dessert Ive ever had. The grated, skin-on apple filling was more marinated than cooked, making for a very toothsome, textured interior, whereas the crust, often flaky and crisp in American versions of an apple pie or tart, was soft and tender. The resulting pie had all of the contrast of an apple pie, but with unique textures throughout and not nearly as heavy a feeling. Its the perfect mid-afternoon snack alongside a cup of Turkish tea, which is how I enjoyed it. Of course, these are far from the only pastries to try in Budapest. Did we miss any of your favorites? You may have seen this food item listed on myriad processed foods as palm kernel oilthat stuff that makes a bag of microwaved popcorn so delicious, and is sure to also cause inflammation in the body, according to health reports. You may also have seen red palm oil in jars in the supermarket and wondered, whats the deal with this? Well, we have two different foods on our hands here. Type of food: Oil Name: Red Palm Oil (Elaeis Guineensis) Origins: Palm oil is derived from the fruit of the African oil palm tree. They are originally from West Africa, but can grow well wherever its hot and rainy. You can find them throughout Africa, along with Southeast Asia and South America. Currently, Indonesia and Malaysia are big producers of palm oil. The trees can produce fruit for up to an admirable 25-30 years. Why/How Did We Start Eating it: Red palm oil (also often called palm fruit oil) is a common ingredient in tropical Africa, southeast Asia and Brazil. Traditionally, the oil is extracted by separating fruits from the tree and cooking them in boiling water. The fruits are then transferred to a wooden mortar, where they are pounded. All of this then goes back into the pot, is covered with water and simmered. The red palm oil rises to the surface, and then is scooped out. Palm kernel oil, on the other hand, is a different story altogether. Its off-white in color and higher in saturated fat. Palm kernel oil is pressed from the seed, whereas red palm oil is pressed from the outer fruit flesh. I am guessing, however, that the kernel oil is capable of being more highly processed because it is capable of handling higher heat. And of course you dont have the pigment issue, said Lisa Howard, author of the Big Book of Healthy Cooking Oils. Shes talking about the fact that red palm oil is, well, red. How its Used: Red palm oil (depending upon the particular palm oil) is often equal parts a monounsaturated and saturated fat, and somewhat soft at room temperature. It cant handle the same high heat as palm kernel oil, but that doesnt mean its not a good cooking oil. Howard says palm kernel oil is a favorite ingredient in commercially processed foods that would otherwise use butterthink movie popcorn and, notoriously, Girl Scout Cookies. It also ends up in cosmetics, soaps, ice cream and myriad other products. Howard features red palm oil in her book in a few recipes, including a Brazilian Shrimp, Coconut, and Cashews in Red Palm Oil, an African-style Cashew Chicken in Red Palm Oil, and a Hungarian-inspired Mushroom, Beef and Tomato Soup. Thats pretty much my version of goulash. According to Yemisi Awosan, founder and CEO of the West African food company Egunsi Foods, its a staple in stews such as his companys namesake, a melon seed stew, as well as in Nigerian vegetable stew and ofada, a spicy green pepper sauce. He calls it the olive oil of Africa, equating its common household use prior to the 1960s, to olive oils widespread use in Mediterranean countries. (Nowadays, he says vegetable and canola oil is more common in many African households.) Unsustainable harvesting of this particular ingredient to support the growth of processed foodand the use of palm oil as a refined producthas resulted in deforestation along with species and habitat endangerment, most notably, orangutans. When a monoculture like this is created in a country, it negatively impacts the local community, farmers, and people, resulting in a less diverse food supply. Many manufacturers and countries have been making strides toward sustainable sourcing and practices, respectively, including Malaysia. A lot of times palm oil will not show up on a foods ingredients list because there are hundreds of different names and derivatives that it can fall under, says Rebecca Lee, R.N. who operates the site Remedies for Me. If you are really curious about the ways in which palm oil shows up in products, the Philadelphia Zoo has created a list of common names for palm oil and its derivatives, including cetyl palmitate, octyl palmitate, palmitic acid, sodium palmate and more. Palm oil seems to be trying to aiming for a bit an image makeover. The Malaysian Palm Oil Council runs a website that seeks to explain the benefits of sustainable palm oil to consumers. The U.S. sources about 80 percent of its palm oil from Malaysia since they know about the countrys strict environmental practices. Malaysia has had a zero-burn policy for almost 20 years, and it has mandated protection of at least 50 percent of its rainforest cover. How its Purchased: Youre not likely to find palm kernel oil for sale in the grocery store for home use. Red palm oil is beginning to become more available and is usually sold in jars, like coconut oil. If you are looking for something sourced sustainably, look for the acronym CSPO (Certified Sustainable Palm Oil), says Jeremy Wolf, an N.D. (naturopath) and the lead wellness advisor for LuckyVitamin.com. Lucky Vitamin, for example, sells organic Nutiva red palm oil. In order for companies to make CSPO claims about their products, Wolf says they must be members of a certification standards body, such as the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), a nonprofit organization that was founded 2004. When in doubt, if these issues concern you, read the labels. I would say the answer is for consumers to learn about oils and gain an understanding of the overall issues, then vote with their grocery dollars and avoid purchasing those almost nonperishable goods made with ingredients that harm farmers across the globe, says Howard. Sensory Experience: Its deep red in color. Howard calls it earthy, flavorful and rich. Nutrition and Other Benefits: Awosan says, Growing up, I remember my mum using it as a cough suppressant for us, or an anti-inflammatory when you had welts from an infection on your body. Red palm oil most noticeably contains vitamin A. Red palm fruit oil also contains Vitamin E, mixed Carotenoids, and antioxidants that may offer added nutritional health benefits over coconut oil. The alpha and beta carotenoids contained in this fruit are actually in part responsible for giving this fruit its red coloring similar to that of carrots and tomatoes, says Wolf. Trivia: Red palm oil can stain your cooking implements. Howard found this out the hard way while testing recipes, and uses only black or stainless steel cooking tools and vessels to avoid staining her wooden spoons. Carrie Havranek is a recovering music critic and part-time baker who writes about food, farmers markets, chefs and restaurantsand sometimes travelfrom her home in Easton, Pennsylvania. You may have seen her work elsewhere in Edible Philly, the Kitchn, or Frommers. Afghanistan in 2003 seemed to be in the middle of a psychological twilight zone. Attention had turned to Iraq, so networks started cutting their Af-Pak line items because coverage didnt pull the ratings it once did. The White House was doing the same, as more military resources were needed for George Bushs shinier war. What resulted were half-measures in both camps, a tepid commitment to an unclear agenda, and an increasingly inapplicable sense of duty for those lost at sea in the Middle Eastern desert. Boots on the ground turned into bare feet in bed, milling around in the multicolored haze of a forgotten war. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot suffers a similar dilemma. When Kim Barkers memoir The Taliban Shufflewhich chronicles the former Chicago Tribune journalists time in Afghanistan and Pakistanhit stands in early 2011, a New York Times review pegged her as a sort of Tina Fey character, who unexpectedly finds herself addicted to the adrenaline rush of war. Five years later (almost to the day), Fey is not only co-producing the screen adaptation, but also starring as Barker (slightly reimagined as Kim Baker, cable news producer) and doing little to ease speculation that Hollywood is running out of ideas. The war dramedy, from directors Glenn Ficarra and John Requa (Crazy, Stupid, Love), opens with a flash-forward party scene three years in the future. House of Pains Jump Around blares from inside a dark, damp housing unit; booze is flowing and people are falling. Its Project X set in Kabul on a fraction of the party budget. When the scene is safely implanted, an intertitle displays the words THREE YEARS EARLIER and the film proceeds sequentially from the day Baker and a small fleet of reporters are more or less volunteered to go abroad, their status as single with no children cited as the desirable qualification. Not much time is spent stateside, though. Just enough for Baker to self-reflect on a stationary bike ride, drink a glass of white wine and call her boyfriend to break the news. Shes going to Afghanistan. For three months. Yeah, she knows. Yeah, shell miss you, too. What unfolds throughout the next hour and a half amounts to an identity crisis. With Ficarra and Requa, under the producing auspices of Fey and SNL judge, jury and executioner Lorne Michaelsand with frequent Fey collaborator Robert Carlock (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, 30 Rock) heading the scriptthe comedy muscle behind WTF might have been well-conditioned enough to lift Barkers story off the page and onto the screen, but that muscle is rarely exercised. TV accounts for roughly 70% of this stables career, so maybe a brain trust of old habits were at play. Keeping on the surface of a story they werent poised to tell in the first place means sacrificing drama for plot beats. The boyfriend storyline, for example, is dead weightnot substantial enough to be a burden but prevalent enough to be distracting, like a pygmy monkey clutching the audiences ankle, and its inclusion seems to only fill an obligation to the source material. The fast friendship Baker forms with TV journalist and sexual free spirit Tanya Vanderpoel (Margot Robbie) is less than unlikely, and theres little to no variation in either characters respective impacts on Baker. Girls alum Chris Abbottthe one who got awayas driver and translator Fahim Ahmadzai provides WTF with both its strongest performance and Bakers most compelling relationship, and he does it with 15 minutes of screen time and even fewer speaking lines. Tone deafness abides. At Fahims wedding, Baker channels Eat, Pray, Love philosophy to share her background story, which amounts to getting on a plane after spending too much time at the gymon the stationary bike, specifically, leaving no metaphorical stone unturned. Although her white privilege is immediately checked by a sassy local, theres little else in the film supporting any such awareness. Alfred Molina as Ali Massoud Sadiq, a high-level Afghan official, is a delightful buffoon. A Spanish Italian playing an Afghan official as a lovable rascal might have been fine if his character werent the only blatant caricature. But he is, so its not. Like the wandering soldiers and unassigned journalists, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot has trouble finding a sense of purpose, so it settles for going through the motions and grabbing one-liners wherever they may fall. Inevitably, WTF sometimes feels like a 30-minute travel spot or its own extended trailer. What made The Taliban Shuffle intriguing was an ability to mine situational comedy within the context of the collective nightmare that is Americas image of the Middle East. The gravity of Barkers reality against the levity of her humor accentuates both: Without the character development or the exposition to color the audiences understanding, that dynamic is largely missing from Feys depiction, and from the film itself. Director: Glenn Ficarra, John Requa Writer: Robert Carlock, based on the book by Kim Barker Starring: Tina Fey, Margot Robbie, Billy Bob Thornton, Martin Freeman, Alfred Molina, Chris Abbott Release date: March 4, 2016 Look, Trump is spectacularly awful. Cruz is just bad. And Rubio? Well, I support him, but his chances of pulling this off and getting the nomination are discouragingly slim. At the same time, if you asked me whether Id vote for Trump if it came to that, Id admit that Im not ready to contemplate that scenario, because its such a nightmare. At the same time, there are Republicans who are saying, Ill vote Hillary over Trump. I cant say that, either. Theres a good chance that Id just not vote for that election, just the down-ticket ones. And, no, its not because Id vote for a chimpanzee if he had R behind his name I have voted for a few Democrats, especially the pro-life ones (hard to believe that they once existed) or when both candidates were abortion-rights anyway, or for local offices where social issues dont matter, though these days in federal elections anyway, the particulars of a candidates own platform dont matter as much. But I just cant vote for Hillary. Three reasons: Corruption Incompetence Policies With respect to corruption, yes, I know that Democrats respond with statements along the lines of Republicans have been trying to get the Clintons for decades out of nothing more than animosity, but theyve never been able to prove anything. But guess what? If not for a wiretap, and the smoking gun (Ive got this thing and its f***ing golden), Rod Blagojevich would be a free man today, as it seemed he would be for many years when it was well-known that he ran a pay-to-play system, until he finally (unintentionally, stupidly) provided federal prosecutors with the evidence they needed. Let me give just a few examples: First, the homebrew server. How anyone can defend using a personal server to conduct Secretary of State business is beyond me. Even without getting into the particulars of the classified e-mails, and her various defenses that they werent classified at the time, or that it wasnt her fault that others sent her classified info, the very fact that she deliberately rejected a State Department e-mail address has no explanation other than to enable corrupt dealings. Second, the Clinton Foundation dealings. I mentioned yesterday that Im in the middle of reading Clinton Cash, by Peter Schweizer, which details all of this. And he is not a partisan hack; his prior book Extortion (summarized here), was of the pox-on-both-their-houses genre, and hes written multiple other bipartisan anti-corruption works. Heres a quote from his introduction: Given my previous focus on bipartisan self-dealing and corruption, why am I now focused on one couple? Do I simply have it in for Bill and Hillary? Am I somehow trying to derail her prospects of being elected president in 2016? The answer is pretty straightforward: the global dealings of this political couple deserve bipartisan citizen attention as much as congressional insider trading or campaign contribution extortion did. No one has even come close in recent years to enriching themselves on the scale of the Clintons while they or a spouse continued to serve in public office. The ability of any other ex-politician, whether a former president, senator, or congressman, Republican or Democrat, to accumulate such large amounts of money in such a short period of time is unmatched. (p. 5.) There is a lot of detail in this book, about many, many such instances, and it merits its own summary. Some of this Id seen reported before, such as government approval of the acquisition of Uranium One, which owns half the uranium mines in the U.S., by Russia, which (though theres no smoking gun, because there never is in such instances) strongly appears to have been facilitated by massive sums of money donated to the Clinton Foundation or given to Bill directly to purchase speeches, by people connected with the company. Others I hadnt begun to imagine. For instance, in 2007, a Swedish mining investor named Lukas Lundin donated $100 million to the Clinton Foundation. Now, Lundlins business model consisted of dealmaking in African countries during civil wars. In particular, in Congo (DRC), they struck a deal with the rebels, to finance them in return for mining rights should the rebels win, and, when the rebels did indeed win, they made staggering profits (p. 124). The donation came at a time when those profits were threatened by the 2006 Congo Relief, Security, and Democracy Promotion Act. And, conveniently, as much as, while Senator, Hillary spoke out in favor of human rights in the DRC, as Secretary of State she failed to implement any of the key provisions in the law that she had strongly advocated only a few years earlier. This is not an isolated example; the book is full of similar stories. Donations and speech-purchases smooth the path; in other cases, Bill Clinton gave speeches for, and heavily praised, dictators, granted them legitimacy, and a place at the Clinton Global Initiative table. Can Schweizer prove, in any such case, that there was a quid pro quo? No, of course not; even under the best of circumstances, with a federal investigation, its not easy. Second, incompetence. Just a few words here. Does Hillary have any signature legislation from her time as Senator? No, not really. Her credentials rest solely on her tenure as Secretary of State, during which time: The Obama administration supported the regime change in Libya, then enabled Islamists to come to power, leading to the failures at Benghazi. At the same time, they sat silent as the Iranian people tried their hand at the Arab Spring, as Clinton herself later admitted was a mistake. The claimed Russian reset ended with Russia building its power and becoming a threat to the West. Third, policy. Lets take a gander at her website. (Or take a kuken, as Dad would say, after his time in Germany in the army.) Some of here issues are pretty bland: she wants to increase spending on Alzheimers disease, for instance, from $600 million/year to $2 billion per year, which experts claim is enough to find a cure by 2025. She wants to improve access to employment for disabled individuals. She supports cutting red tape for small businesses, and taking action to improve substance abuse treatment programs and access. But bigger picture: She supports, perhaps not as massive an expension of federal governement entitlement and other spending programs as Sanders, but pretty nearly so. Her New College Compact says that no student will need to borrow to pay for tuition, books, and fees, though its done through a rather complex set of plans and programs (and still requires 10 hours of work/week, and an affordable and reaslitic family contribution). She cites this as costing $350 billion, to be paid for by the most fortunate. She proposes new federal funds for universal high quality 4-year-old preschool (no price tag). She supports increases in subsidies for Obamacare, and a public option. She supports substantial increases in infrastructure spending, including a world-leading passenger rail system, paid for through business tax reform. She promises 12 weeks of paid leave, paid at 67%, paid for by making the wealthy pay their fair share. She supports increasing Social Security benefits, paid for by the highest-income Americans. She supports investing in child care to make quality, affordable childcare a reality for families though here she at least provides no details, rather than announcing another spending plan paid for by the wealthy. Now, with any of these issues, theres a lot of room for discussion: clearly, for instance, we need provision for child care for poor families, and theres a question of how far you extend support. But the notion that you can massively expand government spending, solely by increasing taxes on the wealthy, is foolish. As has been said repeatedly, nowhere in Europe is it imagined that the entire basket of social welfare spending can be funded by taxes on the wealthy. It is simply a fact of life that everyone pays higher taxes than in the U.S. She is uncompromising in her support of abortion, expressing her opposition to any restriction of any kind (not so much here on her website as elsewhere), and supporting the end of the Hyde Amendment (which prevents federal funds from paying for abortion). She promises that she will stand up to Republican attempts to defund Planned Parenthood, which would restrict access to critical health care services, like cancer screenings, contraception, and safe, legal abortion a phrase thats packed with meaning, both stating that abortion is a critical health care service and that (since access has been used as synonomous with paid for by others, for instance, in the contraception-mandate debate) abortion should be a government-provided service. This alone is a deal-breaker for me. I know there are people who argue that, if your preferred candidate supports abortion-rights, but at the same time, supports policies intended to make life easier for poor mothers, they might be an acceptable choice, but I just cant do it. Whats more, she promises to overturn Citizens United, both via a constitutional amendment (no details specified) and by appoint[ing] Supreme Court justices who value the right to vote over the right of billionaires to buy elections. In other words, she announces that her nominations will be unabashedly political, so that a vote for Hillary is a vote to lock in her policies for a generation via Supreme Court appointments. Finally, with respect to immigration, she promises to push for a legalization program, and, unless and until that can be passed, to do everything possible under the law to provide work permits for as many people as possible, to deport only those who pose a violent threat to public safety, and to allow illegal immigrants to buyinto the Affordable Care Act exchanges to access . . . affordable heath care. (Does this mean obtaining subsidies? Presumably yes, or she wouldnt claim that they can receive affordable care.) Now, to be sure, her positions are hard to pin down on her website for instance, in the cases of child care and illegal immigrants Obamacare subsidies, above. Likewise, where does she stand on the minimum wage? She says she has supported an increase to $12, and also supports local efforts to raise the wage to $15. But what is her current position on the federal minimum wage? Would she be any worse than Obama with respect to her policies? Presumably she simply would be unable to implement any of these domestic spending plans, so long as Republicans maintain control of Congress. How would she compare to Trump with respect to foreign policy? She talks tough on her website, saying that shell never allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon and will defeat ISIS, hold China accountable, and stand up to Putin. But her tenure as Secretary of State doesnt give one reason to believe shell accomplish any of these objectives. But the bottom line (besides the fact that I need to get back to work remember, Im not on the clock right now but will run out of time if I dont figuratively punch in soon) is that I simply cant punch that chad, even, in the worst case, if its Clinton vs. Trump. UPDATE: A few words on the the GOP did it too response to Clintons e-mailing on her personal server. The only other Secretary of State to have used a personal e-mail address was Colin Powell according to PolitiFact, neither Madeline Albright nor Condoleezza Rice did so. And theres some context in Powells use of a private e-mail account, for instance, in this NBC report: Powell, who served as secretary from 2001 to 2005, said he used a personal email account because States email system was slow and cumbersome. Powell is credited with modernizing States computer infrastructure, which did not at the time allow each employee to have the internet at their desks. States system at the time was inadequate, he said. But, he added, I did not use my email account for any classified matters because I had a classified computer on my desk. Now, I would like for the story to have ended with, once we modernized the system, I switched to a State.gov e-mail account, but it doesnt. I suppose thats inertia, or a lack of awareness of the risks of hacking at the time, or perhaps Powells e-mails were truly contentless and genuinely just housekeeping: lets meet in my office at 2 pm. Also, the Wall Street Journal says that, though Rice didnt e-mail very often, An aide to Ms. Rice said Tuesday that when she was secretary of state, Ms. Rice had a state.gov email address that she occasionally used, but not very often, and that she didnt use a personal email address for any State Department business. That same article says that similar-level cabinet officials have all similarly used official government e-mail addresses. Whats more, at no point in any of the reporting around Clintons e-mail troubles has it been suggested that the reasons for Powells personal e-mail use, a slow and cumbersome State Department system, were the motivating factor for using personal e-mail. Instead, its been explained as convenience and inertia (from the WSJ, quoting a Clinton aide: She had a Blackberry, she used it prior to State, and like her predecessors she continued to use it when she got to State). In fact, an e-mail has surfaced in which Clinton rejected using a State.gov e-mail account. Would you use your personal e-mail to conduct business? Have you ever seen colleagues do it? At least at my workplace, thats wholly out of bounds both for reasons of professionalism and due to the risk of being hacked. Further update: Im equal-opportunity. Heres why you cant vote for Trump, either. Stay in touch! Like Jane the Actuary on Facebook: This is where I share, not just blog posts, but other links I come across. Ten years ago, as a teenager fresh out of a conservative evangelical home, I would have told you that Hillary Clinton was evil incarnate. In fact I did tell people that. In all of American politics, there was no one I detested more than Hillary Clinton. It was the conservative thing to do. My very first political action was to campaign against HillaryCare in the early 1990s. I would have been around six. I was on the front page of the newspaper, squarely in the middle of a crowd of protesters. I started working the polls on election day in 1994, when I was seven. I lost track of how many conservative candidates I campaigned for over the years. As a teenager, I helped get George W. Bush electedtwice. I attended my states Republican convention as a delegate while still a in high school. If politics was happening, I was therealwaysready to put up yard signs and knock on doors and walk in parades. I spoke to reporters, repeating conservative talking points with intense passionI believed in my cause, and strongly. In college, things changed. I was exposed to new people and ideas and my beliefs underwent a profound (and often painful) evolution. What I didnt realize until recently is that Hillary Clinton underwent a similar evolution. Like me, she grew up in a politically conservative home and became involved in politics at a young age. She canvased for Richard Nixon in 1960, and went all in for Barry Goldwater in 1964, when she was only 16. But when she left home for Wellesley College the following year, her world changed. According to the New York Times: She came to Wellesley as an 18-year-old Republican, a copy of Barry Goldwaters right-wing treatise, The Conscience of a Conservative, on the shelf of her freshman dorm room. She would leave as an antiwar Democrat whose public rebuke of a Republican senator in a graduation speech won her notice in Life magazine as a voice for her generation. Wow. I identify strongly with this transformation. Hillary was president of her colleges Young Republicans chapter, campaigning for Republican candidates and attending the Republican National Convention; I was president of my colleges Students for Life chapter, organizing anti-abortion fundraisers and rubbing shoulders with regional pro-life leaders. And yet, by the end of our college years, we had both left the Republican Party of our childhood and adolescence. Rattled by the death of Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968, Hillary organized a two-day student strike. That summer, between her junior and senior year, Hillary attended the 1968 Republican National Convention in Miami, campaigning for the moderate Nelson Rockefeller. Horrified by the racist messaging she encountered at the Convention, Hillary left the Republican Party. As president of her colleges student government association during her senior year, she worked to increase the number of African American students and faculty. Hillarys transition was not spur of the moment or something she took lightly. At one point she described herself as a mind conservative and a heart liberaland it was ultimately her heart that won. I remember this feeling as well. I remember feeling like I was being pulled in two. Its not easy to leave what youve known your whole life. Its not easy to start over and reformulate your beliefs, risking your parents and communitys displeasure. In 1992 Hillary visited the high school she had attended in suburban Park Ridge, Illinois. While there, she poked fun at her political evolution. I know I should answer the question that is on very many of your minds and that is: How did a nice Republican girl from Park Ridge go wrong? Have I mentioned how much I identify with that? I, too, am a nice Republican girl gone wrong. Theres something else that makes me identify with Hillary, too. I have both personal and professional interests in promoting childrens rights, and you know what? After she graduated from Wellesley and then Yale Law School, Hillary became active in the field ofyou guessed itchildrens rights. She could have gotten a job at a lawyer in a major firm, but instead she chose to go to work for the Childrens Defense Fund, where she began her career by canvasing local neighborhoods in Massachusetts for personal stories on the public schools failure to adequately provide education for disabled childreninformation that proved central to passing legislation requiring the state to provide quality education for these children. After relocated to Arkansas, Hillary founded Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, the first child advocacy group in the state. Her article, Children under the Law, was published in the Harvard Education Review in 1973, and other works soon followed. Hillarys writings on childrens rights were radical enough to become a problem for her husbands presidential campaign in 1992. During these same years Hillary became involved in efforts to improve legal services for the poor and disadvantaged, and helped create the first rape crisis hotline in the state. This wasnt the end of Hillarys activism on behalf of women and children. In the early 1990s, she pioneered the creation of the state-run Child Health Insurance Program, or CHIP, a medicaid for low-income children program that my own children personally benefited from several years back. In 1996 Hillary gave a speech before the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, at which she declared that human rights are womens rights and womens rights are human rights. Hillary was pressured to tone down this speech so as not to offend the Chinese with criticism of female infanticide and the nations one-child policy, but she refused to take these elements out of her speech. And during her years as secretary of state and in the years since, Hillary has worked tirelessly to promote education for girls around the world. I dont agree with every position Hillary has ever takenher vote in favor of going to war in Iraq comes to mindbut I do identify very strongly with her passion for women and children and her personal political evolution. Did you know that Hillary initially wanted to keep her last name, and only changed it to Clinton when it was manifestly clear that not doing so was hurting her husbands career? I didnt until recently. And so, in the end, while I once detested Hillary I have today come to admire her in many waysand to identify strongly with her journey. The mainstream Indian conviction was that each person has a single, permanent soul. The Chinese were inclined to allow that we are each a gathering of several kinds of spirit or subtle forms of energy that leave the body at death and return to their separate and proper places in the cosmos. The truth of a person is not, however, given in any one of these departing spirits or in their shared essence. Indeed, they can be seen as natural elements that help compose us much as wood, metal, glue, and bone are elements in the composition of a guitar or a violin. Our true nature as person consists of a unique body of relationships that can be nurtured, extended, and refined. For the Chinese, being truly human is achieved through cultivating concretely lived (especially familial and social) relationships. Suffering does not end through release from every sort of binding intercourse with others but with the realization of continuously correct relationships. Peter D Hershock, Chan Buddhism, University of Hawaii Press, p. 37 Some people have recently brought up to me how difficult the idea of reincarnation, or more accurately in a Buddhist context rebirth is for them, and how that whole idea stands in the way of their taking up Zen practice. So it seemed time to revisit the question. I wrote something on this last year, here it is again, slightly edited. I have to admit, my Buddhism doesnt really begin with the wondrous Gautama Siddhartha or even the texts that have come to be the canon of Buddhism, but rather, what happened when that ancient, powerful, and highly speculative tradition brought Buddhism to China, and encountered an equally ancient and powerful culture, but one that was vastly more concerned with what is practical. The core message that traveled from India to China held that we live with a profound and pervasive suffering. And this hurt within us arises because we grasp after things as if they were permanent, when in fact they have no essence at all, and are in fact moments created out of multiple causes, and will inevitably come apart. But, also, that there is a peace that passes all understanding, which we can find, that ends the hurt. How these cultures dealt differently with the matter of suffering and its cessation, while both still considering themselves Buddhist, is particularly important to me. Indian Buddhism taught that while there is no essence to a person, there nonetheless was some central thing if only a bundle of consequences that traveled from one body to another. Chinese Buddhism, however, inherited a whole different idea of what a person was, that each of us are composed of many things, and that at death those many things return to their various natural places, and with that shifting the locus of hope in this one, passing life. Not to say that Chinese Buddhism didnt embrace the language of transmigration. But there was and remains a cultural ambiguity about many lives or one that one can find throughout the tropes and images of Zen. Seeing through the illusion of permanence and to the reality of a wildly interdependent and boundless web as our existential reality is the Zen project. But, of course, our ways to that liberating insight are always flavored by our culture. The illusion of separation is the problem in both stories, the Indian and the Chinese. And while the Chinese version accommodates the Indian, it never abandons its practical this-worldly perspective. And, me, I find the Chinese story aligns with my own modern, or is that post-modern, or probably some other variation on the great Western theme with its own momentary name, that our shot is in this life. Our contemporary liberal or some prefer the term secular Buddhisms are on occasion dismissed as tainted by modernity or even worse materialism when one or another of us expresses doubt or sometimes outright disbelief in rebirth and karma narrowly defined as those intentions that trigger rebirths. And some among us, Im sure, are simply materialists for whom Zen Buddhist practices are psychological devices that mitigate the inevitable hurt that comes with being alive and knowing we will die. But while it is helpful to people, this materialistic Buddhism and its mitigations of various psychological hurts are not my Zen Buddhism. My Zen has a different goal than the mitigation of suffering. Somewhere around the beginning of the twelfth century the Chan master Huanglong Wuxin asked the question. If you do not deliver this present human body in this lifetime, then, in what lifetime will you have a chance to deliver this human body? Here, were less about many lives or one. Instead we cut to the chase. And so the story in the West ever since the rise of the Enlightenment is one of minute inspection into the world at hand, putting our confidence in observation and out of observation with controlled experiment. And in that world our story becomes one of genetics and experiences, a great play of causes and effects and more causes and effects that come together in a moment as me. And in a moment it will be gone, like a shift in the wind. Me, I find this a lovely story. And, frankly, I find it more resonant with reality I experience than either the story of a link of lives repeating over and over the ills and opportunities, or, even the Chinese story with its various pre-scientific elements gathered for a moment. Although, my experience is a lot more like the Chinese one. But, knowing there are two stories pointing to the same possibility, I see no problem with how that possibility comes with a third story, the story of my people just as much as was the case for those earlier stories. But, thats not the end of the story. My Zen, while liberal and rational and which is more than hesitant about claims to a multitude of lives, is, nonetheless all about that question of awakening as something considerably more than a materialist psychological calming within a sea of anxiety. Of course the way does help psychologically. However, we are also the product of many conditions and circumstances, multiply caused, and seeing through does not end those conditions and circumstances. If you are an anxious person, or an angry person, while seeing through is helpful, the anxiety and the anger are still to be dealt with. No doubt a lifetime occupation. So, while awakening includes that psychological aspect, which is at best gradual, the Buddhist project is also about much more, something that can best be distinguished from psychological. Lets call it spiritual. That story of permanence which is the alternative to our various ways of telling how we are in fact not is the great heart hurt. And its resolution is something other than the various wounds of our psychological makeup. I believe the great project to be about a liberation that has informed people from Shakyamuni down to our own day. This great awakening has both gradual and sudden aspects. But its winning is the cessation of fear for our lives and the lives of those we love. It is seeing past the conventions we use to separate ourselves out from each other, without denying their utility and place within our consciousness, but in the same moment opening us to a larger truth, which we are in touch with in greater or lesser degree at various moments, but which once found cannot be lost. It is the Western Paradise, it is Heaven, and it is here. It is found shallowly, and deeply, but like a sip of water or a bucket of water, it is at heart the same experience. The method is simplicity itself. As our teacher Sengcan sang to us, The great way is not difficult. You only need to not get caught up in picking and choosing. When we let go of our desires and resentments, when we let go of our knowing, we find it was always right here, the heart of our hearts. This may sound like some essence, but it isnt. It is emptiness, it is openness, it is boundlessness. It is our great freedom. It was found in India. It was found again in China. In each case given the flavor of the indigenous culture, but at the heart of the matter, the discovery is the same great truth. Going out into the world with empty hands. Forgetting. Opening. Just this, just this, revealing how even within our binding as earthly beings, we are at the very same time boundless. Taking up the plow with empty hands, putting on clothes made of emptiness. And. And it is here to be discovered in America, and Europe, and everywhere else on this globe that human beings walk. Waiting for us to find it and give it our own color, our own flavor, our own style most appropriate to our time and place. What it is, however we chose to call it, is our great inheritance, the healing of the great hurt. Nothing less. Patna: Police in Patna resorted to lathi charge on activists under the banner of Bihar Navnirman Abhiyan who had gathered outside the state Assembly on Thursday to press for their demand, including the implementation of the Forest Rights Act of 2006. More than 300 protestors representing various tribes in Bihar blocked the road outside the state Assembly and chanted anti-government slogans to demand for the implementation of Forest Rights Act that offers several social and economic safety nets to the tribal people. When attempts to remove them peacefully failed, police sprung into action and showered the protestors with batons. This only aggravated the situation as protestors pelted the cops with stones and other objects causing injury to some of them More than three dozen protestors, mostly women, were also hurt in the lathi charge and had to be taken to local hospitals for first aid. The ruckus started around 11:00 am near the Shaheed Chowk and lasted for over an hour. Police bussed more than 200 protestors to various police stations where they were detained for several hours before being released. Talking to the reporters, a member of the Bihar Navnirman Abhiyan said that the state government was deliberately ignoring the implementation of the Forest Rights Act by hiding behind bureaucratic process and procedure. "While the state of Orissa has nearly completed the implementation of the Act benefitting over 3.5 tribal people, the Bihar government has so far recognized only 31 persons who are deemed eligible for benefit under the Forest Rights Act of 2006," he said. Patna: Belying the claims of life getting better under the Janata Dal U government in Bihar, the city of Patna continued to remain a place not suitable for any hygienic-conscious person as mountains of garbage could be seen across the state capital with no attempt to remove them by the local administration. On Thursday, in the lack of required machinery and manpower, the Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) set a pile of trash near the Beur intersection on fire causing nauseous gas to emanate with the smoke making it very difficult for the pedestrians to breathe. Similar sight was witnessed in Pataliputra Colony where cows tried to graze through the trash to find anything edible in a heap of garbage containing mostly plastic bags that was banned by the state government a few years ago. Meanwhile, the PMC, ten years after the Nitish government came into power, continued to mull over the best way to deal with the stinking situation. PMC Commissioner Jai Singh on Wednesday held a meeting of the committee members to weigh in on the 'door-to-door' garbage collection and decided to issue a fresh tender, fourth time in ten years, to select an agency to do the job. Patna Mayor Afzal Imam suggested more board meetings before a tender was floated. With virtually the entire city, barring the VVIP areas, turning into a pile of garbage, the local administration argued over the purchase of fourteen equipment needed to clean the state capital. While a decision has been reached as to the purchase of six equipment; the government will soon float a tender for the procurement of the remaining eight tools, the Mayor said. "We have entrusted Bihar Urban Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (BUIDCO) to send us a proposal after which a final decision would be taken as to the purchase of the remaining eight equipment," he said. Patna: Janata Dal U legislator from Rafiganj Ashok Kumar, on Wednesday, taking strong exceptions to former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi's accusation that the ill-gotten money from corruption was going all the way to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's official residence, told the Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) leader to either prove his allegations or issue a public apology for his lies. As reported, Manjhi had on Tuesday said that the chain of corruption ended at the Chief Minister's bungalow where brokers and middlemen earning commission through illegal means, shared the loot to avoid being caught and prosecuted. Speaking at the state Assembly, JD-U legislator warned Manjhi of trying to cast doubts on the character of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar saying the former Chief Minister's charges were very serious and it was incumbent upon him to either prove his allegations that he said were baseless or offer an unconditional, public apology to the JD-U leader. "I am sure Manjhi has some evidences to prove his charges. Perhaps he should now make those evidences public," Kumar said. Talking to reporters outside the Assembly, Manjhi, without offering any evidence of his charges against the Chief Minister, demanded a CBI probe against Nitish Kumar saying only an enquiry of that magnitude would bring the truth to the surface. "Let the CBI conduct a probe into the financial dealings of Nitish Kumar. If I am wrong, I will resign from the state Assembly," the former Chief Minister, whose one year of reign in Bihar was marred with controversy including charges of financial irregularities along with widespread nepotism and favoritism, said. Manjhi had earlier accused Kumar of taking illegal commission from brokers involved in procuring paddy from Bihar farmers. He had also alleged massive financial bungling in the building of a new museum in Patna whose estimated cost of construction went from the original Rs. 250 crore to Rs. 580 crore in a matter of few years. "We're not used to seeing growth in our check business," said Deluxe's Tracey Engelhardt, who reports a 6% to 7% increase in revenue for check orders from businesses and consumers in each of the last three quarters, driven by various factors originating from the pandemic. Iranian VP Under Fire For Claiming All Of Village's Men 'Executed' 03/03/16 By Golnaz Esfandiari, RFE/RL Iranian Vice President Shahindokht Molaverdi has come under fire for claiming that the entire male population of a village in restive Sistan-Baluchistan Province has been executed on drug-related offenses. Iranian Vice President Shahindokht Molaverdi has yet to react publicly to the wave of criticism. Molaverdi made the claim in a February 23 interview with the semiofficial Mehr news agency, without specifying the name of the village or the number of people executed. "We have a village in Sistan-Baluchistan where every single man has been executed," Molaverdi said. The province is used as a route by drug traffickers due to its proximity to Pakistan and Afghanistan. Molaverdi warned that "the survivors are potential drug dealers, as they would want to seek revenge for their fathers and also provide for their families." The shocking claim, which made headlines in Persian-language and Western media, has angered local officials, who accuse Molaverdi of spreading lies and damaging the province. Sistan-Baluchistan's deputy chief justice, Mohammad Ali Hamidian, said on March 2 that a legal complaint has been launched against Molaverdi because, he said, her claim constituted "spreading lies and defamation" about the judicial system. Hamidian was quoted by local news sites as saying that Molaverdi has linked "the failure" of the executive branch to solve the problems of Sistan-Baluchistan -- one of Iran's poorest regions -- to the judiciary. Another local official, Hassan Razavidust, also blasted Molaverdi, while dismissing her claim as a "pure lie." "Since the claim is false, the vice president should be held [legally] responsible and apologize to the people in the province," Razavidust, a deputy prosecutor for the region's capital, Zahedan, was quoted by domestic media as saying. Several lawmakers also criticized Molaverdi while suggesting that such a village does not exist. Among them is Zahedan's representative to the parliament, who said the issue will be pursued through the parliament and other bodies. "This interview destroyed the reputation of Sistan-Baluchistan," the lawmaker, Hosseinali Shahriari, said. He added: "Many people contact us and ask about the basis for this claim." Shahriari said he personally had no information about such a village. Mohammad Javad Larijani, head of the Iranian judiciary's Human Rights Council, told CNN on March 1 that he is looking into the issue. He suggested that the number of those executed in the village was small. "[As for] what the vice president said, I think we should be aware that a village which has only five families living in it...the male population of that -- five or six [men] -- could be involved in the drug-trafficking incident," Larijani told CNN in an interview from Geneva. Molaverdi has yet to react publicly to the wave of criticism. She was quoted by a local website as saying that she does not plan to give any interviews on the matter. Copyright (c) 2016 RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org Iran To Get First Foreign-Branded Luxury Hotel On Caspian Sea 03/03/16 Source: RFE/RL Melia Hotels International A Spanish hotel operator says it plans to open what is described as Iran's first foreign-branded seaside hotel as early as next year. Melia Hotels International said on March 2 that the five-star property would be built in a 130-meter tower on the Caspian Sea. The Gran Melia Ghoo hotel, which is to feature swimming pools, bars, and a spa, will form part of a new district being built in the resort of Salman Shahr. The property is set to be the first luxury hotel operated by a foreign company in Iran since the Islamic revolution forced overseas brands to flee in 1979. The announcement comes after international sanctions against Iran were lifted in January in connection with a July nuclear deal with world powers. In October, Iran got its first foreign-branded hotels in decades when French operator Accor opened a Novotel and an Ibis near Tehran's international airport. Based on reporting by Bloomberg and expansion.com Copyright (c) 2016 RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org The best 2-in-1 laptop 2022: our picks of the best convertible laptops These are the best 2-in-1 laptops you can buy right now It's time for more snooping in the U.K. Not content with a draft bill that would allow the government to access up to 12 months of citizens' browsing histories, yesterday a Parliamentary committee introduced a final version of the bill that would expand the scope of those powers. The final bill(Opens in a new window) would allow police investigating crimes to access all web browsing activities, not just those suspected to be illegal, The Guardian reports(Opens in a new window). Hours after the bill was introduced, in what the paper described as a "highly unusual" move, the Home Office issued a clarification, explaining that the hacking powers aren't new and that accessing those records are standard police practice. "The revised Bill we introduced today reflects the majority of the committees' recommendations we have strengthened safeguards, enhanced privacy protections and bolstered oversight arrangements - and will now be examined by Parliament before passing into law by the end of 2016," Home Secretary Theresa May said in a statement(Opens in a new window). But security advocates aren't convinced. They've nicknamed the bill the "Snooper's Charter," and claim that it will interfere with encryption. One provision allows the police to request that tech companies break their own encryption in some circumstances, but only if it is practical to do so. Entrepreneur and Tech London Advocates(Opens in a new window) director Russ Shaw told Newsweek(Opens in a new window) that the expansive power the bill affords the government is a double-edged sword. "While it is important that police and security services are equipped with the tools required to tackle online crime, the Investigatory Powers Bill ignores the recommendations of technology companies and irrevocably sacrifices consumer privacy," Shaw said in a statement. The Joint Committee on Investigatory Powers apparently shares some of those concerns, since it has already revised and clarified the bill several times. As the bill heads for debate in Parliament, it could be revised again. I can justify time spent on unnecessary research, fruitless outreach, and gratuitous note-taking. Even if I scrap an idea, I can repurpose the research. However, every minute that I spend formatting citations is time that could be spent doing something that doesn't insult my humanity. Knowing whether a title ought to be italicized or underlined is an utter waste of headspace. Citations are exactly the kind of work that can and should be automated, and thankfully, there's no shortage of tools you can use to manage research. Some platforms operate as document managers, complete with PDF annotation tools. Many interoperate with prominent databases such as EBSCOhost or JSTOR to capture relevant metadata or full-text articles. Others bundle social networks through which researchers can connect and share findings. And all managers will allow you to add citation information and export those citations in a variety of different styles. The hitch is that many of the more advanced reference managers will cost yousometimes a lot. My institution purchased a site license from the popular web-based platform ProQuest RefWorks(Opens in a new window). I like RefWorks, but I would like it a whole lot less if I had to pay for it out of pocket. The same could be said of Thomson Reuters EndNote, which is the software to beat when it comes to comprehensive reference management. These platforms are popularand priceyfor a reason. This week, I share five reference managers that will help you collect and export citations for free. In some cases, as with EndNote Basic, these managers can be upgraded for a cost. In other instances, as with BibSonomy, they are absolutely free. I have organized these five platforms according to their method of management. The first two, EndNote Basic and BibSonomy, are web-based, meaning you can sign into any computer to view, add, or export research. The last threeZotero, Mendeley, and ReadCuberely upon localized libraries with the option to synchronize some research using the web. These options are preferable if you don't want to rely upon Internet connectivity. For each grouping I offer one open-source manager (BibSonomy and Zotero). This isn't for lack of options. Interested readers might consider RefDB(Opens in a new window), BibDesk(Opens in a new window), or the Docear(Opens in a new window) suite. I chose selections I have testedor even reviewedand that I believe will well-serve researchers. I encourage readers to use the comments thread to suggest alternatives and to share their experiences using platforms. Web-Based Reference Managers When I reviewed EndNote X6, I praised it for its support and feature set. My qualm was that, even with a student discount, EndNote remains a three-figure proposition. EndNote Basic(Opens in a new window) removes that barrier. As a fully web-based alternative, Basic can be used from any computer with an Internet connection. In fact, given that you can sync citations to the desktop app, EndNote bridges these two categories. Basic does have its limitations. Researchers can only export citations in the seven most popular formats; compare that to the full version, which supports more than 6,000, and one can understand the discount. While it supports up to 50,000 citationsmore than enough for a dissertation or monographreaders should note a 2GB cap on attachments. That might sound like a lot of storage, but if you want to use Basic as your research manager, you might hit that ceiling after a few hundred PDFs. I could find no such cap in the documentation for BibSonomy(Opens in a new window), an open-source platform developed by teams at the University of Wurzburg and the L3S Research Center. In addition to reference management, BibSonomy allows researchers to collect publications and bookmarks and to share findings with friends or groups. Best of all, BibSonomy operates through browser add-ons, in much the manner of Zotero; however, unlike Zotero, all data is automatically cloud-hosted. That said, BibSonomy is a tool for scientific researchers. Humanists would do well to consider other options: I ran into trouble scraping data from databases such as JSTOR and ProQuest, and, when I manually added metadata, I couldn't export my citations in the format I needed. This isn't a problem with the software, but a product of specialization. BibSonomy bills itself as "The easy way to manage scientific publications and bookmarks," and it delivers on that promise. Localized Reference Managers Similar to BibSonomy, Zotero(Opens in a new window) is a free, open-source browser-based reference manager created by university researchers (this time George Mason University). In fact, both platforms even launched around the same time, some 10 years ago. Zotero is an easy pick for anyone working in the humanities. Not only does it export citations in all of the most popular formats, Zotero interoperates with popular repositories such as JSTOR to automatically capture PDFs. Unlike BibSonomy, however, sources are locally stored. Researchers can access them through their browsers or via a dedicated application. Zotero offers synchronization across various multiple computers, but 100MB of cloud-based storage will go quickly if you're using Zotero as a research manager (e.g. retaining PDFs). Of course, there's no cap on local storage, and you can always use the cloud-storage strategically. I reviewed Zotero almost four years ago, and it remains my default citation manager. In emphasizing an academic social network, Mendeley(Opens in a new window) is something of a cross between Zotero and BibSonomy. One distinguishing feature is that researchers can mark up documents (PDFs) in the desktop application. If you want to access those files on another computer, you can always synchronize those files via some cloud-based storage. By default, the manager includes 2GB of personal storagetwice as much as when I reviewed Mendeley three years agoand you can increase storage via a paid plan. Researchers can also share citations and documents with a group of three contributors, ideal for collaborative writing projects. Finally, I've chosen to include ReadCube(Opens in a new window) as the token eye candy. Similar to BibSonomy, ReadCube has a specific nichethose in STEM fieldsthough it also serves humanists thanks to generous citation styles and proxy support for ProQuest and EBSCOhost. Perhaps the software's most unique feature is its ability to "enhance" PDFs by adding hyperlinks in text references, suggesting related articles, and allowing researchers to annotate files. The hitch, as I noted in my ReadCube review, is that annotations aren't Acrobat-compatible and they're not easy to share. Moreover, any cloud-based storage will cost you. Nevertheless, ReadCube is hands down the best looker of the bunch and it's simple enough to use without the integrated tutorial. SAN FRANCISCOAdmiral Michael S. Rogers, director of the National Security Agency (NSA), took the stage here today at RSA, where he took pains to stress the need for dialog and the role of the NSA as public servant. RSA primarily attracts members of the security industry, but Rogers's presence was a touch awkward as the Admiral followed a lengthy debate from the creators of public key encryption and other security luminaries about (among other things) the value of protecting privacy against government surveillance. "Well, certainly an interesting panel to follow as the head of the NSA," Rogers quipped. Rogers seemed to be seeking a new kind of dialog with the security industry. "The nation counts on [the NSA] to generate insights to help ensure its security and safety, and to do it in a way that addresses the rights and privacy of our citizens," he said. The Consent of the Governed Rogers painted a picture of a world with more and increasingly complex cyber attacks, but stressed that the NSA will not overstep its bounds. The challenge while moving forward, he said, is to ensure "we are about national security, but everything we do must comply with law and [be done] in the defense of our citizens." This is "not the government deciding unilaterally what to do, or industry deciding what to do," he said. "Our citizens need to the be the one saying what they find acceptable and what they do not." These comments are in stark contrast to statements made by the agency in the wake of leaks made by Edward Snowden, which revealed massive data interception operations and even some domestic spying. Back then, the emphasis by the administration and the NSA was that the operations were carried out legally, and were necessary for the defense of the nation. Previous narratives focused on authorization by the secret FISA court rather than consent of citizens. Looking To the Future But despite a conciliatory tone, Rogers made sure to inject an air of urgency about the threat landscape. "If we can take anything away from OPM and from Anthem," he said, referring to major data breaches at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management and the health insurance company, "it's that data is an increasingly desirable commodity to steal." That trend likely won't change any time soon, but data theft is just the beginning. "What happens when that same activity is used to manipulate data, software, and products," he asked. "What do we do when we cannot trust the data that we're seeing?" He cited as examples individuals discovering that their bank accounts had been tampered with, or attackers spoofing data for airline traffic. The attacks on the Ukrainian power grid two months ago should serve as a warning, he said. "It is only a matter of when, not if, that you'll see a nation state actor attack the critical infrastructure of the United States. Seven weeks ago it was the Ukraine, and this is not the last we're going to see about this." If you're concerned about security and surveillance, consider getting one of the best VPN services to protect your Web browsing. Virtual reality is set to explode in the coming years; it could an $80 billion industry in the next decade, according to Goldman Sachs. But how do we get there? PCMag chatted with Clive Downie, CMO of Unity Technologies, to find out. The company is best known for its Unity game engine development platform. This allows an "author once, deploy everywhere" process which has all but replaced the headache of creating purely native games and apps that require staggered, costly, and complex rollouts across a myriad of platforms. "We see our role at Unity as providing the opportunity to create an ecosystem for developers and creators to be successful in VR/AR," he told PCMag. "If you don't know a lot of scripting, you can still build stuff and that's powerful. But when you've created something, you need to know how to get it to market and how to ascertain success. To this end, we've built integrated analytics tools, advertising tools, and so on to enable developers to have a real business." At the recent Vision Summit in Los Angeles, the company was pushing the "Made With Unity" tagline. But it's not something Unity is thinking of releasing as a certification to drive sales. "It's all about discoverability," Downie said. "It's hard for creators to get their games found, especially in the mobile arena, and so we wanted to support the development community and prosumers by building the Made With Unity site, using our reach...so they can tell their story." Currently, Unity offers a free Personal edition, which gives users full access to the engine and all 24 Unity-supported platforms if they earn less than $100,000 in revenue per year. The paid version, Unity Pro, provides additional features like analytics, simultaneous builds across platforms, and more customizable features. Unity Pro costs $75 per month for the core product and an extra $75 per month for iOS and Android support. Some independents have been grumbling about Unity 5.0's development agreement, which states that Unity Pro perpetual licenses will expire on March 2017. We put this question to Downie. "We believe in democratizing game development and so we will always have a free product," Downie pointed out. "You can make wonderful things and release your games across all the platforms we support using that free version. But we are constantly evaluating our product lines to support our 4.5 million registered developers." Don't expect a marketplace or app store from Unity; it isn't interested in taking royalties off people's games to share in their success. "We think that's punitive," said Downie. So what's next? "We have a division called Unity Labs, which is involved in cutting-edge engineering tasks, to push what's possible. Its HQ is in SF but there are teams around the world who are are tasked with experimenting to improve the main Unity platform. We will be rolling out a website for Unity Labs at GDC in March." Earlier that day, onstage at Vision Summit, Timoni West, principal designer of the Unity Labs team, previewed Unity's Scene VR tool, which allows developers to build games in virtual reality, rather than on a computer screen. She almost overwhelmed the massive CPU but it all came out right in the end. There was much sharp intake of breath and auditory encouragement in response from the packed auditorium of developers, a fine geek moment. Unity now has a 30 percent market share worldwide of the top 1,000 grossing mobile games and over 90 percent of the VR content for Samsung's Gear VR ($29.00 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) . Games "Made With Unity" are downloaded 1.5 billion times a month. Many of them, but certainly not all, come with some kind of paid version. Whether it's enough to reach analysts' projections remains to be seen. Intel is reportedly developing an augmented reality headset based on the company's RealSense 3D technology. Citing anonymous sources, the Wall Street Journal suggested(Opens in a new window) the California tech titan will compete with products like Google Glass and Microsoft HoloLens. Unlike virtual reality, which places the user into a computer-generated scene, augmented reality (or mixed reality) superimposes data onto the real world via a headset display. Intel did not immediately respond to PCMag's request for comment. These rumors, however, fit the company's recent push to expand its businesswhich is still led by standard processorsinto wearables and the Internet of Things. Its RealSense technology, meanwhile, has already been integrated into Google's Project Tango and a virtual butler named Relay. Intel isn't the only one pursuing augmented reality: Meta's second-generation AR headset is now available to pre-order online(Opens in a new window). Expected to begin shipping to developers in the third quarter of this year, the $949 device boasts a huge 90-degree field of view, high-definition see-through display, and direct hand control. "We are creating an experience that merges the art of user interface design with the science of the brain, creating 'natural machines' that feel like extensions of ourselves rather than the other way around," Meta CEO Meron Gribetz said in a statement. Demonstrated at last month's TED conference in Canada, the Meta 2 is a tethered device that requires a PC running Windows 8 or 10. The technology is currently compatible with Windows-based apps like Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Suite, and Spotify. Mac support is planned for later this year. Microsoft, meanwhile, will begin shipping its $3,000 HoloLens Development Edition on March 30. Need a lot of storage? Like, a lot a lot? Samsung has you covered. The Korean tech giant on Thursday announced(Opens in a new window) it has started shipping what it calls the "industry's largest solid state drive"the 15.36TB "PM1633a" we first heard about in August. To put the size of this thing in perspective, the largest hard drives made by Seagate and Western Digital top out at 8 to 10TB. Samsung's PM1633a is based on a 12Gb/s Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) interface, designed for use in enterprise storage systems. In a statement, Samsung's Senior Vice President of memory product planning and application engineering, Jung-bae Lee, said Samsung created the drive "to satisfy an increasing market need for ultra-high-capacity SAS SSDs." "We are directing our best efforts toward meeting our customers' SSD requests," Lee said. "We will continue to lead the industry with next-generation SSDs, using our advanced 3D V-NAND memory technology, in order to accelerate the growth of the premium memory market while delivering greater performance and efficiency to our customers." Samsung still has not yet revealed how much the massive drive will set you back, but don't expect it to come cheap. The company did mention that it will also release 7.68TB, 3.84TB, 1.92TB, 960GB, and 480GB versions later this year, so they should be a tad more budget-friendly. "The secret sauce behind Samsung's 16TB SSD is the company's new 256Gbit (32GB) NAND flash die; twice the capacity of 128Gbit NAND dies that were commercialized by various chip makers last year," Ars Technica UK(Opens in a new window) explained in August. "To reach such an astonishing density, Samsung has managed to cram 48 layers of 3-bits-per-cell (TLC) 3D V-NAND into a single die. This is up from 24 layers in 2013, and then 36 layers in 2014." And the PM1633a? It uses between 480 and 500 of the new NAND flash chips. Samsung said the drive allows for "significant improvements in the efficiency of IT system investments," offering "random read and write speeds of up to 200,000 and 32,000 IOPS respectively, and sequential read and write speeds of up to 1,200MB/s." Exciting news for thrill-seeking techies: Virtual roller coasters are headed to Six Flags. The world's largest regional theme park company has partnered with Samsung its new "official technology partner" to debut what they say will be North America's first virtual reality roller coasters. Park-goers at nine Six Flags locations will be able to strap on Samsung's Gear VR headset while riding a traditional roller coaster and "feel the heart-pumping adrenaline of steep drops, inverted loops and powerful twists and turns as gyros, accelerometers and proximity sensors synchronize all of the action in an incredibly realistic 360-degree virtual reality world," the companies announced Thursday. Six Flags and Samsung plan to launch the new VR roller coasters this month and into the summer. On tap are six New Revolution VR coasters, which will transport riders "to a futuristic battle to save planet Earth from an alien invasion," the companies said. "Riders are the co-pilots in their own fighter jets as they strap in for air-to-air combat." This new experience is headed to Six Flags parks in Arlington, Texas; Atlanta; Los Angeles; and St. Louis as well as The Great Escape park in Lake George, N.Y. and La Ronde in Montreal. Meanwhile, three new Superman-themed VR coasters promising to fully-immerse riders "in the 360-degree comic-book world of Metropolis" are headed to Six Flags parks in San Antonio, Texas; Agawam, Mass.; and Upper Marlboro, Md. "Just after departing the station riders encounter Lex Luthor who uses an anti-gravity gun along with his army of Lex Bots to create chaos throughout the city with cars, taxis and buses floating in mid-air around the rider's vehicle," Samsung and Six Flags teased. In a statement, Six Flags President and CEO John Duffey called VR "a definite game-changer for theme park rides." Samsung's Chief Marketing Officer Marc Mathieu echoed that excitement. "Bringing a VR coaster to life is certainly a new and thrilling proposition," Mathieu said in a statement. "Now, people can be immersed into a totally new universe while riding a roller coaster. This transforms the modern roller coaster into a totally new, one of a kind sensorial experience powered by technology." Meanwhile, Six Flags isn't the only theme park getting into VR. Alton Towers in the north of England recently announced it will open a rollercoaster ride in April that equips passengers with VR headsets. For a look at the New Revolution VR coaster, check out the video below. Apple has said it's willing to take its fight against the FBI over iPhone backdoors to the Supreme Court, and today it got a little help from Silicon Valley, as a number of tech giants filed amicus briefs and letters to the court in support of Apple. Days after Apple's top lawyer faced off against FBI Director James Comey on Capitol Hill, firms like Twitter, Reddit, Intel, AT&T, and more have submitted statements that urge the court not to require Apple to create an operating system that would unlock encrypted iPhones. One company that's not immediately jumping to Apple's defense, at least not yet? Samsung. "Protecting our customers' privacy is extremely important, but we have not decided whether to file an amicus brief in the current case," Samsung told Bloomberg in an emailed statement(Opens in a new window). "Ensuring trust in our products and services is our top priority. Our phones are embedded with encryption that protects privacy and content, and they do not have backdoors. When required to do so, and within the law, we work with law enforcement agencies. However, any requirement to create a backdoor could undermine consumers' trust." Yesterday, Apple launched a webpage(Opens in a new window) to highlight many of the groups that have chosen to support the company, so check back there as more are posted. But here's what the tech world has to say about the issue thus far: INTEL: Intel acknowledged(Opens in a new window) "the case presents difficult choices," but said the FBI's request is "an unprecedented step for the government to require a company to develop technology that weakens security in a commercial product. Such a move chills innovation. Intel believes we need to accomplish safety, security, and personal privacy. We also believe we need a greater dialogue among and between all stakeholders. We're eager to be part of that conversation." AT&T: AT&T pushed for(Opens in a new window) Congress to address the issue. "Only Congress can address these issues in a sufficiently comprehensive, uniform, and fair manner," wrote David McAtee, AT&T Senior Executive Vice President and General Counsel. "All of usthe government, the courts, consumers and companiesneed clear and uniform rules that can be produced only through a broadly-informed, transparent and accountable legislative process. In the meantime, we should not consider the All Writs Act, which merely authorizes the judiciary to enforce existing law, as a substitute for that process. AIRBNB, LINKEDIN, REDDIT, TWITTER, AND MORE: In a joint filing(Opens in a new window) that also included Atlassian, Automattic, CloudFlare, eBay, GitHub, Kickstarter, Mapbox, Medium, Meetup, Square, Twilio, and Wicker, the companies argued that the feds' demand "not only has no legal basis under the All Writs Act or any other law, but threatens the core principles of privacy, security, and transparency that underlie the fabric of the Internet." The request, they said, "would set a dangerous precedent, in which the government could sidestep established legal procedures authorized by thorough, nuanced statutes to obtain users' data in ways not contemplated by lawmakers." BOX: "Due in large part to my experience on 9/11, I have always fully supported Law Enforcement in their campaign against the agents of terror," Box's chief information security officer, wrote in a blog post(Opens in a new window). But the "FBI request of Apple to create a backdoor into the iPhone for Law Enforcement is exactly the kind of feature that will eventually be used against us." If anything, "we need greater investment in encryption and in more fine-grained controls for our digital lives." MOZILLA: In a blog post(Opens in a new window), Mozilla said it joined a coalition of companies, including Google, Nest Labs, Facebook, WhatsApp, Evernote, Snapchat and Microsoft, "to help the court understand why it is dangerous to force technology companies to actively undermine their own security features." Tech companies "should aspire to build 'unhackable' products," but the FBI's request means "we could all be told not to build secure products in the first place." ACLU: Law enforcement may not commandeer innocent third parties into becoming its undercover agents, its spies, or its hackers," the organization said(Opens in a new window). "If the government prevails, then this case will be the first of many requiring companies to degrade the security and to undermine the trust in their products so essential to privacy in the digital age. BUSINESS SOFTWARE ALLIANCE: The BSA, whose members(Opens in a new window) include Microsoft and IBM, said(Opens in a new window) "our groups have serious concerns over calls for weakened encryption and the implications they present to privacy and security. The All Writs Act does not authorize the government to force a company to create a new product or design a product in a particular way. Moreover, the government's interpretation of the All Writs Act leaves no room for weighing critical issues like maintaining the security of individuals' most personal information. ELECTRONIC FRONTIER FOUNDATION: "The court order is akin to the government dictating a letter endorsing backdoors and forcing Apple to sign its forgery-proof name at the bottom,'' said(Opens in a new window) EFF Civil Liberties Director David Greene. "In our democracy, no onenot technology companies, coders, or average citizenscan be forced to write an article, carry a sign, post an update on Facebook or write and sign computer code that communicates or endorses a government idea that they don't agree with. What the FBI asked the court to do violates free speech rights(Opens in a new window) and puts the security and privacy of millions of people at risk. We are asking the court to throw out this dangerous and unconstitutional order." For more, check out PCMag's interview with Peter Eckersley, chief computer scientist at the EFF and Amie Stepanovich, U.S. Policy Manager for Access Now (which also filed a brief today(Opens in a new window)) about encryption. Stephanie Mlot contributed to this story. The U.S. is aggressively targeting ISIS in cyberspace, attempting to halt the groups ability to communicate electronically, Secretary of Defense Ash Carter said Thursday. His comments build on those from earlier this week when, for the first time, the Department of Defense admitted to an active offensive cyberspace mission. There is no reason why these guys ought to be able to command and control their forces, Carter said Thursday morning at a Microsoft-sponsored event in Seattle. Drawing a parallel with the use of more conventional tools of warfare like missiles, Carter said the attacks are intended to hit the heart of ISIS operations. Were using cyber in Iraq and Syria the same way, he said. Black these guys out. Make them doubt their communications, make it impossible for them to dominate and tyrannize the population in the territory they are and just whack away with this as we are whacking away with everything else. We have to put an end to this fast. The DOS first disclosed its cyberwar operation against ISIS earlier this week, when Carter hinted that one tool being used was a denial-of-service attack. The DOD was trying to overload their network so that they cant function, he said. A big download of files is expected today in the Apple-FBI iPhone encryption case linked to the San Bernardino terrorism attack, with tech companies and families of victims expected to bring their voices to the matter. A friend-of-the-court brief on behalf of Apple from the American Civil Liberties Union beat todays deadline. Two data-privacy organizations, Access Now and Wickr Foundation, have also filed a brief, along with data industry group ACT/The App Association. United Nations appointee David Kaye, who monitors the protection and promotion of the freedom of opinion and expression for the international organization, also filed a letter of support. Kaye also is clinical professor of law at UC Irvine School of Law. U.S. Magistrate Judge Sheri Pym struck bids by the Electronic Frontier Foundation and Privacy International for failing to get authorization. More than two dozen tech firms, including Google, Twitter, Facebook, Microsoft and Verizon, are expected to either file or add their names to briefs defending Apples decision to fight a court order to create software that would aid the FBI in hacking the iPhone used by Syed Rizwan Farook. Private attorney Stephen Larson, who retired in 2009 from a federal judgeship at the Riverside court, and a group of top prosecutors including San Bernardino County District Attorney Mike Ramos, are expected to file briefs backing the FBI on behalf of the shooting victims and their families. Apple has said that obeying the order and creating software that will help the FBI get around the iPhones defenses has the potential to threaten the data security of hundreds of millions of iPhone users. The FBI has said the software it seeks will be limited to only the San Bernardino County-issued iPhone used by Farook, a health inspector. The agency wants to use computer-generated guesses for the phones device code without locking it down after 10 failed attempts. In its friend-of-the-court brief, the ACLU told the court, Law enforcement may not commandeer innocent third parties into becoming its undercover agents, its spies, or its hackers. The effect of the governments demands would be to conscript a private party with little connection to the governments criminal investigation into breaking the security of its own products and, thereby, weakening the security of all its users, the ACLU document said. Late Tuesday, Apple attorneys made a move that could change who hears the case. A notice of objection filed on deadline under an abundance of caution, could take the case out of Pyms court and put it before a federal district court judge. There was no immediate word whether that might affect the March 22 hearing date Pym had scheduled. In a hearing at which Apple attorneys were not present, Pym on Feb. 16 made the order for Apple to help the FBI hack into the phone used by Farook, who with his wife, Tashfeen Malik, killed 14 people and wounded 22 in the massacre at the Inland Regional Center on Dec. 2. Both died in a shootout with police a few hours later. The FBI said they were inspired by the Islamic State, but were not under the direction of the terrorist group. By formally objecting to Pyms order, Apple opens the way for a federal judge to consider the matter. Magistrate judges are hired by the jurists of the federal court district in which they serve. Federal judges are appointed for life after nomination by the president and confirmation by the U.S. Senate. Apple had already filed a motion to vacate the order. Apple attorneys also asked Pym to take judicial notice of the ruling earlier this week by another federal magistrate in Brooklyn who denied a similar FBI request for help in hacking an iPhone in a drug case. In that ruling, Magistrate Judge James Orenstein ruled the government had gone beyond the constitutional boundaries of the 1789 All Writs Act, which it used on both coasts to argue for the FBI to get Apples help. Apple characterized the FBIs request in the Brooklyn case as a request far less burdensome than the order sought in the Riverside case. RELATED: Apple files new court documents in FBI case FBI, Apple feud hits Congress Victims family supports Apples iPhone position NY judge rules against FBI in similar case Police Department to receive award for locating suspects Court action for victims and families will be filed next week Q&A on the Apple vs. Justice Department court fight Complete coverage of the San Bernardino shooting, aftermath Contact the writer: 951-368-9573 or rdeatley@pressenterprise.com Riverside police say they do not believe that Janice Burney, who was found dead in a parking lot near the intersection of Iowa Avenue and Blaine Street on Monday, Feb. 29, was intentionally killed. Detective Mike Medici said the traffic division is now trying to determine whether Burney, 52, was the victim of a hit and run. Initial indications were that Burney was hit by a vehicle and that the driver fled. No arrests have been made. Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call Riverside police at 951-354-2007. In Wildomars quest to come up with a map dividing the city into voting districts, a star has emerged. After reviewing five alternative maps, the City Council recently agreed on yet a sixth map, based on community comments and their own observations. The community has an opportunity to view and critique the map, identified as Draft A-Plus, at the councils March 9 meeting. It was really popular, Mayor Bridgette Moore said of the reaction at the Feb. 24 meeting to the new concept. Everybody liked that. Were fine with it. To avoid a potentially costly voting-rights lawsuit, city officials decided in January to switch from an at-large approach on elections to a by-district system. A city-hired demographer initiated the process by offering three alternative maps. Instead of trimming the list, however, community input prompted leaders to expand the options to five. At the Feb. 24 meeting, sentiment favored one of the initial proposals, Draft A, with some tweaks recommended by residents. The sixth map, A-Plus, was endorsed by the four council members present. Moore said the council is prepared to approve the revision March 9, the third of three scheduled hearings. Yet, time remains time for the public to critique the preferred draft, Moore said. Residents can still get their comments in and recommend changes, Moore said. If not, we will probably be approving this at the March 9 meeting. Under Draft A-Plus, District 1 would include the northwest side of the city, while District 2 would cover the northeast and central sections mostly east of Interstate 15. District 3 would encompass the heart of Wildomar west of the freeway and north of Clinton Keith Road. Most of the citys west side would be in District 4 and the southern tip north of Murrieta would be in District 5. Numerous cities and districts with at-large voting systems are facing legal threats from attorneys contending they are violating the California Voting Rights Act of 2002 because so few minority candidates are being elected in their jurisdictions. Agencies that have been sued have wound up paying hundreds of thousands of dollars or millions even if they lost, because of the way the law is written. Since Wildomar became a city in 2008, it has held four council elections, only one of which had a candidate with a Hispanic name. Ironically, Moore, who was elected as one the citys first council members in 2008 and was re-elected in 2012, is of Mexican heritage with an Hispanic maiden name. Of the citys approximately 32,000 residents, 38 percent are Latino, according to the 2010 U.S. Census. Each draft map includes a district that is nearly 50 percent Latino. Contact the writer: 951-368-9690 or michaelwilliams@pressenterprise.com Six people, five of whom lost loved ones in the Dec. 2 San Bernardino terrorist shooting and one whose spouse survived the attack after witnessing its horrors, pleaded Thursday, March 3 for a federal magistrate judge to uphold an order for Apple to help the FBI hack an iPhone used by one of the shooters. The United States has a legitimate and extensive interest in investigating this terrorist act, an investigation that could provide closure to surviving victims and loved ones left behind, said the friend-of-the-court brief filed by by former federal Judge Stephen Larson. The Courts order compelling Apple to bypass the PIN pass code on a single iPhone utilized by one of the terrorists is reasonably related to that interest. Thursday is the deadline for filing friend-of-the-court briefs, and the one filed by Larson is among several expected throughout the day. An array of tech firms and platforms, including AT&T, Intel, LinkedIn, Airbnb, Reddit and Twitter filed or put their names to briefs defending Apples decision to fight a court order from U.S. Magistrate Judge Sheri Pym to create software that would aid the FBI in hacking the iPhone used by Syed Rizwan Farook. Thursday evening, a brief that included tech giants Amazon.com, Facebook, Google and Microsoft, along with Box, Cisco Systems, Evernote, Mozilla, Nest, Pinterest, Slack, Snapchat and WhatsApp was filed. The companies feel no sympathy for terrorists, the brief noted, with many of the firms using full-time teams of employees to service law-enforcement requests for customer data. Indeed , in just the first six months of 2015, (the companies) collectively responded to tens of thousands of U.S. government data requests in criminal cases. The companies, in short, have no interest in shielding those who break the law. But (they) reject the govemments unsupported assertion that the law allows it to commandeer a companys own engineers to undermine their products data security features. First Amendment, privacy and data rights organizations that had filed by Thursday afternoon included The Electronic Frontier Foundation, The Media Institute, Center for Democracy and Technology, American Civil Liberties Union , Access Now and Wickr Foundation, ACT/The App Association, a group led by BSA/The Software Alliance, and several iPhone and applied cryptology experts. First Amendment,Privacy and data rights organizations that had filed by Thursday afternoon included The Electronic Frontier Foundation, The Media Institute, Center for Democracy and Technology, American Civil Liberties Union , Access Now and Wickr Foundation, ACT/The App Association, a group led by BSA/The Software Alliance, and several iPhone and applied cryptology experts. The software Pym ordered will allow investigators to keep feeding the iPhone pass code combinations until they can open it. The devices otherwise have built-in protections that will permanently lock down their data after 10 successive failed attempts. A brief filed on Apples behalf named 17 providers of platforms and communication tools, including Airbnb, eBay, Kickstarter, LinkedIn, Meetup, Reddit and Twitter, which collectively have more than one billion users. All of the entities in the brief have a strong interest in this case, the continued security and privacy of their users data, and in transparency to users regarding how that data is protected, the document said. The governments demand here, at its core, is unbound by any legal limits. It would set a dangerous precedent, in which the government could sidestep established legal procedures authorized by thorough, nuanced statutes to obtain users data in ways not contemplated by lawmakers, the brief said. In its filing, AT&T said the issues raised by Pyms order under the 1789 All Writs Act should be dealt with not in the courts, but by federal legislation that sets forth a clear, uniform legal framework applicable to all who participate in the telecommunications ecosystem. San Bernardino County District Attorney Mike Ramos said Thursday his office has filed a friend-of-the-court brief. He said in his statement that his office has a compelling interest to get evidence about criminal conduct, additional perpetrators, potential damage to the infrastructure of San Bernardino County, and protecting the state constitutional rights of victims of crimes that violated state law from the terrorist shooting. He declined further comment until the brief is accepted by the court. The brief filed by Larson is on behalf of Gregory Clayborn, who lost his daughter, Sierra Clayborn; James Godoy who lost his wife, Aurora Godoy; Tina Meins, who lost her father, Damian Meins; Mark Sandefur, who lost his son, Larry Daniel Eugene Kaufman; Robert Velasco, who lost his daughter, Yvette Velasco; and Hal Rouser, whose wife, Beth Houser, the brief said,attended the party and personally witnessed the horrors of the December 2 tragedy but, thankfully, survived. The brief also includes a letter from Sandefur addressed to Apple CEO Tim Cook, who has vigorously defended Apples decision to fight the court order. I know that you are facing some difficult decisions concerning letting the FBI develop a program to break into the iPhone that one of the murderers had with them. Id like to ask you to support the requests from the FBI, Sandefur wrote. He said he has attended private meetings in which victims families talk to law enforcement, including the FBI, about the case. Stories still persist among some survivors, he said, about three assailants wearing heavy boot involved in the attack. I have seen demonstrations of the tricks ones mind plays in times of terror. Witnesses swear they saw different things. Time stretches. People misidentify perpetrators. And this may be what happened. Perhaps they were wrong about seeing three terrorists, he wrote. Recovery of information from the iPhone in question may not lead to anything new. But, what if there is evidence pointing to a third shooter? What if it leads to an unknown terrorist cell? What if others are attacked, and you and I did nothing to prevent it?, Sandefur wrote. George Velasco, the uncle of Yvette Velasco, said in an email to The Press-Enterprise on Thursday that its difficult to understand why Apple would not jump at the opportunity to help uncover whatever information the phone may contain. Were not talking about an an ordinary case here this is an act of terrorism, where 14 Americans lost their lives, and many more were seriously injured. Its potentially a matter of national security, where other Americans safety could be at risk, he wrote. Also, as Yvettes family, we want to ensure appropriate justice is served. The briefs legal arguments take the FBIs stance that the software it wants Apple to develop will only be used on the iPhone issued to Farook by San Bernardino County. Apple has said it could affect hundreds of millions of Apple users. This case is not what Apple is making it out to be. To obtain sympathy for its cause, Apple would like to portray this case as one in which the privacy interests of millions of Americans are at stake no such privacy interests are implicated here. Larson attacks Apples claim of due process and free speech constitutional violations in the governments actions to obtain the order. Apple may not like the court order, but Apples distaste for cooperation with law enforcement does not rise to the level of a constitutional violation, Larson said of the due process claim. This case is therefore, at best, about compelled commercial speech, not core, private First Amendment speech, Larson wrote. A& friend-of-the-court brief on behalf of Apple from the American Civil Liberties Union was filed Wednesday, and also on record is a brief from two data-privacy organizations, Access Now and Wickr Foundation, along with data industry group ACT/The App Association. United Nations appointee David Kaye, who monitors the protection and promotion of the freedom of opinion and expression for the international organization, also filed a letter of support. Kaye also is clinical professor of law at UC Irvine School of Law. In its friend-of-the-court brief, the ACLU told the court, Law enforcement may not commandeer innocent third parties into becoming its undercover agents, its spies, or its hackers. The effect of the governments demands would be to conscript a private party with little connection to the governments criminal investigation into breaking the security of its own products and, thereby, weakening the security of all its users, the ACLU document said. In a hearing at which Apple attorneys were not present, Pym on Feb. 16 made the order for Apple to help the FBI hack into the phone used by Farook, who with his wife, Tashfeen Malik, killed 14 people and wounded 22 in the massacre at the Inland Regional Center on Dec. 2. Both died in a shootout with police a few hours later. The FBI said they were inspired by the Islamic State, but were not under the direction of the terrorist group. RELATED: Tech companies, victims to weigh in on Apple-FBI case Apple files new court documents in FBI case FBI, Apple feud hits Congress Victims family supports Apples iPhone position NY judge rules against FBI in similar case Police Department to receive award for locating suspects Court action for victims and families will be filed next week Q&A on the Apple vs. Justice Department court fight Complete coverage of the San Bernardino shooting, aftermath Northern California investigators charged an 18-year-old Rancho Cucamonga resident and three other adults in connection with human trafficking and pimping teen girls and adult women near the San Francisco Bay Area over the weekend. Paul Wells, 18, of Rancho Cucamonga was charged with human trafficking after being arrested in a sting led by the Fairfield Police Department, the FBIs Solano County Violent Gang Task Force and the Air Force Office of Special Investigations. Officers found four girls being pimped by adult men for profit. Children may be lured into prostitution by males pretending to be their boyfriends or forced through violence or threats, according to a Fairfield Police Department press release. Jahil Mitchell, 19, of Sacramento and Christopher Stewart, 19, of nearby Vacaville were also charged with human trafficking. Kaylyn Stewart, 25, of Fairfield was charged with violating parole. Police are investigating other men for pimping and trafficking. A human trafficking conviction can mean 15 years to life in prison and fines up to $500,000. Thirteen women were booked into Solano County Jail for allegedly soliciting prostitution, drug offenses and warrants. Declaring that strong encryption is essential to the nations security, Defense Secretary Ash Carter told a tech industry audience Wednesday that hes not a believer in back doors, or encryption programs that leave openings for outsiders to read coded files. Carter said he wasnt commenting on the FBIs legal battle with Apple over an encrypted iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino, California, mass shooters. But his statement shows the complexity of the encryption debate at a time when the nations law enforcement establishment is feuding with tech companies over the use of encryption in consumer products. Federal authorities want Apples help in bypassing iPhone security features so they can attempt to unlock the encrypted phone. Apple and other tech companies have objected, arguing that the government essentially wants Apple to create a back door that could make all iPhones vulnerable to hacking. Carter was the third high-ranking Obama administration official to speak at the RSA computer security trade show in San Francisco this week, following NSA Director Mike Rogers and Attorney General Loretta Lynch. The administration is making a concerted effort to enlist the industrys support and expertise on matters including cyber-security and countering violent extremists. Responding to a question about the iPhone case, Carter told an on-stage interviewer that he couldnt comment because its a law enforcement matter. But he went on to say that for the military, data security is an absolute necessity for us. Were foursquare behind strong data security and encryption. Carter drew applause from the audience when he added, Im not a believer in back doors or a single technical approach to what is a complex problem. While he did not elaborate, many tech experts say building a key or back door into encryption software, enabling third parties to unlock an encrypted file, creates a vulnerability that can be exploited by others. FBI and police officials have argued that such keys could be closely held and only used for law enforcement. Carter also cautioned against setting policy on the basis of one case. He urged government and industry collaboration to resolve data security issues, adding that it would be undesirable to have legislation written by people who wont have technical knowledge, maybe written in an atmosphere of anger or grief. Under Carter, the Pentagon has made several overtures to Silicon Valley: Its opened an office in the region to cultivate relationships, and has begun recruiting tech professionals for short stints on Pentagon projects. Taking an idea used by tech firms, the department this week launched a Hack the Pentagon program in which outside programmers are offered bounties for finding vulnerabilities in the departments networks or software. Carter said the hackers will be pre-screened to ensure they are white hats and not malicious. Separately, Carter said a new Defense Department tech advisory panel will be led by Eric Schmidt, executive chairman of Google parent Alphabet Inc. RELATED: FBI, Apple feud hits Congress Victims family supports Apples iPhone position NY judge rules against FBI in similar case Police Department to receive award for locating suspects Apple says county, FBI at fault in iPhone case Encryption is hardest question Ive seen, says FBIs Comey Court action for victims and families will be filed next week Q&A on the Apple vs. Justice Department court fight Complete coverage of the San Bernardino shooting, aftermath Nurses from across Southern California waved signs Wednesday, March 2, in solidarity with the nurses of Corona Regional Medical Center. About 150 members of the United Nurses Association of California/Union of Health Care Professionals, clad in blue T-shirts, stood on the steps of Corona City Hall to protest the deunionization of Corona Regional Medical Center nurses, and to advocate the union to ensure patient care. Several Corona nurses rallied with them. Flo Bautista, a five-year veteran nurse at Corona Regional and part of the defunct union bargaining team, voiced concerns about what she called inadequate orientation periods for new nurses, as well as a lack of nursing aides. The proposals that we are presenting are not being recognized by the management, Bautista said of the hospitals parent company, Universal Health Services Inc. In my opinion, they want total control without a contract. Last month, the hospitals CEO Mark Uffer announced that employees had come to him with signed cards from a majority of nurses saying they wanted to leave the union. Evidence of that vote, tallied by an unidentified third party, has not been made available. Uffer said Universal attorneys would be responsible for producing the final tally of the signed cards. I think itll be quite embarrassing for UNAC to see that the facts are the facts, Uffer said. Its the nurses who said they didnt want to be part of the union anymore. Tammie Rattray, a labor attorney representing Universal, wrote Feb. 4 that the cards had been verified and the hospital would withdraw recognition of the union effective immediately. Rattray could not be reached Wednesday. The union filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board on Feb. 22, contending the hospital used threats, surveillance, and backroom dealings to hinder bargaining efforts, labor records show. Rosa Carcamo, a nurse at St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood, was among the nurses at Wednesdays protest. She said the union fought on her behalf after hospital management bullied her for reporting unsafe emergency room conditions. Carcamo hoped to encourage Corona nurses to keep their voice at the collective bargaining table. With unity, theres a lot of strength, Carcamo said. Once we lose that voice, patients are endangered. Uffer said he encourages nurses to share their concerns with him. Penny Brown, a union nurse who advocated for Corona workers during negotiations, said the 40 or so meetings were held mostly with corporate attorneys and human resource management from the east coast. Only one nurse from the hospital was present, she said. The atmosphere was dismissive, Brown said Wednesday. It didnt feel like negotiating, it felt more like How can we prevent this? Contact the writer: 951-368-9644, poneill@pressenterprise.com, @PE_PatrickO Transparency and accountability are at the heart of good government, so we welcome yet another installment of the State Auditors reports on investigations into improper conduct by state employees. Among the transgressors were several psychiatrists at Patton State Hospital in San Bernardino. Four psychiatrists regularly worked an average of 22-29 hours per week, resulting in a total of 2,254 lost hours, at a cost of $296,800. Two of the psychiatrists even moonlighted while they were supposed to be on the clock at the hospital. Although supervisors and executive management were generally aware of psychiatrists failure to work a weekly average of 40 hours, they did not act to resolve the situation, the auditor found. Among other examples, the Porterville Developmental Center also had trouble with employee timecards, crediting 12 employees with only eight hours of leave for days when they missed nine-hour or 10-hour shifts. This translated to 566 hours of uncharged leave, costing the state at least $25,600. CalRecycle wasted $4,200 by having its employees rent vehicles on 86 occasions from the Department of General Services, instead of Enterprise Rent-A-Car, with which the state has a contract. Even worse, this waste was mandated by a state policy that requires state agencies to rent vehicles from General Services, even if it is more expensive. While the latest report on bad actions, and unscrupulous actors, lacks the kind of tantalizing details that have raised eyebrows in prior years, it highlights a persistent problem: the state losing track of its massive workforce, Christopher Cadelago of the Sacramento Bee notes. The problem is magnified by the facts that state agencies face no competition, their budgets are determined independent of their actual performance and even bad government workers are notoriously difficult to get rid of, so there is little incentive for agencies to operate efficiently. This makes the transparency offered by the California Whistleblower Protection Act and oversight agencies like the State Auditor all the more important. The owner of the Los Angeles Times, following a recent management shakeup, will still bid for the The Press-Enterprise and The Orange County Register, Tribune Publishings new chief executive said Wednesday. CEO Justin Dearborn told analysts on a conference call that the company still is actively working on a bid for the assets of Freedom Communications, which filed for bankruptcy protection in November. Freedoms two newspapers and related assets will be sold in a court-supervised auction this month. But Dearborn noted that there is a price where we would walk away from the Freedom bidding. Dearborn, a former health care industry executive, became Tribune CEO last week, replacing Jack Griffin, who was ousted in a boardroom coup orchestrated by Chicago investor Michael Ferro. Griffin brought Ferro into Tribune Publishing early last month as its chairman and largest shareholder. Tribunes earnings release and conference call on Wednesday offered the first glimpse into how the Ferro-Dearborn team will run Tribune, which has financial challenges like other newspaper companies. Tribune lost $2.7 million last year on $1.67 billion of revenue. Among the first moves revealed was the decision to make the editor of each of the chains eight newspapers also the publisher. That meant a promotion for Davan Maharaj, who added publisher to his job as Los Angeles Times editor. Tim Ryan, the previous Times publisher, was promoted to Tribunes president of publishing. Jeff Light became editor-in-chief and publisher of Tribunes other Southern California newspaper, the San Diego Union-Tribune. Tribune wants to buy the Register and Press-Enterprise to boost its regional strategy of expanding its business base while cutting redundant costs among its newspapers. Tribune is expected to face a bidding contest at the auction for Freedoms assets from an investor group headed by Freedom CEO Rich Mirman as well as from Digital First Media, owner of the Los Angeles Daily News, Long Beach Press-Telegram and other newspapers. Contact the writer: jlansner@ocregister.com While I would prefer other candidates before Donald Trump and still hope for a proven conservative to win I am not holding my breath. What conservatives must realize is that winning with Trump is infinitely better then losing the presidency again to progressives. The other fact that we must consider is just as George Patton was not well liked, but a genius at war, so Trump is a genius at politics. What we have is a political Battle of the Bulge the progressives are poised to break out, and Trump and his team may be just what the doctor ordered. As a conservative, it is imperative that we sit at the table to stop the murder of innocent unborn citizens, and we know there is no chair at the table of progressives. We need to keep our eye on the prize of a Supreme Court justice and get another judge who upholds the Constitution as written. As for the border, every nation has the right to control its borders, and if Mexico doesnt want to pay for it, we can save the taxpayers bundles of money in foreign aid. Michael Sanchez Hemet Kasich our last chance Who will be elected president in 2016? Considering the probable nominees, it doesnt look good for America. Clinton or Trump? No! Unfortunately, too may clueless and indoctrinated voters influenced by biased media will go along with lemming, voter-assisted suicide. Why? It already happened with two-term President Obama: Social, political, economic, domestic and national security disasters. Worse, the state of the Republican Party, Democratic Party and outsiders in the presidential election have created a Trump-driven, ringmaster-cheapened political circus with ugly side-shows, making it painfully clear that America is steeped in election trouble. The news media, of course, are exacerbating the dilemma. Its time for voters to get our act together and promote real democracy wherein we decide not the personal power-hungry narcissistic fools running our country into the ground. Sen. Rubio or Sen. Cruz are OK alternatives, particularly against corrupt Hillary Clinton or socialist Bernie Sanders. However, Ohio Gov. John Kasich is the only grounded, qualified candidate with the character, integrity and deeply proven federal and state government experience to pull our country together against government self-destruction, economic ruin and terrorism. Daniel B. Jeffs Apple Valley Outspoken billionaire businessman and reality TV star Donald Trump has built a huge lead in the race for the Republican presidential nomination, following a dominant performance on Super Tuesday. And while it will be a while before Californians weigh in assuming it will even matter many are rallying behind the controversial candidate. Below, four Inland Southern California residents talk about the path they took to becoming Trump supporters and what they see in him. POLITICS: Romney calls Trump phony, urging Republicans to shun him John Berry John Berry is a cabinet member for the Redlands Tea Party Patriots and a state coordinator for the conservative organization. Berry said he didnt start out a Trump backer. When the 2016 campaign got underway, he got behind Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, whom he admired for standing up to public employee unions. Later, Berry switched his support to Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. I bought the Ted Cruz T-shirt the day Scott Walker dropped out, he said. In the wake of Super Tuesday, Berry said hes going to run out and buy a T-shirt, bumper sticker and yard sign to demonstrate his support for Trump. Dont get the 51-year-old Redlands man wrong. I love Cruz, he said. But you cant deny the mass (of support) anymore. At this point, Berry said, it would take a heart attack or the ghost of Ronald Reagan rising up to deny Trump the nomination. Besides, Berry said hes always liked Trump. He loves the clear stands the businessman takes on crucial issues. He is convinced Trump will find a solution for illegal immigration, spur the creation of jobs and be a strong commander-in-chief. I mean, sure, the guy suffers from foot-in-mouth disease from time to time, Berry said. He does make me wince sometimes with the way he talks. An example, he said, was this weeks back-and-forth about his refusal to disavow former Ku Klux Klan grand wizard David Duke. I forgive him for a lot of those faux pas because he is a leader, Berry said. At least I know where he stands. And what politician doesnt say the wrong things on occasion? Berry asked. He will be entertaining. We will never be bored with Trump as president. Mike Conway Mike Conway, 74, is a firearms instructor who helps run the Bullseye Sport gun store in Riverside. He said he has been a fan pretty much since Trump announced his candidacy for president in June. Early on in the campaign, Conway said he saw good things in Cruz, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. But Trump seemed to be the only one who actually put his finger on the issues, Conway said. Conway relates to Trump. You know, Ive always liked him, Conway said. Hes a smart businessman. Hes had his failures, but hes had more successes. Conway said it would be helpful for the nations economy to have a president with a business background, and someone who is a skilled negotiator. I think its important that we have leadership that knows what its like to make a payroll, he said. Conway said he believes Trump has the courage to search for a solution to illegal immigration and to the growing terrorist threat, both of which may require greater fortification at the border. Were at war, he said. Do you think our enemies are walking across this border? It must be dealt with. And, yes, Conway acknowledged that Trump has managed to insult some people. Trump is not politically correct, Conway said. But he tells it like it is. And thats what we need to really face the facts and not sugarcoat everything. Conway said another plus is the fact that Trump is rich and financing most of his own campaign. Hes not beholden to any special interest group, Conway said. Gil Pankonin Gil Pankonin, 69, of Temecula, isnt afraid to say it. Believe me, I have friends who think that I am just nuts, Pankonin said in a telephone interview Wednesday. But, he said, Im a Trump supporter. The reason I am is because, out of all the things that people are saying, he is the one who is bringing up the subjects that we need to address. One of those is illegal immigration, a huge concern for Pankonin, president of the Rancho California Horsemens Association. What we are doing is just ignoring it, he said. And its hurting the nations economy. Pankonin said he doesnt expect Trump to deport every person who is in the country illegally. That wont be tolerated, he said. But at least we need to start addressing the issue. He said tackling that issue also would help solve another problem: low wages. Pankonin said if the U.S. stemmed the tide of illegal immigration, employers would be forced to pay their employees better. Besides immigration, Pankonin said he likes Trumps call to boost businesses by cutting corporate taxes, which he maintains are too high and driving companies away. We need to bring them back into this country, he said. Theres trillions of dollars sitting offshore. Pankonin said he also believes Trumps leadership skills would get things moving in Congress, blaming politicians on both sides of the aisle. What we do is, we just talk everything to death, he said. I am so sick of the status quo and whats been going on for the last 10 years. It seems like weve become so inept, so nonresponsive. Faye Wons Faye Wons never misses a Murrieta City Council meeting, but she doesnt pay that close attention to national politics. And the 75-year-old Republican said she didnt have a favorite candidate for a long time. But in the past couple of months, she has been tuning in. And she believes Trump would be a good choice for president. I think that an excellent ticket would be Trump and Rubio, Wons said. She likes that Trump is putting a large amount of his own money into his campaign. That means hes not beholden to anybody, Wons said. He doesnt owe anybody any favors. Wons also likes that Trump is proposing to build a bigger border wall. Build that fence 20 miles high and not like the one we have up there right now that you can just climb right over, she said. And, she said, I like Trumps idea of getting rid of a lot of the things Obama has done. One of those is the sweeping health care reform package President Barack Obama engineered. I would rather spend the money on the military than Obamacare, Wons said. I think it was ridiculous to think that everybody should be taken care of by the government. Wons also said that, because of his business success, she believes Trump would build a strong, effective presidential administration. Trump has proven himself over and over and over that he knows how to surround himself with smart people, she said. Contact the writer: 951-368-9699 or ddowney@pressenterprise.com The strong scent of an indoor pot farm led Upland and Ontario narcotics investigators to an Upland industrial complex, where a San Diego man was arrested and nearly 3,000 marijuana plants were snatched, police reported Wednesday. Vincent Nguyen, 35, of San Diego was arrested Friday, Feb. 26, on suspicion of growing cannabis and possessing marijuana for sale, according to a press release from the Upland Police Department. The agency got a tip that a heavy smell of marijuana was wafting from an industrial complex in the 1300 block W. 9th St in Upland. Armed with a search warrant, the Upland/Ontario Narcotics Task Force found what was described as a sophisticated indoor cultivation operation. They confiscated about 2,800 pot plants. Australia is legit miles apart from most earthly civilisation, which can make it difficult (and expensive) to get out there and beyond the down-under bubble. We get that. Thats why PEDESTRIAN.TV snagged all-round Aussie ledge Shannon Noll to host our Eurotrip Pop Culture Challenge, presented by CONTIKI, to get two of yall over to Europe. The challenges mightve been weird AF, but its an all-expenses-paid trip, so thats a fair trade-off, no? Just days out from frothing over his #Nollsy4Eurovision petition, the Condobolin-native agreed to host one of the weirdest fkn Euro-themed pop culture challenges youll ever see in yo life, all to help one lucky couple win an all-expenses-paid trip to Europe. Flaunting the double dems at Sydneys Portugal Community Club, the famed runner-up tested the skillz of three couples (buddies and baes) with five strange AF challenges based on countries from Spain to Germany if youre gonna go there, youve got to be prepared for those O/S cultural shocks yknow? A bit more on the competing menaces: TEAM #1 MITCH & LOCKY: LOVING COUPLE Mitch: An online creative mastermind who loves Biebs, dogs and his boyfie, Locky. Locky: A non-Belieber with a borderline-psychotic obsession with Adele. TEAM #2 KELLY & JONO: LOVING COUPLE Kelly: Potentially the only human in the world who doesnt love Nutella. Jono: Drum-playing, beer-keg deliverer who hates top knots. TEAM #3 CONRAD & ROMA: JUST MATES Conrad: A surfer dude who doesnt like Southern Cross tatts, even though Nollsy has one. Roma: A customer service chick who would like the Kanye West hype to ~simmer down~. CHECK OUT THE MADNESS: Subscribe to PEDESTRIAN.TV for more: http://pezn.tv/1agPWfI Heres what they had to do: CHALLENGE #1: REAL HOUSEWIFE CARRYING (FINLAND) Carry your partner in crime through an obstacle course: throw wine at other half tanty-style, dig for gold, dress all wifey-like and end up in rehab, obvi. CHALLENGE #2: ALEX SKARSGARD SAUSAGE EATING CONTEST (SWEDEN) Eat as many sausages as humanly possible in one minute. Thats it. Voms welcome. CHALLENGE #3 NUDE FLAUNTING IN #MYCALVINS DRAWING (ITALY) One teammate flaunts their #Calvins and all other remaining goods while the other draws them in a life drawing sesh. Most ~realistic~ wins. CHALLENGE #4: LA TOM-OR-TINA (SPAIN) The ultimate test for Tom Cruise and Tina Fey loverz. If contestants attribute the wrong quote to the wrong celeb (hence, Tom or Tina?), they got sauced with a ketchup fountain from our lovely life-size salsa dancing emoji. OLE!!!!!!! CHALLENGE #5: HEIDI KLUM DUNK-ER SHEON (GERMANY) One teammate dunks the other into fah-reezing water ASAP by throwing balls at a target, The wet one natch hops into Victorias Secret underwear a la Heidi Klum to warm back up and complete the rest of the challenge. Props to these six friggin legends for giving every challenge a solid crack. If all this gives you the travel itch, you can head to Contikis website HERE to change your current sitch from FML to OMG, because we dont all have guts, literally and metaphorically, of the six genuinely top humans in the video above. Being the generous folk they are, Contiki awarded a runner-up holiday to Mitch and Locky for being such epic competitors and all-round good sports. Photo: PEDESTRIAN.TV. The latest effort from Keep Sydney Open is a simply yet v. v. effective video that implores the citys lawmakers to understand the extremely damaging effects the lockout laws have had on their business, i.e.: That foot traffic in Kings Cross is down 84%. is down 84%. That almost 50 clubs, bars, restaurants and venues have shut down. And our international rep is being tarnished. If you wanted to reduce shoplifting, would you lock up the doors of your shop and hide all the stock in the cellar? the clip asks. Its asking for what the Keep Sydney Open movement has been after all along, for the NSW Government / Mike Baird to work with venues to help them all achieve the collective goal of reducing violence, by looking to solutions that have worked overseas. That, and, yknow not punishing the overwhelming majority of people who once managed to enjoy Sydneys vibrant nightlife without clocking / glassing / coward-punching anyone. Sydney legends Joyride, Entropico and Touch Sensitive lent their respective talents to produce the below: Keep Sydney Open Its simple really: lets tackle the real problems and build a great city at the same time.Thanks to Entropico for coming up with this, Joyride for lending his pipes and Touch Sensitive for being a synth-lord. Posted by Keep Sydney Open on Wednesday, 2 March 2016 From Matt Barries OG viral piece that kickstarted public interest again, to the 15,000 people who took to the streets last month in protest (see the excellently punny picket signs HERE), the Keep Sydney Open movement is showing zero signs of slowing down. #CasinoMike continues to steadfastly ignore this very vocal section of the community (save for that one, total car-crash of a Facebook post) but hey cant last forever. Keep up the stellar work, legends. Source / Photo: Keep Sydney Open. Barbara Tabak John W. Carroll Trade Talk showcases the businesses in the midstate and the people who make them work. From companies who make iconic products to the small family businesses and everyone in between, we have a little bit of everything in the midstate. Midstate companies keep the economy moving, people working and communities thriving throughout the midstate. BUSINESS AWARDS -- More than 30 nonprofits were recognized at the annual Nonprofit Innovation Awards at an awards breakfast on February 26. These awards are designed to recognize local nonprofit organizations of all sizes, and their executives, that demonstrate innovation in their daily operations. The awards were presented by the Central Penn Business Journal. The finalists were previously listed in Trade Talk on Jan. 14. The winners and runner-ups are listed below: Brand Identity/Unique Marketing Campaign Category These nonprofits have used a new marketing concept to attract financial support, volunteers and/or clients. Winner: Central Pennsylvania Food Bank--Dauphin County Runner-up: YWCA Greater Harrisburg--Dauphin County Collaboration Category These nonprofits have executed an innovative program with another organization(s) for a common goal. Winner: American Red Cross of Central PA--Dauphin County Runner-up: Dreamwrights Youth & Family Theatre--York County Management Operations Category These nonprofits have adopted sound management principles, leading to a significant increase in their organization's ability to meet its mission. Winner: Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet--Cumberland County Runner-up: UDS Foundation--Lancaster County Programs Category These nonprofits have created and implemented programs or events locally to increase the effectiveness of their mission. Winner: The Lancaster Symphony Orchestra--Lancaster County Runner-up: Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg--Dauphin County Nonprofit Leadership Excellence Category This category identifies and recognizes an exemplary nonprofit leader whose accomplishments have advanced his/her organization and field of service. Winner: Jeannine Peterson, Hamilton Health Center--Dauphin County -- The American Heart Association recognized 37 companies and organizations in central Pennsylvania, including Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon and York counties, as Platinum or Gold-Level Award recipients in the Fit-Friendly Worksites recognition program. Platinum-Level awardees include: * Adams Electric Cooperative Inc., Adams County * Benecon, Lancaster County * Martin's Famous Pastry Shoppe, Franklin County Gold-Level awardees include: * Airborne Contamination, York County * Bayer HealthCare, Lebanon County * Benchmark Construction, Lancaster County * Carrier Transport, York County * D.E. Gemmill, York County * Donegal Mutual Insurance Company, Lancaster County * Eastern Alliance Insurance Group, Lancaster County * Gettysburg Area School District, Adams County * Gettysburg College, Adams County * Glatfelter Insurance Group, York County * Hanover Hospital, York County * HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Mechanicsburg, Cumberland County * HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of York, York County * High Industries, Lancaster County * Lebanon Valley College, Lebanon County * Letterkenny Army Depot, Franklin County * Littlestown Area School District, Adams County * McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC, Dauphin County * Mechanicsburg Area School District, Cumberland County * Menno Haven, Franklin County * OHL, Franklin County * Penn Manor School District, Lancaster County * Pequea Valley School District, Lancaster County * Perform Group LLC, York County * PinnacleHealth System, Dauphin County * Precision Medical Products, Lancaster County * PSECU, Dauphin County * Shippensburg Area School District, Cumberland County * Spring Grove Area School District, York County * Stambaugh Ness, York County * Strategic Business Alliance, York County * Utz Quality Foods, York County * WellSpan Good Samaritan Hospital, Lebanon County * Westfalia Technologies, York County -- UPS announced that 70 elite drivers from Pennsylvania are among 1,613 newly inducted worldwide into the Circle of Honor, an honorary organization for UPS drivers who have achieved 25 or more years of accident-free driving. The following is a list of Pennsylvania drivers inducted this year to the Circle of Honor are: Timothy Allwein of Cumberland County; Richard Arms of Reading; Kevin Bervinchak of Lancaster; Brian Bohner of Halifax; James Dunkle of Harrisburg; Robert Fahnestock of Fayetteville; Arlan Krause of Cumberland County; Michael Lenker of Millersburg; Bradley McIndoe of York; Nelson Pagan of Lancaster; Michael Santaniello III of York; Matthew Vojtasek of Gilbertsville; Daniel Work of Lancaster; Curt Yocum of Elizabethtown and Ramon Zeller of Wyomissing. Barbara Tabak was the recipient of an Envision Award for Whole Room Integration Award at the 2016 Envision Design Competition. Window Fashion Vision magazine announced the award. The winners were judged by for their attention to clients' needs, creativity, design excellence, and materials used. She also won awards in 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, and 2013. Tabak's company, Decorating Den Interiors provides services in Dauphin and Cumberland counties. John W. Carroll, a partner in the Harrisburg office of Pepper Hamilton LLP will be honored with the 2016 Pennsylvania Bar Association Environmental and Energy Law Section Award during the section's Environmental Law Forum in April. Carroll is the chair of Pepper Hamilton's Environment and Energy Practice Group and a member of the firm's Sustainability, CleanTech and Climate Change Team. His current environmental practice involves litigation, counseling, transactional representation and government relations. Carroll joined the firm in 1987 after serving three years as chief counsel of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources. Carroll began his legal career in 1972 as a special assistant attorney general with DER and served in a number of capacities with the agency during 15 years of government service, including the position of associate deputy secretary. As DER's chief counsel, he was responsible for overseeing a staff of 50 lawyers. The Pennsylvania Bar Association presented a County Bar Recognition Award to the Dauphin County Bar Association. Recognized for its Lawyers for the Arts program, the Dauphin County Bar Association is one of 24 local bar associations in Pennsylvania honored this year for sponsoring projects that improve the legal profession, justice system or community. The Dauphin County Bar Association and Widener University Commonwealth Law School in Harrisburg launched a new pro bono initiative to provide legal assistance to area artists and small for-profit arts organizations. Hoober Inc., an agricultural equipment dealer was recognized as the 2016 Most Valuable Dealership by Precision Farming Dealer. The dealership's growth within the precision farming sector was a factor in the judging panel's decision, along with Hoober's commitment to service, training, innovation, knowledge and management support. Hoober has nine locations including locations in Lancaster, Juniata and Franklin counties. TriStarr, a staffing, recruiting and consulting agency in Lancaster County has won the Best of Staffing Client and Talent Awards for providing superior service to their business clients and job seekers, according to Inavero, the service quality research firm. Presented in partnership with the job search website CareerBuilder, Inavero's Best of Staffing Awards recognize industry leaders in service quality, based completely on ratings from their clients and employees whom they have helped in finding jobs. To calculate the scores, Inavero contacts every client and placed temporary employee over a three-month period with a survey on their experience with the staffing agency. Award winners make up less than two percent of all staffing agencies in the U.S. and Canada. First Capital Engineering based in York County won two awards in the PLAT (plan/map) competition at the 2016 PA Society of Land Surveyors' (PSLS) Conference. FCE entered projects into the competition's specific categories that were completed by its surveying department in 2015. The judges awarded FCE third place in the "Boundary Retracement" category and third place in the "Subdivision" category. HIMSS Analytics has awarded WellSpan Surgery and Rehabilitation Hospital its Stage 7 Award - the highest recognition possible for health care information and management systems. The achievement recognizes the hospital for its embrace of the electronic health record and its clinically led effort to integrate the record in ways that improve patient safety, experience and outcomes. HIMSS Analytics awarded its Stage 7 Award in recognition of WellSpan Surgery and Rehabilitation Hospital's full utilization of the electronic health record. As of the third quarter of 2015, only 4.1 percent of the more than 5,400 U.S. hospitals in the HIMSS database had received the award. HB McClure Company in Harrisburg received the Angie's List Super Service Award for the fifth consecutive year. The highly-esteemed Super Service Award is given to the top five percent of qualifying businesses on Angie's List. Angie's List is an online database that consumers can visit to get information and ratings/reviews on businesses in several categories from home improvement to health services. Winners of the Super Service Award must pass background checks and maintain a superior standing in Angie's List. HB McClure was named a 2015 award-winner in both the Heating & AC and Plumbing categories. CRN, a brand of The Channel Company, has named IntermixIT in Lower Paxton Twp. to its 2016 Managed Service Provider 500 list in the MSP Pioneer 250, category. This annual list recognizes North American solution providers with cutting-edge approaches to delivering managed services. The Central Pennsylvania chapter of WTS has named Herbert, Rowland & Grubic Inc. its 2016 Employer of the Year. WTS also known as Women's Transportation Seminar, is an international organization that promotes the advancement of women in the transportation industry. Efforts to improve the quality and value of its beef have earned the Masonic Village Farm, the 2016 Cow/Calf Beef Quality Assurance award. These efforts include: monitoring and improving cattle care; providing sufficient feedlot time for cattle before going to market to increase quality and value; housing cattle outside year-round to improve herd health; constructing a smooth flowing cattle handling facility; training thousands of farmers from the mid-Atlantic in the processes of BQA. The Masonic Village Farm is located on the 1,460-acre property of the Masonic Village at Elizabethtown, a continuing care retirement community. It consists of 600 acres, which include 180 cow/calf pairs (90 are purebred Shorthorn cattle and 90 are crossbred Shorthorn/Maine/Angus cattle), as well as corn, soy and hay crops. The farm has been in operation since 1910, originally consisting of fruit and vegetable crops, beef, sheep, swine and a dairy facility. Since the mid-1960s, because of Masonic Village resident population growth, the farm has transitioned to a concentrated beef production operation. The American Institute of Family Law Attorneys has recognized Timothy J. Colgan as a 2015 10 Best Family Law Attorney for Client Satisfaction. The American Institute of Family Law Attorneys is a third-party attorney rating organization that publishes an annual list of the Top 10 Family Law Attorneys in each state. Colgan is an attorney at The Law Offices of Colgan & Associates LLC. Gannett Fleming in East Pennsboro Twp. has been lauded for its marketing and communications efforts with two awards by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals - a 2015 MarCom Award and a 2015 AVA Digital Award. The MarCom Awards is an international creative competition that recognizes outstanding achievement by corporate marketing and communication departments, advertising agencies, public relations firms, and production companies from around the globe. The client version of Gannett Fleming's 100th anniversary history book earned the Platinum Award, the highest honor in the MarCom Awards competition. With the theme "Building a Legacy: A Century of Innovative and Resilient Projects," the book focuses on some of the world-class infrastructure projects completed by Gannett Fleming in the last century. Gannett Fleming's 2015 holiday e-card was honored with a Gold Award in the AVA Digital Awards. The greeting, which was sent to clients and teaming partners, highlights some of the "100 Acts of Kindness" that Gannett Fleming employees shared during the firm's 100th anniversary year. The AVA Digital Awards recognizes excellence by creative professionals responsible for the planning, concept, direction, design, and production of digital communication. Gannett Fleming in East Pennsboro Twp. has earned a National Recognition Award for exemplary engineering achievement in the American Council of Engineering Companies' (ACEC) 49th annual Engineering Excellence Awards for Lebanon's Authority's Wastewater Treatment Plant. Donald Trump Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump during a rally Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, in Madison, Ala. (AP Photo/John Bazemore) SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Former GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney said Thursday that the prospects for a safe future are "greatly diminished" if Donald Trump becomes the Republican nominee for president. Speaking at the University of Utah, Romney warned a packed auditorium that any of the other GOP candidates would be a better alternative to the billionaire businessman. "The only serious policy proposals that deal with the broad range of national challenges we confront today, come from Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, and John Kasich," Romney said of Trump's GOP rivals. "One of these men should be our nominee." Romney is charging into the increasingly divisive White House race with a verbal lashing of Donald Trump and a plea for fellow Republicans to shun the front-runner for the good of country and party. "His is not the temperament of a stable, thoughtful leader. His imagination must not be married to real power," Romney said. Romney branded Trump as "a phony, a fraud" whose "promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University" in his speech. Earlier Thursday, Trump dismissed Romney as "a stiff" who "didn't know what he was doing" as the party's candidate in 2012 and blew a chance to beat President Barack Obama. "People are energized by what I'm saying" in the campaign and turning out in remarkable numbers to vote, Trump told NBC's "Today." I am the only one who can beat Hillary Clinton. I am not a Mitt Romney, who doesn't know how to win. Hillary wants no part of "Trump" Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 3, 2016 Dozens of conservative national security experts are warning that Trump is unfit to be commander-in-chief. In a letter released Wednesday evening, former Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and more than 70 other experts say they have disagreed with one another on a variety of issues but are united in their opposition to a Trump presidency. They say Trump's "embrace of the expansive use of torture" is inexcusable. They also object to Trump's "hateful, anti-Muslim rhetoric" and his advocacy for waging trade wars, which they say would lead to economic disaster in a globally connected world. Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney Panicked GOP leaders say they still have options for preventing Trump from winning the GOP nomination -- just not many good ones. The back-and-forth comes as Republican candidates prepared for the first post-Super Tuesday debate, scheduled for Thursday in Detroit, with Trump coming under increasing pressure from his party as he fights for the majority of delegates needed to win the nomination. Fox News Channel's Megyn Kelly says she's not anticipating any more fights with Trump in the debate, and that she's preparing the same "tough but fair" questions for him as she does for other candidates. Eyes will be on Kelly and Trump, who clashed during the first GOP debate last summer. Trump then boycotted an Iowa debate that Fox telecast in January after the network refused to remove Kelly as one of the moderators. Thursday's two-hour debate starts at 9 p.m.; Kelly will moderate along with Bret Baier and Chris Wallace. teacher-out-after-student-sends-out-her-nude-pictures-fron-her-phone.jpg Teacher Leigh Ann Arthur was forced to resign after a 16-year-old student got a hold of her phone, found her nude picture meant for her husband, and then sent them out via text and social media to other students in the South Carolina school. (via WPXI) On one hand, it is an incredible invasion of privacy. A 16-year-old student somehow got a hold of a teacher's phone, which was not password protected, and discovered a nude picture that the teacher says was meant for her husband on Valentine's day. On the other hand, it seems to be a miscarriage of justice, as well. This, because the teacher is now out of job after the student sent the nude picture from her phone to other students across the school using both texts and social media, according to WPXI-TV and NBC-10. READ MORE: Ousted teacher who had her nude photo stolen and shared by student draws support Leigh Ann Arthur was a teacher at the Union County Career and Technical Center for 13 years in South Carolina, but had to resign this week after the nude photo of her spread across the school, the Palm Beach Post writes on WPXI. From NBC: Arthur was on hall patrol duty on Feb. 19 when she left her phone on her desk, unlocked. A 16-year-old student grabbed the phone and found a nude photo Arthur sent to her husband for Valentine's Day. School Superintendent David Eubanks allegedly told Arthur had to either be dismissed or resign. As for the student, police are investigating the incident to determine whether criminal charges should be filed for taking the phone and sending out the teacher's private photo. This post has been updated to reflect that only one nude photo was sent. Expedition 46 Commander Scott Kelly of NASA smiles upon arriving at Ellington Field, Thursday, March 3, 2016 in Houston, Texas, after his return to Earth. The Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft landed near the town of Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, on Wednesday with Kelly and Russian cosmonauts Mikhail Kornienko and Sergey Volkov of Roscosmos. Kelly and Kornienko are completing an International Space Station record year-long mission to collect valuable data on the effect of long duration weightlessness on the human body that will be used to formulate a human mission to Mars. Volkov is returning after six months on the station. (Joel Kowsky/NASA via AP) A small boy touches his crying father during a protest by migrants from Pakistan and Morocco who block the border line between Greece and Macedonia after Macedonia has started granting passage only to refugees from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, near Gevegelija, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, 19 November 2015. Macedonia, Serbia and Croatia have started restricting access to migrants on the Balkan route to Syrians, Iraqis and Afghans. It is a part of a joint effort to reduce the number of asylum seekers streaming into the European Union. EPA/GEORGI LICOVSKI GEO23 News / Africa by Staff Reporter TWO weeks ago, Nomusa Ndlovu rushed out of her house. She said her mum was calling outside, and she was responding to the call. That was the last time her family saw her.Daily Sun reported that on Monday morning, her undressed body was found in the dense bush near her home at Ezimpondweni in Ndwedwe, north of Durban. She had been strangled.Her family is still in shock and is adamant her death was caused by evil spirits.According to her aunt, the 11-year-old girl had been sitting with them in the family home when she told them her mum was calling her from outside."Even though we did not hear her voice, we allowed her to go because her mum does not live far from our house," said the aunt."It was not until her mum came looking for her that we realised something was wrong."At first we thought she was joking when she asked us where her daughter was."But then she said she couldn't have called Nomusa because she had been at choir practice all day."During the search, neighbours said they had seen her headed for the bushes, an area where no villager goes alone.KZN police spokeswoman Lieutenant Nqobile Gwala said a murder case had been opened and the body was found with strangulation marks.No one has been arrested. The state is closing out the Kake Access Road project and will be looking for other ways to improve access to the village. Residents from Kake, Petersburg and the City of Kupreanof have criticized the project that would have linked Kake to Petersburg by way of road and ferry. In September 2015 public comment documents from the Office of Federal Lands Highway (OFLH), some Kake residents supported the road for the employment opportunities the construction would offer Kake workers. Others criticized the project and said theyd rather have better ferry service. The Petersburg Borough Assembly last month discussed a possible request to the legislature to reallocate the $40 million in funding to other projects within the region, but ultimately took no action out of fear the legislature would take the money altogether. Public comment was definitely considered, Alaska Department of Transportation (ADOT) Public Information Officer Jeremy Woodrow said. It wasnt a 100 percent favorable project. In a letter from ADOT Commissioner Marc Luiken to Kake Mayor Christine Bitterman, he wrote the two main factors for closing out the project were lack of federal funding and the estimated $510,000 for maintaining the road and operating a ferry. DOT&PF has determined that it would not be prudent to proceed in light of the States current fiscal situation, the letter states. Woodrow said the costs would burden ADOT. Right now the department is having its operating funds scaled back and so adding additional costs, especially this much, would be a burden to the department that really couldnt handle it in this financial picture, Woodrow said. Woodrow said the ADOT staff and officials couldnt match up federal funding dollars used for transportation projects across Alaska with the Kake project. Its kind of like pieces of a puzzle, Woodrow said. We start filling in those line items to try to fill up that entire amount. Kake Access, because of priority levels, didnt fall within the fully funded realm of a project that would be built in the next four years because of funding availabilities. There were other projects across the state that had higher priorities to use up those federal funds. Other projects in Southeast Alaska that did meet ADOTs priority include the Haines Highway reconstruction, replacing a bridge on the Klondike Highway, trestle replacements in Ketchikan and road improvements in Wrangell. There were hundreds of other projects across the state. Woodrow said despite the Kake Access Road project being closed-out, ADOT will still use what he estimates as $39.9 million in appropriations, leftover after planning expenses, to work on expanding access to Kake. The big highway with the ferries and the terminal on the other side of Wrangell Narrows, that were scaling back from, Woodrow said. While that idea is done with, the idea of improving access to Kake is not over with. Woodrow couldnt comment on when and what a new project might look like. Im not at liberty to discuss those because theres nothing finite, Woodrow said. The department is looking at lots of different options of whats the best way to use that remaining money and improve access to Kake. Petersburg Borough Vice Mayor Cindi Lagoudakis, a longtime critic of the project is still against such a project. I dont see how continuing to spend money to analyze this project, as a transportation project, makes any sense whatsoever, Lagoudakis said. She argues the state should focus on expanding access to ferry service, a sentiment Kake residents echoed in their public comments to the Federal Highway staff. We are hurting because we dont have ferry serviceFast ferries, how fast are they going to go by me? one commenter stated according to OFLH documents. In his letter, Luiken wrote the new project scoping effort would support the transmission of low cost hydroelectric power Gaylord Post welcomes Detective Sergeant Casperson In her new role, she will be based at the Michigan State Police Cheboygan Detachment. News / Local by Melody Baya A KOMBI driver allegedly beat up a police officer who had arrested him for eluding a roadblock in Bulawayo.Terrance Zulu, 23, of Emganwini suburb, yesterday pleaded not guilty to assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest.Western Commonage magistrate Tancy Dube heard how Zulu teamed up with a tout, who was not named in court, to assault Adonia Musinachirevo, 28.Dube remanded Zulu out of custody to March 9.The court heard that sometime last month, Zulu, allegedly drove past a police roadblock after he was instructed to stop.Musinachirevo, who was on duty with Constable Makotore, seized Zulu's kombi at Emganwini shopping centre, days later.The court heard how the two police officers entered the vehicle and instructed Zulu and the tout to drive to Tshabalala police station.Zulu sped off along Bulawayo-Plumtree Road where he parked the kombi in a bushy area, the court heard.Zulu allegedly forced the two police officers out of the kombi and assaulted Musinachirevo.Prosecuting, Tendai Binha said Zulu slapped and punched Musinachirevo.He said Zulu threw stones at the police officer before taking Constable Makotore's police identity card and breaking it into pieces.The prosecutor said Musinachirevo sustained bruises on his back.Binha said Zulu was arrested after investigations were carried out after the incident. Rosneft floats idea of oil production cut MOSCOW Petroleumworld.com 03 03 2016 Russia's Rosneft, the world's biggest listed oil producer by volume, is floating the idea of a domestic production cut to balance the global market and as the firm faces a natural decline this year, two industry sources said. It was not immediately clear whether Rosneft was proposing that its own output be reduced or that production across all Russian energy firms go down. A reduction in Rosneft's output alone would be offset by growth at other producers. According to Russian Energy Ministry data, Gazprom Neft, Bashneft and Tatneft showed growth in February. Russia, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Venezuela reached a preliminary agreement last month in Doha to freeze oil production for this year at levels reached in January, in a move to curb surplus supply on the global oil market. Following a meeting on Tuesday with the heads of Rosneft, Lukoil, Gazprom Neft, Bashneft, Surgutneftegas and others in the Kremlin, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that they agreed to stick to the Doha deal. But in opening remarks on Tuesday, Putin said "some had more radical proposals". He did not elaborate. DOHA PLUS Rosneft's proposal would go further than the freeze already agreed. The two industry sources told Reuters that Rosneft was proposing a cut in production as it will face a natural decline this year in any case. "This is not something new for the market - everyone has heard this and everyone is discussing this," a source at a major oil producer said. Rosneft spokesman Mikhail Leontyev said: "Anonymous sources who are leaking confidential information and are inclined to lies and fantasies should not be trusted." The Energy Ministry declined to comment. A third industry source familiar with Rosneft's plans said the company expects its oil production to fall around 2 percent this year. "If they manage to prevent a deeper fall that would be a good achievement," the source said. A fourth industry source confirmed the figure of 2 percent. Tuesday's meeting ended in agreement to freeze oil output at January levels, of 10.88 million barrels per day (bpd). One of the industry sources and another at a Russian oil firm said that even with Rosneft's production falling, overall oil output in the country, among the world's top producers, should be stable. "Our position is calm - the talk is about stabilizing production in the country. In general, everything will be neutral; their decline will be compensated by our growth," the source with a Russian oil firm said. Rosneft pumped an average 4.2 million bpd in 2014 but has yet to publish consolidated output figures for last year. Petrobras in talks to sale Argentina unit for $1.2 billion to Pampa Energia BUENOS AIRES/RIO DE JANEIRO Petroleumworld.com 03 03 2016 Argentina's Pampa Energia SA offered Brazilian state-run oil company Petroleo Brasileiro SA about $1.2 billion to buy its 67.2 percent stake in Petrobras Argentina SA, a source with direct knowledge of the bid said on Wednesday. The board of Petrobras ( PETR4.SA ), as the Brazilian company is known, has approved exclusive talks with Pampa ( PAM.BA ) for up to 60 days. The discussions were announced earlier on Wednesday in a Brazilian securities filing. Petrobras Argentina ( PER.BA ) is among the four largest producers of oil and gas in the South American country and has extensive downstream operations, including refining, petrochemicals and electricity generation. A final deal should be complete within two months, said the source, who requested anonymity because a final accord has not been signed. "There is an agreement on the figure," the source said. "I don't see anything cumbersome to work out. Now it's the work of lawyers." Petrobras preferred shares rose 2.82 percent in Sao Paulo in afternoon trading to 5.46 reais, on track for its highest close in seven weeks. Pampa fell 3.94 percent, in Buenos Aires, its biggest one-day drop in six weeks, and Petrobras Argentina rose 2.55 percent. The proposed transaction comes at a key time for Petrobras and Pampa. If completed, the sale will be one of the first major deals in Petrobras' eight-month old plan to sell $15.1 billion of assets by the end of 2016. Petrobras Chief Executive Officer Aldemir Bendine has said the company needs to sell the assets to shore up its troubled finances and pay debt of about $130 billion, the world oil industry's largest. For its part, Pampa would widen its range of energy assets, including natural gas and oil rights. It is the largest integrated power company in Argentina, generating about 8 percent of the nation's electricity. The talks come only months after the election of Argentine President Mauricio Macri, who promised to open the country to international trade and investment after more than a decade of increasing state control. This has raised expectations that investment in Argentina's overstretched and underdeveloped energy industry will increase. Pampa controls Transener, which operates Argentina's largest high-tension power transmission line, and also has a stake in Edenor, the nation's largest power distributor. In a separate filing, Petrobras said its board had also approved a competitive process to sell rights to a group of onshore oil fields, and related assets, in Brazil. PharmaTimes Media invites you to join them in Atlanta on the 17 April 2016 for a celebration of excellence in clinical research. The prestigious annual Clinical Researcher of the Year The Americas competition, organised by PharmaTimes Media, is judged by an independent steering committee of high-level industry leaders and benchmarks entrants skills against those of their peers in a learning environment. Comprising both a practical, educational Finals Day and an evening gala dinner awards presentation, the competition celebrates the top clinical researchers in the Americas today. Visit www.usclinicalresearcher.com for more information and contact Debbie Tuesley at debbie.tuesley@pharmatimes.com to book your tickets. For the first time, the Clinical Researcher of the Year The Americas will take place in association with the Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) 2016 Meeting & Expo. Taking place in Atlanta, Georgia, from 16-19 April 2016, the ACRP 2016 Meeting & Expo is uniquely focused on supporting clinical trials training and development through education, exchange, and peer-to-peer engagement. The conference provides clinical research professionals with more than 100 sessions and workshops addressing more than a dozen topics critical to the clinical research process. Visit www.acrp2016.org to register. Book tickets Taking place at the luxurious Ritz Carlton Hotel in Atlanta on 17 April 2016, tickets are available NOW for an early bird reduced rate of $460USD. From 17 March 2016, tickets will be charged at the full rate of $500USD. Contact Debbie Tuesley at debbie.tuesley@pharmatimes.com to book your place. The level of engagement in the 2016 International Clinical Researcher of the Year competition has been fantastic, with the number of candidates increasing yet again. The Awards ceremony, held at the luxurious Lancaster London, is a must-attend event for anyone in the pharma industry. Entrants will be informed whether they have made it through to the Finals early next week. Join PharmaTimes on 12 May for a glittering awards ceremony celebrating the achievements of the worlds top clinical researchers. Individual places are available at an early bird discounted rate of 320+VAT for a limited time only. From 1 April 2016, tickets will be charged at the full rate of 350+VAT. Click here to book your tickets to the Awards Ceremony This challenging clinical competition offers a crucial opportunity for clinical researchers to benchmark their competencies and skills against their peers in a learning environment. The final entry deadline has passed, and PharmaTimes Media is delighted to announce an increase in the number of clinical researchers taking part in this prestigious international competition. The Finals Day for individual entrants will be held on 30 March 2016 at PPDs HQ at Granta Park. The team Finals will take place on 21 April 2016 at Novo Nordisk. If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to get in touch with Interim Events Manager Debbie Tuesley at debbie.tuesley@pharmatimes.com Germanys Merck has entered into a three-year research pact with the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) focused on cancer metabolism. The collaboration is aiming to investigate mechanisms by which cancer cells generate energy and growth-enabling building blocks, in the hole of discovering new therapeutic targets and biomarkers. It has become clear that cancer cells engage metabolic pathways to support growth and treatment resistance, noted Andree Blaukat, Head of the Translational Innovation Platform Oncology at Merck. Together with EMBL, we have the opportunity to characterise this phenomenon on the molecular level which will be instrumental for the development of novel therapies that target metabolic pathways in cancer. EMBL expertise in modelling and bioinformatics will be combined with experimental approaches to uncover these metabolic pathways and their control mechanisms. EMBL will also utilize the cutting-edge equipment of its Genomics and Metabolomics Core Facilities to resolve the transcriptional and metabolic profiles of the samples for the study. The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) is launching a study that aims to determine whether treatment with Novartis asthma drug Xolair could be better targeted towards those patients most likely to benefit from it. Currently, around a 250,000 patients with asthma in the UK are unable to get good control of their condition, resulting in frequent, severe, or even life-threatening attacks. Xolair (omalizumab) is already approved for people who do not respond to taking steroid treatment with long-acting reliever medication, but knowing which patients would respond to the drug could not only save lives but also save the NHS much-needed resources. The study, being run by the NIHR Translational Research Partnership, hopes to enable researchers to identify which biomarkers are changed by the treatment, which should make it possible to quickly identify those most likely to benefit. Severe asthma has a huge impact on peoples lives, so by targeting treatments more effectively it will not only support patients but make better use of NHS resources, said life sciences Minister George Freeman. It is great news that Novartis has teamed up with the NIHRs expert researchers to ensure that the right treatment is given to the right patient at the right time. US expansion? Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, Roche group Genentech has filed a supplemental license application seeking to expand the use of Xolair in younger patients. The company is asking for permission to market the drug in children from six through 11 years for the treatment of moderate to severe persistent asthma in those patients with a positive skin test or in vitro reactivity to a perennial aeroallergen and symptoms inadequately controlled with inhaled corticosteroids. Childhood allergic asthma often remains uncontrolled despite the use of inhaled steroids, said Sandra Horning, chief medical officer and head of Global Product Development. The disease can significantly impact a child, and this filing acceptance brings us one step closer to addressing this significant unmet need. News / National by Tendai Rupapa HARARE magistrate Sandra Mupindu yesterday referred to the Constitutional Court a case in which two soldiers are accused of trying to bomb the President Robert Mugabe's Alpha Omega Dairy Farm for determination on whether or not someone who is not the Prosecutor General can authorise prosecution of suspects on terror related charges.The State reinstated the charges of possession of weaponry for sabotage against Solomon Makumbe, 29, and Silas Pfupa, 37, which had been earlier withdrawn before plea at the instructions of Prosecutor General Johannes Tomana.The pair's lawyers Shingai Mutumbwa, Gamuchirai Dzitiro and Taurai Mandiki made an application to except to the summons compelling the pair to appear in court to answer to the charges on the basis that Tomana did not authorise their prosecution as is required in terms of section 34 of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act.On the other hand prosecutor Michael Reza argued that the National Director of Public Prosecution Florence Ziyambi has delegated authority to exercise the PG's duties.However, Mupindu said there was need to seek guidance from the superior court for clarity and interpretation of the section cited by the defence. She said serious constitutional issues arose from the defence's application more particularly regarding the powers of the PG.What has become the bone of contention is whether the PG can delegate what has been delegated to him."The Court is ordering both parties to expeditiously prepare their papers within 14 days. I'm referring this matter to the Constitutional Court in terms of section 175 (4) of the Constitution," she said.The defence team argued that unless Tomana was going to testify in court that he gave authority, the summons were inadmissible."Even if this court was to find that the PG authorised Mrs Ziyambi to exercise the powers conferred to him by section 34 of the code, I respectfully submit that such delegation would be wrong, unlawful and invalid," Mutumbwa said.Tomana is on bail for criminal abuse of duty as a public officer or alternatively defeating or obstructing the course of justice after he allegedly ordered the release of Makumbe and Pfupa and turned them into witnesses.Pfupa and Makumbe are attached to 1 Field Regiment and Zimbabwe Intelligence Corps, respectively.The pair's second attempt to have the matter held in camera was dismissed on Tuesday by Mupindu.Their alleged accomplice Owen Kuchata, 34, who is the leader of a fringe party called the Zimbabwe People's Front, pleaded guilty to the charges and was jailed nine years.Another suspect Borman Ngwenya, 30, is on trial seperately. News / National by Fungai Lupande A CLEARING agent allegedly forged certificates and documents pretending to be a grain broker in a bid to import maize-meal from South Africa.Trouble Mupfure (44) is accused of prejudicing the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development of its good administration.He appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Elijah Makomo recently and was granted $100 bail.He is facing fraud charges.The prosecutor Mr Sebastian Mutizirwa alleged that sometime in February this year Mupfure wanted to import maize-meal from South Africa.The court heard that it was required of him to have an import certificate.On February 19, Mupfure allegedly misrepresented to the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development that he was employed by Eberton Brokers (Pvt) Ltd.He subsequently submitted an application for a permit to import maize meal.The court heard that Eberton Brokers is registered with the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development.Mupfure allegedly submitted forged photocopies of Agricultural Marketing Authority certificate of registration as a grain broker and a tax clearance certificate for Eberton Brokers.He was asked to leave the copies pending processing of the documents.It was later discovered that the Agricultural Marketing Authority Certificate of registration was forged.The certificate number was appearing under the name of Mid Cut Enterprises and not Eberton Brokers as purported by Mupfure.On February 22, the ministry's plant health inspector, Kudakwashe Primrose Nyaruwata advised her superiors of the anomaly.The matter was reported to the police leading to Mupfure's arrest. News / National by Staff reporter The Zanu-PF Politburo is expected to meet today to discuss economic issues giving particular attention to the country's economic blueprint Zim-Asset.The revolutionary party's secretary for Administration, Ignatius Chombo, yesterday said the meeting would be a routine one and there was "nothing special"."We are going to conduct the meeting giving special attention to the economy."On the agenda, we have got our routine issues, which we always discuss and we are going to pay close attention to Zim-Asset."Everyone must focus on the economy," he said.The last Politburo meeting ordered the National Disciplinary Committee to conduct hearings for all the members who were booted out of the party through votes of no confidence, but on Tuesday Chombo was not sure whether the issues would be discussed.The hearings are for the affected members to give their sides of the story before a decision is taken.The NDC conducted hearings on Christopher Mutsvangwa, before setting up a sub-committee to look at the issues of the three suspended chairpersons of Midlands, Masvingo and Mashonaland East.The chairpersons, Kizito Chivamba (Midlands), Ezra Chadzamira (Masvingo) and Joel Biggie Matiza (Mash East) were accused of insolence by zanu-pf national commissar Saviour Kasukuwere.The trio last week appeared before the sub-committee, which is chaired by zanu-pf secretary for security Kembo Mohadi.Pupurai Togarepi (secretary for youth affairs) and Eunice Sandi Moyo (Women's League deputy secretary) are the other members of the sub-committee.Other members of the Youth League including Godwin Gomwe (suspended Harare chairperson) and Godfrey Tsenengamu (Mashonaland Central chair) were also expected to appear before the same committee on Monday.Some members did not appear before the committee demanding a "clear clarification of the charges levelled against them as well as an understanding of who the complainant was."The NDC is expected to report back to the Politburo. News / National by Tendai Rupapa and Ellah Mukwati SHE was called all sorts of names, received death threats, assaulted, laughed at and humiliated by people from all corners of the world for a crime she did not commit. For two nights, she slept in an uncomfortable cell alongside other suspects.Newspaper headlines and bills screamed her name and the "crime" she had allegedly committed. While other people have nightmares when they go to bed, hers began on the morning of Tuesday February 23, when she discovered that her name was plastered on several social networks, all for the wrong reasons.Today, Tafadzwa Mushunje of Harare's Glen Norah high-density suburb who was last week accused of injecting her lover's three-year-old son with HIV infected blood is a victor.While the courts have cleared her of the alleged crime, she believes it will take a miracle for her to recover from the trauma. Mushunje, together with the toddler tested HIV negative, prompting the State to withdraw charges against her.Yesterday, she opened up to The Herald and could not hold back tears as she narrated how her life took a dramatic turn, emotionally, psychologically and physically.In the company of her identical twin, Takudzwa, her boyfriend Collin Kanonge, paternal aunt Fungai Mushunje and her lawyer Fungai Chimwamurombe, Tafadzwa said she was devastated.What shocked her most was how she was judged on social media when the allegations went viral and also when police arrested her."I was surprised to wake up with loads of messages on my cellphone from people I did not know. They insulted me and called me a husband snatcher. They said that I had infected my boyfriend's three-year-old son with HIV. I was shocked because I did not know where this was coming from."That is when Takudzwa came to me and told me that our uncle had told her to read a story posted on a website called Musvo Zimbabwe. We then read what had been posted and laughed about it thinking it was a joke. When the story went viral, and when the messages on my phone piled, I realised that it was a serious issue," she said.Tafadzwa said the first person she told was her boyfriend, Collin, who advised her that they should make a report to the police.She, however, said they did not know who was behind the malice hence it was difficult to make a proper police report."Later that day I received a message from Tracy (baby's mother) asking me why I had infected her son, she called me all sorts of names. Her (Tracy's) mother also sent me messages threatening to make my life miserable adding that she was going to kill me," she alleged.Later that evening, Tracy allegedly went to Tafadzwa's house in the company of the police and a group of people. Tafadzwa was arrested."Imagine I was whisked away to the police cells with the mob calling me names," she said while crying uncontrollably.Collin, who sat next to her throughout the interview, calmed her down and she continued."I was taken to Glen Norah Police Station and my family was ordered to remain outside. Tracy, police officers and myself sat in the office."The police asked me if I knew anything about the issue and I told them I was in the dark. They further asked where I had sourced the injection from. I told them that I did not know anything about it. Suddenly Tracy stood up and started assaulting me, I was helpless; all I could do was to cry," she said.She added that her family rushed into the office when they heard Tracy insulting and assaulting her."They quizzed the police why they were letting Tracy assault me."My family advised me to make an assault report against Tracy and a docket was opened," she explained.Both Tracy and Tafadzwa spent the first night behind bars."We both appeared in court on Thursday, Tracy was charged with assault while I faced a more serious charge of deliberate transmission of HIV."Tracy will be back in court on Friday," she said.Tafadzwa said this was not their first bad encounter as before the media lashing, Tracy had threatened her.At one point, she said, Tracy sent her threatening messages saying she would make sure that she got bad publicity.Tafadzwa added that she loved Collin's son with all her heart and would never do anything to hurt him.But, it is love that Tracy never saw as ironically, Tafadzwa was arrested on the child's birthday after spending a fun- filled day with him and Collin."The day I was arrested was the child's birthday and I spent time with him and his father at Tamba Tamba Children's Playcentre at Chisipite. The previous weekend we had spent the day buying the child birthday gifts. I love this child."I am grateful to people who stood by me especially my family and the Kanonges and, above all, God who rescued me," she said.She added: "When the story came out nobody wanted to be associated with me, so I have learnt that family will never leave you no matter what. My friends abandoned me and they were asking each other if it was true. Some even doubted my innocence."The society was too quick to judge me. They judged me yet I was the victim."With tears trickling down her cheeks, her twin sister, Takudzwa, interjected: "Imagine for two days she was not eating as she was in police cells. I did not eat either for those two days and at one point I asked the police if I could be with her in the cells but they said it was impossible."Collin said the whole incident was a big blow to his relationship with Tafadzwa adding he understood what she was going through.He said he never legally or customarily married Tracy but only sired a child with her three years ago."I will continue supporting my girlfriend, I love her so much and after all this has happened, my love for her is now much stronger. I knew these were all lies because we had been tested for HIV on January 8 this year as our New Year's resolution," he revealed.Collin explained that his relationship with Tracy was not rosy adding that they have a pending matter at the Civil Court where he is seeking a peace order against her.Tafadzwa's aunt, Fungai, said she stood by her niece because she knew her hands were clean."We are leaving the matter in our lawyer's hands, he will tell us the way forward. The truth is we were deeply hurt. My niece was traumatised, but only God knows," she said.Tafadzwa's lawyer, Mr Chimwamurombe, said he was not going to pre-empt their next move but hinted that very soon they would approach the courts."Everyone has the right to be protected at law. I believe inasmuch as it seems to be hard to point the name of the person who caused this, we are in the process of identifying the person behind all this," he said.While the storm seems to have calmed, Tafadzwa says she still has a daunting task one of clearing her name for the Internet footprint has tarnished her image. From Our Firehouse to Yours COOKS - It is sort of strange how things get started, some projects take a lot of time and thought, others are off the cuff ideas. In the case of... Seul Choix Haunted GULLIVER - The big fundraiser for the Gulliver Historical Society, Haunted Lighthouse is coming this weekend to a real haunted Lighthouse located in Gulliver, Mich. Seul Choix Pointe Lighthouse is... News / National by Stephen Jakes The Zimbabwe Peace Project has said the former Vice President Joice Mujuru led Zimbabwe People First (People First) was visible on the ground setting up structures and recruiting members in Bulawayo in January.The organisation also said Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Tendai Biti was also observed on the ground and was telling supporters that they were merging with People First, a development which PDP leader, Tendai Biti confirmed when ZPP called him."The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) intra-party conflict continued with the ongoing stand-off between supporters of Senator Matson Hlalo and Deputy Mayor Gift Banda unabated. Hlalo could not be reached for comment, but Banda confirmed ill-will existed, though he claimed he was on the receiving end of it," ZPP said. "Infighting in Zanu-PF also continued between supporters of Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa (Team Lacoste) and those aligned to The First Lady (Generation 40 [G40])." News / National by Zvamaida Murwira The MDC-T is now counting the cost of its decision to boycott by-elections that were occasioned by its recall of 21 Members of Parliament and the death of some of its legislators. The decision has had adverse effects on the opposition party's political and financial well-being.Zanu-PF and MDC-T are the two main political parties that are entitled to get money from Treasury under the Political Parties (Finance) Act, because they managed to garner more than five percent of the votes cast in the July 31 2013 harmonised elections as stipulated by the relevant legislation.Now coming to the distribution of the money, it is determined by how many legislators each party has and it is then shared proportionately. The decision by the MDC-T to boycott 14 by-elections is set to cost them almost $1,5 million this year alone under the Political Parties (Finance) Act, after Government earmarked $6 million for the parties which won 5 percent of the vote.It did not contest the Nkulumane constituency by-election held in December last year to defend the seat left vacant by the death of Mr Thamsanqa Mahlangu, further prejudicing itself of the money.If Government keeps the money at $6 million, it means the MDC-T will lose $4,5 million until general elections are held in 2018.It is common cause that the MDC-T is running on a shoe-string budget and in most cases its workers have gone for months without being paid.The money is meant to fund political activities of parties including election campaigns following the decision by Government to outlaw foreign funding of political parties.The Political Parties (Finance) Act was enacted in 2001 after it emerged that the MDC-T was receiving funding from hostile nations.Zanu-PF won 160 out of the contested 210 National Assembly seats in the July 31, 2013 elections, with MDC-T winning 49. One seat went to an independent contestant.The ruling party has since increased its representation in Parliament by 15 seats after it won 14 by-elections occasioned by the MDC-T's decision to recall 14 MPs and the death of Mr Mhlanga.While the decision to forego the money might not be noticeable to ordinary party supporters, it is the decision to boycott by-elections that will inevitably send the opposition party to its political grave.Besides the financial implications, the decision to withdraw will cost the opposition party politically as it has failed to defend its political space.Instead of defending the ground that it had already gained and seek to gain more seats, the MDC-T is actually shooting itself in the foot.Many observers feel the MDC-T has committed political suicide because it is surrendering the political space that it had already gained.By boycotting by-elections, the MDC-T has abandoned the tenets of democracy which formed the core of any political party worth its salt.Every political party is conceived and comes into existence for purposes of gaining power by participating in democratic elections.A question all progressive people ask is what is the basis for its continued existence as a political party if it is not taking party in elections.How does it envisage attaining power as a political outfit if it abandons a fundamental aspect of democracy, that of elections, if it wants to be taken seriously?All this lends credence to the view that the MDC-T realised that it was at its weakest point to mount a formidable election challenge to Zanu-PF, following a painful split, which saw key party members led by former secretary general Mr Tendai Biti and national treasurer, Mr Elton Mangoma, forming their own political outfits.There will be a heavy price from the electorate, particularly their supporters who watch their rivals celebrating election victories in constituencies the opposition could have won had they participated.Another aspect is the apparent hypocrisy of the MDC-T in dealing with issues of electoral representation.On the one hand the party has chosen not to contest the by-elections in 14 constituencies but it will still fill vacancies in proportional representations seats.Some have argued that both processes were by-elections by different names.The difference is that one set is contested and the other is not.The party has chosen to boycott the contested ones but take up uncontested seats.Last year, United Kingdom-based MDC-T official and former adviser to MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai, Dr Alex Magaisa, slammed the opposition party describing its decision to boycott by-elections as a half hearted protest.In his blog, Dr Magaisa reminisced on a post-caucus meeting held by the party in the wake of a heavy defeat at the hands of Zanu-PF in the July 31, 2013 harmonised elections.He questioned the decision by the MDC-T to take up parliamentary seats of a process which they were denouncing as lacking legitimacy after the harmonised polls."If we were going to participate in Parliament it would make our case weaker in our engagements with the region and the international community, to whom we were saying the election was illegitimate," said Dr Magaisa.He slammed the MDC-T for going to Parliament after the harmonised polls when it was claiming that the process was flawed.Dr Magaisa said MDC-T MPs were not willing to boycott Parliament because of the perks that went with that status.The party appeared to be of the mistaken view that people were naive to swallow hook, line and sinker it's dummy that the environment was not conducive for free and fair elections when it was evident to all that its house was not in order.The sooner the opposition realises that people are now wiser the better. The Perfect Poker Bot Is Almost Here March 03, 2016 Matthew Pitt Editor The Baby Tartanian 8 could be to closest developers have come to creating the perfect no-limit hold'em heads-up poker bot after it won the latest edition of the Annual Computer Poker Competition in the Total Bankroll category and placed third in the Bankroll Instant Run-Off category. Eleven teams competed for the title of best poker bot with the Carnegie Mellon University's Baby Tartanian 8 being awarded that honor by the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence. Noam Brown, a Ph.D. student at the School of Computer Science, designed Tartanian 8 alongside his adviser, Tuomas Sandholm, a professor in the Computer Science Department, specifically for the challenge of being able to play a strategy with the best results while using limited information. Tartanian 8 was developed as a successor to Tartanian 7 using the Comet supercomputer at the San Diego Supercomputer Center, and was built from scratch to help increase the speed that it processed algorithms, but had to be scaled down due to restrictions on the participants. Thus, Baby Tartanian 8 was born. "The algorithm is not specific to poker," explained Brown. "It should be generally applicable to any strategic interaction where you have multiple agents and asymmetric information." Asymmetric information is where one person has information that the other person does not, such as your own hole cards in poker, or, to use a non-poker example, negotiation situations. One major change to this latest poker bot was what Brown described as "pruning," which minimized the number of options that would be investigated while at the same time ensuring that the algorithm arrived at the optimal strategy. "In a game like poker, where you have a lot of actions available to you, pruning helps cut down to actions that are worth investigating according to a given situation, instead of considering all the actions available to you," said Brown. The Baby Tartanian poker bot was developed after the competition of the Brains vs Artificial Intelligence exhibition that ran from April 24 through to May 8, 2015. During this time, the Claudico bot took on poker pros Bjorn Li, Doug Polk, Dong Kim, and Jason Les over 80,000 hands. The humans finished the challenge $732,713 ahead (Li won $529,033, Polk $213,671, Kim $70,491, and Les lost $80,842), which seems like a wide margin, but more than $170 million was wagered during the challenge, meaning the humans' profit represented less than 0.5 percent of the total money wagered, which statistically made the challenge a tie. Feedback from the four pros enabled Brown to make alterations to his new bot, changes he's continuing to make with the hope of one day being able to see his machine come out on top against the best poker players in the world. "The ultimate goal in this line of research is to eventually beat the top humans," he said. "Hopefully, in the next 2-3 years, we will be able to accomplish that." 2016 10th Annual Computer Poker Competition Results Duplicate Poker was used to determine the winner of this year's Annual Computer Poker Competition, around 15 million hands of it, in an attempt to remove much of the luck element. Duplicate Poker is a variant of poker based on the principles of duplicate bridge where players play poker with a pre-set deck. In a heads-up scenario, Bot A and Bot B would play their match and then replay each other with Bot B receiving the cards that Bot A was dealt in round one and vice versa. Baby Tartanian 8 lost by a narrow yet statistically significant margin (95 percent) to "Slumbot," narrowly overcoming "Act 1" by a non-statistically significant margin and completed annihilated the other nine AIs. Across all the categories, the crosstable results were as follows: Poker Bot Average Baby Tartanian 8 394.44 9.35 Slumbot 341.04 10.68 Act1 314.29 12.14 Nyx TBR 312.61 13.38 Nyx IRO 308.68 10.81 Hugh 90.51 14.35 Rembrant5 18.09 12.88 Poker-CNN 5.24 18.03 HITCZ -355.23 11.08 Proteus -572.54 8.43 KEmpfer -750.00 0.00 PokerNews has reached out to the developer of Baby Tartanian 8 and hopes to have an interview with him about his incredible AI, bots in the online poker world and more. Image courtesy of captainmack.deviantart.com Get all the latest PokerNews updates on your social media outlets. Follow us on Twitter and find us both Facebook and Google+! Photo: Police File The discussion of how to reduce police use of force in the United States did not begin with the outcry that followed the fatal shooting of strong-arm theft suspect Michael Brown by then Ferguson, MO, police officer Darren Wilson in August 2014. But Ferguson and other controversial police encounters with "unarmed" persons and knife-wielding subjects have put a spotlight on police tactics and training and have led to the implementation of policy changes and training in de-escalation tactics at numerous agencies. A recent controversial report by Washington, DC-based criminal justice think-tank the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) lists 30 guiding principles for law enforcement use-of-force policy and training. At least eight of the guidelines directly mention de-escalation or discuss aspects of how officers can reduce force by backing off in situations where immediate action is not mandated by law or required for officer or public safety. The PERF guidelines were the product of a conference that included chiefs, public officials, and trainers De-escalation is also a common theme in many Department of Justice reports on agencies facing consent decrees for civil rights violations and allegations of excessive force. A concern expressed in many of these reports is that the agencies have a "pattern and practice of taking immediate offensive action" in encounters with subjects. The obvious implication is that the DOJ investigators believe the officers could have mitigated the use of force in these situations through de-escalation. It's Not Magic Which begs the question of just what is de-escalation. And as with many things, the definition depends on who you ask. One writer recently defined it as: "The art of defusing a tense situation with a word or gesture instead of being confrontational or reaching for a weapon." Obviously that writer got the definition from someone who believes in magic. Veteran street officers and trainers would tell you de-escalation is the result of a combination of communication, empathy, instinct, and sound officer safety tactics. And its goal is to help the officer achieve a good outcome where neither the officer nor the subject is injured. They would stress that not every subject is willing to play along and officers have to be ready to use force, even deadly force, if necessary. De-escalation training is not new nor innovative. The philosophy behind the training is that officers need to take every opportunity to slow down a situation when possible. A good de-escalation training program includes ways to improve communication skills, discussion of how to assess a subject's situation, how to know when you need backup, and proven officer safety tactics. Unfortunately, the quality of such training is often affected by politics and other non-officer safety factors. In-Service Training The NYPD was one of the first cities to revise its police training programs in the post-Ferguson era. Its new in-service training program was implemented after the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement following Ferguson and the death of Eric Garner during an arrest. And it got off to a bad start when local tabloids used anonymous statements from attendees to ridicule the department. At the time the program reportedly included such tactically unsound advice as officers should close their eyes and take a deep breath before confronting a subject in the street. Officers were understandably not receptive to the idea of closing their eyes at the beginning of a potentially violent engagement. Nobody seemed to mind the part about taking a deep breath. The program has since been revised and receives much better officer response. Other large agencies are now stressing de-escalation in their training programs. The Seattle Police Department even wrote de-escalation into its policy manual. It reads: "When safe under the totality of circumstances and time and circumstances permit, officers shall use de-escalation tactics in order to reduce the need for force." Seattle's de-escalation training focuses on communication with the subject. Officers are taught to respond to agitated subjects with open-ended questions, paraphrase what the person is saying and repeat it back to them to show they are listening, and to express empathy. Dallas Police Chief David Brown says his agency's de-escalation training, which is taught through reality-based scenarios has yielded extremely impressive results. The Dallas Police Department reported 147 complaints of excessive force by officers in 2009. Last year only 13 such complaints had been lodged against Dallas officers from January to the middle of November. Brown has credited the training with the precipitous drop in complaints, but skeptics point out that Dallas officers now wear body cameras on duty and investigations of the 2015 complaints showed them to be unfounded. So it's likely the drop in complaints is the result of a combination of the de-escalation training and fewer false accusations against officers because the incidents are being recorded. But that doesn't mean the impact of the training should be discounted. And the department is serious about it, as Dallas officers now attend reality-based training, including de-escalation training, every year now instead of every two years. The Dallas model is one that many agencies are trying to emulate. But some are clearly putting the cart before the horse. For example, the Albuquerque Journal reported last month that the Albuquerque Police Department has implemented de-escalation as a policy but has yet to provide the majority of its officers with training. As of mid-February only 100 of the agency's approximately 1,000 officers had received the new training. Albuquerque Police Union head Shaun Willoughby said his officers are not fighting the new policy but the lack of training is making them nervous since they are required to adhere to the new rules. Trainers nationwide say one of the major problems with de-escalation training is the same problem with all law enforcement training: There's no money for it. "When the public and the media clamor police officers need more training. They are really singing the song of the street officers. I've never met one officer who has told me we have too much training," says Dr. Ron Martinelli, a retired California police detective who now heads a forensic use-of-force investigation team and trains officers in use of force. Learning to Read Them Martinelli has been teaching de-escalation training since the 1991 Rodney King incident. He says what officers most need to know about such programs is that they are not contrary to what some officers believe politically correct piles of steer droppings and that the techniques and tactics taught in them are sorely needed because of America's mental health crisis. "We put these people out on the street. Then they become ticking time bombs. They go off their meds; they start decompensating, people call in the police, and now you have to deal with them," Martinelli says. Officers called to a disturbance of an agitated or erratic person have to understand they may be facing someone who has serious mental problems from illness or drugs. And Martinelli advises officers to stop rushing in and doing "stupid things." He says officers are hungry for good de-escalation training and his classes are often standing-room only. The all-day program covers five major points including: 1. Officers need to know how their brains and bodies react under stress. "If you are not in control of yourself, you cannot seek to control others," Martinelli says. "The subject is agitated, chaotic, and resisting. The officer cannot become emotionally captured and react emotionally to the resistance. That just makes things worse." 2. Assessing the subject before approaching. Martinelli stresses that it's not always wise to get closer to the subject and before an officer moves in he or she should perform a mental inventory and analysis of the subject. The inventory includes: Are they saying anything? What are they saying? What is their appearance? Are they dirty or disheveled? How are they acting? What are they wearing? Are they naked indicating possible hyperthermia from a drug reaction? The goal of this pre-contact threat assessment is to determine if you can handle this subject. In order to take this person into custody, you will likely have to execute five actions: approach, communicate, lay hands on, arrest and control, and search and transport. If you can't do these five things, Martinelli says you need to call in help such as additional officers or crisis intervention team (CIT) members. "I'm not saying walk away," Martinelli adds. "What I am saying is keep this person under surveillance and give yourself some time and distance to get more resources. If you go in and make that contact and throw fate to the wind, you are going to get injured or killed or do something unnecessary to that other person." 3. How to talk to people who are in crisis. Martinelli cautions that the words and how they are delivered must harmonize. In other words, don't scream "Calm down!" at a subject and expect it to work. "You can't make a difference when talking to them if you are disharmonious," he says. 4. What are the protocols in different circumstances. There are a variety of protocols for dealing with people in crisis, depending on their situation. You could be dealing with someone who is having a really bad day, a medical emergency such as a diabetic reaction, a person reacting to drugs, or someone who is mentally ill. Know what to do for each before you take action. 5. Learn to give yourself time and distance. "Time and distance compression never favors the officer," Martinelli says. "If you can avoid it, don't get close to them." Officer Discretion Martinelli adds that officers need to throw away any macho beliefs that they always have to triumph over the subject. He points out that in most states officers have very few duties to make an arrest even for serious crimes and sometimes it's better to be a good witness and pick the guy up later on a warrant. He says officers have to be especially cautious about foot chases. "Sometimes you have to let them go," he says. "Remember when you catch them, they catch you, too. When that happens you better be on better drugs or a better fighter or you are going to get hurt." Even though Martinelli is a big advocate of de-escalation training he cautions agencies against taking away officer discretion because not every situation allows for de-escalation. "You have to have latitude to be proactive. Things evolve very quickly out on the street, and you don't always have time to de-escalate or disengage. If a guy is running around stabbing people, you have to make a force selection and immediately engage that person." Photo: POLICE File As you know, judges and prosecutors prefer that your searches and seizures be conducted under authority of a search warrant, whenever possible. The fact that there are only a limited number of exceptions to the general requirement of warrants "underscores the preference accorded police action taken under a warrant, as against searches and seizures without one." (U.S. v. Ventresca) Not only do warrants reduce the risk of evidence suppression, they also reduce exposure to civil liability claims alleging Fourth Amendment violations. "Where the alleged Fourth Amendment violation involves a search or seizure pursuant to a warrant, the fact that a neutral magistrate has issued a warrant is the clearest indication that the officers acted in an objectively reasonable manner." (Messerschmidt v. Millender) But having a warrant does not guarantee that your actions will always be upheld. There are rules regarding the manner in which the warrant is served that must also be observed. Every officer participating in the execution of a search warrant should be familiar with the following guidelines: Securing the Premises The fact that you've decided to apply for a search warrant does not necessarily mean you can make a warrantless entry to "freeze" the scene until you get the warrant. Warrantless entry to secure is only permissible where you can document reasons to believe that occupants will learn of your plans and remove or destroy the evidence if immediate entry is not made. "An entry in the absence of exigent circumstances is illegal." (Segura v. U.S.) Likewise, securing an unoccupied residence from the outside by preventing anyone from entering while you await the warrant can be reasonably done on the same basisreasons to believe evidence would be lost. "Securing a dwelling, on the basis of probable cause, to prevent the destruction or removal of evidence while a search warrant is being sought, is not itself an unreasonable seizure of either the dwelling or its contents." (Segura v. U.S.) If you do make entry to secure before getting the warrant, observations made inside cannot be used as PC for the warrant. (Murray v. U.S.) Familiarity with the Warrant All officers who are taking part in serving a warrant must be familiar with the scope of the authorized search. Officers should either read the warrant, or be briefed on the places, vehicles, and persons authorized to be searched, and the property authorized to be seized. "It is incumbent on the officers executing a search warrant to ensure the search is lawfully authorized and lawfully conducted." (Groh v. Ramirez) Knock-notice Except where knock-notice compliance could endanger officers, permit escape, or cause the destruction of evidence, knocking and announcing before entering to serve a warrant is constitutionally required, according to the court: "We hold that in some circumstances an officer's unannounced entry into a home might be unreasonable under the Fourth Amendment." (Wilson v. Arkansas) The court later said that although unexcused knock-notice remains a requirement of constitutional reasonableness, non-compliance does not trigger the exclusionary rule. (Hudson v. Michigan) Nevertheless, officers sworn to abide by the law (and wishing to avoid civil liability) should still comply with knock-notice, unless one of the identified risks makes unannounced entry permissible. Exhibiting the Warrant Statutes in some jurisdictions may require officers to show or furnish a copy of the warrant to an occupant upon entry; however, this is not constitutionally required. The Supreme Court has twice rejected imposing any such steps under the Fourth Amendment. "Neither the Fourth Amendment nor the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure requires the executing officer to serve the warrant on the owner before commencing the search." (Groh v. Ramirez; U.S. v. Grubbs) No "Looky-loo's" Although computer technicians, theft victims, or others may accompany you to help identify evidence to be seized, curious onlookers cannot be allowed. As the Supreme Court said when permitting civil suit for unauthorized access, "It is a violation of the Fourth Amendment for police to bring members of the media or other third parties into a home during execution of a warrant when their presence is not in aid of execution of the warrant." (Wilson v. Layne) Occupants Can be Detained Everyone who is on the premises when service of the search warrant begins can lawfully be detained, as the court has repeatedly said: "The risk of harm to both the police and the occupants is minimized if the officers routinely exercise unquestioned command of the situation. Thus, we hold that a warrant to search founded on probable cause carries with it the limited authority to detain the occupants of the premises while a proper search is conducted." (Michigan v. Summers) If the nature of the crimes under investigation raises a risk of officer safety, an occupant (even one who is not necessarily a suspect) can be handcuffed during the search. "Inherent in Summers' authorization to detain an occupant of the place to be searched is the authority to use reasonable force to effectuate the detention." (Muehler v. Mena) A former occupant who has already left the premises before officers arrive to serve a search warrant cannot be detained at a remote location under the warrant. (Bailey v. U.S.) Occupants Cannot be Searched Although the search warrant includes authority to detain occupants during the search, it does not automatically authorize their search. Unless they are named in the warrant as persons to be searched, occupants may only be searched if some exception justifies a warrantless search. As the court said in disapproving the search of a bar patron during a warrant search, "A person's mere propinquity to others independently suspected of criminal activity does not, without more, give rise to probable cause to search that person." (Ybarra v. Illinois) To justify searching detainees who are not authorized to be searched by the warrant, try to develop grounds for warrantless search, such as consent or probationary/parole search terms, where available. "Plain View" Applies Contraband or evidence not specifically listed in the search warrant can still be seized under the "plain view" exception if discovered within the lawful scope of the search and if the evidentiary or contraband nature is immediately apparent. "In this case, the [additional] items seized from defendant's home were discovered during a lawful search authorized by a valid warrant. When they were discovered, it was immediately apparent to the officer that they constituted incriminating evidence. The seizure was authorized by the plain view doctrine." (Horton v. California) Notice of Search and Seizure Statutes sometimes require officers to provide an itemized receipt or inventory of seized property. The Supreme Court has ruled that due process requires some notice be given to the owner of seized property (if absent from the search). Said the court, "When law enforcement agents seize property pursuant to warrant, due process requires them to take reasonable steps to give notice that the property has been taken so the owner can pursue available remedies for its return." (City of West Covina v. Perkins) Local Statutes Most jurisdictions have statutory directives about filing a "return" of the warrant with the court, booking the evidence seized, and other requirements. Check with local advisors on additional steps that may be necessary in your jurisdiction. Devallis Rutledge is a former police officer and veteran prosecutor who currently serves as special counsel to the Los Angeles County district attorney. He is the author of 12 books, including "Investigative Constitutional Law." San Antonio police Officer John Lee was suspended indefinitely on Tuesday after fatally shooting an unarmed man earlier this month. The police department issued the following statement from Chief William McManus: "Officer John Lee has been issued a contemplated indefinite suspension for placing himself unnecessarily in a tactical situation where in he felt compelled to use deadly force." Lee shot and killed Antronie Scott, 36, on Feb. 4 after pulling him over. He had been called in to assist undercover officers in arresting Scott, who had outstanding warrants, the police department said. McManus said earlier this month that Scott was holding a cellphone when he was shot. He said Lee feared for his life when he opened fire. San Antonio Police Officers Association president Det. Mike Helle says Scott forced Officer Lee into a corner, WOAI TV reports. "When he did exit the vehicle, two unsolicited witnesses actually verified what the officer said," Det. Helle says. "It wasn't like he made it up. The guy came out of the car in an aggressive manner and was pulling something from his side that looked like he was drawing, and it looked like a weapon." He was actually drawing a cellphone. Det. Helle says union members are calling Officer Lee's suspension shocking and confusing. The Bexar County Criminal District Attorney's Office is reviewing the case, KSAT TV reports. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) stumbled his way through ridiculous Republican talking points today after being confronted by a reporter for refusing to do his job. Grassley made no sense as he leap-frogged from nonsensical Republican talking point to another just one day after meeting with President Obama, pitifully trying to make a case that doesnt hold up under even the most gentle of scrutiny, much like a kid claiming the dog ate their homework. It was a big dose of secondhand embarrassment for the Republican Senator. Listen here: First Des Moines Register columnist Kathie Obradovich confronted Grassley with his own words from 1992 during the Thomas hearings saying the Senate should concentrate entirely on the nominees fitness for the Supreme Court. Unable to combat himself, Grassley tried to lecture the reporter that this was not about a person. It took a lot of um, ah, well for Grassley to get to his pivot that this has nothing to do about a person. In fact, eight years ago, Grassley argued that there should be no delay in President Bushs judicial nominees even during the last few months of the Presidents term. Grassley flailed about grasping for the Republican talking point, finally just blurting it out irrespective of nothing, Its about people having a voice. Obradovich came back with the obvious, saying the people had a voice in 2012 and they re-elected President Barack Obama and that term has not expired yet. A confused and startled Grassley, perhaps not used to having his talking points so easily shot down, Um, the uh, then what you want to remember is, the people spoke in 2014 that they didnt things Biden was doing and threw out nine or ten incumbent Democrat Senators Biden? Obradovich asked, confused as Grassley mixed up the Vice President with the President. He didnt catch wind of the problem, driving his talking points forward right past his own bizarre confusion. So you, so you have Or maybe they didnt like what the Democratic Senators were doing, Obradovich suggested, keeping her feet firmly placed on terra firma. So heres what it boils down to, you have the President . Grassley nattered on. But consent means consent or not to consent or in this particular case to withhold consent. I dont understand if the President isnt the President if the party changes in Congress. Grassley tried to say that the change in the Senate in 2014 was a reflection on President Obama, but in reality it was a reflection of the map and math, with vulnerable Democrats up for re-election and a bad Democratic party message that ran away from Obama. So in fact it could be argued that the Senate change was a rebuke on Democrats for running away from Obama. But we wont go there. Grassley really got wound up as he launched into a tirade about President Obama Packing the DC courts, in the only moment that sounded remotely genuine, albeit unrelated to why Grassley refuses to do his job. Grassley was genuinely resentful of Obama for having the power of the Presidency, that much was clear. The problem for Chuck Grassley and other Senate Republicans is that there is no excuse for refusing to do their job. They cant make a legitimate case. All they have are their petty grievances that their party is not in power in the White House, which is sort of like spitting on the Constitutions ideas of checks and balances. This took place as a liberal group funded by MoveOn.org and other groups were delivering copies of a petition they say contains 1.5 million signatures telling Grassley to do his job and take up the Supreme Court nomination. Democrats are already looking to make Grassley for obstructing the President from the power vested in him by the people, because as Senate Judiciary Committee chair, it is his job to hold a hearing for a Supreme Court nominee. So now the untouchable Republican Senator is not so untouchable. To make matters worse for Grassley, the New York Times reports, President Obama is vetting Jane L. Kelly, a federal appellate judge in Iowa, as a potential nominee for the Supreme Court, weighing a selection that could pose an awkward dilemma for her home-state senator Charles E. Grassley, who has vowed to block the president from filling the vacancy. Up for a game of chess, Senator? Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Mitt Romney impressed the mainstream press today when he took to the stage and from his high perch as a rare breed of civilized Republican, took down Donald Trump. Or tried to. Because you see Donald Trump is a vulgarian and he is rude and he says horrible things. Mitt Romney is so above all of that yall. When reminded that he begged for Donald Trumps endorsement in 2012, Romney claimed he never would have accepted it if Trump had been like that then, If Trump had said 4 years ago the things he says today about the KKK, Muslims, Mexicans, disabled, I would NOT have accepted his endorsement. If Trump had said 4 years ago the things he says today about the KKK, Muslims, Mexicans, disabled, I would NOT have accepted his endorsement Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) March 3, 2016 But the problem is that in 2011, Donald Trump was a birther. He claimed of President Obamas birth certificate that maybe it says hes a Muslim. Did Donald do this in secret and maybe Mitt knew nothing of it? Why, no. Donald did this on the View, he did it on Fox News. He put it out there so that it was undeniable. Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com http://nation.foxnews.com/donald-trump/2011/03/30/trump-obama-maybe-hes-musl Transcript from Fox News (my bold): BILL OREILLY: Now, when you were on The View and they didnt walk out, which they should have because they walked out on me and they should have stayed. You were way, way worse than I was on The View. You were hammering the birth certificate. Now, we very early on did an investigation about Barack Obamas birth certificate. What The Factor found out was there were two announcements the week he was born in both Honolulu newspapers saying that he was born, OK. That is impossible that is impossible to make happen if he had not been born in the hospital. So therefore, I just put it to bed. I said he was born in Honolulu. The two newspapers documented it. His mother was a hippy. His father was a guy from Kenya who split. There couldnt have been a sophisticated what is he, Baby Jesus? there was a sophisticated conspiracy to smuggle this baby back into the country? So I just dismissed it. But you made a big deal of it. DONALD TRUMP: Bill, I grew up with Wall Street geniuses. What they do in terms of fraud and how they change documents and I will tell you something. If you notice those dates were three days later. Here is what I ask people. Who puts announcements? Here are two poor people, a man and a woman with no money, they have a baby. Theres announcements in the newspaper? OREILLY: The grandparents did it. TRUMP: Excuse me. The grandparents. Nelson Rockefeller doesnt put announcements. OREILLY: Sure, there are birth announcements all the time. TRUMP: I have never seen one. OREILLY: Really? They are common. TRUMP: Ive never seen one. OREILLY: But why is this important to you? TRUMP: Because if you are going to be president of the United States you have to be born in this country. And there is a doubt as to whether or not he was born OREILLY: Oh come on. Do you really feel this about him? TRUMP: You know, I started off by saying and I always do and I did on the The View. Im a very smart guy. I went to the best college. I had good marks. I was a very smart guy, good student and all that stuff. Because what they do to the birthers, which is a term I hate because a lot of these birthers are just really quality people that just want the truth. What they do to the birthers is unbelievable to a point where people are afraid to talk about this subject. They are afraid to confront you or anybody about this subject. OREILLY: Do you think its an important subject? TRUMP: Listen, I have a birth certificate. I have my birth certificate. And in fact, they said the one I gave yesterday wasnt good enough. So I actually got the one from the Health Department, which is the perfect one. Because they were saying the one I gave yesterday wasnt good enough, so I got the other. People have birth certificates. He doesnt have a birth certificate. He may have one but theres something on that, maybe religion, maybe it says he is a Muslim. I dont know. Maybe he doesnt want that. Or he may not have one. But I will tell you this. If he wasnt born in this country, its one of the great scams of all time. End transcript. So, kind of hard to miss Trumps birtherism. Also hard to claim hes a secret Democrat after that. Its not as if we suspected Mitt Romney had suddenly grown integrity, but in case you were wondering, he has not. Hes just playing high-minded Republican leader of the party because they dont have anyone else who can pull it off. The best guy the Republicans could throw at Donald Trump is the guy who begged for Donald Trumps endorsement back when Trump was a full-scale birther on national TV. Its a wonder Republicans dont see the problem yet. News / National by Staff reporter Opposition parties yesterday embraced the launch of former Vice-President Joice Mujuru's Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) party, saying this will rejuvenate opposition politics and bolster the planned grand coalition to challenge Zanu-PF in the 2018 elections.MDC-T spokesperson, Obert Gutu said his party was ready for a coalition of all opposition parties, including ZimPF.In a case of giving mixed messages, MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai was a fortnight ago quoted as suggesting that his party would not work with Mujuru because it would be akin to "co-operating with Zanu-PF through the back door". News / National by Staff reporter Zanu-PF's warring factions will today face-off at the ruling party's politburo meeting as internal power struggles continue unabated.President Robert Mugabe has surprisingly faced hitherto unheard of defiance even from the fiercely loyal veterans of the country's liberation struggle.This comes amid reports of clashes between two rival factions, one dubbed G40, which allegedly has the backing of First Lady Grace Mugabe, and the other one said to be loyal to Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa, going by the moniker Lacoste. Portfolio English Edition's premium content is available only for subscribers Learn about the hottest news of the day, along with immediate follow-up analyses and 1000's of exclusive articles with full access to the premium content. Register and apply for a 14 days free trial period. News / National by Staff reporter The reciprocal State visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping last year was meant to reassure Zimbabwe of the Asian country's readiness to assist it, an official has said.Speaking to African journalists on a 10-month study under the China Africa Press Centre on Tuesday, Chinese director-general of the Department of African Affairs Lin Songtian said Zimbabwe was being treated unfairly by the West.Lin said the West started labelling President Mugabe a dictator after he embarked on land reform, which sought to promote equality.China signed mega deals with Zimbabwe worth billions of dollars in different sectors when President Mugabe visited the Asian country in 2014. More deals were signed during President Xi's reciprocal State visit last year. WASHINGTON Staring down the prospect of nominating Donald Trump for president, Republicans spiraled into a chaotic, last-ditch search Wednesday for a way to save the GOP from hitching its fortunes to an unpredictable celebrity candidate without alienating his throng of followers. Sensing a window closing fast, GOP leaders and elder statesmen toggled through a menu of scenarios but landed on none. Some amplified calls to rally around a Trump alternative, even if that alternative is Ted Cruz, a prickly conservative with few friends in the party. Others laid out still-hazy plans for a brokered national convention, an option likely to smack of the backroom dealing Trump fans despise. Some floated more extreme measures, talking of breaking from the party and starting anew. "It's all a play to stall it or try to deny him the nomination," said Neil Newhouse, a GOP pollster. "And the problem with that is no one has the best scenario for how to do that." The scrambling came as the billionaire candidate racked up commanding victories in seven of eleven Super Tuesday primary contests, and the path to victory for his rivals narrowed. Trump's strength which stretched from the Deep South to New England exposed the depths of the divisions within the party, no matter who becomes the nominee in this election. ADVERTISEMENT As Republicans surveyed the wreckage from Trump's surge, some argued there was still a chance to stop him. He was not yet on track to claim the nomination before the party's national gathering in July, according to an Associated Press delegate count. He has won 46 percent of the delegates awarded so far, and he would have to increase that to 51 percent in the remaining primaries. "Trump had a good night, but he left the door open," said David Winston, a Republican pollster. The GOP mayhem contrasted sharply with a clearer picture on the Democratic side, where Hillary Clinton on Tuesday locked down solid victories in seven states and was on the path to regaining her status as the inevitable nominee. Rival Sen. Bernie Sanders vowed to keep up the fight, campaigning in Maine on Wednesday. Sanders, a fierce opponent of big money in politics, quoted director and screenwriter Adam McKay, winner of this year's Oscar for "The Big Short" adapted screenplay, who warned about candidates who take major contributions from "weirdo billionaires." Republicans, meanwhile, looked for a wise man to calm the jitters and point the way. Mitt Romney, their nominee four years ago, suggested he might try to fill that role. The former Massachusetts governor announced plans to speak on the "state of the 2016 presidential race" Thursday in Utah. Romney has moved aggressively to take on Trump in recent days, saying the billionaire's unreleased tax returns might contain "bombshells." But he was not expected to endorse a candidate or announce a late entry into the race himself. Some Republican officials have said they would not support a Trump nomination, including Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker and South Carolina Rep. Mark Sanford, but neither offered another alternative. Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry has been approached by "a mixture of people" about being part of a third-party bid, said Jeff Miller, who managed Perry's failed GOP presidential campaign. But Miller said Perry found the idea "ludicrous." ADVERTISEMENT The Associated Press has asked Republican governors and senators if they would support Trump if he becomes the party's nominee. Of the 59 respondents, slightly less than half could not commit to backing him in November. While his party looked for ways to stop him, Trump was trying to soften hard feelings. House Speaker Paul Ryan's office said the Trump campaign had reached out but the two men had not connected. It noted the speaker also planned to be in touch with other candidates. If there is a chance of derailing Trump, who did not campaign Wednesday, it increasingly appears to rest with Cruz. The Texas senator came in just 25 delegates behind Trump Tuesday night, although he faces less favorable contests as the race presses on. Sen. Marco Rubio and Ohio Gov. John Kasich also hold out hope they could catch fire in upcoming contests. Each must each win his home state primary on March 15 in order for that approach to have even a sliver of credibility. Rubio trails by double digits in most polls in Florida. Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson all but ended his bid Wednesday, saying on his campaign website: "I do not see a political path forward." Another approach to blocking Trump involves keeping the field crowded through the spring in order to keep his vote totals down. Even if he's winning states, he might be kept short of the 1,237 delegates needed to win the nomination. That could allow Republican leaders to argue at a contested convention that the majority of GOP voters want someone else. Perhaps unsurprisingly, that idea has the most support among those working for opponents' campaigns. Others in the party express concern about the image of the GOP establishment using arcane rules to thwart the will of voters. There's also little consensus around the party's goals in a contested convention, beyond stopping Trump. ADVERTISEMENT "The goal is this: Let's get to the convention in Cleveland and figure it out there," said Former New Hampshire Gov. John H. Sununu. Other prominent Republicans called for more drastic measures. "It may be necessary for men and women of principle within the party to set the self-detonation sequence as they escape the ship to a new party," wrote conservative blogger Erick Erickson. MINNEAPOLIS (AP) The Department of Natural Resources announced Thursday that it has approved the final environmental review for Minnesota's first copper-nickel mine. DNR Commissioner Tom Landwehr certified that the 3,500-page environmental impact statement for the proposed PolyMet mine in northeastern Minnesota meets all the legal requirements. Approval lets PolyMet Mining Corp. start applying for the permits it needs to build the mine near Babbitt and processing operations six miles away near Hoyt Lakes, at the site of the former LTV Steel taconite plant, which has been closed since 2001. The company and its backers have promoted the project as a boon to the economically depressed Iron Range. More than 2,000 workers have been laid off from Minnesota's iron mining companies in the past year, while the governor's office estimates that more than 3,000 other people have lost jobs at companies that serve the industry. But environmental groups consider PolyMet a threat to nearby pristine areas and water supplies. They're expected to keep up their fight throughout the permitting process and quite possibly in the courts as well. PolyMet's experience is expected to set the pattern for approval of future copper-nickel-precious-metal mines in northeastern Minnesota, including the proposed Twin Metals mine near Ely, which would be close to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. ADVERTISEMENT PolyMet began its initial environmental work in 2004. But the original EIS, which was released in 2009, drew a poor review from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The project was then extensively redesigned to address water quality, waste rock disposal and other concerns. The DNR issued a revised environmental impact survey in 2013 and conducted a public comment process that shaped the final version, which was released in November. The company says the project will directly generate up to 500 temporary construction jobs and about 360 permanent jobs that will pay about $36 million in annual wages and benefits, as well as support hundreds of jobs indirectly. PolyMet says it hopes to start mining in late 2018, which might be optimistic. The company acknowledges it has little control over the permitting timetable. Environmentalists point out that the area's extensive and untapped copper-nickel reserves are locked up in sulfide-bearing minerals that can leach sulfuric acid and metals when exposed to the elements. A major battleground during the permitting process will be whether PolyMet can provide adequate bankruptcy-proof financial assurances to cover the costs of cleaning up the mine once it shuts down after its projected 20-year life. The environmental impact survey concluded that wastewater from the mine and plant sites will require treatment indefinitely. Two federal agencies still have to sign off on their pieces of the environmental review process but neither step is expected to pose a major hurdle. The U.S. Forest Service would still have to give final approval to an exchange of 6,650 acres of federal land in the Superior National Forest that PolyMet needs for roughly the same amount of privately owned land within the forest. The Forest Service would allow some timber harvesting on the land it receives, but most of the acres would be left undeveloped and would be open for public use. The Army Corps of Engineers would also have to approve the project because it would result in the loss of over 900 acres of wetlands, so compensation would be required, mainly by creating replacement wetlands elsewhere. Yes, at the GEC voting center at the Westin. Yes, at one of the satellite voting centers open on Saturdays. No; I'm voting on Nov. 8. No; I'm not voting in the general election. Vote View Results A week ago, there was a burglary at a Minneapolis mosque. CAIR immediately labeled the incident anti-Muslim, as the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported: A burglary this week at a Minneapolis Islamic center prompted the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) to issue a statement of concern Friday. Jaylani Hussein, director of CAIR-MN, said surveillance video captured images of a man breaking into the Umatul Islam Center on Lake Street and 2nd Avenue S. between 11 p.m. and midnight Wednesday. Yassin, a member of Umatul Islams Executive Board who did not want to be identified by his full name out of fear for his safety, described the damage. The Star Tribune even tied the burglary to Donald Trump: He said the break-in is the first major incident involving a mosque in the Twin Cities since comments made by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump touched off a wave of anti-Muslim commentary and some incidents of harassment nationwide. A day or two later, left-wing Governor Mark Dayton jumped on the bandwagon, assuming that the burglary was a hate crime: Gov. Mark Dayton met with about two dozen Muslim community leaders and imams Sunday morning at the Umatul Islam Center in south Minneapolis and commiserated with them about a break-in and vandalism at the mosque last Wednesday. The act that was perpetrated here last week was a terrible, terrible act, the governor said. Vicious, illegal and cowardly. To sneak in the deep of night and desecrate a place of worship is so un-American and so un-Minnesotan This is an assault against all Minnesotans to practice their faith as they choose. The governor held a press conference in the mosque, as shown in the photo below. The woman at the right wearing a head scarf is Lieutenant Governor Tina Smith: Again, the Star Tribune tied the burglary to the Republican presidential campaign: The incident comes at a time of high tension in the Muslim community, with some presidential candidates trading rhetoric about immigration and terrorism. The Muslims who worship at the mosque have received nothing but support from other Minnesotans: Osman said members of the mosque were heartened by the outpouring of support they have received from other faith groups and said local law enforcement has been extremely helpful to us. Today it was reported that police have made an arrest in the case. The headline and sub-headline tell the story: Alleged prolific burglar suspected in mosque break-in. Police doubt the suspect specifically targeted the mosque. In other words: oops, never mind. A man suspected of committing at least a dozen burglaries or attempted burglaries around south Minneapolis, including the break-in of a South Side mosque that got the attention of Gov. Mark Dayton, was arrested late Monday, police said. The man, who Third Precinct inspector Michael Sullivan described as prolific burglary suspect, is suspected in at least a dozen break-ins of businesses along E. Lake Street, between Second and Fourth avenues. The burglaries all occurred within the past few weeks, prompting police to increase patrols in the area, Sullivan said. Sgt. Jarrod Kunze, the lead investigator in eight of the cases, said the suspect was well known to officers, having been named in more than 170 police reports. More than 170 police reports? This guy is a walking crime wave. What do you have to do to get sent to jail in Minnesota? He also dismissed the idea that the man specifically targeted the mosque, saying, I dont have any specific evidence that he targeted any specific group. Officials said the suspect had been on polices radar from the get go and that a warrant had been issued for the mans arrest. So even as CAIR and Governor Dayton were attributing the burglary to anti-Muslim prejudice, and Star Tribune reporters were dragging in the Republican presidential race, police were well aware that the mosque break-in was just one of a dozen or more similar burglaries in a two-block area. Its one more great moment in Islamophobia. We have followed the saga of the Minnesota men indicted on terrorism charges as they sought to leave the United States to join ISIS. ON slightly closer examination, these Minnesota men turn out to be Somali Muslims seeking to join the jihad abroad. I wrote about them in the Weekly Standard article The threat from Minnesota men' and in the Star Tribune column Islam and Minnesota: Can we hear some straight talk for a change? I followed up on Power Line in several posts and in the series Islamophobia in one state. The number of Minnesota men charged in last years indictments reached nine or ten. Ringleader Abdirizak Warsame was the last man charged. Before he sought to join ISIS, he worked for two employers on the tarmac at the Minneapolis-St.Paul International Airport. An FBI informant recorded him aspiring to blow planes out of the sky with rocket-propelled grenades. We still dont know how his employment at the airport came to an end. Four of the Minnesota men, including Warsame, have pleaded guilty in federal court before Judge Michael Davis (whom I both like and admire). Yesterdays news gives us the latest on the sentencing of the four, complete with the obligatory description of them as Twin Cities men. Judge Davis briefed reporters yesterday on his proposed experiment. The Star Tribune reports: Four young Twin Cities men facing federal terrorism charges have been chosen for a first-of-its kind deradicalization program under the supervision of a Minneapolis judge and a German expert on Islamic extremism. U.S. District Judge Michael Davis ordered the defendants to undergo an evaluation by the German scholar, who will visit Minnesota in April. The evaluation will factor into Davis sentencing decisions the four face potentially long prison sentences and will help in designing a program to steer each away from radical ideology. Davis said the evaluation would help him understand their motives and potential for rehabilitation. It does not make sense why someone whos never been involved in any type of criminal activity, was not seriously religious, [would] in a very short period of time want to go over and be involved in jihad, he said in a briefing with reporters on Wednesday. The defendants Zacharia Yusuf Abdurahman, Abdirizak Mohamed Warsame, Abdullahi Mohamud Yusuf, and Hanad Mustafe Musse have pleaded guilty to federal charges of conspiracy to provide material support to the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). The charges followed a monthslong federal investigation into an alleged plot by a group of young men to leave the United States and fight in the Middle East. Five other men have pleaded not guilty and await a May trial. By all accounts, the program will be the first of its kind in the United States. Such efforts to deprogram radical recruits have gained traction in Europe in recent years as hundreds of young people have left to join Middle Eastern militants. But their track record remains limited. Davis order, issued Wednesday, says Daniel Koehler, a German specialist in Islamic fundamentalism, would identify the factors that drove the radicalization of the defendants, identify their risk of reoffending and specify strategies to steer them away from radical ideologies. In December, Davis visited Koehler, who helped adapt a Berlin intervention program for neo-Nazis to would-be jihadis. Davis said Wednesday that defendants will have the option to oppose the order in their cases. Those of us who are naturally skeptical (to say the least) will find no assurance from Warsames attorney, Robert Sicoli. Sicoli said he believes incarceration is not the answer for his client. My assessment of my guy is he is not a threat to anybody, Sicoli said. Im not an expert, but to be honest I dont think there are any experts on this. And then we have this: Early last year, Davis approved an experimental release for Yusuf, connecting him with a team of religious scholars, teachers and other mentors. But Yusuf, then an 18-year-old community college student, returned to jail last summer after staff at his St. Paul halfway house found a box cutter taped under his bed. Chalk it up as a failed experiment. United States Attorney Andrew Luger has become a parody of political correctness. In a statement Wednesday, Luger said he was fully supportive of Judge Daviss experiment. Minnesota Public Radios Mukhtar Ibrahim has a more detailed report with additional background here. Ibrahim notes Judge Daviss emphasis that the program is not an alternative to incarceration. Reading the friendly Star Tribune and MPR accounts, I conclude that Judge Daviss experiment lacks empirical support or a plausible hypothesis. To the extent that it is anything more than a pre-sentencing investigation it is titled Terrorism Disengagement and Deradicalization Program it appears to me that we would be better off without it. News / News by Stephen Jakes ZANU PF UK Chairman Nick Mangwana has urged Zimbabweans to remember how Embassies located in various countries serve Zimbabweans and that their main purpose is to provide them with consular services.Mangwana made the statement in response in an article published in News Of The South On March 1, titled: Zimbabweans To March To Embassy In Pretoria To Demonstrate For Diaspora Vote."People are free to march wherever their hearts takes them to. They are also free to pursue relevance through different causes including frivolous ones. There is nowhere in the constitution where it says that the Government should bring ballot boxes to everyone's door steps," he said."Those who want to vote in Zimbabwe's election should choose a constituency in Zimbabwe. Go register as a voter and in it and when the election comes by all means go and vote. If that vote takes President Mugabe out of power so be it. That's democracy. But that process is the only constitutional process for changing leadership besides an act of God. So those who quote the constitution should show us where it says one way of changing leadership is through demonstrations at your own embassy which is there to provide you with consular services".He said it is also wrong to associate Zimbabwean Embassies worldwide with Zanu PF, when one visits an embassy they are all served the same way despite their political affiliation. He said embassies are there to help their people."For example when someone is arrested or dies in a foreign land the Embassy is notified in some cases relatives can make inquiries about where their relatives are in a particular country, they do so with the assistance of the Embassy," he said."In some cases people who have been ignorant have gone as far as campaigning for their Embassies to be closed, this may be seen as shooting oneself in the foot because they may need services from the Embassy at a later date." Earlier this week, in a post that disputed the claim that Jeb Bush is to blame for rise of Donald Trump, I wrote that if Bush endorses Marco Rubio ahead of the Florida primary, he will have nothing to apologize for if Trump is the nominee. At the time, the speculation in Florida was that Bush likely would endorse Rubio. Today, however, the Washington Post tell us that a spokeswoman for Bush says he has no plan to back Rubio, his former protege. If true, thats pathetic. As Adam C. Smith, political editor of the Tampa Times says, Bush may doubt Rubios preparedness, but he doesnt doubt Rubio is a better choice than Trump. Thus, the former governor would look incredibly petty if he did not step up and do something to help derail Trump. Four years ago, Bush recommended Rubio to Mitt Romney as a running mate. If Rubio was prepared to be vice president then, any doubt Bush has about Rubios preparedness for the presidency for years later cannot be substantial. Moreover, while he was in this years race Bush did a better job than any candidate of articulating Trumps unfitness for the presidency. Surely, Bush understands not just that Rubio is a better choice than Trump, but that its no contest. Its one thing if Bush wants to make Rubio sweat for a few days. That would be petty, but understandable given Bushs unhappiness with Rubios entry into the race and the bitterness that resulted from their rival campaigns. But for Bush to remain neutral throughout the run-up to the Florida primary would be unforgivable. Politicians dont prove their good character by giving classy speeches announcing their withdrawal from the campaign after they have been trounced. They prove it by putting the bitterness of the trouncing behind them and doing what they know is best for the country. Our country is on the verge of seeing the Republican party taken over by a left of center authoritarian bully who understands public policy and world affairs only dimly and the U.S. Constitution little, if at all. Anyone who perceives this, as Bush has shown he does, has a responsibility to do whatever he or she can to block Trumps hostile takeover. What Bush can do is endorse Marco Rubio in order, if nothing else, to minimize Trumps chances of winning almost 100 delegates. A Bush endorsement would carry plenty of weight in Florida. Enough weight to carry Rubio to victory in Florida? Maybe not. Enough impact to derail Trump? Doubtful. But these arent the relevant questions right now. Republicans who understand the danger Trump poses have less than two weeks to try to stop him. Its time past time, actually for them to pull their finger out. PR-Inside.com: 2016-03-03 09:02:01 AMRA and GE Healthcare to enable clinicians to uncover individuals metabolic health risk in the fight against obesity via new co-marketing agreement AMRATM Profiler, a cloud-based body composition measurement service, is first of its kind with CE Approval1 AMRA Announces Collaboration with GE Healthcare to Advance Precise Body Composition Measurement with MRI GCI Health Charlotte Collins Tel: +44(0)207-072-4214 AMRA has announced at the European Congress of Radiology in Vienna, Austria, that it has entered into a new co-marketing agreement with GE Healthcare, a leading provider of MRI systems. This agreement confirms that AMRATM Profiler protocol will be made available on future GE Healthcare MRI scanners. AMRATM Profiler is a cloud-based body composition measurement service, which uses images from a rapid, 6-minute MRI scan to deliver accurate, precise fat and muscle measurements.2 As the worlds first CE approved* technology of its kind, AMRATM Profiler introduces new standards in body composition measurement and imaging biomarkers. This co-marketing agreement marks an important milestone in our relationship with AMRA and we are proud to be able deliver access to AMRA cloud based body composition analysis to GE customers, said Mark Stoesz, Global Product Marketing Manager at GE Healthcare. In light of GE Healthcares strong heritage in MRI technology, this collaboration is a welcome opportunity to combine our expertise and deliver new value to physicians and their patients. Medical assessments of body composition have traditionally relied upon BMI and waist circumference; indirect measurements that do not distinguish between different parts of the body and give little information about metabolic status. The location and distribution of different types of fat can affect an individuals likelihood of developing metabolic-related diseases.3,4 Gaining precise measurements of an individual's various fat and muscle volumes can therefore provide a more accurate assessment of a persons health status. Through international collaboration with world-leading researchers, AMRA is also building upon its precise measurement technology to develop the Body Composition Profile (BCP), a complementary tool that can be used alongside BMI to deliver a clearer picture of an individuals health and metabolic risk. Over 2.1 billion people in the world are characterised as overweight or obese,5 placing a major and growing burden on global health systems, said Tommy Johansson, CEO of AMRA. AMRA aims to assist the worlds medical leaders in providing better body composition measurements, leading to more personalised treatment for people at risk of poor metabolic health outcomes. The AMRA and GE Healthcare co-marketing agreement is a significant step forward in this ambition. The co-marketing agreement follows two recent AMRA milestones, including CE Mark approval for the clinical use of AMRATM Profiler in January 2016, allowing European clinicians to use AMRATM Profiler measurements in patient care. Additionally, in 2015 AMRA announced the company has entered into a unique international collaboration with Pfizer Inc. to investigate the relationship between fat and muscle distribution in the body and metabolic health, including risk factors for conditions such as obesity and diabetes. For further information regarding AMRA please visit: www.amra.se *A mandatory conformity marking for certain products sold within the European Economic Area -ENDS- About AMRA AMRA is an international medical technology company and the first in the world to transform MR images into precise body composition measurements using a cloud-based, computer-aided service. AMRA collaborates with world-leading pharmaceutical organisations, biobanks and population cohorts, research institutions, hospitals, and clinics, aiding in the advancement of metabolic research and therapeutic application. By offering access to more accurate knowledge about our bodies, AMRA can assist the world's medical leaders in predicting and preventing disease. Headquartered in Sweden, AMRA was founded in 2010 as a spin-off of the Center for Medical Image Science and Visualization (CMIV), the Department of Biomedical Engineering (IMT) and the Department of Medicine and Health (IMH) at Linkoping University, Sweden. References 1 Information on file. AMRA March 2016 2 Magnus Borga, et al. NMR in Biomedicine, Volume 28, Issue 12, p17471753, December 2015 3 Jean-Pierre Despres et al. Nature 444, 881-887 (14 December 2006) 4 Ian J. Neeland, MD et al. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2015;65(19):2150-2151 5 Marie Ng, PhD et al. The Lancet, Volume 384, No. 9945, p766781, 30 August 2014 View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201603030051 AMRA Profiler to become available in @GEHealthcare #MRI scanners #ECR2016 PR-Inside.com: 2016-03-03 15:07:01 Senior representatives from the Colombian Communications Regulatory Commission (CRC), Microsoft, and the Wireless Broadband Alliance to headline Global Summit agenda Stellar Speaker Line Up Taking Shape for the Dynamic Spectrum Alliance Global Summit 2016 Proactive PR for Dynamic Spectrum Alliance Sian Borrill, +44 1636 812152 sian.borrill@proactive-pr.com The Dynamic Spectrum Alliance (DSA) today announced more influential speakers for its 2016 Global Summit, which will be held in Bogota, Colombia (26-28 April 2016). Latin America offers many opportunities to innovatively increase spectrum supply and availability, and the region is already steadily progressing towards closing the digital divide through small pilot projects utilising spectrum sharing technologies in unassigned and otherwise unused UHF broadcast frequencies. The Global Summit will welcome key stakeholders and regulators to address the many opportunities which spectrum sharing technologies can create, including achieving global connectivity through affordable broadband, enabling the Internet of Things, and alleviating the spectrum crunch. The Global Summit agenda will feature high profile speakers from Latin America and around the world including these recently confirmed speakers: Mr. Juan Manuel Wilches Duran, President, Latin American Forum of Telecommunications Regulators (Regulatel) and Executive Director of the Communications Regulatory Commission (CRC), Colombia Mr. Orlando Ayala, Chairman for Emerging Markets, Microsoft Mr. Shrikant Shenwai, Chief Executive Officer, Wireless Broadband Alliance Microsofts core mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. Orlando Ayala says he is pleased to be participating in the Dynamic Spectrum Alliance Annual Summit to share how Microsoft and its partners are investing in innovative, practical, and scalable last-mile access technologies, including those that leverage innovative new dynamic spectrum sharing technologies. These solutions will reduce the cost of Internet access and help billions more people affordably get online to open unlimited opportunities. Through partnerships with network operators and others in the public, private, and academic sectors, these projects are primed to deliver the greatest socio-economic impact to the greatest number of people toward building a more inclusive global society where individuals, communities and peoples are empowered to achieve their full potential. Orlando Ayala is Chairman and Corporate Vice President of Emerging Businesses at Microsoft where he catalyzes development of new business models for the company designed to accelerate growth with emerging audiences, segments and markets around the world. In his 25 year history with the company, Ayala has served in a number of executive roles including leading Microsoft WW Sales, Marketing and Services Group where he opened 33 worldwide subsidiaries. The Dynamic Spectrum Alliance is pleased to also confirm speakers from the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), the Botswana Innovation Hub, PolicyTracker, WhiteSpace Alliance, and Google. These representatives will join an incredible line up of speakers from across the Latin America region and around the world. Following the morning keynotes, Day Ones proceedings will begin with a session including Mr. Juan Manuel Wilches Duran, where he will join Mr. Mario Maniewicz (ITU) and Mr. Oscar Leon Suarez (CITEL) for a discussion moderated by Dr. Martha Liliana Suarez Penaloza, Director General, Agencia Nacional del Espectro (ANE), Colombia, which is co-hosting the Summit. The session will address the challenges to universal and affordable connectivity in Latin America and beyond. Mr. Duran has abundant experience in policy definition and regulation for the promotion and development of services in telecommunications. The first session on Day Two will focus on innovative use cases for dynamic spectrum access technologies, including for transport, agriculture, and healthcare. Speaking ahead of his participation on this discussion, Dr. Apurva Mody, Chairman, WhiteSpace Alliance commented: White Space technologies are being deployed to not only provide rural broadband connectivity, but increasingly as low cost middle mile solutions for Internet of Things Applications. While covering important issues such as the challenges to universal and affordable connectivity in Latin America and beyond, the Global Summit will focus on the implications for policymakers, businesses and civil society. The Summit will also discuss the next opportunities for Dynamic Spectrum Access in 2.3GHz, 3.5GHz, 5GHz and above with international regulators giving their comments on the best regulatory practices for greater spectrum utilization from across the globe. We are very pleased with the caliber of speakers joining the agenda at the 2016 Global Summit, said Professor H Nwana, Executive Director of the Dynamic Spectrum Alliance. The 2016 Global Summit will be instrumental in paving the way for making a globally connected world a reality and will provide the catalyst for creating the best practices for future spectrum policies. To stay updated with the full DSA Global Summit 2016 agenda as more speakers are announced, please visit http://www.dynamicspectrumalliance.org/global-summ or follow @dynamicspectrum and use the hashtag #DSA16GS on Twitter. About the Dynamic Spectrum Alliance The Dynamic Spectrum Alliance is a global organization advocating for laws and regulations that will lead to more efficient and effective spectrum utilization. The DSAs membership spans multinationals, small- and medium-sized enterprises, and academic, research, and other organizations from around the world, all working to create innovative solutions that will increase the amount of available spectrum to the benefit of consumers and businesses alike. Visit http://www.dynamicspectrumalliance.org/. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201603030051 Stellar Speaker Line Up Taking Shape for the Dynamic Spectrum Alliance Global Summit 2016 The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, on Thursday threatened to ask workers to stay at home if the federal government does not find immediate solution to the recurring problem of petroleum products scarcity in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and other parts of the country. NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, said the perennial shortage of petroleum products, especially petrol, made it increasingly difficult for workers to get to their work stations on time, resulting in the loss of huge man-hours. Scarcity of petroleum products has caused long queues at most fuel stations that have fuel, while many more closed their gates with claims of non-availability of the products, Mr. Wabba said. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, must immediately intervene in the current hardship imposed by the scarcity of petroleum products. We will be compelled to tell workers to stay at home should the scarcity persists, he added. He said the greatest frustration has been that Nigerians were yet to be told by government what the cause of the current scarcity was, adding that Labour believes government would not allow any individual or corporate organisations sabotage efforts to restore sanity and good governance in all facets of our society. Mr. Wabba said it was obvious the on-going fuel scarcity was a calculated sabotage by petroleum products marketers to sell the products at high prices for more profits. Petroleum products, especially petrol is key to our economy as it is what powers commuters, including workers, offices and businesses. The delays motorists contend with in long queues at petrol stations have led to loss of unimaginable man hours which have impacted negatively on our economy, he pointed out. The NLC president called on the government to strongly intervene, by sending out appropriate agencies, especially the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, to enforce the sale of the products, as some fuel marketers were found to be hoarding the commodity. Reiterating the call by Labour for the speedy reactivation of local production of petroleum products, Mr. Wabba said Nigerians would continue to be held hostage by global economic manipulations if the country remained tied to importation of petroleum products, despite the availability of sufficient resources to produce fuel for local consumption and export. He blamed the poor situation on bad governance, misplaced priorities and corruption, which have almost killed the petroleum industry, adding that government must think seriously about revamping the industry within one year. Citing the examples of Niger Republic, where one of the best refineries was reportedly built within a year, the NLC President said nothing stops the Buhari administration from doing same in Nigeria. He said despite the poor state of the countrys four refineries, they were still considered some of the best in the world, whose capacities could be turned around and upgraded through an effective turn around maintenance, TAM. The refineries are not beyond repairs. They have been abandoned to ensure Nigerians are ambushed by proponents of privatization who believe every sector must be privatized. Those advocating for the sale of the refineries are waiting to buy them, because they know the refineries are still one of the best, he said. He said the NLC was convinced the recurring scarcity of petroleum products was part of the roadmap designed by forces who wish to hoodwink Nigerians into accepting privatisation of the refineries. The NLC, he warned, would not accept any arrangement where major oil companies operating in Nigeria would ship the countrys crude for refining in their refineries in other countries and sell refined products to the country through importers of petroleum products. Government, he said, must demonstrate seriousness in the countrys collective affairs through decisive interventions in revamping the petroleum industry and stamping out corruption. We cant continue to be import dependent and expect our economy to grow, Mr. Wabba stated. Africa Internet Group, the parent company of Jumia, Africas leading e-commerce platform, on Thursday announced a 300 million financing from MTN, Rocket Internet, AXA and Goldman Sachs. The group said the new funding from investors would significantly strengthen the balance sheet of AIG to enable it leverage the significant growth of Jumia and to capitalize on the significant opportunities in Africa. This investment is a recognition of the success that Jumia has already achieved and provides us with a strategic flexibility to further support our efforts to offer the best shopping experience to our customers, said founders and co-CEOs of Jumia and AIG, Sacha Poignonnec and Jeremy Hodara, said. We are delighted to welcome AXA and Goldman Sachs as new investors and are also grateful for the continued confidence from our existing shareholders. To us, it is a recognition of the quality of our operations across the African continent and an affirmation of the significant growth potential of Jumia. Jumia said it intends to use the funds to support its continued growth, and to execute on attractive development opportunities in Africa along with AIGs other ecommerce platforms. MTN Group Chief Digital Officer, Herman Singh, said the company was extremely encouraged by its partnership with Jumia, which built the business into one of the leading ecommerce platforms in Africa. Mr. Singh said MTN believes that Jumia strongly reinforces its digital offering, adding that the company would continue to support the company with its knowledge of the market. Jumia, AIGs main subsidiary, is currently present in 11 African markets, providing the platform for local African businesses to sell products to the fast-growing base of African consumers in particular to the rapidly emerging middle class. Justice Anwuli Chikere of the Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to former interior minister, Abba Moro, who is facing charges over the 2014 tragic Nigeria Immigration recruitment in which more than a dozen job seekers died. Mr. Moro was given bail on self-recognition, and without conditions. The judge said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission failed to prove that Mr. Moro would interfere with his trial. The judge however ruled that two other defendants should pay N100 million each with a surety in like sum. The sureties must be of the directorate cadre in the civil service. The sureties and the defendants are to submit two recent passports as well as their international passports, and the sureties must also have landed properties worth the amount in any part of the country. Mr. Moro and four others are facing an 11-count charge of money laundering. They are accused of defrauding 676, 675 applicants of the sum of N676, 675, 000, being the aggregate of N1000 paid by each applicant to Drexel ahead of the recruitment. Mr. Moro was earlier held at the Kuje prison in Abuja pending the determination of his bail application. While he was detained, Anastasia Daniel-Nwobia, a former permanent secretary in the Ministry of Interior, was permitted to continue her administrative bail. The Nigerian government says it is preparing a legislation to prohibit pastoralists from allowing their cattle roam in villages and cities, following the massacre of hundreds in a farming community in Benue State by armed herdsmen. Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh, said Thursday that the government was working on measures to stop the invasion of communities by herdsmen. Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, Mr. Ogbeh said that invasion and massacre of the indigenes by herdsmen was no longer acceptable to the government. He said that a formation of the Nigerian Army had been deployed to the communities to restore peace. Yesterday, I spoke with the Ministers of Defence and Interior and they assured me that they have deployed a military formation in Enugu to move in and restore peace in Agatu. Today, I will also be speaking with Mr President about this issue to ensure that the problem is solved once and for all, he said. The minister gave assurance that government was taking lasting steps to prevent cattle from grazing into peoples communities and farmlands. He said that most of the rampaging herdsmen were from some neighbouring countries. We are producing massive hectares of grasses for the consumption of cattle; we have received these grasses from Brazil and we are growing them in massive quantities. Cattle herdsmen want grasses for their cattle; such grass is what we are growing in large quantities and, within the next three months, some of these will be ready. Most of these men are not Nigerians; they come in from places like Chad. Recently, I was in Berlin and I met the Minister of Agriculture from Congo, who complained to me that some Chadian herdsmen also invade some communities in Congo to commit similar havocs. He added that the government was in the process of enacting a legislation that would control cattle grazing in unauthorised areas. We are also sending a bill to the National Assembly to legislate that cattle should no longer roam in our cities and villages. We will equally raise the issue at the level of the African Union, to compel member-countries to take steps to prevent their herdsmen from grazing into neighbouring countries. It will be a major international crises if we do not stop it now, Mr. Ogbeh said. (NAN). News / Press Release by RTUZ The Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (RTUZ) is disgusted by the continued abuse of state resources by overzealous elements in the security sector to harass and victimize workers in the education sector. In this regard the union condemns with total contempt the arrest and prosecution of Shamva Primary School headmaster Edson Chuwe, typist Edna Garwe and School Development Association (SDA) member Lenman Pwanyiwa.The trio is being charged with the unconstitutional section 33 (2) (b) of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act which criminalizes virtually all criticism of the sitting President. This section of the law has long been condemned by the judiciary and human rights lawyers as it impedes on the freedom of expressing and speech.To have such a law still being enforced in an era where defamation has been decriminalized and within the jurisdiction of a new constitution which puts fundamental rights at the very centre of our democracy is all but shocking.The frivolous and vexatious charges are arising from various caricatures of President Mugabe which the trio is accused of having shared via social media platforms facebook and Whatsapp. That in this day and age the state can waste its resources to prosecute citizens for sharing harmless pictures on social media boggles the mind and shows the extent to which the government bureaucrats and authorities disregard our national constitution.These charges come at a time when RTUZ has registered its concern over the abuse of school facilities, teachers and school children by political parties in particular ZANU PF women's league secretary Grace Mugabe. It also comes hot on the heels of victimization of RTUZ leaders by the state as it charged them with various malicious charges that are designed to deter them from undertaking their legitimate duties.RTUZ is also worried about the silence of the parent Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education when its workers, who deliver exceptional results with very little resources, are victimized and abused by state actors who are pursuing narrow political ambitions.The deafening silence confirms what the union has always argued that the current Minister has very little concern for education and indeed Lazarus Dokora competes closely with former Minister Eanias Chingwedere for the accolade of worst Minister of education since independence.As a union we are grateful to Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) which continues to tirelessly provide legal representations in all the cases where state actors are attempting to harass and victimize teachers. We will also mobilize solidarity for the 3 comrades when they appear in court on March, 8,2016.Released by;RTUZ Information +263 776 129 336 The Nigeria Police acknowledged Thursday their handling of the abduction of a 14-year-old girl, Ese Oruru, from Bayelsa State was flawed and was responsible for the delay in reuniting the teenager with her family. The Zone 1 command of the force said it failed to follow up with the Sharia Commission in Kano, where the girl was taken to in 2015. Miss. Oruru was taken without parental consent to Kano by Yunusa Dahiru, a regular customer of her mother, a food vendor. The Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of the zonal command, Shuaibu Gambo, said leaving the state Sharia commission to handle the case after the Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi, referred the matter to the command in August, complicated the situation. Indeed, the emir had sent a team of the Sharia commission members, Ese family and the abductor to our office in August [2015]. And my predecessor, AIG Tambari Yabo, confirmed the receipt of the letter, as well as the team, from the monarch. But after meeting them, and realizing it was late, he directed that they come back the following morning. The following day, when the AIG didnt see the Sharia commission officials and Ese family, he presumed that they had amicably settled the matter; because he is aware of the fact that Sharia commission had the ability to handle the case. But they had not done so. Giving the benefit of hindsight, it is evident that there was a failure of communication as the delegation never returned with the girl for onward transportation to her family. And no further report of complaint whatsoever was received in respect of the case again. On the part of the zone, when it did not hear from the delegation it innocently presumed that the case might have been resolved by the Sharia commission, which as you know, is also empowered to adopt alternative dispute resolution measures in cases of this nature, he said. Mr. Gambo stated further that the command traced Miss Oruru to the Sharia commission office on Monday after failure to get her in Tofa village. The girl was reunited with her family on Wednesday after the intervention of police authorities in Abuja. Mr. Gambo said the alleged abductor, Yunusa Yellow, was in police custody in Abuja and would face prosecution after investigation. The Lagos State government on Thursday shut down Mile 12 market after a clash between Yoruba and Hausa communities left five people dead. Governor Akinwunmi Ambode said Thursday that the market would remain closed until the dispute between the communities is resolved. These types of clashes do occur from time to time in a multi-ethnic city like Lagos and the government has always responded appropriately, Mr. Ambode said. The public is hereby assured that we will not shy away from our responsibilities to protect lives and property, and will deal decisively with those criminal elements who fan embers of ethnic strife. The cause of the crisis remained unclear, but a resident told PREMIUM TIMES that it began on Wednesday, following a dispute between two commercial motorcyclists from the two ethnic groups, which degenerated into a crisis after the Hausa rider allegedly stabbed the Yoruba rider. The resident, who did not want to be named, said youth at Mile 12 attacked the Hausa Okada rider, leading to the Hausa community mobilizing an attack against the Yoruba community. Five people have been killed since the clashes began, residents told PREMIUM TIMES. It took the intervention of police officers of the Rapid Response Squad to quell the crisis. But on Thursday, another round of clashes erupted again. Today, I have just been informed that some miscreants and criminal elements have exploited that dispute to cause a breakdown of law and order within the area, Mr. Ambode said on Thursday. I have been assured by the commissioner of police and other security agencies who are on ground at the scene that the situation has been substantially brought under control. The governor also announced a temporary restriction of movement in four streets the area Oniyanri Street, Maidan Street, Agiliti 1 and Agiliti 2 where the clashes occurred. Let me assure Lagosians that the state is home to every tribe and ethnic group and nobody should give this disturbance any ethnic coloration whatsoever, he added. The U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission in Nigeria, Maria Brewer, on Thursday called on the Nigerian government to urgently enact and implement more strident penalties for wildlife traffickers. Brewer, who made the appeal in Lagos at an event to commemorate this years World Wildlife Day, said that such penalties should discourage traffickers from using Nigeria as a transit point. The Nigerian government should enact and implement more strident penalties for wildlife trafficking, penalties that will dissuade potential traffickers from using Nigeria as a transit point. Nigeria, by virtue of its size, location and market position, can play a critical role in saving the continents most precious natural resources. We believe that preserving the natural world and its inhabitants is critical to a prosperous and stable Nigeria, she said. The U.S. official noted that there were currently limited prohibitive regulations against poaching, trading and sale of wildlife products. According to her, Nigeria is home to a wealth of wildlife, including a number of endangered species like pangolins, elephants, the Cross River gorilla, grey parrots and more. Brewer also announced her Missions plan to support Nigeria in training, technical exchanges, information and public education to promote conservation, as well as in combating poaching and wildlife trafficking. She also called on Nigerian communities and individuals to be active in wildlife conservation, and to desist from dealing with illicit traders and poachers. Lawrence Anukam, Director-General of the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), said that Nigerias size, borderline, numerous waterways and airports currently posed threats to her wildlife conservation laws. Anukam also identified the non-harmonisation of States Wildlife Laws, as a major challenge to the Federal Governments wildlife conservation efforts. He also said that Nigeria had no sufficient research data on the state of her wildlife, for proper monitoring and conservation. (NAN) The Youth Forum of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria on Thursday called for the unconditional release of the leader of the movement, Ibaraheem Zakzaky. Speaking during a protest in Kaduna, the leader of the state chapter of the forum, Mikail Abdullahi, accused the government of violating all constitutional provisions by detaining Mr. El-Zakzaky without charging him to court. He said the government was not leading a good example by keeping deaf ears to the call for the release of the leader of the movement. The continued detention of our leader is unconstitutional. We are calling for his release because his detention violates all constitutional provisions, he said. Several members of the movement were killed in December last year in Zaria after a bloody clash with the Nigerian Army. The arrested members of the group, including Mr. El-Zakzaky and his wife, were either remanded in prisons or at undisclosed locations. The headquarters of 33 Artillery Brigade, Nigerian Army, Bauchi, has arrested 4 persons suspected to be Boko Haram terrorists spies, the spokesperson for the Army, Sani Usman, has said. Those arrested include a man believed to have carried out surveillance on the Madalla church before it was bombed, Mr Usman, a colonel, said in a statement. The men, Victor Moses, Abubakar Shettima, Salisu Mohammed Bello and Umar Sadiq Madaki, the army alleged, have carried out surveillance mission for the Boko Haram terrorists on target for suicide bombings or attacks. Mr. Usman added, Luck ran out for them when Victor Moses went to a mosque in Bauchi and pretended that he wanted to be converted to Islam and the people suspecting that he was not genuine, promptly reported the matter. On interrogation he confirmed that he was working for an Islamic cleric in Gombe (now at large) and that their point of contact was Abubakar Shetima based in Jos. He confessed to casing targets for suicide bomb attacks including that of the Catholic Church Madalla, Suleja, Niger State on Christmas day, 25th December 2011. The accused persons are currently undergoing further interrogation, and were paraded by the Commander 33 Artillery Brigade, Brigadier General Abraham Dusu at the Brigades Headquarters, Shadawanka Barracks, Bauchi on Monday. By Sebastine Ebhuomhan The Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, has dismissed the claim by the father of Yunusa Dahiru, that his son and Ese Oruru, the 14-year-old girl abducted from Bayelsa to Kano, were merely in love, and that Yunusa committed no crime. Mr. Arase made his position known on Thursday in Benin City, Edo State, during a one-day awareness workshop on sexual and gender-based violence in Nigeria, organised by the Nigeria Police Force in collaboration with the Cleen Foundation and Ford Foundation. Speaking through the Gender Officer of Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department, Mairo Adebalogun, Mr. Arase countered that the claim by the father of the suspect, Dahiru Bala, of his sons innocence was irrelevant because it was clear a crime had been committed and the suspect would be prosecuted. Asked if the claim of the suspects father could stand in the face of the law, the IGP argued, It cannot. It does not. The father is not the person in the picture of this issue right now. It is his son. The police is going to investigate and if they find him wanting, they will prosecute him. Miss Ese was taken in August 2015 by Yunusa from Bayelsa to Kano, where he converted her to Islam and forcefully married her without the consent of her parents. She was, however, released on February 29 after a public outcry and an intense social media campaign that prompted the intervention of the Federal Government and the Bayelsa State government, allowing her to reunite with her family. The suspects father, Mr. Bala later told PREMIUM TIMES that the girl was in love with his son and that she pushed for them to travel to Kano. Mr. Bala however said he objected to their union, and refused to let them stay together even after they arrived Kano in 2015. Meanwhile, a child protection specialist with the United Nations Childrens Education Fund (UNICEF), Mr Tatenda Makoni, has called on state governments in the country to strengthen their respective campaigns against sexual and gender-based violence, as part of efforts to address the prevalence of sexual violence in the country. The Fulani community in Benue State, accused of killing hundreds in Agatu in Benue State, said Thursday that the crisis started after 10,000 of cattle belonging to its members were killed by Agatu natives. Ado Boderi, who spoke on behalf of the Fulani community on Thursday, during a meeting between Agatu community, Fulani community and Police Inspector General Solomon Arase, said criminal elements from both sides escalated the crisis despite the quick intervention of the governor. He said that Fulani herdsmen were a peace-loving people, whose main concern was the problem of cattle rustling. Akpa Iduh, who spoke on behalf of the Agatu people, decried the continued unprovoked attacks on his people by Fulani mercenaries. Mr. Iduh, who said that the crisis started over five decades ago, lamented that it had recently turned into a war because of the types of weapons the herdsmen were using against them. He alleged that the Fulani mercenaries were killing both children and pregnant women on sight, adding that they were powerless after embracing the Benue Amnesty Programme and surrendered illegal arms to government. The herdsmen are bent on turning our land into their grazing area, thereby rendering us homeless and without food. Is it because we are minority and poor that they are using their numerical advantage and wealth against us? We are going to remain in Agatu until the day they have succeeded in killing all of us. The Inspector- General of Police, Solomon Arase, said in Makurdi that the force had deployed enough policemen to end the clashes between Agatu farmers and herdsmen in Benue. Mr. Arase, who was on a fact-finding mission to the state, made the assertion at a meeting between Agatu farmers and herdsmen. He disclosed that the force had deployed additional four units of police teams to the area to arrest the situation. I am in Benue on the directives of Mr President on a fact- finding mission and to also see if there is a way to resolve the crisis. We have enough security officers to end the ongoing crisis between farmers and herdsmen in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue. We have also deployed additional four units of police teams in the area to arrest the situation. There is no way we can all live together without having disagreements with one another at some point; it is the way we manage the disagreements that matters. Both the farmers and herdsmen must learn to cohabit with one another as a nation for the peace and progress of our people, he said. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that out of the 10 council wards in Agatu Local Government Area, only one ward was not affected in the bloody clashes. (NAN) The Sokoto State government on Thursday said it ordered investigation into an alleged abduction and forced marriage of a 15-year-old girl, Patience Paul, in Sokoto State. A statement by Governor Aminu Tambuwals spokesman, Imam Imam, said the governor had ordered the state human rights commission and other agencies to investigate the matter immediately. Gov Aminu Waziri Tambuwal directed the state Human Rights Commission to undertake a thorough investigation into the allegations and report same to the government. In the interim, the Human Rights Commission was asked to present an interim report and update the public with all information as it becomes available, Mr. Imam said. Reports say the teenage girl, Paul, was abducted and kept at the palace of the Sultan of Sokoto. In the first 24 hours, the state Human Rights Commission has contacted the Sultanate Council and the State Police Command for a briefing. The state Human Rights Commission has also spoken to the State Hisbah Commission, as well as the person whose phone number was given in the initial allegation made online. Despite efforts, however, the state Human Rights Commission has been unable to contact the family of Patience Paul or anyone who will shed more light on the allegations, Mr. Imam said. The state Human Rights Commission has opened a public plea urging Ms. Pauls family or representatives to contact it for a detailed briefing. Other institutions to be contacted are Citizens Rights Dept, Attorney Generals Chambers, Ministry of Justice, Sokoto on 08035903799. Agencies to be contacted: The Nigeria Police, Sokoto State Police Command Headquarters, Sokoto or state Human Rights Commission viakabirdodo36@gmail.com and 07066666618, 08158582828. Other agencies to be contacted are office of Media and Public Affairs, Governors Office, Sokoto on 07037072938, immamy2k@gmail.com. The Delta State University has nabbed a Mechanical Engineering student of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, Inneh Aisosa, for alleged impersonation during an examination. According to a statement by the Public Relations Officer of DELSU, Eddy Agbure, on Wednesday, Mr. Aisosa was nabbed on February 23 while writing examination for Onakpoma Oghenetega, a 400-level student of the Abraka campus of the university. The statement said the suspect with matriculation number 0452/2010, came into the university in a Toyota Camry with registration number ABH 417 GW to write the exam for Miss Oghenetega (matriculation number FOS/12/13/212931), who is alleged to be his girlfriend. It said Mr. Aisosa was apprehended by members of DELSU Examination Monitoring Group in collaboration with invigilators. With this development, it is obvious that some of our unserious-minded students have introduced new tactics to perpetrate examination malpractice, the statement said. While law abiding and committed students of the university are busy reading very hard for their examinations, the lazy ones are busy engaging mercenaries from within and outside the university to write examinations for them with the sole aim of getting good grades. This is totally unacceptable and management of the university will not relax in the relentless was against this academic fraud. The statement said the university authorities vowed to deal with criminally-minded students in the war against examination malpractices. Feyisetan Fayose, wife of Ekiti States Governor Ayo Fayose, on Thursday cautioned parents against giving out underage children into marriage. She spoke during a visit to the Social Intervention Centre and Correctional Centre in Ado-Ekiti. Mrs. Fayose said parents should guide their children properly in the way of God and desist from acts that could truncate the future of their wards. The governors wife assured the inmates that the government would continue to give adequate attention to their welfare. She advised the inmates to embrace good behaviour as they stand to gain nothing from waywardness. Mrs. Fayose urged them not to see their present situation as the end of the road, as they can still build themselves up as respectable members of society. The wife of the governor commended the management of the homes visited for taking very good care of their inmates. Ayo Ibikunle, the Director, Social Welfare, Ministry of Women Affairs, commended the present administration for the prompt release of funds for the upkeep of inmates at the two homes. He described the Social Intervention Centre as a solution centre, intervening in abusive situations in order to ensure that gender violence prohibition law is implemented. Mr. Ibikunle said that the Correctional Centre was established for reformation of children below 18 years who run foul of the law. (NAN) Opinion / Columnist David Mutori is a pro-democracy activist who is frustrated with politicians abusing their positions by duping people. He believes that Zimbabweans underestimate their individual responsibilities and potential to determine their future. He writes in his personal capacity and can be contacted on mutorid@gmail.com. Ben Paradza is a pro-democracy activist and interim vice-president of ZUNDE. Since the pronounced discovery of diamonds at Marange almost a decade ago, the Ministry of Mines has amazingly shown policy inconsistencies and to date, there is absolutely nothing to show to the people what benefit if any the nation has had from the God given discovery. Mines Minister Walter Chidhakwa has gone one step further. In a lashing out move that's akin to a baby throwing a tantrum, the minister has ordered diamond miners to shut down and clear up! All nine of them!The recent 'order' by Walter Chidhakwa is not only reckless; it sets a bad precedent for a country that is struggling to keep or woe investors. Not only is it ill-conceived; it is dangerous and clearly illegal.For the avoidance of doubt and for clarity, this piece is not seeking to address legitimacy, legality and indeed morality of how the companies came into existence in the first place. Most of these companies are corruptly owned by people with vested interests in ZANU PF, its appendages and factions as well as the security sector. We start by acknowledging the fact that these companies exist today and they have shareholders and employees who have rights under employment and corporate law. We also acknowledge the fact that these companies are the main players in the entire diamond industry. A decision to carelessly and unilaterally shut down a whole industry therefore, becomes unprecedented. The manner in which it was announced is undoubtedly sinister. There is definitely politics, not economics or even the law at play here.Perhaps a brief history of the 'Marange debacle' will help us understand the current drama and the absurdity of the Minister's decision. Most will recall that when diamonds were discovered, the company that discovered the diamond deposits had its license cancelled by the government. The government then went on to cherry-pick its preferred partners for the diamond mining ventures. Needless to say these were mainly from Mugabe's camp and friends from the East. The one constant in all these ventures is that the government has a huge stake in all of them.Readers may recall reports of obscure deals and looting on a massive scale including billions of dollars of discrepancies between what the companies claimed to have paid to the government and what the government had receipted. Parliament raised concerns about illegality and lack of transparency and dispatched a committee to Marange where it was barred from entering the area. Then, from nowhere, it was announced that alluvial diamonds were gone, finished diamond companies needed more sophisticated equipment to continue operations into the future. The minister of mines then announced that mining operations in the Marange needed to consolidate and merge into one. In an unpredictable ZANU PF dictatorial style shock, all the diamond companies were ordered to cease operations forthwith, in other words EVICTED!Governments run by responsible people do not make decisions like this especially where they affect the rights and property of other people. If they do, it is only in very exceptional circumstances, for example where illegality or extreme danger to the public is a concern. It is therefore, unprecedented for a minister to shut a whole industry that is made of up to 9 companies and (by default) lots more that depend on it thereby throwing many people out of jobs and deeper into poverty.Given the murky duality of his role in the diamond mines as a shareholder and the responsible government minister, it becomes difficult to see in which capacity his decision was made. The fact of the matter is he is the responsible minister and also represents the government as a shareholder.Deciding as a government minister sets a very bad precedent. It amounts to doing business like they do dictatorships with little or no regard to the rights of people who have invested in the industry. This demonstrates the fact that the ZANU PF government is indeed a dictatorship. Somebody in that industry must challenge this arbitrary decision in court. Imagine a situation where a government minister decides that he wants OK, TM and Choppies to either merge into one supermarket chain or shut down. This opens the country's business community to the possibility that the minister can order any industry into downsizing, expanding, merging or ceasing operations without giving any explanation, interfering instead of enhancing and creating an enabling environment.Such arbitrary decision making is likely to finish off any little business sentiment that might be left in Zimbabwe. Every investor will be left wondering why, and most importantly, who is the government lining up as new owners of the Marange diamonds. We all wonder where a similar order is going to be issued next? Surely the minister must clearly lay out his reasons for such a huge decision. Or at least get that issue debated in parliament before announcing the order. We are faced with a monumental breach of fundamental rights and freedoms in breach of the constitution. Do Zimbabweans and its investors have the rights and freedoms they need to do business as they please? This is how bad the minister's decision was, for those who really care.The other option is that the minister's decision is made in his capacity as a shareholder in each of the companies. But this makes the decision even more bizarre. Reports suggest that there are nine (or at least six as recently reported in the media) diamond mining companies in Marange that are affected. Each of them has one constant; the government (through the ministry of mines) owns approximately 50% of each of the companies. The remaining 50 percent(s) are owned by various stakeholders. One shareholder ordering a company to close without explanation to other shareholders and stakeholders breaches the rights of the other shareholders and the trust between them. How does that happen in company law and good business practice? Is there no law that governs such closures?Either way, the companies have been ordered to remove all their equipment. No compensation has been mentioned. It is well known that if someone has a business, its value potentially goes well above the value of its movable assets. Why would any investor want to invest in a country where a government minister is given free reign to close your business and potentially give it to someone else without compensation or accountability as to why? Even the so called 'all weather friends' from the East are likely to be alarmed by this smash and grab approach. This is the ugly face of dictatorship that is repugnant to democratic governance. In the strongest possible terms, ZUNDE condemns the Minister's actions. This is what we mean by saying there is no rule of law in Zimbabwe.One can only hypothesize that the government has realised that they have botched the whole 'Marange debacle' from day one. An order to shut shop is accepting the whole arrangement is rotten from the roots. One can only assume that, the management by 'vote of no confidence' curse that is haunting ZANU PF is now mutating into the corporate world. One cannot rule out the possibility that the tentacles of the succession wars are already reaching further afield. Team Lacoste and the military are being badly hit here, it would appear. Not that we sympathise with any of the two, but we stand for what is right in terms of law.One thing for sure is that if they can do it to Marange companies, they can do it to any one of us any day. Bad policies and laws that are seemingly aimed at a minority can be used against anybody when this is convenient to a desperate and despotic government. We recall in the Superior Courts of two decades ago when white Judges were being purged, little was said about it. Little did we know that once they were finished with the white judges, next in line were black judges. Bad precedent had been set. The result was a total collapse of the rule of law. That is why Ministers like Chidhakwa are at liberty today to do as they are doing to business and investments. In democratic countries decisions by public officials are subject to judicial review. If Chidhakwa knew this, he would not have the liberty to do as he did.It is of critical importance for all Zimbabweans to challenge state autocracy that has crept into the corporate world. Let market forces determine business dynamics. Opinion / Columnist Since 2002 there has been a hullabaloo about the formation of a coalition of opposition parties. A number of private meetings, which have never materialized had been held now and again by opposition leaders. As it stands, the grand coalition is suffering stillbirth, an indication that the coalition is a just a pipe dream that will never turn into concrete alliance.The key reason behind the collapse of the grand coalition of opposition parties is their leaders. The personalities and egomania of opposition leaders is a major blockage of the much talked coalition and non existing union.First and foremost, the question that comes into people's minds is who will lead the coalition? According to Gorden Moyo, People Democratic Party secretary general, the opposition parties that are likely to merge include, his party which is led by Tendai Biti, Joice Mujuru's Zimbabwe People First (ZPF), ZAPU which is led by Dumiso Dabengwa, Elton Mangoma's Renewal Democrats of Zimbabwe and the National Constitutional Assembly led by Lovemore Madhuku.From the look of things, most of the above mentioned leaders are rejects from other political parties. Almost all of them were expelled from their original parties because their wanted to usurp power from their former bosses. So, the question remains who will lead who?A closer look at the grand coalition characters confirms that no one is fit and clean lead others.Firstly, Mujuru's recently registered opposition party ZPF is nothing but a party in its infants. There are other opposition parties that have been there as early as in 2000. Would these parties allow to be lead by a 'mafikizolo'? One would really wonder.In addition, Mujuru has so far been accused of the big sister attitude by other opposition parties. Besides that, the political background of the former Vice President will not permit her to lead the coalition. Mujuru was expelled from the ruling party ZANU-PF because she wanted to remove President Mugabe from power unconstitutionally as well as abusing her office for corrupt activities. Can a corrupt leader like Mujuru effectively the coalition?Quoted in a local weekly press, MDC-T Secretary General, Douglas Mwonzora noted that his party was willing to work with anyone opposed to ZANU-PF irrespective of their numerical value.However, Mwonzora statements contradict with what his boss Morgan Tsvangirai recently said. Tsvangirai dismissed the idea to merge with other opposition parties. While addressing a handful of people at a rally in Chinhoyi, Tsvangirai openly said that his party will not enter into an alliance with Mujuru's ZPF.Additionally, Tsvangirai said he will not risk his party by joining Mujuru's new party; instead, Mujuru should join him. Tsvangirai claims that he is a veteran in the opposition politics whilst on the other hand Mujuru boasts of her liberation war credentials.Such attitudes are by opposition leaders is a clear-cut that this coalition of opposition parties is just a wishful thinking.They both have very strong points, but their weaknesses are all too glaring and instead of focusing on why they will not join each other, Opinion / Columnist Since the 2014 dismissal of Dr Joyce Mujuru as Vice President from both government and ZANU PF and the subsequent formation of her political party, the Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) meant to challenge the supremacy of ZANU PF in elections, Mujuru has shown that she struggles to remain consistence in saying out some real issues that satisfy the public on why she was dismissed.The ZimPF party leader, Mujuru wants to make people believe that she left ZANU PF on her own accord yet the public knows quite well that she was fired from both government and ZANU PF by President Mugabe. Actually Mujuru wants the people to believe her other said of the story surrounding her dismissal as a way of making people to embrace her newly launched political outfit. She wants to mislead the electorate into believing that she is a principled someone who stands for the truth.In a turn of events for Dr Mujuru in trying to appear respectable, she has sought to dismiss the notion that she was sacked from both government and the ruling party ZANU PF, by choosing to tell her supporters in Chinhoyi recently that she moved out of ZANU PF on her own accord. Mujuru said that she was not dismissed by President Mugabe as alleged by the public but decided to move out from ZANU PF after realising that the alleged barrage of attacks she received from the First Lady Dr Amai Grace Mugabe during her meet the people tours around the country had no end in sight.Mujuru further said that her departure from the ruling party ZANU PF had been "inevitable" as she was always clashing with President Robert Gabriel Mugabe regularly over policy matters up to the time she decided to leave. Surprisingly Dr Mujuru who spent the better party of her life in government waited for the 2014 debacle to leave the party. She was always in government and did not see any reason to leave the party until the alleged attacks on her from the First Lady? He alleged clashes with the President on policy matters were not significance as causing her walk out from the party but only her personal attacks? Could such a person who values her personal interests more than those of the masses become a good leader? Food for thoughts for those rushing to her ZimPF party like people rushing to new dawns of prophets sprouting the country today.What Dr Mujuru is not aware of is that everything is in the public domain that her alleged policy clashes with President Mugabe were fictitious because Zimbabweans have never come across with such allegations before her dismissal from both ZANU PF and government. If it was true that she was ever clashing with President Mugabe on policy matters she could have shown the world by leaving the party like what she is claiming that she did in 2014 after her alleged attacks from the First Lady.What the Zimbabweans know about Dr Mujuru is that since 1980 she was in government holding different ministries until she was appointed Vice President of Zimbabwe in 2004 making her second in command in both the government and the ruling party ZANU PF. With that influential position being in government, Mujuru got the comfort zone of being the VP getting her to amass wealth using state machinery. All the ZANU PF policies which were implemented during her time in government were done in agreement with all those who were in cabinet including herself. Now that she is no longer in government she wants the public to believe her that she was regularly clashing with President Mugabe on policy matters. Is that not cheap politicking?It is surprising that Dr Mujuru`s statements have been inconsistence and she has never checked her previous statements in order to correct such anomalies from what she could have said previously. Mujuru thinks that by changing goal posts to suit what she wants her supporters to hear at different intervals would bring her votes in the 2018 harmonised elections. She must be aware that no amount of lies would bring electoral victory in 2018 on a silver platter. Mujuru should be aware that only reality would make people take her seriously and begin supporting her political party.She should not forget that during an interview by Blessing Zulu of the Studio 7 on the 9th of December 2014, Mujuru declared that she didn't know any other party other than ZANU PF and that it was her party. She further declared that she was going to die in ZANU PF. Surpringly, just a year after her declaration that she would die in ZANU PF, she now finds herself being a leader of an opposition political party running by the name ZimPF. She has forgotten that she told Blessing Zulu that she would die in ZANU PF and the revolutionary is her only party she knew. It that not being mischievous?As if her wrongful declaration that she would die in ZANU PF and her subsequent formation of the ZimPF party is not enough, Dr Mujuru told his supporters in Chinhoyi recently that she was not dismissed from government but moved out on her own accord. Mujuru`s actions points to someone who has no confidence on her actions. She is always shifting goal posts in order to satisfy certain situations at a given time. Why is she now claiming that she was not dismissed from ZANU PF yet during her interview with Blessing Zulu she did not reveal that? She only said that she would die in ZANU PF and she failed to say that she was no longer party and parcel of ZANU PF during that interview. She did not tell Zulu that she had already left the ruling party. Is that not hypocrisy?The fact that she declared she would die in ZANU PF and later dumped that party to form an opposition political party shows that she is desperate for political aggrandisement. Her move to form a political party vindicates those who were always saying that she was power hungry in ZANU PF and was ready to remove President Mugabe from office as to take over the leadership of both the revolutionary party and government. Her formation of ZimPF has nothing to do with bringing relief to the economic turnaround of Zimbabwe but that has do with catapulting herself to the leadership of Zimbabwe which she failed to do while in ZANU PF.Dr Mujuru`s claim that she walked out from ZANU PF because she did not contain the alleged barrage of attacks she received from the First Lady Dr Amai Grace Mugabe shows that she was selfish only thinking of her personal aggrandisement. If she was someone who was there for the people she could have walked out of ZANU PF on her alleged clash with the President on policy matters. There was no need to wait until she received that alleged attacks from the First Lady.Her failure to leave ZANU PF during her alleged clash on policy matters with President Mugabe shows that she has no people at heart only wants herself to remain in good position to amass a lot of wealth using state machinery like what she has been doing since 1980. Archive June (1) January (1) July (2) March (1) February (1) January (1) December (1) November (3) October (1) September (5) August (1) July (3) June (2) April (2) March (1) February (1) January (1) December (5) November (7) October (6) September (4) August (2) July (3) June (4) May (5) April (9) March (7) February (7) January (7) December (14) November (14) October (10) September (9) August (8) July (7) June (9) May (8) April (18) March (10) February (6) January (9) December (15) November (11) October (11) September (14) August (3) July (35) June (13) May (13) April (10) March (13) February (18) January (24) December (16) November (7) October (8) September (6) August (3) July (21) June (10) Opinion / Columnist It's now over ten months since Tendai Biti and colleagues left a seemingly hopeless Morgan Tsvangirai-led MDC-T to form the People's Democratic Party (PDP). However, PDP has not inspired any hope and has rather relapsed into the tendencies of the party they left.PDP officials have refused to shed off the habit of ever complaining over trifling issues which characterizes their former political home, the MDC-T. It's unfortunate that the PDP has chosen to be cry babies and major in trivialities when its followers are expecting serious political and socio-economic business. PDP must never blame the electorate when they refuse to invest their votes in them, come 2018.Gorden Moyo, PDP's secretary general this week accused the Chiefs of being Zanu PF agents of coercion. He said chiefs "act as auxiliaries of the ruling party."traditional authorities such as chiefs, headman or women and village heads have been deployed to police villagers, campaign for Zanu PF candidates, shunt villagers to vote according to their village arrangements thereby violating the sanctity of the ballot, cajole suspected opposition members to pretend to be illiterate so as to be assisted to vote for Zanu PF," Moyo was quoted in the Daily News issue of 27 February.He went on to lay a myriad of other untested allegations that border on intimidation. After all, it is not the first time that traditional chiefs have received thinly veiled and open threats from the MDC formations. Tsvangirai, the political tutor of Moyo threatened the Chiefs with unspecified actions upon his ascension to power."To the Chiefs, I want to say the current Constitution does not allow you to be involved in politics. So if there are any chiefs who say they are Zanu PF, I want to warn you that you will regret your action because after the next election, it will be us in power," said Tsvangirai during a campaign for the 2013 harmonized elections in Chiweshe.Thank God that Tsvangirai dismally failed to be in power. God sometimes reads the intention behind every wish.In July 2013, while addressing party supporters at Mandava Stadium in Zvishavane, Tsvangirai said: "In Masvingo there is Chief Charumbira who says you cannot hold MDC meetings in my jurisdiction. That is going to stop when we are in government."Traditional Chiefs are threatened with persecution for exercising their democratic right to choose a political party of their taste. Chiefs are also human beings with a political freewill which they must exercise without fear.It is unfortunate that such threats are coming from the people who claim to be democrats. It is a misnomer for Moyo's party to have the middle term 'democracy.' There is no democracy at all when his party attempts to stifle the exercise of same.Moyo's accusations are not true. Having been a presiding officer, this writer can dismiss those allegations with authority. Chiefs are not an extension of Zanu PF, neither of any other political party. It is up to an individual chief to go with a party that has values that are compatible with his aspirations and hopes. They comply 100% with the constitutional provision that disallow them from being party activists.Zanu PF has an ideology that has endeared itself to most of the traditional leaders. The revolutionary party has great reverence for the chiefs. The party has restored the institution of traditional leadership. The revolutionary party and the chiefs have been together in the trenches while fighting for this country. That relationship is difficult to break and it's not in any way sinister.Chiefs have been and are the owners of this country. The Europeans, who have been bankrolling the MDC-T since 1999, violently seized the land from the hands of the chiefs, which resulted in a bloody war of liberation. After independence, Zanu PF embarked on a programme to return the stolen land to its rightful owners. It is chiefly the reason that saw the formation of the MDC.The former white farmers generously sponsored the MDC with the hope of seeing a reversal of the land reform if it gets in power. The Chiefs are not that dull. They saw through that plot. Even if Moyo was a Chief, naturally he was going to support a party that advances his interests as a traditional leader. In this case it is Zanu PF.It's not a crime to do so in a democracy like ours. After all, the MDC and other opposition parties have other constituencies that freely support them. For example, most of the Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) are the opposition's foot soldiers. They are used to penetrate in the rural areas under the guise of charity work.If it were Zanu PF with NGO alliances who are nefariously involved in the political fray, the opposition would have cried foul.The opposition enjoys great support from international media, some of which beam illegally into the country. Zanu PF has never cried with the same intensity that the opposition is doing. PDP must just leave traditional chiefs alone and face their political nemesis. For the New World Order, a world government is just the beginning. Once in place they can engage their plan to exterminate 80% of the world's population, while enabling the "elites" to live forever with the aid of advanced technology. For the first time, crusading filmmaker ALEX JONES reveals their secret plan for humanity's extermination: Operation ENDGAME. Jones chronicles the history of the global elite's bloody rise to power and reveals how they have funded dictators and financed the bloodiest warscreating order out of chaos to pave the way for the first true world empire. Watch as Jones and his team track the elusive Bilderberg Group to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. Learn about the formation of the North America transportation control grid, which will end U.S. sovereignty forever. Discover how the practitioners of the pseudo-science eugenics have taken control of governments worldwide as a means to carry out depopulation. View the progress of the coming collapse of the United States and the formation of the North American Union. Never before has a documentary assembled all the pieces of the globalists' dark agenda. Endgame's compelling look at past atrocities committed by those attempting to steer the future delivers information that the controlling media has meticulously censored for over 60 years. It fully reveals the elite's program to dominate the earth and carry out the wicked plan in all of human history. Endgame is not conspiracy theory, it is documented fact in the elite's own words. Opinion / Columnist I make this one confession, stand by it vehemently as one believing, and guided by scriptural injunction. A powerful pleading to people by God in ancient days still applies too to modern time children of God except for the fact that many of us temporarily deluded by the chase for wealth and power make God appear small and nothing. Yet as in years gone by, he instructs still today:"If my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves,and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."( 2 Chronicles 7:14).The war fought was by all more so since it was a liberation struggle war. Some went to the battlefront, others send in moneys and yet still more defended the presence of comrades in arms from enemy army picking them up from among the bushes where people resided. Believe it or not these were very trying days both for the comrades in arms and the 'povo'(masses) during the tough days of 'Chimurenga'-War of Liberation (1972-1979).Mao Tse-tung made significant observation contrasting battlefront fighters and the masses using the water and fish comparison. If the fish is out of water, she can only live for a little while. If you put it in water, the fish can slip away swiftly and none will catch it. The liberation war fighters withstood enemy forces because the people bore the brunt of beating and torture from both sides of the enemy and liberation war fighters. The people, however, stood firm for what was right. The collaborative factor between people and the liberation fighters won the order of the war duration due to the conscious unity between them.Making any party to the liberation war insignificant as Zanu has done is theoretical, practically criminal, and not supported by events that took place on the ground of any guerilla war. It is in this context that I find the after war ideology taught to the army by those who survived from the ranging war but, who necessarily might not have carried arms, strangely not humble invoking injustice before to God. To the extent that Mr. Mugabe for love of power agrees that the army disavows civilians from taking leadership of the country except they were in the armed struggle is greedy, selfish, devoid of the motive behind the liberation struggle, dishonesty and coming from people who neither love nor fear God.If we agree that the struggle was to make sure that a person is regarded a person irrespective of his/her physical disabilities, standard of education, religion or colour; provided the one man one vote tenet of democratic test was passed to appoint him/her a leader, who then puts additional laws; as in animal farm, causing discord and discrimination? Through the dilution of the armed struggle moral principles; corruption and political decay, like in cancer, has grown bigger than the morality on which the liberation struggle was founded.The question raised in this debate at the outset begs wise and introspective answers to the struggle. Yes, the liberation struggle made an impact on the sacrifice offered in the collaboration between both the liberation fighters and the masses making struggle a mental cleansing force to accept each other as comrade-in arms even though painful and a horror to go through and survive. However: No, it's spirit of granting individuals freedom has been shamefully compromised by the carelessness from the pride of a few who chose to dictate on people without considering the wishes. No doubt, the liberation struggle has remained only in name since many in quest of money have buried human dignity and respect, constitutional supremacy and the rule of law in exchange of greedy, avarice and vanity. They are no longer comrade-in-arms but have ordained themselves as liberators of the others.To argue any otherwise is just the overflowing of avarice from the rotting establishment that benefit from displaying the philosophies of a liberation struggle whose spirit is tarnished and forgotten. Apart from the urgent need to revisit the spirit and meaning of the liberation struggle to whom we all owe allegiance, Zanu is like an anti-hill surviving from the echoes of history except for use of excessive force and seclusion to keep corruption hold on the state machinery for her benefit. State machinery is supposed to be a tool for the people and by the people. In Zimbabwe, state-machinery belongs to Mr.Mugabe and not even the Parliament or judiciary could work against Mugabe's Zanu and hope to get away with it. Hence, the reason we have many members of the Judiciary bench left the country into exile.A careful study of the recent demonstrations by ex-combatant (late February 2016) and the way they were treated by the state-machinery, the police, underlines the manner any dictator regime attend to peaceful demonstration. The dictator regime rarely listens to grievances, instead, they trust in beating, arresting and brutalizing citizens hoping to instil fear and govern using terror. It is sad that the men and women, ex-combatants, who gallantly fought alongside masses for a fair and just government, are today taking sides between the corruptions that make them think that they are special above other citizens. The falsehood of such systems always breaks when a collective human push comes because of its insensitivity to human suggestions.Zimbabweans need examine if the benefits of the armed struggle philosophy were and/or shared evenly and nationally. Is it possible that the philosophy on which the struggle was born is now a preserve of a few who now watch carefully to distance its benefits away from even distribution? The government run by Zanu hierarchy has failed dismally apart from being grossly insensitive to the voice of the people of any rank or category. Justice, which is and was the cornerstone on which Chimurenga sacrificial was born, is a subject of inequity, exploitation and rendered many people to abuse. Then, the purpose for which Chimurenga saved need obviously deserve revisiting.Driven from a greedy and selfish portal by a gung of untrustworthy deceptive men and women, Zanu has to be reborn or die because she is not serving a purpose. Least the name Zanu may mistakenly be measured equal to the spirit, aim and objectives of Chimurenga, let the two names, namely Chimurenga and Zanu be divorced so people can move on to claim bigger harvests revolutionary. The answer is not with the army or few in the hierarchy of a broken down Zanu party, but in the people. Zanu needs returning Chimurenga back to the people to redeem its philosophy, spirit, aims and objectives.People compromised and who were paid to disown Chimurenga by Zanu are many, may be some are unaware. Corruption has grown strong in Zanu pervading every nerve of governance that only change of government will bring about the necessary purge to equip masses for change. Masses will not be a problem to assimilate change; in fact, they will quickly see benefits from change immediately and embrace them. The only disadvantage is that people have suffered trauma in the hands of Zanu that they no longer trust politics to bring change for the better. Meantime and as usual, the beneficiaries of Zanu and some emerging Zanu party appendages will stage a strong resistance hence their making the hierarchies of the army, police, and secret service and Zanu surrogates their strong hold for defence.When clashes between police and ex-combatant begun advisors to the evil system suggested the meeting between soldiers and ex-combatant ingratiate their loyalty not to the spirit, aims and objectives of Chimurenga but to individuals like Mr. Mugabe and cohorts. Time is running thin for this cruel plot to survive for too long. The aims and objectives of Chimurenga see no hierarchy away from its people and therefore it will not divide people by their wealth status against others the poor. Equality in the eye of the law and treatment of each other partially in day-to-day living is sacrificed to making a few richer at the expense of everybody else in the country. This happens under everyone's watch every day in Zimbabwe today, and the right to question no longer exist in practice.Is it any wonder that this is the government of Zanu driven by greedy, selfishness, corruption and devoid of what they claim to be, revolutionaries? The land cannot receive blessings from oppressing of others and more so the poorer and the motherless and the dying. Home breaking and leaving the poor poorer contrasts sharply with a president who spends USA$800, 000 in personal edification through a birthday part, when many do not have food to eat. It presents the land with Callousness of wild imagination, unthinkably admissible by any human standard; yet forced down the throats of all Zimbabweans.This is inhuman, period. No liberation struggle could ever pride in such a fallen rotten degradation of human dignity. Our land remains under a purge of curse until these greedy man hunters account for their range of avarice and are retired from further harm to the nation. We need strong, consistent message pointing on wrongs carried under Mugabe and Zanu's watch to turn the minds and heart strong against the wrongs carried on in government.It is the duty of freedom fighters under regimes of tyranny to lobby the international justice community watch so the arrested receive justice than abuse and then killing by Zanu notorious regime. This way the spirit, aims and objectives of Chimurenga keep alive. Otherwise, social injustice grows like cancer silently while tyranny flies the flag of executing 'Chimurenga.' This has and will have to stop provided an unwavering commitment to uproot causes of corrupt governance becomes a process to live by to achieve peace for Zimbabwe and the world over. The country and people of Zimbabwe have not benefited from the spirit, aims, and objectives of the war of liberation (Chimurenga). Rather a few individuals continue to musquarand under pretext of 'we fought for the country' putting themselves in classes typically the animal farm style which must be demolished and avoided. Thirty-six years is a long time to endure in vain, as the regime keeps enriching her surrogates. Opinion / Columnist As human beings; we all make mistakes but what special is ZANU trying to address in its sponsored chronicle concerning the incident which happened in 1997 where Mujuru insulted Nkomo?Mujuru saved in ZANU government for a long time and now what makes ZANU talk about that story now when Mujuru has formed a political party?ZAPU can not fight with the leaders of the opposition parties because ZANU has reminded people about what Mujuru did last time.First of all Mugabe and the first lady insult people everyday and the prime minister of Zimbabwe now the president of the Republic of Zimbabwe insulted Nkomo and labelled him the father of dissidents and the Kalangas were also insulted by the first lady that they know only how to make babies and they don't want to work .Mugabe also said that the Kalangas are flocking into South Africa because they think its heaven.If Mujuru discovered that she was wrong and apologised then so what?There are many evil things which were done by ZANU to the people for example gukurahundi atrocities.The Mugabe regime should be busy addressing victims of gukurahundi and allowing TRC hearings all over the country.Funny part of it; instead of doing that; the government decided to send the army to Bhalagwe for unknown reasons.When we see soldiers we see defenders or protectors who defend us from any attacks.Residents of Maphisa and surrounding areas are worried about this because they thought that gukurahundi 2 is coming. ZAPU has got no spokesperson in Zanu; we have powerful cadres who can do the job very well.Sikhumbuzo Moyo RSA province writing on his privacy PEORIA, Illinois, March 2, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT/Euronext: CATR) informs its stockholders that today, in accordance with Section 16(a) of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, one Form 4 (the report on Form 4 being a statement of beneficial ownership of its officers, directors and 10% owners) was filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). The Form can be found on the SEC Internet site (http://www.sec.gov). Caterpillar files electronically with the SEC required reports on Form 8-K, Form 10-Q, Form 10-K and Form 11-K; proxy materials; ownership reports for insiders as required by Section 16(a) of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; and registration statements on Forms S-3 and S-8, as necessary; and other forms or reports, as required. All of the forms and reports filed electronically with the SEC are available on the SEC Internet site (http://www.sec.gov). Caterpillar also maintains an Internet site (http://www.Caterpillar.com) and copies of its annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and any amendments to these reports filed or furnished with the SEC are available free of charge through Caterpillar's Internet site (http://www.Caterpillar.com/secfilings) as soon as reasonably practicable after the relevant document has been filed with the SEC. CONTACT: Rachel Potts, Corporate Public Affairs, +1-309-675-6892 This is a disclosure announcement from PR Newswire. SOURCE Caterpillar Inc. DUBLIN, March 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/7xxdbk/commercial) has announced the addition of the "Commercial Aircraft Oxygen System Market by System, Component, Mechanism, Technology and Geography - Global Forecast to 2020" report to their offering. The commercial aircraft oxygen systems (CAOS) market is expected to witness a healthy growth during the forecast period. The market is projected to reach USD 4.47 billion by 2020 at a CAGR of 6.33% from 2015 to 2020. The market is mainly driven by the increase in commercial aircraft deliveries due to rise in air travel and the high growth of the retrofit market in the European and Asia-Pacific regions respectively. Chemical oxygen generators provide oxygen through chemical reaction. These generators have a limited shelf life, after which they must be replaced. Chemical oxygen generators for passengers are installed in the overhead compartments above the passenger seats. The high growth of the chemical oxygen generator segment in the CAOS market is due to a recent mandate by the FAA to install chemical oxygen generators in aircraft carrying more than 20 passengers. The European region is the second-largest market for chemical oxygen generators. The CAOS market is dominated by the passenger aircraft oxygen system segment, both in terms of growth rate and market share. Passenger oxygen systems have higher replacement frequency when compared to crew oxygen systems. Some of the components of the crew oxygen system, such as oxygen delivery system, are not replaced. Whereas, in case of the passenger oxygen system, the entire system is replaced once the system reached its useful service life. Hence, market for the passenger oxygen systems is expected to register a higher CAGR than the crew systems. Companies Mentioned: Aeromedix.Com LLC Air Liquide Aviation Oxygen System, Inc. B/E Aerospace, Inc. Basa Aviation Ltd. Cobham PLC Precise Flight, Inc. Technodinamika Holding, JSC Ventura Aerospace, Inc. Zodiac Aerospace S.A. Topics Covered: 1 Introduction 2 Research Methodology 3 Executive Summary 4 Premium Insights 5 Market Overview 6 Industry Trends 7 By System 8 By Component 9 By Mechanism 10 By Technology 11 By Geography 12 Competitive Landscape 13 Company Profile For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/7xxdbk/commercial Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com SOURCE Research and Markets WARRINGTON, England, March 2, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Warrington based IT Recruitment Consultancy is first organisation to receive Investors in People Platinum Accreditation Evolution Recruitment Solutions, a Warrington based IT Recruitment Consultancy, is the first ever organisation to receive a Platinum accreditation against the Investors in People Standard, demonstrating their commitment to high performance through good people management and development. (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160302/339651 ) Established in 2000, Evolution provides permanent and contract recruitment solutions to the IT industry. With a growing global network of offices, including established offices in Germany, Singapore and Australia, their niche focus on specialist IT technologies and skillsets has seen the organisation go from strength to strength. Commenting on the award, Gareth Morris, Managing Director (UK & Europe), Evolution Recruitment Solutions Ltd said: "When we formed Evolution 16 years ago, one of our key goals was to create a company that values and invests in its employees. We've invested in our people year-after-year and this accreditation is testament to our people's hard work. With world class training and development facilities at the centre of the company's culture, we are perfectly placed to offer ambitious people a fantastic career. As an employer of over 135 people across the group, we're an exciting organisation to join and we are always looking for talented employees, from trainee to senior levels. I am extremely proud of all of our employees across Evolution and our engineering brand, Real Time Recruitment Solutions, for making this accreditation possible." About Investors in People and the Platinum Accreditation: Investors in People is the international Standard for people management, defining what it takes to lead, support and manage people effectively to achieve sustainable results. With a community of 14,000 organisations across 75 countries, successful accreditation against the Standard is the sign of a great employer, an outperforming place to work and a clear commitment to sustained success. Introduced in 2015, Platinum is the highest level of accreditation available and recognises truly outperforming organisations. It represents the top percentile of Investors in People organisations worldwide. Paul Devoy, Head of Investors in People, said: "We'd like to congratulate Evolution Recruitment Solutions on being the first company to achieve the platinum Investors in People accreditation. This is the sign of a great employer, an outperforming place to work and a clear commitment to success. Evolution Recruitment Solutions should be extremely proud of their achievement." About us: Evolution Recruitment Solutions Ltd is a specialist permanent and contract IT recruitment consultancy. Established in 2000, Evolution has grown continually and now has established offices in the UK, Germany, Singapore and Australia. For more information about Evolution visit http://www.evolutionjobs.co.uk. Real Time Recruitment Solutions (RTRS) is an Evolution brand, purely focused on the fields of real-time systems, embedded software, electronics, mechanical, electrical, quality, and related engineering disciplines. For more information about RTRS visit http://www.rtrs.co.uk. For more information, please contact Kieron Mayers on +44-(0)1925-820-555 or email kieron.mayers@evolutionjobs.co.uk. SOURCE Evolution Recruitment Solutions Ltd DUBLIN, May 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/gcmnpk/proteomics) has announced the addition of Jain PharmaBiotech's new report "Proteomics - Technologies, Markets and Companies" to their offering. This report describes and evaluates the proteomic technologies that will play an important role in drug discovery, molecular diagnostics and practice of medicine in the post-genomic era - the first decade of the 21st century. Proteomics is providing a better understanding of pathomechanisms of human diseases. Analysis of different levels of gene expression in healthy and diseased tissues by proteomic approaches is as important as the detection of mutations and polymorphisms at the genomic level and may be of more value in designing a rational therapy. Protein distribution / characterization in body tissues and fluids, in health as well as in disease, is the basis of the use of proteomic technologies for molecular diagnostics. Proteomics will play an important role in medicine of the future which will be personalized and will combine diagnostics with therapeutics. Important areas of application include cancer (oncoproteomics) and neurological disorders (neuroproteomics). The text is supplemented with 44 tables, 28 figures and over 500 selected references from the literature. The number of companies involved in proteomics has increased remarkably during the past few years. More than 300 companies have been identified to be involved in proteomics and 223 of these are profiled in the report with 456 collaborations. The markets for proteomic technologies are difficult to estimate as they are not distinct but overlap with those of genomics, gene expression, high throughput screening, drug discovery and molecular diagnostics. Markets for proteomic technologies are analyzed for the year 2015 and are projected to years 2020 and 2025. The largest expansion will be in bioinformatics and protein biochip technologies. Important areas of application are cancer and neurological disorders. Key Topics Covered: Part I: Technologies & Markets 1. Basics of Proteomics 2. Proteomic Technologies 3. Protein biochip technology 4. Bioinformatics in Relation to Proteomics 5. Research in Proteomics 6. Pharmaceutical Applications of Proteomics 7. Application of Proteomics in Human Healthcare 8. Oncoproteomics 9. Neuroproteomics 10. Proteomics Markets 11. Future of Proteomics 12. References Part II: Companies 11. Companies involved in developing proteomics For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/gcmnpk/proteomics Source: Jain PharmaBiotech Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com SOURCE Research and Markets NEUSS, Germany, March 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- 15 suppliers honored with European Supplier Award in 2016 Yesterday, Yanfeng Automotive Interiors (YFAI) presented its annual European Supplier Awards to 15 suppliers for their outstanding achievements at the Classic Remise in Dusseldorf. (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/340087 ) "Our suppliers play an important role in our success. We are pleased to acknowledge the outstanding achievements of our suppliers with this award," said James Bos, vice president Global Procurement at Yanfeng Automotive Interiors. Factors for the award include quality, costs, logistics, development, technology and service. Depending on the total points earned, Yanfeng Automotive Interiors presented the suppliers with either a Platinum, Gold, Silver or Bronze Supplier Performance Award. This year, eight companies who provide plastics, resins, chemicals, foams, indirect packaging, trim and metal components received the Supplier Performance Award. The Platinum Performance Award was presented to IZO-BLOK S.A., an expert in the processing of foamed plastics. They provide Yanfeng Automotive Interiors with foamed polypropylene (EPP). The Silver Performance Award went to SABIC Innovative Plastics GmbH, a manufacturer of chemical products, plastics and metals. The Bronze Award was presented to BASF Polyurethanes GmbH, Eurofoam Deutchland GmbH, A. Raymond GmbH & Co. KG, TR Fastenings Ltd., Coatex NV and J.H. Ziegler GmbH. Ten suppliers received Leadership Award Key criteria for the Leadership Award were factors critical to the company's success, such as sustainability, innovation, quality, customer satisfaction, global growth and continuous improvement in performance. This year, Yanfeng Automotive Interiors honored ten suppliers with the Leadership Award. MacAuto Industrial Co., Ltd. from Taiwan and A. Raymond GmbH & Co. KG from Germany were presented with the Quality award. The recipients of the Leadership Award for continuous improvement in performance were Xinpoint Corporation from China, TRICOR Packaging & Logistics AG and Polyvlies - Franz Beyer GmbH, both from Germany. In addition to the Platinum Supplier Performance Award, the Polish company IZO-BLOK S.A. also received the Leadership Award in the Customer Satisfaction category. IZO-BLOK S.A. was honored with this award for its proactive support for project start-ups and the optimal structure of its supply chain. Further awards in the Customer Satisfaction category went to Everwill Industries Ltd. from China, ITW Automotive Release & Trim from Germany and Coatex NV from Belgium, who each received a Bronze Supplier Performance Award. The supplier IEE S.A. from Luxembourg, an innovative developer of specialized sensor systems, was presented with the Leadership Award in the Innovation category. Together with the Yanfeng Automotive Interiors innovations team, the supplier developed the heated armrest for door panels. - Cross reference: Picture is available at AP Images (http://www.apimages.com) and http://www.presseportal.de/nr/117551 - About Yanfeng Automotive Interiors Yanfeng Automotive Interiors is the world's leading supplier of instrument panels and cockpit systems, door panels, floor consoles and overhead consoles. Headquartered in Shanghai, the company has around 100 manufacturing and technical centers in 17 countries and employs over 28,000 people globally. Established in 2015, Yanfeng Automotive Interiors is a joint venture between Yanfeng Automotive Trim Systems Co., Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Huayu Automotive Systems Co., Ltd. (HASCO), the component group of SAIC Motor Corporation Limited (SAIC Motor), and Johnson Controls a global multi-industrial company. For more information, please visit http://www.YFAI.com. For more information please contact: Yanfeng Automotive Interiors Jagenbergstrae 1 41468 Neuss Germany Astrid Schafmeister Tel.: +49-2131-609-3028 E-Mail:astrid.schafmeister@yfai.com Internet:http://www.YFAI.com SOURCE Yanfeng Automotive Interiors Opinion / Columnist The recent revelations by the MDC-T members that the party's president, Mr Morgan Tsvangirai instigated youths to attack a fellow party member, vindicates what we have been all along saying about the man.Mr Tsvangirai is of a violent disposition and that culture has been unfortunately adopted by the majority of his supporters, especially the gullible youths. In most cases where Zanu PF and MDC-T youths clash, the later would have provoked the fight. It's unfortunate that those who have assigned themselves the duty of monitoring political violence in Zimbabwe chooses to be blind when it's the MDC-T that is on the wrong side. Selective monitoring, it is.The recent disclosure of Tsvangirai's involvement in the attack of members who were opposed to the nomination of Gift Banda as a provincial chairperson was made in the court, leaving no shred of doubt. Nonetheless Jestina Mukoko and her Zimbabwe Peace Project chose to be mum on this gross violation of human rights. It is only violence when it involves Zanu PF.Tsvangirai prides himself of championing democracy in Zimbabwe. His party is viewed as a democratic movement but the principal does not live democracy. As we know democracy in its truest sense, a citizen has the democratic right to vote or chose a political candidate of his or her choice. The victims had a democratic right to object to the nomination of Gift Banda as their provincial chairperson. That is the essence of elections in a democracy.For the 17 years that Tsvangirai has been in the political game, he has earned himself fame in violence and philandering. History is teeming with incidents where party members were attacked while Tsvangirai winked at.Elton Mangoma, Tsvangirai's erstwhile senior lieutenant was nearly killed by rowdy MDC-T youths while he (Tsvangirai) watched. His only crime was to suggest a leadership renewal. It was unfortunate that Mangoma thought since his former party claims to be a democratic movement, it genuinely upholds same.Even journalists have not been spared the brutality of the man who dreams of leading this country. Readers probably still remember the demonstrations by Sunningdale residents against Tsvangirai's imposition of candidates. An Independent reporter, Hebert Moyo who was covering the demonstrations was butchered by the youths in the full glare of Tsvangirai.There is also Watson Ufumeli, a photographer with the defunct Zimbabwe Mail newspaper who was also battered by MDC-T youths at a rally in Tsvangirai's presence.Tsvangirai has already shown the nation that worse is to come if he becomes the president of this nation, worse still when the security will be under his authority. I foresee a situation where he will ban both internal and national elections so as to safeguard his throttlehold on power. Forewarned is forearmed. GLENDALE, Calif., March 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar announced today the addition of craft specialty ale Not Your Father's Root Beer to its bar menu in all U.S. locations. Applebee's will now serve Small Town Brewery's best-selling ale as a stand-alone beverage and as an ingredient in a new specialty drink, the Not Your Father's Adult Root Beer Float. This introduction makes Applebee's the nation's largest restaurant brand to serve Not Your Father's Root Beer and is the heftiest restaurant roll-out in the brewery's history. Applebee's(R) is now serving the craft specialty ale Not Your Father's Root Beer in all U.S. locations. This best-selling ale from Small Town Brewery can be enjoyed as a stand-alone beverage and as an ingredient in a new specialty drink, the Not Your Father's Adult Root Beer Float. Drink Responsibly. Drive Responsibly. The childhood favorite beverage with an adult twist, Not Your Father's Root Beer revolutionized craft beer in the United States, defining a new category of specialty ale and contributing to one-third of craft beer growth in the industry1. Founded by Tim Kovac, brew master of Small Town Brewery, the ale quickly rose from an offering found in a few dozen Chicago bars to a growing sensation. As Applebee's looks to redefine the neighborhood bar experience, making innovative, unique beverages available to guests on a local, regional or national level is becoming increasingly important to differentiate itself from competitors. "Not Your Father's Root Beer has become the fastest growing craft ale brand in the industry and is marking an influential moment in the beverage space," said Corey Will, executive director, beverage innovation, Applebee's. "Similarly, this is a pivotal year for Applebee's as we look to revamp the bar experience for our guests, and adding new, unique beverage optionslike this adult root beerenhances our menu to attract new fans." The silky smooth taste and satisfying finish of Not Your Father's Root Beer is unmatched in flavor and appeals to craft beer and wine aficionadas as well as those who may not typically drink beer but crave a unique alcoholic beverage. The painstaking commitment to flavor is evident in the perfect blend of sarsaparilla, wintergreen, anise and vanilla. Each 12 ounce bottle of Not Your Father's Root Beer contains 5.9 percent alcohol by volume. "It's been a fast and fulfilling journey for the Not Your Father's brandone I never could have imagined when we first started brewing," claims Tim Kovac. "We are really excited that Applebee's can now bring our specialty craft beers to every neighborhood bar in America." Early introduction of new, unique beverages is just one of the initiatives Applebee's will pursue this year to revitalize and differentiate the brand offerings and enhance the guest experience. Additional developments will be made throughout the year, further establishing Applebee's as a preferred destination grill and bar. About Applebee's Applebee's is the world's largest casual dining chain, with more than 2,000 locations in 49 states, 16 countries and in Guam and Puerto Rico. Based in Glendale, Calif., Applebee's takes pride in providing a welcoming, neighborhood environment where everyone can enjoy the dining experience. Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar restaurants are franchised or operated by DineEquity, Inc.'s (NYSE:DIN) wholly-owned subsidiary, Applebee's International, Inc. and its affiliates. Visit us: www.applebees.com Follow us: www.twitter.com/applebees Become a fan: www.facebook.com/applebees Share your photos: www.instagram.com/applebees About Small Town Brewery After home brewing for over two decades, Tim Kovac founded Small Town Brewery in 2010. Kovac's brewing focus developed as he unearthed his unique family brewing history, which dates back to the 17th century. His ancestor's brewing practices -- which included fruit-based recipes that use herbs, flowers, roots and berries -- have inspired Small Town's innovative offerings that pay homage to the roots of modern brewing. Small Town uses unique ingredients to create specialty beers with an unmistakable taste of nostalgia. For more information on Small Town Brewery and Not Your Father's availability, please visit www.smalltownbrewery.com. 1 Nielsen All Outlet latest 13 weeks ending 01/02/2016 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160302/339972 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151028/281507LOGO Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160302/340000LOGO SOURCE Applebee's Related Links http://www.applebees.com ATLANTA, March 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- ExCom 2016, a conference dedicated to exploring how technology and expectations are changing vendor-customer relationships, will take place March 17th at Georgia State University in Atlanta, GA. The one day event is packed with sessions led by the nation's most respected thought leaders in customer experience and commerce. Registration is $99 with breakfast and lunch provided. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160302/339860 REGISTER NOW: http://excom2016.com (Seating limited to first 200 registrants.) All who register and attend the event qualify for a chance to win one of five tickets to network with ExCom 2016 speakers and sponsors at the VIP Suite during the Atlanta Hawks/Denver Nuggets game taking place at Philips Arena following the conference. Attendees will earn a chance to win other giveaway items, including an Amazon Echo. As technology-driven changes in customer behavior and expectations continue to accelerate, companies have to consistently provide great experiences over extended periods of time. To assist companies in the efforts to stay connected with modern customers, conference organizers John Lawson and Brent Leary, both recognized experts in ecommerce and customer relationship management (CRM) respectively, are excited to bring some of the most respected thought leaders from across the country to Atlanta. Lawson is one of the leading voices in ecommerce, having taught thousands of businesspeople through his workshops, online events and conferences. Lawson authored the Amazon.com best seller "Kick Ass Social Commerce," a book aimed at providing entrepreneurs best practices for integrating mobile and social technology into their traditional ecommerce efforts. He was featured in a national American Express commercial campaign aimed at helping small businesses understand how ecommerce can positively impact their businesses. And Lawson is also a much sought after keynote speaker, having delivered featured presentations in eleven countries on five continents. Lawson's passion for educating online sellers was a primary reason for him to join forces with Leary on ExCom 2016. "The importance of customer experience and the journey is now front and center for online commerce. You simply cannot hide behind the interface anymore. Commerce online is about the experience." A longtime CRM industry analyst and advisor, Brent Leary focuses on helping companies apply the latest technology and strategies for improving customer engagement efforts. He writes regular columns for CRM magazine and The Atlanta Tribune, and speaks frequently at major industry events, including Salesforce.com's Dreamforce, Oracle Openworld, SAP Sapphire and CRM Evolution. He is the organizer of the successful Social Biz Atlanta event, and the host and executive producer of the Technology for Business Sake program on AIB TV. Leary says the acceleration of shrinking attention spans and growing expectations is the biggest challenge companies face today in building long-lasting, valuable relationships. "It's easy to say we need to create more relevant customer experiences, but it's harder to actually do it over an extended period of time. ExCom 2016 brings together people who are doing it, including leaders from across the country, executives at large companies, entrepreneurs disrupting how business is being done, and those serving business customers as well as consumers. And we're excited they are all coming to Atlanta for one day of sharing ideas and experiences with the great business community we have here." Confirmed speakers to date include: Peter Sorckoff , Chief Creative Officer and Senior Vice President of Marketing, Atlanta Hawks and Philips Arena , Chief Creative Officer and Senior Vice President of Marketing, Adam Zimmerman , Vice President of Marketing, Atlanta Braves Vice President of Marketing, Shawn Pfunder , Editor-in-Chief, GoDaddy , Editor-in-Chief, Dilawar Syed , President of North America Operations, Freshdesk , President of North America Operations, Paul Greenberg , author of the best-selling CRM at the Speed of Light, Managing Principal of The 56 Group, LLC , author of the best-selling CRM at the Speed of Light, Managing Principal of R "Ray" Wang , Principal Analyst, Founder, and Chairman of Silicon Valley based Constellation Research, Inc , Principal Analyst, Founder, and Chairman of Silicon Valley based Mike Fauscette , Chief Research Officer, G2 Crowd , Chief Research Officer, Ginger Conlon , Editor-in-Chief of Direct Marketing News , Editor-in-Chief of David Myron , Executive Editor, CRM Magazine , Executive Editor, Anita Campbell , Publisher, Small Business Trends , Publisher, Rohan Gilkes , CEO , WetShaveClub .com CEO Dorothea Bozicolona - Volpe , Social Media Marketing Strategist , Social Espionage Social Media Marketing Strategist Joe Hughes , Principal-IT Advisory Digital & Emerging Technology Customer Lead , EY Principal-IT Advisory Digital & Emerging Technology Customer Lead Sangram Vajre , co-founder and CMO, Terminus co-founder and CMO, Jeremy Epstein , VP of Marketing, Sprinklr VP of Marketing, Adam Naide, Executive Director of Marketing - Social Media, Cox Communications REGISTER NOW: http://excom2016.com About the ExCom 2016 Co-Hosts John Lawson is the "go to" authority when it comes to online selling success in the Digital Age. Not only is he the brains behind the bestselling digital marketing book on Amazon, "Kickass Social Commerce for Epreneurs," but he is also a multiple award winning social commerce strategist, uber successful digital entrepreneur and a sought after speaker who has traveled to 5 continents, touring more than two dozen countries and addressing tens of thousands of business leaders and entrepreneurs. Brent Leary is a CRM industry analyst, advisor, author, speaker and award winning blogger. He is co-founder and Partner of CRM Essentials LLC, an Atlanta based CRM advisory firm covering tools and strategies for improving business relationships. Current and past clients include Microsoft, Oracle, Salesforce.com, SAP and other major technology companies. Leary sits on the advisory board of Social Media Today, and the editorial advisory board of The Atlanta Tribune Magazine, and writes regularly for CRM magazine. This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com SOURCE ExComm2016 Related Links http://excom2016.com MONTEREY, Calif., March 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- FlexTech, a SEMI Strategic Association Partner, awarded five FLEXI Awards in the categories of Innovation, Research & Development, Leadership in Education, and, in a category new this year, Industry Leadership. This is the 9th year of the FLEXI Awards and the winners join a select group of companies and individuals from past years. Judging was done on a set of nominations based on a pre-described set of criteria, by a panel of non-affiliated, independent, industry experts. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/340208LOGO This year's Innovation Award goes to two companies, one in manufacturing and one in consumer products. The products were awarded for their outstanding design and ingenuity, with strong market adoption and significant revenue generation. The first FLEXI Award for Innovation was awarded to Sensor Films Inc. (SFI), for their Starlight Digital Manufacturing Platform, which enables a modular approach to flexible and hybrid electronic manufacturing with large area deposition of functional and decorative materials on cut-sheet, flexible, porous or rigid substrates and is scalable to roll to roll production. Peter Hessney, SFI's president noted, "We are truly grateful to be recognized by the FlexTech Alliance as the 2016 FLEXI Innovation Award winner. The award represents everything we at SFI having been working towards in bringing an additive manufacturing prototyping and production system to the emerging market of functional printing." Blue Spark Technologies wins the other Innovation FLEXI Award for their TempTraq product, the only available Bluetooth, wearable temperature monitor in the form of a soft, comfortable patch that provides caregivers with continuous body temperature data for up to 24 hours to either an Apple or Android compatible mobile device through the free TempTraq app. "It is an honor to be recognized by FlexTech Alliance not only for our flexible printed battery technology, but also the design and ingenuity of the application," said John Gannon, president and chief executive officer of Blue Spark Technologies. "We are enthusiastic about the future products that will further expand on the innovative technology that powers TempTraq, which has been so widely received in the consumer space." Scientists at the University of Massachusetts Lowell received the FLEXI Award for Research & Development for research conducted at the Printed Electronics Research Collaborative (PERC) and the Raytheon-UMass Lowell Research Institute (RURI). This award is given to the nominee evaluated highest for the research approach, originality and the commercial potential for expanding the scope for flexible or printed electronics or manufacturing processes or a real-world problem. The PERC/RURI organization was recognized for its development of the novel BST ink, a ferroelectric nano-ink for printing electrostatically-tunable dielectrics on plastic substrates using direct-ink writing methodologies. The BST ink allows for realizing an all-printed high-frequency voltage variable capacitor for flexible, frequency-agile microwave applications such as phased array antennas and radar systems. The Technology Leadership in Education Award was bestowed upon the National Science Foundation Center for High Rate NanoManufacturing at Northeastern University (CHN). The CHN in Boston has educated more than 130 students, half at the Ph.D. level on the topics of directed assembly-based printing, synthesis of organic semiconductor, and polymers engineering, leading to the development of the world's first printer for nanoscale electronics on flexible or rigid substrates. CHN has had an impact on established and emerging industries in sensors, electronics, bio/medical, energy, and materials fields by educating the next generation's professional workforce. The CHN publishes extensively in industry journals, created tutorials and other programs to educate the general public, as many as 840,000 individuals. The award recognizes outstanding contributions to the industry through education and workforce development activities. "The CHN is honored to receive the FLEXI Award for Leadership in Education," says Ahmed Busnaina, the founding director of the Center and a professor of Industrial Engineering. "We are proud of our many accomplishments in manufacturing and nano-scale printing such as graduating more than 130 students, more than 100 patents and developing the world's first nanoscale 3D printer for electronics and sensors." 2016 marks the inaugural year of the Industry Leadership Award to recognize and honor an individual who has shown particular dedication to building awareness of the capabilities and innovations which advanced flexible, hybrid and printed electronics bring to the broader field of electronics. As well, the individual has demonstrated outstanding thought leadership and vision for the industry in public forums, and association activity. The judges and FlexTech wish to acknowledge these contributions by Daniel R. Gamota, Ph.D., currently vice president of Strategic Capabilities in the Engineering & Technology Services Organization at Jabil. Dan has devoted many hours to the genesis of the industry through strategic roadmap development activities and standards work, including organizations such as IEC, IPC, iNEMI, IEEE, A*STAR, and the WTEC panel at the National Science Foundation. Dan commands thought leadership for the industry at numerous public forums and through several peer reviewed flexible and printed electronics publications. In accepting the award, Dan stated, "No one person could have much success without the cooperation of others in the emergence of a disruptive technology such as FHE. It has been a great pleasure in working with many of you in the advancement of the technology and the products they spawn." Also receiving awards during the evening were student poster contestants. First place was awarded to Yasmin Afsar, Levent Aygun and Can Wu from Princeton University. Their posters and research were entitled: ZnO versus a-Si thin-film oscillator circuits: metrics for design and comparison; High-Frequency ZnO Schottky Diodes for Inductive Non-Contact Interfaces for Hybrid Flexible Electronics/IC integration; and Sensor Data Compression by Large-area Electronics to Reduce Large-area to VLSI Physical Interface Connections in Hybrid Systems, respectively. Second place poster was awarded to Francisco Suarez from North Carolina State University, for his poster entitled Flexible Thermoelectric Device Using Bulk Materials. Third place was awarded to Yuvraj Singh from Purdue University for his work on Reliability Enhancement of Active Circuits on Flexible Substrates. About FlexTech Alliance FlexTech, a SEMI Strategic Association Partner, is focused on growth, profitability, and success throughout the manufacturing and distribution chain of flexible, printed electronics, by developing solutions for advancing these technologies from R&D to commercialization. Visit FlexTech at www.flextech.org. Contact: Heidi Hoffman 650.996.4499 SOURCE FlexTech Alliance Related Links http://www.flextech.org WASHINGTON, Feb. 25, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Certiorari and amicus brief printer Supreme Court Press has named Christopher Burgos et al. v. State of New Jersey, Supreme Court Docket No. 15-293, to be its Petition of the Month(TM). According to the petition filed by Richard Loccke, Lauren Sandy, Michael Bukosky, and Leon Savetsky of the law firm Loccke, Correia, and Bukosky. This is a petition involving the highest of stakes, billions of dollars of pension fund contributions due from the State of New Jersey to the New Jersey State Troopers' pensions. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160224/337353 According to the petition, the New Jersey legislature enacted laws that increased both State and employee contributions for a period of seven years in order to restore the pension system to a fiscally sound level, with the language of the law stating that these pension contributions were contractual obligations of the State and containing a waiver of the State's ability to claim sovereign immunity. As New Jersey's budget became strained, Governor Chris Christie eliminated the increased state pension contributions, while leaving the increased employee contributions in place. The New Jersey State Troopers were victorious in the trial court which ordered the state to fund the pensions, but its decision was overturned by the New Jersey Supreme Court which held the New Jersey Constitution prevented the state from entering into contracts which, when not funded, were unenforceable. According to Lauren Sandy in the award winning petition, "The New Jersey Supreme Court evaded review under the Federal Constitution... Many of the highest Courts of final resort in the Country have recognized that a mere failure to fund is not a justification to avoid a Federal Contract Clause analysis and centuries of precedent have held similarly." Ms. Sandy also discusses the unfairness of the outcome from the decision. "The State clearly wants to bind State Troopers and other public employees to these increased contributions while evading its statutory and contractual obligation to contribute any money to the unfunded liability. The State drafted this legislation. The Governor paraded around the State championing himself on fixing the fiscal integrity of the pension systems and then line item vetoes a $1.57 billion contribution." Attorney Lauren Sandy worked closely with the Supreme Court Press editor in the preparation of the petition, and offered these high complements, "I felt the (Supreme Court Press) editor process was amazing and I wish I could hire Supreme Court Press for all of my briefs. ... With regard to the initial brief I felt that the help I received was way more than I expected... The other unions in this matter collaborated and filed a joint petition, their petition did not have the same level of professionalism and it did not look as polished as the one we submitted on behalf of the New Jersey State Troopers." To read more about the interview with Lauren Sandy, follow this link: http://www.supremecourtpress.com/Petition-of-the-Month/Burgos-Petition-Feb2016.html About the Supreme Court Press: The Supreme Court Press is a Supreme Court legal printer and a Supreme Court filing service. The Supreme Court Press files petitions for writ of certiorari in compliance with the Rules of the Supreme Court. But that is only the tip of the iceberg of the value that we add - our expert team has the editorial talent and Supreme Court brief experience to provide meaningful, game changing suggestions to your document. We will work hand in hand with you to exquisitely prepare, edit, print, and file your documents, taking the worry out of the process for you, and improving your odds of getting in. Call us at 888-958-5705 or email us at [email protected] to discuss your filing needs. About the Petition of the Month(TM) : The Supreme Court Press' Petition of the Month(TM) program recognizes applicants to the Supreme Court with well-written petitions for writ of certiorari that address important questions of law. We look for cases that meet the criteria of Rule 10 of the United States Supreme Court important issues where the underlying decision is in conflict with the Supreme Court, another Court of Appeals, or the United States Constitution. If you have a pending petition that you believe is worthy of Petition of the Month(TM) advice, you can email us at [email protected] Disclaimers: The Supreme Court Press does not provide legal advice. The Supreme Court Press does not endorse either party in this matter and expresses no legal opinion on any case selected as Petition of the Month(TM) This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com SOURCE Supreme Court Press Related Links http://www.supremecourtpress.com Opinion / Columnist The press conference that was recently held by the former Vice President Joice Mujuru in Harare was over exaggerated by some sections of the media that described it as grand entry into the political field.This week, the private media had screaming headlines which were propping up the image and party of Mujuru's Zimbabwe People First (ZPF). As it stands, Mujuru's grand entry into politics is in the eyes of the private media.It is known that politicians use mass communication to mobilize public support. In that vein, journalists are paid to achieve a goal of producing stories that attract big audiences and make politicians marketable to the electorate. Hence, Mujuru's illusionary political muscle is all but in the minds on the media.There was really nothing fascinating for the media to make noise about Dr Mujuru's press conference. Zimbabweans are continuing with their lives regardless as they know opposition politicians in the country having nothing to offer expect proffer the "Mugabe must go" mantra.It's actually blasphemous for the media to try and equate the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem with Mujuru's entrance in politics. Was Mujuru's press conference worth such labelling? Nothing out of the extraordinary from Mujuru's pronouncement than just joining another long list of useless opposition politicians.In actual fact, Mujuru has nothing on her economic table to offer the people of Zimbabwe. It is well known that the private media is trying to paint a positive picture on all stories involving Mujuru's Zimbabwe People First.Just like Morgan Tsvangirai, who at one point booked a whole floor of Meikles Hotel, Mujuru thought by holding her first press conference at an expensive hotel it will give her opportunity to garner immense support from the electorate. People will never waste their time believing in what political discards like Mujuru say to them. Electorates are aware that such opposition politicians are after money and power. They have no the interest of the people at heart, but what they want is just to enrich themselves.The hype that Dr Mujuru has right now is the same that Tsvangirai had when he formed his party in 1999. It's only a matter of time before ZPF becomes grounded. Most people who were strong supporters of Tsvangirai can confess that they used to admire him but it's now a thing of the past, as he seems to have run out of ideas lately.The electorate who may want to find a home in Mujuru's party can do so at their own peril. Surely, fore warned is fore armed. A party of disgruntled people can never achieve anything meaningful that can benefit the people of Zimbabwe. At the moment, ZPF officials are seeking recognition from international donors so that they will be funded to oil their pockets first. One would then wonder if it's People First or Pockets First'.After their expulsion from the revolutionary party, most of the former ZANU-PF officials had no business opportunities to carry out in order to support their families. Politics has become a business venture for these people.Hence, in simple terms ZPF is a new kid on the block which might never grow beyond its first few steps as politics is not for fortune seekers. ZPF cannot stand a chance against the revolutionary party which is now politically mature. Hence, the public must resist from being fooled by these sympathy seekers. Mujuru and her allies plotted their own demise. What will restrict a party being led by an ex-VP; consisting of ex-officials from other political parties (political rejects) from disintegrating like what President Mugabe predicted "People first, People Second, People Third" the list is endless.Mujuru was expelled from ZANU-PF for corruption and abuse of office through manipulating deals that helped her fuel her own pocket and agenda. In shona, they say 'shiri ine muririro wayo hairegi'. Surely, the former VP's tainted past will never make her a success in her political life.For her to fit in the political arena Dr Mujuru is appearing to the public as a humble and clean person. Whilst on the other hand, Joice is accusing the revolutionary party's policies and programmes now because she is a leader of an opposition party. Mujuru worked for the ruling Government from 1980 until her dismissal from Government in 2014. During her tenure as VP, why didn't she proffer such solutions for the betterment of Zimbabweans?Mujuru will never be taken seriously in the political arena and her followers should make hay whilst the sun shines, leave the embattled political party. Next on the To-Do List: Ikigai Many moons ago, I worked as a career counselor, first for a college and then for a nonprofit in a... Voters need a third option at the polls I ran for a public office a few years ago. After winning a battle with Genesee County Parks the NRA... Wendy Wolcott best choice for Mott College We have a very special candidate running for Mott Community College Board of Trustees in Wendy Wolcott. Mrs. Wolcott is... Smith and Goyette are not fine men I am responding to Tamara Carlones editorial regarding Davison School Board members Matthew Smith and Nicholas Goyette. I disagree with... Ahmedabad, Feb 27 : Patel agitation spearhead Hardik Patel on Saturday broke his indefinite fast in a Gujarat jail by having lunch with BJP MP Vitthal Radadiya. Radadiya, the BJP's member of parliament from Porbander, is trying to broker peace between the Gujarat government and the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS). Hardik Patel is facing sedition charges and is in judicial custody in a Surat jail for six months. On February 18, he began an indefinite fast to press for his demand for reservation to his community in government jobs and educational institutions. Radadiya, a Patel community leader in his own right, told reporters on Saturday: "He has begun taking food by having the tiffin that comes for him when I met him today." Radadiya, who has been in talks with the Gujarat government over the vexed Patel issue and evolved a 35-point agenda, said: "I met the chief minister yesterday (Friday) after a meeting with Hardik earlier. I have discussed the 35 points with Hardik." He said Hardik Patel was, in principle, agreeable to some of the points. "Again today, I and Hardik discussed the 35 topics and agreed on 27 issues, including withdrawal of cases against agitating Patels, setting up professional educational institutions where Patel students can get admissions without donations, some issues with regard to farmers and creating jobs," Radadiya said, adding some of the issues were addressed in the recently presented state budget. About the chief demand of Hardik Patel for quota, he said, "The issue of reservations or OBC status is a matter of discussion but I am confident that the entire situation would be sorted out in the coming two to three days." Hardik Patel has not said anything about it so far. The last time, when Radadiya met Hardik Patel and announced the truce was likely, the 23-year-old leader had come out and maintained no agreement with the government was possible till the demand for reservation was met. When contacted after Radadiya's announcement, PAAS spokesperson Varun Patel reiterated: "He (Radadiya) and Nitinbhai (cabinet minister in Anandiben Patel government) have been promising withdrawal of cases against our brothers for a month-and-a-half now but no action has been taken on that." "Unless the government gives us in writing or a commission is formed to look in to demand for reservations to Patels, all the talk is like giving us a lollipop," the PAAS spokesperson said. Toronto, March 3 : Indo-Canadian students, the faculty and staff from Univeristy of British Columbia, Canada, would hold a rally in solidarity with Jawaharlal Nehru Univeristy (JNU) on March 3, a media report said. "As you already know many central universities are under brutal attack from the BJP-led right wing government in India. Rohith Vemula, a bright PhD student of University of Hyderabad who belonged to Dalit community, was victimised, harassed, and thrown out of the university which ultimately forced him to take his own life," The Voice quoted an email by a student as saying. "The students of the Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi who led a big student movement against the institutional murder of Rohith are now facing deadly onslaught of the state -- its entire student's union and leftist leadership booked under the draconian sedition charges," the email added. "Its President Kanhaiya Kumar was almost lynched in the court premises by fascist hoodlums in black coats in full public view, and in spite of a huge police presence that refused to act," the email noted. The email said that the university would to celebrate the day as "International Support Day for JNU". Hundreds of universities, public intellectuals, human rights organisations from all over the world have raised their voice in support of the JNU students and teachers, the report said. Recently, students, including Indian-Americans, from New York University (NYU) and Cooper Union college in New York gathered at Washington Square Park to support JNU Students Union leader Kanhaiya Kumar and other students who were arrested on sedition charges last month. An Indian-American student said during the protest that the primary purpose of the event was to raise awareness about Kumar's arrest. "[Kumar] was arrested for making these comments against the government, even though he was not actually saying anything against the government, he was just having this poetry reading," Anjana Sreedhar said. "We are protesting against the fact that he was arrested under the sedition law which is very antiquated and very outdated," Sreedhar added. Sreedhar, along with several other students read English transcripts of Kumar's speech during the poetry reading and asked if his words warranted arrest. They also encouraged passersby and attendees to attend a forum discussion at Cooper Union next week. A student activist at the NYU Sumathy Kumar said she attended the rally because she wants to show her support to the JNU students who were "beaten and arrested and so much violence was being committed against them just for speaking out". Anthropology professor Tejaswini Ganti said that she was glad students were voicing support for JNU's students and that universities should be an open forum for all opinions -- even those that dissent against the governing party. Lucknow, March 3 : The Allahabad High Court (HC) has stayed for a period of three months the installation of television set top boxes (STB) in the state, an official said on Thursday. The government had through a notification made installation of STBs mandatory after December 31, 2015. The HC has also sought a response from the union government in this regard within four weeks. The high court bench, comprising Justice Tarun Agarwal and Justice V.K. Mishra, was hearing a petition moved by the UP Cable Operators Association seeking a stay on the mandatory installation of set top boxes for cable networks. The cable operators told the court that STBs were not available in adequate numbers and the immediate implementation of the government order was not possible at many places. Also, they were being harassed by authorities in some regions, they complained. Chennai, March 3 : The makers of Suriya-starrer Tamil actioner "S3", the third instalment in the "Singam" franchise, will head to Romania next week to shoot a few scenes and a song across some exotic locations in the European country. "The team will shoot in Romania from March 9 to 19. In this schedule, they'll shoot a song and some crucial scenes," a source from the film's unit told IANS. Directed by Hari, who also helmed the first two parts in the franchise, the film co-stars Anushka Shetty and Shruti Haasan. The film, which is produced by Studio Green, so far has been shot across Chennai, Hyderabad and Vishakhapatnam. Tipped to be even more action-oriented than the first two parts, "S3" has music by Harris Jayaraj. The source also added that the film is being planned to hit the screens worldwide on October 7. Chennai, March 3 : Actor-writer Adivi Sesh, who is basking in the success of latest Telugu suspense drama "Kshanam", has been offered two Hindi projects, which he hasn't signed yet but is said to be seriously contemplating. "During the course of this week, he has been offered two Hindi projects. One of the projects is from a well-known banner. Adivi hasn't taken a call on the offers yet as he's busy with the success tour of 'Kshanam'," a source close to the actor told IANS. Adivi, according to the source, is not in a hurry to sign films. "He's happy with the offers but is in no mood to rush. He's also glad that 'Kshanam' is doing extremely well and is being raved by audiences and critics alike," he said. Meanwhile, talks are on for the Hindi remake of "Kshanam", which is about the disappearance of a young girl and the events that follow. Washington, March 3 : As the reality of the Donald Trump train rumbling towards Republican presidential nomination after his Super Tuesday performance hit the party establishment, it mounted a last ditch effort to stop the unstoppable. In what analysts described as too little and too late, the party's 2012 nominee Mitt Romney was set to take a shot on Thursday at slowing the brash billionaire who has won 10 of the 15 nomination contests so far, including seven of 11 on Tuesday. Sources cited by CNN said Romney plans "going after Trump" to make the point that the frontrunner is the wrong person to lead the Republican Party and underscoring the "choices facing the Republican Party and the country" in this election. Trump responded late Wednesday by mocking Romney in a pair of tweets. "Failed Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney is having a news conference tomorrow (Thursday) to criticise me," he tweeted. "Just another desperate move by the man who should have easily beaten Barrack (sic) Obama." But at least one rival, retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson acknowledged that after going 0-for-15 in the first states to vote, he did not see "a political path forward" and said he would not participate in Thursday's Republican debate hours after Romney speaks in Utah. Carson, however, stopped short of saying he was officially leaving the race. Most Republicans in Congress will not embrace Trump as long as there is a possibility, regardless of how slim, that there's still another Republican candidate in the race that is trying to take him down, CNN reported. But the problem for Republicans pushing the anti-Trump effort is that they cannot agree on who the party should elevate as the most effective challenger to Trump, it said. "The D.C. establishment is scared to death," House member Tom Marino, a Trump supporter told CNN expressing confidence that top Republicans in Washington will eventually come around and work with Trump. They would not have much choice, he warned as "the American people are fed up with it and the elected officials, if they don't grasp it, they'll be out of a job". Meanwhile, Trump's nearest rival Texas Senator Ted Cruz, who has won four contests so far, also acknowledged that primary loss in his home state would have meant the end of his campaign. "Listen, everyone recognises Donald Trump is a unique phenomenon," Cruz told reporters in Kansas on Wednesday night. "I asked the team what do we do if we lose Texas? And we had reached the conclusion, if we had lost Texas, that would've been the end of the road." Cruz campaign's chief strategist, Jason Johnson also asked Trump's other rival Marco Rubio to quit should he lose his home state of Florida in the next crucial primary battle on March 15. Trump leads the Republican delegate count with 315, according to a CNN estimate. Cruz is in the second lead with 205, and Rubio with 106. The winner needs to have the support of a majority of the 2,340 delegates in 50 states. (Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in) Ankara, March 3 : Three Turkish soldiers and eight members of the Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) militant group were killed in clashes, the media reported on Thursday. The clashes took place on Wednesday when the security forces carried out an operation in Mardin province, sources said. Turkey's southeast region has seen the worst violence since a cease-fire between the government and the PKK collapsed in July 2015, Xinhua news agency reported. Since then, more than 260 members of the Turkish security forces and thousands of PKK members have been killed. Ankara, March 3 : Two unidentified female assailants on Thursday opened fire at a riot police station in Turkey Istanbul city. Initial reports indicated that two women inside a vehicle opened fire at the station and fled the scene after abandoning their car, Hurriyet Daily News reported. Police launched an operation in surrounding neighbourhoods to apprehend the attackers. According to CNN Turk, both attackers were currently trapped inside a building. Police were set to launch an operation once the surrounding buildings were evacuated. Colombo, March 3 : Sri Lanka on Thursday announced that it would ratify the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention in order to make the country mines-free, Deputy Foreign Minister Harsha De Silva said. De Silva said the de-mining process was an important step for the resettlement of internally displaced people and the government was committed to becoming mines-free very soon, Xinhua news agency reported. "Sri Lanka has finished the war and we are now committed to destroy all the landmines in the country," De Silva said. Sri Lankan troops fought a 30-year civil war with Tamil Tiger rebels which ended in May 2009, with the defeat of the rebels. The military said that following the end of the conflict, 2,064 acres of land in the country, mostly in the north and east, had to be cleared from landmines and explosives which had been buried by the rebels. As of December, the army, together with de-mining agencies, had cleared 2,000 acres of land, vowing to complete the entire de-mining by 2020. Thousands of minority Tamils who had been displaced by the war have already been re-settled back in the cleared areas with the help of de-mining agencies. The new government of President Maithripala Sirisena has pledged to re-settle all the families affected by the war in the coming years and has already launched a national mine action programme to make the country mine free. Hong Kong, March 3 : Three of the five Hong Kong booksellers, detained in China, will be freed in a few days shortly after they confessed on television, the media reported on Thursday. A statement by the Hong Kong police on Wednesday night confirmed the imminent release of Cheung Chi-ping, Lui Por and Lam Wing-kei, although it is unclear what will happen to the remaining two, Gui Minhai and Lee Bo, both of whom hold European passports, Efe news reported. Cheung, Lui and Lam, all of whom work for publishing house Mighty Current owned by Gui Minhai and Bo, and which specialises in books containing sordid details of the ruling Communist Party of China and its leaders, besides its internal power struggles, will be released on bail for displaying "good attitude" although the investigation against them will continue. It is not known yet whether they will be allowed to return home to Hong Kong or will need to remain on the Chinese mainland. The five booksellers who disappeared under mysterious circumstances from Hong Kong and Thailand, have been charged by the Chinese police of selling unlicensed books in China, allegedly under the orders of Gui Minhai, who is considered the mastermind of the operation. All of them reappeared in Chinese custody and confessed on television, a common practice in the country and widely criticised by human rights groups, who claim they are done under coercion. According to police, Cheung, Lam and Liu had sent 4,000 copies of unlicensed books to 380 buyers in mainland China since October 2014, under orders from Gui. It is still not known what Bo is accused of but the editor said in a televised confession that he had gone to China voluntarily to assist the authorities in an investigation into his company. Kolkata, March 3 : Freedom fighter and West Bengal's senior most Left leader, Ashok Ghosh, who was state secretary of the All India Forward Bloc (AIFB) for 65 years at a stretch, died here on Thursday. He was 92. Ghosh had been on ventilator support since last month after being rushed to Apollo Hospital on February 2 following lower respiratory tract infection. "At 11.25 a.m., he breathed his last," hospital superintendent Partho Bhattacharya said. With a history of Addison disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Ghosh, during his stay at the hospital, had multiple episodes of renal shutdown and stopped responding to treatment in his final days. He will be laid to rest at the Netaji Subhas Ashram in Suisa of Purulia district on March 6, as per his wish. "His final journey will begin from the party office in the city on March 5 and he will be taken to the Netaji Subhas Ashram in Suisa, where he had built a school, college and a charitable dispensary. "According to his wish, he will be buried at the Ashram," Bloc leader Naren Chatterjee said. Born on July 2, 1923 in Chinsurah of Hooghly district, Ghosh joined India's freedom movement early in the 1940s after being deeply inspired by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's political philosophy and revolutionary ideals. He participated in the Quit India movement of 1942 and was imprisoned for three years. In 1948, Ghosh became national convenor of AIFB, founded by Bose, and took over as its West Bengal unit secretary in 1951 - retaining the post till his death. He was also the party's all-India financial secretary. In independent India, Ghosh participated in Goa freedom struggle, the movement against proposed unification of Bihar and Bengal, and was one of the spearheads of the food movement of 1959. Among the founding members of the Left Front in West Bengal, Ghosh played a prominent role in formulating the policies of the coalition which ruled Bengal from 1977 to 2011. However, he was critical of the Left Front over acquisition of farmland for setting up industries. Ghosh also criticised the lack of transparency in the way the Left Front government acquired land in Singur in Hooghly district for the Tata Motors project. At the same time, he tried to resolve the Singur tangle by calling all party meetings which were attended by then opposition leaders like Mamata Banerjee. The veteran leader called Tatas "traitors" after the auto-major relocated the industrial unit to Sanand in Gujarat in 2008. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her grief over Ghosh's death. "Saddened on the passing away of veteran politician Ashok Ghosh. He used to adore me a lot," she said. Communist Party of India-Marxist state secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra said the Left movement had lost its guardian. "He was the senior most leader of the state's Left movement. We are deeply saddened... "He played a significant role in the Left movement, formation of the Left Front and keeping it intact for so many years. He was like a guardian to us." Added Forward Bloc leader and former minister Hafiz Alam Sairani: "His death is a huge blow to the democratic movement in the state and the country." "He was truly a mass leader who devoted his entire life for the people. Living his entire life in the party office, his only concern was welfare of the masses," former Bloc MP Barun Mukherjee said. Trinamool secretary general Partha Chatterjee said: "In him we have lost a guardian, a mass leader. We don't know how long will it take to fill the void created by his absence." Ghosh's body was taken to a mortuary, from where it would be transferred to the AIFB state headquarters at 9 a.m. on Saturday and kept there till 1 p.m. for people to pay last respects. A procession would then be taken out till Netaji's Statue at Shyambazar five point crossing. Later, the body would be carried to Purulia after a brief stop at his ancestral house in Chinsurah. Hyderabad, March 3 : Telangana assembly Speaker Madhusudhana Chary on Thursday issued notice to five legislators of the opposition TDP who defected to the ruling TRS recently. He issued the notice on a letter by Telugu Desam Party (TDP) seeking their disqualification. They have been asked to submit their replies within a week. E. Dayakar Rao, who was leader of TDP in the assembly, is among the legislators who were issued notice. The others are S. Rajender Reddy, Prakash Goud, K.P. Vivekananda and G. Sayanna. Last month, all 10 TDP MLAs who have switched loyalties to the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) had sent a letter to the speaker seeking they be merged with the ruling party. These legislators quit Chandrababu Naidu-led party at different times over the last one-and-half year. The TDP had won 15 seats in 119-member assembly in 2014 elections. New Delhi, March 3 : The government faced a tough time in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday as opposition members raised the issue of what they called "hate and inflammatory" speeches by BJP MPs and legislators in different parts of the country. The irresponsible speeches by elected representatives of the people were sending wrong signal among the masses and the practice should be stopped, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said. The Congress leader was speaking on a calling attention motion regarding speeches made by union ministers and other elected representatives in violation of the Constitution and the oath of office they take. "What message do you want to send out to the people across the country," he asked the union government while naming BJP lawmakers like union Minister of State for Human Rresource Development Ram Shankar Katheria, Yogi Adityanath and Sakshi Maharaj who have been caught on camera making such statements. "These are the leaders who continue to make inflammatory speeches," the Congress leader said. Azad said it seemed that the union government and the Bharatiya Janata Party had "two different agendas". Asking for Home Minister Rajnath Singh's attention to his submissions, Azad said: "There is a problem. The BJP has its own agenda which is different from that of the government." He urged the home minister to book the culprits and send them to jail. D. Raja of the Communist Party of India also expressed similar sentiments and said that by making such speeches the public representatives were insulting "Mother India". Raja asked Rajnath Singh why the government had not taken action against Katheria and others. The Left leader also expressed disappointment that people like Nathuram Godse, who killed Mahatma Gandhi, were honoured by the BJP. Husain Dalwai of the Congress said this was happening ever since the National Democratic Alliance government came to power at the Centre. "I have not seen such a weak prime minister who cannot control his own people," he remarked. "Is it a government of the BJP or the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh," the Congress leader asked. Sharad Yadav of the Janata Dal-United and Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati also expressed concern over the issue. Yadav said the precious time of the house was being wasted by discussing such issues. "Had the BJP controlled its members, this time could have been used to discuss important issues the country is facing," he said. Similarly, Mayawati said had there been a BSP government in Uttar Pradesh, she would have sent Katheria to jail. "Katheria should have been sent to jail. Had I been in power, I would have sent him to jail - the place he belongs to," she added. Other opposition members also echoed the same sentiments over the issue, urging the government to pay heed to it. Srinagar, March 3 : The army on Thursday foiled an infiltration bid across the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district, killing one guerrilla while two soldiers were injured, defence sources said. The army foiled an infiltration bid by guerrillas from across the LoC in Keran sector of Kupwara district, a source told IANS. "One terrorist has been killed in this operation. We have recovered one weapon. Two soldiers sustained minor injuries in this operation which is still going on in the area," the source added. Srinagar, March 3 : The army on Thursday killed an armed militant while he was trying to sneak in from the Pakistani side of the Line of Control, thus foiling an infiltration bid in the Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district, police said. "The army today (Thursday) foiled an infiltration bid by militants from across the LoC in Keran sector of north Kashmir Kupwara district," a defence source told IANS here. "One terrorist has been killed in this operation. But our two soldiers also sustained injuries. We also recovered a weapon," added the source. The identity of the slain militant and his group has not been ascertained so far, the spokesman said. Washington, March 3 : Sartaj Aziz, foreign affairs adviser to the Pakistan prime minister, has said "India, not terrorism, is the biggest threat to the region", and asked India to reduce its nuclear stockpile so that Pakistan can consider reciprocation. Aziz underscored that Pakistan's nuclear arsenal is a major deterrent, a fact that the US also recognises, according to Dawn. Responding sharply to US Secretary of State John Kerry's suggestion to cut down on nuclear arsenal, Aziz said it was India that was stockpiling and not Pakistan as it has to keep up a minimum deterrence. "If they increase the stockpile, we cannot reduce ours," he said. Secretary of State Kerry urged Pakistan to reduce its nuclear arsenal by making it front and centre of its policy. However, Kerry did not mention if the US will ask India to do the same. Sartaj Aziz in turn asked the US to show a greater understanding of Pakistan's security concerns and its desire to contribute as a mainstream nuclear power. The US appreciates Pakistan's ongoing efforts of command and control in this regard and both countries decided to continue constructive discussion in the Security, Strategic Stability and Non-proliferation working group, Aziz said. "This is what strategic stability means, to have that deterrence capability," he added. "India's nuclear arsenal has a qualitative side which is continually modernising, so Pakistan has to respond," Aziz maintained. Sartaj Aziz was briefing the media on Wednesday in Washington on the proceedings of the sixth round of the Strategic Dialogue between the US and Pakistan. Guwahati, March 3 : Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Thursday asked the central government to make the Naga Peace Deal public as the accord signed between the government and the NSCN-IM on August 3, 2015 is still a mystery. "We welcome the Naga peace deal but it is quite astonishing why the clauses of the deal are kept in the dark. To keep such an important document under wraps for long raises doubt about its veracity," he said. "Assam appreciates Naga peace deal and welcome peace in Nagaland, but we oppose tooth and nail any move that affects interests of Assam," he said while urging the centre to make the clauses of the Naga peace deal public and accord sanctity of the geographical boundary of each state under the framework of the constitution. New Delhi, March 3 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday reached out to the opposition for its support to run the government smoothly and invoked late Congress stalwarts and prime ministers Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira and Rajiv Gandhi for peaceful functioning of parliament. In his over an hour-long speech, Modi, however, didn't speak about raging issues like crackdown on Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students and death of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula in Hyderabad University that had stalled parliament for two days earlier this week. "Parliament is a forum where different view points are put forward, where questions are being asked to the government, where government is made accountable and nobody is spared," Modi said, winding up the discussion in the Lok Sabha on the motion of thanks to President Pranab Mukherjee for his Address to parliament. "And in doing so, it would be great if we uphold parliamentary traditions" and let the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha function "peacefully and responsibly", he said. Modi noted this was "not a sermon" but the "words of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi". He also recalled the statements of Nehru, Indira and India's first president Rajendra Prasad and urged the opposition for its support to pass crucial legislations, including the Goods and Services Tax (GST) bill. Modi said the opposition was suffering from an "inferiority complex". "Some people want to oppose for the sake of it. There are such bright MPs in the opposition, but they are not being allowed to speak. Nobody in the opposition must look stronger and this is the inferiority complex." However, at the end of his speech, the prime minister toned down his aggression and sought the support of the Congress and other opposition parties to run the government for the sake of people and the country. "Let's walk shoulder-to-shoulder and do something for the country. I am new, you are experienced," Modi said. "We need to make an atmosphere of improving trust. If you have suggestions, please do offer. I would like the government to adopt these habits. The government also needs to improve and this would not happen without your support. I need your support. I need you people, your experience." In an obvious attack on Rahul Gandhi, Modi returned the barbs the Congress leader had hurled at him on Wednesday in the Lok Sabha over the prime minister's reluctance to take the opposition on board over various issues. "Some people learn with age but some don't," Modi said. Modi didn't name Rahul Gandhi but recalled how he had in 2013 torn before reporters a controversial ordinance of the then Congress government on convicted lawmakers when then prime minister Manmohan Singh was visiting the US. "The ordinance was torn apart when the then honourable prime minister was in the US to meet (Barack) Obama. Please learn to respect elders," Modi said as Gandhi listened. MPs from the BJP and its allies thumped their desks in appreciation even as the opposition booed following Modi's remark. With the Congress repeatedly targeting the government over Modi's earlier opposition to MGNREGA, the prime minister said it was the Comptroller and Auditor General who had punched holes in the implementation of the the flagship rural job guarantee scheme. He said his government was improving its implementation and trying to generate assets under it. "You have sown the roots of poverty so deep, there is no denying this," he said, adding sarcastically that if he tries to tackle it, he himself will get uprooted. He said the opposition criticism is not over our performance but "they are worried because we are doing better". Kathmandu, March 3 : Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday said India should not be dragged into the issues connected with the Madhesis in the Himalayan country's Terai region, calling it "an internal affair of Nepal". "The issue of Madhes is an internal affair of Nepal and the country's leaders are capable enough to handle it," he told journalists here after a meeting with Madhes-based leaders. "Whatever problems Nepal is facing have to be resolved by the Nepalis. India should not be dragged into Nepal's internal affairs,"he added Nitish is visiting Kathmandu to attend the 13th general convention of the Nepali Congress from Thursday onwards. "Agitating Madhes leaders told me that the rights of the Madhesis were curtailed and so they were compelled to launch an agitation. I told them it is an internal matter of Nepal and (they should) resolve it within Nepal," Nitish Kumar said. The chief minister said that India need not intervene in the political issue and will always support the development of and peace and prosperity in Nepal. The Madhes-based parties are agitating for the last six months over the new constitution adopted by Nepal last year and are demanding amendments to it to take care of interests of people living in the southern plains adjoining India. The Janata Dal-United leader said that India has no objection over the new constitution and wishes to see Nepal as a prosperous, peaceful and stable country. "Leaders here are capable of addressing the problems of pahadis, Madhesis and janjatis," he said, "We just want progress and harmony in Nepal". Former Uttarakhand chief minister Bhagat Singh Koshiyari said the Nepal-India ties are excellent and both nations hardly have any differences. "If there were any differences among the political parties of Nepal, those can be mended," he said while addressing the 13th general convention of Nepali Congress. However, Koshiyari skipped Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal's question on alleged Indian blockade of entry of goods and fuel into Nepal after the adoption of the new constitution. Jogendra Sharma of the Communist Party of India-Marxist, criticised the Indian government on the blockade issue. "We struggled in India against the blockade, both on the street and in parliament. We sought answers from the Indian authorities and demanded that an all-party delegation be sent to Nepal to know the facts," Sharma said. Elements trying to set up a Hindu state in India and spearheading bloodshed are also trying to restore the Hindu kingdom status of Nepal, Sharma said. (Anil Giri can be contacted at girianil@gmail.com) New Delhi, March 3 : A court here will consider on Friday a charge sheet filed by Delhi Police against five accused in a case of alleged supply of sensitive documents to Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence, official sources said on Thursday. According to the sources, the charge sheet was filed in the court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sumit Dass last week. Those charge-sheeted under the Official Secrets Act include the then Border Security Force (BSF) head constable Abdul Rasheed, retired Army Havildar Munawwar Ahmad Mir, government school teacher Sabar, soldier Fareed Ahmed and library assistant Kafaitullah Khan alias Master Raja. The five were arrested in November and December last year by a joint team of Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir Police. Kafaitullah Khan, a resident of Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district, allegedly working for the ISI, was arrested from the New Delhi railway station on November 26 on the charge of obtaining secret information related to India's national security and sharing it with the ISI. According to the police, Kafaitullah's interrogation led to the arrest of Rasheed from Rajouri. Following their arrests, police picked Mir and Saber from Rajouri and Ahmed from West Bengal. According to Delhi Police, Sabar helped Kafaitullah establish contact with Mir, who took retirement from service in 2011 after serving with a Rashtriya Rifles (Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry) battalion. Hyderabad, March 3 : An Australian woman was found dead under suspicious circumstances on Thursday, police said. The body of Margret Linda, 53 was lying on a bed in the flat in Toli Chowki area here, where she was allegedly staying with a Nigerian. A friend of Linda found the body and alerted the police. Some medicines used for treatment of asthma were found near the bed. Police shifted the body to a hospital for autopsy and are investigating the cause of the death. A case of suspicious death has been registered at Golconda police station. The Nigerian could not be traced and police began investigation after gathering clues from the scene. The authorities have informed the Australian embassy in New Delhi about the incident. The Australian had come to the city on a visit visa last month. New Delhi, March 3 : Following the union budget 2016-17 proposal to incentivise gas exploration in difficult areas, the government is set to raise the price of domestic natural gas by around 60 percent for their undeveloped gas discoveries from such areas, an official source said on Thursday. Domestically-produced gas price is currently priced at $3.82 per million British thermal unit (mbtu) that will undergo a revision from April. An official source here told IANS that the government plans to pay a price for gas discoveries in deep-sea, ultra-deep sea and high-temperature, high-pressure areas as per a formula based on the average of landed price of naphtha, fuel oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG). The union cabinet will decide whether the formula will employ a normal or weighted average of naphtha, fuel oil and LNG, he said. The price derived with this method will go over $6 per mmBtu that would benefit explorers like state-run ONGC and the Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), the source added. The Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) has earlier said that production from discoveries in difficult areas are not viable at current prices. Several discoveries of ONGC, RIL and the Gujarat State Petroleum Corp (GSPC) in KG Basin on the eastern offshore alone are lying idle owing to the lack of a profitable price. Presenting the budget in parliament on Monday, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said: "Government is considering incentivising gas production from deep-water, ultra deep-water and high-pressure high-temperature areas, which are presently not exploited on account of higher cost and higher risks." "A proposal is under consideration for new discoveries and areas which are yet to commence production, first, to provide calibrated marketing freedom; and second, to do so at a pre-determined ceiling price to be discovered on the principle of landed price of alternative fuels," he added. Tokyo, March 4 : Suzuki Motor Corporation on Thursday said it will recall 1,616,125 mini-vehicles due to an air conditioning fault that could lead to engines stalling. The automaker, headquartered in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, said that a lack of oil necessary for lubrication in some of its cars' air conditioner compressors could lead to them overheating and stop, which would result in the cars' engines failing as they decelerate, Xinhua reported. Five models made by Suzuki are subject to the recall, including the popular Wagon R, known for its "tall wagon" or "tall boy" styling and near vertical hatchback, spanning units produced between January 2008 and May 2015, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism confirmed. Suzuki said that more than 240 cases of engines stalling have been reported as a result of a lack of lubricant since December 2011, although the maker said there have been no reports of associated accidents or injuries as a result. VXi will showcase its UC and hands-free solutions for contact centers and officesincluding the V150 Wireless Office Headset System (pictured here)at Enterprise Connect 2016 in Orlando, Florida. Enterprise Connect is an opportunity for us to rub shoulders with other thought leaders and market movers. [I]ts the perfect place for us to show potential new partners how VXi can deliver superior value to them and for their customers. VXi Corporation, the headset company with a reputation for innovative, customer-preferred solutions, will be exhibiting its forward-thinking product line in booth 1044 at Enterprise Connect 2016. This years conference/exhibition takes place at the Gaylord Palms Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, March 7-10, 2016, under the banner of Communications Transforming Business. VXis products are transforming businesses worldwide, by enabling people to connect, communicate and collaborate more clearlyand more productively. Price, Performance, Productivity All of VXis products deliver the best sound quality in the business, the foundation for improved business productivity. The new VXi Envoy Office, for example, features class-leading noice-canceling microphone technology, wideband audio and inline controls that meet Skype for Business standards. Yet its incredibly affordable. The VXi Envoy UC is the next step up, with best-in-class sound quality that enables users to make the most of any interaction, no matter the medium. The groundbreaking VXi UC ProSet LUX is the first headset with a built-in Visual Presence indicator, that minimizes unwanted interruptions by letting others know when youre on a call. When it comes to getting more accomplished, the VXi V150 Wireless Office Headset System is second to none. With 300 feet of wireless range, the cost-conscious V150 lets users keep talking wherever they have to go in the workplace. VXi will also be exhibiting its BlueParrott line of incredibly versatile Bluetooth headsets that deliver the best sound quality and intellibility in the business and enable mobile professionals to work from anywhere. Powerful Partnerships To further enhance their communication and collaboration capabilities, VXi partners with some of the biggest names in the business, including Avaya, Cisco and Polycom. By adding VXis interoperability-tested products to these companies solutions, customers improve communications and reliability, while maximizing their systems potential. Enterprise Connect is an opportunity for us to rub shoulders with other thought leaders and market movers, said Mike Ferguson, VXis president and CEO. Because the whole show is aimed at helping attendees maximize their communications and collaboration investments, its the perfect place for us to show potential new partners how VXi can deliver superior value to them and for their customers. Come see how VXi is transforming business at the Enterprise Connect Conference and Expo, Booth 1044. About VXi Corporation VXi provides the best-performing headsets, telecommunications and speech recognition solutions for the benefit of mobile professionals, small and large businesses, and contact centers around the world. From Bluetooth to Unified Communications, they meet the highest global standards for product quality and service, backed by the industrys best warranties. VXi designs, markets, sells and supports their products from Dover, New Hampshire, and takes pride in delivering value, excellence and innovation. That is why VXi is The Sound Choice. Learn more at vxicorp.com. About Enterprise Connect For more than 25 years, Enterprise Connect has been the leading conference and exhibition for enterprise IP Telephony, Converged Networks and Unified Communications in North America. Enterprise Connect brings corporate IT decision makers together with the industry's vendors, analysts and consultants to focus on the issues central to enterprise networks and communications. Enterprise Connect owns and produces No Jitter, providing daily blogging and analysis of enterprise communications, and it also serves the community with a weekly email newsletter, a webinar series and virtual Events. Enterprise Connect is organized by UBM Americas, a part of UBM plc (UBM.L), an Events First marketing and communications services business. Brian P. Murphy, Philadelphia Nursing Home Abuse Attorney Nursing home neglect and abuse often stems from facilities trying to function with too few staff members. I confront this regularly in my nursing home litigation practice. Philadelphia Nursing Home Abuse Attorney Licensed in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Brian P. Murphy, Esquire, is a personal injury attorney who focuses exclusively on nursing home abuse and neglect cases in Philadelphia as well as throughout the states of PA and NJ. After working for numerous law firms in the area, Mr. Murphy decided it was time to open his own law practice and, in the fall of 2015, established The Law Firm of Brian P. Murphy, PC, located in Newtown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Telephone: 215-579-8500. From bedsores to wrongful death, falls, malnutrition, dehydration, wandering, elopement, stool impaction, and other injuries that are largely avoidable and result from neglect and abuse, Brian Murphy has litigated cases involving a wide range of negligent care. Sharp and aggressive, Mr. Murphy takes swift action against these nursing home facilities, holding them accountable for their wrongdoing. There are many reasons to contact a qualified nursing home abuse attorney such as Brian P. Murphy. Whether you are selecting a nursing home, currently have a loved one in a nursing facility, or have lost a friend or relative due to nursing home neglect, Mr. Murphy can tap his extensive experience litigating nursing home matters throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania and bring you justice. The range of practice areas covered include: bedsores dehydration elopement falls and fractures malnutrition wrongful death medication errors elder abuse pressure sores infections and much more The Truth About Staffing Staffing is a nursing homes highest cost of doing business. In an effort to keep costs down, for-profit nursing homes routinely reduce their staffing levels often to dangerously low levels. This inevitably leads to a reduction in the quality of care provided to residents and often results in resident neglect. Mr. Murphy is available to discuss staffing issues and other red flags that should be watched when care is trusted in the hands of an assisted-care or nursing home facility. Attorney Background For many years, Brian P. Murphy, Esq. has tailored his law practice to assist victims of nursing home neglect and abuse throughout the states of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, including major cities such as Trenton and Philadelphia. Mr. Murphy has been at the forefront of nursing home abuse and neglect, an area of litigation that is a rapidly growing. He has helped spearhead legal efforts in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania to hold long-term care and nursing home facilities accountable when they abuse and neglect the residents, especially the elderly. Mr. Murphy has litigated a plethora of nursing home cases and earned his clients millions of dollars in compensation. Because of Brian Murphys lengthy attorney profile pertaining to nursing home litigation, he is in demand as a speaker on nursing home abuse and neglect issues. He has lectured fellow attorneys nationally, regionally, and locally on the best way to effectively litigate nursing home cases. Mr. Murphy is also the author of several law articles and legal guides on the topic of nursing home abuse. Experience Matters Admitted to practice and a member of the Pennsylvania State Bar Admitted to practice and a member of the New Jersey State Bar Admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey Member of the American Bar Association Member of the American Association of Justice Member of the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association Member of the AAJ Nursing Home Litigation Group Member of the Mercer County Bar Association Graduated from Rutgers School of Law, Juris Doctorate Graduated from Rutgers College in New Brunswick, New Jersey. For more information, please contact Brian P. Murphy directly (215) 579-8500, or visit the law firm's Personal Injury website. All personal injury cases are handled on a contingency fee basis. Press release writing by WebSiteText, LLC Proofreading Services by The Proofreaders As eCommerce changes the way retailers strategize their supply chains, the D3 Summit will help retailers build their own supply chain roadmap to omnichannel success through the use of case-studies presented by retailers themselves, as well as through panels and round table discussions. With efts success with the Chief Supply Chain Officer Forum featured annually in Forbes the retail industry asked us to create a Summit specifically catering to the incredible challenges and innovations taking place in their industry said Priyanka Asera, efts Head of Retail and former McKinsey analyst. Weve worked hand-in-hand with dozens of major retailers including Macys, Target, Neiman Marcus, Toys R Us, and Burberry to create an agenda that is truly a roadmap for achieving supply chain success in an omnichannel world. This summit is for senior strategists that really want to get to the heart of how to make a supply chain decision that will align with the objectives of their respective organization. One of the speakers at the D3 Summit, David Walmsley, Global Director of Digital at Marks & Spencer (200-yr old British multinational retailer), will be presenting a case-study on how M&S manages its inventory across multiple channels. After recently launching local-currency eCommerce websites in the United States and Canada, Walmsley is all geared up for the D3 Summit to share and learn best-practices in supply chain. Upon asking what he looks forward to the most, Walmsley said, It is the cross-section of views in the room, where there would be people from a more broadly-based retail experience like myself, and the more hard-core supply chain guys, as well as those in the pure digital space like Google, that is going to make for a very stimulating discussion. Speakers at D3 also include: Scott Spata, VP Supply Chain, The Home Depot Brett Goffin, Head of Industry Retail, Google Marie Robinson, COO, Michael Kors Marisa Allen, Head of Omnichannel Strategy7-Eleven, Jeff Girard, SVP, Logistics DSW Inc., Seth Beardsley, Senior Director of Supply Chain Lacoste, Hans Hulsinga, Head of Logistics Suit Supply and many more The full speaker line-up along with the event agenda can be accessed by downloading the event brochure: http://1.eft.com/LP=9797 About eft eft Supply Chain and Logistics Business Intelligence is the global leader in business intelligence and C-level networking for the transport, logistics and supply chain industry. We specialize in connecting senior industry executives with their industry peers, and with the crucial information they need to excel in their work. http://www.eft.com For further information, please contact: Fabia Palmer Marketing Manager | eft fpalmer(at)eft(dot)com + 44(0)2073757218|USA 1-800-814-3459 ex.7218. Note: The D3 Summit has reserved a limited number of Press passes and can assist in organizing interviews with the speakers and attendees. Barbara M.,CNA Scholarship Recipient We are delighted to partner with myCNAjobs and offer Barbara a start to her career in nursing myCNAjobs and HPI School of Allied Health announce the award of a full tuition CNA class scholarship via the myCNAjobs Scholarship fund. HPI, based in Union, New Jersey, will cover the full cost of tuition for Barbara M. to attend classes later this month. Barbara was selected for the scholarship as a seasoned caregiver with 23 years of experience caring for her own children. A natural nurturer, Barbara is seeking to turn her experience into a professional full-time career to make a positive difference in the lives of seniors in her community. "We are delighted to partner with myCNAjobs and offer Barbara a start to her career in nursing," comments Anetta Wilson-Barnett, Program Director of HPI School of Allied Health. "Our local community needs experienced caregivers and HPI is committed to bringing better care to the residents of Union City." myCNAjobs will provide scrubs required for the program and will connect Barbara to local recruiters post graduation. HPI School of Allied Health maintains continuous enrollment for CNA classes and is staffed by licensed professionals with over 20 years of experience. The school is approved by New Jersey Departments of Education Labor and Workforce Development. To apply for additional CNA school scholarships, visit the myCNAjobs Scholarship Fund. About myCNAjobs myCNAjobs is innovating the way healthcare companies hire and caregivers find work. Home care agencies, nursing homes, and assisted living communities recruit qualified aides efficiently through a suite of digital and career fair tools. Caregivers, CNAs, and Home Health Aides easily connect with local jobs, career fairs, scholarships, and resources to build a schedule to fit their needs with a tech-powered platform. Froozer - simple ingredients. real nutrition. "We are receiving nothing but positive feedback from people who have tried Froozer for the first time!" -- Co-Founder of Aegis Enterprises and Froozer Chairman of the Board. Froozer CEO Rich Naha and Des Hague, Co-Founder of Aegis Enterprises and Froozer Chairman of the Board, are delighted to announce that Froozer will be available at Stater Bros. Markets (http://www.staterbros.com/) in Southern California starting next week. Froozer (http://www.froozer.com), a low-calorie, fruit- and vegetable-based, frozen smoothie without added sugars, preservatives or water, is currently available at various locations in Colorado (Whole Foods; Lucky's Market; Alfalfas; Colorado State University; Colorado University; Childrens Hospital), Oregon (Zupans Market; Roths; Friendly Street Market; Life Source; Food Front), Washington State (Island Market Company - Vashon Island Thriftway; A and J Markets; Pioneer Select; Forks Outfitters; Lopez Village Market - Lopez Island in the San Juans) and Alaska (Hammer and Wikan; City Market). "We are very excited that the Froozer product is spreading its wings," said Naha. "We are receiving nothing but positive feedback from people who have tried Froozer for the first time, including at the star-studded 'Honoring the Academy' event in Hollywood this past weekend. Froozer is one brand to watch," concluded Naha. "We are absolutely delighted that Froozer is being well received by everyone who tries our product," said Hague. "At Froozer, we set out to create a whole new way of delivering healthy nutrition that is good for you and tastes great, while being mindful of the environment by reducing food waste." About Froozer - "simple ingredients. real nutrition." Froozer products represent the pure goodness of freshly harvested fruits & veggies picked at the peak of their ripeness, flash-frozen whole and blended for optimal taste, nutrition and digestion. Natural fruits and veggies in all their glory, nothing added or subtracted, not even a drop of water. Available in three delicious flavors - STRAWBANANA BLISS, TROPICAL SUNSET and BLUE ALOHA - in 6-pack boxes. Look for Froozer in your local grocery store freezer at selected retail locations in the Denver Area including WholeFoods and Alfalfa's, and various select retailers in Oregon, Washington State and Alaska. For more information: http://froozer.com/ Contact: Rich Naha, CEO, Froozer Phone:303-246-1957, Rnaha(at)Froozer(dot)com About Des Hague A renowned executive with over twenty five years of leading global public and private companies, Des Hague has established himself as an innovative thinker in the international business world. His forward-thinking approach pushes companies toward sustainable growth, granting them a position as resilient competitors within their respective industries. Hague most recently was the CEO and President of Centerplate, Inc, the largest event hospitality company in North America. Source: http://deshague.com. Hague also serves on the boards of DVETelepresence, PING HD, WC&P, Lessons For Life, Froozer and the Stamford Youth Foundation along with advising on several start-up ventures. Along with his professional projects, Des Hague contributes significant amount of time and energy to non-profit charitable work. Hague has helped raise more than $100 million over the past few years for many non-profits, including the Stamford Youth Foundation, a local organization offering multiple after-school programs for young people, and The Journey Home, a Baltimore-based Foundation fighting homelessness. Hague views Aegis Enterprises, LLC as a perfect blending of business and philanthropic activities. For more about Des Hague, visit: http://deshague.com Des Hague - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deshague CONTACT INFORMATION DesHague.com Email: deshague(at)aegisenterprisesllc(dot)com We look forward to continuing to use ThoughtSpeed's leading edge web-based Order Management System in support of our business while offering a positive ordering experience for our clients says Sav DiPasquale, President, CPDN. http://www.thoughtspeed.biz ThoughtSpeed eCommerce Ltd. and the Canadian Pharmaceutical Distribution Network (CPDN) are pleased to announce the extension of their 7-year partnership agreement servicing the Canadian Healthcare Supply Chain industry for an additional three years with a mutual 2-year option past September 2018. Since June 2009, ThoughtSpeed has provided its web-facing order management application and portal to every hospital in Canada for CPDN and its 22 globally recognized drug manufacturer members. Since that time, over $5 Billion of pharmaceutical orders have been processed and application service availability has been in excess of +99.999 percent. ThoughtSpeed, working with CPDNs other strategic partner, Lynden International Logistics, has provided CPDN with an enviable industry best practice solution. Accessed in over 1000 locations and 800 hospitals, ThoughtSpeeds eHealthSys provides users with real-time inventory, order validation, contract pricing and order tracking visibility. Orders are placed using EDI, electronic upload from legacy systems as well as manual input. Sophisticated real-time reporting, analytics and dashboards are available through ad-hoc report generation. Reports are produced to provide up to 12 months of order activity on demand. CPDN members are benefitting from the new Demand Planning and Forecasting Module, which launched on March 1st, 2016. Im pleased that we have extended our agreement with ThoughtSpeed and that we will continue to work closely over the next three years. says Sav DiPasquale, President, CPDN. We look forward to continuing to use this leading edge web-based Order Management System in support of our business while offering a positive ordering experience for our clients. About ThoughtSpeed ThoughtSpeeds multi-lingual Web Order Management System (OMS) is accessed daily by healthcare practitioners and professionals across Canada. The system enables flawless execution of Order-to-Cash Management with unparalleled scalability, reliability, and security. This unique bolt-on technology allows for rapid and seamless integration with existing applications such as major ERPs (SAP, ORACLE, JD Edwards, etc.) and industry leading Warehouse Management solutions (WMS). eHealthsys broadens the sales and market reach of all manufacturers and suppliers servicing the healthcare marketplace. Solutions include: Complete Order-to-Cash functionality (O2C) including Returns Management and Account Receivable Activity and Reporting (online) Consignment Inventory Management Business Integration via EDI, XML or flat file Fully integrated, real-time Business Intelligence & Analytics Integrated Demand Planning and Forecasting Professional Services, Software Development, and Project Management About CPDN For 20 years, CPDN (http://www.cpdn.ca ) has been a leading distribution channel to Canadian hospitals looking for an alternative to traditional, and more costly, intermediaries. CPDN Members maintain their unique customer data by using the CPDN offerings through direct, consolidated distribution and technology services. For more information, please contact: Mike Neary, VP Business Development O: 905-672-1989 M: 416-277-9700 mneary(at)thoughtspeed(dot)biz Or Adam Kalata, Project Manager / Customer Service O: 905-672-1989 M: 905-464-5266 akalata(at)thoughtspeed(dot)biz Lithuanian war reporter Ricardas Lapaitis vividly and painfully recalled his experiences of the Khojaly Massacre The name of the film 'Endless Corridor' does not only describe the terrible Armenian military plan, and the whole situation of the massacre, but it also means that, until now, Justice for Khojaly has not been achieved. On 24 February 2016, the multi-award-winning independent documentary 'Endless Corridor' a US/Lithuanian co-production was shown at the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels. The screening, organised within the Justice for Khojaly campaign, commemorated the victims of the Khojaly Massacre on 26 February 1992. This was the worst single atrocity of the ArmeniaAzerbaijan conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh and claimed the lives of 613 civilian victims in 1992. The death toll included 106 women, 63 children and 70 elderly people. Following its international premiere throughout 2015, 'Endless Corridor' has received plaudits from critics across the world. It has received the Best Documentary and Best Director for a Documentary Prizes at the Tenerife International Film Festival in Madrid; the Best Documentary Editing Prize at the Milano International Filmmakers Festival; and in the prestigious US-based Accolade Global Film Competition, it achieved two awards Best of Show in May 2015 and in January 2016 the Outstanding Achievement Award in the Accolade Humanitarian Awards 2015. It has also been screened on the pan-European Eurochannel, CNN Turk and TV 24 (Turkey) channels. Speaking before the audience of 150 politicians, EU stakeholders, VIPs and press representatives, Marc Verwilghen, Director, TEAS Benelux explained: TEAS is more than proud to organise this event within the framework of the Justice for Khojaly campaign, which is an international awareness campaign initiated by Mrs Leyla Aliyeva, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. The Justice for Khojaly international campaign was launched on 8 May 2008. The campaigns rapid development is a measure of international support for the restoration of justice in the region. This support has been expressed at events in over 100 countries in Europe, America, Asia and Africa, and has come from individuals and international organisations, as well as states. 'Endless Corridor' is a film that came about because Ricardas Lapaitis, a Lithuanian journalist and witness of the horror of Khojaly, could not let the experience lie or forget the people who survived. He returned with a touching and human desire to find out how the survivors coped with memories of loved ones killed before their eyes. Russian journalist Victoria Ivleva was also reunited with Mehriban, a mother whose two-day-old baby she had saved in the chaos. The stories are of ordinary people whose lives were devastated by the Armenian invasion of their land. H.E. Fuad Isgandarov, Azerbaijani Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and the EU, recalled that the Khojaly Massacre was a terrible atrocity that occurred in February 1992. He said: We believe in a peaceful resolution of this conflict, and hope that the European and international community will help resolve this. Tonight, we remember Nagorno-Karabakh in the hearts and minds of the Azerbaijani people, and particularly remember the souls of those who died in Khojaly. Ambassador Isgandarov has also underlined that Azerbaijani refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) are still unable to return to their homes and lands because of the illegal occupation of the Azerbaijani territory of Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions by Armenias armed forces. Despite four UN Security Council Resolutions and 22 years of OSCE Minsk Group negotiations, there is still no progress. Ricardas Lapaitis, a Lithuanian journalist and eyewitness of the Khojaly Massacre said: Today, we are remembering the 24th anniversary of the Khojaly tragedy. It turned out that I witnessed the events of the night from the 2526 February 1992, when Armenian troops, with the support of the Russian 366th motor rifle regiment, attacked 6,000 civilians of the town of Khojaly in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. The name of the film 'Endless Corridor' does not only describe the terrible Armenian military plan, and the whole situation of the massacre, but it also means that, until now, Justice for Khojaly has not been achieved. I am honoured to witness tonights event in Brussels about Khojaly. I have been a war correspondent for 25 years and I continue to work with Azerbaijani IDPs and refugees from the Nagorno-Karabakh region. The programme of the event also included an outstanding classical music performance by Nazrin Rashidova, Azerbaijani violinist, soloist, recitalist, chamber musician and orchestral director. Despite the passing of four UN Security Council resolutions against the invasion, Armenia continues to occupy Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding districts to this day. Currently nearly 20 per cent of Azerbaijani territory remains occupied, and nearly one million refugees and internally displaced persons remain spread across Azerbaijan. The evening was dedicated to the memory of the Khojaly victims and those Azerbaijanis who have only one wish to return home. Darren Bolger, MD of London Building Specialists, a South London firm which creates beautiful conversions and refurbishments for homes and commercial premises, is taking on apprentices from disadvantaged backgrounds to learn the skills of the construction industry. The industry has been through some difficult times since the financial crash. Darren says, It is important for the building industry to nurture new talent. Since 2011 we have been helping young people to learn the basic techniques which mean they can work in the industry. Recently we have also added training in ecological construction and materials. So we are looking to the future, as new methods replace older, less environmentally-sound ones. Darren Bolger receives Mayoral award Last year Darren was awarded the Wandsworth Mayor's Badge of Honour for services to the community. The Mayor, Cllr Nicola Nardelli, gave Mr Bolger the award at a special ceremony held at the Town Hall. The Mayor and Wandsworth Chamber of Commerce support the apprenticeship scheme. It is open to applications from London-based under 25s from all backgrounds. There are ambitious plans being developed to roll out the scheme across London, starting with South West London boroughs. Training apprentices in ecological construction Jackson Tarr is the first apprentice to be trained in the ecological methods. He will be living in local government accommodation and working with London Building Specialists on various of their projects throughout London. The company has been recently featured in The Art of Design Magazine and Opulent Interiors. They have hand-picked teams who create successful loft conversions, extensions and refurbishments, and are often referred to new projects by satisfied clients. Their team includes architects and interior designers who can help people create a home that really feels special and unique. You can see a gallery of completed projects here: http://londonbuildingspecialists.com/. Darren hopes that more young people will see building and construction as rewarding future. Look at me. I started as a labourer 25 years ago, worked my way up, and now own my own company, with teams of people reporting to me. If I can do this well, anyone can! He is now helping schoolchildren in the LionHeart Challenge, a nationwide competition where children work in teams to learn entrepreneurial skills. http://www.darrenbolger.uk http://www.londonbuildingspecialists.com The Journal of Financial Regulation and Compliance requests submissions for a special issue devoted to the future of financial services in the EU. The Eurozone crisis, billions of Euros paid in Greek bailout monies in 2010, 2012, and 2015; anti-austerity protests; and the 2010 to 2014 Portuguese financial crisis, are just a few of the events that have raised old debates pitting collectivism and the EU state against national Member State democratic accountability. Set against this highly politicised backdrop, thousands of banks, financial services firms, and small and medium-sized enterprises throughout the EU have been subjected to wave upon wave of comprehensive, onerous and costly regulatory developments. These include the Short Selling Regulation; the Payment Accounts Directive; the Electronic Money Directive; the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive; UCITS V; the European Market Infrastructure Directive; the Prospectus Directive; the Capital Requirements Directive IV; the Recovery and Resolution Directive; the Markets in Financial Instruments Directives I and II; the Market Abuse Regulation; the Transparency Directive; and the Capital Markets Union Action Plan. Is it the case that EU centralisation, directives and regulations have finally trumped notions of subsidiarity? Is the harmonisation of financial services in the EU finally coming together, or will it finally come undone? For this special issue we are interested in papers that critique the post-crisis EU financial regulatory framework and address the future of financial services in the EU. We would welcome views, commentary, and analysis from policy makers, practitioners, academics, and other authors on any of these broad areas: (1) Current and future European financial services regulation and supervision frameworks and practices. (2) The move towards more responsibility and competitiveness in European financial services. (3) International competitiveness in financial services. (4) More transparent, responsible, and consumer-friendly EU financial systems. (5) Legislative interpretation, observation, and critique of current and future European financial services Directives and Regulations, e.g. MiFID II, Market Abuse Directive, Transparency Directive, the Bank Recovery and Resolution Directive, the Capital Markets Union Action Plan. (6) Macro or micro level analysis of the financial, economic, or social impact of regulatory developments in European financial services. Articles of 3,000-8,000 words for consideration for publication should be submitted via the journal's online system at https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/jfrc by 31st of July 2016. All articles will be double blind reviewed and open to scrutiny and approval of the editor. For further information, please contact the corresponding editor of the Special Issue: Rodrigo Zepeda Managing Director Storm-7 Consulting Limited Email: rodrigo.zepeda(at)storm-7(dot)com Full information for authors and further details regarding the journal are available at: http://emeraldgrouppublishing.com/jfrc.htm To view the call online visit: http://www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/products/journals/call_for_papers.htm?id=6533. SS Digital Media, LLC is partnering with Google to host an exclusive livestream Google seminar on Wednesday, March 9, 2016 from 12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m. at 950 Stephenson HWY, Troy, MI 48083, Suite 110. Ben Tyson, a Google Partners trainer, and Brendan Jacobson, a Google Strategic Partnerships Leader, are scheduled to speak. Lunch and refreshments will be provided. During the event, Tyson and Jacobson will unravel Googles latest study on online patient behavior and teach us the importance of connecting with todays patients digitally. CEO and Founder of SS Digital Media, Nick Skislak, will also be providing tips and advice on how to expand small businesses digitally. He will be speaking about how small businesses can differentiate themselves from their competitors through digital marketing and show how they can navigate the web and expand their online presence. SS Digital Media has been chosen by Google for the fifth time to host a Google Partners Connect free digital marketing seminar. These events are intended for Metro Detroit business owners to expand their knowledge on establishing and increasing brand awareness on a digital platform. Whether your business is big or small, Google Partners Connect is open to all. Learn how to expand your businesss online platform by attending the event at our Troy office. The past events have been successful and the team is looking forward to another great event. If you are interested in attending, please RSVP here. Make sure to reserve your spot today because space is filling up fast! AlayaCare announced today that they have partnered with Better Living Health and Community Services to implement software for their Exercise and Falls Prevention Program. Serving the Don Mills region in Ontario since 1976, Better Living supports individuals in the community by maintaining their independence, enhancing their social wellbeing, and optimizing their overall health and wellness through the provision of a wide range of community support services and leisure activities. The Exercise and Falls Prevention Program is funded through the Central Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) to help seniors stay healthy, active and mobile. The program is offered free of charge to senior citizens 65 years or older, and all classes provide information to seniors on preventing falls. When the government put in place funding for this important program, we started looking for software that could effectively manage the unique needs of the Exercise and Falls Prevention classes. Specifically, we needed the solution to manage electronic client records, employment records and payroll, classroom attendance in a mobile environment, real time visit verification, statistics and reporting management, and the ability for instructors to complete intake and communicate with the office on one application. stated Sonya Murray, Better Livings Senior Vice President, Community Services. The honest truth is that we didnt like the current configurations and user friendliness of what was readily available. So we decided to work with a company that already had the platform and user interface that could be best configured for the program. This is why we chose AlayaCare, and we couldnt be happier with that decision. Murray added, Their level of professionalism has been great, and Im happy to say that we have a solution that will better manage the aforementioned needs for this program. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, 1 in 3 seniors will experience a fall each year, and half of those more than once. 40 percent of these falls will result in hip fractures, while 20 percent of injury-related deaths among seniors can be traced back to a fall. In addition to threatening senior safety and independence, they generate enormous economic and personal costs. According to the National Council on Aging, a US based non-profit, on average every 13 seconds an older adult is treated in the emergency room for a fall, and every 20 minutes an older adult dies from a fall. This makes falls the leading cause of fatal injury and the most common cause of non-fatal trauma-related hospital admissions among seniors. Numbers wise, this means 2.5 million injuries are treated annually in emergency departments, leading to over 734,000 hospitalizations and over 21,700 deaths In 2013, the Ontario government committed $10 million to increasing access to publicly funded exercise and falls prevention classes. This investment was part of an annual $156 million investment to support five streams of physiotherapy services, one of which was exercise and falls prevention to over 200,000 seniors and other eligible patients. Achieving the goals of our clientele is always paramount, especially when our technology can improve the lives of patients, said Adrian Schauer, Chief Executive Officer of AlayaCare. When Better Living proposed working together to tailor the software for the Exercise and Falls Prevention programs that the Community Support Services Organizations offer across the province, we were very excited by the opportunity. We believe that the work that we have done with Sonya and her team will ultimately benefit similar programs who need a software platform that works for their needs. About Better Living Health and Community Services Better Living is a community support services organization offering a continuum of services to support clients to remain living independently in the community. Services range from social recreational programming in a community centre environment, to services offered within the home, such as Meals on Wheels, Transportation, Personal Support and Home Maintenance, to end-of life care. Better Living supports more than 6000 clients in the community annually. Funding for services is supported through a number of funders, including the Central Local Health Integration Network. About AlayaCare AlayaCare is a provider of revolutionary cloud-based home healthcare software. With Clinical Documentation, Back Office, Client and Family Portals, Remote Patient Monitoring, Telehealth and Mobile Care Worker functionality, AlayaCare offers a platform for agencies to propel towards innovation and home care of the future. For more information, visit http://www.AlayaCare.com ### Campus Technologies Inc, a leading managed network provider and system architect of high capacity resident wired and wireless Internet Access networks in residential student accommodation, today announces the appointment of Adam Hayles as a Vice President of Business Development. Prior to joining Campus Technologies, Adam Hayles held the position of Network Integration Specialist with Clearview Networks and was responsible for the provisioning of wireless internet, video, and cloud solutions used by residents, guests, and students across the U.S. He was instrumental in the positioning of Clearview Networks as one of the leaders in hospitality Wi-Fi, while upholding the companys values, policies and procedures. He is noted for selling a $1.5MM contract in a space where an average sale was worth $60k at the time. Mr. Hayles has been in the telecom industry for over 15 years. In his role at CTI he is responsible for further developing the market reach of the companys products and services and for forging new relationships. Adam looks forward to developing new relationships with student housing owners and operators and improving their resident retention and NOI. ABOUT CAMPUS TECHNOLOGIES Campus Technologies Inc. is a leading North American technology provider to on and off campus collegiate housing. Established in 2001 it has maintained a dedicated focus on the technology needs of student residents and the owners and operators of Student Housing communities. More at http://www.campustechnologies.com It was a special day in the company history of Green Lawn Fertilizing & Green Pest Solutions. Twenty-six of the companys leaders gathered first thing in the morning in North Wales, PA for the official grand opening of the companys third service branch. Among the attendees was Owner and President, Matt Jesson, who brought along bagel sandwiches, muffins, coffee, and of course red ribbon and a pair of over-sized scissors. After everyone enjoyed their breakfast, Jesson delivered a short speech to his employees about the fast growth of the company and the benefits that the new North Wales branch would bring. Its with great pride that I stand here today to open our third branch. This ceremony signifies the growth that our company has experienced over the last twelve years and will allow us to service our customers homes faster and more effectively than ever before says Matt Jesson, President. The new service branch looked ready to go. When walking in the front door the framed pictures of the companys mission statement and customer service pledge are there to greet you. The service managers desks are hooked up with phones and computers and their offices have been decorated with pictures of their families. The service bays were empty for the ceremony, but had room for multiple company vehicles. The storage area was stocked up with fertilizer and weed control in preparation for next week when the eight lawn trucks will start running out of that branch to service lawns in desperate need of greening up. The new branch, located at 177 Wissahickon Avenue in North Wales, PA, was added due to the overwhelming growth of the companys customer base. It will be the home for Green Lawn Fertilizing technicians and Green Pest Solution technicians servicing the Montgomery County, PA area to get their supplies and equipment and convene for training and other meetings. Having the extra branch will significantly cut down on drive times for the technicians so that they will be able to reach more customers homes every day. This in turn will allow for faster scheduling of customers lawn and pest control services. The new branch is the first new branch the company has opened since it launched its New Jersey branch in 2010. As part of its rapid growth plan, Green Lawn Fertilizing is hoping to add at least two more branches in the next few years. # # # Green Lawn Fertilizing and Green Pest Solutions is an independent lawn and pest control company that was founded in 2004. Under the leadership of Matt Jesson, President and Owner of Green Lawn Fertilizing Green Pest Solutions, they are dedicated to becoming an industry leading company in the Lawn and Pest Industry. In 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 the company has received the Inc. 5000 award for being recognized as one of the 5,000 fastest growing private companies in the America. Both companies are A-rated and accredited by the Better Business Bureau. They perform lawn fertilizing and integrated pest management service for residential and commercial clients. They are active members of PLANET, National Association of Landscape Professionals and NPMA. In 2014, the company received the Best of Philly award which has been the recognized mark of excellence in the Philadelphia tri-state area. Processmaker made significant investments in its software in 2015 showing continued commitment to its open source and enterprise BPM platforms. ProcessMaker, a global leader in Open Source and Cloud Business Process Management (BPM) and Workflow software, today announced significant year-over-year growth of its BPM and workflow software business for the year ended December 31, 2015. The companys growth was driven by significant customer demand for its most recent generation of the ProcessMaker BPM and Workflow Platform, an award winning enterprise BPM & workflow software platform known for its ease of use, speed, and scalability. We are pleased to announce that in 2015 our subscription revenue increased by 58.7%. This continued strong growth was the result of growth in both new and existing customers and a significant increase in our average deal size. ProcessMaker signed a number of new clients with deployments in excess of 30,000 global users, explained Brian Reale, CEO of ProcessMaker. We saw particularly strong growth in our European and Asian businesses, and we are delighted that so many global brands are choosing ProcessMaker to automate their approval based business processes. ProcessMaker also experienced growth in key vertical markets led by Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals, Financial Services, Education, Manufacturing, and Telecom as clients sought to replace legacy systems as well as older generation BPM software. Additionally ProcessMaker continued to build out its indirect and channel business and received consistent growth globally from partners. ProcessMaker made significant investments in its software in 2015 showing its continued commitment to its open source and enterprise BPM platforms. The latest version of ProcessMaker now includes native apps for IOS and Android enabling ProcessMaker to deliver a seamless experience to users across desktop, tablet, and handheld devices. The latest version of ProcessMaker also delivers improved tools for enterprise customers to make it easier to manage high volumes of cases and processes on the platform. ProcessMakers pre-built template processes and built-in security model make it easy for corporate IT to automate all of their approval driven processes on a single easy to manage and easy to scale platform. Whether run in the cloud or on premise, ProcessMaker easily connects to other mission critical enterprise applications such as ERP, CRM, DMS and legacy systems via its REST API to eliminate information silos. About ProcessMaker ProcessMaker is a leading open source and cloud based Workflow and BPM software suite that makes it simple for companies to automate form-based approval driven processes and interconnect people and existing company systems. ProcessMaker is headquartered in New York and has a partner network spread across 35 countries and on five continents. Hundreds of commercial customers including many Fortune 100 companies rely on ProcessMaker to automate their processes. ProcessMaker is available in 17 different languages and has been downloaded over 1 million times. Renowned facial plastic surgeon Dr. Kyle S. Choe of the Choe Center of Virginia Beach is excited to announce his upcoming mini-seminar to be held on Tuesday, March 22, 2016, at 6pm. This is a must-see event for anyone interested in maintaining a vibrant, youthful appearance. The upcoming mini seminar will include cutting-edge information about the latest facial rejuvenation techniques, including the Liquid Facelift, Kybella, Platelet Rich Plasma, hair restoration and more. It promises to be an enlightening evening of Q&As and informative lectures. Dr. Choe is excited to discuss Kybella, a new FDA-approved, non-surgical procedure which maintains a high rate of success as a noninvasive treatment. Kybella is an excellent treatment for moderate to severe fat below the chin, otherwise known as a double chin. This simple, in-office treatment involves several minor injections into the submental fat below the chin, thereby destroying the fat cells there. Another topic up for discussion will be the Liquid Facelift, a non-surgical alternative to traditional face lift procedures. This procedure assists individuals seeking to compensate for areas of volume loss in the skin. A variety of injectables can be used to restore lost volume, eliminate many wrinkles and give the face a more youthful, rejuvenated appearance. The upcoming mini-seminar will also address the topics of hair loss and hair thinning. In recent years, hair transplantation has become a very popular and well-established treatment for hair loss that produces natural, permanent results. A technique called automated FUE hair restoration can help patients achieve results quickly with minimal invasiveness. Platelet Rich Plasma, or "PRP", has become a popular method for treating alopecia. Thinning hair affects both men and women and, unfortunately, there have been few reliable treatment options available in the past. Today, however, PRP offers an excellent solution for many patients with thinning hair. The procedure does not require surgical incisions. Dr. Choe is a renowned Virginia Beach plastic surgeon who has received specialized training in re-constructive and cosmetic surgery of the face and neck. His medical practice at The Choe Center concentrates on techniques to promote a rejuvenated appearance and reverse visible signs of aging. Originally from Tacoma, Washington, Dr. Choe studied as an undergraduate at Occidental College, where he graduated with honors. He earned his medical degree at the University of Rochester's medical college and then completed a residency in plastic surgery in Manhattan. He later underwent highly specialized training in facial plastic surgery in upstate New York. Dr. Choe is board certified by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and the American Board of Otolaryngology, and is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He has written and lectured extensively in his field. In addition to treating patients, he also participates in an international volunteer program to bring surgical reconstructive services to impoverished children and adults overseas. Due to limited available seating, guests invited to attend the upcoming March 22, 2016, mini seminar should RSVP as soon as possible to secure a seat. Prospective audience members can also reserve a seat for this free Virginia Beach event by completing an online form at https://www.choecenter.com/contact-us/seminar-registration.html The Choe Center 4400 Corporation Lane, suite 102 Virginia Beach, VA 23462 http://www.choecenter.com/ Shop Insurance Canada Partners With RDA Insurance Inc. See Your Cheapest Ontario Car Insurance Quote In 30 Seconds. We Compare Quotes From 25+ Companies Instantly! ShopInsuranceCanada.ca (Shop Insurance Canada) is proud to work with Ontario based insurance RDA Insurance, to bring its fantastic online auto insurance quoting tool to a broad range of providers in Ontario and across the country. The companys easy to use and accurate quote engine is now available through RidesharingCarInsurance, SudburyInsuranceBrokers, KnoxInsuranceBrokers and MyGenerationInsurance. Woodbridge, Ont. based RDA Insurance is constantly adapting its products to the needs of consumers, and has increasingly been expanding beyond face to face referrals, looking to the online market. The result is a partnership with Shop Insurance Canada to deliver a dynamic digital experience for prospective customers across RDAs subsidiaries. The Shop Insurance Canada quote engine is among the most useable auto insurance quoting tools online, delivering an ease of use that is unmatched. The tool is simple and accurate, using drop down menus and easy to understand criteria to find the best auto insurance premiums from over 25 of Canadas leading providers. Ride Sharing Car Insurance Canada (ridesharingcarinsurancecanada.ca) is RDA Insurances latest product, building on Aviva rideshare insurance policy to give customers in Ontario the first of its kind service. The availability of this policy means drivers working for companies such as Uber can now operate in Ontario with legal and workable insurance coverage. With the Shop Insurance Canada tool, users can find the Aviva policy that best suits their specific needs. Sudbury Insurance Brokers Sudbury Insurance Brokers (sudburyinsurancebrokers.com) offers home, car, and recreation services to customers in the Greater Sudbury area, and beyond. With Shop Insurance Canada, the Sudbury team can offer the very best insurance rates, at the lowest prices, and with the customers criteria in mind. Knox Insurance Brokers Knox Insurance Brokers (knoxinsurancebrokers.ca) serves the North Bay area and sells auto, home, and recreation insurance to customers in the region and across Northern Ontario. Like its cousin, Sudbury Insurance Brokers, the Knox office is now adapting to online marketing strategies with the Shop Insurance Canada online quote engine. My Generation Insurance My Generation Insurance (mygenerationinsurance.com) also benefits from the Shop Insurance Canada quoting tool, using the engine to offer auto insurance to a specific consumer-base. RDA Insurance understood the need for younger drivers to have a dedicated service that takes into account that the age group 23-30 pays the highest premiums in the country. My Generation Insurance works with Shop Insurance Canada to deliver the lowest possible rates, while giving young drivers a concise understanding of the industry and how they can save money. About RDA Insurance Ontario based RDA Insurance offers a range of insurance products in the province, including personal, finance, life, construction, and bond lines. Through its numerous subsidiaries the company has served customers in Canada for 30 years and offers a wealth of experience in the insurance industry. The company has been increasingly finding marketing avenues in the online world, bringing its various insurance products to even more customers. For more information, contact: Kenneth Berke (877) 444-8187 kberke(at)payqwick(dot)com CASHLESS TRANSACTIONS FOR MARIJUANA WILL BE AVAILABLE IN OREGON THANKS TO PAYQWICK PayQwick expands its business and consumer platform to Oregon SEATTLE, Wash. (March 1, 2016) PayQwick, LLC today announced that it is expanding into Oregon, providing the states recreational marijuana industry with the ability to obtain a bank account and perform cashless transactions through its compliance program and software platform. The company works with marijuana producers, processors, wholesalers and retailers, ensuring that all meet the requirements laid out in Measure 91. We are excited to bring our fully integrated payment platform to Oregon, said Kenneth Berke, CEO. With PayQwick, those in the marijuana industry can rest assured that all their funds are BSA / AML compliant and are safe for deposit. We make sure, with our Measure 91 Compliance Program, that marijuana businesses are following all the rules. This ensures their business and their bank account stays open. Given the complexities of this nascent industry, it is important that retailers, producers, processors and wholesalers understand the nuances of the rules and regulations issued by the U.S. Department of Justice. PayQwicks compliance programs help ensure that they are not subject to criminal enforcement. Each business receives quarterly onsite compliance reviews from qualified PayQwick staff. With PayQwick, payments for marijuana transactions are processed electronically, eliminating the risks inherent in storing and transporting large amounts of cash. Moreover, PayQwick provides its clients with access to FDIC insured bank accounts at normal business-banking rates. For businesses operating on the PayQwick platform, managing the ledger is simplified. Payments are transferred instantly and electronically directly between businesses e.g. from retailer to processor streamlining accounting and payment on the back end. For adult-use consumers, the PayQwick card and soon to be released smartphone app allows them to pay without using cash, and to earn rewards points that can be redeemed with the company online for swag or gift cards. PayQwick is the first and currently the only federally compliant way, besides cash, to pay for recreational marijuana for both retailers and consumers. Large amounts of cash are being exchanged between producers/processors and retailers and between consumers and the retailer, leaving the marijuana businesses with thousands of dollars a day on-site, said Berke. The money then has to be hand-delivered to a bank, which isnt safe for the person making the delivery. To date, PayQwick has over 125 retail and producer / processor partners in Washington state, with more coming on-board each month. For more information about PayQwicks expansion into Oregon, visit http://www.payqwick.com or call (877) 444-8187. # # # About PayQwick: PayQwicks mission is to bring well-established, proven payment processing, cash management and banking services to the licensed medical and adult-use (recreational) marijuana industry, thereby reducing the risk of violent crime, illegal money laundering and noncompliance with state law. Formed in 2014, PayQwick is a proprietary technology and regulatory compliance platform that sets the gold standard for providing financial services to the marijuana industry. Precision IT Our commitment to provide exceptional managed services to the SMB and enterprise markets is unwavering. This recognition reaffirms this point. We look forward to the continued success of our clients and partners in 2016 and beyond. - Marc Pantoni, CEO Precision IT Group, the company that was founded with a mission to aim higher for customers, vendors and employees, today announced it has earned recognition on The Channel Companys 2016 Managed Service Provider (MSP) 500 list in the Pioneer 250 category. This annual list recognizes North American solution providers with cutting-edge approaches to delivering managed services. Their top-notch offerings help companies navigate the complex and ever-changing landscape of IT, improve operational efficiencies, and maximize their return on IT investments. In todays fast-paced business environments, MSPs play an important role in helping companies leverage new technologies without straining their budgets or losing focus on their core business. CRNs MSP 500 list shines a light on the most forward-thinking and innovative of these key organizations. The list is divided into three categories: the MSP Pioneer 250, recognizing companies with business models weighted toward managed services and largely focused on the SMB market; the MSP Elite 150, recognizing large, data center-focused MSPs with a strong mix of on-premise and off-premise services; and the MSP Hosting Service Provider 100, recognizing MSPs focused primarily on off-premise, cloud-based services. Precision IT Groups commitment to excellence starts with continually learning from every relationship to provide the most professional support, efficient service and best-in-class technology in the industry. Precision IT provides comprehensive managed IT solutions and personal support for small to enterprise businesses to optimize their IT performance and increase their business profitability. MSPs meet a critical need in the IT market, providing customized, turnkey services that allow for predictable operational expenses, effective control of expenditures, precise allocation of limited resources and convenient access to on-demand and pay-as-you-go technology, said Robert Faletra, CEO, The Channel Company. We congratulate the service providers of the MSP 500, who continually reinvent themselves to successfully meet their customers changing needs, helping businesses get the most out of their IT investments and sharpen their competitive edge. We are honored to be named in the Pioneer 250 as part of CRNs 2016 MSP 500 list, said Marc Pantoni, CEO of Precision IT Group. Our commitment to provide exceptional managed services to the SMB and enterprise markets is unwavering and this recognition reaffirms this point. We look forward to the continued success of our clients and partners in 2016 and beyond. The MSP 500 list will be featured in the February 2016 issue of CRN and online at http://www.CRN.com/msp500. About Precision IT Group Recognized as a top 100 MSP in the country and 5 years on the Inc. 500|5000 list of fastest growing companies, Precision IT relies on less automation and more personalized service. Precision provides a wide range of expertly engineered solutions and information technology to SMB and enterprise clients. Precision IT Groups service portfolio includes managed IT services, network monitoring, project management, cloud hosting, backup and disaster recovery solutions, asset management and procurement services. Most recently, Precision IT Group has added an Advanced Security and Compliance solution offering made up of Active Threat Monitoring, Security Incident & Event Management, and Vulnerability Assessment & Remediation to assist companies in managing all of their information security needs. Precision IT spoils every customer with the personal touch of a small, devoted support team and 247 helpdesk. Because the company recruits not only masterful technical skills, but also seeks well-rounded business professionals, the sophisticated culture of the company is appreciated by clients who welcome Precision staff into their office. This symbiotic relationship between excellent corporate culture and a high level of technical skill is what makes Precision IT one of the most highly regarded and respected information technology consulting firms in the industry. Precision IT is headquartered in New York City. Learn more at http://www.precisionit.com About the Channel Company The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education, and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers and end users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequaled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. Learn more at http://www.thechannelco.com Contact Information Scott Goodger Precision IT Group sgoodger(at)precisionit(dot)com (212) 257-4460 Melanie Turpin The Channel Company (508) 416-1195 mturpin(at)thechannelco(dot)com Jim Graham, new owner of Santa Margarita Toyota hands keys to first new Toyota buyer, Beverly Curtin "We are thrilled to be adding this wonderful Toyota dealership to our family of stores," says Jim Graham . Over the past 19 years, Jim Graham's Santa Margarita Ford has earned the respect of its community, having been honored with the Ford Presidents Award for Sales and Service nine times. Because of his local communitys patronage and support, Jim has recently been awarded the local Toyota franchise by Toyota Motor Sales, USA, and is pleased to announce his acquisition of Santa Margarita Toyota, located just around the corner from his Ford location. Excited about the opportunity to increase local residents choices for auto purchases and care, Graham said, We believe being able to service over 30,000 customers in our local market makes us the luckiest automotive retailer in the world; but, we would have never accepted this opportunity if we felt it would detract from the caliber of service we have provided consistently for nearly two decades here at Santa Margarita Ford. Graham says, I want to thank all of our customers for their loyalty and we are thrilled to now offer them great local sales and service through two of Americas favorite brands known for their reliability, style, efficiency, and safety. The opening of Santa Margarita Toyota-Scion was official on March 1, 2016. Grahams goal is to earn the same esteemed reputation for his new Toyota dealership that he has earned through its sibling, Santa Margarita Ford. Graham invites all new and existing customers to visit Santa Margarita Toyota for expanded options in new and used vehicles and care. Santa Margarita Toyota is located at: 22722 Avenida Empresa, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688 Sales and Service 949-766-2000 | Parts: 949-766-2140 or visit http://www.santamargaritatoyota.com Visit California President and CEO, left, presented a 2016 Poppy Award to Visit Santa Barbara staff, from left, Noelle Buben, Kathy Janega-Dykes and JessyLynn Perkins, with VCA's Jot Condie. Visit Santa Barbara received Visit Californias Poppy Award for Best Social Media Campaign in recognition of its Brighten Your Day initiative. The awards were bestowed Feb. 23 at Visit Californias 2016 Poppy Awards & Industry Recognition Gala in Oakland, which honored excellence in tourism marketing across the state. We are delighted that Visit Californias industry awards recognized Visit Santa Barbaras Brighten Your Day campaign, Kathy Janega-Dykes, Visit Santa Barbaras president/CEO. In partnership with Sparkloft Media and MMGY Global, our marketing team created and carried out a campaign that surprised and inspired prospective visitors. Visit California, the marketing organization for travel to the state, presents Poppy Awards biennially in a contest that honors the best and brightest of California tourism promotion. Winners were selected by a panel of industry marketing experts in seven categories ranging from best overall marketing program to best digital campaign. Visit Santa Barbara, the destination marketing organization for the Santa Barbara region, was also a finalist in the category of Best Overall Marketing Program under $500,000. The Poppy Award comes on the heels of several other honors that Visit Santa Barbara has received for the Brighten Your Day marketing campaign. They include Adrian Gold Awards for Complete Advertising Campaign and for Best Social Media Campaign from the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (conferred earlier this month), as well as prestigious Destinations Council Destiny Awards for best Branding & Integrated Marketing Campaign and best Social Media Campaign from the U.S. Travel Association (awarded in August 2015). Conceived by ad agency MMGY Global for Visit Santa Barbara, the Brighten Your Day campaign was created to drive visitation from residents of cold-weather states in the off-season months, November through March. Sparkloft Media managed the social media component of the Brighten Your Day campaign. As a result of the social media campaign, Santa Barbara saw website visit increases ranging from more than 50 percent in Portland, Ore., to 20+ percent in Denver. Overall, the campaign reached 7.14 million users, with more than 1,200 competition entries, and total campaign engagement came in at 36,222 the most engagement Visit Santa Barbaras social media channels have seen to date from a campaign. ABOUT VISIT SANTA BARBARA Visit Santa Barbara is a nonprofit 501(c)(6) organization jointly funded by the City of Santa Barbara, the County of Santa Barbara, the South Coast Tourism Business Improvement District and by a membership of hospitality-related businesses. The primary mission of Visit Santa Barbara is to enhance the economies of the City of Santa Barbara, South Coast communities and Santa Barbara County areas through tourism marketing that increases business revenue, tax revenue and creates jobs. Annual spending by travelers to the South Coast totals more than $1.5 billion, supporting more than 12,000 jobs and generating more than $45 million in yearly tax revenues, according to Destination Analysts, a tourism market research firm. ### PHOTOS/VIDEO A high-res photo from the Poppy Awards is attached. Photo caption: Visit California President and CEO, left, presented a 2016 Poppy Award to Visit Santa Barbara staff, from left, Noelle Buben, Kathy Janega-Dykes and JessyLynn Perkins with Visit Californias Vice Chair of Operations, Jot Condie. Credit: Courtesy of Visit Santa Barbara. Very brief video clip featuring Visit Santa Barbara appears at 3:17: http://bit.ly/1ne1C8L For additional images and information, contact PR(at)santabarbaraca(dot)com Performance Exhaust System The 2016 Maxima offers reduced cabin noise on par with leading luxury brands. For owners looking to enhance the engine note both inside and out, STILLEN offers an axle-back exhaust system to loosen the muzzle a little while offering a bump in horsepower and torque numbers. STILLEN knows style is important to Maxima owners, so the exhaust system is finished with 4-inch angle cut, dual wall, tapered exhaust tips. They fill the factory exhaust cutouts nicely, delivering an aggressive look that matches the enhanced exhaust note. The STILLEN axle-back exhaust system is constructed from 304 stainless steel to last through all weather conditions for years to come. STILLEN confidently offers a limited lifetime warranty against rust-through and manufacturer defects. Cold Air Intake System The STILLEN cold air intake system is the perfect partner for the axle-back exhaust system. It offers performance gains in the 8-10 horsepower range across the entire powerband. Like the exhaust system, the ram air intake amplifies the engine note just enough to add a sporty edge to the lux interior environment. The intake retains the factory intake tract which leads into the STILLEN polyurethane air chamber, ensuring the coldest possible air reaches the engine. A sleek, polished aluminum intake tube adds to the look and durability of the unit. A genuine K & N high flow air filter ensures the Nissan VQ35 3.5-liter V-6 engine breathes cleanly and freely. Body Styling Products For Maxima owners looking to personalize their ride with some subtly aggressive exterior cues, STILLEN offers high quality body styling products. Constructed of durable polyurethane and protected by a limited lifetime warranty, theyre easy to install and offer precision fit and finish. All STILLEN polyurethane body styling products include genuine 3M auto trim tape and installation instructions. Roof Wing Spoiler: For owners looking to enhance the Maxima roof line and improve aerodynamics, STILLEN offers a high quality polyurethane roof wing spoiler. Engineered and constructed for precise fit, the roof wing is available either unfinished or painted matte black. Front Lip Splitter: The 2016 Maxima features bold new styling cues that underscore its sport sedan positioning. STILLEN designers created a suitably aggressive front lip/splitter that complements the natural lines of the front bumper while adding a subtle edge. STILLEN front lip splitters also increase down-force on the front wheels and increase airflow through the radiator and heat exchanger. The 2016 Nissan Maxima front lip splitter comes painted matte black, and can also be custom painted by any quality body shop. Rear Diffuser: The STILLEN Rear Diffuser adds some low-down aggressive styling to the rear end of the Maxima. STILLEN designers realized the stock Maxima backside looked rounded and soft compared to the angular front end. They created a muscular diffuser that is much more cohesive with overall vehicle styling cues. Once installed, the STILLEN diffuser wakes up the angular taillight design and covers up the stock exhaust cans for a more finished look. Engineered and constructed for precise fit, the rear diffuser is available either unfinished or painted matte black. The 2016 Maxima performance and styling products are proudly Made in the USA by expert craftsmen at the STILLEN facility in Costa Mesa, California The topic is especially important and Sqrrl is a clear leader in the threat hunting platform market. The combination of trained threat hunters and the Sqrrl platform makes for a dangerous combination to any would-be attacker." Sqrrl, the industry-leading cyber threat hunting company, has partnered with the SANS Institute to release a seminal white paper on cyber threat hunting. The paper is written by Robert M. Lee, a SANS Institute certified instructor, and Rob Lee, the curriculum lead for and author for digital forensic and incident response training at the SANS Institute. It explains what threat hunting is (and what it is not), why it is needed, when threat hunting is appropriate, where it fits into maturity efforts, how to get started and who should do the hunting. "It was exciting to publish a paper specifically on threat hunting sponsored by Sqrrl, says Robert M. Lee. The topic is especially important and Sqrrl is a clear leader in the threat hunting platform market. The combination of trained threat hunters and the Sqrrl platform makes for a dangerous combination to any would-be attacker." Sqrrl is the security analytics company that enables organizations to target, hunt, and disrupt advanced cyber threats. Sqrrl finds threats that traditional detection tools miss, because it focuses on uncovering an adversarys Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs) instead of relying solely on simple indicators of compromise. Over the last year, Sqrrl has pioneered threat hunting concepts and techniques and has been recognized as the first pure play threat hunting platform by SC Magazine. A lot of organizations are interested in hunting, but are unsure how to do it or where to start, says Sqrrl lead security technologist, David Bianco. This paper should help answer a lot of the common questions and help encourage organizations to get started at whatever hunting level is appropriate for their needs and resources." Sqrrl is demonstrating its hunting platform this week at the RSA Conference at Booth #N4705. About Sqrrl: Sqrrl is the security analytics company that enables organizations to target, hunt, and disrupt advanced cyber threats. Sqrrls industry-leading threat detection and response platform unites threat hunting, behavioral analytics, and incident investigation capabilities in an integrated solution. Sqrrls unique platform approach enables security analysts to discover threats faster and reduces the time and resources required to investigate them. Learn more at http://sqrrl.com/. Thierry Truche, Global Head of Product Management, Misys FusionRisk "Our solution provides a holistic risk management packaged framework to optimise the allocation of the capital and can be easily deployed to meet the deadline.", Thierry Truche, Global Head of Product Management, Misys FusionRisk. Misys, the leading financial software company, announced today that it has launched a new packaged solution to help banks comply with the Basel Committees Standardised Approach for Counterparty Credit Risk (SA-CCR). Misys FusionRisk SA-CCR is a real-time solution that will help banks achieve a consistent and compliant risk policy for derivative counterparty exposures. This is accomplished by allowing a bank to apply the same risk methodology across capital reporting and internal risk limits management. It will hold all the supervisory data required by the regulation, mapping trade information and capturing all asset classes, right netting sets, collateral and margin agreements. Driven out of the Basel Committee, SA-CCR is a regulation focused on counterparty credit risk exposure associated with OTC derivatives, exchange-traded derivatives and long or dated settlement transactions. The regulator has asked the framework to be changed by 1st January 2017, when SA-CCR will replace the Current Exposure Method (CEM) and the standardised method (SM) in the Basel capital adequacy framework. The regulation will require more data inputs, calculation challenges and granular drill-downs across business lines than before. The Misys solution has been built with these changes in mind, and with an easy and quick implementation process. The solution is built on the SA-CCR (BCBS 279) specifications and can run exposures in parallel with old and new calculation methods for a smooth transition to the new regulations. Risk managers can analyse and drill down to different levels of exposure and limits in an easy to use and flexible dashboard. The SA-CCR Exposure at Default (EaD) computations are available for all further accounting and regulatory computations such as Risk Weighted Assets, IFRS 13, Credit Value Adjustments (CVA) and others. With full transparency of the calculation methodologies and flexibility to adapt to local regulations, banks are in control at all times and can centrally modify regulatory parameters should the need arise. Thierry Truche, Global Head of Product Management, Misys FusionRisk, adds: Regulators are pressing banks to cope urgently with the new Counterparty Credit Risk methodologies. Speed of implementation is critical, consistency with limit management vital and flexibility will be key as further modifications of the methodologies at country level have to be expected. Our solution provides a holistic risk management packaged framework to optimise the allocation of the capital and can be easily deployed to meet the deadline. Misys FusionRisk offers a rapid route to compliance, with a unique solution that combines credit, market and liquidity risk and supports assessment of regulatory capital, calculation of liquidity coverage ratios and stress testing. -Ends- Nicola Hamilton Senior Director Communications T: +44 (0)20 3320 5021 E: nicola.hamilton(at)misys(dot)com http://www.misys.com About Misys Misys is at the forefront of the financial software industry, providing the broadest portfolio of banking, capital markets, investment management and risk solutions available on the market. With more than 2,000 customers in 130 countries our team of domain experts, combined with our partner eco-system, have an unparalleled ability to address industry requirements at both a global and local level. We connect systems, collect data and create intelligent information to drive smarter business decisions. To learn more about how our Fusion software portfolio can deliver a holistic view of your operations, and help you to solve your most complex challenges, please visit http://www.misys.com and follow @MisysFS on Twitter. Having passionate, qualified developers in-house to develop our clients important projects, is just another benefit that further separates Wood Street from other agencies.Derek Jubach, Wood Street Partner Wood Street is pleased to announce that Zach Rice, website developer for Wood Street, has become a Zend Certified PHP Engineer. Here is a bit from Zend on what this means Zend PHP Certification is an industry-wide standard that recognizes PHP expertise and is a measure of distinction that employers use to evaluate prospective employees. Join the thousands of PHP professionals who have received official certifications and be recognized for your PHP expertise. We are currently offering the Zend Certified PHP Engineer Certification based on PHP 5.5. Since joining Wood Street, Zach has been working hard to improve his skillset and learn new techniques. This is part of the Wood Street culture. We believe that everyone, our partners, team, and clients, should always be learning and progressing their knowledge base. This certification further illustrates that Wood Street is made up of a team of professionals who take this work seriously. Were actively keeping up with industry standards and security best practices so that we can be advocates for our clients and their interests. Were passionate about performing at the highest level possible. Zach is a perfect fit for our team. The development teams manager and Wood Street Partner, Derek Jubach had this to say about Zachs achievement By completing the Zend Certified PHP Engineer certification, Zach has demonstrated an in-depth and expert level knowledge of PHP development best practices and security. Having passionate, qualified developers in-house to develop our clients important projects, is just another benefit that further separates Wood Street from other agencies. Choosing a design and development firm with competent, certified engineers and developers should be at the top of any companys list. About Wood Street Wood Street is a web design and development firm offering services that range from web and interactive development to traditional print and internet marketing solutions. Serving clients from across Maryland, Northern Virginia, D.C., nationwide and now globally, Wood Street provides high-end design and development solutions that help businesses stand out and succeed. http://www.woodst.com. Revgear University Martial Arts Conference At Revgear University you dont just listen to presenters speak about techniques in a conference room, you train and sweat along with them. It is a chance for owners and instructors to become students again and learn from the best. - Paul Reavlin Revgear Universitys Revolution, an International Martial Arts Professionals Conference, will return to San Antonio for the third time. Revolution International Martial Arts Professionals Conference is scheduled for August 4th - 7th, 2016 at the one-of-a-kind 60,000 square foot STW Krav Maga training center. Revgear University martial arts conference features exclusive instructors with curriculum from world renowned leaders in their fields including experts in business, marketing, sales and social media masters. Names like Dave Kovar, Bill Clark, Greg Silva, Mark DellaGrotte, Erik Paulson, and more. Attendees include fitness and martial arts gym owners, martial arts instructors, program directors, and students from around the world. Each year Revgear University is the place where these attendees get educated, certified, inspired, and recharged. Revgear Universitys Revolution is the only martial arts show to feature hands-on physical training seminars, certifications, and business curriculums taught by some of the most successful people in the martial arts industry today. The 2016 event begins on Thursday August 4th with the Kali4Kids certification and continuing education taught by Apolo Ladra and Chris Nott as well as Kettlebell Certification with American Master of The Russian Kettlebell Steve Maxwell and StrikeFit Certification with John Whitman. Friday August 5th will feature seminars with elite celebrity trainer and Hollywood star Mark DellaGrotte along with the first American to win the World Light-Heavyweight Shooto Title in Japan, Erik Paulson. Friday evening will feature an attendee reception with featured guest speakers. The Revolution weekend begins on Saturday August 6th and continues into Sunday August 7th with a full-schedule to be published at a later date featuring presenters including 8th Degree BJJ Blackbelt Pedro Sauer, Martial Arts Business Master and Black Belt Dave Kovar, Chief Master Bill Clark, Martial Arts Business Mentor Paul Garcia, STWs Pete Hardy, Social Media Expert Jordan McCreery, United Professionals Greg Silva, Best-Selling Author Erik Charles, Founder of Revgear Paul Reavlin, Fit to Fights Ryan Hoover, UFC Veteran Matt Brown, and more. Revgear University began as a vision of Paul Reavlin. Mr. Reavlin has spent most of his life in the Martial Arts community and is a Krav Maga Black Belt. He is also the founder of Revgear. Revgear is a leading manufacturer of martial arts supplies and apparel since 1996. As a martial artist myself I wanted to put together an event that was interactive and training based accompanied with business tools that countless school owners had told me they were looking for. At Revgear University you dont just listen to presenters speak about techniques in a conference room, you train and sweat along with them. It is a chance for owners and instructors to become students again and learn from the best. Reavlin continued, The feedback we have gotten from past attendees has truly been life-changing for their businesses and their families. When I started Revgear University I not only wanted it to be something different, but I wanted it to be something that could directly benefit attendees with their schools and we can confidently say we are doing that with each and every event we hold. Revgear University Revolution International Martial Arts Professionals Conference will provide attendees with drills and skills they are able to immediately implement upon return to their schools and academies. Physical training combined with the new business tactics, social media training, and strategies learned will immediately increase membership and improve member retention. Learn More & Register Now for Revgear University Revolution at http://www.RevgearUniversity. These eye-opening findings should serve as a wake-up call to the industrywe must truly understand Millennials lifestyles, attitudes, and needs in order to successfully compete in the future. A new study, from market research and consulting firm Chadwick Martin Bailey (CMB) and venture capital firm Foundation Capital, explores Millennial attitudes and behaviors toward banking and finance. Key takeaways include: Millennials are not a homogeneous group. Researchers conducted a segmentation of Millennials, revealing five distinct personas with varied brand preferences, attitudes, and behaviors (Success Driven Savers, Precarious Passives, Ambitious Adopters, Delayed Dreamers, and Fiscal Futurists). High-value segments (Ambitious Adopters and Financial Futurists) are eager for financial success, while others (Delayed Dreamers) are drowning in debt and student loans. Most Millennials still use traditional financial products and services. Just over a third of Ambitious Adopters and Financial Futuriststhe most forward-looking of the segmentssay theyre open to non-traditional financial services. However, Millennials overall have the same primary banking products as older generations, with the exception of more student loans, more debit cards, and fewer mortgages, money market accounts, and CDs. Millennials place considerable importance on finance apps and tools. Asked which apps and tools they could not live without, Millennials mention financial tools and apps (30%) at the same rate as apps used for texting and messaging (29%). Millennials are redefining banking, says study co-author and CMB Account Executive Lori Vellucci. While they still use many of the same traditional banking institutions as non-Millennials, roughly eight in ten Millennials are using online-only banking, payment, and investing resources like Venmo, Mint, and Apple Pay. Of particular note, they are twice as likely to be very open to the idea of banking and investing with entities they trust outside of the banking world, like Facebook and Google. These eye-opening findings should serve as a wake-up call to the industrywe must truly understand Millennials lifestyles, attitudes, and needs in order to successfully compete in the future. About This Research This study was done as part of CMBs self-funded Consumer Pulse program. A report with additional findings from this study is available as a free download from Chadwick Martin Bailey. Data was collected through research panel Research Now. Sample consisted of 1,055 Millennials (aged 21-30) with a minimum income of $25,000 and a minimum household income of $50,000 and a comparative sample of 422 Non-Millennials. Data are weighted to reflect Census distributions on age and gender. The survey was conducted by Chadwick Martin Bailey and Foundation Capital in the fall of 2015. About Chadwick Martin Bailey CMB is an AMA Gold Top 50 market research and consulting firm partnering with a select group of the worlds leading brands to deliver critical insights for confident, strategic decision-making. CMB collaborates on game-changing initiatives, including brand health & positioning, customer journey & loyalty, market strategy, and growth & innovation. Learn more here. About Foundation Capital Foundation Capital is a venture capital firm dedicated to the proposition that one entrepreneur's idea, with the right support, can become a business that changes the world. The company is made up of former entrepreneurs who set out to create the firm they wanted as founders. This forward-thinking team of VCs has helped companies like Lending Club change the way money is lent and borrowed, Sunrun reinvent the residential clean energy market, and Netflix revolutionize media distribution and consumption, among many others. Foundation Capital is currently invested in more than 60 high-growth ventures in the areas of consumer, information technology, software, digital energy, financial technology, and marketing technology. Learn more here. Grizzlies emerge from hibernation in Yellowstone National Park with Wildlife Expeditions skilled biologists leading groups to prime viewing spots. Photo by Paul Brown. Spring is a fantastic time of year to see the parks without the crowds The bears are active and in search of food. What better way to celebrate the National Park Service, which turns 100 this year, than with an ultimate U.S. safari through Yellowstone National Parks remarkable backcountry wildlife habitat known as Americas Serengeti. Wildlife Expeditions of Teton Science Schools leads guests on an exciting spring adventure with the parks famous carnivores showing a softer, familial side as bears emerge from hibernation with cubs in tow and wolves actively seek food for playful pups. Wildlife Expeditions three-day Spring Wolves & Bears Expedition travels through Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks, offering a wild insiders experience of these elusive animals playing parent. An action-packed tour that takes visitors through Yellowstones wildlife-rich Lamar and Hayden valleys with an experienced biologist guide, the Spring Wolves & Bears Expedition is available on select dates April 20 June 7, 2016, with guests traveling comfortably in specially customized Mercedes Sprinter safari vehicles, starting from and finishing in Jackson Hole, Wyo. Rates for 2016 are $1,450/person. Along with seeking the famed wolves and bears included in the rare category of mammals known to biologists as charismatic mega-fauna expedition guests can look forward to spotting bison, pronghorn, elk, moose, deer and foxes, as well as a variety of birds including Bald Eagles and Trumpeter Swans, all potentially with offspring. Tours are led by biologists with a deep knowledge of the area, able to convey its rich history and complex ecology, and known for their expertise in finding the elusive animals. Spring is a fantastic time of year to see the parks without the crowds, and the newly born bison, elk and pronghorn can be visible in the valleys. The bears are active and in search of food sources so we often see a lot of bear activity as well, says Kevin Taylor, Teton Science Schools Faculty and Senior Biologist. Wildlife Expeditions Spring Wolves & Bears Expedition travels through Grand Teton National Park and into Yellowstone National Park, delving into Yellowstones Lamar and Hayden valleys, known for their abundance of wildlife, and providing the opportunity to see iconic Yellowstone highlights, which may include Old Faithful, Mammoth Hot Springs, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and the lower falls of the Yellowstone River. Overnights during the trip are in Cooke City, Mont., for quick access to the park during dawn and dusk, the best times to view wildlife in their natural habitat. This video provides a preview of the expedition, and a sample itinerary is available here. The comfort of guests and customer service remain a focus of all Wildlife Expeditions trips, with multi-day tours including in addition to the Mercedes safari vehicle with roof hatches for easy viewing regular breaks, beverages and meals, high-quality binoculars and spotting scopes, field guidebooks, two nights lodging near the park, National Parks entrance fees, souvenir water bottles and kid activity packs on request. About Wildlife Expeditions of Teton Science Schools: Wildlife Expeditions of Teton Science Schools has a well-earned reputation of leading exceptional safari tours and locating wild animals in the wilderness in and around Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. As Jackson Hole, Wyoming's premier and original safari provider, Wildlife Expeditions offers family-friendly educational tours year-round in a stunning natural environment. The wildlife tour company was recently featured in Conde Nast Traveler magazine and named one of 10 Amazing Adventures worldwide by USA Today. For more information or to book a Wildlife Expeditions tour, visit http://www.tetonscience.org/wildlife-expeditions/home. Media Contact: Amy Stark, WordenGroup Public Relations, amy(at)wordenpr(dot)com 307.734.5335 Kristen Taekman on Travel Savvy TV Travel Savvy TV, dedicated to bringing destinations to life through interviews with in-the-know locals, released two new episodes to their dedicated Travel Savvy TV channel, featuring model and entrepreneur Kristen Taekman as well as Cereal Killer Cafe co-founder Alan Keery. In her Travel Savvy TV episode, model Kristen Taekman shares her family friendly picks in New York City. Taekman, who lives in downtown Manhattan with her two young kids and husband Josh, provides a peek into her life as a model, mommy, and entrepreneur. With beautifully landscaped parks, world-class burger restaurants like Shake Shack, and interesting museums within blocks from home, keeping the kids entertained in the Big Apple is a cinch. We really enjoyed meeting Kristen in our studio, says Paula Keung, Editor-in-Chief of Travel Savvy. Shes a fellow mom and an entrepreneur, and her fun-loving approach to fast-paced family life in New York City really shines through in her episode. Episodes featuring Taekmans Big Apple Beauty Finds and Key West Living will be released at a later date on Travel Savvy TV. Along with motherhood and modeling, Taekman also recently launched makeup line Pop of Color, available exclusively at Rickys NYC. Also released this week is an episode with Cereal Killer Cafes co-founder, Alan Keery. London is filled with hard-to-find gems that locals like Alan know all about. Rather than wander around aimlessly when youre in town, head directly to Old Spitalfields, the hip Shoreditch market that is one of Keerys favorites, where you can shop, eat, and browse interesting trends in pop culture. Watch Four Fab Places In London on Travel Savvy TV for more. Alan and his Cereal Killer co-owner, brother Gary, recently published a cookbook of the same name as their nostalgia cafe. The videos are shot and produced in partnership with Chatty Cat Productions, a full-service video company based in New York, Los Angeles, and Miami. ABOUT TRAVEL SAVVY and TRAVEL SAVVY TV Travel Savvy is a travel media company that is wholly owned by 495 Communications. Travel Savvy was originally a newsstand-based magazine that was transitioned to a tablet-based platform in 2010. Since 2014, the brand has also added video production to the distribution channels, and currently delivers millions of views daily across multiple platforms. Travel Savvy currently produces two original series: We Hear, dedicated to reporting News, Notes, and Deals from the Travel Industry, and the eponymous Travel Savvy TV, which brings destinations to life through interviews with in-the-know locals. ABOUT 495 COMMUNICATIONS 495 Communications is dedicated to providing the best digital video advertising products on the market. From programmatic network offerings to videos and pre-roll creative production, 495 Communications services todays ever expanding video marketplace. 495 Communications has offices in New York, Santa Monica, and San Francisco. Visit http://www.495communications.com for more information. ABOUT CHATTY CAT PRODUCTIONS Chatty Cat Productions is a full service video production company headquartered in New York CIty, with satellite offices in Los Angeles and Miami. Chatty Cat Productions is committed to bringing creative, quality content to digital brands looking to increase their influence in the quickly growing video market. With years of experience working with a variety of high-profile brands, Chatty Cat Productions offers superb production value to their growing list of clients. Visit http://www.chattycatproductions.com for more information. Celebrating 25 Years of Arts Support We need to raise a generation of people who are unafraid to question, to think, and to create boldly. Brooklyn Arts Exchange (BAX) http://www.BAX.org Celebrates 25 years with the launch of a new initiative: The Dani Nikas Opportunity Fund to double the annual scholarship support to the Brooklyn and New York City arts community in 2016! In 1991 Marya Warshaw started BAX with a dream that there could be a space in Brooklyn that would be a haven for artists at all stages in their development. Ms. Warshaws belief is that no matter at what moment in ones creative life, from a three-year-old taking their first dance class, to a seasoned veteran of the performing arts, all are inspired by gathering in one space. Entering into 2016, BAX, a space that began with a dream is now celebrating 25 years! BAX is an arts center where students can learn from some of the most accomplished working theater and dance artists in New York. BAX is development incubator and performance venue for professional dance, theater, and performance artists who need the space to try and fail and try again as they develop risky and daring work and ask the difficult questions. A place for discussion about the things that impact our daily lives as artists and people, BAX helps define the brilliance of brilliant artists who arent so easily defined because they are ground breakers just as BAX is a ground breaking organization. BAX envisions the needs and offers support to these artists before the artists themselves even realize what kind of support their work needs. Dani Athena Nikas was born in Long Beach CA and grew up there and in NJ/ She received her MFA in Dance from SLC. Her work was presented in NYC at DIA Center for the Arts, the Ohio Theater, NYU, Movement research and BAX among others. She was in residence at The yard in Martha's Vineyard in 1996/1996. Dani formed her own company in 1990. Nikas taught for over 20 years including at BAX, NYC public schools and Te Dalton School. She was the Director of BAX's Young People's performing Workshop (now called Dance Performing Workshop). Before Dani Nikas passed in 2001 after a long battle with cancer, she instilled the values of generosity, artistic excellence and creative risk that BAX still holds dear on to thousands of students. In her name, the Dani Nikas Fund launched January 1, 2016 has already raised just over thirty five thousand dollars ($35,000) toward its hundred thousand dollar ($100,000) goal to continue her legacy in providing scholarship support to the citys arts community. We need to raise a generation of people who are unafraid to question, to think, and to create boldlycitizens of the world who arent afraid to ask tough questions about race, class, gender, identity, justice, and the status quo. And we need them to do so with understanding, with complexity, with openness, and with love. That is what drives us all at BAX, Marya Warshaw, Founder and Executive Director, BAX. Most recently, February 16, 2016, it was announced that BAX received funding from prestigious The Doris Duke Charitable http://www.ddcf.org Foundation for additional programming initiatives. For more information visit http://www.BAX.org and/or publicist Fran Kirmser fran(at)frankirmser(dot)com 212 554 3431. The next chapter of the DSCI story starts today, and its all about joining a new family. TelePacific Communications, a leading provider of managed services and business communications solutions, announces a definitive agreement to acquire DSCI. The transaction unites two highly successful regional companies to create the nations premier managed services provider, possessing a unique combination of local presence and a coast-to-coast footprint. Both DSCI and TelePacific offer an evolving suite of network services, paired with a shared DNA of industry-leading personalized customer service. With this merger, DSCIs unified communications and managed IT services will become key elements in the comprehensive portfolio of continuity, cloud and connectivity solutions TelePacific already brings to its more than 35,000 business customers. The company focuses on delivering communications solutions to medium and enterprise businesses, particularly those with multi-location needs. Moving forward, all current DSCI customers will continue to receive the same services they do today, and they will continue to work with the DSCI team. They will also be able to take advantage of TelePacifics remarkable Ethernet Ecosystem and its deep and broad set of continuity solutions, managed security services, network resources and SSAE-16 datacenters. DSCI will continue to operate under its own name as a TelePacific company, and it will remain under the leadership of its senior management team, headed by DSCI President & CEO Sean Dandley. TelePacific is committed to maintaining and growing the DSCI team to meet the rapidly evolving needs of enterprise customers, expanding the companys reach across the East Coast. TelePacific is currently one of the premier service providers for businesses in California, Nevada and Texas. Mr. Dandley noted, Since the first meeting with TelePacific, its been clear that there is a very strong cultural alignment between our companies. We both believe that the most critical component of our success is an unwavering focus on the customer. TelePacific is impressed with the level of excellence across all of DSCI, and theyre committed to helping us grow and thrive even more. Bringing DSCIs industry-leading technology and passion for serving customers into TelePacific makes incredible sense, says Dick Jalkut, President and CEO of TelePacific. Weve both worked to build sterling reputations for customer care and service, married to leading-edge technology that enables businesses to focus on growing their bottom lines instead of managing their infrastructures. We were looking to bring hosted PBX in-house but found something much more valuable. DSCI is a leader in unified communications and managed IT that help remove the constraints of geography, technology and CAPEX that can hobble business growth. Were tremendously excited by the complementary nature of our businesses and shared values. We fill in each others gaps and see enormous opportunities for growth that our combined resources open up on an expanded national stage. Closing of the transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals. Nichols and Zesch open new North American Title Co. office in Lakewood market We are pleased North American Title will now be part of this neighborhood. We are even more pleased to welcome Susie Nichols and Patty Zesch to open this office as well as to work with Jeff Fielder. North American Title Co. (NATC) has joined the neighborhood of Lakewood in East Dallas, opening a new office at 6301 Gaston Ave. at La Vista. Title industry veterans Susie Nichols and Patty Zesch have moved to NATC to open this new location. They will be joined by Escrow Officer Jeff Fielder. Lakewood is such a unique, beautiful neighborhood just west of White Rock Lake, with homes boasting impressive Tudor, Craftsman and Spanish architecture dating from the 1920s and 1930s, said Scott Moize, NATC Dallas-Fort Worth division manager. It has been a desirable location for many years for buyers who are looking for an easy commute and top-notch neighborhood maintenance. We are pleased our office will now be part of this neighborhood, a location for buyers, sellers and their real estate agents to close on their home acquisition or sale, added Moize. And we are even more pleased to welcome Susie Nichols and Patty Zesch to open this office, and to work with Jeff, who is also well known in the East Dallas market. Nichols and Zesch both come to NAT from a national title company. Nichols, the offices managing escrow officer, began her title industry career in 1992 and has worked in the Lakewood area since 1998 for two local affiliates of large national title companies. She also was on the board of the East Dallas Development Center from 2002 to 2008, serving as secretary, vice president and finally as president. I moved to North American Title because of the companys culture, in that it provides the support system that offers the resources I need to be truly effective for my customers, said Nichols. The opportunity to work with a company that understands what makes Lakewood special and could bring that superior service to the neighborhood was something I did not want to pass up. Zesch, a veteran business consultant, has worked in the title industry since 1996. Zesch is a graduate of the Texas Real Estate Leadership Program, a member of the MetroTex Association of Realtors and a former board member of the Greater East Dallas Chamber of Commerce. The new Lakewood office is located at 6301 Gaston Ave., Suite 150, Dallas, TX 75214, telephone number (214) 845-4090. About North American Title With well over 1,000 associates and a vast network of branches from coast to coast, North American Title (NAT) is among the largest real estate settlement service providers in the United States. Consisting of both agent and underwriter operations, NAT reported annual net revenues in fiscal 2014 of $189 million. The company also has the resources and stability of a wholly owned subsidiary of an S&P 500 company with over $12.9 billion in assets (fiscal quarter ending Nov. 30, 2014). North American Titles agency network operates nationally under the name North American Title Co. (NATC), and is located in 18 of the fastest-growing states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Washington, D.C. Through our relationship with our expanding affiliate network, NATC provides real estate settlement services in all 50 states. NAT is headquartered in Miami, Florida. To learn more, visit http://www.nat.com Ross A. Clevens, MD, FACS Ross A. Clevens, MD, FACS, is now accepting applications from men and women to participate in a free clinical study of hair loss treatment using Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) a plasma gel created using a patients own blood that is enriched with growth factors to stimulate healing. Dr. Clevens was tapped by two national organizations to oversee a host site for the study, which seeks to determine whether PRP can be used to treat male and female pattern hair loss. Dr. Clevens is an internationally recognized pioneer in the use of PRP. Since 2001, he has utilized PRP to speed healing, minimize downtime and optimize results for patients in his facial plastic surgery practice. In 2014, Dr. Clevens was the only American doctor invited to speak at the Biobridge Regeneration International Conference in Venice, Italy to share his expertise on PRP with other physicians and scientists. Clevens Face and Body Specialists will be conducting the PRP study at its Melbourne office. Treatment is complimentary for those accepted. Eligible participants should be between the ages of 18 and 55, in overall good health and able to attend all study visits. For proper evaluation, a similar hairstyle must be maintained until the end of the trial period. A clinical diagnosis of Androgenic Alopecia is required prior to acceptance. Androgenic Alopecia (AGA), sometimes referred to as male pattern baldness, is a common condition seen in both men and women. More than 3 million cases of AGA are diagnosed every year in the United States. The most notable signs of AGA include thinning at the crown, a receding hairline and loss of hair along the hair-part. Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) is an exciting non-surgical therapeutic option to stimulate hair growth. PRP is derived from mesenchymal stem cells, extracted from the blood. Rich in essential growth factors, these stem cells are shown to stimulate tissue regeneration and speed healing. Previous trials have proven PRP to provide a safe and effective improvement for hair loss across a broad range of patients. Educated at Yale, Harvard, and the University of Michigan, Dr. Clevens is a fellowship trained cosmetic and reconstructive facial plastic surgeon. He is board certified by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Dr. Clevens has 20 years of experience in surgical and noninvasive cosmetic procedures. Based in Melbourne with offices in Merritt Island and Vero Beach, Clevens Face and Body Specialists offers Cosmetic & Reconstructive Facial Plastic Surgery, Breast & Body Plastic Surgery, NeoGraft Permanent Hair Restoration for Men & Women, Injectables & Fillers, Laser Treatments, Laser Hair Removal, Skin Cancer Care and Medical-Grade Skin Care. Patients interested in participating in the PRP Hair Loss Study are invited to apply online at http://www.drclevens.com/hairstudy. Contact: Clevens Face and Body Specialists 707 W. Eau Gallie Blvd. Melbourne, Fla. 32935 321.727.3223 http://www.drclevens.com More than 500 business, civic and education leaders from across California are expected to attend the inaugural UNCF Mayors Masked Ball in Los Angeles on March 11. The event, hosted by UNCF Los Angeles Leadership council and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, will help provide area students the resources to get to and through college. "The commitment of Mayor Garcetti in investing in Better Futures is commendable, said Dr. Michael L. Lomax, UNCF president and CEO. UNCF is proud of this partnership that raises awareness and brings us together with stakeholders whose commitment is critical in our work in supporting students to make it to and through college." Carl Ballton, retired president of Union Bank Foundation and Helen Easterling Williams, EdD, dean and professor of education, Pepperdine University will be recognized with the UNCF Masked Award in Los Angeles for their dedication and support of UNCFs work. I am so proud to be a part of the UNCF legacy and am thrilled to honor two amazing leaders that have made a tremendous impact in our communities, said Dana Goland, regional development director. In the last 5 years, since we hosted our first Masked Ball, we have invested more than $2m in the education of local students in the Greater Los Angeles area. Chris Schauble, KTLA 5 News co-anchor, will be master of ceremonies at the ball, which begins at 6 p.m. at the J.W. Marriott. Award winning artist, Chante Moore, will headline the event that features a live auction, elegant dining, and dancing. For more information and sponsorship opportunities, please visit: Uncf.org/losangelesmmb Follow this event on social media: @uncf #MMBLA #UNCF AboutUNCF UNCF (United Negro College Fund) is the nation's largest and most effective minority education organization. To serve youth, the community and the nation, UNCF supports students' education and development through scholarships and other programs, strengthens its 37 member colleges and universities, and advocates for the importance of minority education and college readiness. UNCF institutions and other historically black colleges and universities are highly effective, awarding nearly 20 percent of African American baccalaureate degrees. UNCF awards more than $100 million in scholarships annually and administers more than 400 programs, including scholarship, internship and fellowship, mentoring, summer enrichment, and curriculum and faculty development programs. Its logo features the UNCF torch of leadership in education and its widely recognized motto, "A mind is a terrible thing to waste, but a wonderful thing to invest in." Today, UNCF supports more than 60,000 students at more than 1,100 colleges and universities. Learn more at UNCF.org, or for continuous news and updates, follow UNCF on Twitter @UNCF. Olivier Toubia, Cornerstone Research Cornerstone Research, a leading provider of economic and financial consulting and expert testimony, announced today that Professor Olivier Toubia has affiliated with the firm. He is the Glaubinger Professor of Business at the Columbia Business School of Columbia University. Olivier has established a reputation as a key expert on consumer decision making and preference measurement, using conjoint analysis and other advanced statistical methods, said Cornerstone Research President and CEO Michael E. Burton. He contributes enormously to our clients matters requiring expertise on cutting-edge marketing research techniques. Professor Toubia has served as an expert witness and has testified in deposition and in arbitration. He designs and conducts consumer perception and conjoint surveys and uses text-mining techniques. Professor Toubia researches product innovation, marketing research methods, preference measurement, and behavioral economics. He focuses on a variety of products and industries, including high-technology devices such as smartphones; and on consumer packaged goods, medical equipment, and social networks. His research has twice won the John D.C. Little Award for best marketing paper from the INFORMS Society for Marketing Science, and he has been named several times as a finalist for its Long Term Impact Award. He is an associate editor of Management Science, Marketing Science, Operations Research, and the Journal of Consumer Research. About Cornerstone Research Cornerstone Research provides economic and financial consulting and expert testimony in all phases of complex litigation and regulatory proceedings. The firm works with an extensive network of prominent faculty and industry practitioners to identify the best-qualified expert for each assignment. Cornerstone Research has earned a reputation for consistent high quality and effectiveness by delivering rigorous, state-of-the-art analysis for over 25 years. The firm has 600 staff and offices in Boston, Chicago, London, Los Angeles, Menlo Park, New York, San Francisco, and Washington. Please visit Cornerstone Researchs website for more information about the firms capabilities in economic and financial consulting and expert testimony. Twitter at @Cornerstone_Res - T. S. Eliot Thoughts After Lambeth "The World is trying the experiment of attempting to form a civilized but non-Christian mentality. The experiment will fail; but we must be very patient in awaiting its collapse; meanwhile redeeming the time: so that the Faith may be preserved alive through the dark ages before us; to renew and rebuild civilization, and save the World from suicide." San Antonio has a rich aviation background and was part of the original Golden Triangle created by Southwest to democratize the skies. Over 40 years later, RISE is on the way to connecting that same triangle by democratizing the private skies. RISE, the premium air travel experience for frequent travelers and those seeking an alternative to commercial flying, began service today to and from San Antonio. The Dallas-based technology start-up has crafted a new form of business travel that involves sharing business aircraft with RISE Members on scheduled flights. Other RISE cities include Dallas, Austin, and Houston (Hobby and David Wayne Hooks). Starting with service to Dallas and quickly expanding to other destinations, RISE will enable its new San Antonio members to save time by skipping the hassles associated with commercial travel. Yesterday was Texas Independence Day and today, with the launch of RISE service, San Antonio can celebrate its independence from commercial air travel, said RISE Co-Founder and CEO Nick Kennedy. San Antonio has a rich aviation background and was part of the original Golden Triangle created by Southwest to democratize the skies. Over 40 years later, RISE is on the way to connecting that same triangle by democratizing the private skies. Approximately 70-percent of our Members are transitioning to RISE from either traditional air carriers or their cars, meaning this form of travel is truly meeting an untapped need for professionals not just restructuring the world of private aviation. RISE leverages its proprietary software to match available business jet inventory with increasing demand while creating a unique and personalized RISE experience for hundreds of Members every time they fly. RISE member, Matt McCrea, Principal Consultant at Avanza Consulting (Management Consulting) in San Antonio stated: I am excited about RISE because, as an entrepreneur and father of four, it enables me to get my work done and be home in time to have dinner with my family. You can have your cake and eat it too. ABOUT RISE RISE is enabling the next generation of business travel. Using its proprietary software and systems, RISE provides its Members with private-plane access at the touch of a button at a cost that is 10x less than private flying. Over 70% of RISE Members are transitioning to RISE from traditional air carriers or routine road trips. RISE currently serves five airports in four cities with 60 flights a week and has plans to expand to six additional cities within Texas and beyond in 2016. Disclaimer: RISE ALPHA , LLC (RISE) acts solely as agent for the RISE Membership Group in arranging flights on the Group's behalf. RISE does not hold out to the public. RISE is not an operator of aircraft nor does it provide air transportation. Only FAA licensed and DOT registered air carriers will exercise full and complete operational control of the program aircraft. The foregoing is subject to additional terms and conditions contained in the RISE Program documents. Press Contact: Angela Vargo (214) 679-5660 Costa Rica Yoga and Surf Retreat - Vajra Sol "Setting the right tone from the first moment they arrive is key to the group's positive mindset." 2016 marks 10 years since Vajra Sol began as a yoga retreats company in Costa Rica offering a new style of travel to an upcoming and coming niche in the growing industry. They attribute the businesss success in a competitive market of yoga and wellness vacations to a few key and finely formulated components that have earned them high praise by clients and recognition in the international yoga travel scene. Since their inception, Vajra Sol has consistently appealed to their clientele - working professionals who are also yoga enthusiasts - because they maintain small groups (maximum 14 persons) with emphasis on personal attention, high caliber yoga classes for all levels, intimate and upscale accommodations, healthy gourmet food and a balance between being physically active and mindful relaxation in a stress-free and nature-immersed environment. Sandra Tedeschi, founder of Vajra Sol, leads most of the retreats and figured out this formula early on based on her personal interest and experience. She says, Before starting Vajra Sol, I worked in a high intensity and often stressful environment due to the nature of that work. I sought vacations that would counter that energy with the element of yoga and there was very little being offered at that time. As a key ingredient to each retreat, she notes, Setting the right tone from the first moment they arrive is key to the groups positive mindset. I believe its establishing an open space for each person to disconnect and relax to create a feel-good experience. Through their years of experience, Vajra Sol has seen common themes of why retreat guests join, such as, a bucket list to learn how to surf in Costa Rica or visit Machu Picchu in Peru, the importance of being in a group for solo travelers, the personal time away from multi-tasking and a plenitude of responsibilities, that the retreats are all-inclusive and well-organized, and commonly, the personal life transitions and events that need a place to process and take time-out from, for healing and reflection. Vajra Sols 6-night Costa Rica Yoga, Surf and Stand Up Paddle (SUP) Retreats are held in the Pacific Coast town of Santa Teresa, an off-the-beaten path, palm tree-fringed, white sand beach destination for those who seek a more adventurous with a touch of the bohemian style. The Peru Yoga Adventure Retreat began in 2008 after clients who had been on a Costa Rica retreat asked Vajra Sol to offer a new travel destination. The 8-night retreat combines cultural and spiritual themes and includes a highlight visit to the world renown Incan archeological site, Machu Picchu. As a testament to their success in providing clients with an unparalleled retreat vacation, Vajra Sol has been awarded the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence, which is given to businesses that consistently earn outstanding reviews from travelers. In recognition of their 10-year milestone, Vajra Sol will soon announce a new retreat destination to offer their returning and new clients. Vajra Sol Yoga Adventures was founded to bring together like-minded travelers who have an affinity for yoga and adventure activities in a pristine nature setting. Vajra Sol offers yoga, surf, and stand up paddle (SUP) retreats in Costa Rica throughout the year and yoga adventures to the Sacred Valley of Peru between the months of June and October. As we celebrate 25 years, we want to thank all of the families who own an H&H Home and we are excited to meet our 5,000th new homeowner. H&H Homes is expecting to close their 5,000th new home in the month of March and the lucky homeowner will win $10,000. This milestone coincides with H&H Homes 25th anniversary year. The Fayetteville-based builder, who has recently launched into the Charlotte, Wilmington, Charleston, and Myrtle Beach markets, is also celebrating their anniversary by giving away $200 a day for 25 days to everyday heroes. The contest asks people in communities across North and South Carolina to nominate an everyday herosomeone who unselfishly gives to the people around them, making a positive impact in the community. Ralph Huff, (Founder and President), of H&H Homes says, I started this company in 1991 to be of service to military families in Fayetteville, NC. Today we carry that mission to our neighbors across the Carolinasespecially those everyday heroes who make life better for othersnurses, teachers, and even grandpas. As we celebrate 25 years, we want to thank all of the families who own an H&H Home and we are excited to meet our 5,000th new homeowner. As evidenced by their sales and numerous home-building awards, H&H has been the builder of choice for families throughout Fayetteville, NC for the last 25 years. When the home building market rebounded, H&H expanded its reach to other markets across the Carolinas. Thanks to a successful strategy of providing quality-built, affordable homes to families, the company is expected to close on their 5,000th home this month. The $200 giveaway runs each day from April 1st to April 25th and an everyday hero will be chosen at random from nominations received on the H&H Homes website now through March 31st. Those chosen will also receive recognition on social media. H&H Homes is proud of the people in their communities and this contest honors everyday heroesthe very ones that have made the company the success it is today. H&H Homes builds homes throughout Fayetteville, Raleigh, Wilmington, and Charlotte, North Carolina and Charleston and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. For more information, please visit http://www.HHhomes.com/everydayheroes. About H&H Homes For 25 years, H&H Homes has been providing homebuyers with energy-efficient, quality-built and affordably priced new homes. With more than 70 communities in North and South Carolina, H&H Homes is recognized as a Builder Magazine Top-100 homebuilder and is also the recipient of numerous local and regional awards including the NC Home Builders Association Stars Award for Best Website; the Pillar of the Industry Award from the Fayetteville Home Builders Association and Builder of the Year for 2015. For more information on H&H Homes, visit http://www.HHhomes.com. ICX Media today announced it has raised $2.5M in its seed financing round. The company is utilizing the initial investment to build a content distribution and data platform for independent video creators, brands and media companies. ICX Media is currently in private beta with numerous amateur and professional independent content creators. ICX Media is led by a team of digital media veterans, including founders Michael Avon, Tom MacIsaac, Steven McCord and Joey McCord. Avon, CEO and Chairman, is also a venture partner at ABS Capital Partners and is formerly the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Executive Vice President at Millennial Media. MacIsaac was previously CEO at Verve Mobile, Extend Media and Lightningcast. Steven McCord, Chief Technology Officer, and Joey McCord, Chief Product Officer, previously led technology and product, respectively, at Millennial Media. ICX Media is building an on-demand platform to serve the needs of amateur and professional independent content creators, as well as media companies and brands. For independent video creators, the ICX Media platform simplifies the process of producing, distributing and marketing digital video content, helping creators find larger audiences for their videos and, ultimately, make more money from their content. For media companies and brands, the platform enables more efficient sourcing, licensing and distribution of compelling digital video content produced by independent creators. The companys sophisticated data analytics engine uses machine learning to match specific content to audiences, enabling more precise marketing and stronger monetization for quality content. The next battlefront for video content extends across web, mobile and connected TV channels and apps such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, and digital brand platforms such as Amazon, Vimeo, Vessel, Hulu and Netflix, said Michael Avon, Chairman and CEO, ICX Media. We are building technology and data-driven solutions to address the unique challenges and opportunities this evolving industry has for independent content creators. Our platform will also enable media companies and brands to find, license and distribute highly-desired digital content more seamlessly. At its core, ICX Media is democratizing content, said Tom MacIsaac, founding ICX Media Board Member and former CEO Verve Mobile. ICX Media is building the platform, tools and analytics for this ecosystem to publish, access and collaborate on content development, distribution and monetization across all addressable platforms - and provide a new level of transparency for creators and media companies alike. Lead investor and board member Phil Herget, former Co-Managing Partner at Columbia Capital and Chairman at advanced media services company Vubiquity, added: I am incredibly excited to back such a talented team of media and technology executives who have more than 20 years of experience building robust digital, mobile and video platforms. I have worked with the founding team over many years and think that they are building a company that addresses a critical need in the digital video industry. The companys strategy, technology and talent position ICX Media to lead the next wave of growth for the multi-billion dollar digital video market. ICX Media is based in the Nations Capital with additional presence in New York and Los Angeles. Home to media companies such as Vox Media, Discovery, National Geographic, PBS and Gannett, combined with strength in data analytics and digital marketing through companies such as Capital One, AOL, Videology and Millennial Media, the Washington, DC area has emerged as a strong, under-the-radar market for technology, data analytics and creative talent. ICX Medias investors and advisors are leaders from the media, data analytics, video and mobile industries, including: Phil Herget (Lead Investor & Board Member) - Former Co-Managing Partner, Columbia Capital, and Chairman of Vubiquity Darcy Antonellis - CEO of Vubiquity and former CTO of Warner Brothers Neustar Founders and Former Executives: Jeff Ganek, Robert Poulin and Mark Foster Point Judith Capital: David Martirano, Co-Founder and General Partner Brian OKelley - CEO and Founder of AppNexus and Co-Founder of Right Media Jay Markley - Board Member of Charter Communications, Chairman of BroadSoft, and former Board Member of Millennial Media Franklin Raines - Former CEO of Fannie Mae and Chairman of XAPPmedia Song Pak EVP Operations and General Counsel of Revolution Pete Kaiman - Co-Founder, Kaiman Brothers Art Marks Managing Partner at Valhalla Partners, Board Member of Vubiquity and Videology, former Board Member, Advertising.com Bobby Campbell - Founder, Good Wizard Productions, Former Founder and CEO of AdKarma and Division D Co-Founders of Blackbird Technologies and Razors Edge Ventures - Steve Pann and Peggy Styer Ted Prince - SVP, Information Services & Corporate Development, Neustar; former President, National Geographic Ventures & COO, Global Media; former SVP, Strategy & Development, AOL TimeWarner Jim Mollica - Head of Digital Marketing and Content, Under Armour; former SVP, Marketing, Viacom; former Global New Media Director, Disney About ICX Media: ICX Media is an entirely new kind of media company founded by a senior team of digital media veterans. We have developed a robust software and data platform that enables independent video content creators to find their audience and monetize their video content. The ICX Media platform allows content creators to produce, distribute and market their digital video content across web, mobile and connected TV channels and apps more efficiently. Visit http://www.icxmedia.com for more information or follow us @icxmedia on Twitter. For the year of 2015, Zephyr Realty concluded the year as a Top Producer, giving them a great reason to celebrate into 2016. Zephyr Realty will be hosting its annual Top Producer Cocktail Party, and Tim Gullicksen of the Gullicksen Group will be in attendance this year to accept a personal award. Accepting his award for the No. 1 Agent at Zephyrs Pacific Heights office is not a new accomplishment for Gullicksen. This is the fifth consecutive year that Gullicksen is receiving this No. 1 award. Hes also the No. 2 agent company-wide, with 60 transactions closed in 2015 for a total of more than $57 million in sales. Gullicksen looks forward to continuing to serve San Francisco clients with the top real estate service. He said he also plans to maintain his top real estate agent status throughout 2016 and into the future. This years annual Top Producer Cocktail Party will kick off at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 3 at the Golden Gate Yacht Club. To learn more about Tim J. Gullicksen and his successful year of sales, check out his review on Yelp.com, and for further information, reach out by calling 415-370-5277. About the company: Tim Gullicksen has been a top-producing real estate agent since he first entered into the business and takes great pride in managing every aspect of each transaction. After graduating from high school in the South Bay, Tim earned a bachelors degree in political science and history from the University of California-Berkeley. He went on to earn his teaching credentials from JFK University in Orinda and taught kindergarten in the San Jose Unified School District. He brings an educational approach to real estate developed from that background and sees himself as a facilitator of property transactions. For more information, visit his website at http://www.timgullicksensf.com/. With the appointment of proven leaders, our shareholders and Supervisory Board have once again demonstrated that they rely on the qualifications and motivation of their own employees." - Alfred Weber On March 1, 2016, the MANN+HUMMEL Group completes the reorganization of its Management Board. There will be three new General Managers. Kai Knickmann will assume responsibility as General Manager of the Automotive OEM business unit. Josef Parzhuber will be General Manager of the Automotive Aftermarket business unit and Steffen Schneider will become the new General Manager of the Industrial Filtration business unit. The previous General Manager for the Automotive and Industrial business, Manfred Wolf, hands over his areas of responsibility on March 1. Once the planned acquisition of the filtration business of the Affinia Group has been concluded, Wolf will assume a senior function there as Executive Chairman. As Group Vice President, Kai Knickmann has managed the Automotive OEM business unit since 2010. The Industrial Filtration business unit also remains in capable hands. Steffen Schneider has been managing this as Group Vice President since 2013. Josef Parzhuber also takes on a new and different role as head of Automotive Aftermarket. As Group Vice President, he has been responsible for MANN+HUMMEL's business in the Asia-Pacific region for the past four years. The Management Board will thus in future consist of seven people: Alfred Weber remains President & CEO. Emese Weissenbacher maintains the responsibilities which she has held since 2015 as Director of Finance. Finally, as of January 1, 2016, Filiz Albrecht has been appointed as Human Resources Director and Hansjorg Herrmann as Production Director. "By appointing Kai Knickmann, Josef Parzhuber and Steffen Schneider, we complete the reorganization of our Management Board. With the appointment of proven leaders, our shareholders and Supervisory Board have once again demonstrated that they rely on the qualifications and motivation of their own employees, said Alfred Weber. Thomas Fischer, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, thanked longtime member of the Management Board Wolf on behalf of the entire company for his outstanding service: In his 18 years as a Managing Director, Manfred Wolf has decisively influenced the fortunes of our company. Under his direction, the MANN-FILTER brand was fully restored to its former glory and gained a contemporary and sustainable position in the international automotive aftermarket business. Manfred Wolf is regarded with the highest esteem among employees, customers, and shareholders. Kai Knickmann has a degree in mechanical engineering, specializing in combustion engines and automotive technology, from Braunschweig University of Technology. From 1990 to 1999, Knickmann worked at Hengst Filters in Munster in a variety of management functions. He jointed MANN+HUMMEL in 1999, initially holding key positions in the Development department. From 2007 until 2010, Kai Knickmann was Managing Director for MANN+HUMMEL in Great Britain. Josef Parzhuber graduated from Passau University with a degree in business studies and learned business Chinese in Beijing. He began his professional career with Bosch in 1992. From 1995 to 2000, he built up the Automotive Aftermarket business for Bosch in China. This was followed by further senior Sales and Marketing positions, as well as global responsibility for the filtration product range. In 2011, Parzhuber took over as MANN+HUMMEL's Group Vice President of the water filtration business unit. Steffen Schneider completed his mechanical engineering degree from Stuttgart University as a Graduate Engineer in 1990. The first three years of his professional career were spent in the development department at Porsche AG. he then moved to MANN+HUMMEL where, among other activities, he was Head of Sales for commercial vehicles. Schneider gained international experience as Managing Director between 2001 and 2006 in Mexico and between 2009 and 2012 in Spain. From 2006 to 2009, he was in charge of Purchasing for Automotive Original Equipment in Ludwigsburg. Manfred Wolf has been on the MANN+HUMMEL Management Board since 1998. The qualified industrial manager studied Business Management at the University of Applied Sciences at Pforzheim. He began his professional career as an executive for Bosch. There he worked in various management positions in the aftermarket business. In 1995, Wolf moved to MANN+HUMMEL where he managed the "Service" business unit for three years. Wolf formally remains on the Management Board until June 30. About MANN+HUMMEL The MANN+HUMMEL Group is a leading global expert for filtration solutions and development partner and original equipment supplier to the international automotive and mechanical engineering industries. Employing 16,000 people at more than 60 locations worldwide, the company achieved sales of about 2.8 billion euros in 2014. The groups product portfolio includes air filter systems, intake manifold systems, liquid filter systems, cabin filters and technical plastic parts, as well as filter elements for vehicle servicing and repair. For mechanical engineering, process engineering and other industrial applications, the companys product range encompasses industrial filters, a series of products to reduce carbon emission levels in diesel engines, membrane filters for water filtration and filter systems. Further information about MANN+HUMMEL can be found at http://www.mann-hummel.com ITS Canada, the provider of Internet Truckstop (ITS) ITS Dispatch software, is the most trusted web-based application for small to medium sized trucking companies and freight brokerages By having immediate access to affordable funds, carriers are able to cover their operating costs and accelerate cash flow in order to focus their capital and human resources on growth. ITS Canada, provider of ITS Dispatch software, announced an integration with BAM Worldwide, a specialty provider of asset-based lending solutions to the transportation industry, that gives motor carriers one-click access to funds to accelerate and sustain business growth. Motor carriers operating in the United States using ITS Dispatch software now have the option to request funds for loads in the system, at any time, directly from BAM Worldwide. The integration is also available to freight brokerage clients using ITS Dispatch to streamline transactions and shorten days to pay with carriers. The integrated accounting and other features in ITS Dispatch that support this unique, one-click funding process include the ability to sort loads by pickup and delivery date,and a built-in electronic file storage feature that captures and preserves billing documents specific to each load and customer. The integration with BAM Worldwide offers many advantages to motor carriers who are ITS Dispatch customers, says Tal Rahaman, General Manager of ITS Canada.Our clients now have instant, single-system access to low-cost funds while conducting routine dispatch, driver management, accounting and other functions. This unique integration will help clients accelerate growth and further increase efficiency by eliminating errors and delays. With this new functionality, motor carriers can set up a predictable payment stream on their invoices, making it possible to take on more loads, expand their customer base, and improve cash flow. Small carriers that take advantage of this new integrated platform are able to more effectively compete against larger firms, says Todd Ehrlich, President and CEO of BAM Worldwide. By having immediate access to affordable funds, carriers are able to cover their operating costs and accelerate cash flows in order to focus their capital and human resources on growth. We look forward to working with many ITS Dispatch clients to help them achieve their goals. The integrated, end-to-end funding process from BAM Worldwide also creates financial security. Paper checks and manual processes are eliminated, thus mitigating the risks of financial fraud. For more information on the specific features of ITS Dispatch and BAM Worldwide visit http://www.itsdispatch.com or http://www.BAMworldwide.com About ITS Dispatch ITS Canada, the provider of Internet Truckstop (ITS) ITS Dispatch software, is the most trusted web-based application for small to medium sized trucking companies and freight brokerages. The company offers a line of versatile transportation specific business management software solutions. ITS Dispatch trucking software products cater to 1-2 truck Owner Operators and to Carrier Fleets with 3-25 trucks. They provide simple-to-use tools for handling load dispatching, driver confirmations, load management, driver payroll, customer invoicing, IFTA reporting and more. ITS Dispatch Freight Broker software products are used by independent Freight Brokers and can be easily scaled to manage multiple sales agents including satellite agent offices. Since 2008, ITS Dispatch customers across North America have created over 10 million shipping loads representing approximately $1.2 billion in freight billings. Further information on ITS Dispatch is available on the Internet at http://www.itsdispatch.com About BAM Worldwide BAM Worldwide, LLC provides freight brokerage firms and motor carriers a unique working capital and payment processing solution. Both sets of clients are able to increase financial and operational performance and efficiency, allowing them to reach their full potential and increase cash flow. Unlike traditional bank lending or factoring arrangements, BAM does not require personal guarantees or take control of collections. For more information visit http://www.BAMworldwide.com. REI Employees #OptOutside on Black Friday We connect people with one another and the outdoors and thats what makes this a fun job. Its what makes things like #OptOutside and Yay Days possible. REI, national specialty outdoor retailer and consumer co-op, thanks its employees across the country for earning the co-op recognition on the 2016 Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For, according to global research and consulting firm Great Place to Work and Fortune Magazine. Ranked number 26, REI is one of five companies listed annually since the recognition began in 1998 and one of four companies headquartered in Washington state. We are deeply grateful to be recognized again as a great place to work. Our founders put people first more than seventy six years ago and today we still center our lives around the outdoors, said Jerry Stritzke, REI president and CEO. We connect people with one another and the outdoors and thats what makes this a fun job. Its what makes things like #OptOutside and Yay Days possible. It is an honor to lead REI and the amazing people who make up the co-op community." A Great Place to Work The co-ops more than 12,000 employees lead the industry by being highly engaged and showing a commitment to the co-op. Engagement scores have routinely exceeded 85 percent, and most recently through anonymous surveys, 96 percent of employees said that they are proud to be associated with REI. The co-ops retail turnover is almost half of retail industry standards, and full-time retention for retail employees is 90 percent. On top of a funded retirement plan and generous healthcare benefits, the co-op gives all employees two Yay Days, paid days off, to explore the outdoors, and closed its doors on Black Friday for employees to OptOutside. Employees also receive significant deals on outdoor gear and adventures, free gear rentals, and are eligible for employee challenge grants. Other benefits include public transit subsidy, adoption assistance, paid sabbaticals and more. Join the REI Team REI looks for candidates who embody its values: authenticity, quality, service, respect, integrity and balance. The co-op is currently seeking applicants for a number of positions at its headquarters, including information technology and merchandising roles. The retail division is looking to fill positions for all locations, including new stores opening later this year. Interested candidates can visit http://rei.jobs/. 100 Best Methodology To identify the 100 Best Companies to Work For, each year Fortune partners with Great Place to Work to conduct the most extensive employee survey in corporate America. Two-thirds of a companys survey score is based on the results of the Trust Index Employee Survey, which is sent to a random sample of employees from each company. This survey asks questions related to employees attitudes about managements credibility, overall job satisfaction, and camaraderie. The other third is based on responses to the Culture Audit, which includes detailed questions about pay and benefit programs and a series of open-ended questions about hiring practices, methods of internal communication, training, recognition programs, and diversity efforts. Creators of the methodology behind the list, Great Place to Work has found that employees believe they work for great organizations when they consistently trust the people they work for, have pride in what they do and enjoy the people they work with. About REI REI is a specialty outdoor retailer, headquartered near Seattle. The nations largest consumer co-op, REI is a growing community of 5.5 million active members who expect and love the best quality gear, inspiring expert classes and trips, and outstanding customer service. REI has 143 stores in 35 states. If you cant visit a store, you can shop at REI.com, REI.com/outlet or the free REI shopping app. REI isnt just about gear. You can take the trip of a lifetime with REI Adventures, a global leader in active adventure travel that runs 150 custom-designed itineraries on every continent. REIs Outdoor School is run by professionally-trained, expert-instructors who teach beginner- to advanced-level courses about a wide range of activities. To build on the infrastructure that makes life outside possible, REI invests millions annually in hundreds of local and national nonprofits that create access toand stewardthe outdoor places that inspire us. About Great Place to Work Great Place to Work is the global authority on high-trust, high-performance workplace cultures. Through proprietary assessment tools, advisory services, and certification programs, including Best Workplaces lists and workplace reviews, Great Place to Work provides the benchmarks, framework, and expertise needed to create, sustain, and recognize outstanding workplace cultures. In the United States, Great Place to Work produces the annual Fortune "100 Best Companies to Work For" list and a series of Great Place to Work Best Workplaces lists including lists for Millennials, Women, Diversity, Small and Medium Companies and over a half dozen different industry lists. ### This is why we are requesting another designation, to protect our countrymen and women from extremism and tyranny. The Coalition for a Democratic Syria (CDS) filed a request this week with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) urging that body to renew and re-designate Syria for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). In accordance with 8 U.S.C. 1254a, the Secretary of Homeland Security may designate a foreign country for TPS due to conditions in the country that temporarily prevent the country's nationals from returning safely. The ongoing conflict in Syria, with Assad and his allies constant civilian killing and the increasing prevalence of extremist groups like ISIS, requires that TPS be extended and re-designated. The signatories, which include the members of CDS and the American Relief Coalition for Syria (ARCS), represent the families and friends of refugees--those suffering under Assad, Russia, and Irans crimes against humanity, and terrorism from the Islamic State. These myriad threats present an untenable reality for Syrians living in the United States. "We are incredibly grateful to the United States Department of Homeland Security for protecting Syrians living in the United States from having to return to face the threats Assad, Russia, Iran, and ISIS through TPS," said CDS Government Relations Chair Muna Jondy. "This is why we are requesting another designation, to protect our countrymen and women from extremism and tyranny." The signatories to the request include: United for a Free Syria, Syrian Emergency Task Force, Syrian American Council, Syrian American Alliance, Syrian Christians for Peace, Association of Free Syrians; ARCS includes Hope for Syria, Karam Foundation, Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS), Syrian Expatriates Organization, Syria Relief and Development, Syrian Forum, SWASIA Charity Foundation, Mercy Without Limits, Syrian American Engineers Association, Syrian Community Network, Shaam Relief Foundation, Rahma Relief Foundation About Us: The Coalition for a Democratic Syria is a group of Syrian-American non-profit organizations working together to bring about a swift end to the conflict and support the establishment of peace, freedom, and democracy in Syria. CDS is a multi-ethnic, multi-confessional, non-partisan organization. CDS includes: Syrian Emergency Task Force, United for a Free Syria, Syrian American Council, Syrian Christians for Peace, Association of Free Syrians, and the American Syriac Union. George Bitar, M.D., F.A.C.S. receives prestigious RealSelf 500 Award Local physician Dr. George Bitar is one of 500 doctors in the nation to receive the prestigious RealSelf 500 Award, out of nearly 13,000 board certified specialists with a presence on RealSelfthe leading online community helping people make confident choices in elective cosmetic procedures. In a time when 1 in 4 U.S. adults share their health experiences on social media channels, the medical professionals that made the 2015 RealSelf 500 are recognized both for having an outstanding record of consumer feedback and for providing credible, valuable insights in response to consumer questions about elective cosmetic treatments, plastic surgery, dentistry and more. Dr. Bitar is Founder and Medical Director of the Bitar Cosmetic Surgery Institute with offices in Fairfax and Manassas Virginia. He is board certified by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery and performs a wide range of cosmetic procedures including rhinoplasty, breast augmentation, mommy makeovers, facelifts, liposuction and post weight loss body contouring. He has been a plastic surgery practitioner for over 14 years. We believe that our best patients are well informed and do their research prior to scheduling a consultation, said Dr. Bitar. RealSelf is an excellent resource for patients to watch videos, ask questions, and read about other peoples experiences, giving them the information they need to make better and more informed decision about their medical care. In 2015, these 500 doctors collectively impacted tens of millions of consumers, with nearly 30% of our total doctor content posted by this relatively small group, said Tom Seery, RealSelf founder and CEO. When I started RealSelf, many doctors questioned why they should give away their expertise for free on the web. Now, eight years later and with over one million doctor answers on our platform we are proud of the standard this select group has set. They're leading the way by empowering millions of consumers to gain access to the information they need to make smart and confident health and beauty decisions. Dr. Bitar is an expert contributor to RealSelf, and to date has posted 1,000 answers to questions on RealSelf. Each month people from all over world ask important aesthetic-related questions. Dr. Bitar also maintains a patient star rating of 4.5 out of five stars in RealSelf reviews. For more information on the Bitar Cosmetic Surgery Institute please visit http://www.bitarinstitute.com. About The Bitar Cosmetic Surgery Institute The Bitar Institute was established in 2002 by Dr. George Bitar, an award- winning board certified plastic surgeon. The Bitar Institute is a multi-location institute with a highly trained staff that is fluent in Spanish, French, Arabic and English, offering safe and effective treatments ranging from skin care to cosmetic surgery. The Institutes philosophy is image, beauty, and transformation to promote self-confidence and a healthy lifestyle via modern med spa services, skin care, and cosmetic surgery. About Me Alan Ross Radio program Caffe Latte began on JOY 94.9 FM (in Melbourne, Australia) in Sept. 1997 through to July 2012. Caffe Latte is now back on JOY Sundays 11 am - 1 pm (Aust. Eastern Time) & can be heard online all over the world and as a podcast on various media platforms. Check back here for my Top 10 current tracks of the week; the latest countdowns; this month's new addition to the Gay & Lesbian Icons & Anthems Gallery; the earlier versions of hit songs, retro in the Time Capsule posts and more. Check out the Caffe` Latte` playlists available on spotify. Become a follower. All images used on this website are the copyright of the respective copyright holder and are used on this site for educational or informative purposes only. View my complete profile Blog Archive Stetson law school's Gulfport, Florida, campus. Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, Florida, is hosting speakers from Curacao, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the east and west coasts of the U.S. on March 18 for a lively discussion and debate surrounding the issues of territorial status and self-determination, voting rights, and effective advocacy in the Virgin Islands. WHAT: The symposium sponsored by the Stetson Law Review is free and open to the public. Continuing Legal Education credits are available. WHEN: 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. WHERE: Great Hall at Stetson Law, 1401 61st St. S., Gulfport, Florida. The symposium will also be available online as a live webinar. To register for the symposium, Effective Advocacy in a Territorial Jurisdiction: The Repudiation of the Restatements in the Virgin Islands and Emerging Issues of Political Status in the Territorial and Insular Jurisdictions of the United States, visit https://stetsonuniversitycollegeo.regfox.com/test. ### About Stetson University College of Law Stetson University College of Law, Florida's first law school, has prepared lawyers and leaders since 1900. Today, Stetson leads the nation in blending legal doctrine with practical training, evidenced by its top-ranked programs in advocacy and legal writing. Through our academically rigorous curriculum and commitment to social responsibility, Stetson lawyers are ethical advocates ready to succeed in the legal profession. The MEGA Heart We know that education and prevention are key components in the fight to save lives from heart disease. Florida Hospital and MOSI present the MEGA Heart exhibit for guests and 100 Sligh Middle School students to step inside on Wednesday, March 9, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at MOSI. The MEGA Heart is the worlds only portable, inflatable, walk-through heart exhibit. At 26 feet long and 13 feet high, its bigger than a typical delivery truck. During the event, Florida Hospital Cardiologist Dr. Nadim Khan will give an inspiring talk to students from the Medical Studies and Explorations magnet program at Sligh Middle School. The 6th, 7th, and 8th graders will get a hands-on learning experience inside the inflatable human heart and participate in guided tours with Florida Hospital medical professionals. This special MEGA Heart event is open to all guests and included with MOSI admission. Guests can experience or walk through the exhibit the same direction as blood typically flows through the heart. You enter through the largest vein that feeds the heart, and exit through the largest artery that leaves the heart, the aorta, said MOSI President & CEO Molly Demeulenaere. Along the way, theyre learning about how the heart works and how to keep it working by avoiding heart disease and seeing some of the most advanced medical treatments for heart problems. The MEGA Heart experience is the latest event in a partnership between Florida Hospital and MOSI. This event finalizes a month-long Heart Lecture Series, where Florida Hospital hosted seminars at MOSI featuring cardiovascular experts educating the community on general heart health, new procedures, and clinical trials that are available right here in Tampa Bay. We know that education and prevention are key components in the fight to save lives from heart disease. We hope people become better-educated while having fun learning about the heart. This giant MEGA Heart will be a great hands-on learning experience for all ages, students and adults, said Dr. Nadim Khan, Florida Hospital Cardiologist. Florida Hospital wholeheartedly supports MOSIs core ideology: to make a difference in peoples lives by making science real for people of all ages and backgrounds helping to nurture the future scientists and health professionals. The partnership is focused on creating additional programs, enhancing existing science education, and advancing public interest of science, industry, and technology. Florida Hospital believes this relationship will provide life-changing experiences for families and support young men and women considering careers in the field of medicine. In 1982, MOSI opened to the community and is now the largest science center in the Southeast and the 8th-largest in the nation. Its the only institution with the focus of experiential STEAM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) in the Tampa Bay region. About MOSI (Museum of Science & Industry) MOSI is a not-for-profit, community-based institution and educational resource dedicated to advancing public interest, knowledge, and understanding of science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) and is home to the Florida Hospital IMAX DOME Theatre, the only IMAX DOME experience in the state of Florida. MOSI's core ideology is to make a difference in people's lives by making science real for people of all ages and backgrounds. MOSI gives away more than $3 million in free memberships each year, $250,000 in free tickets annually, and approximately 400 scholarships each year for children to attend MOSI Summer Science Camps. Additionally, MOSIs education staff works closely with area teachers offering free training and support for area science educators. With a total size of more than 400,000 square feet, MOSI is the largest science center in the southeastern United States. Learn through play inside Kids In Charge! the largest Childrens Science Center in the nation or The Amazing Youa 13,000-square-foot exhibition on health and wellness. Conquer your fears on MOSIs Sky Trail Ropes Course and Zip Line. Budding inventors can engineer anything imaginable and hold it in the palm of their hand in MOSIs technology playground and inventors studio, Idea Zone; and aspiring astronauts can travel to the moon to operate a lunar colony in Mission: Moonbase, funded in part by NASA. MOSI is the proud winner of the 2009 National Medal for Museums by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the nations highest honor for museums. For more information on MOSI, visit mosi.org. About Florida Hospital West Florida Region The Florida Hospital West Florida Region is a not- for- profit 1,275-bed hospital system composed of Florida Hospital Tampa/Pepin Heart Institute, Florida Hospital Carrollwood, Florida Hospital at Connerton Long Term Acute Care, Florida Hospital North Pinellas, Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, Florida Hospital Zephyrhills, Florida Hospital Heartland Medical Center Sebring, Florida Hospital Heartland Medical Center Lake Placid and Florida Hospital Wauchula. Part of the Adventist Health System, Florida Hospital is a leading health network comprised of 22 hospitals throughout the state. For more information, visit FloridaHospital.com. Our team strives to achieve this honor every year, and we're very happy to be recognized by Angie's List for the second time. Sir Grout Atlanta, the leading hard surface restoration and tile cleaning company in Atlanta, was recently honored by Angie's List with the Super Service Award for the second year in a row. The Super Service Award is only given to companies who achieve the highest levels of customer service and customer appreciation. "We are so proud to be included on this exclusive list of customer service oriented companies. Our team strives to achieve this honor every year, and we're very happy to be recognized by Angie's List for the second time," stated Jeff Miller, owner of Sir Grout Atlanta. To be honored with this impressive award, a company must have an immaculate record for customer service. Angie's List Super Service Award 2015 winners have met strict eligibility requirements, which include an "A" rating in overall grade, recent grade, and review period grade. Not only that, but the company must be in good standing with Angie's List, pass a background check and abide by Angie's List operational guidelines. "Only about 5 percent of the hard surface restoration companies in Atlanta, Georgia, have performed so consistently well enough to earn our Super Service Award," said Angie's List Founder Angie Hicks. "It's a really high standard." Sir Grout Atlanta ranked in the top fifth percentile in their category. A company's merit is based entirely on the ratings, testimonials, and reviews from customers who use the service. Even one bad rating can destroy company's standing and completely exclude it from the Super Service Award. Earning this award for two consecutive years is a sign of flawless service experience, and shows Sir Grout Atlanta to be well-known and respected by its patrons. Service company ratings are updated daily on Angie's List. Companies are graded on an A through F scale in areas ranging from price to professionalism to punctuality. Sir Grout Atlanta's testimonials on Angie's List verify why this company was deserving of its Super Service Award. One such example was posted by Brent Y., from Atlanta, GA, a Sir Grout Atlanta customer who needed his grout restored. First, he gave an overview of the introduction to the company. "Great experience overall. First I called to set up an appointment to get a quote. They were extremely responsive and were able to accommodate my schedule. Joe Bodnar, the GM, called me when he was on his way and he arrived on time. Joe spent about an hour with me explaining the entire process - the tools, techniques and time as well as the pros and cons to different approaches. He was extremely knowledgeable and friendly with a no-pressure approach. I also had 2 other companies come out and provide quotes. They were all within the same ballpark, but I really appreciated the approach Joe brought to the table." Brent went on to describe the overall cleaning experience. "A lead technician, was sent out to perform the work. T.J. was on time, extremely professional and very detailed orientated. He even took the time to apply multiple grout colors on our floor to show my wife the difference! T.J. kept the work area neat, constantly cleaning up after himself as well as explaining what he was working on along the way. I really appreciated how he kept us informed with each step of the process... The job took exactly the amount of time Joe quoted and there were no surprises. The entire bathroom looks brand new! We plan on having T.J. clean and seal the tile and grout in our other bathrooms as well since it went so well." In addition to winning the Super Service Award for two consecutive years, Sir Grout Atlanta has also attained many other honors for similar reasons since being established. Most recently, the Atlanta hard surface restoration experts were recently TrustDale Certified by investigative reporter Dale Cardwell. This award marked yet another acknowledgement for greater customer service and the company's preparedness to guarantee a certain level of service for every customer. To contact or schedule an appointment, visit Sir Grout Atlanta online at http://www.SirGroutAtlanta.com or call (678) 251-2140. A peek at parts for the Ray Price Award for "baddest engine," which will be presented at The Masters III custom bike show at Daytona Bike Week, thanks to Misfit Industries and GEICO Insurance. Its only appropriate that the top power plant in our show receive The Ray Price Award for baddest engine. Ray Price was famous for his innovations in motorcycle engine performance. During this weeks 75th Daytona Bike Week, his mechanical prowess will be immortalized with the Ray Price Award going to the best engine builder at The Masters III custom bike show, presented by Misfit Industries and GEICO Motorcycle. Known as the world's largest motorcycle event, Daytona Bike Week runs from March 4 to 13, 2016. The Masters III custom bike show will take place on Wednesday, March 10, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Riverfront Park in Daytona, Fla. Elite professional builders from across the country will compete for $25,000 in prizes, including the Ray Price Award for baddest motor. The team at Ray Price, Inc. has custom designed and fabricated the trophy to be presented that day. Its a tremendous honor to have Rays impact on the custom bike building community recognized with an award in his name, said Mark Hendrix, general manager, Ray Price, Inc. The 75th annual Daytona Bike Week is a special event, and The Masters III custom bike show with Misfit Industries and GEICO Motorcycle has become one of the years very elite builder competitions. Ray Price passed away in December 2015 after living his life with the throttle wide open, earning worldwide fame as a motorcycle drag racer and Father of the Funnybike. Price won 46 national events and set 51 speed records, including the IHRA nitro-fuel record of 6.36 seconds at 224.21 mph. He is an inducted member of six motorcycle racing halls of fame and was distinguished for his innovations in the racing garage as well as his generosity and community service. Ray was a sought after expert in high-performance engines. His wisdom and willingness to help other race teams and engine builders is legendary, said Chris Eder of Misfit Industries. Its only appropriate that the top power plant in our show receives the Ray Price Award for baddest engine. About Ray Price, Inc. For more than 30 years, Ray Price Harley-Davidson and Ray Price Triumph have made Raleigh, N.C. a top motorcycle destination. The knowledgeable staff has decades of riding experience to provide award-winning customer service and education programs for beginners-to-expert riders. Founded by motorcycle racing legend Ray Price, the dealership actively supports nonprofits and also hosts one of the nations largest downtown motorcycle festivals, Capital City Bikefest. Last year, the N.C. Retail Merchants Association named Ray Price Retailer of the Year. About Misfit Industries Founded in 2007, Misfit Industries is a leader and innovator in the design and fabrication of custom motorcycles and aftermarket parts. Misfit Industries custom bikes have won numerous awards and shows across America, and have been featured on television as well as in an upcoming motion picture. Misfit Industries holds patents on many aftermarket parts due to their unique, inventive and utilitarian natures. Simply put, a motorcycle made by Misfit Industries doesnt fit in, it stands out. Using Misfit Industries innovative parts, custom bike builders across the country create bikes that are not only beautiful in appearance, but also great to ride. Please visit http://www.misfitmademotorcycles.com. About GEICO Motorcycle GEICO (Government Employees Insurance Company) is a member of the Berkshire Hathaway family of companies and the second-largest private passenger auto insurance company in the United States. GEICO, which was founded in 1936, provides millions of auto insurance quotes to U.S. drivers annually. The company is pleased to serve more than 14 million private passenger customers, insuring more than 23 million vehicles (auto & cycle). GEICO also provides insurance quotes on motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), boats, travel trailers and motorhomes (RVs). http://www.geico.com Gregory Kile Gregory Kile, president and CEO of Populytics, Inc., and senior vice president for insurance and payer strategies at Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) will be a panelist at a special evening dinner program held in conjunction with the sixteenth Population Health Colloquium on March 8 at the Loews Hotel in Philadelphia, PA. The dinner program, entitled Whats Inside the Data?, moderated by Dr. David B. Nash, MD, MBA, FACP, Dean, Jefferson College of Population Health at Thomas Jefferson University, will focus on the technology and data insights available to health care organizations to assist in the move to value-based care. Attendees will learn how various health care industry leaders are using advanced analytics tools to support and implement successful population health management programs. At the Population Health Colloquium, attendees can also learn more about Populytics toolkit for population health management at booth 10. Populytics subject matter experts will also take part in the following events this spring: Lehigh Valley Business Coalition on Healthcare (LVBCH) Annual Conference on May 5 at DeSales University, Gold Sponsor Value-Based Care Optimization Forum on May 24-25 at the Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa in Cedar Creek, TX About Populytics Populytics, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lehigh Valley Health Network, is a population health management and analytics firm that facilitates the movement toward value-based care. Claims and clinical data are collected and aggregated via advanced analytics tools to provide actionable information. Services include population health analytics, health benefits administration, health benefits consulting, clinical care coordination, and BeneFIT Corporate Wellness solutions. These comprehensive services afford higher quality care while bending the cost curve. Investment bank provides intern and scholarship opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students. InvestmentBank.com is currently offering both a summer internship program and competitive scholarship to students interested in pursuing careers in investment banking. As Nate Nead, Director of InvestmentBank.com, emphasizes, At Investmentbank.com, supporting and mentoring new talent is something we take very seriously. Our summer internship program and scholarship are just two of the many steps we have taken to support this part of our mandate. InvestmentBank.coms Summer Internship Program With opportunities to work in any of the firms offices, which includes offices in New York, Chicago, Seattle, Portland, Atlanta, Boston, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Los Vegas and San Francisco, InvestmentBank.coms internship program is a nationwide initiative designed to find and support outstanding undergraduate and graduate students hoping to enter the investment banking profession. We wanted to develop a robust, value-added program, says Nead, For this reason, interns are given eight to ten weeks of extensive training on corporate valuation, deal origination, pitch deck creation, merger negotiation, capital raising and M&A management. Were not just introducing them to potential scenariosour interns are given an opportunity to learn while supporting actual high-stakes deals with our firms expert advisors. In addition to InvestmentBank.coms onsite program, the firm offers a flex internship for students whose time or location limits their ability to work onsite in one of the firms locations. This is part of our attempt to ensure that our internship program is both robust and truly accessible to young people across the nation, regardless of their location or circumstances, says Nead. Interns with a finance and accounting background are always welcome, but these skills are not required; an ability to work with numbers and a basic working knowledge of Microsoft Excel is required. Additional information and an online application form appear on the InvestmentBank.com website: http://investmentbank.com/internships/ InvestmentBank.coms Scholarship As part of InvestmentBank.coms commitment to supporting upcoming talent in the investment banking industry, it awards two $1000 scholarships to deserving applicants over the course of the year (deadlines are July 31 and December 31). To apply, applicants must be U.S. citizens, enrolled in a full-time pre-law, MBA or law program at an accredited U.S. college or university, and have a 3.0 GPA or higher. To be eligible, applicants must submit an official transcript and an 800- to 2000- word essay. Essay topics and additional guidelines are outlined on the InvestmentBank.com website: http://investmentbank.com/scholarship/ About InvestmentBank.com A subsidiary of Merit Harbor Group, LLC, InvestmentBank.com is a full-service, boutique investment bank working across the middle market. Based in the United States but with a global reputation, the firm has offices in ten locations across the nation, including Seattle, Chicago, Las Vegas, San Francisco and Princeton. The firms experienced advisors offer strategic advisory on selling companies, raising capital, and expansion through acquisitions. InvestmentBank.com works across sectors including real estate, healthcare, oil and gas, consumer goods, media, software, web-based enterprises and aerospace and defense. Bimbo Bakeries USA is delivering its bread and baked goods in vehicles fueled by emissions-reducing, domestically produced propane autogas. Bimbo Bakeries USA introduced propane autogas vehicles into our Chicago, Denver and Washington, D.C., regions to help accomplish our corporate environmental goals while lowering our bottom line. Bimbo Bakeries USA is delivering its bread and baked goods in vehicles fueled by emissions-reducing, domestically produced propane autogas. The companys 84 new Ford F-59 trucks, equipped with ROUSH CleanTech fuel technology, operate in three of BBUs major markets. Bimbo Bakeries USA introduced propane autogas vehicles into our Chicago, Denver and Washington, D.C., regions to help accomplish our corporate environmental goals while lowering our bottom line, said Gary Maresca, senior director of fleet services for BBU. This initiative is the latest in our companys continued effort to reduce our carbon footprint. Each new propane autogas fueled delivery truck will cut carbon dioxide emissions by about 192,000 pounds compared to gasoline. That equals 16.1 million fewer pounds over the lifetime of the fleet. Along with environmental benefits, BBU selected propane autogas trucks for their low up-front costs, minimal impact to operations, and stability of fuel costs. In January, 30 units began operating from the companys Chicago-area location, and 27 units began operating from its Denver-area office. The remaining 27 units that will serve the Washington, D.C., region will begin making deliveries this month. These alternative fueled trucks work as route vehicles delivering BBU products, such as Thomas, Oroweat, Entenmanns and Sara Lee, to retail locations. Bimbo Bakeries seamlessly integrated our fuel system technology into three of its key markets, said Todd Mouw, vice president of sales and marketing for ROUSH CleanTech. We helped train their technicians on the specifics of servicing our propane autogas Ford F-59 trucks. These professionals are already familiar with Ford products and value the factory warranty that stands behind each ROUSH CleanTech vehicle. BBU installed on-site fueling stations at each location, eliminating the need to refill at retail stations. Maresca expects to see a reduction in operational costs as a result of the lower fuel prices as well as maintenance savings due to the cleaner-burning properties of the fuel. Currently, BBU pays about $1.30 per gallon of propane autogas compared to $1.80 for gasoline. This cost rolls in the expense of the refueling infrastructure. BBU tapped incentives in both Colorado and Maryland to minimize the initial costs associated with alternative fuel technologies. Whenever an established industry leader like Bimbo Bakeries USA chooses to operate a large fleet of delivery vehicles with propane autogas over other fuel options, its a big deal, said Tucker Perkins, Propane Education & Research Councils chief business development officer. Propane autogas vehicles are proven to reduce emissions and offer the lowest total cost of ownership of any fuel option for fleets and were thrilled that Bimbo Bakeries USA recognizes that. BBU unveiled their propane autogas fleet today in PERCs booth at The Work Truck Show. About Bimbo Bakeries USA: Bimbo Bakeries USA (BBU) is a leader in the baking industry, known for its category leading brands, innovative products, freshness and quality. Our team of 22,000 U.S. associates operates more than 60 manufacturing locations in the United States. Over 11,000 distribution routes deliver our leading brands such as Arnold, Bimbo, Boboli, Brownberry, Entenmanns, Freihofers, Heiners , Marinela, Mrs Bairds, Natures Harvest, Oroweat, Sara Lee, Stroehmann, Thomas, and Tia Rosa. BBU is owned by Mexicos Grupo Bimbo, S.A.B de C.V., the worlds largest baking company with operations in 22 countries. About ROUSH CleanTech: ROUSH CleanTech, an industry leader of alternative fuel vehicle technology, is a division of ROUSH Enterprises based in Livonia, Mich. ROUSH CleanTech designs, engineers, manufactures and installs propane autogas fuel system technology for light- and medium-duty Ford commercial vehicles, and Type A and Type C Blue Bird school buses. As a Ford QVM-certified alternative fuel vehicle manufacturer, ROUSH CleanTech delivers economical, clean and domestically produced fueling options for fleets across North America. Learn more at ROUSHcleantech.com or by calling 800.59.ROUSH. # # # If you are new to iQ you can schedule a demo and learn more about this opportunity. PSFK iQ - Where Innovators Turn for Research. Our professional-grade research platform is designed specifically for Retail and CX leaders who want to know whats next. Whether youre staying current on trends or need a real-time research partner to help you get ahead, count on PSFK iQ to deliver the info you need to make your next move. By Steve Anderson, Contributing Writer Share While retailing has seen better daysand large scale retailers have seen much better daysthe call center part of retail is actually still alive and vibrant. A new report from the Dayton Daily News illustrates that point well, noting that Macy's may be ready to add up to 200 new jobs at its Warren County call center. The move is part of a larger consolidation of call centers nationwide, according to word from REDI Cincinnati, a regional economic development group. It's actually part of a larger effort the retailer is undertaking, a slate of cost-cutting measures slated to save around $400 million total. Several stores are set to be closed, and some service centers will close. However, some of these closures will be offset by expansions elsewhere, including Tempe, Arizona and Clearwater, Florida. It likely didn't hurt that the Ohio Tax Credit Authority approved a Job Creation Tax Credit package lasting seven years for Macy's expansion, contingent on Macy's providing at least 175 new jobs in Deerfield Township and Springdale, where Macy's is leasing space at Progress Park. Macy's is already said to be hiring, and those interested need only proceed to Macy's hiring website. While Macy's is providing new jobs, these come at the cost of other jobs elsewhere, so it's not exactly a net win for the economy. Based on the numbers, it's actually a bit of a net loss, which isn't good news by any stretch. Still, for the Ohio area, which will benefit from the new jobs, it's a win, and these days it's better to take the wins that become available. Even though retailers have been taking it on the chin lately, it's still important to offer that great call center presence. People will still be buying things at Macy's, if in lower numbers than before, and so there needs to be a way to address issues on hand. It shouldn't be Macy's only toolthe value of an omnichannel experience only becomes clearerbut it's still an important tool as it's many customers' first line of response. If Macy's can expand that call center into one that can handle social media and Web-based chat, that would make it much more ready for the omnichannel experience than just a straight call center. New jobs are new jobs, and for Ohio, these will likely be welcome, especially for all the other businesses in the area that will benefit from having new potential customers with at least some disposable income. It may not be a big win, or even a net win, but a win nonetheless. Edited by Rory J. Thompson Technology and healthcare have always gone hand in hand, and with the health of the world in crisis at the moment through the For the latest in our series of international market reports, we check in on the burgeoning childrens publishing landscape in Taiwan. Read our previous feature on publishing in India here. Taiwan, a small island located roughly 100 miles off the coast of China, is home to 23.5 million people. About 120 publishers, out of a registered total of 6,000, produce 40,000 new titles annually. (In contrast, China offers only 440,000 new titles, or 10 times more, for its population of 1.25 billion, a market more than 50 times larger). Its recent Taipei International Book Exhibition, which concluded its run on February 21, had 626 exhibitors from 66 countries, 1,706 booths, 875 events, 536 rights tables, and over half a million visitors. The six-day trade event remains the go-to trade show in Asia. Books for children are a longtime focus at the fair, and many overseas exhibitors have taken note of the stable Taiwanese childrens book market. Foreign rights manager Nicola Lewis of Thames & Hudson described Taiwanese publishers as sophisticated whereas for Group Asia sales director Laurence Richard of Bonnier, dynamic is the word. Taiwanese publishers are much more westernized in the business sense, according to Kevin Chapman, director of Auckland-based Upstart Press (and formerly of Hachette New Zealand), which is publishing new picture books by Joy Cowley (the Freddy Bear series) and Donovan Bixley (Flying Furballs). One can make a business deal right away in Taiwan without having to take a long time establishing a relationship, unlike in mainland China. In fact, for overseas publishers eyeing the big China market, checking out Taiwan first to see what works here will be a good starting point. Over the years, Taiwan publishers have continued to buy rights, and by virtue of higher selling prices, offer better advances as well. The market in Taiwan is segmented into smaller houses that dont often buy rights, larger houses that have small childrens lists, and a few dedicated publishers of childrens books. Major childrens picture book publishers such as Grimm Press, Hsin Yi Foundation, and Heryin, as well as those with sizable childrens imprints like Crown Culture, Linking, Locus, and Yuan-Liou, are producing more titles and increasing their collaboration with overseas authors and illustrators to add diversity to Taiwan originals. PW spoke to two of the major players and one digital publishing company to get a snapshot of the Taiwan childrens book industry. Reversing Declining Reading Habits, Shrinking Markets Dual-career urban couples with mostly one child often spend their incomes on sending their children to tuition centers, especially to learn English, and less money on leisure reading, observed executive director Sing-ju Chang of Hsin Yi Foundation, which set up Taiwans first publishing house dedicated to picture books and learning materials for young children in 1971. Modern parents also tend to save up for overseas travels as family-bonding activities while expanding their kids horizons, and not so much on book-buying. These have resulted in a shrinking children's book market with declining reading habits. But Taiwans declining birthrate is not as clear-cut as it seems, said K.T. Hao, founder of Grimm Press, which is known for its original picture books and collaboration with many award-winning illustrators, including Roberta Angaramo, Giuliano Ferri, Dusan Kallay, Eva Montanari, and Igor Oleynikov. Urban couples with fewer babies over the past decade has resulted in classroom and even school closures in main cities across the island. On the other hand, we have migrant mothers, mostly foreign brides from Vietnam and Cambodia, in rural areas having two or three kids. Some are divorced and many are struggling to survive. Books are a luxury, and Chinese is not their mother tongue. In fact, nearly 10% of Taiwanese elementary and middle school children have foreign-born mothers. Getting books to those children, and getting them to read and learn is a challenge something that the government has not acted on, said Hao, who has set up eight learning centers in low-income communities during the past six years to offer access to books and computers. I have seen kids increasing their vocabulary by 30% within a month, and start forming good reading habits, he said, adding that each Grimm Press employee mentors one child from these centers, and has a one-to-one weekly online chat and storytime session to further encourage the child to read and learn. So cultivating a strong reading habit among the young is the priority at both Hsin Yi and Grimm Press, achieved through different methods. Chang and her team, known island-wide for publishing Eric Carles titles and launching the BookStart campaign, have focused on early childhood education right from the start. The Foundation also has an education and training center for parents and teachers of young children. In recent months, its publishing team has produced many nonfiction titles aimed at drawing children to the outside world. Kids are becoming too self-absorbed while lacking in general knowledge as well as respect for the people around them and the nature. They also lack the crucial skills to adapt and fit into society. Our titles on the environment, industries, and transportation, for instance, are meant to widen their knowledge. One new Hsin Yi title, Hiromi Sugitas A Day in the Life of 12 People, is about the interrelatedness of people within a community and their roles in the society. Timothy Knapmans Soon, on the other hand, tackles the issues of confidence, courage, love, and survival for the young while Yao Jias The Reason for Being Late (winner of the Hsin-Yi Childrens Picture Book Award for 2015, and selected for Germanys White Ravens prize) addresses anxiety and honesty about misconduct. For Hsin Yi, it goes beyond reading. It collaborates with Taiwans National Symphony Orchestra to address the lack of music education in young children. NSO offers a classical music interpretation of our bestsellers, such as Chih-yuan Chens Guji Guji, Bagels Good Morning, Ani. Good morning, Abu both local works and Herve Tullets Press Here, a Bayard translation. We sponsor these concerts where there are book signings, animation screenings, and various music- and art-related activities. Such cross-industry cooperation is a novel way to promote both books and authors, said Chang, whose team organized seven concerts last year, with each attended by around 1,500 children. A new Hsin Yi location, comprising of an indoor playground, childrens library, parent/teacher education center, organic grocery shop and cafe (with special sections teaching kids about food, numbers, calculation, and buying/selling), mini-theater and bookshop, was launched on February 22. Safeguarding childrens only childhood is our motto, and we continue to publish and provide activities that help in the development of children and their well-being, said Chang. Over at Grimm Press, the better-than-expected sales last year is both strange and inexplicable. This is akin to not smoking any less but the lung, illogically, feels much better. Well, perhaps the sales growth of 810% is due to having some good luck with our latest batch of picture books. Recent Grimm bestsellers include Haos Hotel Opening, Giuliano Ferris Little Red Riding Hoods Sister, Elsa R.s Where Are the Characters? and another Hao title, Who Is Faster? (Hao has written 66 titles since founding Grimm Press in 1993; its catalogue has over 1,000 titles.) The way our publishing program is going, we are catering to the young 12 and below with picture books and nonfiction titles and those 45 and above with repackaged classics and limited editions. But what about the middle group? The implication is not good, and we are working to plug this hole, Hao added. We are also going downstream, publishing for toddlers, hoping to form a strong reading habit at a very young age. And what does that say about the current state of reading habits then? Im not being negative. I believe in being pragmatic to find solutions and better understand situations on hand. Collaborating on Animation and Digital Content As for digital publishing, apps, animation, and videos for children, Taiwan the land of high-tech brands like Acer, Asus, BenQ, and HTC, with many avid digital device users is surprisingly conservative. The demise of Flash technology, which many local publishers had adopted for their publications, has derailed many digital plans, observed CEO Jean Liu of Moker Corporation, whose company specializes in transforming picture books into animation and apps, and extending the life of such titles beyond its printed format. Local publishers are mostly reluctant to digitize their picture books despite worries of declining print book sales and out-of-print lists, Liu said. But they know that kids love to watch television and use digital devices, and ensuring that the best picture book titles are also out there in digital format for them to enjoy and read makes perfect business sense, she added, pointing out that reluctance in adopting the new format means that soon the publishers, authors and illustrators will lose their content and the opportunity to be relevant to kids in the digital world. But most publishers do not see the immediate profit in doing animation or apps, which is a tedious process involving considerable investment in time and money, said Liu, whose team has worked with companies such as Albert Whitman & Company (on its Wells of Knowledge series and Cornelia Maude Spelman titles), Brolly Books (Natalie Jane Parker titles), Charlesbridge (Aggie series and Fionas Luck), Hachette (Start Reading series), and Mathew Price (Betty to the Rescue). Moker has produced about 1,000 animated titles, mostly in Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, and English, distributed through BookTeller.com, since its inception in 2006. We started going to the Bologna Book Fair in 2008 to directly negotiate for digital rights. We were the first to do that, and it was a big turning point in that we offered publishers a new concept to reach a wider audience using the same content, said Liu, whose team collaborates with broadcasting corporations in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, and works closely with teachers and parents to train them on proper ways of using the apps and animation in a supervised environment to teach children. Publishers should promote their content in different ways, not just in print, and conservatism has no role in our fast-changing digital world. CHICAGO (AP) -- It's a chilling moment when a small business owner discovers hackers have stolen thousands of dollars from the company checking account. Cybercriminals have taken an average of $32,000 from small business accounts, according to a December survey of owners by the advocacy group National Small Business Association. And businesses don't have the same legal protection from bank account fraud consumers have. The Electronic Funds Transfer Act, passed in 1978, states it's intended to protect individual consumers from bank account theft. But it makes no mention of businesses. Whether a business is protected depends on the agreement it signs with a bank, said Doug Johnson, a senior vice president with the American Bankers Association. If the business hasn't complied with security measures required by the agreement, it could be liable for the stolen money, he said. Any business is vulnerable, but small companies are less likely to have security departments and procedures to guard against online theft. They also don't have big revenue streams better able to absorb losses from a theft. Even if they get the money back, they still have to spend time and money dealing with the hassles of closing accounts and opening new ones. The accounts at Sandy Marsico's Chicago-based marketing company, Sandstorm, have been attacked twice. Her bank contacted her in December 2014 saying a transfer of more than $50,000 to Mexico had been requested from her checking account. How the thieves obtained her account information, Marsico still doesn't know. Marsico didn't approve the transfer, the account was closed and a new one opened. But in November 2015, someone began withdrawing money from the new account in increments ranging from $1,000 to $4,000 -- a total of $20,000 in the course of a month. Marsico didn't discover it until she got her monthly statement. "My stomach dropped when I wasn't able to identify these as our charges," she said. The bank again reimbursed Sandstorm. She has since moved some of her accounts to another bank. Cybercriminals are creative, changing methods as companies and banks find ways to prevent attacks. Thieves are increasingly using realistic-looking emails to trick companies into transferring money from their accounts with what's known as wire transfers, said Avivah Litan, a security analyst with the research company Gartner. Often, an employee receives an email purportedly from a company executive asking them to transfer the money from the company's account into a specific external account. If employees don't check to be sure the request is legitimate, they might authorize the withdrawal. In August, the FBI reported more than 7,000 U.S. companies of all sizes had been victimized in emailed attacks since late 2013, with losses of more than $740 million. The number of identified victims surged 270 percent between January and August of last year. Most of the thieves are believed to be in organized crime groups in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa, the FBI said. Criminals also can operate by planting malicious software known as malware on a company computer, often via an email that has a link or attachment. If the computer is used to log into a bank account, the malware can record the login and password and send it back to the criminals, who then withdraw funds. Many banks have procedures designed to protect against stolen logins. If bank computers don't recognize a device trying to log in, the bank will send a one-time access code to the account holder on a separate device such as a phone. Without that code, a fraudster can't log in. Using a computer or smartphone in a public place that has a Wi-Fi environment also can be risky, said Kevin Watson, CEO of Netsurion, a Houston-based company that provides cybersecurity for small businesses. Some Wi-Fi spots may have weak security, and savvy hackers know how to steal information that someone keys into their device. At Neil Palache's company, the culprit used a counterfeit debit card. Two thefts totaling $1,400 happened while he was online looking at his account, and the card was immediately canceled. The bank refunded his money, and Palache got a new card. "I was thinking, 'They're going to wipe me out if this keeps going,'" said Palache, owner of The Wealth Creator Co. for Women, a Westlake Village, Calif., company that teaches women how to manage their money. Some thieves do it the old-fashioned way, simply copying account numbers and routing information from checks and then printing phony checks and depositing them. One thief made two withdrawals from the checking account at Mark Waring Ventures two months ago, one for $800 and another for $1,000. "Someone can just look at a check and they're a good part of the way to hacking into your account," said Dave Waring, managing partner of the New York-based company that provides financial and other services to small businesses. The bank reimbursed Waring, and the account was closed. He now makes payments electronically. Tammy Pescatelli knows how to find the funny, which helps keep her and her audiences sane. The brash, Italian comedian -- with special ties to the Quad-Cities -- returns to the area Saturday to headline a night of comics at Davenport's Golden Leaf Banquet Center. Ms. Pescatelli last performed here in 2012 at Bettendorf's Isle of Capri casino. "I enjoy it; I have lots of really good friends there," she said this week of the Q-C. "It's fun to see how the area continues to grow." A 45-year-old Cleveland native, Ms. Pescatelli graduated from Kent State University, and lived in the Quad-Cities for four years in the 1990s, where she got her start doing stand-up. "The nice thing about the Quad-Cities, it could be as big or small as you want it to be," she said. "We knew all of our neighbors. Everybody looked out for each other." Ms. Pescatelli performed open-mic nights at the former Funny Bone in Davenport. She appeared on "Paula Sands Live," worked at Nautilus Fitness and Circa '21, co-hosted a morning show on Power 98.9 FM, was a cheerleader for the old Quad City Thunder, and was a spokeswoman for Hy-Vee. "I did everything I could possibly do in the Quad-Cities; it will always hold very special place in my heart," Ms. Pescatelli said. Her stand-up career jump-started after being one of the final five on NBCs "Last Comic Standing," in 2004. That season played to more than 17 million viewers. A wide-ranging resume reflects her mission to make people laugh around the world. Ms. Pescatelli has appeared on "The View" and "The Howard Stern Show," and was chosen by Jenny McCarthy and Donnie Wahlberg to be a part of their "Dirty, Sexy, Funny" franchise that included an all-female slate of stand-up comedians special on EPIX/Hulu, a touring show, and a pilot for A&E. She often appears on the "Dirty, Sexy, Funny" radio show on Sirius XM. Ms. Pescatelli is a huge Howard Stern fan, and enjoys being a regular guest on his Sirius "Wrap Up Show," which airs after his show. She has made frequent appearances on the syndicated "Bob & Tom Show." "I enjoy making people laugh. I don't enjoy all the travel now," she said. "I've seen the world by telling jokes. That's pretty amazing, I have a house by telling jokes. I like to make people, for one hour, forget about the chaos of their day. I'm for common sense, for old-fashioned values, stuff that isn't heard too much anymore." Ms. Pescatelli has appeared on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" (twice), A&E's "Donnie Loves Jenny" (twice), Bravos "Roccos Dinner Party," CBSs "The Talk," NBCs "Last Comic Standing: The Best of the Best," and her own Comedy Central special that won that year's Comedy Central's "Standup Showdown." Ms. Pescatelli also guested several times on the syndicated "Comics Unleashed" show and was chosen for their Best of the Best that was top-selling DVD. Internationally, she was featured on the "Best of the Just For Laughs," in Montreal, Quebec, and at Laugh Factory in Europe and Australia. In 2011, Ms. Pescatelli co-created, produced, wrote and starred in her own reality series, "A Stand Up Mother," on the WeTV network, which lasted one season and included footage from her October 2010 show at Circa '21, Rock Island. "The whole point was to show the balance of being a wife, mother and comedian," she said. She and her husband have an eight-year-old son, Luca. But while many comics mine their intimate personal lives for on-stage bits, Ms. Pescatelli tries to shield her son from that. "It's a lot of relatable stuff, for a certain demographic. I'm not trying to break any new ground. It's my perspective, and I feel it's genuine," she said. "People ask, 'where do you get material?' I wake up." A review of a 2014 "Dirty, Sexy, Funny" gig (at boston.com) called her "by far the funniest woman of the show." The review noted Ms. Pescatelli "exuded a toughness youd expect of any strong Italian woman, and her jokes about her boring sex life with her husband and rambunctious family resonated with the mostly middle-aged, female crowd. Pescatellis observations and timing were spot on..." Her 2014 one-hour special, "Finding The Funny" is available on Netflix and iTunes, and she's getting ready to record another. In 2009, Ms. Pescatelli left the show-biz epicenter of Los Angeles, for the much slower life of small-town Meadville, Pa. (pop. 13,265), which is about 90 minutes from Pittsburgh and from Cleveland. Her parents also live there, and the town is prominently featured in her reality series. Some of her comic role models include Ellen DeGeneres and Roseanne Barr. "It's amazing to see how some of them balanced their life and career. When I first started, there was not anybody for me to look up to. There wasn't a 20-year-old female comedian." "I see how amazing it is for someone like Ellen, Roseanne to continually have careers, and not being a female comic, just being a comic," Ms. Pescatelli said. Her film credits include "Made in Brooklyn," "Single: A Documentary Film," and "Everybody Wants to Be Italian." Also a regular on USO comedy tours, Ms. Pescatelli said she's "honored and humbled" to have entertained troops all over the world. For more information, visit tammypescatelli.com. A 15-year-old from Rock Island made his initial court appearance Wednesday on an attempted murder charge in connection with a Davenport shooting Monday night that left a woman critically injured. Wednesday's hearing for Solomon Ray Parson was held before Scott County District Associate Judge Christine Dalton. Following the hearing, the teen was returned to juvenile custody, records show. Mr. Parson is accused of shooting a 17-year-old Davenport woman in the head at 9:40 p.m. Monday in the 2600 block of North Clark Street. Prosecutors allege the shooting was without justification and with the intent to kill. Mr. Parson acted in a way in which he "expected to set in motion a force or chain of events" that would cause or result in the woman's death, charging documents state. Within minutes of the shooting, police responded to Clark Street and Central Park Avenue, near Peterson Park, where they found the woman lying in the street. She was transported to Genesis Medical Center East with life-threatening injuries, according to police, and remained in critical condition as of last report. As of Wednesday Mr. Parson, who attends Rock Island High School, was charged in juvenile court. In Iowa, minors 16 or older who commit a "forcible felony" are automatically tried in adult court. In cases when a violent crime occurred and the minor is at least 14, a hearing may be held in juvenile court to determine if they should be tried as an adult. Mr. Parson is due to return to court for a detention hearing March 9. EAST MOLINE -- Two adults and three kids evacuated themselves from a burning apartment late Monday night. No one was hurt in the fire at the Deerfield Woods Apartments, 1025 51st St., East Moline, Battalion Chief Curt Frerichs said Tuesday. Firefighters responding to the call at 10:55 p.m. Monday found flames shooting out of a second-floor bedroom window, he said. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. One of the occupants heard loud popping noises before smoke alarms sounded, Battalion Chief Frerichs said. Smoke detectors were sounding when firefighters arrived, he said, and damage was confined to the apartment's second floor, he said. He said the occupants were two adult cousins and three children belonging to one of the female cousins. The American Red Cross has provided them with a place to stay, food, clothing and emotional support, according to a news release. Battalion Chief Frerichs estimated damage to the apartment at $20,000. Ten East Moline firefighters responded, along with Moline, Rock Island Arsenal and Silvis crews. Arsenal and Silvis crews soon were dismissed, Battalion Chief Frerichs said. It took just over two hours to fight the blaze. The Illinois General Assembly fell two votes short Wednesday of overriding Gov. Bruce Rauner's veto of a bill to fund community college programs and student grants. Senate Bill 2043 would have authorized the state to spend $397 million on the income-based Monetary Award Program for needy college students and $324 million to help finance community colleges. In his Feb. 19 veto, Gov. Rauner said there isn't enough money to cover the cost. Last summer, the governor, a Republican, and the Democratic leaders of the Illinois General Assembly reached an impasse over the state's financial challenges. Since July 1, the state has operated without a budget, and, in February, Illinois Comptroller Leslie Munger said Illinois is on track to be $6.2 billion in debt by the end of this year. Just before 2 p.m. Wednesday, the state Senate voted 37-17 to override Gov. Rauner's veto of the bill. State Sens. Neil Anderson, R-Rock Island, and Chuck Weaver, R-Peoria, voted against the override. Two hours later, the state House of Representatives also voted to override Gov. Rauner's veto. But, its 69-48 vote fell two votes short of the 71 needed to override Gov. Rauner's auction. Locally, state Reps. Pat Verschoore, D-Milan, and Mike Smiddy, D-Hillsdale, voted for the override. State Rep. Don Moffitt, R-Gilson, voted against it. "We applaud House Republicans and Rep. Scott Drury (D-Highwood) for standing up for taxpayers today," said Catherine Kelly, Gov. Rauner's press secretary. "Despite the governor's request that the General Assembly not waste time with a political vote that was never going to pass, the Legislature is poised to leave students, universities and community colleges in the lurch for at least a month," Ms. Kelly said. "We continue to urge Democratic leaders not to recess until the General Assembly passes a bipartisan proposal to fund MAP and higher education. MOLINE Three Republican candidates are running in the District 74 primary for a shot at replacing state Rep. Don Moffitt, R-Gilson. Daniel Swanson, Mike DeSutter and Wayne Saline face each other in the March 15 primary, with the winner facing Democrat Bill Butts in the November general election. Mr. Butts, a Galesburg attorney, has no primary opposition. The district covers all of Mercer County and parts of Bureau, Henry, Knox and Lee counties. Rep. Moffitt was first elected to the Illinois House in 1992 and has decided to retire after this year's general election. Already, the race in the largely rural and Republican leaning district has seen spending of over $100,000, which is high for a district that has rarely seen competitive elections during Rep. Moffitt's tenure. Rep. Moffit was unopposed in 2014 and won by wide margins over Democrats in 2012 and 2010 and again was unopposed in 2008 and 2006. All three of the Republican candidates vying to replace Rep. Moffitt are farmers and share similar policy positions. For example, all three say they support term limits for General Assembly members, unlike Rep. Moffitt, who served for more than 20 years and believes that voters should set term limits. Liberty Principles PAC has pumped $51,716 into the race on TV advertising and mailer that support Mr. DeSutter, of Woodhull. The Chicago-based super PAC is chaired by conservative talk show host Dan Proft and one of its biggest financial backers is another super PAC called Turnaround Illinois, which is funded heavily by Gov. Bruce Rauner. Mr. Swanson, a former Henry County Board member from Alpha, has raised the least amount of money in the race but has received endorsements from former Republican Congressman Bobby Schilling and a number of pro-life groups, including Family-Pac. Mr. Saline, a former finance committee chairman on the Knox County Board who lives in Rio, has been endorsed by John Block, who served as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture under President Ronald Reagan and now farms near Knoxville in Knox County. All three of the Republicans say they support Gov. Rauner's call to allow local governments to opt out of both collective bargaining with union employees and prevailing wage laws as ways to reduce the cost of government. Both proposals are part of Gov. Rauner's "turnaround agenda" and are opposed vehemently by unions and their Democratic allies in Springfield. The university's Institute of Advanced Studies in Culture said Thursday in a statement Larycia Hawkins accepted a position as the Abd el-Kader Visiting Faculty Fellow. The institute says she will research relationships between religions and races. Hawkins was teaching political science at Wheaton College when she posted her views about Muslims and Christians on Facebook and donned the headscarf worn by some Muslim women to counter what she called "vitriolic" rhetoric against Muslims. Wheaton College announced last month that it and Hawkins reached a "confidential agreement" for her to leave. University President Michael K. Young said that the Brazos County District Attorneys Office has declined to pursue any criminal charges related to the incident and that the universitys investigation is over. About 60 juniors from Uplift Hampton Preparatory, most of them black and Latino, were touring the A&M campus on Feb. 9 when a group of white students began taunting them. The college students yelled things like go back where you came from and racist names, which were also directed toward a staffer from the charter school. In an earlier incident that day, two Uplift teens were throwing pennies in a fountain when they were approached by a young white woman. As the conversation progressed, the woman pointedly motioned to her Confederate flag earrings, asking the girls if it would be acceptable to wear them at the Dallas school. Young said federal privacy laws prevent him from saying whether the one university student who has left A&M was expelled or quit voluntarily. The students name was not released, nor was any other information about the student made available. We realize these results dont necessarily satisfy because we cant be public about it, Young said. Two investigations had been underway into the incidents, one by police and one by university officials related to A&Ms code of conduct for students. During the investigation, authorities said, numerous people were interviewed in College Station and Dallas. No video of the events has been discovered. Young said all findings were shared with Brazos County officials to ensure transparency. Young said that if any additional information was brought to authorities attention, he would want university police to reopen their investigation into the incident. A&M students and officials swiftly disavowed the embarrassing racial incidents after they became public. Texas A&M leaders, including Young, visited the Uplift teens in Dallas to apologize personally for the incidents. A&M students sent them thousands of letters saying such racist acts dont represent their core beliefs. Prompted by the treatment of the Uplift students, a group of black students marched across campus and sat in silence for 53 minutes, representing the 53 years African-Americans have been accepted on campus but faced hostility. Uplift CEO Yasmin Bhatia released a statement thanking Young for the universitys transparency and response. Moving beyond this incident, we hope the issue of inclusion continues to be a priority for A&M and the other larger higher education institutions in the state, as we unfortunately know this is not an isolated incident on just one campus, Bhatia said. We as educators need to come together to work collaboratively to ensure that all students feel accepted and supported while in college. (EDITORS: STORY CAN END HERE) Bhatia said the charter school operator Uplift Education will host a symposium on equity and inclusion at college campuses on April 22. State Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, was among those calling for the expulsion of any A&M students found to be involved in the incidents. Last week, West thanked Aggies for their swift response in condemning the acts. A&M has stepped up diversity efforts in recent years, emphasizing hiring and other personnel issues. But Young admitted that one aspect of the efforts needs additional focus. Before the Uplift visit, A&M recently launched efforts aimed at addressing the campus culture. Those include requiring student leaders to get training on how to identify and address concerns about racism and mandatory seminars for new students on the importance of respecting others. The school also has a new Stop Hate app that allows for reporting problems and for the school to collect data to monitor these types of incidents. This week, the faculty will have forums to discuss how to respond to in-class incidents and how to make the schools required international and cultural diversity classes more useful to students. All this will make a huge difference in breaking the silence on bigotry, Young said. Its uncomfortable not to be silent sometimes, even when you know what the right thing to do is, he said. Much of what is most troubling is the silence. Its not that people are startled by these events, which happen across the country. But students are frustrated and feel less welcome in the silence of others when this happens. Press release submitted by WIU-QC MOLINE, IL - - Western Illinois University-Quad Cities will host a six-session human resources certificate series, beginning March 11 at the WIU-QC campus. The series is open to all human resources or business professionals interested in learning more about human resources or earning Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) certification credits. The six courses are designed to teach about key aspects of the human resources function. Course schedule: Essentials of Human Resource Management: Friday, March 11 (Registration closes Friday, March 4.) Recruitment and Selection: Developing an Effective Talent Strategy: Friday, March 25 (Registration closes Friday, March 18.) Employee Performance Management: Friday, April 15 (Registration closes Friday, April 8.) Employee Compensation and Benefits: Friday, May 6 (Registration closes Friday, April 27.) Driving Employee Engagement and Retention: Friday, May 20 (Registration closes Friday, May 13.) Labor and Employment Law: Friday, June 3 (Registration closes Friday, May 27.) All courses run from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. at the WIU-QC campus. Courses are $275 per course or $1,450 for the series. Western Illinois University is recognized by the SHRM to offer Professional Development Credits (PDCs) for the SHRM-CPSM (Certified Professional) or SHRM-SCPSM (Senior Certified Professional); this program is valid for seven PDCs for both. For more information on courses, or to register, visit wiu.edu/qc/hrseries. So when the Afghan teenagers heard last fall that the border to Norway was open, they went for it. They sneaked into their manager's office at night, stole about $1,000 in cash and made the trip by plane, taxi and bicycle. Now Elyas, 17, is in a shelter for unaccompanied minors in Alta, in the northernmost part of Norway, waiting to learn if he will be sent back. He moves lethargically, and the dark circles beneath his watery eyes make him look sad and tired. "I can't sleep at night," Elyas says, his voice soft and brittle as he tells his story. "When I close my eyes, all the bad things come back." Elyas, whose legal guardian in Norway asked that his last name not be published, is one of the tens of thousands of Afghan teenagers who showed up on Europe's doorstep last year, in perhaps the most unexpected and challenging aspect of the migrant crisis. In a matter of weeks last fall, Sweden alone received more than 20,000 young Afghans equaling the number of unaccompanied minors that applied for asylum in all of Europe the year before. "I have been in this business for a very long time, but this was the most remarkable development I have ever seen," says Anders Ryden, an Afghanistan expert at the Swedish Migration Agency. As asylum-seekers stream into Europe, the number of unaccompanied children and teenagers among them overall is soaring. In Norway and Sweden, about one in five last year was a minor traveling alone, up from one in 10 the year before. Denmark, Finland, Germany, Austria and the Netherlands also registered higher shares of unaccompanied minors compared with 2014. Everywhere, Afghan boys led the flow not Syrians, who make up the biggest group of adult asylum-seekers and families. The exodus has put a new, youthful face on migration into Europe. But it has also strained Europe's capacity to receive migrants even more, because minors traveling alone are given priority in the asylum process and require attention from social services. "We had to establish many more reception centers and bigger reception centers that didn't have any previous experience with unaccompanied minors," says Birgitte Lange, deputy director of the Norwegian Immigration Directorate. In Norway, two-thirds of the 5,300 unaccompanied minors who sought asylum in 2015 were Afghans. They are now spread out in special shelters across the country. The Associated Press gained rare access to one of those shelters in Alta, a popular place to observe the aurora borealis, the spectacular display of dancing lights that fire up the sky in northern latitudes. Elyas lives here in a former hostel with about 40 other boys from Afghanistan, Syria, Eritrea and other countries. Many are traumatized by years of war, oppression and abuse in their home countries, or shaken by an agonizing journey to Europe at the mercy of brutal human smugglers. "They are bad people," Abdulkabir, a 15-year-old with a wispy mustache and thick eyebrows, says of the smugglers who took him from Afghanistan to Iran, Turkey and Bulgaria. "When we want water they say 'don't have water, go fast, fast.' When someone is sick they don't stop for him." Other boys recount crossing the Sahara desert with little food and water. One says he thought he had a 50-50 chance of reaching Europe alive when he fled from a military training camp for teenagers in Eritrea. Another says he was captured by bandits in Libya who demanded ransom money from his family in Ethiopia. He clearly wants to talk about what happened to him, describing dates, times and other details of his journey with great precision. When the manager of the shelter suggests a break, he asks her not to interrupt him. Back from a Norwegian class in school, the boys play video games or billiards. Some are camped in front of the TV or at a row of desktop computers, where they reach out to friends and family on social media. They cook their own food in the kitchen, a new experience for many who didn't even know how to fry an egg before they left their families. Ann Roarsen, one of five nurses working with refugees at the Alta Health Center, says it's not uncommon for the boys to show stress symptoms, including heart palpitations, sweating, anxiety, muscle pain and difficulty sleeping, once they've settled down from their journey. Some get depressed and resort to deliberate self-harm, she says, making a cutting gesture over her arm. "We also have youth with suicidal thoughts," Roarsen says, adding that only those with the most severe mental problems are offered psychiatric help. How to deal with the unaccompanied minors has become one of the most heated discussions in Europe's handling of the migrant situation. In Sweden, Europe's top destination for unaccompanied minors, not a week goes by without newly arrived teenagers being accused of stabbings, fights, vandalism or sexual assaults. Sometimes the young migrants are the targets of violence themselves, like in late January when a mob of masked hooligans vowed to "clean up" an area in downtown Stockholm. In Alta, the situation has been relatively quiet. The boys say they are treated well by the local residents. Renate Moe, who oversees the shelter and another one for adults in Alta, says there haven't been any "big issues." There was an incident in November, however, when two 16-year-old boys from the shelter were moved to another town after they were accused of harassing a 12-year-old Norwegian girl walking home from school. The details of what happened are unclear, but the girl was very frightened. "Maybe it was just two boys trying to get to know the girl, we don't know," Moe said. Analysts are still trying to figure out why the Afghan numbers soared so suddenly in the fall. Most cite a deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan, where civilian casualties of the war rose to record levels for the seventh year in a row in 2015, according to the United Nations. They say the violence, along with a drop in prices for human smuggling and the images of Syrian refugees entering Europe, combined to make Afghan families decide this was the time to send their sons abroad. "They probably thought that you have to jump on this train before the doors close. Because most have figured out that sooner or later Europe will close up," says Ryden of the Swedish Migration Agency. That's already happening. Several countries, including Sweden and Norway, have stepped up border controls. Amid suspicions that some who claim to be minors are older than 18, the Swedish government plans to introduce age tests in cases when there is doubt. Elyas and his brother were among the more than 5,000 migrants who entered Norway from Russia in the second half of 2015. They were taken to Russia, he says, by a powerful man in his village who promised them work so that they could send money to their parents. Instead, they finished each 16-hour shift dazed and exhausted. Then they slept on mattresses on the warehouse floor until the next shift started. "They made us work like animals," Elyas says. The brothers wanted to escape to Norway but had no money. That's when they stole the 70,000 rubles to pay for plane tickets to the Arctic city of Murmansk and a five-hour taxi ride to the Norwegian border. They crossed the boundary on bicycles pedestrians weren't allowed across. And they were greeted by polite Norwegian border police, so unlike the police officers they knew from Afghanistan or Russia. Elyas says he felt "like a bird that is free." After a brief stay in a border camp, he was transferred to the Alta shelter. Because his brother is 18, he was taken to an ordinary refugee shelter. Under the 24-hour winter darkness of the polar night, relief at being safe gradually gave way to angst. Elyas, whose case is still being processed by Norwegian immigration authorities, worries about being sent back to Russia, "where I'm sure they are waiting for me and my brother. When they catch us I don't know what they are going to do." But most of all he worries about his parents. He hasn't spoken to them since he left Afghanistan. They are poor and have no phone or Internet access. The thought he doesn't want to think, but that keeps coming back, is whether they were punished for their sons' escape from the warehouse in Russia. "I don't know if they are alive or not," Elyas says. For a moment, he looks like he's struggling not to fall apart. The race for the Republican presidential nomination couldn't possibly get any more bizarre, appalling, puerile, embarrassing, self-destructive or -- Hold on, this just in: It did. Comparison to the seriousness and decorum of an elementary-school playground is an insult to second-graders. What this campaign needs is a timeout chair, or perhaps a stout wooden ruler for rapping knuckles. I suppose we have to begin with Donald Trump's slowness in rejecting praise from former Ku Klux Klan grand wizard David Duke, who announced he will vote for Trump in a rambling, hate-filled Facebook post that denounced "the Jewish tribalist takeover of our media" and "Jewish predator banks." Trump finally disavowed Duke, but only after a day of hemming and hawing. He later claimed he hadn't understood the original question, blaming CNN for providing him with an allegedly faulty earpiece. His opponents pounced by making clear that they wanted to have nothing to do with white supremacists. White-power and other nativist groups see Trump as something of a champion -- though some leaders, including Duke, wish he were not so supportive of Israel. That, believe it or not, was the most substantive exchange among the candidates since last Thursday's debate, when Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz ganged up on Trump in a desperate attempt to keep him from running the table on Super Tuesday. Cruz continued to argue what has already been amply demonstrated: Trump is not an authentic conservative. He is offering himself as a strongman who transcends ideology. Perhaps what Cruz was really trying to do was shore up his own support in his home state of Texas. Rubio, on the other hand, frantically tried to out-Trump Trump. The barrage began at the debate, when Rubio said that if Trump hadn't inherited a fortune from his father, today he'd be "selling watches in Manhattan." Rubio also accused the business mogul of lying, of having no health care policy, of running a "fake school" that cheated students out of thousands of dollars (the defunct "Trump University"), of taking an "anti-Israel position." He mocked Trump's demeanor and appearance. Afterward, Rubio went into flat-out "yo'-momma" mode. At a rally, Rubio gave this description of Trump backstage at the debate: "First, he had this little makeup thing, applying, like, makeup around his mustache, because he had one of those sweat mustaches. Then, then, he asked for a full-length mirror. I don't know why, because the podium goes up to here. ... Maybe to make sure his pants weren't wet, I don't know." Since then, Rubio has said that Trump flies around on "Hair Force One"; ventured that "some would say" Trump is a "lunatic" much like North Korean leader Kim Jong Un; said Trump has "the worst spray-tan in America" and "should sue whoever did that to his face;" and called the front-runner a "con artist." Trump, of course, responded in kind. This, ladies and gentlemen, is what the Party of Lincoln has been reduced to. Rubio finished with this: "He's like six-two, which is why I don't understand why his hands are the size of someone who's five-two. Have you seen his hands? They're like this. And you know what they say about men with small hands." Pause for effect. "You can't trust them." Rubio managed to lower himself, and the debate, beneath even Trump's level. But I'm not sure there was much of a choice. While Rubio was teasing and taunting, Trump was racking up bombshell endorsements -- most notably from ex-candidate Chris Christie, who had vied with Rubio for the votes of establishment Republicans. Christie's support helps make it safe for others to join the Trump bandwagon; Sen. Jeff Sessions, of Alabama, climbed aboard Sunday. Trash-talking, alliances, conspiracies, betrayals -- this whole campaign has become a reality-television show. The problem is that it's on every single channel. An attack helicopter pilot and a cartoon illustrator...not exactly who you might imagine as business partners. Although at first this seems like an unlikely partnership, Maj. David R. Dixon and artist Phil Jones recently published their first book together, Goodnight Marines, and it has already been nominated for the 2016 James Webb Award for Distinguished Fiction from the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation. Dixon said, My wife and I were discussing having children in 2014, and as we searched online we had trouble finding childrens books for Marine families. So he wrote a compelling poem and engaging story, but he needed a talented artist to bring his idea to life. At the time, Dixon was stationed in Tampa, Florida at CENTCOM Headquarters. I knew the Ringling School of Design near Sarasota was one of the top schools in the country. After admiring Phils (Jones) portfolio online, we met up for coffee to discuss the plan. Dixon is an AH-1W Cobra pilot currently stationed with 4th Marine Aircraft Wing in New Orleans, Louisiana. He deployed twice to Iraq, once to Japan, and also served on the USS Boxer and USS Essex as part of the 15th and 31st Marine Expeditionary Units. Dixon began writing and publishing while a student at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and then at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. His first book, Call in the Air, won the 2014 Distinguished Poetry Award from the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation. Dixons vision for this project was to develop a world-class childrens book about the culture and traditions of the Marine Corps. After meeting with Jones, Dixon knew he had found his man. Jones has been an artist for over 30 years, including a position at Disney Feature Animation, where he worked on films such as Tarzan, Mulan, and Lilo & Stitch. Jones is also a Desert Storm Veteran, having served with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. From the moment I met Phil I was confident this would be a great partnership, said Dixon. Phils experience as a war veteran and Disney artist gave him all the tools to make this project a home-run. In the book, a young child gazes proudly at a photograph of his father currently deployed to Afghanistan. The father stands watch over his combat outpost underneath the very same moon (with an Eagle, Globe, and Anchor) that shines on his son. The childs room is adorned with toy tanks, planes, radios, and trucks that he plays with to feel connected to his dad. Then, as the child goes to sleep and says goodnight to his dad and all of his military memorabilia, the toys come alive in his vibrant imagination and the reader is taken on an adventure that teaches about the culture & traditions of the Marine Corps. We are just getting started, Dixon said. His ultimate vision is a series of military childrens books for each of the services, entitled Goodnight Troops. But for now, Dixon and his wife say they are enjoying reading Goodnight Marines to their daughter Juliette, who was born in January 2016. The book is available in hardcover and digital versions on Amazon.com. Visit the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/goodnightmarines/. Welcome to Railway Gazette. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. By continuing to browse this site you are agreeing to our use of these cookies. You can learn more about the cookies we use here. OK The Iran nuclear deal is the most robust nuclear agreement ever reached in the nonproliferation arena, but Iran's behavior in the days since the deal was implemented has hardly been perfect, Colin Kahl, deputy assistant to the president and national security advisor to the vice president, said during a conference held today at the RAND Corporation's offices in Washington, D.C. Kahl's remarks opened a daylong series of panel discussions that drew a range of opinions on the deal and its aftermath, but also general agreement that despite some improvement, the agreement has not halted Iran's provocative behavior in the region. Dalia Dassa Kaye, director of the RAND Center for Middle East Public Policy and a senior political scientist at RAND, agreed that what has emerged since Iran met its commitments under the deal on Jan. 16 is a mixed picture, with progress on some fronts, but continued recalcitrance elsewhere. Kahl noted that Iran has tested ballistic missiles, behaved provocatively in the gulf, detained U.S. sailors, and continued to support the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and other U.S. foes. Still, he said, Iran worked quickly to meet its commitments under the nuclear deal, released the detained sailors and other American prisoners, and its recent elections appear to have delivered gains for Iranian moderates. Photo by Scott Robinson Kahl stressed that the nuclear deal has had the collateral benefit of establishing new lines of communication between Washington and Tehran. This communication, he said, helped to facilitate Iran's early progress toward implementation of the deal and prevented the detention of the U.S. sailors from escalating into a prolonged crisis. What we have seen in the months since the agreement was reached is that there is the potential for Iran to realize that its interests lie more in international integration, he said. This realization, however, should not be expected to take hold immediately. This is not going to be a light switch, he said. Still, several of the panelists suggested the existence of a new dynamism in the relationship between the United States and Iran. We should not underestimate what a game-changer this has been. Don't be complacent about what it can achieve, and the potential challenges. But it's important to remember there could be opportunities, Dassa Kaye said. Alireza Nader, a senior international policy analyst at RAND, said the Iranian government recognizes the need for lines of communication with the United States, even though it still considers the United States an enemy. For now, he said, Iran's leaders are saying 'let's talk.' Iran hasn't been emboldened and it hasn't moderated. Iran's interests and policies are essentially the same. What has changed is that Iran is now using diplomacy as a foreign policy tool, Nader said during a panel moderated by Steve Inskeep, host of NPR's Morning Edition. The panel also included Hamid Biglari, managing partner of the TGG Group and Robin Wright, a contributing writer to The New Yorker and a joint fellow at the U.S. Institute of Peace and the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Photo by Scott Robinson Prince Turki AlFaisal, chairman of the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, said the nuclear deal closes Iran's path to nuclear weapons for the next 10 to 15 years, but does not decrease the long-term threat posed by Iran's desire to spread its influence in the region and beyond. The nuclear deal lasts for a blink of an eye, and then what happens? he said. Chuck Freilich, a senior fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School and former Israeli deputy national security adviser, agreed that the nuclear deal carries no long-term guarantees. Iran will most likely observe it at least for the next few years then the question is (what happens) beyond that 10 to 15 years. I have no doubt that they will push the envelope to the utmost, he said. Karen Elliott House, chairman of the RAND Board of Trustees and author of On Saudi Arabia: Its People, Past, Religion, Fault Lines and Future, said a recent visit to Saudi Arabia revealed a public that is focused not just on the nuclear deal, but also on Iran's broader conduct. They are focused on Iranian mischief-making throughout the region, she said. Photo by Scott Robinson House added that some in the region believe the agreement, and the lifting of economic sanctions on Iran, has made Iran a bolder threat. People in the region believe that they are more emboldened and they have the money now to do things. House, AlFaisal and Freilich spoke during a panel moderated by Nadia Bilbassy-Charters, bureau chief of Al Arabiya Washington. James Dobbins, senior fellow and distinguished chair in diplomacy and security at RAND, said the agreement could lead to opportunities for further engagement between Tehran and Washington and when they arise they ought to be seized. I'm not suggesting that there are opportunities immediately on the table, but I do think that we need to see when, if and where Iranians are willing to engage in meaningful dialogue, he said. Dobbins spoke during a panel hosted by David Ignatius, columnist and associate editor of the Washington Post, that also included Stephen Hadley a former national security adviser now a principal in the consulting firm of RiceHadleyGates; and Ellen Laipson, president emeritus and distinguished fellow at The Stimson Center and a former vice chair of the National Intelligence Council. Scott Orr RAND researchers wanted to test whether new regulations could help silence some of Big Tobacco's sly appeal to young consumersnot in theory, but in the cash-and-carry real world. So, in a recent experiment, they did the next best thing to renting out a 7-Eleven. They built their own fake convenience storestale coffee and all. Tobacco companies spend hundreds of millions of dollars every year to promote their cigarettes in just such stores, with can't-miss displays positioned right behind the cash register. Those power walls operate on the same marketing principle as the candy racks in supermarket checkout lines: Snag impulse buyers, especially young ones, just as they reach for their wallets. Location, Location, Location The percentage of young shoppers who said they would try a cigarette sometime in the future changed depending on where the cigarettes were displayed in the store. By the Cashier 30% of those who saw the cigarette power wall behind the cashier Side wall 30% of those who saw the cigarette power wall on a side wall of the store Hidden 15% Approximately 15% of those who did not see cigarettes displayed A few local governments in the United States have tried to restrict power walls as a matter of public health, only to be beaten back by legal challenges from the tobacco industry. What was missing from the debate, the RAND researchers realized, was any real-world experiment strong enough to show whether power walls really do change young minds, and whether removing them would make a difference. And that, they decided, would require a full-sized, fully functioning replica of a convenience store. The researchers rented the hollowed-out shell of an old telemarketing call center in an office park in Pittsburgh. They moved in display racks and freezer cases, chips, and sandwiches. They scuffed the floors and left sticky soda spills on the shelves, to give it the right look. They even kept a pot of old coffee simmering on a burner, to give it the right smell. They called it the RAND StoreLab, and the only thing that changed from day to day was the location and visibility of the tobacco power wall. Sometimes, the researchers left it behind the cash register; other times, they moved it to a side wall, or hid it completely behind a metal screen. Hiding the tobacco power wall decreases kids' intention to smoke in the future. Then, they invited in the teens and tweensnearly 250 in all, each given $10 and a few minutes to shop in the store. Afterward, the researchers asked participants whether they thought they would try a cigarette sometime in the near future. Around 30 percent of the young shoppers who saw the power walleither behind the cashier or on a side wallsaid they probably would. The number dropped by nearly half when the power wall was hidden, the researchers reported late last year in an article published in the journal Tobacco Control. Put simply: Hiding the power wall decreases kids' intention to smoke in the future, said William G. Shadel, a senior behavioral scientist at RAND who led the study. Tobacco companies have redeployed their billions of advertising dollars in recent years as laws and legal settlements banned them from radio and television, t-shirts and billboards. The next, and probably final, battleground for the tobacco industry was point-of-sale retail locations, Shadel said. This study allows us to fill a gap in the regulatory literature. It actually helps bolster the argument [for further restrictions targeting the power wall]. The researchers next plan to explore whether graphic posters warning about the dangers of smoking can scare consumers away from cigarettes. They're also planning another experiment to test whether gruesome warning labels on cigarette packs can convince adult smokers to quit. At the StoreLab, in other words, the coffee is still on. Doug Irving Tail Target Latino, the joint venture between Cisneros Interactive and Brazilian data provider Tail Target, is aiming to grow across its digital advertising businesses in Latin America and the US. Already operating in Mexico, Tail Target Latino will expand into Colombia and Argentina, where it's currently working through local partners. Both companies have invested heavily in a bid to make Tail Target Latino the main Spanish-language data management platform (DMP) in Latin America and the US Hispanic market, helping fuel growth in programmatic media Our expertise in Portuguese and its similarities with the Spanish language give us a competitive advantage to other platforms. We are able to offer, in conjunction with our DMP solution, a vast amount of data on navigational behaviour, which, when added to our local support team specialised in the markets native language, definitely sets us apart from other competitors, said Cristiano Nobrega, CEO of Tail Target The data platform captures and processes Internet user data throughout the region, offering advertisers the ability to create and target campaigns according to their diverse interests.The creation of Tail Target Latino is driven by the technology and know-how of Tail Target in Brazil, and supported by Cisneros Interactive's portfolio of companies in Latin America and the US.Even in its early stages, Tail Target Latino is providing advertisers with the behavioural data of 390 million Internet users throughout the region.Identifying patterns, demographics and socio-economic factors of a target audience provides advertisers with clear insights that will make their campaigns even more efficient, said Victor Kong, president of Cisneros Interactive Online video giant YouTube has announced two programmes to champion female voices and content creators. The first is a year-long partnership with the United Nations that appoints top YouTube female creators as the first Change Ambassadors for the United Nations Sustainable Development Action campaign. The second is a global production programme across the YouTube Spaces that puts women both in front of and behind the camera.Through the years, weve seen women on YouTube become beacons of inspiration to their fans, said Danielle Tiedt, CMO at YouTube . Thats why were so excited about this new partnership with the United Nations and to announce Ingrid Nilsen, Jackie Aina, Yuya, Taty Ferreira, Hayla Ghazal, Louise Pentland, and Chika Yoshida as Change Ambassadors - the first group of women on YouTube to join the UN in advocating for gender equality as part of UNs Sustainable Development Goals. This group of passionate female creators are brilliant role models on YouTube, and we cant wait to see how theyll work with the UN to inspire and activate their global fan communities as well as women and girls around the world.Meanwhile, across YouTube Spaces in Los Angeles, London, Tokyo, New York, Sao Paulo, and Berlin, female creators attended workshops and filmed more than 50 videos on sets constructed specifically for the Spaces programme. To help drive an atmosphere of collaboration throughout the program, six female creators including Anna Akana (US), Alexys Fleming (US), Julia Tolezano (Brazil), Em Ford (UK), Nilam Farooq (Germany) and Kuma Miki (Japan) acted as creative directors in their respective Spaces, helping mentor other creators who also participated in the global video shoots.From tributes honouring historical female leaders and original scripted content, to discussions about women in the workforce and other womens issues, these new videos will begin rolling out on the YouTube Spaces channel, as well as the creators own channels, said Tiedt. YouTube has always been an open stage where anyone can share her story. We hope these new programmes will inspire even more women to find their voices, create their own roles, scripts and stories, and advocate for the issues they care about. Alleged leader of Russian gang released on bail by Austrian court - report MOSCOW, March 3 (RAPSI) A court in Vienna released Aslan Gagiyev, an alleged leader of Russia's organized-crime syndicate that is suspected of being involved in multiple murders, after paying bail of 100,000 euros, Kommersant newspaper reported on Thursday. Earlier, press-secretary of Vienna Regional Court for Criminal Matters told the newspaper that Austrian authorities granted permission for Gagiyevs extradition to Bulgaria where he is charged in absentia with documents forgery. Austria is yet to review Russian extradition request for the second time. In the summer of 2015 extradition request was granted by the Austrian court, but later it was appealed by Gagiyev. Bulgarian request has been appealed as well, according to Kommersant. Russian investigators claim that Georgian-born Aslan Gagiyevs gang has been operating since 2004 and includes over 50 members. Members of the gang committed more than 40 counts of murder in Moscow and North Ossetia. Some of them have already been convicted and are serving long prison terms. Over ten of them have been arrested, and an additional thirteen suspects are wanted by Interpol and federal law enforcement agencies. Three more members, including the gangs leader Aslan Gagiyev were arrested in other foreign states and are to be extradited. Gagiyev who was arrested in Austria in January 2015 faces life sentence in Russia. Russian tycoon Polonsky firms guarantors to pay $270 mln to Dutch company MOSCOW, March 3 (RAPSI) The Moscow Region Commercial Court has upheld a lower courts ruling to collect from loan guarantors for the company Potok (former Mirax Group), founded by businessman Sergei Polonsky, 19.9 billion rubles ($270 million) in favor of the Dutch company Emerging Markets Structured Product (EMSP), according to court records. In July 2015, the Moscow Commercial Court ruled that 14.5 bln rubles ($197 mln) of the principal and interest be paid to the Dutch firm. In October, an appellate court upheld the ruling. Defendants have filed a cassational appeal with the Moscow Region Commercial Court. In September 2013, EMSP filed a lawsuit to collect a joint debt under a loan agreement of March 15, 2012. The loan was supposed to be repaid by April 2013. Initially, the company demanded just over 16 bln rubles ($217.3 mln) but later increased the claim to 19.9 bln rubles ($270 mln). According to the media, EMSP is acting on behalf of Sberbank CIB, the corporate and investment banking business of Sberbank created as part of the integration of Sberbank and Troika Dialog. The defendants representative in court objected to the amount of interest that the plaintiff claimed and presented other calculations, 17.9 bln rubles ($243 mln). Earlier, the court dismissed Polonskys motion to involve him as a third party in the case. The businessman explained that the contract was secured by a protection agreement between EMSP, Polonsky and Troika Dialog. He further stated that ruling for the plaintiff would result in recourse claims against Polonsky, who is the controlling shareholder of the guarantor companies. Polonsky is the founder of Potok (formerly Mirax Group), a diversified corporation that has been involved in several large development projects including Federation Tower in the Moscow International Business Center, office buildings Mirax Plaza, Poklonnaya 11 and Admiral, condominium developments Fort Kutuzov, Kutuzovskaya Riviera, Rublyovskaya Riviera, Mirax Park, Golden Keys 1 and 2, and the Well House. He ceded operational control of the company in 2012. Potok announced in October 2012 that businessman Alexei Alyakin signed a framework agreement to buy 100 percent of the companys stock from Polonsky. However, in February 2013 Polonsky, who was in prison in Cambodia at the time, sent an order to Potok to dismiss Alyakin from his position in the company. In May 2015, the Cambodian authorities, where Polonsky had been avoiding Russian prosecution, extradited him to Russia. He is currently in detention in Moscow and facing fraud charges on the theft of 5.7 bln rubles ($77.4 mln) from Kutuzovskaya Mile interest holders. As we see a surge in inflation globally, it is now critical that everyone is aware of the implications this will have along every step of the insurance and reinsurance value chain. Our Focus By the end of this century many of the worlds islands and coast lines will have changed or disappeared altogether, placing the lives of millions of people at risk. These are people that live and depend on the ocean for their livelihood. Whilst changes in sea level have occurred over the long geological history of the planet, recent global observations indicate that rising sea-levels will dramatically transform many Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Arctic Communities, Island Nations and Coastal States. One of our missions is to bring together countries, scientists, policy-makers, the civil society, the media and other stakeholders to share know-how; provide a platform for public-private partnerships and mainstream sea-level rise adaptation within country-level institutions. WASHINGTON - Super Tuesday essentially sealed the deal. A more united party might have been able to defeat him a few weeks ago, but Donald Trump has gathered a sufficient lead in delegates and accumulated real support from a broad range of GOP voters over the past nine months to all but sew up the nomination to be the Republican Party's candidate. For November, it means that foreign leaders will likely get the president they expect, Hillary Clinton. Even if U.S. allies in Europe and beyond should not expect a Trump presidency, they should fear its possibility, and regardless of the November result, they should be concerned about the weakening internationalist center of U.S. politics. The GOP establishment's last hope, Florida Senator Marco Rubio, won Minnesota Tuesday, but this was his only victory among the first 15 states. A comeback from such results would be unprecedented. Texas Senator Ted Cruz, a conservative hardliner not well-liked among many party elites, won his home state plus Oklahoma and Alaska Tuesday, but needed to do better across the South to be viable. This leaves Trump with 285 of the delegates, which are awarded based on the results of primary and caucus votes and which actually choose the party nominee, to Cruz's 161 and Rubio's 87. He needs 1,237 to seal up the nomination, and leads in Florida and Ohio's upcoming primaries, which are winner-take-all. Clinton has 1,001 delegates in the Democratic race to Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders' 371, a lead she earned by winning over African-Americans by decisive margins and that is padded by a massive advantage among "superdelegates," party officials who are free to vote for whom they choose. There are two major reasons to predict that Clinton would beat Trump in November. One is the combination of demographics and the Electoral College system, which gives the Democratic Party a significant advantage in the presidential race (the GOP has a parallel advantage in Congress). In the race to a majority (270 of the 538 electoral votes), only seven states are likely to be competitive - Florida, Ohio, Virginia, Colorado, and Nevada, all of which supported Barack Obama twice and George W. Bush twice, as well as Iowa and New Hampshire. This means the Democrats essentially start at 247 votes and the Republicans at 206. Florida alone would give Clinton the White House. A Republican would need to more or less sweep the competitive states -possible if the stars align, but he would start at a disadvantage. The second reason is the state of the Republican Party. A Democrat has won the popular vote in five of the past six presidential elections. Obama is still fairly popular, at least among Democrats. Even though GOP strategists suggested tacking toward the center in their postmortem of the 2012 loss to Obama, the Republican primary has seen the party taken in the opposite direction by most of its presidential hopefuls (Ohio Governor John Kasich is the notable exception) and taken over by an self-promoting businessman and reality TV star. While a comeback by Rubio, Cruz, or Kasich or a contested convention may be a chimera, Republican leaders could still block Trump from winning the presidency. Many GOP politicians will line up behind the popular Trump. But freshman Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse and a cadre of former officials and conservative intellectuals (foreign policy intellectuals in particular) have proclaimed #NeverTrump, swearing to support Clinton or a third-party run by a "true conservative" instead. While Clinton - an experienced, if flawed, leader of the Democratic establishment - would be a strong favorite against Trump, the result cannot be a foregone conclusion. Trump's unexpected success so far should teach us that much. What does all of this mean for Europe? The main lesson of the 2016 race is that trends in both political parties indicate the U.S. political center is weakening, which in turn indicates a gradual (or sharp) U.S. retreat from its decades-long role of "benign" liberal global hegemon. Clinton has had to fight off a stronger than expected challenge from the left in the person of Sanders, and came out against the Obama administration's Trans-Pacific Partnership. Trump has made "unfair" terms of trade a top campaign theme, while both Trump and Cruz have adopted a more isolationist foreign policy stance. Strategic partnership with the United States will continue to be an asset, but allies may want to consider the risk of strategic dependence on a United States trending toward retrenchment. Secondarily, Europe knows from experience that nationalist populists can thrive when governments do not meet voters' expectations, and authoritarian personalities can capture and degrade liberal democracies in times of trouble. Eloquently delivered history lessons from European leaders might find a few ears among U.S. voters. At least one can hope. (AP photo) Last week's so-called elections in Iran were met with much fanfare from both the regime and some in the West. Despite the predominant narrative focusing on the factional split within Iran, the elections themselves underpin a much deeper issue within Iranian society. Namely, the legitimacy of the regime, and its efforts to compel its citizens to continue to exist within its institutional framework. The famous linguist Noam Chomsky once remarked: "The smart way to keep people passive and obedient is to strictly limit the spectrum of acceptable opinion, but allow very lively debate within that spectrum -- even encourage the more critical and dissident views. That gives people the sense that there's free thinking going on, while all the time the presuppositions of the system are being reinforced by the limits put on the range of the debate." The regime has done everything in its power to limit the discussion on the elections in such a way that the fact that they are neither free nor fair is left out of the narrative. Leading up to the election, Khamenei repeatedly attempted to invoke the threat of Western imperialism as a means to encourage participation in the process. In fact, the supreme leader went so far as to state that those who boycott the regime are actually opposed to the Islamic Republic as a whole, a sentiment not only containing a degree of truth, but one that is indicative of the stakes at hand regarding the legitimacy of the regime. Many Iranians continue to call for a boycott of the regime in its a totality, arguing that the current system leaves little room for change with the existence of a "supreme leader," and an electoral process that is hardly pluralistic. The regime itself has desperately sought to cast this election as a meaningful choice for Iranians and their future, and has referenced the fact that the vote on the Assembly of Experts may determine the future supreme leader of Iran. Khamenei is not wrong to point out that the Assembly does have that role. However framing the debate in this manner serves a specific purpose. Within this particular context, the issue of actual democratic elections, without the disqualification of candidates, is not even part of the discussion. There are no parties that do not swear allegiance to Khamenei as the supreme leader, let alone advocate serious institutional reform. The discussion leaves no room for the idea that institutions such as the Assembly of Experts are simply incompatible with notions of modern democracy or pluralism. These points are moot. Instead, what is left is intense debates by so-called reformists or moderates about how bad things could get if they boycott the election. Setting aside the fact that the "moderates" in Iran continue to pursue the same ultimate goals as the "hardliners," what begins to emerge is a picture of desperation and distorted reality that only serves the government's interests. For example, one of the reformist candidates elected to the Assembly in last week's vote was Mohammad Reyshahri, who served as the head of the intelligence ministry during the 1988 massacre against political prisoners during which thousands were put to death for their beliefs. The logic behind voting for such a candidate was articulated by reformist professor Sadegh Zibakalam, who stated: "Unfortunately, we had to choose between bad and worse ... I agree Reyshahri has killed a lot of people ... He has no democratic background, but he is also not against democracy and freedom. And also, what other options do we have? To let [Guardian Council chairman Ahmad] Jannati and [Ayatollah Mohammad Taghi] Mesbah-Yazdi, who are openly against any freedom, get in?" Zibakalam appears to be willfully ignorant of two very simple facts. The first is that the entire regime, much like Reyshahri, is against freedom and democracy, a fact not only evidenced by 37 years of repression, but by its disqualification of 6,000 candidates from this election. Zibakalam, secondly does have another option, and that is to boycott the process altogether. The simple fact that Khamenei and the regime have gone out of their way to urge ordinary Iranians to participate in this archaic system speaks volumes about who the real winners are in the Islamic Republic. One need look no further than the words and actions of the regime to understand that it has taken its own people hostage in order to compel them to vote and legitimize a brutal, corrupt, and undemocratic system. Voting out of fear and desperation are not hallmarks of a healthy democracy or an open society. Ideas put forth by individuals like Zibakalam are not only disturbing, but show just how successful Khamenei has been in manufacturing his desired outcome -- one that forces ordinary Iranians to participate in the elections, lest they be punished by threats from both at home and abroad. (AP Photo) Property details: APN # 3235-019-011Address: Akker Dr, Lake Hughes, CA 93532 Size: 4991 sq feet/ 0.115 acresUtilities: Very close byTaxes: Approx $100/yearAssociation Dues: None The lot is located in very quiet and safe neighborhood. Plenty of wildlife around to enjoy. This is a vacant land to build your dream house. All utilities are nearby. The property is free and clear of encumbrances. Property taxes are current. Payment/Terms: Payment accepted via cashier's check or wire transfer. Payment must be made by the... 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Search Real Estate , We're sorry, this article is not currently available By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 03/03/2016 ADVERTISEMENT Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. ette's next star will reportedly be one of Ben Higgins ' Final 4 women from .According to a source, producers will be selecting either Lauren Bushnell Caila Quinn or Amanda Stanton as its Season 12 star, Us Weekly reported Bushnell, a 25-year-old flight attendant from Marina Del Rey, CA, and Fletcher, a 24-year-old real estate developer from Dallas, TX, are still in the running for Higgins' heart on Season 20 of . The show is heading into its Women Tell All special followed by the much-anticipated finale in which Higgins will propose to one lucky woman.Quinn, a 24-year-old software sales representative from Hudson, OH, was eliminated after her Fantasy Suite date with Higgins in Jamaica during the most recent episode. She was blindsided and devastated because she felt so ready to get engaged and spend the rest of her life with Higgins.Higgins sent Stanton, a 25-year-old esthetician from Rancho Santa Margarita, CA, home the week prior after he enjoyed a date in her hometown. Higgins' decision was a bit shocking because Stanton, a single mom, introduced him not only to her family, but to her two young daughters.Higgins' Final 4 women being the contenders for the upcoming Bachelorette may not come as a surprise to fans, however, it would mean other fan-favorites -- including Becca Tilley and Jubilee Sharpe -- are not being considered for the role.If producers continue to follow a pattern, Quinn will become the next Bachelorette because ABC had selected Andi Dorfman and Kaitlyn Bristowe for the franchise's Season 10 and 11 stars. Both Dorfman and Bristowe finished as the second runner-up on their seasons of starring Juan Pablo Galavis and Chris Soules respectively.Soules and Higgins, the two most recent Bachelors, also finished in third place on their respective seasons of ette. Soules initially competed for Dorfman, while Higgins failed to win Bristowe's heart. Denver, the American metropolis that depicts the Old West era, has just been named the No. 1 city to live in the United States. The new rankings was announced by U.S. News & World Report. Denver scored 7.8 out of 10 based on values, desirability, its job market, net migration and overall quality of life. Colorado Springs got the No. 5 spot with a ranking of 7.6. The "Best Places to Live in the USA" report by the US News described Denver locals as a friendly crowd of ambitious, progressive fitness lovers and nature fanatics who are willing to push the envelope on anything from civil rights to drug laws. The said report was reported by the Denver Post. It also mentioned Denver's proximity to recreation sites and ski resorts such as Cherry Creek State Park and Red Rocks Park. While Denver is pushing for the legalization of marijuana use, it emphasized that the reason was only to push the economy forward. The report cited that Denver had seen an increase in cannabis-based commerce, from magazines, dispensaries to modern tools like rolling papers, vaporizers, storage containers and lotions. Further, it added that the industry is seen as a tool for progress as the city had just gained momentum in its recovery. On top of the positive attributes of the place, the report also clarified some misconceptions about its winter weather. People unfamiliar with the Mile High City assume that winters are bad, but Denver usually gets clear blue skies and powdery snow that melts by noon. Other than that, only the city's amazing sunrises and sunsets can be seen. The survey also factors in data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the United States Census Bureau, as well as U.S. News rankings of the best hospitals and best high schools. Completing the "Best Places to Live in the USA" list include Fayetteville, AR, Austin, TX, Raleigh-Durham, NC, and Colorado Springs. The 2016 ranking was determined through a public survey of thousands of individuals across the country to find out the factors that make a city desirable to live in. Man kidnapped after Tinder hookup On Saturday night, Feb. 13, a man met up with a woman he met on Tinder at the Travel Inn on West Broad street. After having sex with the girl, two black men came out of the bathroom and assaulted him, according to Athens-Clarke County police. In the years since its founding, The Main Squeeze has moved from city to city and cycled through a series of musicians to find the right combination. Despite the many changes over time, The Main Squeeze has kept its sound lively and infused with elements of soul, funk and rock n roll. FILE - This Aug. 29, 2002 file photo, shows the Colorado River at the Grand Canyon National Park, in Arizona. The National Park Service has outlined a series of actions in response to a federal report that found employees at the Grand Canyon preyed on their female colleagues and retaliated against them for refusing sexual advances. The agencys Intermountain Region director, Sue Masica, said employees will be disciplined appropriately and she will push a message of zero tolerance for sexual harassment and hostile work environments.(AP Photo/Brian Witte, File) SHARE By ELICIA FONSECA, Associated Press FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) The top two officials at Grand Canyon National Park are among those facing disciplinary action following a federal report that found they violated policies on reporting and investigating allegations of sexual harassment in the park's river district. The National Park Service's Intermountain Region director, Sue Masica, declined Thursday to say what specifics actions would be taken against Superintendent Dave Uberuaga, and his deputy Diane Chalfant. The possibilities, in general, range from a warning letter, a reprimand, and suspension to termination, she said. "You kind of have to match the severity of the action by the individual with the previous records to what's appropriate for the particular circumstance," she said. "I'll be looking at all of that." A complaint filed in 2014 by 13 former and current Grand Canyon employees prompted an investigation by the U.S. Department of the Interior's Office of Inspector General. The complaint alleged a 15-year pattern of abuse in the river district on rafting trips led by the Park Service. Members of Arizona's congressional delegation said they were outraged and called for swift action. The report focused on allegations lodged against four male NPS employees who pressured female co-workers for sex, touched them inappropriately, made lewd comments and retaliated when they were rejected. It also found that disciplinary actions were inconsistent when it came to sexual harassment and that the Grand Canyon's chain of command failed to properly investigate or report allegations of misconduct a violation of Interior Department policy. Masica said Uberuaga and Chalfant are responsible for complying with that policy. She set a May 1 deadline for disciplinary action against them, but the results likely won't be revealed publicly because they are considered personnel matters, she said. A boatman who propositioned women for sex remains employed at Grand Canyon but is restricted from participating on river trips. Masica said he would be disciplined as well. Two other boatmen resigned in 2006 and 2013 after serving suspensions for sexual harassment. A supervisor who grabbed the crotch of a contract employee retired in 2015, according to the report. Michelle Kearney, a former Grand Canyon river district ranger who signed on to the 2014 complaint, said she's pleased that the Park Service is "holding people accountable for this behavior." Other reforms outlined by Masica include third-party reviews of a string of past disciplinary actions to ensure consistency and of a 2013 report by the Equal Employment Opportunity office that looked into similar sexual harassment complaints. Masica vowed to develop comprehensive training programs, to apologize personally to those who filed the 2014 complaint and to separate the patrol functions of the river district from the support services for rafting trips. Grand Canyon National Park manages 280 miles of the Colorado River, providing emergency and medical services as well as guiding researchers, politicians and students on a dozen river trips per year. Masica set deadlines within 2016 for the reforms, many of which she'll lead in implementing. She said the reforms hopefully would set a new tone and direction for the Grand Canyon, one of the nation's busiest national parks with more than 5 million visitors a year. Meanwhile, she said she'll push a message of zero tolerance for sexual harassment and hostile work environments. "While dismayed at the work environment described in the report, I am committed to working to change the situation and keep similar situations from happening again," she wrote in response to the report. "The employees of Grand Canyon National Pak deserve nothing less than that." Kearney praised the reforms as robust and healthy. She suggested that the Park Service seek help from the U.S. Justice Department's Office of Violence Against Women for resources in developing training programs. The Park Service also should have at least two systems to report misconduct, sexual harassment and violence that are centered on the victim and confidential, she said. "The system failed. We tried every avenue, and it failed," she said. "It needs to be reviewed. Those people in those positions need to have special training." In this Feb. 15, 2016, photo, thermographic measurement against Zika virus is conducted at Narita international airport in Narita, near Tokyo. Zika virus continues to rage in the Americas, and the World Health Organization has declared it a global health emergency. Taiwan also recently issued a travel advisory for Thailand, warning expectant mothers or women trying to get pregnant to postpone their trips there. But how big of a concern is Zika virus for Asia? (Kyodo News via AP) JAPAN OUT, MANDATORY CREDIT SHARE By MARGIE MASON, AP Medical Writer Zika virus continues to rage in the Americas, and the World Health Organization has declared it a global health emergency. Taiwan has recently issued a travel advisory for Thailand, warning expectant mothers or women trying to get pregnant to postpone their trips there. But how big of a concern is Zika virus for Asia? Here's what you need to know: ___ Q: HAS ZIKA VIRUS BEEN A PROBLEM IN THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION IN THE PAST? A: The disease was first identified in 1947 in a monkey in the Zika forest of Uganda. The virus has been found in Asia as far back as the 1960s. It has appeared in Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines and Pakistan, but no widespread cases have been reported and symptoms have typically been mild and similar to dengue and chikungunya, which may have helped mask its presence. Up until the first outbreak in 2007, only 14 cases were reported globally. The outbreak occurred on the Pacific island of Yap in Micronesia, where an estimated three-quarters of the population had been infected. No hospitalizations or lasting health issues were reported. In 2013 and 2014, outbreaks again hit the Pacific, including Easter Island, the Cook Islands and New Caledonia. In French Polynesia, an increase in a neurological disorder called Guillain-Barre syndrome coincided with the outbreak. In 2015, the virus was reported in Vanuatu, Fiji, the Solomon Islands and Samoa. ___ Q: ARE THERE ANY CASES IN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC NOW? ARE PRECAUTIONS BEING TAKEN? A: Thailand has reported one case, and active transmission is occurring on the Pacific islands of American Samoa and Samoa. Tonga has declared a Zika epidemic after five cases were confirmed and more than 260 suspected infections were identified. Other imported cases have popped up in the region, mostly from tourists returning from Zika-endemic areas. However, many more cases have likely gone undetected or been misdiagnosed as dengue or chikungunya, which are also spread by the same type of mosquito the Aedes aegypti and have similar symptoms of headache, fever rash and joint pain. An estimated eight out of 10 people infected with Zika experience no symptoms at all. After a Thai migrant worker was diagnosed with the disease in Taiwan, health officials there issued a Feb. 14 travel advisory warning expectant mothers or women trying to get pregnant to put off traveling to Thailand, and for men to wear condoms after returning to avoid potentially spreading the virus via sex. But Dr. Nick White, a tropical disease expert who has researched mosquito-borne diseases for decades at Thailand's Mahidol University, called Taiwan's travel guidance "excessive." He said Thailand is being singled out for having good surveillance and fast case reporting compared to other countries in the region, "but to say that it would be worse to come here than say, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos, Indonesia or Malaysia, there's absolutely no evidence of that at all," he said. ___ Q: WHAT IS MICROCEPHALY AND GUILLAIN-BARRE SYNDROME? HOW ARE THEY LINKED TO ZIKA? A: Babies with microcephaly are born with small heads, and their brains may not have developed properly. The condition can lead to seizures, learning disabilities, developmental problems, cerebral palsy, vision problems and other issues. Guillain-Barre syndrome is an autoimmune disorder where the body attacks the nervous system. People of all ages can be affected. The condition causes weakness and loss of sensation or tingling in the arms and legs and sometimes elsewhere on the body. Most people recover from it, but it can cause paralysis or death. Scientists are researching the potential link between microcephaly, Guillain-Barre and Zika virus to try to understand it better. "We don't know enough about it," White said, adding it's unclear whether the exact same virus circulating in the Americas is also prevalent in Asia. "No one has identified rampant microcephaly anywhere else, so I think we need to know a lot more about it before panicking." ___ Q: WHAT CAN BE DONE TO PREVENT ZIKA INFECTION? A: Experts say the same precautions to prevent dengue, chickungunya and other mosquito-borne diseases should be taken. Eliminate mosquito breeding grounds by not allowing water to collect around the home in roof gutters, flower pots or other containers. Use insect repellant and wear long-sleeve shirts, pants and socks, especially during key Aedes mosquito feeding times in the morning, late afternoon or evening. Some health agencies, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, have issued guidance for pregnant women to avoid traveling to areas experiencing Zika outbreaks and for men returning from affected countries to wear condoms or abstain from sex with pregnant women. Sexual transmission of the Zika virus has occurred in rare cases. There is currently no vaccine or specific treatment for Zika virus. SHARE City seeks grant for downtown project The Redding City Council voted 4-0 Tuesday night to authorize city staff to file a preliminary $20 million grant application and make a nonbinding letter of intent with K2 Development related to its proposal to raze the former Dicker's department store building and build a four-story mixed-used building. Vice Mayor Brent Weaver recused himself from the vote. The $37 million project could change the face of downtown and be a catalyst for development there. But it also could wipe away the city's housing resources and future allocations over the next five years. The city's commitment is $4.8 million, which means the city would not be able to contribute to any other major project during that time. In other action, the council unanimously approved a license agreement and permit with PenAir for flight service to Portland, Oregon. It also allowed the city to join the Sacramento River Settlement Contractors, a newly formed group that would provide water rights advocacy and protection. Business group target of lawsuit The Redding City Council on Tuesday approved on a 4-1 vote the filing of a lawsuit against the Downtown Redding Business Association for breach of contract. The city argued the DRBA failed to provide and cooperate in a timely manner with its financial audit. The vote came after a closed session. Councilman Gary Cadd cast the lone dissenting vote. The former president of the DRBA, Vint Stevenson, on Wednesday did not return a call for comment but last week claimed the now-disbanded group was being targeted by officials for having used funds to pay for legal representation against the city. The DRBA administered the funds that were collected from about 300 business owners in the Downtown Redding Business Improvement District. The council last year disestablished the BID. Councilwoman Kristen Schreder, following the meeting, countered the case is about accountability. "We impose the requirements to pay the fees. ... Hopefully we get some energy toward resolving this," she said. "It would be nice if we didn't have to spend the money, but we owe it to the people who paid those fees." Anderson approves reserve officer unit The Anderson City Council unanimously voted to establish a reserve officer unit for its police force at its Tuesday night meeting. All five council members voted to establish the force, which would have two basic tiers of sworn officers based on whether or not a full-time police officer must accompany the reserve officer. Officers in the tiers would be paid either $18 or $20 an hour and must work a minimum of 16 hours a month. Also, four City Council members voted to rezone a parcel at the corner of Stingy Lane and Airport Road to allow Lone Tree Inc. to move forward with a 19-lot residential development. Councilman Baron Browning abstained, citing a conflict of interest. Staff reports Record Searchlight file photo Rod Dinger SHARE By David Benda of the Redding Record Searchlight Former Redding Airports Director Rod Dinger is about to fly across the country to take a job as interim manager at Martha's Vineyard Airport in Massachusetts. Dinger starts Monday and will stay on until the airport finds a permanent manager. "We anticipate he will be with us through May," said Robert Rosenbaum, vice-chair of the Martha's Vineyard Airport Commission who is heading up the search for a new manager. Dinger will make $11,000 per month, with housing and transportation provided, Rosenbaum said. Dinger grosses $8,088 a month, or $97,056 annually, in retirement from the California Public Employees' Retirement System. The amount does not include the benefit he also receives from the Public Agency Retirement Services. He worked nearly 28 years in government, most of which were spent in Redding. Over the past three months, Martha's Vineyard Airport has lost its manager and acting manager. The Federal Aviation Administration and Massachusetts Department of Transportation advised the airport to have a certified executive in place while it looked for an airport manager, Rosenbaum said. "They basically confirmed our feeling that it was very important," he said. Since he retired from the city of Redding in December, Dinger said he has been exploring options and has taken a job with ADK Consulting & Executive Search, which finds executives for the airport industry. ADK has contracted with Martha's Vineyard Airport. "It was very good timing," Rosenbaum said. "In consulting with the folks at ADK, they mentioned they had a couple of candidates, and one in particular was Rod." ADK agreed to delay Dinger's start date so Martha's Vineyard Airport could hire him as interim manager, Rosenbaum said. Martha's Vineyard is a seasonal airport that for much of the year is served by one airline. But the island gets busy between Memorial Day and Labor Day, when four commercial carriers offer flights. "I am excited to help out and try to make a difference while I am there," Dinger said. Dinger will move back to Redding after his stint in Martha's Vineyard and work out of his home office for ADK. He also will continue to work with Redding officials to improve air service at the airport. SkyWest Airlines, doing business as United Express, will add a third daily flight to San Francisco on April 5. PenAir will start two daily flights to Portland, Oregon, on April 21. Redding received a setback last week when SkyWest told the city that plans to start service to Los Angeles will have to wait until at least early 2017. Brian Crane, Redding's public works director, said a pilot shortage and opportunity to put aircraft to use in larger areas has delayed those plans. The city has talked to SkyWest about one flight a day to Los Angeles on a 70-seat regional jet. "We were talking about maybe starting the next three to four months," Crane said. FILE - This Aug. 21, 2009 file photo shows the J.C. Boyle Dam diverting water from the Klamath River to a powerhouse downstream near Keno, Ore. The U.S. Department of Interior on Thursday, April 4, 2013, issued a final environmental impact statement recommending this and three other dams be removed from the Klamath River to help struggling wild salmon runs. (AP Photo/Jeff Barnard) SHARE By Damon Arthur of the Redding Record Searchlight A North State Congressman accused the federal government this week of creating a "shell corporation" to disguise its role in removing dams on the Klamath River. U.S. Rep. Doug LaMalfa also said there are meetings being held in secret to work out details of a dam removal plan, and leaders of the negotiations are forcing those who attend to sign nondisclosure agreements. "We're seeing an administration that claims to be the most transparent in history engaged in closed meetings, neck-deep in a shell corporation and requiring stakeholders to sign nondisclosure agreements just to learn how they'll be affected," LaMalfa said in a news release. "This seems like a front company in a process designed to avoid public scrutiny and avoid open government laws. The (Obama) administration is moving forward with its goal of dam removal while ignoring the water supply issues that impact thousands of residents," he said. LaMalfa was referring to an agreement struck last month among Oregon, California, the U.S. Department of the Interior and the dams' owner, PacifiCorp, to remove four dams on the Klamath River. The agreement includes creating a private nonprofit corporation to apply for a permit to remove the dams from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. PacificCorp spokesman Bob Gravely said the nonprofit corporation will take over ownership of the dam so the federal government isn't involved. A previous agreement to remove the dams died at the end of last year after Congress failed to pass legislation approving dam removal. Because Congress didn't authorize funding to take out the dams, Oregon, California and PacifiCorp are paying the bill, Gravely said. But during a Congressional committee hearing Monday, LaMalfa questioned Deputy Interior Secretary Mike Connor about spending money on the project without Congressional approval. As to the nondisclosure agreements, Gravely said the agreements are routine for negotiations. He said it would be unusual not to ask for a nondisclosure agreement. But Kevin Eastman, a spokesman for LaMalfa, said negotiations involving public projects should be held in public. "If it's common, then it's inappropriate on a regular basis," Eastman said. LaMalfa believes that because the dams are private property the federal government should not be paying to have them removed, Eastman said. But dam removal proponents say taking out the dams would improve conditions in the river for salmon and other wildlife. Craig Tucker, a natural resource policy advocate for the Karuk Tribe, said LaMalfa did not participate in the first agreement and did not advocate in Congress for a law to pay for removing the dams, but is now criticizing the current negotiations. "Where has he been all these years? We've been working on this for 10 years," Tucker said. "There's nothing shady, secret or unprecedented about any of this." LaMalfa also said he was concerned that because the agency will be a nongovernment entity, it would not be subject to federal Freedom of Information Act or California Public Records Act laws. SHARE By Amber Sandhu of the Redding Record Searchlight A Redding woman denied postpartum tubal ligation in January at Mercy Medical Center is now seeking nominal damages against the hospital. Rebecca Chamorro, 33, of Redding, is at the forefront of an amended complaint filed on her behalf by the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Northern California. The complaint states that denying Chamorro the tubal ligation was a violation of her civil rights, said Elizabeth Gill, senior staff attorney at ACLU. "She feels frustrated and disappointed that she wasn't given the procedure," Gill said. If Chamorro were to choose the contraceptive procedure now, she would incur additional costs, time and effort, whereas the tubal ligation would have taken a few minutes after her cesarean delivery, Gill added. Physicians for Reproductive Health, a national nonprofit, are also represented in the same complaint. Mercy Medical Center is a Catholic-affiliated hospital part of Dignity Health, the fifth largest health system in the nation, and abides by Ethical and Religious Directives. According to these directives, sterilization procedures are deemed "intrinsically evil." When Chamorro's physician at Mercy, Dr. Samuel Van Kirk, requested to perform the procedure, he was sent a denial letter stating that the procedure was not in line with Mercy's religious directives. But Gill said that some women have been granted tubal ligations in the past and that Mercy is "picking and choosing" which women are allowed the procedure. In addition, there was no medical reason given to deny Chamorro's procedure. In August 2015, Rachel Miller, 32, of Redding was also denied the tubal ligation procedure despite recommendations made by her doctor. After the ACLU sent over a demand letter citing sex discrimination, she was granted the procedure. According to court records, Mercy found a medical reason to allow her the procedure. In January, ACLU filed a temporary restraining order on behalf of Chamorro against Dignity Health stating that the directives interfered with the doctor-patient relationship. But the courts sided with Mercy, and Chamorro delivered her baby late January. For Chamorro, the case is not about money but to ensure that no woman has to go through the same ordeal as she did, Gill said. Mercy has 30 days to respond to the complaint. A call placed to Dignity Health for comment was not returned. People sit and sleep in South City Park on Wednesday afternoon. The Redding City Council backed off a pilot program to house five homeless people, but a committee plans to continue pursuing ways to reduce chronic homelessness. SHARE Andreas Fuhrmann/Record Searchlight A person sleeps in South City Park Wednesday afternoon. By Jenny Espino of the Redding Record Searchlight Advocates say the Redding City Councils Tuesday vote quashing a pilot program to house five people was a setback in momentum for a plan that has been months in the works and has brought a mix of agencies and community leaders together to reduce chronic homelessness. Those leaders were regrouping Wednesday, saying the bump would not derail efforts. Meanwhile, Vice Mayor Brent Weaver softened his hard-line stance. He, joined by Councilwoman Francie Sullivan, voted against a watered-down motion to allow the city to be at the table with other partner agencies to talk homeless issues. But off the table is any housing model that includes a Housing First concept. Weaver said he has been left conflicted because he does not like to say no to anyone and noted he remains open to the city providing rental assistance vouchers for a Housing First model. Where his concerns lie, he said, is that suddenly Redding was thrust front and center by Utah housing expert Lloyd Pendletons throwdown to the city and to the county to house five people each. The city does not own public housing, its vouchers have eligibility restrictions and its housing staff is not equipped to meet the challenge. Still, he wanted to see the community, with the city's participation, find solutions. "We should be trying many different things. Housing First is one of those things that is intriguing to me," he said. Dean Germano, the chief executive officer at Shasta Community Health Center, has been working closely with Councilwoman Kristen Schreder on a strategic plan to eradicate homelessness. That effort has pulled in a wide cross-section of people who are committed to working together and to provide the supportive services that are crucial in permanent, stable housing. The committee meetings I have been going to are a mix of people and not city (staff), but you cant get away from the fact that the city and county play a role, he said, calling the councils actions a failure in leadership. What Lloyd Pendleton challenged us to do is a trial. It was a modest task to do really, and what we were hoping for was a little momentum. Schreder said she was not discouraged by the councils action. She plans to continue to engage nonprofits, city and county agencies, private-sector groups and the homeless. She said the committee will appoint members to the implementation team. Among those expected to participate are Jonathan Anderson, Good News Rescue Mission executive director. Others who may take part in the team include law enforcement and health and human services officials and the business community. A service coordination team will be formed that could be tasked with identifying candidates for housing. Police Chief Robert Paoletti last month, following Pendletons presentation, said he had a list for Schreder of possible candidates. The end-all wasnt just Housing First, Schreder said. The goal is to see how you can make different components work, see how you can pull things together. Housing First was a part of that, but the most important thing is to work on a process that gets people into housing. Hill Country Community Clinic in Round Mountain has offered to sponsor one of the five people that Mayor Missy McArthur pledged to house by July 1. Its chief financial officer, Nick Cutler, said the clinic will continue to collaborate with the other service providers to develop a housing model that works for the community. He lamented that the city shied away from spending a small amount of money on a model that has been tried and works in other communities. Housing First may not work for our community, but that determination cant be made unless we try it, Cutler said. Anderson welcomed the debate the councils action has stirred. It is valuable to have a disagreement, but lets continue to move the conversation forward, and lets do something but lets make sure it works for our community, Anderson said. There is nothing to prevent Schreder or any of the other council members from asking the item to be placed on the agenda, McArthur said. Our council job is to recognize the needs of our community and to come up with policies that will resolve issues in our community, she said. Doing nothing is little bit like kicking things down the road. That is the frustrating thing. The Good News Rescue Mission is the countys only emergency shelter. In the past three years, the campus has set aside its 30-days in, 30-days out policy for some of its clients and allowed them to stay longer. The average stay for this select group, some who may be finishing college or have an illness, is six months, though some are going on two-and-a-half years. Anderson was unsure what role the mission will play when the implementation team gets together, but anticipated it will be a big player. Standing before a federal judge Wednesday, Chicago police Officer Aldo Brown said he was frazzled from years of patrolling a violence-plagued South Side neighborhood when he made a "split-second decision" in 2012 that he wishes he could change. As security cameras rolled inside a convenience store in the South Shore neighborhood, Brown, a burly veteran tactical officer, punched a man in the face, then continued to strike and kick him after he was brought down to the floor and handcuffed. Brown said he had seen a handgun sticking out of the Jecque Howard's back pocket, but the video appeared to show otherwise. Advertisement "I was under tremendous stress because of all the killing," a tearful Brown said. "I'm not trying to hide from what I did. ... I'm not a bad person." Moments later, U.S. District Judge Virginia Kendall sentenced Brown to two years in federal prison, saying his actions in the store and his decision to lie about it under oath at trial last fall eroded public confidence in the Police Department, especially in neighborhoods like South Shore where such trust matters most. Advertisement "We cannot have a policing community where it's us versus them," Kendall said. "It's not a sliding scale where if violence increases, constitutional rights decrease." The prison sentence believed to be the first in seven years for a Chicago cop for an on-duty incident of excessive force comes amid continued fallout for the Police Department and Mayor Rahm Emanuel over the release months ago of a video showing Laquan McDonald, a black teen, being shot 16 times by a white officer. Chicago police officers rarely have been charged with excessive force on the job and usually only when video backs up a victim's version of events, records show. The last Chicago cop to be given prison for such misconduct came in 2009, when Officer William Cozzi was sentenced to 40 months in prison for the videotaped beating of a combative hospital patient shackled to a wheelchair. After Wednesday's sentencing, Brown's attorney, Daniel Herbert, told reporters he planned to appeal. Citing the city's startlingly high homicide statistics so far in 2016, Herbert said cases like Brown's have cast a pall on proactive policing and emboldened criminals. "Today it was justice for the criminals," Herbert said in the lobby of the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse. "The message that we have now sent out is that there is no reason, there is no incentive for a police officer ever to do proactive work again going forward." Brown was convicted of a single count of using excessive force after a weeklong trial in October, a month before the release of police dash-cam video of 17-year-old McDonald's killing led to murder charges against Officer Jason Van Dyke as well as a U.S. Justice Department probe into use of force by the Police Department. The same jury acquitted Brown of two counts of filing false police reports. Flanked by family and his attorneys, Chicago police Officer Aldo Brown leaves court after sentencing March 2, 2016, at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse in Chicago. Brown was sentenced to two years in prison for beating and kicking a convenience store worker. (Anthony Souffle / Chicago Tribune) Brown, 39, remains free on bond and must report to prison by June 24. He was put on paid desk duty shortly after the incident and currently is suspended without pay. He faces firing because of the felony conviction. In arguing for probation, Jennifer Russell, another of Brown's attorneys, said the humiliation of seeing news reports on his case and the constant playing of the beating video was not only punishment enough for Brown but also a staunch deterrent for other cops who might think they can get away with using excessive force. Advertisement "Their worst nightmare, rather than getting shot on the job, is to be standing in Aldo Brown's shoes right now," Russell said. But Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Romero, in arguing for up to a 2 1/2-year prison term, said the impact of Brown's actions on the community and his fellow police officers was enormous. In addition to Howard's beating, Brown had two excessive force complaints against him sustained in 2011 and 2012, Romero said. He also was accused in a lawsuit of punching a suspect in the face during a search at a gas station. That suit was settled in 2012 for $37,000, records show. "Police officers should be held to a higher standard," Romero said. "The very system we operate in depends on their trustworthiness and their honesty. The defendant failed in every possible way to live up to that standard." Acting on a tip in September 2012, Brown, a plainclothes tactical officer in the South Chicago district since 2005, went with his partner, Officer George Stacker, to check out whether drugs were being sold at the Omar Salma convenience store in the 7600 block of South Coles Avenue. The tip also alleged that employees were acting as lookouts for the dealers. The surveillance footage which had no audio showed Brown handcuffing store clerk Howard and several others and searching some customers' pockets. He then walked up and down the store aisles looking for contraband. Advertisement When Howard lifted his shirt to show his waistband, the video showed the 6-foot-3, 265-pound Brown punching the much smaller Howard in the face with a quick right hand. After Howard stumbled back into a cooler door, Brown choked him with his left hand and then cocked his right fist and delivered a blow to Howard's ribs, the video showed. Brown then dragged Howard along the floor toward the back of the aisle. As Howard lay on his back on the floor, Brown hit him a third time in the face, according to the video. He then rolled Howard over and handcuffed him. After finding and removing a loaded .22-caliber handgun from Howard's back pocket, Brown kicked Howard in the side, the video showed. Howard suffered scratches and bruising but was not seriously injured in the attack, prosecutors said. He later filed a federal lawsuit that the city settled for $100,000. Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > Testifying in his own defense at trial, Brown told jurors he feared for his life after spotting the gun in Howard's pocket before he threw the first punch. But the video showed Brown continued to beat and kick Howard for nearly a minute before he took control of the weapon a reaction prosecutors said proved Brown had lied about seeing the gun. In a lengthy and emotional statement Wednesday to the judge, Brown's sister, Annette, complained that her brother was being made a "fall guy" in the fallout over the McDonald shooting and called the charges against him "a disgrace." Brown was raised in a tightknit family of seven siblings, the sister said. He met his wife, who is also a Chicago police officer, in elementary school, she said. Advertisement Standing next to his sister with his hands splayed on a lectern, Brown burst into tears as she talked about his three children, including a 9-year-old daughter with special needs. "My brother ... is not who the media and the court system is making him out to be," his sister said. "He's not a criminal. He's part of the solution, not part of the problem." jmeisner@tribpub.com Twitter @jmetr22b Rule 4: Let her know what it is you like about her and emphasize that you are fun. Again, do not mention her hot yoga bod, but respond to what is in her profile or photos. "You like dog sledding too? I was in the IDITAROD!" After you've done that, let her know why YOU are awesome. (And not with generic descriptors like "nice" or "funny." Show, don't tell. What do you bring to the table? What makes you special or interesting or cool?) With "Downton Abbey" coming to an end on Sunday after six extremely entertaining, occasionally absurd and frequently very moving seasons, we decided to take a look back at the many, many characters, both human and otherwise, who've gone gently into that good night since the series began with the sinking of the R.M.S. Titanic in 1912. Cue the Sarah McLachlan, bust out the Kleenex and take a trip down memory lane with us. Titanic departs Southampton, England, on April 2, 1912. (Associated Press) James Crawley Who: Lord Grantham's paternal cousin, closest male relative and heir to Downton Abbey When: April 15, 1912 How: The sinking of the Titanic Tragedy factor: Low. So what if he drowned in the icy waters of the North Atlantic? It's not like we knew the guy. Lifeboats carry survivors of the real-life sinking of the the Titanic. (N.Y. Herald Syndicate) Patrick Crawley Who: James' son, Mary's fiance and the next in line to inherit the estate. When: April 15, 1912 How: The sinking of the Titanic Tragedy factor: Also low. If he'd lived, Matthew Crawley never would have inherited Downton, or fallen in love with Mary! Sorry Patrick! (And, unlike Lady Edith, we're going to assume that guy who showed up in Season 2 with the scarred face claiming to be Patrick was an impostor because, come on.) The death of Kemal Pamuk (Theo James) mid-coitue became a major problem for Lady Mary (PBS) Kemal Pamuk Who: A dashing Turkish diplomat and friend of Evelyn Napier When: Spring 1913 How: A heart attackwhile in bed with Lady Mary Tragedy factor: Moderate. He and Mary shared some serious chemistry, and the fallout from his death would have a ripple effect on the plot for several seasons to come Lord Grantham ( Hugh Bonneville ) with his trusty yellow lab, Pharaoh. (PBS) Pharaoh Who: Lord Grantham's first beloved Labrador retriever When: Sometime between 1914 and 1916 How: Unknown Tragedy factor: Negligible. No one even noticed. The death of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria had a major effect on "Downton Abbey" -- and the world. (Associated Press) Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria Who: Okay, so he wasn't a character on the show, exactly, but he was the heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire and his death triggered World War I, and certainly affected everyone on Downton Abbey When: June 28, 1914 How: Shot by Gavrilo Princip, a Bosnian Serb Tragedy factor: Vast. A whole lot of people died during the war. (See below.) Archibald "Archie" Philpotts Who: Mrs. Patmore's nephew When: Circa 1917 How: Shot for cowardice after deserting his post in the war Tragedy factor: Minor. We never meet Archie and only learn about his fate many years after it's happened. But Mrs. Patmore sure was upset about it. Footman William Mason died a hero's death. (PBS) William Mason Who: Sweet-natured second footman at Downton Abbey When: July 26, 1918 How: Lung injuries sustained in France after throwing himself in front of Matthew Tragedy factor: High. Knowing that he faced certain death, William proposed to Daisy, Downton's scullery maid and the object of his long-unrequited affection, so that she could receive his pension. Daisy accepted even though she wasn't in love, and the two exchanged vows a few hours before he passed away peacefully in his sleep. Sorry, gotta go, these onions I'm chopping are making me tear up! Dan Stevens as Matthew Crawley and Zoe Boyle as Lavinia Swire. Rest in peace, you crazy kids. (Nick Briggs / PBS) Lavinia Swire Who: Matthew's impossibly selfless but super-boring fiance When: April 1919 How: Spanish flu Tragedy factor: Lower than it should be, given the dramatic circumstances: Days before her wedding, Lavinia walks in on Mary and Matthew mid-makeout. Awkward! She then comes down with the flu and quickly succumbs, but not before telling Matthew that he and Mary truly belong together. Would have been much sadder if the saintly Lavinia had been a fully-realized human rather than a plot device invented to keep Mary and Matthew apart. Vera, the first Mrs. Bates (Maria Doyle Kennedy), was a real piece of work. (Nick Briggs / PBS) Vera Bates Who: Evil first wife of Downton's valet, John Bates When: November 1918 How: In an elaborate plot to frame her estranged husband for murder, Vera committed suicide by consuming a homemade pie baked with rat poison (as you do). Tragedy factor: Moderate. Vera was a genuinely terrible person and all, but her death triggered years of legal woes for the chronically unlucky Bates and his second wife, Anna -- and frustration for viewers. Daniel Pirrie as Major Charles Bryant. (Nick Briggs / PBS) Maj. Charles Bryant Who: Posh soldier who convalesced at Downton Abbey and impregnated housemaid Ethel When: Late 1918 How: Killed in battle shortly before the armistice Tragedy factor: Moderate. Maj. Bryant was a cad, but after he died, Ethel turned to prostitution to support her son. Reggie Swire Who: A wealthy London solicitor and father of Lavinia, Matthew's doomed fiance When: Late December 1919 How: Unspecified illness Tragedy factor: So low as to be almost negative. In one of "Downton Abbey's" most ludicrous subplots, Swire bequeathed his fortune to Matthew, the guy who broke his daughter's heart while she was dying of the flu. But hey, his money saved the family from ruin! Win-win! Sybil and Tom Branson with their newborn baby daughter, just before things took a turn for the worse. (Carnival Films) Sybil Branson, nee Crawley Who: Kind-hearted, politically active youngest daughter of Lord and Lady Grantham and wife of Thomas Branson, former chauffeur at Downton Abbey When: Spring 1920 How: Complications from childbirth Tragedy factor: Extreme. We're talking "Steel Magnolias" levels of sad, so heartbreaking that it made the usually cold and cunning Thomas weep like a baby. The tragedy was compounded by the sense it might have been avoidable: Dr. Clarkson correctly diagnosed her preeclampsia but was ignored by Lord Grantham and the fancy London doctor he'd hired (though it's later revealed nothing could have saved her). Dan Stevens as Matthew Crawley (Matthew Lloyd / For The Times) Matthew Crawley Who: Lady Mary's husband and the heir to Downton Abbey (duh!) When: September 1921 How: Car accident Tragedy factor: So off-the-charts heartbreaking, bordering on sadistic, that some of us still haven't recovered. Matthew managed to survive the war and miraculously recover from a spinal cord injury only to be killed in a car accident on his way home from the hospital just hours after meeting his newborn son, George, for the first time. Did we mention that the episode aired on Christmas Day in the U.K.? Nigel Harman as Lord Gillingham's evil valet, Alex Green (Nick Briggs / Carnival Films for Masterpiece) Alex Green Who: Lord Gillingham's valet When: August 1922 How: Pushed into traffic in Piccadilly Circus -- but not by Anna Tragedy factor: Low. The guy who brutally raped Anna got what was coming to him, even if -- sigh -- his death created yet another round of legal worries for the Bateses. Charles Edwards as Lady Edith's doomed lover, Michael Gregson. (Nick Briggs / PBS) Michael Gregson Who: Editor of the society magazine The Sketch and Lady Edith's boyfriend/baby-daddy When: November 1923 How: Killed by a gang of Nazi thugs during the Beer Hall Putsch in Munich, where he'd gone to establish German citizenship so that he could divorce his insane wife and marry Edith (long story, OK?) Tragedy factor: High. Gregson died before Edith could tell him she was pregnant. She gave birth in secret and gave her daughter, Marigold, up for adoption -- only to change her mind and bring her to Downton. Isis (PBS) Isis Who: Lord Grantham's second beloved Labrador retriever When: Mid-1924 How: Cancer Tragedy factor: Medium-High. Grantham seriously loved that dog, despite the unfortunate modern connotations of her name. Charlie Rogers Who: Henry Talbot's racing buddy When: July 1925 How: Car crash during race at Brooklands Tragedy factor: Minimal. The only reason the character existed was to die and make Mary freak out about Henry. Mission accomplished. Peter Pelham, the Sixth Marquess of Hexham Who: Bertie's "delicate," "lyrical" cousin and the owner of Brancaster Castle When: August 1925 How: Malaria, contracted while in Tangiers Tragedy factor: Minimal. Bertie was sad, but with one mosquito bite, he's gone from a modest estate agent to a super rich aristocrat! To quote Lord Grantham, "Golly gumdrops, what a turn-up!" Follow @MeredithBlake on Twitter. MORE: 'Downton Abbey' series finale recap: Shiny, happy people 'Downton Abbey's' Julian Fellowes balanced resolution and change in final season 'Downton Abbey' recap: And the award for world's worst sister goes to ... Lady Mary! The Times' original review of 'Downton Abbey' found 'plenty of sex and secrets, romance and treachery to go 'round' DIY 'Downton Abbey' tour: Free map to 70 filming locations in Britain Forty seven years ago, four men -- one of whom controversially declared they were more famous than Jesus Christ -- arrived in Rishikesh to savour Indian spiritualism. The ashram where they stayed is now a museum dedicated to the Fab Four. Archana Masih/Rediff.com stopped by recently to discover that in this corner of India, the Beatles are still rocking. "Do you know where the Beatles Museum is?" I ask a foreigner as I stand at the end of the road, overlooking a shamshan ghat in Rishikesh. "Left and about 100 metres," says the kurta-clad New Yorker, the only person on the quiet stretch behind me, where the eatery is presciently called the Last Chance Cafe. "Oh," I say, "I thought this was a dead end." "Much like life, isn't it?" he replies in a very New Yorkerish way. "You think you've hit a dead end, but there's a way at the end of the road." He goes his way, one of the many foreigners one encounters in the town of the Ganga and Yoga, leaving me with something to ponder as I make my way to meet the Beatles. The Fab Four -- John, Paul, George and Ringo -- spent a few weeks in Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's ashram in 1968 and are known to have written 40 songs here. Lines from their songs can be found on many of the walls. The Beatles had first met the Maharishi in England. Huts shaped like eggs that must have doubled as mediation-cum-living spaces line the path. Time has been unkind to the huts, but they are mostly intact and have a lost world kind of beauty. The exterior is dotted with stones from the river; inside is a small room-with an attached bathroom. A short spiral staircase leads to a dome shaped room, with a cute open terrace. Some say 'Number 9' was John's hut (the maverick songwriter and the man credited with the infamous Jesus quote was born on October 9) but that claim is unconfirmed. The ashram, that was abandoned for nearly 30 years, was established in 1961 by the Maharishi about whom the Beatles wrote a rather sardonic song Sexy Sadie after they fell out with the yogi. The ashram was converted into a Beatles museum by the Uttarakhand forest department, which had leased it to the Maharishi. It opened to the public last December. The Beatles' cathedral gallery of graffiti is the the main focus of the sprawling ashram. Over the years, fans dropped by to paint graffiti in what must have been a yoga/lecture hall. Natural light streams in through the windows that have no frames, but the riot of colours and the messages inside the quiet hall are uplifting. Lennon's celebrated song and other Beatles numbers adorn the walls and the floor -- you can look at them for hours and absorb in the moment. Here Comes The Sun, Penny Lane, Life Flows On Within You And Without You... A couple that drops in say they have never heard a Beatles song, but have come nevertheless to take a look. The songs share space with 'Free Palestine', 'Free Tibet' slogans and 'My love Anjali Dayal'and suchlike love offerings. Graffiti can be seen on the walls of the abandoned living quarters that are spread over 7.5 hectares of the forest. John Lennon and his missus-before-Yoko-Ono Cynthia, George Harrison and Pattie Boyd (later Eric Clapton's wife too), Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney along with actress Mia Farrow (soon after her marriage to Ol' Blue Eyes Frank Sinantra ended), Donovan and Beach Boy Mike Love came to the ashram in February 1968. Paul and Ringo cut short their trip, but John and George stayed on for nearly two months (Picture the context: Two of the mightiest names in music based in India for that long; can you imagine Bono or Beyonce or Rihanna doing that now?). Tickets are priced at Rs 150 for Indians and Rs 600 for foreigners. On the way out, I meet a group of giggling school girls who have come to see the museum. Students can enter with a discounted ticket priced at Rs 40. The ashram was a full-fledged yoga and meditation centre with a well-laid out township, the forest guard at the entrance tells me. It also had its own helipad. The Maharishi -- who is credited with creating Transcendental Meditation -- left India in the 1970s and spent time at his ashrams in Switzerland and The Netherlands. He passed away in 2008 in Vlodrop, The Netherlands. George's most famous song My Guitar Gently Weeps is painted on what must have been a stage in a lecture hall. Some of the songs the Beatles wrote in Rishikesh appeared on The White Album and Abbey Road. On the other side of the ashram is the Beatles Cafe run by three friends. A popular hangout with tourists, it pays tribute to the Beatles and the music of the '60s. Its menu has drinks named after the Beatles. From its terrace flies the Indian flag while the serene Ganga flows below. The Sunday afternoon I was there, only a handful of people can be spotted at the museum. One person at the gate tells me the tickets are highly priced, for both Indians and foreigners. Fans may think otherwise. Before they broke up in 1970, the Beatles dominated popular music in a way no group has done since. With their prolific array of songs, they changed the way music was seen, heard, played, felt. It is good to know that in a corner of India the Beatles are still rocking. John and George, now playing their ballads in Heaven, will be pleased. Photographs: Archana Masih/Rediff.com In Bastar, as in Delhi, being branded 'anti-national' in the eyes of the government now seems to have acquired new meaning, says Aakar Patel. IMAGE: A grieving family in Mangapeta village, about 450 km from Raipur, Chhattisgarh. Photograph: Parth Sanyal/Reuters It is difficult to escape the conclusion that Delhi has turned into a battlefront for the right to dissent and freedom of expression. The last time we witnessed an uprising of such proportions a 23-year-old student had been raped and murdered on the cold night of December 16, 2012. The outrage, over slogans in a university, is divided this time. But the issues raised are no less important -- do we still respect the freedom to question the government, and will those who stand up for others' rights be protected? About 1,500 kilometres away from Delhi, in Chhattisgarh's Bastar region, these questions are being raised even more starkly. State repression has steadily turned from slow burn to full explosion. For activists and journalists based in Bastar, routine questioning by the police is an expected occupational hazard, but now arbitrary arrest is also a real threat. Local journalist Santosh Yadav has been in detention for nearly five months on trumped-up charges. Even before he was arrested in September 2015, he was frequently harassed by the police (and on one occasion, even stripped and beaten) for reporting on the plight of Adivasis in the region, for many of whom he helped secure legal aid. Thousands of Adivasis, accused of being Naxalites, languish in overcrowded jails in Chhattisgarh. As per data compiled by the Jagdalpur Legal Aid Group, the occupancy rate in jails in the state is 253 per cent, compared to the national average occupancy rate of 114 per cent In Kanker, it is over 428 per cent. Santosh Yadav's lawyer Isha Khandelwal has been providing free legal assistance to Adivasi villagers for years now as part of the Jagdalpur Legal Aid Group, with her colleague, Shalini Gera. Last week, the lawyers were asked to leave their home by their landlord after he was suddenly called in for police questioning. An eviction notice was similarly served on Malini Subramaniam, who was until recently one of the few national media journalists living in Bastar and reporting on human rights violations. These activists and journalists have all supported each other's work. Khandelwal was Subramaniam's lawyer in her complaint against members of the Samajik Ekta Manch, an anti-Maoist group with links to the state police, who demonstrated outside her house and publicly declared her a Naxal supporter. Subramaniam had also reported on the arrest of Santosh Yadav under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Chhattisgarh Special Public Security Act, among other laws. Both JagLAG lawyers and Subramaniam have been driven out of Bastar now, and Yadav is still in jail. Soni Sori, the Adivasi activist who was herself raped in custody, and detained for several years before being acquitted, has also come under attack. The assailants who threw a black substance on her on the night of February 20 warned her that they would come after her daughter if she continues to raise her voice against a senior police official in Bastar. Soni Sori had been helping the family of Hadma Kashyap, an alleged 'Maoist' whose family claims he was killed in a fake encounter on February 3, to lodge a formal complaint against the same police official. It is perhaps no coincidence that the hounding out of lawyers and journalists from Bastar, and the attack on Soni Sori, comes on the heels of a series of reports of mass violence by security forces. As the journalist Bela Bhatia, who is herself facing harassment, has reported, there have been three incidents of rural Adivasi women reporting multiple gangrapes, sexual assault and violence by security forces since November. The police have initially refused to register FIRs in all these cases, and only relented following pressure from the activists. The Chhattisgarh police, seldom shy of dubbing journalists as Maoist supporters, have been quick to also use the 'anti-nationalism' narrative. Last week, a BBC Hindi journalist in Bastar left an assignment midway after receiving threats. The senior-most police official in the region, the inspector general of police, Bastar, told the journalist in a text message: 'There is no point wasting my time with journalists like you. The nationalist and patriotic class of media supports me and it will be better if I spend my time with them.' In Bastar, as in Delhi, being branded an 'anti-national' in the eyes of the government now seems to have acquired new meaning. Once you are declared 'anti-national', you apparently no longer enjoy your Fundamental Rights under the Constitution. You can no longer criticise the government, and you are no longer entitled to protection against violence, or justice for abuses. In both Bastar and Delhi, as in the medieval witch-hunts of Europe, the fires have been lit, and the mobs are standing ready. Aakar Patel is Executive Director, Amnesty International India. The views expressed here are personal. Rather than make it a BJP or anti-BJP battle, it is more important to have a dialogue with the protesting students and understand their psyche, says Devanik Saha. With the Union Budget and apparently new revelations in the Ishrat Jahan case, the Jawaharlal Nehru University row has taken a backseat. In the aftermath of the incident, social media witnessed several debates and discussions on nationalism, separatism, even the idea of discussing independence for Kashmir. Even a document named 'JNU sedition module' compiling essays and videos focusing on the above mentioned topics was circulated online. When I read about the issue in-depth, I analysed the incident donning the hat of a teacher rather as a journalist. Just to give a perspective, I was a Teach For India Fellow and taught at a government school for two years. Though the faux nationalism propagated by the Bharatiya Janata Party and its supporters is nauseating to say the least, as a teacher I always taught my students to respect the national flag, sing the national anthem properly and contribute to India's development. The slogans allegedly chanted at some meetings at JNU surprised me. Though my stand on the JNU issue would make me an anti-national by the BJP's standards, for me the most concerning feature was that not a single debate focussed on finding the real reason behind those slogans being shouted. Rather, the debate was converted into a BJP/Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh versus Left battle. Would I ever chant these slogans? No. Do I support these slogans? No. Do I love my country and want it to prosper? Of course, yes. Most prime-time television debates and social media discussions revolved around two controversial slogans, how these slogans were seditious and how students making these statements should be punished. Not surprisingly, whenever BJP spokespersons were cornered with questions, they used these two slogans as a cover-up to hide their lack of effectual arguments. While the police investigation will eventually reveal who actually chanted slogans and what was chanted, but assuming that some outsiders and a few insiders did chant them, then these few critical questions remain unanswered: What could lead an Indian citizen to raise such outrageous slogans? Should we not find the real reason? Why can't we have a dialogue with those students to understand their psyche? Honestly, even given my inherent anti-establishment nature, I or any of my friends or relatives would never have chanted those slogans, however disheartened we may be with the government of the day. If one has read in-depth on Kashmir, it is evident that imposition of the draconian Armed Forces Special Powers Act, Public Safety Act, etc has had a devastating effect. 'Half-widows,' as they are known as, have never even seen their husbands' dead bodies. Kashmiris who have faced years of torture and abuse at the hands of a few armed force personnel are likely to have a grudge against the Indian State, as a citizen's perception of the government is formed by the first point of contact or experience which s/he has faced with a State establishment. Therefore, rather than make it a BJP or an anti-BJP battle, understanding the actual reason behind those slogans being shouted should be of prime importance. Narendra Modi may be the best prime minister India has ever elected, but if I am needlessly harassed by government officials over some paperwork, my ire will always be directed against the government, and in the current scenario, the BJP or Modi. Similarly, for many Kashmiris, torture and abuse by security personnel was their first experience of the government machinery, which has led them to form their opinion about the State, seek a separation from it. The same holds true for women raped by security personnel in the north-east and Naxal-affected states in India under the garb of draconian laws. During the course of the current row, many right-wing supporters kept focussing on how some student unions at JNU, like the Democratic Students Union, an ultra-left group which supports Maoist ideology, are terrorist sympathisers. Whether or not they support Naxalism may be a subject of debate, but assuming some of them probably do so, we do need to question why they do so and what led them to support Maoism instead of thinking about the nation's development? Where has the State gone wrong? Has India failed to provide justice to many of its citizens who have been tortured by government machinery? Does it make sense to label them anti-nationals without understanding their cause for action? Shouldn't we ponder these questions, too? A few days ago, when the JNU controversy was at its peak, I read an article in The Hoot, which focussed on how media indifference leads to stories of human rights violations in Chhattisgarh being ignored. It highlighted examples of how alleged rapes by security personnel were higher in villages where roads were being built, thereby indicating a direct correlation between roads and rapes in Bastar, Chhattisgarh. I had only one question: If a tribal woman who was allegedly gang-raped, her genitals and breasts fondled, her clothes torn and all the hard-earned food supply looted by security forces, if she shouts 'Chhattisgarh ko azaad karo', will we term her an anti-national? IMAGE: Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad activists scuffle with security personnel during a protest march in New Delhi. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters 'Even though he knew full well that the manipulation went against the facts as he knew them, G K Pillai nonchalantly contented himself with stating that since the file came from the minister himself, he just passed it on as it was.' 'In the '60s even the junior-most officer never hesitated to express himself boldly and frankly in meetings and notings, and even to the extent of recording his disagreement with the views of their superiors.' 'The spirit pervading bureaucracy in those halcyon days was one of fearless expression of views and elders in service and ministers took it with understanding and good will,' says B S Raghavan, the distinguished civil servant who once served at the home ministry. The print and electronic media, as also the social media, are full of reports of the manner in which a solemn and sacred document like an affidavit to be filed before a temple of justice suffered manipulation bordering on falsehood and forgery at the highest levels of the ministry of home affairs. When G K Pillai, home secretary at the relevant time, was asked why he did not object to the rewording of the affidavit in the Ishrat Jahan case by the then home minister P Chidambaram, even though he knew full well that the manipulation went against the facts as he knew them, he nonchalantly contented himself with stating that since the file came from the minister himself, he just passed it on as it was. The home ministry was the morphed version of the political department of the days of British imperialism and it was the direct charge of the viceroy and the governor-general. For many decades after Independence, it was regarded as the pivot of the Union government responsible for many areas such as recruitment, appointment and deployment of the highest services of the land, including the judges of the high courts and the supreme court, internal security, Centre-state relations, administration of preventive detention act and Defence of India Rules, Emergency, President's rule, the Central Bureau of Investigation, the Intelligence Bureau in its full panoply, including external intelligence, border security, paramilitary forces -- in short, areas at the heart of the nation now hived off into two or three separate ministries with their own hordes of ministers and functionaries. In the 1960s when I served for ten years in the ministry, first as deputy secretary and then as the director, there was the Cabinet minister, two ministers of state, one secretary, two additional secretaries, five joint secretaries, one director, nine deputy secretaries and 10-12 under-secretaries. Those working in the ministry were proudly conscious of it being a cornerstone of the Constitution and tried to conduct themselves in the highest traditions of public service. Never once even the faintest glimmer of any thought of fabrication, falsification, manipulation or tampering in any manner with any facts or documents ever crossed our minds even momentarily. On the contrary, even the junior-most officer never hesitated to express himself boldly and frankly in meetings and notings, and even to the extent of recording his disagreement with the views of their superiors. Compare G K Pillai's attitude with how those working in the home ministry construed their role and duty to be in those far-off days, as will be evident from the following narrative. Following the Chinese aggression of October 1962, a section of the Communist Party (there was only one in those days) was reported by the Intelligence Bureau to be propagating the Chinese line and pitching for a negotiated settlement. The IB, which was exercising surveillance over the Communists, forwarded a list of around 1,200 persons (dubbed pro-Chinese Communists) who were said to be aggressive in espousing the Chinese cause and who, therefore, according to the IB, posed a danger to national security. Home Minister, Gulzarilal Nanda called a meeting of the home secretary, the intelligence chief and other senior officials concerned to discuss the IB report. I was also present, but being the junior-most officer, I was there merely to keep notes and record the decision for further processing. After a detailed analysis of the pros and cons, the unanimous view of the assembled officials was to act as per the IB's recommendation. It was now for me to initiate the concomitant steps: Prepare the warrants of detention, and alert and line up the state chief secretaries and inspectors general of police to be in readiness to complete the entire operation in a synchronised manner so as to guard against anyone going underground. I returned to my room with great uneasiness. After all, it was I who would be signing and issuing the orders of detention: So, should I not also be fully convinced that the course of action decided upon was the right one? Somehow, my conscience rebelled against condemning honest dissent as prejudicial to security and defence of India. After all, to argue that India should enter into a dialogue with China in an accommodating spirit was not a crime. Even if some of the apparatchiks had said in secret meetings that India was in the wrong in provoking China, I saw nothing objectionable in it. Further, if the government went in for wholesale detention, it would lead to a further hardening of their stand and might even make militants of some of them. Finally, what was the proof that these 1,200 members were indulging in anti-national activities? We only had the word of some constables covering the meetings incognito, who might or might not be able to grasp the sense of what was being said. I decided to put down all these reservations in a note and send it to the home secretary, L P Singh. Remember, a final decision had been taken after due deliberation by a conclave of officials at the highest levels of the government presided over by the home minister himself and also remember, I had no business at that point to be raising objections. The home secretary, on receiving my note, could have promptly sent it back peremptorily ordering me to carry out the decision already taken: or, worse, he could have thought that I myself was a pro-Chinese Leftist mole in the sanctum sanctorum of the home ministry and got me reverted to Bengal, or in the worst case scenario, had me detained, if not dismissed from service, under the security clause of the Constitution without proceedings and inquiry. To the contrary, while he disagreed with my contentions and wanted the decision to stand, the home sercretary did me the courtesy of rebutting each of my arguments with reasons and sending the file to the home minister with the remark, 'The Deputy Secretary has expressed his reservations, ably supported by arguments, about the decision taken last evening in HM's room. For the reasons I have mentioned, I feel that the decision is the right one and should be implemented. Still, I am bringing the DS' note to HM's attention as it is well worth reading.' Nanda, too, could have just initialled and sent the file back. No! He sent it to Lal Bahadur Shastri with his own words of praise for the way I had argued my views. Shastri noted in his beautiful hand to the effect: 'I appreciate Raghavan's effort to put down his views. However, for the reasons mentioned by the HS, we may go ahead with implementing the decision.' These appreciative observations did not relieve me of my uneasiness on another count. The names of Jyoti Basu, Harkishen Singh Surjeet, A K Gopalan, Susheela Gopalan, and E M S Namboodripad were included in the list. In my opinion, their patriotism could not be doubted and they were second to none anywhere in the world in their stature, calibre and service to the country. The very thought of detaining them on an atrocious and unprovable pretext went against my grain. So, I sent the file back once again to the home secretary expressing my views to the above effect. This time, my stand was approved right up to the PM's level, and they were left out of the list of detenues. Can you imagine a mere deputy secretary surviving what would be straightaway condemned as insubordination and disloyalty if only he had been serving political dispensations in recent years? The spirit pervading bureaucracy in those halcyon days was one of fearless expression of views and elders in service and ministers took it with understanding and good will. If they differed, they had the self-confidence to over-rule you in writing on files, giving their arguments, unlike the present political bigwigs who are allergic to any dissenting opinion. Civil servants too did not feel that they were doing anything heroic or unusual. They took intellectual integrity and freedom to give their views as part of a natural order of things. It never impinged on their consciousness that there was any other way. B S Raghavan is a retired IAS officer who served as the Director, Political and Security policy planning, in the home ministry between 1961 and 1969, and headed the National Council Secretariat under Jawaharlal Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri and Indira Gandhi. In a sharp attack on P Chidambaram, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday said the second affidavit filed in the Gujarat High Court by the United Progressive Alliance government in the Ishrat Jahan case was "fraudulent". Saying the encounter in which Jahan and her other alleged LeT operatives were killed in Gujarat was "honest", he asked if the Congress believed it was fake why did it then allow those officers involved in the actual shootout to get bail on the 90th day by not filing chargesheets and make them a witness. In an interview to Times Now, he said the first affidavit by the UPA government mentioning her terror links "was not ambiguous. It was as clear as day light. The second affidavit was fraudulent." Asked if the UPA government played around with the intelligence framework, the minister said, "Obviously." Chidambaram had on Monday justified the filing of second affidavit as absolutely correct and as minister owned up the decision. Recalling his 2013 blog on the issue, he said he had raised questions about allowing CBI to investigate the Intelligence Bureau operations and compromising of national security. "Obviously when the encounter took place, there were some officers who were physically present in the encounter. The CBI arrested all of them. It consciously did not file a chargesheet within 90 days. So those officers were let out on bail," he said. He claimed that those offers were then "asked to give statements under Section 164 against senior political leaders of the Gujarat government." Those officers, he said, were not even named in the chargesheet. On Congress president Sonia Gandhi's statement that she stood by what Chidambaram said, Jaitley said the series of facts brought out by him "make out a perfect case of how a concoction" was taking place. "This has been a tradition of this political party. After all didn't they cook up the fake bank account against V P Singh when they saw a possible threat in him becoming a future Prime Minister," he said. Fake bank accounts in VP Singh's sons' name were opened in St Kitts but this time "they were trying to fabricate a case of murder in this manner. This is the extent which the Congress party can stoop." Additional Afghan forces have been deployed around the Indian consulate which was attacked on Wednesday in Jalalabad city of Afghanistan by heavily-armed terrorists including suicide bombers. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said that senior officials of both the National Directorate of Security and the Afghan National Police visited the consulate to reassure its officials of their complete cooperation. "Our consulate in Jalalabad came under attack on Wednesday by a group of five terrorists at 12 noon. The attackers approached the consulate in a van rigged with explosives. "No member of the consulate was injured except superficial injuries in right hand of one of the local staff members. Three persons reportedly died in the attack. The NDS reported that 19 persons were injured, mostly Afghan national police guards, two of whom have serious injuries," Swarup said. He also said that additional forces, both from the ANP and the NDS, have been deployed around the consulate. Electricity lines that were knocked out due to an explosion were repaired and power was restored on priority, he added. Once the encounter was over, ANP chief of Nangarhar General Fazal Ahmad Sherzad, NDS Chief General Dad Mohammad Harifi, Governor Salim Khan Kundozi and ANCOP Chief Colonel Mohammad Naseem visited the consulate to reassure its officials of their complete cooperation, he added. Wednesday's attack was fourth in a series of terror strikes on the Indian Consulate in Jalalabad in the last nine years. It was attacked twice with hand grenades in 2007 and in 2013 and then by three suicide bombers. In 2015, an attack on it was thwarted by the Afghan security forces. Two months ago, heavily-armed terrorists had carried out an attack on Indian mission in Mazar-e-Sharif which lasted for over 24 hours with all the attackers who attempted to storm the building getting killed by the Afghan forces. Soon after that in January, Islamic State jihadists claimed responsibility for a deadly gun and bomb siege targeting the nearby Pakistani consulate in Jalalabad. Days after RVS Mani, former under secretary in the Union home ministry, claimed that he was coerced by former Special Investigation Team chief Satish Verma to file the second affidavit -- in which the references to the alleged links of Ishrat Jahan, Pranesh Pillai, Amjad Ali Rana and Zeeshan Johar with Lashkar-e-Tayiba were removed -- the officer in question has termed the allegation as 'baseless'. Responding to Mani's allegation that the lead investigator in the Ishrat Jahan case burnt him with cigarettes to coerce him into signing a statement unsupported by evidence, Verma told news agency ANI: "Mani is levelling allegations against those who had notable and important role in the investigation; I am one of them. During a CBI investigation, such a thing never takes place. Suppose if I did that, it is a misconduct and crime. Knowing that he could have initiated legal proceedings against me." "Mani had written more than desired in first affidavit and if it was changed in the second affidavit, it was rightly changed. Things in the first affidavit were written as if he was the investigating officer." Casting doubts over Mani's claims, the Indian Police Service officer said: "His motive is something else; he wants to weaken the case. He wants to divert attention from the charge sheets pending in courts. The purpose is to portray the evidence as 'wrong'." "During a police investigation, the witnesses' statements are recorded; there's no need to sign. Even Mani was among the witnesses. Where does the question of coercing him to sign the statement come when he doesn't need to do so," Verma asked. "People are coming in support, former home Secretary as well. But only saying does not prove anything. One needs to show evidences proving that Ishrat's movements were like a terrorist's. There was no such fact presented in investigation," he added. Earlier, Verma told media that his investigation "found that Ishrat along with three others had been picked by the Intelligence Bureau days before the encounter. In fact, there was no intelligence input with the IB that a woman would be accompanying the alleged terrorists. There was no input on Ishrat. These people were kept in illegal custody and then shot dead. "National security cannot become a defence for the pre-meditated murder of a 19-year-old girl and be branded it as collateral damage," Verma told India Today TV. "It is very unfortunate that national security was being used as a phrase to condone the extreme illegalities of the most serious crime in the book. It cannot happen. These raise concerns...," said Verma, who is now Chief Vigilance Officer at Shillong-based NEEPCO. Mani's shocking claims come just a few days after former home secretary GK Pillai on Thursday had revealed that someone at the political level did not want the real picture to come out in the Ishrat Jahan case. Pillai had mentioned that two affidavits submitted by the home ministry in relation to the case were contradictory to each other. The former home secretary had said there was no doubt that those killed in the alleged fake encounter in Gujarat had links with Lashkar-e-Tayiba. "They were LeT activists. She (Ishrat) knew that something was wrong. Otherwise an unmarried young Muslim woman would not have gone with some other men," he had said. Ishrat Jahan was one among four people killed in an alleged fake encounter case in 2004. Javed Sheikh alias Pranesh Pillai besides two Pakistani nationals Amjad Ali and Jishan Johar Abdul Ghani, all alleged LeT terrorists, were also killed in the encounter. The case had been a major point of controversy. Pope Francis is set to visit Pakistan this year on his first-ever trip to the Islamic nation, officials said on Thursday. The invitation by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to the Head of Catholic Church was extended by Ports and Shipping Minister Kamran Michael -- the only Christian minister in the current government -- and Religious Affairs Minister Sardar Yusuf during a meeting in Vatican last month. Officials said that Pope accepted the invitation extended on behalf of Sharif. "It is true that the Pope has accepted the invitation and the dates of the trip will be finalised by mutual consultation," an official of religious ministry said. He said the Pope will meet Sharif and President Mamnoon Hussain. He will also hold extensive interactions with the minority Christian community of the country, majority of them Catholic, besides visiting a Church. Christians of Pakistan are pushing to declare Shahbaz Bhatti, killed in 2011 for demanding reform in the countrys controversial blasphemy laws, as a saint and they expect some positive gesture by the Pope during the visit. A bit of sarcasm, some gravitas, quoting Congress leaders to stump the Congress. Thats how Prime Minister Narendra Modi hit back at the Opposition while replying to the motion of thanks to the Presidents address to Parliament. Modi invoked former prime ministers from the Congress, from Jawaharlal Nehru to Rajiv Gandhi, to urge the Opposition, chiefly the Congress, to let Parliament function peacefully and responsibly. On International Womens Day, March 8, he suggested that only women MPs be allowed to speak in Parliament. And to encourage newly-minted MPs and to let in fresh ideas, a few days be devoted to only first-time members of the House. Although there were jibes plenty at the Opposition, he ended his one hour, 10-minute speech on a conciliatory note, appealing to the House to work together for the collective good. Watch the PM's speech HERE Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached out to the Opposition, saying he needs their support for improvement in his government, even as he attacked the Congress over disruptions in Parliament while skipping the raging issues like Jawaharlal Nehru University and Dalit students suicide. Modi, speaking in the Lok Sabha, used wit and barbs as he responded to the attack by Congress over various initiatives of his government, including Make in India and MNREGA. Slamming the Congress for disrupting Parliament and stalling bills, he said the main Opposition party was doing so because of inferiority complex of its top leaders. He also invoked the statements made by Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and first President Rajendra Prasad by reading out their statements against stalling of legislative business. He deplored the tu tu, mai mai (blame game) attitude by political parties for scoring points, saying the officialdom rejoices over this and nation suffers. This government also needs improvement which cannot happen without your help. I am new, you are experienced. I need the benefit of your experience. Governments will come and go. Let us work shoulder to shoulder, Modi said while replying to a debate on Motion of Thanks to the Presidents Address which was approved later. He said a democratic country like India cannot be left at the mercy of the bureaucracy as he sought to underline the importance of the Legislature, saying even a single MP of any party should be treated like prime minister. In his 75-minute speech, Modi, however, did not respond to the specific issues raised by Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders, like his visit to Pakistan, black money, JNU and Dalit student Rohith Vemulas suicide. Without naming Rahul Gandhi, the prime minister appeared to be responding to his Wednesdays remark that he should listen to others. It is easy to preach others There are some people to whom all kinds of questions are asked. But there are some others, to whom nobody dares to ask questions, he said. I have been questioned, I have faced criticism and accusations over the last 14 years. I have learnt to live with it, said Modi, apparently referring to the attacks on him in the aftermath of Gujarat riots of 2002. While hitting out at Rahul for criticising his government, he sarcastically recalled how the Congress vice president had torn at a press conference an Ordinance approved by the Cabinet headed by Manmohan Singh and including veterans like A K Antony, Sharad Pawar and Farooq Abdullah. He also took on Rahul for mocking the governments ambitious Make in India programme, questioning whether such a scheme should be made fun of. You are mocking at Make in India? If it is not successful, you should suggest what should be done to make it successful, he said. Referring to disruptions in Parliament due to which several bills, including the crucial GST legislation is stuck, Modi said House is not allowed to function due to inferiority complex (of the opposition leadership). While elaborating, he appeared to suggest that top Congress leadership was not allowing young and bright leaders to emerge fearing that they may overshadow Rahul. In the Opposition there are bright and talented youngsters who dont get a chance to speak...They lot of study... The concern is that if they speak, they will be praised. Then what will happen to us, Modi said. While talking of disruptions in Parliament, the PM again appeared to take a swipe at Congress, saying the oppositions attitude was to demonstrate its strength even though its strength may be less. Congress has only 45 members in the 545-member Lok Sabha. Invoking Rajiv Gandhi over disruptions, Modi read out a statement made by the former PM in which he had expressed pain over stalling of Parliament and said that while it hurts the government, it equally hurts the members of the Opposition who want to raise issues of their concern. He said because of the will of Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, some bills were passed in Lok Sabha but those could not move ahead, suggesting that they got stuck in Rajya Sabha. Identifying some of these legislations, he said the Whistleblowers Protection Amendment bill is meant for enlightening the citizens and I see no reason why it is stopped. With regard to GST, which is aimed at overhauling the taxation system in the country, Modi told the Congress, it is yours only, still it is being stopped. While talking about attempts to halt development of the country by the Opposition, he cited a statement made by Indira Gandhi in 1974 in which she had wondered why some people try to portray the image of the country in such a manner as if India is standing with a begging bowl. When Congress member Kantilal Bhuria said that there is a gap between what you say and what you do, Modi said, I have got several certificates during the last 14 years, let there be one more. I accept it with bowed head. Taking on the Congress for mocking at his ambitious project of constructing toilets, the PM sarcastically said that if this task had been accomplished earlier, he would not have had to do it. Similarly, he referred to the Bangladesh border dispute which was settled after four decades and told Congress benches, You can say that if we had settled it, how would you do it. You may say that We left it for you to do. He said 18,000 villages were in darkness due to unsettled boundary even so many years after Independence and this was the Congress gift which we do not deny. Responding to Congresss contention that MNREGA was the baby of previous United Progressive Alliance government and that the National Democratic Alliance regime had repackaged and usurped it, Modi dwelt into the history and said such a programme had first been initiated in Maharashtra in 1972. He said such schemes for the poor have been going on for decades under various names and in different versions and that once Jawaharlal Nehrus name was removed by same party which curses us. On Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharges charge about corruption in MNREGA, the PM said, I agree 1,000 per cent and went on to suggest that it was during the tenure of previous UPA government. He said the Comptroller Auditor General had said in its report of 2012 pointed out how corruption was linked to MNREGA. We have tried to learn something from that. We are trying to make it foolproof and ensure that targeted people get benefits, he added. CAG has said MNREGA has not reached most of the places inhabited by the poor, Modi said, adding his government has linked it to Jandhan and other schemes and hopefully we will be able to eliminate the middlemen. While Modi was speaking, Rahul was seen leaving the House, prompting BJP benches to take a dig at the Congress leader. Rahul, who was yet to reach the exit gate, returned to his seat and then again went back and left. As BJP members were making some comments against Rahul, Modi told them to desist from that. Modi, while training guns at the Congress, also slammed the opposition party over poverty. You (Congress) boldly say that during elections I had promised to rid the country of poverty. But you have made poverty so deep-rooted that it is so difficult to uproot it... You must be saying Modi, you yourself will be uprooted but poverty will not go.. Still, we are making efforts, he said. To uproot poverty, a lot of efforts need to be made.... I realised how deep-rooted poverty is only when I came here (after becoming prime minister), Modi said. Asking Congress to accept that it has brought the country to such a pass, Modi said had there been no poverty, there would have been no need for MNREGA. While taking on Congress, he said it was suffering from a feeling of jealousy as it is concerned as to why the NDA government is doing well. He said Congress is worried that What we could not do in 60 years, how could you do it? He drew comparisons of the performance of his government with the UPA governments, particularly in the context of constructing roads and implementation of MNREGA. I invite intellectuals to do study of Ataljis Gram Sadak Yojana and MNREGA, Modi said. Talking about Food Security Act brought by the UPA, he said it had not been implemented by four Congress-ruled states, including poll-bound Kerala. You enjoy talking Gujarat.... Your own government in Kerala has not implemented it. You are going to polls there with full force. People will ask why your government did not implement FSA, he said. About the recently-launched Crop Insurance Scheme, Modi said it will come into force in all states from April 1, this year. Among the digs he took at Congress, the PM said, I cant say I started Rail. You can say that. You can say anything. But we do not have the courage to do so. Modi said his government had shown how work can be done with the same bureaucracy and same rules. I can show in all sectors, he said. India is a democratic nation. In public life we all are answerable. But some are not answerable. What they do, I have seen, the PM said. Apparently responding to allegations of disallowing dissent, he narrated an anecdote related to President Nikita Krushchev of erstwhile Soviet Union. After Stalin died, Krushchev would criticise him wherever he went. At one meeting, Krushchev was criticising Stalin and one youth said, you have worked with Stalin, then why are you criticising him now?... Krushchev replied, I wished to do the same in Stalin era but could not. You can do it. Got the answer? He told Kharge that some in Opposition would understand his reply while for some even having almonds will not help. The reference to almonds was made by him possibly because this dry fruit is believed to help in making brain sharp. Modi, who noted that he was a first-time MP, praised Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh, saying the similarity between him and the veteran leader is that they both like Lohia. He said the respect for the political class had gone down as he recalled his childhood days when he would see how even an MLA of his village commanded respect and the entire officialdom would be under an awe. I know because I would try to give tea to him, he said. Where have we taken our democratic system? No officer is afraid of politicians now. This is not about you or us but lowering of respect for the political class, Modi said, adding For officials, an MP should not be less than PM. We can engage in tu tu, mai mai (blame game). You may curse me and I may curse you but officials celebrate. By doing Tu tu, mai mai, we may be scoring points but at the end, the accountability of the bureaucracy ends. Our government may come or go but the accountability of the bureaucracy has to be there. You blame me and I blame you... But how to improve accountability of the Executive. This is a challenge before us. We have to make a collective effort. I dont blame anybody, he said. In a democratic country like India, we cannot leave it to officialdom. We have to trust 125 crore people. Our citizens do not ask for more. They are ready to move with the government. We have taken steps in this, he said. He said his government had taken some measures for the benefit of the common people by trusting them, like ending the requirement of interview for certain government jobs and doing away with the need for attestations. Opposition members in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday expressed serious concern over reports that some Sangh Parivar leaders had allegedly sought to take "revenge" on the minority community for the killing of a Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader, with a nominated member making a fervent plea for preserving the unity and diversity of the country. The government also condemned the reported statements in the House. Making a Zero Hour mention, Anu Jha accused some Sangh Parivar members of recently giving a call for taking "revenge" on the minority community, terming them 'demons'. "Such incidents should be stopped and condemned," she said, adding that "in a peace-loving Hindu dominated country, public statements by persons in responsibility goes against the inclusive ethos of the country." At a condolence meeting in Agra for a VHP worker who was killed recently, speakers reportedly made inflammatory statements and swore to take revenge on the minorities. Jha said such statements derailed the development agenda and appealed for forgetting differences and joining hands to preserve the unity, diversity and integrity of the country and restore sanity. Several opposition members supported her and raised their hands to associate with her. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that he agreed with Jha on maintaining unity and harmony and added no destructive agenda can dominate development agenda. Naqvi said that the government does not support such incidents and "we condemn it." Congress leader Madhusudan Mistry raised the issue of the RSS and BJP members reportedly throwing black ink on the statue of India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on February 19 in Badaun town of Uttar Pradesh. "While Nehru went to jail for country's freedom, those who assisted the British and did not hoist national flag at the RSS headquarters are now teaching nationalism," he said. "Our leader is being given life threats by a Rajasthan MLA and such statements are not even being condemned," he alleged and added that no action has been taken against those responsible from throwing ink at Nehru's statue. He demanded that the Samajwadi Party government in UP be directed to take action. When Deputy Chairman P J Kurien asked if the government will seek report on the matter, the minister replied that it was a law and order issue which is a state subject. Image: Congress members protest against MoS for HRD Ram Shankar Katheria over his alleged hate speech in Agra, at Parliament house in New Delhi. Photograph: Vijay Verma/PTI In a hate-fuelled attack, a 13-year-old Sikh schoolboy was assaulted, mocked and threatened with being stabbed for wearing a turban while travelling in a bus in Melbourne, Australia. Harjeet Singh, left, was riding the bus home when two males and a female ringleader -- all believed to be in their late teens assaulted and mocked him. Harjeet was also allegedly threatened with being stabbed and had his turban pulled in the attack aboard a suburban bus, the Herald Sun reported. The female demanded to know why Harjeet was wearing a towel on his head and twice tried to remove his turban despite the terrified boy trying to get away. It is alleged that one of the males was also involved and the boy was sworn at. Harjeets mother Rajinder Kaur Gill told the daily, My son was so scared that he was crying. Its a horrible thing. Im just scared if its safe for him on the bus. We are worried that it may happen to anyone, she said of the incident that took place on February 23. The two males and the female are being sought by police. Harjeet, who attends DoncasterSecondaryCollege in Melbourne, was sitting in the middle row of the bus when the offenders approached from the back seat. The ordeal lasted until Eltham when Harjeet got off the bus early with his schoolfriends, also in tears. One of their mothers drove Harjeet home. I was so scared. I just froze and when my friends got off the bus I got off with them, Harjeet said. The girl said I had a worthless towel on my head, he said. The girl pushed my son's turban with her elbow, Gill said. My son moved from his seat to get further away from them, but they followed him and sat behind him again. This time, the girl pushed him hard and tried to remove his turban again. My son was scared and he asked them to stop but they laughed at him and they said there arent many stabbings in Eltham, she said. Victoria Police spokesman Paul Turner said police is investigating reports of an assault. The investigation is in its infancy and it would be inappropriate to provide further comment at this time, he said. Returning to JNU campus on his release from jail three weeks after his arrest, the university's students' union leader Kanhaiya Kumar on Thursday night said they are seeking freedom within the country and not from India, as he hurled barbs at Prime Minister Narendra Modi. JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar raises slogans with students after reaching at the JNU campus upon his release on bail, in New Delhi on Thursday. Photograph: Vijay Verma/ PTI Addressing students at the campus, 29-year-old Kumar, who has been slapped with sedition charge for allegedly raising anti-national slogans, said he had many differences with the prime minister but he agreed with his tweet 'Satyameva Jayate' which he had posted in praise of HRD Minister Smriti Irani's fiery speech in Lok Sabha on the JNU row as it is in the Constitution. "I have many differences with the PM but I agree with his tweet Satyameva Jayate because these words are in our Constitution," he said, as his passionate speech was punctuated by repeated cheers and raising of slogans. JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar raises slogans with students after reaching at the JNU campus upon his release on bail, in New Delhi on Thursday. Photograph: Vijay Verma/ PTI "We are not seeking 'azaadi' (freedom) from India. We want 'azaadi' within India," he said. Thanking all who stood by him while he was in Tihar jail in New Delhi, Kumar said he believed in the Constitution and Judiciary of India. Kumar said he had no ill feelings towards anyone and wont indulge in "witch hunting" towards the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's student outfit the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad. "There is no animosity towards the ABVP because we are democratic. We see them as our opposition," he said. "We truly believe in democracy and Constitution. We dont look at the ABVP as an enemy, we look at them like the Opposition," he said. JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar (C) being hugged by students after reaching at the JNU campus upon his release on bail, in New Delhi on Thursday. Photograph: Kamal Singh/ PTI "Let me just say it is not easy to get admission in the JNU neither it is easy to silence those in JNU," he added. Kumar said his arrest is a planned attack on the JNU. "This attack is to delegitimise the UGC protests, to prevent justice to Rohith Vemula(the dalit scholar in Hyderabad who committed suicide," he said. Kumar said the struggle of peace loving and progressive sections of the society in the wake of the JNU row and Rohith Vemula suicide will be a long fight. "Is seeking freedom from thorny issues confronting India a crime?," he asked. JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar raises slogans after reaching at the JNU campus upon his release on bail, in New Delhi on Thursday. Photograph: Kamal Singh/ PTI He also took a dig at Modi on his 2014 pre-poll promise to deposit Rs 15 lakh in everyone's bank account from the black money which will be brought back by his government if he comes to power. During the course of his one hour, six minute-long speech, Kanhaiya also referred to Modi's narration of an anecdote related to President Nikita Krushchev of erstwhile Soviet Union in the Lok Sabha. "When he (Modi) was speaking I wanted to tell him to talk about Hitler as well. He should speak about Mussolini as well after all his guru Golwalker (second RSS chief) had met the former... PM talks about Mann ki baat but does not listen," he said to loud cheers. "If you speak against the government, their cyber cell will frame you using doctored videos and count the number of condoms in your hostel," he said. He also dared BJP leader Subramanian Swamy to a debate. JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar (C) being hugged by students after reaching at the JNU campus upon his release on bail, in New Delhi on Thursday. Photograph: Vijay Verma / PTI Kanhaiya also responded to arguments that invoke the martyrs of Indian Army in criticising the JNU students protesting against the government. "I salute those soldiers dying at the borders. But what about farmers committing suicides in abject poverty? Those farmers are the fathers of majority of those soldiers. My father is a farmer, my brother is a soldier. "And who is responsible for those wars where they make the supreme sacrifice? People making them fight are responsible. Don't create these false binaries," he said. In a speech, laced with humour, Kanhaiya referred to his conversations with police inside the prison and said how those personnel, "majority from poor families" seconded his arguments about the need for freedom for corruption and casteism. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who also found mention in his speech along with Rahul Gandhi, Sitaram Yechury and D Raja, tweeted, "What a brilliant speech by Kanhaiya...". JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar addresses students after reaching at the JNU campus upon his release on bail, in New Delhi on Thursday. Photograph: Kamal Singh/ PTI #KanhaiyaKumar became the top trending topic on microblogging site Twitter following the speech. Many students were seen wiping tears during Kanhaiya's address. Kanhaiya and the students, who gathered in hundreds, also repeatedly raised the 'Azaadi' slogan, seeking freedom from casteism, patriarchy and injustice among others. Former members of the ABVP's JNU unit, who resigned recently, were also present among the audience. 'Even apart from the Bengal famine, there was a great deal more bloodshed and deceit than I was prepared for.' 'Almost every one of the acquisitions was won by extreme extortionate methods and what came out was that these relatively honest officers found themselves doing very dishonest things.' Kanika Datta speaks to Ferdinand Mount, whose The Tears Of The Rajas is a refreshing departure from The Jewel In The Crown brand of Raj histories. IMAGE: Circa 1940: Soldiers manning a wireless van during Mahatma Gandhi's 73-hour fast, receive news about the riots from police headquarters at Lalbazar, Calcutta. Photograph: Keystone/Getty Images J W Marriot's property in Delhi's Aerocity is an incongruous place to re-read parts of The Tears Of The Rajas, as I wait for its author, Ferdinand Mount. This splendid history, evoking the kaleidoscopic world of heat, dust, blood, gore, disease, betrayal and wheeling-dealing that was the British Raj, is a universe away from the tranquil, if formidable post-modern opulence of this hotel. We're catching lunch at K3, its multi-cuisine restaurant, between Mount's arrival from the Chennai lit fest that afternoon and his departure to the Jaipur lit fest that evening. We miss each other in the vast lobby so I find Mount waiting at K3, nursing, I am secretly delighted to note, a tall glass of beer, which means I can order a glass of wine. We briskly opt for the buffet but Mount frugally confines himself to the vegetables, saying he prefers to be vegetarian. I load up on salmon, slices of roast pork, sauted bell peppers, arugula leaves and asparagus -- regulation items in a five-star buffet today that would have been scarce just 15 years ago. The Tears Of The Rajas, a 600-odd page door-stopper that will shortly be published in paperback, is an unusual history on several counts. It is narrated through the story of Mount's ancestors, quintessential Lowland Scots who endured chronic ill health and physical danger to serve the Empire and, of course, make their fortunes. It speaks volumes for his family's ubiquity in the empire that Mount covers a pretty broad canvas of British rule in India, dredging up memories of half-forgotten incidents and highlighting hitherto unknown ones between 1805 and 1905. More to the point, The Tears Of The Rajas is a refreshing departure from the mawkish The Jewel In The Crown brand of nostalgia that has informed popular Raj histories, a perspective that somehow segued into the view of some academics that the Empire was a force of modernity. Mount, a journalist by profession who says he is 'easing' his way into history writing for the London Review Of Books and The Times Literary Supplement, takes no sides, so there are no heroes in his book. I am surprised, though, when he says it was well received in the UK because I recall the hostility that greeted William Dalrymple's 2002 book White Mughals, an account of liaisons between senior British officers and Indian women. "When Willy first started publishing you did have that kind of resistance," he acknowledges. "But now most people in Britain are ready to take a cooler and more dispassionate look at those two centuries of British rule. I spoke to Scottish audiences, the children and grandchildren of old India hands -- Indian army, tea and indigo planters -- and when I describe some of the atrocities and counter-atrocities, people didn't say that didn't happen." I tell him that despite his even-handed approach, the book made me freshly indignant. "You are meant to be indignant," he replies. "What was wrong was the bland version of Indian history that we taught in school, which made it all sound very smooth. Even apart from the Bengal famine, there was a great deal more bloodshed and deceit than I was prepared for. Almost every one of the acquisitions was won by extreme extortionate methods and what came out was that these relatively honest officers found themselves doing very dishonest things." The takeover of part of Hyderabad comes readily to mind because he had explored the former British Residency, now under restoration, on this trip. "I crept into it at twilight. I knew it very fine architecturally but I wasn't prepared for the size of it -- it made the Charminar look like a rather large suburban villa." That episode was 'particularly shameful on my ancestor John Low's part because he had been on record saying we treated the Nizam very badly and he was only in debt because we forced him to maintain this huge army and it would have been perfectly possible to arrange for his debts to be rolled over." But Dalhousie (the governor general) wasn't having any of that. And because Low was himself in debt he took the job and imposed this extremely oppressive treaty." Mount's ancestors saw service in the Raj rather than other parts of the Empire, but there was an exception about whom he says he would like to write about some day. This was a character called William Shakespear, who joined the Indian Civil Service but was seconded to West Asia where he became a district officer in Arabia. Captain Shakespear was the first person to make contact with the Wahhabi-influenced House of Saud at the end of the 19th century. "He was fascinating because he said to his bosses, 'These Wahhabis are wonderful, they are austere, honest, children of the desert and we should ally with them.' His was the pioneering role of giving them the seal of British government approval." Now we know who to blame for the mess in West Asia, I joke, as we head for the main course. There's a wide choice but Mount skips all of it for a plateful of Indian dessert -- rabri, pedas and so on -- which he says he adores. I help myself to a desultory Chinese spread of dim sums and spicy sauted prawns. Mount may have been born too late to serve the Raj, but his life was no less unusual, facts I glean from reviews of his well-received memoir Cold Cream. It was upper-class Establishment certainly -- his first cousin Mary is British Prime Minister David Cameron's mother -- but unconventional in that his father was a gentleman jockey. The upshot of that was that he "absolutely hated horses, I regarded them as nasty, dangerous animals." but he enjoyed his "ramshackle country upbringing." The education, though, was regulation upper class. School at Eton -- "now something to keep quiet about," he says with self-deprecating humour -- then ChristChurch, Oxford, where he read French and German. I say I am struck by the fact that many Britons opted to read German and mention John le Carre, the pen name of David Cornwell whose biography I had just read, when he tells me the novelist taught him at Eton. How marvellous, how lucky, was he a good teacher? "He was absolutely wonderful, a teacher of genius," Mount says, but he was also a brilliant mimic. "So when these spoilt, naughty, boys at the back started trying to tease him in their languid voices, he would imitate them perfectly and make them feel very foolish." Mount remembers everyone being very sad when they heard "Corns has gone off to be a spy -- though I don't know how we knew that." Mount had also worked in Margaret Thatcher's policy unit, but that was actually his second stint with the Iron Lady. His first was when he was assigned her assistant as a newly elected Tory MP. "I thought we got on very badly. She thought I was idle -- she wasn't wrong -- however, 20 years later when she became prime minister, she invited me to join the unit." Did he like her personally? "Frankly, I don't think I knew her any more than you do. In fact, I don't think she wanted to be liked. She was very nice to her staff, but horribly rude to her Cabinet colleagues -- very unvarnished and direct." Over black coffee (for him) and jasmine tea (for me), I apologetically ask him the inevitable: How he assessed Cameron. "You know, he's not just a smooth, upper-class boy, he's an extremely efficient political operator and he did incredibly well to keep the coalition together when everyone predicted it would fall apart in months and then to win the election." That was a turn-up for the books, I say, since no one gave him an outside chance. Neither, it seems, did Mount, who won, to his astonishment, several hundred pounds placing a wild bet on Cameron's victory. Mount's dispassionate view of history comes as a relief when set against the insanely ill-informed distortions of the past in the public discourse in India. And then, we get the campaign in Oxford to pull down the statue of Cecil Rhodes. What did he think? His answer leaves me giggling. "The Rhodes Must Go campaign seems fairly ridiculous to me, not least because its leader is a Rhodes Scholar. It's hard to think of an Oxford or Cambridge college that wasn't founded by a dubious rogue, not excluding my own, ChristChurch, the brainchild of Cardinal Wolsey." "The robber barons of the gilded age in America bought themselves respectability by endowing hospitals, museums, universities and national parks." "Would we rather they had spent the money on their own pleasures alone?" Afghanistan: Situation of Afghan citizens who work for NGOs or international aid organizations, and whether they are targeted by the Taliban; attacks against schools and incidents of violence against students, teachers, and the educational sector; state response (2012-January 2016) Publisher Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada Publication Date 22 February 2016 Citation / Document Symbol AFG105413.E Related Document(s) Afghanistan : information sur la situation des citoyens afghans qui travaillent pour des ONG ou des organisations humanitaires internationales, y compris s'ils sont pris pour cible par les talibans; information sur les attentats dans les ecoles et les cas de violence a l'egard des etudiants, des enseignants et du personnel du secteur de l'education; les mesures prises par l'Etat (2012-janvier 2016) Cite as Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Afghanistan: Situation of Afghan citizens who work for NGOs or international aid organizations, and whether they are targeted by the Taliban; attacks against schools and incidents of violence against students, teachers, and the educational sector; state response (2012-January 2016), 22 February 2016, AFG105413.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56d7f1994.html [accessed 22 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa 1. Security Situation of Civilians Sources report that amid the withdrawal of the international military presence from Afghanistan during 2014, civilians have been increasingly targeted for violence (Freedom House 28 Jan. 2015; AI 12 Dec. 2014) by the Taliban and other armed groups [1] (ibid.). According to the 2014 annual report of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC), a "national quasi-governmental body with a mandate to promote and protect the human rights of Afghans and to investigate alleged human rights violations" (Canada 9 Feb. 2015), there was a 20 percent increase in violent incidents resulting in the killing and injury of civilians from 2013, with 5,429 total incidents and 1,970 civilians killed by "anti-government armed elements" (AIHRC 11 Aug. 2015, 3). The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) documented 4,921 civilian casualties in the first half of 2015, marking the highest number of total civilian casualties ever recorded during that reporting period (UN Aug. 2015, 1). The same source states that an increase in suicide attacks and targeted killings by anti-government armed groups, the majority of which are attributed to the Taliban, are the reason for high civilian casualty rates (ibid., 2). 2. Afghans Locally Employed by NGOs or Aid Organizations According to Freedom House, there are 287 international organizations, 1,911 Afghan NGOs, and over 4,000 other associations operating in Afghanistan (28 Jan. 2015). A 2014 report by the Afghanistan Public Policy Research Organization (APPRO), an Afghan "independent social research organization with a mandate to promote social and policy learning for development aid provision" (APPRO n.d.), cites media and NGO monitoring as stating that the exact number of NGOs operating is unclear, but that there are around "1,500 or 2,200" NGOs registered with the government in Afghanistan, and approximately 72,000 Afghans working for these organizations (ibid. Jan. 2014, 10). According to the New York Times, the aid community employs about 90,000 people in Afghanistan, the "vast majority" of whom are locally employed Afghans (2 Dec. 2013). 3. Attacks Against NGOs Sources from 2015 state that the security situation in Afghanistan impedes the work of civil society and humanitarian organizations (US 25 June 2015, 19; Freedom House 28 Jan. 2015). Sources published within the past two years further report that there has been an increase in attacks on aid agencies in districts where the International Security Assistance Forces (ISAF) have transferred security operations to Afghan forces (UN 9 Sept. 2014; AIHRC 18 Jan. 2016). The 2014 APPRO report indicates that since 2006, Afghanistan has become increasingly dangerous for NGOs to operate, with increased NGO worker casualties, either from targeting or as "collateral victims" (APPRO Jan. 2014, 6). The International NGO Safety Organization, a British charity that "supports the safety of aid workers by establishing safety coordination platforms in insecure contexts (INSO n.d.), states that incidents where NGOs were directly targeted were "rare" in 2015 (INSO Jan. 2016). However, the same source indicates that there were prominent cases in 2015 where Afghan NGOs were targeted by armed groups due to a belief that their work violated cultural or religious customs or that the organizations were perceived to be "non-neutral" entities (ibid.). In correspondence with the Research Directorate, an analyst with the Afghanistan Analysts Network (AAN), an independent non-profit policy and research organization based in Afghanistan, explained that the Taliban targeting of NGOs and schools that has occurred in recent years is "very dependent on local political conditions" in which the organizations or schools are operating (AAN 20 Jan. 2016). IRIN, the former humanitarian news agency of the UN, observes that humanitarian organizations operate in a "shifting scene of local warlords, commanders and tribal alliances" (UN 9 Sept. 2014). According to APPRO, some humanitarian organizations negotiate and gain permission to operate from armed opposition groups (Jan. 2014, 6). The US Department of State's Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2014 further notes that NGOs have been required to pay bribes to powerful individuals and militia leaders in order to provide humanitarian aid to some areas (25 June 2015, 20). In correspondence with the Research Directorate, a representative of the AIHRC indicated that Ghazni, Zabul, Kunduz, Laghman, and Nangarhar have seen relatively higher levels of incidents involving NGO workers than other parts of the country (18 Jan. 2016). 4. Targeting of NGO and Aid Workers Human Rights Watch states that the Taliban have developed codes of conduct called layha, which reportedly "include rules on sparing civilians" from harm, but exclude government employees and humanitarian workers (Human Rights Watch 18 May 2015). The same source indicates that in May 2015, the Taliban issued a statement following a hotel attack in which 12 civilians were killed stating that "'[e]very foreigner from invading country [sic] especially NATO is considered an invader'" and that Afghans who work with foreigners, including aid workers, are considered to be "'hirelings'" (ibid.). According to the AAN analyst, the Taliban continues to target local aid workers and local staff of international organizations, though the organization's reputation with the community and local political climate impacts whether workers will encounter problems (AAN 20 Jan. 2016). The same source said that NGO employees are the targets of intimidation by the Taliban (ibid.). Similarly, Freedom House states that in 2015, civil society and human rights activists continued to "face threats and harassment" (28 Jan. 2015). Country Reports 2014 indicates that insurgents "deliberately targeted" aid workers for attack, threats and robbery (US 25 June 2015, 2, 19). According to the humanitarian coordinator for the UN in Afghanistan, interviewed by the Guardian, humanitarian workers are "'more vulnerable'" because "'[t]hey work on the frontline'" and because "'they are more noticeable in terms of what they do in the community'" (The Guardian, 4 June 2015). Sources report that aid workers face the risk of being labelled as "spies" by insurgents (UN 9 Sept. 2014; ODI Dec. 2012, iii), or as "foreign agents" (The Guardian 4 June 2015). According to UN figures quoted by the New York Times, in 2012, there were 175 attacks on aid workers, resulting in 11 deaths, 26 wounded and 44 detained or abducted (The New York Times 2 Dec. 2013). The same source reports that from January to November 2013, there were 237 attacks on aid workers, with 36 killed, 46 wounded, and 96 detained or abducted (ibid.). Amnesty International (AI) quotes the International NGO Safety Organization in Afghanistan as stating that in 2014, there were 153 attacks on aid workers perpetrated mainly by the Taliban, which resulted in the deaths of 34 people and injuries of 33 people (AI 28 Feb. 2015). The Guardian further cites UN data as indicating that 57 aid workers were killed in Afghanistan in 2014 (The Guardian 4 June 2015). A UN Security Council report on the situation in Afghanistan indicates that in the first 7 months of 2015, there were 140 recorded security incidents involving humanitarian related personnel, assets, facilities, or violations against healthcare facilities (UN 1 Sept. 2015, para. 45). 4.1 Abductions Sources report that humanitarian workers in Afghanistan have been targeted for kidnapping and abduction (UN Aug. 2015, 61; AIHRC 18 Jan. 2016) for ransom (ibid.). AIHRC reports that NGO and aid workers may also be kidnapped for use by insurgents to bargain for prisoner exchanges (AIHRC 18 Jan. 2016) or in order to put pressure on the government (AAN 20 Jan. 2016). According to the AAN analyst, it is possible that "for ideological reasons," people who have worked for "visibly American" organizations may face a greater risk of being targeted (AAN 20 Jan. 2016). UNAMA indicates that during the first 6 months of 2015, anti-government groups carried out 15 abduction incidents, kidnapping 44 humanitarian aid workers and NGO staff, of which 6 were killed, 1 remains captive, and the others were released (UN Aug. 2015, 61). A UN report produced in September 2015 states that 90 aid workers had been abducted in the first 7 months of 2015 (UN 1 Sept. 2015, para. 45). 4.2 Killings and Attacks According to sources, Afghan NGO workers have been the object of targeted killings by anti-government groups (UN Aug. 2015, 52; The Guardian 4 June 2015). The UN reports that in the first seven months of 2015, 28 aid workers were wounded in security related incidents (1 Sept. 2015, para. 45). Sources report on examples of killings and attacks on NGO workers: On 29 May 2013, a group of four suicide bombers attacked the ICRC [International Committee of the Red Cross] office in Jalalabad, killing one person (US 27 Feb. 2014, 19); In August 2013 in Herat, the Taliban kidnapped and killed five Afghan employees of the International Rescue Committee (ibid., 18); In July and in December 2014, 17 mine-removal workers were killed by gunmen in 2 separate incidents in Herat and Helmand (ibid. 25 June 2015, 20) In May 2015, seven humanitarian workers were killed in Kabul (UN 1 Sept. 2015, para. 45; AI 2 June 2015) when the Taliban attacked a hotel where they were housed (ibid.). The UN reports that five of the seven victims were Afghan nationals (UN 1 Sept. 2015, para. 45); In the spring of 2015, the Taliban abducted and killed five Afghan staff members of Save the Children, an international NGO (UN Aug. 2015, 61; The Guardian 4 June 2015). Victims were held for 40 days and abductors demanded a prisoner exchange and cash ransom of 400,000 pounds, which the victims' families could not afford (ibid.); In June 2015, the compound of People in Need, an international NGO, was allegedly entered by an armed group and nine Afghan civilian employees were killed (AAN 20 Jan. 2016; UN Aug. 2015, 52), including a pregnant woman (ibid.). The Country Director for the organization, whose headquarters is located in Balhk, stated that the workers were murdered "'execution style'" (The Guardian 4 June 2015); A local employee of UNAMA was assassinated by unknown gunmen in Kandahar in October 2015 (Xinhua News Agency 12 Oct. 2015; MENAFN 12 Oct. 2015) In October 2015, a vehicle carrying eight staff of AIHRC was attacked, wounding six and killing two people (AI 26 Oct. 2015) Sources report that in the fall of 2015, the Taliban launched an assault on the city of Kunduz (AAN 20 Jan. 2016; AI 1 Oct. 2015). According to the AAN analyst, after the city fell in September, the Taliban reportedly started looking for people they identified as NGO workers based on personnel information they "presumably" obtained while breaking into NGO offices (AAN 20 Jan. 2016). AI states that the Taliban had a list containing photos and names which they allegedly used to locate activists, journalists and civil servants during house-to-house searches (AI 1 Oct. 2015). According to AI, during the assault, the Taliban looted NGO property, including the ICRC, burned offices, and destroyed equipment belonging to civil society groups (ibid. 29 Sept. 2015). 5. Targeting by Criminal Groups Sources report that NGO workers may also be targeted by criminal groups (The New York Times 2 Dec. 2013), including for kidnapping and for ransom (ANSO Apr. 2013, 6). The AAN analyst explained that an NGO employee may be perceived to be better paid, or as a "prized individual" because they have equipment or assets, and therefore may be targeted for robbery (AAN 20 Jan. 2016). Similarly, the Guardian quotes the UN's Humanitarian Coordinator in Afghanistan as stating that those working for international organizations are perceived as easy criminal targets (4 June 2015). The New York Times quotes the Director of ACBAR, an organization that represents many leading Afghan NGOs, as reporting that the group counted 32 fatalities related to criminality in 2013 (The New York Times 2 Dec. 2013). 6. Attacks Against Schools and School Closures According to a report on the security situation of schools in Afghanistan produced by the AAN in 2013, attacks on school buildings are "banned" by the Taliban, but individual Taliban networks "may pursue their own aims toward states schools, including ordering violent attacks" (AAN Feb. 2013, 2). Sources report that the Taliban continues to attack schools (ibid. 20 Jan. 2016; US 25 June 2014, 20; Reuters 21 Apr. 2013; Human Rights Watch 2 Apr. 2014). According to Human Rights Watch, more than 1,000 school-related attacks have occurred in Afghanistan over the last 5 years (ibid.). According to a 2014 report by the UN on children and armed conflict, parties to the Afghanistan conflict attacked schools in at least 73 incidents during 2013 (UN 15 May 2014, para. 27). The same source notes that some of these attacks involved the planting of explosive devices in the buildings (ibid.). According to figures quoted from a Ministry of Education official cited in Afghan magazine Killid Weekly, 100 schools were partly destroyed in attacks by the Taliban and anti-government forces in 2014 (Killid Weekly 28 Dec. 2015). The Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), an international think tank "dedicated to developing metrics to analyse peace and to quantify its economic value" (IEP n.d.), also notes that, in 2014, 21 people were killed and 198 injured in attacks on educational institutions (IEP 2015, 21). The same source states that in 2015, 13 people were killed and 34 injured in attacks on educational institutions (ibid.). Sources report on the following examples of attacks on educational institutions by armed groups: In December 2014, a suicide bomber attacked a high school in Kabul during a school performance, killing one person and injuring at least a dozen civilians (AI 12 Dec. 2014; Tolo News 12 Dec. 2014). The high school was located next to the presidential palace (ibid.); In December 2014, a bomb exploded in a school in Nangarhar province, injuring nine students (Pajhwok 14 Dec. 2014); In January 2016, unknown assailants torched a girls' school in Kabul killing a security guard; the incident was reportedly the first time an attack had occurred on a school in Kabul (Tolo News 18 January 2016). Sources report on instances where the Taliban has forced the closure of schools (UN 15 May 2014, para. 27; Killid Weekly 28 Dec. 2015). The AAN analyst also noted that in regions where the Taliban is prominent, the group has pre-emptively closed schools prior to large operations occurring in the area to prevent civilian casualties (AAN 20 Jan. 2016). 6.1 Targeted Attacks Against Students and Teachers According to a 2013 report on the security situation of schools in Afghanistan published by the AAN, if schools do not comply with Taliban rules, closures or attacks on staff may be ordered (AAN Feb. 2013, 2). The same source indicates that targeted attacks on Ministry of Education staff or students who refuse to comply with the group's orders is the "official policy of the Taliban" (ibid., 2). Sources report that there have been instances of poisoning attacks against school students (Reuters 21 Apr. 2013; Pajhwok 18 Apr. 2013) with one instance in 2012 leaving 700 female students poisoned by contaminated water by unknown assailants (ibid.). According to IEP, in 2013, the Taliban launched at least 7 attacks targeting female students attending school, resulting in more than 160 casualties (IEP 2015, 21). The UN further states that at least 13 teachers were killed or injured in 2013 and 8 teachers were abducted by armed opponents in 2013 (UN 15 May 2014, para. 27). Sources report on the following examples: In September 2014 in Farah province, a school headmaster was kidnapped and killed by the Taliban; the two other occupants of the vehicle were not harmed (Pajhwok 4 Sept. 2014); In May 2015, in southern Helmand, unknown assailants opened fire and killed a local teacher as he left his house (Pajhwok 30 May 2015); In June 2015, in central Logar province, a teacher was shot dead on his way to school, marking the 18th killing of a teacher in the province in 2015 (ibid. 11 June 2015). 7. State Response Sources indicate that the police do not have the resources or capacity to handle threats or security problems encountered by NGO employees as a result of their work (AIHRC 18 Jan. 2016; AAN 20 Jan. 2016). The AAN analyst stated that during the assault on Kunduz in the fall of 2015, NGO workers were left to protect themselves and were not effectively protected from the Taliban by the authorities (ibid.). The AIHRC representative said that employees affected by security problems take their own measures to protect themselves (18 Jan. 2016). The AAN analyst explained that people prefer to not approach the police because they do not know if the police are connected to insurgents; they instead approach their employer about their security problems and the employer is sometimes able to take their own measures or relocate the individual (AAN 20 Jan. 2016). Furthermore, the analyst explained that approaching the police could make the situation worse for staff because it may raise perceptions that the NGO is connected with the government (ibid.). This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request. Note [1] The UN lists a number of armed groups fighting in Afghanistan who are referred to as "Anti-Government Elements"; this list includes, among others, those identifying as the "Taliban" and other armed groups such as: Haqqani network, Hezbe-e-Islami, Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), Lashkari Tayyiba, Jaysh Muhammed, and Daesh [IS, ISIS, ISIL] (UN Aug. 2015, 2) References Afghanistan Analysts Network (AAN). 20 January 2016. Telephone interview with an analyst. _____. February 2013. Antonio Giustozzi and Claudio Franco. The Ongoing Battle for Schools: Uprisings, Negotiations, and Taleban Tactics. [Accessed 19 Jan. 2016] Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC). 18 January 2016. Correspondence with the Research Directorate. _____. 11 August 2015. The Situation of Human Rights in Afghanistan in 1393. [Accessed 19 Feb. 2016] Afghanistan NGO Safety Office (ANSO). April 2013. Quarterly Data Report Q.1 2013. [Accessed 17 Jan. 2016] Afghanistan Public Policy Research Organization (APPRO). January 2014. Transition and Non-Government Organizations in Afghanistan: An Assessment and Prospects. [Accessed 18 Jan. 2016] _____. N.d. "About Us." [Accessed 16 Feb. 2016] Amnesty International (AI). 26 October 2015. "Amnesty International Condemns Deplorable Attack on Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission." [Accessed 18 Jan. 2016] _____. 1 October 2015. "Afghanistan: Harrowing Accounts Emerge of the Taliban Reign of Terror in Kunduz." [Accessed 20 Jan. 2016] _____. 29 September 2015. "Afghanistan: Taliban Tactics Put Civilians in Harm's Way." [Accessed 18 Jan. 2016] _____. 2 June 2015. "Afghanistan Must Bolster Protection for Aid Workers." [Accessed 22 Jan. 2015] _____. 28 February 2015. "Afghanistan." Amnesty International Report 2014/2015. [Accessed 15 Jan. 2016] _____. 12 December 2014. "Afghanistan: 'Reprehensible' Attacks Underscore Urgent Need to Protect Civilians." [Accessed 15 Jan. 2016] Canada. N.d. Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada. "Project Profile: Support to the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission 2011-2014." [Accessed 9 Feb. 2016] The Guardian. 4 June 2015. Sune Engel Rasmussen. "Attack on Aid Workers Reflects Rising Danger in Afghanistan." [Accessed 24 Jan. 2016] Human Rights Watch. 18 May 2015. Patricia Grossman. "Afghanistan: The Taliban's Deadly Hypocrisy." [Accessed 19 Jan. 2016] _____. 2 April 2014. Patricia Grossman. "Dispatches: Afghanistan's Schools and Clinics Under Fire." [Accessed 19 Jan. 2016] Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP). 2015. "Afghanistan." Global Terrorism Index 2015. [Accessed 21 Jan. 2016] _____. N.d. "About." [Accessed 16 Feb. 2016] International NGO Safety Organization (INSO). January 2016. "Country Data: Afghanistan." [Accessed 15 Jan. 2016] _____. N.d. "About Us." < http://www.ngosafety.org/about> [Accessed 16 Feb. 2016] Killid Weekly. 28 December 2015. "Schools in Name Only." [Accessed 19 Jan. 2016] Middle East North Africa Financial Network (MENAFN). 12 October 2015. "Gunmen Shoot UN Doctor in Afghanistan." (Factiva) The New York Times. 2 December 2013. Rod Nordland. "Attacks on Aid Workers Rise in Afghanistan." [Accessed 24 Jan. 2016] Overseas Development Institute (ODI). December 2012. Ashley Jackson and Antonio Giustozzi. Talking to the Other Side - Humanitarian Engagement with the Taliban in Afghanistan. Humanitarian Policy Group Working Paper. [Accessed 17 Jan. 2016] Pajhwok. 11 June 2015. "Schoolteacher Shot Dead in Logar Capital." [Accessed 19 Jan. 2016] _____. 30 May 2015. "Gunmen Kill Teacher in Helmand." [Accessed 19 Jan. 2016] _____. 14 December 2014. "9 Students Injured in Behsud School Blast." [Accessed 19 Jan. 2016] _____. 4 September 2014. "Kidnapped Public Rep, Headmaster Found Dead." [Accessed 26 Jan. 2016] _____. 18 April 2013. "17 Takhar Schoolgirls Ill After 'Gas Attack'" [Accessed 19 Jan. 2016] Reuters. 21 April 2013. Folad Hamdard. "Afghan Girls' School Feared Hit by Poison Gas." [Accessed 24 Jan. 2016] Tolo News. 18 January 2016. "Gunmen Kill Security Guard, Torch Girls School in Kabul." [Accessed 19 Jan. 2016] _____. 12 December 2014. "Ghani Promises Security 'at Any Cost' After Suicide Attack on High School Theatre." [Accessed 19 Jan. 2016] United Nations (UN). 1 September 2015. Security Council. The Situation in Afghanistan and its Implications for International Peace and Security. (A/70/359-S/2015/684). [Accessed 17 Jan. 2016] _____. August 2015. United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). Afghanistan: Midyear Report 2015 - Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict. [Accessed 12 Jan. 2016] _____. 9 September 2014. Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN). "Analysis: Challenges Around Aid Access in Afghanistan." [Accessed 24 Jan. 2016] _____. 15 May 2014. UN General Assembly. Children and Armed Conflict - Report of the Secretary-General. (A/68/878-S/2014/339). [Accessed 17 Jan. 2016] United States (US). 25 June 2015. Department of State. "Afghanistan." Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2014. [Accessed 16 Jan. 2016] _____. 27 February 2014. Department of State. "Afghanistan." Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2013. [Accessed 16 Jan. 2016] Xinhua News Agency. 12 October 2015. Abdul Haleem. "Roundup: UNAMA Employee Gunned Down in S. Afghanistan." (Factiva) Additional Sources Consulted Oral sources: Agency Coordinating Body for Afghan Relief; Cooperation for Peace & Unity; International NGO Safety Organisation; Professor of Political Science, Pantheon Sorbonne University. Internet sites, including: Bakhtar News; Daily Outlook Afghanistan; ecoi.net; Factiva; Khaama; United Nations - Refworld, ReliefWeb. Afghanistan: Whether the Taliban has the capacity to pursue individuals after they relocate to another region; their capacity to track individuals over the long term; Taliban capacity to carry out targeted killings (2012-January 2016) Publisher Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada Publication Date 15 February 2016 Citation / Document Symbol AFG105412.E Related Document(s) Afghanistan : information indiquant si les talibans ont la capacite de poursuivre des personnes qui ont demenage dans une autre region; information sur leur capacite de retrouver des personnes a long terme; information sur la capacite des talibans a realiser des assassinats cibles (2012-janvier 2016) Cite as Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Afghanistan: Whether the Taliban has the capacity to pursue individuals after they relocate to another region; their capacity to track individuals over the long term; Taliban capacity to carry out targeted killings (2012-January 2016), 15 February 2016, AFG105412.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56d7f2670.html [accessed 22 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa 1. Structure of the Taliban According to a 2012 report on Taliban networks in Afghanistan published by Dr. Antonio Giustozzi, a research fellow at the London School of Economics who focuses on Afghanistan, the Taliban is "the largest opposition armed group in Afghanistan" and accounts for over 80 percent of insurgents (2012, 20). According to sources, the Taliban is headed by Mullah Mansour, with a command structure of two deputies, one of whom leads the Haqqani Network [1] (Assistant Professor 15 Jan. 2016; BBC 23 Sept. 2015). Falling immediately under this level of command is the Rahbari Shura [also called the Quetta Shura], an 18-member leadership council, mainly composed of Pashtuns from southern regions (ibid.). The leadership council oversees approximately a dozen commissions or Taliban ministries (ibid.). The "military commission" is responsible for insurgency operations, and "on the ground," the insurgency is operated through a network of regional commanders and shadow governors in the provinces (ibid.). Giustozzi also describes the Taliban as "a network of networks," being predominantly religious and tribal in nature, and led by local commanders known as mullahs (2012, 20-21). Sources report that since 2015, the Taliban has fragmented into factions over disputes about leadership succession following the death of the former head of the Taliban, Mullah Omar (Assistant Professor 16 Jan. 2016; US 22 Dec. 2015, 18). In a telephone interview with the Research Directorate, an analyst affiliated with the Afghanistan Analysts Network (AAN), an Afghanistan-based independent policy research organization, explained that the conflict dynamics have become multi-layered as armed groups have fragmented and have competing agendas; civilians are increasingly targeted as a way for multiple armed opposition groups to signal strength or control over an area (AAN 20 Jan. 2016). For further background information on the structure and intelligence capabilities of the Taliban up to 2011, please refer to Response to Information Request AFG103923. 2. Intelligence Gathering and Ability to Track and Pursue Individuals In correspondence with the Research Directorate, a professor, who is the Director of the Program for Culture and Conflict at the Naval Postgraduate School in California, [2] and who, for three decades, has been conducting and publishing research on Afghanistan and South Asia, explained that the Taliban may be able to find a person who relocates to a different area, and that they have been successful in doing so, particularly when targeting their "well known or well positioned opponents" (Professor 13 Jan. 2016). In correspondence with the Research Directorate, an assistant professor at the Institute of National Security and Counterterrorism at Syracuse University, who has published work on post-conflict reconstruction and terrorism in Afghanistan, gave the view that the Taliban generally has the capability to track individuals, through the use of "formal and informal communication" networks to obtain information about a person's whereabouts (Assistant Professor 15 Jan. 2016). The Professor explained that the Taliban has shadow governors and military commanders in almost all provinces; communication and information-sharing between the command structure is likely, including in efforts to obtain information about a person's background (Professor 22 Jan. 2016). Additionally, there may be communication between mullahs and the shadow governors, particularly in the southern regions, who serve as a source for information (ibid.). The AAN analyst explained that there is some coordination between higher levels within the Taliban, but that information being fed back up from local levels is "not done in a systematic way" and that local level Taliban have a lot of "discretionary power" when carrying out their activities (20 Jan. 2016). The Professor similarly explained that command and control can vary with regional commanders in some areas; for example, in Arghandab, local commanders have a "free hand" with only a small number of fighters and little relationship with the Quetta Shura Taliban leadership, while in other areas, such as Helmand, there is tight command and control over the area (Professor 22 Jan. 2016). He further stated that whether the Taliban will seek information about someone can depend on the relationship between the commanders of the individual's province of origin and the destination province (ibid.). Similarly, the AAN analyst indicated that the strength of the local Taliban in the location where a person relocates to can be a factor in whether their background is detected; Taliban checkpoints and high levels of Taliban activity in an area increases the likelihood of searches of personal belongings and questioning of travellers (AAN 20 Jan. 2016). A 2012 report published by the European Union's European Asylum Support Office (EASO) quotes the Director of the Afghanistan Human Rights and Democracy Organization (AHRDO) [3] as stating that the Taliban may also use social media to track down persons of interest, such as human rights activists who voice their opinions online (EU Dec. 2012, 28). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. According to the Professor, particularly in rural areas of Afghanistan, people are "extremely perceptive of their environments" and "know when a new person comes into the village or travels through it" (13 Jan. 2016). Similarly, the AAN analyst stated that unless an outsider has a very good cover story, their background is likely to become known due to the close-knit nature of Afghan communities (AAN 20 Jan. 2016). The same source explained that factors impacting a person's ability to conceal their background include: tribal/local connections to elders and family, regional accent differences, last names which may refer to origin, religious affiliation and prayer rituals, and higher education profiles which may identify the individual as belonging to a higher social class (ibid.). Sources report that the Taliban allegedly obtained information about people who were believed to be NGO employees during their September 2015 assault on Kunduz city, and used this information to look for those identified (AAN 20 Jan. 2016; AI 1 Oct. 2015). According to Amnesty International (AI), the Taliban's list allegedly included the names and photos of activists, journalists and government workers in Kunduz (AI 1 Oct. 2015). AI further notes that during the assault, the Taliban gained access to addresses, phone numbers, and photos of NGO staff, government employees, and security force personnel by raiding government and NGO offices (ibid.). An October 2015 briefing note by the Assessment Capacities Project (ACAPS) [4] similarly states that the Taliban has been able to gather personal information about NGO staff, government employees, and security personnel, which "may increase the likelihood of these groups being targeted in future" (ACAPS 13 Oct. 2015, 1). 3. Urban Areas According to the Professor, "it is more difficult to track people [who] have moved into urban environments, but even there the Taliban have spies and members who can gather considerable information" (13 Jan. 2016). The same source explained that tribal networks still operate in urban areas, and gave the example of the Taliban infiltrating and obtaining information from large refugee camps near Kabul (22 Jan. 2016). The analyst stated that the Taliban conducts local-level intelligence gathering in Kabul, and therefore have been able to carry out targeted attacks in some urban centres (AAN 20 Jan. 2016). A 2015 article by the Christian Science Monitor reports on one instance in which a Western journalist attended a large Pashtun wedding in Kabul as a guest of one of the Afghan attendees; several days later the attendee and his family received threats and was accused of working as a spy for coalition forces (18 Nov. 2015). According to an article by Agence France-Presse, the Taliban has "spies" within the police and military (AFP 2 Nov. 2012). Further information on the Taliban's tracking of people in urban areas could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. 4. Tribal and Family Connections The AAN analyst explained that when people move from one location to another area where they have tribal or family connections, this could potentially shield the person's background from being uncovered; however, these same connections could also be their greatest liability in the sense that a person's connections could also be used as a way to locate the person (20 Jan. 2016). The Professor stated that Afghans are a tribal people and this allows them to, in part, know the circumstances of people in their tribe or ethno-linguistic group. This is obviously easy to do at the local, district and Provincial level of their home locality but because of extended families and other dynamics, it [one's identity] is often hard to hide even when an Afghan leaves their home locality. (Professor 13 Jan. 2016) Without providing details, the Professor stated that it is "[m]uch easier for Pashtuns to track people because of their cultural norms than other ethno-linguistic groups" (ibid.). According to the Professor, the Taliban "keep tabs" on people by exploiting tribal leaders' and families' knowledge of the whereabouts of their family members or tribe members (ibid.). Sources also report that the Taliban exerts pressure on family members of wanted individuals (Professor 13 Jan. 2016; AAN 20 Jan. 2016) and that a targeted person's family may be punished in their absence (Professor 13 Jan. 2016). The Professor explained that in addition to exploiting tribal connections when pursuing a person of interest, the Taliban can apply pressure and draconian measures on the person's family members to gain information. This is probably their most important means in tracking down a person: "tell me where he/she is or we will kill your family." Such intimidation is usually a fairly successful tactic. (ibid.) The professor stated that if the Taliban uncovers the background of an ordinary person, which the Taliban perceives to be questionable, this would create problems for that person (22 Jan. 2016). The AAN analyst explained that if the person in question is someone who has worked as an interpreter, for example, and relocates, if the Taliban becomes suspicious of that person's background, they might contact another district's commander to find out more about the individual (AAN 20 Jan. 2016). The AAN analyst gave the view that the concern for someone in a situation like that is about the possibility that their background would be found out in their new location; however, for someone who has a higher profile, for example a district governor who has spent time overseas and then returns, the Taliban can more easily track down such an individual from one location to another location (AAN 20 Jan. 2016). The Professor stated that the Taliban's tribal networks are very well established and tribal law can cover long distances; people know what is occurring in their district and that traditional ways of locating people through tribal networks still apply (22 Jan. 2016). 5. Intimidation and Targeted Assassinations The Professor stated that targets of interest to the Taliban are those who work for, or are perceived to support the government in Kabul and such people are targeted for "violent actions" (22 Jan. 2016). NYA International, a crisis management and response consultancy (NYA International n.d.) produced a Global Kidnap for Ransom report in April 2015, which states that in Afghanistan, "the risk of kidnapping remains severe, especially for those associated with the government or security forces, NGOs or western aid groups," with civilians and NGOs remaining the principal targets (NYA International Apr. 2015, 10). According to the AAN analyst, when an individual wanted by the Taliban relocates or returns to their province of origin and if their background is revealed, they can be intimidated, taken by the local Taliban for extortion or blackmail purposes to raise funds for the local district commander, or used as leverage in exchange for prisoners held by the government (AAN 20 Jan. 2016). People in this situation have been subjected to intimidation, threats, night letters, and higher taxation by the local Taliban (ibid.). For further information on night letters, please refer to Response to Information Request AFG105047. For further information on the situation of locally employed NGO staff, including kidnapping, please refer to Response to Information Request AFG105413. The AAN analyst explained that when an individual wanted by the Taliban relocates or returns to their province of origin and if their background is revealed, depending on the individual's profile, as well as the political climate of the day, that person could be killed, which has occurred (AAN 20 Jan. 2016). According to the professor, targeted assassinations carried out by the Taliban are aimed towards people perceived as "facilitators" of the government in Kabul (22 Jan. 2016). Xinhua News Agency similarly indicates that civilians considered to be supporting the government and persons involved in "peace and reconciliation efforts" have been the object of targeted killings by Taliban and armed groups (6 Mar. 2015). Examples of people who have been the object of assassinations and killings of civilians include: Judicial officials (RFE/RL 15 May 2015; UN Aug. 2015, 52; Tolo News 15 May 2015); Government employees (Xinhua News Agency 6 Mar. 2015; UN Aug. 2015, 52); Religious leaders (Xinhua News Agency 6 Mar. 2015; UN Aug. 2015, 52); Tribal elders (Xinhua News Agency 6 Mar. 2015; UN Aug. 2015, 52); Aid workers (UN Aug. 2014, 52); Teachers (Professor 22 Jan. 2016); Female police officers (Xinhua News Agency 18 Sept. 2013). According to the UN, the exertion of influence through fear and intimidation by anti-government groups has "resulted in a high level of targeted killings" (UN 1 Sept. 2015, para. 18). UNAMA recorded 474 civilian casualties (337 deaths) from targeted killings in 2013, and 1,114 civilian casualties (753 deaths) from targeted killings in 2014 (UN Feb. 2015, 53). UNAMA reports that casualties from targeted killings rose by 57 percent in the first six months of 2015 (compared to previous reporting periods), causing 440 deaths and 259 injured (UN Aug. 2015, 8). The same source indicates that targeted killings were the leading cause of conflict-related civilian deaths in Afghanistan in the first half of 2015 (ibid., 2). This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request. Notes [1] The Haqqani Network is one of a number of armed groups fighting in Afghanistan who the UN refers to as "Anti-Government Elements," and which includes those identifying as "Taliban" or other armed groups, such as: Hezbe-e-Islami, Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), Lashkari Tayyiba, Jaysh Muhammed, Daesh, and others (UN Aug. 2015, 2). [2] The Professor's publications on Afghanistan and South Asia have appeared in a wide variety of peer-reviewed journals and media sources and he continues to conduct regular field research in Central and South Asia (19 Jan. 2015). [3] AHRDO is an Afghan NGO "committed to the promotion of democracy, non-violence and human rights," whose programming is conducted principally through "arts and theatre-based programmes" (Insight on Conflict n.d.). [4] ACAPS is "a non-profit initiative of a consortium of three NGOs (Action Contre la Faim - ACF, Norwegian Refugee Council and Save the Children International) created in December 2009, with the aim of supporting the humanitarian community with needs assessments" (ACAPS n.d.). References Afghanistan Analyst Network (AAN). 20 January 2016. Telephone interview with an analyst. Agence France-Presse (AFP). 2 November 2012. "Four Afghan Police Killed by Colleagues: Officials." (Factiva) Amnesty International (AI). 1 October 2015. "Afghanistan: Harrowing Accounts Emerge of the Taliban's Reign of Terror in Kunduz." [Accessed 19 Jan. 2016] Assessment Capacities Project (ACAPS). 13 October 2015. Afghanistan: Conflict and Displacement in the Northeast, Kunduz City, and Kabul. [Accessed 19 Jan. 2016] _____. N.d. "What is ACAPS." [Accessed 25 Jan. 2016] Assistant Professor, Syracuse University. 15 January 2016. Correspondence with the Research Directorate. BBC. 23 September 2015. Daud Qarizadah. "Afghan Taliban: Mullah Mansour's Battle to be Leader." [Accessed 19 Jan. 2016] Christian Science Monitor. 18 November 2015. Scott Peterson. "In Afghanistan Capital, Tentacles of the Taliban Reach Deep." [Accessed 28 Jan. 2016] European Union (EU). December 2012. European Asylum Support Office (EASO). Afghanistan - Insurgent Strategies and Targeted Violence Against Afghans. [Accessed 21 Jan. 2016] Giustozzi, Antonio. 2012. Taliban Networks in Afghanistan. CIWAG Case Study Series 2011-2012. US Naval War College, Center on Irregular Warfare and Armed Groups. [Accessed 18 Jan. 2016] Insight on Conflict. N.d. "Afghanistan Human Righs and Democracy Organization (AHRDO)." [Accessed 8 Feb. 2016] Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP). 2015. "Afghanistan." Global Terrorism Index 2015. [Accessed 21 Jan. 2016] NYA International. April 2015. Global Kidnap for Ransom Update - April 2015. [Accessed 12 Feb. 2016] _____. N.d. "About NYA International." Professor, Naval Postgraduate School in California. 22 January 2015. Telephone interview. _____. 13 January 2016. Correspondence with the Research Directorate. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). 15 May 2015. "Senior Afghan Prosecutor Killed." [Accessed 14 Jan. 2016] United Nations (UN). 1 September 2015. General Assembly. Security Council. The Situation in Afghanistan and its Implications for International Peace and Security. (A/70/359-S/2015/684). [Accessed 17 Jan. 2016] _____. August 2015. United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). Afghanistan: Midyear Report 2015 - Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict. [Accessed 12 Jan. 2016] _____. February 2015. United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). Afghanistan: Annual Report 2014 - Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict. [Accessed 12 Jan. 2016] United States (US). 22 December 2015. Congressional Research Service (CRS). Afghanistan: Post-Taliban Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy. [Accessed 15 Jan. 2016] Xinhua News Agency. 18 September 2013. "Roundup: Killing of Afghan Female Police Officer Draws Wide Condemnation." (Factiva) Additional Sources Consulted Oral sources: Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit; International NGO Safety Organization; Professor of Political Science, Pantheon Sorbonne University; two researchers at the Center on International Cooperation, Afghanistan Pakistan Regional Program; Visiting Professor of War Studies, Kings College London; Visiting Professor in Conflict and Social Justice, Queen's University Belfast. Internet sites, including: Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit; Bakhtar News; Daily Outlook Afghanistan; ecoi.net; Factiva; Freedom House; International Crisis Group; Institute for the Study of War; Institute for War and Peace Reporting; Samuel Hall; United Nations - Refworld; United States - Department of State. Afghanistan: Whether the British Embassy in Kabul has a procedure for handling cases of local employees who fear the Taliban; whether the embassy files police complaints on behalf of local employees; whether records of reports of threats by the Taliban against local employees are kept by the embassy; whether the employee would have access to such a report (2014-January 2016) Publisher Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada Publication Date 20 January 2016 Citation / Document Symbol AFG105411.E Related Document(s) Afghanistan : information indiquant si l'ambassade du Royaume-Uni a Kaboul dispose d'une procedure pour traiter les cas d'employes recrutes sur place qui craignent des talibans; information indiquant si l'ambassade porte plainte a la police au nom d'employes recrutes sur place; information indiquant si l'ambassade conserve un dossier des signalements de menaces proferees par des talibans contre des employes recrutes sur place; information indiquant si un employe peut avoir acces a un tel dossier (2014-janvier 2016) Cite as Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Afghanistan: Whether the British Embassy in Kabul has a procedure for handling cases of local employees who fear the Taliban; whether the embassy files police complaints on behalf of local employees; whether records of reports of threats by the Taliban against local employees are kept by the embassy; whether the employee would have access to such a report (2014-January 2016), 20 January 2016, AFG105411.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56d7f4504.html [accessed 22 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa In correspondence with the Research Directorate, an official from the United Kingdom's Afghanistan Security Policy Team, within the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO), stated that if a local Afghan employee of the British Embassy in Kabul informed embassy authorities that he or she had grounds to fear the Taliban, the embassy would respond in the following manner: The procedure is to pass the officer to the [UK Ministry of Defence's] Intimidation Investigation Unit to investigate the claims and provide support. The last resort would be relocation to the UK - there are many measures before that would be considered. In parallel, the Embassy Security team check whether the threat against the individual might also be a risk to the Embassy. (UK 13 Jan. 2016) The FCO publishes a guidance document to support staff who are locally employed by the UK in Afghanistan and who face intimidation threats because of their employment; the document provides detailed information on protection and support measures that are employed by the UK government in such cases (ibid. 19 Nov. 2015); a copy of which is attached to this Response. Regarding whether the embassy files police complaints on behalf of a locally employed staff person, the official stated the following: We have in the past used the local authorities to help; we would not file a complaint for someone, that is not our role. The Embassy has direct connections to the [Ministry of Foreign Affairs], [Ministry of Interior] etc... However, the British Embassy stopped doing this in June 2013 when the Intimidation Investigation Unit was established in Afghanistan and there was a "one stop process for all" put in place. (UK 13 Jan. 2016) The UK's FCO guidance document for locally employed staff states that the process for a local employee making a claim about intimidation is as follows: Local staff who have intimidation concerns should contact the Labour Support Unit (LSU) in Kabul on 0792 907 303. They will pass your case to the Intimidation Investigation Unit (IIU) who should call you back within 24 hours. They will discuss your case with you and make an initial assessment of the threat [that] you and/or your immediate family are facing. If our assessment is that the threat is immediate and life threatening, we will take steps to help you ensure your safety. The IIU will then conduct a more detailed investigation so that the right support can be provided. This unit is set up specifically to address intimidation concerns and is staffed by professional investigators. It includes an interpreter in Dari and Pashtu. It has close links to the Danish authorities for those local staff who spent most of their employment with Danish Forces. For such staff, your case will be investigated by the Danish authorities. When your case is referred to the IIU, they will interview you. This may be done in person in Kabul, or by telephone. You will be asked to provide evidence of the intimidation and its connection with your service with the UK government. This evidence could include: written/mobile phone evidence of a threat; it is helpful if you can give the IIU the actual mobile phone on which any threatening call or text was received, and any threatening letters you have received as these are important evidence and you should not delete or destroy them evidence of an injury and its cause supporting evidence from a police investigation or medical treatment contact details for any witnesses to the intimidation; the IIU may want to interview any witnesses any other evidence you may have The IIU may pass the information [that] you provide to the Afghan National Police and National Directorate of Security for further investigation of the incident and any background to the claims. The IIU will only pass on this information with your agreement. If you have any immediate concerns about your safety, you should in the first instance contact the Afghan National Police or National Directorate of Security. (UK 19 Nov. 2015) According to the official, the British Embassy in Kabul keeps a record of reports by local staff who have informed the embassy that they had received threats from the Taliban (ibid. 13 Jan. 2016). The official explained that the employee who reported the incident would have access to that record and may obtain a copy in the following manner: We release such information, if we hold it through the use of Data Protection Act or Subject Access Requests. These are usually done through a solicitor and with evidence that the person asking for the information is the same person who worked for the Embassy. This is in keeping with general freedom of information guidelines that [the] Foreign and Commonwealth Office follows. (ibid.) This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request. References United Kingdom (UK). 13 January 2016. Afghanistan Security Policy Team. Correspondence from an official to the Research Directorate. _____. 19 November 2015. Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) and Ministry of Defence (MOD). "Guidance - Supporting Locally Employed Staff in Afghanistan." [Accessed 13 Jan. 2016] Additional Sources Consulted Oral sources: United Kingdom - Embassy in Kabul; High Commission in Ottawa. Internet sites, including: ecoi.net; Factiva; United Kingdom - Foreign Office. Attachment United Kingdom (UK). 19 November 2015. Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) and Ministry of Defence (MOD). "Guidance - Supporting Locally Employed Staff in Afghanistan." [Accessed 13 Jan. 2016] Afghanistan: Passports issued by the Central Passport Department in Kabul in June 2014, including issuance procedures, description, and validity period; whether both handwritten and machine-readable passports were issued by this office in June 2014; whether a minor would have been included in the passport of the parent or issued an individual passport (June 2014-November 2015) Publisher Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada Publication Date 29 December 2015 Citation / Document Symbol AFG105344.E Related Document(s) Afghanistan : information sur les passeports delivres par le Service central des passeports (Central Passport Department) a Kaboul en juin 2014, y compris les procedures de delivrance, la description des passeports et la periode de validite; information indiquant si des passeports manuscrits et des passeports lisibles a la machine ont tous deux ete delivres par ce service en juin 2014; information indiquant si un enfant mineur aurait ete inclus dans le passeport du parent ou aurait recu son propre passeport (juin 2014-novembre 2015) Cite as Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Afghanistan: Passports issued by the Central Passport Department in Kabul in June 2014, including issuance procedures, description, and validity period; whether both handwritten and machine-readable passports were issued by this office in June 2014; whether a minor would have been included in the passport of the parent or issued an individual passport (June 2014-November 2015), 29 December 2015, AFG105344.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56d7f4f54.html [accessed 22 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa Information on passports issued by the Central Passport Department in Kabul in June 2014 was scarce among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. In correspondence sent to the Research Directorate through a representative of the Canadian embassy in Kabul, the Ministry of the Interior of Afghanistan indicated the following regarding passports issued in June 2014: The issuing of handwritten passports still continues. Biometric test is mandatory for the issuance of computerized passports and they are valid for five years. Computerized passports are issued individually to each applicant. Children cannot be included on their mother's passport. Computerized and standard passports are issued by [the] Passport Department in Kabul across the country. (Afghanistan 1 Dec. 2015) Information on whether a minor can be included on their father's passport could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. In an article published on 19 September 2015, the New York Times indicates that "[s]o many people are applying for new passports that lines begin forming at 2 a.m. outside the passport office in Kabul, the only place they are issued now." In an article published on 22 September 2015, BloombergBusiness, a business news website based in New York, similarly indicates that "[h]undreds of people in recent months have arrived before dawn to queue outside of Kabul's only passport office" (BloombergBusiness 22 Sept. 2015). Further information on passport issuance procedures could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. Information on the description of passports issued in June 2014 could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request. References Afghanistan. 1 December 2015. Ministry of the Interior. Correspondence sent to the Research Directorate through the Canadian embassy in Kabul. BloombergBusiness. 22 September 2015. Eltaf Najafizada. "Afghanistan Can't Print Passports Fast Enough as Exodus Worsens." [Accessed 15 Oct. 2015] The New York Times. 19 September 2015. Rod Nordland. "Abandoning Afghan War Zone in a Perilous Quest for Europe." [Accessed 15 Oct. 2015] Additional Sources Consulted Oral sources: Afghanistan - embassy in Ottawa. Internet sites, including: Afghanistan - Embassy in Washington, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit; Council of the European Union - PRADO; Factiva; Freedom House; Keesing Reference Systems; Pajhwok Afghan News; United Nations - Refworld; United States - Department of State, Embassy in Kabul. Benin: Domestic violence, including availability of state protection and support services (2009-2015) Publisher Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada Publication Date 9 February 2016 Citation / Document Symbol BEN105406.FE Related Document(s) Benin : information sur la violence conjugale, y compris sur la protection offerte par l'Etat et les services de soutien (2009-2015) Cite as Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Benin: Domestic violence, including availability of state protection and support services (2009-2015), 9 February 2016, BEN105406.FE, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56d7f6b44.html [accessed 22 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa 1. Background According to Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2014, published by the US Department of State, domestic violence in Benin is [US English version] "common" (US 25 June 2015, 16). In a message published on the occasion of International Women's Day in 2013, Fatouma Amadou Djibril, Minister of the Family, Social Affairs, National Solidarity, Persons with Disabilities and Senior Citizens [ministre de la Famille, des Affaires sociales, de la Solidarite nationale, des Handicapes et des Personnes du troisieme age, MFASSNHPTA (Benin 2013)] stated that due in part to the persistence of traditional social norms, [translation] "acts of violence against women and girls remain legion" in Benin (Benin 7 Mar. 2013). A study on the themes of [translation] "gender and development in Belgian cooperation" in Benin [1], commissioned by the Belgian government and published in 2014, also observes that [translation] "social norms and beliefs have ... allowed violent practices against women to become deeply entrenched, especially in rural areas" (Belgium, Mar. 2014, 10, 19). According to a 2014 report by the Government of Benin, published in connection with the "Beijing+20" proceedings of the Platform for Action of the Fourth World Conference on Women, held in Beijing in 1995, Benin is witnessing [translation] "persistent discrimination and violence against women" and "disregard for women's rights remains a reality due to the various traditional beliefs, perceptions and practices that are deeply rooted in the communities' daily lives" (Benin 2014, 19). 1.1 Statistics A study by the Ministry of the Family and National Solidarity on Violence Against Women in Benin (ministere de la Famille et de la Solidarite nationale sur la violence envers les femmes au Benin), published in 2009 and based on a survey of 4,649 women and girls aged 6 and over, indicates that 68.6 percent of respondents aged 15 and over reported having suffered violence [translation] "at the hands of men or society by reason of their status as women" at least once in their life (ibid. Oct. 2009, 75). The spouse or partner was the perpetrator of the violence in 69.5 percent of the cases (ibid., 108). No other studies providing statistics on violence against women or on domestic violence in Benin could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. In its Demographic and Health Survey (Enquete demographique et de sante, EDSB-IV) 2011-2012, conducted between December 2011 and March 2012 and based on [translation] "a representative national sample of some 18,000 households," Benin's National Institute of Economic Analysis and Statistics (Institut national de la statistique et de l'analyse economique, INSAE), which is a part of the Ministry of Development, Economic Analysis and Forecasting (ministere du Developpement, de l'Analyse economique et de la Prospective), notes that 16.2 percent of female respondents aged 15 to 49 and 14.8 percent of male respondents in the same age group think that it is [translation] "justified for a man to beat his wife" for one of the following reasons: "burns food; argues with him; leaves without telling him; neglects the children; refuses to have sexual relations with him" (ibid. Oct. 2013, 310-312, 353). Reporting on a survey it conducted in 2014 as part of Afrobarometer [2], the Institute for Empirical Research in Political Economics (Institut de recherche empirique en economie politique, IREEP), a Cotonou not-for-profit organization whose mission is to [IREEP English version] "make [statistical data] more accessible as a tool to aid [public] policy making" (IREEP, n.d.), indicates that 7 out of 10 Beninese surveyed felt that violence against women had declined in the 12 months preceding the survey (Afrobarometer 22 Jan. 2015, 3, 5, 8). No other information indicating a decline in violence against women could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. 1.2 Under-reporting According to Country Reports 2014, Benin's female victims of domestic violence [US English version] "remained reluctant to report cases" (US 25 June 2015, 16). During an interview with Benin's national newspaper La Nation, the Director of the Benin chapter of Women in Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF), a panAfrican network of women's rights NGOs (WiLDAF n.d.), stated that female victims of violence are encouraged by those around them to withdraw their complaint, on the pretext that domestic violence is [translation] "a family affair" (La Nation 29 Apr. 2015). 2. Legislation The Constitution of the Republic of Benin (Constitution de la Republique du Benin) states that [translation] "men and women have equal rights. The state protects the family, particularly the mother and child" (Benin 1990, Art. 26). Benin's Personal and Family Code (Code des personnes et de la famille), adopted in 2004, entitles each spouse to petition for divorce in the case of [translation] "ill-treatment, excess, cruelty or unbearable insult making the existence of marriage impossible," among other grounds (ibid. 2004, sec. 233-234). In January 2012, Benin passed Act No. 2011-26 of 09 January 2012 on the Prevention and Repression of Violence Against Women (Loi no 2011-26 du 09 janvier 2012 portant prevention et repression des violences faites aux femmes) (ibid. 2012). The provisions dealing with domestic violence read as follows: [translation] Section 2: Under the present Act, violence against women is defined as all acts of violence directed at the female gender that can or do cause women harm or physical, sexual or psychological suffering, including the threat of such acts, the arbitrary denial of or restrictions on freedom, be it in public or private life. These acts of abuse involve: Physical, moral, sexual or psychological violence taking place within the family, such as blows, spousal rape, sexual assaults and abuse, female genital mutilation as prescribed by Act No. 2003-03 of 03 March 2003 on Repression of the Practice of Female Genital Mutilation in the Republic of Benin (Loi 2003-03 du 03 mars 2003 portant repression de la pratique des mutilations genitales feminines en Republique du Benin), forced or arranged marriages, "honour" crimes and other traditional practices harmful to women. ... Section 3: The present Act defines: ... traditional practices harmful to women as: acts based on habits and customs that are harmful to women. These include: food taboos in the case of pregnancy or delivery, [] restrictions on a woman's freedom of movement, pressure on a woman through the children. ... rape as: any act of vaginal, anal or oral penetration by the genital organ of the perpetrator, or vaginal or anal penetration by some object without the informed and willing consent of the penetrated individual. The penetrated individual is not required to fight back against the perpetrator. Being married to the penetrated individual does not excuse the crime of rape; family violence as: abuse of power or willful negligence with a view to dominating, subjugating, controlling or assaulting a woman in a physical, verbal, psychological, proprietary, economic or sexual manner, within and outside of the family home, whether the perpetrator is or was bound to the victim through kinship, blood, union, marriage, co-habitation or common-law relationship; ... domestic violence as: any physical or sexual violence perpetrated by a person against another person when the two parties are married, cohabiting or consanguineous, or when they are living in the same house, or when the two parties have had an intimate relationship in the past but are no longer together. (ibid., sec. 2-3). As for criminal provisions, the Act provides that: for any criminal offence that represses physical or sexual violence, the fact that the victim and perpetrator are in a domestic relationship, as defined in section 3 of the present Act, shall be considered an aggravating circumstance. The maximum sentence for delinquent behaviour is increased by five (05) years of incarceration and that for criminal behaviour by at least ten (10) years (ibid., sec. 30). The Act also provides for fines as high as 1,000,000 CFA francs [or approximately CAN$2,333] for acts of psychological violence and fines from 500,000 to 2,000,000 francs for acts of economic violence (ibid., sec. 32-33). No information on protection orders for domestic violence could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. In its Beijing+20 report, however, Benin recognizes that there is [translation] "very poor enforcement of the legislation to promote women's rights and gender equality" in the country (ibid. 2014, 20). The source adds, without further clarification, that [translation] "the application of legal instruments sometimes poses procedural problems" and that judges "sometimes have difficulty launching prosecutions of those who commit violations of women's and girls' rights" (ibid.). 3. State Protection In a 2011 report, the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF) , an international foundation "whose mission is to assist the international community in pursuing good governance and reform of the security sector" and which comprises 63 member states (DCAF n.d.), indicates that the Central Office for the Protection of Minors, the Family and the Prevention of Trafficking in Human Beings (Office central de la protection des mineurs, de la famille et de la repression de la traite des etres humains, OCPMRTEH) [also known as the Office central de protection des mineurs, de la famille et de la lutte contre le trafic des etres humains], a division of the national police, [DCAF English version] "speciali[z]es in responding to reports of domestic violence and violence against women and girls" (DCAF 2011, 52, 54). According to DCAF, [DCAF English version] "while the police handle the majority of such crimes, the more complex cases are referred to this specialized structure, which receives complaints from both women and men" (ibid., 55). The same source indicates that in 2011, OCPMRTEH was based in Cotonou and staffed by 11 police officers, 4 of them women, and 6 civilian employees, including social workers and psychologists (ibid.). According to the INTERPOL website, OCPMRTEH is a [translation] "specialized service" of the Central Command of the Judicial Police (Direction centrale de la police judiciaire), itself one of the technical divisions of the national police (INTERPOL n.d.). Further information on OCPMRTEH's role, operations or effectiveness could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. 3.1 Effectiveness In a 2012 report on the [translation] "helpline and counselling services for women who have had their rights violated," about a year after the service was implemented in the 49 Social Promotion Centres (centres de promotion sociale, CPS) at the time, MFASSNHPTA notes that a [translation] "limited number" of cases, approximately 10 percent, make it to court, and that "there are still cases involving crimes like rape or serious beatings and injuries that are blocked at the local level, or for which conciliation is sought" (Benin 28 Feb. 2012, 1, 5, 7). According to an assessment report released in 2013 by the humanitarian organization Care International, a financial partner of the Etode Initiative for Women's and Girls' Justice and Rights (Initiative Etode Pour la Justice et les Droits des Femmes et des Filles), a project designed to [translation] "strengthen prevention and rehabilitation mechanisms for cases of gender-based violence in 20 Benin communes spread out over 8 departments" and implemented by the Association of Female Jurists of Benin (Association des femmes juristes du Benin, AFJB), as well as by three Beninese NGOs, police officers and employees of the judicial system maintain that they have been pressured by the authorities [translation] "to encourage out-of-court settlement of complaints" of violence against women and girls (Care International, Nov. 2013, 5, 37). During interviews conducted by Care International, victims, their families and representatives of the judicial system who were in contact with the Etode project indicated that it was locally elected officials and traditional chiefs who were intervening to suspend legal proceedings (ibid., 30). Care International notes that some 10 percent of cases of violence against women and girls referred to the various agencies of the state in connection with the Etode project [translation] "make it to court" (ibid.). Furthermore, according to quantitative data from a sample of 400 women served by the Etode project in 13 communes, [translation] "only 9.38 percent of those surveyed reported that the perpetrators of the acts of violence were punished," since the files are "often closed without follow-up, and in the best-case scenario when the file does make it to the justice system, the perpetrator is released after a short period of time" (ibid., 9-10, 30). According to Country Reports 2014, [US English version] "judges and police were reluctant to intervene in domestic disputes" (US 25 June 2015, 16). In an article published in April 2015, the Director of the Beninese chapter of the WiLDAF network maintains that the reception the police give to victims of violence against women, including domestic violence, does not encourage women to lodge a complaint (taken from La Nation 29 Apr. 2015). In an article it published in September 2015, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) notes that: [translation] Given the sociological complexities, certain judicial actors involved in the proceedings stop short of punishing the perpetrators. Also of note is the meddling by certain male politicians, local authorities and opinion leaders who stifle the process aimed at prosecuting perpetrators of violence, not to mention [society's] looking down on women who report the domestic violence committed against them. In these circumstances, barely 3.89 percent of the victims [of violence against women] receive legal services (UN, 23 Sep. 2015). Further information on complaints, legal proceedings and convictions for domestic violence could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. 3.2 Training for Government Authorities on Domestic Violence In 2011, in the context of the Etode project, the AFJB provided 2 days of training to 29 people, including judicial police officers, to improve care for women victims of violence, including domestic violence (AFJB n.d.b). In its 2011 report, the DCAF states, [DCAF English version] "[n]ational police and armed forces personnel have benefited from some gender training, offered by non-governmental organizations [NGOs] and international actors on an ad hoc basis. However, this has not been formally integrated into their regular training programs" (DCAF 2011, 52). In a 2014 report, the UNDP indicates that it helped the national police train police officers and teach them how to apply Act No. 2011-26, among other things (UN 2014, 2). According to an article published in La Nation, in October 2015, the UNDP held a training day on enforcement of laws dealing with violence against women, attended by some 30 judicial police officers from the Zou-Collines department (La Nation 12 Oct. 2015). No information on domestic violence training provided by the state to judicial police and personnel could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. 3.3 Awareness Campaigns In its Beijing+20 report, the Government of Benin notes that Act 2011-26 has been [translation] "translated into the national languages and was made widely available during outreach and awareness campaigns on [violence against women]" (Benin 2014, 18). The same source also reports that in 2012, these awareness campaigns reached 127,433 people in 77 communes in the country, including citizens and representatives of local authorities and civil society (ibid.). In 2013, the AFJB, as part of the Etode project, held 4 information sessions on Act 2011-26, which were attended by 522 people (AFJB n.d.a). A UNDP article reports that in October 2015, in Parakou, the UNDP, along with the Ministry of the Family and other organizations, offered an awareness workshop on violence against women to [translation] "approximately 20" journalists (UN 3 Nov. 2015). 4. Support Services According to its website, MFASSNHPTA operates a network of social promotion centres (centres de promotion sociale, CPS) in the 12 departments of the country (Benin n.d.). The responsibilities of the CPSs include offering support to women victims of violence (ibid.). According to MFASSNHPTA, in December 2010, the CPSs began offering a [translation] "a service to listen to and advise women who have had their rights violated," in the communes, to provide legal assistance to victims of violence and to refer them to the other public services and NGOs (ibid. 28 Feb. 2012, 5). According to MFASSNHPTA, during the first 13 months of the consultation service, the 49 CPSs offering it received 12,129 visits and opened 5,042 files: 1,738 of these files were sent to the police and 490 to the justice system, while 2,604 were resolved through conciliation (ibid., 6). The source adds that 97 percent of the cases consisted of women and girls, and that the spouse was the perpetrator of the violence in 53 percent of cases, with a single case sometimes involving more than one victim, e.g. a woman and her children (ibid., 6-7). However, MFASSNHPTA maintains that [translation] "victim intake remained very deficient and discouraged many people from lodging complaints" (ibid., 65). MFASSNHPTA notes that in 2014, the 85 CPSs processed 12,896 cases of gender-based violence, with 83 percent of the victims being women or girls (ibid. 25 Nov. 2015). In its September 2015 article, the UNDP notes that [translation] "certain CPS workers and even members of law enforcement lack a proper understanding of what constitutes [gender-based violence]. Listening centres for victims are inaccessible to the community, especially during the rainy season" (UN, 23 Sep. 2015). Sources indicate that integrated intake centres for victims of gender-based violence have been founded in Benin (US 22 Dec. 2015; Educ'Action 21 Apr. 2015; La Nation 29 Apr. 2015). Sources state that these centres are run by the WiLDAF network, that they are funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and that their legal framework is set out in Act No. 2011-26 (ibid.; Educ'Action 21 Apr. 2015). The first of these centres opened its doors in Abomey in May 2014, the second in Cotonou in April 2015 (ibid.; US 30 Dec. 2015) and the third in Parakou in December 2015 (ibid.). These centres offer legal, medical, psychological and social assistance to victims of gender-based violence (Educ'Action 21 Apr. 2015; US 22 Dec. 2015), including domestic violence (ibid.). In correspondence sent to the Research Directorate, a representative of the USAID mission to Benin indicated that the centres also offered financial assistance to the victims and that they had received 1,143 people in 2015 (ibid. 30 Dec. 2015). In her opinion, the centres remain underutilized by the Beninese population (ibid.). The representative of the USAID mission to Benin stated that there was no shelter for women victims of domestic violence in Benin (ibid.). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. According to a document describing its services, the Beninese Association for Social Marketing and Health Communication (Association beninoise pour le marketing social et la communication pour la sante, ABMS), an organization based in Cotonou, has been operating a helpline since 2004 (telephone number: 7344) dispensing health and family planning advice; this service runs from Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. (ABMS n.d.). The ABMS states that it receives some 300 calls a day (ibid.). According to a March 2014 report of the Standing Secretariat of the National Committee to Combat AIDS (Secretariat permanent du Comite national de lutte contre le sida), a Beninese government agency, the ABMS telephone helpline has also been responding, since 2013, to questions concerning violence against women and girls (Benin Mar. 2014, 32-33). The same source indicates that the help line received 767 calls in three months on these questions, 22 of which were re-routed to other agencies for intake purposes (ibid., 33). The representative of the USAID mission to Benin stated that the NGO Centre for Reflection and Action on Integrated Development and Solidarity (Centre de reflexions et d'actions pour le developpement integre et la solidarite, CERADIS) was operating a telephone helpline dealing with gender-based violence issues (US 22 Dec. 2015). According to the website of the International Network for Online and Phone Support (Consortium international des dispositifs de relation d'aide a distance, CIRAD), [translation] "a resource platform to contribute to the fight against HIV/AIDS" whose partner in Benin is CERADIS (CIRAD n.d.b); the CERADIS telephone helpline is dedicated to HIV/AIDS issues (ibid. n.d.a). According to the website of the MTN Benin Foundation (Fondation MTN Benin), created in 2001 by the MTN-Benin telecommunications corporation to finance community development projects, the telephone helpline was created in 2009, and the violence against women theme was subsequently added to its mandate (Fondation MTN Benin n.d.). This helpline can be reached by dialling 96 00 00 01 (CERADIS n.d.; CIRAD n.d.a). CIRAD's website indicates that the helpline can be accessed Monday to Friday (8 a.m. to 8 p.m.) and on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., and it is free [translation] "for all MTN subscribers" (ibid.). This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request. Notes [1] This study was produced by South Research, "a [Belgian] co-operative consultancy firm" active in the fields of training, support and evaluation (South Research n.d.), and the Institute of Development Policy and Management (IOB) of the University of Antwerp (Belgium, Mar. 2014, 1, 10). [2] Afrobarometer is a series of national surveys conducted from time to time on such themes as democracy and governance (Afrobarometer, 22 Jan. 2015, 3). The IREEP, the organization charged with this survey in Benin, selected a sample of 1,200 Beninese adults (ibid., 5). References Afrobarometer. 22 January 2015. Violences a l'endroit des femmes et participation citoyenne : resultats du 6eme tour d'Afrobarometre au Benin. By the Institut de recherche empirique en economie politique (IREEP). [Accessed 17 Dec. 2015] Association beninoise pour le marketing social et la communication pour la sante (ABMS). N.d. Prevenir par la sensibilisation, soutenir par les produits et services de sante. [Accessed 15 Jan. 2016] Association des femmes juristes du Benin (AFJB). N.d.a. "Activites a mi-parcours du projet de la vulgarisation de la loi 2011-26 du 09 janvier 2012 portant prevention et repression des violences faites aux femmes en Republique du Benin." [Accessed 23 Dec. 2015] _____. N.d.b. "Rapport de l'atelier de formation a l'intention des gestionnaires des centres d'accuil, des officiers de police judiciaire, des agents de sante et personnel medical." [Accessed 18 Jan. 2016] Belgium. March 2014. Service public federal Affaires etrangeres, Commerce exterieur et Cooperation au developpement, Service de l'evaluation speciale de la cooperation internationale (SES). Evaluation genre et developpement dans la cooperation belge. Rapport de l'etude de cas Republique du Benin. [Accessed 31 Dec. 2015] Benin. 25 November 2015. "Message a la nation du ministre de la Famille, des Affaires sociales, de la Solidarite nationale, des Handicapes et des Personnes de troisieme age." [Accessed 29 Jan. 2016] _____. March 2014. Secretariat permanent du Comite national de lutte contre le sida. Rapport de suivi de la declaration de politique sur le VIH/sida au Benin 2014. [Accessed 15 Jan. 2016] _____. 2014. Rapport pays sur les progres realises dans la mise en oeuvre de la plateforme d'action de Beijing+20. [Accessed 22 Dec. 2015] _____. October 2013. Ministere du Developpement, de l'Analyse economique et de la Prospective, Institut national de la statistique et de l'analyse economique (INSAE). Enquete demographique et de sante du Benin (EDSB-IV) 2011-2012. [Accessed 22 Dec. 2015] _____. 7 March 2013. "Message de madame Fatouma Amadou Djibril dans le cadre de la Journee internationale de la femme du 08 March 2013 au Palais de congres." [Accessed 14 Jan. 2016] _____. 2013. Decret n 2013-008 du 05 fevrier 2013 portant composition du gouvernement. [Accessed 1 Feb. 2016] _____. 28 February 2012. Ministere de la Famille, des Affaires sociales, de la Solidarite nationale, des Handicapes et des Personnes du troisieme age (MFASSNHPTA), Direction de la promotion de la femme et du genre. Un an d'experience du service d'ecoute et de conseil aux femmes ayant subi une violation de leurs droits (decembre 2010- decembre 2011). [Accessed 16 Dec. 2015] _____. 2012. Loi no 2011-26 du 09 January 2012 portant prevention et repression des violences faites aux femmes. [Accessed 16 Dec. 2015] _____. October 2009. Ministere de la Famille et de la Solidarite nationale, Observatoire de la famille, de la femme et de l'enfant. Les violences faites aux femmes au Benin. Rapport d'etude. [Accessed 16 Dec. 2015] _____. 2004. Loi n 2002-07 portant Code des personnes et de la famille. [Accessed 2 Feb. 2016] _____. 1990. Constitution de la Republique du Benin. [Accessed 16 Dec. 2015] _____. N.d. Ministere de la Famille, des Affaires sociales, de la Solidarite nationale, des Handicapes et des Personnes du troisieme age (MFASSNHPTA). "Centres de promotion sociale." [Accessed 18 Jan. 2016] Care International. November 2013. Republique du Benin : programme autonomisation des femmes et des filles, initiative Etode - "Pour la justice et les droits des femmes et des filles." Rapport d'evaluation a mi-parcours, version finale. [Accessed 18 Dec. 2015] Centre de reflexions et d'actions pour le developpement integre et la solidarite (CERADIS). N.d. "L'ONG - Presentation." [Accessed 5 Feb. 2016] Consortium international des dispositifs de relation d'aide a distance (CIRAD). N.d.a. "La ligne jaune n96 00 00 01." [Accessed 15 Jan. 2016] _____. N.d.b. "Qui sommes-nous?" [Accessed 5 Feb. 2016] DCAF, Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces. 2011. Innocentia Apovo and Miranda Gaanderse. "Benin." Le secteur de la securite et le genre en Afrique de l'Ouest : une etude de la police, de la defense, de la justice et des services penitentiaires dans les pays de la CEDEAO. Edited by Miranda Gaanderse and Kristin Valasek. Geneva: DCAF. [Accessed 31 Dec. 2015] _____. N.d. "About Us." [Accessed 18 Jan. 2016] Educ'Action. 21 April 2015. Ulrich Vital Ahotondji. "Prise en charge des victimes de violence basee sur le genre a Cotonou." [Accessed 17 Dec. 2015] Fondation MTN Benin. N.d. "Presentation." [Accessed 15 Jan. 2016] Institut de recherche empirique en economie politique (IREEP). N.d. "A propos de nous." [Accessed 29 Jan. 2016] INTERPOL. N.d. "Benin." [Accessed 4 Feb. 2016] La Nation. 12 October 2015. Valentin Sovide. "Prise en charge des victimes de violences basees sur le genre : des policiers et gendarmes du Zou-Collines formes." [Accessed 31 Dec. 2015] _____. 29 April 2015. Maryse Assogbadjo. "Huguette Bokpe Gnacadja, coordonnatrice de Wildaf-Benin : "Les centres de prise en charge accueillent aussi les hommes."" [Accessed 17 Dec. 2015] South Research. N.d. "Home." [Accessed 5 Feb. 2016] United Nations (UN). 3 November 2015. United Nations Development Program (UNDP). "Sensibiliser, denoncer et sanctionner pour reduire les violences faites aux femmes au Benin." [Accessed 16 Dec. 2015] _____. 23 September 2015. United Nations Development Program (UNDP). "Rompre le mur du silence face aux violences a l'egard des femmes au Benin." [Accessed 16 Dec. 2015] _____. 2014. United Nations Development Program (UNDP). Situation de la femme au Benin en 2013. [Accessed 16 Dec. 2015] United States (US). 30 December 2015. United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Benin Mission. Correspondence sent to the Research Directorate by a representative. _____. 22 December 2015. United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Benin Mission. Correspondence sent to the Research Directorate by a representative. _____. 25 June 2015. Department of State. "Benin." Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2014. [Accessed 11 Dec. 2015] Women in Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF). N.d. "Qui sommes nous" [Accessed 5 Feb. 2016] Additional Sources Consulted Oral Sources: Association des femmes juristes du Benin; Benin - Institut national de la promotion de la femme, ministere de la Famille, des Affaires sociales, de la Solidarite nationale, des Handicapes et des Personnes du troisieme age; Coalition pour l'Examen periodique universel du Benin; Confederation des organisations syndicales independantes du Benin; Global Fund for Women; Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices; United Nations - bureau du Programme des Nations Unies pour le developpement au Benin; Oxfam Quebec; South Research; Women in Law and Development in Africa Benin. Websites, including: African Union - African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights; Amnesty International; Association des femmes de l'Afrique de l'Ouest; BBC; Benin - Direction generale de la police nationale, ministere de la Justice, ministere de la Sante; Canada - embassy in Burkina Faso, Global Affairs Canada, International Development and Research Centre; Caritas Benin; Communaute economique des Etats de l'Afrique de l'Ouest; Denmark - ministere des Affaires etrangeres; ecoi.net; European Union - Delegation de l'Union europeenne en Republique du Benin, European Commission, Service europeen pour l'action exterieure; Factiva; France - ambassade au Benin; France24; Freedom House; Gender Index; Human Rights Watch; Netherlands - ministere des Affaires etrangeres; Organisation internationale de la francophonie; Radio France internationale; Reseau international francophone de formation policiere; Social Watch Benin; Transparency International; United Nations - Refworld, Systeme des Nations Unies au Benin, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, UNICEF, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, United Nations Office for West Africa, United Nations Population Fund, UN Women, World Health Organization; Women Watch; World Bank. Benin: Treatment of sexual minorities by society and the authorities, including legislation, state protection provided and support services (2014-July 2015) Publisher Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada Publication Date 28 July 2015 Citation / Document Symbol BEN105244.FE Related Document(s) Benin : information sur le traitement reserve aux minorites sexuelles par la societe et les autorites, y compris sur les lois, la protection offerte par l'Etat et les services de soutien (2014-juillet 2015) Cite as Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Benin: Treatment of sexual minorities by society and the authorities, including legislation, state protection provided and support services (2014-July 2015), 28 July 2015, BEN105244.FE, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56d7f7334.html [accessed 22 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa Sources state that information on the situation of sexual minorities in Benin is scarce (HRC and Human Rights First July 2014, 6; LGBTnet [July 2012]; Quebec 2014, 16). 1. Legislation and Application Sources state that same-sex sexual activity is not criminalized in Benin (ibid.; US 25 June 2015a, 20; ILGA May 2015, 25). However, other sources state that it is illegal (Switzerland 14 Oct. 2014; US Feb. 2014, 2; AI June 2013, 69). The 2013 edition of the State-sponsored Homophobia. A World Survey of Laws: Criminalisation, Protection and Recognition of Same-sex Love report by the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA), explains that, because of a misinterpretation of an unofficial translation of the Penal Code in Benin, the previous editions of this report wrongly indicated that homosexuality was illegal in Benin (ILGA May 2013, 20). According to an information guide produced by the Quebec government's Ministry of Immigration, Diversity and Inclusion on the situation of sexual minorities in the countries of origin of people who have emigrated to Quebec, a project to reform the penal code provided for the criminalization of homosexuality, but it was not pursued (Quebec 2014, 16). In its Freedom in the World annual report for 2015, Freedom House refers to the "Penal Code of 1996" (Freedom House 2015). However, the Quebec government's information guide states that the penal code in effect in Benin is [translation] "that of French West Africa from 1877 [to which the territory of Benin belonged]," and it has since been modified and "does not criminalize homosexuality" (Quebec 2014, 16). In the State-sponsored Homophobia report of 2015, ILGA notes that the amended Penal Code of 1877 is still in effect (ILGA May 2015, 31). Sources note that Benin's Penal Code sets the age of consent for same-sex sexual activity at 21 years old and 13 years old for sexual acts between heterosexuals (ibid.; Freedom House 2015; Quebec 2014, 16); this amendment came into force in 1947 (ibid.; ILGA May 2015, 31). Sources also note that there are no legislative measures against discrimination based on sexual orientation (Freedom House 2015; LGBTnet [July 2012]). In its advice to travellers, the US Department of State indicates that "[i]n general, Beninese authorities do not act against those involved in same-gender relationships" (US 25 June 2015b). However, it also states, without providing further details, that "Benin's laws on sexual morality provide scope for authorities to act against a range of sexual behaviour" (ibid.). Similarly, the Government of Canada advises travellers that "[h]omosexual behaviour [in Benin] could lead to arrest under laws such as indecent exposure" (Canada 16 July 2015). Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2014, published by the US Department of State, notes however that in 2014 there were no reports of criminal or civil cases involving consensual same-sex persons (US 25 June 2015a, 20). Corroborating or further information on prosecutions in recent years could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. 2. Treatment of Sexual Minorities Sources state that homosexuality is generally not accepted in Benin (Canada 16 July 2015; UK 8 June 2015; GenEq Benin 22 Aug. 2014). According to sources, it is preferable for sexual minority persons to be discrete about their sexual orientation (ibid.; US 25 June 2015b; UK 8 June 2015). Similarly, the Quebec government's information guide states [translation] "that it seems a strong social stigma limits public affirmation of sexual orientation or of non-compliant identity" (Quebec 2014, 16). According to Country Reports 2014, no case of discrimination or of violence based on sexual orientation was noted in 2014 (US 25 June 2015a, 20). It is also written in the Quebec government's information guide that [translation] "physical attacks are reportedly rare, and hostility is expressed more through verbal assault, namely against effeminate men" (Quebec 2014, 16). However, in a column published on the blog of GenEq Benin, a committee on sexual equality and the empowerment of women of the Peace Corps in Benin (GenEq Benin N.d.), the president of the Hirondelle Club, a Beninese LGBT association that meets every Monday in Cotonou, states that he has met "individuals who have been driven out of their homes after being seen kissing another man, individuals who have been victims of assaults both physical and verbal and in extreme situations, individuals who have ended their lives over their sexuality" (ibid. 22 August 2014). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. Country Reports 2014 states, without providing details, that "a growing number of citizens were open about their sexual orientation or gender identity" (US 25 June 2015a, 20). According to a 2013 article from Confrere de la matinee, a Beninese daily, homosexual men are increasingly daring to be open about their sexuality in Benin (Le Confrere de la matinee 24 Oct. 2013). The Quebec government's information guide states [translation] "[t]hat there are hidden networks that enable sexual minorities to break their isolation," adding, without providing details, that "[s]ome public places, bars and beaches, are known to be places where gay men can meet and seek relationships" (Quebec 2014, 16). 3. Support Services According to Country Reports 2014, the LGBT community in Benin "remains largely disorganized and hidden" (US 25 June 2015a, 20). However, the Quebec government's information guide states that [translation] "[s]ome organizations have recently been created to defend the rights of sexual minorities, and a public event was organized in 2013" (Quebec 2014, 16). According to Le Confrere de la matinee, in May 2013, a conference-debate on homosexuality in the world and in Benin brought together about 100 people to the French Cultural Centre (Institut francais) in Benin and was held [translation] "with faces uncovered" (Le Confrere de la matinee 24 Oct. 2013). The source adds that in October 2013 there were nine gay rights organizations in the country (ibid.). According to the column published on the GenEq Benin blog, "several organizations and support groups exist in major cities like Cotonou and Parakou," and more than 10 meet "on a regular basis" (GenEq Benin 22 Aug. 2014). The same source adds that the French Cultural Center hosts a monthly discussion in order to "reduce ignorance and homophobia" (ibid.). The Benin Synergy Plus network (Benin synergie plus, BESYP) is described as a coalition of LGBTI associations (Afro-Benin N.d.; ELSA N.d.a). The following information comes from the Together, Let's Fight AIDS in Africa (Ensemble luttons contre le sida en Afrique, ELSA) platform, a group of 6 French associations who have 80 African associations as partners (ibid. N.d.b). The BESYP network fights against HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases and for the rights of LGBTI persons and sex workers. The BESYP network's activities include, among other things, screening and prevention of HIV/AIDS, information dissemination, training of persons/resources from the LGBT environment, public awareness and the organization of [translation] "festive gatherings" and meetings between LGBT associations. The BESYP network is located in Cotonou and has offices in Porto-Novo. Its members include the following organizations: Adorable club; Association for Solidarity and the Future of Youth (Association pour la solidarite et l'avenir de la jeunesse, ASAJ); Friends of the Voiceless (Amis des sans voix, ASV); Benin Life Hope Rainbow (Espoir vie arc en ciel au Benin, EVAB); MADNICE; Union for Solidarity and Mutual Aid for Development (Union pour la solidarite et l'entraide pour le developpement, USED); The Queens (ibid. n.d.a). Information on these organizations could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. Another organization, the Women's Association for Guided Change (Association des femmes pour une releve orientee, AFRO-Benin), describes itself as [translation] "the only female association from the LGBT-I community in Benin" (Afro-Benin N.d.). Information on the association's activities could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. Information on state protection provided to sexual minorities could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request. References Amnesty International (AI). June 2013. Quand aimer devient un crime. La criminalisation des relations entre personnes de meme sexe en Afrique subsaharienne. (AFR 01/001/2013) [Accessed 20 July 2015] Association des femmes pour une releve orientee (AFRO-Benin). N.d. "AFRO-Benin." [Accessed 20 July 2015] Canada. 16 July 2015. Voyage.gc.ca. "Benin." [Accessed 21 July 2015] Le Confrere de la matinee. 24 October 2013. Felix Mahougnon. "Societe : l'homosexualite au Benin." [Accessed 21 July 2015] Ensemble luttons contre le sida en Afrique (ELSA). N.d.a. "BESYP." [Accessed 27 July 2015] _____. N.d.b. "Qui sommes-nous?" [Accessed 27 July 2015] Freedom House. 2015. "Benin." Freedom in the World 2015. [Accessed 20 July 2015] GenEq Benin. 22 August 2014. Emily Becker. "A Fight Yet to Be Won." [Accessed 20 July 2015] _____. N.d. "About." [Accessed 24 July 2015] Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRC) and Human Rights First. July 2014. Report: The State of Human Rights for LGBT People in Africa. [Accessed 20 July 2015] International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA). May 2015. Aengus Carroll and Lucas Paoli Itaborahy. State-sponsored Homophobia. A World Survey of Laws: Criminalisation, Protection and Recognition of Same-sex Love. [Accessed 20 July 2015] _____. May 2013. Lucas Paoli Itaborahy and Jingshu Zhu. State-sponsored Homophobia. A World Survey of Laws: Criminalisation, Protection and Recognition of Same-sex Love. [Accessed 20 July 2015] LGBTnet. [July 2012]. "Benin." [Accessed 20 July 2015] Quebec. 2014. Ministere de l'Immigration, de la Diversite et de l'Inclusion, Direction des politiques et programmes de francisation et d'integration. Realites juridiques et sociales des minorites sexuelles dans les principaux pays d'origine des personnes nouvellement arrivees au Quebec. Guide d'information. Troisieme edition. [Accessed 20 July 2015] Switzerland. 14 October 2014. Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. "Conseils aux voyageurs - Benin." [Accessed 21 July 2015] United Kingdom (UK). 8 June 2015. GOV.UK. "Foreign Travel Advice: Benin." [Accessed 23 July 2015] United States (US). 25 June 2015a. Department of State. "Benin." Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2014. [Accessed 20 July 2015] _____. 25 June 2015b. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs. "Benin." [Accessed 20 July 2015] _____. February 2014. Library of Congress, Law Library. Laws on Homosexuality in African Nations. [Accessed 20 July 2015] Additional Sources Consulted Oral sources: Arc-en-ciel Benin; Association des femmes pour une releve orientee (AFRO-Benin); Benin synergie plus; Centre de reflexions et d'actions pour le developpement integre et la solidarite; Commission beninoise des droits de l'homme; Ligue pour la defense des droits de l'homme; Recherches actions communautaires initiatives pour un nouvel espoir. Internet sites, including: 24 heures au Benin; 76 Crimes; Africagay contre le sida; Afriquinfos; AllAfrica; AMSHeR; ARC International; Association des lesbiennes et des gais sur Internet - Comite de solidarite internationale; Association stop homophobie; Belgium - Conseils par destination; Commission beninoise des droits de l'homme; Cotonou.com; ecoi.net; Factiva; Federation internationale des ligues des droits de l'homme; France - Conseils aux voyageurs; Forced Migration Review; GlobalGayz; Human Rights Watch; International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission; International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association; IRIN; Jeune Afrique; Jolome News; Koaci; Liberation; Le Matinal; La Nouvelle Tribune; Radio France internationale; Reseau des institutions nationales africaines des droits de l'homme; Slate Afrique; Le Soleil Benin; United Nations - Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Refworld. Iraq: Honour-based violence in the Kurdistan region; state protection and support services available to victims Publisher Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada Publication Date 15 February 2016 Citation / Document Symbol IRQ105424.E Related Document(s) Iraq : information sur la violence au nom de l'honneur dans la region du Kurdistan; la protection offerte par l'Etat et les services de soutien offerts aux victimes Cite as Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Iraq: Honour-based violence in the Kurdistan region; state protection and support services available to victims, 15 February 2016, IRQ105424.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56d7f9974.html [accessed 22 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa 1. Overview According to sources, honour-based violence is "common" (The Economist 18 Mar. 2014) or "prevalent" in Iraqi Kurdistan (GCHR 31 Dec. 2014). According to a report based on a fact-finding mission by the Danish Immigration Service (DIS) on honour crimes against men in Kurdistan, multiple Kurdish sources gave the opinion that there is some degree of variation as to how the concept of honour is being dealt with in rural areas and urban areas. honour crimes [are] common in rural areas, and to a lesser extent in the larger cities of KRI [Kurdistan Region of Iraq]. honour crimes are more common in rural settings than in the major cities. the majority of Iraqis, including Kurds, to some extent are associated with their tribal community, irrespective of whether they live in the cities or in the countryside. (Denmark 2010, 4) In correspondence with the Research Directorate, a representative at the WADI NGO, a German NGO with operations in Iraqi Kurdistan that works "to combat violence against women" and improve their "social and economic status in Iraqi society" (WADI 22 Jan. 2016), stated that the "prevalence and social attitudes do not differ between rural and urban areas because only a short time ago, all city dwellers used to live in the countryside" (ibid. 25 Jan. 2016). Sources state that honour-based violence is related to the belief that a family's honour is dependent upon the sexual conduct and behaviour of female members (Huffington Post 17 July 2014; The Guardian 17 Mar. 2013; PassBlue 6 May 2014). Citing the coordinator of Zhyan, a group that lobbies the Iraqi Kurdistan government "to end honor killing," the Huffington Post reports that women in Kurdish society are "seen as the property of [their] family and then [their] husband," and male family members are able to exert control over the woman's movement, conduct, and who she marries (Huffington Post 17 July 2014). An article by Dr. Aisha K. Gill, a "Reader [Professor] in Criminology at the University of Roehampton," with research specializing in "'honour'-based violence in the South Asian/Kurdish diaspora and femicide in Iraqi Kurdistan" (Gill 14 Mar. 2014), similarly states that in Iraqi Kurdistan, "'honour' codesare embedded in broad and pervasive ways of thinking that revolve around gendered values and traditions that legitimise men's control of women's bodies and behaviour" (ibid. 4 June 2014). According to sources, offences against a family's honour can include: sex outside of marriage (PassBlue 6 May 2014; WADI 11 Jan. 2016b; Huffington Post 17 July 2014); inappropriate dress (ibid.; The Atlantic 30 Apr. 2015); Being a victim of rape (WADI 11 Jan. 2016b; Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights and MRG Nov. 2015, 26); Contact with a man outside of the family (Huffington Post 17 July 2014; PassBlue 6 May 2014; Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights and MRG Nov. 2015, 26); Marrying without permission from family (WADI 11 Jan. 2016b; Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights and MRG Nov. 2015, 26). Sources state that the offending woman or girl may be killed to restore the family's honour (ibid.; ICSSI 7 Mar. 2013; Gill 4 June 2014). The article by Dr. Gill states that honour-based violence can include physical violence (including assault, maiming and killing), coerced suicide (including by enforced self-immolation), starvation, forced marriage of women (often to a man who has already raped her), forced abortion, removal of children, female genital mutilation, forced virginity, forced hymen repair, and the curtailment of liberty, basic rights and/or education. (ibid.) The Atlantic similarly reports that attempts to control a woman or girl's sexuality may begin non-violently with "restrictions on her social life, access to education, health care, employment opportunities and civic participation" (The Atlantic 30 Apr. 2015). Should these methods be unsuccessful, she "may be subjected to threats, harassment, assault, rape, kidnapping, torture, and even murder" (ibid.). According to the Huffington Post, the perpetrators can be husbands, fathers, brothers, uncles or sons (17 July 2014). The Guardian reports that "[d]eviations from gender roles are often punished by the victims' own inner circles" (17 Mar. 2013). The Atlantic similarly reports that honour-based violence is "communally sanctioned," potentially involving "multiple perpetrators within the household or members of the community" (30 Apr. 2015). According to the article by Dr. Gill, the "majority of murders committed in the name of 'honour' are by men against female family members" (Gill 4 June 2014). The WADI representative stated that the "official number of honour killing cases is 50-60 per year" for the Kurdistan region of Iraq, but that this is likely an underestimation, as cases "are not registered in a professional fashion," with only those cases involving a visit to the police station or hospital counted (WADI 25 Jan. 2016). Other sources similarly state that acts of honour-based violence often go unreported (The Guardian 17 Mar. 2013; PassBlue 6 May 2014; Gill 14 Mar. 2014). According to a report by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on the situation in Iraq between July and December 2013, the Iraqi Kurdistan Directorate of Combating Violence Against Women (DCVAW) reported 2,353 allegations of violence against women between July and November 2013, including 2,141 cases of physical abuse, 132 cases of self-immolation, 46 cases of sexual abuse, and 23 murders (UN June 2014, 16). According to the US Department of State's Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2014, between January and May 2014, there were 58 cases of sexual assault, 100 cases of "women burned by others," 42 incidences of "women burning themselves," 10 cases of women committing suicide, and 18 women were reportedly murdered in Iraqi Kurdistan (US 25 June 2015, 58). According to a 2015 joint report by the Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights and Minority Rights Group International (MRG), The Lost Women of Iraq: Family-based Violence During Armed Conflict, between January 2014 and June 2015, DCVAW received reports on 66 murders, 85 suicides, 314 cases of "burning," and 160 cases of "self-burning" (Nov. 2015, 18). Further and corroborating information on statistics concerning honour-based violence could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. 1.1 Self-Immolation Sources state that self-immolation is related to honour-based violence as the woman may choose to self-immolate as a means of escaping the situation with her family (Huffington Post 17 July 2014; The Economist 18 Mar. 2014; WADI 11 Jan. 2016a). According to PassBlue, an "independent digital publication" that focuses on "women's rights and gender equality, human rights, development, international justice and peacekeeping through the lens of the United Nations" (PassBlue n.d.), self-immolation may also be considered a "sacrifice for wrongdoing" (ibid. 6 May 2014). Other sources state that victims of self-immolation may be "coerced" into doing so by family members (Gill 4 June 2014; Open Democracy 12 May 2015; Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights and MRG Nov. 2015, 16). According to sources, the majority of self-immolation cases are reported as "accidents" (Huffington Post 17 July 2014; Open Democracy 12 May 2015). Country Reports 2014 states that [s]ome families arranged honour killings to appear as suicides. Since in the IKR [Iraqi Kurdistan Region] some suicidal women resorted to self-immolation as a method of killing themselves, authorities at times refused to investigate certain cases. (US 25 June 2015, 59) 1.2 Male Victims of Honour-based Violence Information on male victims of honour-based violence was scarce among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. Citing the country representative for Diakonia, an international development organization (Diakonia 27 Sept. 2013) in the city of Dahuk, the Danish fact-finding mission report states that "men are equally at risk of becoming victims of honour crimes as women" (Denmark 2010, 3). In contrast, in the opinion of the WADI representative, boys and men are "not very likely" to become victims of honour-based violence in Iraqi Kurdistan, and when they are affected, "most" of the time it is due to "supposed homosexuality" (WADI 25 Jan. 2016). A March 2014 article by Dr. Gill similarly states that men are most likely to cause dishonour as a result of their behaviour towards women, including through (i) their choice of romantic and/or sexual partners, (ii) refusing an arranged marriage, (iii) coming out as gay, bi-sexual or transgender, and/or (iv) refusing to commit an act of HBV [honour-based violence]. Nevertheless, the fact remains that the majority of victims are female and the majority of perpetrators male. (Gill 14 Mar. 2014) The 2015 Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights and MRG joint report states that men are "occasionally" the victims of honour-based violence and they are "sometimes" killed to restore the offended family's honour (Nov. 2015, 26). According to the DIS report, the father of a girl or the husband of a woman "would most likely kill his daughter or his wife," respectively, for having an "illicit sexual relationship with another man. After this, the male offender would then be at high risk of being killed" (Denmark 2010, 7). According to sources, there is no assistance for male victims of honour-based violence (Denmark 2010, 9; WADI 25 Jan. 2016). According to the Danish fact-finding mission report, if a man who had sexual relations outside of marriage feared honour-based violence and approached the police, "he would most likely be offered protection. However, the only possible way for him to be protected would be to be kept in police custody," which is not viable in the long-term as staying in prison is "not a durable solution" (Denmark 2010, 10). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. Further information on the situation of male victims of honour-based violence, including protection, could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. 2. Specific Instances of Honour-Based Violence: 2014-2016 The 2015 Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights and MRG joint report states that on 28 February 2014, the bodies of two sisters, aged 16 and 18, were "found in a ditch in the town of Said Sadiq in Sulaymaniya" (Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights and MRG Nov. 2015, 29). The sisters had requested police assistance in July 2013, and were "subsequently housed in a government-run shelter" and later released "after their family signed an agreement to protect them" (ibid.). According to the report, Prime Minister Mechirvan Barzani established a fact-finding commission to investigate the case (ibid.). On the same day that the sisters' bodies were found, a 16-year-old girl "was murdered by her father in Erbil" (ibid.) According to the joint report, she had also previously sought protection at a government-run shelter, but was later returned to her uncle (ibid.). Further and corroborating information, including information on the results of the fact-finding commission, could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. According to sources, in May 2014, a 15-year-old girl, Dunya Hassan, was killed by her 45-year-old husband, Sleman Zyab Yunis (Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights and MRG Nov. 2015, 29; KMEWO [May 2014]; Huffington Post 17 July 2014) who recorded a video confessing to the murder and claimed that he had done so because he suspected his wife was having an affair (ibid.; Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights and MRG Nov. 2015, 29). According to the 2015 Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights and MRG joint report, Yunis later turned himself in to the police and a "special committee in parliament" was formed to investigate the case (ibid.). Further and corroborating information on the parliamentary committee could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. Nalia Radio and Television (NRT), a Kurdish independent media network (NRT n.d.), reports that in October 2015, a 21-year-old woman was shot and killed by her father in the city of Sulaimani after spending nearly a year in a shelter because she was "facing issues with her family" (NRT 8 Oct. 2015). Further and corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response 3. State Protection 3.1 Legislation Sources state that in 2011, the IKR enacted a law against domestic violence (UN June 2015, 16; WADI 25 Jan. 2016; Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights and MRG Nov. 2015, 9). According to the 2015 Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights and MRG joint report, acts which constitute domestic violence include, among others, forced marriage, marriage of minors, female genital mutilation (FGM), forcing family members to leave employment, suicide due to domestic violence, battering children and family members, assaulting, cursing or insulting family members, putting psychological pressure on family members, forced sexual intercourse between a husband and wife. (ibid.) According to the WADI representative, in 2002, the IKR amended the Iraqi penal law to classify honour killings as murder (WADI 25 Jan. 2016). The 2015 Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights and MRG joint report states that in 2004, "a law was passed prohibiting mitigated sentences for perpetrators of 'honour' crimes" (Nov. 2015, 9). The Guardian reports that the government has "failed" to prosecute crimes related to violence against women (17 Mar. 2013). Open Democracy states that enforcing the laws against honour killings "remains a challenge" (12 May 2015). Other sources similarly state that the law against honour killing is not "implemented sufficiently" (GCHR 31 Dec. 2014) or at all (ibid.; WADI 25 Jan. 2016). Citing a member of the Kurdistan High Council of Women's Affairs, NRT reports that "murderers often get away with their crimes" (NRT 8 Oct. 2015). The same source further reports, citing an MP, that political parties "often" interfere with the justice system and "prevent prosecution of killers by acting as middlemen and brokering reconciliation deals" (ibid.). Quoting a "lawyer and project coordinator" for WADI, the Huffington Post reports that "'[s]ometimes customs and tribal laws are stronger than national laws'" (Huffington Post 17 July 2014). The Iraq Civil Society Solidarity Initiative (ICSSI), a network of international and Iraqi civil society organizations that promotes human rights (ICSSI 29 Oct. 2011), similarly reports that the laws have been "difficult" to implement "in a society governed by tribal honor codes, where tribal leaders continue to be the most powerful and influential actors when resolving family conflicts" (ibid. 7 Mar. 2013). 3.1.1 Prosecution According to the 2014 UN report, the DCVAW "could not provide details [on] the number of arrests and prosecutions" for honour-based violence carried out in Iraqi Kurdistan (UN June 2014, 16-17). According to the WADI representative, no person who has committed honour-based violence "has ever had to serve a prison term longer than two years - provided he is sentenced to prison at all" (WADI 25 Jan. 2016). The same source stated that in order to grant early release from prison, the judge "expects negotiations" and when they are carried out, "they are easy because both sides are family. They agree, and the perpetrator is released" (ibid.). Further and corroborating information on prosecution of honour-based violence could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. 3.2 Police According to the 2014 UN report, "new police investigation units working under DCVAW have been established in all six areas of the KR [Kurdistan region] at the district and sub-district levels" and "most" were operational (UN June 2014, 16). According to the same source, "reconciliation committees" have been established in Erbil, Dohuk, Garmiyan, Sulaimaniya and Rapareen (ibid.). Country Reports 2014 states that the IKR has created a special police force "to investigate cases of gender-based violence," as well as to establish a "family reconciliation committee," but that according to local NGOs, they "were not effective at combating gender-based violence" (US 25 June 2015, 58). Sources state that honour-based violence is "not taken seriously" by the police (PassBlue 6 May 2014; Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights and MRG Nov. 2015, 29). The Kurdish and Middle Eastern Women's Organisation (KMEWO), a UK-based NGO that promotes the human rights of Kurdish and Middle Eastern women in the UK and abroad (KMEWO n.d.), similarly states that the police are "unable or unwilling to offer protection" (ibid. [May 2014]). According to the WADI representative, the police "will not investigate because honour crimes are regarded as family matters" (WADI 25 Jan. 2016). The Economist reports that the police are not properly trained, and as a result, "rarely direct" women to the available "safe spaces" (The Economist 18 Mar. 2014). Country Reports 2014 states that rather than using legal avenues, "authorities frequently attempted to mediate between women and their families so that the women could return to their homes" (US 25 June 2015, 58). Referring to the murder of Dunya Hassan, KMEWO reports that, according to Dunya's mother she reported the danger to police hours before her body was found and it was hours before the police turn up to investigate. The crime took place in the same small town and for hours no police force looked or concerned about Dunya. This is yet another ignorant act by officials in Iraqi Kurdistan. (KMEWO [May 2014]) Further and corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. 4. Support Services The Economist states that assistance is "minimal" for women who are affected by domestic violence and honour killings in Iraqi Kurdistan (The Economist 18 Mar. 2014). Country Reports 2014 states that shelter spaces are "limited, and service delivery was poor" (US 25 June 2015, 58). According to WADI, the number of available shelters is "not adequate" (WADI 11 Jan. 2016a). The Gulf Center for Human Rights (GCHR), an independent NGO that provides support to human rights defenders in the gulf region (GCHR Dec. 2015), states that "[s]everal" of the women's-rights organisations in Iraqi Kurdistan have armed guards to "protect them from violent attacks by the families of women to whom they had offered shelter or advocacy," especially for cases related to "honour killings" (GCHR 31 Dec. 2014). WADI further states that they have helped to establish three shelters in Iraqi Kurdistan, two in Suleymaniah, and another in Erbil (ibid. 11 Jan. 2016b . "'Khanzad Home'," in Erbil, has space for 20 women who can stay up to one year, and the Asuda Centre, "hidden" in Suleymnaiah, can accommodate up to 12 women (ibid.). The Nawa Centre in Suleymaniah provides food, accommodation, psychological, legal and social assistance to women "until their problems are solved and their psychological condition is stabilized" (ibid.). According to the 2014 UN report, there were 60 women in MoLSA [Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (US 25 June 2015, 58)] shelters with "29 in Erbil, 16 in Dohuk and 15 in Sulaimaniyah," and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) operates a "private shelter in Sulaimaniyah" (UN June 2014, 17). Country Reports 2014 states that the MoLSA operates four women's shelters, and that there are two privately run shelters (US 25 June 2015, 58). Al-Monitor reports that the Iraqi Kurdistan Region has "six shelters spread over its three regions" (Al-Monitor 9 Dec. 2013). Without providing further details, WADI states that in cases where it is not possible to solve the problem of "death-threat[s]" through mediation between the woman and her family, "the women are sent to far away villages and places in other regions of Kurdistan, where they are not known" and as "honour-killings are condemned by large parts of the Iraqi-Kurdish population, the women find protection and a new home in those villages" (WADI 11 Jan. 2016b). Corroborating information and information on the effectiveness of relocation could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. According to Country Reports 2014, beyond marriage or returning to their families, which frequently results in "further victimisation by the family or community," there are limited options for women who reside in shelters (US 25 June 2015, 58). Niqash, a "trilingual website (Arabic, English, Kurdish) on politics, media and culture in Iraq" (Niqash n.d.), quotes the Head of the General Directorate to Combat Violence Against Women as stating that "most" women who seek shelter services return home and "a number of the women who left the shelters have been killed" (ibid. 20 Nov. 2014). The Head of the General Directorate also stated that as a result of these cases, investigators "have to prove that the woman will not be harmed if she goes home" (ibid.). According to the same source, the pledge that families make "is not enough to stop them from killing their daughters especially if it is a case of honour" (ibid.). The 2015 Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights and MRG joint report states that "many" of the women who were released from shelters were at risk of further harm from their families and this demonstrates "serious flaws in the shelter system" (Nov. 2015, 30). Open Democracy describes the process of seeking protection as legally and psychologically "difficult," as well as "highly stigmatised" (Open Democracy 12 May 2015). According to the 2015 Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights and MRG joint report, the "shame associated with divorce and economic dependence on their partners may discourage women from speaking out against domestic violence" (Nov. 2015, 19). This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request. References Al-Monitor. 9 December 2013. Amal Sakr. "Iraqi Government Rejects Plans for Women's Shelters." [Accessed 14 Jan. 2016] The Atlantic. 30 April 2015. "Honour Killings in America." [Accessed 22 Jan. 2016] Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights and Minority Rights Group International (MRG). November 2015. Miriam Puttick. The Lost Women of Iraq: Family-Based Violence During Armed Conflict. [Accessed 22 Jan. 2016] Denmark. 2010. Danish Immigration Service (DIS). Honour Crimes Against Men in Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) and the Availability of Protection. [Accessed 14 Jan. 2016] Diakonia. 27 September 2013. Lena Hansson. "About Diakonia." [Accessed 10 Feb. 2016] The Economist. 18 March 2014. "Why Are so Many Kurdish Women Setting Themselves on Fire?" [Accessed 12 Jan. 2016] Gill, Aisha. 4 June 2014. "Enough is Enough: Putting an End to 'Honour'-based Violence Against Women and Girls." [Accessed 13 Jan. 2016] _____. 14 March 2014. "Challenging Mistaken Assumptions About Honour-Based Violence." [Accessed 25 Jan. 2016] The Guardian. 17 March 2013. Berivan Dosky. "My Broken Dream for Iraqi Kurdistan." [Accessed 12 Jan. 2016] Gulf Center for Human Rights (GCHR). December 2015. "About Us." [Accessed 27 Jan. 2016] _____. 31 December 2014. "Iraqi Kurdistan: No Safe Haven for Human Rights Defenders and Independent Journalists." [Accessed 13 Jan. 2016] Huffington Post. 17 July 2014. Tracey Shelton. "Kurdish Teenager's 'Honour Killing' Fades to Memory as Iraq Violence Swells." [Accessed 12 Jan. 2016] Iraqi Civil Society Solidarity Initiative (ICSSI). 7 March 2013. Johanna Rivera. "International Women's Day in Kurdistan - A Year's Review." [Accessed 13 Jan. 2016] _____. 29 October 2011. "About Us." [Accessed 27 Jan. 2016] Kurdish and Middle Eastern Women's Organisation (KMEWO). [May 2014]. "Bring Dunya's Murder to Justice, Don't Allow a Tribal Deal!" [Accessed 13 Jan. 2016] _____. N.d. "Our Aims and Mission." [Accessed 27 Jan. 2016] Nalia Radio and Television (NRT). 8 October 2015. "Father Murders Daughter in 'Honour Killing' in Iraqi Kurdistan." [Accessed 12 Jan. 2016] _____. N.d. "About Us." [Accessed 27 Jan. 2016] Niqash. 20 November 2014. Alaa Latif. "Kurdistan's Battered Women." [Accessed 13 Jan. 2016] _____. N.d. "About Us." [Accessed 27 Jan. 2016] Open Democracy. 12 May 2015. Sophie Cousins. "Self-Immolation in Kurdish Iraq." [Accessed 13 Jan. 2016] PassBlue. 6 May 2014. Johanna Higgs. "In Kurdistan and Beyond, Honor Killings Remind Women They Are Worthless." [Accessed 12 Jan. 2016] _____. N.d. "About Us." [Accessed 27 Jan. 2016] United Nations (UN). June 2014. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Report on Human Rights in Iraq: July - December 2013. [Accessed 22 Jan. 2016] United States (US). 25 June 2015. Department of State. "Iraq." Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2014. [Accessed 22 Jan. 2016] WADI. 25 January 2016. Correspondence from a representative to the Research Directorate. _____. 22 January 2016. "About WADI." [Accessed 27 Jan. 2016] _____. 11 January 2016a. Falah Muradkan-Shaker. "Iraqi-Kurdistan Seen from a Women's Perspective." [Accessed 13 Jan. 2016] _____. 11 January 2016b. "Working Paper: Assistance for Women in Distress in Iraq and Iraqi-Kurdistan." [Accessed 13 Jan. 2016] Additional Sources Consulted Oral sources: Criminology Professor, University of Roehamption; Kurdish and Middle Eastern Women's Organisation; Professor Emeritus, Sociology, University of Bristol; Roj Women's Association; Senior Research Fellow, The Center for Gender and Violence Research, University of Bristol; Visiting Professor, Department of Sociology, Uppsala University. Internet sites, including: Alliance for Kurdish Rights; Amnesty International; ecoi.net; Factiva; Human Rights Watch; The Kurdistan Tribune; Qantara; Roj Women's Association; United Nations - Refworld. Iraq: Availability of fraudulent identification documents, including passports, national identity cards, certificates of nationality and birth certificates; state efforts to combat fraud (2014-January 2016) Publisher Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada Publication Date 18 February 2016 Citation / Document Symbol IRQ105418.E Related Document(s) Iraq : information sur la disponibilite de pieces d'identite frauduleuses, y compris les passeports, les cartes d'identite nationales, les certificats de nationalite et les certificats de naissance; les efforts de l'Etat pour combattre la fraude (2014-janvier 2016) Cite as Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Iraq: Availability of fraudulent identification documents, including passports, national identity cards, certificates of nationality and birth certificates; state efforts to combat fraud (2014-January 2016), 18 February 2016, IRQ105418.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56d7fa3c4.html [accessed 22 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa 1. Prevalence of Fraudulent Identification Documents In a telephone interview with the Research Directorate, the Director and Chief of Mission for the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Baghdad said that "there is a huge prevalence" of fraudulent documents in Iraq (IOM 25 Jan. 2016). Similarly, according to a report entitled Iraq: Travel Documents and Other Identity Documents, published in 2014 by Landinfo, the government of Norway's country of origin information centre, a "high percentage of Iraqi documents are found to be false or counterfeit" (Norway 23 Jan. 2014, Sec. 5.2). In correspondence with the Research Directorate, a representative at the Office of the Director of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Bureau of UNHCR in Amman, Jordan, wrote that "fraudulent documents are quite easily obtained but have limited utility inside Iraq since they are quickly recognized as such. More often, fraudulent documents are used outside Iraq to suggest areas of origin (e.g., ... conflict areas)" (UN 15 Feb. 2016). Regarding those who engage in the production and distribution of fraudulent documents, the IOM Director in Baghdad said that it is not necessar[il]y big criminal gangs, but more petty criminal gangs or people working in administration [who] want to make extra money by selling documents. It is very easy to establish contact with somebody in [the] administration [who] will facilitate to have a passport or any other identity document. (IOM 25 Jan. 2016) In contrast, the Landinfo report states that while the Iraqi government "is notorious for their widespread corruption," that is not to say that there is a lot of room to bribe public officials at the passport offices. Since all passports are produced at the main office in Baghdad, it can be difficult to bribe the employees, since there is no personal contact between the applicant and those who inspect and issue the passports. Admittedly there is personal contact when delivering the application, but even in this process there may be several people involved. (Norway 23 Jan. 2014, Sec. 5.3) Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraint of this Response. The UNHCR representative wrote that "'Mredy Souk' in the vicinity of Sadr City in Baghdad is notorious for being the center from where one can obtain fraudulent documents and stamps" (UN 15 Feb. 2016). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraint of this Response. 2. Legislation and Enforcement The Bertelsmann Stiftung's Transformation Index (BTI), which "analyzes and evaluates the quality of democracy in 129 developing and transition countries" (BTI n.d.), states in its 2014 Iraq Country Report that "[t]he complexity of the Iraqi penal code renders it often confusing. Corruption, for example, is regarded a criminal offence, while bribery, embezzlement, breach of trust and fraud are defined as 'dishonorable offences'" (BTI 2014, 15). The UNHCR representative said that the convicted perpetrators of offences related to the fabrication or use of fraudulent documents are punished according to the Iraqi Penal Code [(Law No. 111 of 1969)], and that the sentence varies depending on the severity of the offence (UN 15 Feb. 2016). Chapter 5, Section 3 of the Penal Code, which governs the falsification of written documents, states the following: Paragraph 289 - In circumstances other than those in which the law stipulates a special sentence, any person who falsifies an official document is punishable by a term of imprisonment not exceeding 15 years. Paragraph 290 - Any person who compels a public official or agent while that official is making a report in the line of duty either by assuming the name of another or an identity that is not his own or by reporting fictitious information or by any other means to record or register fictitious information in respect of a matter which by its nature should be recorded is punishable by a term of imprisonment not exceeding 15 years. ... Paragraph 292 - Any person who manages by assuming a false name or identity to obtain any official permit, identity card, poll card, driving or transport license or permit to move within the country is punishable by detention plus a fine not exceeding 300 dinars [approximately C$0.37] or by one of those penalties. The same penalty applies to any person who forges or falsifies such document. Paragraph 293 - Any public official or agent who issues a document referred to in the preceding Paragraph while being aware that the person to whom it is issued has assumed a false name or identity is punishable by detention. ... Paragraph 297 - (1) Any doctor or. midwife who issues a certificate in respect of a pregnancy, childbirth, illness, disability, death or anything concerned with his or her profession knowing it to be false in any way is punishable by a period of detention not exceeding 2 years or by a fine not exceeding 200 dinars. If the certificate is due for submission to a legal authority or in order to justify an exemption from any public service the penalty will be detention or a fine not exceeding 300 dinars. ... Paragraph 298 - Any person who makes use of a falsified document knowing it to be so is, according to the circumstances punishable by the penalty prescribed for the offence of falsification. (Iraq 1969) The IOM Director in Baghdad said that he could not find "any information on the number of arrests or the number of crimes related to the production, distribution, and use of fraudulent documents" (IOM 25 Jan. 2016). The UNHCR representative similarly stated that there are no statistics available (UN 15 Feb. 2016). Further information on the enforcement of the above provisions, including arrests, prosecutions or convictions involving fraudulent documents could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints for this Response. 3. Security Features and Characteristics of Identification Documents 3.1 Security Features With regards to the security features of passports, ID cards and other official documents such as birth, death, or marriage certificates, the UNHCR representative explained that [e]ach document has different features which makes it unique. For instance: Iraqi passports have a digital watermark (hologram) on the bottom of the holder picture page. National civil IDs have a rectangular numbered silver hologram. Citizenship certificates: This is a folded document with a round hologram (containing an Iraqi map) placed on the lower part of the photo and two stamps (one on the photo and one on the opposite page), along with the signature of the National Director for that location. (UN 15 Feb. 2016) The IOM Director in Baghdad also stated that identification documents have "some security features," but that "they do not seem to be very effective," adding that passport features "can be fairly easy to reproduce" (IOM 25 Jan. 2016). He said that "[s]omeone with criminal intentions does not find any difficulties to fraud" ID cards and nationality certificates (ibid.). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraint of this Response. 3.2 Additional Characteristics of Identification Documents According to the information collected at the Iraqi embassy in Norway by Landinfo, the [t]ranscription of Arabic names to Latin letters can be problematic, since there is no standardised form of transcription. This can lead to misunderstandings and suspicion of forgery even if the passport is genuine. Another problem which is also not a forgery is that family names which were not allowed to be used during the Ba'th regime are not always listed in the passports even if they are included on the ID card. (Norway 23 Jan. 2014, Sec. 5.1.1) Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraint of this Response. 4. Fraudulent Documents by Category 4.1 Fraudulent Passports The IOM Director in Baghdad stated that "[t]he issuance of regular passports costs 25,000 Iraqi dinars (about 20 $US). But if people do not want to wait for regular ones or for other reasons buy one on the black market, it costs around 100 $US to 300 $US, depending [on] the quality of the false documents" (IOM 25 Jan. 2016). Norway's Landinfo report states that according to Norway's police authorities, Iraqi passports are relatively easy to manipulate. One method of forgery has been to take out the personal page in a genuine passport and replace one of the layers of the page with a new one. Another possible method of forgery is to use false ID cards and nationality certificates as breeder documents when applying for a new passport. These documents are not subject to a thorough technical examination at passport issuance. This allows for certain genuine passports to contain false ID information. (Norway 23 Jan. 2014, Sec. 5.1) The same report states that "[t]he occurrence of false ID information in genuine passports indicates a lack of checks against population registries" (ibid., Sec. 5.3). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraint of this Response. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reports that according to European security authorities, the Islamic State (IS) [also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), and Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)] obtained materials to produce Iraqi passports "that are indistinguishable from the real thing," and that it was "likely" that this took place when IS overran Mosul in Iraq (WSJ 10 Jan. 2016). The IOM Director in Baghdad similarly said that ISIS is a huge player on the black market; they can now create passports and [they have] also stole thousands of original Syrian and Iraqi passports. But it is impossible to say how far they have hit the market, what is the prevalence of passports or other fake documents they produce compared to those introduced by other criminals on the black market. We have no statistics on ISIS and the false documents they produce. (IOM 25 Jan. 2016) 4.2 Fraudulent ID Cards Norway's Landinfo report indicates that "false ID cards can be purchased on the open market at a very low price. Many people do this to save time, since it can take several months to get the card issued properly" (Norway 23 Jan. 2014, Sec. 9). The Director of the General Directorate for Nationality, which is under the Ministry of the Interior (MoI) of Iraq, cited in the same report, estimated that approximately one percent of ID cards are fake, while the diplomatic sources and representatives from the Norwegian Embassy in Amman interviewed by Landinfo said that "up to half of the ID cards in use may be false" (ibid., Sec. 1, 3.5, 9). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraint of this Response. Concerning the verification of the identity information for the purpose of issuing ID cards, the Landinfo report indicates that according to information obtained from Iraq's General Directorate for Nationality in 2012, [t]he population registration offices have the task of issuing ID cards to Iraqi citizens locally. The offices conduct checks against the family registry before the ID card is issued. The system is not electronic, but the local population registration offices send information to the central population registry in Baghdad. (ibid., Sec. 7.5) Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraint of this Response. 4.3 Fraudulent Nationality Certificates According to Landinfo, there are "many fraudulent nationality certificates in circulation" (Norway 23 Jan. 2014, 3). In a report to the MoI, Iraq's Commission of Integrity (COI), an independent governmental body responsible for fighting corruption (Iraq n.d.), states that during visits it made to several nationality certificate offices, it "noticed that some offices handed over the issued certificates without checking the recipient identification. [It also] noticed that the personal photo is not properly placed on [the nationality] certificate and that may lead to falsify these documents through changing the personal photo easily" (Iraq 22 Nov. 2015). 4.4 Fraudulent Birth Certificates Norway's Landinfo report indicates that according to information collected from an embassy in Amman, birth certificates are the ID document found to be the "most frequently" forged at this embassy (Norway 23 Jan. 2014, Sec. 11.5). The Landinfo report adds that "[o]ne possible reason [why forged birth certificates are commonplace] may be that many people do not have birth certificates, but have needed to acquire one to get an ID card and nationality certificate. The information in a forged birth certificate is not necessarily false" (ibid.). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraint of this Response. 5. State Response 5.1 Capacity to Detect Fraudulent Documents An IOM report indicates that in May 2015, as part of the EU-funded Hijra Amina [safe migration in Arabic] program, IOM Iraq provided a three-day training on the identification of fraudulent passports to officials from various directorates of the MoI, including officials from the Directorate of Residency Affairs, Border Guards Command and officials working at international airports (IOM May 2015, 1). The IOM Director in Baghdad added that his organization offers similar training to officials at the Ministry of Immigration (ibid. 25 Jan. 2016). The UNHCR representative stated that MoI officers "are able to identify questionable documents, since they have hands-on experience to detect such fraudulent documents. MoI broadcasts the security features to security checkpoints to enhance recognition of suspected cases" (UN 15 Feb. 2016). The IOM Director in Baghdad said that the police have a specialized unit trained for fraudulent document detection (IOM 25 Jan. 2016). He explained that this unit collaborates with immigration officers to track individuals who produce and sell fraudulent documents on the black market (ibid.). Further information on this unit could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraint of this Response. 5.2 Efforts to Improve Security Features of Identification Documents The UNHCR representative said that [a]s of mid-2015, Iraq began to issue a Unified National ID [that] has been rolled out in some districts/sub-districts of governorates, such as Basra, Thi-Qar, and Baghdad [and that] will eventually replace all other official documents, with the exception of passports, and will be entered into a MoI Iraq-wide networked database that will contain the individual holder's biometrics. (UN 15 Feb. 2016) Further information on this Unified National ID could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraint of this Response. Rudaw, a Kurdish media network (Rudaw n.d.), reports on its website that in October 2015, the MoI announced plans "to improve the Iraqi passport in order to make it more difficult to alter or duplicate" (ibid. 7 Oct. 2015). However, the IOM Director in Baghdad stated that, as of 25 January 2016, "Iraq has yet to introduce biometric passports" (IOM 25 Jan. 2016). This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request. References Bertelsmann Stiftung Transformation Index (BTI). 2014. Iraq Country Report. [Accessed 13 Jan. 2016] _____. N.d. "Index." [Accessed 29 Jan. 2016] International Organization for Migration (IOM).. 25 January 2016. Telephone interview with the Director and Chief of Mission in Baghdad. _____. May 2015. Passport Integrity Is Explored Through IOM Iraq's Document Examination Training for the Ministry of Interior. [Accessed 13 Jan. 2016] Iraq. 22 November 2015. Commission of Integrity (COI). "Commission of Integrity Provide Ministry of Interior the Names of Officers and Employees Who Impede the Completion of Citizens' Petitions and Deal with Expeditor in Passports and Nationality Offices." [Accessed 18 Jan. 2016] _____. 1969 [amended 1980]. The Penal-Code with Amendments. Third Edition. [Accessed 15 Feb. 2016] _____. N.d. "About COI." [Accessed 18 Feb. 2016] Norway. 23 January 2014. Landinfo: Country of Origin Information Centre. Iraq: Travel Documents and Other Identity Documents. [Accessed 18 Jan. 2016] Rudaw. 7 October 2015. "Baghdad to Bolster Iraqi Passport Protection." [Accessed 21 Jan. 2016] _____. N.d. "About Us." [Accessed 21 Jan. 2016] United Nations (UN). 15 February 2016. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Office of the Director, Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Bureau in Amman. Correspondence from a representative to the Research Directorate. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ). 10 January 2016. Matthew Dalton. "French Interior Minister Warns of Islamic State Using Fake Passports." [Accessed 13 Jan. 2016] Additional Sources Consulted Oral sources: European Union - Delegation of the EU to the Republic of Iraq; Iraq - Commission of Integrity, Embassy in Ottawa, Embassy in Washington, Ministry of the Interior; National Democratic Institute; NGO Coordination Committee in Iraq (NCCI); Transparency International - Manager, Media and Public Relations, Program Coordinator, Regional Coordinator; United Nations - UNDP-Iraq. Internet sites, including: BBC; ecoi.net; Ekurd.net; EU - Frontex; Factiva; Fico; Freedom House; The Guardian; International Business Times; International Crisis Group; Iraq - Commission of Integrity, Council of Representatives, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Justice; Iraq Business News; Iraq Daily Journal; Iraq News; Iraqi News; Iraqi Organization for Human Rights Coordination; Jihad Intel; Middle East Forum; The Middle East Online; National Democratic Institute; Ockenden International; Political Handbook of the World; Transparency International; United Nations - Refworld, United Nations Development Programme, UNHCR; Vice News; World Bank. Iraq: Security situation in Erbil [Arbil, Irbil], including ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham) [also known as Islamic State (IS), and Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)] activities (November 2014-February 2016) Publisher Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada Publication Date 16 February 2016 Citation / Document Symbol IRQ105417.E Related Document(s) Iraq : information sur la situation en matiere de securite dans l'Erbil [Arbil, Irbil], y compris les activites de l'EIIS (Etat islamique en Iraq et en Syrie) [aussi appele Etat islamique (EI) et Etat islamique en Iraq et au Levant (EIIL)] (novembre 2014-fevrier 2016) Cite as Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Iraq: Security situation in Erbil [Arbil, Irbil], including ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham) [also known as Islamic State (IS), and Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)] activities (November 2014-February 2016), 16 February 2016, IRQ105417.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56d7fb114.html [accessed 22 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa 1. Overview Several sources describe the current security situation in the city of Erbil as "safe" (Project Consultant 24 Jan. 2016; KRG 21 Jan. 2016; US 19 Jan. 2016). In a telephone interview with the Research Directorate, an official from the US Department of State who specializes in security in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq reported that "most people enjoy a normal day; they go to work, go shopping and go out at night" (ibid.). According to the same source, no major incident occurred in 2015 apart from the 17 April attack (see section 2) (ibid.). Similarly, in correspondence with the Research Directorate, a research fellow at the French Institute of the Near East (Institut francais du Proche-Orient, Ifpo) in Erbil [1], who has published several articles on the history of the Kurdish people, reported that [translation] "few violent incidents occurred in 2015" (research fellow 19 Jan. 2016). On its "Iraq Travel Warning" webpage, the US Department of State indicates that "[t]errorist attacks within the Iraqi Kurdistan Region (IKR) occur less frequently than in other parts of Iraq" (US 4 Dec. 2015). The official from the US Department of State specified that Erbil is "relatively safe but heavily secured" (US 19 Jan. 2016). According to the same source, there are checkpoints in the city and "a lot of security is keeping the place safe, especially the Kurdish Peshmerga military posted outside the city" (ibid.). Similarly, the Ifpo research fellow stated that Erbil [translation] "never seems to be in danger" with the presence of Kurdish military forces (approximately 150,000 in the whole Kurdistan region), as well as foreign military (several thousand military, including advisors and special forces) (19 Jan. 2016). In correspondence with the Research Directorate, a representative at the UNHCR office of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Director in Amman stated that [s]ecurity forces in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq remain on high alert and impose tightened security to prevent ISIS and associated groups from staging attacks as armed clashes continue to occur between Kurdish forces and ISIS on the borders of the Kurdistan Region. (UN 26 Jan. 2016) Sources warn that the security situation in the Kurdistan region could deteriorate quickly (Canada 16 Dec. 2015; UK 21 Dec. 2015). On its "Travel Advice and Advisories" for Iraq webpage, Global Affairs Canada advises against non-essential travel to the province of Erbil, specifying that "[a]reas under Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq (KRG) control have been less affected by violence and terrorism than other parts of Iraq, but nonetheless remain vulnerable to the impacts of both regional instability and internal tensions" (Canada 16 Dec. 2015). Similarly, the official from the US Department of State said that the security situation in Erbil can change anytime because of ISIS (US 19 Jan. 2016). Finally, according to the research fellow, [translation] "[t]he situation at checkpoints is sometimes tense and can lead to ... exchange of gunfire" (research fellow 19 Jan. 2016). Corroborating information on the security situation at Erbil's checkpoints could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. 1.1 Refugees, Internally Displaced Persons and Situation of Minorities Bloomberg View, the editorial section of the Bloomberg news agency, reports that "[t]oday the Kurdish region hosts 1.5 million displaced Iraqis and 280,000 Syrian refugees, according to the KRG's statistics" (Bloomberg View 30 Sept. 2015). On its website, the KRG says that "[a]ccording to the latest figures from Erbil's local authorities and UNCHR, there are approximately 83,602 Syrian refugees in Erbil" (KRG n.d.b). According to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), a "source of information and analysis on internal displacement" and part of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), an independent, non-governmental organization, as of June 2015, there were 1.2 million IDPs in the KRG-controlled region, representing 38 percent of the IDP population since 2014; of those Erbil hosted 266,300 IDPs mainly from Anbar, Ninewa, Salah al-Din and Erbil (IDMC 30 June 2015, 6, 13). Concerning the situation of ethnic and religious minorities, the official from the US Department of State said that "Syrians, Christians and Yesidi refugees are welcome in Erbil" (19 Jan. 2016). The Ifpo research fellow said that ethnic and religious minorities [translation] "do not suffer from any open persecution, apart from some instances of discrimination which are difficult to quantify" (19 Jan. 2016). The official from the US Department of State added that, although Kurds are "wary of Arabs from Baghdad," the latter "would be safe in Erbil" (US 19 Jan. 2016). Regarding the situation of Sunni Arabs, the UNHCR representative stated that Sunni Arabs, in particular those who are perceived to be affiliated with or supporting ISIS (including those suspected of kinship or family links), are at risk of arbitrary arrest and incommunicado detention and expulsion from the KR-I. Arabs and others from disputed areas or who have lived under the control of ISIS are subject to strict security controls and may face restrictions on freedom of movement, lack of choice of residence, can be subject to harassment and can remain undocumented. Within areas of control by the KRG, forced relocations have also been reported, resulting in the transfer of civilian populations, restrictions on freedom of movement and communication as well as confiscation of documentation and personal property. (UN 26 Jan. 2016) The KRG reports on its website that [w]hile relations between refugees and the surrounding communities have been cordial for the most part, it has come to the attention of the KRG that there have been some disturbing reports of friction/tension among the locals and the refugees quite recently. there has been a reportedly sharp increase in antisocial behavior (i.e.[,] petty crime, prostitution/"curb-crawling," licentiousness, larceny, begging) which is at least partly attributable to refugees being in an unfamiliar environment with strained economic resources. Finally, the presence of refugees in the [r]egion represents a possible security threat to our communities that terrorists could exploit. (KRG n.d.a) Bloomberg View reports KRG's US representative as saying that "the young people displaced by the war will become a threat to the region and beyond if they are not integrated" (Bloomberg View 30 Sept. 2015). In her testimony before the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on 29 September 2015, Ms. Nancy Lindborg, the President of the US Institute of Peace (USIP) [2], stated that [a]s one civil society leader noted to me, "We have seven internally displaced camps here, which equals seven time bombs, as people sit without work or education for year after year." (USIP 29 Sept. 2015) 2. Terrorist Attacks Sources report that, in November 2014, a car bomb exploded outside an Erbil Governorate building (AI 25 Feb. 2015; Human Rights Watch 21 Nov. 2014; LA Times 19 Nov. 2014). Human Rights Watch cites the mayor of Erbil as saying that the suicide bomber "tried to storm the building but detonated his explosive as security forces shot him before he could get inside" (Human Rights Watch 21 Nov. 2014). Sources indicate that four people were killed in the blast, in addition to the suicide bomber (AFP 21 Nov. 2014; KRG 21 Jan. 2016; Rudaw 19 Nov. 2014). According to sources, 29 people were injured (ibid.; KRG 21 Jan. 2016). Sources report that, on 15 March 2015, several rockets landed on the outskirts of Erbil, to the west of the city, without killing anyone (Shafaq News 15 Mar. 2015; UK 21 Dec. 2015). Sources indicate that, on 17 April 2015, a bomb-loaded vehicle exploded outside the US consulate in Erbil (KRG 21 Jan. 2016; UK 21 Dec. 2015; US 17 Apr. 2015). Some sources report that two persons were killed in the attack (KRG 21 Jan. 2016; The Wall Street Journal 17 Apr. 2015), while other sources mention three victims (Al Jazeera English 18 Apr. 2015; Reuters 18 Apr. 2015; UK 21 Dec. 2015). According to sources, ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack (International Crisis Group 30 Apr. 2015; The Wall Street Journal 17 Apr. 2015; UK 21 Dec. 2015). In correspondence with the Research Directorate, an official at the Representation of the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq (KRG) in the US specified that the perpetrators were "quickly arrested" by Kurdish security forces (KRG 21 Jan. 2016). Other sources specify that five suspects have been arrested (International Crisis Group 30 Apr. 2015; Rudaw 28 Apr. 2015). The official at the KRG's US representation indicated that, apart from the two bombings of November 2014 and April 2015, violent crime rates have remained "very low" since November 2014 (KRG 21 Jan. 2016). Similarly, the Ifpo research fellow stated that apart from the April bombing, there has been no terrorist attack in Erbil in 2015 (19 Jan. 2016). The UNHCR representative reported the following: UNHCR is aware that a number of violent incidents have been reported in Erbil [Governorate in] 2015, including assaults, small arms fire, kidnappings, indirect fire, and improvised explosive device activity. For instance, on 18 October 2015, ISIS reportedly abducted at least 84 civilians from the Qaraj sub-district in the town of Makhmour inside Kurdish-held territory. (UN 26 Jan. 2016) Further and corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. 2.1 Thwarted Attacks According to sources, in November 2015, authorities seized a bomb-loaded truck between Kirkuk and Erbil (research fellow 19 Jan. 2016; The Wall Street Journal 14 Nov. 2015). The Wall Street Journal indicates that the KRG arrested three ISIS-affiliated men who had planned to detonate the bomb in Erbil (ibid.). According to the Ifpo research fellow, [translation] "newspapers, local institutions and foreign diplomatic missions regularly report that attacks have been thwarted or terrorist cells have been dismantled" (19 Jan. 2016). Similarly, the UNHCR representative stated that "the security forces have been reported to have foiled attempts of terror activity in the city" (UN 26 Jan. 2016). 3. ISIS The official from the US Department of State stated that ISIS is the only militant group that poses a threat to Erbil (US 19 Jan. 2016). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. Sources indicate that ISIS represents a threat to the security of Erbil (research fellow 19 Jan. 2016; UN 26 Jan. 2016; US 19 Jan. 2016). According to the official from the US Department of State, the nearest ISIS-occupied territory lies 40 km away from Erbil (ibid.). Other sources mention that the nearest frontline between ISIS and the Kurdish military forces is 50 km away from the city (KRG 21 Jan. 2016; research fellow 19 Jan. 2016). Canada's Country Travel Advice and Advisories for Iraq states that "[e]xtremist insurgents led by ISIL are responsible for attacks on KRG-controlled areas, including towns southwest of Erbil" (Canada 16 Dec. 2015). The Ifpo research fellow noted that aggressions instigated by jihadist forces are "systematically" stopped by the Peshmerga forces, who suffer casualties (research fellow 19 Jan. 2016). According to the official at the KRG representation in the US, "[t]he current frontline is secure and well outside the range of ISIS artillery. ISIS does not pose a significant threat to the daily lives of people in Erbil" (KRG 21 Jan. 2016). Sources specified that it would be difficult for ISIS to enter Erbil, thanks to the defence of the city by the Peshmerga forces (Project Consultant 24 Jan. 2016; US 19 Jan. 2016). However, according to the official from the US Department of State, the threat represented by ISIS could "take the form of a suicide bomb, a car bomb or a small team of attackers" (ibid.). Sources report that Kurdish authorities are concerned about the risk of the presence of ISIS or terrorist infiltrators among the displaced people coming from the rest of Iraq to the Kurdistan region (Human Rights Watch 21 Nov. 2014; LA Times 19 Nov. 2014; UN 17 Mar. 2015). According to the official from the US Department of State, "a lot of" ISIS members have been arrested in the whole region, including some in Erbil (US 19 Jan. 2016). The UNHCR representative stated that "according to local intelligence reports, ISIS sleeper cells are reported to exist in Erbil. The risk of executing an attack within city limits therefore exists" (UN 26 Jan. 2016). Al Arabiya News, the English-language service of the 24-hour news station Al Arabiya News Channel, reports that, on 18 May 2015, a "Kurdish six-member ISIS cell" has been arrested (Al Arabiya News 17 Sept. 2015). Further and corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. In an article published in Jamestown Foundation's Terrorism Monitor in 2015, Wladimir van Wilgenburg, a political analyst specializing in Kurdish politics, claims that a considerable number of Kurds remain active with the Islamic State in areas controlled by the group, and a limited risk of attacks by Kurdish radicals will therefore remain for the foreseeable future. (Jamestown Foundation 20 Mar. 2015) Similarly, sources report Kurdish police officials as saying that hundreds of Kurds have joined the Islamist militants (Al Arabiya News 17 Sept. 2015; ARA News 20 Jan. 2016). 4. Crime Situation in Erbil and State Response 4.1 Crime Situation in Erbil Without providing further details, the official at the KRG representation in the US stated the "[p]etty and violent crime rates remain very low" in the Kurdistan region (KRG 21 Jan. 2016). The Ifpo research fellow said that the number of murders is [translation] "quite low" (19 Jan. 2016). The UNHCR official stated that [h]uman trafficking remains prevalent throughout Iraq The KRG does not have an anti-trafficking law and did not endorse or adopt the Iraqi government's anti-trafficking law. Cases of women and girls, including [internally displaced persons, IDPs], Syrian refugees and foreign workers, forced into prostitution by various actors, including criminal groups and their own families, have been reported. Some government and law enforcement officials have reportedly been involved in trafficking women and girls, either directly or through corrupt practices. (UN 26 Jan. 2016) According to the US Department of State's Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2014 for Iraq, [l]ocal NGOs reported that abuse of Syrian refugees--often by other refugees--was common, including violence against women and children, child marriage, forced prostitution, and sexual harassment. (US 25 Jun. 2015, 45) Further and corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. 4.2 State Response The Ifpo research fellow claimed that security forces are efficient (19 Jan. 2016). According to the official from the US Department of State, Kurdish police and military "do their job to address petty crimes but are more responsive to serious crimes" (US 19 Jan. 2016). The same source specified that "no statistics are available" on police responsiveness to petty crime (ibid. 30 Jan. 2016). According to the same source, Kurdish security forces are "very responsive to terrorist threats by ISIS," possess modern equipment and benefit from modern training (ibid. 19 Jan. 2016). Further and corroborating information on the material and human resources of security forces could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. However, the UNHCR representative stated that [l]aw enforcement agencies and the judiciary are reported to be prone to interference and the availability of effective protection may depend on the person's ethnicity, religion, as well as family, tribal or political connections. IDPs and refugees in the KR-I [Kurdistan Region of Iraq] would most often lack such connections or affiliations and as such lack access to effective recourse. Displaced persons (refugees and IDPs) may also be arbitrarily arrested, detained and deported based on security-related suspicions. (UN 26 Jan. 2016) According to the official from the US Department of State, the police agencies that secure Erbil are Erbil City Police, the Zervany (paramilitary) and Asyasih [also known as Asayish] (police/intelligence service) (US 19 Jan. 2016). This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request. Notes [1] Ifpo is a research centre under both the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development and the French National Centre of Scientific Research (Centre national de la recherche scientifique, CNRS) (France 21 Mar. 2014). [2] USIP is an independent, nonpartisan organization created by the US Congress in 1984, which works to "prevent, mitigate, and resolve violent conflict around the world" (USIP n.d.). References Agence France-Presse (AFP). 21 November 2014. "ISIS Claims Suicide Bombings in Iraq's Erbil." [Accessed 1 Feb. 2016] Al Arabiya News. 17 September 2015. Joseph Ataman and John Owens. "Analysis: ISIS in Kurdistan - the hidden enemy surfaces." [Accessed 1 Feb. 2016] Al Jazeera English. 18 April 2015. "Deadly Blast Hits US Consulate in Erbil." [Accessed 1 Feb. 2016] Amnesty International (AI). 25 February 2015. "Iraq." Amnesty International Report 2014/2015: The State of the World's Human Rights. [Accessed 13 Jan. 2016] ARA News. 20 January 2016. Dilshad Muhammad. "Iraqi Kurdistan Arrests ISIS-linked Terror Cell in Sulaymaniyah." [Accessed 1 Feb. 2016] Bloomberg View. 30 September 2015. Eli Lake. "Crisis Looms for Refugees Taken in by Iraq's Kurds." [Accessed 27 Jan. 2016] Canada. 16 December 2015. Travel.gc.ca. "Country Travel Advice and Advisories - Iraq." [Accessed 13 Jan. 2016] France. 21 March 2014. France Diplomatie. "Un ouvrage de l'IFPO a recu le prix Gustave Schlumberger (21 mars 2014)." [Accessed 27 Jan. 2016] Human Rights Watch. 21 November 2014. "Iraq: Spate of Attacks Terrorize Civilians." [Accesssed 13 Jan. 2016] Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC). 30 June 2015. Iraq: IDPs Caught Between a Rock and a Hard Place as Displacement Crisis Deepens. [Accessed 15 Feb. 2016] International Crisis Group. 30 April 2015. "Iraq." CrisisWatch Database. [Accessed 13 Jan. 2016] Jamestown Foundation. 20 March 2015. Wladimir van Wilgenburg. "Islamic State Develops New Strategies to Destabilize the KRG." Terrorism Monitor, Vol. 13, Issue 6. [Accessed 12 Jan. 2016] Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq (KRG). 21 January 2016. Representation in the US. Correspondence from an official to the Research Directorate. _____. N.d.a. "Impact of the Refugee Population on the Kurdistan Region of Iraq." [Accessed 1 Feb. 2016] _____. N.d.b. "Syrian Refugees in Erbil Governorate." [Accessed 1 Feb. 2016] Los Angeles Times (LA Times). 19 November 2014. Patrick J. McDonnell. "Suicide Bomber Kills 5 in Usually Secure Irbil, Iraqi Kurdish Capital." [Accessed 21 Jan. 2016] Project Consultant, Goethe-Institut Irak. 24 January 2016. Correspondence with the Research Directorate. Research fellow, Institut francais du Proche-Orient (Ifpo) in Erbil. 19 January 2016. Correspondence with the Research Directorate. Reuters. 18 April 2015. Isabel Coles. "Car Bomb Kills Three Outside U.S. Consulate in Iraq's Kurdish Capital." [Accessed 1 Feb. 2016] Rudaw. 28 April 2015. "More Arrests and Confessions in Erbil Car Bombing." [Accessed 1 Feb. 2016] _____. 19 November 2014. "Five Killed, at Least 29 Wounded by Erbil Car Bomb." [Accessed 1 Feb. 2016] Shafaq News. 15 March 2015. "ISIS Bombarding the Western Borders of Erbil With Katyusha Mortar." [Accessed 1 Feb. 2016] United Kingdom (UK). 21 December 2015. "Foreign Travel Advice - Iraq." [Accessed 13 Jan. 2016] United Nations (UN). 26 January 2016. UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Office of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Director in Amman. Correspondence from a representative to the Research Directorate. _____. 17 March 2015. UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). "Q&A: Positive Outlook for Iraq, but Improvement Will Take Months to Show." [Accessed 12 Jan. 2016] United States (US). 30 January 2016. Department of State. Correspondence from an official to the Research Directorate. _____. 19 January 2016. Department of State. Telephone interview with an official. _____. 4 December 2015. Department of State. "Iraq Travel Warning." [Accessed 13 Jan. 2016] _____. 25 June 2015. Department of State. "Iraq." Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2014. [Accessed 21 Jan. 2016] _____. 17 April 2015. Department of State. "U.S. Condemns Erbil Attack." [Accessed 21 Jan. 2016] United States Institute of Peace (USIP). 29 September 2015. "The U.S. Role and Strategy in the Middle East: The Humanitarian Crisis." [Accessed 1 Feb. 2016] _____. N.d. "About USIP." [Accessed 1 Feb. 2016] The Wall Street Journal. 14 November 2015. Ben Kesling and Ghassan Adnan. "Kurds Say They Repelled Islamic State Attack in Iraq." [Accessed 21 Jan. 2016] _____. 17 April 2015. Matt Bradley and Nour Malas. "Islamic State Claims Bombing in Iraqi Haven of Erbil." [Accessed 21 Jan. 2016] Additional Sources Consulted Oral sources: Agence France-Presse Baghdad office; American International School in Kurdistan; British International Schools Kurdistan; Canada - Embassy to Jordan in Amman; Carnegie Middle East Centre; Center for Strategic and International Studies; Ecole francaise MLF d'Erbil; European Union - Delegation to the Republic of Iraq; France - Consulate General in Erbil; German School of Erbil; International Crisis Group; International Rescue Committee; Iraq - Embassy in Ottawa, Embassy in Washington, DC; Kurdish Regional Government - Erbil Governorate, Ministry of the Interior; NGO Coordination Committee in Iraq; Radio France internationale; Royal United Institute For Defence Studies; Rudaw; Save the Children Iraq Country Office; UK - Consulate General in Erbil; UN - UN Development Programme in Iraq, UNESCO Office for Iraq, UNICEF Erbil; US - Overseas Security Advisory Council; World Vision. Internet sites, including: BBC; ecoi.net; Freedom House; Institute for War and Peace Reporting; IRIN; UN - ReliefWeb; US - Department of State's Country Reports on Terrorism. Syria: Treatment of returnees upon arrival at Damascus International Airport and international land border crossing points, including failed refugee claimants, people who exited the country illegally, and people who have not completed military service; factors affecting treatment, including age, ethnicity and religion (2014-December 2015) Publisher Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada Publication Date 19 January 2016 Citation / Document Symbol SYR105361.E Related Document(s) Syrie : information sur le traitement reserve aux personnes qui retournent au pays a leur arrivee a l'aeroport international de Damas et aux postes frontaliers terrestres internationaux, y compris les demandeurs d'asile deboutes, les personnes sorties du pays illegalement et les personnes n'ayant pas termine leur service militaire; les facteurs influant sur le traitement, y compris l'age, l'origine ethnique et la religion (2014-decembre 2015) Cite as Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Syria: Treatment of returnees upon arrival at Damascus International Airport and international land border crossing points, including failed refugee claimants, people who exited the country illegally, and people who have not completed military service; factors affecting treatment, including age, ethnicity and religion (2014-December 2015), 19 January 2016, SYR105361.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56d7fc034.html [accessed 22 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa 1. Overview The UNHCR's International Protection Considerations with Regard to People Fleeing the Syrian Arab Republic Update IV, published in November 2015, "appeals to ensure that civilians fleeing from Syria are protected from refoulement and afforded international protection" (UN Nov. 2015, para. 34). Furthermore, the UNHCR considers that "most Syrians seeking international protection are likely to fulfil the requirements of the refugee definition of the 1951 Convention" (ibid., para. 36). Amnesty International (AI) likewise states that forcible returns of Syrian refugees and asylum seekers "puts them at risk of serious human rights abuses and is a violation of the principle of non-refoulement" (AI Apr. 2013, 12). An article by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) about returns to Syria notes that the UN and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) "do not facilitate the return of Syrians to the war zone" (ABC 1 Oct. 2015). Nonetheless, sources indicate that there have been cases of forcible return of people to Syria by Turkey (AI Apr. 2013, 12; CIVIC 11 Dec. 2015), Jordan (ibid.; Human Rights Watch Jan. 2015) and Lebanon (CIVIC 11 Dec. 2015; Human Rights Watch 7 Nov. 2014). Sources also indicate that some people have voluntarily returned to Syria from neighbouring countries (UN 10 June 2013; NRC and IRC Aug. 2013, 12). According to a joint report by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and the International Rescue Committee (IRC), "[t]he lack of economic options and legal protection outside of Syria has led significant numbers of refugees to decide to return to the country, most often on a temporary basis, despite the on-going violence and deprivation" (NRC and IRC Aug. 2013, 12). The same source indicates that, according to estimates made by the UN and the governments of refugee hosting countries, "hundreds of thousands of refugees are traveling to Syria each year, most often to check on property, retrieve or renew documents or provide vital support to family members and friends before re-entering neighbouring countries" (ibid.). According to an article by the UN Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN), the UNHCR states that the reasons for which people return include "improved security in some border villages, safeguarding property or checking on farms, reuniting with family members in Syria, or travelling to collect and bring back vulnerable family members" (UN 10 June 2013). The same source notes that the organization suspects that most of the Syrians who go back to Syria subsequently return to Jordan, while others go back because they cannot afford to rent in neighbouring countries and cannot adapt to "the harsh life in the desert camps" (ibid.). 2. Screening Procedures and Treatment by Border Officials Sources indicate that there is a standard security procedure at Damascus International Airport and land border crossings for those returning to Syria, which involves screening the documents of the person and checking computer databases to see if the person is wanted by authorities (CIVIC 11 Dec. 2015; Executive Director 14 Dec. 2015; Emeritus Professor 11 Dec. 2015). In a telephone interview with the Research Directorate, the Executive Director of the Syria Justice and Accountability Center (SJAC) [1], providing information based on his personal views and experience, explained that the security check includes verifying with law enforcement authorities whether the person is wanted for committing a crime, as well as with the intelligence community, regarding whether the person is wanted for involvement with the opposition, for journalism, and/or involvement with an NGO (Executive Director 14 Dec. 2015). In a telephone interview with the Research Directorate, an emeritus professor of anthropology and forced migration at Oxford University, who is also the former director of Oxford's Refugee Studies Centre, and who is a specialist in forced migration issues in the Middle East, explained the process at Syrian points of entry as follows: At the land border crossing between Lebanon and Syria, the person is required to get out of their car and go to the Immigration Office, where the official takes their documents and conducts a computer check. The process takes approximately 10-15 minutes. At the airport, officials conduct a very careful check and often people, particularly internationals, are refused entry. (Emeritus Professor 11 Dec. 2015) In a telephone interview with the Research Directorate, a program officer with the Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC) [2], who specializes in humanitarian and refugee issues in Syria and Iraq, said that the screening process by border officials may include looking through phones and other personal items to check for any "signs of dissent" that might implicate the person, but that there are "no hard and fast rules" for the way in which officials treat returnees (11 Dec. 2015). A visiting senior research fellow with Kings College London, who specializes in Syria and has provided expert testimony in Syrian asylum cases in the UK, similarly said that security officials at the airport and other entry points "have a carte blanche to do whatever they want if they suspect someone for any reason," and noted that "anything can happen and there are no safeguards" (Visiting Senior Research Fellow 15 Dec. 2015). The same source said that if a security official suspects someone, "they might detain the person immediately, in which case the person could disappear and be tortured" or the official "might allow the person to enter Syria but require that the person report to them at a later time," at which point "the person might disappear" (ibid.). The source further stated that, in addition to people wanted by authorities, "[i]f a security official takes a dislike to a returnee, the returnee could be subject to mistreatment even if there is no valid reason," and that the system is "very unpredictable" (ibid.). The Program Officer noted that for people crossing border points to return to Syria, "sometimes people who have nothing to do with the revolution get arrested and detained" (CIVIC 11 Dec. 2015). The Program Officer indicated that border officials at crossing points check to see if the person who is entering Syria has a family member who is wanted by authorities and can also face arrest and detention if the family member is wanted (ibid.). She explained that it is difficult for people to know if they, or a family member, are on the "wanted list" (ibid.). AI reports that the Syrian government has subjected the family members of people wanted by authorities to enforced disappearances, meaning that they are arrested and detained at unknown locations by state agents, in order to dissuade the wanted person from further activities (AI Nov. 2015, 7). Human Rights Watch likewise reports that security forces have detained family members to pressure people to turn themselves in to authorities (Human Rights Watch 29 Jan. 2015, 3). The Visiting Senior Research Fellow explained that there is "no redress" for mistreatment by border authorities, such as "via complaints mechanisms or the courts" (15 Dec. 2015). According to AI, the Syria-based monitoring group Syrian Network for Human Rights, has documented over 58,000 cases of civilians who were "forcibly disappeared" by the Syrian government between March 2011 and August 2015, and were still missing as of 30 August 2015 (AI Nov. 2015, 7). The same source further notes that all four branches of the Syrian security forces, comprised of Military Intelligence, Air Force Intelligence, Political Security, and General Intelligence (also called State Security), have carried out enforced disappearances and there are detention facilities throughout the country (ibid.). AI explains that these detainees are "placed outside of the protection of the law and denied access to a lawyer or fair trial"; detainees are kept in overcrowded conditions and "are regularly subjected to a catalogue of torture" (ibid., 8). Human Rights Watch and the UNHCR report on the widespread use of enforced disappearance, detention and torture by Syrian authorities (UN 14 Apr. 2014, 1; Human Rights Watch 29 Jan. 2015, 2-3). AI reports on cases in which people were forcibly disappeared by Syrian agents at the Damascus International Airport and at border crossings (AI Nov. 2015, 33, 42, 52). AI reports that three Syrians were arrested at the Damascus airport at an Air Force Intelligence checkpoint on 20 September 2012, and were still missing as of 6 October 2015 (ibid., 33). AI also reports a case in which a former Syrian border guard who defected to Turkey in June 2014 was abducted by the pro-government militia when he was crossing the border into Syria to visit his family; in 2015, a released detainee told the family that the man was being held by military intelligence in Damascus (ibid., 52). AI also reports on a 2014 case in which a Syrian man who volunteered with the Red Crescent was arrested at the Syrian-Lebanon border when leaving Syria on 5 September 2014; he was reportedly told that he was wanted by the government and transferred to a branch of Military Intelligence the following day, after which his whereabouts were unknown (AI 16 Dec. 2014, 42-43). AI indicates that one of his relatives was later given a death certificate stating that he had died of a heart attack in detention on 5 April 2015, but they were not given the body or location of the grave (ibid., 43). AI also reports that on 31 October 2014, two Syrians, a journalist and a director of an NGO, were stopped and held by Syrian immigration officials at the Lebanon-Syria border while on their way back into Syria after spending one week in Lebanon (AI 10 Nov. 2014). They were reportedly handed over to the Political Security intelligence agency (ibid.). The 2014 AI report states that the reasons for their arrest remained unknown, though both men had previously been arrested for activities involving "peaceful activism" (ibid.). Human Rights Watch reports on a 2014 case in which the Lebanese government "forcibly returned" a Syrian man from Lebanon to Syria, after he was released following completion of a six month jail term in Lebanon on a conviction for transporting weapons (Human Rights Watch 7 Nov. 2014). Relatives of the man indicated that he had fled Syria because he was wanted by the authorities for allegedly participating in anti-government demonstrations in Damascus, and that he had expressed fear of being tortured and killed if "forcibly returned" to Syria (ibid.). A former detainee told the man's family that he saw the man in the custody of the Syrian army (ibid.). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. In correspondence with the Research Directorate, an associate legal officer with UNHCR Canada, who contacted UNHCR colleagues in the field, said that there is "limited" information on the treatment of Syrian returnees since 2011, but noted that they are "subject to strict security screenings" at the airport in Damascus, which the source described as "government controlled" (UN 5 Jan. 2015). Similarly, the Emeritus Professor said that since the start of the war, it is "very hard" to obtain information about the treatment of returnees by border officials, as the press is not able to report on it (Emeritus Professor 11 Dec. 2015). However, she said that she heard anecdotal accounts from Syrians in Damascus of people who returned to Syria and then disappeared; in some cases, they told their relatives of their plans to return but then never arrived when they were supposed to and could not be reached again (ibid.). Without providing details, in a 2012 article, a Syrian woman in Lebanon told the news source Al-Monitor that two of her uncles were arrested and disappeared when they returned to Syria (Al-Monitor 4 June 2012). 3. Treatment of Failed Refugee Claimants Specific cases of the treatment of failed refugee claimants returning to Syria since the start of the war were scarce among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. In 2015, ABC interviewed a Syrian man who had sought asylum in Australia in 2013 and was held in a detention facility on Manus Island before being "persuaded" by Australian authorities to return to Syria in August 2015 (ABC 1 Oct. 2015). According to the source, government officials "singled [him] out" when his flight landed in Damascus because he was from Al-Harra in Daraa province, the province where the war began, which marked him as a "dissenter" (ibid.). Syrian officials reportedly accused him of being a "financier of the revolution" when they found cash given to him by the Australian government for his return, and "tortured" him for 20 days, including hitting his face, back and chest (ibid.). Further and corroborating information about this case could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. In a November 2013 statement, Human Rights Watch reports that, according to the UNHCR, approximately 35 Palestinians from Syria who fled to Egypt during the Syrian conflict were returned to Syria, and some were "detained upon arrival at the airport" (Human Rights Watch 11 Nov. 2013). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. Regarding the likely treatment of failed refugee claimants by Syrian border authorities, the Emeritus Professor stated the following: [A] failed refugee claimant would be subject to arrest and detention. They would also be tortured in order to get a statement of why they left. Assad made a statement that any Palestinians who leave Syria would be arrested if they return. People fear that this would be applied to others in the country. Some people who leave Syria are reluctant to ask for refugee protection for fear of what would happen to them if they are sent back to Syria. (11 Dec. 2015) The Executive Director of the Syria Justice and Accountability Center said that a failed refugee claimant would definitely be subject to arrest and detention. He or she would be charged with broadcasting false information abroad and would also be treated as anti-government or opposition. He or she would be subject to torture in an attempt by authorities to get information about other refugee claimants or opposition. The failed refugee claimant risks being tortured to death or being tortured and then sent to prison for a very long time. (Executive Director 14 Dec. 2015) According to the US Department of State's Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2014, Syrians who unsuccessfully sought asylum abroad face prosecution on their return to the country (US 25 June 2015, 39). The source explains that [t]he law provides for the prosecution of any person who attempts to seek refuge in another country to evade penalty in Syria. The regime routinely arrested dissidents and former citizens with no known political affiliation who attempted to return to the country after years or even decades of self-imposed exile. (ibid.) The Visiting Senior Research Fellow said that a failed refugee claimant could be subject to arrest and detention for making a refugee claim abroad, but further expressed the opinion that it is "not automatic" (15 Dec. 2015). He stated that: [t]he more traditionally-minded Syrian officials believe that all asylum seekers are anti-government, in which case they could be subject to arrest, detention and torture, but there are also officials who recognize that some people may have left for economic reasons. Nothing is automatic or predictable. However, the conflict has probably raised the suspicion levels of officials. (15 Dec. 2015) In a 2012 UK court decision before the Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber), in the case KB vs. Secretary of State for the Home Department, which set new country guidance for cases regarding Syrian asylum claimants in the UK, the court found that, in the case of a Syrian whose claim for refugee protection was initially rejected, [i]n the context of the extremely high level of human rights abuses currently occurring in Syria, a regime which appears increasingly concerned to crush any sign of resistance, it is likely that a failed asylum seeker or forced returnee would, in general, on arrival face a real risk of arrest and detention and of serious mistreatment during that detention, as a result of imputed political opinion. That is sufficient to qualify for refugee protection. The position might be otherwise in the case of someone who, notwithstanding a failed claim for asylum, would still be perceived on return to Syria as a supporter of the Assad regime. (UK 20 Dec. 2012, 2) In a 2015 case before the European Court of Human Rights, concerning the impending expulsion of three men from Russia to Syria (two Syrian nationals and one stateless Palestinian from Syria, all of whom applied for refugee status in Russia but did not receive it), the Court unanimously found that "the applicants' forced return to Syria would give rise to a violation of Article 2 (right to life) and/or Article 3 (prohibition of torture and of inhumane or degrading treatment) of the European Convention on Human Rights" (Council of Europe 15 Oct. 2015, 1-2). 4. Illegally Exiting Syria Sources indicate that the security check conducted by border authorities at the Damascus International Airport and other ports of entry includes verifying whether the returnee illegally exited Syria (CIVIC 11 Dec. 2015; Executive Director 14 Dec. 2015; Emeritus Professor 11 Dec. 2015). The Emeritus Professor explained that Syrians are required to obtain an exit permit before leaving Syria, and that women are required to have a male relative's approval before obtaining an exit visa, a requirement that is currently actively applied (ibid.). The SJAC Executive Director noted that "Syrian authorities check people when they exit the country as well as when they enter, and so the dates are in the system of when they leave and return" (Executive Director 14 Dec. 2015). For further information about entering and exiting procedures at Damascus International Airport, see Response to Information Request SYR104767. 5. Military Service Sources indicate that the security check conducted by border authorities at the Damascus International Airport and other ports of entry includes checking if the returnee completed military service (CIVIC 11 Dec. 2015; Executive Director 14 Dec. 2015; Emeritus Professor 11 Dec. 2015). Several sources state that men of military age are particularly vulnerable to mistreatment by security authorities at the airport and other points of entry (ibid.; CIVIC 11 Dec. 2015; Executive Director 14 Dec. 2015). The Emeritus Professor described military-aged men as "the most vulnerable" group in terms of treatment by Syrian authorities at points of entry, "especially if they never served in the military" (Emeritus Professor 11 Dec. 2015). According to the Program Officer, young men of 16 to 40 are "particularly persecuted" by border authorities and are subject to "forced conscription on all sides," even if they already completed their military service (CIVIC 11 Dec. 2015). A December 2015 article by Syria Deeply, an "independent digital media project" based in New York that aims to advance "foreign policy literacy through public service journalism" (n.d.), reports that Damascus residents have noticed an increase in detentions at government checkpoints in Damascus and that the authorities have been increasingly checking for evasion of military service (Syria Deeply 16 Dec. 2015). For further information about military conscription in Syria, see Response to Information Request SYR104921. 6. Other Factors Affecting Treatment The Emeritus Professor said that "everyone" is vulnerable to mistreatment by authorities at the airport and border crossings, and expressed the opinion that "ethnicity and religion are not issues" affecting vulnerability to mistreatment (11 Dec. 2015). However, other sources indicate that the following groups face a greater risk of mistreatment by border authorities: Kurds (Executive Director 14 Dec. 2015; Visiting Senior Research Fellow 15 Dec. 2015), as their "loyalty to the regime has traditionally been distrusted" (ibid.); Palestinians (CIVIC 11 Dec. 2015); Sunnis (ibid.; Executive Director 14 Dec. 2015); "Known Islamists" (Visiting Senior Research Fellow 15 Dec. 2015); and People who appear to be religious based on their dress (ibid.; CIVIC 11 Dec. 2015) Sources indicate that anti-government activists face a greater threat of mistreatment by airport and border authorities (Visiting Senior Research Fellow 15 Dec. 2015; CIVIC 11 Dec. 2015), as do the family members of activists (ibid.). In addition, sources note that there is a greater risk of harsh treatment for returnees who are from regions with more opposition activity (ibid.; Executive Director 14 Dec. 2015) or fighting (ibid.). For example, there may be a greater risk for people from Homs (ibid.; CIVIC 11 Dec. 2015) and Daraa province, than to people from Damascus, where there is less fighting (Executive Director 14 Dec. 2015). According to AI, the Syrian authorities' "campaign of enforced disappearances" has targeted peaceful opponents of the government and those considered "disloyal," such as defectors, and government employees and soldiers considering defection (AI Nov. 2015, 7). AI notes that there are also "opportunistic actors" in the system who use forced disappearances for financial profit or to settle personal grievances (ibid.). According to a 2014 report on torture in Syria by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), "men and women of varying ages, religious and ethnic backgrounds" were detained and tortured by government forces, including activists, students, lawyers, medical personnel, humanitarian workers, and those who were "in the wrong place at the wrong time" (UN 14 Apr. 2014, 1). According to Human Rights Watch, many of those arbitrarily detained by the government are young men in their 20s and 30s, but there are also women, children and elderly people who are detained (Human Rights Watch 29 Jan. 2015). This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request. Notes [1] The SJAC is an NGO that documents human rights abuses and violations of humanitarian and international law in Syria by collecting information from "trusted individuals and organizations all over Syria" (SJAC n.d.). [2] CIVIC is a Washington, DC-based NGO that conducts research, interviews those affected by conflict, and advocates for improving protection for civilians caught in conflicts worldwide (CIVIC n.d.). References Al-Monitor. 4 June 2012. Ben Gilbert. "Syrian Refugees Cannot Return--'Anyone Who Goes Back, Dies'." [Accessed 11 Dec. 2015] Amnesty International (AI). November 2015. Between Prison and the Grave. Enforced Disappearances in Syria. [Accessed 11 Dec. 2015] _____. 16 December 2014. "Urgent Action: Student Volunteer Missing Since Arrest." [Accessed 11 Dec. 2015] _____. 10 November 2014. "Urgent Action: Arrested at the Border, Whereabouts Unknown." [Accessed 11 Dec. 2015] _____. April 2013. Amnesty International Briefing: Turkey: National Authorities and the International Community Must Act in Partnership to Meet the Needs of Syrian Refugees. [Accessed 11 Jan. 2015] Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) News. 1 October 2015. Ginny Stein. "The 19th Syrian: The Asylum Seeker the Australian Government Convinced to Return to a War Zone." (Factiva) Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC). 11 December 2015. Telephone interview with a Program Officer. _____. N.d. "Research on Civilian Harm." [Accessed 14 Dec. 2015] Council of Europe. 15 October 2015. European Court of Human Rights. "Expulsion from Russia to Syria Would Violate the European Convention on Human Rights." [Accessed 5 Jan. 2015] Emeritus Professor of Anthropology and Forced Migration, Oxford University. 11 December 2015. Telephone interview. Executive Director, Syria Justice and Accountability Center (SJAC). 14 December 2015. Telephone interview. Human Rights Watch. 29 January 2015. "Syria." World Report 2015: Events of 2014. [Accessed 18 Dec. 2015] _____. 7 November 2014. "Lebanon: Syrian Forcibly Returned to Syria." [Accessed 5 Jan. 2016] _____. 11 November 2013. "Egypt - Syria Refugees Detained, Coerced to Return - Palestinians, Children Among the Most Vulnerable." (Factiva) Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and the International Rescue Committee (IRC). November 2014. No Escape. Civilians in Syria Struggle to Find Safety Across Borders. [Accessed 15 Dec. 2015] Syria Deeply. 16 December 2015. Orwa Ajjoub. "Fear of Checkpoints Spreads in Damascus." [Accessed 21 Dec. 2015] _____. N.d. "About Us." [Accessed 21 Dec. 2015] Syria Justice and Accountability Center (SJAC). N.d. "What We Do." [Accessed 22 Dec. 2015] United Kingdom (UK). 20 December 2012. Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber). KB (Failed Asylum Seekers and Forced Returnees) Syria CG v. Secretary of State for the Home Department. UKUT 00426 (IAC). [Accessed 11 Dec. 2015] United Nations (UN). 5 January 2016. Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Canada. Correspondence from an Associate Legal Officer to the Research Directorate. _____. November 2015. Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). International Protection Considerations with Regard to People Fleeing the Syrian Arab Republic Update IV. [Accessed 11 Dec. 2015] _____. 14 April 2014. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). Open Wounds: Torture and Ill-Treatment in the Syrian Arab Republic. [Accessed 21 Dec. 2015] _____. 10 June 2013. Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN). "For Some, the Best Bad Choice: Returning from Refuge to Syria." [Accessed 11 Dec. 2015] United States (US). 25 June 2015. Department of State. "Syria." Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2014. [Accessed 21 Dec. 2015] Visiting Senior Research Fellow, King's College London. 15 December 2015. Telephone interview. Additional Sources Consulted Oral sources: Amnesty International; Human Rights Watch; Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre; International Organization for Migration; Refugees International; United Nations - Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees. Internet sites, including: ecoi.net; Factiva; Institute for War and Peace Reporting; Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre; International Crisis Group; International Organization for Migration; Refugees International; Syrian Network for Human Rights; United Nations - Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees; Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs; Refworld. Sudan: Communist Party of Sudan (CPS), including history; treatment by government authorities since 1978, including members who return to the country after that year (1978-May 2015) Publisher Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada Publication Date 22 May 2015 Citation / Document Symbol SDN105182.E Related Document(s) Soudan : information sur le Parti communiste soudanais (Communist Party of Sudan - CPS), y compris sur son histoire; le traitement que reservent les autorites au membres du parti depuis 1978, notamment aux membres revenant au pays depuis cette annee-la (1978-mai 2015) Cite as Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Sudan: Communist Party of Sudan (CPS), including history; treatment by government authorities since 1978, including members who return to the country after that year (1978-May 2015), 22 May 2015, SDN105182.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56d7fd294.html [accessed 22 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa 1. History of the Communist Party of Sudan (CPS) Some sources report that the CPS was established in 1946 (Gurtong Trust n.d.; Sudan: State and Society in Crisis 1991, 79; Al Jazeera 7 Apr. 2010). According to the Political Handbook of the World 2011 (PHW), the party was founded in 1944 and was a "leading force in the struggle for independence" (PHW 2011, 1358). Sources report that in 1958, the military regime in Sudan banned political parties (MRG 1995, 6; Holt and Daly 2014, 120). Without providing details, an article by Al Jazeera states that the CPS was opposed to the military government and "was forced underground where it continued its opposition activities through civil disobedience" (Al Jazeera 7 Apr. 2010). Gurtong Trust, a "peace and media project" that aims to "broaden its peace-building and information activities among South Sudanese at home and in the Diaspora," reports that according to information provided by electionnaire.org, in 1969, the CPS supported Colonel Jafaar Nimeri [also spelled Gaafar Muhammad al-Nimeiry, Numayri] in taking over the government (Gurtong Trust n.d.). Al Jazeera further indicates that the CPS "remained officially dissolved although some CPS members entered Nimeri's government" (7 Apr. 2010). In 1971, military officers affiliated with the CPS attempted to overthrow president Jafaar Nimeri (Al Jazeera 7 Apr. 2010; International Crisis Group 4 May 2011, 35). Those involved were executed (ibid.; University of Central Arkansas n.d.; PHW 2011, 1358). According to the Washington Post, there was a "widespread crackdown ... on leftists and Communists after Nimeri blamed them for the [1971] coup"; 11 officers were "shot by firing squad" and 2 civilians were hung, with approximately 30 other officers and "several civilians" also to stand trial in connection with the "pro-Communist coup" (The Washington Post 28 July 1971). The same source reports that Abdel Khalek Mahjoub, leader of the CPS, was hanged for "allegedly masterminding the short-lived coup that toppled the regime" (ibid.). 1985 - President Nimeri was overthrown (University of Central Arkansas n.d.; A Concise History of South Sudan 2014, 288; MRG 1995, 7) in a "popular uprising" (ibid.; A Concise History of South Sudan 2014, 288). A Concise History of South Sudan further states the coup was led by a coalition of "trade unions and professional organisations including the Umma Party and the Sudan Communist Party" (ibid.). According to PHW 2011, the CPS took part in the 1986 elections as a "recognized party" and called for opposition to "Islamic fundamentalism; repeal of sharia [law]; and the adoption of a secular, democratic constitution" (PHW 2011, 1358). The same source notes that the CPS won three seats in the 1986 elections (ibid.). In July 1989, Lt. General Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir took power in a military coup and political parties were banned (University of Central Arkansas n.d.; Sudan Tribune 22 Mar. 2012; MRG 1995, 7). In 1989, the CPS joined the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) (International Crisis Group 26 Nov. 2013, 3; Al Jazeera 7 Apr. 2010; MRG 1995, 7). According to the International Institute of Social History (IISH), a research institute based in the Netherlands specializing in the history of labour relations all over the world (IISH n.d.a), the main goal of the NDA was to "overthrow the [Bashir] government in Khartoum and reinstall democracy and political pluralism in the Sudan" (IISH n.d.b). The same source states that the leadership of the NDA was based in Cairo, unable to conduct political activities in Sudan, and in 1989 and 1990 many leaders of opposition parties in Sudan left the country (ibid.). PHW 2011 states that during the early 1990s, the CPS operated "primarily from exile" and "remained active in the anti-[National Islamic Front [1]] opposition" (PHW 2011, 1359). In 1996, according to the IISH, "armed factions" of the CPS and the "Free Lions of Rashaida Tribe" joined other NDA military efforts and, "[a]lthough these armed factions made an impressive show at the beginning in 1996, they failed to achieve any progress" due to a shortage of resources, lack of coordination, and the "fierce competition that existed among the opposition groups" (IISH n.d.b). 2005 - The government of Sudan and the NDA signed a reconciliation deal (Historical Dictionary of the Sudan 2013, lxvi; University of Central Arkansas n.d.). Prior to the 2010 elections, the National Consensus Forces (NCF) is established as a coalition of opposition parties (International Crisis Group 11 Mar. 2015, 14; UN 26 July 2012). Sources indicate that the CPS is a member of the NCF (ibid.; Sudan Tribune n.d.a). According to PHW 2011, CPS "reformers" have urged the party to take a more left-of-center approach to "attract wider popular participation, but the group's 'older generation of leaders'" has rejected the change (PHW 2011, 1359). In 2012, Mohamed Ibrahim Nugud died (Sudan Tribune 22 Mar. 2012; Reuters 23 Mar. 2012). He had led the CPS since 1972 (International Crisis Group 4 May 2011, 35; Gurtong Trust n.d.). Between the years of 1994 and 2006, he had remained in Sudan in hiding (Al Jazeera 7 Apr. 2010; Sudan Tribune 20 June 2007). 2015 - the NCF called for a boycott of the April 2015 elections (Sudan Tribune 30 Jan. 2015; ACJPS 18 Apr. 2015; Reuters 2 Feb. 2015). 2. Treatment of Communist Party Members by Government Authorities 2.1 1978-1990 In correspondence with the Research Directorate, an associate professor with the Department of Sociology at the University of Calgary, with research experience in Sudan, stated that between 1978 and 1986, the government "oppressed and eliminated leaders and regular members of the CPS," and that "most" CPS members were subjected to execution, assault, imprisonment or "forced into exile" during that time (Associate Professor 11 May 2015). The same source added that the period between 1986 and 1989, after the overthrow of President Nimeiry and before the coup by Al Bashir, "was generally democratic" (ibid.). Following the coup by Al Bashir, between 1989 and the present, "communists were met by similar brutality" as the 1978-1986 period and that "[a]lthough there are not many executions, leaders and members face imprisonment, torture, loss of jobs, kidnapping and are also forced into exile" (ibid.). Other sources indicate the following: 1977-1978: According to the US Department of State's Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1978, in 1977, President Nimeiri began a "campaign of reconciliation" with political opposition and by the fall of 1978, "virtually all political prisoners, including communists, had been released" (US 8 Feb. 1979, 169). The 1979 Country Reports states that "Communists ... were dealt with sternly" (ibid. 4 Feb. 1980, 196). The same report states that "[s]everal hundred communists [were] still in prison following civil/labour disturbances in August" (ibid.). The 1980 Country Reports states that "during the course of the year several hundred persons, the majority allegedly communist, were detained for investigation of conspiracy against the government. Such people generally have been released after a short detention" (ibid. 2 Feb. 1981, 266). Both the 1981 and 1982 Country Reports indicate that the CPS is one of the few political parties that was not incorporated into the ruling one-party government and that "the Government, at present, actively combats only the Sudanese Communist Party" (ibid. Feb. 1982, 268; ibid. Feb. 1983, 308). Without providing details, the 1984 Country Reports states that by the end of the year, there were "230 Baathists and communists in detention" (ibid. Feb. 1985, 324). The 1986 Country Reports indicates that Sudan held "free and fair" elections for the first time since 1968, and that participating parties included "the Communists" (ibid. Feb. 1987, 314). According to PHW 2011, SCP Secretary General Muhammad Ibrahim Nugud Mansur was arrested after the 1989 coup and "four more party members were detained for alleged involvement in an anti-government protest" (PHW 2011, 1359). The 1990 Country Reports states that "torture and other forms of physical mistreatment by official and unofficial security forces were widespread in 1990" (US Feb. 1991, 381). The same source further states that "[t]hose detained included ... suspected Communists or other 'leftists'" and that "[d]etainees were subjected to varying forms of torture" (ibid.). 2.2 1990-2005 The 1995 Country Reports states that in May and June of that year, "government security forces arrested over 100 members of the Sudanese opposition and a handful of underground Communist Party leaders" (ibid. Apr. 1996, 251). A 1996 Human Rights Watch report on "political repression" in Sudan similarly indicates that in August 1995, eight members of the CPS that had been held without charge since May 1995 were released (Human Rights Watch 1996, 60). According to the 2000 Country Reports, "[a]uthorities continued to detain political opponents" and in May of that year, six members of the CPS "were detained" (US 23 Feb. 2001, Sec. 1). The same source further states that in general, persons were detained for "a few days ... however, detentions of ... NDA members generally were much longer" (ibid.). The 2000 Country Reports, citing the NGO Sudanese Human Rights Group (SHRG), states that by the end of 2000, the six CPS members detained in May of that same year remained in detention (ibid.). The same report also states that the government carried out "military initiatives against NDA strongholds in Kassala State" (ibid., intro.) A 2001 fact-finding mission by the Danish Immigration Service states that ordinary members of opposition parties were typically not imprisoned, "although there had been occasional instances of members of the communist party ... being imprisoned" (Denmark 2001, 27). The 2003 Country Reports states that in July of that year, "14 leading Islamic scholars and 2 university professors issued a fatwah declaring communists ... as apostates who deserved to be killed" and that over 400 other professional individuals protested against the fatwah "in a public announcement" (US 25 Feb. 2004, Sec. 2). Without providing details, the 2005 Country Reports states that the Sudanese government "held an estimated 100 political detainees, such as members of opposition parties, and security forces reportedly tortured, detained without charge, and held incommunicado political opponents" (US 8 Mar. 2006, 3). 2.3 2006-2014 A 2009 report by Human Rights Watch states that "[m]embers of the Communist party were arrested for distributing leaflets bearing the party name in Khartoum" (Human Rights Watch 6 Oct. 2009, 11). The 2011 Country Reports states that the CPS was not officially registered with the government (US 24 May 2012, 25). Following protests in June 2012, Human Rights Watch reported that some individuals were detained "for longer periods" and "face lengthy interrogations in which they [were] accused of being traitors, communists, or spies; several have reported harsh treatment" (Human Rights Watch 11 July 2012). The same report notes that among those still detained at the time of writing, at least one was a member of the CPS (ibid.). The 2013 Country Reports states that the CPS "formally registered" with the government during that year (US 27 Feb. 2014, 30). Following protests in September 2013, Human Rights Watch reported that a member of the CPS from Gedarif was arrested and interrogated about an "opposition party statement denouncing the government" and was beaten and questioned about who organized the Gedarif demonstrations (Human Rights Watch 28 Nov. 2013). In a 2014 follow-up report on the September 2013 protests, a member of the CPS "told Human Rights Watch he was arrested at his workplace ... before the protests began, and held incommunicado for over a month" (ibid. 2014, 20). In reference to the same protests, Amnesty International (AI) reports that "[a]t least 17 members of the Sudanese Communist Party have been arrested in and around Sudan's capital Khartoum since the protests began" (2 Oct. 2013). 2.4 April 2015 Elections Sources indicate that opposition parties boycotted the April 2015 elections in Sudan (Sudan Tribune 28 Apr. 2015; ACJPS 18 Apr. 2015; Reuters 2 Feb. 2015). A March 2015 report by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office states that in January 2014, "President Bashir launched a 'National Dialogue' that would be open to all political parties ... However, the arrest of opposition leaders and civil society figures continued to raise serious concerns" (UK 12 Mar. 2015). The same source further states that "[p]olitical and individual freedoms continued to be restricted by the government during 2014" and that "[o]pposition parties experienced harassment by security forces, notably raids on the offices of the ... Sudanese Communist Party" (ibid.). Sources indicate that leading up to the elections, political opposition party members associated with "Irhal (Go!)," a campaign run by the NCF, have been subjected to "arbitrary arrest and ill-treatment" by security forces (ACJPS 18 Apr. 2015; FIDH 12 Apr. 2015). A news report published by the International Federation for Human Rights (Federation internationale des ligues des droits de l'homme, FIDH), further states that on 7 February, a CPS member, Yousef Babiker, was detained by security forces and "interrogated about a message he distributed to friends ... in support of the election boycott" (ibid.). The same source also notes the following arrests: "[T]hree members of the Sudanese Communist Party" on the 12 February 2015 (ibid.); "Eight members of the Sudanese Communist Party" on 27 March 2015, six of whom were released on the same day and two who were held overnight, "interrogated on the Irhal campaign, denied sleep and beaten with water pipes" (ibid.); A senior member of the Communist Party was released on bail "after being charged under article 66 (publication of false news) and 69 (disturbance of public peace) of the 1991 Sudanese Penal Code" (ibid.). Sources also state that opposition activist Dr. Sandra Kadoda was detained in April 2015 (Associate Professor 11 May 2015; ACJPS 13 Apr. 2015; Sudan Tribune 15 Apr. 2015); she is a member of the CPS (ibid.; Associate Professor 11 May 2015). The Associate Professor further stated that after her detention, she was found "a few days later on a street sick, weak and beaten" (ibid.). According to the Sudan Tribune, the National Intelligence and Security Services "has denied arresting [her] and warned they hold the security apparatus responsible for her safety" (Sudan Tribune 15 Apr. 2015). Further and corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. 2.5 Treatment of Members Returning to Sudan Information on the treatment of CPS members who returned to Sudan, or attempted to return to Sudan, was scarce among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. Without providing details, the Associate Professor stated that when CPS members return to Sudan, "they are arrested, and in many cases jailed and brutalized ... at present most of the returnees are met with suspicion" and that "being [part of] a group that is considered a threat, some communists avoid traveling because some who returned to visit or stay were investigated, imprisoned and harassed" (11 May 2015). According to a 2013 report by AI, on 27 September 2013, Dr. Sidgi Kaballo, a dual citizen of Sudan and the UK and member of the CPS, was arrested "shortly after he returned from the UK" and his location was not disclosed to his family (AI 2 Oct. 2013). The Birmingham Mail, a daily newspaper for Birmingham, UK, reported that Dr. Kaballo was released "after a 15-day detention by security forces in Sudan" and that he must "negotiate his exit from Sudan with the security forces so he can return to the UK" (17 Oct. 2013). According to the March 2015 report by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, "[m]embers of opposition parties faced restrictions on their international travel" (UK 12 Mar. 2015). Further and corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request. Note [1] According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, "Bashir led the Revolutionary Command Council for National Salvation (RCC) in administering the country. The RCC, however, was a vehicle for the National Islamic Front (NIF), an Islamist political party with a fundamentalist agenda" (Encyclopedia Britannica n.d.). References African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies (ACJPS). 18 April 2015. "Sudan's Election Marred by Arbitrary Detention, and Insecurity." [Accessed 1 May 2015] _____. 13 April 2015. "Urgent Safety Concern for Activist Sandra Kodouda Kidnapped in Sudan." [Accessed 12 May 2015] Al Jazeera. 7 April 2010. "Political Parties in the Fray." [Accessed 6 May 2015] Amnesty International (AI). 2 October 2013. "Sudan Escalates Mass Arrests of Activists amid Protest Crackdown." [Accessed 11 May 2015] Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, University of Calgary. 11 May 2015. Correspondence with the Research Directorate. The Birmingham Mail. 17 October 2013. "Birmingham Social Worker's Wife Tells of Relief at His Release from Detention in Sudan." [Accessed 11 May 2015] A Concise History of South Sudan: New and Revised Edition. 2014. Edited by Anders Breidlid. Oxford: African Books Collective Ltd. Denmark. 2001. Danish Immigration Service. Report on Fact-finding Mission to Cairo, Khartoum and Nairobi. [Accessed 11 May 2015] Encyclopedia Britannica. N.d. "Islamic National Front." [Accessed 20 May 2015] Federation internationale des ligues des droits de l'homme (FIDH). 12 April 2015. "Detentions, Civil Society Closures, Media Restrictions on Eve of Sudan Elections." [Accessed 5 May 2015] Gurtong Trust. N.d. "Sudanese Communist Party." [Accessed 30 Apr. 2015] Historical Dictionary of the Sudan. 2013. Edited by Robert S. Kramer, Richard A. Lobban Jr. and Carolyn Fluehr-Lobban. Plymouth, UK: Scarecrow Press Inc. Holt, P.M. and M.W. Daly. 2014. A History of the Sudan: From the Coming of Islam to the Present Day. Routledge: New York. Human Rights Watch. 2014. "We Stood, They Opened Fire": Killings and Arrests by Sudan's Security Forces During the September Protests. [Accessed 8 May 2015] _____. 28 November 2013. "Sudan: Dozens Held Without Charge." [Accessed 11 May 2015] _____. 11 July 2012. "Sudan: Torture, Abuse of Demonstrators." [Accessed 11 May 2015] _____. 6 October 2009. The Way Forward: Ending Human Rights Abuses and Repression Across Sudan. [Accessed 8 May 2015] _____. 1996. Behind the Red Line: Political Repression in Sudan. [Accessed 11 May 2015] International Crisis Group. 11 March 2015. Sudan: The Prospects for "National Dialogue." [Accessed 7 May 2015] _____. 26 November 2013. Sudan: Preserving Peace in the East. [Accessed 7 May 2015] _____. 4 May 2011. Divisions in Sudan's Ruling Party and the Threat to the Country's Future Stability. [Accessed 7 May 2015] International Institute of Social History (IISH). N.d.a. "About IISH." [Accessed 7 May 2015] _____. N.d.b. "National Democratic Alliance Collection." [Accessed 7 May 2015] Minority Rights Group International (MRG). 1995. Sudan: Conflict and Minorities. [Accessed 6 May 2015] Political Handbook of the World 2011 (PHW). 2011. "Sudanese Communist Party." Edited by Tom Lansford. Washington, DC: CQ Press. Reuters. 2 February 2015. "Sudanese Opposition Calls for Nationwide Boycott of April Polls." [Accessed 8 May 2015] _____. 23 March 2012. "Head of Sudan's Once-powerful Communist Party Dies." [Accessed 8 May 2015] Sudan: State and Society in Crisis. 1991. Edited by John Obert Voll. Washington, D.C: Middle East Institute. Sudan Tribune. 28 April 2015. "Sudan's NCP to Begin Consultations with Other Parties on Formation of New Government: Official." [Accessed 1 May 2015] _____. 15 April 2015. "Sudan's Opposition Attributes Low Voter Turnout to Boycott Campaign." [Accessed 12 May 2015] _____. 30 January 2015. "Sudan's NCF to Campaign for Election Boycott." [Accessed 20 May 2015] _____. 22 March 2012. "Head of Sudanese Communist Party Dies." [Accessed 6 May 2015] _____. 20 June 2007. "Sudanese Communist Leader Urges Govt to Admit Darfur Crimes." [Accessed 7 May 2015] _____. N.d.a. "National Consensus Forces (NCF)." [Accessed 7 May 2015] United Kingdom (UK). 12 March 2015. "Human Rights and Democracy Report 2014 - Section XII: Human Rights in Countries of Concern - Sudan." 2014 Human Rights and Democracy Report. [Accessed 5 May 2015] United Nations (UN). 26 July 2012. Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN). "Sudan: Who's Who in the Opposition." [Accessed 7 May 2015] United States (US). 27 February 2014. Department of State. "Sudan." Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2013. [Accessed 11 May 2015] _____. 24 May 2012. Department of State. "Sudan." Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2011. [Accessed 11 May 2015] _____. 8 March 2006. Department of State. "Sudan." Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2005. [Accessed 11 May 2015] _____. 25 February 2004. Department of State. "Sudan." Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2003. [Accessed 11 May 2015] _____. 23 February 2001. Department of State. "Sudan." Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2000. [Accessed 11 May 2015] _____. April 1996. Department of State. "Sudan." Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1995. Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office. _____. February 1991. Department of State. "Sudan." Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1990. Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office. _____. February 1987. Department of State. "Sudan." Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1986. Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office. _____. February 1985. Department of State. "Sudan." Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1984. Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office. _____. February 1983. Department of State. "Sudan." Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1982. Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office. _____. February 1982. Department of State. "Sudan." Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1981. Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office. _____. 2 February 1981. Department of State. "Sudan." Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1980. Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office. _____. 4 February 1980. Department of State. "Sudan." Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1979. Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office. _____. 8 February 1979. Department of State. "Sudan." Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1978. Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office. University of Central Arkansas. N.d. Department of Political Science. "Republic of the Sudan (1956-Present)." [Accessed 4 May 2015] The Washington Post. 28 July 1971. Jesse W. Lewis Jr. "Communist Leader Sentenced by Military Court." [Accessed 6 May 2015] Additional Sources Consulted Oral sources: The following were unable to provide information within the time constraints of this Response: African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies. Attempts to contact the following were unsuccessful within the time constraints of this Response: Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Calgary; Rift Valley Institute. Internet sites, including: AllAfrica; BBC; ecoi.net; Factiva; Human Rights Organization - Sudan; International Organization for Migration; Rift Valley Institute; Small Arms Survey. Jamaica: Treatment of sexual minorities, including legislation, state protection and support services (2013-December 2015) Publisher Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada Publication Date 12 February 2016 Citation / Document Symbol JAM105416.E Related Document(s) Jamaique : information sur le traitement reserve aux minorites sexuelles, y compris sur les lois, la protection offerte par l'Etat et les services de soutien (2013-decembre 2015) Cite as Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Jamaica: Treatment of sexual minorities, including legislation, state protection and support services (2013-December 2015), 12 February 2016, JAM105416.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56d7fdfe4.html [accessed 22 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa 1. Legislation According to sources, same-sex acts between men are criminalised in Jamaica (J-FLAG 16 Apr. 2014; Human Rights First July 2015, 4; Human Rights Watch 2014, 10). Sources report that same-sex acts between women are not criminalised in Jamaica (Human Rights Watch 2014, 11; J-FLAG 16 Apr. 2014). According to Human Rights Watch, the law does not refer directly to transgender people (2014, 10). The 1864 Offences Against the Person Act [last amended in 2010] contains the following provisions, also referred to as buggery (Human Rights Watch 2014, 10; J-FLAG 16 Apr. 2014) or [anti-]sodomy laws (Human Rights First July 2015, 4; Human Rights Watch 2014, 10): Unnatural Offences 76. Whosever shall be convicted of the abominable crime of buggery, committed either with mankind or with any animal, shall be liable to be imprisoned and kept to hard labour for a term not exceeding ten years. 77. Whosoever shall attempt to commit the said abominable crime, or shall be guilty of any assault with intent to commit the same, or of any indecent assault upon any male person, shall be guilty of a misdemeanour, and being convicted thereof, shall be liable to be imprisoned for a term not exciding seven years, with or without hard labour. Outrages on Decency 79. Any male person who, in public or private, commits, or is a party to the commission of, or procures or attempts to procure the commission by any male person of, any act of gross indecency with another male person, shall be guilty of a misdemeanour, and being convicted thereof shall be liable at the discretion of the court to be imprisoned for a term not exceeding two years, with or without hard labour. (Jamaica 1864, Art. 76-77, 79) According to the Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All-Sexuals and Gays (J-FLAG), an NGO that promotes human rights of sexual minorities in Jamaica (ibid. n.d.a), acts of buggery refer to anal intercourse between men (ibid. 16 Apr. 2014). The US Department of State's Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2014 specify that the "'acts of gross indecency' [are] (generally interpreted as any kind of physical intimacy) between persons of the same sex" (US 2 July 2015, 21). According to sources, enforcement of the anti-buggery laws remains rare in practice (Aids Free World and Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network Dec. 2015, 1; Human Rights Watch 2014, 10). Sources report that despite a lack of enforcement, the existence of these laws creates a climate that sanctions violence and discrimination against sexual minorities (AI 17 May 2013; Human Rights First July 2015, 4; Human Rights Watch 2014, 10). Sources note that in 2013, a gay rights activist filed a legal challenge against the anti-buggery laws in Jamaica (Erasing 76 Crimes 12 Feb. 2013; Toronto Star 11 Aug. 2013; Aids-Free World and J-FLAG 29 Aug. 2014). The Toronto Star quotes the activist as stating that the law propagates homophobia and violates his right to privacy that is guaranteed in Jamaica's Charter of Rights (11 Aug. 2013). According to sources, the activist subsequently withdrew his lawsuit in 2014 because of threats received by himself and his family (Aids-Free World and J-FLAG 29 Aug. 2014; US 2 July 2015, 21). In December 2015, a similar challenge to the existing law was launched by another Jamaican gay rights activist who is challenging the constitutionality of laws that criminalize consensual sex between men (Canadian HIV/ AIDS Legal Network 9 Dec. 2015; Erasing 76 Crimes 8 Dec. 2015; Reuters 10 Dec. 2015). Further information on the status of the case could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. In 2011, Aids-Free World, an international advocacy organisation working towards the eradication of HIV/AIDS (Aids-Free World n.d.), filed a petition against the anti-buggery laws in Jamaica before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) (ibid. 26 Oct. 2011). In correspondence with the Research Directorate, a Senior Policy Analyst at the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, a research, legal advocacy, and public education organization which promotes the human rights of people living with and vulnerable to HIV/AIDS (Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network n.d.), stated that the petition is in an admissibility stage (ibid. 18 Jan. 2016). Human Rights First, "a nonprofit, nonpartisan international human rights organization based in New York and Washington D.C." (July 2015), indicates that the Jamaican Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms does not provide protection from discrimination based on sexual orientation (July 2015, 4-5). J-FLAG notes that "[o]n the face of it," the Charter of Rights affords rights to all Jamaicans, including LGBT citizens; however, "the Charter's homophobia is very much evident. The decision to use the words 'on the basis of being male or female' in section 13(3)(i) was a deliberate attempt to ensure that sexual orientation discrimination was not prohibited" (J-FLAG June 2015, 17). 2. Societal Attitudes and Discrimination According to Country Reports for 2014, homophobia is "widespread" in Jamaica (US 2 July 2015, 21). Reuters reports that homophobia is a "cultural norm" (18 Jan. 2014) and other sources note that homophobia continues to be perpetuated by the country's music, political and religious figures (AI 17 May 2013; Human Rights Watch 2014, 11, 12, 14, 17), and by the media (Human Rights First July 2015, 13; Human Rights Watch 2014, 12). According to Human Rights First, sexual minorities "face both general societal discrimination as well as discrimination in access to services, including healthcare, housing, and employment" (Human Rights First July 2015, 8). In 2014, a coalition of churches organized a rally in St. Andrew against the possible repeal of the anti-buggery law (The Gleaner 30 June 2014; Jamaica Observer 30 June 2014). The Jamaica Observer notes that according to the police, the rally was attended by 25,000 people (30 June 2014). According to a poll conducted on a sample of 1,208 participants in September 2014, commissioned by the Jamaican newspaper The Gleaner, 91 percent of respondents said lawmakers should not repeal the country's buggery law (6 Oct. 2014). 2.1 Employment Human Rights First indicates that "employment discrimination continues to be a significant issue for the LGBT community" (July 2015, 5). In correspondence with the Research Directorate, a Professor of anthropology at the City University of New York, who specialises in gender, sexuality and human rights studies, and has conducted research on Jamaica, stated that while the country has a high unemployment rate in general, members of sexual minorities who live in the open are "basically unemployable" (Professor 9 Jan. 2016). 2.2 Housing According to sources, sexual minorities face evictions or are chased out of their homes by family members (J-FLAG July 2014, 1; Human Rights Watch 2014, 43). Sources also indicate that LGBT persons, particularly youth, experience high levels of homelessness (Human Rights First July 2015, 15; Human Rights Watch 2014, 45). According to the Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition (CVC), a project of Caribbean NGOs working with groups that are vulnerable to HIV/AIDS (CVC n.d.), youth identifying as sexual minorities account for 5 to 10 percent of Jamaica's total youth population but make up to 40 percent of its homeless population (ibid. Nov. 2011). Sources report that some LGBT youth who are kicked out of their homes end up living in Kingston's sewer system (Erasing 76 Crimes 6 Jan. 2015; Human Rights First July 2015, 15; NOW 26 June 2014) and engage in robberies (ibid.) or in sex work as a mean of survival (Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network. 18 Jan. 2016; Human Rights First July 2015, 15; Jamaica Observer 3 Nov. 2013). 2.3 Healthcare In a November 2014 interview with the Antillean Media Group (AMG), J-FLAG's Executive Director stated that due to sensitization training "reports of direct discrimination [in healthcare] are becoming more and more infrequent" (AMG 9 Nov. 2014). In contrast, the Senior Policy Analyst affiliated with the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network stated that there is "a significant challenge with gender non-conforming persons seeking and receiving appropriate anti-HIV interventions" (Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network 18 Jan. 2016). The Senior Policy Analyst further noted that [w]hen the group [of homeless LGBT youth in Kingston] was last tested, nearly 90% of them were positive for HIV. However, few, if any, of them were on effective ARV [antiretroviral] treatment. These youth were not inclined to visit the health clinics because of the treatment by porters and other hospital staff. Even getting them to the clinics proved difficult. The youth were so verbally and physically assaulted on public transportation that they refuse to go by that route. Taxis charge a premium to transport them and sometimes would only do one way trips, leaving the youth stranded at the clinics. (18 Jan. 2016) 2.4 Social Events Sources report that in August 2015 the first gay pride event, PRiDE JA, took place in Jamaica (AMG 7 Aug. 2015; The Guardian 10 Aug. 2015; Jamaica Observer 3 Aug. 2015). Sources further note that the Mayor of Kingston attended the opening ceremony (Jamaica Observer 3 Aug. 2015; Out Caribe 3 Aug. 2015), and that the event was endorsed by the Minister of Justice (AMG 11 Aug. 2015; Jamaica 2015; Washington Blade 31 July 2015). According to the Washington Blade, an American newspaper covering issues relating to sexual minorities (Washington Blade n.d.), the organisers of PRiDE JA remained preoccupied about the safety of attendees (ibid. 31 July 2015). The Gleaner also reports that due to security concerns, the celebration did not include a public parade (July 27, 2015). The same source quotes the Executive Director of J-FLAG as stating that the country was "not ready" for a parade (The Gleaner 30 June 2015). According to The Gleaner, "some years ago, an attempt to host a gay parade was thwarted after anti-gay supporters reportedly planned attacks against marchers" (ibid.). An article by the Associated Press (AP) states that, according to a representative of J-FLAG, "more and more" persons belonging to sexual minorities are willing to be visible and that even though "there's ridicule on the streets and some people look at you and laugh it's not as violent as it was" (The Guardian 4 Aug. 2015). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. 2.5 Incidents of Violence Amnesty International (AI) reports that violence and harassment against sexual minorities continue to be a problem in Jamaica (AI 2015, 2014). Human Rights Watch similarly states that physical and sexual violence is "part of the lived reality" for many members of sexual minorities and that "the level of brutality leads many to fear what could happen if their sexual orientation or gender identity is disclosed" (Human Rights Watch 2014, 21). According to J-FLAG, 63 incidents of violence against sexual minorities were reported to the organisation in 2013 (J-FLAG 2014, 16). Half of the incidents reported took place in the Kingston and St Andrew, and St James area, with incidents in St Catherine, Clarendon and Manchester constituting a "significant portion" of the remaining cases (ibid.). In 2014, 80 incidents of violence were reported to J-FLAG, including physical assault, threats and intimidation, blackmail, sexual violence, kidnapping, discrimination and displacement (ibid. 2015, 14). Sources report that in July 2013, a transgender teenager was murdered by a mob in St. James after attending a party dressed as a woman (Erasing 76 Crimes 23 July 2015; Human Rights Watch 2014, 1; Jamaica Observer 29 July 2013). According to the radio station Irie FM, the mob "chopped and stabbed him to death" after party-goers discovered that the teenager was a man (Erasing 76 Crimes 23 July 2013). The murder was condemned by the Minister of Justice who called on the police to "spare no efforts in bringing the perpetrators to justice" (Jamaica Observer 29 July 2013). According to an August 2015 article by The Guardian, the murder remains unsolved (10 Aug. 2015). Human Rights First quotes a senior US official in Jamaica as stating that mob violence against sexual minorities is a "severe problem" in the country (Human Rights First 2015, 7). Incidents of reported mob attacks against LGBT people include the following: On 22 September 2015, a gay man was rescued by a police after being cornered by a mob in a parking lot in Half Way Tree (Loop 22 Sept. 2015); On 15 April 2015, customers of a shopping venue in Kingston "decided to 'cleanse out' the premises of gays" (Erasing 76 Crimes 16 Apr. 2015); On 10 August 2013, police rescued a cross-dresser "after an angry mob who had seen him in the community threatened to flog him" (The Jamaica Star 13 Aug. 2013). Sources report that sexual violence such as "corrective rape" has been used on bisexual (The Gleaner 3 Dec. 2014) and lesbian women (ibid.; Jamaica Observer 28 Apr. 2015). J-FLAG received reports of 8 cases of sexual violence in 2013, of which 7 were submitted by women (J-FLAG 2014, 16). According to an online survey conducted by Quality of Citizenship Jamaica (QCJ), an NGO that works with women belonging to sexual minority groups to provide them with support and help them "navigate the Jamaican society" (QCJ n.d.), of 103 participants surveyed, 47 percent of respondents were either threatened with or experienced acts of sexual violence or harassment by men, including acts intended to "straighten them out" (The Gleaner 3 Dec. 2014). The survey also indicates that 77 percent of victims did not report the incidents to the police (ibid). 3. State Protection 3.1 Police According to Human Rights Watch, Jamaica experiences high crime rates and citizens express mistrust towards the police and their effectiveness (2014, 2). The same source indicates that "bias based specifically on gender identity or sexual orientation directly contributes to the inadequate police response" (ibid., 28). Following interviews with LGBT persons in 2013, Human Rights Watch notes that most respondents indicated that they did not report incidents of violence to the police because they believed that police would not take any action (ibid. 2014, 17). Country Reports for 2014 states that while individual police officers "showed sympathy" and worked on cases involving sexual minorities, NGOs reported that "the police force, in general, did not recognize the extent and seriousness of bullying and violence directed against members of the LGBT community and failed to investigate such incidents" (US 2 July 2015, 22). Conversely, in its 2013 activity report, J-FLAG states that "trust towards police has increased" among members of sexual minorities and that "in every [police] division, at least one ally can be identified that is willing and able to deal with matters concerning sexual and gender minorities" (J-FLAG 2014, 10). J-FLAG also reports that police officers have protected sexual minorities from mob attacks "even placing themselves in harm's way" (ibid.). In its 2014 annual report, the same source cites a case whereby police officers protected an LGBT teenager from a mob attack which occurred in May Pen in 2014 (ibid. 2015, 5). According to the Jamaican TV program Prime Time News, in June 2014 in May Pen, police rescued a gay man from a shopping mall where he sought refuge after a crowd turned against him for reportedly wearing lipstick (Erasing 76 Crimes 16 June 2014). According to the information obtained by the IACHR, "there have been efforts to investigate thoroughly and impartially acts of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity;" however, Jamaica does not have a specific unit responsible for investigating hate crimes (OAS 2015, para. 194). Sources indicate that in 2011, Jamaica's police force adopted a Policy on Diversity, which includes guidelines on dealing with sexual minorities as a protected group (Human Rights First July 2015, 9; Human Rights Watch 2014, 48-49; Jamaica 25 Aug. 2011); "directs police" to ensure that sexual minorities are able to file police reports (Human Rights First July 2015, 9; Jamaica 25 Aug. 2011); and "prohibits discrimination and establishes specific protections on the grounds of sexual orientation" (Human Rights Watch 2014, 49). The policy states that the "subject of diversity" must be taught in the police academy and in the staff college; divisional commanders are responsible for ensuring that their personnel are familiar with, and adhere to the policy (Jamaica 25 Aug. 2011, 3). According to information provided by the Government of Jamaica in May 2015, the policy is taught as part of the police recruitment training, and "refresher courses" are offered to serving officers (Jamaica 15 May 2015, para.79). The Jamaican Information Service reports that in September 2015, 230 new police recruits participated in two-day diversity training sessions that included interventions involving sexual minorities (ibid. 15 Oct. 2015). According to a Deputy Commissioner of Police, this training will be offered to future recruits (ibid.). The Jamaican Observer also states that two-day training sessions on diversity were delivered to 50 police officers in June 2015 (22 June 2015). Human Rights Watch indicates that police officers have perpetrated violence against sexual minorities themselves (2014, 33). Similarly, according to the IACHR, [p]etitioners reported abuse and discrimination against LGBTI individuals who were either ignored or laughed at when they attempted to report acts of violence, or were themselves the direct victims of police abuse, including arbitrary detention, blackmail, extortion, threats, and cruel and degrading treatment. (OAS 13 May 2014) Human Rights Watch observes that while cases of police violence appear to have decreased between 2004 and 2014, "the persistence of even isolated cases is of great concern given the police's role as a source of protection" (2014, 33). Sources also indicate that police extortion of LGBT people in Jamaica is a problem (Human Rights First July 2015, 1; Human Rights Watch 2014, 36-38). 3.2 Judiciary According to a report published by J-FLAG in December 2013, "there seems to have been little or no thorough investigation and/or prosecutions in the majority of incidents [against LGBT people] except in cases deemed 'high profile'" (Dec. 2013, 3). IACHR indicates that Jamaica did not offer training programs to criminal justice officials, including judges, on the rights of sexual minorities (OAS 2015, para. 186). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. 4. Support Services Established in 1998, J-FLAG describes itself as "the first human rights organization in the history of Jamaica to serve the needs of LGBT peoples" (n.d.a). The organisation is non-profit and carries out advocacy and educational initiatives while providing support services such as crisis intervention for distressed sexual minorities (ibid.), and a telephone helpline (ibid. n.d.b). In 2014 the organisation assisted 448 persons, including 368 men and 80 women, through the following initiatives: outreach (203), HIV prevention (158) and testing (7), counselling (116), follow-up (102), referrals (57), asylum support (23), medical assistance (8), and housing assistance (3) (ibid. 2015, 14). J-FLAG reports that in February 2014, they launched a parent support group that works to reintegrate displaced and homeless LGBT youth with their families (ibid. 2015, 13). According to the same organization, 16 other NGOs provide different support services to members of sexual minorities in Jamaica (J-FLAG Nov. 2014, 24-26). A list of the NGOs and the support services that they offer is attached to this Response. According to sources, Colour Pink Group is an organization that works to provide homeless LGBT youth with skills training (Human Rights First July 2015, 14; Jamaica Observer 27 July 2014). Human Rights First also states that the organization provides internship opportunities and employment assistance (July 2015, 14). Sources report that Dwayne's House is an NGO that provides food and clothing, as well as medical and legal services to homeless LGBT youth (ILGA 22 Apr. 2014; NOW 26 June 2014). According to an article by the online portal of Toronto based NOW Magazine, Dwayne's House was serving 20 to 40 sexual minority youth living in the sewer system (NOW 26 June 2014). A May 2015 article published by The Gleaner notes that the organisation is waiting to be provided with land to start the construction of a shelter (The Gleaner 19 May 2015). 4.1 Health Care Services The HIV prevention program of the Jamaican Ministry of Health identifies men who have sex with men (MSM) as one of the "at risk" populations that the program targets (Jamaica n.d.). Between July 2013 and June 2014, in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Jamaica's National Family Planning Board (NFPB), J-FLAG trained 60 public health care workers and six staff of the NFPB on providing health services to members of sexual minorities (J-FLAG 2015, 18). This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request. References AIDS Free World. 26 October 2011. "Q&A: AIDS-Free World's Challenge of Jamaica's Anti-Gay Law." [Accessed 4 Jan. 2016] _____. N.d. "About Us." [Accessed 4 Jan. 2016] AIDS Free World and Canadian HIV/ AIDS Legal Network. December 2015. "Constitutional Challenge to Jamaica's Anti-sodomy Law: Questions & Answers." [Accessed 4 Jan. 2015] AIDS Free World and Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All-Sexuals and Gays (J-FLAG). 29 August 2014. Fears for Family's Safety Force Claimant to Close Lawsuit Against Anti-Gay Laws. [Accessed 4 Jan. 2016] Amnesty International (AI). 2015. "Jamaica." Amnesty International Report 2014/2015: The State of the World's Human Rights. [Accessed 7 Jan. 2015] _____. 17 May 2013. "Activists Worldwide Target Homophobia in Jamaica, Ukraine and South Africa." [Accessed 7 Jan. 2015] Antillean Media Group (AMG). 11 August 2015. Sherine Andreine Powerful. "The Impact and Future of LGBT PRiDE in Jamaica." [Accessed 6 Jan. 2016] _____. 7 August 2015. Sherine Andreine Powerful. "Jamaica's First LGBT Pride Celebrations Signal Turning Tides." [Accessed 6 Jan. 2016] _____. 9 November 2014. Deborah Almond. "Gay in Jamaica: J-FLAG Talks Impacts on LGBT Health and Rights." [Accessed 19 Jan. 2016] Canadian HIV/ AIDS Legal Network. 18 January 2016. Correspondence from a Senior Policy Analyst to the Research Directorate. _____. 9 December 2015. "Jamaican Gay Activist Launches Constitutional Challenge." [Accessed 4 Jan. 2016] _____. N.d. "Informing, Advocating, Mobilizing." [Accessed 11 Feb. 2016] Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition (CVC). November 2011. Ivan Cruickshank. "A Place to Stay, but Not a Home: Homelessness and HIV in Jamaica." [Accessed 20 Jan. 2015] _____. N.d. "About Us." [Accessed 20 Jan. 2015] Erasing 76 Crimes. 6 January 2015. Colin Stewart. "Jamaica: LGBT Youths Can't Even Call a Gully Their Home." [Accessed 13 Jan. 2016] _____. 8 December 2015. Colin Stewart. "Jamaican Activist Sues to Overturn 'Buggery Law'." [Accessed 4 Jan. 2016] _____. 16 April 2015. Maurice Tomlinson. "Evicted Gay Youths Under Attack (Again) in Jamaica." [Accessed 9 Feb. 2016] _____. 16 June 2014. Colin Stewart. "Jamaican Police Save Man Threatened for Wearing Lipstick." [Accessed 25 Jan. 2016] _____. 12 February 2013. Maurice Tomlinson. "Jamaica's New Privacy Rights May Cancel Old Anti-LGBT Law." [Accessed 4 Jan. 2016] _____. 23 July 2013. Maurice Tomlinson. "Jamaica: Female Role in Mob Murder of Teen Cross-dresser." [Accessed 4 Jan. 2016] The Gleaner. 30 June 2015. "J-FLAG Is Planning Gay Pride Activities, but No Parade for August - Exec." [Accessed 11 Jan. 2016] _____. 19 May 2015. "Julian Robinson Seeks Solutions for Homeless Gay Youth in New Kingston." [Accessed 13 Jan. 2016] _____. 3 December 2014. Nadine Wilson-Harris. "Lesbians Targeted by Men Who Want to 'Straighten Them Out.'" [Accessed 11 Jan. 2016] _____. 6 October 2014. "Majority of Jamaicans Resolute on Keeping Buggery Law Intact." [Accessed 13 Jan. 2016] _____. 30 June 2014. Gary Spaulding. "Backlash on Buggery: Church Leads Anti-sodomy Rally." [Accessed 19 Jan. 2016] The Guardian. 10 August 2015. Nick Davis. "Jamaica's First Public Gay Pride Event a Symbol of Change: 'It Felt Liberating.'" [Accessed 8 Jan. 2015] 4 August 2015. "Jamaica to Hold Its First Gay Pride Celebration in the Island's Capital." [Accessed 6 Jan. 2016] Human Rights First. July 2015. "'The World as It Should Be:' Advancing the Human Rights of LGBT People in Jamaica." [Accessed 7 Jan. 2016] Human Rights Watch. 2014. Not Safe at Home. Violence and Discrimination Against LGBT People in Jamaica. [Accessed 4 Jan. 2016] International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA). 22 April 2014. "Jamaica Youth Minister to Develop Plans for LGBT Homeless Youth." [Accessed 13 Jan. 2016] Jamaica. 15 October 2015. Jamaica Information Service. Denise Dennis. "Cops Urged to Use Diversity Training to Make a Difference." [Accessed 15 Jan. 2016] _____. 15 May 2015. Consideration of Reports Submitted by States Parties Under Article 40 of the Covenant: Fourth Periodic Reports of States Parties Due in 2014: Jamaica. CCPR/C/JAM/4. [Accessed 4 Jan. 2015] _____. 2015. Mark Golding, Minister of Justice. "Statement of Support for PRiDE JA 2015." [Accessed 11 Jan. 2016] _____. 25 August 2011. Jamaica Constabulary Force. "Jamaica Constabulary Force Policy on Diversity." Jamaica Constabulary Force Orders, Serial No. 3351. [Accessed 11 Jan. 2016] _____. 1864 (amended 2010). Offences Against the Person Act. [Accessed 4 Jan. 2016] _____. N.d. Ministry of Health. "HIV Prevention." [Accessed 12 Jan. 2016] Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All-Sexuals and Gays (J-FLAG). June 2015. Glenroy Murray. "A Paper on National Human Rights Institutions & the Human Rights Situation of LGBT Persons in Jamaica." [Accessed 13 Jan. 2015] _____. 2015. Engaging Communities, Transforming Lives. Annual Report 2014. [Accessed 6 Jan. 2016] _____. November 2014. Renee Johnson. "Rapid Assessment of the Efficacy of Services Delivered by Non-governmental Organisations." [Accessed 20 Jan. 2016] _____. 2014. Promoting Respect for Diversity. Annual Report 2013. [Accessed 6 Jan. 2016] _____. July 2014. (Re)Presenting and Redressing LGBT Homelessness in Jamaica: Towards a Multifaceted Approach to Addressing Anti-Gay Related Displacement. [Accessed 13 Jan. 2016] _____. 16 April 2014. "What Jamaican Law Says About Homosexuality - 'Buggery Law.'" [Accessed 4 Jan. 2016] _____. December 2013. Homophobia and Violence in Jamaica. [Accessed 12 Jan. 2016] _____. N.d.a. "About." [Accessed 19 Jan. 2016] _____. N.d.b. "Social Services." [Accessed 19 Jan. 2016] Jamaica Observer. 3 August 2015. "J-FLAG's Pride Week 'Well Supported'." [Accessed 8 Jan. 2016] _____. 22 June 2015. "Police Sharpen to Work with Vulnerable Groups." [Accessed 15 Jan. 2016] _____. 28 April 2015. "J'can Gay Rights Activist Brings Attention to Rapes Targeting Lesbians." [Accessed 11 Jan. 2016] _____. 27 July 2014. "Group Starts Programme to Help Homeless Gay Youths." [Accessed 13 Jan. 2016] _____. 30 June 2014. Javene Skyers. "Thousands Rally Against Tossing Out Buggery Act; Shout Out for Clean, Righteous Living." [Accessed 20 Jan. 2016] _____. 29 July 2013. "Justice Minister Condemns Killing of St James Cross-dresser." [Accessed 8 Feb. 2016] _____. 3 November 2013. Ingrid Brown. "Homelessness, Rape and HIV." [Accessed 29 Jan. 2016] _____. 29 July 2013. "Justice Minister Condemns Killing of St. James Cross-dresser." < http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/Justice-Minister-condemns-killing-of-St-James-cross-dresser> [Accessed 11 Jan. 2016] The Jamaica Star. Raspert Turner. "Cops Rescue Man in Girl Clothes - Save Him from Angry Mob." [Accessed 9 Feb. 2016] Loop. 22 September 2015. Julian Richardson. "Cops Save Gay Man from Angry Mob in Half Way Tree." [Accessed 9 Feb. 2016] NOW. 26 June 2014. Kevin Ritchie. "LGBTQ Youth Homeless Shelter on the Horizon." [Accessed 13 Jan. 2016] Organization of American States (OAS). 2015. Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR). "Report on the Situation of Human Rights in Jamaica." Annual Report 2014. Follow-up of Recommendations Issued by the IACHR in Its Country or Thematic Reports. [Accessed 12 Jan. 2016] _____. 13 May 2014. "Report on the 150th Session of the IACHR" [Accessed 15 Jan. 2016] Out Caribe. 3 August 2015. Warren Brown. "Support & Representation Comes Out for #PrideJA2015." [Accessed 11 Jan. 2016] Professor of Anthropology, City University of New York. 9 January 2016. Correspondence with the Research Directorate. Quality of Citizenship Jamaica (QCJ). N.d. "Mission, Vision, Values." [Accessed 11 Jan. 2016] _____. 10 December 2015. Rebekah Kebede. "Jamaica Activist Challenges Anti-gay Law in Bid to End Violence, Discrimination." Edited by Belinda Goldsmith. [Accessed 4 Jan. 2015] _____. 18 January 2014. Aileen Torres-Bennett. "LGBT Tolerance Growing in Jamaica, Push to Repeal of Anti-gay Law." [Accessed 18 Jan. 2015] Toronto Star. 11 August 2013. Jennifer Quinn. "A Dangerous Place to be Gay." (Factiva) Washington Blade. 31 July 2015. Michael K. Lavers. "Mayor of Jamaican Capital to Speak at Pride Event." < http://www.washingtonblade.com/2015/07/31/mayor-of-jamaican-capital-to-speak-at-pride-event/> [Accessed 11 Jan. 2016] _____. N.d. "About" < http://www.washingtonblade.com/contact-us/about/> [Accessed 11 Jan. 2016] United States (US). 2 July 2015. Department of State. "Jamaica." Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2014. [Accessed 4 Jan. 2016] Additional Sources Consulted Oral sources: AIDS-Free World; CariFlags; Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All-Sexuals and Gays; Professors at Goldsmiths University of London (UK), University of the West Indies (Jamaica) and York University (Canada); Quality of Citizenship Jamaica. Internet sites, including: BBC; Canada - Department of Global Affairs, Embassy in Jamaica; ecoi.net; Envisioning Global LGBT Rights; Human Dignity Trust; International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission; Jamaica - Member of Parliament Julian Robinson, Ministries of Justice and Youth and Culture; Pink News; United Nations - Free & Equal, Office on Drugs and Crime, Refworld; United States - Embassy in Jamaica, US Agency for International Development. Attachment J-FLAG. November 2014. Renee Johnson. "Mapping of NGOs and Services." Rapid Assessment of the Efficacy of Services Delivered by Non-governmental Organisations. [Accessed 20 Jan. 2016] Zambia: Whether Zambia recognizes citizenship by birth; requirements and procedures to obtain citizenship (2014-May 2015) Publisher Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada Publication Date 5 June 2015 Citation / Document Symbol ZMB105187.E Related Document(s) Zambie : information indiquant si la Zambie reconnait la citoyennete de naissance; les exigences et la marche a suivre pour obtenir la citoyennete (2014-mai 2015) Cite as Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Zambia: Whether Zambia recognizes citizenship by birth; requirements and procedures to obtain citizenship (2014-May 2015), 5 June 2015, ZMB105187.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56d7ff014.html [accessed 22 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa 1. Citizenship by Birth Article 5 of Part II of the Constitution of Zambia Act provides that 5. [Children of citizens of Zambia] A person born in or outside of Zambia after the commencement of this Constitution shall become a citizen of Zambia at the date of his birth if on that date, at least one of his parents is a citizen of Zambia. (Zambia 1996, Part II, Art. 5) A copy of "Part II: Citizenship" of the Constitution of Zambia Act is attached to this Response (Attachment 1). In correspondence with the Research Directorate, an associate affiliated with Chibesakunda & Co., a law firm based in Zambia that is part of DLA Piper, a global business law firm with lawyers in the "Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe and the Middle East" (DLA Piper n.d.), also indicated that "Zambia does recognize citizenship by birth under its Constitution" and that an individual is entitled to Zambian citizenship by virtue of being born in the country, so long as one of their parents is a Zambian citizen (Associate 8 May 2015). 2. Citizenship by Registration Article 6 of Part II of the Constitution of Zambia Act states that an individual is entitled to apply to be registered as a citizen provided they are 21 years of age, have been "ordinarily resident in Zambia for a continuous period of not less than ten years immediately preceding that person's application for registration," and is not declared to be "of unsound mind" (Zambia 1996, Part II, Art. 6). The Citizenship of Zambia Act provides that the Citizenship Board may grant an individual's application for registration as a citizen if the individual meets the following requirements: (2)(a) is, at the date of his application, ordinarily resident in Zambia; b. has, at the date of his application, been ordinarily resident in Zambia for the period of ten years immediately preceding that date; c. is of good character; d. has an adequate knowledge of the English language or any language commonly used by the indigenous inhabitants of Zambia which may be prescribed; e. intends, after the granting of his application, to - continue to reside in Zambia; or enter or continue in the service of the Government; f. is willing to renounce any citizenship which he may possess; and g. has not been refused registration as a citizen within the period of five years immediately preceding his application. (ibid. 1994, Art. 16) A copy of The Citizenship of Zambia Act is attached to this Response (Attachment 2). The Chibesakunda & Co. associate noted that citizenship "by registration" applies only to individuals over 21 years of age who have not previously had citizenship conferred upon them (Associate 8 May 2015). The Constitution provides that applications for citizenship registration are made to the Citizenship Board and that the Board is also responsible for making official decisions regarding "depriving [a] person of his [Zambian] citizenship" on the grounds that a person is a citizen of another country, or that the person obtained their citizenship by fraud (Zambia 1996, Part II, Art. 7, 8). The Chibesakunda & Co. associate explained that the Citizenship Board is a board with the power to make decisions on applications for Zambian citizenship registration under the provisions of the Constitution, as well as on "any matter relating to citizenship in accordance with the provisions of [The Citizenship of Zambia Act]" (Associate 8 May 2015). Article 12(2) of The Citizenship of Zambia Act provides that 12. (2) "[w]hen the Board is satisfied that any person not of full age has associations by way of descent residence, or otherwise with Zambia which would justify his registration as a citizen, the Board may cause such person to be registered as a citizen. (Zambia 1994, Art. 12(2)) The Chibesakunda & Co. associate noted that children under 21 years of age can also be registered as citizens by the Citizenship Board if an application is made on their behalf by a parent or guardian (Associate 8 May 2015). Information on the procedures to apply for citizenship registration could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. 3. Dual Citizenship Part II, Article 9 of the Constitution states that an individual ceases to be a citizen of Zambia if he or she "acquires the citizenship of a country other than Zambia by a voluntary act, other than marriage" or if he or she "does any act indicating that person's intention to adopt or make use of any other citizenship" (Zambia 1996, Part II, Art. 9). Other sources corroborate that Zambia does not recognize dual citizenship (UK n.d.; Zambian Eye 25 Sept. 2013; Associate 8 May 2015). The Zambian Eye, an independent news website based in Zambia that publishes Zambian and international news (Zambian Eye n.d.), states that "[t]he moment a Zambian acquires citizenship of another country then that person no longer becomes Zambian. The current constitution does not provide for one to re-acquire Zambian citizenship once relinquished" (ibid. 25 Sept. 2013). Sources indicate that a certificate of citizenship registration, approved by the Citizenship Board of Zambia, can only take effect after an oath of allegiance has been sworn and a certificate of renunciation (renouncing citizenship from one's former country) has been produced (Associate 8 May 2015; Zambia 1994, Art. 16(7)). This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request. References Associate, Chibesakunda & Co., Lusaka. 8 May 2015. Correspondence with the Research Directorate. DLA Piper. N.d. "About Us." [Accessed 8 May 2015] United Kingdom (UK). N.d. Government of UK. "Zambia." [Accessed 4 June 2015] Zambia. 1996. Constitution of Zambia Act. [Accessed 4 May 2015] _____. 1994. The Citizenship of Zambia Act. [Accessed 4 May 2015] Zambian Eye. 25 September 2013. Barbrah Musamba Chama Mumba."Observations: Dual Citizenship, Zambia's Unexplained Case and Its Unappreciated Benefits to Zambia." [Accessed 7 May 2015] _____. N.d. "About Us." [Accessed 7 May 2015] Additional Sources Consulted Oral sources: The following were unable to provide information within the time constraints of this Response: High Commission of Zambia in Canada. Attempts to contact the following were unsuccessful within the time constraints of this Response: Chaiwila and Chaiwila Advocates; Corpus Legal Practitioners; D.H. Kemp & Co. Law Firm; High Commission of Canada in Lusaka, Zambia; K.B.F. & Partners Law Firm; Musa Dudhia & Company Law Firm; Sikaulu Lungu Mupeso Law Firm; Zambia - Ministry of Home Affairs. Internet sites, including: Al Jazeera; AllAfrica; Amnesty International; BBC; Canada - High Commission in Lusaka, Zambia, travel.gc.ca; ecoi.net; The Economist; Factiva; Freedom House; Human Rights Watch; Keesing Reference Systems; Lusaka Times; The New York Times; Reuters; US - Central Intelligence Agency, Department of State; Zambia - Department of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs; Zambian Watchdog. Attachments 1. Zambia. 1996. "Part II: Citizenship." Constitution of Zambia Act. [Accessed 4 May 2015] 2. Zambia. 1994. The Citizenship of Zambia Act. [Accessed 4 May 2015] Vietnam: Consequences for a returnee who exited the country illegally, such as through the use of fraudulent foreign visas Publisher Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada Publication Date 6 March 2014 Citation / Document Symbol VNM104803.E Related Document(s) Viet Nam : information sur les consequences auxquelles s'expose un rapatrie qui est sorti du pays illegalement, par exemple au moyen d'un visa frauduleux pour un pays etranger Cite as Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Vietnam: Consequences for a returnee who exited the country illegally, such as through the use of fraudulent foreign visas, 6 March 2014, VNM104803.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56d800f84.html [accessed 22 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa Information about the consequences of illegally exiting Vietnam was scarce among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. In correspondence with the Research Directorate, a representative of the Vietnam Human Rights Network (VHRN) provided information about the consequences for Vietnamese people who exit the country illegally, which they obtained with the consultation of a lawyer in Vietnam (27 Feb. 2014). VHRN describes itself as an "international consortium of human rights leaders and activists" formed in California in 1997, that aims to promote human rights and increase awareness of human rights abuses in Vietnam (n.d.). VHRN also sent the Research Directorate the relevant legislation and policy documents pertinent to this Response (27 Feb. 2014). 1. Legislative Penalties for Exiting Vietnam Illegally The 1999 Vietnam Penal Code states: Article 274. Illegally leaving or entering the country; illegally staying abroad or in Vietnam Those who illegally leave or enter the country or stay abroad or in Vietnam, have already been administratively sanctioned for such act but continue the violation, shall be subject to a fine of between five million dong [VND] [about C$263 (XE 3 Mar. 2014a)] and fifty million dong [about C$2,630 (XE 3 Mar. 2014b)] or a prison term of between three months and two years. (Vietnam 1999, Art. 274) Penalties for illegally leaving Vietnam are also addressed in the regulations of administrative violations under Decree No. 167/2013/ND-CP (VHRN 27 Feb. 2014). It states: 3. A fine of between VND 3,000,000 [about C$158 (XE 3 Mar. 2014c)] and 5,000,000 [about C$263 (XE 3 Mar. 2014a)] shall be imposed for one of the acts as follows: a. Crossing national border without entry or exit procedures as prescribed. (Vietnam 12 Nov. 2013, Article 17. Para. 3) 2. Legislative Penalties for Using Fraudulent Visas The VHRN representative said that Vietnamese citizens who use fraudulent foreign visas may face penalties under Article 266 of the Penal Code (27 Feb. 2014). The law states: Article 266.- Amending and/or using certificates and papers issued by agencies and/or organizations Those who amend, falsify the contents of passports, visas, household registration, civic status registration or various kinds of certificates and other documents of agencies and/or organizations and use such papers to commit illegal acts, causing serious consequences, or have already been administratively sanctioned for such acts but continue to commit them, shall be subject to warning, a fine of between one million dong [about C$52 (XE 3 Mar. 2014d)] and ten million dong [about C$525 (XE 3 Mar. 2014e)], non-custodial reform for up to three years or a prison term of between six months and three years. Committing the offenses in one of the following circumstances, the offenders shall be sentenced to between two and five years of imprisonment: In organized manner; Committing the crime more than once; Causing very serious or particularly serious consequences. The offenders may also be subject to a fine of between one million dong [about C$52 (XE 3 Mar. 2014d)] and five million dong [about C$263 (XE 3 Mar. 2014a)], a ban from holding certain posts, practicing certain occupations or doing certain jobs for one to five years. (Vietnam 1999, Art. 266) The VHRN representative indicated that a Vietnamese citizen who uses fraudulent foreign visas may also face penalties prescribed by Decree No. 167/2013/ND-CP (27 Feb. 2014). The relevant sections state: Article 17. Violation of regulations on entry, exit, transit, stay and traveling [. . . ] 2. A fine of between VND 500,000 [about C$26 (XE 3 Mar. 2014f)] and 2,000,000 [about C$105 (XE 3 Mar. 2014g)] shall be imposed for one of the acts as follows: [. . . ] c. Giving untruthful declaration in order to be issued with Passport or other valuable papers in lieu of Passport, Vietnam visa, temporary residence card, permanent residence card or valuable papers on entry, exit or residence in Vietnam; [. . . ] 4. A fine of between VND 5,000,000 [about C$263 (XE 3 Mar. 2014a)] and 10,000,000 [about C$525 (XE 3 Mar. 2014e)] shall be imposed for one of the acts as follows: [. . . ] b. Using fake Passport or valuable papers in lieu of fake Passport, fake visa, fake temporary residence card, fake permanent residence card or fake verification seal for entry, exit, transit or residence; [. . .] 6. A fine of between VND 30,000,000 [about C$1,575 (XE 3 Mar. 2014h)] and 40,000,000 [about C$2,100 (XE 3 Mar. 2014i)] shall be imposed for one of the acts as follows: Forging, record or papers for issue of Passport or other valuable papers in lieu of Passport, visa, temporary or permanent residence card; Forging Passport or other valuable papers in lieu of Passport, visa, temporary or permanent residence card or verification seal; [. . . ] (Vietnam 12 Nov. 2013) 3. Implementation of Legislation The VHRN representative said that the punishment for exiting Vietnam illegally and/or using fraudulent documents varies depending on the person and the circumstances (VHRN 27 Feb. 2014). The representative explained that there are two groups of people who commonly exit Vietnam illegally: poor labourers, who, through criminal networks, cross the border to China and other countries in order to work; and dissidents who try to "escape the suppression" of the government (ibid.). He expressed the opinion that for the poor labourers that leave illegally, the punishment would "not be serious" and that most might be able to return to Vietnam without any punishment despite the prescribed punishments in the law (ibid.). He explained that [t]he reason is they are mostly poor, they leave Vietnam for some personal economic reasons and have no financial capacity to pay the fine. The government's officials understand their difficulties and have no will to punish them. (ibid.) Corroborating information about the implementation of these laws against poor migrant labourers returning to Vietnam could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. In contrast to the situation with poor migrant workers, the VHRN representative said that dissidents who leave the country illegally and/or use fraudulent foreign visas may face a "high level" of punishment, including being put in jail "for years" (ibid.). He also said that in addition to the legislation pertaining to illegal exits and fraudulent documents, sometimes articles 78-92 of the penal code, related to "'crimes infringing upon national security,'" or other articles, are used to punish dissidents (ibid.). Amnesty International (AI) corroborates the use of the national security section of the penal code to imprison political activists and human rights defenders (Nov. 2013, 9). The VHRN representative provided the Research Directorate with details of cases in which people were charged and punished under Article 91 of the Penal Code, "Fleeing abroad or defecting to stay overseas with the view of opposing the people's administration" (VHRN 28 Feb. 2014). This article states: Article 91. Fleeing abroad or defecting to stay overseas with a view to opposing the people's administration Those who flee abroad or defect overseas with a view to opposing the people's administration shall be sentenced to between three and twelve years of imprisonment. Organizers, coercers and instigators shall be sentenced to between five and fifteen years of imprisonment. In the case of committing particularly serious crimes, the offenders shall be sentenced to between twelve and twenty years of imprisonment or life imprisonment. (Vietnam 1999) In the three most recent examples of those provided by the VHRN representative, in which people were arrested in 2009 and sentenced in 2010, the punishments ranged from three years imprisonment and three years of house arrest to four years imprisonment and four years of house arrest (ibid.). The VHRN representative also said that Article 258 is sometimes invoked to punish dissidents (27 Feb. 2014). This article states: Article 258.- Abusing democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the State, the legitimate rights and interests of organizations and/or citizens Those who abuse the rights to freedom of speech, freedom of press, freedom of belief, religion, assembly, association and other democratic freedoms to infringe upon the interests of the State, the legitimate rights and interests of organizations and/or citizens, shall be subject to warning, non-custodial reform for up to three years or a prison term of between six months and three years. Committing the offense in serious circumstances, the offenders shall be sentenced to between two and seven years of imprisonment. (Vietnam 1999, Art. 258) Several human rights organizations report on the use of Article 258 to imprison people who have peacefully criticized the government (AI Nov. 2013, 9; Human Rights Watch 3 Mar. 2014; FIDH 4 Mar. 2014). AI explains that over time, "hundreds" of activists and human rights defenders in Vietnam "have been arrested, charged, detained or imprisoned through the use of restrictive laws, or spurious charges," and have faced prison terms ranging from two years to life imprisonment (AI Nov. 2013, 5). AI notes that as of the 2013 report, 75 people remained imprisoned for the "peaceful exercise" of freedom of expression (ibid.). Further information about the implementation of legislation punishing those who illegally exit the country or use fraudulent documents could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request. References Amnesty International (AI). November 2013. Silenced Voices. Prisoners of Conscience in Viet Nam. [Accessed 4 Mar. 2014] Human Rights Watch. 3 March 2014. "Vietnam: Relentless Prosecutions to Squelch Dissent." [Accessed 4 Mar. 2014] Federation internationale des ligues des droits de l'homme (FIDH). "Vietnam: Another Blogger Jailed for Denouncing Human Rights Violations." [Accessed 4 Mar. 2014] Vietnam. 1999. Penal Code. No. 15/1999/QH10. Sent to the Research Directorate by the Vietnam Human Rights Network, 27 February 2014. _____. 12 November 2013. Decree No. 167/2013/ND-CP Regulations on Sanction of Administrative Violation in Social Security, Order and Safety, Prevention and Fighting of Social Evils, Fire and Domestic Violence. Sent to the Research Directorate by the Vietnam Human Rights Network, 27 February 2014. Vietnam Human Rights Network (VHRN). 28 February 2014. Correspondence from a representative to the Research Directorate. _____. 27 February 2014. Correspondence from a representative to the Research Directorate. _____. N.d. "A Short Summary About the Vietnam Human Rights Network." [Accessed 3 Mar. 2014] XE. 3 March 2014a. "Currency Converter." [Accessed 3 Mar. 2014] _____. 3 March 2014b. "Currency Converter." [Accessed 3 Mar. 2014] _____. 3 March 2014c. "Currency Converter." [Accessed 3 Mar. 2014] _____. 3 March 2014d. "Currency Converter." [Accessed 3 Mar. 2014] _____. 3 March 2014e. "Currency Converter." [Accessed 3 Mar. 2014] _____. 3 March 2014f. "Currency Converter." [Accessed 3 Mar. 2014] _____. 3 March 2014g. "Currency Converter." [Accessed 3 Mar. 2014] _____. 3 March 2014h. "Currency Converter." [Accessed 3 Mar. 2014] _____. 3 March 2014i. "Currency Converter." [Accessed 3 Mar. 2014] Additional Sources Consulted Oral sources: Attempts to reach representatives of the following organizations were unsuccessful within the time constraints of this Response: Radio Free Asia. A professor at the University of New South Wales, an international human rights lawyer and a representative of Boat People SOS were unable to provide information. Internet sites, including: Boat People SOS; ecoi.net; Factiva; International Crisis Group; Radio Free Asia; UN - Development Programme, Integrated Regional Information Networks, Refworld; US - Department of State. Viet Nam : Living conditions and treatment of educated adult women relocated to Hanoi (2013) Publisher Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada Publication Date 24 January 2014 Citation / Document Symbol VNM104737.FE Related Document(s) Viet Nam : information sur les conditions de vie et le traitement reserve a une femme majeure et eduquee qui se relocaliserait a Hanoi (2013) Cite as Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Viet Nam : Living conditions and treatment of educated adult women relocated to Hanoi (2013), 24 January 2014, VNM104737.FE, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56d801724.html [accessed 22 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa 1. General Situation In correspondence sent to the Research Directorate, a professor of anthropology at the University of Copenhagen, who researches sexual and reproductive health and its role in the formation of social connections in Viet Nam, states that a woman living alone in the country "can do almost anything on her own with very few formal restrictions" (Professor 23 Jan. 2014). According to Freedom House, women generally have the same access to education as men and are treated similarly in the Vietnamese legal system (2013). Nevertheless, Freedom House adds that, although economic opportunities have grown for women, they continue to face discrimination in wages and promotion (2013). In correspondence with the Research Directorate, a Ph.D. student at the University of Amsterdam, who studies issues related to gender and sexuality in Viet Nam and who also runs an NGO dedicated to public health issues in the country, stated that there are no restrictions preventing single, divorced or widowed women from living alone in Viet Nam, especially in Hanoi (Ph.D. student 23 Jan. 2014). However, she specified that divorced or widowed women may have more difficulties because they may lose some benefits to which they had access because of their spouse, such as access to land and housing (ibid.). According to a report by the World Bank that cites a 2009 household survey, "[m]any more women appear to be living on their own than men"; according to the survey, women make up 67 percent of single person households and this likelihood increases with age, particularly after 65 (World Bank 2011, 41). The report adds however that many of these women are widows and that households headed by widows tend to be among the poorest in the country (ibid.). Information that corroborates the information provided by the World Bank report could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. 2. Relocation According to the Ph.D. student, women and men can generally relocate freely within Viet Nam, as long as they have their identity card, which enables them to register in a new town (23 Jan. 2014). During a telephone interview with the Research Directorate, an assistant professor of anthropology at Seattle University, who researches women and gender-related issues in Viet Nam, also stated that women may relocate within Viet Nam, but that their particular situations will have an impact on the challenges that they will face (Assistant Professor 21 Jan. 2014). She mentioned in particular that a woman's economic situation, having children, and the reason for relocating may have an impact (ibid.). She also explained that people who try to relocate usually rely on the help of people around them, particularly to find accommodations and work (ibid.). According to her, educated women are at an advantage in that respect (ibid.). Similarly, the Ph.D. student stated that a woman's level of education and economic independence will have an impact on her ability to relocate and on the resources available to her; the Ph.D. student stated that with limited financial means, a woman may have no other choice than to live in an area that is less safe (23 Jan. 2014). According to a briefing note published in 2011 by UN Women, the majority of internal migrants in Viet Nam are women; the majority of those women are unmarried and around 65 percent of them are between 15 and 24 years old (UN 6 Dec. 2011). According to UN Women, "[m]any female migrants earn much less on average than non-migrant women and much less than all men" (ibid.). UN Women also states that all male and female migrants are more vulnerable to physical and psychological violence because of their isolation, weak social networks and lack of access to legal protection (ibid.). According to the Ph.D. student, a poor woman could become a victim of human trafficking or be forced to become a prostitute (23 Jan. 2014). The Assistant Professor also stated that some women who move and have limited resources turn to prostitution (Assistant Professor 20 Jan. 2014). The Assistant Professor stated that it could be easier for a woman to relocate to Hanoi than elsewhere in the country because there are more social movements (ibid.). According to her, it would be more difficult for a woman to relocate and live alone in the smaller cities or in the rural areas (ibid.). However, according to the Ph.D. student, there are few government social programs or NGO initiatives for women who migrate towards cities like Hanoi (Ph.D. student 23 Jan. 2014). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. According to Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2012 published by the US Department of State, a system of household registration and block wardens monitor the population (US 19 Apr. 2013, 6). The Assistant Professor also mentioned the existence of the registry and specified that it is mandatory to register with the local authorities; according to her, people can be tracked "very easily" in Viet Nam (Assistant Professor 20 Jan. 2014). She also stated that each locality has a representative in charge who wants to stay informed regarding the residents, and that individuals may have to be interviewed by such a representative in order to obtain permission to relocate (ibid.). 3. Treatment of Relocated Women The Professor stated that the normative constraints imposed on women can be "massive," and that "[w]omen who fail to live up to social norms and expectations risk being ignored and excluded [] [which] can be much more damaging to a person than having difficulties earning an income" (Professor 23 Jan. 2014). The Professor stated that being accepted into a new social community "depends on being part of existing social networks, being connected to people who will 'introduce' one to others" (ibid.). The Assistant Professor stated that women who live alone, whether they are single or divorced, are generally poorly perceived in Viet Nam (Assistant Professor 20 Jan. 2014). She explained that single women will not talk about their personal life in order to avoid gossip about them; she stated that she knows women who do not go out, except to go to work, to escape "incessant questioning" about their personal life (ibid.). The Assistant Professor added, however, that these conditions are changing and that the situation is different in the cities where the people do not necessarily know their neighbours (ibid.). She also stated that it was generally more accepted that women choose to live alone, especially those belonging to the uppermiddle class (ibid.). Similarly, an article published in May 2012 by Viet Nam News, "the national English language daily in Viet Nam" (Viet Nam News N.d.), states that "[i]in modern Viet[n]am it is becoming more and more common for young women to live alone" (Viet Nam News 1 May 2012). The article adds that "[t]raditional modes of thinking are losing their hold on young minds, and people now don't necessarily sneer at women who choose to stay single" (ibid.). This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request. References Assistant Professor of anthropology, Seattle University. 20 January 2014. Telephone interview with the Research Directorate. Freedom House. 2013. "Vietnam." Freedom in the World 2013. [Accessed 22 Jan. 2013] Ph.D. student, University of Amsterdam. 23 January 2014. Correspondence sent to the Research Directorate. Professor of anthropology, University of Copenhagen. 23 January 2014. Correspondence sent to the Research Directorate. United Nations (UN). December 6, 2011. Factsheet Briefing on Gender Issues in Migration and Urbanisation as They Relate to Poverty. Produced by UN Women as a supplementary briefing for the consultative group meeting. [Accessed 17 Jan. 2013] United States (US) 19 April 2013. "Vietnam." Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2012. [Accessed 17 Jan. 2013] Viet Nam News. 1 May 2012. Trung Hieu. "Unmarried Women No Longer on the Shelf". [Accessed 17 Jan. 2013] _____. N.d. "About Us." [Accessed 20 Jan. 2013] World Bank. 2011. VietNam Country Gender Assessment. [Accessed 17 Jan. 2013] Additional Sources Consulted Oral sources: Center for Legal Research on Human and Citizen Rights; Centre for Women and Development; Hagar Vietnam; Hanoi International Women's Club; Institute for Family and Gender Studies; Professor of Sociology, University of Bonn; Professor of Women's and Gender Studies, Rutgers University; Research Centre for Gender and Development; Research Centre for Gender, Family and Environment in Development; Research Centre for Human and Citizen's Rights; Research officer, Overseas Development Institute, United Kingsom; Vietnam National University - Center for Women's Studies; Vietnam Women's Union; Vietnamese Institute for Human Rights. Internet sites, including: ActionAid; Agence japonaise de cooperation internationale; Le Courier du Vietnam; Factiva; International Centre for Research on Women; International Women's Rights Action Watch; Musee des femmes du Vietnam; Le Nouvel Observateur; Sexual Violence Research Initiative; Southeast Asia Resource Action Center; Thanh Nien; United Kingdom - Foreign & Commonwealth Office, Home Office; United Nations - United Nations Fund for Women, Millenium Development Goals Achievement Fund, World Health Organization, UN Women, Refworld; United States - Department of State; University of California Berkeley Library - Vietnam Women's Studies Bibliography; University of Iowa - Women Studies Resources; University of Toronto Law Library - Women's Human Rights Resources Database; Viet Nam - Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Public Security; The Voice of Vietnam. Viet Nam: Protection and services provided by the state and NGOs to adult women victims of rape or incest (2010-2013) Publisher Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada Publication Date 24 January 2014 Citation / Document Symbol VNM104736.FE Related Document(s) Viet Nam : information sur la protection et les services offerts par l'Etat et les ONG aux femmes majeures victimes de viol ou d'inceste (2010-2013) Cite as Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Viet Nam: Protection and services provided by the state and NGOs to adult women victims of rape or incest (2010-2013), 24 January 2014, VNM104736.FE, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56d802354.html [accessed 22 October 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa 1. Statistics Information on the number of rape or incest cases reported in the country could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2010, published by the US Department of State, reports that there is "no information available on the extent" of rape cases in Viet Nam (US 8 Apr. 2011, 36). 2. Legislation 2.1 Rape Country Reports for 2012 notes that rape, including spousal rape, is criminalized in Viet Nam (US 19 Apr. 2013, 34). The Penal Code of Viet Nam states that [translation] "any person who uses violence, threatens to use violence or takes advantage of the victim's state of being unable for self-defense or resorts to other methods in order to have sexual intercourse with the victim against the latter's will shall be sentenced to between two and seven years of imprisonment" (Viet Nam 1999, Art. 111.1). In some aggravating circumstances, namely, in rape cases of an incestuous nature, the code provides for 7 to 15 years of imprisonment (ibid., Art. 111.2). In addition, the Code provides for [translation] "between 12 and 20 years of imprisonment," "life imprisonment" or "capital punishment" if the rape causes significant harm or death to the victim (ibid., Art. 111.3). The Code adds that [translation] "[t]he offender may be banned from holding certain posts, practicing certain occupations or doing certain jobs for one to five years" (ibid., Art. 111.5). Country Reports for 2012 states that the Vietnamese government has not published arrest, prosecution or conviction statistics for rape cases (US 19 Apr. 2013, 34). 2.2 Incest According to the penal code, [translation] "[t]hose who have sexual intercourse with other persons of direct blood lines, with sisters or brothers born of common parents, with half-brothers or half-sisters, shall be sentenced to between six months and five years of imprisonment" (ibid., Art. 150). An article published in the scientific journal Culture, Health & Sexuality: An International Journal for Research, Intervention and Care about the disclosure of rape within kin groups, states that the Vietnamese concept of incest includes people related by adoption or marriage within three generations of the family (Huong 16 May 2012, 42). Corroborating or further information on incest and rape could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints for this Response. 3. Protection Measures In correspondence sent to the Research Directorate, a Ph.D. student at the University of Amsterdam who studies issues related to gender, sexuality and violence in Viet Nam, and who also runs an NGO dedicated to public health issues, including those concerning sexuality, stated that victims of sexual assault, including victims of rape or incest, as well as their family, can file a complaint directly with the police (23 Jan. 2014). Country Reports for 2012 states that "[a]uthorities reportedly prosecuted rape cases fully" (US 19 Apr. 2013, 34). However, the Ph.D. student states that, depending on the circumstances, the police and the local authorities are not always willing to intervene in cases of sexual assault (Ph.D. student 23 Jan. 2014). According to the Ph.D. student, the authorities can respond "slowly" when the victim comes from a poor and disadvantaged family or if she is divorced or a single mother (ibid.). She explained that, although society and the authorities generally condemn perpetrators of sexual assault, the victims can be treated differently based on how they are perceived; this perception depends particularly on their lifestyle and their behaviour (ibid.). Similarly, in correspondence with the Research Directorate, a professor of Anthropology at the University of Copenhagen, who researches sexual and reproductive health and its role in the establishment of social connections in Viet Nam, stated that there is a "strong tendency to blame the victim [of the sexual violence]" (Professor of Anthropology 23 Jan. 2014). With respect to incest, the Ph.D. student stated that it is "very taboo" in Viet Nam and that a number of victims and their families choose not to report these cases (23 Jan. 2014). Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. 4. Support Services In an analysis of services provided in Viet Nam to address gender-based violence [GBV], the US Agency for International Development (USAID) states that [US English version] "GBV services are extremely limited in Vietnam" (US Mar. 2012, 8). The Ph.D. student also stated that there are "very few resource[s]" in the country for victims of sexual assault, including rape (Ph.D. student 23 Jan. 2014). She stated that in rural regions in particular, women have access to few or almost no resources (ibid.). Similarly, the Professor of anthropology stated that "[s]ocial assistance of any kind to victims of sexual assault is extremely limited" (Professor of anthropology 23 Jan. 2014). According to her, "[a] woman who is traumatized due to a sexual assault will most likely have to find her own ways of recovering, without any social assistance"; she added that "[the victim runs] a risk of being further humiliated/excluded if she discloses her problems and seeks help" (ibid.). Nevertheless, the USAID analysis reports that specialized services are available in two hospitals in Hanoi and in a [US English version] "limited number" of communes in the vicinity of these hospitals (US Mar. 2012, 8). In addition, the report states that there are other programs that are partly managed by government organizations, but that "almost all are small in scale, scattered across the country" (ibid.). According to the Ph.D. student, there is no one-stop centre that provides services specifically for victims of sexual assault (Ph.D. student 23 Jan. 2014). She states that there are some hotlines, but notes that these hotlines have instead been put in place to prevent human trafficking and domestic violence (ibid.). According to the Ph.D. student, there are also some small shelters for young women in Ho Chi Minh City who have been victims of sexual abuse, as well as a shelter called Peace House, in Hanoi, for women who are victims of domestic violence and human trafficking; this shelter is operated by the Center for Women and Development of the Vietnam Women's Union (ibid.). The Ph.D. student also stated that there are local and international NGOs and lawyers who specialize in gender-related issues (ibid.). Country Reports for 2012 also states that NGOs affiliated with the Women's Union are engaged in women's issues, particularly those concerning violence against women (US 19 Apr. 2013, 35). Information on the services provided by the NGOs or the government to women victims of rape or incest could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request. References Huong, Ngyuyen Thu. 16 May 2012. "Rape Disclosure: the Interpaly of Gender, Culture and Kinship in Contemporary Vietnam." Culture, Health & Sexuality : An International Journal for Research, Intervention and Care. Vol. 14, Sup.1. [Accessed 17 Jan. 2013] Ph.D. student, University of Amsterdam. 23 January 2014. Correspondence sent to the Research Directorate. Professor of Anthropology, University of Copenhagen. 23 January 2014. Correspondence sent to the Research Directorate. United States (US) 19 April 2013. "Vietnam." Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2012. [Accessed 17 Jan. 2013] _____. March 2012. United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Analyse des services d'action contre les violences basees sur le genre dans trois pays. [Accessed 17 Jan. 2013] _____. 8 April 2011. "Vietnam." Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2010. [Accessed 24 Jan. 2013] Viet Nam. 1999. Penal Code of Viet Nam. [Accessed 17 Jan. 2013] Additional Sources Consulted Publications: Gender-Based Violence in Viet Nam: Strengthening the Response by Measuring and Acting on the Social Determinants of Health; The Politics of Gender and Social Protection in Viet Nam: Opportunities and Challenges for a Transformative Approach. Oral sources: Assistant Professor of Anthropology, Seattle University; Research officer, Institute of Development Studies, United Kingdom. The Hanoi International Women's Club was unable to provide information within the time constraints of this Response. Attempts to contact the following persons and organizations were unsuccessful: Assistant Professor of Anthropology, College of the Holy Cross, Massachusetts; Center for Legal Research on Human and Citizen Rights; Centre for Women and Development; Hagar Vietnam; Institute for Family and Gender Studies; Professor of Anthropology, Tulane University; Professor of Public Health, Tulane University; Professor of Sociology, Universite de Bonn; Professor of Women's and Gender Studies, Rutgers University; Research Centre for Gender and Development; Research Centre for Gender, Family and Environment in Development; Research Centre for Human and Citizen's Rights; Research officer, Overseas Development Institute; Vietnam Women's Union; Vietnamese Institute for Human Rights; Vietnam National University - Center for Women's Studies. Internet sites, including: ActionAid; Agence japonaise de cooperation internationale; Le Courrier du Vietnam; ecoi.net; Factiva; International Centre for Research on Women; International Women's Rights Action Watch; Musee des femmes du Vietnam; Le Nouvel Observateur; Sexual Violence Research Initiative; Southeast Asia Resource Action Center; Thanh Nien; University of California Berkeley Library - Vietnam Women's Studies Bibliography; University of Iowa - Women Studies Ressources; University of Toronto Law Library - Women's Human Rights Resources Database; United Kingdom - Home Office, Foreign & Commonwealth Office; United Nations - United Nations Development Fund for Women, Millennium Development Goals Achievement Fund, UN Women, Refworld; Viet Nam - Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Labour - Invalids and Social Affairs, Ministry of Public Security, National Committee for the Advancement of Women in Vietnam; Voice of Vietnam; World Bank; World Health Organization. When the NIH posted the protocol for its study on ME/CFS, it was immediately met with a storm of protest. First, the protocol used the d... What you need to know about Powerball and the $580 million jackpot Between post-election yawns Wednesday morning, I practiced. President Trump. President Trump. President Trump. I never could get the hang of it. More than 757,000 Texans voted for Donald John Trump, who finished second to home state favorite Ted Cruz. Trump's performance Tuesday was super; he won seven primaries. That's not the scary part. It's that he won in Alabama and Georgia and Tennessee and Virginia and Arkansas. Jefferson Davis hasn't stopped rolling over. General William T. Sherman would be envious. Adding his Texas total to those states, Trump got some 2.5 million Southern votes. A thrice-married, New York City-born billionaire who's way more red carpet than redneck. Put your money on the Cubs and self-driving cars. Unless forces unite behind one of the challengers, you can bet your rump that The Donald will be the Republican nominee come November. Bernie Sanders countered Hillary Clinton's bid to change her name to Capitol Hill with four wins that included Vermont surprise! and Colorado. There likely were some dudes in Colorado who really believed they were voting for Col. Sanders. Sanders also won in Minnesota, which prepared for the new millennium in 1999 by electing wrestler Jesse Ventura as governor. Minnesota Republicans didn't drink the Trump Kool-Aid, going for Marco Rubio. Trump was third. THIRD! You can hear him now. No leadership up there, just a bunch of go-fers. He personally will move the Vikings to Montana. A small piece of land he bought three years ago. At the watch party for Michael Bob Starr, the TV was on in the corner and was showing 'The Muppets.' To pass the time waiting for early voting results, some of us were matching Muppet and 'Sesame Street' characters to candidates. There are so many. Puppets and politicians. No surprise which candidate is Miss Piggy. She was in a scene arguing with Animal. Yes, that would be Trump. But he also is part Oscar the Grouch, part Count von Count, part Cookie Monster. And he likes it. Bernie is Fozzie Bear and Ben Carson, of course, is Beaker. Next to him we saw Abby Carly Cadabby. Cruz is Gonzo. The green frog? Someone said if cute counts, then Kermit is Rubio. No one said it because we already have forgotten about him, but I kinda think Big Bird is Jeb Bush. At the very least, both names have seven characters. Was it Jimmy Buffett who sang 'if we couldn't laugh we would all go insane?' Speaking of which, it is interesting that presidential candidates who pulled out of the race weeks ago still got votes on election day. That could suggest either extreme loyalty but most likely these were votes against Trump, and maybe even Cruz. A co-worker, whose name will not be made public because he is an avowed Democrat, said that for the first time in his life, he voted Republican. On Tuesday, he crossed into enemy terror-tory to vote against Trump. He may have been one of the 1,708 Texans who voted for Lindsey Graham. Of course, the real drama Tuesday night was provided by the local races. Due to better-than-usual voter turnout hooray! and slow updates of totals, the outcomes of some races were not clear for hours. We had James Hicks and Joel Wilks neck and neck for DA. We had Brad Birchum holding a narrow lead over Dale Morrison. Hicks prevailed by less than 500 votes for the win, while Morrison surged late to edge Birchum. They'll have to reload for a runoff. Susan King grabbed the lead for Senate District 24, but could she survive returns from the southern end of the district and, if so, who would be her runoff opponent? She survived and will face runner-up Dawn Buckingham in late May. That says something, guys ... two women duking it out. Could Stan Lambert stay above 50 percent of the vote for House District 71 and avoid a runoff? He did, but he also has a Democrat opponent in November. Yes, a Democrat in Pierce LoPachin. Starr for hours led the 19th Congress race, but everyone knew Lubbock area results were not in. Could he hang on to stay in a runoff? Alas, he did not, as Glen Robertson and Jodey Arrington pulled the most votes. Still, for a last-minute campaign, the retired Air Force colonel showed well and did Taylor County proud. Background music barely could be heard at his watch party, but one song was 'The Morning After.' 'There's got to be a morning after/If we can hold on through the night.' And so, the morning after the politi-nuts replayed Tuesday night and analyzed the results. Other folks declared their independence from all things political and celebrated what occurred March 2, 1836, at Washington-on-the-Brazos. It was then that a group of men gathered around the TV in the corner and decided that Bert and Ernie were the Muppets best suited for Sam Houston and David Burnet and they were determined to make Texas great again. Gen. Santa Anna? No Muppets for him. Elmo signing off. Twitter: @GregJaklewicz Chief U.S. District Judge Jorge A. Solis sentenced Ruben Soliz of Abilene to five years in federal prison on Wednesday, after he pleaded guilty in December 2015 to possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine. According to a media release, U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas announced Soliz, 24, sentence. Soliz reportedly admitted he sold one ounce of methamphetamine to someone in April 2014, according to court documents. Also charged in the case were Abilene residents Andrew Dean Cruz, 30, and Roberto Carlos Villarreal, 31, and Richard Louis Martinez, 27, of San Angelo, who each pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Cruz and Villarreal received 11-year sentences and Martinez received 10 years. According to court documents, Cruz, Villarreal and Martinez reportedly conspired to distribute methamphetamine Nov. 1, 2013 through Aug. 18, 2014 in the Abilene area. Cruz reportedly distributed the methamphetamine from his residence, which was within 1000 feet of Ortiz Elementary School in Abilene. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's, Homeland Security Investigations and the Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division investigated the case, as Assistant U.S. Attorney Juanita Fielden led the prosecution. Incident reports released Wednesday by the Abilene Police Department: Burglary, 4400 block of Crawford Drive, Tuesday Police said someone broke into a business and its ATM, causing $6,000 in damage. Credit card abuse, 400 block of Pecan Street, Tuesday A woman told police that someone stole and used her debit card in Florida. Theft, 6300 block of Memorial Drive, Tuesday Police said someone stole political signs of Gary Young. Theft, 1700 block of East Overland Trail, Tuesday A man told police that a woman stole his wallet with a large amount of cash after spending the night with him at a motel. Abilene Police Chief Stan Standridge is a busy man, shuffling from meeting to meeting and doing "six hours worth of paperwork" each day. But he took a break from his hectic schedule to visit with a first grade class Wednesday afternoon at Martinez Elementary to inspire them to read. Standridge, who has previously helped the school celebrate the weeklong Read Across America program, sponsored by the National Education Association, was one of a handful of celebrity readers who sat down with students at the school for this year's version. According to the event organizer, Assistant Principal Mary Gonzalez, efforts like the one given by Standridge only help the students who the readers address. "We're trying to focus on reading and inspiring the students to read as much as they can," Gonzalez said. Standridge, who also revealed himself to the students as both Batman and Superman due to his crime fighting belt and bulletproof vest, read the story "Officer Buckle and Gloria," by Peggy Rathman to Elizabeth Burton's first grade class. The story focuses on safety, as Officer Buckle attempts to inform citizens of Napville to no avail. He gets a police dog, Gloria, who helps him teach safety, though the four-legged friend upstages the officer in presentation. Gonzalez said she picked the story for Standridge because of its subject matter, though some of the readers throughout the week bring their own books with them to share. Cathy Ashby, executive director of United Way of Abilene, read to a first grade class Wednesday morning from her own selection, Gonzalez said. No matter who chooses the book or the message found inside, the idea is to inspire in the students the love of reading, Martinez Principal Michael Garcia said. Garcia, who also read Wednesday, said reading is power in all forms of education. That's the reason the school is pushing literacy. "Reading is the foundation for everything we do in education," he said. "We're proud of our kids for reading as they do. But if we're strong in reading, we'll be strong across the board." A series of young reader books about the Civil War set Janis Test on a lifetime path of reading and digging into history, two passions she delves into almost daily. On Thursday, Test will be honored for her dedication to preserving local history when she receives the Perini Award at an annual dinner of the Taylor County Historical Commission. Deadline to purchase tickets has passed for the dinner, which will be held at the Elks Building. Among the guests will be a number of friends and family, including her son and daughter who live in the Dallas area. "And, they're bringing my grandson," Test said. The Perini Award is named for the late Maxine Perini. Her son, Tom, caters the dinner and was recipient of the award last year. Anita Lane-McBride, chairwoman of the historical commission, said the commission relies on volunteers such as Test to do vital work such as research for state historical markers. "Janis is a wonderful example of someone who is ready, willing and able to help our group, Lane-McBride said in an email. "She is a master at getting details that others have missed." Test's most recent project was assisting a member of Antioch C.M.E. Church in researching the church's history for a marker. The marker is in the process of being approved by the Texas Historical Commission. She also researched records for a marker at the Wooten Hotel. Lane-McBride said Test never has failed to find the information requested for a project. "Her ability to research and find what we are looking for is uncanny," Lane-McBride wrote. Test's paying job, information services manager for the Abilene Public Library, requires her to do some kind of research on a daily basis. She's obviously good at that, too. Test and Marie Noe, customer service manager at the library, have worked together for years. Noe said Test was instrumental in starting the Texas Collection at the library, which consists of books and other materials related to anything about Texas. "It really is a very nice collection," Noe said. "She's diligent worker." A lot of people in the Abilene area will remember Test from her days as a radio reporter at the former KORQ station and a television reporter for KTXS-TV and later KTAB-TV. But she prefers being knee-deep in the library, helping people with research. "I was dead set on being a librarian from Day 1," she said. That love came naturally to Test. Her mother's great-aunt Elizabeth Howard West was a librarian for the Library of Congress, Texas State Library and the Carnegie Library in San Antonio. According to the Handbook of Texas Online, when West was named state librarian in 1918, she became the first woman in Texas to head a department in state government. In 1925, West was named librarian at Texas Tech, two years after the school was founded. Test's mother wanted to be a librarian, but that wasn't an option when she attended the College of Mines and Metallurgy, now the University of Texas at El Paso. Test got to do what her mother had wanted to do, earning a master's degree in library science from the University of North Texas. Her bachelor's degree from UNT was in history. In July 1980, Test found her first library job in Abilene, not too far from her hometown of Odessa. The only job available was in technical services, which meant hand-entering acquisitions information on every new book at the library. Test, more of a "people person," decided to move on after three years. People kept telling her she had a natural radio voice, so she followed that path to KORQ, where she first was a news reporter and later the only reporter, editor and anchor at the station. "Turned out that I enjoyed it," she said. Test worked in radio and television until 1997, when an opportunity opened to return to the Abilene Public Library. She worked first in public services, then was head of reference, and now is information services manager. About the same time that Test returned to the library, she became a member of the Taylor County Historical Commission, an outlet for a second love, history. In her spare time, she combines the love of reading with the love of history, and she does so with the instincts of a librarian who spends a lot of time conducting historical research. "I read historical fiction," she said, "with a critical eye." Heavy voter turnout in several area counties made for a late night counting votes. In Mitchell County, extra ballots had to be printed for the Republican primary and counted by hand. In Jones County, people still were standing in line waiting to vote well after the polls closed at 7 p.m. The same thing happened at several voting centers in Abilene. Here are some late returns from the area: In the Haskell County Republican primary, Bill Hester outpolled Fritz Buerger 211 votes to 69 to win the nomination for Precinct 1 commissioner. He won't have a Democratic opponent in the November general election. For a two-year unexpired term as Precinct 2 commissioner, Republicans gave Scott Langford the nod over Dale Carroll 111 to 90. Langford will face Democrat Elmer Adams in the general election. In Mitchell County, a runoff between Jesse Munoz and Kenny Gillespie will be necessary to decide the Republican nominee for Precinct 3 commissioner. Munoz led the race with 144 votes to 121 for Gillespie and 83 for Brandon Hoback. The winner of the May 24 runoff won't have an opponent in the general election. Feel the Bern Hillary Clinton was the favorite among Big Country Democrats for their party's nomination as president, as she was in the state overall. Her rival, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, however, managed to carry two of 20 area counties. Sanders beat Clinton 104 to 86 in Callahan County and 28 to 22 in Kent County. In the Republican primary for president, Sen. Ted Cruz easily was the top vote-getter. Donald Trump finished second in all 20 Big Country counties. State rep races Mike Lang, of Granbury, will succeed Jim Keffer, of Eastland, as District 60 state representative. Lang defeated Hood County banker Kevin Downing in Tuesday's Republican primary and won't face a Democratic opponent in the general election. Lang received 20,287 votes (54 percent) to 17,416 for Downing. Keffer has served the district, which includes the Big Country counties of Brown, Callahan, Coleman, Eastland, Shackelford and Stephens, since 1997. In the neighboring 59th District, J.D. Sheffield, of Gatesville, was elected to his third term as representative over Brent Graves, of Stephenville. Sheffield received 15,373 votes (62 percent) to 9,564 for Graves. District 59 includes the Big Country counties of Comanche, Erath and Mills. Coming to grips Susan King came out on top in Tuesday's primary contest and is now heading toward a runoff with Austin physician Dawn Buckingham. Most of King's work will involve convincing those in the populous southern portion of District 24 that she's right for the job, said Paul Fabrizio, a political science professor at McMurry University. To Fabrizio, King's situation points to a larger problem that Abilene "is really going to have to come to grips with." Namely, that "we are really the stepsister in these elections." "The population centers are not here in Abilene," he said. "So these big districts, both this one and the congressional district, are both designed so that Abilene is not the center. So a candidate really can't focus on just doing well in Abilene. They have to go out." That same sort of equation may have hurt former Dyess Air Force Base commander Michael Bob Starr in his quest to win Congressional District 19, Fabrizio speculated. Starr, well-known in Abilene, missed the chance to participate in a runoff, earning 21.41 percent of the vote to Glen Robertson's 26.74 percent and Jodey Arrington's 25.96 percent. Impressive campaign Fabrizio said he found it impressive that Stan Lambert, a candidate for District 71 state representative, earned 51.92 percent of the vote, avoiding a runoff. "That's hard to do in a multicandidate field," Fabrizio said. It's also impressive, he said, given that Lambert was on the Abilene Independent School District board when former Superintendent Heath Burns left the district and subsequently pleaded guilty to failure to report child abuse by a professional and possession of a controlled substance by fraud. Burns was made to turn over his Texas educator certificate in addition to being sentenced to three years of probation and a $1,000 fine. "It's impressive when you think about the difficulty that the Abilene school board had a year and a half ago," Fabrizio said. "He was on the board, yet he seemed to overcome that and avoid a runoff and get the slot. He ran a good campaign." Confusion coming? A potential wrinkle for some candidates who made it to a runoff is the timing of the election May 24, with early voting starting the week before. The city of Abilene will conduct an election for City Council, while the Abilene Independent School District has its own election for trustees. Both elections are May 7. Fabrizio said he worried that there would be voter confusion and voter fatigue because of the proximity of the elections. "That is asking a lot of voters," he said. "And I think that's going to hurt those who are going to be in that runoff election." Last word Overhead at Susan King's watch party from Dr. Virginia Boyd Connally, Abilene's first female physician, as a woman was suggesting it was time to leave: "I'm 103 years old, and she's telling me it's time to go home?" Welcome to Line Danci Read more [...] The gun craze that stampeded legislators into requiring public colleges and universities to allow handguns on campus and in classrooms already has upset faculty members and students who opposed it. At the University of Texas at Austin, a mile from the Capitol, the new law is already causing the loss of the dean of the School of Architecture. Fritz Steiner, at UT since 2001, is leaving Texas to be dean of the University of Pennsylvania School of Design. Steiner previously taught at Pennsylvania. Steiner said he wouldn't have considered the Pennsylvania job but for the new campus carry mandate that takes effect Aug. 1. 'I thought I would be responsible for enforcing a law I don't believe in,' Steiner said. Under the law, people with a Concealed Handgun License can carry a concealed gun on campuses. Supporters say it's necessary for self-defense, and is a constitutional right. The law passed the Republican-controlled Texas Legislature on May 29 The House voted 102-43 on a mostly party-line vote. The Senate passed it 20-11, with all Republicans supporting it and all Democrats opposing. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott signed it June 1 at an indoor gun range. UT's new president, Greg Fenves, who also dislikes the idea of guns on campus, nonetheless recently announced rules for where on the university grounds guns can be carried. Fenves, as others, has said that Texas' guns-on-campus addition will have a negative effect on UT's ability to recruit and retain top faculty members. But, he feels that as president of UT-Austin, his options are limited. There have been other examples bearing out Fenves' concerns about faculty beside Steiner heading for Pennsylvania. A finalist for the deanship of UT's School of Communications last fall asked that his name be removed from consideration for the job because of campus carry, the Austin American-Statesman recently reported. And in January, UT Professor Steven Weinberg, who won the Nobel Prize in physics in 1979, said at a UT faculty council meeting that he will ban handguns in his classroom. 'I will put it into my syllabus that the class is not open to students carrying guns,' Weinberg said, drawing sustained applause. 'I may wind up in court. I'm willing to accept that possibility.' He thinks guns will hamper free speech and undermine academic freedom. 'I am willing by my own actions to expose myself to this,' Weinberg said. 'Let's have it heard. We should allow the courts to decide it.' However, Steven Goode, chairman of the UT task force Fenves appointed to study the new law, said Weinberg's belief that free speech would eventually win out over the gun law in court 'is an illusion' and 'is an extraordinarily weak argument.' The task force had recommended banning guns in dormitories, and letting professors ban them in their offices, but said banning them in all classrooms went too far. President Fenves reluctantly agreed, despite his antipathy for handguns on campus. 'Under the law, I cannot adopt a policy that has the general effect of excluding licensed concealed handguns from campus,' Fenves said in an email to the UT community. 'I agree with the working group that a classroom exclusion would have this effect.' That said, Fenves isn't happy about what he feels compelled by the law to do. 'I do not believe handguns belong on a university campus,' Fenves said, 'so this challenge has been the greatest to my presidency to date.' It should be remembered that under the new law, concealed carry on university campuses requires a license, which you have to be 21 to get. So most students wouldn't be eligible. And almost 90 percent of students over 21 live off campus, so they would not impact university dorms. The powers that be at Texas' private universities apparently agree with Fenves' antipathy to guns on campus. The law allowed private universities to opt out of campus carry. And so far, every private institution that has taken a position, like Trinity, Southwestern, Rice and Texas Christian universities, have opted out. None have opted in. Texas Atty. Gen. Ken Paxton issued a nonbinding opinion Dec. 21 that concealed carry should be allowed in dormitories which Fenves' proposed ban would violate. Paxton hinted that if UT forbids guns in dorms, the state might take the university to court. Fenves has appointed a 24-member Campus Carry Implementation Task Force to recommend ways to navigate the shoals of the gun policies. Whatever recommendations Fenves adopts can be adjusted or rejected by a two-thirds vote of the UT Board of Regents. Email Dave McNeely at davemcneely111@gmail.com. The death of Antonin Scalia created a vacancy on the U.S. Supreme Court at a politically fraught moment the middle of a presidential campaign, and its outcome is impossible to predict. It has left Washington in one of those immovable standoffs between the president and Congress that offers no hope of a compromise. President Barack Obama says he intends to nominate a successor to Scalia, in keeping with his constitutional obligation. Senate Republicans say he should abstain and leave the selection to the next president, allowing voters to decide who should be entrusted with this fateful appointment. What makes the fight particularly intense is that replacing the very conservative Scalia with a liberal newcomer could determine the outcomes of many vital cases on gun rights, campaign finance, abortion and more. Democrats want to install their sort of justice while they still have the White House. Republicans hope to put the appointment off until next year in the hope that it will be made by a Republican president. Republican Leader Mitch McConnell says the Senate will provide any nominee with no confirmation hearings, no votes and no other action. Obama insists that the Senate has a duty to 'move quickly to debate and then confirm this nominee so that the court can continue to serve the American people at full strength.' Each side claims that history, tradition and common sense support its position, and neither is backing down. Yes, we're aware that each major party has played the opposite role when the power positions were reversed. If this spat, too, strikes you as a fight over politics disguised as a fight over constitutional principles Just tell me your party affiliation so I know where you stand on this then you're more than a little right. May we suggest that there is indeed a middle ground? Obama is fully entitled to name a replacement and the Senate is fully entitled to hold hearings, argue over the nomination and accept or reject it. The senators' constitutional responsibility is to 'advise and consent,' and that task includes the right to say: 'The people of our states have given us the power to confirm judicial appointees, and this one will not do.' What's the downside of affording Obama's candidate the full treatment before deciding his or her fate? The GOP believes the American people want a court that will follow a broad interpretation of the Second Amendment, allow state restrictions on abortion facilities, curb affirmative action and protect employers with religious objections from having to participate in the provision of contraceptives to their employees. Obama would prefer that the justices rule differently on those issues which means that whoever he chooses is not likely to satisfy the concerns of Republican senators. But there's no harm in conducting a full review of the nominee's record and subjecting him or her to hours of questioning about constitutional and legal issues. In fact, it could illuminate the importance, as the GOP sees it, of ensuring that any seats that open up during the next administration are filled by a Republican president. Stonewalling, by contrast, makes McConnell & Co. look mulish, to the advantage of Obama & Co. 'Democratic aides privately delighted over the prospect of cameras capturing a qualified nominee being turned away from the offices of top Republican leaders,' The Washington Post reports. 'They noted that no previous Supreme Court nominee has been denied a Senate hearing.' And who knows? If Obama knew his choice would get a normal review, he might select someone with a chance of winning over enough Republican senators to be confirmed. He might meet the loyal opposition part way. The court, both parties and the country might come out ahead. So the Senate should welcome a nomination, undertake a complete assessment of that person, and then make a decision that the American people can understand. Vote yes or vote no, but vote. Chicago Tribune Thursday is expected to be sunny with a high close to 72 with wind gusts as high as 25 mph and a clear nightly low near 43. This week the highs may peak in the 70s while the nights should stay in the 40s and 50s. There could be a 20 to 40 percent chance for showers Sunday through Wednesday. Your seven day forecast: Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 72. West northwest wind 5 to 15 mph becoming north northeast in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph. Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 43. North wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south southeast after midnight. Friday: Sunny, with a high near 79. Breezy, with a south wind 10 to 15 mph increasing to 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph. Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 53. South wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 77. South southwest wind around 10 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon. Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 56. East southeast wind around 10 mph. Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 7am. Partly sunny, with a high near 76. South wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 7pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 58. Breezy, with a south wind 15 to 20 mph. Monday: Partly sunny, with a high near 79. Breezy. Monday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 53. Tuesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 73. Breezy. Tuesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45. Wednesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 68. Features The character dates all the way back to A New Hope. Chinese nationals involved in an extortion scheme sit in a room after being apprehended in a raid on the Golden Crown Casino in Poipet, northwestern Cambodias Banteay Meanchey province, March 2, 2016. Cambodian authorities on Wednesday apprehended more than 100 Chinese who allegedly were involved in a scam to extort money from people in China during a raid on a casino in a northwestern border town, a Cambodian police official said Officers from Cambodias General Commissionaire of National Police in cooperation with Chinese police apprehended the suspects at the Golden Crown Casino in Poipet, a border town in Ou Chrov district of Banteay Meanchey province, said Sith Loh, deputy commissioner of the provinces criminal department. Authorities also confiscated several Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephones, mobile phones and other related technology during the raid on the casino, which is owned by Cambodian senator and business tycoon Kok An of the ruling Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP), according to local media reports. Police who conducted the raid, however, refused to provide further details about the arrests, although they confirmed that all those taken into custody were Chinese involved in using VoIP technology for online kidnapping or extortion. Authorities arrested about 40 of those they apprehended, who were wanted by Chinese police. They are now being sent to Phnom Penh from where they will be deported, local media reports said. The others were released after police confirmed that they had no open arrest warrants in China. Chinese scammers have used Cambodia as a base for years to extort money from their fellow citizens through Internet-based phone schemes. Cambodian authorities arrested a group of 168 Chinese nationals early last November in Sihanoukville province in the southwestern part of the country, nabbing them in a sting operation for using VoIP technology to extort money from hundreds of people back home. Those who were arrested were deported and put on a black list barring them from entering Cambodia in the future, according to a local media report. In August 2015, authorities arrested 22 Chinese nationals in southeastern Cambodias Svay Rieng province for operating a telephone-based scam. Reported by Hour Hum for RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Pagnawath Khun. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the opening of the fourth session of the 12th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Mar. 3, 2016. China's tightly controlled state media has widely hailed a song of praise to President Xi Jinping that for many recalls the glowing revolutionary anthems for the Chairman under the rule of late supreme leader Mao Zedong during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976). The upbeat song, similar to the style of Mao-era ditties like "Chairman Mao Is The Reddest Sun Burning In Our Hearts," is titled "How Should I Address You?" Based around a visit by the president, who is also the general secretary of the ruling Chinese Communist Party, to an ethnic minority Miao village, the lyrics say: "How should I address you, who have come thousands of miles to my home?" The verses are followed by a rousing chorus of the lines, "We are in your heart, and you are in ours. The ordinary people love you very deeply. We. Love. You." The song isn't the first pop anthem to laud China's president, who has cultivated an image of a fatherly man of the people, making heavily publicized visits to popular eateries for steamed buns, and at times even crying in public. Last year, "Daddy Xi Loves Mama Peng," a paean to China's first couple went viral on the Chinese Internet, to be followed by another song of praise, titled "If I'm To Marry, I Want It To Be to a Man Like Xi Dada." References to Chinese leaders are generally closely monitored and carefully censored on the country's Internet, and while the songs weren't obviously commissioned by the propaganda ministry, they dovetail neatly with attempts by Xi's administration to consolidate power in the president's hands and focus public attention on his image as a strong and lovable leader. Hunan provincial propaganda department chief Zhang Wenxiong told local media: "A lot of comrades who took part in the recording of this song told me that they cried when they heard it." "They really took it to heart, and they felt that it really was the voice of the people," he said. The video of the new pop song praises President Xi Jingping. RFA screen shot Widely picked up Since being aired by Hunan TV on the eve of Chinese New Year, "How Should I Address You?" has been widely picked up by other official media outlets and lauded for its beauty and ability to move listeners. "After [this song] was broadcast on Hunan TV, it went viral on the Internet and in chat groups and social media, bringing endless warmth to the start of the Year of Monkey," enthused an article on the People's Daily website. "With a rhythm that mimics the drums of the Miao people, the song sounds like one of their folk songs, catchy, and with a pretty tune that you just want to keep singing," it said. But Fujian-based netizen Zhuang Lei said he cringed when he heard the song. "This sort of political propaganda is about as far from the ordinary Chinese people as it is possible to get," Zhuang said. "They just want to lead a normal life." "We don't care who's in power at the top; we would just like to be able to express our innermost thoughts," he said. Unsurprisingly, the new red songs have swiftly been targeted by China's army of online satirists, with some posting edits of North Korean massed choirs and footage of Kim Jong Un making carefully staged visits to "ordinary people" to YouTube. And many of the comments left by netizens suggest that many are at least nauseated and at worst terrified by their implications. "Dying of nausea," wrote one commenter in Chinese on a YouTube edition of the song. "I nearly vomited," wrote another. Comments on the YouTube version of "If I Am To Marry," which isn't visible from the Chinese Internet without circumvention tools to get around the Great Firewall, were in a similar vein. "I really can't listen to any more of this; so nauseating!" wrote one commenter. Another added "Heil Xitler!" in an apparent reference to an online meme that used a manipulated image to merge Xi Jinpings name and face with those of Adolf Hitler. "If I am to marry, I will marry someone like Xi Dada, a man filled with a heroic and unyielding spirit," the song chirps, accompanied on YouTube by pictures of Xi reviewing columns of tanks and military hardware from a presidential limousine on Beijing's Chang'an Avenue. "He keeps going and won't give up, in spite of changes in the world and difficulties ahead," run the song lyrics. An unhealthy development Henan-based netizen Hou Shuai said such songs of praise aren't a healthy development for Chinese culture. "I don't see this as positive energy," he said, in a reference to a popular government catchphrase. "Actually, it's something quite perverse, and it's pretty nauseating," Hou told RFA in a recent interview. According to Shandong-based political commentator Zhang Enguang, the songs are part of a growing cult of loyalty that is forming around Xi, the first Chinese leader to be described in official propaganda as the "core" of the party since former president Jiang Zemin. "Xi Jinping likes to concentrate as much power in his own hands as possible, so he requires all of the factions he controls to support and praise him," he said. "We all know that songs praising Mao Zedong were ubiquitous during that era ... and there are similarities with today's China," he said. Zhang said that while the songs may not have been the brainchild of party propaganda officials, they are certainly welcomed and encouraged by them. "As soon as all power gets concentrated in the hands of a single person with no other power that can check or balance them, then you start to see songs of praise coming up from the ranks," Zhang said. Germany-based democracy activist Fei Liangyong said the songs are part of a growing personality cult around the president. "Even in the universities and research institutes, they are expected to support Xi Jinping fully," Fei said. "But I don't think it's conducive to China's development for one person to take the country down the road to dictatorship." "Once he has absolute power, then nobody will dare to oppose him at all," he said. Reported by Xin Lin for RFA's Mandarin Service, and by Ho Shan for the Cantonese Service. Translated and written in English by Luisetta Mudie. A Chinese man was killed and eight other people were injured this week in three near-simultaneous shootings about 125 miles north of the Lao capital of Vientiane, RFAs Lao Service has learned. On March 1, a shooting in Phoukhoun district in Luang Prabang province killed a Chinese man and injured three other Chinese nationals who were working for a logging company that is clearing land for the Nam Ngum 3 hydropower project, according to a retired soldier with high-ranking contacts and Lao authorities. On March first, a group of armed people shot the Chinese workers around 8 p.m. as they were logging in Viengkham village in Luang Prabang provinces Phoukhoun district, said the retired soldier who spoke on condition of anonymity. The shooting left one Chinese dead and three Chinese injured. The shooting comes as local villagers are becoming increasingly restive over construction of the dam on the Ngum River. It is unclear who carried out the shooting, but the dam has caused ill feelings in the area as it will uproot the local communities and destroy their way of life.Those feelings of ill will are exacerbated as the villagers are prohibited from cutting the timber themselves. The villagers disagree with the governments decision to have the Chinese to do the logging near their community, and they do not want to be removed from their homes, the retired soldier said. The conflict has taken place since last year. Dam building is at a fever pace on rivers throughout Southeast Asia. Laos has made hydroelectric power production a priority as the government wants the nation to become one of the top exporters of electricity in the region. On the same day as the shooting near the dam, what are described as bandits mounted two separate attacks on on a public bus and a truck traveling on Route 13 North also in the Phoukhoun district. Five were injured in those attacks and they are being treated in Luang Prabang hospital, health officials told RFA. One of the injured sent for treatment in Vientiane is a soldier in charge of security on the bus. He is now he is being treated at a military hospital in the capital city, according to authorities. Luang Prabang authorities told RFA that soldiers have been sent to hunt the bandits. Other attacks That shooting marks the second time in 2016 that people described as bandits have attacked a bus on Route 13. The road connects Vientiane to Luang Prabang in the north and roughly follows the line of the Mekong River down to the border with Cambodia. Unrest in the mountainous provinces in central Laos is nothing new, but recent violent incidents have made it difficult for the government to ignore because of the effect on local development and the lives of area residents. Major General Thongloy Silivong, a member of the Party Central Committee and former chief of the National Defense Academy, was appointed the new party secretary of nearby Xaysomboun province on Feb. 16. His selection is widely seen as a move to tamp down violence there. Lao authorities imposed a curfew in the north-central part of the province in early December after a spate of violence the previous month in which three government soldiers and three civilians were killed. Last month, a bomb blast at a road construction site near a work camp outside Pha Nok Kok village, Long Cheang district, killed two Chinese officials and injured a third, and forced work on the project to stop temporarily. Previously, soldiers defused another bomb on the same road in Namphanoy village on Dec. 30. Reported by RFA's Lao Service. Translated by Ounkeo Souksavanh. Written in English by Brooks Boliek. Aung San Suu Kyi (C), chairwoman of Myanmar's National League for Democracy party, attends the new lower house parliamentary session in Naypyidaw, Feb. 1, 2016. Myanmars National League for Democracy (NLD) party has set up new team to scrutinize questions and motions from its lawmakers before they introduce them in parliament to determine whether they should be submitted, an NLD legislator said Thursday. NLD chairwoman Aung San Suu Kyi on Tuesday asked the MPs to submit their proposals to their committees in advance, according to party rules, and seek permission from the NLD on party policy-related questions to ensure there are no deviations. As most MPs are new, they want to submit proposals, said Khin San Hlaing, an NLD lawmaker who is a member of the team. Because we were worried about not wasting parliaments time, we formed this team to review their proposals. Other team members include NLD legislators Aung Kyi Nyunt, Tin Tin Ye and Khin Maung Win. The move came about after NLD lawmaker Khin San Hlaing submitted an urgent proposal last week, requesting that the central government review a spate of hasty sell-offs of state assets. Information Minister Ye Htut opposed the request, calling it an accusation and defended the actions of the current government ministries. The NLD now dominates parliament with 390 lawmakers, following its landslide victory in last Novembers general elections. The NLD also is requiring its MPs to take English placement tests and courses, while lawmakers from other political parties have the option of doing so. We are taking on capacity-building courses [in English] because then we can send our MPs abroad without translators if they are invited or if we need to send them for something else, NLD lawmaker Zaw Myint Maung told RFAs Myanmar Service on Thursday. Chief ministers Also on Thursday, senior NLD member Win Htein, said the party would appoint its members as chief ministers of the countrys 14 states and regions, according to local media reports. But Sai Late, spokesman and general secretary of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) told a meeting of Shan organization on Thursday in the commercial capital Yangon that more ethnic minority MPs should be included in state government cabinets. The NLD has said it will appoint all chief ministers in states and divisions from within the NLD, he said at the meeting, which included representatives from the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army, Shan State Progress Party and Shan Youth Network. "It is according to law and it should be, but the NLD should include ethnic MPs as cabinet ministers," he said. The meeting participants also discussed recent fighting between armed ethnic groups in northern Myanmars Shan state, he said. Reported by Wai Mar Tun, Khin Khin Ei, and Zarni Htun of RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. Authorities in southwestern Chinas Sichuan province are pressuring the family of a Tibetan monk who burned himself to death on Monday to protest Chinese rule, ordering them to say the protester had died in a house fire, Tibetan sources in the region and in exile said. Kalsang Wangdu, a monk of the Maretsokha Aryaling monastery, self-immolated at around 4:00 p.m. on Feb. 29 near his monastery in the Kardze (in Chinese, Ganzi) Tibetan Autonomous Prefectures Nyagrong (Xinlong) county, sources told RFA in an earlier report. [While he burned], he called out for Tibets complete independence, one source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Witnesses to Wangdus protest gathered to put out the fire and quickly took him to a local hospital for treatment, a local source told RFAs Tibetan Service on Thursday. The Nyagrong county hospital could not handle his burns, though, and he passed away on the way to another hospital in [the provincial capital] Chengdu, RFAs source said. Family pressured Chinese police began immediately to intimidate the monks family, ordering them to tell others that Kalsang Wangu had been burned in a house fire, the source said, adding that the movements of local Tibetans have been tightly restricted following Wangdus protest. Wangdus remains are now in the possession of his family, the source said. As Wangdu had staged his protest in opposition to the policies and rule of Chinas government in Tibetan areas, the local authorities are making every effort to prevent news of the incident from reaching outside contacts, a second source said, speaking from exile in India and citing contacts in Kardze. They are blocking any access to the family by local people and even by relatives, the source said. Wangdus self-immolation brings to 144 the total number of burnings by Tibetans living in China since the wave of fiery protests calling for Tibetan freedom and the return of exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama began in 2009. Reported by Sonam Wangdu for RFAs Tibetan Service. Translated by Dorjee Damdul. Written in English by Richard Finney. Police in southwestern Chinas Sichuan province detained a young Tibetan woman this week after she staged a solitary protest in her township opposing Chinese policies in Tibetan areas, Tibetan sources said. Mangga, 33, was taken into custody shortly after noon on March 1 in Ngaba (in Chinese, Aba) countys Meruma township in the Ngaba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, a Tibetan living in exile told RFAs Tibetan Service. She had held up a photo of [exiled spiritual leader] the Dalai Lama and shouted slogans challenging Chinese policies, India-based monk Kanyak Tsering said, citing local sources. Chinese security officers quickly appeared and took her away, Tsering said, adding, No information is available concerning her current condition or place of detention. One of nine siblings, Mangga has a 14-year-old daughter named Gangga Lhamo, who was left at home when Mangga staged her protest, Tsering said. Her fathers name is Tsepe and her mothers name is Pema Kyi, he added. In trouble before Mangga had been in trouble with local authorities before, Tsering said. When Chinese authorities in 2008 ordered Tibetan residents of Ngaba to fly the Chinese national flag from their homes, Mangga refused, for which she was detained for eight months, Tsering said. She was held as a political prisoner and tortured, he said. Now, the presence of security forces [in Ngaba] has been strengthened, and the Internet is still blocked, even though local businesses have asked that those restrictions be lifted, he said. Ngabas Meruma township has been the scene of repeated protests in the past, with Chinese police detaining two Tibetan women, Woekar Kyi and Dorje Dolma, last August after the pair staged separate protests calling for Tibetan freedom, sources said in earlier reports. In December, two other Meruma residents were also taken into custodyone a student and the other a monkapparently on suspicion of involvement in activities opposing Beijings rule in Tibetan areas. Sporadic demonstrations challenging Chinese rule have continued in Tibetan-populated areas of China since widespread protests swept the region in 2008, with 144 Tibetans to date setting themselves on fire in China to oppose Beijings rule and call for the Dalai Lamas return. Reported by RFAs Tibetan Service. Translated by Karma Dorjee. Written in English by Richard Finney. Russia's ambassador to the United Nations claims that Moscow won protections for important economic projects in the drafting of tough new sanctions on North Korea. In remarks to reporters after the UN Security Council unanimously approved the tightened sanctions, Russian envoy Vitaly Churkin said he negotiated with the United States to ensure Russia can continue building a rail link from Khasan on Russia's east coast to the North Korean port of Rajin to deliver coal and other Russian exports to China and South Korea. "Like China, we also have certain economic interests which have nothing to do with North Korea's nuclear and missile program," Churkin said. "I am referring to a rather serious project of our Russian Railways Co., namely the construction of a railroad to North Korea that will be used to deliver Russian coal to some of China's southern regions and to South Korea," he said. As a result of Russia's effort to carve out the exemption, he said, the project is "intact...as are our other economic interests." For Russia, the Korean rail project is crucial as it has been seeking to develop its Far Eastern region and diversify its energy export routes away from Europe. Pyongyang also seeks to use the project to secure outside revenue sources and shore up its debilitated economy. Russia delayed UN approval of the new North Korean sanctions for several days, not only to negotiate the railway exemption but to gain other exceptions from the sanctions, diplomats said. In a surprise move, Russia won provisions allowing Korea to import airplane fuel for the civilian aircraft of international carriers flying to North Korea, and allowing it to export minerals such as coal to earn "livelihood" revenues. Those appear to be the only exceptions to the otherwise tough sanctions measure, which strictly bans the importation of coal, iron ore, titanium, vanadium, and other precious metals from North Korea while banning the delivery of aviation and rocket fuel to Pyongyang. Russia also negotiated the removal of one name from the list of individuals being sanctioned, the Russia-based representative of the Korea Mining Development Trading Corporation, which the U.S. Treasury Department has said is a state-owned entity involved in arms dealing. Jang Song Chol, Churkin said, "is not even in Russia. We are surprised he appeared [on the list] in the first place." Russia cited concern over the humanitarian impact of the sanctions in crafting the exemptions. But U.S. and European representatives at the UN said the sanctions target only the North Korean regime and its elite ruling class, and are not aimed at ordinary people already enduring hardships. With reporting by TASS, Wall Street Journal, Korea Herald, and AFP When the foreign ministers of Russia, Ukraine, Germany, and France meet in Paris today to discuss the Minsk ceasefire, they may as well be attending a funeral. Because if the Minsk agreement is not dead, it is -- at the very least -- clearly on life support. And this was all very predictable from the very start. Minsk, in many ways, was a legal fiction. It was signed under duress amid fears that Russia would mount a full-scale invasion of Donbas. It pretended that Moscow was a mediator in a conflict in which Moscow was the aggressor. And it made unreasonable demands on Ukraine to overhaul its domestic political arrangements with a Kalashnikov pointed at its head. This wasn't a ceasefire. It was blackmail. It was extortion. Ukraine signed the Minsk agreement in good faith, hoping it would stop the killing in Donbas, even though the authorities in Kyiv knew it was a very bad deal for them. Russia, on the other hand, viewed Minsk as a tool to pursue their war in Ukraine by other means, under the cover of an alleged ceasefire. The authorities in Kyiv have made honest efforts to fulfil their obligations under Minsk. But in a democracy, passing constitutional amendments and laws providing for elections in a warzone has -- not surprisingly -- proven to be politically challenging. Russia hasn't even tried to fulfil its end of the bargain. The Kremlin and its proxies in Donbas have violated the ceasefire practically from day one, starting with the siege of Debaltseve and continuing to this day. So a year and three weeks after it was signed, Minsk is all but dead in the water. And we should have no illusions about why this is the case. Keep telling me what you think on the Power Vertical's Twitter feed and on our Facebook page. The Daily Vertical is a video primer for Russia-watchers that appears Monday through Friday. Viewers can suggest topics via Twitter @PowerVertical or on the Power Vertical Facebook page. A transcript of today's Daily Vertical can be found here. The European Commission on March 3 gave its approval to a deal with Greece for the construction of a pipeline meant to transport natural gas from Azerbaijan to the European Union. The 878-kilometer Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) is meant to reduce Europe's energy dependency on Russia. Plans call for the pipeline to link Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz II natural gas field to Italy by passing through Greece and Albania and then under the Adriatic Sea. The pipeline is meant to connect with the Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) in Turkey -- crossing from Turkey into northern Greece near the Greek border village of Kipoi. The first shipments to Europe are scheduled for 2020. In a statement on March 3, European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said investment incentives offered by the Greek government "are limited to what is necessary to make the project happen" in compliance with state aid rules. With reporting by DPA BRUSSELS -- Georgian Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze says he expects the European Union to liberalize its visa rules for Georgian citizens by the end of June. It is expected that the proposal to grant Tbilisi the visa-free regime will be submitted by the EU Commission on March 8. Speaking to RFE/RL on March 3, Janelidze expressed hope that lawmakers in the European Parliament will handle the case swiftly. Visa liberalization for Ukrainians and Georgians was being handled together until this week when the European Commission signaled that the process for Georgians could go more quickly. An EU official told RFE/RL that there are serious concerns about the process for Ukraine because of political instability in Kyiv and the slow pace of Ukrainian reforms. Several prominent members of the European Parliament have told RFE/RL that they would consider re-coupling the two nations again and would wait for a proposal about Ukraine before voting via-free travel for Georgians. Based on reporting by Rikard Jozwiak in Brussels A hard-line Iranian lawmaker has come under fire for declaring that women should not be allowed to serve in parliament. "The parliament is not a place for women, it's a place for men," lawmaker Nader Ghazipur said in a video posted online in which he appears to suggest that women can be abused and places women in the same category as "donkeys," a term used to insult a person's intelligence. "We didn't easily win control over the country to send every fox, kid, and donkey there. The parliament is not a place for donkeys," he said. Ghazipour, 57, was reelected to Iran's parliament last week in his hometown of Orumiyeh in West Azerbaijan Province. He appears to have made the comments during a meeting at his campaign headquarters. His comments come as a record number of women -- as many as 20 -- are expected to gain seats in the parliament following the February 26 poll. The YouTube video of Ghazipur's controversial and crude remarks was posted recently, sparking both online and offline criticism, as well as calls for him to be barred from office. Zahra Nejadbahram, the head of the Information Council of the government's office for women's and family affairs, was quoted by Iranian news sites as saying that Ghazipur should be disqualified. "When his thinking [allows] him to insult half of the country's population, he should expect a reaction, and the reaction should be the rejection of his [credentials]," Nejadbahram said on March 2. The Orumiyeh branch of a women's group, the Islamic Society of Revolutionary Women, said Ghazipur should be disqualified for his "obvious and blatant disrespect of women." Criticism also came from Orumiyeh's Friday Prayers leader, Mehdi Ghoreishi, who did not name Ghazipur but said that "insults and vulgarity" are "not worthy of an Islamic society." "We should not allow rudeness and vulgarity to become institutionalized in our city," the cleric was quoted by domestic media as saying. On social media, some called on the Guardians Council, which approved Ghazipur to run in last week's elections, to disqualify him. Others likened him to former President Mahmud Ahmadinejad, who was known for his use of crude and undiplomatic language. In an Instagram post, Ghazipur apologized to the women of Orumiyeh while calling himself a "servant and soldier" of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. "I apologized for the comments that hurt the feelings of the ladies of Orumiyeh because I wasn't talking about them," he wrote. "Those who spied [on me] and recorded and published the video should doubt themselves, because by attempting to hurt Ghazipur, they're putting people's votes under question," he wrote, adding that he will not change his "stances." Ghazipur is a member of the parliament's Mine and Industry Commission. His biography says he fought during the 1980-88 war with Iraq to defend "his country and Islamic values." He also worked as Khamenei's campaign manager in 1981 and 1985, according to his biography posted on the website of the parliament's research center. Six Iranian migrants have sewed their mouths shut to focus attention on the French government's mass evictions and destruction of a migrant camp in northern France. The unusual protest on March 2 came as the government continued to dismantle the makeshift camp near Calais, where several thousand migrants are waiting to try to cross the English Channel to Britain. The Iranians held a sign asking for a United Nations representative to visit the camp. Some camp dwellers have stood on roofs to try to save their huts. Clare Moseley of the Care4Calais British volunteer group told AP that the protest was "a cry for help because they don't know what else to do." A court ruled last month that the destruction of the southern sector of the camp is legal. Authorities estimate that 800 to 1,000 people live in the sector being dismantled, but humanitarian groups say there are more than 3,000. France has offered to house displaced migrants in nearby heated shipping containers or send them to temporary welcome centers so they can consider applying for asylum in France. Based on reporting by AP and AFP A large part of Moldova's military equipment dates back to Soviet times and is in urgent need of replacement, Defense Minister Anatolie Nosatii told RFE/RL, adding that the money allocated by the government for defense amounts to a small sum but is still important for its badly underfunded and underequipped army. Moldova, one of Europe's poorest countries, was part of the Soviet Union until 1991, when it declared independence. It has a long border with Ukraine and has been hosting hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian refugees since the start of Moscow's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. Russia has some 1,500 troops in Moldova's Moscow-backed separatist region of Transdniester, a sliver of land sandwiched between Moldova proper and Ukraine. "Some 90 percent [of our military equipment] is of Soviet origin and dates back to the 1960s to the 1980s.... You cannot modernize a ZIL-131 [military truck] or an antiaircraft system made in the 1970s," Nosatii said. The pro-European government of President Maia Sandu accelerated its EU bid after Russia invaded Ukraine and in June was given candidate status alongside Ukraine. Moldova's armed forces consists of 6,500 professional personnel, while 2,000 conscripts are being recruited annually for compulsory military service. The military also employs 2,000 civilians as auxiliary personnel. Nosatii told RFE/RL that the 0.5 percent of the gross domestic product allocated for defense by the government -- roughly $25.5 million -- while small, is still very important for the implementation of modernization projects. Nosatii also spoke about the equipment shortages that the Moldovan military faces because of insufficient funding. The Defense Ministry covers only partially the contents of the so-called "emergency backpack" that contract soldiers, who account for the bulk of Moldova's armed forces, must have at the ready for unexpected situations, Nosatii said. Nosatii, who was appointed in August last year as defense minister in Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita's reformist government, told RFE/RL that his ministry's current priority is to provide every member of the armed forces with one of these individual first-aid medical kits. Moldova has been cooperating with foreign partners, including NATO, in its efforts to supply the first-aid kits to its military personnel, Nosatii said. Besides the first-aid kit, the emergency backpack must also include personal items such as underwear, socks, gloves, a woolly hat, food, and a flashlight, Nosatii said, adding that the state can only partially cover the cost of such equipment. "For example," Nosatii told RFE/RL, "if the state provides four T-shirts [for daily usage] but the backpack has to cover seven days of deployment, the remainder of three or more T-shirts must be bought by the soldier." Nosatii said that supplying Moldova's small military with equipment has been a permanent underlying problem but that the ministry has obtained aid from Moldova's external partners. "You can't demand that a soldier perform his duties when he doesn't have what he needs, when he's cold, lacks military equipment, or is forced to buy it himself," Nosatii said. Military equipment donated by Moldova's Western partners this year consists of protective gear such as helmets, flak jackets, and waterproof and winter clothing. Earlier this month, German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht visited Moldova and said Berlin is prepared to provide drones and other military equipment to Chisinau. Lambrecht also said the German Army is ready to provide military training to Moldova. She said Berlin also realizes the importance of supporting Moldova in the wake of energy shortages stemming from the war in Ukraine. Chad Massengale says he beat Tony Rector, dumped his body in a graveyard, and stomped on him repeatedly but he did not mean to kill him. During a preliminary hearing on Wednesday afternoon, the 30-year-old Massengale appeared before Judge Johnny Houston regarding the murder of Rector, who was found dead in a Soddy Daisy cemetery in December. Dekota Burchard, 27, and Roy Henderson, 26, also appeared before the judge for their alleged involvement in the crime. On Dec. 29, a dead body was found on the edge of Soddy Presbyterian Cemetery. The body lay in a pool of blood and was clothed in only underwear and socks. Police identified the victim as 51-year-old Rector of Marion County. The murder investigation that ensued led to the three defendants being charged with criminal homicide and aggravated assault. They were booked at the Hamilton County Jail with bonds set at $2,025,000 each. During the hearing, prosecutors Kevin Brown and Kristen Spires called three witnesses to the stand. Tiffany Sneed, Massengales ex-girlfriend, testified Rector had been living in the garage of the Shadwick residence on Dallas Hollow Road where she lived. Ms. Sneed who is incarcerated due to previous charges of theft described in detail how Rector had a problem keeping his hands to himself when it came to females. She recounted how on the morning of Dec. 28, she woke up on the couch to Rectors head in her lap. Rector also allegedly tried to grab Rhonda Martin, another resident, as she came out of the shower. And he would touch Brenda Maw Shadwick inappropriately, Ms. Sneed said. According to her testimony, on the day Rector died, the women confronted him and told him to leave. They were tired of his being a pervert and said he needed to find somewhere else to live. But Rector argued he was not going anywhere. So Ms. Sneed called Massengale over to try to get Rector to go. Burchard, who also lived at the Shadwick residence, spoke with Massengale over the phone that day, too, it was testified. Ms. Sneed said at around 10 p.m. Massengale came over, accompanied by Henderson and a little young guy named Nick. Twenty-three-year-old Nick Henderson, Roy Hendersons little brother, served as the second witness during the hearing. In a quiet and shaky voice he told the court how Massengale, a family friend, came over to his house in East Ridge the night of the incident. Massengale then directed Nick to drive him and Henderson in Nicks white four-door truck to the Shadwick residence. Nick said he watched his brother, Massengale, and Burchard approach Rector outside before they all went in the house. Nick stayed in his truck for about 10 minutes. The next thing I knew, Massengale and Tiffany are putting this body in my truck. He said Massengale instructed him to drive him, Henderson, Burchard, and Ms. Sneed to the graveyard. There, Nick watched in the rearview mirror as Massengale unloaded the body and stomped on it. Chad said he was nervous about me because I was scared and frightened and shaking. Nick testified. While Nick was scared, Ms. Sneed seemed to keep her composure. She said she witnessed the defendants fight Rector inside the living room. I seen Tony laying on the ground and his head was bleeding. And I seen a four-way tool to change a tire with where (Burchard) had been hitting him. Ms. Sneed said the defendants were cussing, demanding Rector leave, and keep his hands to himself. She confessed to helping load the body in the truck and taking it to the cemetery. Judge Houston interrupted to see if Ms. Sneed could potentially be a defendant since she assisted in the incident. According to Det. Ryan Wilkeys testimony, not enough evidence existed to charge Ms. Sneed in connection with the crime. Det. Wilkey of the Soddy Daisy Police Department conducted the investigation after Rectors body was found. He located Massengale through a confidential source and took him into custody. During the hearing, prosecutors played a portion of Det. Wilkeys interview with Massengale. Listen, I did it all, said Massengale in the interview. Tony was a real piece of sh**. Very disrespectful to women. While being recorded, Massengale confessed to beating up Rector, taking him to the cemetery, and stomping on his head. I did itI didnt want to kill him. I didnt want to kill him. He took the blame for everything that happened and said to leave Burchard and Henderson out of it. At the same time, he told Det. Wilkey that at one point Ms. Sneed hit Rector with the tire tool. Rex Sparks, Massengales attorney, stated near the end of the hearing that Massengale did not intend to kill Rector, but to teach him a lesson. Its a tragic situation, Judge Houston said before stating there was sufficient evidence to send the cases of Massengale, Henderson, and Burchard to the Grand Jury. Throughout the hearing Massengale kept his hands folded with his chin in his hands. Henderson and Burchard sat nearby with their attorneys Jay Clements and Brandy Spurgin. The attorneys and prosecutors did not use this time to argue, but to gain information on the case. Regarding this, prosecutor Brown recounted at the start of the hearing how in the recorded interview Ms. Sneed had with Det. Wilkey, he asked her, What are you scared of? On the stand, Ms. Sneed said she was scared because Massengale previously told her to keep quiet. Otherwise, he said he would kill her if it were the last thing he did.' Judge Houston, who is the Red Bank judge, was appointed in place of Soddy Daisy Judge Marty Lasley. The hearing was held at the Courts Building downtown. A former Karachi mayor has launched a political party to challenge the iron grip of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Pakistan's largest and richest city. "Today we are laying the foundation of an organization -- you may call it a party, Mustafa Kamal said on March 3 after returning home from self-imposed exile. We are just two individuals." Kamal was mayor of Karachi from 2005 to 2010. He had been living in Dubai since 2013, when he left Pakistan over reported differences with MQM head Altaf Husain. The MQM dominates politics in Karachi but recently has been targeted with raids and arrests by security forces. A court has issued an arrest warrant for Husain, who lives in self-imposed exile in Britain, for allegedly threatening a colonel of the paramilitary Rangers force. Based on reporting by Reuters and Dawn Kazakhstan's economy has been hurt by the economic slowdown in China and recession in Russia, Kazakhstan's president said. "The economic decline and sanctions experienced by our 'big neighbor' Russia, which is one of our main trade partners, have had an effect on us, too. Trade has fallen by 20 to 25 percent," Nursultan Nazarbaev told the heads of diplomatic missions in Astana on March 2. "The economic slowdown in China has implications, as well. Under the circumstances, which are described by China as 'a new normality' and which I call 'a new reality,' we need to get accustomed to such [low] prices on oil, gas...and metals," he said. "This is not easy. A good life quickly grows on a person, and it is very hard to slide back." Despite the slowdown, container traffic through Kazakhstan en route to Europe from China will nearly double this year, he said. "The role of Kazakhstan as a transit territory is obvious. The flow of containers on the China-Kazakhstan-Europe route grew from 6,000 in 2013 to 48,000 in 2015. It will amount to 95,000 containers in 2016, which has never happened before," he said. Based on reporting by Interfax and TASS MOSCOW -- Vladimir Churov, a veteran Russian election official and staunch ally of President Vladimir Putin, ended his nine-year tenure as head of the Central Election Commission on March 3 following a Kremlin decree. Churov, who had served as the country's top election official since 2007, was a controversial figure, and his removal comes as authorities prepare for parliamentary elections in September with the country facing a potential second year of recession. He became a lightning rod for public anger following the December 2011 elections to the State Duma, Russia's lower house of parliament, which were marred by allegations of voting fraud and sparked mass antigovernment protests. Churov was also widely mocked for public statements and anecdotes that became kindling for opponents' portrayal of him as a brazen Kremlin sycophant. Here are a few memorable moments from Churov's tenure. 'Putin Is Always Right' The "first law" of Vladimir Churov is that "Putin is always right," Churov said in an interview with the Kommersant newspaper soon after his appointment to head the Central Election Commission in April 2007. The 'Magician' In December 2011, amid massive street protests sparked by alleged fraud in the parliamentary elections, Churov went to then-President Dmitry Medvedev to report on the election results, which had handed Putin's ruling United Russia party a victory. In comments that angry opposition protesters quickly latched onto, Medvedev told Churov: "You're practically a magician. That's what some party leaders are calling you." Churov brushed the comment aside, saying, "I'm just learning," a quote from a classic Soviet film. The "magician" quickly became Churov's nickname among Russia's chattering classes, a moniker that proved difficult for him to shake. Giving It 146 Percent As state television network Rossiya-24 broadcast preliminary results of those same parliamentary elections in December 2011, it cited Central Election Commission figures as saying that turnout in the southern Rostov region had hit 146.47 percent. As ridicule mounted, the commission blamed the strange figures on the state TV journalists who, it said, had got their numbers wrong. This, however, did little to subdue to the general mood of anger. The 146 percent result spawned a pervasive Internet meme, often targeting Churov, who claimed the tally was a "provocation" organized "from abroad" and carried out by a person "who later received a very nice place overseas." Helping Bush Churov's reputation for securing the government's desired election results became the subject of jokes on major Russian television networks. Days after the 2011 elections, prominent journalist Vladimir Pozner told a joke on air in which former U.S. President George W. Bush appeals to Putin for help for his Republican Party during U.S. congressional elections. Apparently keen to improve relations across the pond, Putin promises Bush he will send his best man, Vladimir Churov. Right after the elections, Churov calls Putin to report on the results: "Vladimir Vladimirovich, there has been some success," he begins. "In all 50 states, United Russia is leading." Just A Defenseless Man With the country gearing up for presidential elections in March 2012, Churov hit back at his critics in the opposition. He vilified protesters who called for his sacking after the 2011 parliamentary elections, saying: "They really are beating up a defenseless man." "I'm wounded by the fact that they know that in this post, I cannot respond to them. They are using me because I cannot answer them," he was quoted as saying. Best Elections In the March 2012 presidential election that secured Putin's return to the Kremlin after his four-year stint as prime minister, Churov declared that Russia's elections are so squeaky clean that they are unparalleled in the world. He noted Russia's use of web cameras and transparent ballot boxes. "Web-cameras and transparent ballot boxes for voting help people organize open, transparent, and clean elections like in Russia. Elections like this currently only happen in Russia," Churov said. 'Dancing Naked' Churov has dismissed critics of the Central Election Commission as crazy, perhaps most memorably in November 2012. "In Moscow at the moment it is fashionable to criticize TsIK," he said, using the Russian acronym for the commission. "It's like a kind of fashion, like dancing naked under the moon on Kolguyev Island during 40-degree frosts." MORIA, Greece -- Between canvas tents and laundry lines strung up on olive trees, Floor Nagler holds up a piece of gray fabric cut from a discarded rubber dinghy. A dozen Pakistanis and Iraqis study her every move to learn how to use rivets to form a seam. "Make sure it's symmetrically folded and find where to punch the holes," Nagler tells them. Amsterdam native Nagler, 24, says she noticed a need for rucksacks while helping migrants disembark from inflatable boats in Lesbos in January. They often lost their bags en route, and always left their life jackets and boats on the beaches. Nagler says she brought 20 kilograms of boat material back to Amsterdam, where she is studying textiles. She asked fellow Dutch artist Didi Aaslund, 27, to brainstorm a solution. "I called Didi and I said, 'Let's make a bag because there's [lots] of material,'" Nagler recalls. About 600,000 people fleeing wars in the Middle East or seeking better lives have landed on the shores of Lesbos since the refugee crisis began. It is the first European stop on their intended journey to Western Europe. Nagler's bags are made from one folded piece of boat material, held together with rivets and clipped shut with buckles from life vests. Nagler says making a bag costs around $3 and requires no electricity. On February 29, she and Aaslund began a weeklong bag-making workshop for migrants. They carried their punch pliers and riveting guns in homemade work belts made of rolled-up boat-rubber pouches strung onto black life-vest belts. They stashed scissors into black PVC lifeline holders, also salvaged from dinghies. The two taught migrants staying at an improvised tent camp outside the Moria reception center near the capital city, Mytilini. Numbers at the tent camp fluctuate daily; on March 2, some 200 Pakistanis were among the residents, marooned after Greece classified them as economic migrants who are not entitled to the asylum process. Nagler and Aaslund call their idea It Works, to reflect a pragmatic approach to a bag created by and for migrants. Their project is part of Oddysea, a new Greek organization that aims to make bags and wallets out of discarded boats and vests, and to sell the finished products to benefit migrants. Raida Matar, a 13-year-old Yazidi refugee from Sinjar in Iraq, sits with a Spanish volunteer on a green tarp spread out on the rough dirt between tent stakes. Matar doesn't understand the English directions but learns by watching how to punch holes in forest-green boat fabric and to fasten the seams together with rivets. Finally, she attaches black life-vest straps to the bag and slips the finished product over her slight shoulders. "We made the bag ourselves," she says. Her family is headed to Germany, she adds, "And we came over in boats like this." PHOTO GALLERY: From Boats To Bags (click here) Transforming boats and vests into bags is one of many unconventional solutions to the challenge of feeding, clothing, and sheltering migrants in an olive grove with no infrastructure and a limited budget. Volunteers have built a makeshift "shoe oven," using tin roofing to reflect sunlight onto shelves of shoes soaked from the sea voyage. Water for the kitchen is heated via a pipe coiled under decomposing olive leaves, which get hot as they decay. Life jackets serve as padding under canvas tents. Marios Antriotis, spokesman for Lesbos Mayor Spyros Galinos, estimates the island has about 30,000 cubic meters of plastic from discarded boats and jackets. Sanitation workers can be seen puncturing and deflating boats at the port of Mytilini on the eastern coast. A mammoth orange "graveyard" of life jackets is piled up in northern Lesbos. Antriotis says he was delighted to hear about It Works; his office plans to preserve some vests and dinghies in a museum devoted to the role of Lesbos in welcoming migrants to Europe. Syrian Amani, 19, arrived in Lesbos on February 28 after a terrifying two-hour journey from Turkey on a dinghy crammed with dozens of migrants, including many children. She hopes to study journalism in Germany. "It's a good idea to make a bag from the boat," says Amani, who asks to omit her last name out of concern for her family in Damascus. "You kill the boat that tried to kill you." Shamshaid Slamat, 19, is among dozens of people who watch this workshop. He says he fled Pakistan in January after terrorists attacked his university, where he studied computer science. "I need a bag. I am looking at how they are making this bag and now I will try it," Slamat says, although he concedes he's not sure where he'll take it without Greek papers entitling him to travel. Nagler says she hopes the workshop can help stuck residents like Slamat pass the time, and will foster communication between refugees and volunteers who do not speak the same language. She and Aaslund intend to leave behind boat fabric, patterns, and tools when they depart next week so volunteers and migrants can continue the project. "I hope those people get to a place in Europe where they want to go," Nagler says of the migrants. "I hope they use the bags to travel." A powerful Pakistani religious body that advises the government and the parliament on Islamic matters has declared a new law that criminalizes violence against women to be "un-Islamic." Muhammad Khan Sherani, the head of the Council of Islamic Ideology, said on March 3 that womens rights were already secured by Shari'a law. Many conservative clerics and religious parties have criticized the law passed by the province of Punjab last week as being in conflict with the Koran and Pakistan's constitution. The Women's Protection Act provides unprecedented legal protection to women from domestic, psychological, and sexual violence, and calls for the creation of an abuse reporting hotline and the establishment of women's shelters. More than 5,800 cases of violence against women were reported in 2013 in Punjab alone, according to a women's rights advocacy group. Based on reporting by Reuters, geo.tv, and nation.com.pk Russian state news agency TASS reported on March 2 that Moscow is developing a missile system for surface-to-air defense in the Arctic. The news comes one day after NATO's top commander Philip Breedlove warned the U.S. Congress that Russia is increasingly militarizing the Arctic. Russia has been beefing up its military presence in the Arctic as an overall warming of the region's climate creates increased access to natural resources and transportation opportunities. The Arctic missile system will be based on Russia's Tor missile system, which specializes in short-range counterattacks on incoming aircraft or cruise missiles. The developer, Russian state arms manufacturer Almaz-Antey, also designed the powerful S-300 and Buk missile systems. TASS quoted the company as saying it has started research and development on "an Arctic version of the Tor short-range air defense missile system." Last March, Russia conducted a major military exercise in the Arctic involving 38,000 personnel, as well as aircraft and submarines. Weeks later, the defense ministers of five Nordic nations - Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, and Iceland - released a joint declaration that Europe must strengthen military collaboration to counter Russian aggression. Based on reporting by TASS and dpa The Kremlin has expressed "regret" about U.S. President Barack Obama's decision to extend sanctions against Russia for another year in response to Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea and its support for pro-Russia separatists in eastern Ukraine. Obama announced on March 2 that he was extending the sanctions. He said Russia's actions in Ukraine "continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States." The sanctions initially were imposed in March 2014 in response to actions by the Russian government in Ukraine that "undermine democratic processes and institutions in Ukraine; threaten its peace, security, stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity; and contribute to the misappropriation" of Ukraines assets. U.S. sanctions specifically mention Russia's "purported annexation of Crimea and its use of force in Ukraine." The European Union in December extended its sanctions against Russia until July 2016, and is due to decide in July whether another extension is merited. With reporting by TASS and Interfax BRUSSELS -- European Parliament President Martin Schulz says the EU's focus on the multiple crises that have hit the bloc has allowed Russia to play geopolitical games at its expense. Schulz told RFE/RL on March 3 that the EU has become more inward-looking and completely absorbed, partially paralyzed, by internal problems such as the migrant crisis. We are not taking enough seriously the role we have to play as an economic power -- as a game changer, we could combine our economic influence with political actions, he said. And this is creating a vacuum politically. Any vacuum in political life is filled by somebody, and for the time being we see Russia filling some of these spaces we have given up, Schulz added. He also said Brussels could not offer EU membership perspectives to countries stuck between the EU and Russia because some of the current members won't support further enlargement to the East. The Serbian government has formally asked the president to dissolve parliament and call early general elections. The government said on March 3 that the early vote is necessary so that a new cabinet with a clear mandate" could pursue reforms and put the Balkan country firmly on the path to European Union membership. Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic has called for early parliamentary elections on April 24, halfway through his term. His Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) is currently allied with several smaller parties in a coalition government. The party is well ahead in opinion polls, putting Vucic on track to lead the next government as well. The SNS is striving for a two-thirds majority it narrowly missed in the last elections in 2014 when it won 158 of 250 parliamentary seats. Based on reporting by AP and Reuters French President Francois Hollande and British Prime Minister David Cameron have urged Moscow and Damascus to "immediately stop attacks on Syrias moderate opposition. In a joint declaration after a bilateral summit in France on March 3, the two leaders called on all parties to stick to a cease-fire and halt human rights violations. They also urged Russia and the Syrian regime to stop attacks on medical sites as well as their advance to the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, which it says is compromising peace and threatening to dramatically worsen the refugee crisis." Cameron and Hollande are scheduled on March 4 to speak about Syrias truce in a conference call with the leaders of Russia and Germany. "We want to pressure all the protagonists in the conflict, including Russia," Hollande said at a joint news conference with Cameron. Camerons office said Britain, France, and Germany need to make it very clear to Russian President Vladimir Putin that Syrias cease-fire must hold in order "to open the way for a real political transition" in Syria. The fragile truce between the forces of Syrias Russian-backed President Bashar al-Assad and opposition groups came into force last week. It does not include terrorist groups such as the Islamic State and the Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Nusra Front. Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP What do you do when a friend from up north visits you in Tennessee? You take him out for barbeque, of course. Over the weekend Flashs childhood buddy, Gary, came to Chattanooga for an impromptu visit on his way from New Jersey to Florida. He was starving after being in the car all day and asked about the local cuisine. Flash didnt hesitate to tell him Sugars Ribs had some of the best BBQ in town. We entered the tin-roofed restaurant that looks out on the Chattanooga valley at 6:30 p.m. There was a line to order at the counter and most the tables were full. Gary, who wasnt used to looking at a BBQ menu, let us order first to see how it worked. I changed it up from my regular pulled pork sandwich for the tacos combo, served with one spicy pork, one wood grilled chicken, and one smoked brisket taco ($10.95). As my side I chose the spicy vinegar slaw. Flash copied my order, only he got a side of cornbread. Then Gary surprised us all by ordering the half slab of spare ribs with a side of okra ($15.95), and a BBQ pork butt sandwich ($8.75). He and Flash each got a bottled Fat Tire to drink. And, to our surprise again, when the cashier called out the grand total of $60, Gary stepped right in to pay for the whole thing. He shrugged his shoulders. When in Chattanooga. We got lucky because an elderly couple left their table by the window right as Flash, Gary, and I started looking for seats. Gary and Flash clinked their beers and reminisced about old times. I looked out the window to the sun setting over the hills of Chattanooga. The old-fashioned jukebox played upbeat tunes that made me want to get up and dance. But everyone remained seated as the waitress set our food before us. Ok, everyone dig in on the ribs, Gary said. Flash and I hadnt realized he bought them for the table. The rib meat fell off the bone and nearly melted in my mouth. I turned to my tacos next. Each had been assembled to perfection with grilled sweet onion radish and roasted salsa that brought every bite to savory life. Flash said he liked the spicy pork one the best. I had a hard time choosing between that one and the brisket. Good thing I got to eat both. Gary devoured his pork sandwich in a couple bites then finished off with some ribs. He said he wished he let his sandwich last longer, but it was just too good to put down. I ate a cornbread muffin, warm and not too dry, to end my meal. All three of us had sticky hands and BBQ stained lips when it was all said and done. I probably went through 10 napkins. It was dark out when we left. The city below had its thousand of night lights turned on. Gary said he would probably come back to Sugars when he headed out of Chattanooga the next day to get a pork sandwich for the road. Location: 2450 15th Avenue Hours: Sun Th 11am to 9pm Fri Sat 11am to 10pm The fiery, closing arguments in the high-profile case of a female Ukrainian military pilot accused of complicity in the deaths of two Russian journalists will be heard another day. Court proceedings in a Russian military court on March 3 were punctuated by angry exchanges between the defendant, Nadia Savchenko, and the judge and prosecutors before the session was adjourned until March 9. "Until March 9?! That's not according to the plan," Savchenko said in response to the adjournment. "I repeat -- I am going to go on a 'dry' hunger strike as of tomorrow if you do not allow me to make my final statement." Going into the day, observers of the case were anticipating an impassioned final statement from the 34-year-old military pilot, who attended the hearings in traditional Ukrainian dress. Savchenko has conducted multiple hunger strikes during the course of her 20-month detention and is currently refusing food until the end of her trial. A relative had announced on March 1 that Savchenko would refuse water as well -- a "dry" hunger strike that could lead to death within days -- if she were not returned home within 10 days after the verdict. Prosecutors say Savchenko was acting as a spotter for a Ukrainian volunteer unit fighting separatist forces in eastern Ukraine when she directed mortar fire that killed two Russian journalists on June 17, 2014. She is also accused of illegally crossing the border into Russia, where prosecutors claim she was captured. Prosecutors are calling for Savchenko to be fined 100,000 rubles ($1,350) and sentenced to 23 years in prison. Savchenko denies the charges and her defense team, while presenting its final arguments to the Rostov Oblast court, accused Moscow of subjecting Savchenko to a show trial. "From the very beginning, it was clear that if this case reached the courtroom it would be a show trial," defense lawyer Ilya Novikov told the military court in Russia's southwestern Rostov Oblast. "As for the charges, they are false and you all know it very well." Savchenko's defense team argues that she was captured by separatists before the deadly mortar strike and was smuggled across the border to Russia. Defense lawyer Novikov told the court on March 3 that "Savchenko's guilt has not been proven." "We have an alibi," he said, citing records of the pilot's mobile-phone calls that showed she was in separatist custody when All-Russian Television and Radio Broadcasting Network journalists Igor Kornelyuk and Anton Voloshin were killed. Another defense lawyer, Mark Feigin, said Savchenko had no reason to enter Russian territory. No one from the prosecution was able to explain why Savchenko would suddenly decide to go to Russia, Feigin said. The lawyer argued that Russia had no right to keep Savchenko in custody because the pilot, who serves in absentia as a Ukrainian representative to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, has diplomatic immunity. Savchenko, who was elected to the Ukrainian parliament in October 2014, listened to her defense team argue her case as she sat in the dock behind bars, occasionally disagreeing demonstratively. At one point, she furiously railed against the prosecution. "You are sitting here telling those who still believe you in Russia that you were right to charge me?" she said. "No one believes you anymore [even in Russia]. You have totally screwed up!" At another point, when the judge commented on the inappropriate demonstration of evidence by the defense team, Savchenko stood up to protest. "Listen, court, I urge you, I don't happen to think that I should merely be slandered by prosecutors in this room. You did not want to see [the evidence] in due time -- you simply banned it," she said. "You have been refusing to hear about and see it for half a year, and now you are preventing me from defending myself on the last day [of the trial]?" The judge ordered Savchenko not to interrupt and threatened to remove her from the courtroom if her outbursts continued. Kyiv has argued that the charges against Savchenko are trumped up and that she should be treated as a prisoner of war. Lawyer Novikov said early during the proceedings that the defense would not appeal the verdict "but not because Savchenko is guilty." Novikov said that a verdict of not guilty "would make history," but told the judge he didn't expect him to rule in Savchenko's favor. Savchenko's lawyers are wary of a lesser sentence than the 23 years sought, because they believe a lighter sentence could be appealed by prosecutors. With reporting by Reuters, AP, TASS, and Interfax, live streaming Kyiv has accused separatists of using large-caliber weapons despite a cease-fire in eastern Ukraine that required both sides to pull back those arms. Ukraines military released footage on March 3 purportedly showing Russia-backed fighters firing Grad multiple-rocket launchers against government army positions outside the separatist stronghold of Donetsk. It said the Grad attack came along with more than 60 cease-fire violations along the front line. Meanwhile, the separatists accused government forces of shelling Donetsk suburbs, killing one fighter, burning down a house, and damaging others. The accusations came as the foreign ministers of Russia, Ukraine, France, and Germany prepared to meet in Paris on March 3 to discuss implementation of the peace plan for Ukraine set up under the Minsk accords in February 2015. Based on reporting by AFP and AP The United Nations said on March 3 that the war between Ukrainian government forces and Russia- backed separatists in eastern Ukraine is continuing to "significantly affect" civilians despite a reduction of fighting under a cease-fire deal. The report by the UN's human rights office comes as the foreign ministers of Russia, France, Germany, and Ukraine were gathering in Paris on March 3 for talks on how to push the peace process forward. The Paris talks, assessing implementation of the Minsk accords that were signed a year ago, are aimed at reaching a political resolution to Ukraine's two-year-old civil war. UN human rights chief Zeid Raad Al-Hussein said on March 3 that full implementation of the Minsk accord was crucial "for resolving the human rights crisis in Ukraine." In an updated toll, the UN said at least 9, 160 people have been killed and 21,000 injured since the conflict began in 2014. The updated casualty figures include civilians, Ukrainian government troops, and armed fighters. With reporting by AFP Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Death row inmates in Virginia would receive their sentence by the electric chair if supplies of execution drugs were not available under House of Delegates legislation that cleared a Senate committee Wednesday. Senators on the Courts of Justice Committee approved House Bill 815 by a vote of 9-5 and sent the measure to the full Senate for consideration. The legislation, sponsored by Del. Jackson H. Miller, R-Manassas, passed the House by nearly a 2-1 margin. But it has stoked the ongoing controversy over whether capital punishment and in particular, the electric chair as an execution method is humane or cruel and unusual punishment. The scarcity of lethal injection drugs driven, in part, by the objection of some suppliers to provide them and the reluctance of others to formulate them in light of objections and boycotts by death penalty opponents has caused a crisis in states that have no alternate means of execution. The effectiveness of some new formulations of lethal injection drugs also has been questioned. Millers bill offers a way around the drug supply issue. He said it is not an expansion of the death penalty but a way to make sure the determination of the justice system is carried out. Washington and Lee University law professor David Bruck told the panel that electrocution is a punishment whose time has long since passed. Jeff Caruso of the Virginia Catholic Conference said Pope Francis has declared 2016 a year of mercy. In that spirit, he said, lawmakers should not be piling one inhumanity upon another. ... We can do better, he said. This is not who we are. If you do certain things, you dont deserve to live, said Sen. Richard L. Saslaw, D-Fairfax, who supported the measure. In other action, the courts committee passed a measure to further penalize employers who deliberately fail to pay wages to workers. Currently, an employer is subject only to a misdemeanor charge for refusing to pay an individual workers wages up to $10,000. Under House Bill 1150, however, the employer would be subject to a felony charge if a group of workers is owed more than $10,000 collectively. The Richmond Ambulance Authority has severed ties with an employee who is clerk of Mayor Dwight C. Jones church after the authority pursued allegations that she had been performing church work during business hours. Pamela Branch, who was chief human resources and legal officer for the authority until last week, is the second Richmond government official to come under scrutiny in recent months for using her work email account during work hours for matters related to the First Baptist Church of South Richmond, where Jones serves as senior pastor. When Branch learned that authority officials were investigating her activities earlier this year, she threatened to file a religious discrimination complaint if the agency imposed any disciplinary action, according to documents obtained by the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Those documents showed that Branch also warned the authoritys director, Chip Decker, in a text message that she had brought the matter to the mayors attention, and that she planned to pursue a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission should the (Richmond Ambulance Authority) board move forward to disclose anything about (her) to the press. I want to let you know I have spoken to Dwight regarding the events of the past week, she texted Decker. Hes not pleased. The mayor was copied on a number of the emails sent during work hours, including one scheduling a midday conference call on a weekday. The exchange with Decker was included in 500 pages of documents the authority provided in response to a Freedom of Information Act request. As of Feb. 24, Branch, who had an annual salary of $123,600, was no longer employed by the authority. Decker sent a message to agency leaders that day asking them not to speak with Branch or anyone acting on her behalf about her tenure there. He later declined to detail the events surrounding her abrupt departure. I cant comment on that, Decker said during a brief interview Wednesday. She worked here until she didnt. Branch did not respond to multiple interview requests Wednesday. The authority began investigating Branchs alleged work for the church on the agencys time after a Jan. 5 city auditors report found the citys director of public works, Emmanuel O. Adediran, was serving as the construction manager for the churchs new sanctuary in Chesterfield County, said RAA board Chairman Terone Green. Adedirans work for the church is currently the subject of a joint investigation by Richmond Commonwealths Attorney Michael N. Herring, the Virginia State Police and the city auditors office. Green said he was approached by other board members about the possibility that the agency may have an issue with Branch. You had a question there about the mayor utilizing individuals who worked for the city to do work on the churchs behalf, Green said. There were quite a few people (at RAA) who knew she was involved in the church. *** Branch used her ambulance authority email account during work hours to organize church meetings, coordinate the preparation of legal documents and conduct other elements of church business, according to the emails provided to The Times-Dispatch. The authority also provided documents saved on Branchs work computer that included church budget request forms, minutes from church meetings, and court filings on behalf of the mayors church. Among the records provided was an assessment form distributed by First Baptist, in which Branch described her role at the church as being the person to record and maintain the activities related to the business of the church. I also attend to the filing of records with the courts regarding the trustees and handle small legal matters. The bulk of her email exchanges provided by the authority focused on her role organizing the churchs annual leadership meeting. In January 2015, Branch sent or received nearly 50 emails during work hours related to the event. In an email on Jan. 22, 2015, she told a church leader to let me know if you need anything from me today. I will be at my desk most of the day. Later that day, she sent and received 11 emails about a sandwich order for the church leadership events lunch. She sent and received an additional 45 emails in the lead-up to the 2016 event. In other emails, she helped sort out an issue with a lease to a day care facility the church rented space to, as well as an easement related to the construction of the churchs Chesterfield facility. Jones, copied on several of these emails, also was included on emails to Adediran about the church construction. Jones press secretary, Tammy Hawley, said city policy allows employees to engage in limited personal communication during work hours. Its just not reasonable in todays environment to expect not to have some overlap, said Hawley, who explained that Jones wouldnt be looking at Branchs emails with a critical eye because their communication was limited and she was not a city employee. He wouldnt be looking at it like, You should be at work, she said. Jones has mostly avoided questions about the overlap between First Baptist Church of South Richmond and city governance. In a Jan. 13 statement, he questioned whether media inquiries about executive-level employees who attend his church were politically motivated. I made a conscious effort to make sure there would be a separation between the church and city business, he said, going on to call for respect for the wall of separation between church and state. *** The Richmond Ambulance Authority was established in 1991 to provide ambulance service in the city. Its governed by an 11-member board, three members of which are the citys chief administrative officer, its director of finance and a City Council representative. The authority employs a little less than 300 people and has an annual budget of about $19 million, of which $4.4 million comes from the city of Richmond. Branch began her job at the ambulance authority in October 2014. She has assisted in managing First Baptists affairs for at least five years, according to records filed in Richmond Circuit Court. I strive to commit as much of my time, money and talent (to the church) as possible, she stated in a document obtained through The Times-Dispatchs records request. She told authority officials that their selective investigation of (her) and her activities for and on behalf of the church was grounds for a discrimination complaint, according to a letter the authoritys legal counsel sent to board members dated Feb. 11. Green said in an interview Wednesday that the threat of a discrimination complaint made no sense, considering that he also has been a member of Jones church and even helped vote Jones into the position at First Baptist decades ago. That is my religion. That is my familys church, and I have strong ties to that church. My family was there before the mayor, Green said. How am I going to discriminate against someone based on religion when we are the same? Branch also allegedly said she would sue Green for defamation if RAA impose(d) disciplinary action upon her following the completion of its investigation, the Feb. 11 letter states. Ms. Branch informed Mr. Decker that disciplinary action meant any corrective action, including the placement of a corrective letter in her personnel file. Green said Wednesday that he has not read the church-related emails obtained by The Times-Dispatch and could not comment further, beyond affirming his commitment to the authority. I have a fiduciary responsibility as chairman of the board overseeing this agency to inform my board as issues arise and to protect the publics resources to the best of my ability, Green said. Branch did eventually end her use of her authority email account for church business. On Jan. 7, the day after The Times-Dispatch first reported about the city auditors investigation into Adedirans work for the mayors church on city time, Branch sent her last work email related to First Baptist. Please direct all future emails to (my personal account), she wrote to the churchs receptionist and business administrator. Thank you. RELATED: Emails detail extent of city official's involvement in church construction Richmond Mayor Dwight C. Jones was included in at least 107 email messages to and from his public works director related to construction of a new campus for the church headed by the mayor, according to documents obtained in a Freedom of Information Act request. Mayor Jones asks Va. State Police for review of church-city ties Richmond Mayor Dwight C. Jones asked the Virginia State Police to investigate "the activities and records" of the city's director of public works, who was cited in a city audit report for supervising the construction of a new campus for the mayor's church while on city time. Mayor breaks silence on church issue as more emails emerge In a statement, Richmond Mayor Dwight C. Jones characterized recent scrutiny of overlap between top city executives and membership in his church as victimizing city employees. Chattanooga State Community College will host its annual Spring Open House on Saturday, March 19 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. in the Student Center on the main campus located at 4501 Amnicola Hwy. The Open House gives both students and their parents the opportunity to meet with administrators, faculty, staff, and students. Admissions representatives will be available to explain the admissions and registration process. Financial aid personnel will provide information about the FAFSA process, loans and scholarships. Career services will explain some of the tools available to help students define their individual career interests and aptitudes. Representatives from all academics areas, student activities and campus organizations also will be on hand to answer questions. Following sign-in at the Student Center, students may visit each academic division and enjoy light refreshments. Recruiting services at Chattanooga State sponsors this Open House. For more information, call 423-697-2689. The debate over racy literature in Virginia schools came to the House of Delegates Thursday as several Democrats switched their votes but were unable to stop a bill that previously passed the chamber with unanimous support. The late opposition fell far short of derailing House Bill 516, which would allow parents to opt out of reading assignments deemed sexually explicit by the Virginia Board of Education. On a 77-21 vote, the House agreed to an amended version passed by the Senate. The bill now heads to Gov. Terry McAuliffes desk. Republicans backing the bill say it allows parents to protect their children from objectionable material and pursue tamer alternatives. Critics have argued the bill is a step toward censorship and book-banning. The legislation would require schools to notify parents of potentially explicit material, which parents would be able to review before deciding whether the content is appropriate for their child. Del. David B. Albo, R-Fairfax, said the issue arose after one of his constituents, Laura Murphy, raised concerns about Toni Morrisons Beloved, a Pulitzer-prize winning novel that tells the story of a slave who kills her 2-year-old daughter to save the child from a life in bondage. Albo said that when Murphy tried to complain to state officials about the content, the states pornography screens blocked her email. I lived in a fraternity house for two years. Theres not very much stuff that bothers me, Albo said. Even I was aghast at how bad it was. Del. Alfonso H. Lopez, D-Arlington, said governments have struggled to define the term sexually explicit. He argued the bill is broad enough to apply beyond literature, saying it could apply to sexual references in biology class or history discussions of war crimes involving rape. It means we are labeling content for the sole purpose of potentially suppressing it, Lopez said. Lopez, who said he played Falstaff in a college production of Henry IV, Part 1, noted that the House voted Wednesday to designate 2016 the Year of Shakespeare. Is Romeo and Juliet about to be diminished and reduced to a play about teen sex and suicide?, Lopez said. During questioning on the House floor, Lopez acknowledged that he and others had made a mistake by voting for the bill last month, when it passed 98-0. The Richmond areas five Democratic delegates voted in favor of the bill on Thursday. The bills patron Del. R. Steven Landes, R-Augusta said the legislation has been misrepresented and is an attempt to respond to parental concerns that were not addressed at the local level. Theres no book banning. Theres no censorship, Landes said. Theres none of those things in this bill. The Senate amended the bill to clarify that the state board will define sexually explicit, not local school boards. Several House Democrats argued Thursday that individual communities should be able to set their own standards. This happened in my jurisdiction, said Del. Mark D. Sickles, D-Fairfax. Weve had school board elections since this incident occurred. The results are out there. The school board can handle it. Virginias hospitals briefly waged a scorched-earth campaign against regulatory reform before state lawmakers cried foul. The video they circulated, a histrionic and misleading campaign-style broadside, signified their increasing desperation. That desperation is justified, at least from their perspective. The House of Delegates has approved two measures to relax the grip of COPN, the states Certificate of Public Need process. Under COPN, health care providers are forbidden to spend their own money for new investments on everything from new buildings to equipment such as MRI machines unless they get the states approval first. As repeated analysis by the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission has found, COPN rules smother competition and protect market incumbents to the detriment of consumers. Thanks to COPN, patients must put up with fewer choices, fewer available beds and services, longer drives to reach them, less innovation and higher prices. Lawmakers supporting reform have met objections by including language that would, for example, protect financially challenged hospitals in rural areas. The hospital industrys continued obstructionism reveals that while its objections might be sincere, they are not the heart of the issue. The bottom line is that they like having the government on their side and do not want to give up that powerful leverage. Despite what youve heard, Americans dont want politicians who tell it like it is. We want politicians who tell it like it isnt. This election cycle, politicians promises have gotten bigger, bolder and less tethered to reality than those of previous presidential races. Voters appear to want candidates who will deliver nothing short of their wildest partisan dreams (and delusions), alongside the unconditional silence and submission of their ideological adversaries. If presidential candidates once promised the sun, moon and stars, this time around theyre promising multiple galaxies, plus the turtles all the way down. Candidates on both the left and right have pledged complete overhauls on nearly every issue voters care about (and some they dont). That includes health care, reproductive rights, the social safety net, immigration, the Constitution, even basic arithmetic. Donald Trump, whose most attractive quality is supposedly his unfiltered frankness, has built his campaign around the preposterous promise that Mexico will pay for a big, beautiful wall on the southern U.S. border, despite all evidence to the contrary including both common sense and loud, unequivocal refusals from Mexican leaders themselves. He also promises that he can get government to swiftly, cheaply and humanely round up and deport 11 million people living in the shadows. And his base which has, until now, long believed in government incompetence and inefficacy above almost any other political principle willingly suspends disbelief. Bernie Sanders promises his base a single-payer Medicare for all health-care plan, despite the fact that Congress has voted more than 60 times to repeal the (comparatively modest) Affordable Care Act. How would either actually get their ambitious plans through? Why, political revolution and magical underpants gnomes, of course. On some issues, the candidates plans are quantifiably more grandiose than those of their predecessors. Take for example their tax proposals. Sure, huge tax cuts have been a staple of Republican presidential candidates for at least the past two decades. One (George W. Bush) even enacted those cuts. But the scale of the cuts that Trump, Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio propose would be unprecedented, according to calculations from Len Burman, director at the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center. Measured as a share of the economy, the three biggest tax cuts of the past six decades were enacted by Bush, John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan. Of those, the largest was Reagans suite of tax changes, which cumulatively led to a revenue loss equaling 2.1 percent of gross domestic product. By contrast, over the next decade, Rubio would cut taxes by an estimated 2.6 percent of GDP, Cruz by 3.6 percent and Donald Trump by 4.0 percent. In other words, candidates are promising to out-Reagan Reagan. Perhaps, you might muse, politicians just propose especially fantastical cuts while theyre on the campaign trail. But by my own calculations, todays candidates are promising cuts that are also far larger than what was proposed by Mitt Romney in 2012, John McCain in 2008, Bush in 2000, or Bob Dole in 1996. The story on the left is not so different. Sanders would raise taxes by about 5.9 percent of GDP, based on revenue estimates from the business-backed Tax Foundation. This, too, is multiples higher than any tax increase enacted in the postwar era. The largest single tax overhaul of all time just like the largest deportation of all time, or the largest health-care reform initiative, or the most ambitious constitutional revisions seems especially improbable over the next four years, regardless of who secures the White House. We are already seeing unprecedented levels of obstructionism, gridlock and allergy to compromise. In 2015, the Senate confirmed the fewest civilian nominations including federal judges, ambassadors, regulatory officials and executive branch appointees for the first session of a Congress in three decades, according to a recent Congressional Research Service report. The Senate Banking Committee has not voted a single nominee out of its committee this session, the first time thats happened in at least 50 years. And yet some presidential candidates now promise theyll be even less cooperative, and concede even less territory to the other side, in the service of delivering the grand delusions theyve pledged their voters. Quoth Cruz on Meet the Press: This is how weve gotten in the mess were in now, is Republicans who cut deals with Democrats. In todays political climate, pragmatism and cooperation appear toxic; big, beautiful, uncompromising promises score votes. Of course, big, beautiful uncompromising promises are also impossible to keep. So what happens come 2017 when voters get disillusioned by another round of broken vows? What fantasies will an ever-angrier electorate have to be promised then? Senator Bob Corker, commenting on the presidential election, said the American people should be even angrier than they are. He said, Heres my message to the Republican Party leaders: Focus more on listening to the American people and less on trying to stifle their voice. "Whats happening in the Republican primary is the result of two things: the fecklessness and ineptness of the Washington establishment in failing to address the big issues facing our country and years of anger with the overreach of the Obama administration. And to be candid, I think the American people should be angrier than they are. Senator Corker has not endorsed a candidate in this election. It looks like nothing was found at this location. Maybe try a search? Search for: Search A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. Dabney S. Lancaster Community College is launching a pilot program to award need-based scholarships, which would cover the cost of tuition and books for qualified students in the DSLCC service area. The program will be administered through the DSLCC Educational Foundation. The Dabney Promise, open to both new high school graduates, as well as non-traditional students who meet a certain threshold of financial need, will be in effect for the 2016-17 school year. Applications are now being accepted for the fall, according to Rachael Thompson, executive director of the DSLCC Educational Foundation. The Dabney Promise Program is a tertiary level funding source, applied after scholarships and financial aid, said Thompson. It is designed to bridge the gap between any merit-based scholarships and financial aid received and the cost of tuition and books. Essentially, it helps qualified students achieve free tuition and books. Established in 1980, the educational foundation with the support of generous donors has awarded more than $1.5 million in scholarships throughout its history. Despite this high level of primarily merit-based scholarship support, many students are still left with a balance that is not affordable. The result is a retention issue, with many students finding that after one or two semesters, they cant afford to continue their education, said Thompson. A major part of the educational foundations mission is to assist the college in increasing educational attainment for our service area, said Donna Vaughn, DSLCC Educational Foundation Board first vice president and co-chair of the Scholarship Committee. Easing the road for students to complete their college education without the worry of significant financial burdens substantially decreases the obstacles that impede the progress of educational attainment. To be eligible, applicants must have: a 2.25 GPA; residency within the colleges service area (the counties of Alleghany, Bath, northern Botetourt County and Rockbridge, and the cities of Lexington, Buena Vista and Covington); completed scholarship application; and completed FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) application. Students may apply for and receive a traditional scholarship, as well as be accepted into the Dabney Promise program, said Thompson. To maintain the yearly scholarship applicants must reapply each year students must maintain a 2.25 GPA , be enrolled in at least nine credit hours per semester and complete the one-credit SDV course (College Success Skills, which is required for graduation from DSLCC) in the first semester. They also must attend two orientation sessions: one for the college, and another for the Dabney Promise Program, both prior to the start of the fall semester. The most interesting requirement of the Promise Program is a four-hour community service project, pre-approved by the Foundation Office, to be completed each semester. The community service component could include anything from volunteering at an animal shelter or food bank, to participating in community cleanup days, Thompson said. We want students to have direct involvement in the community and further develop a desire to give back. We believe this is a crucial part of the Promise Program and helps facilitate an atmosphere of volunteerism both on campus and in our regional community. The Dabney Promise is modeled after Americas College Promise, a movement that continues to grow nationwide. These programs are critical for opening the door to a college education for those who would not be able to attend otherwise. "We know that completing education at the high school level is no longer enough," said DSLCC President Dr. John Rainone. "To enter employment, successfully perform job requirements, and have the opportunity to advance now means that some post-secondary education or training is needed; to be able to make programs available for all students, we need resources such as the Dabney Promise Program. I encourage students and families to learn more about this option if financial assistance is needed." Thompson emphasized that the Dabney Promise Program is also open to adult or continuing students, as well as those who have earned a GED. It is also open to all of Dabneys program disciplines, which range from welding, forestry and agriculture, to science, nursing and general studies, among many others. Funding sources for the Dabney Promise Program come from a variety of private as well as public entities, said Thompson. We are most thankful for and indebted to our generous donors, who continue to support the mission of education and foster a culture of philanthropy in our regional community. With their help, we are able to advance the educational foundations mission of building futures, building lives, and building hope,'" she said. Students need to fill out only one application for both traditional scholarships and the Dabney Promise. The application is available online at www.dslcc.edu/scholarships, and the deadline to apply is April 11. If awarded, students will be notified by late May (or early June, depending on admittance into certain DSLCC programs). For more information, to apply for scholarships and/or the Dabney Promise Program, or to make a donation, contact Thompsons office at (540) 863-2837 or email rthompson@dslcc.edu. Submitted by Judy Clark Annie Lin of Salem shares these photos and writes: I decorated my house at the fire place in my living room for the Valentine's Day. There were all kinds of blooms there. Such as a Bear, Bee, Monkey, Frog, and Minions. I also included beautiful flowers. Jerry wore a tie with his Special Olympics Virginia shirt. He also held a "Happy Valentine's Day" cake and a lady bug's rose. I took Jerry to bowling every Saturday morning at Lee Hi Lanes. It is the Special Olympics Are 8 program from November 14 to March 26. The Bowling is Jerry's favorite sport. He has his own equipment, ball, shoes, glove, and a bag. When he got a strip or space, he jumped up and his body gave him a high five. I got a group picture. If you know someone who is a special needs, please contact Linda Maness at 540-330-6824. I bought blooms to share with my residents at the Friendship Assisted Living. I wore a pom-pom minions hat (my residents made it for me) and a red love shirt and Love is around world's slipper, I also held Oak La La with plush dog to pink shopping bag. Everyone liked my outfits. Happy Valentine's Day! Click on the slideshow to view the photos. Hollins University President Nancy Gray issued a statement Monday clarifying misunderstood remarks she made last week regarding slaves owned by the private schools 19th century founder. At Hollins annual Founders Day celebration Feb. 25 Gray called university founder Charles Cocke a progressive thinker for his innovative approach to educating women and slaves. A small group of students were upset because they thought Gray called the founder a progressive slave owner, which prompted the president to clarify her remarks. Following my remarks at the Founders Day Convocation, I thought it was important to clarify and restate my belief that slavery was and is abhorrent, unjust and wrong, Gray wrote in her campuswide email. The fact that slavery existed in the South during the years of our founding does not excuse or justify slavery at Hollins. Founders Day is a yearly celebration in which the Hollins community commemorates its founder as seniors walk to the Cocke family cemetery and place a wreath on his grave. Cocke led the school from 1846 until his death in 1901. Gray went on to say slavery is a terrible part of Hollins history, and Cocke, members of the slave community and others who were instrumental in the universitys founding should all be honored. The assumption that you can be a progressive thinker while owning someone else is a fundamental issue, said black junior Lia Joseph. During the 2014-15 academic year, non-white students made up almost a third of the undergraduate student population at Hollins with black students being the largest minority group, according to data from the universitys website. HU Minority Report, which is not an official campus organization, is the group largely upset by Grays remarks. About 20 members of the organization largely made up of black students, wore T-shirts bearing This school was built on the backs of the enslaved to the Founders Day event. Despite Grays statement, some Minority Report members remain upset, though their concerns stem from the general lack of awareness that the school was founded with the help of slaves. Black freshman Whitney McWilliams said Hollins tends to gloss over its dark past. The big problem is there is this worldview that students, faculty and staff can disregard the true history of the campus, she said. There is no sugarcoating slavery, McWilliams said. Minority Report members called for a memorial honoring slaves who helped create Hollins. In her campuswide email, Gray said she is thinking about ways to honor the slaves and welcomes ideas and suggestions. Hollins was founded in 1842 as Valley Union Seminary, a coeducational school, became a single-sex school in 1852 and was renamed Hollins Institute in 1855. Slavery ended with the defeat of the Confederacy in 1865 and ratification of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution later that year. The university has implemented more diversity initiatives this academic year than in years past. In addition to diversity training for students and staff, everyone on campus participated in a campus climate assessment. Next week, students will participate in insight conversations designed to make Hollins a more inclusive community, an event that was scheduled before Founders Day. Reached by phone Tuesday, Gray said this is a difficult time for college students in the United States. Hollins students have seen racism come to a head at other college campuses like the University of Missouri and others across the country. Incidents of highly publicized police brutality against unarmed black men and the rhetoric of some of the Republican presidential candidates are all reasons for extra sensitivity on campus, Gray said. Im really, really committed to helping our students grow their ability to think critically and communicate well in a very complicated world where were dealing with difficult issues right now, she said. I wouldnt want to do anything as an educator that was misunderstood. RICHMOND The debate over racy literature in Virginia schools came to the House of Delegates on Thursday as several Democrats switched their votes but were unable to stop a bill that earlier had unanimously passed the chamber. The late opposition fell far short of derailing House Bill 516, which would allow parents to opt their children out of reading assignments deemed sexually explicit by the Virginia Board of Education. On a 77-21 vote, the House agreed to an amended version passed by the Senate. The bill now heads to Gov. Terry McAuliffes desk. Republicans backing the bill say it allows parents to protect their children from objectionable material and pursue tamer alternatives. Critics have argued the bill is a step toward censorship and book-banning. The legislation would require schools to notify parents of potentially explicit material, which parents would be able to review before deciding whether the content is appropriate for their child. Del. Dave Albo, R-Fairfax, said the issue arose after one of his constituents, Laura Murphy, raised concerns about Toni Morrisons Beloved, a Pulitzer-prize winning novel that tells the story of a slave who kills her 2-year-old daughter to save the child from a life in bondage. Albo said that when Murphy tried to complain to state officials about the content, the states pornography screens blocked her email. I lived in a fraternity house for two years. Theres not very much stuff that bothers me, Albo said. Even I was aghast at how bad it was. Del. Alfonso Lopez, D-Arlington, said governments have struggled to define the term sexually explicit. He argued the bill is broad enough to apply beyond literature, saying it could apply to sexual references in biology class or history discussions of war crimes involving rape. It means we are labeling content for the sole purpose of potentially suppressing it, Lopez said. Lopez, who said he played Falstaff in a college production of Henry IV, Part 1, noted that the House voted Wednesday to designate 2016 the Year of Shakespeare. Is Romeo and Juliet about to be diminished and reduced to a play about teen sex and suicide? Lopez said. During questioning on the House floor, Lopez acknowledged that he and others had made a mistake by voting for the bill last month, when it passed 98-0. All of the delegates representing the Roanoke and New River valleys voted for the bill Thursday. The Senate amended the bill to clarify that the state board will define sexually explicit, not local school boards. House Democrats argued that individual communities should be able to set their own standards. RICHMOND Gov. Terry McAuliffe is seeking sweeping changes to an open government bill in a move that supporters said would effectively kill the legislation. Senate Bill 494 aims to ensure public records arent unnecessarily withheld when only part of the information is exempt from disclosure. The bill, filed in response to a Virginia Supreme Court ruling last year, clarifies that agencies can redact protected information but must still release the other, public portions of the record. Many believed that was already required under Virginias Freedom of Information Act. But the high court concluded it wasnt mandatory in all cases. SB 494 easily cleared the General Assembly, but was sent back by the governor Tuesday with a heavy rewrite. McAuliffe proposes to narrow the bill to clarify one FOIA exemption the exemption disputed in the Supreme Court case and refer the rest of the proposal for further study. The bills sponsor, Sen. Scott Surovell, likened that to dropping a bomb on the legislation. The amendments completely gut the bill, said Surovell, D-Fairfax. Its basically an entirely different bill. Fueling the dispute is a fundamental disagreement about the reach of last years court ruling. The governors office believes it only extends to the contested exemption dealing with building schematics and operational manuals that may hold sensitive security information. But others feel it applies broadly to the FOIA law and weakens the obligation of public officials to release as much information as possible. I think its been widely understood that this opinion affects every public document in every [government] body in Virginia. Thats why weve taken the action we have, said Del. James LeMunyon, chairman of the states FOIA advisory council and patron of an identical House bill working its way through the legislature. Brian Coy, spokesman for McAuliffe, said the governors amendments fix the immediate concern raised in the court case while pumping the brakes on larger changes to the state law. There is concern that the original bill includes some wholesale revisioning of our FOIA law and the definition of public information that may require agencies to provide heavily redacted copies of records that are currently exempt from disclosure, he said. That would dramatically increase the cost and the burden on agencies and localities that respond to FOIA requests, he said. It may not be a bad thing to do ... But we should devote the proper time and deliberation before we undertake it. LeMunyon, R-Fairfax, said the bill only seeks to reinstate the intent of the law as everyone understood it before the court ruling. No new burden should be created, he said. Megan Rhyne, executive director of the Virginia Coalition for Open Government, expressed disappointment with the governors overhaul of the bill. The proposed changes would completely undo the work of the General Assembly, she said. Surovells bill passed the legislature with near-unanimous support. It was approved 38-1 in the Senate and 98-2 in the House. Legislators could reject the governors amendments on a majority vote of either chamber. In that case, the original bill would return to McAuliffe to be passed into law or vetoed. By a two-thirds vote of both chambers, lawmakers could pass the bill directly into law. The saga of Gov. Terry McAuliffe's embattled interim Supreme Court of Virginia Justice Jane Marum Roush took another unexpected turn Wednesday when the Republican-controlled Virginia Senate endorsed the jurist for a 12-year term and then the GOP-controlled House of Delegates voted down her nomination. Earlier in the day and with little notice, the Senate Courts of Justice Committee abruptly certified Roush. The Senate later endorsed her nomination to the court on a 22-0-1 vote. GOP Sens. Glen H. Sturtevant Jr., R-Richmond, Emmett W. Hanger Jr., R-Augusta, William M. Stanley, R-Franklin County and Jill Holtzman Vogel, R-Fauquier voted with the Democrats. One Democrat, Sen. J. Chapman "Chap" Petersen, a lawyer, abstained under Senate Rule 36, which senators invoke to note that they have a conflict of interest. The Senate approval - after weeks of partisan legislative stalemate over attempts to replace the sitting justice with another candidate - fueled speculation that a deal was in the works to keep Roush on the court. But that speculation was put to rest a short time later, when the House, which had previously certified Roush as qualified but had maintained opposition to her appointment - put Roush up for a vote on the floor and defeated her election 55-38. Following the vote, House Speaker William J. Howell, R-Stafford, issued a statement affirming the position House Republicans have taken since the judicial flap first unfolded last summer. "Today, the House of Delegates exercised its constitutional prerogative, refusing to elect Governor McAuliffe's interim appointment to a full term on the Supreme Court," Howell said. "The House remains unequivocally committed to electing Judge Rossie Alston to the Supreme Court." Alston serves on the state's Court of Appeals. Roush, a former Fairfax Circuit Court judge, picked up votes in the House from four Northern Virginia Republicans: Dels. David B. Albo, R-Fairfax; James M. LeMunyon, R-Fairfax; Thomas A. "Tag" Greason, R-Loudoun and J. Randall "Randy" Minchew, R-Loudoun. Back in January, Howell said that the "best way to facilitate an end to the current impasse is to give both candidates a vote on the floor." At some point, the House is expected to vote on Alston, who also has been certified by the chamber. Wednesday's twists and turns was the first action on the Supreme Court in weeks on the Supreme Court drama. Like previous attempts to replace her, the attempt to seat her went nowhere. Republicans came into the session seeking to replace Roush with Court of Appeals Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr. after becoming incensed with McAuliffe for what they said was a failure to properly consult and communicate with legislative leaders on his choice. The move - nearly unprecedented in the history of the state's highest court - drew criticism from legal organizations and past bar association presidents. Roush drew the support of Sturtevant, a freshman senator who had campaigned on a promise not to let political bickering oust a sitting justice. Sturtevant refused to yield, denying Senate Republicans the ability to advance a candidate to replace Roush. = Republicans hold a 21-19 edge in the Senate and a commanding 66-34 majority in the House. The stalemate in the Senate frustrated House Republicans, who had the votes to install Alston and oust Roush. Roush's interim appointment to the court expired on Feb. 12, and the nine-member court has had a vacancy since that time. Aside from the four Senate Republicans who backed Roush on Wednesday, the other GOP senators declined to vote for her but did not vote against her - a courtesy and custom in the legislature accorded to judicial candidates who face opposition. The House sent a message of its own a few minutes later, by actually having its members who opposed the nomination cast "No" votes that were recorded on the board. After a lengthy employee grievance hearing Wednesday night, a Roanoke middle school teacher was told either to resign or be dismissed. The hearing was heard during closed session because it concerned personnel. After the hearing, which lasted just over four hours, the Roanoke School Board voted 5-1 against the employee. He now has until 5 p.m. Friday to decide whether he will resign. School board member Dick Willis voted against the motion allowing the employee to resign or be dismissed. School board member Bill Hopkins was not present for the vote. The employee declined to identify himself after the meeting except to say he teaches middle school. He was identified by the board only by an employee identification number. Employee grievance hearings are relatively uncommon. School board policy says that an aggrieved employee may appeal his or her case to the school board after first appealing their concern through a chain of command that begins with their immediate supervisor, followed by the building principal and then the superintendent. According to the school boards meeting agendas and minutes available online, the last employee grievance hearing was held in 2011. That employee also was allowed to resign or be dismissed. UPDATE 11 PM, 3/3: One more band of snow is moving through late on this Thursday night, and will add probably no more than a half-inch to snow totals that vary from barely a dusting (many lower elevations) to as much as 4-5 inches (Alleghany and Rockbridge counties) tonight. After that, we're done with snow for the night -- possibly for the season, in lower elevations at least -- and anything that stuck melts quickly on Friday. We'll be quite toasty in a week. 80? I think it's possible. END UPDATE ---- UPDATE 6:30 PM, 3/3: A heavy band of snow just south of I-64 has quickly piled up an inch or two of wet snow from eastern West Virginia across parts of Alleghany and Rockbridge counties. Meanwhile, light to moderate snow is spreading across the New River and Roanoke valleys. Some of this snow has fallen in the form of "snow pellets" -- it may seem almost like sleet in how it bounces, but it is really snowflakes rimed with a thin layer of ice -- but some amounts upward to an inch, locally 2, may be possible through late evening as this snow moves through the region. Beware of slushy spots on roadways as temperatures being to cool to near the freezing mark or slightly below. END UPDATE ----- UPDATE 2:45 PM, 3/3: Some snow -- possibly mixed with rain -- may begin to fall in parts of Southwest Virginia from now until dark, with minor accumulations possible, as snow already falling aloft eventually moistens air layers underneath and finally reaches the surface. Periods of snow are likely this evening, but there are some signs that some of the drier forecast models may be accurate. The region of precipitation moving toward Southwest Virginia is quite patchy, between two heavier areas, with the one to the south likely absorbing a good bit of the Gulf of Mexico moisture being lifted northward. This bears watching over the next few hours as to how it develops, as even small differences in how the bands of precipitation set up could lead to significant changes in snow totals for a given area, but it is increasingly looking as if most locations come in under 2 inches of snow tonight -- more in line with my thinking of 24+ hours ago rather than this morning. A few higher elevation locations or anywhere that happens to get under a heavier snow band for a while may get more. Temperatures are mostly below 40, so it may not take long to get to near freezing anywhere snow does pick up, so some roads could get slushy pretty fast. END UPDATE ------- UPDATE 12 NOON, 3/3: I just hate to bounce up and down on snow forecasts. But it is worth noting that morning forecast guidance is, on the whole, a little drier in Southwest Virginia with the storm system this evening into Friday morning. Largely, the models indicate the first wave of moisture overtaking the region this evening drying up some as it crosses the mountains, with less input from the second wave as the low intensifies and/or re-develops near the coast. If this trend is correct, it will still snow, many places will still turn white to tune of 1-3 inches, and some may get more in heavier bands, but widespread snowfall may not be quite as heavy as seemed likely a bit earlier based on overnight trends in the same forecast guidance. The difference in forecasts is down to the equivalent of tenths of an inch of liquid, which doesn't matter much difference when it's rain, but can make inches of difference when it's snow. Just be aware that snow is likely this evening and secondary roads, especially, may become slick, with slushy spots on primary roads. Higher elevations are still likely to get a little more. END UPDATE ---- A low-pressure system likely to take a near-perfect track for late-season snow has resulted in a continued increase in snowfall expectations overnight into Friday morning, with a widespread 2-4-inch snow now looking more likely for most of Southwest Virginia, and some spots may get as much as 5 or 6 inches, especially higher elevations along the Blue Ridge. The National Weather Service in Blacksburg issued a winter storm warning for an arc of counties that include Patrick, Franklin, Bedford to the Lynchburg area and eastward, while surrounding counties are under a winter weather advisory. Don't get caught up in the precise geographic details between the warning and the advisory, as we are talking the difference in 3-5 vs. 2-4 forecasted snow amounts, and the snow forecasts for a certain amount issued by the weather service do not cover every square mile of each county, but tilt to heavier snow more toward the western sides of these localities and higher elevations. There is also the complication that the bar for a winter storm warning is a little higher for Floyd and Carroll counties westward -- requires 5+ inches, but only 4+ inches to the east. The center of the low-pressure system is expected to take a track through the Deep South to near Cape Hatteras, allowing cold air to remain more firmly anchored over us while throwing moisture from the Gulf of Mexico into that cold air. The cold air is completely supportive of snow through the entire atmosphere except, perhaps for a short while, the thin layer nearest the surface, that may warm enough above freezing for some precipitation to begin as rain or a rain/snow mix during the mid to late afternoon. It should become snow in all of Southwest Virginia by the evening as surface temperatures drop into the upper 20s to low 30s. Higher elevations remain somewhat favored for heavier snow amounts, as the higher a location is, the colder it starts and is likely see more of the snow stick from the outset. There also may be some heavy banding with an area of snow that spreads in from the south overnight, and it's difficult to pinpoint where that may set up. A few amounts in the 4-6-inch range are possible along the higher elevations of the Blue Ridge and wherever heavy bands develop. Some guidance suggests the heaviest band may be a little south and east of Roanoke, hence the location of the warning, but this could vary. It could even be entirely east of our region. This will be a wet snow that clings to tree limbs. Secondary roads will likely become slushy or snow-covered, with primary roads varying according to snow intensity. Snow will be a little deeper in grassy areas than on bare ground. Most of the snow is over by sunrise Friday, perhaps a few more snow or rain showers during the morning, and though it will be breezy and feel chilly behind the departing low, temperatures will push above freezing and begin the melting process rather quickly, with sunshine by afternoon. 70 is a good bet by early next week. THE FOUNDER of a domestic abuse charity hopes that a conference it held on child sexual exploitation in ethnic minority communities will inspire more victims to come forward. More than 100 people, including Rotherham MP Sarah Champion and CSE researchers, attended the Ending the Silence conference, at Carlton Park Hotel on Friday. It was organised by domestic abuse charity Apna Haq and brave victims were among the speakers, as well as CSE researchers Donna Peach and Rehailia Sharif. Zlakha Ahmed, who founded Apna Haq 21 years ago, said: It was an amazing day and it went very well. We had more than 100 people come from all over the country. We know that CSE happens in these communities but we also know there are additional pressures on them to keep quiet which is why the girls arent coming forward. Ms Ahmed said that of the 1,400 girls who were found to have been exploited in the Jay report, 110 of them were of Pakistani origin. She said: Not one of those 110 girls has come forward and thats to do with the response not being immediate and the issue of honour and shame in communities. In my speech I talked about how things need to be done differently to get these girls to come forward. Out of the 110 girls, the youngest was just nine when she was subjected to some horrific abuse. The cases will never come to court until we can change the attitudes around CSE thats what the event aimed to do. Some of the girls in these communities are seen as promiscuous and that has got to change. We have got to lay the blame where it should be and that is with the abusers. Her comments echoed those of the Ramadhan Foundations Mohammed Shafiq last week, in which he called for the Pakistani community to speak out on grooming. Until British Pakistanis accept that this is a problem for our community we will not be able to eradicate this evil, he said. Burying our head in the sand as the usual response is not good enough. Ms Champion and South Yorkshires police and crime commissioner Alan Billings also gave speeches at Fridays event. The Mayor of Rotherham, Cllr Maggi Clark, also attended the event and paid tribute to the work of Ms Ahmed, who was awarded an MBE in the New Year Honours for her work with the charity and supporting victims. Ms Ahmed said: Maggi said a few words and she remembered when I first set Apna Haq up and she spoke about the pressures we had from men when we first started. She referred to me as a warrior because I have always fought for the victims. The group was plunged into a financial crisis last year after Rotherham Borough Council ended its contract to provide domestic violence support. Ms Ahmed said: We are currently being funded by the council until the end of March. Weve got three months of reserves after that but we have put in a number of funding bids. We will carry on putting some more together and hopefully something will come our way. For more information on the group or if you would like support yourself visit www.apna-haq.co.uk or call 01709 519212. COUNCILLORS in Rotherham have formally ratified the 900 million deal bringing devolution to the Sheffield City Region. The proposal was officially backed at Wednesdays Rotherham Borough Council full meeting. Leader Cllr Chris Read said: "It moves us another step closer to securing all the benefits which this deal will bring to Rotherham and is a measure of our ambition to be one of the first places in the country to be making important economic decisions for ourselves rather than depending on London." Barnsley and Doncaster councils have also officially ratified their deals, with other authorities in the city region to consider proposals this month. The deal will mean powers on transport, business, housing, regeneration and training brought north from Westminster. Nigel Knowles, Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, said: It is welcome news that Rotherham Council is fully supporting the devolution deal. This deal will enable public and private sector leaders to continue to work together to strengthen businesses and create more and better jobs for people in Sheffield City Region. Elections for a regional mayor to oversee the new funding given over 30 years could take place in May 2017. Foreigners will be able to buy large diamonds from the Russian State Repository By Yulia Krivoshapko (Rossiiskaya Gazeta) - Foreign companies will be allowed to buy Russian large-size diamonds at auctions held by Gokhran. Relevant amendments have been drafted by Russias Ministry of Finance. Experts note that making the community of diamond buyers wider is a forced measure, which had to be taken due to a sharp drop in demand and prices for rough. As it follows from the new version of regulations for the sale of special-size diamonds weighing 10.8 carats and above in the domestic market, foreign companies operating in this country will be admitted to take part in such auctions. The Ministry of Finance clarified to RG that it would be obligatory for diamond auction bidders to be entities resident in Russia for tax purposes. Currently, only domestically based companies are allowed to take part in bidding mainly, these are cutting and polishing businesses. So if the amendments proposed by the Ministry of Finance are adopted, the buyers community will expand. Demand for diamonds in the world market has fallen conspicuously, pulling down prices, which shed 15% in 2015, Sergey Goryainov, an expert of the diamond industry news agency Rough & Polished told RG. In his opinion, the main reason was a slowdown in the Chinese economy. A few years ago, everyone expected the Celestial Empire would become the worlds leader in diamond consumption, but alas, these predictions did not materialize, the expert said. The situation is exacerbated by the declining interest towards jewelry in the Middle East turned apparent after the fall in oil prices. So far, demand is underpinned by the US, but this country is not able to pull the market alone. So, most likely, diamond demand will stay low not only this year, but next year as well, Sergey Goryainov believes. Gokhran is now selling rough bought from Russia's largest diamond miner, ALROSA. This giant company, which ranks the second on the list of global diamond miners, had to be rescued during the downturn in 2008-2009. At that time, the state spent tens of billions of rubles to buy diamonds from the miner. These are mainly small stones, which are not considered hot-ticket goods in the market, but given the right price they may well find buyers, Sergey Goryainov said. Large diamonds weighing 10.8 carats and more are quite another thing. They are fewer in number at the State Repository, but demand and, of course, prices for such stones are as a rule higher. So, if sold, they are good money-earners even now. The specifics of diamonds weighing over 10 carats are in that there is no uniform scale to determine their value. Therefore, their appraisal follows a special procedure. Gokhran experts set their price, while experts from companies taking part in an auction set theirs. If some buyer offeres a price higher than the price asked by Gokhran, such stones are sold. If offered prices are below those of Gokhran, diamonds remain in the repository. Recently, the Ministry of Finance announced an auction for special-size diamonds. It is scheduled for the 12th of April. Trading sessions at Gokhran are not quite the usual type. Here, there is no one to bring down the auction hammer. Buyers are given an opportunity to view diamonds before the auction - the stones are on display at Gokhran during one month. Then, buyers submit their bids in sealed envelopes. On the appointed day, the auction principal announces diamond lots and opens the envelopes carrying the names of buying companies. Those, who offer the best price, win. Bidding is considered invalid if every lot offered for sale attracts less than two buyers. This year, proceeds from diamond sales may help the Ministry of Finance to reduce the budget deficit at least a little bit, Sergey Goryainov noted. However, with equal ease the sale proceeds may be used to replenish the State Repository with more liquid valuables, gold and platinum, as precious metals have always been a sheet anchor in time of emergency. Incidentally, while selling diamonds from the State Repository in the domestic market, Russia is also exporting diamonds on a large scale. Being engaged in export activities, diamond miners felt in full the impact of the crisis in their industry last year. According to the data published by the Ministry of Finance, rough exports dropped by 17.6% to 20.38 million carats. And these were the numbers for the first 9 months only. That said, it should be noted that Belgium remained to be the leader among Russias largest diamond buyers. In the first nine months of 2015, Belgium bought more than 15.4 million carats worth over $ 1.6 billion. The second-largest buyer was India, which purchased about 4.4 million carats of diamonds paying $ 418 million. Russian diamonds were also eagerly bought by the United Stated and United Arab Emirates. Stage Stores, Inc. (SSI) announced, in fiscal 2016, the company expects: sales to be in a range of $1.53 to $1.56 billion, assuming a decline of 3% to 1% in comparable sales. The company said it has no plans to open stores and anticipates closing approximately 30 locations in 2016. Stage Stores expects fiscal 2016 earnings per share to be between $0.40 and $0.60. Michael Glazer, CEO, said: "As we look ahead to 2016, we expect external headwinds to continue to impact the . However, we believe our investments in omni-channel and store upgrades will position our business to deliver improved performance. We will continue to operate with disciplined expense controls and inventory management as we remain cautious in the current environment. We believe that investing in our omni-channel capabilities and stores will invigorate our business, drive sales, improve margins and create positive cash flow in 2016." For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News As Republicans prepare to defend their control of the Senate this November, Sen. Chuck Grassley's, R-Iowa, seat was expected to be relatively safe. However, reports suggest Grassley could face a formidable Democratic challenge over his refusal to hold hearings on any Supreme Court nomination by President Barack Obama. Both the Des Moines Register and the New York Times have reported that former Iowa Lieutenant Governor Patty Judge plans to jump into the race. Citing sources in Washington, D.C., and Des Moines, the Register said Judge will announce her candidacy on Friday. Judge previously told the Register she was considering running against Grassley due to his stance on the Supreme Court vacancy. "I don't like this deliberate obstruction of the process," Judge told the Register last week. "I think Chuck Grassley owes us better. He's been with us a long time. Maybe he's been with us too long." The reports regarding Judge's potential campaign come on the heels of a separate New York Times report indicating that federal appeals court judge Jane L. Kelly is being vetted by the White House as Obama's potential Supreme Court nominee. Since Kelly spent much of her career in Iowa, nominating her could put pressure on Grassley, who serves as Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The New York Times noted Grassley effusively praised Kelly in a Senate floor speech supporting her nomination to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit in 2013. However, in a speech on the Senate floor on Wednesday, Grassley claimed considering a Supreme Court nominee during a presidential election campaign would make the court even more political than it already is. A CNN/ORC poll released on Thursday found that 58 percent of Americans would like to see Obama nominate someone to the court, while 41 percent said the seat should remain vacant until a new president takes office. Sixty-six percent also said whomever Obama nominates should get a hearing, although 48 percent said Republicans would be justified in preventing a confirmation vote if they oppose the nominee. (Photo Credit: IowaPolitics.com) For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Political News New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez announced her support for Senator Marco Rubio's, R-Fla., campaign for the Republican presidential nomination on Thursday. In a statement, Martinez described Rubio as a compelling leader who can unite the country around conservative principles that will improve the lives of all Americans. "The stakes for our great country are too high and the differences between the candidates too great for me to remain neutral in this race," Martinez said. She added, "I wholeheartedly trust Marco to keep us safe and ensure a better tomorrow, and I look forward to campaigning with him later this week." Martinez became the first female Hispanic governor in American history in 2010 and was overwhelmingly re-elected in 2014. The Rubio campaign described her as one of the most popular conservative governors. While New Mexico does not hold its primary until June 7th, Martinez is scheduled to campaign for Rubio in Kansas on Friday and in Florida on Saturday. Martinez, the chair of the Republican Governors Association, said earlier this week that she could not commit to voting for Donald Trump if he's the GOP nominee. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News So, towards the middle of the month, when everyone will be thinking about Irish cuisine, Longitud315 in Highwood will be spicing things up with the tastes of Columbia. And if you want to not just eat succulent South American specialties, but learn a little more about how to prepare them, you can participate in the lunch & learn, as well. LONGITUD315 HOSTS CELEBRATED COLOMBIAN CHEF TO COOK COLOMBIAN CUISINE AND RAISE FUNDS FOR YOUTH EDUCATION Two evening seatings and lunch & learn cooking demos filling up fast! HIGHWOOD, IL (MARCH 13, 14 & 16, 2016) , celebrated South American fusion restaurant in Highwood, IL, is welcoming guest Chef Santiago Romero of the famous two special nights and a lunch & learn, honoring Colombian cuisine while raising funds for youth education in Colombia. The public is invited to join the dynamic duo as they cook up a menu of their very own dishes from each restaurant on March 14th and 16th at 7pm, or participate in a lunch & learn on Sunday March 13that 11am. Longitud315 , celebrated South American fusion restaurant in Highwood, IL, is welcoming guest Chef Santiago Romero of the famous Harry Sasson restaurant in Cartegena, Colombia to cook side-by-side with Executive Chef Tony Castillo forcook up a menu of their very own dishes from each restaurantat 7pm, or participate in a lunch & learn on Sunday March 13at 11am. As Executive Chef for Harry Sasson restaurant, one of the Best 50 Restaurants in Latin America, Chef Romero also worked for world-renowned Peruvian chef Gaston Acurio, owner of Tanta in Chicago and 32 other restaurants in 12 countries around the world. It is such an honor that Chef Romero has chosen to come to America and cook with me at Longitud315, says Castillo. To be able to share his experience and recipes with my customers is like a dream come true. It is Castillos mission to take a sabbatical every year to explore different parts of South America in search of authentic flavors and cooking techniques to bring back to Longitud315. Last year he met the Quechua people of Cuzco, Peru . This year he closed his restaurant for two weeks in January and took off for Cartagena, Colombia, where he met Chef Romero. He was delighted Chef Romero accepted his invitation to come to America to cook with him and showcase his unique Colombian cuisine to the delight of his diners. Chef Romero is also looking forward to cooking side-by-side with Chef Tony . I saw such excellence and passion in Chef Tonys desire to want to absorb the Colombian culture and cuisine and bring true authentic recipes that I could not pass up the opportunity to join him at Longitud315 and cook for his customers, says Chef Romero. It was Chef Romero who shared stories with Castillo of Colombian communities in need of youth education resources. Castillo is hoping to give back to the community that has taught him so much and has decided to donate a portion of the proceeds from the dining extravaganzas at Longitud315 to develop youth education in Colombia, and provide improved resources to help young students. Longitud315 promises a once in a lifetime dining experience with a lunch & learn on Sunday, March 13thand two dinner seatings on Monday, March 14th and Wednesday, March 16th. Both chefs will be cooking their favorite Colombian dishes as Castillo presents his new Spring menu inspired by his trip and experience. Featured dishes will include Bandeja Paisa, a common staple in Colombia, and Ajiaco, a delicious soup only made in Bogeta. Tickets are $75 per person for the lunch & learn on March 13th, $75 per person for the six-course meal on March 14th or $60 per person for the eight-course tasting on March 16th dinner seating, with proceeds benefitting Colombian youth education. For reservations, please visit http://www.longitud315.com or call 847-926-7495. ABOUT CHEF TONY CASTILLO The fusion of South American flavors concept at Longitud315 was born as a result of Chef Tony Catillo's culinary upbringing in Venezuela and cooking side to side with his grandmother who traveled to various countries in South America. It was at a very young age when Castillo moved to Mexico where some of his family resided and he worked at his parents restaurant helping in the kitchen where he mastered the arts of butchery. Castillo followed his love of cooking and began his formal culinary career in Guanajuato, Mexico at the recognized Institute of Culinary Arts and Gastronomy where he was awarded a scholarship to continue his culinary dreams in the United States. ABOUT LONGITUD315 The exotic South American fusion flavors of Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela make for a lively dining experience at Longitud315. The tasty lineup includes small plates of Empanadas, Arepas, Ceviche , Rice, Black Beans, Yuca, Plantains, and delicious Steaks and Seafood entrees accompanied with signature Chimichurri Sauces and hand-crafted breads. In 2014, Longitud315 was voted by Open Table voters one of the TOP 100 Restaurant Neighborhood Gems in America a recognition received by only three restaurants in Illinois. Chicago Cop Sentenced To 2 Years For Beating Suspect At A Convenience Store By Mae Rice in News on Mar 2, 2016 8:54PM surveillance video still Police officer Aldo Brown was sentenced to two years in prison Wednesday for beating a suspect at a convenience store in 2012. The altercation that was caught on surveillance camera. U.S. District Judge Virginia Kendall sentenced Brown on Wednesday, making him the first Chicago police officer to be sentenced to jail time since the video of Officer Jason Van Dyke shooting Laquan McDonald 16 times was released in November. Brown was convicted of using excessive force against convenience store clerk Jecque Howard in October, though, before the video was released. Brown happens to share a lawyer with Officer Van Dyke: attorney Daniel Herbert. In court filings, Herbert represented Brown as a hero for patrolling a crime-stricken South Shore neighborhoodwhose endemic violence, Herbert says, has earned it the nickname Terror Town. "Aldo Brown doesn't go to an office each day, typing emails, participating in meetings or conference calls and thinking about the next run to Starbucks," Herbert said in a recent federal court filing, the Tribune reports. "He starts each shift going into Terror Town, where he is ... the ONLY thing preventing already pervasive violence from completely overtaking the community." Federal prosecutors countered that really, this was a clear-cut case of police brutality. (They did not mention that simply avoiding Starbucks does not make you above the law.) "With each baseless and unnecessary strike, (Brown) gave the citizens of Chicago every reason to believe that police officers could not be trusted, were aggressive and abusive," Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Romero wrote in a filing last week, according to the Tribune. Brown was initially convicted of using excessive force after a beating that took place on Sep. 27, 2012, in Omar Salma convenience store on South Coles Avenue. Brown, a plainclothes cop, arrived at the scene with his partner, based on a tip that drugs were being sold on the premises and the store clerks were acting as lookouts for dealers. They searched the premises and found what they considered marijuana paraphernalia, which Howard said was his. Brown proceeded to punch Howard in the face, choke him, and kick him. Howard was not injured beyond bruising and scratching during the attack, and was not handcuffed at the timehe was handcuffed earlier in the video, then released by Browns partner, who was not charged. Brown said he feared for his life because Howard had a gun in his pocket, and a loaded gun was found on him. However, Brown did not try to take possession of the weapon until after the beating, the surveillance tape shows. Howard sued the city over the incident and got a $100,000 settlement, according to the Tribune. Chicago Mosquitoes Could Ruin Your Life, But Probably Not With Zika Virus By Marielle Shaw in News on Mar 2, 2016 10:02PM Alexandra Westrich holding a specimen. Photo courtesy of The Field Museum, taken by James Waters As the mosquito-borne Zika virus spreads through South America, a Chicago hospital confirmed the first local case of the virus Tuesday: A 30-year-old woman tested positive for the disease after returning from a trip to Colombia in January. She has made a full recovery, and the virus is not expected to spread through the city. We still had questions, though, so we spoke with the Field Museum's Alexandra Westrich, a mosquito expert and research assistant who works with the Chicago Department of Public Health on the West Nile Virus Surveillance Team. We asked her what was important to know about the Zika virus and the mosquitoes in our area. The mosquitoes that carry the Zika virus originate from the genus Aedes, Westrich explained. But while Chicago is home to some species from the Aedes family, Chicagoans aren't at risk of catching the virus from a local mosquitothe two specific types of mosquitoes that carry the virus aren't present here. "It's only a matter of how many people here are traveling and bringing it back," she said. This makes transmission, and certainly an epidemic, extremely unlikely in Illinois, as cases of Zika must be "imported." Compared to the West Nile Virus, Zika is less of a concern for Chicagoans, she addedboth in severity, since West Nile's encephalitic form can be fatal, and in its reach, since at least some of the mosquito pools in Chicago test positive for West Nile every year. Zika is only now considered a health concern, Westrich says, because of its implications for pregnant women. "It is a significant public health concern because of the link to the birth defects, but it hasn't caused any fatalities yet," she said. She advocates "minimizing the alarmism" and instead "waiting until more concrete evidence of the causative agents has come in." If you are concerned about Zika or West Nile, Westrich's recommendation is to stay informed about mosquito ecologywhich means, among other things, avoiding standing water. "Mosquitoes have an aquatic larval stage and lay their eggs in standing water, or containers that can fill with water when it rains," she said. "If you're in an area where there are a lot of mosquitoes, use repellent. And finally, if you do spot areas of standing water, dead birds, or tall weeds, you can report this to 311 so that something can be done." So to sum up: No need to panic here in Chicago, but as usual, take precautions to avoid exposure to the nasty little buggers once spring arrives. A first-of-its-kind journey along India and Pakistan border What binds the two most talked about nations - India and Pakistan together? What makes the Illinois House Overwhelmingly Passes Legislation For Elected School Board In Chicago By aaroncynic in News on Mar 3, 2016 10:02PM Photo credit: Justin Carlson Should the bill go on to clear the Senate and get Gov. Bruce Rauners approval, it would replace the current mayoral appointed board of seven members with 21 members. Chicago would be divided into 20 districts, and a board chair would run citywide. Members would serve one term of five years and then run every four years for reelection. The first election would be held in 2018. Chicago is the only district in Illinois with an appointed board. Support for an elected board has been widespread in the city, particularly after Mayor Rahm Emanuelwhos been a longstanding opponentpresided over the largest public school closings in history. The Chicago Teachers Union, student activists, and a laundry list of local legislators have all attempted to push for the measure. During last years mayoral race, a non-binding resolution in 38 wards showed overwhelming public support. According to the Sun-Times, applause broke out in the House after the bill passed. This bill has brought faith back to Illinois House, said Rep. Jaime Andrade. Faith to me that we can work together. The Illinois Review reports, Rep. Rob Martwick, who sponsored the legislation, said: It will give to the residents and taxpayers, the parents, teachers and students of the city of Chicago a say in the future of their educational system. That is really the best reform I can think of. When democracy fails, the answer is not less democracy, it's more democracy. Emanuels office did not respond to a request for comment prior to publication. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Senate President John Cullerton, an ally of Emanuels, simply told Capitol Fax the bill was under review. Katelyn Johnson, Executive Director of Action Now, a group thats advocated for an elected board, said: Chicagos parents and children have been used as an experiment without their say-so, by so-called education reformers like Governor Bruce Rauner and Mayor Rahm Emanuel. We are on the verge of ending this horrific experiment that has led to the closure of over 100 public neighborhood schools, the proliferation of privately control charter schools, the layoffs of experienced teachers of color, and the disinvestment in our childrens education. The CTU, which has been in a contract fight with the mayor for months and inching closer towards another strike, was also celebratory, but reiterated the demands its made of the current board for class size limits, no more cuts to education funding, and a closure in loopholes in the promises the Board has already made. For more than a decade, communities throughout the city of Chicago have worked to establish a stable, well-managed and fiscally responsible Chicago Board of Education, and with todays vote, the Illinois House took an important step toward recognizing the diversity of our city and improving democracy for all, said CTU President Karen Lewis in an emailed statement to Chicagoist. We will review this bill to ensure it does everything possible to prevent conflicts of interest between board members and CTU, said a spokesperson for Rauners office, adding that Rauner supports a different bill, HB4498 that would lead to the creation of an elected school board for Chicago Public Schools. HB 4498, however, is also the legislation that would allow for the Illinois State Board of Education to take over CPS, a measure opposed by Emanuel, the CTU and other education activists. SNc Channels: Search About Salem-News.com Mar-02-2016 12:37 TweetFollow @OregonNews Russian Media Divulges Information Accepted by Rebels in Syria Local rebel leaders report preparedness for plan regarding the Syria's Hmeimim airbase. The victorious Syrian Arab Army, photo courtesy: fredw-catharsisours.blogspot.com (SALEM, Ore.) - On Tuesday, US Department of State and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, the co-chairs of the International Syria Support Group, issued a joint communique emphasizing participation of all the Syrian dissident groups in peace talks. All rebel groups engaged militarily with the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) must declare their unconditioned acceptance to participate in the ceasefire, according to the below mentioned provisions; otherwise, no cease-fore shall be implemented: Full implementation of Security Council resolution 2254 (Adopted on December 18, 2015) Stop all rocket, mortar and anti-armor attacks against SAA and its allied forces Avoid any attempt to gain control over new areas held by the groups participated in truce talks Allowing humanitarian relief agencies to enter areas besieged for months by rebels The plan allows the both parties to respond with "proportionate use of force" in self-defense In this line, the media sources close to Russian negotiating team at international Syrian talks seeking a contemporary truce released a draft, which must be endorsed by rebel groups. It is obligatory for the local rebel leaders to report their preparedness for four-article plan regarding the areas under their control to the Syria's Hmeimim airbase. The four articles are as follow: Accepting a peaceful settlement for Syrian armed conflict Respecting the cease-fire, beginning from the February 27, 2016 and avoid any hostile acts against SAA Accepting the safety of cease-fire monitoring teams during their stay in the rebel-held areas Not obstructing humanitarian aid support for besieged Syrian cities Therefore, the Syrian Arab Army and its allies are being committed not to launch any further military operations to gain grounds from the rebels and permit the presence of rebels military representatives in truce monitoring teams. _________________________________________ Foreign-affairs | Human-rights | Military | Business | Most Commented on Articles for March 2, 2016 | Syrian Army Prepares for Final Push to Victory Syria's army deals a heavy blow to Saudi-backed terrorists. Rebel groups fighting the Syrian govt have many concessions to make in order to participate i peace talks and ceasefire, photo courtesy: dw.com (DAMASCUS, Syria) - As the international community and Syrian government welcome the newly-reached agreement on a temporary truce in Syria, the U.S. and its Saudi allies seek to wreak havoc in war-torn Syria and exploit the humanitarian ceasefire to al-Qaeda terrorists benefit, though the Syrian army vowed to crush any insurgent group that doesnt abide by the international deal. Yesterday, Syrian Arab Army (SAA) units advance deeper into rebel-held Darayya, a southern Damascus suburb, inflicting large causalities on al-Nusra Front militants the al-Qaeda offshoot in Syria, destroying their heavy weaponry and severing their supply routes. Media sources close to the Syrian opposition corroborated the reports of a hasty withdrawal of radical militants from another group, the Darayya-Muadamiya front. In the meantime, the Syrian Army and Popular Committees are gaining ground in northern Syria by wresting control of the main rebel bastions of Ein al-Ghazal and Mazala, the northwestern strategic town of Kensaba, close to the Lattakia-Aleppo highway. Army soldiers also killed and captured scores of Chinese-Uyghur terrorists and seized several pick-up's equipped with heavy machine guns. Concurrently, the Syrian troops retook strategic heights of Qamouaa, Kafarsand and al-Koroum Khasat in Latakia's northern countryside. The Syrian Arab Air Force also conducted several sorties against al-Nusra Front terrorist targets in Homs and Hama, killing 13 foreign rebels. In the Eastern city of Deir ez-Zor, the Syrian army explored and later blew up a tunnel an al-Sanaa neighborhood, liquidating 65 ISIS terrorists. The Syrian Army engaged ISIS gunmen on the Hama-Aleppo highway and road connecting Khanaser to Ithriya, inflicting more losses on ISIS mercenaries. _________________________________________ Do Kansas' drug-induced homicide laws actually help with fentanyl? As drug overdoses related to fentanyl rise in Kansas, does a state law allowing drug dealers to effectively be charged with homicide have any impact? Logan Square's Newest Bar Will Make You Love Mezcal By Anthony Todd in Food on Mar 3, 2016 4:04PM Jay Schroeder doesn't want to start (or follow) a trend. Anyone who's been following cocktails lately knows that Mezcal, the typically smoky Mexican agave spirit, has been showing up on more and more menus lately. At Mezcaleria Las Flores, a new bar opening in Logan Square next Monday, Mezcal is the star of the showbut it isn't about jumping on a bandwagon. "You can call a thing a trendIve been lucky enough to be learning about this for the past six years of my life. But this is something people have been doing for the last three to four hundred years," explains Schroeder. He should know. He's one of the most knowledgable mezcal experts in the states (and spent years as the mixologist for Rick Bayless), and even for a cocktail nerd like me, listening to him is like listening to someone speaking another language. The varieties of agave, Mexican topography, flavors, drinking vessels, and distillation methods wash over me, and it quickly becomes apparent that this man really knows his stuff. And he's going to convince you, quickly, to love Mezcal. The bar, next to the newly-renovated Johnny's Grill, is housed in a former flower shop (hence the name), it's tiny, and it's charmingly informal, filled with plants and a bit of Mexican kitsch. Schroeder has created a menu of cocktails (below) designed to bring in every kind of drinker and convert them to Mezcal. Do you like light, pink drinks? You have to go for the "Falconry Demonstration," made with blood orange, egg white, hibiscus, calvados and Mezcal Peloton de la Muerte. There's even a stencil of an Aztec falcon on the top. "This is the one you get when you dont know what to order and youre out of your depth with the whole mezcal thing," explains Schroeder. Because while he loves the spirit, Schroeder isn't a maniacal purist who wants to open a snob's paradise. There is even (gasp) a margarita on the menuthough you probably won't be having the most exciting experience possible if you order it. "You have to meet people where they are. Were not pouring pepsi on top of the spirit, but we have to get people drinking it," says Schroeder. That said, if you are a mezcal geek, you're in luck; his back bar is filled with an incredible, hand-picked selection of bottles and he's selling the straight spirit at an incredibly low price. "If you come in and drink the back bar, you win. Im taking a hit because I want to move this stuff." What is Mezcal, anyway? "People get upside down on Mezcal by getting ahead of themselves. Its a big convoluted thing," explains Schroeder. "Most Mezcals are from Oaxaca, except the ones that arent, and most are made from Espadin, except the ones that arent." At the end of the day, mezcal is an agave-based spirit, usually smoky in flavor (except when it isn't) and made in Mexico. And no, it doesn't have to have a worm in it, so stop asking. That being said, there are some worms at Mezcaleria Las Floresbut they're in the salt. Yup, the salt. Specifically, sal de gusano. Worm salt. "Its about what it sounds like. It is, in fact, partially made from worms, says Schroeder. It's delicious, and it rims a drink made with rye, roibos tea and Mina Real espadin called the "Illuminati Handshake." Featuring a non-smoky mezcal ("sin humo" in Spanish) it's a way in for those who don't like smoke but still want to try the spirit. Are you a lover of bitter cocktails? One of the most complex in the city is now the "Five Unlucky Days" named after a period in the Aztec calendar. it's a combination of reposado tequila, cognac, sherry, CH fernet and nutmeg oil, and the first sip might make you wince. But if you're looking for a drink to sip on all night long, this is the one. I could literally taste (and listen to Schroeder talk about) to what's on the shelves at Mezcaleria Las Flores all day. And the drinks are almost as much fun to look at as to drink. Most are served in vessels he brought back from Oaxaca. You'll drink out of clay pitchers, gourds and hand-painted vessels. You'll learn a lot about something you've probably never had before. Mezcaleria Las Flores is going to change your drinking repertoire. So strap in, get ready for some worm salt and some smoke and enjoy the ride. Mezcaleria Las Flores is located at 3149 W. Logan Blvd. Mezcaleria Las Flores Chiz asks MILF: Help secure NGCP towers to avert poll failure in Mindanao By Office of Senator Chiz Escudero January 21, 2016 PASAY CITY The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) should play an active role to ensure the coming May elections will push through in Mindanao by helping secure the transmission towers of the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) that have been the subject of at least 17 bomb attacks since last year. There can be no better time for the MILF to show good faith and sincerity than now when the BBL (Bangsamoro Basic Law) is under consideration in the legislature, said Sen. Francis Chiz Escudero, the leading vice-presidential candidate in the May polls. Escudero said that while the NGCP has issued urgent appeals to the military, police and local residents to help secure its towers, the MILF should take it upon itself to be involved in the security since most of the bombed transmission towers are located in its bailiwick, particularly the provinces of Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur. These are the areas where the MILF has presence and wields some form of authority. Surely, they will be in a position to secure the NGCP towers, Escudero explained. As of last week, at least 17 NGCP towers have already been bombed by unidentified suspects, although many residents have blamed the renegade Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) for most of the attacks. Escudero said the BIFF involvement is an issue that could be contained by the MILF since many of its officials and members have relatives and friends aligned with the group. Baka pwedeng arburin na lang ng MILF sa BIFF yung mga NGCP towers wag lang maputol ang kuryente at maantala ang eleksyon sa Mayo, Escudero said. At the same time, Escudero said the MILF could also be instrumental in settling, negotiating for and mediating land claims and zonal problems which have kept the NGCP from throwing a more reliable blanket security around its towers. With its formidable and respected position in Muslim society, the MILF could also intervene in these matters to assure the uninterrupted and efficient operation of the NGCP which will tantamount to peace, order and development in that part of Mindanao, he averred. The NGCP and President Aquino himself have lamented that land claims, zonal problems and unreasonable land owners have stood in the way of the power transmission firms objective to provide constant power to Mindanao. DOLE-8 regional director Elias Cayanong delivering his message during the unveiling ceremony program at the SMB regional beer office in Catbalogan City. DOLE unveils its 3rd compliance marker for SMB By GIRLIE GARCES January 27, 2016 CATBALOGAN CITY The Department of Labor and Employment has long launched its program under the Department Order 18-A. Under this program, companies are sought to support the need to comply with all statutory requirements for employees. This entails the payment of basic wages and benefits as the law provides. It can be noted that even if the company themselves may be complaint with the DOLE order, it does not assure the adherence of their third party service providers and business partners. For San Miguel Brewery Inc., the company has acted as a big brother to its partners by encouraging and providing them with assistance to ensure that the employees of the contractors get what is demanded by law. Recently, San Miguel Brewery Inc.s Eastern Visayas Regional Office unveiled its marker for being a labor law complaint installation. This means that its contractors fully comply with the requirements set by the DOLE. In December of 2015, the Mandaue plant unveiled with Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis Baldoz, and the officials of DOLE-7, the first marker of compliance. Late last year, the DOLE-8 regional office headed by Director Elias Cayanong and City vice-mayor Zambo Yaokasin led in the unveiling of SMBs Eastern Visayas - Leyte Beer Region compliance marker in Tacloban City. On its third round, SMBs Eastern Visayas Beer Region in Catbalogan City also set its marker last January 26 with DOLE-8 Director Cayanong and Mayor Stephany Uy-Tan unveiling. We are serious about helping our business partners comply with the DOLE requirements because we believe that a secure and happy employee is a loyal and productive employee. This in turn translates into a more dedicated worker that would contribute to the growth of the business, Leo Remeses Amoyan, Human Resource and Administration Manager of SMB said. We are happy that SMB has been supportive of our program, Director Cayanong shared. We are also glad of the cooperation of their business partners as this would also benefit not just their employees but also their business. Police from Baoshan District said Tang set herself on fire accidentally with a lighter at 7:45 pm during a dispute with a female friend in the cafe. [Photo/Weibo] A member of Shanghai-based girl group SNH48 is being treated for severe burns after accidentally setting herself on fire at a cafe on Tuesday evening, her management company said on Weibo yesterday. Tang Anqi, 24, is in intensive care at the Changhai Hospital of Shanghai, the company said. Police from Baoshan District said Tang set herself on fire accidentally with a lighter at 7:45pm during a dispute with a female friend in the cafe. According to news website thepaper.cn, the fire spread quickly because the woman was wearing pantyhose. Tang Anqi [Photo/Weibo] She suffered burns to 80 percent of her body, the report said, without citing a source. According to a picture posted by a witness online, Tang caught fire as she was rushing to the staircase. The fire was put out by cafe staff and Tang was sent to hospital. The cafe's manager, surnamed Wen, told Shanghai Daily that Tang "didn't seem to be in a good mood." "She seemed to be fiddling with the lighter when we were serving the food," she said. "But we don't know exactly what happened as we were on the first floor of the cafe, and she and her friend were on the second floor" at the time of the incident, she said. Wen said that the two women were not smoking and that none of the food they ordered "required the use of a lighter." The seat in which Tang was sitting is not covered by the cafe's surveillance cameras, thepaper.cn reported. The band's management company said she is in need of large amount of blood and is still in danger, and unable to speak. It also expressed gratitude to all the people who had gone to the hospital to donate blood. Changhai Hospital of Shanghai declined to comment on the case, but police said they are investigating the incident. You are here: Home A senior Chinese military official on Wednesday called for enhanced counter-corruption efforts to build a clean army. Xu Qiliang, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), was speaking at a CMC discipline inspection commission conference. The military must be steadfast in their allegiance to the Communist Party of China (CPC) and follow the Party to win the final victory in the ongoing fight against corruption, said Xu. Xu stressed that inspections must be motivated by the desire to build a strong army and upholding the CPC's absolute leadership over the army. The military should root out any negative influence contaminating the armed forces after the ousting of Guo Boxiong and Xu Caihou, both former vice chairmen of the CMC, Xu said. Xu urged military discipline inspection agencies to adhere to the CPC's goal of comprehensively and strictly governing the Party, better performing their duty of strengthening supervision as well as exposing discipline violations. 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United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe In late January, a video clip shot at a Beijing hospital went viral in China. In the video, a woman raged about the fact that appointments for specialists had been booked by scalpers, who were selling them for 4,500 yuan (688 U.S. dollars), 15 times higher than the original fee. In Chinese hospitals, patients often pay a fee to schedule medical appointments and are issued a number ticket upon booking. "Our appointments can be booked six months in advance," said Zou Xiaobing, a specialist at a hospital in south China's Guangzhou. "Appointments for six months in the future are usually all booked within minutes," said Zou. "Some patients may even pay a scalper more than 5,000 yuan for an appointment with me, which is way too much," Zou added. Although ticket scalping is illegal in China, scalpers are a common sight at the country's theaters, railway stations and hospitals. "I have to be quick to react as soon as (concert) tickets are available, or else the scalpers will gain the upper hand," said Jiang Chen, a classical music fan from Shanghai. "I just feel bad for all the empty seats because of the tickets that go unsold by the scalpers," said Jiang. Local governments and institutions have tried to put pressure on the scalpers. The National Railway Administration has been improving its verification system for online purchases to prevent scalpers from buying them. This year, the administration introduced mobile phone verification for purchases. As of Feb. 18, a total of 18,193 fake tickets had been seized and 249 scalpers had been caught by railway police nationwide in a campaign launched late last year to crack down on scalpers during the Spring Festival travel rush, which kicked off on Jan. 24 and will end on Thursday. "You see fewer scalpers and more patrols at the station than two years ago," said Andrew Ngai, a passenger from south China's Shenzhen who traveled during the holiday rush. Triggered by the video, hospitals in Beijing have also taken measures, including a real-name system for bookings to prevent scalpers from landing appointments. Beijing Tongren Hospital and others have limited the number of appointments available per day to ensure patients are treated as soon as possible. At theaters such as the National Center for Performing Arts (NCPA), more guards have been seen standing at the gates to expel scalpers with tickets in hand. "I don't remember seeing so few scalpers before," said Yang Ping outside the Beijing Concert Hall. "Even the remaining few are keeping a much lower profile." Despite the crackdown, a number of scalpers still linger at their usual haunts. At the entrance to the NCPA on Monday evening, scalpers surrounded Jiang Chen, trying to persuade her to buy their last tickets. Although Jiang refused, the regular theatergoer said she felt for the scalpers. "Cracking down on them makes little sense now," she said. "In many cases, (concert) sponsors give out free tickets to customers, who are not interested and give the tickets to scalpers afterwards." Wang Yi, director at Evergrande Music, a major music group in China, said it will take time to eliminate the problem. "The task seems impossible to complete at the moment," he said. "We cannot keep the scalpers from getting tickets, no matter how we sell them." Huang Fei, director of the office of medical reform of Guangdong Province, said scalpers at hospitals are also difficult to eliminate. "Our medical services at the primary level fail to keep scalpers at bay," he said, referring to the fact that some patients avoid their local hospitals, so more reputable hospitals are always packed with patients and scalpers. "If our medical system were good enough to keep all patients at nearby hospitals, [the scalpers] would disappear," he added. Lewes, DE -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/03/2016 -- Short Bowel Syndrome - Market Insights, Epidemiology and Market Size Forecast-2020 Reports provides an overview of the disease and global market size of the Short Bowel Syndrome for the 7MM (United States, EU5 (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and UK) and Japan). It also includes global historical and forecasted epidemiological data for the diagnosed incident cases of Short Bowel Syndrome from 2010-2020. Short-bowel syndrome is a disorder clinically defined by malabsorption, diarrhea, steatorrhea, fluid and electrolyte disturbances, and malnutrition.People with short bowel syndrome cannot absorb enough water, vitamins, and other nutrients from food to sustain life. The treatment options are complex and varied. The specific treatment plan may be highly individualized and can include Total Parental Nutrition (TPN) support, which involves use of oral rehydration solutions, parenteral nutrition and enteral nutrition. Gattex (Teduglutide) is currently the first non-surgical treatment for short bowel syndrome (SBS), which is predicted to improve the daily, lives of the patients and is the third approved therapy by USFDA. The drug is going to be the best selling drug worldwide throughout the forecast period.According to Publisher, the forecasted patient population of SBS will increase at a CAGR of 1.17% from 2015 to 2020 and the worldwide SBS market is estimated to be 2.67 billion by 2020. The report is built using data and information sourced from proprietary databases, primary and secondary research and in-house Forecast model analysis by Publisher team of industry experts. Scope - Report covers the disease overview including etiology, pathophysiology, symptoms, diagnosis, disease management, and current treatment options. - Marketed information including available prescription drugs, its patent and exclusivity details followed by drug sales till 2018. - The Report also covers the detailed global historical and forecasted epidemiological data covering United States, EU5, Japan and rest of the word from 2010-2020. - It also provides Market size of Short Bowel Syndrome for United States, EU5 and Japan from 2010 and forecasted Market size to 2020 Spanning over 70 pages "Short Bowel Syndrome - Market Insights, Epidemiology and Market Size Forecast-2020" report covers Short Bowel syndrome, Disease overview, Pathophysiology, Symptoms of disease, Appendix, Report Methodology. For more information Visit at: http://www.marketresearchreports.com/delveinsight/short-bowel-syndrome-market-insights-epidemiology-and-market-size-forecast-2020 Related Reports: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) - Market Insights, Epidemiology and Market Size Forecast-2020 - Visit at - http://www.marketresearchreports.com/delveinsight/respiratory-syncytial-virus-rsv-market-insights-epidemiology-and-market-size-forecast Ulcerative Colitis (UC) - Market Insights, Epidemiology and Market Size Forecast-2020 - Visit at - http://www.marketresearchreports.com/delveinsight/ulcerative-colitis-uc-market-insights-epidemiology-and-market-size-forecast-2020 About Market Research Reports, Inc. Market Research Reports, Inc. is the world's leading source for market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest market research reports on global markets, key industries, leading companies, new products and latest industry analysis & trends. Yearly/Quarterly Report Subscription: http://www.marketresearchreports.com/subscriptions Lewes, DE -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/03/2016 -- South Korea's tourism market will continue to grow healthily in the next five years, despite initial fears that the MERS outbreak of May 2015 may damage it. The government is promoting effectively a tourism market that caters well for both leisure holidays and business travellers (MICE) in search for tourist attractions in between conferences. Along with the approaching 2018 Winter Olympics, these should create significant opportunities for the development of the hotel sector, which remains under-developed to this day. Meanwhile, the increase in the number of tourist arrivals, especially from the Asia Pacific, will continue to drive up international tourism receipts value. Key Updates And Forecasts - International, low-cost air connections continue to expand, with the launch of the following additional routes: Eastar Jet to Japan, T'way air to Macau, Jeju Air to Vietnam and Jin Air to Honolulu. - Overall, tourism market is expected to expand rapidly over the forecast period, with total arrivals set to reach over 17.6mn by 2019. - The healthy increase in tourist arrivals will continue to drive up international tourism receipts value, at an average rate of 7.8% per year, reaching USD36.9bn by 2019. For more information Visit at: http://www.marketresearchreports.com/business-monitor-international/south-korea-tourism-report-q2-2016 We expect tourist arrivals to Spain to continue increasing in 2016, reaching 69.7bn. This will be driven primarily by arrivals from the top European source markets, which economies are recovering and which citizens will continue to be seeking short breaks on Spanish beaches (such as Germans and Britons). Another key driver, in the longer term, will be the return of MICE events to Barcelona and Madrid, which will incidentally also provide new opportunities in the high-end hotel sector. Spanish economic recovery will also see more Spaniards travelling abroad, but many will continue to holiday also in their country. Key Updates And Forecasts - We have revised our previous tourism arrival estimate for 2016 and raised it from 2.7% to 2.9% to reflect the economic recovery experienced by some of the country's top source markets. - The new REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) system implemented last year has brought on an increase in hotel sector investment, of which Hispania and Merlin Properties were the two major investors. For more information Visit at: http://www.marketresearchreports.com/business-monitor-international/spain-tourism-report-q2-2016 Tourism is a growing industry in Vietnam and the sector has experienced some growing pains in recent years. Poor service standards and uncertainty surrounding visa and investment regulations have contributed to slowing growth rates and for much of 2015 international arrivals figures fell. We do expect to see a recovery in 2016 as Vietnam continues to invest in improving accommodation options and standards and becomes more accessible for visitors from outside of the Asia Pacific region. Investment in transport infrastructure, particularly air travel, will also provide a supportive boost to the travel industry. As such we are forecasting growth across all key market indicators over through to 2020. Key Updates And Forecasts: - Following a contraction in 2015, we are forecasting a return to growth in Vietnam's inbound tourism market in 2016 and expect government targets of 8.5mn international arrivals to be largely achievable. Extensive marketing and service improvement campaigns and an expansion in regional and global air connectivity will support further growth in inbound tourism throughout the remainder of the forecast period to 2020. - Vietnam presents an increasingly attractive investment destination and the hotel sector is expanding, both in established destinations and in up and coming tourism areas. Major hotel groups such as Accor and Starwood have several new hotels due to open over the course of the forecast period. - Regional markets such as China, Japan and South Korea continue to account for the vast majority of arrivals to Vietnam. Visitor figures have fluctuated over recent months, impact both by economic trends and regional political tensions, highlighting Vietnam's vulnerability to a decline in regional travel and the importance of diversifying source markets over the long term. For more information Visit at: http://www.marketresearchreports.com/business-monitor-international/vietnam-tourism-report-q2-2016 About Market Research Reports, Inc. Market Research Reports, Inc. is the world's leading source for market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest market research reports on global markets, key industries, leading companies, new products and latest industry analysis & trends. Yearly/Quarterly Report Subscription: http://www.marketresearchreports.com/subscriptions The demolition of the Calais Jungle refugee camp in northern France has caused outrage and consternation. It has also added fresh evidence of a problem that gets little media or government attention: a lack of translation and information services for refugees. A study by a group of French charities says poor asylum information and translation services were the main trigger for refugees rejecting accommodation centres elsewhere in France, while Amnesty International reports information on asylum is massively inadequate. Translation services are neglected in the European refugee crisis and humanitarian response more generally and, even with new translation apps, efforts to tackle this remain piecemeal and translators scarce. I spoke to Rebecca Petras, deputy director of Translators Without Borders, about how to address this. In the European refugee crisis, the misinformation is just unbelievable, and language is at the centre of that, Petras says. There are misunderstandings as to when smugglers are involved, when not. And confusion breeds fear, distrust, panic and vulnerability. Two years ago, the organisation set up the crisis translation project Words of Relief, prompted by the communication breakdown between aid workers and affected people after the Haiti earthquake of 2010 and the 2011 tsunami in Japan. Since then, it has been analysing how information flows between citizens and aid workers, and what kind of information both need. And it has designed translation tools to help this two-way communication process. Petras tells me the team examined what would work in different crises, from droughts to epidemics to terrorist attacks. They first tested the tools in Kenya, a precarious home to half a million Somali refugees, most of whom live in the Dadaab camp and dont speak Swahili. The team developed emergency data apps and translation tools simple messages, public service announcements, audio and trained online translation engines to recognise Somali, Swahili and other Kenyan languages. Since then, theyve used the tools during the Ebola outbreak and the European refugee crisis. The format, style and platform vary according to context, culture, terrain and population dynamics. Drought in Kenya requires more radio, Petras says. In camps in Tanzania, megaphones and written information [are used]. Where literacy is poor they prefer images, video and radio. The European refugee crisis has been a complex test. Here refugees and aid agencies contend not just with language barriers, but also with criminal networks that confuse and manipulate refugees. Words of Relief worked with aid organisations to broadcast audio and visual messages in Arabic, Dari, Farsi and Pashto at registration centres and on buses. The information is adjusted for the very different needs of different groups. Arabic speakers make up 70 per cent of refugees entering Europe; and while there is often an English speaker to be found among Syrians, among Afghans the level of English is much poorer. Female refugees, for whom literacy tends to be lower, also require different information types. Europes austere visa rules dont help: few local people in Greece speak Dari, Farsi or Pashto, and its difficult to get visas for translators from the Middle East and Afghanistan. Imogen Mathers is producer/assistant editor at SciDev.Net. @imogenmathers [NAIROBI] Africas growth requires increased investments to harness biosciences as a tool for sustainable development in agriculture, a meeting has heard. Leading experts in agriculture say that innovative research and capacity building could help Africa respond to development challenges such as food security and climate change. But experts add that the continent is deficient in biosciences specialists, especially those with expertise in genomics. Biosciences is a term that describes several biology-related disciplines such as agriculture, biochemistry, biotechnology, medicine and genomics. Our work at BecA-ILRI Hub is helping us appreciate the role of technology in transforming lives. Alexander Bombom, BecA-ILRI Hub Jimmy Smith, the director-general of the Kenya-headquartered International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), points out that the continent has enormous opportunities to transform itself by mobilising biosciences. Smith addressed the experts during the 15th anniversary of ILRIs Biosciences eastern and central Africa Hub (BecA-ILRI) in Kenya last month (3 February). The hub aims at strengthening African research capacity building in agriculture, knowledge and innovation systems to achieve food and nutrition security, and increase research in crop improvement, livestock productivity, food safety, climate change mitigation and sustainable environmental management. We need more innovations for science breakthroughs from Africa, not just consuming science, says Segenet Kelemu, the director-general of the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), headquartered in Kenya. Kelemu adds that Africa can develop through locally-driven innovations that meet local demands. Noting that research facilities have been a challenge to the growth of biosciences in Africa, Kelemu calls for more capacity building and strengthening of national research and development organisations to produce innovations to address current and emerging challenges in agriculture. David Angell, the Canadian high commissioner to Kenya, commended the partnership of Canada, ILRI and the New Partnership for Africas Development (NEPAD) for creating BecA-ILRI to accelerate research within African national agricultural systems. According to Angell, BecA-ILRI has allowed African researchers to conduct important research for the continent, thus reducing the need for scientists to go abroad to conduct research. Willy Bett, Kenyas cabinet secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, says: There is an increasing recognition of the role of agriculture in achieving sustainable development. For Ibrahim Mayaki, the chief executive officer of NEPAD, agriculture remains the key to improved livelihoods and the building of resilient economies. Mayaki says that in the next three decades, the world will have to produce food equivalent to what has been produced over the last 3,000 years, which poses a huge challenge. With its competitive advantage of arable land, Africa can achieve food security, Mayaki observes, adding that innovation backed by science and technology in agriculture is critical to ensuring food security. The NEPAD chief executive urges governments to design policies informed by science and increase investments in biosciences that focus on rural smallholder farmers to help transform agricultural systems. Ruth Wanyera, a principal scientist at the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO), tells SciDev.Net that mentoring young scientists is helping build capacity in Kenya. This mentoring is helping transform communities, especially those in rural areas through education, says Wanyera, adding that she is using her experience from BecA-ILRI to mentor six students from Kenyan universities.Alexander Bombom, a Ugandan research scientist who is also the lead scientist for BecAs sorghum-maize hybrid project, tells SciDev.Net: Our work at BecA-ILRI Hub is helping us appreciate the role of technology in transforming lives.Bombom notes that the BecA-ILRI Hub is aiding innovations that are key to addressing common agricultural challenges in Africa, and calls for increased international and South-South collaborations.Bombom also urges the training more women scientists to boost sustainable development.This piece was produced by SciDev.Nets Sub-Saharan Africa English desk. FLORENCE, S.C. T-shirts with hand-drawn images and phrases lined the inside of the Smith University Center at Francis Marion University this week. The shirts served two purposes: providing a creative outlet for sharing stories of domestic violence and sexual abuse and sparking conversation among passersby. It is part of a national project called the Clothesline Project, and Francis Marion hosts it yearly during the schools Gender Awareness Week. Individuals may tell their own story or honor anothers, said Rachel Spear, an FMU english professor who helps coordinate the project. Their personal story becomes part of the collective story of speaking out against domestic violence, she said. And for individuals it can be a therapeutic form of release ... What they might be able to express artistically, they may not be as apt to express verbally. Spear has been at FMU for two years but also worked on the Clothesline Project while teaching at the University of Southern Mississippi. When people see the shirts and realize that they are all stories from the community, it is powerful, she said. Because thats something that not everybody recognizes what stories individuals might hold, she said. In 2014, 5,513 victims of sexual assault received services from the 15 direct service sexual assault centers across South Carolina, according to data from the South Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. Pam Rooks, FMUs gender studies coordinator, said the college environment can be particularly prone to sexual assault and misconduct. You have young men and women in close proximity, away from home for the first time, she said. Through Gender Awareness Week and projects like the Clothesline Project, students and faculty hope to raise awareness. Francis Marion has stepped up its game in recent years, Rooks said. You know, Francis Marion is trying to be ahead of the curve in terms of conforming to the Title IX regulations and creating a process and making sure students are aware of it, so that they know what to do and where to go, she said. Spear agreed, saying the school is trying to create student-friendly services. The week of gender awareness events is meant to cultivate a community and create an atmosphere where students feel comfortable sharing their stories, however difficult it may be, she said. (We want to let) students know if you know somebody whos been through this, or you personally have been through this, you are not alone, she said. You are here: Home The Ministry of Environmental Protection has rejected a large chemical project in Guizhou Province, with an investment of 17 billion yuan ($2.6 billion) due to the risk of polluting the environment. The ministry has released results of eight projects, including the construction of an airport, hydropower station and port on its official website. Among those, the environmental impact assessment of the project producing polyolefin, a chemical material, in Guizhou Province was rejected. The ministry said the project planned to locate in a region adjacent to underground water channels, which could have posed huge risks of contaminating the water. The project failed to provide solutions to control airborne pollutants including sulfur dioxide, which may have been discharged during the production process, and also had huge risks to pollute the air, the reply said. In addition, the project did not set up a proper emergency plan to cope with other risks. The company can apply for an administrative review within two months or file administrative lawsuits within six months, the response said. The project was proposed by domestic energy giant Sionpec as its key project in southwestern China, said a report on Wednesday. Visitors to Shanwangping Karst National Ecological Park in Chongqing kick back under forest shade. To residents of Ansai County in northern Shaanxi Province, the waist drum dance is a traditional and rousing performance art form. Performers clad in sheepskin waistcoats, their heads bound in white toweling, swirl red silk ribbons as they dance to thunderous drumming. However, in recent years the show has for many lost its dynamism, because the stage backdrop has changed from that of a yellow loess plateau to verdant green hills. The absence of the traditional yellow soil landscape has somehow neutralized the drama of the performance. To restore its authenticity, the county government has had no choice but to move the stage to a more traditional loess setting. This story is just one manifestation of China's expanded greening. Going green China is a time-honored agricultural country. However, due to excessive land reclamation and deforestation, in 1949, the year of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the densely populated country had a scant 8.6 percent forest coverage. Deforestation is a longstanding problem. Successive leaders of China since Chairman Mao Zedong have advocated the importance of afforestation for more than half a century, and practiced what they preached by planting trees. In the 1980s, China declared March 12 as Tree-planting Day, so establishing a lasting national tree planting movement. Statistics show that 13.3 billion person-times have planted 61.4 billion trees over the past 50 years. Xu Gaoliu, a farmer from Nanchang County in Jiangxi Province, is an outstanding representative of these millions. Over the past three decades, he has planted more than 800,000 trees in his hometown. The Elion Group has over a 40-year period created a 6,000-sq-km oasis in Kubuqi Desert, Inner Mongolia. Equivalent to 1/7000 of total global desertification, the area presents to the world an example of reproducible desertification control. Since 1979, the 70-year large-scale Three-North Forest Shelterbelt Program in northwest, north and northeast China has afforested more than 20 million hectares of land, equal to one seventh of the world's total artificial afforestation areas. Since the onset of the new century, China has unveiled a number of related policies. They include the "grain for green" policy of 2002, reform of the forestry property rights system in 2010, and reverting grain plots to forestry in 2012. So far, about 24.3 million hectares of land have been cultivated into forests. Recent years have witnessed boundless enthusiasm for the building of forest parks around the country. Guangdong plans to build more than 1,000 such parks within three years, and Ningxia to build at least one forest park in each county. Shanxi, meanwhile, is promoting the construction of 100 parks in 100 counties. By the end of 2014, China owned about 3,000 forest parks, 800 of which are national forest parks. However, the world's forested areas are shrinking at the rate of 6.7 million hectares per year. Despite enormous ecological pressure as a result of sustained and rapid economic growth, China has realized growth in terms of both forested areas and forest stock volume. Especially in 2013 and 2014, China maintained six million hectares of afforested areas. By the end of 2014, China's 69 million hectares of man-made forest had earned it a number one world ranking. Global vegetation coverage has risen in recent years, according to an analysis of satellite data over 20 years by the University of New South Wales, Australia. A major reason for this is that China's long-term large-scale afforestation has expanded its vegetation cover. A UN Food and Agriculture Organization report also mentions China's substantive contribution to reversing the trend of reduced world forest resources. China's forested areas stand at 208 million hectares, an increased coverage of 21.63 percent, according to the latest national forest resource inventory. Green development In March 2015, China raised a new strategic greenization target in efforts to promote a green production mode and achieve a green lifestyle. The concept of greenization imbues far more than afforestation because it refers to a change in the eco-friendly development pattern. With ecological advancement at the core, it will bring about global optimization of politics, economy, culture, and society. Although the country has achieved amazing results from afforestation, it cannot counteract the ever-worsening ecological environment resulting from the extensive production mode. Food safety, water security, and air quality are now crucial issues. China's economic development since reform and opening-up came into effect is attributable to its labor-intensive industry that produces and sells cheap manufactured goods to the world. The country's endeavors to prosper motivated it to follow the suit of developed countries in adopting the highly pollutant, high energy consumption mode of industry that has contaminated its water, air, and soil. The haze over China's northern and eastern metropolises reflects this high energy consumption/lax management dichotomy. China has been through a process of understanding and exploration in its moves to change the country's economic development mode. In September 1995, China proposed transforming its economic pattern from one of extensive to intensive economy. In 2005, the country made the proposal to form a conservation-minded society featuring low input, low consumption, low emissions, and high efficiency. In 2007 China raised the concept of ecological progress, with the strategic mission of transforming its economic development mode, so highlighting China's more rational and mature development concept in the 21st century. In 2012 China proposed building a "beautiful China" by prioritizing the "ecological progress" in the overall development plan; one in parallel with the economic, political, cultural, and social construction. The goal of sustainable development and building a livable environment for the people might thus be achieved. Follow China.org.cn on Twitter and Facebook to join the conversation. Quality matters [By Gu Peili/China.org.cn] There are always doubts over China's economic growth both domestically and overseas. However, the statistics released by credible international organizations, such as the United Nations Statistics Division, International Monetary Fund and World Bank, show little difference from the numbers issued by the Chinese government. It's natural that statistics developed by different organizations differ slightly, but that's no reason to doubt Chinese calculations. Most of those who express doubts about China's numbers probably aren't quite clear how to calculate GDP, especially when China adopts a different approach from the West. GDP deflator One of the major doubts occurs over what is known as the GDP deflator, which measures the ratio of nominal to real GDP. To some extent, the figure shows the changes of real values. Some critics have argued that China's GDP deflator is excessively below the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which also reflects the changes of real values. They doubted if China is deliberately underestimating deflation to raise the real GDP growth rate to a more impressive level. There are four reasons why this is unreasonable. First, those expressing such doubts might be using the wrong approach to calculate GDP. There are three ways of doing this: the production, the income and the expenditure approach. While most Western countries use the expenditure approach, China frequently adopts the production approach; the GDP deflator calculated by the former is usually higher than the latter. Second, they might not have acquired all the necessary data. If you use the production approach, you need to have at least 26 price indices, which have different weights during calculation. However, what indices are being used and how much weight they are given is not known to most members of the public, so it's natural that results differ. Follow China.org.cn on Twitter and Facebook to join the conversation. Hong Kong: For the first time since 2006 a pair of capesizes have been sold for scrap as the Baltic Dry Index continues to plunge. Two 140,000-dwt bulkers have been sold, one each to a Chinese and a Bangladesh interest, for scrap. Market reports said that the 1981-built 138,166-dwt New Eastern Star was sold to a Chinese entity for $220/light ton, while the 1982-built 137,074-dwt Hebei Pioneer was sold off to a Bangladesh entity at $250/light ton. According to the Kaiji Press the number of capesizes of 100,000 dwt or over that were sent to the scrap yards came to 7 in 2000, 12 in 2001, 10 in 2002, four in 2003, zero in 2004, two each in 2005 and 2006, and zero in 2007. This year, no such capesizes had been disposed of until when the latest two were scrap-sold. [30/10/08] Copyright 2022. All rights reserved. Seatrade, a trading name of Informa Markets (UK) Limited. While Bulk Invest had sought a restructuring solution seven shipowners that had filed and injunction against the sale of WB Chartering to Kistefos also rejected its restructuring proposal. The final restructuring proposal presented to the shipowners included immediate cash payments to the shipowners, the continuance of the Bulk Invest group's charter parties at rates significantly above the current market, and an envisaged recapitalisation of the Company in the amount of approximately $40m, Bulk Invest said in statement to Oslo Bors. However, it commented that the same seven shipowners who filed against the sale of WB Chartering had firmly rejected the restructuring efforts of the company. Bulk Invest said that after dialogue was no longer a basis to continue with restructuring efforts and there was no longer a basis for continued operation. As the assumption of a going concern cannot be upheld, the company will immediately file a petition for bankruptcy, Bulk Invest stated. The board of directors of the company's subsidiary Bulk Shipowning IV AS has reached the same decision to file for bankruptcy, whereas the respective boards of the company's remaining subsidiaries have decided to continue their restructuring efforts for the time being, it added. In light of the bankruptcy filing Bulk Invest has halted trading of its shares on Oslo Bors. Flash Turkey has been put on high alert following a warning by the intelligence agency of possible terror attacks by the Islamic State (IS) militants, Turkish media reported on Wednesday. "Turkish intelligent units have revealed that two IS suicide bombers, illegally crossing the border into the country, have been planning to conduct terror attacks in Turkey," the Haberturk daily reported. According to the report, the two militants were expected to meet with a Syrian citizen in Turkey's southeastern province of Kahramanmaras. The intel agency, while distributing the photos of the two IS militants to all the units in the country, had requested security forces to review the security measures throughout the country, the report said. Ankara, Istanbul and other Turkish cities have come under deadly terror attacks over the past months, with the latest one hitting Ankara, the national capital, on Feb. 17, in which 29 people were killed, mostly military personnel. In January, an IS militant blew himself up in Istanbul's historic Sultanahmet Square, killing 11 German tourists. Turkey also blamed the IS for twin suicide bombings in Ankara in October last year, which claimed 102 lives and injured hundreds more. A new wave of terror attacks has been hitting Iraq, Libya and other Middle Eastern countries in recent days. Hong Kong: The Cayman Islands Shipping Registry (CISR) has launched an initiative to increase ship registrations from Asia. Accordingly it has strengthened its teams in shipping hotspots Hog Kong and Singapore with the addition of two new regional representatives. Martin Chu, business and technical consultant for the Far East region, represents CISR in Hong Kong and Evelyn Soon will represent the registry in Singapore. CISR, a division of The Maritime Authority of the Cayman Islands (MACI), is also keen to increase vessel registration from Japan and has deployed a staff contingent to Tokyo for a series of presentations to business leaders in the Asian shipping industry. The registry already has a base for operations in the country in Tokyo. [30/10/08] Copyright 2022. All rights reserved. Seatrade, a trading name of Informa Markets (UK) Limited. Dhaka: French liner giant CMA CGM has had to put its impending services for the Bangladesh market on hold following a decision by the National Board of Revenue (NBR) to revoke its two year licence to operate in the country. The unexplained move, which comes a scant few days before CMA CGM officially launched operations, will particularly impact exporters that had been banking on the French liner's lower market rates as compared to those on offer by competitors Maersk Line, APL and Hapag-Lloyd. "Our company will charge $900 for per teu from Chittagong to European destinations instead of existing average rate of $950 per teu," CMA CGM country representative Nelum Attanayake had told the Daily Star last month. He added that rates were expected to drop as low as $650-$700 in the future upon the introduction of competitive economic strategies. The NBR's decision has been criticised by the French trade commissioner, writes the UNB news agency. "It sends a very bad signal to foreign investors who may consider Bangladesh as a legally-secured place to invest, at a time when Bangladesh is competing to attract international investment to support its economic growth and development," he is reported as having written in a letter to the board. [30/10/08] Copyright 2022. All rights reserved. Seatrade, a trading name of Informa Markets (UK) Limited. New York: Whilst all shipping markets tend to ebb and flow in line with the cycles of world trade, the divergence between the collapse in the dry bulk sector and the relative health of the tanker market is a puzzle. The continuing decline in oil prices, even after OPEC opted for a 1.5m b/d production cut in Vienna last week, suggests that market sentiment feels oil demand will continue to ease in the weeks ahead. However, New York broker Poten & Partners is not convinced. In its most recent weekly report, Poten notes the "relative steadiness of the tanker market" which, in comparison with dry bulk, "seems to have different fundamentals to help insulate from insolvency". The analysts compare rates per ton of cargo in the dry and liquid bulk sectors. VLCC rates from the Arabian Gulf to Asia have fluctuated between a low point of just under $10 a ton to the odd peak of around $40 a ton over the last four years or so. Capesize rates from South America to the Far East, on the other hand, have been much more volatile. They have ranged from low points of around $20, hitting $40 in May 2007 and staying well above that level until a few weeks ago. Rates hit their peak in July this year, at more than $100 a ton. Poten says that demand for oil is continuing to grow. Despite downward revisions recently as the global economy slows, analysts are still expecting consumption growth to lie between 300,000 and 600,000 barrels a day next year, the firm says. In marked contrast to the dry bulk market, "the oil market for the most part consists of blue-chip charterers with very few ships on time charter that are subsequently out-chartered at higher rates," Poten points out. "Hence the likelihood of a daisy chain of defaults is quite small." "Major oil companies and reputable traders continue to provide stability to the tanker market," it says. However, the downturn does present opportunities. A general tightening in credit creates "a unique opportunity" for well-balanced companies to use cash on hand to buy assets from weaker competitors. "Mergers, acquisition and divestment of assets are on the horizon and will lead to further consolidation across the tanker industry," Poten concludes. [27/10/08] Copyright 2022. All rights reserved. Seatrade, a trading name of Informa Markets (UK) Limited. Dubai: Dubai Port World has signed an agreement to operate the Djendjen cargo terminal in Algeria. As per the agreement, a joint UAE-Algeria company will be set up in the first quarter of 2009 to take over operations. The port is expected to see calls from up to two million ships annually. DP World currently operates 45 terminals, in addition to 13 new developments in the pipeline, across 29 countries. In the first nine months of the year, Djendjen handled 1,760,000 tonnes of cargo up from1,222,000 tonnes seen the year before. [04/11/08] Copyright 2022. All rights reserved. Seatrade, a trading name of Informa Markets (UK) Limited. Manila: Listed International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) has signed a deal with the Brunei government to develop its Pulau Muara Besar cargo terminal. In a disclosure, ICTSI told the exchange the company would help the Brunei Economic Development Board (BEDB) design, build and develop the new terminal. ICTSI will store and handle all container terminal cargoes through the terminal. The BEDB will award a concession contract to ICTSI or its subsidiary to operate the terminal once it is completed and ready for commercial operation, it added. It did not say when it expects to complete the port terminal. Efforts to reach company officials for comment were unsuccessful. Earlier this month, the Sultan of Brunei Darussalam awarded to ICTSl the deal for the container terminal's cargo handling operations. Pulau Muara Besar is located in one of the world's largest sea trading routes in Brunei and is being primed by the government to become a world- class export processing zone. It is in the Brunei-Muara district, which is home to the largest port in the country, the Muara Port. [29/10/08] Copyright 2022. All rights reserved. Seatrade, a trading name of Informa Markets (UK) Limited. Baghdad: Iraq's government has announced plans to build an $850m shipbuilding and repair facility at its Gulf seaport, writes Businessweek. A government statement said a company belonging to the Iraqi Industry Ministry will manage the design and construction of the shipyard in the port of Khor al-Zubeir. The statement issued Monday by the prime minister's media office says the shipyard would be used to build specialized small ships, supply vessels, naval patrol boats and towing ships. The facility, which will also offer repair and maintenance facilities for foreign ships visiting Iraq, is expected to begin operations by the end of 2011. [05/11/08] Copyright 2022. All rights reserved. Seatrade, a trading name of Informa Markets (UK) Limited. Shanghai: According to Shan Shanghua, secretary general of China Iron and Steel Assocation, who spoke at the China International Steel and Raw Materials Conference 2008 the existing annual iron ore negotiation system seems outdated and is likely to be altered to a quarterly one, given the volatile commodity pricing environment. He noted in the conference that CISA will work to fix one price for all imported ore resources in the coming ore talks, to replace the current system where big gaps exist between long-term contracts and spot prices. He added that in Japan, there is no terms of so-called spot and contract prices and all orders adopt a unified price, while in China, not only spot and contract prices are different, but contract prices are not always the same. CISA will seek to uniform all prices for imported ore, no matter where it comes from, Australia, Brazil or India. Mr Shan said iron ore was finally back to being a buyer's market. Some domestic miners have put more investment in ore and capacity in this sector has started building up at home. He said that Chinese steel makers are operating smoothly with home-supplied resource after ceasing importing ore from Vale. China will continue to ramp up domestic ore production. Mr Shan also noted how the whole steel industry has been plunged into the red this month, something that will lead to further consolidation among Chinese mills. [28/10/08] Copyright 2022. All rights reserved. Seatrade, a trading name of Informa Markets (UK) Limited. Manila: The Board of Investments (BOI) has approved the P589.927 million project of Keppel Singmarine Philippines Inc. (KSPI) for the production of tugboats and offshore support vessels for exports. Based on its registration with the BOI, KSPI said the new project is in line with Keppel Group's Near Market, Near Customer strategy and its support for the Philippine shipbuilding industry. The new investment would be used to purchase new equipment and facilities, building and leasehold improvement and working capital for the assembly of eight vessels per year at its existing shipyard in Lapu-Lapu City in Cebu where it offers shipbuilding services globally. The assembled vessels include harbor tugboats and offshore support vessels such as anchor handling tug and supply vessels and anchor handling tug. KSPI claims to be the first to build these types of vessel in the country. Initially, the company will be servicing KSPI's existing customers like Gulfmark Offshore (US), Lamnalco, Whitesea Shipping (United Arab Emirates), Svitzerwijsmuller (Denmark), Kooren Tug, SMT (Netherlands), Naseeb Maritime (Kuwait), Bourban Offshore (France), Keppel Smit Towage, and Maju Maritime (Singapore). The new facilities would increase Keppel Shipyard's manpower to 620 when it starts commercial operation next month and improve its level of competencies. Additionally, it will upgrade and repair the existing equipment in the shipyard as the new operations would involve planning and design, hull construction, machinery and equipment installation, outfitting, dock-and-sea trial and actual delivery. Its Singapore-based parent firm will also provide the technical training to prospective employees, many of whom come from Lapu-Lapu City and surrounding municipalities. The company also offers training to interested out-of-school youth in such areas as welding, ship-fitting, scaffolding, mechanical outfitting, among others at selected TESDA-accredited training centers. [3/11/08] Copyright 2022. All rights reserved. Seatrade, a trading name of Informa Markets (UK) Limited. Mumbai: Slowing demand has meant that only three of India's 12 major ports have hit the half yearly cargo handling targets set for them by the government. According to data complied by the Indian Ports Association (IPA), only the ports at Kandla, Ennore and Visakhapatnam met their half-yearly targets, with the other nine ports (including JNPT and Cochin) falling short of the target - despite seeing an overall increase in throughput. According to the report, the 12 ports handled 262m tonnes of cargo between April and September, up 7.2% as compared to 244m tonnes in the same period last year, but still short of the 282.7m tonne target set for them by the government, requiring a 7.32%, increase. Container cargo, which accounts for about 18% of the total, grew by 10% to touch 3.5m teu from 3.2m teu a year ago. These results have led a number of ports to ask for the ministry's target to be lowered. "Some ports are now saying that the cargo target set by the ministry was on the higher side and wanted it to be scaled down," Live Mint has quoted IPA managing director A. Janardhan Rao as saying. The ministry itself, however, is still optimistic. "There is no proposal to scale down the target," Rakesh Srivastava, joint secretary in charge of ports at the ministry is quoted as saying. "The 12 ports will be able to exceed the target of 579m tonnes set for 2009." However, key market players expect the slowdown to continue into next year, barring a reversal of the downturn in the world economy. "It is the second half that will take a beating and this trend will continue for the rest of the year," Live Mint quotes Ganesh Raj, DP World svp and md (Indian subcontinent) as saying. The gloomy outlook has led DP World to cut growth projections at its Chennai facility by some 5% to 15%. "Earlier, we had targeted cargo volumes of 1.3m teu for 2009. But, now, we will probably end up doing about 1.25m teu," the paper quotes an unnamed executive saying. DP World's Chennai operations are reported to have handled 1.05m teu in the year to March. [27/10/08] Copyright 2022. All rights reserved. Seatrade, a trading name of Informa Markets (UK) Limited. Colombo: Maersk is looking to invest in a new container terminal in the planned new deep-draft port next to Colombo, a company official told local media. The construction work on the breakwater of the new port is under way and the government is about to call for tenders to build the new port's container terminals Maersk is one of Colombo's biggest customers and also has a stake in the privatised South Asia Gateway Terminals container facility. The Maersk group did not bid when bids for the container terminal project were called initially. The tenders for the project were first called last year but cancelled when the government could not decide between the two top contenders, PSA International and Hutchison Port Holdings of Hong Kong. [31/10/08] Copyright 2022. All rights reserved. Seatrade, a trading name of Informa Markets (UK) Limited. Flash A piece of debris found along the eastern African coast between Mozambique and Madagascar may be from the tail section of the Malaysia Airlines plane that disappeared two years ago, NBC News reported yesterday. Citing US, Malaysian and Australian investigators who have looked at photos of the possible debris, NBC said the piece could be a horizontal stabilizer from a Boeing 777, the same type of plane as the flight MH370 aircraft that was en route to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur when authorities lost track of it in March 2014. The report could not immediately be confirmed and Mozambican authorities had no information on the sighting of such an object off the coast of Inhambane Province. The US National Transportation Safety Board declined comment, and referred questions to the Malaysian authorities who oversaw the investigation. Boeing also declined to comment, referring all questions to investigating authorities. NBC said the debris was found on a sandbank in the Mozambique Channel by an American man who has been tracking the investigation into the missing flight. Engineers who have looked at the debris have said there is a good chance it belonged to MH370, NBC said, citing sources close to the investigation. NBC cited sources as saying the piece looks like it belongs to a Boeing 777 and that Boeing engineers were examining the photos. Australian officials said they were arranging for an investigation of the piece, which could have drifted to the sand bar. Kuala Lumpur: MMC Ports, Saudi Binladin Group and Jazan Economic City Limited (equally owned by MMC and SBG) yesterday signed a $1.4bn port development agreement to develop a new industrial port at Jazan city. Strategically located at the mouth of the Red Sea, the port will provide easy access to the world's shipping lanes with direct access to Europe, Africa and Asia. JEC Limited also plans to establish a $900m shipbuilding and repair center in Jazan city, in proximity to the port. It is expected to cater to vessels plying the busy Red Sea and Suez Canal route. [05/11/08] Copyright 2022. All rights reserved. Seatrade, a trading name of Informa Markets (UK) Limited. London: Nobu Su, chief executive officer of Taiwan Maritime Transportation Co., told Bloomberg yesterday owners need to demolish more aging commodity carriers to halt a collapse in charter rates. Su, who predicted the plunge in February, said he generated $100 million in the past year by selling obsolete oil tankers, liquefied-natural-gas carriers, car transporters and dry-bulk commodity ships. "Big players should scrap more ships," Su said in an interview in London. Rates won't rebound until that happens or owners mothball vessels for several months or years, he said. "Something has happened to world trade," Su said. The "shipping market is affected by finance turmoil because we have less money available for trading." TMT, as Su's company is also known, on October 29 said there had been "malicious" speculation about its financial strength. The company has a $1-billion credit line, Su said. He declined to identify the lender or say how much has been drawn. [31/10/08] Copyright 2022. All rights reserved. Seatrade, a trading name of Informa Markets (UK) Limited. Mumbai: Mumbai-based Pipavav Shipyard Ltd, India's newest private sector shipbuilder, may find itself grounded with six cargo ships after a buyer announced last week that it might go into liquidation, reports Mint. London-based Britannia Bulk Holdings Inc., a New York Stock Exchange-listed company, said in a 29 October statement that following a substantial third quarter loss for calendar year 2008, it is considering liquidation or filing for bankruptcy protection, among other alternatives. Britannia had said in a statement on 8 November 2007 that it would buy six medium-sized dry bulk ships commissioned for building in March 2007 by Bermuda-based Golden Ocean Group Ltd, a dry bulk cargo ship operating firm controlled by Norwegian shipping tycoon John Fredriksen. Golden Ocean paid $36 million to Pipavav Shipyard to build the ships and $178 million was to be paid on delivery, scheduled for between the second quarter of 2009 and third quarter of 2010. Later, Golden Ocean made a $127 million profit when it sold the ships to Britannia while the ships were being built. "If Britannia doesn't take delivery of the ships from Golden Ocean upon construction, that's an issue between both of them," Pipavav chief executive Ray Stewart told Mint by phone from Mumbai. "As far as we are concerned, there is no change in the situation. We have a contract with Golden Ocean who will take delivery of the ships from us upon completion by paying the balance amount of the price agreed at the time," he said. Britannia and Golden Ocean could not be reached for comment. [3/11/08] Copyright 2022. All rights reserved. Seatrade, a trading name of Informa Markets (UK) Limited. Bangkok: The state-run Port Authority of Thailand (PAT) expects its worst business performance in a decade next year as slowing global trade leads to reduced activity at Thai ports, local media reported. The agency manages five ports in Bangkok and the provinces with a combined capacity of around 8m teu. After the completion of the third-phase expansion of Laem Chabang Port in Chon Buri in 2011, port capacity will reach 11 million TEU. Thanks to robust exports over the past several years, the PAT has seen its revenue grow by 10-12% annually, said director-general Sunida Skulrattana. But next year, the trend might reverse because prospects for global trade seem bleak. Financial turmoil in the US has spread to Europe, and both are major export markets for Thai goods. "We are now concerned that slowing economies of our main trading partners as well as the exchange rate could affect business activities at our ports," she said. "A worst-case scenario is zero growth in 2009. That would be the worst business performance in a decade." For its fiscal year ending on Sept 30, the PAT recorded total revenue of 9.85 billion baht, compared with nine billion a year earlier. Its net profit was 3.19 billion baht, up 7% from 2007. About 6.5 million TEU of containers were serviced at the Bangkok port in Klong Toey and at Laem Chabang - the country's two major ports. Capacity at the Klong Toey port has reached the maximum of 1.33 million TEU. Shipments at Laem Chabang increased 13% in 2008 to 5.22 million TEU with major items consisting of food, electronic components, and automobiles and parts. "Thailand increased its exports to China, India and other countries in the Bay of Bengal economic partnership in garments, rubber products, sandals, and cement," said Mrs Sunida. "Despite the threat of a global economic recession, we are still hopeful that Thailand's major export products such as frozen food and automobiles will continue to expand." Thailand's exports of completely built vehicles are projected to reach 800,000 units this year, up 15% from 2007. As of 2008, the PAT had a workforce of 3,369 people and assets valued at 26.62 billion baht. Total liabilities were 3.1 billion baht, down from 3.66 billion a year earlier, resulting in an 11.99% return on assets (ROA). Its expenses rose 13% over the year to 4.87 billion baht with earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of 4.98 billion baht. [3/11/08] Copyright 2022. All rights reserved. Seatrade, a trading name of Informa Markets (UK) Limited. Singapore: A consortium, consisting of Surbana International Consultants and Global Maritime and Port Services, has been awarded a contract to develop Brunei's Pulau Muara Besar into a port-based trading and industrial area. According to the Straits Times, the project calls for the 955-hectare site to be developed into a modern deep-water container terminal, with an export processing zone and manufacturing hub. The first phase, due for completion by end 2012, will see the port have an annual capacity of 800,000 boxes Global Maritime executive chairman Goon Kok Loon, a former top executive at PSA International, has been quoted by Cargo News Asia as saying that his company's extensive expertise in developing master plans for ports will complement Surbana's experience in township master planning, reclamation and infrastructure development. [04/11/08] Copyright 2022. All rights reserved. Seatrade, a trading name of Informa Markets (UK) Limited. Manila: The Philippine authorities have arrested an alleged leading member of the terrorist gang that claimed responsibility for the 2004 explosion on the Super Ferry 14 which killed over 100 people, writes Anderimar Shipping News. According to Philippine online news GMA.news.tv Sakirin Andalin Sali was arrested earlier today. The news service quotes Major Eugene Batara, spokesman for the military's Western Mindanao Command, as saying the suspect, who has a large bounty on his head, was arrested at 9:45am in the town of Jolo in Sulu province. Batara said that a former Abu Sayyaf member, who is currently part of the government's anti-terrorist squad Joint Task Force Comet, positively identified Sali. [05/11/08] Copyright 2022. All rights reserved. Seatrade, a trading name of Informa Markets (UK) Limited. Manila: The Don Dexter Kathleen ferry capsized yesterday leaving 39 people dead and 14 missing. The vessel, with 119 people listed on board, keeled over after being struck by a freak wind off the island of Masbate, AFP writes, quoting local police chief Senior Superintendent Ruben Sindac. The iaccident is the latest of a string of ferry disasters in the Philippines. "The Don Dexter Kathleen capsized due to a freak accident, it was hit by a high wind despite fair weather and calm waters," Sindac told local radio. He said rescue services recovered 39 bodies while 76 survivors had been pulled from the water. The navy, coast guard and local authorities were continuing to search the area between Masbate and Sorsogon port in southern Luzon, he added. Sindac did not rule out the possibility that there may have been more people onboard the ferry. According to reports, it is a common practice for inter-island ferries to be overloaded with last-minute passengers boarding without being listed in the manifest. Sindac said the ferry had just left the port town of Dimasalang on the north east coast of Masbate for Sorsogon port 80 kilometers (50 miles) away. Second Lieutenant Jeffrey Collado, the local coast guard chief, said four people were still missing despite fears that there may be more still unaccounted for. Collado said the ferry was hit by a "freak whirlwind" that rose suddenly when the ferry left port. He added 76 people were rescued by boats that rushed to the site and that the navy, coast guard and local authorities are searching for any more survivors. Coast guard chief of staff Captain Efren Evangelista said the weather and waters were calm and that there was no reason for them to stop the vessel from setting sail. "Of course, we will be conducting an investigation of this, but for now we will be concentrating on the search and rescue operations," he added. The accident comes four months after the 23,000 tonne inter-island ferry, Princess of the Stars, capsized during a typhoon off the central island of Sibuyan carrying 850 passengers and crew. Only 57 passengers and crew survived the accident which was the worst maritime disaster in the Philippines for 20 years. [04/11/08] Copyright 2022. All rights reserved. Seatrade, a trading name of Informa Markets (UK) Limited. You are here: Home Flash China has provided a medical assistance worth Nepali Rupees 240 million (2.20 million U.S. dollars) on Wednesday for the improvement of Nepal's health sector. Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Wu Chuntai and Secretary at the Nepalese Ministry of Health and Population Shanta Bahadur Shrestha signed an agreement on the aid. Under the agreement, medical equipment including ICU monitors, radar technologies and ventilators among others have been handed over to BP Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital, located in Chitwan, some 150 km from the capital city. Also on Wednesday, the eighth Chinese medical team deployed in BP Cancer Hospital was bidden farewell whereas the 17-member new team has been welcomed. Flash South Korea's defense ministry said Thursday that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has fired several short-range projectiles into eastern waters after new UN Security Council resolution on Pyongyang. Photo taken on March 3, 2016 shows South Korean media report of short-range projectile firing by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). [Photo/Xinhua] Defense Ministry spokesman Moon Sang-Kyun told a regular press briefing that DPRK forces fired several rounds of short-range projectiles at about 10 a.m. local time (0100GMT) from its Wonsan area into the East Sea. Whether the projectiles were short-range missiles or artillery shells hasn't been identified, the spokesman said, adding that the military has been analyzing the launches. Moon noted that the South Korean military maintained a full defense readiness while closely monitoring the moves of DPRK forces. The DPRK's launches came just hours after new UN Security Council resolution on Pyongyang was adopted by consensus in New York over its recent nuclear test and long-range rocket launch. Pyongyang tested what it claimed was its first "hydrogen bomb" on Jan. 6 and launched a satellite on a long-range rocket, which was condemned by outsiders as a banned test of missile technology, on Feb. 7. Describing the new UN resolution as one of the toughest and most effective non-military measures in seven decades of UN history, South Korea said it will step up efforts at international cooperation to encourage the DPRK to dismantle its nuclear program "completely, verifiably and irreversibly." The new resolution was the fourth UN sanction against Pyongyang's nuclear tests. Previous resolutions were adopted in 2006, 2009 and 2013 each when the DPRK tested its atomic devices. Two separate UN resolutions were also approved in 2006 and 2013 when the DPRK tested a prohibited missile technology by launching long-range rockets. Seoul's foreign ministry said that new sanctions against Pyongyang would eliminate loopholes in previous resolutions to focus on cutting off resources to finance the DPRK's nuclear and missile programs. Press Release March 3, 2016 POE WON'T BE DISQUALIFIED OVER RESIDENCY ISSUE, SAYS LAWYER The camp of Sen. Grace Poe on Thursday expressed optimism on the outcome of her disqualification case in the Supreme Court as it dismissed speculations that she will be disqualified from the presidential race allegedly due to lack of residency. Poe's counsel George Garcia said they are confident the high tribunal will set aside the decisions of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) canceling the lawmaker's certificate of candidacy (COC) for president because of alleged "material misrepresentations" regarding her citizenship and residency. "Judging from the comments of the justices during the oral arguments, we believe they saw wisdom in our arguments against the Comelec rulings which are obviously premeditated and tainted by bias," Garcia said. Garcia also slammed attempts to preempt the SC decision amid rumors that majority of the magistrates are out to disqualify her for her supposed failure to satisfy the 10-year residency requirement for presidential candidates. He said Poe's opponents are now harping on the residency issue after they failed to prove their claim that she is not a natural-born Filipino citizen. "Obviously, her opponents want to highlight the residency issue because they failed to prove their case against Sen. Poe over the issue of citizenship," Garcia said. "In fact, even the justices provided the legal bases that foundlings are natural-born Filipinos during the extensive oral arguments." Garcia said the argument that Poe has not met the 10-year residency requirement is "also doomed to fail." "Sen. Poe has already provided factual and legal bases to prove that she satisfied the 10-year residency requirement," Garcia pointed out. The SC is scheduled to conduct a full court session on March 8 to tackle Poe's consolidated petition against the Comelec. It is expected to come out with a decision anytime as it had deemed the case submitted for decision after the parties filed their respective memoranda on Feb. 22. In the memorandum she filed through her legal team, Poe insisted that the Comelec denied her of her right to due process when it disregarded overwhelming evidence proving that she is a natural-born citizen and that she has been a resident of the Philippines since May 24, 2005. She maintained that foundlings like her are considered natural-born Filipino citizens based on the generally accepted principle of international law, which presumes foundlings to be citizens of the country where they were found. Poe also argued that the Comelec "ignored settled jurisprudence and disregarded the evidence on record" when it ruled that Poe made a false material representation in her COC as to the period of her residence before the May 9 polls. Based on records, Poe began to settle permanently in the Philippines on May 24, 2005. After that, she enrolled her children to local schools in June 2005, purchased a property in the late 2005, constructed her family home in Quezon City in early 2006, and sold their U.S. property in 2006. Press Release March 3, 2016 MIRIAM HITS COMPLACENCY ON CHINA Amid renewed Chinese aggression, presidential candidate Miriam Defensor Santiago on Thursday said that the Philippines under her administration will take a more proactive approach in resolving the West Philippine Sea dispute. China has reportedly stationed up to five ships in the contested Quirino Island, barring access to Filipino fisherman, a move which Santiago said highlights failure of negotiations despite ongoing international arbitration. "The government seems to have grown complacent on the issue of the West Philippine Sea dispute, confident that the international tribunal now hearing the memorial it has filed against China will rule in its favor," Santiago said. "It is not true at all that the arbitral tribunal may decide on the Philippine side in the face of China's excepting itself from the application of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), Articles 297 and 298," she added. The two UNCLOS articles outline the cases that may be submitted for jurisdiction, as well as limits to arbitration. Article 298 particularly states that "a State may... declare in writing that it does not accept any one or more of the procedures..." "The dispute with China requires a second level of diplomacy as the other party takes keen interest in bilateral negotiation bordering on conciliation, relying on the principles set forth in the UNCLOS, Part XV, Section 1," Santiago said. The UNCLOS, Article 280, gives states the right to "...agree at any time to settle a dispute between them concerning the interpretation or application of this Convention by any peaceful means of their own choice." Santiago also hit the current administration for relying heavily on U.S. support to deter Chinese expansionism, noting that both military giants have interests in controlling the West Philippine Sea. The senator, who is also chair of the Senate foreign relations committee and the legislative oversight committee on the Visiting Forces Agreement, rallied her colleagues in January to assert that any treaty, including the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement with the U.S., is void without Senate concurrence. The Supreme Court has since ruled on the validity of the EDCA, which it considered an executive agreement implementing the VFA. The Senate has joined Santiago in 2009 to call for a renegotiation of the VFA, or its abrogation if the U.S. refuses to negotiate. Santiago said her administration will not depend on U.S. support to resolve a dispute with a neighboring country. "If elected, I will negotiate with China together with other Asian countries," she added. Flash The Mexican Embassy in China will give high attention to China's upcoming "two sessions" this month. Ambassador Julian Ventura has an exclusive interview with China.org.cn on March 2. [Photo by Dong Ning/China.org.cn] Ambassador Julian Ventura said as much during an exclusive interview with China.org.cn on March. 2, one day before this year's Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) opens. Ventura said that the National People's Congress (NPC) and CPPCC are the most significant sessions in China's political schedule, to which the Mexican Embassy will pay close attention. "Personally, I pay more attention to two topics of structural reform and sustainable development," said Ventura. "Structural reform is crucial for the Chinese government to adjust the economic development model, promote consumption and improve services. Mexico has also noticed the importance of structural reform, and carried out a range of measures in finance, education and the energy industries." "As for sustainable development, I believe the Chinese government will release some important measures on this issue during the session. How to deal with climate change is also an urgent problem the Mexican government and people have to face. Mexico is a powerhouse in leading the multilateral climate change agenda, and the first developing country to promise to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We look forward to making joint efforts with China to solve the problem," said Ventura. Ventura will attend the CPPCC opening ceremony on March 3 and the NPC opening ceremony on March 5. He will also listen to Premier Li Keqiang deliver the government report and the President of the Supreme People's Court introduce next year's work plan regarding legislation. All is Kumbaya in the land of San Francisco ballot measures. Well, perhaps thats going too far, but at a minimum Mayor Ed Lee struck a deal with Supervisors Jane Kim and Aaron Peskin that means just one affordable housing measure will go before voters in June. On Wednesday, after weeks of insisting that he wouldnt, Lee withdrew his ballot measure that said the city controller and Planning Department should determine the minimum percentage of below-market-rate units developers must provide in new projects without jeopardizing the projects and corresponding construction jobs. That might not sound like a big deal, but consider the fact that just a couple weeks ago three measures were headed on the June ballot the mayors plus two from Kim and Peskin. They had become bargaining chips in negotiations on the question of how much below-market-rate housing developers would be required to provide in new projects. Now, the only measure that will go on the ballot is Kim and Peskins charter amendment that says developers have to sell or rent 25 percent of units in new projects at below-market prices, at least until the Board of Supervisors alters the requirement. Last week, Kim and Peskin withdrew the second of their ballot measures that would have made that 25 percent requirement permanent. They did so after defeating an attempt by the mayor to amend their charter amendment which is the only ballot measure they ever really wanted. So to sum it up, Kim and Peskin got what they wanted, and Lee kind of gets what he wants a resolution passed by the Board of Supervisors that calls for the completion of a feasibility study by May 31, which the board will take into account when it reconsiders the affordable housing requirement. The mayor has been assured his concerns will be addressed in trailing legislation and therefore his measure is no longer necessary so he pulled it, mayoral spokeswoman Christine Falvey said. Kim said both camps are committed to producing a maximum amount of affordable and middle-class housing. Peskin said the development bodes well for our evolving working relationship. Emily Green Emily Green is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cityinsider@sfchronicle.com, egreen@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @sfcityinsider, @emilytgreen Qantas Call it a compliment gone awry? An airline's promotional description of Oakland as the "wild side of San Francisco" did not go over well with some of its residents, who would rather not be seen as SF's bad-boy cousin to the east. A blog post sponsored by Australia's Qantas Airways includes a large image at the top with Lake Merritt and the "wild side" headline. The well-meaning writer goes on to describe in tone-deaf detail a visit to the "wilder corners" of Oakland, adding that for many, "the East Bay Area is just an outer suburb of SF," that Oakland life "is a little bit rougher." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A pregnant Napa County woman who had traveled to Central America has tested positive for the Zika virus in the Bay Areas first case of the mosquito-borne disease, health officials said. The woman, whom Napa County officials declined to identify, is no longer showing signs of Zika infection, which has been spreading primarily throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, health officials said. The woman had traveled to Central America within the past three months, the officials said. The virus is believed to be linked in Brazil to thousands of cases of infants being born with abnormally small heads, a condition known as microcephaly. The World Health Organization has declared the epidemic a global emergency. Napa health officials confirmed that the Bay Area case was acquired during the womans travel rather than from a bite from a local mosquito. This Zika virus case is not a threat to public health. There is no active transmission of Zika virus in Napa County, and the two kinds of mosquitoes that transmit the virus have not been found here, Dr. Karen Relucio, Napa County health officer, said in a statement. So far, all Zika infections diagnosed in the United States have involved people who traveled to regions affected by the outbreak. But the potential serious health impact on newborns as well the fact the disease can be transmitted sexually has heightened concerns. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said last week that nine pregnant U.S. travelers have been diagnosed with Zika. One woman gave birth to a baby with microcephaly. California public health officials know of six state residents who have tested positive for the virus, including one from Yolo County. Napa County health officials said pregnant women and those with sexual partners who travel to countries where Zika is prevalent should exercise caution. Anyone who is planning to travel to a country with active Zika virus transmission should consult with their health care provider before leaving, especially if they are pregnant or are considering becoming pregnant, Relucio said. Victoria Colliver is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: vcolliver@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @vcolliver Marje Cannon/Getty Images A 26-year-old man was battling for his life after he apparently darted into a Santa Rosa street Wednesday night and was hit by a vehicle, police said. Thomas Michael Cole was taken to Memorial Hospital with life-threatening injuries following the 8:53 p.m. incident on Piner Road near Coffey Lane, officials said. The Bay Area is an undisputed global hub of technology, and it has a widespread reputation as a cauldron of literary activity. But do the two worlds ever overlap? One new venture is out to prove that they do. CNET, the San Francisco site that reviews tech products, has just launched Technically Literate, an online fiction series with, in its words, a tech twist. Not all dreamers are the entrepreneurs and engineers who built Silicon Valley, write Connie Guglielmo & Lindsey Turrentine, Technically Literates editors-in-chief, in their introduction to the series. We wanted to know what worlds other dreamers writers might create if we gave them the chance. And we invited them to tell us their stories of tech, using fiction as their toolbox. The monthly series kicks off with a comical 5,700-word story by San Francisco novelist Michelle Richmond whose title speaks volumes about the changing nature of the Bay Area. Graced by whimsical animated art, The Last Taco Truck in Silicon Valley is written from the point of a young woman who works at a hoodie startup in Palo Alto and is being held captive in the back of an El Taco Hombre truck beneath an underpass in Cupertino. Fear not: any concerns about the story insensitively treating the trucks owner are dispelled when the reader is told El Taco Hombre is not Mexican. In fact, writes the narrator, his name is Daniel. He grew up in Portland, went to Stanford and nearly graduated, worked at Intel for a bit, did programming at Playstation in the nineties, and had stints, like so many of us, at Marvel, Symantec, HP, Cisco, and Juniper. The problem is, El Taco Hombre simply isnt making the money he once did. These days, the valleys workers feast on organic quinoa curry spiced salad and Thai noodles and fresh-baked scones that they received, free of charge, in some comfortable, wildly colorful cafeteria located a mere fifty feet from their desks. And so Mr. Taco kidnaps the narrator. Work your voodoo, he says. Make El Taco Hombre go viral. You did it for that stupid sweatshirt. Surely you can do it for the best tacos in Silicon Valley. In her foreword to the short story, Bay Area author Janis Cooke Newman, editor-at-large of Technically Literate, wrote, When CNET first approached me with the idea that would become Technically Literate, it seemed like a collision of worlds, until I considered the geography of my day. The San Francisco Bay Area is home to equally vibrant, equally innovative, technology and literary communities. And in the way they share the topography of the city, they also share a world of common touch points. While writing her most recent novel, A Master Plan for Rescue, Newman said she would encounter both those communities when biking from the San Francisco Writers Grotto and through the tech-saturated mid-Market area. Pedaling into the Mission, she wrote, Id draft in the tailwind of one sleekly enormous Google bus after another, then coast into the bike lane that passed the shop-windowed offices of McSweeneys, Dave Eggers old-fashioned publisher of some of the most beautiful physical books on the planet. And, she said, many of the students who filled the seats of my novel-writing class at the Grotto aspiring authors working on books about dystopian (and utopian) futures spent their daytime hours on the campuses of Apple and Facebook. If conventional wisdom tells us that technology and literature have no points of intersection, then, as usual, the Bay Area has no regard for conventional wisdom. CNETs series of stories will continue to have a Bay Area focus, at least initially. Cristina Garcia, Anthony Marra and Nayomi Munaweera are other authors from the area whose stories will be featured on Technically Literate. But we wont always be showcasing local talent, Newman said. And the authors names wont always be immediately recognizable not yet anyway. The goal of Technically Literate is to present literary voices as innovative, and possibly disruptive, as our tech community. John McMurtrie is The San Francisco Chronicles book editor. Email: jmcmurtrie@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @McMurtrieSF Kale Williams A 66-year-old man, who had been reported missing, died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot outside the Livermore Police Department when an officer approached his car early Thursday, officials said. The incident began when police received a call of the missing man, who was described as suicidal and packing a firearm, the Livermore Police Department said. Jacom Stephens / Getty Images A 51-year-old man was killed when a Jeep plowed into him Wednesday evening in Hayward and the driver sped off, police said. The hit-and-run victim, a transient Hayward man whose name has not been released, was in the intersection of Foothill Boulevard and City Center Drive about 7:20 p.m. when a dark-colored Jeep Grand Cherokee ran him down, witnesses told police. A San Francisco man was convicted of sexually trafficking two girls, 14 and 16, after a seven-week trial that saw the victims describe being assaulted and shopped on the streets by a pimp nicknamed Terrific. One girl had to be rescued in a high-stakes gambit by her family members, who took a friend of the pimps hostage and then orchestrated a swap. Jamar Geeter, 28, was found guilty Wednesday by a Superior Court jury of 16 counts of sex trafficking, pimping, pandering and rape in connection to his targeting of the Bay Area teens, who were reported missing by their parents. He faces up to 150 years in prison when he is sentenced March 24. According to testimony at the trial, investigators were able to connect the two victims to Geeter based on similarities in their cases, even though the victims encountered Geeter six months apart. They described rules he enforced they were to use condoms for customers, but not with him as well as his nickname, a distinctive bullet scar on his abdomen and his gold grill. The girls are victims, but they are also survivors, Assistant District Attorney Rani Singh said in her closing arguments. Their young lives had been stolen. They had to grow up way too fast. They should not have had to grow up that fast. They saw things they shouldnt have and it is because of the defendant. The first victim was 14 and lived in Daly City when she encountered Geeter in July 2014. She testified she was waiting for a San Francisco Muni bus at Geneva and Mission streets when he approached and volunteered to buy her a burrito. He gave her alcohol, she said, as he told her he was a pimp and tried to persuade her to engage in prostitution. The teen recalled waking up the next morning naked and sore at a cheap hotel at the busy corner of Broadway and Van Ness Avenue, unsure of what happened between her and Geeter. By then, Singh said, Geeter had enough control over her to persuade her to remain in the hotel room when he left and not call for help. He allegedly returned with a prostitute a woman who bought the girl provocative clothing and coerced her into having sex with other men for money in the area of Polk and Ellis streets near San Franciscos Civic Center, and along Capp Street in the Mission District, over the next few days. International Boulevard Geeter raped the girl and put fear in my heart, she said, before she escaped on July 11, 2014, when she was brought to work on International Boulevard in Oakland, a notorious spot for the sexual trafficking of minors. But she did not immediately find freedom. She ended up being taken in by another prostitute and her pimp, who made her sell herself in Oakland and San Jose, prosecutors said. It wasnt until July 15 that Daly City police, who were looking for her as a missing person, tracked her down on International and returned her home. Six months later, Geeter struck again, prosecutors said. A Richmond girl, who was then 16, said she met him while in San Francisco for New Years Eve. She said she developed a crush on Geeters 16-year-old friend referred to as EJ in court and exchanged numbers with him. Geeter and EJ picked the girl and a friend up in Richmond the next day and brought them back to the city. The victim said she spent the night at a hotel alone with Geeter and EJ, but felt uncomfortable the next day and called friends for help. She said Geeter moved her to the same cheap hotel at Broadway and Van Ness Avenue, where he raped her and disabled her cell phone. For the next three nights, she said, he forced her to prostitute herself in the same areas where the 14-year-old had been taken. He gave her a temporary burner phone, which she used to try to contact her family and to post on Facebook that she was scared but could not leave. Familys daring rescue Her family, desperate to rescue her, got the girls friend to persuade EJ to meet her in San Francisco. The family then grabbed him and held him hostage in an undisclosed location until Geeter agreed to release her, prosecutors said, and allowed EJ to return to San Francisco on BART only when the girl was safely home. The girls father was later granted immunity from kidnapping charges. Investigators said they were able to recover DNA evidence from the 16-year-olds rape kit examination that matched Geeter, but could not do the same in the case of the 14-year-old, who was examined several days after escaping from the defendant. Jurors found Geeter guilty of raping the 16-year-old, and of statutory rape in connection with the 14-year-old. In the months since their ordeal, the victims have taken steps to move on, Singh said. The older girl is taking part in a joint high school and college program, and the younger girl has since earned a high school degree and welding certificate. Throughout the trial, Geeter maintained that while he was a hustler and drug dealer, he was not a sex trafficker. His attorney, Jose Umali, argued that smartphone evidence suggesting he ran a prostitution ad and discussed sex trafficking could be traced to Geeters friends, who often used his phone. Umali questioned inconsistencies in the victims statements, saying the 14-year-old had given differing accounts of what she endured to Daly City and San Francisco police. Im disappointed because I think the jury either dismissed or ignored certain things, Umali said. They obviously dismissed my clients testimony, because it was not a factor in their verdict, and I think they either ignored or dismissed the great questions of credibility of the two victims. Their credibility was very suspect. Umali suggested in his closing arguments much to the dismay of prosecutors that the victims were troubled to begin with and had wanted to engage in prostitution and risky behavior. Let it be very clear: There is no such thing as a child prostitute, Singh said in her rebuttal to close the trial. Consent is not a defense. Though Geeters family declined to comment, a male relative exploded when the first two guilty verdicts were read and could be heard shouting profanely in anger down the hallway after bailiffs escorted him from the courtroom. He called Geeter a fall guy. Geeter had been accused of sex trafficking in the past. He was arrested in August 2013 on suspicion of beating and threatening a 16-year-old girl into prostitution in the Broadmoor community near Daly City, but the case was dismissed by a judge. Geeter sat quietly through the verdict, at times shaking his head and rubbing his face. His attorney plans to appeal. Vivian Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: vho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @VivianHo David Duprey/Associated Press The national fight over the labeling of foods containing genetically modified organisms took a new turn on Wednesday, when Sen. Dianne Feinstein joined Sens. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore.; Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.; and Jon Tester, D-Mont., to introduce legislation that would require national labeling of GMO ingredients. Called the Biotechnology Food Labeling and Uniformity Act, it is an alternate to legislation approved by the Senate Agriculture Committee Tuesday that would prevent states from passing mandatory GMO labeling laws like one due to take effect in Vermont on July 1. That Senate bill, spearheaded by Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., and called the Safe Accurate Food Act, or Safe, has met resistance from environmental groups and other opponents, including Sen. Barbara Boxer, who have dubbed it the Deny Americans the Right to Know, or Dark, Act. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Mission Bays new Family House may have some of the amenities associated with a high-end hotel, but its designed for a higher calling: to provide a home for families going through the worst times of their lives. The Nancy & Stephen Grand Family House, named after its major benefactors, will offer free, temporary housing for families of children undergoing treatment for cancer and other life-threatening diseases at the UCSF Benioff Childrens Hospital San Francisco. The 92,000-square-foot building, just blocks from the hospital, is scheduled to open it doors March 28. On Wednesday, it was made available to the public for tours. In just a few days, this building is going to be filled with children with life-threatening disease who have been referred to our wonderful hospital because they cant be cared for in their local communities, UCSFs Dr. Arthur Ablin, who helped found Family House 35 years ago, told a crowd gathered for Wednesdays tours and ceremonial ribbon cutting. Since 1981, Family House, a nonprofit funded by philanthropic donations, has been providing free, temporary housing to families of young patients at the hospital. It started by offering free lodging in a former 10-room Mormon boarding house on Irving Street, later expanding into a 24-room former senior residence building on 10th Avenue. The new building, at the corner of Third Street and Mission Bay Boulevard North, replaces those two buildings. Built using $42 million in privately raised funds, the new Family House will more than double the number of people who can be housed from 107 people a night to 240. Family House is not directly affiliated with UCSF but serves the hospitals patients. Seeing the need The Grands said they were drawn to the project after Stephen Grand was hospitalized at UCSF Medical Center for cancer treatments. There, the couple saw family members sleeping in waiting rooms and on floors by their loved ones bedside. The number of patients was greater than the number of available rooms at Family House. We saw the need firsthand, and we could just feel what a relief it would be to have that, Nancy Grand said. When families move in this month, they will step into rooms outfitted with donated European Sleep Works beds and Pottery Barn furniture. Built for comfort The building is made with environmentally friendly materials and includes a 9,000-square-foot outdoor courtyard, an exercise room, a gathering space designed especially for teens, and large shared dining and cooking spaces to encourage communal living. Anyplace where we could create spaces to hang out, to be comfortable, to be social and not to feel isolated, we tried to create, said Alexandra Morgan, Family Houses chief executive officer, on a private tour of the building this week. Family House gives priority to families who have to travel more than 50 miles from their homes for care. At Wednesdays opening, Shana Berthelson and her 3-year-old daughter, Shiloh, got to tour what will to be a frequent home for the family. Shiloh has ongoing lung problems related to premature birth that will need treatment at UCSF. The family lives near Yosemite National Park in Groveland (Tuolumne County), about 140 miles away. Berthelson was airlifted to UCSF to give birth to Shiloh at just 26 weeks, and they had to spend the first two months of Shilohs life at the current Family House. Support system Her dad and I were put up at Family House, and theyve supported us the entire time, said Berthelson, describing how Family House staff put together a super hero-themed birthday for their daughter and paid for their car windows to be replaced when their car was broken into. Berthelson was excited to see the new digs, but said thats not what makes Family House a home. Honestly, its the staff that makes it worthwhile, she said. Victoria Colliver is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: vcolliver@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @vcolliver This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Connecticuts Beardsley Zoo is celebrating the birth of baby giant anteater and the successful breeding of its 6-year-old parents, daddy EO and mama Pana. EO is a first-time dad, and the birth is the second for Pana. Our fingers were crossed that our giant anteaters would have babies, and we couldn't be happier that the breeding was successful, said zoo director Gregg Dancho in the babys birth announcement. The baby, born the day before Valentines Day after a 175-day gestation period, weighed in at 2.4 pounds and is just over 14 inches long. The gender is unknown, owing to the difficulty of determining the sex of anteaters at such a young age. Pana and the new baby are not on exhibit yet. When mom and baby go on exhibit, dad will not be allowed to be in the same exhibit, due to mom's protectiveness and the potential of dad hurting the baby, the zoo said in a statement. Dad will be on exhibit elsewhere on zoo grounds. The baby will be on exhibit thru the summer season and into the fall. More Information Anteaters can live up to 26 years old in captivity and are usually solitary animals. They can weigh up to 100 pounds, and are five to seven feet long. Their home range is from southern Belize to northern Argentina and they live in grasslands, humid forests and woodland areas. Anteaters have one of the lowest body temperatures in the animal kingdom at 91 to 97 degrees Fahrenheit, and can eat up to 30,000 ants per meal in the wild. The Latin name for anteater is Vermillingua, meaning "worm tongue," which can be as long as two feet. See More Collapse The anteater parents came to Beardsley from the Palm Beach Zoo in Palm Beach, Fla. Pana and EO arrived in late May 2015 and are a highlight of the Pampas Plains exhibit, which opened last August. Featuring animals from the Pampas region of Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil, the new exhibit represents the first phase of the zoo's South American Adventure exhibit. It is part of the zoo's Master Plan to exhibit and care for South American species and was funded in part by private donations as well as funding from the Connecticut Zoological Society with support from the City of Bridgeport. Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo is open daily from 9 am to 4 p.m. Adult admission (ages 12 & older) is $14, children (ages 3 -11) and senior admission (62 and older) is $11, and children under 3 years old are free. Zoo members also are admitted free. Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo is located at 1875 Noble Ave., Bridgeport, and parking at the zoo is free. WASHINGTON Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson said he effectively ended his bid for the White House Wednesday, concluding a roller-coaster campaign that briefly took him to the top of a chaotic GOP field but ended with a Super Tuesday whimper. I do not see a political path forward, Carson said in a statement posted on his campaign website, though he added, I remain deeply committed to my home nation, America and promised to offer details of his future when he speaks Friday at a conservative conference in Washington. He did not explicitly say that hes ending his campaign, only noting that he does not plan to take part in Thursdays Fox News debate. But his longtime businessman and friend, Armstrong Williams, confirmed that the soft-spoken candidate would no longer be asking for votes. Theres only one candidate in this 2016 election on the GOP side, and his name is Trump. Thats the reality, Williams said, adding that Sens. Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz also should drop out, as they also have no path to the nomination. Carsons exit reduces the active Republican field to four candidates, though billionaire Donald Trump remains the clear leader in earned delegates and voter preference polls. Carson, 64, was one of several antiestablishment candidates who shaped the early stages of a Republican race defined by conservatives wide-ranging disgust with the nations direction and GOP leaders perceived inability to alter it. He ran as an outsider, offering a poverty-to-fame autobiography, his unabashed Christian faith and an unceasing indictment of conventional politics, styling his bid as an effort to combat political correctness and what he described as a creep toward socialism. The only African American among the presidential contenders of either major party, Carson announced his bid in May from his native Detroit, where he was raised in a poor neighborhood by a single mother. Though she could not read, Carson said, his mother saw to it that he and his brother received formal educations. MIAMI Bernie Sanders political revolution may be turning into a more modest uprising. Sanders insurgent campaign caught fire this fall, drawing huge crowds and raising questions about the breadth of Clintons appeal within her own party. But as the contest has expanded past the largely white electorates of Iowa and New Hampshire, Sanders has struggled to capture support from the minority voters who make up a large piece of his party. And hes shown no sign of changing his economic-focused message to do so a strategy that hurt his chances in a swath of primaries held across the country on Tuesday. After her wins on Super Tuesday, Clinton is nearly halfway to claiming enough delegates to win the nomination, when you include her superdelegates, the party insiders free to pick either candidate. If she keeps her superdelegates they can change their minds Clinton has to win only 40 percent of the remaining delegates to be the presumptive nominee. Sanders road is much tougher. He would have to win 60 percent of the remaining delegates including superdelegates to claim the nomination. So far, he is winning just 29 percent. On Tuesday, Clinton carried the four largest contested states in terms of delegates Texas, Georgia, Virginia and Massachusetts giving her a big delegate haul that expands her advantage over Sanders. She won sweeping victories across the South and her narrow victory in Massachusetts denied the Vermont senator a large state he had sought near his home turf. Hillary has shown real strength in the Super Tuesday voting, establishing an impressive foundation going forward in the delegate race, said Jeff Berman, Clintons delegate guru. Beyond Vermont, Sanders wins came in Minnesota, Colorado and Oklahoma, where working-class white voters play a bigger role in Democratic contests. Sanders and his team showed no signs of exiting the race, with senior strategist Tad Devine saying he sees no scenario where Sanders gets out before the party convention in July. In Portland, Maine, on Wednesday, Sanders lashed out at his opponent, saying there is one candidate who takes millions of dollars from big banks, the fossil fuel industry and perhaps weirdo billionaires. And that one candidate is not me. 1 Trump fallout: Six New Jersey newspapers say Gov. Chris Christie should resign over his endorsement of Donald Trump. They add that if Christie refuses to quit, New Jersey citizens should initiate a recall effort. The papers on Wednesday ran brutal editorials saying they are fed up with everything from Christies famous sarcasm to his long neglect of the state to pursue his own selfish agenda. They add that they are disgusted with his endorsement of Donald Trump after he spent months on the campaign trail trashing him. 2 Deradicalization program: Four Minnesota men who have pleaded guilty to conspiring to support the Islamic State group are being ordered to participate in a study that will recommend programs to deradicalize them. The study was ordered Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Michael Davis, whos been working on plans to help reintegrate terror suspects into the community. A recent ruling by a New York federal magistrate denying federal prosecutors from gaining access to password-protected data in an Apple iPhone was not just a first-round victory for Apple. The lengthy, thought-provoking discourse was also the first word from the judiciary on whether a 227-year-old federal law allows the government to penetrate technological barriers and acquire information in ways that Congress hasnt expressly approved. Mondays decision by U.S. Magistrate James Orenstein of Brooklyn came nearly two weeks after a West Coast federal magistrate, Sheri Pym of Riverside, issued a preliminary order directing Apple to disable password protections on an iPhone used by a gunman in the slaughter of 14 people at a San Bernardino health agency in December. But Pyms three-page order didnt discuss her reasoning, and she said she would reconsider her decision after hearing from Apple, which filed its objections last week. Orenstein insisted on hearing from both sides in the New York case before issuing a 50-page ruling that spelled out his views on the All Writs Act of 1789, the law that the Justice Department invoked to try to unlock the cell phone of a confessed drug dealer. The broadly worded law allows federal courts to issue all necessary or appropriate orders in cases under their authority, agreeable to the usages and principles of law. Federal law enforcement agencies have used it to obtain outside help in carrying out searches, based on a 1977 Supreme Court ruling that said a judge could rely on the law to order a private company to cooperate with the government in a criminal case in which the company wasnt directly involved. The company must comply, the court said, as long it was involved in the events that led to the search, and its assistance was necessary and wasnt unduly burdensome. The Justice Department contends the 1977 ruling, which required a phone company to mechanically track a suspected drug dealers calls, authorizes the courts to require Apple to unlock its phones and even, in the San Bernardino case, to devise a program that would breach an electronic wall to allow federal agents to search for the password. The 1789 law, Obama administration attorneys argue, allows the government to commandeer assistance from private companies in its searches, as long as its actions are not prohibited by any other federal statute. Orenstein said the implications of that argument were absurd. If the law authorized the government to conduct any type of investigative activity as long as Congress has not forbidden it, the magistrate said, it would become a mechanism for upending the separation of powers by turning judges into lawmakers, a proposition of doubtful constitutionality. Congress has spoken on the subject, Orenstein said, in a 1994 law, the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act, which required telecommunications companies to aid the government in court-authorized searches and surveillance. But he said that law explicitly does not require companies to help agents bypass encryption that might shield communications from surveillance, unless the company itself provided the encryption and knew how to remove it. The Justice Department argued that the law is irrelevant to the case because it only requires certain types of assistance and doesnt forbid others. But Orenstein said Congress, by spelling out telecoms duty to aid in certain types of searches, had at least implied that it was prohibiting more-intrusive orders. He also noted that the Obama administration on the same October day that it applied for the order in his court told a Senate committee it would not seek new legislation that would update the 1994 law to authorize more searches. Although Apple has the technology to comply with the governments request in this case, Orenstein said, the search would nevertheless be unduly burdensome to a company that is trying to succeed in a competitive market by protecting its customers personal data. The assistance the government seeks here bypassing a security measure that Apple affirmatively markets to its customers is not something that Apple would normally do and would be offensive to the companys values, the magistrate said. He took particular umbrage at the Justice Departments argument that Apple, having reaped the benefits of being an American company, should not claim to be burdened if it is seen by its customers as aiding the government. Such argument reflects poorly on a government that exists in part to safeguard the freedom of its citizens ... to make autonomous choices about how best to balance societal and private interests in going about their lives and their businesses, Orenstein said. His conclusions, however sweeping, are only the opening round in what is likely to be a long judicial debate. Although Orensteins formal title is U.S. magistrate judge, federal judges are presidential appointees who serve for life, while Orenstein, and Pym, are magistrates appointed by federal judges for eight-year terms. Most of their cases concern pretrial issues, such as the search warrants for the Apple phones. Their written decisions may be persuasive Orensteins was cited Wednesday by a lawyer supporting Apple in the San Bernardino case but, like those of individual federal judges, they are binding only on the parties to the case. The magistrates rulings can be appealed to a U.S. District Court judge, then to a federal appeals court, and finally to the U.S. Supreme Court, which may take up the issue in two or three years. Unless Congress acts first. Those of us used to walking around with an open tab of tickets owed to SFMTA might be surprised to hear this: San Francisco actually owes a lot of people money. Those interested in getting that cash back are running out of time to file a claim. Several hundred individuals and a number of companies either double paid or overpaid parking and transit citations between 1995 and 2012, and are now owed a collective $6.1 million. But the Municipal Transportation Agency is warning residents that after Thursday, "unclaimed funds will become the property of the City and County of San Francisco." For a city of only 49 square miles, San Francisco is packed with a lot of neighborhoods. While Wikipedia puts the number at 40, locals would tell you there are at least a dozen more, from Lincoln Park to Balboa Terrace to Bayview Heights. CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. A convicted rapist pleaded guilty Wednesday to killing two Virginia college students and avoided the death penalty by taking a deal that calls for him to spend the rest of his life in prison. Jesse LeRoy Matthew Jr., 34, was sentenced to four consecutive life terms when he pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of abduction with the intent to defile in the deaths of Hannah Graham and Morgan Harrington, two remarkably similar murder cases that amplified concerns about campus safety. Matthew showed no expression during the hearing and said through his attorney that he is very sorry and he loves his family very much. He was already serving three life terms for a 2005 sexual assault in northern Virginia. Grahams mother, Susan Graham, said her daughter accomplished great things, but in a way people never wouldve imagined she enabled law enforcement to apprehend a serial rapist who had been hiding in plain sight in Charlottesville for years. She is a heroine, Grahams mother said. According to authorities, Graham and Harrington were young women in vulnerable straits when they vanished in Charlottesville five years apart. Harrington, a 20-year-old Virginia Tech student, disappeared in 2009 after she stepped out of a University of Virginia arena during a Metallica concert and was unable to get back in. Graham, an 18-year-old Virginia student, vanished after having dinner and attending parties off campus in 2014. She was captured on surveillance video walking unsteadily, and sometimes running, past a service station and a restaurant. She texted a friend that she was lost. Additional video showed Graham crossing Charlottesvilles downtown pedestrian mall, then leaving a restaurant with Matthew, his arm wrapped around her. Grahams disappearance, which came at a time of rising national concern about sexual assaults and other crimes on college campuses, prompted a massive search. Her body was found five weeks later on abandoned property in Albemarle County, about 12 miles from the Charlottesville campus and 6 miles from a hayfield where Harringtons remains had been found in January 2010. After police named Matthew a person of interest in Grahams disappearance, he fled and was later apprehended on a beach in southeast Texas. He was charged with abduction with intent to defile, a felony that empowered police to swab his cheek for a DNA sample. That sample connected Matthew to a 2005 sexual assault in Fairfax, a Virginia suburb of Washington, according to authorities. The DNA evidence in the Fairfax sexual assault, in turn, linked Matthew to the Harrington case, authorities said. The Republican Party is on the verge of being taken over by an egomaniac who appeals to the nations darkest impulses. Yet Donald Trumps foes are splintered, tactically but also philosophically. It doesnt help that each of his three serious challengers is a flawed alternative. None is sufficiently dominant to force the others aside. Sen. Ted Cruz has the most legitimate claim as a Trump-slayer. Hes now beaten him in four contests. Yet Cruz is so disliked by so many party leaders that they have refused to rally behind him. Indeed, many in the GOP view Cruz as being nearly as vulnerable to Hillary Clinton as Trump is. She took a large step toward securing the Democratic nomination with her seven victories over Bernie Sanders on Super Tuesday. The Republican establishment plainly prefers Sen. Marco Rubio, but voters have not gone along. Rubio did manage to win the Minnesota caucuses. But he ran third in eight of the other 10 states that voted Tuesday and has lost 14 times since the nomination battle began. Gov. John Kasich may well be the partys strongest potential general-election candidate. But his relative moderation has so far marginalized him in an increasingly right-wing party. Only in Vermont, one of the few states where a less strident brand of conservatism still plays well in the GOP, did Kasich put up a fierce challenge to Trump. Still, Kasich lost. But the difficulty Republicans have in identifying a single candidate to take Trump down speaks to a deeper problem. Its leaders have yet to decide whether Trumps greatest sin is that he exploits bigotry or that he fails to bow to conservative ideological orthodoxy. While some conservatives such as Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., have brought the two strands together, there is ambivalence about how to go after Trump because the party itself has often played at backlash politics around race and immigration and because, throughout President Obamas tenure, it embraced Trump as an ally in stirring resentment on the far right. Mitt Romney, now one of Trumps leading antagonists, warmly welcomed Trumps endorsement in the 2012 presidential campaign. Moreover, some of Trumps most extreme positions have won wide approval from the Republican rank-and-file. For example, exit polls reported by CNN and the Washington Post found broad backing for his temporary ban on Muslims from entering the U.S: It was favored by 78 percent of Republican primary voters in Alabama, 67 percent in Texas and 63 percent in Virginia. Its true that anti-Trump Republicans found common ground in excoriating Trump for his equivocation in condemning the Ku Klux Klan and the racist leader David Duke. This party does not prey on peoples prejudices, insisted House Speaker Paul Ryan. In fact, the party has subtly and not so subtly played on racial resentment birtherism, the claim that Obama is a Muslim, Ronald Reagans famous welfare queen reference for decades. Trump is just cruder about it. In any event, many Republicans dislike Trump primarily because they cant abide his flight from conservative orthodoxy. He has criticized the Iraq War and George W. Bushs foreign policy. He has attacked free trade. He opposes cuts in Social Security and Medicare. His vagueness on health care leaves open the possibility that he favors expansive government action to keep people, as he likes to put it, from dying in the streets. If the main problem with Trump is that he is not conservative enough, then Cruz is the obvious answer, and the Texan gave an effective speech Tuesday night listing all of Trumps apostasies. But the rejection of Cruz by the powers that be underscores an additional ambivalence. The party wants somehow to keep the angry Trump voters inside the tent while also trying to broaden its constituency. This is the appeal of Rubio, who is more willing than Cruz to move in several directions at once. But this flexibility is also Rubios vulnerability. Its clear that a majority of Republicans prefer someone other than Trump. On Tuesday, he approached or broke 40 percent in only four states. Thats the establishments hope. It wants to deny Trump a delegate majority and to stop his nomination at the July convention. But this strategy requires a philosophical and tactical unity of purpose that party leaders have, so far, been incapable of mustering. And blocking Trump now would enrage his army of followers and prove to them that the party is every bit as distant from their concerns as their hero has been saying. 2016, Washington Post Writers Group Email: ejdionne@washpost.com. Twitter: @EJDionne. I could vote for Ted Cruz in the California primary, I realized as I learned the Texas senator won not only his home state on Super Tuesday, but also Oklahoma. Cruz also beat Donald Trump in the Iowa caucus and claimed the top spot in the Alaska caucus Tuesday. OK, so maybe Ive scolded the senator for leading the GOP House into a box canyon in his doomed effort to defund Obamacare. And I may have called him a snake a time or two. Theres something about the way he talks that gets on my nerves. I believe Florida Sen. Marco Rubio would have a much better chance of winning in November than Cruz. Likewise Ohio Gov. John Kasich. But the most important thing now is to deny Trump the nomination, and Cruz has won the second-most delegates so far. The Washington Posts Dan Balz figures the GOP has two weeks to stop Trump. If he is right, then there may not be time to wait for Rubio or Kasich to catch fire. If all three Rs stay in the race, the only other means to beat Trump would be to deny him the needed 1,237 delegates in which case Cleveland convention delegates would choose the nominee. (In 1976, Ronald Reagan supporters tried, but failed, to bump out front-runner Gerald Ford with a convention vote.) The surest way to dump Trump is with a rival who wins more delegates than The Donald. Supporting Cruz wont be easy for many insiders. Not a single fellow GOP senator has endorsed Cruz. His kamikaze tactics have alienated many professional Repubs. Cruz himself has admitted he is not the candidate youd choose to kick back with to share some brews. But he hasnt lumped undocumented Mexican immigrants into the drug dealer/rapist category, as has Trump. He hasnt called for a ban on Muslims entering the United States, a la Trump. His language isnt calibrated to insult women, as is Trumps. I dont think Trumps views are winning votes; it is that he started off as a celebrity. Being famous gave the reality TV star access to priceless free airtime. He used it to make statements so outrageous that he dominated the following news cycle. Breathless TV pundits then marveled at Trumps genius for getting away with crude, childish remarks. Because (sarcasm alert) thats never happened before with a celebrity. Trump also won the most states and delegates, thanks to a crowded field that helped him despite polls that show most Republican voters dont want Trump. Maybe Trump would win in November. Or maybe as Cruz spokesman Ron Nehring wrote in an email, Donald Trump as the nominee gives you President Hillary Clinton, a Democratic Senate and a Supreme Court thats lost for a generation. If I were voting on March 15 and saw a path to Rubio winning Florida, Id vote for Marco. Outside of that sliver of light, the smart Republican has to look at Cruz. As Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told CBS Tuesday, Ted Cruz is not my favorite by any means, but ... we may be in a position where we have to rally around Ted Cruz as the only way to stop Donald Trump. A small number of Republicans have announced they would not vote for Trump in a Trump-Clinton contest. If Cruz wins, they may not like voting for the Texas senator, but who said youre supposed to like voting? Debra J. Saunders is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. Email: dsaunders@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @DebraJSaunders Contributed / Danbury Police Department DANBURY A 22-year-old man who police said was selling pot, heroin and crack out of his Triangle Street apartment crashed into a cruiser and threatened the officers arresting him, authorities said. When officers arrived at Kevin Pereiras home about 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, he tried to flee by intentionally backing into a police car, according to the report. WASHINGTON Staring down the prospect of nominating Donald Trump for president, Republicans spiraled into a chaotic, last-ditch search Wednesday for a way to save the GOP from hitching its fortunes to an unpredictable celebrity candidate without alienating his throng of followers. Sensing a window closing fast, GOP leaders and elder statesmen toggled through a menu of scenarios but landed on none. Some amplified calls to rally around a Trump alternative, even if that alternative is Ted Cruz, a prickly conservative with few friends in the party. Others laid out still-hazy plans for a brokered national convention, an option likely to smack of the backroom dealing Trump fans despise. Some floated more extreme measures, talking of breaking from the party and starting anew. Its all a play to stall it or try to deny him the nomination, said Neil Newhouse, a GOP pollster. And the problem with that is no one has the best scenario for how to do that. The scrambling came as the billionaire candidate racked up commanding victories in seven of eleven Super Tuesday primary contests, and the path to victory for his rivals narrowed. Trumps strength which stretched from the Deep South to New England exposed the depths of the divisions within the party, no matter who becomes the nominee in this election. As Republicans surveyed the wreckage from Trumps surge, some argued there was still a chance to stop him. He was not yet on track to claim the nomination before the partys national gathering in July, according to an Associated Press delegate count. He has won 46 percent of the delegates awarded so far, and he would have to increase that to 51 percent in the remaining primaries. Trump had a good night, but he left the door open, said David Winston, a Republican pollster. Republicans, meanwhile, looked for a wise man to calm the jitters and point the way. Mitt Romney, their nominee four years ago, suggested he might try to fill that role. The former Massachusetts governor announced plans to speak on the state of the 2016 presidential race Thursday in Utah. Romney has moved aggressively to take on Trump in recent days, saying the billionaires unreleased tax returns might contain bombshells. But he was not expected to endorse a candidate or announce a late entry into the race himself. If there is a chance of derailing Trump, who did not campaign Wednesday, it increasingly appears to rest with Cruz. The Texas senator came in just 25 delegates behind Trump Tuesday night, although he faces less favorable contests as the race presses on. TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras Honduran indigenous leader Berta Caceres, who was honored last year in San Francisco by the 2015 Goldman Environmental Prize for her role in fighting a dam project, was shot dead Thursday. Caceres, a Lenca Indian activist, had previously complained of receiving death threats from police, soldiers and local landowners because of her work. Tomas Membreno, a member of her group, the Indian Council of Peoples Organizations of Honduras, said at least two assailants broke into a home and shot Caceres to death early Thursday in the town of La Esperanza. Honduras has lost a brave and committed social activist, Membreno said in a statement. The killing appeared to be targeted: A Mexican rights activist at the house was only slightly wounded in the attack, but Caceres body had four gunshot wounds. Police said they had detained a suspect, but did not identify the person. Caceres, a mother of four, led opposition to a proposed dam on the Gualcarque river, considered sacred by the Lencas. Many of the projects backers have largely abandoned building plans. President Juan Orlando Hernandez wrote in his Twitter account that this act has caused mourning among all Hondurans. His chief of staff, Jorge Alcerro, said, The president has instructed all government security forces to use all means to find the killers. Alcerro said Caceres was supposed to be receiving special protection because of the death threats, but did not explain why there were no police protecting her when she was killed. The website of the Goldman Environmental Prize said Caceres waged a grassroots campaign that successfully pressured the worlds largest dam builder to pull out of the Agua Zarca Dam, which the site said would cut off the supply of water, food and medicine for hundreds of Lenca people and violate their right to sustainably manage and live off their land. Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas Director for Amnesty International, said in a statement that the cowardly killing of Berta is a tragedy that was waiting to happen. For years, she had been the victim of a sustained campaign of harassment and threats to stop her from defending the rights of indigenous communities, said Guevara-Rosas. Bertas death will have a devastating impact for many human rights activists and organizations. MEXICO CITY The Mexican government has made its first direct response to Donald Trumps pledge to build a wall along the two countries border and make Mexico pay for it. Mexican Treasury Secretary Luis Videgaray says emphatically and categorically that it isnt going to foot the bill for the project proposed by the Republican presidential hopeful. Happy Thursday, Fork followers! This week, we find Taos in the midst of New Mexico Restaurant Week, discover that the Food Network wants to know if Santa Fe and Albuquerque chefs have the chops to compete on its popular show Chopped, look to Albuquerque to make our coffee and chocolate dreams come true and more. El Meze-ing Around The list of Taos dining spots involved in New Mexico Restaurant Week may seem comparatively short when leaned against recent offerings in Santa Fe, but through Saturday, March 5, the Taos restaurants participating in the annual event aim to please. Take chef/owner/food historian Frederick Mueller's three-course dinner at his restaurant El Meze ($30 per person before tax and tip). Choices, choices: Chicharrones or rajas? Pan-seared ruby trout, pasta e fagioli or buffalo tamales in chile sauce with Tucumcari-produced feta cheese? Dark chocolate souffle cake or almond semifreddo? You can think about those choices on the way to the restaurant. In the meantime, please do the restaurant, and others in Taos, a solid by making a reservation. Cable Network Seeks NM Chefs for Fun, Humiliation, Prizes Producers of the Food Network's popular show Chopped are seeking chefs from Albuquerque and Santa Fe for an upcoming season of the show, which pits contestants against each other in a series of mystery-basket challenges, judged by some of the world's culinary elite. These judges don't hold back when the ingredients in the basket wind up tasting more like the basket after being prepared, but when competing for $10,000, a little hard truth may be worth it. Any New Mexico chefs thinking of competing? You have until the end of May to apply, and even amateur chefs can get in on the action. You Gotta Keep Em Caffeinated Chocolate addicts and coffee lovers will flock to the Southwest Chocolate & Coffee Fest at Expo New Mexico in Albuquerque March 19-20, and this year, the vendor spread looks divine. Now the nation's largest consumer festival for chocolate and coffee, this event boasts tasting booths, cooking demonstrations and seminars, baking and chocolate-eating contests, live music and lots of free fun for the kiddos. Through the Bean Prism Speaking of coffee, Fork follower, food enthusiast and all-around nice guy Michael Schneider tipped us off to Prismatic Coffee, a new third wave coffee roaster and cafe on Bellamah Avenue in Albuquerque. The third wave of the booming coffee revolution is described on the website thusly: "Third wave coffee takes precision and intention on every level. From the farmer, to the roaster, to the person making the final product, third wave coffee is about craft. Albuquerque is dedicated to craft excellence in beer, and is now ready for that same excellence in coffee. Beer at night, coffee in the morning." Hours are currently limited, but you can keep your eyes on the business's Facebook page for updates. Like Frybread Putty in Your Hands On March 10, the Pueblo Harvest Cafe & Bakery at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque hosts a frybread-making workshop in conjunction with Albuquerque Restaurant Week (March 6-13). The class, $15 per person, requires reservations by calling 724-3510. A Pie (Pi) a Day Hankering for a road trip? Pie-O-Neer Pies, in the small west-central New Mexico community of Pie Town, is happy to announce the March 14 (Pi Day!) opening of its new Pi/pie bar, which will offer a larger selection of pies to enjoy, both buffet-style by the slice and by the whole pie to go. When Irish Beers Are Pouring Santa Fe Brewing Co. has St. Patrick's Day clearly on its radar with the March 5 release of its Irish Red Ale, available on tap only at the main brewery location out NM 14 way, and only for a limited time. Swing by between noon and 6 pm on March 5 to ring in the release, with rockin' live music by Sean Healen and company between 4 and 6 pm. Grocery Evolution Epicurious writer Eve Turow wants you to know that your favorite supermarket is adapting in a world where a larger chunk of food purchases are being made online, away from the brick-and-mortar experience. Is it good news for localists? Well, it depends on how you like to shop. Thank you for subscribing to The Fork. Remember: Your food news could be our food news, and we love hearing from you. Hit us in the culinary sweet spot at thefork@sfreporter.com Santa Fe Reporter The Commerce Commission has ordered Euro Corporation and Brilliance Steel to stop selling some steel mesh products used in residential construction while it investigates whether they meet the required building standards. Steel mesh is typically used as reinforcement in concrete floor slabs used during the construction of houses, garages and other buildings and can also be used in driveways and pathways. The commission said initial testing of the steel mesh showed it didnt meet the standard requirements, specifically in relation to elongation which are designed to ensure the steel stretches under pressure or movement such as during an earthquake. Euro Corporation, which is owned by funds associated with Maui Capital and the McKenzie Business Trust and its trustees, has challenged the results. Brilliance Steel is owned by Donghui Wu and Guanghui Wu and has neither accepted nor disputed the tests. Euro Corporation said it had asked the commission for further details as the product had already passed testing by a leading independent ISO accredited laboratory and is meeting the regulator on Monday to discuss the results. The commission is undertaking further testing but in the interim has asked both companies to stop selling the affected products. Neither of the Auckland companies are dominant suppliers of mesh in New Zealand. Euro Corporation sold about 380,000 sheets of the steel in New Zealand in the period under investigation which is from mid-2012 to now, while Brilliance has sold around 20,000 sheets. We take standards compliance very seriously, said Euro Corporation managing director Randal McKenzie. We are hopeful that this matter will be resolved and we will be in a position to resume sales of this product within a few days. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment said it wasnt concerned that the steel product under investigation poses a safety risk for newly built houses and is confident they will still comply with the Building Code. Ductile steel reinforcing mesh is used to help control cracks on concrete floor slabs and after the Canterbury earthquake in 2011 the ductility level was increased to a minimum elongation of 10 percent from about 2 percent formerly. The test results of this product so far average around 8 percent, said MBIEs general manager building system performance Derek Baxter. These homes will still be more resilient than the many of thousands of houses built prior to 2011. This is an issue of standards, not safety. Still, both government departments advise the product shouldnt be used in concrete slabs that have not yet been poured while they are under investigation. And while its understood neither companys product has been widely used in commercial or multi-storey buildings, if at all, MBIE is checking this further and case-by-case assessments of any of these type of buildings may need to be carried out. Misrepresenting a product as complying with the standard when it doesnt is a Fair Trading Act breach that can incur fines of up to $600,000 per offence. BusinessDesk.co.nz Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: Mainfreight Investor Day / Market Update GFI - Greenfern - Offer closes 27th Oct MCY - Quarterly Operational Update VCT - Operational performance for the 3 months ended 30 Sept 2022 NZL - Forestry Estate Acquisition October 21st Morning Report Air New Zealand Limited Retail Bond Offer Books Close Spark welcomes C-band spectrum allocation AIA - 2022 Annual Meeting Chair & Chief Executive Addresses MOVE Completes Purchase of Vessel for Trans-Tasman Service Natalie Abbotts business is creating a buzz statewide, despite a hungry bear taking a swipe out of it last year. The Chippewa Falls Senior High School student is being honored for her work with The West Hill Honey Company with the Wisconsin Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award. It is the first time since the honor began in 2007 that it has been given to a northwest Wisconsin student. I was very surprised, said Abbott, 17, who is the daughter of John and Amy Abbott. The honor will be given Thursday, April 21 at the Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee as a part of the Wisconsin Business Hall of Fame ceremony. Were just very, very happy a youth is being recognized in northwest Wisconsin, said Susan Peterson, district director of the Northwest District and Coulee Region of Junior Achievement of Wisconsin. Junior Achievement is working with the firm EY and the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction in presenting the honor to Abbott. She is being awarded with a scholarship of $1,000, Peterson said, adding the scholarship is good at any two-year or four-year learning institution. The competition is open to students in grades 5-12 who have businesses, either seasonal or yearly. She also has a strong customer base with the local beekeepers, Peterson said of Abbott. Starting out Natalie Abbott became involved in the bee business when she joined 4-H at nine years old. She started with three hives. Her business eventually needed better equipment to expand. John Abbott came up with the idea of Natalie selling honey door-to-door. Her first days sales: $100. Marleana Rank, a business education teacher at the high school, encouraged Abbott to enter the competition and make a video about her business. Abbott recorded the video and her dad did the editing. And in that video, Natalie Abbott said she received an assist on raising money to buy equipment for her business from actor Wil Wheaton, best known for his role on Star Trek: The Next Generation. Wheaton noted the girls Kickstarter fundraising effort on his Facebook page, and she was able to raise over $9,136. Last year her beekeeping grew to 20 hives. But a wandering bear came through the area and nearly cleaned her out. She continues in business with two hives, selling her honey at The Garage Salon in Chippewa Falls and at craft fairs. Abbott said in the spring the bees produce a lighter color honey, which has a stronger flavor in the summer and turns a darker color in the fall. Last year I didnt get stung at all, she said, adding: Usually its my dad who gets stung. He could use his daughters line of honey lip balm to sooth those stings. Christopher Whiteside MBE is County Councillor for the Egremont North and St Bees Division of Cumbria County Council. The division includes St Bees, Bigrigg, Wood End, Moor Row, part of the Mirehouse area of Whitehaven, and surrounding countryside. He will hold this office until the county council is abolished on 1st April 2023. He is also Chairman of the North-West region of the voluntary wing of the Conservative party. Chris lives and works in Copeland with his wife and family. New Conference to Unite and Mobilize Christians Across New England to Launch on May 20-21 HARTFORD, Con., March 3, 2016 / Keynote speakers during plenary sessions will include: Rich Stearns, President of World Vision U.S.; Bryan Stevenson, Founder and Executive Director of the Equal Justice Initiative; Carl Medearis, author of "Muslims, Christians and Jesus;" and the Reverend Liz Walker, Pastor of the Roxbury Presbyterian Church in Massachusetts. There will also be 36 workshops to help attendees to discover how they can live out the conference theme by going and impacting New England for Christ. On Friday evening, there will be a special Go Live celebration of what God is doing across New England, with speakers, videos and worship led by the popular native New England band Unspoken. Throughout the conference, an exhibition hall will showcase some of New England's finest ministries and resources. The Go Conference will open at 8 am on Friday, May 20 and end mid-afternoon on Saturday, May 21. Attendees may commute or reserve discounted overnight lodging at participating hotels. Early conference registration rate of $125 per person ends on March 31. Standard registration rate is $145. Opportunities exist for sponsors, exhibitors and volunteers. For more details and online registration, please call toll-free 888-853-9602 or visit Founded in 1887 as the Evangelistic Association of New England, Vision New England (VNE) has been a vibrant catalyst for inspiring, equipping and uniting the body of Christ and strengthening churches in the six-state region for 129 years. VNE hosted Congress, a similar convention in Boston, until 2007. For more information on VNE, visit Share Tweet Contact: Drew Crandall, 860-871-6500HARTFORD, Con., March 3, 2016 / Christian Newswire / -- On May 20-21, Vision New England is launching the new GO Conference to inspire, encourage and unite Christians and strengthen churches across the six-state region. The conference will be held at the award-winning Connecticut Convention Center, 100 Columbus Boulevard in downtown Hartford. The theme will be Do Justice, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly and Make Disciples, based on Micah 6:8.Keynote speakers during plenary sessions will include: Rich Stearns, President of World Vision U.S.; Bryan Stevenson, Founder and Executive Director of the Equal Justice Initiative; Carl Medearis, author of "Muslims, Christians and Jesus;" and the Reverend Liz Walker, Pastor of the Roxbury Presbyterian Church in Massachusetts.There will also be 36 workshops to help attendees to discover how they can live out the conference theme by going and impacting New England for Christ. On Friday evening, there will be a special Go Live celebration of what God is doing across New England, with speakers, videos and worship led by the popular native New England band Unspoken. Throughout the conference, an exhibition hall will showcase some of New England's finest ministries and resources.The Go Conference will open at 8 am on Friday, May 20 and end mid-afternoon on Saturday, May 21. Attendees may commute or reserve discounted overnight lodging at participating hotels. Early conference registration rate of $125 per person ends on March 31. Standard registration rate is $145. Opportunities exist for sponsors, exhibitors and volunteers. For more details and online registration, please call toll-free 888-853-9602 or visit www.GoConf.org Founded in 1887 as the Evangelistic Association of New England, Vision New England (VNE) has been a vibrant catalyst for inspiring, equipping and uniting the body of Christ and strengthening churches in the six-state region for 129 years. VNE hosted Congress, a similar convention in Boston, until 2007. For more information on VNE, visit www.VisionNewEngland.org For full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript. Here are the instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser BENGALURU: NASA astronaut and Expedition 46 Commander Scott Kelly, has touched down on Earth after spending 340 days aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Kelly along with fellow Roscosmos (Russian Space Agency) astronauts, Mikhail Kornienko and Sergey Volkov embarked on their return journey from ISS in the Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft at 8:02 p.m. EST on Tuesday. The gum-drop shaped Soyuz capsule landed successfully at 11:56 p.m. EST in Dzhezkazgan, southeast of Kazakhstan. The International Space Station is now being operated by the crew of Expedition 47 that has NASA astronaut Tim Kopra in command, along with Tim Peake of ESA (European Space Agency) and Yuri Malenchenko of Roscosmos. Three new crew members, NASA astronaut Jeff Williams and Russian cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Oleg Skripochka, who are scheduled to arrive on March 18, will take over the operation of the ISS in two weeks. Scott Kelly was launched on March 27, 2015 as part of Expedition 46, with Roscosmos astronauts Gennady Padalka and Kornienko. Kellys 340 days stay on board the ISS set two records first for the most consecutive days spent in space by an American; and for the most days spent cumulatively among US astronauts, at 520, which he accumulated across two flights. The record of spending most days in space belongs to Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka, who has spent a total of 879 days. However, Kellys mission was not about breaking records, rather a science experiment for NASA to prepare for much longer missions like the Mars voyage that will take up to 500 days in space. Scott Kellys one-year mission aboard the International Space Station has helped to advance deep space exploration and Americas Journey to Mars, said NASA Administrator Charles Bolden. Scott has become the first American astronaut to spend a year in space, and in so doing, helped us take one giant leap toward putting boots on Mars. Space and lack of gravity can take a toll on your body, especially your bones and muscles, while there can be other issues related to insomnia and decline in eyesight too. NASA is using Kellys twin brother Mark Kelly, a former astronaut himself, as a point of comparison for studying the effects of long duration spaceflight on human body, due to weightlessness, isolation, radiation and stress. Kellys year long endeavor also saw him undertake several other missions including growing the first space vegetable and flower. Kelly witnessed 10,944 sunsets and sunrises, and travelled about 144 million miles through space aboard the ISS. Yet, Kelly told reporters in his last press conference from space that he can easily spend another 100 days on space. He said, The thing I like most about flying in space is not the view, or floating, or the other stuff thats fun about thisriding the rocket and coming back to earth, but doing something I feel very strongly about, very passionately about. Read Also: Ola launches Bike Taxis in Bangalore India At 90th Rank In Terms Of Energy Security, Access: WEF BENGALURU: Liquor baron Vijay Mallya will on Thursday file objections to the State Bank of India's (SBI) interlocutory application (IA) before the debt recovery tribunal seeking his arrest in the defunct Kingfisher Airline's multi-crore-rupee loan default case. "We are filing our objections today (Thursday) against the IA on the merit that the tribunal was not the right forum to seek a defaulter's arrest or impound his passport," Mallya's counsel told IANS here. The bank's IA on Wednesday also sought a direction from the tribunal, headed by judge R. Benkanahalli, to the authority for impounding Mallya's passport, seize his assets and claim on the $75 million ( 516 crore) severance package British liquor major Diageo signed with him on February 25. After arguments by the bank's advocate, the judge posted the IA for next hearing on Friday and gave notice to Mallya for filing objections, if any. "The quasi-judicial tribunal is meant to facilitate banks and financial institutions recover outstanding loans speedily and avoid the inordinate procedural delays in civil courts," Mallya's counsel said. Bank's advocate also admitted that he had filed four IAs before the tribunal for Mallya's arrest, impounding his passport, seizing his assets and seeking rights to the Diageo's sweetheart deal in exchange for his resignation as chairman and non-executive director of United Spirits Ltd (USL). Mallya, an independent lawmaker from Karnataka in the Rajya Sabha, is reportedly in New Delhi for attending the budget session of Parliament. A consortium of 17 state-run and private banks led by SBI moved an application a day after the February 25 Diageo deal in the tribunal seeking a directive to Mallya for paying the amount Diageo agreed to pay him over the next five years, including $40 million this year and balance $35 million by 2020. Kingfisher Ltd. owes the consortium 7,800 crore as outstanding loans, including 1,600 crore from SBI as a lead bank over a decade from 2004-12. The debt-ridden airline suspended operations in October 2012 due to staff strike and termination of its licence by the civil aviation regulator DGCA subsequently. Read Also: Indians now Prefer a Family of Two or Less Ola launches Bike Taxis in Bangalore BENGALURU: Mumbai leads the country with 1,094 ultra high networth individuals, followed by Delhi with 545. The next decade will see the number increase to 2,243 in Mumbai and 1,128 in Delhi, said a latest Knight Frank Wealth Report, released on Wednesday, as reported in The Economic Times. UHNWI are people with net assets of over $30 million (approximately Rs 204 crore), excluding their primary residence. According to data prepared for the 2016 report by wealth intelligence company New World Wealth, there are now 1,87,500 UHNWIs across the world. The billionaire count in India has jumped 333 percent to 78, against a global growth of just 68 percent to 1,919 people, in the last 10 years. As per the calculation, India will account for 6 percent of the world's billionaire population, by 2025. In addition, according to the Attitudes Survey of Knight Frank's Wealth Report, this year, London has again moved ahead of New York to win the honor of "most important city to UHNWIs. As per the same report, Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Dubai are on positions three to six. The latest survey, conducted along with ultra-wealth intelligence consultancy Wealth-X, is based on the views of around 400 of the world's leading private bankers and wealth advisers. Between them, they manage assets for around 45,000 UHNWIs with a combined wealth of over half a trillion US dollars. Residential real estate accounts for a quarter of the average UHNWI's investable wealth, according to the survey, while commercial property investments make up 11 percent. "Over the past 10 years, 54 percent of the respondents said their clients had increased their allocation to residential property. Just over 40 percent expected it to increase further over the next 10 years, with 30 percent of clients likely to consider a residential purchase in 2016," added the report. The most important factors noted highly as a reason for UHNWIs to buy residential property, is an investment to sell in the future. Read Also: Now Live Traffic Updates Of Highways To Plan Your Journey London World's Most Expensive City, Mumbai 17th: Study BANGALORE: Ola, Indias most popular mobile app for transportation, today announced the launch of its pilot initiative of Bike Taxis in Bangalore. Bike Taxis on the Ola app will help customers zip through traffic with ease, at lowest fares. At an introductory fare of 2 per km and 1 per minute of trip time, Bike Taxis will be available to book through Olas app in the city of Bangalore to begin with. The minimum fare will be 30. This first of its kind two-wheeler transportation option in India comes with the same experience as booking a cab on the Ola app that includes driver details displayed upfront, SOS, live tracking and seamless payment using Ola Money. Additionally, all pillion riders will be provided with helmets as mandated for their safety. Pranay Jivrajka, Chief Operating Officer at Ola said, We are excited to launch the pilot of Bike Taxis in Bangalore today. This will help users get to where they want to be within minutes, especially in traffic prone cities like ours. With Bike Taxis, we are enabling safe pillion rides for our users with trained two wheeler drivers at competitive fares. We expect significant demand in the pilot phase and we will continue to scale this service up in the coming weeks to cover more areas in the city and serve more users. We believe this will be a major step towards enabling mobility for a billion Indians in the time to come. Read Also: India Has Very Special Place In My Heart: Ban Ki-Moon, UN Secretary General India At 90th Rank In Terms Of Energy Security, Access: WEF WASHINGTON: With at least seven victories each in Super Tuesday's nomination contests across 12 states, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton tightened their respective grips on the Democratic and Republican presidential nominations. But the brash billionaire's two main rivals managed to keep their hopes alive with Texas senator Ted Cruz winning his home state with the largest number of delegates and Oklahoma and Florida senator Marco Rubio landing his first win in Minnesota. By midnight, Trump had won Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Virginia and Vermont, while Clinton took Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. Bernie Sanders, Clinton's self-styled Democratic Socialist rival, captured Colorado, Oklahoma, Minnesota and his home state of Vermont. "This has been an amazing night," said a triumphant Trump in a victory speech in Florida with his Tuesday's win stretching his lead in the Republican White House battle and underscoring his growing support across all sectors of the party. Trump also predicted that he would win the Florida primary in two weeks against Rubio, who he called the state's "little senator" and a "lightweight". Cruz cited his victories in Texas and Oklahoma coupled with his victory in the Iowa caucuses as proof that only he can actually beat Trump. "After tonight, we have seen that our campaign is the only campaign that has beaten, that can beat and that will beat Donald Trump," he told supporters. However, after notching his first win of the 2016 campaign in Minnesota, establishment favourite Rubio told CNN that he will move forward and doesn't believe Trump will win the nomination. Read Also: Triumphant Trump Tooks Ahead With Confidence At Super Tuesday Trump Hiding 'Bombshell' In Tax Returns: Romney Source: IANS Screen Shot 2016-03-03 at 7.13.37 AM.png (Google Maps) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Workers at the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge aided a 61-year-old man who apparently was having a fatal heart attack on Lily Pond Avenue near the span early Thursday morning, according to police. The 61-year-old man pulled over as he was heading northbound on Lily Pond Avenue near Major Avenue in Arrochar at about 2:28 a.m., according to a spokesman for the NYPD's Deputy Commissioner of Public Information. Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority workers rendered aid to the man who appeared to be in cardiac arrest, police said. The man was rushed to Staten Island University Hospital in Ocean Breeze, where he was pronounced dead. Police were unable to provide the victim's name pending notification of relatives. You can't be all things to all people, the old adage goes. But the action-sequel "London Has Fallen" -- a breathless narrative mashup of "Die Hard" and "Air Force One" -- comes close. Whether it's intentional or not is entirely beside the point. Ultimately, that's to its detriment, but along the way director Babak Najafi's film accomplishes something dubiously impressive. It's not many movies, after all, that can in one scene appeal to the fist-pumping, star-spangled patriot in most of us, while in the next providing propagandist fuel to those "death to America" zealots who are convinced we are all cruel, godless barbarians. And therein lies the overriding flaw in Najafi's deeply jingoistic but relentlessly kinetic action film: its tone, which is consistently and problematically misjudged. A follow-up to 2013's Shreveport-shot "Olympus Has Fallen," it stars Gerard Butler, again playing Mike Banning, a tough-as-nails Secret Service agent made of "bourbon and poor choices" -- and who has a talent for raining death upon his enemies. Aaron Eckhart returns to play the president whom Banning is sworn to protect. When the president and the leaders of some 40 other nations are called to London to attend a state funeral, Banning is there at the ready. Of course, it's all really just a trap, as Angela Bassett's Secret Service director states in a moment of Admiral-Akbar-level obviousness. As it turns out, the funeral at the film's center was not the result of an accident. It was the work of a Middle Eastern arms magnate who has planned the mother of all terrorist attacks. His goal: snuff the leaders of the Western world -- all of whom are amusingly inspired by actual world leaders, from the snobby French president to the randy Italian prime minister -- in one fell swoop. At the same time, all of London's landmarks will be destroyed, the British capital turned into one big, blood-soaked battlefield, and the American president executed for all the world to witness. It's an ambitious plan, to be sure -- and it almost works, too. Of course, the one thing our villain didn't count on is Butler's scrappy and resourceful Banning, who is determined not to let his president fall in the fiery mayhem created by the bearded, brown-skinned hordes. (Murica.) Like "Olympus Has Fallen" -- which could just as well have been titled " 'Die Hard' in the White House" -- Najafi's R-rated "London Has Fallen" doesn't target the genteel viewer. Rather, it aims squarely for moviegoers who like their action bloody, their fights brutal, their body count sky-high. To that extent, it gets the job done reasonably well, in a guilty-pleasure sort of way. Following a slow-build introduction, it quickly becomes a fast-paced thriller. From the moment the first explosion kills the first dignitary (oh, Canada), the pace of "London Has Fallen" hardly relents until the closing credits. Armed with iffy-but-passable visual effects and Banning's thirst for blood, it becomes a purely formulaic but nonetheless heart-pounding ride. While it lacks either the time or the inclination to ponder the moral ambiguity of it all, it does boast a lower-common-denominator appeal. Ethics aside, there's something viscerally enjoyable about Butler/Banning's efficient brand of ruthlessness. At the same time, "London Has Fallen" also often inhabits a space residing somewhere between ludicrous and nonsensical. In one scene, for example, Morgan Freeman's vice president deciphers a message from Banning -- sent via hand-signal to a drone overhead -- and which involves the sort of leap of logic one would more expect from a "Scooby-doo" cartoon. By itself, that would be excusable. Absurdity can be fun when writ large on the silver screen. Besides, few people would expect this sort of movie to follow the rules of reality. But Najafi complicates things by making Banning more than just a badass. He's also a psychopath. Sure, most of his enemies have it coming. After all, they've killed countless innocents and are pursuing the president of the United States with automatic weapons through the streets of a besieged London. But do they deserve to be tortured? Do they deserve to have a knife (Banning really likes knives) inserted sloooowly into their side while a radio is keyed just to taunt their boss with their screams? Actually, Banning would be -- and, in fact, is -- the first person to say they don't. "Was that really necessary?," Eckhart's horrified president asks him after just such a scene. "No," Banning responds, in what is intended to cue applause and/or laughter before cutting to the next scene of carnage. That's neither truth, justice nor the American way. As a result, it's a hard scene to appreciate, and it makes Banning a hard hero to root for. Going in, I would have said it was impossible to be both shameless and shameful at the same time. It is in scenes like that, however, in which Najafi -- and "London Has Fallen" -- proves me wrong. ___________ LONDON HAS FALLEN 2 stars, out of 5 Snapshot: An blood-soaked action sequel about a resourceful Secret Service agent who must save the president of the United States from terrorists when, while attending a foreign funeral, he walks right into an elaborate trap. What works: It's breathless stuff from an action standpoint, rolling along almost nonstop once the carnage gets underway. What doesn't: Its tone is problematically misjudged, with no time or inclination for the moral ambiguities of it all as the film's hero treads into psychopath territory. Cast: Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, Alon Aboutboul, Angela Bassett, Morgan Freeman. Director: Babak Najafi. Rating: R, for strong violence and language throughout. Running time: 1 hour 39 minutes. Where: Find New Orleans and Baton Rouge showtimes. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Friends close to Sharissa Turk, the expectant mother found dead of a suspected drug overdose in her apartment Tuesday, say they want her to be remembered as "more than just the Blue Fairy." Turk, 25, gained Internet notoriety in 2013 after portraying a pixie in a viral rap video about prescription pill abuse on Staten Island. Shortly after the video surfaced, she was arrested on drug charges. The case against her was ultimately dismissed and sealed, but the "Blue Fairy" label still followed her, a friend said. "She changed her life and turned everything around, but no one notices that because it's not a good enough story," her longtime friend Tanya Abood, 29, told the Advance. Turk completed a court ordered drug-treatment program in 2014 after a long struggle with addiction, and tried to put that period of her life behind her, friends said. She's the second person featured in the music video to die. Last year, Gerard Kelly, a member of White Trash Clan, the rap group that made the YouTube hit, died of "acute drug intoxication," said a spokeswoman for the city medical examiner's office. "Unfortunately he passed away and it was devastating for Sharissa and everyone who knew him," Abood said. Kelly, 32, also known as "Incite," and rapper Danny Haley appeared in the bizarre music video for their song "My World is Blue," which featured Turk dancing with blue wings and waving a wand. Many felt the video glorified pill use, but the rappers defended their work, saying their intention was to parody the Island's troubling drug problem as a way to raise awareness. "She hated the attention she got," Abood said of Turk. "Everyone wants to keep portraying her in the same negative light. They want to see the bad and dwell on it. "She was more than than just the Blue Fairy." Friends said Turk was eight-months pregnant, and had been planning to hold her baby shower later this month to celebrate the arrival of her first little girl. She had asked Abood to be the godmother, she said. "She was excited about the shower," said one friend Arianna Knapp, 24. "She put so much work into the invitations to make them really beautiful." Just five months ago, Turk had posted the baby sonogram photo with the hashtags #BaybeeLOVE #cantwaittomeetYOU on her Facebook page. She was found by her boyfriend Tuesday afternoon lying unconscious and unresponsive in the hallway of their apartment at 535 Jefferson Blvd. in Annadale, a law enforcement source said. She had no signs of trauma, police said. EMS pronounced Turk dead on the scene. The medical examiner will determine the cause of death, but sources said officials are investigating it as a suspected overdose after drugs were found in the apartment. "It's confusing, it's heartbreaking and it's completely out of the blue because as far as I knew she was sober," Abood said, noting that she's also an addict in recovery, and has been clean for 20 months. "If it turns out it was an overdose I wouldn't be shocked...these are things all addicts go through. Relapse is a part of it, no matter who you are or what situation you're in," she said. Last week, the NYPD and District Attorney Michael E. McMahon announced the new Overdose Response Initiative to help fight the Island's heroin and prescription pill epidemic. Under the program, if authorities do indeed suspect Turk's death was drug related, it would be investigated by cops and McMahon's office. A spokesman for McMahon said office policy prohibits them from discussing investigations. Regardless, Turk's friends recalled her "positive" and "bubbly" personality as well as her commitment to becoming a mother. "She wasn't just the Blue Fairy who got arrested for all these drug charges. She was a human being with a disease," said Knapp. Turk's family declined comment. nws Borelli Councilman Joe Borelli with Ronald Castorina Jr. who is running unopposed for Borelli's old Assembly seat. (Staten Island Advance/Rachel Shapiro) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The day after Donald Trump won seven states in the Super Tuesday primary races, two Staten Island Republican politicians - Joe Borelli and Ron Castorina - gave their support to the GOP front-runner. Councilman Borelli (R-South Shore) posted a statement on Facebook Wednesday evening. "Dear friends and fellow Staten Islanders," he wrote. "Yesterday, a story ran in the Staten Island Advance that indicated my intention to support Donald Trump for president. "Additionally, an editorial was written questioning my judgment if I did so. Today, I will make no apology of the fact that I am proudly endorsing Donald Trump for president. "This election has made at least one thing clear, people are sick of the Washington beltway cronyism that has stifled repeated attempts to change the status quo, either from the right or left. In my view, what our country needs is a transformation, and in my view, Donald Trump is the candidate best suited to offer the country transformational change. While I would happily support any of the Republican candidates if they were to be the nominee, Mr. Trump not only offers our party the best chance to win, but offers America the best opportunity to get back on the right track. "I have met and spoke with Donald Trump, his staff and his advisers many times over the years. The man I met was smart, bold, visionary and unafraid of challenges. Additionally, he's able to boil complex intellectual ideas on issues like trade, the economy, homeland security and restoring American exceptionalism into ideas that are easily understood by the masses, who are sick of the same old D.C. jargon. These are just a few of the qualities, which will make him a great president. Additionally, the people he's always surrounded himself with are incredibly bright and talented. After years of seeing politicians select campaign bundlers or what they thought was the politically correct choice, it will be refreshing to see a president surround himself with the finest talent this country has to offer." Borelli's endorsement had been expected, as he was one of several New York-area politicians who supported Trump's exploration of a campaign for governor in 2014. Along with Borelli's expected backing, former Councilman Vincent Ignizio recently announced his support for Trump. Ignizio posted a statement on Facebook, calling Trump "a transformative candidate." Borelli's statement continued: "Donald Trump is brash, plainspoken, quick to criticize, and not overly consumed by saying things in the most politically correct way. I find his style, his candor and his ability to connect with people very refreshing, as do the millions of Americans who have already voted for him and the millions more who are eager to do so. "While I certainly don't agree with all of his proposals, I'm yet to encounter a candidate with whom I agree 100 percent of the time. I'm confident that when Mr. Trump is elected, he'll be able to work with elected officials of all political persuasions, while not compromising the core values, which make him so appealing. "Donald Trump's candidacy is motivating people whether his critics like it or not. Aside from packing arenas, a clear indicator of the enthusiasm for his candidacy, he also represents the best opportunity to grow the GOP base. In many early primary states, the Republican turnout is more or almost more than double the Democrats. (AL, AR, GA, NH, OK, SC, TN, TX, VA.) "I have formally asked our state chairman and state committee members to be designated a Trump delegate to the convention, and I look forward to voting for him in NY's primary on April 19 and in the general election in November. #MakeAmericaGreatAgain" Castorina, who is running unopposed to fill Borelli's former Assembly seat, also gave the presidential candidate his support on Wednesday. "I think the writing's on the wall, it's going to be Trump, he's going to be our nominee and I support him," Castorina told the Advance. "I think that Donald Trump has the ability to be the greatest transformational leader that this country has seen since Teddy Roosevelt. And the reason why I say that is because the country has gone so askew to the left, that in order to right the ship, he's going to have to be a transformational leader to bring it back. Do I agree with all of his views? Do I think he's the most conservative candidate? No. But I also think that this party needs to broaden its tent and needs to become more inclusive. Because it's become so narrow and it's become so limited that if it continues along that direction, it's going to go the way of the Whig Party of yesteryear." Castorina would like to see Ohio Gov. John Kasich as a vice presidential running mate for Trump. "I think Kasich would be a good choice because he brings Ohio with him and he also balances the ticket" with a different personality, demeanor and ideology than Trump, he said. Borelli's and Castorina's endorsements come the same day as Staten Island GOP Chairman John Antoniello's. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The New Brighton man granted bail by the appellate court following his conviction in the "gun buyback" case was released Wednesday. Kevin Watson, 35, and his attorneys worked with a bondsman to put his home up as collateral to satisfy the $100,000 bail, said Watson's lawyer, Timothy C. Parlatore. Last week, Associate Justice Jeffrey A. Cohen ordered Watson be released while the appeal on his weapons conviction is ongoing, the judge wrote in a decision filed last Thursday in the Appellate Division, Second Department. "The fact that he granted bail means he feels there's merit to the appeal," Parlatore told the Advance last week. Watson was sentenced to five years in prison on Jan. 7 and was being held at an upstate facility. The defense had submitted a lengthy appeal filing outlining their grievances with Watson's one-week trial before Judge William E. Garnett in state Supreme Court, St. George. BUYBACK TESTIMONY First, according to that filing, the officers who pulled over the livery cab Watson was riding in testified during a hearing that the cabbie was pulled over because he failed to signal twice. However, the driver testified that he was absolutely sure he signaled, was not told why he was stopped and was never issued any summonses for the alleged traffic violation, the defense filing claims. The stop was unlawful, the defense claims, and all evidence should be suppressed. In October 2013, Watson was riding in the front seat of a livery cab on Victory Boulevard, near Tompkinsville Park, when undercover cops in an unmarked vehicle pulled over the cab and found him with a loaded Taurus 9 mm gun in a holster, prosecutors said. Watson contends he got in a cab and was taking the gun to the 120th Precinct stationhouse in St. George to hand it in as part of the NYPD's buyback program. Under the program, civilians can hand in guns under a no-questions-asked policy. Watson's mother-in-law, Crystal Armstrong, works at the 120th, and he had asked her about the program the morning before his arrest, according to the appeal filing. But, those papers state, the defense was not allowed to ask Armstrong about that conversation during her testimony. "Defense counsel argued that during opening statements the People asserted Mr. Watson fabricated his statement indicating he was in route to the 120th Precinct," the lawyer says in the filing. "Thus, Ms. Armstrong's testimony was admissible to rebut allegations of recent fabrication." Prosecutors maintained at trial the gun needed to be secured in a box or bag and was not. They also said Watson hailed the cab from in front of 516 Jersey St., which is not his home, and told the driver to take him to Victory Boulevard and Bay Street and not the precinct stationhouse. MISCONDUCT ALLEGATIONS Watson's trial was also tainted by former prosecutor Kyle Reeves' misconduct, the defense appeal filing alleges. Reeves recently retired. The defense claims in its filing Reeves called Parlatore a liar during summation and prosecutors deliberately attempted to sneak in several pages of inadmissible evidence into an exhibit. Those incriminating pages were left out of the defense's copy of the exhibit, Parlatore claims. Parlatore, in his court filing, contends the court ignored inconsistent testimony from the two officers, and the search warrant granted to allow the cops to look through Watson's phone did not establish sufficient probable cause. As a result of the search, authorities found two unredacted photos showing multiple firearms, which were then allowed into evidence. The additional firearms were not subject of any charges in the indictment, and the state could not prove the gun in question was depicted in those photos, the defense claims. "They improperly suggested that Mr. Watson had a propensity to unlawfully possess firearms, and accordingly unlawfully possessed the firearm in question," Parlatore argued in the filing. Also, Parlatore argued that the court didn't allow him to properly cross-examine Officer Frank Muzikar. Specifically, the defense was not allowed to question the officer on multiple federal lawsuits stemming from previous arrests, the filing says. In December, Watson was found guilty of one count of felony criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree and one count of misdemeanor criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- When it comes to New York state license plates, art cannot imitate reality. A Western New York woman was arrested and charged for driving with a colorful cardboard homemade license plate during a traffic stop in Erie County, according to ABC affiliate WKBW. Amanda Schweickert, 28, was pulled over Wednesday morning after an Erie County Sheriff's deputy said he noticed that the licensed plate on the vehicle she was driving didn't look right, the report read. According to the Erie County Sheriff's Office, Schweickert's license plate had been fashioned from cardboard and then painted to look like a legit plate. You can see the plate for yourself below: In case you are wondering, homemade cardboard license plates are NOT legal. Posted by Erie County Sheriff's Office on Thursday, March 3, 2016 Schwieckert was also driving a car with a suspended registration and without insurance, the report said. She'd been charged with a felony count of possessing a forged instrument, along with a misdemeanor and three vehicle and traffic infractions. NOAA Clouds This NOAA satellite image taken Thursday, March 3, 2016 at 12:45 a.m. EST shows a storm that is developing in the mid section of the country. It is moving eastward, and in its path is areas of rain, thunderstorms and even some snow. A second storm can be seen off the New England coast that is moving towards down east Canada. In between the two storms is an area of high pressure that is producing fair weather across the east coast. (NOAA/Weather Underground via AP) (Associated Press) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Up to one inch of light snow is expected to begin falling overnight on Thursday and last until school dismissal time on Friday. Snow flurries could begin in the wee hours of the morning on Friday and last until mid-afternoon, with up to one inch of accumulation, according to AccuWeather. An area of low pressure moving through the southeastern states on Thursday night will rapidly intensify as it heads northeast off the North Carolina coast on Friday. The storm will bring light snowfall that will taper off on Friday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service. The high temperature is forecast to 38 degrees on both Thursday and Friday. Sanitation has issued a Snow Alert for 10 p.m. on Thursday. Salt trucks are being loaded and plows prepared for the storm. Saturday and Sunday are expected to be mostly sunny with no rain in the forecast and highs in the 40s. Thursday: Increasing clouds, with a high near 37 degrees. Wind chill values between 15 and 25. Northwest wind 7 to 11 miles per hour becoming southwest in the afternoon. Thursday night: Light snow, mainly after 11 p.m. Low around 30 degrees. Wind chill values between 20 and 25. South wind 7 to 10 miles per hour becoming east after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent. New snow accumulation of around an inch possible. Friday: Light snow, mainly before noon. High near 38 degrees. Wind chill values between 20 and 25. Breezy, with a northeast wind 14 to 20 miles per hour, with gusts as high as 31 miles per hour. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent. New snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible. Friday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 27 degrees. Wind chill values between 20 and 25. North wind 9 to 15 miles per hour, with gusts as high as 26 miles per hour. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Doggone it, he's relieved. A grand jury has declined to indict Joseph Passalacqua, who was accused of attacking another man in a custody battle over a German Shepherd which, the alleged victim contends, he bought from Passalacqua on Craigslist for $200. Passalacqua, 49, of Westerleigh, was arrested on Jan. 29 and charged with robbery, assault, harassment and petit larceny stemming from the doggie dustup with Gerald Schipani. Authorities alleged Passalacqua confronted Schipani, also a 49-year-old Westerleigh resident, around 7:50 p.m. that evening while Schipani was walking Rocky, a 2-year-old Shepherd. In an exclusive interview last month, Schipani told the Advance he had bought the pooch from Passalacqua earlier that month through a Craigslist ad. Authorities alleged Passalacqua punched Schipani in the face multiple times, displayed what appeared to be a gun and threatened to shoot Schipani. Schipani told the Advance Passalacqua grabbed Rocky by the leash and threw the dog into his car, which another person was driving. The duo fled, but police arrested Passalacqua nearby and recovered the dog. Schipani was treated for his injuries and released from Richmond University Medical Center, West Brighton. Authorities placed Rocky in an Animal Care and Control shelter while detectives investigated the incident. The dog is currently in Schipani's custody, said Leo V. Duval, Passalacqua's criminal defense lawyer. In a lawsuit filed in state Supreme Court, St. George, the day before his arrest, Passalacqua alleged he never sold Rocky to Schipani. Passalacqua contended Schipani and his wife, Patricia, had agreed to look after the pooch temporarily until Passalacqua and his girlfriend could find a new residence that allows pets. "We want to get our dog back," Nina Barreto, Passalacqua's girlfriend previously told the Advance. "We asked if they would babysit the dog. ... They're trying to steal and sell our dog." Schipani denied the allegations and said Passalacqua never said he wanted the dog back. The suit is pending. Duval, the lawyer, said Passalacqua testified before a grand jury, which afterward declined to indict his client. "After we doggedly pursued all appropriate defenses, the grand jury concluded the district attorney's office was barking up the wrong tree," said Duval. "Mr. Passalacqua is very relieved and grateful at the outcome. Every dog has his day." Prosecutors declined comment, citing the secrecy of the grand jury proceedings. Screen Shot 2016-03-03 at 12.56.56 PM.png A request for proposals was recently issued by the Staten Island Economic Development Corporation (SIEDC) for an aerial gondola system to connect Staten Island to the surrounding areas of New York Harbor. (Courtesy of SIEDC) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- If you're an architect or engineer with a great idea for an aerial gondola system to transport commuters from Staten Island to Manhattan, you could win $20,000 worth of free publicity if you come up with the winning proposal. The Staten Island Economic Development Corporation (SIEDC) recently issued a request for proposals for an aerial gondola system to connect Staten Island to the surrounding areas of New York Harbor. "We are asking architects and engineers from around the world to submit proposals connecting Staten Island to the region. We are proposing four different ways they can design it," said Cesar Claro, SIEDC president and CEO. In June 2015, the SIEDC released a concept plan for an aerial gondola to connect Staten Island to Manhattan with potential options to reach Brooklyn, Governors Island and New Jersey. "Eventually we have to go up; you're limited in what you can do with tunnels and underground because of the cost. But going up is unlimited and it's less maintenance," said Claro. DESIGN COMPETITION The architect with the best design will win $20,000 "worth of marketing and publicity, including social media announcements, a dedicated competition website, 10 e-mail blasts to a subscriber list of 18,000 people and advertisements and recognition in local, regional and national publications for the winning design," according to the SIEDC's Staten Island Aerial Gondola Design Competition plan. "This competition will allow SIEDC to create a strong dialogue with the City of New York and provide a gondola system with the merit it deserves. Applicants will compete to have their proposals judged by leaders in the Staten Island business community and design, architecture and media experts," states the SIEDC plan. ROUTE PROPOSALS Claro said there are now four aerial tram route proposals for which designs can follow. They are: St. George to Lower Manhattan via New York Harbor Elm Park Park & Ride to 8th Street Light Rail Station via a route running adjacent to the Bayonne Bridge An East River connection via Brooklyn Piers to Governors Island Screen Shot 2016-03-03 at 6.43.43 AM.png (Google Maps) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A 23-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly striking and injuring an off-duty police officer who was crossing Hylan Boulevard near the entrance to Great Kills Park in Bay Terrace. Peter Manolio of Fairbanks Avenue in Oakwood turned himself in at the 122nd Precinct stationhouse in New Dorp about two hours after the crash, according to a spokesman for the NYPD's Deputy Commissioner of Public Information. The pedestrian, a male officer, was admitted in stable condition at Staten Island University Hospital in Ocean Breeze, according to the police spokesman. Manolio has been charged by police with leaving the scene of an accident with an injury and failing to yield to a pedestrian. The off-duty police officer was walking eastbound on Buffalo Street to cross Hylan Boulevard at the entrance to the park when the suspect, who was behind the wheel of a 2014 Infinity Q60 Coupe, also was traveling eastbound on Buffalo, police said. The driver was trying to turn northbound onto Hylan when he allegedly hit the pedestrian and then drove off at about 9:35 p.m. on Wednesday, according to police. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A Richmond Valley man was indicted Wednesday for manslaughter in the bizarre hit-and-run death of a friend in Charleston in which allegedly the victim fell off the hood of the defendant's car. The indictment unsealed in state Supreme Court, St. George, ramps up the charges against Robert Messina, 22, stemming from the July 20, 2015, incident that claimed the life of Robert Kunz Jr., 24, of Rossville. Messina, who had contended he kept driving to avoid a fight with Kunz, was initially charged with a felony count of leaving an incident scene without reporting and aggravated unlicensed vehicle operation. The indictment adds charges of second-degree manslaughter, second-degree assault and reckless endangerment against Messina. The manslaughter charge accuses Messina of recklessly causing Kunz's death. According to the indictment, Messina watched Kunz jump onto his car's hood and he then drove "several hundred feet at a rate of speed in excess of 30 miles per hour." Messina swerved into a curb, "thereby dislodging" Kunz from the hood, alleges the indictment. Investigators had explored two possible scenarios. In the first, Kunz met Messina after working out at a gym in the South Shore Commons shopping center, a law enforcement source with knowledge of the case previously told the Advance. When Messina arrived around 6:15 p.m., Kunz argued with a passenger over who would ride in front, the source said. Messina ditched Kunz there and drove off, the source said. But Kunz followed on foot, caught up with the 2014 Audi a short distance later when it stopped at a red light at the intersection of Veterans Road West and Tyrellan Avenue and mounted the hood; Messina swerved and Kunz fell off, the source said. He suffered serious head and body trauma. He was pronounced dead at Staten Island University Hospital, Prince's Bay. Messina returned to the scene sometime after the incident, said police. Investigators also probed whether Kunz was trying to buy Ecstasy from Messina and his 21-year-old passenger, a law enforcement source said. Messina and his passenger took off with Kunz's $90, leading to the fatal confrontation, the source said. No drug charges were filed against Messina. However, based on statements made in court it appears charges remain sealed against an as-yet-unnamed defendant. The nature of those charges was not revealed. Garbed in a black hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans, the bearded Messina pleaded not guilty to the indictment charges through his lawyer, Christopher Nalley. Justice Stephen J. Rooney granted Assistant District Attorney Mark Palladino's request to boost bail to $50,000 from $15,000 based on the new charges. Nalley said his client's family would post a $50,000 bond Wednesday. Messina was ordered back to court on April. 8. Afterward, Nalley declined comment. By clicking Agree, you consent to Slates Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and the use of technologies such as cookies by Slate and our partners to deliver relevant advertising on our iOS app to personalize content and perform site analytics. Please see our Privacy Policy for more information about our use of data, your rights, and how to withdraw consent. Agree Triathletes travel all over the world for races, and it is important to explore the places you visit and also make some time for memorable fun. And by memorable fun I don't mean crossing the finish with your arms up or acting out some other finisher pose. Explore unique cultural places and find exhibits or activities you could not easily see or experience at home. Brice Milleson was not traveling to Switzerland to race, he was on a mission trip, but he also made an effort to have fun and found this awesome mountain coaster in Kandersteg, Switzerland. What a view, and so much fun. You can follow Brice Milleson on Twitter via @bricemilleson Best Canadian Blog 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 About Kate Why this blog? Until this moment I have been forced to listen while media and politicians alike have told me "what Canadians think". In all that time they never once asked. This is just the voice of an ordinary Canadian yelling back at the radio - "You don't speak for me." (goes to a private mailserver in Europe) I can't answer or use every tip, but all are appreciated! Katewerk Art Support SDA I am not a registered charity. I cannot issue tax receipts. Reconnaissance Man Economics for the Disinterested ...a fast-paced polar bear attack thriller! Want lies? Hire a regular consultant. Want truth? Hire an asshole. Weather Shop Click to inquire about rates. Dow Jones What They Say About SDA "Smalldeadanimals doesn't speak for the people of Saskatchewan" Former Sask Premier Lorne Calvert "I got so much traffic after your post my web host asked me to buy a larger traffic allowance." Dr.Ross McKitrick Holy hell, woman. When you send someone traffic, you send someone TRAFFIC. My hosting provider thought I was being DDoSed. - Sean McCormick "The New York Times link to me yesterday [...] generated one-fifth of the traffic I normally get from a link from Small Dead Animals." Kathy Shaidle "Thank you for your link. A wave of your Canadian readers came to my blog! Really impressive." Juan Giner - INNOVATION International Media Consulting Group I got links from the Weekly Standard, Hot Air and Instapundit yesterday - but SDA was running at least equal to those in visitors clicking through to my blog. Jeff Dobbs "You may be a nasty right winger, but you're not nasty all the time!" Warren Kinsella "Go back to collecting your welfare livelihood."Michael E. Zilkowsky Intelliweather Seismic Map Comments Policy Read this Best Of SDA Hide The Decline The Bottle Genie (ClimateGate links) You Might Be A Liberal Uncrossing The Line Bob Fife: Knuckledragger A Modest Proposal (NP) Settled Science Series Y2Kyoto Series SDA: Reader Occupation Survey Brett Lamb Sheltered Workshop Flakes On A Plane All Your Weather Are Belong To Us Song Of The Sled The Raise A Flag Debacle (Now on Youtube!) 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System error error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. context: ... 21: 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: 28: 29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:948 /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 125 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 157 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f01f50d8)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 948 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f02239d0)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f01f50d8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1302 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 955 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f02239d0)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f01ebba8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1300 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 433 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f02239d0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f02239d0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612e880d7e8)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x5612f0102b50)') called at (eval 592) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x5612f0102b50)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 System error error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. context: ... 21: 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: 28:
29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:948 /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 125 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 157 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f0292358)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 948 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f0254ed8)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f0292358)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1302 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 955 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f0254ed8)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f0103788)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1300 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 433 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f0254ed8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f0254ed8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612e880dbd8)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x5612e880d1f0)') called at (eval 592) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x5612e880d1f0)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 System error error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. context: ... 21: 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: 28:
29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:948 /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 125 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 157 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f0201690)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 948 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f01effd0)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f0201690)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1302 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 955 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f01effd0)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f020e878)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1300 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 433 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f01effd0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f01effd0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612e880d7e8)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x5612e880daa0)') called at (eval 592) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x5612e880daa0)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 The average top-tier female manager earns $100,000 less a year than her male counterpart, with the gender pay gap widening the higher women climb, a new report has found. Curtin University researchers and the Workplace Gender Equality Agency, who produced the study, also found the gender pay gap narrowed if the number of women on corporate boards increased. Increasing the share of women on boards from zero to half reduced the gender pay gap by 6.3percentage points. The report also found that gender pay gaps for managers were smaller in male-dominated industries than ones that were female-dominated. A couple of weeks back, when the Daily Telegraph described attendees at her underground H2O Bar as "incredibly well-hydrated communists", it made artist Janet Laurence dance with delight. Well-hydrated communists. Fantastic. It wasn't meant as a compliment, of course, or even constructive criticism. It was a small but pointed attack on people who care enough about water to make art out of it, and on the City of Sydney for funding that enterprise. But Laurence's eyes sparkled all the same, at the depths to which the anti-art, anti-environment, anti-city push had finally sunk. Illustration: Rocco Fazzari For me, this was triply fascinating. I was bemused that "inner-city elitists" could also be "communists". Slightly shocked that water far from being pH neutral is now so politicised as to justify that derision. And reminded that, again and again, the big things the things that Australia needs most desperately to do well are what we put most aggression into doing really, really badly. Like water. Water is our dreaming. It is our collective unconscious and not only because this is the driest continent. That's just the surface story of a deeper, subtler reality. Tony Abbott has not descended to Kevin Rudd levels of destabilisation "at this stage", says Finance Minister Mathias Cormann, as government MPs fret about the increasingly loud interventions of the former prime minister. Consternation is growing within government ranks about Mr Abbott's commentary on a leaked draft of the defence white paper, in which he said he was "flabbergasted" and "disappointed" by a decision to delay delivery of new submarines. The source of the leak is being investigated by the Australian Federal Police and Mr Abbott has denied he was responsible. But his public pronouncements have invited accusations he is attempting to destabilise Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's leadership in the same way Mr Rudd is accused of pursuing Julia Gillard. Bangkok: Jailed opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has more support to lead Malaysia than Prime Minister Najib Razak who is embroiled in a corruption scandal, according to a "Free Anwar" poll of Twitter users. The poll showing Mr Anwar having 49 per cent support compared to Mr Najib's 5 per cent comes as the US issued a rare stern rebuke to Malaysia's government for attempting to muzzle press and internet freedom in the country. Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak at a conference in Kuala Lumpur in January. Credit:AP Mr Najib, who is refusing to clarify why hundreds of millions of dollars turned up in his personal bank accounts, has long being seen as one of the US and Australia's closest allies in Asia. The firefighters union has lashed out at a 48-hour absence of fire chiefs in the ACT, saying the ongoing shake-up of emergency services has created a "hole in the chain of command". ACT Fire and Rescue, along with the entire Emergency Services Agency, is in the middle of a significant restructure, designed to save money, streamline the agency, and reduce duplication. fire truck Credit:Melissa Adams The restructure is being stridently opposed by the United Firefighters Union, who warn it could leave the ACT vulnerable to major disasters. On Thursday, the United Firefighters Union hit out at what it said was an absence of effective leadership of ACT Fire and Rescue for a 48-hour period. Lawyer and motorcycle enthusiast Jayson Hinder will become the newest member of the ACT Assembly next week, after winning a count-back of 2012 election votes on Thursday. A member of Labor's right and chair of Bendigo Community Bank, Mr Hinder will represent the Labor Party in the electorate of Ginninderra, before running in the October election for the newly created electorate of Yerrabi. He polled fifth at the last election. Canberra lawyer and incoming Labor member Jayson Hinder. Credit:Graham Tidy He beat Australian Motorist Party candidate Chic Henry and independent Darren Churchill in the count, which took less than a minute to be completed. "All of the people I have spoken to, who are much better with a calculator than I am, told me it was historically a sure thing and I got about 8000 of the 11,000 votes," he said. Just as export gas volumes have been expected to build over the year ahead, a storm is gathering which threatens to smash the industry almost before it gets out of the starting blocks. The investment of $75 billion across three projects in Queensland, plus two in Darwin and various projects in Western Australia will catapult Australia to the top tier of sellers globally of liquefied natural gas. LNG may follow coal and iron ore into commoditised online trading, GLX founder Damien Criddle says. The start of Queensland exports has occurred amid a well-publicised and sharp downturn in the oil price. However, the launch of US gas exports last week passed almost unnoticed. Graphite hopeful Triton Minerals was upbeat on Tuesday about its future, outlining its strategic plan for the year ahead. On Wednesday, Ferrier Hodgson was appointed voluntary administrator to the company. The Perth-based company's sharp collapse stunned investors when the news was announced on Thursday, given that just two days earlier it had trumpeted plans to accelerate the development of its Ancuabe graphite project in Mozambique. Touted as the developer of the largest combined graphite and vanadium deposit in the world, Triton was valued at more than $200 million in 2014. Credit:Rama Touted as the developer of the largest combined graphite and vanadium deposit in the world, Triton was valued at more than $200 million in 2014 when local investors took a shine to potential graphite players. In a statement to the Australian Securities Exchange, Ferrier Hodgson's Martin Jones said the administrators were working with directors to "formulate potential strategies to preserve and restructure the company and its underlying operations". Wesfarmers chief executive of department stores Guy Russo has promised the turnaround of Target won't crimp profits at Kmart. Five days into his new role, the man who pulled Kmart back from the brink of bankruptcy to transform it into the discount department sector darling said he could improve returns to shareholders without even increasing customer numbers at Target. Wesfarmers' Guy Russo is driving the turn-around of Target in the role of chief executive of department stores. Credit:Wayne Taylor Mr Russo said the 90-year-old Target business was delivering $3.5 billion worth of revenue despite significant growth in Kmart's sales and customers since he took control of the business in 2008. Speaking for the first time since taking on his new role, Mr Russo said the first challenge at Target was to work out why so much of its revenue was being spent in the business. The trade deficit improved to $2.9 billion in January from $3.5 billion the prior month, beating economists' predictions and offering an indication that the recent resurgence in the economy has carried over into this year. The narrowing deficit was due to a 1.1 per cent monthly increase in exports, matched with a similar decline in imports. The Australian dollar jumped back above 73 US cents on the data, and last fetched 73.06 US cents. Australia's trade deficit narrowed by more than expected in January. Credit:Jessica Shapiro Capital Economics economist Paul Dales said he saw positive signs for the economy from Thursday morning's number. "It's too early to say with any certainty, but after stripping out potential price effects we estimate that net trade is on track to add around 0.5 percentage points to real GDP growth in the first quarter compared with the neutral contribution made in the fourth quarter," Mr Dales said. House prices won't fall if negative gearing is restricted to new properties and the capital gains discount halved, a majority of economists say. Three-quarters of 50 economists polled by the Labor-aligned McKell Institute said house prices would continue to grow over the long term under Labor's proposal, assuming no other changes to broader market trends. Former Reserve Bank governor Bernie Fraser, who took part in the survey, slammed current housing tax arrangements as "manifestly unfair", saying they scored poorly on the four goals of taxation: efficient resource allocation, economic growth, price stability and fairness. "The current negative gearing (and related capital gains) tax arrangements... divert savings and resources away from potentially more productive investments into (sometimes speculative) property investments to take advantage of the tax concessions," Mr Fraser said in a statement. Extreme precautions were required to prevent the spread of the disease. Credit:Tommy Trenchard/Australian Red Cross In West Africa at the height of the Ebola crisis, McClelland needed to corral thousands of local volunteers to help respond to the outbreak. "No one else was willing to work in this [environment] and [I was] worrying every day that one of them, or all of them, could catch Ebola," she says. Amanda McClelland says, from a health perspective, it can be too easy to say a problem can't be tackled. Credit:Tommy Trenchard/Australian Red Cross But rather than relate some of her nightmare experiences, McClelland prefers to expound on how risks can be, if not eliminated, certainly reduced. This, combined with a philosophical take on probability, motivates her. Amanda McClelland is reluctant to call herself a risk-taker. "There is a big risk just being at home and walking across the street sometimes. I think if I am going to risk something, at least I am doing it while doing something worthwhile." The cigarettes and the packets of chewing gum she keeps in the pocket of her bag are basically there to mitigate some of the risks of what can often be very precarious situations. "When I arrive at checkpoints [in conflict zones], I make sure I take my earphones out and offer a cigarette," she says. "It's the small things that make sure you don't create problems for yourself. It's the way you engage with people." No fail-safe Being part of the humanitarian Red Cross brand also helps. It has been working in some of these spots for 20 years. But even this is not fail-safe. "I went into South Sudan with International Red Cross during the original conflict between north and south and I was in rebel-held territory tasked with dealing with communicable disease. "I was held at gunpoint by a tribal group while I was trying to bring back several gunshot-wounded victims." However, the local community intervened and rescued her from the situation. McClelland says doing your homework before taking on a risk is crucial. What matters, she says, is "knowing the context and knowing where you are working and understanding the conflict or the situation". Danger zones However, as she readily admits, her job takes her into situations that are either unknowable or uncontrollable. As far as jobs go, "humanitarian work is one of the most dangerous in the world," she says. "I think we have seen that in recent months, with the two bombings of MFS (Medecins Sans Frontieres, or Doctors without Borders) hospitals in Yemen. "What can you do when someone drops a bomb on you from above?" Despite operating in an environment that most regard as well off the acceptable risk scale, McClelland says there are still limits, and notes that her appetite for it has reduced with age. The Islamic State crisis is one, she says, where the normal mitigation risks of building relationships and negotiating access are not possible. "It really has to be a balance. I went to Somalia during the famine and was under armed guard for the first time ever. "I had a team of 15 young guards [and we travelled in] blacked-out cars surrounded by guns." By way of preparation, she was drilled on the procedure for "when, not if" she got kidnapped. "I had a code word and negotiator," she says. McClelland says she was told to make sure she had good shoes and a good bra, as she would be wearing them for the duration she was a hostage. She was even assigned a cook to ensure she would be properly feed during the expected kidnap period. 'If it doesn't go well' Committing to action in such extreme circumstances takes a particular kind of person, and a fairly blunt appraisal of the potential outcomes. "I think Ebola and Somalia are the only two times where I thought 'if something happens to me, it will be worth it'," McClelland says. "I made a conscious decision that if it doesn't go well, it was worth helping." But while outsiders naturally focus on the potential danger, McClelland seems to thrive more on the challenge of the task at hand. The Somali operation was particularly gratifying because of the technical difficulties that had to be overcome, she says. "How do you treat paediatric patients that have malnutrition and cholera when you can't go inside the hospital because bombs were being set off?" Contrary to what's become a popular belief, it turns out that many tech workers aren't just pursuing riches in their careers. A strong urge to make the world a better place drives many employees, even when they're working in high-stress and relatively low-paying jobs, according to a report released on Wednesday by the company PayScale, which aggregates pay and benefits packages for millions of workers. SpaceX and Tesla, both headed by Elon Musk, did the best job fostering a sense of meaning for their employees. Credit:Bloomberg Using its compensation database, PayScale analysed the salaries, demographics and sense of well-being of all non-retail employees at 18 major tech firms, including Apple, Facebook, Google and Salesforce. The three main questions posed to employees were: Do you feel satisfied in your job? How stressful is your job? And do you feel like your work makes the world a better place? The study's findings confirmed certain stereotypes of the industry, namely that it's generally young, male and highly paid. The Donald Trump show has been a lot of fun. En route to what now seems to be his certain nomination as US Republican presidential candidate, he has torn strips off his opponents, joked about his prowess as a builder and boasted of his billions. But even as his tactics prove stunningly effective, the conventional wisdom continues to be that his outbursts and schoolyard taunts not to mention his politics make him unelectable against Hillary Clinton come November. Suggest a bar on Muslims entering the United States? Racist lunacy, say the establishment commentators. Talk of building a wall on the Mexican border? Self-destructive rabble-rousing, the grandees from Trump's own party complain. Trump, they say, makes Clinton a White House shoo-in. But they should also stop to ask Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio how such conventional wisdom has worked out so far in the Republican race. This he has achieved despite the fact almost every Republican elder opposes him. They always have. During the last election season the Republican candidates cancelled a scheduled debate when the relevant news outlet announced Trump would be the moderator. Now, some Republican heads are spitballing ways they can use party rules to deny him the nomination even though his mandate from Republican voters is so strong. This, too, is a party now out of control. But in truth it has been slowly spiralling out of control for years. Do you think Trump is heinous on immigration because he wants to build a wall to keep out Mexicans? So does the establishment's own Ted Cruz. Do you think Trump's declaration that climate change is a hoax makes him unworthy of office? Here's the other establishment candidate, Marco Rubio: "I do not believe that human activity is causing these dramatic changes to our climate the way these scientists are portraying it." At least he seems to believe the science is in. He just chooses not to accept it. It's true in a sense that Trump has stolen the Republican party. But it's also true it was there for the taking. There are many reasons Trump is succeeding anger and disillusionment among a humiliated electorate is one of them. But there's also the fact that the Republicans have been training their voters to indulge every reactionary prejudice for years. Trump simply does this better, louder, and with less varnish than his rivals. Can we be surprised when he vanquishes them? Can the Republican establishment really cry foul when he outdoes them? And is it so different here? Well, in a way, yes. A moderate is presently in the top job and the reactionary forces aren't yet taking endorsements from former Ku Klux Klan wizards (they'll have to settle for Reclaim Australia for now). But there's an important commonality too: that the contradictions that were once holding conservative parties together, and delivering them political success, have now fallen apart. The most important of these is the contradiction between liberal economics and the politics of "values". It's hard to be the staunch defenders of family, culture and tradition while you're also staunch advocates of things like high-skilled immigration and workplace "flexibility" of the kind WorkChoices offered. It's hard to believe the market should be free to exploit and commodify whatever consumers will tolerate sex, culture, children and yet pretend we are bound together by inviolable, sacred values. In Georgie's defence, how is he supposed to remember things he said on camera, under oath, during a Royal Commission, a matter of hours earlier? After all, it's a sad story - he can hardly be expected to be interested. Suffer the little children He also explained that he accompanied Ridsdale to court - but, you see, only in the hopes that it would reduce Ridsdale's prison term. "I had some status as an auxiliary bishop and I was asked to appear with the ambition that this would lessen the term of punishment, lessen his time in jail." But that was merely a prologue for his blithe admission that sure, a child had indeed gone to Pell and told him that he and other boys were being sexually abused by Brother Edward Dowlan. However, Pell didn't feel this information meant that he was obliged to do anything like "tell the authorities". As he explained, "The boy wasn't asking me to do anything about it but just lamenting and mentioning." And Pell did point out that "I eventually inquired with the school chaplain," but it's hard to argue that permitting laments and mentions adequately discharged the church's duty of care. If only the Catholic Church had access to some sort of handbook with useful tips like, say, open your mouth, judge righteously, and defend the rights of the poor and in need. It'll be interesting to see what Pope Francis does about Pell's incredibly unsatisfactory performance, but reports indicate that Pell still has the Pope's very literal blessing. In any case, Frank's unlikely to be nearly as angry as God. That's likely to a mighty brutal performance review, George. Don't wear your best frock. The government has already called in the Australian Federal Police to investigate, although no-one expects them to actually find anything - not least because it would enormously embarrassing for them to do so. So now the question is no longer about how much does Abbott want to emulate his unexpected hero Kevin Rudd; it's how much Turnbull wants to avoid emulating Julia Gillard. Numbers are hard That wasn't the only embarrassing thing that happened today for the government. First up, there were reports that the embattled NBN Co has been quietly trialling fibre-to-the-premises broadband technology on the grounds that it's quicker, cheaper, and more reliable than the current strategy of using the existing copper cable network as per the then-Communications Minister-now-PM's plan. And the idea that the already way-behind-schedule project was adopting a smarter model would be great news, obviously, were it not that this was the one that Turnbull rejected as being uneccessary and wasteful when Labor proposed it ahead of the 2013 election. So the government must have been delighted when a report by BIS Shrapnel was released that warned that changes to negative gearing would smash the economy, the housing market and the rental market - exactly as the government had been declaring Labor's current suite of proposals would do over the last fortnight. BIS Shrapnel associate director Kim Hawtrey made clear that the situation modelled in the report wasn't specifically regarding Labor's changes, and neglected to reveal for whom the modelling had been done (beyond that it was a private client), but on Thursday Treasurer Scott Morrison rose to the occasion, declaring the report "an indictment on Labor's policy" and that "What it shows is [Labor] just haven't done their homework on this." And then, right on cue, the wheels fell off. Zeros are confusing! First up, there was an important typo in the report. And not buried deep in the figures either: it was on the very first page. The report claimed that claimed Australia's national annual income was $190 billion. The actual amount is $1.9 trillion. Sure, most people could be forgiven for not immediately going "well, that's obviously wrong." One person, however, that should be able to immediately recognise a claim suggesting that the economy was only 10 per cent as large as normal is the actual treasurer of Australia, possibly before going on record praising said report as being meticulous and thorough. And then there's the actual number-crunching. As the Grattan Institute's chief executive John Daley pointed out, the report is based on certain assumptions regarding rent rises and investor behaviour that are, to be kind, idiosyncratic - sneering that the report "did not pass the giggle test Voters should be asking themselves whether a responsible government would rely on this sort of nonsense in a public policy debate." SQM Research also called bullshit, with managing director Louis Christopher also calling the suggestion that rents would shoot up by 10 per cent "hard to believe We think the opposite would play out [as] there would be a moderate increase in supply." The American Civil Liberties Union believes creating a back door will erode consumers' trust in technology companies, discouraging them from installing important security updates. That would create an environment where cybercrime such as the hacking of financial information, intellectual property and government secrets can flourish. A win for the FBI would also set a strong legal precedent whereby any tech company could be forced to help unlock any device for authorities. What is Apple's legal defence? Apple has several weapons in its arsenal. A row of colourful iPhone 5Cs. Credit:Bloomberg The FBI's request falls under a statute from 1789 called the All Writs Act, which allows federal courts to order individuals or organisations to assist law enforcement with investigations. But the act cannot compel third parties to assist with law enforcement if the task is "unreasonably burdensome", or if it bypasses other laws or the Constitution. A New York judge has set a precedent in the US government's pursuit of iPhone encryption details from Apple. Apple says the request violates the First Amendment because computer code is considered protected speech. It also says being forced to sign off on the software update so the iPhone "trusts" it is false speech. The company argues the FBI's request violates the Fifth Amendment because it forces Apple to be an agent of the state, imposing an unnecessary burden on it. And it argues writing the software would be an "unreasonable burden" because the job would require several staff members and two to four weeks' work. However, the government has agreed to foot the bill. Apple also says the separation of powers in the US means Congress, not the courts, should decide the issue. What is the FBI's counter-defence? The FBI and other law enforcement agencies are increasingly concerned about how encryption affects their ability to access evidence that's stored on devices. The bureau argues if Apple succeeds in its appeal, it will create a precedent for law enforcement where authorities may have a warrant to search a device but are unable to do so. A survey from the Pew Research Centre found more Americans think Apple should comply with the court order than not. And a global survey from CIGI-Ipsos shows most people favour giving law enforcement access to private online conversations if they're conducting criminal investigations or protecting national security interests. It's been a busy couple of weeks for innovative Danish architect Bjarke Ingels. With his design for this year's Serpentine Pavilion revealed last week, this week has seen his New York and Copenhagen-based firm BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group) release the design for a major residential development in Toronto. It's immediately been compared to Montreal's most famed architectural icon, Moshe Safdie's iconic, experimental, modular housing development Habitat 67, which comprises 354 stacked and interlocked concrete "boxes" and is one of Brutalism's defining gestures. BIG's design for a Toronto housing development. Ingels isn't trying to hide his reference points either, describing the 500-apartment development's undulating, pixel-like form as "Habitat 2.0, 50 years after Moshe Safdie", while framing the experience of the development which features cuboid modules set degrees askew from one another as similar to that of wandering a "Mediterranean mountain town". big.dk Oscar by book The Oscars were heavily book-based this year with various winners coming from the novels The Revenant by Michael Punke, Room by Emma Donoghue, The Danish Girl by David Ebershoff and Michael Lewis' non-fiction The Big Short. Other books that provided sources for Oscar-nominated films included Brooklyn by Colm Toibin, The Martian by Andy Weir, The Price of Salt (aka Carol) by Patricia Highsmith, Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson, the short story In Another Country (45 Years) by David Constantine, and Trumbo by Bruce Cook. The government and the punk Many of these authors have been talking about the adaptation of their books, particularly Colm Toibin, but the one person who won't talk is Michael Punke. That's because he is also the deputy United States Trade Representative and US ambassador to the World Trade Organisation and as a US government employee banned from "self-enriching" activities. According to The New York Times, The Revenant was published in 2002 and sold 15,000 copies before going out of print. With the film being made, a new edition was published and in the US has sold more than 500,000 copies. The Age review said its chief attraction was "Punke's terse narrative style, which generates atmosphere and momentum by mirroring the single-minded obsession of its agonised hero". When the film's premiere was held last December in Hollywood, Punke was in Kenya in the middle of negotiating a $1.3 trillion trade deal and unable to attend. Illustration: Dyson Readings turns to the young Readings is virtually a chain these days and will soon have two more bookshops to add to its existing five. One is the previously announced shop in Westfield Doncaster shopping centre, which will open in August. But a shop specialising in children's and young-adult books will emerge closer to Readings' Carlton headquarters. Managing director Mark Rubbo says that sector is getting more popular and the existing area in the Lygon Street shop too small. So Readings will open the new shop in the existing Esprit outlet next to its Carlton flagship shop. "We will have a combined 500 square metres. We had been planning to renovate the Carlton shop but now we'll make it easier to navigate, have a bigger event space and better display for our art and visual books." Rubbo says the independent sector seems to be going quite well so far this year after having a bumper Christmas season. A post-merger fillip Pearson, which owns 47 per cent of Penguin Random House, took a 30 per cent increased share of profits from the publishing behemoth in 2015, up from 69 million ($135 million) to 90 million ($175 million). More information about the PRH performance will come when 53 per cent owner Bertelsmann releases its results this month. According to Pearson, the increase was due to sales of Grey and The Girl on the Train 7 million each and cost-cutting as part of the ongoing integration of the two publishers. It's hard to believe it was 13 years ago that the world fell in love with a little clownfish named Nemo. The hugely-successful 2003 Pixar animated film Finding Nemo grossed just under $US1 billion worldwide and became the best-selling DVD in history. After a long wait, the trailer for sequel Finding Dory was finally released on YouTube overnight, and it looks like this film will have been worth holding out for. Outdoors in the unique natural amphitheatre fringed by tall trees, with birdsong a frequent accompaniment; indoors at the new Windsong Pavilion, its acoustic described as like playing inside a Stradivarius; or at sites in the Bermagui township: the music goes round and round throughout Easter at the Four Winds Festival. This year two noted musicians will join the festival to not only follow the tradition of presenting a glorious, incredibly varied and challenging program of music to the audience but will also add their own ideas and innovative twists to the program. Windsong Pavilion in the evening with kangaroos. Credit:Robert Tacheci David Francis brings his wealth of experience as director of arts at England's Dartington Festival and as general manager of the Sydney Philharmonia Choir to oversee not only the festival but a year-round program of music and activities at Four Winds as executive director. "The festival is the cornerstone," he says, "and whatever we do will have music at its heart." When Sydney Philharmonia Choir, which will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2020, lost its funding it fell to Francis to revamp the organisation. Now he has moved to Bermagui and wants to see Four Winds come to be known as an international arts organisation based in rural New South Wales. "How does it contribute to music Australia-wide?" he asks. "We want everyone in the region to be so proud of having Four Winds on their doorstep. We want connectivity with the community." Francis exudes the energy of a person determined to realise his goals. He is composing a song cycle and enthuses about the joy of people singing together. He is enchanted with the Windsong Pavilion which in some ways reminds him of an antipodean medieval hall. "It offers a real opportunity to work-shop new works," he says. David Tennant is returning to Doctor Who. And in a package deal which may send the double heartbeats of wannabe Time Lords soaring, Tennant is paired with his co-star Catherine Tate, who played companion Donna Noble in the long-running series. The two actors, who appeared together in the series between 2006 and 2008, have reprised their roles for a series of three audio dramas. The three stories - titled Technophobia, Time Reaver and Death and the Queen - will be released via digital streaming sites such as iTunes. Despite being trashed by critics as a program that "deserves a foreclosure notice", a second season of Fuller House has been given the green light by Netflix. The reboot of '80s and '90s sitcom Full House was savaged by critics after it premiered last month, slammed for being unfunny, garish and "tinged with the sickly-sweet of rot". A.V. Club's Joshua Alston wrote: "Fuller House doesn't deserve mercy. The show isn't just bad, it borders on the obscene." A new suburb in Tuggeranong between the existing town centre and the Murrumbidgee River, could affect the health of the "iconic" river, the ACT Conservation Council warns. And Canberra senator Zed Seselja has accused the ACT government of "tokenism" over the plan to redevelop close to 90 hectares of river corridor and nature reserve into a new suburb of Thompson, saying it doesn't go far enough to address Canberra's affordable housing crisis. President of the Tuggeranong Community Council Glenys Patulny, at Pine Island where the Murrumbidgee River may be impacted by a new suburb on the wildlife corridor. Credit:Elesa Kurtz The conservation council's executive director, Clare Henderson, said the organisation was concerned about the reduction of the nature reserve, but hoped for a "genuinely collaborative" process to identify the environmental, heritage and amenity values of the area before the concept went ahead. "If the proposal proceeds there would be further pressure to undertake more damaging residential development on the west of the Murrumbidgee, [we do] not support development in areas of ecological significance," she said. The fifth and final winner of the ACT government's large-scale wind reverse-auction will provide enough power for more than 48,000 Canberra homes. Environment and Climate Change Minister Simon Corbell has announced Sapphire Wind Farm, 18 kilometres west of Glenn Innes in north-eastern New South Wales, as the latest successful proponent from the government's second wind auction, promising an estimated $100 million dollars in economic benefits to the ACT. Environment Minister Simon Corbell has bit back at critics of renewable energy. Credit:Graham Tidy The wind farm is due for completion in April 2018. Sapphire has been awarded a feed-in-tariff of $89.10 per mW/h for 100mW capacity. The company will spend $34 million on development of an ACT-based asset and operations management centre, relocating operations from Newcastle. The number of Australians beginning an apprenticeship has slumped by almost 20 per cent over the past year, with commencements in traditional trades recording a worrying fall. Just 36,000 people began apprenticeships in the September quarter 2015, down 19.3 per cent on the same period the previous year. The number of people completing an apprenticeship fell by 6 per cent. What next for NSW's Ausgrid? Credit:Louie Douvis Business groups leapt on the "alarming decline" to warn of skills shortages unless there is an urgent response from governments. Trades commencements fell by 8.5 per cent while non-trades commencements plummeted by 26.4 per cent, according to a new report by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER). Malcolm Turnbull has unleashed a massive new attack on Labor's negative gearing policy, declaring its hidden effects would be much broader than has been admitted and that it would not merely hit real estate but would decimate investments in shares and small businesses. After weeks of attacking the policy as a shock to house prices and the property sector, a newly energised Mr Turnbull used Parliament on Thursday to open a new front on the opposition's plan to restrict the tax deductibility of interest to new homes only from July 2017, rather than existing housing stock purchased after that date. The Prime Minister said Labor's policy is actually a plan to end tax deductability on all business expenses against ordinary income, including margin loans used to buy shares, and even basic small business acquisitions such as a truck for a freighting partnership. Senior Liberal Philip Ruddock has said it is "inappropriate" to comment on national security leaks, as Tony Abbott did on submarines this week, amid a wave of anger within the government over Mr Abbott's latest intervention. Mr Ruddock's comments came as it emerged that former defence minister Kevin Andrews tried in his final days in the portfolio to appoint a long-time staffer with no military experience to the sensitive role of Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force. Thursday brought an avalanche of criticism of Mr Abbott's claim this week that he had been "flabbergasted" by a supposed delay under his successor Malcolm Turnbull on the delivery of the next fleet of Australia's submarines. Treasurer Scott Morrison is under fire for using a controversial report to skewer Labor's negative gearing policy, after the report's authors clarified it was prepared before Labor's policy was announced and contained a crucial error. The research, conducted by property forecaster BIS Shrapnel, predicted that abolishing negative gearing on established dwellings would wipe $19 billion from Australia's gross domestic product and push up rental prices by 10 per cent. Mr Morrison seized on the report, describing it as "an indictment on Labor's policy". "What it shows is [that] they just haven't done their homework on this," he said. Education Minister Simon Birmingham has called on universities to lift their game after a new major survey showed one in two students want more support to help them convert their degree into a job. The federal government's annual Student Experience Survey, based on responses from over 145,000 students across the university sector, showed an overwhelming majority of university students 80 per cent are satisfied with the overall quality of their educational experience. The previous year it was 77 per cent. The most satisfied students were not enrolled at prestigious universities such as the University of Sydney or University of Melbourne, according to the annual survey. Credit:Josh Robenstone According to the survey, to be released on Friday, the most satisfied students were not enrolled at prestigious universities such as the University of Sydney or University of Melbourne. Rather, they were enrolled at Bond University and the University of Notre Dame both private universities and the University of the Sunshine Coast. The survey found 82 per cent of students were satisfied with the teaching quality in their courses and 86 per cent were satisfied with with the quality of their learning resources. But only 48 per cent believed that careers advisers were available and helpful, while only 54 per cent believed support services were available and helpful. Indeed marquise diamonds of that size are incredibly rare, though Victoria "Posh Spice" Beckham has one. Grace Murdoch will be a bridesmaid, but Wendi Murdoch isn't expected to attend. Credit:Getty Images The shape was originally commissioned by King Louis XV in 1745 reportedly to create a diamond that resembled the smile of his mistress Madame de Pompadour. And Jerry has certainly been smiling since going public with her unlikely beau just four months ago. The couple are to marry at the historic St Bride's on Fleet Street, the spiritual heartland of the English newspaper industry which Murdoch so comprehensively gutted during the 1980s when he moved his legions of reporters out. As for where the couple will honeymoon, PS hears it could well be aboard Murdoch's massive superyacht, Vertigo, sailing around some of the world's most exotic tropical hotspots, though exactly where remains a closely guarded secret. Better pack an extra tub of the 50+ Jerry. Stubbing out obstacles to romance Mariah Carey is reportedly well down the wedding planning path for her upcoming nuptials to James Packer, however PS hears there is at least one potential stumbling block which could thwart "Jamiah's" hopes for wedded bliss: James' smoking. Friends report that Mariah, who is reportedly set to get married to Packer in Tahiti any time between now and June, though the tropical paradise is the latest in a long line of potential venues named around the globe, has been expressing her concerns over James' constant smoking. Credit:Bloomberg "It's her voice she worries about and the twins too. She doesn't want them being exposed to James' cigarette smoke ... it's becoming a bit of an issue," claims a close pal. Just like his old man Kerry Packer, James too has developed a taste for the ciggies and is often spotted puffing away with abandon, whether it be on the deck of one of his superyachts or in a private dining room at his mate Neil Perry's smoke-free Rockpool restaurant. Only last year Carey gave an interview in which she talked about her own misspent youth smoking cigarettes. She told US Weekly: "I smoked quite frequently from the time I was 12 to when I was 18. I gave up smoking in one day and never went back. I absolutely detest cigarette smoke now." Good luck James. Kylie struts on the conservative side Kylie Minogue performs at the Qatar Airways Gala Dinner. Her infamous gold hot pants would have probably been deemed a little too hot for the sensibilities of His Excellency Akbar Al Baker, the chief executive officer of Qatar Airways who was among the 300 VIPs invited to see Kylie Minogue welcome the airline's inaugural flight from Sydney on Thursday night. Instead Minogue opted for a more restrained ensemble - a bedazzled harem pant suit with a glittery shawl - and performed a medley of her hits including Wow, Better The Devil You Know and Step Back In Time for the VIPs invited to the swanky soiree at Darling Harbour's Dockside floating event space, with female guests asked to dress "modestly", which considering Sydney's usual fleshy red carpet dress codes presented quite a challenge for some. Among those VIPS warmly welcoming the Qatar crew were NSW minister for Trade, Tourism and Major Events, Stuart Ayres, Sydney Airport CEO Kerrie Mather, Chairman of the Australian Arab Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mohamed Hage, billionaire fast food baron Jack Cowin and Destination NSW chairman John Hartigan. Cowboy's law of suppliers and demands Judging by self-styled Sydney playboy Ricardo Castillo's New Year's Eve photos surrounded by a bevy of beauties sipping champagne aboard a superyacht, the last thing on the restaurateur/impresario/lothario's mind was the mounting bills piling up around him - to the tune of $150,000 following last year's disastrous Day Of The Dead parties in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Self-styled Sydney playboy Ricardo Castillo. Indeed Castillo - who also goes by the names of Ricardo Amare and Ricardo Amare del Castillo, depending on which city he is in and which Australian Securities and Investment's Commission documents you choose to go on, the latter of which also feature several birth dates which put his age somewhere between 31 and 34 -clearly had his hands full with other matters than worrying about unpaid DJs, event companies, venues, make up artists and various other "suppliers" who claim they have been "ripped off". Ricardo chose not to return PS' repeated calls to his mobile and his restaurant, Darlinghurst taco joint Playa Takeria, however a not so happy conga line of creditors were more than willing to spill the beans, including Phil Barker, the creative director of Sydney events company The Artistry. Barker says the Day Of The Dead parties have left a $150,000 hole in the business after Ricardo indicated he was unable to pay the outstanding bills. "We are working to get our money back but this sort of recovery isn't easy and it takes time," Barker told PS. "We'll recover from the blow, but to see someone who owes us a lot of money living a champagne lifestyle, while we have suppliers to pay, staff with mortgages and kids, is disgraceful." High profile international DJ Shane "SOS" Barnes added: "As an International DJ for nearly 20 years I have played in many countries from Europe to Asia including Ibiza and all over Australia. In all this time I have never NOT been paid. Ricardo is the very first promoter to have this 'honour'. Peter Whelan from Glownet, a cashless payment system, said his company soon realised they were "dealing with a cowboy" and "limited the exposure to any losses we were going to face." Bank's beige goes rainbow Corporate Australia has managed to do what many of our leaders in Canberra have failed at embracing the gay and lesbian community. This year's Mardi Gras has set the scene for some truly impressive overtures from big corporations such as banking giant ANZ, which managed to transform its Oxford Street branch over just 48 hours into something that resembles Liberace's bathroom, with faux marble floors, ornate gilded columns and frescos of nubile nymphs and muscle men adorning the otherwise beige banking space. The ANZ Oxford Street branch, rebuilt for Mardi Gras. The bank, a major sponsor of Mardi Gras, has copped plenty of flak from detractors on social media, but as Taylor Swift sang, the haters are always "gonna hate, hate hate". Interestingly PS hears that over in Toronto, Canada's recently elected progressive pin-up Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has signed up to march with his gay and lesbian constituents in the city's Pride march in June. Note to Malcolm Turnbull it's not too late to beat him. Instagram beats Tammy's splash The absence of Brynne Edelsten and her replacement Gabi Grecko from the media landscape has left a shapely void, one which is being amply filled by Liberal party staffer Tammy Candy who has been enjoying blanket media coverage largely thanks to the Murdoch press, who can't seem to get enough of her. Coalition staffer Tamara Candy, 27, aka Tammy Candy. Credit:Instagram When it comes to responses to child sexual abuse, there have always been two George Pells. For four days, they have fought tooth and nail for air in a Roman hotel room. Either he did not know enough about child sexual abuse to try to stop it from happening or he did, but didn't act. No one expected the Cardinal to abandon the best version of himself, which he has defended for decades, including in media statements whenever his name is uttered at the royal commission. George Pell gives evidence to the Royal Commission from Rome When asked if he was told of abuse at schools "I can't remember any such examples but my memory might be playing me false. Because I don't have perfect recall." "Ryan had an unusual style. I was never particularly supportive of his vocation." DAY TWO When asked if it was "common knowledge" that Ridsdale abused children "It's a sad story and it wasn't of much interest to me". On what he knew about Ridsdale "I knew nothing about his paedophilia. I knew he was a somewhat difficult person and obviously he had been shifted about quite a bit." When asked if he would have removed a 14-year-old boy from Gerald Ridsdale's house if he had known "You can't wave a magic wand and correct every situation." Former Ballarat Bishop Ronald Mulkearns. Credit:Alicia Thomas When told Bishop Mulkearns "just stared" at a woman reporting child abuse "His repeated refusal to act is, I think, absolutely extraordinary." DAY THREE On improving matters once he was in charge "I not only disturbed the status quo but when I became Archbishop of Melbourne, I turned the situation right around so that the Melbourne Response procedures were light years ahead of all this obfuscation and prevarication and deception." When asked if he had any regrets "I think the matters you raised about ascribing resignations to ill health, that is one area of regret. Other than that, I don't believe there is." On the Melbourne archdiocese under Archbishop Frank Little "Counsel, this was an extraordinary world, a world of crimes and cover-ups and people did not want the status quo to be disturbed." When asked if he'd been concerned that paedophile priest Ted Dowlan had been moved from place to place "I didn't know exactly what he was accused of, but 40 years ago . . . I did not think that was unusual or inappropriate." On violent, gun-wielding predator priest Peter Searson "He was a disconcerting man. At his worst moments he could be described as one of the most unpleasant priests that I've met." Peter Searson who died in 2009. When asked about a letter describing Searson stabbing a bird to death with a screwdriver in front of children "I don't know if the bird was already dead but at some stage I certainly was informed of this bizarre happening." Would it make a difference whether the bird was dead ...?" Gail Furness, SC, asks. "Not, not really. Not really." DAY FOUR On hearing an account of Julie Stewart's abuse "One of the other things I regret as a Catholic priest is the damage that these crimes do to the faith of the survivors, of the victims and their friends and family and generally throughout the society. I lament that." When asked why it was 'implausible' that he'd tried to buy victim David Ridsdale's silence "It is implausible that I tried to bribe him for a number of reasons. The first of those was that I was aware the police were already speaking to his uncle (Gerald Ridsdale) so I would have no motive in trying to prevent him from going to the police. "It's implausible because I was an auxiliary bishop so I had no access to money .. to significant resources. "It's implausible because I was an auxiliary bishop of Melbourne and this was a matter for the Ballarat diocese. And it's implausible because, of course, the attempt to bribe someone is criminal." On being asked why he said Ridsdale's sordid reputation "didn't interest" him "I remember messing up the sequence completely. I regret the choice of words. I was very confused. I responded poorly." His final words to the commission A fast train link could reduce the travel time between Parramatta and the Sydney CBD to 15 minutes, according to a new report spruiking better connectivity between the two centres. The report, commissioned by Parramatta Council and the Sydney Business Chamber's western Sydney branch, presents four route options in broad terms but does not define the costs of the lines or who would pay for them. It also proposes a connecting rail link between Parramatta and the future airport at Badgerys Creek via either Blacktown or Liverpool, with a travel time of 25 minutes. The first option for fast rail between Parramatta and Sydney CBD with stops at Lidcombe and Strathfield would require the conversion of the existing Western Line, but the report dismisses this as expensive, disruptive and incapable of significantly reducing travel time. Geoffrey Yuke died slowly. Help was at hand. It was close to midnight and the 24-year-old stood suffering a heart attack. An ambulance was parked minutes' drive from his home. But it didn't come any closer. Mr Yuke's Indigenous community at Box Ridge, west of Lismore, was marked a no-go zone - in the official terminology, it was the subject of a "caution note". Ambulances were not to enter without police escort because of safety fears. A neighbour called for an ambulance which was dispatched within a couple of minutes. But a chain of mistakes and communications failures delayed the arrival of a police escort by 45 minutes. Mr Yuke died shortly before the ambulance reached his home, almost an hour after the first emergency call was made. What is a roast Christmas dinner without gravy? Nothing, according to one Sydney man who pursued his right to gluten-free gravy at his local pub all the way to the Federal Circuit Court. The debacle unfolded at a Christmas function at Blacktown Workers Club in December 2013, which Bruce Skeen, an elderly gentleman with celiac disease or gluten intolerance, paid $1 to attend. Bruce Skeen's request for gluten-free gravy with his Christmas dinner took him to the Federal Circuit Court. However, the arrival of Mr Skeen's gluten-free roast dinner unaccompanied by gluten-free gravy culminated in a discrimination lawsuit, ultimately dismissed as frivolous by the Federal Circuit Court in Sydney last month. The court heard Mr Skeen was a member and regular patron of the club in Sydney's outer-western suburbs. Secret mobile phone recordings, such as the now-infamous footage of the Sydney Roosters' Mitchell Pearce, and revenge porn-style social media posts could be subject to tough new laws in NSW allowing people to sue for damages for invasion of privacy. The State Parliament's law and justice committee recommended on Thursday that NSW should "lead the way" in Australia in creating a new legal action for serious invasions of privacy. The laws could be replicated across the country. Secretly filmed: Mitchell Pearce was disgraced after Australia Day antics. Credit:Kate Geraghty Under the plan, a person could sue for damages if their privacy had been invaded intentionally or recklessly. Governments and corporations would be held to a higher standard, and could also be pursued for damages over "big data"-style privacy breaches committed negligently. Wolseley Road, Point Piper, in Sydney's east, is the most expensive residential street in the country. But - between the homes of models, barristers, judges and businessmen - Eric James Jackson has been running a large drug operation, police allege. There still seem to be plenty of willing buyers in the market, willing to take the risk prices will not even flatten, let alone fall precipitately. Credit:Robert Pearce Officers raided Mr Jackson's home on Monday and allegedly found 126 grams of MDMA, 4.51 kilograms of cannabis, 139 grams of cocaine and 18 grams of ketamine. A large amount of cash was also found, reported to be $45,000. "Jackie Trad is the chief mudslinger for the Labor Party and it's what she does effectively," he said. "It's a great pity they can't run the state as effectively as they can throw mud." Mr Springborg said Labor's campaign against then-LNP leader Campbell Newman in 2012 "blew up in their face" and Queenslanders had taken a "dim view" of the tactic. Mr Springborg said the Newman government, of which he was a cabinet minister, introduced higher thresholds of proof before matters could be referred to the CCC, "so you wouldn't get malicious allegations being brought to the CCC for the purpose of doing someone else damage". "That's been removed by this government and now you can see why," he told Fairfax Media. Cr Schrinner said the entire affair was a "political stitch-up by the Labor state government". "The people of Brisbane can rightly ask why the state government sat on this for five months and then released it just on the eve of the election," he said. "I smell a rat and I think the people of Brisbane would smell a rat if they looked into it as well." Council chief executive Colin Jensen requested an exemption from the requirement to put the land's sale up for tender from the state government on August 19 last year. Department of Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning director-general Frankie Carroll sought more information on January 15, including whether there were any conflicts of interest. "I can confirm that no conflicts of interest or material personal interests were declared by the councillors considering the proposed sale," Mr Jensen wrote back on January 27. There was no mention of Dr Tan's donations to the LNP. Cr Schrinner refused to say on Thursday whether Dr Tan's LNP links were mentioned at the civic cabinet meeting at which the matter was discussed. "Cabinet discussions are in-house and they're that way because the City of Brisbane Act makes them that way," he said. The matter was made public on Tuesday, when the ABC published details of the deal and Fairfax Media revealed on Wednesday it had been referred to the CCC. Cr Schrinner said people should have taken heed of the CCC's calls for candidates not to make politically motivated complaints to the corruption watchdog with a view of making them public. "I am confident the CCC will come back quickly and say there is no case here and that everything has been done appropriately," he said. When asked whether he thought it was appropriate the CCC referral had been made public, Labor lord mayoral candidate Rod Harding said: "The matter of the CCC is for the CCC." Mr Harding was repeatedly asked whether his campaign had any contact with Ms Trad's office about the affair. "I can't speak for other people in the party, I can only speak for myself," he said. The man at the centre of a siege in Logan this morning has been charged with a string of offences. It is alleged the man entered the house armed with a knife, threatened a woman and baby where were at the house and refused to leave or allow the baby to leave. The 41-year-old Kingston man has been charged with threatening violence, stalking, burglary, child stealing, common assault, willful damage, possession of a drug utensil and obstruct police. The man, who is not believed to be the father of the baby, will appear in the Beenleigh Magistrates Court on Friday. A Queensland police officer facing criminal misconduct charges after leaking security footage of a violent arrest to the media has slammed his bosses. Sergeant Rick Flori faced Southport Magistrates Court on Thursday and his lawyer indicated a no case to answer submission would be made during a committal hearing at the next appearance. Mr Flori has been charged with misconduct in a public office after leaking footage of chef Noa Begic, 22, being beaten by police while handcuffed after an arrest at Surfers Paradise in January 2012. The matter was adjourned until May 20 when the no case submission will be made. The guiding principle of the business model is to recruit workers from developing countries where the economy can't provide suitable jobs for highly-skilled, highly-motivated graduates. Mayo said that by the end of this year Influx, a two-year-old Melbourne-based startup which provides 24/7 email support for small businesses and start-ups, will have hired "hundreds of staff." Influx co-founder Leni Mayo is hoping his fledgling start-up can break down international social, economic and cultural barriers by delivering excellent round-the-clock, round-the-world customer service. "We couldn't provide this if the agents were in Australia," Mayo said. "The economics don't stack up. We would have to charge our clients a price they weren't willing to pay." Unlike other customer service outsourcers, which require low-skilled workers to solve problems from a script, Influx empowers the agent to fully understand the client and conduct research in order to provide a unique solution to each customer's problem. Influx bills per response, with each worker typically recording about 50 responses a day. Two responses to resolve a problem is a good average, Mayo said. One employee is Indonesia-based Basilius Prabawa, who works from an office in Bandung, about 200 kilometres from Jakarta. He joined the company in March 2015, after responding to an ad on Reddit. By the end of the year, he'd been promoted to team leader and in March this year, Influx flew Prabawa to its Melbourne offices for training for his new role. "It's the first time I'm coming out of South East Asia," Prabawa said. "It's hard to believe: 'You're willing to do that for me? Tickets and lodgings an all expenses paid trip to Melbourne?' It's really rewarding to see you're being acknowledged to that extent. A Bulgarian crime gang is accused of illegally withdrawing $387,000 from ATMs with data-skimming equipment, and police say one of its members remains on the run. Police allege gang members came to Australia last year to use hi-tech devices to obtain customers' card data from ATMs, and a separate device to learn PINs. The gang used skimming technology to fleece ATM customers of thousands of dollars, the court said. Credit:Gabriele Charotte The gang then transferred the allegedly stolen data onto blank ATM cards and used them to make cash withdrawals across Melbourne and Sydney, police say, and possibly overseas. The gang's alleged offending emerged in hearings in Melbourne Magistrates Court, during a bail application for Bulgarian national Todor Tsenov, 35, who travelled to Melbourne last year on a British passport. The wage bill for Victoria's forest firefighters will blow out by hundreds of thousands of dollars after the Andrews government agreed to pay a special hourly rate for emergency work. An "emergency service allowance" of up to $13.50 an hour will soon apply to hundreds of professional forest firefighters for time spent on frontline operations, ending a bitter industrial feud that has dogged the government for months. Forest firefighters who braved the Christmas blazes on the Great Ocean Road want recognition as emergency workers. Victoria's forest firefighters - employed by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning - battle dangerous blazes in state forests and national parks, where most bushfires begin, but do not receive the same entitlements as their counterparts in other fire agencies. They launched industrial action including strikes and work bans last year in their campaign for the emergency service allowance and higher levels of superannuation and death and disability insurance. The Port of Melbourne's third stevedore wants to bring more large container ships into the bay, arguing this will boost the port's efficiency by 25 per cent, but says it has been refused and told to deal with the port's future owner. The company has labelled the Port of Melbourne Corporation's rejection of its plan "pathetic", arguing the plan would boost the value of the port and increase the size of the government's windfall from the upcoming sale. Container ships are due to return to Webb Dock at the mouth of the Yarra River early next year, when a $1.6 billion port expansion project is complete. November 2015. Credit:Joe Armao Container ships are due to return to Webb Dock at the mouth of the Yarra River early next year, when a $1.6 billion port expansion project is complete. Webb Dock can handle bigger container vessels more easily than Swanson Dock, which is upstream and has narrower shipping berths. When Hurricane Sandy flooded New York's subway in 2012, the city used sandbags and plywood dams to keep the sea at bay. It wasn't enough to save the new, $US530 million South Ferry station from near total destruction, and the planned Melbourne Metro will need sturdier defences against future natural disasters, an expert in urban resilience warns. The South Ferry subway in New York station after it was flooded by seawater during superstorm Sandy in October 2012. Credit:Patrick Cashin The planned underground station at Domain will be built beneath an old swamp and will be increasingly vulnerable to inundation if it is not protected against expected rising sea levels, said Will Symons of infrastructure consultants AECOM. Domain station is planned to be built beneath St Kilda Road, just south of the Shrine of Remembrance. It is forecast that 38,000 passengers will use it each day. A former teacher whose sexual abuse of six young boys left them humiliated and facing life-long personal problems has been jailed for six years. "Rot in hell, Morris. Enjoy it," a man called out as a stunned Robert Leonard Morris was led from the County Court dock into custody on Thursday. Former teacher Robert Morris was jailed for six years for abusing students in his care. Credit:Scott Barbour Morris, 70, will spend at least four years in jail for sexually assaulting boys in his care at schools in Cranbourne and Ringwood between 1971 and 1977. Judge Gerard Mullaly said the then teacher's "bewildering and sickening" abuse of power included positioning a book to conceal his sexual assault of a boy seated on his lap in a crowded classroom, abusing a boy on a bus as they returned from a swimming carnival and targeting another boy while on a school camp. A hacker for the Anonymous group described by a Perth judge as a "creepy pest" has been spared jail time. Adam John Bennett, 42, has pleaded guilty in the West Australian District Court to six offences related to the hacking of several websites that were defaced with Anonymous ideology. Several websites were defaced with Anonymous ideology. Credit:AP Judge Philip McCann sentenced Bennett on Thursday to two years in prison, suspended for two years with a $1000 recognisance, as well as 200 hours of community service and an intensive supervision order. - AAP West Australian Labor senator Joe Bullock who is quitting politics due to his opposition of same-sex marriage will be farewelled with a giant rainbow cake thanks to a crowd funding campaign. Perth man Simon te Brinke created a tongue-in-cheek crowdfunding campaign on Wednesday, aiming to send Mr Bullock the cake, adorned with the words "Farewell Joe! Lots of love from your friends at #MarriageEquality xox". A crowd funding campaign was set up to send senator Joe Bullock a rainbow cake as he vacates his position. Mr Bullock cited his party's position in support of marriage equality as a reason for his decision to retire from federal politics on Tuesday, making him the fourth WA Labor MP to quit this year. "Recognition of same-sex marriage by our government will help to send a clear message to young LGBT people (in particular those in crisis) that being in a same-sex relationship is not wrong," Mr te Brinke said on the Gofundme page. A Perth mother has suffered second-degree burns to her chest, arms and stomach after a popular kitchen appliance unexpectedly burst open while she was preparing dinner. Danika Jones said she was cooking a pasta sauce in her Thermomix in January when the lid flew open and splattered burning hot liquid all over her upper body. "I had popped the pasta sauce ingredients in the Thermomix using the same recipe I've used every week since I bought the machine more than two years ago," she said. "Towards the end of the process, it was pureeing the sauce when it started making a funny noise and vibrating. And there has been a few. For five years he ran his very popular Whispers From Beyond tours at the jail, channelling ghastly tales from inmates who died in awful and brutal ways. And he should know. Between 1888 and 1964, 43 men and one woman were hanged at the prison gallows, which were finally closed in 1991. But Fremantle Prison management shut his tours down in late 2009, claiming the medium was channelling sordid tales from beyond the grave that never actually happened. Mr Grzelka has spent the last five years trying to get the prison to reinstate his paranormal tours, but every time he hits a brick wall. "At the time, I was running tours once or twice a month and I sometimes I would have 2000 people on a waiting list," he told WAtoday. "Most of the money from those tours was going back into the prison. A policeman involved in the investigation into Corryn Rayney's murder has been found not guilty of twice slapping a handcuffed 16-year-old boy in the face during an arrest. Sergeant Mark James McKenzie had been on trial in Perth Magistrates Court accused of assaulting the teenager during his arrest in the Pilbara town of Newman in October 2014, but was acquitted by Magistrate Peter Malone on Thursday. WA Police Union acting president Brandon Shortland expressed concern about the number of officers being charged as a result of their actions while on duty. Constable Duncan Cooke testified he saw his colleague give the boy two short, sharp slaps as he sat on the kerb. He said he was shocked by the assault and noticed the boy's demeanour changed - he stopped yelling and had tears in his eyes. Athens: European Union Council president Donald Tusk has urged illegal economic migrants not to risk their lives to make the perilous trip to Europe "for nothing". Mr Tusk said on Thursday he wants to end the illegal sea transit of migrants from Turkey to Greece. He spoke after meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu in Ankara and Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras in Athens. Mr Tusk is on a trip through Balkan states and Turkey to try build support for cohesion on how to deal with hundreds of thousands of migrants a crisis that threatens to tear the bloc apart before an EU summit on Monday. Speaking earlier in Greece, which has been a primary gateway of migrants flooding into Europe for more than a year, Mr Tusk said anyone who was not a refugee should stay away. MOSCOW: A woman suspected of beheading a child in her care before brandishing the severed head outside a Moscow metro station has said she acted to avenge Muslims killed in the Kremlin's campaign of air strikes in Syria. In video footage posted online on Thursday and circulated by several prominent bloggers, the woman, 38-year-old Gulchekhra Bobokulova of Muslim-majority Uzbekistan, gave her first detailed explanation of an incident which state TV channels chose not to report. "I took revenge against those who spilled blood," Bobokulova told someone asking her questions off camera. "Putin spilled blood, planes carried out bombings. Why are Muslims being killed? They also want to live." Istanbul: Turkish police killed two female militants who had earlier on Thursday staged an attack on a police bus in an Istanbul suburb, NTV news channel said. The woman were cornered after fleeing into a nearby apartment block following the attack, in which they opened gun fire and tossed hand grenades at the bus in the Bayrampasa district of Istanbul, NTV reported. Security forces take up positions during the operation against two female militants in Istanbul. Credit:AP The two women had opened fire and threw a grenade at a Turkish police bus as it arrived at a station in an Istanbul suburb on Thursday, footage from the Dogan news agency showed. Television stations said there were no casualties. Washington: Amid calls for an unprecedented plot by the Republican leadership to block Donald Trump's bid for the White House, the man who was the party's presidential candidate in 2012, Mitt Romney, has branded Trump as unacceptable - a "phoney", a "fraud", a "conman". And within minutes of Romney's extraordinary denunciation, Senator John McCain who was the party's nominee in 2008, piled on - bludgeoning Trump with an open letter in which dozens of conservative security experts and one-time advisers condemn Trump's national-security prowess. As Trump continues to chalk up a succession of victories in state-by-state primary polls, what The New York Times describes as a "small but influential and growing" band of Republican figures is pressing for the GOP establishment to block Trump on two fronts - a third-party option by which Republican voters would be offered a choice beyond Trump and the Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton; and funding for a massive advertising campaign to destroy the Trump candidacy. The US ambassador to India, Richard Verma, expressed hope in a speech that "in the near future" joint patrols by navy vessels from India and the US "will be a common and welcome sight throughout Indo-Pacific water". F/A-18 fighter jets take off from the flight deck of the US Navy aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush in 2014. Credit:AP Admiral Harry Harris's proposal on Wednesday was the latest in a series of US overtures to India, a country wary of forming strategic alliances, to become part of a network of naval powers that would balance China's maritime expansion. New Delhi: The chief of the US Pacific Command has proposed reviving an informal strategic coalition made up of the navies of Japan, Australia, India and the United States, an experiment that collapsed a decade ago because of diplomatic protests from China. Admiral Harris told a congressional committee last week that the US was close, after 10 years of demurral from the Indian side, to concluding a logistics agreement that would allow the two countries' militaries to easily use each other's facilities for refuelling and repairs. HMAS Rankin, a Royal Australian Navy Collins Class submarine, in Sydney Harbour last month. Credit:James Brickwood Although he did not specifically mention China on Wednesday, Admiral Harris spoke of "a potential dark age" in which powerful countries would "bully smaller countries through intimidation and coercion", and made the case that a broad naval collaboration was the best way to avert it. "Exercising together will lead to operating together," he said, before meetings with his Indian counterpart. "By being ambitious, India, Japan, Australia and the United States and so many like-minded nations can aspire to patrol together anywhere international law allows." India reacted furiously in 2014 when a Chinese People's Liberation Army submarine docked in the Sri Lankan port of Colombo and has warily watched the expansion of one of President Xi Jinping's priority projects, a maritime "silk road" with major ports in Pakistan and Bangladesh. When President Barack Obama visited India last year, the two countries issued a joint statement on "the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean region", something India had refused to do in the past. MARIGOT/GREAT BAY:--- An expression of pain and pride is the best way to describe the Memorial ACTe, said Shujah Reiph on his recent return from visiting the state-of-the-art museum in Guadeloupe. The Memorial ACTe museum was built on the seaside grounds of the former Darboussier sugarcane refinery, said Reiph, president of St. Martins Conscious Lyrics Foundation (CLF). The museums black box facade and silvery mesh crown houses a permanent exhibition that explores Slavery and the European slave trade of African peoples in the Caribbean and the Americas, said Reiph. I see my visit to the museum as a pilgrimage of memory, which was necessary to do as part of the 25th anniversary of the Black History Celebration in St. Martin, said Reiph. CLF organizes the annual island-wide Black History Celebration. According to Victorin Lurel, former President of Guadeloupes Regional Council, the Memorial ACTe is reconciling history and the memory of slavery to facilitate relations between peoples. The Regional Council of Guadeloupe constructed the museum in Pointe-a-Pitre, the territorys industrial city, where the President of France Francois Hollande inaugurated it on May 10, 2015. President Aline Hanson and then Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs from St. Martin North and South respectively, were among the 19 heads of states, political leaders from territories, and other invited guests from the Caribbean, the USA, Europe, and Africa at the opening ceremony, said Reiph this week. The Memorial ACTe is a place to celebrate the positive elements of Black history and the complexity of Caribbean history. But visiting the exhibition can also bring up the pains of the evil system of Slavery that still negatively affects some of our ways of thinking and feeling to this day, said Reiph. I think that both the pride and the pain from seeing the exhibit can help many of us understand our individual selves better and to have greater compassion for each other, said Reiph. The CLF cultural activist said that he plans to organize a St. Martin group visit to the museum, similar to the highly successful group tour of St. Martiners to South Africa that he organized in 2008. The spectacular edifice has changed the landscape of Pointe-a-Pitre, attracting visitors from around world. In July 2015, US Civil Rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson visited the museum where he addressed the people of Guadeloupe. PHILIPSBURG:--- Dutch Navy frigate De Zeven Provincien intercepted a fishing boat smuggling marijuana in the Caribbean Sea. 400 kg of the contraband was seized. This interception happened in excellent cooperation with the Belgian helicopter and the US Law Enforcement Detachment that are stationed on board of the frigate. The patrol aircraft of the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard was also involved. The suspected smugglers are taken in custody by the US Coast Guard. The fishing boat was detected just before sunset on an evening patrol. When the frigate approached the suspected boat, they crew tried to get away. During their escape, multiple packages of contraband were thrown overboard. The Zeven Provincien started the chase, while the Belgian helicopter inspected the area on more suspicious movements. 400 kg of marijuana were retrieved out of the water. The exact amount of contraband is expected to be higher, but due to the chase, the crew of De Zeven Provincien was not able to retrieve all the packages. The suspected smugglers are taken in custody by the US Coast Guard. T5 Data Centers Receives Tax Exemption for New Build-to-Suit Data Center at Kings Mountain Campus KINGS MOUNTAIN, NC (Marketwired) 03/02/16 T5 Data Centers (), innovators in providing state-of-the-art, customizable and highly reliable computing support environments, has been granted tax exempt status by the state of North Carolina for its new build-to-suit project at the companys Kings Mountain Data Center campus. The tax incentive was awarded under the recently enacted HB 117, the North Carolina Competes Act, which grants tax privileges specifically to data centers, and will provide tax exemption for both data center construction and operations. Under the tax exemption umbrella, T5 Data Centers is exempt from paying sales or use taxes on major equipment and supporting infrastructure during construction of the new build-to-suit data center. The savings during construction are expected to be significant for T5 as well as for T5s customers. It also means that T5 Data Centers and its new customer will be exempt from taxes related to data hall IT deployments and facility operations, which includes expenses for servers, hardware, equipment, and taxes on electricity. To qualify for the tax exemption, a cumulative anticipated investment of $75 million has to be made in the data center over five years. With the new data center tax incentives, North Carolina becomes an even better location for companies seeking to build a high-performance data center facility, said Robbie Sovie, Vice President of Construction Services. The tax savings during the construction phase are substantial, and our customers are already talking about reallocating those tax savings to assist with continued investment in the Kings Mountain data center. This new tax incentive package continues to make North Carolina one of the most cost-effective locations to build and operate a data center. The tax exemption savings new Kings Mountain tenants receive under HB 117 are in addition to the agreements T5 Data Centers has negotiated with the City of Kings Mountain and Cleveland County for 30-year rebates on real and personal property. The combined tax incentives make T5s Kings Mountain campus an attractive location for data center investment. For more information about T5s data center services, visit . T5 Data Centers (T5) is a leading national data center owner and operator, committed to delivering customizable, scalable data centers that provide an always on computing environment to power mission critical business applications. T5 Data Centers provides enterprise colocation data center services to organizations across North America using proven, best-in-class technology and techniques to design and develop facilities that deliver the lowest possible total cost of operations for its clients. T5 currently has business-critical data center facilities in Atlanta, Los Angeles, Dallas, Portland and Charlotte with new projects announced in New York, and Colorado. All of T5s data center projects are purpose-built facilities featuring robust design, redundant and reliable power and telecommunications, and have 24-hour staff to support mission-critical computing applications. For more information, visit . Contact: Aaron Wangenheim T5 Data Centers (415) 292-7700 Information Builders Partners With Tech Leaders to Improve Healthcare Processes and Outcomes NEW YORK. NY and LAS VEGAS, NV (Marketwired) 03/02/16 Information Builders, a leader in (BI) and analytics, information integrity, and data integration solutions, today announced that its technology is helping healthcare providers reduce costs, streamline efficiencies and improve care with effective data management. Information Builders is proud to work with leading healthcare providers and partners operating across numerous areas of care and support. Information Builders healthcare customers include: ), a Pennsylvania hospital system with 60 outpatient locations that sees 500,000 outpatient visits, 50,000 emergency department visits and 14,000 admissions each year. Before working with Information Builders, data collection and analysis was not as efficient as desired, which prevented the organization from devoting the time needed to system improvements. Under the leadership of BHS CIO Dr. A. Thomas McGill, the organization worked with Information Builders to create a reporting portal, parameterized reports and InfoAssist reporting objects that empower clinicians and administrators to conduct their own analyses. This resulted in qualitative improvements that met government requirements. Additionally, the BHS emergency department reduced its arrival-to-admission and arrival-to-discharge times while it increased patient throughput volumes. Dr. McGill received a 2014 Analytics All Star award from Health Data Management for his role in the initiative. , one of Illinois leading healthcare organizations, oversees four hospitals across the state and serves hundreds of thousands of patients. MHS was faced with the challenge of improving critical performance goals, overcoming integrity issues and enabling compliance with government regulations. The organization worked with Information Builders master data management (MDM) technology to create a unified information repository and reporting environment that delivers a single view of patients, providers, and other key business entities. Working with Information Builders gave MHS access to deep reporting and analysis that wasnt previously available to them. Since implementation, the organization has seen accelerated time-to-market and improved accessibility to complete and consistent information to enhance patient care, cost control and compliance. Information Builders has helped MHS create single golden records for each patient, which reduced confusion and improved overall care. Information Builders works with numerous providers in the healthcare space in addition to BHS and MHS, including Quinte Health Care, Allegiance Health System and others. More information on Information Builders healthcare clients and solutions is available for download in this . Information Builders is dedicated to continually evolving its solutions and offerings to address our clients changing needs in todays dynamic healthcare space. The companys roster of industry leading partners plays a critical role in supporting this commitment. The newest additions to Information Builders partner group include , a provider of high-performance healthcare provider databases and SaaS applications, , a provider of data discovery and MDM consultancy services, and , a provider of claims subrogation services for healthcare providers and payers. provides healthcare provider databases, provider-focused SaaS applications, and Medicare/Medicaid certified Physician Directories that ensure regulatory compliance. Partnering with Information Builders ensures that a high level of data accuracy is maintained across databases and enables advanced BI and analytics, allowing MedicalQuest to better meet demands from payers, hospitals, and providers. MedicalQuest is exhibiting at HIMSS16 as part of the Clinical and Business Intelligence knowledge center at booth 14060. offers data insight, visualizations, MDM, big data, data interoperability and consulting services to help clients make data-driven decisions. The company uses Information Builders WebFOCUS Business User Edition to provide analytics to growing medical provider organizations. provides subrogation services that recover lost or leaked revenue through proprietary processes that identify claim errors such as wrong insurance, wrong employers, misidentified coverage, etc. and recoups that revenue on behalf of their providers/payers. Information Builders enables ERI to apply MDM business rules to reduce manual efforts and produce 360-degree reports for submission to clients. ERI and Information Builders are offering a joint demo of their solution at HIMSS16 at booth 4665. Information Builders is showcasing its healthcare offerings, including the latest version of Omni-Patient, its comprehensive healthcare information management solution, in booth 4665 at the HIMSS16 Conference and Expo in Las Vegas, February 29-March 4, 2016. Follow @infobldrs on Twitter for all the latest news and images from the show floor. Information Builders provides solutions for business intelligence (BI), analytics, data integration, and data quality that help drive performance improvements, innovation, and value. Through one set of powerful products, we enable organizations to serve everyone analysts, non-technical users, even partners, customers and citizens with better data and analytics. Our dedication to customer success is unmatched with thousands of organizations relying on us as their trusted partner. Founded in 1975, Information Builders is headquartered in New York, NY, with global offices, and remains one of the largest independent, privately-held companies in the industry. Visit us at , follow us on Twitter at , like us on , and visit our page. Kathleen Moran Information Builders (917) 339-6313 Lillian Dunlap LEWIS (781) 761-4500 EPAL reports record results in 2015 With an increase of almost 11%, the 2015 production figures of EPAL pallets have exceeded all expectations. A total of 73.6 million EPAL Euro pallets were produced around the globe in 2015. This is a record result, up 10.9% in comparison to the previous year. At 23.9 million units, the 2015 repair figures were slightly but clearly above those of the previous year (2014: 22.4 million). In 2014, with an increase of 3%, the development of the EPAL load carriers was on a par with the growth of the global logistics industry. In 2015, the production figures more than tripled and thus lay far above the annual growth rates in the logistics and packaging industry. Martin Leibrandt, CEO of EPAL: ?This exceptional result is thanks to the outstanding teamwork of all fifteen National Committees, the three EPAL representatives and the field managers. I?m very proud of EPAL?s positive development.? EPALs positive overall result was influenced by increased production in the following countries (in alphabetical order): Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Ukraine. And in addition, the overall result was co-determined by increased repairs in the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Spain and Ukraine. In Asia, EPAL recorded increased production figures in China and South Korea and increased repair figures in China. The European Pallet Association e.V. (EPAL) was founded in 1991 as the umbrella association of licensed producers and repairers of EPAL/EUR-pallets and box pallets. EPAL is globally responsible for the consistent quality of the EPAL load carriers and therefore uses an independent external quality inspection service. EPAL has been granting exclusive licenses for the production and repair of Euro pallets with the EPAL in oval branded marking on four corner blocks since 1st August 2013. EPAL is currently represented in more than thirty countries by fifteen National Committees which have committed themselves to implementing the EPAL objectives on a national basis. As a registered association, EPAL does not pursue any commercial interests and makes all its decisions in the interests of its industry, trade and logistics partners. Solar Novus Today Has Been Integrated With Novus Light Technologies Today Visit Novus Light Technologies Today to see all the cutting-edge stories and products that you have come to enjoy on Solar Novus Today. In addition, you will find more information on related light-based technologies. Get the latest solar and renewable energy news delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for the Green Technologies newsletter CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR GREEN TECHNOLOGIES NEWSLETTER By Marielle D. Marne | March 2, 2016 Four Seasons Home Services keeps you affordably comfortable all season long CAVE CREEK Phoenix has broken all kinds of heat records, and searing temps will likely be around before summer. Now is the best time to get your AC units tuned up, and once again, Four Seasons Home Services is offering its $59.95 special to assure your air conditioner performs optimally not only to keep you cool but to save you cash. Owners Kevin and Jessica Morriston encourage customers to take advantage of further savings with the Four Seasons HVAC Maintenance Agreement. Its an annual investment of $125 per unit or they offer payment plans of roughly $10 per month. The agreement covers TWO complete performance maintenance visits per year along with a 15 percent discount on diagnostics/repairs. Same day service is guaranteed, as well as extended service hours (8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon-Sat). The agreement includes a two year warranty on repairs. Tune-up includes chemical condenser coil cleaning and combustion analysis (if applicable). The Morristons cant stress enough the importance of maintaining HVAC systems since temperatures are so extreme in Arizona. With the not-so-long-ago snow and the recent 90 degree forecast, the severe fluctuating temps are not your ACs friend. So, to assure they get to all their neighbors who need them in a timely fashion, theyve added Albert Flores to their team. Flores brings 15 years of experience. Four Seasons is a very training-oriented company and has also brought on board Chris Turner, a student at RSI. Helping Jessica in the office with data entry is Carol, a teen from the Morristons Cave Creek neighborhood. Kevin and Jessica feel lucky to have such terrific employees, wonderful customers, and of course, the opportunity to expand their business with Scottsdale Customized Home Services, a home concierge company. Give Four Seasons Home Services a call at 480-489-3210 or visit www.fourseasonshs.com for any heating, cooling, plumbing or home sitting/watching needs. March 2, 2016 Record $2.4 million raised for Habitat Partnership Committee Special big game permit-tags help fund wildlife habitat management PHOENIX Once again, hunters have come through in a big way in their support of Arizonas wildlife. A record $2.4 million was raised during the 2015-16 funding cycle for the Habitat Partnership Committee (HPC), mostly through the auctioning or raffling of special big game permit-tags, although the committee strives to incorporate multiple funding sources to bring the maximum benefit to wildlife. Proceeds are expected to fund more than 70 projects to improve habitat or management for big game species. Those same projects mutually benefit other wildlife as well. The biggest thing about (HPC) is the partnerships and how they benefit wildlife in this state, said Clay Crowder, committee coordinator and a wildlife specialist for the Arizona Game and Fish Department. The funds have to stay in the state, and they have to go back to help the individual species. The Arizona Game and Fish Commission annually approves three special big game permit-tags, per species, that are awarded to nonprofit wildlife conservation organizations to auction or raffle. Every dollar generated from these auctions and raffles comes back to the department and is used to benefit the species for which the special big game permit-tag is issued. Funds are allocated through the HPC program by collaboration between the department and the organizations. Once project proposals are submitted, the department coordinates with the organizations, and funding is allocated to the projects that provide the most benefit to big game species in Arizona. For more information, visit https://www.azgfd.com/Wildlife/HPC. HPC builds partnerships with hunters, land management agencies, ranchers and wildlife conservation organizations, said James Ammons, Game and Fish commissioner and committee chairman. It is encouraging to see Arizonas habitat and wildlife benefiting from these endeavors. So far, 2016 has been a record-setting year for the auctioning of special big game permit-tags. $380,000 for a desert bighorn sheep permit-tag. The previous high was $303,000 in 1993. $400,000 for a mule deer permit-tag. The previous high was $320,000 in 2015. $55,000 for a Coues white-tailed deer permit-tag. The previous high was $43,000 in 2015. Amber Munig, the departments big game management program supervisor, attended the recent Wild Sheep Foundation (WSF) Convention and Sporting Expo in Reno, Nev., where the historic bighorn sheep tag was auctioned. We are extremely excited to see our tag sell so well and thankful for the bidders and their interest in Arizona desert bighorn sheep, Munig said. The funding will allow us to expand disease monitoring of various populations, which informs our translocation program, and to improve water in areas that we just havent been able to get to. Additional special big game permit-tags will be coming up for auction or raffle in the coming weeks: Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society (ADBSS) annual banquet, 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 27, Chaparral Suites Scottsdale, 5001 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, mountain lion, pronghorn (for Arizona Antelope Foundation). Arizona Elk Society, 4 p.m. March 19, Mesa Convention Center, 263 N. Center St., Mesa. Elk. Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Hunter Rendezvous, 11 a.m. March 26, JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort and Spa, 3800 W. Starr Pass Blvd., Tucson. Elk, bison. For more information about the committee, visit https://www.azgfd.com/Wildlife/HPC. March 2, 2016 Desert Foothills Chapter, Arizona Archaeological Society presents guest speaker Deni Seymour March 9 The Desert Foothills Chapter (DFC) of the Arizona Archaeological Society (AAS) is pleased to announce Dr. Deni Seymour an internationally recognized authority on protohistoric and historic Native American and Spanish colonial archaeology and ethnohistory on March 9th. For 30 years, she has studied the ancestral (Chiricahua, Mescalero, and Lipan) Apache, Sobaipuri-Oodham, and lesser-known mobile groups (Jano, Jocome, Manso, Suma, and Jumano). She has excavated two Spanish-period presidios (Santa Cruz de Terrenate and Tubac), several missions, and several indigenous sites. Dr. Seymour works with indigenous groups in reconnecting with their heritage, investigates Coronado and Niza expedition archaeology, and is rewriting the history of the pre-Spanish and colonial period in the southern portion of the Southwest. Dr. Deni Seymour presents The Great Battle of 1698: A Historical Turning Point for the O'odham and Apache. Perhaps, the greatest historical event to have occurred in this region happened along the San Pedro River in the vicinity of Fairbank on Easter Day in 1698. This was the battle at Santa Cruz de Gaybanipitea, when 500 Apache and their allies attacked the still-sleeping Sobaipuri-Oodham village of 80. This village was visited by the Jesuit Father Eusebio Kino in the 1690s. Against all odds, the Sobaipuri-Oodham won the battle. The story is remembered because it was retold and recorded by a number of Spaniards, including by Padre Kino, but fresh understandings are now available that make the story even more important. Seymour corrects the historical record with new translations of historic battle-related documents. She moves beyond what the Spanish conveyed about the battle to include results of archaeological excavations and analysis with application of Oodham-specific cultural information that explains a number of problems including why Kino was delayed in his inspection of the battlefield. The reasons for the battle are discussed and long-held questions are answered including the role of the Spaniards, routes of retreat, evidence of ritualized site cleansing, how we can be certain about the correct location, and where specifically the Sobaipuri went after the battle. A newly identified battlefield signature is discussed based on projectile point breakage patterns. Projectile points also provide important indicators of the various ethnic groups involved: the Jocome, Jano, Manso, Suma, and Apache. Dr. Deni Seymour has published extensively on these groups and this period, with more than 80 publications in referred journals, edited volumes, and popular venues, and has served as journal guest editors. She has published five books with another two under review. Dr. Seymour is a full-time research archaeologist and ethnohistorian, public speaker, and author affiliated with two academic institutions and the nonprofit research group Jornada Research Institute. The general public may attend an Arizona Archaeology Society Desert Foothills Chapter meeting at no charge, except for the holiday party in December. The AAS-DFC meetings are held on the second Wednesday of each month, September through May. There are refreshments available at 7 p.m. and the meeting begins at 7:30 p.m., usually ending prior to 9p.m. The meetings are held in the community building (Maitland Hall) at The Good Shepherd of the Hills Episcopal Church, 6502 East Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek, AZ 85331. Visit www.azarchsoc.org/desertfoothills. March 2, 2016 Scottsdale Civil War round Table presents Dr. Craig Symonds March 15 Cutting The Gordian Knot: Abraham Lincoln And The Problem Of Slavery In American History will be presented by Dr. Craig Symonds on March 15 at 6:40 pm at Scottsdale Civic Center Library (Auditorium). Dr. Craig L. Symonds is Professor Emeritus at the United States Naval Academy. During a thirty-year teaching career at the Academy, including a four year term as Department Chair, Symonds was the first person to win both the Academys Excellence in Teaching award (1988) and its Excellence in Research award (1998). He also received the Department of the Navys Superior Civilian Service medal on three occasions. He was Professor of Strategy at the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, and at the Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth, England. After retirement in 2005, Symonds returned to the Naval Academy for one year in 2011-12 to serve as The Class of 1957 Distinguished Professor of American Naval History. Symonds is the author or editor of twenty-eight books, including prize-winning biographies of Civil War figures Joseph E. Johnston (1992), Patrick Cleburne (1997), and Franklin Buchanan (1999). His 2005 book, Decision at Sea: Five Naval Battles that Shaped American History, won the Theodore and Franklin D. Roosevelt Prize for Naval History, and his 2008 book, Lincoln and His Admirals: Abraham Lincoln, the U.S. Navy, and the Civil War, won the Barondess Prize, the Laney Prize, the Lyman Prize, the Lincoln Prize, and the Abraham Lincoln Institute Book Award. He won the Nevins-Freeman Prize in 2009. His book on The Battle of Midway was published in 2011, and his most recent book is Neptune: The Allied Invasion of Europe and the D-Day Landings, which won the John Barry Prize from the New York Counsel of the Navy League. Scottsdale Civil War Round Table meets the third Tuesday of every month (except June, July, & August), at the Scottsdale Civic Center Library (Auditorium), 3839 N Drinkwater Blvd, Scottsdale. Speakers are comprised of well known Civil War experts from around the country. Everyone is welcome. No admission charge. For more information: www.scottsdalecwrt.org or 480-699-5844. March 2, 2016 Adventure Writers Competition sponsored by the Clive Cussler Collector's Society opens for entries March 1 If you write anything along the lines of adventure, this is the competition you want to enter. Enter the competition" 2015 Finalist James Marshall Smith PHOENIX, Arizona - EINPresswire.com The 2016 Adventure Writers Competition, sponsored by the Clive Cussler Collector's Society, will be open for submissions March 1 through June 30! In it's sixth year, the competition is open to all new adventure novels, newly published or unpublished. Semi-finalist and finalist rounds precede the announcement of the winner. The $1000 cash prize is awarded to our "Grandmaster" in October during the Clive Cussler Collector's Society annual meeting, location to be announced. Other prizes may include press releases, consideration by a publisher, free professional editing sample, conversations with past winners and finalists, artwork cover sketches and, of course, the "Clive", the Grandmaster Award trophy. "The Adventure Writers Competition is unique, because we are the only competition we know of in the world that focuses on the genre of adventure," said Peter Greene, competition director. "We accept a wide range of adventure novels, from classic, to military, to spy, to legal, to outdoor to, well, pretty much everything, though there are some restrictions! But unlike so many competitions, we have one category, one genre, one winner. We are not in this to make money, we are in it to help writers, period." The competition accepts novels from all over the world, and past winners and finalists have represented Australia, Russia, England, Japan and even...Atlanta! The entries are sent to judges anonymously, ensuring that each novel gets a fair chance. "No political weirdness here," said Greene. Each entry is read by up to fifteen judges in two separate rounds: synopsis and full length manuscript. Writers considering entry are encouraged to read the rules and entry procedures on the competition website, www.adventurewriterscompetition.com, and also view the video explaining the 2015 competition. All proceeds from the $25 entry fee go to promoting the contest and to prizes. You may be a fantastic writer, but we will never know, unless you do something about it! March 2, 2016 Treating and Preventing Fleas When dog and cat owners notice their pet excessively scratching, biting, and licking, many of them associate these signs with fleas. With so many products on the market for flea treatment and prevention, finding the right product to treat your pet and house can be both intimidating and confusing. Controlling fleas is a multi-step process and often involves assistance from your veterinarian, especially in severe cases. For every flea an owner finds on their pet, it is likely that many other immature flea life stages, such as eggs, larvae, and cocoons, are in the pet owners home and yard. Thus, an efficient flea treatment and prevention plan includes caring for both the pet and the pets environment. However, it is important to note that no flea treatment plan shows immediate results, so it is important for pet owners to be patient and continue routine care for flea prevention. Dr. Adam Patterson, clinical assistant professor and chief of dermatology at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, explained the importance of treating both pets and their environment for fleas. The adult fleas owners see on their pet is just the tip of the iceberg, as those fleas come from immature and unseen flea life stages in the carpet, area rugs, upholstery, dog beds, and shady places outdoors, Patterson said. Depending on environmental conditions, it may take a couple of weeks to months for all of the eggs to hatch, so if you dont keep regularly administering flea prevention to all fur-bearing animals in your home, you are giving fleas an opportunity to come right back on your pet. A successful flea control plan eliminates fleas from the pet, as well as the indoor and outdoor environment, thereby preventing immature forms of fleas from developing into blood-sucking adults. Owners should be guided by their veterinarian in choosing the safest and most effective flea control product to treat their pet and home. Veterinarians will choose a product based on the extent of the flea infestation and other considerations, such as the pets health, age, and breed. There are many products to treat your house and yard with, but this should be something you discuss with your veterinarian, Patterson said. Some products may be harmful to some animals in your household so a veterinarian can recommend the best product for you. In addition to using a flea control product, owners can treat their homes and yards in other simple ways. For an indoor environment, vacuum thoroughly below drapes, under furniture, and where the pet sleeps. Be sure to remove and discard the vacuum waste bag after every use until the flea infestation is resolved. Washing the pets bedding on a weekly basis can also help in flea prevention. Controlling fleas in the great outdoors includes disturbing flea habitat to prevent adult fleas from developing. To do this, target veterinarian recommended products to moist, warm, and shady areas and areas in the yard where there is organic debris, such as leaves. Fleas also populate in areas where pets spend much of their time, such as under patios, porches, and outdoor kennels. Disturb these breeding ground areas by raking, sweeping, and applying an insecticide. There are many flea control products for pets on the market, including flea collars, once-a-month topical spot-on treatments, and oral tablets. Patterson suggested pet owners consult their veterinarian in choosing the most effective flea treatment for their furry friend, as treatment for the pet is the most important step in good flea control. Although fleas are often viewed as just an annoyance for most pets, it is important for pet owners to take immediate action when they notice signs of fleas. Allergic reactions, bacterial skin infections, anemia, and the transmission of parasites are additional potential complications that may occur in pets with fleas. Of course, if you notice any signs of itchy skin, sores on the skin, hair loss, lethargy, or weight loss in your pet, you should have the pet examined by a veterinarian, Patterson advised. The good news with fleas and ticks is that there are very good preventatives available. If you are consistent and vigilant with preventative treatment, you shouldnt have to worry about complications from fleas. Pet Talk is a service of the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University. Stories can be viewed on the Web at www.vetmed.tamu.edu/pet-talk. Suggestions for future topics may be directed to editor@cvm.tamu.edu. Feature Articles March 2, 2016 When dog and cat owners notice their pet excessively scratching, biting, and licking, many of them associate these signs with fleas. With so many products on the market for flea treatment and prevention, finding the right product to treat your pet and house can be both intimidating and confusing. March 2, 2016 20 miniature donkeys to arrive at Triple Horse Rescue All will be searching for forever homes 20 miniature donkeys in a multitude of petite sizes and colors, will make their way from Texas to Triple R Horse Rescue's ranch in Cave Creek, Ariz. All of the tiny donkeys are anxious to find forever homes with loving families and animal lovers. After their arrival, they will be ready to meet their future owners. SPOOF SPACE BY STEELE CODDINGTON | March 2, 2016 I know you saw it on TV, unless you were unfortunate enough to actually be there. It was what pundits call a defining moment performed by a major presidential candidate. It was Hillary Clinton making an election appeal to a newly discovered voting block. A group, species, race or whatever fits, known here-to-fore as the best friend of man and fire hydrants. Before the audience's eyes she barked out a message to dogs (seemed like second nature), fulfilling her role as the panderer who will go to any length to elicit a vote with a promise to throw a bone in return. Most dogs currently are not registered to vote, but some are still known to be registered along with thousands of dead people, trees, horses and illegals. Guest Editorial By Frosty Wooldridge | March 2, 2016 Where is our civilization headed? Pundit Patrick J. Buchanan wrote a piece titled, Tribalism returns to Europe as he chronicled the devastating aspects of multiculturalism in Germany, France, United Kingdom, Denmark, Holland and much of Europe. Buchanan noted that Islam, the most intolerant and violent ideology on the planet, utilizes Western freedoms and laws to upend and defeat the foundation of free speech, democracy and personal choice. Does any American think Europeans stand a chance of surviving the Muslim hordes flooding into their countries? You read about the rapes, murders and social chaos weekly. But, guess what, America continues importing hundreds of thousands of legal Muslim immigrants annually and stands in the cross hairs of adding another 200,000 Syrian Muslim refugeeswho espouse and follow the most violent religion on the planet. Take a look at this five-minute video by a Swiss congressman with his examination of Islams impact on Western countries. It will disturb you as to how fast Islam invades host countries: https://www.facebook.com/usa.pegida/posts/543292962494224 Former Colorado Governor Richard D. Lamm said, If you believe that America is too smug, too self-satisfied, too rich, then lets destroy America. It is not that hard to do. No nation in history has survived the ravages of time. Arnold Toynbee observed that all great civilizations rise and fall, and that, 'An autopsy of history would show that all great nations commit suicide.' Does any American, whether black, white or Hispanic, think we will survive another 100,000,000 (million) legal immigrants within 30 years? Fact: thats whats coming at current immigration levels mandated by Congress. Exactly how do you think we might survive the sheer numbers and the incredible sociological chaos of 100 million third world immigrants from 190 different countries with 190 different worldviews, religions and cultures let alone languages? The great thinker Kant said, The two great dividers are: religion and language. It brings up this question: Where is our civilization headed? I dont think anyone knows. Theres no plan whatsoever. I dont think 535 Congressional Critters possess a clue as to what they bequeath to their children, all of our children. Further, they dont care. If they did, they wouldnt continue this invasion. For starters, Toynbee, Lamm and Buchanan possess incredible historical perspective. They see where the United States gallops at breakneck speed. Jared Diamond wrote a book: CollapseHow Societies Choose to Succeed or Fail. I read the book. Were on the same path as the Roman Empire, the Myans, Greeks, Troy and even Easter Islanders. You cannot miss the signs. You cannot deny the facts. You cannot escape our realities. But our leaders blindly take us down the same path as Rome, etc. All the while, Americans think the Super Bowl stands as the most important item on their to do list. Good grief: we stand $19 trillion in debt. We pay for 500,000 military personnel on 700 bases around the worldall burning tax dollars while doing nothing for America. We suffer 1.5 million homeless in our cities. Were billions of dollars in the hole for failing infrastructure in our citiesyet we give billions to other countries in foreign aid. Over 10 million Americans cant obtain a job, but we import 100,000 legal immigrants, enough to fill the Rose Bowl, every 30 days onto Americas shore. Our schools suffer accelerating failures as kids in Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, Detroit and New York City cannot read or write past the 4th grade level when they graduate from high school or quit long before they reach 18. In my own city of Denver, our kids face 172 different languages in the classrooms. (Source: Denver Post) How does any American school child learn in such linguistic chaos? Answer: they dont. Each day, those of us with jobs pay over $600 million in interest on the $19 trillion Federal Debt. But does Congress pay it down? No! It grows it by borrowing over $2 billion daily to float a false economy. We owe China $1.4 trillion in trade imbalances, but our Congress continues Free Trade that kills American workers jobs. Nothing logical goes on in our U.S. Congress. No solutions! Most of our 535 Congressional Critters continue as the most corrupt in history. They know it, we know it, but no one will install term limits. Look at our states. We all pay for 20 to 30 million illegal aliens and their children at a cost of hundreds of billions of dollars annually. In fact, the economist Edwin Rubenstein reported that Americans pay out $346 billion in costs for illegal immigrants annually across 15 federal agenciesfrom anchor babies, to insurance fraud, to medical care, to child care, to free breakfasts and lunches, food stamps, to ESL courses, to jails, to crime, to shoplifting and on and on. Where is our civilization headed? Were headed for one hell of a fall. Were headed for one nasty future. Were headed for civil war with Muslims and perhaps Mexicans. For sure, Muslims! Their prime directive: Convert or kill all non-believers. They start civil wars and terror in every country they enter. Their DNA and culture mandate violence. Were headed for third world status. In my world bicycle travels, I learned the single greatest aspect of human misery equated to one word: illiteracy. Illiteracy drives every kind of problem in every third world country. It drives our problems in America because 48 million Americans subsist on food stamps. They cant secure a job because they offer no qualifications. Theyre uneducated and their numbers grow by 100,000 immigrants every 30 days. For the record, we inject 1.2 million legal immigrants into America annually. Over 91 percent of them immediately land in welfare lines. How much longer can we do this to ourselves? We face water shortages in seven states in 2016. We face massive traffic congestion and air pollution. We face horrific environmental consequencesbut we keep adding more immigrants. How completely stupid are we? We need to change course. We need to shut down all immigration. We need to save ourselves. We need to do it now. Because if we dont, by 2026, ten years from now, we shall add another 35 million people. It wont be pretty for anyone. Frosty Wooldridge has bicycled across six continents from the Arctic to Antarctica to see the effects of immigration, environment and overpopulation up close and personal. He authored: America on the Brink: The Next Added 100 Million Americans. Guest Editorial By alan korwin - the Uninvited ombudsman | March 2, 2016 Obama announces No-Buy List for guns Seeks to change arbitrary "No-Fly List" into "No Buy List" The man in the White House has publicly announced his intention to summarily disarm the public based on a swiftly growing secret police list. Right now, people on the no-fly list can walk into a store and buy a gun. That is insane. If you're too dangerous to board a plane, you're too dangerous, by definition, to buy a gun. That's a direct quote from Barack Hussein Obama. Are those people charged with something? Have they been convicted of anything? That's rhetorical. No to both questions. I asked the FBI at the SHOT Show in Jan., 2016. They are just banned from flying. Why? The FBI won't say. It's a secret. How do you get on the list? I found out that's a secret too. You lose your right to fly by secret. The list is kept secret by police. Secret police list. Those are words we're not supposed to connect in this free country. People on this secret police list can still take Amtrak, or a bus, or drive to Cincinnati. Or anywhere. If those people are that dangerous why are they still walking around? I asked the FBI. No answer. What sense does that make? Who are these people? That's a secret too. Maybe they can down a plane with a karate chop. Some things about this no-fly list just don't fly. Does it mean the scanners and screening at TSA airport checkpoints don't work on those people? That's why we need the list? Those folks could board with guns and knives and bombs if we didn't ban them -- with a list? The X-ray machines, wands, bomb swabs, anal probes and magnetometers work for the rest of us, but not on them? Does that make sense to you? Maybe checkpoints are just a feel-good scam to keep us in line like the skeptics say. Well it's not a secret to (name withheld to protect the innocent). I met her at a trade show in the press office. Her toddler daughter got a flight ticket with her, but when they got to the gate, they found out her daughter's on the list, and couldn't board. Just like Senator Ted Kennedy. It turns out loads of ordinary people are on the list. The ACLU is fighting the whole concept, for a whole lot of good reasons. But not for the best reason. That is insane. During his recent gun-control TV town hall, this man who took an oath to preserve, protect and defend our Constitution repeated this twisted logic, and wild cheers erupted from the democrat-packed audience. It makes sense, it has a certain appeal, if you don't look at it too hard like we're doing or if you're brain dead. If you really want guns to just go away this would work until you realize it leaves guns in the hands of the agents running the list. An arbitrary list, with no checks and balances, no functional controls or due process of any kind, will deny our fundamental constitutional civil and human rights. The man currently in the White House is calling for the list. You're insane if you object, he says. By implication, if you can't buy a gun, you certainly aren't free to possess any of the firearms you already own, right? Someone should come and take all those dangerous guns away from you because they must be contraband. You're too dangerous to own them. How do you get off the list? You have to sue the federal government. Mr. Obama wants to turn an arbitrary no-fly list run by the government without rules into an arbitrary no-buy list for your fundamental right to keep and bear arms. The gloves are off, the cat is out of the bag, the lie is bald-faced. There are no known parameters for adding people to the list. The Terrorist Screening Center, a secretive FBI branch you can't deal with, runs it. It was started by George W. Bush after the Muslim jihad struck our World Trade Towers in 2001, with about 400 names. Under Obama, the list grew to 10,000 names in 2011, 21,000 in 2012, and 47,000 in 2013, according to Wikipedia. The separate Terrorism Watch List reportedly had more than one million names by 2009 and the lists are mutually exclusive, you can be on one and not the other. This has all the earmarks of a colored-shirt operation we witnessed in Europe that led to World War II. Half the country, give or take, votes democrat, who cheers the plan. For shame. Hussein-Obama's proposal is a disgrace, a violation of his oath, grounds for removal from office, according to leading experts. The news media remained largely and ominously silent at the announcement. Are they afraid they might end up on the list? Did they spot any of the obvious contradictions even within the announcement? It would be easy to dismiss their inability to understand the constitutional problems. They perpetually demonstrate they are unschooled in its workings, as they run hither and yon cheering for candidates instead of reporting about them, supporting socialism instead of The American Way, arguing for the rule of no law, and now this. If you like your guns we can take your guns, by putting you on a list. Anyone who objects is by definition insane. Have a nice day. Visit GunLaws.com. By Linda Bentley | MARCH 2, 2016 What does 2016 herald for DFL and censorship? CAVE CREEK On Jan. 14, Dr. Steve Carol, author and retired professor with a Ph.D. in history specializing in the Middle East, held a speaking engagement at Desert Foothills Library (DFL) titled What does 2016 Herald for the Middle East and for the United States? as a tie-in with the release of his newest book: Understanding the Volatile and Dangerous Middle East. The 998-page paperback book is available on Amazon.com for just under $60 or $27.99 for the Kindle version. According to a reviewer, who gave it a five-star out of five star rating, This is a truly comprehensive, readable reference on the history, geography, and politics of the Middle East. It covers the entire region and the full timeline beginning around 1400 BCE (Israels earliest days) with the heaviest emphasis on modern times, right up through 2015. There is excellent coverage, for example, of all the wars involving Israel. The reviewer goes on to say, Some history books can be a real chore to read, but Dr. Carol has taught high-school through college-level courses, and he knows how to write for those readers, not just his fellow researchers. Any student or author preparing a term paper, article, presentation, or book on the Middle East would do well have this text as a prime source. So would anyone traveling to the Middle East on business or diplomacy. The bibliography, end notes, timeline tables, and maps are thorough. Before retiring from teaching, Carol spent about four decades in the classroom. Dr. Steve Carol Carol is also the official historian and most frequent guest on Middle East Radio Forum on KKNT 960 AM, now in its 13th year of broadcast. Carol was invited to speak at DFL back in 2008 about an earlier book of his about the Middle East and said the executive director at the time, told him the well over 100 people in attendance was the second largest turnout in the librarys history. To help DFL promote the speaking event on the librarys flyer, Carol provided a short blurb about his book along with a photo. Carol thought it was interesting that the library did not use the photo Carol provided and instead used an image of a crescent moon and star, indicating the subject was about Islam, which it was not. The event was also promoted on the library calendar as the book title rather than the event title. When Carol pointed this out to DFL Marketing and Program Manager Dereth Dehaan, he said she told him she didnt proof the insert for the librarys flyer. Because the library has since divided up its conference rooms, his January event was limited to 66 persons. Pre-enrollment filled up in less than a week, so, at Carols suggestion, a second session was added the same day, consecutive to the first session. Total attendance was 130, while others interested in attending had to be turned away. According to Carol, only two people during both sessions got up and left and there were no hostile or argumentative questions from the audience. Carol said afterwards the library agreed, in order to accommodate those who could not attend, he would return to do another double-header on March 31 with the topic adjusted to reflect the most current state of the Middle East. However, about a week later, Carol said he received a call from the library, which abruptly cancelled his March 31 appearance, claiming the subject was not suitable and they had received some negative feedback. Instead, they offered to rent him a conference room for $75 and informed him his appearance would not be sponsored by or receive any publicity from the library. David Court Carol said after looking into the cancelation, it was revealed only 10 people complained about the event, including Executive Director David Court, who didnt attend, and Dehaan, whom Carol said attended for a very brief period of time. Carol urged Sonoran News to watch the video of the event, which can be found on YouTube (www.youtube.com/watch?v=92QwiiQSWU4&feature=youtu.be), and said it seemed to him the library was engaging in censorship, whereas, if you dont like the message, ban the messenger. Carol said it is virtually impossible to speak about the Middle East without presenting factual evidence, stating, For example, it was the Obama administration that brought about the vacuum and mess that Libya is in today. He said, One cant be PC and try to talk about the Middle East objectively. Carol didnt simply single out the Obama administration either, he also spoke about events that took place during the Nixon, Carter and Bush administrations. Carol said his main concern is that the towns library, which is supposed to serve the public, has opted instead to ban a topic that is at the forefront of American security. He called the librarys decision an affront to liberty and, specifically, freedom of speech. When Sonoran News spoke to Court, he said the March 31 event was canceled due to a number of observations from 10 different people. Although Court admitted he didnt attend either event, he claimed the complaints were about the content being political in nature rather than factual. Despite only two people getting up and leaving, it seemed odd those complaining would choose to remain so they could become offended. When asked if he believed that was a good reason for the library to invoke censorship, Court said, Thats your word, not mine. Court defended the cancelation by saying they instead offered to rent Carol a room to hold his speaking engagements. According to Court, they rent rooms to people who are holding private or commercial events. Court then stated the library has another program: Fundamentalism in the Middle East scheduled for Feb. 29, which he said was already scheduled in advance. When reminded Carols March 31 event was also scheduled in advanced but subsequently canceled, Court stated they will be monitoring the Feb. 29 event very carefully. Considering Court neither attended Carols events nor watched the video prior to canceling his March engagement, it will be interesting to know what monitoring very carefully means. After watching the video of Carols January event, Sonoran News found Carol to be extremely knowledgeable, factual and passionate about the subject. Although politics have, no doubt, played a large role in the current state of affairs in the Middle East, Carol only incorporated politics from a historical standpoint and as necessary to present the facts. By Linda Bentley | MARCH 2, 2016 Canadian sentenced for smuggling dinosaur fossils from China Paleontologists are cautious about a sample obtained from fossil smugglers TUCSON Last week Jun Yang, 36, a resident of Richmond, British Columbia, Canada, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Cindy K. Jorgenson to five years of probation and a $25,000 fine after pleading guilty last year to illegally removing dinosaur and egg fossils from China, which he smuggled in shipping containers to the United States. Yang, president of Arctic Products, Inc., was attempting to sell a Psittacosaurus fossil for $15,000 and 16 Hadrosaur egg fossils for $450 apiece during the 2015 Tucson Gem and Mineral Show. Psittacosaurus Yang entered a plea agreement last August to the smuggling charge, in violation of 18 USC Section 545, a class C felony, whereas he knowingly received, concealed, bought or sold, or facilitated in any manner the transportation, concealment or sale of any merchandise previously imported contrary to law. An item is imported contrary to law if the item should have been invoiced. As a factual basis for his guilty plea, Yang admitted he knowingly received, transported and sold 15 Hadrosaur dinosaur egg fossils and offered for sale one Psittacosaurus fossil, all smuggled into the United States from China. Yang said he traveled from Canada to Tucson to display and sell the fossils during the February 10-14, 2015 Globe-X Gem and Mineral Show. Prominently displaying the items he advertised and represented as a Psittacosaurus fossil and 16 Hadrosaur egg fossils, Yang told customers, whom he later learned were undercover ICE officers acting as buyers, that the eggs were Chinese dinosaur fossils and duck billed. Yang said he told other customers, whom he later learned were also undercover agents, that the Psittacosaurus was from the Henan Province of China, was 100 to 130 million years old, was for sale for $15,000 and was a very fine piece intact and complete. Back in January 2002, China.org.cn published an article by Yan Hong titled When Will the Fossil Smuggling End? Stating a fossil records the history of life, Hong said, The discovery and excavation of fossils are of great significance to understanding the evolution of earth and studying the ancient geography, paleoclimate and conditions for forming minerals. Hong said a picture that was arousing world attention was that of a fossil of a Psittacosaurus. After years of being underground, the photo was emailed by a Canadian fossil distributor to those on a Dinosaur e-mail list. He said what made the fossil unique was that there was a cluster of bristles at the tip of its tail and if the Psittacosaurus was proven to have feathers, it would be great progress in dinosaur studies. However, he noted, up until that point, the fossil had never been mentioned in any conferences or articles and the photo of the fossil had only been shown to a few people at the annual vertebrate meeting of North America years earlier. Hong stated, Paleontologists are cautious about a sample obtained from fossil smugglers. Mark Norell, from the American Museum of Natural History in New York, who is an expert in Asian dinosaurs, said private fossil trading usually hides the significance of scientific discoveries and no example is more convincing than the Psittacosaurus. Norell said, The sample may change our knowledge about dinosaurs, but we can confirm nothing at present, for nobody has studied or published the relic. The fossil should be returned to China, to Chinese museums where people can study it. Zhou Zhonghe, a researcher with the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology under Chinese Academy of Sciences believed the Psittacosaurus fossil might have been smuggled out of China several years earlier. Zhonghe said fossils need protection to protect science and natural cultural heritage and stated established museums worldwide dont want to have any connection with a smuggled fossil, as they are not permitted to get involved with fossils of unknown origin. Hong concluded immediate attention needed to be given to strengthen fossil bed protection, enhance the legal system regarding fossil protection and prevent reckless excavation and smuggling of fossils. In April 2007, a warning was posted on ebay.com: Beware of fossil Psittacosaurus skeletons. The warning stated, Many guides have been written about the dangers of Chinese fossils before, especially relating to dinosaur eggs. However one glaring omission from most discussions is the proliferation of fake Psittacosaurus fossils. Many of these specimens are perfect looking animals that are splayed out on a piece of matrix with no missing parts, all the claws and vertebrae intact and without blemishes. Almost every single one of these specimens are fake! No dinosaur fossil has ever been found like that. Ever. Even the famous fighting dinosaurs specimen, or the feathered dinosaurs of Liaoning, or even animals like Archeopteryx were all incomplete. The most complete dinosaur ever found came from Montana, a Brachylophosaurus specimen that was 99% complete. Even with its remarkable preservation, it was still missing bones. The warning went on to state, Again it bears mentioning that all fossils (with the exception of some fish fossils) are illegal to export or sell from China. So if your seller is shipping from China, chances are youre getting a fake, or theyre smuggling it out illegally. The poster, no longer a registered user on ebay, stated he was a professional paleobiologist and member of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology. He said, I feel that the public has a right to own nonscientifically-important fossils. Its a great way to get the public interested and excited about the ancient past of our planet. But the public should also be sure that theyre actually getting a fossil and not getting duped out of hundreds or thousands of dollars. So that brings up the question of whether the fossils were actually real fossils smuggled in from China or fake. While court documents indicated no restitution was ordered, they didnt address what was to become of the fossils. MARCH 2, 2016 SmarterSafer urges Reps. Sinema and Schweikert to back proposal to expand consumer choice on flood insurance 35,000 Arizona homeowners could benefit from congressional flood insurance proposal WASHINGTON, D.C. SmarterSafer.org, a national coalition of taxpayer advocates, environmental groups, insurance interests, housing organizations and mitigation advocates urged Arizona Reps. Kyrsten Sinema and David Schweikert to back a proposal that expands consumer choice on flood insurance. In a letter, the groups wrote that The Flood Insurance Market Parity and Modernization Act (H.R. 2901) would allow more private insurers to offer flood insurance to the more than 35,000 Arizona homeowners who use the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which is sinking under $24 billion in debt. SmarterSafers letter comes in advance of a House Financial Services Committee hearing on the bill, which has already received bipartisan support from more than 20 lawmakers. A copy of the letter addressed to Rep. Sinema is pasted below, and a separate copy was sent to Rep. Schweikert. In a statement, SmarterSafer.org said, In a partisan election year, lawmakers from either side of the aisle can support this legislation as a commonsense approach to fixing our broken federal flood insurance program. Fostering a more robust marketplace for private insurers will not only provide consumers with more options for purchasing flood insurance, but can drive down prices across the board. We urge Reps. Sinema and Schweikert to support this important bill so that homeowners in Arizona and around the country are able to make well-informed flood insurance decisions ultimately lowering costs and better protecting lives and property. The Flood Insurance Market Parity and Modernization Act was reintroduced last June by Reps. Dennis Ross (R-FL) and Patrick Murphy (D-FL) and clarifies federal rules to allow private companies into the flood insurance market. Specifically, the bill would: Remove regulations that make it difficult for private companies to enter the flood insurance market. Give states more flexibility to individually regulate private flood insurance as they see fit. Ensure that policyholders will not lose their flood insurance subsidies if they switch to a private insurer and then decide to switch back to the NFIP. In January, SmarterSafer released a series of recommendations to reform the NFIP, which include the efforts laid out in the Flood Insurance Market Parity and Modernization Act. A complete set of SmarterSafers policy recommendations are available here and attached. By Linda Bentley | MARCH 2, 2016 Bill pending to declare Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist group Hassan al-Bannas book taught jihad as an obligation from Allah on every Muslim that cannot be ignored or evaded Mario Diaz-Balart WASHINGTON Last week, the House Judiciary Committee passed H.R. 3892, the Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act of 2015, to call on the State Department to classify the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist group. The bill, introduced by U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., was voted out of committee with a 17-10 party-line vote and is expected to go before the full House for a vote. H.R. 3892 would require the Secretary of State to submit a report to Congress on the designation of the Muslim Brotherhood as a foreign terrorist organization and notes the following countries have declared the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization and banned it from their countries: Syria banned the Muslim Brotherhood in 1980 and made membership in the organization punishable by death. Russia declared the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization in 2003 and banned the organization from operating in Russia In 2013, Egypt officially declared the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization and banned it from Egypt. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia designated the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization in 2014. The Cabinet of the United Arab Emirates published a list of terrorist organizations, which includes the Muslim Brotherhood and its local affiliates. On March 21, 2014, the Foreign Minister of Bahrain backed the terrorist designations of the Muslim Brotherhood by the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. H.R. 3892 continues by providing the history and intent of the Muslim Brotherhood, which was founded in Egypt in 1928 by Hassan al-Banna. The organization remains headquartered in Egypt but operates throughout the world. The Muslim Brotherhoods long-standing motto includes the following: Allah is our objective. The Prophet is our leader. The Quran is our law. Jihad is our way. Dying in the way of Allah is our highest hope. [Allah is greater!] Hassan al-Bannas book, The Way of Jihad, taught jihad as an obligation from Allah on every Muslim that cannot be ignored or evaded. It defines jihad as the fighting of the unbelievers, and involves all possible efforts that are necessary to dismantle the power of the enemies of Islam including beating them, plundering their wealth, destroying their places of worship and smashing their idols. Al-Banna also taught it is the nature of Islam to dominate, not to be dominated, and that the mission of Islam, as interpreted and executed by the Muslim Brotherhood, must be to impose Islamic law on nations and to extend its power to the entire planet. After providing numerous more recent examples of the teachings of the Muslim Brotherhood, H.R. 3892 states, It is the sense of Congress that the Muslim Brotherhood meets the criteria for designation as a foreign terrorist organization under section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189); and the Secretary of mState, in consultation with the Attorney General and the Secretary of the Treasury, should exercise the Secretary of States authority by designating the Muslim Brotherhood as a foreign terrorist organization. The bill would give Secretary John Kerry, in consultation with the intelligence community, 60 days to submit a detailed report to the appropriate congressional committees, which it enumerates, that indicates whether the Muslim Brotherhood meets the criteria for designation as a foreign terrorist organization; and if the Secretary of State determines the Muslim Brotherhood does not meet the criteria, includes a detailed justification as to which criteria have not been met. Ted Cruz The Senate companion bill, S. 2230, introduced by U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, once signed into law, would make it a crime for anyone in the United States to provide material support to the Muslim Brotherhood, and the Treasury Department could force banks to block financial transactions related to the organization. The bill lists U.S. groups operating under the umbrella and control of the Muslim Brotherhood, including the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) and the North American Islamic Trust (NAIT). Brigitte Gabriel Brigitte Gabriel, founder and president of ACT for America, the nations largest nonprofit, non-partisan, grassroots organization devoted to promoting national security and defeating terrorism with more than 890 chapters nationwide and 11 countries worldwide, is urging citizens to contact their Senators in support of this bill. MARCH 2, 2016 Sen. Mike Lee offers bill to end net neutrality FAIRFAX, Va. Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning issued the following statement urging members of the U.S. Senate to cosponsor legislation by Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) that will bring an end to so-called net neutrality regulations by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC): "Sen. Mike Lee once again shows his commitment to reining the Obama administrative state's regulatory onslaught and stranglehold on the U.S. economy. Lee's offering a bill that will repeal FCC's so-called net neutrality regulations and prohibits the Commission from issuing any similar regulations until such time that Congress authorizes it to act is the exact kind of application of Congress' Article One responsibilities that all members of Congress should follow. "In one of the most outrageous Obama Administration actions to date the FCC voted to do that which Congress denied through the Agency's administrate rewrite of the 1934 Communications Act to treat broadband Internet as a utility under Title II. The whole process averted the constitutional law-making process, and Sen. Lee's bill restores Internet freedom, while properly reasserting Congress legitimate constitutional power to make law. "The fact is, net neutrality regulations guarantee higher rates, less competition, and a regulatory burden that stifles innovation in the technology industry. Sen. Mike Lee is to be thanked for taking on this tough issue." MARCH 2, 2016 Trump's policy on reforming the U.S. - China trade relationship to make America great again! How We Got Here: Washington Politicians Let China Off The Hook In January 2000, President Bill Clinton boldly promised China's inclusion in the World Trade Organization (WTO) "is a good deal for America. Our products will gain better access to China's market, and every sector from agriculture, to telecommunications, to automobiles. But China gains no new market access to the United States." None of what President Clinton promised came true. Since China joined the WTO, Americans have witnessed the closure of more than 50,000 factories and the loss of tens of millions of jobs. It was not a good deal for America then and it's a bad deal now. It is a typical example of how politicians in Washington have failed our country. The most important component of our China policy is leadership and strength at the negotiating table. We have been too afraid to protect and advance American interests and to challenge China to live up to its obligations. We need smart negotiators who will serve the interests of American workers - not Wall Street insiders that want to move U.S. manufacturing and investment offshore. The Goal Of The Trump Plan: Fighting For American Businesses And Workers America has always been a trading nation. Under the Trump administration trade will flourish. However, for free trade to bring prosperity to America, it must also be fair trade. Our goal is not protectionism but accountability. America fully opened its markets to China but China has not reciprocated. Its Great Wall of Protectionism uses unlawful tariff and non-tariff barriers to keep American companies out of China and to tilt the playing field in their favor. If you give American workers a level playing field, they will win. At its heart, this plan is a negotiating strategy to bring fairness to our trade with China. The results will be huge for American businesses and workers. Jobs and factories will stop moving offshore and instead stay here at home. The economy will boom. The steps outlined in this plan will make that a reality. When Donald J. Trump is president, China will be on notice that America is back in the global leadership business and that their days of currency manipulation and cheating are over. We will cut a better deal with China that helps American businesses and workers compete. The Trump Plan Will Achieve The Following Goals: Bring China to the bargaining table by immediately declaring it a currency manipulator. Protect American ingenuity and investment by forcing China to uphold intellectual property laws and stop their unfair and unlawful practice of forcing U.S. companies to share proprietary technology with Chinese competitors as a condition of entry to China's market. Reclaim millions of American jobs and reviving American manufacturing by putting an end to China's illegal export subsidies and lax labor and environmental standards. No more sweatshops or pollution havens stealing jobs from American workers. Strengthen our negotiating position by lowering our corporate tax rate to keep American companies and jobs here at home, attacking our debt and deficit so China cannot use financial blackmail against us, and bolstering the U.S. military presence in the East and South China Seas to discourage Chinese adventurism. Details of Donald J. Trump's US China Trade Plan: Declare China A Currency Manipulator We need a president who will not succumb to the financial blackmail of a Communist dictatorship. President Obama's Treasury Department has repeatedly refused to brand China a currency manipulator - a move that would force China to stop these unfair practices or face tough countervailing duties that level the playing field. Economists estimate the Chinese yuan is undervalued by anywhere from 15% to 40%. This grossly undervalued yuan gives Chinese exporters a huge advantage while imposing the equivalent of a heavy tariff on U.S. exports to China. Such currency manipulation, in concert with China's other unfair practices, has resulted in chronic U.S. trade deficits, a severe weakening of the U.S. manufacturing base and the loss of tens of millions of American jobs. In a system of truly free trade and floating exchange rates like a Trump administration would support, America's massive trade deficit with China would not persist. On day one of the Trump administration the U.S. Treasury Department will designate China as a currency manipulator. This will begin a process that imposes appropriate countervailing duties on artificially cheap Chinese products, defends U.S. manufacturers and workers, and revitalizes job growth in America. We must stand up to China's blackmail and reject corporate America's manipulation of our politicians. The U.S. Treasury's designation of China as a currency manipulator will force China to the negotiating table and open the door to a fair - and far better - trading relationship. End China's Intellectual Property Violations China's ongoing theft of intellectual property may be the greatest transfer of wealth in history. This theft costs the U.S. over $300 billion and millions of jobs each year. China's government ignores this rampant cybercrime and, in other cases, actively encourages or even sponsors it -without any real consequences. China's cyber lawlessness threatens our prosperity, privacy and national security. We will enforce stronger protections against Chinese hackers and counterfeit goods and our responses to Chinese theft will be swift, robust, and unequivocal. The Chinese government also forces American companies like Boeing, GE, and Intel to transfer proprietary technologies to Chinese competitors as a condition of entry into the Chinese market. Such de facto intellectual property theft represents a brazen violation of WTO and international rules. China's forced technology transfer policy is absolutely ridiculous. Going forward, we will adopt a zero tolerance policy on intellectual property theft and forced technology transfer. If China wants to trade with America, they must agree to stop stealing and to play by the rules. Eliminate China's Illegal Export Subsidies And Other Unfair Advantages Chinese manufacturers and other exporters receive numerous illegal export subsidies from the Chinese government. These include - in direct contradiction to WTO rules - free or nearly free rent, utilities, raw materials, and many other services. China's state-run banks routinely extend loans these enterprises at below market rates or without the expectation they will be repaid. China even offers them illegal tax breaks or rebates as well as cash bonuses to stimulate exports. China's illegal export subsidies intentionally distorts international trade and damages other countries' exports by giving Chinese companies an unfair advantage. From textile and steel mills in the Carolinas to the Gulf Coast's shrimp and fish industries to the Midwest manufacturing belt and California's agribusiness, China's disregard for WTO rules hurt every corner of America. The U.S. Trade Representative recently filed yet another complaint with the WTO accusing China of cheating on our trade agreements by subsidizing its exports. The Trump administration will not wait for an international body to tell us what we already know. To gain negotiating leverage, we will pursue the WTO case and aggressively highlight and expose these subsidies. China's woeful lack of reasonable environmental and labor standards represent yet another form of unacceptable export subsidy. How can American manufacturers, who must meet very high standards, possibly compete with Chinese companies that care nothing about their workers or the environment? We will challenge China to join the 21 st Century when it comes to such standards. The Trump Plan Will Strengthen Our Negotiating Position As the world's most important economy and consumer of goods, America must always negotiate trade agreements from strength. Branding China as a currency manipulator and exposing their unfair trade practices is not enough. In order to further strengthen our negotiating leverage, the Trump plan will: Lower the corporate tax rate to 15% to unleash American ingenuity here at home and make us more globally competitive. This tax cut puts our rate 10 percentage points below China and 20 points below our current burdensome rate that pushes companies and jobs offshore. Attack our debt and deficit by vigorously eliminating waste, fraud and abuse in the Federal government, ending redundant government programs, and growing the economy to increase tax revenues. Closing the deficit and reducing our debt will mean China cannot blackmail us with our own Treasury bonds. Strengthen the U.S. military and deploying it appropriately in the East and South China Seas. These actions will discourage Chinese adventurism that imperils American interests in Asia and shows our strength as we begin renegotiating our trading relationship with China. A strong military presence will be a clear signal to China and other nations in Asia and around the world that America is back in the global leadership business. By Linda Bentley | MARCH 2, 2016 CAVE CREEK On Jan. 14, Dr. Steve Carol, author and retired professor with a Ph.D. in history specializing in the Middle East, held a speaking engagement at Desert Foothills Library (DFL) titled What does 2016 Herald for the Middle East and for the United States? as a tie-in with the release of his newest book: Understanding the Volatile and Dangerous Middle East. The 998-page paperback book is available on Amazon.com for just under $60 or $27.99 for the Kindle version. By Linda Bentley | MARCH 2, 2016 Hassan al-Bannas book taught jihad as an obligation from Allah on every Muslim that cannot be ignored or evaded WASHINGTON Last week, the House Judiciary Committee passed H.R. 3892, the Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act of 2015, to call on the State Department to classify the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist group. The bill, introduced by U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., was voted out of committee with a 17-10 party-line vote and is expected to go before the full House for a vote. By Linda Bentley | MARCH 2, 2016 Paleontologists are cautious about a sample obtained from fossil smugglers TUCSON Last week Jun Yang, 36, a resident of Richmond, British Columbia, Canada, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Cindy K. Jorgenson to five years of probation and a $25,000 fine after pleading guilty last year to illegally removing dinosaur and egg fossils from China, which he smuggled in shipping containers to the United States. Yang, president of Arctic Products, Inc., was attempting to sell a Psittacosaurus fossil for $15,000 and 16 Hadrosaur egg fossils for $450 apiece during the 2015 Tucson Gem and Mineral Show. CAVE CREEK, Arizona The Foothills Food Bank & Resource Center will benefit from Arizona Gives Day, a powerful 24-hour online giving experience that unites Arizonans around causes they believe in. Arizona Gives Day is April 5. Hosted by the Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits and the Arizona Grantmakers Forum, Arizona Gives Day is a great way for non-profits to connect to the larger community. MARCH 2, 2016 We are pleased to announce our 2016 CCFDR Parade Grand Marshal as Mr. David Kimmerle, of Sanderson Ford. Sanderson Ford is our Presenting Sponsor for both the Pro Rodeo and the Concert this year and we couldnt think of any better way to honor them for their support, said Robbie Hall, CCFDR Parade Chairperson. MARCH 2, 2016 FAIRFAX, Va.Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning issued the following statement urging Senators Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) to stand with their party in the U.S. Senate against President Barack Obamas Supreme Court nomination: Our nation faces its greatest internal divide in more than 100 years, and the Supreme Courts current composition reflects that division. Many of the issues that will define the next century are likely to be decided by whoever is the next member of the Supreme Court, and it is fitting that the American people should have a say in that process. MARCH 2, 2016 35,000 Arizona homeowners could benefit from congressional flood insurance proposal WASHINGTON, D.C. SmarterSafer.org, a national coalition of taxpayer advocates, environmental groups, insurance interests, housing organizations and mitigation advocates urged Arizona Reps. Kyrsten Sinema and David Schweikert to back a proposal that expands consumer choice on flood insurance. Joseph Bast | President | The Heartland Institute | MARCH 2, 2016 The Heartland Institute has joined the American Energy Alliance and 21 other free-market and conservative groups as signatories to a letter in support of a resolution by Majority House Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA) in opposition to a carbon tax. Earlier this month, President Barack Obama released a budget that included imposing a $10.25 carbon tax on every barrel of oil. MARCH 2, 2016 FAIRFAX, Va. Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning issued the following statement urging members of the U.S. Senate to cosponsor legislation by Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) that will bring an end to so-called net neutrality regulations by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC): "Sen. Mike Lee once again shows his commitment to reining the Obama administrative state's regulatory onslaught and stranglehold on the U.S. economy. Lee's offering a bill that will repeal FCC's so-called net neutrality regulations and prohibits the Commission from issuing any similar regulations until such time that Congress authorizes it to act is the exact kind of application of Congress' Article One responsibilities that all members of Congress should follow. My View BY DON SORCHYCH | March 2, 2016 The Dark Side (DS) complains that the council does what I want. That is so wrong it is laughable. Lets start with the destruction of our only east/west road, that being Cave Creek Road, so bicycles can smoke through town as if there are no stop signs. The county and our own councils apparently were stupefied by free money. Guest Editorials: By alan korwin - the Uninvited ombudsman | March 2, 2016 Seeks to change arbitrary "No-Fly List" into "No Buy List" The man in the White House has publicly announced his intention to summarily disarm the public based on a swiftly growing secret police list. Right now, people on the no-fly list can walk into a store and buy a gun. That is insane. If you're too dangerous to board a plane, you're too dangerous, by definition, to buy a gun. That's a direct quote from Barack Hussein Obama. By Dr. Earl Tilford | March 2, 2016 The Vietnam War provides lessons in how to lose. The United States never planned to defeat its opponents, the indigenous southern Viet Cong guerrillas and their northern supporters the Peoples Army of Vietnam. Instead, from 1964 until 1969during President Lyndon B. Johnsons administrationwe sought to compel our enemies to stop their aggression against the Saigon regime and negotiate an end to the conflict. To avoid a wider war and fearing Chinese or Soviet intervention, President Johnson limited the bombing of North Vietnam to a series of tactical half-measures. He failed to stem Hanois source of weapons by not bombing railways and highways near the Chinese border and not mining Haiphong Harbor. Administration policy also forbade pursuing enemy forces into sanctuaries in Cambodia and Laos from which they attacked South Vietnam. The U.S. strategy of containment rendered a stalemate. By Frosty Wooldridge | March 2, 2016 Pundit Patrick J. Buchanan wrote a piece titled, Tribalism returns to Europe as he chronicled the devastating aspects of multiculturalism in Germany, France, United Kingdom, Denmark, Holland and much of Europe. Buchanan noted that Islam, the most intolerant and violent ideology on the planet, utilizes Western freedoms and laws to upend and defeat the foundation of free speech, democracy and personal choice. By Rick Manning | March 2, 2016 Can you imagine being forced to train your replacement when the corporation that preached family to you decided they could go cheaper if they just imported a foreign worker? Well that is exactly was Disney Corporation forced some of their highly skilled IT employees to endure, in a widening national scandal about H1-B visa abuse. What you need to know about Powerball and the $580 million jackpot News Oak Creek to host outdoor 2022 World Cup watch party A partnership between Morans Pub in South Milwaukee and the city of Oak Creek will offer residents food, drinks, music and games on Nov. 25. Welcome to SwanseaOnline - your home for the best news, sports and what's on coverage of the city. Never miss a Swansea story with our daily newsletter Sign up to comment on our stories here Follow us on Facebook and Twitter | Swansea City news | Ospreys news | InYourArea A planet found at an extreme distance from its parent star may have been kicked out by a fellow planet. Planet HD 106906b orbits 16 times as far from its parent star as Pluto lies from the sun. A new study of the far-flung alien planet reveals what appears to be a lopsided comet belt surrounding its parent star a finding scientists say indicates a history of violence in the early planetary system. "Since HD 106906b is very massive, the most likely culprit is another massive planet in the system that gravitationally jostled HD 106906b from its original orbit," Paul Kalas, an adjunct professor of astronomy at the University of California, Berkeley, told Space.com by email. [The Strangest Alien Planets (Gallery)] Kalas and his team used the Gemini Planet Imager (GPI) in Chile and NASA's Hubble Space Telescope to identify the comet belt. He presented the results earlier this month at the American Astronomical Society's Extreme Solar Systems III conference in Hawaii. Other possible explanations for HD 106906b's distant orbit include a disruptive interaction with a passing star, according to Kalas. "If we find another planet, HD 106906c, then we could be more specific about the history of the system," Kalas said. Kicked out After a star collapses, planets form from the remaining disk of gas and dust around it. But the distant location of the enormous planet, which is about 11 times as massive as Jupiter, led to speculation that a different process could be responsible. When the planet was discovered last year, some scientists suggested that it might have formed like a star, from its own disk of debris. Intrigued by the strange system, Kalas and his team decided to search for other large planets in the area, using GPI. Instead, they found a massive disk of dust and rocks roughly the width of the solar system's cometary reservoir, the Kuiper Belt, orbiting the star. According to Kalas, the clean-swept interior of the disk suggests that planets formed within it. The team searched for another large planet near the parent star, but found nothing outside of a Uranus-size orbit. Hubble telescope images of the star taken previously revealed that the disk of material is even wider than shown by GPI, the new study shows. Rather than being uniform, the belt is lopsided, suggesting that something stirred things up around the star. Study co-author Ruth Murray-Clay, an assistant professor of physics at the University of California, Santa Barbara, told Space.com that the planet itself is too small to produce such a pronounced flaring without disrupting the thin disk along the way. "That sort of structure could have been produced by another star that passed by the system in the past," she said. A passing star also could have played a role in stretching the planet's distant orbit, the study said. When the planet was booted out of the system, it may have grabbed up material as it passed through the cometary belt, picking up its own disk of debris, the researchers said. Follow-up studies of the system should reveal the presence of such a ring around the planet, they said. But whether the planet will continue to circle its sun is still uncertain. "These results are so new, we do not know if the planet is on a bound orbit," Kalas said. The original discovery of the objects showed that the planet is moving in the same direction, and at the same speed, as the parent star, proving that it is not a background object. If scientists can confirm that the planet still orbits its parent star, it would have the most distant orbit of any known exoplanet. "Now that we've shown the system is quite interesting because of the disturbed dust disk, there will be a renewed motivation to measure the position of the planet and star over time, and thereby estimate the orbit," Kalas said. The new results were published in The Astrophysical Journal. Direct imaging shows the cometary belt surrounding the star HD 106906, which is stretched out on one side. A distant planet sits more than 650 times the distance from the Earth to the sun. Hubble's image is shown in blue, with GPI zoomed in. (Image credit: Paul Kalas, UC Berkeley) A tight-knit pair During the question-and-answer session at the conference, Anne-Marie Lagrange, Senior Astronomer of France's National Center for Scientific Research, revealed another surprise about the system: that the host star is not one but two stars orbiting each other at less than half of Earth's distance from the sun. The pair of stars may have influenced the planet's journey in a way that a single star could not, said Lagrange, who is not part of Kalas' team. Her research has been accepted for publication in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics. "There is a slight possibility that the planet formed closer to the star, beyond the ice line, and then moved down to within the chaotic zone of the binary, and was then ejected by one of the two binary components, after one or several close encounters," Lagrange said. Murray-Clay agreed that the binary system could have played a role in kicking out the planet. "Massive planets like HD 106906b are more easily ejected from a binary star system than from single star systems," she said. "Though we don't have direct evidence that the binary star helped eject this particular planet, it's a reasonable guess." At the same time, the binary system does not discount the potential for another planet orbiting the two stars. Murray-Clay pointed out that the tight binary stars are too close to generate the inner hole in the ring structure identified by GPI. "An additional massive body like another planet is required to explain the system," she said. Dynamical upheaval in action HD 106906b is a young planet, only about 13 million years old (compared to the Earth's 4.5-billion-year age). Because of its youth, astronomers were able to capture a near-infrared image of the planet by direct imaging. "Direct imaging of exoplanets is accomplished in the near-infrared because young planets are still quite warm," Kalas said. "What we see in direct images is the heat emitted from such planets, not reflected light." The more massive a planet is, the longer it takes to cool off. Kalas said the giant world may continue to radiate heat into space for billions of years. The GPI Exoplanet Survey is targeting 600 young stars, all less than 100 million years old, to get a glimpse of how planetary systems evolve over time and to provide hints about how Earth's solar system evolved. "The wonderful thing about direct imaging is that we can image exoplanets when they are young we can find out where they were born and how they evolve," Kalas said. With HD 106906b, the team can understand some of the dynamics that the early solar system may have gone through. "I am excited about this system we're seeing dynamic upheaval in action," Murray-Clay said. Follow Nola Taylor Redd on Twitter @NolaTRedd or Google+. Follow us at @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com. The British company Reaction Engines Ltd. hopes to manufacture Skylon, a runway-to-orbit space plane using hybrid air-breathing rocket engines. The British Skylon single-stage-to-orbit space plane would take off from a runway and fly on air-breathing hydrogen-fueled rocket engines for much of its ascent through the atmosphere. When the air becomes too thin, Skylon switches to onboard liquid oxygen. Watch Our Skylon Space Plane Video Show Skylon's payload bay carries both passengers and cargo, although the craft itself is controlled remotely and has no onboard pilots. Crew: None (remotely controlled from the ground) Passengers: None (up to 30 in optional passenger module) Payload: 33,000 lbs. (15,000 kilograms) Length: 273 feet (83 meters) Wingspan: 88 feet (26.8 m) Loaded weight: 717,000 lbs. (325,000 kg) Maximum speed: air-breathing Mach 5.14, rocket Mach 27.8 Orbital altitude: 373 miles (600 kilometers) The Skylon Space Plane in Pictures The Skylon Personnel / Logistics Module (SPLM) could be installed in Skylon's cargo bay for carrying a combination of passengers and supplies to orbital stations. If carrying passengers only, it could support up to 30 people. Artist impression of a Fast Radio Burst (FRB) reaching Earth. The colors represent the burst arriving at different radio wavelengths, with long wavelengths (red) arriving several seconds after short wavelengths (blue). Last week, a group of astronomers announced that they had for the first time discovered the source galaxy for a mysterious type of event known as a fast radio burst (FRB). But only a few days later, another group of scientists produced informal research that suggested otherwise. FRBs release the same amount of energy in a single millisecond as the sun produces over 10,000 years. But what causes them and even where they come from has remained a mystery. Evan Keane, a project scientist at the Square Kilometer Array Organization, and colleagues authored the original paper that claims to narrow down the source location of an FRB by tracing what they interpreted as the afterglow of whatever caused the FRB. But another group, led by Peter Williams, a postdoctoral astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, claims it could just be the belches of a monster black hole. [Top 10 Strangest Things in Space] "We astronomers can currently only get relatively poor localizations for FRBs. For the search performed by the Keane team, they can narrow it down to an area about a quarter the size of the full moon," Williams told Space.com by email. When Keane's team reviewed the region from which the FRBs originated, they found a faint glow within a galaxy along the line of sight. After watching it slowly fade over the course of six days, they concluded that the light had been produced by a sort of cataclysmic collision between powerful objects, such as a pair of merging black holes, which could have subsequently produced the original FRB. But Williams and his team suggest that the glow is instead the result of the bright activity associated with a supermassive black hole at the heart of a galaxy, a feature known as an active galactic nuclei (AGN). "The Keane team's paper does not consider the possibility that the origin galaxy is an AGN," Williams said. "Frankly, I'm not sure why this possibility was not investigated in the paper." Questionable origins Every day, an estimated 10,000 FRBs explode across the sky. Despite their abundance, only a handful have been detected since their discovery in 2007. Most of these have been found using the Parkes radio telescope in Australia. Pinpointing the sources of FRBs has remained a challenge over the decade and a half since they were first spotted. A number of causes have been suggested for FRBs. These include collisions between powerful objects such as dense neutron stars, which would demolish the sources. Other researchers have suggested less violent origins, such as changes in the magnetic field of highly magnetized neutron stars (the remains of collapsed stars) known as magnetars, which would allow the source to survive the FRB process. Keane's team followed the trail of the FRB back to a galaxy with a dim afterglow suggestive of a powerful collision. According to Williams, however, following the trail is inconclusive. "You can fit a lot of galaxies in that search area, so your odds of seeing an unrelated radio variable are not so bad," Williams said. According to Williams' co-author Edo Berger, a professor of astronomy at Harvard University, the location uncertainty region for the FRB is about 200 times larger than the size of the signal. The FRB could come from anywhere within that region. The radio waves could have even passed through the galaxy, and their source could be hidden on the other side, forever out of sight. "One reason that FRBs are exciting is that radio pulses can travel through all sorts of stuff," Williams said. "They would have no problem passing through a galaxy." Artist impression of a Fast Radio Burst (FRB) reaching Earth. The colors represent the burst arriving at different radio wavelengths, with long wavelengths (red) arriving several seconds after short wavelengths (blue). (Image credit: Jingchuan Yu, Beijing Planetarium) Red flags Most galaxies contain a supermassive black hole at their heart. In the Milky Way and others, the black hole is relatively quiet, sporadically consuming stars and dust. In others, material is constantly flowing into the black hole, and the resulting radiation produces a bright glow that can be seen across the universe. The strength of the signal can vary as the supply of material changes over time. For Williams and his colleagues, the constant glow from the proposed source galaxy raised a red flag. "I think that Keane et al glossed over the steady radio emission after the first six days," Berger said. "It was bright enough that only an AGN origin makes sense. This was what alerted us to a problem with their paper as soon as we read it." Williams' team used the Very Large Array, run by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, to observe the galaxy and found that the glow had not only remained steady but had brightened since the original observations, a finding Berger said supported the idea of an AGN source. No current models suggest that an AGN could produce the fast radio bursts. Berger deemed them unlikely sources, because events that occur on such short timescales are difficult to produce near black holes. Williams also thinks it unlikely but not necessarily unreasonable. "We know little enough about the physics of FRBs that I wouldn't want to say it's impossible," Williams said. "In fact, I wouldn't be shocked if an enterprising theorist gets inspired to cook up just such a model based on the past week's events." Williams' team posted an informal paper online, which alerted other scientists of their conclusions. "It looks like it comes from an AGN because of its spectrum and persistence," astronomer Avi Loeb, referring to the afterglow, told Space.com. Loeb serves as chairman of the Astronomy department and Direct of the Institute for Theory & Computation at Harvard University, and was not involved in either study. Keane's team used the proposed source to "weigh" the material in the space it passed through. Their calculations matched models of the distribution of normal and dark matter through space. But according to Berger, those results could be a coincidence. The FRB could lie at approximately the same distance as the proposed source galaxy, which would give similar numbers even if it isn't in the same direction. Loeb agreed that it was likely a coincidence. "Given the error bars on the measurement, such a coincidence would not be unusual," he said. Space.com reached out to the authors of the original research to ask for their thoughts on the idea of an AGN as the source of the glow. "We are, of course, aware of [Williams'] work, and indeed are performing our own ongoing studies," Keane told Space.com. He said that once the studies were complete, they would be reported in peer-reviewed scientific literature, "which is where scientific debate happens." He declined to comment on the informally published results posted by Williams. "We really can't rush the scientific process," Keane said. "I'd have said the same to you if, a couple months ago, you had asked me about last week's or this week's Nature papers, when they were still in the peer-review process." Williams and his colleagues intend to continue observing the proposed source galaxy, monitoring it for activity that might further support or deny the idea that the glow spotted by Keane's team came from an AGN rather than an FRB. Still, without more detailed observations, definitively pinpointing the source may prove impossible. "We may never find out where this FRB came from, or even be able to conclusively prove that it did not come from the proposed galaxy," Williams said. "But I think we are well on our way to showing that there is a compelling alternative hypothesis that explains the galaxy observations without requiring that the FRB originated from the galaxy." [Editor's Note: This article previously stated that Williams' team used NASA's WISE telescope for follow-up obervations, which was incorrect. The group made their observations using the Very Large Array, which is managed by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory.] Follow Nola Taylor Redd on Twitter @NolaTRedd or Google+. Follow us at @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com. ET-94, the last of NASA's built-for-flight space shuttle external tanks, seen here at the Michoud Assembly Facility outside New Orleans, will journey to Los Angeles by ocean and road for display. NASA's last surviving external tank built to launch the space shuttle is about to embark on its final mission, but instead of rocketing to orbit, the fuel tank will travel by road and ocean to join a retired orbiter on display. The California Science Center, which last May announced it was receiving NASA's External Tank 94 (ET-94) to mate with the space shuttle Endeavour for a new vertical launch pad-like exhibit to open in 2019, has now set the route and dates for the orange-brown tank's move from New Orleans to Los Angeles. The journey, which will see the external tank pass through the Panama Canal and navigate the streets of L.A., comes almost three and a half years after Endeavour arrived atop a NASA jumbo jet and completed a similar road trip to the Science Center. [NASA's Space Shuttle Program In Pictures: A Tribute] "It is another really significant move and it is another really significant piece of the shuttle," Jeff Rudolph, the Science Center's president and CEO, said in an exclusive interview with collectSPACE. "It's an incredibly historic artifact, being the last of its kind." Over the course of the 135-mission, 30-year space shuttle program, 136 flight-qualified external tanks were produced at the Michoud Assembly Facility in Louisiana. Just one of those tanks, number 94, wasn't launched and so still exists today to be put on display. First though, ET-94 needs to be transported the more than 5,000 miles (8,000 km) from LA to L.A. Sea launch The 154-foot-long by 32-foot-wide (47 by 10 meter) tank is presently at Michoud, located just outside of New Orleans. It is from that facility, where NASA is now assembling parts for its new heavylift rocket, the Space Launch System, that ET-94 will be loaded on a barge for the ocean segment of its journey. Emmert International, an engineering and logistics firm, is overseeing the ET-94 move. "The tank will be loaded onto a flat-deck commercial barge on April 10 or 11 and depart Michoud on April 12, weather permitting" said Dennis Jenkins, a former shuttle engineer who is now the California Science Center's project director for Endeavour's display. Map illustrating the basic path that External Tank 94 will be barged from the Michoud Assembly Facility outside New Orleans, through the Panama Canal to Marina del Rey in Los Angeles. (Image credit: California Science Center via collectSPACE.com) If ET-94 does launch on April 12, its departure will coincide with the 35th anniversary of the first space shuttle mission, STS-1, in 1981. Passing from a river to an ocean tug boat later that same day, the tank will begin its slow tow to the Panama Canal. Traveling at 6 knots, it will take about two weeks to reach the passing from the Atlantic to Pacific Ocean. "Current plans are to go through the canal during the week of April 25, but the exact dates are still being worked," said Jenkins, who noted that the crossings are for the most part first-come, first-served and so it can take a few days just to get a slot. Assuming the canal transit proceeds as planned and the weather cooperates, ET-94 will arrive in San Diego during the week of May 9. There, it will wait another week prior to leaving for Marina del Rey, where it will be brought ashore on May 19. [Shuttle Endeavour Soars Into Calif. Skies (Video)] Dance until the ET comes home ET-94's landing will be celebrated at the California Science Center's 18th annual Discovery Ball, which will be held on Friday, May 20 at the marina. "We thought that this was a great opportunity to essentially welcome ET-94 to Los Angeles and see it on its way," said Rudolph. "We are looking forward to a great Discovery Ball that will pick up some themes from the shuttle, but with the ET there as a backdrop, also from the tank's journey." "In the New Orleans' tradition, we want to give guests the chance to join in a 'second line' following ET-94 as it starts on its journey. It should be really fun," he said, adding that the black tie dress code for the evening might be amended to substitute sneakers for shoes for those guests who want to walk along with the tank. In October 2012, it took Endeavour three days and three nights to carefully travel the 12 mile (19 km) distance from Los Angeles International Airport to the California Science Center's Samuel Oschin Display Pavilion. ET-94's road trip will cover 3.5 more miles (5.6 km) but will be done in the course of a day (13 to 18 hours) on Saturday, May 21. "It is bigger than Endeavour but much easier to move as it does not have wings or a vertical stabilizer," Rudolph said. "The wings were really the challenge and the desire on our part to save every possible tree. With the external tank, we really do not have that problem because there is nowhere in the route where trees are in the way." Those trees and the need to replant so many of them was largely why Endeavour's move cost about $10 million more than the $5 million needed to move ET-94, said Rudolph. Leaving the Marina del Ray parking lot atop dollies towed by a custom-built Mack truck, ET-94's route will follow Fiji Way to Lincoln Boulevard to Mindanao Way. From there, it will take California State Route 90 (CA-90) to Culver Blvd., back to Lincoln and then onto Loyola Boulevard. Turning onto Westchester Parkway, which turns into Arbor Vitae Street at Airport Boulevard, the tank will then take La Brea Avenue to Manchester Boulevard. From there, ET-94 will take Vermont Avenue to Martin Luther King Boulevard to Exposition Park, where the Science Center is located. Continue reading at collectSPACE to learn what will happen with ET-94 after it arrives at the California Science Center. Follow collectSPACE.com on Facebook and on Twitter at @collectSPACE. Copyright 2016 collectSPACE.com. All rights reserved. This image shows the position of the most distant galaxy ever measured. The remote galaxy, GN-z11, shown in the inset, existed only 400 million years after the Big Bang, when the universe was only 3 percent of its current age. The Hubble Space Telescope just calculated the distance to the most far-out galaxy ever measured, providing scientists with a look deep into the history of the universe. The far-away galaxy, named GN-z11, existed a mere 400 million years after the Big Bang, or about 13.3 billion years ago. Because the light from such a distant galaxy must travel huge distances to reach Earth, scientists are seeing the galaxy as it looked over 13 billion years ago. You can see the galaxy in this video from the Hubble Telescope team. "We've taken a major step back in time, beyond what we'd ever expected to be able to do with Hubble. We managed to look back in time to measure the distance to a galaxy when the universe was only 3 percent of its current age," Pascal Oesch, an astronomer at Yale University and lead author of the research paper announcing the new measurement, said in a statement from the Hubble European Space Agency Information Centre in Germany. [Celestial Photos: Hubble Space Telescope's Latest Cosmic Views] This image shows the position of the most distant galaxy ever measured. The remote galaxy, GN-z11, shown in the inset, existed only 400 million years after the Big Bang, when the universe was only 3 percent of its current age. (Image credit: NASA, ESA and P. Oesch (Yale University)) Measuring the distance to an extremely far-off cosmic object poses many challenges to scientists, including the fact that the universe is expanding, and has been expanding for nearly all of time. Any distance measurement must take into account exactly how much the space between objects has stretched since an object's light left and traveled to Earth. This can get quite complicated. So instead of talking about the distance to cosmic objects in terms of miles, astronomers and astrophysicists will more often refer to when the object existed in the history of the universe. To determine this for GN-z11, scientists measured the degree to which the light from the galaxy has been shifted by the expanding universe, known as redshift. A higher redshift indicates a more distant object. Previously, the highest redshift ever measured was from the galaxy EGSY8p7, whose redshift was 8.68. The GN-z11 galaxy's newly measured redshift is a whopping 11.1. This illustration shows a timeline of the universe, stretching from the present day (left) back to the Big Bang, 13.8 billion years ago (right). The newly discovered galaxy GN-z11 is the most distant galaxy discovered so far, at a redshift of 11.1, which corresponds to 400 million years after the Big Bang. The previous record holders position is also identified. (Image credit: NASA, ESA, and A. Feild (STScI)) The Dark Ages If GN-z11 existed 400 million years after the Big Bang, then it belongs to the very first population of stars and galaxies to form in the cosmos. At that time, the universe was just emerging from a period known as the Dark Ages. "The previous record-holder was seen in the middle of the epoch when starlight from primordial galaxies was beginning to heat and lift a fog of cold, hydrogen gas," said Rychard Bouwens from the University of Leiden in the Netherlands and a co-author on the new paper. "This transitional period is known as the re-ionisation era. GN-z11 is observed 150 million years earlier, near the very beginning of this transition in the evolution of the Universe." GN-z11 is 25 times smaller than the Milky Way galaxy and has only about 1 percent the total stellar mass of the Milky Way, observations by Hubble at the Spitzer Space Telescope have revealed, the statement said. "It's amazing that a galaxy so massive existed only 200 million to 300 million years after the very first stars started to form," said Garth Illingworth of the University of California, Santa Cruz, a coauthor on the new research paper. "It takes really fast growth, producing stars at a huge rate, to have formed a galaxy that is a billion solar masses so soon." GNz11 is forming stars at 20 times the current rate of the Milky Way, the statement said, which is part of why the distant galaxy is bright enough to be observed by telescopes like Hubble and Spitzer. Marijn Franx, a member of the team from the University of Leiden, said in the statement that previous work suggested galaxies as bright as GN-z11 should not have been able to form at such an early point in the universe's history. "The discovery of GN-z11 showed us that our knowledge about the early universe is still very restricted," said Ivo Labbe, also of the University of Leiden and a co-author on the paper. "How GN-z11 was created remains somewhat of a mystery for now. Probably we are seeing the first generations of stars forming around black holes." Researchers said the find provides a hint at the new information that will be revealed by the James Webb Space Telescope, which is set to launch in 2018. The primary mirror on JWST is 16.4 feet (5.4 meters) wide, compared to Hubble's 7.8-foot-wide (2.4 m) mirror. The new research paper will be published in the Astrophysical Journal. Optimization Are you frustrated with a slow pc or a hard disk not performing as it should? Try SLOW-PCfighter to speed up boot time on a slow PC, or try a free scan of FULL-DISKfighter to recover space on a full disk. The latest offering is DRIVERfighter to update your driver updater. Get complete PC optimization and extend the life of your PC with these must-have software tools. after all maybe I should thank you for giving me what I've found Forgiveness has been a hot topic for, oh, I don't know, a t... Welcome To SpoilerTV We bring you a comprehensive and up to date spoiler service on all the major US TV shows and Movies. You can find specific show content by clicking the menu system at the top of the screen. We scour the Internet for spoilers as well as posting our own exclusive spoilers (Scripts, Casting Calls, Set Photos etc) as well as recaps and other fun articles and polls. We hope you enjoy your stay. STAMFORD Members of the Stamford 2030 District are making strides toward reaching a 50 percent reduction in energy usage by the year 2030. In the first year, the 39 organizations and building owners that joined the initiative performed 23.9 percent more efficiently than the national median, exceeding the districts goal of reducing energy consumption by 20 percent by 2020. When non-members in the district comprised of the downtown and South End are included, the building owners are performing 6.2 percent more efficient than the baseline. The district tracks data for commercial and multi-family buildings. It means these buildings are well on their way to meeting our 2030 goals, said Megan Saunders, executive director of Stamford 2030. The data was released this week as part of the districts first annual report. In October 2014, Stamford became the sixth city in the nation to join the national initiative started by the nonprofit Architecture 2030. There are now 12 districts in the nation, including ones in Seattle, Cleveland and Los Angeles. More Information Stamford 2030 District Member buildings are performing 23.9 percent better than the national median. More than 6.2 million square feet of downtown has committed to the goals with 4.4 million square feet reporting data. More than 23 percent of the total square footage in the district boundary is committed to energy efficiency, water efficiency, reduced transportation emissions, and a more resilient community. The goal is to ultimately reach all 19 million square feet of commercial and multifamily properties within the district boundaries or 100 percent of the downtown. See More Collapse The goal of these districts is to achieve a 50 percent reduction in transportation emissions and energy and water usage by 2030. The Stamford district has focused on energy use in its first year. The Stamford district was created by the Business Council of Fairfield County and Connecticut Fund for the Environment. Saunders said most of the districts members, which include the First County Bank and Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, are benchmarking their own building energy usage, through an Energy Star Portfolio Manager. The data is then shared with the district. This is really our starting point, she said of the initial data. Itll help us decide in what direction we need to go. The Stamford 2030 District has also taken up a fourth-goal other districts dont have a focus on resiliency. One of the things we are focusing on this year is how do we make our buildings more resilient? Saunders said, noting this was an issue important to its members since Stamford is a coastal community. The organization will also focus this year on recruiting new members and lining up events to help building owners continue a path toward energy conservation. The districts next event is a joint effort with the Connecticut Green Building Council for a three-day GPRO Operations & Maintenance Training course. The course is targeted to property managers and building supervisors and provides information on what makes a green building, what type of insulation is best, how to benchmark energy usage and other issues. The course begins March 15 at the Sacred Heart University campus downtown. For more information, visit www.2030districts.org/stamford. Bernie Sanders presidential campaign has demonstrated exactly why equity crowdfunding under the JOBS Act will work, when done properly. Before anyone accuses me of displaying my political leanings in this story, please understand one thing: if I decide to vote for a bald, white, Jewish guy from Brooklyn, Ill write in Larry David. That being said, I admire that Bernie Sanders has done exactly what equity crowdfunding under the JOBS Act allows small companies to do: take small amounts of money from large numbers of people to fund something, all the while thumbing one's nose at the rich, powerful and elite. The parallels between his campaign funding, and equity crowdfunding under the JOBS Act, are remarkable. 1. His campaign has truly been funded by the crowd. By the end of 2015, Bernie Sanders campaign had raised more than $73 million from 2,513,665 donations. Unlike most presidential campaigns, small contributions make up the vast majority of funds Sanders has raised. The average donation to Sanders during the last three months of 2015 was $27.16. This is a perfect illustration as to how crowdfunding works. Look at the one of the first hugely successful rewards-based crowdfunding campaigns: the Kickstarter campaign for the Pebble Watch, in which 68,929 members of the crowd pledged $10,266,845 to bring the Pebble Watch to life. According to Kickstarter, the most common amount donated on their site for all campaigns is $25, almost exactly the average donation to Sanders' campaign. 2. His campaign has catered to the populace. According to the web site OpenSecrets.org, 99.9 percent of the money Sanders has raised came from donations directly to his candidate committee, not from Super PACs or other leadership political action committees. Contrast this with candidates. A good examples is Jeb Bush. Only 22 percent of donations to Bushs $150 million campaign war chest came from individual donations. And look at where all of that big money got JEB! Equity crowdfunding will work the same way. Most companies using the new JOBS Act laws to raise capital need to both raise funds to grow and build a clientele for their business. The companies that get the general public excited about their product or their company will be the most successful. That can translate into large numbers of small investments from a huge number of people, most of whom then become brand ambassadors, social media promoters and eventually paying customers of the company they invested in. Related: Why This $34 Billion Company Is Dipping a Toe Into Crowdfunding 3. His campaign has thumbed its nose at Wall Street. The Sanders campaign has been extremely critical of Wall Street and the banking world. At the end of 2015, he had accepted donations totaling only $55,000 from donors in the securities and investment sector. Contrast this with his primary rival, Hillary Clinton, who accepted millions from Wall Street and related parties during the same period. Equity crowdfunding has been called the democratization of the investment process, in no small part because most companies that will use Title III of the JOBS Act, or the Regulation A+ Mini-IPO, to raise capital are not far enough along for Wall Street or venture capital groups to back. Startups in particular are often run by a management team that has tapped out their credit cards, have no more friends and family to go to for financial help and cannot possibly get a bank to loan them money. Rather than futilely attempting to get funding from high-end banking and investment sectors, these companies can now go straight to the crowd to get financed, and be in a better position as they get to later rounds to negotiate with the Wall Street and VC types. Related: Women Raise More Money With Crowdfunding, Research Shows 4. His campaign is focused on young people new to the process. NBC reported that in the New Hampshire primary, Sanders received 79 percent of the votes of women aged 18-29. He also reportedly received 78 percent of all votes from first-time voters. Ever try explaining crowdfunding to your grandmother? Tell most people 70 or older that they need to send you money for something you have not made yet, but in six months you will send them something you are hoping to create, and you will probably be laughed at. Crowdfunding is a young persons game. Studies have shown that between 60-65 percent of donors on Kickstarter and Indiegogo are under the age of 35. Related: The SEC Just Approved Rules Opening Up Equity Crowdfunding to the General Public In a 3-1 Vote 5. His campaign has been largely funded online. During his victory speech after winning the New Hampshire primary, Sanders made this request of his supporters: Please help us raise the funds we need, whether its 10 bucks, 20 bucks or 50 bucks. Almost immediately, the overwhelming response crippled his campaign website. During the next 24 hours, his campaign raised $6.5 million, almost all of it online. Lets go back to grandpa again. Ask him to go online, watch a video, then invest money through a website, and he will probably smack you down with his cane. On the other hand, the younger demographic use their computers and smart phones every day, and the concept of investing online in a startup business is not intimidating to an age group who order everything through Amazon and who no longer communicate with others except through social media. Who would have thought that this crazy Presidential election would actually teach us something? I guess if you look hard enough, there is always something to learn in every situation. Related: Copyright 2016 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved A few weeks ago a man in Bridgeport walked down the street and entered a Subway restaurant. It wouldnt have raised eyebrows but for the man was openly carrying a handgun. Having already scared people outside, a witness said people in the restaurant were freaked out. Bridgeport police arrived on the scene, one officer asking politely if he could see the gunmans permit to carry. I dont have to show you my permit was the response. The gunman was right. For it turns out that police in Connecticut can only demand to see a permit if they have reasonable suspicion of a crime. Members of the Connecticut General Assemblys Joint Committee on Public Safety and Security heard public testimony Thursday on HB 5408, An Act Concerning the Presentation of a Carry Permit. As the bills Statement of Purpose explains, it is To require the holder of a permit for the carrying of any pistol or revolver to present such permit upon request of a law enforcement officer. The NRA has already reflexively written to its members, This bill infringes on the rights of those who choose to exercise their Second Amendment right to Keep and Bear Arms, while doing nothing to deter criminals. [ While we respect that police should generally not be allowed to stop civilians for no reason, the situation for people carrying guns requires an exception. Guns are dangerous. How can law enforcement have any chance at determining if the subject is a law-abiding gun owner if they arent allowed to ask a gun carrier for his permit? The NRA is perhaps correct that the law may not deter criminals from open carrying because all but the stupidest criminals avoid drawing attention to themselves. But the law does more. It is possible that a severely mentally ill individual might walk around openly carrying. Police cannot adequately protect public safety if they have to wait for reasonable suspicion to develop before asking to see a valid carry permit. By that time it may be too late. The gun lobbys retort to stronger gun laws is enforce the laws already on the books. Thats difficult to do when law enforcement is prohibited from doing its job (its illegal to carry a handgun in public without a permit). Moreover, the open carrying of handguns generates fear among many members of the public. We dont know if the gunman is a good guy or a bad guy. In the Northeast 58 percent of people oppose public carry altogether. We have a right to shop, live, and go about our business in a climate free of gun intimidation. Using its one-size-fits-all argument, the gun lobby believes the law is unconstitutional on Second Amendment grounds. But as the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia wrote in DC v. Heller, the Second Amendment right is not unlimited. It is not a right to keep and carry any weapon whatsoever in any manner whatsoever and for whatever purpose: For example, concealed weapons prohibitions have been upheld under the Amendment or state analogues. If the Constitution allows prohibiting concealed weapons, surely it allows law enforcement to ask to see a firearm carry permit. The Public Safety committee needs to fulfill its charter: protect public safety. It should continue Connecticuts strong protections against gun violence by voting yes to bring HB 5408 to the General Assembly for a vote. And the General Assembly leadership needs to schedule it for a vote. Jonathan Perloe of Cos Cob and the Rev. Kate Heichler of Stamford are, respectively, the president and treasurer of the Brady Campaign Southwestern CT Chapter. It's no secret many of our country's lawmakers attended prestigious university's on their path to Washington. So which university is most responsible for our most recent group of representatives? According to StartClass, Harvard University is currently the leader in producing active members of Congress, with Stanford University is not far behind and Yale University rounding out the top three universities. A dmiral co-founder and boss Henry Engelhardt signed off his last set of results, calling 2015 the year of the uncut diamond after profits rose 6%. When the year started many people thought it would turn out to be a lump of coal. But no, 2015 was no lumpy coal year, he said. Engelhardt said last May he would step down from the motor insurer to be replaced by internal candidate David Stevens. He will stay on in a part-time capacity from May onwards to advise divisional CEOs. David and I met almost 30 years ago at business school, Engelhardt said Stepping down: Henry Engelhardt (Picture: PA) / PA We did some great projects together there including one on perfume advertising and another on what a beer bottle says about the beer inside. Turnover at the group, which sponsors the Welsh rugby team, rose 8% to 2.12 billion from 1.97 billion a year ago. Group pre-tax profits were 377 million while the full-year dividend is hiked 16% to 114.4p per share. In a colourful final statement today, Engelhardt reflected on his 16 years leading the business by thanking his PA Julie, who has worked with him for 18 years, and saying he will miss getting updates on daily sales figures. Julie, says good morning in such a positive way every morning, even when its dark and wet and cold most mornings actually such that you cant help but think that, yes, maybe it really is a good morning. N ews this week that the Government has asked John Cridland, the former head of the CBI, to conduct an inquiry to examine whether the age at which people qualify for a state pension is fine where it is or will need to be raised was accompanied by some pretty lurid headlines. A personal favourite was the one that stated virtually as a matter of fact that before too long, people will be expected to work to 75. The argument put forward by the industry experts responsible for that suggestion was that people are living longer and the state is getting poorer, which makes pensions less and less affordable. The only way to square the circle would be to make people also work longer to match those extra years and ensure they spend only a limited time in retirement. The subtext from those same industry experts, all of whom are in the pensions business, was that if you imagine you will want to retire any earlier, then you had better start saving now and saving a lot, because the state is not going to support you. It is almost as if Cridlands conclusions have been drafted before he has even had his first meeting. But while that is an interesting theory, it does not wash because Cridland is a pretty independent man. If the Government wanted a yes man for this job, it would have picked someone else. There are plenty such people around. But it shows how far we have already been conditioned that no one is expecting him to suggest a reduction in the state retirement age, and indeed there would be astonishment verging on incredulity if he did. Yet the science around ageing is flimsy. There are some spectacular guesses out there as to how long people might expect to live in the future but there is precious little evidence. The problems that actuaries have been struggling with for years have not suddenly become clear overnight. It is also not sufficiently appreciated that life expectancy has risen a lot faster than longevity. The distinction is important. Some people die as babies; others of childrens diseases. Young men kill themselves on motorbikes and both sexes do irreparable damage by smoking and drinking too much. Therefore calculations of how long a newborn baby can expect to live life expectancy take into account the fact that some among us will die young. It follows that the more we reduce these early deaths with better medical care, better road safety and campaigns against smoking, the higher the average life expectancy of a baby being born today compared with one born 30 years ago. "There are spectacular guesses as to how long people might expect to live but precious little evidence." Reducing the number of early deaths is one thing; the human body being able to function longer is another. That is happening too but it has not been the major challenge and embarrassment for pension schemes so far. What has caught them out is the far greater numbers today who avoid dying before they get to 65 and are therefore around to pass Go and collect their pension. That is where the real cost explosion has come from, much more so than from those who have turned 90 and are still going strong although they do, of course, exist as well. People are living longer it would be absurd to pretend otherwise but no one knows whether the trend will continue at its current rate, whether it will increase or indeed whether it will reverse as obesity takes its toll or old diseases re-emerge in a form that is resistant to modern drugs. So, given that no one can predict the future and that the actuarial and medical science is imperfect, how Cridland is expected to come up with a view as to whether todays retirement age will be appropriate in 30 years time is a moot point. There is a darker side to this debate as laid out in a little-noticed book* published last year by John Macnicol, one of the countrys leading social policy scholars. He argues that we no longer have a sensible, free-ranging discussion on what is viable and affordable in terms of pension costs because the debate is now dominated by the neoliberal orthodoxy that, at least since the time when Margaret Thatcher was prime minister, has been mounting a sustained attack on the protections and welfare rights of those who want or need to retire. Macnicol argues forcibly that, if you take as a starting point that the market should decide everything and state spending should be cut to a minimum, you will inevitably come to the conclusion that pensions are unaffordable and people should be left to save for their own old age. But although dressed up as an economic certainty, it is in fact a political judgment. Start from a different political standpoint and you can quite easily conclude that the projected increase in wealth of the nation over the next 30 years will be more than enough to finance the cost of retired people and allow all those still working also to enjoy a steady improvement in their standard of living. *Neoliberalising Old Age by John Macnicol, Cambridge University Press 18.99 S ix life insurance companies including the Prudential and Old Mutual face unlimited fines after the City regulator found evidence they had mistreated long-standing customers. Acting Financial Conduct Authority chief executive Tracey McDermott declared: The practices at some firms appear to have been poor. The watchdog particularly honed in on how the firms communicated with their customers what charges they would face if they sought to surrender or transfer their policies. It has now opened a formal investigation into the Prudential, Old Mutual, Police Mutual, Abbey Life, Scottish Widows and Countrywide Assurance. Such investigations can lead to major fines and penalties or bans on individuals if wrongdoing is found. "Insurance bosses rely on management information that is not giving them a rounded and comprehensive picture." The investigations will focus on so-called zombie funds collections of decades-old policies also known as closed-book products. The watchdog unearthed poor communications with customers about exit charges and other neglectful practices between 2008 and 2015. Policies sold during the 1980s and 1990s are under the spotlight. The average value of a policy ranged from 18,000 in an endowment to 23,000 kept in a personal pension. Eleven firms were probed, serving 9.4 million customers with 153 billion of policies. Given the long-term nature of closed-book products, it is vital that customers are treated fairly and given the right information on an ongoing basis in order to help them make important financial decisions, McDermott said. The six firms facing further investigation will see enforcement officers from the FCA conduct regular trips to their offices over the next few months to probe their practices. The FCA is not looking at whether the policies were mis-sold but on current treatment of customers. In a damning verdict on the bosses of the groups, the FCA said that boards and senior managers do not have a grasp of closed-book customers and outcomes. They rely on management information that is not giving them a rounded and comprehensive picture." The regulator isnt pulling any punches, PwC director Matt Browne added. The review is going to have a big impact on life assurers. The FCAs review of life insurance which led to todays announcement has proved a major headache for the regulator after a botched briefing by a senior executives at the FCA in 2014 triggered a major slump in insurance shares. That led to a high-level investigation precipitating the exit of senior managers and has been blamed as a factor in the exit of former boss Martin Wheatley. A s one City type said over a pint at the end of a week dominated by headlines over the EU referendum: Its not Brexit which people should be worried about. Its Trump. Thats the really left-field shock which could happen this year. Why isnt anybody worried about Donald Trump? A few more will be worrying now after Trumps resounding success this week on Super Tuesday when the billionaire took a giant stride towards securing the Republican nomination for the US presidency. If the old adage of follow the money is any guide, the strangely coiffeured one has the momentum. An 8/1 outsider after defeat in the Iowa primary a month ago, Trump has been backed all the way into 7/4. Come November, we could be looking at a Trump presidency. But business leaders have called his lack of an economic plan alarming. Nigel Green, chief executive of financial consultants deVere, was even moved to add that it seems like economics is not top of his priority list. Thats not particularly helpful when youre running the worlds biggest economy, and Trumps demagoguery over immigration risks crashing it. Donald Trump's most controversial comments Youll have heard about the Wall hes going to build along the border with Mexico and charge them for. But he also appears to want to tear up of the US economys major advantages by putting a pause on immigration while employers hire from the domestic pool of unemployed immigrant and native workers, at a stroke dampening potential growth for the sake of burnishing populist credentials. As saner voices such as New Yorks Manhattan Institute point out, immigration expands Americas workforce and encourages more business start-ups. It adds that their educational backgrounds typically complement, rather than displace, the skills of the native-born labour market Trump may whip up fears over illegal immigration but that peaked in the US in 2007 and has now declined to about 11 million. TRUMPONOMICS Debt rises by $12-$15 trillion Tax revenues fall $9.5 trillion Spending cuts of 80% Highest 0.1% of taxpayers get $1.3 million tax cut in 2017 Source: CRFB, Tax Policy Centre Having blasted one foot off no doubt hollering while he does so over his constitutional right to bear arms he is taking firm aim at the other one by planning to run up a huge deficit and stirring up a potential war with China. Parts of the Trump tax plans are on paper appealing, particularly the 15% corporation tax rate. He also wants to simplify the tax code, although the biggest cuts come for those (like him) at the top of the earnings tree. But he is also committed to a balanced budget, and wants to protect Medicare and massively ramp up defence spending. Within seconds, this unravels as sheer lunacy; initial estimates of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget suggest his policies could add as much as $15.1 trillion to US debt over the next decade, almost doubling debt as a share of the economy to 140%. The CRFB adds that the US would need a scarcely plausible 11% growth a year to balance the books in the next decade. But dont worry about the fiscal numbers; the US will be back in the global leadership business with a massive expansion of its presence in Asia and the South China seas, not to mention labelling China a currency manipulator and starting a trade war with the country on day one of his presidency. The fact China is actually currently spending tens of billions on propping up its currency, rather than weakening it, seems quite lost on him. And on Planet Trump this delicate diplomacy will force China to the negotiating table and open the door to a fair and far better trading relationship. Beijing will doubtless fall into line just like that. TODO: define component type apester Given the choice between Brexit and Trump, which would you rather take your chances with? The only hope is that his promises are so outlandish they couldnt possibly be implemented in a country which, dont forget, is the biggest single destination for UK exports so we have plenty of skin in this game. Another grandee of the US business world, Warren Buffett, reminded us this week that for 240 years, its been a terrible mistake to bet against America and now is no time to start. But a President Trump might test that optimism to breaking point. It couldnt happen. Could it? W hen I was growing up in Tooting, my mates and I thought all north Londoners were scum. Guilty until proven innocent to a man, woman and child, anywhere beyond Camden was inhabited, in our view, purely by snooty, pompous, granola-chewing, beetroot-munching chumps, long on disposable income and short on charm and the common touch. For the past eight years Ive crossed enemy lines, living in the posh and then less posh bits of Islington, on a kind of cant-beat-them-so-join-them expedition. My fieldwork has led me to conclude that north Londoners are not scum after all. They do eat more spirulina and seaweed, and are more inclined to spiralise their life (look it up). But the idea that everyone in north London is a snob who looks down on south London is wrong. Theyre not snobs. They just look down on south London. Literally so, because north London is on much higher land. This, I think, goes a long way to explaining the psychogeography of our beloved city, and the still-felt enmity between north and south. These days, if I ever get a spare hour, I cycle up to Alexandra Palace and take in the fantastic view of the city. It is impossible, surveying that inky panorama, not to be acutely aware of your physical elevation. This breeds the sense of satisfaction and wonder that gives north London or at least Highgate and Hampstead its sensibility: one of earthy, but not moral, superiority. You get it all over. Walk up Primrose Hill, turn around, and you see the BT Tower and Millennium Wheel, plus Canary Wharf, the City, the Shard and sundry other stumps in our skyline. From Parliament Hill, St Pauls and the Gherkin are clearer. From Ally Pally, I can see Crystal Palace, which always prompts me to call my parents. Then I cycle down the long, sweeping road back into Priory Road and Crouch End. This physical descent is always attended by a feeling of disillusion and spiritual deflation: the loss of altitude is accompanied by a loss of joy, as the grubby reality of a modern city hoves into view. This weekend, Im heading back to south London twice. First to the Effra Hall Tavern in Brixton on Saturday to watch the Tottenham v Arsenal game, then to my parents in Tooting Bec on Sunday. When I emerge from the Tube, Ill look around, not as an emissary from a nobler place but with the knowledge that I recently tried to pick out Brixton and Tooting in that view from Ally Pally. It is often said, usually by people on the losing side of history, that demography is destiny. Thankfully destiny is an illusion, though its pursuit has prompted the slaughter of countless innocents through history. Yet if something such as destiny but well short of it does exist a tendency of events and people, say, to change habitually then perhaps its main instigator is not demography but geography. To a much greater extent than we generally acknowledge, our characters and identities are moulded by our physical landscape. It is natural, if living on a higher plane, to feel a sense of superiority. The trick is to see it for what it is, and derive humility rather than sanctimony from the privilege. I wish Id visited Ally Pally as a teenager. The view would have done me good. Amol Rajan is editor of The Independent. @amolrajan E ight years ago, when I became leader of the Liberal Democrats, I used one of my first opportunities at Prime Ministers Questions to ask Gordon Brown about mental health services. The House of Commons chamber, usually a hostile wall of sound, became quiet. Afterwards, a number of MPs told me I was brave to raise the issue. We have come a long way in the few short years since then. It is no longer considered brave for a politician to talk about mental health. Indeed, there has been an unusual outbreak of consensus among the main parties that it should be treated as a priority. Celebrity advocates such as Stephen Fry and Alastair Campbell have brought the issue into peoples living rooms. Charities such as Mind, Rethink and Place2Be championed by the Duchess of Cambridge have campaigned tirelessly to put the issue on the national agenda. Even the Bank of England, as I discovered during a recent visit to Threadneedle Street, has set up a Mental Health Network to raise awareness among its staff and make sure they know what support is available to them. If such a venerable institution can take mental health seriously, then there is no excuse for any other employer not to do the same. So theres been real progress especially in tackling the silent stigma that used to shroud mental health. But this is no time for complacency. The stigma still exists with devastating consequences. A few years ago, I met a man called Robert at a mental health trust in Liverpool. He was in his sixties, well-dressed and with a neatly trimmed moustache that gave him something of the air of a Fifties provincial bank manager not the image you normally associate with severe mental illness. He told me that a few years earlier he had been in hospital with a heart condition and, while he was there, he had been visited regularly by friends and family, sometimes three or four times a day. This outpouring of love was a great tonic for him as he recovered. But he was hospitalised on another occasion this time for a mental health condition. During the five months he languished in hospital he was visited just three times. The contrast speaks volumes. One in four of you reading this will, according to the statistics, have a mental health problem this year, as will three children in every school class. One in six young people aged between 16 and 24 will have a common disorder such as anxiety and depression. In the last government, I worked with my Lib-Dem colleagues Paul Burstow and Norman Lamb to lift mental health from the obscurity it traditionally enjoyed in Whitehall to one of the Governments top health priorities. We introduced the first waiting times for mental health treatments; made sure that it was finally given the same legal status as physical health; and provided hundreds of millions of pounds for talking therapies and childrens mental health services. But that was only a start. Mental health has been overlooked and underfunded for so long. It will take a sustained effort to give it the proper support it so badly needs. While its great that we all talk more about mental health, especially in the media and politics, it is high time good words are turned into good deeds. In particular, there are three areas we need to change as fast as we can. The first is the way it is funded. Part of the reason that there have been cuts in mental health services despite the renewed focus from government is down to an important, if technical, discrepancy in the way they are paid for. A hospital, for example, is paid by activity: each procedure has a price attached to it and the more it performs the more money it gets. Mental health trusts, on the other hand, usually get a block grant. So when demand goes up, the money stays the same. Worse still, because it is one big wodge of money, it is easier for those in charge to slice a bit off the top when asked to make savings. Mental health trusts should, as a matter of urgency, be given the same funding formula as other NHS trusts. The second is the training given to teachers and GPs. Extraordinarily, neither are trained to spot and respond to mental health problems as part of their qualifications. Everyone knows that the pressures which can trigger underlying mental health illness may lie in the home, or the classroom, or come about because of changes to a persons benefits or a lack of housing. It is crucial that people who look after peoples wider welfare teachers and GPs especially should be given the training to act and refer someone to a specialist before things get worse. The third is to do with our poor record at spreading best practice. As a nation, were great at coming up with small-scale innovations and then failing to adopt them across the country. Last week I visited a team of clinicians at the Tavistock and Portman mental health trust at St Leonards hospital in Hackney. It does something that makes obvious sense: it places mental health specialists in GP surgeries around the borough. I also visited a charity called Youth Net/Get Connected near Baker Street, which runs digital and call centre services to help vulnerable under-25s. Its model is extremely effective, reaching 1.7 million young people last year. This isnt rocket science using GP surgeries and the internet to the full is just common sense. Yet neither project has been copied in a big way elsewhere. Weve turned a page when it comes to talking about mental health. The stifling silence which used to surround the subject has been broken. The hopes raised must now be met with action not just words. So lets start by changing the funding model, giving proper training for teachers and GPs, and getting brilliant local initiatives rolled out far more widely. Then we will have turned the page for good. I t's always a profound pleasure when an actor or actress of high talent finally, belatedly, gets the recognition they deserve. This happened last autumn for Denise Gough, who garnered superlatives by the sackload for her blistering performance at the National Theatre in People, Places & Things, Duncan Macmillans unflinching look at addiction and rehab. Gough was shortlisted for an Evening Standard Award and won the Critics Circle Award for Best Actress for the part and now the play is about to receive a hotly anticipated West End transfer. Gough, 35, is, at the very least, used to waiting. She was named as the Critics Circle Best Newcomer after shed been working for more than a decade and in a desperate, job-free year just before bagging this career-defining role, she almost gave up on acting altogether. Youre about to become a bona fide West End star now, I say to her. How does that feel? F**king fantastic, darling! she says, switching from her warm Irish tones to adopt, as she often does, a wonderfully over-the-top, grande-dame-of-the-British-theatre voice. Ive gotta stop swearing in my interviews. My fathers like, Please, Niecey! We want to show them to the neighbours. She pauses, normal voice resumed. Im absolutely delighted. I thought it was all over, but it isnt. Gough is such agreeable company that I fancy hunkering down in a cosy Irish pub with her, rather than in a small room off the National Theatres press office. How did she feel when she first read Macmillans script to encounter Emma, an actress unravelling spectacularly due to her dependence on drink and drugs? I thought, Oh my God, if youre showing me this and then youre not going to give it to me its really cruel, she says. The final scene of the play, brutal in its laid-bare honesty, is quite simply the most powerful segment of theatre Ive seen in years; when she read it, Gough says, I was like, Okay, if I dont get this part then Ill stop. Because there couldnt be a role more suited to what Im able to do than that. I've gotta stop swearing in my interviews. My father's like, "Please, we want to show them to the neighbours" Not that she was taking any chances with the audition process. In the second audition I snorted half a gram of icing sugar. Pure sugar, directly to your brain! I was like a kid by the end of it. She was told she had the part that evening. They probably thought, Next time she will inject with something that looks like heroin. Thats how far shell go. I ask Gough if she recognises herself in Emma. I recognise everyone in Emma. Thats why I love her. But I dont relate to being in treatment and stuff, as thats not part of my life. What about the battling personal demons aspect of the character? Havent we all? I can definitely relate to the idea of wanting to switch off [from life]. Ive used various things to do that, but not so much anymore. I think its very brave to be present in your life. A line from the script that particularly struck me is when Emma comments: If Im not in character, I dont even know if Im there. Is that a common peril of the acting profession? Not so much now, but definitely when I was younger the most important thing in my life was to be an actress, says Gough. My Dad used to say, Niecey, youre somebodys daughter, sister, auntie. Youre all of those things before youre an actress. I was like, I dont care. I thought, if I get to be an actress, my whole life will be great. But then I got to be an actress and life is still life. I realised that its really important to develop something else from which I get my self-esteem. Theres a sense here, as elsewhere through our time together, that Goughs wisdom and perspective is hard-won. While a glittering future looks set to welcome Gough now, it certainly didnt during her work-free year in Siberia, as she describes it, before she won this part. With money running low and fearful that shed no longer be able to pay her rent, she applied despondently, on her mothers suggestion, for a job as a cleaner. She didnt get it. It was make-or-break time and in her glorious phrase, I just got busy living, looking after her niece and nephew, working in a playgroup and immersing herself in yoga, meditation and therapy. Above all, she decided to be honest with herself and others about her struggles. On the off-chance that Siberia should ever beckon again, would she cope? I realised we all have a tent in Siberia. If we just poke our heads out, we can hang out with each other, light a fire, sing songs. Bona fide West End star: Denise Gough / Daniel Hambury Gough picked up her recent Critics Circle Award wearing a T-shirt for the admirable ERA (Equal Representation for Actresses) campaign, which aims for a 50:50 gender split in casting by 2018. Its a cause about which she has long felt passionate. I think its important to use this position Im now in to do stuff like that, she says. If theyre going to talk about what Im wearing, at least wear something that deserves a good conversation. People dont want to be a girly version of actor. Who decided putting -ess on the end of anything was girly? She is, however, vehement that shes an actress, rather than the more politically correct term, actor. Nobody consulted me when they said we all had to be actors! Ive wanted to be an actress since I was a child and now I finally get to be an actress Im told Im not allowed to be one? [People say they dont] want to be a girly version of actor. F**k off! Who decided that putting -ess on the end of anything was girly? Where was I that day? Im fierce! Id love Gough to get a part in Hollywood for many reasons, not least the fact that she would play merry hell with the tedium of an organised press junket, blowing it all apart with her unfiltered honesty and love of four-letter words. She grew up in Ennis, County Clare, in the west of Ireland, the seventh of 11 children. Whats the dynamic, being one of 11? Its no surprise to me that I now spend my life standing on stages in front of people who have to shut up until Ive finished talking and then clap, she says with an impish grin. It was a loving but non-theatrical family, yet Gough found her calling early on playing Miss Hannigan in a school production of Annie. Something went really wrong onstage, so I improvised. The audience laughed and I thought, Yeah, Im home. A wayward teenager, she left home at 15, moved to London at 16 and bummed around before eventually winning a scholarship to drama school. Gough has no idea what the future holds for her once this job of a lifetime finishes in the summer. Offers are coming in, but she doesnt want to distract herself with these at the moment. A great role on television or film, away from the prostitutes or drug addicts she usually plays, would be splendid, but shes not desperate. Equilibrium reigns. I cannot tell you how grateful I am. But that doesnt mean I dont feel worthy of it either. People mistake gratitude for a false modesty. Thats not what Im about. But how lucky am I? What a life! This is my f**king life and I was trying to be a cleaner. Isnt it funny? People, Places & Things is at Wyndhams, WC2 (020 7452 3000, nationaltheatre.org.uk) March 15-June 18 Follow Going Out on Facebook and on Twitter @ESgoingout A former Parliamentary researcher who toured the country to film himself touching young girls in toy shops has been jailed for 18 months. Robert Grant, 62, used a pen camera to film the attacks and compiled the footage on a DVD labelled The Project. He described the footage as My Ongoing Quest To Look Up The Skirts and Dresses Of Lovely Young Girls, Southwark crown court heard. Grant, who previously worked as a researcher for South Derbyshire Tory MP Heather Wheeler, was caught when he was spotted following children in Hamleys toy shop in 2014. He claimed he was in London for a holiday, but a search of his hotel room revealed spy pens and a laptop containing videos from the store. Grant, from Derby, was jailed for two years for the Hamleys offences last June and was given another 18 months yesterday after police discovered a stash of perverted DVDs at his home dating back to 2006. Grant had travelled to Birmingham, Southampton and Donington Market to make his film, said prosecutor Edward Lewis. Grant admitted 11 counts of sexual assault, four counts of sexual assault on a child under 13 and one count each of taking an indecent photograph, making an indecent photograph and outraging public decency, between January 2006 and July 2010. Judge Anthony Leonard QC said: I judge that you have had a very disturbing lifetimes obsession with young girls. Grant will be under a Sexual Harm Prevention Order until 2035. A hospital worker has admitted murdering a British-born teenager in America. Jesse Matthew, 34, admitted the murders of 18-year-old Hannah Graham and another woman. He was handed four life terms for the murders, on top of three life sentences for a 2005 rape, avoiding the death penalty. Ms Graham, who was born in Reading, moved to the US when she was about six and was a student at the University of Virginia when she was killed. She disappeared after a night out with friends in Charlottesville in September 2014 and her body was found five weeks later. A post-mortem showed she had been beaten and strangled or suffocated. Her mother, Susan Graham, said her daughter was a heroine, adding that she would miss cuddling her quick-wit. She described Ms Graham as "the most optimistic person we know". Killer: Jesse Matthew / AP Ms Graham had dinner with friends on the evening of September 13 2014, before heading to parties away from the campus. After leaving to head home alone she texted a friend to say she was lost and was spotted on CCTV walking unsteadily. Later that evening she was caught by another camera leaving a restaurant near a Charlottesville mall. She was walking alongside Matthew, who could be seen with his arm wrapped around her. According to witnesses the killer had spent the night pestering women in bars. Ms Graham was never seen alive again. Her body was discovered weeks later on abandoned property in Albemarle County, about 12 miles from the Charlottesville campus. The scene was around six miles from where the remains of Matthew's second victim, Virginia Tech student Morgan Harrington, 20, were discovered in 2009, although no killer was identified at the time. Ms Harrington disappeared after being denied re-entry to a Metallica concert and was last seen alive hailing a taxi that matched one driven by Matthew at the time. The discovery of Ms Graham's body in September 2014 sparked a manhunt for Matthew. He was caught after detectives traced him to a beach in Texas. DNA tests later linked him to clothing warn by Ms Harrington, as well as the 2005 rape. Ms Harrington's father, Daniel, told the court her family "cannot comprehend the selfish and inhumane action that took place that evening". Matthew was also accused of raping students in 2002 and 2003 at Liberty University and Christopher Newport University, although the women dropped the charges. Commenting for the first time, Matthew issued a statement through his lawyer saying he was "very sorry for what happened". T he number of people volunteering to become special police officers in London has fallen dramatically in recent years, putting immense strain on regular officers, it was claimed today. Figures from the Met show the number of special constables on patrol in the capital fell by 43 per cent in the last four years, from an all-time high during the Olympics. A total of 3,253 volunteer specials, who have full police powers, are enlisted by the Met today compared with 5,677 in May 2012, despite a pledge by Boris Johnson to double the number to 10,000 in his last manifesto. Labours London Assembly policing spokeswoman Joanne McCartney said the fall in numbers of special constables, PCSOs and regular officers was putting the Met under immense strain. She said the decline had left the Mayors pledge to double numbers in tatters and was adding to the pressure on full time officers. Ms McCartney said: Specials have a commitment to do 16 hours a month but many do a lot more than that and they are vital to borough policing. They can be used to make up street patrols or in some boroughs they help police the night time economy, they help make the police more visible. She said the Mets 600 million budget cuts had led to a 2,800 reduction in the number of PCSOs employed in central London and in neighbourhoods. She added: Despite Boriss promise to double their ranks what weve actually seen is a dramatic and continuing fall in the number of special constables at this rate he may well have less than half of what he started with by the time he leaves office. In 2012 Boris recognised the vital link specials played in bolstering our police service. Now he looks set to leave a much-reduced police force for his successor. Scotland Yard said it was carrying out a review of the Mets special constabulary to understand why the number of specials had fallen. The Met said 30 per cent of those leaving the specials were going to become full-time officers. Commander Lucy DOrsi, of the Mets Territorial Policing, said: We are considering how to make the recruitment, training and role of special constables more flexible and attractive in order to increase recruitment and retention. In 2015, the Mets volunteer officers put in 570,078 hours of policing London while holding down regular jobs. About a third of officers who left the special constabulary joined the Met. Stephen Greenhalgh, deputy mayor for policing and crime, said the Mayor had kept police numbers at around 32,000 and increased the percentage of officers in visible frontline roles. A n alleged Islamic extremist accused of plotting a Lee Rigby-style attack regarded a British jihadi killed in a Syria drone strike as his "hero", a court has heard. Delivery driver Junead Khan, 25, is said to have planned a terror attack on US soldiers outside military bases in Britain. The prosecution said that, after his arrest last July, detectives discovered he had shared a number of images associated with Islamic State on WhatsApp. One was of an article with the headline "Exclusive: West can't defeat IS", which featured an interview with Abu Rahin Aziz, also known as Abu Abdullah al-Britani. Cross-examining at Kingston Crown Court, prosecutor Max Hill told Khan that Aziz was a hero to him. Khan told jurors that Aziz was someone he knew from the community in Luton, and someone who he knew to have travelled to Syria to fight for IS. Mr Hill told him: "When his death by drone strike was announced in early July last year... you regarded him as a hero." The defendant replied: "Hero in the sense that he was fighting and defending innocent civilians." Jurors heard Khan "supported" what Aziz was doing until he was killed by a drone strike last July. Khan is charged with making preparations for attacking military personnel in the UK between May 10 and July 14 last year, which he denies. He is on trial alongside his uncle, Shazib Khan, 23, also from Luton, with whom he is jointly charged with making preparations for travelling to Syria to fight for IS. The pair deny engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts between August 1 2014 and July 15 last year. When asked whether he was aware his uncle had been communicating with Aziz in Syria, Junead Khan said he had not been. However, he conceded that he supported the establishment of an Islamic state. Junead Khan told jurors: "I support the shariah and caliphate. I wish to live under a shariah and caliphate, but I do not wish to become a fighter myself." The trial continues. A dog has died and five others were rescued from a burning house in south-east London. Fire crews battled flames for two hours after a blaze broke out in Farley Road, Catford this morning. Four fire engines and 21 firefighters fought the blaze at a house which had been converted into flats. Six dogs were rescued from the property but, although fire crews were able to revive five of them using oxygen, one died. Crews were called to the fire at 10.44am this morning and the fire was out by 1.08pm. The cause of the blaze is currently unknown. T housands of commuters were today facing rush hour misery after signalling problems and a broken track sparked rail delays. Operator Southeastern warned rail passengers that Waterloo East and Charing Cross were closed "until further notice" due to the problems. Passengers using London Bridge and New Cross stations were also warned to expect delays of up to an hour and 15 minutes. Engineers were initially called out to deal with a signalling fault between London Bridge and New Cross stations but when they arrived they also discovered a track defect. The section of track needs to be replaced before trains can run safely through the area, Southeastern said. Trains are being diverted to Victoria, Cannon Street and Blackfriars while Network Rail engineers fix the fault. The disruption is expected to last until at least 6pm. Charing Cross and Waterloo East stations reopened at around 3.30pm, running a limited service. The delays come just a day after Southeastern was criticised for allowing trains to skip stations more often to avoid trains being late. In a joint statement, Southeastern and Network Rail said: "An electrical fault near New Cross has damaged a rail and signalling equipment on lines from Charing Cross to south London and Kent. "As a result eight trains where held near London Bridge this morning for more than an hour while the problem was temporarily fixed. At 12.25pm some trains were able to continue on their journeys while others were taken back to London Bridge station. All trains out of or into Charing Cross or Waterloo East are currently cancelled. Network Rail engineers are on site working on a repair with the aim to reopen the line before this evenings rush hour. "However, there will almost certainly be some changes to trains and we advise anyone travelling today to check before they travel and plan ahead. Regular updates are available on the Southeastern website and Twitter. "If youre delayed more than 30 minutes you can claim Delay Repay compensation. Sorry to any passengers impacted by this. M o Farah today threw his weight behind calls for Muhammad Ali to be given an honorary knighthood. The double Olympic, European and world champion athlete backed the campaign to honour Ali as the boxers wife arrived in London to open a major exhibition dedicated to his life. Lonnie Ali said it was humbling there was still such widespread support for her husband, known simply as The Greatest. A petition started by former British world heavyweight champion David Haye, calling for Ali, 74, to be given the honorary knighthood, now has more than 21,000 signatories. Farah, 32, who made history by winning double gold at the 2012 London Olympics, said: Muhammad Ali is a legend, in every way, and he thoroughly deserves this honour. Mayor Boris Johnson, Sir Bob Geldof, champion boxer Anthony Joshua and comedian John Bishop are among those backing the call. Muhammad Ali - In pictures 1 /46 Muhammad Ali - In pictures PARIS - JANUARY 1: A portrait of former World boxing heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Clay) in 1960 in Paris, France. (Photo by AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images The winners of the 1960 Olympic medals for light heavyweight boxing on the winners' podium at Rome: Cassius Clay (now Muhammad Ali) (C), gold; Zbigniew Pietrzykowski of Poland (R), silver; and Giulio Saraudi (Italy) and Anthony Madigan (Australia), joint bronze Central Press/Getty Images 27th May 1963: American Heavyweight boxer Cassius Clay (now Muhammad Ali) lying on his hotel bed in London. He holds up five fingers in a prediction of how many rounds it will take him to knock out British boxer Henry Cooper Len Trievnor/Express/Getty Images Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Clay) leaves his London hotel for early morning training in preparation for his rematch with Henry Cooper, accompanied by two police officers Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Clay) suits up as a City gentleman in 1963 ahead of his stay in London Hulton Archive/Getty Images Cassius Clay (now Muhammad Ali) being knocked down by Henry Cooper in 1963 at the Empire Stadium, Wembley in London British Heavyweight champion Henry Cooper (1934 - 2011, left) with American boxer Cassius Clay (now Muhammad Ali) after their non-title fight at Wembley Stadium, London, 18th June 1963. Clay won the match by a technical knockout after Cooper sustained a cut under his left eye Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Clay) jumps over a fence in London's Hyde Park following his win over Henry Cooper Daily Mail The Beatles take a fake punch From Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Clay) while visiting the heavyweight contender's training camp in Miami Beach in 1964 Rex Elijah Muhammad giving speech with Cassius Clay (now Muhammad Ali) present in 1964 American boxer Cassius Clay (now Muhammad Ali) with boxing manager Chris Dundee around the time of his World Heavyweight Boxing Championship fight against fellow American Sonny Liston at Miami Beach, Florida. Ali went on to win the match, securing his first world heavyweight title Harry Benson/Getty Images 25 May 1965: Cassius Clay (now Muhammad Ali) stands over Sonny Liston after a first round knockout to claim the heavyweight champion title in Lewiston, Maine Allsport/Hulton Archive/Getty Images Cassius Clay (now Muhammad Ali) being restrained by his seconds as he rushes across the ring after his world heavyweight title fight victory over Sonny Liston, yelling to the ringside reporters 'eat your words' Central Press/Getty Images Muhammad Ali in training in August 1966 for his upcoming fight against Brian London. London lost the fight, after being knocked out in the third round R. McPhedran/Express/Getty Images Cassius Clay (now Muhammad Ali) spars with challenger Floyd Patterson during the World Heavyweight Championship fight on 25 November 1965. Clay won the fight with a technical knockout in the 12th round Allsport/Getty Images 6 August 1966: Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali) lands a right to the head of Brian London during their World Heavyweight Title fight at Earls Court. Ali won by a knockout in the third round Allsport/Hulton Archive/Getty Images March 1971: In a title fight at Madison Square Gardens, New York, Muhammad Ali goes down in the 15th round to a left hook from world heavyweight champion Joe Frazier who kept the title with an unanimous points win Keystone/Getty Images Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Clay) winces as Ken Norton hits him with a left to the head during their re-match at the Forum in Inglewood, California in 1973 AP The American boxer Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Clay), who first became world heavyweight champion in 1964 read the London Evening Standard in 1974 Tim Graham/Getty Images "The Match of the Century " between the former world heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali (right) and his compatriot and titleholder George Foreman (left). Ali won and got back his title on 30 October 1974 in Kinshasa, Congo AFP/Getty Images 9th May 1966: Cassius Clay (now Muhammad Ali) at his West End Hotel during his stay in London to fight Henry Cooper B. Potter/Express/Getty Images Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Clay) fighting Joe Bugner in 1973 Daily Mail Referee Zack Clayton counts out George Foreman as Muhammad Ali looks on in the eighth round of their title bout in Kinshasa, Zaire on 30 October 1974 Jim Boudier/AP Spray flies from the head of challenger Joe Frazier as heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Clay) connects with a right in the ninth round of their title fight in Manila, Philippines on October 1, 1975. Ali won the fight on a decision to retain the title Mitsunori Chigita/AP Pele is shown embracing Muhammad Ali during a ceremony honoring the Brazilian star of the New York Cosmos at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey on 1 October 1977 AP World heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali (left) during the match he won against his compatriot Leon Spinks in Moscow on 16 September 1978 AFP/Getty Images Michael Parkinson with Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Clay) on the BBC chat show in 1981 BBC 19 December 1978: Heavyweight boxer Muhammad Ali with his daughters Laila (9 months) and Hanna (2 years 5 months) at Grosvenor House Frank Tewkesbury/Evening Standard Former heavyweight boxing champion and 1960 OlympIc gold medallist Muhammad Ali lights the flame at the Olympic Stadium in Atlanta during the opening ceremony for the 1996 Olympics Omar Torress/AFP/Getty Images 11 December 1999: Boxing legends Lennox Lewis, Harry Carpenter and Muhammad Ali pose for the cameras at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards ceremony held at the BBC Television Centre, in London Craig Prentis/Allsport/Getty Images Muhammad Ali during his Birthday Party at the London Hilton in 2001 John Gichigi/Allsport/Getty Images Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Clay) lights the first Olympic torch for the Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Winter Games at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta on 4 December 2001 Curtis Compton/EPA US former world heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali (C) poses with two of his daughters, Hana (left) and May May (right), after a star was unveiled for him on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, in Los Angeles on 11 January 2002 Lucy Nicholson/AFP/Getty Images Boxer Laila Ali poses with her father, former heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali, after she defeated Suzy Taylor in two rounds at the Aladdin Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on 17 August 2002 Scott Halleran/Getty Images U.S. President George W. Bush presents former heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali with the Medal of Freedom during a ceremony during a ceremony in the East Romm of the White House November 9, 2005 in Washington, DC. Bush presented 14 Medals of Freedom to recipients including retiring Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan and Aretha Franklin during the ceremony on 09 November 2005 Mark Wilson/Getty Images Ali had been due to open the O2s I Am The Greatest show tomorrow himself. Lonnie, who came instead due to his ill health, today said she hoped he would make it to the exhibition before it closes in August. Asked about the enduring interest in her husband, she told BBC radio: It is astounding. It is humbling actually. But Muhammad was larger than life, and he is still larger than life. Throughout his career and throughout his life, hes touched so many lives, so many people, in such a warm-hearted way that they love him. Previous recipients of an honorary knighthood, given to non-UK nationals, include Bono, the late Terry Wogan and Steven Spielberg. MPs from across the political spectrum have already backed the move to honour Kentucky-born Ali, with more coming forward every day. Leicester West MP Liz Kendall said there was no one more deserving: He has achieved so much, is a role model to people across the world and has stood true to his principles. Advertising guru Trevor Beattie also revealed he has loaned his own multi-million-pound collection of Ali memorabilia to the O2 exhibition. They include Alis training robe from his last fight and the gloves he wore to trade blows with Henry Cooper in London in 1963. Beattie, who bought the gloves in 2001 for around 38,000 and has them insured for 1 million, said there was no doubt the former heavyweight champion should be given an honorary knighthood, adding: It should have happened years ago. To sign the petition go to change.org and search for Muhammad Ali. I t is one of Londons most vibrant and edgy streets with a global reputation for its rows of independent nightclubs, bars and restaurants. But Brick Lane has become so established on the tourist map that a branch of the Premier Inn hotel chain has opened up on the site of a former Asian supermarket. Bosses at Premier Inn, best known for its Lenny Henry-fronted adverts, said the five-storey hotel would appeal to tech-obsessed budget travellers. The 189-room budget hotel, part of Premier Inns new hipster-friendly hub brand, allows guests to use a smartphone app or Apple watch to control lighting, room temperature and the TV, which can be used as a screen for their mobile or tablet. But the launch of the 21.4 million hotel, where rooms start from 49, is likely to raise fresh fears about the sanitising of Spitalfields following the opening of a Pret a Manger sandwich bar last summer. It is only a few yards from the Cereal Killer cafe that was attacked by a mob of anti-gentrification campaigners in September. Critics have warned that long-established traders, including the Bangladeshi curry restaurants for which Brick Lane is most famous, will be forced out by soaring rents as national chains move in. But Simon Ewins, chief operating officer of hub by Premier Inn, said: East London represents the citys diversity and is at the forefront of emerging arts, fashions and technologies. We offer an unrivalled digital experience and we anticipate our guests will love this new location in this trendy and vibrant part of London. The design and build of the hub hotels must adhere to ever-changing technological and sustainability requirements. To stay at the forefront of the technological age we have introduced even more digitally aided smart TVs. The hotel stands opposite the Jamme Masjid mosque and on the site of the now demolished BanglaCity supermarket. B oris Johnsons flagship regeneration scheme at Old Oak Common is in danger of turning into Londons worst cock-up in 50 years, a leading government adviser warned today. Urban planner Sir Terry Farrell said the 10 billion development, the biggest in Britain, is heading for disaster because of the rush to finish Crossrail. He blamed politicians for ducking key decisions and said the Mayor was partly responsible for a shortsighted pass the parcel approach. Sir Terry said: If a tenth of the energy he put into the Boris island airport idea had gone into Old Oak Common I feel sure it would have happened without a problem. Old Oak Common in west London is 100 acres of railway lines, sidings and depots south of the Grand Union Canal as well as down-at-heel industrial estates and the Cargiant second-hand car supermarket to the canals north. More than 25,000 homes and 55,000 jobs are due to be created there over the next 15 years, supported by 250,000 passengers a year using a transport super-hub with Crossrail, HS2, Tube and Overground stations all close to each other. However, Sir Terry said the rush to complete Crossrail now renamed the Elizabeth line meant that much of the development cannot take place. This is because engineers working on Crossrail are not making space for the pilings that would support construction of offices, homes, shops and restaurants on decking over the lines. Critic: Sir Terry Farrell / Glenn Copus Without the decking, the 12,000 homes south of the canal could not be built and a planned development at the Cargiant site would be far less viable, he said. Redesigning the sidings to make space for the pilings would take several months and cost up to 200 million. Sir Terry, whose 2011 vision document for Hammersmith and Fulham council was the first detailed study of the potential for Old Oak Common, said: Weve been trying to influence and lobby for five years but everyone had just talked and talked, its just been pass the parcel. This is probably the biggest cock-up that Ive seen in my career of 50 years in London. Transport for London has said the Crossrail depot could relocate in future to make way for development south of the canal but Sir Terry said this would cost 1 billion and was not realistic. Last year the Mayor set up the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC), chaired by deputy mayor Sir Eddie Lister, to manage the project. A spokesman for Mr Johnson said: The Mayor, OPDC, Transport for London and the Government are working together to ensure the full regeneration potential of this site is unlocked. Over time, this site can provide 65,000 new jobs and 25,500 badly needed homes. This development will be brought forward, but needs to be delivered in a way that does not delay or disrupt Crossrail, which is critical to meeting Londons transport challenge. T he Queen today visited a school in east London to learn more about charities supported by a trust founded in her honour. Pupils at Lister Community School in Plaistow took part in scientific experiments and the orchestra performed for Her Majesty as she toured the school. While visiting the school, the Queen was given an update about the work of organisations given a financial boost by the Queens Trust. The Trust was founded at about the time of the monarchs Silver Jubilee in 1977 and gives grants to youth charities, enabling them to grow and help more young people. Visit: The Queen observed science experiments at Lister Community School, Plaistow / Toby Melville/PA Wire A number of organisations supported by the trust were represented at the school, from the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain to Duke of Edinburgh's Award students. Veteran broadcaster Sir Trevor McDonald, a trustee of the Queen's Trust, attended the school visit and spoke about his involvement with the organisation. He said: "This trust had some money to give to causes and I had a view on some of the causes. "This school is an example of that benefit, grants are not directly given to the school but a number of organisations associated with the school." Additional reporting by Press Association. A man has been taken to hospital after being found with serious injuries in south London. Police found a man, whose age is currently unknown, in Streatham High Road at 2.30pm. A Met spokesman said they believed the man's injuries were as the result of a collision. He was taken to a south London hospital for treatment. A police spokesman was unable to confirm at this stage whether the man's injuries were life threatening or life changing. Road closures are currently in place around Streatham High Road and Mitcham Lane. T ens of thousands of Londoners are addicted to the internet after becoming obsessed with gaming, pornography and social media, a leading psychiatrist warned today. An increasing number are believed to be compulsive web users, with parents of children as young as 14 seeking help from National Problem Gambling Clinic, run by Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust. Experts now want to create the UKs first centre for internet disorders in Fulham after a successful pilot project. One hundred internet addicts were treated, some of whom racked up 50 hours of pathological internet use each week hardly speaking to their family, watching porn at work, or playing online games for 14 hours straight. The clinics director, consultant psychiatrist Henrietta Bowden-Jones, said she had seen an increasing number of requests from Londoners for help. There is currently no NHS money to fund a full-time internet addiction service in the UK due to government mental health cuts. Dr Bowden-Jones said: By the time the addiction has taken over, people can forget to eat. If you find yourself spending three or four hours a day on the internet to the detriment of other social or physical activities, avoiding family dinners or going out with your partner to enjoy a film or meal out, when you stop reading books or magazines because all you are thinking about is this preoccupation with the internet, it is time to start changing behaviours. Its a compulsion that doesnt allow you to take stock of the fact its now 5am, or your wife is shouting at you, or you havent fed your kids because you are online. "We see people who prefer their virtual life to daily reality, who can arrive extremely obese and havent moved for weeks, or I have seen people who are extremely thin and malnourished. "People have lost their job or dropped out of university. The current largest British study of its kind, conducted by Nottingham Trent University academics in 2013, found 3.2 per cent of student respondents to a screening test were classified as addicted to the internet. A separate EU-funded study of 11,356 adolescents from Austria, Estonia, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Romania, Slovenia and Spain, co-ordinated in Sweden, found 4.2 per cent were pathological internet users. Fears that tens of thousands of Londoners are addicted are a projection based on these two studies. Dr Bowden-Jones hopes the gaming industry will help fund the new centre, which will include greater research into the problem. Even if the gaming industry donated 0.05 per cent of their profits towards treatment, we could create a clinic for the best evidence-based centre for treatment, prevention, education and research. For treatment, psychologists use cognitive behavioural therapy, which has shown to be effective for internet disorders. Teenager stays up all night... it is a mental health issue A London teenager who spends all night online gaming is among those receiving help for addiction. His problems began at 13 when he was given a PC for Christmas. The boy played more and more of the block-building game Minecraft, his family said. Now aged 15, he has managed to get around their efforts to restrict his internet use. When his mother turned off the landline connection at bedtime, he got online by buying pay-as-you-go data on his iPhone and tethering it to his computer. His aunt said: It crept into being later and later until its got to the point where he stays up all night and doesnt go to school either because hes asleep or still online. My sense is having spent so much time in his room on his computer not really dealing with real people is contributing to a degree of social anxiety. I see it very much as a mental health issue. He was 14 when the family contacted consultant psychiatrist Henrietta Bowden-Jones for help. His aunt urged web providers to do more to help families with relatives whose web use is excessive. When I contacted Henrietta she said I was the fifth person that week. This is not just a problem for our family, its happening up and down the country and I cant understand why internet service providers, who are making huge amounts of money, arent contributing a little bit more in terms of understanding and managing some of the problems with compulsive internet behaviours. T he first strong evidence emerged today that the threat of Britains withdrawal from the European Union was starting to damage the economy. City forecasters warned of a hammer blow to growth prospects as key data showed that activity in the UKs dominant services sector dropped to its lowest level for almost three years last month. The data came in the closely-watched monthly report from company purchasing managers, which said businesses were increasingly jittery about the increased risk of Brexit. The survey covered the month when Boris Johnson electrified the debate by announcing he would defy David Cameron and campaign for an Out vote. Chris Williamson, chief economist at financial data firm Markit, which compiled the figures, said: Survey responses reveal that firms are worried about signs of faltering demand, but boardrooms have also become unsettled by concerns regarding the increased risk of Brexit, financial market volatility and weak economic growth at home and abroad. It was the first time Markit has cited the outcome of the June 23 referendum on Britains EU membership as a factor denting business expectations. Some economists said the weak figures had persuaded them to downgrade their forecasts for growth in the first quarter. Howard Archer, UK economist at forecasters IHS Economics, said they were a hammer blow, adding: We have pencilled in growth of 0.4 per cent in the first quarter, but there looks to be downside risks to this especially as heightened uncertainty over the EU membership referendum could well foster increasing business and consumer caution. This is uncomfortable news for George Osborne as he readies his March Budget. The figures came as Londons Mayor hit back at a French minister who predicted bankers would quit London for Paris if Britain leaves the EU. He argued that the real danger to the capital was being part of moves towards a European superstate. Mr Johnson spoke out after Emmanuel Macron signalled that France would roll out a red carpet for bankers if there was a Brexit. He also said that his country might tear up special arrangements for Britain to have its border on French soil, which is seen as crucial to stopping thousands more illegal migrants making it to the UK. Mr Johnson, who has previously sought to attract French bankers fearful of high taxes in their country to London, responded robustly to Mr Macrons intervention. TODO: define component type apester Theres a reason that London is the fourth biggest French city on Earth and it isnt our membership of the EU, he said. It is because London is by far the financial, cultural and innovation capital of Europe and Project Fear wont change that fact. The real danger is in doing nothing, staying put and grinding inevitably towards a European superstate over which we have no control. Speaking to business leaders in London alongside German finance minister Wolfgang Schauble, Mr Osborne was today expected to accuse Out campaigners of serving confusion heaped on confusion. A senior member of Parliaments public spending watchdog today called on Zac Goldsmith to come clean over his use of a company in the Cayman Islands to buy and sell his homes. Labour former minister Caroline Flint called on him to speak out against the misuse of tax havens which she said often illegally deprived Londoners of money that could be used for public services. She argued leaving the European Union, a position the Tory mayoral candidate supports, would make it more difficult for the authorities to crack down on tax havens. Mr Goldsmith has stated that properties he has lived in have been purchased and sold through the overseas trust set up by his billionaire father, and that the trust was a beneficiary. There is no suggestion of any illegality. The Standard understands that he and his wife have a high street mortgage for their family homes in Barnes. The Tory candidate has also published his tax return showing he had made more than 10 million and paid more than 4 million in tax since becoming an MP. However, Labour said Mr Goldsmith should provide more details of transactions made by his family trust. Ms Flint said: Zac Goldsmith must come clean on his own use of offshore companies. A spokesman for Mr Goldsmith said: Zac has delivered on his transparency commitment. Z ac Goldsmith has attacked a flagship government housing policy to convert work space into homes as absolutely catastrophic for London. The Tory mayoral candidate said the scheme had turned dynamic communities into dormitory zones and damaged local economies. He told an audience of senior arts figures the capital was in danger of losing its creative quirkiness as artists and designers were squeezed out. In 2013 the Government brought in a temporary change to permitted development rights allowing thousands of work spaces to be converted into homes. Ministers claimed it would breathe new life into neighbourhoods but Mr Goldsmith said it was a bad policy that had the opposite effect, leading to the loss of a third of work spaces in his Richmond constituency. He told a Creative Industries Federation event: The effect of that has been absolutely catastrophic, in my patch but right across London. Thriving dynamic local communities are becoming dormitory zones. If you lose the office space then people stop working in the area, if people stop working in the area that has a knock on effect on high streets. You end up creating a place where people live but dont work, and where the local economy simply ceases to exist. If we allow London to be homogenised, if we lose the things that give London its character, people will cease wanting to invest and grow in London. Mr Goldsmith warned: If the negative aspects of gentrification squeeze people out of dynamic communities like Soho, if we dont create an environment in which people can afford to live and work there will be no creative sector in London. Its about creating an environment in which a thousand flowers can bloom. The MP would use the London Plan to make all major developments provide space for start-ups and creatives as well as protecting music venues. He said he would not publish a manifesto for the creative sector, which is worth 35 billion to Londons economy a year, as it would be divisive but instead there would be a thread running through his policies to support the sector. B BC2 is Britains whitest TV station and the corporations news bulletins do not appeal to ethnic minorities, according to race campaigner Trevor Phillips. The ex-TV presenter and former Equality and Human Rights Commission chairman claims the stations programming does not reach a diverse enough audience. Speaking at the Oxford Media Convention yesterday, Mr Phillips said the channel is by some distance, Britains whitest TV station. He cited figures showing 5.7 per cent of Britains TV viewers watch BBC2, which has had big hits with shows like Wolf Hall, but that number plunges to 3.3 per cent for black and ethnic minority people. And he claimed the figures were worse for the corporations current affairs output, with 30 per cent of people watching the Six OClock News but only 15 per cent of ethnic minorities doing the same. Claim: Trevor Phillips / Rex He drew a parallel with Channel 4, claiming it was the only broadcaster whose programmes appealed to ethnic minority audiences alongside the wider population. Mr Phillips said: People of colour are paying nearly 150 a year for the upkeep of services that actually dont serve them. TODO: define component type apester I would say that whoever regulates the BBC, that is a question that should be near the top of the charter renewal debate. Thats the political imperative. His comments come 15 years after former BBC boss Greg Dyke called the broadcaster hideously white. A BBC spokesman said: "BBC Two has been growing its black, Asian, and ethnic minority audience over the last year. Major seasons of programming on India and China have aired recently and a new season on black Britain is being shown this Autumn. "New and established talent such as Liz Bonnin, David Olusoga, Dr Saleyha Ahsan, Anita Rani, Romesh Ranganathan, Javone Prince, Rory Reid, Patrick Ayree, Monica Galetti, Jing Lusi and Reggie Yates all feature in a wide range of BBC Two programmes. "Three quarters of black, Asian and minority ethinic (BAME) audience households feel that the BBC serves them well and BBC One is the most popular channels across all BAME audiences. T urkish police have killed two female militants who attacked a police bus in Istanbul, an official said The women were cornered after they opened fire and threw a grenade at the bus outside a police station in the Bayrampasa district earlier today. The shocking incident was captured on video. The women later hid inside an apartment where a siege took place as police surrounded the building and demanded for them to surrender. Istanbul Governor Vahip Sahin said both assailants were killed. Two police officers have been injured. Dramatic video has emerged of police blasting the doors of an apartment where the women had earlier fled. No one has yet claimed responsibility for the attack. Both Kurdish rebels and far-left militants have attacked police in Istanbul previously. Last month, a suicide car bombing that targeted buses carrying military personnel in the capital, Ankara, killed 29 people. A Kurdish militant group that is an off-shoot of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, claimed responsibility for that attack. But the government maintains that it was the work of a Syrian Kurdish militia group, in coordination with the PKK. Some 145 people have died since July in three separate suicide bomb attacks that authorities have blamed on the Islamic State group. They include 12 German tourists who were killed in Istanbul's historic Sultanahmet district in January. A metre-long piece of metal which washed up on a beach in Mozambique will be examined in Australia to see if it is from missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370. The debris was found on a sand bank between the African mainland and Madagascar at the weekend, just days before the second anniversary of the planes disappearance. Malaysias transport minister Liow Tiong Lai said there was a high possibility it belonged to a Boeing 777, the same type of aircraft as flight MH370. A mural of MH370 in Kuala Lumpar / AP However, he also warned against undue speculation over its origin. The plane disappeared on March 8 2014 during a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 238 people on board. The only trace of the plane has been a flaperon, part of the aircrafts wing, that washed up on Reunion Island, off the east coast of Madagascar last July. Analysed: This piece of metal is being tested to determine whether it belongs to the missing MH370 flight / Reuters/ATB French officials confirmed it did belong to the missing Malaysian jet. Loading.... Australian transport minister, Darren Chester, told parliament today the debris would be brought to the country for analysis. But he said it was too early to speculate on the origin of the debris at this stage. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has supported the Malaysian accident investigation team by coordinating the deep water search and recovery operation for MH370 in the southern Indian Ocean. A 60,000 sq km area off Western Australia, which is thought to be where the plane would have crashed after running out of fuel, is being searched. L ike any normcore working woman, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton decompresses by watching television with her husband, Bill. Their favourite shows are House of Cards, which is back on Friday with series four landing in time for a weekend session (cancel all plans that dont involve Frank Underwood), and The Good Wife, which is midway through season seven and blurs into real life with Peter Florrick running to be Hillarys Vice President. Both shows are about successful women in their prime, and their husbands who operate in the higher echelons of politics sound familiar, Hillary? They have drawn us in with depictions of marriages so complicated that they make the US political system seem simple. So as we settle in for plenty of sweeping shots of the White House lawn and Google exactly what a caucus is and why it matters, heres what makes the political woman run, on screen and in real life. Just try not to accidentally call Hillary House of Cards badass Claire Underwood when you are trying to impress with your command of the Senate in polite conversation. Power politics Claire (Robin Wright) met Frank (Kevin Spacey) at Radcliffe when they were high-achieving students, much like Billary at Yale. From then on, Claires career (and her hair) has been angled towards her husband. She goes back to the bleach bottle after a spell au naturel because Iowa voters love the blonde, and conveniently her job as CEO of Clean Water Initiative helps make her husband look caring. At work she is unafraid to go hardline, telling her pregnant colleague: I am willing to let that child wither and die inside you. Like Hillary, who became Senator for New York in Bills last year as President, she uses the political knowledge gained at home to enter that sphere, as UN ambassador. Ive been in the passenger seat for decades, she tells Frank in the middle of the night. Its time for me to get behind the wheel. What she lacks in experience she makes up for with fierce determination and hunger to realise her own political ambitions. When Frank snaps about her gaffes she retorts: I shouldve never made you President. Perhaps underestimating the power of his wife he fires her, and she is hellbent on revenge. Netflix: Eight exclusive shows you need to watch 1 /10 Netflix: Eight exclusive shows you need to watch Bloodline Ben Mendelsohn and Kyle Chandler star in this family-based thriller House of Cards Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright excel in this dark political drama NETFLIX Lilyhammer The Sopranos star (and E Street Band member) Steven Van Zandt breaks out in his own gangster drama Grace and Frankie Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin star in this sitcom from the creators of Friends Daredevil Marvel are bringing their gritter superheroes to Netflix, starting with Daredevil Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Ellie Kemper is impossibly upbeat in the Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, from Tina Fey Narcos Wagner Moura stars as Pablo Escobar in this addictive drug thriller Better Call Saul The prequel / spin-off to Breaking Bad is exclusive to Netflix in the UK Now she is upping her game will FLOTUS unseat POTUS? FLOTUS certainly knows how to rattle him by playing dirty. At the beginning of this series she leaks a picture of Franks dad in a compromising position as he is trying to woo the African-American vote in South Carolina. Like Claire and Hillary, Alicia Florrick (Julianna Margulies) is at a stage in her life when she is unencumbered by young children. When colleagues ask Florrick how she plans to deal with empty-nest syndrome now that her son Zach has left for college she is quiet, but she has a plan. She took a back seat to be a mother but Zach growing up means she is free to run for State Attorney. Alicia becomes more powerful as The Good Wife goes on, learning from her husband Peter (Chris Mr Big from Sex and the City Noth). She leverages his position as governor of Illinois to win clients and now that he is on the way to being Hillarys Vice President she is unstoppable, if more compromised. She has her own political team, headed by her husbands former chief of staff Eli Gold, who is bursting for her to run for office: Youre a brand! Youre Saint Alicia, he implores her. Her husbands sex scandal has added to Alicias appeal, endearing her to female voters. Really what she wants is a happy life and to control my fate but this involves spinning. She tells her mother: I cant stop. Julianna Margulies as Alicia Florrick in The Good Wife / David Giesbrecht/Netflix Sexual politics As Frank Underwood says in House of Cards, the road to power is paved with hypocrisy. Part of this is presenting a united front when relations are anything but cordial in the bedroom. He warned Claire when he proposed to her, saying: Claire, if all you want is happiness, say no. Im not gonna give you a couple of kids and count the days until retirement. I promise you freedom from that. I promise youll never be bored. That means a threesome with their bodyguard and playing a vital part in political machinations. She knows her importance in his career. When he tells her, I will leave a legacy she replies, We will. Theres plenty of sexual tension between them but we rarely see them in bed. When Claire has an affair, Frank reacts by helping her spin it for the press, and in the last series they sleep in separate beds. We last saw Claire rebelling against having a husband who doesnt apologise, even to me. She walks away from their marriage at the worst possible time, during his re-election campaign. Theres a striking scene where we see her stepping out of her trademark power dress and putting on a softer, white outfit that feels like the new her. Robin Wright as Claire Underwood in House of Cards / NETFLIX Parallels have been drawn with the Clintons Hill stood by Bill despite his extracurricular shagging (which started before they were even married), and Bill has acknowledged that she is a potent political weapon. House of Cards creator Michael (now Lord) Dobbs has said that Claire Underwood bears similarities to Hillary Clinton. Gennifer Flowers, who in 1992 alleged that she had sexual relations with Bill Clinton, has said: What (Bill and Hillary) have obviously worked for them but Ive never considered theirs a traditional marriage. Meanwhile, Bill has spoken of the importance of a wife who kicks my butt and makes me do the things Ive got to do. Their sex life is ripe for rumours presenter Jenny McCarthy once joked: Well, maybe he has his girlfriends and she has her girlfriends, you never know. Maybe they have an arrangement. In The Good Wife there is plenty of sex, just not between Alicia and Peter. Alicia puts up with endless philandering from her husband. In fact, his sleaziness makes her stronger. When Peter is caught with a prostitute and sent to jail Alicia initially decides to keep the marriage together because she believes in order there are people who make mess and people who clean up and is coming up against Peters pragmatic desire to have a faithful wife at his side while he campaigns. Then she realises the benefits of being in a loveless marriage. The public see her as Saint Alicia and she is free to climb the career ladder at her law firm, realising it is always sexier not to care. CBS Alicia has a secret sex life of her own and is into the friendship/relationship pattern. She and Will Gardner, a partner at her firm, have a steamy affair (even though feelings dont stop her from poaching his clients). When he is shot dead it toughens her up again and her marriage becomes a convenient business arrangement. Now there is Jason, the cheeky bearded investigator. Colleagues warned that she should read The Sociopath Next Door to understand him. We know he likes mini tacos and youd be surprised at what he gets up to late at night (he listens to TED talks). The Good Wife frequently exposes the rot in capitalism through Alicias cases she sees draconian drug laws and an inefficient prison system but Robert and Michelle King, the husband-and-wife team behind the show, also pick away at the holes in marriage as an institution. The political posses These women may be tough and independent but they have infrastructure behind them. Hillary has Huma Abedin, aged 40. She started working for Hillary in 1996, as a 19-year-old intern assigned to the First Ladys office. Now she is married, to Senator Anthony Weiner, who came under the spotlight when he was involved in a sexting scandal, and she still works for Hillary as an aide. A former adviser to Bill describes her as a mini Hillary, and Bills adviser Mandy Grunwald told Vogue: If the air-conditioning is too cold, Huma is there with the shawl. Shes always thinking three steps ahead of Hillary. Interview with Neve Campbell ahead of House of Cards launch Claire is more of a lone ranger. She sees staff as people she can take her angst out on. But thats about to change. In this series we meet Leann Harvey (Neve Campbell), an ambitious Democratic fundraiser drawn in to help Frank. Claire wants a piece of her talent and asks her to destroy her husband. Campbell has said: Everything about American politics makes me proud to be Canadian. In The Good Wife Alicia poaches her husbands people. Its a power play, although strategist Eli Gold doesnt want to be used as ballast. He may have a tiny office but that doesnt mean he isnt a force to be reckoned with. He charms Alicia too, telling her: People think youre important enough to bribe. She is quietly delighted about this. Follow Susannah Butter on Twitter: @susannahbutter Protect yourself and spouse against the unexpected If you are a member of Standardbred Canada, you and your spouse can obtain valuable financial protection at affordable group rates. Plans providing protection against accidents, illness and death have been specifically designed to meet your various needs. For more information, please contact: Denise Kunz: (905) 858-3060 ext. 240 -- E-Mail: [email protected] Life Insurance protection Coverage is available up to $250,000 for members and spouses up to age 65 and has recently been enhanced to include coverage of up to $125,000 for members between the ages of 65 and 70. Includes Disability Waiver of Premium. English Application (PDF) English Brochure (PDF) French Application (PDF) French Brochure (PDF) Horsemen's liability program Should your horse injure someone or damage property of others, then you would be covered for damage, as the court would determine, up to $1,000,000. In addition, all legal costs incurred to defend you from a third party claim (lawsuit) are paid. The plan is in effect 24 hours a day in any location in North America. Download application (PDF) Accident insurance for drivers, trainers, grooms, official If you are a Driver, Trainer, Groom or Official, under age 70, you are eligible for three kinds of insurance for horse-related accidents when you become a paid-up member of Standardbred Canada. Participation in the plan is mandatory and the cost will be reflected in your annual membership renewal. (updated amounts for 2009) English Download brochure (PDF) French Download brochure (PDF) For the Members Accident Claim & Medical Report form, click here. Syrian War Crimes Tribunal Bill Taken Up by Key Committee Contact: Jeff Sagnip, 202-225-3765; chrissmith.house.gov WASHINGTON, March 3, 2016 /Standard Newswire/ -- Legislation designed to establish a Syrian War Crimes Tribunal and hold accountable anyone involved in genocide and crimes against humanity in Syria was adopted yesterday by the House Foreign Affairs Committee. "The world has been shocked by gross human rights violations, including summary executions, torture, and rape reported in the news," said Rep. Chris Smith, author of the legislation, H. Con. Res 121. He cited estimates that that put the death toll as high as 470,000 people. A senior member of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the House and the chairman of the subcommittee that oversees global human rights, Smith also serves as Congressional Representative to the U.N. "The U.N. Security Council should move immediately to establish a Syrian war crimes tribunal and my resolution calls upon the Administration to pursue this policy goal including using our voice and vote at the U.N.," he said. Click here to read Rep. Smith's opening statement. Smith's resolution envisions a court based on previous effective tribunals held after atrocities in Rwanda, Sierra Leone and the former Yugoslavia. Those courts prosecuted parties from all sides of the warleaders as well as combatants and soldiers. Smith noted that the Yugoslavian court made Slobodan Milosevic the first sitting head of state to be indicted for war crimes. The Sierra Leone court prosecuted former Liberian President Charles Taylor, who eventually was convicted and received a sentence of 50 years in prison. and a senior member of the Foreign Affairs committee and chairman of the subcommittee that oversees global human rights. "Past ad hoc/regional war crimes tribunalsincluding courts for Sierra Leone, Rwanda and the former Yugoslaviahave made a significant difference, holding some of the worst mass murders to account with successful prosecutions followed by long jail sentences," Smith said. "Can a U.N. Security Council resolution establishing a Syrian tribunal prevail?" Smith asked, preempting those who might doubt the success of ad hoc/regional courts. "Yes. With a herculean diplomatic push by the United States and other interested nations, past success in creating war crimes tribunals can indeed be prologue. Notwithstanding Russia's solidarity with Serbia during the Balkan war, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) was unanimously approved. Ditto for the special court in Sierra Leone in 2002. The Rwanda tribunal was created in 1994, with China choosing to abstain rather than veto." Smith also highlighted advantages a special ad hoc/regional court would have over the International Criminal Court (ICC). "An ad hoc or regional court has significant advantages over the International Criminal Court (ICC) as a venue for justice," Smith said. "For starters, neither Syria nor the United States is a member of the ICC, although mechanisms exist to push prosecutions there. The ICC has operated since 2002 but boasts only two convictions. By way of contrast, the Yugoslavia court convicted 80 people; Rwanda, 61; and Sierra Leone, 9. Moreover, a singularly focused Syrian tribunal that provides Syrians with a degree of ownership could enhance its effectiveness. "At the Syrian court, no one on either side who commits war crimes, genocide or crimes against humanity would be precluded from prosecution. Justice would be served," Smith said. The Syria resolution has broad bi-partisan support, and received input from the State Department as well as a panel of experts at a 2013 hearing convened by Chairman Smith and entitled "Establishing a Syrian War Crimes Tribunal." Click here to view a transcript of the hearing, or click here For complete release click on: chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398749 Actors from the Bright Star Touring Theater perform Wednesday at the Midwest Theater in Lift Every Voice: The Black Experience in the Heartland. The play, sponsored by the National Park Service, contained lessons about African American history and described important historical sites preserved by the Park Service. Hundreds of area middle-school students attended two daily presentations of the event. National Read Across America Day extended the invite to children and the general public to read a good book. It also celebrated the life and work of one of the greatest icons of the literary world, Theodor Geisel, or, as he is more commonly known, Dr. Seuss. Schools across the country might hold events all through the week to commend reading and what can be accomplished if students read. Roosevelt Elementary and Longfellow Elementary in Scottsbluff gave tribute to Dr. Seuss on March 2. Deb Carlson, childrens librarian at Lied Scottsbluff Public Library, and James Tidei, teen librarian and childrens library assistant, visited kindergarten and first-grade students at Roosevelt Elementary. They read the book What was I scared of? by Dr. Seuss, performed a skit, and talked to the students about some Dr. Seuss facts. Carlson told the children that Dr. Seuss book Green Eggs and Ham is the most translated book in the world after the Bible. The three things that they wanted the children to understand was that Dr. Seuss was not his real name, he loved kids and he liked his books to have morals in them or a main message. When he was growing up his dad wanted him to be a doctor. He knew he wasnt going to be a doctor, but he decided to take the doctor title to kind of honor his dad, said Carlson. This year wouldve been his 112th birthday. This past summer, What Pet Should I Get? was recently released as the newest Dr. Seuss book in 25 years. Its so cute, its just hysterical, its Seuss at his best, said Carlson. Carlson said March 2 and all this week is an opportunity to read to students and to appreciate books and reading. I think the significance on a smaller scale here is for children to feel the joy of reading. Its fun to have a day to make it special, not just make it like any other day, said Carlson. Carlson said the books still resonate with children and all audiences because they are so fun to read. They appeal to not only children but also to adults, I dont care who you are, youve probably read them, said Tidei. Tidei and Carlson said that Seuss was ahead of his time because all of his books have had an impact in the modern age. Carlson said she has been doing things for Read Across America Day for 10-15 years, but she believes the day has been around longer than that. Next year, Carlson believes there will be a morning storytime, a program at night, as well as other after-school activities. Erica Croft, Chadron State College junior, who is assisting in a third grade class at Longfellow Elementary for a teaching project, organized an interesting activity on National Read Across America Day. Angie Shaws third grade class at Longfellow Elementary did a cross-curricular activity based on scientific inquiry. She thought it would be neat to incorporate science into such a special day. Croft read Bartholomew and the Oobleck, to the students and conducted an activity where they were able to create cups of their own oobleck out of cornstarch and water. The kids are learning about the states of matter right now, so they are learning about solids, liquids and gas. This was a good thinker because they cant decide if its a solid or a liquid, said Croft. She also said that National Read Across America Day is a fun day for children and teachers. Obviously, reading is just so incredibly important, this really helps makes reading that much more fun, said Croft. This page may have been moved, deleted, or is otherwise unavailable. To help you find what you are looking for: Enter Search Term(s): Still cant find what youre looking for? Send us a message using our contact us form. To report a broken link or other problems with the website, please include the URL. Thank you for visiting state.gov. 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According to government data, Shougang produced 696,399 mt of the commodity in the first month of the year, down from 733,008 mt in the same period of 2015. Ascension Health is closing a health program for seniors and its related south St. Louis facility in April, a move that will result in the elimination of 101 jobs. The closure also ends a unique local program that allows the elderly to receive coordinated care and health services at a single location. The health program and the facility, Alexian Brothers PACE Adult Day Health Center, located at 3900 South Grand Boulevard, are expected to close on April 30, according to a filing with the Missouri Department of Economic Development. The closure comes after Alexian Brothers was cited for serious operational deficiencies in November when enrollment was subsequently suspended at that time. PACE, or Program of All Inclusive Care for the Elderly, coordinates and provides health care for typically low-income seniors, ages 55 and older. The more than 100 PACE programs across the country are responsible for managing the care of the seniors enrolled in the program and receive one flat-rate payment from Medicare, Medicaid or both. In addition to medical care, PACE programs provide transportation, meals, prescription drugs, and adult day care. The purpose of the PACE programs is to help seniors remain in their homes and communities as long as possible. Alexian Brothers is the sole PACE program in the state of Missouri, according to the National PACE Association. The real beauty of that program was people could go to one place for all their health care, and that option is no longer going to be available, said Mary Schaefer, executive director of Mid-East Area Agency on Aging. Its a shame because it was very helpful for people who didnt have a lot of transportation options. Now, she said, the approximately 200 seniors enrolled in the program will have to go to various places for care and social services. Schaefers organization is working with Alexian Brothers and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services to find alternative options for the seniors affected by the closure. Maggie Crane, spokeswoman for Mayor Francis Slay, said the citys Department of Human Services will coordinate its efforts with the state. Schaefer, whose organization referred seniors to PACE, said most enrollees were very happy with the program despite citations from the federal government last fall. In a letter dated Nov. 17 to CEO of Alexian Brothers Community Services, CMS officials wrote that the program failed to provide medically necessary items and services, and engaged in practices that resulted in denying medically complex and costly patients from enrollment in the program. The program also failed to maintain adequate and complete medical records in addition to other citations, according to the letter. Nick Ragone, a spokesman for Ascension, would not comment on whether the citations played a role in the closure. Alexian Brothers is part of Ascension Health, and operated the PACE program. We are working closely with these agencies to ensure a smooth transition for the approximately 200 program participants. Their care remains our top priority, Ragone told the Post-Dispatch. Affected employees will receive severance and other assistance, while some may be able to transfer to local senior care facilities owned by Ascension, he added. Edmundson-based Ascension Health is the nations largest nonprofit and Catholic health care system. Christopher Desloge has submitted a list of ideas to SSM Health with the goal of finding new uses for the tower at St. Louis University Hospital that bears his familys name. Hes hoping to keep SSM from razing the iconic structure. Questions arose about the status of Desloge Tower last year after Creve Coeur-based SSM acquired SLU Hospital. At the time, the health system pledged to build a new hospital and outpatient center within five years, but made no commitment about the original structure that housed the SLU Hospital, the 15-story French Gothic Revival building with the distinctive copper roof and adjacent chapel. Since the SSM takeover, Christopher Desloge has been campaigning to preserve the distinctive tower. In a proposal sent last month to SSM executives, he suggested that the tower serve as an incubator for nonprofits, which he dubbed the hive. Desloge also offered to have a nonprofit, Foundation For Commercial Philanthropy, operate the incubator. He set up the foundation in 2012, according to records with the Missouri Secretary of State. Christopher Desloge is the great-grandson of Firmin V. Desloge, whose estate in 1930 provided $1 million to build the original hospital structure, and the family later contributed funds to build the Chapel of Christ the Crucified King. Desloge also proposed using the tower as a place for temporary housing for patients families, housing for medical students and teaching spaces for St. Louis University medical school, which largely staffs the hospital. Other ideas include a museum for African-Americans in health care professions, a cafe, and senior and adult day care facilities. SSM said in a statement: Mr. Desloge shared his ideas with SSM Health and we appreciated hearing the perspective of his foundation. Two rejections from Clayton officials were enough for developers who said Wednesday they had ended their plan for town houses on the site of a vacant school. Dropped is the proposal for 25 town houses with underground parking at the site of Maryland School, at 7501 Maryland Avenue. The plan produced an outcry from nearby residents who objected to town houses in their area of single-family homes and formed a group they called Protect Clayton Neighborhoods. The developers said in a statement their decision to abandon the project resulted from the unlikelihood of getting the needed supermajority vote by aldermen to overturn Clayton Plan Commission votes against the project. Love Investment Co. had the 3-acre school site under contract with the Clayton School Board for an undisclosed price. Love was a partner in the plan with Higginbotham Custom Homes. When first proposed in 2013, the project called for 48 town houses. Neighbors opposed the proposal. The developers subsequently reduced the number to 35, when the Plan Commission voted last May against rezonings that would allow demolition of Maryland School and construction of town houses. Neighbors still objected, saying they preferred green space to town houses. The commissions second, and project-killing, vote against the rezonings for the 25 town house project came at its meeting Feb. 16. The developers have said the $17 million project would put the school site back on property tax rolls. The project would have produced nearly $400,000 in annual tax revenue, the developers said. Mary Jo Gruber, Clayton schools chief financial officer, said in a statement the town house plan had represented the highest and best use for the Maryland property. In terms of next steps for the property, the Board of Education will continue to evaluate options for the Maryland School property and will keep the community updated, she said. Steven Rosenblum, a project opponent who lives near the empty school, said members of Protect Clayton Neighborhoods hope the developers decision to drop the project will provide time for interested parties to determine what the best options for this valuable and cherished green space can be. Maryland, built in 1931, was last a Clayton school in 1980. A private day care center used it for a time. It has been empty since 2012 when the private Wilson School used Maryland while the private school reconstructed its building after a fire. WASHINGTON Monsanto Co. has been thrust into a controversy that threatens to disrupt congressional efforts to rewrite outdated laws on the regulation of thousands of chemicals. Environmentalists say a paragraph written into a bill that passed the House with one dissenting vote last year provides sweeping protection for the Creve Coeur-based company in legal battles over health and cleanup liability from its production of polychlorinated biphenyls. PCBs were used widely as a fire retardant in the mid-20th century. Monsanto says that it didnt ask for the provision and that the language merely continues current law. Monsanto was the primary producer of PCBs, used in things such as caulk, paint and electrical transformers. In the 1970s, as PCBs proliferated in the environment, health risks from exposure to the chemical emerged, and the company stopped producing them. Lawsuits from individuals and cities have been filed against Monsanto for cleanup, or for claims that exposure to PCBs caused health problems, including non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Lobbying reports filed by the company back Monsantos claim it didnt lobby on the House bill until after it passed. The language, Monsanto spokeswoman Charla Marie Lord said, does not relieve the former Monsanto, or any chemical manufacturer, of legal responsibilities regarding PCBs. Environmentalists and lawyers suing Monsanto disagree. The language would essentially prevent states from passing their own laws or regulations on PCBs, Alex Formuzis and Melanie Benesh of the Environmental Working Group blogged this week. It is written so broadly it could even stop states and individuals from suing under negligence, product safety, clean air, and clean water laws for damages related to PCBs. Both Republicans and Democrats agree that a rewrite of the nations laws covering thousands of chemicals present in everyday products is long overdue. The House and Senate overwhelmingly passed last year separate overhaul bills of the Toxic Substances Control Act. A conference committee of senators and representatives has been trying to negotiate differences. Rep. John Shimkus, R-Collinsville, the main sponsor on the House side, said this week he is optimistic that a major overhaul will happen this year. The original law was passed in 1976, when I was graduating high school, and it really isnt addressing the chemicals that are in commerce today, Shimkus said. He told the Post-Dispatch that after the bill passed, environmental groups never raised this concern about the PCB-related language, and in fact, were generally laudatory about the prospect of the first major rewrite of environmental legislation in 25 years. Dan Schneider, a spokesman for the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said that the language had been inserted to preserve existing law and that the process was open, collaborative and bipartisan every step of the way, and we are proud of the 398-1 vote. Shimkus said that we are in the middle of crunch time in negotiating House-Senate versions. I think people are trying to throw sand in the gears, maybe as a negotiating position, he said. Shimkus as well as critics of the PCB-related section said the language did not become controversial until it was raised as a potential legal defense in a PCB-related Texas lawsuit involving Monsanto late last year. The New York Times first reported on the language earlier this week. No environmental group immediately recognized that this provision could relieve Monsanto of liability for PCB contamination, Scott Faber, vice president of government affairs for the Environmental Working Group, told the Post-Dispatch. But I will also add that there are many other significant problems with both bills. Opponents, he said, came to the conclusion that the real debate would come during the negotiations between the House and Senate, and it made sense to pass the House bill to get to this stage of the Shakespearean drama. That drama is playing out in courts as well as Congress. Six West Coast cities have sued Monsanto for cleanup of toxic PCBs in their water and sewer systems. Seattle became the latest to file, in January. John Fiske is one of the lawyers suing on behalf of San Diego, San Jose, Oakland and Berkeley in California, and Seattle and Spokane in Washington. He said that dozens of PCB cases had been filed against Monsanto in federal court, and that it was fantasy for Monsanto to say that we are simply forwarding the status quo with the language in the bill. Its real intention, he said, is to write into law protections against lawsuits Monsanto currently doesnt have. In its 2015 annual report, Monsanto said it had been named in personal injury lawsuits filed over several years on behalf of approximately 750 persons in state courts in St. Louis and Los Angeles. The company said that it had meritorious legal and factual defenses against claims that various forms of non-Hodgkin lymphoma have been caused by their trace levels of PCBs allegedly manufactured by the companys former chemical business. Fiske and others say more lawsuits will come as cities confront tens of millions of dollars of PCB cleanup costs required under the Clean Water Act. The attorneys we have talked to have indicated that more lawsuits are likely coming, particularly as municipal water boards and school districts are looking at this issue and thinking about how they are going to address it, said Benesh, the attorney for EWG. She said that we would like to see this language removed from any final bill. The disagreement hinges on legal interpretation of the language in House and Senate proposals. Both versions of the bill narrow the ability of a corporation to rely upon compliance with federal (chemical) regulation as the sole law governing its regulated chemicals, Monsantos Lord said. But Faber said a section aimed almost exclusively at Monsanto, while not actually naming the company, was the worst kind of legislative skullduggery and exactly why people hold Congress in such low regard. If there was some argument to immunize Monsanto from liability, Faber said, lets have that debate on the floor of the House and give the legislators who want to stand for Monsanto the chance to state their case. NEW YORK As Target looks to build on improved store traffic and a holiday-season surge in digital sales, the big-box retailer said Wednesday that it plans to boost annual spending on technology and supply-chain initiatives to as much as $2.5 billion a year by 2017, sharply higher than the $1.4 billion spent last year. At a presentation to investors here Wednesday, executives outlined a major effort to transform Target's logistics operations to speed delivery of online purchases while keeping store shelves better stocked. The plan involves looking at issues including big changes in how it will use its warehouses to fulfill online orders and seemingly small details such as ordering the optimal-sized packs of each product so they are easy for workers to unload on shelves. "Over time, we've been adding stress and complexity to systems that frankly were built for another time," said John Mulligan, Target's chief operating officer. Target expects its spending on capital expenditures such as these to increase to $1.8 billion in 2016, and then the company plans to further ratchet up spending in 2017 and beyond to between $2 billion and $2.5 billion a year. Although those behind-the-scenes changes may not be especially visible to Target shoppers, some of the retailers' other big bets for 2016 surely will: Target will be making an effort to improve its $18.5 billion grocery business, a category that chief executive Brian Cornell said has previously left guests "underwhelmed and disappointed." This year, Target will be working to improve its assortment of fresh grocery items, in particular. But Cornell told reporters Wednesday that executives are doing an item-by-item evaluation "from the grove to the shelf" on how to make sure customers see fresher food at Target. "Turning this business around will be a multiyear effort, and it's not going to be easy," Cornell said. Customers might also notice new investment in the kids' department: Target recently launched Pillowfort, an exclusive brand of gender-neutral kids' bedding and home goods. On Wednesday, Cornell said that a children's apparel brand, Cat & Jack, is poised to launch during the back-to-school season and that the company expects the line to be a "multibillion-dollar brand." Target's plans for this year are an extension of a strategy that Cornell outlined shortly after he took the helm of the company in 2014, one focusing on what the company calls "signature categories": apparel, home, kids, baby and wellness. The rationale is that Target is not going to win customer loyalty on commodity items such as laundry detergent; it's going to earn it in areas where it can offer something distinctive. (And then, Target hopes, you'll save time by also stocking up on essentials.) The addition of new kids' brands is a reflection of this mission. Target's focus on supply-chain improvement has much in common with the priorities put forward recently by Walmart, which is also pushing to have better-stocked shelves and to figure out how to better leverage its stores to fulfill e-commerce orders. Both retailers are hoping their big spending on these strategies will help them catch up with Amazon.com, which continues to crush both big-box stores online. Earlier this week, Target announced that it has hired an executive from Amazon, Arthur Valdez, to serve as its chief supply chain and logistics officer, a clear sign of Target's ambitions to take on the e-commerce giant more seriously. (Jeffrey P. Bezos, the chief executive of Amazon, owns The Washington Post). Target said it will be investing in digital engagement in a host of ways this year, including in efforts to make its website more reliable. (Shoppers may remember its website struggled mightily last year to keep up with demand for its popular Lilly Pulitzer fashion collection.) And the retailer is testing adding "digital service advisers" to its stores who can help shoppers use Cartwheel, an app-based rewards program, and the Target website. Target offered sales guidance for the year ahead, saying that total revenue would probably be 3 to 4 percent lower due to the sale of its pharmacy business to CVS Health. The retailer forecasts that its comparable sales, a measure of digital sales as well as sales at stores open more than a year, will grow 1.5 to 2.5 percent this year, and 3 percent or more in 2017 and beyond. Target also said Thursday that it will soon launch a clothing and home-goods design collaboration with Marimekko, a Finnish brand known for its bold, cheery patterns. Kim Baker (Tina Fey) has the misfortune of being just the kind of journalist that her television network determines should be sent to Afghanistan: single and childless. Next thing she knows, shes in Kabul called Kabubble by her peers in the field, who spend their time pursuing stories, partying hard, and hoping that theyll get to the end of another day without being shot, blown up or taken hostage. Among them is the upbeat and ultra-sexy Tanya (Margot Robbie), who joyously informs Kim that American women in Afghanistan are immediately considered significantly more attractive than they were back home. Tanya also asks for, and is granted, permission to get intimate with Kims security team. And indeed, sex is definitely in the air: Gen. Hollanek (Billy Bob Thornton) warns Kim to keep her hands off his troops. Also on the scene is Iain (Martin Freeman), a photographer with whom Kim establishes the kind of prickly yet provocative chemistry that can only mean theyll soon be engaged in something other than conversation. Kim had never thought of herself as a war correspondent before landing in Afghanistan. But who knows? It might turn out to be a good career move. Loosely based on a memoir by similarly named journalist Kim Barker, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (consider those initials) clearly wants to be a satirical war story in the tradition of M*A*S*H and Catch-22, but winds up as little more than a superficial fish-out-of-water romp. Working from a screenplay by Robert Carlock (30 Rock), co-directors Glenn Ficarra and John Requa (Crazy, Stupid, Love) deliver a film that couldnt be less interested in the complexities of the situation its allegedly depicting. Kim is just another clueless American, minimally concerned about geopolitical realities. Granted, Fey is inspired casting. But her performance is about as nuanced as a landmine explosion. Theres a sharp comedy to be made about Americas misadventures in Afghanistan. This isnt it. FERGUSON A proposal to overhaul Fergusons police department and court that was rebuffed more than three weeks ago is expected to be brought up again for a vote Tuesday, according to a source familiar with the negotiations between the city and the U.S. Department of Justice. The vote comes at a critical time: right after a new appointment to the Ferguson City Council has created a shift in favor of accepting a consent decree with the Justice Department. And a vote next week would take place before the April municipal election. Last month, the City Council voted to accept a consent decree negotiated with the Justice Department, but with seven amendments. One revision eliminated the so-called poison pill clause that made the decree apply to any other agency providing policing in Ferguson. That change would have allowed Ferguson to circumvent most of the decree by disbanding its police department. The Justice Department sued the city the next day. At that same meeting, council members also appointed Laverne Mitchom, a retired educator, to fill a vacant council seat. Mitchom participated in the protests following Michael Browns death, which sparked a Justice Department investigation into the city. That investigation uncovered a community in distress, in which residents felt under assault by their own police force, said U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch. On Monday, in closed session, a majority of the council indicated it supported the consent decree and placing the decree on Tuesdays meeting agenda without the amendments for a public vote, the source said. The city declined to provide the Post-Dispatch with the results of any vote that occurred behind closed doors on Monday, saying in an email that no vote was taken that would be subject to disclosure at this time under Missouris open records law. According to sources, the city has requested that the Justice Department provide Ferguson with a letter that clarifies some language in the consent decree, especially as it relates to the cost of the reforms. The city also wants the agency to reassure residents that it does not intend to bankrupt the municipality. The word is that the DOJ is already sending a side letter, and we havent seen it yet, said Blake Ashby, a leader of Ferguson Truth, an organization formed to push the Justice Department to release records related to the consent decree. On Wednesday, Ferguson Truth released a statement calling on the Justice Department to acknowledge the city may have difficulty meeting some timelines in the agreement; allow Ferguson to use a police data warehouse to help lower the cost of a federal monitor; and clarify a provision in the decree that was originally projected to raise the cost of the reforms by $1.9 million. We have talked to enough people that if those clarifications are made by the DOJ, we are comfortable getting in front of a judge and moving forward, Ashby said. Of the decrees more than 450 provisions, one requires Ferguson to develop a plan to offer police salaries that are among the most competitive with comparable agencies in St. Louis County. Ferguson Finance Director Jeffrey Blume had said the provision may require that Ferguson give 25 percent raises not only to police officers but all employees raising the cost to $3.7 million the first year. But a Post-Dispatch analysis found that to arrive at that number, city officials appeared to have accelerated deadlines in the agreement, used salary data from cities beyond the required scope, and ignored the context of the most-competitive phrase. Nevertheless, Ferguson Mayor James Knowles III has insisted that a lawsuit would be cheaper than abiding by the terms of the decree. The city has yet to receive the letter from the Justice Department, a source said, but federal officials assured Ferguson leaders in an email that if the city indicates it will approve the decree, then the agency will provide written clarification about the most-competitive provision as well as a pledge to work with Ferguson on other costs. Ashby had been one of the decrees most vocal critics, arguing that it would result in the citys dissolution, but on Wednesday he said a recent meeting with Justice Department officials had helped alleviate some concerns, as did new information about how the costs of the decree might be lowered. Asked in a text message if the council would vote on the decree on Tuesday, Knowles responded: Theres no such bill on the agenda. But he acknowledged that agendas for City Council meetings are typically released on Friday. He declined to respond to a follow-up question about the relevance of an item not appearing on a document that does not yet exist. EAST ST. LOUIS An online scammer on Wednesday admitted that he was the ringleader of a group that successfully wooed hundreds of women online, then convinced them to send cash to bail him out of phony emergencies, prosecutors said Thursday. Olayinka Ilumsa Sunmola, 32, of Lagos, tricked one woman into cashing counterfeit or stolen travelers checks, prosecutors said. She contemplated suicide when arrested. He lured another into performing sexual acts, which he recorded via webcam, they said. He then threatened to ruin her life with the recordings if she didn't send him cash, warning that by the time he was done with her she would want to kill herself, prosecutors said. Sunmola pleaded guilty Wednesday to all eight felonies he faced, two days into his criminal trial, prosecutors said. As part of the scheme, Sunmola created bogus online profiles in which he claimed to be an American citizen or a former U.S. soldier, using photographs stolen from the hacked accounts of real men, prosecutors said. After attracting the interest of women, including dozens in the St. Louis area, Sunmola sent flowers, stuffed animals, cards and candy to make them think he was their one true love, prosecutors said. Once he succeeded, Sunmola began to claim a series of increasingly serious, but phony, emergencies for which he needed cash, prosecutors said. Some sent thousands of dollars. The victims were not named but lived around the country, including in Mascoutah and Bond County in Illinois and St. Charles and St. Louis counties in Missouri, his indictment says. A Bond County woman bought electronics and shipped them to Sunmola, reshipped items hed bought using stolen credit card information and took out cash advances on a credit card, forcing herself into bankruptcy with debts of at least $98,000, the indictment claims. The investigation included the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Trade Commission, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Secret Service and the Illinois Attorney Generals Office, as well as South African officials, who investigated Sunmola's activities there and started forfeiture proceedings for his assets there. Sunmola was indicted in U.S. District Court in East St. Louis in 2013 on mail fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy, and interstate extortion charges. He was arrested in August 2014 by Scotland Yard as he was about to board a flight from London to South Africa, then extradited here to face the charges. At his sentencing June 27, he could get up to 127 years and a fine of $250,000 and will have to pay restitution, prosecutors said. Another fake soldier was indicted by the same prosecutors in 2014. His case is still pending. Our office will continue to pursue justice for these victims in Sunmolas prison sentence and in our never-ending efforts to get restitution, said Acting U.S. Attorney James Porter. ST. LOUIS Federal prosecutors said Thursday that two men had been charged with a robbery and killing during a drug transaction north of downtown in 2012. Officials said that Jessie Lil Jessie Hampton, 24, and Malcolm Lil Mac Johnson, 25, both of St. Louis, were drug dealers who robbed Scipio A. Vaughn, 33, of Centralia, Ill., early on the morning of July 15, 2012. Vaughn was fatally shot. Kevin Jeezy Granderson, 33, is facing trial on charges connected to the same murder. He was indicted on drug and gun charges in 2015 that say Vaughn and two other men had brought about $20,000 to a meeting to buy cocaine from Granderson and the others. Granderson has pleaded not guilty, and his case is pending. His attorney, Donnell Smith, declined to comment. Police said at the time that Vaughn and two other men, 37 and 31, were in a car in the 1200 block of North 15th Street when a gray Dodge Charger pulled up alongside. Vaughn got out of the car, spoke with the men and then began running away; he was then shot in the back, police said. Vaughn died after being taken to a hospital. Police arrested a man, 30, in October 2012, but charges were never filed. A spokeswoman for St. Louis prosecutors said the case was still under investigation and asked anyone with information to contact police. The mother of one of Vaughns two daughters praised St. Louis police Detective Wallace Leopold Thursday, saying that he promised Vaughns little girl that the people who killed her daddy would be arrested. She added, And I just want to thank him for keeping that promise. She asked not to be identified out of fear for her safety. Hampton and Johnson were each indicted Wednesday on one felony count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime resulting in murder, and conspiracy to obstruct commerce by robbery. Hampton faces an additional charge being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm. Each could each life in prison if convicted, prosecutors said. In 2010, Hampton and Johnson were indicted for first-degree murder for the fatal shooting in July 12, 2010, of Ralph Hill, 26, of the 3900 block of Compton Avenue. Hill died at the scene, in the St. Louis Place neighborhood. Another man also was shot. It wasnt immediately clear Thursday what happened to the charges, as they no longer appear in public court records. Hampton is serving a seven-year federal sentence on drug and gun charges from 2013. Police found a gun, drugs and cash after a brief chase, court records show. He also was serving a 24-year sentence on a series of gun and drug charges but withdrew his guilty plea, complaining that he was supposed to be serving his state and federal sentences at the same time. Johnson also is in federal custody, serving a 45-month sentence on drug charges from 2013. As part of his guilty plea in that case, Johnson admitted being caught with drugs and a gun on July 21, 2010, after a brief police chase. He tried to punch one officer and struggled with others. Granderson was sentenced in 2014 to 18 months in prison after selling a .45-caliber Glock pistol to an undercover federal agent. The gun was traced to a homicide in University City in 2013, court records show. JEFFERSON CITY Missouri senators approved on Thursday a measure meant to make it easier to fully fund the states basic aid for public schools. The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Jay Wasson, R-Nixa, would reinstate the Foundation Formulas 5 percent cap on spending growth. The formula currently is more than $500 million underfunded, but Wasson said the change would reduce that amount to about $140 million. In a couple years, we could actually fully fund the formula, Wasson said this week. Without this, the formula goes out the door and were never going to fully fund it. When the formula first was created in 2005, it contained a 5 percent cap meant to limit the growth of the state adequacy target the minimum amount the state is supposed to assure is available per student in state and local funding. That cap was removed by lawmakers in 2009, in part because they were expecting a significant increase in new gaming revenues that did not pan out. A few years later, the implications of this change became clear as the target began to grow virtually unchecked. That growth made it all the more difficult to fully fund the formula, a feat that should have been accomplished in 2012. If lawmakers pass this measure, and Gov. Jay Nixon signs off on it, the adequacy target would drop, as would the amount the state needed to funnel toward the formula to fully fund it. The proposal now moves to the House, where a similar measure is making its way through the process. Under a measure signed by Gov. Jay Nixon in 2014, all districts could receive money for early childhood education based on the number of children eligible for free and reduced-cost lunches if the state fully funded the formula. Unaccredited and provisionally accredited districts already are receiving this funding. Nixon said in a statement Thursday this significant change to the formula must be carefully scrutinized to ensure that we provide the resources necessary to meet our obligation to our public schools. This week, the Missouri House Budget Committee approved a $27.1 billion budget for the 2017 year that begins July 1. That budget included an about $70 million increase for the Foundation Formula, leaving it about $439 million underfunded. Nixon recommended an $85 million increase for the formula, but his budget is based on a higher revenue growth estimate than the House. The full House will vote on the 2017 budget next week before sending it to the Senate. The bill is Senate Bill 586. The new head of the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission is Gregg Smith, a Democrat who replaces chairman Steve Miller. The six-member commission rotated the leadership positions at its monthly meeting Wednesday in Jefferson City, according to the Missouri Department of Transportation, which is governed by the commission. Smith, of Clinton, Mo., is president and owner of the Gregg Smith Ford Lincoln car dealership, and of Wilder RV, which sells recreational vehicles. Smith praised Miller's leadership, saying in a statement that Miller had kept MoDOT's "long-term insufficient funding problems at the forefront and worked diligently to build non-partisan support for additional transportation investment in Missouri." Lawmakers are trying to find a way to solve MoDOT's funding woes. Bills to hike the state gas tax have been introduced, and House Budget Leader Tom Flanigan, R-Carthage, recently proposed $20 million to restart a cost-sharing program that would allow the department to split the cost of transportation system projects with local communities. And top Republicans have pitched a plan to fix state roads and bridges with money saved by cuts to welfare programs. Miller, a Republican, had served as chairman since 2014 and has been on the commission since August 2009. He is now the commission's vice-chairman, a position he last held in 2013. He is a partner at the Miller Schirger law firm in Kansas City, where he focuses much of his practice on the construction industry. Other commission members are Michael Pace, an independent from West Plains; Tom Waters, a Republican from Orrick; and Democrats Mary Nelson of St. Louis and John Briscoe of New London. JEFFERSON CITY A bill that would keep some information on police reports closed to the public won passage Wednesday in the House Government Oversight and Accountability Committee. Under the measure, police would release records of suicide attempts only to the person who attempted it, or to their guardians if the individual is a minor or incapacitated. If a suicide occurs, records would be released only to the persons family. Police could still release information without consent of the person involved if public safety is at risk, said Rep. Jay Barnes, R-Jefferson City, chairman of the committee. For sex crimes, including rape and sexual assault, medical information would be redacted from police records. If the victim was incapacitated or a minor, the medical information could be given to their families. The bill sponsor, Rep. Genise Montecillo, D-Marlborough, has criticized the Post-Dispatch for its coverage of her attempted suicide last summer. She has said that others shouldnt be subjected to the same news coverage, which she said could impede recoveries. I cant change the past, Montecillo said at a hearing Monday. The purpose of this legislation is not to do that, or to hinder law enforcements ability to do their job, or somehow avenge the incidents of my story, but rather to protect others that surely will come after me. But the Missouri Press Association opposes the measure, saying that police records are already closed under the Missouri Sunshine Law if a record is reasonably likely to pose a clear and present danger to the safety of any victim, witness, undercover officer, or other person. Doug Crews, the legislative director for the association, said that tightening release of records could deter important coverage of suicides, and pose a barrier for journalists and the public who seek to hold police accountable. If certain records arent released, how is the public to know that the police responded properly to situations? Crews said. Suicides might get swept under the carpet under the measure, he said. The Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics states that journalists should balance the publics need for information against potential harm or discomfort. In addition, Pursuit of the news is not a license for arrogance or undue intrusiveness, the code says. The code also draws contrast between reporting on private people versus public people. Realize that private people have a greater right to control information about themselves than public figures and others who seek power, influence or attention, the code says. Weigh the consequences of publishing or broadcasting personal information. The Post-Dispatch and other media organizations typically dont report on attempted suicides or suicides. Exceptions sometimes are made, however, when the incidents involve a public figure or occur in a public place. We try to be as sensitive as possible in these situations, but we do take seriously our responsibility to cover our elected officials, said Adam Goodman, deputy managing editor at the Post-Dispatch. The public should not be kept in the dark when it comes to events such as last years tragic suicide of Missouri Auditor and gubernatorial candidate Tom Schweich. Crews worries that if the proposed bill had been in effect last year, some details of Schweichs suicide may not have come to light. Thats such a horrible instance that happened with Auditor Schweich, but it certainly looks like a bill like this could close information that otherwise was open on a statewide elected official, he said. I think people, the public the citizens of Missouri ought to be somewhat in the know about whats going on there. The bill is House Bill 2473. JEFFERSON CITY The Missouri Legislature sent to Gov. Jay Nixon on Thursday a bill that would require public employees who are union members to opt in annually for dues to be withdrawn from their paychecks. Nixon vetoed a so-called paycheck protection bill in 2013, saying then that union members can already opt out of having their dues withheld. Most Democrats and union-backed Republicans argue that the bill is nothing more than extra red tape for unions, designed to weaken their political activities. The final version of the bill won 109 votes on Thursday in the House, just enough to override another potential Nixon veto. Seven Republicans voted against its passage: Rep. Ron Hicks of St. Peters; Rep. Anne Zerr of St. Charles; Rep. Elaine Gannon of De Soto; Rep. Mike Leara of south St. Louis County; Rep. Becky Ruth of Festus; Rep. Nick Marshall of Parkville; and Rep. Bill Kidd of Independence. Rep. Linda Black, R-Park Hills, who has opposed the measure, was absent. One Democrat Rep. Courtney Curtis of Ferguson voted for the bill. He has criticized unions for what he says is a lack of minority inclusion. The bill was approved in the Senate on Tuesday night after a filibuster by Democrats. It won 23 votes, just enough to override a veto. Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal, D-University City, voted for the measure. Curtis said his vote would remain unchanged if Nixon vetoed the measure and the Legislature attempted an override. Its not clear what Chappelle-Nadal would do. Chappelle-Nadal said a string of conflicts had led to her yes vote: a conflict with the AFL-CIO about being disinvited from an event in February (the AFL-CIO denies that), curse words directed at her on a pro-union Facebook group last summer and what Chappelle-Nadal says is a continued lack of minorities on job sites. Chappelle-Nadal, who is challenging U.S. Rep. William Lacy Clay for his seat in Congress, also has criticized the St. Louis Building and Construction Trades Councils support of a plan to cap radioactive waste at the West Lake Landfill in Bridgeton. I have so many issues, she said. Voting yes was the only way for me to get their attention finally. Give me my seat at the table in front of the nationals, so I can talk about racial problems that exist, she added. Nixon has 15 days to either sign or veto the bill, which means that an override vote could take place during the regular legislative session that ends in May. Veto overrides are normally considered during a fall veto session. Nixon spokesman Scott Holste said Thursday that the bill would receive a comprehensive review. The bill is House Bill 1891. If somebody came into Ramons El Dorado Restaurant in Collinsville and couldnt pay for their food, Raymundo Ramon Otero told servers not to charge them. I know what its like to be without money, hed say. Mr. Otero, a Mexican immigrant who was once paralyzed by a fall and was left struggling to feed his young family, died Wednesday (March 2, 2016) at his home in Collinsville. He was 87 and had suffered from Alzheimers disease. He had been a smiling, popular fixture at the restaurant, which expanded several times since he opened it in 1967 and is known for its tender carnitas and tangy margaritas. His recipes were adapted from ones his mother had used. He came to the United States in the late 1950s, headed for Chicago, but got sidelined during a snowstorm in St. Louis. He got a job at the General Motors car plant, but fell from some scaffolding and was left paralyzed below his waist. Doctors told him he would never walk again, but Mr. Otero found a doctor who performed surgery and he finally relearned to walk. His young family ran out of money, and his wife, Estrella, asked him to borrow $5 from a neighbor to buy milk for their baby, Raymond. On his way to the store, Mr. Otero had a calling, he said in a Post-Dispatch interview in 2000. My God illuminated me and said, Why dont you buy meat to make tacos? So he did, and though his wife thought he was crazy, they used the meat to make a tray of Mexican food to sell to patrons at an area tavern. He sold out within 10 minutes and made $18.60. He and his wife continued to make food to sell at taverns, keeping the food hot with cookie sheets, charcoal, pans of water and aluminum foil in the trunk of his car. It was an original food truck, and people loved the novelty, said his son, Carlos Otero of Collinsville. People didnt know what Mexican food was, he said. Mr. Otero went to a friend at a nearby chicken restaurant, which was struggling. He made a deal with the owner to make Mexican food to sell there. Customers filled up the counter stools. Mr. Otero eventually bought out the owner. The restaurant, which once housed a gas station, became the Ramons that sits on the same wedge-shaped piece of land today. The restaurant now seats about 280 people. Mr. Otero loved people, and greeted his customers with big smiles and hand gestures. Even on holidays or days when the restaurant was closed, Mr. Otero would cook at barbecues for employees, family and friends. Everybody loved him, said his son Raymond Otero of Caseyville, who runs the restaurant with his brother Carlos. With him, family is always first, and customers come first in business. He always tried to please others above himself. He was active in the community, with memberships in the Rotary, Lions Club, the Shriners, Knights of Columbus and the Spanish Chamber of Commerce. For more than two decades, he collected donations of clothing, shoes and canned goods and drove to his hometown of Durango City, Mexico, to distribute to people there. God gave me all this, he said gesturing around his restaurant in the 2000 interview. Im very grateful that my God has helped me. In addition to his wife and sons, Mr. Otero is survived by a daughter, Socorro Del Carmen of Collinsville, six grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, and siblings Lamberto Otero of Cancun, Mexico; Alicia Otero of Aurora, Ill.; Evangelina Segovia and Javier Otero of Wisconsin; and Teresa Otero of Las Cruces, N.M. A memorial service will be held at a later date. CLAYTON St. Louis County may soon surrender its claim as the sole jurisdiction in Missouri to adopt a system to track the distribution of addictive prescription medicines. A spokeswoman for St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay acknowledged Wednesday afternoon that a regional approach to a prescription drug monitoring program an initiative already embraced by the medical profession, drug rehabilitation specialists and pharmacists is also being actively considered by the city. And the chair of the Jackson County Legislature said Kansas City may soon join St. Louis County in addressing a lack of oversight that experts say has a direct connection to the heroin epidemic. Crystal Williams, an at-large member of the legislature, said she is just starting the process of assembling a measure similar to a bill the St. Louis County Council passed unanimously Tuesday night. This is something that needs to happen, Williams said in a telephone interview. I feel pretty good that we can get this done, and hopefully it will start spreading even further. Missouri is the only state without a system to track the sale of controlled substances. City spokeswoman Maggie Crane said in a statement Wednesday that St. Louis has initiated discussions about a regional expansion of the St. Louis County program. The Mayors Office has been in communication with several aldermen, County Counselors and its Health Department, as well as St. Charles leadership about how best to coordinate efforts, Crane wrote in an email. We all share the goal of a statewide [tracking] system but also recognize there is significant urgency to do something about prescription drug abuse now as a region. Part of that must include the pursuit of funding to support the database needed for tracking and reporting purposes. St. Charles County spokeswoman Colene McEntee said officials have been asked to look at a reporting system. That is the status at this point, she added. The city entered the conversation about a comprehensive tracking system on the same day St. Louis County Executive Steve Stenger signed legislation making the county the first jurisdiction in the state to enact an ordinance designed to thwart doctor shoppers, who obtain opioids from multiple doctors. County officials estimate the database will be operational within 180 days. The initial cost is expected to be about $100,000. Such a database flags customers who attempt to fill a prescription for OxyContin or other pain pills at one or more pharmacies over a short period. Experts point to opioids as a gateway to heroin abuse, which has taken 2,700 lives in the St. Louis region since 2009. Many of those abusing the system do so to feed their own addiction, according to St. Louis County Councilman Sam Page, sponsor of the county bill. But, he added, a significant number of individuals going from doctor to doctor and pharmacy to pharmacy are dealers in it for a profit. Some people are good at telling stories to secure prescription pain medicine from several physicians, Page said. Thats how they make a living. Americas drugstore Page, during his tenure in the Missouri House, sponsored legislation to establish a statewide monitoring program. Each time, conservative legislators quashed the program, contending that prescription tracking infringes on individual rights. The Missouri Senate is expected again this year to kill legislation that could end the states reputation as what Page calls the drugstore of America. Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, with U.S. headquarters in Hazelwood, has added its voice to the chorus of medical professionals, drug counselors and municipal governments demanding that Missouri take action to halt doctor shopping. The manufacturer of products that include controlled medications recently took out a full-page newspaper advertisement urging state lawmakers to address the problem. Mallinckrodt is committed to providing safe and effective medications to treat patients affected by pain, Mark Tyndall, vice president of government affairs, said in a statement released Wednesday. The company is equally committed to working with patient groups, policymakers, law enforcement and other stakeholders to address the complex issues of opioid addiction and abuse. Thats why we stand with more than 40 national and Missouri-based groups law enforcement, doctors, pharmacists, prevention and substance abuse groups, and concerned citizens in calling for passage of a statewide monitoring program. For County Executive Steve Stenger, the issue of opioid abuse is personal: His 23-year-old nephew died of a heroin overdose two weeks after voters chose Stenger to lead the county. For Page, the monitoring bill represents another step in a crusade. As an anesthesiologist, he bears witness to the physical damage opioid abusers inflict on themselves and the emotional toll on their families. Elected to the council in 2014, Page found that the section of the county charter providing broad power to legislate public health policy provided a path for the legislation that had eluded him in Jefferson City. St. Louis County bill The monitoring bill was announced at a Feb. 16 news conference and passed two weeks later in a unanimous council vote an exceedingly short turnaround for a deliberative body that can sometimes take months to adopt an ordinance. Patrick Knue, project director for Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Training and Technical Assistance Center at Brandeis University in Waltham, Mass., said St. Louis County officials have asked his organization for assistance. A county or regional system will likely resemble the structure pharmacies use to transmit data electronically to insurance companies. Its the same process, Knue said of monitoring technology. Most states use outside vendors to either collect the data or store it. The largest vendors are Appriss based in Louisville, Ky., and Health Information Designs, based in Auburn, Ala., Knue said. Stenger said the county is weighing an in-house database versus outsourcing the business to a vendor. But lacking the statewide systems in place elsewhere, the county executive acknowledged it might be more practical for the Missouri cities and counties using the program to use a common server. But whatever option we choose, Stenger said, has to be capable of interfacing with other jurisdictions. Rick Williams, owner of Ladue Pharmacy, said a monitoring program will improve daily operations at his two St. Louis County sites. We welcome it because if we get a prescription that we have to question, we typically have to spend a fair amount of time looking into it, Williams said. Pharmacies, Williams pointed out, face legal consequences for dispensing controlled substances to the wrong individuals. Most pharmacies, he added, have adopted protocols to identify individuals seeking prescription drugs for illegitimate reasons. A customer who lives far from a pharmacy or who drives past dozens of other dispensaries en route to Ladue, or a prescription written by a physician with a practice outside the area tend to raise red flags. If it doesnt make sense that theyd be coming to this pharmacy, Williams said, a monitoring system makes it a lot easier for us to screen those people. A committee appointed last May by the Missouri Supreme Court to study operations of the states municipal courts particularly the 81 in St. Louis County this week delivered a useful, but ultimately disappointing, set of recommended changes. The biggest disappointment: The committees view that the Supreme Court doesnt have authority to order the courts consolidation. The high court should thank the committee for its opinion, and then ignore it. The constitution grants the court broad authority to supervise all courts in the state. Justice demands a major overhaul of the countys courts, not just tinkering at their edges. Among the biggest areas needing reform: One, some courts have been used shamelessly, in league with municipal police departments, to generate revenue for cash-strapped cities. And two, rampant conflicts of interest exist among private lawyers who act variously as city attorneys, city prosecutors, court judges and defense attorneys. Last year, the Legislature put a 12.5 percent cap on the amount that any city could generate for its operating budget from court fines. The working group suggested that to thoroughly and forever eliminate the perverse financial incentives affecting the municipal courts, the Legislature should redirect municipal court fines from city budgets to the states school fund. As to the question of conflicts of interest, the working group suggests that the Supreme Court bar municipal court judges from practicing law in any other municipal court in the same county. Attorneys could be either municipal court prosecutors or defense attorneys, but not both. These suggestions would help, but theyre not a complete answer. Also helpful are the working groups suggestions that courts be open at least two nights a week and that dockets be fully accessible online. Many smaller cities will have trouble affording these changes, particularly if court fines are directed to the state school fund. Some lawyers and law firms that specialize in municipal court work will have problems, too. Thats unfortunate, but fair and impartial justice demands it. We find the dissenting opinion from working group member Kimberly Norwood, a law professor at Washington University, more persuasive. She argues that the Supreme Court not only has the power but the obligation to reorganize St. Louis County municipal courts. The $16 million aggregate cost of operating 81 municipal courts could be halved, and justice served far better, by consolidating them into a single countywide court with four divisions. The ball is now in the Supremes court. The judges must hit it hard. If the execution is carried out, it too will leave a grieving family, in addition to having lost a little boy who might have survived if he could have gotten to the hospital in time. LONDON MARKET CLOSE: FTSE 100 ends higher; Mordaunt makes UK PM tilt Friday, October 21, 2022 - 17:22 The pound regained some poise on Friday afternoon but remained in precarious territory, after falling below the $1.11 mark in afternoon trade. The pound was quoted at $1.1203 at the close on Friday, down versus $1.1294 at the London equities close on Thursday. It hit an intraday low of $1.1063 not long after midday. Sterling was hurt by continued political uncertainty. Speculation about who will join Penny Mordaunt in throwing their hats in the ring in the race for Number 10 continues. Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak, one-time neighbours at Number 10 and 11 Downing Street - but now bitter rivals - have pockets of support from Tory MPs. Adding to the pressure on sterling, disappointing UK retail sales data showed a bigger-than-expected decline in September, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics. Retail sales fell 6.9% annually in September, with the decline accelerating from a 5.6% fall in August. It also was worse than FXStreet-cited market consensus, which had expected a fall of just 5%. The pound had initially found some support on Thursday after Liz Truss called an end to her disastrous tenure as prime minister - poking above $1.13 - but has since been dragged lower. The FTSE 100 index closed up 25.82 points, or 0.4%, at 6,969.73 - closing out the week up 1.6%. The FTSE 250 lost 182.38 points, or 1.1%, at 17,206.55, but still managed to gain 1.0% this week, and the AIM All-Share ended down 1.04 points, or 0.1% at 785.40 - but advanced 0.8% over the past five days. The Cboe UK 100 closed up 0.4% at 696.31, the Cboe UK 250 ended down 1.0% at 14,694.15, and the Cboe Small Companies lost 0.3% at 12,240.46. In European equities on Friday, the CAC 40 in Paris lost 0.9%, while the DAX 40 in Frankfurt gave back 0.3%. The Tories have begun to declare their allegiances in the party's second leadership contest of the year as speculation mounts over who will seek to replace Truss at the helm of the party. Supporters of Johnson are backing the former prime minister to make an extraordinary political comeback, while ex-chancellor Sunak and Commons Leader Mordaunt also have the public support of several MPs. Mordaunt become the first to declare her candidacy, with a pledge to re-unite the bitterly divided party. The leader of the House who finished third in the last leadership election said she had been encouraged by the support she had received from fellow Conservative MPs. There has also been no declaration yet from Sunak, who did not answer questions from reporters as he left his home on Friday morning. Whoever does win will face an immediate test, choosing whether to go ahead with the planned Halloween statement setting out how the government intends to get the public finances back on track, Downing Street has said. Work is continuing in Whitehall, led by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, in preparation for the medium-term fiscal plan to be announced on October 31 along with an updated set of economic forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility. However, a Number 10 spokeswoman said it would be up to Liz Truss's successor to decide whether to proceed with that approach and with the same timetable. In London, blue chip miners helped push FTSE 100 higher. Glencore gained 3.6%, Anglo American 3.1%, Antofagasta 2.7%, and Rio Tinto added 1.6%. Retailers, however, were showing weakness after the disappointing UK retail sales data. A profit warning from Adidas did nothing to help the mood either. JD Sports closed down 6.1%, Frasers 4.0%, Burberry 2.2%, and Next shed 2.9%. On Thursday, Adidas lowered annual guidance as it struggles with "deteriorating traffic" in China and high inventory levels. The sports apparel maker said it has needed to turn to "higher clearance activity" to try and shift stock. It lost 9.0% in Frankfurt. Deliveroo gained 3.6%. The London-based online food delivery service said gross transaction values rose 8.3% annually in the third quarter to 1.70 billion from 1.57 billion, though orders fell by 1.1% to 72.8 million from 73.6 million. Deliveroo said the decline in orders was due to a difficult consumer environment. With economic data on Friday showing that UK consumer confidence remains near record lows, this seems unlikely to change anytime soon. InterContinental Hotels gave back 2.2% but reported strong revenue growth in the third quarter to September 30, saying that high global employment levels are boosting occupancy levels. Revenue per available room, or RevPAR, rose 28% year-on-year and now exceeds its pre-pandemic level, being up 2.7% on the third quarter of 2019. In the third quarter of 2022, the average daily rate increased by 13% compared to a year ago and was up 11% on 2019. Chief Financial Officer & Head of Strategy Paul Edgecliffe-Johnson will leave the company in six months time to become CFO of Flutter Entertainment in the first half of 2023. IHG has started the process of finding a new CFO. The euro stood at $0.9802 Friday evening, down against $0.9822 at the close on Thursday. Against the yen, the dollar was trading at JP148.03, compared to JP149.77 late Thursday. The yen was staging a fightback after the open on Wall Street, after nearly hitting JP152 during the Asia session. Stocks in New York opened higher on Friday, with the DJIA up 1.1%, the S&P 500 index up 0.9%, and the Nasdaq Composite was 0.6% higher. Brent oil was quoted at $92.84 a barrel late Friday, down from $93.29 late Thursday. Gold was quoted at $1,643.70 an ounce Friday, up against $1,641.90 from Thursday. In the international economics events calendar next week, Monday will be dominated by a slew of composite PMIs, with Japan overnight followed by Germany, eurozone and the UK in the morning then the US in the afternoon. A quiet Tuesday will be headlined by a US house price index. On Wednesday, there is Chinese GDP, retail sales and industrial production overnight, then on Thursday attention will be on the European Central Bank interest rate decision at 1315 BST. Friday will be headlined by a Bank of Japan rate decision. In the local corporate calendar on Monday, there are half-year results from Dr Martens, while education publishing firm Pearson will issue a third quarter update. Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. Afghanistan and Pakistan are increasing their joint efforts to track down and kill members of the growing local branch of ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant). This group is attracting many of the most fanatic Islamic terrorists in Pakistan and Afghanistan and is believed to have as many as 3,000 members in Afghanistan. These men are attracted to the ISIL view of the world. For example ISIL insists that the Pakistani military controls the Afghan Taliban as well as Islamic terrorist groups based in Pakistan that mainly operate inside India. These accusations are nothing new but they are the reason ISIL considers Pakistan un-Islamic and worthy of some lethal retribution delivered by ISIL. To underscore that ISIL has been carrying out suicide bomber attacks in Afghanistan and Pakistan. So far there have been few such attacks because ISIL is under attack by Afghan and Pakistani security forces as well as rival Islamic terrorist groups. For most of 2015 ISIL has been trying to establish a base area in eastern Afghanistan (mainly Nangarhar Province) but that has led to constant skirmishing with Pakistani Taliban hiding out there. The local tribes are also largely hostile to ISIL and all this has provided better intel for the security forces on what ISIL is up to and exactly where they are. This has led to more effective and frequent American air strikes and raids by Afghan troops and American commandos. ISIL is hanging on but not growing rapidly. There are some ISIL members operating in Pakistan, which is an even more hostile environment for them because of widespread hostility towards ISIL tactics by most Pakistanis. Since ISIL considers all other Islamic terror groups enemies the group has to become large enough to crush the local Islamic terrorist competition before it can become a major threat. So far that is not happening. What makes Afghanistan such a difficult situation to follow is the fact that there are several wars going on at once that often, but not always, intertwine. First there is the centuries old hostility between major tribes. The most visible aspect of this is the efforts by the Pushtun tribes (the largest minority) to dominate the other tribes (who actually are 60 percent of the population.) Up to the 1970s there was an agreement that largely kept the peace. In this deal Afghanistan was a constitutional monarchy presided over by a Pushtun king who largely dealt with foreigners and left the tribes to negotiate their differences. At that point Afghanistan was still largely medieval as far as cultural norms and economic activity were concerned. But the 20th century was making an impression and the educated urban minority was calling for radical change. This was tempting to many leading Afghans but the vast majority of Afghans were still in the countryside ruled by tribal leaders. Most of these opposed any radical change. The reform factions (mainly the pro-communist ones) got violent, tried to overthrow the monarchy, failed and in 1979 Russia intervened to rescue their fellow communists. That led to a civil war that is still going on. The Russians left in frustration (not defeat) in 1989 and continued to supply the communist (or at least pro-Soviet) Afghan government with weapons and cash until the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. By 1993 the pro-Russian government was gone and the violence evolved into a multi-faction civil war. Pakistan then created the Taliban to establish a pro-Pakistan religious dictatorship which lasted September 2001. At that point the U.S. intervened on the side of the non-Pushtun tribes that were still fighting the Taliban. Even then the Taliban had antagonized most Afghans and by the end of 2001 the Taliban government was gone. While the non-Pushtun tribes were able to organize a working coalition with the Pushtun tribes there was a new complication. During the 1980s the heroin production business was driven out of Pakistan (where it was, and still is not welcome) into nearby southern (Pushtun) Afghanistan. There it remains, centered on Helmand province, which is right next to Kandahar province, where the founders of the Taliban came from. In 2002 the defeated Taliban got a sanctuary across the border in Pakistan (in an area bordering Helmand and Kandahar). The sanctuary remains active although Pakistan never admitted it. What most Westerners dont notice is that one thing all the tribes in Afghanistan, along with most everyone in Pakistan, Iran and other neighbors, is that the opium/heroin gangs are bad. While most of these drugs are exported the production in Helmand (where over 80 percent of the world supply of opium and heroin comes from) has made cheap drugs available throughout the region creating over five million addicts in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran alone. The drug business provides income for about ten percent of Afghans and large fortunes for a few hundred families, but for most people the drugs are a curse. But money buys weapons, politicians and unemployed country boys seeking a gun and a job. Since the 1990s the Taliban and other Islamic terror groups have financed their operations by working with the drug gangs. That arrangement continues and has proven very difficult to overcome. All this is nothing new. Similar situations existed in the Golden Triangle (centered on Burma and the China border) the original source of most opium in the world as well as Colombia, the source of most cocaine. In the Golden Triangle the alliance is between tribal rebels and the drug gangs while in Colombia it is between leftist rebels and the drug gangs. There were successful campaigns against the alliances in Burma and Colombia, although the drug trade persisted. Heroin production was forced to move from Burma to Pakistan and then Afghanistan. Cocaine can move to nations neighboring Colombia, but in both these cases the drug gang coalition never came as close to conquering an entire nation as it has in Afghanistan. While much is made about the Islamic terrorist angle and religion in general it is mainly about money and power. This is how it has always been in Afghanistan, where Islam has been for over a thousand years but wealth and tribal politics have existed for far longer. The drug gangs are willing to subsidize the Taliban in order to keep the cash coming. Heroin is the most lucrative thing to happen to Afghanistan since the Silk Road disappeared 500 years ago. Because of that, heroin is worth dying for. The Silk Road was an ancient trade route between China, the Middle East and India which ran through western Afghanistan. When it disappeared so did interest in Afghanistan. Iranian and Indian empires used to control large parts of Afghanistan but after the Silk Road money was gone so were the foreigners. Now the foreigners are back, but only as long as the drug trade exists and enough Afghans have a financial interest in that to keep the violence going. You can see how this works today in Helmand where the government is having a major problem with police and soldiers being bought with drug money. So far these traitors are being sought, caught and killed or imprisoned. Afghan leaders, even those receiving drug money, know that long-term the drug gangs will keep the country in turmoil and must eventually be suppressed. There is general agreement on that goal but no easy method for achieving it. Nevertheless the anti-drug forces are often succeeding, even in drug strongholds like Helmand and Kandahar where Afghan intelligence finds lots of locals willing to inform on the drug gangs. For most Afghans the primary impact of the drug gangs and Taliban is the chaos the two groups create and sustain. This hurts the economy nationwide and this has been a growing problem since the drug gangs and Taliban started their effort to regain control of the country in 2014. The withdrawal of most Western troops by late 2014 caused panic inside Afghanistan and that crippled economic growth (which went from 14 percent in 2012 to less than two percent in 2014.) Most Afghan military and police commanders believe that more (as in two or three times more) Western air power would do tremendous damage to the enemy. The reason is that the Taliban and drug gangs always believed that the bad guys would triumph once the foreign troops were gone. It didnt exactly work out that way and the Taliban have become sloppy. The enemy no longer fears and respects aerial reconnaissance as they once did and now more much more freely. An increase in air power would initially kill a lot of Taliban and force the enemy to move more slowly and cautiously. Taliban attacks would not be as massive and bold. All that air power made a huge difference and both sides know it. Foreign troops had a peak strength of 140,000 in 2010 versus 10,000 now. But the Afghans dont want a lot of foreign combat troops, just lots of aircraft and support forces. The Western powers, especially the United States, is now in agreement with this and more air power and support forces have been arriving. Afghanistan now has problems with two Taliban organizations. The Pakistan Taliban continue to make attacks in Pakistan and most of these efforts can be traced back to bases in eastern Afghanistan. These attacks tend to take place in the tribal territories of the northwest and southwest but not across the border in Waziristan, where Pakistani troops are still involved in a major anti-terrorist campaign they began in mid-2014 and wont officially complete until late 2016. The Pakistani Taliban are not as numerous as their Afghan counterparts and that is largely because the Pakistani Taliban do not have as much money. While Pakistani Taliban make some money from providing security for drug smuggling they have to depend on a lot of other criminal activities to maintain operations. Both the Afghan and Pakistani Taliban are also suffering internal problem and both have broken up into mutually hostile factions. The rise of ISIL in the region is part of this. The drug gangs dont really care as long as their hired guns protect the drug production and smuggling. March 1, 2016: In the north (Faryab province) the army continues its offensive against Taliban forces, killing over a hundred in the past few days and capturing or wounding even more. The Taliban have been a major threat in this area since early 2015 as part of a major effort to make the north safer for smuggling heroin out of the country. An effort to seize the city of Kunduz in September 2015 was unusual, because it was an expensive operation that got a lot of Taliban fighters killed or captured and was soon undone once the security forces sent enough reinforcements to the city. It got worse when several more similar attacks failed to get into the city. Such spectacular attacks are mainly for terrorizing the local population, especially politicians and business owners, into being more cooperative. The basic problem for the Taliban and the drug gangs they work for is that they dont want to run the country but do need free access to keep the drug business going. This is especially true of the north, where the locals have always been more anti-drugs and hostile to the Talban. February 29, 2016: China announced it will provide Afghanistan with $70 million in military aid. This is a continuation of increasingly close relations with China. For example in early 2015 Afghanistan admitted that it had an arrangement with China whereby Afghanistan would seize and turn over to China any Chinese Moslems (especially Turkic Uighurs) found in Afghanistan. In return China increased the diplomatic and economic pressure on Pakistan to stop supporting Islamic terrorists attacking Afghanistan. China is the largest foreign investor in Pakistan as well as the main source of modern weapons, so when China talks Pakistan must listen and at least pretend to act. China is also becoming a major source of foreign aid and military assistance for Afghanistan. February 28, 2016: In the east (Paktika province) a U.S. UAV used missiles to kill seven Islamic terrorists including several wanted ISIL leaders. In the last 90 days the U.S. has carried out at least twenty airstrikes against ISIL targets in this area. In the north (Faryab province) 130 local Taliban surrendered and accepted amnesty. Only a third of them turned in their weapons, or had weapons to surrender. Over 10,000 Afghan men have accepted the amnesty program since 2010. Many were simply let go by the Taliban, which often has to downsize when money is short or because strategy has changed and it does not need as many people in a region. The Taliban prefer to recruit locally because local men know the languages, customs and terrain. The Taliban will also seek to get local tribal leaders on the payroll as well so as not to get into feuds with local tribes. Another problem is the presence of Pushtun tribes in the north. The Taliban is largely a Pushtun operation and was founded by Pushtin from Kandahar in the south. Pushtun are 40 percent of the population and most live in the south. In other parts of the country the non-Pushtun tribes are often quite hostile to the Taliban, drugs and Pushtun in general. In areas like the north, where the Pushtun are a minority, it is more expensive and politically difficult for the Taliban to maintain large numbers of gunmen. The heavy fighting in the north since early 2015 have not gone well for the Taliban and surrenders like this indicate that they are turning their attention elsewhere, like the south where the Taliban has had more success in driving security forces out of key drug producing areas. February 26, 2016: In the east (Paktika province) a U.S. UAV used missiles to kill three al Qaeda Islamic terrorists who were riding motorcycles. Afghan special operations forces provided the location. Al Qaeda and Haqqani Network are active in Paktika province and both are prime targets for U.S. and Afghan forces. February 24, 2016: In the east (Nangarhar Province) ten ISIL members surrendered and accused Pakistan of supplying ISIL forces in Afghanistan with weapons. Pakistan denies such charges but then Pakistan has long denied any connections with the Afghan Taliban despite the ample evidence that ISI (the Pakistani CIA) created the Taliban in the early 1990s and Pakistan has been supporting Islamic terrorism since the late 1970s. Since 2001 more and more evidence of this Pakistani perfidy has come to light. For example, officially Pakistan still denies that they sheltered Osama bin Laden, but its no secret that Pakistan still tolerates sanctuaries for all manner of Islamic terrorists who operate inside Afghanistan. So even if Pakistan is not supporting ISIL, a lot of people on both sides of the border have no problem believing otherwise. February 23, 2016: In the east (Nangarhar Province) American UAVs missile attacks and Afghan security forces have killed at least 43 ISIL fighters in the last two days. At least half the dead were victims of UAV missiles. February 22, 2016: In the east (Nangarhar Province) Taliban gunmen shot dead an ISIL suicide bomber who was trying to reach and kill a local Taliban commander. Some of his followers spotted the ISIL man, noted he was wearing an explosive vest and shot the bomber dead before he could detonate. In China military officers were recently given detailed lifestyle rules as part of the ongoing effort to curb the persistent corruption in the military. The new rules expressly forbid a lot of the social practices that have been a part of Chinese culture for thousands of years. Military officials are now limited on how much they can spend to entertain senior officers coming to visit. Taking note of modern communications the new rules also limit the number of inspection-type visits as well as how much the travelers can spend. In doing all this the reformers are not only attacking opportunities for corruption but also emulating Western practices. It has not been lost on many Chinese military analysts that Western forces are more effective in combat in part because they are more austere in many ways that the Chinese military is not. These lifestyle rules are but the latest attempt to curb corruption and evolved from earlier rules. For example in early 2015 the Chinese Communist Party issued an order that all promotions in the military now required candidates to meet strict weight and physical fitness requirements. In this case the thinking is that one way to curb paying bribes get promotions (enabling the promoted officer to steal even more) is to take advantage of the fact that corrupt officers tend to be overweight because they are more interested in getting rich than in being good soldiers. The corrupt officers drink more, eat more and exercise less than officers devoted to their military duties. Thus is anyone bribes their way past the new regulation they would be instantly recognizable as dirty (and fat). The reformers quickly noted that officers were willing to lose weight and exercise more, but the ornate banquets simply shifted to smaller portions of more expensive food as well as handing out more non-edible, and more expensive, gifts to honored guests. That led to the new lifestyle rules. Many officers use a combination of greed and respect for tradition to resist efforts to curb corruption. Each new effort is seen as a challenge, not something that will eliminate any of the corruption that defines relationships between officers. Even NCOs and lower ranking troops, taking a cue from their superiors, feel free to grab whatever they can get away with. As a result decades of anti-corruption efforts have had little impact on the military. Then again corruption in the military has been a problem in China for thousands of years. Yet many of the latest new regulations are clever in that they take advantage of the fact that fat officers have long been symbolic of corrupt (and often ineffective) officers and it is hoped that any officers who continue to bribe their way past the new regulations will be called out by an angry public with access to photos of the fat officers on the Internet. For the new rules to work at all the Communist Party has to resist calls for exceptions for special cases (seen by most Chinese as yet another form of corruption) which would be publically ridiculed anyway. Now the reformers know that officers dont mind getting thin and austere as long as their bank balances remain fat. So far efforts to curb military corruption has done little to reduce public ridicule, especially via the Internet. Not that corrupt officials dont try, by hiring (from firms that specialize in this sort of thing) Internet shills to try and shout down those ridiculing the chubby and probably corrupt officers. Nevertheless the Chinese Communist Party gets credit for its persistence and that, according to tradition, is how things really get done in China. The U.S. and its Sunni Arab allies fear that Iraq is on its way to becoming subordinate to Iranian foreign policy. Because of effective Iranian aid in dealing with ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) the Iraqi government has become less enthusiastic about needing more American and NATO troops in Iraq. In addition Iraq has made it clear that Saudi Arabia should not even consider sending troops into Iraq to fight ISIL. The Saudis did not suggest this but are planning to send troops into Syria. The Saudis have no border with Syria but do have land access to Jordan and Iraq. Thus Iraq is emphasizing that Saudi forces are not welcome in Iraq even if they are just passing through. Meanwhile Iran supports the increasingly aggressive and autonomous behavior of the Iran-backed Iraqi Shia militias that are assisting the Iraqi Army in the fight ISIL. The Shia militias are also taking control of territory in urban and rural areas, displacing the police and local government. Because of that by late 2015 the Iraq government saw more American troops as saviors. At the end of 2015 there were several thousand American troops already in Iraq and more (most of them Special Forces) on the way. The government has made it clear to Iran (which is very hostile to U.S. forces in Iraq) that some American troops were essential. The presence of American troops also makes it less likely that Iran will attempt anything too ambitious (like invading or backing a takeover by Shia militias) and everyone knows that. But now Iran appears to have convinced Iraqi leaders that American troops come and go while Iranian forces are always next door. Most Iraqis are more concerned with Iranian meddling than anything the Americans might do. At the same time Iraqis are wary of the other Gulf Arabs, especially Saudi Arabia. For example the Saudi ambassador to Iraq suggested that the Iran backed Shia militias in Iraq should stand aside and let the Iraqi Army deal with ISIL. That comment was widely condemned by Iraqi Shia clerics and politicians. The Shia politicians running Iraq have to move carefully because Iran, Saudi Arabia and America are making demands, often contrary ones, on Iraq. One little mentioned advantage Iraq has right now is generally secure borders. The Syrian border is the only one that is really dangerous. The borders with Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iran and Turkey are all well-guarded and pose little risk that ISIL or other hostile groups can get in from there. Jordan in particular has been very successful in keeping ISIL out. For example recently Jordanian security forces got a tip that a number of ISIL men appeared to have established themselves in a town near the Syrian border. When police raided the building they were met by gunfire. After a brief battle seven of the Islamic terrorists were killed, 13 arrested and large quantities of weapons and bomb making materials seized. Despite its long Syrian border the Jordanians have managed to make it very difficult to ISIL men to sneak across and when they do they have a hard time keeping their presence secret. Since January American warplanes have been attacking banks and other sites used by ISIL to store cash and pay its staff. The U.S. believe these attacks have destroyed over a billion U.S. dollars in ISIL cash and caused an acute money shortage. Around Mosul Kurdish troops report more ISIL deserters showing up complaining that their pay has been cut or they have not been paid for months. These men risk their lives deserting because ISIL publically executes those who leave without permission or disobey any orders. These public executions are increasingly common in Mosul. Many of these deserters are unskilled foreigners attracted to ISIL in large part by the prospect of regular pay and a better life in general. The air attacks on ISIL finances are part of the preparation for the attack on Mosul. This will require about 25,000 combat troops (eight Iraqi Army brigades and two brigades from the Kurdish north). Most of the Iraqi brigades are still being trained and are not expected to be ready until the end of 2016. Iraqi politicians talk of taking Mosul sooner but American advisors consider that unlikely unless the government wants to send in poorly trained troops. That might work if the ISIL defenses are too disorganized and poorly prepared to resist. That is a difficult assessment to make but the government might take a chance. They can always blame the Americans if it doesnt work. Meanwhile advancing Kurdish and Iraqi forces have pushed the ISIL defenders back towards the city itself. Until mid-2015 ISIL put up a lot of resistance to these advances but ISIL decided that the constant air attacks made it preferable to keep casualties down by delaying the advance and not trying to stop it. That was good for morale and ISIL fighters knew that they would be safer and able to cause more casualties when fighting from inside Mosul. But a growing number of ISIL men are not too encouraged by that prospect, in part because they see a growing armed opposition forming among the civilians still inside the city. Iraqi government propaganda plays this up and there is enough evidence of such a resistance within the city to convince a growing number of ISIL men that it is worth risking execution by fleeing Mosul. Many of these men are not deserters (although all would be executed if caught) and plan to show up and rejoin ISIL in Syria or elsewhere. ISIL record keeping is not thorough enough to prevent that sort of thing. ISIL morale is low for many reasons, not just because of the increased danger and unpredictable payroll. ISIL men know that in Iraq ISIL has lost nearly half the territory the organization had seized by the end of 2014. The situation is a little better in Syria but even there ISIL is losing towns and key roads it had controlled for over a year. Foreign ISIL recruits are also dismayed to find that life in ISIL controlled territory was less ideal (in an Islamic way) than they were led to believe. In fact ISIL areas are run like a police state. Punishments are harsh and quickly administered for the smallest infractions (actual or suspected). Recruits from the West are especially dismayed by this. ISIL recruits are also unhappy to find that some of their leaders are unworthy. There is corruption in ISIL and while ISIL punishes this (like it did recently when the ISIL finance minister was executed in Mosul for stealing) that is still not what many recruits expected. Even more demoralizing has been the execution of ISIL police on corruption charges. The growing number of air attacks dont just hit concentrations of ISIL fighters but also convoys carrying ISIL supplies. It has become increasingly difficult for ISIL to supply all its forces because of the growing number of attacks on trucks and supply storage areas. March 2, 2016: In the Kurdish north oil exports (via a pipeline to Turkey) are expected to resume soon once repairs are complete. PKK bombed the pipeline on February 17th and Turkey had to make sure the area was clear of PKK rebels for bringing in the repair teams on the 27th. PKK has been attacking the pipeline inside Turkey repeatedly and that has cut Kurdish oil exports (and revenue) about 20 percent during 2015. The Kurds use this money to run their autonomous government and pay for their military operations against ISIL. The Arab dominated Iraqi government is reluctant to send the Kurds cash or military aid. The Iraqi government has hired an Italian construction firm, for nearly $300 million, to make needed repairs on the Mosul Dam (on the Tigris River). Italians were involved in building the dam and in December 2015 Italy announced it was sending 450 troops to help Iraq guard the Mosul Dam. Aside from the fact that an Italian firm is one of the owners of the dam and its 750 MW electricity generating plant, there is a humanitarian aspect to providing the dam with more security. This is the largest dam in Iraq and because of shoddy construction during the 1980s requires constant maintenance to prevent it from failing. If the dam did come down over half a million Iraqis could die from the flood and subsequent water shortages. The wall of water created by a dam collapse would be about five meters (16 feet) high when it reached Baghdad. The power generating plant would also be lost along with the credibility of the Iraqi government, which has long acknowledged that the dam is important but rarely comes through when troops are needed for security or money is required to make the constant (and essential) repairs. The deal with the Italian firm did not say when the repairs would begin but engineers who have seen the dam recently report that a collapse could occur soon. March 1, 2016: Iraqi casualties from ISIL inspired violence has remained at a lower level for the sixth month in a row. In February 670 Iraqis (security forces and civilians) died, down 21 percent from 849 in January and down 31 percent from the 980 in December. This is also down more than a third from February 2015. So far in 2016 most (60 percent) of the dead are civilian while the rest include Iraqi security forces, including army, Kurds and the many Sunni and Shia militias. All this is part of a trend because there were 888 dead in November, 714 in October and 717 in September. This decline in deaths (from earlier in 2015) is mainly because the government has improved the leadership in the security forces and one result of that is fewer friendly casualties. In contrast during August 2015 1,325 Iraqis died, 1,332 in July, 1,466 in June and 1,100 dead in May. The increase after May was largely because the government began its promised June offensive a little late but still in June. Since January (when nearly 1,400 died) monthly terrorist related deaths were usually 1,100-1,200 a month. This is because most of the ISIL violence was of the terrorist, not military, variety. Another factor is the difficulty obtaining accurate data on casualties in ISIL held areas. Thus the actual Iraqi total deaths since late 2014 are probably 20-30 percent higher once you include ISIL losses. The death toll for all of 2015 was about 13,400, compared to 15,600 in 2014. Thats still a big jump from 2013 when the death toll was 8,900 for all of Iraq and only ten percent of those were terrorists while the majority were Shia civilians killed by Sunni Islamic terrorists. Despite an expected increase in combat casualties in mid-2016 when the attack on Mosul begins the total 2016 deaths are expected to be at least 20 percent lower than 2015. While 2015 was 14 percent less deadly than 2014 both years were much less than the worst year. That was 2007 when nearly 18,000 died. Then as now the main cause of the mayhem and murder was Sunni fanatics who want to run the country as a Sunni dictatorship. Still Iraq was a lot less violent than neighboring Syria where the 2015 death toll was 55,000, which was down 38 percent from the 76,000 in 2014. Thats over 69,000 dead (down 24 percent from 91,000in 2014) for the two countries where ISIL is most active. The death toll has declined in both Iraq and Syria because ISIL has become less effective and in Syria there is a lot more war weariness. Most of the rebels and government forces in Syria are just playing defense and even ISIL has been less active in attacking compared to 2014. A more widespread problem is coping with the needs of the more than three million people driven from their homes by ISIL violence since 2014. Most of these refugees have been relocated inside Iraq and most want to go home (especially to Mosul and surrounding areas.) February 29, 2016: American commandos (from Delta Force) captured what was described as a key ISIL leader near Mosul and that man is being interrogated by U.S. investigators before being turned over to Iraqi forces. February 28, 2016: In Baghdad two ISIL suicide bombers got into a Shia neighborhood and detonated their explosives in a crowded market. This left 73 dead and over a hundred wounded. The Shia neighborhoods in Baghdad have long been a prime target for Sunni Islamic terrorists and despite extensive security the bombers keep getting in. This is a major embarrassment to the pro-Iran Shia dominated government and ISIL knows it. February 27, 2016: In Anbar over 500 ISIL men and their families were apparently ordered to leave Fallujah for Mosul. That will leave only a few hundred ISIL fighters in Fallujah. ISIL can get away with depleting the Fallujah garrison because most of the Anbar population is either pro-ISIL or anti-government. Nearly all the Anbaris are Sunni Arabs and while most dont like ISILs heavy handed rule (lots of restrictions on lifestyle plus heavy taxes) the local Sunnis tend to doubt promises by the Shia dominated government that with ISIL out life will be better. That was not the case before ISIL took over in 2014 and many Anbar Sunnis do not believe the government has changed. That said many, if not most, Anbar Sunnis are willing to stand aside and not interfere with government efforts to fight ISIL. That means the government forces in Anbar cannot depend much on local tribes to fight the remaining ISIL gunmen in Fallujah. For the moment the government is concentrating on clearing ISIL out of western Anbar and putting more troops on the Syrian border before turning towards the few ISIL men left in eastern Anbar (Fallujah). Meanwhile the government is using a lot of non-Sunni militias to keep the peace in Anbar and despite orders to behave some of these non-Sunni militiamen do not try to hide their hatred and distrust of all Sunni. Despite that these militia have also proved effective at defeating ISIL attacks, be they by gunmen or suicide bombers. These attacks continue and some of the efforts using suicide bombers, usually wearing army or police uniforms, work and account for most of the security forces casualties in Anbar. February 25, 2016: Turkish F-16s bombed a suspected PKK base near the Turkish border in northern (Kurdish) Iraq. The Shia Iraq government is not happy with this Turkish incursion, nor the presence of some two thousand Turkish troops in a training camp (for Iraqi Kurds and their allies) north of Mosul. Fortunately the February 26th elections in Iran brought in more moderate politicians who are openly encouraging better relations with Turkey (and the West). February 18, 2016: Iran revealed that it had sent special operations troops (Saberin) to Iraq and Syria. Those in Iraq are there mainly to ensure security around some very important Shia shrines in southern Iraq. The Saberin in Syria are apparently for special combat missions. The Saberin are modeled on the British SAS and U.S. Special Forces. At the same time the Saberin were headed to Syria many, if not most, of the 2,000 trainers and advisors from the IRGC (Revolutionary Guards) have been withdrawn. Many of these appear to have been shifted to Iraq where Iran wants its military well represented as Iraq seeks to clear ISIL out of Anbar province and Mosul. Alcoa (NYSE: AA) has been awarded a five-year contract from the U.S. Army worth up to $50 million for R&D projects focused on developing innovative, lightweighting solutions for ground combat vehicles. The U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) awarded Alcoa Defense a Ground Vehicle Light-Weighting contract to support efforts to accelerate technology research and development and provide engineering solutions for Department of Defense ground vehicles and intelligent ground systems. This agreement with TARDEC builds on Alcoa Defenses decades-long partnership with the U.S. Army to advance military ground vehicles, said Eric Roegner, President of Alcoa Defense. Alcoas lightweight solutions have improved troop protection while reducing vehicle weight and assembly time. We look forward to building on our successful track record to help develop the next generation combat vehicle. Alcoas first work directive, or project funded under the contract, is an initiative to advance Alcoa-developed aluminum weld wire alloys. These alloys have already been proven to increase the strength of welded jointstypically the weakest point on a vehicleas well as reduce corrosion of those welded joints on combat vehicles. Under potential future work directives, Alcoa will provide material research, development, engineering, testing, and evaluation efforts related to ground vehicle lightweighting. These research and development efforts will address various technologies associated with lightweighting such as aluminum forming technology, fastening and joining, modeling and simulation, armor development, material development, material fabrication, energy conservation, and coating and corrosion technology. A Strong Track Record Alcoa has built a strong track record of partnering with the U.S. Army to develop solutions that advance the performance of ground combat vehicles. In 2013, Alcoa announced a joint Alcoa-U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) initiative to manufacture the worlds biggest single-piece forged aluminum hull for combat vehiclesthe largest closed die forging ever made. This game-changing forging replaces the lower hull of a combat vehicle, significantly improving survivability over traditional welded hulls. In Army testing, the monohull has performed exceptionally well in mitigating the effects of blast events, such as those caused by Improvised Explosive Devices. In 2005, the U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) awarded Alcoa a research, development and engineering contract to develop aluminum structures for ground combat and tactical vehicles under the Army Lightweight Structures Initiative. Alcoa delivered structural solutions that provided on average 30 to 50 percent weight savings over baseline designs. Republican U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks about the results of Super Tuesday primary and caucus voting during a news conference in Palm Beach, Florida in this March 1, 2016 file photo. REUTERS/Scott Audette/Files By Steve Holland DETROIT (Reuters) - Former U.S. presidential candidate Mitt Romney attacked 2016 Republican front-runner Donald Trump as a fraud on Thursday and urged primary voters to keep the outspoken New York billionaire from getting the nomination, paving the way for possible horse trading at a party convention in July. In an unusually harsh speech, party elder Romney warned that former reality TV star Trump would likely lose to possible Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton in the Nov. 8 election if he becomes the Republican nominee. Trump's rise has split the Republican Party between mainstream figures like Romney, and Trump supporters who complain the party does not reflect their concerns about illegal immigration, the slow economic recovery and what they see as America's diminishing role in the world. That split widened when Romney, the party nominee in 2012, urged Republican primary voters to vote tactically in different states to back Trump's opponents and block his path to the nomination. "Here's what I know. Donald Trump is a phony, a fraud," said Romney, 68, who did not endorse any candidate. "I would vote for Marco Rubio in Florida, for John Kasich in Ohio, and for Ted Cruz or whichever one of the other two contenders has the best chance of beating Mr. Trump in a given state," he said. Rubio is a U.S. senator from Florida and Kasich is the Ohio governor. By calling for targeted voting, Romney was setting up the possibility of a contested convention when Republicans gather in Cleveland in mid-July to select their nominee for the November election to succeed Democratic President Barack Obama. That could create a pathway to deny Trump the 1,237 delegates needed for nomination. The last Republican convention to go beyond one ballot was in 1948 when Thomas Dewey was nominated. "I think the governor is just being realistic about where things stand and advocating a potential strategy that could stop the Trump nomination, said former Romney spokesman Ryan Williams. ESTABLISHMENT UNEASE Republican strategist Scott Reed said he doubted the last-ditch tactical voting suggestion would work. "No one will be playing the targeted voting game. Theres too much anger and distrust," Reed said. Trump, 69, has made his party's establishment uneasy with his abrasive tone and policy positions, including plans to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexican border, deport 11 million illegal immigrants and temporarily bar Muslims from entering the country. More than 90 Republican national security leaders have signed a scathing open letter opposing Trump and his stance on many foreign policy issues. Romney's speech in Utah was the spearhead of a mainstream Republican attempt to rein in Trump after he won most states in this week's Republican Super Tuesday nominating contests and took a step toward earning the nomination. The address came hours before Trump and his rivals shared a stage in Detroit at 9 p.m. EST for a debate hosted by Fox News. Trump leads many polls for primaries in the remaining states, including in major ones like Florida on March 15, dampening prospects of derailing him. The party establishment's strategy risks backfiring by further energizing Trump's supporters, many of them white, blue-collar voters. "If only Romney talked like this four years ago about Obama ... or Trump," conservative political commentator Michelle Malkin said on Twitter. "Too freaking late and too freaking lame." 'FAILED CANDIDATE' Trump dismissed the former Massachusetts governor who lost to Obama four years ago. "Mitt is a failed candidate. He failed. He failed horribly. He failed badly," Trump told a rally in Maine. Romney decided on his own to give the speech, which he wrote himself. Romney said Trump's economic policy would sink America "into prolonged recession," mocked Trump's ego, and called him a "con man." "A business genius he is not," Romney said. David Axelrod, a former senior adviser to Obama, called the Romney speech a "break glass" moment he had not seen since 1964, when Republicans abandoned their candidate Barry Goldwater. Axelrod noted thousands of Republicans had already voted for Trump in primary elections. "I wonder about tactic of calling them fools," Axelrod wrote on Twitter. (Additional reporting by Doina Chiacu, Eric Beech, Warren Strobel, Jonathan Landay and Matt Spetalnick in Washington; Writing by Steve Holland, Roberta Rampton; Editing by Alistair Bell and Peter Cooney) TE Connectivity Ltd. (NYSE: TEL) today announced an increase in its share repurchase program and the election of Mr. Terrence Curtin, Mr. John Davidson and Mr. Mark Trudeau to its Board of Directors. The company's Board of Directors has authorized an increase in its share repurchase program by an additional $1.0 billion. Any repurchases by the company will be made in accordance with applicable securities laws in the open market or in private transactions. The repurchase program is subject to business and market conditions, and may be commenced, suspended or discontinued at any time or from time to time without prior notice. Additionally, shareholders approved the election of Mr. Terrence Curtin, Mr. John Davidson and Mr. Mark Trudeau to its Board of Directors during the TE Connectivity 2016 Annual General Meeting held on Wednesday, March 2, 2016. Mr. Curtin was appointed President of TE Connectivity (TE) in March 2015 as part of the Board of Director's succession planning. In his role as President, Mr. Curtin has responsibility for all of the company's Connectivity and Sensor businesses and mergers and acquisitions activities. Prior to his current role, Mr. Curtin served as President, Industrial Solutions segment which includes TE's Aerospace, Defense, Oil and Gas business; Energy business; and Industrial and Medical businesses. Prior to that he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of TE and led the financial aspects of the company's separation from Tyco International, and subsequently led all financial aspects of TE Connectivity. Prior to TE, Curtin was the Vice President and Controller of the Electronics segment of Tyco International. Mr. Curtin is also a Certified Public Accountant. Mr. Curtin has a Bachelor's of Science degree in Accounting from Albright College, Pennsylvania, U.S., and is a member of its Board of Trustees. Mr. Davidson is a Certified Public Accountant, with more than 30 years of leadership experience across multiple industries. Mr. Davidson's experience with complex accounting and financial issues combined with his knowledge of public reporting requirements and processes bring accounting and financial management insight to the Board. Mr. Davidson held a variety of leadership roles at Tyco International Ltd. and Dell Inc. and financial leadership roles at Eastman Kodak Company. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Financial Accounting Foundation which oversees financial accounting and reporting standards setting processes for the United States. He also serves on the Board of Governors of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). Mr. Davidson meets the SEC definition of audit committee financial expert and would bring five years of public company directorship experience to the Board. Mr. Davidson holds a Bachelor's of Science degree in Accounting from St. John Fisher College and a MBA in Finance from the University of Rochester. Mr. Davidson is a director of DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc., Legg Mason, Inc. and Pentair plc. Mr. Trudeau is the President, Chief Executive Officer and director of Mallinckrodt plc, a global specialty biopharmaceutical and imaging business that develops, manufactures, markets and distributes specialty pharmaceutical products and imaging agents. Mr. Trudeau held executive leadership positions at Covidien plc, Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals LLC USA, Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Abbott Laboratories. Mr. Trudeau brings experience as a public company executive officer and director, along with a record of executive leadership and global business expertise in many areas including strategy, operations and management. Mr. Trudeau holds a Bachelor's of Science degree in Chemical Engineering and a MBA, both from the University of Michigan. Navistar (NYSE: NAV) is solidly higher Thursday after CEO, Troy Clarke, told Reuters is open to potential deals. "Everything we're doing today just makes us a better partner," Clarke told Reuters during a recent interview at the company's Lisle, Illinois headquarters. "Everything we do is just making a better company that performs well." Analysts seen Navistar as a possible candidate for an acquisition or alliance. Volkswagen's truck operations is seen as a possible fit. GOLDEN, Colo., March 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- This National Nutrition Month, Americans are encouraged to "Savor the Flavor of Eating Right" by focusing on all aspects of mindful eating. For healthy eaters overwhelmed with meal planning, Boston Market simplifies the process with a variety of tools including its "150 Ways to Eat Right" list, which features 150 home style meal combinations that are full of flavor at 550 calories or less. The "550 Calories or Less" menu features complete meals including fan favorite Market Bowls for only $6.99*. Entrees can include boneless rotisserie chicken or roasted turkey topped with gravy, while flavorful side dishes range from steamed vegetables to mashed potatoes and cornbread. "Today's health-conscious consumers are pressed for time and in need of nutritious meal options that they feel good about eating and serving loved ones on-the-go," said Boston Market CEO George Michel, also known as The Big Chicken. "That's why we've designed a flavorful menu that helps guests reduce their sodium and caloric intake while enjoying their favorite home style foods." The national restaurant chain strives to provide busy consumers with real food that's carefully prepared, affordable and without compromise. The cornerstone of its wholesome food platform, rotisserie chicken, is cooked with signature marinade and a method that allows the fat to drip away, leaving a lean, moist source of protein. During National Nutrition Month, Boston Market is encouraging guests to eat healthier with a Half Chicken Special for $8.49 which includes a half signature, rotisserie roasted chicken, two sides and fresh baked cornbread. Boston Market has completed a number of initiatives to help guide guests' healthy dining decisions: Sodium Reduction Boston Market removed salt shakers from tables in all its restaurants and has reduced sodium levels in all menu items by 15 percent or more. Boston Market removed salt shakers from tables in all its restaurants and has reduced sodium levels in all menu items by 15 percent or more. Recipe Library For the home chef looking for time-saving hacks, Boston Market provides delicious recipes to dress up menu items with a few simple ingredients. For the home chef looking for time-saving hacks, Boston Market provides delicious recipes to dress up menu items with a few simple ingredients. Nutrition Calculator An interactive Nutrition Calculator allows guests to custom-build Boston Market meals online and review their nutritional values. An interactive Nutrition Calculator allows guests to custom-build Boston Market meals online and review their nutritional values. Allergen Menu An Allergen Menu feature helps guests with dietary restrictions (such as gluten intolerance) identify the menu items they can enjoy. An Allergen Menu feature helps guests with dietary restrictions (such as gluten intolerance) identify the menu items they can enjoy. 150 Ways to Eat Right A list of savory Boston Market entrees and side items that can be combined to create a meal with 550 calories or less. Consumers can access nutritional information and recipes at www.BostonMarket.com. Boston Market was awarded a HALO Award by QSR Magazine in 2014 for its meaningful contributions to a healthy, active lifestyle for consumers. The restaurant is also a proud participant in the National Restaurant Association's "Kids LiveWell" program and a strategic partner of the United States Department of Agriculture "MyPlate" program. For additional information, visit BostonMarket.com. About Boston Market Boston Market Corporation, headquartered in Golden, Colorado, has given time back to busy families and individuals for 30 years with quality, home-style meals at a convenient value in 456 locations nationwide. A staple on dinner tables, Boston Market prepares its fresh, never-frozen, all natural chicken in signature rotisserie ovens and features an extensive selection of home-style sides and made-from-scratch cornbread. In 2011, the company completed updates to locations across the country, adding new healthier menu items and enhancing the dine-in experience. As one of the country's largest providers of catering services, Boston Market offers convenient, same-day orders and delivery for corporate and personal events of all sizes. For more information, visit the company's website at www.bostonmarket.com. For the latest news and deals, follow @bostonmarket on Twitter or join us on Facebook. * Prices may vary in some restaurants. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/boston-market-highlights-150-healthful-meal-options-550-calories-or-less-during-national-nutrition-month-in-march-300230563.html SOURCE Boston Market O.C. Tanner Company and 29 of its Clients Made Fortunes 100 Best Companies to Work For List SALT LAKE CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- O.C. Tanner, the worlds leader of reward and recognition services, was honored today as one of Fortunes 100 Best Companies to Work For. The list also included 29 companies that utilize O.C. Tanners products. We couldnt be more thrilled to make Fortunes 100 Best Companies To Work For list for the second year in a row. We love the acknowledgement, but what we love even more is that its our people that make it happen, said O.C. Tanner CEO Dave Petersen. At O.C. Tanner we take great pride in helping companies across the globe become great places to work, and for us that expertise starts with ensuring our company is a great place to work. Fortune ranks companies for its 100 Best Companies to Work For list by surveying a sample of their employees with topics ranging from managements credibility and overall job satisfaction to pay, benefit and recognition programs. We have some of the best people in the world working on some of the most innovative and creative projects. This recognition is representative of them and our culture, said Matt Burton, O.C. Tanner Director of People and Great Work. At our core, we value, recognize, and appreciate the great work being done at O.C. Tanner and at companies everywhere. Founded in Salt Lake City in 1927, O.C. Tanner leads an industry that helps companies create and maintain inspiring cultures and engaging workplaces through the power of employee recognition. With 29 of its clients on the list, O.C. Tanners influence on inspiring employees to do great work can be seen in the workplace satisfaction of employees around the globe. O.C. Tanner is a company that practices what they preach. They make a culture out of truly appreciating their employees, regardless of title or tenure, said O.C. Tanner Content Manager Ashleigh May. Team leaders and managers genuinely care about the wellbeing of employees, both in and out of the office. Fortune determines the 100 Best Companies to Work For by partnering with the Great Place to Work Institute to conduct an extensive national corporate employee survey. Eligible companies must be at least five years old and have more than 1,000 U.S. employees. http://fortune.com/best-companies/ About O.C. Tanner O.C. Tanner, number 61 on the 2016 Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For list, helps organizations create great work environments by inspiring and appreciating great work. Thousands of clients globally use the companys cloud-based technology, tools, awards and education services to engage talent, increase performance, drive goals and create experiences that fuel the human spirit. For more information visit octanner.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160303006164/en/ O.C. Tanner Lindsey Sine, 801-493-3055 [email protected] Source: O.C. Tanner HOUSTON, March 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Superior Energy Services, Inc. announced today that Dave Dunlap, President and CEO, will be participating in the Raymond James 37th Annual Investors Conference being held March 6-9, 2016 in Orlando, FL. Superior Energy's presentation will be on Tuesday, March 8 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (10:00 a.m. Central Standard Time). To listen to a live audio webcast and view accompanying presentation materials, please visit the Investor Relations section of Superior Energy's website at www.superiorenergy.com. A replay will be archived on the site shortly after the presentation concludes. About Superior Energy Services Superior Energy Services, Inc. (NYSE: SPN) serves the drilling, completion and production-related needs of oil and gas companies worldwide through its brand name drilling products and its integrated completion and well intervention services and tools, supported by an engineering staff who plan and design solutions for customers. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:Paul Vincent, VP of Investor Relations, (713) 654-2200 To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/superior-energy-services-to-present-at-the-raymond-james-37th-annual-investors-conference-300229633.html SOURCE Superior Energy Services, Inc. EMPRESA DISTRIBUIDORA Y COMERCIALIZADORA NORTE S.A. (EDENOR) Announces Expiration and Final Tender Results of its Exchange Offer relating to its 9.75% outstanding Senior Notes due 2022 (the "Offe ISINs: US29244AAK88 ; USP3710FAJ32 / CUSIPs: 29244A AK8 ; P3710F AJ3 BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, Oct. 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Empresa Distribuidora y Comercializadora Norte S.A. (EDENOR) ("Edenor" or the "Company") today announced that its offer to exchange (the "Offer" or the "Exchange Offer") any and all of its outstanding 9.75% Senior Notes due 2022 (the "Existing Notes") for the applicable amount of newly issued 9.75% Additional Senior Notes due 2025 (the... (continue reading...) ATOWAK Announces Launch of COBRA: A Dangerously Stylish Watch With Satellite Hour Wheel HONG KONG, Oct. 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ATOWAK announces the latest of their exciting timepieces. ATOWAK COBRA takes stylistic inspiration from the king of all snakes, the Cobra. Its angular head and the sharp point of its time indicators suggest a dangerous charm and a unique revolving satellite hour wheel with spinning minute hands provide deadly accuracy. Created for watch aficionados who are in touch with their wild side, this gorgeous new design is one of a... (continue reading...) Neosify Crypto Reload: Rise of the Chosen Ones Neosify crypto wallet is not just a breath of fresh air for the crypto world it is the revolution DeFi needed a long time ago. Neosify crypto wallet is not just a breath of fresh air for the crypto world it is the revolution DeFi needed a long time ago. Decentralized finance does not need an introduction nowadays as every crypto investor knows what that about. Distributed digital solutions can make miracles due to the... (continue reading...) FreeYond disrupts the Latin American smartphone market with the F9 and M5 New smartphone models: the most cost-effective at their respective price points With the launch of the FreeYond F9, and the upcoming release of the FreeYond M5, FreeYond is entering the Latin American market as a challenger to the status quo. FreeYond brings the most cost-effective smartphone models yet to Latin Americas market with specs that match or surpass similar higher-priced offerings from other brands. FreeYond F9-Trendy,... (continue reading...) Jonathan Di Bella Wins Vacant ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Title With Unanimous Decision Over Zhang Peimian KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 22, 2022 - (ACN Newswire) - - ONE Championship(TM) (ONE) returned to the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with ONE 162: Zhang vs. Di Bella. The card featured a series of all-striking and MMA matchups along with a battle for the ONE Strawweight Kickboxing World Title. ONE Championship, in partnership with leading premium lifestyle and luxury performance brand TUMI, presented the prestigious ONE World Title belt to the World Champion. ONE 162:... (continue reading...) More Press Releases NEW YORK, March 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- xAd, the leading location platform that enables marketers to reach the right people based on the real places they visit every day, announced a partnership with OUTFRONT Media Inc. (NYSE: OUT), one of the largest out-of-home media companies in the U.S., to expand the OUTFRONT mobile product set. OUTFRONT has signed on as an official beta partner in xAd MarketPlace, the first and only fully transparent, self-service platform for the buying and selling of locations. With the rise of mobile usage, consumer behaviors and expectations have shifted dramatically, and marketers must adapt in real-time to meet their needs. Increasingly, a consumer's location has become one of the most important variables in leveraging moments of consumer intent. While most traditional media optimizes within siloes, the MarketPlace tool combined with OUTFRONT's assets reinforce the priming effect of coordinated messaging in generating buying intent behaviors from consumers. This combination of big screen (outdoor message) small screen (mobile ad) impact, delivered with location-based relevance, amplifies the effect of each media. As a market leader in the mobile and out-of-home combined space, OUTFRONT Media will create these custom audience segments to more fluently leverage location and behavior structure in the out-of-home space. Understanding location is a vital tool to audience behavior, as well as a method to reach clients using multiple media to influence outcomes. By reinforcing messaging across multiple media, OUTFRONT has already seen a lift in consumer engagement with mobile and out-of-home. These types of tools will assist marketers in making their campaigns perform better. xAd founder and CEO, Dipanshu "D" Sharma, launched MarketPlace last week at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona announcing, "For the first time ever, marketers will now be able to leverage real-time consumer intent like they can do today for searchbut for the physical world." Sharma continued, "It is a testament to the foundational accuracy of our platform that OUTFRONT relies on xAd MarketPlace to amplify the reach of their out-of-home placements." As an early adopter of MarketPlace, Jeremy Male, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at OUTFRONT Media explained, "The xAd MarketPlace gives OUTFRONT an opportunity to build our own custom audience segments in proximity to our out-of-home locations based upon the most accurate location platform available." Male continued, "This expands the OUTFRONT Mobile Network offering with unique location-based solutions for our clients. We plan to use MarketPlace as our mobile toolset when combining media for the benefit of our clients as it ultimately allows for improved client engagement." MarketPlace is available now in limited beta, with further availability to be announced in the near future. For more information on MarketPlace, or to be considered for the MarketPlace limited beta program, please visit www.xad.com/marketplace. About xAdxAd enables real-time, location-based mobile marketing, without the guesswork. Working with xAd, marketers can deliver more relevant, personalized messages to the right people they want to reach, based on the real places they visit every day through the most scalable and precise mobile marketing platform on the planet. Each month, xAd's patented location platform helps marketers reach over 300 million people globally with the ability to reach users at nearly 100 million unique points of interest. With xAd, marketers can say goodbye to assumptive marketing and reach the right people at real places in real-time with precision, relevance and confidence. Learn more: www.xad.com. About OUTFRONT Media Inc. OUTFRONT Media (NYSE: OUT) is one of the largest out-of-home media companies in the Americas and has a major presence in top markets throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico and South America. With billboard and transit properties, a prime asset focus, and a growing network of digital displays, OUTFRONT Media gives advertisers both breadth and depth of audience across key geographies, as well as engaging ways to connect with increasingly mobile consumers. Contact: Theresa Nasi Carly Zipp VP, Global Marketing Communications Communications & Events Director [email protected] [email protected] Gregory Lundberg SVP, Investor Relations [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150108/167799LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/xad-and-outfront-media-ink-marketplace-beta-partnership-300230289.html SOURCE OUTFRONT Media Inc. Red cross workers prepare to send trucks to deliver food and monetary aid to eight provinces over Mongolia's vast steppe, mountains and frozen rivers from Ulan Bator, Mongolia, February 26, 2016. Global aid agencies are responding to a call for assistance By Terrence Edwards ULAANBAATAR (Reuters) - Global aid agencies are responding to a call for assistance by Mongolia as harsh winter weather raises fears for the safety and livelihoods of the country's traditional pastoralists, who have already been hit hard by a drought last year. Dry weather has scorched most of Mongolia's wheat crop and now mass animal deaths due to a freezing winter, locally known as "dzud", are threatening more pain for the country, where farming accounts for about 13 percent of the economy. The last dzud in 2009-2010 killed 9.7 million of the country's livestock, according to the National Emergency Agency of Mongolia. While the government has not yet declared the current winter a natural disaster, it has warned the situation could get worse. So far, a drop in temperatures to minus 55 Celsius (minus 67 Fahrenheit) has killed nearly 200,000 livestock. The weather and grazing conditions are already worse than they were in the previous dzud, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said in a statement, citing the Mongolian Ministry of Food and Agriculture. "Usually for the dzud, the most devastation is observed in March, April and May," Garid Enkhjin, national program coordinator for the IFRC in Mongolia, told Reuters. The IFRC said it has launched an emergency appeal for 834,000 Swiss Francs ($835,000) to assist 25,500 Mongolian herders, who are at risk of losing their livestock and livelihoods due to the extreme winter. Currently, 80 percent of Mongolia is under snow, making it difficult for nomadic families to travel along centuries-old pasture routes to find food for their livestock. Aggravating the situation is the fact that herders can live up to 50 kms (31 miles) from urban settlements and many are without cars. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has said it plans to provide trucks to get aid to families' doorsteps at some of the most-difficult-to-reach areas. "We want to relieve the burden of that last mile of distance to the most affected," Ben Hemingway, USAID's regional adviser, said on phone from Bangkok. In the worst affected districts, sheep and other livestock have started dying. Many herders are trying to sell their animals while they are still alive, leading to an oversupply of livestock that has driven down market prices. Although the death toll for animals so far is far less than in 2009, "the impact on the people is more or less the same", said Enkhjin. "Livelihoods will be impacted immediately and have devastating effects." ($1 = 0.9987 Swiss francs) (Reporting by Terrence Edwards; Editing by Himani Sarkar) A ferry sails at Victoria Harbour in front of the financial Central district, featuring AIA Central (C) and Cheung Kong Center behind it, in Hong Kong, China February 17, 2016. REUTERS/Bobby Yip By Clare Baldwin HONG KONG (Reuters) - Mainland Chinese financial institutions have expanded their physical footprint in Hong Kong's prime business district at their fastest pace in five years, driving up rents and underscoring how Beijing's policies are reshaping the city. While international firms are consolidating and re-locating offices to save money, Beijing is pushing on with plans to draw the former British colony into a Pearl River Delta mega-economy - and China's financial institutions are leading the way. Policies such as the Shanghai-Hong Kong stock connect and mutual funds recognition schemes point towards greater integration, and with it the sort of landmark purchases that Chinese companies have made in other financial capitals like London and New York. "Ultimately, there will be more mainland Chinese firms in Central," property consultant Jones Lang LaSalle's head of Hong Kong research Denis Ma said, referring to Hong Kong's glittering central business district. "All of the high marks in the rental market, especially in Central, are being set by (mainland Chinese) companies." Jones Lang LaSalle forecasts prime office rents in the Central business district will jump 5-10 percent this year, even as China grapples with its slowest economic growth in 25 years and tumultuous stock and currency markets. Even though Hong Kong is officially part of China, it has a separate financial and legal system and the influx of mainland companies into the semi-autonomous southern territory is part of Beijing's push to get Chinese companies to expand overseas. China's outbound M&A activity hit a record $113 billion last year, while its financial institutions snapped up landmark properties abroad including the Waldorf Astoria and Baccarat hotels in New York and an office tower in London. Chinese banks have also been opening branches abroad after their government simplified approval procedures. Widespread expectations of a greater yuan depreciation are another push-factor - even though the central government has dismissed such concerns - as companies seek legal channels to park money abroad. Property consultant Knight Frank said mainland Chinese demand last year accounted for as much as half of new leases in Central, home to the Asia headquarters of global bank HSBC Holdings and the city's stock exchange. Mainland firms remained "the pillar of leasing demand" for Hong Kong's best office space, it said, with premium Central office rents jumping 11.5 percent in the year to January 2016. A Hong Kong government index shows office rents in Central and the nearby area of Sheung Wan rose 11.7 points last year. WINNERS AND LOSERS Landlords such as Sun Hung Kai Properties Ltd <0016.HK>, Henderson Land Development Co Ltd <0012.HK> and Cheung Kong Property Holdings Ltd <1113.HK> are among the big winners from the influx. The losers are foreign forms that have been edged out of prime locations by Chinese brokerages, investment firms and Chinese banks, including smaller ones that have filed listing applications with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Last year, Zhong Zhi Capital took over Barclays Plc's office space, according to Savills, ahead of the UK bank's announcement of sweeping cuts at its investment bank and the closure of its Asian cash equities business. State-owned China Everbright Group took over office space previously occupied by Wells Fargo & Co (NYSE: WFC) and investment conglomerate Fosun stepped into some of HSBC Holdings Plc's former office space, according to the consultancy's data. The offices that the Chinese firms moved into in the Cheung Kong Center, AIA Central and the Citibank Tower are in premium central locations. Jones Lang LaSalle data shows Chinese demand for office space in Hong Kong's Central district has more than doubled in the past six years, accounting for a fifth of all Grade A Central office space. In another six years, the consultancy expects it to account for more than a quarter. Last week, China Everbright Ltd <0165.HK> announced plans to buy the Dah Sing Financial Centre in Wan Chai for HK$10 billion ($1.29 billion). That followed whole-office building purchases last November by Evergrande Real Estate Group Ltd <3333.HK> and a China Life Insurance Group Co subsidiary. (Reporting by Clare Baldwin; Additional reporting by Michelle Chen, Saikat Chatterjee, Elzio Barreto and Denny Thomas; Editing by Anne Marie Roantree and Stephen Coates) An employee works on an assembly line producing automobiles at a factory in Qingdao, Shandong Province, China, March 1, 2016. REUTERS/Stringer BEIJING (Reuters) - Growth in China's services activity slowed in February, a private survey showed on Thursday, adding to risks for policymakers in Beijing who are counting on robust growth in the sector to offset a planned overhaul of bloated state companies. The Caixin/Markit Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) fell to 51.2 in February from a six-month high of 52.4 in January. A level above 50-point neutral mark signifies an expansion on a monthly basis, while one below that points to a contraction. While February's reading still pointed to expansion for the 19th straight month, a Caixin statement noted that growth was only modest and much weaker than the long-term average. The results of the private survey suggest that a prolonged slowdown in the world's second-largest economy and protracted weakness in manufacturing is starting to drag on its non-manufacturing sector, which has been one of the few bright spots in the economy. The government has been keen to promote higher consumption to replace flagging "old growth" drivers such as heavy industry. But a composite Caixin output index covering both manufacturing and services fell below the 50-point level in February, suggesting weakness in the manufacturing sector was overcoming the contribution from the services sector. He Fan, chief economist at Caixin Insight Group, said further government measures were need to boosted the services sector and improve balance in the economy. "While implementing measures to stabilize economic growth, the government needs to push forward reform on the supply side in the services sector to release its potential," He said. Services firms continued to create new jobs last month but at a slower pace, another worry for Beijing which is hoping the sector can absorb some of the millions of manufacturing workers who are expected to be laid off in coming years as it tries to reduce massive overcapacity in industries such as steel. A sub-index measuring new business fell at its fastest pace in four months in February to 51.7 from 52.9 in January. China said on Monday it expects to lay off 1.8 million workers in the coal and steel industries, or about 15 percent of the workforce, as part of efforts to reduce a capacity glut, but no timeframe was given. Reuters reported this week that China aims to lay off 5-6 million state workers in two to three years to curb industrial overcapacity and pollution. The Caixin services PMI focuses on smaller, private firms, but an official survey earlier this week also pointed to slowing growth for larger, state companies. The official reading fell to its lowest since late 2008. Weaker factory and services surveys this week are likely to reinforce views that Beijing will have to step up stimulus measures this year to avoid a deeper downturn in the economy, which expanded at its slowest pace in 25 years in 2015. China's central bank injected an estimated $100 billion worth of long-term cash into the banking system on Tuesday. Reporting by Winni Zhou and Nicholas Heath; Editing by Kim Coghill; Contact info: [email protected]; +86 10 6627 1276; Reuters Messaging: [email protected] A boy gestures as he sits with others on a pick-up truck in the rebel held Douma neighborhood of Damascus, Syria March 2, 2016. REUTERS/Bassam Khabieh By Tom Miles and Stephanie Nebehay GENEVA (Reuters) - Syria's cessation of hostilities is holding but remains fragile after six days in which incidents have been contained in the provinces of Homs, Hama, Latakia and Damascus, U.N. Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura said on Thursday. De Mistura said that his office was working closely with Russia and the United States to investigate any fighting and "to quickly intervene in order to make sure that the parties on the ground defuse the situation". "Unfortunately we have to admit - like in every cessation of hostilities or ceasefire and in particular in this one - there are still a number of places where fighting has continued, including parts of Hama, Homs, Latakia and Damascus. "The situation therefore could be summarized as fragile, success is not guaranteed but progress has been visible, ask the Syrians," de Mistura told reporters in Geneva. Halting the fighting and stepping up aid deliveries in Syria, especially to nearly half a million people in besieged areas, are vital to pave the way for peace talks, he said. De Mistura, who suspended a first round last month, plans to resume talks with the Syrian government and opposition parties on March 9. But the format for the indirect talks is flexible and some parties could turn up days later, he said. "The important thing is to start the momentum reaching the point when the political aspect will be addressed because that is what will make the endgame a stable one in Syria," he added. Jan Egeland, who chaired a humanitarian task force of major and regional powers trying to improve access to besieged areas, said that there had been progress, with some 236 trucks delivering aid to 115,000 people in the past three weeks. "We believe that the cessation of hostilities will lead to a big leap forward in reaching many more people, hundreds of thousands of people in the hard-to-reach areas and the remaining besieged areas," he added. (Reporting by Tom Miles and Stephanie Nebehay; Editing by Dominic Evans) TUNIS (Reuters) - Tunisian security forces killed five Islamist militants after they infiltrated across the border from neighboring Libya, authorities said on Wednesday. The expansion of Islamic State militants in Libya is worrying the country's North African neighbors Tunisia, Egypt and Algeria, who fear violent spillover from the chaos there. Tunisia has already suffered two major militant attacks last year by gunmen who officials say were trained in jihadist camps inside Libya. Western governments are now offering aid for Tunisia to better protect its Libyan frontier. "The army killed five terrorists during a raid on a house close to Ben Guerdan, after they crossed over the frontier from Libya," army spokesman Belhassen Ouslati said, according to local state news agency TAP. A security source told the agency the five militants were part of a group of 10 who had crossed the border with Libya in three vehicles. It was not immediately clear what happened to the other suspects. Tunisia has been held up as a model for democratic transition since the 2011 uprising against Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali. But the militant attacks have battered its economy, particularly its tourist industry. More than 3,000 Tunisians have also left to fight with Islamic State and other militant groups in Iraq and Syria. Increasingly, Tunisians are also forming part of Islamic State ranks in Libya. (Reporting by Tarek Amara; writing by Patrick Markey; Editing by Dominic Evans) Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7): o Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1): o Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under the cover Form 20-F or Form 40-F Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 , the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized. Connecticut Office: Form 20-F, File No. 001-32500 PO Box 577 Trade Symbol: Sherman, CT 06784 TSX: TNX Tel: 1-844-364-1830 NYSE MKT: TRX Fax: 1-860-799-0350 Toronto Office: Suite 4400, Scotia Plaza 40 King Street West Toronto, Ontario M5H 3Y4 Toll free: 1-844-364-1830 Website: www.TanzanianRoyaltyExploration.com Email: [email protected] News Release March 3, 2016 Tanzanian Royalty Exploration Corporation Force Majeure Where from here? Progress Report TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired March 3, 2016) - Tanzanian Royalty Exploration Corporation (TSX:TNX)(NYSE MKT: TRX) (the "Company") is providing the following progress report with respect to the recent force majeure notice it issued to Stamico. Force Majeure describes a clause in a contract whereby circumstances arise producing a situation known as "Force Greater" than one party has the ability to correct in the normal course of business. Currently, the situation at hand is our business relationship with our joint venture partner, the State Mining Company of Tanzania, which is owned by the Treasury of Tanzania. The trigger for Force Majeure was a significant increase in the number of illegal miners that entered our property. We maintain that there is a direct connection between the increase in the illegal occupation of property under our license and a speech made in the village by the Deputy Minister for Mining. It is our opinion that the Deputy Minister speaks for the Minister who in turn speaks for the government. As such we take seriously such statements made as a statement representing the leadership of Tanzania. The Deputy Minister made statements and gave hard dates for us to abide by his orders, generally 14 days. He presented the repercussions of non-compliance that were draconian. None of his orders are stipulated by the contract we have with Stamico. One of his orders was to fix a public road that was being torn up by the rainy season, not our use. Part of that Deputy Ministers representation focused on the surrender of mining rights on some of our properties to the artisan miners. Inherently, we do not have a problem with selecting an area for artisanal mining as we have selected three parcels where there is surface enrichment mineable by artisan tools. There are various restrictions that we need identified to ensure that only non-mechanized miners can occupy these properties. We have certain reasonable questions such as: Page | 2 How does Tanzania define artisanal mining? Right now there are people called artisans that fit the generally accepted description but who are fully equipped, totally mechanized, very well financed modern miners calling themselves artisans. Tanzania does not make it clear if the parties getting the property are fronts for the miners with equipment as good as, or better, than major mining companies utilize. That type of miner has their equipment stationed just outside our borders, in areas which we would not, and are not required by law to hand over to the artisans. By definition, an artisan should not reach the water table and certainly not mine below it or clearly they are more sophisticated than an artisan. Artisans have a record of not cooperating with the environmental and health laws in place for mining. We are concerned that the presence of artisanal miners may create major problems whose root cause may be hard to discern. We do not want to be held accountable for actions caused by others. The artisan miner is not policed as closely as the free market mining company. There are no surprise visits by authorities checking on every aspect of operations from health in the kitchens to procedure in the pits. Fines can be huge and interfere with the time lines of management. When we smelter there is standing room only in the gold room where the government accountant and inspectors measure the dore, the grade and charge you their royalty that must be paid on the spot and before you sell the gold. With the artisan there is no gold room, little if any inspection and acceptance of the artisan word concerning processing which is of the most dangerous methods. This chain of events and definitions lead to what the government might like us to call uninvited guests acting rudely. Others categorize it as an invasion by illegal miners. That chain of events was incited by the government clearly can be defined as a "Force Greater" requiring our declaration of the clause in our contract called "Force Majeure. Force Majeure in our contract suspends all obligations under contract, calls for a pause in everything, does not excuse debts but puts them all on ice. It transfers the matter from local law to international arbitration which would occur after good faith negotiation over a 30 day whereby the parties seek resolution. Our CEO had first hand experience with illegal miners growing from 5 people to 20,000 people. If you leave 5 out that will grow to 10 and 10 will grow exponentially. If we allowed over 200 you would be to 20,000 and the property you once had would now be a major producer of Blood Gold. Africa respects strength and takes advantage of any sign of weakness. When this chain of events occurred, events we have proof of, we felt that our staff was in danger and we stopped our work. After consulting international counsel, the arbitration board in London and our board of directors, we declared Force Majeure. What are our options now? 1. We negotiate successfully in the 30 day period with Stamico, the government of Tanzanian who guarantee our freedom to operate and protection against all interference of our contract rights. This then opens the traditional financing door. 2. We proceed to London Binding Arbitration with financial demands equal to our invested funds in Tanzania, lost opportunity and damage to the value of our shares. 3. We seek a sale of all our Tanzanian assets to a major mining company in Tanzania with commitment of size. The structuring of the transaction would be for shares, not cash in this what we believe will soon to be major gold bull market. Page | 3 Value One thing that is for certain is that the market is not a reliable discovery for valuation mechanism. Quotations are a product of algorithms, high frequency trades and the specialist on the exchange for your share. 1. We would suggest that all the information you need to make a reasonable fundamental conclusion on value is in the public domain. 2. The NI 43-101 reports are a third party estimate of the assets in hand and their quality. These reports are on our corporate website at www.tanzanianroyalty.com . 3. Then take the information and make the comparison of the asset in question with other mines in Tanzania's Greenstone belt when they were at the same stage in their development. We would suggest that time was after pilot plant and just before long term procession of mined material. 4. To make a geological comparison we would suggest Geita, a mine owned by AngloGold Ashanti who are our neighbors at 30 kilometers away, is a good geological comparison. The expanding widths and value at depths compares to the Bulyanhulu mine's early geological markers. Respectfully submitted, James E. Sinclair Chief Executive Officer For further information, please contact Investor Relations at 1-844-364-1830 Visit our website: www.TanzanianRoyalty.com The Toronto Stock Exchange and NYSE Amex Equities have not reviewed and do not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, DC 20549 FORM 8-K CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): February 26, 2016 HCSB FINANCIAL CORPORATION (Exact Name of Registrant As Specified in Its Charter) South Carolina (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation) 000-26995 57-1079444 (Commission File Number) (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) 3640 Ralph Ellis Blvd, Loris, South Carolina 29569 (Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code) (843) 756-6333 (Registrants Telephone Number, Including Area Code) Not Applicable (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report.) Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below): o Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) o Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) Item 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement. Item 3.02. Unregistered Sales of Registered Securities. Item 8.01. Other Events. Stock Purchase Agreement with Certain Institutional and Accredited Investors On March 2, 2016, HCSB Financial Corporation (the Company) entered into a Stock Purchase Agreement (the Stock Purchase Agreement) with Castle Creek Capital Partners VI, L.P. (Castle Creek) and certain other institutional and accredited investors (collectively, the Investors), pursuant to which the Company expects to raise a total of $45 million in a private placement transaction and to issue shares of the Companys common stock, par value $0.01 per share, at a purchase price of $0.10 per share (the Common Stock), and shares of a new series of convertible perpetual non-voting preferred stock, Series A, par value $0.01 per share, at a purchase price of $10.00 per share (the Series A preferred stock). The Stock Purchase Agreement contains representations, warranties, and covenants of the Company and the Investors that are customary in private placement transactions and is subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of necessary regulatory approvals or nonobjections for the repurchase or redemption of the Series T preferred stock, trust preferred securities, and subordinated debt notes in each of the transactions described below. The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the private placement transaction to repurchase the Companys outstanding Series T preferred stock, trust preferred securities, and subordinated debt notes, as described below, and to recapitalize the Companys wholly-owned bank subsidiary, Horry County State Bank (the Bank), to support its operations and increase its capital ratios to meet the higher minimum capital ratios required under the terms of the consent order between the Bank, the FDIC, and the South Carolina Board of Financial Institutions. Pursuant to the terms of the Stock Purchase Agreement, prior to closing, the Company and the Investors will enter into a registration rights agreement under which the Company will agree to file a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) to register for resale the Common Stock, the Series A Preferred Stock, and the shares of common stock and non-voting common stock into which the Series A Preferred Stock will be convertible. The Company is obligated to file the registration statement no later than the first anniversary after the closing of the private placement transaction. In addition, pursuant to the terms of the Stock Purchase Agreement, prior to closing, Castle Creek will, and one or more other investors may, enter into side letter agreements with the Company. Under the terms of these side letter agreements, (i) Castle Creek will, and one or more other investors may, be entitled to have one representative appointed to the Companys board of directors and (ii) and one or more other investors may be entitled to have one representative attend all meetings of the Companys board of directors as a nonvoting observer, in each case for so long as the Investor, together with its respective affiliates, owns, in the aggregate, 5% or more of all of the outstanding shares of the Companys common stock (or, with respect to Castle Creek, 50% or more of their respective purchased shares). In addition, the Company agreed to reimburse Castle Creeks legal fees incurred in connection with its participation in the private placement transaction. The rights, preferences, and privileges of the Series A preferred stock will be set forth in Articles of Amendment to the Companys Articles of Incorporation, which the Company intends to file with the Secretary of State of South Carolina prior to the closing of the private placement transaction. The Series A preferred stock will have the following terms: Dividends : Holders of the Series A preferred stock will be entitled to receive dividends when, as, and if declared by the Companys board of directors, in the same per share amount as paid on the number of shares of common stock with respect to the number of shares of common stock into which the shares of Series A preferred stock would be converted in accordance with the Articles of Amendment, and no dividends would be payable on the common stock unless a dividend identical to that paid on the common stock is payable at the same time on the Series A preferred stock on an as-converted basis. Conversion : Each share of Series A preferred stock will automatically convert into one hundred shares of non-voting common stock effective as of the close of business on the date that the Company obtains shareholder approval for and files an amendment to the Articles of Incorporation to authorize a class of non-voting common stock. Unless the shares of Series A preferred stock have previously been converted into shares of non-voting common stock as described above, each share of Series A preferred stock will automatically convert into one hundred shares of voting common stock upon a Permissible Transfer of such shares of Series A preferred stock to a non-affiliate of such holder or may be converted into one hundred shares of voting common stock at any time, provided that upon such conversion, the holder and its affiliates will not own more than 9.9% of the Companys voting securities. A Permissible Transfer is a transfer by the holder of Series A preferred stock (i) to the Company; (ii) in a widely distributed public offering of voting common stock or Series A preferred stock; (iii) that is part of an offering that is not a widely distributed public offering of voting common stock or Series A preferred stock but is one in which no one transferee acquires the rights to receive 2% or more of any class of voting securities; (iv) that is part of a transfer of voting common stock or Series A preferred stock to an underwriter for the purpose of conducting a widely distributed public offering; (v) to a transferee that controls more than 50% of the voting securities of the Company without giving effect to such transfer; or (vi) that is part of a transaction approved by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. Priority : The Series A preferred stock will rank, as to payments of dividends and distribution of assets upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Company: (i) junior to the Companys Series T preferred stock, and (ii) pari passu with the common stock pro rata on an as-converted basis. Voting : Holders of Series A preferred stock will have no voting rights except as may be required by law. If the holders of Series A preferred stock are entitled by law to vote as a single class with the holders of outstanding shares of common stock, each share of Series A preferred stock shall be entitled to a number of votes equal to the number of shares of common stock into which such share is convertible. Preemptive Rights : Holders of Series A preferred stock will have no preemptive rights, except for any such rights that may be granted by way of separate contract or agreement to one or more holders of Series A preferred stock. Redemption : The Series A preferred stock will not be redeemable by either the Company or by the holder. Securities Purchase Agreement with the United States Department of the Treasury On February 29, 2016, the Company entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement (the TARP Agreement) with the U.S. Treasury, pursuant to which the Company will repurchase all 12,895 shares of its outstanding fixed rate cumulative perpetual preferred stock, series T (the Series T preferred stock), which had originally been issued to the U.S. Treasury under the TARP Capital Purchase Program. The Company will pay $128,950, plus reimbursement of attorneys fees and other expenses incurred by the U.S. Treasury not to exceed $25,000, to repurchase the shares of Series T preferred stock. The U.S. Treasury also agreed to waive any and all unpaid dividends on the Series T preferred stock and to cancel its warrant to purchase 91,714 shares of the Companys common stock, which had an exercise price of $21.09 per share. The TARP Agreement contains customary representations and warranties of the Company and is subject to closing conditions, including closing of the Companys private offering of $45 million in new capital and regulatory approval of the transaction. The TARP Agreement may be terminated by mutual agreement of the Company and the U.S. Treasury and may also be terminated by either party in the event that the transaction does not close on or before April 15, 2016. The Company anticipates that the closing of this repurchase will occur immediately following the closing of the private placement transaction. A copy of the TARP Agreement is attached to this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 10.1 and incorporated herein by reference. The description of this agreement is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the TARP Agreement. Securities Purchase Agreement with the Alesco Preferred Funding VI LTD On February 29, 2016, the Company entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement (the TruPs Agreement) with Alesco Preferred Funding VI LTD (Alesco), pursuant to which the Company will repurchase all of its floating rate trust preferred securities issued through its subsidiary, HCSB Financial Trust I, for an aggregate cash payment of $600,000, plus reimbursement of attorneys fees and other expenses incurred by Alesco not to exceed $25,000. Alesco also agreed to forgive any and all unpaid interest on the trust preferred securities. The TruPs Agreement contains customary representations and warranties of the Company and is subject to closing conditions, including regulatory approval of the transaction. Alesco has the right, but not the obligation, to terminate the TruPs Agreement in the event that any closing condition is not satisfied within 45 days of the date of the TruPs Agreement. The Company anticipates that the closing of this repurchase will occur immediately following the closing of the private placement transaction. A copy of the TruPs Agreement is attached to this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 10.2 and incorporated herein by reference. The description of this agreement is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the TruPs Agreement. Each of these transactions is subject to regulatory approval, and there can be no assurance that the Company will obtain these approvals or complete the private placement transaction, the repurchase of the Series T preferred stock, or the repurchase of the trust preferred securities. Final Approval of the Class Action Settlement Agreement with the Subordinated Debt Holders On March 2, 2016, the Court of Common Pleas for the Fifteenth Judicial District, State of South Carolina, County of Horry (the Court) entered a Final Order of Approval (the Final Approval Order) approving the class action settlement agreement (the Settlement Agreement) between the Company, the Bank, James R. Clarkson, Glenn Raymond Bullard, Ron Lee Paige, Sr., and Edward Lewis Loehr, Jr., the President and Chief Executive Officer, former Senior Executive Vice President, Executive Vice President, and Chief Financial Officer of the Company and the Bank, respectively (collectively, the Defendants) and Jan W. Snyder, Acey H. Livingston, and Mark Josephs, on behalf of themselves and as representatives of a class of similarly situated purchasers of the Companys subordinated debt notes (collectively, the Plaintiffs) (Case No. 2014-CP-26-00204). The Plaintiffs had previously filed an action seeking an unspecified amount of damages resulting from alleged wrongful conduct associated with purchases of the Companys subordinated debt notes, including fraud, violation of state securities statutes, and negligence. The Defendants entered into the Settlement Agreement solely to avoid future inconvenience and protracted, costly litigation and to help facilitate the recapitalization of the Bank. The Settlement Agreement does not constitute a concession or admission of wrongdoing or liability by the Defendants. The Company will establish a settlement fund of approximately $2.4 million, which represents 20% of the principal of subordinated debt notes issued by the Company, and class members will be entitled to receive 20% of their notes, which will be paid from the settlement fund. In exchange, class members will grant the Defendants a full and complete release of all claims that were asserted or could have been asserted in the class action lawsuit. The Company will also separately pay the approved attorneys fees, costs, and expenses of class counsel up to an aggregate of $250,000. With the execution of the Stock Purchase Agreement, the TARP Agreement, and the TruPs Agreement, the Company has satisfied the three conditions that had to be satisfied prior to the final hearing by the Court to approve the Settlement Agreement. The Company must still receive the necessary regulatory approvals or nonobjections before any payments may be made from the settlement fund. Assuming these regulatory approvals or nonobjections are received, the Company anticipates that it will fund the settlement fund promptly following the closing of the private placement transaction. Item 5.02. Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers. In connection with the comprehensive recapitalization of the Company and the Bank, on March 3, 2016, the board of directors of the Company announced that it has agreed to appoint Jan H. Hollar as the chief executive officer and a director of the Company and the Bank, effective as of the closing of the private placement transaction. In conjunction with Ms. Hollars appointment, James R. Clarkson has announced that he will retire as the Companys and the Banks president and chief executive officer at the closing. The board of directors also announced that W. Jack McElveen, Jr., has been appointed as the Banks chief credit officer, effective as of February 26, 2016. Appointment of Jan H. Hollar as the New Chief Executive Officer Ms. Hollar brings extensive banking expertise to the Company and the Bank from her 37 years of experience in the financial services industry. She has been working with the Bank and the Company as a consultant, on a part-time basis since September 2014, and on a full-time basis since November 2015. During her career, Ms. Hollar has worked mainly with regional and community banks in the Carolinas, and she has gained experience in evaluating corporate strategic decisions, structuring a banks balance sheet, addressing significant regulatory compliance issues, managing employees with varied skills and development, as well as developing and implementing corporate-wide processes and programs, and designing, hiring and training of many banking professionals, among other things. Most notably, Ms. Hollar served as executive vice president and chief financial officer of Yadkin Financial Corporation and Yadkin Bank in Statesville, North Carolina (together, Yadkin), from September 2009 until July 2014, when Yadkin merged with VantageSouth Bancshares, Inc. and Piedmont Community Bank Holdings, Inc. Ms. Hollar had been hired by Yadkin in 2009 as part of the executive management team that was brought in to address the challenges facing Yadkin as a result of the Great Recession. Yadkins management team engineered a significant turn-around in Yadkins operations and executed a number of key strategic measures to position the company and the bank for future growth, including raising a significant amount of capital from institutional investors, redeeming or exchanging all of Yadkins outstanding TARP preferred stock, and cleaning up the balance sheet through the disposition of troubled assets. The board of directors believes that Ms. Hollars experience with the turnaround at Yadkin makes her well qualified to lead the recapitalized Company and Bank. On February 29, 2016, the Company and the Bank entered into an employment agreement, which will become effective upon the closing of the private placement transaction, pursuant to which Ms. Hollar will serve as the chief executive officer of the Company and the Bank. The employment agreement is initially for a term of three years and will thereafter be automatically extended for additional terms of one year unless either party delivers a notice of termination at least 90 days prior to the end of the term. Under the terms of her employment agreement, Ms. Hollar will be entitled to an annual base salary of $225,000 per year, and the board of directors of the Company (or an appropriate committee thereof) will review Ms. Hollars base salary at least annually for adjustment based on her performance. Ms. Hollar will be eligible to receive an annual cash bonus of up to 20% of her annual base salary if she achieves certain performance levels established from time to time by the board of directors, and she will be eligible to participate in the Companys long-term equity incentive program and for the grant of stock options, restricted stock, and other awards thereunder or under any similar plan adopted by the Company. Following the closing of the private placement transaction, the board of directors anticipates adopting an appropriate equity incentive plan in which the Companys and the Banks employees will be eligible to participate and granting to Ms. Hollar significant to-be-determined equity awards under such plan. Additionally, Ms. Hollar will participate in the Companys retirement, welfare, and other benefit programs and be entitled to reimbursement for travel and business expenses, as well as a monthly automobile allowance. On February 5, 2016, the Bank received the necessary nonobjection from the FDIC for Ms. Hollar to serve as the chief executive officer and a director of the Bank. On February 23, 2016, the Company received the necessary nonobjection from the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond for Ms. Hollar to serve as the chief executive officer and a director of the Company. A copy of Ms. Hollars employment agreement is attached to this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 10.3 and incorporated herein by reference. The description of this agreement is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the employment agreement. Retirement of James R. Clarkson as the President and Chief Executive Officer Having served as our President and Chief Executive Officer for the past 29 years, the board of directors believes that Mr. Clarkson has significant and valuable institutional knowledge of the Company, the Bank, and the Banks customers and employees and believes his continued assistance and support will be very important to the success of the post-recapitalization Company and Bank. Accordingly, on February 29, 2016, the Company and the Bank entered into a consulting and noncompete agreement (the Consulting Agreement) with Mr. Clarkson, which will become effective upon the closing of the private placement transaction and the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals or nonobjections, pursuant to which he will serve as an consultant to the board of directors and the management team with respect to various aspects of the Companys and the Banks business. The Consulting Agreement will continue until the earlier of: (i) the third anniversary of the effective date of the Consulting Agreement; (ii) Mr. Clarksons death; (iii) the disability of Mr. Clarkson for a period of 90 consecutive days; (iv) Mr. Clarksons termination of the Consulting Agreement prior to the first anniversary thereof due to the Companys and the Banks failure to make payments to him thereunder, following expiration of a 30 day cure period and provided that Mr. Clarkson is not in breach of the restrictive covenants in the Consulting Agreement; or (v) Mr. Clarksons termination of the Consulting Agreement at any time following the first anniversary thereof upon two weeks prior written notice. Under the Consulting Agreement, Mr. Clarkson will be entitled to a monthly consulting fee of $9,121.50, as well as for reimbursement of all reasonable business expenses. Mr. Clarksons Consulting Agreement also provides that during the Restricted Period (as defined below), he may not (i) solicit customers of the Bank for a competing business, (ii) solicit employees of the Company or the Bank for employment with a competing business, or (iii) compete with the Company or the Bank within 30 miles from the main office or any branch office of the Bank. The Restricted Period means the time period of Mr. Clarksons engagement under the Consulting Agreement, except that the Restricted Period will be automatically extended by any length of time during which Mr. Clarkson is in breach of any of the restrictive covenants. As consideration for his agreement to comply with these restrictive covenants, Mr. Clarkson will be entitled to an additional monthly payment of $9,121.50 during the term of the restrictive covenants. The Consulting Agreement is subject to regulatory approval or nonobjection. A copy of the Consulting Agreement is attached to this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 10.4 and incorporated herein by reference. The description of this agreement is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Consulting Agreement. Appointment of Jack McElveen as Chief Credit Officer On March 3, 2016, the board of directors of the Bank announced that it has appointed W. Jack McElveen, Jr. as the new chief credit officer of Bank, effective as of February 26, 2016. McElveen brings extensive banking expertise to the Bank from his 30 years of experience in the financial services industry. During his career, Mr. McElveen has worked with both national and community banks in the Carolinas, and he has extensive operational experience covering all aspects of credit and administration services, including experience with managing a troubled banks loan portfolio and efficiently addressing a concentration of nonperforming assets. Most notably, Mr. McElveen previously served as chief credit officer of the $1.1B asset The Palmetto Bank in Greenville, South Carolina from July 2009 to August 2015, having been originally hired in 2009 as part of the executive management team that was brought in to address the significant challenges facing The Palmetto Bank as a result of the Great Recession. Palmettos credit team, led by Mr. McElveen, engineered a significant turn-around in its credit quality and executed a number of key strategic measures to position the company and the bank for future growth. In addition to his experience at The Palmetto Bank, Mr. McElveen has served as Director of Loan Review at Community Resource Bank in Columbia, South Carolina, and served as the Chief Credit Officer of Carolina National Bank in Columbia, South Carolina. The board of directors believes Mr. McElveens experience with the turnaround at The Palmetto Bank makes him well qualified to serve as the chief credit officer of the recapitalized Bank. Item 8.01. Other Events. On March 3, 2016, the Company issued a press release relating to the items described above in Items 1.01, 3.02 and 5.02. A copy of the press release that discusses these matters is filed as Exhibit 99.1 to, and incorporated by reference in, this report. The information in this Item 8.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K is being furnished and shall not be deemed filed for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that Section. The information in this Item 8.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K shall not be incorporated by reference into any registration statement or other document pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in any such filing. Important Information Certain investments discussed in this Current Report on Form 8-K involve the sale of securities in private transactions that will not be registered under the Securities Act of 1933 and will be subject to the resale restrictions under that Act. Such securities may not be offered or sold absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration. This Current Report on Form 8-K does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This Current Report on Form 8-K contains, among other things, certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, without limitation, (i) statements regarding certain of the Companys goals and expectations with respect to the private placement, the repurchase of the Series T preferred stock, trust preferred securities, and subordinated debt notes, the changes to its management team and board of directors, and the $3 million public offering, and (ii) statements preceded by, followed by, or that include the words may, could, should, would, believe, anticipate, estimate, expect, intend, plan, projects, outlook or similar expressions. These statements are based upon the current belief and expectations of the Companys management team and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that are subject to change based on various factors (many of which are beyond the Companys control). Although the Company believes that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements are reasonable, any of the assumptions could prove to be inaccurate. Therefore, the Company can give no assurance that the results contemplated in the forward-looking statements will be realized. The inclusion of this forward-looking information should not be construed as a representation by the Company or any person that the future events, plans, or expectations contemplated by the Company will be achieved. Additional factors that could cause other Companys results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in the Companys reports (such as Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K) filed with the SEC and available at the SECs Internet site (http://www.sec.gov). All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements concerning the Company or any person acting on its behalf is expressly qualified in its entirety by the cautionary statements above. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date the forward-looking statements are made. Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits. (d) Exhibits. Exhibit Number Description 10.1 Securities Purchase Agreement between the U.S. Treasury and the Company, dated as of February 29, 2016 10.2 Securities Purchase Agreement between Alesco and the Company, dated as of February 29, 2016 10.3 Employment Agreement between the Company, the Bank, and Jan H. Hollar, dated as of February 29, 2016 10.4 Consulting and Noncompete Agreement between the Company, the Bank, and James R. Clarkson, dated as of February 29, 2016 99.1 Press Release, dated March 3, 2016 SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized. HCSB FINANCIAL CORPORATION Dated: March 3, 2016 By: /s/ James R. Clarkson Name: James R. Clarkson Title: President and Chief Executive Officer EXHIBIT INDEX Exhibit Number Description 10.1 Securities Purchase Agreement between the U.S. Treasury and the Company, dated as of February 29, 2016 10.2 Securities Purchase Agreement between Alesco and the Company, dated as of February 29, 2016 10.3 Employment Agreement between the Company, the Bank, and Jan H. Hollar, dated as of February 29, 2016 10.4 Consulting and Noncompete Agreement between the Company, the Bank, and James R. Clarkson, dated as of February 29, 2016 99.1 Press Release, dated March 3, 2016 Exhibit 10.1 SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT by and between THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY and HCSB FINANCIAL CORPORATION Dated as of February 29, 2016 Exhibit 10.1 Table of Contents Page I DEFINITIONS. 1 1.01. Definitions of Certain Terms 1 1.02. Interpretation 3 II THE SECURITIES PURCHASE. 4 2.01. Purchase and Sale of the Shares and the Warrant 4 2.02. Closing of the Securities Purchase. 4 III REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES. 4 3.01. Representations and Warranties of the Company 4 IV COVENANTS. 5 4.01. Forbearances of the Seller 5 4.02. Further Action 5 4.03. Remaining Certification and Disclosure Requirements 6 4.04. Transferability Restrictions Related to Long-Term Restricted Stock 6 V CONDITIONS TO THE CLOSING. 6 5.01. Conditions to Each Partys Obligations 6 5.02. Condition to Obligations of the Seller 7 VI TERMINATION. 8 6.01. Termination Events 8 6.02. Effect of Termination 8 VII MISCELLANEOUS. 9 7.01. Waiver; Amendment 9 7.02. Counterparts 9 7.03. Governing Law; Choice of Forum; Waiver of Jury Trial 9 7.04. Expenses 9 7.05. Notices 9 7.06. Entire Understanding; No Third Party Beneficiaries 10 7.07. Assignment 10 7.08. Severability 11 i Exhibit 10.1 SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT THIS SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, this Agreement ) is dated as of February 29, 2016 by and between the United States Department of the Treasury (the Seller ) and HCSB Financial Corporation, a South Carolina corporation (the Company ). RECITALS WHEREAS, the Seller is currently the owner of and holds (i) 12,895 shares of Fixed Rate Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series T of the Company (the Shares ) and (ii) a ten-year warrant to purchase up to 91,714 shares of Company Common Stock (the Warrant ); and WHEREAS, the Seller desires to sell to the Company, and the Company desires to purchase from the Seller, subject to the terms and conditions contained in this Agreement, all of the Shares and the Warrant (the Securities Purchase ). NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises, and of the various representations, warranties, covenants and other agreements and undertakings of the parties hereto, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereby agree as follows: AGREEMENT I DEFINITIONS. 1.01. Definitions of Certain Terms . For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms are used with the meanings assigned below (such definitions to be equally applicable to both the singular and plural forms of the terms herein defined): Affiliate means, with respect to any person, any person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with, such other person. For purposes of this definition, control (including, with correlative meanings, the terms controlled by and under common control with) when used with respect to any person, means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to cause the direction of management and/or policies of such person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise. Agreement has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph of this agreement. Business Day means any day that is not a Saturday, a Sunday or other day on which banking organizations in the State of New York or the State of South Carolina are required or authorized by Law to be closed. Closing has the meaning set forth in Section 2.02(A) . Closing Date has the meaning set forth in Section 2.02(A) . Exhibit 10.1 Company has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement. Company Common Stock means the common stock, $0.01 par value, of the Company. Company Material Adverse Effect means a material adverse effect on the business, results of operations or financial condition of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries taken as a whole; provided, however, that Company Material Adverse Effect shall not be deemed to include the effects of (i) changes after the date hereof in general business, economic or market conditions (including changes generally in prevailing interest rates, credit availability and liquidity, currency exchange rates and price levels or trading volumes in the United States or foreign securities or credit markets), or any outbreak or escalation of hostilities, declared or undeclared acts of war or terrorism, in each case generally affecting the industries in which the Company and its Subsidiaries operate, (ii) changes or proposed changes after the date hereof in United States generally accepted accounting principles or regulatory accounting requirements, or authoritative interpretations thereof, (iii) changes or proposed changes after date hereof in securities, banking and other Laws of general applicability or related policies or interpretations of Governmental Entities (in the case of each of these clauses (i), (ii) and (iii), other than changes or occurrences to the extent that such changes or occurrences have or would reasonably be expected to have a materially disproportionate adverse effect on the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries taken as a whole relative to comparable United States banking or financial services organizations), or (iv) changes in the market price or trading volume of the Company Common Stock or any other equity, equity-related or debt securities of the Company or its consolidated Subsidiaries (it being understood and agreed that the exception set forth in this clause (iv) does not apply to the underlying reason giving rise to or contributing to any such change). Compensation Regulations means any guidance, rule or regulation, as the same shall be in effect from time to time, promulgated pursuant to or implementing Section 111 of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, as amended by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, or otherwise from time to time. Exchange Act means the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Governmental Entity means any court, administrative agency or commission or other governmental or regulatory authority or instrumentality or self-regulatory organization. Law means any law, statute, code, ordinance, rule, regulation, judgment, order, award, writ, decree or injunction issued, promulgated or entered into by or with any Governmental Entity. Liens means any liens, licenses, pledges, charges, encumbrances, adverse rights or claims and security interests whatsoever. Purchase Price has the meaning set forth in Section 2.01 . Regulatory Event means, with respect to the Company, that (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other applicable Governmental Entity shall have been appointed as conservator or receiver for the Company or any Subsidiary; (ii) the Company or any Subsidiary shall have been considered in troubled condition for the purposes of 12 U.S.C. Sec. 1831i or any regulation promulgated thereunder; (iii) the Company or any Subsidiary shall qualify as Undercapitalized, Significantly Undercapitalized, or Critically Undercapitalized as those terms are defined in 12 U.S.C. Sec. 1831o or other applicable Law; or (iv) the Company or any Subsidiary shall have become subject to any formal or informal regulatory action requiring the Company or any Subsidiary to materially improve its capital, liquidity or safety and soundness. 2 Exhibit 10.1 Relevant Period means the period in which any obligation of the Company arising from financial assistance under the Troubled Asset Relief Program remains outstanding, as it may be further described in the Compensation Regulations. Securities Purchase has the meaning set forth in the recitals in this Agreement. Seller has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph to this Agreement. Series A Preferred Stock means the newly-issued series of convertible perpetual preferred stock, Series A, $0.01 par value, of the Company. Shares has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement. Subsidiary means, with respect to any person, any bank, corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other organization, whether incorporated or unincorporated, (i) of which such person or a subsidiary of such person is a general partner or managing member or (ii) at least a majority of the securities or other interests of which having by their terms ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors or persons performing similar functions with respect to such entity is directly or indirectly owned by such person and/or one or more subsidiaries thereof. Warrant has the meaning set forth in the recitals to this Agreement. 1.02. Interpretation . The words hereof, herein and hereunder and words of similar import when used in this Agreement shall refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement, and Section references are to this Agreement unless otherwise specified. Whenever the words include, includes or including are used in this Agreement, they shall be deemed to be followed by the words without limitation. The term person as used in this Agreement shall mean any individual, corporation, limited liability company, limited or general partnership, joint venture, government or any agency or political subdivision thereof, or any other entity or any group (as defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) comprised of two or more of the foregoing. The table of contents and headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement. In this Agreement, all references to dollars or $ are to United States dollars. This Agreement and any documents or instruments delivered pursuant hereto or in connection herewith shall be construed without regard to the identity of the person who drafted the various provisions of the same. Each and every provision of this Agreement and such other documents and instruments shall be construed as though all of the parties participated equally in the drafting of the same. Consequently, the parties acknowledge and agree that any rule of construction that a document is to be construed against the drafting party shall not be applicable either to this Agreement or such other documents and instruments. 3 Exhibit 10.1 II THE SECURITIES PURCHASE. 2.01. Purchase and Sale of the Shares and the Warrant . Subject to, and on the terms and conditions of, this Agreement, effective at the Closing, the Company will purchase from the Seller, and the Seller will sell, transfer, convey, assign and deliver to the Company, all of the Shares and the Warrant, free and clear of all Liens. The aggregate purchase price for the Shares, including any and all accrued and unpaid dividends, and the Warrant shall be an amount in cash equal to One Hundred Twenty-Eight Thousand Nine Hundred Fifty Dollars ($128,950.00) (the Purchase Price ). 2.02. Closing of the Securities Purchase . (A) Subject to Article V , the closing of the Securities Purchase (the Closing ) shall be held at such time or date that is agreed to in writing by the Seller and the Company (the date on which the Closing occurs, the Closing Date ). The Closing shall be held at such place as the Seller and the Company shall mutually agree in writing. (B) At the Closing, or simultaneously therewith, the following shall occur: (1) the Seller will deliver to the Company certificates for the Shares and the Warrant, duly endorsed in blank or accompanied by stock powers duly endorsed in blank or other required instruments of transfer; and (2) the Company will pay the aggregate Purchase Price to the Seller, by wire transfer in immediately available funds, to an account designated in writing by the Seller to the Company, such designation to be made not later than two Business Days prior to the Closing Date. III REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES. 3.01. Representations and Warranties of the Company . The Company hereby represents and warrants to the Seller as follows: (A) Existence and Power . The Company is duly organized and validly existing as a corporation under the Laws of the State of South Carolina and is a bank holding company supervised by the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond and has all requisite power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. (B) Authorization . The execution and delivery of this Agreement, and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby, have been duly and validly approved by all necessary corporate action of the Company, and no other corporate or shareholder proceedings on the part of the Company are necessary to approve this Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. This Agreement has been duly and validly executed and delivered by the Company, and (assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Seller) this Agreement constitutes a valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as enforcement may be limited by general principles of equity whether applied in a court of law or a court of equity and by bankruptcy, insolvency and similar Laws affecting creditors rights and remedies generally. 4 Exhibit 10.1 (C) Non-Contravention . Neither the execution and delivery of this Agreement nor the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby will violate any provision of the charter or bylaws or similar governing documents of the Company or, assuming that the consents, approvals, filings and registrations referred to in Section 3.01(D) are received or made (as applicable), applicable Law. (D) Consents and Approvals . Except for the prior written approval of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond for the Company to purchase the Shares from the Seller, no consents or approvals of, or filings or registrations with, any Governmental Entity or of or with any other third party by and on behalf of the Company are necessary in connection with the execution and delivery by the Company of this Agreement and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby. (E) Securities Matters . The Shares and the Warrant are being acquired by the Company for its own account and without a view to the public distribution or sale of the Shares or the Warrant. (F) Availability of Funds . The Company will have, as of the Closing, sufficient funds available to consummate the transactions contemplated hereunder. IV COVENANTS. 4.01. Forbearances of the Seller . From the date hereof until the Closing, without the prior written consent of the Company, the Seller will not: (A) directly or indirectly transfer, sell, assign, distribute, exchange, pledge, hypothecate, mortgage, encumber or otherwise dispose of, or engage in or enter into any hedging transactions with respect to, any of the Shares, the Warrant or any portion thereof or interest therein (other than pursuant to the Securities Purchase); (B) exercise the Warrant, in whole or in part; or (C) agree, commit to or enter into any agreement to take any of the actions referred to in Section 4.01(A) or Section 4.01(B) . Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Seller may undertake any of the actions set forth in Section 4.01(A) with an Affiliate of the Seller so long as this Agreement is assigned to such Affiliate in accordance with Section 7.07 of this Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, until the Closing, except as expressly set forth in this Section 4.01 , the Seller shall continue to be able to exercise all rights and privileges with respect to the Shares and the Warrant. 4.02. Further Action . The Seller and the Company (A) shall each execute and deliver, or shall cause to be executed and delivered, such documents and other instruments and shall take, or shall cause to be taken, such further action as may be reasonably necessary to carry out the provisions of this Agreement and give effect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and (B) shall refrain from taking any actions that could reasonably be expected to impair, delay or impede the Closing or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. 5 Exhibit 10.1 4.03. Remaining Certification and Disclosure Requirements . The Company acknowledges and agrees to comply with the certification and disclosure requirements set forth in the Compensation Regulations, including without limitation those submissions that are required with respect to the final portion of the Relevant Period (see, for example, Sections 30.7(c) and (d), Sections 30.11(b) and (c) and Section 30.15(a)(3) of the Compensation Regulations and FAQ-14 in the Frequently Asked Questions to the Compensation Regulations, available at www.financialstability.gov). 4.04. Transferability Restrictions Related to Long-Term Restricted Stock . The Company acknowledges that any long-term restricted stock (as defined in Section 30.1 of the Compensation Regulations) awarded by the Company that has otherwise vested may not become transferable, or payable in the case of a restricted stock unit, at any time earlier than as permitted under the schedule set forth in the definition of long-term restricted stock in Section 30.1 of the Compensation Regulations. For this purpose, aggregate financial assistance received (for purposes of the definition of long-term restricted stock) includes the full original liquidation amount with respect to 12,895 Shares (see FAQ-15 in the Frequently Asked Questions to the Compensation Regulations, available at www.financialstability.gov). Upon the sale of the Shares to the Company, in the event that any long-term restricted stock awarded by the Company is not permitted to become transferable, or payable in the case of a restricted stock unit, under the schedule set forth in the definition of long-term restricted stock in Section 30.1 of the Compensation Regulations, the Company shall cancel such long-term restricted stock and/or restricted stock units. V CONDITIONS TO THE CLOSING. 5.01. Conditions to Each Partys Obligations . The respective obligations of each of the Company and the Seller to consummate the Securities Purchase are subject to the fulfillment, or written waiver by the Company and the Seller, prior to the Closing, of each of the following conditions: (A) Completion of Equity Offering . The Company shall have closed one or more transactions in which investors have collectively provided a minimum aggregate amount of Forty-Five Million Dollars ($45,000,000) in gross cash proceeds to the Company in exchange for Company Common Stock and Series A Preferred Stock and such Company Common Stock and Series A Preferred Stock shall have been offered and sold at a price not greater than $0.10 per share of Company Common Stock and Series A Preferred Stock. (B) Company Regulatory Approvals . All regulatory approvals required to consummate the Securities Purchase shall have been obtained and shall remain in full force and effect and all statutory waiting periods in respect thereof shall have expired or been terminated. 6 Exhibit 10.1 (C) No Injunctions or Restraints; Illegality . No order, injunction or decree issued by any court or agency of competent jurisdiction or other legal restraint or prohibition preventing the consummation of the Securities Purchase shall be in effect. No Law shall have been enacted, entered, promulgated or enforced by any Governmental Entity which prohibits or makes illegal the consummation of the Securities Purchase. 5.02. Condition to Obligations of the Seller . The obligation of the Seller to consummate the Securities Purchase is also subject to the fulfillment, or written waiver by the Seller, prior to the Closing, of the following conditions: (A) Other Events . None of the following shall have occurred since the date hereof: (1) the Company or any of its Subsidiaries shall have (a) dissolved (other than pursuant to a consolidation, amalgamation or merger); (b) become insolvent or unable to pay its debts or failed or admitted in writing its inability generally to pay its debts as they become due; (c) made a general assignment, arrangement or composition with or for the benefit of its creditors; (d) instituted or have instituted against it a proceeding seeking a judgment of insolvency or bankruptcy or any other relief under any bankruptcy or insolvency law or other similar law affecting creditors rights, or a petition shall have been presented for its winding-up or liquidation, and, in the case of any such proceeding or petition instituted or presented against it, such proceeding or petition shall have resulted in a judgment of insolvency or bankruptcy or the entry of an order for relief or the making of an order for its winding-up or liquidation; (e) had a resolution passed for its winding-up, official management or liquidation (other than pursuant to a consolidation, amalgamation or merger); (f) sought or shall have become subject to the appointment of an administrator, provisional liquidator, conservator, receiver, trustee, custodian or other similar official for it or for all or substantially all its assets; (g) had a secured party take possession of all or substantially all its assets or had a distress, execution, attachment, sequestration or other legal process levied, enforced or sued on or against all or substantially all its assets; (h) caused or shall have been subject to any event with respect to it which, under the applicable laws of any jurisdiction, had an analogous effect to any of the events specified in clauses (a) to (g) (inclusive); or (i) taken any action in furtherance of, or indicating its consent to, approval of, or acquiescence in, any of the foregoing acts; (2) a Governmental Entity in any jurisdiction shall have (a) commenced an action or proceeding against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; or (b) issued or entered a temporary restraining order, preliminary or permanent injunction or other order applicable to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, which in the case of (a) and (b) shall have had or shall be reasonably expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect; 7 Exhibit 10.1 (3) any fact, circumstance, event, change, occurrence, condition or development shall have occurred that, individually or in the aggregate, shall have had or shall be reasonably likely to have a Company Material Adverse Effect; or (4) any Regulatory Event not otherwise existing on the date hereof. (B) Representations and Warranties . The representations and warranties set forth in Article III of this Agreement shall be true and correct as though made on and as of the Closing Date. (C) Consents and Approvals . All consents and approvals of, and filings and registrations with, all Governmental Entities and of or with any other third party by and on behalf of the Company that are necessary in connection with the execution and delivery by the Company of this Agreement and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby shall have been obtained or made, as applicable, and shall remain in full force and effect. (D) Performance Obligations . The Company shall have performed in all material respects all obligations required to be performed by it under this Agreement at or prior to the Closing. (E) Closing Certificate . The Company shall deliver to the Seller a certificate, dated as of the Closing Date, signed on behalf of the Company by a senior executive officer thereof certifying to the effect that all conditions precedent to the Closing have been satisfied. VI TERMINATION. 6.01. Termination Events . This Agreement may be terminated at any time prior to the Closing: (A) by mutual written agreement of the Company and the Seller; or (B) by the Company, upon written notice to the Seller, or by the Seller, upon written notice to the Company, in the event that the Closing Date does not occur on or before April 15, 2016; provided, however, that the respective rights to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this Section 6.01(B) shall not be available to any party whose failure to fulfill any obligation under this Agreement shall have been the cause of, or shall have resulted in, the failure of the Closing Date to occur on or prior to such date. 6.02. Effect of Termination . In the event of termination of this Agreement as provided in Section 6.01 , this Agreement shall forthwith become void and have no effect, and none of the Seller, the Company, any affiliates of the Company or any officers or directors of the Company or any of its affiliates shall have any liability of any nature whatsoever hereunder, or in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, except that this Section 6.02 and Sections 7.03 , 7.04 , 7.05 and 7.06 shall survive any termination of this Agreement. 8 Exhibit 10.1 VII MISCELLANEOUS. 7.01. Waiver; Amendment . Any provision of this Agreement may be (A) waived in writing by the party benefiting by the provision, or (B) amended or modified at any time by an agreement in writing signed by each of the parties hereto. Neither any failure nor any delay by any party in exercising any right, power or privilege under this Agreement or any of the documents referred to in this Agreement will operate as a waiver of such right, power or privilege, and no single or partial exercise of any such right, power or privilege will preclude any other or further exercise of such right, power or privilege. 7.02. Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed by facsimile or other electronic means and in counterparts, all of which shall be considered an original and one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each of the parties and delivered to the other parties, it being understood that all parties need not sign the same counterpart. 7.03. Governing Law; Choice of Forum; Waiver of Jury Trial . (A) This Agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this Agreement, the relationship of the parties, and/or the interpretation and enforcement of the rights and duties of the parties shall be enforced, governed, and construed in all respects (whether in contract or in tort) in accordance with the federal law of the United States if and to the extent such law is applicable, and otherwise in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to contracts made and to be performed entirely within such State. Each of the parties hereto agrees (a) to submit to the exclusive jurisdictions and venue of the United States District Court of the District of Columbia and the United States Court of Federal Claims for any and all civil actions, suits or proceedings arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby, and (b) that notice may be served upon (i) the Company at the address and in the manner set forth for notices to the Company in Section 7.05 and (ii) the Seller at the address and in the manner set forth for notices to the Seller in Section 7.05 , but otherwise in accordance with federal law. (B) To the extent permitted by applicable Law, each of the parties hereto hereby unconditionally waives trial by jury in any civil legal action or proceeding relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby. 7.04. Expenses . If requested by the Seller, the Company shall pay all reasonable out of pocket and documented costs and expenses associated with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including, but not limited to, the reasonable fees, disbursements and other charges of the Sellers legal counsel and financial advisors. 7.05. Notices . All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed given on the date of delivery if delivered personally or telecopied (upon telephonic confirmation of receipt), on the first Business Day following the date of dispatch if delivered by a recognized next day courier service, or on the third Business Day following the date of mailing if delivered by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid. All notices hereunder shall be delivered as set forth below or pursuant to such other instructions as may be designated in writing by the party to receive such notice: 9 Exhibit 10.1 If to the Company to: HCSB Financial Corporation 3640 Ralph Ellis Boulevard Loris, South Carolina 29569 Facsimile: (843) 716-6136 Attention: Chief Executive Officer With a copy to: Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP Poinsett Plaza, Suite 900 104 S. Main Street Greenville, SC 29601 Facsimile: (864) 250-2359 Attention: Neil E. Grayson If to the Seller to: United States Department of the Treasury 1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20220 Facsimile: (202) 927-9225 Attention: Chief Counsel Office of Financial Stability With a copy to: Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP One World Financial Center New York, New York 10281 Facsimile: (212) 504-6666 Attention: William P. Mills 7.06. Entire Understanding; No Third Party Beneficiaries . This Agreement (together with the documents, agreements and instruments referred to herein) represents the entire understanding of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes any and all other oral or written agreements heretofore made with respect to the subject matter hereof. Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, is intended to confer upon any person, other than the parties hereto, any rights or remedies hereunder. 7.07. Assignment . Neither this Agreement nor any right, remedy, obligation or liability arising hereunder or by reason hereof shall be assignable by any party hereto without the prior written consent of the other party, and any attempt to assign any right, remedy, obligation or liability hereunder without such consent shall be null and void; provided, however, that the Seller may assign this Agreement to an Affiliate of the Seller. If the Seller assigns this Agreement to an Affiliate, the Seller shall be relieved of its obligations and liabilities under this Agreement but (i) all rights, remedies, obligations and liabilities of the Seller hereunder shall continue and be enforceable by and against and assumed by such Affiliate, (ii) the Companys obligations and liabilities hereunder shall continue to be outstanding and (iii) all references to the Seller herein shall be deemed to be references to such Affiliate. The Seller will give the Company notice of any such assignment; provided, that the failure to provide such notice shall not void any such assignment. 10 Exhibit 10.1 7.08. Severability . Any term or provision of this Agreement which is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to that jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity or unenforceability without rendering invalid, illegal or unenforceable the remaining terms and provisions of this Agreement or affecting the validity, legality or enforceability of any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement in any other jurisdiction, and if any provision of this Agreement is determined to be so broad as to be unenforceable, the provision shall be interpreted to be only so broad as is enforceable, in all cases so long as neither the economic nor legal substance of the transactions contemplated hereby is affected in any manner materially adverse to any party or its shareholders. Upon any such determination, the parties shall negotiate in good faith in an effort to agree upon a suitable and equitable substitute provision to effect the original intent of the parties. [Remainder of page intentionally left blank] 11 Exhibit 10.1 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized officers as of the day and year first above written. HCSB FINANCIAL CORPORATION By: /s/ James R. Clarkson Name: James R. Clarkson Title: President & Chief Executive Officer UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY By: /s/ Mark McArdle Name: Mark McArdle Title: Deputy Assistant Secretary for Financial Stability [Signature Page to Securities Purchase Agreement] Exhibit 10.2 SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT Dated as of February 29, 2016 between ALESCO PREFERRED FUNDING VI LTD as Seller and HCSB FINANCIAL CORPORATION as Purchaser Exhibit 10.2 Contents Clause Page 1. Definitions and Interpretation 1 2. Sale of the Purchased Securities 2 3. Purchase Price 2 4. Conditions Precedent 3 5. Right of Termination 3 6. Representations 4 7. Taxes 6 8. Limited Recourse; Non-Petition; Disclaimer of Warranties; Indemnification 6 9. Release of Purchased Securities 7 10. Confidentiality 7 11. Further Assurances 8 12. Miscellaneous 8 Exhibit 10.2 THIS SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT (this Agreement), dated as of February 29, 2016, is being executed by ALESCO PREFERRED FUNDING VI LTD. (the Seller), an exempted company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands, and HCSB FINANCIAL CORPORATION (the Purchaser), a South Carolina corporation. W I T N E S S E T H : WHEREAS, the Seller owns the securities described on Schedule 1 to this Agreement (collectively, the Purchased Securities); WHEREAS, the Seller has agreed to sell, and the Purchaser has agreed to purchase all of the Sellers right, title and interest in the Purchased Securities on the terms and conditions set out below and in accordance with the terms of the Indenture dated as of December 21, 2004 (as such Indenture may be amended and supplemented from time to time, the Indenture) between the Seller, Alesco Preferred Funding VI, Inc and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, National Association (as successor to JPMorgan Chase Bank), as trustee (the Trustee). NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements contained herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged the Purchaser and the Seller hereby agree as follows: 1. Definitions and Interpretation (a) Definitions. Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein have the respective meanings given to such terms in the Indenture. In addition, as used in this Agreement: Conditions Precedent means the conditions precedent set forth in Section 4. Governing Documents has the meaning set forth in Section 10. Governmental Authority has the meaning set forth in Section 10. Instrument of Transfer means, with respect to any Purchased Security, any transfer certificate, letter or other instrument required under the terms of such Purchased Security to be executed by the Purchaser to transfer title to such Purchased Security from the Seller to the Purchaser. Parties means the parties to this Agreement. Purchase Price means U.S. $600,000.00. Requirements of Law has the meaning set forth in Section 10. Sale Date means two (2) Business Days after the date on which each of the Conditions Precedent has been satisfied. Tax means all present or future taxes, duties, levies, imposts, deductions, charges, withholdings and all penalties and liabilities with respect thereto levied by any tax authorities or other government authorities and Taxes, taxation, taxable and comparable expressions shall be construed accordingly. Transaction Documents has the meaning set forth in Section 10. Page 1 Exhibit 10.2 (b) Rules of Construction. Unless the context otherwise clearly requires: (i) the definitions of terms herein shall apply equally to the singular and plural forms of the terms defined; (ii) whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine and neuter forms; (iii) the words include, includes and including shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase without limitation; (iv) the word will shall be construed to have the same meaning and effect as the word shall; (v) any definition of or reference to any agreement, instrument or other document herein shall be construed as referring to such agreement, instrument or other document as from time to time amended, supplemented or otherwise modified (subject to any restrictions on such amendments, supplements or modifications set forth herein); (vi) any reference herein to any Person shall be construed to include such Persons successors and assigns; (vii) the words herein, hereof and hereunder, and words of similar import, shall be construed to refer to this Agreement in its entirety and not to any particular provision hereof; (viii) all references herein to Sections and Schedules shall be construed to refer to Sections of, and Schedules to, this Agreement; (ix) any reference in this Agreement to a statute, any provision thereof or to any statutory instrument, order or regulation made thereunder shall be construed as a reference to such statute, provision, statutory instrument, order or regulation as the same may have been, or may from time to time be, amended or re-enacted; and (x) headings and sub-headings are for ease of reference only and shall not affect the interpretation of this Agreement. 2. Sale of the Purchased Securities Subject to the occurrence of the Sale Date, on the terms and conditions set forth herein, effective on and as of the Sale Date, the Seller hereby sells, assigns and transfers to the Purchaser, and the Purchaser hereby acquires from the Seller, all of the right, title and interest of the Seller in and to, and hereby assumes all of the obligations of the Seller in respect of, the Purchased Securities. Such sale, assignment and transfer is without recourse and, except as expressly provided in this Agreement, strictly on an as is and where is basis, and without any representations or warranties (whether expressed or implied) of any kind made by the Seller (or the Trustee or any other person acting for or on behalf of the Seller or the Trustee) and without any recourse whatsoever against the Trustee (or the Seller or any other person acting for or on behalf of the Seller or the Trustee). Neither the Seller nor the Trustee makes any representations with respect to any information that may be available about the Purchased Securities (whether publicly available or obtained from the Seller, the Trustee or another source), and neither the Seller nor the Trustee assumes any responsibility whatsoever for the contents, accuracy, completeness or sufficiency of any information about the cash assets (whether publicly available or obtained from the Seller, the Trustee or another source). 3. Purchase Price (a) As consideration for the sale, assignment and transfer contemplated by Section 2 hereof, the Purchaser shall: (i) on the Sale Date, pay by wire transfer to the Seller an amount equal to the Purchase Price plus any additional amount required to be paid under Section 7; and (ii) reimburse the Seller for legal fees incurred by the Seller in connection with the sale of the Purchased Securities in an amount of up to $25,000, such reimbursement to be made within five (5) Business Days of receipt by the Purchaser of written notice of such legal fees. (b) The Seller and the Purchaser agree that (i) the Seller shall be entitled to any payments of principal, fees and other amounts with respect to the Purchased Securities made on or prior to the Sale Date and (ii) the Purchaser shall be entitled to any payments of principal, interest, fees and other amounts with respect to the Purchased Securities made after the Sale Date. Each party hereto agrees that it will hold any principal, interest, fees or other amounts that it may receive to which the other party hereto shall be entitled pursuant to the preceding sentence for the account of such other party and pay, in like money and funds, any such amounts that it may receive to such other party promptly upon receipt. Page 2 Exhibit 10.2 (c) All payments under this Agreement shall be made in immediately available funds, without setoff, deduction or counterclaim. Any payments to be made by the Purchaser to the Seller under this Agreement shall be made in full without any set-off, deduction, counterclaim or claim to a lien whatsoever, whether or not any such set-off, deduction, counterclaim or lien arises under this Agreement, to the following account: [REDACTED] 4. Conditions Precedent The obligations of the Seller hereunder shall be subject to the accuracy in all material respects of the representations and warranties of the Purchaser contained herein as of the date hereof and as of the Sale Date (as if made on the Sale Date) and to the satisfaction of the following additional conditions: (i) Purchaser shall have obtained written approval or nonobjection from the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond to purchase the Purchased Securities (the Federal Reserve Approval); and (ii) with respect to each Purchased Security for which an Instrument of Transfer is required, the Purchaser shall have executed and delivered such Instrument of Transfer in accordance with its terms and the terms of the related Purchased Security and certified to the Seller that it has completed these actions. 5. Right of Termination (a) The Seller shall have the right (but not the obligation) to terminate this Agreement upon the occurrence of any of the following: (i) the failure of the Purchaser to transfer the full amount of the Purchase Price to the Seller on the Sale Date; (ii) any other Condition Precedent is not satisfied as of 45 days after the date of this Agreement; (iii) the Collateral Manager determines in its reasonable commercial judgment that the sale of the Purchased Securities has become impracticable; or (iii) the failure of the Purchaser to perform or observe any covenant or other agreement of the Purchaser under this Agreement or if any representation, warranty or certification made by the Purchaser in this Agreement or in any document delivered pursuant to this Agreement shall prove to have been incorrect when made. (b) Upon any termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 5(a), this Agreement shall cease to have any effect, provided that Section 8 shall survive any termination of this Agreement. (c) Upon satisfaction of all conditions precedent in this Agreement, Purchaser is irrevocably obligated to purchase and Seller is irrevocably obligated to sell, the Purchased Securities. Page 3 Exhibit 10.2 6. Representations (a) The Purchaser hereby represents and warrants to the Seller as follows: (i) it has been duly organized and is validly existing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization; (ii) it has full power and authority to execute, deliver and perform this Agreement and all obligations under this Agreement and it has taken all necessary action to authorize this Agreement on the terms and conditions hereof and the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and all obligations required hereunder; (iii) other than the Federal Reserve Approval, no consent of any other person, and no license, permit, approval or authorization is required by it in connection with this Agreement or the execution, delivery, performance, validity or enforceability of this Agreement or its obligations hereunder; (iv) this Agreement has been, and each instrument and document required hereunder shall be, executed and delivered by a duly authorized officer, and this Agreement constitutes, and each instrument and document required hereunder when executed and delivered by it hereunder shall constitute, legally valid and binding obligations of it, enforceable against it, in accordance with its terms, subject as to enforcement to the effect of bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting generally the enforcement of creditors rights, as such laws would apply in the event of any bankruptcy, receivership, insolvency or similar event applicable to it; (v) assuming receipt of the Federal Reserve Approval, the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the documents and instruments required hereunder do not and will not violate any provision of any existing law or regulation binding on or applicable to it, or any order, judgment, award or decree of any court, arbitrator or governmental authority binding on it, or any agreement, instrument or deed to which it is a party or by which it is or may be bound, which in the case of any of the above would have an adverse effect on its ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement; (vi) it has fully reviewed the terms of each Purchased Security and the transfer restrictions applicable thereto; (vii) it and any Affiliate of it that effects a purchase or transfer for it is capable of making and does make any representations which a transferee or purchaser (howsoever described) is deemed or required to make in accordance with the terms of each Purchased Security (or any underlying documentation relating thereto) upon the transfer to it of such Purchased Security including, without limitation, any representations relating to the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, the U.S. Investment Company Act of 1940, the U.S. Employee Retirement Income Securities Act of 1974 and the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (if applicable); (viii) it is not in violation of its constitutive documents or in breach or violation of or in default under any contract or agreement to which it is a party or by which it or any of its property may be bound, or any applicable statute or any rule, regulation or order of any court, government agency or body having jurisdiction over it or its properties or assets, and/or is not subject to any other legal restriction, which, in either case, would have a materially adverse effect on its ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement; Page 4 Exhibit 10.2 (ix) it (A) is acting as principal and is not acting as agent or in any other capacity, fiduciary or otherwise; (B) is acting for its own account, and it has made its own independent decisions to enter into this Agreement and as to whether the entry into this Agreement is appropriate or proper for it based upon its own judgment and upon advice from such advisers as it has deemed necessary; (C) is not relying on any communication (written or oral) of the other party as investment advice or as a recommendation to enter into this Agreement; (D) is capable of assessing the merits of and understanding (on its own behalf or through independent professional advice), and understands and accepts, the terms, conditions and risks of entering into this Agreement, and it is also capable of assuming, and assumes, the risks of entering into this Agreement; (E) understands that the Seller is not acting as a fiduciary for or an adviser to it in respect of its entry into this Agreement; (F) has determined that an investment in the Purchased Securities is suitable and appropriate for it; (G) understands that the Purchased Securities have not been approved or disapproved by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) or any other governmental authority or agency of any jurisdiction, nor has the SEC or any other governmental authority or agency passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of any informational materials related to the Purchased Securities and Purchaser understands that any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense; (H) understands that the Purchased Securities have not been and will not be registered under the Securities Act and may not be, and will not be, resold without a valid registration under applicable federal and state laws, including the Securities Act, or an available exemption therefrom, and in all cases in compliance with any transfer restrictions contained in any limited liability company operating agreement or other applicable agreement; and (I) understands that there is no market for the Purchased Securities and that it is unlikely that a trading market for the Purchased Securities will develop; and (x) the Purchaser confirms that the Purchased Securities have never been publicly rated by Standard and Poors Ratings Services, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., Moodys Investors Service, Inc. or Fitch, Inc. (each, with any respective successor thereto, a Rating Agency) and no private rating of the Purchased Securities has ever been provided by a Rating Agency to the Purchaser. The representations made by the Purchaser in clauses 6(a)(i) to (x) above shall be made by the Purchaser on the date of this Agreement and shall be deemed to be repeated by the Purchaser on the Sale Date, save that the representation set out in clause 6(a)(vi) shall only be made by the Purchaser on the Sale Date. (b) The Seller represents and warrants that: (i) it has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Agreement and to fulfill its obligations under, and consummate the transactions contemplated by, this Agreement; (ii) the making and performance by it of this Agreement does not and will not violate any law or regulation of the jurisdiction of its organization or any other law or regulation applicable to it; Page 5 Exhibit 10.2 (iii) this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by it and constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Seller, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms; (iv) all approvals and authorizations of, all filings with and all actions by any governmental or other administrative or judicial authority necessary for the validity or enforceability of its obligations under this Agreement have been obtained; and (v) the Seller has good title to, and is the sole legal and beneficial owner of, the Purchased Securities, free and clear of all liens, security interests, claims, participations or other charges or encumbrances of any nature whatsoever except for the lien in favor of the Trustee for the benefit of the Secured Parties granted under the Indenture. The Seller agrees to cooperate with Buyer to (A) obtain removal of such lien from the Trustee and (B) with the Trustee, dissolve the trust and cancel the related debentures. 7. Taxes All payments under this Agreement will be made without any deduction or withholding for or on account of any Tax unless such deduction or withholding is required by any applicable law, as modified by the practice of any relevant governmental revenue authority, then in effect. If the Purchaser is so required to deduct or withhold, then the Purchaser will (a) promptly notify the Trustee and the Seller of such requirement, (b) pay to the relevant authorities the full amount required to be deducted or withheld (including the full amount required to be deducted or withheld from any additional amount paid by the Purchaser to the Seller under this Section 7) promptly upon the earlier of determining that such deduction or withholding is required or receiving notice that such amount has been assessed against the Seller, (c) promptly forward to the Trustee and the Seller an official receipt (or a certified copy), or other documentation reasonably acceptable to the Seller, evidencing such payment to such authorities and (d) pay to the Trustee for the account of the Seller, in addition to the payment to which the Seller is otherwise entitled under this Agreement, such additional amount as is necessary to ensure that the net amount actually received by the Seller (free and clear of Taxes, whether assessed against the Purchaser or the Seller) will equal the full amount the Seller would have received had no such deduction or withholding been required. 8. Limited Recourse; Non-Petition; Disclaimer of Warranties; Indemnification (a) The Seller does not have payment obligations under this Agreement. The obligations of the Seller under this Agreement (i) are obligations of the Seller only and (ii) are limited-recourse obligations of the Seller. To the extent any monetary claim shall arise against the Seller hereunder, payment if any in respect of such claim is payable solely from the Collateral. Following realization of the Collateral and the application of the proceeds thereof in accordance with the Indenture, any and all unpaid claims of the Purchaser arising from this Agreement, the Indenture, any agreement relating thereto or any transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be extinguished. No recourse shall be had for the payment of any amount owing under this Agreement against any officer, member, director, employee, security holder, incorporator, or agent of the Seller, Alesco Preferred Funding VI, Inc, the Collateral Manager, or any of their respective successors, assigns, advisors or Affiliates, or any other person. Page 6 Exhibit 10.2 (b) The Purchaser agrees not to institute against, or join any other Person in instituting against the Seller or Alesco Preferred Funding VI, Inc, any bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, insolvency, moratorium, liquidation or similar proceedings or other proceedings under Cayman Islands, U.S. federal or state bankruptcy or similar laws of any jurisdiction until at least one year and one day (or, if applicable, such longer preference period as may be in effect) after the payment in full of all Notes issued under the Indenture; provided that nothing in this Section 13 shall preclude, or be deemed to estop, the Purchaser (A) from taking any other action prior to the expiration of such period in (i) any case or proceeding voluntarily filed or commenced by the Seller, or (ii) any involuntary insolvency proceeding filed or commenced against the Seller, by a Person other than the Purchaser or (B) from commencing against the Seller or any properties of the Seller any legal action which is not a bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, insolvency, moratorium, liquidation or similar proceeding. The provisions of this section shall survive termination of this Agreement for any reason whatsoever. (c) THE PURCHASED SECURITIES ARE TRANSFERRED TO PURCHASER AS IS AND WHERE IS AND WITHOUT REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY OF ANY KIND WHATSOEVER, EXPRESS, IMPLIED, STATUTORY OR OTHERWISE. WITHOUT LIMITING THE GENERALITY OF THE IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING SENTENCE, SELLER HEREBY (i) EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS AND NEGATES ANY REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AT COMMON LAW, BY STATUTE OR OTHERWISE, RELATING TO (A) THE CONDITION OF THE PURCHASED SECURITIES (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY IMPLIED OR EXPRESS WARRANTY OR MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE) OR (B) ANY INFRINGEMENT BY SELLER OR ANY OF ITS AFFILIATES OF ANY PATENT OR PROPRIETARY RIGHT OF ANY THIRD PARTY; AND (ii) NEGATES ANY RIGHTS OF PURCHASER UNDER STATUTES TO CLAIM DIMINUTION OF CONSIDERATION AND ANY CLAIMS BY PURCHASER FOR DAMAGES BECAUSE OF DEFECTS, WHETHER KNOWN OR UNKNOWN, IT BEING THE INTENTION OF SELLER AND PURCHASER THAT THE PURCHASED SECURITIES ARE ACCEPTED BY PURCHASER IN THEIR PRESENT CONDITION. (d) The Purchaser agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Seller, Alesco Preferred Funding VI, Inc, the Collateral Manager and their officers, members, directors, employees, security holders, incorporators, and agents, and any of their respective successors, assigns, advisors or Affiliates, from and against any and all claims, actions, demands, losses, costs, expenses or damages (including attorneys fees and expenses), whether involving such parties or third parties, resulting from the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any inaccuracy in any of the representations, warranties or certifications made herein, or for any breach of any of the agreements contained herein. 9. Release of Purchased Securities (a) Upon the satisfaction of each Condition Precedent, all right, title and interest of the Trustee in and to the Purchased Securities arising from and through the Indenture shall be terminated and released in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, and the Purchased Securities shall no longer constitute part of the Collateral. (b) The Seller hereby agrees to direct the Trustee to deliver to the Purchaser on the Sale Date any certificates in its possession representing Purchased Securities. In addition, promptly following the Sale Date, the Seller shall, at the expense of the Purchaser, direct the Trustee to take any further actions reasonably requested by the Purchaser, including the filing of Uniform Commercial Code financing statement amendments. Page 7 Exhibit 10.2 10. Confidentiality All information regarding the terms set forth in any of the Transaction Documents, and the identities of the parties hereto, shall be kept confidential and shall not be disclosed by either Party to any Person except (a) to the Affiliates of such Party or its or their respective directors, officers, employees, agents, advisors, underwriters, financing sources and other representatives who are informed of the confidential nature of such information and instructed to keep it confidential, (b) to the extent requested by any regulatory authority or required by Requirements of Law, (c) to the extent required to be included in the financial statements or filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission of either Party or an Affiliate thereof and (d) any insurer or other credit enhancer of, or any provider of credit protection with respect to, any security issued by Seller (whether any of the foregoing is provided to the issuer or to its trustee or to the applicable holder), holders of securities issued by Seller and their respective directors, officers, employees, agents, advisors and other representatives who are informed of the confidential nature of such information and instructed to keep it confidential. However, notwithstanding the foregoing, the tax treatment and tax structure of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereunder shall not be treated as confidential. For the Purposes of this Section 10: (i) the term Transaction Documents means, collectively, this Agreement and all additional documents, certificates, agreements or instruments, the execution of which is required, necessary or incidental to or desirable for performing or carrying out any other Transaction Document, which additional documents, certificates, agreements or instruments are identified by one party in writing as constituting Transaction Documents; (ii) the term Requirements of Law means, with respect to any Person or property or assets of such Person and as of any date, all of the following applicable thereto as of such date: all Governing Documents and existing and future laws, statutes, rules, regulations, treaties, codes, ordinances, permits, certificates, orders and licenses of and interpretations by any Governmental Authority, judgments, decrees, injunctions, writs, awards or orders of any court, arbitrator or other Governmental Authority; (iii) the term Governing Documents means, with respect to any Person, its articles or certificate of incorporation or formation, by-laws, partnership, limited liability company, operating or trust agreement and/or other organizational, charter or governing documents; (iv) the term Governmental Authority means, any (a) nation or government, (b) state or local or other political subdivision thereof, (c) central bank or similar monetary or regulatory authority, (d) Person, agency, authority, instrumentality, court, regulatory body, central bank or other body or entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, quasi-judicial, quasi-legislative, regulatory or administrative functions or powers of or pertaining to government, (e) court or arbitrator having jurisdiction over such Person, its Affiliates or its assets or properties, (f) stock exchange on which shares of stock of such Person are listed or admitted for trading, (g) accounting board or authority that is responsible for the establishment or interpretation of national or international accounting principles, and (h) supra-national body such as the European Union or the European Central Bank. 11. Further Assurances The Seller and the Purchaser hereby agree to execute and deliver such other instruments, and take such other actions, as either may reasonably request in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Page 8 Exhibit 10.2 12. Miscellaneous (a) Severability . If any term, provision, covenant or condition of this Agreement, or the application thereof to the Seller or the Purchaser or any circumstance, is held to be unenforceable, invalid or illegal (in whole or in part) for any reason (in any relevant jurisdiction), the remaining terms, provisions, covenants and conditions of this Agreement, modified by the deletion of the unenforceable, invalid or illegal portion (in any relevant jurisdiction), will continue in full force and effect, and such unenforceability, invalidity, or illegality will not otherwise affect the enforceability, validity or legality of the remaining terms, provisions, covenants and conditions of this Agreement so long as this Agreement as so modified continues to express, without material change, the original intentions of the Seller and the Purchaser as to the subject matter hereof and the deletion of such portion of this Agreement will not substantially impair the respective expectations of the Seller and the Purchaser or the practical realization of the benefits hereof that would otherwise be conferred upon the Seller or the Purchaser. Each Party will endeavor in good faith negotiations with the other Parties to replace the prohibited or unenforceable provision with a valid provision, the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the prohibited or unenforceable provision. (b) Amendments . No provision of this Agreement may be amended, modified or waived except by an instrument in writing signed by each of the Parties. (c) Entire Agreement . This Agreement contains the entire agreement and understanding of the Parties and supersedes all prior agreements, understandings or arrangements (both oral and written) relating to the subject matter of this Agreement and no waiver of a breach of the terms of, or of any default under, this Agreement shall be deemed a waiver of any subsequent breach or default or in any way affect the other terms of this Agreement. (d) Assignment . No Party may assign any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior consent of the other Parties. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Parties and their respective successors and permitted assigns. (e) Notices . Any notice, review or other communication (a notice) to be given by the Parties pursuant to this Agreement shall be in writing and delivered by hand, mail or as follows: If to the Seller: Alesco Preferred Funding VI, Ltd. c/o Cohen & Company Financial Management, LLC 2929 Arch Street, 17th Floor Philadelphia, PA 19104-2870 Attn: Joseph Pooler Telephone: (215) 701-9654 Email: [email protected] Page 9 Exhibit 10.2 with a copy to: Institutional Financial Markets, Inc. c/o J.V.B. Financial Group, LLC 1633 Broadway, 28th Floor New York, NY 10019 Attn: Rachael Fink, Senior Vice President & General Counsel Telephone: (646) 792-5601 Email: [email protected] If to the Purchaser: HCSB Financial Corporation 3640 Ralph Ellis Boulevard Loris, South Carolina 29569 Attn: James R. Clarkson Telephone: (843) 716-6400 Telecopy: (843) 716-6213 Email: [email protected] Any Party may change its details for notices by prior written notice to each other Party. Any communication to be given to the Trustee may be addressed to the Trustee at The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, National Association, 601 Travis Street, 17th Floor, Houston, TX 77002, or at such other address as the Seller notifies to the Purchaser in writing. (f) Governing Law . This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with, and this Agreement and all matters arising out of or relating in any way whatsoever to this Agreement (whether in contract tort or otherwise) shall be governed by, the law of the State of New York. (g) Jurisdiction . With respect to any suit, action or proceedings relating to or arising out of this Agreement or any of the transactions contemplated hereby (Proceedings), each Party irrevocably (i) submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of the State of New York sitting in the Borough of Manhattan and of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and any appellate court therefrom; and (ii) waives any objection which it may have at any time to the laying of venue of any Proceedings brought in any such court, waives any claim that such Proceedings have been brought in an inconvenient forum and further waives the right to object, with respect to such Proceedings, that such court does not have any jurisdiction over such party. Nothing in this Agreement precludes any Party from bringing Proceedings in any other jurisdiction, nor will the bringing of Proceedings by any Party in any one or more jurisdictions preclude the bringing of Proceedings by such Party in any other jurisdiction. Each Party hereby agrees that a final judgment in any such Proceedings in any court specified in clause (i) above shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions otherwise having jurisdiction over the other party by suit on such final judgment or in any other manner provided by law. (h) WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL . EACH PARTY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT THAT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT OF ANY PROCEEDING. Each Party hereby (a) certifies that no representative, agent or attorney of another party other has represented, expressly or otherwise, that the other would not, in the event of a Proceeding, seek to enforce the foregoing waiver and (b) acknowledges that it has been induced to sign, or change its position in reliance upon the benefits of, this Agreement by, among other things, the mutual waivers and certifications in this clause (h). Page 10 Exhibit 10.2 (i) Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts each of which shall be an original, and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same instrument, and the parties agree that receipt by fax or electronic transmission of an executed copy of this Agreement shall be deemed to be receipt of an original. Delivery of an executed counterpart signature page by e-mail (PDF) or telecopy shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this instrument. [Signature Page Follows] Page 11 Exhibit 10.2 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties hereto has caused a counterpart of this Agreement to be duly executed and delivered as of the date first above written. HCSB FINANCIAL CORPORATION, as Purchaser B y : /s/ James R. Clarkson Name: James r. Clarkson Title : President and Chief Executive Officer ALESCO PREFERRED FUNDING VI LTD, as Seller BY: Cohen & Company Financial Management, LLC, as Collateral Manager for an on behalf of Alesco Preferred Funding VI, Ltd. B y : /s/ Joseph W. Pooler, Jr. Name: Joseph w. pooler, jr. Title: EVP & CFO Securities Purchase Agreement - Signature Page Exhibit 10.2 SCHEDULE 1 CUSIP ISSUER PAR/FACE AMOUNT 44399IIC15* HCSB Financial Trust I $6,000,000 Exhibit 10.3 EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT THIS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (this Agreement) dated as of February 29, 2016, is made by and among HCSB Financial Corporation, a South Carolina corporation (the Company), Horry County State Bank, a South Carolina state-chartered commercial bank, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (the Bank and collectively, with the Company, the Employer), and Janet H. Hollar, an individual resident of South Carolina (the Executive). WHEREAS, the Employer is engaged in the business of commercial banking, and the Executive is knowledgeable with respect to, and experienced in, that business and the Employer desires to employ the Executive, and the Executive is willing to serve, as Chief Executive Officer of the Company and the Bank on the terms and conditions herein provided; WHEREAS, the Company is currently contemplating an offering of equity securities for gross proceeds of at least $30 million (the Offering); WHEREAS, the Executive presently serves as a consultant to the Company and the Bank pursuant to that certain independent contractor agreement dated October 19, 2015 (the Consulting Agreement), and this Agreement will become effective and replace the Consulting Agreement in its entirety immediately upon such time that both (i) the Company shall have consummated the Offering and (ii) the Company and the Bank shall have obtained all requisite approvals or nonobjections from their respective regulatory agencies for the Executive to begin service as Chief Executive Officer of the Company and the Bank on the terms and conditions herein provided (the Effective Time); and WHEREAS, certain terms used in this Agreement are defined in Section 18 hereof. In consideration of the foregoing, the mutual covenants contained herein, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows: 1. Employment . The Employer shall employ the Executive, and the Executive shall serve the Employer, as Chief Executive Officer of the Company and the Bank upon the terms and conditions set forth herein. The Executive shall have such authority and responsibilities consistent with her positions as are set forth in the Compan UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 FORM 8-K CURRENT REPORT Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 March 3, 2016 Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported) Sun BioPharma, Inc. (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter) Utah 000-55242 87-0543922 (State of Incorporation) (Commission File Number) (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) 712 Vista Blvd #305 Waconia, Minnesota 55387 (Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code) (612) 963-3559 (Registrants Telephone Number, Including Area Code) (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report.) Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2): Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers. Effective March 3, 2016, our board of directors elected Dr. Dalvir S. Gill to serve as a director of our company to fill a vacancy on our board of directors created by the resignation of Dr. Thomas Neenan. Dr. Neenan resigned from his position on our board of directors effective March 3, 2016. His resignation did not relate to any disagreement with the company or any matter relating to the companys operations, policies, or practices. The board has determined not to name Dr. Gill to any committees at this time. There are no arrangements or understandings pursuant to which Dr. Gill and any other persons, naming such persons, pursuant to which such individuals were selected as a director. Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure. A copy of the press release announcing Dr. Gills election, as described in Item 5.02 above, is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this current report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference. The information contained in this Item 7.01 and Exhibit 99.1 is being furnished and shall not be deemed filed for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act), or otherwise subject to the liabilities under Section 18 and shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference into the filings of the Company under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act. Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits. (d) Exhibits The Exhibit Index is incorporated herein by reference. SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this Current Report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized. SUN BIOPHARMA, INC. Date: March 3, 2016 By: /s/ Scott Kellen Scott Kellen Chief Financial Officer EXHIBIT INDEX Exhibit No. Description Manner of Filing 99.1 Press Release dated March 3, 2016 Furnished Electronically Exhibit 99.1 Dr. Dalvir S. Gill Appointed to Sun BioPharma Board of Directors Minneapolis, MN, March 3, 2016- Sun BioPharma, Inc., (OTCPink: SNBP), a biopharmaceutical company developing therapies for pancreatic diseases whose lead product candidate, SBP-101, has recently entered first in human clinical trials, today announced the appointment of Dr. Dalvir S. Gill to the Companys Board of Directors. Dr. Gill will assume the Board seat currently held by Dr. Thomas Neenan who has resigned in order to increase the number of independent directors.. The appointment and resignation are effective immediately and increases the number of independent directors to five of the eight member board. Dalvirs successful track record and biopharmaceutical industry knowledge and thought leadership is a significant addition to our Board, said Dr. Michael T. Cullen, Executive Chairman of Sun BioPharma. His international clinical research & development background in multiple therapeutic areas and all phases of drug development will provide immeasurable insight as we continue to enroll patients for our pancreatic cancer Phase 1 clinical study of SBP-101 in Australia and later this year in the US. The Board of Directors, on behalf of all stakeholders of Sun BioPharma, wishes to thank Thomas for his valuable business, scientific and technical contributions, and his time, effort and dedication as a Board member. Thomas will continue as our Chief Scientific Officer and will continue to advise the Board on a number of critical matters as we move forward. Dr. Dalvir Gill currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of TransCelerate BioPharma Inc., a non-profit organization with a mission to collaborate across the biopharmaceutical research and development community . Previously, Dr. Gill was President, Phase II-IV Development of InVentiv Health, and was Chief Operating Officer, of PharmaNet. Dr. Gill received a Ph.D. in Pathobiology from The Faculty of Medicine, University of London, a B.Sc from the University of Hertfordshire, and holds a diploma in the Health Economics of Pharmaceuticals from the executive program of the Stockholm School of Economics. Dr. Gill has authored over 30 scientific publications. He also is an elected fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine. About Sun BioPharma Sun BioPharma, Inc. is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing disruptive therapeutics for serious unmet medical needs. The companys initial programs are targeted to diseases of the pancreas, including pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer, and the Companys initial product candidate is SBP-101 for the treatment of patients with pancreatic cancer. Sun BioPharma has scientific collaborations with pancreatic disease experts at The Ohio State University, the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle, Translational Genomics (TGen) in Scottsdale, AZ, Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, the University of Minnesota, the University of Miami, the Austin Health Cancer Trials Centre, the Box Hill Hospital in Melbourne, Australia and the Ashford Cancer Centre in Adelaide, Australia. Further information can be found at: http://www.sunbiopharma.com. About SBP-101 SBP-101 is a first-in-class proprietary polyamine compound designed to exert therapeutic effect in a mechanism specific to the pancreas. Sun BioPharma originally licensed SBP-101 from the University of Florida in 2011. The molecule has been shown to be highly effective in human pancreatic cancer models, demonstrating superior activity to existing chemotherapy agents. Combination potential has also been shown for pancreatic cancer. SBP-101 is expected to differ from current pancreatic cancer therapies in that it specifically targets the exocrine pancreas and may effectively treat both primary and metastatic pancreatic cancer, while leaving the insulin-producing islet cells and non-pancreatic tissue unharmed. Safe Harbor Statements pertaining to future financial and/or operating results, future growth in research, technology, clinical development, and potential opportunities for Sun BioPharma, along with other statements about the future expectations, beliefs, goals, plans, or prospects expressed by management constitute forward-looking statements. Any statements that are not historical fact (including, but not limited to statements that contain words such as will, believes, may, plans, anticipates, expects, estimates) should also be considered to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, risks inherent in the development and/or commercialization of potential products, uncertainty in the results of clinical trials or regulatory approvals, need and ability to obtain future capital, and maintenance of intellectual property rights. Actual results may differ materially from the results anticipated in these forward-looking statements and as such should be evaluated together with the many uncertainties that affect the businesses of Sun BioPharma particularly those mentioned in the cautionary statements found in Sun BioPharmas filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Sun BioPharma disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements. Contact Information: EVC Group Investor Contact: Doug Sherk 415-652-9100 Michael Polyviou 212-850-6020 Media Contact: Dave Schemelia 646-201-5431 The ASB Theatre, in Blenheim, needs another loan guarantee from the Marlborough District Council. A bad relationship between the council and central Government has left the region's new theatre scrambling for money as opening night approaches, claims former MP Colin King. And until that relationship is repaired, King says Marlborough will never get its "fair share". King made the comments after a theatre supporter launched a scathing online attack on the former Member of Parliament. DEREK FLYNN/FAIRFAX NZ Former Kaikoura MP Colin King claims the Marlborough District Council's bad relationship with central Government is the reason why the ASB Theatre did not get more funding. "One would have thought nine years in Wellington could have secured funding from central government. Thanks for your years of non-service to the people of Marlborough," the post on Stuff said. READ MORE: * Marlborough District Council asked to guarantee another $1.5 million to finish ASB Theatre * Land-swap plan from mayor for civic theatre * New government funding sought for ASB Theatre in Marlborough * ASB fundraisers won't reveal the identity of $500,000 donor * Controversial theatre building 10 years in the making King responded by defending his record in Government. FAIRFAX NZ Marlborough Mayor Alistair Sowman says King is misguided in his comments. "Nine years in Wellington was a struggle due to the bad relationship the Marlborough District Council had with Central Government - until that is repaired Marlborough will never get its fair share." Marlborough Mayor Alistair Sowman labelled his comments "misguided" and said no such sour relationship existed. The theatre trust announced this week it was seeking a $1.5m loan guarantee from the council to have the new ASB Theatre ready for opening night on March 16. The theatre was expected to cost $23 million, up from its $17m budget in 2009. King, who counts success in getting new hospitals built in Blenheim and Kaikoura during his term, said he was "gutted" and "disappointed" by the personal attack. "There is a blame game going on and I don't want to be drawn into that." The theatre trust initially expected to receive $4m from the Government, but that was not received. The trust received only $1.3m in lottery grants. "There is a view that the Marlborough Theatre Trust, and to a degree the council, blame the local Member of Parliament for not getting the Government funding. "I would say they are wrong." King would not give specifics on the nature of the bad relationship. "I led minister after minister through the theatre concepts. They all said 'it looks great'. That doesn't necessarily mean they will give funding. "From conversations I had in Parliament it was felt such a grandiose theatre was beyond what a provincial centre should have. There were other comments that if Blenheim wanted something like that, it had to pay for it itself." A project should not be built on promises of Government funding, he said. "The theatre trust will have to perform exceptionally well to be able to meet their costs and all strength to them in doing it. If the trust fails the costs fall on council and ultimately the ratepayers." Sowman said King's comments were totally unfair. "Over the years I have had a lot of dealings with ministers that were cordial and productive. They never suggested to me there was a bad relationship. If Colin King thought there was a bad relationship he should have told me and worked as our MP to try and mend it. He had nine years to fix it." Sowman said his comments could be viewed as electioneering. "If you connect the dots, he has indicated he is running for council and I expect he may run for mayor, now he is starting to bag council." Theatre trust chairman Kevin Moseley said he did not blame King for the lack of Government funding. "I believe Colin King worked really hard, it was a tough nut to crack." Moseley said he was still optimistic Government support would be forthcoming. "To date we have received very little financial support from Government, or Government agencies, and we have rather enviously watched as substantial grants have gone to other places while our modest requests have not been met. "However, as it is Government policy to support the enrichment of the cultural and social lives of the people of New Zealand, we can but wait our turn here in Marlborough." Companions pulled the 20-year-old kayaker unconscious from the Whitcombe River on the West Coast. A kayaker who died after getting into difficulty on a West Coast river was submerged for 20 minutes before his companions could get him out. Sean Gary Curtis, 20, was kayaking with a group on the Whitcombe River, south of Hokitika, when he got into difficulty in rapids in Colliers Gorge on Wednesday afternoon. His companions pulled him unconscious from the water. Attempts to revive him were unsuccessful. Curtis was from Raglan. His parents Ken and Lesley own Four Square Raglan since 2014. The shop was shut Thursday morning. At the time of opening the store, his father Ken said they would be working together. "On a personal front my son, Sean, will also be joining me in running the store which I am really looking forward to. He has just finished his training at Pak'nSave Te Awamutu and becoming a part of the family business is something he is very excited about." Curtis attended Te Awamutu College and spent time kayaking in Norway. Acting Senior Sergeant Paul Watson said those in the group were experienced whitewater kayakers and were well-equipped. He said conditions at the time were fine and the river was not high. He said Curtis and a friend had travelled down from the North Island to a kayaking festival in Murchison last week. "They met up with four others they knew from kayaking circles and made the decision to travel down together to another event in Queenstown this weekend. The group then decided to stop off and kayak the Whitcombe River on the way down. It is probably one of the South Island's top kayaking rivers," he said. Curtis had come fourth in last year's Citroen extreme race, which is taking place again on the Kawarau River on Saturday. Watson said Curtis had about six years' kayaking experience. "For well-experienced kayakers it's ideal. Despite being young he was very proficient. They were well-equipped and well experienced. They certainly impressed me with their maturity and respect for the river environment they were in," he said. The group was being led by a kayaker who had kayaked the Whitcombe river several times recently. "He knew the area quite well and led the group down through the more challenging areas. The deceased drifted off line and got himself into difficulty. He was submerged and it took them 20 minutes to get him out of the water," he said. The group activated emergency locator beacons and performed CPR until the West Coast Rescue helicopter arrived. Curtis's friend Gea Gabriella posted a tribute on Facebook describing him as "the most energetic, action packed, amazing person". Australian man Michael Bishop, 53, who died on Mt Cook on December 29, 2014. Three climbers who died on Mt Cook paid the ultimate sacrifice for misjudging climbing conditions, a coroner has found. Australian man Michael Bishop, 53, and German father and son Johann and Raphael Viellehner, aged 58 and 27 respectively, were last seen on Linda Glacier in the Aoraki Mt Cook National Park on December 29, 2014. Despite extensive aerial searches, the bodies of the three missing men have never been found. Facebook Raphael Viellehner, a 27-year-old German, died in Aoraki Mt Cook National Park. Coroner David Crerar released his report on the deaths on Thursday, concluding that the trio were likely to have died after being buried in an avalanche on the mountain. READ MORE: * Search for climbers called off * Weather halts search Crerar also criticised the failure of foreign climbers to understand climbing conditions on New Zealand mountains, which presented "challenges which are different to those experienced elsewhere in the world." Police say the report should serve as a warning to foreign climbers to ensure they seek advice before setting out on alpine climbs in New Zealand. The three men set out from Plateau Hut in Aoraki Mt Cook National Park about 1.30am on December 29, 2014. The trio, who were roped together, intended to climb Mt Cook by the Linda Glacier route. Alpine Guides Ltd chief guide Dave McKinley saw the men depart, and followed them with a client. However, illness and concerns about unsafe weather and snow conditions prompted the pair to turn back after just an hour, the Crerar's report states. The temperature in the park was described as "disturbingly warm". Bishop, Johann and Raphael were last seen at about 3.30am on the 29th, near Teichelmann's Corner in the Linda Glacier. They were reportedly travelling "very slowly". Concerns were raised the following morning when the trio failed to return to Plateau Hut as they had intended. A helicopter search of the area followed, but the missing men were never found. A bag containing climbing equipment was spotted in the area where the climbers were last seen by a tourist flight on January 5, 2015. It was speculated that the climbing party had decided to discard the bag to reduce weight. Concerns about Bishop's decision making were raised by McKinley in the report. McKinley described Bishop as 'bold', and noted that he had attempted other mountain routes in adverse weather conditions. Crerar found that weather conditions were inappropriate, and the climb should not have taken place. The climbers misjudged the conditions, and made the ultimate sacrifice for that misjudgement, he stated. The men also had little or no experience in New Zealand mountains. "The high alpine region of Aoraki Mt Cook National Park requires specific skills, specific knowledge, and specific judgement." It was not clear if the men sought advice from others at Plateau Hut. "If they did not seek advice, they should have sought advice. "If they did seek advice, then such advice was not followed." Senior Constable Brent Swanson, of Tekapo, said Crerar's findings should "absolutely" serve as a warning to climbers. "We put that message out there all the time, but the people who probably need to listen are the ones that don't listen. "People that get into trouble normally make mistakes. They're small mistakes, but they can lead to something catastrophic." He urged climbers to seek local advice before setting out on a climb. That advice was echoed by Department of Conservation (DOC) search and rescue and recreation senior ranger Dave Ditmar. Ditmar said people needed to make sure they sought local advice, especially considering conditions in the park changed from year to year. It was then up to people to make sure they followed that advice, he said. British traveller Marlley McDonagh says freedom campers are being labelled unfairly. Freedom campers at a seaside spot in Christchurch say they have been robbed and intimidated by locals since media reports of littering and noise at the popular site. British traveller Marlley McDonagh claims he and a friend had a gun pulled on them on Saturday night by three local men. Stuff visited Windsurf Park, off Humphreys Dr, on Wednesday evening and found about 60 vehicles in the car park. SAM SHERWOOD/FAIRFAX NZ A group of German campers say they feel intimidated by locals since media reports of littering and noise at Windsport Park in Ferrymead. Reporters witnessed a group of men driving around the car park and shouting at campers. READ MORE: * Freedom campers overwhelm Banks Peninsula infrastructure * Christchurch freedom camping ban could be 'on the table' * Freedom campers bring 'a bit of life' to Christchurch's Addington Park * Freedom campers could be banned in Taupo CHRIS GOLDSPINK/SUPPLIED Freedom campers at French Farm on Banks Peninsula pack into a section of foreshore beside a 70kmh road. "What the f... are you doing staying here you c....," one man yelled out of the window before the driver started doing a burnout. At the time, groups of campers were sitting outside their vehicles cooking dinner. SAM SHERWOOD/FAIRFAX NZ British traveller Marlley McDonagh claims a trio of local men pulled a gun on him and a friend while they were freedom camping on Saturday night. Campers claim scenes like that have become a common occurrence in recent days, and that vans had been broken into, with money and cameras stolen from inside. McDonagh, who has been in New Zealand for a year, felt campers were being unfairly labelled. He said the Christchurch City Council should not have opened up the seaside area to freedom camping without adequate toilet facilities, rubbish bins or sinks. "Where else are people meant to brush their teeth?" he asked, referring to a photo published in The Press that showed a woman brushing her teeth on the banks of the estuary. The 22-year-old said he and a friend were walking around the car park on Saturday when three locals approached them and started shouting at them. One pulled a gun out and pointed it at the pair. Christchurch police confirmed they received a firearms complaint from two campers on Saturday night and said the matter was being investigated. "Since these news articles about [campers] I've seen people coming down here and threatening people, I've seen someone crashing into someone's van . . . it's crazy," McDonagh said. Many campers at the site had construction jobs and were working in the rebuild, he said. "People look at us and think we don't have any money, we just smash things up and we're all hooligans. "Now we've got this vigilante stuff and it's just an excuse . . . we're the scape goat." German camper Florian Lutzow, 19, had not witnessed any antisocial behaviour at the site. "It's just small groups of people sitting in front of their cars cooking and relaxing." He and many of his friends had found rebuild-related jobs through companies like AWF and Tech 5. Metro commander Superintendent Lane Todd said police received more complaints from residents about the behaviour of freedom campers than they did from campers complaining about residents. Todd said as long as freedom campers were abiding by the rules they should be treated respectfully. "The residents also have to appreciate that while the current bylaws are there . . . there's not really anything that the police would be involved in." British worker Sam Ward lived near the car park and regularly walked his dog around the area over the last six months. He had made friends with many of the campers and blamed recent media coverage for the backlash from residents. "There's a whole lot of abuse, with people driving past and smashing windows, or egging the cars and the people camping there." Julian Vey, of Germany, said while it was true that some campers urinated in bushes, people generally respected the site. "It's not really nice that people come and talk so bad about us, because we are bringing money into the country." He said locals had been driving around the site at night and honking their horns. "You feel not really wanted here." City councillors spoken to earlier this week were divided about whether or not freedom camping should be banned within the city. The Freedom Camping Bylaw, passed late last year, was due for review in 2017. The council would bring the review forward after multiple complaints about freedom campers at French Farm in Banks Peninsula, Windsport Park and Addington Park. A toilet block at the French Farm spot was closed by the council on Thursday after an overflowing septic tank was found to be pouring into the harbour. Portaloos had been put in place instead. To celebrate the completion of the Tauranga fibre optic network, Ultrafast Fibre Limited is holding a Beyond Broadband Expo at Baycourt, from Friday, March 11, to Saturday, March 12. The two-day Beyond Broadband event includes a series of free workshops for the community, students, teachers and businesses. More than three million voting packs will be delivered to mailboxes throughout New Zealand over the next week as the second New Zealand flag referendum begins today. Chief electoral officer Robert Peden says the voting packages will be arriving in peoples mailboxes between today and Friday, March 11. Whakatane Police have arrested an 18-year-old man for murder following the suspicious death of a 23-year-old in the Bay of Plenty. At this stage police are not seeking anyone else in relation to the murder and plan to oppose the arrested mans bail when he appears in the Whakatane District Court this afternoon. Police were called to a Hall Street address in Kawerau yesterday after the body of the 23-year-old was discovered. A large team of officers remain on the enquiry and are appealing to anyone who saw any suspicious activity between Hill and Whittaker streets in Kawerau, between 11pm on Tuesday night and 1.30am on Wednesday morning to come forward. People with information are being asked to contact Kawerau Police on 07-323-1400. Alternatively, information can be left anonymously via the Crimestoppers 0800 555 111 line. Police are appealing for information about a man serving a home detention sentence who was thrown out of an address he was staying at. Joel Larson is on home detention for theft and fraud offences. Youth court appearances have more than halved in the last eight years across the Bay of Plenty and Coromandel. A total of 375 children and young people appeared at the Bay of Plenty and Coromandel youth courts in the 2007-2008 financial year. Police are appealing for information that will help locate a Waikato man whos been missing for more than a week. Acting Detective Sergeant Terri Wilson says Simon Andrew Fuller was last seen hitchhiking in Paeroa and may have possibly been heading north towards the Thames area on Thursday, February 25. Across the Mountain Empire District, Boy Scouts and their unit leaders gathered at Dr. Pryors Frog Pond to participate in a wintry weather event known as the Klondike Derby. In years past, men raced their dogs and sleds across the frozen wastes of Alaska in search of gold. They camped out in all kinds of winter weather. They had to be prepared with adequate survival knowledge. Utilizing the knowledge of the native Eskimos, the gold rushers survived. Scouting in the Mountain Empire District has capitalized on this theme and has developed the Klondike Derby as a wintery activity for Boy Scouts. Traditionally, the purpose is to test how well Scouts are prepared for cold weather and possible adverse conditions. To survive this event is to have a right mindset! Prior to entering the derby, the Scoutmasters conducted a shakedown of the Scouts packs that included layered clothing, necessary waterproof foot wear, tenting, cold-weather sleeping bags and plenty of food. Each troop brought their homemade sleds with between six and eight Scouts to pull them across the terrain. As they ventured in the days events, the Scouts encountered a practical problem involving basic Scouting skills. Each Sled Team Unit was evaluated at six stations on three criteria: (1) how well the team worked together; (2) how well the team solved the many Scout skills for each problem; and (3) how attentive the Scouts were to solving the problems. The stations schedule included Winter First Aid; Fire Building/Cooking; Winter Camping; Snare and Traps; Crevasse Crossing; and Bear Bag Food Storage. At the Base Camp, Scouts constructed two new sleds which they signed. Of the six units, Troop 832 of Atkins won first place and received a new sled and Troop 93 of Marion showed the best Scout Spirit. To finalize the days events, there was a snowy patch remaining from the recent snow where the units participated in a sled race. All of the Scouts and Scout Leaders thoroughly enjoyed this Klondike Derby and the challenges it offered for everyone. Later, as night fell across the frog pond, the campfires lit up the landscape and before retiring, everyone told their favorite stories of the day and sang songs. Mount Empire Boy Scout District You've got to believe these old Imperials are great cars to own. After all, Dennis Longley has to do nothing more than walk onto his car lot and pick out any new car at Longley Dodge, in Fulton. He owns the place. But what's his daily driver? A 1963 Chrysler Crown Imperial two-door hardtop. It's big, it's luxurious, it floats down the road, and it's original. That's right, 87,000 miles showing on the odometer and this car is all original. That averages out to less than 2,000 miles a year. "It was driven carefully but it only has 87,000 miles, and that's not a lot for a 1963 car," Longley said. Longley, who knows a thing or two about buying and selling cars and the surprises that can happen with used cars, bought his two Imperials online. You wouldn't think that a guy whose family has been in the car buying and selling business for nearly 70 years would buy two old cars online. But he did and for the most part he got lucky. When the 1963 car arrived from Scottsdale, Ariz., where it spent many years, it was "ninety percent of what I thought it would be," Longley said. What he means is it was pretty nice with its original paint and original interior. It needed a few things here and there but for the most part it was a solid, rust free car that easily slipped into the role of "driver," as cars like this are called. That doesn't mean this car sees duty 12 months a year, especially in the Fulton area. Longley always has a Dodge Durango on hand for the cold weather. But since the Imperial's originality is a carefully guarded treasure at this point, he said, "it's going to stay original," he vowed. What's driven more sparingly is Longley's 1956 Imperial, a head turner anywhere. The '56 definitely is the good looking sister. For starters it's a four-door sedan with a stunning black finish and an equally stunning interior done in salmon. The interior most likely was replaced somewhere along the line but it's authentic material with the "Imperial eagle" pattern, which was in the car when it was new, and it's the color that was in the car when it rolled out of the factory. The '56 is loaded with equipment, much of which was unusual in 1956. For example it has factory air conditioning that has one vent and it's located on the rear shelf behind the rear seat. "The nice thing about it is that as you drive along the car feels cool without a rush of cold air in the front," Longley said. And how would a passerby know this car had factory air conditioning? The clue is the air intakes on the leading edge of both rear quarter panels. They funnel clean air into the system where it's chilled by an evaporator in the trunk and then circulated throughout the spacious cabin. A distinguishing feature on this generation of Imperials is the gunsight taillights mounted on top of the rear fins. On the front side of each gunsight taillight was a yellow light that only the driver could see in the rearview mirror. It indicated that the lights were working properly. Longley saw this car online in the hands of a dealer in Florida. The dealer told Longley that as best he knew the car had two owners, a doctor and a mayor of a Florida city. The odometer shows 137,000 miles, a lot by any standard, but a careful look at this car indicates that it's had tremendous care during its 60 years on the planet. In any case Longley is happy to own both Imperials, one a show piece yet it's driven regularly, and one a daily driver that certainly can hold its own against any collector car. 1956 Imperial Owner: Dennis Longley, Fulton, N.Y. Cost new: Around $5,200 Production: 10,268, of that 3,213 were sedans Motor: 354 cubic inch Hemi, 280 horsepower Transmission: PowerFlite Pushbutton 2-speed automatic Length: 230 inches, which means it's about as long as most modern pickup trucks Introduced that year: First all-transistor radio made by Philco, $150 option. This car also has optional air conditioning, $535 1963 Imperial Crown two-door hardtop Cost new: $5,656 Production: 1,067 Motor: 413 cubic inch, 340 horsepower Transmission: TorqueFlite Pushbutton 3-speed automatic Length: 227 inches Introduced that year: Five-year, 50,000-mile power train warranty, longest in industry Know about a car you'd like to see featured? Contact Kenn Peters: kpeters@twcny.rr.com. Previously from Kenn: Gibb Webb's Ford street rod, like the one in American Grafitti, has a supercharged V-8 and 1,000 horsepower. More great cars and news about cars. John Boyd Jr.JPG John Boyd Jr., of The Boyd Co., says Syracuse's low costs make it an attractive place for financial service firms to locate back-office centers. (Rick Moriarty | rmoriarty@syracuse.com) Syracuse, N.Y. Syracuse is an attractive low-cost alternative to New York City for financial services back-office centers, according to a new report from a site location consultant. The cost to operate a central administrative office, more commonly known as a "back office," is 15 percent less in Syracuse than it is in New York City, The Boyd Co. said in a report ranking 45 U.S. and non-U.S. cities. "While back office moves by financial services firms to cities where operating costs are a fraction of financial capitals like New York and London is not entirely new, the pace is at an unprecedented level and is putting lower cost regional markets in the sphere of New York City like Syracuse in play for new back office investment and jobs," the company said in its analysis. Syracuse has the 18th highest operating costs among the cities in the ranking. It would cost $10.2 million a year to operate a hypothetical 30,000-square-foot back-office center in Syracuse with 125 employees, the firm said. However, that's less than the $12 million it would cost to operate the same center in New York City, a global financial center that is the second highest-cost city in Boyd's analysis. San Francisco has the highest cost on the list, at $12.5 million. Tunis, Tunisia, has the lowest cost, at $3 million. Montreal, at $7.1 million, had the lowest cost of any North American city in the study. John Boyd Jr., the Princeton, N.J.-based firm's owner, said the report is good news for Syracuse because many financial services firms in New York City are looking to escape the Big Apple's high office rents, labor costs and other costs. Syracuse, being in the same state but with lower costs, is an obvious alternative, he said. According to the report, the weighted average annual earnings for back-office employees is $47,861 in Syracuse and $52,956 in New York City. Annual rent costs for a 30,000-square-foot office are $464,436 in Syracuse and $1.18 million in New York City. Back offices typically perform support functions such as accounting, finance, information technology, customer service, human resources, marketing and training. Historically, they have been housed near a company's headquarters, but technology now allows them to be anywhere, even overseas. "Companies want their headquarters to be in downtown, urban environments, but they want their back offices to be as lean and mean as possible," Boyd said during a visit to Syracuse Wednesday. He said his firm chose the 45 cities in the study because they are the ones that its clients, which include some very large banks and other financial services companies, frequently ask about. Though Syracuse ranks well compared with New York City, it is facing stiff competition from Montreal, where costs are lower thanks in part to a favorable exchange rate and generous government incentives, he said. Montreal recently attracted 2,000 back-office jobs from Boston-based State Street Corp. and New York City-based Morgan Stanley, Boyd said. "You're competing with Montreal more than you think," he said. Syracuse has long been a city that attracts back offices. AXA Equitable Life Insurance Co. employs approximately 900 people in downtown Syracuse. Bank of New York Mellon employs more than 600 people in downtown Syracuse and in the nearby suburb of DeWitt. Excellus Blue Cross Blue Shield employs more than 800 people in DeWitt. Below is Boyd Co.'s list of 45 cities in the U.S. and elsewhere in the world, with the estimated annual cost of operating a back office with 125 employees and 30,000 square feet of space: Boyd Analysis of Back Office Costs by City Contact Rick Moriarty anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-470-3148 aloi.JPG Onondaga County Court Judge Anthony Aloi. (Stephen D. Cannerelli) Syracuse, NY -- Three men involved in a $1 million drug ring have pleaded guilty to state prison sentences. But Maria Rodriguez, 50, of New York City, has rejected a plea deal that would have sent her to prison for 10 years for what has been described as a large heroin and cocaine ring. Three other major players, Christopher Ramos, Vincente Alvarez-Medina and Jeyson Pizarro have pleaded guilty. Authorities found three kilograms of cocaine, more than a kilogram of heroin and more than $75,000 cash in connection with the drug ring. Rodriguez now goes to trial in June facing a minimum sentence of at least 15 years and the possibility of life in prison, if convicted. County Court Judge Anthony Aloi made it clear this morning that 10 years in prison was his final offer before trial. "I think this case should be settled," the judge said. "My conscience is clear. If convicted she's going to prison for life, with a minimum of 15 to 25 years." Aloi noted that Rodriguez is innocent until proven guilty and if acquitted by a jury, she walks free. But if convicted, the judge said he would have no sympathy. "It may be a business to some people, it's a death sentence to others," Aloi said. "I don't want to hear sympathy from anyone who is found to have been involved in these activities." The judge repeatedly drove home the consequences if Rodriguez is found guilty. "It's like a murder," the judge said. "Just like someone had killed someone." That's how serious the state Legislature has taken the crime of distributing heroin and other hard drugs, he noted. "I don't want to minimize the devastation of those who are involved in business of distributing this stuff," Aloi continued. "It's a business that ruins lives. I see this everyday." Rodriguez, who listened to the judge through a translator, did not respond to the judge's remarks. She remains in jail and is due to stand trial June 6. Child porn makers.JPG Clif Seaway, Tammy LaMere and Tammy Martin (New York State Police) SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- A Granby man, his girlfriend and his ex-wife have been charged with sexually abusing three children for the purpose of making child pornography. Clif J. Seaway, Tammy J. LaMere and Tammy M. Martin were charged Wednesday on federal counts of sexual exploitation of children. They're also facing state criminal charges. Seaway, 59, admitted to investigators with the state police and Homeland Security that he started sexually abusing one girl when she was six months old and continued until she was 9 1/2, according to court papers. He also admitted taking sexually explicit pictures of a prepubescent boy, court papers said. Seaway told investigators he took one picture "because it was cute," court papers said. LaMere, 45, of Fulton, is Seaway's girlfriend. Martin, 46, of Carthage, is his ex-wife. Investigators executed a search warrant at Seaway's home Feb. 24 and seized 57 pieces of electronic media, according to an affidavit from Homeland Security Special Agent Lon Ziankoski. Seaway and LaMere are accused of sexually exploiting two children. Martin is accused of victimizing the same two children, plus another. Seaway and LaMere were charged with state crimes in Oswego County Court on Feb. 24. Martin was charged in Jefferson County Court this week. The investigation is continuing and there could be more victims and more arrests, Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa Fletcher said. The three defendants appeared in federal court this morning in handcuffs. U.S. Magistrate Judge Therese Wiley Dancks ordered them held in jail without bail. Contact John O'Brien anytime | email | Twitter | 315-470-2187 BALDWINSVILLE, N.Y. -- A Baker High School student accused of making a threatening post on Twitter has been charged by police. Justus M. Barczewski, 17, of 8279 Hamilton Drive, Baldwinsville, was charged with second-degree aggravated harassment. He was arrested by Baldwinsville police at 4:17 p.m. Wednesday. Superintendent David Hamilton said Wednesday in a news release that on the night of Feb. 23 a "concerned classmate" notified school officials of a threat made on Twitter. The district called police and banned the student from school grounds. Police said Barczewski threatened possible harm against students at Baker High School. The district decided to open school the next day and continued investigating the matter as did police. The district finished its "investigation and disciplinary process" on Monday, Hamilton said. The district did not identify the student, but Hamilton said the student accused of making the threat, who is a senior, will continue to be banned from attending classes or activities on school grounds. "We cannot share additional details due to ongoing legal action," Hamilton said. Hamilton said the district had worked with police and the Onondaga County District Attorney's Office to resolve the matter and to ensure the safety of students and staff. Barczewski was processed and released. He is scheduled to appear in Baldwinsville Village Court on March 16. FAYETTEVILLE, N.Y. -- Two people were charged after officers responded to a burglary Wednesday and mounted a search for one suspect, Manlius police said. Matthew M. Berry, 28, and Elizabeth Yencha, 24, were each charged with second-degree burglary and third-degree criminal mischief, both felonies. Berry and Yencha reside in Syracuse. Berry broke into an occupied home around 10:40 a.m. on Wynnridge Road in the village of Fayetteville, police said. The homeowner called 911 and an arriving officer spotted a man from from the back of the home into a wooded area. Another officer found Yencha in a parked vehicle near the home. Yencha was detained, interrogated and later arrested. State troopers, DeWitt police and the Onondaga County Sheriff's Office responded to help look for the man seen running from the scene of the burglary. Police said a sheriff's K-9 tracked Berry and found him hiding in a drain culvert about half a mile from the home where the burglary occurred. The search caused the Fayetteville-Manlius schools to briefly lockout nearby Wellwood Middle School and Fayetteville Elementary. Berry and Yencha were also arrested on multiple charges relating to an incident from last week, police said. They are accused of going into an unoccupied apartment in the village of Manlius and stealing items. Berry and Yencha were arraigned in Manlius Town Court. Berry was ordered held at the Onondaga County jail without bail. Yencha was held in lieu of $5,000 bail or bail bond. Matthew M. Berry Skaneateles High School's March musical came together as a result of students collaborating with community members. Todd Abernethy, design director at ChaseDesign in Skaneateles, helped to construct the titular car for Skaneateles High School's production of "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang." Abernethy said that he first suggested to Mickey Kringer, Skaneateles's musical and drama director, to rent an already constructed car from a theatre prop company. When that didn't work -- due to unavailability -- they resorted to building the car on their own. Along with the drama students, Abernethy also had the help of some of his co-workers from ChaseDesign, Skaneateles's Technology Club and Clint Smith, pastor of Believers' Chapel in Auburn. "At one point we needed a leather strap to complete the bonnet detailing. The next thing you know, he has removed the belt from around his waist and cut it to fit the hood," Abernethy said of Smith. Abernethy praised the theatre students above all for the time and effort they put into the musical and their other productions. "You have to get behind the curtain to appreciate all that goes into one of these productions," Abernethy said. "I am just one of many who give of their time and talents to support this cause." The build took four weeks, and the team used steel and plywood for the frame and shaped insulation foam to form the body. The car's construction presented a challenge in that it had to be big and sturdy enough to fit four people but small and light enough to push manually and fit through doors. The musical production, based on a 1968 film of the same name (the film based on a 1964 novel), features a junkyard car made from unconventional materials that can float on water and fly. This isn't the first time Abernethy helped with stage props for a local production. Last year, he built a truck for Skaneateles Middle School's "State Fair." That project provided a unique challenge, since the prop had to be light enough for 13-year-olds to move around the stage. "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" runs March 3-6 at Skaneateles High School's auditorium. Abernethy said he's bought tickets for every show. "I didn't dream up Chitty Chitty Bang Bang," he wrote. "I just helped a lot of very special people bring it to life for a few days." If you go: Where: Skaneateles High School auditorium, 49 E. Elizabeth St., Skaneateles When: Thursday, Friday, Saturday March 3-5 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday March 6 at 2:00 p.m. How much: $10 for adults, $5 for children younger than 10 ( www.showtix4u.com ) Hinman twins.jpg Azlynn (left) and Kinleigh (right) Hinman turn two years old today. The twins are the children of Jenna Hinman, whose battle with a rare pregnancy-related cancer, capture the attention of Central New York and beyond. Jenna Hinman died a few weeks after giving birth in 2014. (Twice Blessed: Jenna's Legacy Facebook page) The Hinman family shares photos of Brandon Hinman and Jenna Hinman's twin daughters. Kinleigh Hinman is in the front and Azlynn Hinman is in the back, in this March 2014 family photo. SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- The twin daughters of Jenna Hinman turn 2 years old today. Hinman, the 26-year-old Central New York mother whose battle with a rare pregnancy-related cancer captured the attention of people around the world, died in May 2014. Azlynn and Kinleigh Hinman were born two months before their mother's death. "Jenna's greatest dream was to experience motherhood," according to a post on the Twice Blessed: Jenna's Legacy Facebook page. "Holding her baby girls in her arms, regardless of the circumstances, was surely the greatest moment of her life. Today we celebrate Jenna's proudest accomplishment - the physical embodiment of her spirit here on earth - the 2nd birthday of her beautiful twin girls." The twin's father is Brandon Hinman, a former U.S. Army sergeant stationed at Fort Drum who was jailed for taking money raised for the his wife and their girls. Jenna Hinman's parents, Kim and Jeff Blaisdell, are now raising the girls. The family's Facebook page has more than 450,000 followers. When Jenna Hinman was battling cancer, the page featured daily updates on her condition and on the babies. The twin girls, who were born premature, had hundreds of cancer cells in their bodies. After a few weeks the cancer cell count dropped without medicine and doctors continued to monitor the girls. In September 2015, the family announced the twins were cancer free. The Twice Blessed: Jenna's Legacy Facebook page feature only a handful of updates in the past year. "Jenna's girls have been growing by leaps and bounds," according to today's update. "They are talking, walking, climbing, running and laughing. They love their nursery rhymes and singing songs, especially 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.' The girls say their prayers every night with their Nani and Papi, just like Jenna did when she was growing up. They love to eat and some of their favorite foods are chicken, hot dogs, mashed potatoes, peas and corn. Micky Mouse is the girls favorite character and they will celebrate their second birthday with a Mickey Mouse themed party." Brandon Hinman was arrested several months after Jenna Hinman's death and charged in the summer of 2014 with stealing about $45,000 worth of donations from a bank account set up to help cover Jenna Hinman's medical expenses and benefit his daughters. He was charged with the two felonies in connection with allegedly forging names on checks to get money from the account. He was sentenced to six months in county jail, five years probation and ordered to pay $45,300 restitution. One day after being released from jail in November 2015 for violating the terms of his conviction, Brandon Hinman was caught driving with a suspended license, according to the Cayuga County district attorney. Jenna Hinman's family say the twins are happy and healthy with bouncy curls and big smiles. "Azlynn and Kinleigh look and act more like their mommy every day," the update says. "The girls breathe life into Jenna's memory and Jenna's memory breathes life into them." Sarah Moses covers the northern suburbs of Onondaga County and Oswego County. Contact Sarah at smoses@syracuse.com or 470-2298. Follow @SarahMoses315 022608Solar2db NY regulators are imposing new rules this week that will severely restrict the operations of energy service companies that target residential or small commercial customers. (Dick Blume) SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Does your household buy electricity or gas from an independent energy marketer rather than National Grid or another utility? If so, there's a good chance you will receive a notice soon that the company is returning you to your local utility for your energy supply. The state Public Service Commission this month is undertaking a severe crackdown on energy service companies, or ESCOs. Many of the companies will be forced to relinquish their residential customers immediately if they can't guarantee savings or provide the customer with renewable energy. The new rules, which take effect Friday, represent a dramatic about-face by state regulators. For two decades, the PSC promoted a free market in which alternative energy suppliers have competed to replace utilities like National Grid as the supplier of power or gas. About 20 percent of residential customers now buy energy from alternative suppliers. But late last month the commission said it would adopt new rules to tightly restrict the residential and small commercial market. (The market serving large commercial and industrial customers is not affected.) Energy marketers complained loudly, but this week the commission rejected their pleas to delay implementation of the new rules. So by Monday, energy service companies that cannot guarantee savings to their residential or small commercial customers, or offer them a renewable energy product such as wind power, must notify the customers they will be returned to their utility for energy supply. Customers who are under contract with an energy service company are an exception; they will remain customers of the ESCO until their contracts expire. The PSC took action after receiving thousands of complaints from customers alleging high prices or shady business practices from energy service companies. Regulators said they determined that many customers pay higher prices when they leave the utility for an alternative supplier. Energy marketers - companies like Ambit Energy, BlueRock Energy and Agway Energy Services - say the new rules are a draconian over-reaction to problems created by a small number of energy service companies. An industry trade group, the National Energy Marketers Association, complained in written comments that the PSC's actions threaten to "dismantle nearly two decades of consumer choice in New York's retail energy services market.'' Some ESCOs said they would be forced to operate at a loss if they have to sell energy at lower prices than the utility charges. "The Commission is promoting a policy that will cause all ESCOs to sell their product at less than zero profit, i.e., a loss,'' according to comments from the Impacted ESCO Coalition, a trade group representing several ESCOs. Several energy service companies also complained that they will not have time to comply with the PSC's new rules by Monday. The commission denied requests from several companies to delay implementation for two or three months. Under the new rules, New York state allows energy marketers to sign up residential and small commercial customers only if the marketer guarantees price savings compared with the utility, or if the marketers sells electricity that is at least 30 percent derived from renewable sources. Energy companies that cannot meet those conditions must hand their customers back to the utility unless the customer is still under contract. Since deregulation of the New York energy industry in the late 1990s, consumers have been free to acquire electricity or natural gas either from their utility or from lightly-regulated energy service companies. In either case, utilities like National Grid or New York State Electric and Gas continue to deliver the energy over their wires and pipes. At its Feb. 23 meeting, the Public Service Commission announced plans to regulate the residential and small commercial market more tightly, after determining that customers obtained little benefit from competition and risked paying significantly higher prices. The PSC is continuing to accept comments on its new rules. Over the next 60 days, the commission will investigate whether to allow energy service companies to market value-added products that utilities do not -- such as fixed-price contracts, equipment repairs or airline miles. Consumer groups such as AARP and the Public Utility Law Project (PULP) argued for tougher regulation, saying energy service companies hurt poor and elderly customers. The PSC received nearly 9,000 consumer complaints about energy service companies between 2012 and 2014. An analysis of those complaints by PULP showed that 61 percent involved high prices, and 32 percent involved allegations of deceptive business practices. Contact Tim Knauss anytime | email | Twitter | 315-470-3023 New PSC rules for energy marketers Elder care (Thinkstock Photos) Beth Finkel is state director of the American Association of Retired Persons in New York state. By Beth Finkel You wouldn't know it from state business lobbyists' arguments against the paid family leave proposal that's gaining momentum in New York but employers in the Empire State wouldn't pay anything into the program. Who would pay for employees to be able to take up to 12 weeks off a year to care for a newborn or a sick relative -- without having to worry about losing their job or all their pay? The employees themselves would pay. Under Gov. Andrew Cuomo's proposal, employees would have 70 cents initially and $1.40 eventually deducted from their paychecks each week to cover the costs of keeping partial wages flowing to those New Yorkers who need to take time off to provide unpaid but invaluable care for sick relatives. Ultimately, such employees would receive two thirds of their normal pay, up to two thirds of the state's average wage. AARP recently endorsed the governor's proposal, and we joined the fight because as our society ages, the need to support unpaid family caregivers through policies such as paid family leave will become more and more critical. Nearly 2.6 million family caregivers in this state provide unpaid care worth $31.3 billion every year. How foolish would it be not to help them continue providing care that money literally can't buy? The state's business lobbyists need to realize that supporting employees through policies such as paid family leave will foster stability and productivity in the workplace while boosting worker morale. Cuomo said it best recently at a rally with Vice President Joe Biden: "You shouldn't have to choose between losing your job and being in debt and being a decent human being in life." The United States has the dubious distinction of being the only developed nation in the world without a national paid family leave law. With inaction from Washington, D.C., three states now offer paid family leave: California, New Jersey and Rhode Island. New York should join them. Many small businesses can't afford to provide paid family leave, which many larger employers are able to afford. An employee-funded paid family leave law would level the playing field for small business. Neighboring New Jersey has had paid family leave on the books for seven years without a case of employee abuse. California, New Jersey, and Rhode Island report improved employee retention, loyalty, and job satisfaction. In California, where paid family leave has been in effect for more than a decade, nearly 90 percent of businesses report paid family leave has a positive or no noticeable effect on productivity, while 99 percent report the same for employee morale -- with small businesses even more likely than large businesses to report paid family leave has a neutral or positive effect on their business. A paid family leave program in New York could also benefit employers who already provide paid leave to their employees. Some in other states reported a cost-savings from coordinating their existing benefits with an employee-funded state program. The argument from some elected officials that paid family leave holds "immense hidden costs" for employers simply doesn't hold water. Employers won't have to pay a penny of the salary of the employee who is on leave. It's the employees, not the businesses, who will pay the salaries and wages of any worker on leave through weekly deductions from every employee's paycheck. The idea is simple: the people who benefit the most bear the cost. That's the employees. The governor and many state lawmakers want to include paid family leave as part of the next state budget, due April l. It's time to get this done. Supreme Court The U.S. Supreme Court building n Washington, D.C. (Ellen Creager) Noah Feldman, a Bloomberg View columnist, is a professor of constitutional and international law at Harvard. Noah Feldman | Bloomberg Should laws be understood based on the way people speak? Or should they be interpreted according to technical rules of statutory construction, so that law becomes a specialized language game all its own? In a decision issued Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court voted, 6-2, for the second option. The case, Lockhart v. U.S., promises to be a classic. The court's breakdown was about jurisprudence, not partisan ideology. And the issue was, remarkably enough, dangling modifiers. Rather than reminding you what a dangling modifier is and why you should despise it, let me give you an example from the dissent, by Justice Elena Kagan. "Imagine a friend told you that she hoped to meet 'an actor, director, or producer involved with the new "Star Wars" movie,' " Kagan wrote. The dangling modifier is the phrase "involved with the new 'Star Wars' movie." Kagan explained that, listening to your friend, "you would know immediately that she wanted to meet an actor from the 'Star Wars' cast -- not an actor in, for example, the latest 'Zoolander.' "As a matter of ordinary language, Kagan is obviously right. But if the friend's request is parsed with analytical precision, it might've meant instead that she wanted to meet just any old actor or director -- or a producer involved with "Star Wars." At issue in the case was a federal statute that establishes a 10-year mandatory minimum sentence for someone with three prior convictions for crimes "relating to aggravated sexual abuse, sexual abuse, or abusive sexual conduct involving a minor." The dangling modifier here is the phrase "involving a minor." The law is about as poorly drafted as a law can be. The meaning of the dangling modifier decides the criminal sentence. For those looking for an English-teacher takeaway, it's this: Don't dangle modifiers, because people's lives depend on it. One of the prior convictions of defendant, Avondale Lockhart, involved the sexual abuse of an adult, not a minor. Arguing for the ordinary meaning of the dangling modifier, Lockhart maintained that the statute didn't apply to him. In his view, the aggravated sexual abuse and the sexual abuse mentioned in the statute were meant to be counted only if they involved a minor. In other words, the dangling phrase modified the whole list. In an opinion written by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, generally speaking the most liberal justice, and joined by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg as well as the four conservatives, the court rejected Lockhart's argument. It relied on a technical rule of statutory construction known as "the rule of the last antecedent," which Sotomayor called "a timeworn textual canon." The idea is that "a limiting clause or phrase ... should ordinarily be read as modifying only the noun or phrase that it immediately follows." Hence, the phrase "involving a minor" only refers to "abusive sexual conduct." Prior convictions not involving minors are included within the law, not excluded. Sotomayor dismissed the idea, pressed by Kagan in her dissent joined by Justice Stephen Breyer, that laws should be interpreted like ordinary speech. In this statute, "No one would mistake its odd repetition and inelegant phrasing for a reflection of the accumulated wisdom of everyday speech patterns," Sotomayor wrote. She subtly disparaged Kagan's as "a suggestion rooted in its impressions about how people ordinarily speak and write." The statute, she concluded, was a piece of technical legal language, albeit a poorly drafted one and should be interpreted according to rules used by lawyers. In response, Kagan upped the cleverness ante. In a footnote that must've been fun to compile, she cited no fewer than five examples from this Supreme Court term alone of the court using dangling modifiers. Her point was that the ordinary language use of the dangling modifier applies in "formal writing" as well as colloquial speech. But what's especially fascinating about Kagan's opinion is its relentlessly colloquial style, something that has emerged as a specialty in her dissents, most notably her Town of Greece dissent from 2014. Kagan's writing intentionally breaks down the boundary between ordinary speech and legal writing. She regularly addresses the reader in the second person singular as "you," something I was taught never to do in formal writing and have learned only since I started writing this column. In this case, Kagan's medium is her message. This explains the unusual vote breakdown in the Lockhart case. Kagan and Breyer are the court's resident pragmatists. And in the grand tradition of American pragmatism going back at least to John Dewey, they like to avoid jargon or technical language wherever possible. Their pragmatism is connected to a project of demystifying the law -- which in turn requires demystifying legal language. The other six justices are more formalistic. Although two are liberal, three conservative and one (Anthony Kennedy) a distinctive liberty-oriented amalgam, they all are attracted to the idea of law as a formal system with its own rules. Most lawyers would agree. After all, the reason you need to go to law school to become a lawyer in the U.S. is precisely that law isn't exactly like common sense. That's why the great English jurist Edward Coke said that law was "artificial reason." He meant that you can't understand it intuitively, without training. For now, statutory interpretation remains its own little language world. Someday, pragmatic reformers like Kagan and Breyer might succeed in changing that. But first they'll have to break down the insularity of legal institutions. Good luck with that. What channel is the GOP debate on? The remaining 2016 Republican presidential candidates will meet on stage in Detroit, Michigan for yet another primary debate tonight, Thursday, March 3 at 9:00 p.m. ET. The debate will air live on Fox News. In Syracuse: Time Warner Cable: 39 Verizon FiOS: 118, 618 (HD) DirecTV: 360 Dish Network: 205 New Visions: 178 The debate can be live streamed on FoxNews.com and with Fox News mobile apps (iPhone, iPad, Android). Live coverage will also be available on Fox News radio (find a station). Fox has not yet verified which candidates will appear on stage, but in order to qualify, they must achieve a minimum of 3 percent support in the five most recent national polls by March 1st at 5 p.m., Mediaite reported. Frontrunner Donald Trump can once again be expected to take center stage, and unless there has been a major change in the polls, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and John Kasich are all expected to appear. Ben Carson effectively ended his campaign on Wednesday. Trump won major victories on Super Tuesday, leading in seven states. Ted Cruz claimed the biggest prize, Texas, and won Oklahoma as well. Rubio picked up Minnesota, while Kasich and Carson failed to win a single state. Thursday's debate will be the final televised face-off before the next major round of Republican primary voting and caucusing, beginning Saturday, March 5 in Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana and Maine, and continuing in a number of states, including Michigan, throughout the following week. Fox News' Megyn Kelly, Bret Baier and Chris Wallace will return to moderate the debate which will be held at Detroit's Fox Theatre. There is no indication that Trump's running feud with Kelly, a Syracuse native, will impact his appearance at this debate. Republicans will meet again to debate on March 10 in Florida, but Democrats will take the stage before that on March 6 in Flint, Michigan. Instagram will also feature special behind the scenes coverage of the debate on its blog and explore tab. SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Former New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and ex-Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos are likely to be sentenced to prison this spring for committing public corruption crimes. Despite that, there appears to be little momentum in Albany to pass tough ethics reforms proposed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Syracuse.com asked 14 state legislators from Central New York where they stand on two of the reform proposals: capping the outside income lawmakers can earn and creating a system of public financing of political campaigns. Far more lawmakers from Central New York said they oppose both of those reforms than said they support them. Here's where they stand: Do you support capping the outside income state lawmakers can earn at 15% of their $79,500 base state salary, as Gov. Andrew Cuomo proposed? Will Barclay Assemblyman Will Barclay, R-Pulaski: No "Capping a legislator's outside income, along with increasing legislative pay, are steps towards creating a full-time legislature which in turn will lead to a professional political class in New York state. Washington has a full-time legislature. I'm not sure that is what we want to implement in New York." Sen. John DeFrancisco, R-Syracuse: No "Legislators should be able to have an outside occupation so that their livelihood doesn't depend on a public office. It gives the legislator more independence. To place such a limit would result in people having to choose between running for public office or continuing their profession or business, which would limit the pool of good qualified public officials." Assemblyman Gary Finch Assemblyman Gary Finch, R-Springport: No "I just don't believe that a successful college professor or dedicated small business owner is somehow less likely to succumb to the temptation of monetizing their office if they are banned from earning perfectly legitimate income when they aren't in Albany. We need more transparency when it comes to campaign financing. We need more transparency when it comes to the nature of outside income. We need term limits for legislative leaders and committee chairs so that enormous power cannot rest in the same hands for so long. I am wary of severely limiting outside income because I don't believe that public service should be exclusive. It shouldn't just be for independently wealthy people or career political operatives, and those are the people that I think you'll wind up with if you pass something like that." Sen. Joseph Griffo, R-Rome: No "I believe the Legislature is better served when we welcome lawmakers from all walks of life, careers and experiences. Also, I have long advocated for term limits on our legislators to help restore trust to Albany." Pam Hunter Assemblywoman Pam Hunter, D-Syracuse: No "The problem isn't lawmakers who earn outside income. The problem is lawmakers that are involved with pay to play schemes and who are receiving kickbacks. Capping outside income isn't going to fix the problem New York is experiencing." Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton, D-Ithaca: Yes "Obviously this has been a difficult period in Albany, and it's clear that we still need action on ethics reform. I do support the cap on outside income because I think it would help to avoid some of the troubling impropriety that we have seen. But ethics reform has to be a multi-pronged approach, and that's why I also support other measures, such as closing the LLC loophole and enacting campaign finance reform. I also think that if we are going to cap outside income we need to talk seriously about a pay raise for legislators. The last pay raise was in 1999, 17 years ago." Assemblyman Bill Magee, D-Nelson: Yes Bill Magnarelli Assemblyman Bill Magnarelli, D-Syracuse: No "I support eliminating all outside income for State Legislators as part of a full-time Legislature but paying a salary that is commensurate with the full-time nature of the position, and similar to salaries paid to those elected in other branches of our state government." Sen. Michael Nozzolio, R-Fayette: Did not respond to syracuse.com survey Assemblyman Robert Oaks, R-Macedon: No "I have opposed past efforts to create a full-time legislature, as I believe it is a strength to have people serving and voting on laws who come from various walks of life and various professional backgrounds. I do believe, however, that it is helpful to have a debate this year on this issue as we try to limit outside influence on decision making in Albany." Sen. Patty Ritchie, R-Oswegatchie: Did not answer 'yes,' 'no,' or 'undecided' "I consider my Senate job to be full-time and have no other outside income. We clearly need to do more to restore the public's trust and confidence in the people we choose to represent us. That's why I voted for--and continue to support--stronger ethics measures to increase transparency, create term limits for legislative leadership and amend our State Constitution so that all lawmakers and state officials who are convicted of crimes will forfeit their taxpayer-funded pensions." James Seward Sen. James Seward, R-Milford, Undecided "As one who receives very little outside income this is not an issue for me personally, but I am concerned that a cap may limit the pool of future candidates for office. It is helpful to the legislative process to have elected officials with diverse backgrounds and experiences." Al Stirpe Assemblyman Al Stirpe, D-Cicero, Yes: "In order to restore the public's faith in government, I believe that we must pass real, meaningful ethics reform this year, starting with measures that will increase transparency and accountability. Personally, I choose to be a full time legislator because I feel I can best represent my constituents when I dedicate all of my time to them. Whether we institute the Congressional model (15%) or some other limit (up to 100% of base salary) it would show that legislators are working for their constituents, not other special interests." Sen. David Valesky, D-Oneida: Yes Do you support public financing of political campaigns, as Governor Andrew Cuomo proposed? Assemblyman Will Barclay, R-Pulaski: No "I do not believe public tax dollars should be used to fund political campaigns. They have public financing of campaigns in New York City and it has not created competitive campaigns or political diversity on the council. Nor has it increased voter turn-out--all things proponents of taxpayer funded campaigns say it would. Why would one think it would be different on a state-wide basis?" John DeFrancisco Sen. John DeFrancisco, R-Syracuse: No "The public wants their tax dollars to go to education, health care, etc., not to fund campaigns of those running for public office, especially those who they don't agree with on the issues." Assemblyman Gary Finch, R-Springport: No. "Your tax dollars should help you access services that you want - paved roads, good schools, clean streets, safe communities. I don't think hardworking families want to pay for lawn signs and political mailings for candidates they might not even like. Politicians forcing taxpayers to finance their re-election campaigns would only pass for ethics reform in New York City. Their six-to-one matching funds have not solved their public corruption problems. I am strongly opposed." Joseph Griffo Sen. Joseph Griffo, R-Rome: No "I am opposed to taxpayer dollars being used to fund political campaigns, especially when this can be better spent on helping schools and repairing roads. I believe my bill proposing term limits on legislative leaders and committee chairs would be a better step toward ethics reform." Assemblywoman Pam Hunter, D-Syracuse: Undecided "I would support public financing of political campaigns if all candidates were required to do it. Optional public financing does not level the playing field if an opponent does not opt-in." Barbara Lifton Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton, D-Ithaca: Yes "In my first few weeks of office, I signed onto the Assembly Public Election Financing bill as one of the most important reforms we could enact to help get the corrupting influence of big money out of our elections. I have voted for that or a similar bill numerous times." Assemblyman Bill Magee, D-Nelson: Yes "I will support a voluntary public funding of campaigns as proposed by the Governor." Bill Magee Assemblyman Bill Magnarelli, D-Syracuse: No "I do not support the idea of tax dollars going to support political campaigns. I am concerned about the potential high costs of this system. I also oppose the idea of my tax dollars supporting candidates I do not personally support or agree with." Sen. Michael Nozzolio, R-Fayette: Did not respond to syracuse.com survey Bob Oaks Assemblyman Robert Oaks, R-Macedon: No "I do not agree with using tax dollars to fund political campaigns." Sen. Patty Ritchie, R-Oswegatchie: Did not answer 'yes,' 'no,' or 'undecided' "Current proposals for public campaign financing would divert potentially hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars from urgent programs and services, like critical funding for our schools, hospitals, roads and bridges, water and sewer infrastructure, public safety and lead to higher taxes to to pay for political campaigns. I don't agree that is the best use of taxpayer dollars." Patty Ritchie Sen. James Seward, R-Milford, No 'State tax dollars should be used to help our schools, repair our roads, and enhance public safety, not pay for political ads." Assemblyman Al Stirpe, D-Cicero, Yes: "I believe campaign finance reform could help to level the playing field for candidates in New York State's elections. By publicly financing campaigns, we can reduce the influence of special interests and ensure that every candidate has a fair shot at winning an election." David Valesky Sen. David Valesky, D-Oneida, Yes Related stories: $15 minimum wage: Where state lawmakers from CNY stand Paid family leave: Where state lawmakers from CNY stand Contact Mike McAndrew anytime | email | Twitter | 315-470-3016 SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- The New York State Senate voted Wednesday to hold congressional and state primary elections on the third Tuesday in August, continuing a political stalemate that will likely cost New Yorkers an extra $25 million this year. Last month, the Democratic-controlled state Assembly voted to hold the congressional and state primaries on the fourth Tuesday in June. Unless the Assembly and Republican-controlled Senate agree on the same date for the primary elections, New York will hold the congressional primary elections this year on June 28 and the primary elections for state offices on Sept. 13. Having primaries on two dates will cost taxpayers an extra $25 million and require voters to go to the polls at least four times in 2016. In addition to those two dates, there will be the presidential primary election on April 19 and the general election on Nov. 8. Some voters might also have village and school board elections on different dates this year, as well. Read the Senate bill "This bill saves significant taxpayer money because it will reduce the number of times voters have to go to the polls for primary elections and ensures that the votes being cast by the military men and women risking their lives overseas to protect our freedom are counted," Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan said after the Senate vote on Wednesday. But that's only true if the Senate and Assembly vote to consolidate the primaries on the same dates, which they've refused to do for four years. The Senate majority objects to holding primary elections for state offices in June because state legislators are traditionally busy in Albany until mid-June. Lawmakers fear if they face a primary election challenge they would not have time to campaign if the Legislature is in session in Albany. The New York State Elections Commissioners Association in January urged the Legislature to reach agreement as soon as possible on a unified federal and state primary election date. Each county in New York has to pay the bill for the elections. Onondaga County would save an estimated $150,000 if the congressional and state primaries were held the same day, according to Dustin Czarny, the county's Democratic elections commissioner. The reason this has become an issue is the 2009 passage of the federal MOVE Act requiring states to provide absentee ballots to military and overseas voters no later than 45 days before a federal general election. A 2012 decision by U.S. District Court Judge Gary Sharpe required New York to set congressional primaries for the fourth Tuesday in June. But Sharpe's decision did not set the state primary date. Contact Mike McAndrew anytime | email | Twitter | 315-470-3016 After nearly a full year aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 46 Commander Scott Kelly of NASA returned to Earth earlier this week, along with crewmates Mikhail Kornienko and Sergey Volkov of Russia's Roscosmos. But before the trio's journey home, their crewmates hugged them goodbye and snapped photos of the microgravity farewell. Watch the video to see the Expedition 46 crew in microgravity. Kelly, Kornienko and Volkov then boarded the Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft and landed in Kazakhstan late on March 1. Russian scientists and medical teams were on hand to help the crew adjust to gravity after their stay in space. Kelly has since returned to Houston, Texas. Michael Hogue, 32, 2000 block of 51st Court, Fort Pierce; warrant for violation of probation, possession of opium. Carl Brun, 22, Boca Raton; possession of marijuana over 20 grams. Clayton Thompson, 19, 2600 block of Arnold Court, Fort Pierce; warrant for robbery. Hosea Rivers, 31, 3400 block of Pines Drive, Fort Pierce; warrant for failure of a sex offender to register with Sheriff's Office. Santos-isabel Melendez-ianiez, 30, 1000 block of York Avenue, Fort Pierce; warrant for failure to secure payment of workers compensation. Kylie Morehouse, 19, 2200 block of Avalon Road, Port St. Lucie; resisting an officer - fleeing/eluding officer with lights/siren active. Ramon Cancel, 21, 200 block of Chelsea Terrace, Port St. Lucie; possession of cocaine. Deadrick Johnson, 34, 1600 block of Port St. Lucie Boulevard, Port St. Lucie; driving while license suspended, third or subsequent offense. Tito James, 31, 600 block of Bayshore Boulevard, Port St. Lucie; warrant for violation of probation, battery by strangulation, false imprisonment, tampering with witness. Barrachel Tillman, 44, West Palm Beach; warrant for tax fraud. Nicole Caribo, 29, 4500 block of Murray Cove Circle, Stuart; warrant for retail theft. Benjamin Robinson, 25, 3600 block of Masilunas Street, Port St. Lucie; warrants for violation of probation, grand theft, burglary of a dwelling while armed, grand theft of a firearm, failure to appear, battery by detainee. Adam Cruz, 25, 800 block of Tulip Boulevard, Port St. Lucie; warrant for violation of probation, carrying a concealed weapon, not gun, possession of drug paraphernalia. William Deen, 64, first block of San Felipe, Fort Pierce; out-of-state warrant, Geary County, Kansas, for sale/manufacture/delivery of marijuana. Antwan Edmonds, 31, Sebastian; hold, Georgia, failure to appear, possession of meth, possession of a controlled substance. Ronald Viau, 35, 6400 block of Regal Circle, Port St. Lucie; possession of a weapon or ammunition by a convicted felon, driving while license suspended, third or subsequent offense. Robert Williams, 49, Clearwater; re-admit, driving with license suspended, prior conviction. Miguel Ruiz, 40, 500 block of Greenway Terrace, Port St. Lucie; re-admit, criminal mischief. SHARE By Elliott Jones of TCPalm Flu cases on the Treasure Coast are on the rise, and health professionals are saying it's not too late to get a flu shot. In Martin Health Systems hospitals in Martin and St. Lucie counties, the number of flu cases increased from 63 in January to 407 in February, said spokesman Scott Samples. In Indian River County, the number of flu cases at hospitals and urgent care centers doubled to 50 a week during mid February. Statewide, flu cases have increased in 42 of Florida's 67 counties, according to a Florida Department of Health report released Thursday. The biggest increase is among children younger than 18 years old, and in pregnant women, state records show. St. Lucie County is one of 14 counties considered to have moderate flu cases. Both Indian River and Martin counties are considered mild. In St. Lucie County, health officials are contacting schools and agencies to help let people know there is a rise in flu cases, said Arlease Hall, spokeswoman for the St. Lucie County Health Department. Typically, flu cases peak statewide this time of the year. That is enough for all county health departments to urge the public to take precautions. "It is still not too late to get a flu shot," said Renay Rouse, spokeswoman for the Martin County Health Department. "There is plenty of flu vaccine." This year's vaccine formulation so far has closely matched the prevailing flu strains, said Stacy Brock, spokeswoman for the Indian River County Health Department. Also, health officials urge the public take simple precautions, such as washing hands to remove flu virus that could have been picked up from touching things such as stair railings. The virus can get into the body by touching your eyes, nose or mouth. FILE PHOTO Murky waters from Lake Okeechobee discharges stain the St. Lucie River Feb. 11 near Palm City and Stuart. By Tyler Treadway of TCPalm Lake Okeechobee discharges to the St. Lucie River were cut nearly in half Friday, though the lake still needs to drop nearly 3 1/2 feet by summer. The flow was cut from an average of about 2.2 billion gallons a day to about 1.2 billion gallons a day, Lt. Col. Jennifer Reynolds, Army Corps of Engineers deputy commander for Florida, said Thursday morning at a meeting of the Water Resources Advisory Commission. Follow our Lake Okeechobee discharge meter for daily updates. Lake levels have been falling as a result of water releases, decreased inflows and drier conditions, said Jim Jeffords, the corps operations chief. Although the lake is still uncomfortably high for this time of year, our water control plan calls for lower flows based on current conditions. If the lake starts rising again, we may have to increase flows; it all depends on the weather. How's the water in your area? The National Weather Service is forecasting wetter-than-normal conditions through May, and South Floridas rainy season usually starts about June 1. The corps wants Lake Os elevation at 12 feet, 6 inches by June 1 so the lake has capacity to safely take on water from the rainy season and any hurricanes and tropical storms without reaching the desired maximum elevation of 15 feet, 6 inches. Clearer water Cutting back the intensity of the discharges should help clear up the water in the estuary, which has received nearly 1.4 million pounds of silt since the Lake O releases started, said Mark Perry, executive director of the Florida Oceanographic Society in Stuart. With water flowing through the St. Lucie Lock and Dam at the lower rate, Perry said, it will bring a lot less silt and sediment with it. So visibility in the river should improve, especially when you get closer to the St. Lucie Inlet. The force of the discharges moving out to sea has stifled tides coming in the inlet significantly, Perry said. And thats kept the tides from flushing the estuary, which should be a mix of saltwater and freshwater, with ocean water. Cutting the discharges, he said, wont help the stretch of the St. Lucie between the Roosevelt Bridge on U.S. 1 and the Evans Crary Bridge on East Ocean Boulevard where most oysters live. Or did live. Oysters, the backbone of the rivers ecosystem because their beds support dozens of species of marine life, can survive up to 28 days in freshwater, Perry said. The water between the bridges has been salt-free for 33 days. Right direction Dan Neumann hopes the discharge cutback helps his business in the lower estuary, Coastal Paddleboarding, survive. No discharges at all would be best, but 2 billion gallons a day has been devastating, Neumann said. Going to 1 billion is a step in the right direction. Neumann and his wife, Rochelle, rent paddleboards in the Manatee Pocket at Port Salerno, not far from the inlet. The pair suspended rentals in early February because of bacteria in the water at nearby Sandsprit Park. The state Health Department lifted warnings to stay out of the water there a week ago. At least now were able to get in the water, Dan Neumann said. But Im not going to be squirting river water out of my mouth. The state Department of Economic Opportunity set up an online survey Wednesday for business owners to fill out to determine the extent of the economic damages caused by the discharges and which emergency support programs could aid recovery efforts. By the numbers Previous discharge rate: 2.2 billion gallons per day New discharge rate: 1.2 billion gallons a day Total lake water discharged since Jan. 30: 72.3 billion gallons What that would do: Cover city of Stuart with 40 feet, 9 1/2 inches of water Lake O elevation Jan. 30: 15 feet, 11 7/8 inches Lake O peak elevation this year: 16 feet, 4 3/4 inches (Feb. 8) Lake O elevation Thursday: 15 feet, 9 7/8 inches Preferred Lake O elevation on June 1: 12 feet, 6 inches SHARE By Isadora Rangel of TCPalm TALLAHASSEE -- The Florida House passed a bill Wednesday to create a fund to pay for Everglades restoration projects, including some to reduce Lake Okeechobee discharges. But how much will go into that fund still is up for negotiation. The bill sets aside an annual minimum of $200 million or 25 percent of dollars available through Amendment 1 -- whichever is less -- over 10 years to pay for restoration projects, and gives priority to those that reduce discharges into the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers. Democrats and Republicans testified in favor of HB 989 and passed it with a 117-1 vote. Rep. John Tobia, R-Melbourne Beach, voted against it. Voters approved Amendment 1 in 2014 to set aside money for water and land conservation. Negotiations The bill now goes to the Senate, whose version of the bill gives $145 million to the Everglades along with $50 million for springs and $5 million for Lake Apopka and Kings Bay restoration each. House co-sponsor Rep. Gayle Harrell, R-Stuart, said she's not open at this point to expanding the bill to include these other restoration projects. Republican Speaker Steve Crisafulli, to whom the legislation is a priority this session, didn't discard the idea of including other projects but said the original intent of the bill was to fund the Everglades only. The final Everglades funding figure will depend on budget negotiations between the House and Senate that are happening this week. GOP Sen. Tom Lee, chairman of the Senate budget committee, said he is willing to reach about $150 million. He also said the state in recent years has put a lot of money into the Everglades and the Indian River Lagoon, which got $230 million through various projects in 2014. "(The Everglades) is a massive environmental problem and a lot of money is flowing from other parts of the state that have needs as well into South Florida," Lee said. Discharge solution Sponsors of the bill have touted it as part of the solution to recent Lake Okeechobee discharges. Among the projects that would be funded are the Central Everglades Planning Project, which is pending congressional approval but when completed will reduce 14 percent of discharges, and the C-44 Canal reservoir to store and clean water that flows into the St. Lucie River. "(The bill) is so needed in our area," said Rep. Mary Lynn Magar, R-Tequesta. "We live every day with the problem happening in the lagoon -- the businesses are also suffering." The Senate version, SB 1168, needs to clear its last committee stop Thursday morning before it's ready for the floor. Senate President-elect Joe Negron is the sponsor. TALLAHASSEE -- Gov. Rick Scott shrugged off rumors again that he will endorse Donald Trump's bid for the Republican presidential nomination, but he will support whoever clinches the nomination. Scott told reporters Wednesday he is still in search of a presidential candidate who can create jobs and support the national economy. He also wants someone who has a plan to destroy ISIS. "We need someone who's going to go to Washington, D.C., cut taxes, reduce regulation (and not) create incentives for companies to move out of this country," Scott said, adding the right candidate needs to, "Create incentives for people to move into this country. We need that." Scott went on to say he would support the candidate who emerges as the GOP nominee. "I will support the Republican nominee," Scott said. Fox News political anchor Bret Baier reported Tuesday night that Scott would endorse Trump during a news conference in West Palm Beach. Scott spokeswoman Jackie Schutz said she told Fox News the governor had not yet chosen a candidate and he was in Tallahassee. Trump Florida Campaign Chair Joe Gruters said Wednesday morning Scott has not made an endorsement. "I have not heard anything," Gruters said. Scott's endorsement of Trump would be a blow to Florida Senator Marco Rubio, who is currently the only Florida GOP presidential candidate. It would also continue Scott's trend toward his disagreement with other Florida Republicans. Many in the Legislature supported former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush's bid for the presidency before he dropped last month, and they have since declared support for Rubio. Republican Party of Florida Chairman Blaise Ingoglia said the party customarily stays neutral before a primary, and Scott is free to support whomever he wants. "As far as what the governor wants, that's his prerogative, he can support whoever he wants, that's his right," Ingoglia said. "What we're more worried about is getting the infrastructure there for the November Election." The qualities Scott said he sees in a Republican president mirror the priorities he has carried during his two terms in Florida's top executive office. The governor's relationship with New York billionaire Trump has drawn speculation whether he would lend an endorsement or become a running mate. He declared his fondness for Trump to the nation in a Jan. 6 letter published by USA Today where he praised him for his pursuit of supporting the national economy. He stopped just short of endorsing Trump in the letter, and he batted away questions by saying he was focused on the legislative session. Scott later told Fox News commentator Neil Cavuto he admired Trump's interest in job creation. "Outsiders are winning because they are talking about what Americans care about," Scott told Cavuto. "We need more jobs." Scott's name surfaced again Feb. 23 when a Washington Post blog included him in a list of choices for Trump's running mate. He dodged questions about being picked as the vice presidential candidate by saying he was focused on his job as governor. Treasure Coast Newspapers, Naples Daily News and Tampa Tribune journalists are in Tallahassee reporting throughout the legislative session in a collaborative capital bureau. "This chance meeting is something that will be with me forever," said Jim Braxton (right), of Port St. Lucie, who is one of three Vietnam War veterans who met while working on a Habitat for Humanity house in Fort Pierce. Braxton, along with Bill Zumbrum (left), of White City, and Jim Szafran (center), a seasonal resident of Hutchinson Island, all were stationed at Da Nang Air Base between 1966 and 1969. (LEAH VOSS/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS) Imagine the odds of three men meeting up in Fort Pierce a half century after serving at the same air base during the Vietnam War. That's what happened when veterans James Szafran, Jim Braxton and Bill Zumbrum volunteered for the same Habitat for Humanity rehabilitation project on Avenue Q three weeks ago. As they scraped stucco off walls the men got to talking and discovered they'd all been stationed at the same sprawling air base in Da Nang between 1966 and 1968. Photo gallery: Vietnam veterans connect at Habitat for Humanity house restoration Master Sgt. Jim Braxton and Staff Sgt. Bill Zumbrum were in the Air Force; Szafran, a corporal with the 3rd Tank Battalion, was a Marine who guarded the perimeter of the camp from Viet Cong rocket attacks. While Szafran lived in a tent and spent many lonely nights in the bushes, Braxton and Zumbrum enjoyed the relative comforts of wooden barrack buildings. They never met while in Vietnam but agree they probably all visited the same camp Base Exchange for extracurricular goodies like canned milk (for impromptu milkshakes), stereo equipment or cigarettes at $2 a carton. "Three weeks ago, Bill and I were working on a wall together, and we got to talking," Braxton recalled. "He'd noticed the "Retired Air Force" decal in my car window and asked where I'd served. When I told him Vietnam, he said 'me too.' When he asked where, and I said Da Nang, he said 'me, too' again. Then we found Jim (Szafran) was there at the same time, too." Zumbrum, who served from December 1967 to December 1968, was the only one who spanned the others' time there. Braxton was a crew chief who worked on F-4 Phantom fighter jets. Zumbrum was an aircraft fuel systems mechanic; both served in the same unit, the 366th Field Maintenance Squadron, affectionately known as "The Gunfighters." They both made sure planes were able to fly. Braxton turned wrenches, Zumbrum fixed the many fuel leaks caused by Viet Cong ground fire. Braxton retired to Port St. Lucie, Zumbrum lives in White City and Szafran is a snowbird from Buffalo, New York, who spends three months a year here on Hutchinson Island. All three have volunteered on Habitat projects elsewhere, but this was their first in St. Lucie County. They are rehabbing a small block house on Avenue Q for Shumeika Ragland, 33, a single mother with two small daughters. The house should be ready by early April, construction supervisor Ariel Alonso said. The three men talked about the war in general. Even today Szafran, who was drafted, becomes emotional when talking about the loss of life during the war. "I'm glad I survived," Szafran said, "way too many guys didn't. I have friends (who served). Some are doing better than others in their mental outlook. War is hell." Yet Szafran does have some good memories. He remembers a USO show starring Bob Hope and either Ann Margaret or Rachel Welch - whom he mistook for Nancy Sinatra in knee-high go-go boots. The Air Force guys treated the Marines well, Braxton and Zumbrum said. "We loved those guys. They were the reason we weren't ducking (enemy fire). If they needed anything, we gave it to them," Braxton recalled. "I even gave up my bunk when I was pulling all-nighters," Zumbrum remembered. "But I asked for it back in the morning." The base, which went by the nickname "Rocket City," was a prime target for the Viet Cong. It was attacked often, they said. For Zumbrum, Vietnam was the first time he'd ever left the States. He was 20 when he arrived, and he suffered from homesickness. "It was such a different culture that made me appreciate the comforts of home. Serving was a good experience, though. I think it would benefit a lot of young people today," he said. For Braxton, who went on to serve 30 years in the Air Force, "to be able to see the planes come back empty (from missions) was the greatest feeling. I was able to do my job." Habitat International has a Vietnam building project planned for 2017. Braxton said he'd love to go; the other two seem less sure. The worst thing about Vietnam, Braxton said, was "not finishing the job. We worked hard, but we should have finished it. For a huge country like the USA to have withdrawn before it was finished was wrong." The three vets hope they can team up on another Habitat project. For them the mission isn't a whole lot different from being in the military: There's a need, you have the necessary skills and you serve. We thank them for all their service now and then. A driver heads south through downtown Stuart, past filled parking spaces on Southwest Osceola Street. All parking in downtown Stuart and along Martin County beaches is free, and often crowded during the November-to-April tourist season. Stuart City Manager Paul Nicoletti says the crowded streets are proof of continued economic growth. Its not the worst problem to have, he said. (XAVIER MASCARENAS/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS) By Editorial Board Free parking at public beaches is becoming a relic in the Sunshine State. Clearwater, Fort Lauderdale, New Smyrna Beach, Fort Myers, Deerfield Beach this is a sampling of cities that charge people to park at beaches. In some cases, such as the city of Naples, beach parking is free for residents, but they must obtain a permit. Then there's the Treasure Coast. Cities and counties in our region have considered paid-parking proposals over the years, but none has pulled the proverbial trigger. Is paid parking in the future for Treasure Coast? Free parking at public beaches is one of many things that makes our region different from the rest of the state. Let's keep it that way. In recent years, the cities of Stuart, Vero Beach and Fort Pierce have discussed and rejected the concept of paid parking. But Martin County is taking a hard look at a proposal that would require residents and visitors to pay to park at Stuart Beach and Jensen Beach. Under the proposal, which goes before the County Commission later this year, county residents would pay $12 for a yearly pass; out-of-county visitors would pay $2 an hour. The yearly passes would generate $39,000 and hourly charges would generate $753,000. Citations for violators would generate $644,000, according to county projections. After expenses, which include funding two parking enforcement positions, county officials estimate the plan would net almost $1 million a year. These funds would be earmarked for beach facilities maintenance. The Treasure Coast Newspapers Editorial Board took a stand against paid parking when the idea surfaced last year. We continue to oppose the idea. The specifics of the latest proposal merit scrutiny on several points: Are visitors going to pay $2 an hour to park at Jensen Beach or Stuart Beach when there are other options at their disposal, namely the half-dozen smaller, public beaches between Jensen Beach and Stuart Beach? Bob Graham Beach, Tiger Shores Beach and others may lack the amenities of Jensen Beach and Stuart Beach, but parking at these locations would remain free. County officials estimate collecting $644,000 a year in citations. Is this realistic? Will paid parking discourage visitors from coming to Martin County beaches? If so, it could have a negative impact on local shops and restaurants that cater to tourists. "We don't believe that paid meters will detract from attendance," said Martin County Parks and Recreation director Kevin Abbate. Beyond these concerns, there is one overarching issue to consider: The Treasure Coast is not South Florida or the west coast of the state. We are unique. And visitors are drawn here, in part, because they don't have to pay to park at our beaches. If and when we cross that threshold, part of our small-town charm will be lost. Martin County's Tourism & Marketing Manager Nerissa Okiye deserves applause for leading the call to action to support tourism and our local economy, even in light of the recent Lake Okeechobee discharges. For the past three years, the Economic Council of Martin County has advocated that state and federal leaders do their part to fund the approved projects that deliver solutions. Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan projects, such as the C-44 Reservoir and Stormwater Treatment Area, must be completed. State to assess Lake Okeechobee discharges damage to businesses So must the Central Everglades Planning Project, which will move additional water south of Lake Okeechobee, and clean it before sending it the Everglades. We also must demand the Federal government finish the Herbert Hoover Dike repairs now; as well as finding additional options to store and clean more water north of Lake Okeechobee, since that's where the majority of the water comes from. A comprehensive and mandatory septic-to-sewer conversion effort and local basin runoff also need to be addressed as a major contributors to river pollution. Evidence of this was the Florida Health Department's recent warnings in the South Fork of the St. Lucie River at Leighton Park, weeks before the lake discharges began. Follow our Lake Okeechobee discharge meter for daily updates. There are many solutions to this complex issue, and they all need to be resolved. But, as we all advocate for immediate and long-term relief for our river and estuary in our own way, we need to let the world know that we're still open for business in Martin County. After all, our waterways contribute more than $645 million to our local economy each year. Tourism is a vitally important economic engine for our community, responsible for generating $432 million in revenue for local businesses and adding $33.5 million to our local tax base. This is revenue we can ill afford to live without. How's the water in your area? We're all frustrated with the continued discharges to our already troubled waterways, and we need to continue to push our state and federal officials to find a solution and fast. But we can't turn our back on local businesses while we fight. The Economic Council will continue to stand-up for all businesses in Martin County - large and small - that are being adversely affected. Okiye and her team have created a digital marketing campaign, anchored by a video that features the many reasons why visitors should come here, and why we all live here - our parks and beaches, our arts and cultural offerings, our many attractions and green space; and most of all, our people. Each one of us can help by viewing the video on Martin County's website, and then sharing it with others. Instead of scaring the tourists away, why don't we invite them here to experience why we're all so passionate about preserving and protecting our Quality of Life in Martin County. "This is about leveraging the power of our collective voice during a crisis," Okiye said. We owe our local businesses nothing less. Charles Gerardi is president and CEO of the Economic Council of Martin County. The Cultural Council of Palm Beach County will present Gilbert C. Maurer at 'Culture & Cocktails at The Colony' on Monday, March 7, from 5 to 7 p.m. It will be a conversation about Art & Architecture by Maurer, director of the Hearst Foundation. Maurer oversaw the award-winning design of the Hearst Foundation's new corporate headquarters in Manhattan. A distinguished art collector, he also was a creator of the 'Hearst 8x10 Photography Biennial' competition showcasing young photographers. Culture & Cocktails at The Colony is generously sponsored by The Milton and Tamar Maltz Family Foundation. Additional support for the series is provided by The Roe Green Foundation, Roe Green, Founder; The Palm Beach Post / Palm Beach Daily News; and PR-BS, a Boca-based public relations firm. Audio support is provided by Saturn Sound Studios Inc. Admission to each Culture & Cocktails event is $65 for advance RSVPs and $75 at the door, and free for members of the Cultural Council ($250 level and above). All proceeds go to support artist programs of the nonprofit Cultural Council of Palm Beach County. For membership information, please contact Debbie Calabria at 561-472-3330. Each event will run from 5 to 7 pm, with registration and cocktails from 5 to 5:45 p.m., and the 'Conversation' from 5:45 to 7 p.m., including an audience Q&A. The Colony will serve complimentary beverages and an array of specially prepared hors d'oeuvres before each Culture & Cocktails conversation, which will be held in the hotel's new high-tech Pavilion. Free valet parking available. The center of Palm Beach society for nearly 70 years, The Colony Hotel is located at 155 Hammon Avenue, just one block south of Worth Avenue, and one block west of the Atlantic Ocean. People interested in attending Culture & Cocktails can RSVP before each event by calling the Cultural Council at 561- 472-3330. Connect with the Council at palmbeachculture.com or 561- 471-2901. The Cultural Council visitor center, gallery and gift shop are located at the Cultural Council headquarters, an iconic Art Moderne former movie theater at 601 Lake Avenue in Lake Worth. Gallery, visitor center and the Roe Green Uniquely Palm Beach Store hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. Palm Beach Symphony Annual Gala Raises $125K The Palm Beach Symphony transformed the Flagler Museum into a Spanish daydream for its 2016 annual gala, 'Midnight Reveries: A Night in Espana,' on Feb. 15. More than 200 members and guests enjoyed a whimsical evening with cocktails, dinner, dancing and a live auction at the Spanish-themed evening, reminiscent of the childhood setting that inspired the symphony's Artistic & Music Director, Ramon Tebar. The elegant affair raised more than $125,000 to help fulfill the symphony's mission of cultivating classical music throughout the greater Palm Beaches as well as grow its community and educational outreach programs. Guests were greeted by dancers in flamenco costumes and cocktails in the Great Hall followed by dinner in the West Room fully adorned with regal red Spanish accents and finishing touches to complete the night's theme. Highlights of the evening included performances by Palm Beach Symphony's principal cellist, Claudio Jaffe, and guest artist, Dr. Rene Gonzalez, which quieted the room with riveting solo pieces. The evening closed with lively music by the Bob Hardwick Band and guests dancing into the midnight hour. Dale McNulty, Palm Beach Symphony board president, welcomed guests and thanked the gala chairs, Mary and Don Thompson, along with honorary chairs, Arlette Gordon and Dr. Elizabeth Bowden, for creating a spectacular evening in honor and memory of Dr. Ray Robinson, the former music director and general manager of the Palm Beach Symphony. McNulty also presented special guest, the Hon. Candido Creis, Consul General of Spain in Miami, with one of Ramon Tebar's conductor batons in appreciation of his support and devotion not only to Tebar's talent but also to the Palm Beach Symphony. 'This is an exciting year for the Palm Beach Symphony,' noted David McClymont, executive director of the Palm Beach Symphony. 'With the support of our members and the community, we continue to expand our reach through increased student programs, free community concerts and new venues, ensuring a future for the classical arts in Palm Beach County.' Guests in attendance at the gala included Dale and Marietta McNulty, Don and Mary Thompson, Charles and Ann Johnson, Peter Heydon, Don Ephraim and Maxine Marks, James Borynack, Adolfo Zaralegui, Arthur Benjamin, Gail Worth, Ellis and Nancy Parker, Don and Nancy Kempf, Ruby Rinker, Joseph Andrew and Carol Hays, Sandra and Paul Goldner, Leonard and Norma Klorfine, Lois Pope and Dr. Robert Mackler, Doris Hastings, Leslie Blum, Phil Reagan, Gary Lachman, and Stephen and Christina LaForte. The symphony thanks the Grand Maestro Benefactor Sponsor Wally Findlay Galleries, for their generosity and support of the gala. Single tickets and subscriptions are on sale for the remaining 2015-2016 season. Performances this season include Fantastique Evening on Mar. 16, and Monumental Engagement Apr. 10 with Lola Astanova. Additionally, memberships are offered at a variety of levels from $1,000 to $25,000. Palm Beach Symphony members enjoy exclusive events as well as social dining experiences with each performance at some of Palm Beach County's best restaurants such as Cafe Boulud, Club Colette, Cafe Chardonnay and Mar-a-Lago. For more information on tickets and membership opportunities, please contact the Palm Beach Symphony at 561-655-2657 or info@palmbeachsymphony.org. Send items and photos to CarolChatter@aol.com. Weve all had this conversation: Whats that movie with that guy? You know, with the thing? And theres the girl? A new movie search site, called whatismymovie.com, cant go quite that far. But if you can describe the moviefind movies with Harrison Ford on airplanes, for exampleit does indeed turn up Air Force One. The site is the showcase for a new platform technology that a Finnish developer, Valossa, is pitching to service and content providers: by integrating their content with the new Val.ai platform, Valossa believes that film studios can surface more of that content so that consumers can rent or stream it. The value proposition for consumers is that it makes movies easier to find. Valossa, claims to page through a given movie on a scene-by-scene basis, identifying more than one thousand concepts (places, objects, and themes) from any video stream. The technology allows you to search using natural-language queries, and theres even a beta version of the technology that allows voice searches using the Alexa digital assistant in Amazons Echo connected speaker. There are also some rudimentary links to where you can purchase the movie in question online, a very basic solution for cord-cutters. Its not perfect, but its not bad, either As youre probably aware, you must overcome two obstacles when using a search engine: the engine has to understand what youre looking for, and it has to be able to find it. In a way, Valossas tech helps solve the first issue. Take a look at some of the queries you should be able to make, according to the company: find all Harry Potter movies find me James Bond movies with Sean Connery show me parody films scifi movie about space battles and laser guns eastwood protecting the president romantic scifi movie comedy in hawaii ridley scott columbus expedition Lets just take an example I triedfind movies with Harrison Ford on airplanes and contrast it with a similar search the company itself supplied: Harrison Ford and Sean Connery in a combat airplane. Mark Hachman Whatismymovie turns up a rather electic group of search results. First, my search results. Im pleased to see that my initial query does turn up Air Force One, along with some other results that came as a complete surprise: Oh yeah, Harrison Ford was in Apocalypse Now (but does he ride in a plane?). And I know that Ford does a turn as a were-hyena (dont ask) in Anchorman 2, but Im not sure he rides in a plane in that one, either. The search Valossa supplied is also problematic. As you can see from the screenshot below, taken from a demo movie that accompanied the launch of the site, Harrison Ford and Sean Connery clearly occupy the front and rear seats of the plane being attacked by a German soldier. And, as you might expect, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade shows up as the first result. Valossa Hey, isnt that Harrison Ford flying the plane in this scene? Why doesnt whatismymovie.com recognize him? So why doesnt Last Crusade show up in my search results, as well? I encountered some other clunkers, toono, the Sidney Poitier classic Guess Whos Coming to Dinner is not a comedy in Hawaii. On balance, though, I think youll find that the site generally scratches that itch that would cause you to visit in the first place: What was the name of that movie? A Brazilian judge on Wednesday ordered the release of Facebook Regional Vice President Diego Dzodan, one day afterBrazilian police placed him under arrest forWhatsApps failure to produce messages the government believed relevant to a drug ring investigation. Judge Ruy Pinheiro concluded the execs detainment amounted to coercion, according to press reports. Judge Marcel Maia ordered the arrest on Tuesday, after WhatsApp failed to comply with requests by police and the court to produce messages created in the app. We are disappointed that law enforcement took this extreme step, WhatsApp said in a statement provided to TechNewsWorld by spokesperson Matt Steinfeld. WhatsApp cannot provide information we do not have, the company maintained. We cooperated to the full extent of our ability in this case, and while we respect the important job of law enforcement, we strongly disagree with its decision. Facebook Chagrined Facebook, which owns WhatsApp, expressed chagrin over the arrest. Were disappointed with the extreme and disproportionate measure of having a Facebook executive escorted to a police station in connection with a case involving WhatsApp, which operates separately from Facebook, the company said in a separate statement Steinfeld provided to TechNewsWorld. Facebook has always been and will be available to address any questions Brazilian authorities may have, it added. This isnt the first time WhatsApp has been in hot water in Brazil where, according to The Guardian, its been the most popular app download for the past two years, and is used by about half of the countrys 200 million people. In December, the app was shut down for 48 hours for twice failing to comply with court orders for information. It was brought back online after public outcry and intervention by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Zuckerberg considers Brazil a crucial market for Facebook, according to a New York Times report. He was part of a small group of Silicon Valley executives who met in July at Stanford University with the countrys president, Dilma Rousseff. No Chilling Effect Although wrangling with domestic or foreign governments can be unsettling for companies, its unlikely to deter anyone from using their wares. These cases arent always very high profile, and they tend to blow over very quickly and people have short memories when it comes to this stuff, said Jan Dawson, chief analyst atJackdaw Research. These things tend to have a fairly minimal effect on how much people change their behavior, he told TechNewsWorld. Governments strong-arm tactics have not had much impact on the way high-tech companies do business overseas, Dawson said. It hasnt happened enough for it to be an issue. On rare occasions like China some companies have pulled out, he noted. Google is not very active in China partly for that reason. Other companies like Facebook havent been very active there either for the same reasons, Dawson continued. These companies dont participate in those markets where conditions are particularly egregious, he added, but for the most part, they carry on business as usual. Apple Trap In one sense, WhatsApp and Facebook find themselves in a situation similar to Apple and its tussle with law enforcement over accessing data on iPhones, noted Jadzia Butler, a privacy, surveillance and security fellow at theCenter for Democracy & Technology. Much like the Apple case, theyre in a situation where because theyve created such a secure device, they cannot give law enforcement what theyre asking for, she told TechNewsWorld. Its not even an issue of conflict of laws, Butler said. Its an impossibility. Conflicts between law enforcement and high-tech companies are going to increase in the future because of encryption, she added. Even if law enforcement has possession of the information it wants, theyre not going to be able to look at it, Butler said, so law enforcement is going to have to adapt all over the world to changing technology. Movidius on Wednesday announced that its working with Google to put deep learning on mobile devices. Google will source Movidius latest flagship chip the MA2450 and software development environment, and will contribute to Movidius neural network technology road map in return. That could result in smartphones and other mobile devices that will be able to understand images and audio swiftly and accurately. The Movidius Technology The MA2450 is the most powerful iteration of Movidius Myriad 2 vision processor unit, which the company said is the only commercial solution available to perform complex neural network computations. The Myriad 2 is the first always-on vision processor, Movidius said. It has a programmable architecture and comes with the Myriad Development Kit, or MDK, which includes a software development framework. That lets developers incorporate proprietary functions and build arbitrary processing pipelines while leveraging the vision, imaging, and linear algebra software libraries and reference vision processing pipeline examples Movidius provides, all as source code. The MDK includes all necessary programming and debugging tools. Movidiuss Myriad VPU processor powers GooglesProject Tango. What to Expect We can expect to see run-time deep neural networks for speech-to-text, vision and many other smart machine applications running in phones, cameras, automobiles, medical devices and others because the DNN models can be downloaded and run disconnected from the cloud,Gartner Fellow Tom Austin said. Remember that working with Google on a project doesnt necessarily translate into products, cautioned Jim McGregor, principal analyst atTirias Research. However, this has the potential for almost any device and extends well beyond just facial recognition; this is machine learning. Facial recognition and retinal scans the technology enables could significantly increase the level of security over fingerprints and even help identify people, he told TechNewsWorld. Facial recognition could be used in two-factor authentication, and Google could bake it into Android as it did with fingerprint IDs, suggested Wayne Lam, a principal analyst at IHS Technology. Google also could apply the technology to home security platforms, he told TechNewsWorld. Think Nest and other IoT uses. Potential Uses for the Technology Banks will begin using smart machines widely, and a report Gartners Austin co-authored suggests most banks will invest in six main types of smart machines during the next few years. The smart machines resulting from Googles team-up with Movidius could make wireless banking more secure, he told TechNewsWorld. Other possible uses include authenticating users or admins signing in remotely to an enterprise network, and tracking and authenticating users for security purposes and for provisioning or deprovisioning as needed. Facial recognition and retinal scans are much more secure and user-friendly than any of the more common security solutions, Tirias Researchs McGregor said. This could allow users to log in and begin using platforms in a secure manner effortlessly. The technology also could be used in wearables and industrial applications in the medical and industrial automation fields, where the Internet of Things might come into play, he suggested. A New Trend Emerges This capability is not limited to the Movidius solution, McGregor pointed out. Qualcomm is doing it in conjunction with its image signal processor, and this could be done within most SoCs by leveraging the ISP, DSP, GPU, VPU and CPU resources. Microsoft, Apple and a whole range of social sites like Facebook, Amazon, Baidu, IBM and a few thousand other firms might follow suit, Gartners Austin suggested. As global smartphone sales slow, noted IHSs Lam, well see more and more efforts to create differentiated value for platforms such as Android and iOS just to keep up with the furious pace of competition and innovations. Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center on Wednesday announced that it paid approximately US$17,000 to resume normal operations after digital extortionists knocked its computer systems offline. The Los Angeles hospital discovered its computer network infected with ransomware earlier this month. Ransomware is a form of malware that scrambles data and key files on a system and demands a ransom be paid for a digital key to unscramble the data. After paying a ransom of 40 bitcoins, or $17,000, to the extortionists, the hospital was able to bring its electronic medical record system online, HPMC said. Bitcoins are a digital currency favored by cybercriminals because, like cash, theyre difficult to trace. It is important to note that this incident did not affect the delivery and quality of the excellent patient care you expect and receive from Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center. Patient care has not been compromised in any way, HPMC CEO Allen Stefanek noted. Further, we have no evidence at this time that any patient or employee information was subject to unauthorized access, he continued. Initial reports about the incident pegged the ransom at $3.4 million, or 9,000 bitcoins. Those reports were false, HPMC noted. No Honorable Thieves Paying ransom might embolden the perpetrators of ransomware, according to Rick Orloff, CSO ofCode42. Its analogous to why the government doesnt negotiate with hostage takers. It encourages hostage-taking, he told TechNewsWorld. If a ransom is paid, it should be done with caution, observed Lee Kim, director of privacy and security for theHealthcare Information and Management Systems Society. In the best-case scenario, you will get the decryption key, she told TechNewsWorld. Youll be up and running and back to normal, but even if that does happen, you really should have some forensics and malware experts in there to make sure that there isnt any other malware on your systems, Kim continued. Dont trust criminals to do the honorable thing and not drop additional malware, she said. To Pay or Not to Pay Ryan Kalember, senior vice president of cybersecurity strategy forProofpoint, strongly opposed paying ransoms. Even if the attackers keep their word and decrypt your data, there is no guarantee that they will not leave other forms of malware running on the system in order to carry out other crimes, like sending spam emails, launching DDoS attacks, and stealing personal or financial data for use in online fraud and identity theft, he told TechNewsWorld. Paying cybercriminals often funnels money to organized crime and terror groups and should be avoided as a rule to not perpetuate the cybercrime cycle, Kalember said. However, whether to pay ransom isnt a black-and-white proposition, said Scott Gainey, senior vice president forSentinelOne. Its not a yes or no answer. It depends on the systems that were affected, he told TechNewsWorld. Law enforcement has come out strong against paying the ransom for fear it will open up a Pandoras box, but in this case, patients were being diverted to other hospitals and it was severely affecting the hospitals business, so they may not have had a choice, Gainey said. Moreover, the cost of cleaning their environment could exceed the ransom that these guys are asking for, he added. Lesson Learned The scale of the attack was relatively minor. In the grand scheme of things, this attack is not a large one in terms of records breached, as only individual systems were infected with ransomware, Proofpoints Kalember noted. What makes it notable is that the attack affected systems involved in clinical care, he added. The incident also may change the thinking of healthcare security pros about their systems. People often think of healthcare security as preserving confidentiality of data, said Daniel W. Berger, president ofRedspin, an Auxilio company. Health organizations have to start considering the fact that the integrity of the data and the availability of the data is in many ways more important than confidentiality, he told TechNewsWorld, because you can have a situation like this where the hospital had to revert to a manual system to provide care because the data wasnt available. Self-driving vehicles aren't known for going fast; Google's cars are limited to 25 mph, and one was even pulled over by a California police officer last year for driving too slowly. But this doesn't mean that they're unable to hit high speeds, as engineers from Stanford University proved with their 120 mph autonomous Audi. Professor Chris Gerdes and his students have spent the past several years developing and improving the autonomous driving algorithms and sensors on a custom-rigged Audi TTS called Shelley. "A race car driver can use all of a car's functionality to drive fast," says Gerdes. "We want to access that same functionality to make driving safer." While the car has reached around 120 mph on faster sections of the course, the team keeps it around 50 mph to 75 mph - the speeds where accidents are most likely to happen. By monitoring Shelley's speed, handling, g-force, braking, and tire friction on the 3-mile track, the team can use the data to improve automatic collision avoidance software, like the kind used in Google's upcoming autonomous vehicle. The car can make it around the Thunderhill Raceway, located in Willows, California, almost as quickly as an experienced racer. The research has already resulted in several graduates going on to top jobs in the automotive industry. Students are broke up into teams during race sessions, with each group performing a different type of research. "Once you get to the track, things can go differently from what you expect," Gerdes said. "So it's an excellent lesson of advanced planning, but also how to come together as a team and deal with changing priorities." Hopefully, the work of Gerdes and his students will lead to the safer, and much faster, self-driving cars of the future. If you want to see Shelley in action, check out the video below. If you're in the market for the absolute largest solid state drive money can buy, Samsung has your number. The South Korean technology giant is now shipping a massive 16 terabyte (technically 15.36TB) solid state drive that's also blazingly fast. The PM1633a is a standard-sized 2.5-inch SSD that utilizes 512 of Samsung's third-generation 256Gb V-NAND memory chips. The 256Gb dies are stacked in 16 layers to form a single 512GB package, with a total of 32 NAND flash packages in the drive. In terms of performance, the PM1633a boasts sequential read and write speeds of up to 1,200MB/s. Random read and write speeds are rated at up to 200,000 and 32,000 IOPS, respectively. Samsung says it supports 1 DWPD (drive writes per day) meaning 15.36TB of data can be written every day without failure. There's also a "highly dependable" metadata protection mechanism in addition to a data protection and restoration tool that can be used in case of momentary blackout. If you haven't already guessed, this isn't a consumer-minded product as the PM1633a is based on a 12Gb/s serial attached SCSI (SAS) interface (in other words, it's primarily for enterprise applications). Pricing hasn't yet been revealed but Samsung did say it will eventually provide a wide range of capacity options in the PM1633a SSD lineup with 7.68TB, 3.84TB, 1.92TB, 960GB and 480GB slated for release later this year. Security officials at an airport in Baltimore stopped a woman from getting through after discovering that she was carrying a pair of stiletto high heels in the shape of a gun in her bag. Lisa Farbstein, spokeswoman for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), said that the woman was prevented from passing through a checkpoint at the Baltimore-Washington International (BWI) Thurgood Marshall Airport after security personnel saw the oddly-shaped metallic heels in her carry-on luggage. It also had fake bullet accents placed around the soles. Aside from the handgun-shaped footwear, the woman's bag contained bracelets lined with faux bullets as well. The TSA strictly prohibits travelers from carrying "replica guns or ammunition" when passing through security checkpoints at airports. Farbstein said that the security officials at BWI informed the woman that she could place her items in her checked luggage. She tried to have them checked but she ended up having to leave her handgun-shaped heels and bracelets with the TSA so that she could still catch her flight. Intercepting Firearms At Airports The TSA has beefed up its effort in preventing firearms from being transported through airport security checkpoints across the United States. The agency was able to intercept 2,653 firearms placed by passengers in their carry-on bags for the entirety of 2015. This figure is 20 percent higher compared to the number of firearms TSA officials confiscated the previous year. Of the total number of intercepted firearms, about 2,198 (82.8 percent) were loaded. The TSA said it has also established state-of-the-art technologies and new techniques for better passenger identification, which contributed to improved transportation security across different transportation modes around the country, The five airports that had the most discoveries of firearms last year were Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (153), Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (144), Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport (100), Denver International Airport (90) and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (73). The agency warns that passengers who will bring firearms to airport security checkpoints may face criminal charges from law enforcement and civil penalties from the TSA. The woman's handgun-shaped stiletto high heels in the report falls under firearm replicas, which the TSA said should be placed only in checked baggage. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. It's no big secret that Samsung packs a lot of bloatware onto its devices, and the company is at it again with the Galaxy S7: it occupies 8 GB of internal space out of the box. The term bloatware is used to describe software and apps that the device manufacturer or some carrier preinstalls on said hardware. All of that bloatware takes up more or less of the advertised internal storage of the device, so in reality you don't really get as much storage as you think. With the new Samsung Galaxy S7, bloatware continues to feel right at home, despite serious woes surrounding bloatware on previous Galaxy S generations. For the 32 GB version of the new flagship smartphone, Samsung's preinstalled software takes up as much as a quarter a whopping 8 GB. That space houses various system apps, the company's TouchWiz UX and others such. The news comes hot on the heels of the whole Galaxy S7 "Adoptable Storage" controversy, as Samsung said it would not support this popular Android Marshmallow feature. As it turns out, however, some good news is still on the horizon. While the Galaxy S7 takes up a huge amount of internal space from the get go and it allegedly does away with Adoptable Storage, it seems that it does allow users to move apps to SD after all. Droid-Life reports it was able to move Galaxy S7 apps to an SD card, as long as they're not system apps. Any other application from Google Play is good to go, which is definitely a noteworthy consolation considering the bloatware and the fact that the previous Galaxy S6 did not even have expandable storage. "If I ripped the SD card out, it took away all of those apps and said they were tied to the SD card," notes Droid-Life. In conclusion, Samsung takes up a hefty amount of device storage space for its own stuff, and not all customers may be aware of that when they make their purchase. It fills up 8 GB of storage with bloatware, but allows you to install more apps on an SD card. It may not be the fairest trade, but it would be far worse without the move to SD option. Lastly, it's worth pointing out that the same applies to the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge model as well, not just the standard Galaxy S7. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A plane debris has been found off Mozambique, and according to the transport minister of Malaysia Liow Tiong Lai, there's a "high possibility" that the object could be part of a Boeing 777. However, it's still unclear whether it's from the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 as the investigation continues. Australian authorities are working together with Malaysian officials to sort the matter. The piece is reportedly set to be transported to the Maputo capital. U.S. and Malaysian investigators are going to analyze it. "The debris will be taken to Australia for further examination," Lai tells Reuters. Based on a photo of the fragment in question, U.S., Malaysian and Australian experts believe that it could be a horizontal stabilizer, noting how it reads "NO STEP," NBC News reports. The object in question was located on the east African coast somewhere between Mozambique and Madagascar. Lai said on Twitter that the specifics are "yet to be confirmed and verified," advising readers and followers of his account on the social media platform to not jump to conclusions. I urged everyone to avoid undue speculation as we are not able to conclude that the debris belongs to #mh370 at this time. (3/3) Liow Tiong Lai (@liowtionglai) March 2, 2016 A search for the Flight MH370 is still ongoing, and Australian investigators are leading it. The exploration spans 60,000 square kilometers (roughly 23,166 square miles), and it has been expanded by another 60,000 square kilometers. "We are still confident that we will find the aircraft between now and the completion of searching the search area of 120,000 square kilometers. The more we search, the more likely the aircraft is to be in the area we are still looking at," Martin Dolan, chief commissioner of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau or ATSB, says. Flight MH370 went missing during a night flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing two years ago on March 8, 2014. The plane is said to have crashed in the Indian Ocean, where it had 239 occupants that consist of passengers and the crew on board when it disappeared. The reason for the tragedy is yet to be uncovered. Last year, a flaperon washed up on Reunion Island, which is located 600 miles east of Madagascar. As of right now, this is the only piece that has been confirmed to be from the Boeing 777 of Flight MH370. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Google is experimenting with its hands-free payment app enabling users to pay for their purchased items without having to pull out their smartphones or wallets. Dubbed Hands Free, this pilot app, as its name suggests, lets users pay in stores "quickly, easily and completely hands-free." "When you think about a user, in a bunch of situations, the experience is quite crummy right now, it's quite clunky," says Pali Bhat, senior director of product management at Google. "You don't want your phone in the way, your wallet in the way, you don't want your cash in the way. These are inconveniences that happen multiple times a day." Hands Free is currently available for Android and iOS users. Google says that even Android devices running earlier versions of Android, which go all the way back to Jellybean, are compatible with this app. This app was initially teased in May 2015, though no launch details were disclosed for this particular service. Google said on Wednesday that the company is inviting residents of the South Bay (near San Francisco) to try out its new payment app and provide feedback about the service. The company is initially rolling out the service, though, to a small number of local eateries in the place, such as Papa John's and McDonald's. How The App Works As soon as users have installed and set up Hands Free, the app uses Bluetooth low energy, Wi-Fi and location services on the handset to detect whether they are close to participating stores. Once users are ready to pay, they will simply tell the cashier that they are paying with Google. The cashier will then ask for their initials and confirm their identity through the profile picture they added to the app. The company also says that it is in its early stages of trying its visual identification system to help in checking out faster. The system should automatically confirm the users' identity based on their profile picture on the app by means of the in-store camera. For those who think that this may sound a bit creepy, Google says that the images the system captures are immediately erased. "We'll continue to improve the technology behind Hands Free, and we're excited to hear your feedback," says Bhat. Google is also giving up to $5 discount on the first purchase of users who will try Hands Free at selected stores. If this new service turns out to be successful, it will help Android Pay continue to grow even further. Google sees an average of 1.5 million new registrations every month in the United States alone. Moreover, there exist more than 2 million locations accepting Android tap and pay. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The drought that began in the eastern Mediterranean Levant region in 1998 and triggered the disastrous Syrian civil war was the worst climate change event in the past 900 years, a NASA study says. The study published online in the Journal of Geophysical Research-Atmospheres, is part of NASA's effort to improve computer models that can simulate climate changes. The scientists recreated the history of drought by analyzing tree ring records showing the annual precipitation history from the past years back to the 1100's. The area spanned from Southern Europe and Northern Africa to the Levant region in Middle East. The Mediterranean Levant region includes Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Cyprus, Palestine, Turkey and Syria. "The magnitude and significance of human climate change requires us to really understand the full range of natural climate variability," said Ben Cook, climate scientist at NASA. "If we look at recent events and we start to see anomalies that are outside this range of natural variability, then we can say with some confidence that it looks like this particular event or this series of events had some kind of human caused climate change contribution," he added. Human-Induced Global Warming The scientists identified the driest years and found patterns in the geographic distribution of droughts. This provided baseline data for them to identify the causes linked to dry years. This could provide information both from natural variations in the drought in the region that could help scientists distinguish droughts made worse by human-induced global warming. The drought in the region between 1998 and 2012 is longer than usual and is 50 percent drier than the driest period in the past 500 years. It is 10 to 20 percent drier than the worst drought since 1100. Drought, caused by warming of the temperatures, could lead to large-scale disruption of food systems and possible conflict over water resources. A climate scientist, Yochanan Kushnir, said that the Mediterranean area is expected by climate change models to dry in the future. The Syrian Conflict Experts see water stress and population growth as two factors that will trigger conflict and humanitarian crises in the coming years. The recent Syrian Civil War can be traced in part to the drought. In a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, scientists analyzed observations and model simulations that show that the recent Syrian drought was implicated in the current conflict. There is evidence that the drought in Syria between 2007 and 2010 has contributed to the Syrian conflict. This led to widespread crop failure leaving families in rural areas in dire need of financial resources. Around 1.5 million people from rural areas migrated to urban cities to look for work. The government's lack of response to the drought and displacement of residents were occurrences that were believed to have triggered conflicts against the government, resulting to a devastating civil war. In a statement by Prince Charles in 2015, he said that one probable cause of the Syrian civil war is climate change. The drought that continued for many years led a large number of people to vacate land due to lack of water and crop failure. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Astronaut Scott Kelly returned to Earth about two inches taller than when he launched into space nearly one year ago, NASA reports. The sudden growth spurt was likely the result of living for almost 12 months in a microgravity environment. Kelly has now spent more time in space than any other American. One of the reasons NASA is interested in long-duration human spaceflight is to study how people are able to deal with the rigors of living in space, as the agency prepares to send a human mission to Mars. The 340-day mission ended with the return to Earth of Kelly and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko. Scott Kelly also has an identical twin in the space program, Mark. By comparing the pair of astronauts, medical officials at NASA are able to determine which, if any, genetic changes take place during extended periods off the Earth. "Kelly and Kornienko specifically participated in a number of studies to inform NASA's Journey to Mars, including research into how the human body adjusts to weightlessness, isolation, radiation and the stress of long-duration spaceflight. Kelly's identical twin brother, former NASA astronaut Mark Kelly, participated in parallel twin studies on Earth to help scientists compare the effects of space on the body and mind down to the cellular level," NASA officials report. Like Scott, many astronauts on extended missions return home a little taller than they were at liftoff, as disks in the spinal column are no longer compressed as they are on the surface of our home world. Spending a significant amount of time in the microgravity environment of space can also lead to weak bones and muscles, as space travelers do not need to walk or hold themselves up against gravity. Hearts are frequently weakened during long-term spaceflights, and the organ can even shrink as it does not need to work as hard in space as it does on Earth. Because a greater amount of blood than normal travels to the upper part of the body, astronauts on long flights often experience thinner legs and puffy faces. While leaving the capsule on return to Earth, many astronauts report feeling disorientated and have trouble with balance. This is due to the effects of a changing gravitational environment on the mechanisms of the inner ear, including the labyrinth, responsible for helping to maintain balance. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Several of the top airlines in the United States are pushing efforts to recommence commercial flights to Cuba after more than 50 years since the last, opening up 110 daily trips between the two countries. Havana is apparently the most popular destination, as most of the carriers requested to serve the capital, leading to some conflicts among the proposed routes. That translates to various companies out of the group competing with one another and presenting their cases, which the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) will have to sort out and pick the best ones. JetBlue, one of the carriers out to get routes to Havana, says that the USDOT should encourage the competition that came about "rather than continuing the status quo by rewarding legacy carriers and increasing their market share," according to Reuters. Out of the 110 daily trips, only 20 are allowed to travel to Havana. The remaining 90 are set for nine international airports in Cuba, each one having 10 daily flights. It's expected that the rights for the other destinations will be resolved fairly quickly compared with the routes to Havana. Needless to say, the carriers will have to gain the approval of aviation authorities in Cuba aside from the U.S. officials before they can begin commercial air services there. The airlines involved include Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines, JetBlue, Silver Airways, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines. Alaska Airlines applied for two daily round-trip flights from Los Angeles to Havana. American Airlines applied for 10 daily round-trip flights from Miami, one from Charlotte, one from Dallas/Fort Worth, one from Los Angeles, one flight from Chicago O'Hare on Saturdays and one from Los Angeles on Sundays to Havana. It also requested for two daily round-trip flights between Miami and Santa Clara, two for Holguin, two for Varadero, one for Camaguey and one for Cienfuegos. Delta Air Lines applied for two daily round-trip flights from Atlanta, one from New York JFK, one from Miami and one from Orlando to Havana. Frontier Airlines applied for three daily round-trip flights from Miami and one from Denver to Havana. It also requested for one daily round-trip flight from Miami to Santiago, four to Camaguey per week and three to Santa Clara per week. It's seeking for one round-trip flight from Chicago O'Hare and Philadelphia to Varadero on Saturdays as well. JetBlue, which has been awarded a seven-star rating in terms of safety, applied for four daily round-trip flights from Fort Lauderdale, two from Tampa, two from Orlando, two from New York JFK, one from Boston and one from Newark to Havana. It also requested for one daily round-trip flight between Camaguey and Fort Lauderdale, one for Holguin and one for Santa Clara. Silver Airways applied for two daily round-trip flights from West Palm Beach, one from Fort Myers, one from Fort Lauderdale, five from Key West and two from Jacksonville to Havana. It also requested for three flights a week from Fort Lauderdale to Cayo Coco, two to Cienfuegos, five to Camaguey, four to Varadero, three to Manzanillo and one to Cayo Largo. It's seeking for one daily round-trip flight from Fort Lauderdale to Holguin, one to Santiago and one to Santa Clara as well. Southwest Airlines applied for six daily round-trip flights from Fort Lauderdale, two from Tampa and one from Orlando to Havana. It also requested for two daily round-trip flights from Fort Lauderdale to Varadero and one to Santa Clara. United Airlines applied for one daily round-trip flight and two on Saturdays from Newark to Havana. It also requested for one round-trip flight on Saturdays from Chicago O'Hare, Houston Bush Intercontinental and Washington Dulles to Havana. The USDOT will finalize the routes of carriers by March 14. Two weeks ago, U.S. and Cuban officials reached an agreement to reinstate commercial air flights. U.S. carriers had a deadline to submit their proposals to the USDOT until March 2. This arrangement is believed to be a part of the Obama administration's endeavor to restore relations with Cuba. It's also worth mentioning that most of the Republican officials in Congress oppose the idea of Barack Obama's decision in the matter, but the U.S. president exercised his authority. To travel, U.S. citizens are required to satisfy one out of 12 criteria. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The Facebook vice president for Latin America has been set free from a Brazilian jail a day after the executive was detained over WhatsApp encryption. A higher court on Wednesday ordered the release of Facebook VP Diego Dzodan while the legal process against the company continues. Judge Ruy Pinheiro said the detention of Dzodan in Sao Paulo is an "unlawful coercion." "It seems to me that the extreme measure of imprisonment was hurried," said the judge. Sergipe federal police on Tuesday arrested Dzodan for not turning over information from a WhatsApp account linked to a drug-trafficking case. Facebook said its subsidiary does not store messages on its service so it has nothing to hand over to Brazilian authorities. However, the federal police detained Dzodan as ordered by a lower court due to "repeated non-compliance with court orders." The police said the information contained in the WhatsApp account was required in producing evidence to be used in the investigation of an organized crime and drug trafficking case. Brazilian media also reported that drug traffickers used the popular messaging app in their transactions. Apparently, Facebook isn't happy with the detention of its executive in the country. The company earlier released a statement condemning the actions taken by the Brazilian authorities. "We are disappointed with the extreme and disproportionate measure of having a Facebook executive escorted to a police station in connection with a case involving WhatsApp," said a Facebook spokesperson. "Facebook has always been and will be available to address any questions Brazilian authorities may have." WhatsApp, in the meantime, asserted that it has no technical means to help in the investigation. "We are disappointed that law enforcement took this extreme step," it said in a statement. "WhatsApp cannot provide information we do not have." The federal police said when Facebook refused to cooperate in the investigation, authorities imposed a fine of 50,000 reais, or around $12,500, every single day two months ago. Last month, the fine went up to 1 million reais, or about $250,000. This is not the first arm-wrestle between Facebook and Brazilian authorities. Back in December, a court decided to suspend WhatsApp for 12 hours for failing to provide information during a separate criminal investigation. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. News broke in February about a baby dolphin dying due to aggressive manhandling by tourists in an Argentina Beach and people condemned the actions of the selfie-starved tourists. A witness who was present at the time the baby dolphin was supposedly passed around for selfies came forward to clear the issue and revealed that, not only was the baby dolphin dead before it was passed around, nearly two dozen dead dolphins were also washed up on the shore that day. Apparently, the public's outraged were due to misinformation and because the Mundo Marino Foundation was quick to react on the news. However, Mundo Marino confirmed on March 2 that the witness told the truth because the foundation found 22 other Fransiscana Dolphins washed up in other beaches along the coast of Argentina and it is now being investigated. That is not the only concern because all the dead dolphins were found to have similar strange markings on their snouts, leading the foundation to believe that there is a much larger issue at hand. "They've appeared along 50km of coast between the towns of San Clemente del Tuyu and Mar de Ajo [...] The fact that such a large number appeared, all at once, makes us suspect that some issue in particular led to the deaths of these animals," Mundo Marino Foundation Spokesperson Gloria Veira revealed in an interview. The foundation does not want to point fingers until it has a more definite evidence for the cetaceans' cause of death so it has contacted pathologists at the National University of La Plata to perform autopsies on the endangered creatures. "It's estimated that there are around 40,000 members of this species, and with these death statistics it's unfortunately possible the species will no longer exist 30 years from now," Viera explained. The Franciscana dolphin, also known as the La Plata River dolphin, easily gets dehydrated out of water which can lead to their deaths. That is why the foundation strongly urges everyone to return the creatures to the water as soon as they spot it ashore. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Good news for those eying the flagship Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge smartphones - you can now get some freebies thanks to a limited promotional offer from Best Buy. The retailer is offering consumers in the U.S. the opportunity to snag a free Gear VR bundle when they preorder either the Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 Edge smartphone. This bundle is worth $199.98. Earlier in February, we reported that consumers in the UK not only will receive the flagship Samsung smartphones three days earlier than their U.S. counterparts, but will also get a Gear VR headset for free. Now jumping onto the bandwagon is Best Buy, which will give a Gear VR headset, a 64 GB memory card as well as $50 worth of VR content for free to those preordering either of the two Samsung smartphones. For those wondering how much they need to shell out to avail this offer, the details are as follows: Samsung Galaxy S7 And Galaxy S7 Edge On Best Buy, one can purchase the 32 GB variant of the Galaxy S7 Edge on a two-year contract from either of the carriers: Verizon Wireless (Black Onyx, Titanium Silver or Platinum Gold), Sprint (Black Onyx, Platinum Gold or Titanium Silver), or AT&T (Titanium Silver, Black Onyx or Platinum Gold) for $299.99. The unlocked handset is priced at $799.99 on Sprint, $794.99 on AT&T and $779.99 on Verizon. Those keen on the Galaxy S7 can have the 32 GB model of the smartphone for $199.99 on a two-year contract from either of the carriers: Verizon Wireless (Black Onyx or Platinum Gold) or Sprint (Black Onyx or Platinum Gold). AT&T is offering the 32 GB variants of the Black Onyx or Platinum Gold hues of the Galaxy S7 for $23.17 per month with the AT&T Next plan. The unlocked handset is priced at $699.99 on Sprint, $694.99 on AT&T and $679.99 on Verizon. The mentioned Samsung smartphones on Best Buy will assure eligible customers a free Gear VR headset in Frost White, as well as the Samsung - EVO+ 64 GB microSDHC Class 10 UHS-1 Memory Card - Red/White. The bundle is valued at $199.98, which comprises the $99.99 price of the Gear VR, the $49.99 for the 64 GB memory card and $50 for the six-game VR bundle. "Free items will be provided to customer at time of device purchase. $50 for VR content will be pre-loaded into the Oculus," disclaims Best Buy. The promotion is currently running on the e-retailer's website and it is not known when it will expire. The smartphone will hit the shelves on March 11. Photo: Karlis Dambrans | Flickr 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Target is stepping up its game as it plans to spend $1.8 billion this year to beef up its supply network and technology. The company disclosed its plan to analysts during its annual meeting on Wednesday in New York. Starting next year, Target is going to ramp its investment up to $2 to $2.4 billion every year. The Minneapolis-based company said that it is hoping to grow its online presence a little more forward and also to lessen stock shortages. Target has pointed its fingers to what it calls "incredibly complex supply chain," which greatly affects some of its stores' sales growth. In 2015, Target's boss Brian Cornell said that among the company's top goals include fixing its supply chain and boosting its online sales growth. In the meeting last Wednesday, Cornell said that Target will be "laser focused" on these initiatives it previously presented as part of its multi-year transformation agenda. The company predicts that the company is going to hit a 10 percent growth in its earnings per share for 2017. This current fiscal year, the company is expecting a $5.20 to $5.40 profit per share. Cornell wants Target to be more alert after experiencing a few problems, which impacted its progress, including a major debit and credit card breach. The event hampered the company's sales and profits for several months. When Cornell took over in July 2014, Target halted its operations in Canada. Cornell likewise outlined the company's savings plan and cut a number of jobs. Under the leadership of Cornell, the company has centered its attention on key merchandise categories, ranging from baby, fashion, wellness products and home furnishings. Target has also revamped its grocery area, offering fresher, healthier choices. The company even added mannequins in displaying its clothing products. On top of that, it began shifting its spending from physical stores to online investments along with its supply network. Cornell's efforts appear to have started to pay off. For instance, the company saw a 34 percent surge in its online sales during the latest quarter. Its stock shortages were also 40 percent lower during the holiday season as opposed to last year. "Our guests are falling back in love with Target ... all over again," said Cornell. "So are we declaring victory? Not even close. We're proud of this momentum, but we have a lot of work to do." In the last fiscal year, the company splurged $1.4 billion in its capital expenditures. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A new study released by a real estate information company in the United States has found that more and more people in leading housing markets in the country are engaging in home flipping, where they buy properties and resell them in order to make a quick profit. RealtyTrac revealed on Thursday that the occurrence of home flipping in 12 of the United States' greater metropolitan areas has increased in 2015. Figures from last year hit peak levels that were set in 2005, two years before the mortgage market in the country collapsed, resulting in the Great Recession. The report also highlighted the increase in profits made through home flipping, which ended up reaching a 10-year high. People who engaged in the strategy were able to earn as much as $55,000 for every sale, excluding costs for the transaction and renovation of the property. In leading housing markets, such as Los Angeles and New York, home-flipped properties ran as high as $100,000. The prospect of earning more through home flipping has enticed smaller investors to take part in the practice as well. The number of individuals engaged in home flipping last year reached levels that have not been seen in nine years, while the number of home flips for each investor dropped simultaneously. "As confidence in the housing recovery spreads, more real estate investors and would-be real estate investors are hopping on the home flipping bandwagon," RealtyTrac senior vice president Daren Blomquist pointed out. "Not only is the share of home flips on the rise again, but we also see the flipping trend trickling down to smaller investors who are completing fewer flips per year." The increasing trend in the number of homes flipped in 2015 has raised concerns about the possibility that local housing bubbles could very well be forming in some areas in the United States. Economist Matthew Gardner from Windermere Real Estate said that with more people choosing to engage in home flipping, it could mean that the housing market in the country could be in for some trouble. He explained that property sales made through this practice end up inflating home prices artificially, causing housing to become pricier for prospective buyers and adding to the risk of another bubble. The RealtyTrac report identified Homosassa Springs, Lakeland and Jacksonville as three metropolitan areas in Florida to have the biggest increase in home-flipped properties last year. Home flips in these areas rose by as much as 40 to 50 percent. Photo: Taber Andrew Bain | Flickr 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A rare condition called "broken heart syndrome" is often linked to an emotionally difficult or stressful event, but findings of a new study suggest that the condition can also be caused by happy events and those that elicit positive emotions. Also known as the Takotsubo syndrome, the condition is marked by chest pains that are believed to be set off when hormones, such as adrenalin, surge causing the heart to beat irregularly. The condition is often confused with heart attack because of similar symptoms that often appear minutes or hours after the patient has been through a stressful situation. For the new study published in the European Heart Journal on March 3, researchers involved 485 patients diagnosed with the broken heart syndrome. They found that not all of the participants had a sad experience prior to the onset of the symptoms. About 4 percent actually developed the condition after they experienced a happy event such as a wedding, birthday party, or a birth of a new member of the family. The findings of the study provide evidence that Takotsubo syndrome is not just caused by traumatic events. The results widened the spectrum of emotions that are known to lead to the condition. Study author Jelena Ghadri, from the University Hospital Zurich in Switzerland, said that the Takotsubo syndrome patient is no longer the brokenhearted patient since the disease was found to be also preceded by positive emotions. The researchers will now look at the brain activity patterns in individuals with the "happy heart syndrome" so they can compare these patterns to those who have the broken heart syndrome. The investigation will allow researchers to learn more about the interaction of the brain and the heart, which could pave way for a better understanding of the mechanism behind the Takotsubo syndrome. "We believe that TTS is a classic example of an intertwined feedback mechanism, involving the psychological and/or physical stimuli, the brain and the cardiovascular system," said Christian Templin, from the University Hospital Zurich. "Perhaps both happy and sad life events, while inherently distinct, share final common pathways in the central nervous system output, which ultimately lead to TCS." 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Google is siding with the United Nations Children's Emergency Fund to help map the Zika virus spread to anticipate and prevent future outbreaks. The company donated $1 million to UNICEF toward this endeavor, and some of its engineers are volunteering to work with the agency to crunch necessary data and map the virus outbreak. The Zika virus is highly dangerous and is primarily transmitted by a type of mosquito, and its spread has already reached alarming dimensions. Nearly 5,000 cases of microcephaly in Brazil are believed to be linked to the Zika virus, and it has also spread to other countries in Latin America. Microcephaly is a disorder that refers to babies born with abnormally small heads, which can cause potential physical disabilities and developmental problems. Last month, the World Health Organization declared the Zika virus outbreak a public health emergency, promising to implement a strategic plan to combat the devastating spread. As Google points out in a new company blog post, most people with the Zika virus don't show any symptoms, which makes it particularly difficult to map and counter. "[U]nlike many other global pandemics, the spread of Zika has been harder to identify, map and contain," says Google. "As a company whose mission is helping people find information, with a lot of experience in analyzing large sets of data, we're in a good position to help - at scale and at speed," adds the company. In addition to having engineers working with UNICEF to analyze data for mapping the virus, Google also updated its products to make it easier for people to access information about the Zika virus. The company basically aims to leverage its open source platform expertise to identify and anticipate the risk of Zika outbreaks for different regions. This should help governments, UNICEF and NGOs better organize their efforts and decide where to focus their resources and time first. While Google is prototyping a new set of tools for countering the Zika virus, the effort will benefit future emergencies as well. When it comes to making Zika virus information more accessible, Google already made notable efforts. The company updated its Search tool for people in the U.S. to offer comprehensive information for more than 900 health conditions. Other efforts include Zika information in 16 languages, facilitating global awareness by presenting an overview of the condition, symptoms, Public Health Alerts and more. To further raise awareness, Google also teamed up with popular YouTube creators in Latin America, as well as Brazilian physician Drauzio Varella, to offer more information through their channels. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. After a series of rumors, leaks and plenty of speculation, it looks like Disney has finally decided to spill the beans on the Star Wars: The Force Awakens Blu-ray release. According to a listing on the Disney Store and Target, the film will be arriving on Blu-ray and DVD on April 5. The Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD bundle pack available from Disney retails for $24.95. Preordering the film from the site before April 4 will score fans an exclusive lithograph, as well as a 10 percent off coupon for a future purchases of $40 or more. Target also has some exclusive offers. Its version of the film will come in an exclusive cover and features "20 minutes of exclusive bonus content," including exclusive interviews with Daisy Ridley and John Boyega and a deeper look at the film's sci-fi weaponry. The film will also include featurettes and cast interviews included in the standard version. The Target exclusive version of the film will retail for $24.99, but a standard version will also be available. Buying the film at Best Buy will score you an exclusive Steelbook case featuring Kylo Ren and Captain Phasma, while Walmart's cover prominently features BB-8. As for all the special features included in the package, here's what fans can look forward to come April 5, via Starwars.com: Secrets of The Force Awakens: A Cinematic Journey For the first time, discover the complete story behind the making of The Force Awakens, revealed through in-depth footage and exclusive interviews with the actors and filmmakers in this feature documentary The Story Awakens: The Table Read Cast members familiar and new reflect on the memorable day they all first came together to read the movie's script Building BB-8 See how the filmmakers brought the newest droid to the screen, creating an instant fan favorite in the Star Wars Crafting Creatures Watch movie magic as the filmmakers bring a cast of new creatures to life Blueprint of a Battle: The Snow Fight Go deeper into the epic, climactic lightsaber battle between Rey and Kylo Ren John Williams: The Seventh Symphony The legendary composer shares personal insights of his work on Star Wars and The Force Awakens ILM: The Visual Magic of The Force An insider's look into the remarkable digital artistry of the movie's visual effects. Force For Change Heroes come in all shapes and sizes. See how the Star Wars: Force for Change initiative has united Star Wars fans all over the globe to help others Plus Deleted Scenes For those who prefer to buy their films digitally, Star Wars: The Force Awakens will be available on April 1. This news comes days after the film's UK release date leaked thanks to a Duracell advertisement. Earlier reports pegged the film's digital release for mid-March, which has now been proven untrue. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The mutants made popular by Marvel's 1990s animated X-Men series got a new moment in the spotlight as part of the publisher's Secret Wars event last summer. It was a return to the old days, and it proved to be a big success for Marvel, or at least a big enough success for the mini-series to spawn more '90s adventures. Now, fans can go back in time once again, when X-Men '92 gets its own ongoing comic series at the end of March, and we've got a new look at some of the interior pages of the premiere issue. X-Men '92 #1 looks to waste little time in getting the action rolling. According to Marvel, the team will be facing off with Soviet supervillain Omega Red and his team of Soviet super soldiers, who are, of course, looking to destroy the recently-re-opened Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters. While Xavier and more than a few other X-Men are dead in Marvel continuity proper, this spin-off is a return to the good ol' days of the franchise, back when Cyclops was still team leader, Logan was still Wolverine and mutants weren't going extinct. Simpler times indeed. Longtime fans of these characters should get a kick out of it. The book comes from writers Chris Sims and Chad Bowers, with art provided by Alti Firmansyah. Those who want to get a feel for Firmansyah's style can check out Marvel's recent Battleworld: Star Lord and Kitty Pryde series. In these preview pages, Beast looks to be in a bit of a hurry, bumping into Jubilee, professor Xavier and Wolverine before making it to teach his class. As always with the X-Men, it's hardly an ordinary day of school. Just as Beast begins to settle in, somebody crashes through the window and interrupts his lesson. That's just the first few pages. We've yet to see Omega Red take the stage, which should be quite the fireworks show for all the students of Xavier's school. X-Men '92 #1 goes on sale March 30. You can check out the preview images, as well as some of the various covers for the issue, below. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Donalds Trump Super Tuesday win sees spike in Google searches for How to move to Canada According to Google Trends, searches for How to move to Canada increased dramatically following the results of the Super Tuesday US presidential primary elections. Several Americans who were disheartened by the results contemplated leaving the country specifically to Canada as their future options. The biggest searchers of those wanting advice on how to get to Canada was revealed with the top five states: Massachusetts, Washington, Georgia, Tennessee and Virginia. Its interesting to note that four of those five states were where Trump won a majority vote. Its unclear whether the results were triggered by Donald Trump taking seven states or Hillary Clinton also winning seven. Of course, its also a possibility a percentage of those searching are charmed by Canadas new Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau. Google data editor, Simon Rogers first pointed out the trend, by noticing a spike of 350% in searches over a four-hour period for How can I move to Canada coming from the United States. But that was only the beginning. Searches for "how can I move to Canada" on Google have spiked +350% in the past four hours #SuperTuesday Simon Rogers (@smfrogers) March 2, 2016 By midnight, the query rose 1,150%, before settling back down somewhere around the 500% mark on the day. (Rogers said on Twitter the numbers were dynamic changing data. According to Mashable, by Wednesday morning, Google said searches for Move to Canada were higher than at any time in Google history). Google search results also show a breakdown by state and it seems that the majority of searches about emigrating to Canada came from Massachusetts, where Trump won in a landslide with 49% of the vote. Canadas website has a tool for people to determine their eligibility. After the Tuesday results, many Americans were searching for instructions on leaving this great nation that the Canadian governments website seemed to be having problems. A polite Canadian warning at the top of the website says: You may experience delays while using the website. We are working to resolve this issue. Thank you for your patience. It is however not known if the delay is related to the sudden interest in emigration. We've noticed you're adblocking. We rely on advertising to help fund our award-winning journalism. We urge you to turn off your ad blocker for The Telegraph website so that you can continue to access our quality content in the future. Thank you for your support. The Venezuelan government celebrated on Friday the arrival in the country of the last five crew members of the Emtrasur aircraft that had been held in Argentina since June 6. | Read More KCR resolved water dispute in one year: Jagadish Reddy Hyderabad, March 3 (INN): Energy Minister Jagadish Reddy has claimed that Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao has resolved a six-decade old water dispute with Maharashtra within one year. Speaking to media persons at Telangana Bhavan on Thursday, Jagadish Reddy said although the Congress party was in power for 10 years in both Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra, it failed to resolve the dispute over sharing of Godavari River waters. However, he said it was due to effective representation made by KCR, the Maharashtra Government itself came forward for a pact for construction of five barrages on Godavari, Pranahita and Penganga. He said the pact, to be signed on March 8, would permanently resolve the dispute and would help thousands of drought-hit farmers in both the State. The minister, on behalf of farmers of Telangana, thanked KCR for resolving the dispute with Maharashtra. News Posted: 3 March, 2016 IT employee brutally murdered Hyderabad, March 3 (INN): A 24-year-old man was stabbed to death by some unidentified persons in Mahankali police limits. The victim, J. Sanjay, was attacked by about four persons near Swapna Lok Complex on SD Road in Secunderabad while he was returning home from his office Sutherland Global Services to his home in Parasigutta after doing night shift at about 4.30 AM. The assailants came in a White Maruthi Swift car and fled via Patny Centre after committing the crime. He died on the spot. Police have registered a case of murder and began investigations. The CCTV footage in the surrounding areas is being analysed to identify the culprits. Special teams have been to crack the case. News Posted: 3 March, 2016 Coffee exports from Vietnam, the biggest producer of robusta beans, may fall to the lowest in six years, as farmers hold out for higher prices, amid a forecast global supply shortage, according to the nations largest shipper. Shipments are forecast at 1.1 million metric tons to 1.2 million metric tons this year, Do Ha Nam, the CEO of Intimex Group, said in an interview last week. That would be the lowest level since 2010, according to customs data. Robusta futures, which slumped 20 percent in 2015, may rebound this year because of concerns over global supply, said Nam, who is also the vice chairman of Vietnam Coffee and Cocoa Association. Rabobank International and Olam International Ltd. are also anticipating gains in the coffee markets. Prices are still on a down trend so farmers are not intending to sell, especially as prices are approaching their cost of production, Nam said. A crisis of global shortage could happen in April and May as there will be little supply from Indonesia and Vietnam. Robusta, used by companies including Nestle SA, gained 3.4 percent to $1,413 a ton on ICE Futures Europe on Monday, trimming their decline for the year to 7.7 percent. Vietnam differentials Should prices remain at those levels, the premium for farmers in Vietnam will climb to $50 a ton or more, Nam said. The current domestic premium of about $30 hasnt attracted farmers to sell stockpiled beans, he said in the interview from Ho Chi Minh City on February 26. Total production in Vietnam in 2015-2016 will not be more than last seasons 1.5 million tons because of impact from El Nino, Nam said. Production in the 2016-2017 harvest will continue to be limited, as low prices have reduced replanting. Growers are replacing old coffee trees with pepper or fruit crops. The total planted is forecast to drop to 600,000 hectares this year from 650,000 hectares last year. Green bean exports will also drop due to more investment in instant coffee production, Nam added. Intimexs coffee exports in 2016 are forecast to rise to 400,000 tons, from 350,000 tons last year as the company markets higher-quality products, he said. Coffee prices are set to increase as certified stockpiles are drawing down at an alarming rate, Olam CEO Sunny Verghese said on Monday. Robusta futures may gain as much as $200 a ton in coming months, as exports from Brazil and Indonesia are set to fall after dry weather curbed yields and farmers in Vietnam may decide to continue withholding beans, Carlos Mera Arzeno, an analyst at Rabobank, said earlier this month. Pepper shipment Pepper shipments from Vietnam, the worlds biggest producer, will likely rise 13 percent this year, pushing down export prices, according to the chairman of the nations industry group. Exports will climb to 150,000 metric tons from about 133,000 tons in 2015, Do Ha Nam, the chairman of the Vietnam Pepper Association, said in an interview. While production will also riseby 10 percent to about 140,000 tonshe said output from the likes of India, Indonesia and Malaysia will probably decline because of the impact of El Nino, limiting the effect on global supply. The average export price of Vietnamese pepper will drop from last year, while remaining higher than 2014, Nam said. The rate was about $9,500 a ton in 2015 and $7,750 the year before, customs data show. Vietnamese farmers still have relatively strong capability of controlling prices so prices may not fall much, Nam said on February 26 in a phone interview from Ho Chi Minh City. Growers are still making huge profits so they arent holding back sales. The area of pepper plantings will rise to 100,000 hectares (ha) (250,000 acres) this year, from 80,000 to 85,000 ha last year, he said. The new vines will take three years to come into production, eventually dragging on prices, he said. Heads up to prevent injury from falls Morning walks in my neighborhood are one of the most enjoyable parts of my day. I love the coolness of daybreak and the special sightings of the stag and two does that frequent our open space. I also enjoy my walk because each day at... Signs that point to the best time for retirement Ive been thinking a lot about retirement lately. One of our amazing staff members, who has been with Senior Concerns for the last 13 years, retired last month. It just doesnt seem real. I always thought of Dana as young. Certainly not the person to... Rethinking the mandatory retirement age How old is too old for working at a job? Last week a news story hit my inbox and it really got me to thinking about age and retirement. The article noted that Target Corp. abandoned its mandatory retirement age of 65 for its CEO,... Tips to promoting a healthy nights sleep for children Question: Help, please. My daughter is almost 2 years old and has been an easy child to put into her own bed. Yet in the past few weeks she is purposefully stretching out the bedtime routine longer and longer. She wants more: more stories, more... Nathan Tinkler is officially bust, but it does not mean it will necessarily leave him out on the street with a begging bowl. Not when our canny former sparky from Newcastle went to the trouble of setting up a family trust well before any trouble began. Nathan Tinkler has officially been declared bankrupt. Credit:Jonathan Carroll How well it was set up, and when assets were parked into it, will determine whether Tinkler's trustee can claw anything back on behalf of creditors, which are owed hundreds of millions of dollars. Assets in the trust include the $US15 million mansion he acquired in Maui, Hawaii, in 2012 on 12,500 square metres of land. It was considered a hefty price for a pad that was not actually on the beach front. It is not known what other assets of value are in the trust. Devoid of any competition, and left to their own devices, networks could in theory charge as much as they wanted for delivering their service. They could be fat, lazy and over-invest in infrastructure, so-called "gold plating" of networks. Consumers would end up paying highly inflated prices and the economy as a whole would suffer. State governments might find themselves complicit, more inclined to turn a blind eye to the excessive costs imposed on households so they could keep collecting supercharged dividends to fatten their budgets. In fact, that's a pretty good description of exactly what has happened over the past decade, when electricity prices doubled. In response, the national electricity regulator was given increased powers to take a more nuanced approach to setting prices, which took into account how the efficiency of Australia's electricity networks compared to a benchmark of international networks. The comparison was not a pretty one. Australian networks, and NSW networks in particular, emerged as some of the most bloated and least efficient in the world. The electricity regulator responded last year, slashing the amount the NSW networks would be allowed to recoup from customers by billions of dollars over five years. This would have delivered households a $100 to $300 annual saving, depending on their network. Retaliation from the networks was swift. Amid wild threats of massive job losses and increased bushfire risks, they lawyered up, taking the regulator to the Australian Competition Tribunal seeking to have it overturn the decision. A legal fee feeding frenzy ensued. Pretty soon, the networks had engaged all the top silks in Sydney, forcing their opponents, the Public Interest Advocacy Centre, to fly barristers in from Melbourne to mount the case that consumers should pay even less than the regulator had determined. More than 40 barristers assembled in a Phillip Street court for three weeks of hearings last year. Together they threw thousands of pages of submissions and evidence at the tribunals' three members: a judge and two economists. No doubt the tribunal members assessed the evidence before them carefully, and to the best of their ability. But it is it any wonder that, under such an onslaught, they ultimately ruled last Friday in favour of many of the network's grievances? The effect of their 300-plus page judgment is that the regulator must go back to the drawing board on the way it determines allowable revenue. Instead of benchmarking networks against an international benchmark, revenue must be determined on a "bottom up" assessment of costs. Whereas the regulator had pointed the finger at enterprise bargaining contracts signed by the networks and unions as too generous, the tribunal has ruled all those costs as given. So too, where the regulator had deemed contracts signed by the networks for maintenance of vegetation around poles and wires as excessively priced, the tribunal says the costs are allowable in full. Where the regulator had tried to apply "incentive regulation", designed to squeeze the networks to curtail costs, the tribunal's decision essentially green lights a "cost of service" methodology, in which all costs incurred, however inefficient, can be passed on to customers. The bottom line is that you will end up paying more for electricity. It's not clear exactly when the bill shock will hit. The tribunal's judgment is so complex, it will likely take the regulator at least a year to come up with another price determination. We are already two years into the five year pricing period, so any increase in costs will have to be recovered by large increases in electricity prices, possibly as soon as July 1, but more likely heavily back loaded in years to come. Worse, there is nothing to say the networks won't simply haul the regulator back to the tribunal for an even more favourable decision. An extraordinary situation now exists where the national electricity regulator is effectively subordinate to a three-member tribunal. The use and abuse of economic modelling has become so bad in Australia that we need to adopt a code of conduct for economic consultants, similar to those followed by auditors and actuaries, the Australia Institute says. The Australia Institute is calling for a code of conduct to be introduced in the wake of the saga surrounding modelling produced by BIS Shrapnel on Thursday, which purports to show the economic consequences of restricting negative gearing to new residential properties. The modelling was being championed by Treasurer Scott Morrison, who said it showed Labor's proposal on negative gearing was ill-designed. It predicted that abolishing negative gearing on established dwellings would wipe $19 billion from Australia's gross domestic product and push up rental prices by 10 per cent. Beijing: Were the headlines an inadvertent juxtaposition or a subversive hidden message protesting Communist Party censorship? Read separately, the headlines on the February 20 front page of the Southern Metropolis Daily seemed innocuous enough but have landed the Guangzhou tabloid's editors and management in hot water. The front page of the Southern Metropolis Daily with the controversial headlines highlighted. "The party- and government-run media are a propaganda front and must be surnamed 'party'," the first banner headline read, covering Chinese President Xi Jinping's high-profile visit the day before to the Communist Party's three main state-run news organs: the People's Daily newspaper, the Xinhua newsagency and national broadcaster CCTV. Just below it was a shorter, four-character headline, "Soul Returns to the Sea", accompanying a large photograph and story about the sea burial of prominent reformist businessman Yuan Geng. Numerous Canberrans have been stung by scammers purporting to be the Australian Federal Police, ACT Policing says. Police said they received multiple calls from the public on Thursday relating to an email scam, which appears to be serving a subpoena from the Australian Federal Police. A screenshot of the fake email. The Australian Federal Police do not issue subpoenas via email. The AFP does not issue subpoenas via email. There are several links on the email which seem to be malicious. Police are urging people who receive the email not to click on it and to delete it from your inbox and deleted folder. A Canberra grocery business has been fined more than $7000 for offering antibiotics for sale over the counter. The ACT's Health Protection Service received a report from a member of the public that Capital Groceries in Belconnen was selling amoxycillin capsules without a prescription in June 2014. Court documents showed health inspectors visited the store soon after and found numerous products that were labelled to contain scheduled medicines. The medications were displayed on shelves behind the store's counter, where they were plainly visible to customers and had price stickers on them. Inspectors seized more than 1000 tablets and capsules, powders and more than 500 lozenges for analysis. Canberra Girls Grammar is canvassing the option of taking boys up to and including Year 3 in order to feed them directly into nearby single-sex boys' schools, St Edmund's and Marist Colleges. In an email to parents on Thursday, Principal Anne Coutts asked parents to provide feedback to the school on the proposal. Currently boys are enrolled from pre-school to Year 2. Prior to this year, Canberra Girls Grammar was closely aligned with Canberra Grammar an all-boys school. They both took girls and boys up until Year 2 and then provided a reciprocal enrolment guarantee for Year 3. But Canberra Grammar's decision to move to co-education had resulted in an end to the co-operation between the schools and Canberra Grammar has enrolled 28 girls across Year 3 and 4 this year, with intakes to follow in Year 7 and Year 11 next year. He is adept at involving his audience in his shows, and is known for disarming his audiences with his warmth and honesty and pouncing on them. Amos has a special relationship with Australia having recorded his first DVD here. He also regularly tours here and has appeared on a number of television shows including Thank God You're Here and Spicks and Specks. It's a testament to the quality of the festival, now in its fourth year, that it is able to attract comedians of Amos' stature. He is among today's comedy elite, delivering material that is intelligent, thoughtful and self-deprecating. He embodies all the qualities good comedians should aspire towards. Canberra is set to host a stellar comedy line-up when the Canberra Comedy Festival kicks off this month and one of the highlights is sure to be British comedian Stephen K Amos. "A really good, memorable night for me tends to come from my audience," he says. "When you tour as much as me, you have to have a good honed script full of gags that you know and love, but it's great if something spontaneous can happen in the room to shake it all up and produce some comedy gold that's unique to the night. Otherwise it can start to feel like Groundhog Day for me and I forget where I am and what I'm doing." Amos' comedy is often targeted towards progressing important social issues. For example, at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2006 he used his show to publicly acknowledge his homosexuality to his audience for the first time. Footage of Amos coming out publicly was later used in his Batty Man television documentary, broadcast on Channel 4 in Britain. "I think there's still a long way to go for gay people to find acceptance in society in all corners of the globe; marriage equality would be a good start, Australia," Amos says. "However, every voice of support counts and every gay man and woman who has the confidence to come out, whether they're in the public eye or not, helps to promote an open discussion. "That said, I was looking online at a map of the world where same sex marriage is legal and it's getting bigger every year. Every time a new country joins the list, that's millions more couples that celebrate their love for each other in the most public way possible I actually can't see a downside to that." Having achieved success across such a broad range of mediums print, television, radio Amos is surprisingly down-to-earth when asked about his career highlight. "I love my job and making people laugh is a daily highlight but a major moment of pride came a few years ago when my mum and dad came to see me play live," he says. Chief Minister Andrew Barr has all-but abandoned a full board of inquiry into the Fluffy affair, saying he had failed to win the support of the Commonwealth or NSW and won't do it without them. The news came as a body blow to some owners of the asbestos-contaminated houses who have been holding out for an inquiry to get to the bottom of how the dangerous loose-fill asbestos insulation was allowed to be pumped into ceilings and its handling since. The first Fluffy pilot demolition in Sternberg Crescent, Wanniassa in 2015. Andrew Barr has all but abandoned an inquiry into the Fluffy disaster. Credit:Jamila Toderas Owners want to know why "Mr Fluffy" Dirk Jansen was allowed to sell and install the asbestos insulation for more than a decade from from 1968 until 1979, despite warnings from federal bureaucrats about the dangers. They want scrutiny of the clean up program of the late 1980s and early 1990s, when 65,000 homes were surveyed and about 1080 homes were found to contain the asbestos. It was removed from the ceilings, but not from the walls or subfloors of houses, and it was only after the 2013 discovery of a Downer home missed in the clean up, where the extent of contamination of walls and subfloors was revealed, that the ACT government decided to buy back and demolish every Fluffy home. The ACT Greens have called for a major overhaul of drug policy in Australia including the removal of criminal sanctions for personal drug use. Greens MLA and Corrections Minister Shane Rattenbury said the current approach to drug policy was clearly failing and politicians needed to embrace systemic reforms that prioritise health outcomes rather than law enforcement. ACT Corrections Minister Shane Rattenbury has called for the country's drug laws to be reformed. Credit:Jay Cronan "Regardless of your position on the issue the truth is quite a number of Australians take drugs and that number is increasing," he said. Mr Rattenbury also called for a controversial pill testing trial at music festivals to be brought to Canberra, describing it as a simple initiative that would save lives. Tara Costigan was holding her one-week old baby at the time she was attacked. Prosecutor Shane Drumgold said while Rappel admitted to the assault, the defence would dispute the seriousness of the injuries he inflicted. The court was told the two-day court hearing would include evidence from three witnesses, CCTV footage and documentation. Tara Costigan's uncle Michael Costigan outside court on Thursday. Credit:Jamila Toderas Barrister Steven Whybrow indicated Rappel's defence team would call medical evidence. Court documents tendered in September said Ms Costigan had fled to the home's laundry with her baby girl when Rappel arrived at the house. Tara Costigan. Her sister, Rikki Schmidt, tried to pull her through to the garage before Rappel allegedly struck Ms Costigan with the axe and she fell to the ground. The axe allegedly hit the hand of Ms Schmidt at the same time and severed a tendon. Ms Schmidt's partner Bryce Bullman then knocked the axe out of Rappel's hands. Rappel, according to the court documents, is alleged to have said: "I killed her, I killed her, I think I killed her." Police arrived and arrested Rappel, who is said to have told them: "Can I say something? I murdered someone. You're going to use everything. I'm never getting out." "Come on lads, what do you think I'm gonna do? Plead not guilty?" Ms Costigan's two sons, aged nine and 11, were inside the Duggan Street house at the time. Her violent killing sent shockwaves throughout the community and triggered a powerful debate over the ACT's response to domestic violence. Mr Costigan said his niece's family and friends would now prepare themselves for the hearing and sentence proceedings, which are expected to take place later this year. "It's a huge relief for our family and Tara's friends that he's at least pleaded guilty to what he did." "We're really just taking it in, it's a big relief in some sense but it's just another step in the process that hasn't finished yet. "There's been this burdensome unknown that's been there for quite some time. It's good to finally put that to rest." He voiced some frustration over the length of time it had taken for Rappel to plead. "In my opinion it shouldn't take a year to admit to what you've done but obviously there was a process that they have to go through." "How can it keep continuing on when it just seems so obvious? To be perfectly frank, I think it's a case of trying to get the greatest level of leniency in a situation that doesn't really warrant any leniency." Mr Costigan said what his niece's two young sons witnessed during the attack was "incredibly traumatising" but family members were looking out for the physical and emotional wellbeing of all three children. "We're a big family, and it's not just our family, it's also Tara's maternal family, we're all a big family and we're looking after each other and it's just part of the process." Mr Costigan, who last year started the Tara Costigan Foundation to raise awareness of domestic abuse, said the case had also highlighted the need for a dedicated family violence court. "This is a major issue in Australia," he said. Loading "We just can't keep going with the status quo and thinking what we've been doing has been working, because clearly it hasn't." Perhaps the closest thing you will ever hear to the sound of freedom is the howl of a Merlin V12 coming from a World War II era Spitfire. That plane celebrates its 80th birthday this Saturday. The first Spitfire prototype took to the skies it would dominate for more than a decade at 4.30pm on March 5, 1936. The Temora Aviation Museum's Lockheed Hudson. This is a sister plane to the Hudson that is currently being restored at the Australian War Memorial's Mitchell annex which recently featured in this column. Credit:David Ellery While no single type of plane can claim credit for winning a war or, in this case, even the Battle of Britain, the Spitfire comes very close. What is remarkable, given the role these machines have played in shaping the history of the world, is that there are two still flying from a country airfield just over two hours north-west of Canberra. In a global industry filled with big egos, Mr Al Baker is by far the most talked-about character. At cocktail parties, stories abound about his chronic tendency to keep people waiting, his practice of quickly firing anyone who displeases him and the way his airline enforces rules viewed by most Westerners as draconian upon female cabin crew. "I know that my airline is always creating a lot of hype wherever we go," he said at the start of the hour-long session. "I'm sure you also know I'm a very controversial figure in the aviation industry." Arriving 30 minutes late to a press conference celebrating the launch of the carrier's first services between Doha and Sydney on Thursday, he is introduced to the waiting media crowd as "His Excellency". Outside the press conference venue, the Transport Workers Union was holding its third protest in as many weeks about the airline's labour practices, such as requiring 12-hour enforced "rest" periods for cabin crew before each flight. The TWU is due to hold a fourth demonstration on Thursday evening outside a gala dinner for VIPs that will feature an exclusive performance by Kylie Minogue. Mr Al Baker is unfazed. "I think that giving negative projections or negative reflections by certain trade unions that are not allowed in my country does not mean Qatar does not give equal rights to women," he said when questioned by media. "My country is very modern. In my country you can mix with men. You can swim in the same swimming pool. We have lady drivers. Women have equal rights as men under the constitution." Rapidly growing Qatar Airways is known for having a luxurious in-flight product like fellow Gulf carriers Emirates and Etihad Airways. Its attitude toward safety, however, came under scrutiny in December after Mr Al Baker claimed runway overruns like one that occurred on one of his airline's 777s in Miami in September "happen quite often". A preliminary report by the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority found the aircraft, with four pilots on the flight deck, overran the runway by nearly 300 metres and clipped the landing lights upon take-off before flying on to Doha for 13.5 hours, apparently oblivious to the damage to the airframe. A century after Australian pharmacists banded together to stop UK retailer Boots the Chemist from setting up shop, global health care company Walgreens Boots Alliance is once again eyeing the $15 billion national retail pharmacy market. Walgreens Boots Alliance registered its trademark with IP Australia late last year and is looking at options to expand in Australia, including establishing a Boots franchise network and gaining distribution for its health and beauty brands in local pharmacies. Boots has been trying to enter the Australian market for more than 100 years. Credit:AP The group is also keen to acquire or distribute Australian health and beauty brands to distribute across its retail network, which includes 13,000 company-owned pharmacies in eight countries, and its wholesale network, which supplies more than 140,000 pharmacies, health centres and hospitals in 12 countries. Walgreens Boots Alliance's global brands president Ken Murphy said the group would ideally like to open company-owned Boots pharmacies in Australia, but was prevented from doing so under existing pharmacy ownership laws. Do you remember Carlo Giuliani? Few do. Yet his death in July 2001, shot by Italian police while protesting against the G8 Summit in Genoa was front page news world-wide because the anti-globalisation protests were in full swing. Swedish police had shot three protesters in Gothenburg; Austrian police had authorised use of live ammunition against protesters in Salzburg; and, while violence was limited at the protests against the World Economic Forum meeting in Melbourne in 2000, thousands of ordinary Australians from university students to middle-aged suburbanites blocked access to the event at the Crown Casino. Indeed, protests at the WTO meeting in 1999 in Seattle had been so disruptive they contributed to the failure to launch the trade round there and to its subsequent launch at Doha. Major protests were scheduled for the IMF/World Bank meetings in September 2001, and then the Twin Towers fell, and the protests were cancelled. Later attempts were made to restart the protest movement but the focus of world media had turned to terrorism, and the protests against globalisation lost traction. Yet globalisation continued apace, and now has had effects no one could have predicted the political rise of Donald Trump. His victory in the Super Tuesday primaries this week can be principally attributed to the impact of globalisation upon ordinary Americans; and yet, paradoxically, no other candidate's positions are as likely to lead to a trade war and a reduction in globalisation as The Donald's. Trump didn't win because of his policies, for he has none, but merely slogans. He didn't win because of his record of political leadership, as he has none of that either. He didn't win because he's some sort of American everyman, because he isn't. Americans tend to be courteous, considerate and polite. Trump is rude, boorish and crass. And he certainly didn't win because of his hair. Trump is winning because globalisation, and the resulting practices of American manufacturers, have eviscerated the middle and working classes in America. Well-paying manufacturing jobs in much of middle America have moved abroad and been replaced by low-paid jobs in services. People with satisfying jobs making things and earning $25 an hour have had to take jobs as shop assistants or cleaners at $8 an hour. The book The Great Unwinding, by George Packer, tells the painful story of families and entire neighbourhoods devastated by unemployment or full-time jobs that pay below the poverty line. Eric Brown 19192016 Captain Eric "Winkle" Brown flew 487 different types of aircraft and made 2407 deck landings at sea and 2721 take-offs, world records unlikely to be broken. He flew every major combat aircraft of World War II, including gliders, fighters, bombers, airliners, amphibians, flying boats and helicopters, and his contribution to aviation research covered transonic flight, assessment of German jets and rocket aircraft, rotary wing flight, and the first carrier deck landing of a jet aircraft. Captain Eric "Winkle" Brown in Farnborough, England. Credit:PA Eric Melrose Brown was born on January 21, 1919, in Edinburgh. In 1936, his father took him to the Olympics in Berlin, where they met Hermann Goering and Ernst Udet, both World War I fighter aces. Udet took young Brown flying in a two-seat Bucker Jungmann and, after throwing the aircraft around the skies, declared that Brown had the temperament of a fighter pilot and must learn to fly. Brown was a student teacher at Schule Schloss Salem in Germany when he was woken one morning in 1939 to be told: "Our countries are at war"; he was arrested by the SS and escorted to the Swiss border. The issue of advocates' immunity was last addressed by the High Court in 2005 in D'Orta-Ekenaike v Victoria Legal Aid. D'Orta-Ekenaike initially pleaded guilty to a charge of rape but withdrew his plea at trial. Despite withdrawing his plea the prosecution relied upon his initial decision to plead guilty and he was convicted. On appeal his conviction was quashed and in the retrial the evidence of his plea of guilty was not admitted and he was acquitted. D'Orta-Ekenaike sued his barrister and Victoria Legal Aid claiming that he only pleaded guilty after being advised that he had no defence, that he would receive a suspended sentence if he pleaded guilty, and that if he failed to plead guilty he would receive a custodial sentence. The case concerned court proceedings to determine Attwells' liability to pay $1.8 million under a guarantee he had given in support of a bank loan. Due to advice from his solicitor, he settled the matter by entering an agreement with the bank that resulted in him being required to pay $3.4 million. Attwells sued the law firm for negligent legal advice. However, the NSW Court of Appeal held that Attwells could not be successful due to advocates' immunity as the legal advice provided was sufficiently related to the conduct of the case in court. In Australia lawyers have immunity from legal suits, but they are not immune in other jurisdictions including Canada, the US and New Zealand. Credit:Jim Rice This "advocates' immunity" defence has been strongly criticised and there have been repeated calls for the immunity to be abolished or at least narrowed. Those against immunity may have grounds for hope as the High Court will reconsider it this month in an appeal from the NSW Court of Appeal decision of Jackson Lalic Lawyers v Gregory Ian Attwells. In Australia a lawyer cannot be sued in negligence for their work during court proceedings or for out-of-court work that leads to a decision affecting the conduct of a case in court. The High Court found against D'Orta-Ekenaike in a 6:1 decision (Justice Kirby dissenting) that upheld advocates' immunity. Out of the many reasons considered by the court, the majority strongly emphasised the fundamental importance of ensuring finality in judicial proceedings. The court was concerned that allowing lawyers to be sued for work related to court proceedings would open up the potential for ongoing litigation by providing every losing party the ability to continue to litigate their matter by suing their lawyers. Such an outcome, in the court's view, had the potential to impair the ability of legal advocates to focus on the administration of justice and would undermine public confidence in the legal system. The claim that the immunity is an important part of a properly functioning judicial system is difficult to sustain. One of the strongest arguments in favour of abolishing the immunity is that its absence in other jurisdictions does not appear to have caused significant problems. Such a point was made by Justice Kirby in his dissenting judgment where he noted that advocates' immunity does not exist in the US, Canada, the European Union, Singapore, India, Malaysia, and New Zealand, yet these legal systems do not appear to have suffered from the concerns expressed by the majority of the High Court. The immunity also harms the public's perception of the legal system as it can easily be understood as an example of the legal profession looking after its own. When the law makes it possible to sue those involved in other occupations but not lawyers it can cause the community to develop negative perceptions of the legal profession. Further, in those jurisdictions that have abolished the immunity there is no persuasive evidence that indicates that its abolition has led to an increase in the length of trials, a reduced willingness of legal professionals to engage in pro bono work, an increase in insurance premiums, or a flood of law suits against legal advocates. The removal of the immunity may also increase public confidence in the legal system through raising the standard of legal advocacy by exposing lawyers to negligence actions for their court work. Finally, the immunity violates a basic principle of justice that a person who has been wronged should be able to secure a legal remedy. At the upcoming High Court case it is uncertain whether the court will reconsider the merits of allowing advocates' immunity in its entirety or will instead have a more narrow focus on whether the immunity should be modified. Thank you Ronda Wakeley (Letters 3 March) for your views on Cardinal Pell/Royal Commission. I was feeling alone in wondering what the whole business was about. When the Royal Commission for Sexual Abuse into children was instituted by Julia Gillard I was under the impression that it was to cover the whole field schools, churches, sporting bodies etc., but it has degenerated into "Get Pell" making him responsible for the whole problem in this country even though he has never been charged or convicted of anything. I am one of those who had happy days in a Catholic school even though my family was very underprivileged as were family members who were housed, schooled and trained in a Catholic orphanage. I have questioned three generations of family who also attended Catholic schools and not one of them can remember any sexual abuse. Cardinal George Pell had talks with the Pope at the Vatican on Monday. Credit:AP Gloria Healey Condell Park Perhaps George Pell will now resort to the oft used excuse by brigands, that being: "He failed to make enquiries for fear of learning that which he did not wish to know"? The victims who have made the pilgrimage to Rome deserve an audience with the Pope. Tony Abbott's regular complaint about a "feral Senate" obstructing his plans always seemed absurd, given it came from the same man who ridiculed Julia Gillard's attempts to compromise and to navigate minority government. The upper house of Federal Parliament was not to blame for Abbott's woeful prime ministership, but he was correct on one score: reform of the system for electing senators is overdue. The tablecloth size of the Senate ballot paper handed to voters at the polling booth is a marker of the problem. At issue is not the number of candidates that appear, and care must be taken not to create needless barriers to a person seeking to enter Parliament. The real problem results from the nearly invisible gamesmanship at play "below the line" on the outsized Senate ballot paper. Only about 3 per cent of the electorate has enough interest to painstakingly fill out a preference for 100 or more individual candidates. But secret deals on the allocation of preferences among these candidates by political parties that register "above the line" allow the harvesting of votes. The upshot of this trade in preferences has seen micro-parties win a Senate seat on the back of a tiny percentage of the overall vote. The result in Victoria is illustrative, with the Democratic Labor Party resurrected from the grave and the Motoring Enthusiast Party's Ricky Muir able to secure a seat with a mere 0.5 per cent of the vote. MUSIC CALEXICO Hamer Hall, March 2 There's a big story swirling inside Calexico's dust storm. There are dark horse fugitives with hands trembling on guns. There are tragic trysts under windswept trees. And horns. Always with the horns, arriving like the cavalry or rice-throwing wedding guests at the peak of the drama. Calexico's dusty road was more immersion than revelation. Credit:Paco Gomez It was hard to be more specific at the Tucson-born blokes' return to Melbourne. Musically, they've long found their home near the Mexican border town that gives them their name. Steel whines, guitars twang and trill in flamenco flurries. John Convertino's drums make like hooves dragging across parched deserts and scrabbling over canyon streams. What was frustrating was that barely a murmured word that passed Joey Burns' lips conveyed itself above the atmosphere, fine-tuned over nine albums now to a point that felt a little too comfortable, even homogenous without the guest stars (Neko Case, Pieta Brown, Sam Beam) that sparked up their latest album, Edge of the Sun. MUSIC DEJAN LAZIC Great Performers Melbourne Recital Centre March 2 Forget the hype and controversy about his Washington Post review and subsequent appeal to the European Union: Dejan Lazic is the real deal. He's a pianist with promise, yes, but on Wednesday night's showing, he is already an exceptional musician of high individuality, equipped with a technical skill and interpretative insight that distinguish him in a crowded field as a master, a risk-taker in his full-throated attack and a trailblazer with a program that kept you interested and involved throughout. Dejan Lazic's program kept you interested and involved throughout. Credit:Photographer:HansButtermilch Lazic began with C.P.E. Bach, who brought a new adventurousness to keyboard writing, well illustrated here in a stunning prestissimo character piece and a compact, harmonically quirky sonata. The pianist's touch an old-fashioned word is flawless, every note given exact weight, each line audible and woven into a balanced mesh. Britten's rarely-heard Holiday Diary further revealed a firm control, sparkling and meditative in turn. But the recital's second half offered a performance master-class in one uninterrupted sequence. Lazic's six Scarlatti sonata interpretations were models of fluent elegance, all familiar to most pianists but given subtle wrenches and dynamic vitality, including remarkable readings of the K. 135a in E and the toccata K. 82 in F. But the pianist's extraordinary gift burst out formidably in his Bartok brackets: the Six Bulgarian Dances, the Kossuth Funeral March and the vehement Rondos on Slovak Tunes: all interpretations of character and drive. He might take you aback with his novel views, but Lazic keeps you both challenged and delighted. This became obvious when Lawrence Mooney hit back at a reviewer in Adelaide over a particularly critical assessment of his show that resulted in a war of words between the journalist and Mooney. "He is probably the best comedian in Australia," Edmonds said. "It was difficult to watch someone, who didn't know what they were talking about, say he wasn't very good." "It's insulting comedy royalty, which is insulting to all of us," Power continued. Edmonds' and Power's friendship stretches beyond the confines of having gigs in nearby theatres, they are also part of a sketch comedy group making fun of patriot groups. "I don't know if you have ever read an Australian partiot's monologue, but they are hilarious," Edmonds said. The group has a Facebook page called True Australian Patriots where they post videos that are eerily similar to the kind of videos you might find on the less satirical patriot-type sites. "Some people just don't get it," Power said. "The majority do, fortunately." Sometimes the patriots who take their position seriously even involve themselves in the discussion. "We have had actual patriots post on the site things like 'stop it, you're ruining it'," Edmonds said. The pair, along with fellow comedian Greg Larsen, will bring their True Australian Patriots Live show to the Brisbane Powerhouse from March 18, but before that they both have their own shows to get through. Power, whose last show was a very personal journey through his break up with his ex-partner, is looking a little less deeply into his own soul this time. "It's got some stuff on evolution, the next step in human evolution, we talk about aliens and genetic modification, violence in our species," he said. But he hasn't ventured too far from home for comedy fodder. "I was living with my ex and our son for a while while she was dating someone else, so that's in there too," he said. If you think that doesn't sound particularly amusing, he promises it will be. "I only do stuff that is really funny and light and fun," he said. Edmonds said she explores her more conservative side in her show. "I don't know how it happened, but my show ended up being about my ex-boyfriends," she said. Australian National University modelling of the Coalition's new childcare package suggests more families will be hit by the proposed changes than the Turnbull government's figures show. The modelling, commissioned by Early Childhood Australia, says about 330,000 families will be worse off under the changes due to start in July 2017, compared to about 184,000 in the government's figures. Minister Simon Birmingham Credit:Daniel Munoz Education Minister Simon Birmingham told Fairfax Media the government had access to a different data set and its modelling could "absolutely be trusted". The ANU figures also show only 708,400 families will be better off or experience no change, compared to the government's predicted 956,200. The Manus Island detention centre is a "problem" that has done more damage to Papua New Guinea's reputation than any other factor, the nation's Prime Minister Peter O'Neill says, saying the facility must eventually close. Speaking at the National Press Club in Canberra on Thursday, Mr O'Neill also said his government could not afford to resettle those found to be genuine refugees, fuelling concern that vulnerable men on the island will continue to languish with an uncertain future. PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill says the Manus Island detention centre needs to be closed down. Credit:Nick Moir The Turnbull government is responsible for meeting the costs of detention and resettlement at the Manus Island facility, which houses single men. As Fairfax Media reported last month, more than 60 refugees live in limbo at the Manus Island transit centre at Lorengau, while more than 900 are in their third year at the detention centre. More than half of those in detention have been found to be refugees. Fyodor Dostoevsky, the 19th Century Russian author, once famously challenged his brother to try out a strange task: Don't think about a polar bear right now. "Try to pose for yourself this task: not to think of a polar bear, and you will see that the cursed thing will come to mind every minute," Dostoevsky writes in "Winter Notes on Summer Impressions". Since then, people have puzzled over what happens in the brain when we try intentionally to ignore things. Can we actually succeed in ignoring certain information, and improve our focus on everything else? Or does trying to ignore something actually divert the brain toward that thing, sucking up brain space like Dostoevsky's polar bear? Can we actually succeed in ignoring certain information, and improve our focus on everything else? Credit:Getty In the past, psychological research has been divided. But a new paper from researchers at Johns Hopkins University reconsiders that debate, and suggests that learning to ignore certain things is a powerful tool for helping people focus. You can try the basic task for yourself with this video quiz below. Does learning what to ignore help you speed up your search? Cardinal George Pell strenuously denied lying under oath at the royal commission during his final day of evidence into an inquiry about his knowledge of sexual offences perpetrated by a number of priests in Victoria. Giving evidence by video link from Rome, Cardinal Pell was asked by the legal representative for a number of victims whether he was shifting blame to Ronald Mulkearns, the former bishop of Ballarat where a large number of children were abused. Barrister Jim Shaw stated to Cardinal Pell: "I suggest to you very directly that you are lying about this to protect your reputation." The group, which is still pushing to meet Pope Francis, will put the request to Australia's most senior Catholic, Cardinal George Pell, when they meet with him. They will also meet a member of the Pontifical Commission for Protection on Minors, an institution which deals with the rampant sexual abuse of children at the hands of Catholic clergy. Paul Levey a child sexual abuse victim, says he has no faith in Cardinal Pell. Credit:Melissa Cunningham Survivors initially rejected a meeting with the Cardinal after he was accused of "designing" his evidence at the Royal Commission into Institutional Response into Child Sexual Abuse to deflect blame from himself. But after the Cardinal dropped restrictions, including that survivors not speak to the media about the meeting, they had a change of heart. For several victims, the idea of meeting Cardinal Pell following his evidence this week is too painful and they have rejected the offer. An eight metre boat has capsized in Elizabeth Bay, leaking fuel into the Harbour and sending fumes floating through nearby residences. The boat sank at its mooring and spilled 20 to 50 litres of fuel into the bay, a Port Authority of NSW spokesman said. "The smell was extremely intense and the whole neighbourhood came out to see what was causing it," a concerned resident said. Credit:James Brickwood However, Fire & Rescue NSW tweeted the amount was closer to 300 litres. Jessica McNamara's father had just been charged with murder, when a visitor arrived at her southern Sydney home and delivered a chilling message, a court has heard. The visitor told her that she needed to be afraid of former policeman Roger Rogerson the man who allegedly carried out a killing with her father, Glen McNamara. "It's not the triads you need to be afraid of, it's Roger. He knows where you live. University student Matthew Forti is appealing against his jail sentence for supplying the "purple speaker" ecstasy pills that led to the death of former private schoolgirl Georgina Bartter. Last August Forti was sentenced to a minimum of 12 months' and maximum of 22 months' jail for three counts of supplying prohibited drugs, including four MDMA tablets he sold to Ms Bartter's best friend Rebecca Hannibal. Matthew Forti at the Downing Centre District Court last year. Credit:Nick Moir In the Court of Criminal Appeal on Thursday, a sentencing appeal hearing was set down for June 6. Ms Bartter died from a drug overdose on November 8, 2014, after attending the Harbourlife dance festival, which is run by events company Fuzzy. Lawyers for Toowoomba teen Oliver Bridgeman, who had a warrant issued for his arrest on Thursday, have described the move as a political stunt. The Australian Federal Police obtained an arrest warrant for Mr Bridgeman relating to incursions into foreign countries with the intention of engaging in hostile activities. "The AFP can confirm the Brisbane Joint Counter Terrorism Team has obtained an arrest warrant for Oliver Bridgeman," a spokesman for the AFP said in a statement. "The warrant relates to a breach of Section 119.1 of the Commonwealth Criminal Code Act (1995) - Incursions into foreign countries with the intention of engaging in hostile activities. A Supreme Court bail application by one of two men accused of killing Brisbane athlete Cole Miller has been thwarted at the last minute by the Australian Border Force. Daniel Maxwell, a New Zealand national, was due to apply for bail on Thursday morning, however, just half an hour before the case was set to be heard, his lawyer Michael Bosscher was informed by immigration officials that, if successful, Mr Maxwell would be immediately taken into immigration custody. The 21-year-old is in Australia on a special category visa. If taken into immigration detention, Mr Maxwell could be shifted to any of a number of Australian detention centres. "There was kind of a delay in applying it to fashion and I think that's because there was a stigma behind rental," she says. "Now it is becoming aspirational because women and men are realising they can access designers and dressing that might be otherwise out of their reach. It's about having access to luxury in a way where ownership is not affordable for many people." Author Rachel Botsman says the fashion industry is just catching on to demand for access over ownership. Credit:Lee Besford Botsman says now customers are more comfortable about paying for usage not ownership the idea of paying thousands of dollars for a dress you would wear once or twice makes less sense. "So we are seeing an accelerated explosion in fashion rental," she says. Botsman says the logistics and experience around these platforms has changed dramatically over the past three years. "Pick up, drop off, cleaning they are removing the friction out of this experience." Getting started GlamCorner is e-commerce meets air traffic control. Dean Jones GlamCorner started when Khaing-Jones had the classic dilemma of looking in her wardrobe and thinking, "I have nothing to wear." "I ended up buying all these clothes I only wore once. Then you get tagged on Facebook so you can't wear it again. I started Googling around for a place to rent dresses and I thought, 'Why isn't anyone doing this in Australia?'" The pair bootstrapped GlamCorner with their savings of $20,000 and found the model worked. Jones says the latest funding round will enable GlamCorner to double its stock of 1000 dresses from 70 designers and improve the businesses' technology platform. "GlamCorner is e-commerce mets air traffic control," Jones says. "We have spent a lot of time investing in our e-commerce platform but we are seeing a lot of efficiencies come through." The start-up currently turns over more than $1 million a year and in the next year the pair expect to increase this to $3 million. Using data "This business at its soul is very much a logistics and technology company," Jones says. "We are super data driven to work out how we make buying decisions and to work out what styles are trending." GlamCorner works hard to observe customers behaviour on the site to see which outfits they are looking at, as well as those that are been ordered. The start-up is also using data to try to optimise logistics. Delivering a designer dress is a more tricky proposition than streaming a song or movie. The dress must arrive in perfect condition and on time. "It's a very event date driven business and any delay [in returns] can have a big flow-on effect," Jones says. Social media Millennials' obsession with Facebook, Twitter and Instagram have "played a big role" in GlamCorner's success, according to Khaing-Jones. Social media drives demand for fashion rental by customers who don't want to post pictures of themselves wearing the same outfit twice, and it also enables GlamCorner to get the word out. "Since day one it has given us so many customers and early feedback on the concept," Khaing Jones says. "Social proof is very important to every business these days. We use influencers [paid in a mix of product and cash] to spread the word about Glam Corner because the concept is still quite young." Increased competition GlamCorner was one of the early entrants into the fashion rental market in Australia but competition is now fierce with Dressed Up, Can I Borrow That?, Love Me and Leave Me and Something Borrowed all offering similar services. An inquest into the death of a 10-month-old Melbourne girl is over, with the babysitter cleared of killing her potentially facing a retrial. Chloe Murphy's life support was switched off in December 2010, two days after she was left in the care of Ketapat Jenkins at the babysitter's home in Kensington. Chloe Murphy died in December 2010. Coroner Jacqui Hawkins finished hearing evidence on Thursday and will deliver her findings in the next three to six months. Earlier in the week, Mrs Jenkins was excused from testifying after her barrister objected on the grounds of self-incrimination. Lord mayor Robert Doyle should be stripped of his Melbourne City Council credit card after reports emerged of $28,000 in personal spending, a fellow councillor has said. Labor councillor Richard Foster on Thursday posted a notice of motion to suspend Cr Doyle's use of a council credit card after reports of the lord mayor's spending appeared on the weekend. Melbourne lord mayor Robert Doyle. Credit:Craig Sillitoe Cr Foster requested managers at Melbourne City Council prepare a report on what councillors should be able to use a publicly-funded credit card for. He asked that the lord mayor's council credit card be suspended until this report had been presented to all councillors. One of two women held hostage in a cafe bravely refused a gunman's offer to be released out of concerns for her colleague, court papers say. Colin Wade Gower on Thursday pleaded guilty to keeping two women hostage in a cafe in Rye, on the Mornington Peninsula, for more than seven hours on December 5 last year, while armed police were outside. Police gather near the scene of the hostage situation in Rye on December 5, 2015. Credit:Jason Taylor Gower, 69, was armed with two handguns when he first took the pair hostage, about 7.45am, while they were preparing to open that Saturday morning, and ordered they tape up the curtains so nobody could see inside. One of the women, aged in her 40s, was Gower's ex-partner and the mother of his 11-year-old son. The other woman, aged in her 30s, worked at the cafe. WA Premier Colin Barnett said his son Sam got himself embroiled in a 'silly' and 'foolish' situation when he was charged with property damage on the Gold Coast earlier in the week. Sam Barnett, 26, and his girlfriend Melissa Garbin, 21, were charged after allegedly smashing each other's laptops and phones. Their loud arguing reportedly caused security to call the police to the hotel in the early hours of Monday morning. Mr Barnett appeared in the Southport Magistrates Court on Tuesday morning but the case was adjourned until March 30. Despite the sale of synthetic marijuana being banned in Western Australia, a string of outlets in the Perth metropolitan area appear to be flouting the new laws. Despite new laws, synthetic drugs are said to be widely available in Perth. Credit:Peter Stoop Federal Member for Perth Alannah MacTiernan told parliament on Thursday that she had been trying for four months to have action taken against Highgate business Cloud 9, which she suspects is selling the drug. "It's supposedly a smoking paraphernalia shop, but it's a place that has been generating some very anti-social behaviour," she said. By sitting on his little dais in front of his video screen in the back room of the Hotel Quirinale, this theory goes, Cardinal Pell placed himself in the hot glare of the world's attention. As this week of hearings in Rome went on, there has emerged a theory that the interests of transparent, feet-to-the-fire justice have been better served by Cardinal Pell not 'coming home' after all. TV cameras from around Europe covered his arrival and departure at the hotel and sought out, regularly, the voices and outrage of the abuse survivors who crossed the globe to face him. Cardinal George Pell leaving the Quirinale Hotel following the Royal Commission hearing on Tuesday. Credit:Getty Images The survivors themselves acknowledged this. After the first day of the hearing they expressed to me their satisfaction with arrangements the international media interest in their stories and wishes has been large, varied and sustained. Back in Australia, it's unlikely so many media would have invested the time and effort. Their curiosity may never have been piqued, it would have been something distant and obscure. And of course, in Rome, this whole odd Australian judicial adventure is taking place just down the road from the Vatican itself. 'Vaticanisti' media and observers came along to the hearings out of curiosity, and ended up glued to the video evidence. "The crowded conditions are leading to shortages of food, shelter, water and sanitation," Adrian Edwards, a spokeswoman for the United Nations refugee agency said in a statement this week. "Tensions have been building, fuelling violence and playing into the hands of people smugglers." Refugees and migrants near their tents near the Greek-Macedonian border, in Idomeni, on Monday. Credit:AP The move was prompted by tens of thousands of migrants being trapped in Greece as they seek asylum in northern Europe. Brussels: For the first time in its history, the European Union has announced plans for an emergency aid package to alleviate large-scale suffering inside its borders. About 9000 asylum seekers are stuck along the Greek-Macedonian border, according to monitoring groups. Migrants who have made it to Athens are crowded into camps and refugee centres that are either full or nearly so. European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid Christos Stylianides in Brussels on Wednesday. The EU wants to swiftly push through humanitarian aid proposal to deal with the refugee crisis. Credit:AP The spending proposal 700 million ($1 billion) which the bloc's member governments have yet to approve is intended to help those migrants trapped in Greece and, if needed, in other countries on the front lines of the migration crisis, such as Bulgaria and Italy. Thousands of people continue to reach Greece every day, most of them via Turkey, only to be blocked from travelling on to countries like Germany and Sweden, where many intend to claim asylum. The migrants have been halted by countries like Macedonia, which has imposed tougher border controls and where violence has erupted in recent days as armed police officers confront those seeking to cross through the country. Trump also called Mr. Romney a "lightweight," a "choke artist" and "a failed candidate," referring to his 2012 loss to President Obama. Donald Trump's success in the primaries has the Republican establishment increasingly worried. "He failed horribly," Trump said. It was evident that Romney's pointed remarks describing Trump's business skill as overrated were particularly effective at getting under Trump's skin. The Manhattan real estate developer went on an extended rant about his wealth, listing his largest building projects and suggesting that Romney, a multimillionaire, was not that rich. "I'm a much, much better businessman than him," Trump said. Earlier Romney, the former 2012 Republican candidate, stepped up the fight against the man who may carry the party's torch in 2016, Donald Trump, using words like "phoney" and "fraud" in a speech that asserted Trump's nomination would put Hillary Clinton in the White House. It was a standoff that seemed preordained as Trump's grip on the nomination has tightened and Republican leaders have begun to panic: Romney, perhaps the ultimate Republican establishment figure, lashing out against Trump, the party's ultimate antagonist. "Here's what I know: Donald Trump is a phoney, a fraud," Romney said at a speech at the University of Utah. "A person so untrustworthy and dishonest as Hillary Clinton must not become president. But a Trump nomination enables her victory," Romney said. He attacked Trump's promises as "worthless as a degree from Trump University," while at the same time warning that carrying out those promises would doom the country. "His domestic policies would lead to recession," Romney said. "His foreign policies would make America and the world less safe. He has neither the temperament nor the judgment to be president. And his personal qualities would mean that America would cease to be a shining city on a hill." Romney also highlighted Mr Trump's remarks about women and his stumbling when asked to denounce his endorsement by white supremacists as further reasons he was unfit to be president. "This is an individual who mocked a disabled reporter, who attributed a reporter's questions to her menstrual cycle, who mocked a brilliant rival who happened to be a woman due to her appearance, who bragged about his marital affairs, and who laces his public speeches with vulgarity," Romney said. "Donald Trump says he admires Vladimir Putin, while has called George W. Bush a liar. That is a twisted example of evil trumping good." The clash between the two very wealthy men, who were onetime allies (Trump publicly endorsed Romney in 2012), is emblematic of the Republican party's internal struggle. Romney, who contemplated running again this year, views Trump's ascendancy as an assault on the party's policies, and his divisive language as damaging to its political goals. Trump has consciously tried to dismantle everything Romney has stood for, casting him as a horrible candidate who got decimated in his own run for the White House. It is unknown what Romney's speech will accomplish in political terms, and also at whom it was directed - but clearly Trump was one audience member. Trump's core supporters have stuck with him, and often celebrated establishment attacks against their favoured candidate. But Romney may be trying to reach a group of Republicans not currently committed to Trump who increasingly say in polls that they might be satisfied with Trump as the nominee. He may also be taking a longer view articulated by South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham and others: that the party must distance itself from Trump, even if it costs them the general election. Shell casings littered the battle-scarred streets of the Sur neighbourhood, where residents made a grisly discovery - the corpse of an unidentifiable male. The stench of death also rose from a collapsed building in the same area. Residents said security forces had demolished the building's basement, which was being used a shelter. A man gestures as he looks at the ruined houses after returning to Cizre. Credit:Getty Images "Those who did this are not human," said Cizre resident Serif Ozem. "What took place here is a second Kobane in a country that is supposed to be a democracy." Kobane is a predominantly Kurdish town in northern Syria which suffered a brutal siege at the hands of Islamic State. A boy jumps between sofas in his ruined house in Cizre on Wednesday. The curfew was lifted at 5am, allowing residents to return to their conflict-stricken neighbourhoods for the first time since December. Credit:Getty Images Several shops and homes in the Sur neighbourhood had their walls blasted open. Windows were shattered and doors unhinged, the smell of gunpowder still clinging to the breeze. Turkish military-imposed curfews remain in the historic district of the main Kurdish city of Diyarbakir - which is also called Sur, signifying that it was once walled - and in Idil, a district in Sirnak province, where Turkish forces are continuing operations against Kurdish militants. Amnesty International says the curfews amount to "collective punishment". A man sits among the debris of his ruined house in Cizre, Turkey, on Wednesday. Credit:AP In Diyarbakir, an improvised explosive device went off prematurely on Tuesday, killing a suspected bomber and wounding four children, the governor's office said. Police on Wednesday used tear gas and water cannons to disperse people trying to get to Diyarbakir's Sur neighbourhood to protest the government military operation there. Some youths were seen hurling rocks at police. The protests spread to other parts of the city but there were no immediate reports on possible injuries or arrests. During the months-long curfew in Cizre, some people stayed put in the worst-hit neighbourhoods like Sur, Cudi and Nur, while others fled. Ayse Magi, a mother of five who sought safety elsewhere in the town, inspected the damage to her modest home on Wednesday with tears in her eyes. Two mortars had punctured the ceiling of her bathroom and the hallway. "There is no way we can live here," she said. Shoe-store owner Nesim Cavusoglu despaired over the destroyed facade of his business. "This is all that is left," he said gesturing at the rubble and a handful of shoe boxes. Graffiti in his neighbourhood spelled out PKK and the initials of its female and male urban youth wings, YDG-H and YDGK-H. "Kurdistan" was scribbled on several storefronts and portraits of slain Kurdish female fighters adorned an alley wall. Governor Ali Ihsan Su of Sirnak province warned returning Cizre residents to be careful and watch for possible undetected explosive devices in their homes. Three large explosions were heard, which police said were controlled explosions to clear booby traps. Blaming the militants for the destruction of the town, the governor said 708 barricades were dismantled, 264 trenches were filled and 1409 improvised explosive devices were disposed of and "large numbers" of automatic weapons, other firearms and hand grenades were seized "They destroyed houses by placing explosives from the kitchens to the bedrooms. They attacked callously and mercilessly, without distinguishing between military, police, women, men, old or young," Mr Su told reporters. The government says more than 300 security force members have died fighting Kurdish rebels since July . Advocacy groups, meanwhile, expressed concern again over the high number of civilian casualties amid the government operation. Ozturk Turkdogan, president of the Ankara-based Human Rights Association, said an additional 171 bodies had been retrieved from three basements in Cizre since Turkey declared the battle over. "We believe that these people were unarmed and civilians," he said. Mr Turkdogan also accused Turkish authorities of using the time between the end of security operations and the lifting of the curfew to destroy any evidence of wrongdoing. "The basements were razed to the ground," he said. Police said the curfew could not be lifted immediately because troops had to clear leftover explosives first. Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has promised to reconstruct Cizre and other places ruined by the fighting. 2016 Kia Optima Windy City Review +VIDEO 2016 Kia Optima Value with Pizzazz By Larry Nutson Senior Editor and Bureau Chief Chicago Bureau The Auto Channel Even though we keep hearing that everyone is buying SUVs of all sizes and various midsize and large pickups, theres a large segment of the population buying cars. Kia just had its tenth consecutive month of sales increases and the 2016 Kia Optima sedan is a large part of that. The Optima is Kias number two seller, right behind the Kia Soul. The all-new Optima is quite stylish and is designed to stand out in the midsize sedan segment that is filled with entries that look and drive the same. As the actor Christopher Walken explained in the Optima TV spot, There are two kinds of people in this world. Those who are content to blend in then there are those who expect more. Theyre exciting. They have pizzazz. Just like a pair of colorful socks can liven up a beige suit, the Kia Optima is designed to liven up your daily commute or weekend road trip. The 2016 Kia Optima made its debut at the New York International Auto Show in Spring last year. Cars arrived in dealers in the Fall coinciding with the national rollout. Offered in five trim levels LX, LX 1.6T, EX, SX and SXL, the all-new 2016 Optima is priced with a starting MSRP of $21,840 for the LX with a 2.4-liter engine. My Optima-for-a-week was the SX Turbo equipped with the SXT Launch Edition package and priced at a total of $33,215, including $825 for freight and handling. The new Optima has received subtle changes to its sporty exterior design that carries from its signature tiger-nose grille bordered by new Bi-Xenon HID headlights through a swept back A-pillar to the raised deck lid and the available LED halo-style tail lights. Like many next-generation new vehicles, the exterior dimensions are marginally longer, taller and wider. The wheelbase has been extended to 110.4 inches (increased 0.4 inches), and the vehicle has been widened to 73.2 inches (increased 1.2 inches). Both changes provide for a roomier cabin with more head room, shoulder room and rear seat leg room. The increased dimensions also allow for more cargo capacity in the trunk, up 0.5 cuft from the previous-generation Optima to 15.9 cuft. Underneath, more high-strength steel makes for better ride and handling. On the inside the Optima is larger, making for more comfort, with an overall higher quality and a greater use of soft-touch materials. Seats have a stiffer frame to reduce vibration. Soft foam in the headrest and upper back, and denser, more supportive foam in thigh-support areas along with deeper side bolsters provide more support and comfort. Heated and ventilated front seats are available with power adjustable driver and front passenger seats.My wife and I took a weekend road trip and we found the overall interior to be comfortable and pleasant. The Merlot leather seats did there job. There was no fatigue or a stiff back on my part due to bad seats. AutoTrader.com recently named the 2016 Optima to its 10 Must-Experience Interiors for Under $40,000 list, having one of the best interiors on the market today. Thats saying something. The front-wheel drive Optima is available with three engine choices paired with specific trim levels. Two engines have been used on the previous generation Optima but have been retuned for both better performance and fuel consumption. The 185 horsepower 2.4-liter GDI four-cylinder is available on the LX and EX models. The 245 horsepower 2.0-liter GDI turbo engine comes on the SXL and SX models. Both engines are mated to a six-speed automatic transmission with Sportmatic shifting, and the SX and SXL trims add paddle shifters. All new for the 2016 model is a 178 horsepower 1.6-liter four-cylinder turbo engine offered on the LX trim. The new engine mates to a seven-speed DCT, a first for the Kia brand. The dual-clutch transmission provides a very sporty feel and yet doesnt sacrifice fuel economy. The LX 1.6T model has the best Optima EPA test fuel economy ratings at 32 mpg combined with 25 city mpg and 39 highway mpg. The EPA-test ratings for the media-loan Optima 2.0 Turbo that I drove are 25 mpg combined with 22 city mpg and 32 highway mpg. On our weekend road trip, which was around 240 miles of interstate driving each way, I got in the range of 31-32 mpg while cruising spiritedly on the 70mph posted speed limit highway. All Optimas have an 18.5 gallon fuel tank which can make for 600 or even 700 miles of driving if youre soft on the pedal. Some niceties from my perspective on the Optima are a heated steering wheel, heated rear seats, and power-fold outside mirrors. A subtle nicety is the low-volume beep when you lock the car instead of the full blast of the horn like so many cars do. Along with a Nav system and a great sounding Harmon Kardon audio Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are offered. On the market today from Kia and many other automakers is some really great driver-assistance technology that everyone should consider opting for. In spite of up-front purchase costs it can pay for itself down the road if it saves you from just one accident and the associated risks of injury, vehicle damage and of course the proverbial insurance deductible. Available on every Optima is a rear-view camera and SX and SXL trims offer an available 360-degree Surround-View Monitor. Available driver-aid technology includes Advanced Smart Cruise Control, Blind Spot Detection with Lane Change Assist, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Rear Parking Assist System, Front Collision Warning System, Lane Departure Warning System and Autonomous Emergency Braking. This last feature will, under appropriate conditions, bring the vehicle to a complete stop to potentially avoid a collision or reduce damage. For more information and specs on the 2016 Optima have a look at www.kia.com. To compare the Optima to other midsize sedans have a look right here at The Auto Channel. At the recent 2016 Chicago Auto Show Kia introduced the Optima Hybrid (HEV) and Optima Plug-in hybrid (PHEV) that will be out for the 2017 model year. The Optima Hybrid is EPA test rated at 42 mpg combined. The Optima Plug-in hybrid is EPA test rated at 40 mpg combined and can travel 27 miles on pure battery power. The all-new 2016 Optima midsize sedan was named to Kelley Blue Books KBB.com 16 Best Family Cars for 2016 list. Road & Travel Magazine has named the 2016 Kia Optima as its International Car of the Year. 2016 Larry Nutson, the Chicago Car Guy The Most In-Depth Kia Vehicle Shopper's Research - Anywhere! 2016 World Car of the Year - Top Three Finalists In Five Categories Revealed in Geneva By Henny Hemmes Senior European Editor The Auto Channel GENEVA, Switzerland. March 2, 2016. During a press conference at the Geneva Auto Show on Tuesday, the top three finalists have been announced in five categories. The winners of the 2016 World Car of the Year, World Luxury Car, World Performance Car, World Green Car and World Car Design of the Year will all be declared at the New York International Auto Show on Thursday, March 24. The ballots of the jury of 73 international automotive journalists (including myself) are collected and tabulated by accounting firm KPMG. Until the announcement of the finalists and then until the award presentation in New York, we do not know the results. Just the Steering Committee of the WCA is informed shortly before the presentations. This year, there are four brands with finalists in more than one category, Audi, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz and Toyota. The Road to World Car journey continues for the following models: 2016 World Car of the Year: - Audi A4 - Mazda MX-5 (See The Auto Channel 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata Reviews) - Mercedes-Benz GLC 2016 World Luxury Car: - Audi Q7 - BMW 7 Series (See The Auto Channel 2016 BMW 7 Series Reviews) - Volvo XC90 ( First Drive Review By Henny Hemmes - Mercedes-AMG C 63 Coupe 2016 World Green Car: - Chevrolet Volt (See The Auto Channel 2016 Chevrolet Volt Reviews) - Toyota Mirai (The Auto Channel Toyota Mirai Review) - Toyota Prius (Hybrid)The Auto Channel Toyota Prius Reviews) 2016 World Car Design of the Year: - Jaguar XE (See The Auto Channel 2017 Jaguar XE Reviews) - Mazda CX-(See The Auto Channel 2016 Mazda CX-3 Miata Reviews) - Mazda MX-5(See The Auto Channel 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata Reviews) 2016 marks the 10th anniversary of the World Car Awards, and the partnership with the New York show, that hosts the Award winners press conference together with Bridgestone and Autoneum. It is the third consecutive year that the World Car Awards have been ranked as the as the number one automotive awards program in the world in terms of media reach. During the presentation of the World Car Awards at the press conference and media breakfast, Prime Research and Autoneum will co-present the Global Trends Report, which is a culmination of research and insights across the past six months. During this period, the introduction of stricter test procedures for vehicles became a heavily discussed topic within the automotive industry. Autoneum CEO Martin Hirzel: The planned changes in test cycles such as the switch from the New European Driving Cycle (NEFC) to the Worldwide Harmonized Light-Duty Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP) and the introduction of Real Driving Emissions (RDE) will favour Autoneums efficiency-boosting technologies and products like engine encapsulations and aerodynamic underfloor systems. More stringent test procedures will help us to reveal the full potential of our multifunctional products with regard to less fuel consumption and lower CO2 emissions of cars. About World Car Awards The World Car Awards (WCA) are more than just an awards program. The WCAs judging panel is made up of 73 prominent automotive journalists from around the world that form a global community of experts. The jurors ensure the integrity and credibility of the awards but also serve as an important resource for the industry with a focus on excellence and innovation on a global scale. The New York International Auto Show expects over one million visitors this year. Press Preview: March 23 & March 24 Public Sneak Preview: Friday, March 25 Public Show Dates: Friday, March 25 Sunday, April 3 For Dogs, its Trick and Treat Its almost Halloween, a great time to teach your dog a trick and give him a treat. Most trainers are fans of trick training. Its not as silly as it... Muzzle is not a bad word If you see a dog in a muzzle, you immediately think the dog is aggressive. Right? Well, this is not always true. Unfortunately, seeing a dog in a muzzle carries... On Sunday night, Leonardo DiCaprio finally took home an Academy Award for Best Actor. Naturally, the post-show gaiety featured the sort of pomp and revelry befitting the wake of a storied meme. DiCaprio linked up with his actor pals Lukas Haas, Tobey Maguire, and Vincent Laresca for some old-fashioned ritualistic chanting. According to one lucky partygoer, The crew was literally howling like wolves all night. They kept chanting, Wolf Pack, Wolf Pack, Wolf Pack! The 41-year-olds merry band of brothers seems to be more bark than bite; after a few drinks and a handful of puffs of his vaping pipe, DiCaprio absconded with his shiny trophy and a bottle of champagne. This is a far cry from the 90s, when a fresh-from-the-raft Leo rode T he Titanic to insta-celebrity status, flanked by his Wolf Packmore famously known by their original moniker, The Pussy Posse. To do The Pussy Posse justice, we must journey back to a prelapsarian, pre-recession New York City, where Leo and his friends hung out at clubs named after deadly sins and random textures, and Nancy Jo Sales wrote sentences like, The fires of Leomania licked at my brain. We speak, of course, of Leo, Prince of the City, Saless legendary 1998 New York profile of a young man and his devoted bros. Before we had Entourage, we had The Pussy Posse: Lukas Haas, Tobey Maguire, Harmony Korine, David Blaine, Jay Ferguson, Josh Miller, Ethan Suplee, Kevin Connolly, Scott Bloom, Justin Herwick, and occasionally Sara Gilberta patchwork quilt of aspiring actors and former child stars. I have read it, Connolly told The Daily Beast of the New York mag piece. The truth of the matter is [Sales] coined that phrase, and it stuck. Hand on the Bible as we sit here, never did myself or any of our friends refer to ourselves as The Pussy Posse. She wrote it in an article, and it stuck. There was this idea that we were rolling around referring to ourselves as that, and thats just not true. It would be absolutely ridiculous. But she said it, and it stuck. We were young and if we did say that in passing it would be something wed have to live with, but we never said that. But it was a good time. Native to L.A., The Pussy Posse ravaged NYC like an invading army, marching under the banner of no homo. According to Sales, Leos friends wanted to be with the star 24/7. They accompanied him to work, acted as unofficial (ineffective?) bodyguards, and even carried DiCaprios cash. When not acting as glorified man purses, The Pussy Posse unleashed stink bombs at Sky Bar, snuck into Victorias Secret events uninvited, took impromptu trips to Vegas, and haunted local clubs and strip joints. The fresh-faced connoisseurs of the Meatpacking District could be found throwing grapes at paparazzi from upstairs at the Mercer Hotel, or dropping trash off of the Brooklyn Promenade into the traffic below. Despite this slumber party, circle jerk mentality, DiCaprio insisted, If I want to go to a party with a few male friends, it doesnt mean Im gay! All tea-sipping aside, The Pussy Posse quickly became notorious for treating women with more disrespect than a black teenager gets at a Donald Trump rally. On top of regular accusations of lecherous behavior, player mentalities, and a complete inability to tip strippers, Sales stumbled upon a few instances of outright misogyny. One of the most outrageous incidents involved Elizabeth Berkley, the Showgirls star, who made the grave mistake of walking into the VIP area for The Man in the Iron Mask premiere. Little did she know that she was entering the wolfs den. The Pussy Posse spotted Berkley in the crowd, and immediately sent L.A. publicist Karen Tenser over to scoop her up. She said, Jay Ferguson and Leo are going crazy for you, and they want you to come to Elaines after this. Berkley, who was dating actor Roger Wilson at the time, politely refused. Case closed, right? Not quite. Allegedly, Berkley was bombarded with calls from both Ferguson and Tenser, inviting her to dinner and out on the town. The harassment became so overwhelming that Wilson decided to step in: I said, Look, Jay I know you guys are having a great time and the town is your applebut not this part of town. After a pregnant pause, Ferguson responded, Fuck you, you fuckin faggot motherfucker, well call whoever we want and if you dont fuckin like it, why dont you come down here and tell us to our face? What followed was a surreal interaction at the ritzy restaurant Asia de Cuba in New York City, where The Pussy Posse was gathered at an appropriately dramatic supper. After Wilson arrived and took up Fergusons offer to step outside, DiCaprio reportedly added lets go kick his ass, leading the Posse in a mass exodus. Someone punched a distracted Wilson in the Adams apple, damaging his larynx. Questioning the veracity of Wilsons claims, one of Leos friends later insisted, That girl would have come in a second if wed wanted her to. Any girl would. Exhibit B is Dons Plum, a low-budget movie starring, produced, written, and directed by The Posse. The divisive film pitted brother against brother, with producer David Stuntman eventually filing a suit against DiCaprio and Maguire, alleging that the actors used their fame and influence to block Miramax from distributing the film and dissuade the Sundance Film Festival from screening it. According to Stuntmans lawsuit, Maguire and his manager had determined that, in the Film, Maguire did not come off as strong a leading man as DiCaprio and that some of the improvisational comments Maguire had made during the Film revealed personal experiences or tendencies that would undermine the public image he and his manager were trying to project. In fact, thats something of an understatement. In the heavily improvised film, the public image projected is one of outright debauchery. At one point, DiCaprio tells a crying girl to Stop looking at me like thatIll fucking throw a bottle at your face, you goddamn whore. Leonardo DiCaprio is now a nationally beloved Academy Award winner, and David Stuntman is an ex-member of The Pussy Posse. Oh, and you can watch Don s Plum on YouTube. But the car crash appeal of The Pussy Posse wasnt in their rampant misbehavior; it was in our shared fascination with celebrity friendship, and with man-on-man emotional connections. The Pussy Posse was more about pissing contests than pussy, as a tight-knit group of young, handsome competitors raced one another to the forefront of the Hollywood scene. In fact, The Posse might be one of the finest examples of frenemy culture in the modern era. Before we had Kim Kardashian passive-aggressively cleaning Paris Hiltons closet, we had Lukas Haas losing two potentially star-making roles to DiCaprio in the 90s, before snarkily telling Texas Monthly, Were both very lucky. Why should I want to be him? While Leos rising star was the engine that kept his posse sharp, jealous, and mean, he was also the emotional glue that kept them together. Much like a young Regina George, DiCaprio groomed his group of hotties. He told Esquire, When I want someone to be my friend, I just make them my friend. When a 12-year-old DiCaprio spotted Maguire on set, I literally jumped out of the car. I was like, Tobey! Tobey! Hey! Hey! And he was like, Oh, yeahI know you. Youre that guy. But I just made him my pal. These days, the squad formerly known as The Pussy Posse is having a midlife crisis. Tobey Maguire has kept up a steady career with films like Spider-Man and The Great Gatsby. While his celebrity has declined somewhat since the summit of Spider-Man, hes happily married with two kids. Jay Ferguson of possibly assaulted Elizabeth Berkleys boyfriend fame also has a happy family (and was Stan Rizzo on Mad Men!), as does Ethan Suplee. Harmony Korine is married, and seems to be keeping a low profile since gifting the world with Spring Breakers, an ode to jailbait in neon bikinis and James Franco in cornrows. Kevin Connolly, who truly did The Pussy Posse proud by starring in Entourage, seems incapable of escaping the name E. David Blaine is still a magician, which is still pretty embarrassing. As for Academy Award winner Leonardo DiCaprio, exclusively dating millennials appears to be the last remaining vestige of his Pussy Posse prowess. The actors gone from stiffing strippers to spending millions of dollars annually to promote environmental awareness. So while we respect the Posses rebranding push, it feels like The Wolf Pack is already on its last legs. Sorry, Leoroving bands of former child stars are so 1998. Shortly before 1 a.m. on Sunday, March 3, 1991, 25 years ago, the squeal of sirens and the buzz of helicopters woke George Holliday, the 31-year-old owner of a small plumbing company, living in suburban Lakeview Terrace in the San Fernando Valley, within Los Angeles. From his terrace, he saw Los Angeles police officers beating a big black man. Grabbing his new Sony camcorder out of its original packaging, he taped the incident. Something happens between the weddings and the birthday partiesits called the rest of your life, Sonys commercial for the nifty new technology proclaimed. Thats why we created Americas most popular camcorder, the Handycam. Indeed, Holliday would say he bought the camera for home stuff. During the 90s, America was becoming Surveillance Central, the most photographed nation ever, thanks to proliferating personal devices and institutional security cameras. Today, we are all George Holliday, armed with digital cameras embedded in our cell phones, ready to videotape history, not just the rest of your lifeand post it widely. By Monday morning, Holliday submitted to KTLA-TV what is arguably the most famous home movie since the Zapruder film. Even though it didnt lead the news at first, the beating of Rodney King became a national sensation, especially after CNN broadcast Hollidays footage that Tuesday. Sources differ. Some say Holliday received $500 for the videotape. Others say that he was never paidand subsequently lost the camera to his wife in a divorce settlement. Without a doubt, this accidental citizen journalist felt exploited by CNN and the rest of the media. At first, with his answering machine full and television shows clamoring for interviews, he agreed to comment, selectively. Gradually, as he noticed the minimal credit and compensation he received for his epoch-making footage, his resentment grew. I dont watch the news or read the papers anymore, Holliday grumbled years later. Americans watching Hollidays videotape were sickened by what it contained: three officers in particular, as part of a group of 15, kick a man seven times, and hit him with nightsticks between 53 and 56 times in less than a minute. The grainy, dark, black-and-white video begins at 12:53 a.m. with King already on the ground, being beaten whenever he moves, and sometimes when he is just inert. Police officers claimed that the 25-year-old King had been speeding in his 1988 Hyundai, hitting 115 miles per hour at one point, running red lights when chased, and then refusing to leave his car when it stopped at the 11700 block of Foothill Boulevard. King put his hand in his left pants pocket, as he left the car, andthis all happens before the videotape beginssupposedly resisted being handcuffed, causing one officer, Laurence Powell, to stumble, which unleashed the beating. King then allegedly charged the officers and was shot with a stun gun, but continued kicking and swinging. The videotape showed no signs of King resisting, and witnesses reporting hearing him plead Please stop, please stop. Reflecting another new phenomenon, 24/7 cable, the clip was played again and again, as if on an endless feedback loop, drilling its way into the nations collective memory. In one of those overlaps that literary critics might find too much of a stretch, the Rodney King incident, a continent away from the White House, occurred just four days after Operation Desert Storm had ended triumphantly. With a 90 percent approval rating in the polls, President George H.W. Bush expected an easy re-election in 1992. Yet this ugly incident, far beyond the presidents control, and not even within the presidents authority, may have sounded his presidencys defining death knell. Even though Bush denounced those terrible scenes as outrageous, even though presidents have no authority over local police and have minimal impact on crime in general, the Rodney King beating shifted the national conversation. Many African Americans, infuriated by this all-too-familiar phenomenon, told reporters, Every black man has a story. With the economy worsening, social and racial tensions intensified. Rodney King became shorthand for Americas ongoing racial crisisand for the failure of Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush to address Americas most fundamental social problems. KTLA-TV reported that 86 percent of 8,426 callers demanded the firing of the Los Angeles police chief, Daryl Gates. Recognizing the tape as political dynamite, CNNs house Republican, Pat Buchanan, grilled George Holliday on the polarizing TV shout-fest Crossfire. Cant you understand why they [the police] did what they did? Buchanan barked. Holliday, a mere citizen, was impressively restrained, refusing to engage in demagoguery on the issue, simply saying he did not know King and could not comment. From the left, Michael Kinsley graciously ended the segment by saying, Thank you, George Holliday, the man who shot the film and made this entire hour possible. The two Americasblack and whitethat the post-race-riots Kerner Commission saw in 1968, had fragmented further, with three black Americas emerging. A prospering black middle class was freer, wealthier, better educated, better positioned than ever, aided by Affirmative Action programs in education and employment. Racism persisted but opportunities abounded. A black working class was stagnating, suffering from the loss of good jobs due to Americas deindustrialization, even as racism diminished. And at least 2.5 million people constituting the black underclass were chronically impoverished, perpetually on welfare, and broadly illiterate. Many were dropping out of school, failing to hold jobs, rarely using time productively, abusing drugs, committing crimes, and increasingly born to unwed teenage mothers or themselves causing single-mother familiesperpetuating the cycle. George Hollidays videotape ultimately led to the indictment of some of the cops, their exoneration by one jury, the Los Angeles Riots in 1992, and, eventually, some convictions on federal charges. Rodney King emerged as a great American healer, demonstrating more effective leadership than President Bush during the rioting by pleading: People, I want to say can we all get along? The Los Angeles riots were modern Americas deadliest, with 53 killed. Damages exceeded $1 billion. Coming as they did in the spring of 1992, the riots derailed Bushs re-election campaign and boosted Bill Clintons election efforts. As a result, one could say that the forgotten, oft-neglected, underpaid and under-appreciated George Holliday may have ended one presidency, launched another, and helped ensure that todays leading Democratic contender, Hillary Clinton, would have an eight-year head start to her political career by living in the White House. Not bad for an obscure plumber using his new toy. TEL AVIV Lebanon has a nuclear bomb, Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah declared in a televised address to supporters of the Shia militant group in Beirut last month. This is no exaggeration, he went on, before admitting that it was, in fact, a slight exaggeration. We dont really have a nuclear bomb, he said, laughingrather, the threat was that several missiles launched from Lebanon onto ammonia storage depots in the Israeli port city of Haifa would lead to the same impact as a nuclear bomb. Citing a previous Israeli study, Nasrallah claimed that blowing up 15,000 tons of the toxic gas in a densely populated region of 800,000 people would lead to tens of thousands of casualties. In Israel, Hezbollahs latest threat dominated national headlines, underlining the tense cold war going on between the two old foes. Like the historic global battle between East and West, this more localized Middle Eastern version sees both Israel and Hezbollah preparing tenaciously for the next round of hostilities, a hot war of untold destruction, while maintaining the present nervy standoff and engaging carefully, when need be, in contained skirmishes. The missiles of the resistance cover each and every spot in occupied Palestine, Nasrallah threatened, touting his nuclear option. Yet in line with classic deterrence theory, he went on to add: We do not want war. This kind of war is not part of our strategy, but we must be ready for it, in order to prevent it and in order to be able to win it, if it takes place. Such a statement perfectly encapsulates Israels current strategic thinking regarding Hezbollah as well. Nasrallahs boast about his groups expansive missile capabilities is not mere bluster. Haifas ammonia depots are just one of many potential targets inside Israel. Hezbollahs rocket and missile arsenal, estimated at 150,000, is believed to now hold precision guidance systemsputting not only Haifas heavy industries but the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Kiryah Tel Aviv headquarters, the Knesset parliament building in Jerusalem, and the nuclear reactor in Dimona in harms way. A day after Nasrallah spoke, IDF chief of staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot admitted that Hezbollah was Israels biggest threat and the organization with the most significant capabilities to inflict harm on the country. Indeed, in private discussions IDF officers betray a grudging respect for Hezbollah, comparing other armed groupsHamas, ISIS, etc.to the Lebanese militia and finding them all wanting. Nearly everything Eisenkot has done since assuming the top military post one year ago appears to have been done with Hezbollah in mind. The IDF is in the process of implementing a new five-year strategic plan called Gideon that views sub-state armed groups like Hezbollah as Israels main military threatabove conventional armies or even the Iranian nuclear program. As part of Gideon, the IDF is restructuring its force posture, one element of which was the formation of an elite Commando Brigade for more agile, penetrating attacks against guerrilla groups. The Israeli Air Force, as the Jerusalem Post and others have reported, has been developing more efficient precision-strike capabilities that can deliver thousands of bombs onto targets daily to exactly combat Hezbollahs widely dispersed missile storage facilities and command and control positions. More revealing still: For the past several years IDF infantry and armor brigades have been undergoing intensive training exercises, with an eye to a major ground offensive inside Lebanon. Just what that ground operation would look like recently was described for The Daily Beast by a senior IDF officer with responsibility for Lebanon, who spoke on condition of anonymity, according to IDF protocol. The difference between the last major Israel-Hezbollah confrontation in 2006, when Hezbollah held out for weeks against the once-seemingly invincible IDF, and the next conflict, the officer explained, Will be the difference between an operation and a war: 2006 was an operation and we didnt use all of our power. Next time it wont just be planes flying around. (In 2006, Israel initially tried to win the fight without putting boots on the ground.) This time, said the officer, Ground forces will be maneuvering into southern Lebanon, wherever Hezbollah iswe will use all of our power to destroy Hezbollah militarily. Of course, in the 2006 war, Israel did belatedly launch an ill-defined ground campaign. In the next conflict, the IDF seems to be promising, a major ground offensive likely tallying several divisions is a given. Based on past campaigns, whether against Hezbollah in Lebanon or Hamas in the Gaza Strip, a ground component is likely the only way to stem the rate of enemy firevia rockets and missilestargeting Israels civilian population. Indirect fire its called, a brutally effective, and cynical, asymmetric warfighting strategy meant to sabotage Israeli civilian life while almost welcoming harsh Israeli airstrikes that usually bring with them high civilian casualties, since organizations like Hezbollah and Hamas are known to operate among their own civilian populations. On the eve of the 2006 conflict Hezbollah had an estimated 12,000 to 18,000 rockets in its arsenal, and was able to keep firing at Israel for the duration of the 34-day war. Hamas in 2014 had an estimated arsenal of 10,000 rockets and was able to keep firing at Israel for nearly two months. Hezbollah has now dramatically upped the ante, with more sophisticated weapons systems and an arsenal, as mentioned, of 150,000 rockets including those precision missiles. A recent report in the Israeli Yediot Ahronoth daily stated that, in the next conflict, Hezbollah could likely maintain a rate of fire of over 1,000 rockets and missilesper day. Its unclear what kind of damage such firepower can wreak on Israel (and what damage Israel will feel it has to wreak in response), and how Israels advanced missile defense systems, operational since 2011, will cope with such a deluge. Tellingly, it was precisely Eisenkot, in a prior position as commander of the IDF Northern Command, who gave rise to the Dahiya Doctrine, a strategy intended to deter Hezbollah aggressiveness through the promise of non-proportional devastation being brought to bear on the groups south Beirut stronghold. This, along with the above promises of a major ground offensive, is Israels own version of deterrence theory, a threat of unchecked war in order to avoid war. Neither side wants a major escalation at present, in particular Hezbollah, given its direct involvement in the Syrian civil wara major constraining factor for the organization, according to IDF assessments. Yet as the senior IDF officer pointed out, Hezbollah is organizing and preparing for the next roundchecking Israeli responses and border obstacles, patrolling the border, building new combat posts, training its forces deep inside Lebanon and, of course, there are the missiles. The officer was, indeed, impressed by Hezbollahs ability to do all this while so deeply committed to the Syrian fronta commitment, he added, that may give the group tangible small-unit offensive capabilities to take the next fight into Israel itself, perhaps through underground attack tunnels similar to those used by Hamas in Gaza. But the Syrian conflict has also opened a new front in the Israel-Hezbollah cold war, whereby Hezbollahalong with its Iranian patronhas used the anarchy to establish terror cells among the Druze villages in the northern Golan Heights bordering Israel. Hezbollah assistance has helped the Assad regime retain this small pocket of influence; according to Israel, the largest number of Syrian rocket and IED attacks on its citizens and soldiers come from this area of the Golan. Israel, in turn, has responded with its own version of proxy war, reportedly targeting senior Hezbollah and Iranian operatives responsible for the Golan front at least twice via airstrikes in the past year. More interesting still, Israeli officialdom concedes that it provides Druze villages on the Syrian frontier with humanitarian assistance, possibly beyond the medical aid that has been widely publicized. As the IDF officer stated cryptically, The wishes of the local people are keythey want to maintain daily life, and we want to keep terror away from the Israeli border. Given the volatility of this Syrian frontincluding multiple reported Israeli airstrikes on suspected Hezbollah weapons shipmentsits not a surprise to hear from the IDF officer, Even a very small spark can start a confrontation. Hezbollah has so far been careful not to respond to the above losses with deadlier force than it deems absolutely necessary, precisely so as to avoid a wider war. Israel, too, doesnt officially take credit for any strikes inside Syria, allowing the Shia militia some plausible deniability. But this is a high-stakes game with great potential for strategic miscalculation. The recent decision by Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies to pull out of Lebanon and brand Hezbollah a terrorist organization in fact opens the door for it and Iran to establish even greater control there, and may bring a period of increased tensions with Israel. As was the case in the East-West Cold War, a local incident could undo the best-laid deterrence doctrines. Based on the serious preparations underway and firepower available to both sides, the next Israel-Hezbollah war holds the potential to be the most destructive Arab-Israeli confrontation since the 1973 October War. Hezbollah might not have a real nuclear bomb, and Nasrallah might still be laughing for the cameras, but a whiff of mutually assured destruction still hovers over the lives of citizens in both Israel and Lebanon. Its about to get harder for teenagers to smoke in San Francisco. This week, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to raise the legal age to buy cigarettes and other tobacco products to 21. The change will become effective at the beginning of June. With this new law, the City by the Bay will join several others, including New York City and Boston, as well as the entire state of Hawaii. These laws are aimed at keeping new smokers from initiating the habit. Nearly 90 percent of smokers started before age 18, so raising the legal age of purchase is meant to keep young people from trying it in the first place. Given that older peers often provide cigarettes to underage smokers, laws such as San Franciscos may make that harder to accomplish. High school seniors will still be a few years away from being able to buy smokes for their sophomore friends. A study last year conducted by the Institute of Medicine (PDF) offered this striking conclusion: Raising the minimum age of purchase for tobacco products to 21 would result in 4.2 million fewer years of life lost due to smoking-related reasons for those born in the first two decades after 2000. They project that raising the smoking age now would result in a 3 percent decline in future adult smokers if it were to go up to 19, 12 percent if bumped to 21, and 16 percent if raised all the way to 25. However, because most of the benefit would derive from disrupting the connection between younger prospective smokers and of-age friends, increasing the age to 25 would have diminishing returns for potential new smokers in the 15-17 year age range. Its worth noting, however, that this conclusion rests on raising the legal age to buy cigarettes nationwide. Its too early to tell what the effect of more localized efforts like San Franciscos will be. Also worth noting is that cigarette smoking by American teenagers has been in decline over the past several decades. Even with the current cut-off for most of the nation at 18, trends are already heading in an encouraging direction. To what degree raising the legal smoking age will move this trend is difficult to assess, particularly when it comes to measures that affect only one particular area. The most obvious comparison is with alcohol, where the age limit to purchase was raised nationwide in 1984. Raising the legal limit to 21 did result in a significant drop in drinking among 18- to 20-year-olds in the years that followed. Though it rose again by the late 1990s, adolescent alcohol use also continues to decline. Speaking on a purely intuitive level, I suspect that the effectiveness of laws raising the smoking age will vary based on the area they cover. Its far too soon to have any data to back this up, but my guess is that Hawaiis will be among the more successful. It takes a far more motivated 19-year-old to hop a flight from Honolulu than to get on board the BART, after all. Yet even seeing the data from the Institute of Medicine, and lauding the goal of decreasing youth smoking wholeheartedly, I still find myself pausing before joining the chorus praising these new laws. Ill admit, its a bit of an uncomfortable feeling to be out of alignment with the American Academy of Pediatrics (of which I am a member), which supports a nationwide increase in smoking age to 21. But as much as I value efforts to increase public health, I also value letting people make their own decisions for themselves, even if I think those decisions are awful. Its for similar reasons that I dissent from the Academys position on legalizing marijuana use for adults, as well. I think smoking is the absolute worst. Even smoking in small amounts is terrible for you. Whenever I ask my teenage patients if they smoke (and I ask routinely at every well visit), those who say they do are told to make an effort to stop as promptly as possible. Having said that, though, and knowing Im likely to get intense push-back from my pediatrician friends on social media, I still think grown-ups should have the choice to do what they may with and to their own bodies. If we allow 18-year-olds to vote, consent to their own cardiothoracic surgeries, and parachute into war zones, I just cant force myself to say I think they shouldnt have the freedom to choose something I really wish they wouldnt. (I am entirely OK with toughening penalties for providing tobacco to minors, however.) Unscientific as I concede my observations to be, I think its worth noting that far more of my patients admit drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana than smoke cigarettes. Even the majority of those who ingest some other substance I wish they wouldnt seem to find tobacco revolting. Though hardly likely to get published in Lancet, the evidence I encounter in my own office suggests that efforts already in place to curb teen smoking are having a good effect. However, those who put a premium on reducing it even further are likely to disagree with my position, and I certainly respect their perspective. The available data are encouraging with regard to the likely impact raising the smoking age will have on advancing that goal, and its a goal I sincerely want advanced. Id just prefer to achieve it by continuing to convince as many teenagers as possible that its a gross habit to pick up in the first place. In an attempt to curb opiate overdose fatalities, Svante Myrick, the 28-year-old mayor of Ithaca, New York, proposed opening a supervised injection facility (SIF), making it possible for heroin users to inject drugs under the care of medical staff. Experts and laypeople alike quickly took sides, holding strong opinions both for and against. The polarized reaction places drug use and policy at a complex intersection of competing values. On one hand, drug use, especially by way of injection, is a concern of the criminal justice system. On the other, it is a public health crisis in need of studied, public health responses. In one view, drug users are troublesome offenders; in the other, they are sick people in need of compassion and care. And one cannot forget the dominant ideology in America, which further complicates the field: that abstaining from drugs entirely should always be the goal. A Patch.com poll recently asked the question: Are you in favor of supervised injection facilities in New York? A total of 2,603 people responded and the answer was a resounding no. Only 14 percent voted in favor. Sifting through the comments, a clear theme emerged for why people are opposed: It enables or even encourages drug use. This belief is based on a complete misunderstanding of heroin addiction, Dr. Sam Snodgrass, a board member of Broken No More, a support group for grieving families who have lost loved ones to drug overdose, told The Daily Beast. Science has shown that it is not a choice. That it is not a matter of willpower. It is a physical, medical condition. Snodgrass continued, It doesnt matter if we have a safe facility to use in or not, we cant stop. Well use under bridges, in parks, in the bathroom at McDonalds, and we will become sick, and we will die of overdose. This facility will not enable us, it will save us. Ithacas young mayor makes a similar argument. Treatment is the goal, said Myrick. We want everyone to get better, but when someone dies from a heroin overdose, the 125 people who will die today from a heroin overdose, will never get better, will never get that treatment. If treatment is our goal, we have to keep people alive until we can get them the medicated treatment, detox, rehab, [and] the counseling they need to actually get healthy. The oft-cited phrase in the harm reduction community is: dead people cannot recover. If theyre shooting up in gas station bathrooms, the mayor continued, if theyre shooting up on the streets, if theyre huddled behind dumpsters, theyre never going to get those resources because theyre never going to have access to medical professionals. Others in the field fundamentally disagree with the arguments put forth by Myrick and experts like Dr. Snodgrass. Its really a matter of coming to a decision, of what you think is a good use of taxpayer money. I think its a terrible use of it myself, Dr. Robert DuPont, former director at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and current president of the Institute of Behavior and Health, told The Daily Beast. When I cited several studies to Dr. DuPont emphasizing declines in disease and overdose mortality, he said that wasnt one of his concerns. Rather, it perpetuates the addiction, he said. Show me the people who have gone through this program and are now drug-free. What these [harm-reduction] programs do is make it safer, more comfortable, and easier to use heroin, he said. A good question would be, what happens to these people. Do they get better? It depends how one defines better. At baseline, the argument for harm reductionists is that no matter who you are, staying alive is always better. Even then, empirical studies demonstrate that people who otherwise wouldnt seek treatment do so because of supervised injection facilities. InSite, the first ever North American supervised injection site, was associated independently with a 30 percent increase in detoxification service use, and this behavior was associated with increased rates of long-term addiction treatment initiation and reduced injecting at the SIF, according to one study. Law enforcement is another major entity against these facilities, for an obvious reason: Heroin use is illegal. The reason I oppose is because I have taken an oath to uphold the law and I will not condone the use of heroin, which is an illegal substance, whether its supervised or not. I just wont do it, said Ithaca Police Chief John Barber. Given that the use of heroin is illegal in the United States, how can a city knowingly supervise its use? InSite, located in Vancouver, where heroin is illegal, faced this very same problem. You have to get the exemption from federal drug laws, said Anna Marie DAngelo, senior media relations officer at Vancouver Coastal Health, who operates InSite. The higher level police in Vancouver are very supportive [of InSite] and the police on the beat in that area [Downtown Eastside] are very supportive as well, she told The Daily Beast. Police in Ithaca are not showing the same support, saying they will not turn a blind eye to drug users. However, Gwen Wilkinson, Tompkins County District Attorney in Ithaca, wrote a piece for the Huffington Post, the headline of which was: Why I, as District Attorney, Am Behind Ithacas Groundbreaking Plan to End the War on Drugs. As a career prosecutor who has spent 25 years working in very close proximity to the war on drugs, I am all too familiar with the strategy for dealing with drug possession and trafficking: criminalization, prosecution, and incarceration, Wilkinson wrote. I also know that this strategy has failed. Wilkinson believes its time to try something new, like a supervised injection site. For some people its a black and white issue, said DAngelo, speaking to Dr. DuPonts stance. But its a harm-reduction model and most people are used to the abstinence model, the Just Say No culture. Harm reduction is research supported, its scientific, and [it] does work. Dr. Snodgrass wants people who oppose the facility to look into the eyes of a mother who has lost a child to overdose. And when they do so, I want them to tell that mother that they had the chance to support a facility that might, just might, have saved her childs life. And they didnt do it. The way some of the lawmakers explained themselves, youd have thought they had just been asked to name the United States Postal Service after Muammar Gaddafi or Bane. Instead the question was whether to rename a post office in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, after the acclaimed author and civil rights activist Maya Angelou. Nine Republican members of the House of Representatives ended up voting no and one voted present on the bill, which passed with 371 votes. Congressman Harris voted against the Maya Angelou post office naming because she was a communist sympathizer, a spokeswoman for Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) told NBC News. His parents escaped communism and he feels that he cannot vote to name a post office in the United States in honor of someone who supported the communist Castro revolution in Cuba. Whos next to get a post office? Jane Fonda? the spokeswoman added. Winston-Salem is where Angelou died in 2014 at the age of 86. Naming post offices is one of the most benign and bipartisan duties we perform in the House of Representatives, and there is rarely any opposition, said Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY). The congressman added that he was shocked today as nine Republicans voted against naming a post office after Maya Angelou, indisputably one of our countrys greatest poets, authors, and civil rights activists. Angelou left behind a legacy of fighting against segregation and apartheid. She also supported Democratic candidates such as Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Joining Harris in voting against the bill were fellow Republican Reps. Ken Buck (CO), Mo Brooks (AL), Michael Burgess (TX), Jeff Duncan (SC), Glenn Grothman (WI), Thomas Massie (KY), Alex Mooney (WV), and Steven Palazzo (MS). Congress has more important things to be doing rather than spending time naming post offices, Rep. Burgess said in a statement provided to The Daily Beast. It has been my experience in the past that these post office namings have been used to honor and remember young men and women who have lost their lives fighting for our country. Yesterday, I was asked to vote to name a post office for a pro-Castro and pro-communist individual and I could not support that. Brooks, too, played the communist-sympathizer card. While Maya Angelou did many good things in her life, Congressman Mo Brooks did not believe it appropriate to name an American Post Office after a communist sympathizer and thereby honor a person who openly opposed Americas interest by supporting Fidel Castro and his regime of civil rights suppression, torture and murder of freedom-loving Cubans, his office told The Washington Post. Grothman, for his part, voiced his opposition on the House floor, encouraging people to investigate Maya Angelou a little bit before deciding on her character and values. Ill suggest perhaps if you want to investigate a little bit further that perhaps you Google Maya Angelou and look at other articles in places like [American Thinker or] The American Spectator, Grothman recommended. The fact that she turned lefthard left, embracing Fidel Castro, a murderous tyrant who has impoverished and enslaved his peoplewas a good career move, Thomas Lifson blogged for American Thinker a couple days after her death. I once spent about 6 hours in close proximity to Ms. Angelou, flying from Atlanta to San Francisco in the first class cabin of Delta jumbo jet, Lifson continued. The phony-detector in my head was flashing red almost the entire time. I have never in my life seen so much fawning on the part of flight attendants nor anyone receiving such fawning with quite the same level of apparent belief it was the least that could be offered. Everyone in that cabin was supposed to be aware that a higher being had graced us with her presence. It is perfectly fair game to call attention to a celebritys flaws, whether that figure is living or recently departed. It is important to remind each other that we shouldnt deify public figures. Yes, Angelou did go soft on Castro when she was fighting for American civil rights, writing in her memoir The Heart of a Woman that as black people often said, Wasnt no Communist country that put my grandpappa in slavery. Wasnt no Communist lynched my poppa or raped my mamma. But if observers are to assess whether such stances outweigh her accomplishmentsthe many good things in her life to which Rep. Brookss office briefly referredit is at least equally important to revisit her contributions to literature, civil rights activism, and American culture. These are contributions that apparently now have cross-partisan appeal. She recited poetry at inaugurations of both Obama and Bill Clinton. In 2010, Angelou won the Presidential Medal of Freedom. And George W. Bush said her work enriched the culture of our country. The number of honors and awards she received over a lifetime for her work in the arts, human rights, and feminism is, to put it mildly, impressive. Three hundred and seventy-one House members agreed that her lifes work was worth the name of a post office in North Carolina. Nine of their colleagues did not. Because Cuba. Pirates Grog launches 13YO Caribbean rum Independent boutique rum company Pirates Grog in Hackney, London, has expanded its product range with a limited edition 13-year-old Caribbean rum. With just 777 bottles available, Pirate's Grog No.13 (40% ABV) from the island of Roatan off the coast of Honduras, is expected to sell out following an exclusivity period in Harvey Nichols store in Knightsbridge, London. Pirates Grog original 5-year aged golden rum originates from Roatan, Honduras, and was introduced to the UK on-trade 18 months ago and later presented in a gift handcrafted wooden cask. Managing director, Gareth Noble, says: We had a great 2015. Our customers have been hugely complementary about all our new products and were proud to be working with some of the UKs biggest brands. With the launch of Pirates Grog No.13 this year we want to push the boundaries and capture peoples imaginations. Customers are searching for more unique and innovative products and we hope to be one of the companies they turn to for inspiration. Pirates Grog will be showcasing its product range using a pop up cocktail bar at UK festivals and events throughout the summer, including Taste of London Summer Edition, The Big Feastival, Foodies, Plymouth Flavourfest, Noisily Festival. Pirates Grog is currently stocked in over 40 independent bars in London, Edinburgh, Glasgow, York, Manchester, Norwich, Bristol, Devon and Cornwall. 3 March 2016 - Felicity Murray The Drinks Report, editor As the attention over the FBI's order for Apple to help hack into the iPhone used by one of the gunmen in the San Bernardino mass shootings moves through the legal system, Texas A&M professors say the line between privacy and security is a fine one. The San Bernardino case involves an iPhone 5C owned by San Bernardino County and used by Syed Farook, who was a health inspector there. He and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, later died in a gun battle with police. The FBI wants specialized software that would bypass security protocols on the encrypted phone so investigators can test random passcode combinations in rapid sequence to access its data. According to a statement from FBI director James Comey, the FBI is seeking access to Farook's phone by means the bureau doesn't consider to be harmful to the privacy of iPhone users nationwide. "We simply want a chance, with a search warrant, to try and guess the terrorist's passcode without the phone essentially self-destructing, and without it taking a decade to guess correctly," Comey said in his statement. "We don't want to break anyone's encryption or set a master key loose on the land." Apple's general counsel Bruce Sewell counters the FBI wants Apple to weaken their products' security. Danny Davis, a professor of homeland security with the Bush School of Government & Public Service at Texas A&M, said he understands both sides of the argument. "Legislatively, there is not much out there that protects folks with their technology," he noted. Davis said he feels Apple is concerned because the company assures a level of privacy for customers, which is what complicates the matter of what the public is already concerned with -- a trade off of security for privacy and civil liberties. "There are bad guys out there wanting to hurt us," Davis said. "I'm kind of on the line of thought that if the FBI has the warrant, they should do it. But I do have hesitation there, I think Congress needs to act." Davis said he would like to see this discussion come up more in legislation, saying the government is too behind the times to adequately moderate this battle. "This is one place where legislation and policy can't keep up with technology," he said. For Bush School professor of national security law Ronald Sievert, a door into Farook's iPhone wouldn't necessarily instigate an easily accessible turnstile into any citizen's phone for the FBI. According to a federal law known as the All Writs Act, which dates back to the 1700s, the government may do what is needed to carry out its orders without causing unreasonable burden, Sievert said. The All Writs Act has been used as a defense in the past when the government was barred by New York Telephone from installing surveillance equipment onto a suspect's phone. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the government in this case from the 1970s, Sievert said, ruling the installment of a pen register on the suspect's phone was within accordance of the search warrant and of little burden to the company. Sievert said though Apple has argued that creating a key will be burdensome, Apple's stance violates common sense, and he said he believes it is unlikely Apple created an encryption software with no way to get in or out. As far as the concerns that the government is spying on private citizens, Sievert said this as an overblown fear. "I would think that Apple customers understand this doesn't mean the government can get into all the phones," he said. "They can only get in if they are granted probable cause." Texas A&M University released on Wednesday the findings of an investigation into a Feb. 9 report by a group of visiting high school juniors of racial harassment, and one of the students interviewed by police is no longer enrolled in the university. The incident, which took place just outside of Walton Hall on the north side of the university's campus, escalated after witnesses said a group of white university students began to yell racial slurs at a group of visiting high school juniors from Uplift Hampton Preparatory charter school in Dallas. While the investigation is officially closed, Texas A&M President Michael Young said if any additional evidence comes to light, it could be revisited. Brazos County Attorney Rod Anderson said his office's decision not to pursue charges in the case largely stems from the difficulty posed in proving "beyond reasonable doubt" what exactly occurred and the specific identities of those involved. Anderson echoed Young, however, noting that should more decisive evidence surface, the possibility of disorderly conduct charges could still be pursued. Young said the university conducted two investigations into the incident. Details of the individuals involved, as well as the student who is no longer enrolled, are not being released due to federal privacy laws, the statement said. In a statement released in February by state Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, who said that he was informed of the details of the incident by Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp, a woman wearing Confederate flag earrings approached the students and asked their opinion on the jewelry. He said that the situation was then escalated by "a group of white, male and female students," who began using racial slurs and telling the group to "go back where you came from." According to documents released by the Texas A&M University Police Department, an officer responded to the area of Walton Hall after a report that racial slurs were being said to the group of visiting students who were touring the campus. A teacher at Uplift Hampton Preparatory told police the group was walking toward Hullabaloo Hall and slowed near picnic tables at Walton Hall. The teacher said she heard someone yell a racial slur and heard someone say "go back to where you came from." One teacher told police it was possible that statement was in reference to a student wearing a University of Texas backpack. School employees who were present for the incident were unclear of the exact number of university students involved, with reports ranging between seven to 15. Several Texas A&M students denied using or hearing the slur, or shouting anything at the tour group other than, "Howdy." One student acknowledged heckling a high school student about the UT backpack. The university's swift condemnation of the incident, which came within hours of the event, drew praise from both the Anti-Defamation League's regional office as well as the Texas Charter Schools Association. Students also organized a campaign to send thousands of handwritten apology notes to Uplift Hampton Preparatory. In an additional statement also released Wednesday morning, the university police department announced its intentions to implement new training for its employees to work to handle similar situations "more appropriately in the future." Specifically, the statement noted that University Police Chief Mike Ragan identified the handling of the call where the incident was reported as an "opportunity for improvement." According to audio released from the phone conversation, the Uplift Hampton Preparatory employee who reported the incident was initially told by the dispatcher that the slurs were protected by free speech and that despite being "unruly" there was little legally that could be done. Young said that it is his hope that the training will help to make incidents such as this to be better understood. "I think we want our officers to probably listen a little more carefully to what the concerns are that are being expressed," Young said, adding that part of the focus will be on developing listening skills that help officers "to be able to hear what people are really saying when they are expressing concern about something that is going on." Since the incident occurred, Young said that he has had several people reach out to him to share their own personal, often unreported, stories of discrimination they had experienced on the campus. "I'm grateful for those because they give you a sense of the magnitude of the challenge," Young said. "I think that it's important for people to understand that and not sweep this under the rug or pretend that this doesn't happen here...This is America, it is systemic and endemic. It would have stunned me if in the last five years or even the last five months this was the only single thing that ever happened on campus." Aside from examples of similar experiences, Young added many of the responses he has received have actually been "surprisingly pleasant." Among those responses, Young said that he has heard from alumni, faculty and students who have reached out to let him know that this incident does not reflect "the A&M that I want to believe in." "That has really been heartening and it is not unexpected," Young said. "I have come to expect that kind of response from this community." November 26, 1917 - February 25, 2016 Born November 26, 1917 to Ethel Edman Weddington and Dale Lee Weddington in Bryan, Texas and died February 25, 2016 in Dallas at Presbyterian Village North, where she had been living since April 2001. A Private Family Graveside service has been held at Bryan City Cemetery. A Memorial Service will be held at Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church in Dallas on Monday, March 14, 2016 at 1:00 pm. Ruth graduated from Bryan High School in 1935 and received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Texas in 1938. She became a member of Pi Beta Phi Sorority while at the University. She began her professional career by teaching math and science in public schools of Marble Falls and Beaumont. Then she worked for four years as an analytical chemist for the Texas Company Research Laboratories in Beacon, New York, where she met her husband of twenty-one years. After her marriage she assisted in chemistry labs for two years at the University of Oklahoma, and she was a Research Associate for three years at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She then moved back to Texas, living first in Houston and then in Dallas. Ruth later furthered her college studies at Southern Methodist University, where she received her Master of Arts degree in Guidance and Counseling at the Secondary School Level. After teaching four years in a Dallas Public School, she became Director of Residence at The Hockaday School. She retired from this position in 1982 and returned to Bryan for nineteen years. During this time she worked at the Brazos Valley Museum of Natural History and served on the Brazos County Historical Commission. She also worked in the HOSTS (Helping One Student To Succeed) Program of the Bryan Public Schools for seven years. She was a member of the Brazos Heritage Society and The Woman's Club of Bryan College Station, a founding member of The Children's Museum of the Brazos Valley and a proud member of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas because Harvey Mitchell, who came to the Bryan area in 1839, was her great-grandfather. He is honored by being called "The Father of Brazos County." She was also a founding member of Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church in Houston, an Elder at Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church in Dallas and a Deacon at the First Presbyterian Church in Bryan. While living at Presbyterian Village North, she did volunteer work at The Stewpot, Stults Road Elementary School and Vickery Meadow Learning Center. Ruth is survived by two daughters, Dana Peattie of Plano and Dr. Debra Peattie of Lincoln, Massachusetts, and by two grandsons, Julian and Adrian Huertas of Lincoln, Massachusetts. Her beloved sister, Louise Weddington Porter, predeceased her in April 2015. Other survivors include her three nieces, Lynn Porter Pitts of Dallas, Dale Porter Miller of Houston and Betty Greer of St. Clair Shores, Michigan and three nephews, Marvin Porter, Jr., of San Antonio, Rev. Jim Greer of Lenoir City, Tennessee and John Greer of St. Clair Shores, Michigan. She also was blessed with several great nieces and nephews and several great-great nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, Memorials may be made to: First Presbyterian Church of Bryan, 1100 Carter Creek Parkway, Bryan, Texas 77802 or Presbyterian Village North Foundation, 8600 Skyline Drive, Dallas, Texas 75243. Visit Ruth's tribute page at www.hillierfuneralhome.com to share memories and condolences. December 6, 1967 - February 29, 2016 Susan Marie Richards (Suzy-Q) born on December 6, 1967 passed away February 29, 2016, at the age of 48. She was born in Houston, grew up in College Station and graduated from A&M Consolidated High School in 1986. Susan worked for Texas A&M University since 1997, most recently in the Health and Kinesiology Dept. Susan loved her job and the people with whom she worked. Susan was a proud mother and loved her children and grandchildren deeply. She loved life, lived it fully and never met a stranger. Anyone who knew her felt privileged to have been able to call her their friend. She had an infectious smile and brought joy to those around her. She is preceded in death by A. J. Richards "Papa", and numerous aunts and uncles. Survivors include her father, Robert Richards and his wife Marilyn; her mother Sandra Ellis; sister Rebekah Craig; daughter Gabrielle Allen; son Preston Foster; and grandchildren La'Jae and La'Jerrien. She is also survived by close friends that she considered family; Leslie, Danielle, and Dawn. Thank you to Dr. Erin Fleener and her staff for their wonderful care and compassion, the Oncology Dept. at St. Joseph, and Hospice Brazos Valley. Though the nursing staff spent only a few hours with Susan, they were wonderful and caring. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations be made to Hospice Brazos Valley. A Celebration of Life will be held Tuesday, March 8th at 3 p.m. at St. Lukes United Methodist Church, 2700 W. Villa Maria Rd. Bryan, TX 77807. Express condolences at CallawayJones.com Glyphosate is now the most used synthetic chemical of all time and is widely suspected of interfering with human hormonal systems. A recent study by European and American researchers estimated the cost of the health impacts of such endocrine disruptors to be 157bn. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), an agency of the WHO, also concluded last year that glyphosate is "probably carcinogenic" to humans. Yet in spite of this clear evidence of harm, Commission President Juncker and his team persist in their refusal to regulate. Here is a clear example of the Commission ignoring loud and repeated public concern about widely used chemicals and their impact on human health. So it falls to MEPs in the European Parliament to fight this battle on behalf of Europe's citizens. Herbicide of contention To understand the situation, we must go back to March 2015, when IARC was evaluating glyphosate toxicity. Their decision that the chemical probably causes cancer followed a detailed evaluation undertaken in full transparency by experts independent of the chemical industry, and was based entirely on published, peer-reviewed scientific studies. Glyphosate faced re-evaluation at EU level because its authorisation was due to expire in June 2016. The European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) took charge of the dossier. Contrary to the opinion of IARC, EFSA's evaluation, published on 12th November 2015, found that glyphosate is "probably not carcinogenic". How experts reached this opinion cannot be explained because the process is totally opaque. Some of the experts who had advised EFSA in the evaluation of glyphosate did not even complete their declaration of conflict of interest. Secondly, EFSA founded its opinion on questionably 'scientific' studies. Some had not been published at all, or not in their entirety, or had not been subject to peer-review - as is customary in the scientific domain to ensure the quality of a study. Similarly, glyphosate is always used with additives to produce a herbicide, as is the case for Roundup. Yet EFSA restricted itself to evaluating pure glyphosate without taking into account its effects when combined with other substances. It seems that the in-use conditions of a herbicide are of no interest to EFSA. This is in stark contrast to the view of 96 internationally renowned scientists, who last November, wrote to the Commissioner for Health, Vytenis Andriukaitis. A new bill has been introduced to the US Senate to ensure that consumers can find GMO ingredient labeling on food packaging, while ensuring food producers are not subject to confusing or conflicting labeling requirements in different states. The new legislation presents an alternative to the so-called 'Deny Americans the Right to Know' or DARK Act - a bill just approved by the Senate Agriculture Committee that would hide GM ingredient information from consumers by overturning state GMO labeling laws. The Biotechnology Food Labeling Uniformity bill was introduced by four Democrat senators: Oregon's Senator Jeff Merkley; Vermont Senators Patrick Leahy and Jon Tester; and California's Dianne Feinstein. "Rather than blocking consumers' access to information they want, the US Senate should move forward with a solution that works for businesses and consumers alike", said Merkley, the top Democrat on the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee. "There is a way to give consumers the information they are asking for without placing unfair or conflicting requirements on food producers. This legislation provides the common-sense pathway forward." Telling consumers what they want to know The Biotechnology Food Labeling and Uniformity Act would allow American consumers to see whether a food has been prepared with GM ingredients, while offering food manufacturers several options for including this information on or near the ingredients list. This framework meets the needs of consumers, the vast majority of whom support labeling according to polls, and producers, who worry that a patchwork of state labeling laws would be costly and difficult to comply with and confusing for consumers. Specifically, the Biotechnology Food Labeling Uniformity Act would amend the Food Drug and Cosmetic Act to require manufacturers to disclose the presence of GM ingredients on the Nutrition Fact Panel in one of four ways: 1. Manufacturers may use a parenthesis following the relevant ingredient to indicate that this ingredient is 'Genetically Engineered'. 2. Manufacturers may identify GM ingredients with an asterisk and provide an explanation at the bottom of the ingredients list. 3. Manufacturers may simply apply a catch all statement at the end of the ingredient list stating the product was 'produced with genetic engineering'. 4. The FDA would have the authority to develop a symbol, in consultation with food manufacturers, that would clearly and conspicuously disclose the presence of GM ingredients on packaging. None of these options would require front panel disclosures or 'warning' statements intending to disparage GM ingredients. Regulatory certainty for manufacturers In addition to providing concrete disclosure options, today's GMO labeling bill would also provide regulatory certainty to national food manufacturers. Buckle up and prepare yourself for Andrea Wulf's hugely enjoyable voyage of discovery accompanying the extraordinary Alexander von Humboldt on his pioneering adventures into 19th century wilderness. Humboldt was, we are told, one of the last great polymaths. He spoke several languages, published extensively, painted, engaged in politics and accomplished a succession of scientific breakthroughs. Considered the most famous man of his time after Napoleon he talked and lectured incessantly holding entire rooms captive for hours. He tended to live beyond his means in Paris, Berlin and London. First and foremost though, he adored scientific field work, particularly botany and geology although his masterstroke was to see "this great chain of causes and effects" that connect diverse natural phenomena and to conceive of the concept of the web of life. His first major expedition began in 1799 when he managed to buy a place on a Spanish ship heading to its Latin American colonies. He stuffed his allocated space under his hammock with the world's most cutting-edge scientific instruments including a barometer, cyanometer and sextant. He would be gone for five years fearlessly pushing himself and his loyal companions to extremes to learn what he could of uncharted natural systems. Wulf describes Humboldt and his team climbing Mount Chimborazo: "At 18,000 feet they saw a last scrap of lichen clinging to a boulder. After that all signs of organic life disappeared, because at that height there were no plants or insects ... "No one had ever climbed this high before... As he stood on top of the world, looking down upon the mountain ranges folded beneath him, Humboldt began to see the world differently. He saw the Earth as one great living organism where everything was connected, conceiving a bold new vision of nature that still influences the way that we understand the natural world." 'The first to relate colonialism to the devastation of the environment' Humboldt and his team ventured deep into mysterious tropical wild lands brimming with astonishing lifeforms: beaches covered with turtles, rivers clogged with giant crocodiles; great herds of capybaras, jungle without end and ponds alive with electric eels. Yet even back then, when the human population was just a fraction of what it is today and industrialisation was just beginning, Humboldt was appalled by the assault he witnessed upon nature. He documented how deforestation affects climate and warned against excessive extraction from nature. We learn that he was also a committed abolitionist and "the first to relate colonialism to the devastation of the environment." This rip-roaring yarn binds us to Humboldt's enthusiasm and ecstasies as he bounds over three continents returning with chests packed full of wonders to delight various monarchs. Of the many heroes of faith recorded in the Bible, one of the most highly regarded is Daniel. He was a man who experienced the blessing of God and lived a life of excellence in his spirit, mind, and body. He remained strong in the Lord even in the face of adversity. He was an example who showed great integrity, wisdom, and faith. The Bible tells us God brought special favor upon Daniel in the eyes of the officials of the land. He was 'filled with insight, understanding, and wisdom' (Daniel 5:14, NLT). In fact, even his critics could find nothing wrong with him. We read that 'the other administrators and princes began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling his affairs, but they couldn't find anything to criticize. He was faithful, honest, and always responsible' (Daniel 6:4). Wouldn't we like to have such statements spoken about us? So what made Daniel so special? Interestingly, a look at the way he lived his life reveals that he was highly committed to maintaining a close relationship with God. Through the intimate fellowship Daniel enjoyed with the Lord, he developed incredible inner strength that allowed him to resist strong temptation. In his day, a decree was signed outlawing any citizen to pray to anyone except the king for thirty days. Anyone who disobeyed the law was to be thrown into a den of lions. Despite this threat, 'when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God' (Daniel 6:10). Notice some key phrases in this passage. Daniel prayed 'as usual' and 'just as he had always done.' Obviously, Daniel did not just pray in desperate situations, on special occasions, or when he was in a good mood. No, Daniel conducted a lifestyle of prayer and worship to God, and so should we! In one instance, the king addressed Daniel with these words: 'May your God, whom you worship continually, rescue you' (Daniel 6:16). Even the king realized that Daniel worshipped God continually, not occasionally. His devotion to God was a priority, not an afterthought. Daniel's actions highlight an extremely important key to Godly living: he was 'abiding' with the Lord. To abide with God means to stay in frequent contact with Him. You see, we should not turn our attention to God only in times of crisis; we should seek Him at all times. One of the things I appreciate most about the Lord is that He is available all the time. His ear is always open to our cry, and He never closes for business! At any moment, we can offer a word of prayer or praise to God, and He will hear us. All throughout the day, we have the opportunity to communicate with the Lord. The more we do so, the more strength we will draw from Him. Jesus explained, 'He who abides in Me, and I in him bears much fruit' (John 15:4, NKJV). Daniel's victorious life showed the abundant fruit that comes from abiding with the Lord. The good news is that we don't have to just admire the life of Daniel; we can experience the same blessing of God! If we will abide in the Lord, we too will bear much fruit and draw consistent strength from Him to succeed. The only moisture the Henderson County Water District had when it began was probably tears of frustration. As it was forming, the water district had planned to get its water from the Henderson Water Utility. After about 1,900 customers had been signed up, state approval had been obtained, and construction bids had been awarded, it was only then HWU indicated it wasn't happy with the terms of the proposed agreement with the water district. The result was a bitter controversy in the spring of 1966. But let's start at the beginning. On Aug. 29, 1964, a petition signed by 186 landowners was presented to County Judge Richard Staples, asking for the formation of a county water district. That was followed by public hearings to document the need. Staples appointed a three-member board on Oct. 24, according to the following day's Gleaner. The three were David C. House (who continued on the board for decades), Trafford Book, and William Shields, who was later replaced by A.F. Sinkhorn. HWU's promise to the water district came in The Gleaner of March 14, 1965. The board of the Henderson Water Utility voted to furnish water to the new district "if agreement can be reached on the cost." The city had a fairly new water treatment plant at that point, with a capacity of 6 million gallons per day, and the city's usage was only about 2.6 million gallons per day. Water district officials forged ahead with that preliminary agreement in hand. Plans for the distribution system were approved by the Kentucky Department of Health, according to The Gleaner of Nov. 19, 1965. Costs of the distribution system were expected to be about $2.2 million. State approval allowed the water district to ask for bids, which were opened Dec. 21, 1965. CFW Construction Co. of Fayetteville, Tennessee, was the low bidder for the main contract at $1.36 million, although it was going to use cement-asbestos pipe. Globe Industrial Builders of Henderson won the contract to build five water tanks for $90,820. That's when trouble began stirring the waters. A Gleaner editorial of Feb. 13, 1966, outlined the demands both HWU and the water district were making in the proposed contract. The water district wanted the agreement to run for 40 years, and HWU was agreeing to do that, but it had some restrictions. One of the main ones was to install cast iron pipe within five miles of the city limits, because that's the type of pipe the city system used. But the real sticking point was the right to buy the system within that five-mile area anytime it wished. The water district people said they couldn't agree to that because that's where most of their prospective customers lived, and that language in the agreement would make it nearly impossible to sell the bonds financing the project. Another editorial appeared three days later severely criticizing HWU, which was pleading empty pockets to the water district's need for a water supply contract. It seems the city had received federal grants to extend water and sewer lines into newly annexed portions of the city, but for some reason had not been enforcing an ordinance requiring residents to tap onto those lines. HWU had "a moral obligation to county residents, and a more serious financial obligation to city residents, but it can fulfill neither," the editorial said. The impasse had grown so serious that the Henderson Chamber of Commerce attempted to mediate, according to The Gleaner of March 2, 1966. It outlined a series of possible concessions both sides should consider. The chamber committee concluded by recommending further exploration of the idea of the city water and sewer system being expanded throughout the entire county. But an article that appeared March 11 flatly said, "The possibility of supplying county residents with water, after more than a year of planning, still remains remote." A few days later the city rejected the latest proposal from the water district, saying acceptance would seriously deter HWU's ability to grow by tying it to a substandard type of pipe, and without the ability to acquire the pipe system in newly annexed areas. That prompted an immediate response printed in The Gleaner of March 16 from County Attorney Carl Melton, who had been acting as legal counsel for the water district. He accused HWU of refusing to honor its previous commitment to provide water to the district. "In all probability, it will mean that we will build our own filtration plant," using water from the Green River, he said. HWU replied that its vote of March 13, 1965, was meant as "a basis upon which to work out (the water district's) other plans, and in no way was meant to constitute a binding offer," according to the March 17 Gleaner. Tempers apparently cooled over the next six weeks and the two sides began moving toward a compromise. The Gleaner of April 27 carried a story saying that an agreement was in the works. That story also said HWU had hired an engineering firm to lay plans for a major extension of water and sewer lines into areas newly added to the city limits. Those lines, it was stressed, would include fire hydrants the lack of which The Gleaner had criticized. An agreement was finally reached May 6, 1966. The water district conceded HWU's ability to take over some areas around the city, and HWU agreed to a 40-year contract at a price of 25 cents per 1,000 gallons. That price would be re-examined every five years, however. (The current price, by the way, for water from the downtown treatment plant, is a little more than $2.45 per 1,000 gallons.) "I think it will work out well for both parties," said Melton. "It will be no hardship for the water district and it should give the city protection on future expansion." 100 years ago The Dixie Flyer passenger train derailed as it was pulling into Union Station, according to The Gleaner of March 4, 1916. Fireman R.T. Johnson, 30, of Nashville, apparently tried to jump free of the locomotive but instead was killed when he was crushed underneath it. The train had been running about an hour late. No passengers were harmed, although some were pretty badly shaken up. 75 years ago A federal grand jury in Louisville indicted Felix B. Anderson, 48, for embezzling from the Corydon Deposit Bank, according to The Gleaner of March 7, 1941. Anderson pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a year and a day in prison, according to the March 18 issue. The thefts, which totaled $13,875, took place between 1934 and 1939. 25 years ago The state Department of Parks approved two new positions at Audubon State Park, according to The Gleaner of March 12, 1991, which resulted in a full-time naturalist and a curator for the museum. Virginia Smith was the park's first part-time naturalist in 1952 and in early May 1953 King Benson was named the first naturalist in a full-time position, but apparently it had been many years since the position had been full-time. Frank Boyett can be found on Facebook or on Twitter at @BoyettFrank. Kentucky Governor-elect Matt Bevin answers a question during a press conference in the Kentucky State Capitol Rotunda, Friday, Nov. 6, 2015, in Frankfort, Ky. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley) SHARE Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear By Adam Beam, The Associated Press Bevin, Beshear differ on cost to dismantle kynect Kentucky's Republican governor says it will cost $236,000 to dismantle the state's popular health insurance exchange, repudiating his Democratic predecessor who had said it would cost as much as $23 million. Republican Gov. Matt Bevin said the new cost estimates validate his decision to cut ties with a key part of President Barack Obama's signature health care law, calling it unsustainable and an unnecessary drain on the state's finances since it could easily be using the federal system. "It's time to set the record straight on kynect," Bevin said in a news release. Attempts to reach Beshear were unsuccessful. But some House Democrats questioned Bevin's numbers, asking for verification leading into the high stakes budget negotiations in the coming weeks. "Throwing numbers out is one thing. Verifying them is something else," said Democratic House Speaker Greg Stumbo, adding that Bevin "may or may not be right." The federal Affordable Care Act requires everyone to have insurance. To help with that, the law required states to set up health insurance exchanges where low-income people could purchase private health plans with the help of federal subsidies. But a U.S. Supreme Court ruling said states could choose not to create an exchange. The federal government built a system to accommodate those states. Kentucky is one of 13 states that operate its own health insurance exchange. Former Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear created it via executive order. The federal government gave the state a $290 million grant to build the exchange, where nearly 100,000 people have purchased private plans. But Bevin said the system was too expensive to operate and vowed to eliminate it, transitioning the state to the federal system. Before leaving office, Beshear's administration warned it would cost at least $23 million to dismantle the technical infrastructure for kynect. But Wednesday, Health and Family Services Cabinet Secretary Vickie Yates Brown Glisson said it would cost $5.3 million. Of that cost, $4.1 million would build a computer system so state and federal officials could share eligibility and enrollment information. Glisson told House budget writers Wednesday she has "the understanding" that the federal government will pay for 90 percent of that cost, meaning Kentucky taxpayers will have to pay $413,000. Glisson said it would cost $1.2 million to dismantle kynect's technical infrastructure. But she said the state would save $1.3 million in maintenance and operations costs. Glisson said she also expects other savings from no longer having to run a call center and consumer outreach programs. Kynect has a $35 million budget this year, mostly paid for from a 1 percent assessment on all private health insurance plans. "So in essence, for less than $250,000 to decommission kynect, the commonwealth will be able to save at least $20 million," Glisson said. Glisson said Kentucky would share the costs with the federal government for the new system, but noted the federal government would pay for most of it. The federal government would collect a 1.5 percent assessment on all plans sold on the exchange, while the state would place a 0.5 percent assessment on the plans to pay for administrative costs. "Those insurance policies are going to cost more," said Democratic state Rep. Joni Jenkins of Shively, the chairwoman of the budget review subcommittee that oversees the exchange's budget. "I think we're going to lose people. ... We've done such a great job of getting our numbers of uninsured down, and my real fear is we are going to start trending back up." SHARE The following information is based on public records from local and area law enforcement agencies and/or court systems: A Henderson County grand jury on Tuesday indicted 36 people, dismissed two cases, dismissed charges on other cases, and referred two cases to the next session of the grand jury. Those who were indicted are scheduled for arraignment on Tuesday, March 8. Dismissed Those whose cases were dismissed, their ages and addresses (where available) and charges are as follows: Jesse H. Huff, 37, 1100 block of Atkinson Street, two counts of second-degree unlawful transaction with a minor. Francis J. Feldman Jr., 62, Evansville, theft under $10,000. Indicted Those who were indicted, their ages and addresses (where available) and charges are as follows: Heather N. Moore, 29, address unavailable, first-degree bail jumping. Joseph A. Pope, 28, Evansville, receiving stolen property under $10,000, theft by deception under $500 and being a second-degree persistent felony offender. Janice M. Hooker, 38, Evansville, theft of an identity. A charge of first-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument was dismissed. Deshawn Johnson, 41, address unavailable, four counts of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, two of which are firearm enhanced, one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and being a first-degree persistent felony offender. Aaron J. Duncan, 21, address unavailable, second-degree burglary and/or complicity. Shawna J. Lewellen, 40, 700 block of Cherry Street, second-degree burglary and/or complicity. Cecil D. Davis, 18, 2700 block of Zion Road, first-degree rape. Ashley N. Ohrt, 30, 1100 block of Atkinson Street, four counts of second-degree unlawful transaction with a minor. James G. Shelton, 18, 300 block of North Ingram Street, first-degree criminal mischief and/or complicity. Two counts of second-degree unlawful transaction with a minor were dismissed. Jamie Haines, 27, 1100 block of Woodland Drive, receiving stolen property under $10,000 and theft by deception under $500. John L. Spurlock, 45, 8800 section Old U.S. 60-East in Spottsville, second-degree assault. Joshua L. Sights, 26, 8500 section of U.S. 60, first-degree wanton endangerment, fourth-degree assault (domestic violence), third-degree criminal mischief and third-degree terroristic threatening. Jamison E. Allen, 22, 900 block of Stapp Drive, first-degree possession of a controlled substance (heroin), possession of drug paraphernalia and tampering with physical evidence. Evelyn C. Gross, 35, 1500 block of Kentucky Avenue, theft of $10,000 or more and theft by deception under $10,000. Brennon N. Owens, 32, 2700 block of U.S. 41-North, one headlight, instructional permit violation, driving under the influence, possession of synthetic drugs, tampering with physical evidence, no operator's license, first-degree fleeing/evading police and being a first-degree persistent felony offender. Byron T. Hughes, 26, 500 block of Lovers Lane, second-degree assault and being a second-degree persistent felony offender. Raul Nieves, 44, 600 block of Washington Street, driving under the influence (second offense), no operator's license, no registration plates, two counts of first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance, one count of trafficking in marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and prescription drugs not in proper container. David Wimstatt, 57, address unavailable, being a felon in possession of a firearm. A charge of carrying a concealed deadly weapon was dismissed. Rudy Studdard, 27, Evansville, theft (shoplifting) under $10,000 or more. Sylvester Lipson Jr., 24, 1400 block of Woodland, first-degree wanton endangerment. Emily D. Hoffman, 30, address unavailable, two counts of criminal possession of a forged prescription and being a second-degree persistent felony offender. Brandi M. Weaver, 37, Owensboro, second-degree forgery. Jack C. Windhaus, 33, 14000 section of U.S. 41-Alternate, driving under the influence, driving on a suspended license, failure to surrender a revoked license, failure to produce insurance cards, failure to notify address change to the Department of Transportation, possession of drug paraphernalia, first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance and possession of a police scanner. Jonathan Kelton, 43, address unavailable, first-degree criminal mischief. Jamal E. Walton, 20, Owensboro, receiving stolen property (firearm), carrying a concealed deadly weapon and theft under $500. William W. Bean, 35, 6100 section of Kentucky 136-West, theft of shoplifting under $500, first-degree possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Kathy Thienes, 67, address unavailable, fraudulent use of a credit card under $10,000. A charge of theft under $500 was dismissed. Willie R. Tinsley, 41, 1100 block of Clay Street, first-degree possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, failure of owner to maintain required insurance and failure to illuminate head lamps. Clark A. Nelson, 42, 100 block of Bob O Link Run, theft of a firearm, theft under $10,000, being a felon in possession of a firearm and being a second-degree persistent felony offender. Nathan K. Woodard, 40, 1700 block of South Green Street, theft of a legend drug, theft of a controlled substance, fourth-degree assault and being a second-degree persistent felony offender. Charges of illegal possession of a legend drug, controlled substance prescription not in original container, third-degree criminal trespass and first-degree possession of a controlled substance were dismissed. James E. Robinson, 35, 100 block of West Grant Street, first-degree wanton endangerment, driving under the influence, and tampering with physical evidence. A charge of being a felon in possession of a handgun was dismissed. Melinda G. Dunn, 42, 1000 block of Lovers Lane, no or expired registration plates, failure to maintain insurance, driving under the influence, possession of drug paraphernalia and first-degree possession of a controlled substance (second offense). James W. Deno, 29, 1900 block of Madison Street, first-degree assault and tampering with physical evidence. Simone F. McCreary, 18, Waverly, first-degree possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana, person 18-20 possessing alcohol and possession of drug paraphernalia. Charles H. Fisher, 46, 9500 block of Larue Road, theft of a legend drug. Brandon Hedrick, 26, 1400 block of Woodland Drive, careless driving, operating on a suspended/revoked operator's license, identity theft and being a second-degree persistent felony offender. Referred Those whose cases were referred to the next session of the grand jury, their ages and addresses (where available) and charges are as follows: Holli A. Vignone, 34, 900 block of Pebble Creek Drive, disregarding a stop sign, failure to stop at a railroad crossing, first-degree possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving under the influence. Justin W. Ralph, 22, 800 block of Constanza Drive, second-degree burglary, third-degree criminal mischief, theft under $10,000 and theft under $500. EDITOR'S NOTE: Those charged with crimes are considered innocent until they are found guilty in a court of law. Every effort is made by this newspaper to report the final disposition of each case. In the event we fail to do so, a call to our newsroom, 827-2000, will prompt a background check on those cases and, if necessary, a published report on the final disposition. SHARE By Erin Schmitt of The Gleaner The Henderson City-County Planning Commission will be taking a closer look at whether Henderson is business friendly. People's perception is that Henderson is not friendly to businesses. This is according to those surveyed by Chandlerthinks, a destination branding agency hired by the Henderson County Tourism Commission for its Henderson Branding Project. The agency conducted 23 one-on-one surveys with community stakeholders, chatted with 36 people in focus groups, received 261 community surveys and conducted 270 attitude awareness and perception surveys - the last of which was with Evansville and Owensboro residents. Tourism Commission Executive Director Kyle Hittner presented the Planning Commission with highlights relative to the board during its meeting Tuesday night. "It's kind of disheartening because we feel like we've all made progress, we've all tried really hard but that perception is still there," said Brian Bishop, executive director of Planning Commission staff. Bishop added that's why he wanted Hittner to share the results with the Planning Commission because "it's important to see we still have a lot of work to do." In the one-on-one opinions, people stated there were a lot of rules and hoops to jump through to open a business and it was daunting to navigate through processes and codes. Commissioner Mac Arnold asked if the people who had made the comments had a recent bad experience or if happened 10 years ago or more. Hittner said it could have been a long ago experience or even hearsay. In the community survey results, participants were asked to rate Henderson on a scale of 1 to 10, with 7 considered average. Henderson received a 7.5 as a place to live; 7.1 as a place to visit and 5.9 as a place to start a business. As far as business-related attributes, Henderson received a 6 in having an available workforce; 5.82 for being a community with strong business leadership; 5.77 for being community vision; and 5.64 for being a business-friendly community. On the attitude, awareness and perception survey, Henderson received a 6 for being business friendly and a 5.49 for having a strong vision. People polled in this survey were Owensboro and Evansville residents who generally didn't know much about Henderson. Hittner wondered if they were just defaulting their answers since they seemed to know little about the community. Bishop noted the Planning Commission staff would be starting the budgeting process within the next few weeks. He asked the board to consider hiring a consultant that would evaluate the agency's procedures and relate them to surrounding cities to see how Henderson stacks up. Healthplex: Plans for the new Owensboro Health Henderson Healthplex are moving forward. The board approved Owensboro Health Medical Group's site plan for a 40,850 square-foot property located along Barret Boulevard west of Walmart. This approval is subject to bonding for the project totaling $63,100. Barret Boulevard has been extended and the associated utilities have also been extended to allow for this development, said Bishop. Owensboro Health Medical Groups is proposing two entrances at Barret Boulevard. There is a historic cemetery on the site. Owensboro Health Medical Group is proposing building a sidewalk that would allow visitors to park in the lot and walk to the cemetery. Kentucky 416-West property: The board approved Elfren Malave's request to rezone a property located at 6003 Kentucky 416-West from agriculture to highway commercial. Malave requested a zoning change to bring the property into compliance. There is an existing vehicle repair shop on the 5.75 acre property which is situated along the new I-69 corridor, Bishop said. "We expect this entire interchange to develop in a commercial nature once I-69 is further developed," Bishop said. Bugg property: The board approved a site plan submitted by Aaron and Kristen Bugg for a property located at 309 Burdette Street. This is subject to bonding totaling $28,000. The Buggs plan to construct mini storage units on the 1.6 acre property. There's an existing car wash on the property that will be demolished. SHARE By Beth Smith of The Gleaner A second home invasion has occurred in the city, and Henderson police say it could be connected to one that occurred Tuesday night in which someone was shot. Lt. John Nevels said detectives are following leads about a home invasion in the 800 block of Clay Street - also on Tuesday. Officials said this crime took place around 2 p.m. when two black males, both armed, forced their way into the home. A female resident was home when the men entered, Nevels said. They threatened her and stole money before leaving the scene, he said. The woman wasn't injured. Nevels said detectives are looking into the possibility that the crime on Clay Street was committed by the same people who broke into a residence in the 900 block of Village Brook Drive around midnight Tuesday. During this incident, "There were two people in the house - one man who lived there and another person who was visiting, " Nevels said. "The victims said the men put the guns to their heads and demanded money." One of the robbers shot the resident in the leg, and the men then left the residence with items from the house, he said. Police are asking that if anyone saw a suspicious vehicle in the area of Clay Street or Village Brook Drive around the times of the crimes that they call the police department at 270-831-1295. SHARE By Tom Lovett of The Gleaner Students at South Heights Elementary School have been celebrating Read Across America Week by taking the Dr. Seuss book "Oh the Places You'll Go" to heart and embarking on a virtual, whirlwind tour of America. They visited Disney World on Monday, the Mall of America on Tuesday, and Wednesday - Dr. Seuss' birthday - took them to the St. Louis Arch. Remaining on their agenda are the Statue of Liberty on Thursday and the White House on Friday. "When I was child, my aunt would always read "Oh the Places You'll Go" to me ... it's one of my favorite books," said South Heights Librarian Susan Overton. "So it seemed like a great choice (for Read Across America week). We wanted to expand the knowledge of our kids to see the opportunities they have. These virtual field trips show them some of the places outside of Henderson they could possibly visit one day." Overton arranged the "trips"using online videos of the landmarks. The White House video, for example, is a YouTube video of a tour guided by First Lady Michelle Obama. "Some of the places I've seen and thought were cool. And we're big Disney fans here at South Heights, but I also wanted to throw in some history and historical places like the Statue of Liberty and White House," Overton said. "The kids have loved it. One little girl went home and said 'Mom, I want to go to Mall of America for my birthday.' " Overton said every year she tries to come up with a fun way to celebrate Read Across America and Dr. Seuss' birthday. "A few years ago we had the students read four different Dr. Seuss books and vote on their favorite," she said. Once the students complete their virtual field trips on Friday, Overton said she's going to have them make a list of four places they'd like to visit. She's going to collect the lists in a Cat in the Hat hat. "It's going to be a list of places 'Oh, They Want To Go,' " she said. Application for student loan forgiveness plan is available: Here's what to know WASHINGTON (AP) -- And then there were four. Ben Carson's departure from the GOP presidential race means the quartet of remaining Republicans on the debate stage Thursday night get more time for attacks as Donald Trump treads a path to the GOP nomination and his three rivals try to trip him up. Cheered on by many Republican leaders, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and John Kasich are racing the primary clock to March 15, likely their last chance to stop Trump in a series of winner-take-all contests. Some things to watch Thursday night as the candidates meet at 9 p.m. EST for the Fox News Channel debate in Detroit: ___ HE WHO WAS NOT NAMED Love him or loathe him, Trump has taught the poohbahs of the Republican Party what a power grab really is -- and he's done it by winning over large swaths of the GOP's own core supporters far from Washington. His wobbling over whether to disavow the support of former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke finally gave the Republican leaders of Congress a way to go after the billionaire publicly -- without uttering Trump's name. Trump responded by saying House Speaker Paul Ryan would have to get along with a President Trump or pay some sort of "big price." On the eve of the debate, Ryan's office confirmed that Trump's campaign had contacted the speaker's staff in a first sign of outreach. Notably, Trump has started talking about unifying the GOP. Look for Trump to be asked about the existential rift in the party and how he expects to govern. ___ RUBIO, RUDE? TRUMP, TOO? The Florida senator who once insisted on staying above the scuffling has leapt right into it, emulating Trump's schoolyard-taunting style. At campaign events in the past week, Rubio made sometimes crude jokes about everything from Trump's tan to the size of his hands -- he even suggested that the billionaire wet his pants at the last debate. Look for whether a newly confident Rubio, emboldened by his first primary win in Minnesota Tuesday, keeps it up or takes a more statesmanlike approach. And what to expect from Trump? "I can't act overly presidential because I'm going to have people attacking from every side. A very good man, Ben Carson's not there anymore, so now we're going to have more time for the fighting," he said. "When people are hitting you from different angles, from all different angles, unfortunately you have to hit back. I would have a very, very presidential demeanor when I win, but until such time, you have to hit back," he told NBC on Thursday. ___ CRUZ'S STAND Thanks to Rubio's win Tuesday, Cruz can no longer say he's the only Republican who has shown he can beat Trump. But he won three states on Super Tuesday -- Alaska, Oklahoma and his home state of Texas. And the delegate math shows that Cruz is emerging as the candidate who might stop Trump. Look for some confidence from Cruz, because on Super Tuesday alone he came close to Trump. For the night, Trump won at least 237 delegates and Cruz won at least 209. Rubio was a distant third with at least 94. Even Sen. Lindsey Graham, who a week earlier joked at a dinner about killing Cruz, acknowledged on CBS that the Texas senator might be the party's best hope to beat Trump. ___ KASICH, STILL The debate setting is likely most helpful to Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who is looking for a strong showing in Michigan in the state's March 8 contest, to survive. __ FOX AND TRUMP, FRENEMIES Trump has uttered barely a peep about the fact that Fox News Channel is hosting the debate, and that his sometime-nemesis Megyn Kelly, is one of the moderators. This is a marked change from the upheaval that led to Trump boycotting Fox's debate just before the leadoff Iowa caucuses. Trump had demanded that Kelly be removed; Fox refused and Trump headed a few miles away to host his own event. He later said that could have been one of the reasons he lost Iowa to Cruz. Trump has not tweeted about Kelly in weeks. In an interview with the Associated Press this week, Kelly said she thinks Trump has more confidence now. "He knows he can handle me. He can handle any interviewer," she said. ___ REMEMBER BEN CARSON? Kelly said he wouldn't have gotten much attention even if he had stuck around for the debate. Fox will concentrate its questions on Trump, Cruz and Marco Rubio -- making for potentially awkward moments for Kasich. ___ Associated Press writer David Bauder contributed to this report from New York. ___ Follow Laurie Kellman on Twitter at: http//www.twitter.com/APLaurieKellman LINCOLN Quilts of Valor II reunites national quilting celebrities Alex Anderson, Mark Lipinski and host Marianne Fons from the original Quilts of Valor show for this 90-minute special airing at 12:30 p.m. Sunday on NET Television. As quilters sew a magnificent new quilt, they share quilt-making tips with viewers and speak from the heart about what being involved in making quilts for veterans means. The program introduces viewers to the people who make quilts and those who receive them with feature stories from Nebraska, California, North Carolina and Washington, D.C. Local 4-H members and veterans featured in this special include: 4-H member Leon Linhart of York explains how he used a very special donation to make a Quilt of Valor for a deserving veteran. Other 4-H members from York and Thayer counties share stories about selecting patterns to assembling quilts to wrapping their completed quilt around a surprised and touched veteran and why they want to continue. Also included are Eileen Krumbach of York County Extension and Julie Ochsner of Adams County Extension. A quilt presentation at the Nebraska State Fair to naval officer Jess Johnson of Lincoln shows how the quilt makers wrap their quilt around each veteran that is honored. Many others including Korean War veteran Byron Covey of York describe what it was like to fight overseas and what it meant to be thanked for his service. Korean War veteran Dell Wiemer, also of York, called his service in Korea the best thing that ever happened to him because he got to see the world. Other local veterans featured include Kirby Chapman, who served in Vietnam, Ryan Chapman who served in Afghanistan, and Roy McLain, who served in Korea. This program will also be broadcast at 11 a.m. Monday and 2 p.m. Saturday, March 12 on Create (NET3). New Nebraska Stories airing tonight The popular NET Television series, Nebraska Stories, continues with new stories at 7 p.m. today (Thursday) repeating at noon Sunday. Nebraska Stories covers a range of subject matter which is character driven and beautifully shot. It features smart storytelling and a bit of the unexpected as it explores who we are and how we live in our great state. The March 3 episode includes these stories: Battling a Football State of Mind showcases the steady growth of La Crosse with high school athletes in Omaha. Hayseed introduces Susan Werner as she tours the state to share her songs for farmers and the best of rural life in the Platte Valley. The Farmers Friend profiles Charlie Fenster, a man who has spent his life researching dry land farming practices in Scotts Bluff County. Crazy Horse Camp follows Lakota writer Joseph Marshall as he shows young natives how easy it looks and how hard it really is to hit a target with arrows shot from a traditional handmade bow in Ponca State Park. Making Paint Move introduces painter Michael Burton, who turns his art into stop-motion animation or what Burton calls paintamation in Lincoln. Anti-Horsethief Society teaches about a 19th century group of Kearney citizens who formed a club to stop horse thieves. A musical March A variety of musical genres are featured on NET this month. Musical programs that appeal to fans of country, classical, jazz and rock n roll have been selected to keep the toes tapping and tunes going. NET features archived specials alongside brand-new concerts allowing something for everyone to enjoy. Carole King and James Taylor Live at the Troubadour is a reunion concert that captures musical favorites and history, 8:30 p.m. Thursday, March 3. 50s & 60s Rock Rewind is the age of innocence that created rock n rolls first revolution. 7 p.m. Friday, March 4. Josh Groban: Stages Live is an all-new special, 7 p.m. Monday, March 7. Close to You: Remembering the Carpenters is a look back at the lives and musical arc of the beloved brother-and-sister songwriting duo, 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 8. This Land is Your Land is a musical journey through the evolution of modern American folk music, from its roots in bluegrass to San Francisco coffee houses to clubs in Greenwich Village, 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 9. Great Performances: Andrea Bocelli (Cinema) is a musical tribute to the silver screen in a lush concert of beloved songs from the movies, 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 9. Best of 50s Pop is an unforgettable concert featuring singing sensations from a kinder and gentler time, 7 p.m. Thursday, March 10. Bee Gees: One Night Only is a glossy musical and visual event with performances from their biggest singles from the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s, 9 p.m. Friday, March 11. Salut Salon: Classically Seduced is a concert with passionate virtuosity, instrumental acrobatics, charm and a great sense of fun, 5:30 p.m. Sunday, March 13. Burt Bacharachs Best is a special that includes all the original artists performing Bacharachs hits with rare footage and clips from the 1960s -1980s, 7 p.m. Sunday, March 13. My Music: Country Pop Legends is an archive of country pop legends that unite to perform their biggest and best-loved hit recordings from the 50s, 60s and 70s, 7 p.m. Monday, March 14. Motown 25 is a taped live show featuring virtually every key artist from the labels inception, 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 16. 60s Pop, Rock & Soul is a classic from the decade of peace, love and profound social change in this special sung by performers who represent a period of time that resonates through the generations, 7 p.m. Friday, March 18. Yanni Live at the Pyramids: the Dream Concert features Yanni and his global orchestra performing before a sold out two-night audience in front of the pyramids in Egypt, 9 p.m. Friday, March 18. Lawrence Welk: God Bless America is a special musical tribute to Americas freedoms, its leaders and its veterans, and to the patriotism Lawrence Welk held dear as part of the classic American success story of his life, 6 p.m. Saturday, March 19. Gelato, smoothies, pizza and more: Check out the newest in Bucks' eats These new Bucks County dining spots are serving up everything from gelato, pastries and pizza to green smoothies, cold-pressed juices and acai bowls. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Callistasia Anggun Wijaya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, March 3, 2016 Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama has vowed to declare himself as an independent candidate for the 2017 Jakarta Gubernatorial Election. Teman Ahok (Friends of Ahok), a group of supporters that have helped Ahok in the lead up to his independent candidacy, had previously declared that Ahok may announce his candidacy in May. "It could be faster than May. It could be next week or two weeks from now," Ahok told journalists at City Hall on Thursday. Teman Ahok has gathered 760,000 Jakarta-based identity cards, surpassing the 532,000 requirement set by the General Election Commission. Ahok had hoped to gather 1 million. Ahok has no political party affiliation at present, having quit the Gerindra Party which endorsed him in the 2012 Jakarta Election. While he had recently made an approach to several other political parties, Ahok voiced his plan to meet with the Nasdem Party chairman Surya Paloh and Wiranto, head of the Hanura Party. Nasdem have expressed support for Ahok's plan to run as an independent for a second term while Hanura has yet to officially declare support for any potential candidate. Ahok previously implied a willingness to gain support from the ruling PDI-P Party, although no details have been announced with regard to anything concrete. Jakarta General Election Commission chairman Sumarno said that, although there were no official dates as yet, Jakarta Gubernatorial Election (KPUD) steps would commence in April with public promotion of the election, as reported by kompas.com. KPUD would then start to collect and verify the identity card data garnered by independent candidates. In August, both independent and party-affiliated candidates may register their candidacy. KPUD would proceed to announce the official candidates in September. A campaign term will be conducted henceforth, before voting begins in February 2017.(+) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Callistasia Anggun Wijaya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, March 3, 2016 Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Thahaja Purnama has ordered the City Water Management Agency to keep the Manggarai sluice open in order to prevent flooding in the city's west. Ahok said the recent Pluit reservoir expansion in North Jakarta could accommodate a greater quantity of rainwater and thus, he argued, there was no need to protect areas near the presidential office by closing the sluice in Manggarai. Ahok had been surprised to learn that the agency had continued to maintained a procedure introduced during the colonial era. "I told them to keep the water gate open. I was angry when they closed the gate due to old procedure," Ahok told journalists at city hall on Wednesday. Under the old procedure, in an effort to protect areas near the State Palace, the Manggarai sluice was to be closed when water had reached a certain level. Only the governor had the authority to order the sluice open. The agency should not have continued to implement such an old procedure because the spatial conditions of the city had changed, rendering the procedure irrelevant, said Ahok, adding that the sluice could be closed during the dry season. In response to the governor's order, Water Management Agency head Teguh Hendarwan said that the Manggarai sluice would be opened when the water had reached 200 centimeters. He said, based on old procedure, the sluice would only be opened if the water level reached 750 to 900 cm. (bbn)(+) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Safrin La Batu (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, March 3, 2016 The Australian Federal Police (AFP) have agreed to assist the investigation into the murder of Wayan Mirna Salihin, 27, who was allegedly poisoned by her same-age friend Jessica Kumala Wongso earlier this year. The Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) reported on Monday that Australian Justice Minister Michael Keenan approved the AFP's decision to help the Jakarta Police in the investigation into the case after Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Tito Karnavian met him in Australia last week. The decision to assist the Indonesian authorities in the case was approved after the Jakarta Police agreed that Jessica, whom the SMH said has Australian permanent resident status, would not face the death penalty. The police have charged Jessica with committing premeditated murder, which, according to the Criminal Code, is punishable by the maximum sentence of death. 'The Indonesian government has given an assurance to the Australian government that the death penalty will not be sought nor carried out in relation to the alleged offending,' a spokeswoman for Keenan was quoted as saying. Jakarta Police general crimes director Sr. Comr. Krishna Murti was also quoted as saying that the police would not seek capital punishment for the suspect. 'Please note that the death penalty is the maximum sentence, it's reserved for extraordinary crimes only,' he said. 'After the guarantee, approval was given and now we have started cooperating with the AFP.' The Jakarta Police asked the AFP to provide information about the two women's relationship and interaction when they studied at Billy Blue College of Design in Sydney and Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne. Mirna's father, Darmawan Salihin previously revealed a whatsapp conversation between Mirna and Jessica that may be of significance in the case. 'Jessica said 'Mirna give me a kiss. It has been a long time since you have given me a kiss',' he said in a live television broadcast. He said that it was something that he found odd, knowing that Mirna had been dating Arif Sumarko for eight years before the two married in December 2015. Mirna did not invite Jessica to her wedding, Darmawan added, explaining that the two had lost contact after graduation. The police have named Jessica the only suspect in the high-profile murder of Mirna, who died shortly after sipping cyanide-laced coffee at a restaurant in a shopping mall in Central Jakarta in January. In an attempt to challenge her suspect status, Jessica filed a pretrial motion claiming that the move was made without sufficient evidence and the investigation had been carried out improperly. However, the Central Jakarta District Court rejected her challenge on Tuesday, which allows the police to investigate further the murder, the motive for which is as yet unknown. Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Mohammad Iqbal said previously that the motive would only be presented at the trial. Police had handed over the dossier on Jessica to the Jakarta Prosecutor's Office, but it was returned to be completed by the police. The office' s head Sudung Situmorang said that police had yet to provide material evidence showing the chronology of the cyanide being put into Mirna's coffee, or the identity of the poisoner. The police previously said that they had CCTV footage from the restaurant where Mirna drank the cyanide-laced coffee. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Kristen Gelineau (The Jakarta Post) Sydney, Australia Thu, March 3, 2016 Debris that washed ashore in Mozambique that may be from missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 turned up in a spot that matches investigators' theories about where wreckage from the plane would have ended up, Australian officials said Thursday. Photos of the debris discovered over the weekend appear to show the fixed leading edge of the right-hand tail section of a Boeing 777, said a US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak publicly. Flight 370, which disappeared two years ago with 239 people aboard, is the only known missing 777. The plane is believed to have crashed somewhere in a remote stretch of the southern Indian Ocean far off Australia's west coast and about 6,000 kilometers to the east of Mozambique. But authorities have long predicted that any debris from the plane that isn't on the ocean floor would eventually be carried by currents to the east coast of Africa. Australian Transport Minister Darren Chester reiterated that opinion Thursday, saying the location of the debris in Mozambique matches investigators' drift modeling and would therefore confirm that search crews are looking in the right part of the Indian Ocean for the main underwater wreckage. Malaysian Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai also said the location of the debris lined up with investigators' predictions. People who have handled the part, called a horizontal stabilizer, say it appears to be made of fiberglass composite on the outside, with aluminum honeycombing on the inside, the US official said. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau, which is running the search for the plane in remote waters off Australia's west coast, said the part was expected to be transported to Australia for examination. Malaysian representatives from the nation's Civil Aviation department and Malaysia Airlines were heading to Mozambique to discuss the find, Liow said. From the pictures shown, it's high probability that the plane debris is from Boeing 777," Liow told reporters. He did not know how long it would be before the part was sent to Australia. Meanwhile, authorities in Mozambique were combing the area where it was found to search for other potential debris, Liow said. Australian officials have seen photographs of the part and have been in communication with Blaine Gibson, the American man who found it, said Dan O'Malley, a spokesman for the Australian Transport Safety Bureau. "We're aware of these reports that debris has been found in Mozambique," O'Malley said. "We're working with officials in Mozambique and Malaysia to investigate." Australia will work with Malaysian investigators to examine the object once it arrives in Australia, he said. The ATSB hasn't made any determinations yet about the potential origins of the debris. "We have to wait until we have the actual debris examined," O'Malley said. "We're not going to draw conclusions from the photos." Some have expressed skepticism that the part could be from the missing aircraft because it appears to be remarkably clean and free of sea life ' unlike the barnacle-encrusted wing part that washed ashore on the French island of Reunion last year. That part, known as a flaperon, remains the only confirmed trace of Flight 370. But Charitha Pattiaratchi, an oceanographer with the University of Western Australia, said if the part was discovered on a sandbank as reported, the motion of the waves pushing it against the abrasive sand may have shaved any sea life off it. "If somebody actually found it in the middle of the ocean while they were sailing and picked it up, I would say, 'Well, that should have some barnacles,'" he said. "But if it's been on a beach, it's basically been sandblasted." Also, the part appears to be very flat and barnacles need something to grip, he said. Last year, Pattiaratchi met with Gibson, a Seattle man who has been combing beaches around the region for debris from the missing plane. Pattiaratchi has used computer modeling to predict where floating debris from Flight 370 might end up and Gibson wanted to get Pattiaratchi's opinion on where to look. Pattiaratchi's models showed it would likely end up around Madagascar or Reunion Island, and possibly in the Mozambique Channel. And that's apparently where Gibson went, Pattiaratchi said. Flight 370 disappeared on March 8, 2014, while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Authorities who scrutinized data exchanged between the plane's engine and a satellite determined that after veering sharply off course, the jetliner continued on a straight path across the Indian Ocean, leading them to believe that it flew on autopilot for hours before running out of fuel and crashing into the water. Australia has led a multinational search effort, which also includes the Malaysian and Chinese governments. But no trace of the passengers, their luggage or even things designed to float, such as life jackets, has been discovered. With authorities unable to find the plane and its "black box" flight data and cockpit voice recorders, investigators are no closer than they were two years ago to discovering the cause of the aircraft's disappearance. With the search tentatively scheduled to wrap up in June, Flight 370 may become one of aviation's great unsolved mysteries. Liow, the Malaysian transport minister, said it was premature to say whether the search could be expanded beyond June. Ministers from Malaysia, Australia and China will meet in Kuala Lumpur in June to assess the situation and listen to experts' views, Liow said. An international investigation team looking into the disappearance will issue an interim statement on March 8, Liow said. (+) ___ Associated Press writers Joan Lowy in Washington, Eileen Ng in Kuala Lumpur and Emmanuel Camillo in Maputo, Mozambique, contributed to this report. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Bill Barrow (The Jakarta Post) Washington Thu, March 3, 2016 Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson said he is effectively ending his bid for the White House Wednesday, concluding a roller-coaster campaign that briefly took him to the top of a chaotic Republican field but ended with a Super Tuesday whimper. "I do not see a political path forward," Carson said in a statement posted on his campaign website, though he added, "I remain deeply committed to my home nation, America" and promised to offer details of his future when he speaks Friday at a conservative conference in Washington. He did not explicitly say that he's ending his campaign, only noting that he does not plan to take part in Thursday's Fox News television debate. But his longtime businessman and friend, Armstrong Williams, confirmed that the soft-spoken candidate would no longer be asking for votes. "There's only one candidate in this 2016 election on the Republican side, and his name is Trump. That's the reality," Williams said, adding that Sens. Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz also should drop out, as they "also have no path" to the nomination. Carson's exit reduces the active Republican field to four candidates, though billionaire Donald Trump remains the clear leader in earned delegates and voter preference polls. Carson, 64, was one of several anti-establishment candidates who shaped the early stages of a Republican race defined by conservatives' wide-ranging disgust with the nation's direction and the party leaders' perceived inability to alter it. He ran as an outsider, offering a poverty-to-fame autobiography, his unabashed Christian faith and an unceasing indictment of conventional politics, styling his bid as an effort to combat "political correctness" and what he described as a creep toward "socialism." That formula fueled a steady climb in the polls and a powerful fundraising effort. But his success also brought intense scrutiny. Carson lashed out publicly at questions about his life story, having to explain anecdotes like his claim to have been offered a "scholarship" to West Point. He made foreign policy flubs, from a mistaken suggestion that China is militarily involved in Syria's civil war, to a high profile speech in which he repeatedly mispronounced the name of the Palestinian political and military organization Hamas. The only African-American among the presidential contenders of either major party, Carson announced his bid in May from his native Detroit, where he was raised in a poor neighborhood by a single mother. Though she could not read, Carson said, his mother saw to it that he and his brother received formal educations. Carson attended Yale University and the University of Michigan Medical School. He earned national acclaim during 29 years leading the pediatric neurosurgery unit of Johns Hopkins Children's Center in Baltimore. He directed the first surgery to separate twins connected at the back of the head. His career was notable enough to inspire the 2009 movie, "Gifted Hands," with actor Cuba Gooding Jr. depicting Carson. ----- Follow Barrow on Twitter at https://twitter.com/BillBarrowAP. (**) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ayomi Amindoni (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, March 3, 2016 Bank Indonesia (BI) has issued a regulation to provide a hedging facility for Islamic banks to mitigate potential losses due to exchange rate fluctuations. BI director for financial market broadening program Edi Susianto said the 2016 BI Regulation (PBI) on sharia hedging was issued as a result of increasing demand for foreign exchange (forex) services at Islamic banks, amid a low forex offer. It consequently led to rupiah fluctuations. "In this context, there must be a hedging instrument to control foreign currency demand to be more restrained through sharia hedging," Edi said at the Bank Indonesia office in Jakarta on Wednesday. Moreover, he continued, there was growing number of sharia institutions that had high exposure to foreign currencies in import-export transactions, offshore financing, haj and minor haj services and forex trading. "Financing activities using forex continue to rise, including the need to cover the haj cost, which is projected to increase in the next eight to 17 years from Rp 52 million [US$3,930] to Rp 81 million per person," Edi explained. Based on BI supervision, he continued, forex exposure in sharia banking showed a very sharp increase but remained below that of conventional banking. Without proper measures to manage the risk through hedging, the Islamic banking business could be hindered. "Without proper control, there could be potential losses from exchange rate fluctuations, both for sharia banking and businesspeople," Edi said. (ags) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin The Jakarta Post Jakarta Thu, March 3, 2016 Amid rapid increase in the country's e-commerce business, one of the country's largest online retailers, Blibli, expects a fivefold increase in daily transactions. Blibli's CEO, Kusumo Martanto, said in Jakarta on Tuesday that he hoped Blibli's average daily transactions would reach 10,000 transactions this year, a fivefold increase from 2,000 last year. To reach this target, Blibli has implemented several business strategies, such as establishing a partnership with major credit card issuers, which often offer 0 percent interest for the online shop's customers, Kusomo said, adding that Blibli would also offer a free delivery service to its customers across the archipelago. He declined, however, to unveil the value of the expected transactions. Blibli, which was established five years ago by PT Global Digital Naiaga (GDN), an affiliate company of Djarum Group, sells products ranging from baby diapers, mobile phones and fashion items to motorcycles and expensive cars. Baby and children's goods still dominate transactions, followed by gadgets and fashion products, he said. 'Despite the market slump, as reported by media, motorcycle sales at Blibli's online shop are doing reasonably well,' he said, adding that Blibli currently partnered with several automotive distributors to sell Toyota and BMW cars and Honda, Piaggio and Yamaha motorcycles. Blibli acknowledged that 40 percent of customer transactions were made through the use of credit cards. Customers who purchase Blibli's products are 52 percent male and 48 percent female, with an age range between 25 and 35 years old. In order to reduce costs, Blibli has opened three warehouses in Jakarta and plans to build more outside of Jakarta in the future, Kusumo told reporters following the signing of a partnership agreement with Standard Chartered Bank. Under the agreement, the bank will offer attractive programs such as a 7 percent discount to all customers who purchase items from Blibli using a Standard Chartered credit card, as well as flash sale programs every fifth, 15th and 25th day of each month and special benefits like discounts or cashbacks for special holidays including school holidays, Christmas and Idul Fitri. Standard Chartered chose Blibli as its partner because the firm is a major e-commerce company that specializes in selling basic necessities, Standard Chartered Bank CEO Shee Tse Koon said after the signing of the cooperation agreement. He explained that the strategic partnership with Blibli was part of Standard Chartered's strategy to expand aggressively in Indonesia. Unlike online shop Bhinneka, which plans to launch an initial public offering (IPO) in the next two years, Blibli said it wanted to focus on expanding its market in Indonesia for now. 'There is still a lot of potential in Indonesia. [Bhinneka] has been in the market for a long time, whereas we have been established for only five years,' Kusumo said. (win) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ni Komang Erviani (The Jakarta Post) Denpasar Thu, March 3, 2016 Canadian Alan Philphott walked along the Benoa cruise terminal in Benoa Harbour on Tuesday afternoon, looking for gifts for his family back home before continuing his journey with the Crystal Serenity cruise ship to Semarang, Central Java, in the evening. He had spent three days in Bali with his wife Karen, participating in tours to explore the beauty of the island. 'I love Bali, it is very nice. The people are very friendly, I love the rice fields and of course, the temples. We really enjoyed our trip here,' Philphott said about his impression of Bali. This is not the first time Philphott visited Bali by cruise ship. The pleasure of traveling on a cruise kept him coming back for more. 'With cruises, you get to see a lot of different ports, different cities, different countries, and you get an overview. If you like them, then you will fly back,' he said, adding that he would visit Bali again next year. For 103 days, the Crystal Serenity takes thousands of passengers on a voyage to various beautiful places around the world, and Bali is on its list. As the country's most famous tourist destination, Bali sees a brighter outlook on cruise tourism this year as Benoa port is scheduled to welcome 60 cruise ships this year. Last year, a total of 58 cruise ships arrived on the island, up from 49 ships in 2014 and 41 in 2013. Ali Sodikin, general manager of seaport operator Pelindo III for Benoa port, said that the increase had been recorded from a few years ago as many cruise ship companies had included Bali as one of its favorite destinations. The high number of cruise ships coming to Bali would definitely contribute to the island's revenue and improving the welfare of the local people. 'The most important thing is not the number of cruise ships docking in Bali, but the duration of their stay here. The longer they are here, the more money they will spend, and that could boost the local economy,' Ali said. According to a survey conducted by the Tourism Ministry, tourists in Bali spend on average US$125 per day. Benoa now serves as a turn-around port, where cruise ships can drop off passengers to spend their holiday in Bali. While these passengers take other modes of transportation to leave the island, the cruise ships pick up new passengers before leaving for the next destination. It is also a destination port, where cruise ships drop off and pick up the same passengers. Due to the port's development, the island has recorded an increase in the number of passengers, from 49,041 people in 2014 to 71,126 people in 2015. One cruise ship can carry an average of 1,000 to 2,000 passengers. Currently, the port is expanding its pier to accommodate bigger cruise ships, and to welcome more tourists. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Anton Hermansyah (The Jakarta Post) Thu, March 3, 2016 The Office of the Maritime Affairs Minister has questioned the availability of a gigantic Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG) ship to serve the offshore development of the Masela oil and gas block, claiming that no such ship exists. Spokesman Ronnie Higuchi Rusli said FLNG ships were currently unavailable everywhere in the world. The first FLNG ship, called 'Prelude FLNG' and owned by Shell, was still under construction in South Korea by Samsung Heavy Industries. The ship has been under construction since 2013. "We haven't seen the technology yet. And even when Prelude is finished, can it handle a big field like Masela? The income from gas sales will be burned up by the cost recovery to pay the big ship and the maintenance," he said on Wednesday in Jakarta. The Masela block has reserves of 10.3 trillion cubic meters. It is estimated that these reserves will last for 24 years. A big ship is needed to transport the gas from the ocean. Prelude FLNG is 488 meters in length. The ship is worth more than US$10 billion. Upstream Oil and Gas Regulatory Special Task Force (SKKMigas) chairman Amien Sunaryadi said his taskforce had already made a survey regarding the FLNG Ship. There were some shipbuilders in Japan and Korea able to build the ship. Local industries might be involved in producing the materials needed to build the ship such as steel. However, docking will be the main problem. "From 179 docks in Indonesia, the longest one is 340 meters. But we need more than 350 meters and Maluku will have to build the new mega-dock," he said, arguing that the project would open up the opportunity for Maluku to develop a competitive docking business. "We can use the contract money paid by Inpex as the operator [to build the dock]. The dock will be partly owned by local businesses," Amien explained. SKKMigas considers an onshore development of Masela to be a difficult task. The islands around the block are mostly small and would take years to reshape to support a gigantic onshore terminal. "If the President agrees to the offshore project this year, the operation will start in 2018 and the gas will flow out by 2024. If we revise it to onshore, the engineering design for land and undersea pipes will take at least three years, to 2019," Amien said. (ags)(+) --- Eds: correction on the misled statement in the last paragraph. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin The Jakarta Post Thu, March 3, 2016 We greatly welcome the agreement of the central government, the provincial governor and the regents of the seven regencies surrounding Lake Toba in North Sumatra to establish a single authority for developing the areas around the world's largest volcanic lake into what some Cabinet ministers bill as the Monaco of Asia. Even though the devil is in the technical details, the agreement on the single authority, which was reached during President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo's visit to the lake on Tuesday, could be a breakthrough and even a model for nine other major tourist destinations the government will promote across the country. The concept of the single authority is a great lesson learned from the miserable failure to develop the eight special economic zones (SEZ) in Java, Sumatra and Sulawesi. What has outstandingly been missing from the SEZ development is an administrator with superb inter-ministerial authority in charge of coordinating the provision of all the tax incentives, facilities and the expedited licensing for investors operating in an SEZ. A single authority, led by a capable and strong administrator directly under the President or at least a coordinating minister, is crucial to resolve many issues especially in the development of the areas surrounding Lake Toba, because the lake transcends seven regency administrations. The President made the right approach in accelerating Lake Toba development by focusing right from the outset on the basic infrastructure, such as the Silangit airport, the air gateway to the lake. Jokowi has instructed that the upgrading of airport capacity and terminal to handle airplanes of up to Boeing 737-800 size should be completed before the end of the year so that the frequency and capacity of air services between Kualanamu, the international airport of Medan, and Silangit could be expanded. The main barrier to tourist promotion in Lake Toba has been poor transport infrastructure as the Silangit airport now is capable of serving only light airplanes, while the car ride from Medan to Parapat, the lakeside town, could take six to seven hours one way. The biggest problem for the single authority now is how to clean up the lake from severe pollution caused by fish-cage farming by the local people because this process would affect the earnings of thousands of families. The authority should be able to provide alternative means of livelihood for the people. Indeed Lake Toba has great potential to be developed into a major tourist destination area in North Sumatra. As a nature and culture-based and labor-intensive industry tourism can create multiplier effects on the economy. Travel-related businesses such as hotels, restaurants, transportation, handicraft and cultural shows are all labor intensive, the very kind of businesses needed to absorb the huge pool of job seekers. But the establishment of a single authority is simply the first, though, quite strategic a step in harnessing Lake Toba's tourism potential. The next most important step depends on the company and the management the government will set up to develop and promote tourism-related businesses around Lake Toba. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Syamsul Huda M.Suhari (The Jakarta Post) Gorontalo Thu, March 3, 2016 The Child Protection Institution (LPA) has recorded an alarming increase in sexual violence committed against children in Gorontalo. LPA secretary Salhuddin Idris spoke of an 'emergency' in sexual violence against children in the province of 1.1 million people, revealing that in 2015, his institution had recorded 117 cases of sexual violence against children, up from 70 in 2014 and 30 in 2013. This year, the LPA received three reports of sexual violence against children, the activist said. Salhuddin said the figure might be just the tip of the iceberg, because many cases of sexual violence against children were not reported to the police. 'Ironically, the majority of sexual violence against children is committed by someone known to the victim, such as stepfathers, grandfathers and neighbors,' he told thejakartapost.com on Thursday. Salhuddin said there were many factors that might trigger the high level of violence against children in Gorontalo, including poor parental education and control, the influence of the internet and lifestyle-related problems. The LPA and other non-governmental organizations concerned with the protection of women and children are calling on the Gorontalo legislative council to immediately pass a regional bill on the elimination of violence against women and children. The bill aims not only to regulate procedures to control sexual violence against children but also to strengthen institutions in preventing the crime. 'We should act not just as 'fire extinguishers', in responding to a case only after it happened,' said Salhuddin. Based on Gorontalo Police data, 251 cases of sexual violence against children occurred across Gorontalo during the 2013-2015 period. From January to February this year, the police recorded at least five cases of sexual violence against children, one of which was a human trafficking case. Trafficking is one of the most common issues affecting children in Gorontalo and involves a vast network across the province. Gorontalo Police spokesperson Adj. Sr. Comr. Bagus Santoso said all parties, starting with parents, government institutions and relevant social organizations, had to work together to prevent sexual violence against children. 'The most important thing is control and education in the family environment,' he said. (ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Agnes Anya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, March 3, 2016 A K-Pop concert should have been a dream come true for fans of popular group EXO, but it turned sour, with many concert-goers ' largely women and girls in their teens, 20s and early 30s ' allegedly harassed during exaggerated security procedures. The concert, held on Saturday at the Indonesia Convention Exhibition (ICE) in Tangerang, Banten, was the group's second show in Jakarta. 'When I went through the security checkpoint, I was shocked, because the officer touched my breasts and pulled up my bra,' 22-year-old Alia told The Jakarta Post. While the officer in question was female, Alia was nonetheless outraged at such treatment, which was meted out in front of other, male security officers. 'Why did they have to do that?' she asked. A friend of hers who vocally objected to the intrusive check was reprimanded by officers. 'She cried out when the security officer touched her crotch. The officer told my friend not to overreact, as she was not being checked by a male officer,' Alia said. Soon after the concert ended, many fans took to social media to vent their anger at promoter Mecimapro, which had handled several previous K-pop gigs in Jakarta. Mecimapro representative Tike Priatnakusumah, 38, claimed that the Tangerang Police had asked the promoter to conduct thorough body checks in response to rumors of possible bombing attacks in the environs of the venue. Tangerang has seen several bomb threats and incidents in the last few years, the most recent incident taking place in October last year when a low-level explosion rocked Mall Alam Sutera. It was the second bomb incident at that mall that year; on Jan. 16, a bomb-like object was found at a mall in Gading Serpong. 'Checks are carried out for the security and comfort of the audience. However we understand certain undesirable incidents may have taken place. This is what we are currently trying to find out and resolve,' Tike told the Post, adding that the promoter was soliciting witness statements. 'To my knowledge, security officers were instructed to act professionally. The security team is not part of our firm ' it's outsourced. This wasn't our first time working together and we have never experienced such complaints before,' she said. The comedian and presenter added that at previous concerts, audience members had attempted to smuggle in under their clothes forbidden video recorders. Rape-survivor support group Lentera Indonesia founder Wulan Danoekoesoemo said that any behavior that upset one party could be classified as harassment, especially when it involved the sexual organs. 'Each individual reserves full rights over his or her body. If they don't want their bodies to be touched, the security officers should respect that decision,' she said. The Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) also criticized the management and urged the victims to take legal action. '[Such checks are] clearly exaggerated and unjustifiable. The organizers must get the audience's consent before carrying out body checks,' KPAI commissioner Rita Pranawati said. 'The danger is that it could create trauma and hamper the psychological development of the victims,' said Rita. With complaints from audience members and their families flooding social media, Rita said that reporting the case to the police was the best way to avoid the future occurrence of comparable incidents. One well-known artist whose daughter suffered mistreatment, Titarubi, is planning to take legal action against the promoter, consulting with the National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) and hiring a lawyer. 'What kind of security measure allows [officers] to touch the sexual organs?' Titarubi asked, adding that by taking legal action, she hoped to educate the public and prevent the reoccurrence of similar incidents. (fac) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Stefani Ribka (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, March 3, 2016 The government has decided not to extend the authority of the spy agency in an amendment to the 2003 Terrorism Law, however the government intimated on Wednesday that the agency's proposal was not completely off the table. Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan said the government was currently focused on capturing terrorists through strengthening cooperation between different law enforcement institutions. The retired Army general said the government had yet to respond to a proposal from National Intelligence Agency (BIN) chief Sutiyoso to provide the intelligence body with the authority to summon and question terror suspects. 'We'll see later. I also have to consult with the House of Representatives. Let's do it one step at a time. Catch the terrorists first. We already see better coordination between the police and the military,' he said in Pekanbaru, Riau, as quoted by kompas.com. In a meeting with House Commission I overseeing defense and foreign affairs on Monday, Sutiyoso said that he had requested the power to summon and question terror suspects in order to more effectively explore evidence. He asked for this power to be included in the amendment to the Terrorism Law. His proposal was rejected by legislators. Legislators argued that there would be the potential for abuse of power if such an authority was given to the intelligence organization that mostly engages in clandestine operations. Previously, Luhut said that there was still a chance that the intelligence body would be empowered with the authority through a revision to the law. Separately, the National Police also announced on Wednesday that they had arrested four more alleged terrorists linked to January's terror attack on Jakarta. The suspects were arrested in Central Java and East Java. To date, the police have arrested 39 people allegedly involved in the attack. National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Anton Charliyan said that counter terrorism unit Densus 88 had arrested PJ, alias RB, and PKK, alias LT, in Kroya, Cilacap, on Monday, and S, 25, and KW, 43, in Malang on Tuesday. 'They are related to the Thamrin [bomb] but we are investigating further to know their roles and who funded them,' he told reporters at the National Police headquarters in South Jakarta on Wednesday. 'Apparently they lived in Batu [Malang, East Java] for about a month before launching the attack in Jakarta,' he went on to say. Some of the arrested suspects were not locals. S is from Makassar, South Sulawesi, and KW is from Madiun, East Java. The police confiscated three organic revolvers, 16 bullets and a penknife from the four suspects. Anton said the four suspects also followed convicted terrorist Aman Abdurrahman, the man thought by many to be one of the key organizers of January's attack. The attack on Jan. 14 claimed the lives of four civilians and left 22 others injured. Aman was a convict for years at the Kembang Kuning prison on Nusa Kambangan Island before being moved to the Pasir Putih cell on the same island after the attack in Jakarta. Anton said that the police were still searching for other terrorists involved in planning and executing the attack. On Sunday, the police were involved in a shootout with followers of Santoso's terror group in Poso, Central Sulawesi. 'Recently, we captured one person in Poso. We've also thwarted four people taking food supplies into the mountain. They are locals as well as outsiders,' Anton said. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin The Jakarta Post Jakarta Thu, March 3, 2016 The Muslim Forum Secretariat has opened up selection for Muslim candidates to run for the governor of Jakarta in the 2017 regional election. The organization says that dozens of people have registered. Syafiq Alaidrus, secretary of the organization, said Wednesday that registration would be open between Feb. 20 and March 10 and four people had already passed the initial selection phase to be nominated as a candidate. 'Four people have passed the documents selection phase. One of the criteria to be nominated is that the candidate should be a Muslim with integrity,' Syafiq said as quoted by kompas.com. A number of Muslim figures in Jakarta, led by Islam Defenders Front (FPI) patron Habib Rizieq, initiated the selection process to endorse a candidate to compete against Jakarta Governor Basuki 'Ahok' Tjahaja Purnama in the election. Rizieq said last week that the nomination was designed to register their objections to Ahok's leadership. According to Rizieq, Ahok is an 'arrogant leader'. Aside from the incumbent Ahok, Ridwan and Surabaya Mayor Tri Rismaharini had both garnered support from political parties and the public on the back of their respective performances. Both Ridwan and Tri have been dubbed Ahok's main contenders for the upcoming election. Ahok announced that he will run for Jakarta Governor next year as an independent candidate, having resigned from Gerindra in 2014. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin The Jakarta Post Depok Thu, March 3, 2016 A Honda Jazz car driven by 22-year-old Dessy Khanti Astuti fell 9.8 meters from a Depok Town Square shopping center in West Java, causing the death of the driver and a male passenger, 27-year-old Muhammad Ubaydillah. Depok Police chief Sr. Comr. Dwiyono said that the accident took place at 2 a.m. on Wednesday after the deceased driver and passenger and three of their friends had just finished a karaoke session at a parlor in the shopping center. Dwiyono said that the car was Ubaydillah's vehicle, but was being driven by Dessy. Three of their friends were in another car, which was parked separately. A preliminary investigation reveals that Dessy was an employee at the karaoke parlor, while Ubaydillah was a customer. 'The two victims were about to drive home. However, the driver may have lost control of the car, causing the car to fall from the fifth floor to the first floor,' Dwiyono said as quoted by kompas.com. He said that the police were currently investigating the accident further. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Putera Satria Sambijantoro (The Jakarta Post) Harbin, China Thu, March 3, 2016 It is painfully cold in Harbin, the renowned ice city of Heiongjiang, the northernmost province in China. But, once you've spent a day wandering among the color-illuminated ice sculptures on display during the annual Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival, mouth-open in awe, you'll begin to think subzero pains might be worth enduring. Bordering Russia and North Korea, Harbin, a Manchu word meaning 'a place for drying fishing nets', grew from a small rural settlement on the Songhua River to become one of the largest cities in Northeast China. It boasts the most bitterly cold winters among major Chinese cities and as my visit saw the temperature plunge to minus 30 degrees Celsius, I cannot say that I have witnessed an exception to this rule. After a half-day walk around the city, I was overwhelmed. The pain in my fingers and toes turned them numb and, perhaps as a reflection of my misery, the bottled green tea that I had been lugging around inside my bag transformed into a bottle of solid iced tea. For the record, 21st century gadgets also fail to cope with subzero temperature. I fast learned that if one carries a Samsung or Apple cell phone around outside for an extended time (here that means more than 15 minutes), its lithium battery will freeze. Such weather does have its plus side. Every year between January and mid-March, millions of tourists in China and the rest of the world brace the extreme cold to visit the spectacular Ha-erbin guoji bingxue jie ' the granddaddy of ice sculpture exhibitions. Since its inaugural event back in 1985, the festival has remained the biggest in its kind in the world. Dozens of ice artists descend upon Harbin to take part in what is arguably the world's most sophisticated ice festival, a complex sculpture site which takes approximately 10,000 local Chinese workers two weeks to build. The result of their hard work is a breathtaking winter wonderland that guarantees a sense of enchantment for both children and grown-ups alike. For me, having spent my life in the tropics and thus, having only seen snow while watching run-of-the-mill Hollywood Christmas movies, attending the festival was a realization of a childhood dream. Here, children descend on curvy slides from frosty castles with minarets towering as high as 40 meters, all glowing in LED-illuminated color. This is a real-life fairytale-view in which all the buildings' elements, from ladders and bridges, to windows and acropolis fences have been made entirely from ice. Among this, festival staff disguised in Santa Claus outfits offer tourists a tour around the festival area in a Christmas-style carriage pulled by a horned deer for 100 yuan (Rp 200,000). Harbin's charm extends beyond ice festival walls. Formerly the center of a power struggle between Russia, Japan and China, Harbin exudes a Sino-European atmosphere that is unlikely to be found among other cities in China. Standing tall at the heart of the city is the ancient Saint Sophia Cathedral, a Russian Orthodox Church that survived the rampant ransacking and vandalism that occurred throughout China during the Cultural Revolution of the 1960s. Meanwhile, Zhongyang Street, a favorite shopping area, offers antique, hundred-year-old buildings with European faAade, leaving one to forget Harbin is located in China, while restaurant and storefront signs in Russian, found easily in the surrounding area, add to the confusion. Street musicians and sidewalk entertainers amuse sightseers as do body-size ice statues in the form of animals, cartoon characters and musical instruments such as a piano. 'This city reminds me of Paris, given the architecture of its buildings and its music-filled streets,' mused Biondi Sima, an Indonesian national who studied in the French capital for a year, as he treaded Zhongyang Street beside me with his teeth chattering. He nods as I remind him that Harbin had been nicknamed 'Oriental Paris' or the 'Oriental Moscow'. 'Of course, Paris is not this cold,' he replied. ' Photos by Putera Satria Sambijantoro Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Nurul Fitri Ramadhani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, March 3, 2016 An amendment to the Regional Elections Law may not go smoothly as the House of Representatives has yet to reach an agreement on the resignation requirement for legislators who want to run in elections. The current law obliges members of the House to submit a resignation letter when they are declared eligible candidates for an election. 'There are many pros and cons regarding the provision though in fact, the Constitutional Court has already ruled on it. However, we will try to solve it carefully so that all will run well,' Home Minister Tjahjo Kumolo said after a meeting at the House complex in South Jakarta on Wednesday. The provision follows a judicial review delivered by the court in July 2015. The review orders legislators to resign from their post if they wish to compete for regional head seats. The resignation obligation is also applicable to military soldiers, National Police officers and civil servants if they want to contest an election. National Mandate Party (PAN) legislator Yandri Susanto from House Commission II overseeing home affairs argued that legislators did not need to resign as they would only need to take a leave of absence. 'Although the court said so, it shouldn't be, because we need more sources to recruit regional heads, and legislators can be very good candidates,' Yandri said. The court ruling, he said, had made many legislators hesitant about contesting elections as they had to leave their legislative careers with no guarantee of victory. According to data from election watchdog Association for Elections and Democracy (Perludem), during last year's December elections, 45.61 percent of the 1,584 candidates competing for regional and deputy regional head seats were ex-legislators. Commission II member Rufinus Hutauruk of the Hanura Party also expressed his disagreement with the provision, saying that the House was not obligated to adhere to the Constitutional Court's ruling and had the right to deliberate on a different provision. 'Based on our constitution, the branch that has the right to make a law is the House, not the Constitutional Court,' Rufinus said. He criticized the ruling as inconsistent because it did not order incumbent regional leaders who wanted to contest an election in their respective area to resign from their position. 'It is unjust if every party must bow to the rule even though incumbent leaders don't have to,' he said, adding that his faction had not fully scrutinized the amendment yet. On the other hand, commission II chairman Rambe Kamarul Zaman agreed that everyone who wanted to contest a regional election should step down from his or her previous position. 'Fairness comes when the amendment orders everyone to step down,' the Golkar Party politician said. (mos) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Erika Anindita (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, March 3, 2016 With lawmakers frequently implicated in corruption cases, the House of Representatives is looking to draft a measure to prevent corruption within the legislature.. Such a measurement may be in the form of an internal regulation for lawmakers or it could be included in a revision of the Legislative Institution (MD3) Law, House Speaker Ade Komarudin said in Jakarta on Thursday. More transparency in all House processes, Ade said, could be one of the measurements. "All discussions in the House's budgetary body must be implemented in open-door meetings so that the public can observe the process," he said. The naming of Golkar Party politician Budi Supriyanto as a graft suspect by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is the most recent graft case involving a lawmaker. Other House members recently implicated in KPK cases include Damayanti Wisnu Putranti of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Dewi Yasin Limpo of the Hanura Party and Patrice Rio Capella of the NasDem Party. Ade expressed concern at the number of legislators involved in corruption cases, and voiced hope that the introduction of the new regulations would help tackle the problem. (bbn)(+) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ruslan Sangadji (The Jakarta Post) Palu Thu, March 3, 2016 Illegal gold mining activities have been blamed for environmental damage in the Lore Lindu National Park (TNLL) in Poso and Sigi regencies, Central Sulawesi, 90 kilometers to the south of the provincial capital of Palu. Some 1,000 illegal miners are currently conducting mining activities in a 4-hectare area in Dongi-Dongi village, Sedoa subdistrict located in both regencies. Chairman of the Central Sulawesi Environmental Agency, Abd Rahim, said that miners from different regions continued to flock to the site, digging the soil and leaving holes on hillsides, searching for gold ore. Unfortunately, Rahim said, the site was located in a part of the TNLL that had just been rehabilitated in the last four months. Unless something was done about it, he said, the forest damage in the area would get worse. 'It is also feared [the illegal mining] may cause social conflict in the community,' he said recently. He said his office had examined the location and found damage that could further deteriorate the flora and fauna ecosystem in the TNLL rehabilitation zone. He also said his office had coordinated with the TNLL center and established an integrated team that had been tasked by the governor with curbing the illegal mining. Central Sulawesi Governor Longki Djanggola said the illegal mining needed to be curtailed as soon as possible because apart from damaging the environment the toxic waste it produced endangered the health of people in the vicinity. 'That is very dangerous. The security authorities have to be firm in dealing with illegal miners,' Longki said. Separately, Sigi Police operations unit chief Comr. Abdul Aziz said the police had often arrested residents for digging up soil from the mining sites and taking it to Palu for further processing. 'We've several times arrested residents at traffic check points and seized sacks containing soil from pick-up trucks,' Aziz said. He said the police could not take firm action against the illegal miners as they had no firm policy from the local government. Meanwhile, Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) Central Sulawesi branch director Ahmad Pelor urged action, saying the illegal mining site was located within protected forest and was categorized as an area prone to disasters especially landslides. 'The government and all related parties have to move fast to prevent the damage from further expanding and to stop the number of miners from increasing,' he said. He also expressed support for the shutting down of the illegal mining area but suggested that it be conducted through persuasive means. TNLL officially covers an area of 217,991.18 hectares. It is home to flora and fauna endemic to Sulawesi and offers interesting natural phenomena as a result of its being located on the Wallace Line, which is the transition line between the Asian and Australasian landmasses. Located to the south of Donggala regency and to the west of Poso regency, the park is a water-catchment area for the three big rivers in the province, namely the Lariang, Gumbasa and Palu rivers. The park is a habitat for Sulawesi's biggest native mammals including anoa, hog deer, deer, ghost monkeys, kakaktonkea monkeys, kuskus marsupials and civets. At least five different species of squirrels and 31 out of 38 species of rats can also be found there. Other riches of the park include thousands of insect species and ancient megalithic structures considered to be the best of their kind in Indonesia. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin The Jakarta Post New Delhi Thu, March 3, 2016 The largest multinational military exercise on Indian soil involving the 10-nation ASEAN grouping and eight of its dialogue partners, among them India, started Wednesday, reflecting the South Asian giant's increasing focus on deepening defense ties with Southeast Asia. More than 300 soldiers are taking part in the seven-day exercise, the aim of which, the Indian Defense Ministry said, is "to learn and share best practices with the other armies of the world, and display commitment for peace and stability in the region". The foreign troops, together with the Indian Army, Wednesday began training in peacekeeping and de-mining operations in the city of Pune in western Maharashtra state. "We are looking at situations where a multilateral force is asked to clear mines in conflict areas as part of demining operations," said an official who did not want to be named. The theme of the joint training exercise is Humanitarian Mine Action and Peacekeeping Operations. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been looking to boost cooperation with ASEAN countries since he took office and has even changed the name of India's policy from "Look East" to "Act East". The past year has seen a flurry of high-level political engagements between India and Southeast Asia, including Vice-President Mohammad Hamid Ansari's visits to Brunei and Thailand last month, and Modi's visit to Singapore last year. Trade, the mainstay of India-ASEAN ties, hit US$76.6 billion in 2014/2015, with security and defense cooperation now coming into greater focus. The current exercise is taking place under the framework of the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting Plus. Besides India, ASEAN's other dialogue partners in this drill are Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand, Russia, South Korea and the United States. Experts said that the exercise signaled India's interest in pushing defense cooperation with ASEAN. "This exercise is more about developing mutual understanding. If there is any kind of challenge tomorrow...we can cooperate with each other. This exercise is meant to foster better ties," said Brigadier (Retired) Rumel Dahiya, currently deputy director-general at the Institute for Defense Studies and Analyses. "It [the exercise] is part of the Act East policy because security [in the past] did not get that kind of prominence," he said. The multinational exercise also comes amid efforts by India to bolster its military profile in the region as China increasingly flexes its military muscle. Last month, India held its biggest-ever maritime exercise as part of the International Fleet Review that saw participation from 50 countries. Last year, it expanded maritime exercises with the US in the Indian Ocean to permanently include Japan. It also held its first exercise involving border troops with China in the northern state of Jammu and Kashmir. "India wants to play a bigger role in the Asian strategic scene and is much more proactive... and military exercises are a critical component," said Rajeswari Rajagopalan, senior fellow at the New Delhi-based Observer Research Foundation. "We are on the way to playing a larger role in Southeast Asia and other parts of Asia," she said. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ruslan Sangadji (The Jakarta Post) Palu Thu, March 3, 2016 A soldier was shot during crossfire with the Santoso-led terrorist group in the jungle area surrounding Poso in Central Sulawesi. The soldier's finger has been injured, police said on Thursday. 'Yes one of our members was shot by terrorists and under treatment at a local hospital,' Senior Adjunct Commissioner Hari Suprapto told reporters on Thursday. Crossfire is reported to have occurred somewhat frequently between joint security forces and the terrorists group since the operation to hunt down Santoso was launched earlier this year. The joint operation between the national police, its elite Detachment 88 counter-terrorism unit and the Indonesian military has increased in intensity over past two months, as the task force are believed to be closing in on members of the local extremist group East Indonesia Mujahidin (MIT). The crossfire which led to the soldier's hand injury occurred when five members of the joint operation team had proceeded to approach terrorist group. 'Due to an imbalance in numbers, we found ourselves under siege,' Hari said, adding that a woman from the terrorist side had shouted 'Allahu Akbar'. After the crossfire, the task force found new evidence, such as a sack of rice, two hand-made bombs, 32 bullets, two vests, military-like clothing and a Zipo lighter. Police have admitted that efforts have been hampered due to the large and difficult terrain of the jungle area which behaved as a sanctuary for the terrorists and because local sympathizers had continued to protect the group. (dan)(+) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Grace D. Amianti (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, March 3, 2016 The country's general insurers expect to see the industry's premium income increase by a double-digit margin this year, pinning their hopes on the government's spending on infrastructure projects and other priority sectors. The Association of General Insurance Companies (AAUI) has set an optimistic outlook this year as it aims to see the industry's gross premium collection grow by 15 to 20 percent. The target is around three times higher than the 6.7 percent increase in total gross premium collection booked by domestic general insurers last year. AAUI chairman Yasril Y. Rasyid said the business group based its optimism on the government's economic growth projection of around 5.3 to 5.4 percent this year, which is expected to be partly driven by infrastructure development. In contrast to slow state spending in 2015, he said the government had started to make efforts to speed up its expenditure, including by carrying out procurements and auctions for its infrastructure projects as early as January. 'We are optimistic about our double-digit target should all macroeconomic assumptions and government projects go well,' Yasril said in a press conference on Tuesday. Last year, the country's general insurance firms collectively garnered Rp 58.9 trillion (US$4.41 billion) in gross premium, a slight increase from the Rp 55.2 trillion collected in 2014. The growth was far lower than the 17.9 percent increase in gross premium made throughout 2014 and the average 17 percent annual increase over the previous five years. Last year's low growth, AAUI claimed, was mainly caused by weak property insurance and automotive insurance sales, which contributed the biggest portions to the industry's total premium for years. Meanwhile, total gross claims increased by 22.2 percent to Rp 28.7 trillion in 2015, from Rp 23.5 trillion a year earlier, mainly caused by skyrocketing claims in airplane insurance due to sharp rupiah depreciation. With the government's infrastructure boost, Yasril said general insurance companies could benefit from construction-related businesses, such as engineering insurance, as well as from other government's priority sectors, including maritime and agriculture. He also said that the government-backed people's business loan (KUR) program would also positively affect credit insurance as the nationwide target for KUR loan disbursement had been set at a minimum of Rp 100 trillion this year. General insurance companies are also expected to seize the opportunity provided after the Financial Services Authority (OJK) recently granted them with permission to sell unit-linked insurance products, just as life insurance firms do. AAUI executive director Julian Noor, meanwhile, said the industry's ability to achieve its high target this year would depend highly on the overall success of the government's development programs and global economic stability. If many projects fail and demand stays flat, general insurance companies, he said, should probably be satisfied with single-digit premium growth at around 9 to 10 percent this year, AAUI communication and statistic head Dadang Sukresna said. Dadang said weak nationwide automotive sales last year were predicted to improve slightly in 2016 as demand for vehicles would also be partly driven by government spending. He said general insurers should also be aware of looming global risks, such as a drop in global oil prices and gloomy prospects in the mining sector due to weak export growth. 'We are still hoping that global oil prices and demand for commodities improve, but it is very difficult to predict whether they will rebound soon,' he said. ------------------- To receive comprehensive and earlier access to The Jakarta Post print edition, please subscribe to our epaper through iOS' iTunes, Android's Google Play, Blackberry World or Microsoft's Windows Store. Subscription includes free daily editions of The Nation, The Star Malaysia, the Philippine Daily Inquirer and Asia News. For print subscription, please contact our call center at (+6221) 5360014 or subscription@thejakartapost.com Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin The Jakarta Post Palu Thu, March 3, 2016 Army soldier First Private Resky was shot during a gunfight between personnel involved in Operation Tinombala and members of the Eastern Indonesia Mujahidin (MIT) in Torire, Central Lore district, Poso, Central Sulawesi, on Tuesday. Rezky, who with five others was pursuing around 30 members of the MIT in a forested area of the village, suffered wounds to his right hand. 'He is currently being treated at Wirabuana Hospital in Palu,' Central Sulawesi Police spokesman Adj. Snr. Comr. Hari Suprapto said on Wednesday. Sources said the outnumbered officers had been unable to capture or engage the suspected terrorists. On Monday, officers from Operation Tinombala shot dead one alleged terrorist, Dodo alias Ponda, 22, in a raid in the village. Police claimed Dodo was a close aide to Santoso, the leader of the MIT. After the death of Dodo, a native of Laweyan in Surakarta, Central Java, messages circulated throughout Poso calling on residents to join a holy war. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin The Jakarta Post Thu, March 3, 2016 The Jakarta Police held a preparation ceremony on Thursday for thousands of police personnel who have been assigned to secure the upcoming Organization of the Islamic Cooperation Summit (OIC). At least 4,000 police, from units such as Mobile Brigade, Traffic, Vital Object Security and Sabhara rapid response, will guard the OIC, scheduled to be held at the Jakarta Convention Center in Central Jakarta on March 6 to 7, Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen Tito Karnavian said. Indonesian was selected to host of summit after Morocco withdrew claiming that they were not sufficiently prepared. "The success of the summit must be backed with good security," Tito said during the ceremony at Jakarta Police headquarters on Thursday as reported by kompas.com. Police will work in cooperation with the Indonesian Military (TNI) to form the security task force for the OIC Summit, with TNI taking the lead. TNI have assigned 3,600 personnel for the summit. The summit will be attended by guests from 49 countries, with 25 heads of state and or government and 49 ministers expected to attend. TNI personnel will handle the security of the heads of state and or government while police personnel is expected to handle security for the ministers in attendance. (rin)(+) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Frances Mangosing (The Jakarta Post) Manila Thu, March 3, 2016 Two warships of the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) Minesweeper Division 51 arrived in Manila on Wednesday for a three-day good will visit to the Philippines. Navy Capt Lued Lincuna, director of Naval Public Affairs Office, said the ships docked at South Harbor's Pier 15. Philippine Navy delegates headed by Capt. Rolando Sarmiento, the Superintendent of the Naval Combat Engineering Brigade Training Center, welcomed their Japanese counterparts. The two vessels 'Uraga and Takashina ' were under the command of Capt. Toshiro Takaiwa. The visit comes amid the strengthening of defense cooperation between the Philippine and Japan. Early this week, the two countries signed an agreement for Japan's transfer of defense equipment and technology to the Philippines. A tour was given to personnel from the Philippine Fleet and Naval Sea Systems Command onboard the two Japanese ships. The visit aims to enhance 'the already strong relationship' of the Philippine Navy and the JMSDF and promote regional peace and stability. It also aims to enhance maritime cooperation, Lincuna said. Both countries are facing China's aggressive actions in the South China Sea and East China Sea. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ina Parlina and Tama Salim (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, March 3, 2016 President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo is reported to be angry with disagreements between his ministers and may soon ask them to explain themselves as he wants to ensure that his ministers know that they are his subordinates and should focus on carrying out their tasks amid public doubts. The statement was made public on Wednesday through presidential spokesman Johan Budi, who once again said the President wanted the ministers to express their different views in Cabinet meetings, but not publicly, as it could create confusion among the public, including investors. Despite a number of limited Cabinet meetings previously held to create room for debate over the controversial plan for the gas-rich Masela block, Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Rizal Ramli and Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Sudirman Said have appeared to be unable to resolve their disagreements, making their issues public. Rizal has uploaded a meme on his Twitter account attacking Sudirman. 'The President is angry about the escalating disputes since personal attacks are being made between ministers,' said Johan. Jokowi, Johan said, was indeed 'unhappy' because such public spats could hamper the performance of the Cabinet, as 'instead of working hard, they get involved in arguments publicly.' Confusion over major government development projects has occurred in the past as a result of conflicting statements from ministers, although the President has always provided room for debate for his ministers during each Cabinet meeting. A few weeks ago, a press conference held by Presidential Chief of Staff Teten Masduki aimed to provide the public with a comprehensive explanation about the country's controversial high-speed railway project sparked debate with sarcastic undertones, creating further uncertainty over the project. Transportation Minister Ignasius Jonan, who joined the press conference, said that he was the most knowledgeable about railways among ministers. It has been speculated that he was taking a jab at State-Owned Enterprises Minister Rini Soemarno, who was not present at the press conference, given their apparent disagreements over the controversial project. Johan later reminded everyone that a minister is a subordinate of the President. Rizal and Sudirman were not the only ministers who would be summoned by the President, as he was set to summon a number of ministers who had publicly been involved in 'unethical' disagreements, said Johan. Johan repeatedly stating that he speaks on behalf of the President also somewhat confirms fragmented communication within the Cabinet. However, it has been widely assumed that the appointment of Johan, a former well-known spokesman at the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), in mid-January was a move aimed at creating one solid voice among Jokowi's ministers. Before Johan's appointment, the President had no official spokesman for more than a year since the latter took office in October 2014. It was Teten who often played a role in answering media questions during his tenure as a member of the presidential communication team between May and September last year, before his appointment as presidential chief of staff. A number of economic observers have previously expressed doubts over that government's ability to run the country effectively. House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Fadli Zon deemed such internal rift as 'worrisome'. 'This signals that the administration is marred with uncertainty,' Fadli said. 'The President should immediately summon them and explain the vision of the President to ensure the government raises only one [solid] voice'. Amid speculation that a Cabinet shake-up is imminent, Johan, however, refused to comment on whether such disagreements would be factored in should a reshuffle take place, but said that the President would always conduct routine evaluations on the performance of his ministers. During the first Cabinet reshuffle in August last year, Jokowi removed Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno, a NasDem Party politician, from his post as coordinating political, legal and security affairs minister. Many believed that Tedjo's removal was not solely due to his poor performance but also because he had drawn anger from human rights campaigners and netizens after making repeated controversial statements on past human rights abuse cases. ____________________________________ To receive comprehensive and earlier access to The Jakarta Post print edition, please subscribe to our epaper through iOS' iTunes, Android's Google Play, Blackberry World or Microsoft's Windows Store. Subscription includes free daily editions of The Nation, The Star Malaysia, the Philippine Daily Inquirer and Asia News. For print subscription, please contact our call center at (+6221) 5360014 or subscription@thejakartapost.com Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Haeril Halim and Margareth S. Aritonang (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, March 3, 2016 The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) may expand the scope of its investigation into widespread corruption that plagued the construction of the Institute of Public Administration (IPDN) building in West Sumatra by summoning former home minister Gamawan Fauzi for questioning over corruption allegations that have implicated his former subordinate. The KPK put the option on the table following the naming on Wednesday of the head of the Home Ministry's data center, Dudy Jocom, a suspect for allegedly enriching himself, other people and a corporation in the course of the construction of the IPDN building, worth Rp 125 billion (US$ 9.3 million), in 2011. The testimony of Gamawan, who served as minister from 2009 until 2014, is important because projects worth more than Rp 50 billion legally require the approval of a minister. 'It is KPK investigators who will decide about the date of the questioning, when they feel that his testimony is important to make the case absolutely clear,' KPK spokesman Priharsa Nugraha said on Wednesday. The KPK has accused Dudy of abusing his authority in the case as he was the official in charge of the IDPN project tender in 2011. The ministry also listed Dudy as Gamawan's special staffer during the latter's terms in office. As part of the investigation, KPK investigators on Tuesday raided a number of offices at the Home Ministry, which is now led by Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician Tjahjo Kumolo, before moving against Dudy on Wednesday. The KPK also searched the offices of three companies that won tenders for the project, namely PT Bina Karya and PT Architects, and state-owned construction firm Hutama Karya in Jakarta. Yuyuk Indriati, another KPK spokesperson, separately said the commission had collected strong evidence to name Hutama Karya general manager Budi Rachmat Kurniawan a suspect in the case. Budi, a graft convict in another corruption case, was sentenced to three-and-a-half years' imprisonment in January for his role in a corruption case centered on the construction of a Maritime School building in Sorong, Papua, which caused state losses of Rp 40 billion. The KPK opened an investigation into the IPDN project after its investigation into the Maritime School last year revealed evidence about the existence of other state projects controversially awarded to Hutama Karya by state institutions including the Home Ministry, which supervises the IPDN. This is the second graft case investigated by the KPK to have occurred during the leadership of Gamawan. Earlier, Gamawan was in the spotlight following the KPK's move to charge a Home Ministry official, identified as Sugiharto, in its investigation into corruption surrounding the Rp 6 trillion national electronic identity (e-ID) card program in 2011 and 2012. Asked about the raids by the KPK, incumbent minister Tjahjo said he respected the KPK investigation into the IPDN case. 'I don't know [whether other Home Ministry officials] were involved in the case. I don't want to make any prediction about the investigation. I just let the KPK do its job,' he said. Home Ministry spokesman Dodi Riyadmadji said that under Gamawan's leadership the construction was initiated of IDPN buildings in a number of regions including in West Nusa Tenggara, West Sumatra, North Sumatra, West Kalimantan and Papua. The IPDN case has added to the list of corruption cases that have bedevilled the country's educational institutions. Earlier, the KPK investigated two controversial procurements at universities across the country. (mos/wnd) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Haeril Halim (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, March 3, 2016 A bribery scandal may be brewing at the House of Representatives' infrastructure commission as the antigraft agency has named two of its members suspects for allegedly accepting money in return for awarding projects in Maluku. Following the earlier arrest of Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician Damayanti Wisnu Putranti, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Wednesday named Budi Supriyanto of the Golkar Party as another suspect in a collective bribery case thought to involve a number of Commission V members and businessman Abdul Khoir. The KPK said it suspected that the director of construction firm PT Windhu Tunggal Utama (PT WTU) had distributed Rp 43 billion to numerous lawmakers on the commission. Budi was named a suspect after being questioned as a witness in the case, along with another six legislators from the PDI-P, the National Awakening Party (PKB) and the National Mandate Party (PAN). KPK chairman Agus Rahardjo said the antigraft body would not stop at Budi and Damayanti, adding that investigators were currently examining evidence to assess the roles of the six lawmakers in the alleged bribery scheme. 'The KPK is closely examining their roles in the case,' Agus told The Jakarta Post. KPK commissioner Saut Situmorang said that the naming of Damayanti and Budi as suspects was only the beginning and that it was just a matter of time for the KPK to extend its investigation to other lawmakers on the commission, which oversees the planning and funding of infrastructure and development projects. 'We don't want to make any hasty conclusions, because it could be that some of them admit [their offences] and others do not. We should collect evidence on whether they cooperated [in the bribery case]. We are applying a careful approach in our investigation,' Saut told the Post. The KPK's earlier investigation revealed that the commission members were involved in planning infrastructure projects worth Rp 1.4 trillion to be funded through special allocation funds (DAK) for Maluku and North Maluku. The commission has the authority to approve and monitor infrastructure projects financed with the DAK. The members can determine projects in the regions to be financed through funds disbursed by the Public Works and Public Housing Ministry. Abdul was allegedly eying some of those projects and tried to deliver part of the bribe in January, when he, along with Damayanti, were caught red-handed by the antigraft body. The KPK raided the offices of Damayanti and Budi at the House of Representatives to search for evidence. In his questioning at the KPK late on Tuesday, Abdul apparently admitted to investigators that he had transferred Rp 15.7 billion to the ministry's department head for national construction of highways and bridges in the Maluku region, Amran Mustari, who Abdul said had told him to bribe the Commission V members. Maluku, where Abdul's company is based, was chosen as the location for several projects under Commission V after Amran lobbied the House. Abdul's lawyer Haeruddin Massaro said each Commission V member could have at least one project worth Rp 60 billion under the fund scheme and several lawmakers had approached his client to offer him their projects. Haeruddin said he hoped the KPK could dig further to collect evidence to charge other recipients of money from Abdul. He refused to name commission members allegedly receiving money aside from Damayanti and Budi. _____________________________________ To receive comprehensive and earlier access to The Jakarta Post print edition, please subscribe to our epaper through iOS' iTunes, Android's Google Play, Blackberry World or Microsoft's Windows Store. Subscription includes free daily editions of The Nation, The Star Malaysia, the Philippine Daily Inquirer and Asia News. For print subscription, please contact our call center at (+6221) 5360014 or subscription@thejakartapost.com Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Fedina S. Sundaryani and Tama Salim (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, March 3, 2016 The rift between Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Sudirman Said and his supervisor Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Rizal Ramli over the development of the Japan-led Masela block has continued despite President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo's instructions not to discuss the issue publicly. Feuding ministers Sudirman and Rizal were both slated to make a long-awaited public appearance together to discuss the controversial issue but excused themselves at the last minute, instead sending their representatives to go head to head with their initial campaigns. Said sent Upstream Oil and Regulatory Special Task Force (SKKMigas) head Amien Sunaryadi, who stood firm in supporting the development of a floating liquified natural gas (LNG) plant on the gas block located in the Arafura Sea as sudden changes would push back further the already uncertain timeline. The Masela plan of development under an offshore scheme was approved by the previous Yudhoyono administration in 2010 but was revised again last year after Japan's Inpex and the Anglo-Dutch Shell discovered that there were larger reserves, which brought the LNG production capacity from 2.5 million tons per year to 7.5 million tons. The block is estimated to be able to produce 1,200 million standard cubic feet per day (MMSCFD) of gas and 24,000 barrels per day of condensate for 24 years, according to figures from the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry. 'SKKMigas had targeted for [the plan of development approval] to be finalized last year. I hope that it can be approved next week, but obviously those are my wishes as the SKKMigas head,' Amien said. Approval was set for last year so that contractors could meet the scheduled final investment decision in 2018 and complete development by 2024. However, the plan of development approval under an onshore scheme, as proposed by Rizal, could postpone the decision by another three years. Meanwhile, Rizal's representative, Office of Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister expert staff Ronnie Rusli, said that building a floating LNG was risky as there were currently no other plants of its kind in the world, save for the Prelude floating LNG in Australia, which is under construction. Furthermore, an onshore scheme was thought to be more beneficial for local development. The feud between the two parties started as soon as Rizal was appointed a minister in last year's Cabinet reshuffle, starting with his criticisms of the government's plan to develop 35,000 megawatts of power in five years. Neither minister seems to be backing down as they have gone online to express their disdain for one another. House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Fadli Zon said that prospective investors may be unsure whether to invest in the country due to the constant disagreements between the two institutions and said the government should have a united front. 'This is just a simple leadership problem. If we don't resolve this, it will inflict even more ambiguity for both the public and for those who want to invest in Indonesia. This does not bode well for the investment climate,' he said. ------------------- To receive comprehensive and earlier access to The Jakarta Post print edition, please subscribe to our epaper through iOS' iTunes, Android's Google Play, Blackberry World or Microsoft's Windows Store. Subscription includes free daily editions of The Nation, The Star Malaysia, the Philippine Daily Inquirer and Asia News. For print subscription, please contact our call center at (+6221) 5360014 or subscription@thejakartapost.com Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Liza Yosephine (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, March 3, 2016 In a summit scheduled for March 6-7 in Jakarta, member countries of the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) plan to produce a Jakarta Declaration containing concrete steps to help Palestine. The 5th Extraordinary OIC Summit on Palestine and Al-Quds Al-Sharif will see the manifestation of two documents, namely a resolution containing a political call for Palestinian and OIC unity and a declaration regarding the concrete steps OIC member countries will take to help Palestine. Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi said Indonesia's host role was based on a special request by Palestine and the OIC, signalling trust in the country's commitment to solving Palestinian issues. Retno explained that she was asked directly by Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al Maliki in December to sound out the possibility of Indonesia hosting the extraordinary summit after Morocco had bowed out of its commitment. She said Indonesia's willingness to host the summit was an illustration of its commitment to return the Palestinian issue back to the attention of the international community by picking up the pace of the peace process, which had recently stalled. "This summit has been organized in response to concerns regarding the current conditions in Palestine, which have shown no improvement," Retno said during a discussion at the State Palace in Jakarta. The minister further explained that 49 out of 56 OIC member countries, represented by their heads of state and or government and ministers, had confirmed their attendance at the two-day event. Retno said the summit aimed to underline both the importance of an internal unity of factions within Palestine, namely Fatah and Hamas, and the need for unity among Islamic countries in supporting those factors required to achieve a peaceful resolution. Six core issues of the conflict are scheduled to be discussed throughout the two-day summit including border issues, migrants, the status of Jerusalem, illegal settlements, security issues and access to clean water, the minister said. The situation faced by Palestinians in East Jerusalem is alarming, Retno said, adding that only 36.8 of the population in the area are Palestinian and over 75 percent of these people were reported to be living below the poverty line. Only 64 percent of the people had access to clean water and 41 percent of the children had access to education, she further said, citing data the ministry had obtained without specifying its source. On the first day of the summit, two events will be conducted: a senior official meeting (SOM) and a ministerial level meeting, which will be led by Retno. A high-level meeting will be held on the second day of the summit. In a move to show a concrete of commitment to Palestine, Retno said that Indonesia was currently in the final process of setting up a representative office in Ramallah, scheduled for inauguration in mid-March. The new diplomatic mission is in accordance with President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo's election campaign promise to make support for Palestinians a foreign policy priority. (ebf)(+) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Trisha Sertori (The Jakarta Post) Sanur Thu, March 3, 2016 Cambodian poet and tattoo artist Kosal Khiev had many months to rehearse his newly discovered talent during his early years in prison cells. 'In the hole I had a captive audience. We were each in separate cells, but you can hear each other through the air ducts. I started speaking poetry, writing. The spoken word, even though I had never heard that term until I got out of the hole,' the 35-year-old artist said. Kosal nurtured this passion during an 18-month-stint in solitary confinement when he was sentenced to 14 years in prison for attempted murder. Back then, he was only 16 years old. The poet was in Bali recently for the 2016 Bali International Film Festival (Balinale) pre-event at the Flux Lifeground non-profit organization in Kerobakan to discuss Cambodian Son, a documentary film on his life. The award-winning film was a highlight of the 2015 Balinale, winning the festival's Face of Diversity Award. Kosal also gave workshops to local schools during his recent Bali tour, guiding teens to discover their best selves. 'In the hole, I started asking the question, 'Am I going to die in here?'. Inside me was that little kid who held his grandmother's hand,' he said. Kosal was born into the no-man's land of refugee camps dotted along the Cambodian and Thai borders. His parents, brothers and sisters had fled their homeland during the murderous purges of the Khmer Rouge reign. Almost half of Cambodia's 7.5-million population was slain between 1970 and 1980 by the Khmer Rouge, having starved or died in conflict according to R.J. Rummel in one of his book chapters titled 'Statistics of Cambodian Democide ' Estimates, Calculations, and Sources'. Being born in a refugee camp meant Kosal was stateless, a baby without a country. As an adult, he was to discover exactly what that meant when he was exiled from the US and dumped in Cambodia, a nation he had never known. 'When I arrived in Cambodia, I was neither a US citizen nor a Cambodian citizen. I had no passport, no ID, no money, just the clothes on my back. I was told 'go, survive'. The US liaison officer said once we arrived in Cambodia, the US government would no longer be responsible for me,' Kosal said. It was a treatment he received despite from kindergarten through school pledging allegiance to the US flag every morning. 'I grew up American. I never knew I was not a US citizen. But there is a nuance growing up American, but being made not to feel American. When I was eight, I was jumped by a gang of Mexicans, simply because I was Cambodian. I realized I was different and this place of home was not a home. So at 13, I joined the earliest Cambodian gangs,' says Kosal of the disenfranchisement faced by many refugees in their settlement countries, a powerlessness that drove the formation of gangs. By the time he was 15, Kosal was placed in the infamous New Bethany Home for Boys in Louisiana almost, 3,000 kilometers from his family in California. The home was founded in the early 1970s by alleged pedophile, Reverend Mack Ford. 'Through church my family found out about the home. I understand why my parents sent me there. I was incorrigible. But what my parents did not know was that the home was run like a slave plantation. We were clearing acres of forestry and fields. We worked sunup to sunset with an overseer guarding us. In a huge dirt field our job was to gather rocks and debris while Mack drove the tractor. We boys were abused, but the girls suffered far worse. Rapes and sexual harassment,' Kosal said. The home was shut down when Kosal was 16. He dreamed of changing his life, getting out of gangs and going back to school. His family's refusal to take him back left the young teen feeling abandoned. 'I ran away back to my old friends. They were all I had. They were in a gang war at the time, so when they took me in I said 'I'll do whatever you need man',' he said. As a soldier in the gang wars Kosal shot a man. 'I thank God every day that he didn't die'. Guns and bullets were readily available to this skinny little kid, whose family had never opened up about what they had suffered in Cambodia, but that suffering informed their daily lives, leaving Kosal feeling unwanted. 'That I had no value. Alone. Since I was incarcerated we began to speak more. My questions were bolder. What happened to them? Tell me your trauma so I can tell you mine'. Imprisoned in an isolation cell Kosal began to take back the dignity he had been denied for much of his life. 'Something broke. Something that had held me back was broken. Like that chip in a dam wall. When I took that out the dam within broke and I became a wild river of words. I began to change little things about myself, the way I walked in Nike Cortez. Those shoes represented who I had been. 'I was not that person anymore. I peeled away the layers I had taken on; I had been a character, even my gang name, Minor. I had to start reintroducing myself to myself, 'I am Kosal''. After his deportation, Cambodia became a country that warmly embraced its lost son and was the springboard to international fame for Kosal's writings, art work and spoken-word performances. He is still denied entry to the US to visit family. ' Courtesy of Bali Film Center Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Safrin La Batu and Nani Afrida (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, March 3, 2016 A police officer from the East Jakarta Police was shot in the thigh on Tuesday night after he and three of his friends exchanged gunfire with an officer from the Navy's Military Police (Pomal) at Taman Mini Indonesia Indah in Cipayung, East Jakarta. The incident occurred due to a misunderstanding. A police report showed the incident occurred at 8:30 p.m. when the four police officers, who were operating undercover at the time, were about to arrest a drug suspect identified as Edi Aziz. A suspicious car, driven by the Navy officer, suddenly accelerated and was about to leave the scene. The officers, who thought the man in the car was the suspect's friend, tried to stop the car and the Navy officer came out with a gun. First Brig. Umar Seno Aji took out his gun and introduced himself as a police officer and gave two warning shots. The Navy officer opened fire at Umar, and shot Umar in the thigh. The other three officers briefly exchanged gunfire before learning that the man in the car was a Navy officer. Umar was rushed to the National Police hospital in Kramat Jati, East Jakarta. Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Tito Karnavian said the police were currently coordinating with Pomal to investigate whether or not the incident had occurred due to a specific issue or merely from a failure to communicate. Tito, however, said he believed it was just a matter of miscommunication. 'This just a miscommunication. The Navy officer was wearing plain clothes too,' he told reporters on Wednesday. East Jakarta Police chief Sr. Comr. Muhammad Agung Budijono said the Navy officer was not connected to the suspect, saying that it was just a coincidence that he was about to leave the area when the arrest took place. 'It was a coincidence that he was at the location. He was about to go home after buying cigarettes and drinking coffee. He lives nearby,' he said. The Indonesian Navy's Western Fleet (Armabar) spokesperson Let. Col. Ariris Miftachurrahman confirmed Wednesday that one of his personnel had been involved in the clash and that Pomal had questioned the member. 'The officer involved was Capt. Eko Wuryanto, a member of Armabar's intelligence division. The clash was due to miscommunication because both the police and TNI personnel wore civilian attire,' Ariris said. Based on the information from Armabar, Eko parked his car in the area to have same coffee and smoke a cigarette at a small kiosk when the arrest occurred. After he finished his coffee and returned to his car, a man opened his car door and yelled at him and Eko yelled back. Eko saw several armed men, and decided to use his pistol. The clash happened as Eko and the men shot at each other. After several minutes, the group of armed men introduced themselves as police officers, and Eko also introduced himself as a member of the military. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin The Jakarta Post Jakarta Thu, March 3, 2016 Police on Thursday raided the office of Jakarta City Council speaker Prasetio Edi Marsudi in connection with the investigation into alleged corruption in the procurement of interruptible power supply (UPS) units for schools in 2014. Prasetio confirmed the raid by investigators from the National Police's criminal and detective division (Bareskrim), saying that the police officers had seized a computer formerly used by former City Council speaker Ferrial Sofyan. 'The raid by Bareskrim's investigators was related to the UPS case. In my office, there was a computer that was used by former city council speaker Ferrial Sofyan,' said Prasetio as quoted by kompas.com. Seven police investigators examined Prasetio's office from 2 p.m. to 3.20 p.m., said the speaker, adding that he never used the computer, which had been in the office since 2012. The police have named five suspects in the UPS case, including two councilors, Fahmi Zulfikar of the Hanura Party, and M. Firmansyah a Democratic Party councilor during the 2009 to 2014 period. The three others are Alex Usman, the former infrastructure division head at the West Jakarta Education Office, Zaenal Soleman, the former head of the Central Jakarta Education Office, and Harry Low, CEO of PT Offistarindo Adhiprima, the UPS supplier. The UPS procurement was included in the revised 2014 city budget at a price of Rp 6 billion (US$433,839) per unit for each school, with a total budget of Rp 300 billion. Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja "Ahok" Purnama previously said the procurement had not been discussed when the budgetary team debated a budget document known as the General Budget Policies and Provisional Budget Ceiling and Priorities (KUA-PPAS). (bbn)(+) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Syofiardi Bachyul JB and Safrin La Batu (The Jakarta Post) Padang/Jakarta Thu, March 3, 2016 A powerful earthquake struck on Wednesday evening off the west coast of Sumatra Island, no fatalities were reported. The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) initially said the quake measured 8.3 on the Richter scale before revising it downward to 7.8. The US Geological Survey (USGS) said earlier that the magnitude measured 8.2 on the Richter scale, then 8.1, before lowering it to 7.9. The epicenter of the quake was located 808 kilometers southwest of Padang and was 10 km deep, the USGS said. Mentawai, the regency closest to the epicenter and left devastated by the 2004 Indian Ocean quake, was reported to have no damage. Head of BMKG Padang Panjang Rahmat Triyono said that hundreds of people in the Mentawai Islands and western coast of Sumatra rushed to find higher ground after it issued a tsunami warning. The warning was then lifted. Bambang Sagurung, a resident of Siberut Island in Mentawai, said the quake was strong, but did not cause damage to his home. 'I was having dinner with my family, the water dispenser was shaking and then we got out the house. I felt another quake after the first one, and then we rushed toward the hill,' he told The Jakarta Post over the phone. Another resident of Siberut, Mariai, said a warning was placed for one-and-a-half hours after the 7.8-magnitude quake rocked the island. National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) spokesperson Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said there had not been any reports of injuries or damage following the quake. 'We haven't received any reports of injuries or damage. Based on the information that we have gathered, the tsunami warnings were issued in Aceh, Bengkulu and Lampung,' he said in a statement. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Apriadi Gunawan (The Jakarta Post) Binjai, North Sumatra Thu, March 3, 2016 President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo requested on Wednesday that the development of the trans-Sumatra highway and the trans-Sumatra railway track be accelerated in order to ensure lower logistics and transportation costs. Jokowi said Indonesia's transportation and logistics costs were twice as high as those in other ASEAN countries. Unless infrastructure was improved, he said, Indonesia could not hope to have superior products and commodities within the region. 'We have to develop infrastructure if we want to win. That's why we have to focus on infrastructure development,' Jokowi said in Binjai city, North Sumatra, on Wednesday afternoon. Jokowi was in the city to examine the reactivation of the trans-Sumatra railway development project. Jokowi said that Indonesia had planned many infrastructure projects but they were rarely executed. Providing an example, he said that the development of the trans-Sumatra railway track had been in planning for 30 years but it was never realized. He said it was only last year that he ordered the continuation of the project. He also said that a number of infrastructure projects started last year including the development of the trans-Sumatra highway and trans-Sumatra railway track, the development of the runway and terminal at Wamena Airport in Papua, and this year, the development of Jakarta-Bandung high-speed rail project. Jokowi said the infrastructure projects should not be postponed and ought to be executed soon. 'Once we plan, we must have the courage to execute it. The deadline is set,' said Jokowi, adding that the trans-Sumatra highway and the development of the trans-Sumatra railway line had to be finished on time. He said infrastructure development was very important because it united the country and connection between provinces and regencies could be made faster. He said all major cities in Indonesia were experiencing traffic congestion because the public had not been provided with alternative modes of mass transportation. Jakarta, for example, has been 25 years late in developing mass transportation. As a result, prices are high and land acquisition is also expensive. 'This is a tardiness that we have to catch up. Otherwise, we are competing with congestion,' Jokowi said. In other developments, Jokowi praised the progress in the development of the Medan-Tebing Tinggi and Medan-Binjai toll roads. He said the Medan-Binjai toll road could be finished by the end of 2016 and the Medan-Tebing Tinggi toll road could be finished by the middle of 2017. Binjai is 22 kilometers east of Medan, the capital city of the province. During his visit to Sumatra, Jokowi also had the chance to officially open the Rembele Airport in Bener Meriah regency, Aceh, which he said would directly connect Rembele with Wamena in Papua. Meanwhile, Transportation Minister Ignatius Jonan, in his report to the President, said that the development of the trans-Sumatra railway track had been going on in a number of regions including Jambi, Aceh, South Sumatra and North Sumatra. He said that of those regions, North Sumatra was found to be particularly supportive of the project. 'We thought that North Sumatra would be difficult but it turns out that the people here are very supportive,' Jonan said. He added that the total length of the trans-Sumatra railway track connecting Aceh with North Sumatra and Riau would be 1,574.5 km. The funds needed for the project was Rp 22.07 trillion (US$1.2 billion). _______________________________ To receive comprehensive and earlier access to The Jakarta Post print edition, please subscribe to our epaper through iOS' iTunes, Android's Google Play, Blackberry World or Microsoft's Windows Store. Subscription includes free daily editions of The Nation, The Star Malaysia, the Philippine Daily Inquirer and Asia News. For print subscription, please contact our call center at (+6221) 5360014 or subscription@thejakartapost.com Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Agnes Anya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, March 3, 2016 The recent finding of a large amount of cable jackets within the vicinity of the State Palace has raised questions about the security of the area and speculation about what is behind the mysterious discovery. The Jakarta Water Management Agency found cable jackets in waterways spreading along the high-security area, called Ring 1. Ring 1 is home to the Presidential and Vice Presidential offices and also several government offices and the National Museum. Agency head Teguh Hendrawan said his officers found the cable jackets on Jl. Medan Merdeka Selatan last week when they were conducting regular cleaning work on the waterways. Teguh said the officers also found similar items on Jl. Medan Merdeka Utara, where the State Palace is located. As of Wednesday, Teguh added, the administration had collected 16 truckloads of cable jackets. 'We cannot mention the precise measure. It is a lot,' Teguh said. 'With that amount, it is reasonable that the governor suspects some kind of sabotage.' Jakarta Governor Basuki 'Ahok' Tjahaja Purnama suspects there is something fishy behind the cable jackets. Ahok suggested recently that it demonstrated an attempt by unknown persons to engineer floods in the Ring 1 area. Teguh said he agreed with the suspicions of his boss because his agency often checked the waterways and rarely found any cable waste. The recent check, he added, was carried out following Ahok's suspicions. Ahok said the administration had filed a report about the discovery to the Jakarta Police. In March 2014, the city administration's official news site, beritajakarta.com, reported a similar finding along Jl. Medan Merdeka Timur and Jl. Pejambon. Because of the waste, roads around Gambir station were inundated. At the time, the city administration suspected that the cable jackets were thrown away by thieves who only wanted the precious copper found inside the cable. On Wednesday, Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Tito Karnavian said the police had yet to conclude that the cable jackets were a form of sabotage. The police have cooperated with the Central Jakarta Water Management Agency and state-owned utility company PLN to track down the source of the cable jackets. 'Based on information we received, the cable jackets have been there since 2009 or 2014. We have to confirm the information while trying to figure out why the waste was in the waterways,' Tito said. The deputy head of the City Council, Mohamad Taufik, criticized Ahok for publicly throwing around suspicions of sabotage instead of honestly examining the poor performance of his administration in dealing with waste and floods. 'If the cable waste is indeed an instrument of sabotage, it means the administration has not monitored the waterways well enough,' Taufik said as quoted by kompas.com. 'It would be wiser to evaluate his administration first, instead of blaming others for sabotage.' In February last year, Ahok blamed flooding around the State Palace area on PLN because the company shut down electricity and so the pumps in Pluit Reservoir in North Jakarta stopped working. At the time, Ahok speculated that someone had 'sabotaged' the pumps and he ordered the Jakarta Police to deploy officers to sniff around for signs of sabotage. PLN denied the accusation, saying it turned off electricity after receiving reports that the area was flooded. (rez) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Prima WIrayani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, March 3, 2016 Publicly listed cigarette maker PT HM Sampoerna has kept its financial performance in check despite growing challenges facing the industry, such as higher excise, a sponsorship ban and requirements for pictorial health warnings. Indonesia's largest company by market value saw net sales rise by 10.39 percent in 2015 to Rp 89.07 trillion (US$6.7 billion), pushing up revenues by 8.9 percent to Rp 42.1 trillion and net profits by 1.8 percent to Rp 10.4 trillion. That is despite the number of sold cigarettes stagnating at 109 million, in line with the nationwide trend of cigarette sales, which flatlined last year at 314 billion pieces as a sluggish domestic economy weakened people's purchasing power. Sampoerna, owned by the world's largest listed tobacco company, Philip Morris Inc., commands a market share of around 35 percent, relying mainly on its brands Sampoerna A, Dji Sam Soe Magnum and Dji Sam Soe Magnum Blue. Sampoerna president director Paul Janelle said his firm's solid market share last year, which was barely changed from the previous year, highlighted the strength of its superior brand portfolio. 'As the largest cigarette manufacturer in Indonesia, Sampoerna is committed to producing and marketing high-quality cigarettes for adult smokers,' he was quoted as saying in a company statement made available on Wednesday. The company's positive financial performance last year appeared to be unaffected by challenges facing the domestic cigarette industry, such as last year's 8.7 percent increase in the tobacco excise ' which is set to rise by another 11 percent on average this year ' and smoking restrictions in public spaces as well as the prohibition for tobacco firms to sponsor events. Last year, all cigarette firms also fully complied with the government's requirement for pictorial health warnings on cigarette packs. Indonesia's economy grew by 4.79 percent in 2015, the slowest rate since the 2009 global financial crisis, with weak purchasing power putting pressure on domestic consumption, which accounts for half of the country's economy. Janelle said his company's strong performance in the market had supported government excise tax revenue objectives and contributed to the livelihoods of Indonesians involved in the business. The company's financial report reveals that it paid Rp 54.24 trillion in excise to the government last year, also claiming that it has paid the largest tax amount of around Rp 67 trillion in the same period. Sampoerna's shares traded at Rp 110,775 on Wednesday, down 0.56 percent from the previous day. They have gained 17.85 percent so far this year, easily outperforming the Jakarta Composite Index's (JCI) 5.29 percent gain. The company as of Wednesday had Rp 515.41 trillion in market capitalization, the biggest among all companies listed on the local stock exchange. Sampoerna carried out a jumbo rights issue in October last year, generating gross proceeds of Rp 20.77 trillion, in its effort to fulfill the bourse's requirement to boost its public ownership from 1.82 percent to 7.5 percent. Asjaya Indosurya Sekuritas analyst William Surya Wijaya said Sampoerna still had bright business prospects as it also operated several subsidiaries, ranging from cigarette distribution to leisure and property. The company has 11 subsidiaries in Indonesia and Singapore, according to its financial report. 'Besides, smoking is also addictive,' William said. -------------------- To receive comprehensive and earlier access to The Jakarta Post print edition, please subscribe to our epaper through iOS' iTunes, Android's Google Play, Blackberry World or Microsoft's Windows Store. Subscription includes free daily editions of The Nation, The Star Malaysia, the Philippine Daily Inquirer and Asia News. For print subscription, please contact our call center at (+6221) 5360014 or subscription@thejakartapost.com Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Deb Riechmann (The Jakarta Post) Washington Thu, March 3, 2016 The United States on Wednesday sanctioned a dozen individuals and five organizations tied to North Korea's nuclear and weapons proliferation efforts. The announcement by the Treasury and State departments complement actions taken by the United Nations and are aimed at holding Pyongyang responsible for its illicit pursuit of nuclear and missile programs. The UN Security Council on Wednesday unanimously approved the toughest sanctions on North Korea in two decades, reflecting growing anger at North Korea's Jan. 6 nuclear test and Feb. 7 rocket launch in defiance of a ban on all nuclear-related activity. The Treasury sanctions target 10 individuals and the Workers' Party of Korea Central Military Commission. US officials say the commission is responsible for the party's military policies, commands the North Korean military and directs the country's military defense industries in coordination with the National Defense Commission. The commission, which was also sanctioned, is North Korea's highest branch of government and the country's supreme policymaking organization. It directs all military, defense and security-related affairs. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, in his role as first chairman of the commission, ordered the January nuclear test. The State Department action targeted two individuals and North Korea's National Aerospace Development Administration, the Ministry of Atomic Energy Industry and the Academy of National Defense Science. The US action freezes all assets that those targeted have within US jurisdiction and prohibits Americans from engaging in transactions with them. (**) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Severianus Endi (The Jakarta Post) Pontianak, West Kalimantan Thu, March 3, 2016 The West Kalimantan administration has called on all parties to be more aware of the importance of health protection as less than 50 percent of residents in the province have registered in the National Health Insurance (JKN) program, which is managed by the Social Security Agency (BPJS). According to BPJS data, as of Dec.31.2015, only 2,390,067 or around 43 percent of 5 million residents in West Kalimantan had registered in the BPJS program. Of the total, 353,468 BPJS holders are individual participants. The BPJS West Kalimantan-chapter for the health sector director Unting Patri Wicaksono Pribadi said such a high portion of individual participants in the BPJS program could not be categorized as an indication of a high awareness among West Kalimantan residents on the importance of health protection. 'Most of the individual participants registered for the BPJS program only after they were nearly sick or had suffered from illness. In fact, we should not register for the BPJS program only after we get sick,' Unting told thejakartapost.com on Thursday. Unting said he had prioritized facilitating registration for BPJS membership at the BPJS for Health sector office in Pontianak. Every day, around 200-300 people lined up to apply for BPJS membership. A Pontianak resident, Sri Marti, said she recently registered for BPJS individual membership for herself, her husband and their child. 'I decided to register for this program as we want health protection, whatever it is. Moreover, I've heard that the President aims for all Indonesians to be covered by BPJS by 2019,' said Sri. West Kalimantan Legislative Council (DPRD) member Maskendari said many people living in remote areas across the province were facing difficulties in registering as BPJS members. Many villages were too far away from a district-level area, let alone a regency-level area. Maskendari said the BPJS must create a breakthrough to draw more members, especially those in remote areas, by providing mobile services or opening branch offices in district-level areas. It was also possible for BPJS to cooperate with non-bank financial institutions, such as credit unions, which had grown rapidly in many population centers across the province. 'They [BPJS officials] should learn from private insurance company agents who have expanded their services to remote villages. Such a spirit [of delivering services to people in remote areas] should be considered by BPJS,' said Maskendari. (ebf) Nicht Ihr Computer? Dann konnen Sie fur die Anmeldung ein Fenster zum privaten Surfen offnen. Weitere Informationen Two New York City restaurant veterans are aiming to open what theyre calling an authentic Mexican taqueria in a corner space at East Broadway and Rutgers streets. Theyve tentatively named the new venue Gracias Mama, in a section of the neighborhood increasingly becoming a food and nightlife hot spot. Mission Chinese is right across the street. A cafe called Little Canal will soon open in an adjacent building. And, of course, Division Street and Canal Street have transformed into a dining corridor in the past few years. An application for a full liquor license has been submitted to Community Board 3 by Nima Garos and Koorosh Bakhtiar. Garos opened Kelso & Grand, an upscale Italian restaurant, in Little Italy last year. Bakhtiar has been involved in several NYC projects, including the restaurant at the Gansevoort Hotel and the Hillstone Restaurant in Midtown. According to the application, theyre creating an affordable restaurant with ingredients sourced directly from Oaxaca, Mexico and a curated tequila list. Garos and Bakhtiar are planning all-day service, beginning at 7 a.m. and continuing until 4 a.m. on weekends. There will be as many as 50 seats, including a 14-seat bar meant for both drinking and dining. Theyre also installing a takeaway window. The applicants noted, We are also aiming to improve a dilapidated part of the neighborhood and reinvigorate the whole corner on East Broadway. Linda Jones of the SPaCE Block Association tells us the applicants have met with local residents about the restaurant. The organization is supportive of their plan, but will insist on an earlier closing time. The proposal will be considered at a community board meeting Monday, March 14, 6:30 p.m., at 59 East 4th St. You can see the full application, including sample menus, below. Over the holidays, I returned home to have a long conversation with my brother, a lawyer, about religion. In recent years hes been exploring Judaism, drawn to its strong traditions of law and scholarship. I should mention we are not Jewish. We were raised Catholic. But his wife is Jewish and they are raising their children in that faith, so it makes sense that he would educate himself. I argued in favor of a worldview rooted in observable reality and devoid of mysticism, faith, and spirituality. I painted religion as a too-convenient crutch for existential questions and too fuzzy or worse, too unbending on practical concerns. He offered a rebuttal. And so it went. As is often the case with brothers, in the end we resolved little while exercising ourselves greatly. Religiosity is an interesting development in my brothers life. Growing up, he was a rather strident critic of organized religion, going so far as refusing to be confirmed, which at our Catholic school resulted in something of a minor scandal. While I, too, had my reservations about the church, I managed to retain some semblance of faith well into adulthood. The irony, of course, is that around the time I was reevaluating my beliefs he was discovering his. Perhaps its this complementary trajectory that has led both of us to appreciate the work of Yann Martel. The Canadian author has made a rather successful career for himself out of just this type of sacred/profane wrangling. He once said that his most famous novel, Life of Pi, could be summarized in three sentences: 1) Life is a story. 2) You can choose your story. 3) A story with God is the better story. If the last of these is true, then surely my brother is living the better story. But I have my doubts. A spiritual practice seems if not archaic then, at the very least, less urgent in the contemporary world than it once did when religion offered the only answers to inexplicable phenomenon. Granted, restricting religion to the role of oracle is a crude abbreviation of its scope; religion has evolved over thousands of years into a sophisticated system of meaning-making and emotional support. Even so, religions role in the data-driven 21st century seems to be less about objectivity and more about its usefulness as a path to personal enlightenment. In his new novel, The High Mountains of Portugal, Martel makes a bid for understanding religions enduring role in contemporary life as one that favors a practical approach of meaning-making and change-effecting. On its surface, High Mountains is obsessed with religiosity. Its three long, largely independent chapters each confront deep questions of faith and religions (at times tautological) cultural legacy. The book opens with Tomas, a young man from Lisbon who has, in quick succession, lost his lover, his son, and his father, a composite blow that manifests in Tomass peculiar ambulation: he walks backwards as a rebuke to God. To settle the score with God, Tomas seeks out a 17th-century crucifix thought to be somewhere in Portugals remote northeastern corner. This crucifix is supposed to depict Christ as a chimpanzee and Tomas believes it would cause a scandal if made public. With this object, he says, Ill give God His comeuppance. The novel then jumps forward in time to New Years Eve 1938 where Dr. Eusebio Lozaros late wife, Maria, drops by her husbands office to explain the similarities between the work of Agatha Christie and the Gospels. The novels final chapter finds Peter Tovey, a Canadian Member of Parliament, buying an ape named Odo and returning to the town of his birth for a resolution that crystallizes the novels disparate storylines on a church altar. A surface reading indicates that High Mountains advocates an unorthodox but still firmly traditional Christian worldview, yet Martels work has long resisted religious purity. Pi Patel, the protagonist of Life of Pi, drew from three faiths Christianity, Hinduism, and Islam as needed without agonizing over any contradictions in dogma. Here, Maria Lozaro, who were told is a devout woman, similarly finds nothing blasphemous in drawing parallels between the deductive fictions of Agatha Christie and the divine imperative ascribed to the Christ story. Even if hes wary of picking sides, does this mean that Martel insists on some kind of religious worldview? I dont believe so. I think what Martels books have long understood is that religion is best employed not as an end in and of itself, but rather as a methodology that imparts meaning to observable reality. We see that with Pi who turns to three faiths for the strength to survive a hellish odyssey and we see it with Dr. Lozaro who uses literary analysis of scripture to cope with his wifes passing. Similarly, without God to lash out against, Tomass grief would have no outlet. Martel further makes the case for the practical application of religious belief by endorsing the ineffably literary merits of faith. Speaking of Jesuss preference for parables, Maria asks her husband, Why would Truth use the tools of fiction? Its an interesting question that harkens back to Martels claim that [a] story with God is the better story. Maria is first and foremost concerned with fictions pedagogical implications. Remember, Maria has journeyed back from the underworld to comfort her husband with literary analysis. Shes clearly invested in fictions broader project of understanding. High Mountains starts with a man searching for a crucifix, then moves to the widespread impact of Jesuss life as a literary meme. But after priming the pump for a neat resolution embracing Christian theology, Martel artfully segues the conversation to the practical implications of faith. How does one live an eternal idea in a daily way? Maria asks her husband. Martel answers with Agatha Christie because hes more interested in the story-as-explanation model of religiosity then the divine-word-as-fact model. The story with God may, indeed, be the better story, but it remains, first and foremost, a story. Martel is revealing a fundamental strength of religion, here: it is fungible; its vagueness allows it to be infinitely applicable to whatever trials face an individual or a group. Christian theology centered Tomass ire on a crucifix; so, too, did it provide Dr. Lozaro a method to connect with his late wife; it even plays a pivotal role with Peter in the novels closing movements. The story craft element of religion allows each of these actions to amplify meaning by tying them into an ongoing narrative. With that in mind, we can look to the setting of High Mountains to identify an ecological role for religion to play in the 21st century. Every country yearns to flaunt that glittering jewel called a mountain range, Martel writes of the novels eponymous range. [A]nd so this barren wasteland, too low to be alpine but too high to be usefully fertile, has been bedecked with a grand title. Despite the rapid pace of technological advances seen throughout Portugal, Canada, and the United States in the nearly 80 years the novel covers, these mountains remain relatively frozen in time and ecologically pristine no doubt precisely because they are of marginal use to industrialized society. So little has changed, in fact, that the consequences of Tomass visit in 1904 are still felt by residents when Peter Tovey returns in 1981. By contrasting the mountains with industrialized society, Martel critiques a culture that trivializes the natural world. Odo, Peters ape, best embodies that critique. We know little about Odos biography, but we do know that he was wild caught and extensively experimented upon before meeting Peter. The high mountains, then, close the loop for Odo; his emotional wellness (not to mention Peters spiritual wellbeing) improves as a direct result of returning to nature. Near the end of the book Peters son, Ben, who has been skeptical of his fathers new life, comes to the high mountains for a visit. Along with Odo they tour the local church. As they leave the church Peter turns to his son. Ben, you asked me a question. I dont know whats with all the apes. All I know is that Odo fills my life. He brings me joy. The ape grins and then lifts his hands and claps a few times, producing a muffled sound, as if quietly calling them to attention. Father and son both watch, transfixed. Thats a hell of a state of grace, Ben says. Despite his sarcasm, Ben is won over by Odo and by the connection to nature that he represents. Martels focus on returning to the land comes at a time when nations are weighing the need to reduce reliance on fossil fuels against a powerful desire to retain the standard of living legacy energy has enabled. These conflicting drives do not ready bedfellows make. In fact, they are the kinds of seemingly mutually exclusive trajectories that often prompt reactionary religiosity the political rights coalition of evangelicalism and climate change denial bears stunning witness to this phenomenon. Yet the trajectory of High Mountains suggests religion can be used as a vehicle to deliver a message of environmental stewardship. Conceived of this way, religion plays a persuasive role in contemporary life, as evidenced by a joint study by Yale and George Mason University released in November of 2015 titled The Francis Effect, which found that Americansbecame more engaged in and concerned about global warming as a result of Pope Franciss progressive stance on climate matters. [F]indings suggest that the Popes teaching about global warming contributed to an increase in public engagement on the issue, and influenced the conversation about global warming in America. Martel isnt explicitly addressing climate concerns in his book, but he is advocating for a greater connection with the land. When he turns to religion to deliver his message, Martel, like the Pope, taps into a readymade infrastructure, which, as weve seen, is made all the more persuasive because of its narrative properties. I didnt really return home simply to have a conversation with my brother about religion. Rather it was the kind of thing that naturally comes up over the holidays when families reunite and divergent lives press back together often with all the subtlety of plate tectonics. The fiction simply provided a convenient way to frame the dichotomy of religions enduring power in a contemporary world that seems capable of operating without it. Ultimately, Martels work shows us that the form religiosity takes says more about historical precedent and cultural expediency than it does about spiritual purity or metaphysical veracity. What matters is not whether one believes in a higher power, but rather making use of whatever philosophical tools give life meaning and create vectors by which to effect change in the world. The meaning itself can either be shared, as with organized religions, personal and idiosyncratic, as with Maria Lozaros reading of Agatha Christie, or even as contrived as Portugals high mountains. What truly matters is finding a meaning because without that the world proves difficult to endure, let alone change. Martels religiosity is a practical an elegant one. Theres much to recommend it on that score. And, who knows? Martel may be right. Ultimately, it may come to pass that the story with God is not only the better story but also the necessary story. Maybe. But Im still not convinced. "...king of the hate left..."-- "As my friend Capper -- the best Wisconsin blogger ever -- says, there will be more. There's always more." - karoli "...the psychiatrically attuned Capper..."-- "This is really great of you! I'm so proud to know someone like you"-- "Capper, a reasonable (and maybe even likeable) Lefty..."-- "capper, the Sidney Freedman of the hate left..."-- "I love capper because, well, what's not to love. But I also hate capper for alerting me to nonsense like this."--- "Capper, you really have a knack for this kind of writing. Really."-- "Crap. I agree with capper. Can Armageddon be far behind?"-- "capper is right. OMG, did I actually say that?"-- Campaigners predict civil liberties will suffer under planned changes to the law. The Investigatory Powers Bill has provided cause for concern for some of Britain's leading civil liberties charities. They predict an increase in mass surveillance, based on new powers which give the state more access to personal communications and private data. The bill, published in revised edition on Tuesday, widens the purposes for which police can access internet connection records, a development which critics argue will make mass surveillance easier, although the government have argued they have added clauses to protect privacy. The bill will: - Require service providers to collect and store citizens' internet connection records so that the police can access them. - Give legal backing to hacking of smartphones and computers. The revised Investigatory Powers Bill is worrying for the reason that it has defied recommendations from three parliamentary committees by expanding the worst powers, namely the collection of web browsing data and hacking in to computers and phones. Amnesty International UK director Kate Allen said: It beggars belief that the government is blundering on with its snooping power-grab completely disregarding the concerns being raised from all sides, including no fewer than three of its own parliamentary committees, every privacy group in the country, the UN and tech firms like Apple. Its like adding extra storeys to a burning building. Even the USA is rolling back its surveillance systems because of concerns over peoples right to privacy. Liberty has long campaigned against a "Snooper's charter" legitimising a blanket surveillance regime, arguing that surveillance is often conducted unlawfully, unnecessarily and disproportionately, at the price of civil freedom. Referring to the Snowden revelations, they have argued contemporary surveillance laws mean that the rights of innocent citizens are increasingly compromised by state intrusion. If the bill passes through Parliament this year, it will be the first comprehensive legal framework for mass state surveillance in the world, setting a dangerous precedent. Until the Home Office accept there are serious amendments to be made which address concerns about the overreach of new powers, they are only leaving us to conclude that a piece of legislation ostensibly designed to maximise security will fundamentally minimize liberties. Its the same every year, you trudge back from a festival in the UK tired, dirty, probably damp, only to be confronted with endless Tweets and Instagram pics of people who have had the same experience on a beach, or with stunning mountains as a backdrop! Strangely, ticket prices for festivals abroad are a lot less damaging to your bank balance, even with the additional cost of travel and accommodation. If you think you cant afford to fly to some of the best worldwide festivals without cramming yourself on a budget flight, the guys at Norwegian beg to differ. Combine your summer festival experience with some travel around must-visit locations basically a holiday with all your favourite bands LIVE! Here are ten awesome festivals that you can fly to on budget this summer: In Barcelona (Spain) Barcelona has it all! Its a historic city with more than just a little influence from innovative architect Antoni Gaudi and stretches of stunning beaches. With a vibrant bar and club culture, amongst the cultural gems it is a great place to visit at any time of year. With the festivals taking place over night a festival visit to Barcelona gives you plenty of chance to explore the city as well as the festivals. Primavera Sound 2nd 4th June Primavera has made Barca a Mecca for alternative music fans bringing together cutting-edge and truly eclectic line-ups for more than a decade. This year is no exception with Radiohead, LCD Soundsystem and PJ Harvey heading up a bill that takes in every strand of the music spectrum. Sonar 16th 18th June Sonar is simply one of the best electronic music festivals on the planet, from the biggest names and dancefloor fillers to the most cutting-edge beats and breaks it has it all! This year has legends (New Order, FatBoy Slim, Jean-Michel Jarre), top grime (Skepta, Stormzy) and a bounty of experimental delights (Oneohtrix Point Never, badbadnotgood) on a line-up that will full-fill all your electronic needs for the whole year. Flights with Norwegian to Barcelona start at 34.90 In Berlin (Germany) Berlin is often cited as the coolest city in Europe the citys energy comes from vibrant art, fashion and music scenes that pulse through a modern city that still has the echoes of its shocking recent history. It is a city now built on unity when it was forcibly divided. Revel in the history and enjoy a city that is always future thinking. Lollapolooza Berlin 10th 11th September The legendary travelling US music fest set up stall in Europe for the first time in 2015, and Berlin was the perfect place. In 2016 it takes over the historic Treptower Park (once the site of the first ever open-air concert by a Western rock band (Barclay James Harvest) in the German Democratic Republic) with a huge line-up including Radiohead, Kings of Leon, Major Lazer, New Order, The 1975 and Years & Years in the first wave of artists announced. Flights with Norwegian to Berlin start at 29.90 In Spilt (Croatia) This Baltic gem has literally be overrun with music festivals over the past five years, and its easy to see why. Croatias second-largest city has some of the best. The city itself is a buzzing place with just the right mix of tradition and modernity. Set in between the awe-inspiring coastal mountains and the clear waters of the Adriatic it is the perfect setting to both relax and party. Soundwave 4th 8th August This seriously funky, beach-based affair is one of our favourites. An intimate affair it brings the best acts from funk, hip hop, beats and breaks together for the discerning music fan. 2016 brings another awesome line-up with hip hop don Pharoahe Monch, dubstep innovator Mala, Akala and Craig Charles on the bill. Ultra Europe 15th 17th July If the glittering, mainstream dance sounds of EDM are your bag, then Ultra Europe is one for you! It brings together the biggest names with beach parties, boat parties and constant good vibes. The line-up is not announced yet but last year featured The Chemical Brothers, Armin Van Buuren, David Guetta and Tiesto on the bill. Flights with Norwegian to Split start at 29.90 In Stockholm (Sweden) Few cities are as stylish as Stockholm. It sits on more than a dozen separate islands connected by boats and bridges. It is a laid-back but exciting city. Visit Langholmen, aleafy inner-city island that houses a former prison turned hotel and awesome wild swimming spots. Summerburst 10th 11th June Set over two cities one of them being Stockholm across two days Summerburst does a fine line in EDM and pop. This year you can check out David Guetta, Icona Pop, Steve Angello and Diplo. Set over two cities one of them being Stockholm across two days Summerburst does a fine line in EDM and pop. This year you can check out David Guetta, Icona Pop, Steve Angello and Diplo. Flights with Norwegian to Stockholm start at 39.00 In Troms (Norway) Troms is basically party-central. It has more pubs per capital than any other Norwegian town and the awesome Mack Brewery, for starters. Its in the shadow of snow-topped peaks, perfect for hiking in summer, a season that provides perpetually bright days. Bukta Open Air Festival 21st 23rd July This open-air shindig is a fairly small festival but is big on atmosphere and the names it attracts. In 2016 punk-godfather Iggy Pop is heading up the bill. Flights with Norwegian to Troms start at 79.20 In Copenhagen (Denmark) Another totally stylish Scandinavian city, that is also seriously laid-back and progressive. Enjoy the biking culture, innovative food scene and its bodegas (old style pub-styled bars). Roskilde 25th June 2nd July Roskilde knows how to party! So much so that, traditionally, the festival has a five day rave-up before the music even kicks off. And when it comes to music Roskilde is one of the best in Europe, just look at this years line-up LCD Soundsystem, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Tame Impala, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Chvrches, Foals and loads more. Flights with Norwegian to Copenhagen start at 29.90 In Boston (USA) Arguably the birthplace of modern America, Boston is still a hotbed of forward-thinking with great walks, reasonable priced (but incredible) food and a great nightlife (as a big student town it has all the bases covered). Boston Calling 27th 29th May A whole heap of awesome acts have answered Bostons calling to attend City Hall Plaza. Catch Sia, Robyn, The Vaccines, Courtney Barnett, Disclosure, Haim in the heart of this historic city. Flights with Norwegian to Boston start at 135.00 In New York (USA) What is there to say about the Big Apple that hasnt already been said? It is quite literally the city that doesnt sleep! The whole place is pretty much iconic you might think you know it even before you visit for the first time, but nothing can prepare you for the awesome NYC experience. Panorama Festival 22nd 24th July This is a brand new event in NYC and it is setting-off in style! Its going to be worth going for Kendrick Lamar alone but add the likes of Arcade Fire, FKA Twigs, A$AP Rocky and Oh Wonder and it looks like the icing on the NYC-visit cake. Flights with Norwegian to New York start at 179.00 Unfortunately, The Content Is Not Here You have arrived at this page because the page or post you were looking for no longer exists. Please check our main navigation pages for other content: Home Page Area residents are showing some interest in elected positions with impacts beyond Platte County. There are a few contested races for seats on boards serving Central Community College, natural resources districts and a local public power utility. Columbus residents John Novotny and Thomas Quint are seeking the District 5 seat on the Central Community College Board of Governors currently held by Linda Walline, who is not running for re-election. The four-year position will be decided in the November general election. Sam Cowan of Stromsburg is running unopposed for re-election to his four-year at-large seat on the CCC board. On the Loup Public Power District Board of Directors, Ross Knott of Petersburg is the only candidate for the six-year position representing Subdivision 1 currently held by Ted Thieman of Petersburg. Incumbent Donald Pearson of Genoa is being challenged by another Genoa man, Alan Drozd, for his six-year seat in Subdivision 2, which covers portions of Nance, Boone and Platte counties. Chris Langemeier of Schuyler, a former state senator, is the lone candidate looking to fill the vacant Subdivision 5 seat, which is for four years and covers part of Colfax County. In Subdistrict 6, incumbent Jim Donoghue will face a familiar opponent in Brian Oppliger, who ran unsuccessfully against Donoghue in 2012 for the then-vacant seat. The rural Columbus men are vying for a six-year term representing parts of Platte and Colfax counties. Incumbent Larry Zach of Columbus also has a challenger in Subdivision 7, which includes the city of Columbus. Victor Olson of Columbus is running against Zach for the six-year term. Olson was also part of the four-man field seeking the open Subdistrict 6 seat in 2012 that was ultimately won by Donoghue. Since there are fewer than three candidates for each position, all of the men will advance to November's general election. On the Lower Elkhorn NRD board, incumbent Bob Noonan of rural Humphrey will be challenged by Robert Lueninghoener of rural Stanton for a two-year term representing Subdistrict 4. The other Subdistrict 4 seat, a four-year term, is being sought by David Kathol of Norfolk and Eugene Hemmer Jr. of Humphrey. Subdistrict 4 includes parts of Platte, Madison and Stanton counties. Incumbent Cliff Loseke of Columbus is running unopposed to represent Subdistrict 7 on the Lower Loup NRD board, and Columbus resident Chad Podolak is the only person running in Subdistrict 8. Both men are seeking four-year terms. In Subdistrict 9, incumbent Beth Boesch of Columbus won't face an opponent for the two-year seat, and Bob Bauer of Columbus is running unopposed for the four-year position. Darwin Anderson of Columbus, who is seeking re-election to his four-year position in Subdistrict 10, also does not have a challenger. Schuyler residents Terry Sobota and Matt Bailey are both running unopposed for re-election to their Subdistrict 4 seats on the Lower Platte North NRD board. Sobota's term would be two years and Bailey's four. In Subdistrict 5, incumbent John Hannah of rural Columbus does not have a challenger for his four-year seat, and Robert Hilger of David City won't be opposed in his re-election effort for a four-year position representing Subdistrict 6. Incumbent Robert Houdersheldt of rural Shelby is running unopposed for a four-year term in Subdistrict 1 on the Upper Big Blue NRD board. 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New information about Zika is constantly being updated as research continues into an outbreak that has mostly affected Latin America and the Caribbean. The most alarming part is the primarily mosquito-borne virus has been linked to a birth defect in babies. There have been thousands of cases of babies born with microcephaly in Brazil that could be related to the Zika virus. Babies with microcephaly have underdeveloped heads, which causes severe developmental and intellectual disabilities because the brain cant grow properly. Cieslak said studies are still being done to connect the birth defect and virus, but he believes Zika is going to be an associated cause of microcephaly. So far, there have been nine reported cases of Zika virus in American pregnant women. There are still questions that need answers regarding pregnant women and Zika, like how the timing of when the virus is contracted affects the unborn baby. Pregnant women are encouraged to avoid traveling to Zika-affected areas and, if they do travel, to take precautions to prevent mosquito bites. Because the virus can also be sexually transmitted, health officials are cautioning against having sex with people who have been to those countries. If you are pregnant, you should not go to Zika-endemic areas of the world. And if you have never gone to those areas and you are pregnant, you should not have unprotected sex with anyone who has been to those areas for the duration of your pregnancy, Cieslak said. Most people who contract Zika wont feel any symptoms, which can include a fever, rash, joint pain and red eyes. Some cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome have been reported in people following a Zika virus infection. The syndrome damages the nervous system causing muscle weakness. Cieslak said death caused Zika is very rare. If you dont get Guillain-Barre syndrome or microcephaly, then you are probably going to live happily ever after, he said. The name Zika comes from the Zika Forest in Uganda where the virus was first discovered in 1947. The first large outbreak started in 2007 in the Pacific island of Yap. It has since spread to South America. There is no vaccine yet. As of Feb. 24, there were 107 travel-associated cases of the virus in the U.S. There have been 14 cases in America suspected of being transmitted through sex. Nebraska has about 50 species of mosquitoes and most are considered nuisance species. The two species that are spreading Zika Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus are starting to appear in the country, mostly in the southeast. There have been small populations of Aedes albopictus detected in Nebraska in Cumming, Douglas, Lancaster and Richardson counties, Hamik said. The states Department of Health and Human Services conducts mosquito collections in 28 counties to test the kinds of viruses they could be carrying. Right now, there is no widely available test for Zika, so the focus of the department is on preventative measures. Because local transmissions here are low, our primary concern is returning travelers, especially pregnant women, Hamik said. 1. U.S. acceptance of coexistence as the only alternative to atomic war. 2. U.S. willingness to capitulate in preference to engaging in atomic war. 3. Develop the illusion that total disarmament of the United States would be a demonstration of moral strength. 4. Permit free trade between all nations regardless of Communist affiliation and regardless of whether or not items could be used for war. 5. Extension of long-term loans to Russia and Soviet satellites. 6. Provide American aid to all nations regardless of Communist domination. 7. Grant recognition of Red China. Admission of Red China to the U.N. 8. Set up East and West Germany as separate states in spite of Khrushchev's promise in 1955 to settle the German question by free elections under supervision of the U.N. 9. Prolong the conferences to ban atomic tests because the United States has agreed to suspend tests as long as negotiations are in progress. 10. Allow all Soviet satellites individual representation in the U.N. 11. Promote the U.N. as the only hope for mankind. If its charter is rewritten, demand that it be set up as a one-world government with its own independent armed forces. (Some Communist leaders believe the world can be taken over as easily by the U.N. as by Moscow. Sometimes these two centers compete with each other as they are now doing in the Congo.) 12. Resist any attempt to outlaw the Communist Party. 13. Do away with all loyalty oaths. 14. Continue giving Russia access to the U.S. Patent Office. 15. Capture one or both of the political parties in the United States. 16. Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American institutions by claiming their activities violate civil rights. 17. Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for socialism and current Communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers' associations. Put the party line in textbooks. 18. Gain control of all student newspapers. 19. Use student riots to foment public protests against programs or organizations which are under Communist attack. 20. Infiltrate the press. Get control of book-review assignments, editorial writing, policymaking positions. 21. Gain control of key positions in radio, TV, and motion pictures. 22. Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all forms of artistic expression. An American Communist cell was told to "eliminate all good sculpture from parks and buildings, substitute shapeless, awkward and meaningless forms." 23. Control art critics and directors of art museums. "Our plan is to promote ugliness, repulsive, meaningless art." 24. Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them "censorship" and a violation of free speech and free press. 25. Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio, and TV. 26. Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as "normal, natural, healthy." 27. Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with "social" religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity which does not need a "religious crutch." 28. Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the ground that it violates the principle of "separation of church and state." 29. Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate, old-fashioned, out of step with modern needs, a hindrance to cooperation between nations on a worldwide basis. 30. Discredit the American Founding Fathers. Present them as selfish aristocrats who had no concern for the "common man." 31. Belittle all forms of American culture and discourage the teaching of American history on the ground that it was only a minor part of the "big picture." Give more emphasis to Russian history since the Communists took over. 32. Support any socialist movement to give centralized control over any part of the culture--education, social agencies, welfare programs, mental health clinics, etc. 33. Eliminate all laws or procedures which interfere with the operation of the Communist apparatus. 34. Eliminate the House Committee on Un-American Activities. 35. Discredit and eventually dismantle the FBI. 36. Infiltrate and gain control of more unions. 37. Infiltrate and gain control of big business. 38. Transfer some of the powers of arrest from the police to social agencies. Treat all behavioral problems as psychiatric disorders which no one but psychiatrists can understand. 39. Dominate the psychiatric profession and use mental health laws as a means of gaining coercive control over those who oppose Communist goals. 40. Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce. 41. Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents. 42. Create the impression that violence and insurrection are legitimate aspects of the American tradition; that students and special-interest groups should rise up and use united force to solve economic, political or social problems. 43. Overthrow all colonial governments before native populations are ready for self-government. 44. Internationalize the Panama Canal. 45. Repeal the Connally reservation so the United States cannot prevent the World Court from seizing jurisdiction over nations and individuals alike. Trying to keep both this and my new sciam blog going has been a bit of a strain. I've decided therefore that from now on all my science writing will be hos... Gov. Noem will host veterans fundraiser instead of going to SDPB debate While Rep. Jamie Smith and Libertarian Tracey Quint will be attending the South Dakota Public Broadcasting gubernatorial debate, Gov. Kristi Noem will be hosting a fundraiser for veterans. Welcome to the Running in Cork blog, home of the Cork running community. This is the largest website in Cork & Munster for news on road races and general running news. Included are a current race calendar, race previews, photos, results as well as some local, national and international news items. The Wave Starring Kristoffer Joner, Ane Dahl Torp, Edith Haagenrud-Sande and Jonas Hoff Oftebro. Directed by Roar Uthaug. Opens March 4 at Cineplex Yonge-Dundas. 105 minutes. 14A Who says only Hollywood can turn out disaster movies? Certainly not Norways Roar Uthaug, who puts a family in peril from a mountain rock slide and ensuing tsunami with similar impact to multiplex blockbusters and undoubtedly at a fraction of the cost. The tale is based on a true story from 1934, when a Norwegian town was flattened by a tsunami from one of the rock slide that are a constant threat in the mountainous nation. Asad Ali, the guitarist in the Sachal Jazz Ensemble, is one of the musicians featured in Song of Lahore. Uthaug hits all the standard terror beats think San Andreas, The Impossible and The Poseidon Adventure rolled into one but the special effects feel fresher than usual, possibly because its not California in peril. Uthaug gives us genuine rooting interest in plucky geologist (Kristoffer Joner), who fights to save his tourist town and his wife (Ane Dahl Torp), daughter (Edith Haagenrud-Sande) and son (Jonas Hoff Oftebro) after his warnings of impending doom go unheeded. Peter Howell Mountains May Depart Starring Zhao Tao, Zhang Yi, Liang Jin Dong and Dong Zijian. Written and directed by Jia Zhang-ke. Opens March 4 at TIFF Bell Lightbox. 127 minutes. PG An ambitious allegory of a changing China, from Asian auteur Jia Zhang-ke (A Taste of Evil). It spans three chapters 1999, 2014 to 2025 each with a different aspect ratio and centred on the family travails of a mother and son. Dance instructor Shen Tao (Zhao Tao) is embracing the impending millennium in the first segment, bouncing to the Pet Shop Boys Go West. Shes also considering the embraces of two suitors: business hustler Zhang (Zhang Yi) and his coal miner pal Liangzi (Liang Jin Dong). Shen will make a choice, and life will, too. Jump ahead 15 years and shes a single mom, whose aptly named son Dollar (later played as a teen by Dong Zijian) is estranged from her. Family disconnection continues as the third segment wonkily shifts the focus and story to a futuristic Australia. The perils of unchecked capitalism and technology are some of Jias main issues of fascination, culminating in a hybrid movie that has impressive production values but muddled impact. English dialogue in Act 3 sounds wooden, but Jias social commentary remains sharp. Peter Howell The Legend of Barney Thomson Starring Robert Carlyle, Emma Thompson and Ray Winstone. Directed by Robert Carlyle. 96 minutes. Opens March 4 at Cineplex Yonge Dundas. 14A You may wish for subtitles with Trainspottings Robert Carlyles directing debut, where the Glaswegian accents authentic and manufactured make many lines unintelligible. But its not hard to keep up with this offbeat Canada-UK co-production based on Douglas Lindsays novels about Barney, a frustrated barber (Carlyle) who finds himself caught up in a Sweeney Todd nightmare at the same time a serial killer is mailing bits of victims around Scotland. Emma Thompson is the true star of this Legend, playing Barneys foul-mouthed, chain-smoking mother, Cemolina. Blowsy and sharp-tongued, swathed in a cheap fun fur, shes barely recognizable as the bingo hall queen with a couple of secrets. Ray Winstone is the methodical homicide detective while Ashley Jensen overdoes it as his cop shop rival. Not as clever as it wants to be, some comic bits stumble and the ending is ridiculous, although Carlyle and Thompson give it their best shot. Linda Barnard Song of Lahore Directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and Andy Schocken. 82 minutes. Opens March 4 at Bloor Hot Docs Cinema. PG Like Buena Vista Social Club set to the beat of traditional Pakistani music, Song of Lahore is a feel-good exploration of making music as an act of defiance and the unifying property of love of the arts. Pakistani-Canadian filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, who won her second Oscar Feb. 28 for the short doc A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness, directs with Andy Schocken. Lahore was long known for a rich musical tradition based on spirited, sonorous percussion and improvisation. The Talibans crackdown on musicians as anti-Islamic from the 1970s is being met by those willing to risk much to preserve artistic heritage. Forgotten at home, one ensemble looks to jazz to reach out to Western audiences. YouTube helps them catch the ear of Wynton Marsalis with their version of Dave Brubecks Take Five. A concert with New Yorks Jazz at Lincoln Center is arranged but the outcome is not guaranteed. The musicians have fascinating stories to tell, combining to give Song of Lahore its rich narrative. Their joy at exploring Times Square is a highlight. The Naked Cowboy a symbol of cultural freedom? Why not? Linda Barnard Numb Starring Jamie Bamber, Aleks Paunovic. Directed by Jason R. Goode. 90 minutes. Opens March 4 at Carlton Cinema. 14A Talk about fools gold. Numb is a chilly little tale, tracking a foolhardy hunt by two couples who are strangers to each other but share a common bond: desperation. Jamie Bamber and Marie Avgeropoulos play Will and Cheryl, two yuppies struggling financially who offer a lift to brother and sister Lee (Aleks Paunovic) and Dawn (Stefanie von Pfetten). Its winter so why dont Lee and Dawn have hats and gloves? Its one of many annoying little questions that sap the films credibility. The four nearly run over a frozen stranger and before you can say jackpot, theyre off on a hunt for $4 million in gold buried in the frozen wasteland. But who in their right mind goes on a treasure hunt so utterly ill-prepared? The script by Andre Harden has some interesting twists including one right at the end but it also has some gaping holes. Director Jason R. Goode creates a taut mood and gives us plenty of lovely but deadly landscape to ponder. But Numb is likely to leave sensible filmgoers cold. Bruce DeMara SHARE: In Mohammad Shafias own words: Whatever she threw in our way, she did. We lost our honour. Even if they come back to life a hundred times, if I have a cleaver in my hand, I will cut (her) in pieces If we remain alive one night or one year, we have no tensions in our hearts, (thinking that) our daughter is in the arms of this or that boy, in the arms of this or that man. May the Devil s--- on their graves! Is that what a daughter should be? Would (a daughter) be such a whore?... Honourless girl! I say to myself, you did well. Would they come back to life a hundred times, for you to do the same again. That is how hurt I am, Tooba, they betrayed us immensely. They violated us immensely. There can be no betrayal, no treachery, no violation more than this. By God! It was all treason from beginning to end. They betrayed kindness, they betrayed our tradition, they betrayed everything. There is nothing more valuable than our honour. I am telling your mother that be like a man as you have always been. I know it hurts. Dont worry at all. Dont regret or wish that this would have happened or that would have happened. I am telling you now and I was telling you before that whoever plays with my honour, my words are the same. There is no value of life without honour. Even if they hoist me up onto the gallows nothing is more dear to me than my honour. Lets leave our destiny to God and may God never make me, you or your mother honourless. I dont accept this dishonour. That was Mohammad Shafia, caught on intercepts, speaking to his wife Tooba and their son Hamed. All three were found guilty of first-degree murder in the 2009 drowning of Zainab, 19, Sahar, 17, Geeti, 13 daughters, sisters and Rona Amir Mohammad, 58, first spouse in a polygamous Afghan marriage. Their collective appeal of the convictions is being heard Thursday in Toronto. By any definition, as manifested by Mohammads indignation, these were honour killings. Five thousand such murders around the world a year, as estimated by the United Nations, which in 2002 and again in 2004 passed a resolution to end honour killings and other honour-related crimes. The first-ever national inquiry on rape and honour killings conducted by the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission found 243 such murders had been formally registered between 2011 and 2013, only a fraction of those believed to have been committed. An average of 27 honour killings a year in the U.S., as estimated by the FBI. At least a dozen that appear to have been committed in the name of honour in Canada between 1999 and 2009, according to the Justice Department. A real, documented and monstrous phenomenon perpetrated against girls and women (very occasionally males) accused of bringing shame to their families and communities. And yet the subject shouldnt have been brought into the courtroom at the Shafia trial, through the testimony of an expert witness. That is the focus of the appeal motion being argued today, essentially a bid to sever the honour from the murders and obtain a new trial. The trial judge got it wrong, the applicants factum asserts, by permitting the academic expert, Iranian-born Shahzrad Mojab a professor at U of T and the Women and Gender Studies Institute to testify about the causes and characteristics of honour killings, bolstering the prosecutions position that the accused had a motive to kill the deceased because their behavior had shamed the family. Without that input, the Crown had argued in a voir dire, jurors might not find it believable that anybody would kill their own family members for reasons that might appear relatively trivial in a Canadian context. Shame had arisen not only from the condemned conduct of the sisters but also Rona Mohammads intention, as stated to relatives, to get a divorce because of mistreatment. These lawyers pick up on the theme originally argued by defence in the voir dire that the evidence would be severely prejudicial, steering the jury to find that the accused had a cultural propensity to commit homicide. The judge ruled the witness could testify on honour killings as a phenomenon that exists in foreign cultures and ruled Mojab eminently qualified. Mojab has testified in one other honour killing trial, which resulted in the conviction of an Ontario man who shot and killed his sister and her fiance, then relied on the defence of provocation. On the stand, Mojab was invited to quote from various human rights organizations about honour killings, which she pointed out are not unique to a particular religion and are primarily cultural in context rather than religious. Often fathers, brothers, male members of the family sometimes even uncles and the victims are daughters, wives, sisters. That is one of the characteristics of honour killing that is different than domestic violence. Mothers also are known to participate in the crime, either directly or indirectly through planning. In closing arguments, the Crown told jurors Mojabs evidence connected all the dots needed to understand how a mother, father and brother could kill their own flesh and blood. Appeal lawyers will argue that the Crown used Mohabs testimony to paper over disputed factual points, hearsay evidence and contradictory statements by defence witnesses. Her evidence invited the jury to improperly find that the Appellants had a disposition to commit family homicide as a result of their cultural background and to reject their claim that they held a different set of cultural beliefs The prejudice resulting from Dr. Mojabs evidence was compounded when she was invited to read denunciations of honour killings made by international organizations (that) had no relevance to the jurys task and should not have been permitted. Gallingly, the appeal lawyers frame the expert testimony on honour killings within the construct of cultural stereotyping and ethnic profiling. By reinforcing pre-existing stereotypes of violent and primitive Muslims, it created the risk that the jurys verdict would be tainted by cultural prejudice. Heres ludicrous: On the witness stand, Tooba Shafia, born and raised in Afghanistan, declared with a straight face that shed never heard of honour killing. The appellants claim they were portrayed as a sinister family. By their words and their diabolical acts, they were a sinister family. Rosie DiManno usually appears Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday SHARE: Remember when Rob Ford was mayor, and held a press conference where only certain pre-approved journalists were allowed in? Maybe you dont. It should have been a big deal to journalists, who are not supposed to take orders from politicians, and who ought to favour broad media access over a political bullys list of preferred guests. Instead, most of the invited journalists attended, because they wanted to or because their bosses told them to. Ford won and journalism lost because we refused to take a principled, united stand against his tactics. Many in our profession do not recognize the importance of not taking our orders from the government. Its easier for governments to co-opt our work when we dont stand up for one another. Thats why journalists should be supporting Vice Media and its reporter Ben Makuch, who are currently fighting a court battle to practice journalism without excessive government interference. The RCMP wants Makuch and Vice to hand over notes from his conversations with a suspected terrorist. Many in the public may not recognize the danger of such a request, but every journalist should, and we should oppose it in unison. For a year, the Mounties have been trying to get hold of all correspondence between Makuch and a Calgary resident named Farah Shirdon, whom the RCMP accuses of leaving Canada to participate in terrorist activities with Daesh. Makuch first contacted Shirdon in 2014, and wrote three articles about him that year. The Mounties say Makuchs notes contain evidence of Shirdons crimes, and served him with a search warrant last year at Vices offices. The journalist and his publication have refused to hand over the notes, and the issue is now before an Ontario court. State meddling into journalism is far more of a threat to Canadians than the alleged terrorist affiliations of an individual. Shirdons message for Canadians who support war with Daesh is chilling: you shall see your streets filled with blood. Such a view ought to be public, and we have Makuch to thank for interviewing Shirdon and exposing his hateful views. But journalists do not work for the RCMP, and should be free to do our jobs without the government looking over our shoulders, or denying us the confidentiality we need to find sources and get information. The fact that the feds are asking Makuch how he contacted an alleged terrorist should rattle any independent-minded journalist. None of your business, thanks. If such a request is admissible, why not ask Makuch to turn over all his files, for this issue or any other, in case they contain something else the RCMP finds interesting? Why shouldnt media organizations keep a log of all correspondence, and hand it over to the cops at regular intervals, just to be safe? If media sources think they are communicating, either directly or indirectly, with the police, they wont talk to us. Thats not a problem if you believe the government needs dominion over any information about our safety. But if we want someone other than the state to provide information on public safety or any matter of public interest, we need an independent media. The police do not seem worried about encroaching on press freedom. On the contrary, various police forces in Canada have even taken to posing as journalists in order to trick civilians into talking to them, and say theyd do it again if they believe public safety is at risk. Journalists have gone to court to argue that such a police practice violates the Constitution and puts a chill on a free press. So far the courts are siding with the police. Some folks dont understand why a journalist would ever want to protect someone as seemingly vile as Shirdon. Why not help police with their investigation into an allegedly violent extremist? The simple answer is that this is not the medias responsibility to trust and assist the police. This doesnt make it our job to thwart and obstruct them either, particularly where public safety is concerned. For the sake of our profession, we need the freedom to decide. Makuch faces a fine or jail time if he loses his legal battle. If that happens, Ill be first in line to open my wallet. Id even serve some of his jail time if I was allowed. If journalists value the independence of the media, we cant let the police, courts and governments direct our work, or allow them to seize it under the false notion that public safety and independent journalism are at odds. Desmond Cole is a Toronto-based journalist. His column appears every Thursday. Read more about: SHARE: Something deeply significant occurred at the Academy Awards this year. Beyond the glamour, the talent and the entirely valid concerns about lack of diversity, Spotlight was named best movie. Frankly, I didnt think it would happen. A film about the child rape crisis within the Roman Catholic Church was given international acclaim and acknowledgement. Let me take you back to 1989. I was working for the CBC, making documentaries. One of them was about Covenant House, the essential and entirely noble shelter in Toronto that cares for street kids. With origins in 1960s New York, Covenant House now has international branches. One of its founders, and very much its public face, was the Franciscan priest Father Bruce Ritter, and after spending weeks speaking to people who worked at the centre and to many of the kids who lived there, we flew Ritter from New York to Toronto. He was, shall we say, a difficult man. He was rude to the crew and to me, highly demanding and insisted on only meeting with boys at Covenant House. No girls, no, he told us. It was explained by his handlers that he was uncomfortable with girls and thought it might look awkward. I didnt believe a word. The entire interview was strained but we struggled through it. Wow, not exactly a humble and nice man, I said to another Franciscan. Thats not really his charism, was the reply. His talents are elsewhere. I had gone home by the time the evening imploded. Ritter had left Covenant House with a 16-year-old boy. When this was discovered there was a rushed trip to Ritters hotel, where it was demanded that the boy was brought to the lobby immediately. The explanation given was that the young, vulnerable man was receiving counselling from Father Ritter. Complaints were made of course, and it would later be discovered that the Archdiocese of New York had received other such concerns; but Ritter was, it seems, beyond reproach. Within six months, however, he was forced to step down from the presidency of Covenant House over public allegations of sexual and financial scandal. The subsequent investigation concluded that while none of the individual charges of sexual impropriety could be proven beyond doubt, the cumulative evidence was extensive. Ritter left the Franciscan order but retained his priestly faculties and still said daily Mass. He was defended then and even today by some who argue that he was a victim of false and anti-Catholic slander. He died in 1999. What also occurred was that those who made claims against the man were themselves attacked and their characters trashed. In a scenario that had been used myriad times, complainants had to fight to be heard and accepted. Ritter was a saint, we were told, and saints have always been attacked by those who resent goodness. A cloud of denial and disguise lowered upon the episode and it was only strong journalism the Boston Globe is not unique that cut through it all. And here is the point. The Roman Catholic Church has indeed done much to try to prevent further sexual abuse, but the problems are more fundamental and systemic than that. While most priests would never harm a child, and many are fine men, the culture of enforced celibacy and, forgive me, sexual immaturity, is profoundly damaging. Many experts estimate that perhaps half of all clergy break their vows of celibacy and while their partners may be adults, it creates the need for dishonesty and hiding. The abuser uses this dark insularity to his advantage. When we mingle this with clericalism, a reverence towards the ordained that prevents criticism, a vehemently all-male and anti-democratic authority structure and a powerful self-defence mechanism it leads to all kinds of problems. Remember, abuse is not only sexual. I left the Catholic Church almost two years ago and while I was not especially critical of it, saw for myself how personal attacks by certain influential clerics and members of the laity can be terribly damaging. Yet there is still so much hope for Roman Catholicism and so much that is loving and pure. But it has to be honest about itself and its failings, otherwise the next scandal is only a matter of time. Author and broadcaster Michael Corens email is mcoren@sympatico.ca . SHARE: Biddeford-Saco-OOB Courier The board earmarked $1.54 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds for the dredge, designed to keep channels open and supply sand to nourish eroding beaches up and down the York County coast and beyond. Free trade isn't always "free," at least when it comes to how it impacts specific industries. In the wake of the latest big U.S. trade deal, expect changes in the apparel industry. Despite fierce opposition in Congress and by the leading Presidential candidates, the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) deal, is likely to pass. That's according to Brown political scientist Wendy Schiller, who says that Republican majorities in both the House and Senate need to show they can govern during this election year. Moreover, Schiller says that this is a deal that most Republicans support from both an ideological and business standpoint. TPP is supposed to create more open markets, lowering costs for manufacturers and ultimately for consumers. Opponents say that it gives companies manufacturing in foreign countries a competitive advantage. The deal's impact on the apparel industry is likely to be significant. Some of it will be beneficial and some not so much. That will depend on where companies are currently manufacturing and selling their goods. What's certain is that the apparel industry will be more competitive. TPP will lower trade barriers for all the countries involved -- the U.S., Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. Many brands have shifted or will be moving some manufacturing to the U.S. to increase production and logistical efficiency, and to lower costs. Under Armour recently announced plans to increase stateside manufacturing efforts. During a recent industry trade show, Under Armour VP of Material Process and Color Innovation, Keith Hoover said, "we want to be able to design and produce close to the market both in time and proximity... it may have patriotic elements to it but first and foremost it's a business story. "Local-for-local manufacturing drives growth with better products and a more efficient supply chain," said Hoover. VF Corporation's The North Face announced the expansion of its Backyard Project, a line of clothing made exclusively in the U.S. The North Face and Under Armour's moves dovetail with a growing trend toward fast fashion. Fast fashion describes a shorter cycle time between when brands first showcase their designs and when they appear in stores. Until recently, clothes produced in one season didn't appear until roughly six months later. TPP could disrupt the fast fashion momentum and a fledgling made-in-America clothing rebound by renewing the attractiveness of offshore manufacturing via lower tariffs. Brands like Under Armour or The North Face could ship U.S. materials to overseas manufacturing plants, import the products back to the U.S. at a low rate and sell at U.S. price points. This protects domestic profit margins, assuming the brand has streamlined global supply chain operations in existing plants across the countries involved in the agreement. Premium brands made exclusively in the U.S. could benefit from the TPP if they're looking to increase global sales. Because of the lower tariffs, brands could ship items to shoppers in emerging markets like Mexico and Vietnam at lower cost. TPP's passage would cause shifts in apparel manufacturing and supply chains. Brands who are nimble enough and have been careful about investing in infrastructure will be best positioned to cut costs and expand into global markets. This article is commentary by an independent contributor. Every four years, American presidential candidates pledge to get tough with overseas adversaries and to beef-up a supposedly neglected military. It's a tiresome quadrennial rite that's usually at odds with reality, ever since Jack Kennedy lambasted Dwight Eisenhower for a non-existent "missile gap." Today, the Pentagon is pivoting away from the legacy weapons of the Cold War and toward ultra-sophisticated devices such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). This new military reality presents enormous growth prospects for one company in particular: UAV maker AeroVironment (AVAV) , which is scheduled to issue third-quarter fiscal 2016 earnings on Tuesday, March 8. With a market cap of about $592 million, AeroVironment exemplifies one of the most exciting investments you can find: an innovative but stable small-technology company that's riding an accelerating trend. AVAV data by YCharts Budgetary austerity in Europe is adding uncertainty to global military spending plans, but UAVs are assured a healthy slice of the Pentagon's procurement pie for years to come. In addition, a significant civilian UAV market is emerging, as increasing numbers of federal organizations such as the Coast Guard, Border Patrol and even the Forestry Service require airborne surveillance and monitoring systems. AeroVironment is a major military contractor but it would benefit the most from the mainstreaming of small-scale civilian drones, because these miniaturized UAVs are its specialty. The company boasts a 30% share of the UAV market, making it the leader by far. The company's forte is making small and nimble UAVs that have the ability to carry payloads and are fitted with GPS systems and contact avoidance systems. These are the types of units that would help Amazon.com's CEO Jeff Bezos realize his bold vision of delivering packages door-to-door via drones. AeroVironment last announced its quarterly earnings data on Dec. 8, when it posted EPS of 19 cents, exceeding Wall Street's estimate (a loss of 9 cents) by 28 cents. The company's revenue came in at $64.70 million for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $57.74 million, for a 22.8% year-over-year jump. Five analysts have provided estimates for AeroVironment's March 8 earnings announcement, with the lowest EPS at 3 cents and the highest at 10 cents. AeroVironment posted EPS of 10 cents during the same quarter a year ago. AeroVironment's earnings expectations for its third quarter are modest, but investors should take into account a confluence of positive factors that more than compensate: the company's huge backlog of orders, entrenched client roster, and high spending on research and development. AeroVironment is playing the long game, as it taps into the inexorable rise of pilotless drones. UAVs are a hot phenomenon that generate considerable buzz in the financial, defense and technology media, so it's no surprise that the stock's valuation is high. AeroVironment sports a trailing 12-month (TTM) price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 86.01, compared to its competitors Lockheed Martin (18.89) and Raytheon (18.35). But among its peers, AeroVironment is the only pure play on the explosive demand for UAVs, which gives it greater growth potential. AeroVironment shares now trading at about $25, but the one-year median analyst price target is $33.50, for a gain of 34%. On the high end, the one-year price target is $36, for a gain of 44%. AeroVironment is in the vanguard of game-changing technology. Here's a small-cap biotech "rocket stock" that's about to take off. UCLA researchers are stunned by a Nobel Prize-winning cancer breakthrough that's proven in clinical trials to eliminate lethal forms of cancer with a single dose. One small company owns the patent to this life-saving treatment. Now trading at about $5 a share, the stock of this innovative company is projected to surge 2,700% on an imminent FDA announcement. To download the full report, click here. John Persinos is editorial manager and investment analyst at Investing Daily. At the time of publication, the author held no positions in the stocks mentioned. With heavy insider ownership and a low trading multiple, Diamond Resorts International (DRII) is a likely candidate to go private as a result of a previously announced strategic review, according to a source familiar with the company. "The insiders own a tremendous amount of stock, they've LBO'ed it before, [and] the company generates a tremendous amount of cash flow," said the source, noting that about 25% of Diamond's stock is owned by management while private equity firms Guggenheim Capital and Wellington Management Company own 13.18% and 13.99% stakes, respectively, as of Dec. 31. "I have no knowledge as to whether or not Guggenheim or Wellington would want to roll in, but 50% of the stock is either in direct insider hands or in institutions that invested directly," the source noted, adding that Guggenheim participated in the original Diamond leveraged buyout and has a seat on Diamond's board. The timeshare company announced Feb. 24 that it had retained Centerview Partners to explore strategic alternatives. The source believes Diamond could be taken private for $32 to $35 per share, for a total deal value of $2.23 billion to $2.44 billion, pointing to Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide's (HOT) $1.5 billion sale of its timeshare business, Vistana Signature Experiences, to Diamond rival Interval Leisure Groupundefined following a planned spinoff. Diamond shares closed at $21.22 Wednesday. "Starwood's deal to sell their business to Interval was 10 times Ebitda," the source said. "I think the comps could support even a $45 price, but they probably don't need to pay that. When the stock was $25 they termed their shares 'materially undervalued' so it's hard to fathom them going that high." The source anticipates the review will be completed in 60 to 70 days. Analysts agreed that Diamond is an unlikely strategic target and is more likely a target for private equity due to its low trading multiple. "Diamond trades at a very low multiple relative to its trading history and relative to where peers currently trade," said Whitney Stevenson of JMP Securities. "There's the opportunity to pick up a high-growth timeshare company at a very inexpensive multiple... but I find it difficult to see them as a strategic target by another public timeshare company." Las Vegas-based Diamond trades at about four times its 2016 Ebitda, Stevenson said, while Marriott Vacations Worldwide (VAC) , a former unit of Marriott International (MAR) , trades around 5.3. Gregg Klein of Imperial Capital argued that of all the potential strategic buyers, Wyndham Worldwide (WYN) would make the most sense as a likely buyer, but "Wyndham said in their last earnings call that they're not interested" in timeshare acquisitions. "Management at Diamond has a lot of private equity background" and could successfully scout out a private equity buyer, Klein said. Diamond President and CEO David Palmer, for example, has previously worked at Onyx Capital Ventures, Vision Capital Partners and Velocity Capital. The source anticipates the review will be completed in 60 to 70 days. Another factor leading to Diamond's low trading multiple is the result of short activity. "Diamond specifically has seen a significant increase in its short interest to approximately 30% of the outstanding float," longtime shareholders FrontFour Capital Group and ADW Capital Partners wrote in an Oct. 21 letter to management. The firms believe the shorts' concerns are "unfounded." Nonetheless, "despite commendable execution by the management team, the Company's shares trade at their lowest valuation since being public." The two funds urged Diamond to explore strategic alternatives, including a possible sale. Another reason Diamond trades lower than its competitors is that it lacks their name branding. "One key difference between Diamond and the other public timeshare companies is that they do not have lodging brands behind them," Stevenson noted. For example, Hilton has "the ability to source potential buyer leads" through its Hilton Honors loyalty program. However, the timeshare industry as a whole has struggled as e-booking companies such as Expedia (EXPE) and Pricelineundefined make travel cheaper and easier. The same week Diamond announced that it would explore its options, Hilton Worldwide (HLT) unveiled plans to split into three companies by spinning off its time share unit and most of its real estate. Hilton's timeshare spinoff will add a fifth publicly traded timeshare company to the market, alongside Diamond, Wyndham Worldwide, Interval Leisure and Marriott Vacations, which was spun off from Marriott International in 2011. "Timeshares face structural issues with all the online vacation rentals, which lowers the incentive to own a timeshares when you can go online and book any destination," said Dan Wasiolek of Morningstar. "We think it's a more challenging business than asset-light hotels." Diamond was formed in 2007 as a vehicle for Stephen J. Cloobeck's $700 million leveraged buyout of publicly traded Sunterra Corp. Cloobeck currently serves as chairman of Diamond, which went public on July 19, 2013. Along with Marriott, Starwood and now Hilton, hotel chain Hyatt Hotels (H) also recently divested its timeshare business, selling it to Interval for $225 million on May 7, 2014. Diamond, Centerview, Guggenheim and Wellington did not respond to requests for comment. Opposition continues to the $6.8 billion merger of Pepco Holdings (POM) with Exelon (EXC) , throwing into question whether a settlement with District of Columbia regulators will move the transaction forward. Approval of the D.C. Public Service Commission is the remaining hurdle for the merger. Opposition to a settlement agreement that last week appeared to be sufficient for the deal to move forward has thrown the two-year old merger on its heels, at least for the moment. A 2-1 PSC decision last week in favor of terms to allow the transaction has been rejected by local officials, including the District's mayor. If the parties do not come to terms over the PSC-approved settlement the matter is reopened as of March 11. The D.C. government is one of the parties that must agree to the terms of a PSC approval. The deal spread has widened on the approval uncertainty to $4.10, or 17.7%, for the all-cash, $27.25 a share transaction. Exelon said it is having "conversations with the D.C. government and other settling parties about the commission's order and the new provisions. The discussions are ongoing, and [Exelon] will provide an update at the appropriate time." The merger agreement calls for a $180 million termination fee if Exelon cannot gain regulatory approval for the deal, but that fee was paid into Pepco preferred shares that Pepco can call in if the transaction fails. So in a sense Exelon has already paid out the termination fee. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said Tuesday the PSC rejected an agreement that had the support of various parties including the People's Counsel of the District of Columbia and D.C. attorney general, and that the current PSC proposal fails to protect against rate increases for District residents and assistance for low-income rate payers. The value of the revisions required to get the deal past the mayor may not be insurmountable, a risk arbitrageur said. The alternative proposal would include $30 million in credits. The current proposals could just expire and the companies would present some revision after March 11, the arb said. But the review process could then drag on. The key issue between the PSC and parties that are not signing on to the commission's approval of last week is the application of credits that D.C. political parties want to see go to residential customers. The current PSC plan would allow the regulator to apply such rate relief to either residential or commercial customers down the line. This issue does not seem to be a huge gulf for the deal review. Some arbs are likely considering the recent block of the Cleco (CNL) merger with Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets and opposition in Hawaii to the Hawaiian Electric Co. (HE) merger with NextEra Energy (NEE) when assessing the current regulatory risk of any utility-related transaction. NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Shares of Starbucks Corp. (SBUX) are down by 1.75% to $58.52 on Thursday morning, as the company will open its first store in South Africa next month in the Johannesburg suburb of Rosebank, Reuters reports. In July, the coffee giant announced that it will open cafes in African markets for the first time in 2016 with an exclusive licensed partnership with Taste Holdings. Starbucks' second store is slated to open in late April in the Mall of Africa, which is north of Johannesburg. "By the end of the next two years we will have opened about 12 to 15 outlets," Taste Holdings CEO Carlo Gonzaga told Reuters. South Africa-based Taste Holdings is a management group with subsidiaries in the food and jewelry markets. It has an exclusive licensing agreement with Domino's Pizza (DPZ) in South Africa. "We think the South African market can, right now, take about 150 Starbucks stores," Gonzaga said, but noted that Taste is not in a rush and will expand stores gradually. On Monday, Starbucks said it will open stores in Italy in early 2017. Separately, the coffee company's perception score dropped 50% after rewards changes, CNBC.com reported yesterday. Starbucks' "buzz" score, which measures positive or negative sentiment about a certain brand, fell to 29 from 60 in eight days, according to YouGov BrandIndex. The company changed its rewards program to giving points to customers for every dollar spent instead of giving redeemable points for each purchase, CNBC.com noted. (Starbucks is held in Jim Cramer's charitable trust Action Alerts PLUS. See all of his holding with a freetrial.) Separately, TheStreet Ratings Team has a "Buy" rating with a score of A- on the stock. This is based on the convergence of positive investment measures, which should help this stock outperform the majority of stocks rated. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its revenue growth, good cash flow from operations, largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures, solid stock price performance and notable return on equity. The team believes its strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had sub par growth in net income. Recently, TheStreet Ratings objectively rated this stock according to its "risk-adjusted" total return prospect over a 12-month investment horizon. Not based on the news in any given day, the rating may differ from Jim Cramer's view or that of this articles's author. You can view the full analysis from the report here: SBUX SBUX data by YCharts There will be blood at tonight's Republican presidential debate -- at least figuratively. The four candidates remaining on the island that is the GOP White House race -- Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and John Kasich -- will gather in Detroit Thursday evening for their latest showdown in an event hosted by Fox News. The last time the candidates gathered was brutal, often devolving into a shouting match beyond moderators' control. And tonight, it may be even worse. "Likely, there's going to be some fireworks," saidFox News anchor Bret Baier, who will moderate the debate alongside Megyn Kelly and Chris Wallace, in a segment taped earlier this week. That's putting it lightly. Billionaire businessman Trump scored a sweeping victory on Super Tuesday, winning primary voting in seven of 11 states and sending the Republican Party into full panic mode. The clock is ticking for the GOP to put a halt to a man whose candidacy many fear would tear the party apart and all but guarantee a victory for Democrats come the fall. They are putting out all the stops to derail him -- and calling on his opponents to do the same. "There's a clear frontrunner, and if you want to win, you've got to take him on directly," said Jon Seaton, a Republican political strategist who has worked on the George W. Bush, John McCain and Lindsey Graham presidential campaigns. "There won't be any sneak attacks this time." Rubio and Cruz have to "open the bomb bay doors and drop all the remaining ordinance," said conservative pundit Charles Krauthammer on Fox Wednesday, adding, "It's the only option." The Trump "carpet bombing," to steal a term from Krauthammer and Cruz, has already begun. Florida Senator Rubio has been relentlessly attacking Trump since last week's presidential debate, where he nailed the real estate magnate on immigration hiring, bankruptcy filings and ongoing litigation over Trump University. Nothing has been off the table, from Trump's small hands to his grammatically-challenged tweets. Cruz has been on the attack as well, focusing much of his offensive on challenging Trump's conservative credentials. And with Trump's newly released health care plan, unveiled Wednesday evening, both will have more ammo. "The super-charged rhetoric will continue," said Chris Arterton, professor of political management at The George Washington University's Graduate School of Political Management. "We saw a debate last week that got a little bit out of hand, and the attacks started getting very personal," said Adam Geller, a Republican pollster who previously worked for New Jersey Governor Chris Christie's presidential campaign. "These guys can get a little bit pissed off, because people are getting under their skin, and they could lash back. We could see another debate that gets pretty vicious." While it's clear that Cruz and Rubio are likely to go hard at Trump, what is not so certain is how Trump will react. The normally boisterous billionaire sounded surprisingly subdued in his Super Tuesday victory speech, with onlookers observing that he is beginning to sound more presidential in an effort to pivot toward the general election. "If there is a slight tonal change in the race, it is that Donald Trump's announcement [Tuesday] night was a lot less flamboyant, a lot less designed to capture the headlines for yet another news cycle," said Arterton. Thursday, he may again try to appear more statesmanlike and remain above the fray. The question is whether he can. "Trump has shown no capacity to kind of bite his tongue and let things roll over him when he is attacked," said Arterton. It is also unclear how the fighting will play with voters. Geller observed that Trump supporters appear to be energized when he is attacked, adding that Rubio backers also seem to be more excited by his aggression as of late. But it may not sway votes enormously, at least not in the long-term. See: Christie's Marco-bot offensive in New Hampshire. "It's fair to say that New Hampshire didn't work out quite the way in which we intended, but I also think it's fair to say that the Christie attack on Senator Rubio seemed to have left somewhat of a mark," said Geller. "Some people have called it a kamikaze attack, or a murder-suicide. It did seem to have blunted Rubio's growth for the time being." And in a campaign season where the news cycle sways daily, if not hourly, even the most intense battles don't stay in the headlines for long. Rubio and, perhaps to a lesser extent, Cruz, also find themselves walking a tightrope in avoiding turning voters off with what may be perceived as too-vicious attacks, explained Arterton. "Sometimes, adopting the tactics of your opponent hurts you as much as it does your opponent," he said. He pointed to the 1984 U.S. Senate race in North Carolina between Republican incumbent Jesse Helms and serving Democratic Governor Jim Hunt. Hunt, a moderate and quite popular figure, made what many considered a fatal mistake in his campaign by producing a television ad attempting to link his opponent to Central American death squads. "It was such an appalling ad that it hurt Hunt, in fact, more than it actually hurt Helms," Arterton said. Hunt was defeated in what was the most expensive senate race in U.S. history up to that point. "Rubio has to watch out with descending to the kind of crude language that Trump has been using," Arterton said. Adding an extra layer to Thursday's bloodshed will be Kelly's presence. Last time Fox News hosted a debate, Trump skipped the event, in part, due to her participation. (He's still mad about the time she questioned him on his history with women back in August.) Seaton stressed that Kelly does not pick on Trump specifically, but she also won't let him, or any of the candidates, skirt the issues. "He can complain, but the camera's rolling," he said. "She tries not to let people just talk in sound bites." Whatever the case, Thursday's debate will likely be the most aggressive of the entire election cycle. Maybe even white knight Kasich will get into the mud (doubtful, but possible). Is the fighting helpful to voters? Perhaps not. But, "It certainly adds a little more drama," said Seaton. The turmoil in the market is unlikely to subside anytime soon, and that should continue to boost stable utility stocks like Atmos Energy (ATO) , ONE Gas (OGS) , MGE Energy (MGEE) and LaClede Gas (LG) , said Skip Aylesworth, portfolio manager of the Hennessy Gas Utility Fund (GASFX) . The Hennessy Gas Utility Fund is up 6% thus far in 2016, according to fund-tracker Morningstar. The $1.4 billion fund has returned an average of 11% annually over the past five years, outpacing 90% of its peers in Morningstar's utility category. Shares of Dallas, Texas-based Atmos Energy, for example, are up 10% year-to-date. The natural gas distributor, which Aylesworth describes as a "bread and butter" utility, yields 2.4%. "It's a fairly boring business, but it is straightforward and has been a good investment at this time with no commodity exposure to oil at all," said Aylesworth. Another holding in Aylesworth's fund is ONE Gas, which is up 15% so far in 2016. The Tulsa, Oklahoma-based natural gas utility yields 2.4% and is located in growing parts of the Texas economy where new housing starts are strong. "It makes money and increases earnings by connecting to new houses and it spends its capital on improving the system," said Aylesworth. MGE Energy is up 5% thus far in 2016 and the Madison, Wisconsin-based utility yields 2.4%. Aylesworth describes MGE as a combination utility because it provides electricity and natural gas. "MGE is all about the connection to the house," said Aylesworth. "In southern Wisconsin you get your electricity and your natural gas from MGE and that's all they do. No oil exposure." Finally, Aylesworth expects good things from St. Louis, Missouri-based natural gas utility Laclede Group, which yields 3% and is up 9% so far this year. "They also do some propane work and gas storage, but you notice I am not saying the word 'oil'," said Aylesworth. A blizzard warning is in effect for metro Montreal as strong low pressure moves from the lower Great Lakes into New York tonight. Snowfall of 20-30cm is forecast for Montreal along with 50-70km/h winds. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. In this Feb. 23, 2016 file photo, a waiter walks past a mural of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, in Shah Alam outside Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Debris that washed up in Mozambique has been tentatively identified as a part from the same type of aircraft as the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, a U.S. official said Wednesday, March 2, 2016. (AP Photo/Joshua Paul, Fie) Migrants rest in a bus waiting to leave toward Croatia from the village of Adasevci, Serbia, Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2016. Human trafficking is back in a big way in the Serbian capital and elsewhere along the Balkan migrant corridor _ a veritable growth industry for locals as European Union nations slam their borders shut in a domino effect, leaving thousands of refugees stuck at Greeces northern border. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) In this July 27, 2015, file photo, the first foundation jacket installed by Deepwater Wind in the nation's first offshore wind farm construction project is seen next to a floating construction crane on the waters of the Atlantic Ocean off Block Island, R.I. Business leaders and politicians who gathered for an industry conference in Boston during early March 2016, pointed to deep-pocketed investors and major European offshore wind companies that are increasingly committing to projects all along the East Coast as evidence that a domestic industry dreamed about for nearly two decades has finally come. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia, File) Recover your password. A password will be e-mailed to you. Hospital acquires new surgical robotics technology Burke Health announced the purchase of new robotics technology for use during spine surgical procedures last week. The Globus ExcelsiusGPS is a revolutionary robotic navigation platform system designed to be intuitive and streamline the surgical workflow. Real-time tracking of instruments and implants, along with audible, visual and tactile feedback, enables... County center wins senior trike Local seniors now have access to an adult tricycle. Director Kimberly Mathis attended the Move Augusta Senior Expo and Bike Rodeo sponsored by Augusta Urban Ministries October 8. The event, held at The Salvation Army Kroc Center, was aimed at people over 50 years old, and included resources and health... 4-H Food Challenge Team takes State For the first time, Burke County 4-H decided to put together a junior food challenge team this summer. Teams are compromised of 2-4 students in the 6th-8th grades. This competition is very competitive and teams must advance to state after the district competition. Our team started practicing weekly in July... County rehashes trash problem I am bringing up the trash again, Commissioner Evans Martin said during the October 11 meeting. We have to do something about the trash. Martin asked that the record show that he wants to do something about the countys dumpster sites. He made a suggestion that eliminating 10 sites would... Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was on Wednesday at his sarcastic best as he attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi on a host of issues ranging from his policies on Pakistan and black money to the JNU row and the Nagaland accord. Speaking amid thumping of desks by Congress MPs and incessant booing from the treasury benches, Gandhi spoke both in Hindi and English to accuse Modi of disrespecting Indian interests by going to Lahore to meet his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif without consulting even his ministers. "Pakistan directly attacked this country in Mumbai. They trained and sent killers into Mumbai. And what does the PM do? He decides to go to Pakistan and have a cup of tea with Nawaz Sharif, without any vision," Gandhi said in a 31-minute speech in the Lok Sabha punctuated with witty remarks. Modi, Gandhi alleged, let Pakistan out of the little cage it had been put in after the Mumbai terror attack of 2008 which left 166 Indians and foreigners dead. "He destroyed six years of our hard work. He gifted them (Pakistan) a status and put them out of the cage we had put them in," Gandhi said. "He disrespected the national flag, those who died in Mumbai, those who died in Pathankot, the talent of our bureaucrats (whom he did not consult)." Looking at the BJP benches, Gandhi said Modi did not share his Lahore visit of December 25 with even External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Home Minister Rajnath Singh. The remark drew loud protests from BJP MPs. Gandhi went on: The PM has to listen to others. Listen to Rajnath Singhji, Sushma Swarajji, Advanij Listen to your MPs. We don't hate you. Listen to your own people, listen to the voice of next generation. The prime minister was not in the house when Gandhi spoke. The Congress vice president appeared unruffled despite the repeated attempts to interrupt him. At one stage, he looked at the BJP MPs, smiled and said: "Bolne do bhai." Gandhi accused Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley of going back on their election pledge and helping the rich to convert their black money into white. "Nobody who has black money will be jailed under Modi's 'Fair and Lovely' scheme," he said, sparking laughter. "All those who have black money can make it white under this scheme." Gandhi, taking part in a discussion on the motion of thanks to the President's address to parliament, was referring to Jaitley's amnesty scheme on black money. Pointing out that Modi had in 2014 vowed to jail those with black money, he said Modi had also failed to bring back black money stashed abroad. Gandhi pulled up Modi for not speaking to the mother of Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula after his suicide in Hyderabad -- and his silence on the issue as well as the attacks on JNU students and journalists at a Delhi court last month. Gandhi said he heard the entire speech of now jailed JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar. "Not a word was anti-national." The Congress leader also attacked Modi for signing a peace pact with the NSCN without consulting Home Minister Rajnath Singh and chief ministers of Nagaland and neighbouring states. Where is the accord now, Gandhi asked. "It has vanished into thin air." When BJP members interrupted him, Gandhi hit back saying he made mistakes "because I am not from the RSS". "I don't know everything. I listen to the people, then speak." In contrast, he alleged, that those with the RSS do not bother about others' views. "The country is not the PM, the PM is not the country," he added. During the 1970s and 1980s, Israel issued security orders which resulted in the expropriation of land from Arabs in areas of Yehuda and Shomron. The state has recently announced these orders will be canceled in the near future, releasing 1,700 dunam (425 acres) of land. The states announcement appears to be the result of two petitions filed with the Supreme Court by the Yesh Din human rights organization on behalf of five Arab farmers in the Shomron. Security orders began following the Six Day War in 1967 in areas of Yehuda and Shomron. Nothing was done with some of the areas confiscated while other areas, albeit few, are now IDF bases. The bulk of the area is near the PA (Palestinian Authority) village of Jaloud, northeast of Ariel. Residents of Burka in the northern Shomron have received their land back, which used to be part of Yishuv Chomesh. The land in the Jaloud area was confiscated in 1978. Other areas belong to the residents of Machmas and Dir Dubuan, confiscated in 1978 and 1980-1984. An army base was constructed on a small portion of the area but it was cleared in the 1990s and nothing has been done since. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) European Jewish Association Director Rabbi Margolin issued a rousing call to European governments not to become complacent following a period of reprieve from terror attacks in Europe, as he insisted that no matter if it looks like the situation is more settled, its never settled its never calm, and we feel the threat and concern, we do feel concern in Europe, and for this reason we would like them to know that they still have to give high level security to all Jewish institutions to make sure the Jews of Europe feel comfortable in their countries. Rabbi Margolin spoke to open a self-defense training session at the annual conference of the Rabbinical Centre of Europe in Berlin on Tuesday which initiative he said was important to ensure that each of the Rabbis here will be able to defend themselves in case of an emergency. The session, the second of its kind to be hosted at the annual gathering of more than 100 members of the RCE following last years successful inaugural training in Prague, he added did not negate European governments responsibility to secure European Jewry, concluding that I hope and expect governments to protect European citizens, including the Jewish communities. Elsewhere, discussing the recent escalation of anti-Semitism, Rabbi Margolin refuted attempts to attribute rising anti-Jewish attitudes to Europes Muslim community as looking for excuses. Quoting the recent poll by the Anti-Defamation League on global anti-Semitic attitudes, he added that you can see that the countries with the highest levels of anti-Semitism are those which have almost no Muslim community such as Poland, Romania, Hungary, Greece. The migrant crisis, he insisted, contributed very little to growing anti-Semitism in Europe, considering that there are approximately 500 million people in Europe I wouldnt say the biggest threat is (migrants) as long as the government understands that its something that has to be addressed as soon as possible to educate them in European values. Also addressing delegates was Chairman of the Bundestag Dr. Norbert Lammert, who spoke of the surprise at Germany finding itself with a rejuvenated Jewish community half a century after the Holocaust, thanks to immigration from former Soviet countries this he insisted was not a source of pride given the circumstances, but nevertheless impressive that this is the new situation in which we find ourselves and we are a bit ashamed that given this background of our common history and experience that we now have again more than 100,000 Jewish people in Germany. Announcing a parliamentarian conference for later this month followed by a two-day meeting of national and European parliamentarians from up to 60 countries on the situation of anti-Semitism, he concluded: Looking to the present situation, in Germany and in Europe, I cannot see any other country in Europe where Jewish people can live more safely than in Germany. Once there was an anti-Semitic country, but today there is a country that acts against anti-Semitism. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) A new family member has joined Israels Arrow & Iron Dome rocket defense systems as the first Davids Sling battery has arrived, with the ability to intercept long-range and cruise missiles fired from 40km to 300km (24 to 186 miles). The Iron Dome, which to date has saved countless lives in rocket attacks from Gaza, provides protection from rockets fired from 4km to 70km (2.4 to 43.5 miles). The Arrow responds to ballistic missile threats and all systems are the result of joint Israel/US cooperation and development. The Israeli Air Force on Wednesday 22 Adar-I was scheduled to accept the first Davids Sling battery. Davids Sling is considered an advanced system, among the most advanced in the world, developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and US-based Raytheon Co. The radar was developed by ELTA Systems, a subsidiary of Israel Aerospace Industries, and the command and control systems were developed by the Elisra Group, a subsidiary of defense electronics manufacturer Elbit Systems. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) MK Moshe Gafne announces that he remains at the forefront of the system, always looking out for chareidi interests, making sure the chareidi tzibur gets what it is entitled to. Gafne, who serves as chairman of the Knesset Finance Committee, on Wednesday, 22 Adar-I, addressed employment for chareidim and the lack of integration of chareidim into the workforce. Gafne explains he plans to take the matter directly to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit. During the Wednesday session, Gafne began questioning officials in various ministries regarding the severe discrimination, and how chareidi women are by and large sorely underpaid when compared to their secular counterparts elsewhere in Israel. At one point he apologized for speaking out too harshly on the matter. Gafne read off a list of names of chareidi employees whom have been mistreated, promising to pass the names along to the relevant official in the Economy Minister. He feels the minister himself must become involved directly towards correcting the situation which exists today. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) Interior Minister Aryeh Deri has reached agreement with heads of Israeli Arab municipalities, promising the ministry will not issue demolition orders for illegal construction. In return, the local leaders promised to halt all additional construction until the matter is rectified. Deri made his remarks to a session of the Knesset Interior Committee headed by MK David Amsellem. Deri told committee members that today, there are 50,000 illegal structures in the Arab sector, some already slated for demolition by the government. An Arab MK stated about 1,000 are currently slated for demolition. Deri has frozen demolitions and promises to work to reach agreement towards legalizing the illegal structures. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has called on Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit to probe the legality of deporting families of terrorists from areas in Yehuda and Shomron to Hamas-controlled Gaza. The prime minister explains such a move would drastically reduce terrorist activities. Mr. Netanyahu added that there have been terrorists in recent months who are encouraged by family members while some are viewed as lone wolves. He feels in cases when it is applicable, he would like to have family members of terrorists deported to Gaza towards deterring others from carrying out attacks. Clearly Dr. Mandelblit will oppose the move, as he responded just days ago to a similar request from cabinet ministers. Perhaps the prime minister wishes to give the impression he wishes to crack down on terrorists, thereby permitting him to place the blame on the attorney general. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) Ted Olson didnt say exactly what he wants Congress to do about U.S. efforts to enlist Apple in cracking criminals encrypted iPhones, but he made one thing clear: Apple doesnt work for the government. There isnt a middle ground that I know of to force Apple to redesign its iPhone, Olson, a lawyer for the company, told Bloomberg Televisions Emily Chang in an interview Wednesday morning. The Constitution does not allow the government to conscript private companies to invent products or to change the products that they have invented. His remarks followed a decision this week by a judge in Brooklyn, New York, denying a government request to search a drug dealers iPhone. That ruling contrasted sharply with a California judges order last month demanding the company unlock a phone used by one of the shooters in last years San Bernardino terrorist attack. Olson said that Congress should act to clarify a technology companys responsibilities to law enforcement in such circumstances, and that piecemeal decisions by the courts will only lead to a muddle. He challenged a proposal by U.S Attorney General Loretta Lynch that the judiciary weigh each case one at a time, warning that you might have one court going one way and another court going another way, but didnt specify what legislation he had in mind for a broader resolution of the matter. Do we let one company decide this issue for all of us? Lynch had told Chang on Tuesday at the RSA cybersecurity conference in San Francisco. Do we want one company to say this is how investigations are going to be conducted and no other way? Olson answered that question in Wednesdays interview: No, not one company, but one legislature. Congress needs to consider what technological resources exist, what can be done by the government without conscripting private citizens to change the products that they make, he said, calling for the body to do its job and adding: Lets have this debate. The fight over law enforcements authority over encrypted communications is raging on two fronts, with Lynch delivering her message on Apples home turf while FBI director James Comey and Apples general counsel, Bruce Sewell, offered opposing views on encryption during a congressional hearing in Washington. Asked more specifically what he wanted from legislators, Olson told a reporter after the interview, It isnt just Apple. Its any kind of technological company. For instance, he said, the government might require car makers to modify their software. Its a zillion types of products. This thing has to be debated. But he rejected any solution that requires Apple to go to work for the government and warned the company will draw a line if the U.S. government tries to force it to create a product that it doesnt want to create, and in fact a product that subverts the product that it has been creating and successfully putting in the hands of tens of millions, hundreds of millions, of people that trust the device to protect their security. And he bristled at remarks Lynch made that Apple shouldnt be arguing civil liberty infringements because it isnt being accused of doing anything wrong. Apple has First Amendment rights to protect its products, Olson said. Were talking about the rights of Apple to make sure its iPhone has the integrity that it carefully built into it. Everyone has civil rights in this country, not just those accused of crime. (c) 2016, Bloomberg Christie Smythe, Todd Shields John Kasich is not going to win the Republican nomination. Thats obvious to the point of not needing to be fleshed out. Hes done well in the moderate confines of New England, with second-place finishes in Massachusetts, Vermont and New Hampshire, but thats about it. Kasich is also not why Donald Trump is on the verge of winning the Republican nomination. Trump is on the verge of the nomination because of voter frustration with Washington and a Republican Party thats spent years failing to address the concerns of its base. When sitting House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., lost his primary in 2014, conservative media put the blame on his immigration stance, and the establishment blamed his failure to spend much time in his home district. Trump suggests that both were true: People are mad about failures on policy and a lack of elected officials caring about it. Donald Trump is on the verge of the Republican nomination words I, too, never expected to type because he has run a campaign that a seasoned Washington veteran couldnt. This seems almost blindingly obvious at this point. Some in the establishment are coming to terms with this, trying to figure out how to co-opt or redirect Trump toward more positive ends. Others most others refuse to accept it, refuse to accept that he can be the nominee. And to try to keep that from happening, theyre pulling all the levers they can see around them, most of which proved to be broken months ago. And one of the last big remaining levers is labeled John Kasich. We noted last week that Kasich wasnt costing Marco Rubio the nomination. We can re-assess that in light of Super Tuesday. The current vote totals in Massachusetts, with nearly all votes counted, have Trump at 49 percent, Kasich in second with 18.1 percent and Rubio in third with 17.9 percent. Here is a math lesson: 18.1 plus 17.9 equals 36, and 36 is less than 49. If Kasich had dropped out and if every single one of his voters had gone to Rubio, Rubio would have come in second. But, sure. These votes arent really about votes; theyre about delegates. Under Massachusetts allocation rules, Trump got 22 delegates last night to Kasichs 8 and Rubios 8. If a fused Kasubio candidate had run instead, he would have gotten 16 delegates putting Rubios total at 95 instead of 87. Thats only 66 delegates back from Ted Cruz, whos in second overall. In Virginia, Rubios at 31.9 percent, just about three points behind Trumps 34.7 percent. Kasich got 9.4 percent of the vote in the state. If every Kasich voter had backed Rubio instead, Rubio would have 41.3 percent to Trumps 34.7 percent. Its worth a quick aside to note that not every Kasich supporter would back Rubio. Thats not how it works. If that were how it worked, Rubio would be doing much better anyway, because hed have absorbed all of the support from the previous establishment candidates that dropped out. He hasnt. Some Kasich supporters will go to Cruz or Trump for reasons that defy easy explanation but it would happen anyway. OK. So Kasich cost Rubio Virginia. And if Rubio had gotten that 41.3 percent of the vote, hed have gotten wait for it four more delegates. The reason that Massachusetts and Virginia were contests in which Rubio and Kasich might have made more of a difference, of course, is that theyre more moderate states anyway. Rubio couldnt close the deal in moderate Massachusetts even with all of Kasichs support lumped in; hows he going to close the deal regardless in a state like Texas? The answer: He wasnt. A lack of Kasich may have gotten Rubio over the 20 percent threshold margin in Texas though thats a bigger maybe but he wasnt going to catapult him into the race for congressional district delegates. Rubios problem is that he is selling something that a lot of Republicans want to buy. Adding another salesman to that effort isnt going to increase revenue. John Kasich might want to drop out, admittedly, because this whole thing is mostly a waste of his time and money. But he should not drop out simply because the establishment thinks hes an obstacle to Rubio. The obstacle to Rubio is the establishment itself, and blaming Kasich is simply a way of not having to blame themselves. (c) 2016, The Washington Post Philip Bump In a last-ditch effort to stop Donald Trumps likely nomination as the Republican Partys candidate for president, a group of more than 50 conservative foreign policy experts have banded together in an open letter condemning the real estate magnate as unfit for the office. From stating that hell make Japan a close U.S. ally pay for its longstanding American support, to declaring generational warfare on terrorists, Trumps rhetoric appears to have finally crossed a line for those conservatives that have made their careers in foreign policy. The letters signatories include Frances Townsend, a former homeland security adviser to President George W. Bush, and Dov Zakheim, a former undersecretary of defense in the same administration. The letter was published Wednesday night on the foreign policy site War on the Rocks. The letter was the byproduct of a Twitter back and forth by Eliot Cohen, a former State Department official also under Bush and Bryan McGrath a one-time naval adviser to former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romneys 2012 campaign. Do you want to do something about this? McGrath recalls writing to Cohen, and soon they were bouncing a draft of the letter to their respective address books. The short, bullet-pointed document hits Trump on issues ranging from his praise of Russian President Vladimir Putin, his nonchalance about torture, being fundamentally dishonest and his anti-Muslim rhetoric. On Friday, Reuters reported that Trump is being informally advised by retired U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn. Flynn was chief of the Defense Intelligence Agency under President Obama from 2012-2014, and has long advocated for a warmer relationship with Russia. [Trumps] vision of American influence and power in the world is wildly inconsistent and unmoored in principle. He swings from isolationism to military adventurism within the space of one sentence, the letter reads. The letter comes just days after Michael Hayden, the former head of the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency, said that the U.S. military might disobey orders if Trump becomes President. McGrath said that he has faced some criticism regarding the letter, including that its signers are the exact type of establishment Republicans that Trump has been railing against. He also said that some have interpreted the letter as leaving open the possibility that instead of voting for Trump, McGrath and his co-signatories might instead support former secretary of state Hillary Clinton. I would never write a letter or sign a letter that carries that kind of implication, McGrath said. The only implication here is that were not going to support Donald Trump. McGrath added that he hopes voters see that the letter constitutes the views of a reasonable group of people who work in this field and that they realize Trump is unsuited for the job of president. I want to be on record saying that this man is not presidential material, McGrath said. And this was the best way I could do it and bring some friends along. (c) 2016, The Washington Post Thomas Gibbons-Neff Rabbi Yehoshua Fass, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Nefesh BNefesh Weve all felt it, at one moment or another, anyone who ever visited Israel shares the same experience of having it take ones breath away. It could be emerging from the Old City streets and seeing the magnificent panoramic view of the Kotel; or finding yourself on a bus huddled with a diverse group of Jews from around the world; or welling up with pride at seeing an Israeli soldier protecting our people in our land; or even something as simple as an intoxicating whiff of challot as you navigate the frenzied shuk on a Friday afternoon. Who knows how or when or even why it happens sooner or later, though, the Land of Israel never falls short in stealing the breath from out of our lungs. Inevitably, we fall fast and hard for that place; inevitably, we sense the tectonic plates of Jewish history shifting beneath the ground; and inevitably, our imaginations wander to what could be, what might be, if somehow this otherworldly place could become our actual home. The place that we, in the year 2016, live out our everyday lives. And thengone. Perhaps as soon as it came, that feeling passes. The taxi pulls up to Ben Gurion, the jet planes wheels lift off the runway, and we hurtle westward, leaving a trail of those moments behind in a plume of dust. But why? Why does it end there? Where does all that magic go, all of that energy dissipate to? Why do so many have such a transcendent experience and leave it at that, without at least exploring the possibility of making this magical place their permanent dwelling place? Heres how Ive come to understand it: The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. Lao Tzu said that, and while theres at least 5,000 miles of Atlantic Ocean separating North America and the Tel Aviv shore, the same holds true for the process of Aliyah, and for anything worthwhile, really. If Point A is where we are and Point B is where want to be, the distance between can seem endless. It can feel like its on the other end of an amorphous, unconquerable abyss. And the uncertainty and anxiety brought about through this realization, I believe, can stop the whole process before it even starts. By definition however, there can only be one next step at any point, on any journey. Anyone who ever achieved greatness began somewhere, took their first step beyond the cozy confines of Point A in the general direction of Point B. But not all steps are created equal everything hinges on the first. That first step means were no longer standing still. The first step wakes us from our reverie; it stirs us from our immobility. And its hard. Really, really hard. But its also everything. Because the first step is not about distance travelled its about what the decision to take it means to us and signals to those around us. For world Jewry, the barriers of entry to our ancient homeland have never been lower not in over 2,000 years. Every single day, Nefesh BNefesh sees prospective olim take those first steps towards Aliyah and helps them shatter whatever obstacles lay on their path. This is happening every year, by the thousands, across demographic, geographic, and denominational lines. From young professionals looking to advance at the height of their professional careers, to empty nesters looking for a change of pace; from religious Jews moving in fulfillment of yishuv haaretz, to secular Jews moving in fulfillment of the Zionist dream to play their part in bolstering this start-up-nation. For so many, Point B suddenly isnt a far-flung fairy tale land its a concrete strip of earth in which they are there to stake their claim. So heres my challenge to you: If youve ever had one of those transcendent moments in Israel; if you love Israel and appreciate the beauty and importance of Jews living there; if youve ever daydreamed about making Israel your home then find out what the smallest possible next step is, and take it. No giant leaps just one step. Youre not quitting your job, selling your house, or signing on any dotted lines. In fact and I know this will be perceived as rhetoric, but it really isnt whether or not you choose to pursue Aliyah further is essentially besides the point. This is about an exercise in mindfulness, its about searching yourself to identify what you value, how much you value it, and what youll do about it. In one of the most famous scenes in Torah, God appears to Avraham and instructs him lech lecha, that he should leave everything he knows and begin his journey to the Land of Israel. God instructs him to look at the heavens and count the stars, if you are able to count them; and He said to him, your children will be like this. Rav Meir Shapira, founder of the Daf Yomi movement, explains that Avraham actually, literally, began to count the stars, one by one. When God says your children will be like this, says Rav Shapira, He refers to this act of Avraham, of making an ostensibly farfetched attempt to count all the stars in the sky. Anyone else might balk at the futility of such a task, but Avraham took it seriously. This is Avraham, our forefather, and his actions reverberate across the millennia to the Jewish people of today. The prospect of lecha lecha can seem to us as daunting and as distant as to Avraham. But similarly, in the face of the impossible, however, we do not cower and we do not despair we simply take one small step. Take your step today. Join us on March 6, 2016 at the Nefesh BNefesh Mega Event in New York City, Crowne Plaza Times Square, 10:30am to 5:00pm. For more information please visit: www.nbn.org.il/makeithome NEW YORK Fourteen years since beginning its life-changing work, Nefesh BNefesh (NBN) is approaching the milestone of having facilitated 50,000 North Americans in making Aliyah (immigration to Israel). On March 6, Nefesh BNefesh, which facilitates the Aliyah process for Jews in North America and the United Kingdom, will be visiting New York as part of a tour of eight North American cities. In each city, NBN will hold an Aliyah fair to provide potential Olim, or those considering making Aliyah, with critical information about the immigration process. The Aliyah fairs are co-hosted by Nefesh BNefesh, Israels Ministry of Aliyah and Immigrant Absorption, The Jewish Agency for Israel, Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael, and JNF-USA. The New York Aliyah fair will be held at Crowne Plaza Times Square, 1605 Broadway, from 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Additional Aliyah fairs are being organized in Los Angeles, south Florida, Montreal, Toronto, Baltimore, Washington, and Chicago. Nefesh BNefeshs annual events help people take the first steps in transforming the aspiration of Aliyah into the reality of being an Oleh Hadash (new immigrant), said Marc Rosenberg, Director of Nefesh BNefeshs Pre-Aliyah Department. These fairs are the best ways for those thinking about making Aliyah to better understand the processes, opportunities and benefits that await them in Israel. Every year, we look forward to this chance to bring the Aliyah conversation directly into local communities across the United States and Canada. The Aliyah fairs, themed Make Yourself at Home, give people the chance to explore through workshops and one-on-one conversations with Israeli professionals from Aliyah-related fields the many short-term logistical details and long-term implications of making Aliyah, including choosing a community to move to, finding a new home, enrolling children in school, attaining professional licensing, getting a drivers license, securing health and other insurance, etc. Participants can meet with accountants, financial planners, shippers, and representatives from industries including insurance, healthcare, real estate, higher education, and more. Those present will benefit from workshops and seminars on topics such as careers in Israel, taxes and budgeting, Israeli healthcare, and Aliyah rights and benefits. Representatives of The Jewish Agency for Israel will also discuss the process for verifying Aliyah eligibility and the Agencys programs to help people transition to Israeli life. Theres no way to be fully prepared for everything that comes along with picking up and moving to Israel, but Nefesh BNefesh has been an invaluable support system for me the whole way, said Rebekah Friedman, who made Aliyah in 2013 and will be speaking at the New York fair. Details such as finalizing the logistics for my group flight and helping me get my resume in order once I made Aliyah may seem trivial, but they make all the difference once you start going through the process. At the events, participants will learn about some of the unique Nefesh BNefesh programs through which they can resettle in communities amidst the breathtaking landscapes of Northern Israel, as well as in the Negev, in Southern Israel, which while it constitutes 66% of Israels land, is only populated by 8% of its people. Israels Ministry for the Development of the Negev and Galilee will be present with a large staff in order to review the various options and benefits available to new Olim interested in heading to these areas. In addition, Israeli Ministry of Health officials will be on hand to discuss and expedite the medical licensing process for Olim who plan to move to Israel soon, to ensure a rapid transition to work in medical fields. These officials will also offer seminars on licensing procedures in medicine, dentistry, physical therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, nursing, nutrition, pharmacology, and more and provide personal information sessions. Since it was founded in 2002, Nefesh BNefesh has chartered more than 50 Aliyah flights from North America, and more than 90 percent of Olim have remained in Israel since arriving. The organization has changed the lives of both those who have relocated and those already living in Israel, by bringing newcomers to almost 200 Israeli communities, who have met and married their spouses, raised children, and become educators, scientists, medical professionals, among many other careers. Interested participants may register to attend at: http://www.nbn.org.il/makeithome/new-york-spring-aliyah-fair-2016/. An American who discovered an aircraft part in Mozambique that may be from missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 said Thursday that he initially thought it was from a much smaller plane. Blaine Gibson, who has been searching the regions beaches for the debris, said in an interview with The Associated Press that a boat operator who took him to a sandbank named Paluma called him over after seeing a piece of debris with NO STEP written on it. It was so light, Gibson said. He said the discovery happened after he decided to go somewhere exposed to the ocean on the last day of a trip to the Mozambican coastal town of Vilankulo. At first, all I found were usual beach detritus flip flops, cigarette lighters. Then Junior called me over, said Gibson, using the nickname of the boat operator. The location of the debris turned up in a spot that matches investigators theories about where wreckage from the plane would have ended up, according to Australian officials. The plane is believed to have crashed somewhere in a remote stretch of the southern Indian Ocean far off Australias west coast and about 6,000 kilometers (3,700 miles) to the east of Mozambique. But authorities have long predicted that any debris from the plane that isnt on the ocean floor would eventually be carried by currents to the east coast of Africa. Gibson, from Seattle, said the piece of debris that he discovered is in the hands of civil aviation authorities in Mozambique, and that he expects it to be transferred to their Australian counterparts. Its important to keep it in perspective, Gibson said. This is about the families of the 239 victims, who havent seen their relatives for two years now. Photos of the debris appear to show the fixed leading edge of the right-hand tail section of a Boeing 777, said a U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasnt authorized to speak publicly. Flight 370 is the only known missing 777. Australian Transport Minister Darren Chester said Thursday the location of the debris in Mozambique matches investigators drift modeling and would therefore confirm that search crews are looking in the right part of the Indian Ocean for the main underwater wreckage. Malaysian Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai also said the location of the debris lines up with investigators predictions. People who have handled the part, called a horizontal stabilizer, say it appears to be made of fiberglass composite on the outside, with aluminum honeycombing on the inside, the U.S. official said. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau, which is running the search for the plane in remote waters off Australias west coast, said the part is expected to be transported to Australia for examination. Malaysian representatives from the nations Civil Aviation department and Malaysia Airlines were heading to Mozambique to discuss the find, Liow said. From the pictures shown, its high probability that the plane debris is from Boeing 777, Liow told reporters. He did not know how long it would be before the part was sent to Australia. Meanwhile, authorities in Mozambique were searching the area where it was found for other potential debris, Liow said. Australian officials have seen photographs of the part and have been in communication with Gibson, said Dan OMalley, a spokesman for the Australian Transport Safety Bureau. Were aware of these reports that debris has been found in Mozambique, OMalley said. Were working with officials in Mozambique and Malaysia to investigate. Australia will work with Malaysian investigators to examine the object once it arrives in Australia, he said. The ATSB hasnt made any determinations yet about the potential origins of the debris. We have to wait until we have the actual debris examined, OMalley said. Were not going to draw conclusions from the photos. Some have expressed skepticism that the part could be from the missing aircraft because it appears to be remarkably clean and free of sea life unlike the barnacle-encrusted wing part that washed ashore on the French island of Reunion last year. That part, known as a flaperon, remains the only confirmed trace of Flight 370. But Charitha Pattiaratchi, an oceanographer with the University of Western Australia, said if the part was discovered on a sandbank, the motion of the waves pushing it against the abrasive sand may have shaved any sea life off it. If somebody actually found it in the middle of the ocean while they were sailing and picked it up, I would say, Well, that should have some barnacles,' he said. But if its been on a beach, its basically been sandblasted. Also, the part appears to be very flat and barnacles need something to grip, he said. Last year, Pattiaratchi met with Gibson. Pattiaratchi has used computer modeling to predict where floating debris might end up and Gibson wanted to get Pattiaratchis opinion on where to look. Pattiaratchis models showed it would likely end up around Madagascar or Reunion Island, and possibly in the Mozambique Channel. Flight 370 disappeared on March 8, 2014, while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Authorities who scrutinized data exchanged between the planes engine and a satellite determined that after veering sharply off course, the jetliner continued on a straight path across the Indian Ocean, leading them to believe that it flew on autopilot for hours before running out of fuel and crashing into the water. Australia has led a multinational search effort, which also includes the Malaysian and Chinese governments. But no trace of the passengers, their luggage or even things designed to float, such as life jackets, has been discovered. With authorities unable to find the plane and its black box flight data and cockpit voice recorders, investigators are no closer than they were two years ago to discovering the cause of the aircrafts disappearance. With the search tentatively scheduled to wrap up in June, Flight 370 may become one of aviations great unsolved mysteries. Liow said it is premature to say whether the search could be expanded beyond June. Ministers from Malaysia, Australia and China will meet in Kuala Lumpur in June to assess the situation and listen to experts views, Liow said. An international investigation team looking into the disappearance will issue an interim statement on March 8, Liow said. (AP) Slowly and yet all at once, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christies, R, reputation as a tough-talking, talented politician is in a shambles. And perhaps nowhere is that the case more than back home in New Jersey. But its an open question whether Christie even cares. On Tuesday, the editorial boards of six USA Today network newspapers in the state simultaneously called for him to resign or be recalled. Hours later, he became an Internet meme for his awkward embrace of Donald Trump. His about 30 percent approval ratings in polls (one that was released Wednesday) are the lowest since Christie became governor in 2010, though his ratings have been trending that way for months now. Its conventional wisdom among some New Jersey residents that the states first-ever lieutenant governor has been the one running the state while Christie shops for a new job. Christie, frankly, hasnt done much to dissuade that perception. At a Monday press conference, he refused to answer questions from local reporters about his support for Trump, a seemingly mismatched endorsement that some in New Jersey saw as the latest example of the governor tending to his own future rather than the states. A record-low 29 percent of New Jersey residents think the state is on the right track, according to Wednesdays Fairleigh Dickinson Universitys PublicMind poll. About 54 percent of Republicans approve of the governor s job and 37 percent disapprove, while 77 percent of Democrats and 61 percent of independents disapprove. Voters most often used words like bully, arrogant and disappointing to describe Christie to pollsters. After he dropped out of the presidential race, reasonable expectations in the state were that Christie would turn his attention back home to fix the states transportation budget and pension crisis. Instead, Christie jumped right back into the presidential campaign to get behind a polarizing figure, no less. And he didnt just endorse Trump; he traveled to Florida to be with him on Super Tuesday. It should be no surprise, then, that according to the Fairleigh Dickinson poll, Christies support back home has continued to fall. The 30 percent approval rating ties an all-time low. Further potential humiliation for Christie came Wednesday, when Politicos Matt Friedman surveyed 10 of the states 21 Republican chairs and found just one is going to personally endorse Trump alongside their governor. Christie could well reason he doesnt need New Jerseys approval anymore. Hes term-limited and will leave office in 2017 (if he doesnt join the Trump administration before then). But you could also argue that hes got his legacy to worry about and that a tarnished legacy is damaging for the New Jersey Republicans he will leave behind. Theyre the ones who will be left to deal with the fallout from his messy tenure as governor in a blue state, where the deck is already stacked against him. While theyve been publicly loyal, said Brigid Harrison, a political science and law professor with Montclair State University, behind closed doors, they will tell you they cannot wait for the Christie era to be over. Counting the days until Christie is out of office is a far cry from when the New Jersey governor was the guy Republicans begged to run for president in 2012. Christie ultimately said he wasnt ready to. Its safe to say when he decided he was ready to run, Christie didnt expect things to end up like this. Bridgegate haunted him, the state suffered a series of credit downgrades, he dropped out after the second nominating contest, he came home to a state that appears largely fed up with him, and he quickly became ridiculed on the national stage for becoming the first national GOP figure to throw his lot in with the GOP front-runner. In fact, since his first few years as governor, it seems just about everything that could go wrong for Christie back home has. There is perhaps no better symbolism of that than Christie standing awkwardly and almost painfully in Trumps shadow on Super Tuesday: Christies demeanor back home comes across as a politician who just doesnt care about any of this. Being strong-willed is great when youre riding high; when youre struggling, it comes across as not caring. Hes come across as indignant, defiant and perplexing so much so that his awkward behavior this week risks being the picture, for now, of his political career. Or, Christie could redeem himself with a Trump win in November, become his vice president or attorney general and play a major role in Making America Great Again. Whatever happens, Christies reputation on the national stage is likely of little concern to the two-thirds or so of New Jersey residents who it seems have already written their governor off likely after they got the feeling Christie has done the same for them. (c) 2016, The Washington Post Amber Phillips President Obamas 2017 budget request is set to take a beating later this month from an unlikely critic: New York Mayor Bill de Blasio. De Blasio is set to testify at a March 15 hearing of a House Homeland Security subcommittee examining cuts to the Urban Areas Security Initiative, a federal grant program open to cities particularly vulnerable to terrorism threats, according to congressional aides and the mayors office. Last year, the program made $587 million available nationwide, and New York received $180 million of that. Obamas 2017 budget plan released last month proposes reducing the program to $317 million, with New York alone facing a cut of nearly $90 million. We need the Congress to step up and protect the people of New York City against terror and protect the people the United States of America against terror, de Blasio said at a Feb. 17 news conference decrying the cuts. As a city and as a nation, we cannot afford to reduce our commitment to fighting terrorism. This is a time of increased threats. Its a time of more complex threats. Therefore, the tools we use to prevent terror are more necessary than ever. The hearing will be chaired by a New Yorker Rep. Daniel Donovan, a freshman lawmaker and former state prosecutor who is the only Republican in the New York City delegation. Donovan won the seat in a special election last year and has since carved out a moderate record, notably joining the fight to win a renewal of federal aid for 9/11 responders. He was named chairman of the Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications subcommittee last month by Homeland Security Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas. Nothing especially not partisan politics should stand in the way of defending against terror attacks, Donovan said in a statement Wednesday. Congressional bipartisanship prevailed in our fight to provide 9/11 first responders with health care and screenings. I expect a similar display of cooperation in ensuring vulnerable cities get the security resources they need. Mayor de Blasio runs the city that is the worlds top terror target, and I look forward to hearing his testimony. If youre expecting de Blasio to go for Obamas jugular, that is unlikely. President Obama has done an outstanding job in fighting terrorism, the mayor said at the Feb. 17 news conference. But lets fix this problem right now and make sure New York City has the resources that we need to keep fending off these terror attacks. But having a prominent elected official of the same party criticizing a presidential policy decision is never a good look for the White House. De Blasio is not the only prominent Democrat to break with Obama over the Homeland security cuts. Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., the Senates No. 3 Democratic leader, appeared with de Blasio at the news conference last month. I think theyre very cognizant of the need and have given resources, Schumer said of the Obama administration. But here they made a big mistake and the mistake shouldnt stand. After Schumer spoke out, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest blasted him in a news briefing by noting his position opposing Obamas nuclear deal with Iran: He was wrong about that position, and when people look at the facts here when it comes to funding for homeland security, theyll recognize that hes wrong this time, too. The Associated Press reported last month that New York uses the funds for fire department emergency response training, as well as police counterterrorism training and an active shooter training course. Asked about de Blasios testimony, a White House spokesman pointed to Earnests remarks in the Feb. 17 news briefing, where he noted that there is $600 million thats sitting in that account of Homeland Security funds available to New York. There are ample resources that are available, and those ample resources are available and provided by the Obama administration because of our ironclad commitment to the safety and security of New York and communities all across the country, he said. (c) 2016, The Washington Post Mike DeBonis MTA officials said they would meet with Councilman David G. Greenfield to discuss the possibility of restoring F express service to Brooklyn, following some tough questioning by Greenfield at a transportation hearing Wednesday afternoon. The MTA does a good job with difficult conditions, and Im certainly grateful, Greenfield said during a preliminary budget hearing held by the City Councils transportation committee. But, he added, he is losing patience with the MTAs failure to provide answers on the F express. I feel like a broken record, he said, noting that hed been asking about this issue since 2011 without getting any answers. Prior to the afternoon hearing, Greenfield held a press conference with local leaders and community advocates on the steps of City Hall, telling assembled reporters that action on this issue is long overdue. The infrastructure already exists, Greenfield said. The tracks are there. He noted that many of his constituents in Brooklyn live in a transit desert where options for getting to and from Manhattan are few and far between. He pointed out that in addition to the loss of F express service, the cancellation of B23 bus service was also a very significant loss for us. For many of his constituents, Greenfield said, the restoration of F express service has become a critical necessity. Also in attendance at the press conference and offering support for the restoration of F express service were Carlo Scissura, president of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce; Paul Steely White, executive director of Transportation Alternatives; Rebecca Bailin, campaign manager at Riders Alliance; Cate Contino Cowit, campaign coordinator for NYPIRGs Straphangers Alliance; Barry Spitzer, district manager for Brooklyns Community Board 12; Salvatore Lentini, transportation co-chair of Brooklyns Community Board 14; Kalman Yeger, also of Community Board 14; and Ozzie Heymann, representing Community Board 15. Councilman Greenfield also pointed out that the MTA has still not produced a study on the feasibility of restoring F express service, despite the fact that the agency has promised several times over the last year that the release of the study was imminent. As recently as last month, Greenfield sent an open letter to MTA Chair Thomas Prendergast asking about the status of the study. The letter was signed by 14 city and state lawmakers. At the transportation hearing, Greenfield asked the MTA officials when they expected the study to be published. I check my email every day looking for the study, he said. The officials acknowledged that the study had been repeatedly promised, and said that it has in fact been completed. It has not yet been shared with the Council, officials said, because it is still awaiting review by the new president of New York City Transit, Veronique Hakim. They could not provide a definitive date by which the study would be released, but committed to making every effort to release the study as soon as possible. Not satisfied with that answer, Greenfield continued to press, asking for a meeting with Hakim. In all fairness, we were promised the study a couple years ago, Greenfield said. The study has not been shared with us. Its not really fair to keep coming here year after year without delivering on the promise, he added. Im not going to give up on this issue, Greenfield said after the hearing. This problem has been around for thirty years. We cant keep kicking the can. My constituents deserve better, and I will continue to fight for the restoration of F express service. (YWN Desk NYC) Edan and Liron Greyson are begging the tzibur to be mispallel for their son, Daniel Chaim ben Liron, who is hospitalized in serious condition, apparently the result of being shaken in daycare. The parents spoke to the media from Petach Tikvahs Schneider Medical Center where Daniel is admitted. They praise the efforts of doctors but they are calling for tefilos to assist their son. The parents explain We are asking anyone who sees this to please be mispallel for our son Daniel Chaim ben Liron, that HKBH will pull him through this. He remains in an ICU at present. Dr. Elchanan Nachum, head of the hospitals intensive care unit explains the child has suffered cranial bleeding and he is in serious condition. He is sedated and on assisted breathing, adding There is a suspicion that he was physically injured. He is very serious and is receiving the appropriate care. He arrived in the hospital on Monday, 20 Adar-I, and police believe a 53-year-old woman in his daycare center mishandled him. Today, Thursday, 23 Adar-I, the Petach Tikvah Magistrate Court extended the womens remand by four days. Police believe the parents placed Daniel in daycare in a private home. At the end of the day, when they came to take him he did not appear well. They brought him to the hospital and his condition was serious. During questioning by police they learned 15 years ago the woman was convicted of using force against a 4-year-old who would not stop crying and began shaking the child. She said I didnt mean to hurt him. The caretaker has since admitted to shaking the child and she is represented by attorney Shiran Golbari, who told the media her client admitted to her actions under duress. It is added the 80-year-old mother of the suspect was released from jail after police were satisfied she was not involved. There is a gag order on additional details of the case. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) Rock bottom cheese and dough prices and surging mobile phone orders helped fast-food chain Domino's boost sales and rack up double-digit profits last year. Profits jumped 20 per cent to 59.3million, helped by lower costs for dough and 'a record-low cheese price'. It saved 11million on food costs alone, adding that 'costs remain benign going into 2016'. Pizza sales jumped 15.8 per cent to 877million in the last year to December - and a breakdown of the figures shows 48.6 per cent of all online sales are now through its app service. Cheap: Domino's saved 11million on food costs alone, adding that 'food costs remain benign going into 2016' The group opened 61 stores in the UK last year, and has now produced nine successive quarters of double-digit like-for-like growth. Last year Domino's launched the Tikka Pizza and reintroduced the hot dog stuffed crust - both of which contributed to sales. Meanwhile the first nine weeks of its new financial year have got off to a 'good start' with like-for-like sales hitting 10.5 per cent. Chief executive David Wild also joined a small band of company bosses looking forward to the introduction of the new living wage. While other employers have complained that the introduction of a living wage will hurt jobs, Wild is embracing the move. He said: 'It is putting more money in people's pockets. That will benefit consumer spending and will help brands like ours.' The dividend is going up by nearly 19 per cent to 20.75p a share. That means Domino's is handing out 35million to shareholders in dividends alone, with more to come from share buybacks. The company celebrated its 20th anniversary last year. Analysts at Numis said due to strong sales from new stores in the UK it has upgraded its 2016 pre-tax profit forecast by 3 per cent to 80.6million. LEAK : Marion shutting off water at 5pm The City of Marion has a major water line break on Main Street near the intersection with Chapel Hill Road. Crews are on site and working on... Tourism Commission meets Tuesday Marion Tourism Commission will meet Tuesday, October 18, 2022 at 8:30 am at the Welcome Center. Marion City Council meets Monday night Here is how to contact your city leaders. Click image to enlarge Marion City Council will meet at 5pm Monday, Oct. 17 night in regular sessi... MARION WATER UPDATE: Boil Advisory Wednesday Late Tuesday night crews were still working to repair the broken water line on South Main Street in Marion. The problem was expected to be r... Some of the biggest insurance firms in Britain are will be investigated for their suspect treatment of long-term life cover customers, the regulator has announced today. Prudential, Old Mutual, Abbey Life, Scottish Widows, Countrywide and Police Mutual will be investigated over their treatment of people who took out life insurance policies before 2000. The Financial Conduct Authority said it had found that these insurance firms often failed to inform its customers who had requested to exit or transfer their policies that that they would incur a charge for doing so. Investigation: The FCA said six insurers had treated their long-term customers poorly It added that, in a small number of cases, such charges had resulted in a poor outcome for the customer for example, the impact of the paid-up charge consistently outweighed any fund growth. The investigation by the FCA follows its review into closed-books policies products which are no longer sold to new customers and how these compare to policies offered to new customers. The practices at some firms appear to have been poor, the FCAs acting chief executive Tracey McDermott said. We have particular concerns regarding how some firms communicated with their customers about exit and/or paid-up charges. 'We are now doing further work to understand the reasons for these practices, whether customers may have suffered detriment as a result and, if so, how widespread these issues are.' The regulator said the investigations into the six firms would not necessarily result in disciplinary action, that financial penalties will be imposed or that redress will be payable. The FCA looked at the practices of a total of 11 insurance companies. It said it had identified some risks which could lead to long-term customers being treated unfairly, such as firms benefiting from customer inertia by keeping them in high-charging, poorly performing products or by cutting costs in a way that was detrimental to customers. The regulator also found that most insurers were failing to review these older life insurance products as they often focused on contractual obligations at the expense of customers. Matt Browne, director at auditors PwC, said: The findings are based on a sample of 11 firms, all of which will now be busily reviewing their own specific feedback. In an unusual move for the FCA, other firms, those not in the sample, won't be let off the hook. The FCA has said it will be engaging with these firms through their day-to-day supervisors on possible follow-up work. Business Secretary Sajid Javid vowed to tackle the petty, pointless bureaucracy that hinders growth The Government yesterday outlined plans for a new bonfire of red tape that holds back British business but it was given a cool reception by industry leaders. Business Secretary Sajid Javid drew on his background in the private sector as he vowed to tackle the petty, pointless bureaucracy that hinders growth. He pledged to cut a further 10billion of red tape on business by 2020, on top of the 10billion reduction by the previous coalition government between 2010 and 2015. Javid said that for every 1 of new regulation introduced, 3 would have to be cut, up from the previous target of 2. Promising to get rid of heavy-handed over-regulation and build a more productive Britain, he said: It all comes down to my fundamental view that government should stand behind business rather than in your way. Speaking at the annual conference of the British Chambers of Commerce, he added: I grew up above the family business. I spent most of my adult life working in business. I know how hard it is to make a business work. And how that task gets infinitely harder when you have to deal with petty, pointless bureaucracy. I dont believe you need someone from the government peering over your shoulder all the time. You deserve a regulatory regime thats fit for business and fit for the future. And with me, thats exactly what youre going to get. But the plans were given a mixed reception by business amid rising costs associated with Government policies such as the National Living Wage and apprenticeship levy. John Longworth, director general of the BCC, said. The one thing Sajid Javid cannot do anything about is European legislation and that is where the bulk of the burden is coming from. 'All power to his elbow if he is able to do something about home-grown legislation, but Ill believe it when I see it. Tim Thomas, director of employment and skills policy at EEF, the manufacturers organisation, said: Confirmation that the Government will find 10billion of savings from cutting red tape will receive a mixed reception from UK manufacturers. Thanks to Greg Folkers for sending the link to this BMJ feature article: Brazil struggles to cope with Zika epidemic. Excerpt: Silvana Nascimento was already into her third trimester before doctors noticed that her fetus probably had microcephaly. And even then the warning signs were picked up only after she was transferred 170 km from her rural Brazilian village to a public hospital in the city of Recife because of complications associated with her diabetes. The 23 year old mother of three was not aware of the risk associated with the mosquito borne Zika virus until after she became pregnant but was not unduly concerned. No one in our area was giving birth to babies with small heads, and if I caught Zika I definitely didnt notice it, she says from her bed in Dom Pedro II maternity hospital, part of Pernambucos Mother and Child Institute (IMIP). She says a government programme to provide free insect repellent to expectant mothers never reached her community. In a poor agricultural region of Pernambuco state, Nascimentos village of Sertaozinho de Baixo has a public health clinic but its closed more often than its open, and with the nearest maternity unit 20 km away over broken country roads she had had only one obstetric ultrasound examination, which failed to pick up any problems. Though she praises the care she has received since her arrival at what is a reference centre for maternity care across the countrys poor north eastern region, Nascimentos story highlights the problems Brazils public health system faces in tackling the Zika epidemic linked to a spike in microcephaly. It was only September last year that doctors began to report an alarming rise in the number of babies being born with microcephaly. By November a possible link had been made with the Zika epidemic when tests from two women whose babies were showing signs of microcephaly showed high levels of the virus in their amniotic fluid. As of 23 February, 4107 cases of microcephaly had been reported for investigation, with 583 cases already confirmed as associated with Zika virus and 950 discarded, according to health ministry figures. The federal government is fighting hard against the Aedes aegypti mosquito, deploying the military to help communities eliminate its breeding grounds. But a severe financial crisis meant that the public health system was already under severe stress before the Zika epidemic hit it. Via The Guardian, some encouraging news on the cholera front: UN's own experts chastise Ban Ki-moon over handling of Haiti cholera outbreak. Excerpt: The secretary general of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, has been chastised by five of the UNs own human rights experts who accuse him of undermining the world bodys credibility and reputation by denying responsibility for the devastating outbreak of cholera in Haiti. In a withering letter to the UN chief, the five special rapporteurs say that his refusal to allow cholera victims any effective remedy for their suffering has stripped thousands of Haitians of their fundamental right to justice. The letter is believed to be the first time that the UNs guardians of human rights have turned their spotlight onto the UN hierarchy itself, as opposed to individual nation states that are the usual target of their criticism. The five experts tear apart the secretary-generals insistence that the UN is immune from any obligation to compensate victims despite overwhelming evidence that UN troops brought cholera to Haiti five years ago from an infected area of Nepal. Such an approach, the rapporteurs write, undermines the reputation of the United Nations, calls into question the ethical framework within which its peace-keeping forces operate, and challenges the credibility of the organization as an entity that respects human rights. Haitis cholera epidemic erupted in October 2010, nine months after the earthquake that ravaged the capital Port-au-Prince killing about 220,000 people and leaving more than 2 million homeless. It was the first known appearance of the disease in the country for at least 150 years. Latest figures suggest that some 9,202 people have died from the disease, with a further 769,080 treated in hospital since the outbreak began. A panel of independent experts commissioned by Ban himself traced the source of the outbreak to the Meille river which it found to have been contaminated with the Asian strain of cholera as a result of human waste being dumped straight into the tributary. In 2013 the same panel concluded by a preponderance of the evidence that the carriers were UN peacekeepers from Nepal billeted in the Mirebalais barracks close to the river. Lawsuits brought against the UN on behalf of victims have alleged that the UN troops had been based in an area of Nepal that has endemic cholera yet were not properly screened for the disease before being relocated to Haiti for post-earthquake duties. Sanitation arrangements at the base were grossly inadequate, leading to the disposal of feces into a river that is widely used by thousands of Haitians for drinking, bathing, washing clothes and irrigation. The letter from the five special rapporteurs was sent to the UN secretary general in October but has only now been made public in a report issued by the office of the high commissioner on human rights. The experts are responsible for investigating human rights records in Haiti, as well as safe drinking water and sanitation, poverty, physical and mental health and housing. They said that the world bodys denial of responsibility for the catastrophe was difficult to reconcile with the UNs commitment to promote and encourage respect for human rights. Sir, Kindly allow me to voice my disappointment at the executive leadership of the Swaziland National Association of Teachers. First and foremost our leaders day in and out always criticise the common source of our frustration; government, of biasness and unfair practices but to some extent they are also in the same boat with the enemy in terms of doing the very same things. I implore our leaders to do what is best for this organisation not to take advantage of the masses. The arrogance you have developed of late leaves us membership with lot of unanswered questions. My leaders you just fail to do the basics for teachers, like providing transport to meetings and protest marches at subsidised fees, all to surface around October on Teachers Day with cheap T-shirts for teachers. As I write this letter, youve just failed to make copies for every school in Swaziland of the salary review report, the question is; when do the ordinary members benefit from the 0.07 per cent subscriptions? Further I would share with you this quote, there is nothing so refreshing than to accept that; you are not perfect as a person. It allows you to accept criticism and gives you an opportunity to do a self introspection. Just do a self introspection as our leaders, ask whether you are still taking care of teachers welfare or is it about the endless claims and allowances that drive you now. Lastly, you can learn a lot from burial and co-ops on how to organise a successful meeting in the backdrop of economic challenges. Sihle H Via Agencia Brasil: Governo lanca aplicativo gratuito com informacoes sobre o Zika. [Government launches free app with information on Zika] The link below will take you to the App Store. Edited excerpt from the Google translation, and then a caution: The federal government today (2) launched the application 0800 Health, which offers public interest information on the Zika virus, such as the causes of the disease and its relation to cases of microcephaly in newborns. The application also has guidelines on how to combat the Aedes aegypti mosquito, transmitter of Zika, dengue and chikungunya. The application was developed by Qualcomm technology company, in partnership with the Ministries of Health and Communications. The tool also allows geolocation various services offered in the public health area, such as stations of the Unified Health System (SUS) and closest community pharmacies offering free medicine. Access to the application is free, i.e. without collection of mobile data. "The data packet is not computed at the time you access the service. The telephone companies in partnership are paying for access to this program," said the executive secretary of the Ministry of Communications, Francisco Ibiapina. The update can be downloaded to Android and iOS operating systems, also without charge. Ibiapina stressed that the Internet today is the most effective way to disclose information. "We are not forgetting traditional media broadcasting, but would like to use this application to reach a much larger number of people who are constantly accessing the internet through their smartphones." The application will be constantly updated and improved, with inclusion of new information on diseases. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams By Madina Toure Three Queens residents were among the four medical professionals and a clinic owner who received prison sentences in a million-dollar Medicare fraud scheme, U.S. Attorney Robert Capers announced. Jeffrey Suh, 56, of Bayside; Kang Young Chung, 42, of Woodside; and Emily Shim, 40, of Flushing were sentenced Feb. 24 in Brooklyn federal court for plotting to commit health care fraud through a scheme in which they falsely billed Medicare for more than $4 million, according to Capers. The scheme was carried out at a medical clinic in Flushing owned by Suh and operated under the names Plaza Medi Group, Inc., located at 142-25 37th Ave., and New Plaza Group, Inc., Capers said. Suh, the schemes organizer and leader, was sentenced to 42 months in prison, the prosecutor said. Chung, a physical therapist assistant, was sentenced to a year and a day and Shim, the clinic manager, was sentenced to eight months imprisonment, Capers added. Brooklyn resident Richelle Munoz, 39, a licensed occupational therapist, and Sophia Lin, 34, of Rocky Point, were also sentenced to 16 and 13 months imprisonment, respectively, the U.S. attorney said. Clinic owner Jeffrey Suh and his licensed medical professionals manipulated elderly Medicare patients by bribing them with services and induced them to receive medically unnecessary treatments and services, Capers said. By doing so, they defrauded a taxpayer-funded program out of millions of dollars. Those who defraud Medicaid and Medicare are on notice that they will be held accountable for their crimes. As part of the sentences imposed, the defendants were ordered to pay $2,685,580 in restitution to Medicare, Capers said. Suh was ordered to forfeit two properties, valued at more than $1 million; Munoz, $565,594; Lin, $70,000; Chung, $985,501; and Shim, $115,136. The defendants were charged as part of a nationwide Medicare fraud takedown in June 2015, Capers continued. From about December 2010 through June 2013, the defendants submitted more than $4 million in false claims to Medicare for physical therapy, occupational therapy and chiropractic services that were not medically necessary, were often not given or were not eligible for reimbursement, according to Capers. Instead of assessing and performing therapy and services on Medicare beneficiaries in the amount claimed, the defendants often ushered them to unlicensed massage therapists for massages and other free goods and services, Capers continued. The defendants would also occasionally submit claims to Medicare for services allegedly performed by a licensed professional, when that professional was not even in the United States, or submitted claims to Medicare for services performed on beneficiaries who were overseas, Capers said. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams By Gabriel Rom The man who is accused of crashing into an off-duty rookie cop stationed in Far Rockaway as he stood at an accident scene on the New Jersey Turnpike turned himself in, police said Monday. The crash, which occurred Sunday morning, capped off a series of hit-and-run crashes throughout Queens and the tri-state area which left two people critically injured and four dead. On the New Jersey Turnpike, Police Officer Vincent Harrison, 25, was killed after surviving a collision with an SUV during a lane change when a third vehicle struck him as he stood on the highway shoulder, state police said. The driver of the third vehicle identified as William Espinal-Mejia, 35, of Linden, N.J., turned himself in Monday and was charged with second-degree leaving the scene of a fatal accident, police said. The 100th Precinct, where Harrison was stationed, was already reeling from another shock with Capt. Matthew Hanrahan recovering from a heart problem. This senseless and deplorable act robbed our community of a bright young officer who, in his short career, dedicated himself to making our community a better place, said Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder (D-Howard Beach). The two Queens crashes, which occurred in Jamaica and Ozone Park, killed one pedestrian and critically injured another. Three others occurred in Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Bronx. In all six incidents the motorists fled the scene, police said. No arrests had been made in the five city accidents and as of Wednesday, while all six hit-and-runs remained under investigation, police said. The string of collisions started in the Bronx, just before 1:30 a.m. Sunday, authorities said. Police said 63-year-old Jose Contreras was struck and killed by a black sport-utility vehicle in the Tremont section of the Bronx. Less than an hour later, at around 2:30 a.m. in South Jamaica, a 22-year-old woman was struck by a silver minivan as she was crossing Guy R. Brewer Boulevard at 118th Road, police said. She was taken to Jamaica Hospital unconscious and was listed in critical condition. About two hours later, police were called to 111th Street near 109th Avenue in South Ozone Park, where a man identified as Besik Shengelia was hit as he was trying to collect items in the back seat of his car, police said. Shengelia, 48, of Brooklyn, was reported by police as unconscious and unresponsive in the roadway when the authorities arrived. He was taken to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. Hit-and-run accidents were also reported in SoHo in Manhattan, with one victim listed in critical condition and in Park Slope, Brooklyn, with one victim reported dead. Queens has faced a 2.3 percent uptick in injuries to motorists and passengers since 2013 and is now the only borough where injuries to drivers and passengers exceed 2013 levels, when the Vision Zero program began, according to a 2015 report put out by Make Queens Safer, a grassroots street-safety advocacy organization. It is absolutely essential that our police and our district attorney take these cases seriously and prosecute them, said Peter Beadle, chairman of Transportation Alternatives Queens Activist Committee. Drivers need to know that there are real consequences to these actions, he said. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams By Madina Toure Residents were seen removing their belongings from a single-family home in Flushing last weekend that real estate agents had advertised as having 15 bedrooms, but the real estate company claims it was not aware of anything illegal occurring on the property. The city Department of Buildings ordered everyone out of the house at 33-07 153rd St. on Feb. 22 following an investigation that stemmed from community complaints that the house was being used as an overnight spot for nearby students or workers. . A listing for the home by real estate company Success Team Realty LLC in Flushing, , which was taken down Feb. 22, described the property as a detached one-family home with 20 rooms, 15 of which are bedrooms, and three full bathrooms. It also said the front yard could be converted into two parking spots. Richard Lam, Success Team Realtys broker, said the company told the owner, identified in city Finance Department records as Bing Hee Su, that it was not listing the property owner and the owner is currently in Korea. The company was not aware that the property was being used in an illegal manner until the community complained about it, he said. I told the agents that list the property you have to take it off because we dont want to be involved with these kinds of properties, Lam said. The agents, Ming Gao and Yan Dan Shi, declined to comment through Lam. A spokeswoman for the Finance Department could not be reached for comment. Bob Hanophy, president of the Broadway Flushing Homeowners Association, said the DOB responded promptly. When we made the initial complaint, they sent out people relatively quickly and were able to gain access to the first floor, Hanophy said. A Department of State spokesman said the department has an open investigation against Success Team Realty LLC about inappropriate advertising practices but could not comment further. An All Saints Church van was parked outside the house Saturday and the front door, on which two notices were posted, was open. A few bags and a tea kettle were in front of the home. At about 3 p.m., a man was seen rolling a cart to the house and standing in front of the home, smoking. At one point, three men were standing in front of the home and talking. About 30 minutes later, five people were seen moving out and carrying belongings down the steps. One individual was rolling out a mini-fridge. A neighbor said the house and the adjacent home used to be one property but were split up. In 2000, the owner sold one of the houses to the Korean owner and a Greek family, the second property owner, moved into the other house. The neighbor said she saw four men arguing outside the home with a man that morning and then people go in and get their belongings. The people living in the house were quiet, going to work and returning, she said. It seemed like there were quite a few of them living there, the neighbor observed. Another neighbor said the problems seemed to have started when the current owner moved in. I think the day before yesterday (Feb. 26), the Chinese TV, they show, they report this story. Then we know, Oh, this house is like this, she said. State Assemblyman Ron Kim (D-Flushing) met with Maria Becce of the Broadway Flushing Homeowners Association last Friday, while state Sen. Tony Avella (D-Bayside) called on the city to ban developers who consistently violate the law from doing construction in the city. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams By Bill Parry Mayor Bill de Blasio will march for the third straight year in the St. Pats for All Parade in Sunnyside Sunday. The inclusive event gets underway with speeches from elected officials and community leaders at the Queen of Angels Church at 43rd Street and Skillman Avenue beginning at 1 p.m. The 17th annual parade steps off at 2 p.m. with bagpipe bands, puppets and stilt walkers making their way up Skillman Avenue to 58th Street and Roosevelt Avenue in Woodside. The St. Pats for All Parade started as a predominantly gay-pride march organized after members of the Irish LGBT community were excluded from Manhattans traditional St. Patricks Day Parade in 1991. Deep emotional wounds began to heal in May when Astoria resident Brendan Fay, one of the founders of the St. Pats for All Parade, was notified that his LGBT group was invited to march in the Manhattan parade for the first time in a quarter of a century. Seventeen years ago the Irish community in Queens embraced the idea, Fay said. And now this year the Fifth Avenue parade welcomes the Irish LGBT group the Lavender and Green Alliance. It is heartening to see our parades and cultural celebrations more welcoming. The move ends a 25-year boycott of the parade that began when the Irish Lesbian and Gay Organization, made up of largely Irish LGBT immigrants, applied to the march and was denied. Parade organizers declared their march to be a Catholic procession and thus gay groups were not welcome, setting off massive protests for years. Fay said the invite ends a journey on a long and winding road to equality, a road marked by painful exclusion and years of protests and arrests. On Feb. 17, Irish Consul General Barbara Jones hosted a reception in honor of St. Pats for All and this years grand marshals, Loretta Bennan Gluckman and Colum McCann. It was a history-making night, as leaders of the New York City St. Patricks Day Parade announced the inclusion of the Lavender and Green Alliance. From the podium, I looked out at the crowd of supporters, old and new, and I saw the entire New York Irish community represented, and all of them cheering, St. Pats for All co-chair Kathleen Walsh DArcy said. It was a night I will never forget. Hands were extended with words of welcome, bridging a community divide. After 25 years, LGBT Irish will be where we belong on March 17, all together with our Irish community on Fifth Avenue. I am proud of the role of St. Pats for All in bringing us to this historic threshold. The march on Sunday will also mark the 100th anniversary of the Easter Uprising of 1916, when a small group of Irish women and men proclaimed an independent and free Ireland. Fay said the theme of this years St. Pats for All is Cherishing all the children of the nation equally, taken from the Irish Proclamation of 1916. It is as meaningful for Irish New Yorkers in 2016, a century later, Fay said. WELCOME TO MIKE'S CABINET OF NATURAL CURIOSITIES "WHERE ONE MAN IS STILL TRYING TO FIND ANSWERS TO LIFE'S PERSISTENT QUESTIONS" (AS IS GUY NOIR, PRIVATE EYE). However, if you don't want to submit comments on line, send questions or comments to csrockboy AT yahoo DOT com. I will answer. BUT SEND ME AN EMAIL IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SIGN UP. SEE THE JANUARY 26th POSTING FOR A LIST OF ALL BLOG POSTINGS. October Fun Calendar: Plenty to do this month in Beaver County SHARE Mack By Patrick Johnston, patrick.johnston@timesrecordnews.com A Wichita Falls man will serve more than 7 years behind bars after pleading guilty to bank robbery. Stephen Landon Mack, 28, entered a guilty plea on Oct. 8 and was sentenced in the U.S. District Court on Feb. 22 to 87 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor, court documents stated. That sentence will run consecutively with pending cases for multiple theft and exploitation of a child charges, as well as pending probation revocation charges of theft and burglary of a habitation, according to court documents. Mack is also ordered to pay $12,514 in restitution to the four banks he robbed and will be placed under three years of supervision after his release, court documents stated. The robbery spree began on July 6 when Mack robbed the Fort Sill National Bank in Wichita Falls. He then robbed Wells Fargo Bank inside the United grocery store on Jacksboro Highway on July 16, officials said. In that incident the man allegedly handed the teller a note and then made verbal threats, demanding money. According to Sherman police, Mack robbed First Texoma National Bank in Sherman on July 22. He jumped over the tellers' counter and took an undisclosed amount of cash from the drawers, police said. On July 25, Mack took an undisclosed amount of money from a teller at IBC Bank in Lawton while wearing sunglasses and a hat, Lawton police said. Meth Crime SHARE By Times Record News Thirteen people, most from the Wichita Falls area, are charged in a federal indictment with offenses stemming from their alleged roles in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy. They are in federal custody after making their initial appearances in federal court in Fort Worth and pleading not guilty to the charges, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney's Office. A trial date of April 11 has been set. The announcement was made today by U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas. The indictment alleges the conspiracy began before mid-2011 and continued to the date of the indictment, Feb. Count One of the indictment charges the following six defendants with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine: Cleto Tarin, 52; Miguel Antonio Martinez, 31; Marcus Caldwell, 32; Hector Salvidar, 33; Bobby Frie, Jr., 30 and Ramondo Acuna, 31. If convicted on this count, the statutory penalty is not less than five years or more than 40 years in federal prison and a $5 million fine. Count Two of the indictment charges the following eight defendants with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine: David Sheppard, 39; Kendra Ward, 27; Susan Williams, 28; Eric Overstreet, 27; Robert Baggott, 45; Cecil Hindman, 51; Oscar Melanson, 31 and Jonathan Morris, 31. If convicted on this count, the statutory penalty is a maximum of 20 years in federal prison and a $1 million fine. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Wichita Falls Police Department are conducting the investigation, the news release said. CCS gives nod to acquire 2 AWACS from Israel Published: March 3, 2016 The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) has cleared a proposal to purchase two Phalcon Airborne Warning and Control Systems (AWACS), surveillance aircrafts from Israel. Decision to this effect was taken by CCS meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. This defence deal will cost India 7,500 crore rupees as per a tripartite agreement signed with Israel and Russia. Significance of this deal: CCSs approval comes ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modis official visit to Israel later in the 2016. This visit will make him first Indian Prime Minister to visit Israel and it will give major boost to Indo-Israel ties. AWACS: They are advanced radars mounted on an aircraft to give an ability to see deep inside enemy territory and 360 degree coverage to detect incoming aircraft and missiles at long ranges. The Indian Air Force (IAF) already had three such AWACS platforms that comprise of Israeli-made radars mounted on Russian heavy transport planes IL-76. The CCS also approved a proposal for induction of the 4th regiment of supersonic cruise missile Brahmos and 2 more of Pinaka rocket launchers in the India Army. Month: Current Affairs - March, 2016 Topics: CCS Current Affairs 2016 Defence India-Israel Indian Air Force Latest E-Books Yellow tape from the Hardeman County Sheriff's Office blows in the midday breeze west of Quanah at the scene of a double homicide in April 2015. SHARE By Patrick Johnston, patrick.johnston@timesrecordnews.com A second man has been charged in the shooting deaths of a man and a woman near Quanah on April 8. Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Dan Buesing said Dimitri Alexander Graves, 24, of Chillicothe, has been charged with capital murder in connection with the deaths of Terrance Besaw, 41, of Chillicothe, and Kisa Marie Waddle, 46, of Burkburnett. Buesing said Graves was already in the Childress County Jail on unrelated charges when he was charged in the murders. Gary Andrew Callaway, 30, was arrested last April and charged with two counts capitol murder in their deaths. Buesing said the Graves arrest came from an on-going investigation into the Quanah murders, but had no further information. A Hardeman County grand jury indicted Callaway on both charges of capital murder over the summer. Graves was indicted last week. A probable cause affidavit stated the bodies of Besaw and Waddle were discovered at a house just west of Quanah. A DPS spokesperson said Callaway was arrested at the Motel 6 in Wichita Falls on April 15 on an outstanding credit card abuse warrant. The Times Record news previously reported some people in Quanah said the house where the murders occurred was known for narcotics use. Callaway and both victims had extensive criminal records. By Christopher Collins of the Times Record News On Saturday, a Purple Heart awarded to a soldier killed in the Korean War will be returned to his family. Thomas Isaac Jr., 19, was killed in South Korea in 1951 and posthumously was awarded the Purple Heart, one of the U.S. military's highest honors. Early this week the Times Record News published an article in which Louisiana native David Gautreaux said he was in possession of Isaac's Purple Heart and that he wanted to return it to the man's living relatives. "I could just see this guy lying there, alive one minute, dead the next," Gautreaux said. "I'd just like to get (the medal) back into the hands of the family." The newspaper story prompted several leads regarding the whereabouts of Isaac's relatives eventually leading a reporter to contact 47-year-old Danny Dwayne Elkins, the soldier's nephew. "I go clean off his headstone (at Riverside Cemetery) all the time," Elkins said. "That's where the family is buried is out there." After the connection was made, Elkins and Gautreaux were introduced. They scheduled a ceremony, complete with a rendition of "Taps", for the award to be returned inside the cemetery. "I'd like to give them some closure," Gautreaux said. The ceremony is to be held Saturday at 2:30 p.m. Times Record News file photos Above: A motel near the Sheppard Air Force Base Main Gate will be demolished as part of a project between the base and Wichita Falls to improve safety and transportation in the area. SHARE Left: A project in the planning stage since security concerns after 9-11, the Sheppard Main Gate project will cost about $3.5 million. Wichita Falls was approved for $1.75 million though a state grant for the project. Left: Seven structures on five parcels of land on Burkburnett Road are set for acquisition and demolition as part of the Sheppard Main Gate project. Plans include a meet-and-greet area for visitors, a bus shelter and parking lot. Above: An area near the Sheppard Air Force Base Main Gate has been an eyesore and security concern for many years. Funds were secured this year through grants, city and transit funding. The first step will be the citys acquisition and demolition of seven buildings on five parcels of land. By Claire Kowalick of the Times Record News Plans are flying ahead to make Sheppard Air Force Base's Main Gate and surrounding area more secure, yet accessible for military personnel and visitors. While still in the early stages, progress continues for this project that is set to benefit Sheppard and the Wichita Falls community. For many years, a dilapidated hotel and aging business plaza were both an eyesore to visitors and a security risk for the base. The Wichita Falls Economic Development Corp. met in October and approved $1.25 million in a forgivable loan toward the project on the public side of the Sheppard gate. The expenditure was approved by the Wichita Falls City Council in November. City Assistant Manager Jim Dockery said the total project is estimated to be $3.5 million for demolition of the old buildings and construction of a bus shelter and parking area. The city received a $1.75 million grant from the Texas Military Preparedness Commission in December and $500,000 came from federal transit funds. The TMPC Defense Economic Adjustment Assistance Grant was part of an appropriated $30 million to be allocated over the next year for two military communities affected by previous Base Realignment and Closure. Primary reasons for the project include improving security to the gate from potential terrorist threats and to place Sheppard in a solid position in case of future BRAC processes. The WFEDC board said the project is a boon to the city because it will retain primary jobs, promote and support Sheppard by ensuring a safe perimeter along the gate entrance, and facilitate base personnel and their families' access to the community. The hotel and businesses were vacated by January, and demolition of seven structures on five parcels of land will begin in the next couple months. Properties acquired by the city for the gate project include 4021 Burkburnett, 4027 Burkburnett, 4101 Burkburnett, 4045 Burkburnett and a quarter-acre adjacent property. Dockery said he believes the base would like a "meet-and-greet" area to improve logistics at this entrance to the base. Lt. Col. Jeffrey White, 82nd Mission Support Group deputy commander, said the base is looking forward to this partnership with the city and a more secure and accessible main gate. The grant and teaming up with the community will allow the base to address security concerns that grew out of 9-11. While the city's part will focus on the property adjacent to the base, the Sheppard side of the project will directly affect the roadway, traffic flow, guardhouse, and overall aesthetics of this critical corridor between the base and community. The city said a more comprehensive plan will soon take shape now that they know what funds are available for the project. Dockery said once work begins, they have an estimated timeline of about 18 months until completion. The city is prepared to offer compensation to property owners, but if a compromise cannot be reached they will proceed with condemnation of the buildings as a last resort. A multi-phased main gate project was a top priority listed during the Sheppard Joint Land Use Study. SHARE Yellow Rose Sertoma Club Chili Cook-Off set The Yellow Rose Sertoma Club will host its fourth annual Chili Coof-Off at 11 a.m. Saturday at Farmer's Market, 713 Ohio Ave. in Wichita Falls. The cook-off is CASI sanctioned and will also include a bean contest, raffle and other activities. Sertoma sponsors youth and community causes. County judge to address Democrats Wichita County Judge, Woody Gossom, will be the speaker for Texas Democratic Women at their meeting Monday at Luby's Cafeteria. Gossom will update the membership on What's Going On in Wichita County! Lunch begins at 11:30 a.m. with the meeting starting at noon. Guests are welcome. For more information, call 940-692-6450." History group to honor veterans Veterans who volunteer at the museum will be honored at the spring general meeting of the Clay County Historical Society at 2 p.m. March 12 at the Clay County Farm Bureau Building. The program will feature Gordon Melton, mayor of Paducah and president and founder of Hunting with Soldiers, Inc., an organization that provides all expense paid hunting and fishing adventures for combat veterans of all wars. A family is out of a home after their mobile home caught fire Wednesday afternoon. Firefighters were called to 8-Hy Bridges off Seymour Highway shortly after 1 p.m. and found the mobile home fully involved in flames. Three people in the residence got out, with a woman suffering minor burns. SHARE A family is out of a home after their mobile home caught fire Wednesday afternoon. Firefighters were called to 8-Hy Bridges off Seymour Highway shortly after 1 p.m. and found the mobile home fully involved in flames. Three people in the residence got out, with a woman suffering minor burns. Wichita County Sheriff David Duke said it appeared the blaze started with a woman cooking French fries. Flames quickly spread. Duke estimated damage to the home at about $60,000. A neighboring structure was also damaged. Wichita West, Iowa Park, and the Wichita Falls Fire Department helped battle the fire. The Red Cross was called to provide help to the two adults and one child left homeless by the blaze. SHARE By Christopher Collins of the Times Record News The day after winning a primary election is a reprieve from the hectic day-to-day of running a campaign, said three area politicians who won Republican primary races Tuesday night. Casey Polhemus, candidate for 97th District Attorney; Bill Price, candidate for Wilbarger County sheriff; and Marshall W. Thomas, candidate for Montague County sheriff, told the Times Record News on Wednesday they're breathing easier in the post-primary period. Two of the candidates, Price and Thomas, won by a fairly wide margin. And for many of the Tuesday night winners, a Republican primary win in North Texas essentially guarantees a general election win. "It's been a good day," Polhemus said on Wednesday, the day after the election. She described her race against incumbent Paige Williams as a "nail-biter." Voting numbers show Polhemus lost to Williams in just one county of the three-county race, though her performance in the other two was enough to push her to the win. Polhemus won by the biggest margin in Archer County, where she topped Williams 1,181 to 832. Including Montague and Clay counties' votes, Polhemus won 4,637 to 4,301. Polhemus said before she takes office in January, she plans to attend as many training conferences as possible. She said she does not know whether her opponent will stay on with the office as an assistant district attorney. The Montague County sheriff race between Marshall W. Thomas and incumbent Paul Cunningham was not so close. Cunningham was defeated 2,994 to 1,735 by Thomas, who jumped to an early lead and never let up. "After we saw the initial count, I felt a whole lot better about it," Thomas said. He said he feels a "whole lot better" now that the primary is done and his campaign efforts have been concluded. "There's a lot to (campaigning). A lot of meeting people and caring what they have to say," Thomas said. "There's a whole lot less pressure today." The pressure is still on Bill Price, winner of the Republican primary race for Wilbarger County sheriff. Though it's likely he'll become sheriff, there's an outside possibility he could get knocked off by the county's Democratic nominee for sheriff. Price (1,494 votes) handily beat GOP opponents Jerry Ranjel (275 votes) and Kevin Holland (596 votes) Friday night in Republican-dominated WIlbarger County, which he said bodes well for his success in November's general election. "I thought it was great," Price said. "My stress level is way down." Final results in Clay County came in too late for publication in Wednesday's Times Record News. The key results in the Republican primary there were: President: Ted Cruz - 3,425 Donald Trump - 844 Marco Rubio - 302 Sheriff: Kenny Lemons - 1,567 Jeff Lyde - 1,324 County Commissioner Pct. 1 Richard Lowery - 230 Brent Durham - 178 Weldon Craig - 159 Dwayne Groves - 118 County Commissioner Pct. 3 John McGregor - 309 Mark Ward - 260 Chris Koetter - 171 Constable Tobie Davis - 1,297 Ronnie Pullin - 645 Sidney Horton - 615 District Attorney, 97th District Paige Williams - 1,279 Casey Polhemus - 1,168 Colonie American Airlines returned Thursday to a market it owned for many decades, restoring nonstop flights between Albany and Chicago. Weather apparently delayed the inaugural flight's arrival, but passengers didn't seem to mind. Cake and something called the Albany breakfast pizza were being served to mark the event. The American name had disappeared in November 2008 when it ended its flights to Chicago. It returned last year when American merged with US Airways and the merged carriers adopted the American name. But until now the routes out of Albany were flown by US Airways. During its Albany heyday, American also served Raleigh, N.C., and New York City from Albany. On Thursday, American representatives weren't willing to talk for the record about the possibility of flights to New York City. But Darryl C. Towns, American's regional director government affairs, said the carrier's analysts are constantly reviewing potential routes. Towns is no stranger to Albany. He spent 18 years in the state legislature and another five years as commissioner/CEO of New York State Homes and Community Renewal in the administration of Gov. Andrew Cuomo. He called the new flights "a great signal for Albany." Passengers waiting to board the Chicago flight welcomed the new service. Dean Bissell of Voorheesville, who travels to Chicago regularly, said he buys tickets through Expedia, and that he now has two carriers from which to choose. United also flies nonstop between Albany and Chicago. And Barry Reiss, who normally flies Southwest between homes in the Capital Region and Florida, was on the Chicago flight en route to Fort Lauderdale. That's because both Southwest and JetBlue, which offer nonstop service to Fort Lauderdale, were fully booked. JetBlue began service to Albany in December. eanderson@timesunion.com 518-454-5323 Albany A state judge is expected to decide Friday whether to put a temporary hold on new state consumer protection rules on companies that sell electricity and natural gas as an alternative to traditional utilities. State Supreme Court Justice Kimberly O'Connor heard arguments for about three hours late Thursday on rules that the state Public Service Commission plans to begin Friday on so-called energy service companies, or ESCOs. More than a dozen lawyers, representing the PSC and the ESCO industry, were before O'Connor to debate the rules, which would require ESCOs to charge lower prices for electricity and gas than is charged by utilities. PSC General Counsel Kimberly Harriman said the rules are in response to "a set of complaints" by small-business owners and homeowners that they were being overcharged by confusing ESCO contracts after promises of cost savings. State law changed in 1997 to allow ESCOs to sell direct to customers as a way to introduce more competition in the utility market. Harriman said the PSC came up with new rules, which also require ESCOs to use only state-approved contracts with customers, after years of customer complaints. "After 15 years, enough is enough," she said. The PSC has estimated that customers in the National Grid market are paying on average $29 more a month that customers of National Grid. Jason Cyrulnik, an attorney with the National Energy Marketers Association, called the rules, issued in late February in a simultaneous announcement from the PSC and Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a "gun to the head" of the ESCO business. "This is the first step on shutting down the ESCO industry in the state," he said. He claimed the rules would force companies to cancel "thousands of contracts." Currently, there are two million customers using ESCOs in the state. The new rules would also encourage greater use of alternative energy by exempting ESCO contracts that feature at least 30 percent green power. Because of the rushed nature of the legal challenge, O'Connor said she needed to weigh the competing issues overnight before reaching a decision. The ESCO industry wants a temporary restraining order to bar the rules from going into effect while an ongoing legal challenge is mounted. bnearing@timesunion.com 518-454-5094 @Bnearing10 ALBANY The Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy will celebrate recent conservation successes and present awards at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at Treviso Restaurant. The Land Conservancy will update on 14 recently announced priority projects that could result in permanent conservation of nearly 2,000 acres of natural lands in Albany, Schenectady and Montgomery counties over the next few months. The Saving Special Places Award will go to environmental lawyer David Sampson for significant contribution to land conservation and the Open Space Preservation Leadership Award to Judy and Steve Thomson for volunteering in all aspects of the Land Conservancy's work. The guest speaker is Philip Morris, CEO of Proctors in Schenectady, which was restored and enlarged while revitalizing the Schenectady arts community and creating an in-house power plant that recycles waste heat. Tickets are $5. Call (518) 436-6346 or go to mohawkhudson.org/annualmeeting Albany Students at the University at Albany will join students from other SUNY schools in a statewide walkout Friday to protest tuition hikes. The walkout is being organized by New York Students Rising, a statewide network of students that advocates for public higher education. The group is calling on students to walk out of classes to show their opposition to SUNY's "rational tuition" policy, which has resulted in a $1,500 tuition increase over the last five years. The policy, first adopted in 2011, was touted as a solution to years of unpredictable changes in tuition, which had historically been set by the state Legislature. The plan transferred tuition-setting authority to the SUNY board of trustees, and limited annual tuition hikes to no more than $300. The trustees have approved a $300 increase every year since. The policy expires this year, but appears poised for a five-year extension with the support of Gov. Andrew Cuomo and SUNY. New York Students Rising is calling for an immediate freeze in tuition costs. Investments from the state, which once covered nearly 60 percent of SUNY costs, have dropped to 36 percent. In addition to UAlbany, students from New Paltz, Purchase, Brockport, Genesee Community College, Plattsburgh, Potsdam, Cortland, the University of Buffalo and CUNY schools are expected to hold walkouts and protests Friday. New York Students Rising is asking students to call the governor's office, fill out student debt checks and plan Month of Action events. The Month of Action is a series of actions in March targeting the state Legislature and governor on public higher education issues. bbump@timesunion.com - 518-454-5387 - @bethanybump. Parliament passes Carriage by Air amendment Bill, 2015 Published: March 3, 2016 Parliament has passed the Carriage by Air (Amendment) Bill, 2015 to empower Union government to revise the limits of liability for airlines and compensation as per the Montreal Convention which India accepted in 2009. The bill was first passed by the Lok Sabha in December 2015 and later it was passed by the Rajya in March 2016. Now it will go for the Presidential assent as per Article 111 of Constitution. Key facts The Bill seeks to amend the Carriage by Air Act, 1972 to revise the limits of liability for airlines and compensation in order adhere with the global counterparts. to revise the limits of liability for airlines and compensation in order adhere with the global counterparts. Empowers Union government to revise the limits of liability for airlines and compensation as per the Montreal Convention. Empowers Union Government to make rules to carry out provisions of the Act. The Bill intends to raise the liability limit for damage in case of delay, injury or death to each person. It also intends to revise the liability limits in case of damage, loss, or delay of baggage and cargo as per global counterparts. The Carriage by Air Act, 1972: Regulates carriage by air by giving effect to the Warsaw Convention, 1929 and as amended by Hague Protocol, 1955 and the Montreal Convention, 1999. It also provides for application of the international aviation travel rules to domestic travel, subject to exceptions and adaptations. The Montreal Convention, 1999: It establishes airline liability in the case of injury, death or delay to passengers. It also includes liability in cases of damage or loss or delay of baggage and cargo. It also mandates that every five years, limits of liability of the air carriers should be reviewed. Month: Current Affairs - March, 2016 Topics: Aviation Sector Bills and Amendments Current Affairs 2016 Parliament Latest E-Books This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate United Nations The U.N. Security Council on Wednesday unanimously approved the toughest sanctions on North Korea in two decades, reflecting growing anger at Pyongyang's latest nuclear test and rocket launch in defiance of a ban on all nuclear-related activity. The United States and China, North Korea's traditional ally, spent seven weeks negotiating the new sanctions, which include mandatory inspections of cargo leaving and entering North Korea by land, sea or air; a ban on all sales or transfers of small arms and light weapons to Pyongyang; and expulsion of diplomats from the North who engage in "illicit activities." The U.S., its Western allies and Japan pressed for new sanctions that went beyond the North's nuclear and missile programs but China was reluctant to impose measures that could threaten the stability of the neighboring country and cause its economy to collapse. Nonetheless, Beijing did agree to several measures aimed at shutting down financing for nuclear and missile programs. "The international community, speaking with one voice, has sent Pyongyang a simple message: North Korea must abandon these dangerous programs and choose a better path for its people," President Barack Obama said in a statement. North Korea started off the new year with what it claims was its first hydrogen bomb test on Jan. 6 and launched a satellite on a rocket on Feb. 7. The launch was condemned by much of the world as a test of banned missile technology. North Korea ignored the chance to address the Security Council and a spokesman for the country's U.N. mission did not immediately respond to a request for comment. On Monday, the official KCNA news agency published a commentary saying "it is nothing but a pipe dream for the U.S. to expect the DPRK to collapse due to 'sanctions.' This is as foolish as waiting the missions of the sun and stars to come to an end." DPRK are the initials of the country's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. China, Russia and others expressed hope Wednesday that the sanctions will lead to the immediate resumption of six-party talks aimed at the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. North Korea withdrew from the talks in 2008. Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said that "by shutting down, as much as possible, the financing of DPRK's nuclear-ballistic programs, the idea is to ensure the return to the table of negotiations all the interested parties." The resolution bans the export of coal, iron and iron ore being used to fund North Korea's nuclear or ballistic missile programs but not for general economic use. It prohibits all exports of gold, titanium ore, vanadium ore and rare earth minerals and bans aviation fuel exports to the country, including "kerosene-type rocket fuel." U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power said it's estimated that the DPRK earns approximately $1 billion annually from coal a third of its export income and at least $200 million a year from iron ore exports. In the financial and banking sector, countries are required to freeze the assets of companies and other entities linked to North Korea's nuclear and missile programs. The resolution also prohibits all countries from opening new branches, subsidiaries and representative offices of North Korean banks, and bans financial institutions from establishing new joint ventures or establishing or maintaining correspondent relationships with these banks. It orders countries to close all North Korean banks and terminate all banking relationships within 90 days. The resolution stresses that the new measures are not intended to have "adverse humanitarian consequences" for civilians, the majority of whom face economic hardships and food shortages. Power said that "part of the perverse reality that has no equal in this world" is that North Korea prioritizes its nuclear and ballistic missile programs over the basic needs of its own people. South Korea's U.N. Ambassador Oh Joon said North Korea's six missile tests and four nuclear tests, according to some estimates, have cost at least $4 billion. Meanwhile, he said, the U.N. is spending a little over $100 million annually on humanitarian aid to the country. As with previous resolutions, the test will be if U.N. member states enforce the sanctions. A 1908 REO Model G Boattail Roadster and four other vehicles found inside a dusty Austin barn were sold to the highest bidder June 12, totaling more than $679,000 in sales. The five vehicles went to auction at the 2015 Brickyard Auction in Indianapolis after being in storage since the 1970s. All of the vehicles are pre-World War II-era cars, with the model years ranging from 1908-1933. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Troy The first building at 1 Monument Square was to have opened in October and the second later this year. Instead, the city has a 1.5-acre hole after 9 years of dreams, deals, debate and disappointment under three mayors. Few mourned when the hulking City Hall, with its concrete-and-steel Brutalist architecture, was razed in 2011, clearing a spot at 1 Monument Square on the Hudson River. The demolition made it clear that this spot where the river bends and the city street grid rushes to meet it had an importance that would make any project design subject to intense scrutiny. More Information A timeline of immobility 2010 Dec. Demolition begins on Monument Square 2011 May Nigro Companies and partners propose a $31.5 million project, City Hall moves Nov. New proposals sought 2013 Judge Development Corp. submits plan 2014 Kirchhoff Companies submits a plan 2015 Oct. Opponents of proposed project prepare to take legal action See More Collapse "It's the core of the city. It's the heart," said Patrick Quinn, professor emeritus of architecture and former dean of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute School of Architecture. "It's critical Monument Square should be a kind of people's plaza," he said. That's what it was traditionally. It's where City Hall stood for 35 years, military units mustered, important news was announced, where the city's soaring Soldiers and Sailors Monument rises to commemorate its citizens' sacrifices. Politics and economics doomed the various proposals to rejuvenate downtown with a signature project. We Care About the Square, a group of architects, business owners and residents, coalesced to oppose the latest proposal by Kirchhoff Companies. Troy city government works out of rented quarters upriver, the only city in the state that doesn't own its home. In a 2007 speech, Mayor Harry Tutunjian boldly proclaimed that 1 Monument Square was prime real estate desired by developers and would be a source of new property tax revenues when City Hall relocated. Tutunjian saw the site as the trigger to spark a rejuvenated downtown. "The goal early on was to make downtown exciting and to get people excited about coming to Troy," Tutunjian said. The city created festivals like Chowderfest and Rockin' on the River just as urban life became a draw across the U.S. Troy has the bones a walkable street grid and attractive architecture to bring new residents seeking to experiences akin to Brooklyn's translated to the Capital Region. One Monument Square would be able to host government, residences, offices and retail, Quinn said. He examined the site during Tutunjian's administration and saw no drawbacks to redevelopment. The city had $3 million in state money to pay for a parking garage of up to 200 spaces and the outlines of a design concept for developers. Three times, the city sought development proposals. In 2011, Nigro Companies and partners proposed a $31.5 million project with 106 apartments, lower-level retail and parking for 140 cars. It was selected after competitive bidding during the city's 2011 mayoral election as Tutunjian prepared to leave office. "The goal from Day One was to get people positive about Troy. The Nigro project had it all," Tutunjian said. He blames his successor, Mayor Lou Rosamilia, for sinking the project. "There were people at City Hall who wanted to kill it all at once. They wanted it to be their own developer and not mine," Tutunjian said. "I'm very frustrated. I look at this project and think of where we could have been if politics had been kept out." Rosamilia, who left office at the end of 2015, disputes Tutunjian's take on what happened. "It was an economic decision," Rosamilia said. The Nigro project had too much affordable housing when the city wanted market-rate apartments on its prime property, he said. During the next four years, Rosamilia's administration solicited two more rounds of proposals. In 2013, Judge Development Corp. submitted a $50 million plan for at least 100 units of market-rate housing, retail and commercial space, a parking garage for more than 180 vehicles and improved riverfront access. The city rejected Judge over financial issues. The Nigro and Judge proposals provided no space for City Hall. During Tutunjian's administration, City Hall relocated to the Verizon Building at 1776 Sixth Ave. Rosamilia moved City Hall to the fifth floor of the Hedley Building at 433 River St., where it remains. The third Monument Square development plan came from Kirchhoff Companies with partners, many of whom have been dropped. Its major partner, Sequence Development, cut all ties and is no longer participating, Sequence CEO Jeff Buell said. In 2014, the Kirchhoff plan envisioned a $27 million project with two buildings, Monument Square North and South, the Troy Waterfront Farmers Market, a two-level, city-owned 175-space parking garage, retail space, 50-plus units of market rate and luxury apartments and space for City Hall. Monument Square North was to open in October followed by Monument Square South this fall. Kirchhoff downsized to one building and eliminated the public parking garage after the city scratched City Hall from the plan and the farmers market pulled out. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. "Bait and switch" is how members of We Care About the Square characterize Kirchhoff's plan. "The bottom line is Kirchhoff got involved in the process not understanding the project," said business owner Russ Brooks, a We Care About the Square spokesman. The bait was Kirchhoff's initial proposal of 175 parking spaces, two buildings of 100,000 and 50,000 square feet, the farmers market and 45 to 60 apartments, according to We Care About the Square. The group also has cited the $5.3 million in government funds that are to flow into the project. This doesn't include any tax breaks that would come from the city Industrial Development Authority. The switch was 87 private parking spaces, one building of 90,000 square feet, a $22.7 million project and 85 apartments, according to We Care About the Square. Mark Mistur, another spokesman of the group, said Monument Square is too important to lose to bad development. "There is not a single site in Troy that is more important," said Mistur, an RPI assistant professor and assistant dean of architecture at RPI. "Bait-and-switch is not a fair characterization of what happened here," said Jeff Kane, who's managing the project for Kirchhoff. Kane said one building was eliminated and the remaining building was relocated to the center of the site when the city opted not to have City Hall included. The reduction in parking was tied to that. The location of utilities and the soil conditions at the site forced changes to the original plans to deal with unforeseen conditions. "We have in good faith worked with the city and its commissions and council to develop a project we think meets the needs, the reality of the site, the needs of the city of Troy for both residential and retail space," Kane said. Work on the project has stalled while the city prepares its comments on Kirchhoff's proposal. Rosamilia granted a six-month extension of the land development agreement that expires May 5. Kane said Kirchhoff needs a second six-month extension to have enough time for the city planning approval process. Mayor Patrick Madden, who took office last month, said he will have to review the situation before determining whether to grant the extension. Still unresolved is a future City Hall. Madden said it's not a priority as he works to straighten out the city's finances. City Council President Carmella Mantello, on the other hand, plans to establish a committee to develop a proposal to once again have a publicly owned City Hall. kcrowe@timesunion.com 518-454-5084 @KennethCrowe Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. Maybe some of the tension of recent meals can be attributed to the way we have been dining for the last seven months: cramped, sealed in by... In his first presidential campaign, President Barack Obama pledged to close the infamous U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where torture has been practiced and due process flouted. The reviled facility is a stain on our reputation as a beacon for human rights and as a role model in a world where the innate dignity of the individual is still not universally accepted. With his pledge to shut it down, Obama was merely building on the stated desire of his predecessor, George W. Bush, who knew the facility was a source of embarrassment for our allies and a recruiting tool for our enemies. Back then, Obamas view was shared by his rival, GOP presidential nominee John McCain, who also pledged to close the prison. But, as president, Obama badly bungled the process, failing to make closing Guantanamo a priority and misjudging the inflammatory politics that are associated with the suspects who are held there. He was deserted not only by McCain but also by Democrats who claimed speciously that bringing suspected terrorists into the continental United States was much too dangerous to consider. In the final year of his presidency, Obama has returned to the incendiary politics of Guantanamo Bay, promising, again, to shutter the prison. He has less chance of success now than he did when he began eight years ago. Since then, Congressional Republicans have grown more rabid in their opposition (to everything), the GOP electorate has sunk into a miasma of xenophobia, and the terrorists of the so-called Islamic State have risen up to haunt our nightmares. Congress has passed laws making it virtually impossible to transfer Guantanamo detainees to prisons in the United States. Still, Obama is right to bring the facility, once again, to the top of the national agenda. He has little leverage but his bully pulpit, little authority but the moral force of this righteous crusade. Thats a start. From the beginning, the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay has represented the worst instincts of American leaders. In 2002, placing the first of nearly 800 terror suspects eventually held there, the Bush administration argued they were not subject to the protections of the Geneva Convention. While the U.S. Supreme Court later disagreed, forcing the Bush administration to reverse itself, that arrogant and shortsighted abrogation of international norms gave our enemies good reason to call us hypocrites. And that was just the beginning of an appalling slide into a catalog of human rights abuses: some prisoners were tortured; some were held for years without formal charges; many were not, as the Bush administration initially claimed, captured on the battlefield but rather turned over by Pakistanis and Afghans in exchange for money. Those men may never have raised arms against the United States or its allies. Even the Bush administration eventually yielded to pressure and released or transferred more than 500 detainees. Obama has continued to reduce the population; an estimated 91 detainees remain. But the very existence of the facility Gitmo, as its often called remains a blight on our reputation, a pall over the shining city on a hill. Keeping this facility open is contrary to our values, Obama said last Tuesday. (Feb 23) . It undermines our standing in the world. It is viewed as a stain on our broader record of upholding the highest standards of (the) rule of law. He clearly means to use the last year of his tenure to keep pressure on Congress to close it, probably by speeding up the exodus of detainees. (While a handful of former detainees have returned to the battlefield, the vast majority of them have not.) He believes he can persuade other countries to accept an additional 80 or so, leaving only a few hardcore cases, men who are deemed too dangerous to release. However, the cost of keeping them at Guantanamo would be exorbitant, as much as $10 million per detainee per year, according to some estimates. For a Congress that claims to be fiscally prudent, it ought to make a lot more sense to bring those men to a maximum-security prison in the United States, where theyd have no chance of escape. That would keep us safe without destroying our ideals. Related posts: The absurdities of the Guantanamo Bay prison [March 03, 2016] AstraZeneca Patient Assistance Programs Provided Hundreds of Millions of Dollars of Support in 2015 to Help Patients Afford Medicines AstraZeneca today announced that its AZ&Me Prescription Savings Programs provided more than $617 million in savings on medicines to patients in the United States in 2015. The programs supported nearly 322,500 patients last year. "As the healthcare market continues to change, patients sometimes need support in paying for their prescription medicines," said Diane Sullivan, Vice President, Market Access and Patient Strategies. "We are proud of our long-standing commitment to making great medicines - and helping patients access them." Since 2010, AstraZeneca has provided more than $5.5 billion in savings to patients in its savings programs. The programs are designed to help qualifying people without insurance, those enrolled in Medicare Part D, those who receive their medications through participating healthcare facilities and those who recently faced a financial challenge - such as loss of a job. Individuals without Prescription Drug Coverage: AstraZeneca provides free medicines to qualifying individuals with an annual income at or below $35,000 and families of four with an annual household income at or below $70,000. Certain specialty and oncology medicines are provided free to qualifying individuals with an annual household income up to $100,000 regardless of family size. AstraZeneca provides free medicines to qualifying individuals with an annual income at or below $35,000 and families of four with an annual household income at or below $70,000. Certain specialty and oncology medicines are provided free to qualifying individuals with an annual household income up to $100,000 regardless of family size. Part D Beneficiaries: AstraZeneca provides free medicines to qualifying Medicare Part D beneficiaries with an annual income at or below $3,000 and couples with an annual household income at or below $48,000. AstraZeneca provides free medicines to qualifying Medicare Part D beneficiaries with an annual income at or below $3,000 and couples with an annual household income at or below $48,000. Healthcare Facilities: AstraZeneca provides free medicines to qualifying non-profit organizations, such as disproportionate share hospitals, community health centers and community free clinics. This program helps provide medicines to qualifying patients at the time and place of treatment. other organizations with the same goal-increasing access to medicines as well as healthcare. NOTES TO EDITORS About AstraZeneca AstraZeneca is a global, innovation-driven biopharmaceutical business that focuses on the discovery, development and commercialization of prescription medicines, primarily for the treatment of diseases in three main therapy areas - respiratory, inflammation, autoimmune disease (RIA), cardiovascular and metabolic disease (CVMD) and oncology - as well as in infection and neuroscience. AstraZeneca operates in over 100 countries and its innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide. For more information please www.astrazeneca-us.com. For more information about AstraZeneca in the United States, or our AZ&Me Prescription Savings Programs, please visit www.astrazeneca-us.com or call 1-800-AZandMe (292-6363). AZ&Me is a trademark of the AstraZeneca group of companies. 2015 AstraZeneca. All rights reserved. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160303005819/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 03, 2016] CALIBRE Systems Hosts a Vietnam War 50th Anniversary Commemoration Dinner CALIBRE Systems, Inc. (CALIBRE), a management consulting and information technology solutions company, hosted a Vietnam War 50th Anniversary Dinner to thank and honor veterans and their families for the sacrifices they made during the Vietnam War. CALIBRE became a Vietnam War 50th Anniversary Commemorative Partner in May 2014. Lieutenant General Joe DeFrancisco (Ret) spoke at the dinner. General DeFrancisco served 34 years in the Army culminating his career in uniform as Deputy Commander in Chief and Chief of Staff of United States Pacific Command. He also commanded the 24th (later 3rd) Infantry Division and the 7th Infantry Division Artillery and was operations officer for Combined, Joint and Army Forces in Korea. General DeFrancisco served three tours of combat, two in Vietnam and one in Panama during Operation Just Cause. He taught on the faculty at West Point and served four years in the Pentagon, first as Chief of Army War Plans and later as Executive Officer to the Secretary of the Army. General DeFrancisco currently serves as a Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army. "As we observe the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War, we honor our Vietnam Vterans," said LTG (Ret) Thomas Carney, Chairman of the Board at CALIBRE. "Over 40 percent of CALIBRE employees are Veterans, and of those 6 percent served during the Vietnam War era. CALIBRE is proud of our commitment to veterans and honors those who have sacrificed so much for our nation." As a Commemorative Partner, CALIBRE joins a grateful nation in thanking and honoring our Vietnam veterans and their families for their service, valor, and sacrifice. About the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration In accordance with Public Law 110-181 SEC (News - Alert).598; Congress authorized the Secretary of Defense to conduct a program to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. The Commemorative Partner Program is designed for federal, state, and local communities, veterans' organizations and other non-governmental organizations to assist a grateful nation in thanking and honoring our Vietnam veterans and their families. For more information, please visit www.VietnamWar50th.com. About CALIBRE Alexandria, Virginia-based CALIBRE Systems, Inc. is an employee-owned management consulting and information technology solutions company supporting government and industry. CALIBRE is committed to the success of our clients, and delivers enduring solutions that solve management, technology, and program challenges. For more information about CALIBRE, please visit www.calibresys.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160303005880/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 03, 2016] California Science Center Foundation Announces Route for External Tank's Journey LOS ANGELES, March 3, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today the California Science Center Foundation announced the route for "Mission 26: ET Comes Home," the journey of the external tank (ET-94). It will travel from the Michoud Assembly Facility through the Panama Canal by barge to Los Angeles, then on through city streets, pulled by a truck on dollies, to its final destination near the California Science Center's Samuel Oschin Pavilion. The entire journey will take six to eight weeks. ET-94 is expected to arrive around May 21, 2016. Larger and longer than Endeavour, the ET was the Orbiter's massive "gas tank" and contained the propellants used by the Space Shuttle Main Engines (though ET-94 is empty). The tank, the only major, non-reusable part of the space shuttle, is neither as wide as Endeavour (32 feet versus 78 feet) nor as high (35 feet versus 56 feet). Because of this, fewer utilities will be impacted and no trees will be removed along ET's route from the coast to Exposition Park, though some light trimming may be necessary. The path it will take through the streets was planned with input from city officials, utilities and community groups. The route is as follows Marina Del Rey parking lot to Fiji Way parking lot to Fiji Way Fiji Way to Lincoln (PCH) (PCH) Lincoln to Mindanao Way to Mindanao Way Mindanao Way to CA-90 CA-90 to Culver Blvd Culver Blvd. to Lincoln via transition ramp via transition ramp Lincoln to Loyola Blvd to Loyola Blvd Loyola Blvd. to Westchester Pkwy Westchester Parkway turns into Arbor Vitae St. at Airport Blvd; Arbor Vitae St. to La Brea Ave La Brea Ave. to Manchester Blvd Manchester Blvd. to Vermont Ave Vermont Ave. to Martin Luther King Blvd. Martin Luther King Blvd. to Exposition Park. The journey through the streets to the Science Center is expected to take 13-18 hours. "With the transfer of ET-94 from NASA, we will have the ability to preserve and display an entire stack of flight hardware, making the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center an even more compelling educational experience. With the same outpouring of community support we saw with the arrival of Endeavour, we look forward to celebrating this gift from NASA as it journeys from the coast through city streets to the California Science Center," notes California Science Center President Jeffrey N. Rudolph. "We are honored that NASA ha entrusted the California Science Center and the City of Los Angeles with this incredible piece of history," said Mayor Eric Garcetti. "As the world's last surviving flight-qualified space shuttle external tank journeys from the coast to its final home, it will inspire a new generation of Angelenos who can dream the kind of dreams that make it possible for us to continue leading the world in innovation." Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts notes that "Inglewood is pleased to share another historic moment with the California Science Center in the transport of ET-94. Nearly 1.5 million people came out to cheer Endeavour years ago bringing joy to everyone, young and old. The event celebrated our sense of wonderment and community pride. Inglewood once again welcomes the ET to its home at the Science Center" Mrs. Lynda Oschin, Chairperson and Secretary of the Mr. and Mrs. Oschin Family Foundation, adds "I'm so excited about this new addition to the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center and look forward to joining the enthusiastic crowds as it makes it's way to the California Science Center." The donation of this never-used artifact from NASA is significant, and allows the Science Center to fulfill its vision of building a full stack for Space Shuttle Endeavour's final display in the launch position in the future Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center. This will mark the only time an ET has traveled through urban streets and will evoke memories of when Endeavour traveled 12-miles from the Los Angeles International Airport to the Science Center and was cheered on by a crowd of 1.5 million in 2012. Ways the Public Can Support Mission 26: ET Comes Home To follow ET-94's journey from the Michoud Assembly Facility to the California Science Center, use the hashtag #ETComesHome. Volunteer opportunities to help move ET-94 to the California Science Center will be available. Contact the California Science Center volunteer office at (213) 744-2124 or at [email protected] for more information. The California Science Center Foundation welcomes the public's support of the EndeavourLA Campaign to create the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center. Opportunities include sponsoring one of Endeavour's thermal tiles with a gift of $1,000 and monthly payment options are available. For more information or to make a donation online, please visit EndeavourLA.org. ET-94 will also be the star attraction at the Science Center's 18th Annual Discovery Ball on Friday, May 20, 2016 in Marina del Rey. Tables for our first-ever, off-site gala start at $10,000 (Ten people) or $2,500 for a pair of tickets. Contact [email protected] for reservations. About the California Science Center California Science Center is located at 700 Exposition Park Drive, Los Angeles. Open daily from 10am to 5 pm, except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Admission to the exhibits is free. Timed tickets are required for the Space Shuttle Endeavour exhibition and may be obtained online for $2. IMAX Theater tickets range from $5.00 to $8.25. Both the Science Center and IMAX Theater are wheelchair accessible. Visitors can enter the parking lot at 39th/Exposition Park Drive and Figueroa Street. Parking is $12/car. For general information, phone (323) SCIENCE or visit www.californiasciencecenter.org. Media Contacts: Shell Amega | [email protected] (213) 744-7496 Paula Wagner | [email protected] (213) 744-2144 Kristina Kurasz | [email protected] (213) 744-7446 www.californiasciencecenter.org To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/california-science-center-foundation-announces-route-for-external-tanks-journey-300230405.html SOURCE California Science Center Foundation [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 03, 2016] InVivo Therapeutics Announces University of Louisville Hospital as New Site for INSPIRE Study InVivo Therapeutics Holdings Corp. (NVIV) today announced that the University of Louisville (UofL) Hospital in Louisville, KY has been added as a clinical site for The INSPIRE Study: InVivo Study of Probable Benefit of the Neuro-Spinal Scaffold for Safety and Neurologic Recovery in Subjects with Complete Thoracic AIS A Spinal Cord Injury. The University of Louisville is both a clinical site and the Data Management Center for the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation's North American Clinical Trials Network for the Treatment of Spinal Cord Injury (NACTN), which is the nation's largest research network for spinal cord injury. UofL Hospital (a part of KentuckyOne Health) is the Louisville metro area's only Level I Trauma Center. "I can appreciate the enormous unmet medical need presented by spinal cord injury, from both my experience as a practicing neurosurgeon and as a pharmacoeconomics researcher. I look forward to participating in this exciting study," said Maxwell Boakye, M.D., M.P.H, Chief of Spinal Neurosurgery and Clinical Director of the Kentucky Spinal Cord Injury Center, associate professor of neurological surgery and holder of the Ole A., Mabel Wise & Wilma Wise Nelson Endowed Research Chair at UofL, and the site Principal Investigator. Mark Perrin, InVivo's CEO and Chairman, said, "We welcome UofL Hospital, our first NACTN site, to The INSPIRE Study. The hospital's large catchment area and Dr. Boakye's extensive expertise with leading spinal cord injury trials as part of NACTN will prove to be invaluable as we continue enrollment." There are now 17 clinical sites participating in the clinical study: Banner University Medical Center, Tucson, AZ Barnes-Jewish Hospital at Washington University Medical Center, St. Louis, MO Barrow Neurological Institute - St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ Carolina Neurosurgery and Spine Associates/Carolinas Rehabilitation, Charlotte, NC Cooper Neurological Institute, Camden, NJ Goodman Campbell Brain and Spine /Indiana University (News - Alert) Health Neuroscience Center, Indianapolis, IN Keck Hospital of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA Medical College of Wisconsin/Froedtert Hospital, Milwaukee, WI Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, NY Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ Uniersity of California/Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA (News - Alert) University of California/San Diego Medical Center, San Diego, CA University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS University of Louisville Hospital, Louisville, KY University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Presbyterian, Pittsburgh, PA Vidant Medical Center, Greenville, NC http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/study/NCT02138110 About the Neuro-Spinal Scaffold Implant Following acute spinal cord injury, surgical implantation of the biodegradable Neuro-Spinal Scaffold within the decompressed and debrided injury epicenter is intended to support appositional healing, thereby reducing post-traumatic cavity formation, sparing white matter, and allowing neural regeneration across the healed wound epicenter. The Neuro-Spinal Scaffold, an investigational device, has received a Humanitarian Use Device (HUD) designation and currently is being evaluated in the INSPIRE pivotal probable benefit study for the treatment of patients with complete (AIS A) traumatic acute spinal cord injury. About InVivo Therapeutics InVivo Therapeutics Holdings Corp. is a research and clinical-stage biomaterials and biotechnology company with a focus on treatment of spinal cord injuries. The company was founded in 2005 with proprietary technology co-invented by Robert Langer, Sc.D., Professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Joseph P. Vacanti, M.D., who then was at Boston Children's Hospital and who now is affiliated with Massachusetts General Hospital. In 2011, the company earned the David S. Apple (News - Alert) Award from the American Spinal Injury Association for its outstanding contribution to spinal cord injury medicine. In 2015, the company's investigational Neuro-Spinal Scaffold received the 2015 Becker's Healthcare Spine Device Award. The publicly-traded company is headquartered in Cambridge, MA. For more details, visit www.invivotherapeutics.com. Safe Harbor Statement Any statements contained in this press release that do not describe historical facts may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. These statements can be identified by words such as "believe," "anticipate," "intend," "estimate," "will," "may," "should," "expect," "designed to," "potentially," and similar expressions, and include statements regarding the safety and effectiveness of the Neuro-Spinal Scaffold and expected further enrollment in The INSPIRE Study. Any forward-looking statements contained herein are based on current expectations, and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause actual future results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties relating to the company's ability to successfully open additional clinical sites for enrollment and to enroll additional patients; the timing of the Institutional Review Board process; the company's ability to commercialize its products; the company's ability to develop, market and sell products based on its technology; the expected benefits and efficacy of the company's products and technology in connection with the treatment of spinal cord injuries; the availability of substantial additional funding for the company to continue its operations and to conduct research and development, clinical studies and future product commercialization; and other risks associated with the company's business, research, product development, regulatory approval, marketing and distribution plans and strategies identified and described in more detail in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, and its other filings with the SEC (News - Alert), including the company's Form 10-Qs and current reports on Form 8-K. The company does not undertake to update these forward-looking statements. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160303005420/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 02, 2016] Digital TV Middle East and North Africa Forecasts LONDON, March 2, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Legitimate pay TV operators in the Middle East and North Africa are increasingly relying on exclusive content rights to gain subscribers, according to a new report from Digital TV Research. This is especially true for satellite TV platforms such as beIN and OSN. Dipping into the deep pockets of its owners, beIN in particular has been successful in building its subscriber base in a short period of time. Simon Murray, author of the fifth edition of the Digital TV Middle East & North Africa Forecasts report, said: "Gaining subscribers in the MENA is no mean feat as piracy remains rampant in most countries. More than half of the region's homes receive free-to-air satellite TV signals. Furthermore, established pay TV operators now have to compete against new platforms as several IPTV operators put greater emphasis on SVOD than on traditional linear channel packages." Despite these hurdles, the number of pay TV homes across the 20 countries covered in the report will double between 2010 and 2021 to 20.9 million, with Turkey accounting for 37% of the 2021 total. From the 5.40 million pay TV homes to be added between 2015 and 2021, 1.98 million will come from Turkey, 0.63 million from Uzbekistan and 0.59 million from Egypt. About a fifth TV households legitimately paid for TV signalsby end-2015. This proportion will climb to 24.2% by 2021. Qatar will record 80% pay TV penetration by 2021, with Georgia (69%), Israel (68%) and the UAE (62%) also high. However, pay TV penetration will be below 10% of TV households in Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Syria and Tunisia. Legitimate pay TV revenues will climb by 82% between 2010 and 2021 to $5.02 billion . However, growth will only be 25% between 2015 and 2021. Turkey and Israel are expected to contribute 45% of the region's pay TV revenues in 2021; down from 52% in 2015 and 63% in 2010. From the $1,028 million pay TV revenues to be added between 2015 and 2021, Turkey will supply $206 million , the UAE $141 million and Saudi Arabia $194 million . Revenues in Israel will fall sightly over this period due to greater competition and the conversion of subscribers to bundles (which means lower TV revenues per subscriber). Published in January 2016 , this 215-page electronically-delivered report comes in two parts: - A 125-page PDF file providing punchy narrative and succinct analysis in the Executive Summary and a digital TV briefing for each of the 25 countries listed below. - Chapter on the main pay TV operators. - An excel workbook providing detailed forecasts from 2010 to 2021 for each of the 20 countries listed below as well as handy comparative tables for the region (please see next page for line-by-line detail of what is included in the forecasts for each country). Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/3090920/ About Reportbuyer Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers http://www.reportbuyer.com For more information: Sarah Smith Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com Email: [email protected] Tel: +44 208 816 85 48 Website: www.reportbuyer.com To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/digital-tv-middle-east-and-north-africa-forecasts-300230012.html SOURCE ReportBuyer [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 03, 2016] Adcash Unveils Video Ad Platform LONDON, March 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- ADCASH announced that the latest addition to their product lineup is now available to all customers, new and existing. Adcash Video Ads integrates seamlessly with their existing Self-Service advertiser platform, making it incredibly easy to launch a video ad campaign and reach audiences in-stream, with in-app video ads just around the corner. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151104/283761LOGO ) Video Advertising has seen tremendous growth in recent years, with 204.2 million digital video viewers and the U.S. alone last year and there are many indications that growth will continue . Guillaume Fevrier, Head of Ad Operations at Adcash said: "We built Adcash Video Ads because we recognised that this area of the online advertising industry has awesome potential for our customers. We're incredibly excited to be taking our first step in this new frontier of online marketing." The technology behind the Adcash Video Ads platform leverages a lot of the algorithms and ad optimisation systems already in use on their existing products, like in-app and display advertising. It also uses the IAB standard VAST tag, making it compatible with advertisers' existing video advertising campaigns, right out of the box. By combining the convenience of Self-Service, the reach of the Adcash network, in Europe and the rest of the world, and the power to engage audiences with video advertising, Adcash Video Ads promises to be a milestone development for the company. Contact: Liis Ristal E-mail: [email protected] Tel: +(372)-634-6008 SOURCE adcash.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 03, 2016] Digital Skills Help Narrow the Workplace Gender Gap, Accenture Research Finds TORONTO, March 3, 2016 /CNW/ - Digitally savvy women are helping to close the gender gap in the workplace. And digital fluency, the extent to which people embrace and use digital technologies to become more knowledgeable, connected and effective, plays a key role in helping women achieve gender equality and level the playing field. A new research report from Accenture (NYSE:ACN), Getting to Equal: How Digital is Helping Close the Gender Gap at Work, provides empirical proof that women are using digital skills to gain an edge in preparing for work, finding work and advancing at work. While women still lag behind men in digital fluency in all but a handful of countries, improving their digital skills can change the picture. If governments and businesses can double the pace at which women become digitally fluent, gender equality could be achieved in 25 years in developed nations, versus 50 years at the current pace. Gender equality in the workplace could be achieved in 45 years in developing nations, versus 85 years at the current pace. "Women represent an untapped talent pool that can help fill the gap between the skills needed to stay competitive and the talent available," said Pierre Nanterme, Accenture's chairman and chief executive officer. "There is a clear opportunity for governments and businesses to collaborate on efforts that will empower more women with digital skills and accelerate gender equality in the workforce." Although digital fluency helps women advance in their careers, its impact has not closed the gender gap among executives -- or extended to pay equality. Men are still, by far, the dominant earners by household for all three generations. This will change as more millennial women and digital natives move into management. The research found that, in Canada, 34 percent of millennial and gen X women surveyed aspire to be in leadership positions. In Canada, 15 percent more women report using digital to prepare for and find work than men (81 percent and 66 percent, respectively). Yet, the research found that overall, when women and men have the same level of digital proficiency, women are better at leveraging it to find work. 35 percent of all survey respondents men and women combinedagreed that digital enables them to work from home and 42 percent said it provides a better balance between personal and professional lives. The same percentage (42 percent) report digital has increased access to job opportunities. Digital fluency among women in Canada is strong, ranking fifth among all countries surveyed, according to the research model. Canadian women did better than their male counterparts in using digital to secure and improve educational opportunities, but are behind when it comes to career advancement one of the largest gaps between men and women across the report. "There are many ways to narrow the gender gap in the workplace, but digital is a particularly powerful avenue," said Bill Morris, President and Senior Managing Director at Accenture in Canada. "Although gender equality will not happen overnight, investments made in building women's digital skills through education, training and on-the-job learning will help speed their progress at every career stage." Methodology To identify and better understand the role of digital fluency in workforce gender equality, the Accenture Digital Fluency Model was developed. A survey was conducted in December 2015 and January 2016 of more than 4,900 women and men in 31 countries to assess the extent to which people are using digital technologies in their personal and home life, as well as in their education and work. The sample included equal representation of working men and women, representing three generations (millennials, Gen X and Baby Boomers) across all workforce levels at companies of varying size. The margin of error for the total sample was approximately +/- 1.4 percent. Digital technologies include virtual coursework, digital collaboration tools (webcams, instant messaging), social media platforms and use of digital devices, such as smart phones. Survey responses were combined with published reports and publicly available information on education, employment and leadership and research from the World Bank, the OECD, World Economic Forum and the ITU World Telecommunication. Countries included in the Model are Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Greater China (includes Hong Kong and Taiwan), India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, the Nordics (Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden), Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and United States. About Accenture Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries and all business functions underpinned by the world's largest delivery network Accenture works at the intersection of business and technology to help clients improve their performance and create sustainable value for their stakeholders. With approximately 373,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture drives innovation to improve the way the world works and lives. Visit us at www.accenture.com. SOURCE Accenture [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 03, 2016] iDirect Integrates Sevis 2G/3G Optimization Solution with New EC Series of Satellite Remotes HERNDON, Va., March 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- VT iDirect, Inc. (iDirect), a company of Vision Technologies Systems, Inc. (VT Systems), today announced Sevis' 2G/3G Intelligent Backhaul Optimization as a supported application to run on the iDirect embedded computing (EC) series of satellite remotes. This solution enables satellite service providers to cost-effectively optimize 2G/3G IP voice and packet service traffic to rural or isolated locations using an integrated, single-box solution. iDirect is a world leader in satellite-based IP communications technology. The Sevis cellular backhaul solution optimizes 2G and 3G IP traffic from any mobile infrastructure vendor, enabling mobile operators to cost-effectively connect remote and rural cellular locations. Sevis' Intelligent Backhaul Optimization suite of applications is designed to make the most efficient use of satellite bandwidth and can deliver savings of 35% to 50% on 2G networks, and 10% to 30% on 3G networks, depending on traffic. The iDirect EC series of satellite remotes delivers enhanced functionality to run such approved software applications to deliver market-specific solutions from a single box. For mobile operators, the Sevis software is easy to deploy as the system automatically self-configures based on wireless vendor and traffic. Operating in bridged mode helps operators easily extend services across the network and aligns with the iDirect Layer 2 over Satellite (L2oS) solution. The solution delivers efficiency improvements through advanced header compression and packet aggregation capabilities, while its open SNMP management enables integration with an operator's existing network management system. "As mobile operators around the globe look to expand the network into rural and remote locations, they rely on Sevis to help deliver such services in the most affordable and effiient manner possible. By combining our 2G/3G Optimization solution with iDirect's new series of Embedded Computing remotes, we provide an integrated solution that reduces the cost of installation and operation. This in turn helps with our customers' mission to increase revenue, improve the user experience and launch new services," says Tim Peyla, Vice President of Business Development, Sevis Systems. "Cellular backhaul continues to be a market of high growth for iDirect customers, as satellite technology helps mobile operators expand their coverage area and increase subscribers easily and more cost effectively. Our new series of iDirect Embedded Computing satellite remotes increases value for our customers in this market, delivering market-leading applications like the Sevis 2G/3G Optimization solution into a single rack-mounted form factor for seamless delivery of services," says David Harrower, Vice President of Business Development, iDirect. VT iDirect, a subsidiary of VT Systems, is a global leader in IP-based satellite communications providing technology and solutions that enable our partners worldwide to optimize their networks, differentiate their services and profitably expand their businesses. For more than 20 years, the VT iDirect organization has focused on meeting the economic and technology challenges across the satellite industry. Today, the product portfolio, branded under the name iDirect, sets new standards in performance and efficiency, making it possible to deliver voice, video and data connectivity anywhere in the world. VT iDirect is the world's largest TDMA enterprise VSAT manufacturer and is the leader in key industries including mobility, military/government and cellular backhaul. In 2007, iDirect Government was formed to better serve the U.S. government and defense communities. For more information please visit www.idirect.net. VT Systems is an engineering company providing integrated solutions to the commercial and government markets in the aerospace, electronics, land systems and marine sectors. VT Systems' innovative solutions, products and services include aircraft maintenance, repair and modification; software solutions in training and simulation; satellite-based IP communications technology; network solutions that integrate data, voice and video; rugged computers and computer peripheral equipment; specialized truck bodies and trailers; weapons and munitions systems; road construction equipment; and ship design and shipbuilding. Headquartered in Alexandria, Va., VT Systems operates globally and is a wholly owned subsidiary of ST Engineering. Please visit www.vt-systems.com. Sevis Systems: Sevis Systems' best-in-class products offer innovative solutions for mobile network operators worldwide. Sevis Systems bridges the gap between transport solutions, mobile domain expertise and deep packet inspection capabilities; offering best-in-industry support with unprecedented warranties and post product deployment services. Many of the world's largest mobile operators rely on Sevis products to enable new services and increase operational efficiencies within their networks. Sevis products are sold worldwide via a network of OEM and distribution partners. Founded in 1999, Sevis is a privately held corporation based in Lewisville, Texas USA. Remote offices are located in Argentina and Singapore. For additional information about Sevis, please visit http://www.sevis.com/ Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20080912/NEF020LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/idirect-integrates-sevis-2g3g-optimization-solution-with-new-ec-series-of-satellite-remotes-300230019.html SOURCE iDirect [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 03, 2016] Brandwatch Cited as a Leader by Independent Research Firm in "Enterprise Social Listening Platforms, Q1 2016" Report NEW YORK, March 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Brandwatch, one of the world's leading social intelligence firms, announced today it had been cited as a Leader in "The Forrester Wave: Enterprise Social Listening Platforms, Q1 2016", a report released on March 2, 2016 by independent research firm Forrester Research, Inc. Brandwatch was one of only two companies to be cited as a Leader in both this Wave and in the APAC Wave. According to Forrester, social listening platforms now inform the entire enterprise, with the report stating that, "As the landscape of social technology develops, social listening platforms prove their value beyond simple brand monitoring by doubling down on analytics and surfacing insights that can be used across the enterprise." "We're proud to be recognized as a Leader in the 2016 report," said Giles Palmer, Brandwatch's CEO. "Unlocking the value of social intelligence is important for our customers, and our customers are the top priority at Brandwatch. The Forrester report notes, 'Customer references expressed Brandwatch's commitment to being a strategic partner' because that is precisely what we are striving to do. We want to help our customers glean the most relevant and actionable insights from social data to make smarter business decisions every day." Further substantiating Brandwatch's stated commitment to helping customers draw a direct line between social and dollars, the report noted, "Brandwatch understands the need to clarify social listening's business value and works to disseminate social insights across organizations in a cohesive and comprehensive way. It exhibits a strong focus on data visualization with its Vizia product, supporting enterprise social intelligence through easy-to-understand dashboards and an intuitive distribution process." Brandwatch's recognition as a Leader follows a milestone year for the company in which it was named the number one social media monitoring platform for customer satisfaction by The G2 Crowd Grid? for Spring 2016, where Brandwatch rceived the highest customer satisfaction score. The company also launched several new products, including automated intelligence reporting system Signals and insight-sharing tool Insights Central, and has topped 350 employees worldwide with targeted growth in the LATAM and APAC regions, including the opening of an office in Singapore. Audiences Better understanding audiences on social platforms from brand advocates to prospective customers is vital across the enterprise, especially for customer service, community management, product development and of course marketing. According to the Forrester report, "Social listening tools enable you to parse out influencers and audiences that matter most to cut through the noise, bubble up insights, and take action across the enterprise." At last week's Social Media Week New York conference, the company showcased a preview of Brandwatch Audiences, a sophisticated new audience analytics product powered by the largest independent influencer database of its kind. Audiences allows marketers to instantly surface insights that help them plan highly targeted campaigns and discover real-time marketing opportunities specific to their target customer segments. Users can build custom audiences from scratch, discover the influencers within them, and study the content they are sharing in seconds. Now You Know Conference 2016 will also see Brandwatch launch its inaugural user conference, the Now You Know Conference, on May 9-11 in Chicago. Hundreds of professionals from some of the world's largest brands and agencies will engage in hands-on masterclass workshops, hear from social industry experts during keynote talks, and preview new products and features in Brandwatch's social listening and analytics platforms. For more information about Brandwatch or to request a demo, please visit Brandwatch.com/demo. The Forrester Wave: Asia Pacific Enterprise Social Listening Platforms, Q1 2016 About Brandwatch Brandwatch is the world's leading social intelligence company. Brandwatch's Analytics and Vizia product offerings fuel smarter decision making around the world. The Brandwatch Analytics platform gathers millions of online conversations every day and provides users with the tools to analyze them, empowering the world's most admired brands and agencies to make insightful, data-driven business decisions. Vizia distributes visually-engaging insights to the physical places where the action happens. The Brandwatch platform, ranked highest in customer satisfaction by G2Crowd in the Winter 2016 social media monitoring report, is used by over 1,200 brands and agencies, including Cisco, Whirlpool, British Airways, Sony Music, and Dell. Brandwatch continues on its impressive business trajectory, with more than 50 percent of revenues now from North America. Brandwatch. Now You Know. www.brandwatch.com | @Brandwatch | press office | contact Contact: Dinah Alobeid 917.846.2381 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130207/NY56159LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/brandwatch-cited-as-a-leader-by-independent-research-firm-in-enterprise-social-listening-platforms-q1-2016-report-300229980.html SOURCE Brandwatch [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] : , ; [March 03, 2016] One of the Top US Cancer Centers Adopts MIM Software as Radiation Therapy Solution CLEVELAND, March 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- MIM Software Inc., a leading global provider of medical imaging software, has recently collaborated with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), nationally recognized by the National Cancer Institute and ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the top hospitals for cancer care in the country. MSK will be using MIM Software's radiation oncology solution as a software source for handling dose accumulation, contour creation, image fusions and deformable registrations as well as a host of other clinical and research work. The software will be deployed at the main campus in Manhattan, along with all outpatient facilities that extend from Manhattan through the New York suburbs as well as New Jersey and Long Island. "In the ever increasing world of complex treatments for cancer, we are always looking to enhance our clinical workflow and adance the research we do," says Sandra Fontenla, Senior Physicist-Clinical Coordinator for External Beam at MSK. "Radiation Therapy has become increasingly reliant on imaging for the safe and accurate treatment of cancer," Fontenla continues. "Our goal is to accomplish faster and more precise image registrations to enable physicians to identify tumors more quickly and accurately." "Our mission at MIM Software has always been to enhance patient care and make an impact on cancer treatment," says Andrew Nelson, Chief Executive Officer of MIM Software. "We are privileged to work with one of the best cancer centers in the country and we look forward to a long-term relationship with MSK as they continue to make strides in cancer treatment and research." About MIM Software Inc. MIM Software Inc. provides practical imaging solutions in the fields of radiation oncology, radiology, nuclear medicine, neuroimaging and cardiac imaging. MIM offers solutions for PC and Mac workstations, mobile iOS and cloud-based platforms. MIM is a privately held company that sells its products globally to imaging centers, hospitals, specialty clinics, research organizations and pharmaceutical companies. For more information, please visit www.mimsoftware.com. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/one-of-the-top-us-cancer-centers-adopts-mim-software-as-radiation-therapy-solution-300230350.html SOURCE MIM Software Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 03, 2016] Betafence Accelerates International Growth Strategy With Acquisition of Hesco LEEDS, England and GHENT, Belgium, March 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Betafence, the global perimeter security specialist, announces the acquisition of Hesco, a leader and innovator in the design and manufacture of rapidly deployable barrier systems. This acquisition underpins an acceleration of Betafence's high security growth strategy, building on the recent acquisition of SecureUSA and the intellectual property rights agreement with Gibraltar US. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160223/336321 ) (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160223/336322 ) Hesco is recognized internationally as an iconic brand synonymous with force protection; securing assets and protecting people. It specializes in rapidly deployable perimeter protection, safe haven bunkers and ballistic resistant body armor for the defense, energy and law enforcement sectors, supplying customers including the U.S. Army, United Arab Emirates Land Forces, United Nations and U.K. Ministry of Defense. Hesco will enhance the Betafence product portfolio, strengthen its integrated solutions approach and expand its global footprint, specifically in the US and the Middle East. Hesco has been an established partner of Betafence for a number of years and, following this transaction, will operate as a stand-alone subsidiary of Betafence, led by Michael Hughes. By integrating its perimeter security products with industry-leading technologies and project management services, Betafence delivers turnkey total perimeter solutions for critical infrastructure, protecting assets and operations. These solutions are designed to meet the demanding requirements of customer across the globe such as Aramco, Statoil, Pepco, Shell, NATO, NASA, US Department of Homeland Security, US Department of Defense and borders such as the frontier between the US and Mexico. Michele Volpi, CEO of Betafence Group, commented: "We are delighted to acquire such a renowned business as Hesco. Today's deal underpins Betafence's accelerated international growth strategy to provide global protection solutions to secure assets and protect people. Hesco has an excellent track record with international customers in the Defense, Oil & Gas and Energy sectors, particularly in the US and the Middle East. "Both Betafence and Hesco are dynamic players in a market facing a growing global need for comprehensive security solutions for critical assets. There is a significant opportunity for Betafence to address this demand and strengthen our position across the global High Security market, both organically and through further acquisitions." Michael Hughes, Hesco Group Chief Executive, said: "This is an exciting opportunity for Hesco. Our partnership with Betafence will enable us to accelerate Hesco's development and we will immediately add significant value to Betafence's provision of solutions for high security perimeter protection around the world. There are numerous opportunities for collaboration in our key markets and we believe that being part of the Betafence Group will help ensure continued future success for our employees, customers and suppliers." This transaction is subject to regulatory approval. Please visit http://www.betafencehesco.com, for further information about the transaction. About Betafence Betafence (http://www.betafence.com) is a world market leader of integrated perimeter security systems and solutions. Betafence protects critical infrastructure & sensitive sites in the public and industrial sectors as well as in the residential market. With over 130 years' experience, Betafence sets standards of excellence in its industry and is recognised as leader in perimeter systems, service and integration. Betafence has a strong brand heritage with companies including SecureUSA and products like TerraBlock, Blastguard, Securifor, Guardian, Bekasecure and Nylofor. CVC Capital Partners owns a majority stake in Betafence. The company currently employs 1400 people with 9 production sites and a network of sales offices throughout the world. Headquarters are located in Belgium. About Hesco Group Hesco (http://www.hesco.com) is a world leader and innovator in defense, perimeter protection and security systems, including defensive barriers, flood barriers, rapid deployment systems, safe haven bunkers and ballistic resistant body armor. Founded in 1991 by the late Jimi Heselden OBE, Hesco engineers products across the world that inspire confidence for multiple uses in military, security and environmental applications. Hesco is synonymous with force protection and is recognized across its industry for its commitment to saving lives, property and the environment, whenever and wherever it is needed. Hesco currently employs over 150 people around the world, with over 500,000 sq ft across its operations in the UK and the US and further storage facilities in the Dubai Free Trade Zone. SOURCE Betafence & Hesco [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 03, 2016] 30th Annual Commercial Aviation Industry Suppliers Conference, Presented by Penton's SpeedNews, Comes to Los Angeles March 7-9, 2016 LOS ANGELES, March 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Commercial aviation industry suppliers will gather in Beverly Hills on March 7-9, 2016 for the 30th Annual Commercial Aviation Industry Suppliers Conference, an event presented by Penton's SpeedNews. To register for the event, visit http://speednews.com/commercial-aviation-industry-suppliers-conference. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160302/339618LOGO Held in conjunction with the SpeedNews 6th Annual Aerospace Raw Materials & Manufacturers Supply Chain Conference, this Conference brings together aircraft and engine manufacturers, financial analysts, and marketing, MRO and operations experts. The event includes the presentation of the Second Annual Gilbert W. Speed Award, recognizing an individual who demonstrates outstanding leadership and collaboration across the global aerospace & defense supply chain. Speakers include representatives from: Airbus Alderman & Company AVITAS Bank of America Merrill Lynch Global Research Boeing Commercial Airplanes Bombardier Commercial Aircraft Canaccord Genuity CFM International CIT CSP Associates DVB Bank Embraer ESG Aviation Services Fortune Aviation Services GE Aviation ICF International Jet Information Services Lazard Libety Hall Capital Partners MF Aviation Consulting Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation America Pratt & Whitney Raymond Valeika Consultants Rolls-Royce Teal Group TransDigm Group TriMas Aerospace Universal Asset Management Walsh Aviation Sponsors include Accurus Aerospace, Moss Adams, Valence Surface Technologies, Verify, CIRCOR Aerospace & Defense, TriMas Aerospace, Nycote Laboratories, Engine Lease Finance, PCC Aerostructures, Eastman Aviation Solutions, Exostar, CFM International, Monroe Union County Economic Development, Alabama, and CIT. Information on registration, promotional and advertising opportunities is available at http://speednews.com/commercial-aviation-industry-suppliers-conference or by calling +1-424-465-6501. On Twitter, follow @speednewsconf. For information about all SpeedNews events, visit http://speednews.com/all/conference. ABOUT PENTON'S AVIATION WEEK NETWORK Penton's Aviation Week Network is the largest multimedia information and services provider for the global aviation, aerospace and defense industries that has a database of 1.2 million professionals around the world. Industry professionals rely on Aviation Week for analysis, marketing and intelligence. Customers include the world's leading manufacturers, suppliers, airlines, business aviation operators, militaries, governments and other organizations that serve this global market. The product portfolio includes Aviation Week & Space Technology, AC-U-KWIK, Aircraft Blue Book, Airportdata.com, Air Charter Guide, Air Transport World, AviationWeek.com, Aviation Week Intelligence Network, Business & Commercial Aviation, ShowNews, SpeedNews, Fleet and MRO forecasts, global maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) tradeshows and aerospace & defense conferences. ABOUT PENTON Penton is an innovative information services company that empowers nearly 20 million business decision makers in markets that drive more than 12 trillion dollars in purchases each year. Our products inform with rich industry insights and workflow tools; engage through dynamic events, education and networking; and advance business with powerful marketing services programs. Penton is the way smart businesses buy, sell and grow. Headquartered in New York, Penton is privately owned by MidOcean Partners and Wasserstein & Co., LP. For more information, visit http://www.penton.com or follow us on Twitter @PentonNow. MEDIA CONTACT: Joanna Speed SpeedNews +1-424-465-6501 [email protected] @speednewsconf Facebook.com/SpeedNews linkedin.com/company/speednews To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/30th-annual-commercial-aviation-industry-suppliers-conference-presented-by-pentons-speednews-comes-to-los-angeles-march-7-9-2016-300230321.html SOURCE Penton [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 03, 2016] General Dynamics NASSCO Awarded $157 Million for USS Essex Phased Maintenance Availability SAN DIEGO, March 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- General Dynamics NASSCO has been awarded a $156.5 million contract for a phased maintenance availability (PMA) aboard the USS Essex (LHD-2). General Dynamics NASSCO is a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD). The PMA will include the planning and execution of depot-level maintenance, alterations and modifications that will update and improve the ship's military and technical capabilities. Work will be performed in San Diego and is expected to be completed by June 2017. The contract is an add-on to a previously awarded cost-plus-award-fee contract. Moe information about General Dynamics NASSCO can be found at www.nassco.com. More information about General Dynamics is available at www.generaldynamics.com. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140428/81320 To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/general-dynamics-nassco-awarded-157-million-for-uss-essex-phased-maintenance-availability-300230352.html SOURCE General Dynamics NASSCO [March 03, 2016] Less than Half of Family Caregivers Have a Care Plan in Place for their Loved Ones NAPLES, Fla., March 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- According to AgingCare.com's 2016 Care Plan Survey, 51% of caregivers report having no care plan to help them manage their responsibilities. Of those who had a plan in place, nearly 41% reported having no assistance from family members, friends, elder care professionals, or services such as in-home or adult day care to execute it. Furthermore, an overwhelming majority (75.25%) of caregivers reported that they felt their care plans could be improved. With approximately 34.2 million Americans providing unpaid care for aging loved ones1, it is crucial to spread awareness of valuable tools and techniques that family caregivers can implement themselves. In light of family caregivers' lack of formal organization, AgingCare.com has created a customizable Care Plan Guide that will help them better manage their countless duties. "This detailed template will enable family members to take inventory of their loved ones' needs and preferences so that nothing is overlooked," said Ashley Huntsberry-Lett, Editor in Chief of AgingCare.com. "There are so many factors to account for that new and veteran caregivers alike can benefit from using this guide to enhance their current care strategy." The Care Plan Guide includes advice for discussing future plan with a loved one, ideas for who to include on a care team, a home safety checklist, a health care assessment, and an inventory list to assist caregivers with keeping track of medical, legal, and financial documents. "Existing carers should realize that without a plan their day has no structure," said Jude, an AgingCare.com member and the sole caregiver for her mother with dementia. It is also vital for primary caregivers and their team members to realize that a loved one's level of care and ability can change very quickly. The earlier a family gets organized, the better prepared they will be for the future. Family caregivers often feel that the responsibility for their loved one's care should fall solely on their shoulders. While such selfless dedication is admirable, this approach to caregiving can quickly lead to exhaustion, anxiety and burnout. Sound guidance, moral support and an extra set of hands to pitch in from time to time are essential for a caregiver's physical and emotional wellbeing and, by extension, their care recipient's welfare. Having a sustainable plan in place helps to ensure the entire family is informed, happy and healthy. About AgingCare.com AgingCare.com is the leading resource for family caregivers who are seeking trusted information, one-on-one support, and practical answers to real-life questions. Our mission is to help families plan for and navigate the care of an aging parent, spouse, or other loved one. AgingCare.com also assists families in finding home care services and senior living arrangements. This service is provided free of charge. 1 According to the National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC) and the AARP Public Policy Institute's Caregiving in the U.S. 2015 report. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/less-than-half-of-family-caregivers-have-a-care-plan-in-place-for-their-loved-ones-300230557.html SOURCE AgingCare.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Volunteer walks in honor of her husband Thousand Oaks resident Joan Hull will be among those participating in this years Conejo Valley Walk to End Alzheimers at 9 a.m. Sat., Oct. 22 at the Westlake Promenade. Hull... Overpass could get protective fencing A substantial safety upgrade for the areas most notorious overpass is finally getting some Caltrans considerationbut dont expect changes any time soon. At the Sept. 21 Moorpark City Council meeting,... Early detection is the best way to survive breast cancer Every October, we celebrate those men and women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. But what is breast cancer and how can it be diagnosed and managed? There are... musings on the mainstream "press corps" and the american discourse Country Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Canada Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cuba, Republic of Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Dominican Republic Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Haiti, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Jamaica Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Mexico, United Mexican States Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu US Virgin Islands Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland United States Minor Outlying Islands United States of America Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Thank you for reading! To read this article and more, subscribe now for as little as $1.99. Rule #1: You can never ask too many questions. LOOKING TOWARD THE FUTURE SAN FRANCISCO Microsoft's president came out strongly in favor of Apple at the RSA security conference here yesterday (March 1), while the U.S. attorney general questioned Apple's motives in its ongoing fight with the FBI over iPhone encryption. (Image credit: Microsoft President Brad Smith and U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch. Credit: Microsoft/Dept. of Justice) "When it comes to security, there is no technology as important as encryption," Microsoft President and Chief Legal Counsel Brad Smith said during the conference's first keynote address. "Despite the best of intentions, the path to hell starts at the backdoor. We need to make sure that encryption technology remains strong." "I respect [Apple CEO] Tim Cook a great deal, and his views will be decided in court," Attorney General of the United States Loretta Lynch said in a discussion four hours later. But, she added, "Do we let one company decide this for all of us? We don't do that in any other area." MORE: Apple vs. FBI: What's Going On and Why It Matters Apple is refusing a court order to assist the FBI in unlocking an iPhone 5c issued by his employer to Syed Rizwan Farook, who with his wife Tafsheen Malik killed 14 of Farook's co-workers in San Bernardino, California, on Dec. 2, 2015. Microsoft plans to file an amicus brief on Apple's behalf. "This was the most serious terrorist attack on U.S. soil since 9/11," said John Carlin, assistant U.S. attorney general for national security, during a forum yesterday about the Islamic State's use of social media. "The iPhone in this case did automated backups until Oct. 19. For that reason and others, we think there's information relevant to the case on that device." In the rush for evidence following the attack, the FBI reset the password on Farook's iCloud account, ending any chance that the data on the iPhone could be backed up to iCloud. (Apple does not object to turning over iCloud data to investigators.) Farook and Malik destroyed their personal cellphones following the attack, then were killed in a shootout with police, but not before Malik posted a pledge of allegiance to the Islamic State on Facebook. Asked whether the FBI had waited for a case involving terrorism to use against Apple's encryption policy, Carlin denied it. "This wasn't meant to be a test case," Carlin said. "We worked for a long time to see if there was a way we could do this without litigating it. The customer in this case [Farook's employer] has asked for our help. Has the customer asked Apple directly [for help], there would be no issue. Apple would have provided the help." Unbreakable encryption on consumer devices and in commonly available communication software greatly worries the FBI and other law-enforcement agencies, who refer to their new inability to access data and transmissions as "going dark." "Going dark is a very real threat to our law-enforcement mission," Lynch said. "Our obligation to victims and the public is to ensure that we've done everything to investigate terrorist attacks and criminal activity on American soil. Neither our technology companies nor their leaders have any sympathy for terrorists, but recent events have made clear that these stakes are not just theoretical." Asked about Tim Cook's likening of the court order to "cancer for smartphones," Lynch said that she found Cook's assertion "surprising." "We're asking Apple to do what it's done for years," she said. "And we have not had this parade of horribles that Apple is asserting [would happen]." Apple's refusal to cooperate came after a federal judge, who had been asked by the FBI to order Apple to help unlock a drug dealer's iPhone, instead asked Apple in October 2015 whether it had any objections to complying with such orders. The judge's hesitation to invoking the All Writs Act, a 1789 law that gives judges power to compel parties in a case to turn over evidence, led Apple to question whether the application of the act was valid. "Apple had promised to help us in that case," Lynch said. "Their positioning didn't change until the judge's request for their opinion became public. We had asked Apple to do what it's always done, which is to comply with the law." In the opening keynote, Microsoft's Smith poured scorn upon the All Writs Act being applied in technology cases. He held up an antique adding machine dating from around 1911, when the All Writs Act was last amended. "We do not need our courts to define 21st century technology with laws that come from the era of the adding machine," Smith said. "We need to stand up and be vocal. ... As an industry, we have a responsibility to help keep the public safe. That's one of the points that Apple is trying to make." "We cannot keep people safe in the real world if we cannot keep them safe on the Internet," he added. "People will not use technology they do not trust." Smith got a bit of support today (March 2) from an unexpected source U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter. As an aside during a talk about a separate topic, Carter said he would not comment on the Apple case, but added that he was "not a believer in backdoors." "Data security, including encryption, is absolutely essential for us" at the Department of Defense, Carter said. "We're four-square behind strong data security and strong encryption." Robot vacuum buying guide: What you need to know Not sure where to start your search for a robot vacuum? It doesn't matter how little or how much you want to spend, there's a cleaning robot out there for everyone. The Bundeskartellamt, which is the German Federal Cartel Office (FCO), said that its investigating whether Facebook, through its subsidiaries Facebook Inc. USA, and Facebook Germany GmbH, Hamburg, used its dominant social networking position to violate data protection and competition laws in Germany. The FCO said that Facebook may have used unlawful terms and conditions that were imposed on the users in an unfair and abusive way. Andreas Mundt, President of the Federal Cartel Office, said: "Dominant companies are subject to special obligations. These include the use of adequate terms of service as far as these are relevant to the market.""For advertising-financed internet services such as Facebook, user data are hugely important. For this reason it is essential to also examine under the aspect of abuse of market power whether the consumers are sufficiently informed about the type and extent of data collected," he added. The real issue here is that Facebook collects too much data from users and then essentially forces users to accept having all of that data collected if they want to use the service. This may constitute an abuse under the national data protection laws. If the investigation finds a connection between Facebooks market position and this type of infringement, then it could also charge the company with abuses under the competition law. The FCO said that its collaborating with competent data protection officers, consumer protection associations, the European Commission, and the competition authorities of the other EU Member States. Facebook has already been involved in at least three other privacy-related lawsuits in the EU, one in regards to the Safe Harbor agreement, which was deemed invalid by the Court of Justice of the European Union; one that reached the Austrian Supreme Court last fall (both of these filed by Maximilian Schrems); and another one in Belgium, where Facebook was ordered to stop tracking non-users. Things arent going to get that much better for Facebook in the future in the EU, unless it drastically overhauls its privacy policies. The EU has just finalized a stronger data protection regulation; a new directive on cybersecurity, which could also affect big companies who collect too much data, in terms of liability post-data breaches; and the new Privacy Shield agreement, meant to replace the Safe Harbor one (although this one seems to mostly allow the companies to self-certify and only be verified by the U.S. Department of Commerce, which may not apply the toughest standards on American corporations). Lucian Armasu is a Contributing Writer for Tom's Hardware. You can follow him at @lucian_armasu. Follow us on Facebook, Google+, RSS, Twitter and YouTube. triple js annual one-night party in regional Australia is set to return this year with yet another lineup made up of some of the hottest Aussie bands and artists of right now. triple js One Night Stand will be bringing Boy & Bear, Alison Wonderland, Urthboy, plus special guests and an unnamed Unearthed band to a very special location on Saturday, 9th April. We dont yet know just where triple j will be bringing their event this year, so tune in to triple j on Thursday, 10th March when Veronica & Lewis reveal who the lucky town is. Previous years have seen the party head to Mildura (VIC), Dubbo (NSW), Dalby (QLD), Tumby Bay (SA), Alice Springs (NT), Gippsland (VIC), Collie (WA), Cowra (NSW), Port Pirie (SA), Ayr (QLD), and Natimuk (VIC). Come to think of it, the only states or territories One Night Stand hasnt yet visited are Tasmania and the ACT, and Tassie did recently get a brand, spanking new outdoor live music venue. Of course, all will soon be revealed. The whole thing will be broadcast live on triple j with Veronica & Lewis, Alex Dyson, and Zan Rowe bringing you all the performances, interviews, and backstage goings-on. triple js One Night Stand Boy & Bear Alison Wonderland Urthboy Unearthed band Saturday, 9th April 2016 After the organisers of the Stereosonic dance music festival publicly stated they would support introducing pill testing at their event, NSW Premier Mike Baird has gone ahead and put the kibosh on those plans. As Fairfax reports, during a recent appearance on Channel Sevens Sunrise Mr Baird reiterated his and the governments position on pill testing at NSW festivals and argued for abstinence as the safest policy. What they are asking us to do is to allow illegal drugs, he said. Mr Baird argued that allowing pill testing would effectively be condoning drug use (something any reasonable person wouldnt mind if it meant saving lives). Dont do it. That is the best form of safety you can do. Dont take the pills and youll be fine, Mr Baird said, killing any chance of seeing a pill testing trial at a major Australian music festival. As ABC News reports, Stereosonic organisers Totem OneLove claimed in a statement that they would fully support pill testing at their festival provided it went through the right channels and government approvals. In principle pill testing would have our full support as long as all the key stakeholders sanctioned the initiative to ensure its effectiveness, organisers wrote in a statement on the Totem OneLove website. We would strongly support any policies or initiatives that would minimise harm, reduce drug use and make events a safer environment for patrons. However, organisers insisted it was contingent on government support. Stereosonic was held over two weekends last year, with 25-year-old pharmacist Sylvia Choi and 19-year-old Stefan Woodward dying from suspected drug overdoses one week apart at the Sydney and Adelaide events, respectively. Though Mr Baird described the deaths as being laced in absolute tragedy for those family, their friends and the communities involved, he was adamant that his position on a potentially live-saving program like pill testing would not waiver. [include_post id=472768] Speaking recently to triple js Hack, John Wall of Fuzzy, the promoters behind Field Day and Listen Out festivals, said festival organisers have their hands tied when it comes to pill testing. Its tricky, Wall explained, all of our events are held on government land, I think every single one of them [laughs]. Organisers are thus forced to play ball with the government to secure permissions and permits. Weve got to see if theres a way that we can do it and still get and maintain approval to run the event, said Wall. Its something weve got to look into. Obviously its come up a number of times and in the past it hasnt got to the government level. Its been the police saying theyre not gonna stand by and let it happen. This is a little bit different, so were going to be looking into whether theres something we can do. Wed have to first check whether that meant the festival could get completely shut down on the spot. But Dr Alex Wodak, president of the Drug Law Reform Foundation, says he and a team of fellow doctors want to begin pill testing at music festivals in order to save the lives of young punters regardless of the governments approval. For those uninitiated, AMISTAT is the acoustic duo comprised of talented twins Josef and Jan Prasil. Originating from Germany, the the honorary Aussie sons packed their rucksacks and relocated here in 2013 to rekindle their deep mutual love of music. Since 2013 theyve won over fans across the nation, playing their delicately crafted acoustic sets, busking throughout the streets of Melbourne. When you witness them live its clear what theyve garnered so much love thanks to their unshakable emotional investment in their music. The guys will be hitting the road around Australia this February and March to celebrate the release of their debut album, Parley out tomorrow Friday March 4th. Ahead of its release the guys have decided to help get familiar with the record by penning a killer track by track which you can check out below. Addictive Pain Is a song thats written about feeling addicted to a feeling of sadness and feeling like you need to make a mess out of every difficult situation. The strongest and most present you feel when your hurt. You know its not the right thing to do or to feel but you somehow cant help yourself Redeem Yourself A breakup song written almost two years ago when Josef broke up with his Australian girlfriend he moved to Australia for. Its about learning to forgive and love yourself. Parley A song about realising that a person very close to you (Friend, Family, Partner etc.) has two different sides. A good and a bad one. And you either start to accept and tolerate both sides or you simply have to walk away from that person. Presence Anything in life is possible. With the right attitude and mindset you can achieve anything. If the intention is pure and comes from the right place. Born to Reign Inspired by a busker we met in Melbourne two years ago called Brat! Its about having hope and faith in what will be, and in people. We are all made to rule this world as one big team which can lead to peace and harmony. Start appreciating what we have and being grateful. Born Without a Mask We are born pure and uninfluenced by our surroundings and society. The older you get the more influenced you get through media and the environment. They start wearing a mask which makes it hard for people to see your real YOU and having problems seeing who you really are. Heavy eyes A song about feeling everyones pain and weight. Being colourblind, a state of feeling numb and not present in life and finally breaking through that negative feeling and filling your mind with positivity and faith. You never know whats around the corner. Seeing everything black and white and not being able to be open minded. Charlatan Happiness is something that is in our lives constantly. It never leaves our side. Yet sometimes we struggle to feel it. When you are facing hard times and struggle you are somehow able to connect to that inner happiness within yourself again. Every struggle is a blessing and to change that mindset you need to change your mind. Nameless Depth We are born pure and uninfluenced of any evil and darkness. Whilst growing up we loose a bit of that innocence and forget that life is a gift. Most people believe that all our lives we are searching for that one person to spend the rest of our life with. They cant seem to find any happiness unless its shared. This song talks about the fact that we are born and die alone and that whilst going through heartache and letting people go you get closer to being able to see that sharing life with yourself sometimes opens a different doors and reveals new paths. Vada Its a song we wrote for the son of our best friend / General Manager called Vada. He asked us to write the song before he was born to prepare him for his big- little journey. (Life) Upcoming Tour Dates Fri 4th March | Brighton Up Bar Sydney, NSW Fri 11th March | Northcote Social Club Melbourne, VIC Sat 19th March | Grace Emily, Adelaide, SA Sat 2nd April | Odd Fellow Fremantle, WA Sun 3rd April | Four5nine North Perth, WA King Parrot are about to remind everyone why they command a reputation as one of the hardest working bands in Australia. Having recently completed a 36-date European tour with Soulfly, the Aussie metal outfit have announced another home-ground tour. The band will headline the Blacken The Globe Open Air in Alice Springs and Murderfest in Perth as they make the rounds supporting US metal favourites Five Finger Death Punch in Melbourne and Sydney, before hitting up a string of regional centres in Victoria and NSW. King Parrots second album, Dead Set, the follow-up to the raucous, jagged affair that was 2012s uncompromising Bite Your Head Off, received rave reviews in the global metal press and even managed to nab an ARIA Award nomination. Its definitely been a busy couple of years for the boys and things show no sign of slowing. The band will head back to North America in May to support Canadian metal veterans Voivod alongside US label mates Child Bite. King Parrot National Tour Dates Sunday, 27th March 2016 Blacken The Globe Open Air, Alice Springs NT Tickets: Oztix Friday, 8th April 2016 Murderfest @ Amplifier Bar Perth WA Tickets: Oztix Friday, 15th April 2016 Pelly Bar, Frankston VIC Tickets: Oztix Saturday, 16th April 2016 Karova Lounge, Ballarat VIC Tickets: Oztix Sunday, 17th April 2016 Barwon Club, Geelong VIC Tickets: Oztix Wednesday, 20th April 2016 Forum Theater, Melbourne VIC Tickets: Oztix w/Five Finger Death Punch Thursday, 21st April 2016 The Basement, Canberra ACT Tickets: Oztix Friday, 22nd April 2016 Luna Park, Sydney NSW Tickets: Oztix w/Five Finger Death Punch Saturday, 23rd April 2016 Waves, Wollongong NSW Tickets: Oztix Fox4: "A cherished local activist passed away Wednesday morning after a battle with cancer. Richard G. Tripp, 67, affectionately known as King Richard to Kansas Citys poor and homeless for almost 30 years, dedicated his life to helping the less fortunate." LOOK AROUND MIDTOWN AND THROUGHOUT THE LOOP . . . KANSAS CITY IN NOW UNDER SIEGE FROM HOBOS AND DANGEROUS HOMELESS DENIZENS!!! LIKE IT OR NOT . . . KANSAS CITY'S MOSTLY UNCOUNTED HOBO POPULATION IS BOOMING WITH MUCH GREATER NUMBERS THAN THE TAX SUBSIDY EFFORTS TO LURE MILLENNIALS AND CONDO DWELLERS!!! Tonight Kansas City mourns the loss of one of the most tireless advocates for the less fortunate.Checkit:Sadly, this bad news comes at the precipice of impending disaster for this town . . .Most crowded bus stops from Downtown to The Plaza are home to at least a couple of wandering souls carrying backpacks and God knows what else . . . While Mr. Tripp bravely argued for human treatment of these poor souls, local politicos aren't as kind.Not so long ago, Kansas City residentsThis winter, Kansas City homeless shelters were horribly overcrowded withThere are not simple solutions here as Mr. Tripp often pointed out. More services for these scamps tends to increase their numbers. In the ongoing debate over neighborhood services vs. corporate subsidy, Kansas City's homeless population once again falls through the cracks as so many downtown property crimes, bum fights and repeated pedestrian assaults reveal the danger to the public at large.Still, it's important to acknowledge the good deeds of this local legend and realize that Kansas City needs more people dedicated to this worsening situation.Developing . . . Privacy Overview This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful. German bookings for Greece are steadily rising despite publicity surrounding refugees in the country and a slump in demand for Kos The latest wave of refugees arriving on Kos, Lesbos and Samos has impacted on German bookings for those islands but demand for the rest of Greece has not been affected so far, according to tour operators and hoteliers, fvw reports. TUI currently has a 12% increase in German bookings for Greece, with particularly high growth for Crete, Corfu and the mainland, while Kos is slightly lower. Bookings for Lesbos and Samos are much lower but these two islands only have low visitor numbers and play a minor role for Greece as a destination. As far as the issue of refugee routes is concerned, holidaymakers apparently know how to differentiate between the various Greek destinations, TUI Germany stated. Thomas Cook confirmed that Crete, Rhodes, Corfu and Kos are its four top destinations in Greece. We dont have any cancellations for Greece. The country is still the third most popular destination for our customers in summer 2016, a spokesman said. Alltours said bookings for Crete and Rhodes are booming but confirmed that Kos and Samos are currently below last year, also due to the refugee situation. Overall, the tour operator currently has stable figures for Greece but expects to generate growth this year. Overall bookings German bookings for Greece are currently about 2-3% higher than last year, while overall bookings from all source markets are up by about 5%, according to Andreas Andreadis, president of the tourism association SETE. However, bookings for Kos have slumped about 20%, he confirmed. Hotelier Frantzis Argyropoulos, head of Kos-based Verano Hotels, said the group has a drop of 20-30% for early bookings, including 35-40% for some properties. But he denied there is any wave of cancellations at present and stressed: Im confident that many holidaymakers who are still hesitating will book eventually. Satisfied customers from last year who report positively on evaluation portals are our best ambassadors, he commented. Kos attracted some 200,000 visitors from Germany last year out of a total of 900,000 visitors. The island lies in third place with Corfu among Greek destinations for Germans, after Crete and Rhodes. Some 2.6 million Germans holidayed in Greece last year Leading German tour operators have increased capacity for Greece this year in the expectation of rising bookings despite package price rises of about 3-4%. For example, TUI expanded its hotel portfolio by 30%, FTI increased capacity by 15%, and Alltours added 40 more hotels. Read more here. RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report In cooperation with the Economy, Development and Tourism Ministry and the National Greek Tourism Organisation (EOT) as well as the Greek Tourism Enterprises Association, Google announced the implementation of a free web education platform for tourism Google announced at a press conference on Wednesday that it supports the initiative "Grow Greek Tourism Online." In cooperation with the Economy, Development and Tourism Ministry and the National Greek Tourism Organisation (EOT) as well as the Greek Tourism Enterprises Association, Google announced the implementation of a free web education platform for tourism. Through a wide range of topics, the users will have the opportunity to be trained on how they will upgrade their presence on the web. Moreover, the users will be able to select an adapted education plan and receive a certificate by GGTO initiative and IAB (Interactive Advertising Bureau) Europe. Education programmes All local enterprises, tourism professionals and those who want to develop their potential offered by the web can be informed in detail by the education programmes available in their region via the official website of the initiative -greektourism.withgoogle.com. A group of Online Advisors educated by Google will travel in Greece to discuss with the local tourism businesses. Meanwhile, web searches under the name "Travel to Greece" increased by 19 percent in comparison with 2015 and 72 percent through mobile phones. Nevertheless, the Greek tourist enterprises do not take advantage of the web's potentials since only 8 percent of the hotels and hosting accomodations use the web to accept reservations through their website. Support from National Greek Tourism Organisation EOT Secretary General Dimitris Trifonopoulos, pointed out during today's event: "EOT supports this initiative by Google since educating the sector's entrepreneurs in digital technology is one of the key components of the policy mix that we follow to strengthen Greek tourism. The Grow Greek Tourism initiative. which is supported by visitgreece.gr, fully coincides with our communication objectives and the national tourism policy. In this context, EOT incorporates all innovative online tools. Visitgreece.gr attracts more than 11 million unique users, our page on Google plus (G +) is a global case study due to the high annual growth, estimated currently at 2.5 million users, its facebook page has more than 680,000 friends and pinterest attracts ever more followers." Source: ANA/MPA RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report Tourexpi, turizm haberleri, Reiseburos, tourism news, noticias de turismo, Tourismus Nachrichten, , travel tourism news, international tourism news, Urlaub, urlaub in der turkei, , holidays in Turkey, , global tourism news, dunya turizm, dunya turizm haberleri, Seyahat Acentas, This site is best viewed with Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0+, at a minimum screen resolution of 1024 x 768. Iraq has signed a contract with Italy's Trevi Group worth 273 million ($296 million) to reinforce and maintain the Mosul hydro-electric dam for a period of 18 months, state television reported on Wednesday. Italy has said it plans to send 450 troops to protect the site of dam, which is 3.6 km long and close to territory held by Islamic State militants in the country's north. The Italian foreign ministry confirmed that the contract had been signed. The agreement followed talks in New York between Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni and US and Iraqi officials, the ministry said in a statement. Mosul dam has suffered from structural flaws since its construction in the 1980s and a collapse would unleash a wall of water down the heavily populated Tigris River valley. The Iraqi government says it is taking precautions against such a scenario but has sought to play down the risk, with Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi on Sunday describing the likelihood of a breach as "extremely small". Islamic State militants seized the dam in August 2014, raising fears they might blow it up and send a huge wave on to Mosul and other downstream cities including Baghdad which could kill hundreds of thousands of people. The dam was recaptured two weeks later by Iraqi government forces backed by US-led coalition air strikes, but the US has said that disruption of maintenance operations has increased the likelihood of a breach.-Reuters La Spezia Container Terminal (LSCT) in Italy has welcomed the arrival of the new A-15 class 15,000 TEU ship, Al Dhail, the largest ship ever deployed by United Arab Shipping Company in its Asia to the Mediterranean trade network. Contship Italia Group, a global leader in container terminal logistics and intermodal solutions, directly operates in the ports of La Spezia, Gioia Tauro, Cagliari, Ravenna, Salerno, Tangier, and in the multimodal inland port of Milan, Melzo. Al Dhail berthed at Fornelli East for the first time as part of its maiden voyage calling at Mediterranean ports, said a statement from the company. The ship is one of many ultra-large crude carriers (ULCCs) deployed in four weekly Asia-Med strings calling at La Spezia, with the port accustomed to handling a growing number of calls by increasingly large ships. Forecasts suggest that 200 calls will be performed by ships of over 10,000 TEU in 2016, it added. The Al Dhail, in arriving fully laden in La Spezia and requiring some 3,000 contractual moves, successfully tested LSCTs infrastructure in terms of water depth and ULCC handling and the totality of the La Spezia System itself, it added. The record volume to be discharged in a single bottom emphasised the capability of La Spezia System to reach end users in locations generating more than 40 per cent of Italian gross domestic product (GDP). Michele Giromini, managing director of LSCT, said: As a system, La Spezia has invested hundreds of millions of euros to improve infrastructure capable of serving increasingly larger ship sizes. The import cargo on the Al Dhail, with thousands of indivdual containers, is one of the highest ever discharged at our terminal, confirming that La Spezia is ideally located to efficiently serve multiple markets here in Italy and into Southern Europe, he said. Supply chains using La Spezia take advantage of unrivaled rail connectivity with 14 trains alone departing from LSCT between Saturday and Sunday to major destinations in Northern and Central Italy, enabling Monday morning final truck-mile delivery to the end user, he added. It is the combination of service provided and the advantageous geographical position of La Spezia which global supply chains acknowledge, with 42 weekly port call combinations from Asia, Giromini concluded. TradeArabia News Service Chinese president Xi Jinping announced that China will inject $55 billion in loans and investments to the Middle East, during his recent tour to the region, a report said. China plans to allocate $15 billion for renewable energy and infrastructure projects in the region, in addition to $10 billion in commercial loans to enhance energy cooperation, said the Jordan Business Magazine report. Xi noted that with interests spanning politics, economics, and power, China aims to actively increase its presence in the region, but without setting up proxies or building a sphere of influence in the region, added the report. Equate Petrochemical Company will support open innovation by its employees, as well as other individuals and organisations, provided that such initiatives are relevant to its field of business, a senior company official said at a recent event. Equate president and CEO Mohammad Husain was speaking at the 3rd Research & Innovation (R&I) Summit 2016 organised by the Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA) to promote excellence in research and development (R&D). The event was held under the theme Managing R&D during Difficult Times: Creating Global Competitiveness, and it gathered top executives from petrochemical and chemical companies, as well as government bodies and other entities to discuss various topics regarding R&D and innovation. Husain, said: Innovation has become a critical element for sustainability, not merely an expression or set of guidelines. Through innovation, our industry can maintain its global competitiveness especially in terms of contributing to economies around the world. Naturally, innovation relies greatly on progressive R&D that realises milestones for the benefit of humanity through industrial growth. With global spending on petrochemical and chemical R&D reaching nearly $530 million in 2014, progressive open innovation in this field is a strategic objective for our industry, he said. In addition to Husain, Equate was represented at the summit by R&D leader Arif Al-Qattan and innovation programme leader Abdulrahman Al-Munyaes. As part of its participation in the summit, the company sponsored a professor and students from the College of Engineering & Petroleum at Kuwait University to attend the event and interact with other delegates. The college is represented by faculty member from the Department of Chemical engineering Dr Abdulwahab Al-Musallam, as well as the students, Bader Al-Nashmy, Yousef Al Shamlan and Mohammad Al-Ajmi. The companys sponsorship of the professor and the students for this event and other previous GPCA activities is part of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with the college during 2008 for overall partnership and cooperation in industrial and academic fields. Husain further said: The summit is truly an opportunity for our stakeholders to encourage open innovation through applying Partners in Success by the association, its members, academic bodies, other organisations and individuals from various countries. Addressing innovations challenges, fundamental for innovation, as well as emphasising the role of end-to-end collaboration between academic bodies, institutions and companies are emphasised by the summit to facilitate fostering and nurturing innovation-oriented cultures, he concluded. TradeArabia News Service Dubais Emirates airline has postponed the launch of what is said to be the world's longest non-stop flight between Dubai and Panama, said a report. Set to begin from March 31, the 17 hours and 35 minutes direct flight will now occur in late 2016 or early 2017 due to "operational factors," the Dubai airline said in a statement released in Panama, a report in The National said. The airline had announced in August that it would launch the world's longest flight to Panama using a Boeing 777-200LR [long range] aircraft capable of carrying up to 15 tonnes of cargo. Among the world's other longest flights are one connecting Dallas to Sydney (almost 17 hours), Johannesburg to Atlanta (16 hours, 40 minutes), and Dubai to Los Angeles (16 hours 35 minutes). Previously, the longest flight, lasting almost 19 hours, linked Singapore and New York and was operated by Singapore Airlines. But it was suspended in 2013 to cut costs, the report said. Meanwhile, Emirates touched down in Auckland yesterday, covering 14,200 km (8,824 miles). About Me Ron Baumgarten Ashburn, Virginia, United States View my complete profile Become a fan on Facebook! 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The court denied the request without comment this afternoon. Attorneys Brian Clark and Ron Smith filed the petition last month on the eve of Owens' capital murder trial. Owens was found guilty of capital murder in the August 2011 death of 91-year-old Doris Richardson on Bide-a-wee Drive near Five Points in Huntsville. The jury was then asked to decide on whether to recommend the death penalty or life without parole. The jury voted 10-2 in favor of the life without parole, after just 35 minutes of deliberation. The verdict took about 8 hours. Under Alabama law, the judge has the final say and can override the jury recommendation and sentence Owens to death. But that system, where the judge, not the jury, has the final say is unconstitutional, Owens' lawyers argued. They cited the U.S. Supreme Court's January decision in Hurst vs. Florida, which struck down the Florida death penalty system. Alabama's system is very similar to Florida's, but the Alabama Attorney General's office has said there is a key difference that makes it constitutional. The U.S. Supreme Court said the problem is the jury is not the final finder of fact in Florida in determining sentencing, since the judge holds a separate evidentiary hearing. Alabama's judges also do fact-finding before capital murder sentencing, but the Attorney General's office has said that as long as the jury has found 1 aggravator - evidence that shows the defendant deserves the death penalty - the law is constitutional. The capital murder charge against Owens is that he burglarized Richardson's home along with strangling her. In Alabama, burglary is 1 of the aggravators that a jury can find as a basis for recommending a death sentence. In rejecting the defense's request to throw out the death penalty law in Owens' trials, Madison County Circuit Judge Alison Austin cited the fact that the charge contained an aggravator, meaning they found an element that could justify a death sentence. The defense has also argued that Alabama's system has jurors weigh the aggravators and mitigators - any fact that would make life in prison, rather than death, the appropriate sentence - in reaching their recommendation. The defense contends that if the jury itself doesn't find sufficient weight to recommend a death sentence, under the Hurst ruling, the judge cannot override the decision. Owens sentencing is set for April 20. Source: WHNT news, March 3, 2016 Judge rules AL's death penalty scheme unconstitutional JEFFERSON COUNTY, AL (WBRC) - A Jefferson County circuit judge has ruled Alabama's death penalty scheme unconstitutional in a landmark decision for the state. Four Jefferson County capital murder defendants asked Judge Tracie Todd to rule Alabamas death penalty unconstitutional on Thursday. Florida and Alabama were the only two states in the nation where a judge could override a jury's recommendation and sentence someone to death. In January, the Supreme Court struck down Florida's law as unconstitutional in their decision in the Hurst vs. Florida case Now, defense attorneys in Alabama are filing motions and using that example to try to make that happen here. There are four big cases in the Montgomery area where a judge overrode a jurys recommendation and imposed the death penalty. In Montgomery County, Mario Woodward was convicted of killing MPD Officer Keith Houts in 2006. The jury recommended life in prison, but the judge overrode that recommendation and sentenced Woodward to death In Crenshaw County, Wesley Harris was convicted of killing six members of his girlfriend's family in 2002: a mom, dad, grandmother and three children. All were shot to death. The jury recommended life in prison without parole but the judge sentenced Harris to die by lethal injection. In Lee County, Courtney Lockhart was convicted of killing Auburn University student Lauren Burk. The jury recommended life in prison without parole, but Judge Jacob Walker overrode and sentenced Lockhart to death . Judge Walker said he based the decision on evidence that was never brought before the jury. In Elmore County, Calvin McMillan was convicted in the shooting death of Bryan Martin . It happened in 2007 in the Millbrook Walmart parking lot so McMillan could steal his truck. In this case, the jury recommended life without parole, but the judge overrode and sentenced McMillian to death Source: WBRC , March 3, 2016 Joseph Edward Duncan III The U.S. Supreme Court has denied hearing an appeal of a man who was sentenced to death for kidnapping, torturing and killing a young northern Idaho boy after killing several of members of his family. U.S. Attorney Wendy Olson announced Wednesday that the high court had made their decision earlier this week. Joseph Edward Duncan III faces the death penalty for the 2005 murder of 9-year-old Dylan Groene. He also faces several life sentences for the murder of 3 family members and the kidnapping of his then-8-year-old sister. 10-year-old Anthony Marinezs murder had gone unsolved until Duncan confessed after he was arrested at a Dennys in Coeur dAlene, Idaho, in July 2005, with 8-year-old Shasta Groene, six weeks after he kidnapped the girl and her brother Dylan. He had killed their mother, her boyfriend and her 13-year-old son. Dylans remains were found at a remote campsite in the Lolo National Forest in Montana. Duncan told investigators he had an epiphany that stopped him from killing Shasta; that statement has been a focus of the mental competency proceedings. Though he has never been charged, Duncan also has confessed to killing two girls in Seattle in 1996, just after he was released from prison after raping a boy at gunpoint when he was 17. He was facing child molestation charges in Minnesota when he abandoned his apartment in Fargo, N.D, in May 2005, where he studied computer science at North Dakota State University. At the time, Duncan represented himself at his sentencing hearing but later waived his right to appeal. He has since changed his mind and his defense attorneys say he wasn't mentally competent to waive his rights. The high court's decision affirms U.S. District Court Judge Edward Lodge's 2013 finding that Duncan was competent to waive his appeal. No execution date has been set, and Duncan's attorneys may still seek other post-conviction relief. Source: Associated Press, March 3, 2016 Reading out a death sentence: a daily occurrence in ISIS-controlled territories March 2, 2016: Islamic State militants have released a death list of 1,065 people they have murdered in one city in the past year. The grim document has been put up in police stations and a hospital. It contains the details of criminals who have been punished by jihadis in Mosul, Iraq. Those put to death include teachers, moderate religious leaders and doctors who oppose the groups brutal methods. Most were executed in the desert and their bodies dumped in a mass grave. And relatives themselves risk execution if they show emotion at seeing a loved ones name on the list, as an outpouring of grief is viewed as a criticism of the regimes actions. Isis punishes locals for crimes including smoking and watching football. Mosul resident Omar Jirjis said: Dozens of people came to the centre to search for the names of relatives. Members of the group were heavily armed and they were watching reactions of the people closely. "This meant that anyone who did see the name of a loved one on the list couldnt even complain. "They knew Isis members wouldnt hesitate to kill anyone who curses the organisations name or objects to its verdicts. I saw a man putting his hand over the mouth of one of the women who came. Source: dailystar.co.uk, March 2, 2016 Daryl Jerome Reed A Winston-Salem man accused of killing a 2-year-old boy in 2014 has rejected a plea deal that would have taken the death penalty off the table. Daryl Jerome Reed, 26, made the decision at the last minute Wednesday morning in Forsyth Superior Court. Reed is charged with 1st-degree murder in the death of Corey Joseph Plater on Aug. 12, 2014. Assistant District Attorney Belinda Foster had offered to allow Reed to plead guilty to 1st-degree murder and be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. For 1st-degree murder, there are only 2 possible sentences - a life sentence or the death penalty. Just before the hearing, Reed appeared hesitant. For several minutes, he refused to take a pen his attorney, Julie Boyer, offered him so he could sign off on a change in the plea transcript reflecting the fact that he turned 26 on Tuesday. He eventually took the pen from Boyer. Just after 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, the court proceeding started, and Judge Stuart Albright went over the plea transcript with Reed. When Albright asked Reed if he understood the charge, Reed replied, "In a sense." Then Reed said he didn't want to take the plea. "I don't feel taking this plea is in my best interest," he said. Reed also told Albright he wanted to fire Boyer, a lawyer in the Forsyth County Capital Defender's Office who was appointed to Reed. Reed said that he and Boyer disagreed on how to handle his case. Albright denied Reed's request, noting that Boyer is not always going to tell Reed what he wants to hear. "She can't sugarcoat it," he said. "She has to tell it like it is." Boyer said in court that Foster had told her that if Reed didn't take the plea offer, she would seek the death penalty. Foster said in court that the plea deal would expire at noon Wednesday and would not be offered again. Reed didn't change his mind. If Forsyth County prosecutors pursue the death penalty, Reed will be assigned a 2nd lawyer to represent him, which is required in death penalty cases. The next step now will be to hold what is called a Rule 24 hearing - scheduled April 6 - in which a Forsyth County judge will determine whether prosecutors have enough aggravating factors to pursue the death penalty. Forsyth County District Attorney Jim O'Neill said he could not comment on the case but said that in general, state law requires a jury trial when prosecutors pursue the death penalty. If a defendant is convicted of 1st-degree murder, a jury then decides whether to recommend a death sentence. According to an autopsy report, Corey died from a laceration of the liver caused by blunt force trauma to his abdomen, meaning the 2-year-old was punched or hit in the stomach. Winston-Salem police went to a house in the 2800 block of Piedmont Circle around 5:50 p.m. on Aug. 12, 2014. According to the autopsy, Corey was found in the bathroom. He had bruises on the left side of his face near his mouth and also had contusions on his upper right chest and on his forehead. The autopsy report said police believed Corey had been struck, possibly by a belt. Winston-Salem police have said Reed and another adult had been taking care of Corey that day and that Reed had been dating one of Corey's relatives. Police have not identified either the relative or the other adult taking care of Corey. No trial date has been set. Reed is in the Forsyth County Jail with no bond allowed. Public execution in Saudi Arabia March 1, 2016: A Qatari and a Jordanian were among five people executed in Saudi Arabia, bringing to 69 the number of people it has put to death this year. The Qatari, Mohammed Jarboui, was executed in the eastern region of Al-Ahsa after being convicted of murdering a Saudi, the interior ministry said. Sliman and Ahmed Messoudi were put to death in the northern Tabuk region for trafficking amphetamines, the ministry said in a separate statement. The Jordanian, Abdallah Tayaha, was also convicted of amphetamine trafficking. He was put to death in the northwestern Jawf region, it said. Amphetamines are stimulants most often targeted at students and labourers in the kingdom, interior ministry spokesman General Mansour al-Turki told reporters last week. He added that war-ravaged Syria has become one of the biggest producers of the drug. The fifth person to be executed was Kassadi Atoudi, put to death in the southern region of Jazan following his conviction for murder. Source: Middle East Online, March 2, 2016 10,000th post since the blog was launched in July 2007. Please consider NB: This is Death Penalty News'since the blog was launched in July 2007. Please consider making a donation to help us keep this blog up and running! Around 75 per cent of Xiaomi phones sold in the country are now made in India. New Delhi: Seven months since it launched assembly unit in Vishakhapatnam, Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi on Thursday said about 75 per cent of its phones sold in the country are now 'Made in India'. In August last year, Xiaomi had partnered Taiwanese firm Foxconn to set up local assembly of its phones to cater to one of the world's fastest growing smartphone markets globally. "Within months, we have seen the unit being ramped up and now 75 per cent of phones are Made in India. It is a Herculean feat that we have been able to do," Xiaomi Global Vice President Hugo Barra told PTI. He, however, declined to disclose details on sales and production numbers. India is one of the largest markets for Xiaomi globally. The company assembles devices like Redmi 2 and Redmi Note in India. Xiaomi also launched its latest deviceRedmi Note 3 here, priced at Rs 9,999 onwards. The device had made a global debut in November last year. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. It is a sequence where Aishwarya is observing a fast unto death and is requesting authorities to take action and secure Sarabjit's release from the Pakistan jail. Photo: Twitter The entire team of 'Sarbjit' wrapped up their Amritsar schedule and flew down to New Delhi to shoot one of the most important sequences at Red Fort. Its the scene where Dalbir Kaur, Sarabjits sister, played by Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, is observing a fast unto death and is requesting authorities to take action and secure Sarabjit's release from the Pakistan jail. Aishwarya, who was last seen in 2015's 'Jazbaa', recently thanked the makers for giving her the chance to portray such a strong character. She said, "It is a subject which we are all very familiar with. And we, as a team, were very keen to share the story with those who don't know about it in detail. It's very important for us, as a nation, to understand, respect and recognise the struggle. I would like to say thank you for giving me this opportunity to play the part of a lady I immensely respect. It's an absolute honour." Based on the story of Sarabjit Singh, who died in a Pakistani jail, the movie also stars Richa, who essays the role of Sarabjit's wife and Randeep as Sarabjit. Delhi government also urged the actors and their wives to join its anti-tobacco campaign to save the lives of people. New Delhi: Having failed to get a response from them, Delhi government has now approached the wives of four Bollywood actors urging them to encourage their husbands not to endorse pan masala products as they contain areca nuts, a potential cancer causing agent. Additional Director (Health), Delhi Government, Dr S K Arora has written to Kajol, wife of actor Ajay Devgn, Gauri Khan, wife of Shah Rukh Khan, Malaika Arora Khan, wife of Arbaaz Khan and Suneeta Ahuja, wife of actor Govinda asking them to persuade their husband not to endorse pan masala products in larger public interest. "Humble appeal to you for encouraging Mr Shah Rukh Khan not to participate in advertisements of pan masala in larger public health interest. Earlier, a letter was written to Mr Khan for not to participate in such advertisements in public interest. Nonetheless I have not received any response till date nor he has plugged doing such advertisements," Arora said in his letter to Gauri. He further said even if these pan masalas do not contain tobacco or nicotine, they surely contain areca nuts (supari) and now there are a lot of scientific evidences which prove that supari causes cancer. "A similar letter was sent to Ms Sunny Leone and I am delighted to inform that I have received an affirmative response with the assurance of not to indulge in such promotion in future. Moreover, she is consulting the companies for the terms and conditions of present contract to stop advertising pan masalas," Arora said. Delhi government also urged the actors and their wives to join its anti-tobacco campaign to save the lives of lakhs of people who die due to oral cancer every year. In January, the Health Department had written to six actors--Shah Rukh Khan, Govinda, Saif Ali Khan, Arbaaz Khan, Ajay Devgan and Sunny Leone--urging them not endorse pan masala products. Arora had said that they (actors) were role model for youngsters and should not participate in pan masala or any other similar advertisements as these attract the vulnerable population, especially, children and women and are directly and indirectly responsible for the increasing trend of tobacco use. Leone's husband Daniel Weber, had called up to say that she will not sign any contract for such advertisements in future. According to experts, areca nut, the main ingredient in pan masala, is in the league of caffeine, tobacco and alcohol when it comes to addictive properties and also leads to a high number of cases of submucous fibrosis, which can easily turn cancerous. Toronto Aliens may have identified Earth as a habitable, living world long ago and we could be receiving their broadcasts today, a new study suggests. As scientists step up their search for other life in the universe, researchers are proposing a way to make sure we do not miss the signal if extraterrestrial observers try to contact us first. According to researchers from the McMaster University in Canada, The best chance for us finding a signal from beyond is to presume that extraterrestrial observers are using the same methods to search for us that we are using to search for life beyond Earth. On Earth, space researchers are focusing most of their search efforts on planets and moons that are too far away to see directly. Instead, they study them by tracking their shadows as they pass in front of their own host stars. Measuring the dimming of starlight as a planet crosses the face of its star during orbit, scientists can collect a wealth of information, even without ever seeing those worlds directly. Using methods that allow them to estimate the average stellar illumination and temperatures on their surfaces, scientists have already identified dozens of locations where life could potentially exist. Astrophysicists Rene Heller and Ralph Pudritz noted what if extraterrestrial observers discover the Earth as it transits the Sun. If such observers are using the same search methods that scientists are using on Earth, the researchers propose that humanity should turn its collective ear to Earth's "transit zone", the thin slice of space from which our planet's passage in front of the Sun can be detected. "It's impossible to predict whether extraterrestrials use the same observational techniques as we do," said Heller, who is now at the Institute for Astrophysics in Germany. "But they will have to deal with the same physical principles as we do, and Earth's solar transits are an obvious method to detect us," said Heller. The transit zone is rich in host stars for planetary systems, offering approximately 100,000 potential targets, each potentially orbited by habitable planets and moons, the scientists say - and that is just the number we can see with today's radio telescope technologies. "If any of these planets host intelligent observers, they could have identified Earth as a habitable, even as a living world long ago and we could be receiving their broadcasts today," said Heller. The question of contact with others beyond Earth is hardly hypothetical, as several projects are under way, both to send signals from Earth and to search for signals that have been sent directly or have "leaked" around obstacles, possibly travelling for thousands of years. The study was published in the journal Astrobiology. PTI Islamabad, March 3 Over 7,000 people in Karachi, Pakistan, who protested the execution of then Punjab Governor Salman Taseers killer Mumtaz Qadri, were booked for promoting enmity between groups, rioting and misuse of loudspeaker, the police said on Thursday. The FIR has been registered on behalf of the state against some leaders who blocked the M.A. Jinnah Road, misused the loudspeaker and used abusive language against state institutions during their protest, reports Dawn. The suspects have been booked under sections of the Pakistan Penal Code and Loudspeakers Act, said Soldier Bazaar police official Irshad Soomro. The self-confessed killer of Taseer was hanged in Rawalpindi on February 29 after an anti-terrorism court convicted and sentenced him to death in October 2011. Soon after the news of the hanging became public a large number of people came out on the streets and protested against the government. --IANS Kuala Lumpur, March 3 A hunk of suspected aircraft wreckage found off the east African coast will be sent to Australia where experts will examine whether it is a new piece in the puzzle of missing flight MH370, officials said today. The fragment was reportedly found near Mozambique and could provide clues in the huge and costly Australia-led investigation into what happened to the ill-fated Malaysia Airlines flight that disappeared nearly two years ago. Malaysian Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai said yesterday initial information indicated a "high possibility" it came from a Boeing 777, the same model as MH370. MH370 mysteriously vanished on March 8, 2014 on an overnight flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 passengers and crew on board. Australian Transport Minister Darren Chester said the debris was approximately one metre long. "The debris is to be transferred to Australia where it will be examined by officials from Australia and Malaysia, as well as international specialists," he said in a statement. Chester said the location of the find was consistent with where ocean currents could have deposited MH370 wreckage. The MH370 saga has been marked by a history of false leads since it went missing, and Liow cautioned against "undue speculation" until experts can study the object. Last July, a wing fragment was found washed ashore on the Indian Ocean island of Reunion, which experts later determined came from MH370, the only confirmed evidence of the plane's fate so far. Analysts believe MH370 veered far off course to somewhere in the far-southern Indian Ocean, where it went down. The news of the unconfirmed finding comes just days ahead of the disaster's two-year anniversary. Australian officials told AFP it was not yet clear when the debris would arrive there. They said Boeing experts would be among those examining it. US television network NBC, which first reported the new debris, said it was found by an American man who blogs extensively on MH370. NBC cited experts as saying the debris could be a horizontal stabiliser, which is a tail part. AFP tricountyleader.com expired on 09/23/2022 and is pending renewal or deletion. Backorder Domain Mumbai: Preity Zinta has always maintained that she will never hide her marriage. However, the sudden news about her wedding with her LA boyfriend has shocked all the close people around her. Last month, when we got in touch with her about her wedding plans she had said, People seem to know more about my marriage than me. They are even setting dates for my wedding. They might as well tell me when and where to be there (at the wedding). Read: Preity Zinta ties the knot with Gene Goodenough in Los Angeles Does she not have any marriage plans? She said, Of course I plan to get married, yaar! she shot back. And probably this year itself. If not for myself then for the sake of my mother. Preitys mother, like all mothers, was becoming increasingly concerned about her daughters marriage. Mom keeps asking, when, when, whenSo it will happen soon. Ive never hidden my relationships. And yes, I am seeing someone, you know it. Preity had been cautious, almost superstitious about her latest relationship, after the public tamasha that her earlier relationship with Ness Wadia had been turned into. Hurt and mortified, Preity had decided to keep her new relationship away from the public eye. When reports of her relationship with Gene Goodenough broke, we had asked her if there was someone else in her life after Ness Wadia. And Preity had said, That was over in 2009. You think Id remain single after all these years? Whatever is happening with me is good. People say I am looking happy. Thats because I am.. Without wasting any further time, the stars started shooting for their film. Mumbai: Shahid and Kangana are extremely busy with their upcoming film Rangoons shoot. After wrapping up Rangoons Mumbai scheduled shoot, Shahid Kapoor and Kangana Ranaut have taken their film to Arunachal Pradesh. Without wasting any further time, the stars started shooting for their film. The actors were spotted on the sets. While Shahid looked dashing in uniform, Kangana perfectly fit into her character dressed in a red dress. The actress was accompanied by her sister Rangoli. Shahid poses with a fan on the sets of his film 'Rangoon'. Shahid snapped while shooting for Vishal Bharadwaj's 'Rangoon'. Kangana Ranaut snapped with her sister Rangoli on the sets of 'Rangoon'. Kangana and Rangoli try to beat the heat. The team is shooting for the film at Jonai railway station. Massive crowd of fans gather around to catch a glimpse of Shahid Kapoor. Earlier, Shahid and Kangana were snapped at the airport, where they posed with a fan. The same day, Shahid was also spotted in Arunachal Pradeshs traditional attire. While so far we have spotted Shahid and Kangana, Saif remains missing. However, the actor has accompanied his co-stars in Arunachal Pradesh. The film is a classic tale that is set against the backdrop of World War II. In this love triangle, well see Saif playing the character of a filmmaker, Kangana as an actress from the 40s and Shahid plays the role of an army officer. Photo: Lauren Fletcher Mitsubishi Fuso showed off a prototype battery-electric Canter FE-Series medium-duty cabover that has been in testing in Europe for a year. The company previewed the vehicle this week at the NTEA Work Truck Show. The company conducted a field trial using eight prototype vehicles with varied flatbed, stake body and dry van bodies installed. The trucks were operated in Europe where the vehicles were put into routine service. While in use, Mitsubishi Fuso engineers monitored the vehicles' performance and use profiles for a full year. Based on diesel fuel pricing and electricity costs in the European locations where the trucks were operated, over the period of the testing, the E-Cell trucks produced a cost savings of 64%. The vehicles also demonstrated a 37% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to diesel powered trucks after accounting for emissions generated by the power plants creating the electricity needed to recharge the batteries. "In testing we were consistently able to get more than 60 miles per charge with a payload of 4,400 pounds, said Christopher Burdett, engineer at Fuso global hybrid center. This truck will do very well in tight urban areas. The vehicles were also evaluated for practicality and suitability for their specific operating requirements and their ease of use. Types of service included express package delivery, freight forwarding in urban environments, municipal refuse, public works service, forestry service equipment hauling, and debris hauling. This is the future, said Jecka Glasman, Mitsubishi Fuso Truck of America president & CEO. The company expects the all-electric truck to enter the Japanese market next year before eventually entering the North American market. Debris that washed up in Mozambique has been tentatively identified as a part from the same type of aircraft as the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, a U.S. official said Wednesday. Photos of the debris discovered over the weekend appear to show the fixed leading edge of the right-hand tail section of a Boeing 777, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasnt authorized to speak publicly. Flight 370, which disappeared two years ago with 239 people aboard, is the only known missing 777. People who have handled the part, called a horizontal stabilizer, say it appears to be made of fiberglass composite on the outside, with aluminum honeycombing on the inside, the official said. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau, which is running the search for the plane in remote waters off Australias west coast, said the part was expected to be transported to Australia for examination. Malaysian transport minister Liow Tiong Lai also confirmed in tweets about the discovery that it appears the debris may have come from the missing plane. Based on early reports, high possibility debris found in Mozambique belongs to a B777, Liow said in a series of tweets. It is yet to be confirmed & verified. @dca_malaysia working w Australian counterparts to retrieve the debris. He urged everyone to avoid undue speculation as we are not able to conclude that the debris belongs to #mh370 at this time. Australian officials have seen photographs of the debris and have been in communication with Blaine Gibson, the American man who found the part, said Dan OMalley, a spokesman for the Australian Transport Safety Bureau. Were aware of these reports that debris has been found in Mozambique, OMalley said. Were working with officials in Mozambique and Malaysia to investigate. Australia will work with Malaysian investigators to examine the object once it arrives in Australia, he said. The ATSB hasnt made any determinations yet about the potential origins of the debris. We have to wait until we have the actual debris examined, OMalley said. Were not going to draw conclusions from the photos. Flight 370 disappeared on March 8, 2014, while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board. Radar data show the plane turned sharply around as it approached Vietnamese airspace, and then flew back across the Malay Peninsula until contact was lost off the coast of Thailand. Authorities who scrutinized data exchanged between the planes engine and a satellite determined that the jetliner continued on a straight path across the Indian Ocean, leading them to believe that the plane flew on autopilot for hours before running out of fuel and crashing into the water. Despite an exhaustive search of the ocean west of Australia, where the plane is believed to have crashed, the only confirmed trace of the aircraft has been a wing part known as flaperon that washed ashore last July on the French island of Reunion off the east coast of Africa about 2,300 miles (3,700 kilometers) from the current search area. The flaperon bore a stenciled internal marking 657 BB, which is consistent with a flaperon from a Boeing 777. Nothing of the passengers, their luggage or even things designed to float, such as life jackets, has been discovered despite the largest and most expensive search in aviation history. Australia has led the multinational search effort, which also includes the Malaysian and Chinese governments. The discovery in Mozambique is unlikely at this stage to impact the underwater search for the plane, taking place thousands of miles to the east, OMalley said. Authorities have long predicted that any debris from the plane that isnt on the ocean floor would eventually be carried by currents to the east coast of Africa. Australias Transport Minister Darren Chester said in a statement Thursday that the location of the debris in Mozambique matches the ATSBs drift modeling and would therefore reaffirm that search crews are looking in the right part of the Indian Ocean for the wreckage. With authorities unable to find the plane and its black box flight data and cockpit voice recorders, investigators are no closer than they were two years ago to discovering the cause of the aircrafts disappearance. There are many theories, including that a rogue pilot deliberately caused the $250 million jet to vanish, but little hard evidence. With the search tentatively scheduled to wrap up later this year, Flight 370 may become one of aviations great unsolved mysteries. In the aftermath of the planes disappearance, the airline industry and aviation authorities around the world pledged to find ways to better track airliners, especially over expanses of ocean where theres no radar coverage. Unlike Shraddhas 'girl next door' image, this one is much darker with words BE A REBEL etched in bold letters. Mumbai: It was only yesterday that Shraddha Kapoor took to Twitter to present Tiger Shroff's first look in their movie 'Baaghi'. Today, on the occasion of Shraddha's birthday, it was Tiger who took to his social networking handle to unveil the actress' intense first look. Read: Check out Tiger Shroff's rebellious look in first Baaghi poster Unlike Shraddhas 'girl next door' image, this one is much darker with words BE A REBEL etched in bold letters. Tiger wrote, "Girl power! @ShraddhaKapoor show them how it's done, happy birthday my hero! #Baaghi #BeARebel" Producer Sajid Nadiadwala also sent in his greetings with a tweet. He wrote, "And let's celebrate our other favourite rebel's birthday! Happy Birthday @ShraddhaKapoor! #Baaghi #BeARebel" The makers also took this opportunity to announce the release date of the films first motion poster, which will be out on March 9. Shraddha, who was last seen in 'ABCD' has two films that will be releasing this year Baaghi and Rock On 2!!'. She will also be seen in 'OK Jaanu' opposite Aditya Roy Kapur. 'Baaghi' is set to hit screens this April. Besides Tiger and Shraddha, it also features Telugu actor Sudheer Babu in the lead. State regulators are drawing up another regional approach to combat induced earthquakes and try to prevent their migration. This comes after sweeping wastewater volume reduction plans were announced a little more than two weeks ago for a wide swath of northwestern Oklahoma in the seismic wake of the third-strongest temblor in the states history. Parameters of the latest pending plan arent public, but past statements from regulators indicate that a new regional approach may focus farther to the southeast to cover a more central portion of the state. Seismicity over recent years has generally occurred in central Oklahoma, and speading to the northwest. A 5.1-magnitude quake struck near Fairview on Feb. 13. Three days later the Oklahoma Corporation Commission enacted a 40 percent volume cutback plan across a 5,200-square-mile area that for the first time involved a proactive move to include areas to the west that arent seismicity hotbeds. Corporation Commission spokesman Matt Skinner recently told the Tulsa World he couldnt comment yet on the whereabouts, scope or timeline of when the next plan may go public. However, he did confirm regulators are again looking at including locales that arent experiencing as much seismicity as other areas to try to keep the quakes from fanning out more. Yes, we are working on another plan to address seismicity elsewhere in the state, and right now we are looking at taking a regional approach similar to what we did in northwestern Oklahoma, Skinner said. The Corporation Commission has expressed concerns in the past with seismicity toward Tulsas direction, taking isolated volume reduction actions in areas to the east of Interstate 35, notably as far east as Cushing. Skinner, in the past, has said the Corporation Commission is concerned about quake activity in the Pawnee area, which is about as far east as Cushing but 25 miles to the north. There has yet to be any actions near Pawnee. Pawnee and Cushing are about 50 miles west of Tulsa. A look at another recent Corporation Commission plan also may provide an indication of where experts are developing wider abatement measures. In early January as part of a local response to seismicity near Edmond, Tim Baker noted continuing concerns not just in that area but Stillwater, as well. Baker is the director of the Oil and Gas Division of the Corporation Commission. We are working with researchers on the entire area of the state involved in the latest seismic activity to plot out where we should go from here, Baker said. Wastewater produced in oil and gas activities is at the crux of the issue of man-made earthquakes. Experts point to disposal wells injecting wastewater into the states deepest geologic formation the Arbuckle as the most pressing cause of induced seismicity. The Tulsa World in mid-January reported on a recent Oklahoma Geological Survey study that detailed an 81 percent jump from 2009 to 2014 in wastewater volumes injected underground. The rise coincides with the states leap in seismicity. Even more strikingly, wastewater injected into the Arbuckle ballooned 141 percent in the same period. The unprecedented February regional approach in northwestern Oklahoma affected 245 disposal wells injecting into the Arbuckle. When coupled with a similar measure targeting 38 Arbuckle disposal wells operated by SandRidge Energy Inc., 283 wells are to reduce volumes by 40 percent. That regional action covers all or parts of Woods, Alfalfa, Grant, Woodward, Major, Harper and Garfield counties. Prior to February, the only regional-scale measures pushed by the Corporation Commission targeted well depths rather than disposal volumes. Wells deemed to be injecting below the Arbuckle were to plug back their depths and cut volumes in half in the meantime, records show. Those measures were enacted in March and July 2015, covering a total of 558 wells. As of mid-February, 224 wells had reduced their depths and 14 wells had reduced volumes by half, records show. A federal judge ordered seven defendants arrested in connection with a cocaine and methamphetamine trafficking operation to be bound over for further court proceedings following a preliminary hearing Wednesday. U.S. Magistrate Frank McCarthy, following a 90-minute hearing, determined there was probable cause to believe the seven defendants committed the crimes as alleged. The seven were among eight people charged Feb. 17 in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma following an investigation that involved the Tulsa Police Department Special Investigations Division and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. The defendants are accused of possessing and intending to distribute at least 500 grams of cocaine and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, according to court records. The complaints contain allegations from September 2014 to February 2016, records show. Those ordered bound over for further proceedings were Jesus Juan Rosales, who also goes by names such as Chuy and Panzon; Sergio Yanez , also known as Checko; Jose Rodriguez, also known as Chuky; Ivan Jimenez, also known as El Don; Eddy Hernandez; Margarita Solis Rodriguez; and Andres Rubio. The eighth defendant, Romeo Flores, has not made a court appearance. Rosales, Rodriguez, Yanez and other alleged co-conspirators used code words such as hats, boys, onions, four-wheelers, apple and paint to describe cocaine and the distribution of cocaine, court records indicate. Cryptic words such as dirty were used to denote meth. Attorneys for the defendants questioned a DEA agent regarding details of the investigation, with some focusing on information gleaned from telephone wire taps. One attorney questioned claims that an intercepted conversation about a popular Spanish language television program Chavo del Ocho was coded talk about the purchase of an eighth of an ounce of cocaine. Other defense attorneys questioned those who listened in on the wiretap conversations. DEA Special Agent Kevin Pino said the agency contracts with a company that supplies monitors who listen to the intercepted Spanish language telephone conversations and provide law enforcement with live summaries of what was said. During an interview with an informant, Rosales reportedly said he has distributed cocaine inside Club Rio, 2120 S. Sheridan Road. City officials and transit enthusiasts took a ride Wednesday along Route 66 in the kind of bus they hope to see in Tulsa soon. With an eye on the permanent transit tax included in Tulsas Vision proposal, city officials got a preview of the type of bus they hope to have zipping up and down high-frequency routes called Bus Rapid Transit lines. High-frequency routes and modernized buses are already in city plans, but those plans would be accelerated and expanded if voters approve the Vision sales tax plan on April 5. Sarah Kobos, a local resident who often gets involved with transit and development issues at City Hall, took the opportunity to ride the new buses, noting the handicap accessibility and the benefits rapid transit could provide to Tulsa residents. The really important part of the BRT is the frequency and efficiency to help people travel faster to their destination, Kobos said. I ride the bus. I bike. I drive. But I have to consciously choose to ride the bus. I think with anything, as the bus becomes convenient and efficient and fast a lot more people will be riding the bus. Joe Saldana, regional sales manager for Gillig the citys contracted bus provider, said newer buses have a sleeker shape with continuous windows compared to Tulsas older buses. All seats on high-frequency routes face forward so riders are more aware of where the next stop is, and wider doors allow for easier on-and-off access, Saldana said. Technology also would play a role, including automatic passenger counters and a device that can lengthen the span of green traffic lights. Saldana explained that the devices do not trigger lights to change from red to green they just keep them on green longer if a bus is coming. City Councilor Blake Ewing and Transit Authority Vice Chair Marquay Baul hosted the event alongside Tulsa Transit officials, calling on voters to approve the Vision proposal. The 0.55 percent sales tax would go toward the transportation permanent tax, a public-safety permanent tax and economic development projects. About a ninth of the tax, or $102 million during the first 15 years, would become the permanent tax for transportation. Of that tax, 44 percent would go toward street maintenance and 56 percent would go toward transit operations and capital like the BRT routes. It will be the first dedicated transit fund in Oklahoma, Ewing said. I hope in the next couple of years well see a bus like this. A defendant in a high-profile Tulsa murder case told a judge Thursday that he was concerned that he wont get a fair trial. James Poore grew emotional as he told District Judge Kurt Glassco he has been sitting in jail for three years accused of murdering four women I considered my friends and is concerned that his attorney isnt adequately rebutting prosecutors arguments. The jury had already been excused at the end of the first day of testimony in his quadruple-murder trial, and Poore wiped tears from his face as his attorney, Wes Johnson, assured the judge that he has no problem with his client, whom he has encouraged to vocalize any concerns about the case. Glassco responded that if he were in Poores position he would be hypersensitive facing a possible no-parole life sentence at the age of 35. Glassco reassured Poore of Johnsons qualifications and advised against representing himself, which would be Poores only other option because he had pleaded indigent. Poore indicated that he would not press the issue further and is expected to return for more testimony in the morning. Poore is charged with four counts of first-degree murder and two counts of armed robbery in the shootings of 23-year-old twin sisters Rebeika Powell and Kayetie Powell Melchor; Misty Nunley, 33; and Julie Jackson, 55. The women were found dead in Rebeika Powells apartment on Jan. 7, 2013, at an apartment complex near 61st Street and Peoria Avenue called Fairmont Terrace at the time. Facing the same charges is James Poores 42-year-old brother, Cedric Poore, who will be tried later. Earlier Thursday, a jury that was selected after a three-day process heard opening statements from attorneys on both sides and testimony from three law enforcement officers. Prosecutors displayed numerous photos showing the condition in which the victims were found, which one detective testified was what stuck out to him most about the crime scene. Tulsa Police Detective Mark Robinson said the apartment complex where the women were found was located in a high-crime area that was rampant with drug activity, shootings and robberies. What was unusual about this crime scene, Robinson testified, was that four women were found dead either on, leaning against or partly under a bed with their hands tied behind their backs and gunshot wounds to the backs of their heads. Robinson testified that the victims pockets were turned inside out as if they had been searched and that one victims bra, which he said is a common place for women to hide drugs, was torn open. Items that appeared to have been dumped from a purse were on top of an ashtray in the room, and a cigarette that appeared to have been squashed was on an end table near the women, Robinson testified. District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler had told jurors in opening statements that evidence would show that James Poores DNA was found on the cigarette butt. Johnson indicated in his opening statement that the time at which the cigarette was put out was significant because James Poore had frequented the apartment to visit a woman who lived there. When Johnson asked Robinson whether he thought the cigarette could have been extinguished a day or even a week earlier, Robinson said that was not likely because there was still ash on the table that probably would have moved if more time had passed. In his hour-long opening statement, Kunzweiler told jurors that the evidence would show that the brothers were on a mission to rob the victims but that it hadnt gone as they planned because at least one victim would be able to identify them. Kunzweiler said witnesses will testify that they overheard the brothers plan the robbery and that, after they returned with items linked to Rebeika Powell, James Poore admitted to the witnesses that they killed the women because they didnt want to get caught. Johnson asked jurors in his opening statement to challenge the credibility of those witnesses, who he said spent a month cooking this up before they were contacted by police. In his 15-minute statement, Johnson told jurors about a man whom police initially named as a person of interest in the slayings before they suspected the Poore brothers. The man was alleged to have provided drugs to two of the victims, who were dealing for him and owed him money, Johnson said. When police searched the mans apartment, they found a pistol with a diamond-encrusted butt that is a badge of rank in the Mexican drug cartel, Johnson said the evidence would show. He contended that the brutality of the murders, which Kunzweiler described as a systematic execution, indicates that it was a homicide to send a message rather than a robbery. Testimony will resume Friday morning. The trial is expected to last two weeks. OKLAHOMA CITY An Oklahoma Supreme Court referee listened to arguments Wednesday in a challenge to an anti-abortion groups attempt to circulate a statewide initiative petition aimed at outlawing abortion. About 75 anti-abortion protesters filled the courtroom for the hearing. The court is being asked to determine whether a group, calling itself AbolishAbortionOK.com, has the right to circulate the petition. Norman resident Thomas Russell Hunter filed papers on Jan. 27 for the petition, which would require 123,725 signatures for a question to appear on the statewide ballot during the Nov. 8 general election. The Oklahoma chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, in a challenge to the petition filed Feb. 12, argues that outlawing abortion flies in the face of the Oklahoma and U.S. constitutions. But Hunter argued on Wednesday, I see nowhere that the law grants a mother or father the right to commit abortions and murder their children. Ryan Kiesel, executive director of the Oklahoma ACLU, said the issue is not whether all abortions need to be outlawed. Rather, he said, the question is whether Oklahoma Supreme Court justices are obligated to allow an initiative petition authorizing a vote on the abortion question. ACLU legal director Brady Henderson said, We dont believe that there is even a dispute here because the justices are simply following the law. Oklahoma Supreme Court referee Greg Albert said he will prepare a report for the court outlining the arguments presented by both sides. It will be up to the justices to determine whether to allow the petition. German-engineered, handcrafted and kid-approved, playgrounds from Richter Spielgerate GmbH have shown up all over the planet, including New York, Australia and Spain. The footprint that Richter will make in Tulsa exceeds them all. It will attract not only people from the Tulsa region but will attract folks from neighboring states and people who can do a stopover from further away, Peter Heuken, Richters director of special projects, said last week in a telephone interview. (There is) no other park with such an outrageous play opportunity as this one. This is by far the largest playground we have ever done. Equipment from the Frasdorf, Germany-based manufacturer will be featured in the Chapman Adventure Playground in A Gathering Place for Tulsa, a $350 million park thats under construction along Riverside Drive. The first shipment has arrived, and it includes a three-level, 32-foot Watch Tower. Unveiled Thursday, its among several towers being reassembled at a local warehouse where all the playground equipment is being stored. We challenged our architects to find the most natural, exciting and innovative playground equipment for the park, said Jeff Stava, executive director of Tulsas Gathering Place LLC. All the equipment is designed to engage both a childs mind and body. Our goal is to build the best park for Tulsas kids, and Richter Spielgerate GmbH specializes in the most advanced playground equipment in the world. Founded nearly half a century ago, Richter uses timber from the Alps for its wooden play equipment, which will be transported to Tulsa via 40 shipping containers over the next 18 months. More than 100 unique pieces will be scattered in the five-acre Chapman Adventure Playground, which also will feature a water mountain, 26-foot tall tunnel slide and 60-foot-long suspension bridge. Four wooden towers are being reassembled at a local warehouse, Stava said. The 62-foot Royal Tower, one of two steel towers that will be re-erected on site at A Gathering Place, will contain a dungeon, theater and throne room. I just imagine myself, a little boy, coming there and what I would see, Heuken said. The magic is I dont see it all at the same time. This will be a place where you move and discover, move and discover. There will be something new every time as it is not all visible from one place. These architects know how to fill a space with wonderful surprises. Richter markets about half its products outside Germany, and the company began serving clients in the United States about a dozen years ago, Heuken said. The company previously has worked with A Gathering Place designer Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates Inc. on projects in New Yorks Brooklyn Bridge Park and Chicagos Maggie Daley Park. We make the equipment so kids can drag their parents along and make experiences together, Heuken said. It will be a space for everyone, not just a playground for kids. Success will be measured by going there, closing your eyes and hearing happy giggles and laughter. OKLAHOMA CITY The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education will act Thursday on revised budgets based on reductions in allocations for fiscal year 2016. The budget cuts affect this agency, our programs and all of our institutions, Amanda Paliotta, vice chancellor for budget and finance, told the regents during a meeting Wednesday. What were dealing with is not just general revenue reductions that are announced but also estimates that have been revised by the Oklahoma Tax Commission related directly to oil gross production and the funds that we receive from those proceeds, Paliota said. College presidents are awaiting word on anticipated additional cuts to their fiscal year 2016 budgets, she said. Robert Waldinger, a psychiatrist by profession, recently delivered a TedTalk in which he described what it means to be happy in the real sense. (Photo: Pixabay) A Harvard researcher describes how a tale told by his grandmother is fixed with him for life in which she narrated the secret of her happy life, according to a report in the The Washington Post. Robert Waldinger, a psychiatrist by profession, recently delivered a TedTalk in which he described what it means to be happy in the real sense. Waldinger said that his grandmother once visited a doctor. While interacting with her, the doctor lifted her purse and moved it to another chair. Since the bag was very heavy, the doctor told her that she might be very rich. In an affirmative tone, Waldinger's grandmother said to the doctor, 'Yes, I am.' Waldinger describes his grandmother as a modest woman who lived a normal life. She never went out on long tours, never had a lavish meal or shopped at big stores. But she was happy and considered herself to be rich because she had a loving husband, children and her grandchildren whom she loved the most. Waldinger said that his grandmother knew the secret to happy life - A healthy relationship with your family - which the researchers had been studying since a long time. Waldinger had studied relationships throughout his career. He described how his study on relationships led him to the conclusion that intimacy between two people in a relationship is of utmost importance. Those who maintain inmate, close relationships are often the happiest, concluded Waldinger, by adding that, people should understand that the key to happiness comes from within the family. What wed really like is a quick fix, something we can get thatll make our lives good and keep them that way, Waldinger said in his TedTalk. The texts, which have mainly been dated from the 1st Century BC to the 7th Century AD, include ancient plays, poems, forensic reports, shopping lists, the earliest example of match-fixing ever found, and an updated version of a Biblical story. In January 1897, British archaeology students Bernard Grenfell and Arthur Hunt dug into what they thought was a simple sand dune at the site of the ancient Egyptian city of Oxyrhynchus, about 200 km south of Cairo. Soon they realised that they had uncovered an ancient rubbish dump, from which more than 500,000 fragments of Egyptian papyrus were eventually extracted. But the problem with finding so many documents is that someone actually has to read them all. Between 1898 and 2012, academics managed to transcribe just over 5,000 of the 500,000 documents that are now housed by the Sackler Library in Oxford and owned by the Egypt Exploration Society in London. It took them over a century to transcribe 1 per cent of them. Realising they needed some serious help, a team led by Dirk Obbink from Oxford University in the UK recruited more than 250,000 volunteers who were willing to learn the ancient Greek alphabet and decipher the texts online. Now, theyre making their way through hundreds of thousands of them. By allowing public access to one of the largest unfinished archaeological projects in the world, we have been able to move beyond one scholar with a papyrus and a magnifying glass, to transcribe between 100,000 and 200,000 more texts some of which had been partially eaten by worms, or used to wrap fish, or worse, Obbink told Adam Lusher at The Independent. Launched in 2014, the Ancient Lives Project gives anyone with a basic understanding of the ancient Greek alphabet the opportunity to access these texts online and try deciphering them. The transcripts are then cross-checked using software that draws data from existing texts and transcripts to verify the translation. Even school children who have been taught the letters of the Greek alphabet can do it, Obbink told The Australian. The most recent results of the Ancient Lives Project have finally been revealed. And the collection of texts that several civilisations spanning thousands of years threw into that rubbish dump is anything but dull. The finds range from official documents a 3rd Century doctors official report on the twisted and lifeless body of a drowned slave girl to the literary, including an extract from Andromeda, a lost tragedy written by Euripides and thought to have been first produced in 417 BC, Lusher reports for The Independent. That was like finding a new speech in a play by Shakespeare, Obbink told him. Its amazing what gets thrown out in the rubbish. The texts, which have mainly been dated from the 1st Century BC to the 7th Century AD, include ancient plays, poems, forensic reports, shopping lists, the earliest example of match-fixing ever found, and an updated version of a Biblical story. Jack Malvern from The Australian explains, Another fragment studied in 2011 revealed a lost gospel that features an early version of a story about Jesus casting out demons from possessed men. The story appears in the gospels of Luke (viii, 26-33) and Matthew (viii, 28-32), both of which were written down later, but their versions include an additional detail about the demons being transferred into pigs, which then drowned themselves in a nearby lake. It suggests that some of the later stories in the Bible were expanded or embellished, Obbink notes. Some 24 medical texts have also been transcribed so far including an ancient hangover cure that was published late last year. The project is still well and truly underway, and new volunteers are always welcome. Source: www.sciencealert.com It's Divali time so at TV6 over the next few days, we bring you some of the interesting aspe This Sunday on 60 Minutes, nothing from Sweden, but there are stories of online recruitment in terrorism, finding Queen Nefertitis tomb, and life-saving surgery. Preacher of Hate We now have a frighteningly clear picture of the next terrorist who will attack Australia on home soil. Chances are hell be a lone wolf, a young radicalised Muslim man armed with whatever is at hand: a knife, a gun, a car. As we have seen already on the streets of Melbourne and Sydney, his victims will be selected at random. But its unlikely this young jihadist will be acting alone. Lurking in the background will be one of a new breed of online recruiters, charismatic and ready to exploit pent-up grievances and anger. This week, for the first time, you will meet one of these hate preachers. His name is Abu Haleema, and he lives not in Syria or Iraq, but in the safety and comfort of London. In this exclusive 60 Minutes investigation, we reveal for the first time the big following Abu Haleema already has in Australia, and just how he is spreading his online message of hate and terror to our kids. Reporter: Liz Hayes Producer: Stephen Rice Saving Baby Willow Baby Willow is three months old. Shes beautiful and perfect, and thankfully for her, blissfully unaware of the angst she has caused her parents, Sam and John Callahan. When Sam was pregnant a routine scan revealed a deadly tumour on Willows lung. The outlook for the unborn baby was bleak until a very clever and courageous Melbourne surgeon decided to defy the odds and attempt a high risk in-utero procedure. It was delicate and dangerous surgery and just the beginning of an incredible battle by an extraordinary group of medicos to save Willow, all captured by 60 Minutes cameras. Reporter: Tara Brown Producers: Rebecca Le Tourneau, Alice Dalley Mummy Dearest In the ultra-competitive world of digging up the past, the significance of new archaeological discoveries is often measured against the greatest of them all King Tutankhamun. Ever since the discovery of Tut and all those golden riches in Egypts Valley of the Kings almost a hundred years ago, weve been hoping for something to rival, or even beat it. Now, we just might have found it. Using space age technology lasers, 3D scanning and thermal imaging a group of researchers thinks theyve found where the famed Queen Nefertiti lies. And as Michael Usher discovers, her tomb may be much closer than anyone ever imagined. Reporter: Michael Usher Producer: Steven Burling 7pm Sunday on Nine. Got an eye for the visual? Wised up on Instagram? Then this could be for you. Netflix is looking for six photographers for a two week gig travelling to Europe to snap iconic film and TV locations. And they will pay US$2000 (AU$2739) for the privilege, while they take care of the travel arrangements. Bonus. And yes, before you ask, there is no stipulation that applicants must be American. To apply you must upload your best 3 shots to Instagram by March 6. Full conditions are here. Media interviews, a petition, a garbage truck protest and a smear campaign were part of a concerted campaign to derail Struggle Street on SBS last May -all ignited by a 1:40 minute promo released on Facebook. Last May SBS was in the eye of a media shitstorm that is hard to forget. This week at the Australian International Documentary Conference in Melbourne SBS Commissioning Editor John Godfrey and Series Producer David Galloway took time to reflected upon the hurdles, mistakes and lessons learned from the controversial series. Prior to the 3 part series being broadcast, Godfrey says SBS felt the series would be a hard sell. After all, how many viewers would want to sit down to a factual series on the disadvantaged? We had low expectations about the series because it was a tough watch, he said. There was no marketing money whatsoever. I was very much in the lions den. But a promo -that notoriously included a fart- drew plenty of attention, especially from Blacktown Mayor Stephen Bali who rang SBS to complain. Galloway and KEO Films had spent 15 months with the participants, including the Kennedy family, who featured heavily in the show and promos. The family had also been granted a private preview screening. With less than a week to go, Godfrey headed to Blacktown Council to offer another screening. I got there and was ushered into the council chambers where there were 30 people sitting there waiting for me, he recalls. I was very much in the lions den. He remembers one statement that underpinned municipal anger. This show is going to affect our real estate values and commercial investment in the area,' he was told. I think thats a really important point to remember. Meanwhile, says Galloway, Peta and Ashley Kennedy were turned and began giving interviews condemning the show. Somewhere in the shitstorm they were turned and persuaded that perhaps theyd done the wrong thing, and given the area a bad name, he explains. I think their neighbours were angry at them for letting the cameras in for such a long time. We hadnt created this climate of fear. It was the mayor. A petition began online and Blacktown sent out a press release offering the Kennedys to whoever wanted them to her from them. But worse was to come. In the lead up to the midweek premiere, Godfrey was attending the Logies when he heard there would be a garbage truck protest. I spent most of the time not in the room, but on the phone to KEO and lawyers, and people internally, to work out a strategy, he explains. There were genuine duty of care concerns for the participants and production staff. We had plans in place for security and relocation. But we hadnt created this climate of fear. It was the mayor. With outrage headlines, Struggle Street chalked up a whopping 7700 mentions and articles -worth millions in advertising. It was in every news and radio bulletin for 48 hours. Obviously there were quite a few internal meetings about it. No one knew where it was going to end, says Godfrey. A smear campaign started with attacks on our (managing director) and the (managing director) of KEO, Leonie Lowe. There was political pressure as well. There was a fear of a mob mentality having been whipped up, by the mayor and certain sections of the press, Galloway agrees. There was a real fear it could get out of control. It was quite scary. It was a tsunami of media accusations levelled against us so it was impossible to respond in any meaningful way. A psychologist who had worked on the show visited the participants. Peta (Kennedy) was pretty apologetic saying, I have to say these things to protect my family because were copping so much abuse. That was distressing for us that the family was being brought into it, Galloway assures. We actually just wanted to narrow the window to be honest. Even before the first episode aired a decision was made to screen the second and third episodes as a double the following week. Godfrey now reveals it was to stop the angst from dragging on. We actually just wanted to narrow the window to be honest. That was why we did it. It was gratifying because in the 9:30 episode the audience grew. So if you were worried that people only came for the controversy, it wasnt true, he says. A roadtrain of garbage trucks descended on SBS headquarters in Artarmon on the day of the broadcast, prompting more national headlines. But what followed was a bumper viewing audience, a whopping 935,000 viewers, its biggest all year. The conversation began to shift, with some viewers finding positives in what had been branded as poverty porn. We knew when it went to air the conversation would change. And it absolutely did, Godfrey defends. But while not everybody will agree there was complete unison, SBS points to some positive outcomes. Community hub Graceadas Cottage in Bidwill, a suburb of Mt Druitt, was inundated with gifts, money -and even a renovation from A Current Affair, which had previously targeted the show. Other participants benefited through employment, donation of a car and improved self esteem. But one young mans ice addiction continues to be a struggle, while another was targeted by social media. Regrettably weve lost contact with her. So I think it was tough for her, Galloway acknowledges. The tabloid press and social media are going to go you. His advice to other producers tackling controversial subjects is to be prepared. The tabloid press and social media are going to go you. It just seems to be a national sport these days that the media will go after one of their own. While Galloway said SBS support was unwavering, he also attributed the shitstorm to the promo SBS ran, with footage taken out of context. A lot of the heat was generated during that period. By the time the first episode, and certainly the second, had gone to air it had almost completely dissipated, he says. I probably wouldnt allow a fart in the (promo) again, Godfrey concedes. One of the lessons would be that the tone of the (promo) didnt work. It wasnt representative. But you could argue that it did a good job. It got people to watch it. But we wouldnt do that sort of (promo) again. If there is a second series -and most observers believe there will be- SBS isnt saying. A KEO source told TV Tonight they were in discussion with the broadcaster. Standard spin for neither confirming, nor denying. Theres little doubt all the players learned much from the 2015 experience: headlines, stress, tears, arguments, meetings and even job security. Documentaries are not for the feint-hearted. I was fearful of my job, I must admit, Godfrey admits. Later this month Seven will be screening 2015 action drama Odyssey, starring Anna Friel as a Special Ops Task Force sergeant in Mali North Africa who learns a major American corporation is secretly funding terrorists. The cast includes Peter Facinelli, Jake Robinson, Treat Williams and Australias Sarah Wynter. The series was retitled after its US launch as American Odyssey but was cancelled after 13 episodes. Seven describes the series as a complex journey through global politics, corporate espionage and military secrets involving three strangers who only have one thing in common the truth. In this Traffic-like action drama from writer-director Peter Horton (Greys Anatomy), an international conspiracy explodes when the lives of a female Special Forces soldier (Anna Friel, Pushing Daisies), a disillusioned corporate lawyer (Peter Facinelli, Twilight), and a political activist (Jake Robinson, The Carrie Diaries) from a privileged family unexpectedly collide. 9:30pm Sunday March 20 on Seven. Smouldering Outlander star Sam Heughan is headed to Sydney for a promotional tour of the hit series ahead of its second season. The Scottish star who plays Jamie Fraser will be in Sydney on March 21 and 22. Expect plenty of swooning from media to ensue In Outlander S2 Claire (Balfe) and Jamie (Heughan) arrive in France, hell-bent on infiltrating the Jacobite rebellion led by Prince Charles Stuart, and stopping the battle of Culloden. With the help of his cousin Jared, a local wine merchant, Jamie and Claire are thrown into the lavish world of French society where intrigue and parties are abundant, but political gain proves far less fruitful. Altering the course of history presents challenges that begin to weigh on the very fabric of their relationship. However armed with the knowledge of what lies ahead, Claire and Jamie must race to prevent a doomed Highland uprising and the extinction of Scottish life as they know it. Ronald D. Moore, Jim Kohlberg, Andy Harries, Maril Davis, Ira Steven Behr, Toni Graphia and Anne Kenney serve as executive producers of Outlander, which is produced by Tall Ship Productions, Story Mining & Supply Company and Left Bank Pictures in association with Sony Pictures Television. Outlander returns Sunday April 10 at 8.30pm on SoHo. Hyderabad: A 25-year-old software engineer, Sanjay Junge, was brutally stabbed to death during the wee hours of the morning on Thursday near Swapna Lok complex in Secunderabad. The techie was heading back home after completion of his scheduled shift when four men came out of a Maruti Swift which stopped at the outgate of Swapna Lok complex and stabbed him to death. "Four persons came in car. They stabbed him to death. The police came and followed the car but could not catch them. The ambulance arrived and took the body," said a security guard. Though the police van reached the spot immediately after the incident, it failed to trace the perpetrators. The police is verifying the case with eye witnesses and CCTV footage in order to ascertain the identity of vehicle used during the incident. The police have registered a murder case in this regard and investigation is underway. Its always tricky to draw an audience to grim news, but Sunday Night will revisit the Port Arthur massacre nearly 20 years after it took place in Tasmania. Mike Willesee presents a special event episode which includes new footage, interviews surrounding the tragedy and trial of Martin Bryant. Port Arthur. The location is seared forever in the national consciousness. 35 dead. The scale of the killing shocked and horrified us all. Martin Bryant. Australias worst mass murderer. We know precisely where it happened. We know how many people died. We know that scores more were seriously injured, that so many families were shattered that day. And we know who was responsible. What we dont know is precisely what motivated Bryant to kill and kill again. Nor do we know how he accounted for his killing spree once he was arrested and charged. That is, until now. Startling new video has emerged along with chilling first person accounts never before seen or heard that have enabled Sunday Night to build the most definitive picture of one of the nations darkest days. Why so many victims? How did Bryant explain his actions? Was he chasing infamy? Was he contrite? Did he comprehend the magnitude of his crimes? This Sunday Night major event features new, deeply personal and detailed accounts of Martin Bryant the man and his motivations from those who came to be closest to him in the days, weeks and months that followed the Port Arthur atrocity. Theyre men who got inside the mind of a monster. And what they found there was shocking, unbearably so. Well also hear from the girlfriend who was showered with money and proposals by a simple, illiterate loner harbouring a terrifying murderous intent. And in never-before-seen video, hidden from the public and obtained by Sunday Night, well see and hear arguably the most authoritative account of all. Sunday Nights Mike Willesee leads this powerful and important investigation as Australians continue to crave answers to the big questions still surrounding this appalling crime 20 years on. Sunday, March 6 at 8.30pm on Seven. 11:11 a.m., March 3, 2016--The fifth annual University of Delaware dance minor concert, Dance Connections, will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, March 4 and 5, at Mitchell Hall on UDs Newark campus. Members of the UD dance faculty as well as three senior dance minors will be presenting originally choreographed works performed by dance minor students. Auditions are held every September for any UD student to be cast in the various performance pieces, and rehearsals and preparations take place during the fall and spring semesters for this event. This year, dancers will be joined by music faculty members Eileen Grycky on flute and Christiaan Taggart on guitar, along with a variety of collaborative projects for the concert performance. Other collaborations have been inspired by Esme Allen-Creighton of the music department viola faculty, with Kimberly Schroeder, the dance minor director, and original music composed by violinist Mazz Swift. Lynnette Overby, UD professor of theatre, and special guest choreographers, performers and friends from South Africa will premiere excerpts from their work, Same Story Different Countries, which will be presented in full on Sunday, March 13, at the Baby Grand in Wilmington, Delaware. One of the many collaborations for the dance minor concert came through a partnership between dance programs at Hope College in Holland, Michigan, and UD, along with the University of Delaware Museums. Hope College dance faculty and UD guest artist Angie Yetzke created a work that was originally performed as a part of the opening of the COLOR/form exhibition in UDs Old College Gallery in September. The piece integrates color, shape and voice into motion-filled visual art inspired by the exhibition of visual artists Donald McLaughlin and Dennis Beach. Tickets for Dance Connections, at $10 for adults and $5 for students, can be purchased at the door by cash or check. A 23-year-old Wipro employee was found dead in front her hostel in Gachibowli on Wednesday. The woman, Rani Manisha, hailing from Ranchi, is suspected to have jumped from the fourth floor. The police has not found any suicide note from her room but cops said they suspect Manisha was depressed. Manisha, a software engineer, was living in a single room at the womens hostel on the second floor. Police suspect that she went to the fourth floor after 5 am and jumped. Hostel staffers found her body and informed the police. Manishas friends said she was chronically depressed and they had informed her mother. Her mother Pooja had started for Hyderabad on Tuesday to meet her daughter. She had asked her colleague to keep an eye on her also, said a police official from Gachibowli. Manisha had not spoken to her mother since two days. On Tuesday night, her mother talked to her colleague and asked if she could speak to her. But, Manisha was not available then. On Tuesday night some of her colleagues talked to Manisha till 11 pm. After that she went to her room, said SI Venkatesh of Gachibowli police station. Manisha had come to Hyderabad five months ago and joined Wipro. Police has booked a case. However, they have not found the reason behind Manishas depression. 8:59 a.m., March 3, 2016--Boston Alumni Club members welcomed the University of Delaware Chorale to their city on the evening of Feb. 11 for a performance at Emmanuel Church, preceded by an exclusive dinner hosted by UDs Delaware Diamonds Society to thank generous Bostonians for their ongoing leadership support of the University. It was a pleasure to host Boston-area Delaware Diamonds Society members, said Ruth Rosenberg, director of development for leadership annual giving and reunions. We understand it can be challenging for them to come to campus as often as our local members so it was important for us to tell them in person how grateful we are for their support and leadership. The restaurant was buzzing with activity as Delaware Diamonds Society members shed winter gear and squeezed through crowds to make their way to the back of the restaurant to greet fellow Blue Hens. Members enjoyed a three-course meal of seasonal dishes in the private dining area that included the restaurants wine cellar. Two UD Chorale members, Thomas Kuchler and Amanda Livesey, both of the Class of 2016, attended the dinner to share their experiences. Kuchler, recipient of the Claudia and Richard Fischer Music Scholarship, recounted a fateful meeting with the Fischers while traveling in France. A senior in the College of Arts and Sciences majoring in music education, he was attending a UD Chorale symposium in France when he noticed the donors names on the event roster. Later, he spotted them dining in a local restaurant. I introduced myself and told them that I had been the beneficiary of their scholarship for the past few years, said Kuchler. They were overjoyed to meet me and learn of the impact of their generosity firsthand. I felt connected to them on many different levels. Without their generosity, college may have been out of reach for Kuchler. I come from a family with limited resources. As a first generation college student I had to figure out the many nuances of paying for college on my own, he explained. I am so grateful for people like the Fischers. After dinner, guests gathered at Emmanuel Church for a performance by the UD Chorale. As the concert came to a close, the crowd joined in singing the alma mater. What was most moving for me was standing and singing hail to thee proud Delaware with the chorale and fellow alumni. That was something I didnt know I could do, said Delaware Diamonds Society member Richard Haines, of the Class of 1957. Haines, who sang with the UD Chorale in the 1950s, has seen tremendous change within the chorale and the University. I probably wouldnt get in the chorale today, as they are a bit more selective, Haines said jokingly. It was good then but now it is world famous. Its been wonderful seeing the University grow and be recognized for its outstanding programs. Meant to connect alumni and supporters with the University, the evenings performance also served to link current students to the alumni experience. Being a part of the UD Chorale has been a huge part of my college experience. Every member of this ensemble gives everything they have to every musical moment, said Amanda Livesey, of the Class of 2016. Sharing our concert with Boston alumni and the Delaware Diamonds Society reinforced for me that being a Blue Hen is more than just a four-year endeavor. While the evening was frigid with record low temperatures, guests made their way home warmed by their Blue Hen connection. About the Delaware Diamonds Society Established in 1974, the Delaware Diamonds Society is a recognition society devoted to encouraging exemplary levels of financial support among alumni, parents, faculty, staff, students and friends of the University of Delaware. It pays tribute to those who cumulatively contribute $1,000 or more annually. About the Boston Alumni Club The Boston Alumni Club works to engage active alumni in the Boston metro area by hosting events open to alumni and family members. The club promotes lifelong relationships with the University of Delaware opportunities to give back to UD by volunteering and through philanthropic support. Click here to learn more about UDs regional alumni clubs. About the Office of Development and Alumni Relations The Office of Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) engages donors, alumni, friends, parents, faculty, staff and students in a lifelong relationship and fosters a tradition of philanthropy to strengthen the Universitys legacy as one of the great public institutions of higher education in America. Article by Nadine Sabater Hi, my name is Scott C. Waring and I wrote a few books and am currently a ESL School Owner in Taiwan. I have had my own UFO sighting up close and personal, but that's how it works right? A non believer becomes a believer when they experience their first sighting. You witnessed it, your perceptual field changes, so now you need to share it. I created this site to help the UFO community get a little bit organized. I noticed that there was a lot of chaos when searching for UFO sighting reports, so I hope this site helps. I wanted to support those eyewitnesses who have tried to tell others about what they have seen, yet were laughed at by even closest of friends. More and more each day the governments of the world leak bits and pieces of UFO information to the public. They have a trickle down theory in hopes of slowly getting citizens use to the idea that we are not alone in universe and never have been. The truth is being leaked drop by drop until one day we look around and find ourselves neck high in it. The discovery of alien species in existence is the most monumental scientific event in human history, suppression of that information is a crime against humanity. About me: I live in Taiwan. I OWN MY OWN ENGLISH SCHOOL, AND ONCE HAD 5 SCHOOLS. Am Former USAF at SAC base (flight line). Age: 42 Educ: BA in Elem ed. Masters in Counseling ed. I had two UFO sightings, (30+bus size orbs) in military and in 2012 personally saw the UFO over Taipei 101 building on New Years Day (and recored it). Subscribe to Our Posts via Email Peace-maker as a lot of people have tagged the highly influential Yoruba monarch, Ooni of Ile Ife has reportedly taken a new wife because his first marriage has crashed due to irreconcilable differences. He is now married to a new Olori who is from Royal Brass Casters guide family in Benin.According to an exclusive report, due to irreconcilable differences, the newly crowned Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Enitan Babatunde Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has allegedly taken a new wife because his first marriage has crashed. He is now married to Wuraola Otiti Obanor.Below is how Stella Dimoko Korkus put the story:Have you noticed that Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II has always been on his own to all occasions and even on his official coronation on the 7th of December 2015? there was a distance between him and his wife, Adebukunola Ogunwusiwell thats because Insiders allege his union to his ex wife was already so strained that both were no longer in talking terms as at when the Ooni ascended the throne.Ex wife? Yes, because i hear the Marriage has fallen apart and cannot be salvaged. My sources inform me that Adebukunola never assumed the role of an Olori and never moved to the Palace, she left Ile-ife town as soon as the Coronation was over and has not been back there or seen with the Oba eye to eyeReliable information from the palace says that the Ooni is an extremely happy king now cos hes about to be joined in Matrimony to Wuraola Otiti Zynab Obanor and the duo are in love. Wuraola from Oluyare Compound, Iremo Quarters in Ile-Ife but a native of Benin City.Ile- Ife and Benin Kingdom Uniting? Wow!The New Olori is from Royal Brass Casters guide family -Ine n Igun and Her forefather Ezhoe from Oluyare compound, Ile Ife was requested for by the Oba of Benin King Oguola from the Ooni Of Ife. Ezhoe left his son Ighueghae who naturally became the head of the family after his father left back to Ife from Benin. Hmmmm strong ties between Benin and Ife and about to be re-ignited with this Marriage.According to Stella Dimoko Korkus sources, Their union is already 95 percent completed, just for a few other formalities to be concluded within a few weeks.Wuraola is relocating from the diaspora to take on her role as wife and Olori to a Powerfully Popular King,Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi,Ojaja II Cooperation deal has been signed between Symy city and the Slovak city of Banska Bystrica. The relevant agreement has been reached during the visit of the Sumy delegation headed by mayor Oleksandr Lysenko to Slovakia, the press service of the Sumy city council told Ukrinform. "Oleksandr Lysenko and primator of Banska Bystrica Jan Nosko have reached a mutual agreement on the feasibility of the cooperation agreement between the cities that will be signed in May 2016 in Sumy city in the framework of XIII International Universal Exhibition of interregional and foreign economic cooperation "Slobozhansky Bridge 2016," the press service reported. According to the press release, heads of the cities have discussed methods for developing entrepreneurship at the regional level, establishment of cooperation in education, culture, tourism and sports. "Today government and business community are moving towards a common goal - improving the credibility of the city in Ukraine and abroad. Partnership with partner cities opens additional opportunities for developing Sumy in all areas of its life, and new business ties is another step to get investments in the city," Sumy mayor said. President of the Sumy Chamber of Commerce Kostyantyn Makarenko said that Sumy Chamber has been actively encouraging local manufacturers to export products to the European countries, develop investment projects in the region, and deepen the European integration processes at the regional level. On March 15-20 business mission of Sumy entrepreneurs will visit Banska Bystrica. The agenda of the visit - meeting with representatives of Banska Bystrica business circles, visits to local companies, ski resorts and other tourist infrastructure facilities in the region. The United States exerts pressure on Russia to return Crimea to Ukraine. U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Tefft stated this while answering questions from Facebook users on the page of the Embassy. "The goal of the U.S. sanctions is to protect Crimea by exerting pressure on Russia to put an end to the occupation and return the peninsula to Ukraine," Tefft said. As reported, in January, Ukraine's Finance Minister Natalie Jaresko assured that 2016 would become "the year when Ukraine will intensify the process of return of the peninsula." She made it clear it would be done through the diplomatic means. ol Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman hopes that the citizens of the Netherlands will support the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement at the referendum in April. He stated this during the meeting with Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders in The Hague, the press service of the Ukrainian Parliament reports. "Of course we are concerned about the referendum. However, we respect your right, your laws, and we hope that the citizens of the Netherlands will make the right choice," the Speaker said. Groysman added that the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement did not pose any threat to the European Union but it was very important for the Ukrainians to feel the support for their European choice. In turn, Koenders said that he had visited Maidan in Kyiv two years ago along with the ambassadors of the Benelux countries. "It is obvious that it was the choice of the Ukrainian people in favor of the Association Agreement. The position of the Dutch government is to protect the signature, which we put under the Agreement," the Dutch Foreign Minister stressed. ol President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko will pay an official visit to Turkey in March. He made a statement at the award ceremony of Ukraine's National Prize named after Taras Shevchenko, Ukrinform reports. "The schedule of international events was made in such a way that it is namely on commemorating Shevchenko days I am leaving on my official visit to Turkey. You are quite politically savvy and realize what an extremely important visit it is. The talks with Recep Erdogan, strengthening our defense capabilities and forging a strong political and economic union," Poroshenko said. The mafia that operates a racket with the help of advocates and goons takes quotation from the families of the boys who have love affairs and marry girls from financially backward families. Thiruvananthapuram: Quotation gangs in the state are spreading their tentacles to even your bedrooms. There is no need now for estranged couples to fight prolonged court battles to get divorces. There is a mafia specialising in ensuring speedy divorces with the blessings of a political organisation that wants to prevent boys from marrying outside their caste or religion. This is what Mr Sudheer Kidangoor, former principal of MG College, Thiruvananthapuram, has learnt from some cases he has come across. The mafia that operates a racket with the help of advocates and goons takes quotation from the families of the boys who have love affairs and marry girls from financially backward families. The girls are threatened to ensure that they don't move the human rights commission, police or women's commission and agree for divorce, Mr Kidangoor told DC. A girl from a village, who was known to him, had told him of the harassment she faced from the gang to ensure divorce. She married a classmate of the BTech course, but she had failed in some papers. The two left for the US soon after the marriage. Meantime, the family of the boy got in touch with the gang members who told them that if the two stayed separated for 21 days, it was easy to get a divorce. Soon the girl was sent back to the state on the pretext of making her prepare for the supplementary examination. When she returned to the state, she was threatened by the gang to get a divorce or face character assassination. This led to an out-of-court divorce, Mr Kidangoor said. In some cases, boys who were not willing for divorce were sent to a spiritual goonda, who performs black magic on them and tortures them. They finally succumb to the pressure and agree for divorce, Mr Kidangoor said. In another case, a girl from a poor background had agreed for divorce after the gang threatened her that the family of the boy would seek compensation from her as she had cheated him by presenting false claims about herself, Mr Kidangoor said. The modus operandi of the gang was to press for out-of-court settlements by threatening the girls family not to approach the police, Mr Kidangoor said. Amal Ali, a Swedish dentist of Somali background, helps more recent arrivals feel at home at her practice in Norway. UNHCR/J.Bavman OSLO, Norway, March 3 (UNHCR) - On a dark and snowy afternoon in central Oslo, a recording of the Islamic call to prayer plays in a small dental practice above a pizza restaurant to try to make the mainly Muslim patients feel at ease. Played on a computer App, the call is not intended to summon patients to prayer, but the sound is just one of the many ways in which 29-year-old Swedish-Somali dentist Amal Ali is making Norway's new arrivals feel at home. To allow patients time to worship, she also factors breaks for prayer into the appointments schedule. Ali fled to Scandinavia in 1991 with her family, and is happy to help the patients who, like herself, have refugee backgrounds. Some seeking care at her practice in Norway have low incomes and have never visited a dentist before. "I have days when I feel I'm making a difference, and others when I am drained," Ali said. "But the patients give me back so much. They teach me about Africa and the Middle East, they give me a glimpse of how their lives used to be. Then you remember we have something special in common - we all came from other countries, we all had other lives before we came here." When Ali's family arrived in Sweden, they hoped it would be just a brief stay until the civil war in Somalia was over. However, the fighting in east Africa continues, causing a new exodus to northern Europe. Ali has become one of a handful of Somali Swedes to qualify as a dentist. Having completed five years of study at Gothenburg University, she was awarded a dental licence in 2012 and worked for three years in her home town of Gothenburg before moving to Oslo, in neighbouring Norway. "When you look at these refugees and you see people going through horrible conditions just to get the life I have here in Sweden or Norway, you realize how blessed you are," she says. Ali's route into dentistry was not easy. When she first graduated, she was the only dentist from Africa and the only one who wore a hijab. "In the beginning it was very tricky," she says. "But then when I opened my mouth and they heard my Swedish and Gothenburg accent, they just let that go - and we could have fun." In early 2015, when an opportunity arose to work with predominantly Somali patients in Oslo, Ali saw a rare chance to treat people from the same background as her own. Amal Ali chats to a colleague at the dentist clinic in downtown Oslo where she works. UNHCR/J.Bavman One year on, she is learning to be a role model for other immigrants. Her patients in Oslo find it unusual to be treated by a Muslim woman. Young women want to talk to her about their dreams, education and ambitions. Somali men have asked to bring their daughters just so they can see that there is such a thing a Somali woman dentist, Ali said. Some of the men mistake her for the receptionist. Then their attitude changes. "They become so respectful that you are female and you have made it. That is very common that this happens, because they have not met a Somali female dentist before. But when they do, they have huge respect," she says. Ali often meets refugees who come to Scandinavia with a goal, which they pursue tirelessly. Others, however, have given up and started to believe that they will never be accepted in society, no matter what they do. "There is no bridge between those groups," she says. "I would like to be that bridge and say 'yes it was difficult, it wasn't easy going through university to become a dentist, wearing the scarf, having your religion, praying five times a day, wanting to be a decent Muslim and at the same time be an excellent student. But you can do it. It's difficult, but you can.' " Amal says she feels 99 per cent Swedish. However, working in Oslo - her "little Somalia", as she calls it - is also a reminder of home. Whenever she can, she tries to offer some of her services free of charge. "Not all Somalis were given the chance to come to Sweden and get a higher education, for free, which I was," she says. "For me to just work and pay taxes would be disrespectful to the people back home, that I don't give back. I need to do something to show that I am still Somali also - while at the same time having a Swedish identity." Thanks to her hard work and the opportunities available in Sweden, Ali has shown that refugees can succeed. "Try to fulfil your dreams, because you came to a country where you can. Come here with an open mind and try to utilize all the opportunities you can get. It is going to be a struggle, but it's a struggle wherever you are in the world." By David Crouch in Oslo, Norway New Delhi: Under attack over his alleged inflammatory speech, Union Minister Ram Shankar Katheria on Monday claimed he did not target any community. "What has been published in one of the newspapers is false. I had not taken the name of any community. I had said that the culprits, who had murdered the VHP leader, should be given death sentence. I had also said that the Hindu community should unite for their safety. I will send a notice to the newspaper," the Minister of State for HRD said. Read: Storm in Parliament as Cong demands action against Irani, Katheria Katheria, along with BJP MP from Fatehpur Sikri Babu Lal, had on Sunday attended a condolence meeting held for VHP worker Arun Mahaur, who was allegedly killed by some youths from another community in Agra on Thursday. At the meeting, Katheria had said: "This conspiracy that is being hatched against the Hindu community, we have to be be alert to recognize it and strengthen ourselves. We will have to fight it because if we do not do it now, today we have lost one Arun, tomorrow it could be another Arun...the killers should also go, we have to set such an example". Reacting to Katheria's remarks, Leader of the Congress party in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that BJP and RSS had plans to divide the country. "They speak whenever elections are nearing. They talk about dividing the country and not uniting. If they continue to speak like this, there will be repercussions across the country. Today we are raising this issue because Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh are silent on this issue," he said. Asaduddin Owaisi, leader of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, said that he is not surprised by the remarks of the Union Minister. "This has been the continuous, consistent and obnoxious behavior by the Modi government. I am sure that no action will be taken," he said. Owaisi added that this "was good because the real agenda of the government is being exposed". "Their real agenda is to promote Hinduvta. A Minister speaking such language clearly shows that he went to Agra not for condolence meeting but to create communal mayhem there," Owaisi said. Kanyakumari: At least 49 Indian fishermen including 44 from Tamil Nadu detained by the Iran coast guard three months ago were released on Wednesday. The Indian fishermen-31 from Kanyakumari district, two from Thoothukudi district and 11 from Ramanathapuram district in and five from Gujarat state along with five Dubai fishermen, were arrested by the Iran coast Guard on charge of cross border fishing, on November 29, 2015, while they were engaged in fishing in the Sharjah and Ajman seas in the UAE waters. The detained fishermen were taken to the harbor town, Geesh in Iran along with their five launches. Confined to their boats at Geesh fisheries harbour, the fishermen requested for the intervention of Indian government through the South Asian Fishermen Fraternity (SAAF). Mumbai: Deported gangster Chhota Rajan's lawyer on Thursday made an application before the special court situated inside high security Arthur Road jail requesting that CBI should take Rajan into custody in all the cases in which non-bailable warrant against Rajan has been issued. According to Rajan's defence lawyer Avinash Kamkhedekar since Rajan is already in custody and hence this is best time to take him into custody as NBW is already issued against him. The special judge Samir Adkar also directed the CBI to file progress report (into J Dey murder case investigation) in court on next date of hearing i.e. March 14. The CBI reiterated that they are facing several problems like they don't have infrastructure and notification for appointment of special public prosecutor is expected by next week. Till now no public prosecutor is appointed for CBI in J Dey murder case. The gangster was in Bali in October last year by the Indonesian police which acted on a Red Corner Notice issued by Interpol. BACKGROUND - Twitter is gaining growing popularity as a communication platform and potential tool to influence the public in medical matters. The aim here is to examine whether and how robotic surgeons use Twitter more influentially than other urologists. METHODS - Robotic surgeons and other urologists that tweeted at the European urology congress were compared by assessing Twitter Follower/Following Ratio, Retweet Rank and Percentile and their Twitter strategies. RESULTS - Robotic surgeons had a significantly higher Twitter Follower/Following Ratio (2.1, 1.4-2.4) and Retweet Rank percentile (92.1%, 90.5-93%) than other urologists (1.2, 0.8-2.1 and 88.9%, 87.3-91.7%, respectively). Robotic surgeons used original tweet content and links more often than other urologists (69.4% vs 53.8%, and 19.8% vs 12.5%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS - Robotic surgeons had a higher public influence on Twitter than other urologists and posted original tweets and links in tweets and profiles more frequently. This strategy might optimize Twitter use by healthcare professionals in the future. Copyright 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. The international journal of medical robotics + computer assisted surgery : MRCAS. 2016 Feb 23 [Epub ahead of print] Hendrik Borgmann, Jan Woelm, Karen Nelson, Kilian Gust, Rene Mager, Michael Reiter, David Schilling, Georg Bartsch, Roman Blaheta, Axel Haferkamp, Igor Tsaur Department of Urology and Pediatric Urology, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany., Department of Urology and Pediatric Urology, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany., Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany., Department of Urology and Pediatric Urology, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany., Department of Urology and Pediatric Urology, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany., Department of Urology and Pediatric Urology, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany., Department of Urology and Pediatric Urology, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany., Department of Urology and Pediatric Urology, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany., Department of Urology and Pediatric Urology, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany., Department of Urology and Pediatric Urology, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany., Department of Urology and Pediatric Urology, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany. PubMed http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26914176 Osteoporosis is a skeletal problem characterized by decreased bone mass and the deterioration of its microarchitecture making the bone prone to fractures. It is usually associated with aging, occurring in postmenopausal women and elderly men. Osteoporosis becomes clinically manifest when it results in a fracture. About 1.5 million osteoporotic fractures are recorded in the United States every year. Osteoporotic fractures in the older patient result in a marked decrease in quality of life due to such factors as pain, restricted mobility, isolation and depression. About 20% of older patients suffering a hip fracture die within one year, from the injury or complications of its treatment. Osteoporotic fractures place about 180,000 people in nursing homes and costs the healthcare system $18 billion each year. Osteoporosis has become an important issue in people with a history of prostate or breast cancer. Anticancer agents may have direct toxic effects on bone, some chemotherapeutic agents may induce hypogonadism and the prolonged use of steroids as part of treatment in certain cancers may all contribute to the development of osteoporosis. A significant factor in the development of osteoporosis is the use of androgen deprivation treatment (ADT) in all its forms in the treatment of prostate cancer, and the use of aromatase inhibitors (AI) in the treatment of hormone receptor-positive breast cancers. While therapeutic agents are available for the prevention of osteoporosis, lifestyle management such as engaging in weight bearing exercises, intake of calcium and vitamin D supplements, avoidance of smoking and excessive alcohol intake could prevent or slow down the development of osteoporosis. We undertook this study, to understand what prostate and breast cancer survivors need to know about osteoporosis (its prevention and treatment strategies) to feel well-informed, promote compliance to treatment, and self-efficacy. We used a mixed-methods approach; we determined qualitatively and quantitatively the areas of knowledge deficit in osteoporosis. First, twenty patients comprising 10 breast and 10 prostate cancer survivors were interviewed. We asked what their thoughts were about osteoporosis and its treatment, what they know and what they wanted to know as well as their preferred source of health information. Two validated knowledge questionnaires were administered to another 20 survivors to objectively assess their knowledge on osteoporosis and identify any areas of deficit. The qualitative interviews revealed that participants generally knew what osteoporosis was but lacked details on causes, risk factors, treatment and prevention. Some indicated that exercises, use of calcium and vitamin D supplements were self-management behaviors they could undertake to improve their bone health. Participants were concerned about the effect of their cancer medications on the bone. They were of the opinion that providing information could help address their concerns as well as promote compliance with healthy lifestyles and treatment. They would also use the information in educating family members and to initiate conversation with their healthcare providers. Friends and family who would want more information would be advised to go on the Internet or talk to their physicians. The knowledge questionnaires revealed areas of knowledge deficit to include risk factors, prevention and treatment of osteoporosis among others. It was also shown that participants perceived knowledge did not match their low performance on the knowledge questionnaires. These findings indicate a problem of inadequate information on osteoporosis even in highly educated prostate and breast cancer survivors who had been on IAs or ADT. The Internet was their preferred information source. However, the information would be more acceptable if they knew it came from a reputable source. Although the Internet has a number websites that provide some information on osteoporosis, none is specifically designed to meet the information needs of cancer survivors. It may be desirable to have an educational website on osteoporosis designed for cancer survivors addressing such issues as the general characteristics of osteoporosis, risk factors, prevention and treatment. Written By: Jude K. A. des Bordes1, MBChB, DrPH, Noha Abdel-Wahab1,2, MD, PhD, Maria Suarez-Almazor1, MD, PhD, Maria A. Lopez-Olivo1, MD, PhD Read the Original Abstract Authors Affiliation 1. Department of General Internal Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Unit 1465 Houston TX 77030, USA 2. Rheumatology and Rehabilitation Department, Assiut University Hospital, Egypt This Site Is Under Construction and Coming Soon. This Domain Is Registered with Network Solutions Ludhiana: A criminal case has been filed against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and AAP leaders Sanjay Singh and Bhagwant Mann in Punjab. Advocate SK Uppal on Thursday said one of his clients had filed a case against Kejriwal for distributing posters of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. He said that his client is of the view that the posters would create communal tension between the Hindu and Sikh groups. The advocate added that this is a criminal case and the punishment could stretch to a prison term of two years. Powell Students Plan Trip to China as Part of UW Contingent Powell High School graduates Emily Kath, Ben Wetzel and Anya Tracy are among eight Associated Students of the University of Wyoming representatives who will be in China over spring break to meet with their Chinese counterparts. (Jordan Blazovich Photo) While some of their University of Wyoming classmates will be basking in the sunshine or volunteering in projects across the country during spring break, three Powell High School graduates will be in China as part of a leadership exchange program. Emily Kath, Anya Tracy and Ben Wetzel are among eight Associated Students of UW (ASUW) representatives who will travel to Shanghai, China, on a six-day trip visiting Shanghai Normal University and Shanghai University. They leave Friday, March 11; UWs spring break is March 14-18. Both Shanghai Normal University and Shanghai University are leading universities in the Peoples Republic of China. For the past several years, UW and the two Chinese schools have shared resources, with UW students and faculty visiting the two universities, and students and faculty from the two Chinese institutions coming to Wyoming in exchange programs. The ASUW student contingent will visit both Shanghai campuses to meet with student leaders and administrators, Kath says. She is a political science senior, who also receives credit hours in the Master of Public Administration program, and is ASUW vice president this school year. Tracy is a speech, language, hearing sciences senior; and Wetzel is a chemistry/molecular biology freshman. Kath and ASUW President Brian Schueler, an international studies/economics senior from Buffalo, lead the trip. Schueler says the students are contributing most of their own money for the trip, and also received support from ASUW and the Cheney International Center in UW International Programs. The UW Student Affairs Office assisted with organizing the event. Kath says she and Schueler interviewed 15 students -- ranging from freshmen to graduate students in a wide range of academic disciplines -- who applied for the program, and set up the committee to select the final contingent. We had an amazing group of applicants, and we were able to put together a great group of eight students, Kath says. Brian does have experience traveling to China, so he will be helpful with the language. Every trip to China is an adventure. Like many of my six previous trips, I know that we will be welcomed very graciously by the people there, Schueler says. I also believe we can demonstrate the importance that these international partnerships have on our educational experience here at UW. We hope to strengthen this strategic partnership. Kath says the trips focus is to share ideas and to gain information about how student government works at the two Chinese institutions, plus learn what student life is like in China. A lot of us have not been to China. So, a lot of this trip will just be sharing of culture, whether it be through student theatrical productions for the delegation, dancing, calligraphy, food, of course, and things like that, she adds. The trip is really to gain a sense of the culture. Other UW students on the trip are: Clinton Harper, international studies graduate student, from Palmdale, Calif.; Shelby Lewis, mathematics/international studies sophomore, and Mackenzie Muirhead, international studies/French senior, both from Cheyenne; and Richard Yang, computer science/computer engineering senior, from Laramie. Schueler says this will be a fantastic opportunity for his fellow ASUW representatives. We also look forward to encountering a different culture and learning new ideas and more understanding of China, he says. ASUW represents all students on this campus and, so, in addition to the benefits that will accrue to UW and to us as individuals, we hope that this experience also can help ASUW better represent one of our largest international cohorts on campus. Home Minister Rajnath Singh at Parliament house during the Budget session, in New Delhi. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi/Chennai: The Centre on Thursday said it will abide by Supreme Court verdict on the issue of freeing convicts, a day after Tamil Nadu government decided to remit the life sentence of all the seven killers of Rajiv Gandhi, a move opposed by the Congress. The Supreme Court had on December 2, 2015 held that the Centre and not State government will have the "primacy" and that states cannot exercise "suo motu" the power to decide whether persons convicted in matters of the CBI or central agency should be released or not on remission, dealing a blow to efforts by the state government to release all the convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. Congress opposed the decision of the AIADMK government to remit the sentence of the convicts, calling it "very unfortunate". The state government had also sought the Centre's views on its move. Read: Tamil Nadu to free Rajiv Gandhi case convicts Members of Congress and AIADMK also sparred in the Lok Sabha during the Zero Hour over the state government's decision with Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharg demanding a response from Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who was present in the House. Singh while stating that the government is examining the decision, however, made it clear that abiding by Supreme Court's order on release of convicts is its Constitutional responsibility. "We have received a letter from the Tamil Nadu government yesterday and we are examining it. But I want to state about the accused that Supreme Court has given a verdict and to abide by its order is our constitutional responsibility, not only constitutional but also moral responsibility," Singh said. Read: A son won't give his opinion, Centre must decide on Rajiv killers: Rahul Gandhi Kharge protested against the decision, terming it as "very unfortunate". If such a practice to free such convicts is allowed, then other states might also make such demands, Kharge said, adding that such a move should not be allowed for the sake of the country's unity and integrity. Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad told reporters that Congress would oppose the state government's decision. "We don't agree with the Tamil Nadu government. The Supreme Court has already rejected this plea of several organisations and there is no question of supporting such a move. "As a party, we will definitely oppose this move of the Tamil Nadu government," he said. In a guarded response, BJP's Tamil Nadu unit said a "humane approach" should be taken on the incarceration period of the seven convicts, but it should be within the legal framework. Backing the state government's decision, DMK President M Karunanidhi asked the Centre to take steps for the release of the seven convicts. The convicts are V Sriharan alias Murugan, T Suthendraraja alias Santhan, A G Perarivalan alias Arivu, Jayakumar, Robert Payas, Ravichandran and Nalini. Hyderabad: The gigantic garbage dumping yard at Jawaharnagar is a sore area for real estate development. Layouts have come up in the area, but there has not been the expected growth of realty due to the mountain of garbage. Residents and developers said the dump yard has to be re-located sooner or later. The government should not have allowed residential layouts to come up there. Now that people have started living close to the yard, the government should relocate it, said local builder S. Mohan Reddy, who has a couple of layouts in Dammaigudas. Ravinder D. of the environment protection forum said they had been representing to the state government and GHMC to relocate the garbage dump for 10 years. You will see a trend of resale of properties in residential areas located in the vicinity of the garbage dump. This is because of the stench that emanates and people realise that it is not healthy to live in such an environment. There are many who continue to stay and suffer as not everyone can afford to sell their property and move, he said. Local residents are not willing accept the explanation of the GHMC and the government that precautionary measures would be taken to ensure that the citizens are not put to inconvenience because of the garbage yard. Hyderabad: Telangana and Maharashtra states will sign fresh agreements for construction of inter-state irrigation projects across the rivers Godavari, Pranahita and Penganga that will benefit both the states, particularly drought-prone TS. Along with Kaleshwaram project, agreements will be signed for five more projects, said Mr Harish Rao, requesting the Centre to declare Kaleshwaram project a national project. Thanking Mr Fadnavis for the invitation, he said that the agreement with Maharashtra would go a long way in fulfilling the dream of Mr Chandrasekhar Rao to provide irrigation to one crore acres of land in TS. The comprehensive agreements will cover all pending projects across the rivers Godavari, Pranahita and Penganga which includes Kaleswaram, Lower Penganga and Lendi. A common inter-state board will oversee implementation, R. Vidyasagar Rao, irrigation advisor to the Chief Minister told this newspaper. Mr Vidyasagar Rao said that eight barrages have been proposed and agreements would be signed in this regard. The Maharashtra government has agreed to permit TS to take up projects across Godavari and its tributaries on condition that there should be minimal or no submergence of villages in that state. Kaleshwaram lift irrigation scheme at Kannepally village in Mahadevpur of Karimnagar aims at providing 4.50 tmc feet of water to 45,000 acres in the district, besides drinking water to over 60 villages. Lower Penganga project on Penganga river, which is a tributary of the Godavari, will irrigate an ayacut of about 2,37,600 acres in Maharashtra and 40,000 acres in Adilabad of TS. Lendi Project is under construction across the River Manjira which too is a tributary of the Godavari. This project is envisaged to irrigate a total ayacut of 66,530 acres in the districts of Nanded (38,820 acres) in Maharashtra and Nizamabad (27,710 acres) in TS. Mr Harish Rao blamed the past governments in undivided AP for failing to settle inter-state disputes and keeping irrigation projects on the backburner which has hit drought-prone Telangana hard. No irrigation project was constructed on Godavari, Pranahita and Penganga due to inter-state disputes. No government in the past made any effort to settle such disputes. From day one we focused on settling these disputes, he said. Mr Harish Rao said that the TS CM, has also proposed redesigning or changes in the earlier designs of some of the projects including Pranahita Chevella which kicked up a row, but he remained unfazed. Dry river stops water release to Sriramsagar project from Babli Irrigation officials are unable to release 0.60 tmc feet of water from the Babli project in Nanded district to the Sriramsagar project as the Godavari, which feeds Babli, has dried up due to lack of adequate rains in the past two years. As per Supreme Court directions, the Maharashtra government should release 0.60 tmc feet of water from Babli project to SRSP to cater to drinking water needs of TS in the summer. In view of this, SRSP superintending engineer T. Satyanarayana and deputy executive engineer Jagadish had visited Babli project on Tuesday and interacted with their counterparts in Maharashtra. There is no water storage in Babli project as the river has already dried up. The irrigation officials returned empty handed and reported the situation to the state government. Presently, Sriramsagar project has 1,048.50 feet water level as against its full reservoir level of 1,091 feet. Only 5.4 tmc feet of water is available in the project with the dead storage level being 5 tmc feet. Namakkal: In an unprecedented move, the Namakkal police have slapped a case of medical negligence and homicide against a doctor and nurse of the government hospital in Tiruchengode in Namakkal district for the death of a 25 year old woman, who delivered her third baby at the hospital. The woman, Sathya, wife of a powerloom labourer, Kumar, who was admitted to the Tiruchengode government hospital for delivering her third baby, died last Friday just two hours after the child was born. The government hospital doctor, Karpagaselvi and nurse Jothimani have been booked for homicide under Section 304 of the Indian Penal Code after an inquiry by the Revenue officials and the hospital dean. According to the police, Sathya, who was a mother of two girls and pregnant with the third baby, developed labour pain on Friday and was admitted to the primary health centre at Manikampalayam. However, the doctors advised that she be taken to the Tiruchengode government hospital for an emergency cesarean section. Sathya, a resident of Kumaramangalam near Tiruchengode, was rushed to the Tiruchengode government hospital around 6 p.m. on Friday. She gave birth to a baby boy on Friday evening. Within two hours of the child delivery, Sathya who was talking well to her relatives, suddenly fainted. Doctors who checked her declared that she was dead. The relatives of the woman lodged a police complaint against the GH doctor and nurse who attended on Sathya, claiming that their medical negligence led to their death. The district administration ordered an inquiry headed by the revenue divisional officer. Following the inquiry by the RDO Mahatma, Tahsildar, Rathinam and chief medical officer Dr Latha, a case of medical negligence and homicide was registered against the medical doctor and nurse who attended to the woman. However, the Indian Medical Association decided to rally behind the government doctor and the nurse who are in the dock. According to the Tiruchengode branch president of the Indian Medical Association, the woman had died of medical complications she had been suffering for long. She suffered respiratory problems and the doctor and nurse tried hard to revive her, but she died. Besides, action can be initiated against doctors only after an inquiry panel submits its report. The case against the government doctor and nurse has to be withdrawn, he said, threatening a stir over the issue. Last week, the District of Columbia Public Service Commission has dumped a $6.8 billion merger deal between Exelon Corp. and Pepco Holdings Inc. This is a precautionary measure that would help protect its residents. There is still hope for the two companies to get the merger possible as long as they can comply with the new terms and conditions. Muriel Bowser the city mayor, People's Counsel Sandra Mattavous-Frye and Attorney General Karl Racine said on Tuesday that they cannot uphold the said proposal. If Pepco and Exelon will still pursue the approval of the deal by next week, both companies need to look for a way to boost their assistance and of those five other parties. All of them need to sign off on deal for the city's Public Service Commission to free the transaction from doubt or confusion. What concerns most is the lack of guarantee in the suggested agreement that residential customers will not have rate hike over the next few years. For the merger to get going, Exelon needs to negotiate new conditions with all of the parties and file it by March 11 with the Public Service Commission, said Guggenheim analyst Shahriar Pourreza. "While there is time to negotiate any alternative conditions, we believe there is increasing likelihood" that Exelon may walk from the deal, he said, as reported by Bloomberg. The mayor's team had managed for the utility companies to pay $78 million to the District in favor of getting the city's support for the $6.8 billion merger. This was already approved by Delaware, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey and federal regulators. Bowser's plan would have reduced the rate hike for D.C. residents for four years, however, it was dumped by the District regulators last week saying that it was not in the interest of the public and would only worsen the present imbalance wherein federal taxpayers and businesses to pay D.C. residential rates, according to the Washington Post. "The commission's order prescribes new provisions that we and the settling parties must carefully review to determine whether they are acceptable. Once we have had a chance to study the order and confer with the settling parties, we will have more to say about what it means and our next steps," said Exelon spokesman Paul Adams. The agreement between Pepco and Exelon was first revealed on April 30, 2014 rolling out plans for a new utility that could service 10 million with a base rate of $26 billion. The merging process has been costing high price for Exelon which already spent more than $259 million for the plan and preparation for the probable merger. Exelon will have to pay Pepco $180 million when the merger fails, since Exelon acquired 18,000 shares of Pepco preferred stake for $180 million and Pepco has the right to get the $0.1 per share, the Washington Business Journal reports. The seemingly fall down of the agreement is a major triumph for environmentalist and a loss for the District's business community which worries that refusal will solidify the image of the city as hostile to major corporations. New Delhi: In a relief to Kanhaiya Kumar booked under charges of sedition, a Sub-Divisional Magistrate probing the JNU row observed in its report that he didn't find any evidence or came across any witness suggesting that the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students' union president had delivered seditious utterances or raised any anti-national slogans on the campus on February 9. In his report submitted to the Delhi Government on Thursday, the SDM observed, "No witness or any other evidence found which could suggest that Kanhaiya had delivered any anti-national speech." Read: Kanhaiya Kumar gets interim bail, to be free today "Umar Khalid, the main organiser and a member of JNU's Democratic Students' Union (DSU), has been known for his views on Kashmir's self-determination and Afzal Guru. He had in the past organised many such programmes. After going through the footages given by the JNU security, which had filmed the incident, and various television channels and speaking with witnesses, it became clear that Khalid raised slogans such as 'Kashmir ki janta sangharsh karo, hum tumahare saath hai'. JNU security staff, who claimed to have identified voices of Anirban Bhattacharya and Ashutosh Kumar, said they raised slogan 'Afzal ki hatya nahi sahenge'," the report observed. The report found many outsiders of Kashmiri descent, most of them having their faces covered, were seen shouting pro-Afzal and anti-India slogans in videos. Read: My son is not a terrorist, the world will know soon: Kanhaiya Kumar's mother "They should immediately be identified for further investigation. Possibly two of the Kashmiri descent students are from the JNU and the administration would work to bring them to the book," the report said. Commenting on the presence of the news media on the JNU campus, the report observed, "The Zee News team was called to the event by Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad's (ABVP) Saurabh Sharma at 5.20 pm. The JNU entry register categorically reflects that by sending WhatsApp pic of the register entry, the media were called to share video and details to which they never complied. The news channel came in without the permission of the university. This channel also flashed news and thereafter the police obtained a copy from them and filed the FIR." Read: 2 videos of JNU event 'manipulated,' finds forensic probe: sources As per the FIR, the report said, during the examination of the video, they found that people raised anti-national slogans under the leadership of Khalid. The FIR, however, does not state that Khalid or Kanhaiya raised anti-India slogans. The police personnel doubted that they were raising the slogan of 'Pakistan Zindabad'. However, the raw footages provided by 'Zee News' and transcripts of JNU security staff videos don't support their claims. Kanhaiya Kumar was on Wednesday granted an interim conditional bail for six months by the Delhi High Court. Read: JNU row: Videos doctored, says Hyderabad-based Truth Labs Disposing of the bail petition of a single judge bench of Justice Pratibha Rani stated, "The thoughts reflected in the slogans raised by some of the JNU students, who organised and participated in that programme, cannot be claimed to be protected as fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression. I consider this as a kind of infection from which such students are suffering which needs to be controlled/cured before it becomes an epidemic. "Whenever some infection is spread in a limb, effort is made to cure the same by giving antibiotics orally and if that does not work, by following second line of treatment. Sometimes it may require surgical intervention also. However, if the infection results in infecting the limb to the extent that it becomes gangrene, amputation is the only treatment." Read: Police calls for vigil against clashes post Kanhaiya Kumar's release The Court, however, asked him not to participate actively or passively in any activity, which may be termed as anti-national. It also enjoined on him, as president of JNU students union, that he will make all efforts within his power to control anti-national activities in the University campus. Further, it said that the accused has to furnish an undertaking that he will not violate any of the conditions mentioned in the order. Kanhaiya, who is presently lodged in Tihar jail under judicial custody, was arrested on February 12th in connection with the sedition case. Kanhaiya and others, including two arrested JNU students Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, are accused of raising anti-India slogans during an event organised inside the JNU campus on February 9. Kanhaiya had sought bail claiming that he had not raised any anti-India slogans but the Delhi Police had maintained before the high court that they have evidence to show that the accused had raised anti-national slogans. The two other students who were arrested are in 14 days judicial custody. A financial affiliate of Alibaba Group Holdings Ltd. has been reported negotiating for investment in Chinese business magazine publisher Caixin Media Co. Through this investment billionaire founder Jack Ma is going to expand his interest in media business. Caixin Media Co., founded by Hu Shuli, has confirmed through a press release on Wednesday, negotiating with several potential new investors on a possible stake sale. The press release doesn't elaborate anything on the deal or mention any name. But it reveals that all the negotiating parties have primarily agreed not to violate Caixin's editorial independence, reports The Wall Street Journal. Bloomberg has reported that the potential investors include Ma's Zhejiang Ant Small & Micro Financial Services Group Co. (Ant Financial) among others. However, it confirms that no deal has yet been signed and its sources have declined to make further comment or be identified since the matter is private. Ant Financial operates Alipay and Alipay Wallet. Alibaba, the Hangzhou, China based ecommerce web portal, has been expanding its business portfolio in the media and content industries. The company has announced reaching an agreement for acquiring Hong Kong based South China Morning Post (SCMP) and other media assets of SCMP Group for $266 million in December, according to a report published in Reuters. A recent study conducted by the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) revealed that tech salaries are now hitting its peak, more than double average pay. The Cyberstates 2016 report also showed a positive growth in the tech industry, especially the four largest sectors of tech manufacturing: measuring and control instruments, semiconductor, electronic components, and computer and peripheral equipment. The average tech industry wage in 2015 as reported was $105,400. That amount is more than double the average private sector wage of $51,600. That settles the technology industry as a major driving force in the U.S. economy, as the income accounts for approximately 7.1 percent of the country's overall GDP. The amount is also making up as much as 11.6 percent of the total private sector payroll. The same report published at the CompTIA website also revealed that in 2015 alone, the tech industry added nearly 200,000 net jobs. In total, the industry employs more than 6.7 million people. CompTIA president and CEO Todd Thibodeaux noted that the huge level of ongoing innovation in the tech industry has made technology more affordable and accessible to more users. It has also triggered encouragement among tech workers and associations about growth prospects for 2016, and even beyond. Furthermore, the association also explained the vast growth in the tech industry. "Much of that growth can be attributed to the current trends in cloud computing, mobility, automation and social technologies that area reshaping businesses large and small," said CompTIA's senior vice president of research and marketing intelligence, as quoted by WTOP. "Momentum behind the Internet of Things continues to grow while the critical importance of cybersecurity shows no signs of abating," he added. According to TheVarGuy, the report also alludes to the growing need for IT consultative services. Organizations across sectors, even outside the technology or IT sectors are beginning to recognize that building digital workflows requires a new approach to software and equal attention paid to all layers of the stack, urging them to hire IT consultant. The number of job gains differs among states in the U.S. The largest jobs gains, with more than 59,500 gains was shown in California. The number shows that California remains the most prominent place for the tech industry in the U.S, followed by New York with more than 15,500 new jobs, far below California. Texas, Massachusetts, and Florida are also among the states with significant tech job gains last year. The recent report by the CompTIA concluded that the tech industry is in a rapid-growing pace last year, as wages soared and new job gains increased. The revelation brings optimism about the industry's prospects in the years to come. SunEdison Inc., the global renewable energy company, has announced on Wednesday suspending payment of quarterly dividends on its preferred stock. The announcement appears just two days after the embattled solar company delayed filing annual report due to an internal investigation into its financial position. Meanwhile, the banks which have agreed to provide loans for SunEdison's acquisition of solar installer Vivint Solar for $1.9 billion. Goldman Sachs, Barclays, Citigroup and UBS Group, all have retreated from providing loans. Delay in furnishing the financial information undercuts prior loan agreements, according to a report published in St. Louis Post. \The renewable energy giant has informed through a regulatory filing on Monday that it will delay submitting its 2015 earnings report. SunEdison board has been investigating claims from a former and a current employee, which has been cited as the reason for making delay. Both of the claimants challenge the accuracy of the company's financial disclosures, reports The Wall Street Journal. SunEdison has suspended payment of quarterly dividends on its 6.75% series A perpetual convertible preferred stock. Following the news, stock of SunEdison has dropped more than 15% late Wednesday following the news. The company's stock has dropped over 22% on Tuesday following disclosure for delayed submission of quarterly earnings report, according to a report published in Fortune. The renewable energy company has so far found no wrong doing. The review process is still continuing and liquidity position of the company may require to be reassessed. A SunEdison spokesman on Wednesday has declined to make further comments. If the deal for acquiring Vivint hasn't been closed by March 18, both parties may walk away. Though SunEdison may seek for alternative financing sources to facilitate the deal, but its bleak stock scenario may make seeking difficult. SunEdison stock has dipped more than 90% of its value since midsummer due to slide in oil price dragging down the energy stocks. Furthermore, investors' concerns over the Vivint transaction also played an important role for the stock debacle. In July 2015, the Vivint deal for $1.9 billion has been announced. Later on, both the parties have agreed in a renegotiation deal to reduce the cash portion. Blackstone Group, Vivint's majority shareholder, has agreed taking stock in lieu of cash and extended a $250 million credit line to SunEdison. SunEdison has revealed through a regulatory filing that it will make delay in submitting its quarterly earnings report. Just after two days, the renewable energy company again has announced suspension of quarterly dividends. Both these decision directly affects SunEdison's efforts to acquire Vivint, scheduled to be completed in March 18. Google announced that it has distributed more than $30 million to news publishers across Europe. Last year, the company already opened up applications for startups and other companies in the tech news publishing sector who are interested in receiving the grants, the Digital News Initiative (DNI). The $30 million grants is a part of the almost $170 million project introduced last April aimed at the news industry to enhance their digital journalism. Google CEO Sundar Pichai stated, as quoted by Tech Story, "The fund's goal is to help stimulate innovation in digital journalism over the next three years." The application rounds will run twice each year and funding will be granted in batches accordingly. When the initiative was first introduced, head of the DNI Innovation Fund Ludovic explained the ideal candidate for the program. "We're looking for projects that demonstrate new thinking in the practice of digital journalism, that support the development of new business models, or maybe even change the way users consume digital news," he writes. There's no requirement to use any Google products and the grants would be awarded with no strings attached. According to Tech Crunch, the first round of contributions is distributed to 128 selected projects in 23 different European countries. The largest project investments are reported to be in Germany, the UK, Spain, France, and Belgium. It's also worth noted that Google and European news organizations have had a tense relationship over the past few years, and this initiative could mean that Google hopes to make amends and improve its relationship with European news organizations. One of the remarkable clashes happened in Germany, where publishers wanted Google to pay for using short snippets of copy on Google News. Furthermore, Pichai added the description of the companies applying for the grants. "The funding will go to a wide variety of organizations which are wonderfully diverse, ranging from automated content personalization and robot journalism to hoax-busting apps and tools to verify social media in real-time reporting." When Google first announced the program, it says that the funding will fall into three categories: prototype projects, medium projects, and large projects. The program is available for various individual or organization, ranging from startups to established news publishers. AdNews listed that prototype projects could claim up to $55,000 funding, and medium tech news organizations could receive up to $333,000, and even more than that for larger projects with more ambitious goals. Google has announced its first batch on the Digital News Initiative (DNI) program, whereas 128 projects received more than $30 million grants. The program is expected to help tech news publishers to improve and enhance their digital journalism, especially in Europe. Sajid Javid, the UK Business Secretary, has announced on Wednesday night that the government has initiated an auction selling UK Green Investment Bank Plc (GIB). The sell-off has been announced at the lord mayor's dinner in Mansion House, London. The deal is expected to bring 4.2 billion ($5.9 billion) to the public exchequer. The government expects to complete the deal by the end of this year. The bidding process, seeking to sell 75% to 100% of the institution, is going to be started on Thursday, reports Bloomberg citing an interview with Shaun Kingsbury, chief executive officer of the GIB, as the source. Shaun has also admitted seeking new owners to invest as much as 800 million a year for the next three years. The bank currently manages assets valuing around 1.8 billion. Thus the value of required investment for the bank stands at 4.2 billion. National Bank of Greece has joined European Bank for Reconstruction and Development's (EBRD) trade finance scheme. EBRD is extending its support to ailing Greek economy through a trade facility under trade facilitation programme (TFP). From 2015, EBRD is temporarily investing in Greece, supporting for its early recovery. National Bank of Greece, the country's oldest and one of the largest banks, will get trade finance support from EBRD. Four systemic banks in Greece are getting funds for recapitalization exercise. In late 2015, EBRD became a minority shareholder in National Bank of Greece through recapitalization. Global Trade Review (GTR) reports that trade facilitation programme will support National Bank of Greece to enhance its trade finance activity in the wake of adverse conditions in the financial markets. The extended support to trade finance is very crucial in reviving the economy. National Bank of Greece has the lowest loan-to-deposit ratio among Greek banks. EBRD has welcomed National Bank of Greece into TFP and said that it would strengthen its co-operation with the bank also in the area of trade. Suma Chakrabarti, EBRD President, said "Supporting the expansion of trade finance in Greece is critically important for the revival of the country's economy. The programme will help National Bank of Greece to better meet its clients' trade finance needs and further expand their activities which will benefit the whole economy." Market conditions in Greece remain tough and uncertain. The trade facilitation programme is expected to bring in positive atmosphere in the country's business platform. The TFP will strengthen National Bank of Greece in meeting requirements of customers for trade finance, according to BFN (Business Finance News). Leonidas Fragiadakis, CEO of National Bank of Greece, adds: "National Bank of Greece, which has the lowest loan-to-deposit ratio among Greek banks, continues to finance the economy by developing new tools and partnerships with the aim of revitalizing economic activity. Leonidas Fragiadakis, CEO of National Bank of Greece, said "We are ready to use our expertise and long-standing tradition in trade finance for the successful implementation of the programme." Launched in 1999, EBRD's trade facilitation programme has been promoting foreign trade among several countries. EBRD invests in emerging markets for boosting foreign trade.It also extends guaranteees to international confirming banks, provides short-term loans to banks and factors companies for on-lending to local exporters, importers and distributors, according to EBRD. National Bank of Greece continues focusing on developing new tools to support the ailing economy. It is expected to forge alliances with suitable partners for revitalizing economic activity. Poundland Group PLC, a UK-based discount retailer, announced the retirement of Jim McCarthy as the chief executive officer of the company. Jim joined Poundland in 2006 August. During his stewardship, the company increased its business to more than 900 stores in Spain, Ireland and the UK. The company also enlarged its customer base by serving more than 7 million clients each week and added extra sales of 1 billion. Previously, Poundland operated just 146 stores with revenues of 310 million. Darren Shapland, chairman of Poundland, said that Jim McCarthy transformed the company into a robust business. His expertise in retail business combined with his management style laid the grounds for Poundland's success in the retail industry. Finally, Darren thanked Jim for his effort and time he has given to the company. Jim McCarthy said, "Poundland is a strong business, which I am privileged to have had the opportunity to lead through a period of significant growth and change. After over 40 years in Retail, including 10 years leading Poundland, I will leave the business in the hands of a very experienced leadership team who I know will give Kevin their full support". The company said that Jim McCarthy will be succeeded by Kevin O' Byrne as the next chief executive officer of Poundland. Kevin will take over the office from Jim on July 1 while Jim will remain on the company's board until September 2016. During his profession, Kevin has served the boards of Kingfisher Plc and Dixons Retail Plc. Recently, he was the CEO of B&Q Ireland and the UK at Kingfisher. Kevin in his speech said that he is pleased to join Poundland's board. He continued that Jim along with his board members has created a strong business portfolio and that he expects to further strengthen the company's financial position. High competition in the retail sector along with the advent of online shopping led Poundland to a miserable condition during the previous six-month period. The retailer said that it anticipated profit before tax for the year to be at the lower side of analysts' estimation, as reported by Financial Times. Clive Black, a Shore Capital's analyst, admired Jim McCarthy for his achievement in the company and also welcomed the new leadership of Kevin O' Byrne. According to him, after the integration of 99p Stores with Poundland, a strict executive team could construct better business opportunities in Ireland and the UK, improve online market and extend the business portfolio in Iberia. Bloomberg said that Byrne will have to regain sales growth at the retailer that was weakened by the increase in the online retail market. The shares of the retailer rose 1.2% to 183p during the opening trading session on Wednesday following the news. Poundland's executive team is trying hard to improve the business portfolio amid the growing competition from online retailers. The retailer expects a wonderful growth period under the management of Kevin O'Byrne. Uber launched its own food delivery service UberEats as a standalone app. The app has just been launched in Los Angeles, which the company consider a promising market despite its surplus of cars. Los Angeles is the first city in the U.S. that can enjoy the new service. Previously, Uber has already launched a similar app called UberEats Instant. The old app's service was only available during specified lunch and dinner hours for some selected menu from featured restaurants. Those restrictions are now gone in the improved UberEats available in L.A. Business Insider reported that the app's availability will roll out in the rest of the U.S. throughout the month. The app now claimed to be working with over a hundred of the best spots in L.A. and aim to pool the best local food all in one place. UberEATS also offers to deliver the full set of menu to choose from the restaurant of users' choice. Even though it's launched as a standalone separate app, users can use their existing Uber account to log in. Users can place their order from the app's interface, that will show users the list of available options according to the user's location. After the order is placed, a special food-handling-certified Uber driver will pick it up from the restaurant and deliver it to the user's doorsteps. The driver will also carry lunch bags to keep the food warm or cold to offer a pleasant and fulfilling dining experience. However, the company acknowledges that the delivery process is likely to take more than ten minutes to be completed. Uber estimates that deliveries will be around 30 minutes, including the picking up and delivery time. Uber is now seeking to expand its partnership with restaurants, as well as preparing to launch in other cities, as reported by Los Angeles Eater. According to LA Weekly, the UberEats app will feature a transparent pricing, which means that all fees are bundled into menu prices, making the all-inclusive fee clear to the user. Uber will charge a flat rate of $5 for each delivery, regardless the order total or distance. "There is no need to tip the driver as it's already included, but it's ultimately up to the customer," UberEats Los Angeles general manager Allen Narcisse said. UberEats is hardly the first food delivery app to operate in Los Angeles, but the company is optimistic that they have what it takes to thrive in the industry. The app has just launched in Los Angeles while Uber prepares to expand its location and restaurant partnerships. 50 South Capital Advisors LLC, an investment advisory subsidiary of Northern Trust Corp. is going to acquire Aurora Investment Management. The latter part is a hedge fund manager in Chicago owned by the French behemoth Natixis Global Asset Management. The deal will expand 50 South's alternative investment platform to include capability for the full range of alternative assets including hedge funds, private equity and real estate. The acquisition will allow offering clients of both firms access to an expanded global alternative investment platform and additional size and resources, reports FINAlternatives citing a press release as the source. The two companies have been witnessed to maintain silence over the deal amount or further details. However, they expect to close the transaction by the end of September. Northern Trust Chairman and CEO Frederick Waddell have expressed satisfaction through a statement. Aurora focuses on managing hedge fund strategies. It enjoys expertise in seeding and co-investing with investment managers. 50 South Capital's relationship with Northern Trust allows it to focus exclusively on alternative asset management. The focus is expected to leverage the global resources and network of one of the world's largest financial institutions. The combination will bring 50 South Capital's total global alternatives platform to approximately $9 billion, according to a report published in Opalesque. The UK government is mulling to pass a bill that is believed to cripple WhatsApp and iMessage. The bill has been redrafted following criticisms from three committees of MPs, responsible for scrutinizing it. The new draft of the Investigatory Power Bill includes a clause forcing tech operators to weaken their security followed by the spies' calls. The clause directs removal of end-to-end encryption technology. It allows services like WhatsApp, iMessage and FaceTime to communicate securely, reports The Independent. The revised bill will force service providers to store browsing data for 12 months. It will also extend legal backing to bulk collection of internet traffic. Jewellers at T.Nagar closed their shops as part of the 3-day strike protesting against levying of excise duty on jewellery. (Photo: DC) Chennai: Over 35,000 jewellery shops in Tamil Nadu downed their shutters Wednesday at the start of a 3-day protest shutdown demanding that the Centre roll back the announcement on 1 per cent excise duty on jewellery proposed in the Union Budget 2016 17. This one per cent levy as excise duty will further affect the industry, says Madras Jewellers and Diamond Merchants Association president Jayanthilal Challani. We will be deciding our further course of action in a few days, he told reporters here when asked about the next plan of action. While presenting the Budget, Union fimance Minister Arun Jaitley said the government proposes to levy one per cent excise duty on jewellery without input credit or 12.5 per cent with input tax credit on articles of jewellery excluding silver jewellery other than studded with diamonds and other precious stones. All India Gem and Jewellery Trade Federation, zonal chairman N. Anantha Padmanabhan said the central governments proposal was a big disappointment for the traders and would be further intensifying the protest. We were expecting that the condition of providing PAN card for purchase of jewels worth Rs. 2 lakh to go above Rs. 5 lakh. But it did not happen. We will be meeting government officials in Delhi to express our views shortly, he said. On an average, jewellery shops in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry handle business of 800-1000 kilos of gold every day, he said and added that around Rs.600-700 crore worth of business would be impacted across the country due to the strike. The news report, Over 35,000 jewellery shops to down shutters in TN published in these columns on March 2, contained a telephonic reaction about the strike from S. Santha Kumar, general secretary of The Madras Jewellers and Diamond Merchants Association in which he pointed to a possible loss of Rs 250 cr sales per day in Tamil Nadu. Those comments were inadvertently attributed to T. Shanta Kumar, managing director of the Coimbatore-based Kirtilal Kalidas Jewellers Pvt. Ltd. SHARE By Mike Harris of the Ventura County Star The owner of a now-defunct management company in Thousand Oaks was sentenced Thursday to 12 years in state prison for systematically looting hundreds of thousands of dollars from two homeowners associations in Simi Valley and Calabasas. Kristin Davis, 46, the former CEO of the now-closed Paradigm Management Group, welled up with tears as her mother, Heather Davis, asked Ventura County Superior Court Judge Nancy Ayers for leniency. "The Krissie I know is loving and caring and compassionate," the mother, who attended the sentencing with Davis' father, said. "We stand by her more than 100 percent." But the judge gave Davis most of the 15 years, four months in prison that Senior Deputy District Attorney Howard Wise had sought. "It's clear to me that she's a person who took other people's hard-earned money and a lot of it," Ayers said. The judge added that Davis took advantage of a position of trust and defrauded the Big Sky Homeowners Association in Simi Valley and the Oak Park Calabasas Homeowners Association, which her company managed, in a highly elaborate scheme. Davis will also be ordered to make restitution. Ayers said she needed more time to determine the amount and set further proceedings for March 17. Wise said he will seek $1.4 million to $3 million in restitution. Wise argued at the two-month trial that Davis stole about $1.6 million from the two associations: about $1 million from Big Sky and about $600,000 from Oak Park Calabasas. Jurors convicted her of eight counts of felony grand theft, four counts of felony tax evasion, two counts of felony forgery and one count each of felony insurance fraud and failure to file state income taxes. But the jury found untrue a special allegation that she stole more than $500,000. The jury also acquitted her of two other forgery counts and deadlocked on 10 other counts. Wise asked Ayers to impose the maximum prison term in part as a deterrent against future such thefts by others. "Her crimes affected an entire industry" - managers of homeowners associations, the prosecutor said. "They're all under a cloud of mistrust" because of Davis' actions. While testifying at trial, Davis "dodged and she lied and she had lapses of memory that were convenient," Wise said. "Mrs. Davis could not accept responsibility for what she did." Jay Sucher, the former president of the Big Sky Homeowners Association, also asked the judge for a stiff sentence, saying Davis' victims "would be comforted (to see her) suffer the consequences." "This was a very painful, tedious process for myself, my family and my board," Sucher said. In arguing for leniency, Davis' attorney, Jarrod Wilfert, said she had no prior convictions and Wise would have settled for a considerably shorter prison term, eight years, if she had pleaded guilty before the preliminary hearing. She chose not to. Wilfert also noted that the jury, "decided that (only) slightly more than half the prosecution's case was proven." Wise said in an interview that his eight-year offer was "before she went and filed false tax returns and before she took the stand and perjured herself." Davis did not address the court Thursday. Paradigm became Big Sky's management company in 2008. The following year, the association discovered what appeared to be financial improprieties. It fired Paradigm and contacted authorities. Davis and Melissa Hoff-Solomon-Ramsey, who was Paradigm's chief financial officer, were arrested in September 2013 by the Ventura County Sheriff's Office. Hoff-Solomon-Ramsey pleaded guilty in the case last year, was sentenced to 180 days in jail and testified against Davis, Wise said. Sheriff's Detective Russell King, an investigator on the case who attended Thursday's sentencing, said he hopes Davis' 12-year prison term "will bring closure to the victims. They're going to have to individually decide that in their own minds. There are no winners in a case like this." After being sentenced Thursday, Davis was led out of the courtroom in handcuffs by bailiffs as her parents looked on. KAREN QUINCY LOBERG/THE STAR Todd Road Jail near Santa Paula. SHARE KAREN QUINCY LOBERG/THE STAR Todd Road Jail near Santa Paula. By Kathleen Wilson of the Ventura County Star Ventura County waits while San Francisco deliberates. Early this week, San Francisco officials asked the state for up to 180 more days to decide whether to accept an $80 million grant for a detention facility. If the city ultimately rejects the grant, Ventura County is next in line for the remaining money needed to build a $61 million, 64-bed medical unit at Todd Road Jail near Santa Paula. The unit would ease overcrowding and improve treatment of inmates with psychiatric and medical diseases, officials said. "We're patiently waiting," said Sheriff's Cmdr. Ron Nelson, who oversees the Todd Road Jail. "Obviously we want to get started on our project as soon as we possibly can." A state corrections board OK'd San Francisco's full request for funding to help build a detention facility in November, but a month later the San Francisco Board of Supervisors balked at using the money for incarceration. The San Francisco board now wants to evaluate the gamut of issues regarding mental health and justice systems. Mohammed Nuru, San Francisco director of public works, asked Monday for the 180-day extension. He asked for the time to prepare a response managers at the Board of State and Community Corrections wanted by the end of February. In a letter to the board, Nuru indicated it might take until October to get the answer. A working group evaluating facility needs is expected to make a recommendation by then. Nuru said the city would be evaluating three options: accepting the award to build a 384-bed detention facility as proposed, build the facility with minor alterations or reject it. Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean declined Tuesday to be interviewed on the delay, responding through a text message conveyed to his adjutant, Capt. John Reilly. The sheriff said he was continuing to work with the office of County Executive Officer Mike Powers on alternative funding, Reilly said. "At this time any further comments would be premature because he just doesn't know," Reilly said Tuesday. "They are exploring all options." Those options include paying for the project outright from county government's resources, issuing financing or waiting to see if another round of state funding materializes. It is not clear whether there is a drop-dead deadline by which the San Francisco supervisors must act. The state board had no response this week to San Francisco's request for an extension. The matter will come back to the board April 4, board spokeswoman Tracie Cone said. The Ventura County Sheriff's Office requested $55 million. The agency was awarded $25.66 million after state officials ranked applications from San Francisco, Santa Clara and Alameda counties ahead of it. Combined with a local match of $6 million, that was still only about half the money needed for the Ventura County project. The Ventura County Board of Supervisors voted in January to accept the state grant contingent on getting the rest of the cash. Documents related to the grant and San Francisco's position. Oxnard City Hall SHARE By Gretchen Wenner of the Ventura County Star As Oxnard gets close to untangling problems with a program that funds landscape maintenance in many neighborhoods, some residents could see service reductions or be asked to pay more money. That was one message from the latest set of audits concerning 60 maintenance assessment districts that encompass much, though not all, of the city's turf. Property owners in the districts pay levies on property tax bills to cover tree trimming, mowing, watering and other services for neighborhood parkways and medians. Oxnard's districts, for years, lacked strict oversight, which allowed various problems to percolate. Some districts accumulated negative fund balances. The City Council last June decided to pay about $3 million from the general fund to wipe out the accumulated red ink. On Tuesday night, consulting firm NBS presented its latest audit results to the City Council. Twenty-six of the districts are operating with built-in deficits, the council was told, meaning services cost more than the amount levied. The largest annual deficit, at $79,837, is in the Standard Pacific district, which sits south of Gonzales Road between Patterson Road and Joliet Place. Service for Standard Pacific cost about $102,000 a year, said Pablo Perez of NBS, while residents are paying about $22,000. In all, the annual deficit for the 26 affected districts totals about $500,000, Perez said. That deficit had already been included in the current fiscal year's budget. The city's goal is to have balanced budgets for the districts when the new fiscal year starts July 1 so each area operates within its means. "Frankly, it's going to be an uphill battle," Perez told the panel. Some districts with large deficits will require service reductions, he said. At the other end of the spectrum, 32 districts have annual surpluses. For those, options could include doing special projects or providing credits to property owners. Six outreach meetings are slated this month around the city. Residents should receive mailers soon with details. The three audits discussed Tuesday covered boundaries, budgets and levy amounts. In some categories, results were good. No parcels outside district boundaries had been levied, for example. And although funds for all the districts had been pooled, allowing deficits in some to accumulate unnoticed over the years, none of the money was spent for non-district purposes, Perez said. There were deficiencies. Each district should have a unique service contract and be put out to bid separately. Instead, the city was using a single template for all of the districts, Perez said. Work wasn't checked before invoices were paid, he said. The city maintains some districts while contractors serve others. Some utility meters were assigned incorrectly, meaning water and electricity costs weren't always apportioned correctly. A key recommendation calls for the city to create a full-time position to administer the districts, something currently in process. NBS and city staff are working to have each district's contract rebid and budgets balanced for the next fiscal year. For some districts, assessment increases could be proposed, though the complex process would take place in the next fiscal year. Problems with the city's maintenance assessment districts were highlighted in a review of core operations requested in fall 2014 by then-new City Manager Greg Nyhoff. But the issue had already been a contentious topic behind the scenes after residents of the West Village neighborhood made numerous records requests, saying work they were paying for was not getting done. Michael Gleason, president of the West Village Neighborhood Council, on Tuesday praised the NBS report but also urged council members to make sure the job is done right going forward. Another West Village resident, Phillip Molina, who previously served as Oxnard's finance director, questioned the fairness of having only some residents pay levies. "Those who are in an LMD are, in essence, subsidizing the rest of you," Molina said, using the acronym for landscape maintenance district. ... "Why don't you go into the areas that aren't paying an LMD but are still receiving that same service?" SHARE Scott Wilk By Mike Harris of the Ventura County Star Assemblyman Scott Wilk and Simi Valley Mayor Bob Huber will lead a town hall meeting Saturday on a planned drug detoxification house in a residential neighborhood that is drawing stiff community opposition. The meeting will be from 10-11:30 a.m. in the Simi Valley City Council's chambers at City Hall, 2929 Tapo Canyon Road. The planned detoxification house on Cisco Court on the city's east end will be run by Shawn Miller, a former heroin addict who spent nearly 24 years in prison for crimes including armed robbery and car theft before being released a few years ago. In January, about 100 residents of the neighborhood packed the City Council's chambers to protest the project. But under state law, as long as the house has no more than six residents, the city essentially has no authority to regulate it. Wilk, R-Santa Clarita, who represents Simi Valley, said he has contacted the League of California Cities, which he believes is going to propose legislation to address the issue. Simi Valley has also reached out to its Sacramento lobbyist. FILE PHOTO SHARE By Tom Kisken of the Ventura County Star New research tallying cancer surgeries performed at hospitals across the state and Ventura County is backed by a simple premise. More is better. The results of the study of 11 different procedures are posted hospital-by-hospital at www.CalQuality.org. The numbers are intended to help people facing cancer surgery identify hospitals with more experience. Research shows a low volume of procedures performed increases the risk of complications and death, according to the study. "This is a tool to help, at a fundamental level, patients and their families choose a hospital that's going to maximize the chance of having a good outcome," said Stephanie Teleki, senior program officer for the California Health Care Foundation, which funded the study. Use the tool To figure out how many cancer surgeries a hospital has performed, go to CalQualityCare.org. Select hospitals, Plug in the name of a facility and hit search. Click on the hospitals name and click again on cancer surgery in the brown bar to the left. The website shows how often hospitals performed 11 different surgeries, from breast and brain cancer to pancreatic and prostate cancer. The procedures are all ones where low surgery numbers increase risks, the study said. Of 341 hospitals, 249 performed at least one of the 11 procedures only once or twice in 2014, according to a study based on data provided by hospitals to the state. That low-volume list includes every hospital in Ventura County, except Ojai Valley Community Hospital, which is not listed in the database. The data was shared with hospitals across the state, Teleki said. View a PDF of 'Safety in Numbers: Cancer surgeries in California' "It became evident that a lot of the hospitals were surprised," she said, claiming officials didn't always know how many procedures were performed. Jan Emerson-Shea of the California Hospital Association didn't disagree with the premise that volume of surgeries is linked to outcomes. She said people also need to consider issues like how far a hospital is from their home. "It's a bigger set of questions than just going to the place with the most volume," she said. The study shows that when patients picked hospitals with low volumes, 70 percent could have found a hospital with higher numbers within 50 miles. Teleki said. Michelle Grinsel of Ventura has undergone three surgeries related to a battle against a cancer that started in her breast and spread to her left lung. Her story is told in the documentary film, "One Way: A Journey to this Moment." Grinsel researched her choices but wishes the web tool counting cancer procedures would have been available for her. She thinks the more information provided to patients, the better. "When your health is on the line, there needs to be full transparency," Grinsel said. Capitalizing on the popularity of Jurassic World, the 54th Annual Ventura Gem, Mineral, Fossil and Lapidary Arts Show on Saturday and Sunday at the Ventura County Fairgrounds will include a display about California dinosaurs and fossils. CONTRIBUTED PHOTOs SHARE Fossils and gems are featured in about 60 displays at this weekends 54th Annual Ventura Gem, Mineral, Fossil and Lapidary Arts Show at the Ventura County Fairgrounds. By Anne Kallas, Special to The Star All that glitters could be gold, or maybe even something more precious - like the California state gemstone benitoite - at the 54th Annual Ventura Gem, Mineral, Fossil and Lapidary Arts Show on Saturday and Sunday at the Ventura County Fairgrounds. According to Jim Brace-Thompson of the Ventura Gem and Mineral Society, benitoite is a dark-blue gem found only in California, and collector Susie Harlow will be bringing a case of it from Monterey for people to enjoy. "It's rarer than diamonds and it's found only in California in a mine that's played out," Brace-Thompson said. "The state of California has a necklace that the first lady wears when the governor gets inaugurated." But not to worry, there will still be displays of gold for those interested in that more common metal, said Brace-Thompson, who noted that California will be a focus at this year's show. Gold, after all, is the state mineral, having gained the designation in 1965. The state rock and the state fossil will also be on display, he said. Capitalizing on the latest "Jurassic World" movie, there will be an extensive display of fossils for young people. "Those people who are into fossils enjoy studying the history of the earth," Brace-Thompson said. "It's like being transported back - like time travel." Austyn Frisk, 14, of Simi Valley, attends Gem and Mineral Society meetings with his grandparents Dick and Phyllis White. Austyn said he hopes to share his enthusiasm for rock hunting - geodes are a favorite - with others his age. "I enjoy being around older people, but we do need to get younger people involved or this is going to go away," said Austyn, who plans to volunteer in the children's area of the show. Austyn said he especially enjoys going into the desert where he seeks out geodes - large circular rocks that, when split open, can contain beautiful crystalline formations. "Usually we go out once a month or once every other month," said Austyn. "You really don't know what you have until you cut them open at the shop. It takes awhile to find a good one." During the show, which will include more than 60 displays, kids will be given a free polished stone at the welcome booth. Free rock samples and educational packets will be available for teachers with teacher ID cards. At the Kids Booth, children can enjoy a spinning wheel with rock prizes, grab-bags of rocks and dinosaur-related activities with prizes. Overlooking the Kids Booth will be a dinosaur skull cast. Adults can take part in jewelry-making, a raffle and a silent auction. The event is free, but there is a cost for fairgrounds parking. IF YOU GO What: 54th Annual Ventura Gem, Mineral, Fossil and Lapidary Arts Show When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday Where: Ventura County Fairgrounds, 10 W. Harbor Blvd., Ventura Information: Call Ventura Gem and Mineral Society President Diane Cook at 312-8467, or go online to www.vgms.org. ANTHONY PLASCENCIA/THE STAR (From right) Mark Mendelsohn, Katy Delaney and Jamie King secure a mesh box containing dozens of eggs that will grow into red-legged frogs in a creek in Leo Carrillo State Park on Tuesday. SHARE ANTHONY PLASCENCIA/THE STAR Biologist Mark Mendelsohn (right) and Jamie King, of California State Parks, pour red-legged frog eggs into a mesh pen in a creek in Leo Carrillo State Park. ANTHONY PLASCENCIA/THE STAR A plastic container holds red-legged frog eggs. ANTHONY PLASCENCIA/THE STAR Biologists from several agencies work together to re-introduce red-legged frog eggs into a creek at Leo Carrillo State Park on Tuesday. ANTHONY PLASCENCIA/THE STAR Biologist Mark Mendelsohn checks a mesh pen as a team from several agencies prepares to re-introduce red-legged frog eggs to a creek in Leo Carrillo State Park on Tuesday. By Cheri Carlson of the Ventura County Star Wildlife ecologist Katy Delaney carried a small cooler as she climbed down a steep, rocky hill in the Santa Monica Mountains this week. Inside, a plastic container filled with creek water held hundreds of tiny, jellylike frog eggs. The hope is that those rare eggs will hatch in a stream miles away from where they were laid. Then, tiny tadpoles will morph into froglettes, and those will grow into adult red-legged frogs that someday - fingers crossed - will breed and lay their own eggs. One more home will up the red-legged frog's chance of survival. "There are all sorts of impacts that could wipe out a population," said Delaney, with the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. "We don't know why they were wiped out in the first place." Agencies announced Thursday that frog eggs had been moved to a stream in a state park near the Ventura-Los Angeles county line, a move made possible by an agreement between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and California State Parks. Threatened with extinction, red-legged frogs had disappeared from the local Santa Monica Mountains by the 1970s. Once a common sight in the streams that cut through the canyons there, the reddish-colored frog made famous in a Mark Twain story vanished from close to 70 percent of its range. In this area, the frogs survived in just one spot, a stretch of water high up in the Simi Hills. In 2014, Delaney worked with a team to move the first egg masses from the surviving population to two streams in the Santa Monica Mountains, a multiyear effort to reintroduce the frog to the streams, increase its numbers and range. Eggs hatched and at least a few frogs have survived for two years. "We've gone from one site in a somewhat precarious state to now there's redundant populations reducing the potential risk of extinction," said Eric Morrissette, senior Fish and Wildlife biologist. But with few frogs at those new spots, no signs of breeding yet, and threats from people and their dogs going off trail, their survival is far from a sure thing. "Our goal is to get a sustaining breeding population," Delaney said. They're not there yet. Streams in Point Mugu, Leo Carrillo, Malibu Creek and Topanga state parks made a shortlist of the best frog habitat in the area. The recently signed Safe Harbor Agreement between Fish and Wildlife and state parks calls for the re-establishment of red-legged frogs in those parks in Ventura and Los Angeles counties. A voluntary partnership, the 50-year agreement allows the parks to support an endangered species' recovery work and get assurances that land use will not otherwise be restricted. "It's a great incentive for any landowner ... to allow a species to survive there, expand there, or, in this case, to reintroduce them," said Jamie King, senior environmental scientist with state parks. (Click on the image for a timeline of recovery efforts.) On Tuesday, Delaney, King and other scientists waded into waist-deep water in the back country of Leo Carrillo. Two hand-sewn mesh pens already floated in the stream. The eggs were put inside a soft mesh pen hung inside near the water's surface, mimicking natural conditions. "This is a beautiful stream," Delaney said. "We've seen it for years and years retain water even in this drought." Two days later, she and others moved more eggs to a second state parks location, this one in Malibu Creek. The other two parks won't get eggs until future years. They will raise the tadpoles until they're big enough to release. By July or August, they should be morphing into small froglettes, needing the nearby leafy banks and craggy rocks for hiding spots. At that awkward stage, the young frogs make easy prey for just about everything, and few survive. In the summer, the National Park Service plans to count adult frogs at the other sites during nighttime surveys. But first, they are waiting for breeding season to end. "It's only the first year that there's potential for them to breed," Delaney said. Within the next couple of years, with at least two groups of frogs at breeding age and from different parents in streams, she hopes to see eggs. Two years ago, she used to think about the frogs' survival in baby steps and a lot of ifs: "If we get tadpoles hatching, if we get tadpoles surviving, if we get frogs," she said. Now, adult frogs live in two streams in the Santa Monica Mountains for the first time in decades. There are still questions, she said, but "I'm pretty confident." On Thursday, April 25, Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino served as the official campaign headquarters for Nevadas Big Give, which raised $554,000 in 24 hours of online giving for charities throughout the state of Nevada (Photo credit: Robyn Andrzejczak, www.ImagesofVegas.com). Photo credit: Robyn Andrzejczak, www.ImagesofVegas.com. Throughout the day, visitors, community leaders and local celebrities stopped by the Nevadas Big Give headquarters located inside Miracle Mile Shops and made donations and personal contributions to the campaign and their favorite charity. Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman, Interim Superintendent Pat Skorkowsky, BMX rider Ricardo Laguna, comedian Jeff Civillico and cast members from Jersey Boys, Million Dollar Quartet, Absinthe, Chippendales, PEEPSHOW and Frank Marinos Divas showed their support for the statewide giving campaign. Photo credit: Robyn Andrzejczak, www.ImagesofVegas.com. Restaurants at Miracle Mile Shops, including The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, FRESH Grill & Bar, Lobster ME, Garrett Popcorn Shops, Jamba Juice, PBR Rock Bar & Grill, Pampas Churrascaria Brazilian Grille, Sin City Brewing Co. and La Salsa Cantina provided light bites at the headquarters for guests and volunteers. Throughout the event, the centers exterior, Strip-side LED screens displayed the total amount of money raised during Nevadas biggest day of giving. Photo credit: Robyn Andrzejczak, www.ImagesofVegas.com. During the campaign, Miracle Mile Shops contributed five $1,000 cash donations called Golden Tickets that benefited Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Las Vegas, Nevada Humane Society, Latin Chamber of Commerce Community Foundation, The Smith Center for the Performing Arts and High Fives Foundation. The winner of each Golden Ticket was selected at random. Miracle Mile Shops partnership with Nevadas Big Give is part of the centers Caring, Giving, Changing community campaign celebrating a year of change in 2013 through monthly fountain fundraisers, community partnerships and cash and in-kind donations. Photo credit: Robyn Andrzejczak, www.ImagesofVegas.com. New Delhi: Government on Thursday said Pakistan must fulfill its repeated assurances of not allowing its soil for "aiding and abetting" terrorism directed against India and asserted that it was committed to work towards a normal relationship with the neighbour. Replying to a question in Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh said it was conveyed to Pakistan at the highest level after the Pathankot attack that it must take firm and immediate action against organisations and individuals responsible for and linked to the strike. "The government is committed to working towards a normal relationship with Pakistan by addressing all outstanding issues through bilateral peaceful dialogue," he said. At the same time, he said it has been reiterated to Pakistan that "it needs to fulfill its repeated assurances including at the highest level to not allow its territory or areas under its control for aiding and abetting terrorism directed against India." The Pathankot terror attack had led to postponement of the Foreign Secretary-level talks between the two countries. India had blamed terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed for the attack and sought action against its perpetrators. It had said Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar masterminded the attack. Yesterday, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar had suggested that action against terror by Pakistan was priority for it over bilateral dialogue in the aftermath of the Pathankot attack. Singh said both sides had agreed on December 9 last year to a Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue on all outstanding issues in view of the "express assurance" given by Pakistan to take steps for expediting Mumbai terror attack trial and the mutual understanding to cooperate with each other to eliminate terrorism in all its forms. To a separate question, he said the Foreign Secretaries of the two countries have been in touch with each other to schedule their meeting to work out modalities of the Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue. Bayern Munich's defender Juan Bernat (L) and Mainz's defender Giulio Donati (R) vie for the ball during the German first division Bundesliga football match in Munich. (AFP/Christof Stache) BERLIN: Bayern Munich suffered a shock 2-1 defeat to Mainz on Wednesday (Mar 2), losing their 100 percent home record this season, as their lead in the Bundesliga was trimmed to five points. Colombia striker Jhon Cordoba sealed only Mainz's second win in Munich with the winner on 86 minutes. Mainz took a shock lead at the Allianz Arena when Spanish winger Jairo fired home in the first-half with the Bayern defence well beaten. Arjen Robben pulled a goal back for the Bavarians on 64 minutes. Despite Mainz managing only 22 per cent of possession, Cordoba grabbed the winner just before the final whistle and was mobbed by his team-mates. The result shakes up the Bundesliga ahead of Saturday's crunch clash when Pep Guardiola's Bayern play at second-placed Borussia Dortmund. Dortmund's 2-0 win at Darmstadt on Wednesday cut Bayern's lead from eight points as another Colombia striker, Adrian Ramos, and defender Erik Durm netted. Hertha Berlin cemented third place, but remain 15 points adrift of Dortmund, with a 2-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt in the capital. Ivory Coast striker Salomon Kalou and Mitchell Weiser grabbed Berlin's goals to keep Hertha on course for a first return to the Champions League since 2000. At the other end of the table, Werder Bremen climbed out of the relegation places with a shock 4-1 win at Bayer Leverkusen as veteran Claudio Pizarro claimed a hat-trick. The 37-year-old Peru international showed why he is the Bundesliga's top scoring foreigner by needing just under half an hour to wrap up his hat-trick which included a penalty. Having knocked Leverkusen out of the German Cup in the quarter-finals last month, Bremen again humbled Bayer. Roger Schmidt's Leverkusen has now lost four of their last five games in all competitions and drop to seventh in the league. Elsewhere Schalke climbed to sixth with a 3-2 comeback win at home to Hamburg while Borussia Moenchengladbach remain fourth after their 4-0 thrashing at home to Stuttgart. Second-from-bottom Hoffenheim boosted their survival chances with a 2-1 win over Augsburg. On Tuesday, Germany winger Andre Schuerrle claimed the first Bundesliga hat-trick of his career as Wolfsburg routed bottom side Hanover 96 4-0 away. March 1 is a lucky day for Schuerrle who also scored a hat-trick for ex-club Chelsea against Fulham in the Premier League exactly two years ago. His performance will boost his standing at Wolfsburg and in this one game he has scored more goals than in his previous 33 matches for the Champions League side. He needed just 26 minutes to score three goals before Germany team-mate Julian Draxler added Wolfsburg's fourth at Hanover's HDI Arena. The win leaves Wolfsburg eighth while Hanover are bottom, four points from their nearest rival and seven points from safety. The German FA (DFB) is expected to fine both clubs after one of the flares fired from the away fan block hit the Hanover bench before kick-off, but no-one was hurt. Elsewhere, French striker Anthony Modeste rescued a point for Cologne in their 1-1 draw at Ingolstadt after forward Lukas Hinterseer had given the hosts the lead. Photo : nasa.gov The US space agency had already pushed back the launch by a day to Tuesday. If technicians are able to finish their repairs as planned, Discovery and its six American astronauts will now launch from Florida's Kennedy Space Center at 3:52 pm (1952 GMT) Wednesday, NASA test director Jeff Spaulding said. The flight to the orbiting International Space Station is the fourth and final shuttle flight of the year, and the last scheduled for Discovery, the oldest in the three-shuttle fleet that is being retired in 2011. Many cement makers failed to meet government deadlines for applying energy-saving systems to their plants-Photo: Le Toan Under the national cement industry development plan for 2020 with a vision to 2030, all cement plants with a capacity of 2,500 tonnes of clinker per day or more were required to apply waste heat gas generation (WHGG) systems by 2015 to help the plants save at least 20 per cent of their electricity consumption. According to Nguyen Hoang Cau, secretary general of the Vietnam Cement Association, there are more than 40 cement-making production lines across the country subject to the requirement. Among these, foreign cement makers such as Taiwanese-backed Phuc Son Cement, Hong Kongs Luks Cement Vietnam Limited, and Japanese-funded Nghi Son Cement have failed to abide by the rule. The main reason for the delay is the high cost of applying the WHGG technology, particularly important given the context of low cement sales due in part to recent real estate market woes. Deputy director of Nghi Son Cement Doan Nam Khanh previously shared VIR that the cement sector was facing hard times, adding that It is necessary to invest in WHGG, but without financial help, it would be next to impossible for the firms to do it. Previously, a representative of Phuc Son Cement, which holds a 14 per cent share of the market, said that the company was looking into the new technology, but refused to comment further. Cau has already requested incentives from the Ministry of Finance to carry out the cost-saving measure, but investment for the WHGG system is reportedly not included in banks incentive lending policies. In a report for the cement sector, Nguyen Quang Thuan, chief executive officer of Stockplus, explained that commercial banks are not eager to lend more, except for the Asian Development Banks financing of state-run Vietnam Cement Industry Corporation, which is still being worked out. Cement production is one of Vietnams most energy-intensive industries. According to the Vietnam Building Materials Association, the country is currently home to 51 cement plants with 73 production lines and a total capacity of 73.45 million tonnes per annum. Citi supporting Vietnam in connecting the global dots Vietnam is considered by US group Citi as an attractive market. Ramachandran A.S., Citi country officer, talked to VIRs Linh Le about the groups efforts to utilise its global experience in the Southeast Asian nation, and its priorities moving forward. Radisson Hotel Group spearheading hospitality growth in Asia-Pacific With travel restrictions easing, air traffic increasing, and leisure and business travel bookings on the rise, Radisson Hotel Group is optimistic about the outlook for the hospitality industry in Asia-Pacific. Secrets of the most special securities company in Vietnam Techcom Securities (TCBS) leadership, with cutting-edge vision and execution muscle, has changed the course of the company over the last nine years since Nguyen Xuan Minh became chairman of the Board of Directors. VIRs Tuan Khanh sat together with Minh and talked about his path, vision, and success story. Promoting gender equality & enhancing women's economic empowerment Vietnarn's national strategy on gender equality for the 2021-2030 period sets a target that by 2025, 60 per cent of state management ageneies and local governments at all levels will have female key leaders. People stand on a partially-capsized boat believed to be owned by German national Manfred Fritz Bajorat whose body was found inside. MANILA: A German man whose mummified body was found on a yacht adrift off the southern Philippines had died of a heart attack about a week earlier, according to an autopsy report released Wednesday. Police earlier named the victim based on documents found on the yacht on Friday as Manfred Fritz Bajorat of Germany, but they have yet to establish where he had sailed from or where he was heading. "The cause of death is acute myocardial infarction based on the autopsy by (the) regional crime laboratory," national police spokesman Chief Superintendent Wilben Mayor told AFP. "The German national is estimated to have been dead for more or less seven days," he added, citing a police statement by police in the southern Philippines. Local fishermen found the white-hulled, 13-metre (44-foot) yacht with a broken mast adrift on the western edge of the Pacific Ocean on Friday, with the dried-up corpse of the naked man hunched over a table in the main cabin. Police launched an inquiry to determine whether he had been the victim of a crime, but the autopsy result indicated otherwise. The area where the boat was found is some 100 kilometres (60 miles) off the town of Barobo, the town's deputy police chief Inspector Mark Navales told AFP. "The... saltwater in the air could have mummified his body," Navales added. Documents, old pictures of a family visiting Paris landmarks, rice and tinned food lay scattered on the cabin of the boat, which had taken in water and was listing to one side, he said. One document photographed by police indicated the boat had obtained clearance from maritime police in Sao Vicente in 2013, although it was unclear if it was issued in Cape Verde or Brazil, which have ports of the same name. Police were still investigating the yacht's travel plan, Chief Superintendent Mayor said. The German embassy in Manila referred queries on the case to the German foreign ministry. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today reached out to the Opposition, asking for their support to 'improve' his government, even as he attacked the Congress over disruptions in Parliament while skipping raging issues like the JNU row and Dalit student Rohith Vemula's suicide. Modi, speaking in the Lok Sabha, used wit and barbs as he responded to the attack by Congress over various initiatives of his government, including 'Make in India' and MNREGA. Slamming the Congress for disrupting Parliament and stalling bills, he said the main opposition party was doing so because of "inferiority complex" of its top leaders. He also invoked the statements made by Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and first President Rajendra Prasad by reading out their opinion against stalling of legislative business. He deplored the 'tu tu, mai mai' (blame game) attitude of political parties for 'scoring points', saying officialdom rejoices over this and the nation suffers. "This government also needs improvement which cannot happen without your help. I am new, you are experienced. I need the benefit of your experience. Governments will come and go. Let us work shoulder to shoulder," Modi said while replying to a debate on Motion of Thanks to the President's Address which was approved later. He said a democratic country like India cannot be left at the mercy of the bureaucracy as he sought to underline the importance of the Legislature, saying even a single MP of any party should be treated like the 'Prime Minister'. In his 75-minute speech, Modi, however, did not respond to the specific issues raised by Rahul Gandhi and other Opposition leaders, like his visit to Pakistan, blackmoney, JNU and Dalit student Rohith Vemula's suicide. Without naming Rahul Gandhi, the Prime Minister appeared to be responding to his previous day's remark that he should listen to others. "It is easy to preach others... There are some people to whom all kinds of questions are asked. But there are some others, to whom nobody dares to ask questions. I have been questioned, I have faced criticism and accusations over the last 14 years. I have learnt to live with it," said Modi, apparently referring to the attacks on him in the aftermath of the Gujarat riots of 2002. While hitting out at Rahul for criticising his government, he sarcastically recalled how the Congress Vice President had torn at a press conference an Ordinance approved by the Cabinet headed by Manmohan Singh and including veterans like A K Antony, Sharad Pawar and Farooq Abdullah. Read: Rage of Rahul Gandhi: Who does Modi listen to? He also took on Rahul for mocking the government's ambitious 'Make in India' programme, questioning whether such a scheme should be made fun of. "You are mocking at 'Make in India'? If it is not successful, you should suggest what should be done to make it successful," he said. Referring to disruptions in Parliament due to which several bills, including the crucial GST legislation is stuck, Modi said: "House is not allowed to function due to inferiority complex (of the opposition leadership)." While elaborating, he appeared to suggest that top Congress leadership was not allowing 'young' and 'bright' leaders to emerge fearing that they may overshadow Rahul. "In the Opposition, there are bright and talented youngsters who don't get a chance to speak... The concern is that if they speak, they will be praised. Then what will happen to us," Modi said. While talking of disruptions in Parliament, the Prime Minister again appeared to take a swipe at Congress, saying the opposition's attitude was to "demonstrate its strength" even though its "strength may be less". Congress has only 45 members in the 545-member Lok Sabha. Invoking Rajiv Gandhi over disruptions, Modi read out a statement made by the former Prime Minister in which he had expressed "pain" over stalling of Parliament and said that while it hurts the government, it equally hurts the members of the opposition who want to raise issues of their concern. He said because of the will of Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, some bills were passed in Lok Sabha but those could not move ahead, suggesting that they got stuck in Rajya Sabha. Identifying some of these legislations, he said the Whistleblowers Protection Amendment bill is meant for enlightening the citizens and "I see no reason why it is stopped." With regard to GST, which is aimed at overhauling the taxation system in the country, Modi told the Congress, "it is yours only, still it is being stopped." While talking about attempts to "halt" development of the country by the opposition, he cited a statement made by Indira Gandhi in 1974 in which she had wondered why some people try to portray the image of the country in such a manner as if India is standing with a begging bowl. When Congress member Kantilal Bhuria said that there is a "gap between what you say and what you do", Modi said, "I have got several certificates during the last 14 years, let there be one more. I accept it with bowed head." Taking on the Congress for mocking at his ambitious project of constructing toilets, the Prime Minister sarcastically said that if this task had been accomplished earlier, he would not have had to do it. Similarly, he referred to the Bangladesh border dispute which was settled after four decades and told Congress benches, "You can say that 'if we had settled it, how would you do it'. You may say that 'We left it for you to do'." He said 18,000 villages were in darkness due to unsettled boundary even so many years after Independence and this was the Congress' "gift" which "we do not deny". Responding to Congress contention that MNREGA was the baby of previous UPA government and that the NDA regime had repackaged and usurped it, Modi dwelt into the history and said such a programme had first been initiated in Maharashtra in 1972. He said such schemes for the poor have been going on for decades under various names and in different versions and that once Jawaharlal Nehru's name was "removed by same party which curses us". On Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge's charge about corruption in MNREGA, the Prime Minister said, "I agree 1000 per cent" and went on to suggest that it was during the tenure of previous UPA government. He said CAG had said in its report of 2012 pointed out how corruption was linked to MNREGA. "We have tried to learn something from that. We are trying to make it foolproof and ensure that targeted people get benefits," he added. CAG has said MNREGA has not reached most of the places inhabited by the poor, Modi said, adding his government has linked it to Jandhan and other schemes and "hopefully we will be able to eliminate the middlemen". While the Prime Minister was speaking, Rahul was seen leaving the House, prompting BJP benches to take a dig at the Congress leader. Rahul, who was yet to reach the exit gate, returned to his seat and then again went back and left. As BJP members were making some comments against Rahul, Modi told them to desist from that. Modi, while training guns at the Congress, also slammed the opposition party over poverty. "You (Congress) boldly say that during elections I had promised to rid the country of poverty. But you have made poverty so deep-rooted that it is so difficult to uproot it...You must be saying 'Modi, you yourself will be uprooted but poverty will not go'. Still, we are making efforts," he said. "To uproot poverty, a lot of efforts need to be made...I realised how deep-rooted poverty is only when I came here (after becoming Prime Minister)," the former Gujarat Chief Minister said. Asking Congress to accept that it has brought the country to such a pass, Modi said had there been no poverty, there would have been no need for MNREGA. While taking on Congress, he said it was suffering from a "feeling of jealousy" as it is concerned as to why the NDA government is doing "well". He said Congress is worried that 'What we could not do in 60 years, how could you do it?' He drew comparisons of the performance of his government with the UPA governments, particularly in the context of constructing roads and implementation of MNREGA. "I invite intellectuals to do study of Atalji's Gram Sadak Yojana and MNREGA," Modi said. Talking about Food Security Act brought by the UPA, he said it had not been implemented by four Congress-ruled states, including poll-bound Kerala. "You enjoy talking Gujarat.... Your own government in Kerala has not implemented it. You are going to polls there with full force. People will ask why your government did not implement FSA," he said. About the recently-launched Crop Insurance Scheme, Modi said it will come into force in all states from April 1, this year. Among the digs he took at Congress, the Prime Minister said, "I can't say I started Rail. You can say that. You can say anything. But we do not have the courage to do so." Modi said his government had shown how work can be done with the same bureaucracy and same rules. "I can show in all sectors," he said. "India is democratic nation. In public life we all are answerable. But some are not answerable. What they do, I have seen," the Prime Minister said. Apparently responding to allegations of disallowing dissent, he narrated an anecdote related to President Nikita Krushchev of erstwhile Soviet Union. "After Stalin died, Krushchev would criticise him wherever he went. At one meeting, Krushchev was criticising Stalin and one youth said, 'you have worked with Stalin, then why are you criticising him now?...Krushchev replied, 'I wished to do the same in Stalin era but could not. You can do it. Got the answer?" He told Kharge that some in opposition would understand his reply while for some even having almonds will not help. The reference to almonds was made by him possibly because this dry fruit is believed to help in making brain sharp. Modi, who noted that he was first-time MP, praised Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh, saying the similarity between him and the "veteran leader" is that they both like Lohia. He said the respect for the political class had gone down as he recalled his childhood days when he would see how even an MLA of his village commanded respect and the entire officialdom would be under an awe. "I know because I would try to give tea to him," he said. "Where have we taken our democratic system? No officer is afraid of politicians now. This is not about you or us but lowering of respect for the political class," Modi said, adding "For officials, an MP should not be less than PM." "We can engage in 'tu tu, mai mai' (blame game). You may curse me and I may curse you but officals celebrate. By doing 'Tu tu, mai mai', we may be scoring points but at the end, the accountability of the bureaucracy ends. Our government may come or go but the accountability of the bureaucracy has to be there. "You blame me and I blame you... But how to improve accountability of the Executive. This is a challenge before us. We have to make a collective effort. I don't blame anybody," he said. "In a democratic country like India, we cannot leave it to officialdom. We have to trust 125 crore people. Our citizens do not ask for more. They are ready to move with the government. We have taken steps in this," he said. He said his government had taken some measures for the benefit of the common people by trusting them, like ending the requirement of interview for certain government jobs and doing away with the need for attestations. A ceremony was held yesterday by the Saigon Transportation Mechanical Corporation to hand over 23 CNG-fuelled buses to the May 19 Bus Transport Cooperative. Saigon Cooperative Mechanical Corporation (SAMCO) is a state-owned enterprise, with its main operations involving the production of transport mechanical products and the provision of high-quality transport services. Compressed natural gas (CNG) is methane stored at high pressure, which is used as an alternative fuel for gasoline, diesel, or propane. CNG combustion produces fewer undesirable gases than those mentioned above. The buses are SAMCOs first shipment of a 300-bus purchase by the Peoples Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, said Tran Quoc Toan, general director at SAMCO. They are also the flagships of environmentally friendly vehicles suitable for public transport in such metropolises like Ho Chi Minh City, Toan added. These buses will join the existing fleet of bus route 33, which shuttles between An Suong Station in Hoc Mon District and the Vietnam National University-Ho Chi Minh City in Thu Duc District, making the whole fleet of 52 buses 100 percent environmentally-friendly. Nguyen Van Trieu, director at May 19 Bus Transport Cooperative, said VND63 billion (US$2.8 million) was spent on these buses, coming from investments by its members. The operations of bus route 33 and others have helped around 30,000 students, professors, and employees at the Vietnam National University-Ho Chi Minh City commute for study and work, vice president of the university Huynh Thanh Dat said at the ceremony. The building plan of the university includes two public bus stations within its campus, each covering an area of 1ha, ready for bus routes accessing the university, Dat said. An investment plan is also underway to replace 1,318 old buses bought 13 years ago with 1,680 new ones, said deputy director of Ho Chi Minh Citys transport department Le Hoang Minh. Minh also mentioned the need to improve the on-bus passenger service, especially concerning the behaviors of bus drivers and attendants, alongside the use of CNG buses. The publics satisfaction level with public transport will increase accordingly with these measures, Minh concluded. Illustration photo Phong Nha listed in Top 5 incredible explorable caves Wanderlust, an UK-based famous tourism magazine regarded Phong Nha as the best cave for fossils. According to Wanderlust, Phong Nha's magnificent grottos are filled with spectacular stalagmites and stalactites and are distinctive examples of a complex karst landform. This has resulted in underground rivers and the development of a maze of caves. It's no surprise that the caves have been granted UNESCO world heritage status. Phong Nha is also a fossil-rich site and a location where new caves are still being discovered. The entrance to the 44.5km, nine-cave system is via an underground river that connects with the Son River tour boats can penetrate inside to a distance of 1,500m. Phong Nha is situated at the center of Quang Binh province in north-central Viet Nam, 500km south of Ha Noi. There are lots of trekking, kayaking and swimming opportunities locally too. Be sure to lookout for a multitude of beautiful butterflies if you are there in March, April or May. Intl tourists flock to Hue The central city of Hue saw a sharp increase in the number of visitors, especially foreigners, with 100,000. During the nine-day Tet holidays, Thua Thien-Hue province served over 92,000 tourists, up 16% against the same period last year. Around 51,000 foreign tourists accounting for 55.4% of total number travelled to the central province. The province will host the Hue international cuisine festival 2016 running from April 28 to May 2 in Phu Xuan Park within the framework of Hue festival 2016; organize the tourism promotion conference in Ha Noi and HCMC; and participate in the Viet Nam International Travel Mart 2016 and the ITB Asia-Singapore 2016. Emirates says hello to HN Emirates will launch a daily service from Dubai to Yangon (RGN) in Myanmar and Ha Noi, starting August 3, 2016. This new route will strengthen Emiratess network of destinations in Southeast Asia, offer a new flight option to passengers travelling between Ha Noi and Yangon, and open up new connections for Myanmese and Vietnamese travellers to access Emiratess global network. Ha Noi will be the second destination of Emirates in Viet Nam after HCMC in 2012. Earlier, Emirates has explored transport services to Ha Noi since 2013. A scene in Shakespeares Hamlet played by artists of the Vietnam National Drama Theater Tuoi Tre Hamlet is a masterpiece that has been played countless times around the world over the past four years. In Vietnam, the tragedy was staged for the first time in 2003. Last year, a group of artists at the Vietnam National Drama Theater decided to bring it back to the stage, adding some small changes to make the play more local. The play will be performed in Singapore in late March, marking our overseas debut, Nguyen The Vinh, director of the theater, said. The Vietnamese version of Hamlet, which has attracted a huge local audience despite an expensive entrance price, is scheduled to be performed on March 26 at 8:00 pm at Victoria Theater. A day earlier, the crew will have a press conference to present their work to local media. Hamlet is a world-renowned spectacle so we must try our best to deliver it to international audiences, Ta Tuan Minh, who plays Hamlet, said. The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, often shortened to Hamlet, is a play written by William Shakespeare at an uncertain date between 1599 and 1602. Set in the Kingdom of Denmark, the play dramatizes the revenge Prince Hamlet is called to wreak upon his uncle, Claudius, by the ghost of Hamlet's father, King Hamlet. Claudius murders his own brother and seizes the throne, also marrying his deceased brother's widow. The play was one of Shakespeare's longest and most performed works during his lifetime. The government has also approved the proposal of the Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group to carry out payment of traffic fines through their post offices, the Ministry of Information and Communications said. According to the new procedure, residents will first go to local police stations to receive the sanction from police officers, then pay their fines to post office employees working at the stations, before coming back to the desk of the sanctioning officers to retrieve their suspended drivers license and related documents. In accordance with the old regulation, violators of traffic laws are required to pay financial penalties at a local bank or a branch of the Vietnam State Treasury after receiving the sanction decision, and then head back to police stations to receive their documents. This process usually took quite a while to finish due to long queues at local banks or state treasury branches, P., a citizen residing in Cu Chi District, said. I had to spend an entire morning to complete my payment and was forced to wait until the afternoon shift at the police station had started in order to complete the process and have my drivers license returned, P. recalled. The new procedure, however, took him only 10 minutes to finish and the cost of service is cheap, at only VND15,000 (US$0.67), the man explained. The new process was piloted in Cu Chi in December 2015, with the local post office receiving payment of over 720 traffic violations with fines worth a total of about VND500 million ($22,405), said a representative of the Cu Chi Post Office. Almost 100 percent of the fines were related to traffic offenses in the district and were paid via the service at the local post office in January 2016, the representative added. It is not mandatory for citizens to follow the new procedure, Colonel Nguyen Van Cuong, deputy chief of the local police department, said, adding that they could still pay their traffic fines the old-fashioned way. The new payment method is recommended as it overcomes the shortcomings of the previous regulation; traveling between police stations and local banks, treasury and long waiting lines at each facility, Col. Cuong elaborated. Since the implementation of the new service, locals have also stopped complaining about having to pay extra money to some intermediaries in order for their payment to be processed quickly, the colonel added. In addition, people in poor living conditions will not have to pay the service charge to the post office, he said. Tran Ngoc Kim, an official at the Ho Chi Minh City Post Office, stated that he would review the results of the pilot phase and discuss with authorities how to execute the new procedure in other districts of the city. The new procedure is expected to be implemented in District 10 this month by the Ho Chi Minh City Post Office and Department of Transport, Kim added. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close India had said Masood Azhar, head of Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed, masterminded the attack and sought action against him and other perpetrators. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: India has asked Pakistan to inform it at least five days in advance about the visit by its Joint Investigation Team (JIT) here in connection with the Pathankot terror attack, official sources said. Pakistan has formed a five-member JIT to probe the Pathankot terror attack and it is expected to arrive in the country soon. On Wednesday, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's Foreign Affairs Advisor Sartaj Aziz had said the team may visit India in the next few days. Earlier, a six-member SIT was set up by the Pakistan government for conducting an initial probe into the January 2 attack based on the leads given by India. India had said Masood Azhar, head of Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed, masterminded the attack and sought action against him and other perpetrators. Last month, Pakistan had lodged an FIR in the Pathankot terror attack case which was seen by India as a "step forward" in bringing the perpetrators of the strike to justice. The FIR was filed against "unknown persons" though India had named Masood Azhar as the mastermind of the strike. India had submitted evidence to show that the six perpetrators who attacked the air base came from across the border. Meanwhile, asked if there could be a meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart Sartaj Aziz on the sidelines of SAARC foreign ministers meeting in Kathmandu in mid-March, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs Vikas Swarup said "as of now, I have no such information and there is no schedule so far. Four women who were working illegally as maids in Malaysia were returned to Cambodia Wednesday, following their escape from abusive conditions and detention. In an interview with VOA Khmer, Oul Srey Khuoch, 32, said she and three other women were promised well-paid jobs, up to $600 per month, by a company called 168 Manpower Supply, when they left for Malaysia in 2014. They ended up having to avoid the authorities after their travel documents expired and were kept working long hours at the homes that hired them. In the end, she said, she was eating one meal per day, being beaten by her employer, and working from 6 am to 11 pm. They beat me on my head, she said. They pulled my head to the floor. They pulled my hair. I could not bear it anymore. We decided to run so the police would arrest us. When they arrested us, they mistreated us, but later on they pitied us, since we did not do anything wrong except that we did not have passports. She would like to see companies that facilitate this kind of abuse shut down by authorities. Duch Sotharith, director of 168 Manpower Supply, denied that his company sent these women to Malaysia and said they have said as much to police. Rights workers say women are brokered into unsafe environments in Malaysia and other countries by companies registered and operating in Cambodia. Chhan Sokunthea, head of the women and children section at the rights group Adhoc, said hundreds of workers are being exploited this way. Poor laws and poor law enforcement are partly to blame for the problem, she said. Chiv Phally, deputy direct of the counter-trafficking division in the Ministry of Interior, said authorities are now questioning the women to learn more. Until we finish questioning them, I cant tell you who was involved in the case, he said. Cambodian educators say they are working on improving studies in science, technology, engineering and math. These so-called STEM skills are typically poorly studied in the Cambodian school system, but educators say they will be necessary for successful job skills in the future. Ros Salin, a spokesman for the Ministry of Education, said STEM skills will soon be added to the nations education curriculum, starting in primary school. The more kids understand what STEM is, the more they will choose STEM as their career when they grow up, he said. Private education institutions are also focusing more on STEM. Meng Hieng, CEO of Kid City, said his institution has created courses that use equipment and entertaining curriculum for science studies. To make STEM a success, we need to make the kids like, be happy with, and want to join in science and its activities, he said. The Ministry of Education, with the support of the UK Embassy and an educational consulting firm called IDP, has recruited 68 ambassadors to raise awareness and inspire young people to study STEM subjects. Cambodias labor market will need people with these skills in a more competitive market, as ASEAN countries integrate further. Von Seymao, marketing manager for IDP, said STEM studies should start when students are young. The earlier the better. Amnesty International accused Russian and Syrian forces Thursday of deliberately targeting Syrian hospitals and medical facilities with airstrikes to ease the path for pro-regime ground forces advancing on northern Aleppo. Tirana Hassan, the humanitarian group's crisis response director, said of the past three months of air raids: Syrian and Russian forces have been deliberately attacking health facilities in flagrant violation of international humanitarian law. But what is truly egregious is that wiping out hospitals appears to have become part of their military strategy." Amnesty International said it had "compelling evidence" of attacks on six health-care facilities that killed three civilians, including a medical worker, and injured 44 others. The group said information gathered from medical workers in Anadan and Hreitan, two towns near Aleppo, made clear that the strategy of Syrian government forces and their Russian military supporters was to empty a town of its population by destroying health-care facilities, water and electricity systems, to facilitate a ground invasion. Cease-fire largely holding Amnesty International's broadside against Russia and Syria came as the United Nations special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, said a six-day-old partial cease-fire in the civil war is largely holding. Despite sporadic clashes, de Mistura told reporters, the truce has "greatly reduced" violence after five years of devastating civil war in Syria. The U.N. envoy is in Geneva for a meeting of a task force led by the United States and Russia to monitor the situation in Syria. Diplomats said the partial cease-fire that began last week is "a cessation of hostilities" that permits continuing attacks on the Islamic State group and al-Nusra Front, al-Qaida's Syrian affiliate. "The situation is fragile. Success is not guaranteed, but progress is visible," de Mistura said. He is planning to start a new round of Syrian peace talks on March 9. A U.N. humanitarian official reported progress is being made to dispatch food and medical supplies to parts of Syria that have been trapped by fighting between forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and rebels trying to overthrow his regime. Meanwhile, Syrian state television reported that a nationwide power outage hit the country Thursday, but the cause was not immediately known. Damascus residents said that mobile Internet connections were also not working. The Indian army says three Kashmiri rebels have been killed in a gunbattle with government forces in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir. Army spokesman Col. Nitin N. Joshi says the fighting started early Thursday as the insurgents tried to break through a cordon of Indian forces in the southern town of Tral. Joshi said the three belonged to Hizbul Mujahideen, the region's biggest rebel group fighting against Indian rule. Public opposition to Indian rule remains widespread in the mostly Muslim territory, where rebel groups have been fighting since 1989 for independence or merger with Pakistan. Both nations claim all of Kashmir, which is divided between them. More than 68,000 people have died in the conflict, though incidents of violence have largely been suppressed by Indian forces. A white, meter-long chunk of metal discovered on the coast of southeast Africa is to being sent to Australia to be tested to determine whether it is part of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, missing for two years, and one of aviation's greatest unsolved mysteries. The piece of debris was found this week in Mozambique, a location consistent with drift modeling commissioned by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau," Australian Transport Minister Darren Chester told members of parliament in Canberra Thursday. Australia's Joint Agency Coordination Center, established to supervise the MH370 search, says it "will examine the characteristics of the debris to confirm that it comes from an aircraft and to establish its origin." Malaysian authorities say the fiberglass skinned, honeycombed aluminum cored panel appears to be a slice of the horizontal stabilizer of an airliner. It is stenciled with the words No Step and has a large pin with alphanumerical writing on its head, leading to speculation it is from the missing Boeing 777, which vanished with 239 people on board. Let's wait for us to verify if it really [is] confirmed from MH370. Then we can follow suit with many other actions taken, said Malaysian transport minister Liow Tiong Lai on Thursday. It's just like the flaperon that we found in La Reunion Island. It has to be confirmed, then we launch a search. The barnacle-encrusted flaperon, a control section on the wing, was found July 29 last year on the French island in the Indian Ocean. It was the first confirmed piece of the Malaysian Airlines plane discovered since the Boeing 777 disappeared shortly after takeoff from Kuala Lumpur on March 8, 2014. The latest suspected fragment from MH370 was given to Mozambique authorities by an American, Blaine Alan Gibson, who said he had hired a boat to go to a sandbar in search of flotsam. Gibson, an attorney from Seattle in the state of Washington, has visited several countries in search of MH370 debris. Liow told reporters in Kuala Lumpur that an interim statement by an international investigation team looking into the disappearance will be issued March 8, the second anniversary of the ill-fated flight. MH370 was supposed to land in Beijing but it veered sharply off course, continuing on a straight path across the Indian Ocean. A multinational effort off Australia's west coast has found no trace of the aircraft or its passengers. Several ships are still actively conducting underwater search operations. When we step into the voting booth, were bringing Stone-Age brains to bear on 21st-century issues, author Rick Shenkman concludes in his new book, Political Animals. And Shenkman said the mismatch between our Stone-Age brains and 21st-century reality has worked especially well for Republican front-runner Donald Trump. "All of us like to think that were rational creatures, Shenkman said. But after diving into research from evolutionary psychologists, neuroscientists, behavioral economists and more, Shenkman concludes, when it comes to politics, we mostly go on instinct." Those instincts served us well when we were highly social hunter-gatherers living in small groups of 100 to 150 people. But the world has changed in countless ways, and in many situations, "nothing that we experienced back in the Pleistocene is comparable," he said. "So, our instinctive reactions tend to be off. Or, as the books subtitle puts it, our Stone-Age brains get in the way of smart politics. As seen on TV One way our Stone-Age brains fail us: As highly social creatures, we evolved brain circuits that read faces in a flash. But Shenkman says we put an undue amount of faith in the judgments we generate from very little information. Researchers showed test subjects photographs of unfamiliar candidates and asked them to rate each ones competence. Subjects saw the photos for just a fraction of a second. "At this speed, humans arent making a thoughtful judgment," he wrote. "They are simply reacting." And yet, the candidate that subjects judged as more competent based on seeing just a flash of a photo was the one who won the election 70 percent of the time. That kind of rapid-fire assessment might have been OK when we spent more time with our leaders and knew them intimately, Shenkman said. Today, however, we just see people on TV. We instantly make judgments about who they are and what they're capable of and what their character is based on what were seeing. And yet, its extremely superficial. Voters have seen Donald Trump on TV for years. Just because we see somebody on TV doesn't mean we know them, Shenkman warns, but our brains trick us into thinking we do. Emotional thinking Two primal emotions -- anger and fear -- are riding high in the American electorate. Both get in the way of rational decisionmaking, Shenkman says. And both work in Trumps favor. Fear of outsiders was an asset to our ancestors, he noted. Back in the Stone Age days, when you couldnt trust people outside your community, that was an instinct that could very well save your life. Modern societies mostly ignore that instinct. But at times where people feel vulnerable -- as they do with a lackluster economy and the threat of terrorism -- then that ancient evolved mechanism can be activated. Trump is pushing that ancient fear button with his proposals to deport millions of people and ban Muslim immigrants, Shenkman said. Anger is a common theme in this years election. When people are angry, they become closed-minded, he noted. Shenkman points to a study in which subjects read a made-up news story about a controversial topic. They were offered links to read more about the topic. Those who were made angry by the story did not click the links. They did not want to know more, he said. Brains in overdrive And once peoples minds are made up, theyre remarkably hard to change, even when presented with facts. That may have worked for our ancestors, when our beliefs helped shape our group identity, Shenkman said. But its not good for rational decisionmaking. In one eye-opening experiment, researchers put test subjects in a brain scanner and showed them clear evidence that their preferred candidate made hypocritical statements. It made them uncomfortable. But it didnt change their minds. In fact, he said, Their brains immediately went into overdrive, working hard to discount the new information and shut down the unpleasant emotions it triggered. When their minds expelled the offending facts, they were rewarded with a feel-good burst of serotonin. What they did not do was make independent, rational assessments that could lead them to change their opinions. Unfortunately, thats the opposite of reason, Shenkman noted. In a democracy, thats a problem. Voter revolution The good news, he said, is that if you become aware of all the different ways in which our brain tricks us, then you can at least recognize in yourself when youre having an instinctive reaction, and you can start to work against it. In the same way that the consumer revolution of the 1960s and 70s raised awareness about how marketers work to trick us into buying things, we now need a voter revolution, he said, so that we start second-guessing our basic, automatic responses to stimuli. One tip Shenkman offers for broader thinking: If you find yourself in a tightly knit circle of like-minded people, get out and start talking to people with other ideas. We have to fight our instinct to stick with our tribe. Its good advice, said psychology and political science professor Matt Motyl at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Motyl is studying how to take the acrimony out of controversial debates. But its still a work in progress, he said. Right now, I dont think theres much evidence to make any good claims about ways to overcome some of these Stone-Age mindsets, he said. A majority of Brazil's Supreme Court voted to accept corruption charges against lower house speaker Eduardo Cunha on Wednesday, putting him on trial for allegedly accepting bribes on contracts for two drill ships leased by state oil company Petrobras. The ruling, which must be officially confirmed at the end of the court's session, is a setback to Cunha as he struggles to fend off a request from Brazil's top prosecutor for his removal as speaker for obstructing the investigation into the Petrobras graft scandal. A bitter political rival of President Dilma Rousseff, Cunha could also lose his seat if an ethics committee inquiry underway finds he lied about undeclared Swiss bank accounts. Cunha, who comes from the PMDB party that is Rousseff's main coalition ally, broke with her last year and in December took up an opposition request for the impeachment of the president. But the case against him at the Supreme Court the only court that can try elected officials in Brazil could hasten Cunha's downfall and undermine efforts to impeach Rousseff. "This is the first time a speaker of the house is on trial for corruption in Brazil and he is still not resigning his post, which shows the extent of the moral deterioration of Brazilian politics," said Gabriel Petrus, an analyst with the Brasilia-based consultancy Barral M Jorge Associates. Widespread scheme Cunha faces charges of receiving a $5 million bribe in the widening price-fixing and political kickback scheme that has landed executives of top engineering companies in jail and ensnared dozens of politicians from Rousseff's coalition. In August, a judge sentenced former Petrobras international director Nestor Cervero to more than 12 years in prison for corruption and money laundering related to the bribe allegedly paid to Cunha in exchange for contracts with Korean shipbuilder Samsung Heavy Industries for two drill ships. Executives at Samsung Heavy Industries were not charged in the case involving the drill ship Petrobras 10000, which was leased jointly by Petrobras and Mitsui in 2006, and the Vitoria 10000, hired by Petrobras in 2007. British Prime Minister David Cameron Thursday announced fresh funding to help resettle migrants in the French port city of Calais, as French and British leaders held talks about Europe's ongoing migrant crisis. Prime Minister Cameron announced about $24 million in additional support for authorities in Calais, where migrants have clashed with demolition teams in a sprawling shantytown called The Jungle. The money will go toward efforts to move people from the camps in Calais to facilities elsewhere in France and we will fund joint work to return migrants not in need of protection to their home countries," said Cameron. Cameron spoke after talks in northern France with President Francois Hollande amid deepening European divisions over how to handle the thousand of migrants who continue to arrive in the port city. European Council President Donald Tusk advised economic migrants not to come. Meanwhile, Hollande will hold talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Paris Friday ahead of a key EU summit with Turkey next week to find some resolution. In Calais, French authorities have been relocating Jungle residents many against their will to places where officials claim the conditions are more hygienic, more dignified and more amenable to having their cases treated. Jungle residents are blocked from heading onward to Britain, although Cameron has said Britain will accept unaccompanied minors with family in his country. The situation in Calais has long been a source of tension between the two countries. Hollandes economy minister added to those tensions by suggesting that Calais border controls could be dropped if Britain exited the EU. President Hollande did not echo that warning, but did say financial and other consequences were inevitable if British voters backed an exit during a referendum in June. A Burundian opposition group is welcoming the selection of former Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa as the new mediator for talks between the government and other stakeholders aimed at ending the almost year-long crisis in Burundi. The East African Community (EAC), meeting in Arusha, Tanzania Wednesday named the 77-year old Mkapa to hopefully breed new life into the talks, which have been bogged down under the leadership of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni. Its good news," said Pancras Cimpaye, spokesperson for the National Council for the Restoration of the Arusha Accord (CNARED). "Former President Mkapa knows very well the issues of the Arusha Peace Agreement, and we know that he will do his best so that implementation is a reality, he said. Cimpaye denied that Ugandan President Museveni, who had been spearheading the mediation on behalf of the EAC, was being sidelined because of the controversial election in Uganda. We saw the statement of the AU. They recognized Museveni as the mediator, but nowadays we realized that Museveni is busy with home affairs. So former president Mkapa is there to help not to be the principal mediator. Hes a co-mediator, Cimpaye said. Cimpaye said his group is ready for talks with the government at any time. He hoped former President Mkapa will do his best so that the stalled talks can resume as soon as possible. As CNARED, we wish we could have talks even tomorrow morning; even tonight we are ready to go there because we have a big document which shows quite well the roots of CNARED to come back to peace in Burundi. We are ready for talks at any time, Cimpaye said. Burundian foreign minister, Alain Nyamitwe told VOA recently his government was not pleased with the choice of CNARED to represent to represent all opposition parties to the talks. Nyamitwe said CNARED has been involved in violence and has no popular following. Sixteen million Kenyans lack access to safe drinking water. Sixty percent of rural folks remain off the water grid. In Kenya's Kajiado province, an initiative is enlisting local women to try to fill the gap. Kajiado gets little rainfall. The Kenyan capital, Nairobi, is 125 miles away from Esther Kumes homestead. The mother of nine has to buy 10 jerry cans of water a day from local businessmen. Even then, she says the water isnt always safe to drink. "We have to go as far as 10 kilometers to reach water since there are no rivers around. Thats why we are forced to buy water. When we hear of anyone selling water, we have no choice but to buy, she said. 'Ekocenters' AficAqua, in partnership with Coca-Cola and water.org, has been setting up these "ekocenters around East Africa since 2014 to provide safe drinking water. The centers get water through boreholes. They use solar power and a purification technology called reverse osmosis. Cabinet Secretary for Water and Irrigation, Eugene Wamalwa, says misappropriation of funds in his ministry has kept so many rural Kenyans off the state water grid. I have told them in no uncertain terms there will be no sacred cows and coming into a ministry that was one of those affected by the clean-up his excellency the president led, we have said we are not going to go back to the ways of the past, the ways of corruption, said Wamalwa. Bringing water to customers The county digs public boreholes but residents must still trek many kilometers to reach them. This newly opened ekocenter has 15 employees who will deliver safe water by motorized rickshaws, known as tuk-tuks. The 20-liter can sells for 50 cents. The challenge of the cost to the customer is actually not very high because what we do, they can pay this into installments. We dont tell them that you have to do it that particular day. You can do it in installments until the other time you are refilling, explains Joyce Nduta, water manager at the ekocenter. This new ekocenter hopes to serve around 3,000 residents and plans are underway to replicate the initiative in other areas. New Delhi: As JNU Students Union president Kanhaiya Ku-mar was released on Thursday after spending 23 days at Tihar Jail in a sedition case, the Delhi police, fearing a threat to his life, provided him unprecedented security. Mr Kumar was taken out of the prison via a residential colony to a nearby police station before he went back to the JNU campus, where he was greeted by hundreds of supporters. The AAP governments magisterial inquiry didnt find any evidence that he had raised anti-national slogans. AAP clean chit greets Kanhaiya on release The AAP government probe, headed by district magistrate Sanjay Kumar, said no witness or any other evidence had been found showing JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar indulged in anti-India sloganeering. On the contrary, the magisterial report said many outsiders of Kashmiri descent were seen shouting anti-India slogans. The report said: They should be immediately identified for further investigation. Possibly two of these students are from JNU and the administration will be working to bring them to book. During his inquiry, the DM also examined the JNU V-C, the universitys internal inquiry report, the security staff, students and eyewitnesses. The report said the inquiry panel also sought to question three other students Umer Khalid, Anirbhan Bhattacharya and Ashutosh who did not turn up and had sent a thank you note. Earlier on Thursday, a magisterial court ordered the JNU Students Union presidents release after he furnished a personal bond of Rs 10,000 and one surety of like amount as directed by the high court on Wednesday. A JNU faculty member, Prof. S.N. Malakar, stood surety for him. The high court granted him interim bail for six months after imposing conditions that include an undertaking that he will not take part in any unlawful or anti-national activity. Soon after Kanhaiya came out of Tihar at around 6.40 pm, the entire JNU campus began celebrating, with students and teachers seen hugging each other, some even applying colours on each other and many offering sweets to mark the occasion. This is just the beginning. Now we will raise our voice against the sedition charges for which Kanhaiya and two other students were booked, said a M.Phil. student of the university. Situation in JNU normal, says Smriti Irani HRD minister Smriti Irani on Thursday in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha said that most classes in JNU, which has seen protests over arrest of students in connection with a controversial event, are being held regularly and the academic atmosphere of the university is normal. Colombia's government has re-authorized visits by rebel peace negotiators from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) to guerrilla encampments in the country, the government's negotiating team said on Thursday. The government suspended visits by rebel leaders two weeks ago after it said FARC negotiators violated the terms under which they were allowed to return from Havana, where peace talks have been taking place since 2012. The rebels will only be allowed to meet with their own troops for the purpose of explaining progress at the talks, the government negotiating team tweeted. "The protocols signed by the two sides do not allow events with the civilian population or the presence of the media," the team said. "For security reasons the locations of visits will not be revealed." President Juan Manuel Santos halted the visits in February after guerrilla leaders Ivan Marquez, Jesus Santrich and Joaquin Gomez met with local residents and participated in public events with armed fighters in La Guajira province, despite restrictions on such activities. Negotiators have reached partial agreements on land reform, guerrilla participation in politics, transitional justice, efforts to find missing persons and remove land mines, and an end to illegal drug trafficking. The FARC, which formed in 1964 to fight rural inequality, has said it will enter politics and seek alliances with other parties once it signs a peace deal. Democratic Republic of Congo will extradite a suspect in Rwanda's 1994 genocide, Congo's justice minister said on Thursday, retreating from an earlier demand that Rwanda first respond to Congo's own extradition requests. Ladislas Ntaganzwa, a former Rwandan mayor under indictment for his alleged role in the slaughter of some 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus by ethnic Hutu militias, was arrested in eastern Congo in December. He was one of nine high-profile fugitives wanted in connection with the genocide who are still at large. Rwanda has accused him of genocide, direct and public incitement to commit genocide, extermination, murder and rape. Justice Minister Alexis Thambwe said that he had promised a delegation from the Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals, a U.N. body charged with overseeing genocide-related prosecutions, that Ntaganzwa would be extradited within a month. He made the pledge two weeks ago. "At the moment, there are just a few formalities to take care of. It could happen at any moment," Thambwe said of Ntaganzwas extradition. Congolese officials said after the arrest that Rwandan authorities should extradite individuals wanted in Congo first, including Laurent Nkunda, the former leader of a Rwandan-backed insurrection in eastern Congo from 2006 to 2009. Nkunda is under house arrest in the Rwandan capital of Kigali, according to the United Nations. But Thambwe said on Thursday that reciprocity did not apply in Ntaganzwa's case as he is the object of a U.N.-backed international arrest warrant. A police officer facing charges for the controversial death of a Maryland man will take his case to the state's highest court Thursday, arguing he cannot be compelled to testify against his fellow officers. William Porter is a Baltimore, Maryland police officer awaiting retrial on charges in the death of Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old African-American who died from a spinal injury while in police custody last April. Porter's attorneys say he cannot testify against five other fellow officers who are also defendants in the case while he is awaiting his own re-trial because the testimony would violate his Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination. Prosecutors want Porter to testify as a witness in the trials of two of the other co-defendants. The Freddie Gray case sparked protests and riots in Baltimore. Porter's trial ended in a hung jury in November. Porter's case is scheduled for retrial in June. Following a string of wins on Super Tuesday, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton held a public rally Wednesday in New York City where she spoke of her "commitment to raise wages and break down the barriers that hold too many families back." Supporters queued in a line that coiled around New York City's massive Javits convention center, huddled close for a chance to see and hear the Democratic Party front-runner. Among them were carpenters, asbestos workers, and other union members from across the city, who feel Clinton is the most reliable candidate to protect their interests. "You have to give her a chance," said Brent Miller, a carpenter from Brooklyn. Miller, who said his former projects include a Donald Trump building, said Clinton is the best choice for the future of construction. Trump, he maintained, "is no builder." "She supports our union members. She supports the middle class," added Toni Thomas, from the United Brotherhood of Carpenters. Interwoven among the union members were ordinary New Yorkers, who said they saw Clinton as the Democratic Party's eventual nominee. Campaign volunteer Anthony DeSimone, for his part, said he likes Clinton because he sees her as a "two-term candidate," best suited to carry out President Barack Obama's achievements, including Obamacare. DeSimone argued that she sometimes gets a bad rap but is, in fact, "a lot like America." "They love to hate her, but they love her, and she's the right person," DeSimone said. "She's like everyone." Mansoor Khan, a Muslim-American, said he likes both Clinton and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, but argued that Sanders "doesn't connect to minorities." In addition, he said Sanders economic policies are too good to be true. "We need to take a realistic, sensible approach, and that's why I think Hillary is a better candidate," Khan said. The United Nations reports more than 3 million people in rebel-controlled areas of eastern Ukraine are struggling to survive and vulnerable to human rights abuses, including arbitrary arrest and detention, torture, and disappearances. A new report notes that the number of civilian casualties in eastern Ukraine has decreased over the past few months, but the U.N. Human Rights Office warns the cease-fire in the region is shaky, with repeated violations reported. It finds ongoing indiscriminate shelling, the presence of anti-personnel mines and remnants of war continue to threaten civilians. Latest figures show more than 9,000 people have been killed and 21,000 injured since the conflict between Russian-backed rebels and the Ukrainian government began nearly two years ago. U.N. investigators say full implementation of the so-called Minsk agreement is crucial to ending hostilities. The agreement calls for a cease-fire and pullout of heavy weapons from eastern Ukraine. Porous Ukraine-Russia border a problem Gianni Magazzeni is chief of the Americas, Europe, and Central Asia Branch of the U.N human rights office. He says monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, working on Russia's side of the border, document hundreds of cease-fire violations every day. On a daily basis there is still crossing of about 9,500 or more individuals across that border, which is not controlled by Ukraine... some of whom are also in military-style clothing, he said. Magazzeni says the restoration of full and effective control by Ukraine over parts of that border would be key to ending any possible inflow of ammunition, weaponry and fighters from the Russian Federation. He also says there is no rule of law in eastern rebel-controlled areas, making people there particularly vulnerable to human rights abuses. During the reporting period, between mid-November and mid-February, U.N. human rights monitors also documented alleged violations perpetrated with impunity by Ukrainian police and members of the Security Service. They include forced disappearances, arbitrary arrest and detention, torture and ill-treatment. The report says Crimean Tatars in the Russia-annexed peninsula of Crimea continue to be oppressed and intimidated. It says Crimean Tatar demonstrators face prosecution, while others are being arrested for alleged membership in terrorist organizations. European Council President Donald Tusk gave a stark warning Thursday to potential migrants thinking of traveling to Europe. "I want to appeal to all potential illegal, economic migrants wherever you are from," Tusk said. Do not come to Europe. Do not believe the smugglers. Do not risk your lives and your money; it is all for nothing. Greece or any other European country will no longer be a transit country." Tusk spoke from Athens, where he met Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras for emergency talks during a tour of nations grappling with the migrant crisis. He's preparing for an important EU-Turkey meeting on the subject in Brussels on Monday. The United Nations estimates that more than half of the arrivals in Greece are fleeing war in Syria or Iraq and are legitimate refugees, rather than economic migrants. The process of making that distinction is burdening resources, said Ian Bond of the London-based Center for European Reform. "It's the sheer effort of trying to separate the legitimate refugees from those who are just economic migrants, which I think is really overwhelming the resources that Greece and its EU partners have been able to put into the problem at the moment," Bond said. Night and day, on the main highway heading north through Greece, hundreds of migrants walk the last few kilometers toward the border with Macedonia. The frontier remains effectively closed as tightened border controls across the Balkans have had a ripple effect farther south. Only a few hundred refugees from Syria and Iraq are being allowed into Macedonia each day. Thousands of people are camped out at the frontier. "I think, certainly, anger is building up," said Babar Baloch, spokesman for the United Nations' refugee agency. "People are very restless with families, with children, women, [because] they have been here for many days and there doesn't seem to be a resolution to this." European consensus Speaking later Thursday at a joint news conference in Ankara with his host, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, Tusk said sending back illegal migrants would break the business model of smugglers who arrange sea crossings. Tusk praised Turkey for its cooperation, including stepped-up coast guard patrols and a tightening of its visa program in handling the migrant influx. Davutoglu said Turkey and Greece cannot be expected to carry the burden of the migration crisis by themselves. Tusk agreed, earlier calling for European consensus and warning against division in the face of the severest migrant crisis since World War II. "We must build a European consensus based on our joint decisions and rules," he said from Athens. "We must avoid divisions among us as they do not bring us any closer to a solution." Tsipras, speaking with reporters, called for speeding up the process of relocating asylum-seekers. "The European Union needs to acknowledge that Greece cannot carry all this burden alone ... So that there is a fair distribution [of the burden], we will demand that relocation from Greece is sped up immediately, and for the direct relocation of refugees who qualify for asylum to EU countries from Turkey," he said. Greece, a popular entry point for migrants, was already in a tight financial situation before the migrant crisis began. Greece has asked for more than $500 million from the European Union to help it handle expenses. Weaponizing the crisis Many Syrians say they have fled airstrikes carried out by government forces and their Russian allies. NATO's Supreme Commander in Europe, U.S. General Philip Breedlove, has warned that Moscow is, in his words, "weaponizing" the refugee crisis. "It is quite clear that Russia is exploiting the refugee crisis to divide Europe," said Bond, of the reform center. Meeting Thursday in northern France, the French and British leaders said they would pressure Moscow to end its attacks against Syrian civilians and the moderate opposition during a conference call with Russian President Vladimir Putin scheduled for Friday. A shaky cease-fire in Syria appears to be largely holding. It took three hours to shut down the Townhouse Gallery in late December, and staff members were stunned. About 25 or 30 people stormed into the place without telling us who they were, says Yasser Gerab, the spokesman and co-owner of the gallery. They barged in without even asking who is the manager. Authorities shut down the prominent gallery for violations of vague and changing regulations, according to Gerab, who is hoping to reopen his exhibition space soon. Some artists say the reopening of the gallery is not likely to signify a reversal of Egyptian policies that have quieted a wide range of Egyptian artists, writers, journalists and activists through self-censorship. There are known red lines that are good ways to get attention from the state, says David Degner, a photojournalist who has been working in Egypt for six years. Sensitive topics - code for criticism of the government - are for the most part simply avoided in Egypt's art world these days, according to Degner. At the same time, local media stick to stories that are almost exclusively pro-government. Theres not much more that can be clamped down, he says. Revolution anniversary In the Townhouse administrative office, co-owner Gerab carefully expresses his complaints, never suggesting his gallery was closed for political reasons. The gallery was closed because of missing permits that were previously not required and failing to follow fire code regulations they didnt know existed. Gerab says they broke other rules, like needing a permit to film an arts workshop for their in-house archive, because they had no idea they existed. Over the past two months, he adds, he has been working with the government departments that shut down the gallery to comply with the laws. He even praises authorities for their attention to fire safety. The performance before the current administration was a little lazy, he says. The gallery, which has operated in Cairo since the late 1990s, was never known for displaying art controversial enough to upset authorities, according to artists. Activists den It is widely believed, however, that the gallery was closed because of the kind of clientele it attracted: young activist types. Several coffee shops that catered to similar groups were closed at roughly the same time as the gallery ahead of the anniversary of the 2011 uprising on January 25, which remains a highly controversial event. The Revolution, as it is known in Egypt, toppled then-president Hosni Mubarak and two years of upheaval followed, culminating in a violent standoff between rival factions in 2013. Hundreds of people were killed and thousands were injured and the clear victor, then-defense minister Abel Fattah el-Sissi, became Egypts de-facto president, prior to his formal election the following year. Since then, Egyptian people have reverted to many pre-revolution customs, like avoiding criticizing authorities in public for fear of retribution. Tens of thousands of activists and supporters of the now-banned Muslim Brotherhood are now in prison, according to Amnesty International. In the weeks leading to the anniversary this year, authorities warned that protest bans would be enforced on January 25 and heavily-armed police patrolled 2011 activist hotspots, like Tahrir Square. The only protesters who showed up in the square that day said they were there to support the government, showering the police with flowers and praise. I wish to shake hands with President Sissi because I love him so much, said Mohamed Elkhons, a truck driver in Tahrir Square on January 25. In fact, I love him more than my sons. Future for arts Looking towards the future, some Egyptian artists say they prefer to display their work independently because all government-sanctioned galleries are, at the least, self-censoring their exhibitions. I never participate in any event in this country because it is always censored, says Ammar, an Egyptian graffiti artist. Art is judged solely by politics, not if the work is good or not. At the gallery, however, young people crowd in the nearby cafe and already the Townhouse bookstore has reopened. One gallery worker, Nahla, says the work of young edgy artists has become more and more popular in the years since the revolution, and refusing to comply with the new and varied regulations would crush the momentum. I hope Egypt will have more cultural places, she says. The country will be better for the upcoming generation. A one-time aide to former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, now the leading 2016 Democratic presidential candidate, has been granted immunity as prosecutors question him about the possible mishandling of classified information on her private email server when she was the country's top diplomat. The aide, Bryan Pagliano, worked on Clinton's unsuccessful 2008 run for the Democratic presidential nomination and later set up the email server in her New York home she used while she headed the State Department from 2009 to 2013. For months, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has been conducting a review of the more than 30,000 work-related emails she received or sent during those four years. The State Department has found that 22 of them contained "top secret" information, 65 "secret" information and another 2,028 "classified" material. Clinton has said that none of the emails were marked with any national security classification at the time she received or sent the information. She said she used the home-based server as a matter of convenience, but now says it was an error. Yes, I should have used two email addresses, one for personal matters and one for my work at the State Department," Clinton has said. "Not doing so was a mistake. Im sorry about it, and I take full responsibility. Pagliano refused to testify before a congressional panel last September about the Clinton email server, invoking his constitutional right against self-incrimination. But U.S. authorities now say he is cooperating with the probe, which is ongoing even as Clinton is surging in the race for the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination leading up to the November national election to pick the successor to President Barack Obama, who leaves office in January 2017. The Clinton campaign said it is pleased Pagliano is cooperating with investigators looking to see whether there was any criminal wrongdoing in the handling of the emails that ran through Clinton's server. Clinton campaign spokesman Brian Fallon said, As we have said since last summer, Secretary Clinton has been cooperating with the Department of Justices security inquiry, including offering in August to meet with them to assist their efforts if needed. The FBI probe of the emails is not expected to be completed yet for months, placing its outcome in the midst of the presidential campaign. Clinton's rival for the Democratic nomination, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, has largely dismissed concerns about the security of the material in the emails. But Republican presidential candidates have launched regular attacks against Clinton on the issue, saying that she is unfit to be president because she breached national security with the use of the private email server. Ireland has announced results from last week's inconclusive election following an overnight recount of disputed ballots, but the final shape of a new government remains unclear. Thursday's results leave the centrist Fine Gael party as the largest in parliament, but with only 50 seats, having lost 26 in the election. Junior partner Labour lost 30 seats, meaning the two parties no longer have enough seats between them to make up a ruling coalition. The second-largest party in parliament, Fianna Fail, ended up with 44 seats, a big gain that leaves Ireland's lawmakers in an uncomfortable predicament: Fine Gael and Fianna Fail have been bitter rivals since the end of Ireland's civil war nearly a century ago. The results mean Irish members of parliament can expect protracted negotiations as they hammer out a workable coalition, or instead, decide to hold a new election. The next time the parties face each other in the halls of parliament is March 10, when deputies meet to try to appoint a prime minister. Tech giant Google said Thursday that it is working with the United Nations Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) to help "map and anticipate" the spread of the Zika virus, which is linked to birth defects in children. "A volunteer team of Google engineers, designers, and data scientists is helping UNICEF build a platform to process data from different sources in order to visualize potential outbreaks," said Google.org director Jacquelline Fuller in a statement posted on the company's blog. "Ultimately, the goal of this open source platform is to identify the risk of Zika transmission for different regions and help UNICEF, governments and NGOs decide how and where to focus their time and resources." Fuller added that this set of tools, although prototyped for the Zika response, will also be useful for future emergencies. Google also announced that it is donating $1 million to support UNICEF's efforts, such as reducing mosquito populations; developing diagnostics and vaccines; awareness, and prevention. The World Health Organization has warned that the mosquito-borne virus is spreading rapidly through the Americas and could affect as many as four million people. The Zika virus has been tentatively linked to 4,000 suspected cases of microcephaly in Brazil, a condition that results in abnormally small heads and brains in newborns. There is no treatment for microcephaly. Experts say the best way to prevent Zika is to avoid mosquito bites.No vaccine or treatment is available. New Delhi: Hundreds of JNU students assembled near Ganga Dhaba in the campus after dinner to welcome their students union president Kanhaiya Kumar, who was released from judicial custody on interim bail in a sedition case. Mr Kumar was received by students with loud cheers and louder slogans. The students took out a victory procession from Ganga Dhaba to various hostels and ended at the Administrative Block. Stairs of Administrative Block were occupied even before Mr Kumars arrival with other students. Read: Police calls for vigil against clashes post Kanhaiya Kumar's release The students continuously shouted slogans like "red salute (lal salam) to Comrade Kanhaiya" and "we want azaadi from RSS and BJP". He reached the Administrative Block at 10.15 pm and was received amid loud cheers and slogans of azaadi. Mr Kumar also shouted slogans with the rest of the students. He gave red salute to other JNU students, who are his co-accused in the sedition case, countrymen and people across the globe for their support to the Save the JNU campaign. Mr Kumar addressed the students and attacked the BJP and some TV news channels. I come from a village where there are magic shows. People show magic and sell rings that fulfil all wishes... We have some people like that in our country, who say black money will come back, sabka saath sabka vikas, he said. Read: Kanhaiya Kumar released from Tihar jail, reaches JNU We Indians forget too soon, but this time the tamasha (show) is too big and these jumlas (sentences) wont be forgotten. I have say special thanks to people in Parliament who are deciding in debate what is wrong or right and prime time anchors who are debating it. While defaming me, they made me famous, he said. The 29-year-old student said he had many differences with the Prime Minister, but he agreed with his tweet Satyameva Jayate which he had posted in praise of Smriti Iranis speech in the Lok Sabha on the JNU row. Read: 2 videos of JNU event 'manipulated,' finds forensic probe: sources I have many differences with the PM, but I agree with his tweet Satyameva Jayate because these words are in our Constitution, he said. We are not seeking azaadi (freedom) from India. We want azaadi within India, he said. Mr Kumar said he had no ill feelings towards anyone and wont indulge in witch-hunting" towards the ABVP. There is no animosity towards ABVP because we are democratic. We see them as our opposition, he said. We truly believe in democracy and Constitution. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who also found mention in his speech along with Rahul Gandhi, Sitaram Yechury and D Raja, tweeted, "What a brilliant speech by Kanhaiya...". #KanhaiyaKumar became the top trending topic on microblogging site Twitter following the speech. Many students were seen wiping tears during Kanhaiya's address. Former members of the ABVP's JNU unit, who resigned recently, were also present among the audience. South Sudan joined the East African Community (EAC) this week when EAC heads of state approved the country's application at a summit in Tanzania. South Sudan becomes the sixth member of the economic bloc, along with Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi. Some South Sudanese have expressed reservations about the countrys EAC membership, given the country's ongoing instability as tries to wind down a 27-month civil war. South Sudans Foreign Minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin insists that his country will benefit from joining the EAC. Speaking to VOA Thursday from the Tanzanian town of Arusha, Marial says there are no reasons for South Sudan not to join the economic bloc. You know we are members of the U.N., we are members of IGAD, we are members of Northern Corridor, we are members of Great Lakes Region. So why cant we become members of the East African Community? Marial asks. South Sudan applied to join the economic bloc in 2011 when the country gained its independence from Sudan. Economic benefits An EAC member country is expected to adhere to principles of good governance, democracy, the rule of law and observance of human rights and social justice. South Sudan has struggled with all these issues since the outbreak of the war in December 2013. In January, a U.N. Panel of Experts report said both President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar should be held accountable for human rights abuses committed by government troops and rebel forces during two years of fighting. However, Marial insists South Sudan has met all the conditions for joining the EAC. He says his country has been trading and contributing to the building the economies of East African countries for many years. This will enhance our trade, it will enhance our cultural relationship [and] educational system. There are a lot of benefits that South Sudan can be able to gain by becoming a member within a bigger family, he says. The South Sudanese top diplomat said an estimated 70,000 South Sudanese students are studying in Kenya and Uganda, adding that there are strong historical connection between South Sudan and the East African countries. The application of strife-torn Somalia, which submitted a request to join the Community three years ago, was not yet given the green light. According to sources at the summit, the EAC still wants to assess Somalia's readiness to join the bloc. Visa rules Citizens of countries within the EAC can travel to all the countries without applying or paying for visa. Marial says South Sudanese will enjoy what he calls sovereign equality with all member countries. There are countries that come to our country without visa. South Sudan will be treated the same. It is a mutual benefits. In diplomacy, that is mutual benefits between countries, Marial said. He said the EAC will give South Sudan time to upgrade its border custom systems to meet the requirement of member countries. Marial said Rwanda and Burundi were given enough time to improve their systems when the two countries joined the East African Community in July 2007. Opposition to EAC membership The leader of the minority in South Sudans parliament, Onyoti Adigo Nyikwec, opposed the country's bid to join the EAC, saying South Sudan has nothing to offer the bloc. Marial disagrees with the Democratic Change Party lawmaker. He said his country stands to gain from EAC membership. I am sure those doubting Thomases [will] learn along the line that there are certain benefits that will accrue out of this membership and it takes time for those doubting Thomases to see the light at the end of the tunnel, he explained. Marial said income generated by visa fees at South Sudan's embassies in the East African countries will not drop drastically. He denied allegations that South Sudans embassies overseas have survived on that income since the economic crisis that hit as a result of the civil war. Most employees of South Sudans embassies have not received their salaries since December. This is a temporary issue being rectified by the government," Marial said. "...Yes there is a delay in process in terms of the transfer of money to some of these embassies. But it is being rectified." Marial said his government will pay its diplomats very soon, though he declined to give specific dates. When Russian-backed forces seized public buildings in eastern Ukraine, unleashing the ongoing conflict, many Ukrainians thought the crisis would not last very long. Two years later, with western sanctions and two peace agreements failing to stop Russias intervention, the war continues and many of those displaced see little hope that they will get to go home anytime soon. Around four one morning, my friend called me and said, Viktoria, its actually very dangerous now, armored vehicles are coming in, Viktoria Vasilevskaya, a mother of three, told VOA, describing a phone call in 2014 that caused her and her family to flee her home city of Luhansk, now held by pro-Russian separatists. Vasilevskaya, her husband, and her children then became part of the 1.4 million people the Ukrainian government says are internally displaced by the conflict. The family arrived in Kyiv with only a few belongings and nowhere to live. We felt alone, said Vasilevskaya. Sweeping change In Luhansk, the couple and their children had enjoyed a comfortable life. She is a dermatologist and he is a professional physical trainer. Together, they had renovated their apartment and taken a vacation abroad just before the start of the war. "I dont know why but it seemed that in two weeks everything would settle down, everything would be resolved, and everything would be good, Vasilevskaya said. But the crisis was not to be short-lived. International efforts have failed to stop the conflict and there is a perception here that the worlds interest is turning away as the West focuses on the war in Syria and the Islamic State threat. Indications that Germany and France may call for the EU to allow sanctions to expire at the end of the year are causing alarm among Ukrainians. Neither Russia nor Ukraine appears ready to implement the Minsk agreements that were intended to end the conflict. Russian-backed forces in recent weeks have stepped up their offensive in eastern Ukraine to show that Moscow is not abandoning its efforts even as it fights a war in Syria in support of President Bashar al-Assad. New life In many ways, life has moved on for Viktoria Vasilevskaya. She and her husband found an apartment in a grey, Soviet-era apartment block in Troyeshina, an outlying district of Kyiv. Their children settled into their new schools. She took a job at the Florivska 9/11 Center in Kyivs central Podil area that assists displaced people, and where she herself once got help. The solidarity and generosity she sees at the center every day make the crisis, for her, bearable. Throughout the morning Wednesday, a succession of donors approached a window in the centers warehouse and handed bags of used clothing, toys, and other items for distribution to the refugees. We got so much help from here, this place showed us we were not alone, said Vasilevskaya. Two years into the conflict, new applications for help come into the center every day. As the war drags on, it becomes to clear to people in eastern Ukraine that the suffering will continue and after holding out for some time, they are choosing to leave. None of us could have thought and imagined even in a nightmare that such a war would be happening around us, said Viktor Tukaylo, who left his home in the Luhansk region after it was shelled. He now works as a volunteer at the center. I dont know why, but we were absolutely sure we would not have such a fate. Lingering war zone memories He, like others who come to the center, left the war zone but brought the shock and trauma with him, including memories of how the separatist fighters forced him to dig graves and bury the dead. Like others at the center, he holds out hope for better things in a distant future. Im sure that in the end everything will be fine, and we will win the war. But obviously now and for future years, I cant imagine how Luhansk can come to normal. Tukaylo says he tried to hold out but reached a point where he found living under separatists control unbearable. People are now under this Russian propaganda but as soon as the button is switched off, people will come back to normal, and be human again. But it remains unclear what it will take to end the conflict. I asked Vasilevskaya about her thoughts on returning to Luhansk. If you had asked me this question a year ago, I would have said that my suitcases are ready. I would be packed quickly and been ready to go home. Half a year ago, I would probably doubt it, but today I can definitely say that it will be several years before we go there, she said. All 22 of the early-warning buoys Indonesia that were deployed after the 2004 tsunami disaster were inoperable when a massive undersea earthquake struck off the country's coast on Wednesday, a national disaster mitigation agency official said. The 7.8 magnitude quake did not trigger a tsunami, and there were no deaths and no major damage, but it did expose gaps in the systems put in place to prevent a disaster similar to the Indian Ocean quake that killed more than 200,000 people 11 years ago. In addition to the malfunctioning of buoys designed to warn of massive waves, authorities said there were not enough evacuation routes or shelters in Padang, a Sumatra island port city of around one million people that felt the quake. "There was definitely panic last night, that cannot be denied," said Zulfiatno, the head of disaster management agency in Padang who uses only one name, adding that shelters had the capacity to only hold around 200,000 people. "But the situation has improved from previous years. People have started to understand how to evacuate safely." The 9.15-magnitude quake of December 2004 opened a fault line deep beneath the ocean, triggering a wave as high as 17.4 metres (57 feet) that crashed ashore in more than a dozen countries to wipe some communities off the map in seconds. Indonesia straddles the so-called "Pacific Ring of Fire", a highly seismically active zone, where different plates on the earth's crust meet and create a large number of earthquakes and volcanoes. The province of Aceh on the northwest tip of Sumatra bore the brunt of the 2004 tsunami, with at least 168,000 killed. We can easily forget Soon after that disaster, Indonesia introduced a sophisticated early warning system using buoys, sea-level gauges and seismometers that can send alerts to countries' tsunami warning centres within 10 minutes of a quake. Officials said the procedure is to issue a tsunami warning if a quake of more than 6.5 magnitude and with its epicentre less than 20 km (12 miles) deep happens at sea, and that went smoothly on Wednesday. But the buoys, which measure the force and speed of water movement, were a missing link in the chain. Authorities delayed the lifting of their tsunami warning because of the inoperable buoys, which cost around $2.3 million a year to maintain. "We can easily forget. After the quake in Aceh we wanted to do everything, but by 2015 we don't have money allocated [to fix the buoys]," Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman for the National Disaster Mitigation Agency, told reporters. "Most of [the buoys] were broken by vandalism," he said. Although there were some strong aftershocks on Thursday, normal life largely resumed at daybreak in Padang. There were 11 aftershocks during the night following the main quake, but authorities called for calm as they had diminished in strength. "We do not believe that there will be an earthquake of greater strength," the National Meteorological Agency said on its Twitter account. "And so residents are urged to keep calm and not be taken in by rumors." Fears ran high on Wednesday evening when it was reported that the tremor had measured 8.2 and authorities issued evacuation alerts on loudspeakers, radio and TV. Patients at hospitals in Padang were evacuated and there were traffic jams as panicking residents tried to leave. However, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) revised the magnitude down to 7.8 and within two hours of the quake striking the tsunami warnings were cancelled. USGS said the epicentre was 808 km (502 miles) southwest of Padang. "If we had tried to evacuate outside the city it would have been difficult. Everybody grabbed their bikes and tried to [flee] but it was too much," said Febridal, a street food vendor in Padang who briefly went to an evacuation shelter after seeing the tsunami warning on TV. Others ignored all warnings and remained by the shoreline, watching the waves for signs of a tsunami. "We never heard any alarm, but we saw on TV that there was potential for a tsunami," said Mulyaman, whose family runs a small seaside restaurant. "We didn't see any signs of big waves so we decided to stay." Iran accused Gulf Arab neighbors on Thursday of jeopardizing Lebanon's stability by blacklisting the Iranian-backed Hezbollah group, state television said, a move likely to stoke tensions in the regional power rivalry between Tehran and Riyadh. The six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) branded Hezbollah a terrorist organization on Wednesday, opening up the possibility of further sanctions against the group that wields influence in Lebanon and fights in Syria. Leading Sunni Muslim power Saudi Arabia and Shi'ite Muslim Iran compete for influence across the region and back different factions in sectarian-riven Lebanon and in Syria's civil war. "Lebanon's Hezbollah is the vanguard of resistance against the Zionist regime (Israel) and Iran is proud of the group, which is also the champion of the fight against terrorism in the Middle East," Iranian state TV quoted deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian as saying. "Calling Hezbollah a terrorist group... will harm the unity and security of Lebanon." Hezbollah's leader said on Tuesday Lebanon had been pushed into a new phase of political conflict by Saudi Arabia but was not on the brink of civil war and its government of national unity, of which Hezbollah is a part, should survive. In 2013, the Sunni-dominated GCC representing Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar imposed sanctions on Shi'ite Hezbollah after it entered Syria's war in support of President Bashar al-Assad. The GCC did not specify on Wednesday what action might be taken against Hezbollah. But last week Saudi Arabia, the biggest power in the GCC, said it had blacklisted four companies and three Lebanese men for having links to the group. Relations between Lebanon and Saudi Arabia have been plunged into crisis since Riyadh halted $3 billion in aid to the Lebanese army a response to the Beirut government's failure to condemn attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran. In January, Riyadh led several Arab countries in cutting diplomatic ties with Tehran after demonstrators burned its embassy and a consulate in protest against the execution of a prominent, dissident Shi'ite cleric by Riyadh. Afghanistans chief peace negotiator says talks with Taliban-led insurgent groups are a last opportunity for accord, despite increasing violence during the past six months by armed opposition factions. Direct peace negotiations between Afghan government and Taliban delegates are expected to take place in neighboring Pakistan later this week. A four-nation coordinating group consisting of diplomats from Afghanistan, Pakistan, the United States and China has prepared the ground for the long-awaited talks. The chief Afghan peace negotiator, Deputy Foreign Minister Hekmat Khalil Karzai, says the four countries involved have prepared a road map that will ensure a sustainable and productive peace process. Praise for Pakistan Speaking in Kabul to a group of reporters and academics from Pakistan ahead of the peace talks, Karzai praised Pakistan for being forthcoming as far as its commitment to the four-nation effort to promote peace in Afghanistan. This [the peace talks with the Taliban], I think, in the next two or three decades will be the last opportunity to have peace between these two countries and peace between Afghanistan and the violent opposition, he said. Key Taliban leaders are sheltering in Pakistan, allegedly with the help of that countrys spy agency (ISI), and the covert ties have long strained bilateral relations. Karzai said Islamabad has the leverage and influence with Taliban leaders to push them to the table for talks with Kabul, and he expects Pakistani authorities to use the same leverage against insurgents not amenable to peace in Afghanistan. Immediate results not expected The Afghan official said it is unrealistic to expect immediate results from peace talks, but it would be a great blessing for Afghanistan if these efforts can lead to a reduction in the insurgent violence. In these negotiations I do not anticipate that we are going to have a cease-fire in the first, second or third meeting, said Karzai. Karzai also explained difficulties facing the peace effort in the wake of splits plaguing the Taliban since July, when the insurgent group announced the death of its founder-leader, Mullah Omar. The Taliban are not a monolithic entity anymore," he said. "We have had three different elements that have now been making overtures to us. ... I think it makes our job much more complicated, because we are not just negotiating with one party. We are negotiating with several different elements under different back-and-forth ways of engaging them. The minister insisted that many of the armed opposition groups are engaged in a violent effort to prove to the Afghan government that they are a viable threat, and thus need to be taken very seriously. In the past year, 2015, and even now in early part of 2016 we have been dealing with the most violent year since the conflict started," he said. "And one of the main reasons why this level of violence has increased is because those responsible for this violence would like legitimacy [at] the table. Legitimate interlocutor Karzai said the Talibans political office in Qatar is the legitimate interlocutor for the insurgents. The Kabul government is comfortable with all factions that are part of the Doha office, he added. Pakistan should prevent Taliban fighters who are involved in the killing of innocent Afghans from seeking medical treatment in hospitals across the border, Karzai said, and he called on Islamabad to use its leverage and influence, both to push Taliban leaders to join the peace talks and also take action against those who are not amenable to peace in Afghanistan. The Afghan ministers remarks came hours after Pakistans adviser on foreign policy, Sartaj Aziz, publicly admitted for the first time that Taliban leaders enjoy safe havens in his country. We have some influence on them because their leadership is in Pakistan and they get some medical facilities [here]. Their families are here... so we can use those levers to pressurize them to say: Come to the table, Aziz said. The Mexican government said it would not pay for the "terrible" border wall proposed by U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. In a televised interview, Finance Minister Luis Videgaray gave the first direct government response to the proposal to build a wall along the U.S. - Mexican border to curb illegal immigration, and have Mexico pay for it. "Under no circumstances will Mexico pay for the wall that Mr. Trump is proposing," Videgaray said late Wednesday. He said the idea was "based on ignorance and has no foundation in the reality of North American integration." The Republican Party front-runner's comments about immigration in Mexico and the border wall have sparked a number of controversies. Trump has repeatedly said Mexican leaders take advantage of the United States, "by using illegal immigration to export the crime and poverty in their own country" over the border. Trump estimates the wall will cost about $8 billion to build and says the Mexican government must assume responsibility for the cost. Trump says he will impound remittances derived from illegal wages and increase fees on some temporary visas and border crossing cards until Mexico agrees. Trump often says the cost of the wall is "a tiny fraction of the money" the United States loses to Mexico in trade deficits. Former Mexican president Felipe Calderon responded to Trump's plan, saying "Mexican people, we are not going to pay any single cent for such a stupid wall." Pope Francis also commented on the controversy in February, saying, "A person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian." Trump said Mexican government officials had misled the pope about the nature of the border wall plan, adding that Francis had "an awfully big wall" around the Vatican. A February 2016 Rasmussen poll found 70 percent of Republican voters - and 51 percent of voters overall - support Trump's border wall plan. Astronaut Scott Kelly, who returned March 1 from nearly a year aboard the International Space Station, is now just over 5 centimeters taller than his identical twin brother Mark. That was a preliminary finding of the effects of long-term exposure to zero gravity on the human body. Our studies will provide important data on how the space environment impacts the human body at the molecular level so that NASA can identify risk factors and countermeasures for possible health issues induced by prolonged space travel, such as a mission to Mars, said psychiatry professor Brinda Rana, principal investigator on the University of California San Diego School of Medicine team which will participate in the study of the Kelly twins. Astronauts often get taller in space because the discs in the human spine get slightly compressed due to gravity on earth, according to NBC News. Kellys mission was, in part, a chance for NASA to see how astronauts would fare on a mission to Mars, which would probably last about a year. Some physical issues long-term space travelers could face are brittle bones, weakened muscles, puffiness in the face and legs, a decrease in heart size, balance issues and a higher risk of cancer, according to NBC. But Kelly reportedly said he feels pretty good after returning to Earth. Before his mission, NASA said Kelly would be exposed to the same amount of radiation as flying from New York to Los Angeles 5,250 times. The agency said that during his time in space, about two liters of fluids shifted from Kellys legs toward his head. Our bodies are adapted to a 1g environment in which gravity pulls the blood toward the feet, Rana said. In space, with nearly zero gravity, the blood and other fluids in the body shift upwards toward the upper body around the heart, the neck and the head. This fluid shift may cause changes in brain pressure and vision, which have been observed in some astronauts. Kelly tried to maintain some level of fitness while on the space station, with NASA predicting he would exercise up to 700 hours. Scott and his brother will now be subjects of a year-long project to compare the health and genetics of the two twins. The United Nations' special envoy for Syria reported the cessation of hostilities in Syria is largely holding, so political talks aimed at ending the five-year-long civil war will be resumed next week as planned. Staffan de Mistura said the the truce has now lasted for six days, noting it is one of the longest periods of relative calm in Syria's five years of war. He said the level of violence has been greatly reduced, and that the cessation of hostilities agreement is generally holding, which is good news for many Syrian people. Unfortunately, we have to admit, like in every cessation of hostility or cease-fire and, in particular, in this one, there are still a number of places where fighting has continued, including parts of Hama, Homs, Latakia, and Damascus. But, they have been contained, de Mistura said. The special envoy said U.N. personnel are closely monitoring what is happening on the ground. When a potentially hostile and violent situation is identified, he said they quickly jump in to get the warring parties to defuse the situation before it gets out of hand. The situation, therefore, could be summarized as fragile. Success is not guaranteed, but progress has been visible. Ask the Syrians. We are committed to make it work and, of course, that is the hope of everyone, he said. De Mistura said the peace talks, which were abruptly suspended on February 3, will resume on March 9. Since government and opposition representatives refuse to meet face-to-face, he said he will conduct proximity talks, as before. He said this allows a lot of flexibility, so not all of the delegations need to be present at the opening session. He said he will stagger the days of arrival of the various groups. U.N. officials say the cessation of hostilities agreement has made it possible for U.N. and partner agencies to deliver food, medicine and other aid to 115,000 Syrian civilians living in areas under siege by government or opposition forces. They say last year, aid agencies were unable to access any of these areas. North Korea fired several short-range projectiles Thursday in what seemed to be an act of defiance against the expanded sanctions that were unanimously adopted by the United Nations Security Council. South Koreas Defense Ministry said it is investigating the incident. It is unclear exactly how many projectiles were fired or if they were short-range missiles, but the ministry said they flew 100 to 150 kilometers before falling into the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan. The United States "will continue to monitor the situation closely," a U.S. official said. A provocation of this type was not unexpected or unprecedented. North Korea has a history of voicing its disagreement with international reprimands through a show of force rather than through traditional diplomatic channels. Focus on China The new U.N. resolution punishing North Korea for its latest nuclear test and long-range missile launch had more than 50 co-sponsors, but was primarily negotiated between the United States and China. China is North Koreas closest ally and largest trading partner. Nearly 90 percent of all North Korean trade goes through China. The effectiveness of the sanctions will depend in large measure on Beijings implementation and enforcement. As the agreement came from this [close collaboration] I think China's responsibility to keep its promise has been strengthened, said Professor Kim Han-kwon with the Korea National Diplomatic Academy, which is affiliated with South Koreas Foreign Ministry. One measure calls for the mandatory inspection of all cargo going in and out of North Korea. China will have to increase inspections at seaports such as Dalian and in the border city of Dandong, through which most trade passes. There are also many unofficial transits points along the 400-km (870-mile) Sino/North Korean border where uncontrolled trade and commerce has grown in recent years. Other measures include: A total arms embargo, including both conventional and other weapons. Increased financial restrictions on companies that do business with North Korea. Expanded prohibitions on luxury goods to North Korea. Travel bans and asset freezes for 16 new North Korean officials. Restrictions on coal and other mineral exports from North Korea, except for "livelihood purposes." There have been reports by South Korean media that China has already begun restricting some border trade, suspending currency transfers with North Korean banks and prohibiting North Korean vessels from entering Chinese ports. However, Andrea Berger, a British analyst with the Royal United Services Institute for Defense and Security Studies, said these reports should be treated with skepticism and should not be viewed as an early indication of Chinas intentions regarding the resolution. Weak link Writing for the U.S. Korea Institute website 38 North she suggested China will most likely continue to be the weak link in enforcing sanctions. If North Korean goods can make their way into China, she wrote, those consignments will probably successfully evade most screening by other states. Lax enforcement by Beijing could lead to increased conflict with Washington. New unilateral U.S. sanctions imposed on North Korea require the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to report on foreign ports that do not adequately screen North Korean cargo. Beijings support for sanctions is aimed at pressuring its traditional ally to halt its nuclear program in exchange for economic assistance and security guarantees. But China also wants to maintain regional stability. So how flexible it will be in allowing coal imports and other trade for humanitarian reasons also remains to be seen. China will not completely draw its sword unless it is prepared to finish [its opponent.] It always leaves some room [to maneuver,] said Professor Woo Su-keun, a Korea analyst at Donghua University in Shanghai. Russia pressed for a revision to an earlier draft of the text banning the sale of aviation fuel, which is also used to power rockets, to North Korea. The final resolution includes an exception for civilian passenger aircrafts. A North Korean mining executive with ties to Russia was also removed from a list of individuals designated for asset freezes and travel bans at Moscows urging. Positive assessments Joshua Stanton, an analyst with One Free Korea, a long time advocate for increased North Korean sanctions and a critic of past measures and enforcement efforts, called the new U.N. sanctions, strong text very strong. On his blog he wrote the financial sanctions have exceeded his expectations and will effectively sever much of North Koreas access to the global financial system. The U.S. Treasury Thursday added Hwang Pyong So, vice chairman of the North's powerful National Defense Commission, to its list of 16 other officials and individuals who are now subject to a travel ban and asset freeze. The measures are also designed to block U.S. nationals from dealing with them. Hwang, who holds the rank of Vice Marshal in the North Korean army, heads its General Political Bureau, often seen as the most powerful position in the military after Kim Jong Un, who is the supreme commander. Nearly two years after Russias annexation of Crimea, the territory remains under Russian control, and in the eastern part of Ukraine there has been an uptick in the fighting. VOA Pentagon correspondent Carla Babb discussed the issue with Michael Carpenter, deputy assistant secretary of defense with responsibilities for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia. VOA: Let's start with the European Reassurance Initiative. This was started in June of 2014, a few months after the annexation of Crimea. Now that budget has increased a lot it's at, I think, $3.4 billion. Has this been effective to deter Russian aggression? Carpenter: Well, I think the ERI, especially the increase, the quadrupling to $3.4 billion in fiscal year '17, is a testament to how seriously we take the threat from the East. And this is an investment in setting the conditions for effective deterrence and defense of our NATO allies, especially those on the eastern flank of the alliance. It'll involve a variety of different things, including an augmented rotational force posture in Europe, prepositioning of equipment, additional exercises, increasing readiness of our NATO forces as well as infrastructure investments, but the bottom line is this testifies to how seriously the United States takes the threat from the East for our NATO allies. VOA: What, specifically, out of all those things that you've mentioned, what do you feel has been the most effective? Carpenter: Well, deterrence and defense have to take place along various different levels of the escalation ladder, and they have to take place across various different domains air, sea, land, et cetera. There's also conventional deterrence and nuclear deterrence. So its a multifaceted effort, and we're approaching this very much not only from a joint military perspective but, frankly, from a whole-of-government perspective. Because as we see some of the new hybrid toolkit that's being developed in Russia and elsewhere, it's incumbent for us and our allies to develop an appropriate response to that, and that's frankly a whole-of-government response and not just a military response. ... It's the combination. Look, I mean these various different threats there's cyber threats, there's maritime threats, there's A2AD anti-access/area-denial threats, and so we have to be prepared to meet all of those and ensure that our NATO Article 5 collective defense commitment remains robust and sacrosanct, and we are very much committed to doing that. VOA: [Lieutenant] General [Ben] Hodges, the head of U.S. Army Europe, spoke with VOA back in December, and he was talking about the Donbas region, saying that there is a chance to make some sort of agreement and to get some sort of solution there, but he said when it comes to Crimea, that's going to be a longer-term problem. So what can be done? The anniversary is going to be approaching soon. What can be done? What has been done by the United States to try to help Ukraine retake Crimea? Carpenter: Well, look, clearly Crimea is a long-term problem, and we approach it from that perspective. We just celebrated last July the 75th anniversary of the Sumner Welles Declaration on nonrecognition of the Baltic states. That was a policy that we kept over many many decades, and I think our approach to Crimea is similar. But let there be no mistake: We view Russia's illegal attempted and we refer to the term "attempted" because we don't care for any legitimacy on what Russia has done in Crimea its attempted annexation is completely out of keeping with all norms of the international order the inviolability of borders, sovereignty, territorial integrity and we will maintain a robust nonrecognition policy going forward. Some of the sanctions that we have employed against Russia are specifically tied to the illegal attempted annexation of Crimea, and those will remain in place for the future. VOA: There are some Ukrainians that watch VOA that would say that the longer-term problem [is that] the United States is giving up on Crimea. What would you say to that? Carpenter: No, we're not giving up on Crimea. We recognize there was not a military solution to that problem, just as there is not a military solution to the problem in the Donbas. However, we have applied extraordinary diplomatic pressure over the course of the last two years, as well as economic sanctions pressure to deal with Russia's military intervention in Ukraine, and the combination of sanctions applied by the U.S. and our European partners, as well as, frankly, the drop in oil prices, has had a real detrimental effect on the Russian economy not one which we are happy about, but one which is necessitated by Russia's actions in Ukraine. Training effectiveness VOA: Let's talk about the training, because that was one thing that VOA got a first look at going into some of the training at the training center, seeing firsthand the U.S.-Ukrainian relationship. It's been a few months now, because we were there at the start of the training. Would you tell us what's been going on? Give us an update on the training. Has it been effective? Carpenter: I believe the training has been very effective. We started our training program with the National Guard, which is subordinate to the Ministry of Interior, and we transitioned it in November to Ukraine's conventional armed forces as well as their special operations forces. Initial reports in the field indicate that the Ukrainians value the training they were providing. Our own assessments indicate that it's really having a breakthrough, not just in terms of having Ukrainians understand small-unit tactics and operational concepts, but it's fundamentally inculcating a new culture in the Ukrainian armed forces, which is so important for their defense reforms and the professionalization of the military going forward. So we think it's having a real effect, and we're going to continue with this training out into the future. VOA: Have you noticed any improvement with some of the casualties from preventable blood loss? I know that was a huge issue in eastern Ukraine. Up to 40 percent of the casualties there were preventable if theyd just have the right training for a medical attention. Have you been able to see any of these effects yet, or is it still too soon? Has it not been long enough to take effect? Carpenter: I think we've seen, of course, the fighting has died down from what it was in August of last year, so we haven't seen the level of violence, although recently there has been an uptick over the last six weeks that's been considerable. But we haven't seen quite that same level of violence as we had in August, so its probably a little bit too early to tell whether all of our medical training has had the desired effect. But we're going to continue with this. We have deployed a field medical facility to Ukraine as part of the training and equipment that weve provided. Were also doing training in the medical arena, and so our hope is that this is going to have an effect on the tactics, techniques and procedures that they employ during those critical first hours after a soldier is injured. We see some success, but it sort of remains to be seen if this is a culture that is internalized and adopted over the long term. Rise in violence VOA: You mentioned the decrease in fighting since August. You also mentioned the recent uptick you have seen over the last few weeks. So give me more specifics. What's going on right now in eastern Ukraine? Carpenter: Well, unfortunately, what we've seen over the course of the last six weeks or so is precisely an uptick in violence. We've seen on February 15th, we've seen Russian-backed separatists actually threatening to fire at OSCE monitors from the special monitoring mission. We've seen repeated incidents of access being denied to areas of the Donbas, where then later the OSCE is able to verify that in fact there are proscribed weapons in those areas. And we've seen, frankly, since the Minsk agreement was adopted a year ago, over 430 casualties among Ukrainian armed forces. So the cease-fire that has been in place since September has been a very imperfect one and increasingly so over the course of the last four, five, six weeks, which is a cause for concern. VOA: Whats Russia's role in this? Are they still as involved as they once were? Do you still see any Russian activity? Carpenter: Let me be very blunt on this point: Russia maintains command-and-control links over the separatists that it backs over in eastern Ukraine. We see Russia continuing to pour heavy weapons into the region. We believe that Russia still maintains a force presence inside eastern Ukraine and certainly trains and controls the separatists there in the Donbas. So this is a Russia-fostered problem. This is not some sort of spontaneously emerging problem in the Donbas, and it has been that way since the start of this conflict. VOA: And so has that sparked additional assistance? Can you talk through a little bit about what the United States has done assistance-wise? What the numbers are right now dollar-wise? Carpenter: Since the start of the conflict, the U.S. has provided $265 million in security assistance to Ukraine. And we have engaged in the training programs that I referred to earlier. This equipment has gone to or this assistance, rather, has gone to a variety of different types of equipment, from counter battery radars to night vision equipment, secure communications, vehicles, patrol boats. It's been a wide array of different types of equipment. The goal here is to make the Ukrainian forces more capable and able Ukraine to defend itself. VOA: But still no lethal assistance? Carpenter: We've done a lot, and thanks to Congress we have an appropriation for $250 million in additional security assistance to Ukraine. We have calculated from the beginning that the solution to the conflict in the Donbas is not on the battlefield but is precisely through diplomatic and economic [measures], meaning sanctions pressure. And we are fully committed to maintaining sanctions against Russia until the Minsk agreement is fully implemented and I want to stress "fully implemented," which means that the border will be returned to Ukrainian control, the international Russian-Ukrainian border. So that has been our mode of leverage over Russia; that is the pressure that we have applied, together with diplomatic pressure. I think we have been very successful in galvanizing international support, particularly with our European partners. We have had to deploy our diplomatic engagements and attention frequently over the course of this conflict to ensure that the Europeans are with us. I think we've been very successful in that effort, and that will remain the case. We will continue, however, of course to provide security assistance to Ukraine, because as I said earlier, Ukraine has a right to defend itself. But I think the lethal equipment vs. nonlethal equipment distinction is not necessarily the right one for understanding what capabilities Ukraine needs going forward. We're here to train Ukrainian forces to make them more capable, including NATO interoperable over the long term. That's been our goal and that remains our goal. VOA: But there are Ukraine commanders that would disagree, saying, "We need more equipment. We're going up against Russia; our army is just not that ready when it comes to such a big Russian threat." So how do you ... balance that? Carpenter: Well, the reality is that over two decades, the Ukrainian armed forces were significantly hollowed out through corruption and through mismanagement, lack of attention, lack of resourcing. And so when Russia intervened militarily in Ukraine, the Ukrainian armed forces were not in a state where they could defend themselves capably. We have sought to rectify that. As I said we have a very robust training program in place, both for the conventional armed forces and for Ukraine special operations forces. We have advisers that we've deployed to advise the Ministry of Defense. We have worked through the joint multinational commission to promote defense reform within Ukraine's defense establishment, its general staff as well as its Ministry of Defense. So we have frankly done a lot, I think, to spur Ukraine capacity and capabilities to defend itself, and we're going to continue to do that. We are also enlisting the support of our allies, and we have a number of allies who participate in that joint multinational commission, which is very important. This can't just be a bilateral effort; this has to be an effort that is multinational, and we have been successful, I think, so far in multinationalizing that effort to spur Ukrainian defense reform and increase their capabilities. Lethal aid? VOA: VOA Ukraine has heard through some sources that the United States is considering providing lethal aid through other nations. Is there any truth to this? Carpenter: No, I think you've seen we've been very transparent. We have sought to be transparent from the very beginning about the assistance that we've provided to Ukraine. So we are not engaging in any efforts to channel lethal aid through other countries. VOA: Switching over to the topic of the MH17 flight that was shot down: There was a report just released recently by a group of independent journalists saying that they had used satellite imagery and social media to confirm that the missile that shot the plane down came from the Russian base and was transported by Russian troops. My question to you is: Where is the United States in this, and why are we not hearing more from the United States talking about how horrible this was to happen, and can the United States confirm this? Carpenter: Well, look, we have been very forthright from the very beginning about this tragedy, in which over 300 souls lost their lives, and ... we have cooperated with the Dutch safety board in the investigation. ... They, in fact, released a report in October which confirmed what we have been saying all along, which is the MH17 was brought down by a Russian-produced missile that was fired from territory in eastern Ukraine that was controlled by the Russian-backed separatists. We came out with that information very early on, and that was corroborated by the Dutch safety board. Right now, there is a joint investigation team it's a multinational effort to look into the causes of the downing of MH17 and hold those who are responsible accountable, because ultimately the goal here is to do justice in this case, in this terrible tragedy, and we have been fully supportive of the efforts of both the Dutch safety board and now of the joint investigation team. VOA: Is the U.S. planning to put any sort of anti-missile defense system in or near Ukraine? Carpenter: A missile-defense system in Ukraine? No. No. VOA: And then, finally, I want to turn it toward the situation in Syria. The United States and Russia have been working together. We reporters have been watching a cessation agreement come into fruition. What happens now? Carpenter: Right now we are focused on this cessation-of-hostilities agreement which you just referred to. We are going to test this agreement. We want to make sure that Russia abides by the agreement in terms of its deeds and not just words, and so this is frankly a moment of truth for both Russia and for the Assad regime. Will they comply with this agreement or not? We are not naive; we are not hopeful without any cause. We are going to test this proposition and apply every effort possible to see whether we can have some sort of diminution in the level of hostilities which have claimed so many civilian lives over the course of this conflict. Russian behavior VOA: Analysts have argued that as Russia continues airstrikes, there's not a possibility for other groups fighting alongside to respect the cease-fire. What do you say to that? Carpenter: Look, the battle space in Syria is very complex. There are numerous groups on the ground. These groups are often intertwined. ... It's a country thats been in civil war now for a number of years. It is not an easy task to implement a cease-fire even locally, much less nationally, so this is going to be a very difficult process. But it will fundamentally depend on Russia's ability and the regime's ability to withhold support to elements on the ground that right now are seeking to gain additional territory. So it will be incumbent on Russia and the regime to not provide the air support and hold back their forces on the ground that right now are on the offensive. So again we have this agreement on cessation of hostilities. We are going to test the proposition [of whether it can be] implemented, but at the same time were going to look at deeds and not words and terms of implementation. VOA: Has the United States spoken with Russia about the consequences if this cease-fire does not hold? Carpenter: We have had extensive discussions with the Russians about this cessation-of-hostilities agreement, and we have impressed upon them that their intervention in Syria has only fueled the conflict there on the ground. Its only resulted in more radicalization, and that will be the case over time as well. I think Russia knows what the stakes are. The question is, again: Are they willing to press the forces that they support on the ground to stop fighting? VOA: Romania says that it wants to create a NATO fleet on the Black Sea permanently. I know that this is not your exact country you don't cover Romania but could you talk a little about how this is going to affect U.S.-Russia relations and whether or not the United States is having talks about [this subject]? Carpenter: Well, what I would say is that we have right now a very low level of a maritime force posture in both the Black and Baltic seas, and it's something that we need to address. ... That said, the European Reassurance Initiative that I talked about earlier and the $3.4 billion is not focused on Black Sea augmentation but on other aspects of our force posture and the prepositioning [of] equipment in the eastern flank of the alliance. But we will have to look at the Black Sea. ... We do look at it as a strategic region in which we have both Turkey and NATO allies Romania and Bulgaria ... so we do have an interest in security in this region. But at the same time and I want your viewers to understand this important point that when we talk about the European Reassurance Initiative, we are talking about something that is fundamentally defensive in nature and proportionate to what Russia is doing, and that will continue to be the standard by which we look at all of our future augmentations of force presence and posture in the region. Kolkata: Adding to the list of controversial 'anti-nationalism' statements, BJPs West Bengal chief Dilip Ghosh said those who raised pro-Pakistan slogans would be beheaded. The BJP government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been tough on Pakistan and Bangladesh. We will not tolerate such things. Those who give anti-national statements will be punished. Those who speak against the nation will be shortened by six inches, said Ghosh, while addressing a meeting of party workers in Birbhum. A pamphlet was also issued in the name of the party which called for Hindu unity against the Talibani rule of a minority community. The comment comes a day after violence and tension hit Birbhum district after a college student made an "objectionable" post on a social networking website. Earlier on Tuesday, one person was killed after mob allegedly attacked a police station and damaged vehicles in Illambazar and Dubrajpur areas of Birbhum district. Addressing a protest rally in Birbhum, Ghosh said that the police there was completely unable to control the situation. He later submitted a memorandum to the district magistrate. More than 400 Ukrainian troops have died in fighting since the Minsk II cease-fire agreement was adopted one year ago, with Russia playing a major role in the violence. In an interview with VOA, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Michael Carpenter, whose responsibilities include Ukraine, Russia and Eurasia, said the U.S. has seen a considerable uptick in fighting in eastern Ukraine. Despite last years cease-fire agreement, he said, Ukraines armed forces have suffered at least 430 fatalities during fighting with separatists there. A Russia-fostered problem Russia maintains command-and-control links over the separatists that it backs over in eastern Ukraine, Carpenter told VOA. Russia is pouring heavy weapons into Ukraines eastern Donbas region, while training and controlling separatists there with a force presence inside eastern Ukraine. This is a Russia-fostered problem, Carpenter said. Russian-backed separatists have carried out hundreds of attacks in eastern Ukraine in the last week. Speaking to the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday, General Philip Breedlove, the head of the U.S. European Command, said there had been 71 attacks in the previous 24 hours and about 450 attacks in the seven days prior to that. Disturbing trends Breedlove, who is also NATOs top military commander, told reporters at the Pentagon that disturbing trends had formed, noting attacks in places that had previously been quiet and weapons being used that were supposed to have been banned. Despite these trends, and recommendations from Breedlove that include providing lethal weapons to Ukrainian forces, the Obama administration has not yet included lethal aid in its supplies to Ukraine. We have calculated from the beginning that the solution to the conflict in the Donbas is not on the battlefield, but is precisely through diplomatic and economic, meaning sanctions pressure, Carpenter told VOA. Speaking at the Senate hearing Tuesday, Republican Senator Kelly Ayotte slammed the administration for not providing lethal aid. Theres a real urgency here. Weve got an issue with Russia, Ayotte said. This committee over a year ago, as a whole on a bipartisan basis, said, 'Lets provide lethal support so that Ukrainians can defend themselves,' and it hasnt happened. Not enough The uptick in violence comes as officials warned more resources are needed to counter Russian aggression. EUCOM [U.S. European Command] does not yet have the personnel, equipment and resources necessary to carry out its ongoing mission, Breedlove told lawmakers. He added the new fiscal 2017 budget request of $3.4 billion for the militarys so-called European Reassurance Initiative would help close some of the gaps in U.S resources and posture in Europe. Even with the ERI, however, many gaps will remain, including in maritime efforts. Breedlove warned that Russia is testing sophisticated submarines in the Atlantic between Britain, Iceland and Greenland, and Carpenter acknowledged that the U.S. has had a very low level of maritime force posture in both the Black Sea and the Baltic Sea. It's something that we need to address, I think, over time, Carpenter told VOA. Watch related video by VOA's Luis Ramirez: Philippine officials say they are hopeful the countrys arbitration case against China over disputed territory in the South China Sea will be decided in April or May. Philippine Foreign Affairs Spokesman Charles Jose said Thursday the department is basing its timeframe on how long it has taken the tribunal at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague to act between hearings. China is not participating, but Jose said the courts decision, whatever it may be, would stand. Even the court is telling China that the decision is binding on both the Philippines and China, said Jose. So the Philippines and other countries are calling on China to respect the forthcoming decision of the tribunal. In January 2013, the Philippines filed a complaint with the arbitral tribunal questioning what it called Chinas excessive claim to practically the entire South China Sea. The Philippines cited Chinas so-called nine-dash line, a U-shaped swath of the sea spanning from Hainan Island in the north to waters near Malaysia in the south. It also wanted clarification on whether certain formations, which it said fell within its 370-kilometer exclusive economic zone, were rocks or islands. China responded that it would not participate, reiterating that it rejects arbitration and had opted out of the dispute settlement mechanism when it signed onto the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. China Foreign Minister Wang Yi brought up this point last week during a debriefing at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies. He also said the Philippines did not follow international rules when it did not meet one-on-one with China to try to resolve their differences in the South China Sea and instead took [them] to international court. China says it has indisputable sovereignty over the South China Seas islands, based on historical maps. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei also have overlapping claims in the resource-rich, heavily traversed sea. Philippines Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said in a statement this week that the Philippines and China had had countless meetings to try to resolve the issue, to no avail. Maritime law professor Jay Batongbacal of the University of the Philippines Institute of International Law Studies said the tribunal will likely find in favor of Manila on some of the 15 issues raised by the Philippines. In particular, he said, it might deem the nine-dash line illegal. If that happens, Batongbacal said, The problem will really be on Chinas part in the sense that it will have to keep justifying, at every opportunity, whatever it does in the South China Sea, especially those actions that appear to contradict the ruling. So it will be harder for them basically to convince the world that their actions or activities are justifiable. Also, he said, the Philippines would have to keep the pressure up on China so that it changes its behavior and policies to conform to whatever will be directed in the decision. In the past two years, China has turned seven formations, mostly disputed by the Philippines and listed in its case, into artificial islands. Beijings recent placements of missiles and radar stations on some of the islands have also raised tensions in the region. Batongbacal said the court would not compel China to remove the artificial islands. But he said the court might put out a statement saying the construction of the islands is inconsistent with Chinas obligations under international law because they were made while the case was pending and basically prejudiced the rights of the parties. Batongbacal reiterated that whatever the tribunal decides, its mandate does not include determining the sovereignty of any of the disputed formations. Benin goes to the polls Sunday to choose a new president, and the ballot is long a record 33 candidates. Incumbent Thomas Boni Yayi is stepping down after serving his maximum of two terms. One front-runner among Benins nearly three dozen presidential candidates is current prime minister Lionel Zinsou, who helms a coalition of three political parties. Its a distinct advantage, says regional political analyst and director of the Wathi think tank Gilles Yabi. He says Zinsou has the support of political parties that were considered to be in the opposition and he also has the support of the ruling party so that gives him a certain political weight. But Yabi thinks its still anyones race. He says it is a very open election and there are other candidates who could gather a large number of votes. Zinsou has faced criticism over his ties to France. The investment banker was born and raised there and has only recently returned to Benin. He was named prime minister last June. His top challengers include food industry magnate Sebastien Ajavon and cotton tycoon Patrice Talon. Talon broke with President Boni Yayi after he accused Talon of trying to poison him. Talon only returned to Benin last year following a presidential pardon. Analysts say the candidates have, for the most part, been raising the same top campaign issues like corruption, jobs and agricultural reform. If no candidate wins a clear majority Sunday, Benin will hold a run-off election two weeks later. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has started distributing thousands of almond tree plants to Palestinian farmers in the Gaza strip whose lands along the border with Israel have been ravaged by successive wars. The Red Cross began the distribution of trees Wednesday in an effort to help farmers rebuild orchards destroyed in fighting with Israel. "We are distributing 4,000 almond trees of five different varieties to a lot of farmers in this area," said Mamadou Sow, head of the ICRC sub-delegation for Gaza. Fifty years ago, agriculture accounted for more than half of the Palestinian gross domestic product. After decades of fighting, it now represents about 5 percent. Much of the farming land along the border with Israel is inaccessible due to constant shelling. But some farmers say they are forced to take the risk. "We are 700 or 800 meters away from the border with Israel. Army patrols are driving along and we hear gunshots from the security towers. They are shooting during training, so every day we hear gunshots. We cultivate our lands here and we feel like our lives are in danger," said Marwane Abu Mharreb, a Palestinian farmer. Gaza's main exports are strawberries, flowers, vegetables and fish. The coastal strip is under an Israeli blockade and allowed only small and irregular shipments of agricultural produce through the Kerem Shalom crossing. When the Palestinian crops are wiped out by explosions and the aftermath of fighting, there is nothing to export and debts accumulate. The Red Cross gift of almond trees is an effort at rebuilding some of the Gaza's agriculture. "This is a project that consists of giving almond trees to farmers. Many of them have lost their trees during the last wars," said Sow. Farmers fear that the new trees may be killed by the Israeli defoliant spray used to wilt leaves on trees and shrubs along the border so they cannot be used as cover for the planting of roadside bombs and attacks on Israel. Palestinian farmers say the spray destroys plants on which their animals feed. The Red Cross says it has discussed the spraying with the Israeli military. Gaza's borders are strictly controlled by Israel and Egypt to prevent the import of arms and military supplies for the strip's Hamas rulers. Former presidential candidate Mitt Romney eviscerated current Republican frontrunner Donald Trump in a remarkable speech, casting him as unfit to be the president of the United States. Romney appealed to Republican voters to consider the consequences of a vote for Trump in caucuses and primaries across the country saying: "If we Republicans choose Donald Trump as our nominee, the prospects for a safe and prosperous future are diminished." Later Thursday, Trump lashed back, calling Romney's remarks "nasty." Romney made clear that he, himself, is not planning to run and called on voters to consider any of the four remaining Republican candidates, cautioning that: "A person so untrustworthy and dishonest as [Democratic candidate] Hillary Clinton must not become president." But the former Massachusetts governor said Trump has neither the temperament nor the judgment to be president. Romney blasted Trump for his many failed businesses and for his foreign policy statements. He summed up Trumps views on Syria and the Islamic State terrorist group like this: "Let ISIS take out Assad,' he said, 'and we can pick up the remnants." Romney continued, Now think about that. Let the most dangerous terror organization the world has ever known take over an entire country? This recklessness is recklessness in the extreme. 'A phony, a fraud' Denouncing Trump as "a phony" and "a fraud," Romney said Trump's "promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University'' a reference to a Trump business enterprise that is under investigation for fraud in New York. Romney, who ran unsuccessfully against President Barack Obama four years ago, spoke Thursday in Salt Lake City, Utah, at the University of Utah's Hinckley Institute of Politics Forum. His increasing jabs at Trump in recent days include sharp criticism of the party front-runner's refusal to release his tax returns and his initial reluctance to disavow an endorsement from a former leader of the Ku Klux Klan, a white supremacist group. WATCH: Mitt Romney attacks Donald Trump Romney's attacks on Trump contrast markedly with the two men's relationship in 2012, when billionaire real-estate mogul Trump championed Romney, who in turn praised Trump's business expertise. Trump hits back Speaking in Maine, Trump slammed Romney, calling him "irrelevant" and a "failed candidate" who let the Republican Party down when running against Obama. During a rambling, 45-minute speech at a campaign rally in Portland, Trump called Romney's remarks "nasty" and said he thought Romney was a better person. He said Romney had begged him for his endorsement in 2012. Trump cited some of his buildings across the world to counter charges by Romney that Trump is not as successful a businessman as he claims. But Trump did not counter the substance of any of the other scathing critiques of his knowledge, judgment and temperament. Trump said his wife, Melania, called him and asked him to act "presidential" during Thursday night's televised Republican debate. Trump said he would, but that he would also hit back harder if anyone hits him. Growing Republican effort to stop Trump Romney joins an increasing number of party leaders and influential donors who strongly oppose Trump's candidacy. They are critical of the one-time television reality show host's controversial policies on trade, immigration and other issues, including Trump's vow to deport 11 million illegal immigrants, temporarily bar Muslims from entering the United States and force Mexico to pay for and build a wall along its entire U.S. border. Another former Republican presidential nominee, Arizona Senator John McCain, tweeted that he agreed with Romney and was especially concerned about national security under a possible Trump presidency. Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan said Thursday that as speaker, he could not interfere in the nominating process. But he added that, when someone disfigures conservatism, he would speak out, as he has twice on Trump. Ryan said he does not know Trump personally, but would get to know him and would work with him if Trump becomes the nominee. During his news conference after his Super Tuesday victory, Trump said he would most likely get along fine with Ryan, but said Ryan would pay a big price if they didnt. When asked about Trumps comments Thursday, Ryan said he laughed out loud. Democratic House Minority leader Nancy Pelosi said House Republicans should not be acting shocked about Trump, because they also promote an anti-immigrant agenda. She said with all the attention paid to Trump and Republicans, people should not ignore that: Hillary Clinton has gotten more votes than Donald Trump. Did you know that? After word of Romney's speech was disclosed Wednesday, Trump mocked the former Massachusetts governor on social media, calling him "Failed Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney." Foreign policy veterans Separately, a group of 60 Republican foreign policy veterans signed a joint letter opposing Trump, saying he would "act in ways that make America less safe, and which would diminish our standing in the world." Signatories included former U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, former World Bank President and Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick and former top Pentagon official Dov Zakheim. Later Thursday, Trump will join Florida Senator Marco Rubio, Ohio Governor John Kasich and Texas Senator Ted Cruz at a debate in Detroit, Michigan. Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson will not take part in the debate in his hometown. While not formally dropping out of the race, Carson issued a statement Wednesday saying he sees "no path forward" to the nomination. It was not immediately clear when he would officially suspend his campaign. The Republican debate, to be held at 9 p.m. EST (0200 UTC), is being hosted by Fox News, with moderators Bret Baier, Megyn Kelly and Chris Wallace. Trump-Kelly faceoff Thursday night's debate is the first time Trump and Kelly will meet after the first Republican debate in August. Trump, who felt he was being grilled unfairly by Kelly, has made several disparaging remarks about Kelly in interviews and on social media. He boycotted a second Fox-hosted debate in January, shortly before the Iowa caucuses, because Kelly was a moderator. Fox refused to remove her, as Trump had requested. The move was believed to have cost him votes and contributed to his second-place finish in the caucuses. The Fox moderators told Reuters on Wednesday they do not plan to mention Trump's comments about Kelly, his complaints about unfair treatment by the cable news network or his absence from Fox's January debate. As for Kelly, she said she has not prepared a comeback if Trump gets personal. "I have my questions," she told Reuters. "That's all I need." What's ahead By March 15, a dozen more states and several territories hold primary elections or caucuses, providing a chance for trailing candidates to make up some ground, or leaders Trump and Democratic front-runner Clinton to strengthen their holds on the races. A few of those contests take place Saturday and Sunday, but Democrats have a big primary next Tuesday in Michigan, a populous state that accounts for 148 delegates to the party's national convention in July. Michigan accounts for more than 10 percent of the total delegate votes necessary to become the Democratic candidate for president in the November general election. Former Secretary of State Clinton led her rival, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, 50 percent to 40 percent in a Feb. 18 survey of likely Michigan voters by Public Policy Polling. The two are scheduled to debate Sunday at 8 p.m. EST (0100 UTC Monday) in Flint, a city at the center of a drinking water contamination crisis. For Republicans, primary votes in delegate-rich Ohio and Florida on March 15 could narrow the number of party candidates. Ohio has 66 delegates and Florida has 99, all going to the candidate finishing first the so-called "winner-take-all" system, in contrast to other states that allocate delegates either proportionally or on some other basis. Rubio and Kasich are under particular pressure to win their respective states' contests; political analysts say their candidacies may not survive a home state loss. Both Kasich and Rubio have finished well behind Trump and Cruz in almost all of this year's presidential preliminaries. A military court in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, has sentenced to death a former journalist who helped al-Shabab kill five fellow reporters in Mogadishu. According to the court verdict, Hassan Hanafi assisted the Islamist militant group by identifying possible targets among journalists between 2007 and 2011. Mohamed Shute, the chairman of Somali military tribunal, said the evidence against Hanafi proved his involvement in the killings. We first confirmed that he was member of al-Shabab militants and then he was found guilty of assisting al-Shabab to target and kill journalists, Shute said. In an interview last month with Somali government radio, Hanafi admitted to playing a role in some of the killings, saying that besides naming targets, he told al-Shabab where the journalists could be found. Hanafi once worked with IQK, a local radio station that was seized by al-Shabab eight years ago. He later worked for Radio Andalus, al-Shabab's mouthpiece in Somalia, before joining the militant group's armed wing. In August 2014, Kenyan security forces working with Somali intelligence arrested him in Nairobi and handed him over to the Somali government. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, more than 25 journalists have been murdered in Somalia since 2007. Bird-brain is not the insult it once was, according to new research into the cognitive skills of birds. A pair of European scientists reports that crows and parrots can think logically, recognize themselves in a mirror and feel empathy - abilities "as sophisticated and diverse as those of apes." Birds' brains do not have a neocortex, the structure in mammalian brains that controls cognitive skills. They're also much smaller than simian brains. So how can they perform as well as apes on certain tasks? Onur Gunturkun, from the Ruhr-Universitat Bochum suggested that different mechanisms for complex processes developed independently in birds and mammals. Writing in Trends in Cognitive Sciences, he and Thomas Bugnyar at the University of Vienna report that while the two brains have different structures, there are similarities in the brain architecture. Both groups have a pre-frontal brain structure that controls similar high-level functions. The authors propose a separate evolutionary path for the similarities, because both animal groups faced the same challenges. They conclude that neither a multi-layered cortex nor a big brain is required for complex mental skills. The U.S. National Security Council says National Security Adviser Susan Rice met Wednesday with the president of the transitional government of the Central African Republic to congratulate her on the country's recent peaceful national elections. Rice, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, met Wednesday with President Catherine Samba-Panza, commending her for her strong leadership and progress towards peace and reconciliation. Rice said Samba-Panza's leadership has set "a powerful example of a peaceful democratic transition that will strengthen the country's prospects for peace and prosperity." In a statement, NSC spokesman Ned Price said both Samba-Panza and Ambassador Rice underscored the importance of ensuring that the next government is inclusive of the regional, ethnic, and religious diversity of the Central African Republic. He said they also discussed their concern for the continuing reports of sexual exploitation and abuse by United Nations peacekeeping forces in the Central African Republic and expressed strong support for swift accountability and the enforcement of a zero tolerance policy. For the first time since the eruption of civil war in 2011, a nationwide electricity blackout hit Syria in the early hours Thursday. The countrys official news agency, SANA, reported that the cause of the shutdown is not known and that workers are trying to restore power region-by-region. Government experts said they expect to the power to be resorted in the next 12 hours in the entire country. Power outage, shortage This is a just technical issue that happens in many countries, an employee at the Ministry of Electricity told VOA via phone. She refused to give further details. Another source at the Ministry of Electricity in the Syrian capital told SANA that experts have been able to restore electricity in several areas of the war-torn country. The Syrian government has in the past not acknowledged major infrastructure failures, analysts say. Whats interesting is that the government has made such an announcement for the first time, said Bangin Hisso, an electricity engineer who has worked for Syrias department of electricity for a decade. In the past, the government would just ignore the fact they had power shortages. But because this is a nationwide blackout, it had to say something to the people, Hisso told VOA. Despite the ongoing civil war in many parts of the country, the Syrian government has been able to continue providing electricity to residents even in areas under opposition and Islamic State control. Electric distribution However, the quantity of electricity has varied from region to another, and that has depended on political and military circumstances of the civil war, locals say. The amount of electricity Syrian get depends on where they live, said engineer Hisso. If you live in an area control by Daesh [IS], you get two hours [of electricity] every day. If you live in a Kurdish area, you might get up to three hours every day. He said in government-held areas, residents have the privilege of receiving up to 12 hours of electricity intermittently on a daily basis. Since the onset of the war, many Syrians have relied on local electricity providers that offer around six hours of power daily. Due to high pricing, most residents cannot afford the local service. The U.N. humanitarian chief has criticized all parties to the Yemen conflict for attacks against civilians. The most pressing concern there now is the protection of civilians, Stephen OBrien told the Security Council Thursday. Protected places such as hospitals, schools and homes continue to be hit by all parties, he said via a video link from Brussels. It is unacceptable that health facilities are being hit, and it is critical that the parties make guarantees that these locations will be protected, he said. OBrien said since the start of the war nearly one year ago, some 2,000 children have been injured or killed -- including at least 90 killed this year -- from airstrikes, shelling, ground fighting and unexploded artillery. He emphasized that all parties are obligated under international humanitarian law to take steps to protect civilians and places they inhabit. Humanitarian Crisis The conflict between the Saudi-backed government and Iranian-supported Shiite Houthi rebels has killed more than 6,000 Yemenis and injured over 35,000 others. More than two million people have been displaced by the fighting. The U.N. and its partners estimate that 21.2 million people -- 82 percent of the population require some form of humanitarian or protection assistance. Last week, the United Nations appealed for $1.8 billion to meet Yemens humanitarian needs this year. OBrien blamed a proliferation of checkpoints across Yemen, as well as bureaucratic requirements imposed by the Houthi rebels for delaying aid deliveries. He did welcome Wednesdays release of a World Food Program ship which had been diverted by the Saudi coalition last month to a Saudi port. OBrien said the food and medical aid on-board had been delivered as planned to Hudaydah, and some communications equipment for aid workers would arrive in Aden on Sunday. Peace Talks The U.N. envoy on Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, said last month that deep divisions among the parties had prevented him from restarting stalled peace talks, and he urged a recommitment to a cessation of hostilities. He said he hoped to restart talks in March, but so far no date has been announced. The time is against us. The situation is catastrophic. The political solution is becoming more than ever needed today, and we need to precipitate these talks as soon as possible, he told reporters on February 17. Super Tuesday does not deliver the final verdict on the US presidency but it does point the most likely path the contest will take. The March 2 vote in 11 states may have confirmed one thing though, which is that the US is going to have its first woman presidential candidate running for office all the way to the White House. Having performed better in 2016 than she did in the most crucial, vote-heavy Super Tuesday states in 2008, Hillary has stopped just short of declaring that she is already the Democratic nominee. The number of delegates she still needs to win the nomination is not that far away, and the candidate most likely to oppose her from the Republican Party is Donald Trump. In staying ahead past Super Tuesday the real estate tycoon has shown what a state of disaffection the United States of America is in with a strong anti-establishment streak showing among the electorate. Indias prosperous diaspora might even have a small say in which way the final battle will tilt. While a victory for the establishment (read Hillary Clinton) would mean continuity for the relationship New Delhi has built up over eight years with a Democratic White House, the chances of a Republican in the Oval Office will be a twist India will have to learn to deal with. Trumps position on jobs being taken away from the US by China, India, and the like, and his threat to deport 11 million people are the first signs of what people will face should he become President. The core Republicans themselves appear floored over how to stop Trump from gaining the nomination ahead of Marc Rubio and Ted Cruz even as the media is decrying his popularity as being simply the product of a toxic brew of a polarised two-party system and nihilistic tactics on the campaign trail. It is curious that a candidate threatening to build a wall across the US border with Mexico counts the Latinos as well as African Americans among his supporters in the Deep South where he scored resounding wins. Not even his son Trump Juniors viewpoint that slavery was the greatest thing to have ever happened to African Americans seems to have stemmed the support for his father. The world may dread the advance of Trump, called Frankenstein on the floor of the Senate, but this contest appears to be heading towards a tricky climax. Surveys point to 49 per cent support nationally for Trump and, curiously, that Bernie Sanders would be a better candidate against him than Hillary. U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter said Wednesday he opposes "a single technical approach" as a solution to the complex legal battle between Apple and the FBI. The FBI has asked the tech company for assistance unlocking the passcode to an iPhone used by Syed Farook, one of the shooters who killed 14 in San Bernardino, California last December. Apple refused the request, saying it cannot be asked to hack one of its own devices. The company says the creation of a "back-door" could endanger a wide array of devices while raising privacy concerns. "I don't think we ought to let one case drive a general conclusion or solution," Carter said in remarks at a San Francisco tech event. "We have to work together to work our way out through this problem." Carter also warned that legislation written by Congress to deal with the issue could be lacking technical knowledge and "may be written in an atmosphere of anger and grief." Apple filed a formal objection to a Federal order to assist the FBI on March 2. Tech companies Microsoft, Google and Facebook are expected to file briefs supporting Apple on Thursday. U.S. Representative Jim McGovern, D-Massachusetts, is calling on his congressional colleagues to vote on a bill to rename the street address of China's embassy in Washington to 1 Liu Xiaobo Plaza, after the imprisoned Nobel Peace laureate. The Senate in February unanimously passed a similar bill introduced by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, a presidential candidate but companion legislation in the House remains active. McGovern, who co-chairs the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, says colleagues should put it to a vote if China doesn't release Liu, who was sentenced to 11 years in prison for inciting state subversion after organizing a 2008 petition to end China's one-party rule. "If the Chinese government thinks it can just jail everybody and everybody will just forget about it, they are wrong," he told VOA's Mandarin Service. "That's why the legislation that would rename that street in front of the Chinese embassy would pass." The White House has indicated that President Barack Obama would veto the bill if passed by both houses of Congress. "If the president wants to veto it, he can, but I think there is an overwhelming number of Republicans and Democrats in the House and Senate that might override that veto," McGovern said. It's not clear if or when the House of Representatives might vote on the bill. The State Department says that although the White House continues to press China on human rights issues, the bill would complicate efforts to release political prisoners such as Liu. "We do not believe Senator Cruz's tactic to rename a street in Washington, D.C., is a very effective way to achieve either goal," said Mark Toner, deputy spokesperson of the State Department. "We view this kind of legislative action as something that really complicates our efforts. So we oppose this approach." China's foreign ministry warned of "serious consequences" should the plaza be renamed after the pro-democracy dissident, calling the move a violation of "basic norms of international relations." Leader of the newly-launched Zimbabwe People First Joice Mujuru, emerged emboldened and daring, as she raised allegations against her former boss, President Robert Mugabe, and his wife, Grace, like never before, in an interview Wednesday, with the Associated Press. Looking calm but determined to stand her ground, the former vice president took a sharp aim at her former boss, in her new role as the leader of an opposition party, challenging his leadership. "I really don't know where the family or the president and his wife want to take this country to, Mrs. Mujuru said. But the end result is they are actually destroying Zanu PF, they are destroying the revolution. Mrs. Mujuru stuck to her claims that the charges against that she was disloyal to President Mugabe that she planned to topple him, were lies. I for one, if I want to say that, I did nothing, said Mrs. Mujuru. All those accusations were lies. The former liberation fighter said her ouster from the party following its elective congress in 2014 with others accused of siding with her, was a targeted move by President Mugabe and the party to rid itself of former liberation cadres. It looks like they are hunting down everybody who took part in the struggle. Mrs. Mujuru contradicted President Mugabes assertions that there were channels within the party where disgruntled members of the party who have taken to fighting publicly and forming factions such as Team Lacoste, which reportedly supports Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa, and Generation 40 (G40), which is said to support First Lady Grace Mugabe, could lodge complaints and get fair recourse. Citing her own experience, prior to her expulsion, Mrs. Mujuru said President Mugabe was not accessible and did not entertain grievances. "Even when you try and seek for audience to try and reason with him, he does not give (it) you. During the time that I was with him I asked for that which never came, that's why I left." Contrary to acknowledging in the past that she was dismissed by President Mugabe in writing, Mrs. Mujuru stated that she in fact left the party on her own will. She further suggested that President Mugabe was planning to pass on the baton of his legacy to his family. "I am sure it's handing the power down from father to wife, to daughter, to son - maybe that's what they want, to make it a dynasty." Sparing no punches for the First Lady, Grace Mugabe, with whom she received her Ph.D. from the University of Zimbabwe in 2014, Mrs. Mujuru, suggested that the young wife, as she referred to Mrs. Mugabe, was the cause of much of what was going wrong in the party, referencing the peace that existed under President Mugabes first Ghanaian wife, Sally, who died 1992. "Because when Mama Sally was still alive things were different, she said, continuing that once this one came (Mrs. Mugabe) and before she was involved in this politics, I thought she was somebody else who was accommodative, who was the mother of the nation, but only to find she was someone else." The former freedom fighter, who was known in her guerilla days as Teurai Ropa (spill blood), is the widow of Solomon Mujuru, a decorated retired army general whose war name was Rex Nhongo. Mujuru died in a mysterious fire in 2011, which Mrs. Mujuru has since declared suspicious and pinned blame on someone who she says knows the people in power. Putting a distance between her party and other oppositions such as the Movement for Demcoratic Change, the former vice president said her Zimbabwe People First party, has something the other parties did not a credentialed war veteran like herself. Yes, there have been parties, but they (Zimbabweans) have been telling us that in those parties they have been missing revolutionaries, freedom fighters." President Mugabe dispels suggestions that his wife, Grace, wants to succeed him saying Zanu PF activists jostling for his position should stop it. Former Vice President Joice Mujuru claims that President Mugabe wants to establish a political dynasty in Zimbabwe. Some Zimbabweans have commended U.S president Barack Obama for extending targeted sanctions imposed on President Robert Mugabe and his inner circle, noting that local people are still not allowed to exercise their democratic rights by the ruling Zanu PF party. We will take a closer look at the impact of these targeted sanctions following suggestions by critics that they are not effective. The United States has provided an additional $10 million in response to the worsening food situation in Zimbabwe. Stay tuned for these stories and more coming up on Studio 7 at 7:30 pm on 9-0-9 Medium Wave and on the 4-9-3-0, 5-9-4-0 and 1-5-4-6-0 shortwave frequencies. We also broadcast on www.channelzim.net. Please check us out on Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter. Today on LiveTalk our hosts of the Womens Round Table our hosts will be talking with listeners and experts about International Womens Day at a time former Vice President Joice Mujuru has launched her own party set to challenge President Robert Mugabes Zanu PF in the 2018 general polls. Send us your numbers on our WhatsApp number 001 202 465 0318. The number again 001 202 465 0318. Stay tuned!!!!!! Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has dismissed growing suspicion that his wife, Grace, is angling to succeed him as head of state. Speaking on national television Thursday, Mr. Mugabe said it was up to his party to pick his successor when he decides to leave office. But for now, those fighting for his position in Zanu PF must back off because there is no vacancy, the 92-year-old declared, adding that he was still firmly in charge. Mrs. Mugabes direct involvement in the ruling Zanu PFs succession wars has fueled public speculation that she wants to take over her husbands position. Her combative and bellicose rhetoric against party members she accuses of planning a coup d'etat against President Mugabe has raised suspicions she wants the presidency. And that feeling remains despite Mugabes denials, said political analyst Nkululeko Sibanda. Former presidential candidate Mitt Romney eviscerated current Republican frontrunner Donald Trump in a remarkable speech, casting him as unfit to be the president of the United States. Romney appealed to Republican voters to consider the consequences of a vote for Trump in caucuses and primaries across the country saying: "If we Republicans choose Donald Trump as our nominee, the prospects for a safe and prosperous future are diminished." Later Thursday, Trump lashed back, calling Romney's remarks "nasty." Romney made clear that he, himself, is not planning to run and called on voters to consider any of the four remaining Republican candidates, cautioning that: "A person so untrustworthy and dishonest as [Democratic candidate] Hillary Clinton must not become president." But the former Massachusetts governor said Trump has neither the temperament nor the judgment to be president. Romney blasted Trump for his many failed businesses and for his foreign policy statements. He summed up Trumps views on Syria and the Islamic State terrorist group like this: "Let ISIS take out Assad,' he said, 'and we can pick up the remnants." Romney continued, Now think about that. Let the most dangerous terror organization the world has ever known take over an entire country? This recklessness is recklessness in the extreme. 'A phony, a fraud' Denouncing Trump as "a phony" and "a fraud," Romney said Trump's "promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University'' a reference to a Trump business enterprise that is under investigation for fraud in New York. Romney, who ran unsuccessfully against President Barack Obama four years ago, spoke Thursday in Salt Lake City, Utah, at the University of Utah's Hinckley Institute of Politics Forum. His increasing jabs at Trump in recent days include sharp criticism of the party front-runner's refusal to release his tax returns and his initial reluctance to disavow an endorsement from a former leader of the Ku Klux Klan, a white supremacist group. WATCH: Mitt Romney attacks Donald Trump Romney's attacks on Trump contrast markedly with the two men's relationship in 2012, when billionaire real-estate mogul Trump championed Romney, who in turn praised Trump's business expertise. Trump hits back Speaking in Maine, Trump slammed Romney, calling him "irrelevant" and a "failed candidate" who let the Republican Party down when running against Obama. During a rambling, 45-minute speech at a campaign rally in Portland, Trump called Romney's remarks "nasty" and said he thought Romney was a better person. He said Romney had begged him for his endorsement in 2012. Trump cited some of his buildings across the world to counter charges by Romney that Trump is not as successful a businessman as he claims. But Trump did not counter the substance of any of the other scathing critiques of his knowledge, judgment and temperament. Trump said his wife, Melania, called him and asked him to act "presidential" during Thursday night's televised Republican debate. Trump said he would, but that he would also hit back harder if anyone hits him. Growing Republican effort to stop Trump Romney joins an increasing number of party leaders and influential donors who strongly oppose Trump's candidacy. They are critical of the one-time television reality show host's controversial policies on trade, immigration and other issues, including Trump's vow to deport 11 million illegal immigrants, temporarily bar Muslims from entering the United States and force Mexico to pay for and build a wall along its entire U.S. border. Another former Republican presidential nominee, Arizona Senator John McCain, tweeted that he agreed with Romney and was especially concerned about national security under a possible Trump presidency. Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan said Thursday that as speaker, he could not interfere in the nominating process. But he added that, when someone disfigures conservatism, he would speak out, as he has twice on Trump. Ryan said he does not know Trump personally, but would get to know him and would work with him if Trump becomes the nominee. During his news conference after his Super Tuesday victory, Trump said he would most likely get along fine with Ryan, but said Ryan would pay a big price if they didnt. When asked about Trumps comments Thursday, Ryan said he laughed out loud. Democratic House Minority leader Nancy Pelosi said House Republicans should not be acting shocked about Trump, because they also promote an anti-immigrant agenda. She said with all the attention paid to Trump and Republicans, people should not ignore that: Hillary Clinton has gotten more votes than Donald Trump. Did you know that? After word of Romney's speech was disclosed Wednesday, Trump mocked the former Massachusetts governor on social media, calling him "Failed Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney." Foreign policy veterans Separately, a group of 60 Republican foreign policy veterans signed a joint letter opposing Trump, saying he would "act in ways that make America less safe, and which would diminish our standing in the world." Signatories included former U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, former World Bank President and Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick and former top Pentagon official Dov Zakheim. Later Thursday, Trump will join Florida Senator Marco Rubio, Ohio Governor John Kasich and Texas Senator Ted Cruz at a debate in Detroit, Michigan. Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson will not take part in the debate in his hometown. While not formally dropping out of the race, Carson issued a statement Wednesday saying he sees "no path forward" to the nomination. It was not immediately clear when he would officially suspend his campaign. The Republican debate, to be held at 9 p.m. EST (0200 UTC), is being hosted by Fox News, with moderators Bret Baier, Megyn Kelly and Chris Wallace. Trump-Kelly faceoff Thursday night's debate is the first time Trump and Kelly will meet after the first Republican debate in August. Trump, who felt he was being grilled unfairly by Kelly, has made several disparaging remarks about Kelly in interviews and on social media. He boycotted a second Fox-hosted debate in January, shortly before the Iowa caucuses, because Kelly was a moderator. Fox refused to remove her, as Trump had requested. The move was believed to have cost him votes and contributed to his second-place finish in the caucuses. The Fox moderators told Reuters on Wednesday they do not plan to mention Trump's comments about Kelly, his complaints about unfair treatment by the cable news network or his absence from Fox's January debate. As for Kelly, she said she has not prepared a comeback if Trump gets personal. "I have my questions," she told Reuters. "That's all I need." What's ahead By March 15, a dozen more states and several territories hold primary elections or caucuses, providing a chance for trailing candidates to make up some ground, or leaders Trump and Democratic front-runner Clinton to strengthen their holds on the races. A few of those contests take place Saturday and Sunday, but Democrats have a big primary next Tuesday in Michigan, a populous state that accounts for 148 delegates to the party's national convention in July. Michigan accounts for more than 10 percent of the total delegate votes necessary to become the Democratic candidate for president in the November general election. Former Secretary of State Clinton led her rival, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, 50 percent to 40 percent in a Feb. 18 survey of likely Michigan voters by Public Policy Polling. The two are scheduled to debate Sunday at 8 p.m. EST (0100 UTC Monday) in Flint, a city at the center of a drinking water contamination crisis. For Republicans, primary votes in delegate-rich Ohio and Florida on March 15 could narrow the number of party candidates. Ohio has 66 delegates and Florida has 99, all going to the candidate finishing first the so-called "winner-take-all" system, in contrast to other states that allocate delegates either proportionally or on some other basis. Rubio and Kasich are under particular pressure to win their respective states' contests; political analysts say their candidacies may not survive a home state loss. Both Kasich and Rubio have finished well behind Trump and Cruz in almost all of this year's presidential preliminaries. Some Zimbabweans have commended U.S president Barack Obama for extending targeted sanctions imposed on President Robert Mugabe and his inner circle, noting that local people are still not allowed to exercise their democratic rights by the ruling Zanu PF party. But others say the restrictive measures are not having any impact on the president and his colleagues. President Obama extended the sanctions yesterday saying the political situation has not improved in Zimbabwe following the imposition of the restrictive measures a couple of years ago. In a statement, Obama said the extension of an executive order declared by former U.S president George Bush is designed to protect United States interests and promote democracy in the southern African nation. Mr. Obama said some members of the ruling Zanu PF government and other persons are still undermining the countrys democratic processes and as a result contributing to the deliberate breakdown in the rule of law. Reacting to this move, Harare resident, Ostallos Siziba, said extension of the sanctions is necessary as Zimbabwe has failed to adhere to democratic principles. He said the sanctions will be a reminder to the government on the need to institute the necessary reforms. The extension of sanctions on Zimbabwe by the government of USA is a reflection on Zimbabwe's failure to uphold the principal of rule of law and free and fair elections. Zimbabwean authorities are responsible for gross violations against humanity and the purpose of sanctions is for them to uphold the rule of law and it is also key to know that the sanctions are targeted at individuals. To the general citizen this is ok because we are avoiding continuation of looting of capital by individuals in government so that they expand their territories in the economic space. The sanctions are necessary for economic development . Zimbabwe in 2018 should hold free and fair elections to avoid another extension of sanctions. Another Harare resident, Ambrose Rusike, said removing the sanctions without reform would be tantamount to encouraging President Mugabe and his team to continue trampling on human rights in the country. Extension of sanctions on Mugabe is welcome because Mugabe has shown no desire to reform. There are issues like electoral fraud and human rights issues with Dzamara a journalists cum activist still missing. The record is clear that Mugabe has not reformed from his old ways he is still the same so he does not deserve to be removed from the sanctions list. Some other people may say sanctions are hurting Zimbabwe but I feel this is not true. We are failing to borrow money because we do not pay back and this has nothing to do with sanctions. The move is a clear message to Mugabe that he cannot continue to trample on human rights and violate democratic processes with the world ignoring as SADC has always been doing. But local resident, Tichaona Makwara, said the sanctions are not effective as they give President Mugabe an excuse of failing to run the country. Makwara said, To a larger extent these sanctions aren't serving their purpose as the Mugabe regime is now blaming all its failures on sanctions. Failure to revive the economy they blame sanctions, lack of drug shortages they blame sanctions. They are now using the sanctions as a smokescreen to mask their failure to turnaround the economy. So the sanctions are not actually serving their purpose. Foreign Affairs Minister recently challenged Europe and America to spell out the human rights abuse claims in Zimbabwe. No reasons are given for the renewal of sanctions except the long worn demand for rule of law, democracy. We have challenged them that human rights cannot be generalised. Human Rights violations are specific, so and so rights have been violated if you can be able to correct. They also say lack of democracy but they dont come out to say where is the deficit. Rule of law where have we not observed nothing is said. I and the president have met ministers from Europe and America and challenged them. Of late they have jumped to the Dzamara issue but then the question is before Dzamara what was the reason for the sanctions. How many people go missing in the states and in Europe and are not found. Why should Zimbabwe therefore be punished for the missing of Dzamara? According to President Obama, human rights violations and undemocratic processes in Zimbabwe continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the foreign policy of the United States. Former U.S. president George Bush declared a national emergency on Zimbabwe, under Executive Order 13288 of 2003, accusing the country of undermining democratic practices. The Barack Obama administration on Wednesday extended targeted sanctions imposed on President Robert Mugabe and his Zanu PF colleagues saying there are no tangible political reforms in the country. President Obama said the renewal of the sanctions is designed to protect American interests and promote democracy in Zimbabwe, which has been ruled by Mr. Mugabe since the nation attained independence from British rule in 1980. What do Zimbabweans think about the extension of the sanctions? For perspective, Studio 7 reached Zanu PF-leaning political commentator Gadzira Chirumanzu and Obert Gutu, spokesperson of the Movement for Democratic Change led by former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai. Chirumanzu said the renewal of the sanctions is part of the Wests regime change agenda. What we need to understand is that as per Obama these sanctions he is coining them by saying that Zimbabwe is a threat to the U.S. But we wonder what kind of threat is Zimbabwe posing to the United States of America. So, for any reasonable Zimbabwean who knows what is going on in the political arena this is just a big fuss and the western governments mentality to make sure they stop any African to think of, you know, possessing his wealth in the form of resources. Chirumanzu said the West wants to overexploit Africas national resources after almost exhausting its own, a move he believes has forced Mr. Mugabe to face western governments head-on in terms of social, economic and political issues. But Gutu shot back saying President Mugabes government has over the years committed serious atrocities against Zimbabweans. In the 1980s, more than 20,000 people were allegedly massacred by the North Korean-trained Five Brigade in the Matabeleland and Midlands province. Most of the people who were killed were supporters of the then Zapu leader Joshua Nkomo, who in 1987 signed a political truce with Mr. Mugabe in an attempt to stop the atrocities. It is on record that President Robert Mugabe has always had an extremely low appetite for human rights observance. It is almost one year since the journalist-cum-human rights activist Itai Dzamara was abducted by suspected state security agents in Glen View (Harare) But we are surprised as the MDC that almost a year down the line the Zanu PF regime seems unfazed, seems unbothered about this sad event, the disappearance of Itai Dzamara. Infact, they are pouring scorn repeatedly on his disappearance, actually, instead of sympathizing with his family. They are adding salt to injury to an injured wound It shows that with respect we are dealing with a regime here that is callous, a regime that is intolerant The MDC is not in government We do not dictate to the USA on how they do their foreign policy, how they formulate it but we are saying yes we do agree with the U.S assessment to the effect that the political situation in Zimbabwe is far from being stable, that there continues to be some human rights violations and that the Zanu PF regime remains a rogue regime. Chirumanzu hit back saying Gutu appeared to be singing for his super as his party had close links with the West. Former U.S. president Bush declared a national emergency on Zimbabwe, under Executive Order 13288 of 2003, accusing Zimbabwean leaders of undermining democratic practices. President Obama has been extending the targeted sanctions annually since he took over power from Mr. Bush. The United States government on Thursday provided Zimbabwe with an additional $10 million in response to the worsening food situation in the country. Speaking at the formal handover of the donation to the World Food Program in Harare on Thursday, U.S ambassador to Zimbabwe, Harry K. Thomas Jnr said President Barack Obamas government was committed to helping vulnerable Zimbabweans. Americas top diplomat in Zimbabwe said his government would ensure that food aid reached the needy. This comes at a time when some members of the opposition have accused authorities of distributing food rations along partisan lines. The World Food Programs country director for Zimbabwe, Eddie Rowe, welcomed the assistance from the American people. Since June last year to date, America has provided $35 million to Zimbabwe towards drought relief. Rowe said the financial assistance provided by the American government would be used to target three more districts namely Chipinge in Manicaland province, Mangwe in Matabeleland North and Uzumba Maramba Pfungwe in Mashonaland Central. He added that operations would also be scaled up in eight other districts currently receiving assistance. These are Zvishavane, Mudzi, Hwange, Binga, Chiredzi, Mwenezi, Kariba and Mbire. Meanwhile, the Food and Nutrition Council director, George Kembo who is also the chairperson of the Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee (ZimVAC), said the El Nino-induced drought was worsening in the country. Kembo said government was working hard to ensure that all farmers received training in climate change to ensure that the country would be prepared in the future when climate change affects agricultural productivity. ZimVAC says poor weather conditions in the country, including erratic rainfall and long dry spells, have contributed to large-scale crop failure and livestock deaths across. It says an estimated 2.8 million rural Zimbabweans are currently facing food insecurity. The government says it has 100,000 tonnes of food reserves to last the country for the next three months. Mumbai: A fresh revelation about the prodigious West Bengal teenager Sataparna Mukherjee suggested that the Goddard Internship Programme (GIP) opportunity she claimed to have received from NASA was allegedly fabricated. Numerous media outlets on February 29 reported the episode after news about her achievement appeared on a national daily. While many lauded the achievement, abundant others on social media remained cynical about facts mentioned in the media reports, and even sent e-mails to the space agency to know if such a chance was granted to her. Unfortunately, NASAs reply suggested that they were unaware about any such student, and such a program does not exist. A Facebook user, Ayoti Mitra, pointed out in a post that the internship claim was fabricated, as NASA does not even offer internship opportunities to students without a US citizenship. While Mitra felt that the aforementioned point was enough to unfurl the issue, she also revealed that NASA's does not have a London Astrobiological Center. Moreover, Sataparnas educational opportunity at the Oxford University was also untrue, as the institution has no ties with NASA. Aritra Ghosh, a graduate in physics, conducted additional research after her came across Mitras Facebook post. After coming across several loopholes Sataparna's story, he finally sent an e-mail to NASAs PR communications officer. To his surprise, the NASA official denied knowing about any such program. The official said: The program noted by multiple Indian media outlets does not exist. Our education program is the New York City Research Initiative (NYCRI). Even after the revelation of all these facts, Sataparna still stood her ground and brushed off the aforementioned allegations.While this can be a mere publicity stunt, chances are high that she fell victim to online fraudsters who con youngsters for personal benefits. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. L-R: Michael Kenneth Williams as Leonard Pine and James Purefoy as Hap Collins. Photo: Hilary Gayle/SundanceTV Sundances buddy drama Hap and Leonard is the kind of series where a beautiful woman whos also trouble uses her wiles to lure a down-at-his-heels ex-husband into a criminal scheme. More importantly, though, its the kind of series that doesnt get around to the proposition until nearly 15 minutes into the pilot. First we get scenes of the hero and his buddy getting laid off from their job on a rose-bush plantation and hanging out and busting each others chops in the small woodland home they share, followed by a lovely sequence where the hero and his ex sit in a window and drink coffee while the sound of country music on an AM radio mingles with the noise of rain pattering on the roof, followed by a slow dance in the kitchen. Created by writer Nick Damici and director Jim Mickle, set in the 1980s, and based on a series of novels by the great Texas writer Joe R. Lansdale, Hap and Leonard is in no hurry to get to the point and thats part of whats so pleasurable about it. It has been compared in reviews to Justified, probably because of its laid-back characterizations, courtly drawls, and working-class to working-poor milieu. But the show it reminds me of most is the primary tonal influence on Justified, The Rockford Files, which was ultimately less concerned with whatever case James Garners private eye happened to be solving than with the oddball personalities he met along the way and the seedy-beautiful southern California settings he traveled through. James Purefoy plays Hap, a white ex-convict and draft dodger, and Michael Kenneth Williams is Leonard, his best friend, a black, gay Vietnam veteran. Christina Hendricks plays Trudy, Haps ex-wife, who convinces the duo to help her and her hippie boyfriend, Howard (Bill Sage), whos part of a cultlike New Age group populated by criminals and fringe-types. The main plot finds Hap, Leonard, and the gang trying to retrieve a stash of sunken money from a river beneath an iron bridge; the circumstance of the moneys submersion are depicted in a lively opening chase scored to Creedence Clearwater Revival and featuring vintage 1960s police cars with single lights on top. Soon enough the series introduces other plotlines and other characters, including a murderous couple played by Jimmi Simpson and Pollyanna McIntosh, and delves into the tragic, intertwined pasts of Hap and Leonard. But the plot machinations are never the point of any scene or sequence. Its always mainly about atmosphere, lively characterizations, and smart, attentive actors pinging off of each other from moment to moment. I dont want to oversell the series, as many have unfortunately done, because it does have its problems. There are times when its a little too relaxed for its own good, and it has trouble reconciling its wit and sexiness with bursts of harrowing violence that feel imported from a Quentin Tarantino movie (or a film by one of Tarantinos imitators). But the sum total is so beguiling and unusual for television as a whole, if not for Sundance, which specializes in this kind of storytelling that its hard not to become entranced by it. The leads chemistry is perfect. Purefoys slightly sad and anguished good looks are Garneresque, which is never a bad thing, and the show constantly undercuts any possibility of hero worship by repeatedly drawing attention to his aimlessness (the very first conversation in the pilot is a joke at the expense of his receding hairline). Williams is, as usual, magnificently truculent, and gets most of the best lines, a few of which might as well be emblazoned on T-shirts and sold online by the Sundance Channel: You cant take a mans job, but you can take his cookies. A stiff dick aint got no conscience. I tell you, boy, I let you talk me into some dumb shit, but this here takes the dumb-shit cake. Bubbling just underneath all the easygoing byplay and occasional bursts of mayhem is a dead-on accurate portrait of race relations in the former Confederate states 30 years ago, which is not necessarily something you expect or need from a crime series, but is welcome nonetheless. The N-word is bandied about pretty freely here, but always in a specific cultural context, and its juxtaposed against the utopian-left pieties and New Age cliche-speak of many of the shows white characters especially the criminals, whose obsession with making a big score and retiring to a life of leisure mirrors the progress of many counterculture-minded whites as they transformed from hippies to yuppies. (The Big Lebowski was smart about this, too.) Hap and Leonard is a smart show that doesnt preen about how smart it is. Its complexities are sunk deep in the texture, and you have to dive for them. ISIS' Cyber Caliphate Army had earlier promised to take down Google. London: Hackers affiliated to ISIS terror group who promised to take down International search engine giant Google has instead targeted a small Indian tech firm, according to a media report. Cyber Caliphate Army (CCA), a hacking group affiliated to ISIS, hit www.addgoogleonline.com registered by Gandani K for Indian tech firm Always Say, which offers search engine optimisation (SEO) services to local clients. According to vocative.com website, CCA had vowed on messaging app Telegram they would attack Google on Monday. "We promised to hack Google. Keep the promise inshallah (God willing), expect us today," the group declared. However, the website claims that a few hours later they had instead defaced the website www.addgoogleonline.com, which is completely unrelated to the Silicon Valley based Google. After it was hacked, the website played an Islamic State (ISIS) song in French and displaced the official logo along with a sign saying "Hacked By: CCA". The CCA's "defacement of the website" was short-lived as yet another hacker group called "n3far1ous" wiped out the ISIS message and replaced it with an "Eat this, ISIS" message, and a rock tune playing in the background. The "n3far1ous" message was still on display on Thursday. According to UK media reports, the CCA allegedly hacked into 35 British websites, which appear to be a random mix of relatively small British businesses. The websites hacked into include a Japanese dance instructor's website, a company selling furniture and laminate flooring and a salon. ISIS hackers allegedly said that the attacks were "A message to David Cameron" as revenge for the killing of British Muslim terrorist Junaid Hussain, who was killed in a US-led air strike last year. The attacks follow pro-ISIS hackers' threats that they would target the founder of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, and Twitter's Jack Dorsey for shutting down their social media accounts. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Feb. 8, 2016 - Beverly Hills, California, U.S. - Jack Fisk arrives for the Oscar Nominee Luncheon 2016 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. (Credit Image: Lisa OConnor via ZUMA Wire) Photo: Lisa OConnor/Corbis Its hard to think of two films more different than Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritus The Revenant and Terrence Malicks new film Knight of Cups, out this week in limited release. But for Jack Fisk, the legendary Oscar-nominated production designer and art director who worked on both, the underlying idea is the same: to find real-life locations that can help bring these otherworldly stories to life. Fisk has worked with some of the most important directors of our time: He designed Paul Thomas Andersons There Will Be Blood and The Master, David Lynchs Mulholland Drive and The Straight Story, and he has worked on every single one of Malicks films. (It was on the directors first film, Badlands, that Fisk met his wife, Sissy Spacek.) Indeed, Fisk is such a major figure that there will be a fifteen-film retrospective dedicated to him at New York Citys Museum of the Moving Image, starting March 11. Here, he talks with us about working with Malick, the differences between the filmmakers hes collaborated with, and that now-legendary Revenant shoot. (For the record, he enjoyed it.) So, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Terrence Malick, Paul Thomas Anderson, David Lynch. These are some of the most fascinating, distinctive filmmakers in the world, and youve worked with all of them. They must be so different as collaborators. Theyre all a little different, but I consider them all artists. Thats the common denominator. Alejandros the most physical. I always picture him as muddy and dirty hes right in there. Paul has more humor when hes working. He always realizes the irony of what were doing. Terrence is like a poet. Its almost magical the way he can so effortlessly create images. Of course, he does it by shooting millions of feet of film, which most directors dont have the privilege to do. David, on the other hand, has the whole film worked out in his head before we begin. With other directors, youre showing them options sort of enticing them with something more, or trying to. When designing with David, youre creating his world; youre giving him exactly what he wants. Theyre all exciting for different reasons. Its sort of refreshing to go from one to the other. Ive been very lucky. I started working with Terry [Malick] back in 1972 on Badlands. Id been doing some Roger Corman films up to that time, and what I realized with Badlands was that filmmaking could be an art form, as valid as painting or sculpture. That got me excited, so Ive been drawn to filmmakers that have a similar approach. Knight of Cups might be the most amazing L.A. real-estate porn Ive ever seen in my life. [Laughs] I didnt have a construction department on that film, so it was all locations. We were shooting in Los Angeles, sometimes three or four locations a day. No one ever thought Terry would be able to shoot in L.A. because of the way he likes to work, and there are so many rules and regulations there. But he was seduced by these spectacular locations because they told him something about the lives of the people living in them. So it was great fun for me, because Ive been in and out of L.A. for forty years and I got to see interiors and places Id never seen before. This Los Angeles world is one that, even though I was there, I could never have afforded at the time. I got to see how the other people lived. While scouting for locations for Knight of Cups, what were you looking for? Excess. Decadence in the scale and in the representation of home life. I remember the great fun for me was studying all the clubs in L.A., and seeing women coming out of the ceiling with bottles of champagne that cost 1200 dollars. There is a certain decadence, and Terry in a strange way is fascinated by it. We were also guided by our need for natural light. We were always looking for locations with a lot of window light, and a lot of window light looking to the south and southwest. The contemporary-architecture houses tend to have more scale and glass, so those were always our first choice. With Terrence, I never quite know what hes going to shoot. I provide him environments. He likes to come to them often not knowing what they are, because it puts the pressure on him it scares him a little bit, and it excites him. A lot of times with this film, thered be no script to look at. I had an idea of what was going to take place, but no one really knew. But I always give him more set than he asks for, and more than he needs. I did the same thing with Alejandro. We built a fort for The Revenant that we could have shot a whole film in. You could shoot in 360 degrees, it had butcher shops and blacksmith shops and water wells. It had everything you needed. How did you come to work with Inarritu? I met Alejandro about two years before shooting The Revenant. He went off to do Birdman, and I was involved in other projects so I couldnt do that one with him. He called me shortly before we started The Revenant in April of 2014, and I went up to Canada a few days later and started seeing locations. I worked with Robin Mounsey, a fantastic location scout, doing an extensive search in both British Columbia and Alberta for locations that could match the scope of this film. Alejandro had given me this film, Andrei Rublev by Andrei Tarkovsky, about the icon-painter. He said it was his favorite movie ever. So I knew I had to give him something of scale. When youre out in the wilderness, locations become more important than sets because they become the sets, so all our energy went into finding locations that had the scale to minimize man in the environment, but also had a progression, so you could understand movement. My fear as a designer is that youre shooting a location and somebody walks around a corner and says, Why didnt we shoot here? This is much better. Im always pushing myself to find every possible location or set. I imagine you had to take lighting into consideration here, too. The problem we had in finding locations is that [cinematographer] Chivo [Lubezki], who Ive worked with on six films now, wanted to shoot everything with natural light. I love that, because it makes the settings look better. So we had to find locations where the main vista was looking south-southwest, because otherwise they wouldnt be backlit when we shot in the afternoon. We could never shoot in the morning because we couldnt get ready in the dark to be able to pull the trigger at first light. So it was easier for us to prepare during the day and be ready to shoot as the sun was setting. One of the important aspects of backlight I realized is that we shot with such wide cameras and often Chivo was inches from the actors faces. If it was frontlit, you wouldve had a shadow of Chivo all over the actors. But a lot of it was a style were used to working with with Malick, because Terrence, even on Days of Heaven, stressed the importance of backlight on all his films. His father was an avid amateur photographer, and Terry grew up really aware of light. His father taught Terry so much about light, and Terry embraced it and took it to new heights. Chivo often credits Terry for teaching him so much about light. You also shot Days of Heaven in Alberta, right? Yeah, we shot it in 1976, in southern Alberta, near Lethbridge. I went through Lethbridge for The Revenant as well, because I remembered at that time there was some big open prairie. There was a park there, a big wild park. We went there. But then we worked up to the mountains, going north toward Canmore. I couldnt even begin to think about sets and Indian villages and campsites until I knew the locations, because we had to know where we were building it. But this is my favorite type of film to do. I love working outside. The challenges to finding areas that were unspoiled in this day and age are great, and so much fun, to find. But then the scale of shooting it, because we had a crew of about 200 people. You could find a perfect location, but by the time everybodys come and had their coffee you have to clean it up so it looks untouched. Alejandro likes to work in continuity thats the only way he says he can work. I remember telling my crew, Just enjoy it, because theyll never let anyone do a shoot like this ever again. When youre out in nature like that, how much power do you have over the location itself? We often would go into locations its the same thing I do on any film and minimize and simplify it. If theres a confusing item, we get rid of it. The other thing I did was we painted most of the trees in the film with a dark wash of water that we could clean off later. It separated the actors a little bit because it darkened the trees behind them. Our painting crew got used to going into every location and darkening the immediate environment. We also had a great greens crew. Tommy Armanca, who was from Canada, could move fifty-foot trees with a certain ease. The crew was so good that they would bring the trees in and bury them in the snow and then freeze them in place on steel pins. Once Alejandro found that out, he was having us move everything. Sometimes a location might be lacking a place for Glass to hide, or for Tom Hardys character to hide. Alejandro would say, Lets put a forest up here! It seems crazy to be working on that scale, but we would be moving fifty-foot trees all over the place. Weve heard a lot about how difficult The Revenant shoot was. Every location has a challenge. We kept busy. It was definitely the most tired Ive ever been. But Alejandro was always fun to work with, because hes so passionate. Hes like a wrestler. He really gets in there. Id watch him from behind a monitor during the fight scene, and he would be personally taking every blow and grunting and emoting with the scene as it played out. And Chivo, Ive never seen him as exhausted as he was at the end of this film, from just the physicality of it. He and Alejandros collaboration was so tight the camera was such an important part of the immersion into the lives of these trappers. Chivo had to be on the camera almost every moment. I never saw him rest. I dont think any of us rested, but he had more responsibility than anybody else. How important is research and authenticity to you? Its very important, particularly on a film like The Revenant. I like to build environments that sort of transport you to a different place. I read all the Lewis and Clark journals a few years ago when I was working on a Lewis and Clark project that was never done, so I had some idea of the time period. But then Id look at these paintings by people like Karl Bodmer, who had painted the Indians and the trappers of the 1830s, and I started reading journals of trappers like Osborne Russell, a wonderful writer who was also a trapper. Another one called Forty Years a Fur Trader on the Upper Missouri, by a clerk at one of the forts. There are a lot of short stories and things written in the period. Criticism, too: For example, painters of the time painted the Indian mud homes very round and organized, and I read in a journal of the same period criticizing these paintings saying they were too round, not misshapen and awkward. If I had just looked at the paintings, I wouldnt have had the full picture. Criticism of the paintings from the 1830s told me more about the houses than just the paintings did. Ive worked with [costume designer] Jacqui West on eight films now, shes just so passionate about the Indian culture, especially of that period. We always share research on movies, but on this one if I found something of interest Id zip it over to her or vice versa. We were often buying skins or furs from the same sources. I worked with Hamish Purdy, a Canadian set decorator, whom I met through Jim Erickson, whom Id worked with on Tree of Life and The New World. He was just great. We had to build everything from that period. Because either it doesnt exist or the props arent up to our standard. Or sometimes wed buy props from recreators and age the heck out of them. The challenge was to create a world for each of the trappers. And so much of the world to them was just things they could carry with them. They were almost like portable sets. Wed create an environment and build up a campsite from what was available in the immediate area. Everybody got hatchets early on all the set-dressing crew got hatchets and knives. There are some similarities between The Revenant and some of Malicks films but I feel like Inarritus and Malicks visions of nature are very different. I think Alejandro perceives nature as being against you, and Terrence sees nature as being with you. Its a different approach. Its really about being in reality. Nature is how you perceive it. Terry is a philosopher and hes a birder, and he loves nature, and he gets out in it whenever he can. Alejandro comes from Mexico City, and it was a challenge for him. The excitement for him was doing a manly film about survival in nature, so its a very different approach than what Terry has. But its interesting that they use the same cinematographer and some of the same techniques. Theres quite a difference in their work. Youve obviously worked with some living legends. Is there one director from history you wish you could have worked with? Im not actually a big film buff, so Im kind of an anomaly in this business. I dont look to old films, or use them as research or anything like that. But I was really touched by the films that John Box designed, in particular Lawrence of Arabia. Box worked a lot with David Lean, who was a director of scale and scope, so that was a collaboration that was very special. When I saw Lawrence of Arabia, that got me excited about working on films just the scale and the beauty of it. Youre just transported into another world. Im not as familiar with the Russian directors, but after seeing Andrei Rublev I got excited by some of their visions. Among modern directors, Ridley Scott is a great director but sort of inconsistent some of his films I love and some of them dont work. But I love that he experiments and is not scared to tackle anything. Look at these cuties. Photo: Adam Taylor/ABC One of Chris Rocks most controversial jokes from Oscars night wasnt about systemic racism in Hollywood; ironically enough, it was a crack against Asian people. In a bit similar to the one he did the first time he hosted the Oscars, Rock brought out three Asian kids as the dedicated, accurate, and hard-working accountants Ming Zhu, Bao Ling, and David Moskowitz of PricewaterhouseCoopers. Then, he joked, If anybody is upset about this joke, just tweet about it on your phone, which was also made by these kids. In an interview with Public Radio International, one of the kids, eight-year-old Estie Kung, and her mother, Laura, said that they didnt know what the joke was until the rehearsal after they had already signed a contract: In this case, it wasnt until the rehearsals, after Estie got her tux fitted and was already looking forward to the opportunity to be on the Oscars, that her parents heard the entirety of the joke for the first time. But they had already signed the contract and had to confront the very likely possibility that their daughter would be part of a racist joke that would cause an uproar. After talking to Estie, they ultimately decided to take the optimistic point of view, believing that an inappropriate Asian joke that might provoke a difficult public conversation may be preferable if the status-quo alternative was to have no Asian presence at all. So, they braced themselves. Originally at the audition, Laura Kung says that they were told the joke would be similar to the first time Chris Rock hosted the Oscars, when he brought out three very tall black men onto the stage as the representatives of PricewaterhouseCoopers, which counts the Oscar ballots. I did wonder, Why all Asians? says Laura Kung. But I assumed there was a bigger picture, a more complex joke given all the emphasis placed on diversity at the Oscars this year. Its hard seeing pictures of your daughters very serious face on stage associated with all of this, says Laura Kung. Its definitely been a damper to all the joy she felt just being there. Bowe Bergdahl. Episode nine begins with the prisoner swap that brings Bowe Bergdahl home or back to America, at least. On May 31, 2014, five Taliban prisoners being held in Guantanamo were exchanged for Bergdahl. In a mixture of his recollections and Koenigs depictions, were given a brief flash of the moment that Bergdahl boards the helicopter with his Special Forces rescuers and begins his journey home. Were told that it was like crossing an abyss. Thats also a great way to describe the jump from the last two episodes to this one. Episodes seven and eight were intimate explorations of Bowe Bergdahls psyche, sympathetic dissections of Bergdahls idiosyncrasies. They made me emotional, and based on the responses to my recap, I wasnt the only one who felt that way. Episode nine, however, is a complete reversal, probably the only direction to go after such lengthy and occasionally claustrophobic time spent in Bergdahls head. In this episode, Koenigs stage is repopulated with the voices of government technocrats, journalists, and diplomats. In other words, people whose relationship with Bergdahl was mitigated through the lens of professional roles they played. They werent his friends or loved ones. As far as I could tell, none of them had ever met Bergdahl. Instead, this is the zoom-out story of the diplomatic machinations that ended with the prisoner trade (suggestively dubbed mutual release in official channels) used to get Bergdahl back to America. In the service of asking larger, more abstract questions, Bergdahl is once again relegated to a line item on a list of confidence-building measures. The big question in this episode is why that trade? How did it come to be, and why did both parties agree to it? The trade itself was probably the most controversial aspect of Bowe Bergdahls capture, and not only for the American right, who lamented what they considered Obamas raw deal. Koenig quotes people in Afghanistan wondering why the Americans would trade five big Taliban leaders for an insignificant single soldier. Surely, there had to be something larger at play here. And there was! Like the Talking Heads sang, the Bergdahl trade was just a wheel inside a wheel. In Umberto Ecos The Island of the Day Before, the Parisian aristocrat Saint-Savin tells young Italian nobleman Roberto della Griva that stories must begin with misconceptions, mistakes, or mischaracterizations. From the base of that original mistake spins out a series of episodic misconceptions that hopefully lead the reader to some kind of sense of recognition. It works with creating any narrative structure, not just fiction, and in this case the fundamental mischaracterization was the relationship between Americas military and its diplomatic corps. The military in Afghanistan thought of the State Department as its handmaiden, and not the other way around. The problem with this should be obvious: The military is a hammer that sees everything as a nail. Its solutions are all necessarily military solutions. Which is fine. But the goal of the war in Afghanistan wasnt to continuously be at war in Afghanistan; it was the larger and more fragile quest (however quixotic) to bring an Al Qaedafree stability to the country under the aegis of a unified central government. And with this fundamental misconception, the scene is set and the wheels spin into motion. Enter Richard Holbrooke, the tragic hero of episode nine. A diplomat whose reputation was composed equally of professional brilliance and personal cantankerousness, Holbrooke once allegedly followed Hillary Clinton into a womens bathroom in Pakistan in order to finish making his point. He was obstinate and rubbed a lot of people the wrong way, including President Obama, but he was skilled and dedicated and so Clinton hired him to help end the war in Afghanistan. Holbrooke identified the problem of balance between the military and diplomatic methods right away. Richard didnt think that there was a military solution to the war in Afghanistan, his widow told Koenig. At the time he was head diplomat in Afghanistan; he was one of the few, if not only, people in the United States government lobbying for a political solution to end the war. The imbalance between the sway the military held in national policy, the way the Pentagon took precedence in goal-forming discussions, bothered Holbrooke to no end. As did General Petraeus, then in command of troops in Afghanistan, insisting that the way to go was to double down on fighting the Taliban. Holbrooke was bothered by the bullet-head attitude for obvious reasons, but also for one important one that was secret at the time: The Taliban wanted peace talks. In 2010, a Taliban representative code-named A-Rod (sigh, of course A-Rod) sought to initiate a series of secret peace talks with the Americans in a German-run safe house outside of Munich. In the beginning, the talks were promising. American representatives tried to keep an open mind, making very few hard-line demands of the Taliban. Instead, and this is probably a common tool used in talks like these, although Koenig doesnt say, the Taliban and Americans agreed to a series of confidence-building measures to cultivate trust between the two parties. One of those measures was the release of Bowe Bergdahl, who was to be released, along with some Taliban prisoners, as a line item to the negotiations. Everything seemed to be going well. Thumbs-up all around. Then Richard Holbrooke died, an episodic tragedy made even more problematic by the original imbalance between military and diplomatic solutions in Afghanistan. Holbrooke was a dynamo, almost single-handedly advocating for peaceful reconciliation with the Taliban, which was an unpopular and risky position in 2011. Its deeply disturbing that the only realistic path to peace in Afghanistan was contingent upon the whims and expertise of one man, but so it was, and the negotiations in Munich sputtered. The secret talks leaked to the Washington Post and Der Spiegel, and the Taliban walked away, dismayed by Americas leaky media ship and, now that the talks were public, with the new incentive to dig in their heels and prove to their people that they werent secretly selling out to the Americans. One of the new Taliban demands was the release of prisoners from Guantanamo, and it had five specific names in mind. In what might be the most revelatory part of the episode, Koenig makes the case that these five Taliban leaders we exchanged for Bergdahl all had something in common: They had all been cooperating with the Americans when they were taken prisoner, right after the initial invasion in 2001. Two of them, in fact, had been made to say on-camera, before their imprisonment in Guantanamo, that the fight was over and that everyone should go home. It was the only public surrender of Taliban forces during the war. Their release wouldnt just be a public-relations coup for the Taliban; it would also be a victory for their understanding of justice, as Koenig puts it. This incident and the circumstances surrounding their initial capture confirm a larger and troubling picture of a weakened and wary Taliban on the verge of mass surrender in 2001. At the time, President Karzai even wanted amnesty for the Taliban. Rumsfeld refused, and were still there fighting them today. In a continuing series of episodic mishaps, the larger peace deal with the Taliban disintegrates after Holbrookes death, until the only thing left of it is the prisoner swap. The episode ends with Koenig struggling to understand who came out ahead in the deal. On the one hand, the Taliban got five big-time Gitmo prisoners, a political office in Qatar, and the softening of some U.N. sanctions. On the other, she argues, Israel makes prisoner swaps for just the remains of its soldiers. But this sort of accounting is ephemeral. With troops still stationed in the country and Bergdahl still to face a court-martial, its far too early for that sort of reckoning. In letters to subordinates, Osama denounced almost every aspect of the Islamic State playbook but the admonishments were issued several years before al-Qaeda's affiliate in Iraq severed ties and rebranded itself as the Islamic State. (Photo: AP) Washington: Osama bin Laden warned al-Qaeda affiliates against prematurely declaring an Islamic caliphate and cautioned his fighters against excessive display of brutality, according to newly declassified files seized from his Abbottabad hideout. In letters to subordinates, Osama denounced almost every aspect of the Islamic State playbook but the admonishments were issued several years before al-Qaeda's affiliate in Iraq severed ties and rebranded itself as the Islamic State. Read: Osama bin Laden was worth $29 million, frightened of drones, spies Osama bin Laden wanted much of his fortune used 'on jihad' But the documents released Tuesday show the extent to which the ideological dispute behind that rupture was becoming intractable even before the slain al-Qaeda leader's demise. In one undated letter to Nasir al-Wuhayshi, who led the al-Qaeda branch in Yemen before he was killed in a US drone strike, Osama warned against taking over the capital city to quickly establish a new Islamic state. "We want Sana'a to establish an Islamic State, but first, we want to make sure that we have the capability to gain control of it," Osama wrote. Read: Osama micromanaged al-Qaeda while hiding in Pakistan: documents Osama Bin Laden called for Americans to rise up over climate change Osama struggled to keep his 2 'exhausted' bodyguards in Pak "The enemy continues to possess the ability to topple any state we establish. We have to remember that the enemy toppled the Taliban and Saddam's regime," he said. Defeating the US was Osama's first priority, and he consistently pushed back against al-Qaeda members who called for hitting local targets instead. In the letter, Osama instructed al-Wuhayshi to remind "the new generation" not to pursue "separate operations rather than concentrating on the main objective." Osama, in the letters, warned against seizing more territory than would be possible to hold, against prematurely declaring the restoration of the Islamic "caliphate" and even against "publishing pictures of prisoners after they were beheaded". The origins of the disagreement between al-Qaeda and (its Iraq wing) all the guts are there," a senior US intelligence official, involved in reviewing the Osama letters and other materials that were declassified for Tuesday's release, was quoted as saying by the Washington Post. Osama was essentially warning subordinates that if they ursued the Islamic State model, "it will fail", the official said, adding that he and other counter-terrorism analysts are now "waiting to see if bin Laden was prescient". Although the Islamic State has experienced significant setbacks in recent months, the organisation has eclipsed al-Qaeda as the dominant brand of Islamist militancy in the years since Osama wrote those messages and has replaced the parent group as the most feared sponsor of terrorist attacks against Europe and the United States. The documents released on Tuesday were the second set of materials from the 2011 raid made public. The first came out last May. Klassy Glass Wine Bar & Bistro 723 Austin Ave. 752-1808, 630-5074 for parties and special occasions klassyglasswinebar.com and on Facebook. Hours: 11 a.m.- 10 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, 11 a.m.-midnight Fridays, 2 p.m-midnight Saturdays. Price: $-$$ (see guide below) Alcohol: Wine and beer by the glass and bottle. On the menu: Bistro fare with sandwiches, salads, soups, appetizers and desserts. Full menu served throughout the day. Off-menu lunch specials on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Good to know: Discounted prices on wine and beer by the glass and bottle during Happy Hour, 4-7 p.m. weekdays. Live music on Friday nights. The Red Goose names of several menu offerings refer to the wine bars location in what was once the Lewis Shoe Store, which sold Red Goose Shoes. Restaurant origin: New owners Carrie and J.P. Johnson reopened the Klassy Glass on Feb. 8. Texas State Technical College Culinary Arts Connection Greta W. Watson Culinary Arts Center, Campus Drive and Eighth Street 254-867-4868 Hours: 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays through April 24 Price: $ (see guide below) Takeout: Yes Credit cards: Yes Good to know: Will accept reservations for parties of six or more. Patrons who wish to dine in should arrive between 11 and 11:30 a.m. to get seating. Customers can order a meal to go at the counter. Dining schedule: Friday American Contemporary March 16 and 18 Pacific Rim March 23 and 25 Italian March 30 and April 1 Southern April 6 and 8 English April 13 and 15 Texas April 22 Live action buffet In-N-Out Burger 801 S. Fourth St. 800-786-1000 752-1185 Hours: 10:30 a.m.- 1 a.m. Sundays-Thursdays, 10:30 a.m.-1:30 a.m. Fridays-Saturdays, Price: $ (see guide below) Takeout: Yes On the menu: Burger basics: hamburgers and cheeseburgers with a multiple patty option, french fries, milk shakes. Good to know: Customers can order off a secret menu and get such variations as double meat, 3 X 3 and 4 X 4 (two- , three- and four-patty burgers), animal style (In-N-Out sauce and grilled onions) and protein style (no bun). Restaurant origin: Started in 1948 in California by drive-through pioneers Harry and Esther Snyder, who were among the first restauranteurs to develop the drive-through. Barnetts Public House 420 Franklin Avenue 254-714-1356 On Facebook, and at barnettspublichouse.com Hours: Closed Mondays; 4-11 p.m. Tuesdays-Wednesdays; 4 p.m.-midnight Thursdays; 4 p.m.-1 a.m. Fridays; 10 a.m.-1 a.m. Saturdays; and 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. Sundays. Price: $ (see guide below) Takeout: Yes Alcohol: Yes, full bar On the menu: The restaurant recently revamped its menu, with only a few items carried over from the previous menu. New menu items include The Cajun, The Italian Stallion, The Greek and Bahn Mi, all featuring gourmet sausages served with flat bread or a baguette. Other new items include Andouille sausage or shrimp with jalapeno grits, homemade boudin and beans, bratwurst and The Blue Collar Dog, a black Angus beef hot dog. Desserts include salted caramel cheese cake, bread pudding and a smore kit. Good to know: Offers free Wi-Fi and daily drink specials. Restaurant origin: Barnetts opened in the spring of 2010 before closing its doors Dec. 31, 2014. Under new ownership, the pub reopened in February 2015. Tandoori Trailer Waco Chowtown food truck court (University Parks Drive at Franklin Avenue.) 254-495-6466 On Facebook, Twitter and at tandooritrailer.com Hours: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays and 5-7 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays. Hours may vary due to weather; dinner hours longer in spring and summer. Closed Dec. 31-Jan. 3. Price: $ Takeout: Yes. Curbside service and phone app allowing ordering available after mid-January. Alcohol: No On the menu: Tandoori chicken (roasted in a tandoor, an Indian clay oven), chicken curry, paneer makhani (cubes of paneer cheese in a spiced tomato and cream sauce), chole (chickpeas), naan (baked flatbread), samosas (deep-fried pastry with savory fillings), basmati rice. Good to know: Garlic naan is a customer favorite. All dishes are made fresh daily. Restaurant origin: Co-owner Johnny Bhojwani came to work in Baylor Universitys admissions office in 2011 only to discover the nearest Indian restaurant was in Killeen. Houston resident Naresh Thadani was looking for a business in which to invest and Bhojwani suggested creating an Indian cuisine food truck. Freddys Frozen Custard and Steakburgers 817 S. Jack Kultgen Freeway 254-301-7330 On Facebook and at Hours: 10:30 a.m.- 10 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays. 10:30 a.m.-11 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays. Drive-through open 10:30 a.m.-11 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays, 10:30 a.m.-midnight Fridays-Saturday. Price: $-$$ Alcohol: No On the menu: Steakburgers, hot dogs, chicken breast sandwiches, veggie burgers, french fries, cheese fries, frozen custard sundaes and milkshakes. Good to know: Most popular order is the No. 1 combo, a double cheeseburger with fries and drink. Steakburgers made fresh daily and vegetable sides cut fresh daily. Freddys Fry Sauce also sold separately. Restaurant origin: World War II veteran Freddy Simon started the original Freddys in 1950s in Wichita, Kansas. Zoes Kitchen 1810 S. Valley Mills Drive 254-714-1361 On Facebook Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Price: $-$$ Takeout: Yes. Catering also available. Alcohol: Beer and wine On the menu: Mediterranean cuisine, hummus, salads, kabobs, pitas, sandwiches, rollups, soups and desserts. Good to know: Signature dishes include chicken kabobs, quinoa salad, steak rollups and hummus. Grilling is the predominant method of cooking no fryers or microwaves used and a variety of gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options are available. Restaurant origin: Zoe and Marcus Cassimus founded the restaurant in 1995 in Homewood, Alabama. The Waco restaurant, the chains 163rd location, opened Oct. 27. The Backyard 511 S. Eighth St. 254-235-1151 On Facebook Hours: 11 a.m. to midnight Sundays-Wednesdays, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Thursdays-Saturdays. Price: $-$$ Takeout: Yes Alcohol: Yes, full bar Smoking: The Backyards patio area has smoking zones that comply with the citys new smoking ordinance. On the menu: Burgers, barbecue, sandwiches, tacos. Good to know: Hamburger baskets and chicken-fried steak are popular with the lunchtime crowd while many viewers of The Backyards 40-foot television screen and outdoor stage are fans of the specialty appetizer Texas cheese steak balls, breaded and deep fried balls of chopped, seasoned brisket, cheese and jalepeno bits. Restaurant origin: Calvin Gossett, owner of The Patio on Main in Temple, wanted to expand into the Waco market and got the opportunity with the kitchen and meat-smoking operation of The Backyard. Guide: $ main dishes less than $10; $$ $10 to $20; $$$ more than $20. The president and CEO of Baylor Scott & White Health will transition to a new role next year. Joel T. Allison will be senior adviser to the chairman of the companys board of trustees starting Feb. 1, 2017, on his 69th birthday. Ive been blessed. I was called into this career that I love. So while Ive spent the past 40-plus years working in health care, I feel I havent worked a day in my life, Allison said in a press release. Now, Im looking forward to the next phase, one in which Ill still remain engaged in an advisory role to the chairman, while enjoying more time with my wife and six grandchildren. The Baylor Scott & White Holdings board of trustees will conduct a national search for a CEO. Allison began working at Baylor Health Care System in 1993 as senior executive vice president and chief operating officer in 1993 and was promoted to president and CEO in 2000. After the 2013 merger of Baylor and Scott & White Healthcare, he became CEO of Baylor Scott & White Health. Jim L. Turner, chairman of the Baylor Scott & White Holdings board of trustees, credited Allison for the recent growth. It is in large part because of his personal integrity, character and work ethic that this organization has grown through many strong partnerships, including one of the largest health care mergers in U.S. history, yet it never sacrificed its culture or values, Turner said. Allison has been a Baylor University regent since June 1, 2012, and Turner held the same role from 2000-09, including one year as chairman. After the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, Allison created Baylor Healths Faith in Action Initiatives, which developed into various programs. The initiatives have resulted in mission trips, disaster relief and supplies going to people in need. A Crawford woman suspected of drunken driving was indicted Wednesday in an August single-vehicle accident in which a Waco man was killed. A McLennan County grand jury indicted Kristi Marie Lewis, 28, on a second-degree felony intoxication manslaughter charge. Lewis was injured and a passenger in the 2004 Honda Civic she was driving, Joshua Timothy Lalonde, was killed about 2:30 a.m. Aug. 28 on Farm-to-Market Road 185 near Shiloh Church Road. According to Department of Public Safety investigators, Lewis was driving west on F.M. 185 when she lost control on a curve and hit a sign before crashing into a tree. Lalonde, 28, of Waco, died at the scene, officials said. Lewis medical records showed she had a blood-alcohol level of 0.19 percent, according to records filed in the case. A blood-alcohol content of 0.08 is considered legally intoxicated. If convicted, Lewis faces up to 20 years in prison. An Army Special Forces veteran who claims he slashed two men with a knife in self-defense was convicted Wednesday on two counts of aggravated assault. A 54th State District Court jury deliberated 4 1/2 hours before rejecting Michael Alan Hodges claims that he feared for his safety when he cut Mark Cashaw and Anthony Scott outside his Lacy Lakeview apartment in 2013. The punishment phase of the trial will resume Thursday morning. Hodges, 63, was indicted as a habitual criminal because of prior convictions in Oklahoma for aggravated assault, attempted murder and domestic violence and battery. Because of the habitual criminal designation, Hodges faces a minimum of 25 years in prison and up to life. In punishment phase testimony, Larry Goldfine, a friend of Hodges, testified that Hodges punched him in the face because Hodges thought Goldfine insulted him. That misdemeanor assault case against Hodges is pending. Hodges, Scott and Cashaw told dramatically different versions of the events on the evening of Aug. 26, 2013, outside the Northgate Apartments, possibly making it more difficult for jurors to decide exactly what happened. Jurors sent a note to Judge Matt Johnson after deliberating less than three hours that they could not reach a verdict. The judge instructed them to continue. Hodges told a Lacy Lakeview policeman he was attacked by Scott and Cashaw after he had a heated exchange with Scott two nights before. Hodges did not tell the officer that either man was armed, and the officer arrested him that night, saying his self-defense claim was not valid. In testimony Tuesday, Hodges said he was approached by four or five men while sitting on the tailgate of his truck outside his apartment and told jurors that he saw the silhouette of a knife in Scotts hand. He said he didnt like the way Scott was treating a child at a party in the parking lot of the complex two nights before and told him he hoped he would be around to testify against him in a child abuse case. Hodges said Scott walked aggressively toward him singing rap lyrics and asked him if there was a problem. Scott and Cashaw testified that two days later they were returning from a store, where Scott bought lottery tickets and beer, when they saw Hodges near his truck as they cut through the apartment complex parking lot on the way back home. Cashaw, 57, said Scott and Hodges started arguing, and Scott approached Hodges truck. They continued to argue and Hodges pulled a knife, Cashaw said. They were arguing face to face like two pit bull dogs, he said. Cashaw said he moved in to break it up, and Hodges slashed him across the back of the neck behind his right ear when he stepped between the men. Cashaw said he walked away and someone told him he was bleeding. He said he saw Hodges lunging at Scott with the knife, cutting Scott multiple times on the neck, chest, fingers and chin. Scott, 54, said he asked Hodges as they were returning from the store why Hodges yelled and confronted him each time he passed by. Scott said he walked over and asked Hodges if he had a problem with him. At that point, Scott said Hodges punched him in the left temple from behind. Scott said the cuts to his hands were defensive wounds as he put up his hands and tried to back away while Hodges continued swinging the knife. He said Cashaw was talking to some women in the parking lot and he yelled that he was being attacked. Scott said Cashaw came over, and Hodges sliced his neck from behind. Hodges told the jury he was minding his own business, drinking coffee on the tailgate of his truck, when four or five men approached him in a threatening manner, with one brandishing a knife. Scott approached him while Cashaw moved closer and the other two men stayed back, he said. He exchanged words with Scott and pulled his knife because he feared for his safety, Hodges said. He said he only cut Scott when he lunged at him seven times. He said he sensed Cashaw approaching from the rear, so he repositioned the knife in his hand, spun around to his right and caught Cashaw in the back of the neck with a slicing motion. In closing statements, prosecutors Brandon Luce and Ryan Bownds said Hodges actions did not justify his self-defense claims so he had to embellish his story to add two or three more men and to say Scott also had a knife. A misunderstanding with this defendant leads to violence, Bownds said. He doesnt understand what a reasonable person would do under normal circumstances, which is why he is so dangerous. About 600 McLennan County voters likely received the wrong ballot Tuesday, sending county officials scrambling to review the extent of the calamity. While county leaders say human error led to the flaws that prevented some from voting in the Precinct 1 and Precinct 3 county commissioner races, in the same breath they say what is done is done, and election results stand. Its complex, County Judge Scott Felton said. The Precinct 1 race was decided by a margin of 29 votes, and the Precinct 3 race was decided by a margin of 821 votes. The incorrect ballots were issued at First Assembly of God Church on Bosque Boulevard, and county staff is reviewing everything to determine the exact number of mishandled ballots and whether there were issues at any other polling locations, Felton said. The voting process was off its mark to some extent, Felton said. Its up to, I guess, those who got elected or didnt get elected, if they choose to protest the vote, Felton said. He said it appears about 600 voters received ballots that did not include the county commissioner race for their precinct. The problem was limited to Republican ballots that should have included one of the two commissioner races but did not, Felton said. Elections Administrator Kathy Van Wolfe said two residents called her Tuesday about receiving the wrong ballot. If the voter had reported the issue while in the voting booth, the ballot could have been changed, Van Wolfe said. But both callers waited until they had gone home before calling. I cant legally give them another ballot once they vote, she said. Joint primary problem Van Wolfe said the county purchased new voting equipment 10 years ago from Hart InterCivic, of Austin. The company installed the equipment, intended to allow election officials to automate the general elections process by scanning a bar code that would automatically pull up the correct ballot for a voter, she said. But the system and software were not designed to be automated for a joint primary election, Van Wolfe said, adding she didnt find out about that until the last minute. Before the county used vote centers, residents voted in their specific precincts, meaning only one ballot was available per precinct. This was the first joint primary election with vote centers since purchasing the equipment, she said. Van Wolfe said there were six possible Republican ballots based on the different districts and races. She said she learned from another vendor that the countys machines would not be automated on Election Day. Once she discovered the machines were not set up for Tuesdays election, Van Wolfe said she contacted the countys vendor, who agreed to send site support to each voting center. It was one of their site support people that went to First Assembly and didnt notice they were doing it wrong, she said. Van Wolfe said she wasnt aware there was a problem Tuesday until a resident called her, which was when she sent staff to the location to address the issue. She said people asked for their votes to be canceled so they could vote on the right ballot, but it is a private ballot and therefore not possible. It is what it is. The voters voted the ballot they got. I cant redo it and I cant take it back and Im sorry that it happened, she said. The Tribune-Herald was not able to reach Hart InterCivic before its offices closed Wednesday. Ellen Derrick was one of the two to call Van Wolfe after realizing her ballot didnt include the option to vote in the Precinct 3 race. Derrick said she voted about 9:30 a.m. Tuesday at First Assembly of God. Derrick said she thought it was odd that her options included Rep. Kyle Kacal, R-Bryan, because she didnt think she was in his district. After deciding she must have missed redistricting news, she voted and went to work. Five hours later, she said, her husband, John, called and asked if shed voted in the Precinct 3 commissioner race. Derrick said the couple each realized the race hadnt been included on their ballot. She said she then called and asked Van Wolfe if there was anything that could be done, only to discover there wasnt. Ive never been disenfranchised before, but Im not happy about it, Derrick said. At the end of the day (Commissioner Will Jones) still won, but at the same time the other commissioners race won by less than 30 votes. Who is to say they didnt mess up that too? Incumbent Precinct 1 McLennan County Commissioner Kelly Snell won by 29 votes. Snell edged out Cory Priest with 50.24 percent of the vote, compared to Priests 49.76 percent. Snell received 3,068 votes, and Priest received 3,039 votes. In Precinct 3, Jones, who has held the seat since 2012, received 3,890 votes, or 55.9 percent, while his opponent Ben Matus received 3,069 votes, or 44.1 percent. Jones said he wants a full explanation of what happened. Jones said the county may need to rethink using voting centers, as it seems to have caused too much confusion. Jones said too many people get in one location and too many ballots are presented. We owe the voters in McLennan County an explanation, and we need to look into that, he said. Felton said he looks forward to a recommendation from Van Wolfe to the commissioners court about how to prevent this from happening again and how to handle an even larger expected crowd come November. Turned away Nancy Magana, 23, couldnt find the words Wednesday to express what voting meant to her which is why standing in line for 45 minutes at the Waco Convention Center after leaving work Tuesday, then being told she wasnt registered was such a blow. When she told me, I felt like my world just kind of crashed, Magana said. Something hit me. I dont know what it was. I got emotional. I know its just one vote, and the person Im probably voting for might not win. But theres something right about knowing you had the opportunity to have your voice heard. Knowing that that was going to be taken away from me, it just got me. She eventually found out she was turned away in error, she said. Magana said she wasnt about to give up that easily and returned to the county Elections Office, where she remembered registering to vote. She said one of the staff members looked her up in the system and wrote down her voter identification number for her. Magana then went and waited to vote at Waco High School. After reaching the front of the line, Magana cast her vote for the first time in her life. Magana said she has only recently gotten interested in politics. Now I think its really important (to vote). People fought for us to be able to do that, she said. Despite two weeks of early voting, McLennan County residents packed the polling locations Tuesday. While no other problems are known with ballots, the high turnout made for long lines and crowed polling centers. There were 31,334 people who voted Republican and 8,387 who voted Democrat in McLennan County, representing about 30 percent of the total registered voters. Of the 39,721 people who voted, 25,120 did so on Election Day. The countys 32 polling locations averaged 785 voters each on Tuesday. The number of McLennan County polling centers for primary elections has dropped in recent years. There were about 60 polling locations for the 2004 and 2008 primaries, according to Tribune-Herald archives. Voters also were limited to voting only in their precincts during those times. Van Wolfe said all 32 vote centers were constantly busy Tuesday. The ballots were totaled by 11:30 p.m., an hour and a half after the last voters cast their ballots. The polls closed at 7 p.m., and voters had to be in line by then to cast a ballot. We do have people in certain areas of town that just like to vote on election day, she said. China Spring is one of those places, and they were the last ones in. Based on the number of people who arrived at the polls for the primaries, the county will likely need more election workers and equipment for the November election, she said. Jeb Leutwyler, outgoing McLennan County Republican Party chairman, said he mainly heard about long lines Tuesday. Those long lines were driven by higher turnout than in the past, Leutwyler said. People have gotten used to not having any lines, he said. Mary Mann, Texas Democratic Women president, said she received a few phone calls about long lines, but the elections office staff quickly handled any problems that arose. Voting centers are a great idea if people know about them, Mann said. She said she received calls from people who still didnt know that they could vote at any of the locations. Mann said she thinks the county should do more to get the word out about voting locations. Van Wolfe said people seem to like having options. The judges at each polling center did a good job of moving the lines through and handling the stress of the voters, she said. Van Wolfe, who has been with the county 19 years and before that was with Fort Bend County for five years, said the 2008 election drew a 60 percent voter turnout. Van Wolfe said she had not previously seen an election like that in McLennan County. Novembers turnout could outpace that race, she said. Other counties Bell County Elections Administrator Shawn Snyder said 30,817 people voted Republican and 9,867 people voted Democratic in Bell County, out of its 172,000 registered voters. In Bell County, which has a population of 310,325, residents vote in their precincts. Bell County uses paper ballots, and counting of votes was completed at 6 a.m. Wednesday, Snyder said. He said the county also had a few issues Tuesday, including running out of ballots at one point. Hays County Elections Administrator Joyce A. Cowan said 34,745 people voted Tuesday, out of 109,047 registered voters in the county. Of that total voter population, 21,285 were suspense voters, or residents who have had their voter certificate or other mail returned to a county office, so they may no longer reside in the county. Cowan said the county has a high number of suspense voters registered because it has a university in town, and students dont often change their addresses. She said workers finished counting the ballots about 12:30 a.m. Wednesday. In a discussion with Baylor University President Ken Starr on Wednesday evening, writer and political analyst David Brooks said educating people to show love and compassion should not be ignored. Starr praised Brooks most recent book, The Road to Character, which focuses on 10 people and their roads to virtues that are not career-based. Brooks compared resume virtues, those which lead to a career, to eulogy virtues, the things people say about you after youve died and the virtues which lead to a more fruitful life. We live in a culture that emphasizes the resume virtues in an educational system that frankly teaches people how to have a great career, Brooks said. A lot of us are clearer on how to build a career than how to build our character. The conservative writer, who has a biweekly op-ed column in the New York Times, quipped that being a conservative columnist at the Times is like being the chief rabbi in Mecca. Brooks, 54, regularly appears on PBS NewsHour and National Public Radios All Things Considered. Responding to questions about this years presidential election, Brooks said the success of Republican front-runner Donald Trump represents a gigantic, seismic change in American politics. Trump is narrowing the Republican party to less theological, less philosophical, less opportunity-oriented and more blood-and-soil, old-style European authoritarian conservatism, said Brooks, who attracted a near-capacity crowd to Baylors 2,200-seat Waco Hall. In the first GOP debate, when Trump insulted former candidates Carly Fiorina and Rand Paul, normal taboos came crashing down, he said. What he was signaling was that he wasnt only opposing the establishment for policies, but for manners, Brooks said. And he was going to crash through and provide anti-politeness. Brooks often cracked jokes that amused the audience, including saying young supporters of Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders dont know what theyre talking about, or that he would prefer to be interviewed by Fixer Upper stars Chip and Joanna Gaines rather than Starr. Supreme Court He also commented on an array of political issues, including the recent death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and the process of filling his seat. Brooks praised the compatibility of the justices, despite their differing interpretations of the law. You see genuine friendship, Brooks said. In a city thats so polarized, to see their relationships with one another and the tenderness with which they treat each other, its just nice. He went on to say that the president gets to nominate Supreme Court justices, and the Senate should treat it as any other nomination, even while political battles are being fought during an election year. Staying consistent on his theme of compassion, Brooks said the United States should allow some of the 5 million Syrian refugees fleeing war and poverty to settle here. The cornerstone of our view isnt brain science, he said. We care for the downtrodden and we care for the oppressed. Brooks said taking some in temporarily is an obligation of sympathy and compassion. Brooks was the 14th guest of Starrs On Topic speaking series, which began in 2011. Previous speakers have included former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, former U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman and, most recently, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Many celebrated pundits say the battles for the Republican and Democratic presidential nominations are done, that casino owner and reality TV star Donald Trump is a cinch as the GOP nominee and that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has a firm lock as the Democratic nominee. Everyone else is toast or close to it. Whoa, there. Granted, things dont look so good for Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio or the nominee we recommended to our readers, John Kasich. Cruz was supposed to sew up the South on Super Tuesday, sealing the deal with white evangelicals, but in the end could manage only Oklahoma and his home state of Texas. The rest of the South went for Trump. Nor do things look rosy for Democratic outlier Bernie Sanders. But several more shoes have yet to drop before anything can be declared definitively. For instance, if U.S. Sen. Rubio can do as Cruz did and decisively win his home state of Florida, and if Ohio Gov. John Kasich does the same in his state, both on March 15, they can claim significant wins in delegate counts. And as weve mentioned before, all this now gets down to basic math. Unlike Texas, Ohio and Florida are winner-take-all states. By rules crafted by Republicans, all states holding GOP primary elections before March 15 must dole out delegates proportionately based on candidates votes. Thats why despite Sen. Cruzs victories on Tuesday, he must share Texas delegates with Trump. But states voting after March 14 are allowed to give all delegates to the candidate with the most votes and Rubio and Kasich might have better odds in those states. While Clinton seems to have a clear path to the Democratic nomination, especially with a wealth of super delegates already committed to her, the appearance of the convention being in the bag for Clinton makes it more important that she win decisively in state primary elections, not among the party elite. And so what is one to make of, say, resolutely conservative Oklahoma going for Sanders? Or Minnesota, which is strong Democratic turf? Yet other states could complicate matters for both parties, including California, Illinois and New York, which favor more progressive candidates. And while none of the non-Trump Republican candidates alone can garner enough delegates to win 1,237 collectively they might be able to force a brokered convention where almost anything can happen after most delegates are freed of their binding obligation following the first ballot. Super Tuesday made it far more likely that Trump and Clinton will be the final nominees in November. But anyone who claims the race is over neglects the twists and turns of the nominating process, as McLennan Community College government professor Andria Ramon reminded her students at an Election Night pizza party. (She said it was a uniquely American phenomenon.) In short, hold on not all of the fat ladies have sung yet. Washington: Pakistan foreign affairs advisor Sartaj Aziz discussed the Afghan reconciliation process and positive developments in the Indo-Pak relationship with US national security advisor Susan Rice here on Wednesday. A statement issued by the Pakistani Embassy said that Rice acknowledged the sacrifices made by the Pakistan military in operations against terrorist elements, and the consequent softening of the countrys relations with India. Aziz, foreign policy advisor to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, reiterated the importance of the reconciliation process in Afghanistan and assured Rice that Islamabad would provide the necessary support for a Kabul-led initiative in this regard. He also stated that improved management of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border was key to rooting out terrorism from the region, the statement said. The two leaders reviewed the current state of Pak-US bilateral relations, and expressed confidence that the strategic partnership between the two countries would be further strengthened in various areas. Stating that high-level engagements between the two countries should continue, Rice said she is looking forward to Sharifs visit to Washington at the end of March for the Nuclear Security Summit. LINCOLN Laura Capp of Ashland is among the five new members recently elected to the Nebraska Humanities Nebraska Council board of directors at its Jan. 16 board meeting. The Nebraska Humanities Council board elected three new members. Capp holds a Ph.D. in English and a masters of fine arts in Book Arts from the University of Iowa. She recently opened Postscript and Pentameter Press Studio, in Ashland where she sells hand-crafted products by independent printers, lettering artists and bookbinders and offers classes in bookbinding and calligraphy. Capp also produces a Poetry by Post subscription series and is a founder and co-president of the Letter Arts Alliance of Nebraska. MH-370, which disappeared two years ago with 239 people aboard while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, is the only known missing 777. (Photo: AFP) Kuala Lumpur: Debris that washed up in Mozambique has been tentatively identified as a part from the same type of aircraft as the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, a US official said Wednesday. Photos of the debris discovered over the weekend appear to show the fixed leading edge of the right-hand tail section of a Boeing 777, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasnt authorized to speak publicly. MH-370, which disappeared two years ago with 239 people aboard while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, is the only known missing 777. Its disappearance has led to the largest and most expensive search in aviation history. Read: MH370 families issue emotional plea for open-ended search People who have handled the part, called a horizontal stabilizer, say it appears to be made of fiberglass composite on the outside, with aluminum honeycombing on the inside, the official said. The part is being transported to Malaysia. Mozambiques National Director of Civil Aviation Joao Abreu dismissed the report, saying authorities have found no part of the missing plane. But Malaysian transport minister Liow Tiong Lai tweeted about the discovery. Also read: Mozambique debris to be sent to Australia for MH370 analysis Based on early reports, high possibility debris found in Mozambique belongs to a B777, Liow said in a series of tweets. It is yet to be confirmed & verified. @dca_malaysia working w Australian counterparts to retrieve the debris. Australia has led the multinational search effort, which also includes the Malaysian and Chinese governments. Radar data show MH-370 turned sharply around as it approached Vietnamese airspace and then flew back across the Malay Peninsula until contact was lost off the coast of Thailand. Authorities who scrutinized data exchanged between the planes engine and a satellite determined that the jetliner continued on a straight path across the Indian Ocean, leading them to believe that the plane flew on autopilot for hours before running out of fuel and crashing into the water. Despite an exhaustive search of the ocean west of Australia, where the plane is believed to have crashed, the only confirmed trace of the aircraft has been a wing part known as flaperon that washed ashore last July on the French island of Reunion off the east coast of Africa about 2,300 miles (3,700 kilometers) from the current search area. Nothing of the passengers, their luggage or even things designed to float, such as life jackets, has been discovered. Authorities have long predicted that any debris from the plane that isnt on the ocean floor would eventually be carried by currents to the east coast of Africa. With authorities unable to find the plane and its black box flight data and cockpit voice recorders, investigators are no closer than they were two years ago to discovering the cause of MH370s disappearance. There are many theories, including that a rogue pilot deliberately caused the $250 million jet to vanish, but little hard evidence. With the search tentatively scheduled to wrap up later this year, MH370 may become one of aviations great unsolved mysteries. In the aftermath of the planes disappearance, the airline industry and aviation authorities around the world pledged to find ways to better track airliners, especially over expanses of ocean where theres no radar coverage. The International Civil Aviation Organization, a UN aviation-standards agency, has adopted a requirement that all airliners report their positions about every 15 minutes over open ocean. The standard goes into effect in November 2018. Currently, pilots flying planes over open ocean report their positions about every 30 minutes. In the most remote areas, even that is not possible. Complicating the search for MH-370, the planes black box data recorder was equipped with an underwater locator beacon whose battery is designed to last only 30 days. ICAO had adopted a new standard before the accident requiring the beacons to last at least 90 days, but the standard doesnt go into effect until 2018. Melbourne: In a hate-fuelled attack, a 13-year-old Sikh school boy in Australia, travelling in a bus here, was assaulted, mocked and threatened with being stabbed for wearing a turban. Harjeet Singh, was riding the bus home, when two males and a female ringleader -- all believed to be in their late teens assaulted and mocked him. Harjeet was also allegedly threatened with being stabbed and had his turban pulled in the hate-fuelled attack aboard a suburban bus, the Herald Sun reported. They demanded to know why Harjeet was wearing a "towel" on his head and twice tried to remove his turban despite the terrified boy trying to get away. It is alleged that one of the males was also involved and the boy was sworn at. Harjeet's mother Rajinder Kaur Gill told the daily, "My son was so scared and he was crying. It's a horrible thing. I'm just scared if it's safe for him on the bus." "We are worried it's not just my son -- we are worried it will be other people as well. It should not happen to anyone," she said of the incident that took place on February 23. The two males and the female are being sought by police. Harjeet, who attends Doncaster Secondary College here, was sitting in the middle row of the bus when the offenders approached from the back seat. The ordeal lasted until Eltham when Harjeet got off the bus early with schoolfriends, also in tears. One of their mothers drove Harjeet home. "I was so scared. I just froze and when my friends got off the bus I got off with them," Harjeet said. "The girl said I had a 'worthless towel' on my head," he said. "The girl pushed my son's turban with her elbow," Gill said. "My son moved from his seat to get further away from them and they followed him and sat behind him again. This time the girl pushed him hard and tried to remove his turban again. My son was scared and he asked them to stop but they laughed at him and they said there aren't that many stabbings in Eltham," she said. Victoria Police spokesman Paul Turner said police were investigating reports of an assault. "The investigation is in its infancy and it would be inappropriate to provide further comment at this time," he said. London: British Prime Minister David Cameron, French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel will discuss the ceasefire in Syria with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a conference call on Friday, Downing Street said. "Tomorrow is an opportunity for the leaders of the UK, France and Germany to come together... and make very clear to President Putin that we need this ceasefire to hold, to be a lasting one and to open the way for a real political transition," Cameron's spokeswoman told reporters today. The fragile truce that came into force last week is the first major cessation of hostilities in the five-year civil war that has claimed more than 270,000 lives. The agreement calls for the cessation of hostilities between the forces of Russian-backed President Bashar al-Assad and opposition groups, but it does not cover terrorist groups such as ISIS and Al-Nusra Front. Speaking in parliament on Wednesday, Cameron said the ceasefire was "an important step forward, imperfect as it is", as it opened the way to the prospect of political negotiations. Syria's government and rebels are due re-start peace talks on March 9 if the ceasefire holds. "Not every group is included in the ceasefire, but basically we are not seeing the attacks that were taking place on the moderate opposition, which is welcome," Cameron said. "It has also enabled us, with others, to get aid to communities that desperately need it, including through air drops and convoys. "I would not put too much optimism into the mix right now, but this is progress and we should work on it." In addition to WarbirdsNews breaking news reporting on the final flight of the Boeing 727 airliner prototype yesterday, we thought our readers might enjoy reading the Museum of Flights official press release covering the event too so here it is! Yesterday morning the Museum of Flights recently-restored Boeing 727 prototype made its first flight in 25 years; the flight also marked the airplanes last flight ever. The Future of Flight at Paine Field in Everett, Wash. held a preflight ceremony while hundreds of enthusiastic fans and former 727 flight crew members awaited the planes arrival at The Museum of Flight. The plane received a heartfelt welcome at the Museum when it taxied through the Museums Boeing Field gate at 11 a.m. The final flight from Paine Field to Boeing Field lasted less than 15 minutes. Upon landing it taxied directly into the Museums parking area-through a celebratory arch of water created by water cannons on Boeing and King County firetrucks-where the engines were shut down for the last time. After the ceremonies, the plane was opened to the public, where they were able to tour for the remainder of the day as part of their admission. The 727 will also be open to the public this weekend, March 5-6, also free with admission (tours inside of the plane will only be available if it is not raining that day). The 727s brief trip from Everett to Seattle was flown under a special flight permit, with only essential flight crew onboard during the flight: pilot Tim Powell, co-pilot Mike Scott, flight engineer Ralph Pascale, and safety officer Bob Bogash. Powell, Scott and Pascale fly 727s on a regular basis; airline and corporate pilot Powell has over 10,000 hours at the controls of various 727s. Bogash is the Museums 727 project manager. 727 Open for Public Tours March 5-6 This weekend, March 5-6, the plane will be open for public tours, free with admission to the Museum. Interior tours available only if it does not rain on that day. The 727 will be on temporary display in the Museums Airpark through the summer. It will be moved for permanent display in the Aviation Pavilion in the fall. This unique jet has not been airborne since it was donated to the Museum by United Air Lines in 1991, and has been under restoration ever since by volunteer crews at the Museums Restoration Center and Reserve Collection at Paine Field, Everett, Wash. History of the Boeing 727 Prototype The Museums three-engine, Boeing 727-100, N7001U, first flew on February 9, 1963. Until the 777 in the 1990s, it was the only type of Boeing commercial jet with no dedicated prototype-the first airplane was not kept as a flight test airplane, but was delivered to the kickoff customer airline and went into regular service. It was the first of 1832 Boeing 727 Trijets built at Boeings Renton plant. The airplane was delivered to United Air Lines on Oct. 6, 1964, and remained with the company for its entire service life. During its 27-year career the Trijet accumulated 64,495 hours, made 48,060 landings, and flew an estimated three million passengers. United paid $4.4 million for the airplane, which in-turn generated revenues of more than $300 million. In 1984, the Museum of Flights Chairman of the Aircraft Acquisition Committee, Bob Bogash, approached then-United top managers Ed Carlson and Dick Ferris, and asked for the 727 upon its retirement. United agreed. On Jan 23, 1988 the airplane was present during an official Museum ceremony a few years before it was retired. On Jan. 13, 1991, the airplane-repainted in its original United colors-flew revenue trip 838 SFO SEA, and was then ferried to Boeing Field for a final acceptance ceremony at the Museum. It made one last flight-to the Museums Paine Field Restoration Center. Bogash, a Boeing Company veteran of 30 years, became the 727 restoration project manager. United removed many of the major parts on the airplane, to use as spares for its remaining fleet of 727s. The Museum was left with a significant challenge with its goal to restore the airplane to airworthy condition. After a few idle years the restoration began in earnest, and grew significantly with the donation of two more 727s for parts. On March 6, 2004, Federal Express donated a 727-100 airplane to the Museum, and in September 2005, Clay Lacey donated a 727-200. For the past 25 years, dozens of enthusiastic volunteers have helped bring the plane back to life. FedEx has been a long-time partner on the project, and recently donated the engines that will power the plane on its final flight. The expertise and equipment for the huge project has been international and from all walks of life. The Museum of Flight Founded in 1965, the independent, non-profit Museum of Flight is one of the largest air and space museums in the world, serving more than 560,000 visitors annually. The Museums collection includes more than 160 historically significant airplanes and spacecraft, from the first fighter plane (1914) to todays 787 Dreamliner. Attractions also include the original Boeing Company factory, and the worlds only full-scale NASA Space Shuttle Trainer. The Museums aviation and space library and archives are the largest on the West Coast. More than 150,000 individuals are served annually by the Museums on-site and outreach educational programs. The Museum of Flight is accredited by the American Association of Museums, and is an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution. 2016 Boeing Centennial Recognition The Museum of Flight draws upon its unrivaled collection of Boeing aircraft, artifacts, images and documents to present The Boeing Company story during the year of its centennial, 2016. The Museum-wide Boeing recognition will be enhanced with public lectures, films and other presentations that focus on Seattle and popular culture during the past century. The Museum of Flight is located at 9404 E. Marginal Way S., Seattle, Exit 158 off Interstate 5 on Boeing Field halfway between downtown Seattle and Sea-Tac Airport. The Museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $20 for adults, $17 for seniors 65 and older, $17 for active military, $12 for youth 5 to 17, and free for children under 5. Group rates are available. Admission on the first Thursday of the month is free from 5 to 9 p.m. courtesy of Wells Fargo. McCormick & Schmicks Wings Cafe is on site. For general Museum information, please call 206-764-5720 or visit www.museumofflight.org The 38 year old nanny is accused of killing a 4-year-old girl and then waving the child's severed head outside a Moscow subway station. (Photo: AP) Moscow: A woman suspected of beheading a child in her care before brandishing the severed head outside a Moscow metro station has said she acted to avenge Muslims killed in the Kremlins campaign of air strikes in Syria. In the video footage posted online on Thursday and circulated by several prominent bloggers, the woman, 38-year-old Gulchekhra Bobokulova of Muslim-majority Uzbekistan, gave her first detailed explanation of an incident which state TV channels chose not to report. Read: Burqa-clad woman walks Moscow street with butchered childs head Moscow nanny shows cops the place where she beheaded child I took revenge against those who spilled blood, Bobokulova told someone asking her questions off camera. Putin spilled blood, planes carried out bombings. Why are Muslims being killed? They also want to live. It was not clear when the video was filmed, but Bobokulova was wearing the same clothes as during a court appearance on Wednesday. The Kremlin launched its campaign of air strikes in Syria on Sept. 30 in support of President Bashar al-Assad, an intervention that altered the course of the conflict there. Also Read: Schizophrenic nanny smiles, says, 'Allah ordered childs beheading Moscow nanny who beheaded child didn't act alone A Russian passenger plane was blown out of the skies above Egypt on October 31 killing all 224 people onboard. Islamic State said it had carried out the attack in revenge for Russias Syria campaign. Police on Monday wrestled to the ground Bobokulova, who had been working as a nanny for a Moscow family, after she wandered around a Moscow street holding the infants severed head in the air and shouting Islamist slogans. The child she is suspected of murdering was a 4-year-old girl. Investigators, in what the Russian media have dubbed the case of the bloody nanny, quickly raised the possibility that Bobokulova was mentally ill. They have not made any mention of suspecting her of any terrorism-related offence. Bobokulova had recently been brainwashed by her Tajik lover, who was apparently a radical Muslim himself. (Photo: AFP) On Wednesday, she told reporters Allah had ordered her to commit the grisly crime. In the same video, she said she had wanted to relocate to Syria but had lacked the money to do so. Russias Investigative Committee was not immediately available to comment. WarbirdsNews has received the latest XP-82 Twin Mustang restoration update from Tom Reilly at his workshop in Douglas, Georgia. Heres what theyve been up to this month! Firewalls Forward (FWF) Tom Reilly says his team is progressing well with the multitude of Fire-Wall-Forward tasks. The items remaining for completion include the following: both oil feed lines (one from each oil tank), one glycol coolant return line to each firewall, one oil return line from each engine to heat exchangers and generators. Engine Cowlings Each engine has three lower Dzus cowls. Both lower forward cowls are now complete and both cowls immediately behind these are nearing completion too. All of these cowls have compound shapes requiring English-wheel forming (see photo above). All of the ram air cooling blast tubes are now formed and awaiting installation. Both engine-driven fuel pumps and the left engine hydraulic pump tubing and hoses are now complete. Interestingly, the XP-82 has only one hydraulic pump fitted, but this is not an issue as the landing gear will free-fall and positive lock down into position. Fuel Systems All six fuel tanks, 600 gallons total, are now completely installed including boost pumps, fuel shut-offs, check valves, cross-flow valves, scuppers, etc. Reilly will soon test-fill the tanks with AV gas to check each of them for leaks. With 600 gallons of internal fuel, the Merlin-powered XP-82 burns 100 gallons per hour at 300 mph cruise speed, giving it an 1800-mile range. With four 300-gallon drop tanks added, the maximum range increases to a staggering 5,000 miles. Firewall Aft Coolant System Every coolant line from both radiators and spherical header tanks running forward to each firewall is now totally installed. This was a substantial job; the same as doing two complete P-51 cooling systems. Electrical Systems Reilly estimates that his team is about a month away from completing the last few outstanding items on the electrical system. When that occurs, they will put power on the ship for the first time to check out each system. Reilly wishes to offer a huge thank you to the Concorde Battery Corporation for contributing their best, maintenance-free 24-volt battery. He notes that had one in his B-25 Mitchell and it lasted nine years! Try that with a car battery and see how far you get! Inboard Gear Doors Both inboard gear door frames are now with one of Reillys subcontract machine shops being fitted to the large aluminum press dies to form the complicated inboard door skins. Reilly wishes to offer another huge thank you to Thrush Aircraft, manufacturer of the best agricultural spray aircraft, for the heat-treat processing of hundreds of cowling and gear door parts for his restoration team. Guns/Barrels/Cooling Jackets The XP-82 project purchased six machine gun cooling jackets that thread into the forward part of each .50 caliber receiver. The six original .50 caliber barrels that the team has also screw into a separate set of threads in the receivers. Tail Wheel Assemblies The tail wheel assemblies have come a long way, but Reilly jokes that they must have been designed by Rube Goldberg as they have an amazing amount of moving parts just to retract, steer and lock. Even though the majority of the parts received from the Alaskan crash site were not affected by the impact of the accident, sadly being submerged in water for the past sixty years allowed corrosion to set in which rendered most components non-airworthy. Reilly is making good headway on the parts though, and plans on having both installed, one in each aft fuselage, within a couple of months. And thats all of the news for February, 2016! Many thanks again to Tom Reilly for the update! You can learn more about the project on their blog HERE. Please be sure to check back with WarbirdsNews in March for the next installment in the story following the XP-82s road to recovery! "I want to appeal to all potential illegal economic migrants wherever you are from: Do not come to Europe. Do not believe the smugglers. Do not risk your lives and your money. It is all for nothing," Tusk told a press conference in Athens. (Photo: AP) Athens, Greece: European Union President Donald Tusk on Thursday warned economic migrants not to come to Europe, after holding talks on the refugee crisis with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras. "I want to appeal to all potential illegal economic migrants wherever you are from: Do not come to Europe. Do not believe the smugglers. Do not risk your lives and your money. It is all for nothing," Tusk told a press conference in Athens. "Greece or any other European country will no longer be a transit country. The Schengen rules will enter into force again," he added. "Excluding Greece from Schengen is neither an end nor a means in this crisis. Greece is part of Schengen, of the euro area and of the European Union and will remain so." Tusk is in Athens as part of a regional tour on the migration crisis that has also seen him travel to Slovenia. He will meet Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu later Thursday in Ankara, where he will urge Turkey to offer more "intensive" help in reducing the flow of migrants to Europe via Greece. Tusk will then travel on to Istanbul for talks on Friday with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ahead of next week's EU summit with Turkey in Brussels, where the migrant crisis will top the agenda. Aubrey McClendon, who built a fortune in shale gas by buying up fields across the United States, was killed Wednesday when his car ran off a highway into a bridge in Oklahoma, authorities said. His death, at 56, came a day after he was indicted on federal charges of conspiring to suppress prices paid for oil and natural gas leases. McClendon, the former chief executive of Chesapeake Energy, was to appear in court later in the day. Aubrey McClendon, co-founder of Chesapeake Energy, had ridden more wild ups and downs in America's energy patch than just about anyone. Credit:AP The Oklahoma City police said the crash occurred at high speed. "He pretty much drove straight into the wall," Capt. Paco Balderrama said. The car was found engulfed in flames. Tax Commissioner Chris Jordan has called on tax advisers to ensure their multinational clients meet their tax obligations. "My message is clear if you do business in Australia, you must pay your fair share of tax on the profits you earn here," Mr Jordan said on Thursday, as part of his annual keynote address to the Tax Institute conference, which this year is taking place in Melbourne. Australian Tax Commissioner Chris Jordan. Credit:Daniel Kalisz At a Senate estimates hearing last month Mr Jordan said that multinationals that had "pushed the envelope on reasonableness" and were playing games with the ATO would be "aggressively pursued". The federal government last year boosted anti-avoidance measures, which are aimed at stopping multinational profit shifting, but tax advisers at the time had described them as "bad tax law". Tax reform is "not extinct" says the main adviser to the federal government on tax policy. Speaking to the Tax Institute conference in Melbourne, Board of Taxation chairman Michael Andrew said if changes don't take place before the federal election, they could still be on the cards for future years. Treasurer Scott Morrison has been under pressure to make clear the government's tax reform position ahead of the budget. Treasurer Scott Morrison has been under pressure to make clear the government's position ahead of the budget, but so far has downplayed any potential changes to the highly popular negative gearing tax break, which is used by millions of taxpayers in Australia each year. Mr Andrew said it was a mistake for politicians to do tax reform in an election year. It would have been better to have an independent panel look at options. Pell has no credibility as a moral leader. Pope Francis' reputation as the people's Pope champion of the poor and powerless is damaged by association if he fails to act decisively, and immediately. If not, the Catholic Church in Australia is going to bleed numbers indefinitely. The Pope's statements about child sexual abuse will be seen as nothing but more words from a church whose standing has been trashed on the issue, and shockingly so over the past three days. Cardinal George Pell has to resign. Before the week is out, and on the back of his evidence to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, the cardinal must go, and Pope Francis must be involved. Pell was appalling in the witness box. Watching him give evidence felt almost ghoulish at times, like standing across the road from a car crash. How can any thinking, feeling, responsive Christian for heaven's sake human being respond the way Pell did, when questioned about Doveton priest Peter Searson's horrifying behaviour with children? Cardinal George Pell arrives at the Quirinale hotel. Credit:Riccardo De Luca Asked about a report of Searson stabbing a bird to death with a screwdriver in front of children, Pell conceded it came to his attention but "I don't know whether the bird was already dead but at some stage I certainly was informed of this bizarre happening". Counsel assisting the royal commission, Gail Furness, picked up on the bleeding obvious did it matter if the bird was dead? Wasn't the point that a priest, supposedly one of God's representatives on earth, had stabbed a bird? In front of children? If you were in a position of authority in the diocese at that time, wouldn't you have made it your business to find out if the priest should have been responsible for anyone, let alone children? Apparently not. As Pell said about another shocking allegation involving Searson that he held a knife to a young girl and said "If you move this will go through you" there was nothing to be done once the girl's parents said they were unwilling to have police investigate, so the church did nothing. In the wake of extremist attacks in the country, Bangladesh is considering to abandon Islam as its official religion, according to a report in the Daily Mail. The supreme court will hear arguments that challenge Islam's status as an official religion. The debate comes after the deadly attacks by Islamist extremists on people belonging to other religions. Religious leaders of minority communities are leading the battle in court against Islam. Moreover, US warned that Islamic State group continues to recruit its fighters from Bangladesh. An injured man is carried on a stretcher after a terror attack which saw a publisher of secular books hacked to death in Bangladesh. (Photo: AP) Majority of Bangladeshis are Muslims and constitute nearly 90% of the country's population, while Hindus account for 8% and rest includes Buddhists and Christians. Bangladesh was declared as a separate country after its split with Pakistan in the year 1971. In 1988, the country declared Islam as a state religion. In modern Australia, our daughters and sons start their working lives on an even footing well-educated and evenly matched in their expectation of what the workforce and life has to offer. At 18, you're pretty certain the future will take care of itself. But if your daughter could fast forward 40 years, we'd all be shocked by what she sees. Despite a lifetime of working hard and caring for family, your daughter and most of her girlfriends will likely be among the 80 per cent of single women unable to afford a comfortable life in retirement. In fact, more than a third of them, if single, will retire in poverty. In other words, nothing will change in the next 40 years unless we move now to modernise our tax, pension and super systems to take the work patterns of women into account. Amid all the political froth and bubble about negative gearing there is a less shrill but equally profound housing debate happening in Victoria. What levers might the state pull to help Victorians struggling to crack the housing market? State Treasurer Tim Pallas has already told us there is "a process under way" to improve access to the housing market for first-home buyers. Melbourne house prices have been soaring at a rate far outpacing wages. Credit:Jessica Hromas What this will actually entail is a question State Treasury has been pondering in some detail as it prepares for the May 3 state budget. The latest figures suggest as few as one in six home loans in Victoria are being taken out by first-home buyers. That's a pretty dismal result when you consider about seven years ago (in May 2009) the proportion was as high as one-in-three. Identifying the cause is relatively simple. Melbourne house prices have been soaring at a rate far outpacing wages. The odds are further stacked against first-home buyers because our federal taxation system encourages incumbents to acquire multiple houses. Just days after giving a presentation on the topic "how to speak and disagree in public", I witnessed further examples of immature and dishonest debate. In the halls of Parliament recently there was a brief and unpleasant exchange between the Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and Liberal Senator Cory Bernadi. Bernadi called Shorten a "fraud", while Shorten yelled out, "At least I'm not a homophobe, mate". Caucasian family of four. Credit: iStockphoto Last week on theage.com.au, Age reporter Jill Stark presented what is now an all too common false-antithesis: either we are progressive, enlightened and support gender theory, or we are conservative, culturally regressive bigots. She wrote: "We cannot let the march of equality be held to ransom by a powerful minority of religious zealots who dress up their bigotry as concern for children." Cardinal Pell, led by his lawyer, says it was difficult to get the Archbishop to act on the paedophile priest and that auxiliary bishops such as himself were "outside the executive command". Sam Duggan now takes us to a teachers' meeting in 1989 where a teachers' union rep, Mr Palmer, was present. It is noted that one or two teachers said at the meeting they should give Father Searson "a second chance". Seoul: North Korea fired several short-range projectiles on Thursday, South Korea's defence ministry said, just hours after the UN Security Council voted unanimously to impose fresh sanctions on the isolated state for its recent nuclear test and long-range rocket launch. Defence Ministry spokesman Moon Sang Gyun said the projectiles were fired from the eastern coastal town of Wonsan, adding authorities were trying to determine what exactly North Korea fired. People watch a TV news program showing North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at Seoul Railway Station on Thursday. Credit:AP The ministry said it was trying to determine if the projectiles, launched at 10am local time from the North's east coast, were short-range missiles or artillery fire. North Korea has a history of firing weapons from its prodigious arsenal when angered at international condemnation. Islamabad: Pakistan's Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz has admitted that Islamabad has considerable influence over the Taliban because its leaders live in the country. Pakistan for years had denied that it provides safe haven to the Afghan Taliban on its soil. Neither did Pakistan ever mention that it could do anything to end the violent campaign in Afghanistan that has since 2002 killed thousands of civilians and international troops. The Dawn quoted Aziz, as saying that , "We have some influence over them because their leadership is in Pakistan and they get some medical facilities. Their families are here. We can use those levers to pressurise them to say, 'Come to the table'. But we can't negotiate on behalf of the Afghan government because we cannot offer them what the Afghan government can offer them." Aziz unusual comment was made at Washington's Council on Foreign Relations think tank on March 1. Aziz added that Islamabad pressured Afghan Taliban leaders to participate in the first-ever direct talks with the Afghan government on July 7, 2015. Aziz asserted that Islamabad had told the Taliban leaders that they have hosted them for 35 years and can't continue the services as the world was blaming them. Last week, Pakistan, Afghanistan, the United States and China had agreed on a road map to end the Afghan war through negotiations between Kabul and the Taliban. According to reports, Taliban leaders are expected to hold talks with Afghan officials in Pakistan in coming weeks. Aziz has meanwhile pressed before United States in convincing that Pakistan has abandoned its support to the militant groups. Patrick Norman Pat Chapman is a 34-year-old, Caucasian male who was last known to be in Piedmont which is near the area of Greenville, Missouri on May 10, 2020. Pat had stayed the night with a friend and his wife at their home. In the early morning when the friend woke to go to work. Pat was gone in his own Burgundy color 1995 Ford Escort. That is the last anyone was known to have seen him. The vehicle was later recovered on May 29, 2020 in Mill Spring, Missouri. Blog Hinangai While there is much discussion in Guam about the economic benefits of increasing the islands military presence, the damages/dangers that they represent are rarely mentioned. This blog, a supplement to the Peace and Justice for Guam Petition, is meant to counter that by providing information about the US military in Guam, with the hopes of steering policy away from a dangerous unilateralist course to more sustainable notions of regional development and a strengthening international solidarity. In the first two months of 2016, Brazilian Customs has seized 234 kg of drugs valued at a total of R$ 80 million (20 million USD) at Guarulhos Airport Customs in Sao Paulo. The first seizure occurred on 28 and 29 January 2016 and was followed by seizures on 3, 19, and 22 February 2016. Of particular note, on 19 February, the Guarulhos Airport Customs in Sao Paulo with the support of the Enforcement Division of Brazilian Customs and their drug detection dogs identified a suspicious cargo at the airport export warehouse. The cargo was destined for Africa and consisted of 40 cardboard boxes that were supposed to be sardine cans. However, 11 boxes were loaded with packages containing cocaine. The total drugs seized in these packages were approximately 70 kg and were turned over to the Federal Police. On 22 February 2016, another cargo with similar features and same destination was also inspected, and again drugs were found. Likewise, the cargo included cardboard boxes containing sardine cans and others containing only cocaine. Approximately 90 kg of cocaine were seized and turned over to the Federal Police. More information: http://idg.receita.fazenda.gov.br/noticias/ascom/2016/fevereiro/alfandega-de-guarulhos-apreende-mais-160-kg-de-cocaina-dentro-de-cargas-de-exportacao In the framework of the WCO WACAM project support to the customs administration of Senegal in the area of HRM, an expert mission has taken place from 14 18 February 2016. The objective of this important mission is to transfer the HRM modernization project to an internal level (all central and regional customs services). This step is part of the communication plan and helps to drive change as outlined in the work plan of the project. At this stage, the HR modernization committee, which is comprised of all central and operational Customs department representatives, has finalized all the competency based HRM tools. A presentation of the tools to the entire customs personnel is necessary in order to ensure their effective application. Therefore, information and communication sessions have been organized on the national level (including the director general and all regional directors) in which almost 150 officers representing all relevant services and ranks participated. During the session, the participants did not only show interest and a positive attitude towards the new HRM approach but also participated actively in discussions, especially concerning recommendations on funding for the HRM modernization on the level of their administrations (compensation management, performance and career management etc.). It is important to mention that this event lays the foundation for future activities which will involve the evaluation of HR planning competency needs as well as trainings at certain pilot sites in 2016 and at all customs sites in 2017. As part of the effort to promote the importance of the HR modernization in the countrys public administrations and in order to enhance the progress already accomplished in the Customs Administration of Senegal on the national level, an important conference took place which was attended by the DG, the HR director of the ministry of economy and finance, the president of the public service modernization committee as well as by all customs directors. In this meeting, it was decided that Customs will be the head of the HR modernization committee for the ministry of economy and finance and that it will adopt the customs HR modernization approach in their modernization process. Furthermore, in order for other administrations in the West and Central Africa Region to benefit from the progress and in order to guarantee a sustainable continuation of the approach, it was agreed to print all finalized versions of the competency based HRM tools (Job Catalogue, the Competency Framework, the Dictionary of Competencies and all Job Descriptions) and to share them with other members in regional meetings. For more information, please feel free to contact the WCO WACAM Project Manager, M. Richard Chopra (richard.chopra@wcoomd.org). The World Customs Organization (WCO) has made the "Technical Guidelines on Advance Rulings for Classification, Origin and Valuation" publicly available. These guidelines were developed in order to support the implementation of Article 3 (Advance rulings) of the Bali Ministerial Decision on the Agreement on Trade Facilitation (TFA) and shared only among the WCO Members. The purpose of publishing this document is to further enhance the transparency of the WCOs work in this area as well as to provide additional information to any interested party. The Technical Guidelines are available here. Brussels, 3 March 2016 The 3rd of March is wildlifes special day on the United Nations calendar, a day when society is called upon to step-up deterrence of wildlife crime. The 2016 theme is The future of wildlife is in our hands, with African and Asian elephants being the main focus of the global communication campaign. The world has been confronted by illegal wildlife trade for decades, but the scale and scope of this scourge have worsened in recent years. Increased involvement of organized criminal groups, and on some occasions, rebel militia, have changed the global landscape and its dynamics, therefore making efforts to preserve and counteract this illicit activity more difficult. On the occasion of the World Wildlife Day, the WCO encourages implementation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and relevant national legislation in order to better deter the illegal trade in wildlife. Marking this day gives the WCO the opportunity to underscore the key role played by Customs in combating cross-border wildlife crime, and to recall the need to strengthen collaboration and information sharing between the source, transit and destination countries, and through the entire global supply chain to ensure a more efficient and coordinated law enforcement response, said WCO Secretary General Kunio Mikuriya. At the international level, the WCO has continued to enhance cooperation with other intergovernmental organizations, as well as non-governmental organizations, that share its commitment to protecting the planet and its wildlife. Wildlife crime is on the agenda of the WCO Enforcement Committee which is being held this week in Brussels, with discussions focusing on the WCO project INAMA which aims to strengthen the enforcement capacity of Customs administrations in Sub-Saharan Africa, as well as International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC) activities and strategies. This alliance, consisting of the WCO, the CITES Secretariat, the World Bank, INTERPOL and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), has produced substantial concrete results, including deployment of trainings and development of technical materials, as well as global advocacy and an awareness raising campaign. In this vein, the video developed by the ICCWC on the occasion of the World Wildlife Day was presented to Enforcement Committee delegates. To support Marco Rubio, John Kasich, Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders is to support a continuance of Obama's illegal immigration tyranny which includes giving legal status and work permits to tens of millions who have invaded our borders ___ a policy which panders to the Chamber of Commerce, the Club for Growth and our Global Governance Crowd SEE: Schlafly unloads on Rubio: 'He betrayed us all' Schlafly is absolutely correct about Rubios record and how he has betrayed those who worked endlessly to get him elected. If it wasnt for the Tea Party which accepted his word to never grant amnesty to those who have invaded our borders, Marco Rubio would never have been elected as Floridas Senator. So, to gain the Tea Partys confidence, Rubio conned the Tea Party into believing he would never agree to amnesty. But after he was elected he changed his tune and supported the Washington Establishments push to legalize and give work permits to the millions upon millions of aliens who have invaded our borders which in turn would push down the earned wages of American Citizens.Allowing illegal entrants to remain has especially hurt American Citizens living in our nations inner cities who lost their jobs to illegal entrants who are working off the books, below the going wage and avoid paying taxes on their earned wages. Unfortunately, as we have found out, Marco Rubio was always carrying water for the Club For Growth and Chamber of Commerce, both of which represent the interests of international corporate giants who have no allegiance to America or any nation. Marco Rubio simply conned his way into being Florida's Senator, and then became the Establishment's talking sock puppet.It time for Marco Rubio, the Establishments flimflamming con artist, to pack up his dog and pony show, pull out of the race and start selling watches on Times Square to feed his family which he asserted Donald Trump ought to be doing.America cannot survive financially or culturally if the tens of millions of poverty stricken poorly educated, low and unskilled illegal aliens are allowed to remain in America. And, American citizens are sick and tired of being made into tax slaves to support the economic needs of those who have invaded Americans borders. We are sick and tired of con artists like Marco Rubio who has lied and betrayed those who worked to get him elected.JWK i guess master clinton and his tax funded gang were out in full force in attempt to return him back to the castle for a third term.Bill Clinton also visited a polling station inside the Newton Free Library alongside Newton Mayor Setti Warren and Reps. Ruth Balser and Kay Kahn. The library posted numerous photos of the former president campaigning for his wife inside the facility, and well within the 150 feet electioneering law. While visiting a polling station in New Bedford on Tuesday, Clinton appeared with a megaphone to support his wife in front of a large crowd of voters reportedly within 150 feet of the station.Besides campaigning for his wife in New Bedford, Clintons entourage of Secret Service agents, police motorcades, and supporters caused massive delays in an attempt to discourage Bernie Sanders supporters from voting in low-income neighborhoods. While recording a video depicting Clintons motorcade blocking the streets, a Sanders volunteer named Angela Grace observed, I havent seen one person be able to come in and be able to vote in here. Everything is blocked off. No person can park here. They are affecting the voting at this poll. Its ridiculous. Its fraud and illegal. From one side of the street to the other, theres no way anybody can get down here to vote.In addition to the videos and photos of Bill Clinton clearly violating election laws by campaigning for his wife within 150 feet of multiple polling stations throughout Massachusetts, videos of Clinton supporters voting without registration and caucus employees suddenly changing the number of votes have recently appeared on YouTube. Recorded on video, a female official in Nevada can be heard ordering a group of Hillary supporters to enter without registering to vote. A male official immediately shushed her, saying, Dont yell it.When questioned why the officials were allowing unregistered voters to enter the caucus, a male official responded, They will register after the caucus.Read more at Mass Awakening Tens of Thousands Call for Bill Clinton?s Arrest for Breaking Election Laws The Free Thought Project Theres a desk at Monticello dedicated to refuting fake Thomas Jefferson quotes. For any of you whove tuned in late, Monticello is Jeffersons home in Virginia, which now serves as the conservator and museum for all things Jefferson. Misquoting Jefferson has become a bit of an epidemic in the realm of instant media. The problem is with our instant media culture, where simply clicking and sharing with no forethought or investigation has replaced what some college professors call deep reading and critical thought. At the core of the problem is the meme: Anyone with Internet access can find a picture of a revered statesman such as Jefferson, and then paste an eloquent sounding quote across the image, and Zang! Instant scholar! The rise of the meme has cultivated a new dumbness and a disposable intellectualism that has compromised the otherwise sound minds of perhaps an entire generation. Memes, in fact, are the bumper stickers of the Internet. A meme is borrowed wit, and a low-minded medium. The interesting thing about misquoting Jefferson is that is so remarkably easy not to. We have unprecedented access to information, and checking facts is as easy, if not easier, than running across a photograph with words written on it and then posting it with the imagined idea that by doing so the poster is making a valid point. The real result is a pollination of anti-knowledge. Heres an example of a fake Jefferson quote. To avoid controversy, this one is about guns: Free men do not ask permission to bear arms. Whats the first thing we notice about this one? Thats right. It has a modern, sound-byte tone about it. That should be the loudest indicator that Jefferson never said or wrote it. The staff at Monticello make sure to indicate there is no record linking Jefferson to these words. But this is just one of dozens of false quotations spread though instant media. Some also like to imagine that Jefferson said, A government big enough to give you anything you want is big enough to take away everything you have. Sounds great, doesnt it? But he never said it. Gerald Ford said it in 1974, and some attributions give it to Barry Goldwater in the 1960s. We're being foolish when we try and pin it to Jefferson. I mean, he was a great man: he invented the dumbwaiter. He wrote the Declaration of Independence, with heavy input from Benjamin Franklin, but the way we toss his image around with slogans he never created is a perfect example of our ability to mythologize the founders. In fact, in another 30 years, it is possible that Jefferson will be written in as a character in the Bible, and possibly as well The Constitution will be added as a chapter in the same book. Whats important to consider here is that weve stopped looking where were going. The clickable nature of what we mistake for knowledge has hobbled us as a society. So much so that people running for an office Jefferson once held have been caught repeating found information they never bothered to check. A presidential candidate recently retweeted this quote from a fascist dictator: It is better to live one day as a lion than 100 years as a sheep. Thats a quote from Benito Mussolini, the brutal fascist Italian dictator. He and his mistress were later machine gunned to death and then strung upside down in a town square, where his own countrymen savagely whipped the corpses. Its not important which presidential candidate managed to retweet those words. What is important is that our lack of interest in real knowledge has found its way into the race for the highest office in the land. And some how we dont seem to care. Think of that. We live in a time when knowledge is considered elitist and digital bumper stickers pass as scholarship and wit. So maybe the social media commenters could try and distinguish themselves from the pack. I've already given you the style guide, and now here's some help in avoiding all the misinformation that permeates our digital realm. Also, I've been tracking the commenter sections on other news sites, and I can say with clarity that the BBC, CNN, and even Fox News are all outpacing your efforts to comment on the news. Let's try harder. I'll be watching. And in coming weeks I will be applying letter grades to your remarks. But let's not forget my standing offer to take you all on in a paintball shootout. So far only one of you has stepped up. And it's all of you against me alone. I don't even know how many all of you are, but I am willing to become riddled with welts as a thank-you for your interest. I've been building my ghillie suit and watching the 1986 film, "The Park is Mine," starring Tommy Lee Jones, in preparation. Let's make this happen. Field and grass fires have been burning in Graves, McCracken, Calloway Counties Advertisement By West Kentucky Star Staff Mar. 03, 2016 | PADUCAH. KY By West Kentucky Star Staff Mar. 03, 2016 | 02:53 PM | PADUCAH. KY A former church youth leader avoided trial and accepted a plea deal Wednesday on rape and other charges involving an under age girl. According to the McCracken County Circuit Court Clerk, Circuit Judge Craig Clymer sentenced 45-year-old Michael Parsons to 10 years in prison after he accepted the guilty plea. That sentence will be served consecutively with the three years Parsons was sentenced to on related charges in Ballard County, for a total of 13 years in prison. Parsons pleaded guilty to seven counts of third-degree rape, one count of third-degree sodomy, one count of prohibited use of an electronic communication system to procure a minor regarding a sex offense, one count of distribution of obscene matter to a minor and six counts of possession of matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor. Parsons will not be eligible for parole and will be on the sex offender registry for the remainder of his life. The charges stemmed from an inappropriate relationship with a 16-year-old girl who was a member of his youth group at Milburn Chapel Cumberland Presbyterian Church in West Paducah. Rita Redmond was a true lady who felt that every pupil had something to gift to the world It is astonishing that, in the current RSC revival of A Midsummer Night's Dream billed as a play for the nation in which local amateurs play the roles of Bottom and the mechanicals in each town the show visits on tour, you would be hard-pressed to distinguish the professionals from the amateurs. This might say something about current standards at the RSC, but it certainly says a lot for the likes of the Nonentities of Kidderminster (who took part on the press night) where confidence, audibility, characterisation tactics and energy were palpable. It also says a lot about the RSC's Open Stages programme, launched in Michael Boyd's tenure as artistic director partly in response to the local amateurs' traditional access to the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon during the winter months being denied as a result of the closure for the re-build. Boyd is on record as saying that the best King Lear he ever saw was an amateur production he obviously missed Paul Scofield's and Donald Wolfit's but the impulse was primarily social and political, banging the drums of inclusivity and access. The Dream with its troupe of mechanicals "putting on a play" for the wedding party in King Theseus's palace is an obvious outcome of Boyd's enthusiasm; the genius of Shakespeare was to write a character, Bottom, who lives another kind of erotic dream in the arms of Titania. Last weekend I found myself in another version of am-dram land with the Tower Theatre's revival of Lee (Billy Elliot) Hall's Cooking with Elvis at the Theatro Technis in Camden Town. The Tower, which celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2017, currently performs in two well-known London fringe venues, the Technis and the Bridewell Institute just off Fleet Street. Tower Theatre Company's production of Cooking with Elvis David Sprecher - Tower Theatre Co. 2016 And here's the thing. I entered the slightly dilapidated premises as a stranger. Everyone in the foyer, and in the audience, knew each other. They were part of a club, a community of common purpose and dedication. They were releasing their inner thespians in a parallel universe of theatre. I overheard one punter telling another that he had been up until five o'clock that morning working on his design for the next production. The lady selling the tickets (14 a throw, bit steep, I thought, but no ATG-style booking or restoration fee) collected the laminated passports to theatre-land from her front-of-house colleagues as she sat in the cavernous, oddly shaped interior. The audience numbered about eighty people. And the performance was superb: better than good, less than tremendous, but still superb. And it's still shocking, sexy stuff, even fifteen years after comedian Frank Skinner bared his buttocks as the witless cake-maker who provides vigorous rumpy-pumpy for both the sex-starved wife of a quadriplegic former Elvis impersonator who leaps out of his wheelchair to perform several items from the King's Las Vegas repertoire and their borderline obese daughter. There's also a pet tortoise, which is baked in a pie and served up for Stu's supper a clear case of "Tortoise Andronicus" said Sheridan Morley first time round and a series of physical encounters covering the waterfront: every possible genital engagement and a climactic deed of masturbation mercy. Good Lord, I don't think such a scenario was in the minds of the venerable founders of the am-dram movement between the wars. But the audience gave the impression they expected nothing less; they evinced a spirit of what the Yorkshire novelist Phyllis Bentley said of her membership of the Halifax Thespians in 1948: "a passport to a true comradeship in art." And in the role of the obese daughter, Olivia Baker gave a performance so touching and true that you'd never stoop to describing her as an amateur; her programme credits list Ruth in Blithe Spirit and Catherine in A View from the Bridge, and she could have played either role, no problem, on the West End stage. Are the demarcation lines between the amateur and professional theatres, as sussed by Boyd and now investigated by Erica Whyman in her RSC Dream, even more blurred than we imagine? Michael Gambon, after all, is the president of the Tower whose actors plays the mechanicals when The Dream comes to the Barbican in May - and Ian McKellen patron of am-dram's governing body, the Little Theatre Guild. A measure moving through the Legislature would overturn a voter approval process that currently governs annexation in more than 30 Oregon cities, including the mid-valley communities of Corvallis, Philomath, Albany and Tangent. Senate Bill 1573, introduced by Springfield Democrat Lee Beyer, would essentially require cities to approve annexation requests if all property owners within the proposed territory ask for it, the land is inside the citys urban growth boundary and at least one parcel is contiguous to the city limits. The measure cleared the Senate on Tuesday by a 17-12 vote and was expected to go to the House floor today. It is one of four bills this session aimed at easing a growing affordable housing crisis in some parts of the state. Other measures in the loose-knit package would lift the statewide ban on inclusionary zoning, allowing cities to require developers to set aside some units for affordable housing (in exchange for tax breaks); limit rent increases for month-to-month tenants; and authorize a pilot program to let smaller cities expand their growth boundaries to free up land for lower-cost housing. With support from both affordable housing advocates and real estate industry groups, all four bills have been progressing steadily through the Legislature, including SB 1573. One of the bills chief backers is the Oregon Home Builders Association, which sees voter approval as an unnecessary impediment to development that conflicts with Oregon land use laws. If its inside the urban growth boundary, by state law its presumed to be available for development, said Jon Chandler, the trade groups executive director. If the citizens dont think the land is suitable for development, the time to do that is before its brought into the boundary, not after the fact. Under Oregons land use framework, cities are supposed to maintain a 20-year supply of developable land within the urban growth boundary; requiring a vote to annex land inside the UGB violates the spirit of that system, Chandler argued. That extra hurdle creates additional uncertainty for developers and forces up the price of land inside the city limits, reducing the availability of affordable housing. It turns into a beauty contest to get past the voters, he said. And it adds to costs because elections, even when successful, are expensive. But SB 1573 has also faced a flurry of opposition from supporters of voter annexation. The League of Oregon Cities sees the measure as a breach of the home rule provisions in the Oregon Constitution. According to Mike McCauley, the leagues executive director, SB 1573 would nullify charter provisions in cities that have adopted voter approval requirements and would severely limit the ability of local governments to have the final say on the fundamental issue of defining their own boundaries. Thats doing some violence to home rule, McCauley said. Jerry Ritter, secretary and legislative affairs representative for Oregon Communities for a Voice in Annexations, said his group has been battling the homebuilders over this issue for almost 20 years now. He understands their desire to streamline the annexation process, but he rejects the argument that citizens have enough control over the process without an up-or-down vote. Time after time, we see that citizen involvement in the planning process is a joke, Ritter said. If local government actually listened to their citizens, we probably wouldnt have these charter amendments being passed, he added. People pass these things because they dont think theyre being listened to. The issue is certainly causing a stir in Corvallis, which was the first city in Oregon to require voter approval of annexations. The city charter was amended to add that provision in 1976 amid controversy over the cost of extending municipal infrastructure to the new Hewlett-Packard campus on the edge of town. Since then, Corvallis voters have gone to the polls 78 times on annexation measures, approving 57 (including several annexations of HP property) and rejecting 21. Former Corvallis City Councilor Stewart Wershow said SB 1573 took him by surprise, but hes been working furiously to block the bill in the waning days of the session, rallying local residents to pressure lawmakers into voting no. This came up really fast, he said. Theyre bringing this up in a short session so theres very little time to discuss this. I dont think they understand what theyre setting in motion. Mid-valley legislators have united against the measure across party lines. Its a terrible bill, said Democratic Sen. Sara Gelser, whose district includes Corvallis and Albany and who voted against the measure. It really oversteps in terms of taking the authority away from communities to manage growth. District 16 Rep. Dan Rayfield, a Democrat, said he plans to vote against the measure. He noted that he represents Corvallis and Philomath, which both require voter approval of annexations. This bill essentially circumvents those laws, Rayfield said, adding that the measure does not deal with who will pay for the infrastructure and services that annexation will require. District 15 Rep. Andy Olson, a Republican who represents Albany, said he was leaning toward voting for the bill at first because he sees a conflict between voter approval of annexation and state land use laws, which are supposed to provide some assurance that land inside the urban growth boundary will be available for development. But after researching the issue, Olson said, he changed his mind. It would be an assault, taking away the freedom to vote, he said. I just couldnt get there. Olsons opposition, however, may not be enough to halt the momentum behind SB 1573. According to Rayfield, the measure appears to enjoy solid support in the House. I do believe it will pass, Rayfield said. If the speakers bringing it to the floor, it usually means the votes are there. Welcome to my random web of succulent wine tasting and travel features, winery profiles small and large, 'wines of the moment', conversations with winemakers and atmospheric regional guides. All stamped by my take on planet vino and some of the people who populate it. There's also a hint of culinary talk, restaurant reviews and food pairing, as well as occasional insight into posh spirits (Armagnac, Calvados, marc...), craft beer and cider. The extensive 'wine words' pages, blog archive and A to Z list of featured countries and themes are highlighted in this column below, revealing hundreds of posts and articles published on WineWriting or other magazines and websites. These include many organic, biodynamic and 'natural' wine producers, but certainly not exclusively. Roussillon (delve deeper and buy my book!) and Languedoc, the southwest, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rhone Valley, Provence, French Riviera, Corsica, Alsace, Loire Valley and Champagne. 'French Mediterranean Wine' is the mostly south of France part of the blog oozing with opinions, wines, winegrowers, places and vine-scapes across the(delve deeper and buy my book!) and Languedoc, the southwest, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rhone Valley, Provence, French Riviera, Corsica, Alsace, Loire Valley and Champagne. Obviously, any reviews or images of alcoholic drinks on this site are destined for those of legal drinking age, whatever that is in your part of the world. RMJ fully endorses sensible consumption of alcohol, especially with good food and company. Lecture over. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 02/03/2016 (2424 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. wfpvideo:113844787:wfpvideo LIBERAL Leader Rana Bokhari refused to comment Wednesday as one of her candidates came under fire from the NDP for offensive comments he posted about women on social media. Jamie Hall, who is running for the provincial Liberals in Southdale, has referred to women as whores and skanks in postings on social media. He was nominated by the Liberals Tuesday. The businessman, author and technology expert apologized at a news conference for his language on Twitter and Facebook after the New Democrats brought them to light, although he insisted at first he made the comments to promote a work of fiction. BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Southdale Liberal candidate Jamie Hall (right) with his girlfriend, Dez Joyal, at a press conference Wednesday afternoon. The tweets in question are from that promotion. They did come from my Twitter account, though, so its not an excuse. I am very apologetic for it, he said, flanked by his girlfriend, Dez Joyal, and Liberal communications director Mike Brown. Bokhari did not attend the mid-afternoon news conference, and Brown said late Wednesday the party would not announce a decision on Halls candidacy until today. Hall said he wished to remain a candidate, although he left the door open that he might resign. He said he hadnt yet discussed his posted comments with Bokhari. I have told my volunteers that they need to give me today to work through all of this and figure out (his future), he said. According to a screen grab provided by the NDP, Hall tweeted Aug. 17, 2012: If a whore screams in the bedroom and no one is around to hear it, is she really a whore? #thoughtprovokingquestions #trees On July 20, 2014, on Facebook, Hall posted: Never play this card skank @desjoyal in rummy. She plays dirty and wins like a skank. What a skank. #soreloser. Speaking for the NDP, Health Minister Sharon Blady called the comments and several others her party discovered online disgusting, hateful, misogynistic. She said the fact Bokhari didnt immediately distance herself from them and her candidate doesnt reflect well on her leadership. As a woman, I find it very worrisome that the Liberal leader would stand beside someone that engages in this kind of language and this kind of action, Blady said. Right now, the longer she waits and the less decisive her actions are, the more, frankly, it muddies the reputation of her own party and her own name, she said. TWITTER A tweet by Jamie Hall on Aug. 17, 2012. In a news release Wednesday morning announcing Halls candidacy, Bokhari said: We continue to build a team Manitobans can be proud of. Jamie Hall is the kind of candidate that Manitobans should be excited about because of his ability to deliver better technology services to the province and the cost savings that come with that. Brown said Hall had been vetted, but admitted the party was unaware of his controversial postings on social media. A source told the Free Press the Liberals once had a formal vetting committee, but it was disbanded, in part, because Bokhari thought the process was too slow and wanted to announce candidates more quickly. Speaking with reporters, Hall first suggested his controversial comments were confined to the promotion of a book. It is about a character that has a very difficult time in the dating world. And hes ultimately looking for the right woman, he said. It is a racy book, absolutely. Thats the thing I love about living in Canada; you can release books that are both creative and a piece of fiction and youre allowed to have freedom of expression When it was pointed out he made other sexist comments outside the book-promotion period in 2012 and 2013 including the Facebook posting in which he calls his girlfriend a skank after losing to her in gin rummy, Hall said: Thats satire. Thats myself and my girlfriend playing rummy. And my friends know thats satire. He added he is a very sarcastic and satirical person. The Manitoba Progressive Conservatives refused to comment Wednesday about the Liberal candidates remarks. BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS "I don't know when there is ever an appropriate context for the use of those words," said Health Minister Sharon Blady. Blady said Halls comments came across more as a justification for his actions than regret. One of the NDPs star candidates, Wab Kinew, who is running in Fort Rouge, employed sexist and demeaning lyrics against women years ago when he was a rapper. Blady said the difference is Kinew has taken ownership for his past, apologized and wrote a book dealing with it. Hes talked about his own personal growth and, frankly, the regret (about) a period of angry youth behaviour, she said. Kinew has come out on the right side of things, and is a very strong feminist male, Blady said. larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 02/03/2016 (2424 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Winnipeg police are sharing more details about the case of a 43-year-old Peguis First Nations man who was fatally attacked over a case of beer in front of a north Main Street bar last week. Henry (Buddy) Kipling was visiting the city for a wedding social when he was attacked twice by two different people in front of the Northern Hotel at 826 Main St. early Saturday after hed bought a case of beer at the vendor. Police believe Kipling was robbed during the second attack and the quiet, harmless man didnt know his attackers. On Wednesday, police released surveillance images of two people, a man and a woman, whom investigators believe last had contact with Kipling before he was rushed to hospital, where he later died from his injuries. Supplied Police released images of a man and woman they believe had contact with Henry Kipling before he was attacked outside the Northern Hotel on Main Street early Saturday. Winnipeg Police Service spokesman Const. Jason Michalyshen said homicide investigators hoped the images, particularly those of the womans black-and-white camouflage pants, would jog peoples memories and lead them to the attackers. The woman is shown in the footage walking away with a case of beer. Our focus is on these individuals not necessarily solely on these individuals, but right now we are trying to identify who these individuals are, Michalyshen said. Its pretty safe to say that someone will look at this picture and know exactly who were talking about, and we would appreciate that phone call. Northern Hotel manager Keith Horn, who knew Kipling as an occasional customer, provided security-camera footage to police and witnessed part of the initial assault. He said a female patron got upset when she thought Kipling had bumped into her in the crowded bar, and she hit him in the face in the lobby. She was asked to leave, but continued the attack just for no reason when Kipling and his friends came outside, Horn said. After that assault, Kipling spent about half an hour waiting for a cab in front of the bar before he was attacked again, said Horn, who didnt witness the assault but saw it later when he reviewed the surveillance footage. Horn said a man came up to Kipling and his two friends, threw them down and stole the beer, handing it off to a woman nearby. Police dont believe she was the same woman responsible for the earlier assault. Horn said he questions how Kiplings death could have been prevented you have a million things going through your head and is trying to help police with their investigation so it doesnt happen again. He said its common to see people waiting like vultures to steal peoples beer as theyre leaving the hotel, and it can be difficult to get a taxi in that area in the wee hours. Nobody wants to get involved until something happens to them, Horn said, adding if no one feels safe coming to the neighbourhood, its not only bad for business, its bad for the community. Last fall, police, politicians and business owners including Horn held a news conference in front of the Northern Hotel, pledging to crack down on crime and improve public safety in North Point Douglas. Since then, police presence in the area has increased, Horn said, but he acknowledged community members must do their part as well. Its pretty safe to say that someone will look at this picture and know exactly who were talking about Const. Jason Michalyshen Michalyshen said police do their best to prevent crime, but are often reacting to alcohol-fuelled bad decisions. We need to recognize that we need to address these issues; not just talking about it but also taking action. And the answers arent always about police coming up with those solutions, Michalyshen said. As a community, we need to decide and recognize what are some of those answers to identifying what the problem is and what can we do to resolve it. Anyone with information about the case or about those pictured in the surveillance footage can call investigators at 204-986-6508. katie.may@freepress.mb.ca Months before the announcement that Madisons Oscar Mayer headquarters would close, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. discussed engaging a high-level contact at parent company Kraft Heinz about its future plans but was dissuaded from doing so after meeting with a top executive at Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, new records show. The records shed new light on why WEDC, the states job-creation and retention agency, didnt contact the multinational food conglomerate between the announcements of its merger in March and the planned closure of Oscar Mayer and reduction of 1,000 local jobs in November. Emails WEDC released to the Wisconsin State Journal under the state open records law show that WMC, the states largest business lobby, alerted WEDC in June that other states were seeking to lure Kraft Heinz facilities out of Wisconsin. The email related specifically to concerns about Kraft Heinzs cheese-processing facility in Beaver Dam and does not mention any concerns about Oscar Mayer closing. But the emails also show that WEDC decided not to contact Kraft Heinz after a discussion with a WMC official. WEDC officials discussed meeting with Kraft Heinz officials face-to-face asap, the records show, but instead decided to get more information from WMC senior vice president Jim Morgan. I met with Jim Morgan yesterday for more (perspective), Wade Goodsell, a WEDC business attraction account manager, wrote to then-WEDC CEO Reed Hall on June 30. He provided good background information, but he doesnt see a need for us to engage with Kraft at this time, it was more of an FYI. In an interview Wednesday, Morgan emphasized the conversation with Goodsell was related to the Beaver Dam cheese facility, and not Oscar Mayer. There was no talk of the Beaver Dam facility closing at the time Kraft Heinz has since said it will remain open so he didnt see a need to contact the company, Morgan said. Like other local and state officials, Morgan said he had no inkling Kraft Heinz would close the antiquated Madison facility, home to one of the states iconic brands. I think my conversation with them was a pretty isolated, unrelated conversation, Morgan said. WMC president Kurt Bauer said in a statement Wednesday there was no connection between the conversation and the Oscar Mayer plant closing. We told the WEDC that the Kraft cheesemaking plant in Beaver Dam was in good shape and committed to Wisconsin, he said. Bauer and Morgan declined to say whether WEDC should have reached out to Kraft Heinz to learn more about its plans for Wisconsin facilities after the merger was announced in March or whether Goodsell misinterpreted the conversation. A WEDC spokesman didnt make Goodsell available for an interview. Its unclear that it would have mattered if WEDC had contacted Kraft Heinz. The Madison Region Economic Partnership made two unsuccessful attempts to meet with the company after March but wasnt able to schedule a meeting. Mayor Paul Soglin told Oscar Mayer executives in August, after it announced it would lay off 165 employees, that city resources were available. But local officials didnt seek the help of WEDC. In contrast, Iowa offered Kraft Heinz $4.75 million in state incentives and $10 million in local incentives so the company can build a new facility and downsize its Davenport meat-processing operation from 1,400 to 475 jobs. And New York put together a $20 million incentive package to retain 1,000 jobs at three Kraft Heinz plants that were threatened with closure. Gov. Scott Walker spoke briefly with a Kraft Heinz executive over the summer about setting up a meeting, but he didnt follow up with the company until prompted by a local lobbyist in October, according to records provided by his office. The company declined to meet with the governor before announcing the closure on Nov. 4. WMC dissuaded meeting On June 18, Bauer forwarded to Hall an email Morgan had written with the subject line Kraft NY & CA Want Them. NY and CA are throwing incredible incentives at them to move their WI facilities, Morgan wrote after talking with a Kraft plant manager in Beaver Dam. They have no plans to do so, but in our business competitive benchmarks, she wonders how you capture that, referring to efforts to track how other states are offering incentives to businesses. Morgan also wrote that he was told other states were using incentives such as home property tax exemptions and student loan forgiveness to attract workers. Also, he was told California and New York were pressuring Kraft to add the CA cheese or NY Dairy seals to their products made in Wisconsin, which were also produced in their state, and offering big promotional dollars. Kraft has said no because it is deceptive, Morgan wrote. But, again, she wonders if anyone in WI is keeping track. Hall forwarded the email to Goodsell, deputy secretary Tricia Braun and Kristie Pulvermacher, another business retention account manager. Thanks for passing this on, Pulvermacher responded. We should get in to see them face-to-face asap. I have a high level contact there who could direct us to the right person. Goodsell and Pulvermacher discussed contacting Morgan to find out more. Goodsell met with Morgan on June 29 and advised Hall and Pulvermacher the next day that Morgan didnt see a need to engage Kraft Heinz. There was no further email discussion of the topic provided by WEDC. An agency official didnt meet with Kraft Heinz officials face-to-face until Nov. 19, two weeks after the Oscar Mayer announcement. After the State Journal published a story about the emails online Wednesday, Democrats announced plans to hold a press conference about them Thursday. Sen. Fred Risser, D-Madison, who once worked at the Oscar Mayer plant, said he was deeply troubled by the State Journals report that WEDC didnt reach out to Kraft Heinz after learning other states were luring its facilities. Equally troubling, WEDCs failure to act was apparently on the recommendation of what is supposed to be a pro-business lobby group, Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, Risser said. Rep. Chris Taylor, D-Madison, who along with Risser represents the Oscar Mayer site, said the state should have done more to prevent Oscar Mayer from leaving the state. Now I know why more wasnt done because this supposed pro-business advocacy group inexplicably told them not to, Taylor said. WEDC spokesman Steven Michels said the agency always responds and seeks to take action on leads from local, state or regional partners. He highlighted that the email from Morgan stated the Beaver Dam plant was not at risk. In no way does WMC or any other chamber, regional or local economic development group direct WEDCs policies or decisions, Michels said. In this case we followed up with where the lead was generated. Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, issued a statement defending WMC. In this instance, WMC leadership volunteered to share insights gained from a meeting with one individual Kraft plant manager with the board of WEDC for informational purposes, Fitzgerald said. Any further claims as to what recommendations may have been made, what actions could have been taken and what impact that those actions might have had are nothing but rampant speculation. We cant trust either party I dont know whose childish antics since the death of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia make me angrier. It is unfortunate there was not a grown-up in the federal government to press for an autopsy to quell conspiracies. Commentator Michael Savage bawled Murder! after the news broke and hasnt restrained himself since. Neither political party has any interest in dispelling conspiracies that lead Americans to distrust and fear their government. Both use that distrust, reminding us we should fear the government particularly when its controlled by members of the other party. Democrats claimed Bush Republicans stole an election; now Republicans whisper Obama Democrats murdered a supreme court justice. In truth, Americans have good reason to distrust and fear some of these people. The further they have been allowed to stray from adhering to our Constitution, the greater threat they have become. The child emperor knew he would anger conservatives and the opposition party when he declined to attend the funeral service of our longest-serving justice. He did find the time early in his reign to speak at funeral services for progressive media celebrities like Walter Cronkite and later Tim Russert. He didnt have enough respect for Justice Antonin Scalia no more than he has for most of this country and what it stands for. But I think I am most angry with Republicans, particularly those repeatedly parroting this line about letting the people decide who the next justice will be. They imply they are taking some kind of higher ground in making the nation wait until the next president, presumably a Republican, is elected to select the nominee. They dont want Obama to nominate anyone, some have declared they wont consider anyone he does nominate; and you wont hear any of these hypocrites repeat that line if the next president is a Democrat. The Republicans have always been so determined to let the people decide, and to do what the people tell them to do, havent they? As long as you dont count the majority of Americans who said they are opposed to legalizing homosexual marriage, or those who said they dont want Obamacare, or those who said they dont want to be involved in funding the baby part harvesting at Planned Parenthood, or those who want something done about illegal immigration. I suspect the Republicans were given this line by someone like Frank Luntz, who has made a career of teaching both parties how to take care in the words they choose to use to manipulate public opinion. The American people DID DECIDE. We decided when we put these children into office. The one we put in the White House is supposed to nominate justices, and the others in Congress are supposed to advise and consent or not. So the parties will continue this game. Neither will put forward a grown-up to replace Scalia. On the court that means another Scalia, an originalist with high regard for our Constitution; someone who understands it is not their job to make law. Too many ignorant or foolish Americans have accepted the issuance of presidential executive orders as law. Likewise too many have accepted SCOTUS opinions like Obergefell vs. Hodges as law. So in the America of our children and grandchildren, one thug or a group of six will tell them what the law is. Eventually they wont have to bother to vote at all for childish political candidates to represent or legislate for them. Terry Larson, Mayville Months before the announcement that Madisons Oscar Mayer headquarters would close, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. discussed engaging a high-level contact at parent company Kraft Heinz about its future plans but was dissuaded from doing so after meeting with a top executive at Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, new records show. The records shed new light on why WEDC, the states job-creation and retention agency, didnt contact the multinational food conglomerate between the announcements of its merger in March and the planned closure of Oscar Mayer and reduction of 1,000 local jobs in November. Emails WEDC released to the Wisconsin State Journal under the state open records law show that WMC, the states largest business lobby, alerted WEDC in June that other states were seeking to lure Kraft Heinz facilities out of Wisconsin. The email related specifically to concerns about Kraft Heinzs cheese-processing facility in Beaver Dam and does not mention any concerns about Oscar Mayer closing. But the emails also show that WEDC decided not to contact Kraft Heinz after a discussion with a WMC official. WEDC officials discussed meeting with Kraft Heinz officials face-to-face asap, the records show, but instead decided to get more information from WMC senior vice president Jim Morgan. I met with Jim Morgan yesterday for more (perspective), Wade Goodsell, a WEDC business attraction account manager, wrote to then-WEDC CEO Reed Hall on June 30. He provided good background information, but he doesnt see a need for us to engage with Kraft at this time, it was more of an FYI. In an interview Wednesday, Morgan emphasized the conversation with Goodsell was related to the Beaver Dam cheese facility, and not Oscar Mayer. There was no talk of the Beaver Dam facility closing at the time Kraft Heinz has since said it will remain open so he didnt see a need to contact the company, Morgan said. Like other local and state officials, Morgan said he had no inkling Kraft Heinz would close the antiquated Madison facility, home to one of the states iconic brands.I think my conversation with them was a pretty isolated, unrelated conversation, Morgan said. WMC president Kurt Bauer said in a statement Wednesday there was no connection between the conversation and the Oscar Mayer plant closing. We told the WEDC that the Kraft cheesemaking plant in Beaver Dam was in good shape and committed to Wisconsin, he said. Bauer and Morgan declined to say whether WEDC should have reached out to Kraft Heinz to learn more about its plans for Wisconsin facilities after the merger was announced in March or whether Goodsell misinterpreted the conversation. A WEDC spokesman didnt make Goodsell available for an interview. Its unclear that it would have mattered if WEDC had contacted Kraft Heinz. The Madison Region Economic Partnership made two attempts to meet with the company after March but wasnt able to schedule a meeting. Mayor Paul Soglin told Oscar Mayer executives in August, after it announced it would lay off 165 employees, that city resources were available. But local officials didnt seek the help of WEDC. In contrast, Iowa offered Kraft Heinz $4.75 million in state incentives and $10 million in local incentives so the company can build a new facility and downsize its Davenport meat-processing operation from 1,400 to 475 jobs. New York put together a $20 million incentive package to retain 1,000 jobs at three Kraft Heinz plants that were at risk of closure. Gov. Scott Walker spoke briefly with a Kraft Heinz executive over the summer about setting up a meeting, but he didnt follow up with the company until prompted by a local lobbyist in October, according to records provided by his office. The company declined to meet with the governor before announcing the closure on Nov. 4. WMC dissuaded meeting On June 18, Bauer forwarded to Hall an email Morgan had written with the subject line Kraft NY & CA Want Them. NY and CA are throwing incredible incentives at them to move their WI facilities, Morgan wrote after talking with a Kraft plant manager in Beaver Dam. They have no plans to do so, but in our business competitive benchmarks, she wonders how you capture that, referring to efforts to track how other states are offering incentives to businesses. Morgan also wrote that he was told other states were using incentives such as home property tax exemptions and student loan forgiveness to attract workers. Also, he was told California and New York were pressuring Kraft to add the CA cheese or NY Dairy seals to their products made in Wisconsin, which were also produced in their state, and offering big promotional dollars. Kraft has said no because it is deceptive, Morgan wrote. But, again, she wonders if anyone in WI is keeping track. Hall forwarded the email to Goodsell, deputy secretary Tricia Braun and Kristie Pulvermacher, another business retention account manager. Thanks for passing this on, Pulvermacher responded. We should get in to see them face-to-face asap. I have a high level contact there who could direct us to the right person. Goodsell and Pulvermacher discussed contacting Morgan to find out more. Goodsell met with Morgan on June 29 and advised Hall and Pulvermacher the next day that Morgan didnt see a need to engage Kraft Heinz. There was no further email discussion of the topic provided by WEDC. An agency official didnt meet with Kraft Heinz officials face-to-face until Nov. 19, two weeks after the Oscar Mayer announcement. After the State Journal published a story about the emails online Wednesday, Democrats announced plans to hold a press conference about them Thursday. Sen. Fred Risser, D-Madison, who once worked at the Oscar Mayer plant, said he was deeply troubled by the State Journals report that WEDC didnt reach out to Kraft Heinz after learning other states were luring its facilities. Equally troubling, WEDCs failure to act was apparently on the recommendation of what is supposed to be a pro-business lobby group, Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, Risser said. Rep. Chris Taylor, D-Madison, who along with Risser represents the Oscar Mayer site, said the state should have done more to prevent Oscar Mayer from leaving the state. Now I know why more wasnt done because this supposed pro-business advocacy group inexplicably told them not to, Taylor said. WEDC spokesman Steven Michels said the agency always responds and seeks to take action on leads from local, state or regional partners. He highlighted that the email from Morgan said the Beaver Dam plant wasnt at risk. In no way does WMC or any other chamber, regional or local economic development group direct WEDCs policies or decisions, Michels said. In this case we followed up with where the lead was generated. Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, issued a statement defending WMC. In this instance, WMC leadership volunteered to share insights gained from a meeting with one individual Kraft plant manager with the board of WEDC for informational purposes, Fitzgerald said. Any further claims as to what recommendations may have been made, what actions could have been taken and what impact that those actions might have had are nothing but rampant speculation. USDA announces $1 billion debt relief for 36,000 farmers The USDA announced a program to provide $1.3B in debt relief for about 36,000 farmers who have fallen behind on loan payments or face foreclosure. W&M releases results of employee survey Employees proud to work at W&M but have concerns, including pay Employees are overwhelmingly proud to work at William & Mary and say they understand their job responsibilities and the mission of their department, and would recommend the university as a good place to work to friends, family and colleagues, according to a recent survey. But employees do have concerns, with the most striking being current level of pay and benefits, management response to problems, and a lack of opportunity for advancement. The 2015 employee survey was conducted during the fall semester by the Gelfond Group, a company that specializes in employee opinion surveys in higher education and corporations. The survey was emailed to 2,765 staff and faculty and had a response rate of 71 percent, up from 46 percent when the last survey was conducted in 2010. Previous employee surveys did not include faculty. Employee responses to 76 questions were rated as favorable, neutral or unfavorable in areas ranging from rating the university as a place to work to their pay and benefits, management, diversity, individual job and experiences with their supervisor. Were committed to making this the best possible place to work, and to do that we need to listen to our employees, President Taylor Reveley said. There is some positive news here and areas we can build on, but there are others that clearly need more work. This survey will help us do that. Among the most positive takeaways, said Chief Human Resources Office John Poma, are responses to what Gelfond considers the five key employee engagement questions. In those responses, William & Mary performed at or above the level associated with the highest-performing organizations, he added. For example, 87 percent of respondents stated they are proud to work at W&M; 72 percent responded that they have no plans to leave their employment in the near future; 69 percent stated W&M is a good place to work (only 6 percent rated it unfavorable to that question); and 71 percent of respondents stated they are treated with respect and that W&M inspires them to do their best work. Other positive responses worth noting: Ninety-two percent of employees who completed the survey stated they have a good understanding of their job responsibilities. Eighty-nine percent said they understand the mission of their department. Eighty-four percent stated they believed their most recent performance review was accurate while 82 percent said that same review was effective in letting them know where they stand. Among the concerns, only 30 percent of employees taking the survey responded favorably when asked to rate their pay 37 percent were neutral and 33 percent responded unfavorably. Only 41 percent of respondents said they believe they are fairly compensated 37 percent responded unfavorably to the same question. Other responses include: Thirty-one percent of employees responding to the survey indicated favorable when asked to rate W&M on their opportunity for advancement. Thirty-six percent were neutral and 32 percent responded unfavorable to the same question. Less than half of respondents (48 percent) rated W&M favorably on training for current job 36 percent were neutral and 16 percent responded unfavorably. On rating W&M on responding to problems ideas and concerns, 49 percent responded favorably, 33 percent neutral and 17 percent unfavorably. Another area of concern, Poma said, was that African American employees generally did not respond as favorably as the overall employee population. For example, 9 percent of African American employees responded that they would not rate William & Mary as a good place to work, whereas only 6 percent of all employees responded the same way. In a separate question, 15 percent of African American employees responded that they do not feel that they are treated with respect, compared to eight percent for all employees. Responses for African Americans were not uniform across all classes of employees. More detailed analysis revealed a concentration of negative responses among non-exempt employees that impacted the aggregate response to many questions for African Americans as a whole. When we dig deeper into the results of this survey, there are some clear issues we need to address, said Poma, adding that Human Resources partnered with W&Ms Task Force on Race and Relations in the development of the survey. He said the task force has received the survey results and will be using those responses to help inform their recommendations to President Reveley later this semester. One area worth highlighting, Poma said, were responses to questions related to Title IX and discrimination. Ninety-eight percent of respondents to the survey stated they have a good understanding of what constitutes discrimination, sexual violence or harassment. In addition, 92 percent said they now know how to report discrimination and sexual violence and harassment. As part of an overall effort to better educate the campus community about Title IX issues, last year William & Mary implemented mandatory training for all employees. Better education on discrimination and sexual violence was an important focus for the entire university last year, said Poma, adding it was also a major area of emphasis last year for the presidents Task Force on Sexual Assault and Harassment. It is very gratifying to see that work pay off and that our employees are more informed about this very important issue. In addition to working with the Task Force on Race and Race Relations as that group develops their recommendations to the president, Poma said the Office of Human Resources will now meet with individual departments, schools and units so they have a better understanding of the results, and how they relate to their specific areas. Human Resources will also be implementing a series of immediate actions in response to the survey. These include focusing on areas of improving performance management, providing more extensive support for employees, improving recruitment when it comes to attracting and retaining a diverse group of employees, and developing better mechanisms for employees to provide consistent and candid feedback. Our hope is that well be able to use the results of this survey and emulate that type of progress and success in other areas of importance across campus. Poma also adds that William & Mary is a special place, and we want to make W&M one of the best universities to work at in the United States. It is why I am at W&M, Poma said. China News on Women Sorry, the page you requested was not found. If you're having trouble locating a destination on Womenofchina.cn, try visiting the Womenofchina Home page KHNP workers to help commission first UAE unit 03 March 2016 Share Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power (KHNP) has agreed to send dozens of its workers to the United Arab Emirates to assist with the commissioning of the first unit at the Barakah nuclear power plant. Under a contract signed yesterday with the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (Enec), KHNP will send more than 50 people - including plant operators and some support personnel - to work at the UAE's first reactor. The contract was signed in Abu Dhabi by KHNP CEO Cho Seok and Enec CEO Mohamed Al Hammadi (Image: KHNP) Construction of the first of four Korean-designed APR-1400 pressurized water reactors at Barakah, about 50 km from the town of Ruwais, began in 2012. Barakah 1 is now almost 90% complete, with a completion target of 5 May 2017. Enec announced in June 2014 that ten Emirati citizens had become the country's first fully qualified local operators following completion of a 15-month training program in the UAE and South Korea. Enec developed the course together with its prime contractor, Korea Electric Power Corporation (Kepco). The program was held at Kepco's facilities in South Korea, the Institute of Applied Technology in Abu Dhabi, and Emec's Simulator Training Centre at Barakah. Construction began on unit 2 in 2013, and is about 65% complete, while work began on units 3 and 4 in 2014 and 2015 respectively. Overall, construction of the four units at the site is almost 60% complete. All four units are scheduled to be complete by 2020. Enec said earlier that it will need around 2000 employees to operate its four nuclear power units. Enec is currently working to obtain approval from the UAE's Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation for operating licences for the first two units. The UAE and South Korea signed a bilateral civil nuclear energy cooperation agreement in June 2009, under the terms of which the South Korean government will help the UAE to develop its civil nuclear program over the next two decades through the transfer of technology, equipment and expertise. Researched and written by World Nuclear News Related topics Westinghouse looks to UK for vessel manufacture 03 March 2016 Share Westinghouse Electric Company has announced a manufacturing study to investigate the production of reactor pressure vessels for its small modular reactor in the UK through a collaboration with the Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre. The NAMRC will provide an independent assessment of the current Westinghouse SMR RPV design, and determine an optimal manufacturing solution. A key component of the study will be the identification of efficiencies within the advanced manufacturing process to significantly reduce capital costs and drive project savings. Westinghouse said that the study will "utilise expert knowledge of local manufacturing capabilities to identify potential suppliers for when the Westinghouse SMR enters production." A cutaway of the SMR vessel (Image: Westinghouse) The NAMRC is a collaboration of academic and industrial partners from across the civil nuclear manufacturing supply chain, and was established in 2012 with the mission of helping UK manufacturers win work at home and worldwide. With extensive experience in design for the manufacture of large complex parts for safety-critical applications, the centre can draw on broad academic and industry knowledge, Westinghouse said. Westinghouse senior vice president for new plants and major projects, Jeff Benjamin, said the Westinghouse SMR built upon the company's extensive reactor and fuel technology expertise. "The efficient construction of Westinghouse Small Modular Reactors can plan an important part of the UK's future by creating local manufacturing jobs to develop safe, clean and economical energy," he said. The company recently declared its fuel manufacturing facility at Springfields in north-western England had reached the requirements necessary to fabricate SMR fuel. The Westinghouse SMR is a 225 MWe integral pressurized water reactor design with all primary components located inside the reactor vessel and utilizes the passive safety functionality developed for the company's AP1000 reactor, currently being built at sites in China and the USA. The SMR design's reliance on existing technology and the proven licensing basis should likely reduce development time and licensing risk for the reactor. In October 2015 Westinghouse - part of the Toshiba group - put forward a proposal to the UK government to partner in the deployment of the company's SMR technology, a move that the company said would advance the UK from a buyer to a provider of the technology. That proposal envisaged a shared design and development model in a UK-based enterprise, jointly owned by Westinghouse, the UK government and UK industry. Also in October 2015, US-based NuScale announced that it was looking for partners to deploy its own small modular reactor technology in the UK. The following month, the UK government announced plans to invest at least 250 million ($377 million) over the next five years in an "ambitious" nuclear research and development program to include a competition to identify the best value SMR design for the UK. Detailed plans for the competition have not yet been announced. Any small modular reactor design to be built in the UK will first need to complete the Generic Design Assessment (GDA) process of the country's regulators, the Office for Nuclear Regulation and the Environment Agency. GDAs are currently under way for Hitachi-GE's UK Advanced Boiling Water Reactor (UK ABWR) and Westinghouses AP1000 reactor designs. Researched and written by World Nuclear News Related topics Email Sign Up For Our Free Weekly Newsletter Nationwide REO sales share down 21 percentage points from 2009 market high Of total sales in December 2015, distressed sales made up 10.3 percent and real estate-owned (REO) sales made up 6.9 percent The REO sales share was 21 percentage points lower than it was at the peak recorded in January 2009 at 27.9 percent Only eight states had increases in their distressed sales shares in December 2015 Sign Up Free | The WPJ Weekly Newsletter Relevant real estate news. Actionable market intelligence. Right to your inbox every week. Go Thank you for your interest! You will now be receiving our Weekly Real Estate Newsletter. Real Estate Listings Showcase Irvine-Ca based CoreLogic is reporting this week that U.S. distressed sales, which include REOs and short sales, accounted for 10.3 percent of total home sales nationally in the U.S. in December 2015, down 2.8 percentage points from December 2014 and down 1.5 percentage points from November 2015.Within the distressed category, REO sales accounted for 6.9 percent and short sales accounted for 3.4 percent of total home sales in December 2015. The REO sales share was 2.4 percentage points below the December 2014 share and is the lowest for the month of December since 2006. The short sales share fell below 4 percent in mid-2014 and has remained in the 3-4 percent range since then. At its peak in January 2009, distressed sales totaled 32.4 percent of all sales, with REO sales representing 27.9 percent of that share. While distressed sales play an important role in clearing the housing market of foreclosed properties, they sell at a discount to non-distressed sales, and when the share of distressed sales is high, it can pull down the prices of non-distressed sales. There will always be some level of distress in the housing market, and by comparison, the pre-crisis share of distressed sales was traditionally about 2 percent. If the current year-over-year decrease in the distressed sales share continues, it will reach that "normal" 2-percent mark in mid-2018.All but eight states recorded lower distressed sales shares in December 2015 compared with a year earlier. Maryland had the largest share of distressed sales of any state at 20.2 percent1 in December 2015, followed by Connecticut (19.2 percent), Florida (18.5 percent), Michigan (18.2 percent) and Illinois (17.6 percent). North Dakota had the smallest distressed sales share at 2.7 percent. Nevada had a 5.1 percentage point drop in its distressed sales share from a year earlier, the largest decline of any state. California had the largest improvement of any state from its peak distressed sales share, falling 59.5 percentage points from its January 2009 peak of 67.4 percent. While some states stand out as having high distressed sales shares, only North Dakota and the District of Columbia are close to their pre-crisis levels (each within one percentage point).Of the 25 largest Core Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs) based on mortgage loan count, Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Fla. had the largest share of distressed sales at 20.4 percent, followed by Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, Md. (20.3 percent), Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Fla. (20.2 percent), Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, Ill. (20.1 percent) and Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, Nev. (14.5 percent). Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, Colo. had the smallest distressed sales share among this group of the country's largest CBSAs at 2.9 percent. Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, Nev. had the largest year-over-year drop in its distressed sales share, falling by 5.3 percentage points from 19.8 percent in December 2014 to 14.5 percent in December 2015. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, Calif. had the largest overall improvement in its distressed sales share from its peak value, dropping from 76.3 percent in February 2009 to 10.7 percent in December 2015. Janitor (illustration) By: Tanya Malhotra A janitor was arrested on a charge of murder after allegedly killing a woman who kicked his bucket of water while he was cleaning an apartment building, police in the United Arab Emirates said. Dubai police said that they have arrested the janitor, who was not identified, on Friday, after being accused of strangling the woman in her apartment on Thursday. He was charged with one count of murder. According to the police investigation, the janitor was mopping the floors of the apartment building around 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, when the woman kicked over his bucket of water. The janitor became angry and decided to take revenge against the woman. He went to the womanas apartment around 2:00 p.m., and he strangled her. The victim was discovered by her roommate who came home that evening. The roommate called the police. Police said that the evidence at the scene pointed to the janitor. Kaleb Broome By: Wayne Morin (Scroll down for video) A police officer was arrested on a charge of official misconduct after allegedly stealing a roll of tape from the home of a domestic violence victim, police in South Carolina said. The Richland County Sheriffas Office said that they have arrested Officer Kaleb Broome, after being accused of stealing the roll tape, which is worth about 10 cents. If convicted, Broome faces up to a year in jail. Broome has also been fired from the force. According to the police investigation, Broome and another officer responded to a domestic dispute. While the female victim packed up her belongings to move out of the home, Broome looked around in the garage and took a roll of tape. Broome then observed a map on a wall, and circled part of the name Nigeria, in an attempt to make out a racial slur. Broomeas partner urged him not to take the tape, but he ignored him. The partner reported the incident to his superior. A young man wanted to make a point about racism in the United States, but his plan backfired when he was exposed for a liar by police. 20-year-old Khalil Cavil of Texas was working at the Saltgrass Steak House in Odessa when he claimed he was discriminated against because of his Muslim name. Cavil took http://donpolson.blogspot.com/ Bringing you the very best information, analysis and opinion from around the web. NOTE: For videos that don't start--go to article link to view. The environmental arm of Wrangell Cooperative Association wants to know which issues with wood fire heating have been getting residents hot under the collar. Its Indian Environmental General Assistance Program (IGAP) office held an open house discussion Tuesday to identify and discuss challenges related to household heating. Essentially the goal is to gather information from people who burn wood, summarized Chris Hatton, IGAP coordinator for Wrangell. Items she looked for include costs, efficiency, whether a household has dependable access to wood sources, or are able to transport and properly store their cordwood. The discussions were also an opportunity to share tips and talk about health and safety issues. For instance, a person can maximize the heat gained from their fuel by burning thoroughly dried wood. Seasoned wood ought to be dried from six months to a year before use, stacked off from the ground and covered up. Dry wood is up to 30 percent more efficient, which can cut down on costs in the long run. At the meeting Hatton demonstrated how to use a penetrating moisture meter, what to look for in moisture levels in wood, and how properly seasoned pieces handle differently from semi-dry ones. Cleaning out ones chimney once a year or more and emptying out the ashes that collect at the stoves bottom increases air flow, producing more heat while also reducing the chance of a chimney fire starting. Brushes can be borrowed from the local fire department, which is also willing to assist if needed. As well as identifying problems, the office hopes to devise some solutions to common problems and present potential alternatives. Part of IGAPs focus is improving quality of life through sustainable programming, such as the village elder yard cleanup undertaken last year. Air quality was among the environmental issues ranked highly on WCA members list of quality of life concerns, and Tuesdays meeting follows up on an air quality survey conducted the winter of 2014-15. The study was one of four conducted in Southeast Alaska sponsored by the Tulalip Foundation, and measured the moisture content in cordwood burned at local homes. These were then compared to pressed wood briquettes, such as those produced in Craig by Viking Lumber. Conclusions from the study are expected within the next couple of weeks. Compared to cordwood, briquettes are shown to burn hotter and more cleanly, and are easier to start. A ton of wood briquettes takes up 35 percent of the space and weighs 71 percent as much as a cord of dry Hemlock, while producing as many BTUs. But wood has the benefit of being relatively inexpensive, at times costing only the effort. Knowing where to get suitable wood can be an issue however, particularly with finding legal sources from which to harvest. Wrexham Man Jailed Following Series of Arson Attacks This article is old - Published: Thursday, Mar 3rd, 2016 A Wrexham man found guilty of a series of car arsons in the area last year has been jailed. Following his trial in relation to seven offences of arson in the Wrexham area and subsequent conviction, 38-year-old Alan Lloyd Evans appeared at Mold Crown Court today and was sentenced to four years and three months imprisonment. Evans had been charged with a previous offence of arson in September 2015 where he set fire to a vehicle, for which he received a non-custodial sentence and was ordered to pay compensation. On October 24 2015 there was a further series of seven vehicle fires in the same area and following police enquires Evans was arrested outside the North Wales Police area. Following the sentence Detective Chief Inspector Neil Harrison of Wrexham CID said: The actions of Alan Evans threatened the very community in which he lived. His own neighbours felt intimidated and feared leaving their vehicles unattended in case they were targeted. Throughout Evans has failed to acknowledge the impact of his actions, choosing to take this case to trial. Detective Chief Inspector Neil Harrison added: In recent years the Wrexham area has been overwhelmed by the number of arsons taking place, particularly where vehicles have been set on fire. These incidents have spread fear in the community, have caused huge damage and have put the lives of the public and emergency services at risk. I am determined that by working with the community and with partners we will bring those responsible to justice. The sentence given to Evans today should serve as warning to others that arson is a serious offence and it will not be tolerated. I would urge the community to work with the police to ensure that these offences can be dealt with effectively. The Police and Crime Commissioner for North Wales, Winston Roddick, added: This is a tough sentence and rightly so. People in this area of Wrexham have been plagued by random arson attacks which not only cause damage to property but are also a serious hazard to life. The police are to be commended for bringing the perpetrator to justice and I share the Recorders surprise that this case ever came to trial in view of the overwhelming evidence of guilt. The sentence sends out a strong signal that the people of North Wales have a right to feel safe, secure, and unthreatened by crime, criminals, and intimidation from whatever source in their homes and in public and that North Wales Police will work with the justice system to ensure that message is loud and clear. The news has been welcomed by Wrexham MP Ian Lucas who said: These offences were reckless and endangered lives. It is quite right that Mr Evans should have received several years in jail for them. The police should be commended for the work they put in in securing this conviction I have spoken to officers about this case and others and I know they are determined to catch offenders and see them convicted. This case should also send a strong message out to anyone involved in these offences in the Wrexham area that, when caught, they will face a long time in jail. It should also reassure people that, when caught, offenders will be convicted and I would urge anyone with information on similar offences to talk to the police. Anyone who may have any information that may assist the police in making our communites safer can call 101 or alternatively contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. WAYNE COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Two men and two women were arrested on drug charges involving heroin, according to information from the Wayne County Sheriff's Department Drug Enforcement Unit. Karen "Rachel" Roberts and Seth Sleasman both are charged with one count of delivery of a controlled substance and one count of conspiracy. Leigha Blackburn of Louisa, Kentucky, is charged with one count of delivery of a controlled substance, one count of aiding and abetting delivery of a controlled substance and two counts of conspiracy. Deputies say the arrests, which were made Wednesday in Louisa, Kentucky, happened after two undercover drug buys from Drug Enforcement Unit officers. On Tuesday, Keith Pauley of Wayne was arrested on two counts of delivery of a controlled substance charges. Those charges also were related to an undercover heroin buy. All of the suspects were taken to the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center. New Jersey's 8th congressional district begins just north of North Bergen, includes West New York, Guttenberg, Union City, Weehawken, and Hoboken moves down into Historical Downtown Jersey City and then winds around most of Bayonne and Newark Airport into the Latino neighborhoods north of Newark and includes all of Elizabeth. Most of the voters live in Hudson County, although there's a sizable chunk of Essex County and some in Union County. The district is almost 55% Latino. 8.3% is Black, 7.7% is Asian and the white population is about 27%. The district is deep, deep blue, with a PVI of D+24; Obama beat McCain with 73% and then 4 years later beat Romney with an astounding 79%. Since 2007, when crooked Rep. Robert Menendez became crooked Senator Robert Menendez, the congressman has been Albio Sires, previously the Speaker of the New Jersey Assembly. Rated a "D" by ProgressivePunch, the 2015-16 congressional session is the worst of any New Jersey Democrat other than Donald Norcross, the conservative South Jersey Machine candidate. Eloy Delgado , a millennial candidate challenging Sires the cycle, was born in Elizabeth, NJ during the height of the crack-cocaine epidemic. He describes his childhood as a happy one due to family sheltering him from the realities that were taking place outside of the apartment. As a child, Eloy would make it a game to kill as many roaches as possible. He did not know that his housing complex was kept in substandard conditions which contributed to the high rates of asthma in his neighborhood. He did not know that the loud pop sounds he heard constantly during the summer months were actually the scourge of gun violence in his neighborhood. At the time of his childhood, he was not aware that he went to one of the "worst" public schools in the State of New Jersey. Despite the challenging circumstances of his upbringing, today he says he is grateful for being able to experience these circumstances because they gave him the ability to empathize and see the importance of systemic public investment, which has a good deal to do with his endorsement of Bernie Sanders. He describes the district as a working class area that highly depends on public transportation for economic development. "Unfortunately, investment in public transportation has never been a priority for many of our elected officials. Local roads are subjected traffic patterns and volumes they were not designed to bear and the quality of life of local residents declines as result. Despite this, the best asset the district has to offer is its people. The people from the 8th district are from all over the world and their diversity enriches the district with an array of cultures, customs, and food." Eloy himself is a first generation American. He was born to a Dominican mother and a Cuban father. He told us he saw first hand what it's like to work hard for the American dream while external forces work against said dreams. "This area used to be filled with good paying manufacturing jobs that provided middle class wages to working class people. Our disastrous free trade policies, busting of the unions, tax cuts for the rich, and other policies have all contributed to dismal state of the middle and working class. Moreover, our colleges and universities started to mirror the broader trends in the economy: cutting protections, salaries and benefits for middle class professors, while funneling more money into upper administrative positions. Tuition at our universities and colleges keep increasing while the number of tenured salaried professors keeps declining. While our economic policy has focused on the 1%, our foreign policy has been a reckless one that has kept us looking backwards instead of forward." Because Sires works closely with foreign policy reactionaries like Ileana Ros-Lehtien and Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida against President Obama's policies of opening up relations between the U.S. and Cuba, we asked Eloy where he stands on Cuban policy. No area is this more evident than with our policy towards Cuba. I agree with President Obama that continuing the policies of the Cold War is not productive for America or the Cuban people. My father left Cuba, and I fully understand why so many believe we should not engage with the Castro regime, but isn't it the definition of insanity to repeat the same failed policies over again and expect a different result? The United States must always be a voice of human rights around the world and our engagement with the Cuban government should not be seen as an affirmation of the Cuban governments record on human rights; however, our policies have not had the intended effect of toppling the Castro government, instead they have directly hurt the Cuban people. It is time to end the embargo and establish diplomatic relations with Cuba. The Cuban people must be the only ones to determine their own destiny. My opponent does not agree with me on this issue. He would continue the disastrous embargo policy that has directly hurt the Cuban people. He would continue the policies that prevent families from reuniting, and he would continue the policies that keep us in a Cold War mindset. It is time to turn the page on our engagement with our Caribbean neighbor; it is time to turn the page on our engagement with the world. In the lead-up to the National Peoples Congress (NPC) starting on Saturday, the Chinese government has announced massive layoffs in state-owned enterprises in coal and steel. Further sackings in other basic industries are being foreshadowed in moves that will result in millions of workers losing their jobs and heightened political and social tensions. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leadership has delayed taking steps to deal with huge overcapacities in heavy industry and so-called zombie companiesstate-owned enterprises (SOEs) kept on life support via low-interest bank loansfor fear of triggering widespread social unrest. However, amid a slowing economy and concerns about mounting debt, the regime has signalled a swathe of sackings. Premier Li Keqiang told top economic advisers in December: We must summon our determination and set to work. For those zombie enterprises with absolute overcapacity, we must ruthlessly bring down the knife. Li will present his yearly work report to the NPC which will also deliberate on the 13th Five-Year Plan that sets the economic guidelines for the government. On Monday, the employment and welfare minister Yin Weimin announced that capacity in the coal and steel industries would be drastically reduced with 1.8 million workers losing their jobs1.3 million coal miners and 500,000 steel workers. The figure was a sharp increase from just a few days before when industry minister Miao Wei declared that one million jobs would go in coal and steel. A Reuters report on Tuesday based on unnamed government sources indicated that the government is planning to slash capacity in as many as seven sectors, including cement, glassmaking and ship building leading to around six million jobs being destroyed in the next three years. The emergence of huge overcapacities in Chinas basic industries is intimately bound up with the continuing worldwide economic slump that has followed the 2008-09 global financial crisis. The CCP leadership reacted to the collapse of exports and the loss of 20 million jobs with massive stimulus packages and a flood of cheap credit that fuelled a speculative property bubble. Like governments around the world, Beijing calculated that the crisis was temporary and export growth would resume once the major capitalist economies recovered. Basic industry expanded, spurred on by infrastructure projects, construction and a continuous supply of cheap credit. However, export markets have stagnated, property and infrastructure investment is slowing and the much vaunted transition to a service economy has failed to prop up growth rates. The slowing Chinese economy, now the worlds second largest, is already reverberating internationally. Falling Chinese demand for basic industrial inputs has contributed to the collapse in world commodity prices which is now severely impacting on commodity exporting countries such as Brazil, Russia, South Africa, Australia and Canada. The excess capacities in China are enormous. Estimated steel overcapacity jumped from 132 million tonnes per year in 2008 to 327 million tonnes in 2014a figure that is more than three times greater than the total output of Japan, the worlds second largest producer. Over the same period, overcapacity for cement nearly doubled from 450 to 850 million tonnes, for oil refining leapt from 77 to 230 million tonnes and for flat glass jumped from 76 million to 215 million weight cases. According to the Financial Times, 42 percent of all SOEs lost money in 2013. Total profits for such groups fell in absolute terms last year for the first time since 2001. The gap in return on assets between SOEs and private firms is now the largest in two decades. Government intervention to slash overcapacity could place further stresses on the financial and banking system as SOEs account for an estimated 50 percent of all commercial debt. Already there are deep concerns about mounting bad loans. A report last month by the European Chamber of Commerce in China stated that non-performing loans (NPLs) had risen by $US76 billion during the first ten months of 2015 to about $291 billion, a 35 percent increase. The Chinese governments plans to slash overcapacities and jobs will hit some areas of the country much harder than others, exacerbating regional tensions. Provincial and local governments have often kept zombie SOEs afloat through the provision of loans so as to avoid mass layoffs and rising social unrest. The so-called rust-bucket region in the northeast of the country where unemployment is already high will be particularly badly affected. The CCP is seeking to forestall widespread resistance in the working class by providing funds for retraining and job seeking. Industry minister Miao Wei announced last week that 100 billion yuan ($US15.3 billion) would be provided to support displaced steel and coal workers. However, steel worker Gao Jianqiang told the China Daily last week: There are just too many factories that are not doing well. One-hundred billion yuan sounds like a huge sum, but I do not think it will solve problems for everyone. Many of those who lose their jobs will simply not find work elsewhere. In January, China International Capital Corp (CIIC), the countrys largest merchant bank, predicted that 30 percent of the 10 million people employed in the coal, steel, electrolytic aluminium, cement and glass industries would lose their jobs in the next two years. The CIIC report concluded that a million of these workers would not find a new job. That estimation was based on the results of the last round of mass job losses in SOEs in the late 1990s when 21 million workers were sacked. Only two thirds found work or were transferred to other jobs. Chinas growth rate in the 2000s, however, averaged 10 percent and peaked at over 14 percent in 2007. Now, however, it is officially 6.9 percent and slowing. Jobs are being destroyed not only in heavy industry but also in the manufacturing export sectors. The official unemployment rate is 4 percent but some estimates, such as research by the National Bureau of Economic Research, put the real figure at close to 10 percent. The Business Insider last week reported that millions of migrant workers were returning after the New Year break to an uncertain future, as smaller factories in particular struggle to cope with anemic orders and rising inventories. Exports from Guangdong province, one of Chinas major manufacturing hubs, are predicted to grow by just 1 percent this year. There are already signs of growing opposition among workers to plans for mass retrenchments. Figures produced by the Hong Kong-based China Labour Bulletin have shown a sharp rise in the number of strikes for 2015 to 2,774, twice as many as for 2014. In January, 504 strikes were recorded. The statistics are only a partial record as they rely on media and social media reports as well as local contacts. Significantly on Tuesday, the day after the announcement that 1.3 million mining jobs would be destroyed, hundreds of coal miners in Anyuan in southeastern China marched through the city of Pingxiang. The local state-owned mining company has cut back production, laid off workers and told others to stay home on drastically reduced pay. As reported by the Washington Post, up to 1,000 workers from three mines carried banners declaring: Workers want to survive, workers need to eat. In response to last weeks Australian Defence White Paper, the Greens have remained completely silent on the core content of the documentadvanced preparations for participating in a US-led war against China. By their reaction, the Greens, who once postured as an anti-war party, have sent another signal of their readiness to support such a war, a potentially catastrophic conflagration in which millions of people would be killed. The White Paper identifies Chinas economic expansion and emerging military strength as the primary threat to US supremacy in Asia and globally and therefore to Australian national interests, which are identified as being tied to those of Washington. The document declares full support for the US pivot or rebalance to Asia, which involves the deployment of 60 percent of the US Navy and Air Force within Asia in order to confront China. It sets out the spending of hundreds of billions of dollars on boosting the military for that purpose, acquiring key weapons systems required for further integration into the Pentagons battle plansnotably submarines, warships, fighter jets, drones and cyber warfare capacities. There was not one word about these plans in the brief media statements made by the Greens last week on the White Paper. Nothing was said about the pivot, the US alliance or the expansion of US military use of northern and western Australian ports and airfields, and the Cocos Islands in the Indian Ocean. Instead, the Greens criticised the Liberal-National government for abandoning, via defence spending, its pledges to the finance markets to eliminate the budget deficit by the early 2020s. Greens defence and finance spokesman Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, a business owner and ex-banker, said the government was engaged in a cash splash that has obliterated future budget surpluses. His February 26 media release commented: The government is completely lost at sea with their fiscal strategy. Whish-Wilson accused the government of pork-barrelling defence industries, as if the huge increases in spending were simply a matter of winning votes in key electorates. This serves to divert attention from the militarist agenda driving the greatest expansion of the armed forces since World War II. In a statement on February 25, Whish-Wilson explicitly declared that the Greens are not opposed to increased military spending, provided it is devoted to protecting Australiathat is, the geo-strategic interests of Australian capitalism. The Greens believe it is not the job of Australian taxpayers to spend up on military hardware to intercede in a proxy war between our two largest trading partners over 4,000 kilometres from our shores. We need a defence force that protects Australia, not one that exists to play gate-keeper between two regional powers. The reference to our two largest trading partners suggests a confrontation between China, Australias biggest trading partner, and Japan, the second largest. The reality that the Greens seek to obscure is that the primary battle lines throughout the Indo-Pacific region are being drawn by the US against China. Washington is conducting a massive military buildup and forging a series of base-sharing and other alliances, most notably with Australia, Japan and the Philippines, but also South Korea and a host of other governments. Greens leader Senator Richard Di Natale has said virtually nothing on the White Paper. He told reporters it was the sort of blueprint you would expect from Tony Abbott. In fact, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull ensured that the White Paper left no doubt that the governments commitment to the US pivot remained just as complete as it had been under his predecessor, Abbott, and brought forward by two years the deadline to increase defence spending to at least 2 percent of gross domestic product. All these basic commitments were first made, not by Abbott, but by Labor Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who was installed as prime minister via a Washington-backed inner-party coup in mid-2010. After Gillard led Labor to near-defeat at an election three months later, the Greens supplied the parliamentary numbers to keep her minority government in office as it signed up to the pivot in November 2011. In 2003, the Greens opposed Australias involvement in the Bush administrations invasion of Iraq. But they did so in order to derail the mass opposition that erupted to that war. Promoted by pseudo-left groups in stop the war coalitions, the Greens peddled illusions that they represented an anti-war voice in parliament, that pressure could be applied via the UN to halt the invasion. The Greens opposition to Australias participation in that war was purely tacticalthat military forces should be used to defend Australian imperialisms predatory interests in the Asia Pacific region. That was why the Greens endorsed the Obama administrations shift in focus to the pivot to Asia. Former Greens leader Bob Brown, who heckled President Bush in the Australian parliament in 2003 about the Iraq war, welcomed Obama in 2011 when the US president used the parliament, courtesy of the Labor government, to formally announce the pivot. While the Greens remain deliberately silent about the real content of the White Paper, they are certainly conscious of the plans being prepared for war against China. Last July, in off-the-cuff remarks at a pacifist conference, Senator Scott Ludlam, who was then acting party leader, described the large joint US-Australian Talisman Sabre military exercise taking place across northern Australia as training for expeditionary wars and invasions. He stated: I dont think we should be preparing for a war with China I dont think we should be participating in that kind of provocation. Ludlams remarks went largely unreported by the corporate media and he never repeated them. His comments reflected the fears of elements of the Australian establishment that supporting the US war drive will end in disaster and undermine Australian capitalisms substantial economic ties with China. The dominant factions of the Australian ruling class, however, calculate that Australian imperialist interestshegemony in the South Pacific, major investments in Wall Street and the prospect of greater market share in Asia in particularare best served by ensuring the US retains its dominant position. The silence of the Greens, along with the rest of the political establishment, on the militarist agenda contained in the White Paper reflects above all the fear that the lurch to war and massive military spending will provoke determined opposition and resistance among workers and youth. Indias main Stalinist parliamentary party, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPM, plans to jointly contest this springs West Bengal state election with the big business Congress Party. The CPM and the Congress have already started holding joint rallies across the state. They are also promoting their alliance on the walls of Kolkata, the state capital, with graffiti that reads, With the hand [the Congress election symbol] holding the hammer and sickle [the CPMs symbol], Trinamool will be ousted from Bengal. A Bengal regionalist party that split off from the Congress in 1998, the Trinamool (Grassroots) Congress has formed West Bengals state government since 2011, when it swept the polls, ending 34 consecutive years of rule by the CPM and its Left Front allies. In joining hands with the Congress, the CPM is once again aligning with the Indian bourgeoisies traditional party of governmentwith the party that in 1991 initiated the drive to transform India into a cheap-labor haven for global capital and that has done most of the heavy-lifting over the past quarter-century in implementing neo-liberal reform and developing a strategic partnership between India and US imperialism. From 2004 to 2008, the CPM and the CPM-led Left Front propped up a Congress-led Indian government in parliament, on the utterly fraudulent grounds that the Congress was a secular bulwark against the Hindu supremacist BJP and could be pressured into pursuing pro-people policies. The CPM Central Committee (CC) authorised an electoral tie-up with the Congress at a two-day meeting that ended February 18, although it contradicts the CPMs official political-tactical line. At its party congress last April, the CPM formally committed to oppose both of the Indian bourgeoisies principal parties, the Congress and the BJP. In a transparent attempt to obscure the partys trashing of its own policy and to paper over bitter divisions within the party leadership, the CPM CC issued a statement that gave the West Bengal CPM the green light it had been demanding for an alliance with the Congress while omitting any mention of the Congress. In West Bengal, declared the CC, the CPM will seek the cooperation of all democratic forcesto defeat the Trinamul Congress [and] isolate the BJP and their machinations. With the support of CPM General Secretary Sitaram Yechury, the West Bengal CPM leadership had publicly campaigned for a CPM-Congress electoral alliance for weeks. Such was the vigor with which it pressed its demand for a tie-up with the big business Congress, some of its factional opponents within the CPM Politburo and CC raised concerns the majority of the West Bengal leadership might break away. The West Bengal CPM leadership was quick to hail the outcome of the CC meeting. Speaking on February 18, just hours after the meetings conclusion, a leader of the CPMs West Bengal State Committee said it had already agreed to to talk to all Left, secular and democratic forces, including the Congress. Another state party leader said the CPM might employ the Siliguri model in the upcoming state assembly election. This is a reference to the informali.e., not publicly announcedseat-sharing agreement the CPM made with the Congress last year for municipal and panchayat (rural) elections in Siliguri. With the tacit-backing of the Congress, the CPM topped the polls in both elections, and local party leader Ashok Bhattacharya became Siliguri mayor. In an interview with the Indian Express published February 19, West Bengal Congress leader Adhir Ranjan said that talks between state units of the CPM and the Congress about how they would divvy up the assembly seats between them have been on for some time. According to the most recent news reports, a CPM-Congress seat-sharing deal awaits only final agreement on the number of seats to be given to the Congress and the sanction of the Congress high command in Delhi, which initially favoured an election alliance with the Trinamool Congress. According to the Kolkata Telegraph, the CPM is proposing the Congress be allotted 75 seats, which would leave the CPM and its Left Front allies the remaining 219 in the 294-member West Bengal state assembly. The state Congress should be happy as we are offering more seats than [Trinamool Congress head and West Bengal Chief Minister] Mamata Banerjee ever gave them, a CPM state secretariat member told the Telegraph. In the run-up to last months CC meeting, the CPM leadership in Kerala, the only other major state where the CPM has ever led the government, and Yechurys predecessor as CPM general-secretary, Prakash Karat, publicly opposed an alliance with the Congress in West Bengal. This opposition was never anything more than a disagreement over which right-wing course the Stalinists should follow. The Kerala CPM warned that an alliance with the Congress in West Bengal would undermine the prospects of the CPM-left Left Democratic Front unseating the Congress-led United Democratic Front in the Kerala state assembly elections, which are also due this spring. Karat and his allies also expressed concerned that a tie-up with the popularly discredited Congress would only bring further disrepute to the Stalinists, whose electoral base among workers and toilers has hemorrhaged as a result of their implementing what they themselves term pro-investor policies. Ultimately, the Kerala CPM leadership declared itself satisfied with the CC statement because it didnt explicitly endorse an alliance with the Congress. Speaking to the press, Kerala CPM leaders said that they had nothing against an electoral understanding with the big business, pro-imperialist Congress, just not a formal alliance. The Kerala CPM leadership, it should be recalled, voiced no objection to the CPM propping up the Congress-led UPA government for four years. As for Karat, he could not be more associated with the CPMs support for the UPA since he was then the CPMs general secretary. Nevertheless, the speed, enthusiasm, and unbridled manner in which the West Bengal CPM has pursued an electoral pact with the Congress may well cause a further eruption of factional bickering and indeed sharp divisions within the CPM leadership. The CPM has already announced that it will make industrialisation a major plank of its election campaign in West Bengal. In January, it organised a week-long march from Singur to Salboni to promote itself as the party that can best entice domestic and foreign capital to set up factories in West Bengal. At both Singur and Salboni, attempts by the CPM-led Left Front state government to expropriate land for big business projects failed due to mass opposition from farmers and agricultural workers whose livelihoods were threatened. Speaking in Salboni at the marchs conclusion, CPM State Secretary Surya Kanta Mishra criticised the Trinamool Congress government for forcing industries out of the state. The CPMs appeal for big business support as the party best able to create profitable investment conditions is entirely in line with its alliance with the big business Congress Party. The CPMs claim that it is allying with the Congress to save democracy in West Bengal is a reactionary fraud. To be sure, Banerjee is a right-wing anti-communist demagogue, whose government uses brutal repressive measures against its political opponents, above all West Bengals workers and rural toilers. However, Congress governments at both the Union and state levels have no less a reactionary record. Far from defending democracy and secularism, the Congress has a decades-long record stretching back to the 1947 communal partition of India of conniving with the Hindu right. In calling for an alliance with Congress to defend democracy and secularism, the Stalinists are pursuing the same reactionary line through which they have politically smothered the working class for decades, tying it to alliances with the Congress and a myriad of caste-ist and regional bourgeois parties. From 1989 through 2008, the CPM propped up a succession of right-wing governments at the Centre, most of them Congress-led, that implemented neo-liberal reforms, claiming that this was the only means of blocking the communalist BJP from coming to power. By preventing the working class from mobilising its class strength and advancing its independent class solution to the social crisissocialismthe Stalinists have strengthened the bourgeoisie and social reaction, paving the way for the BJP to form Indias government and for the first time ever with a parliamentary majority. The pseudo-left party Podemos has joined with the Stalinist-led United Left (IU) and the CC.OO trade union to support a call from the Socialist Party (PSOE) in Cadiz, urging Madrid to speed up the sale of warships to Saudi Arabia. Cadiz is the location of one of the three major shipbuilding centres belonging to the state-owned shipbuilders, Navantia. According to the online newspaper La Marea, the Cadiz PSOE resolution of February 17 states, We have no doubt that for Navantia, and thus for the Cadiz Bay, the contract signed with the Saudi Arabian Navy will be a lifesaving measure that will guarantee the viability of its shipbuilders and its auxiliary industries. It would clear the future in the short and medium term because, in addition to generating jobs, it would allow for the continued employment for the majority of its workforce. The resolution was supported by Podemos local front, For Cadiz Yes We Can (Por Cadiz si se puede) and the IU, alongside the right-wing Popular Party (PP) and the nationalist Andalusian Party. Cadizs mayor, Jose Manuel Gonzalez, a former member of the Pabloite Anticapitalist Left (IA) organization, and one of Podemos mayors of change, supported the sale on Twitter saying that if there is any doubt, this team of local government supports any initiative which increases the workload in Cadiz bays shipbuilding. Antonio Romero, another Podemos mayor from neighbouring Puerto Real, supported the decision, stating, The important thing is employment, whether it comes from [Saudi] Arabia, Venezuela or Germany. Jorge Suarez, IU mayor of the northern city of Ferrol in Galicia, where another Navantia might benefit from the Saudi contract, struck a pose of concern over the deal, declaring, I have problems with my conscience over these contracts. He was, naturally enough, not opposed to building warships per se, adding, It is not the same to build warships for Norway as it is for Saudi Arabia. But his moral qualms were in any event soon dispensed with, as he insisted, The situation in the [Ferrol] region is what it is [] Between conscience and hunger Cadiz mayor Gonzalez urged a continuation of international diplomacy by Spain, urging Saudi Arabia to respect human rights. The same line was parroted by Lets Win Jerez (Ganemos Jerez), which abstained in the Cadiz vote. This localist pseudo-left party argued that the motion should have added a paragraph defending human rights and opposing terrorism. Saudi Arabia is an absolutist monarchy headed by the House of Saud, a reactionary regime that serves as one of the main tools of imperialism in the Middle East. At home, the regime oversees a brutally repressive machine, which terrorizes political opponents with barbaric state murders including crucifixions and public executions. Abroad, the regime has stoked up sectarian war in Syria to remove Irans principal ally in the region, funnelling weapons and money for Sunni Islamist militias which has led to the destruction of the country. Hundreds of thousands have been killed and millions forced to migrate. In Yemen, Saudi Arabia has intervened directly, bombing the country and imposing a naval blockade. The motion serves to cover for Spains increasing militarism and the countrys arms industry, which has profited out of the bloodbath in the Middle East. The pseudo-left forces join with the CC.OO, Spain's largest trade union. Jesus Peralta, president of the Navantia works council, stated in a press conference, If we dont do it, other countries will. He urged Podemos mayors of Cadiz and Puerto Real (who both support the sale) to tell your boss [Podemos General Secretary Pablo Iglesias] to shut up regarding the contract with Saudi Arabia, because if not he will f*** over 10,000 families. This was a reference to Iglesias statements made in November, calling for Spain to revise its relations with Saudi Arabia over its support to groups like the Islamic State. He made these comments in the pre-December election period, when all the bourgeois parties were lining up behind France after the Paris terror attacks, attempting to exploit anti-militarist sentiment among workers and youth in Spain. In January, Podemos published a statement condemning the state-murder of 47 Saudi oppositionists and calling on the Spanish government to stop the sale of weapons to the regime. In reality, Iglesias and Podemos are pro-imperialist and militarist politicians. Iglesias has launched campaigns for recruitment in the army, and has met with military associations. Last year, he proudly announced that former Chief of the Armed Forces General Julio Rodriguez Fernandez, who led Spains participation in the 2011 NATO war in Libya, would be a Podemos candidate in the December election in Zaragoza province. Podemos also refused to join the annual protest outside the US-NATO base at Rota, claiming jobs would be lost if it closed. After the deadlocked December 20 election, Podemos spent weeks attempting to negotiate a so-called left coalition government with the PSOE, although the PSOE announced last week that it had reached an agreement with the right-wing Citizens party. The PSOE has supported US-led wars, signed up last year to the renewal and extension of the bilateral defence agreement with the US, allowing Washington permanent use of the Moron air base in Seville and its use as a home for the Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response-Africa, subordinated to the US Africa Command (AFRICOM). Unsurprisingly, when contacted by La Marea, Podemos and IU refused to answer questions about the actions of its local branches in Ferrol, Puerto Real and Cadiz. The latest development is a further step in the consolidation of the common front established between the shipbuilders, the Spanish government, the unions and IU. As the World Socialist Web Site noted in 2013, when the European Union fined Spain for illegal tax breaks to the Spanish shipbuilding industry, This common front has existed for years, as the unions have sought to suppress opposition from workers to the Spanish ruling elites restructuring and privatisation of the shipbuilding industry in response to global competition. These forces seek to exploit workers need for jobs to further their militarist agenda and demobilize opposition to the drive to war while they work with the government and shipbuilders to insist on further restructuring, wage cuts, and attacks on workplace conditions. This betrayal has already led to a terrible social crisis in towns where shipbuilding once dominated. Cadiz suffers 40 percent unemployment; in Ferrol, its 26 percent. Massive depopulation has taken place as a result. The alternative requires a conscious struggle by the working class for socialism and internationalism, in a political rebellion against the pseudo-left parties and the trade unions. As Spanish imperialism seeks to join the scramble for Africa and regain influence in its former South American colonies, the pseudo-left forces are coming to the fore in defence of the appetites of the Spanish ruling class for markets, profits and regional influence. Since 1997, DR1 has been covering the Dominican Republic in English. A site overhaul had long been due. Here is the beta version of the first phase of the new DR1. We have upgraded the website with user-friendly software to serve our community better. We have kept the up-to-date content. Now it is your turn to give the new DR1 a test run! We are tough-skinned. Go ahead and tell us what we are doing right, wrong, and what we need to change asap or work on next. Tell us what you would like to see less or more of, and what we shouldnt change! Imagine we have bought a new house for DR1. The house comes with: New server that ensures DR1 can handle peaks in traffic New DR1 Forums Improved Search New DR1 Calendar DR1 News and DR1 Calendar are integrated into the DR1 Forums New DR1 Wiki for frequently asked topics New Trending Topics emails We now need to furnish the house. It is YOUR DR1! We invite you to collaborate in adding valuable content. What content or services should we add? Check out the new resources, but get creative, too. You can contribute and play a key role in helping people connect, enjoy and be productive in the Dominican Republic. Dolores Vicioso, founder Write to support@dr1.com TALLAHASSEE, FL (WTXL) - The Tallahassee community now has the chance to nominate who they think should get keys to the city. Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum opened up nominations for the 2016 Keys to the City award Wednesday. Gillum and his office is asking for the community's help in selecting who should be honored with this year's award. Re-introduced last year, the award given annually by the Office of the Mayor and is one of the highest honors a person can receive. Nominees should represent deserving individuals, organizations, or businesses that have made a lasting impact on the city. Last year, first responders of the Caracas Court and Florida State University's Strozier Library shootings in 2014 were awarded keys to the city. Mayor Gillum says they set the bar high last year when they honored those first responders and says he hopes to continue with that level of excellence this year and in the future. For more information on how you can take part in nominating, you can visit the link below. https://www.talgov.com/mayor/mayor-engage-keys.aspx Submit An Obituary Funeral homes often submit obituaries as a service to the families they are assisting. However, we will be happy to accept obituaries from family members pending proper verification of the death. Go to form 360 combat soldiers marched excitedly onto the parade grounds of Bahad 1 (site of the IDF's officer training school) to officially become combat officers, after completing their grueling eight-month course. Of the hundreds of candidates, one could easily pick out the faces of the 20 women of which six will be combat officers, and 14 will be surveillance officers. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Their small number indicates that even today, 20 years after the High Courts famous decision in the Alice Miller case (in which the HCJ ruled that women should not be excluded from IAF pilot courses on the base of gender), womens participation - specifically as officers - in IDF infantry divisions should not be taken for granted. In the past few years, there has been an increase in the number of women who volunteer for combat duty, although it requires them to serve for the same amount of time as men (In the IDF, men serve for three years, while women typically serve for two). IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot in the closing ceremony for officers course (Photo: Israel Yosef) The IDFs first mixed gender infantry battalion, Caracal, was created over a decade ago, and has since been joined by three more mixed-gender battalions. The most recent mixed gender battalion to be formed is the Bardelas (Cheetah) battalion, which was formed six months ago. The combat battalion is growing, and more and more units are being established. Caracal train for urban warfare (Photo:IDF Spokesperson) Immediately following the ceremony, Ynet met with three of the six women going into combat units. Second Lieutenant Ophir Eyal is the first female officer in the first all-female drone unit in the Artillery Corps. Her unit will operate drones on the front lines in order to give real-time targeting information to artillery troops stationed miles away. Eyal previously served as a drill instructor, but switched to the role of a combat soldier in order to go into the officers course, where she was the only female officer candidate from the Artillery Corps. Second Lieutenant Noy Magnezi was a combat soldier in the Caracal Battalion, and will be a commander in the new Bardlas battalion. Together with her in the course were two other future Bardelas commanders. Second Lieutenant May Cohen will be an officer in the Combat Intelligence Collection Corps. She is one of two soldiers from that corps to graduate in this class of the course. Ophir Eyal, Noy Magnezi, and May Cohen, who graduated from combat officers course (Photo: IDF Spokesperson) When asked if they felt their commanders treated them any differently during the course, all three replied no." After thinking for a moment, Ophir said, the only thing that might have been different was that they could carry a bit more weight. In my unit, we are supposed to carry a drone on our backs, but women are not suited for that because the drone weighs almost as much as the woman herself. The only thing that was different were the things that we physically couldnt do. Did the other soldiers in your unit act differently towards you? Noy: "For me, the other soldiers werent used to having a woman with them, so in the beginning they didnt really know what to do with us, and it was hard for them. They watched us out of the corners of their eyes to see what we were able to do and what we werent able to do. As time went on, they came to realize that we can do everything they can do they didnt shorten the lengths of the treks we had to do, and they didnt reduce the weight we had to carry. It simply took them a little while to understand it." Did you feel you had to prove yourselves more because youre women? May: "Yes, I felt that I needed to prove I could do everything the male soldiers could do. For instance, if there was something that weighed a lot, the guys would immediately say were taking this, you cant carry it, so I had to prove myself in other ways. I felt like an equal in my unit in the course, but I still felt like I needed to give more. Ophir, who was the only woman in her Artillery Corps course, said that there were times when she felt alone. It manifested, for instance, when sleeping in the field. The men would 'spoon' in their sleeping bags, and I was apart from them with my sleeping bag. Or when we return to the base and everyone were having fun together on Friday, and they come back and joke around in their room, I come back alone to an empty one. But nothing in how they made me feel caused me to feel lonely. They really gave me a feeling of being part of them, I didnt feel like I was outside their circle. "Caracal" training (Photo: IDF Spokesperson Unit) Why are there still so few female officers in combat? Ophir: "Its only a matter of time. There is more awareness of field intelligence, theyre opening more combat battalions, and even within the Artillery Corps, theyre creating more positions. A lot of women have to go through some sort of process, and its not an easy decision. The three of us can say that this path challenges you and takes you to your limits." What would you say to young girls who are debating whether or not to go into combat units? May: "Every job is important and every job contributes to the system called the IDF. But for those who are interested in the field and want to experience something a little different from the routine, this is the place." Ophir: "I think that if youre not very sure of yourself, this will do you well, because the combat track really builds up personal independence and maturity. The physical and mental difficulties you will experience here positively influence you, and will change your life." . Yisrael Heller knows incitement well and until recently played an active role in inciting against Ultra-Orthodox recruits to the IDF. Heller, who is no longer Ultra-Orthodox, met with MK Sharren Haskel (Likud) last week and decided to support her proposed legislation which aims to increase ultra-Orthdox recruitment into the military. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter "Without resolving the issue of incitement, no draft bill will work." He added, "The situation in the Haredi sector is that when one is drafted, he pays a heavy price," Heller said Until a few years ago, Heller belonged to the extremist Edah HaChareidis sect of Ultra-Orthodox Judaism, where his was one of the most creative and sharpest minds. He formulated and worked for a campaign whose name could be translated as "Irresponsible Haredim," which aimed to shame uItra-Orthodox draftees. Ultra-Orthodox people at the IDF enlistment station in Tel Hashomer. (Photo: Motti Kimchi) Today he attests that, to his sorrow, the campaign was far more successful than anticipated, and that ultra-Orthodox soldiers feel threatened walking around ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods. "A few years ago, a fairly massive level of enlistment started to penetrate the sector, and we started to see the soldiers in our neighborhoods," Heller said. "The children's and teenager's eyes lit up with pride and admiration upon seeing the uniforms and guns, and this increased anxiety amongst the activists who saw a great danger in this." After the campaign failed to influence major parts of the Hardei community, Heller and his partners decided to increase the intensity, and came up with the "Irresponsible Haredim" campaign. He said, "We reached the conclusion that we needed to raise the volume of the campaign so that the children and public at large also see something abhorrent and repulsive in them (the draftees). Unfortunately, I was a part of that, and with time, we saw our work turn the ultra-Orthodox soldier into an aberration, and in conjunction with the blatant language, it simply worked." MK Sharren Haaskel. Working with Heller. (Photo: Amit Shabi) Over a year ago, Heller left the ultra-Orthodox world, and today he lives a moderate religious lifestyle with his family. MK Haskel recently contacted him, and the two met last week, discussing the proposal that the team implementing the law - which is already in place - will take responsibility for the formulation of a program to deal with the incitement in the streets of the ultra-Orthodox sector. "I told MK Haskel that if we, a few professionals, succeeded in raising incitement to such a level, then I'm sure there are ways to stitch public opinion back the other way." MK Haskel stated that "Unfortunately, we have come to a situation in which ultra-Orthodox children are afraid to dress up as soldiers for Purim, and this is a phenomenon which needs to be taken care of. This incitement is dangerous to Israeli society, and contributes to the deepening of divisions within it, and therefore this proposed law must be passed." Scorn was poured on Education Minister Naftali Bennetts decision to announce the next school year as The Year of The Unity of Jerusalem. Two phrases that he used inflamed his critics, "our history begins in Jerusalem "and the unity of Jerusalem". The first expression incriminated the Minister of Education as an ignoramus: Jerusalem did not exist when the Hebrew people took their first steps on the stage of history. The second phrase marks him as a blind man: united Jerusalem exists only in formal speeches of ministers in the Israeli government. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter But the decision in itself is legitimate and so is the timing, marking half a century of the conquests made in the Six Day War. It wouldnt hurt Israeli students to take a few hours, maybe a few days from their busy schedules to visit the countrys capital. It also wouldnt hurt them to tour it by foot, and to sleep there, something most schools try to avoid in these times of terror. The education system makes great efforts regarding trips to Poland. I apologize in advance if I offend somebody, but I think it is educationally more important and relevant to visit Jerusalem than to visit Auschwitz. Motorized police in Jerusalem (Photo: EPA) Our history did not begin in Jerusalem, but the yearnings for Jerusalem, for Zion, constitute a key element in our history. There is no Zionism without Zion, no Israel without Jerusalem. David Ben-Gurion, an unmitigated secular, understood this better than anyone. In 1948, when the Arab Legion cut off Jerusalem from the coastal plain, he ordered the IDF to break the siege at all costs. The IDF suffered heavy losses at Sha'ar Hagai and in desperate battles at Latrun, but Jerusalem was to be part of Israel. An overwhelming majority of countries chose not to recognize Israels sovereignty in the western part of the city. Ben-Gurion brushed off international pressure and moved the Knesset and government ministries to the city. Border Police on guard in the Damascus Gate in Jerusalem. (Photo: AFP) Officially, most countries do not recognize Israel's sovereignty in western Jerusalem even today. When students will tour the city, perhaps a curious boy might ask his teacher: Why does every capital city of the world have plenty of embassies but not Jerusalem? Why does Israel accept this boycott? What happened to the mighty power of the Jewish lobby? Where did Netanyahu's friends in the US Congress disappear to, those who love Israel more than the Israelis do? Where did Tzipi Hotovely disappear to? When Levi Eshkol's government was about to annex East Jerusalem, a sketch of a map was given to two generals, Shlomo Lahat and Rehavam Zeevi. The result was miserable: a large area, three times the territory of Jordanian Jerusalem, was annexed to Jerusalem, including neighborhoods of Ramallah, agricultural villages, patches of desert, Bedouin campsites and refugee camps. The Western Wall in Jerusalem (Photo: AFP) This chapter is also good for students to learn. They will learn how successive Israeli governments evaded determining the status of the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians that were annexed to the city. On the one hand, they made the city a magnet for Arabs of the West Bank: they granted Palestinians living in the city the right to work, freedom of movement, legal protection, social rights, health insurance and social security. On the other hand, they shockingly neglected the infrastructure in the Arab neighborhoods, the education system, and law enforcement. Jews could return to their properties in East Jerusalem; Arabs were unable to return to their properties in West Jerusalem. Students will admire the natural beauty of the city, but will find it difficult to understand why its streets, even its most prestigious, are so dirty. "Its because of the population", the teacher will explain, and then they will discover that, indeed, the demography of Israel's capital is totally different from that of Israel as a whole. Jerusalem is poor; Jerusalem is becoming more ultra-Orthodox. Who is responsible? the students will ask. Who is to blame? The teacher will answer them: It depends on whom you ask. The ultra-Orthodox would say that is what the Almighty decided, the secularists would say that is what the Israeli governments decided. They sent the national-religious sector to the settlements, the seculars to Mevasseret Zion, Maale Adumim, Modiin and Tel Aviv. They left Jerusalem to the poor - the ultra-Orthodox and the Arabs. "I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him," said Antony in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. Before Bennett comes to praise Jerusalem, he needs to check if the government he is part of is not burying it. At the age of 16, while Amir Goldenthals friends were busy with matriculation exams, he was at the end of the first year of undergraduate physics - and starting his doctorate. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The unprecedented decision by the heads of the Department of Physics and the Center for Neuroscience Studies at Bar-Ilan University - to allow the young teenager to begin his doctoral studies - proved very quickly to be successful, when Goldenthal completed his bachelor's and master's degrees with honors, published articles in international scientific journals, and was selected to attend a convention of Nobel Prize winners in Japan, which was set to bring together past and future world influencers. Goldenthal and Professor Kanter. (Photo: Dana Kopel) Recently, the nearly-20-year-old Goldenthal has been coming to the university every day by taking two buses from Ashdod. His doctoral dissertation work involved breakthroughs in understanding neurological diseases such as epilepsy, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. In the coming days Goldenthal will travel to a medical research center in Germany alongside his supervisor, Prof. Ido Kanter, Director of the Department of Physics and the Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center. They were invited by a senior researcher in neuroscience to apply their findings with patients who suffer from brain injuries. Bar Illan University. Took an extraordinary step in allowing Goldenthal's early entry. (Photo: Yaron Brener) "I was always interested in physics and biology, but I never imagined I could engage in research that may help in treating sick people," says Goldenthal. "We are beginning to understand things that happen in the brain, such as an epileptic seizure, but we have a long way to go." Prof. Kanter, a world-renowned physicist who was awarded a professorship at the age of 33, takes care to drive Goldenthal to the bus station every evening after they finish another day of research. "Amir's talent is extraordinary by any measure. He won a prize at the Nobel Laureates Conference in Japan for best research paper, he gives lectures to first-class scientists and has received high praise. I predict he will gain a high status in the community, in Israel and around the world." The ministers of finance and agriculture have promised to lower the price of produce before the holidays, among other things by importing cheaper crops to encourage competition. The agriculture minister's position gets support, among others, from the Kohelet Policy Forum, which represents right-wing economic policies imported from the Americans. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Cost-benefit analyses and competition are - for these think tanks - a fundemental value, and thus they support Finance Ministry bureaucrats who demand an economic reason that justifies the national farming enterprise. If, for instance, tomatoes from Spain are cheaper than tomatoes from Israel, government support for growing tomatoes in Israel should, in their view, be determined not by ideology, but by professional analysis. Israeli Agriculture (Photo: Laim Shemesh At this point, the debate with the economic right wing becomes a matter of principle. The financial consideration is, according to this world view, a central and leading rational value, but in my eyes this is the sin of the golden calf - the worship of economic factors as the foremost value in human life. This is the heart of the dispute: for the person working the land, and especially for Israeli farmers, this isn't just a source of income. Working the land is something holy to them, a love story. Even in Western capitalist countries, the government subsidizes agriculture because they know that agriculture imbues the hidden meaning in the term "homeland." Israeli Agriculture (Photo: Laim Shemesh For Jews especially, who for generations preferred to live in cities, this connection to agriculture in Israel is essential. In the "Musaf" prayer said during the three pilgrimage festivals, we emphasize: "Because of our sins, we were exiled from our homeland, and we were distanced from our land." It is us who have distanced ourselves, and continue to distance ourselves, from our land. Professor Yuri Slezkine of the University of California, Berkeley praised in his book "The Jewish Century" the almost genetic detachment Jews have from land. In the forward, the author writes that "The modern age is the age of the Jew. Modernization means to become more urban, mobile, have more intellectual complexity, become physically refined and occupationally flexible. This means learning how to cultivate people and symbols, and not herds and fields modernization, in other words, means that everyone will turn into Jews." Upper Galilee Kibbutz (Photo: Avihu Shapira) The French mandate in Syria after the World War I deliberately stopped Jewish settlement on land in the southern Golan on lands bought by the Baron Rothschild during the Ottoman period. The French explained the decision by saying that the Jews were completely welcome to live there, as long as they worked in the same professions as they did in Paris - trade, banking, and industry. As long as they weren't farmers, because then they might turn into Zionists. They were indeed able to identify the power in the connection a Jew working the land of his ancestors would feel to that land. Aharon David Gordon, the pioneer and educator, wrote 100 years ago that "If we don't work the land, with our own hands, it won't be our land any longer. Not just in the social sense, and not just in the national sense. In the political sense as well. The land will not be ours, and we will not be one with the land. We will be foreigners here like we are in the Diaspora." The orchard owner Moshe Smilansky determined in the first days of the settlements: "If our agriculture is here, our homeland is here." After more than 100 years, his call deserves to be heard once more in a reconnection to the land, with government support. The fight to reduce the cost of agricultural products should focus on reducing the brokerage gaps, which hurt the livelihoods of both farmers and produce buyers. Not by opening up the market to foreign imports, which might bring about the collapse of Israeli farmers. Four senior executives from the Egged bus company have been questioned on suspicion of negligent homicide after a bus driver previously found guilty of causing an accident was allowed to return to the driver's seat, which led to the deadly collision on Highway 1 that claimed the lives of six people. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Police's Traffic Department commander, Maj.-Gen. Yaron Be'eri, said earlier this week that other executives will also be questioned on the subject. The investigation focuses on suspicions that the executives knew about complaints made by passengers against the 402 line driver, Chaim Biton, and about his past traffic violations and the car accidents he was involved in. The scene of the accident at Highway 1 two weeks ago (Photo: Eli Mendelbaum) Egged spokesman Ron Ratner said in response: "We cannot comment on the matter until the investigation has been completed. Egged is cooperating with the police investigation as required. We believe the investigation will find that there was no defect in Eggeds conduct as an organization that every day provides, with the help of thousands of drivers, professional service with the utmost commitment to the safety of the passengers Passengers were furious to learn that the driver, Chaim Biton, had been convicted of causing a similar accident two years ago, but was allowed back behind the wheel. "Egged should not have taken this chance and allowed him to drive. I don't know how they let him go back behind the wheel. Apparently they have forgotten that they are transporting people here and not cattle," said Yinon Yazdi, who was injured in the accident. Six people were killed in the accident: Yaakov Heshin, 27, Hanna Peasa Frenkel, 23, Aharon Mordechai Cohen, 18, Leah Malamud, 61, Israel Weinberg, 26, and Levy Yitzhak Amdadi, 17. The accident occurred between the Latrun and Anba interchanges when the bus hit a truck that was standing on the sides of the road. Biton was arrested on suspicion of negligent homicide and obstruction of justice. A police representative told the court in Jerusalem that the driver "took out the tachograph disc. This in itself is an obstruction of justice." A week after the death of the "last witness from Treblinka," Shumel Vilnberg, another story of a survivor of the death camp who managed to survive the inferno and stay alive came to light. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter In contrast to Vilenberg, who was the last of the Jews who escaped from Treblinka during the revolt at the camp, Lizrovitch was one of the few who succeeded in escaping on his own beforehand, and without any connection to the revolt. According to Yad Vashem, two other Treblinka survivors are still alive - one lives in the US while the other one lives in Sweden. The death of Shmuel Vilenberg, known as "the last witness of Treblinka," sparked renewed interest in the Lizrovitch story. His family worried over the years that the heroic story of the family's patriarch was ignored, and sought to fix an historical injustice. "Shmuel Vilenberg it seems was the last survivor of the members of the revolt who managed to escape, but my grandfather managed to escape from the camp by himself," explained Lizrovitch's granddaughter Yifat Shaul, 27. "It is very important that the story of my grandfather be told. In the years that passed I turned to Yad Vashem and tried to push the matter, but it seems that my grandfather's testimony slipped through the cracks." Michael Lizerovitch (Photo:Coutesy of the family) Michael Lizrovitch was born in 1927 to a family of five brothers. During World War II, the family was moved to a ghetto in the town of Czestochowa, where the whole family lived in one small room. His father, Lizrovitch testified, worked as a beer bottler in a factory on the front yard of the house. Seven years ago, he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, and therefore his 1992 testimony at Yad Vashem is the one and only testimony about his life during the Nazi regime. "When the Nazis rose to power, I immediately understood that my childhood was over," he said. "I understood that from now on going forward, it would only be bad, although there was the hope that something would change and we'd be able to get out alive." In 1942, after Yom Kippur prayers in the synagogue, the Jews of Czestochowa were gathered in the town square. Lizerovitch, who was 13 at the time, understood that this was probably the selection for those who were to go to Treblinka, and that they would not survive. "My mother left us and said that she hoped that after the war we would all meet again," Lizerovitch said. "We thought at first that we would be put to work, although there were rumors that those who go to Treblinka never leave." After two days of traveling by train, they arrived at Treblinka. Because he had a small album of stamps hidden in his pocket, he was sent to work in cataloguing the items which were taken out of the Jews' suitcases. "My job was to sort the possessions into piles. There were huge piles of watches, shoes, eyeglasses, and other things. When I heard women's screams coming from the crematorium, and afterwards dead silence, I understood that these were those women's items." After two weeks in the camp, as Lizerovitch attested, the Kapo told him that the "the next day, you will be gone." "At that moment I thought that maybe I should try to escape," Lizerovitch said. "Since I was going die anyway, I decided that I wasn't going to die in the crematorium. I didn't think that I would actually succeed - I thought to myself that it's better to die by getting shot. That was what I planned for." He continued, "From the piles of possessions I took a stocking cap, and inside I put money and rings, and I also put on several watches so I would have something if I managed to escape." Early picture of Michal Lizerovitch (Photo:Courtesy of the family) "That night in the barracks, I dreamt that my mother and father were next to me, and they told me 'go now'. I immediately woke up, opened the door, and outside there was a torrential downpour. I took electric pliers and planned to run towards the electric fence underneath the guard tower." The heavy rain brought with it a heavy darkness to the camp. After running to the electric fence, Lizerovitch found himself under the guard tower, alive. "I cut the barbed wire with the pliers, and immediately sprinted out. The stocking with the money got stuck in the fence, but I didn't care and continued to run. After a few hours of running, I realized that I had run in the wrong direction, and that I was only two kilometers away from the camp." After his escape, Lizerovitch hid in the village close by, and with the help some of the local Poles, managed to obtain a train ticket to Warsaw. From there, he took a train to Czestochowa, where he hid out for the rest of the war. Lizerovitch moved to Israel in 1946, where he met his wife Judith. They settled down in the city of Haifa, where they started a new family with two sons, six grand children, and a great-grandchild. A police officer was lightly wounded in a stabbing attack near Al-Auja in the Jordan Valley on Thursday morning. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The officer was directing traffic because of a tree that fell down, blocking parts of Route 90 when he was stabbed in his shoulder. The 14-year-old female attacker, a resident of Al-Auja, then fled but the wounded officer caught her after a short chase. She was arrested on the spot and taken for questioning by the Shin Bet. She has so far refused to cooperate with security forces. Knife used by the female attacker to stab the police officer (Photo: Police Spokesman) Earlier Thursday, a police vehicle came under fire near the Rahelim Junction, east of the settlement of Ariel in the Samaria region of the West Bank. No one was hurt, but damage was caused to the vehicle. Police and military forces were searching the area for the shooters. On Wednesday evening, two attackers stabbed two soldiers in the Har Brakha area of the West Bank and were able to flee the scene. They are still at large as a manhunt is underway. Also on Wednesday evening, Yaakov Siman, a farmer from moshav Talmei Bilu in the Negev, was lightly wounded in a stabbing. It is still unclear whether the stabbing was criminally or nationalistically motivated, as the area is plagued with burglaries and it is possible the farmer came upon a robber in the act. Yaakov Siman (Photo: Roee Idan) Siman said he saw the attacker, "a giant Arab," coming out of his cold room with a knife in his right hand and an electric saw in his left. Siman said the man who attacked him called out "Allahu Akbar" before hitting him in the head with the saw and trying to stab him. Siman struggled with the attacker and was wounded in his hand. The attacker was then able to flee towards the moshav's greenhouses and then disappeared between the nearby trees. Police and Border Police forces were working to find the suspect. SEOUL - North Korea fired several short-range projectiles into the sea on Thursday, hours after the United Nations' Security Council voted to impose tough new sanctions on the isolated state and South Korean President Park Geun-hye vowed to "end tyranny" by the North's leader. The firing escalated tensions on the Korean peninsula, which have been high since the North's January nuclear test and February long-range rocket launch, and set the South's military on a heightened alert. South Korea's Defense Ministry said it was trying to determine if the projectiles, launched at 10am (1am GMT) from the North's east coast, were short-range missiles or artillery fire. Since the beginning of the current escalation of violence, there have been 13 attacks committed by pairs of terrorists from the West Bank or East Jerusalem. This trend is slowly beginning to challenge the perception that attacks are mainly carried out by "lone wolves" - single attackers - who go out to commit an attack without telling anyone of their intentions in advance. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Two or perhaps three terrorists committed the attack on Wednesday night in Har Brakha, while two others - Labib Azzam and Muhammad Zaghlawan, both 17 year old students from the Palestinian village of Qaryut - committed the attack at the Eli settlement earlier in the day. IDF and Shin Bet forces are still searching for the two attackers from Har Brakha, who stabbed two IDF soldiers at a military post and escaped - likely towards the nearby village of Burin. Roadblocks have been set up around villages and locals are being questioned by security forces, who are searching vast areas in the countryside. According to witnesses, the two infantrymen who arrived at the area a few days ago with their company were unarmed when they were found wounded. Their brigade commander is expected to investigate the incident Thursday morning to determine whether the two infantrymen left their rifles in their positions, a fact which may have been exploited by the terrorists who attacked the soldiers and escaped unscathed. This attack took place half a day after two terrorists carried out an attack in the settlement of Eli. Those two terrorists, who have expressed solidarity with Hamas, were shot dead by IDF forces. An Israeli was lightly wounded in the attack. Labib Azzam and Muhammad Zaghlawan Terrorists who go out in pairs to carry out attacks work in a more deliberate manner and not from a momentary desire or on impulse. The fact that the terrorists carry out attacks together increased, in some cases, the deadliness of the attack, such as the attack on the bus at the Armon Hanatziv (East Talpiot) neighborhood in Jerusalem, when Baha Alyan and Bilal Ranem from Jabel Mukaber killed three Israelis, or the attack by terrorists Ibrahim Alan and Hussein Abu Ghosh, who murdered Shlomit Krigman in Beit Horon, and the three terrorists from Qabatiya who murdered Border Police officer Hadar Cohen in an attack at the Damascus Gate in Jerusalem. Beit Horon: Ibrahim Alan (22) and Hussein Abu Ghosh (17) murdered the late Shlomit Krigman and moderately injured another woman (Photo: Gil Yohanan) Damascus Gate attack:Ahmed Abu El Rob (21), Ahmed Zakarna and Muhammad Kamil (20) murdered the late Hadar Cohen and moderately injured an additional border police officer (Photo: Gil Yohanan) Damascus Gate: Omar Amru and Mansur Shawamra (20), no injuries (Photo: Daniel Elior) Armon Hanatziv: Baha Alian (23) and Bilal Ranem (22), murdered the late Haviv Chaim, Yeshayahu Krishevsky and Richard Lakin Gush Etzion Junction: Shadi Nabil al-Qudsi and Izz al-Din Nadi Abu Shkhadam (Photo: Har Hevron Regional Council) Bekaot checkpoint: Muhammad Abu Mariam (23) and Said Abu Al-Wafa (38), no Israeli forces injured An analysis of the terrorists' profile shows that what they all have in common is their youth, and in many cases they were from the same village, and mingled with each other. For example, the three terrorists from Qabatiya were good friends and carried out the attack to avenge the death of one of their friend, who was also killed during an attack attempt at the Jalama checkpoint forty days earlier. The three used to meet every Friday at their friend's grave and apparently it was this weekly meeting that led them to the decision to carry out a joint terror attack. The terrorists who killed Border Police officer Hadar Cohen The pair of terrorists who stabbed a soldier in Gush Etzion, moderately injured him, and were later neutralized In some cases, these are two family members who decide to carry out an attack, like Hassan and Ahmed Mansara, cousins from Beit Hanina in north Jerusalem who carried out the attack in Pisgat Zeev, and Muawiyyeh and Ali Alkam, two cousins who ran away from their school in Shuafat to carry out an attack inside a light rail car in the capital. It is possible that most of the terrorists who operate in pairs are seeking to make it harder for Israeli forces to locate potential attackers, as most terrorists so far committed their attacks on their own. It also appears that the funerals for terrorists constitute both the basis and the catalyst to bring together Palestinians who want to commit an attack as revenge. This is also why many of the terrorists are relatives or close friends of other terrorists killed shortly before them. These "revenge terrorists" have often been photographed at funerals or memorials to their friends or relatives. The United States government formally presented a new school in Pakxan District, Bolikhamxay Province to the Lao government, in a handover ceremony on February 19. United States Ambassador to the Lao PDR Daniel Clune and the Vice-Governor of Bolikhamxay Province Dr. Souvanny Xaysana participated in the ceremony. The $456,635 U.S.-funded project includes a new building with five classrooms and one teachers room at Nakhaolom Lower Secondary School in Pakxan District. It also includes furniture, a new toilet, and installation of electrical and plumbing systems to help accommodate the growing student population. In his remarks Ambassador Clune stated, I hope that this new school will help to improve the education for the children of Pakxan District and I hope the ongoing humanitarian cooperation will continue to deepen the relationship between the United States and the Lao PDR. Ambassador Clune presented this school to the people of Bolikhamxay Province on behalf of the American people as a sign of the growing partnership between the two nations. The United States government has provided humanitarian assistance projects in rural areas of Laos for over eighteen years, including schools, medical clinics, irrigation systems and clean water supply systems. Just prior to his visit to Bolikhamxay, Ambassador Clune traveled to Khammouane Province where he handed over a new $639,070 U.S.-funded secondary school in Mahaxay District. These schools are just two of several humanitarian assistance projects completed over the last year. The United States is proud to work with its partner Laos to give Lao youth the education they need to build a better future. Today we did not get any reports of ceasefire violations, the US State Department spokesperson said dully on Tuesday, while even the Russians conceded that 18 serious violations of the ceasefire were committed, and social media had non-stop reports on dozens of battles with over 100 killed in Syria. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter So how come the Americans dont know about these violations? Because the American policy in Syria has moved into the realm of imagination: if we just pretend, maybe there will be a ceasefire. Except, this isn't a ceasefire. Syria has once more returned to warfare in all of its fronts, with heavy Russian bombings and Assad's military or rebel forces alternately making advances. Reality is not pretending. Even though the Americans agreed with the Russians "not to discuss" the violations - meaning, pretend they're not happening. The politically correct version of an alternative reality shatters when it meets the reality on the ground. ISIS fighters captured by Syrian rebels (Photo: Reuters) The harsh truth is that none of the sides knows what to do in Syria. Everyone is trapped by disasters and fears, so they pretend. Bashar begs to stay in power, when he knows that he has no chance. So he continues bombing, but bluffs by saying he's committed to the ceasefire. The Russians have already realized that they entered a bottomless pit, and they too want to see the light at the end of the tunnel, which does not exist. The Iranians are busy with their troubles, and the different Sunni rebel groups dream of greatness, which will never happen. So why not pretend? In the realm of imagination, everybody wins. Syrians hold poster of Bashar Assad (Photo: AFP) The most confused of all are the Americans, whose conduct in Syria is an embarrassment: They were against Assad and with the rebels, then with Assad and against the rebels, with the rebels and against the Kurds, and with the Kurds and against the rebels, actually they are with the Kurds and the rebels, or are they against both the Kurds and the rebels? Are the Americans for Erdogan or against him, with or against the Russians? And what is their policy? Delusions. American soldiers in Iraq (Photo: Reuters) The Americans' delusional foreign policy is not just in Syria but also in Iraq. Just recently, Obama was boasting that ISIS was retreating and had weakened. So how come ISIS managed to commit a serious attack 10 kilometers from the international airport in Baghdad, the lifeline of the Shiite Iraqi regime? Not to mention the way ISIS is fooling Iraqi soldiers in Ramadi and other cities, succeefully killing hundreds of people every month in attacks. The Iraqi army hesitates to directly fight ISIS, which continues to grow in strength and draw Sunnis into its fold. Where were the Americans in the battles on Sunday? According to Iraqi reports (which were also sort of delusional) ISIS retreated, but it is also remains everywhere in the western and northern part of the country. Even the US understands that its bombings dont really help. Will Obama put American boots on the ground? I doubt it. That is why the Americans are stuck with no way out in Iraq as well, despite their many attempts. They overthrew Saddam Hussein, Hosni Mubarak, Muammar Qaddafi, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, and Ali Abdullah Saleh because of their delusions. Took down the leaders and caused a storm. And they didn't just do this in Syria and Iraq, but also in Libya, Yemen, Egypt and Tunis, and among the Sunnis in the land of Israel (who used to be called "Palestinians"). Was it not John Kerry who tried to reach a peace agreement here two years ago and failed? Then, like today, this was a policy of delusions. Just like there can be no arrangement with the mass murderer Assad, there can be no arrangement with Abbas' gang, and now it's Europes turn to pay the price of this foreign policy. The only country that remains with its feet firmly on the ground and did not capitulate to the imaginary reality produced by the West - was Israel. ORANGE - A flight student from Egypt is facing deportation from the United States after being investigated by federal agents for posting on his Facebook page that he was willing to kill Donald Trump and the world would thank him. While US prosecutors have not charged 23-year-old Emadeldin Elsayed with a crime, immigration authorities arrested him last month at the Los Angeles-area flight school he attended and now are trying to deport him, attorney Hani Bushra said Wednesday. Elsayed, who is being held in a jail in Orange, California, is devastated at seeing his dreams of becoming a pilot dashed over what Bushra acknowledged was a foolish social media post. An immigration court hearing will determine whether Elsayed will be deported. "It seems like the government was not able to get a criminal charge to stick on him, so they used the immigration process to have him leave the country," Bushra said. "The rhetoric is particularly high in this election, and I just feel he got caught up in the middle." An offensive impersonation of Zionist Union MK Staf Shaffir on Channel 20 has sparked uproar in the Knesset on Wednesday. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter TV presenter and journalist Erel Segal donned a red-haired wig during a segment on the Heritage Channel's "The Patriots" show, saying: "I want to be free and ride a bicycle without a seat." The impersonation came after Shaffir wrote an article in which she mentioned that one of the things that made her happy was riding a bicycle. With his co-panelist roaring with laughter, Segal added, "I'm Stav, I'm a redhead, I'm a pretty woman" in a mocking tone. Erel Segal's impersonation of Shaffir (Photo: Channel 20) Shamai chimed in with: "If Stav Shaffir enjoys riding a bicycle, what does MK Ayelet Nahmias-Verbin enjoy?" In response, Shaffir said that the impersonation constituted sexual harassment and that she will consider filing a complaint with the police. "I was humiliated, but not just me," she told Yedioth Ahronoth. "They are trying to send a message to any young woman who is trying to make a difference. The times when women were humiliated and objectified to stop them from making a difference - have passed. This disgusting thing was broadcast under the guise of a 'current affairs show' on the 'Judaism and Heritage Channel' - a channel that has a public broadcasting license and is supposed to air shows about Judaism, but makes a mockery of the law. That's what the channel has to offer: A group of 40-plus year old men - married with children - who are laughing their heads off from jokes on the sexuality of female members of Knesset." The Cable and Satellite Broadcasting Council launched an inquiry into the matter, and the channel could face disciplinary action. Council chairwoman Dr. Yifat Ben Hai Segev said the segment constituted "a violation of the rules of ethics the channel is bound by. This is a degrading presentation of women, with sexual connections, done in a forum that is mostly male. The segment may have been intended as satire, but satire is not a license to degrade a woman and use swear words." Meanwhile, MK Ksenia Svetlova filed a complaint against the channel, claiming it violated the Prevention of Sexual Harassment Law. Zionist Union MK Stav Shaffir Segal, on his part, said that he was trying to make fun of the article Shaffir wrote, but claimed he was talking in the masculine-form and did not mention Shaffir specifically. "I intentionally spoke in the masculine form. I didn't say anything about Shaffir, I was talking about myself. Will the council claim I was sexually harassing myself?" However, a video of the segment clearly shows Segal was speaking in the feminine form, saying "I am Stav, I am a woman, I'm redheaded, take me seriously." "I suspended myself from telling jokes for two hours," Segal said. "I wonder what happens when (satire show) Erez Nehedert presents Ayelet Shaked as a nymphomaniac, or when Amnon Abramovich says Bibi 'opened his legs.' Does that have sexual connotations or not? Just watch the segment itself, without any Chinese whispers. What's happening here is a real attempt to violate the freedom of expression, which is also meant to allow things being expressed in bad taste." Panelist Ari Shamai refused to comment, while former Likud MK Inbal Gavrieli, who was also part of the panel, said: "This is an outrage. It's one thing to distort the facts and put words into Segal's mouth, and to be angry because we did some satire, but the real problem here is the left wing and the media's inability to view Channel 20 as a legitimate channel in Israeli television. There was no chauvinism, no sexual harassment, nothing beyond another attempt to gag those on Channel 20. And for the record, I've known Erel Segal for many years, and he is a gentleman who always respects women." Channel 20 said in response: "It's sad to discover MK Shaffir did not dedicate three minutes to watching the item in question in full before firing poisonous arrows that are disconnected from reality. Erel was talking about himself and not about her, but the MK once again did not miss an opportunity to slam Channel 20. We have a hard time understanding the double standard and hypocrisy coming from an MK who, just a few weeks ago, was sitting in the Channel 10 studio and giggling at a segment in which (comedian) Tal Friedman was wearing a red-haired wig and accusing Shaffir of using drugs while throwing the photo of late prime minister Yitzhak Rabin to the trash." Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Wednesday evening that the Palestinians will not remain committed to agreements with Israel as long as the Israelis do not commit to them, according to Palestinian media. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Speaking at the 16th session of the Fatah Revolutionary Council, in remarks quoted by the Maan News Agency, Abbas said that the recent wave of terror attacks, which he dubbed a "peaceful popular awakening," came as a response to the "actions of the occupation," the violation of Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, and the lack of Israeli commitment to signed agreements. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (Photo: AP) The Palestinian president noted that the Palestinian leadership welcomes the French initiative to hold an international peace conference, at the end of which France will recognize the Palestinian states if no agreement can be reached between the warring sides. He added that he hopes the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will merit a mechanism, similar to mechanisms used to resolve other regional issues. He said, however, that the Palestinians were still unwilling accept the Israeli government's demand to recognize Israel as a "Jewish state." The aging Palestinian leader reiterated the Palestinians' plans to go to the UN Security Council to achieve a resolution to end settlement activity on all Palestinian lands. He emphasized that the international community, including the United States, considers settlement activity illegal. Abbas also commented on the death of PFLP leader Omar Nayef at the PLO embassy in Bulgaria, saying an investigative committee has carried out its work and he will announce the results once they are available to the Palestinian leadership. Finally, he said that preparations for the 7th Fatah General Congress, which has been postponed repeatedly, are ongoing. He added that the congress will focus on reviving Fatah during this difficult period. ISTANBUL - Police in Istanbul on Thursday shot and killed two women who had hidden inside a building after attacking police with gunfire and a hand grenade, an official said. Two police officers were slightly injured. Security camera footage showed the women firing at a police bus outside a riot police station in Istanbul's Bayrampasa neighborhood and also hurling a hand grenade, before apparently taking aim at the police station. The hand grenade did not explode. They escaped the scene in a vehicle and hid inside a building a short distance from the police station. Police quickly surrounded the building and launched an operation after the pair ignored calls for them to surrender. WASHINGTON - The US and its allies in Iraq and Syria staged 29 strikes against Islamic State on Wednesday, the coalition leading the operations said. In a statement released early Thursday, the Combined Joint Task Force said eight strikes near four cities in Syria hit several tactical units and destroyed buildings, weaponry and communications equipment, among other targets. Separately in Iraq, 21 strikes destroyed vehicles, assembly areas, a supply cache and suppressed a mortar fire position, the statement said. KUWAIT CITY - Kuwait has allowed more than 50 Syrians who are Kuwaiti residents to re-enter the country after they were held up at the airport for nearly 72 hours and told their passports were being checked for possible forgeries, some of those in the group said Thursday. There was no immediate comment from airport authorities in Kuwait City, where the Syrians, including children, were barred from entering the country over the weekend. Kuwait is home to more than 130,000 Syrian nationals, according to Kuwaiti government statistics released in 2014. Ayman Nashewati, a 42 year-old sound engineer who works in Kuwait, said he was returning from a weekend in Dubai when airport authorities placed him in a waiting room with other Syrians suspected of having forged documents. The Syrians were handed back their passports after midnight Tuesday and told they were free to enter and return to their families and homes in Kuwait, he said, adding that authorities did not give them any explanation AFRC announces Aircraft Maintenance Awards Air Force Reserve Command has announced the 2015 Lt. Gen. Leo Marquez Awards in the Aircraft Maintenance and Munitions/Missile Maintenance categories. Field Grade Manager: Maj. Frances J. Dixon, 439th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Westover Air Reserve Base, Massachusetts. Company Grade Manager: Capt. Monica R. Lombardo, 452nd Maintenance Squadron, March ARB, California. Civilian Manager: Gregory L. Seabrooke, 301st AMXS, Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas. Supervisor Manager: Senior Master Sgt. Ronald L. Clark, 927th AMXS, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. Technician Supervisor: Tech Sgt. David M. Barrett, 934th MXS, Minneapolis-Saint Paul Air Reserve Station, Minnesota. Civilian Technician: James M. Miller, 439th AMXS, Westover ARB. Technician: Senior Airman Erin McFadden, 477th AMXS , Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. Recipients of the Munitions/Missile Maintenance awards are: Civilian Manager: Eugene P. Gaspar, 301st AMS, NAS JRB Fort Worth. Supervisor Manager: Senior Master Sgt. Leslie Brandt, 482nd AMXS, Homestead Air Reserve Base, Florida. Technician Supervisor: Tech Sgt. Jason V. Almodovar, 301st MXS, NAS JRB Fort Worth. Civilian Technician: Alan C. Colombo, II, 301st AMXS, NAS JRB Fort Worth. Technician: Senior Airman Timothy J. Davis, 301st AMXS, NAS JRB Fort Worth. The Global and United States Hydrobike Market Report has been published by QY Research recently. Hydrobike Market Analysis and Insights This report focuses on... ResCare Adult Services in Greencastle is currently hiring employees to provide support and training for adults with developmental disabilities and related disorders. ResCare offers an hourly salary of $12.70 plus benefits. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. Follow this link to apply. We are interviewing now! http://careers.rescare.com/job/direct-support-professional-home-health-aide-caregiver /J3J0NN6HMFPDN0GTYMS This job listing brought to you by The Tribune Star This is a blog about Wyoming EPSCoR, the projects we do and the grants we are working on. From student internship programs, to grant work, to research, we're sharing our news and stories for our community to read and share. Thank you for visiting our site! The article/blog entry below from the JTA reminds me of the arguments about Lenin's Jewish ancestry. Now that we can look at the records, we know that Leni... 11 years ago Roman temple tombs at Ghirza, Libya. Photo by Esther Kofod. Libya, aides say, has strongly reinforced the presidents reluctance to move more decisively in Syria. Literally, this has given him pause about what would be required if you eliminated the Syrian state, a top adviser said. Mrs. Clinton, by contrast, pushed for greater American involvement early in the Syrian civil war and has repeatedly called for a no-fly zone , a move Mr. Obama has so far rejected. The lessons of the Libya experience have not tempered her more aggressive approach to international crises. While remaining political allies, the president and his former top diplomat have taken revealing shots at each other. In a rare flash of emotion after leaving office, Mrs. Clinton derided the presidents guiding principle in foreign relations: Dont do stupid stuff. Great nations need organizing principles, and Dont do stupid stuff is not an organizing principle, she said in a 2014 interview with The Atlantic While Sarkozy and British Prime Minister David Cameron were given heroes welcomes during victory laps through Libya last month, Clinton was confronted during her recent Tripoli visit with questions about why the United States had not done more. Many people feel that the United States has taken a back seat, one student told her. So, SuperTuesday, huh. Everybody from Corey Robin to Ross Douthat is out with a venture into some of that contrarian horserace panditry as if that's something cool, or adult (gee, Dad, I sure wish I could be like Mark Halperin when I grow up!), the professor working out Bernie's demographic path to unexpected victory (he got 41% of the non-white Democratic vote in Massachusetts!) while the Monsignor games out the chances of a contested convention (credit where credit is due, he uses the correct expression instead of the idiotic "brokered convention", and while his scenario is equally idiotic, or worse, this is a year where that is no bar to becoming reality).Imma say Hillary over the Donald in November with a record low turnout, and the usual awful performances by the Democratic senatorial and congressional committees leaving Congress more or less as it is. No I'm not. I will leave that to others.I am feeling kind of distressed, amid the SuperTuesday celebrations and laments, by something else that happened virtually in the middle of it, the huge report by Scott Shane and Jo Becker in the Times that came out Sunday and Monday on the US role in Libyan military operations of 2011-12 and the part played by Secretary of State Clinton; not so much in the intervention itself as in her apparent failure to learn anything from it:It turns out I haven't really written anything about Libya here before myself beyond the BENGHAZI! incident, which is startling. It's not that I haven't thought about it. I think about the general North Africa and Middle East region all the time, you know, and try not to write about it, because the research is awful and the answers worse, until it starts weighing so much I can't help myself, which usually means Syria nowadays, or more recently Yemen.I had a lot of trouble seeing what a bad thing in the long run a NATO campaign in Libya was going to be, and I still think there are reasons for feeling that though it certainly was an error it was an understandable one, reinforced by the new Times coverage. In the first place the purpose of it was pretty plainly exactly what they said it was, haunted by the Clinton memories of Rwanda and Bosnia in particular, when the US had done nothing to stop the unspeakable slaughter of unarmed thousands, to save lives, as Colonel Qadhafi's forces moved against the popular uprising in the east.Because I really don't see how you could be sitting on top of all that US power contemplating such suffering without wanting to believe you could relieve it. Maybe you usually have to end up saying no, maybe almost always, but I don't see how you can not want to.It wasn't even a US program, but an idea from (conservative governments in) France and Britain; all they wanted from the Americans was a little help.As I wrote in comments over at No More Mister Nice Blog the other day, it was basically planned in France and UK from 21 February to 14 March, less than a week before the action began, when Sarkozy and Juppe formally asked Clinton to ask Obama for US assistance. Consonant with Obama's continually exerted effort to get the other developed countries to step up and stop expecting the US to be the world's policeman, and it was managed by French and UK officials throughout. Backed by the unanimous Security Council resolution 1970 (26 February) and the US Senate resolution 85 (for which Sanders voted, 1 March), huge march of women in the streets of Benghazi begging NATO to set up a no-fly zone and formal request from the Arab League (12 March), etc.The US actually played a fairly minor role, as was understood at the time: in September 2011 Unfortunately, while it seemed back in late 2011 and early 2012 that the thing had been a success, as ordinary Libyans rejoiced (they really did welcome Sarkozy and Cameron as liberators!), the American administration inflated its role, Clinton in the lead, and they may have convinced themselves that they did it all by themselves; and the Times story does not do a great job of correcting that impression.Then, a great deal of what went wrong was intelligence failure (this part the Times does really really well), particularly on the part of Britain and France and Italy, and their complete failure to understand just how many weapons there were in Libya, available in the desert for Qadhafi supporters and freelancers and eventually the Da'esh to pick up at will and prolong the fighting for years. And they were really convinced by the Libyan freedom movement that the civilians had a plan and a more or less coherent and stable government could be formed more or less immediately, as it had been in TunisiaClinton was very much bamboozled by this too (though I just heard a story on BBC from David Kilcullen, who was a counterterrorism strategist in the State Department at the time, suggesting that the breakup of the Libyan government wasn't inevitable until the US raids of October 2013 messed up the balance, long after Clinton was gone). But the intelligence failures weren't an after-the-fact fiction to cover up the various governments' manipulation of the intelligence, as in the Iraq case; they were sincerely wrong.Be that as it may, the real question is, will she get caught up in the same kind of stupidity again? Is her attraction to stupid shit, well-meaning or otherwise, so powerful that she just can't quit it? I keep telling everybody she has refudiated, as they say, the 2003 AUMF vote and isn't a warmonger of any kind. I really, really want to be an enthusiastic Clinton supporter this fall, I'm willing to do an embarrassingly large amount of rationalization. But this may just be too much. Delhi: The BJP said on Thursday that the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) will be fighting on 24 seats out of 126 in the upcoming Assembly elections in Assam. "BJP-AGP has similarity on one issue in Assam - illegal infiltration from Bangladesh," said BJP leader and Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad while addressing the press. He added, "Next we need to take down the corrupt Tarun Gogoi government in Assam." Union Minister and Assam BJP chief Sarbananda Sonowal, who is the alliance's chief ministerial candidate, and AGP chief Atul Bora besides BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav were also present at the media conference. The BJP-led alliance will come out with a common minimum programme. "All indigenous and our people are one side and UDF with the blessings of Congress on the other," Himanta Biswa Sarma, BJP leader and convener of the state's Election Management Committee, told the media. Yesterday, former CM and AGP leader Prafulla Kumar Mahanta had announced that BJP and AGP would jointly fight the coming Assam Assembly elections. The announcement had came after top AGP leadership had an hour-long discussion with BJP President Amit Shah. "We had a meeting with the BJP President where we have decided to contest the coming Assam Assembly polls together," Mahanta had told PTI. Sonowal, Bora besides others were present in the meeting. BJP has already entered into a tie-up with Bodoland People's Front, which will contest 16 seats, besides two other outfits representing local tribes. Election to the 126-member Assam Assembly is expected to be held in April-May. BJP and AGP had an alliance in 2009 Lok Sabha polls in which the saffron party bagged four seats and AGP just one. The two parties considered an alliance ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls but the regional party had backed off, apparently on the assumption that such an understanding would not be beneficial for AGP. In 2014 Lok Sabha polls, BJP won seven of the state's 14 seats and AGP drew a blank. BJP won in Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Nagaon, Tezpur, Lakhimpur, Mongoldoi and Guwahati, all considered to be former AGP strongholds. Mahanta became Assam's Chief Minister for the first time at the age of 32 in 1985 after leading a six-year-old agitation against illegal migration from Bangladesh as president of All Assam Students Union. Mahanta was Assam's Chief Minister between 1985 and 1990 and again from 1996 to 2001. Sonowal was in AGP before joining BJP about four years ago. He was an AGP MP between 2004-2009. Several other senior BJP leaders were also earlier with AGP. (With Agency inputs) "The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not." ~~Thomas Jefferson "Who will protect us from those who protect us?" Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. ~ Thomas Jefferson "None are so hopelessly enslaved as those who falsely believe they are free." ~~Goethe Guwahati: Angered by their parties' decision on seat sharing in the upcoming Assam assembly polls, a large section of local leaders and the workers of BJP and Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) across the Brahmaputra Valley today burnt effigies of senior party leaders and threatened to put up independent candidates against the official nominee. Breaking office furniture in party offices in various districts, the demonstrators took to the streets coming out in massive processions, burnt effigies of their party leaders. They claimed that despite the grass-root workers working all this while to ensure the victory of their party candidates, the leadership stitched the alliance for seat sharing to deprive them from contesting the polls. The protestors from both parties also claimed that though their respective candidates had the potential to win from the seats, now "the seats have been sold to new ones who have never worked in the constituency. "They have underestimated our worth and what we can do", they said. They alleged the party leadership went ahead with the alliance to serve their narrow political interest despite the party leaders and workers at the grass-root and constituency level strongly opposing their respective parties' joining hands with each other. The BJP workers and supporters also blamed the newly inducted former Congress leader Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma of being behind the alliance to bring BJP to power in the state by any means ignoring its workers sentiments and hard work. The BJP and AGP will jointly fight the coming assembly elections as announced by former Chief Minister and AGP leader Prafulla Kumar Mahanta yesterday in Delhi after top AGP leadership had an hour-long discussion with BJP President Amit Shah. Kathmandu: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday said India should not be dragged into the issues connected with the Madhesis in the Himalayan country's Terai region, calling it "an internal affair of Nepal". "The issue of Madhes is an internal affair of Nepal and the country's leaders are capable enough to handle it," he told journalists here after a meeting with Madhes-based leaders. "Whatever problems Nepal is facing have to be resolved by the Nepalis. India should not be dragged into Nepal's internal affairs,"he added Nitish is visiting Kathmandu to attend the 13th general convention of the Nepali Congress from Thursday onwards. "Agitating Madhes leaders told me that the rights of the Madhesis were curtailed and so they were compelled to launch an agitation. I told them it is an internal matter of Nepal and (they should) resolve it within Nepal," Nitish Kumar said. The chief minister said that India need not intervene in the political issue and will always support the development of and peace and prosperity in Nepal. The Madhes-based parties are agitating for the last six months over the new constitution adopted by Nepal last year and are demanding amendments to it to take care of interests of people living in the southern plains adjoining India. The Janata Dal-United leader said that India has no objection over the new constitution and wishes to see Nepal as a prosperous, peaceful and stable country. "Leaders here are capable of addressing the problems of pahadis, Madhesis and janjatis," he said, "We just want progress and harmony in Nepal". Former Uttarakhand chief minister Bhagat Singh Koshiyari said the Nepal-India ties are excellent and both nations hardly have any differences. "If there were any differences among the political parties of Nepal, those can be mended," he said while addressing the 13th general convention of Nepali Congress. However, Koshiyari skipped Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal's question on alleged Indian blockade of entry of goods and fuel into Nepal after the adoption of the new constitution. Jogendra Sharma of the Communist Party of India-Marxist, criticised the Indian government on the blockade issue. "We struggled in India against the blockade, both on the street and in parliament. We sought answers from the Indian authorities and demanded that an all-party delegation be sent to Nepal to know the facts," Sharma said. Elements trying to set up a Hindu state in India and spearheading bloodshed are also trying to restore the Hindu kingdom status of Nepal, Sharma said. New Delhi: Apprehending the possibility of "clashes" following the release of JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar, Delhi Police has issued an 'advisory' to all districts, traffic and PCR units asking them to maintain strict vigil, especially in and around JNU and Delhi University campuses. "The advisory says, in case Kanhaiya Kumar is bailed out, there is possibility that he may visit places which include Jantar Mantar, JNU and DU with large number of his supporters, largely including students' groups like AISF and AISA, and members of some political parties," a police source said today. "It further reads, ABVP and other right wing groups, including some political leaders, may oppose such gatherings and there is possibility of clashes among the groups. "Keeping in view the sensitivity and gravity of the matter, a sharp vigil and adequate arrangement by local police with sufficient women staff, PCR and Traffic are suggested to avoid any untoward incident," he said The advisory was first issued when Delhi Police took a U-turn and opposed Kanhaiya's bail plea in the High Court. It was reissued yesterday, the source added. Kanhaiya Kumar, who was arrested on February 12 in connection with a sedition case over a controversial JNU event, was yesterday granted interim bail for six months by the Delhi High Court which said that he has to cooperate in the ongoing investigation and has to present himself before the investigators as and when required. New Delhi: Over 100 sex workers from All India Network of Sex Workers (AINSW) and city's GB Road on Thursday demanded better health amenities, social security and legal rights on the occasion of International Sex Workers Rights' Day. "It's high time to understand and respect the sex worker. Every sex worker needs to lead a dignified and healthy life. We hope the government and civil society organizations consider our demands and think sensitively about us. "In the recent past, the NCW Chairperson also expressed her intention to provide rights and dignity to sex workers and ensure their social inclusion. This would protect sex workers from widespread violence and social discrimination. The sex workers' community has succeeded in getting the of support the Chief Justice of India in the past," said Kusum, AINSW President. "Social activists and Sex Worker Collectives are deeply concerned about the social status of sex workers and their family members. We want the government to look into our concerns and address our demands," AINSW General Secretary Gita Datta said. The members demanded development programmes related to sex workers and their family members. They also urged that the state should adopt a policy to incorporate sex workers' representation in all policy making bodies for programme development and implementation. States like Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh have issued unorganized Labour Welfare Card (LWC) for 17 categories of informal labours. The same approach could be adopted to help sex workers, they said. They said sex-workers should also be included in pension schemes provided by state or central government. They also demanded changes in some sections of Immoral Trafficking Prevention Act (ITPA) which are directly affecting the lives and dignity of sex workers. Zee Media Bureau/Udita Madan New Delhi: March 3rd of each year marks World Wildlife Day, a day to raise awareness and about animals and plants that adorn planet Earth. Introduced by the United Nations in 2013, World Wildlife Day is celebrated with a new theme each year. Year 2016's theme is 'The future of wildlife is in our hands', which focuses primarily on African and Asian Elephants, who are gradually inching towards the endangered list due to habitat loss, overgrazing, farming and illegal poaching. Human activity is slowly becoming a huge bane to the environment, also causing harm to animals. Today, we give you a list of five such endangered animals who are on the verge of extinction due to human hustle and bustle. 1. Tigers: One of the most endangered species of our planet, the tiger is an animal that is widely poached and faces the biggest threat of habitat loss. Efforts are being made on a large scale all over the world to conserve tiger populations, however, deforestation is bringing them within human contact. 2. Red Panda: With less than 10,000 individuals left in the world, the population of the Red Panda appears to decline further. The high demand for wild meat, medicine and pelts, seems to be the reason behind their poaching, while logging is consistently shrinking their natural habitats. There have also been rising reports of Red Pandas being traded as pets in China. 3. African Penguin: Another species that have found its name in the endangered list is the African Penguin. They are approximately 60cm in height and are only found in the southern waters of Africa. With the rise of commercial fisheries and shifts in prey populations, the birds are riding slowly on the track of decline. In 2010, the population of African Penguins was estimated at a 55,000. 4. African Wild Ass: While on the subject of Africa, another endangered species that comes to mind is the African Wild Ass. Becoming a target of human hunting, the animal's population is on a high decline. They are killed for food and traditional medicinal purposes, as their bones are used to treat tuberculosis, constipation, backache and rheumatism. 5. Sea Otters: Number of Sea Otters have plummeted by 50% in the last 45 years. With the rise in commercial fur trade, Sea Otter population had fallen to just 2,000. Although they made a rebound in the decades that followed, the threats they face also rose, the biggest one being oil spills, which cause them to get hypothermia. San Francisco: Google is donating USD 1 million to fight the spread of the Zika virus and offering engineers and data scientists help to determine where it will hit next. Zika has become an epidemic in Latin America and the Caribbean since last fall. The virus is mainly spread through mosquito bites and has been potentially linked to birth defects. Google said in a blog post that it is in a good position to assist since its mission is to help people find information, and it has experience analyzing large sets of data. The company has seen a more than 3,000 percent increase in global search interest in Zika since November. Google operates a group of businesses, including a dominant Internet search engine, under the holding company Alphabet Inc. Google brought in an operating profit of USD 6.8 billion in last year's fourth quarter. The Mountain View, California, company's grant will go to UNICEF and be used to help reduce mosquito populations and support the development of diagnostics and vaccines as well as work to prevent virus transmission. Google's engineers are helping to build a platform to process data on things like weather and travel patterns to predict potential outbreaks. The company said the platform will be used to help government officials and others to decide where to focus their resources. Kolkata: A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader on Wednesday gave a controversial statement amidst hue and cry over 'anti-national' slogans being raised in the country. Addressing a protest rally at Siuri, the capital of Birbhum, West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh threatened beheading of those who shout anti-national slogans. "Anyone who raises slogans of 'Pakistan Zindabad' will be chopped by six inches from top, Ghosh said while addressing a meeting of party workers at Birbhum, where there were clashes on Tuesday over an "objectionable" post on a social networking website by a student. A mob allegedly attacked a police station and damaged vehicles in Illambazar and Dubrajpur areas of Birbhum district on March 01. A crowd had also gheraoed the house of Sujan Mukherjee, who had on Monday night uploaded the post on Facebook. Meanwhile, Birbhum BJP district committee has distributed a pamphlet, which talked about the violence at Illambazar. It alleged that Muslims had surrounded the police station, attacked bystanders, government vehicles and torched a number of shops and cars. It further claimed that Hindu houses at Ghurisha were also torched and that the power house at Deborajpur was vandalised. The pamphlet called for Hindu unity, saying that while the BJP is not opposed to difference of opinions, they are demanding that Hindus have the right to live in peace, without losing self respect, without suffering humiliation and assault, without losing safety, reports The Indian Express. New Delhi: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said that it is for the government to decide what stand to take on Tamil Nadu's move to free former prime minister and his father Rajiv Gandhi's killers. The government has to decide, Rahul said even as the Congress party said it will oppose the Tamil Nadu government's decision to remit the sentence of life imprisonment of all seven convicts and release them. Rahul said as a son, he would not voice his personal opinion on the issue. Congress' Mallikarjun Kharge said the Tamil Nadu government's letter to the Centre on Rajiv Gandhi's killers release shouldn't be entertained. They should not be released, Kharge said. Earlier, the Congress had moved adjournment motions in both Houses of Parliament against the Tamil Nadu government's decision. We will discuss it when matter comes to House, Kharge had said earlier. While announcing the decision, the J Jayalalithaa government had said that it has sought the Centre's views on the move. In a letter to Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi, Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary K Gnanadesikan said the state government had received petitions from the seven convicts requesting to release them as they had spent more than 20 years in prison. The convicts are V Sriharan (alias Murugan), T Suthendraraja (alias Santhan), AG Perarivalan (alias Arivu), Jayakumar, Robert Payas, Ravichandran and Nalini. "Nalini has also filed a writ plea in the Madras High Court requesting the government of Tamil Nadu to release her," he said. "The Government of Tamil Nadu, after taking into consideration the petitions of the seven convicts, has decided to remit the sentences of life imprisonment and to release the seven persons since all of them have already served imprisonment for 24 years," he said. Out of the seven convicts, V Sriharan, T Suthendraraja, Jayakumar and Robert Payas are Sri Lankans. (With PTI inputs) New Delhi: A day after the Tamil Nadu government said that it has decided to remit the sentence of life imprisonment of all seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case and release them, the Congress party on Thursday opposed the move in Parliament. Congress' Mallikarjun Kharge said in Lok Sabha that the Tamil Nadu government's letter to the Centre on Rajiv Gandhi's killers release shouldn't be entertained. They should not be released, Kharge said. While announcing the decision, the J Jayalalithaa government had said that it has sought the Centre's views on the move. In a letter to Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi, Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary K Gnanadesikan said the state government had received petitions from the seven convicts requesting to release them as they had spent more than 20 years in prison. The convicts are V Sriharan (alias Murugan), T Suthendraraja (alias Santhan), AG Perarivalan (alias Arivu), Jayakumar, Robert Payas, Ravichandran and Nalini. "Nalini has also filed a writ plea in the Madras High Court requesting the government of Tamil Nadu to release her," he said. "The Government of Tamil Nadu, after taking into consideration the petitions of the seven convicts, has decided to remit the sentences of life imprisonment and to release the seven persons since all of them have already served imprisonment for 24 years," he said. Out of the seven convicts, V Sriharan, T Suthendraraja, Jayakumar and Robert Payas are Sri Lankans. (With PTI inputs) Jaipur: AICC General Secretary Gurudas Kamath today asked his party workers to work with dedication for the upcoming Assembly election in a bid to overthrow BJP government in the state. He said every party leader and worker in the state should fulfil his duty and responsibility and work with dedication to win the next elections. Addressing a party executive meeting,?Kamath said that Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi are struggling for people's cause and justice for all the sections of the society. AICC secretary Mirza Irshad Beg said the ruling party is "disturbed" with the leadership quality of Rahul Gandhi. Gandhi is being constantly opposed as communal forces are not able to carry out their agenda due to his leadership, he said. Sachin Pilot said that Raje government in the state has "lost" people's confidence. The BJP MLAs were speaking like criminals against Rahul Gandhi and the Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje should tender an apology and should take action against them, he said. CARSON CITY Nevadas welcome signs are about to get a complete refresh thanks to a Welcome to Nevada Design Contest. The contest challenges Nevadas high school artists to create official Welcome to Nevada signs that depict the Nevada brand and create a friendly welcome for travelers. Our Welcome to Nevada signs provide a critical first touchpoint for our visitors and residents returning home, said Gov. Brian Sandoval. The current signs are outdated and do not offer a consistent look. Its important to ensure everyone has a warm greeting that conveys the vibrant brand that is the New Nevada. The Nevada Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, under the direction of Governor Brian Sandoval and in partnership with the Department of Education and the Department of Transportation, is administering the contest now through April 25. Engaging young Nevadans enrolled in Career and Technical Education graphic arts programs in creating the design for the welcome signs provides a tremendous opportunity to showcase the CTE program, highlight the creativity of these young people and jump-start careers, said Michael Raponi, director of the Office of Career Readiness, Adult Learning & Education Options, Nevada Department of Education. Nevadas CTE curriculum offers young people a solid foundation for building job skills and this contest will challenge students in a real-world environment. The contest will be conducted within Nevadas high schools and is primarily aimed at students enrolled in the CTE Level 2 or higher graphic arts courses, although each school may determine eligibility. Approximately 50 entry points exist on Nevadas major interstate freeways, state highways and small roadways bringing people into the state. Because of the natural and cultural diversity of the state, the entry points will be divided into four regions. Designers are asked to convey the most important resources of the selected region while conveying the overarching brand, Nevada: A World Within. A State Apart., in their designs. Entrants will be provided a toolkit with specific components that need to be included. These young people have quite a challenge with having to convey the brand elements, the specific regional cultural and natural resources and welcome travelers all in a limited space, said Claudia Vecchio, director of the Nevada Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs. We look forward to seeing how these young people incorporate the brand and perceive the state through the design of the signs. Each participating school will select up to five finalist designs that will be submitted to a review committee composed of professional graphic artists and representatives from the Department of Transportation, Department of Education and Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs. Three finalists from each region will be selected at which point the public will be able to choose the winning design via an online voting tool. Once the winning design is selected for each region, the student designer and his or her instructor will work with the Department of Transportation to finalize the design and produce the sign. The winning designs will be installed on Nevadas roadways beginning in the summer of 2016. For more information and contest rules, visit http://travelnevada.com/pages/2016-sign-contest. New Delhi: A day after the deadly suicide bomb attack on the Indian consulate in Afghanistan's Jalalabad city, the Indian External Affairs Ministry on Thursday said that the attackers could not breach the outer security of the complex. Five terrorists had attacked the Indian consulate yesterday in Jalalabad. One terrorist blew himself up. It is noteworthy that the attackers could not breach the security, MEA spokesman Vikas Swarup said on Thursday. There were no casualties on the Indian side. Four other suicide bombers, who tried to attack the Indian consulate, were shot dead by the security forces. At least six people were injured in the Wednesday's attack. No militant group has so far claimed responsibility for the assault. Meanwhile, additional Afghan forces have been deployed around the Indian Consulate in Jalalabad. Senior officials of both National Directorate of Security (NDS) and Afghan National Police (ANP) visited the Consulate to reassure Consulate officials of their complete cooperation, Swarup said. Electricity lines that were knocked out due to an explosion were repaired and power was restored on priority, he added. After the encounter was over, ANP chief of Nangarhar General Fazal Ahmad Sherzad, NDS Chief General Dad Mohammad Harifi, Governor Salim Khan Kundozi and ANCOP Chief Colonel Mohammad Naseem visited the Consulate to reassure Consulate officials of their complete cooperation, he said. Wednesday's attack was fourth in a series of terror strikes on Indian Consulate in Jalalabad in the last nine years. It was attacked twice with hand grenades in 2007 and in 2013 and then by three suicide bombers. In 2015, an attack on it was thwarted by the Afghan security forces. Two months ago, heavily-armed terrorists had carried out an attack on Indian mission in Mazar-e-Sharif which lasted for over 25 hours with all the attackers who attempted to storm the building getting killed by the Afghan forces. Soon after that in January, Islamic State jihadists claimed responsibility for a deadly gun and bomb siege targeting the nearby Pakistani consulate in Jalalabad. (With agency inputs) New Delhi: The Intelligence Bureau (IB) had a fairly good evidence of Ishrat Jahans alleged links with the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) but doesn't why the government has changed her affidavits, Ex-NSA M K Narayanan has said. The former national security adviser said it is obvious the government affidavits in the Ishrat Jahan case were changed but he does not know the reasons for it. Ishrat Jahan was killed in a police encounter in 2004. Narayanan, who is on a visit to London, told HT that intelligence agencies produce many reports but it is up to the government of the day to accept them and act. Former home minister GK Pillai has created a political storm after he recently revealed to a television channel that the first government affidavit submitted in court mentioned Jahans links with LeT, while the second one did not. He said that the change was made at the political level during the time of UPA government. It is obvious that the affidavit was changed. (Former home minister P) Chidambaram seems to have said that an intelligence report is not necessarily proof, but I dont know what went into the changing. The question is whether a government is willing to accept an intelligence report or not. There was an intelligence report...It (the report on Jahan) was based on fairly sound evidence at the time, Hindustan Times quoted Narayanan as saying. Delhi: JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar was released from jail on Thursday, three weeks after his arrest on sedition charges. 29-year-old Kumar's was released from the prison at 6:30 PM and accorded a spirited welcome by a group of students and teachers on being handed over to them. Jubilations at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus which erupted after Kumar was granted bail yesterday by the Delhi High Court acquired a new momentum with the students, agitating since his arrest, taking out a march shouting slogans like "Jai Kanhaiya lal ki". After his release, Kumar maintained that he never raised any anti-India slogans, asserting truth will prevail, as per PTI. Kumar was arrested on February 12 in connection with the event to protest the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru on his third death anniversary during which anti-national slogans were allegedly raised. Earlier in the day, a city court issued Kumar's release order after he furnished a bail bond. Jail officials said the papers for the release of the JNU student leader were received at around 5 PM and he was released about one-and-a-half-hours later. Five other students Umar Khalid, Anirban Bhattacharya, Rama Naga, Anant Prakash and Anirban Bhattacharya were also named by the police in the case. Umar and Anirban had surrendered before police on the night of February 24 and they were subsequently arrested in connection with the sedition charge. Police had also questioned twice Ashutosh Kumar, another JNU student. Apprehending a possible attack on Kumar, Delhi Police resorted to a slew of measures to ensure that he doesn't suffer "even a scratch" while he returns to the JNU campus. After his release from jail, he stepped inside an SUV which was reportedly arranged by his counsel. While the car was secretly driven out through the staff quarters in the backyard of the prison complex, three other vehicles, including an ambulance, were used as decoys, even as a posse of media personnel camped outside gate number 4 to see the student leader finally come out of the jail premises. Kumar and the persons accompanying him were instructed to reach Hari Nagar police station near Tihar jail, from where he was provided with an escort comprising officials of Delhi Police's west district. At one point, the escort team changed and officials of south district finally ensured safety till he reached the varsity's campus, sources said. Yesterday, the Delhi High Court had granted interim bail for six months to Kumar but had said that the FIR lodged in connection with an on-campus event that led to his arrest on sedition charge suggested it "is a case of raising anti-national slogans which do have the effect of threatening national integrity". The HC, which had given conditional relief to Kanhaiya, had said he will "not participate actively or passively in any activity which may be termed as anti-national" and told him that as president of JNU students union, he "will make all efforts within his power to control anti-national activities in the campus." It had also made strong remarks about the slogans allegedly raised by the students, including other accused, saying they cannot claim protection under fundamental right to speech and expression, particularly in view of the fact that the investigation into the case was at a nascent stage. Further, Justice Pratibha Rani was critical of the slogans raised on February 9 on the JNU campus eulogising Parliament attack case convict Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhat, mastermind of hijacking of a passenger airline to Lahore in 1971 who was hanged in 1984. "The feelings or the protest reflected in the slogans need introspection by the student community whose photographs are available on record holding posters, carrying photographs, of Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhat," the judge had said while ordering Kanhaiya's release on furnishing a personal bond of Rs 10,000 and a surety of the like amount with a condition that he will not leave the country without the permission of trial court, as per PTI. Making it clear to Kanhaiya that he will have to cooperate in the ongoing investigation and present himself before the investigators, as and when required, the judge had also considered his family background that his mother was an Anganwadi worker earning a paltry amount of Rs 3,000 on which the entire family survives to fix the bail amount. (With Agency inputs) New Delhi: Joining the raging debate, former Law Minister Veerappa Moily today justified the UPA Government's decision to file a second affidavit in the Ishrat Jahan case and criticised the then Home Secretary G K Pillai for distancing himself from it. "Here is a home secretary who disowns his responsibility today. I think (this is) highly condemnable," said Moily, during whose tenure as Law Minister the controversial second affidavit was filed. The then UPA government had submitted two affidavits-- one that the four, including Jahan who were killed in an alleged fake encounter--were terrorists and the second saying there was no conclusive evidence within two months in 2009. Pillai had yesterday claimed that the then Home Minister P Chidambaram had recalled the file a month after the original affidavit was filed in the court, which had described Ishrat and her slain aides as LeT operatives. Failing to recall whether the affidavit had come to his ministry for vetting, Moily said, "That I don't remember. But normally after it (affidavit) is finalised by the administrative ministry it should be referred either to the Law Ministry or Attorney General or whatever. " This is how it is done, he said adding, "but there is no crime in filing a second affidavit. The first affidavit was filed based on the IB and intelligence inputs. The second affidavit was (filed) taking into consideration investigation report. "Investigation becomes very important because it clearly discloses.. And that is what being done now. That is no crime it has to be done. Otherwise, any court would have found fault (with it)," he added. Defending Chidamabaram, Moily said that "he (Chidambaram) says that they were trapped by the intelligence to come to Gujarat. That itself will corroborate a fact that it was a fake an encounter." "You bring them, arrest them and in the custody you shoot them down. It is unknown in international law or in our own law," Moily said. "People can have weak memory. That was a period when there was a series of encounters which are unknown in the history of any state," Moily said. Kolkata: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has denied selecting Sataparna Mukherjee, the 18-year-old girl from West Bengal, for the NASA Goddard Internship Programme (GIP). Sataparna Mukherjee had claimed bagging the prestigious scholarship a few days ago. However, NASA has sent a clarification to DNA on e-mail, saying: We have no record of anyone by that name receiving an internship, scholarship or any form of academic or financial assistance from any NASA institute, centre or program. Mukherjee had claimed that the internship would allow her to pursue a PhD in Aerospace Engineering at "NASAs London Astrobiology Centre". However, NASA has stated that that they do not have any facility in London and the internship is awarded to US citizens only. The NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies has no facilities in London and all of the institute's internships are awarded to students who live within 50 miles of its location in New York City, the reply stated. When the daily contacted Mukherjee about her response to NASA's denial, she said: They are denying it because we had signed a contract which said we cannot divulge anything relating to the internship program. Its extremely confidential and now that it is out in the open, they are denying it. New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) is expected to deliver on Thursday its verdict on the plea filed against spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's World Culture Festival. Sources in NGT, privy to the development, told IANS on Wednesday that it is the only case lined up for hearing before the special bench of the tribunal on Thursday. The Art of Living, headed by spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, is organising world cultural festival in the national capital between March 11 and 13 that is expected to be attended by at least 35 lakh people from 155 countries. One of the petitioners told IANS that Sanjay Parikh, counsel for the petitioners, told NGT that Delhi Development Authority (DDA) should also be fined in the case as the permission granted by the central government's agency to Art of Living, the organising body of the event, is illegal. "All the three committees formed on the issue in their reports have insisted that environment laws have been violated by the event organisers. Even the DDA in its order passed on December 15, 2015 has violated the norms. So the quantum of punishment for them should be the same as that of organisers of Art of Living," co-petitioner and environmental activist Ritwick Dutta told IANS on Wednesday. Parikh is representing the activists before the NGT bench while Art of Living is being represented by counsel Rajeev Bansal. Meanwhile, the Art of Living explained to the tribunal on Wednesday that they are not doing any permanent construction on the Yamuna flood-plain which may pose a threat to flora or fauna. New Delhi: Delhi Police today arrested a man in connection with the murder of two employees of the toll collection centre at southeast Delhi's Badarpur area earlier this week. Vimal Pandey, a native of Allahabad, was arrested from Delhi in the wee hours, a senior official said. Police is conducting raids in Rajasthan and Haryana to nab his associates, of which two have been identified as Deepak and Vishal, he said. Two of the suspects in the case were arrested in Rajasthan in connection with robbery and murder, the official added. The incident took place on Sunday morning when four assailants allegedly shot dead cashier Manmohan (60) and security guard Mahipal (50) at their rented accommodation near the toll collection centre in a robbery bid and fled with a laptop bag. The investigations have raised suspicion on Deepak and Vishal, who had rented rooms in the same locality and were preparing for exams related to recruitment in Delhi Police. It also emerged that they had rented a room by submitting fake documents, following which the landlord of the house was booked, police said. Delhi: Mixing aggression, wit and barbs, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday accused Congress-led Opposition of stalling Parliament because of "jealousy" and "inferiority complex" of its leadership even as he appealed for Opposition support for "improving" governance while sidestepping the raging controversies surrounding JNU and Hyderabad University. In his 75-minute speech in the Lok Sabha, he paid back in sarcasm to the attack, particularly by Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, yesterday over various initiatives of his government, including the 'Make in India' programme and MNREGA. However, at the end of his speech winding up the debate on the motion of thanks to the President's address, the Prime Minister held out an olive branch to the opposition seeking its cooperation in running the government for the benefit of the people and the country. PM Modi takes on Opposition Winding up the discussion in the Lok Sabha on the motion of thanks to President Pranab Mukherjee for his Address to Parliament, PM Modi said, "Parliament is a forum where different view points are put forward, where questions are being asked to the government, where government is made accountable and nobody is spared. "And in doing so, it would be great if we uphold Parliamentary traditions" and let the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha function "peacefully and responsibly", he said. PM Modi noted this was "not a sermon" but the "words of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi". He also recalled the statements of Nehru, Indira and India's first president Rajendra Prasad and urged the opposition for its support to pass crucial legislations, including the Goods and Services Tax (GST) bill. PM Modi said the Opposition was suffering from an "inferiority complex". "Some people want to oppose for the sake of it. There are such bright MPs in the opposition, but they are not being allowed to speak. Nobody in the opposition must look stronger and this is the inferiority complex," he said, as per IANS. However, at the end of his speech, the PM toned down his aggression and sought the support of the Congress and other Opposition parties to run the government for the sake of people and the country. "Let's walk shoulder-to-shoulder and do something for the country. I am new, you are experienced," PM Modi said. "We need to make an atmosphere of improving trust. If you have suggestions, please do offer. I would like the government to adopt these habits. The government also needs to improve and this would not happen without your support. I need your support. I need you people, your experience." In an obvious attack on Rahul Gandhi, PM Modi returned the barbs the Congress leader had hurled at him on Wednesday in the Lok Sabha over the Prime Minister's reluctance to take the opposition on board over various issues. "Some people learn with age but some don't," PM Modi said. PM Modi didn't name Rahul but recalled how he had in 2013 torn before reporters a controversial Ordinance of the then Congress government on convicted lawmakers when then PM Manmohan Singh was visiting the US. "The ordinance was torn apart when the then honourable prime minister was in the US to meet (Barack) Obama. Please learn to respect elders," PM Modi said as Gandhi listened. MPs from the BJP and its allies thumped their desks in appreciation even as the opposition booed following PM Modi's remark. PM Modi has failed to provide healing touch to the nation, says Congress Meanwhile, the Congress today hit back at PM Modi accusing him of failing to provide a healing touch to the nation facing crisis in several fields by "not rising above petty politics". Party's senior spokesman Anand Sharma found PM Modi's reference to Nikita Khruschev a "very ominous sign", insisting that right to oppose is a Constitutional right. "The Prime Minister's reply was sad and disappointing. He did not respond to any of the issues raised by Opposition leaders including Rahul Gandhi," he told reporters, as per PTI. Sharma also lamented that PM Modi did not speak a single word on the "failures" of government in several fields and how it planned to face the challenges. "True to his characteristic style, he created a smokescreen of boastful claims and made fun of his political opponents," he said. Sharma said that the Prime Minister failed to speak on the crisis facing the economy, falling exports, his stopover in Pakistan, black money, JNU row and Rohit Vemula's suicide. Taking a dig at PM Modi for recalling the words of Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, he said it was good that he remembered the late PMs while talking of disruptions in Parliament. Besides, he said PM Modi's recalling Nehru showed he has "started reading a bit" and if he read more about the first Prime Minister of India, he would know more about Indian nationalism and the idea of India and would never be so bitter. "But he conveniently forgot to tell the House that the BJP had been responsible for disrupting Parliament for 500 out of 900 hours during the UPA tenure," Sharma said. Turning to the Khruschev story narrated by the Prime Minister, Sharma said Modi got the story wrong as in actuality, the person who asked question to the Russian leader had never stood up, making Khruschev remark that is the answer why he did not speak during the Stalin era. He, however, said the Khruschev story narrated by the PM is a "very ominous sign" and "highly objectionable" as right to oppose is a constitutional right. Sharma said the government's "mindset" could be gauged from the fact that leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Sitaram Yechury were being slapped cases under sedition charges. Taking a jibe at PM Modi, he said, "He is telling others to become mature. I hope that after one reads Gandhi and Nehru more, he gains the ideological and political maturity to govern a complex, diverse and beautiful country that is the Republic of India." (With Agency inputs) New Delhi: BJP leader Subramanian Swamy on Thursday termed the Tamil Nadu government's attempt to free the killers of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi as disgrace to the people and said that the decision to send troops to Sri Lanka was not taken by a single person but through an all-party parliamentary resolution. He said it is reckless and total disregard to constitution to seek the release of former prime minister's killers by the Tamil Nadu government. The Jayalalitha-led government has written to the Centre to consider the release of Rajiv Gandhi's assassins languishing in a Tamil Nadu jail for over two decades. It seems Jayalalitha has no other work except to write letters. The supreme court has already discussed the case in great detail. There is now no question of their release, ANI quoted Swamy as saying. He said, The decision to send the army to Sri Lanka was not taken by Rajiv Gandhi, but it was an all-party resolution taken in parliament. He termed as "anti-national" the attempts seeking the release of Gandhi's killers. New Delhi: Afghanistan's former head of the National Directorate of Security on Thursday said that Taliban is as much a threat to India as it is to the war-torn nation and has killed more South Asians than the ISIS. Lashing out at Pakistan for "playing a proxy war" in Afghanistan through Taliban, Amrullah Saleh said it was crucial for India to stand with its South Asian "ally" in its war against terrorism. His comments came a day after terrorists attacked the Indian consulate in Jalalabad in Afghanistan. "Taliban has killed more Americans, Afghans and more South Asians. They have inflicted more pain on India than ISIS has done. Taliban attacks are more lethal and destroyed more vehicles every month than ISIS," Saleh said. He was speaking at the Raisina Dialouge organised by the Ministry of External Affairs and Observer Research Foundation (ORF). In the fourth attack since 2007, heavily-armed terrorists, including suicide bombers, struck the Indian Consulate in Jalalabad city, killing nine persons including an Afghan security personnel and causing damage to the chancery. Saleh said the proxy war in Afghanistan was not only an international issue but also a regional issue, which also requires assistance from India. "How India assists Afghanistan to resist the proxy war. God forbids if we fail, we (India) lose a very formidable ally in the region. So, we are fighting a war for a cause which is very humane and the whole world including India is benefiting from the sacrifice through the sacrifice our security forces make," Saleh said. He also questioned the need to engage Taliban in a dialouge as the move will send a negative message that they are stronger. "Why is there is an olive branch of reconciliation extended to Taliban?...Because they have offices in Karachi, bases in Quetta, they have bases in Peshawar. "My message to India is (that) Taliban for you and for us is as much as a threat as ISIS is for the Arab world. So, we should not lose sight and be careful, regardless of what type of context we propose to Taliban for reconciliation," he said "The moment they get space to legimitise themselves, it will further boost their standing, morale and passion for killing...More because at the end of the debate, they will say we did not get through non-violence, but violence. "So, by bringing in that type of group into the system, which has so much of barbarism, means we are inviting violence and terror," Saleh said. He said Pakistan has been "harbouring" Taliban insurgents and their families. "The argument will be they (Taliban) are strong (because) Pakistan has influence over them...Because the family members of Taliban are living in Pakistan for medical reason, medical treatment for 15 years. "They are state-sponsored political groups, they are brainwashing people," Saleh said. New Delhi: Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday told the Lok Sabha that the Centre is examining the letter sent by the Tamil Nadu government on its decision to remit the sentence of life imprisonment of all seven Rajiv Gandhi assassination case convicts and release them. We are examining the letter, the minister said. The Supreme Court has already ruled on the matter. It is our constitutional and moral responsibility to move as per the apex court ruling, Rajnath told the House. The Supreme Court had on December 2, 2015 directed the Tamil Nadu government not to remit the life term of the convicts without the approval of the Centre. Earlier, the Supreme Court, in an order issued on February 18, 2014, had commuted the death sentence imposed on three convicts - V Sriharan (alias Murugan), T Suthendraraja (alias Santhan) and AG Perarivalan (alias Arivu) - holding that the 11-year-long delay in deciding their mercy petition had a dehumanising effect on them. Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi earlier today said that it is for the government to decide what stand to take on Tamil Nadu's move to free former prime minister and his father Rajiv Gandhi's killers. The government has to decide, Rahul said even as the Congress party opposed the Tamil Nadu government's decision to remit the sentence of life imprisonment of all seven convicts and release them. Rahul said as a son, he would not voice his personal opinion on the issue. Congress' Mallikarjun Kharge said the Tamil Nadu government's letter to the Centre on Rajiv Gandhi's killers release shouldn't be entertained. They should not be released, Kharge said. While announcing the decision, the J Jayalalithaa government had said that it has sought the Centre's views on the move. In a letter to Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi, Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary K Gnanadesikan said the state government had received petitions from the seven convicts requesting to release them as they had spent more than 20 years in prison. The convicts are V Sriharan (alias Murugan), T Suthendraraja (alias Santhan), AG Perarivalan (alias Arivu), Jayakumar, Robert Payas, Ravichandran and Nalini. "Nalini has also filed a writ plea in the Madras High Court requesting the government of Tamil Nadu to release her," he said. "The Government of Tamil Nadu, after taking into consideration the petitions of the seven convicts, has decided to remit the sentences of life imprisonment and to release the seven persons since all of them have already served imprisonment for 24 years," he said. Out of the seven convicts, V Sriharan, T Suthendraraja, Jayakumar and Robert Payas are Sri Lankans. (With PTI inputs) Thiruvananthapuram: With dates of state assembly polls expected to be announced in few days time, major political parties in Kerala are gearing up for the election with leaders engaged in discussions on finalising their list of candidates. The process of giving finishing touch to candidates' list has speeded up in the Congress, the lead partner in the ruling United Democratic Front, with Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, KPCC President V M Sudheeran and Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala holding talks with district leaders. The sub-committee of each district have given a list of candidates of their respective constituencies with more than six probable names to the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee. KPCC wanted to finalise the list in a few days time and submit it to the party high command for approval, party sources here said. Discussions with Front partners on seat sharing was also progressing. The second largest partner in the ruling UDF, Indian Union Muslim League, which contested 24 seats last time, is likely to demand more seats this time. Other constituents, Kerala Congress (M) and JD(U), which contested 15 and six seats in the last polls, have already demanded more seats. RSP and KC-J, are the other two minor parties in the UDF. Deliberations are also going on in full-swing in CPI-M, which heads the LDF opposition, in finalising the candidates. Key discussion in the party is over the candidature of CPI-M veteran and state Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan. As per reports, the focus of debate is whether both 93-year-old Achuthanandan and politburo member Pinarayi Vijayan should contest the polls and who should lead the Front campaign. Party General Secretary Sitaram Yechury, who attended the party secretariat held here yesterday, took stock of political situation in the state and discussed the issue of candidates. District Committees of the party would meet again in the coming days and discuss on candidates. Later, the suggestions of the district committees would be debated at the party state secretariat to be held on March 11 and 12, followed by state committee, party sources said, adding, "a final decision on list of candidates is expected by then." CPI-M had contested 93 seats in the 2011 polls. Discussions with front partners on seat sharing were also on in the left camp. CPI, the second largest partner in the LDF, contested 27 seats last time. Janata Dal (S), NCP and Congress (S) are the other minor partners of LDF. CPI State Secretary Kanam Rajendran has said their candidates' list would be announced on March 19. The party council meeting here on March 11 would lay down the guidelines for selecting candidates. Kerala Congress (B), led by former minister R Balakrishna Pillai, has already severed its ties with the UDF. Even though the party has not officially joined LDF, it has already extended support to the Left camp opposing UDF. Its lone MLA and Pillai's son, K B Ganesh Kumar has openly stated that he would like to contest from his home constituency Pathanapuram in Kollam district. However, LDF has not responded to the request. Similarly, KC-M rebel leader and former government Chief Whip P C George, who was suspended from the party, has also extended support to the Left. He has also expressed his desire to contest from his constituency Poojar in Idukki district. Another major change in the coalition equation is that RSP which was with LDF in 2011 polls is now with UDF, after the party snapped its ties over differences of seat sharing in the last Lok Sabha polls. BJP, which has not tasted victory in the assembly and Lok Sabha polls in the state, is in an upbeat mood after its good performance in the recent civic polls. The party is likely to have tie-up with new political outfit Bharthiya Dharma Jana Sena formed by Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam, a social organisation of the powerful backward Ezhava community,led by Vellappally Natesan. Natesan had gone to Delhi to meet BJP president Amit Shah to discuss issues regarding the tie-up in the state. BJP State President Kummanam Rajasekharan and former BJP state president, V Muraleedharan, who is Election Committee Chairman, would hold a meeting with Natesan before announcement of the alliance, party sources added. Imphal: A camp of former insurgents in Manipur was attacked by a group of militants who escaped before police could reach the site, authorities said on Thursday. The "peace camp" of the former guerrillas of the United Revolutionary Front (URF) at Lamlai in Imphal district came under attack at 11 p.m. on Wednesday. Police said a large number of unidentified men sneaked near the camp`s fence and began firing from automatic weapons and lobbing Chinese-made hand grenades. Although the attack continued for several minutes, no one in the camp was injured. But police reached the site after the attackers had fled, only to find a grenade, a rifle magazine and several empty cartridges. Ngangom Kiran of the URF said: "Earlier we had been camping in the Manipur Spinning Mills in Imphal. But following some differences, we had shifted to this temporary camp." He admitted there were some threats from another group. "It is mind boggling why we should be attacked like this. We are unarmed and we have not indulged in anything objectionable including extortion," Kiran told IANS. "We are eking out a living with the stipend given by the government." He expressed unhappiness that the government had not taken up any meaningful steps for their protection. All underground organisations in Manipur are agreed on one thing -- to exterminate all those who have come overground. Police cannot say whether the attackers of Wednesday night were related to the URF or not. The attack is seen as a serious blow to the government`s efforts to restore peace in Manipur, where members of 18 outfits have come overground after suspension of operations. But some of them allege that security forces continue to arrest them for incidents with which they have no links. Some former insurgents who strayed out of their camps were done to death by armed insurgents. But this is the first time a "peace camp" has been attacked. Bhubaneswar: The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Thursday said it will celebrate the birth centenary of party leader and former chief minister Biju Patnaik across the globe from March 5. Industry Minister and BJD general secretary Debi Prasad Mishra said the party was in touch with embassies and several Oriya organisations outside the country to celebrate the centenary. The party will conduct the yearlong centenary celebration at the state and national levels from March 5, the birthday of Biju Patnaik. "We are in touch with the Oriya associations in countries like the US, UK, Indonesia and Russia. We will celebrate the birth anniversary in all these countries. Details will be finalised later," said Mishra. Biju Patnaik contributed to Indonesia's Independence and rescued by an airplane in 1947 Indonesian prime minister Sutan Sjahrir, who had been placed under surveillance by the colonial Dutch. The Indonesian government bestowed on him the country's highest honour. Senior BJD leader Surya Narayan Patro rejected opposition allegation that the ruling party was confining Biju within the party, saying "he is above politics". "He is not confined to the BJD. He is a statesman and above politics. Anybody can celebrate his birth centenary," said Patro. Kabul: A top Pakistani official has said for the first time publicly that the Afghan Taliban`s leadership enjoys a safe haven inside his country, which Islamabad uses as a "lever" to pressure the group into talks with Kabul. The admission by Pakistan`s foreign affairs advisor Sartaj Aziz comes after years of official denials by Islamabad that it offers shelter or exerts any influence over the Taliban, and amid a fresh push for direct peace talks. The Taliban`s 14-year-insurgency against Afghan and NATO forces has claimed tens of thousands of civilian and military lives. Speaking at the Council on Foreign Affairs in Washington on Tuesday, Aziz said: "We have some influence on them because their leadership is in Pakistan and they get some medical facilities, their families are here. "So we can use those levers to pressurise them to say: `Come to the table`," he added, according to a transcript on the think tank`s website. The remarks confirm what has become an open secret in diplomatic circles, particularly since Pakistan began brokering direct peace talks between Kabul and the Taliban last summer. The negotiations faltered after Afghan intelligence leaked the news the group`s founder Mullah Omar had died in 2013. The Taliban later confirmed they lied about Omar`s death for two years, sowing divisions among the militants and anger at his successor Mullah Akhtar Mansour for leading the cover-up. Most of the group`s leaders are believed to be residing in the southwestern city of Quetta, with others in northwest Peshawar and southern Karachi.Pakistan, Afghanistan, the United States and China held their fourth round of talks aimed at reviving direct peace talks between Kabul and the Taliban late last month. The four-country group invited Taliban representatives to return to negotiations by the first week of March, though a spokesman for the militants later said they had not yet received an invitation. Aziz said Islamabad had used the threat of expulsion to force the Taliban into the first round of talks. "We already -- before the 7th July meeting last year -- we had to use some of these levers and restricted their movements, restricted their access to hospital and other facilities, and threatened them that if you do not come forward and talk, then obviously we will at least expel you," he said. Aziz said Pakistan`s role was as a "facilitator" and it was up to Kabul to make negotiations fruitful. "We are not the actual negotiators. So I hope as we go along our sincerity in this task will be recognised, and with the hope that Afghan government will play a more active role for the success of these talks." A Foreign Office spokesman said he could not comment on Aziz`s remarks at a regular press briefing Thursday. "Aziz said whatever he had to say and we do not comment on statements made by our leadership," Nafees Zakaria told reporters in Islamabad. There is no confirmation yet of a date for peace talks with the Taliban, Zakaria added, adding that "efforts are on". Islamabad: Pakistan on Thursday accused India of engaging in an "unhelpful" blame game over the Pathankot terror attack and said cooperation and understanding were needed to take the investigation forward. During a weekly news briefing here, Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said, "Pakistan believes that all nations need to cooperate with each other to defeat the menace of terrorism. Pakistan condemned the (Pathankot) incident. Prime Minister called to assure cooperation." Commenting on the Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar's statement accusing Pakistan of the attack, he said, "Cooperation and understanding is the need of the hour. Blame game is unfortunate and unhelpful". Parrikar on Tuesday told the Rajya Sabha that the terror attack on the air force base in Pathankot was carried out by Pakistan's "non-state actors" who operate with the support of the Pakistani establishment. Zakaria said Pakistan took all necessary measures on the basis of preliminary information provided by India regarding Pathankot terrorist attack. "A Joint Investigation Team has been formed and modalities are being worked out for the visit of the team to India." To a question on the Foreign Secretary-level talks, the spokesperson said Pakistan and India are working on the dates for it. When asked about Pakistan's reaction on the terror attack on the Indian Consulate in Jalalabad yesterday, Zakaria said, "Our position on terrorist attacks around the world is very clear. We condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. However, I don't have the details of the incident you are referring to." On the 2008 Mumbai attack trial case, Zakaria said, "The Foreign Secretary had written to the Indian Foreign Secretary regarding evidence required for the Mumbai trials. These are those pieces of evidence, which Pakistan had asked for earlier also. "This issue was also discussed during the meeting between the Adviser and the Indian External Affairs Minister on the sidelines of the Heart of Asia Conference in December 2015. Additional evidence from India is awaited, which is required to conclude the trial," he said. Chennai: Here's a big news of TNPSC VAO aspirants! The answer key has been officially released by the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC). The Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) on 28th Feb (Sunday) had conducted the written examination to recruit Village Administrative Officers (VAO) in the state. Answer key - How to check directly Candidates can also directly go to page - http://www.tnpsc.gov.in/answerkeys_28_02_2016.html - to check the answey key of TNPSC VAO exam 2016. Cut off marks The cut off list is expected to be released soon. Number of vacancies The TNPSC is expected to fill 813 VAO posts by means of the examination conducted on 28th Feb. Addition information about VAO For more information, the VAO aspirants are requested to log on to official website - http://www.tnpsc.gov.in/ United Nations: Five countries in the UN Security Council are working on a new draft resolution demanding a halt to attacks on hospitals and medical facilities in Syria, Yemen and other war zones, diplomats said. Egypt, Japan, Spain, New Zealand and Uruguay are working on the measure which would reaffirm that such attacks violate international law and would call for perpetrators to be held accountable. All five are non-permanent members of the 15-nation Security Council. "Given the increase of attacks, it would be timely to have a text that holds up international law, re-states respect for medical workers and sends a message about health care in armed conflict," said New Zealand's UN mission spokeswoman Nicola Garvey yesterday. The United Nations has raised alarm over the targeting of medical workers and hospitals in conflict zones, in particular in Syria, Yemen and Afghanistan. Last year, there were 94 attacks in Syria against 63 hospitals and clinics supported by Doctors Without Borders (MSF), according to the organisation's executive director Jason Cone. Missile strikes have hit at least three MSF clinics in Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition has been battling Shiite Huthi rebels who have seized territory from the internationally recognised government. One of the most devastating attacks was the US strike in October on a MSF-run hospital in the Afghan city of Kunduz that killed 42 people. MSF condemned the airstrike as a war crime and demanded an investigation. The US military unveiled the results of an internal investigation a month later, blaming human error. MSF is supporting the initiative by the five council members, which would not break new legal ground but would highlight the need to respect existing humanitarian law. "Unless states come together and denounce these attacks, these kinds of attacks will somehow become normal, acceptable by-products of conflict," Cone told AFP. Sydney: A piece of debris found off the southeast African coast that could be from a missing Malaysia Airlines flight is being sent to Australia for testing, officials said on Thursday, two years after the plane carrying 239 people disappeared. A white, metre-long chunk of metal was found off the coast of Mozambique earlier this week by a U.S. adventurer who has been carrying out an independent search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370. The debris will be tested by officials in Australia, with help from Malaysian authorities and representatives of manufacturer Boeing Co. "It is too early to speculate on the origin of the debris at this stage," Australian Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester told parliament. However, the piece was found in "a location consistent with drift modelling commissioned by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau", he said. Chester`s comments added to a fresh sense of optimism after Malaysia`s transport minister, Liow Tiong Lai, said on Wednesday there was a "high possibility" the metal chunk belonged to a 777 jet, the same type of aircraft as MH370. Flight MH370 disappeared on March 8, 2014, with 239 passengers and crew on board shortly after taking off from Kuala Lumpur bound for Beijing. It is believed to have crashed in the Indian Ocean and an initial search of a 60,000 sq km (23,000 sq miles) area of sea floor has been extended to another 60,000 sq km. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said he had "noted" the report about the new possible piece of debris. "We will closely track the development of the situation, and maintain close contact with relevant sides. We will also work with relevant countries to make great efforts to continue the search work for MH370," he told reporters in Beijing. A piece of the plane`s wing washed up on the French Indian Ocean island of Reunion, on the other side of Madagascar, in July 2015. Voice370, a group representing families of those on board the missing plane, said the discovery meant the search must focus on the coastlines of Mozambique and Madagascar. "Debris fields, though subject to some degree of dispersal by the elements, generally tend to make landfall in close proximity," the group said in a statement. Sao Paulo: Brazil's Supreme Court has voted unanimously to allow corruption charges against a key congressional leader in a step that could weaken efforts to impeach President Dilma Rousseff. All 10 justices at the session voted to proceed with charges against Eduardo Cunha, the head of the lower house of Congress who is accused of taking USD 5 million in bribes involving a contract by state oil company Petrobras. The 11th justice was out of the country. Under Brazilian law, charges against federal congressmen and other top government officials can be filed and judged only by the Supreme Court. Yesterday's decision marked the first time the Supreme Court has authorised charges in connection with the wide-ranging "Car Wash" investigation into corruption at Petrobras. Cunha is one of the biggest names implicated in the scandal, which prosecutors allege involved billions of dollars in bribes. He is also a sworn enemy of Rousseff, having authorised the opening of impeachment proceedings against her late last year over allegations she violated fiscal responsibility laws. Analysts said the Supreme Court's move could undermine the impeachment effort. "This means that Dilma's accuser is no longer on the offensive but rather on the defensive," said Pedro Fassoni Arruda, a professor of political science at Sao Paulo's Pontifical Catholic University. "The government can use that as a trump card in the sense that they can say that the person who is accusing the president of having committed a crime probably committed a crime himself." "This could change the balance of power between the government and the opposition, fortifying the government and weakening those who support Dilma's impeachment," he said. Rousseff said yesterday that fighting corruption was among her government's top priorities. "No government has cracked down as hard and efficiently against corruption as mine. And it will continue to be that way," Rousseff said at the swearing-in ceremony for Brazil's new justice minister, solicitor general and comptroller general. Prosecutors allege Cunha accepted USD 5 million in bribes between 2006 and 2012 in connection with the construction of two Petrobras drilling ships. He is charged with corruption and money laundering. Cunha has denied any wrongdoing. After the Supreme Court session began Wednesday, he told reporters: "Truth is on my side. I am innocent." The Supreme Court has not yet weighed in on whether Cunha will be able to continue as head of the lower house and serve out the more than two years that remain of his term representing Rio de Janeiro state. Attorney General Rodrigo Janot has asked the justices to remove Cunha from office, but the court has not yet taken up the matter. Cairo: Egypt extradited Frenchman Christophe Naudin to the Dominican Republic on Thursday for his alleged involvement in the escape of two pilots jailed in a drugs case dubbed "Air Cocaine". Naudin, a criminologist and aviation security expert who was arrested in Cairo on February 4, is wanted in the Caribbean nation on suspicion of helping pilots Pascal Fauret and Bruno Odos flee to France in October after they had been sentenced to 20 years in prison for trafficking. The pair, who have always maintained their innocence, were arrested in March 2013 as they were about to depart from Punta Cana in a private jet found to be carrying 680 kilos (1,500 pounds) of cocaine. Convicted of drug trafficking in August, they were released pending appeal but barred from leaving the Caribbean nation. They somehow managed to flee and return to France, vowing to clear their names, but were rearrested in November near the French city of Lyon. On February 11, an appeals court in the Dominican Republic upheld 20-year prison sentences for the two pilots. Paris has ruled out the possibility of extraditing them. But France`s foreign ministry on Thursday said Naudin had been extradited. "France has done everything it could to support Naudin," a statement said. "Our embassy in Santo Domingo is following the situation closely and is ready to provide consular assistance." Naudin`s wife Michele told AFP that his plane was en route to the Dominican Republic via New York. "The Dominican Republic has already said he will be convicted. We know that there is no justice there, and France knows this, yet it let him leave" Egypt, she said. An Egyptian interior ministry official confirmed that Naudin`s extradition flight had departed. The affair has prompted keen interest in France, after Interpol in November issued arrest warrants for Fauret and Odos, as well as a far-right member of the European Parliament accused of involvement. Olivier Cadic, France`s senator representing overseas nationals, called Naudin`s extradition "very bad news for our country". "There is real concern at how France has managed this affair," he told AFP. Canberra: Airplane debris suspected to be of the missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 flight found off the coast of Mozambique, would be transferred to Australia for examination. Australian Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester on Thursday said the debris is a piece of metal of about one metre in length, which was found in a Mozambican beach, Xinhua news agency reported. "The debris is to be transferred to Australia where it will be examined by officials from Australia and Malaysia, as well as international specialists," the minister said. Chester said the location where the debris was found is consistent with drift modelling commissioned by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) and reaffirms the search area of the missing plane in the southern Indian Ocean. The piece was found three days ago by local fishermen accompanying an American tourist along the coast of Vilanculos, Inhambane province, and was handed over to the Mozambican National Civil Aviation Institute on Wednesday. Last year, an aircraft flaperon was found on the island of La Reunion, which lies at the same corner of the Indian Ocean as Mozambique. The flaperon was later confirmed to be the only debris from the missing aircraft. Malaysian Airline Flight MH370, a Boeing 777-200ER, disappeared on March 8, 2014, en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, with a total of 239 people on board. Two years into the disappearance, the search operation in the southern Indian Ocean has yielded no concrete results so far. Jerusalem: A recent, 14-year dry spell in the Middle East was the worst drought in the past 900 years, according to a new NASA study released this week. NASA's researchers examined records of rings of trees in several Mediterranean countries to determine patterns of dry and wet years across a span of 900 years. They concluded that the years from 1998 to 2012 were drier than any other period, and that the drought was likely caused by humans. The study's lead author Ben Cook said the range of extreme weather events in the eastern Mediterranean has varied widely in the past nine centuries, but the past two decades stand out. "This recent drought falls outside the range of natural variability," he said. Drought has continued in parts of the Middle East, he added. Cook is a climate scientist at NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies and the Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia University in New York City. The researchers used records of tree rings in Northern Africa, Greece, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria and Turkey, and combined the data with records from Spain, southern France and Italy to examine patterns of drought across time in the region. They studied rings of trees, both living and dead, that were sampled all over the region. Rings in the trunks of trees represent years. Thin rings indicate dry years; thick rings show years when water was abundant. Cook said the research supported other studies indicating human causes of extreme climate events. Last year, researchers at Columbia University and the University of California Santa Barbara found that drought triggered a collapse in agriculture in Syria and the migration of 1.5 million farmers to the cities, straining resources. The water shortage was one of several contributing factors that had worsened the situation in Syria in the lead-up to the outbreak of that country's devastating civil war in 2011. Islamabad: Islamabad on Thursday said its nuclear arsenal is for the defence of Pakistan and its people. This comes days after US Secretary of State John Kerry asked the south Asian country to consider reducing its nuclear arsenal. "Our nuclear deterrence is to deter any aggression against Pakistan`s territorial integrity," Foreign Office Spokesperson Mohammed Nafees Zakaria said during the weekly briefing. "It is for the defence of Pakistan and its people, as a responsible nuclear state, we have invested in ensuring nuclear safety, nuclear security and robust command and control system," the spokesperson added. On Wednesday, Pakistan`s Foreign Affairs Advisor said in Washington that "India, not terrorism, is the biggest threat to the region", and asked India to reduce its nuclear stockpile so that Pakistan can consider reciprocation. Sartaj Aziz underscored that Pakistan`s nuclear arsenal is a major deterrent, a fact that the US also recognises. Responding sharply to Kerry`s suggestion to cut its nuclear arsenal, Aziz said it was India that was stockpiling n-weapons and not Pakistan as it has to keep up a minimum deterrence. "If they increase the stockpile, we cannot reduce ours," he said. Leinster: Prime Minister Enda Kenny`s outgoing coalition came first in Ireland`s general election but fell far short of a governing majority, final results showed on Thursday, after a vote marked by anti-austerity anger. Kenny`s Fine Gael party won 50 out of 158 parliamentary seats, followed by Fianna Fail with 44 seats and Sinn Fein, the former political wing of the IRA in Northern Ireland, with 23 seats. Fine Gael`s Labour partner in the outgoing coalition won just seven seats, just ahead a grouping called the Anti-Austerity Alliance-People Before Profit which won six seats in the parliament, or Dail. An 80-seat majority is required to govern. Analysts have warned that the two most likely scenarios are an unprecedented alliance between old rivals Fine Gael and Fianna Fail or a new election.\ The outgoing coalition campaigned on a platform of maintaining a recovery that has seen Ireland become the fastest-growing country in the European Union, but which many feel has yet to improve things for ordinary people squeezed by years of austerity cuts. Aside from a coalition deal, another mooted possibility is a minority government led by Fine Gael or Fianna Fail, with other parties lending support depending on the bills put forward. Weeks of uncertainty could lie ahead and the first test of whether a government can be formed will be March 10, when the newly-elected deputies are to meet in the lower house of parliament and try to appoint a prime minister. The swing to anti-establishment and anti-austerity parties echoed recent election in other eurozone countries like Spain and Portugal which have also produced political uncertainty. Jerusalem: A teenage Palestinian girl stabbed and lightly wounded an Israeli policeman in the occupied West Bank on Thursday before being arrested, Israeli authorities said. The policeman was directing traffic after a tree fell and blocked a road in the town of Auja, in the Jordan Valley north of Jericho, when he was stabbed in the shoulder, police said. The girl ran off but was caught and arrested by her victim. Israeli police gave her age as 14. Palestinian security sources said she was 16. A wave of violence in Israel and the Palestinian territories since October has killed 180 Palestinians as well as 28 Israelis, an American, a Sudanese and an Eritrean, according to an AFP toll. Most of the Palestinians who died in the violence were killed by Israeli forces while carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks, according to Israeli authorities. Others were shot dead by Israeli forces during clashes or demonstrations. Many of the attackers have been young Palestinians, including teenagers. Israeli forces have been accused of using excessive force in some cases, which they strongly deny. No shots were fired in Thursday`s incident. Madrid: Spanish police said Thursday they have seized about 20,000 military uniforms, "enough to equip an entire army", which were destined for jihadist groups operating in Syria and Iraq. The uniforms were found in three shipping containers seized in the eastern ports of Valencia and Alicante last month when police uncovered an operation to smuggle arms to jihadists under the guise of humanitarian aid, police said in a statement. Seven people were arrested at the time as part of a probe launched in 2014 into "foreign structures" providing logistical support for both Islamic State and the Al-Nusra Front, an Al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria. "The containers which carried the military uniforms were declared as `second hand clothes` so as to not raise suspicions and be able to pass different customs inspections without any difficulty," the police statement said. "With the roughly 20,000 military uniforms and accessories, it would have been possible to equip an entire army which would be ready to enter into combat in any of the battlegrounds which jihadist terrorist organisations have round the world," it added. One of the firms run by the suspects who were detained last month was dedicated to importing used clothes. One of those arrested was a man who dispatched "military material, money, electronic and transmission material, firearms and precursors for making explosives" to Syria and Iraq via a company, police said at the time. This was shipped out in closed containers under the guise of humanitarian aid, and financed by "hawala," an informal system of payment based on trust that is far more difficult to trace than bank transfers. The leader of the network was in "constant" contact with a member of the Islamic State, who repeatedly asked him to recruit women in order to marry them off to IS jihadists in Syria, police said last month . Beirut: Syrian rebels said on Wednesday they were under fierce government attack near the Turkish border despite a cessation of hostilities agreement and a representative cast doubt on whether U.N.-backed peace talks would go ahead on March 9 as planned. The agreement drawn up by the United States and Russia came into effect on Saturday and has slowed but not entirely stopped a conflict that has been going on for almost five years. Both the government and rebels have accused each other of violations. The agreement does not include Islamic State or al Qaeda`s Nusra Front, which is widely deployed in opposition areas. The United Nations said on Tuesday a new attempt at peace talks would begin on March 9 in Geneva, urging warring sides to ensure the cessation agreement take hold to allow them to come to the table. But opposition official George Sabra said the date for a resumption of talks remained "hypothetical" as long as the truce did not fulfil humanitarian demands including a release of detainees held by the government. "What is the value of a truce if its overseers - meaning America and Russia - do not push all sides to abide by it?" Sabra told Arabic news channel Arabiya al-Hadath on Wednesday. The White House said it had seen a reduction in air strikes against the opposition and civilians in Syria in recent days but was concerned by some reported tank and artillery attacks. Washington was also aware of reports of possible chemical weapons use by the Syrian government, the State Department said, adding that it could not confirm them but that they were being investigated. Israel said on Tuesday Syrian forces had been dropping chlorine barrels on civilians over the past few days. There was no immediate comment from Damascus, which has denied breaching the terms of the truce. The opposition is pressing for full humanitarian access to rebel-held areas and for detainees to be released - terms set out in a U.N. Security Council resolution passed in December. Opposition officials say an increase in aid access has fallen short of what is required. A senior U.S. official said Washington was working with Moscow to improve access to besieged areas and the World Health Organisation said it had delivered medical supplies to the besieged town of Mouadamiya on Wednesday, after reporting some medicines had been removed from a previous aid delivery. CHALLENGING President Bashar al-Assad said in an interview broadcast on Tuesday that insurgents had breached the deal from day one, and the Syrian army was refraining from responding to give a chance for the agreement to last, warning that there "are limits". Five months of Russian air strikes have turned the momentum Assad`s way in the war that has killed more than 250,000 people and created refugee crises in neighbouring states and Europe. Antony Blinken, deputy U.S. Secretary of State, said in Geneva that major and regional powers were monitoring the cessation of hostilities to "prevent any escalation" but it was a "challenging process". "The best possible thing that could happen is for the cessation of hostilities to really take root, and to be sustained, for the humanitarian assistance to flow and then for the negotiations to start," he said. While residents of some parts of Syria are describing an unusually calm spell, rebels say government forces backed by Russian air strikes have continued offensives in areas of strategic importance in northwestern Syria. The Syrian government is saying very little about military operations in those areas, where the Nusra Front is widely deployed in close proximity to groups fighting under the banner of the Free Syrian Army that have accepted the agreement. A rebel official and the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said government forces pressed an offensive against insurgents in Latakia province at the Turkish border on Wednesday. Fadi Ahmad, spokesman for the First Coastal Division, an FSA group, said government forces had brought in reinforcements for the battle and that fighting was as intense as anything preceding the cessation of hostilities. "The battles were today very fierce," he said. The Syrian government, backed on the ground by Iranian forces and Lebanon`s Hezbollah, has prioritised securing the Turkish border through which rebel groups are supplied with weapons from states seeking Assad`s downfall. The area being fought over in Latakia overlooks the rebel-held town of Jisr al-Shughour in neighbouring Idlib province, and the Ghab Plain, where rebel advances last year were seen as a growing threat to Assad. A rebel commander in northern Syria said: "Battles continue in vital areas that the regime wants, and where there was no truce in the first place. There is bombardment and battles." "We are in the fifth day and there is no change in these areas," he said, in reference to areas in the provinces of Latakia, Homs and Hama. Fighting also flared anew in Aleppo between insurgents and an alliance including the Kurdish YPG militia, the Observatory said. A report by the Institute for the Study of War showed Russian strikes in support of government forces and their allies had hit a number of areas in Aleppo, Idlib, Homs and Hama provinces since the truce deal took effect. While battling Syrian insurgent groups in Aleppo province, the YPG is also fighting Islamic State with the help of a U.S.-led alliance further east. The group said on Wednesday that 43 of its fighters were killed in an Islamic State attack on two towns near the Turkish border at the weekend. Rome/Sydney: A high-ranking Vatican official said on Wednesday he should have done more to stop the sexual abuse of children in the Catholic Church, acknowledging that he was told of at least one priest "misbehaving" with boys at an Australian school. Cardinal George Pell, the Vatican`s treasurer, said he did nothing when a boy at a Christian Brothers school in rural Victoria state mentioned the behaviour "casually in conversation" in the mid-1970s. "With the experience of 40 years later, certainly I would agree that I should have done more," Pell said while giving evidence via video link from Rome to Australia`s Royal Commission into Institutional Response to Child Sexual Abuse. Pell`s four-day questioning over cases involving hundreds of children in Australia from the 1960s to the 1990s has taken on wider implications about the accountability of church leaders, given his high rank within the church. There were audible gasps when, during a testy exchange earlier in the week, Pell said of abuse by a priest who was later convicted of 138 offences against 53 victims: "It`s a sad story and it wasn`t of much interest to me." Pell said on Wednesday he regretted the comment, which was seized upon by victims and the Australian media as evidence of the Catholic Church`s uncaring attitude. "I was very confused, I responded poorly ... it was badly expressed," he said on the last day of the hearing, which required him to give evidence late at night through to the early hours in Italy. Pell has told the inquiry that the church made "enormous mistakes" and "catastrophic" choices by refusing to believe abused children, shuffling abusive priests from parish to parish and over-relying on counselling of priests to solve the problem. Pell also said he was deceived and lied to by superiors as a young priest in the 1970s. He denied that, as a bishop in the 1990s, he tried to bribe one victim to remain silent and that he ignored complaints, or that he was complicit in the transfer of a paedophile priest. "It is implausible that I tried to bribe him for a number of reasons," Pell told the commission. "It`s implausible because I was an auxiliary bishop and I had no access to money or - no access to significant resources. It`s implausible because, of course, the attempt to bribe someone is criminal." "PROTECT CHILDREN" Pell`s failing memories of what he knew about many individual cases has angered many of the 15 abuse victims and supporters who travelled to Rome to watch him give evidence. The victims have called for a meeting with Pope Francis. They had successfully lobbied to be in the same room as Pell after he said he was unable to travel to his native Australia because of heart problems. They are to meet Pell after the hearings as well as Father Hans Zollner, a member of the Vatican`s commission advising the pope on how to prevent abuse. "It is the responsibility of all humanity to protect children, not to stand by and pass the buck," said Tony Wardley, who was abused as a child. "I hope this did not seem like a Catholic-bashing exercise, but all religions that worship their god or gods must realize that the messengers are only messengers. They are not above everyone else." Pell told reporters he hoped his appearance would contribute to the healing of victims. "It`s been a hard slog, at least for me," he said. "But the Royal Commission process is designed to try to make the situation better for the future, for the survivors and to prevent the repetition of all this suffering in the future." Church sexual abuse broke into the open in 2002, when it was revealed that U.S. bishops in the Boston area moved abusers from parish to parish instead of defrocking them. Similar cover-ups have since been discovered around the world and tens of millions of dollars have been paid in compensation. ELKO Mine safety and maintaining it is of the utmost importance to the mining companies, the employees and all involved in the endeavor. Since the early '90s, Safety First Training & Consulting Services Inc. has been training miners, both new and continuing. Even though it started with mine safety, the organization will do anything safety related, including Occupational Health and Safety Administration training. In spanning occupational and mine safety training, the company offers: MSHA New Miner at least once a week; surface and underground training; annual refresher; safety plans and audits; OSHA training; audiometric testing; spirometer testing; 10 and 30-hour training; respiratory fit testing and CPR, first aid and automated external defibrillator training. If youre going to go on a mine site, you have to have MSHA (Mine Safety and Health Administration) training to do either surface or underground, thats a federal recommendation and the mine sites require it, said owner and instructor Jason Sims. The mine sites, typically, like I said, do it on their own but we do cater to them whenever they need it: special classes or special vendors coming on-site, theyll call us up and ask us to provide the training..." While Safety First has been part of mine safety in Elko for over 20 years, it made a location change last summer from Commercial Street to Cimarron Way. Sims said it was nice being part of historic downtown, but a change was needed. Its helped tremendously that we no longer have stairs and we now have central heat and air, said Office Manager Sherrie Sims jokingly. Jason Sims told the Free Press there are a lot of contract companies that cater to the mine site in Elko and these contractors need MSHA-authorized training. He received his blue card about eight years ago when he was working at Barrick Gold Corp.s Cortez Hills Mine. Sims is also a certified OSHA instructor. Sherrie Sims explained the organization helps the contractors in different ways, including providing on-site safety. They dont necessarily have to hire a safety guy, she said. They can call us up if they have a one or two day job and we can send a safety guy out there for them. Primarily, Jason Sims conducts this job, and although there are others, it is easier to find a substitute teacher than an individual qualified in mine safety protocols, she said. You need to do safety meetings, you have to do hazard awareness and recognition or workplace examinations making sure its safe for you to be there in that location, said Jason Sims, explaining what a qualified safety individual does on the site. Additionally, he said there are different hazards associated with what each mine does. Safety Firsts job, in this case, is to make sure these dangers -- whether its the use of cyanide or equipment operation and traffic patterns -- are known. Generally the mines relay any special needs or requirements to the business. It helps growing up in this town too, he said. Having worked on a mine site before, Jason Sims has an idea what each one is looking for. Additionally, he knows safety personnel at those locations, considering safety has been a family business for Sims his father was in health and safety for 20 years and was connected to Newmont Mining Corp., he said. Jason Sims has worked at Safety First since October of 2011 and has been the owner since July of 2012. While there were probably many different reasons why he moved from working at the mines to being a safety instructor, he said he needed a change. One of the things was working on mine rescue, being an EMT, first responder and all kinds of things like that, seeing enough people get hurt. I just kind of got tired of meeting people on the worst day of their life, he said. Im trying to help them before they get hurt. It seemed to be a much more logical approach -- people getting hurt because they just didnt know any better or werent familiar with it. Safety Plans and Audits The business not only works with companies such as Barrick and Newmont, but it also works with American Staffing and the state. We dont just cater to the contractors. We have people coming through who are looking for employment. Its one of the first steps, typically, when youre looking for employment in the mining industry is to obtain your surface MSHA training, said Sherrie Sims. MSHA, for those who have never been to a mine before, recommends 24 hours of training. After that, there are eight-hour annual refresher courses to keep your caution skills high, said Jason Sims. Mine sites and companies need to have a safety plan so they make sure that theyre not hurting their people, said Jason Sims. Sherrie Sims said its important for these protocols to be in place. The Sims normally get calls from small, growing contractors and they assist them in the process of developing these plans. Sometimes the company goes out and surveys the site to build a plan with them, or theyll sit down with the managers or safety personnel and create the plan with the help of phone calls, emails and pictures. Over the past year, Nevada mining has seen four fatalities. In light of that, Sims said he has not seen an increase in safety plans or audits. Personally, I think they should be done, he said. A lot of people are doing it internally right now, said Sherrie Sims. Its usually about six months behind, added Jason Sims. Audits are done before an MSHA inspection and can help the mines avoid getting citations, he said. Growth Training requirements can be complicated, Jason Sims told the Free Press. Safety First has recently acquired Cat Mining Truck Simulator systems; one is a loader and the other a haul truck. The company is trying to incorporate them into its training. They can have two purposes, training and recruitment. "Its kind of like when youve got your drivers license they want you to go through drivers training before you get behind the wheel If youre going to operate mining machinery, you have to be trained on it. Its kind of complicated to take a piece of equipment and throw you in a big, giant two-story building on wheels and hope you figure it out, he said. The simulators have the same controls as the equipment, giving those who have never been on a mine hands-on experience. Before employment, these machines can also test the accountability of the possible employee. There are some things they would like to achieve going forward and one of them is reaching more people, building and maintaining their clientele. One of the things that Jason and I would like to be able to do a lot more of is go out and actually visit customers and potential customers more, but when its just the two of you, its really hard. You have to be here to service the people that are existing, said Sherrie Sims. She told the Free Press they pride themselves on great customer service and follow-up. They would also like to offer more classes, more diverse classes. Were always changing. The classes have been the main focus for quite a few years, but were expanding as the industry needs it If a client needs it, or a contractor needs it, or the mine site wants it, we try and make it available. We always try to be a one stop, said Jason Sims, explaining the spirometer testing is a good example of the companys continuous evolution. Resources We have resources everywhere, Sherrie Sims said. In addition to the resources, the safety and consulting company prides itself on trying to have more interaction in its classes. Jason Sims, describing mining as one of the most diverse industries in personality and job description, said it becomes like an information exchange as each participant has expertise in his or her field. The organization works with different instructors and tries to keep different people as resources so its skill-set remains broad and many different types of training are available for the customers. Sherrie Sims said being a member of the Nevada Mining Association has also helped in this endeavor. We want to make sure that everybody has current, correct information, that were not just telling them what was true in the 1980s or the 1990s, were telling them whats going on right now to the best of our ability, she said. Our jobs basically consist of research 24-7 to make sure that our information is whats going on right now. Doing the safety plans and stuff like that I want to make sure they have this is what the standard is right now, this is what people are doing and this is what you should be doing, she said. The Sims told the Free Press that if the companies are maintaining the prevailing standards its going to be more cost effective and the companies are going to be able to fill their needs from local vendors. Friendships Prevention and education are number one -- this is so miners know what to expect at the site. You drive out past Carlin and theres mine sites out there that are bigger than the town of Carlin. Thats why the training is important because you dont want somebody to go out there and get ran over by a piece of equipment or touch something that they shouldnt be touching because they didnt know that sort of thing, said Sherrie Sims. Jason Sims said the employees of a mine are there to do what they want in life and not get hurt. The last thing anybody, whether it be the mine site, the contractor or the community wants, is somebody to die, he said, calling last year's four fatalities heart-breaking and something that affects everybody. In fact, the day they spoke to the Free Press there was training for Long Canyon contractors and the subject was brought up -- one of the participants was on the most recent mine site, and she told the class about the stress it placed on all there. It affects the community as a whole. Theres camaraderie amongst the miners and I like to think that Jason provides that when you have a class of new miners come in, sometimes theyre going to the same place or theyre running into each other in the mining community. Its kind of nice that we get to see those friendships first form, said Sherrie Sims. With the formation of these relationships, many times, she said, they return the next year for the annual refresher course and they are working at the same mine, or, to top it off, theyve become fishing buddies. Loyalty They come back, said Sherrie Sims. The company, in its continuous expansion, has maintained its base through repeat customers. These customers started coming when James Crawford started the business in 1992 and, even though they have been through a few instructors, hopefully theyre still coming because Jason and I can provide that customer service theyre used to from Safety First, she said. Their new building is still a work in progress. However, he said both Safety First and Cimarron West are part of Elko a staple company in a staple location. Safety First is still in business and we have been forever and we fully intend on it staying that way. I like to think that being open as long as we have is a pretty important part -- providing the same stuff over 20 years, Jason Sims said. By Tim Hepher PHOENIX (Reuters) - Airbus is seeking airline support for a new 400-seat jetliner provisionally dubbed the A350-8000 as competition escalates with Boeing over the world's largest two-engined jets, airline and aviation industry sources said. After talking up the possibility of a new member of its A350 family, the European planemaker has swung into an active pre-marketing phase as it responds to a recent upgrade in the competing Boeing 777. While Boeing has scored successes in the Gulf with its biggest ever twin-engined jet, the 406-seat 777-9, Airbus is expected to aim its design at airlines that do not always require the performance needed for extreme Gulf conditions. "It would have similar capacity and range (as the 777-9) and substantially lower seat-mile costs," Airbus sales chief John Leahy said in an interview. "We are showing it to airlines right now." The project is the latest move in a game of leapfrog played by Airbus and Boeing over the past decade in the market for big twinjets, valued at about $1.9 trillion over 20 years. It marks a shift in priorities after the oil price collapse eased pressure on Airbus to upgrade its larger four-engined A380, output of which is declining because of slow sales. Two airlines whose feedback could be decisive in whether Airbus launches the new jet are Singapore Airlines and British Airways . Singapore took delivery of its first smaller A350-900 model this week and has long been weighing up the 777-9, while putting pressure on Airbus to offer it a choice. Both airlines declined to comment. Airbus planemaking president Fabrice Bregier was visiting Singapore on Thursday, where a spokesman declined to comment. The A350 XWB (Extra Wide Body) family was launched after a string of setbacks in 2006 to compete with Boeing's mid-sized 787 Dreamliner and the larger 777. Boeing responded to the all-new jet by upgrading its existing 777 series to include the 777-9, which has outsold the A350-1000 by about 40 percent but has entered a lean period. Boeing has disclosed 306 sales of 777-9s and a similar variant, while Airbus has sold 181 of its A350-1000s. "It is clearly an airplane that is on its own in the marketplace and the airplane is selling very well," Boeing marketing chief Randy Tinseth told the Istat Americas air finance conference, referring to the latest 777 model. KEY DECISIONS The new, bigger A350 would use a derivative of the latest Rolls-Royce Trent XWB planned for the A350-1000. One person briefed on the plans said it would boost thrust from the current 97,000 pounds to just over 100,000 pounds. Airbus believes this would compete well for the majority of airline needs and head off further 777-9 sales. But some analysts said a key to the project would be how easily Rolls-Royce could expand a full slate of projects as it strives to cut costs, even if leaving the Gulf business to Boeing. "This sounds like they are making a virtue of its lack of hot-and-high performance compared to 777-9 when maybe its the case that Rolls cant afford, or doesnt want to, do a much bigger and substantially new engine," said Nick Cunningham of UK-based Agency Partners. One engine expert estimated the upgrade could cost half a billion dollars and require a bigger fan and new materials. Rolls-Royce was not immediately available for comment. To give the new A350 more capacity and compete with the 777-9 on long trips, Airbus would boost the maximum take-off weight to just over 319 tonnes, compared with 308 tonnes on the Airbus A350-1000, the person briefed on the plans said. However it would sacrifice some range compared with the 8,000-mile A350-1000. Airbus says it has not made a final decision on whether to launch a new A350 and will provide an update at the Farnborough Airshow in July. Meanwhile, it has been weighing up what to call the new member off the A350 XWB family, reflecting deeper decisions on market positioning that can affect billions of dollars in sales. It needs to strike a balance between protecting sales of the A350-1000, by emphasising differences without weakening its long-held mantra of commonality between related aircraft. Until now, the possible new model was widely known in the industry as the A350-1100, continuing a sequence from the 276-seat A350-800 to the 315-seat A350-900 and 366-seat A350-1000. Now, sources say it is being pre-marketed with a surprise new identity, the A350-8000, though a final decision has yet to be taken. An earlier working title was A350-1000 XL. Leahy confirmed that Airbus was reluctant to ratify the industry's nickname of A350-1100 but declined to give details. "You don't want it so close to the 1000 that it is an either-or decision. You have the 1000 and another airplane, with equal gaps of 40 seats between the 900 and 1000 (models), and then whatever this becomes." Eight is a number widely used by planemakers and is seen as a symbol of success in a key battleground for sales: Asia. "Eight is a very nice number out in Asia, but we are not going to comment until we launch the programme," Leahy said. Airbus will however be hoping not to repeat the omen of the previous model to carry the -8000 model number: a VIP version of its A340, only one of which was ever built. (Editing by David Goodman and Adrian Croft) By Andrea Shalal SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Defense Secretary Ash Carter on Tuesday underscored the U.S. military's support for data security and strong encryption as he asked top U.S. technology sector entrepreneurs and innovators to play a larger role in national security. Carter, on his third trip to Silicon Valley since taking office a year ago, urged greater cooperation between private industry and the public sector on data security and warned that failing to do would allow China, Russia and others who do not favor a free Internet to set new global standards. The defense chief also waded into a controversy between the U.S. government and Apple Inc over the FBI's request to circumvent security features on an iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino, California, shooters. Carter did not address the case directly since it is under litigation, but he said the Pentagon as the largest user of encryption in the world viewed strong encryption as critical, and no one case should drive future policy considerations. "We shouldnt let the solutions to this larger issue of how to handle data security as a society be driven by any one particular case," Carter told reporters after a speech to the Commonwealth Club of San Francisco. "It would be unreasonable." He said the issue of protecting data was complex, involving many different kinds of data, including data in motion, data at rest, and data crossing borders, and a solution required interaction between private industry and the public sector. FBI Director James Comey told a congressional panel on Tuesday that a final court ruling forcing Apple to give the FBI data from the iPhone 5c in the San Bernadino case would be potentially precedential in other cases. In his speech, Carter also warned against new legislation spurred solely by this case. "It is easy to see wrong ways to do this. One would be a law hastily written in anger or grief. Another would be to have the rules be written by Russia or China," he said. After his speech Carter and his chief arms buyer met with five small companies at an event styled on the television series "Shark Tank," where entrepreneurs pitch their ideas to investors. Carter told reporters that he saw some interesting new technologies, including unmanned surface drones and ways to visualize big data, but he was particularly impressed with the "tremendous" people behind the ideas. "I hope we steal some of them," he said. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Alistair Bell) Americans face the serious possibility of a Donald Trump presidency, with the businessman highly likely to be the Republican candidate to lead the country following primary elections on Tuesday, a top political consultant has told CNBC. Trump is the projected winner of Republican primaries in Virginia, Georgia, Tennessee, Arkansas, Massachusetts, Vermont and Alabama, NBC News reported on Wednesday. The caucuses in Alaska have yet to be decided. "It isn't over by any means but Trump is coming very close indeed to being the inevitable candidate now He is well ahead in many of the opinion polls," Alastair Newton, head of Alavan Business Advisory and former political analyst at Nomura, told CNBC from the Global Financial Markets Forum in Abu Dhabi. With Trump as the Republican presidential candidate, the Democrats would face a challenge, said Newton. The Democratic Party's Hillary Clinton won in seven states Virginia, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Arkansas, Texas, and Massachusetts but fell to rival Bernie Sanders in Vermont, Oklahoma, Minnesota and Colorado. "Trump is getting people to the polls that historically have not gone. Mrs Clinton is going to have a fight on her hands It has defied all the pundits today me included I have to admit He has certainly proved to be a doughty opponent," Newton said. Republican Senator Ted Cruz, meanwhile, won Oklahoma and his home state of Texas, NBC projected. Senator Marco Rubio of Florida was the projected winner of the Minnesota Republican caucus. Trump's success has surprised people both inside and outside the U.S. and some, such as former U.K. prime minister, Tony Blair, have expressed concern. On Wednesday, Blair said that the rise of social media had helped create "insurgent movements that are often around very polarizing political positions." "I get really anxious when I think that policy is being made by Twitter feed Those that shout loudest do not necessarily deserve to be heard the most," he added. Story continues Also in Abu Dhabi, IHS Vice Chairman Daniel Yergin said concerns about a Trump presidential bid could reverberate globally. "You are seeing now Republicans saying for the first time in their lives that they will vote for a Democrat, vote for Hillary Clinton. I'd say American politics are very unsettled," Yergin, a Pulitzer-prize winning author, told CNBC on Wednesday. By CNBC's Katy Barnato at the Global Financial Markets Forum in Abu Dhabi. More From CNBC The headquarters of Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc., seen in Laval, Quebec November 9 2015. REUTERS/Christinne Muschi (Reuters) By Natalie Grover (Reuters) - Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc , responding to investors' queries, said on Thursday that Executive Vice President Deb Jorn had not been asked to leave, reiterating that she had resigned for personal reasons. Jorn oversaw the Canadian drugmaker's U.S. dermatology business, which had ties with Philidor Rx Services, a specialty pharmacy that came under fire for using aggressive tactics to increase insurer reimbursement, mostly for dermatology drugs. Valeant in October severed its ties with Philidor, which has since shut shop. The company's relationship with Philidor is the focus of an investigation by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Reuters reported. A Valeant board committee is also investigating the company's ties with Philidor, and the drugmaker on Thursday said Jorn's departure "is not the result of an action taken by the Ad Hoc Committee of the Board of Directors". "This unexpected change is yet another setback and comes at an especially inopportune time, as Valeant is dealing with a number of issues on several fronts," said Wells Fargo analyst David Maris, who has an "underperform" rating on the stock. Valeant's woes began last year when it attracted staunch criticism for its pricing strategy and accounting practices. The company on Sunday said it would delay releasing its fourth-quarter results and withdrew its financial forecast for the year, adding to investors' uncertainty. CEO Michael Pearson returned from medical leave on the same day. Late on Wednesday Valeant announced the resignation of Jorn, who was in charge of the company's U.S. dermatology and gastrointestinal businesses. It named Eric Abramson, vice-president of dermatology and immunology marketing, general manager of the dermatology business and Ari Kellen, executive vice-president and company group chairman, as head of the gastrointestinal business. Story continues The two divisions accounted for roughly a third of the company's third-quarter revenue of about $2.8 billion, Wells Fargo's Maris estimated. Laval, Quebec-based Valeant's shares were down about 3 percent at $65.47 in afternoon trading on Thursday on the New York Stock Exchange. They have plummeted from a high of $263.81 in early August to a more than three year-low of $59.87 on Tuesday, a day after Valeant said it was being investigated by the SEC. (Reporting by Natalie Grover and Ankur Banerjee in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'Silva and Savio D'Souza) By Lisa Richwine LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Thursday's Republican debate on Fox News Channel could be Round 2 of Megyn Kelly versus Donald Trump. But the journalist and fellow moderators say they are not preparing to stoke the fire with questions about his headline-grabbing battles with the network. Trump accused Kelly of lobbing him tougher questions than those directed at his rivals in an August debate that was the Republican candidates' first televised encounter. Kelly asked about Trump's remarks about women, prompting a stream of attacks from the candidate, who skipped a Fox debate in January. "Frankly, I have been ready for seven months to move beyond what happened after that August debate," Kelly said in a recent interview. "I feel like it's getting boring. Trump has bigger things to worry about, and so do I." The brash billionaire's unfiltered style has helped generate unprecedented ratings for news networks including Fox, owned by Rupert Murdoch's 21st Century Fox Inc . The cable channel's August debate attracted 24 million viewers, a record for a presidential primary debate on any network, according to Nielsen. The January forum without Trump drew 12.5 million, still the second-largest audience in the network's history. Trump is set to appear at Thursday's rematch with Fox News anchors Kelly, Bret Baier and Chris Wallace. "Mr. Trump will be at the debate tomorrow and looks forward to participating," spokeswoman Hope Hicks said on Wednesday. The moderators said they do not plan to mention Trump's comments about Kelly, his complaints about unfair treatment by the cable news network or his absence from Fox's January debate. Kelly said she has not prepared a comeback if Trump gets personal. "I have my questions," she said. "That's all I need." Last week's debate on Time Warner Inc's CNN turned into a raucous match where rivals Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio ganged up on Trump, who fired back. Wallace called it an "embarrassment" to Republicans. The three "seemed hell-bent on taking out each other on a lot of fairly minor points," he said, "rather than discussing issues that affect people's lives." On Tuesday, Trump and Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton took big steps toward securing their parties' nominations with a series of state-by-state victories. After 10 Republican debates, there remains plenty to explore because the remaining candidates - Trump, Cruz, Rubio and John Kasich - have now staked out positions, Kelly said. "They will have to own those positions or try to wiggle out," she said. "But there is not that much wiggle room left on some of these things." A fifth candidate, Ben Carson, appeared set to end his campaign and said he would skip Thursday's debate. Cruz has clashed with Wallace on air and accused him of being too soft on Trump. The contenders "try to work the refs and complain and hope they will get it a little easier next time," Wallace said. All three moderators said they ask tough questions of each candidate. "I think Fox has been fair across the board," Baier said. He said he hopes for a discussion that is "fiery" but "the most substantive debate so far" as rivals try to score points. "We will let the contrasts and the conversations between candidates go," Baier said. "But there will be some balance. That's what it's always about, not letting it get off the rails." (Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Peter Henderson and Jonathan Oatis) The lingering myth of the Chinese governments infallibility recently suffered a grievous blow when officials botched efforts to stabilize the countrys stock market for the second time in less than a year. But while everyone seems focused on that story, and the increasingly jittery markets in other countries, few have noticed exactly how much China has begun flexing its military might and driving neighbors into the arms of its chief global rival, the U.S. Everyone is dialing 911 and hoping the U.S. will answer, says Ralph Cossa, president of the Honolulu-based Pacific Forum Center for Strategic and International Studies, a foreign policy research institute. Thats not exactly what Chinese President Xi Jinping had in mind, of course. But as China bulks up its own military launching aircraft carriers and submarines, building artificial islands with military landing strips in disputed territory and sending naval vessels north through the Bering Strait, and south and west to the Persian Gulf its neighbors have started to respond in kind by increasing their own military spending, including acquiring new weapons and vessels as well as renewing alliances with erstwhile rivals and enemies. All of this puts Chinas goal of freeing the region from U.S. domination farther away. Xi is not quite the strategic thinker people think he is, says Cossa. Theres a nervous aspect to this stockpiling, since so many countries have unresolved territorial disputes and fear Chinese domination. Spending is on the rise throughout the region, unlike in Europe or the U.S. Between 2010 and 2014, Vietnam, for example, upped its military spending by 59 percent, to $4.25 billion, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Over the same period, Malaysia saw an increase of 28 percent, the Philippines 35 percent and Indonesia 51 percent. Of course, none of those smaller and less developed nations can hope to keep pace with China, which over the same period increased spending by 75 percent, to a whopping $216 billion. And experts arent willing to call the buildup an arms race yet, which would suggest that war is likely or inevitable. An arms race, if it exists, is still in an early phase, says Jeffrey Engstrom, an Asia-Pacific security specialist at Rand Corporation, the research group. Story continues Nonetheless, theres a nervous aspect to this stockpiling, since so many countries have unresolved territorial disputes and fear Chinese domination. The Philippines, for instance, has rehabilitated Subic Bay naval base once home to the U.S. 7th Fleet, until 1992 while the U.S. Navy is back on the base as well. The Philippine navy plans to acquire three submarines plus a range of patrol and fighting ships and helicopters, many aimed at anti-submarine warfare. Meanwhile, Vietnam, which operates six submarines that it acquired from Russia, is building its own high-altitude surveillance drones so it can keep a better eye on whats happening in the South China Sea, most of which China claims. Every country in the region is getting in on the act, it seems, with Malaysia operating submarines and building its own French-designed frigates. Japan, the once-hated invader from World War II, now conducts joint naval exercises with Southeast Asian nations, and its been providing war equipment too, in the form of decommissioned vessels. Also, for the first time since the Second World War, Japanese legislation has given the green light to its forces fighting to aid an ally under attack, even if Japan is not directly threatened. South Korea is likewise supplying advanced weaponry and working with countries in the area, and while U.S. ties to the region promise to be strengthened by the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact if Congress signs off, theres one major player thats been excluded from the pact for now: China. Even so, containing China, if it ever was an option, isnt practical. The U.S. military may be shifting forces to the Asia-Pacific region, and it retains a vast technological superiority to the Chinese. At the same time, improved Chinese missile technologies create new vulnerabilities for the U.S. fleet that, at a minimum, make close-in operations more difficult, and could raise questions about U.S. willingness to engage the Chinese in defense of its allies. And while Chinas economy is slowing down, it remains the top trading partner for nations in the region. Countries see that this is a colossus they have to work with, says Tim Heath, senior defense analyst and Asia specialist at the Rand Corporation. Indeed, the strong reaction against Chinas aggressive behavior in the region might already be serving to moderate the countrys actions. For example, it put on a friendlier face in November when President Xi met with Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou in Singapore. The Chinese are trying to mitigate the impact of their own policies, says Heath. And despite U.S. opposition, most countries welcomed Chinas initiative to set up a new bank to support regional development, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. Most recently, China seemed to reverse track, setting off alarms on news that it was installing radar facilities on artificial islands in the South China Sea. But who knows maybe Xi will one day restore some of that old mojo of infallibility. Related Articles BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombia's government has re-authorized visits by rebel peace negotiators from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) to guerrilla encampments in the country, the government's negotiating team said on Thursday. The government suspended visits by rebel leaders two weeks ago after it said FARC negotiators violated the terms under which they were allowed to return from Havana, where peace talks have been taking place since 2012. The rebels will only be allowed to meet with their own troops for the purpose of explaining progress at the talks, the government negotiating team tweeted. "The protocols signed by the two sides do not allow events with the civilian population or the presence of the media," the team said. "For security reasons the locations of visits will not be revealed." President Juan Manuel Santos halted the visits in February after guerrilla leaders Ivan Marquez, Jesus Santrich and Joaquin Gomez met with local residents and participated in public events with armed fighters in La Guajira province, despite restrictions on such activities. Negotiators have reached partial agreements on land reform, guerrilla participation in politics, transitional justice, efforts to find missing persons and remove land mines, and an end to illegal drug trafficking. The FARC, which formed in 1964 to fight rural inequality, has said it will enter politics and seek alliances with other parties once it signs a peace deal. (Reporting by Julia Symmes Cobb; Editing by Phil Berlowitz) So the candidate campaigns against Washington insiders espouses group removal, and doesnt debate policy; his woeful personal attributes of impetuousness, passion, anger, and willfulness means that he could not be trusted with supreme responsibility. Trump 2016? Nope, Andrew Jackson, candidate 1828; President 1829-37. Now, according to the pundits and Grand Pooh-bahs of the collective media, Lo, it is the End of Times! or The End of the Republican Party! or Something. One or another apocalyptic fire has cast its lurid rays oer the Republic in its 227 years and time and again Americans have pressed on, at times a nation of Micawbers, trusting something will turn up: Oh. Goodbye Whigs, Hello Republicans. If we are come to a bad pass, its because we all became Indians. Hows that, you ask? Well, my favorite example of How Not To Do Stuff comes out of the follies and capers of the folks down at tribal hall, where not a day goes by but the latest mad merriments of the bad actors and low comedy and assorted connivers, stooges, and dupes of the Te-Moak Tribe Bizarro World/Through the Looking-Glass/Lord of the Flies takes place. Years ago, I said on the steps of the courthouse, Dont be the New Indians! meaning, learn from Indian/US history and try not to repeat it. The patriots up in Oregon forgot the Frontier ended in 1890 and just as the old Indian tribes were bust to smash by the federal mailed fist that year, were targeted by government drones and their gunmen and are now dead or jailed. I also meant that not keeping ones heritage, and custom, culture, and traditions alive will eventually cost you a unique identity; include language. As example: Shoshone speaking almost vanished because of English adoption and once the native heritage tongue was marginalized, all else became curious and quaint, derided or inaccessible. I meant that being a good member of a group doesnt happen through some kind of photosynthesis or respiration or osmosis. Values are taught, handed down bought into. The hoo-hah in which our politics finds itself is because of a relentlessly marketed trendy self-gratification and on its flip side, foolish complacency. Weve been bamboozled into reservation-style limits and boundaries, such as that of LBJs poverty line that created decades of poor-think, ululating victimization, and arrogant entitlement. Weve spent the last eight years being lectured at by an effete and vain President and the machinations of that old crypto-monarchist, Prince Harry of Vegas. H.L. Mencken observed that no one ever lost office by underestimating the intelligence of the people look at those hailing the gimcrack of a would-be Madame President. We incuriously accept the cautions of those admonishing us what Mrs. Grundy might think. We should all instead, like Howard Beale, yell, Im as mad as hell, and Im not going to take this anymore! For all his faults, Donald Trump is the avatar of quintessential Americanism: insouciant, brash, and boundless of prospect. He is New York City all over a city of millions in which productive tension and a vibrant dynamic of trade-offs and deal making, even to buying coffee or crossing the street begins and completes the day. Whatever else they are, New York and Trump never bore. A guy who is smart enough to put his name of half the towers in Manhattan and built sparkling buildings in Las Vegas, Honolulu, Chicago, and elsewhere has something going for him. There is little in Trump of the plodding dullness and banality that characterizes establishment politicians. The Donald ought make Bernie Every Man a King Sanders his running mate to take the sharp edges off capitalism. By Barbara Lewis BRUSSELS (Reuters) - EU regulators will say this week the European Union does not need to set a more ambitious greenhouse gas target until the next decade, a text seen by Reuters shows, even though the Paris climate deal stipulates a preliminary review of goals in 2018. Such a decision would please member state Poland, whose economy relies on coal, but anger environment campaigners, who see the Paris Agreement, agreed in December, as an argument for the European Union to step up its climate action. So far, the EU has agreed an outline target to cut emissions by at least 40 percent by 2030 from 1990 levels and has embarked on a difficult debate on sharing the task among its 28 member states. A draft prepared ahead of a meeting of EU environment ministers in Brussels on Friday says the existing target "is based on global projections that are in line with the medium-term ambition of the Paris Agreement". Following Friday's meeting, EU heads of government will meet later this month to discuss their actions following the Paris deal, which the Commission is urging them to ratify as soon as possible. The draft text added a first global stock-take in 2023 of emissions reductions, as agreed in Paris, "is relevant for considering progressively more ambitious action by all parties for the period beyond 2030". That stock-take is expected to be preceded by a special U.N. report in 2018 and governments in Paris agreed to an initial review of their actions before the next decade to get on track for net zero emissions in the second half of the century. Speaking on condition of anonymity, EU sources said the text was still a draft and the European Commission would contribute to the 2018 dialogue on emissions goals, although the 2023 deadline was more significant. Environmental campaigners in December hailed the Paris Agreement as a step towards early revision, especially as the EU target was worded "at least" on the understanding that if other countries backed a global deal, Europe would do more. EU policy has been calculated on the basis of a 2 degree limit on global warming, which campaigners and some scientists say is not enough to prevent the worst effects. The Paris Agreement said planet-warming needed to be capped at well below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) and set an aspirational goal of 1.5 degrees. French President Francois Hollande said immediately after the deal he engaged on behalf of France to revise its greenhouse gas goals by 2020 at the latest. However, Hollande's presidential term ends in 2017. EU Climate and Energy Commissioner Miguel Arias Canete was more circumspect, saying setting new European targets was a job for the next Commission that takes office in 2019. (Additional reporting by Alister Doyle in Oslo; Editing by Susan Fenton and Susan Thomas) TOKYO (Reuters) - Three former Tokyo Electric Power (Tepco) executives were indicted on Monday for failing to take safety measures to prevent the nuclear disaster at Fukushima Daiichi plant in 2011, a Tokyo District Court official said. The indictments, forced through by a civilian judicial panel, are the first against officials at Tepco and come just before the fifth anniversary of the meltdowns at the Fukushima nuclear station north of Tokyo. In accordance with Japanese law, the three were indicted by prosecutors on charges of professional negligence resulting in injury and death. The prosecutors had not taken action against the former executives citing insufficient evidence, but a civilian judiciary panel forced the indictment when it ruled last July that they should be charged. The three are former chairman Tsunehisa Katsumata, 75, and former executive vice presidents Sakae Muto, 65, and Ichiro Takekuro, 69. The three, who are indicted without arrest, are likely to plead not guilty and the trial is expected to start next year, local media reported. Reuters could not immediately contact the three for comment. A Tepco spokesman said the company can not comment on their behalf because they are no longer with the company. Japanese citizens' panels, made up of residents selected by lottery, are a rarely used but high-profile feature of Japan's legal system introduced after World War Two to curb bureaucratic overreach. They were given the power to force prosecutions if they called for them for a second time. An earthquake and tsunami in March 2011 destroyed the plant, 220 km (130 miles) northeast of Tokyo, sparking triple nuclear meltdowns, forcing more than 160,000 residents to flee nearby towns and contaminating water, food and air in the world's worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl in 1986. (Reporting by Osamu Tsukimori; Editing by Aaron Sheldrick and Michael Perry) By Dasha Afanasieva and Lefteris Karagiannopoulos ANKARA/ATHENS (Reuters) - EU Council President Donald Tusk told illegal economic migrants on Thursday not to risk their lives or money to make a perilous trip to Europe "for nothing" but said unilateral actions by European Union states to deal with the crisis must stop. The ultimate aim was to eliminate the illegal sea transit of migrants from Turkey to Greece, Tusk said after meeting Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu in Ankara and Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras in Athens, although he said no specific numbers had been agreed with the Turks. "It's not about numbers, it's about the ongoing and permanent process ... which means for me, the total reduction and the total elimination of this sad phenomenon," he told a joint news conference with Davutoglu in Ankara. Tusk was on a trip through Balkan states and Turkey to try to drum up support for cohesion on how to deal with hundreds of thousands of migrants - a crisis that threatens to tear the bloc apart - before an EU summit on Monday. Speaking earlier in Greece, which has been a primary gateway of migrants flooding into Europe for more than a year, Tusk said anyone who was not a refugee should stay away. "I want to appeal to all potential illegal economic migrants wherever you are from: Do not come to Europe. Do not believe the smugglers. Do not risk your lives and your money. It is all for nothing," Tusk said. Up to 30,000 refugees and migrants have been stranded in Greece from progressive border closures further up the "Balkan corridor", the route taken to get into wealthier central and northern Europe. "At Monday's summit, Greece will demand that burden sharing be equitable among all countries in the bloc, and sanctions for those that do not," Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said after meeting Tusk. "We ask that unilateral actions stop in Europe," Tsipras said in a view echoed by Tusk. Austria and countries along the Balkans migration route have imposed restrictions on their borders, limiting the numbers able to cross. Many of the migrants hope to reach Germany. Macedonian police fired tear gas to disperse hundreds of migrants who stormed the border from Greece on Monday. EMERGENCY CONTROLS The European Commission will present on Friday a list of necessary steps to lift emergency border controls that are currently in place inside the Schengen zone and restore the proper functioning of the free-travel area, officials said. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker told a lecture in the Hague on Thursday that Austria had been wrong to close its border with another Schengen country. "That has nothing to do with protection of external borders. Restoring borders between two Schengen countries will destroy the common market," he said. EU officials have told Reuters that European governments, and particularly Germany, are looking to Turkey to reduce the number of migrant arrivals in Greece to below 1,000 a day at most as an initial condition for discussing taking some Syrian refugees directly from Turkey. Ahead of Monday's meeting of EU and Turkish leaders, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said Turkey must ensure the numbers drop towards zero. "If there were to be a target figure, it would be zero," one EU official said, noting that 1,000 people a day would mean an unsustainable 350,000 people a year arriving in Greece. Tsipras said Greece would continue to do whatever it could to ensure no migrant or refugee was left helpless. But he added Greece could not bear the burden by itself. "We will not allow Greece or any other country to be turned into a warehouse of souls," Tsipras said. "We are at a crucial moment for the future of Europe." (Additional reporting by Ercan Gurses in Ankara; Editing by Nick Tattersall and Andrew Heavens) India is on track to join the international effort to find ripples in the fabric of space-time. On Feb. 17, the Indian Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, granted "in-principle approval" for the country to start building a gravitational-wave detector that will work in concert with the two detectors currently operating in the United States and a third detector set to come online in Italy. Scientists associated with the project said it is feasible that the project could come online as soon as 2023. The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) made history on Feb. 11, when scientists with the project announced the first direct detection of gravitational waves, or ripples in the fabric of space. With LIGO-India assisting in the hunt, the instruments will be more sensitive to gravitational waves, and will be better equipped to pinpoint the location of the events that cause the gravitational waves, according to LIGO scientists. [Watch the LIGO documentary "LIGO, A Passion for Understanding"] Gravitational waves are ripples in space, first predicted by Albert Einstein in 1916 and created by cataclysmic cosmic events, like two black holes colliding. Directly detecting gravitational waves for the first time was a watershed moment for physics and astrophysics. These ripples move through space itself, and cannot be blocked by interstellar dust or other physical barriers, unlike light. This property of gravitational waves means they can carry information from places that scientists cannot probe with traditional instruments, like the inside of two black holes or the interior of an exploding star. The U.S. LIGO facilities detected gravitational waves from two black holes colliding in space. The facility was about to pinpoint the location of the event to within a 600 square degree area of the sky. (The full moon takes up about half a degree on the sky.) The VIRGO facility, located in Italy, will soon provide additional gravitational-wave data that will combine with LIGO's data to reduce that area significantly, and an additional facility in India would further improve on that, according to a statement from the California Institute of Technology, which operates LIGO together with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Story continues LIGO must make extremely precise measurements in order to detect gravitational waves. Each of the U.S. facilities consists of two 2.5-mile-long (4 kilometers) "arms," and scientists look for the changes in the length of those arms caused by a passing gravitational wave stretching or compressing space itself. The change in distance is less than the diameter of a single atom. If the scientists were measuring the distance between the sun and the next nearest star Alpha Centauri, about 4.3 light-years away they would be measuring a change in distance of only about 4 microns, which is less than the width of a human hair, according to the statement. Because LIGO measures such tiny variations in the length of the two arms, it's helpful for scientists to compare the detections of the two facilities. A signal detected at one facility should also be detected at the other facility. Adding a detector in India will further confirm the detection of gravitational waves, LIGO scientists said at the Feb. 11 announcement. In addition, the scientists said they can also learn more about space-time ripples by measuring how long it takes for a gravitational wave to travel the distance between different facilities. Significant work has already been done to make the LIGO-India project a reality, the statement said. LIGO scientists "have made dozens of trips to India to work with Indian colleagues." The three Indian institutes that would have "primary responsibility for construction and operation of LIGO India" are the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), the Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology (RRCAT), and the Institute for Plasma Research (IPR). The project is managed by India's Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Science and Technology. The U.S. LIGO project is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). Fleming Crim, assistant director for mathematical and physical sciences at NSF, said in the statement, "Because the science reward is so strong, NSF enthusiastically endorses the decision of the Indian government to proceed with authorizing funding for the LIGO-India project." The LIGO-India instrument will share its design with the U.S. LIGO facilities. "We have built an exact copy of that instrument that can be used in the LIGO-India Observatory, ensuring that the new detector can both quickly come up to speed and match the U.S. detector performance," David Shoemaker, leader of the Advanced LIGO Project and director of the MIT LIGO Lab, said in the statement. [The Search for Gravitational Waves (Gallery)] Fred Raab, head of the LIGO Hanford Observatory and LIGO Laboratory liaison for LIGO-India, said in the statement, "Together, we have identified an excellent site for the facilities and have transferred detailed LIGO drawings of the facilities and vacuum system to IPR, after adapting them for conditions in India." In addition to helping LIGO pinpoint the location of gravitational-wave sources and confirming their detection, it could open up unexpected new avenues of gravitational-wave science, said David Reitze, executive director of LIGO and a Caltech research professor. "Anytime you turn on some new type of telescope or microscope, you discover things you couldn't anticipate," Reitze said. "So, while there will be certain sources of gravitational waves that we expect to see, the really exciting part is what we did not predict and what we did not expect to see." Follow Calla Cofield @callacofield .Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com. Copyright 2016 SPACE.com, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. By Steve Scherer and Massimiliano Di Giorgio ROME (Reuters) - Egyptian authorities have given Italian investigators some evidence they had been seeking for weeks regarding the murder of an Italian graduate student in Cairo, the Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday. The move came just hours after an Italian judicial source told Reuters that Italy was considering recalling its seven-member legal team in Cairo because of a lack of cooperation from their Egyptian counterparts. Giulio Regeni, 28, disappeared in January and his tortured, battered body was found in a ditch on the outskirts of Cairo on Feb. 3. He had been studying Egypt's independent labor unions and wrote critical articles about the government. The case has stirred outrage in Italy and strained relations between two countries that share major geopolitical and economic interests, with widespread speculation in the media that Regeni was killed by either police or security services. Egypt has denied any such suggestion. The Egyptian authorities invited Italian police to join the murder inquiry, but the Italians have complained from the start that they were not being given the information they needed. On Wednesday investigators received some, though not all, of the evidence they had requested, including data about Regeni's cell phone calls, a partial summary of the Egyptian autopsy and information gathered by police from witnesses. "It's a first, useful step," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. "Some of the material requested by our embassy has not yet been handed over." On Wednesday, Milan officials hung a banner from city hall reading "The Truth for Giulio Regeni", in response to a campaign by human rights group Amnesty International. Other cities around the country started to follow suit. An Egyptian forensics official has told the public prosecutor's office the autopsy he conducted showed Regeni was interrogated for up to seven days before he was killed, Reuters reported on Tuesday, citing two sources. The findings, which were denied by Egypt's Justice Ministry, are the strongest indication yet that Regeni was killed by security services because they pointed to interrogation methods which human rights groups say are their hallmark. The case has caused friction between Egypt and Italy, though it looks unlikely to drive a permanent wedge between them. Italy exported some 3 billion euros ($3.25 billion) in goods to Egypt last year, Italian export credit agency Sace said. State-controlled oil producer Eni is leading the way for Italian firms, developing Egypt's giant Zohr gas field. In a letter to Amnesty International seen by Reuters, Eni CEO Claudio Descalzi expressed his support for Regeni's family. "We are confident in the work being done by the Egyptian and Italian governments and we can't but hope, like everyone, that the question marks regarding this affair are cleared up as soon as possible," Descalzi wrote last month. ($1 = 0.9226 euros) (Additional reporting by Stephen Jewkes in Milan; Editing by Crispian Balmer and Alison Williams) The Edificio Espana building in Madrid. SAMUEL SANCHEZ Madrid Mayor Manuela Carmena has said that the Chinese-owned Wanda Group still wants to refurbish the capitals landmark Edificio Espana building and that it will continue working with City Hall to come up with a viable solution to doing so without demolishing its protected facade and flanks, as the group had originally wanted. The announcement, which came following a meeting between the leader of the leftist Ahora Madrid bloc and Wandas head in the capital, Michael Qiao, on Tuesday, contradicts recent reports initially published by Cinco Dias newspaper saying that Wanda had on Sunday told Carmena that it was pulling out of the project. Wanda is staying in Madrid. They are delighted to stay and we are delighted that they are staying Madrid Mayor Manuela Carmena The mayor denied that such a weekend meeting had ever taken place. According to municipal sources, Wanda chiefs have communicated their intention to continue with the project and a new round of negotiations has been opened with City Hall technicians to solve the problems. Wanda is staying in Madrid, Mayor Carmena said on Tuesday. They are delighted to stay and we are delighted that they are staying. Wanda bought the 117-meter high, 28-story Edificio Espana on Madrids Plaza de Espana for 265 million from Santander bank in July 2014 and planned to turn into a shopping mall and luxury hotel. The Local Historical Heritage Committee, which is controlled by the Madrid regional government and City Hall, had already said in March 2014 that the facade and the side wings of the 1957-built skyscraper could not be removed, but Wanda requested another look at the issue last summer, claiming that the refurbishment work would not be possible without rebuilding them brick-by-brick. The committee upheld the need to maintain the facade and flanks and rumors began to circulate that Wanda would be pulling out of the project and was putting the building up for sale. Municipal sources say a new round of negotiations has been opened with City Hall to solve the problems City Hall, which has always said it was unaware of such rumors, agrees that the facade and sides must be maintained and said in January that it was working to make the operation technically viable, guaranteeing compliance with the law and making it possible for the group to carry out the work it wants. Wanda is surprised at the amount of rumors that have emerged with these crossed reports, the citys sustainable development chief, Jose Manuel Calvo, said at the time. Last October during a lecture at the Harvard Business School, Wang Jianglin, the chairman of Wanda, said that it was not the Spanish government that vetoed the proposal, it was a personal campaign against us by Madrid. This is a perfect example of freedom in the West anyone can express their view and use signatures on a website to protest our rebuilding efforts, Wang said in response to a question about the Madrid project. You are bound to encounter problems, whether it be through investment or through the development process, he explained. What do you do when you encounter a problem? You be patient. Slowly, they state their reasons. You can give me suggestions, and I can hire a PR team or lawyers to rebut you, right? This matter is still ongoing, and we wait patiently for an outcome. English version by Nick Funnell. Rumble This video shows the incredible behaviour of a caring mother elephant on high alert, quickly stopping her adorable baby which was curiously straying away from her towards a vehicle full of safari tourists. Going on safari in the Kruger National Park is a life changing experience. Driving around multiple tarred roads, slowly scanning a massive area of wilderness is all part of the thrill. You never know what will be around the next corner or what animal will suddenly appear from the bush onto the road. Its an exciting experience and one of the must-see animals for most tourists are elephants. Not only are they the largest land mammals on our planet and fairly intimidating, elephants are also one of the most intelligent and emotionally intelligent animals that roam this planet. Seeing these giants in the wild is always a sight to remember. The video shows an incredible moment filmed in the Kruger National Park when a safari vehicle full of tourists found a large elephant cow and her adorable calf next to the road. The safari vehicle stopped and it looked like the mother elephant and her baby wanted to cross the road. The baby elephant was the cutest thing alive in the wild right at that moment. While the elephant cow remained focussed on crossing the road, her baby took notice of the safari vehicle and curiously started straying away from its mother towards the vehicle. The caring mother elephant immediately went into high alert and quickly took her trunk and stopped her baby from going any closer to the safari vehicle. The mother elephant gently used her trunk to guide her baby back and into the right direction. It was incredible to see how quickly the elephant cow became protective over her baby. The elephant calf listened to its mother and in a well-behaved manner, walking on the opposite side of its mother, continued to focus and follow its mother as it should. This is crucial for the survival of the calf in the wild. The gestation period of an elephant is twenty-two months, so it is very understandable that an elephant calf is seen as a huge investment and there will always be a mother around, ready to protect her calf from any potential danger. Even though the tourists were not a direct threat, the mother elephant knows all to well that there are humans that still pose a danger for them in the wild. The mother of such a small calf is definitely not something to mess with at all and its best never to get too close to a mother and her calf. By Elias Biryabarema KAMPALA (Reuters) - One of the candidates who sought to end Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni's thirty years in power in last month's presidential vote filed a petition on Tuesday seeking to nullify Museveni's victory due to widespread irregularities. Museveni, 71, who came to power in 1986 and is one of Africa's longest-serving rulers, won the Feb. 18 vote with 60 percent of the votes. Former prime minister Amama Mbabazi, Museveni's ally-turned-challenger, won less than two percent of the vote, but has accused Uganda's security services of intimidating candidates and has questioned how the votes were tallied. Opposition candidate Kizza Besigye, who won 35 percent of the vote but has dismissed the tally as fraudulent, missed Tuesday's deadline, with officials from his party saying Besigye's repeated detentions had made it impossible to mount a challenge. Mbabazi's lawyer, Severino Twinobusingye said that delays in getting ballot material to constituencies, which delayed the voting process for hours in some places, improper supervision of voting, and voter-bribery had all tainted the results. "The offences committed and the non-compliance with the law substantially affected the result," he said, adding the court should annul the results and hold "another election." The European Union's observer mission said the vote had been conducted in an "intimidating" atmosphere, while the United States has voiced concerns about Besigye's frequent detentions. Under Uganda's electoral laws, a loser in a presidential election has ten days from the day the results are announced to lodge a challenge in Uganda's Supreme Court. Supreme Court Registrar, Tom Chemutai, confirmed that Mbabazi had filed a petition, and said the chief justice would form a panel to hear the petition and give a verdict within 30 days. Deputy government spokesperson, Shaban Bantariza said they welcomed Mbabazi's court challenge but did not comment on the specific assertions. Francis Mwijukye, a senior official from Besigye's party, said that Ugandan security personnel had repeatedly blocked Besigye from leaving his home or receiving visits from lawyers and party officials in recent days, impeding the party's ability to build its challenge. "We were failed by the state... We couldn't take a petition to the supreme court," he said. Besigye, who has challenged Museveni and lost in three previous elections, also challenged the election results in 2001 and 2006. Although justices agreed that there had been vote rigging, they said it had not been enough to affect the overall result. (Reporting by Elias Biryabarema; editing by Edith Honan and Richard Balmforth) By David Ljunggren OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faces a challenging day of climate change talks on Thursday with leaders of the country's 10 provinces, one of whom opposes a key part of Ottawa's plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Trudeau, whose Liberals won power last year on the back of a promise to do more to fight global warming, initially said the meeting, in Vancouver, would produce a firm schedule for meeting Canada's international targets. Environment Minister Catherine McKenna reiterated on Monday that the deadline for coming up with a plan had been pushed back by six months, a move she said would allow for consultations with the provinces, which have significant responsibilities for the environment. "While everyone knows we need to reduce emissions, having a plan to get there requires work ... it's not about the federal government just telling everyone what to do," she said. The Liberals replaced the right-of-center Conservatives, who critics said favored the economy over the environment during their near decade in power. The Conservatives pledged to cut greenhouse gas emissions to 30 percent below 2005 levels by 2030, a target that official figures show is out of reach in the absence of radical measures. Trudeau wants to impose a national price on carbon, which McKenna said on Monday was the most efficient way to cut emissions, as well as help the development of green technology. But Brad Wall, the right-leaning premier of the western energy-producing province of Saskatchewan, opposes the idea. "With the energy sector reeling in Canada, with the overall Canadian economy struggling, it's my view ... that the very last thing we need right now is another new tax," he told reporters on Monday. Greg Selinger, premier of neighboring Manitoba, told the Globe and Mail in an interview published on Monday that he did not back a carbon levy that affected consumers. Another issue for Trudeau is that most of the major provinces already have in place - or plan to introduce - programs that impose a price on carbon. McKenna, speaking in an interview last Thursday, said it was not yet clear how the new proposed national price would fit in with the provinces' efforts. Asked about the likelihood of Canada missing its 2030 target for cutting emissions, she said meeting the goal would be "challenging" but added this was the direction the world is going. (Reporting by David Ljunggren) A tram drives past the building of Swiss banks UBS and Credit Suisse (R) at the Paradeplatz in Zurich January 15, 2015. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann (Reuters) PARIS/ZURICH (Reuters) - The French subsidiary of UBS is under investigation for alleged witness tampering after a former worker made a complaint, the bank said on Thursday. "UBS France confirms that, following a complaint filed by a former employee, the judge decided to put the bank under formal examination for interfering with the witness, but not for moral harassment, also alleged by this former employee," UBS said in an emailed statement. "We strongly deny these allegations and are confident that we can vigorously defend our rights and position." Last month, French investigating prosecutors said they had completed an investigation of the Swiss bank and its French unit over allegations the bank helped clients avoid taxes. Investigating judges will now decide whether to bring the case to trial. UBS denies wrongdoing in the tax investigation. (Reporting by Mathieu Rosemain and Silke Koltrowitz; Editing by Keith Weir) SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Officials at the University of California Berkeley said on Friday that they were alerting 80,000 people, including current and former students, faculty and vendors of a cyber attack on a system that stores social security and bank account numbers. The news comes just more than a week after a Southern California hospital paid hackers $17,000 in the digital currency Bitcoin to regain control of their computer systems after a so-called "ransomware" attack. The San Francisco Bay Area university said there was no evidence that attackers actually took any personal information, but that it was still alerting the 80,000 individuals to be on the lookout for misuse of their information. The school said a hacker or hackers gained access to its financial management software in late December due to a security flaw present when the system is updating. Officials have notified law enforcement, including the FBI, and hired a private computer investigation company. The university said among the potentially affected are 57,000 current and former students; about 18,800 former and current employees; and 10,300 vendors who work with the school. Those figures come out to about half of the school's current students and two-thirds of its active employees. Large, high-profile organizations and businesses routinely come under cyber attack, and the school said it frequently identifies similar hacking attempts. "The security and privacy of the personal information provided to the university is of great importance to us," Paul Rivers, UC Berkeley's chief information security officer, said in a statement. "We regret that this occurred and have taken additional measures to better safeguard that information." The school said it was providing credit protection service free of charge to those potentially impacted. (Reporting by Curtis Skinner in San Francisco; Editing by Sharon Bernstein) By James Odato ALBANY, New York (Reuters) - A New York judge on Thursday withheld judgment until Monday morning on a challenge from two New York residents seeking to remove Senator Ted Cruz from the states primary ballot for the presidential primary because of his birth in Canada. The plaintiffs objected to Cruzs inclusion in the ballot for the state's April 19 primary election for the Republican party's presidential nomination, claiming the senator from Texas is constitutionally ineligible to assume the White House. New York Supreme Court Judge David Weinstein promised to decide if the case will proceed by Monday. He said the objectors, Barry Korman, 81, of Manhattan, and William Gallo, 85, of Manhasset, Long Island, could argue the merits later next week if he decides they have standing. Republican front-runner Donald Trump has repeatedly questioned Cruz's eligibility for the White House, and residents in Alabama, Pennsylvania and Texas have filed legal challenges to block him from appearing on the ballot. An Illinois judge dismissed a similar challenge there this week on a technicality. Some legal experts say it is unlikely any judge in the U.S. will block Cruz's presidential run. In their Feb. 19 petition, the two New York residents attached a birth certificate for Cruz, showing he was born in December 1970 in Calgary, Alberta, in Canada, and arguing he was not naturally born in the United States as the Constitution dictates for any U.S. president. Cruz has said he is eligible to run because of his mother's U.S. citizenship. His father is a Cuban immigrant. Lawyer Grant Lally, appearing for Cruz in Albany, said the judge should dismiss the case because the objectors missed a deadline to file their petition, and added the matter is a federal, not a state, issue. Roger J. Bernstein, a lawyer for the objectors, said the challenge needed a judge's attention. "The voters of the Republican Party need clarity," he said. (Editing by Richard Valdmanis and Leslie Adler) STEM Penn State Campus Teams with High Schools on STEM Exposure A Pennsylvania university is reaching out to local high school students to participate in a workshop that will introduce them to STEM-related careers and education. In mid-March Penn State New Kensington will be hosting the "STEM Exploration Workshop," inviting students from three counties in the region to meet with local employers and participate in team activities on a Saturday. According to organizer Debra Novak, a STEM/youth coordinator at the university, the goal is to provide the students with an opportunity to learn more about the application of science, technology, engineering and math in the real world. This time around the emphasis will be on safety in science. People from local agencies and companies doing emergency response cleanup, waste treatment, wetlands restoration and sustainable resource work will be on hand to answer questions. The teens will also compete in real-world projects and tour a local waste management company. While the event is free for participants, expenses are being covered by a multi-county business-education partnership, a workforce investment board and the university itself. This is just one in a stream of STEM events run by Penn State New Kensington. In 2010 the university hosted a "Women in STEM" symposium that brought more than 300 female students to the campus to learn about career and internship options. The university also hosts "Kids in College," a series of summer camps for students in grades 1-12 with STEM-related classes in design and rocketry and related topics. A "STEM Academy" targets high schoolers to take dual-enrollment courses in STEM majors. "The academy provides students with the advantages of earning college credits while in high school and exploring a career path that is STEM-related," said Novak in a press release. "It also provides an opportunity for high school teachers to work with campus faculty to develop the talents of college-bound and workforce-bound students whose career interests will require advanced knowledge of STEM areas." Novak also manages "Courses on Math, Engineering, Technology, Science" (COMETS), a program for girls in grades 7 and 8 who are interested in STEM fields. Volunteer mentors from the Penn State community share their experiences in STEM jobs and work with the girls over eight months in brunch meetings, a camp, demonstrations and projects. The region is home to many manufacturing and other companies that anticipate big growth in their need for STEM-educated workers. "Our programs are directed at introducing and supporting the necessary pathways for students in our area districts for success in STEM jobs," explained Novak. Data Breaches While 80,000 UC Berkeley Students and Staff Suffer Breach, Campus May Suffer Suit A data breach at the University of California Berkeley provided criminals with access to banking information and Social Security numbers belonging to about two-thirds of its current students and half of its employees, among others. The university has begun sending out notification of the security event to 80,000 current and former faculty, staff, students and vendors. Simultaneously, a law firm with experience in data breach litigation has reached out to potential victims, a sign that institutions are increasingly facing the same kind of class-action lawsuits faced by corporations that have been hacked. According to the university, the attack took place in December, when hackers broke into an institutional financial system through a security flaw that was being patched at the time. The Berkeley Financial System is used for purchasing and non-salary-related payments. The list of those whose personal information was exposed includes: About 57,000 students, former and current, most of whom had received financial aid awards they opted to receive by electronic funds transfer; About 18,800 current and former employees, including student workers, who primarily received reimbursements, such as work-related travel reimbursements; and About 10,300 vendors who do business with the university. The count exceeds 80,000 because some individuals were in more than one group. The university has begun working with the FBI on the case and retained a consulting firm to assist with the investigation. UC Berkeley has also set up a year of free credit monitoring and theft insurance, along with other resources to help those possibly affected to monitor their various financial accounts for potentially suspicious activities. The institution reported that it had removed all impacted servers from the network and publicly stated that its investigation has uncovered no evidence indicating that exposed information has been misused. Although the breach took place in December, it has taken until now for the university to compile the names and contact information for potential victims. The institution's chief information security officer also offered his apology. "The security and privacy of the personal information provided to the university is of great importance to us," said CISO Paul Rivers in a prepared statement. "We regret that this occurred and have taken additional measures to better safeguard that information." However, that may not be enough to keep the campus out of court. In a signal that universities may become the target of lawsuits akin to those that hit Target and Sony after high-profile data breaches, national law firm Keller Rohrback LLP said it has begun its own investigation of the UC Berkeley breach. "Students and staff should be able to trust that their university will ensure the security of their highly confidential and personal information information which is commonly used to commit identity theft," said attorney Cari Laufenberg, a member of Keller Rohrback's complex litigation group, in a press release. The firm encouraged those who "are concerned that your personal information was breached and would like to know more about your rights," to contact the firm. The same law firm is co-lead counsel in a case against Sony for its 2014 data breach. The settlement, which paid as much as $4.5 million to those affected (and $3.5 million to the lawyers handling the litigation), is currently pending in a district court in California. Keller Rohrback also represents plaintiffs in litigation against Target, which suffered a high-profile data breach in 2013. Class action suits against universities aren't entirely new. In 2015 both the University of Miami and the University of Hawaii settled lawsuits related to previous data breaches. Educational exposure of ideas, assumptions or hypotheses, based on proven facts" (which need not be strictly current affairs) Value in judgments are excluded, and the text comes close to an opinion article, without judging or making forecasts , just formulating hypotheses, giving motivated explanations and bringing together a variety of data Donald Trump speaks about results of Super Tuesday primary earlier this week. SCOTT AUDETTE (REUTERS) A middle-aged multimillionaire real estate mogul with a major presence in the media who likes much younger women. A histrionic figure with a penchant for boastful speeches and sexist and xenophobic statements alights on the national political stage of a Western democratic country with his hyperbolic, ideologically unconventional rhetoric and wins popular support, which seems incomprehensible for the outside world. Donald Trump? Of course. Or Silvio Berlusconi... The meteoric rise of the New York magnate has left half the world dumbstruck. How can such a politician win in the democracy that Alexis de Tocqueville admired nearly two centuries ago? Just as a leader like Berlusconi maintained power for two decades in a country with millennia of refined political culture. In the exegesis of the Trump phenomenon, observers, supporters and sufferers of Berlusconis 20-year reign have some measure of perspective. First, they know that broadsides, gaffes and insolence do not mean we are not looking at an astute political strategy: perfect rhetoric for the times when the West is less sure of itself, more fearful. Obviously, there are many differences between Berlusconi and Trump. Trump sounds more radical than Berlusconi. But both seem able to speak with words and deeds to large sectors of Western society disappointed with the way things are. Those who are worried about changes caused by immigration, those whom globalization and technological advances have dislodged from their place in the workforce, stripped of their faith that the future would always be better. People who have fallen on hard times and who are disoriented and so turn to the nostalgic past and its values, clinging to their national identity, but to the identity it had when things were better for them and their forebears. Make America Great Again! And Forza Italia! People who resent the old political class that failed to give them the solutions they wished for and protect their status and expectations of success. Many politicians use a similar strategy, promising to preserve the legendary qualities of societies that, in spite of their best efforts, will inexorably change. These are the waters of Le Pen, Orban, Kaczinski. In the end, what we would like is to return to life in the city of our childhood, a retired car factory worker from Villers-Cotterets, a French city led by the National Front, told a reporter from this newspaper recently. To paraphrase Karl Popper in his famed work, The Open Society and its Enemies, maybe Trump, Berlusconi and his allies in the Northern League, Le Pen, Orban, and Kaczinski could say they are the friends of closed societies. But Trump and Berlusconi have distinguished themselves from the others by the sheer force of their personalities and their aura of financial success, which attracts many admirers. A powerful factor not to be underestimated. Just like their total contempt for political correctness and moderation that many see as bravery and which echo the sentiments many do not dare defend openly. With fears. The anti-Berlusconi era offers two lessons for Trumps adversaries. When it comes to feelings, sometimes rational arguments are not enough. And, demonization and ridicule are counterproductive. When you strike the leader, you humiliate those who think like him. And there are many. They are looking to make up for lost time. Make America Great Again. English version by Dyane Jean Francois. SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The U.S. National Security Agency chief said on Tuesday it was a "matter of when, not if" a foreign nation-state attempts to launch a cyber attack on the U.S. critical infrastructure, citing the recent hack on Ukraine's power grid as a cause for concern. Speaking at the RSA cyber security conference in San Francisco, Admiral Michael Rogers said he was also worried about data manipulation and potential offensive cyber threats posed by non-nation-state actors such as Islamic State. The U.S. government said last week a December blackout in Ukraine that affected 225,000 customers was the result of a cyber attack, supporting what most security researchers had already concluded. Some private researchers have linked the incident to a Russian hacking group known as Sandworm." (Reporting by Dustin Volz; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe) Yesterday's Consumer Pops and Drops: VGR, MJN, BG, and PF (Continued from Prior Part) Price movement of Bunge Bunge (BG) has a market cap of $7.3 billion. BG rose by 3.0% to close at $51.50 per share on March 2, 2016. The stocks weekly, monthly, and YTD (year-to-date) price movements were 3.9%, -15.2%, and -24.0%, respectively, as of the same day. Currently, BG is trading 2.8% below its 20-day moving average, 13.4% below its 50-day moving average, and 29.0% below its 200-day moving average. The Vanguard Mid-Cap ETF (VO) invests 0.33% of its holdings in Bunge. VO tracks the CRSP US Mid-Cap Index, a diversified index of mid-cap US companies. The YTD price movement of VO was -4.1% as of March 1, 2016. By comparison, the iShares Russell 3000 ETF (IWV) invests 0.06% of its holdings in Bunge. IWV tracks a cap-weighted index that measures the investable US equities market, covering the entire market-cap spectrum, including micro-caps. The market caps of Bunges competitors are as follows: BRF SA-ADR (BRFS)$11.8 billion The Kroger Company (KR)$39.6 billion Bunge delivers cargo of French wheat Bunge plans to deliver French wheat that Egypt rejected in December 2015 to Spain, after the agricultural trading house was unable to resolve a dispute with Egypt over the quality of grains. The company already filed legal proceedings against Egypts state grain buyer after inspectors rejected the cargo for containing too much of a common fungus known as ergot. Bunges performance in 4Q15 and 2015 Bunge reported 4Q15 net sales of $11.1 billion, a fall of 15.9% compared to net sales of about $13.2 billion in 4Q14. Sales of its agribusiness products, edible oil products, milling products, sugar and bioenergy products, and fertilizer products fell by 15.2%, 10.6%, 17.6%, 27.0%, and 16.5%, respectively, in 4Q15 over 4Q14. Its net income and EPS (earnings per share) rose to ~$188 million and $1.30, respectively, in 4Q15, compared to about -$62 million and -$0.43, respectively, in 4Q14. Story continues 2015 results In 2015, BG reported net sales of $43.5 billion, a fall of 23.9% YoY (year-over-year). Its net income and EPS rose to $738 million and $5.07, respectively, in 2015, compared to $467 million and $3.17, respectively, in 2014. Meanwhile, the companys cash and cash equivalents rose by 13.5%, and its inventories fell by 20.1% in 2015. Its current ratio fell to 1.48x, and its debt-to-equity ratio rose to 1.7x in 2015, compared to its current and debt-to-equity ratios of 1.5x and 1.5x, respectively, in 2014. Bunges price-to-earnings and price-to-book value ratios were 11.1x and 1.2x, respectively, as of March 2, 2016. Projections Bunge has made the following projections for 2016: In agribusiness, it expects results in oilseeds and grains to be largely driven by its South American operations. In fertilizer, farmer economic conditions have improved in Argentina, and Bunge expects that the removal of export taxes on grains will result in a rise in sales. In sugar and bioenergy, Bunge expects earnings and cash flow growth from hedge sugar and Brazilian ethanol. It expects depreciation, depletion, and amortization of ~$550 million. It expects capital expenditures of ~$850 million, which include $150 million worth of investments carried over from 2015. It expects the tax rate to be in the range of 25%29%. In the next part and final part of this series, well look at Pinnacle Foods. Continue to Next Part Browse this series on Market Realist: PSOE chief Pedro Sanchez during Wednesdays debate. ANDREA COMAS (REUTERS) The conservative Popular Party (PP) and emerging anti-austerity group Podemos plan on contacting the Socialist Party (PSOE) on Saturday in a bid to restart negotiations to form a government, should, as is expected, Socialist chief and prime ministerial hopeful Pedro Sanchez fails tomorrow at a second investiture vote. Sanchez, who had been invited by Spains King Felipe VI to try to form a government, lacked the votes needed at Wednesdays first round of voting, only securing the support of his 90 deputies in Congress and 40 from center-right group Ciudadanos. The two parties reached a deal last week to try to form a minority government, but have been unable to convince any other group to come on board. With 130 yes votes, the PSOE chief was well short of the 176 he needed for a majority, with 219 votes in total against him and one abstention. I do not agree with Rajoys way of leadership, if he is leading at all. He has broken all bridges Albert Rivera, Ciudadanos If he loses again at tomorrows vote, at which a simple majority more yes votes than no would see him made prime minister, the parties will have two months to reach a new deal. If they fail, new elections will have to be held, most likely in June. In the case of the PP, acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy will get in touch with Sanchez after tomorrows vote, in a bid to try to secure, in the words of PP general secretary Maria Dolores de Cospedal, a stable government for Spain. She explained in a TV interview on Thursday that Rajoy would seek to convince Sanchez that the best course of action was a grand coalition between the PP, the Socialist Party and Ciudadanos. The Popular Party won the most seats at the inconclusive general election, but fell well short of a majority. Despite being invited by the king to form a government, Rajoy declined, on the basis that he would not have the votes in Congress to win the investiture vote. Meanwhile, the leader of Ciudadanos, Albert Rivera, is well aware that his deal with the Socialists will come to nothing at tomorrows vote if the PP does not abstain. But on Thursday it emerged that Ciudadanos was not holding fresh talks with the PP ahead of tomorrows vote. Rajoy is reported to have refused to receive Rivera last week, given that he knew that he was going to request his partys abstention to make way for a Sanchez-led government something he is unwilling to do. The organization secretary of Podemos, Sergio Pascual, believes that dialogue between his party and the PSOE is still possible I do not agree with Rajoys way of leadership, if he is leading at all, Rivera said in a radio interview after Wednesdays debate. He has broken all bridges. [] Rajoy has said no to everyone. They are isolating themselves. When [Rajoy] refused [the kings invitation to form a government], he signed his own death sentence. After that you cant complain if others try to do so. We cant head toward a new era with a passive attitude. The organization secretary of Podemos, Sergio Pascual, believes that dialogue between his party and the PSOE is still possible, despite the severity of the verbal attacks during Wednesdays debate by leader Pablo Iglesias. Pascual called for talks to begin as soon as possible on Saturday, should Sanchez lose the second vote. Pascual argued that in order to offer solutions to Spanish voters, the main left-wing forces PSOE, Podemos, United Left and Compromis should sit down at the negotiating table together. They have between them a total of 161 seats in Congress closer to the 169 that [former Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez] Zapatero had [in 2008, when the Socialists won in the second round of voting], than the 130 that yesterday were voted down, he said, in reference to the 130 PSOE and Ciudadanos deputies who lost their vote on Wednesday. English version by Simon Hunter. Reno, NV, March 03, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dakota Territory Resource Corp (OTCQB: DTRC) ("Dakota Territory" or the "Company"), a gold exploration company with a portfolio of properties near the legendary Homestake Mine in the Black Hills of South Dakota, today provides shareholders with an on-going update and guidance for the Companys initial drill program for 2016. Dakota Territory has assembled a strategic 3,057-acre property position in one of Americas most famous and prolific gold districts, the Homestake District (the District). Over the past four years, Dakota Territory has acquired 100% ownership of the Blind Gold, City Creek and Homestake Paleoplacer Properties, all of which are located in the heart of the District and were formerly owned and explored by Homestake Mining Company. Dakota Territory will focus its first drill program on the Companys Homestake Paleoplacer Property which the Company Geologists believe has a 2-million-ounce gold potential. Homestake Mining Company undertook a core and reverse circulation drill program in the late 1980's designed to locate the extension of the Homestake Paleoplacer channel that is calculated to have carried approximately 10 million ounces away from the Homestake Lode. The historic Channel Extension (CE) drill program was conceived and managed for Homestake by Richard Bachman, Dakota Territory's President and CEO and consisted of 5,726 meters of total drilling in 27 drill holes. Approximately 33% of Homestake's Channel Extension drill holes intersected gold mineralization with gold values of greater than 1.0 gram per tonne. Historic core hole CE16 intersected 3 meters of gold mineralization assaying 5.85 grams per tonne in a flat lying quartz-pebble conglomerate of the Deadwood Formation at a depth 164 meters below the surface with core hole CE12A intersecting 2 meters of 8.46 grams per tonne gold also in a quartz-pebble conglomerate at a depth of 192 meters below the surface. The 2016 drill program will consist of 30 HQ core drill holes at an average depth of 200 meters per hole for a total of 6000 meters of new drilling. The objective of the new drill program is to validate the historic Homestake Mining Company 1980s drilling by twining a number of the historic drill holes, extending known gold mineralization, and building new gold resources and reserves. Of the 27 drill holes of the historic Homestake drill program, 25 are located on Dakota Territory Property. Dakota Territory has now completed the digital compilation of the extensive historic data that the Company has acquired over the past 24 months through the purchase of property along the channel trend, through the engagement of Dr. James Fox the principal investigator for Homestake Mining Company in the 1980s, and from historic reports and data housed at the Homestake Adams Research and Cultural Center at Deadwood, South Dakota. With its new digital database, the Company has for the first time modeled in 3 dimensions the configuration of the northward extension of the paleoplacer channel under the cover rocks. We believe that this new drilling program will open the potential of this exciting property and we look forward to reporting the results to you. commented Richard Bachman. About Dakota Territory Resource Corp Dakota Territory Resource Corp. is a Nevada Corporation with offices located at Reno, Nevada. Dakota Territory is committed to creating shareholder value through the acquisition and responsible exploration and development of high caliber gold properties in the Black Hills of South Dakota. In terms of total historic US gold production, the Black Hills ranks second only to the Carlin District of northeast Nevada, with the gold production of the Black Hills concentrated in a 100 square mile area known as the Homestake District. Dakota Territory maintains 100% ownership of three mineral properties including the Blind Gold, City Creek and Homestake Paleoplacer Properties, all of which are located in the heart of the Homestake District and cover a total of approximately 3,057 acres. The Blind Gold Property is located approximately 4 miles northwest and on structural trend with the historic Homestake Gold Mine. Through its 125-year production history, the Homestake Gold Mine produced approximately 40 million ounces of gold and is the largest iron-formation-hosted gold deposit in the world. In the 1980s and 1990s Homestake Mining Company undertook a $70 million exploration program managed by Richard Bachman, President and CEO of Dakota Territory that was focused primarily on the search for a repeat of the Homestake Mine. This program successfully discovered significant new gold mineralization beyond the confines of the producing mine, demonstrating repeatability and the potential for additional gold deposits in the Homestake iron-formation host. This program also proved the continuous extension of the Homestake iron-formation to a distance of approximately 4 miles from the producing mine and under the Blind Gold Property. Dakota Territory Resource Corp is uniquely positioned to leverage Managements extensive exploration and mining experience in the Black Hills of South Dakota with Homestake Mining Company. For more information on Dakota Territory, please visit the Company's website at http://DakotaTRC.com/. Investor Relations Investor Relations Contact: For more information, please contact Dakota Territory Resource Corp (775) 747-0667 Cautionary Note to U.S. Investors The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) limits disclosure for U.S. reporting purposes to mineral deposits that a company can economically and legally extract or produce. Our property currently does not contain any known proven or probable ore reserves under SEC reporting standards. Our reference above to the various formations and mineralization believed to exist in our property as compared to historical results and estimates from other property in the district is illustrative only for comparative purposes and is no indication that similar results will be obtained with respect to our property. U.S. investors are urged to consider closely the disclosure in our latest reports filed with the SEC. You can review and obtain copies of these filings at http://www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml. Safe Harbor Statement This release contains forward-looking statements that are based upon current expectations or beliefs, as well as a number of assumptions about future events. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements and the assumptions upon which they are based are reasonable, we can give no assurance that such expectations and assumptions will prove to have been correct. Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable by the use of words like "may," "will," "should," "could," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "believe," "intend," or "project" or the negative of these words or other variations on these words or comparable terminology. The reader is cautioned not to put undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, as these statements are subject to numerous factors and uncertainties, including but not limited to: adverse economic conditions, competition, adverse federal, state and local government regulation, inadequate capital, inability to carry out research, development and commercialization plans, loss or retirement of key executives and other specific risks. To the extent that statements in this press release are not strictly historical, including statements as to revenue projections, business strategy, outlook, objectives, future milestones, plans, intentions, goals, future financial conditions, events conditioned on stockholder or other approval, or otherwise as to future events, such statements are forward-looking, and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements contained in this release are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made. Readers are advised to review our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission that can be accessed over the Internet at the SEC's website located at http://www.sec.gov. NEW YORK, March 3, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- John Josephson, Chairman and CEO of SESAC, announced today the promotion of Cathy Grizzell to Senior Vice President, Human Resources and Administration, and Ellen Bligh Truley to Senior Vice President, Corporate Relations, effective immediately. "I am pleased to announce these richly deserved promotions," Josephson said. "Cathy and Ellen are proven leaders who have played key roles in SESAC's transformation through the years and been instrumental to developing and executing tactics that have led to SESAC becoming the dynamic and successful Music Rights Organization it is today." As Senior Vice President, Grizzell's responsibilities will expand across SESAC's combined portfolio of businesses of SESAC Performing Rights, the Harry Fox Agency and Rumblefish. She also will guide the overall administration, coordination, evaluation and operation of Human Resources, Benefits Administration and Facilities Management/Operations. Grizzell has played a key role in the strategic initiative to expand SESAC's operations into its new state-of-the-art facility on Music Row, where she will continue to manage expanded facilities operations. She reports directly to Kelli Turner, SESAC's Executive Vice President, Operations, Corporate Development, and Chief Financial Officer. Truley will continue to oversee all marketing, advertising, sponsorships, publicity, event production and digital strategy for the music rights organization, as well as for Harry Fox Agency, Rumblefish and SESAC. Additionally, Truley, in her expanded role, will be instrumental in the formulation of SESAC's future marketing and creative strategies as they expand across SESAC's combined portfolio of businesses. Truley will also work closely with the senior management teams in New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Miami, San Francisco, London, and Portland, Oregon, as well as SESAC headquarters in Nashville. She reports directly to Josephson. Grizzell joined SESAC in 1981 in the General Licensing department in New York. She then moved into Licensing Administration, Broadcast Licensing and Collections and was instrumental in the computerization of the Licensing and Collection systems which improved licensee retention and income. In 1987, she played a key role in moving General Licensing and Licensing Administration to Nashville and focused on building those departments and continued to computerize and streamline processes. In the mid-1990s, Grizzell transferred to the Corporate side of the company, where she focused on employee relations and benefits, ultimately resulting in the development of the Human Resources department. Grizzell was promoted to Vice President, Human Resources, in 2006. She is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), the Middle Tennessee Society of Human Resource Management (MT-SHRM), HR Leadership, the Recording Academy and the Country Music Association. Formerly Vice President, Corporate Relations, Truley is a 20-year veteran of SESAC, joining the company in 1996 as Advertising/Promotion Manager before being elevated to Senior Director, Corporate Relations and, then, Associate Vice President in 2008. Truley is the head communication liaison, spearheading the development and execution of all SESAC's branding, which has led to partnerships with Delta Air Lines, Luxury Resorts & Hotels, Netflix, Maker's Mark, Icelandic Glacial Water, Red Bull and ReverbNation. A Nashville native, Truley holds a B.A. degree from Middle Tennessee State University in Advertising/Journalism and is a member of the Recording Academy, Country Music Association and Academy of Country Music. She has been selected as one of Billboard's Women In Music and also Nashville Business Journal's Women of Music City for two consecutive years. www.sesac.com ABOUT SESAC SESAC is the only Music Rights Organization in the United States, serving both music users and creators with music licensing services that utilize sophisticated information technology and data science in order to provide timely, efficient royalty collection and distribution. SESAC is unique in its ability to offer singular licenses for the works of its affiliated writers and publishers that aggregate both performance and mechanical rights in order to drive greater efficiency in licensing for music users, as well as enhanced value for music creators and publishers. SESAC's Performing Rights subsidiary is the second oldest and most progressive PRO in the U.S., the only PRO to pay monthly radio royalties and was the first PRO to pay songwriters and publishers for live performances in venues of any size. Its affiliate roster continues to grow, with recent signings such as Green Day, Mariah Carey, Zac Brown, Kesha, Charli XCX and Nikki Sixx joining established affiliates such as Bob Dylan, Neil Diamond, Lady Antebellum and the Kurt Cobain estate. Following the acquisition of the Harry Fox Agency, the leading U.S. Mechanical Rights Organization, SESAC's Rumblefish subsidiary, a leader in music micro-licensing, was merged with HFA's Slingshot business unit under the Rumblefish brand. This powerful combination drives value for creators and users of music by delivering a comprehensive digital rights management platform designed to simplify the administration of musical compositions and master recordings, monetize network platforms such as YouTube and provide license verification services utilizing its RADKey technology. SESAC has offices in New York, Nashville, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Miami, Portland, Oregon, San Francisco, and London. Photos accompanying this release are available at: http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=39263 http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=39264 As of August 26th, 2021 Yahoo India will no longer be publishing content. Your Yahoo Account Mail and Search experiences will not be affected in any way and will operate as usual. We thank you for your support and readership. For more information on Yahoo India, please visit the FAQ US Ambassador was able to feel the pains of our people With the initiative of the Armenia community in the USA and the charitable associations on March 1st a meeting was held with Richard Mills, the US Ambassador to the RA, at the Gavukchyan hall of St. Vartan Cathedral in New York. Leader of the US Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church Archbishop Khazhak Parsamyan also attended the meeting. Davit Najaryan opened the evening and introduced the Ambassador. Then the guest made his speech. The ambassador touched upon the issues relating to the peace in the region. He noted that the USA has recently made more investments in Armenia. The Ambassador was mainly interested in Turkey, as well as in Georgia and Azerbaijan. We shouldnt expect serious political issues from the United States. They speak only about humanitarian good. They know very well that in the end the lasting and only ally of Armenia is Russia. The USA knows very well that despite all the efforts when in a critical condition Armenia will turn its face towards Russia. And the only reason for that is the fact that Armenia and Armenians dont rely on the West and the United States. I am very happy that during this one year the US Ambassador has been able to feel the pains of our people, our cultural values and maintenance. We are also happy that he uses the word Genocide, while the US Government doesnt use it, said Hakob Vardivaryan, Chairman of the Tekeyan Cultural Association. ROBERT KARAPETYAN NEW YORK SUBSCRIBERS OF UCOMS ALL TIME BEST OFFER TO ENJOY ADDITIONAL BENEFITS Armenia-Azerbaijan: EU sets up monitoring capacity along the international borders PACE co-rapporteurs on Armenia concerned by reports of alleged war crimes or inhuman treatment perpetrated by Azerbaijans armed forces There is still 35% gender pay gap: Sona Ghazaryan Google Ad Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans provided 136 million AMD support for the overhaul of the Myasnikyan statue, which was in unsafe state of disrepair Believe me, as a representative of a country which uses the Schengen system very often, it is quite important. Vardanyan I really look forward to having answers from the Azerbaijani side for these alleged gross human rights violations: Secretary General I call on Armenian and Azerbaijani parliamentarians to use this Assembly as an agora of opportunities President Tiny Kox UCOMS SPECIAL OFFER OF THE UNLIMITED INTERNET IS NOW TERMLESS There is no place for the death penalty in a State that respects human rights: PACE General Rapporteur EU and CoE call on two Member States that have not yet acceded to this Protocol Armenia and Azerbaijan to do so without delay An urgent debate requested on "The military hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan". UCOM AND PES-PES CONTINUE COOPERATION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF EDUCATIONAL PROJECT The statement of the meeting between Prime Minister Pashinyan, President Aliyev, President Macron and President Michel of October 6, 2022 Largest Corporate Bond Program at the Securities Market of Armenia Completed Successfully Google Ad The statement of the Defender on the video of the execution of Armenian PoWs by the Azerbaijani armed forces LEVEL UP ONLY FOR STUDENTS: UCOM OFFERS X2 AND X3 MORE INTERNET STATEMENT BY SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN This criminal act is another proof that the Armenophobia policy. Tatoyan Nikol Pashinyan, Nancy Pelosi discuss a number of issues related to the Armenian-American agenda and regional developments Delegation by Nancy Pelosi Accompanied by Alen Simonyan Visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi Arrives in Yerevan Armenian Revytech, global technology leader SAP and financial services software specialist SAP Fioneer sign a cooperation agreement With 120 million drams donated by Mikael Vardanyan, the defenders of the homeland will be treated in a new building OSCE Chairman-in-Office and OSCE Secretary General call for immediate cessation of hostilities along Armenia-Azerbaijan border Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh USA Embassy Message for U.S. Citizens ANCA Issues National Call to Action to Stop Taxpayer Funding of Aliyevs Aggression It isnt necessary that NATO and Armenia cooperate in the military sector (video) NATO countries have large economic resources and can make big investments here. It isnt necessary that NATO and Armenia cooperate in the military sector, says Jerzy Marek Nowakowski, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Poland to the Republic of Armenia during the discussion convened by the Armenia Institute of International and Security Affairs. He thinks that there are many factors uniting Armenian and this organization- Armenias values and mentality, which are in line with the NATOs values, The RA Minister of Defense Seyran Ohanyan has recently stated that you have a large number of weapons, which dont correspond to the western standards and we can see that we can develop the relations in this sector. Since 2006 four projects of Armenia-NATO operations have been implemented. The last one ends in 2016 and there will be negotiations for the fifth project of joint operations. Gagik Hovhannisyan, representative of the NATO Department of the RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs, says, Armenian has already disclosed all the four projects of Armenia-NATO operations, political dialogue is primary for us. Armenia actively participates in NATO peacekeeping missions and implements deep defensive reforms. Steffen Elgersma, representative of the NATOs South Caucasus Division is also in Armenia during these days. He has had meetings with the RA Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defense; the project of individual operations was in the spotlight of the discussions. Mr Elgersma is satisfied with the relations of two sides, Taking into consideration the size of Armenia and the current challenges, the cooperation with your country is impressive. Mr Ohanyan said that Armenia is willing to have joint mobile training teams. NATO Summit will take place in Warsaw on July 8. As Mr Elgersma says the agenda will be composed of two directions- the East and the West. Of course, Russia remains the most important issue in the East; our relations have deteriorated during the recent months. There are opinions, that that country plays destabilizing role in the issue of Ukraine, and though it is a member of the Council of Europe, continues enlarging the military budget, but we continue the dialogue with that country. NATO aims at strengthening its presence in the West. Serzh Sargsyan receives Andrey Sorokin President Serzh Sargsyan received today the Head of the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Office in Yerevan Ambassador Andrey Sorokin who is concluding his mission in our country. The President thanked Ambassador Sorokin for his active work throughout his tenure in office and noted with satisfaction that under his leadership the OSCE Office in Yerevan in recent years worked efficiently and implemented many programs in different areas. Please be assured that you leave in Yerevan not only your accomplishments but also people who highly value your work as well as you human qualities. I wish you success in your future endeavors and in personal life, said President Sargsyan and expressed hope that the new head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan will display the same vigor and readiness for cooperation, further strengthening relations between Armenia and the OSCE Office in Yerevan. Andrey Sorokin thanked the President of Armenia for warm words and good wishes as well as for the trust and efficient cooperation of the Armenian state bodies with the OSCE Office throughout his tenure in Yerevan. He noted proudly that thanks to the programs implemented in recent years, strong foundation and excellent prerequisites have been established for the future close cooperation between Armenia and OSCE Office in Yerevan and implementation of new programs in a number of areas. SUBSCRIBERS OF UCOMS ALL TIME BEST OFFER TO ENJOY ADDITIONAL BENEFITS Armenia-Azerbaijan: EU sets up monitoring capacity along the international borders PACE co-rapporteurs on Armenia concerned by reports of alleged war crimes or inhuman treatment perpetrated by Azerbaijans armed forces There is still 35% gender pay gap: Sona Ghazaryan Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans provided 136 million AMD support for the overhaul of the Myasnikyan statue, which was in unsafe state of disrepair Believe me, as a representative of a country which uses the Schengen system very often, it is quite important. Vardanyan I really look forward to having answers from the Azerbaijani side for these alleged gross human rights violations: Secretary General I call on Armenian and Azerbaijani parliamentarians to use this Assembly as an agora of opportunities President Tiny Kox UCOMS SPECIAL OFFER OF THE UNLIMITED INTERNET IS NOW TERMLESS There is no place for the death penalty in a State that respects human rights: PACE General Rapporteur EU and CoE call on two Member States that have not yet acceded to this Protocol Armenia and Azerbaijan to do so without delay An urgent debate requested on "The military hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan". UCOM AND PES-PES CONTINUE COOPERATION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF EDUCATIONAL PROJECT The statement of the meeting between Prime Minister Pashinyan, President Aliyev, President Macron and President Michel of October 6, 2022 Largest Corporate Bond Program at the Securities Market of Armenia Completed Successfully Google Ad The statement of the Defender on the video of the execution of Armenian PoWs by the Azerbaijani armed forces LEVEL UP ONLY FOR STUDENTS: UCOM OFFERS X2 AND X3 MORE INTERNET STATEMENT BY SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN This criminal act is another proof that the Armenophobia policy. Tatoyan Nikol Pashinyan, Nancy Pelosi discuss a number of issues related to the Armenian-American agenda and regional developments Delegation by Nancy Pelosi Accompanied by Alen Simonyan Visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi Arrives in Yerevan Armenian Revytech, global technology leader SAP and financial services software specialist SAP Fioneer sign a cooperation agreement With 120 million drams donated by Mikael Vardanyan, the defenders of the homeland will be treated in a new building OSCE Chairman-in-Office and OSCE Secretary General call for immediate cessation of hostilities along Armenia-Azerbaijan border Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh USA Embassy Message for U.S. Citizens ANCA Issues National Call to Action to Stop Taxpayer Funding of Aliyevs Aggression New York (AFP) - European stocks dipped while US equities edged higher Thursday, following this week's sharp global rally, as investors paused on the eve of a key US jobs report. In Europe, where investors are hopeful of more stimulus next week from the European Central Bank, bourses in London and Frankfurt each shed 0.3 percent, while Paris lost 0.2 percent. Sentiment has been boosted by fresh Chinese stimulus, steadier commodity prices and bright US economic data, in addition to the buildup toward the ECB March 10 meeting. "Fading fears of a US recession, rising oil prices and dovish central bank comments have all contributed to the recent improvement in risk appetite," said Nick Stamenkovic, strategist at RIA Capital Markets in London. Still, Stamenkovic said, risk markets were "taking a pause for breath" after the recent rally. "Markets have moved up a lot. Therefore what we are seeing today -- where momentum is slowing down and markets are coming off a bit -- is nothing unusual," said analyst Markus Huber at traders City of London Markets. US stocks were in negative territory much of the day, but ended higher, with the S&P 500 rising 0.4 percent, within seven points of the psychologically important 2,000 level. US data releases showed modestly slower services sector activity in February and a modest increase in industrial orders in January. Initial jobless claims rose slightly last week, but remained at a low level. Anticipation remains high for Friday's US jobs report for February, which falls less than two weeks ahead of a Federal Reserve monetary policy meeting expected to consider another boost to interest rates. The labor report is expected to show the US economy added 190,000 jobs in February and the unemployment rate held steady at 4.9 percent "The market has been on hold most of the day, awaiting tomorrow's unemployment data," said Peter Cardillo, chief market economist at First Standard Financial. Story continues "It's basically a mixed-to-positive session." Most commodity- and oil-linked stocks were higher as prices of copper and some other industrial commodities rose. US oil prices fell slightly, but the Brent crude benchmark advanced a bit. Dow member Caterpillar, which supplies machinery to mining and oil companies, rose 3.4. London-listed BHP Billiton gained 2.2 percent, while French steelmaker ArcelorMittal gained 3.1 percent. In Japan, energy explorer Inpex surged 5.8 percent and JX Holdings rose 2.8 percent. - Key figures around 2200 GMT - New York - Dow: UP 0.3 percent at 16,943.90 (close) New York - S&P 500: UP 0.4 percent at 1,993.40 (close) New York - Nasdaq: UP 0.1 percent at 4,707.42 (close) London - FTSE 100: DOWN 0.3 percent at 6,130.46 (close) Frankfurt - DAX 30: DOWN 0.3 percent at 9,751.92 (close) Paris - CAC 40: DOWN 0.2 percent at 4,416.08 (close) EURO STOXX 50: DOWN 0.3 percent at 3,012.87 points Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 1.3 percent at 16,960.16 (close) Shanghai - composite: UP 0.4 percent at 2,859.76 (close) Hong Kong - Hang Seng: DOWN 0.3 percent at 19,941.76 (close) Euro/dollar: UP at $1.0957 from $1.0865 on Wednesday Dollar/yen: UP at 113.69 yen from 113.46 yen By Kim Palmer CLEVELAND (Reuters) - The brother of an Ohio pastor who was shot and killed during a Sunday church service pleaded not guilty to the pastor's murder, according to court records. Daniel Gregory Schooler, 68, who faces a possible sentence of life without parole if convicted, had his bail set at $1 million in a court appearance on Wednesday, court records showed. He had been charged in the death of Reverend William B. Schooler, 70, at St. Peters Missionary Baptist Church in Dayton. Schooler's court-appointed public defender was not immediately available for comment. Dayton police said they did not know the motive for the shooting, which occurred inside a church office during the service. The pastor was shot four times with a stolen .380 caliber hand gun, with the final shot witnessed by Helen Schooler, his wife of 49 years, according to court documents. The defendant then laid the gun down and waited for police who took him into custody, according to a criminal complaint in the matter. Schooler, who is being held at the Montgomery County Jail in downtown Dayton, was charged with one count of aggravated murder, two counts of murder and felonious assault, and with having weapons while under disability. In 2011, Schooler filed a lawsuit against his brother, seeking $25,000 in a dispute over their parents' estate. Schooler represented himself in the case, which was eventually dismissed by a Montgomery County judge. In 2001, Schooler was convicted of felonious assault with a deadly weapon and given five years of probation. He had originally pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the charge of threatening a man with a gun. Schooler was also charged with kidnapping and felonious assault with a weapon in 2002, and eventually convicted of the assault with a deadly weapon charge and sentenced to two years in prison. William Schooler's funeral is set for Thursday at Zion Hill Missionary Baptist Church. (Reporting by Kim Palmer; Writing by Ben Klayman; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn and Bernadette Baum) Paris (AFP) - France and Germany expect "real progress" from Ukraine and Russia on resolving the separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Thursday ahead of talks between the four countries in Paris. "We are meeting in a critical phase in the implementation of the Minsk accords," said Steinmeier, referring to the peace plan signed last year in the Belarus capital. He was heading into talks with France's newly appointed foreign minister, Jean-Marc Ayrault, and their counterparts from Russia and Ukraine, Pavlo Klimkine and Sergei Lavrov. "We will say very clearly... we must really advance, first in consolidating the ceasefire and secondly in restarting the political process," said Steinmeier. Signed in February 2015 with French and German mediation, the Minsk accord calls for a ceasefire along with a range of political, economic and social measures to end the conflict in eastern Ukraine that has claimed some 9,000 lives since it began in early 2014. Although violence has greatly diminished, there has been scant progress on other aspects of the accord in recent months. During a visit to Ukraine last month, the Ayrault and Steinmeier called on the government to pursue the needed reforms to allow local elections to take place in the east. But Kiev has insisted there must be a total cessation of hostilities before holding the polls. Ukraine and the West accuse Russia of militarily supporting the separatist rebels in order to keep the country destablised, which Moscow denies. MOSCOW (Reuters) - A Kremlin spokesman said on Thursday that remarks by a woman who said she had beheaded a child in Moscow to avenge Muslims killed in the Kremlin's campaign of air strikes in Syria should be regarded as those of someone who is mentally unsound. Gulchekhra Bobokulova, of Muslim-majority Uzbekistan, was shown in video footage posted online earlier on Thursday as saying she had committed the crime because she was unhappy with President Vladimir Putin's decision to launch air strikes in the Middle East. "I may be wrong. I'm not an expert or a judge but it is obvious that we are definitely talking about a woman who is mentally unsound," Dmitry Peskov, the spokesman, told reporters. "You need to regard anything that such a deranged woman says accordingly." (Reporting by Maria Tsvetkova; Writing by Andrew Osborn; Editing by Alexander Winning) Vancouver (AFP) - Canadian aboriginal leaders demanded a bigger role in the country's fight against climate change, on the eve of a meeting between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and provincial leaders, as a self-imposed national deadline looms to start cutting CO2 emissions. "It was a good start. Climate change and clean energy are issues that must be dealt with," Metis National Council president Clement Chartier told reporters. "But we want to be included in a meaningful way, not just as bit players." The council represents indigenous Canadians. "We need more input," said Perry Bellegarde, National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations. "Indigenous people know how to protect the land and the water." Trudeau started Wednesday with the "sunny ways" theme his Liberal government has promoted since winning last fall's election after 10 years of a Conservative government that resisted climate change measures. "We begin from the common goal we all share," Trudeau said. "We want a low carbon economy (...) and we need to make smart, strategic investments in clean growth and new infrastructure." But bringing together the fractious leaders of the sprawling and diverse nation to make those "smart investments" will test the new prime minister's ability to broker change. Trudeau has pledged to at least meet the previous government's promise to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent by 2030 compared to 2005 levels. But one goal of the First Ministers meeting in Vancouver is to convince all levels of government, who share jurisdiction over the environment, to make deeper cuts. Environment Minister Catherine McKenna said that by the end of March she hopes Canadian leaders will agree to help keep global temperatures from rising more than 1.5 degrees Celsius. Each province has vastly different economic circumstances and goals, and many have already started taking their own tailored approach to reducing emissions, which Trudeau has encouraged. Story continues British Columbia and Alberta, for example, have carbon taxes, while Ontario and Quebec are members of a fledgling continental cap and trade system started in California. Newfoundland and Labrador premier Dwight Ball, chairman of the Council of the Federation -- a congress comprising the premiers of Canada's provinces and territories -- told a Wednesday press conference that carbon management mechanisms can range from the use of new technologies that mitigate or capture ask store carbon, to policies that encourage the market place to reduce or eliminate emissions. That would include setting a price on carbon. But hopes for a nation-wide carbon tax are threatened by Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall's vow to reject a carbon tax, which he says will cost the prairie province's economy up to Can$1 billion. "Now is not the time, and Im not sure the time is going to be right anytime soon," he told reporters Wednesday. Meanwhile, Premier Christy Clark of British Columbia -- which introduced North Americas first carbon tax eight years ago -- lauded the success of the provincial tax but warned against raising it at a time of global economic weakness. "The last thing government should do is to add to (people's) tax burden," she said before meeting with the other premiers. Clark also pushed her governments controversial campaign to establish a Liquified Natural Gas industry on Canadas west coast, beset by plunging energy prices and opposition from environmentalists and some aboriginal groups. Wide variations in current carbon prices -- from Can$15 per metric ton in Ontario to Can$30 in British Columbia -- could also impede attempts to reach consensus. On Wednesday, Trudeau pledged tens of millions of dollars in federal funding for research into alternative energy and to help municipalities adapt to warming, including revising building codes to boost energy efficiency. Alluding to Quebec seeking an injunction to block a pan-Canadian pipeline from Alberta to Atlantic Coast refineries, Trudeau said "the choice between pipelines and wind turbines is a false one." He said Canada, which is the world's fifth largest oil producer, must continue to exploit its vast natural resources in order to fund the transition to a low-carbon economy. Addressing climate change "is one of the great global projects of our time, and I know Canada is ready to take it on," he said. Ankara (AFP) - EU President Donald Tusk on Thursday issued a blunt warning to economic migrants not to come to Europe, and chastised European countries which have taken unilateral action to tackle the crisis. On a busy day of diplomacy, Tusk visited Greece and Turkey, the two countries on the frontline of Europe's worst migration crisis since World War II, and acknowledged that the number of people seeking to reach EU territory from Turkey remained "far too high". His travels were aimed at building momentum ahead of a critical summit between EU and Turkish leaders on Monday at which Brussels hopes to take concrete decisions leading to a lasting reduction in the flow of migrants and refugees fleeing war, poverty and persecution. After talks in Athens with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, Tusk told economic migrants it was pointless to try to reach the European Union, which is struggling because of the migrant crisis to maintain its prized Schengen passport-free travel area. The EU plans to unveil on Friday a "roadmap" to restore Schengen -- a keystone to the spirit of European unity. "I want to appeal to all potential illegal economic migrants wherever you are from: Do not come to Europe," Tusk said. "Do not believe the smugglers. Do not risk your lives and your money. It is all for nothing." In Ankara, Tusk sought to encourage Turkey to take further action to sharply cut the numbers of people taking to unseaworthy boats to reach Greece. "It is for Turkey to decide how best to achieve such a reduction," Tusk said after meeting Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, floating the idea of a "fast and large scale mechanism" to ship back irregular migrants from Greece. "It would effectively break the business model of smugglers." - 'I will try' - The crisis has raised fears for the Schengen zone as more states bring back border controls, with both Sweden and Denmark announcing another temporary extension of border identification checks on Thursday. Story continues But sources in Brussels said the EU's "roadmap" on Friday would outline a plan to restore the Schengen zone to full force by November. The plan, a draft of which has been seen by AFP, includes quickly creating an EU coastguard system and strengthening Greece's external borders. At the Greek-Macedonian border, migrants from countries like Egypt and Pakistan -- and therefore not classed as refugees -- remained undeterred, despite the many hurdles. "I know the border is closed but I want to go to Germany, I will try, try, try," said Mohamed, an Egyptian who plans to pay smugglers to sneak into Macedonia through the hills. "Egypt is bad, there is no work." According to the International Organization for Migration, 120,369 migrants arrived in Greece from Turkey so far this year. At least 321 died en route. With thousands stuck on the Greek-Macedonian border after Austria and Balkan states began tightly restricting migrant entries, Tusk lashed out in Athens at "unilateral" actions by EU members as "detrimental to the European spirit of solidarity". Tsipras said he would like to see sanctions imposed on EU states that undermine joint decisions by the 28-member bloc. His Deputy Defence Minister Dimitres Vitsas said there were now nearly 32,000 migrants on the Greek islands and the mainland, and a senior UN migration official said the number could surge to 70,000 in the coming weeks. - 'Looming emergency' - On Wednesday, the EU unveiled a 700-million-euro ($760-million) emergency aid plan to help Greece and other member countries, the first time humanitarian aid has been used within Europe. Greece has been the main point of entry for the 1.13 million migrants who have arrived in the EU over the past 14 months. The United Nations has warned of a looming humanitarian crisis on the Greek-Macedonian border, where aid agencies have reported a lack of food and tents and warned that the wintry weather is taking a toll on people's health. Meanwhile in the northern French port of Calais, a group of Iranian migrants sewed their mouths shut in protest at the demolition of the so-called Jungle migrant camp, which is a magnet for people hoping to reach Britain. The Calais situation topped the agenda at talks between French President Francois Hollande and British Prime Minister David Cameron in northern France on Thursday. Hollande warned of "consequences" for the management of migrants with Britain if the country votes to leave the European Union. NEW YORK (Reuters) - The United States turned to cultural diplomacy on Tuesday to push gay rights at the United Nations by taking 15 U.N. ambassadors, including those from Russia, Gabon and Namibia, to see an award-winning lesbian musical on Broadway. Samantha Power, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, said the "Fun Home" coming-of-age production "brings home the challenges that LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex) are facing every day around the world." "Thank you for bringing this all home in a way that resolutions and statements never can," Power told the cast during a question-and-answer session after their performance. According to the United Nations, being gay is a crime in at least 75 countries. Last year, "Fun Home" won five Tony Awards - American theatre's highest honors - including best musical and best actor for Michael Cerveris, who plays a closeted gay father. The U.S. mission said ambassadors from the European Union, Australia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, Uruguay and Vietnam also attended. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has long advocated for LGBT equality but has faced opposition from African, Arab and Muslim states, as well as from Russia and China. In 2014, Ban announced that the United Nations would recognize all same-sex marriages of its staff, allowing them to receive U.N. benefits. Russia unsuccessfully tried to overturn the move last year, with Saudi Arabia, China, Iran, India, Egypt, Pakistan, and Syria among 43 states that supported Moscow. Last month, the 54-member African Group, the 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation and 25-member "Group of Friends of the Family", led by Belarus, Egypt and Qatar, protested against the launch of six U.N. stamps promoting LGBT equality. The African Group, in a letter to Ban, "strongly rejected any attempt to undermine the international human rights system by seeking to impose concepts or notions pertaining to social matters, including private individual conduct that falls outside the internationally agreed human rights legal framework." (Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Paul Tait) Brazil's Supreme Court voted Thursday to put the powerful speaker of the lower house of Congress, Eduardo Cunha, on trial for bribery, injecting new drama into a sprawling corruption crisis. Cunha, a key opponent of President Dilma Rousseff, is accused of taking $5 million in bribes as part of a vast embezzlement and bribery network centered on the country's national oil company Petrobras. The Supreme Court's 10 judges voted unanimously to indict Cunha on charges that he took the bribes for facilitating a $1 billion contract to build two oil drilling ships for Petrobras. Cunha, who rejects the charges, is also being investigated by the congressional ethics committee over allegedly lying to Congress about possessing secret Swiss bank accounts. Considered a master backroom dealer, Cunha is part of the PMDB party, which is in an uncomfortable alliance with Rousseff's Workers' Party. However, he has split off to make himself the fulcrum of an anti-Rousseff movement and last year initiated impeachment procedures against her for allegedly breaking government fiscal laws. His downfall could help Rousseff, who is also struggling against allegations in electoral court that she improperly financed her 2014 re-election. However, Rousseff was hit by a potential bombshell report in a Brazilian magazine claiming that one of her most senior former allies -- a Workers' Party senator also accused of corruption in the Petrobras scandal -- is preparing to testify against her. Senator Delcidio do Amaral was arrested last November and according to IstoE magazine is negotiating a plea bargain in which he would testify that Rousseff obstructed the Petrobras probe, dubbed Operation Car Wash. He was also allegedly set to testify against Rousseff's predecessor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Even though there was no confirmation of the report, Rousseff struck back with a statement denouncing "abuse of leaks as a political weapon." And the solicitor general, Jose Eduardo Cardozo, said that any plea bargain would be "a pile of lies." Lawyers for Amaral put out a statement denying knowledge of the information in the magazine's report. Markets reacted jubilantly to the apparent blow to Rousseff, who is blamed by many for the depth of a recession that is on track to become the worst ever recorded in Brazil. The stock market in Sao Paulo jumped 5.12 percent and the real rose 2.34 to $3.803. - 'House of Cards' character - Operation Car Wash has seen charges filed against a Who's Who of Brazilian politicians and businessmen. These include numerous high-ranking figures from Rousseff's party, also including a former treasurer and her former main campaign advisor. Cunha, who is part of Brazil's right-wing Evangelical movement, could technically hang on to his post as speaker, even during a trial, but is facing growing pressure to step down. Throughout the impeachment struggle with Rousseff, he has proved adept at outmaneuvering opponents, earning half-joking comparisons to Frank Underwood, the anti-hero of the HBO television series "House of Cards." In December, police raided his homes, seizing a cellphone, computer and documents. He accused prosecutors of persecuting him in retaliation for his impeachment drive. However, his critics on the left accused him repeatedly of the opposite: that he was wielding the impeachment weapon as revenge for his own troubles. Although Cunha's troubles are high profile, Congress has long been a magnet for politicians with legal problems. A count by respected website Congresso em Foco last year found that 30 percent of the members on a panel convened to study Rousseff's impeachment were facing criminal probes. Petrobras, long considered Brazil's flagship company, is in deep crisis due to the plunge in global oil prices and the fallout from the corruption scandal, which is estimated to have cost some $2 billion. Frenchman Christophe Naudin arrived early Friday in the Dominican Republic after being extradited by Egypt over his alleged involvement in the escape of two pilots jailed in a drugs case dubbed "Air Cocaine." Naudin, a 53-year-old criminologist and aviation security expert who was arrested in Cairo on February 4, is wanted in the Caribbean nation on suspicion of helping pilots Pascal Fauret and Bruno Odos flee to France in October after they had been sentenced to 20 years in prison for drug trafficking. The pair, who maintain their innocence, were arrested in March 2013 as they were about to depart from Punta Cana in a private jet found to be carrying 680 kilos (1,500 pounds) of cocaine. Convicted of drug trafficking in August, they were released pending appeal but barred from leaving the Caribbean nation. They somehow managed to flee and return to France -- an escape that Dominican prosecutors allege Naudin facilitated. Prosecutor Francisco Dominguez said Naudin would be charged with conspiracy and the trafficking of migrants. Naudin arrived in Santo Domingo shortly after midnight, said Tessy Sanchez, a spokeswoman for the attorney general's office. Naudin will make an initial court appearance within 48 hours of arrival, the prosecutor told journalists. Fauret and Odos fled back to France vowing to clear their names, but were rearrested in November near the French city of Lyon. On February 11, an appeals court in the Dominican Republic upheld the 20-year prison sentences for the two pilots. Paris has ruled out extraditing them. But France's foreign ministry on Thursday confirmed Naudin had been extradited. "France has done everything it could to support Naudin," a statement said. "Our embassy in Santo Domingo is following the situation closely and is ready to provide consular assistance." Naudin's wife Michele said he would not receive a fair trial in Santo Domingo. "The Dominican Republic has already said he will be convicted. We know that there is no justice there, and France knows this, yet it let him leave" Egypt, she told AFP. Story continues The affair has prompted keen interest in France, after Interpol in November issued arrest warrants for Fauret and Odos, as well as a far-right member of the European Parliament accused of involvement. Olivier Cadic, France's senator representing overseas nationals, called Naudin's extradition "very bad news for our country." "There is real concern at how France has managed this affair," he told AFP. Australian and Malaysian officials were moving to retrieve and examine suspected aircraft wreckage found on the east African coast to quickly determine whether it came from missing flight MH370, Malaysia's transport minister said Thursday. The one-metre long (three-foot) piece of debris found on a Mozambique beach could provide fresh clues into the mystery of the Malaysia Airlines flight, which disappeared two years ago. "From the pictures shown, there is high probability the plane debris is from a Boeing 777 plane," Malaysian Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai told reporters in Kuala Lumpur. While cautioning that this needed to be verified, his comments appeared to be firmer than the "high possibility" he had mentioned on Wednesday. MH370, which carried 239 passengers and crew when it vanished March 8, 2014 on an overnight flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, was a Boeing 777. Transport Minister Darren Chester of Australia, which is leading a vast oceanic search for wreckage, said the debris would eventually be transferred to Australia where it would be examined by officials and experts, including from Boeing. The painstaking two-year search effort has scoured the seabed in the remote Indian Ocean, where the plane is believed to have gone down. But nothing has been found and the search could cease by mid-year. If confirmed to be from MH370, the debris would mark only the second shred of physical evidence in one of aviation's great mysteries. Last July, a wing fragment was found washed ashore on the Indian Ocean island of Reunion and later confirmed to be from MH370. That marked the first proof that the plane had met a violent end, but otherwise shed little light on what caused the disaster. Liow said officials from Australia's embassy in Mozambique had been dispatched to retrieve the new object from local authorities. Malaysian civil aviation experts and representatives of the airline also were en route to Mozambique. "We would like to get hold of the debris as soon as possible, so that's why we are working with Australia in the fastest manner," Liow said. Story continues - Don't 'throw in the towel' - Neither Liow nor Australian officials could say exactly when the debris would be in the specialists' hands. The latest find comes just days before the disaster's two-year anniversary. Liow said a Malaysian-led team of international investigators probing MH370's disappearance -- a separate effort from the Australian-led search -- will issue a statement Tuesday on the anniversary. He did not say whether the statement would contain new revelations. International agreements require annual updates from investigators in accidents where aircraft cannot be found. US television network NBC first reported the new debris, saying it was found this week by an American man, Blaine Gibson, who blogs extensively on MH370, and citing experts saying it appeared to be part of an aircraft tail. Theories of what caused MH370 to vanish include a hijacking, rogue pilot action, or sudden mechanical problem that incapacitated the crew, but there is no evidence yet to support any particular theory. Voice370, an international next-of-kin network, issued an emotional appeal Thursday for the oceanic search to be continued beyond the expected mid-year shutdown. "We believe that they should not throw in the towel, close this case and simply chalk it up as an unsolvable mystery," the group said in a statement. Many next-of-kin accuse the airline and Malaysian government of letting the plane slip away through a bungled response, and of wanting to end the search so the truth about what happened remains hidden. The airline and government strongly deny the accusations. Iran has invited US plane manufacturer Boeing for talks on modernising its fleet, Transport Minister Abbas Akhoundi said Thursday, weeks after Tehran's nuclear deal took effect. "After the authorisation from the US administration to Boeing, we have invited the company to begin talks on developing the country's air fleet," Akhoundi said, without giving a date, quoted by state television news agency IRIB. Akhoundi's deputy, Asghar Fakhrieh Kashan, told AFP: "We never closed the doors to Boeing, and we are ready for negotiations whenever they come." Boeing said on February 19 it had received authorisation from the US administration -- despite the lack of Washington-Tehran diplomatic ties for more than three decades -- to study the commercial plane market in Iran, in the wake of the lifting of nuclear sanctions in mid-January. Iran has already ordered about 200 planes from three Western manufacturers since nuclear-related sanctions were lifted, notably for the purchase of 118 aircraft from European manufacturer Airbus, Boeing's global rival. The orders -- mostly in the form of hire purchase -- also include 50 planes from Brazil's Embraer, the world's third biggest commercial manufacturer, and up to 40 aircraft from Europe's ATR which builds turboprop aircraft. Kashan has said the Airbus deal alone -- for 73 long-haul and 45 medium-haul aircraft -- is worth between $10 and $11 billion. The planes -- worth as much as $25 billion at list prices -- are to be delivered over the next four years. Iran needs 400 to 500 aircraft over the next decade to modernise its ageing fleet, according to the head of Iran's civil aviation authority. Before the nuclear deal with world powers under which Iran has curbed its atomic programme in return for a lifting of international sanctions, an embargo dating from 1995 prevented Western manufacturers from selling equipment and spare parts to Iranian companies. The restrictions, which have been blamed for crippling the industry, were partly lifted by an interim agreement on Iran's nuclear programme that came into force in January 2014. Story continues This allowed for the sale of spare parts, although direct sales of aircraft remained banned. The current fleet in Iran, which has a poor air safety record, numbers around 140 planes with an average age of around 20 years, with many in desperate need of replacement. an/hc Forbes has just released its 2016 ranking of the worlds richest people, with 17 billionaires from Singapore making it on the prestigious list. Close to half of them are involved in the real estate business, but for many, their fortunes have dwindled amid Singapores weak real estate market. Property siblings Philip and Robert Ng topped the list yet again (#151 globally), but with a lower net worth of US$7.6 billion, down by US$2 billion. Older brother Robert chairs Hong Kong-listed Tsim Sha Tsui Properties, while Philip heads Far East Organization, Singapores largest private property developer. According to Forbes, the brothers have been expanding their footprint in Australia, acquiring trophy assets such as a hotel and retail podium in Sydney for US$342 million last year. Their latest deal, in January, was a beachfront mall in Perth for US$45 million. Meanwhile, the Kwee family made it to the second spot (#270 globally). The four brothers, Kwee Liong Keng, Kwee Liong Tek, Kwee Liong Seen and Kwee Liong Phing, have a collective net worth of US$5 billion, lower than the US$5.2 billion reported previously. They own the privately-held Pontiac Land, which started selling apartments at 53W53, a high-profile luxury residential project in Manhattan. Pontiac has partnered with a US-based developer for the 82-storey tower. Its 139 apartments, which cost from US$3 million to over US$70 million, are expected to be ready in 2018, revealed Forbes. With a net worth of US$2.7 billion, which plunged from the previous US$7.2 billion, Kwek Leng Beng is the fourth richest man in Singapore (#638 globally). Kweks City Developments Limited (CDL) is pressing ahead with an overseas expansion amid constraints in Singapore, said Forbes. Over the last three years, CDL has acquired eight prime properties in London for almost US$800 million. Its jointly developed 645-room South Beach hotel in Singapore opened recently. Kweks younger brother, Leng Joo, who was CDLs deputy chairman, passed away in his sleep from a heart attack late last year. Story continues Other property magnates listed include father and son duo Raj Kumar & Kishin RK from Royal Holdings and RB Capital, who are the fifth wealthiest individuals in Singapore (#722 globally), and Singapores budget hotel magnate Choo Chong Ngen, owner of the Hotel 81 chain, who is ranked in 11th spot here (#1,367 globally). The Forbes list of billionaires is an annual ranking compiled and published by Forbes magazine. List of Singapore's richest property tycoons [caption id="attachment_118829" align="alignnone" width="661"] Richest property tycoons in Singapore Source: Forbes[/caption] Romesh Navaratnarajah, Senior Editor at PropertyGuru, wrote this story. To contact him about this or other stories email romesh@propertyguru.com.sg More from PropertyGuru: Ascott scores JTC lease for one-north serviced residence Ascott to open serviced apartment in one-north Singapore prime office land prices up 6%: report Johor to become an economic powerhouse Johors Forest City given duty-free status Britain will contribute around 20 million euros in extra funding to boost security at the French port of Calais where thousands of migrants have camped out hoping to cross the Channel, France's minister for European affairs said Thursday. Britain has already contributed more than 60 million euros and "there will be around an extra 20 million euros ($22 million)" Harlem Desir told RFI radio, with the money used to boost "security of the access zone to the tunnel... and fighting trafficking networks". The announcement came hours ahead of a summit between French President Francois Hollande and British Prime Minister David Cameron in the northern city of Amiens, where the Calais crisis will be top of the agenda. Demolition workers razed makeshift shelters at the so-called Jungle migrant camp on the outskirts of Calais for the third day running on Wednesday under the close watch of dozens of police officers equipped with water cannon. The camp, built on a former toxic waste dump, is a magnet for people hoping to reach Britain and many have refused to leave, although there has been no repeat of the violent clashes that erupted on Monday. French Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron told the Financial Times on Wednesday that if Britain left the European Union following a referendum in June, France would cease keeping the migrants in Calais. "The day this relationship unravels, migrants will no longer be in Calais," Macron told the newspaper. A couple under investigation by Australian child authorities fled to Malaysia two years ago and spent a "traumatising" two months in a Kuala Lumpur jail after they were arrested by Interpol in Penang, Australia's ABC news network reports. But a South Australian court was told that the investigation against them had relied on baseless allegations. During investigation, authorities had initially separated their young son from them for 42 days, under an Investigation and Assessment Order, fearing the boy was in danger from his father. His father, now 28, was being investigated over allegations involving his young daughter from a previous relationship, the report said. When the authorities planned to extend the order to separate their son from them by another year, the couple "panicked", their lawyer told the court. In Malaysian jail, the father shared a cell with about 60 other men, losing 36kg "while surviving on one small fish and a cup of rice a day", the report added. Meanwhile, the mother, now 25, was kept in "a small concrete space with about 20 other women". "They felt very helpless and frustrated," her lawyer told the court. "[It was] an act of desperation. It was not well-planned or well thought through." The couple have pleaded guilty to breaking the order to separate their son. March 3, 2016. Former minister Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz today said politics and the economy of the country should be separated, so that the nation will not suffer due to political instability. She said it was accepted that in politics, there were no friends, except for friendships and alliances of conveniences and common purposes, but it was important that a country did not suffer because of political instability. In a Facebook posting today, the Umno veteran said instability caused by the country's political woes was giving Malaysia a bad name, despite the country's strong economic foundation. Rafidah said Malaysia had yet to reach a point where the people and business would be unfazed by who was in government, because the system and its institutions were not well-oiled. "Business (should) continue to do what they do best... i.e. do business, and the people (should) carry on with their lives. "That can happen when the various institutions and structures in the system are so well oiled in the context of governance, that they can efficiently operate without the usual rigmarole of 'government'. "Elected politicians come and go. Political parties too come and go. Yet the economy and country continues to grow. "Perhaps one day, when such a situation has evolved, we may see less and less of the kind of politics and politicking we are witnessing now," she said. Rafidah, who was international trade and industry minister during Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's tenure as prime minister, said a political environment which bred unnecessary uncertainty, concern and a 'guessing game' was the antithesis of stability. She said when politics was not the arena of choice anymore, there perhaps would not be scrambling and struggle for position and power. "Politicians will only be there as mere semblances of democracy in action. "Public governance will be driven by technocrats and the economy moved in the main by the private sector and business," she said. Rafidah noted that at this point, the good economic and social foundation of the country had been "glossed over" or tarnished by much "unwelcome political muck". Unless cleared, it would be the bane of Malaysia, she said. "People will not be bothered to see beyond that to see the country as it really is a competitive investment location, a very well-endowed vacation destination with renowned eco-tourism attractions, and healthcare services. The list goes on. "But who would bother to visit when the only publicity they get about Malaysia is the endless political shenanigans, the in-fighting and the power struggles that portray instability. "We are responsible for shooting ourselves in the foot for creating our own predicament. Our credibility will continue to be doubted unless we take stock of the situation and repair the damage already done to the country." Rafidah's remarks came following the suspension of former deputy prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin's suspension as Umno deputy president, and Dr Mahathir's resignation from Umno earlier this week. Both incidents were seen as a result of the two leaders' criticisms against Prime Minister and Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Razak in his handling of scandals and controversies affecting his administration. Rafidah also said every action would trigger a reaction. "We must take responsibility for our actions and the consequences therefrom. "It is also important that every action we take and every decision we make, is well considered, to minimise any ensuing conflict, bad blood and ill will. What has taken decades to build, can be eroded and eventually be destroyed by injudicious decisions and actions. "The backlash of any action, taken without serious and deep thought of the repercussions, may be severe." March 3, 2016. By Gabriela Baczynska BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Turkey must ensure the number of refugees and migrants leaving its shores for Europe drops towards zero, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said ahead of a meeting of EU and Turkish leaders on Monday. The 28-nation bloc is pushing for more effective implementation of a deal under which Ankara is due to cut the number of arrivals and help alleviate what has turned into a major migration crisis for the EU. "We need to bring it back to a level from which we can see zero. It has to be really considerably lower than it is today," Rutte, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, said in an interview with Reuters and two other media outlets. EU leaders are scrambling to prevent a repeat of the chaotic arrivals last summer, which has pushed Europe's cherished free-travel Schengen zone to the verge of collapse, raised security concerns and fuelled support for nationalists and anti-migrant groups across the bloc. Rutte also called for an agreement to "accelerate readmission of third country nationals and economic migrants. I think that would be the minimum outcome." He said Turkey had to do more to stop smugglers taking people on the short but perilous trip across the Aegean Sea to Greece. EU leaders and officials in Brussels have warned that the Monday summit and another one among EU leaders on Mar. 17-18 form the last chance to get the migration crisis under control. "And I hope we can come to an agreement on resettlement: that, for a couple weeks, we can assess that the numbers coming from Turkey to Greece are really coming down, with the zero being visible, so that it is possible for the EU to start a more ambitious resettlement programme. So a minimum outcome and a preferred outcome." BURDEN ON GREECE After talks with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Monday, the 28 EU leaders will themselves convene. Rutte said they had to agree that migrants be processed in Greece rather than allowed to trek north towards wealthier northern Europe. The EU would then provide humanitarian aid and logistical support and help build shelters for people in Greece and start relocating them in larger numbers in exchange, Rutte said. "I think we can get to reasonable decisions on all of this on Monday," he said. Greece is the main point of entry for those fleeing war in the Middle East and has seen some 126,000 people arrive so far in 2016 after more than a million refugees and migrants reached Europe in 2015. Some 25,000 refugees and migrants are estimated to be stuck in Greece, a major humanitarian challenge for a country recovering from an economic and debt crisis that nearly knocked it out of the euro zone. Rutte said the latest euro zone's bailout conditions for Greece should not be loosened. "We should keep the two dossiers separate," he said. He said EU leaders were repeatedly on the phone with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras to discuss Greece's needs and urging Athens to accept that Greece was the key migrant entry point. "That's a fact of life and we have to deal with that, whilst at the same time ... acknowledging that we cannot leave Greece with the whole burden, we have to share." (Reporting by Gabriela Baczynska; editing by Philip Blenkinsop and Dominic Evans) Egypt extradited Frenchman Christophe Naudin to the Dominican Republic on Thursday for his alleged involvement in the escape of two pilots jailed in a drugs case dubbed "Air Cocaine". Naudin, a criminologist and aviation security expert who was arrested in Cairo on February 4, is wanted in the Caribbean nation on suspicion of helping pilots Pascal Fauret and Bruno Odos flee to France in October after they had been sentenced to 20 years in prison for trafficking. The pair, who have always maintained their innocence, were arrested in March 2013 as they were about to depart from Punta Cana in a private jet found to be carrying 680 kilos (1,500 pounds) of cocaine. Convicted of drug trafficking in August, they were released pending appeal but barred from leaving the Caribbean nation. They somehow managed to flee and return to France, vowing to clear their names, but were rearrested in November near the French city of Lyon. On February 11, an appeals court in the Dominican Republic upheld 20-year prison sentences for the two pilots. Paris has ruled out the possibility of extradicting them. But France's foreign ministry on Thursday said Naudin had been extradicted. "France has done everything it could to support Naudin," a statement said. "Our embassy in Santo Domingo is following the situation closely and is ready to provide consular assistance." Naudin's wife Michele told AFP that his plane was en route to the Dominican Republic via New York. "The Dominican Republic has already said he will be convicted. We know that there is no justice there, and France knows this, yet it let him leave" Egypt, she said. An Egyptian interior ministry official confirmed that Naudin's extradition flight had departed. The affair has prompted keen interest in France, after Interpol in November issued arrest warrants for Fauret and Odos, as well as a far-right member of the European Parliament accused of involvement. Olivier Cadic, France's senator representing overseas nationals, called Naudin's extradition "very bad news for our country". "There is real concern at how France has managed this affair," he told AFP. By Steve Scherer and Massimiliano Di Giorgio ROME (Reuters) - Egyptian authorities have given Italian investigators some evidence they had been seeking for weeks regarding the murder of an Italian graduate student in Cairo, the Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday. The move came just hours after an Italian judicial source told Reuters that Italy was considering recalling its seven-member legal team in Cairo because of a lack of cooperation from their Egyptian counterparts. Giulio Regeni, 28, disappeared in January and his tortured, battered body was found in a ditch on the outskirts of Cairo on Feb. 3. He had been studying Egypt's independent labour unions and wrote critical articles about the government. The case has stirred outrage in Italy and strained relations between two countries that share major geopolitical and economic interests, with widespread speculation in the media that Regeni was killed by either police or security services. Egypt has denied any such suggestion. The Egyptian authorities invited Italian police to join the murder inquiry, but the Italians have complained from the start that they were not being given the information they needed. On Wednesday investigators received some, though not all, of the evidence they had requested, including data about Regeni's cell phone calls, a partial summary of the Egyptian autopsy and information gathered by police from witnesses. "It's a first, useful step," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. "Some of the material requested by our embassy has not yet been handed over." On Wednesday, Milan officials hung a banner from city hall reading "The Truth for Giulio Regeni", in response to a campaign by human rights group Amnesty International. Other cities around the country started to follow suit. An Egyptian forensics official has told the public prosecutor's office the autopsy he conducted showed Regeni was interrogated for up to seven days before he was killed, Reuters reported on Tuesday, citing two sources. The findings, which were denied by Egypt's Justice Ministry, are the strongest indication yet that Regeni was killed by security services because they pointed to interrogation methods which human rights groups say are their hallmark. The case has caused friction between Egypt and Italy, though it looks unlikely to drive a permanent wedge between them. Italy exported some 3 billion euros ($3.25 billion) in goods to Egypt last year, Italian export credit agency Sace said. State-controlled oil producer Eni is leading the way for Italian firms, developing Egypt's giant Zohr gas field. In a letter to Amnesty International seen by Reuters, Eni CEO Claudio Descalzi expressed his support for Regeni's family. "We are confident in the work being done by the Egyptian and Italian governments and we can't but hope, like everyone, that the question marks regarding this affair are cleared up as soon as possible," Descalzi wrote last month. (Additional reporting by Stephen Jewkes in Milan; Editing by Crispian Balmer and Alison Williams) By Gabriela Baczynska and Francesco Guarascio BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union, faced with a growing refugee crisis in Greece, launched a new aid programme on Wednesday worth an initial 700 million euros that mirrors the kind of disaster relief it offers developing nations. European states have tightened border controls following the arrival of more than a million migrants by sea last year and the Athens government has appealed for help to house and care for tens of thousands still arriving and now stranded in Greece. "We are ... really worried," European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said of the build-up of migrants on the now-closed Macedonian border, adding that the new plan had been prompted by fears of "a huge humanitarian crisis in Greece". The Commission's proposal, if approved, will channel 300 million euros ($325 million) this year from its 155 billion euro annual budget to the new emergency assistance scheme and 200 million euros both next year and in 2018. Officials stress that the programme will not divert funds from the EU's 1.1 billion euro annual budget allocated to helping the world's poorest. Relieving the suffering of refugees closer to their homes is a key part of an EU strategy to deter people from making dangerous journeys to Europe, they say. More than 400 people have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean this year as they tried to reach Europe, most of them on the short but perilous crossing from Turkey to Greece. Turkey is at the heart of the EU's efforts to slow the influx of refugees and migrants and the bloc wants Ankara to ensure that daily arrivals fall below 1,000 from 2,000-3,000 at present. [nL8N16A34W] Two officials told Reuters that Germany, the principal destination for those arriving in Europe, is looking for flows to be "in the realm of three digits, not four" per day. Should that happen, Berlin would start taking refugees directly from Turkey for resettlement - an attempt to promote legal migration rather than continuing the chaotic influx of 2015. The new EU money, to be spent in conjunction with the United Nations and charities working in Greece and other EU states, will help to fund shelter, medical aid and other basic services. Greece, which now houses about 25,000 migrants, has hitherto received EU funding under other programmes to bolster its border and security systems, though Athens has complained that the offers have been inadequate. "The number of refugees continues to rise, so do their humanitarian needs," Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Christos Stylianides said. At a single border point, the Idomeni crossing between Greece and Macedonia, between 12,000 and 15,000 stranded people are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance, he said. "OVERWHELMED" EU officials said the aim was to have the new programme operational on the ground "within weeks rather than months". It will become a permanent feature of the EU budget and is intended for use by any EU state that is "overwhelmed" and cannot cope with a wide range of emergencies, including accidents, militant attacks and epidemics. It will need approval by the European Parliament and member states. Greece, the migrants' main gateway to Europe, would initially be the main beneficiary of the emergency scheme for "tackling wide-ranging humanitarian crises within the EU". The money would also be available to other EU countries along the Balkan migration route used by migrants. Macedonia and Serbia, which are on that route, are not in the EU. Greece, its economy blighted by the euro zone debt crisis, has asked for 480 million euros to help it cope with some 100,000 migrants. EU officials said on Wednesday they were still looking at that request. More than a million people reached Europe last year and some 133,000 arrived on the continent so far in 2016 in what has grown to be a major crisis for the bloc, that now also risks turning into a humanitarian disaster. [nL8N1694GU] ($1 = 0.9212 euros) (Additional reporting by Alastair Macdonald and Robin Emmott; Editing by Gareth Jones) By Suleiman Al-Khalidi AMMAN (Reuters) - Jordanian security forces killed several outlaws during a manhunt for Islamist militants on Tuesday that involved hundreds of troops in the northern city of Irbid, near the border with Syria. Riot police and special forces took part in the operation which a security official described as one of the largest sweeps against sleeper cells of sympathisers of hardline Islamist groups in recent years. Another security source said the troops and helicopters were deployed mainly in a Palestinian refugee camp in the heart of the city where most of the wanted fugitives were holed up. Jordan did not confirm the targets but said security forces had killed a number of "fugitive outlaws" and wounded several others, and least three members of the security forces had been wounded. State television quoted officials as saying the operation was continuing in the city, some 20 km south of the border. Witnesses reported hearing intermittent exchanges of gunfire. The roads leading to the area was sealed off by police. Jordan has been host to big U.N. camps for Palestinian refugees for more than six decades. The camps' squalid conditions have long been a fertile ground for militants. Irbid, Jordan's second largest city, also has one of the largest concentrations of Syrian refugees in the kingdom, which hosts over 1.4 million who have fled the near five-year war. The kingdom has put on trial and sentenced dozens of militants who returned from Syria, some of whom were recruited by Syria's al Qaeda offshoot Nusra Front or Islamic State. It has also arrested dozens of sympathisers who show support for the group in social media. It was not immediately clear which group the militants being sought represented. One source said they were suspected to be from Islamic State, another did not specify. Another security told Reuters on condition of anonymity that the covert operation undertaken by the intelligence apparatus targeted mainly members of Islamic State, with at least 30 suspects rounded up. King Abdullah, a U.S. ally who has safeguarded his country's peace treaty with Israel, has been among the most vocal regional leaders voicing alarm about the threat from Islamic State, which has taken territory in Syria and Iraq. Jordan's military has waged sorties against Islamic State hideouts in Syria and the kingdom is part of the U.S. led coalition against the militant group. Since the civil war erupted in Syria in 2011, hundreds of Jordanians have joined Sunni militant groups fighting in the insurgency against President Bashar al-Assad's rule. Jordan has long been vigilant about the risk of militant strikes in a country that has suffered attacks before, notably bombings on Amman hotels by al Qaeda-linked militants during the U.S. occupation of Iraq. (Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi; Editing by Alison Williams) Snow might not be as hard to come by as Leonardo DiCaprio suggested it was during his Oscar acceptance speech Sunday night (Feb. 28), but climate trends do suggest that the actor is onto something, experts said. Moments after receiving the Oscar for best actor, DiCaprio reminded Hollywood, and the world, that "climate change is real" and that it affected the filming of his award-winning 2015 movie, "The Revenant." "Making 'The Revenant' was about man's relationship to the natural world," DiCaprio said at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. "A world that we collectively felt in 2015 as the hottest year in recorded history. Our production needed to move to the southern tip of this planet just to be able to find snow." [5 Places Already Feeling the Effects of Climate Change] But is there really less snow than usual? The answer is yes, but only during the spring, said David Robinson, a professor in the Department of Geography at Rutgers University in New Jersey. "I heard [DiCaprio's] speech and smiled," Robinson told Live Science. "He was of course a bit over the top with his statement. While snow cover has disappeared earlier in the spring in recent decades, there have been no major changes in winter snow [cover]." Robinson tracks snow cover over the Northern Hemisphere using weekly and daily satellite data that goes back to 1967. (Snow cover shows surface area covered with snow and not the total amount, he noted.) Take this chart, for instance, that Robinson and his colleagues created using such satellite data. It shows snow cover in the month of May from 1967 to 2015. The green bars show how much more or less million square kilometers of snow the Northern Hemisphere got compared with the average each year. In the 1970s and early 1980s, there was more snow cover than usual. But from the late 1980s onward, except for a few years here and there, there has been much less snow cover than usual, Robinson said. Story continues This below-average cover isn't a blip either, "it's a statistically significant trend," he said. Another chart shows how many million square kilometers of snow covered the Northern Hemisphere in the spring during the months of March, April and May, over the years. The diagonal linear regression line shows a clear trend that the Northern Hemisphere is getting less snow cover in the spring over time. In fact, Robinson and his colleagues noticed this trend and published a study on it in 1990 in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, noting that, "Northern Hemisphere snow cover during 1988 and 1989 was at its lowest extent since the advent of reliable satellite snow-cover monitoring in 1972; running some 8 to 10 percent below the 18-year annual mean of 25.7 million km squared [9.9 million miles squared]." Robinson and his group also created a map showing where there was above- or below-average snow cover in May 2010, the lowest May snow cover on record with brown and orange regions showing less snow than usual, white areas showing typical or no snow cover and the blue regions showing more than average snow cover. Large swaths of Canada, Alaska and Russia are covered with brown and orange, meaning they got less-than-average snowfall during that time, Robinson said. [8 Ways Global Warming Is Already Changing the World] "This kind of answers the question, 'Where should there have been snow that May?'" Robinson said. "Getting back to DiCaprio's remarks, this is where you would look in May to see where the snow is disappearing." Big picture The disappearing snow cover in spring has a number of concerning implications, Robinson said. Snow reflects the sun's rays. If there's no snow, that light gets absorbed into the ground, where it can melt the frozen soil, known as permafrost. Warming and exposed permafrost can release methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, Robinson said. Furthermore, without snow reflecting the sun's energy in the Arctic, the atmosphere ends up absorbing some of that energy. This increases temperatures and may be linked to increased summer sea-ice melt, Robinson said. "There's a lot of ramifications," Robinson said. "If we melt more permafrost because we lose the snow earlier, we put more methane into the atmosphere that further amplifies climate change." He noted that the dataset does not include snow cover in the Southern Hemisphere, where parts of "The Revenant" were filmed, according to the Internet Movie Database. It's unclear whether the actor is aware of Robinson's research, but both are working to learn more about Earth's climate. "Let us not take this planet for granted," DiCaprio said during his speech. "I do not take tonight for granted. Thank you so very much." Follow Laura Geggel on Twitter @LauraGeggel. Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science. Copyright 2016 LiveScience, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Malaysia is at serious risk of an attack by Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (Isis) militants, a political consultant warns. In a report carried by CNBC, head of Alavan Business Advisory Alastair Newton said security warnings about the terrorist threat in Malaysia should be taken seriously. It is far from clear where, outside its heartland, Isis will strike next. But strike it will. And one region which appears to be at serious risk is Southeast Asia, Newton was quoted as saying on Tuesday. Newton was referring to warnings earlier this year by foreign governments that terrorists were planning attacks in and around Kuala Lumpur, following a series of explosions in Jakarta on January 14 which killed seven. Australia in February advised its citizens to exercise normal safety precautions across Malaysia, urging them to avoid all travel to the coastal resorts of eastern Sabah, including islands, dive sites and associated tourist facilities because of the high threat of kidnapping. New Zealand classified travel to the area as high risk, while the United Kingdom warned citizens against travel to coastal islands in Sabah, near the Philippines, citing high threats to foreigners of kidnapping and criminality. In Malaysia, meanwhile, authorities said the country would remain on high security alert after terrorism analysts said Isis was now spreading its operations beyond the Middle East and Europe to Asia. Security measures were increased in public areas, such as malls and tourist spots, while precautionary measures were said to be taken at border areas to prevent possible terrorist infiltration. Police have arrested 157 suspected militants, including 25 women since 2013. They were believed to be involved with various levels of militant activities. The latest was at the end of January, when seven people were picked up in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Pahang, Johor and Kedah for suspected links with Isis. Police seized a cache of bullets for various types of firearms, including those for the M16 assault rifle. The three-day operation was a follow-up to the earlier arrest of a man at an LRT station in Kuala Lumpur on January 15. The seven were said to be planning attacks at several popular spots in the Klang Valley as well as other states. Among those detained was a cell leader, a Sabahan, who works as an assistant manager of a hotel in Johor. Another suspect arrested in Johor was a 33-year-old factory store supervisor. One of the seven was also identified as the cells fund manager, whose task was to collect and channel funds to those wanting to go to Syria and for carrying out attacks. The man, aged 50, was arrested in Kedah and had worked as a cendol seller. He was assisted by another detainee, aged 26 from Terengganu, who was planning to join Isis in Syria. The counter-terrorism unit had also found out that one of those arrested had been in communication with Bahrun Naim, the Indonesian founding member of Khatibah Nusantara Muhammad, and whom Indonesian police said orchestrated the Jakarta attacks on January 14. Another one of those arrested had been in contact with Malaysian Isis recruiter, Muhammad Wanndy Mohamed Jedi, also known as Abu Hamzah. March 3, 2016. By Stephanie Nebehay and Tom Miles GENEVA (Reuters) - South Korea's foreign minister called on the U.N. Security Council to expand sanctions on North Korea on Wednesday to punish what he called an escalating and increasingly threatening nuclear programme. Yun Byung-se called North Korea a "serial offender" and denounced Pyongyang's fourth nuclear test and latest long-range missile launch, carried out in January and February. North Korea's Ambassador Se Pyong So said his country's nuclear programme was designed to ensure peace on the divided Korean peninsula, and warned that more sanctions would bring a "tougher reaction". Both men addressed the U.N.-backed Conference on Disarmament in Geneva hours before major powers were scheduled to vote at the U.N. Security Council across the Atlantic on a resolution to expand sanctions on North Korea. The United States also condemned Pyongyang's actions. "The international community stands united in its firm opposition to the DPRK's development and possession of nuclear weapons," Christopher Buck, deputy U.S. disarmament ambassador, told the Geneva talks. "We do not and will not accept North Korea as a nuclear-armed state." LANDMARK RESOLUTION After nearly two months of bilateral negotiations, China last month agreed to support new measures in the Security Council to try and persuade its ally North Korea to abandon its atomic weapons programme. Pyongyang has been under U.N. sanctions since 2006 because of its nuclear tests and multiple rocket launches. "It's no wonder that the Security Council will very soon put up a landmark resolution with the strongest ever non-military sanction measures in seven decades of U.N. history," South Korea's Yun said. The credibility of the nuclear non-proliferation regime needed to be protected, he added. "Even at this moment, Pyongyang is accelerating its nuclear weapons and missile capabilities from nuclear bombs and hydrogen bombs to ICBMs and SLBMs," he said referring to intercontinental ballistic missiles and submarine-launched ballistic missiles. "We have heard Pyongyang officially state its intention not only to further develop its nuclear weapons and missiles but also to use them." Japan's parliamentary vice-minister for foreign affairs, Masakazu Hamachi, said North Korea's actions had undermined the security of Northeast Asia and the rest of the world. North Korea's envoy retorted that the nuclear programme was "not directed to harm the fellow countryman but to protect peace on the Korean Peninsula and security in the region from the U.S. vicious nuclear war scenario." "The more sanctions will bring about tougher reaction," So said. (Reporting by Tom Miles and Stephanie Nebehay; writing by Stephanie Nebehay; Editing by Andrew Heavens and John Stonestreet) (Reuters) - A Pennsylvania Roman Catholic priest was sentenced on Wednesday to more than 16 years in prison for sexually abusing boys living in shelters for at-risk children in Honduras, a federal prosecutor said. Joseph Maurizio Jr., 70, worked in the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown, the central Pennsylvania diocese criticized for rampant child sex abuse in a grand jury report released on Tuesday. While the report said hundreds of children were victimized by about 50 priests and that bishops covered up their actions, no criminal charges will be filed because the alleged incidents are too old to be prosecuted, authorities said. After an eight-day trial, a federal jury convicted Maurizio in September of engaging in illicit sexual conduct in foreign places, possession of child pornography and international money laundering, U.S. Attorney David Hickton said in a news release. Prosecutors said Maurizio created a charity that became the biggest donor to Pro Nino, a non-profit organization that provided shelter to poor and abandoned children living near San Pedro Sula, Honduras. During more than a dozen missionary trips to Honduras between 2004 and 2009, Maurizio sexually abused two boys living in the shelters, Hickton said. At least once, he paid the boys to engage in sexual acts with him, the prosecutor said. He also kept digital images of child sexual exploitation, including images of his victims, Hickton said. Maurizio was sentenced to 200 months in prison and ordered to pay a $50,000 fine and $10,000 in restitution to each victim. His lawyer, Devin Misour of Pittsburgh, declined to comment. (Reporting by Barbara Goldberg in New York; Editing by Peter Cooney) The UN's Syria envoy said Thursday that visible progress was being made on the country's landmark ceasefire, after a sharp drop was reported in the number of civilians dying every day. France and Britain said further efforts were needed, calling on Russia to halt attacks on moderate rebel groups in Syria as the country suffered an hours-long nationwide blackout, evidence of the damage nearly five years of war has inflicted. World powers have thrown their weight behind the ceasefire agreement as a way to bring an end to the complex war, starting with renewed peace talks in Geneva set for March 9. Peace envoy Staffan de Mistura on Thursday said the truce, now in its sixth day, had made "visible" progress. "The level of violence in the country is being greatly reduced. Ask the Syrian people," De Mistura told reporters in Geneva, adding that the situation remained "fragile". He spoke before entering a meeting of the UN-backed international task force co-chaired by Moscow and Washington that is overseeing the truce. "In general, the cessation has been holding," he said, while acknowledging that "there are still a number of places where fighting has continued," including in parts of Damascus and Homs. - 'Huge drop' in deaths - One of the clearest signs that the truce is largely holding has been a drastically lower civilian death toll. In the five days since the ceasefire took effect, a total of 73 civilians were killed across the country, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The monitoring group said 49 of the civilians were killed in areas controlled by the Islamic State jihadist group, which along with Al-Qaeda's local affiliate are not included in the truce. Observatory head Abdel Rahman said the five-day toll represented a "huge drop," comparing it with the 63 civilians killed on Friday alone, before the cessation of hostilities. On Thursday, activists and AFP correspondents reported one of the quietest days so far. In Aleppo, vegetable markets and parks were teeming with grinning families enjoying the calm, an AFP correspondent said. And in Daraya, a rebel-held town near Damascus, activist Shadi Matar said children could finally enjoy a full day of school. "Before the truce, students would start at 6:00 am before the barrel bombs start, and the school day would only last two hours," he said. But in a reminder of the toll the war has taken on infrastructure, Syria was hit by an hours-long nationwide power cut on Thursday. Syrian state television said power was slowly returning to parts of the country after the widespread blackout began at 1100 GMT, without specifying the cause. - Calls to Russia - Syria's government and the opposition -- and their respective backers -- have traded accusations over ceasefire breaches. The head of the main opposition grouping, the High Negotiations Committee, said on Thursday the truce would be "on the verge of collapse" if world powers did not do more to stop violations. Riad Hijab said the regime and its allies had committed more than 100 breaches over the past five days. Russia's defence ministry said however it had recorded 44 breaches of the truce from the rebel side since Wednesday. A statement said Russia had documented 14 instances of shelling of regime-held residential areas, adding four tonnes of Russian humanitarian aid was delivered to the central Hama province during a 24-hour period. French President Francois Hollande and British Prime Minister David Cameron called on Russia and the Syrian regime to "immediately stop attacks on the moderate opposition". Hollande, Cameron, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel will discuss the truce on Friday in a conference call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Downing Street said. "Tomorrow is an opportunity for the leaders of the UK, France and Germany to come together... and make very clear to President Putin that we need this ceasefire to hold, to be a lasting one and to open the way for a real political transition," Cameron's spokeswoman said. On Wednesday, Cameron said the ceasefire was "an important step forward, imperfect as it is", as it opened the way to the prospect of political negotiations. EU President Donald Tusk on Thursday issued a blunt warning to economic migrants not to come to Europe, and chastised European countries which have taken unilateral action to tackle the crisis. On a busy day of diplomacy, Tusk visited Greece and Turkey, the two countries on the frontline of Europe's worst migration crisis since World War II, and acknowledged that the number of people seeking to reach EU territory from Turkey remained "far too high". His travels were aimed at building momentum ahead of a critical summit between EU and Turkish leaders on Monday at which Brussels hopes to take concrete decisions leading to a lasting reduction in the flow of migrants and refugees fleeing war, poverty and persecution. After talks in Athens with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, Tusk told economic migrants it was pointless to try to reach the European Union, which is struggling because of the migrant crisis to maintain its prized Schengen passport-free travel area. The EU plans to unveil on Friday a "roadmap" to restore Schengen -- a keystone to the spirit of European unity. "I want to appeal to all potential illegal economic migrants wherever you are from: Do not come to Europe," Tusk said. "Do not believe the smugglers. Do not risk your lives and your money. It is all for nothing." In Ankara, Tusk sought to encourage Turkey to take further action to sharply cut the numbers of people taking to unseaworthy boats to reach Greece. "It is for Turkey to decide how best to achieve such a reduction," Tusk said after meeting Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, floating the idea of a "fast and large scale mechanism" to ship back irregular migrants from Greece. "It would effectively break the business model of smugglers." - 'I will try' - The crisis has raised fears for the Schengen zone as more states bring back border controls, with both Sweden and Denmark announcing another temporary extension of border identification checks on Thursday. But sources in Brussels said the EU's "roadmap" on Friday would outline a plan to restore the Schengen zone to full force by November. The plan, a draft of which has been seen by AFP, includes quickly creating an EU coastguard system and strengthening Greece's external borders. At the Greek-Macedonian border, migrants from countries like Egypt and Pakistan -- and therefore not classed as refugees -- remained undeterred, despite the many hurdles. "I know the border is closed but I want to go to Germany, I will try, try, try," said Mohamed, an Egyptian who plans to pay smugglers to sneak into Macedonia through the hills. "Egypt is bad, there is no work." According to the International Organization for Migration, 120,369 migrants arrived in Greece from Turkey so far this year. At least 321 died en route. With thousands stuck on the Greek-Macedonian border after Austria and Balkan states began tightly restricting migrant entries, Tusk lashed out in Athens at "unilateral" actions by EU members as "detrimental to the European spirit of solidarity". Tsipras said he would like to see sanctions imposed on EU states that undermine joint decisions by the 28-member bloc. His Deputy Defence Minister Dimitres Vitsas said there were now nearly 32,000 migrants on the Greek islands and the mainland, and a senior UN migration official said the number could surge to 70,000 in the coming weeks. - 'Looming emergency' - On Wednesday, the EU unveiled a 700-million-euro ($760-million) emergency aid plan to help Greece and other member countries, the first time humanitarian aid has been used within Europe. Greece has been the main point of entry for the 1.13 million migrants who have arrived in the EU over the past 14 months. The United Nations has warned of a looming humanitarian crisis on the Greek-Macedonian border, where aid agencies have reported a lack of food and tents and warned that the wintry weather is taking a toll on people's health. Meanwhile in the northern French port of Calais, a group of Iranian migrants sewed their mouths shut in protest at the demolition of the so-called Jungle migrant camp, which is a magnet for people hoping to reach Britain. The Calais situation topped the agenda at talks between French President Francois Hollande and British Prime Minister David Cameron in northern France on Thursday. Hollande warned of "consequences" for the management of migrants with Britain if the country votes to leave the European Union. UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - A World Food Programme (WFP) ship carrying humanitarian aid offloaded its cargo in Yemen on Wednesday, the United Nations said, after it was diverted to Saudi Arabia last month because it was carrying communications equipment. Saudi Arabia is leading an Arab military coalition in a war against Iran-allied Houthi rebels and army forces loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh in an effort to restore President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to power. The Mainport Cedar, which the United Nations said was carrying a cargo of humanitarian relief supplies bound for the Houthi-controlled port of Hodeida, was diverted by the coalition to the Saudi port of Jizan on Feb. 11. "The World Food Programme confirms that the Mainport Cedar has offloaded its cargo at Yemen's Hodeida port today," said U.N. spokesman Farhan Haq. "The vessel was carrying interagency cargo that includes canned tuna and medical supplies. It had also been carrying information technology equipment that was left behind in Jizan to complete paperwork to allow it into Aden for the U.N. humanitarian hub," Haq said. Brigadier General Ahmed Asseri, the Saudi-led coalition's spokesman, said in February that the communications equipment was similar to that used by the Houthis and had not been declared by the WFP. Yemen relies almost solely on imports, but the conflict has slowed shipments to a trickle after Saudi Arabia imposed a naval blockade to stop weapons being imported. United Nations aid chief Stephen O'Brien told the U.N. Security Council earlier this month that a U.N. verification and inspection mechanism for shipments had now been launched in a bid to boost commercial imports. O'Brien is due to address the council again on Yemen on Thursday. More than 6,000 people have been killed, about half of them civilians, in Yemen since Saudi-led forces began military operations in March last year after the Houthis advanced on Hadi's temporary headquarters in the southern port city of Aden. (Reporting by Michelle Nichols, editing by G Crosse) North Korea fired six short-range projectiles into the sea Thursday in a show of defiance just hours after the United Nations adopted the toughest sanctions to date on Pyongyang over its fourth nuclear test and rocket launch. Limited displays of military firepower have become a routine response by North Korea to international pressure over anything from its nuclear weapons program to its human rights record. South Korea's defence ministry said the six projectiles -- either rockets or guided missiles -- fell into the sea around 100-150 kilometres (60-90 miles) off the North's eastern coast. China's foreign ministry responded by urging all parties to refrain from any actions that might see tensions escalate still further. The launches came after the UN Security Council unanimously passed a resolution late Wednesday imposing new sanctions after seven weeks of arduous negotiations between the United States and China, Pyongyang's sole major ally. - Potential loopholes - All eyes are now on China and Russia to see if they fully enact the sweeping measures. North Korea offered no immediate statement on the sanctions, which break new ground, requiring all countries to inspect cargo destined for and coming from the North, in all airports and sea ports. They also ban or restrict exports of coal, iron and iron ore and other minerals from North Korea, and prohibit the supply of aviation fuel including rocket fuel. But analysts have pointed to several possible loopholes, including interpretations of what constitutes a proper cargo "inspection" and a provision that excludes mineral exports if their revenues are not deemed to be destined for military use. North Korea earns about $1 billion per year in coal exports -- a third of all export revenues -- and about $200 million annually from iron ore sales, US Ambassador Samantha Power told the Security Council. US President Barack Obama welcomed the measures as "a firm, united, and appropriate response" to the January 6 nuclear test and February 7 rocket launch. "The international community, speaking with one voice, has sent Pyongyang a simple message: North Korea must abandon these dangerous programs and choose a better path for its people," Obama said. Banking restrictions will be tightened and governments will be required to ban flights of any plane suspected of carrying contraband destined for North Korea. "These are among the toughest measures we have agreed against any country in the world, certainly the toughest ever against the DPRK," said British Ambassador Matthew Rycroft, referring to North Korea by its official acronym. A total of 16 individuals and 12 entities were added to a UN sanctions blacklist, including North Korea's NADA space agency and its spy agency. South Korean President Park Geun-Hye said she hoped the "unprecedentedly tough" sanctions would push Pyongyang into finally abandoning its nuclear weapons program. The resolution sends "a strong message from the international community seeking peace on the Korean peninsula," Park said. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe urged Pyongyang to refrain from any fresh provocations, while Tokyo's ambassador to the UN, Motohide Yoshikawa, stressed that "the heart of the matter now is implementation" of the sanctions by China, North Korea's largest trading partner, and other countries. - Making sanctions bite - Power also called for a "robust and unyielding" follow-up to ensure the sanctions bite and singled out Russia and China as key players. Chinese Ambassador Liu Jieyi said the resolution should "be a new starting point and a stepping stone" for renewed talks on dismantling North Korea's nuclear program. Russia echoed that view, with Ambassador Vitaly Churkin saying the resolution is designed to "shut down as much as possible the financing" of North Korea's weapons program to push Pyongyang back to the negotiating table. During the weeks of negotiations, China had been reluctant to endorse harsh sanctions out of concern that too much pressure would trigger the collapse of the pariah regime, creating chaos on its border. Andrea Berger, a Korea specialist at the London-based Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies, said China's enforcement of the new sanctions was likely to be piecemeal at best. "It is difficult to foresee broad and consistent implementation of the new resolution, especially from players such as China, to create barriers that North Korea cannot find its way around," Berger said. The latest resolution ushered in the fifth set of UN sanctions to hit North Korea since it first tested an atomic device in 2006. The human gut is a complex and amazing system, and the more we learn about it, the more amazed we are. It turns out Cengage's New Developmental Math Tool Breaks Lessons into 'Learning Bursts' Cengage Learning has launched MindTap Math Foundations, what the company said is the first in a suite of new products designed to address the lack of college readiness among students in the United States. The tool is a developmental math curriculum and platform that breaks lessons into 15-minute "learning bursts," using interactive video lessons, exercises and games. Students can access it by phone, tablet or computer at any time. Cengage representatives said they gathered input from nearly 1,000 students while creating the new program, many of whom said lack of time and the need to juggle family and job responsibilities were responsible for their lack of preparation. Thus MindTap Math Foundations, which gives students the ability to work in brief "bursts" of problem-solving and critical thinking skill exercises. "Students consistently told us that time is their biggest barrier to completion and they need the ability to work at their own pace," said Cengage Learning Executive Vice President and Chief Product Officer Jim Donohue. "We designed MindTap Math Foundations to make it easy for students to work through the curriculum and connect with their instructors and other students in a way that fits into their daily lives." More than 1,000 instructors at 180 higher education institutions have signed on for a pilot program this spring to provide input and feedback. Student analytics and enhanced communication tools, like an interactive whiteboard, may help instructors identify at-risk students and intervene earlier. Cengage representatives said they expect MindTap Math Foundations to be available for full-scale purchase this summer, in time for the fall semester. Students can purchase as much or as little access as they need, starting with 10 weeks of access for $55. Students who use the program for at least three hours a week will not have to purchase an additional access code if they need to retake the course. By Gabriela Baczynska and Francesco Guarascio BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union, faced with a burgeoning refugee crisis in Greece, launched a new aid programme on Wednesday worth an initial 700 million euros that mirrors the kind of disaster relief it offers developing nations. As European states have tightened borders following the arrival of more than a million migrants by sea last year and the Athens government has appealed for help to house and care for tens of thousands still arriving and now stranded in Greece. The European Commission's proposal will, if approved, switch 300 million euros ($325 million) this year from its 155-billion euro annual budget to the new emergency assistance scheme and 200 million euros both next year and in 2018. Officials stress that the programme will not divert funds from the EU's 1.1-billion annual budget devoted to helping the world's poorest. They note that relieving the suffering of refugees closer to their homes is a key part of the 28-nation bloc's strategy to discourage people from making dangerous journeys to Europe. More than 400 people have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean this year as they tried to reach Europe, most of them on the short but perilous crossing from Turkey to Greece. Turkey is at the heart of the EU's efforts to slow the influx of refugees and migrants and the bloc wants Ankara to ensure that daily arrivals fall below 1,000 from 2,000-3,000 at present. Two officials told Reuters that Germany, the principal destination for those arriving in Europe, is looking for flows to be "in the realm of three digits, not four" per day and, should that happen, Berlin would start taking refugees directly from Turkey for resettlement - an attempt to promote legal migration rather than continuing the chaotic influx of 2015. The Commission also said on Wednesday that 308 irregular migrants who had no case for asylum in Europe were being returned to Turkey from Greece, a sharp increase on recent numbers going back to Turkey. The EU money, to be spent in conjunction with the United Nations and private charities working in Greece and other EU states, is intended to fund purchases of shelter, food, medical aid and other basic services. Greece, which now houses about 25,000 refugees and migrants, has hitherto benefited from EU funding and assistance under other programmes to bolster its border and security systems and coordinate donations of aid from fellow EU members, though Athens has complained that offers have been inadequate. "The number of refugees continues to rise, so do their humanitarian needs. All of this is happening inside Europe," Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Christos Stylianides said. At a single border point, the Idomeni crossing between Greece and Macedonia, between 12,000 and 15,000 stranded people were in need of urgent humanitarian assistance, he said. "OVERWHELMED" Officials in Brussels said the aim is to have the scheme operational on the ground "within weeks rather than months". The new programme, to be a permanent feature of the EU budget, is intended for use by any EU state that is "overwhelmed" and cannot cope with a wide range of emergencies, including accidents, militant attacks and epidemics. It will need approval by the European Parliament and member states. Greece, the main gateway to Europe, would initially be the main beneficiary of the emergency scheme for "tackling wide-ranging humanitarian crises within the EU". The money would also be available to other EU countries along the Balkans migration route -- the main track used by refugees and migrants. Greece, its economy blighted by the euro zone debt crisis, has asked for 480 million euros to help it cope with 100,000 migrants. EU officials said on Wednesday they were still looking at the request. More than a million people reached Europe last year and some 133,000 arrived on the continent so far in 2016 in what has grown to be a major crisis for the bloc, that now also risks turning into a humanitarian disaster. ($1 = 0.9212 euros) (Additional reporting by Alastair Macdonald and Robin Emmott; Editing by Dominic Evans) By John Irish and Elizabeth Pineau AMIENS, France (Reuters) - France and Britain agreed on Thursday to a 2 billion euro (1.49 billion pound) project to build a drone, as the two allies firmed up military ties amid conflicts in Syria and Libya. President Francois Hollande and Prime Minister David Cameron met in northern France as part of a bi-annual summit commemorating the centenary of the Battle of the Somme in which 600,000 British and French soldiers died. The two leaders also sought to show their unity on the Syria crisis before a conference call with Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday. Paris and London want to apply pressure on Moscow to stop supporting advances by the Syrian government on Western-backed rebels that they say will be key players in any peace deal. Cameron and Hollande announced plans for what they said was a new multi-use unmanned aircraft that would be ready for technical checks in 2020 and operational a decade later. "This will be the most advanced of it kind in Europe," Cameron told a joint news conference, saying the project would create significant numbers of jobs in both countries. Each side will contribute equally to the Future Combat Air System project, based on a 120-million-pound joint feasibility study agreed in 2014, official said. Britain's BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce , along with Dassault Aviation , Safran and Thales of France, are taking part, they added. France and Britain, both permanent veto-wielding members of the United Nations Security Council, are engaged in air strikes on Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq. Hollande and Cameron are also backers of the "moderate" Syrian opposition and repeated their concerns that President Bashar al-Assad's forces and allies including Russia were continue to target rebel forces despite a new cessation of hostilities deal. "We are putting pressure on all the players so that the bombings don't start again and that there is a real negotiation in which the opposition has its place," Hollande said, referring to inter-Syrian peace talks that are due to resume on March 9 in Geneva. "We need Russia to understand that there is an opposition that should not be confused with Islamic State," he said. Both men said it was vital that the government was in place before the Spring to ensure that Islamic State did not use migration routes across the Mediterranean to send fighters from Libya to Europe. "I don't think we can wait to start talking to the government ... we can't have another migration route opening up, Cameron said. (Additional reporting by Elizabeth Piper; Editing by Andrew Callus and Andrew Heavens) WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The credibility of the Minsk peace deal for eastern Ukraine will come under threat unless both sides in the conflict make faster progress in implementing the agreement, Germany's foreign minister said on Monday. Speaking at a news conference in Washington with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, Frank-Walter Steinmeier conceded that the readiness of the government in Kiev and pro-Russian separatists to move forward with Minsk was "very limited". "Implementation must continue. The credibility of the whole process rests on this," Steinmeier said. Kerry said "both sides need to perform", and that Russia must ensure that the separatists do their part. Kiev's struggles to get an election law for eastern Ukraine through parliament and an increase in ceasefire violations in the region have raised fears that the deal, sealed one year ago in the Belarus capital, could collapse, sparking a new wave of fighting. European countries have tied the removal of sanctions against Russia to the implementation of Minsk. Germany and its allies worry that if Ukraine does not implement its side of the agreement, pressure could rise to ease those sanctions when they expire in July. Earlier on Monday, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban warned the European Union against extending the sanctions automatically when they lapse, urging instead a "serious debate" on the matter. Steinmeier said he hoped that a meeting of the foreign ministers of Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine scheduled to take place on Thursday in Paris would lead to progress on planned elections in eastern Ukraine. "If elections take place, and everyone says this, then we need two things: first an election law and second security conditions which allow an election to be held," he said. "I hope that we make a small step forward on Thursday." (Reporting by Noah Barkin) A pot of 17m in UK money will be used to help relocate migrants at the Calais 'Jungle' to other camps in France or to their home countries, David Cameron has revealed. The Prime Minister said the money would also be spent on enhanced security in the port town. Speaking at a joint news conference at the end of a summit with French President Francois Hollande, Mr Cameron said: "The money will go towards efforts to move people from the camps in Calais to facilities elsewhere in France and we will fund joint work to return migrants not in need of protection to their home countries." France's economy minister warned earlier that the Jungle - home to thousands of migrants wanting to get to the UK - could be moved to Kent if Britain were to leave the EU. Emmanuel Macron said the Le Touquet Agreement could be scrapped if the UK leaves the European Union as a result of an Out vote in June's referendum. The agreement, which allows British authorities to conduct border checks on the French side of the Channel and thereby keep illegal migrants out, has led to the emergence of the migrant camps across the Channel. Mr Macron told the Financial Times: "The day this relationship unravels, migrants will no longer be in Calais and the financial passport would work less well." Mr Hollande told the news conference it was up to the British people whether the UK remained or left but there would be consequences if it was to leave. In the meantime, he said, France has facilities to accommodate any migrants that are refused permission to become asylum seekers in Britain. Any unaccompanied minors trying to enter the UK who have relatives already there, he added, should be allowed to go there "quickly and efficiently". He said: "The (French) Home Office minister has established centres that are at the disposal of these people and he has ensured that ... these people can be placed somewhere in the warm, in good conditions and hopefully (be) integrated into our country. Story continues "With regard to the people who absolutely want to go to the UK, as soon as the UK has decided not to accept these people... the access will be closed." Earlier this week, demolition teams and riot officers moved into the Calais camp to clear migrants, refugees and activists in an attempt to reduce the camp's size. :: Mr Cameron has also announced a series of ways in which Britain and France plan to work more closely together on security issues, and to defeat terrorism. The two countries will spend 1.5bn developing the next generation of drones, in a sign of closer co-operation over security and defence. KKR has agreed to buy into seeds provider Advanta Enterprises in a deal which values the business at about $2.25bn. Published On Mar 03, 2016 03:58 PM By Sumit Maruti Suzuki has said that following the budget announcement, it has decided to increase the prices of its models by Rs. 34,494. The decision has been taken after Shri Arun Jaitley announced an infra cess on the vehicles ranging from 1% to 4%. The hikes thus range from Rs. 1,441 to 34,494. "Following the infrastructure cess on automobiles in the Union Budget 2016-17... prices of its models would go up in the range of Rs 1,441 to Rs 34,494 across its models," said Maruti Suzuki India. Though, there is a relief for those who plan to opt for hybrid vehicles. The government announced the FAME (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles in India) scheme in last years budget and Ciaz SHVS and Ertiga SHVS (Marutis hybrid offerings) benefitted from the same. "As Smart Hybrid models (Ciaz SHVS and Ertiga SHVS) are exempt from the Infrastructure Cess, there is no change in the prices of these models", the company said in a statement. An important thing to note is that though the government did not enhance the subsidies on electric vehicles this time, it did introduce infra cess on petrol/diesel vehicles. This will result in increase in prices of the same while electric/ hybrid vehicles will not observe this hike. Therefore, indirectly, this infra cess will push the carmakers towards green technology. Some other automakers like Tata Motors, have already carry forwarded the impact on the customers. Honda and Hyundai have too expressed their intent to do the same as soon as possible. Also Read: Maruti Alto Reaches another High! New thinking is scary, but old thinking is truly dangerous. Old thinking is safe; grounded in sensible logic that advises you to stick with whats worked in the past. Historic business paradigms and pricing schemes that are the bread and butter of your revenue model are hard to give up. History shows that major technology breakthroughs (e.g., the PC and the Internet) create the impetus for new business models, and its rare that existing companies are willing to cannibalize their income. Often a new company, with no existing stream of revenue to protect, introduces a new way to provide value and monetize the shift in power created by such breakthroughs. These revolutionary pricing models or customer acquisition systems shift the balance of power, and billions of dollars, away from established companies. The path is usually the same; incumbents cling to the past while the disrupters give away that service and instead charge for something new. With 20/20 hindsight, we can point to hundreds of examples of disrupted businesses from the PC and Internet eras and criticize the impacted players that failed to see what is now obvious. But we also know that three current technology breakthroughs are happening as we speak; search, social media and mobile. We also know that in the not too distant future these important developments will impact other industries. Must we watch helplessly as a new wave of established companies suffer a predicable fate? Is our industry doomed for history to repeat while we take no action? In many ways its unavoidable as much as it is predicable. Its easy to watch dispassionately how another industry is shaken to the core but be convinced it cant happen to us. Even if you correctly fear the consequences of these shifts in power, and you rightly anticipate the changing business model paradigm, youre often helpless to act because youre in a fragmented market where you join thousands of your peers who may be dynamic leaders in our industry but we simple cant move the needle on our own. Many billions of dollars of investment capital is pouring into financial technology investing, and most are targeting disrupters; software players that directly market financial services to consumers versus business to business (B2B) software companies that offer white-label services under the financial institutions brand. Examples of top funded companies include Acorns, Wealthfront, Betterment, Blender, Colu, Moula, Osper, Lending Club, Prosper, and many more. These companies and their venture investors are betting that a train wreck of disruption is arriving in the banking industry. Some leading banks and credit unions are attempting to answer the threat by hosting hackathons, participating in start-up incubators, and awarding prizes to software developers with exciting, new potential products or services. Most big banks with an innovation program work in isolation and the results are underwhelming. The number of truly game-changing new product innovations that have come out of banking in the past 25 years is minimal. Contrast that with the number of innovative products and services introduced by entrepreneurs. I can personally attest (as the co-founder of Digital Insight in 1995) to the real-world innovators dilemma that exists, and how most revolutionary companies could have only been created as a startup. Lets watch the train wreck as its happening in another industry sector with a number of daunting parallels to banking; hotel booking and distribution. There are 4.88M hotel rooms in the U.S. (over $115B in annual room revenue with 60% occupancy and $110 average daily room rate). In 2001 the vast majority of rooms were booked directly at a hotel (walk-in, call center reservation) and the rest were through intermediaries (travel agent, tour operator, online travel agency, known as OTA). Per a 2011 Oxford Economics Study, 1.4% of total room revenue was from Online Travel Agencies in 2001. It would be hard to find a respected industry expert or analyst that didnt believe the mix would continue to shift in the future, along with the balance of power from hoteliers to online distribution agents. The percentage of online bookings from companies such as hotels.com predictably grew to 45% in 2015, representing over 15% of total industry room revenue. Recently, Marriott and Starwood agreed to merge, creating the largest hotel operator in the world, with a combined market capitalization of $25B. Hilton is now the second largest chain with a $17B valuation, Intercontinental is $7.5B, Wyndham is $7B and Hyatt is $5B. These dominant hotel chains control 70% of the US hotel inventory and collectively have over $61B in market value as of February 8, 2016. Conrad Hilton purchased his first hotel (The Mobley in Cisco, Texas) effectively launching Hilton Corp in 1919. Priceline, was founded in 1997, Expedia was founded in 1996 and they have a combined market cap of $59B. Let this sink in. Demand did not shift (hotel room occupancy rates in the U.S. was 61% in 2005 and 65% in 2015). Supply did not materially change (the number of hotel rooms in the U.S. grew from 4.1M in 2000 to 4.9M in 2015, or 1.3% annually). No new competitive threat was introduced (unlike disruption in other industries; e.g. Amazon grew revenue from zero in the first half of 1994 to $107B in 2015, creating an equal revenue decline from traditional brick and mortar retailers, forcing several prominent chains into bankruptcy). What shifted was the consumer experience for booking. The balance of power shifted from brand and operator to online marketing and customer acquisition agents, creating a new gatekeeper. This new intermediary between the guest and the hotel extracts between 1530% of the total cost of the room. These OTA gatekeepers outspend hotels 2 to 1 in TV advertising and 4 to 1 in online search advertising. The model is very familiar and has been used by Uber, who charges drivers 20% of the total fare in exchange for marketing, lead generation, sales and payment processing. These third party distribution channels have effectively created their own soft brand with features such as loyalty, social reviews and quality metrics, and substantial contribution in reservation automation. Their entry has led to price transparency, lower room rates, lower advance reservations (get lower rates if you wait, making it more difficult for hotels to forecast), and commoditization between hotel brands. In order to make up for lost revenue, hotel operators invented new ways to charge customers to artificially lower the published room rate (such as resort fees and charging exorbitant rates for phone and internet access), further angering consumers (similar to how airlines introduced baggage fees), making the OTA look like the good guys. These intermediaries provide consumers what they want: greater choice, lower prices, price transparency, convenience, time savings, and better, more current travel information (independent ratings, reviews, location guides and travel tips). How and why did hotel operators allow this to happen? We know what they wanted; higher occupancy, higher average daily room rates, brand loyalty, and ability to up-sell other hotel services (such as bar / restaurant). Cindy Estis Green and Mark V. Lomann published a report in 2012 that summarized the industry threat (An AH&LA and STR Special Report. Distribution Channel Analysis: A Guide for Hotels); Power is in the hands of the gatekeepers who control consumer access, and many are vying for that position. This doesnt bode well for a fragmented industry such as lodging. There are many powerful online media interests that are well positioned to control the traffic leading to the demand for hotel rooms. They have deep pockets, centralized product and marketing strategies. To compete effectively and retain control of pricing, inventory, and brand value, the industry has to make a substantial commitment to manage a burgeoning array of transactional and marketing channels and harness its customer relationships, the asset it controls best, more effectively than any third party intermediary. Three greatest emerging trends are; search, social media, mobile. Greatest threat to business in next 23 years; Google, Facebook and Apple. In spite of decades of time advantage, valuable customer records and control over a customer experience that can never go digital, hoteliers gave away their customer relationships, allowing these new gatekeepers. Other participants in the travel industry also faced threats and opportunities. Consumer-focused offline travel agents were not able to make the transition to online (travel agent retail locations are down from 34,000 in mid-nineties to 13,000 in 2012). Airlines leveraged two key pieces of data; travel dates and destination city, to tap into hotel inventory and car rentals by offering bookings via their own branded online and mobile experience. They provide a valuable customer experience, using their data to act as gatekeeper in order to generate ancillary income. What about the banking industry? Simply replace the words lodging with banking, hotel rooms with banking services, and the threats are the same; disintermediation (inviting gatekeepers), shifting economic model (from interchange to leveraging consumer demand and data), fragmented industry, and powerful new market entrants (Apple, Google, Facebook) in an industry that is increasingly going digital. Consumers would much prefer to have banks provide the plumbing and have their favorite mobile interface handle the user experience. We can also draw powerful corollaries between hotel inventory and the payments industry. The shift for online commerce started twenty years ago but is still in its infancy (according to the St. Louis Fed, e-commerce accounted for $87B in online sales in Q3 2015, or 7.4% of total retail sales in the U.S.). The shift for offline commerce (in-store retailing) is just beginning and the winners have the potential to create trillions of dollars of value each year. Consumers will continue to buy gas, food, clothes etc. in brick and mortar stores, but the way they find, compare and pay for these goods and services has already started to change significantly due to search, mobile and social media capabilities. How will the power shift for the banking industry? Whats the role of current payments industry forces? Total payments interchange is estimated to be $60B each year, shared by several layers of intermediaries who move information and money from the bank of the consumer to the bank of the merchant. As this dated business model continues to decline, leading banks like Chase are accelerating the decline in payment processing fees by leading the shift in power to enabling commerce in their own branded mobile payment system (via Chase Pay, anticipated to debut later in 2016). Chase Pay has partnered with several companies, including LevelUp and Merchant Customer Exchange (MCX), to offer over-the-top settlement services. This means that merchants are able to pay significantly less for on-us Chase payment transactions, where payment is initiated via mobile, with zero fraud liability. Chase understand that their customer relationships, their consumer payment and past consumption data, and their position as gatekeeper based on their banking relationships is the true value in payments. The power will not be in the hands of the retailers, but will be with the consumer. Lets look at merchant funded offers networks (card linked offers, group buying sites, coupons, and other incentive systems). Once a hotel chain partners with an OTA, the power shift has occurred and now that chain has opened a new customer acquisition channel. The chain (e.g., Hyatt and Hilton) will provide their inventory to every other OTA (e.g., hotels.com and Expedia) and create a jump ball whereby whoever books the room gets the commission. For merchants, providing consumer savings and incentives via card-linked offers or merchant funded rewards works the same way. If a big box chain makes pricing and other incentives available to consumers, they will make the offer available to all shopping apps that enable discovery, search, comparison, purchase and rewards. The mobile device and software platform that presents the offer and provides the best consumer value and experience will win. Financial institutions have significantly more consumption and demographic data then other industries. Financial institutions are currently gatekeepers in the card issuance and card acceptance model, and have the opportunity to become the gatekeeper in the future data and customer purchase model. Fortunately for credit unions, a visionary group of 38 credit unions and CU service organizations understood the risks associated with in-action, along with the opportunities that exist in this rapidly changing space, and founded and invested in CU Wallet in 2013. As a CUSO, CU Wallet collaborated to create a platform to provide credit unions with an alternative to inviting new gatekeepers into our industry. The first product, introduced in January 2016 for a handful of progressive credit unions, provides a credit union branded mobile app with in-store payment capabilities and a merchant funded offers network. Its not often that credit unions are able to beat big banks like Chase to market with innovative new services, but thanks to a group of investors and subscribers, in partnership with entrepreneurial leadership, new thinking is being applied to ensure our industrys success. Britains dairy and livestock industries would be crippled if the UK left the European Union, Defra secretary Liz Truss has claimed. Ms Truss was commenting on the trade implications of leaving the EU, as set out in a government paper outlining the process for withdrawing from the trading bloc. Its clear full access to the single European market has major benefits for our food and farming industry, she said. See also: Clash over impact of EU exit on farming The single market made reaching Europes 500 million consumers simpler and generated 11bn for farmers and food producers, Ms Truss claimed. About 60% of our food and drink exports go to the EU with no market access barriers. For some of our farming sectors that rely on trade with Europe, facing the same import tariffs as other countries outside the EU would be crippling. This is what could happen if no deal was reached after two years of the exit process being commenced and trade reverting to the WTO default rules. The government published its Process for withdrawing from the European Union (PDF) document on Monday (29 February). Ms Truss said dairy farmers already suffering from low global demand could face an additional 36% tariff to trade with EU countries, if the UK was no longer an EU member. Tariffs could be as high as 70% for the beef industry, she claimed. Some 97% of all lamb exported was sold to Europe and could face an additional 40% tariff. Challenge to stay competitive Remaining competitive with other European farmers would become an increasing challenge, said Ms Truss. Farmers are currently able to export our high-quality products freely without the trade barriers we deal with elsewhere in the world. We also have a say in setting the rules. We would have to negotiate new trade agreements with 53 individual nations, that are currently agreed through the EU. This would not be easy or fast. Campaigners calling for a leave vote in the in-out referendum on 23 June have suggested it would be relatively easy for the UK to secure post-exit trade deals with the EU. But Ms Truss said: Protracted negotiations we are still having about opening the US market to British beef more than twenty years after BSE show how hard this can be. Considerable effort had been required for UK pork producers to gain access to the Chinese market and many UK products such as beef and chicken still did not have access to China. Uncertainty after exit While these deals are debated, our food and farming industry would face damaging uncertainty, said Ms Truss, who repeated her assertions that leaving the EU would be a leap into the dark. She added: I believe our farming industry would be stronger, safer and better off in a reformed Europe and our special status will gives us the best of both worlds. Ms Trusss comments contradict the view of Defra minister George Eustice, who believes British farmers would be better off if the UK left the EU. Mr Eustice told last months NFU Conference in Birmingham that leaving the EU would bring a range of benefits including an 18bn a year Brexit dividend in savings. Mr Eustice said he had wrestled with all sorts of EU regulation during his time as Defra minister. We would do far better as a country if we ended the supremacy of EU law and actually shaped new, fresh thinking and created policies that would really deliver for our agriculture. The existing way of tackling agricultural and rural development policy would be completely scrapped if the UK left the EU, suggested Mr Eustice. My view is that you would probably dismantle the whole two-pillar structure, he said. Cross-compliance, which was bureaucratic and unnecessary, would be completely streamlined. Food security would be enhanced through investment in science and technology, he said. Bring the City of Salinas to Justice! Date: Thursday, March 03, 2016 Time: 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM Event Type: Court Date Organizer/Author: Location Details: Federal Courthouse 280 South 1st St San Jose, CA 95113 Be There! We Need You! Help bring the City of Salinas to Justice! Thursday, March 3 at 1:30pm Federal Courthouse 280 South 1st St San Jose, CA 95113 The City of Salinas seems to have every intention of pushing out every person who is too poor to afford the high rent of Salinas from living within the city limits. Our day in court is fast approaching! The city's moratorium from sweeping out communities needs to continue! Please make arrangements to support those too poor to afford rent. Carpooling will be available! Meet at the Victory Mission on Soledad Street in Salinas at 11am. Poor Peoples' Movement of Monterey County Our Homes are NOT for Target Practice! Ain't No Power Like the Power of the People 'cuz the Power of the People Won't STOP!! SALT LAKE CITY, March 2, 2016 Republican lawmakers in Utah are attempting an eleventh-hour maneuver that would use $53 million in state sales tax money to pay for a California coal-export terminal. According to the Salt Lake Tribune, Senate Majority Whip Stuart Adams (R-Layton) has proposed using $53 million in sales-tax revenue targeted for highway improvements to fund a proposed coal terminal in Oakland. The scheme would ship millions of tons of coal from four Utah counties to be burned abroad, further deepening the climate crisis. Under legislative rules, Wednesday is the last day bills can be taken up in committee to be considered this session, which has eight scheduled days remaining.This is clearly a cynical maneuver to sneak legislation into the waning days of the session, said Wendy Park of the Center for Biological Diversity. It makes no sense to use highway-improvement money from Utah to build a coal terminal in California. On top of that, Utah would be doubling down on coal, one of the dirtiest fossil fuels on the planet and one of the primary reasons our climates in serious trouble.With Chinas coal consumption falling, and coal exports down more than 20%, this bill is a risky bet, said Ted Zukoski, an attorney at Earthjustice. Apparently, one of the few places its legal to gamble in Utah is at the state legislature, where its OK to raid taxpayers wallets to wager on an industry in historic decline.Utahs Permanent Community Impact Fund, designed to offset the effects of mining on rural communities, last year agreed to loan $53 million to four Utah coal-producing counties, which planned to invest the money in the coal terminal. The state agency asked state Attorney General Sean Reyes to review the deals legality. The results of the review have not been made public.The lack of transparency in the attorney generals office on this review makes one wonder whether there is a legal reason that the Community Impact Board review has not been made available and could explain this last-minute attempt to shift the burden of this scheme to taxpayers, Park said.Its clear this bill is being pushed because theres concern that the CIB loan is illegal, said Zukoski. The Attorney General should release his analysis now before the bill is considered so the public can know whether SB 246 is also vulnerable to challenge.In a letter to Reyes in November, environmental groups, including the Center, Sierra Club, Earthjustice and Grand Canyon Trust, argued that the $53 million loan violated federal and state laws.The proposed coal terminal that is to be built on a former Army base in Oakland has been vigorously opposed by Mayor Libby Schaaf and many city officials, faith leaders, residents and environmental groups in the Bay Area who do not want to see trainloads of dusty coal pass through their neighborhoods. Several bills have been introduced in the California legislature to block funding for the $1.2 billion terminal project over concerns about effects of transporting coal locally and the burning of coal globally.China announced last week that it is closing more than 1,000 coal mines due to a price-sapping supply glut and the governments new determination to clean up dangerous air pollution across the country.The Obama administration has also paused all new federal coal leasing until a comprehensive review of the federal coal-leasing program is completed. Some of the coal that would supply the Oakland terminal could come from the publicly owned coal from the Greens Hollow mine, but the presidents coal moratorium offers no guarantee that this coal will be mined, making the legislatures gambit to bet state sales tax revenue on the coal-export terminal a very questionable move.Center for Biological Diversity WASHINGTON, DC (March 1, 2016)Center for Food Safety has condemned a new bill introduced by Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts that passed the Senate Agriculture Committee today, which would preempt state genetically engineered (GE) food labeling laws, including the one in Vermont that is set to go into effect July 1. The draft bill was passed 14-6, and will now move out of the Committee. Three Democrats on the Committee voted to allow it to go the full Senate. Ranking Member Stabenow (D-MI) voted against the bill because it relies on voluntary, not mandatory, GE labeling. It is very disturbing that Republicans in Congress, while blocking any meaningful legislation, have found the time to push a law that deprives Vermonts citizens their right to know about the food they buy, and could rescind over one hundred and thirty other state laws on food and seed. The Democrats who consented to pushing this bill forward will certainly be hearing from the food movement, said Andrew Kimbrell, executive director at Center for Food Safety.With Vermonts GE labeling law set to go into effect July 1 2016, big food and biotechnology interests have attempted to block its implementation, both through the courts and in Congress. The industry has for months sought action by Congress that would preempt states from passing GE labeling laws. Such a bill, called the DARK Act by labeling advocates, passed in the House of Representatives last summer, but efforts to include similar language in Decembers omnibus spending bill failed.Senator Leahy (D-VT) voted against the Chairmans mark today and does not support what the bill intends to do. This legislation moves production methods in the shadows; it gives agriculture a black eye..it tramples on states rightsSeveral Senators spoke about the potential of increased cost to consumers of labeling GE foods, but this argument rings false. In January, Campbells broke with the Grocery Manufacturers Association, which has long opposed mandatory GE food labeling and is currently under legal scrutiny for its multimillion dollar campaign to fight Washington States GE food labeling ballot initiative. The iconic soup company instead announced that in the interest of its consumers, it would label all of its products containing GE ingredients, as well as urge Congress to support a national mandatory standard of labeling. In an interview with The New York Times, a Campbells spokesperson noted that adoption of the 1990 Nutrition Labeling and Education Act, which required companies to add nutritional information to their labels, did not significantly raise costs.64 countries around the world require GE food labeling and have not reported higher food costs as a result. Additionally, more than 30 states introduced legislation to require GE labeling in 2013 and 2014, with laws recently passed in Vermont, Connecticut and Maine.By an overwhelming margin, American voters say consumers should have the right to know if their food is genetically modified, with 89 percent in support of mandatory GE labeling, according to a new national poll. Nearly the same number of consumers would like to see the labels in an easy to read format.Center for Food Safety On February 26, demonstrators gathered at Whole Foods Market in Santa Cruz to protest Driscoll's, the largest berry distributor in the world with a history unjust labor practices and repression of union organizing. Founded in the Pajaro Valley in 1904, Driscoll's is a privately held company with headquarters in Watsonville. Production of Driscolls berries extends into 22 countries. Outside of the Whole Foods demonstration, Michael Joseph urged customers, "Don't buy Driscoll's berries until the farmworkers get the basic human rights they deserve!"Workers who grow, harvest, and pack Driscolls lucrative berries are struggling against the systematic abuses they are forced to endure, and the companies profiting from the exploitation of their collective labor. Demonstrators say they support the farmworkers, including the boycott they initiated against Driscoll's, and cite poor working and living conditions, as well as growers refusing to negotiate with the workers' unions: Familias Unidas por la Justicia (FUJ) [Families United for Justice] in Washington State and the Sindicato Independiente Nacional Democratico de Jornaleros Agricolas (SINDJA) [National Democratic Union of Independent Farmworkers] in Baja California. The union SINDJA is called La Alianza (The Alliance) for short.Tomas Madrigal explains, "In 2013 farmworkers at Sakuma Brothers Farms in Burlington, Washington launched a boycott against Sakuma. In response to the successful boycott against their brand, Sakuma Brothers shifted production in 2014 and began packing fresh market berries exclusively into Driscolls label cartons." As Driscolls continues to stand behind Sakuma Brothers Farms, workers in Washington State expanded their focus from Sakuma Brothers and towards the boycott of Driscolls. The call to boycott Driscoll's was internationalized after a farmworker rebellion in the San Quintin Valley of Baja California reached a boiling point in March 2015. The UN must take action to address the clear disparity between their policy and the medical, scientific and legal realities. Cannabis is scheduled in Schedules I and IV of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs as amended by the 1972 Protocol (the Single Convention) which does not recognize the medical benefits. This scheduling status of cannabis was created based on a report created by the Health Committee of the League of Nations in 1935. As preparations begin for the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on drug policy (UNGASS 2016) we at Americans For Safe Access and the International Medical Cannabis Patients Coalition are calling on medical cannabis patients around the world to contact their UN Ambassador and encourage them to reconsider international drug policy and the outdated 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. The UN must take action to address the clear disparity between their policy and the medical, scientific and legal realities. We've developed an example letter for folks to work from and made it simple to contact our UN Ambassodor via email. So please lend your name to support access for medical cannabis patients not only in the US but across the world.Click here to Send the Pre-written Email Below and Add your Name to Request Cannabis be Rescheduled in the International Treaties- - - - -Ambassador Power Please Represent Patients at UNGASS 2016Dear Madam Ambassador,I am writing to you to discuss the United Statess role in the preparation and participation in the upcoming United Nations General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on drugs in New York City April 19-21, 2016. This meeting will include, among other topics, a review of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971, and the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988. UNGASS 2016 presents an opportunity to amend and/or update international policies as they relate to cannabis. Member states are uniquely positioned to shape these policies by participating in this process.Cannabis is scheduled in Schedules I and IV of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs as amended by the 1972 Protocol (the Single Convention) which does not recognize the medical benefits. This scheduling status of cannabis was created based on a report created by the Health Committee of the League of Nations in 1935. Despite the fact that Canada, Israel, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Croatia, Mexico, Chile, Uruguay, Romania, Germany, Jamaica, Australia, Italy, Columbia, Switzerland and over two-thirds of the population of the United States and its territories live in regions with medical cannabis laws and unfilled requests from the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, in its Resolution 52/5 in 2009, and from the International Narcotics Control Board in its annual report, in 2013; the WHO has not conducted an updated critical review.In order for cannabis to be rescheduled in the international treaties, the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) must make a recommendation to the UN General Assembly. Their recommendation is dependent on a "critical review" from the World Health Organization's (WHO) ECDD committee. This report did not materialize at the November 2015 meeting of the ECDD committee.It is my hope that Americas role in the process will include demanding that cannabis rescheduling be an agenda item for the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND)s UNGASS preparation meetings March 14th to 22nd, 2016 and a pathway forward included as part of the outcomes of UNGASS 2016 meetings.I am a member of an international coalition of medical cannabis patient organizations representing 34 counties, the International Medical Cannabis Patients Coalition (IMCPC). We have been engaged in UNGASS preparation meetings (see links below) and would be grateful to have the opportunity to brief this office on this this matter and offer the assistance of our international coalition to expand such efforts.Thank you for your time in considering these matters.Sincerely,[YOUR NAME]Additional Resources:International Medical Cannabis Patient Coalition (IMCPC)s UNGASS 2016 Declaration delivered to the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna March 2015: http://bit.ly/1TV0gNi Testimony from WHO ECDD November 2015 Meetings:Global Patient Populations Need International Medical Cannabis Policies to Evolve: http://bit.ly/1TV0G6l [pdf, 272kb Steph Sherer, Executive Director, Americans for Safe Access]Cannabis, an irreplaceable botanical medicine of long standing human use http://bit.ly/1TV0vbf [pdf, 50kb Michael Krawitz, Executive Director, Veterans For Medical Cannabis Access: http://bit.ly/1TV0vbf The WHO cannabis background document: http://bit.ly/1TV0nID [Talks about last scientific review being from 1935] On March 1, the prosecution began its case against John Mazula, who is charged with manufacturing medical cannabis concentrates. Our jury, seated yesterday afternoon, is mostly white men and three white women. It took all Monday morning to vet them as unbiased in favor of police. [ Photo: Court Support for John Mazula, El Cajon Courthouse. February 26, 2016. ]March 1, 2016By Terrie Best San Diego Americans for Safe AccessSan Diego, CA Today [March 1] the prosecution began its case against John Mazula, who is charged with manufacturing medical cannabis concentrates. Our jury, seated yesterday afternoon, is mostly white men and three white women. It took all Monday morning to vet them as unbiased in favor of police. We were amazed at how many of the available jury pool had law enforcement members in their families. This fact is very important to the defendant as it becomes clear prosecutor Mathew Carberrys law enforcement witnesses are intent on misstating facts and impeaching themselves on the stand. It would not be easy to watch the police dishonor themselves if you felt they were your own. Luckily, I have no such sense of trust to destroy and neither does the defense.After Carberry exhaustively questioned the investigating officer in the case - San Diego Sheriff Deputy Shawn Kobs - defensive attorney Michael Cindrich impeached him for about an hour with transcripts from last years preliminary exam. Deputy Kobs has a terrible memory or he makes things up as he goes along. In any case, there were multiple inconsistencies in what he said from one hearing to another, and he was pretty defensive about it.The case comes down to whether the process John used to extract cannabis concentrate made use of butane gas or not. The jury is being instructed that there is a legal and an illegal way to extract concentrates and that butane is illegal. They are also being instructed that the cannabis found on property was legal for John to possess. This makes the prosecution desperate to find sinister intent in benign items found during execution of a search warrant on Johns home and hobby shop. This is what the investigation has deteriorated into: a team of sheriff deputies gathering typical construction items, posing them together in pictures and calling it a depiction of a drug lab. Its embarrassing and a waste of time and money but Dumanis and her asset forfeiture aspirations make medical marijuana cases very lucrative for her office.We heard from several police witnesses that there were two co2 tanks, one butane tank and a couple of refrigerant tanks found during the search. But, what the prosecution tried to keep from the defense was when Hazmat was called to haul away the tanks they also did an atmosphere test for the presence of butane which came back negative. The test was given to the prosecution but they failed to provide this test to the defense - more dishonesty.The defense, in cross examination of the prosecutions witnesses, was able to demonstrate for the jury the many holes in the case, such as, if John was extracting where was all the blasted cannabis and for that matter, the wax. Mr. Cindrich also found issue with the underhanded way the sheriffs came into possession of Johns phone and some keys. It was hard to pick the most egregious thing about the police and prosecutions case against John. It might have been the glass pie plate the sheriffs placed in every picture they took to prejudice the jury that John was a lab technician using lab-style Pyrex Or it could have been the fact that police lie so easily and skillfully on the stand.In any case, John is being bullied and victimized by Dumanis and her gang of NTF thugs. As citizens, we must stand up. Please consider coming to court. The trial is expected to last all week in Dept. 8 of El Cajon Superior court at 250 E Main St, El Cajon, CA 92020. Please wear your green ribbons of support, come down and join San Diego ASA as we stand with John Mazula against Dumanis and her dishonesty.Follow the event on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/events/572993769535974/ Council Supports Women at 10th Annual Summit Ade Olayinka 11 talks with Associate Professor of Sociology Meghan Burke at this year's summit. Olayinka was so impressed by alumnae commitment to current students that she became a member of the Council for IWU Women soon after she graduated. March 3, 2016 BLOOMINGTON, Ill. As a college senior, Ade Olayinka 11 was encouraged to attend the Council for IWU Womens annual summit. Olayinka was so impressed by the commitment to current students she witnessed that she became a member of the council herself just a year later. The Council for IWU Women is a group of over 80 alumnae and friends from throughout the United States and one member currently living in Thailand. Each year several members return to campus to offer their talents and resources to support the personal and professional development of the women of IWU. At her first summit as a student, Olayinka met alumni who had taken many different paths to achieve success in their respective fields. These women were doing amazing things individually, and they were doing amazing things for Illinois Wesleyan, Olayinka recalled. So when I was asked if I would join the council, it was kind of like the opposite question: Why wouldnt I join? she adds. It was definitely a no-brainer. At this years summit, the 10th annual, Olayinka moderated a Saturday morning speed-networking event connecting current students and alumnae. That was just one of many sessions and events, including practice interviews, breakout sessions, and the awarding of scholarships to students Paula Amat Norman 19, Megan Mink 18, Rachel Dolan 17 and Nicole Chlebek 16. New this year was a well-received PechaKucha-style event, where 11 IWU faculty, staff, alumnae and students presented visual essays on topics ranging from female tech entrepreneurs in Jordan to being a first-generation college student. All summit meals, sessions and funds for the scholarships are funded entirely by Council for IWU Women members. Rosie Mallet '16 shares a laugh with other students and alumnae at the summit. Nursing alumna Karen Zander 70 presented the address at Fridays kickoff luncheon. Zander is president and CEO of The Center for Case Management, a Massachusetts-based, clinician-owned company providing case-management leadership to the healthcare industry. Zander told the audience she awoke from surgery in September 2007 to find she was paralyzed. She said she had a second surgery two days later that prevented her from being a quadriplegic. Before she was paralyzed, Zander surrounded herself with winners, she said. When people ask how she has been able to survive in nursing so long, she said its because she picks out the winners and doesnt listen to the complainers and the whiners. Its not helpful, its not constructive, and you wont find your own strength if you find yourself with people who are complaining. Positivity and support were on display throughout the summit. During the career connections event, nursing major Rosie Mallet 16 (Portland, Ore.) noted several alumnae offered to bring her resume to the appropriate people at their places of employment. Its just nice to feel so supported, said Mallet. Its great to be part of that kind of community. Her friend Cindy Basilio 17 said she came to the summit because shed heard great things about the event from other friends. Hearing about the alums experiences and opinions about jobs has been very important, said the mathematics major. Especially for me, someone who has too many passions and cant focus on one. Olayinka can relate to those feelings. I so remember that kind of flux in the spring of my senior year, said Olayinka, who is now a Ph.D. student in public policy and political science at Duke University. Im not sure how much I have to offer current students other than talking about graduate school processes. I feel like Im still benefitting from this event, too, because Im still getting a lot back from other council members. Business Students Network with Industry Leaders Members of the Investment Club networked with industry leaders in Chicago. March 3, 2016 BLOOMINGTON, Ill. Students in two of Illinois Wesleyan Universitys registered student organizations attended recent conferences where they rubbed shoulders with the leading minds in finance and marketing. The Illinois Wesleyan Investment Club attended the Beecken Petty OKeefe & Company Private Equity Conference in Chicago. The conference brings together private equity professionals, limited partners, financing sources, investment bankers and students to network and share insight in a constantly changing economy. Investment Club president Mike Hennel 16 said he chose this conference to allow students to learn about other industries in the finance category. A number of our members do not have majors related to finance, said Hennel, noting the club gives every student a chance to learn about investments through trading simulation and discussion. Member Shinnosuke Sawada said the conference opened doors that are often difficult for undergraduate students to open. Private equity companies usually recruit MBA students or people who have worked at finance companies for many years, said Sawada, an exchange student from Toykos Keio University majoring in economics and sociology. Hennel also wanted to attend the conference so members had opportunities for networking. Developing networking skills is critical given it is a skill which will always be required, no matter the profession, said Hennel, an economics and financial services double major. Whether students are looking to work for an investment bank, a private equity firm or attend graduate school, the conference offered opportunities for networking with individuals from all those areas. Students at a marketing conference posed with faculty members Fred Hoyt (far left) and Karen Bussone. Illinois Wesleyans American Marketing Association student chapter headed south for the annual conference of the AMAs St. Louis chapter. The event connects students to industry professionals. Speakers this year included those who lead marketing efforts for MasterCard, Express Scripts and Hostess Brands, among others. The MasterCard speaker talked about staying innovative in a particularly interesting presentation, said Cassidy Tarpey 16, club president and business administration major with a concentration in marketing. Its always a good experience for our marketing students to get a chance to interact with peers from other schools and listen to marketing professionals talk about their experiences. Both conference trips gave students the opportunity to engage in experiential learning outside of the classroom. It is important to study finance or accounting in the classroom, but it is more important to talk and share opinions about todays fluctuating financial markets with actual workers, said Sawada. Through the networking opportunities at this conference, I expanded my knowledge of the financial industry. Mitsubishi Motors USA Foundation Funds New Paid Internships at Local Nonprofits March 3, 2016 BLOOMINGTON, Ill. New paid internships at local nonprofits will be available to Illinois Wesleyan University students, thanks to a $10,000 grant from the Mitsubishi Motors USA Foundation. The funds will establish the Mitsubishi Community Partners Program and will partially or fully underwrite paid internships at local nonprofits based on the agencies ability to fund the internships. Nonprofit community and social service agencies often lag behind for-profit businesses in their ability to offer competitive, paid internships due to limited financial budget. Its anticipated up to 10 students will have internships each semester during the 2016-2017 academic year. Our support of internships as part of the Mitsubishi Community Partners Program through Illinois Wesleyan is another way Mitsubishi Motors USA Foundation is investing in Bloomington-Normal, said Ryan Gremore, general manager of OBrien Mitsubishi. He said the program allows nonprofits to have access to skills and expertise they might not otherwise have while providing experiential learning opportunities for undergraduate students. The Mitsubishi Community Partnership Program will help to provide valuable skills and resources to those agencies while introducing students to sectors of the job market that would otherwise go undiscovered. The number of students interning during their years at Illinois Wesleyan continues to grow, with one in four students reporting having an internship by the time they graduate from Illinois Wesleyan. Topeka, KS While the number of While the number of Laparoscopic Power Morcellation lawsuits are not as yet substantial, attorneys close to the file estimate that before too long there could be upwards of 300 or more filings going forward. Given that some 650,000 women undergo hysterectomies in the United States each year due to uterine fibroids, 300 lawsuits appear to be a conservative estimate. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has yet to take the drastic step of ordering power morcellators off the market. However, the regulators 2014 safety advisory all but put the nail in the coffin of the once-popular medical device when, on April 17 of that year, the FDA recommended that doctors employ other options and made a point to discourage use of laparoscopic uterine surgery via power morcellators for hysterectomy.In its communique, the FDA cited data that suggested one in 350 women could be at risk for undiagnosed cancers in association with use of the device, which has been alleged to spread undetected cancer cells within the uterus, dramatically increasing a womans risk for Ovarian cancer and other cancers.A little more than three months after the FDA frowned upon the power morcellator (a device the regulator approved in the first place), Ethicon withdrew all of its power morcellators from the market.That withdrawal did not stop the multidistrict panel tasked with consolidating power morcellation lawsuits from limiting lawsuits within the MDL to those filed against Ethicon, which is a subsidiary of pharmaceutical and medical device giant Johnson & Johnson.Power morcellation is one of many treatments favored by doctors and the health care industry given the capacity to perform fibroid removal through a small incision, speeding healing and freeing up hospital beds. However, in recent years, several plaintiffs have alleged they emerged from a morcellation procedure with a cancer diagnosis when no risk factors were present prior.Three other manufacturers of power morcellators are facing lawsuits. However, the MDL was limited to Ethicon, Inc. (and Johnson & Johnson), given that laparoscopic power morcellation hysterectomy lawsuits against the latter outnumber those targeting their competitors.And even though Ethicon removed their devices from the market, the heat isnt quite off yet. It has been reported that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is involved, and Congress has requested that the US Government Accountability Office examine the file.As treatments for fibroids move away from the allegedly problematic power morcellator to more traditional procedures, attorneys observe that plaintiffs pursuing a laparoscopic power morcellation myomectomy lawsuit - or litigation stemming from a related procedure - would be well-served by representation through multidistrict litigation (MDL 2652, In Re: Ethicon, Inc., Power Morcellator Products Liability Litigation, before Judge Kathryn Vratil) with cases currently consolidated in Kansas. - Group says Dame Patience Jonathan may have influenced the killings in Rivers state - Former AIG Mbu also mentioned alongside ex-militant - Nigeria's former sports minister noted to be among perpetrators Patience Jonathan has been fingered in the gruesome killings that characterised the 2015 elections in Rivers state. Dame Patience Jonathan, Nigeria's immediate past First Lady, has been named alongside many others in the killings that rocked Rivers state during the 2015 general elections. This much was disclosed by the Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC) via a petition sent to the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor, Madam Amie Bensouda. According to Sahara Reporters, the group is urging the court to investigate, arrest and prosecute persons connected with the gruesome murders, grievous bodily harm and assault of indigenes of Rivers State during the election. The petition signed by its chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, showed that the Nigerian government has consistently failed to carry out its constitutional role in fishing out criminals and ensuring that they are adequately punished. READ ALSO: Hillary Clinton inspires me - Patience Jonathan The petition reads: "The wife of the former president, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, was fingered in misuse of state apparatuses and abuse of power during campaigns, resulting in the wanton killings and infliction of grievous bodily harm on several citizens in Rivers State. "Journalists on professional assignment were not spared in a wanton destruction of properties, disruption of campaigns and attack on human persons. "The various criminal acts were perpetrated with the alleged support of Dame Patience Jonathan, wife of the former president. The said onslaught was allegedly coordinated by AIG Mbu Joseph Mbu, the Assistant Inspector General of Police (then Commissioner of Police of Rivers State Command) and Deputy Commissioner of Police John Amadi, now posted to Nigerian Railways Corporation, Lagos (then the Deputy Commissioner of Operations in Rivers State)." The statement also revealed that over one hundred people were brutally murdered. Some were inflicted with grievous bodily harm while others were unlawfully arrested and detained by the Nigerian Police in collusion with the perpetrators of these crimes. READ ALSO: Jonathan was an exceptional child, mother reveals The group's list of perpetrators in the criminal acts are Chief Felix Amaechi Obuah, state chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); Chief Chris Onyiri, Henry Ogiri, executive director finance, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC); Dr Tammy Danagogo, former minster of Sports; Senator Olaka Johnson Nwogu, representing Rivers South East, among others. The list also includes: 1. Mr. Ejor Ejor of Onne Eleme 2. Betty Apiafi, member, House of Representatives 3. Evans Bipi, member, Rivers State House of Assembly 4. Mashall Uwom, member, Rivers State House of Assembly 5. Mr. Monday Ngbor 6. Major Jack Rowland Sekibo 7. Austin Opara, Former Speaker, House of Representatives 8. Ibiba Walter 9. Mr. Kenneth Kobani, Secretary to Rivers State Government 10. Comrade Ateke Tom 11. Soboma Jackress, member, Rivers State House of Assembly 12. EjimaIgwedibia aka Don Wanni 13. Chi Boy 14. Bright Ernest Ake 15. Nkasi, alias Italian Soldier or Italian, aka Isiokpo Italian 16. Omono a Oliver aka Doin Doin 17. Boma Daobu 18. Senibo Woah 19. Samuel Nwanosike, alias Ishi 20. Sunny Bekanwa 21. Solomon Ndigbara 22. Barile Jack 23. Israel Mgboele, Rivers State House of Assembly According to the group, many people lost their lives in the political violence before, during and after the election in the state. They include: 1. Mr. Kingsley Emenike 2. Corporal Ifeanyi Okorie 3. Charles Eruku 4. Mr. Mebaka Opuogoliya 5. Chief John Adube 6. Joy Adube 7. Mr. Lucky Adube 8. Mr. Ebuka Mbamalu 9. Mr. Ikechukwu Ogarebe 10. Mr. Ezekiel 11. Mr. Sampson Chinnah 12. Mr. Kerian Wobodo 13. Mr. Charles Wobodo The statement added: "Sadly, the Nigerian government has displayed nonchalant commitment to seeking redress for the victims and punishment for the perpetrators of the crimes. More than 10 months after the election, no individual or group has been reportedly investigated, arrested or prosecuted for these grievous crimes." In another development, reports surfaced that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) may soon invite Goodluck Jonathans wife to explain her role in the sourcing and disbursement of huge funds spent by the presidency during the last two weeks before the general elections. The fund, estimated at over a trillion naira, was reportedly disbursed through the Amnesty office to some political bigwigs in the PDP. According to investigators of the disbursement, the release of about 40% of the funds was authorized by the former First Lady. Source: Legit.ng An item of the program (Photo: vov.vn) This is the first time an art program with such a large scale has been organized with the joint participation of students from five major universities in Moscow. Each university brought best art items to congratulate mothers, female teachers and students on International Women's Day. Professor Yulia Petrovna, Vice Rector of the university, said that among more than 1,000 foreign students studying there, she had the best impression of Vietnamese students for their youth, joy of living and efforts in their studies. She welcomed Vietnamese students to study at the university. On behalf of the Vietnamese Embassy in the Russian Federation, Mr. Nguyen Trung Ha, Head of the Department for Overseas Vietnamese Student Management, sent best wishes to grandmothers, mothers, female teachers and students, as well as thanking the Managing Board of the university for creating conditions for Vietnamese students to successfully organize the art program./. - A riot reportedly broke out in the Mile 12 area of Lagos state - Security operatives are said to have brought the situation under control - There are conflicting reports about the number of casualties - A school within the area has reportedly been razed - The Lagos state government has temporarily closed down markets in the area Emerging reports suggest that the riot in Mile 12 has been brought under control by security operatives Earlier on, hoodlums had reportedly caused panic by vandalising vehicles. An unconfirmed source disclosed that a school in the area had been razed. The source further informed that some hoodlums have been killed, while policemen were injured in the row. Security operatives are said to have taken control of the situation Channels TV reports that residents of the area have remained indoors for fear of being attacked. There are speculation that an ethnic clash might be the cause of the fracas which began in Agility area of Mile 12. There were conflicting reports as to the number of casualties recorded. Initial reports put the death toll at 4, but The Nation reports that about 5 people were killed while many others were injured. Reports from The Punch however, states that the death toll is as high as 6 and there are fears that it may rise. As of the time of filing this report, no one has been able to give reasons for the crisis. The fight is said to have started about 2 nights ago, following an accident involving a motorcycle. A motorcyclist reportedly ran into a one-way route within the area and he was almost lynched for knocking down a pedestrian. In a bid to get motorcyclist to take the injured pedestrian to the hospital, the situation degenerated. Sources disclose that the rider was an Hausa man and the injured was allegedly Yoruba, hence, the friction began. Traders in the popular Mile 12 market were attacked with their goods destroyed. READ ALSO: Photos from trailer accident at Ikeja-along There is a heavy presence of security operatives around Mile 12 and its environs READ ALSO: Chaos in Oshodi as thugs go on rampage (Photos/Video) Some alleged hoodlums involved in the riot at Mile 12 RRS say the police arrested 15 trouble making youths and dislodged weapon wielding youths from Agiliti link bridge. READ ALSO: Kidnap in Ikorodu: Lagos deputy governor makes moves (photos) Security operatives are currently clamping down on those involved in the riot at Mile 12 Meanwhile, Dedeigbo Ayodeji, a Legit.ng correspondent disclosed that the chaos in Mile 12 affected transportation and movement in Ketu and Ikorodu, as people were running towards other suburbs of Mile 12. A brief protest was held at the BRT main terminal in Ikorodu, as passengers claimed that the bus attendants kept selling tickets even though they knew there was no headway through the Mile 12. Many people are stranded reports Ayodeji whose bus had to make a quick turn when it approached Mile 12. Ayodeji further reports that business activities were grounded within the Agboyi-Ketu local government area, even as people were seeking to go as far away as they could from the unrest. Efforts to reach the manager of the BRT terminal in Ikorodu have proved abortive however, some other junior staff who are unauthorized to speak on the issue, tried to pacify the protesting passengers, saying that their requests will be met shortly. Ayodeji, however, noted on phone that there was no clue as to when people were likely to leave the terminal, as the bus drivers had been ordered to remain stationed, till there is confirmation that the storm in Mile 12 has been quelled. The Lagos state government has closed down the markets within the area temporarily, and has vowed to deal with miscreants and law breakers. The government is also appealing to parents to ensure that their wards are law abiding. Source: Legit.ng It is not a bad thing for us, that the route known as the Goldene Strae or the Golden Road as we will get to know it- has escaped the attention of so many. It has been spared being overrun by hordes of tourists and as you will discover the There was tension within the Lagos metropolis in the early hours of Thursday, March 3, following a very violent clash that resulted into deaths and the loss of property. Here are five major very important highlights to be noted from the incident of today. 1. The clash was ethnic Sources revealed that the fracas was spurred by some ethnic differences, majorly between the Hausa and Yoruba ethnic groups. The rift is said to have started after an Hausa motorcyclist knocked down a pedestrian who is reportedly Yoruba. The accident caused some Yoruba area boys to beat up the Hausa man and from that point the situation degenerated into an all out ethnic conflict. READ ALSO: Lagosians tag Thursdays pandemonium as Osinbajos vs Buharis boys clash 2. The conflict has lasted for about three days The motorcyclist incident occurred about two days ago, hence there the showdown on Thursday, March 3 signals that the rift had been ongoing for about three day. Sources say there had been a heavy police presence within the agility of Mile 12, however no one could tell how the seemingly silent rift evolved into burning of houses and loss of lives. 3. There are conflicting reports regarding the death toll There are conflicting claims regarding the death toll. Authorities claim no one died from the incident, however, sources on ground say the death toll lies between 4 and 6, with many others including policemen injured. 4. Security operatives were able to quell the storm The joint efforts of the police and army was able to still the storm that was raging in Mile 12, as security operatives took the bull by the horn, taking on weapon brandishing youths within the area. Many of the irate youths were apprehended while some others fled. According to the Lagos state commissioner of police, Fatai Owoseni, the police in conjunction with other security operatives brought the situation under control. READ ALSO: Wife beats husband, read what she did to his manhood The police commissioner further informed that the situation is calm and that people that were agitating have been cleared off the road. He said the roads are clear, stressing that substantial arrest had been made. "I can assure the public that those involved in that violence will be brought to justice, the CP said. According to Owoseni, over 50 suspects were arrested in connection with the dispute in the area. 5. Commercial activities were grounded as government shut down markets temporarily Witnesses report that commercial activities were ground within the area as the clashing factions destroyed goods worth millions. The Lagos state government went on to ground operations in market within agility and the Mile 12 areas of Lagos. For quite some time, vehicular movement was brought to a halt as vehicles had no access through the Mile road. Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos state ordered the temporary closure of the Mile 12 Market, following the dispute. The Governor also announced the restriction of movement on four streets in the area including Oniyanri street, Maidan street, Agiliti 1 and Agiliti 2 streets. Addressing Government House Correspondents at the Lagos House, Alausa, Governor Ambode said the decision to shut the market and restrict movement on the streets was to aid security agencies restore calm in the area. In order to further restore calm, I have ordered that Mile 12 Market be temporarily closed and urged traders, community leaders and other stakeholders to eschew violence; be calm and law abiding. Furthermore, I have also ordered a temporary restriction of movement in the following streets; Oniyanri street, Maidan Street, Agiliti 1 and Agiliti 2, he said. The governor said the police and security operatives have been deployed to the area to quell the dispute, assuring residents that peace will be restored in the area. Today, I have just been informed that some miscreants and criminal elements have exploited that dispute to cause a breakdown of law and order within the area. These types of clashes do occur from time to time in a multi-ethnic city like Lagos and the government has responded appropriately. The public is hereby assured that we will not shy away from our responsibilities to protect lives and property and we will deal decisively with those criminal elements who fan the embers of ethnic strive. READ ALSO: Angry Nigerians are storming Irans embassy right now, read why here! Governor Ambode said he had received reports from the commissioner of police and other security agencies on ground at the scene saying that the situation has been substantially put under control. He has also said that Lagos state will continue to be home to every Nigerian irrespective of their tribe or ethic affiliation, urging residents to continue to be law abiding. Let me assure Lagosians that the state is home to every tribe and ethnic group and nobody should give this disturbance any ethnic coloration whatsoever. Every law abiding citizens should go about their normal businesses, Governor Ambode said. Source: Legit.ng - Ohanaeze accuses IPOB of prolonging Nnamdi Kanu's detention - Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the national president of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council says he has been receiving threats The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu's prolonged detention is as a result of constant fights between his members and individuals and groups working for his release. This assertion was made by Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the national president of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council, in a chat with Vanguard. According to Isiguzoro, Ohanaezes efforts in consulting with relevant stakeholders on the Biafra, has been misconstrue by IPOB. Isiguzoro said he had received threats while his group has been labeled saboteurs by those who are supposed to work with relevant stakeholders to ensure Kanus release from detention. Ohanaeze says Nnamdi Kanu's prolonged detention is as a result of constant fights between members of IPOB and individuals and groups working for his release. READ ALSO: Ohaneze Ndigbo insists leadership crisis continues The IPOB had recently blamed the Ohanaeze for trading off Biafra when a US team held a meeting with the group in Enugu. Following the meeting the reports appeared that some of the groups members suspected to be Ohanaeze Ndigbo and their youth wing were allegedly impersonating IPOB leaders in Enugu, claiming to be representing IPOB in meeting with some American officials who were in Nigeria to have a meeting with the group on the release of their leader. But in a swift response, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has slammed promoters of Radio Biafra, and IPOB for what it described as their penchant for telling lies and causing disaffection among the people. READ ALSO: MASSOB attacks Ohanaeze youths Reacting to allegations that Ohanaeze leadership had aborted the actualization of Biafra in a meeting with delegates from the United Nations, Dr. Joe Nworgu, the secretary general of the group, said the meeting the leadership of the body held in Enugu had nothing to do with the independence of Biafra. Since a few days ago when Radio Biafra carried the news item that the Ohaaneze Ndigbo had aborted the actualisation of Biafra as a country, numerous text messages and telephone calls have been received by the Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide, Dr Joe Nworgu. The alleged visit by some white people from America to hold a meeting with Ndigbo, through Ohanaeze, with the intent of delivering a United Nations certificate of recognition and independence of the Republic of Biafra is a ruse. The news item is a mere fabrication and ill-motivated, the read in part. Ohanaeze explained that on Friday, February 26, The new United States Consul General in Nigeria, His Excellency John Bray and his team had a meeting with Ohaneze Ndigbo at Nike lake hotel; this was part of His Excellencys familiarisation tour of the country. He had meetings with the governors in the various states. In Enugu, the headquarters of Ohanaeze, he had a meeting with us on Igbo perception of Nigeria. This meeting is what has been distorted to be some white men from America came to give Biafrans independence. Of course, this cannot be the process of granting anybody independence. Source: Legit.ng Slovak industrial market fundamentals were strong in Q4, underpinned by the rallying, export-led economy, according to an industrial market snapshot by Cushman & Wakefield. Demand for cars and related sub-components drove demand for industrial space in the final quarter albeit occupational activity volumes fell behind those recorded in the [] Portland Trust received the Most innovative office project transacted in 2015 Award at Forbes Best Office Buildings Gala 2016, for the green office complex Floreasca Park in Bucharest. The prize was awarded to Florin Furdui, Country Manager for Portland Trust, on 25th of February, during the awards ceremony at the [] Portuguese Sodim SGPS SA sold the five-star, 150-bedroom Hotel Villa Magna in Madrid to the Turkish Dogus Group. The Villa Magna is one of the most luxurious hotels in Spain located on Madrid's prime commercial thoroughfare Paseo de la Castellana. The hotel's outstanding location provides excellent accessibility to business and [] The Citroen C4 Cactus Rip Curl which is in attendance at the ongoing 2016 Geneva Motor Show is a special edition model which is designed to highlight the cars outdoorsy appeal. The French automaker has tied up with world famous surfing accessory brand Rip Curl to create the special edition. The most significant addition is the Grip Control system which is an exclusive feature. With mud and snow tyres, the Grip Control system offers offers increased traction to help moving ahead on difficult surfaces. The system is available with C4 Cactus PureTech 110 petrol and BlueHDI 100 diesel engines that are mated to a manual transmission. The system uses advanced anti-skid function that is incorporated into the ESP and has various modes to adopt to the terrain. The modes can be selected by means of the Grip Control knob located on the centre console. Visual enhancements come in the form of white mirror caps, white roof rails, brilliant-white vertical front fender decal that is constituted by various geometrical figures and Rip Curl logo. The rear quarter panel too receives a similar deal but in horizontal orientation. It can also house a surf board on top. The quirky crossover also features aluminium grey front and rear protection plates in addition to the Airbump. Five exterior color options are on offer Olive Brown/Obsidian Black/Aden Red/Aluminium Grey and Mother-of-Pearl White. The interior of the Citroen C4 Cactus Rip Curl gets contrasting Pulp Orange accents and Micra Grey seat fabric. Infotainment functions are handled by a 7-inch touchscreen tablet. Citroen C4 Cactus Rip Curl Live Photos News Release UT Southwestern Medical Center has joined a consortium of seven leading universities to develop new technologies to improve memory in people with traumatic brain injury, mild cognitive impairment, epilepsy, and Alzheimer's disease. Specifically, UT Southwestern is part of a study with the goal of developing an implantable neural monitoring and stimulation system by the end of 2018 that would treat memory loss. Researchers plan to use safe levels of electrical stimulation to test new ways of improving brain function and memory in neurosurgery patients who already receive brain stimulation as part of their therapy for epilepsy. Their goal is to determine whether brain stimulation delivered when these individuals play memory games will improve their memory ability. "If memory can be improved in patients who have electrodes implanted to treat epilepsy and who frequently have mild memory impairment then we will have gained valuable information on how to restore memory function in patients with traumatic brain injury or Alzheimer's disease," said Dr. Bradley Lega, Assistant Professor of Neurological Surgery, Neurology and Neurotherapeutics, and Psychiatry, who leads the Dallas arm of the study. The effort is part of a national "Restoring Active Memory" (RAM) program sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and supported by the National Institutes of Health's Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN). To date, the NIH and other funding sources have allocated more than $240 million to the BRAIN Initiative. The initiative is designed to improve understanding of the brain and cognitive function by accelerating the development and application of innovative technologies to find new ways to treat, cure, and even prevent brain disorders. In 2015, an estimated 5.3 million Americans had Alzheimer's disease, according to the Alzheimer's Association, while about 2.9 million Americans currently have epilepsy, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates. The CDC also estimates 1.7 million traumatic brain injuries occur annually in the U.S. Dr. Lega is recruiting 15 patients per year with epilepsy to undergo stereo electroencephalography (sEEG), a minimally invasive technique for recording brain waves to diagnose epilepsy. Dr. Lega is one of the few neurosurgeons in the country who uses stereo EEG to locate the origin of epileptic seizures in the brain and to determine if a patient is a candidate for surgery to treat the seizures. Less invasive than the traditional approach, stereo EEG involves electrodes placed in the brain to record electrical activity during seizures. The data gathered at UT Southwestern will be combined with data from the University of Pennsylvania, Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, the Mayo Clinic, Dartmouth University, Emory University, and Boston University to develop and test new treatments. "The national research team believes that the therapeutic strategies being examined in this study will serve as the foundation for novel brain-machine interface devices that will improve memory function," Dr. Lega said. A new trailer for "Finding Dory ," ," the hotly anticipated sequel to Pixar's "Finding Nemo," has been released, and it seems to take dead-aim at SeaWorld with a strong anti-captivity message. Everybody's favorite forgetful cartoon fish is back, and this time she's trapped - at a marine park? In the clip, some animals are seen languishing inside SeaWorld-style tanks. Others are apparently trapped in a viewing pool, fleeing in terror as hands reach inside to prod and grab them. While it's unclear if the film is set at a marine park or a rehabilitation center, the rigors of life on display appear to be a central theme. Kitten Isn't Sure About His Pittie Brother At First Pixar employees have been tight-lipped the film - set for release this summer - but they did allude to it being influenced by the backlash against SeaWorld from the documentary "Blackfish." Ellen DeGeneres, who voices the film's title character, also hinted that an anti-captivity message would be at the heart of "Finding Dory," telling Yahoo! Movies: "I think that fish should be in the ocean, which is what this whole sequel is about: rehabilitation and putting them back in the ocean ... And we have to protect our oceans." Watch the trailer for "Finding Dory" below: A photo capturing a legendary moment of kindness during a chaotic protest in Turkey has recently resurfaced. The image, from the 2013 protests in Istanbul's Gezi Park, shows protestors stopping and kneeling down to help a dog who'd been sprayed with tear gas by police. When a Twitter user reposted the photo recently, it was retweeted hundreds of times. And it isn't the only moment people stopped to help. Another image shows two girls sitting beside a stray dog suffering from pepper spray. President Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey) fights to keep his title in Season 4 of Netflix's "House of Cards." (David Giesbrecht/David Giesbrecht/Netflix) (All times Eastern.) RETURNING SHOW: Season 4 of House of Cards (Netflix streaming) finds President Frank Underwood battling his wife, Claire, while working to repair his relationship with the American electorate. It is an election year, after all. Ellen Burstyn, Neve Campbell and Cicely Tyson join the cast. The Amazing Race (CBS at 8 p.m.) continues in Geneva, where a romance blooms between two contestants. On The Vampire Diaries (CW at 8), Stefan and Valerie work to find a way to keep Damon hidden from vampire hunter Rayna, but Damon has other plans. On Dr. Ken (ABC at 8:30), Ken behaves like that dad at a concert with Molly and her friends, but wins points anyway for his efforts to bond with his teenage daughter. On Grimm (NBC at 9), Nick and Monroe head to Germany, where newly discovered artifacts help them get some answers about Nicks ancestors. Back home, Black Claw makes a move that sends Portland into chaos. American Masters: Loretta Lynn: Still a Mountain Girl (MPT at 10) explores the country legends humble roots and rise to fame as she releases her first album in 12 years. Lynn recalls her marriage, family life and friendships with the likes of Patsy Cline and Johnny Cash. The documentary also features interviews with collaborators and admirers including Willie Nelson, Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert and Sissy Spacek, who won an Academy Award for her portrayal of Lynn in the 1980 biopic Coal Miners Daughter. SERIES PREMIERE: In Paranormal Lockdown (Destination America at 10), former Ghost Adventures star Nick Groff and paranormal investigator Katrina Weidman agree to be confined for 72 hours in the abandoned (and reportedly haunted) asylum. Actress Sarah Silverman and Rep. Donna F. Edwards (D-Md.) are among the guests on Real Time With Bill Maher (HBO at 10). Vice (HBO at 11) explores the environmental implications of societys high demand for meat, and a growing global water shortage. Actress Helen Mirren and director J.J. Abrams will be on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert (CBS at 11:35), which will feature a musical performance by DMAs. Actress Gwyneth Paltrow and YouTube personality Tyler Oakley will be on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (NBC at 11:35), along with musical guest the Who. The author uses her grandmothers chitarra guitar to turn out Spaghetti Alla Chitarra, a specialty of Abruzzo, Italy. (Deb Lindsey/For The Washington Post) One of my mothers prized kitchen possessions was the chitarra her mother gave her when she got married, some 58 years ago. This rectangular wooden instrument, strung with thin metal wires, cuts sheets of pasta into long, square noodles that are perfect for saucing with rich meat ragu. Every few Sundays, my mom treated us to spaghetti alla chitarra (guitar spaghetti), a specialty of her native Abruzzo region, and it is still my favorite pasta dish, hands down. A few years ago, when I was working on my book The Glorious Pasta of Italy, my mother gave me the chitarra. She hadnt used it in a long while, and you could say it was out of tune; the wires were loose, and one of the screws to tighten them was bent. I set it in a cabinet, figuring it had cut its last batch of noodles. Eventually, curiosity got the better of me; I managed to tighten the wires with a wrench, and within the hour I had a pound of freshly cut chitarra pasta. [Got questions about pasta? Ask now or join our online chat with readers at noon Wednesday.] There are all sorts of fancy pasta extruders and motorized pasta-cutting attachments on the market these days. But there is something quietly satisfying about making pasta the unplugged way, with your hands and maybe a few simple tools to help you out. Every region has its special handmade pasta shapes: delicate hand-cut egg noodles called tajarin from Piedmont; corzetti stampati (embossed coins) from Liguria; sauce-catching orecchiette (little ears) and cavatelli (little hollows) from Puglia. I dont know of an official tally, but surely it is in the hundreds; I come across new (to me) shapes each time I return to Italy for research. Once obscure, regional pasta shapes increasingly are turning up in restaurants (not just Italian ones), in cookbooks and online. (Check out the Instagram accounts of @lucacappuccinodonofrio and @chefnk for some worthy pasta porn.) Part of the allure, I believe, is the lore and history attached to specific shapes; the chitarra, for example, was devised in the 19th century by the makers of wood and wire mesh flour sifters as a way of simplifying the task of cutting noodles for Abruzzese housewives. Pasta technology may have surpassed the chitarra, but to be considered a serious cook in Abruzzo you better know how to play that guitar. Specific tools a ridged or carved wooden board or stamp to imprint patterns, or a cutter like my mothers chitarra were once difficult to find, but thanks to specialty shops and the Internet, that is no longer the case (heres a list of resources), though the number of artisans who produce such tools by hand continues to dwindle. Even if you are not into collecting bespoke pasta utensils, you can almost always improvise using tools you already have in your kitchen (got a Microplane grater?) and your own ingenuity. After all, that is probably how most pasta shapes came about in the first place. Here are three of my favorite pasta shapes to make by hand. They are easy to master, impressive to serve and delicious. The shape of spaghetti alla chitarra the noodles are square, rather than round makes them an ideal partner for hearty meat sauces. (Deb Lindsey/For The Washington Post) [Make the recipe: Spaghetti Alla Chitarra] Spaghetti alla chitarra: Im not the only one who loves these toothsome noodles. Once unfamiliar to anyone not from Abruzzo (including other Italians), spaghetti alla chitarra is now a customer favorite at the hipsterish Capitol Hill restaurant Roses Luxury. BJ Lieberman, chef de cuisine, likens it to Italian ramen. The restaurant serves the noodles in a completely nontraditional way, inspired more by Sicily than by Abruzzo: tossed with fried cauliflower, golden raisins and pine nuts. Theyre really hearty and homey; they feel traditional, Lieberman says. And they hold broth and sauce well. Roses Luxury makes the noodles the traditional way, with not one, but two chitarras, which it employs every couple of days to cut 20 kilos of pasta. If youre not inclined to buy one yourself, a number of pasta machine manufacturers, such as Marcato Atlas, sell chitarra cutter attachments. Or you can go even more unplugged and roll up pasta sheets, jelly roll style, then hand-cut them into noodles. (See the recipe for detailed directions.) Corzetti stamps have two designs, allowing the pasta coins to have a different embossed design on the front and back. (Deb Lindsey/For The Washington Post) [Make the recipe: Ligurian Corzetti] Corzetti: These beautiful embossed pasta coins literally have royalty written all over them. For centuries, Ligurias noble families had artisans custom-carve the two-piece stamps, which typically featured their crest on one side and a traditional Genoese or Ligurian symbol (such as a ship) on the other. Filippo Romagnoli is one of a few Italian artisans still hand-carving the two-piece stamps. He learned the craft from his grandfather, who in turn apprenticed with a Florentine wood-carving master. We have always served a niche market, says Romagnoli, who lives near Florence and sells his stamps online through Etsy. He says he is heartened by what he sees as a growing interest in corzetti, especially from U.S. customers. Nancy Purves Pollard, owner of La Cuisine in Old Town Alexandria, says she has thought of carrying corzetti stamps but isnt sure the interest is great enough. When she makes corzetti, she improvises, using a patterned rolling pin to create an impression on pasta dough and detailed Hammer Song cookie cutters to cut out whimsical shapes. Her favorite is the rude nude, a plump, reclining naked woman. I float her in broth and serve it to guests, Pollard says. People love it. Ifyou dont have a cavarola board for making cavatelli, a gnocchi board such as this one is a good substitute. Or you can improvise with other objects from the kitchen. (Deb Lindsey/For The Washington Post) [Make the recipe: Cavatelli Pugliesi] Cavatelli: Think of these as orecchiettes more easygoing sibling. They are much easier to shape than the classic ear-shaped pasta. Unlike corzetti, cavatelli are a classic poor mans pasta, made with just flour and water; no egg. The springy dough does not need to be stretched with a machine or a rolling pin. Instead, it is rolled by hand into ropes and then cut into pieces, much like gnocchi. The nuggets of dough are then rolled with two fingers along an embossed wooden board known as a cavarola board. That creates a depression on one side of the curled dough and a pretty impression on the other. The good news: A ridged gnocchi board does the work just as well. Or, for a good hack, use a Microplane grater or a box grater to create some texture. You can also roll cavatelli on a plain surface; wood is best, as its slight roughness allows the dough to grip the surface and roll properly. Even if you are a pasta newbie, I assure you that you will soon be cranking out cavatelli like a nonna from Bari. These three shapes exemplify everything I love about making fresh pasta; they combine artistry, elegance, history, ingenuity, practicality and regionality. They are steeped in tradition and yet perfectly at home at the 21st-century table, whether its Roses Luxurys or yours. Marchetti, the author of six books on Italian cooking, blogs at www.domenicacooks.com. She will join our live chat with readers at noon Wednesday: live.washingtonpost.com. Ta-Nehisi Coates, National Correspondent for The Atlantic Magazine, attended Howard in the mid-90s. (Andre Chung/for The Washington Post) Author Ta-Nehisi Coates is delivering the Charter Day address at Howard University on Friday morning, although on Wednesday evening, he still wasnt sure what, exactly, hed say. No worry, though. Howard is home family for the award-winning writer, and in such situations, words rise up naturally to convey what is bone-deep and as tangible as the body itself. And Coates loves Howard University. I plan to give thanks to the university, he says over the telephone. I will probably talk about my friend Prince Jones . . . and talk directly to the students about how blessed they are. (Jones was a fellow student fatally shot in 2000 by a Prince Georges County police officer, whom a jury later held responsible for his wrongful death.) Coates sees Howard as a great resource for students and the country. That four years you can ensconce yourself and think about who you are in the world and be trained and, to the extent that its possible, protected from the kind of assault you get from racism and white supremacy . . . God, thats key, he says. Charter Day marks March 2, 1867, when President Andrew Johnson signed the document establishing the school. Like many other black colleges, it was born shortly after the Civil War, when black churches, abolitionists and others mobilized to educate a population of slaves for whom learning to read was illegal. Howards annual celebration includes Fridays convocation and a megawatt fundraising dinner Saturday at the Washington Hilton. Its the schools top fundraising event. In announcing that Coates would speak Friday, University President Wayne A.I. Frederick said, Ta-Nehisi Coates continues to use his talents to inspire others as well as elevate racial, political, and social consciousness and discourse in this country and around the world. Coates, 40, didnt graduate when he attended Howard in the mid-90s, but he offers passionate testimony of what he got from being there. He wrote about it in his book, Between the World and Me, an essay written to his son to explain the hard truths about being a black man in the United States. The work also quickly became a must-read for many, including whites. It earned him the National Book Award for nonfiction. Coates, a national correspondent for the Atlantic, was also named a MacArthur Fellow last year, an honor that also brings a hefty check. His path, he says, was set at Howard. It was there that he met black people from around the globe, where he would skip classes and spend all day sometimes reading in the Moorland-Spingarn Research Center. Theres probably some statistic that says I would have probably earned more money had I been able to go to a Harvard, but I wouldnt trade what Howard gave me for the world, he says. Howard trained me intellectually. Its list of luminaries is too long, but Coates does a decent job of listing a few. You cant really imagine black political and literary tradition without Howard University. You cant imagine that without a Thurgood Marshall at Howard Law School, Charles Hamilton Houston, he says. You cant really imagine a literary tradition without Toni Morrison, without Amiri Baraka, without Zora Neale Hurston. These are giants right here. Say nothing about Ossie Davis and Lucille Clifton, who came through and dropped out. He laughs. Hopefully one day youll be able to put me in that conversation. Not just yet. Those traditions, he says, should be treated seriously. . . . They are some of the most important aspects of American history and American culture. Hes aware, too, that historically black colleges and universities, which serve a significant number of first-generation college students, are facing financial strain. Many, including Howard, are working to increase alumni giving. It wasnt until a few years ago that he was financially able to give even a modest amount, Coates says. Being a writer, its dicey. Of course, thats all changing. He and Joness mother, Mabel, a doctor, have set up a scholarship in Joness name at Howard, he says. He contributed $20,000 initially and plans to help continue to grow the fund. Im setting my life up, says Coates, but Howard is going to be a huge part of that. Howard is going to be, like, my thing. Those are words any university would love to hear. After reading Kim Barkers book The Taliban Shuffle, actress Tina Fey was inspired to work on an adaptation for the screen. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot opens Friday. The movie was filmed not in Afghanistan, but New Mexico. (Frank Masi/Paramount Pictures) When the New York Times reviewed The Taliban Shuffle, Kim Barkers darkly comic memoir of her five years as South Asia bureau chief for the Chicago Tribune, Barkers literary alter ego was described as a sort of Tina Fey character, who unexpectedly finds herself addicted to the adrenaline rush of war. It was an apt and, it turns out, prescient bit of wishful casting. Inspired by that review, Fey read the book and brought it to her old boss at Saturday Night Live, producer Lorne Michaels, with an offer to co-produce and star in a movie adaptation. (She probably would have written it, she says, had she not been heavily pregnant with her daughter Penelope, who was born a few months after the book came out in 2011.) That movie retitled Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, military slang for the abbreviation WTF opened Friday in an adaptation by Feys longtime writing and producing partner, Robert Carlock (SNL, 30 Rock and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt). [Read Ann Hornadays review of Whiskey Tango Foxtrot] According to Fey, who plays Kim (rechristened Baker and turned into an American TV producer), that New York Times reviewer wasnt wrong. In movies, Im often the one sane person in an insane world, Fey said by phone from New York. What was so appealing about this world that Kim Barker experienced was not only that it was truly absurd, but that it really was true. In 30 Rock, things had to be heightened. In Kims book, these crazy things were actually happening all around her. As an example, Fey cited Barkers depiction of the clumsy, G-rated attempt by the Afghan attorney general (played by Alfred Molina in the movie) to woo Kim during an interview. Hes like, Theres a bed in my office now, said Fey. Thats just insanely funny. Barker, who played no role in developing the screenplay, said she was initially terrified that the narrative arc of her story would be inaccurate, thanks to the adjustments, large and small, that inevitably happen to books on their way to the screen. If this movie had ended with me and by me I mean my character coming back to the States and getting married with a kid, after I had been overseas because I wanted to see the world and I wanted adventure, I would have been mad at that narrative, she said. That happens a lot with movies with female protagonists. Ultimately, Barker is really happy with the finished product. My big fear was that it would be like Anchorman in Afghanistan, she said. What I like about the movie is that I expected to laugh, but I didnt expect to tear up. It sounds really ridiculous, because I wrote a book with some dark, sad points, but I wasnt sure they would convey. Tina Fey with Christopher Abbott, left, who plays Fahim, and Billy Bob Thornton, right, as a Marine general in Whiskey Tango Foxtrot. (Frank Masi/Paramount Pictures) Barker said one of those teary moments came during the scene in which Kim says goodbye to Fahim (Christopher Abbott), her Afghan fixer/translator/paid best friend, whose his real name was Farouq. Its one of Feys favorite scenes, too. The relationship between Kim and Fahim is so beautiful, she said. You dont typically see two adults having a friendship that is not romantic. [Whiskey Tango Foxtrot and Hollywoods enduring problem with whitewashing ] Other relationships in the book have been heightened, such as a love affair between Kim and a rival reporter, played by Martin Freeman. Another relationship that informs the film, if only tangentially, is the one between Fey and her late father, to whom the film is dedicated. A veteran of the Korean War and a journalist and writer, Donald H. Fey died in October. He was a very good writer, Fey recalled. He used to tell me and my brother [QVC writer/producer Peter Fey], When youre writing any kind of journalistic copy, the important thing is you should be invisible in the piece. According to Fey, the line between great journalism and great comedy is less bright than one might think. The mark of a great comedian is that they find something to say thats true but that no ones noticed yet, she said. Thats the formula: Im observing something thats true, and no one else has pointed this out yet. For Fey, comedy, like journalism, often originates in things that tick people off. Citing Jonathan Swift, Mark Twain and the SNL Weekend Update anchors In that order, she said Fey argues that jokes have long had an essential role in cultural critique. Its a way of calling b------- on something. If you make people laugh, theyre more likely to acknowledge that its screwed up. Writer Kim Barker at the Whiskey Tango Foxtrot premiere March 1 in New York. (Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images) Barker, who is now a reporter for the New York Times, agrees. Thats the whole reason I wrote this book, she said. I had quit my job. I didnt want to be a metro reporter at the Chicago Tribune anymore. I thought I was leaving journalism. I was mad. And no one was paying attention to Afghanistan and Pakistan. . . . I thought, The only way I might get Americans to read a book about Afghanistan and Pakistan is if I put an American in the center of it, made it a memoir and made it darkly comic. It was a calculated risk, she admits. When I told people here I was working on a funny book, they said, How could you write anything funny about whats happened over there? she recalled. When I told people over there expats, Afghans, Pakistanis they completely got it, right away. Everybody here thinks that people who are suffering through these horrible experiences lose most of their humanity, but most people use humor to get through these things. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (R, 111 minutes). At area theaters. Shane Smith, co-founder and chief executive officer of Vice Media Inc., the online news outlet that reports from remote corners of the globe. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg) With its swaggering reporting style and frank, no-gore-withheld videos from global trouble spots, Vice Media has become one of the brightest stars of the digital-news age. Starting as a counterculture magazine in Montreal in the early 1990s, Vice has morphed into an international multimedia colossus, with an HBO documentary series, a book and record division, an ad agency, and multiple websites that attract nearly 60 million unique visitors a month. This week it debuted its own cable channel . But theres another side to Vices pace-setting journalism and dramatic business rise. At times, the company has blurred the lines between reporting and advertising. It has removed or altered some of its work after advertisers complained that the material put them in an unflattering light. On at least two occasions, it wove documentary footage into promotions for advertisers. In another instance, a months-long investigative project was killed, apparently out of concern about its effect on a major sponsor. These actions over the past few years raise questions about whether Vice has crossed a traditional line in journalism. Most news organizations place a premium on their independence from advertisers and guard against sponsors influencing editorial decisions. The bright lines are meant to ensure that editorial material is trustworthy and free of advertisers influence. Audience trust is critical if you want to have an audience, said Lockhart Steele, the editorial director of Vox Media, a digital news organization. It really doesnt matter if you are an old media company, a new media company, digital, print or broadcast. Voxs standard, he said, is to never change coverage at the whim of an advertiser. Ben Smith, the editor of Buzzfeed, another digital competitor, points to his organizations editorial standards and ethics guide, which obligates the organization to maintain a strict and traditional separation between advertising and editorial content. The work of reporters, writers, and editors is entirely independent of our ad salespeople and their clients. Vice declined to discuss its editorial policies. A spokesman, Jake Goldman, dismissed the reporting in this article as old or inaccurate [with] absolutely no bearing on how we operate today. He declined further comment. Vice showed particular deference toward its sponsors in a three-part series about a year ago on the Ku Klux Klans recruitment of military veterans. The series initially appeared online with the logos of several companies visible onscreen. In one shot, for example, a bystander wears a T-shirt featuring the Nike logo; in another, a self-identified Klansman wears a cap with a Budweiser logo and drinks a Bud Lite. The appearance of the logos set off a brief flurry among the documentarys producers, who scrambled to obscure them from viewers after the documentary had already been posted. The series was briefly taken down and the logos of the two companies both of which have been Vice sponsors were digitally blurred, as was the logo on a Coke can. The series then reappeared, with the images altered. News and documentary filmmakers traditionally do not remove corporate logos that appear incidentally in footage. Doing so changes the facts of a scene or image, said Tom Bettag, the former longtime executive producer of ABCs Nightline. For the life of me, I cant figure out why Vice would have done that, said Bettag, now a visiting fellow at the University of Maryland. When you start doing that, when do you stop? Another kind of alteration occurred in 2014 when Vice produced a promotional video for Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, a video game in which privatemilitary contractors battle terrorists. The promotional video features a discussion about real-life mercenaries, offering verisimilitude for the video games fictional scenarios. Among those interviewed in the promotional video is New York Times reporter David Sanger, who has written extensively about national security issues, including military contractors. However, Sanger said he never agreed to participate in a commercial promo; he gave an interview to Vice last year for what he thought was a documentary about military contractors. When that video appeared, I called them and said it was inappropriate to use my comments or image for any form of product advertising, Sanger said. They immediately apologized, and I asked them to delete my comments and image from use in the advertisement. The promotion, however, continues to appear online with Sangers comments as part of it. The Call of Duty incident echoed another Vice documentary that became part of a Vice promotion. In 2012, Vice shot footage for a documentary about Cure Violence, a Chicago group that tries to mediate gang disputes. Some of the documentarys footage became part of an online promotion Vice created for a violent game called Dishonored, featuring the worlds best revenge stories. In other words, a documentary about a group trying to stop the near-daily calculated revenge killings in Chicago [became] a way to boost a presumed target demographics interest in a game about calculated revenge killing, said Jason Prechtel, who wrote about the Dishonored promotion for a Chicago blog, GapersBlock.com. Vices close association with its sponsors has occasionally been noted in other media. The website Gawker has periodically taunted Vices friendliness with advertisers, drawing pushback from Vices chief executive and co-founder, Shane Smith. In an interview with the Guardian newspaper, for example, Smith defended Vices relationships with advertisers, such as a web show about outdoor pursuits sponsored by the North Face apparel company. On the program, Vices hosts, including Smith, wear the sponsors gear. But Smith told the Guardian that there was no violation of the church and state relationship between advertising and editorial. Does North Face tell us where to go? he said. Do they pick our hosts? Do they f------ pick the story? No. In other instances, Vice has taken special steps to protect its sponsors from criticism or embarrassment. In 2011, it posted a scathingly humorous piece about Axe body spray by comedian Neil Hamburger that included this description of the product: Axes master chemist seems to be developing their various fragrances by dumping varying amounts of Hawaiian Punch and/or Country Time Lemonade into the trough-style urinals at Dodger Stadium during the top of the 9th inning. He also called Axe the preferred deodorant for date-rapists. Its not clear whether Unilever Axes marketer and a major Vice sponsor complained. Nevertheless, it soon disappeared from Vices website. Charles Davis, a former Vice freelancer who briefly served as an associate editor, said four stories he wrote or edited during his tenure with the company were killed because they ran counter to Vices business interests. One of his pieces was about the South by Southwest festival in Austin, which relies on thousands of volunteers potentially in violation of labor laws, according to Daviss story. The story was in the final stages of being edited, Davis said in an interview, when an editor told him that the piece was being rejected because Vice had a co-sponsorship deal with AT&T at the festival. Marketing overruled editorial, Davis said. Some months before Davis submitted the South by Southwest story, editors killed another article by him, this one about unpaid labor in the commercial film and TV industry. Those two rejections were preceded by a story by Davis that Vice did publish. This one was about the use of unpaid labor at competing publications. Davis was subsequently fired after being told that the company no longer wanted to maintain an editorial staff in Los Angeles, where he was based. Thereafter, he went public with his concerns about editorial meddling, posting a series of screen captures on Twitter that he said were from emails from Vice editors to him enforcing Vices brand policies. One of these reads, Hey, [a senior editor] asked me to remind you that any brand mention basically any mention of a large entity that we might be making some kind of business deal with should get run up the flagpole for review by senior managers. Said Davis: What I kind of discovered is that Vice is looking to please so many investors and advertisers. You have the freedom [at Vice] to say, Screw the police! or Screw Israel! but if you say Screw [a sponsor]! thats a different story. This impression was backed up by another former Vice editorial employee, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to maintain a relationship with the company. This employee described an extensive reporting project undertaken by Vice journalists about Bank of Americas mortgage-lending practices. When a senior editor found out the project had been underway for nearly three months, he expressed alarm to those involved. The investigation was soon aborted. Some weeks later, Vice News announced the creation of a personal finance show, The Business of Life, aimed at its millennial audience. The sponsor was Bank of America. THE DISTRICT 2nd suspect arrested in fatal club stabbing Police on Wednesday arrested a second suspect in a fatal stabbing in January of a 29-year-old patron at Barcode, a downtown Washington nightclub near the Farragut North Metro station. Devonta Johnson, 27, of Northeast is charged with second-degree murder. In February, police arrested Antoine Byrd, 35, of Northeast and charged him with first-degree murder in the death of Robinson Pal of Riverdale, in Prince Georges County. The stabbing occurred about 11:40 p.m. Jan. 31 inside the club at 17th and L streets NW, where police said in court filings that Pal and Byrd were seen arguing in the club and that the dispute may have been over the victim accusing Byrd of robbing him. Peter Hermann Man shot in car near school is identified A man who was shot while sitting in a car in Southeast Washington on Tuesday has been identified by D.C. police as Rudolph Garris, 25, of Suitland. D.C. police said that Garris died at a hospital Wednesday after being shot about 3 p.m. in the 4200 block of Sixth Street SE, at Chesapeake Street, in Washington Highlands. The location is steps away from Hendley Elementary School and the Sunshine Early Learning Center. A teacher said Wednesday that children on a playground were rushed into the school and learning center when the shooting occurred. Peter Hermann Teen is charged in Northeast robberies A 17-year-old charged in connection with two robberies and an attempted robbery, all in Northeast Washington, has been arrested, according to D.C. police. The youth was charged as a juvenile with robbery while armed, assault with intent to rob, and robbery by force and violence. His name was not released because of his age. Police said the first attack occurred about 2:25 p.m. Feb. 25 in the 800 block of 21st Street NE, in the Carver-Langston neighborhood. Police said the assailant took money from a man and then stabbed him with a knife. Three days later, on Feb. 28, police said a young man approached a man about 6:15 a.m. in the 1500 block of New York Avenue NE, near Ivy City, and asked for money. Police said the suspect assaulted the victim but did not get any money. About 2:50 that afternoon, police said the suspect stole a cellphone and threatened to beat a man in the 1100 block of 21st Street NE, also in Carver-Langston. Police said the youth was arrested Tuesday. Peter Hermann VIRGINIA Missing federal K-9 found in Woodbridge Milo, a black Labrador retriever who works for a federal agency and had gone missing Sunday, has been found with a slight injury, police said Thursday. The dog ran away from his handler as the handler returned home to the Woodbridge area, Prince William County police said, declining to identify the agency for which Milo works. Police did not detail Milos injury but said he is expected to recover. They said that Milo was found by someone in Woodbridge. Milo went missing around 7:45 p.m. Sunday in the 14100 block of Rahill Court. Dana Hedgpeth Rabid raccoon is euthanized Authorities in Arlington are warning that a rabid raccoon was on the loose in the area last week. An animal-control officer captured the raccoon and euthanized it at a shelter. It was last seen in the 3700 block of Military Road on Feb. 28, according to officials. A test to determine whether the raccoon had rabies came back positive. Anyone who thinks that people or pets had contact with the raccoon should call 703-931-9241. Dana Hedgpeth The meeting of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors had ended. But several members were still arguing on the dais, even as board Chairman Sharon Bulova (D) urged them to leave. Moments earlier, Supervisor Catherine M. Hudgins (D-Hunter Mill) had accused her two newest colleagues of political grandstanding. This is childish play, that once you dont get your way, you want to come back and change it, Hudgins told Kathy L. Smith (D-Sully) and Daniel G. Storck (D-Mount Vernon). You cant have it always only your way. Such public vitriol is almost unheard of in polite Fairfax County. But it happened Tuesday night, spurred by growing tension over the budget and the still-new presence of Smith and Storck, who in January joined a board whose other eight members have served together for at least seven years. [Fairfax homeowners could see $304 on tax bill under new tax ceiling] At issue was the ceiling the board should set for next years property tax rate. County Executive Edward L. Long had recommended a maximum increase of four cents per $100 of home value, which fell about $45 million short of what schools Superintendent Karen Garza says she needs to meet rising education costs. Smith, herself a former school board member, joined Storck to call for raising the ceiling for property taxes by six cents, which would fully fund Garzas budget request. My whole goal in this was to make sure we had a full and open dialogue with the community, Smith said Wednesday, arguing that a higher tax-rate ceiling would allow the board to consider more of what residents ask for during community meetings that lead up to the final tax rate being set in April. When I did the math, six cents would have let us have that conversation. Supervisor Jeff C. McKay (D-Lee), who chairs the boards budget committee, proposed a compromise increase of five cents. He lobbied his colleagues to support that measure by pointing out that Fairfax expects an increase in state funding next year of as much as $17 million. I thought the motion that I put on the table could have fully funded the schools, was respectful to the taxpayers and was the only responsible motion that could have achieved enough support to pass, McKay said. The six-cent ceiling failed 7 to 3. Only Smith, Storck and John W. Foust (D-Dranesville) voted in favor. But five board veterans rallied around McKays compromise proposal enough for it to pass, except that Smith and Storck opposed it. Instead, the board passed the four-cent ceiling by a vote of 7 to 3. Only Smith, Storck and Pat Herrity (R-Springfield) who is skeptical of the school systems budget needs voted against that measure. Several board members expressed frustration with Smith and Storck for refusing to compromise, arguing they should have agreed to the five-cent increase once their six-cent proposal failed. In effect, those supervisors said, the two new lawmakers hindered county efforts to fund schools instead of helping them. It was a case of the perfect getting in the way of the possible, said Bulova, who backed the five-cent measure. There was not support for six, and they were not willing to compromise on the five. McKay was more blunt, calling the vote a rookie mistake and political posturing. Storck said he had expected the four-cent proposal to fail and was planning on proposing another, higher rate. My way of thinking was somewhere around 5 1 / 2 cents, he said. The real anger erupted later in the meeting, after school advocates lobbied several supervisors to employ a parliamentary maneuver that would let the board reconsider the failed motions. Supervisor Linda Q. Smyth (D-Providence) argued that revisiting a vote that already passed could damage the boards credibility. We should present the idea of being a well-managed county, not playing games with setting a tax rate, Smyth said Wednesday. The vote to reconsider ended in a 5-to-5 tie, meaning that the motion failed. Both Smith and Storck voted for it. After everyone finally left the meeting room, the bickering spilled onto social media. Im not going to debate a colleague on Facebook, people know what happened, McKay wrote after criticizing Smiths online characterization of the meetings outcome. Smith replied: Jeff McKay I agree, no reason to debate on Facebook, but if you dont want to debate you also shouldnt attack your colleagues on Facebook. Maryland House Speaker Michael E. Busch (D-Anne Arundel) and Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert) have agreed that the state needs to reduce taxes in order to compete for businesses, but they appear divided over whether the state should reduce corporate tax rates. Both legislative leaders testified Wednesday in support of bills they proposed to provide tax relief for businesses, telling Senate and House fiscal committees that the measures will help attract and retain private-sector employers. But Miller has proposed a bill to reduce the corporate income-tax rate from its current 8.25 percent to 7 percent. Busch has proposed no such legislation. He did not address corporate rates during his testimony, and his office did not respond to a request for comment on the matter. The two lawmakers based their legislation on recommendations from a commission they formed in 2014 to develop tax-relief plans that could improve the states business environment. The 25-member panel, headed by Lockheed Martin chairman Norman Augustine, released a report in January calling for seven changes to reduce the tax burden on businesses, including by lowering corporate rates, providing a tax break for many individuals who file their business income on personal returns, and eliminating the corporate income tax on overseas earnings that have already been taxed abroad. Millers bills cover all seven of the recommendations, while Buschs match five. Backing from Busch and Miller adds considerable weight to the push for tax relief in Maryland. Republican Gov. Larry Hogan promised during his 2014 campaign to roll back some of the tax hikes enacted by his Demotic predecessor, Martin OMalley, but he achieved only modest victories on that front in the past year mainly through toll reductions, lower taxes for military retirees and a repeal of the so-called rain tax. [Hogans latest tax proposals] The governor has said he plans to sign any legislation that comes from the Augustine report. We support any true tax cut that gives money back to Marylanders, Hogan spokesman Doug Mayer said Wednesday. Miller acknowledged that passing his eight bills could be a challenge in Marylands Democrat-controlled legislature, but he encouraged lawmakers to work at it. I know its going to be a tough sell, but just do the very best you can to move our state forward, he said during a joint hearing with the House Ways and Means and Senate Budget and Taxation committees. Unlike Miller, Busch has not introduced bills to reduce the corporate tax rate or the estate tax. But he said the state needs to start to chip away at some of the things that can make the business climate better in Maryland. One of the proposals the two lawmakers have in common would allow individuals to exempt the first $20,000 of their business income from taxation. Another, which Busch pointed to as a priority during his testimony, would allow multistate corporations to base their tax rates on their sales in Maryland, rather than on sales, property and payroll in the state. The Augustine commission said that switching to the single sales method would create an incentive for companies to move to the state or remain in it, since many would face a lower tax burden. Legislative analysts have said the change would have little to no impact on state revenues, but they added that the effects on businesses would vary depending upon how each entity operates. Busch and Miller have also sponsored bills to expand a tax credit for the working poor, something the Augustine group has said would spur economic activity and ultimately boost tax evenues. Hogan has proposed similar legislation. Benjamin Orr, executive director of the liberal-leaning Maryland Center on Economic Policy, warned lawmakers that tax cuts for businesses could negatively impact public investments such as education and transit spending. Businesses in Maryland already get a great return on investment with the value of the services they receive, he said. Obituaries of residents from the District, Maryland and Northern Virginia. Jack L. Hiller, history teacher Jack L. Hiller, 86, a high school history teacher in Fairfax County from 1958 to 1988, died Feb. 3 at a hospital in Fairfax County. The cause was cardiac arrest, said a daughter, Elizabeth Settlemyer. Mr. Hiller, a resident of Springfield, Va., was born in Pittsburgh. He was a National Park Service ranger in Jamestown, Va., before moving to the Washington area in 1958. He was a teacher at Groveton and West Potomac high schools. He was a former chairman of the Fairfax County History Commission. Elizabeth Swenson, spiritual program founder Elizabeth Swenson, 88, a Senate staff member who founded in 1997 and led for 15 years the Friends of St. Benedict spirituality program stressing work, rest and prayer, died Feb. 9 at a health-care center in Washington. The cause was heart ailments, said a niece, Susan Vogelsang. Ms. Swenson, a resident of Chevy Chase, Md., was born in Concord, N.H. Between 1951 and 1979, she was a staffer for the old Mutual Security Agency, for the Senate office of Norris Cotton (R-N.H.) and last for the Senate Commerce Committee. Before serving as executive director of the Friends of St. Benedict, she was executive director of the Canterbury Cathedral Trust in America, which assisted in the restoration of Canterbury Cathedral in England. Susan MacDonald, accountant Susan MacDonald, 69, an accountant who specialized in foreign exchange with Ruesch International Monetary Services in Washington from 1987 to 2003, died Jan. 18 at a health-care center in New York City. The cause was Huntingtons disease, said her husband, Carleton MacDonald. Mrs. MacDonald was born Susan Brown in Hanford, Calif. She worked for Crocker National Bank in San Francisco before moving to the Washington area in 1987. She relocated to New York from Gaithersburg, Md., in 2013 for specialized care because of her illness. Alan R. McCosh, Navy captain Alan R. McCosh, 61, a Navy captain who served as a supply officer from 1982 until his retirement in 2006, and whose honors included the Legion of Merit, died Jan. 19 at a hospital in Leesburg, Va. The cause was complications from a heart attack, said his wife, Carolyn McCosh. Capt. McCosh, a resident of Great Falls, Va., was born in Athens, Tenn. He enlisted in the Navy in 1977 and became an officer in the Supply Corps five years later. He served tours on the USS Finback, a submarine, and on the USS Frank Cable, a submarine supply ship, and was a supply commander in Kosovo in 2001. Upon retirement he founded Nice Legs, a wine distributor based in Sterling, Va. He volunteered as a Boy Scout scoutmaster in Great Falls and with such organizations as the Navy Supply Corps Foundation, an alumni group. Gladys Clowes, homemaker, nurse Gladys Clowes, 88, a homemaker who worked as a nurse at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring, Md., from 1980 to 1984, died Jan. 18 at an assisted-living center in Spring, Tex. The cause was cancer, said a daughter, Joan Clowes. Mrs. Clowes, a resident of Rockville, Md., until shortly before her death, was born Gladys Crowley in New York City. She joined the Cadet Nurse Corps, a World War II-era program that trained civilian nurses, in 1943. After working as a nurse at what is now Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, she moved to the Washington area in 1950 to work several years as a nurse at the Alexandria, Va., chapter of the American Red Cross. She made oil paintings and volunteered at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Silver Spring, Md. Frances Mallgrave, homemaker, saleswoman Frances Mallgrave, 74, a homemaker who worked as a saleswoman at candymaker Mars Inc. and then at now-defunct pharmaceutical company Warner-Lambert in the 1980s and early 1990s, died Feb. 10 at her home in Silver Spring, Md. The cause was cancer, said a son, Matthew Mallgrave. Mrs. Mallgrave was born Frances Kennealy in Philadelphia and moved to the Washington area in 1970. She volunteered for such organizations as Montgomery County, Md., schools and ProLiteracy, a nonprofit group that promotes adult literacy. Bernard C. Johnson Jr., D.C. deputy fire chief Bernard C. Johnson Jr. , 78, retired D.C. deputy fire chief, died Feb. 3 at his home in Washington. The cause was congestive heart failure, said a daughter, Phyllis Johnson. Mr. Johnson was a native and lifelong resident of Washington. He joined the fire department in 1958 and rose through the ranks to deputy chief before retiring in 1995. He received heroism awards for rescuing three adults and three children in two fires in 1978. Jay Cochran Jr., FBI assistant director Jay Cochran Jr., 88, retired assistant director of the FBI, died Feb. 4 at an assisted living center in Ashburn, Va. The cause was congestive heart failure, said a son, Randy Cochran. Mr. Cochran, a resident of Ashburn, was born in Gary, Ind. He served 27 years with the FBI, including 10 years in the FBI laboratory in Washington. He also had assignments as a special and supervisory agent in El Paso, Houston and Savannah, Ga. He returned to Washington in 1973 as deputy assistant and then assistant director. Rafael F. Font, IADB accountant Rafael F. Font, 96, retired deputy chief accountant at the Inter-American Development Bank in Washington, died Jan. 30 at a hospital in Reston, Va. The cause was congestive heart failure, said a son, Rafael I. Font. Mr. Font, a resident of Fairfax County, Va., was born in Santiago de Cuba. He was an accountant and a teacher of accounting at Oriente University in his home city. He came to the United States in 1960, soon after Fidel Castro came to power in Cuba. He settled in the Washington area in 1962 and worked 20 years for the IADB. In retirement, he did consulting for the World Bank. Richard M. Grigsby, police, security officer Richard M. Grigsby, 68, an officer with the Prince Georges County Police Department and later with the Transportation Security Administration, died Feb. 8 at his home in Annapolis. The cause was cancer, said a sister-in-law, Sharon Craig. Mr. Grigsby, a native Washingtonian, spent 24 years as a Prince Georges County police officer, retiring in 2004 as lieutenant and shift commander. He was a threat analyst with TSA from 2005 to 2008. From staff reports THE DISTRICT Police identify man killed in SE shooting A man who was fatally shot Monday in Southeast Washington has been identified by D.C. police as Adam Edwin Barker, 21. Barker was shot in the 2700 block of Langston Place. After being found Monday, he was taken to a hospital, where he died Tuesday, police said. Man fatally shot near education facilities A man who was shot Tuesday as he sat in a car near a school and a child learning center in Southeast Washington died Wednesday morning at a hospital, D.C. police said. The shooting occurred shortly after 3 p.m. at Sixth and Chesapeake streets in Washington Highlands, near Hendley Elementary School and the Sunshine Early Learning Center, which enrolls 230 children. The centers chief operating officer, Robert Gundling, asked police about the shooting on the departments Internet bulletin board, saying, We do appreciate it when we are notified of situations like this to make sure we do everything possible to keep the children and adults safe. Gundling said Wednesday that he later learned that a police lieutenant visited the center to provide details shortly after the shooting. The police have done an exemplary job today on following up, he said. A teacher said about two dozen children were on a playground outside when the gunfire erupted about one block away. We just heard the shots, and we took off, said the teacher, who spoke on the condition she not be named. We got the kids into safety. Gundling said those children may have been at the nearby elementary school. MARYLAND Senate moves billto aid hospital system A bill mandating that Maryland allocate $15 million in annual operating funds for a transitioning Prince Georges County hospital system was approved Wednesday by the state Senate despite calls from Republicans to delay the vote. The measure, which heads to the House of Delegates, is at the center of an ongoing dispute over the funding between Gov. Larry Hogan (R) and county officials. County Executive Rushern L. Baker III (D), along with Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert), said the funds are necessary to keep the countys health-care system running while plans move forward to build a state-of-the-art hospital operated by the University of Maryland Medical System. Hogan has said he needs time to review the project and renew a memorandum of understanding on how to fund it. VIRGINIA Arlington woman found dead in home A 69-year-old Arlington woman was found dead Wednesday inside her home, a police spokeswoman said. The woman, who police did not identify, was found by her son shortly before 3 p.m. inside her home in the 4900 block of 18th Street North. He told investigators that two stove burners were on and that there might have been an explosion, said Ashley Savage, an Arlington County police spokeswoman. Forensic scientist Kamedra McNeil, right, works on a sample in D.C.'s crime lab, which is restarting DNA testing 10 months after a controversial shutdown. At left is Andrew Feiter, also a forensic scientist. (Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post) The D.C. crime lab is resuming limited DNA testing this week but will continue to send more-complicated cases for outside testing as it recovers from a nearly 10-month suspension, officials said. The District lab halted DNA forensic testing in April amid questions about the integrity and independence of advanced DNA analysis at the lab, mirroring concerns at labs across the country. The $220 million D.C. Consolidated Forensic Laboratory was barely three years old at the time and was touted as a model government crime lab run independently of police or prosecutors control. The lab expects to resume DNA testing in stages, starting with sex assault kits, then possibly samples from felony gun cases and homicides cases, said Jenifer A.L. Smith, the new director of the D.C. Department of Forensic Sciences. The lab will continue to outsource more DNA work than before the suspension until its skills improve. DNA analysis is a key lab function and accounted for 15 percent of the labs operations last year, behind firearm and fingerprint analysis, lab officials said. Smith is expected to testify Thursday before the D.C. Council about changes that enabled the restart. Forensic scientist Kamedra McNeil works on a sample in D.C.'s crime lab, which is restarting DNA testing 10 months after a controversial shutdown. (Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post) The city has spent $1 million in contingency funds to outsource DNA examinations and make other improvements since a national accrediting group found that analysts at the lab were not competent and were using inadequate procedures. The administration of Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) ordered the suspension. It is not clear how much ongoing outsourcing will cost. The Forensic Sciences Department was approved for $16.2 million in District and federal funding in 2015 and has received an additional $8 million to reduce backlogs in DNA, fingerprint and firearm examinations, the agency said. U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips, whose office alerted city officials to lab errors, said in a statement that it is looking forward to working with [DFS] in cases involving DNA analysis and has worked closely with Smith and her agency since she took over in May. Smith said the lab has slashed DNA testing turnaround times and paid for new training and equipment that will make it one of the first in the nation to employ new software called STRmix that untangles complex mixtures of DNA from multiple people at crime scenes. Problems with subjective human interpretations of such mixtures triggered the labs troubles and confront the entire forensic field, Smith said. I think the whole community is actually facing this issue right now. We just happened to be one of the first to, perhaps, fall, said Smith, a retired FBI special agent who formerly headed the FBIs DNA laboratory and the CIAs biological technology center. With the changes, Smith said, Its all much better for the city. I think we would all agree we are in a much better place. [National accreditation board suspends all DNA testing at D.C. crime lab] Forensic scientist Andrew Feiter works on a sample in D.C.'s crime lab, which is restarting DNA testing 10 months after a controversial shutdown. (Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post) The restart was authorized Feb. 18 by Deputy Mayor Kevin A. Donahue after the ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board said the lab was ready to resume work. The lab spent last week uploading previously analyzed DNA profiles and preparing to test new cases. Since October 2014, outside experts retained by Phillipss office to look at DNA examinations by the D.C. lab in criminal cases since 2012 came to different conclusions about how results should be interpreted in at least 35 percent of the total 135 District cases reviewed to date, according to a summary released by his office. Prosecutors have notified defendants in all 48 of the cases that were flagged and said they have not found any evidence to suggest any wrongful conviction, nor acted to dismiss any cases. [Why prosecutors criticized D.C. labs handling of some DNA evidence] Prosecutors also paid to send DNA evidence to private labs but said they could not readily calculate that cost. The U.S. attorneys office estimated that it requested DNA testing in 25 percent more cases in 2015 than in 2014, 500 compared with 395, sending most to outside labs. In her interview, Smith said the lab remains committed to quality science and transparency. She said that the city decided to replace the labs leadership and that she realigned the lab internally to work more closely with law enforcement to respond to crime trends. Smith said the lab will allow prosecutors and others to have direct access to analysts to check the status of testing. That direct access previously had been barred with the intent of insulating analysts from information that might bias their work before they issue their reports. The District also recently modified legislation that initially transferred civilian personnel and funds from police to the Department of Forensic Sciences to, among other things, allow the lab to pay experienced D.C. police retirees for their work without affecting their pensions. One of the visions was to be independent, but not isolated from our customers. . . . You have to understand where their priorities are, and that includes the citizens, as homicides go up and down and robberies increase, Smith said. Before, there was a clear detachment, in the name of independence, in which she said lab managers limited communications with law enforcement as well as internally to the detriment of all. [District names new head of embattled DNA lab] A video posted on YouTube shows Deonte Carraway leading a group of children in song. They sway and clap, with Carraway dressed in red in front of them, and the city of Glenarden seal hanging in the background. We praise you, Lord! the group of more than two dozen sings inside the Glenarden municipal center. We magnify your name! As the director of the Glenarden Voices of Youth Choir, Carraway often held group activities inside the building. Police said it is also where he abused children and recorded them performing sex acts. The family of at least one alleged victim of Carraway filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the city of about 6,000 residents, asserting the local government failed to properly supervise Carraway, 22, when he had access to the government building with minors. In addition to his work with choirs, Carraway was a former volunteer at Judge Sylvania W. Woods Elementary School. He faces 13 federal charges of sexual exploitation of a minor to produce child pornography, in addition to local charges in Prince Georges County. Deonte Carraway (AP) Carraway told investigators he filmed and directed children between the ages of 9 and 13 performing various sexual acts with him and each other, police said. Police have determined there are at least 17 victims in the case and said abuse occurred at the school and in private homes, a church in Bowie and a public pool in addition to the Glenarden municipal center. [Child-porn suspect always had six or seven kids around. Its a little strange.] The lawsuit citing Glenarden alleges that a city official would let Carraway into the government building in the afternoon for choir practice, but that the group would stay into the night and play hide-and-seek in bathrooms and in a rental facility in the municipal center. The complaint alleges that city officials did not properly supervise Carraway when he had access to the building, which the lawsuit contends is against city policy. Carraway used his position as Director of the City of Glenarden Youth Choir to sexually assault and prey on children, says the complaint, which was filed on behalf of a 10-year-old who was part of the choir. Carraway was able to openly entice these children to perform sexual acts openly on City property because of the complete absence of any supervision and oversight of his conduct or behavior involving these children. The Glenarden suit follows three others filed alleging that Prince Georges County school officials failed to act after being alerted to reports of abuse. [Third lawsuit filed in Prince Georges child sex-abuse case] While much of Carraways case has centered around the school where he volunteered and unanswered questions there, questions also remain about how much access he was given to the Glenarden municipal center. Weeks before the lawsuit against the city was filed, The Washington Post emailed and called city officials several times to ask how Carraway was granted access to the municipal center, how often he was allowed to be there and whether any background check was conducted before he was allowed to run the choir from the building. Elected officials did not return phone or email messages. Workers at the main government office directed reporters to Glenarden Police Chief Philip ODonnell. ODonnell directed all questions to Prince Georges County police, which is leading the Carraway investigation with help from the FBI. When reached by phone Wednesday afternoon, Glenarden Mayor Dennis Smith, who is named in the suit, declined to comment. He said he was not aware of the legal complaint and directed a reporter to an insurance company, which could not be reached for comment. [Amid a child-porn investigation, these tweets show parents anguish] A grandmother who allowed her granddaughter to join Carraways choir two summers ago said the group seemed legitimate to her because Carraway was given access to run the program through the Glenarden municipal center. The grandmother, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for privacy reasons, said the choir met for about an hour on Saturdays, but the practices appeared disorganized. Parents have been frustrated with the silence on the part of city officials. Someone should be held accountable for the acts that happened right under their noses, a parent said at a community meeting. A man who was shot while sitting in a car in Southeast Washington on Tuesday afternoon has been identified as a 25-year-old man from Maryland. D.C. police said Rudolph Garris of Suitland died at a hospital Wednesday. He had been shot about 3 p.m. in the 4200 block of Sixth Street SE, at Chesapeake Street, in Washington Highlands. [Man shot in car near school, learning center] The location is steps from Hendley Elementary School and the Sunshine Early Learning Center. A teacher said Wednesday that children on a playground were rushed into the school and learning center when the shooting occurred. On Monday afternoon, police said a man was shot in the 4300 block of Fourth Street SE, about a half-mile south of where Tuesdays fatal shooting took place. Police said the victim in Mondays shooting, which occurred about 4:40 p.m., suffered wounds that were not thought to be life-threatening. A 58-year-old Stafford woman died in a crash involving a tractor trailer, Prince William County police said Wednesday. Authorities said the woman, identified as Umme Habiba Begum, drove her vehicle across lanes near Jefferson Davis Highway and Wayside Drive in Dumfries. On Monday afternoon, Begum was driving a 2012 Toyota RAV4 east from the Princeton Woods Shopping Center toward Wayside Drive when, for unknown reasons, she went over the median, according to a department press release. The SUV went over the median and across the eastbound lanes, striking two pedestrian signals, the release said. Police said Begums vehicle then traveled north in the southbound lanes of Jefferson Davis Highway, where it collided with a 2001 Mack tractor trailer. The tractor trailer overturned from the impact and the debris struck another vehicle on the highway, authorities said. Begum was taken to an area hospital, where she died a short time later, police said. The tractor trailer driver, a 61-year-old Remington, Va., man, was not injured. The release said speed, alcohol and drugs did not appear to be factors in the crash. A 17-year-old charged in connection with two robberies and an attempted robbery, all in Northeast Washington, has been arrested, according to D.C. police. The youth was charged as a juvenile with robbery while armed, assault with intent to rob and robbery by force and violence. His name was not released because of his age. Police said the first attack occurred at about 2:25 p.m. on Feb. 25 in the 800 block of 21st Street NE, in the Carver-Langston neighborhood. Police said the assailant took money from a man and then stabbed him with a knife. Three days later, on Feb. 28, police said a young man approached a man at about 6:15 a.m. in the 1500 block of New York Avenue NE, near Ivy City, and asked for money. Police said the suspect assaulted the victim but did not get away with any money. Later that same afternoon, about 2:50 p.m., police said the suspect stole a cellphone and threatened to beat a man in the 1100 block of 21st Street NE, also in Carver-Langston. Police said the youth was arrested Tuesday. Legislation that would allow Virginia parents to prevent their children from reading sexually explicit materials in school cleared its final hurdle Thursday in the General Assembly and was sent Gov. Terry McAuliffes desk. The governor has given no public hint as to whether he will veto or sign the bill. House Democrats last month voted unanimously in favor of the bill in a block of uncontested bills, but many of them switched their votes Thursday after opponents said it could open the door to book banning. The House voted 77 to 21, with the support of 20 Democrats and one Republican who voted against the bill in error. We can all makes mistakes, like I think we all did when we first voted for this bill unanimously, Alfonso H. Lopez (D-Arlington) said on behalf of Democrats. The legislation was prompted by a Fairfax County mother who objected to her son, then a high school senior, reading Toni Morrisons Beloved in his Advanced Placement English class. She cited The Bluest Eye, also by Morrison; Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison; and The Road by Cormac McCarthy as books that she said are also inappropriate for students. The bill would make Virginia the first state in the nation to require K-12 teachers to notify parents of classroom materials with sexually explicit content. Parents could then opt out their children and request that the teacher provide an alternative assignment. About half of Virginia school districts already follow this practice, but lawmakers who support the bill said it should be state law. David B. Albo (R-Fairfax) acknowledged that Morrison, a Nobel laureate, is one of the countrys seminal authors, but said he was offended by a passage in one of her books. I lived in a fraternity house for two years, he said. Theres not very much stuff that offends me, and even I was aghast at how bad it was. [Va. Senate approves bill allowing parents to block explicit sexual content] Del. R. Steven Landes (R-Augusta), who sponsored the legislation at the request of House Speaker William J. Howell (R-Stafford), said the bill does not censor or ban books. But Lopez said teachers might shy away from teaching books with sexual content if they have to produce a second lesson plan for students reading alternative material. For that reason, he called the bill a slippery slope to back door censorship. When the government establishes laws to label literature in terms of a single factor it edges closer to censorship, he said during a speech on the House floor. It means we are labeling content for the sole purpose of potentially suppressing it. The National Council of Teachers of English and National Coalition Against Censorship oppose the bill; the Family Foundation of Virginia favors it. A new gun store plans to open in the Lyon Park neighborhood in Arlington County and some neighbors object. (Patricia Sullivan/TWP) The seven state legislators who represent Arlington County wrote a letter Wednesday to the property owner of the office where a gun store intends to open later this month, asking her to reconsider the lease. The letter recalls the years in the 1990s when Virginia was known as the gun-running capital of the East Coast and warns that Nova Armory, the business that aims to locate at 2300 N. Pershing Dr., is already marketing aggressively to residents of other states. Last week, the Arlington County Board also decried the plans of Nova Armory to open what the store described as a high-end retailer of sporting and self-defense weapons. Residents of the Lyon Park neighborhood, across Route 50 from Joint Base Ft. Myer-Henderson Hall, have raised objections to its opening. The store will be across the street from a private preschool and day care center. The legislators Dels. Patrick Hope, Alfonso Lopez, Richard Sullivan and Mark Levine and Sens. Barbara Favola, Janet Howell and Adam Ebbin, all Democrats sent their letter Wednesday from Richmond, where they are in the midst of the annual legislative session. Given its proximity to Route 50 with easy access to Interstate 95, this location could be the site for potentially nefarious and illegal activities such as enabling individuals to successfully obtain fraudulent Virginia drivers licenses to purchase firearms, illegally paying Virginia residents to buy guns, creating a black market to sell firearms for cash or drugs, or become a magnet for robbery as was recently the case in a firearms store in McLean, Virginia, the letter said. [Gun store operator, neighbors to face off] The letter also cited the potential impact to neighboring businesses and to the property values of the businesses and residences if the store opens. The selling of firearms, while legal, does not reflect the Arlington communitys values, the legislators said. Dennis Pratte, the owner of the store, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday. Last week, he wrote in an email to The Washington Post that he respects opponents constitutional rights to voice their opposition to something they may not fully understand, but at the same time, we ask those same people respect our rights, and the rights of the Arlington residents, to pursue their constitutionally protected second amendment rights. Some Lyon Park resident have started a petition opposing Nova Armory, collecting more than 3,000 signatures so far. A petition supporting the business has topped 500 signatures. Supporters of the store note that the business is legal under Virginia law, and they cite strong belief in the right to bear arms. As an Arlington resident and homeowner, I welcome this new business to the County, wrote petition-signer Dan Alban. A lawful firearms retailer poses no particular danger to nearby residents or businesses, and baseless hysteria about the proximity of guns is an inadequate justification for prohibiting a legitimate business from operating in the County. Legitimate businesses and other organizations should not be prevented from opening because they are unpopular or controversial. President Obama energetically touted the success of the Affordable Care Act on Thursday, saying that an estimated 20 million people have gained health coverage since the law was passed in 2010. During a trip to Milwaukee, Obama cited a new administration report attributing the increase in the number of insured Americans to provisions that created health insurance marketplaces where consumers can buy private plans, expanded Medicaid, required insurers to cover people with medical conditions and permitted young people to stay on their parents health plans until they turned 26. The presidents trip was designed to reward Milwaukee for its success in signing up people for coverage. It won a competition called the Healthy Communities Challenge that involved 20 cities. The administration described the drop in uninsured numbers as historic. In a statement, Sylvia Mathews Burwell, secretary of health and human services, said, We have seen progress in the last six years that the country has sought for generations. Thursdays report was an update of an HHS estimate last September, which found that 17.6 million uninsured adults had gained coverage as a result of the ACA. The new findings show that more than 6 million adults ages 19 to 25 have gained insurance under the law. Gains in coverage among previously uninsured adults were strong across all racial and ethnic groups, according to the report. [The administration makes it harder to get coverage outside regular enrollment period. ] HHS said the update was designed to focus exclusively on the impact of the ACA and not on other factors, such as the state of the economy, that could have affected whether people gained coverage. In a separate announcement, HHS said it is ahead of its own schedule in working to shift how Medicare pays for care from the quantity of tests and services provided beneficiaries to the quality of the care delivered. Federal health officials had set what they described on Thursday as the ambitious stretch goal of having 30 percent of the programs payments reflect this new approach by the end of this year. They met their goal 11 months early, they announced. In 2014 alone, they said, the result was $411 million in health care savings. The payment shift is taking place in large part through accountable care organizations and other initiatives established under the ACA. The administrations next target is for 50 percent of the payments made by Medicare to be based on quality by 2018. In a media telebriefing on Thursday, Patrick Conway, chief medical officer for HHSs Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, attributed the efforts success to a combination of factors. Providers are working to deliver care when and where patients most need it, Conway said, to help them stay out of the hospital and to better coordinate the services they receive. PENNSYLVANIA Priest gets 17 years in prison for molestation A suspended Pennsylvania priest convicted of sexually assaulting poor street children on missionary trips to Honduras was sentenced Wednesday to nearly 17 years in prison. Federal prosecutors in Johnstown had sought up to 30 years in prison for Joseph Maurizio Jr., 71. But defense attorneys for Maurizio argued for leniency based on the priests age, charitable works and his Navy service during the Vietnam War. U.S. District Judge Kim Gibson also fined Maurizio $50,000 and ordered him to pay $10,000 in restitution to each of two victims. The sentencing came a day after the Pennsylvania attorney general issued a report saying that two former bishops in the Altoona-Johnstown diocese covered up child sex abuse by more than 50 priests over more than 40 years. Associated Press DELAWARE Child-porn conviction for headmaster tossed Delawares Supreme Court has overturned the conviction of a former preparatory-school headmaster sentenced to 50 years in prison on child-pornography charges. In this Sept. 9, 2015 file photo, Rev. Joseph Maurizio is led by U.S. Marshals into Federal Court for jury selection in Johnstown, Pa. (Todd Berkey/AP) In a ruling Wednesday, the court said that search warrants obtained by police investigating Christopher Wheeler were unconstitutionally broad. Wheeler was convicted last year on 25 counts of dealing in child pornography. He waived his right to a jury trial after a judge denied a defense request to suppress evidence seized by authorities. Wheeler is the former headmaster at Tower Hill School in Wilmington, whose graduates include former DuPont chief executive Ellen Kullman, U.S. Sen. Christopher A. Coons (D-Del.) and television personality Mehmet Dr. Oz Oz. The ruling follows a January hearing in which the justices expressed concerns about the validity of the search warrant that led to Wheelers arrest in 2013. Associated Press Court stays Fla. execution: The Florida Supreme Court on Wednesday delayed the execution of an inmate while lawmakers determine how to change the states death-penalty sentencing system to comply with a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that found it unconstitutional. The court stayed the March 17 execution of Mark Asay, a Jacksonville man sentenced to death in 1987 for killing two men. Asays is the second scheduled execution to be halted since the January ruling by the high court, which found that Floridas method of sentencing people to death is flawed because it allows judges to reach a different conclusion from juries. Florida legislators are working on a new law that would require at least 10 out of 12 jurors to recommend execution. Racism claims at Boston school reviewed: Federal prosecutors in Massachusetts have launched a civil rights investigation into the elite Boston Latin School after African American students charged that its administration ignored incidents of racism on campus. The oldest high school in the nation has been under a harsh spotlight for the past few weeks after black students reported that school officials failed to investigate alleged instances of racial insults, including one case in which a student threatened to lynch a black classmate. Eight civil rights groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts and the Boston branch of the NAACP, last week called on U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz to open a probe into the alleged instances of racism. From news services Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 plane flies over Poland in this February 5, 2014 file photo. Debris thought to be part of the missing MH370 has been found off Mozambique. (Stringer/Reuters) SOUTH KOREA Anti-terror bill passes after lengthy libuster Lawmakers approved South Koreas first anti-terror legislation on Wednesday after outnumbered opposition members ended more than a week of nonstop speeches in the National Assembly aimed at delaying the vote. Nearly 160 members of the unicameral parliament voted for the bill, with one voting against it. Opposition lawmakers apparently boycotted. The 38 liberal lawmakers who filibustered said the bill threatens personal freedoms and privacy. They took turns speaking for more than 193 hours in the filibuster, which began Feb. 23, reportedly making it one of the longest of its kind in world politics. They stopped their speeches out of concern that a continuation might cause a public backlash ahead of parliamentary elections in April. President Park Geun-hyes conservative government had called for the bills quick passage, citing threats from North Korea after its recent nuclear test and rocket launch. The legislation enables South Koreas spy agency to wiretap phone conversations and collect the personal information of suspects. Critics worry that it might misuse the law to monitor opponents and other civilians. Associated Press SPAIN Socialists lose rst bid to form government Spains Socialist Party on Wednesday lost its first attempt to form a government, falling far short of the parliamentary votes needed ahead of a second ballot, set for Friday, that looks unlikely to solve the countrys political paralysis after a fragmented election two months ago. The Socialists, led by Pedro Sanchez, got just 130 votes, with 219 against and one abstention. The conservative Popular Party, led by acting prime minister Mariano Rajoy, and the far-left newcomer Podemos party joined with several smaller parties to deny Sanchezs attempt to become prime minister. Wednesdays vote came after an inconclusive Dec. 20 election in which the nations traditional two-party system shattered with the entry of Podemos and another upstart party. Voter outrage over Spains 21 percent unemployment rate, austerity measures by the Popular Party during its 2011-2015 rule and graft scandals badly hit the Popular and Socialist parties, which have alternated ruling the nation for decades. If Sanchez fails to win Fridays vote, parliament has two more months to choose a government or new elections will be called. Associated Press Debris from same type of jet as MH370, Malaysia official says: Debris thought to be part of a Boeing 777 jet has been found off Mozambique and will be taken to Australia for examination by investigators involved in the search for the missing Flight MH370, Malaysias transport minister said. Liow Tiong Lai said there is a high possibility that the debris belonged to a 777 jet but said he could not conclude yet that it was from the Malaysia Airlines jet, which disappeared two years ago. Cuba announces its first Zika case: Cuba said it has detected the first case of the Zika virus on the island, which had been one of the last nations in the Western Hemisphere free of the disease. The Health Ministry said a 28-year-old Venezuelan student arrived in Cuba on Feb. 21 and came down with a high fever and rash a day later. It said she was under medical quarantine when her symptoms were detected. Israeli forces kill 2 Palestinian attackers, military says: Israeli forces fatally shot two Palestinians who sneaked into a West Bank settlement and attacked an Israeli, the military said. Later, two Palestinians stabbed two Israeli soldiers guarding another settlement, wounding them lightly before fleeing. The incidents are the latest in more than five months of Israeli-Palestinian violence. From news services SYRIA Entire nation hit by power outage A nationwide electrical outage gripped Syria on Thursday, state media reported, amid a partial cease-fire brokered by world powers. The official Syrian Arab News Agency, citing an Electricity Ministry official, reported that the blackout covered all provinces of the war-torn country. It later said power had returned to some areas. It did not specify a reason for the cut. The news agency, quoting the state telecommunications company, also said Internet services were partially halted as a result of sudden damage to one of the network hubs. Although power outages are common in Syria, it is rare that one affects the entire country. Blackouts have frequently been caused by attacks from rebel groups opposing the government of President Bashar al-Assad. Hugh Naylor VENEZUELA Opponents plan 3-way effort to oust Maduro Venezuelas opposition coalition has decided on a triple-barreled strategy to oust President Nicolas Maduro before the end of his term. The group will simultaneously pursue a constitutional amendment, a recall referendum and a campaign to push for the resignation of the embattled socialist president, said opposition leader Americo De Grazia. The coalition of more than a dozen mostly centrist political parties reached agreement on the strategy after a long day of meetings Wednesday. Maduros six-year term ends in 2019. The opposition won a landslide victory in legislative elections in December and vowed to find a way to remove Maduro within the first half of 2016. The opposition has been riven by division, and several factions have been advocating different strategies to get rid of him. One plan is to seek a constitutional amendment cutting presidential terms from six to four years, effectively ending Maduros term. But many fear the Supreme Court would overturn it. A recall referendum is no sure thing either, though Maduros approval ratings have languished in the 20 percent range. And Maduro has repeatedly dismissed calls for his resignation. Associated Press Well-known Honduran activist killed: Prominent indigenous activist Berta Caceres, who was known for her environmental activism and won the 2015 Goldman Environmental Prize, was killed at her home in rural Honduras by unknown assailants, security officials said. Caceres, a Lenca Indian activist, had previously complained of receiving death threats from police, soldiers and local landowners because of her work. Spain says it seized 20,000 uniforms bound for militants: Spains Interior Ministry said police seized 20,000 military-style uniforms that it said were being sent to the Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra militant groups. It said police found the uniforms and other military accessories in shipping containers during a counterterror operation last month. Seven people were arrested on suspicion of providing support to the groups. 16 killed in Guyana prison fire: At least 16 inmates died in a fire as they protested crowding and other issues in a prison in the capital of the South American country of Guyana. Inmates set two fires during a riot in the Georgetown Prison as guards swept the lockup and seized drugs, cellphones and other items, authorities said. The prison was built to hold about 450 inmates but has nearly 1,000. Uganda toughens rules for foreign adoptions: Ugandan lawmakers passed a bill that says only Ugandans can be legal guardians of orphaned or destitute children, a move aimed at stemming the rising number of adoptions by foreigners. The law sets tough new conditions for adoptions by foreigners and makes inter-country adoptions permissible only if the child has no known relatives and lacks a legal guardian. From news services Dennis C. Blair, chairman of Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA, was commander of the U.S. Pacific Command from 1999 to 2002 and director of national intelligence from 2009 to 2010. Jeffrey W. Hornung is a fellow with Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA. Chinas deployment of surface-to-air missile launchers to the largest island in the Paracels chain has led to a spike in alarmist analysis. Chinas provocative act is being portrayed as a watershed indicator that it is bent on military dominance of the South China Sea. It is important to understand the facts and history to identify the true concerns. First, facts and history: Satellite images of Woody Island in the Paracels from early February showed the HQ-9 air defense system deployed there for the first time. Woody Island is in the northern section of the South China Sea. It is about 250 miles southeast of Hainan Island and 500 miles north of the Spratly Islands that China has enlarged by land reclamation. Unlike the Spratly Islands, which are contested by multiple states, the Paracel Islands are claimed by only China (and Taiwan) and Vietnam. Woody Island itself has been controlled by Beijing for decades and has been heavily built up with civilian and military structures. In any impartial arbitration, China would have a strong claim to this island. Woody Island has long been home to surveillance radars, an airfield and shelters for military aircraft. Late last year, China deployed advanced jets there and it has apparently done so again in the past few days. According to U.S. Pacific Fleet Commander Adm. Scott Swift, this is at least the third time that antiaircraft missiles have been deployed to Woody Island, although previous deployments were of less advanced systems. On the previous occasions, these deployments were part of exercises, which may or may not be the case in this instance. Last year during his visit to Washington, President Xi Jinping stated that China did not intend to militarize the islands it had enlarged in the Spratlys. The missile and aircraft deployments to Woody Island do not violate that pledge. These deployments do not in themselves affect any of the important U.S. interests in the South China Sea: They do not increase the threat to U.S. freedom of navigation and flight; they do not bring another island under Chinas control by non-peaceful means; they do not threaten international shipping in the sea; they do not protect Woody Island from destruction by the United States during a military crisis or conflict. So why all the concern? There are two well-founded concerns about the Chinese action: timing and precedent. First, timing: Whether the air-defense and jet-fighter deployments are a long-planned exercise or the beginning of a permanent presence, they belie Chinas professed commitment to peaceful solutions to conflicting claims in the region. They are the latest in a line of closely spaced Chinese actions that undercut and contradict Beijings soothing words about their aims. Countries with peaceful intentions do not enlarge islands with military-capable airfields, harbors and logistics facilities at a breakneck pace in one part of the South China Sea, then deploy advanced missiles and jets to another part. Second, precedent: If China conducts deployments like this to the islands it has enlarged with runways in the Spratlys, it will violate Xis pledge and introduce an air control capability that ratchets up the military stakes in an area of the South China Sea far from Chinas borders. There is a final point that all the excited commentary misses. These deployments and the reaction to them throughout Southeast Asia highlight the self-defeating aspects of Chinas aggressive policies. By its small-scale tactical military deployments on indefensible islands in the South China Sea, China is antagonizing all the other littoral countries, which are building their own defenses and turning to the United States and Japan to offer access to their ports and airfields, to increase military cooperation and to request additional security assistance. Chinas strategic position in the region is much weaker now than it was six years ago, before it embarked on its truculent and aggressive policies. Meanwhile, to the north, China is unable to restrain its client North Korea. The result is to solidify South Korean, U.S. and Japanese policies and cooperation. Finally, Chinas economy is sliding. China looks less like a shrewd, confident and successful regional power bent on hegemony and more like a flailing and blustering collection of bureaucrats continuing short-term, outmoded policies to the detriment of their countrys larger interests. I write today to confess error. A few months back, pondering the ghastly parlor game of choosing between President Donald Trump and President Ted Cruz, I opted reluctantly, disbelievingly for Trump, as the lesser of two dangers. Yes, the real estate tycoon is a know-nothing, uninterested-in-learning-anything buffoon. Also: a demagogue and a bully whose emotional instability would pose a threat to national security. But the Cruz alternative, it seemed to me then, was even worse. Cruz is smarter than Trump, more calculating than Trump (which is saying something) and way, way more conservative than Trump. A Trump presidency, or so I reassured myself, at least offered the prospect of unprincipled dealmaking in the service of what is Trumps only guidepost: promoting the greater glory of Trump. President Cruz would be as absolutist as Sen. Cruz (R-Tex.), and therefore, from my point of view, the worse president. As results showed Donald Trump leading in at least six states on Super Tuesday, Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) argued that nominating him would be bad for the Republican party. Here are key moments from their speeches following the March 1 races. (Sarah Parnass/The Washington Post) I was wrong. Since that column in mid-December, Trump has proved himself to be even less knowledgeable and even more unhinged. His election would constitute a grave threat to American values and, potentially, American democracy. In January, Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) likened picking between Trump and Cruz to being shot or poisoned. What does it really matter? Except Graham, like me, has come to the unexpected conclusion that it does. We may be in a position where we have to rally around Ted Cruz as the only way to stop Donald Trump, Graham told CBS Newss Charlie Rose as the Super Tuesday returns rolled in. Was that what Graham was really suggesting, Rose asked the man who had joked, just a few days earlier, about how the safest place to murder Cruz would be on the Senate floor? Graham: I cant believe I would say yes, but yes. Senator, I feel your astonishment, and raise it. To take one pending example, you probably wouldnt have difficulty voting to confirm President Cruzs Supreme Court nominee. I would. But my fundamental fear is that giving the reins of government to Trump would be even riskier, exposing the country to more long-lasting danger than a court with multiple Cruz nominees. Trump on the trail demonstrates scant respect for, and even less knowledge of, constitutional and legal limitations. He wants to open up the libel laws actually, to undo limits imposed by the First Amendment to make it easier to sue media outlets that dare to criticize him. He threatens those who contribute to his political opponents. They better be careful, they have a lot to hide, he warned Chicagos Ricketts family, which has donated to an anti-Trump super PAC. He cannot tolerate protesters, ordering his goons to throw them out into the cold and expressing his own yearning for even more violent measures: Id like to punch him in the face. He would torture terrorism suspects (Dont tell me it doesnt work torture works, he said) and kill their families, notwithstanding that those actions constitute war crimes under U.S. and international law. You could dismiss this as over-the-top campaign trail rhetoric or you could worry, as I do, about what a man like this would do in office, with the power of government at his disposal. A former White House chief of staff once told me that the most astonishing aspect of the presidency isnt how constrained the chief executive is by having to deal with a recalcitrant Congress its how much latitude the president has when it comes to conducting military operations. Perhaps the military would refuse to follow President Trumps unlawful orders, as former CIA director Michael Hayden suggested. What about an order issued in a fit of pique against a foreign critic that is lawful but crazy? Trump is Nixon with all of the megalomaniacal willingness to abuse power and none of the crafty realpolitik. He is attracted to strongmen, past and present unapologetically retweeting a Mussolini quote (What difference does it make whether its Mussolini or somebody else?) and basking in praise from Vladimir Putin. Of the Republican speaker of the House, Paul D. Ryan (Wis.), Trump said menacingly, on the night of his Super Tuesday victories, Im sure Im going to get along great with him, and if I dont, hes going to pay a big price. Space precludes going through all of the outrageous things Trump has said or proposed, or his predilection for flat-out lying when called on these offenses. Suffice it to say that, if Trump is elected, Ryan isnt the only American who might have to pay a price. Read more from Ruth Marcuss archive, follow her on Twitter or subscribe to her updates on Facebook. IF YOU are a Washington foreign policy analyst who supported the nuclear deal with Iran, then the result of the countrys elections last week was a resounding victory for reformists that proves the wisdom of President Obamas engagement with the Islamic republic. If you opposed the deal, then the election merely entrenched conservatives and hard-liners. Such is the opacity of Iranian politics that neither of those dueling narratives could be entirely discounted following the release of the election results this week. What seems relatively clear is that the voting for parliament, and for the Assembly of Experts that will choose the next Iranian supreme leader, showed, like most Iranian elections, that a large part of the public supports a liberalization of the regime. But as in the past, that popular sentiment is unlikely to bring about substantial change in the near future in part because many of those elected are far less reform-minded than those who voted for them. The basis for optimism lies in the relative success of a list of hope linked to President Hassan Rouhani, who led the regime to the nuclear deal. Those moderate candidates captured at least 85 seats in the 290-member Majlis, according to tallies by the Associated Press and Reuters, and all 30 of those contested in Tehran. More conservatives won election overall, but hard-liners linked to the faction of Holocaust-denying former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad lost seats. Meanwhile, a Rouhani coalition attracted considerable support in the vote for the Assembly of Experts, including 15 of Tehrans 16 places. That body will make the critical choice of a successor to hard-line Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who wields ultimate power in the Iranian system. Claims of a reformist triumph, however, are overblown. Before the elections, an Iranian liberal coalition said that 99 percent of 3,000 pro-reform candidates had been disqualified by a hard-line clerical council. Most of those in Mr. Rouhanis coalition are, like him, moderate conservatives, meaning they favor economic reforms and greater Western investment, but not liberalization of the political system or a moderation of Irans aspiration to become the hegemon of the Middle East. True Iranian religious and political reformers, like those who joined the 2009 Green Movement, are in jail or exile, or were banned from the ballot. At best, the elections will allow Mr. Rouhani to press ahead with his economic agenda: He is intent on improving the economy before the next presidential election, in 2017. More foreign investment and higher living standards for Iranians could, over time, increase pressure for moderation of the regimes domestic and foreign policies; that, anyway, is the theory embraced by Mr. Obama. For now, Iran can be expected to continue the course it has been pursuing in the months since the nuclear deal was struck: waging proxy wars against the United States and its allies around the Middle East, using its unfrozen reserves to buy weapons, and defying non-nuclear limits such as by testing long-range missiles. The elections wont make the regime more pliable, and they wont change the need for a U.S. counter to its aggressions. They shouldnt provide an excuse for the Obama administration to tolerate Tehrans provocations. EVEN AS Donald Trump attempted to tone himself down Tuesday night, he could not help underlining why he is such a menace. Im going to get along with [House Speaker Paul D. Ryan], Mr. Trump said. And if I dont, hes going to have to pay a big price. Mr. Ryan (Wis.) should make a down payment right now. He and other Republican leaders ought to make clear that they will not get along with a man who, from the beginning of his campaign, has profited from voter prejudice and hatred. They should reject his authoritarian assault on American democracy. Unfortunately, most GOP leaders have so far proved unwilling to take this moral leap. True, Mr. Ryan has not been totally silent as Mr. Trump has risen, most recently condemning the billionaires reluctance to condemn the Ku Klux Klan on national television. If a person wants to be the nominee of the Republican Party, there can be no evasion and no games, Mr. Ryan said Tuesday. They must reject any group or cause that is built on bigotry. How about Mr. Trumps campaign? This party does not prey on peoples prejudices, Mr. Ryan insisted. But it is on the path to nominating a man who has done just that. If Mr. Trump wins the nomination, what would the speaker do? My plan is to support the nominee, he said Tuesday. I hope this is the last time I need to speak out on this race, Mr. Ryan also said. Barring a stunning transformation by Mr. Trump, that wont be the case. The front-runners appeals to racism, attacks on the media and threats against those who oppose him are unlikely to cease. If Mr. Ryan wants to be on the right side of the history that may be written about this presidential race, he must condemn Mr. Trump clearly and comprehensively. The same goes for every other Republican leader. The way for them to prove that their statements of principle have real-world meaning is to pledge not to vote for Mr. Trump. Maybe that would ultimately split the party. Maybe not. Mr. Trump has taken only 34 percent of the cumulative popular vote so far. Some Republicans believe that the case against him as a sketchy businessman and lifelong fraudster still has not been made in the earnest, sustained way required to reach voters. If so, they must try harder to make it. There are two weeks before big winner-take-all state primaries that could cement Mr. Trumps lead. This is not a time for soft criticisms, veiled warnings and shortsighted partisanship. Despite what some Republicans appear to believe, Hillary Clinton is not more dangerous than Mr. Trump. No job is worth the moral stain that would come from embracing him. No party is worth saving at the expense of the country. Republicans should listen to retiring Rep. E. Scott Rigell (R-Va.). My love for our country eclipses my loyalty to our party, Rigell recently wrote, and to live with a clear conscience I will not support a nominee so lacking in the judgment, temperament and character needed to be our nations commander-in-chief. The morning shift workers at the Mopar Center Line plant lined up, waited for the clock and walked briskly to their American-made cars. It had been seven years since the auto industry bailout that saved Fiat Chrysler and, by extension, thousands of jobs here. On the stump, Hillary Clinton frequently cites the bailout as a success story of President Obamas economic policies, aiming her remarks at voters just like these. They couldnt have cared less. We suffered for that auto bailout, said Brian Keller, 47, who led the fight against a proposed United Auto Workers contract last year. They started making record profits while our benefits were being cut. They all suck, said Tom Delasi, 48. Trump at least tells you how it is. Clinton, he added, is so power-hungry that she wants to work in the office her husband defiled with a sex scandal. The 2016 presidential contest heads this week to Michigan, a vote-rich epicenter of the anger and economic anxiety that has come to define this election cycle and a potentially crucial battleground in both parties nominating contests on Tuesday and, perhaps, the general election beyond. [Clinton, Trump victories foreshadow a nasty fall campaign] The Republican field heads to Detroit on Thursday for its 11th debate at a time when front- runner Donald Trump appears the heavy favorite to win Tuesdays primary. The resonance of Trumps message in an industrial state with a large working class battered by economic stagnation has been clear in every Michigan poll this year; a polling average compiled by RealClearPolitics puts him up by 19.4 points over both Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida and Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas. On Sunday, the Democrats will debate in embattled Flint, a majority-black city confronting a lead-poisoned water crisis that both Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont have said would never have happened in a richer, whiter city. In previous, Trump-less election cycles, Michigans primary has played the role that a saucer plays for a cup of tea. In the 2012 Republican race, native son Mitt Romney recovered from a surprise three-state loss to Rick Santorum with a narrow, suburb-powered Michigan win. In 2000, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) lost the South Carolina primary, but Michigans independent voters flocked to the Republican race and gave him a consolation prize. This year is different; the outsider candidates of each party appear to have unusual appeal. Trumps going to win Michigan, said John Weaver, a strategist for Ohio Gov. John Kasich, as his candidate talked to 150 voters at a Ukrainian cultural center here. Hes around 35 percent, and nobodys going to catch him. And youve got some economic angst here, which he preys on. Ray Crawford, 44, said: Bernie seems like hes more for the workers. All Ive seen about Hillary is the corporate backing she gets. That doesnt bode well. The guys making the real money seem to want her in there so they can make some more. The Fix's Chris Cillizza explains when the GOP frontrunners stand after Super Tuesday. (Whitney Leaming/The Washington Post) The Democrats map, and electorate, is more familiar than the Republicans. Yet Michigan Republican officials have not adopted the white-knuckle panic of their Beltway counterparts about Trumps rise. Wayne Bradley, who has run the GOPs Detroit outreach office since its December 2013 opening, said that Trumps buzz had inspired some black voters to come to a recent organizing meeting. Ronna Romney McDaniel, the state party chair and niece of the 2012 Republican presidential nominee, said Trumps campaign was bringing blue-collar Democrats into the fold. But the Detroit suburbs are home to one of the largest Muslim and Middle Eastern immigrant populations in the nation and, in fact, one city, Hamtramck, this year swore in the countrys first Muslim-majority city council. The Republican race has been rife with anti-Islam sentiment, most notably Trumps proposal to ban Muslims from entering the country and possibly even deporting non-citizen Muslims who are here legally. While Trumps ideas were greeted with widespread outrage from Democrats and even skepticism from his GOP rivals, the matter has largely retreated to the background as other Trump controversies have waxed and waned. Now that the campaign is moving on to Detroit, though, many think its time for both sides to talk about it again. Whats really troubling is the xenophobia statements about us, statements about only accepting Syrian Christian refugees, said Dawud Walid, executive director of the Michigan chapter of the Council on American -Islamic Relations. Its a theme within the GOP. Its not just Trump. Its something thats extremely troubling. Walid noted that Trump was pressured to disavow endorsements from the Ku Klux Klan and white supremacist groups because its not acceptable to be overtly anti-black, but to be overtly anti-Muslim is acceptable. At Wednesday events in Macomb County, the place where Reagan Democrats first defied their unions and cast Republican ballots, both Rubio and Kasich drew relatively thin crowds. The Florida senator, roughed up by weak Super Tuesday results, scrapped some of the jokes he had been telling about Trump in his stump speech. Instead, he portrayed the front-runner as a con artist who had subjected some working-class people to a real estate scam. Trump, said Rubio, was unfit to lead the conservative movement. Hes never even voted in a Republican primary, Rubio said. Some in the crowd were aware of the Trump heresies yet ready to look past them. I think he would stand up to Hillary, said Anna Nestro, 75. Hes outrageous sometimes. But hes tough. And you have to vote for somebody. Ten thousand people attended a rally for Sanders in East Lansing on Wednesday night, his third trip to the state in the past three weeks. We disagree very significantly over trade policies, Sanders said of Clinton during the rally. He said Detroit had been the nations wealthiest city in 1960 and is now its poorest big city, in no small part to disastrous trade policies. Sanders was scheduled to hold a news conference Thursday on trade deals such as the North American Free Trade Agreement and the Trans-Pacific Partnership. His campaign has aggressively pushed out statistics on Michigans economic struggles, saying that 33 percent of manufacturing jobs have been lost over the past 15 years and that half of Detroits auto workforce lost their jobs between 1998 and 2011. Sanders also debuted a 30- second ad in Michigan. While others waffle, Bernie is fighting hundreds of thousands in new job losses, the ad says, in a reference to Clintons evolving position last year on the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership. At a rally in New York with labor unions supporting her, a hoarse Clinton told the crowd she would be in Detroit this week to talk about her jobs program. Dont let anybody tell you we cant make things in America anymore, she said. We can, we are, and we will. The issue of lead-poisoned public drinking water in Flint is on the minds and daily front pages throughout the state, but only on the Democratic side has it really been part of the political conversation. Both Sanders and Clinton have visited Flint, and Clinton, who has made outreach to African American voters a central part of her strategy, has name-checked the majority-black, impoverished city on a regular basis. The Republican candidates have been largely silent on the issue. None have visited Flint or talked about the mismanagement that led to the disaster there. In one debate, Kasich was asked about it, but he pivoted to how well he had handled water crises in his state. Many in Flint are eager to see whether Fox News will address their situation when the GOP candidates appear in Detroit. Nayyirah Shariff, a local activist with a grass-roots group called Flint Rising, expressed skepticism of the sincerity of candidates on at a star-studded #JusticeforFlint fundraising concert Sunday. Were kind of tired of politicians using our story for a political backdrop, Shariff told the audience. In addition to mentioning the auto bailout, Clinton regularly talks about adding new manufacturing jobs to replace those lost overseas and about rebuilding the middle class as the nations economic engine. Polls have shown Sanders trailing in the state by double digits, but campaign manager Jeff Weaver and strategist Tad Devine said Sanders has come back from similar margins in other states when voters have gotten to know him. In a strategy memo released Wednesday, Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook seemed to suggest that a Michigan victory for Sanders is possible but Mook also used the state as an example of the different strategies the two campaigns are pursuing. Sen. Sanderss campaign continues to pursue a strategy focused on states rather than delegates. For example, Sen. Sanders is competing very aggressively in Michigan, where he has already spent $3 million on TV, Mook wrote. We are also competing to win in Michigan and feel good about where that race stands, but even if Sen. Sanders were able to eke out a victory there, we would still net more delegates in Mississippi, which holds its election on the same night. Friess reported from Ann Arbor, Mich. Anne Gearan in Washington and John Wagner in East Lansing contributed to this report. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, shown at a campaign event Tuesday at the Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Fla., said he raised $6 million for veterans groups at a January fundraiser. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post) In January, Donald Trump skipped a televised Republican debate in Iowa and held his own event instead a rally to raise money for veterans. Trump said it was a huge success. One hour. Six million dollars, Trump told a campaign rally in Iowa a few days later, boasting about the total raised. He listed more than 20 groups that would receive money. These people that get these checks are amazing people, amazing people. More than a month later, about half of the money, roughly $3 million, has been donated to veterans charities, according to a summary released Thursday by the Trump campaign in response to inquiries from The Washington Post. In recent days, after the campaign initially did not provide details of where the money had gone, The Post had undertaken its own accounting. After contacting each of the 24 charities that Trump had previously listed as his beneficiaries, The Post had accounted for less than half of the $6 million. Hope Hicks, a spokeswoman for Trumps campaign, said Trump still intended to give the rest of the money away to veterans groups. She also criticized the news media for repeated inquiries into what became of the funds. If the media spent half as much time highlighting the work of these groups and how our veterans have been so mistreated, rather than trying to disparage Mr. Trumps generosity for a totally unsolicited gesture for which he had no obligation, we would all be better for it, Hicks wrote in an email. Trumps fundraiser highlighted the billionaire presidential candidates remarkable ability to draw people, attention and money to any cause he chooses. Trump enticed enormous gifts from wealthy friends, including Stewart Rahr, a colorful New York philanthropist who calls himself Stewie Rah Rah, the Number One King of All Fun. Their money became life-altering gifts for some small charities, which received $50,000 or $100,000 each. But the aftermath of that event showed another side of Trumps campaign: its tendency to focus on front-end spectacle over back-end details. The rollout of contributions has raised questions about how long Trump would keep donated funds within the Donald J. Trump Foundation, a personal charity whose gifts can boost his political brand. Wheres the rest of the money going? said Keith David at the Task Force Dagger Foundation, which offers support to Special Operations personnel and their families. Davids group typifies the confusion over Trumps money. It was listed by Trump as a group that would benefit from his fundraising. And soon after the Iowa fundraising event, the group got a check for $50,000. It came from Rahrs foundation, with a note that mentioned Trump. But was that it? The groups board noting the huge amount of money that Trump raised and the lesser amount of money Trump seemed to have given out decided it could not be. Theres a large chunk missing. Im just kind of curious as to where that money went, David said. Id like to see some of it come to us, because we are on the list. The list, as given out by Trumps campaign Thursday, does not show any more donations going for Davids group. Trumps veterans fundraiser was, if nothing else, a smart bit of political theater. It allowed Trump, who was feuding with Fox News Channel at the time, to boycott a GOP debate that Fox was hosting and, at the same time, claim both the moral high ground and a prime-time TV spotlight for himself that competed directly with the debate he was skipping. We set up the website. I called some friends. And the sign was just given: We just cracked $6 million, Trump said, savoring the moment at the end. He announced that the money would be divided among more than 20 veterans groups: Theyre going to get a lot of money. Everybody is going to get a lot of money, he said. Some of that money was raised from small donors online, at the website donaldtrumpforvets. com. That site now says it has raised $1.67 million. But the bulk of the $6 milllion was raised from a small group of Trumps very wealthy friends. Not all of them gave in the same way. Billionaire investor Carl Icahn gave $500,000 and sent it directly to two groups: a charity to help Army Green Berets and another for Navy SEALs. Another $1 million came from Rahr. Trump offered Rahr a menu of veterans charities, Rahr associate Steve Burns said in an email. Rahr chose 11, based on a review of missions and financials. We felt they were the best ones in helping the vets, Burns said. The $1.5 million in donations from Icahn and Rahr, which bypassed the Trump Foundation, are easy to track. Associates of the two men said they have given the money directly to the charities, and multiple charities said they had received it. But other benefactors gave their money to the Trump Foundation, so Trump could divvy it up himself. One was Phil Ruffin, a Las Vegas casino mogul, who gave $1 million. He trusts Mr. Trump to make that decision, a spokeswoman said. In all, Trumps campaign said the Trump Foundation had given out about $1.1 million so far. Hicks, Trumps campaign spokeswoman, did not immediately respond to a question about how much of the money raised for veterans remains in the accounts of the Trump Foundation. In the days that followed the Iowa fundraiser, the donations ostensibly, apolitical gifts to needy veterans became a centerpiece of Trumps campaign rallies. He would frequently call the leaders of local charities up onstage and hand them a huge check in front of the cameras and the crowds. I thought I was going to faint, because we had no idea until that check came up on the stage we had no idea what we were getting, said Cindy Brodie of Partners for Patriots, which trains service dogs to help veterans with disabilities. At the time of Trumps fundraiser, Brodie and her husband had been struggling to keep themselves and the charity afloat. But then a veteran whom they had helped met Trump at a campaign event elsewhere in Iowa. And then Brodie was being called up onstage by the billionaire and handed an oversized $100,000 check. But after the campaign moved on from Iowa Trumps donations seemed to lag behind his promises. In early February, the Wall Street Journal reported that many groups began to get their checks only after the Journal asked the Trump campaign why they had not. Trumps figures show the biggest beneficiary was the Navy SEAL Foundation, a Virginia-based group that helps Navy Special Operations forces and their families. It received $450,000, according to Trumps campaign. The Green Beret Foundation, which helps Army Special Forces soldiers and their families, got $350,000. Two other groups got $200,000. Fourteen charities got $100,000 each. Six got $50,000 each, and two others got less. Our budget is, like, $40,000 a year, said Sarah Petersen, the founder of Support Siouxland Soldiers, which provides emergency relief to homeless or near-homeless veterans in Iowa. Trump gave the group $100,000. Our largest donation was $10,000. So this is a pretty big deal for us. Hicks, the spokeswoman for Trumps campaign, declined to give details about how the rest of the money would be handed out. We will continue to allocate contributions to groups that have been announced, Hicks said, as well as additional groups that are being considered. What additional groups? Hicks could only name one: a Queens-based nonprofit called Veterans-in-Command, which provides housing, food and job counseling to veterans. In that case, the Trump Foundation dipped into its veterans funds to present a donation. Which happened to solve a political headache for Trump himself. At the time of the donation, the New York media was mocking Trump for mishandling a past request the group had made for a donation. Instead of money, the Trump campaign had sent them Trump bumper stickers. He called us, and he apologized, and he did the right thing by us, said Larry Robertson, the Queens groups president. Trump paid off some old debts and paid for one years rent on a new office, a total gift worth about $26,200. That was 0.4 percent of the money Trump said hed raised for veterans. The Queens group is hoping it is the beginning, not the end, of a relationship. Were going to have a grand opening. Hopefully hes going to be here, Robertson said in a telephone interview. Its going to be about another week. Hell be here. Migrants protest at the barricaded border between Greece and Macedonia, which has allowed only a trickle of people to cross. (Vadim Ghirda/AP) A senior European Union official carried a stark warning Thursday to the front lines of the migrant crisis, telling those seeking to flee poverty and unrest that Europe is no longer the answer, even as about 1 million migrants have now poured into Europe in the past year. Do not come to Europe, said Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, after meeting with the Greek prime minister in Athens. Do not believe the smugglers. Do not risk your lives and your money. It is all for nothing. Tusks comments came as a top U.N. official also warned Thursday that as many as 70,000 people could be trapped in Greece in the coming weeks because Macedonia and other European countries are shutting their borders, transforming Greece into a holding pen for migrants desperate to leave. Tusk also said it was up to Turkey, not its European neighbors, to decide how to manage a reduction in refugee numbers a stance that Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu quickly rebuffed. Turkey is under pressure to reduce the numbers of migrants crossing into Greece as a March 7 summit meeting between Turkey and the European Union approaches to discuss the issue. [Migrants finding doors slamming shut] In the past week, unrest has broken out among the more than 30,000 refugees and migrants that Greek officials say are stranded at Greeces blocked Macedonian border. There was also violence at a makeshift camp being dismantled in northern France. And on Thursday, British Prime Minister David Cameron and French President Francois Hollande held talks in Amiens seeking to contain the migrant crisis in northern France, where thousands of refugees are camped in squalid conditions just over two hours from London and Paris. The talks in Amiens came days after French authorities began demolishing sections of the infamous Jungle encampment in Calais, home to an estimated 4,000 migrants from North Africa and the Middle East, most of whom are seeking to reach Britain. [Humanitarian groups accuse French authorities of brutality against migrants] Turkish officials have long insisted that the West and others must share the financial and humanitarian burdens. And in November, Turkey signed a deal with the E.U. to stem the flow of migrants to Europe. In return, the E.U. agreed to provide 3 billion euros ($3.26 billion) to help the country deal with the migrant crisis and to accelerate talks about Turkish membership in the union. On Wednesday, the E.U. announced plans for an emergency 700 million euros ($763 million) in humanitarian aid, but leaders across the continent are still struggling to manage the largest immigration crisis on European soil since World War II. The meeting between Hollande and Cameron took on added dimensions after Frances economy minister was quoted as saying that border controls could be lifted if Britain leaves the E.U., opening up a potential path for migrants seeking to cross the English Channel. With thousands of migrants stuck at the Greek-Macedonia border and 2,000 arriving daily, authorities warn that the stranded migrants could surge to 70,000 in a matter of days. (The Washington Post) [As Jungle comes down, clashes flare up] In a news conference Thursday, Hollande took several minutes to arrive at the subject of Calais. Despite the tear gas French police have used against migrants this week and beatings that have been recorded on social media it is imperative, he said, that the migrants who remain be welcomed with dignity. Paris has requested more financial aid from London in managing the crisis. In advance of the summit, Harlem Desir, Frances secretary of state for European affairs, announced Thursday on RFI radio that the figure will include an additional 20 million euros ($21.8 million) on top of the current 60 million euros ($65.4 million). The extra funds, Desir said, will help with securing the access area to the [English Channel] tunnel and Calais port area as well as the fight against smuggling networks. Cameron said Thursday that the precise figure will be 17 million pounds ($24 million). Echoing a rising sentiment across Europe, Cameron described the money as an expression of his governments confidence in French border controls near the camps. People should know that if they come to Calais, that is not a waiting room for getting into the United Kingdom, he said. We have strong borders, and its very important people understand that. They should be seeking asylum in France, and if theyre not asylum seekers, they should be returning to the countries from which they came, he added. Despite the immediate focus on the Calais camp crisis, the summit in Amiens was also an attempt by both leaders to illustrate the imperative of Britain remaining in the E.U. Britain is scheduled to hold a referendum in June on whether to leave the 28-nation bloc. Before Thursdays talks began, Emmanuel Macron, the French economy minister, told the Financial Times that if Britain votes to leave, the French could end a deal that allows border controls to be carried out in France. [The anti-E.U. video thats so bad its absolutely fantastic] The day this relationship unravels, migrants will no longer be in Calais, Macron said. Campaigners for a British exit from the E.U., dubbed Brexit, dismissed the warnings as propaganda. Bernard Jenkin, a Conservative lawmaker who is campaigning for Brexit, told BBC Radio 4s Today program: What we are having now is propaganda being produced by other European governments at the request of the prime minister to try to scare people. But Macrons comments suggest that Camerons warnings were not entirely political. Brexit would not automatically lead to a change in the border agreement between the two countries. Last year, for instance, Bernard Cazeneuve, Frances interior minister, said that tearing up the current agreement with Britain would be a foolhardy path, and one the government will not pursue. Hollande urged the people of Britain not to leave. I dont want to scare you, he said, but there will be consequences if the U.K. decides to leave the E.U. Adam reported from London. Brian Murphy in Washington contributed to this report. Read more As Jungle camp taken down, French police clash with desperate migrants Germany seeks North African help to speed migrant deportations David Cameron blasted for calling people in refugee camp a bunch of migrants Today's coverage from Post correspondents around the world Two women attackers in Istanbul fired on a police compound Thursday before being fatally shot by authorities during a standoff, officials said, in an assault claimed by a leftist militant faction. The attack follows a series of bombings across Turkey blamed by authorities on both Kurdish rebels and the Islamic State. The latest violence, however, was claimed by a Marxist-inspired cell that has staged sporadic attacks in Turkey since the 1990s as part of a campaign against Turkeys Western-allied government and security forces. [Turkeys battles across region, explained] The women were cornered by police in a building after the ambush-style attack on a riot police station in the Bayrampasa neighborhood, a residential and industrial district in the citys European side, said Istanbul Gov. Vahip Sahin. Two policemen were injured. A statement from the militant group, the Revolutionary Peoples Liberation Army-Front, claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement posted on a website believed linked to the faction, the Reuters news agency reported. The same group has been linked to several high-profile attacks in recent years, including coordinated strikes around Istanbul in August that included gunfire outside the U.S. Consulate. It also carried out a suicide bombing on the U.S. Embassy in the Turkish capital, Ankara, in 2013 that killed a security guard. Last month, a suicide car bombing targeted buses carrying military personnel in Ankara, killing 29 people. A Kurdish militant group claimed responsibility. In January, a suicide bomber believed linked to the Islamic State set off a blast in the heart of Istanbuls tourist district, killing 12 German tourists. Read more: Today's coverage from Post correspondents around the world Notorious Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman told his attorney he wants to be extradited to the United States because guards at a maximum-security prison in Mexico are interfering with his sleep. (Mexican Government via AP/Mexican Government via AP) An attorney for drug lord Joaquin El Chapo Guzman said Wednesday that his client wants to be extradited as soon as possible to the United States because guards at a Mexican maximum-security prison do not let him sleep. Attorney Jose Refugio Rodriguez said Guzman told him to negotiate with U.S. authorities for a lighter sentence and confinement at a medium-security prison. Rodriguez told Radio Formula on Wednesday that he talked to Guzman the day before at the Altiplano prison west of Mexico City. He has reached the limit, Rodriguez said. It is an act of desperation. He said to try to get a negotiation with the American government, the attorney said, adding, We know of agreements with other people for confinement in medium-security prisons . . . a much lower sentence. It was unclear what kind of agreements Rodriguez was referring to. Although some Mexican drug suspects have reached various plea deals with U.S. authorities in the past, it is not clear that any have been able to negotiate terms on where they will be held. The U.S. Embassy in Mexico City said it does not comment on extraditions. Guzman faces charges in a number of U.S. federal courts His attorneys had previously vowed to fight extradition as long as possible, and Mexican officials had acknowledged it would take at least a year for the extradition process to work its way through Mexican courts. But Rodriguez suggested that it could be done in two months, presumably if Guzman dropped an estimated nine appeals filed by his attorneys. However, Rodriguez said, We wont drop the [legal] defense in Mexico until we have an agreement with the United States. Officials have acknowledged that guards at the Altiplano prison wake Guzman every four hours for a head count. He escaped the same prison in July and was recaptured in January. His attorney suggested that the harsher regime Guzman also has fewer visits than during his last stint in prison seems to have broken his client. I saw a defeated, humiliated man, Rodriguez said. National security commissioner Renato Sales, whose responsibilities include overseeing federal prisons, said at a news conference Monday that Guzmans human rights are in no way being violated at the Altiplano prison. Sales pointed out that Guzman has escaped twice from Mexican prisons. Shouldnt someone who twice escaped from maximum-security prisons be subject to special security measures? The common-sense answer is yes, Sales said. A joint exercise now being conducted between thousands of Israeli troops and the U.S. European Command represents a final test before Israel begins to deploy one of the most sophisticated missile defense systems in the world. When it is complete, Israels multibillion-dollar rocket and missile air defense system will be far superior to anything in the Middle East and will likely rival, and in some ways surpass, in speed and targeting, air defenses deployed by Europe and the United States, its developers say. The United States has provided more than $3.3 billion over the past 10 years to support the defensive system, which will be able to knock down ballistic missiles. Although Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Obama have had a strained relationship, rubbed raw by their deep disagreement over the Iran nuclear deal, U.S. spending on Israels air defenses has soared in the past decade, from $133 million in 2006 to $619 million in 2015. [Israeli leaders condemn Iran deal, one of the darkest days in world history] A photograph provided by the Israeli Ministry of Defense shows a launch of the Davids Sling missile defense system. (Israeli Ministry of Defense/Associated Press) The Israeli defense establishment and its American partners have designed a layered system that will allow the Jewish state to respond to simultaneous attacks from multiple fronts the relatively crude homemade rockets lobbed by Hamas from the Gaza Strip, the midrange rockets and missiles fired by the Shiite militants of Hezbollah from Lebanon, and the long-range ballistic missiles being developed by Iran that could carry conventional or chemical warheads. In addition, Israels new X-Band radar will allow its forces to detect incoming missiles 500 or 600 miles out, vs. 100 miles, the current limit of their radar tracking systems, according to summaries of the systems provided to Congress. I define the system as pioneering, said Uzi Rubin, former head director of Israels missile defense program. Even the United States doesnt have anything as complex, as sophisticated. The system will also be able to prioritize incoming rockets and missiles by calculating their trajectories. Some missiles may not be intercepted, if their targets are fields and farms, but projectiles that would hit populated areas or important infrastructure such as military bases, oil refineries and nuclear facilities would be stopped. The Israeli missile defense system is being built in partnership with U.S. defense contractors, including Raytheon, Boeing and Lockheed Martin. The Israelis are planning to start deploying their coordinated system of radars, launchers and interceptors over the coming months, though there have been delays in the past, they warn. In December, Israel and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency celebrated successful tests of two new ballistic missile defense systems Davids Sling, which is designed to intercept short- and medium-range threats, and Arrow-3, which is intended to stop long-range attacks and knock out enemy targets in space by deploying kamikaze satellites, or kill vehicles, that track their targets. Davids Sling and Arrow-3 will join Iron Dome and the existing Arrow-2 in coming months. The Iron Dome batteries were responsible for intercepting 90 percent of their targets during Israels war with Hamas in the summer of 2014, according to the Israel Defense Forces, when Hamas fired 4,000 rockets and mortar rounds at Israel from the adjacent Gaza Strip. [Iron Dome changes calculus of fight with Hamas] On Tuesday, the Defense Ministry announced that major components of the Davids Sling defense system will be delivered to the Israeli air force over the course of several weeks. Israel called Davids Sling the worlds most revolutionary innovation in the family of interceptor systems. The system is designed primarily to handle the kinds of rockets and missiles, built by Iran and Russia, that are now in the possession of the Hezbollah militia in Lebanon and the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad. Beyond the threat posed by the splintering of Syria, Israel is worried that Syrian missiles could be transferred to Hezbollah or acquired by the Islamic State or al-Qaeda. In a recent speech, Hezbollah leader Hasan Nasrallah threatened that his militias missiles could strike ammonia storage tanks in Israels Haifa port in a future showdown with Israel, warning that the damage would be equivalent to an atomic bomb and could kill 800,000 people. Maj. Gen. Nitzan Alon, the Israel Defense Forces head of operations, said Hezbollah could have upward of 100,000 rockets and missiles stored in Lebanon. In 2006, before the deployment of Iron Dome, Hezbollah fired about 4,000 projectiles at Israels northern cities, causing some 40 civilian deaths and significant damage. Israels military leaders warn civilians that no air defense system is perfect or even close to it. There is no hermetic defense or total security that will intercept everything fired at Israel. In the next real war, rockets will fall on the State of Israel, said Brig. Gen. Zvika Haimovich, commander of the Israeli air forces Aerial Defense Division. Haimovich briefed reporters last week in the middle of Juniper Cobra, a biennial U.S.-Israel air defense drill, which is scheduled to end Thursday. More than 1,700 U.S. soldiers and sailors, alongside American civilians and contractors, are taking part in the exercise, which is focused on computer simulations of coordinated and sustained air attacks on Israel from multiple fronts. In such a scenario, U.S. air defense probably would come into play, and the drill is designed not only to test Israels soon-to-be-deployed systems but also to improve how well U.S. and Israeli assets can communicate and coordinate their response. The purpose of this exercise is to improve interoperability of our air defense forces and our combined ability to defend against air and missile attack, said Lt. Gen. Timothy Ray, U.S 3rd Air Force commander. And just as important, Ray said, it signals our resolve to support Israel and strive for peace in the Middle East. Booth reported from Jerusalem. Correction: An earlier version of this story said that new Israeli missile defense systems would be able to knock down orbiting satellites. Israels Defense Ministry said in a statement that the systems were not and are not aimed to intercept satellites. Read more: Israeli military confronts violent protests with increasingly lethal force Does Israel actually occupy the Gaza Strip? U.N. report on Gaza: Israel, Hamas may both have committed war crimes Today's coverage from Post correspondents around the world A nanny accused of decapitating a 4-year-old girl in her care and brandishing the severed head at a Moscow metro station has said that she was avenging the deaths of Muslims in Russias campaign in Syria. In a video that appeared on YouTube and quickly circulated through social media Thursday, Gulchekhra Bobokulova, a 38-year-old native of the mostly Muslim nation of Uzbekistan, told an unidentified interviewer she had taken revenge against those who themselves spilled blood, specifically citing Russian President Vladimir Putin. Putin spilled blood. The planes were bombing, she said in the video, wearing the same blue pinafore and striped tracksuit she had on during a court hearing Wednesday. Why are Muslims being killed? They also want to live. [Russian airstrikes test limits of Syrian cease-fire] The source of the video was not clear, and its authenticity could not be confirmed, although the location matched the setting of a short interview with Bobokulova published Wednesday by the pro-Kremlin tabloid LifeNews. Russian newspapers and other media outlets have offered several possible motives for the grisly crime after Bobokulova, dressed entirely in black, roamed near a bustling metro station for at least 20 minutes Monday holding the bloodied head by the hair as horrified police officers and commuters looked on. Prosecutors believe she had killed the child and set fire to the apartment of the parents before police stopped her at the metro station for a passport check. She then produced the head from a bag she was carrying and, according to some media reports, threatened to detonate an explosive device. Police apparently backed off because of the threat but later said she was not carrying any explosives. State television channels did not immediately cover the incident in their nationally broadcast news programs. Although Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the news media that reports of the crime were too horrendous to show on television, others suspect that the Kremlin was seeking to prevent a backlash against Muslims more than 2 million live in Moscow or questions about whether the military intervention in Syria has made Russia a greater target for terrorism. Asked about Bobokulovas comments about Putin in the video interview, Peskov said Thursday that any words said by such an insane woman should be treated accordingly. [Russia no stranger to terror fears] Earlier, he rejected speculation that the crime was motivated by ethnic hatred, saying: Moscow is a huge metropolis. It is multinational and multi-faith, and the crime should not be linked with the nationality issue. The incident spurred outrage among some nationalist leaders who for years have demanded stricter control of migrant workers in Russia. But it also found traction in the far more mainstream Communist Party, which shortly after the incident published an illustration featuring a woman in full Islamic covering carrying a bloody head. The post demanded a visa regime for the majority-Muslim former Soviet republics of Central Asia. A makeshift memorial of flowers, teddy bears and chocolates appeared at the entrance to the subway station where Bobokulova was arrested. The mass-circulation Moskovsky Komsomolets daily cited Uzbek police as saying that the woman has been suffering from schizophrenia for more than a decade. In the video interview posted by LifeNews, Bobokulova said she had recently broken up with her partner of 12 years in Uzbekistan after he began living with another woman. Bobokulova pleaded guilty at a hearing on Wednesday and, smiling, waved to reporters in the courtroom. News reports said she told journalists on the way into the courtroom that Allah had ordered her to kill the child. In the video Thursday, Bobokulova said she had wanted to move to Syria but did not have enough money. The unidentified interviewer repeatedly asked her whether she wanted to join the Islamic State or move to Raqqa, the militant groups de facto capital in Syria, but she said she did not know. I just wanted to live there, she said. Read more: Why Russia is in Syria How the rivalry between Russians and Turks shaped the world Why Russias Syria war is bad news for the U.S. (and why it isnt) Vladimir Putin finds much to celebrate about Russias role in Syria truce The Justice Department granted immunity to the former State Department staffer who set up Hillary Clinton's private email server at her home. Here's what the FBI is looking to investigate and what it means for the Democratic presidential front-runner. (Victoria Walker/The Washington Post) The Justice Department granted immunity to the former State Department staffer who set up Hillary Clinton's private email server at her home. Here's what the FBI is looking to investigate and what it means for the Democratic presidential front-runner. (Victoria Walker/The Washington Post) The Justice Department has granted immunity to a former State Department staffer, who worked on Hillary Clintons private email server, as part of a criminal investigation into the possible mishandling of classified information, according to a senior law enforcement official. The official said the FBI had secured the cooperation of Bryan Pagliano, who worked on Clintons 2008 presidential campaign before setting up the server in her New York home in 2009. As the FBI looks to wrap up its investigation in the coming months, agents are likely to want to interview Clinton and her senior aides about the decision to use a private server, how it was set up, and whether any of the participants knew they were sending classified information in emails, current and former officials said. [Clinton personally paid State Department staffer to maintain server] The inquiry comes against a political backdrop in which Clinton is the favorite to secure the Democratic nomination for the presidency. There are at least three ongoing investigations into Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's time as Secretary of State. Here's an explanation of who is investigating, and why. (Gillian Brockell/The Washington Post) So far, there is no indication that prosecutors have convened a grand jury in the email investigation to subpoena testimony or documents, which would require the participation of a U.S. attorneys office. Spokesmen at the FBI and Justice Department would not discuss the investigation. Paglianos attorney, Mark J. MacDougall, also declined to comment. In a statement, Brian Fallon, a spokesman for the Clinton campaign, said: As we have said since last summer, Secretary Clinton has been cooperating with the Department of Justices security inquiry, including offering in August to meet with them to assist their efforts if needed. He also said the campaign is pleased that Pagliano, who invoked his Fifth Amendment rights before a congressional panel in September, is now cooperating with prosecutors. The campaign had encouraged Pagliano to testify before Congress. As part of the inquiry, law enforcement officials will look at the potential damage had the classified information in the emails been exposed. The Clinton campaign has described the probe as a security review. But current and former officials in the FBI and at the Justice Department have said investigators are trying to determine whether a crime was committed. There was wrongdoing, said a former senior law enforcement official. But was it criminal wrongdoing? [Hillary Clinton gains a new unlikely ally in email controversy: Colin Powell] 1 of 9 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad Takeaways from Hillary Clintons e-mails View Photos Clinton has come under fire for using a private e-mail address during her time as secretary of state. The emails are being screened and released in batches. Here are some things weve learned from them. Caption Clinton has come under fire for using a private email address during her time as secretary of state. The emails are being screened and released in batches. Here are some things weve learned from them. Top-secret information in e-mails Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has previously stated that classified information never traveled across her private server. However, the State Department has acknowledged that "top secret" information was in seven email chains sent or received by her. Richard Drew/AP Wait 1 second to continue. Clinton has since apologized for what happened: Yes, I should have used two email addresses, one for personal matters and one for my work at the State Department. Not doing so was a mistake. Im sorry about it, and I take full responsibility. Any decision to charge someone would involve Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch, who told Congress when asked last month about the email inquiry: That matter is being handled by career independent law enforcement agents, FBI agents, as well as the career independent attorneys in the Department of Justice. They follow the evidence, they look at the law and theyll make a recommendation to me when the time is appropriate. She added, We will review all the facts and all the evidence and come to an independent conclusion as how to best handle it. Current and former officials said the conviction of retired four-star general and CIA director David H. Petraeus for mishandling classified information is casting a shadow over the email investigation. The officials said they think that Petraeuss actions were more egregious than those of Clinton and her aides because he lied to the FBI, and classified information he shared with his biographer contained top secret code words, identities of covert officers, war strategy and intelligence capabilities. Prosecutors initially threatened to charge him with three felonies, including conspiracy, violating the Espionage Act and lying to the FBI. But after negotiations, Petraeus pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of mishandling classified information. [Why the Clinton email scandal and Petraeus leak are not really alike] He was fined $100,000 and sentenced to two years of probation. FBI officials were angered by the deal and predicted it would affect the outcome of other cases involving classified information. Petraeus was handled so lightly for his offense there isnt a whole lot you can do, said a former U.S. law enforcement official who oversaw counterintelligence investigations and described the email controversy as a lesser set of circumstances. The State Department has been analyzing the contents of Clintons correspondence, as it has prepared 52,000 pages of Clintons emails for public release in batches, a process that began in May and concluded Monday. The State Department has said 2,093 of Clintons released emails were redacted in all or part because they contained classified material, the vast majority of them rated confidential, the lowest level of sensitivity in the classification system. Clinton and the State Department have said that none of the material was marked classified at the time it was sent. However, it is the responsibility of individual government officials to properly handle sensitive material. The email investigation is being conducted by FBI counterintelligence agents and supervised by the Justice Departments National Security Division. In a letter filed last month in federal court as part of ongoing civil litigation over Clintons emails, the FBI confirmed that it was working on matters related to former Secretary Clintons use of a private email server. The agency declined to publicly detail the investigations specific focus, scope or potential targets. On Tuesday, FBI Director James B. Comey said he was very close to the investigation. Former federal prosecutor Glen Kopp said it is not surprising that agents want to interview Clinton and her aides. They are within the zone of interest of the investigation, he said. A request to interview her would have to be reviewed by top level officials at both the FBI and the Justice Department, a former official said. As part of those interviews, the FBI would also seek to establish that Clinton and her aides understood the policies and protocols for handling classified information, former officials said. Clintons attorney, David Kendall, declined to comment. Kendall, who also has represented President Bill Clinton and Petraeus, has navigated similar issues in other cases. During the investigation of President Clinton by independent counsel Ken Starr, for instance, Kendall rebuffed several requests for interviews. [Hillary Clintons incomplete timeline on her personal e-mail account] The president was then subpoenaed to appear before a grand jury. In a deal brokered by Kendall, the subpoena was withdrawn and Clinton testified voluntarily in 1998. Former prosecutors said investigators were probably feeling the pressure of time because of the election. Take action before the election, they said, and you risk being perceived as trying to influence the result. Take action after and face criticism for not letting voters know there was an issue with their preferred candidate. The timing is terrible whether you do it before or after, Kopp said. The issue of Clintons use of a private email server was referred to the FBI in July after the Office of the Inspector General for the Intelligence Community determined that some of the emails that traversed Clintons server contained classified material. Emails that contain material now deemed classified were authored by Clinton but also by many of her top aides, including Jacob Sullivan, who was her director of policy planning and her deputy chief of staff. He is now advising Clintons campaign on foreign policy and is thought to be a likely candidate for national security adviser if she is elected president. The State Department has said that, at the request of intelligence agencies, it has classified 22 Clinton emails as top secret and will not release those emails, even in redacted form. Top secret is the highest level of classification, reserved for material whose release could cause exceptionally grave damage to the national security. I. Charles McCullough III, the inspector general of the intelligence community, has indicated that some of the material intelligence officials have reviewed contained information that was classified at the time it was sent; the State Department has indicated that it has not analyzed whether the material should have been marked classified when it was sent, only whether it requires classification before being released now. Rosalind S. Helderman, Julie Tate and Matt Zapotosky contributed to this report. Read more: State Department releases final batch of Clinton emails The State Department: Hillary Clintons email correspondence contained top secret material Aides email-server testimony could throw Clinton campaign a curveball In the five days since it began, there has been no shortage of charges that the Syrian cease-fire is being violated. U.S. and international officials manning 24-hour hotlines and computer banks in Washington, Geneva and Amman, Jordan, have recorded a near-constant flow of accusations ranging from reports of small-arms fire to shelling and airstrikes. So far, none of the violations have been publicly verified by the U.S.-Russia task force assigned to adjudicate them. It is unclear whether that is because they have been hard to prove or because of the potential high price of declaring the truce a failure. Unless it holds, political negotiations scheduled to start Wednesday on a permanent end to the civil war are likely to collapse. As a result, U.S. and U.N. officials who are part of the monitoring effort acknowledged a strong desire to avoid making judgments on violations or taking any firm action in response. The approach doesnt seem to be finding a violation its more in trying to dodge them, said an official involved in the effort, one of several in the United States and abroad who spoke on the condition of anonymity about the closed-door deliberations. Its how to keep the mechanism going and not put sticks into the wheel. [United States and Russia agree to partial cease-fire in Syria] The United States, Russia and other powers came to an agreement on a cessation of hostilities in Syria, but the deal was met with caution and skepticism. (Jason Aldag,Ishaan Tharoor/The Washington Post) By all accounts, the level of violence is significantly less than it was a week ago. But it has been steadily creeping upward since the guns fell silent early Saturday. The terms Washington and Moscow set for the truce included no specified system for monitoring it and no punishment for confirmed violations. When there are reported Russian bombings, another official said, intelligence hopefully can verify it. Then we talk to the Russians. Did you bomb? They say no. Did the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad? Was it a mistake? Smaller-scale allegations are similarly addressed. A Syrian opposition commander who calls the United Natoins in Geneva to report an attack on his forces is asked to provide the location and circumstances, the number of casualties, if any, and who he thinks is responsible. If its serious, which a lot of them arent, the second official said, the information is passed to the task force. Complaints can also be made directly to the Americans or the Russians, who are in direct contact with each other via a hotline. Russia is responsible for keeping the Syrian government and its allies reined in, while the United States and its partners are responsible for the opposition. If claims against opposition forces are deemed likely to be true, we call them up and tell them to cut it out, a U.S. official said. The Russians, who operate their own verification center at Russias air base near Latakia on Syrias Mediterranean coast, said Wednesday that they had recorded 21 instances in the past 24 hours in which residential communities had been shelled by unidentified militants. On Tuesday, a group of international journalists flown from Moscow for a guided tour by the Russians came under apparent artillery fire in a Syrian village in Latakia province, less than five miles from the Turkish border. Radio-Canada correspondent Raymond Saint-Pierre, who suffered a superficial injury, said the journalists were told by Russian and Syrian officers that the attack could have come from Turkey which has shelled Syrian Kurds across the border or from nearby forces of Jabhat al-Nusra, al-Qaedas Syrian affiliate. Both Jabhat al-Nusra and the Islamic State are excluded from the cease-fire. [Turkeys increasingly desperate predicament poses real dangers] Also on Tuesday, the opposition High Negotiations Committee reported 20 attacks against opposition forces and civilians, ranging from provocative leaflets thrown from Syrian government helicopters to shelling and Russian airstrikes in civilian areas. White House press secretary Josh Earnest described on Wednesday an overall reduction in airstrikes, compared with the tempo before the cease-fire began. However, we are concerned about reports that the Syrian regime has engaged in tank and artillery attacks against civilians near places like Latakia,Homs, Hama and around Damascus, he said. If confirmed, he said, the attacks would be a flagrant violation of what is officially called a cessation of hostilities. It looks to me that we have a pattern of activity with regime forces, sometimes backed by the Russian and Syrian air forces, trying to make gains on the ground around Damascus and Homs, said Jeffrey White, a retired Defense Intelligence Agency official who is now at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. What makes it difficult to say Oh, yes, that was clearly a violation is that its difficult to rule out that there may be a couple of al-Nusra guys there. The Russians, he said, always say theyre attacking extremists. Plus, theres just a lot of cease-fire nonsense going on, where people just take potshots at another guy, or fire their mortars up, White said. [Heres what you need to know about the Syrian peace talks] Collecting evidence is difficult. On the U.S. side, the CIA and other intelligence agencies watching from the sky, listening to intercepts and talking to Syrians are responsible for investigating the reports. The CIA declined to comment on its efforts. Lt. Gen. Sergei Kuralenko , head of the Russian center in Syria, said Wednesday that Russian warplanes did not deliver any strikes on armed units that had informed the United States and Russia of their locations and were supporting the cease-fire. A statement released by the State Department in English and Arabic via Twitter on Monday explained the Mechanisms for Monitoring the Truce in Syria. It provided U.S. contact information for texts and phone calls, WhatsApp and Google Voice, and a State Department email address for reports of violations. The statement thanked the High Negotiations Committee for its high quality reports of alleged hudna violations. Hudna is the Arabic word for truce. It acknowledged that maps of proposed cease-fire areas exchanged by Russia and the United States had not yet been reconciled. We understand the urgent need for clarity on areas subject to the hudna and areas that are not . . . for Syrians to understand what constitutes a violation, it said. The task force was still in the process of delineating such areas, and the various maps in circulation on the Internet are inaccurate. Asking for forbearance from those on the ground, the statement advised them to continue making reports and noted that evidence such as photos or videos are particularly useful. Compiling accurate maps of what group is where in Syria, White said, is almost impossible. If you had the best will in the world which I dont think we have it would be hard to do that . . . without putting people on the ground and walking the terrain. At the same time, he said, its going to be hard to get the U.S. to declare a violation. Its exponentially harder to get both the U.S. and Russia to declare one. If regime forces take important tactical ground, as they reportedly did this week in the East Ghouta area long held by the opposition outside Damascus, White said, whos going to tell them they have to get off, and make them do it? The Justice Department granted immunity to the former State Department staffer who set up Hillary Clintons private email server at her home. Heres what the FBI is looking to investigate and what it means for the Democratic presidential front-runner. (Victoria Walker/The Washington Post) The Justice Department granted immunity to the former State Department staffer who set up Hillary Clintons private email server at her home. Heres what the FBI is looking to investigate and what it means for the Democratic presidential front-runner. (Victoria Walker/The Washington Post) The revelation that the Justice Department has granted immunity to a former State Department staff member who worked on Hillary Clintons private email server is a likely indication that the investigation is nearing a conclusion, but should not be read as a sign that the leading Democratic presidential candidate is going to face criminal charges, legal experts said. That Bryan Pagliano a 2008 presidential campaign worker who set up the server in Clintons home will avoid charges as he cooperates with FBI agents is a significant, if incremental, development, according to former federal prosecutors and white-collar defense lawyers who have been following the case. [Justice Department grants immunity to staffer who set up Clinton email server] It could mean that Pagliano, concerned about his legal exposure, might implicate others, including Clinton. But it also could be an indication that agents and prosecutors are winding down an inquiry that will not result in charges, said Justin Shur, a former deputy chief of the Justice Departments Public Integrity Section who now works in private practice at the MoloLamken firm. I dont know that I would necessarily jump to the conclusion that this person has flipped, and now theyre going to say a bunch of incriminating things about other people, Shur said, adding that the agents could simply be making sure they have spoken to everyone relevant to the investigation. Brian Fallon, a spokesman for the presidential campaign, said in a statement that Clinton has been cooperating with the Justice Department and offered in August to meet with officials. He said the campaign was pleased that Pagliano, who invoked his Fifth Amendment rights before a congressional panel in September, was cooperating. It is unclear what level of immunity Pagliano received. Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa), chairman of the Judiciary Committee, and Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, sent a letter to the Justice Department Thursday requesting a copy of Paglianos immunity agreement, noting they had previously asked that any such arrangement include a provision requiring him to cooperate with their investigation. Immunized witnesses can be critical. Prosecutors offered a generous immunity agreement to the businessman they said bribed former Virginia governor Robert F. McDonnell (R), and the businessmans testimony at trial was pivotal to demonstrating the corrupt bargain between the two. In Paglianos case, FBI agents and federal prosecutors probably want to know about the conversations he had with Clinton or her aides when he set up the server, said Matt Kaiser, a white-collar criminal-defense lawyer at Kaiser, LeGrand & Dillon. Its an interesting development, Kaiser said. I think theyre going to push it as far as they can. Theyre going to want to know everything they can know before they make a decision to charge somebody or not. [Clinton personally paid staffer to maintain server] The New York Times reported Thursday that Pagliano had turned over security logs to investigators, and those logs showed no evidence of foreign hacking. The FBI is looking to wrap up the Clinton inquiry a criminal investigation of the possible mishandling of classified information in the coming months, according to a senior U.S. law enforcement official. There are no outward signs that prosecutors have convened a grand jury, a powerful tool that would allow them to subpoena witnesses. The issue of Clintons use of a private email server was referred to the FBI in July after the Office of the Inspector General for the Intelligence Community determined that some emails on the server contained classified material. The State Department has said that 2,093 of Clintons emails released by the State Department contained some type of classified material, most at the lowest level of sensitivity, and that 22 additional emails were fully top secret and were not released. Clinton and the State Department have said that none of the material was marked classified at the time it was sent, but Clinton has apologized and called her use of the private email account a mistake. Many in the legal community have said it would be difficult to imagine her being charged. That is because the line between what is classified and what is not is not inherently obvious, and charging the former secretary of state would require prosecutors to prove that she knew what she was handling crossed that line, said Barry J. Pollack, a white-collar criminal-defense lawyer at Miller & Chevalier who defended convicted CIA leaker Jeffrey Sterling. If something has not been deemed classified, youre asking a person to intuit how somebody else would make a subjective decision and hold that person responsible for the fact that they didnt anticipate that somebody else might view the document as classified, he said. Its almost a Rorschach test. Different people view it differently. [Why the Clinton email scandal and Petraeus leak are not really alike] Spokesmen at the FBI and the Justice Department have declined to discuss the investigation. Paglianos attorney, Mark J. MacDougall, also declined to comment on the immunity agreement. Edward B. MacMahon Jr., a lawyer who represented Sterling and 9/11 conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui, said that although prosecutors probably could charge Clinton, politics may prevent them from doing so. Justice Department guidelines, he said, discourage prosecutors from bringing cases in such a way that they influence elections. Almost anybody else already would have been receiving a target letter, MacMahon said. Of that, there isnt any question in my mind. Jacob Frenkel, a white-collar criminal-defense lawyer at the Shulman Rogers firm, said the immunity grant raises exponentially the stakes in the investigation, although because of the secrecy surrounding the investigation, it was hard to know where it might lead. This is a significant piece in providing clarity to an otherwise complicated jigsaw puzzle, Frenkel said, and we do not know exactly where Mr. Paglianos finger or fingers will point. Adam Goldman and Tom Hamburger contributed to this report. North Korea fired six short-range projectiles into the Sea of Japan on Thursday, just hours after the United Nations passed sweeping new sanctions against Kim Jong Uns regime as punishment for its recent nuclear test and rocket launch. It was not immediately clear what the projectiles were but if they were missiles, it would be a clear contravention of U.N. resolutions and a sign that North Korea is spoiling for a fight. South Koreas Defense Ministry said it was investigating whether the projectiles were artillery rockets or short-range ballistic missiles. The projectiles were fired from Wonsan, a port city on North Koreas east coast, about 10 a.m. local time, ministry spokesman Moon Sang-gyun told reporters in Seoul. They flew as far as 100 miles before falling into the Sea of Japan, or East Sea, according to local reports. [U.N. adopts sweeping new sanctions on North Korea] This appeared to be North Koreas response to the U.N. Security Councils unanimous adoption of harsh sanctions, some of the strongest measures ever used to pressure Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons program. The new sanctions require cargo inspections for all goods going in and out of North Korea by land, sea or air, and the measures choke off supplies of most aviation fuel for the Norths armed forces. They also ban the sale of all small arms and conventional weapons to Pyongyang and prohibit transactions that raise hard cash for North Korea through sales of its natural resources. The tough measures which won the support of China and Russia, North Koreas neighbors and closest allies come after several provocations from the regime this year. In January, Kim ordered North Koreas fourth nuclear test, and its first in three years. The regime claimed it had detonated a hydrogen bomb, which would be exponentially more powerful than a traditional atomic weapon, but analysts said the claim appeared vastly exaggerated. Just a month later, Kim oversaw the launch of a long-range rocket, ostensibly part of North Koreas space research program but widely viewed as cover for its efforts to develop a long-range ballistic missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead to the continental United States. As the Security Council prepared to vote on the resolution Wednesday, North Korean news media reported that Kim had visited a factory that produces ballistic missiles and related armaments. [Punishing North Korea: A rundown on current sanctions] The Thaesong Machine Factory in Nampo, southwest of Pyongyang, is one of the oldest munitions production sites in the country. Kim visited the factory with his father, Kim Jong Il, only a month before the latters death in 2011, according to Michael Madden, who writes the North Korea Leadership Watch blog. At the factory, Kim Jong Un felt a very high degree of revolutionary zeal and spirit of the workers ahead of the Seventh Congress of the Korean Workers Party, due to be held in May, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported. There will be no fortress unconquerable for us when we go with those workers, Kim said, according to KCNA. The workers at the factory would become the vanguard and shock brigade in the struggle for the development of the countrys economy, Kim was reported to have said. Much of this years fanfare is thought to be preparation for the May congress, which will be the first in 36 years. Analysts say that Kim, whose legitimacy as the third-generation leader of North Korea is tenuous, wants to have tangible achievements to crow about at the event. North Koreas neighbors hope that the new sanctions can change Kims calculus. In Beijing, Chinese officials said the goal of the sanctions was to get North Korea to return to multilateral talks about nuclear disarmament. Sanctions themselves are not the goal, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said Thursday. Dialogue and negotiations are the fundamental way to solve the North Korea issue. [When it comes to punishing North Korea, its Groundhog Day] Still, even as he called for the implementation of the sanctions, Hong reiterated Chinas stance on not rocking the boat in the region. The current situation on the Korean Peninsula is complicated and sensitive, he said. We hope that various parties will keep calm and restrained and will not make moves that will escalate the situation. All parties have the obligation to maintain peaceful and stable situation on the Korean Peninsula. South Korean President Park Geun-hye said the adoption of the unprecedentedly tough sanctions resolution should send a strong message about the international communitys desire for peace on the peninsula. Meanwhile, in Tokyo, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Japan strongly urged North Korea to sincerely heed the strong warnings and condemnation repeatedly expressed by the international community and to comply faithfully and fully with the resolution without taking further provocative actions such as nuclear tests and ballistic missile launches. Gu Jinglu in Beijing contributed to this report. U.S. calls proposed sanctions on N. Korea a major upgrade The strange ways North Korea makes detainees confess on camera The voyages of the Dawnlight: Where is it headed? And what is it carrying? A Syrian soldier keeps watch near Maarzaf, about 10 miles west of Hama, as part of a cease-fire pact that took effect Saturday. (Pavel Golovkin/AP) A nationwide power cut gripped Syria on Thursday, state media reported, amid a partial cease-fire brokered by world powers. The official Syrian Arab News Agency, citing an electricity ministry official, reported that the blackout covered all provinces of the war-torn country. It later said power had returned to some areas. The report did not specify a reason for the cut. The news agency, quoting the state telecommunications company, also said Internet services were partially halted as a result of sudden damage to one of the network hubs. Although power outages are common occurrences in Syria, it is rare that one affects the entire country. Blackouts have frequently been caused by attacks from rebel groups opposing the government of President Bashar al-Assad. Fighting has decreased significantly since the cease-fire took effect Saturday, monitored by nations including the United States and Russia. Read more: Today's coverage from Post correspondents around the world German authorities have opened an investigation into Facebook on the suspicion that Mark Zuckerberg's social media company may have abused its dominant position in the German market. The investigation, revealed Wednesday by the German federal antitrust office, the Bundeskartellamt, will look into allegations Facebook may have used its dominance to saddle users with conditions that don't sufficiently protect their personal data. Facebook is the single most dominant social media network in Germany with around 28 million users and 80 percent of the market. The investigation will look at operations at Facebook's parent company in the U.S. as well as its subsidiaries in Germany and Ireland (where Facebook has its European headquarters). Facebook has been the target of numerous legal challenges in Germany, but the investigation takes these to a new level. The antitrust office has wide-ranging powers to fine companies or compel changes in their behavior if they are found to have violated German law. The German authorities will cooperate with the European Commission's antitrust office in its investigation. The Bundeskartellamt did not give a timetable for the investigation, but far-reaching cases involving large companies such as Facebook can take years to work themselves through the German system. At issue is whether Facebook's extensive terms of service, the conditions users have to sign off on before being allowed to join, are sufficiently clear and comprehensive, explaining exactly how Facebook uses the personal data it gathers and stores from its users. Earlier this week, a Berlin court fined Facebook &euro100,000 ($108,000) for failing to comply quickly enough with a court order to change its terms of service. The case involved Facebook taking all rights, worldwide, to content posted on its site by German users. In 2011, amid similar concerns in the U.S., Facebook reached a 20-year privacy settlement with the U.S. government, requiring the social network to ask users for permission before changing the way their personal information is released. Facebook also has to go through independent privacy audits every two years. Story continues A spokeswoman for Facebook in Germany said the company was confident it was operating within the law and would cooperate fully with German authorities in their investigation. In regards to the Berlin ruling, Facebook has acknowledged fault and said it will pay the fine. It isn't the first time Facebook has come under fire in Germany. German privacy and data protection laws are stricter than those in the U.S. and large media groups that use private data for commercial purposes, including Facebook and Google, are viewed with suspicion by many here. Facebook has also been criticized for not doing enough to fight the spread of hate speech on its German site. German law outlaws certain forms of hate speech, including Holocaust denial, but extreme sentiments are often posted on social media sites like Facebook. Critics say the company has not done enough to prevent such material from being posted and, when spotted, to take it down quickly. Two German lawyers recently filed suit against Zuckerberg himself, accusing him of aiding and abetting hate speech and calling for a $163 million fine. Last week, Zuckerberg went on the PR offensive, visiting Berlin to meet with German politicians and staging a town hall question-and-answer session with local residents. Photo taken on March 2, 2016 shows the United Nations Security Council approves new resolution on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), at the UN headquarters in New York, the United States. (Xinhua/Li Muzi) UNITED NATIONS, March 2 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Wednesday unanimously adopted a resolution to impose new and tougher sanctions against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and council members called for an end to Pyongyang's nuclear and missile program and early resumption of the Six-Party Talks. The new resolution was intended to curb the DPRK's efforts to further develop its nuclear and missile programs. The previous council resolutions prohibit Pyongyang from nuclear tests and using missile technology for rocket launches. "The sanctions are not the objective itself," Ambassador Liu Jieyi of China said when he was taking the floor at the council meeting after the vote. On Jan. 6 this year, the DPRK, in defiance of universal opposition of the international community, once again conducted a nuclear test and on Feb. 7 used ballistic missile technology to launch a satellite, in a series of violations of relevant resolutions of the Security Council, Liu noted. "China has expressed its explicit opposition to these acts," he added. "China has always insisted on denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, insisted on the maintenance of peace and stability on the peninsula, and insisted on resolving problems through dialogue and consultations." Like many others, Liu urged Pyongyang to rejoin the Six-Party Talks, which involve South Korea, the DPRK, China, the United States, Japan and Russia. The Six-Party Talks were launched in 2003 but were stalled in December 2008. The DPRK quit the talks in April 2009. "Currently, the situation on the Korean peninsula is highly complex and sensitive which makes it all the more necessary for us to keep calm and use diplomatic wisdom," he said. "China hopes that parties concerned will meet China halfway, always bear in mind the overall need of maintaining peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia, make determined efforts to dispel the dark cloud of war, pour out wisdom and actively seek common understanding, and work together for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," the Chinese envoy said. For her part, Ambassador Samantha Power of the United States said that "the DPRK's obsessive pursuit of weapons of mass destruction not only causes profound suffering for the people of North Korea, but also poses an extraordinary and growing threat to peace and security in the peninsula, the region, and the world." "The United States would like to recognize the leadership of China, which has worked closely with us," she said. "Beyond the council, it is worth noting the unanimity among, and leadership by, the countries in the region, China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea." Meanwhile, Ambassador Oh Joon of South Korea asked in his mother tongue Pyongyang to stop the nuclear and missile programs. He also thanked China and the United States for their initiatives for the draft resolution. Ambassador Motohide Yoshikawa of Japan said his nation welcomed the resolution. "We would like to express our sincere appreciation to the United States for taking the lead," he said. "Our appreciation also goes to China for their efforts." "Sanctions are important tools to finding a comprehensive solution to a problem, and to this end, there has to be dialogue. In order for the dialogue to be effective, there has to be pressure at the same time," the Tokyo envoy said. "This is the very reason why we now have this robust resolution." "The sanctions envisioned are quite harsh. However, the document does leave open the possibility for the DPRK to return to the Six-Party process, which should be urgently restarted," the Tokyo envoy said. Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said, "By shutting down as much as possible of financing of DPRK's ballistic missile programs the idea is to return to the table of negotiations for all the interested parties." "Russia is very seriously worried that negative trends in Northeast Asia have been developing," he said. "We are concerned about attempts to use the actions of Pyongyang as a justification to increase the military capabilities of the region including offensive weapons and the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) missile defense system," of the United States in South Korea. "The resolution adopted today should not be used to choke off the North Korea economy," the Moscow envoy said. "In this connection we are concerned about the hasty introduction, even before today's resolution was adopted, the adoption of unilateral sanction against the DPRK. "All this could have very negative humanitarian consequences for the many millions of inhabitants of the DPRK especially those who are most vulnerable," he said, adding a plea that international humanitarian organizations be allowed to operate in DPRK.Meanwhile, Ambassador Oh Joon of South Korea asked in his mother tongue Pyongyang to stop the nuclear and missile programs. He also thanked China and the United States for their initiatives for the draft resolution. Ambassador Motohide Yoshikawa of Japan said his nation welcomed the resolution. "We would like to express our sincere appreciation to the United States for taking the lead," he said. "Our appreciation also goes to China for their efforts." "Sanctions are important tools to finding a comprehensive solution to a problem, and to this end, there has to be dialogue. In order for the dialogue to be effective, there has to be pressure at the same time," the Tokyo envoy said. "This is the very reason why we now have this robust resolution." "The sanctions envisioned are quite harsh. However, the document does leave open the possibility for the DPRK to return to the Six-Party process, which should be urgently restarted," the Tokyo envoy said. Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said, "By shutting down as much as possible of financing of DPRK's ballistic missile programs the idea is to return to the table of negotiations for all the interested parties." "Russia is very seriously worried that negative trends in Northeast Asia have been developing," he said. "We are concerned about attempts to use the actions of Pyongyang as a justification to increase the military capabilities of the region including offensive weapons and the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) missile defense system," of the United States in South Korea. "The resolution adopted today should not be used to choke off the North Korea economy," the Moscow envoy said. "In this connection we are concerned about the hasty introduction, even before today's resolution was adopted, the adoption of unilateral sanction against the DPRK. "All this could have very negative humanitarian consequences for the many millions of inhabitants of the DPRK especially those who are most vulnerable," he said, adding a plea that international humanitarian organizations be allowed to operate in DPRK. [ Editor: Jiaming ] EBRD may lend $20 mln to IMC for replenishment of working capital Ukrainian agro holding Industrial Milk Company (IMC) may borrow a $20 million loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) for the replenishment of working capital. The EBRD Board is to consider this senior secured loan on April 20, according to a Bank announcement on its website. The total cost of the financing of the project is $80 million. As was reported, January through September 2015, IMC posted net profit worth $20.14 million against $14.26 million in net loss for the same period of 2014. Its revenue grew by 2.3%, to $100.23 million. IMC is a publicly traded integrated agricultural group engaged in grain and oilseeds farming, storage, and processing, potato production, and dairy farming. It operates in Chernihiv, Sumy, and Poltava regions in Ukraine. The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday approved the bill on the electricity market. The bill will be submitted to the parliament without the provisions that allow introducing the emergency situation on the market. This moment will be separately agreed with the participation of lawmakers and specialists. Presenting the bill, Energy and Coal Industry Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Demchyshyn expressed hope that the document could be passed at first reading by the parliament in late March. The ministry earlier said that the bill outlines the introduction of all segments of the new market during two years from the moment of the law takes effect, including the "one day forward" market, diurnal market, balancing market, auxiliary service market, and the bilateral contract market. According to the document, the transitive period will be in effect by late 2018, and guaranteed buyers will buy up to 75% of the operating capacity of nuclear power plants (NPPs) and up to 30% of average daily generation by hydroelectric power plants (HPPs) at the regulated prices. The bill on the electricity market was examined by the World Bank, the Energy Community, the European Union, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and USAID and they proposed that 11 amendments are made to the document. Exports of goods from Ukraine to Russia fell by 48% in January 2015 year-over-year, to $121 million, while imports from Russia plunged by 60.6%, to $246 million, according to tentative data presented by the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU). The NBU said that goods turnover between the two countries fell by 57.8%, to $367 million, and the balance improved by 3.1 times, but remained negative - $125 million. "The Russia's share of exports fell to 6.6% from 8.6% in January 2015. The Russia's share of imports decreased from 19.9% to 10.1%," the central bank said. The NBU said that the imports fell due to a decline of 52.4% in energy imports, while non-energy imports decreased only by 6.8%. The regulator said that the deficit of foreign trade with goods in January 2016 rose by 35.5%, to $580 million, while exports fell by 32.1% (14.1% down in December 2015) and imports dropped by 22.9% (34% down). The NBU said that exports of goods totaled $1.85 billion and imports $2.43 billion in January. The central bank said that exports of ferrous and nonferrous metals decreased by 46.8% year-over-year, to $428 million, exports of food (including grain) was down by 19.8%, to $873 million, mineral products (including ores) by 44.5%, to $142 million, chemicals by 40.3%, to $108 million and engineering products by 32.4%, to $118 million. The NBU said that exports to Asia almost halved, and its share fell to 32.7% from 39.2% in January 2015, while exports to the EU fell only by 7.6%, and its share grew to 41.1% from 30.2% in January 2015. Polish Ambassador to Ukraine Henryk Litwin has said he is sure that Ukrainians will get a positive decision from EU on visa travel regime already this year. "I'm sure that in 2016 we will hear a final positive decision. It's difficult to say what time will it take to put it into life. But I believe in 2016 we will hear the decision and by early 2017 it would be implemented," Litwin told the journalists in Kharkiv on Thursday. Besides, the diplomat has said Poland is a strong supporter of the introduction of visa regime with the EU for Ukrainians. "We in Poland have always stressed that we need to open a border and to introduce a visa free regime with Ukraine. We know it perfectly well that there are no dangers here. This is a benefit for both parties: both European and Ukrainian," Litwin said. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko will pay an official visit to Turkey, on March 9-10, 2016. "On these Shevchenko days, I will go to Turkey for an official visit," the president said at the Shevchenko Award ceremony in Kyiv, on Thursday. This is a crucial visit, he said. "You know well how important the dialogue with Turkey is for Ukraine now," he added. Poroshenko is planned to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to discuss ways of strengthening defense capacity and political and economic cooperation. The National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) admits a delay in the restoration of cooperation with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which has a negative impact on the country's economy. "The latest tranche arrived in August, and we've got March now. Therefore, as you understand, we unfortunately cannot develop further," NBU Governor Valeriya Gontareva told reporters in Kyiv on Thursday. In her words, many implemented programs and all international borrowings made by Ukraine depend on what attitude foreign investors, mainly the IMF, have towards the country. "The Fund and our other international programs are pegged to our reform plan, our movement ahead, and only after that [movement] we indirectly obtain bonuses funds from international organizations for the replenishment of our international reserves," she said. In this connection, the chief banker has once again confirmed that further cooperation with the IMF is Ukraine's base-case scenario. "As you can see, we've been living without a single IMF tranche for six months, and the situation is stable both in the banking sector and on the forex market. But this doesn't mean that we should not continue the cooperation [with the IMF] for further, full-scale development," she summed up. Ukrainians sell more cash currency than buy in first two months Gontareva Individuals in Ukraine sold $261 million more to banks in the first two months of 2016 then they bought, Governor of the National Bank of Ukraine Valeriya Gontareva has said. "The population continues selling more currency to banks, sales exceed purchases. In 2015, the net purchases of foreign currency by banks from households were about $1.5 billion, and in January-February 2016, banks bought $261 million more from individuals then they sold," she said in Kyiv on Thursday. As was reported, the amount of foreign currency cash sales by Ukrainians through official currency exchange booths in January 2016 exceeded purchases by $114.8 million. Foreign currency purchases in January 2016 were 33.8% down on December 2015, to $39.5 million, Sales fell by 14.5%, to $154.2 million. In general, last year sales of foreign currency by Ukrainians to banks were $1.55 billion more than purchases. In 2014, purchases exceeded sales by $2.41 billion: $5.61 billion was sold, while $8.02 billion was bought. In 2013, foreign currency cash purchases also exceeded sales the difference was $2.88 billion. In particular, purchases were estimated at $16.33 billion, while sales totaled $19.21 billion. Ukrainian military positions in Donbas have come under fire 62 times in the past 24 hours, with mortar attacks becoming more frequent, the press center of Kyiv's army operation in eastern Ukraine has reported. Militants have opened fire on Ukrainian fortifications in the Donetsk region 34 times, the press center said on its Facebook account on Thursday, adding that grenade launchers of various systems and large-caliber submachine guns were used against Ukrainian military checkpoints near Troitske, Krasnohorivka, Opytne, Pisky, Zaytseve and Luhanske. According to the press center, the militants fired 82mm and 120mm mortars at Ukrainian army positions in Hnutove and Talakivka, near the city of Mariupol, and infantry fighting vehicle weapons were used near Novotroitske and Hranitne. Militants also used grenade launchers of different systems and large-caliber submachine guns against Ukrainian checkpoints in the vicinity of Maryinka. At 9:00 p.m., a militants' sabotage and reconnaissance group fired hand-held grenade launchers and small arms at a Ukrainian checkpoint near Novotroitske. Ukrainian positions in the vicinity of Vodyane, Pavlopil, Talakivka and Hnutove also came under random mortar fire. U.S. President Barack Obama has extended by March 6, 2017 a scope of the sanctions against Russia that were adopted within 2014 in light of the Russia's aggression against Ukraine, White House press service said. "The actions and policies of persons that undermine democratic processes and institutions in Ukraine; threaten its peace, security, stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity; and contribute to the misappropriation of its assets, as well as the actions and policies of the Government of the Russian Federation, including its purported annexation of Crimea and its use of force in Ukraine, continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States," reads the document released on White House website. "Therefore, I [Barack Obama] have determined that it is necessary to continue the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13660 with respect to Ukraine," reads the Obama's memo. So, the U.S. president extended an effect of four executive orders: No. 13660 as of March 6, 2014 on the arrest of the assets of individuals involved into suppression of Euromaidan; No.13661 as of March 19 on the sanctions against some Russian politicians; No.13662 as of March 20 on tightening of the sanctions because of Crimea and No. 13685 as of December 12 to take additional steps to address the Russian occupation of the Crimea region of Ukraine. Ukrainian Ambassador to France has sent a note to French Foreign Ministry concerning the visit of the occupational Crimean authorities, led by Yalta mayor, to Nice and their meeting with the French city's mayor Christian Estrosi. Ukraine's Ambassador in France Oleh Shamshur said he was outraged by the meeting and sent Estrosi a letter, as well as a note to the French Foreign Ministry stating "CrimeaIsUkraine", Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday. Mayor of the occupied Yalta's Andrey Rostenko said that he was officially invited to Nice by the city's mayor, and that the sides signed a memorandum of intents to continue the partnership between the cities that exists since 1960, Rostenko told Interfax ( Interfax. ru) on Wednesday. Ukrainian media reported citing Estrosi's website that the delegation of Yalta so-called 'authorities', including the Russian Ambassador to France, had been visiting Nice through February 26 March 1. Estrosi's office said the visit was "symbolic", as it was the first one since Crimea held "the referendum on independence and joined Russia." Ukrainian media also recalled that Estrosi earlier expressed warm feelings to Russia, in particular, he criticized French government for failure to deliver Mistral military ships to Russia. Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers on Wednesday approved a poverty reduction strategy, which foresees that the share of the poor in Ukraine will be reduced almost by a half, to 15% by 2020. "We expect the poverty rate by absolute measure in Ukraine will be reduced from 28% to 15% in 2020 as a result of the implementation of this program and poverty reduction strategy, which will later be complemented by detailed plans," Social Policy Minister Pavlo Rozenko said at a meeting in Kyiv on Wednesday. He also said that once implemented, the strategy would be conducive to a reduction in the poverty rate among the employed from 18.5% to 11% with a decline in the unemployment rate to 9%. Moreover, Rozenko forecasts that targeted social assistance would be enhanced. The share of the poor engaged in social protection program will be increased from 55% to 65% in the next five years. The minister pointed out the problem of the growing poverty rate in the country in the next three to four years, especially among the employed. At the same time, he said that international practice demonstrates that such trends could be changed if necessary measures of social and economic support are used. According to Rozenko, the strategy outlines the government's major poverty reduction efforts. It is based on the sustainable development goals adopted at the UN Summit in September 2015, and is part of a program for the adaptation of Ukrainian legislation to the EU's laws. The European Union says there can be no return to business as usual in EU-Russia relations as long as the Ukraine crisis remains unsettled. "We have been clear that there can be no return to business as usual in EU-Russia relations until a sustainable solution has been found to this [Ukraine] crisis," Deputy Secretary General for the European External Action Service Helga Schmid said at the official closing of the Ukraine week conference in the European Parliament on Wednesday, March 2. "And if you see our restrictive measures on Russia and our continuing support for Ukraine and other neighbors have been clear demonstrations of our resolve in this contest," she said. She emphasizes that the Minsk agreements on restoring peace in Donbas in Ukraine's east need to be implemented in full. "I'd also like to underline that all sides need to engage in complete implementation. We keep calling on Ukraine to do as much as possible on its part. No one should be able to say that Ukraine has not done everything to make a peaceful solution work," she said. "But even with the Minsk agreements fully implemented, we will be left with the issue of Crimea and Sevastopol," she added. "There is no need for me to reiterate that the EU does not recognize the illegal annexation [of Crimea by Russia] and will continue implementing its non-recognition policy," she said. She also pointed out the deterioration of the situation of human rights in Crimea. "The deteriorating human rights situation on the peninsula is a cause for particular concern for us," she added. Since the conflict in the east of Ukraine unfolded, 9,167 persons were killed and 21,000 were injured, reads a report of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Ukraine. "Between mid April 2014 and February 15, 2016, 78 conflict-related civilian casualties were recorded in eastern Ukraine, bringing the estimated casualty figures since the beginning of the conflict to more than 30,000 people, including at least 9,167 killed and 21,044 injured (figures include civilians as well as Ukrainian armed forces, and members of armed groups)," reads the document made public at a press conference in Kyiv on Thursday. Ukrainian NSDC secretary not expecting 'Normandy format' meeting in Paris to make serious progress in Donbas settlement Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Secretary Oleksandr Turchynov, doubts that Thursday's 'Normandy format' ministerial meeting in Paris will help to secure any serious progress in settling the situation in Donbas. Speaking at a press briefing in Kyiv on Thursday, Turchynov, however, expressed hope that diplomatic and international pressure on Russia would contribute to the process. "We hope that the Russian Federation will prove clever and responsible enough to stop hostilities against Ukraine, and leave the occupied territories. But one meeting will not change anything," he said, after being asked by reporters whether the March 3 meeting in Paris would influence the situation in Donbas. "We hope that diplomatic and international pressure on Russia will certainly be able to influence this process [Donbas settlement]," he added. Ukraine and the EU continue to work on the introduction of the visa-free regime for Ukrainians, spokesperson of Ukraine's Foreign Ministry Mariana Betsa has said. "In its report dated December 18 the European Commission confirmed that Ukraine had implemented technical criteria for the introduction of the visa-free regime for short trips of Ukrainian citizens. At the same time, some homework in the framework of the visa-free dialogue with the EU was still to be done. Now, Ukraine is finishing the implementation of its commitments," Betsa told Interfax-Ukraine on Wednesday. The diplomat said that Ukraine's foreign ministry expected the European Parliament and the EU Council to consider the visa-free regime for Ukraine in the nearest future on the basis of the country's progress in this respect. "We closely cooperate on this issue with the Dutch chairmanship and European partners," Betsa added. She also said the date for the introduction of Ukraine's visa-free regime could be influenced by the referendum in the Netherlands on the Ukraine-EU Association Agreement. "We hope that this year Ukrainian citizens will receive a possibility to travel to the EU countries without visas," Betsa said. Advisory Committee of Ukrainian and Polish presidents to meet in Warsaw in early March A regular 25th session of the Advisory Committee of the Ukrainian and Polish Presidents will be held in Warsaw on March 3-4, 2016, the press service of the Ukrainian head of state has reported. The deputy head of the Ukrainian presidential administration and the state secretary of the Polish chancellery will co-chair the event, the Ukrainian presidential administration said. "A wide range of issues concerning the Ukrainian-Polish relations, Ukraine's European and Euro-Atlantic integration, as well as security issues are on the agenda of the session," the source said. The press service of the Polish president detailed that Kostiantyn Yeliseyev will chair the Committee on the Ukrainian side, while Secretary of State Krzysztof Szczerski will represent Poland. Around three million people reside in the conflict zone in the east of Ukraine, the Office of the United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights said in the report on the human rights situation in Ukraine. "More than three million overall are struggling to eke out a living in the conflict zone," the document presented in Kyiv on Thursday said. It also said that 2.7 million of the mentioned number live in the areas controlled by militants, while 200,000 people reside in the proximity to the contact line. The report also said that Ukrainian government registered 1.6 million internally displaced persons, who fled their homes as a result of the conflict. From 800,000 to 1 million of them lived on Kyiv-controlled territory, the report said. According to Ukraine's State Migration Service, every day from 8,000 to 15,000 people cross the contact line between Ukraine and the Donetsk People's Republic via six check points (three on each of the conflicting sides). Stocks rally for second day on back of property sector Stocks rallied for a second day on Wednesday after the central bank cut the amount of cash that Chinese banks must hold as reserves. The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index closed at 2,849.68, up 4.3 percent, while the Shenzhen Component Index climbed 4.8 percent to 9,766.37. Property developers led the gains, with an industry gauge surging 7.1 percent on Wednesday. The country's second-biggest developer Poly Real Estate Group, Cinda Real Estate Co and Shenzhen Worldunion Properties Consultancy Co jumped by the daily limit of 10 percent. The rally came as the People's Bank of China (PBOC) lowered mortgage down payment requirements to the lowest level ever last month, while the Ministry of Finance also cut the taxes on home transactions in a bid to boost destocking in the property market. In the latest move, the PBOC's cut on the reserve requirement ratios for banks is expected to release between 600 billion yuan ($91 billion) and 700 billion yuan of liquidity, according to analysts' estimate. Brokerages rallied on Wednesday, with Industrial Securities, Huatai Securities and Everbright Securities gaining more than 7 percent. GF Securities surged by the daily limit. The CSI 300 Index added 4.1 percent to 3,051.33 as of closing. The upcoming annual legislative and political advisory sessions, also known as the "two sessions", will likely to grab more attention when the National People's Congress will sign off a new five-year economic plan. Airbus employees celebrate at the ground breaking ceremony for Airbus Tianjin A330 completion and delivery center in the Tianjin Airport Economic Area of north China's Tianjin Municipality, March 2, 2016. Construction began in Tianjin on Wednesday of an Airbus facility where the company's A330 aircraft will be finished off and delivered to clients. It is the company's first "completion and delivery center" for wide-body aircraft outside Europe. It will be responsible for cabin installation, painting and flight tests. [Photo: Xinhua] Construction began Wednesday on an Airbus facility in north China's Tianjin, where the company's A330 aircraft will be finished off and delivered to clients. The European aircraft manufacturer wants to establish itself in China's booming aviation market, where the company faces fierce competition with its U.S. rival Boeing. It is the company's first "completion and delivery center" for wide-body aircraft outside Europe. The facility will be responsible for cabin installation, painting and flight tests, Airbus said in a statement. A330 will be assembled in Toulouse, France, before delivery to Tianjin. The first plane is expected to arrive in the metropolis by the end of 2017. "This action by Airbus moves it closer to Chinese clients and the Chinese market. It derives from our confidence in China's future development," Eric Chen, president of Airbus China, told Xinhua. Chen said despite China's stressful economic transition, Airbus remains optimistic about the aviation market in China, which has overtaken the United States to become the largest buyer of Airbus aircraft. "We're very confident that in the next 10 or 20 years, there will be strong demand for aircraft in China's aviation market," he said, expecting increased air-travel demand from the country's increasingly mobile population, a growing middle class and easing visa policies by countries hoping to attract Chinese tourists. Airbus estimates that China will need 5,400 new planes within the next 20 years, accounting for about 17 percent of the global total. Tianjin already has an assembly line for Airbus A320 models. More than 250 aircraft have been delivered in Tianjin since 2008. About 24 percent of Airbus aircraft are sold to China every year. On Monday, Air China ordered 12 A330-300 aircraft from the company. There are presently more than 1,240 Airbus aircraft in use by Chinese airlines. The A330 is the most popular wide-body aircraft in China. Archaeologists clear gold cakes unearthed from the main coffin in the Haihunhou (Marquis of Haihun) cemetery, east China's Jiangxi Province, Dec. 24, 2015. There were 96 gold cakes and several hoof-sahped golds newly unearthed between the inner and external coffin at the Haihunhou cemetery on Dec. 24, making the number of gold cakes unearthed here rise to 285, the most among all archaeological excavations of the Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-220 A.D.) tombs. (Xinhua file photo/Wan Xiang) BEIJING, March 2 -- A jade seal found in the interior coffin of a 2,000-year-old tomb in east China's Jiangxi Province has helped identify its master as the Marquis of Haihun, who had a short-lived reign of 27 days as an emperor of Western Han Dynasty. Xin Lixiang, head of the excavation expert panel of the Haihunhou Tomb, announced it at a press conference in the Beijing Capital Museum Wednesday. The announcement also commenced a three-month show of more than 400 artifacts selected from over 10,000 items unearthed from the tomb during the 5-year-long excavation. Xin, who is one of China's most authoritative archeologists for the Qin and Han dynasties, said the research team found a seal of white jade at the waist position of the human remains. The printing base is inscribed with the seal characters of "Liu He", name of the Marquis of Haihun, who is also the grandson of Emperor Wu whose reign ushered in one of the most prosperous periods in China's history. A lion, tiger and bear cub have developed the most unlikely friendship at an animal shelter in Georgia in the United States. Baloo the American black bear, Leo the African lion, and Shere Khan the Bengal tiger were rescued by police in the basement of an Atlanta home during a drug raid back in 2001. They were all less than one year old and wounded severely. The police later sent them to the Noah's Ark Animal Shelter in Georgia. The Animal Shelter decided to keep these big animals because theyre too injured to be released into the wild. Since then, the trio has lived together in the same enclosure for 15 years and become extremely affectionate with each other. The incredible picture captured the tight embrace between two climbers after the man saved a woman from falling off a 200-ft mountain in Queen Creek, Arizona, the United States. The near-death moment took place when a female climber screamed and fell off the edge. Fellow hikers in a distance then watched in amazement that a man reached out and grabbed her ankles and pulled her back to safety. The pair shared an intense embrace after the heart-wrenching moment, which was captured by fellow hiker Marco Malimban at the top of Camelback Mountain. Malimban felt its better to leave them alone so soon after the event and said he would try to track down the two hikers. BEIJING, March 2 -- Party officials, lawmakers and media have called for unwavering conformity with top leader Xi Jinping, ahead of the country's major political meetings, known collectively as the "two sessions." Faithfulness to the core leadership of the Party is characterized by staunch loyalty to "the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, [its] General Secretary Xi Jinping as well as to Party theories, guidelines, principles and policies," according to a recent commentary published by Qiushi Journal, the flagship magazine of the CPC Central Committee. It underscored that the "consciousnesses of the ideology, the whole, the core and the line" must be promoted. This concept, dubbed "the four consciousnesses," was raised earlier this year at a high-level meeting of the CPC Central Committee. "The fundamental principle of strengthening consciousness is to follow the ideology, political thinking and deeds of the CPC Central Committee, with Xi as general secretary," Liu Yunshan, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, said at the spring semester opening ceremony for the Party School of the CPC Central Committee. On the day that the Qiushi article was published, Liu remarked that "conforming with 'the line' is a significant political principle," -- it is where the Party's strength and advantages lie. The remarks were made ahead of the annual sessions of the National Committee of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), China's top political advisory body, and the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature. The two sessions are the most important political events in China, at which political and economic development measures are discussed and key policies adopted, including the new Five-Year Plan (2016-2020). Adherence to the Party line must feature across all processes and aspects of building socialism with Chinese characteristics, the Qiushi article said. All of society must be united by a series of important speeches by Xi on the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation, according to the article. The Qiushi article also reflected on the important role the Party's leadership played in leading various development strategies, such as the "Four Comprehensives," the overarching strategy for long-term development. Another strategy -- the five development concepts of innovation, coordination, green development, opening up and sharing -- has guided development policy since it was first raised at a key CPC meeting in October. Both the Four Comprehensives and the five development concepts were developed by Xi and his team. Xie Chuntao, a professor with the CPC Central Committee Party School, said that the CPC had also launched a nationwide campaign among its 87 million members, calling on them "to study the Party code of conduct, to study a series of remarks made by Xi, and to be qualified Party members." "To study, to accept and to resolutely implement, that is the way China will build a moderately prosperous society by 2020," he said. Over the past three years, Xi's governance theories have been used as a roadmap for the country's development, as the wold's second largest economy was in dire need of structured methodologies to face its reform test. China is facing slower growth and trying to shift its economy from a focus on high growth to a more sustainable framework. Xi advocates supply-side structural reform, which will advance economic restructuring by reducing ineffective and low-end supply, and boost productivity by expanding medium-to-high-end supply. Experts say supply-side reform will be a distinctive feature of China's economic policies in 2016 and beyond. Xi's thoughts go far beyond the economic field. His anti-corruption campaign, to strengthen the 87-million-strong CPC, has drawn worldwide attention. The punishment of senior officials including Zhou Yongkang, Bo Xilai and Ling Jihua for corruption has shown Xi is determined to make the Party cleaner, media have said. Xi also launched China's biggest military reform in decades to make the People's Liberation Army a stronger and more effective fighting force that maintains absolute loyalty to the Party. In the diplomatic sphere, Xi has been advocating a global community of shared future. A series of initiatives including the Belt and Road Initiative and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank serve to highlight China's image as a responsible and active player in global development. Xi's governance thoughts have been well received overseas, too. "Xi Jinping: The Governance of China," is available in more than 100 countries. Zhang Zhao'an, an NPC deputy from Shanghai Municipality, said allegiance to Xi is a necessity to reach consensus among the entire nation to promote reform and opening-up. "While we are handling the complex economic situation at home and abroad, we can not afford to loose direction or force. We must line up with the CPC Central Committee and Xi as the core," said Zhang, vice director of economic research center under Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences. Zhu Yilong, a CPPCC National Committee member and vice chair of the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, said the success of the world's second largest economy will not come easily. Stability and people's unified thinking are imperative to China's development. "Xi has won the support of the people," he said. "The time is ripe for raising the 'four consciousnesses'." KUNMING, March 2 -- China's annual parliamentary session, which will see nearly 3,000 national lawmakers convene in Beijing to discuss major polices, will kick off this weekend. Prior to what is arguably one of China's most important political events, a Xinhua correspondent traveled with Li Songquan, a national lawmaker representing the Lahu ethnic group, to one of his constituencies, a remote, destitute village in the southwestern province of Yunnan to see firsthand "poorest corner." Sitting on the border of China and Myanmar, Dabangkao is a Lahu village where the annual per capita income is less than 2,000 yuan (305 U.S. dollars). Most villagers live in weather-battered cabins built of wood or bamboo. Scarcely-furnished, the shanty structures are no match for rain and wind, which find their way into the rooms through gaps between the thin boards. "The wood cabins hardly keep people warm, but they are much better than those built of bamboo," Li said. "Bamboo cabins are often destroyed by pests." Born and raised in Nuofu, one of Yunnan's poorest counties, Li is no stranger to the stark poverty in Dabangkao. "Inadequate infrastructure is a poverty relief road block," he said. "Housing, water, roads -- all these issues must be addressed." Poverty also has a negative impact on the village demographic. Li Baojie, a senior villager in Dabangkao, said many young women chose to marry outside of the community in hopes of securing a better life, leaving the village with a bunch of morose, hopeless bachelors. Meanwhile, education is lacking, too. On average, a Lahu receives lightly more than three years of education, lawmaker Li said. In Dabangkao, when the Xinhua correspondent asked a 20-something his age, the young man looked perplexed. After thinking over the question for some time, he responded in broken mandrin that he could't remember. Poorly-educated, the villagers struggle to communicate with the outside world, which further aggravates their situation. For instance, many people in Dabangkao rely on Pu'er tea plantation. Pu'er is a very popular variety of fermented, aged dark tea, and it can fetch a high price in China's cities. Dabangkao residents, however, reap little financial return from the endeavor. Villager Zhanu, who has a 0.8-hectare plot of pu'er tea, said he sold the leaves for 11-12 yuan per kilogram last year, making a paltry 3,500 yuan for a whole year's hard work. In contrast, despite a sharp price fall amid the gloomy market, premium pu'er cost end consumers 6,000 yuan per kilogram. Lawmaker Li said the undereducated villagers are not capable of processing their tea, let alone branding their products. As a result, it is very hard for them to gain a foothold in the market. In the hope of attracting investment, Li once invited a group of business people to Dabangkao. After traveling for more than two hours along the sinuous, bumpy mountain road to get to the village, however, they all declined to invest. "The solution hinges on better connectivity," he said. "We should build more roads to help villagers go out and investors get in." Li made a virtual reality documentary about one of the numerous field trips he has taken to Dabangkao after taking office as deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC), China's national legislature, in 2013. For him, the documentary gives the poverty-relief motion more gravitas, and he intends to present to his colleagues during the NPC session in Beijing. Although China has experienced almost four decades of breakneck economic growth, over 70 million people remain under the poverty line, including those in Dabangkao. Poverty alleviation and, in a broader picture, improved public wellbeing will feature heavily throughout this year's national legislature session as the world's second largest economy strives to achieve its ambitious goal of completing the building of a moderately prosperous society. Li is now on his way to Beijing. He hopes his motion will influence policies that will help the people in his constituencies live better lives. Photo taken on March 3, 2016 shows South Korean media report of short-range projectile firing by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). DPRK on Thursday fired short-range projectiles into its eastern waters, South Korea's Defense Ministry said. (Xinhua/Yao Qilin) SEOUL, March 3 -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) fired six short-range projectiles on Thursday morning in an apparent show of force after new tougher sanctions resolution on Pyongyang was passed at the UN Security Council. Seoul's defense ministry spokesman Moon Sang-Kyun told a regular press briefing that DPRK forces fired short-range projectiles at about 10 a.m. (0100 GMT) from its Wonsan area into the East Sea. The Joint Chiefs of Staff later confirmed that six projectiles were launched, flying about 100-150 km eastward. Whether the projectiles were short-range missiles hasn't been identified, but those were believed to have been KN-01 short-range missiles or shells from 300-mm multiple rocket launchers. The spokesman said that the South Korean military maintained a full defense readiness while closely monitoring the moves of DPRK forces. It marked the first time in 2016 that DPRK forces fired short-range projectiles. Pyongyang launched three KN-01 missiles from Wonsan area into eastern waters in June last year, while test-firing 300-mm multiple rocket launchers several times in 2015. A South Korean military official was quoted by Yonhap news agency as saying that possibility is running high for the DPRK to conduct further provocations after the launch of short-range projectiles. Pyongyang hadn't reportedly issued no-navigation, no-sail zone before the Thursday launches, indicating possible DPRK provocations without any warning. South Korea and the United States are scheduled to kick off their joint annual war games from March 7 that will run for more than a month through April. It is widely expected to cause strong backlashes from the DPRK, which has denounced it as a dress rehearsal for northward invasion. The U.S. forces are expected to mobilize strategic assets during the war games, including a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, which is expected to raise the already heightened tensions further on the Korean peninsula. The DPRK's launches of short-range projectiles came just hours after new UN Security Council resolution on Pyongyang was unanimously approved in New York over its recent nuclear test and long-range rocket launch. Pyongyang tested what it claimed was its first hydrogen bomb on Jan. 6 and launched a satellite on a long-range rocket, which was condemned by outsiders as a banned test of missile technology, on Feb. 7. Describing the new UN resolution as one of the toughest and most effective non-military measures in seven decades of UN history, South Korea said it will step up efforts at international cooperation to encourage the DPRK to dismantle its nuclear program "completely, veritably and irreversibly." The new resolution was the fourth UN sanction against Pyongyang's nuclear tests. Previous resolutions were adopted in 2006, 2009 and 2013 each when the DPRK tested its atomic devices. Two separate UN resolutions were also approved in 2006 and 2013 when the DPRK tested a prohibited missile technology by launching long-range rockets. Seoul's foreign ministry said that new sanctions against Pyongyang would eliminate loopholes in previous resolutions to focus on cutting off resources to finance the DPRK's nuclear and missile programs. >>>Related: China hopes for full implementation of UN resolution on DPRK China on Thursday said it hoped the UN Security Council resolution on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) could be fully and seriously implemented, urging parties concerned not to intensify tensions in the Korean Peninsula. The PLA Army is the first body of armed forces led by the CPC, and plays an essential role in safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development, Chinese president Xi Jinping said at a meeting on Dec. 31, 2015 Since the 18th CPC National Congress was held in November 2012, the army's information construction has been improved. Operational capability, which is based on the information system, has also been through a general upgrade. Battle tanks and helicopters play a leading role in the PLA Army. They attracted worldwide attention during the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War on Sept. 3, 2015. Now let's take a look at the amazing changes and upgrades the PLA Army's armored forces and aviation forces have undergone in the past three years. Type 96A main battle tank The Type 96A main battle tank has been enhanced from the Type 96 main battle tank. It is the PLA's major tank. Compared to the relatively expensive Type 99 main battle tank, the Type 96A has a lower cost and it is suitable for mass production in order to equip the armed forces. Type 99A main battle tank The upgrade from the Type 99 main battle tank to the Type 99A main battle tank marks a breakthrough of battle tanks technology. Composite armor is now being used extensively, and information warfare technology has also been integrated into the design. Upgraded from Type 99, the Type 99A's performance has been greatly improved and its engine power has increased significantly. The control is also more flexible. Z-8 helicopter The Z-8 helicopter is a single-rotor, multipurpose medium helicopter with a tail rotor. It features characteristics including good flight performance, long life, superior safety, ease of manipulation and maintenance. It can also be landed in water in emergency situations. WZ-9 helicopter The WZ-9 helicopter not only has anti-tank and ground fire suppression capabilities, it is also able to transport infantry troops. It can conduct air combat, too. It uses a ducted tail rotor, which greatly improves the safety of flying close to the ground. Its flexible blade is quite advanced. It has two independent hydraulic systems, which improve viability during combat operations. WZ-10 helicopter The WZ-10 is China's first domestically designed and produced attack helicopter. The successful development of the WZ-10 demonstrates the large-scale transformation and improvement of China's helicopter industry. From the ability to attack, the WZ-10 has a dual air-to-air and air-to-ground capability. On defensive performance, it uses a stealth design, along with a narrow fuselage, so the radar reflector can be effectively controlled. WZ-19 helicopter The WZ-19 helicopter's design is derived from the Z-9 helicopter. It has the typical features of armed helicopters, including tandem cockpit layout, four-bladed composite rotor, ducted tail rotor, four external weapon hard points and tailwheel landing gear. It made its successful maiden flight in 2010.  Due to lower prices and production costs, WZ-19 helicopters can be made on a large scale and used in the armed forces as a powerful supplement for the more expensive WZ-10. Editor's note: The age of unmanned technology is around the corner as people start to enjoy self-driving cars, unmanned delivery and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). There are still accidents caused by unmanned technology, however. A self-driving car developed by Google crashed into a bus last month during a test drive. When will people actually begin to benefit from unmanned technology? Accident caused by Google self-driving car One of Google's self-driving cars crashed into a bus in California on Feb. 14. There were no injuries. The crash happened when the robotic SUV had to move into the center lane to make a right turn around some sandbags. The accident occurred because both the vehicle and its test driver incorrectly assumed that a bus approaching from behind would slow or stop to let the car through. It may be the first instance of a Google self-driving car being at fault for an accident. Google said that in the past six years, its cars have been involved in 17 minor accidents over the course of more than two million miles of autonomous and manual driving. That its software made a decision that led to a crash might be bad news for Google, as the company is devoted to improving its self-driving technology. People also have doubts about self-driving driving technology. Who is to be blamed for this accident? The computer? The company? Or the constantly changing road conditions? Insurance companies are also reluctant to compensate for accidents caused by small-size drones. Unmanned technology has been used more than anything with drones so far. The development of drones is more comprehensive than that of self-driving car technology. Drones are widely used in military and civilian industries. Small-size multirotors and reconnaissance UAVs in the U.S. military all belong to drones. However, risks exist when it comes to small-size drones. Last Christmas, the sales volume of drones saw a rapid increase in the U.K. Nevertheless, insurance companies announced an exception clause, saying they would not compensate for damage caused by drones. More seriously, drones have been involved in incidents where they nearly collided with passenger aircraft in the U.S., Japan and China. Police have come up with methods to cope with these risks. Police in the Netherlands train eagles to capture illegal drones in the sky. Japan uses UAVs to deal with illegal drones. Will people get enjoy unmanned delivery sooner or later? With the development of unmanned technology, e-commerce has begun exploring unmanned delivery. Amazon.com was the first to try unmanned delivery. The company has developed a drone, Amazon Prime Air, for delivery. Amazon Prime Air uses multirotor Miniature Unmanned Air Vehicle technology to autonomously fly packages to customers doorsteps within 30 minutes of ordering. The drone can also return autonomously. However, unmanned delivery is restricted by government regulations. Furthermore, drones used for delivery face limitations when it comes to payloads, endurance and weather conditions. London is currently testing a self-driving truck, but a driver will sit in front of the steering wheel for the sake of safety. For the time being, delivery of goods bought online still relies on couriers. Can people become snipers without being trained? A new rifle, called TrackingPoint rifle, developed by a start-up company in Texas, went on sale in the U.S. in 2013. Its unique feature is that it uses lasers and computers to make shooters exceptionally accurate. Experts said that the new gun, which aims automatically, cannot shoot with great accuracy in actual combat, and is not a substitute for a human shooter, as 32 different elements can affect accuracy of shooting, including air pressure, temperature and altitude. The automated system cannot cope with multiple elements at one time. UNITED NATIONS -- The UN Security Council on Wednesday adopted a resolution to impose new sanctions on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in order to curb the country's nuclear and missile programs. The resolution was unanimously adopted by the 15 members of the council Wednesday morning in response to DPRK's nuclear test on Jan 6 and satellite launch on Feb 7. The council condemned in the strongest terms the nuclear test on Jan. 6, which was "in violation and flagrant disregard of the Council's relevant resolutions," and further condemned the country's satellite launch on Feb. 7, which "used ballistic missile technology," according to the resolution. The council reiterated its demands that the DPRK abandon all nuclear weapons and other nuclear programs as well as weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs. The resolution expanded the sanctions regime against the DPRK by imposing a ban on all exports of coal, iron, iron ore, gold, titanium ore, vanadium ore and rare earth metals from the DPRK, and banning the supply of all types of aviation fuel, including rocket fuel, to the country. The sanctions in Wednesday's resolution are the fifth round of the kind imposed against the DPRK since 2006. >>>Related: DPRK fires short-range missiles into eastern waters: Yonhap The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) fired several short-range missiles into its eastern waters at about 10 a.m. local time (0100GMT) Thursday, Yonhap news agency reported. As the Communist Party of China (CPC) devoted more efforts to tightening regulations on corruption, Chinas anti-graft drive has captured recognition from the public. This endeavor is expected to be continued this year. Since the CPC Central Committee revised its regulations on disciplinary penalties last October, the public have held CPC members behavior to higher standards. Experts believe that this also, on some levels, symbolizes the enhanced restraint of regulations in China. Power should be exercised within the cage of regulations," said Chinese President Xi Jinping at a meeting of the top anti-corruption body of the CPC. Xis remarks, echoed by the peoples expectation, showed the strong determination of Chinese leaders to build clean governance by addressing the root causes of corruption through effective disciplinary system. In a bid to strike against corruption, as early as December 2012, the CPC Central Committee introduced its "eight-point" bureaucracy and formalism-fighting guidelines, urging officials to resist pomp, ceremony and reduce bureaucratic visits and meetings. In the guidelines, explicit requirements were given on how to better serve the public by further honing the Partys working style. The CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and discipline watchdogs at all levels later strengthened their supervision and punishments against those violating the rules. Paired with the tightened supervision, the guidelines sent a strong message to the Party members. Instances of inappropriate behavior such as holding banquets with public cash significantly dropped afterwards. Based on such anti-corruption practices, the CPC Central Committee amended a series of standards, norms and rules for the Party in 2015, where previous achievements or innovations were included for guidance. For example, in the inspection work regulation, special inspection tours were required for relevant authorities, while in another regulation on disciplinary penalties, CPC members discipline violations were further detailed. In 2016, China will devote more efforts in drafting regulations. The country is expected to improve its intra-Party supervision system, set up a national supervision mechanism covering State organizations and civil servants, and establish an accountability regime. In addition, major violation cases will be made public. As China pledges more regulations on corruption, the public now bear more expectations toward the anti-corruption goals set by Xi , specifically that people do not dare to, are not able to and cannot easily commit corruption. BEIJING, March 3 -- While leading China's reform, opening up and modernization drive, the Communist Party of China(CPC) Central Committee, with Xi Jinping as general secretary, has drawn on the wisdom from the nation's millenniums-old culture. While presiding over a high-level meeting in February 2014, Xi, also president of China, stressed that traditional Chinese culture was the root of socialist core values. He has also voiced his respect of Confucius and placed a lot of emphasis on tradition as the country's cultural soft power on multiple occasions. In September 2014, China commemorated the 2,565th anniversary of the birth of Confucius, during which Xi said traditional Chinese culture had the power to enlighten the people's understanding of the world, and improve governance. "Confucianism, along with other philosophies and cultures that have taken shape and grown within China [...] nourished the flourishing Chinese nation," he said. Observers believe that the CPC leadership is taking on the responsibility of continuing the legacy of China's culture. By developing it with the concept of socialism with Chinese characteristics and integrating it to shape the nation's ethos, it is integral to the formulation of the Party's governance concepts and policies. Mou Zhongjian, vice president of the International Confucian Association, believes that the community of common destiny, which Xi and many leaders and scholars frequently refer to, is a deep-rooted idea in Chinese culture that has always viewed all people around the world as one family. "Knowledge of history and contemporary achievements nurture the vision of a community of common destiny," Mou said. Also, with an understanding of the underlying aspirations for peace and harmony in Chinese culture, Xi has explicitly dismissed the "China threat" rhetoric, pledging that China will never pursue hegemony as its rises. Moreover, continuing the belief that the entire world should share in prosperity, China has provided opportunities to other countries for common development. The current Belt and Road initiative, which has its roots in the ancient Silk Road trade route, was born of the concepts of sharing and caring. "You can take a ride on our express train or even hitchhike, all are welcome," Xi once said during a visit to Mongolia. When addressing the inauguration ceremony of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank in January, Xi repeated this stance, stressing that the door of China's opening up will never shut and China welcomes all countries to ride on its development. This willingness to share is also enshrined in China's new development concepts, which are innovation, coordination, green development, opening up and sharing. Ancient Chinese proverbs and epigrams are often quoted by Xi and other senior Chinese leaders to caution officials against extravagance and hedonism and warn them to stay free from corruption and to be diligent. These time-honored wisdoms are also used to express the CPC's resolve to enforce its code of conduct, fight corruption and highlight the importance of being close to the general public. When watching Xi's New Year speech for 2015, Yu Jianfu, a professor with the Chinese Academy of Governance, noticed an ancient Chinese classic, compiled during the Tang Dynasty(618--907), on governance, in pride of place in the president's office. "It shows that Chinese leaders continue to acknowledge the value of tradition in the modern world," Yu said. SYDNEY, Mar. 2 (People's Daily Online) -- The latest statistics from Australian Department of Education and Training shows that the number of Australia's international students had grown 10% from 2014 to 2015, reaching nearly half a million. China contributed 27.3 per cent of all international students in Australia, the highest of any nationality. Chinese students continue to flock to Australia with 136,097 students last year, increasing 13.3% in 2015 compared with the previous year. Apart from China, other top countries include India, Vietnam, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Brazil, Thailand, Nepal and Indonesia. Richard Colbeck, the Minister for Tourism and International Education noted that International education delivered nearly AU$20 billion to the Australian economy in 2015, confirming the importance of the sector to Australia's growing knowledge economy. These figures prove that international education is one of the five super-growth sectors and it's supporting the economy transferring to a more diversified economy. Australian government's reforms have cut regulatory costs for institutions by AU$48.2 million a year, allowing Australian universities, vocational education and training providers, English language providers and schools to focus on their core business of providing high quality education to students. A man in China's central Hunan province has saved 12 people from drowning in the Xiang River in Changsha, Hunans capital city. His 12 rescues have taken place over the course of 40 years, starting in 1975. His actions have won him accolades from his community and the title of hero. Since his family has earned a living from fishing for generations, the 54-year-old truck driver, Zhou Haiming, is a very good swimmer. He even saved two lives in one night in November 2010, since the drowning woman was pregnant. Although what he does is not easy, Zhou has never publicized what he does. His feats didnt become widely known until he accidentally broke his ankle while saving a drowning woman in the river. Zhous neighbor said that Zhou truly is a hero, and that he also loves to help his neighbors when they are in need. A local citizen also praised Zhou's spirit and positive energy. Yin Zhuo International society holds common ground towards the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) nuclear test, says Yin Zhuo, Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Member when he talks about the severe UN sanction against the DPRK on Thursday in Beijing. There will be no war on Korean Peninsula now, he added. When asked about the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) that U.S. implemented in the Republic of Korea, Yin said, The THAAD system does what it should to contain the peninsula in peacetime, and it will do what it should in the wartime. My Favorite Quotes Recent Quotes Portfolio Summary Your most recently viewed tickers will automatically show up here if you type a ticker in the Get Quotes box on the top of the page. Baku, Azerbaijan, March 3 By Azad Hasanli - Trend: A business forum will be held in Azerbaijan March 6 within the framework of the visit of the Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban to the country, Azerbaijan Export and Investments Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO) said March 3. The Azerbaijani-Hungarian business forum will be organized by AZPROMO with the support of the Ministry of Economy of Azerbaijan. Over 50 representatives of Hungarian companies representing spheres of agriculture, ICT, construction, renewable energy sources, industrial production and equipment, tourism, light industry, aviation, consulting, etc. will take part in the event. In 2015, the trade turnover of Azerbaijan with Hungary amounted to $27.96 million, of which the import of Hungarian products accounted for over $27.7 million, according to the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan. Baku, Azerbaijan, March 3 By Anvar Mammadov - Trend: The Azerbaijan Deposit Insurance Fund (ADIF) has no plans to raise a loan from the Central Bank in the near future, said Azad Javadov, the ADIF head at a press conference in Baku March 3. "To date, ADIF has paid nearly 93 million manats to the three banks, where insured events occurred," added Javadov. "As is already known, ADIF's funds were 132 million manats, which means that we still have nearly 40 million manats left on our account." "As it was noted by the head of the Central Bank of Azerbaijan, Elman Rustamov, the bank is ready to give us a loan in case if our funds aren't enough for payment of compensations," said Javadov. "But as of now, ADIF has all the necessary funds, so in the near future we aren't going to raise funds from the Central Bank." He went on to add that in a month ADIF will also receive contributions from its member-banks. ADIF member-banks are required to pay quarterly contributions amounting to 0.125 percent (0.5 percent per year) of the total amount of the insured deposits. "ADIF will receive more than seven million manats in contributions," added Javadov. "In addition, the tendency shows that the flow of customers applying for compensations is reducing gradually. Earlier we paid up to 10 million manats a day, but now this amount is nearly two or three million manats, and it will gradually decline." ADIF's head also said that in case if a necessity arises, and this will happen if all the depositors apply for compensations, the fund will raise nearly 20 million manats from the Central Bank. Baku, Azerbaijan, March 3 By Azad Hasanov - Trend: Powers of the Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA) may be limited, according to amendments to the law on the country's central bank, which are under consideration of Azerbaijani parliament. It is proposed to remove from the law the articles, which authorize the CBA to license the country's banks and regulate their activities, as well as to appoint temporary administrators, assess financial state of credit institutions and the country's national postal service operator. The country's central bank may be also deprived of powers to establish standards of corporate governance in banks and local branches of foreign banks, issue a permit for the activity of clearing (processing) organizations and carry out supervision over them. These amendments are connected with the recent decree of Azerbaijani president. The amendments also provide for limiting the rights of members of the Board of the CBA, as well as their close relatives to possess prevailing participation share in financial institutions. Thus, if now the law prohibits the aforementioned parties to hold shares only in credit institutions controlled by the CBA, in accordance with the amendments, shares in credit institutions, insurance (reinsurance) and investment companies controlled by the government of Azerbaijan may also be included in this interdiction. It is also proposed to deprive the CBA of powers to participate in the formation of capital in the activity of international and regional organizations, which have the aim to cooperate in the field of monetary, foreign exchange and banking supervision. The CBA will be able to allocate loans to banks in case of short-term problems with their solvency and a lack of liquidity only considering the appropriate application of the supervisory authority over financial markets. In accordance with the amendments, the period for which the loan may be issued mustn't exceed six months. At the same time, despite the fact that the CBA will be considering questions on issuing such loans after the application of the supervisory authority over financial markets, the bank itself will make a decision to issue the loan in two days' time. Currently, the CBA can allocate loans to banks, including the subordinated ones in the order and under the conditions specified by the bank itself in order to ensure stability of the banking system, protect the interests of creditors and depositors of banks. Baku, Azerbaijan, March 3 By Anakhanum Khidayatova - Trend: Implementation of the project of natural gas supplies from Russia along the bottom of the Black Sea through third countries to Greece, and then to Italy depends on many factors, primarily political ones, director of energy programs at the Center of World Economy and International Relations at the Ukrainian National Academy of Sciences Valentin Zemlyansky told Trend March 3. Last week, Russia's energy giant Gazprom, Italy's Edison SpA and Greek gas company DEPA SA signed a memorandum of understanding on deliveries of Russian natural gas through third countries to Greece and from Greece to Italy via an undersea pipeline in the Black Sea. Zemlyansky said that position of the European Commission, competition issues, the Ukrainian issue in the form of sanctions against Russia, as well as Ukraine's claims to maintain gas transit via its territory may affect implementation of this project. The expert went on to add that Russia and Azerbaijan can agree on joint work over the project if their relations in this regard are partner-like. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Anahanum Baku, Azerbaijan, March 3 By Aygun Badalova - Trend: The US ambassador to Azerbaijan Robert Cekuta together with his wife visited a Sumqayit city school for IDPs from Azerbaijan's district of Gubadli, occupied by Armenia. The school was renovated by the United States European Command (US EUCOM), the embassy twitted March 3. "This is one of many such projects that the US has funded over the years to support the people of Azerbaijan, including IDPs," said the message. Speaking with the IDPs from Gubadli district, the ambassador discussed the continued efforts to bring about a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, according to the message. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US are currently holding peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented the UN Security Council's four resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @AygunBadalova Baku, Azerbaijan, March 3 By Elmira Tariverdiyeva - Trend: The Azerbaijani foreign ministry has recently presented a report "Illegal economic and other activities on the occupied territories of Azerbaijan". After reading the report, the question arises whether Armenia needs the negotiation process. Armenia has been occupying Azerbaijani territories and violating all norms of international and criminal law on the occupied territories for many years. All years Armenia has been exacerbating the conflict in the region and destabilizing the situation. Taking this into account, Yerevan's presence at the negotiating table is a lie. The real criminals, namely, the Armenian authorities, support and encourage the illegal production and export on the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. On the one hand, this is a political project as some types of products being manufactured on the occupied territories and exported via the territory of Armenia to Russia and other countries do not bring any economic benefit. The complicated export route of illegally manufactured products to the international market comes expensive to the Armenian lobby, which pays for political speculations of Armenia. Armenian authorities themselves plunder the wealth of the occupied lands. For the poorest country with few natural resources, mining industry on the occupied territories is a very important source of income. Large mineral reserves in Azerbaijan remained on the occupied territories - there are 155 deposits of various minerals, including five gold deposits. Currently, Armenian authorities use these deposits as a source of personal enrichment. In 2015 alone, Armenia illegally produced 3.6 tons of gold and it is unlikely that the Armenian authorities are ready to yield this wealth to Baku. The activities and the origin of many workers of foreign mining companies in the occupied territories are obscure and often they are offshore companies. It seems that these firms belong to the representatives of the Armenian authorities. Regarding the export of goods, the label of which says "made in Armenia", to the EU countries, Ukraine, the US, the UAE and Russia from the Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan's other occupied territories, it reminds the "conflict diamonds" [also known as "blood diamonds"] concept. A part of African diamonds, which were sold in the West for many years, became o source of financing for terrorist movements and eventually, they became known as "conflict diamonds." In South Africa, where the first conference on "conflict diamonds" was held in 2000, nearly 50 countries announced the creation of a global system of control over the diamond trade [Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS)] from Jan. 1, 2003. KPCS, in particular, involves the introduction of a special certificate containing the data about diamond's manufacturer and importer. It helped to avoid the entry of "blood diamonds" to the market. In order to stop the indirect promotion of occupation, the international community should also monitor and prevent the sale of goods produced on the occupied lands. For example, when purchasing products from Armenia, one can require certificates confirming that these goods were produced namely on its territory, but not on the occupied lands, which are internationally recognized territories of Azerbaijan. Thus, by turning a blind eye to violation of the international law by Armenia, the countries which buy the illegally produced goods, also participate in stealing Azerbaijan's natural resources. Hopefully, taking into account the abovementioned factors, the international community will pay due attention to the facts of numerous crimes committed by the Armenian regime on the occupied territories and will take relevant measures to prevent them. Baku, Azerbaijan, March 3 By Samir Ali - Trend: It is very important to unite the efforts of Azerbaijan and Pakistan toeffectively combat such kinds of transnational organized crime as international terrorism, drug trafficking, human trafficking and illegal migration, Azerbaijani Colonel-General Ramil Usubov said. Azerbaijani Interior Minister Usubov made this statement at a meeting with a delegation led by Chairman of Pakistan's Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Rashad Mahmood, the Azerbaijani interior ministry told Trend. Usubov stressed the importance of two intergovernmental agreements on cooperation in combating international terrorism, organized crime and drug trafficking. The Azerbaijani minister added that these agreements were signed for the expansion of relations between the interior ministries of the two countries. Mahmood stressed the need for jointly combating the transnational organized crime, international terrorism and religious extremism. The Pakistani official also emphasized the importance of learning and using the positive experience of the two countries, the development of strategic partnership and friendly relations in all spheres between Azerbaijan and Pakistan. Other issues of mutual interest were also discussed at the meeting. Baku, Azerbaijan, March 3 By Seba Aghayeva - Trend: The UK parliament has put forward Early Day Motions on Khojaly genocide aimed at raising awareness of social and political circles of the country to the tragedy, according to a message on the parliament's website. The author of one of the Early Day Motions is Chairman of All-Party Parliamentary Group on Azerbaijan Bob Blackman. The document expresses sympathies to the people of Azerbaijan who are commemorating the 24th anniversary of the attack on the town of Khojaly by Armenian forces on February 26, 1992; and calls on the UK government to play a more active role in encouraging the peaceful settlement to the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan based on the resolutions and decisions of international organizations, in particular the UN Secretary Council resolutions. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. On February 25-26, 1992, the Armenian armed forces, together with the 366th infantry regiment of Soviet troops stationed in Khankendi committed an act of genocide against the population of the Azerbaijani town of Khojaly. As many as 613 people were killed, including 63 children, 106 women and 70 old people were killed as a result of the massacre. Eight families were totally exterminated, 130 children lost one parent and 25 children lost both. A total of 487 civilians became disabled as a result of the onslaught. Some 1,275 innocent residents were taken hostage, while the fate of 150 people remains unknown. The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US are currently holding peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented the UN Security Council's four resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. The author of the second Early Day Motion is the UK Scottish National Party MP Patrick Grady. Other MPs also joined the motion. Grady notes that UN Security Council resolutions, which call on the Armenian forces to end the occupation of Azerbaijan, remain unfulfilled, he is concerned about the recent escalation in tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan and calls on the UK government to use the anniversary of this tragedy as an opportunity to renew international efforts to find a lasting peaceful resolution to this long-standing conflict. Baku, Azerbaijan, March 3 By Seba Aghayeva- Trend: The delegation of the parliament of Azerbaijan lead by head of the Azerbaijan-Australia inter-parliamentary working group, MP of the country's Milli Majlis (parliament) Khanlar Fatiyev has visited the Australian War Memorial and laid a wreath at the monument to fallen soldiers. The delegation got acquainted with the memorial. Books and videos about the Khojaly genocide prepared by Heydar Aliyev Foundation were handed over to the library of the memorial. On the same day, a meeting of members of the Azerbaijani delegation with Deputy Prime Minister of Australia Barnaby Joyce took place. The importance of development of relations between Australia and Azerbaijan in the spheres of oil and gas, agriculture and other sectors of economy was stressed during the talks. Also, the meeting with Assistant Minister for Multicultural Affairs and Federal MP of Australia Craig Laundy took place. During the meeting, Laundy said that Azerbaijan, located in a very complex region, faces with various challenges, namely, separatism, terrorism and extremism. He said that Azerbaijan is a secular Muslim country, adding that it is exemplary for other countries due to its policy of tolerance, stability and developed economy. Laundy said that he was informed that the representatives of all religions and faiths are peacefully living in Azerbaijan. Fatiyev stressed Azerbaijan's efforts in combating terrorism and separatism. The Azerbaijani MP informed Laundy about the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Fatiyev stressed that despite Azerbaijan is located in a complex region, a policy of tolerance, intercultural dialogue and multiculturalism is conducted at the state level in the country. He added that a striking example is Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev's announcing 2016 as the Year of Multiculturalism in the country. Azerbaijani ambassador to Australia Rovshan Jamshidov and chairman of the Australia-Azerbaijan Interparliamentary Friendship Group, MP Luke Simpkins also attended the meeting. Baku, Azerbaijan, March 3 By Anakhanum Khidayatova - Trend: The international conference "NATO 2016 Warsaw Summit - opportunities and expectations" will be held in Baku March 7, said the message from Romanian embassy in Azerbaijan. The goal of the conference is to bring added value to the discussions held on Euro-Atlantic security and the prospects of cooperation between North Atlantic Alliance and partner countries, especially regarding NATO-Azerbaijan relations in the light of NATO 2016 Warsaw summit. Representatives of Azerbaijani presidential administration, ministries and parliament, NATO officials, ambassadors and military attaches of North Atlantic Alliance member states accredited to Baku will take part in the event. "Romania strongly supports the strengthening and deepening of NATO-Azerbaijan partnership," said the message. "Azerbaijan is a very important and highly valued partner of the North-Atlantic Alliance. Relations between NATO and Azerbaijan are successfully developing." --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Anahanum Baku, Azerbaijan March 3 By Elena Kosolapova - Trend: The agreement on freezing the oil output at January levels, which has already received support from over 15 countries, won't lead to higher prices, but can decrease the market volatility and stabilize the prices at current levels, Russian expert Vladimir Revenkov told Trend. Earlier, the energy ministers of Russia, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela and Qatar agreed to freeze the oil output at Jan.11 level. Later, Russia's Energy Minister Alexander Novak said that over 15 countries have joined this initiative. Revenkov, deputy head of the Energy Department of Russian Institute for Energy and Finance, said that freezing the oil output at January levels is a half-measure and it solves hardly anything. "Currently, the excess oil supply is 1.5-2 million barrels per day compared to the demand, according to all data, including the estimates of OPEC and the International Energy Agency (IEA)," said the expert. "Even a slight increase in the volume of commercial products on the market leads to lower prices for it," he added. The oil demand stood at 92.96 million barrels per day in 2015, while the oil supply to world markets was 95 million barrels, according to OPEC. This is while the IEA data says that these figures were equal to 94.4 million barrels and 96.4 million barrels, respectively. Revenkov said that in order for prices to start growing it's necessary to substantially decrease production. "But if it's done artificially, only a few countries will agree to it," the analyst said. "Russia cannot agree to reduce production due to the country's peculiarities in the northern regions with low temperatures. Saudi Arabia could decrease production, but the country doesn't want to lose its market share, as it repeatedly stated." Revenkov said that the rise in oil prices could also take place in the result of acceleration of the global economy's development, in particular the economy of China, which is the largest consumer of oil in the world market, and that will lead to an increase in demand for raw materials. At the same time, the expert said it was a positive move to reach a global agreement on the level of OPEC and non-OPEC countries. "At least, this agreement may lead to stabilization of prices at the current level and reduction of price volatility in the market, which was observed in recent months," Revenkov said. The expert went on to add that the number of countries which joined this agreement today doesn't play a special role, because the world's major producers, such as Saudi Arabia and Russia, are already members of this agreement. Meanwhile, Revenkov considers that the reached agreement is a purely psychological moment, as no one will be able to monitor the implementation of commitments on the output level, and there is no guarantee that the countries will not break it [the agreement]. Regarding another major oil producer - the US, the expert thinks that the situation with oil prices at the level of $40 will itself lead to a reduction of output in this country. Revenkov said that the sharp increase in shale oil output in the US was one of the factors, which led to oversupply of raw materials in the world market. He added that now many US shale companies are experiencing serious difficulties due to low oil prices and resorting to refinancing of debts, which will lead to a decrease in production. The price of May futures for Brent oil was $36.95 per barrel on March 3 morning. Meanwhile, the price of April futures for WTI oil was $34.74 per barrel. Edited by SI --- Follow the author on Twitter: @E_Kosolapova Baku, Azerbaijan March 3 Trend: The meeting of oil producing countries will be held in Russia March 20, Bloomberg reported citing Nigeria's Oil Ministry. Earlier, Russia's Energy Minister Alexander Novak said that his country will agree with OPEC and non-OPEC countries to meet in March to discuss the output freeze deal. Russia, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Venezuela have agreed to freeze the oil production at the January levels, if the others follow the suit. Later, Ecuador, Algeria, Nigeria, Oman, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates expressed readiness to join this initiative. Iran and Iraq have just expressed support to the steps for improving the situation on the oil market, avoiding promises to join the deal. Baku, Azerbaijan, March 3 By Aygun Badalova - Trend: The European Commission approved the Host Government Agreement between Greece and the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), allowing the new gas pipeline to enter Europe, the Commission said on its website March 3. The agreement sets out how TAP will construct and operate the pipeline and defines the respective obligations of the parties. In particular, the agreement provides TAP with a specific tax regime for 25 years from the start of commercial operations. "The European Commission has found the Host Government Agreement between the Greek authorities and the Trans Adriatic Pipeline to be in line with EU state aid rules," said the Commission. "The project will improve the security and diversity of EU energy supplies without unduly distorting competition in the Single Market." The TAP pipeline is meant to transport natural gas from the giant Shah Deniz 2 field in Azerbaijan to Europe. The approximately 870 km long TAP will connect with the Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) at the Turkish-Greek border at Kipoi, cross Greece and Albania and the Adriatic Sea, before coming ashore in southern Italy. "Today's approval of the TAP agreement is an important step towards completing the Southern Gas Corridor," the European Commission's message quoted Maros Sefcovic, vice-president responsible for Energy Union, as saying. "The Energy Union framework strategy of February 2015 identified this project as a key contribution to the EU's energy security, bringing new routes and sources of gas to Europe," added Sefcovic. "Just on Monday, the Southern Gas Corridor ministerial meeting in Baku, which I attended, confirmed the determination of all participating countries and consortia to complete this key infrastructure project in time." TAP's construction is expected to begin in mid-2016. TAP's shareholding is comprised of BP (20 percent), SOCAR (20 percent), Snam S.p.A (20 percent), Fluxys (19 percent), Enagas (16 percent) and Axpo (5 percent). Baku, Azerbaijan, March 3 By Aygun Badalova - Trend: Russia's new gas pipeline project to Southern Europe is just another effort to revive the country's failed plans to supply gas into the region, Agnia Grigas,energy and political risk expert, non-resident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council believes. Russia's Gazprom, Italy's Edison SpA and Greek gas company DEPA SA signed last week a memorandum of understanding on deliveries of Russian natural gas through third countries to Greece and from Greece to Italy via an undersea pipeline in the Black Sea. The sides are planning to use to full extent the results of work that has already been completed by Edison and DEPA under the ITGI Poseidon project. This initiative will bring back the ITGI Poseidon project, completing the natural gas corridor from Turkey to Greece, and via an offshore pipeline across the Ionian Sea to Italy. Grigas told Trend that the implementation of this project is still highly uncertain and depends on many variables. "For now it is just another of Russian efforts to secure another route to send its gas to European markets as it tries to cut Ukraine out of the gas transit trade," Grigas said. "The ITGI [Poseidon] project is an effort to revive older plans to supply southern Europe that failed when the Russia-backed South Stream project was cancelled by the EU and the Turkish Stream stalled due to Turkish-Russian tensions over Syria," said the expert. Grigas said that though the new project would rely on the ITGI Poseidon gas pipeline, it would still need to build additional pipeline infrastructure to connect from the Black Sea to Greece via Bulgaria or Turkey. The funding for the project may be difficult as Russia is facing an economic downturn and sanctions, and is already prioritizing building the Nord Stream II pipeline from Russia to Germany, she said. The Poseidon pipeline was a part of the ITGI (Interconnector Turkey-Greece-Italy) System and was originally designed to connect Greece to Italy, creating a natural gas corridor between Turkey, Greece and Italy to provide the latter and the rest of Europe with gas from the Caspian Sea and the Middle East. Grigas believes that Europe does not need this new route, proposed by Russia. "Brussels is actively seeking to secure alternatives sources and supply routes to Russian gas. The EU priority is completing the Southern Corridor infrastructure to bring Azerbaijani gas to Europe," Grigas said, adding however that the new Russia's project is a competitor to the Southern Gas Corridor. Today the Southern Gas Corridor is among the European Commission's priority energy projects, which aims at the diversification of the EU gas supply sources and routes. Azerbaijani gas in considered as the main source for that project. The project, which envisages the transportation of gas from the Caspian Sea region to the European countries through Georgia and Turkey, has been included in the European Commission's PCI (projects of common interest) list. Tehran, Iran, March 2 By Mehdi Sepahvand - Trend: On March 2, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani called for privatizing the country's auto making industry, which has suffered a lot through the years, including from the sanctions imposed on Iran. High tariffs on imported cars and governmental support behind big factories, which by the way are more of assemblage plants, have made the competition meaningless for years, forcing people to buy a limited variation of cars that have been flooding the market for decades. Acting on the best of intentions, the government led things to where they are, yet surprisingly, Rouhani was the one to criticize the country's policy over the past decades and urged all officials involved in the car making industry to make efforts to satisfy the customers. "We cannot close the doors and make people buy home-made cars," Rouhani said. If by saying so Rouhani has detached himself from the professional position and expressed a public hope, there are a number of issues worthy of attention if one means to find a way out of the situation. First of all, the government needs to abandon supporting present giant car makers the way it's used to. If it weren't for governmental help in times of crisis, big factories such as Iran-Khodro or Saipa would not have endured so far, Ruhollah Talebi, faculty member at Iran University of Science and Technology, School of Automotive Engineering, told Trend March 2. "Want it or not, to be able to compete in the world we need privatization. If tariffs on imports were somehow moderated, then you could see none of the cars present in the market attract people. And we need to be a giant world car maker if we want to go on," he noted. "However, this is not an overnight job. Overnight actions will damage the country. The government needs to offer support, but a soft, long-term one; and it comes with great cost. We should see in what areas we have privileges. Maybe we could be good part makers and should abandon making cars altogether," he said. However, privatizing the industry is not easy. First of all, the two big car makers in the country have million of employees. One little disturbance in their business will cause great labor crisis. If the government doesn't cover this, great social crisis will emerge. In late 2015, when a months-long viral social campaign against the Iran-made cars brought the local car-making industry to its knees, the government offered loans to encourage people to buy cars from companies that had a decrease in production. The other problem is the overwhelming influence of the leading car makers throughout the country. "If we do not care, we will once more undergo the bitter experience of the past," Talebi underlined. What was summarized above may seem to be no more than a couple of factors hindering privatization of the auto industry in Iran, but to eliminate them in the business atmosphere means having to handle so many convoluted and inter-related facts that only a well-organized, country-wide effort is needed to reach the point so desired by all, or at least most in the country. Mehdi Sepahvand is Trend's correspondent in Tehran, Iran Baku, Azerbaijan, March 2 By Farhad Daneshvar - Trend: Iranian capital market's lack of transparent regulations and rules, the improper financial statements of companies, as well as volatile exchange rates in the Islamic Republic appear to pose obstacles for materializing a recent agreement between the Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE) and Borsa Istanbul, an Iranian financial analyst believes. "The TSE and Borsa Istanbul have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on dual listing of Iranian and Turkish companies in both markets," Alireza Kadivar, told Trend March 2. A delegation from the Turkish capital market visited Iran Feb. 29 to explore the opportunities for joint cooperation in Iran's capital market. The delegation included the representatives of the Capital Markets Board of Turkey, Borsa Istanbul and other Turkish capital market practitioners. Saying that the MoU cannot be implemented in the near future, Kadivar added that preparation is required to materialize the agreement. Explaining that Iran lacks transparent regulations and rules to list foreign companies in the stock exchange, the analyst added that Iranian companies have also failed to meet the international standards of financial statements. "The international investors need financial statements to analyze the market, but Iranian companies cannot provide that," Kadivar mentioned. "Volatile exchange rates are another obstacle against implementing the agreement." Saying the currency market has slightly improved over the past couple of years, he added that a stable currency market is an initial requirement of foreign investment in the country. While the removal of international sanctions against Iran offers a new outlook for a large emerging untapped market, the risk of exchange rate fluctuations remains as a major barrier for drawing the attention of international investors. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's government has been developing plans for luring $30 billion worth of foreign investment in the post-sanctions era to renew the country's ageing industry and ailing economy. Baku, Azerbaijan, March 3 By Umid Niayesh - Trend: Iran has invited the US air craft manufacturer, Boeing to Tehran to negotiate an aircraft purchase, the country's Minister of Transport Abbas Akhoundi said. "Following the signals of the US administration to Boeing on removing the aviation industry sanctions, we invited the company to Tehran for negotiations," Akhoundi said, Iran's Fars news agency reported March 3. Last month Boeing announced it has received a license from the US government to begin commercial discussions with Iranian airlines, opening the door to what could be the first US jet deliveries to the Islamic Republic since the 1970s. Earlier Asghar Fakhrieh Kashan, Iran's deputy transport minister said that Tehran is interested to buy Boeing 737. Boeing's license, marked a step toward catching up with European rival Airbus, which earlier agreed to sell Iran 118 planes. Speaking about the Iran-Airbus deal, Akhoundi said the process is underway, adding that Airbus itself is also working to obtain the international licenses. He didn't give any further comments. Iranian carriers have among the oldest fleets in global aviation following decades of sanctions that have left the country unable to leverage its geographical location and a domestic market of nearly 80 million people. It is estimated that Iranian airlines currently have a total of 150 aircraft, which are up to 20 years old. Back in April 2015, the head of Iran Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Ali Abedzadeh said the country needs to buy up to 500 passenger planes in the next 10 years to renovate its ageing fleet. Baku, Azerbaijan, March 3 By Farhad Daneshvar - Trend: Iran will be unveiling its own domestically-made tank "Karrar" in the coming days, a senior army commander said. "Karrar will be unveiled within the next couple of days, and the tank will soon enter into service of the Iranian army," ILNA news agency quoted Commander of the Iranian Army's Ground Forces Brig-Gen Ahmad Reza Pourdastan as saying. He further added that Iran plans to purchase the T-90 tanks from Russia. Over the past months Iranian military officials have made contradictory remarks regarding the purchase of the T-90. While some have suggested that the country is after home-made tanks, others have said Iran is willing to purchase the Russia-made tanks. Some analysts suggest that the T-90 is more advanced in terms of its penetration capacity, fire power, navigation technology, fire control and guidance system, maneuverability, and sophisticated electronics compared to the existing tanks in Iran's arsenal. Baku, Azerbaijan, March 3 By Farhad Daneshvar - Trend: A funeral ceremony has been held in Iran's Qom City for the six Pakistani nationals killed in armed clashes in Syria. The slain Pakistani nationals were members of the Zeinabioun brigade, Tabnak news agency reported March 3. Reportedly, the Pakistanis were killed in an operation conducted by pro-government forces aimed at taking control of two Shia-populated cities in northern Syria. Following the outbreak of the Syrian crisis, Iran set up Zeinabioun brigade of Pakistani Shia nationals and the Fatemioun brigade of Afghan Shia fighters to support President Bashar al-Assad's government against armed opposition groups. Iranian officials have constantly denied that their servicemen have boots on the ground in Syria, saying the officers of the Islamic Republic are in Syria as advisers at official request from Damascus. First major cessation of hostilities in the five years of Syrian crisis was agreed in late February as part of a US-Russia plan. However, both pro-government and anti-government forces have reported several breaches of truce over the past week. Iran has also expressed its support for truce in Syria. More than 250,000 people have been killed in the Syrian crisis with hundreds of thousands displaced since crisis sparked in the country. Baku, Azerbaijan, March 3 By Farhad Daneshvar - Trend: Iran is capable of turning into a regional tourism hub in the near future, a Spanish envoy to Tehran believes. "Iran will turn into a regional tourism and economic destination," IRNA news agency quoted the deputy head of the mission at the Spanish Embassy in Tehran, Carlos Aragon Gil de la Serna, as saying at a ceremony for signing an agreement on tourism. "Our aim is to expand trade volume in Iran in the coming years," he added. According to the envoy international investors are interested in business with Iran in various sectors including tourism. Serna further described the construction of qualified hotels as an essential requirement for investment in tourism industry. The envoy also said Iran's ties with the EU have improved since President Hassan Rouhani assumed office in 2013. Hotel Melia Hotels and Iran signed a deal for the hotel's entry into the Iranian market with the Gran Melia Ghoo Hotel. Melia Hotels International has announced its plan for the construction of the first five-star branded hotel located in a large residential, commercial and hotel complex to be developed in Iran, currently being built in Salman Shahr, a popular holiday destination on the Caspian Sea. Iran has earned at least $6.1 billion from tourism during the past year and Tehran is considering the development of its tourism industry. According to Tehran's plan, the country needs to lure 20 million visitors a year to generate $30 billion in revenue. Apparently with its plan to draw the attention of tourists, Tehran is going to compete with regional tourism spots, such as Turkey and UAE. There are about 1,100 hotels throughout Iran, but only 29 of them are listed as five-star and 75 as four-star hotels, while the country plans to triple the number of hotels in the country before 2025. The latest UN Security Council (UNSC) sanctions against Pyongyang do not target North Korean leader Kim Jong-u n personally, White House spokesperson Josh Earnest said during a press briefing on Wednesday. Earlier in the day, the UNSC unanimously adopted the resolution expanding sanctions against North Korea. "My understanding is that based on the sanctions that have been put in place, they are not sanctions that target him [Kim Jong Un] personally," Earnest stated when asked whether the new sanctions would target the North Korean leader. The sanctions imposed by the resolution are slated to affect multiple sectors of North Korea's economy, make all cargo going to and from the country subject to inspection and limit or prohibit the nation's export of coal, iron, gold, titanium and rare natural minerals. The resolution also bans conventional arms sale as well as delivery of aviation and rocket fuel to Pyongyang. On January 6, North Korea said it had successfully carried out a hydrogen bomb test, which triggered a wave of condemnation from the international community. On February 7, Pyongyang conducted its fourth nuclear test, and launched a ballistic missile in February in violation of the Security Council resolutions. US Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson announced on Wednesday he sees no path forward in his presidential campaign and will not attend Thursday's presidential debate in Detroit, Michigan. "I have decided not to attend the Fox News GOP [Republican] presidential debate tomorrow night in Detroit," Carson said. "I do not see a political path forward in light of last evening's Super Tuesday primary results." On Tuesday, voters in dozen US states cast votes to select the country's two major parties' presidential nominees, a contest which is also known as "Super Tuesday". Carson did not win in any of the 12 states. However, Carson did not say whether he was formally dropping out of the presidential race, but US media reported he was not officially suspending his campaign despite the results on Super Tuesday. Carson vowed to continue his grassroots movement on behalf of "We the People" and said he would discuss the future of "this movement" during the upcoming Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Friday. Shortly after the United Nations placed harsh new sanctions on North Korea, Pyongyang launched a series of short-range missiles into the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan. The missiles were fired from the North Korean Wonsan naval base located on the eastern side of the peninsula at about 10:00 a.m. local time (01:30 GMT) on Thursday, Moon Sang-gyun, a South Korean Defense Ministry official spokesman said, as quoted by the South Korean Yonhap news agency. According to the Moon Sang-gyun, the exact number of missiles, as well as their type, have not been determined yet. The spokesperson added that all of the missiles fell into the sea. The sanctions, implemented by the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday, came in response to Pyongyang's nuclear bomb test in January, as well as its satellite launch last month. These are the toughest sanctions placed on Pyongyang in the last 20 years. The United States also placed sanctions on a dozen individuals in response to North Korea's nuclear test. "The international community, speaking with one voice, has sent Pyongyang a simple message: North Korea must abandon these dangerous programs and choose a better path for its people," US President Barack Obama said in a statement. Sweden is extending its border controls for 30 more days starting from March 9 with the possibility of further extension, Swedish Minister for Justice and Migration Morgan Johansson announced. "There is still a risk to order and internal security in Sweden if we would lift it [border control]," Johansson said as quoted by the Swedish Expressen newspaper on Wednesday. According to the minister, there is not enough housing for migrants in Sweden, and in view of the continuing increase in the number of refugees arriving in Europe, it is necessary for Sweden to maintain strict control of its borders. "We need it [border control] for some time until we are confident that it [migrant situation] is more stable on the continent," Johansson said, adding that his country must retain the measure for as long as it is "necessary." Swedish media also reported Wednesday migration agency has requested an additional 28 billion krona ($3.2 million) to assist arriving migrants. "Migrationsverket [Swedish Migration Agency] now manages a system that deals with more people than there are living in Sweden's fifth largest municipality," the agency's director general, Anders Danielsson, told TT news. Danielsson added that the government has already allocated 12.5 billion Krona ($1.4 billion) for refugee-related expenditure in 2016. In February, Sweden's migration agency announced that it expected to receive up to 140,000 asylum applications in 2016, threatening to put additional pressure on the country, which welcomed some 160,000 refugees last year. Sweden introduced ID checks at its borders with Schengen countries in November 2015. On January 4, Sweden introduced ID checks for passengers arriving in the country from Denmark by bus, ferry and train. The European Union is currently struggling to manage a massive refugee crisis, with hundreds of thousands of people fleeing conflict-torn countries in the Middle East and North Africa. The EU border agency Frontex recorded more than 1.8 million illegal border crossings into the bloc in 2015. Russia has blasted the US for extending sanctions against Moscow over its alleged role in the Ukraine crisis, saying the Kremlin is entitled to respond, Press TV reported. In a statement released on Thursday, the Russian Foreign Ministry described the US bans as futile, noting that prolonging the embargoes undermines the possibility of Moscow-Washington cooperation on key international issues. "It's time for Washington to realize that its sanctions policies have no prospects and that the entire course of confrontation with Russia is dangerous. We, for our part, reserve the right to take measures that we believe are in line with Russian interests in response," the statement read. It is disappointing that the US continues to "enthusiastically play sanctions against Russia" while the policy is not helping settle the conflict in eastern Ukraine and has a "destructive effect" on Moscow-Washington ties, it added. "A lot of things in global affairs depend on the atmosphere of dialogue between our countries. ... the US should take into account the fact that by doing so (extending sanctions) they sabotage the possibilities of interaction on key international issues, which they regularly ask us to help resolve," according to the statement. On Wednesday, the White House announced that anti-Russia measures, which were imposed in 2014, would be extended. The bans target senior Russian officials, pro-Russian figures in Ukraine and some Russian companies and banks. Baku, Azerbaijan, March 3 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: Export of Turkish goods to Russia decreased by 66 percent in January 2016 as compared to the same period 2015, said Turkey's Statistical Institute in a message Feb. 29. Turkish exports to Russia amounted to about $108 million in January 2016. In January 2016, the export of Russian goods to Turkey fell by 29.5 percent compared to January 2015 and totaled about $1.3 billion. Earlier, Russia was among the TOP-20 countries in terms of imports and exports to Turkey. Russia did not rank in this list in 2016. Relations between Russia and Turkey deteriorated following the SU-24 incident. Following the incident, Russian president decreed on taking actions to ensure the national security and special economic measures against Turkey. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Baku, Azerbaijan, March 3 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: Istanbul's police are holding a special operation to arrest two female terrorists, Turkish TRT Haber TV channel reported March 3. Two female terrorists, who fired at a police station in Istanbul March 3, are currently hiding in one of the buildings in the city. One of them was injured. It was earlier reported that skirmish began after two women threw a grenade at the police station. The women have not been identified yet. Armed men opened fire on the car of a state university rector in Istanbul Thursday night, leaving his private secretary slightly injured, security sources said, Anadolu agency reported. According to the sources, unidentified gunmen sprayed the official car of Fatih Sultan Mehmet University Rector Musa Duman with bullets when he was travelling with his private secretary in Istanbul's Kucuk Armutlu district. The private secretary reportedly got slightly injured while Duman escaped the attack unhurt, the sources added. In a separate incident, three gunmen also attacked a police car in Istanbul's Okmeydani neighborhood, which is connected to Kagithane and Sisli districts on the European side, Thursday night, police said. The assailants attacked the police car with a long barreled weapon, police added. Police have launched an investigation into both incidents. Earlier on Thursday, two Turkish police officers were injured in a gun-and-grenade attack in the city's Bayrampasa district, Istanbul's governor said. Two female assailants said to be involved in the incident were later "neutralized" in a follow-up operation, Governor Vasip Sahin said. Beijing Home to Second Largest Number of Tech Startups in the World Topping the list of unicorn companies in Beijing was popular smartphone maker Xiaomi, which is valued at $46 billion. (Photo : Getty Images) Beijing is now the home of the second-largest number of valuable tech startups in the world, China Daily reported. The state capital has 40 unicorn companies--tech startups with an estimated value of over $1 billion each--coming second to the United States Silicon Valley. Advertisement These tech startups reportedly account for half of the aggregate valuation of such companies in the country, costing about $146.2 billion. Three of these unicorn companies are even worth over $10 billion each. The findings were published in the Zhongguancun Unicorn List released by the Great Wall Enterprise Institute on Monday, Feb. 29. Topping the list of unicorn companies in Beijing was popular smartphone maker Xiaomi, which is valued at $46 billion. Meituan-Dianping, valued at $18 billion, came second. Meanwhile, ride-hailing app Didi Kuaidi took the third place, valued at $16.5 billion. "Beijing is China's Internet center and many Internet companies are based in the city," said Lin Renxiang, an analyst at iResearch Consulting Group, in an interview with China Daily. The fact that Beijing is home to some of the country's best academic institutions might have also contributed to the city's success in the technology industry. "Moreover, Beijing is home to China's top universities and research institutes, which cultivate technical talent for these unicorn companies," Lin added. Lin predicts that more unicorn companies will pop up in the field, particularly in matters dealing with mobile health, big data and cloud computing. Liu Hang, spokesman for the Zhongguancun Science Park's management committee, agrees, saying that technological breakthroughs in such fields are now more likely than ever. So far, the tech startups included in the Zhongguancun Unicorn List were involved in big data, Internet finance, e-commerce, consumer electronics and transportation. Since 2010, over 30 of these unicorn companies have seen dramatic growth. There are about 70 unicorn firms in the country since December, 40 of which are in Beijing, 15 in Shanghai, and three in Shenzhen. In a worldwide scale, there are currently 175 unicorn companies, with 35 found in China, according to a list issued by Fortune magazine. Bugatti Chiron is believed to be the most powerful, fastest, luxurious not to mention the most exclusive production supercar in the world (Photo : YouTube/ Car Throttle) Bugatti recently unveiled a new supercar dubbed Bugatti Chiron, which is believed to be the most powerful, fastest, luxurious not to mention the most exclusive production supercar in the world. The French automaker launched the car at Geneva Motor show on March 1 as a successor to the 2005 Bugatti Veyron. Bugatti believes that the new generation, the Chiron, will serve as a "completely new development " and will be more powerful, faster and yet more expensive at a price tag of $2.6 million. Advertisement Many critics are finding it hard to agree with the company's praise for the new generation as the car packs an 8.0-liter, quad-turbo W-16 engine that is capable of producing 1,478 horsepower enabling achievement of a top speed of 261 Mph and a launch from zero to 62 Mph in just below 2.5 seconds. According to a statement given by Bugatti President Wolfgang Durheimer to CNN, the Chiron is a product of the company's efforts to make the best even better, to cross boundaries and set new records. As witnessed at the Geneva motor show this year, the Chiron has seen significant improvements over the Veyron. The engine of the Chiron is almost similar to that of its predecessor only that it features 25 percent more power. To stretch to the new limits, Bugatti engineers remodeled a new intercooling system and new turbochargers that would allow more air to enter the engine's cylinders, Auto Express reported. The earlier parallel turbo systems in the Veyron were also replaced with a new two-stage system. As opposed to the previous four cylinders which fed exhaust into one turbo turbine, eight cylinders will now feed two turbo turbines in sequence. After the enhancements, the new system is capable of passing 15,850 gallons (60,000 litres) of air through the engine per minute. Built on a carbon fibre unibody, the Bugatti Chiron also saw an upgraded clutch transmission system, aerodynamics and a new lithium iron phosphate battery. What is more, drivers will have a choice between the standard EB, Autobahn, Lift, Top speed and Handling drive modes. Bugatti intends to produce only 500 Bugatti Chiron units 160 of which have already been pre-sold. Watch a clip of Bugatti Chiron's appearance at the Geneva motor show here: General Hospital (GH) July 11 15 spoilers: Julian shocks Anna, Maxie makes unexpected discovery, Kevin stuns everyone (Photo : Facebook/General Hospital/ABC) "General Hospital" (GH) returns with dramatic episode on March 4, Friday. It focuses on Nathan and Maxie's storyline as Nathan struggles to cover up about the "Claudette" fumble. Meanwhile, Morgan receives bad news from his parents. Here are spoilers for the next chapter of ABC's long-running soap opera. Also, find out what happens in the week of March 7 - 11. Advertisement [Spoiler alert! This article contains spoilers for "General Hospital" (GH) episodes airing on March 4 and in the week of March 7 - 11. Do not read further if you don't want to know more about it.] The show opens with some drama surrounding Nathan and Maxie. Ever since Maxie heard the name Claudette, she has been pestering him to tell her who she is. Nathan's explanation that Claudette was his poodle does not seem to satisfy her. She remains doubtful and wonders if Nathan is telling her the truth. In the upcoming episode of "General Hospital" (GH), Nathan considers making a confession Maxie. According to We Love Soaps, he goes back and forth about his decision to reveal the truth to her. He even approaches Dante for advice. He opens up about his fears and asks his friend what to do. Meanwhile, the fear that Nina might reveal the truth to Maxie, begins to worry Nathan. Elsewhere, Morgan finds out about his parents' decision and it shatters him. Sonny's recommendation leaves Morgan, who is still oblivious to his condition, unsettled. In addition, Soap Central has reported spoilers for the "General Hospital" (GH) episodes airing in the week of March 7 - 11. According to the website, Sam gets in touch with Baxter Corbin. In the meantime, Curtis agrees to keep Jordan's secret under the wrap but only on one condition. Jordan must return the favour. Griffin continues to keep an eye on Anna. Jason is reminded of a special moment spent with Lila. And Helena's will has surprises for several Port Charles town residents. "General Hospital" (GH) airs Monday to Friday on ABC at 2:00 pm. Stay tuned for more detailed spoilers and updates for the same. Android Marshmallow update: Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge, Galaxy S6 Edge Plus Android M update to arrive in March or April; Android 6.0.1 update to enhance battery saving and UI experience [UPDATED] Certain Samsung smartphone models may jump to the Android N update (Photo : YouTube/Tim Schofield ) Good news Samsung device owners, as certain Samsung smartphone models will finally get the much awaited Android Marshmallow (6.0.1), which was released by Google in October 2015, update. The first devices who was able to experience Android 6.0 was certain Nexus models, which received the update same month when the Android Marshmallow was released, Times of India reported. Now, it's Samsung's turn to receive the said update to certain devices. Advertisement Samsung had already started receiving Marshmallow update to its Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge models in the middle of February; however, not all of these devices were able to receive and experience the changes. It is said that this is because Android Marshmallow rollout for Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge still depends on the user's mobile carrier. Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge, Galaxy S6 Edge Plus Android M update is already available in South Korea and SK Telecom subscribers, through Samsung's Smart Switch App, while Canadian mobile carrier Telus will be rolling out its update on March 16 to Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge while Galaxy S6 will receive it on April 13. For the United Kingdom users, it was already announced by T-Mobile that Android 6.0.1 update will be rolling out to its Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge and Galaxy S6 Edge+ devices; however, no specific date yet was mentioned as these devices are still under manufacturer development stage. On the other hand, for major carriers in the United States, no exact date was given when the new firmware will arrive to Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge, but Galaxy Note 4, Galaxy S5 and Galaxy Note Edge users should expect the Android Marshmallow update within March and April. The new Android M update file size for Samsung devices will be over 1GB, which will bring numerous features that include Now on Tap and Doze Mode. For S6 Edge and S6 Edge Plus, the new firmware update will enhance the devices' battery savings, will improve users UI experience and will introduce more security features. The Marshmallow update will also bring 159 emojis that includes Upside-Down Face, Thinking Face, Face with Rolling Eyes, Robot Face, Face with Thermometer and Money-Mouth Face, to name a few. See Android Marshmallow (6.0) review below: The incident took place as police were targeting suspects believed to be involved in the killing of four policemen earlier this week A senior police officer was killed early on Thursday during a firefight with suspected criminals in the Shubra Al-Kheima neighborhood north of Cairo, Egypt's interior ministry said in a statement. The incident erupted as police were targeting two suspects believed to be involved in an attack on a police force that killed four policemen earlier this week in Qalyoubiya's Khanka district, state news agency MENA said. Two policemen, a captain and a sergeant, were wounded during the exchange of fire, the ministry added. A security source said police have identified two suspects in Thursday's killingboth fugitives who had previously been sentenced to death and life in prison in absentia. Two other suspects were also arrested on Thursday. On Sunday, assailants opened fire on a police vehicle carrying four policemen during a raid to arrest outlaws in the area, officials said. Security forces have often been targeted by militants since the ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013, though most of the attacks have taken place in the troubled parts of the North Sinai governorate. Search Keywords: Short link: The MP and high profile businessman Akmal Qortam accused parliament of being too hasty in stripping MP Tawfik Okasha of his parliamentary membership Egypt businessman Aqmal Qortam strongly attacked parliament on Thursday for stripping MP and high-profile TV anchor Tawfik Okasha of his parliamentary membership on Wednesday. Qortam, an MP and chairman of the Conservatives Party, told Ahram Online on Thursday that he abstained from voting in favour of dropping Okasha's membership on Wednesday. "It is of highly regrettable to me that the parliament's decision was based on personal and political reasons rather than on objective grounds. "Yes, I agree, Okasha made the bad decision of discussing Egyptian national security issues with Israel's ambassador in Egypt for no plausible reasons," Qortam said. "But when MPs move to punish a colleague for bad conduct, we should be very careful and follow the sound constitutional procedures- and this is what parliament did not do," Qortam continued. "Unfortunately," argued Qortam, "the decision taken by parliament against Okasha was dictated by personal and political interests rather than by the constitution and internal bylaws we took an oath to respect." Qortam, alongside other representatives, also accused the MPs of working on outside orders to strip Okasha of membership in any way possible and that the parliament is dominated by a "herd mentality." "They came ready to make the dangerous decision of canceling Okasha's membership in great haste without even listening to his defence," said Qortam, adding that "this was the style of former president Hosni Mubarak's parliaments- and we are back again to the same style. Qortam said he and another 24 MPs, who rejected the vote against Okasha or abstained from the vote altogether, believed that parliament should have listened to Okasha first. If he was found guilty, the MPs argued, he could have been banned from attending some parliamentary sessions instead of dropping his parliamentary membership altogether. Search Keywords: Short link: A number of Egyptian journalists suspended their sit-in at the press syndicate headquarters in downtown Cairo after some of their demands cornering their jailed colleagues were met. Khaled El-Balashy, head of the syndicate's freedom committee and a leading journalist who called for the sit-in, which started on Monday, told Ahram Online that they took the decision after they saw a response from the Ministry of Interior. On Monday, the syndicate issued a statement listing several demands concerning the health conditions of some jailed journalists, especially Youssef Shaaban and Hesham Gaafar, whose lives were reportedly "in danger." "I was informed that Gaafar will undergo a surgery next Wednesday after his release from prison to do some medical examinations, while Shabaan is currently undergoing examinations at a public hospital as a perquisite for setting up a medical treatment programme for him," El-Balashy said. "Other jailed colleagues met with their families at the prison as they requested, while others met with security officials to listen to their complaints over the deteriorating state they are facing in their imprisonment," he said. El-Balshy said that journalist Ibrahim El-Darawy was transferred from Mazret Tora prison to Leyman Tora prison as he had requested due to the worse conditions at the first prison. At least 30 journalists in the country are currently imprisoned or detained pending trial on various criminal and misdemeanour charges. The Egyptian government has repeatedly denied that journalists who are behind bars were arrested as a result of their journalistic work. The authorities have also denied what rights activists describe as systematic violations against inmates inside Egypt's prisons. "We have not decided yet whether we will be resuming the sit-in, as we hope that the status of our imprisoned colleagues improves," El-Balashy said. "We are now requesting and negotiating for pardons for them," he added. Search Keywords: Short link: The decision by Egypt's Media Free Zone comes one day after Okashas Faraeen channel announced the complete suspension of its operation and that it will be put up for sale Egypt's Media Free Zone, which controls broadcasting permits, ordered on Thursday the suspension for one year of a TV channel owned by MP Tawfik Okasha, who was recently sacked from parliament for hosting the Israeli ambassador to Egypt at his home. The decision by the body comes one day after Okashas Faraeen channel announced the complete suspension of its operation and that it will be put up for sale. The suspension order is a result of numerous complaints the authority received that the channel "has violated the law and principles of operation in the media zone," head of the Media Free Zone Hossam El-Haddad told Ahram Arabic news website. Okasha, who hosted a one-man show on the station, announced several times that he would close down the channel, at times citing financial hurdles. The channel's announcement followed a majority vote by parliament members to strip Okasha of his seat on grounds that he "violated the principles of the separation of powers and flouted the parliament's regulations." The meeting with Israeli ambassador Haim Koren last week sparked an outcry in the media and in parliament, with one MP assaulting Okasha with a shoe. Egypt signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1979, but relations between the two countries have remained cold, with many political forces, including workers and professional syndicates, rejecting any normalisation of ties. Search Keywords: Short link: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday he wants to expel to Gaza the families of Palestinian attackers who help in assaults amid a five-month deadly use of violence by Israeli forces against Palestinian protesters. Netanyahu asked the attorney general to examine the possibility of carrying out such expulsions, his office said, while rights groups immediately denounced the move. "Expelling family members of Palestinian terrorists who aided attacks to Gaza will lead to a significant decrease in terrorist attacks," a spokesman for Netanyahu said on Twitter. The proposal could prove to be a fresh source of tension ahead of a visit by US Vice President Joe Biden next week. Israel's government said Wednesday Biden was due to arrive on March 8 for a two-day visit. Talks are expected to include defence aid, Israeli violence against Palestinians and the conflict in neighbouring Syria. It was unclear if he would also hold talks in the Palestinian territories. The Israeli use of force against Palestinians since October has killed 180 Palestinians as well as 28 Israelis, an American, a Sudanese and an Eritrean, according to an AFP toll. The current wave of protests by Palestinians and repression by Israeli occupation forces started in late July when toddler Ali Dawabsha was burned to death and three other Palestinians were severely injured after their house in the occupied West Bank was set on fire by Israeli settlers. Settlement-building, racial discrimination, confiscation of identity cards, long queues at checkpoints, as well as daily clashes and the desecration of Al-Aqsa mosque, describe Palestinians' daily suffering. The anger of Palestinian residents of Jerusalem has increased in the last three years after the Israeli authorities allowed increasing numbers of Jewish settlers to storm the Al-Aqsa mosque. The surge in violence has been fuelled by Palestinians' frustration over Israel's 48-year occupation of land they seek for an independent state, and the expansion of settlements in those territories which were captured by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war. The Gaza Strip, hit by three Israeli offensives since 2008 and run by Islamist movement Hamas, is under an Israeli blockade that severely restricts the movement of people and goods. It also has one of the world's highest unemployment rates, and the UN development agency said in September that conditions in the strip could make it uninhabitable by 2020. The Palestinian enclave, separated from the occupied West Bank by Israeli territory, has remained relatively calm during the current wave of Israeli violence. Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit has reportedly said previously that such expulsions would violate both Israeli and international law. Mandelblit was said to have made his recommendation after a member of Netanyahu's cabinet who is also a political rival of the prime minister requested expelling relatives of attackers to Gaza or Syria. Netanyahu has come under heavy pressure from right-wing members of his coalition over the continuing wave of violence. Sarit Michaeli, spokeswoman for Israeli rights group B'Tselem, said "it seems obvious that the prime minister is under a lot of pressure from the right now, from politicians accusing him of being soft against the wave of attacks." "Any form of collective punishment is illegal and in this case the point is trying to punish the relatives of attacks who aren't actually accused of anything," she said. "This is a complete breach of international law and the Geneva Convention." Legal analyst Moshe Negbi said he did not think the attorney general would agree to the proposal. Expulsions of those directly involved in attacks had occurred in the past under defence regulations dating back to British mandatory Palestine, said Negbi. "I find it hard to believe that the attorney general would agree to legislation which is even more draconian than the mandatory law," he told public radio. Further violence occurred Wednesday when two 18-year-old Palestinians were killed by Israeli troops after infiltrating a West Bank settlement and wounding a settler, the military said. Many analysts say Palestinian frustration with Israeli occupation and settlement building in the West Bank, the complete lack of progress in peace efforts and their own fractured leadership have fed the unrest. Israel blames incitement by Palestinian leaders and media as a main cause of the violence. *This story was edited by Ahram Online. Search Keywords: Short link: Turkish police shot dead two female militants on Thursday after they fired shots and threw a grenade at a Turkish police bus in Istanbul, local media and the city governor said. A radical leftist group claimed responsibility for the attack, in which two police officers were lightly wounded, Governor Vasip Sahin said in televised comments. One woman threw a grenade and the other opened fire with what appeared to be a machine gun as the riot police bus headed for the entrance of a police station in the Bayrampasa district of Turkey's biggest city, footage from Dogan News Agency showed. Police fired back, injuring one of the women, before tracking them to a nearby building, CNN Turk said. Special forces units and police surrounded the building, television footage showed, leading to an hour-long stand-off in which there was sporadic gunfire and the women were shot dead. A claim of responsibility came from a website close to the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C), a group that has repeatedly targeted police stations, largely in Istanbul suburbs. Attacks on Turkey's security forces have also increased as violence has resurged in the predominantly Kurdish southeast, where a ceasefire between Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants and the state collapsed last July. The PKK, considered a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and the European Union, launched a separatist armed rebellion against Turkey in 1984. More than 40,000 people, mostly Kurds, have since been killed. Turkey has also become a target for Islamic State militants, who are blamed for three suicide bombings - one last year in the town of Suruc near the Syrian border and another in the capital, Ankara, and one in Istanbul in January. Those attacks killed more than 140 people. A suicide car bombing targeted military buses in Ankara and killed 29 people last month. The government said that attack was carried out by a member of the YPG, the Syrian Kurdish militia, with help from PKK militants. Search Keywords: Short link: German prosecutors investigating a 15-year-old girl over the stabbing of a policeman in Hanover last week are exploring a possible connection to IS group militants, Germany's Focus magazine reported on Thursday. A spokesman for prosecutors in Hanover said they were exploring a possible political motive for last Friday's attack. Further details were not immediately available. Focus said the policeman was injured in the neck during the attack but that his life was not in danger. Police suspected the attack had "an IS group background", the magazine added. Citing sources involved in the investigation, it reported that the girl, who was arrested, has a German passport and a Moroccan background. Prosecutors suspect the girl, who has not been identified, had travelled in the area around the Turkish-Syrian border and may have been radicalised, Focus reported. IS group controls swathes of territory in Syria and Iraq. Germany and other European nations are concerned that some of their citizens travel to the area to fight for IS group and then return home radicalised. Search Keywords: Short link: The promotion of Ali Mohsen Al-Ahmar, a former associate of Ali Abdullah Saleh, to head the Yemeni military arm of the government against the Saleh-Houthi alliance is of unmistakable significance Developments in the Yemeni battlefield have yet to show signs of a definitive shift in favour of either of the two sides. Observers, moreover, do not foresee a major turning point in the near future, unless the Saudi-led coalition and its allies on the ground can score a breakthrough either in the direction of the capital, Sanaa, or southwards in the vicinity of Taiz, which has been under siege by Saleh-Houthi forces for 10 months. On the other hand, some see hope for significant changes in the management of the battle with the return of General Ali Mohsen Al-Ahmar. For decades, General Al-Ahmar was considered the other face of the Ali Abdullah Saleh regime in Yemen, but the two men fell out during the revolution, with Al-Ahmar siding with the revolutionaries in the freedom squares of Sanaa and Taiz. When regime forces opened live fire on demonstrators in Sanaa and burned the tents of protestors in Taiz, Al-Ahmar took a place in the square and lashed out against Saleh. The strategic significance of Al-Ahmars return to the office of chiefs-of-staffs cannot be overstated. The general has a long career in the army. With the absence of Defence Minister Mahmoud Al-Sobeihi, who is still being held by the Houthis, and with Al-Ahmars promotion to lieutenant general, Al-Ahmar has become the highest ranking officer in charge of the administration of the military establishment as the war approaches the critical battle for control over the capital. The return of Lieutenant General Al-Ahmar to the theatre of events is a strategic step in and of itself, Khaled Alian, a journalist with the Yemeni presidents press office in Riyadh, told Al-Ahram Weekly. This is not just at the military level. The man had actually managed a part of the battle before he was appointed deputy to the supreme commander of the armed forces. He served in the Midi area on the Red Sea coast, which serves as a major arms and munitions supply conduit to Saleh-Houthi forces, and he achieved extensive progress there. But to this we should add to other extremely important points. The first is the nature Al-Ahmars relations with the tribes in Sanaa. That relationship is good and his return to the field will win many tribes in favour of the legitimate government. The other point is that he knows how Saleh thinks and how he manages the battle militarily. Many in Sanaa were more interested in Salehs reaction to his former associates promotion. Social networking sites filled with images of Saleh without the beard that had distinguished him for over a year, in response to Al-Ahmars appointment that Saudi Arabia had forced on Hadi and the Bahah government. Alluding to Al-Ahmars defection from his regime, the former Yemeni president said that the Hadi government is now a government divided against itself. One observer, in interview with the Weekly, said that with Al-Ahmars promotion the equations are different now. Salah all be conducting the battle for Sanaa for his side, as he himself has declared. Al-Ahmar will assume the same position as his adversary. Then, either the battle will be resolved through bloodshed of through diplomacy. Both men know the language that it takes to settle the outcome of this battle and between them the Houthis will be the target. The source noted that Al-Ahmar had led six battles against Houthi insurrections in Saada and that he could have put paid to the Houthi factor had Saleh not intervened in order to retain the Houthis as a pressure card to use in a regional game between Riyadh and Tehran. But there are additional factors in these equations. When, in civilian garb, Al-Ahmar took the oath off office administered by President Hadi, he said that he extended his hand for a possible settlement. Behind the scenes, according to informed sources, he is seen as the one who will settle the military battle and then settle the political power battle not just in Sanaa and Saada, but at the level of the Yemeni government abroad. The current government, which consists chiefly of southerners, does not know the political and military language spoken in Maareb, Al-Jawf, Saada and the environs of Sanaa. Al-Ahmar, by contrast, was born in the Sanhan directorate, where former President Saleh was born, the two bound by kinship bonds. In fact, many believed that the two were brothers by the same mother because of the many half brothers they share. These two men know the language of the tribes and social components in the north. But Al-Ahmar will be driven by a thirst to settle personal scores with the Houthis who proclaimed their control over Sanaa after having seized the grounds of the First Artillery Division that Al-Ahmar had regarded as his personal military headquarters. Yet, the question remains as to whether he will receive genuine support from the government in exile, namely from President Field Marshal Hadi and Prime Minister Bahah. Some suspect that rancour from old political rivalry will resurface. After all, Hadi had tried to eliminate Al-Ahmar from the scene before the Houthis reached the capital on 21 September 2014 and had plans to turn the First Artillery Division grounds into a park. A high ranking Yemeni political official who spoke to the Weekly from Sanaa on condition of anonymity, said: We need that man now, even if only temporarily. The main aim is to settle the battle for Sanaa and dismantle the Saleh-Houthi tribal-sectarian nexus. He is from the same region and thoroughly familiar with the intricacies of social relations and the patterns of regional and tribal loyalties from Dhamar to Saada. Given the situation and the demographic composition of those areas, no government can attain stability without incorporating their interests into the system of government. That was the best-governed Yemen and it would be difficult at this point to suddenly turn it from ruler to subordinate. There has to be a form of inclusion that guarantees a minimum degree of partnership in government. On Al-Ahmars most likely plan, the source said: He will begin by taking advantage of his social influence and contacts among local tribal sheikhs and leaders. In this he will be backed by Saudi coffers to win their loyalty. By the way, the moment his new position was announced, he began to send his delegates to the tribal elders, especially those in the vicinity of Sanaa, such as the Khulan to the south east of the capital and the Beni Hashish to the north. Those who most appreciate the danger of General Al-Ahmars presence in an official position are Saleh, himself, and the Houthis. With regards to military developments on the ground, coalition forces report that they have regained control over Al-Misrakh area to the south of Taiz. As important as this gain may be, Abdel Aziz Al-Majidi, a journalist and editor-in-chief from that beleaguered city, told the Weekly that the coalitions progress on the Al-Misrakh front is still minor and of limited impact in clearing that front of the militias that are still bombarding the city. On the other hand, the Houthis have succeeded in opening a new front in the direction of the Jebel Habashi directorate to the west of the city. It appears that the purpose is to circumvent the national army in that area and to strike at the Al-Dabab front and the road leading to Taiz from the south (via Al-Turba, Najd, Qasim, Al-Dabab). In sum, therefore, there has been no tactical or strategic shift in the battle. Meanwhile, coalition forces are sustaining aerial bombardments of arms depots with the purpose of wreaking attrition on the Houthi-Saleh militias, which in turn are bombarding civilians in Taiz. *This story was first published at Al-Ahram Weekly. Search Keywords: Short link: Twenty-four civilians have been killed in the first five days of a landmark truce in parts of Syria, a sharp drop for a war where dozens die daily, a monitor said Thursday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told AFP that the number, gathered from areas where the ceasefire had come into effect, included five women and six children. "Compare that number to Friday, the day before the truce came into effect: 63 civilians, including 11 children, died that day alone," said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman. He said the daily average during the month of February was 38 civilians killed. More than 270,000 people -- among them more than 79,000 civilians -- have died in Syria since its conflict erupted in March 2011. On Saturday, a ceasefire deal brokered by the United States and Russia came into effect in areas of Syria where the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group and Al-Qaeda's affiliate Al-Nusra Front are not deployed. The Observatory has recorded a marked drop in fighting across those territories, and AFP correspondents have reported a sharp decline in shelling, rocket attacks and air strikes, despite mutual accusations by the government and rebel sides of intermittent violations. According to Abdel Rahman, 42 rebel fighters have been killed since the deal came into effect, mostly in the coastal province of Latakia, Hama province in central Syria and the rebel bastion of Eastern Ghouta near Damascus. Twenty-five government fighters were killed in fighting around Damascus, Latakia and in the northern province of Aleppo, including some who died in clashes with jihadists. A total of five combattants from the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) have died since Saturday in clashes with Al-Nusra and allied militants in Aleppo city. Fighting is ongoing between IS and, separately, the YPG and pro-regime forces, but they also fall outside the ceasefire deal. The Observatory did not have an immediate toll for those clashes. Search Keywords: Short link: British Prime Minister David Cameron, French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel will discuss the ceasefire in Syria with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a conference call on Friday, Downing Street said. "Tomorrow is an opportunity for the leaders of the UK, France and Germany to come together... and make very clear to President Putin that we need this ceasefire to hold, to be a lasting one and to open the way for a real political transition," Cameron's spokeswoman told reporters on Thursday. The fragile truce that came into force last week is the first major cessation of hostilities in the five-year civil war that has claimed more than 270,000 lives. The agreement calls for the cessation of hostilities between the forces of Russian-backed President Bashar al-Assad and opposition groups, but it does not cover jihadist groups such as the Islamic State and Al-Nusra Front. Speaking in parliament on Wednesday, Cameron said the ceasefire was "an important step forward, imperfect as it is", as it opened the way to the prospect of political negotiations. Syria's government and rebels are due re-start peace talks on March 9 if the ceasefire holds. "Not every group is included in the ceasefire, but basically we are not seeing the attacks that were taking place on the moderate opposition, which is welcome," Cameron said. "It has also enabled us, with others, to get aid to communities that desperately need it, including through air drops and convoys. "I would not put too much optimism into the mix right now, but this is progress and we should work on it." Search Keywords: Short link: The U.S. and its allies in Iraq and Syria staged 29 strikes against IS group on Wednesday, the coalition leading the operations said. In a statement released early Thursday, the Combined Joint Task Force said eight strikes near four cities in Syria hit several tactical units and destroyed buildings, weaponry and communications equipment, among other targets. Separately in Iraq, 21 strikes destroyed vehicles, assembly areas, a supply cache and suppressed a mortar fire position, the statement said. Search Keywords: Short link: Morocco said Thursday that the alleged members of a militant cell it arrested in mid-February, including a French national, were plotting to carry out "biological" attacks in the kingdom. "Some of the seized substances (from the suspects) are classified by international organisations which specialise in health issues as falling within the category of biological weapons dangerous for their capacity to paralyse and destroy the nervous system and cause death," the interior ministry said. "Members of the terrorist cell had prepared these deadly substances with a view to using them in their terrorist projects inside the kingdom," it said in a statement. On February 18, the ministry announced it had dismantled a "terrorist cell" of 10 people suspected of having links to the Islamic State militant group and planning attacks in the North African country. The suspects, including a Frenchman, were arrested in several towns, it said, without giving further details on their identities. Morocco has been on guard against deadly attacks like those claimed by IS in Tunisia last year that killed 59 foreign tourists. Rabat says 152 "terrorist cells" have been busted since 2002, including 31 over the past three years with ties to militants in Iraq and Syria. A study by the US-based Soufan Group said in December that at least 1,200 Moroccans had travelled to fight alongside IS in Iraq and Syria in the past 18 months. Search Keywords: Short link: Five militants killed by Tunisian forces near the Libyan border had slipped across with the aim of carrying out "terrorist attacks", Prime Minister Habib Essid said Thursday. Essid, in a statement on his official Facebook page, praised the army and national guard units who had eliminated the "terrorist cell sent in from Libya". Their killing in a raid on Wednesday evening had "foiled the terrorist operations the cell was planning", the prime minister said. At least four of the infiltrators were Tunisian nationals, the interior ministry later said, while the fifth was still to be identified. One civilian was killed by a stray bullet during the assault on a house outside the town of Ben Guerdane near the border. An army commander was also wounded. Explosive vests, improvised grenades and a large quantity of munitions were recovered from the slain militants, the interior ministry said. Six foreign passports were also found, it said without elaborating. Defence Minister Farhat Horchani, questioned in parliament, said a gunbattle between security forces and the suspects lasted more than an hour. Troops had been on alert after receiving reports that militants had been slipping across the border this week following a US air strike on an Islamic State (IS) militant group training camp in Libya on February 18 targeting a senior Tunisian commander. Tunisia has built a 200-kilometre (125-mile) barrier that stretches about half the length of its border with Libya in an attempt to keep out militants. Deadly attacks by IS on foreign holidaymakers last year, which dealt a devastating blow to the country's tourism industry, are believed to have been planned from Libya. Last month's US strike on the IS training camp outside the Libyan city of Sabratha targeted the suspected mastermind of two of the attacks, Noureddine Chouchane. Washington has said Chouchane was likely killed along with dozens of other militants, and that the strike probably averted a mass shooting or a similar attack in Tunisia. Britain announced Monday it was sending a team of around 20 soldiers to Tunisia to train troops patrolling the border with Libya. Thirty Britons were among 38 foreign holidaymakers killed in a gun and grenade attack on a beach resort near the Tunisian city of Sousse last June. And last March, militant gunmen killed 21 tourists and a policeman at the Bardo Museum in Tunis. According to a UN working group on the use of mercenaries, over 5,000 Tunisians, mostly aged from 18 to 35, have travelled abroad to join militant groups, especially in Syria, Iraq and Libya. Search Keywords: Short link: The United States delivered eight Black Hawk helicopters to Jordan on Thursday to help its regional ally defend itself against the threat of Islamic State militants, Jordanian and US officials said. They said another eight Black Hawks would begin arriving next year under a military aid deal worth about $200 million. The helicopters are central to a US-funded "Quick Reaction Force" set up by Jordan to counter Islamic State (IS) group, which controls large swathes of territory in neighbouring Iraq and Syria. In a handover ceremony at Marka military airforce base, US ambassador to Jordan Alice G. Wells said Washington had supplied "millions of rounds of small arms ammunition, hundreds of bombs" and other equipment to Jordan since February last year. "The United States is committed to standing with Jordan to face the threat posed by Daesh," she told senior Jordanian army officers, using an Arabic acronym for IS. "As you employ these aircraft in the fight against Daesh, know that we will be standing right there next to you." Jordan is among a few Arab states that have taken part in a US-led air campaign against the hardline militant group. In December 2014, a Jordanian pilot was captured by Islamic State after his F-16 crashed in territory it controlled in Syria and later burned alive. The military aid deliveries address some concerns King Abdullah expressed last year to the administration of President Barack Obama and top US lawmakers about lack of military funding and responsiveness to one of its key regional allies. But Jordan's request for MG-9 Reaper drones was turned down, a US official who requested anonymity said, adding this not "an option right now". One senior diplomat said ties between the countries had been strained by the king's enthusiastic endorsement of Russian intervention in Syria, in what some diplomats see as a shift in policy. US Patriot missiles are stationed in the kingdom, however, and the US army has hundreds of trainers in the country. US officials say aid to Jordan, one of the largest recipients of its foreign military financing, is expected to rise to $800 million in 2016 and grow in future years. Since the start of the Syrian conflict in 2011, Washington has spent millions of dollars to help Amman set up an elaborate surveillance system known as the Border Security Programme to stem infiltration by militants from Syria and Iraq. Search Keywords: Short link: A member of Tunisia's Nobel Peace Prize winning quartet on Thursday condemned the decision of Arab states in the Gulf to blacklist Lebanon's Shia movement Hezbollah as a "terrorist" organisation. The Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT), in a statement, said the Iranian-backed group Hezbollah was a "symbol of the (Lebanese) national struggle" against Israel. Wednesday's move against Hezbollah by the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), led by Saudi Arabia, formed part of "an offensive by foreign and other regional forces to divide the Arab world and destroy its forces", UGTT said. The Sunni monarchies of the Gulf, at a time of deteriorating ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia, "decided to consider the militias (of Hezbollah) a terrorist organisation", GCC chief Abdullatif al-Zayani said. Hezbollah was targeted because of "hostile actions of the militia who recruit the young people" of the Gulf, he said. Zayani cited "their terrorist acts and incitement in Syria, Yemen and in Iraq", which he said were threatening Arab security. Search Keywords: Short link: A Tunisian appeals court on Thursday reduced the sentence imposed on six students for homosexual activity from three years in jail to one month, their lawyer said. The court in the coastal city of Sousse ordered them to pay a fine of 400 dinars (180 euros, $195) each but lifted a previous five-year ban on entering the central city of Kairouan, Fadwa Braham said. Four of the defendants will appeal to the Court of Cassation, she added. The six students -- aged between 19 and 23 -- had been freed on a bail of 500 dinars (230 euros, $249) each in January. They were arrested in early December after neighbours denounced them, and were made to undergo anal examinations, according to their lawyers. A Kairouan court the same month handed them three years each -- the harshest possible jail term under Article 230 of the penal code that criminalises sex between males. After the verdict, 13 human rights groups called on Tunisia to decriminalise homosexuality by revising Article 230, and condemned the use of anal exams. During an interview with an Egyptian television channel in October, President Beji Caid Essebsi ruled out a repeal of the law. "That will not happen," he said. "I reject it." In December, in a separate case, an appeals court reduced the sentence given to another student for homosexual activity from one year to two months. Search Keywords: Short link: The top Pakistani foreign official has said for the first time publicly that the Afghan Taliban's leadership enjoys a safe haven inside his country, which Islamabad uses as a "lever" to pressure the group into talks with Kabul. The admission by Pakistan's foreign affairs advisor Sartaj Aziz comes after years of official denials by Islamabad that it offers shelter or exerts any influence over the Taliban, whose 14-year-insurgency against Afghan and NATO forces has claimed tens of thousands of civilian and military lives. Speaking at the Council on Foreign Affairs in Washington on Tuesday, he said: "We have some influence on them because their leadership is in Pakistan and they get some medical facilities, their families are here. "So we can use those levers to pressurise them to say: 'Come to the table'," he added, according to a transcript on the think tank's website. The remarks confirm what has become an open secret in diplomatic circles, particularly since Pakistan began brokering direct peace talks between Kabul and the Taliban last summer. The negotiations faltered after Afghan intelligence leaked the news the group's founder Mullah Omar had died in 2013. The Taliban later confirmed they lied about Omar's death for two years, sowing divisions among the militants and anger at his successor Mullah Akhtar Mansour for leading the cover-up. Most of the group's leaders are believed to be residing in the southwestern city of Quetta with others in northwest Peshawar and southern Karachi. Pakistan, Afghanistan, the United States and China held their fourth round of talks aimed at reviving direct peace talks between Kabul and the Taliban late last month. The four-country group invited Taliban representatives to return to negotiations by the first week of March, though a spokesman for the militants later said they had not yet received an invitation. Aziz said Islamabad had used the threat of expulsion to force the Taliban into the first round of talks. "We already -- before the 7th July meeting last year -- we had to use some of these levers and restricted their movements, restricted their access to hospital and other facilities, and threatened them that if you do not come forward and talk, then obviously we will at least expel you," he said. Aziz Pakistan's role was as a "facilitator" and it was up to Kabul to make negotiations fruitful. "We are not the actual negotiators. So I hope as we go along our sincerity in this task will be recognised, and with the hope that Afghan government will play a more active role for the success of these talks." Search Keywords: Short link: Austria's foreign minister on Thursday urged Greece to stop migrants and refugees from pursuing their journey to northern Europe, saying Athens should hold new arrivals at registration "hotspots". "We should end Greece's policy which consists of allowing (them) to head north," said Sebastian Kurz in an interview with the Sueddeutsche Zeitung. "Those who manage to arrive in Greece should not be allowed to continue on their journey," he said. "We are working towards getting Greece to set up 'hotspots' with the help of the EU, in order to take charge of these people and we are putting pressure because nothing is happening," added Kurz, whose country has sharply toughened its stance on migrants in recent weeks. "Hotspots" are centres where migrants are registered and screened for those eligible for asylum in the European Union and those who will face eventual deportation. The facilities are currently being installed in Greece and Italy -- the two main arrival points in the EU for hundreds of thousands of migrants. After several months of delays, Greece opened four out of five hotspots on its islands in mid-February. With these hotspots, "we are offering aid to those who need protection, but we cannot allow them to continue on their journey," Kurz said. For him, September's decision by Austria and Germany to open Europe's borders to refugees was a "serious mistake" that has to be fixed urgently. While Vienna has since said it would take in only 37,500 asylum seekers this year, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has resolutely refused to impose a quota. She has also said that Greece must not be left alone to shoulder the refugee burden, although this week she said newcomers did not "have the right to determine in which country they wish to seek asylum." Search Keywords: Short link: EU President Donald Tusk on Thursday warned economic migrants not to come to Europe, as he castigated member states for taking unilateral action to tackle the crisis. "I want to appeal to all potential illegal economic migrants wherever you are from: Do not come to Europe," Tusk told a press conference in Athens after talks on the refugee crisis with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras. "Do not believe the smugglers. Do not risk your lives and your money. It is all for nothing." To Tsipras' delight, Tusk then attacked one-sided actions by EU states that "erode trust" by dividing the bloc as it faces its greatest migration challenge since World War II. "Unilateral decisions without prior coordination, however understandable they are in a national context, are in fact detrimental to the European spirit of solidarity," he said. The comments were an apparent reference to Austria's move to restrict passage to migrants, leading to a domino effect further down the migrant trail as Slovenia, Croatia and non-EU members Macedonia and Serbia followed suit. The clampdowns have left Greece with a huge bottleneck of migrants stuck on the border with Macedonia as authorities there let only a trickle through, with the EU estimating the number stranded could be as high as 12,000. Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic have also vowed to help Bulgaria and Macedonia seal their borders with Greece, should Athens fail to stem the tide of migrants arriving from Turkey by mid-March. Tsipras on Thursday said he would like to see sanctions imposed on EU states that undermine joint decisions by the bloc. "Greece will demand...that there be sanctions to those who do not respect (European solidarity treaties)," the Greek premier said. "What is agreed must be respected." EU hardliners have called for Greece's expulsion from the bloc's passport-free Schengen zone unless it takes stronger action to stop the migration flow. But Tusk on Thursday said this was no solution to the crisis. "Excluding Greece from Schengen is neither an end nor a means in this crisis. Greece is part of Schengen, of the euro area and of the European Union and will remain so," he said. "Greece or any other European country will no longer be a transit country. The Schengen rules will enter into force again." Tusk was in Athens as part of a regional tour on the migration crisis that has also seen him travel to Slovenia. He will meet Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu later Thursday in Ankara, where he will urge Turkey to offer more "intensive" help in reducing the flow of migrants to Europe. Tusk will then travel on to Istanbul for talks on Friday with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ahead of next week's EU summit with Turkey in Brussels, where the migrant crisis will top the agenda. Search Keywords: Short link: A French minister's warning that Paris would no longer stop migrants from crossing the Channel if Britain votes to leave the EU won a sceptical response from pro-Brexit campaigners Thursday who dismissed it as scaremongering. In an interview with the Financial Times, French Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron said a so-called Brexit could scupper an agreement that allows Britain to conduct border controls in Calais. "The day this relationship unravels, migrants will no longer be in Calais," he said, echoing British government warnings that a vote to leave the European Union in the June 23 referendum could result in thousands arriving on England's southern shores overnight. Under the 2003 Le Touquet border treaty, Britain is allowed to carry out border checks on French soil, stopping many migrants. But those pushing for Britain to leave the bloc reacted with scepticism, however, noting that it contradicted the official position of the French government. Last month, French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve dismissed the idea of ripping up the Le Touquet treaty, saying it would give a green light to people smugglers and would only boost the numbers trying to cross. "That is the genuine line to take from the French government," Conservative lawmaker Bernard Jenkin from the Vote Leave campaign told the BBC on Thursday. "What we are having now is propaganda being produced by other European governments at the request of the prime minister to try to scare people (out of) voting Leave." Another group pushing for a Brexit, Leave EU, said the border treaty was a bilateral agreement that had nothing to do with Britain's membership of the European Union. Campaign spokesman Jack Montgomery said of Macron's comments: "Absolutely nothing has changed, besides the need to scare British voters." The question of what to do with the thousands of people camped out in Calais will take centre stage in Thursday's summit between French President Francois Hollande and British Prime Minister David Cameron in the northern French city of Amiens. The number of those trying to reach Britain from France reached a crisis point in recent months, as a huge influx of people fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East and Africa have arrived in Europe. French authorities on Monday began dismantling a shantytown known as the Jungle, where thousands of people live while they try their luck trying to cross the Channel, many by sneaking onto lorries boarding ferries bound for England. Ahead of the summit, Britain agreed to contribute around 20 million euros in extra funding to boost security at Calais, on top of 60 million euros already pledged, France's minister for European affairs Harlem Desir said. Immigration is a major issue ahead of the EU referendum, with campaigners for a Brexit warning that leaving the 28-member bloc is the only way for Britain to regain control of its borders. Opinion polls suggest that the British public is almost evenly divided on whether to stay or leave the EU. Search Keywords: Short link: Former Republican US presidential nominee Mitt Romney gave a blistering rebuke of 2016 party front-runner Donald Trump on Thursday, the latest sign of how badly mainstream figures in the party want to stop the incendiary New York billionaire. Romney, an elder statesman in the party, urged Republicans in states that have not yet held nominating contests to vote for Trump's opponents to stop his march to the nomination for the Nov. 8 election to succeed President Barack Obama. "Here's what I know. Donald Trump is a phony, a fraud," said Romney, 68, who has kept a low profile since losing to Obama in 2012. "He's playing the members of the American public for suckers. He gets a free ride to the White House and all we get is a lousy hat," he said. Trump has made his party's establishment uneasy with his positions on trade and immigration, including his calls to build a wall between the United States and Mexico, deport 11 million illegal immigrants and temporarily bar Muslims from entering the country. Romney pointed to the billionaire real estate developer's refusal to release his tax returns and initial reluctance to disavow an endorsement from a former leader of the Ku Klux Klan white supremacist group. Romney, who did not endorse anyone, suggested Republicans vote for candidates who appear poised to do the best against Trump in states still to hold nominating votes: Senator Marco Rubio in Florida, Ohio Governor Kasich in his home state, and Senator Ted Cruz from Texas where he is strong. Romney said Trump's economic policy would sink America "into prolonged recession" and his foreign policy would endanger the country. He criticized his business acumen and his temperament. "This is the very brand of anger that has led other nations into the abyss," he said. Ahead of the speech, much of which had been previewed in excerpts, Trump dismissed Romney in television interviews and posts on Twitter, calling him "a failed candidate" who had "begged" him for an endorsement in 2012. "Mitt Romney is a stiff," Trump told NBC's "Today" program. Romney's strategy risks backfiring by further energizing Trump's supporters, who are angry with a party they see as not defending their interests. "If you're Trump, this is like getting the good kind of Kryptonite," Republican strategist Doug Heye said. Romney's speech came hours before Trump and rivals Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz and John Kasich share a debate stage in Detroit. Meanwhile, US Senator John McCain, the Republican presidential nominee in 2008, joined 2012 nominee Romney on Thursday in criticizing front-runner Donald Trump, particularly on foreign policy. "I share the concerns about Donald Trump that my friend and former Republican nominee, Mitt Romney, described in his speech today," McCain said in a statement. "I would also echo the many concerns about Mr. Trump's uninformed and indeed dangerous statements on national security issues that have been raised by 65 Republican defense and foreign policy leaders," he said of the letter, published online. McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said at a time of global turmoil, "I want Republican voters to pay close attention to what our party's most respected and knowledgeable leaders and national security experts are saying about Mr. Trump." It risks locking Trump's opponents out of news coverage until the 9 p.m. EST (0200 GMT Friday) debate hosted by Fox News begins. The debate will be the candidates' first face-to-face gathering since Super Tuesday nominating contests this week gave extra momentum to Trump but did not knock out his rivals. *The story was edited by Ahram Online. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypts largest public lender, the National Bank of Egypt (NBE), has received a $700 million (EGP 5.5 billion) loan from the China Development Bank to finance infrastructure projects in different sectors, state news agency MENA reported on Thursday, citing the banks deputy Mahmoud Montasser. The NBE will repay the loan over eight years, including a three-year grace period, according to Montasser. The loan, which will be invested in energy, agriculture and telecom, was signed in January during President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisis visit to China. The bank aims to raise its funding portfolio to reach EGP 65 billion by 2020, up from EGP 19 billion in 2015, as part of its efforts to bolster small and medium-size enterprises. Search Keywords: Short link: The number of tourists visiting Egypt in January dipped 46 percent compared to the same month last year due to the ongoing decline in the number of Russian holidaymakers, state news agency MENA reported on Thursday, citing the official statistics body CAPMAS. The country was visited during the month by 363,000 tourists, mostly from Western Europe (35.2 percent), followed by the Middle East (28.6 percent) and Eastern Europe (14.8 percent). The decline in tourism started late last year after a Russian plane was downed over Sinai in a terror attack in October last year, killing all 224 people on board. Last week, Egyptian president Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi told a conference in Cairo that "the goal of those who downed the plane was not only to sabotage our tourism, they wanted to harm our relationships with Russia, if they could with Italy, and others," In a televised interview earlier this week, Prime Minister Sherif Ismail confirmed that "after the plane crash, over the past three or four months, [Egypt] lost around $1.2 billion or $1.3 billion in revenues. The number of nights spent by tourists in January fell 62.5 percent to 2.6 million nights, down from 6.8 million in the same month last year. Egypt accrued $6.1 billion in tourism revenue in 2015, down 15 percent from the year before, as the total number of tourists dropped in 2015 by 6 percent to 9.3 million and the total number of nights spent in the country declined by 14 percent. Search Keywords: Short link: The ancient Egyptian relief had been stolen and smuggled out of Egypt in the aftermath of the 2011 revolution Egypts embassy in Bern, Switzerland received the ancient Egyptian Seven Sacred Oils relief within the framework of a bilateral agreement between Switzerland and Egypt prohibiting illegally importing and exporting antiquities, Minister of Antiquities Mamdouh Eldamaty announced Thursday. Saaban Abdel-Gawad, supervisor of the Repatriation Antiquities Section, told Ahram Online that the relief is dated to the Old Kingdom and is carved in limestone. The relief was originally unearthed in 1996 in King Tetis royal tomb at the Saqqara necropolis by an Australian-Egyptian excavation mission. It includes a list of the sacred oils used in ancient Egypt including those used by the under-taker Anomeen. Abdel-Gawad said that the relief was bought by a Swiss collector named Jean Claude Candour from a Belgian antiquities trader. However, when Candour discovered that the relief was stolen and illegally smuggled out of Egypt in the aftermath of January 2011 revolution, he informed Swiss police, who took steps to return the relief to its homeland. Search Keywords: Short link: The Egyptian National Railways Museum re-opens its doors to visitors in the heart of Cairo The renovated Egyptian Railway Museum was inaugurated on Tuesday after the completion of a modernisation project at the cost of EGP 10 million. The event was attended by a number of ministers and government officials, including Minister of Transportation Saeed Al-Geyoushi, Cairo Governor Galal Al-Saeed, and Minister of Tourism Hisham Zaazou. The Railway Museum, which is located in the Ramsis Square Railway station in downtown Cairo, was founded in 1933 to celebrate the International Railway Conference held in Cairo that year. It was the first of its kind in the Middle East and the second national railway museum after the British Railway Museum. The Egyptian railway system, which started in 1854, is one of the oldest in the world. The museum is a two-storey building displaying more than 700 kinds of train models in addition to a collection of statistical documents and maps that demonstrate the development of transportation in Egypt over the decades. During the official opening, Al-Geyoushi announced that all museum visitors could enter free for seven days, and that discounts would be offered to students and researchers all year long. The museum consists of five sections covering the history of railways. The first section is transportation before steam engines, including means of transport in ancient Egypt. The section features Model boats and horse-drawn chariots and wagons that pharaohs used in everyday life and in wars. The second section is dedicated to the development of rail wagons to modern trains. A bridges section contains models of all railway bridges in Egypt, and features paintings and pictures depicting the bridges and their design. The airplane section gives a brief history of the development of airplanes from the Wright brothers till today. Search Keywords: Short link: The renovated Egyptian Railway Museum was inaugurated on Tuesday after the completion of a modernisation project at the cost of EGP 10 million. The Railway Museum, which is located in the Ramsis Square Railway station in downtown Cairo, was founded in 1933 to celebrate the International Railway Conference held in Cairo that year. It was the first of its kind in the Middle East and the second national railway museum after the British Railway Museum. The Egyptian railway system, which started in 1854, is one of the oldest in the world. (Qingdao) A US$ 5.4 billion deal for General Electric's home appliance division is about to jettison China's largest appliance maker, Haier Group, into a long-dreamed-for, high-end market in America. The sale, announced in mid-January but now awaiting regulatory approval and a green light from Haier's directors, would end the Chinese company's lengthy quest for a respectable U.S. market share a quest that dates to 1999, when it broke into the U.S. market with a brand of low-end mini-refrigerators. By snapping up GE Appliances, which manufactures a wide range of white goods, from freezers to dishwashers, Haier plans to quickly expand its share of the U.S. market, where its previous market share stood at only 2 percent. Annual U.S. sales could grow more than 10-fold, as GE Appliances posted US$ 5.9 billion in revenues in 2014 compared with Haier's U.S. sales of US$ 500 million. The pending deal is not without controversy. Some industry analysts in China say Haier may have paid too much, given that Swedish appliance giant Electrolux had offered just US$ 3.3 billion for GE Appliances in September 2014. That offer was withdrawn after U.S. antitrust investigators raised a red flag. Haier's bid apparently topped offers from South Korea's Samsung Electronics and LG, Turkey's Arcelik A.S., and Chinese appliance maker Midea Group. But Haier's bankers appear to be solidly behind the buyout. A person close to the deal who asked that his name be withheld said that state-owned China Construction Bank, government policy lender China Development Bank and Bank of America Merrill Lynch have agreed to finance the buyout and offered US$ 6 billion line of credit to Haier. The price tag also makes sense from a foreign exchange perspective, said Zhou Qun, general manager of the China business consultancy GfK China. "Haier sees overseas acquisitions as its most efficient investment," he said. "The U.S. dollar is likely to rise more, so it's reasonable for Haier to spend US$ 5.4 billion." Liang Haishan, a Haier vice chairman who led the company's negotiations with GE, said every company participating in what became a fierce bidding war saw GE Appliances as a potential pillar for global expansion. Indeed, he said, the publicly listed Haier division that would officially absorb the American company Qingdao Haier is slated to become the main platform for the parent's overseas assets. Haier first considered buying GE Appliances in early 2008, Liang said. A takeover of this or another established brand was seen as a logical step after it became clear that the Haier brand was a hard sell in America. "The acquisition decision was not made recently," he said. "It's most difficult to generate brand awareness among American consumers, especially in the higher-end market." From Niche to Now Haier's global ambitions were initially fulfilled with its U.S. expansion in 1999 and through the opening of a US$ 30 million refrigerator factory it built in the U.S. state of South Carolina. Today, the plant produces white goods that major retailers including Walmart and Best Buy sell to U.S. consumers nationwide. Rather than go head-to-head against America's homegrown appliance makers, such as domestic industry leader Whirlpool, Haier initially focused on mini-refrigerators and other niche products for low-end consumers. After the appointment of American executive Adrian Micu as chief of the company's U.S. operations in 2014, Haier adjusted its business strategy in hopes of breaking into America's high-end appliance market. To that end, it stepped up spending on research. Last July, Haier opened a research and development center in the U.S. state of Indiana. A month later, the company said it would spend US$ 72 million through 2020 to expand production at its U.S. facilities. An even stronger research focus is likely if the takeover goes through. "The purchase of GE Appliances will boost R&D capacity, services and logistics for Haier's U.S operations," said Liang. Next comes marketing, which would be streamlined by the fact that Haier would have the right to put the GE label on appliances it builds for 40 years. "Brands must be promoted as valuable products," said Liang. Haier is also counting on the deal to broaden its customer base and distribution channels in the United States. A Qingdao Haier statement noted that GE Appliances operates eight distribution centers around the country, and it's also cultivated good relations with major retailers. Moreover, the GE unit has been a major supplier of appliances for property developers, real estate management companies and hotel chains. Haier's ride into the U.S. market is coming at an opportune time, as the nation's home appliance market is enjoying modest growth. The market expanded at an average annual rate of 4.7 percent from 2012 to 2014, research firm Euromonitor International says. Growth is expected to slow slightly to 3.3 percent from 2015 to 2020. Last year's gross earnings at GE Appliances increased 47 percent from the 2014 level, according to Qingdao Haier's statement. For Haier, business prospects certainly look a lot better in the United States than at home. According to GfK, China's white goods sales increased just 2 percent year-on-year in 2015, compared to 8 percent growth in 2012 and 2013. The economic slowdown in China contributed to a 6 percent decline in global revenue for Haier last year from the 2014 level, the company announced in January, to about 189 billion yuan. Nevertheless, the firm reported a 20 percent increase in profits between 2014 and last year to 18 billion yuan. GfK's Zhou, who expects domestic challenges to mount for Haier over the next few years, has recommended the company expand its China sales network to include more small cities, where there may be more opportunities for growth. Nevertheless, the company is now no different than many others in China whose "major challenge is the overall market slowdown," Zhou said. And the GE Appliances deal is coming at a time when Haier has the cash and capacity to promote its business overseas, he said. The company cut its teeth on overseas deals in 2012, when it bought the New Zealand appliance maker Fisher & Paykel. Liang said that the successful takeover helped convince GE executives to accept Haier's bid. The Fisher & Paykel takeover proved that Haier can integrate its Chinese way of doing business with a foreign company's culture in terms of decision making, product research and sales. "Western companies usually have unified standards for decision-making," said Zhou. "But Chinese companies depend more on an individual executive's decisions and apply different standards." (Rewritten by Han Wei) (Beijing) The government of Guangdong Province says it will leave the minimum salary for workers in the major manufacturing hub in southern China unchanged this year and next in a bid to help their employers rein in costs. The provincial government made the announcement in an action plan published on February 29. The government explained that it wants to encourage "supply-side reform" by helping manufacturers cut costs, improve quality controls and innovate. The central government started using the phrase supply-side reform in recent months, arguing that it will make the economy more efficient and spur growth. Communist Party boss Xi Jinping used the term at a meeting held to discuss economic matters in November, marking the first time top leaders used what has become something of a catchphrase. There are signs manufacturing activity is slowing in China. The Caixin China Purchasing Managers' Index for the sector of the economy dipped to 48 in February, two points below the 50 mark that separates expansion from contraction. The figure for February was 0.4 points lower than in January. Guangdong's government said keeping salaries the same is necessary because incomes should reflect a region's productivity and the overall economic outlook. Minimum salaries vary within provinces. The official minimum in Guangzhou, Guangdong's capital, is 1,895 yuan, while the figure in smaller towns is 1,210. China's economists often use the minimum wage as a barometer for regional economy and a benchmark for employers. Many small businesses use minimum salaries set by the government as the base level for their workers. Labor costs have been rising in recent years often faster than the government can raise the minimum prompting some experts to worry that Guangdong could lose its edge in manufacturing to other regions of China and to countries such as Vietnam and Bangladesh. The minimum salary level affects factory workers because their office counterparts and government employees usually earn much more. Regional governments announce new minimum salaries every May. Shenzhen, home to a special economic zone in Guangdong that is allowed to set its own minimum salary, is not subject to the freeze. Guangdong had the third highest minimum salary after Shenzhen and Shanghai at the end of 2015. The province's economy officially grew by 8 percent last year, higher than the 6.9 percent growth for the nation. But expansion was slower in Guangdong than in years past. In 2010, the figure stood at 12.2 percent. GDP growth in the secondary sector, another term for manufacturing, expanded by 6.8 percent in 2015 compared to 14.5 percent in 2010, official data show. The freeze is the third in Guangdong since the central government started setting the minimum level in 2004. The province did not raise the level in 2008 and 2012. (Rewritten by Li Rongde) Spokesman Wang Guoqing speaks at a press conference on March 2 before the opening of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (Beijing) Foreigners are too worried about the country's economy, the head of the country's top political advisory body said, as the annual political spectacle in the capital known as lianghui started on March 3. The 2,200 delegates of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) kicked off the lianghui, which translates as two meetings, by putting forward proposals for the government to consider. The other half of the lianghui, the National People's Congress (NPC) with its roughly 3,000 members, starts its annual conclave on March 5. Both the NPC, which acts as China's legislature, and the CPPCC will hear reports from officials on the work of the government. A major attraction of the lianghui will be Premier Li Keqiang's address to the opening of the NPC meeting. The premier always gives a report to lawmakers on the government's priorities, growth goals and other matters, and many people expect Li to offer some ideas on how China will navigate the shoals of a slower economy. If comments by Wang Guoqing, the spokesman for the CPPCC, at a press conference are any indication, Li will express confidence that the difficulties are manageable. Wang said the economy will not be jolted by any hard landing and suggested doomsayers abroad were off base. I've seen some foreign comments stirring up the fear that China will have a hard landing, but this concern is not necessary, Wang said. These people are too worried. If they want to jinx China, the result may not satisfy them. One idea a CPPCC member had for the country's education system might satisfy young boys, but seems unlikely to gain any traction with anyone else. Zhu Xiaojin, vice chancellor of Nanjing Normal University, suggested that boys start school at eight years old instead of six because they are too rambunctious to learn, the Modern Express newspaper reported. Boys could use the two years to play as much as they want and unleash their nature, Zhu said. When reporters asked him whether this view is sexist, he said: This is not gender discrimination. I went to school at age six and there were a lot of good girl students around. I had low self-esteem when comparing myself to them. Wang Hui, a professor at Tsinghua University in Beijing, presented another idea for education reform, suggesting that the government earmark more funding for teachers in the poorest parts of the country. The number of students from the countryside who are attending Tsinghua has fallen sharply in recent years, he said, blaming the problem on a gap in educational opportunities between rural and urban areas. Raising the pay levels of teachers in rural areas could help narrow it, Wang said. Also, Zhu Zhengfu, the vice chairman of the All China Lawyers' Association, the country's version of a bar association, suggested authorities should stop forcing people suspected of crimes to confess on television because the statements cannot be used in court and could mislead the public. Suspects were likely only confessing in a bid to get lighter punishments, Zhi said. Several people have appeared on state broadcaster CCTV to admit crimes over the past two years. One, a woman named Guo Meimei who caused an uproar by flaunting a lavish lifestyle online and falsely claimed to work at a charity, appeared on CCTV to admit she worked as a prostitute, but was never charged with that crime. The CPPCC meets until March 14, but there has been no word on when the NPC closes. Last year the two meetings ended on the same day. Korean businesses made good profits in China between the mid-1990s and the early 2000s because they had secured a foothold there ahead of other global companies. The proximity of Korea and China also helped. But now they are losing their early-mover advantage as more and more global competitors push in while Chinese companies are catching up quickly by investing heavily in R&D. Scaling Back More and more Korean firms that once prospered in China are packing up and leaving because they can no longer compete with slick multinationals and Chinese companies. Early this year, SK Group recalled 40 of its 50 Korean staff and hired local workers instead. LG Electronics shut down most of its mobile business offices in China last year, and Daewoo International sold a cement company it had been operating for 20 years in 2012. Except for Samsung and Hyundai, the remaining Korean companies in China are not faring much better. Korean investment in China rose from US$264 million in 1993 to peak at $5.33 billion in 2007. But conditions have changed and investment is dropping. Legendary British rock band The Rolling Stones will play a free concert in Cuba on March 25, a milestone event in a country where the communist government once banned the group's music as an "ideological deviation." The band added the Concert for Amity show -- likely to be the biggest rock concert ever staged in Cuba -- to a Latin American tour that had been due to end on March 17 in Mexico City. "We have performed in many special places during our long career but this show in Havana is going to be a landmark event for us, and, we hope, for all our friends in Cuba too." the band said in a statement Tuesday. A powerful and relatively shallow earthquake rocked parts of Indonesia's Sumatra island Wednesday, prompting immediate tsunami warnings, but the danger period passed without any reports of significant damage or casualties. Reuters news agency quoted an official at the national Search and Rescue Agency in Jakarta who said "there are some who have died," but no specific details were available as night fell along the western coast of Sumatra. Reports from Padang city and other areas shaken by the quake said panicked residents fled from their homes, but calm was restored later during the night. Padang suffered hundreds of casualties in an earthquake six years ago. Many of the areas rocked by Wednesday's 7.8-magnitude quake were devastated by the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 2004, which claimed nearly a quarter-million lives in a dozen countries. That disaster was triggered by a much bigger earthquake, measured at magnitude 9.1, one of the strongest in modern times. U.S. Special Operations forces have captured a suspected Islamic State operative in Iraq, U.S. defense officials said Wednesday. The captive is the first known detainee since a U.S. expeditionary targeting force began conducting operations in Iraq and Syria. The force was sent to carry out raids for gathering intelligence and targeting high-ranking IS leaders. Officials say Americans are interrogating the detainee, who is expected to be turned over to Iraqi officials in the coming days. "Any detention would be short-term and coordinated with Iraqi authorities," Col. Pat Ryder, a spokesman for U.S. Central Command that oversees U.S. operations in the Middle East, told reporters. He would not elaborate further. So far, the raids of the U.S. expeditionary targeting force have been shrouded in secrecy in order to protect future missions. "Raids beget follow-on operations," a defense official told VOA. "As you learn something from one, you can get follow-ons that lead to another." "Aha Moment" The targeting force in Iraq was formed after a successful raid last year in which a U.S. Delta force crossed into Syria and killed IS commander Abu Sayyaf. The commander's wife, Umm Sayyaf, was captured during the raid. China's struggling economy has prompted credit ratings agency Moody's to lower its outlook on the government's fiscal health from stable to negative Tuesday. The New York-based agency said it downgraded Beijing's sovereign bonds due to increasing government debt, which jumped to an estimated 40.6 percent of gross domestic product at the end of 2015, compared to 32.5 percent of GDP in 2012. Another factor in Moody's downgrade was China's declining foreign exchange reserves, which have lost about $762 billion since June 2014. The agency also expressed doubt about Chinese policymakers' ability and commitment to fully implement economic reforms. But Moody's retained Beijing's current credit rating of Aa3, the fourth-highest investment grade. It cited a series of buffers against an economic downturn, including a moderate level of government debt, high domestic savings and the country's substantial foreign exchange reserves, which are still the world's largest at $3.2 trillion. The agency warned it could downgrade China's rating if the pace of reforms needed to sustain economic growth slows. "Today, the international community, speaking with one voice, has sent Pyongyang a simple message: North Korea must abandon these dangerous programs and choose a better path for its people," Obama said in a statement. She said North Korea has consistently focused on its nuclear and ballistic missile programs instead of the basic needs of its people. "Virtually all of its resources are channeled into the relentless and reckless pursuit of nuclear weapons," Power said. "North Korea is the only country in the entire world that has conducted a nuclear test in the 21st century. In fact, it has conducted not one nuclear test, but four," U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power told the council after the vote. The United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted tough, new sanctions on North Korea Wednesday, taking aim at its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Robust Measures The UN resolution -- which had more than 50 co-sponsors -- has several unprecedented measures. One is the mandatory inspection of all cargo going in and out of the community nation. There is also a total arms embargo -- including both conventional and other weapons -- and restrictions on the sale of coal from North Korea, as well as other minerals, including gold, iron, iron ore and titanium. A provision in an earlier draft of the text to ban the sale or supply to North Korea of aviation fuel -- which is also used to power rockets -- was revised in the final resolution to include an exception for civilian passenger aircraft flying to and from North Korea. Banking sanctions have also been tightened, as well as bans on the sale of luxury goods to North Korea. In addition, travel bans and asset freezes have been imposed on 16 new individuals. Firm Response Chinese envoy Liu Jieyi expressed Beijing's anger at North Korea's January nuclear test and February rocket launch, saying his government "has expressed its explicit opposition to these actions." "This resolution demonstrates the seriousness of the international community in opposing the further development of DPRK nuclear and missile capacities," Ambassador Liu said. He urged a resumption of dialogue to restart stalled six-party talks aimed at ending Pyongyang's nuclear program through diplomatic negotiations. China is North Korea's most important ally. Russia had delayed a planned Tuesday vote on the resolution for 24 hours while it pressed for some changes to the text. One change was the removal of a North Korean mining executive operating in Russia from a list of individuals designated for asset freezes and travel bans. Both the Russian and Chinese envoys expressed concern about U.S. and South Korean consultations about the possible deployment of the U.S.-made THAAD anti-missile system, saying Pyongyang's behavior should not be used as a justification to increase military capabilities in the region. South Korea's envoy, Oh Joon, was allowed to address the council. He spoke directly to North Korea, saying it does not need such sophisticated weapons systems and that perceived international threats against it are "a figment of your imagination." He urged Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons and join the international community to live in peace and security. No North Korean diplomat spoke at the session nor was seen around the council during the meeting. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon issued a statement welcoming the resolution. He urged North Korea to abide by the resolution and called on all nations to ensure its implementation. Ban also renewed his call for North Korea to genuinely improve human rights, saying it is "a necessary basis for long-term security and stability." Smart F&D, which makes school uniforms, has tied up with Bosideng Group to sell them in China starting in the second half of this year. Avista, which operates around 100 stores of the BNX brand of women's clothes in China, joined hands with Dishang Group late last year to launch a new brand called G.Revive. Last month it formed a joint venture with Shanghai Silk Group to market its Kai-Aakmann line. Chinese consumers view Korean clothes as fashionable and good quality. Their business in China is faring well, and a free trade agreement between the two nations that went into effect in December last year offers further incentives. Korean clothing companies are rushing to China to compensate for a rapidly waning fashion market at home amid the ongoing slump. In China, despite slowing growth, the fashion market is still burgeoning. Textile companies from around the world are hungry for a slice of the Chinese market, where 220 million schoolchildren need to be fitted out and the market for school uniforms is scaled at 33 billion yuan (W6.6 trillion). According to PwC Consulting, China's clothing market grew 12 percent last year to US$79.5 billion and is expected to grow an average of 9.5 percent over the next five years. Park Young-man of Tebah Global, which sells baby products online, points out that 16 million babies are born in China every year, some 1.6 times the total population of Seoul. "Nowadays doing business in China is a necessity rather than an option," he added. The Korea-China FTA has made the Chinese market far more accessible for Korean businesses and vice versa. The 14 to 25-percent tariff on clothes imports will be gradually abolished over a 10-year period. On top of that, Korean fashion brands benefit from the popularity of Korean dramas and music in China. The Sejung Group's jewelry brand Didier Dubot, for example, became a hit when Jeon Ji-hyun sported its baubles in the mega-hit soap "My Love from the Star." But success is by no means guaranteed. Competition between online shops is fierce and squeezing margins, says Kim Ki-yung, an analyst at SK Securities. "As incomes rise in China, consumer tastes are becoming more sophisticated, so clothing makers will have to improve their designs and tap into provincial markets." China has frozen remittances to North Korea and halted imports of North Korean coal ahead of UN Security Council sanctions on Pyongyang over its nuclear test and rocket launch. On Wednesday, banks in the Chinese border town of Dandong suspended all money transfers to North Korea at the instruction of Chinese financial authorities. "Our bank headquarters has instructed us to suspend all remittances to the North," a staffer with a state-run Chinese bank said. "Yuan remittances were possible until late last month, but now remittances in all currencies are frozen." China already froze dollar remittances after the North's previous nuclear test in 2013. The move makes it impossible for North Korean trade officials and hard-currency earners in China to send money home through official channels. China also halted imports of North Korean minerals through Dandong on Tuesday, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun quoted a trade official as saying. On Monday 130 North Korean trucks crossed the bridge linking Dandong with Sinuiju in North Korea and passed the Dandong customs checkpoint, but on Tuesday their number had fallen to 70, it said. A Chinese customs official told the Japanese daily that the North appears to have hurried to transport as much coal as possible before the ban was imposed. Once the UNSC adopts a fresh round of sanctions, other Chinese ports will also ban imports from the North, the paper added Europe has also been ratcheting up pressure on the North since its nuclear test. Thomas Handel, the chairman of the European Parliament Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, said North Korean workers are suffering from "extreme forms" of exploitation in member state Malta. "Such forms of exploitation are shocking and cannot be tolerated in the European Union," he added. Handel recently wrote to the International Labor Organization and human rights and labor agencies of the European Union, calling for action against the exploitation. About 50,000 North Koreans earn hard currency for the regime around the world. Some 1,000 work in the EU, 93 of them in a Chinese-owned factory in Malta, the Telegraph reported quoting the European Alliance for Human Rights in North Korea. Air travelers are now being greeted aboard by announcements that warn them not only against smoking but also physical assault, sexual harassment and other acts that impede the work of cabin crew. "I felt like the airline was treating us like potential criminals," a recent passenger recalls. "I wondered just how badly passengers must have behaved for such announcements to be made." Most airlines feel uncomfortable with these announcements, but they are required by aviation law. The International Civil Aviation Organization also recommends them. Eight out of Korea's top 30 businesses have clauses in their employment contracts that favor the children of unionized staff when hiring new employees. Such contracts are illegal and bar young people from landing jobs on merit amid a record 9.5 percent youth unemployment. Interim findings of an investigation by the Labor Ministry into the collective employment contracts the top 30 companies signed with their unions show eight of them contain such clauses. The ministry hopes to wrap up the probe by the end of this month and order the companies to make the necessary changes or face criminal charges. According to a study by the Korea Labor Institute last year, 30.4 percent of unions at 727 companies signed collective employment contracts with their employers guaranteeing employment for children of unionized staff. The eight are Hyundai Oil Bank, Kia Motors, Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering, Hyundai Steel, LG Uplus, GM Korea, Hyundai Motor and Korean Air. Outside the top 30, Kumho Tire and Hyundai Department Store also have such contracts. Their contracts stipulate that the children of staff will have first refusal of new jobs should the parent either die or become disabled in the line of work. Unions claim the clauses are in the nature of welfare provisions for injured workers, but courts have ruled twice in recent years that hereditary recruitment is against the law. The big businesses say the clauses exist on paper only and have not so far been enforced in real life. But critics say they represent a failure to curb unfair union demands. China vows to make employment a priority 2016-03-03 15:55 BEIJING, March 1, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Ma Kai (C) attends a State Council trans-ministries plenary meeting on employment in Beijing, capital of China, March 1, 2016. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei) BEIJING, March 1 (Xinhua) -- China will make stable employment a priority as structural reform puts pressure on the job market, said Vice Premier Ma Kai on Tuesday. Structural reform will put pressure on employment and the government should focus on stable employment along with economic expansion, said Ma at a State Council meeting. Local governments should support mass entrepreneurship and innovation as they will create jobs. In addition, migrant workers should be encouraged to start their own businesses back in their hometown. Workers that are made redundant as industrial overcapacity is addressed should be relocated and offered training. Policymakers have made cutting overcapacity a top priority in supply-side structural reform, which will help the world's second-largest economy achieve sustainable growth. In the process of capacity cuts, around 1.3 million people in the coal and steel sectors will loose their jobs, according to Minister of Human Resources and Social Security Yin Weimin. China has successfully met its employment targets for the past five years with 64 million jobs added and a low registered unemployment rate of 4.1 percent, a bright spot in China's economic and social development, Ma said. CPPCC spokesman praises China's int'l industrial cooperation 2016-03-03 15:55 BEIJING, March 2 (Xinhua) -- China's proposed international industrial cooperation will benefit both China and its cooperative partners, a spokesman for the annual session of the country's top political advisory body said Wednesday. In the face of sluggish global economic recovery, nations should cooperate to work toward common interests, Wang Guoqing, spokesman for the fourth session of the 12th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, said at a press conference. Exports of Chinese equipment and production capacity will not only help China tackle downward pressure but also serve as a boon for importers to prop up growth and increase employment, Wang said. After decades of rapid economic advancement, China has developed huge capacity in producing iron and steel, which are urgently needed in many less-developed economies. The State Council announced a guideline for accelerating China's industrial cooperation with other countries in May 2015. The guideline prioritized sectors including steel, non-ferrous metals, construction materials, railways, telecommunications and machinery. At a high-level forum between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China last September, attendees agreed that the two sides have a sound foundation and huge potential for exploring production capacity cooperation, which will encourage economic upgrades in ASEAN and promote regional integration, Wang said. So far, China has signed agreements with more than 10 countries to explore industrial cooperation, including 52 projects in Egypt and Kazakhstan with contract volume surpassing 24 billion U.S. dollars, Wang said. The annual session of the CPPCC National Committee is scheduled to open Thursday. Related: China Focus: Chinese diplomacy to build global community of common destiny BEIJING, March 2 (Xinhua) -- China's diplomacy is geared to serve its own development, but it will also support global governance. China's foreign policies are in the limelight as the country's lawmakers will examine a national five-year development plan in the coming two weeks. Explaining China's diplomatic missions in a speech at an American think tank during his visit to the United States last week, Foreign Minister Wang Yi placed the Belt and Road Initiative as China's strategic priority. Full Story After the LDF came to power in 2016, it has to be said that the patronage came right from the top, from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan himself," a former DGP told Onmanorama. #coronavirus-additional cases New COVID-19 cases under 30,000 for 4th consecutive day South Korea's new coronavirus cases stayed below 30,000 for a fourth straight day Saturday with the daily death toll down to its 14-week low for a Saturday. The country reporte... #BLACKPINK BLACKPINK to headline BST Hyde Park festival next year K-pop sensation BLACKPINK will headline British Summer Time (BST) Hyde Park in London next year, the group's agency and the festival announced Saturday. The four-member act will... Charlie Cox says his return as Daredevil "still feels too good to be true" The European Union has provided the first 2016 aid package 252.5 million euros ($274 million) to the Palestinian Authority. The EU money is designated for health and education programs and it will also offer assistance for Palestinian refugees in the Middle East. The latest tranche of money was released by the European Commission as a part of its effort to make the Palestinian institutions more accountable and more democratic to prepare them for running a future Palestinian state. Today the European Commission has approved a 252.5 million euro assistance package for Palestine, the EU Commission commented. Head of EU foreign policy, Federica Mogherini, explained that through this package, the EU supports the daily lives of Palestinians in the fields of education and health, protecting the poorest families, while noting that the aid package will also provide Palestinian refugees with essential services. Mrs Mogherini also stressed that these steps are not enough; Palestinian institutions must continue to grow stronger, become more transparent, more accountable and more democratic, and added that Viable and inclusive institutions, based on respect for the rule of law and human rights, are crucial in view of the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state. Brussels has been a long-time supporter of a two-state solution to finally put an end to the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The latest attempt at solving the conflict failed in April 2014 when the US-brokered peace talks collapsed. The European Commissions Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department (ECHO) has been providing humanitarian aid to help meet the basic needs of Palestinians since 2000. The Commissions assistance currently targets 1.2 million Palestinians in Gaza and 300 000 in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. In Gaza, the EU has primarily focused on health, sanitation and water as well as emergency preparedness. China supports foreign participation in SOE reforms Updated: 2016-03-03 04:30 (Xinhua) BEIJING -- China will support foreign participation in its drive to reform state-owned enterprises (SOEs), Spokesman of the Ministry of Commerce Shen Danyang said Wednesday. Mergers and acquisitions (M&As) by foreign entities will help upgrade China's industrial structure, bring in advanced management experience and sharpen domestic firms' international competitiveness, Shen said at a press conference. M&As involving foreign companies have been growing steadily in recent years, though the overall scale and their proportion of China's foreign direct investment (FDI) are still below global standards, Shen said. The value of foreign capital M&As was $17.8 billion last year, accounting for 14 percent of FDI into China, lower than the 38-percent international level, according to Shen. He said China will continue to improve the environment for foreign investment and lower the investment threshold, while encouraging foreign investment into sectors like high technology, environmental protection and services. China plans 30 nuclear power plants along Silk Route Updated: 2016-03-03 07:14 (China Daily and Xinhua) Nuclear reactors under construction in Sanmen, Zhejiang province.[Photo/Xinhua] CNNC chairman admits it faces 'very strong competition' in selling its technology China has set a target of building around 30 nuclear power units in countries along the Belt and Road Initiative routes by 2030, according to Sun Qin, president of China National Nuclear Corp. He said 70 countries in total are already planning or developing their own nuclear power projects, and it is estimated 130 more nuclear power units will have been built by 2020. "But we also face very strong competition in the international nuclear market," he said. "Countries like Russia, South Korea, Japan and the United States are all exploring the global nuclear market aggressively." Belt and Road destinations are those along the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Roadthe initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping to strengthen regional economic integration and infrastructure connectivity. Currently China has 30 nuclear power generating units with a capacity of 28 million gigawatts and another 24 units are under construction, according to data from the National Energy Administration. CNNC is one of China's three nuclear giants. It has been accelerating the building of its flagship nuclear project using Hualong One, a third-generation nuclear reactor design, in Fuqing, Fujian province, and hopes to leverage this domestic experience to boost its nuclear technology exports. The operator has already reached bilateral agreements on nuclear energy cooperation with countries including Argentina, Brazil, Egypt, Britain, France and Jordan, Sun said. But he emphasized there was no need to hit full self-sufficiency in nuclear, because many general components can be bought through international suppliers. CNNC has already exported six nuclear reactors, five miniature neutron source reactors, two nuclear research facilities and one experimental reactor. Sun said the company is looking ideally to cooperate with countries throughout the whole nuclear power industry chain. It actively promotes localization of its technology and strives to establish integrated industrial systems for countries involved with the Belt and Road, Sun said. China offers guidelines for companies investing overseas Updated: 2016-03-03 07:21 By Zhong Nan(China Daily) The Kenyan port of Mombasa. The China Council for the Promotion of International Trade will release an export market guideline to assist foreign trade, especially in emerging markets such as Latin America and Africa. [Photo/Xinhua] The China Council for the Promotion of International Trade will release an export market guideline by the end of this month to assist the country's foreign trade, especially in emerging markets such as Latin America and Africa, officials said on Wednesday. "The guideline will help Chinese manufacturers get a better knowledge of global markets from developed economies to developing markets. Market demand, and the political, legal and business environments will all be included to help them prevent risks, and help them invest in new market destinations," said Lin Shunjie, director-general of department of trade and investment promotion at the CCPIT. Lin's comments came after China's foreign trade volume reached $3.96 trillion in 2015, down 8 percent year-on-year, the government announced on Tuesday. The country is also confronting trade protectionism with trade remedy measures against Chinese products rising significantly last year, especially from developed economies in the European Union and the United States. Lin said the agency will further lift the level of commercial legal services. The CCPIT will build a "big legal" service system to improve commercial legal work abroad and establish commercial legal work agencies in key industries and countries, including the US, Brazil and India, as well as building China into an international arbitration center. Ge Xiangyang, an investment lawyer at Beijing office of the Hong Kong-based global law firm Mayer Brown JSM, said unlike in mature markets such as Germany or the United Kingdom, conducting merger and acquisition activities in Latin American or African countries may cause bigger risks, as many Chinese companies are not familiar with the local legal and commercial environment and profitability models. The firm has completed more than 12 large-scale outbound deals in the fields of energy, mining and infrastructure for Chinese companies including CITIC Group, China National Offshore Oil Corp and China Minmetals Corp in both Africa and Latin America over the past decade. To protect their tax revenue, many countries in Africa and Latin America do not acknowledge the legal status of companies registered in the Cayman Islands, and tribal rights and influence remain powerful in many African countries such as Ghana, Nigeria or Benin, which have caused difficulties for Chinese companies to invest in these destinations. Other challenges include a limited capacity to organize and coordinate commercial, legal, financial and human resource diligence. "It is also important to carry out international financing business to diversify market channels, instead of relying overwhelmingly on domestic policy banks such as China Development Bank and the Export-Import Bank of China," said Ge. Dai Guanchun, a partner at Jingtian & Gongcheng Attorneys at Law, another Beijing-headquartered law firm, said because of different languages and mindsets across these regional markets, reliable advice and authentic information from local financial and legal professionals are of paramount importance for overseas companies doing business in Africa and Latin America. "Chinese companies already have a high chance of securing contracts for infrastructure and industrial projects as they enjoy the support of financial institutions such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the Silk Road Fund, as well as governmental agreements. They should boost their chances even further by relying on experienced legal brains," said Dai. Based in China, trading in US stocks Updated: 2016-03-03 07:22 By Meng Jing(China Daily) Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange February 29, 2016. [Photo/Agencies] Apps empower share investors to look beyond Shanghai, Shenzhen and HK A growing number of Chinese retail investors with an international mindset are seeking to diversify their portfolios and globalize their risks amid uncertainty over future growth prospects. One option gaining currency is US-listed stocks, thanks to the emergence of mobile apps that offer global broking services. For instance, the Tigerbrokers app helps investors set up stock trading accounts and buy/sell US stocks. Similarly, Jimu.com, an Internet platform offering various wealth management products, launched a new service in December to help Chinese investors trade in US-listed stocks. The number of Tigerbrokers users has surged since the app's launch in August 2015, when the startup received hundreds of millions of yuan in its first round of funding from Xiaomi Corp. "In November, in terms of new users per day, we gained about 10 times that in August," said Wu Tianhua, chief executive officer of Tigerbrokers. Its monthly transactions reached 3 billion yuan ($456 million) in December. "The worry over slowing growth worldwide and volatility in global stock markets are pushing more Chinese investors to diversify their investments overseas. They think it would be risky to put all their eggs in the Chinese basket," Wu said. In the US stock market, investors can not only buy long but sell short, which helps cut risk, he said. He estimated about half-a-million Chinese investors are into US stocks. Their number is expected to reach 700,000 by the end of this year. "Many of China's leading Internet firms, such as Alibaba Group Holding Ltd and Baidu Inc, are listed in the US. Chinese investors are keen to own such shares," Wu said. Feng Tao, head of stock investments at Jimu.com, said: "Employees of US-listed Chinese firms, those who work in the finance industry and the rising group of high-net-worth individuals, are the major Chinese investors in US stocks. "With mobile Internet gaining currency, investors will manage more wealth via their smartphones than PCs. Given the trend of investing overseas, broker apps have huge potential." Chinese tourist wave splashes into Japan Updated: 2016-03-02 08:18 By Wang Xu(China Daily) Chinese visitors to Japan more than doubled their hotel stays in 2015, and they are spending more on personal items rather than on goods such as electrical appliances. The number of nights visitors from the Chinese mainland stayed in hotels in Japan rose more than 111 percent year-on-year to 16.46 million in 2015, while the number of visitors from Taiwan who stayed in Japanese hotels climbed 34.9 percent to 10.71 million, Japan Times said on Monday. Increased incomes, easier visa policies and more flights triggered the boom in Chinese visitors, according to a report by Ctrip, a leading online travel agency in China. Shopping tastes have also changed. Whereas many Chinese consumers once mainly purchased household goods, such as toilet seats and refrigerators, more are opting to spend their money on clothes, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and food, the report said. The spending power of Chinese tourists has given a significant boost to department stores and other retail sellers in Japan, while Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been stepping up efforts to increase the number of foreign tourists to 20 million annually by 2020, the report said. The tourism agency said that Chinese visitors - more than 5 million of them - visited Japan in 2015 and account for one-fourth of Abe's 2020 target. They spent $12.2 billion in the country. Liu Xiaoxiang, a 27-year-old computer sales company owner in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, took his fiancee to Japan in January. "I spoke Chinese all the time as the salespeople in Japan often speak fluent Mandarin. The bargain prices for luxury goods and the food there impressed me," he said. Yu Qiang, a researcher at the University of International Relations, said China and Japan are trying to improve their relationship, and better ties will surely result in even more Chinese going to Japan. wangxu@chinadaily.com.cn (China Daily 03/02/2016 page4) Testosterone Oxytocin Cortisol Leptin Thyroid Hormone Every person in the world has one thing in common is the need for fat loss. Unfortunately, this is a common scenario for many people. Thats why its important to know what hormones or steroids are available that can help you reach your goal sooner and more efficiently. If you are interested in buying weight loss steroids, then a Great place to buy weight loss steroids at LAWeekly . 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Nowadays, oxytocin fat burners are very popular among women and men who want to get rid of extra calories. Oxytocin is beneficial to lose weight faster without any side effects.Cortisol reduces stress and increases blood pressure levels in the body. It also increases blood sugar levels, contributing to more energy during a workout session or sports activities. The best thing about cortisol is that it can increase your metabolism, making it the perfect hormone for people who dont have the time and energy to go to the gym to lose fat.This is a direct response to the leptin level in your body. If it becomes too low, your hunger will increase, and you will feel inclined to eat more food than needed. Leptin can help suppress that feeling and regulate your eating habits and diet plans for losing weight fast.T3 and T4 are the hormones that promote healthy metabolism, essential for burning more calories. The only drawback to these two hormones is that they require prescriptions like any other hormone supplement and from a specialist. So whenever you want to take thyroid hormone pills, you should always check with your doctor first if it is right for you or not. There is no point in risking your health just because you dont have enough money for prescription drugs.Eating less and working out more is not the only way to lose weight. You need to do it faster and easier if you want to see results in a short time. The five hormones listed above can help you burn calories faster than ever without any effort at all. From an FPL flyer sent with my electric bill. The black line on the chart is oil. The solar line? better blow up the chart so you can see it. Screen shot of google search. They are grabbing the sun? Right at .1%. They want Fracking here very badly. Ohio has fracking, polluted wells and a new wave of earthquakes too! They blast underground to release the "natural" gas. Great for our limestone geology. In a battle involving two solar-energy ballot initiatives, a political committee backed by major utilities collected $335,000 in August --- and had raised $798,000 in less than two months, according to a newly filed finance report. The group, known as Consumers for Smart Solar, also had nearly $400,000 in the bank as September began. Not surprising, FPL and the Koch Brothers are financing the Solar Killer Amendment. I bet they have not one consumer as part of this campaign. FPL gets .1% of its power from solar energy in the Sunshine State. Not even 1%. One tenth of 1%. They are not trying with Solar Energy and it is an outrage. Do you care? I sure do. This flyer came with my FPL bill.They should be humiliated instead they are doing bragging rights with the the flyer. Look at their claim that they are using. Natural Gas, I don't think so. It is deadly getting it out with poisonous chemicals and once used it adds to the heating of the atmosphere -- global warming. Nuclear, it doesn't cool itself, it uses our fresh water and tritium is being found in the salt water around the power plant. They use 4.2% of coal. Really bad. Didn't they collect EXTRA money in our bills for a few years for developing solar? Am I wrong on that?So it goes, the Sunshine State gets 1/10th of a percent of its power from the sun because of FPL's dismal record on caring about the community and big fat record on profit.In fact, FPL is actually battling against Solar according to a September article in the Jacksonville Business Journal I googled CONSUMERS for Smart Solar: Alex Wong/Getty Images(MOSCOW) President Obama has extended for another year U.S. sanctions imposed on Russia over its military intervention in Ukraine, according to a White House statement. Obama signed an executive order to prolong the raft of measures that target senior Russian officials and businessmen connected to President Vladimir Putins inner circle, as well as a number of key Russian state companies, blocking them from visiting or holding assets in the United States, as well as doing business with some U.S. companies. The United States imposed the sanctions in March 2014, after Russian troops seized Crimea from Ukraine, sparking the most serious crisis between Moscow and Washington since the end of the Cold War. Obama broadened the sanctions again after Moscow launched a covert war in eastern Ukraine, where the Kremlin has been arming pro-Russian separatists. The European Union has also imposed its own sanctions against Moscow over the crisis. Referred to as "targeted sanctions, the measures are meant to inflict discomfort on the Kremlin leadership as well as hurt Russian state companies, intended to express U.S. disapproval and to deter Moscow from further land-grabs. A copy of the order released by the White House said Russias actions in Ukraine continued to pose "an unusual and extraordinary threat" to U.S. national security. Although fighting in eastern Ukraine has largely halted since a ceasefire began last year, the conflict remains deadlocked with the front lines frozen in place. The United States has said that the lifting of the sanctions is tied to the fulfillment of the so-called Minsk peace agreements, signed in early 2015. Part of those agreements require Moscow to help Ukraines government regain control over its borders in the areas held by the rebels and for local elections to be held there, but so far there has been minimal progress towards this. The United States has accused Moscow of continuing to support the rebels with money and weapons. Russia has called the sanctions unjustified. A spokesman for Putin, Dmitrii Peskov, said Thursday the Kremlin "regretted" Obamas decision to prolong the sanctions regime. Moscow has retaliated to the European Union sanctions by banning many food imports from the bloc, including gourmet cheeses. The sanctions, along with those imposed by the E.U., have had an effect on Russia, exacerbating an economic downturn prompted by low oil prices that has pushed the country into recession. The measures have created serious difficulties for some of Russias largest state companies, including key state banks, that have been unable to access Western financing. Perhaps even more damaging for the Russian economy, the sanctions have significantly chilled foreign investment in the country, with many investors are wary that Russia may be headed into further economic isolation and spooked that another geopolitical crisis might lie in wait for Moscow. Even companies not directly affected by the sanctions have curtailed their business and many Russian companies are struggling to attract investment or foreign partnerships. The E.U. will review its own sanctions in June, with some members of the bloc pushing for the sanctions to be eased. The U.S. extension of its own measures is now expected to harden resolve among some European countries to resist this. Copyright 2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Statement signed in King Michael's own hand as Mihai R. Courtesy of @ casamsregelui HRH Princess Birgitta of Sweden and HSH Prince Johann Georg of Hohenzollern on their wedding day, May 1961. The Council of State where King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden confirmed the name and title of his newborn grandson, Prince Oscar. Seated next to the King is his son, Prince Carl Philip, whose wife is expecting their first child in April. The first week of March 2016 has certainly been eventful for royalty news, though unfortunately not all of it has been good.First, the sad news -His Majesty King Michael of Romania issued a statement announcing that he is withdrawing altogether from public life. Though the king is no longer a reigning monarch, he has been active in performing various duties on a semi-official basis, such as handing out decorations or meeting with dignitaries. The announcement revealed that the 95-year-old king is suffering from leukemia and epidermoid carcinoma. His eldest daughter, Princess Margareta, whom he deemed as "custodian of the Romanian crown" in 2007, will be taking on his duties.His Serene Highness Prince Johann Georg of Hohenzollern died on March 2 at the age of 83. He was the son of Frederick, Prince of Hohenzollern (and, as head of the dynasty from which King Michael descends, put himself forth at one time as a claimant to the Romanian throne) and Princess Margarete of Saxony, the daughter of the last Saxon king, Frederick Augustus III. Johann Georg had been married to HRH Princess Birgitta of Sweden, sister of HM King Carl XVI Gustaf, since 1961, though they have lived separately since 1990. The Swedish royal court announced Prince Johann Georg's death, with a personal statement from King Carl XVI Gustaf stating that "our thoughts are with Princess Birgitta and her family". Prince Johann Georg is survived by his wife, their three children, and three grandchildren.Finally, the good news -Just as the Swedish court mourns for Princess Birgitta's husband, they also celebrate the arrival of a new royal. Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Victoria and His Royal Highness Prince Daniel welcomed their second child, a son, on March 2. The boy is third in line to the Swedish throne behind his mother and his elder sister, Princess Estelle. His name and title were announced the following day - His Royal Highness Prince Oscar Carl Olof of Sweden, Duke of Skane.It has been a busy year for the Swedish royal family in terms of births. In just about a month or so, Crown Princess Victoria's brother, Prince Carl Philip, and his wife, Princess Sofia, will welcome their first child, while last June their younger sister Princess Madeleine gave birth to a son, Prince Nicolas. 2016 will bring the total of royal grandchildren for the Swedish king and queen to five - Princess Estelle, Prince Oscar (Princess Victoria's children), Princess Leonore, Prince Nicolas (Princess Madeleine's children), and Prince Carl Philip's unborn child. Disclaimer All views expressed on this blog are mine, do you hear, mine MINE MINE! All mine! Mwahahahaha! Any resemblance to the views of my family members, friends and acquaintances is always greatly appreciated but probably more than I could hope for. You may find these views offensive. This is not my problem. The Greek government has spent the past six months hurling crude insults at the leaders of the European Union while the Greek economy has fallen back into recession, helped by dumb decisions such as abolishing a tax on Greek citizens who own second and third homes. The largest political party, the supposedly radical and leftist Syriza, formed a coalition government with another far-right party, the Independent Greeks, which was a sign of things to come, as this unstable hotch-potch of infantile politicians took up the reins of power. The mood on the streets was ugly and Syriza helped fan the flames amongst its supporters who regularly portray elected European leaders like Angela Merkel in a Nazi uniform, culminating in the former Greek finance minister, Yanis Varoufakis, describing his fellow European ministers as 'terrorists' before being sacked. What I'd like to know is how can anyone trust these clowns who behave as if democracy in Greece is somehow more pure and noble than democratic decisions taken by other member countries of the European Union, some of which are a great deal poorer than Greece yet they are being asked to help out with yet another Greek bail-out. The underlying problem is that Greece does not raise enough in taxes to pay for vital public services, yet its government behaves as if the rest of the world owes Greece a living. To make matters worse, Syriza then starts to cuddle up to Russia and its 'pariah' President Vladimir Putin when so many European countries such as Poland, Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania have only recently freed themselves from the tyranny of the old Soviet Union. While Russia is now, nominally at least, a democratic country its political mindset is still extremely illiberal, authoritarian and militaristic which is why the European Union has imposed sanctions economic sanctions after its annexation of Crimea and intervention in Ukraine. So if you ask me, Syriza is a complete joke and if the party stays in power the Greek economy will remain a basket case for years to come. Mitt Romney, former Republican presidential candidate and Massachusetts governor, isnt a Donald Trump fan. In a devastating speech in Utah he made that clear, calling the Republican presidential front-runner a phony, a fraud and that dishonesty is Trumps hallmark. His promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University, Romney said. He's playing the American public for suckers: He gets a free ride to the White House and all we get is a lousy hat. The stinging rebuke comes on the heels of Trumps massive success during the Super Tuesday primaries. He's received endorsements from some prominent Republicans, including NJ Governor Chris Christie and Maine Governor Paul LePage and Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions. Romney is the latest and perhaps the most prominent Republican to declare Trump unfit for office. A growing number of Republicans -- some currently in office-are openly declaring that not only do they oppose Trump, but will not vote for him even if he gains the party's nomination. A few vow to sit out the election, while others say they will back a third party candidate -- or maybe even vote for Hillary Clinton, should she become the Democratic nominee. Romney didnt say whom hed support if Trump wins the nomination but he made clear that he believes a Trump presidency would be an utter disaster. All of the Republicans who have gone public with their opposition cite their principles and conscience as the reason, although it likely doesn't hurt that some recent polls show either Bernie Sanders or Hillary Clinton would easily beat Trump in the general election. So far, the heavyweights, such as House Speaker Paul Ryan, have criticized Trump, but have indicated they would support him should he win the nomination. But Marco Rubio, who is seeking the Republican nomination, began using the hashtag #NeverTrump, which was remarkable; as New York Magazine notes, it is very, very rare for major presidential candidates who lose nomination contests to refuse to endorse the winner. Story continues Although even if all of the GOP leaders did oppose Trump, it's not clear it would make a dent in Trump's popularity. As the Washington Post noted, it seems that the more the Republican elite oppose Trump, the more support he gets from voters. Below 13 other prominent Republicans who have stated unequivocally they will not vote for Trump. Fortune has reached out to Donald Trumps campaign for a comment and will update this post if and when we get a response. Charlie Baker Background: Governor of Massachusetts. Statement: In answering a question from reporters after the Tuesday primaries as to whether he would vote for Trump if nominated, Baker said, I said that I wasnt going to vote for Donald Trump yesterday and I didnt and I dont plan to vote for him in November, but Im not willing to concede with 35 states still to go that hes going to be the Republican nominee. Eliot Cohen Eliot Cohen, Historiker, USA Photograph by Minehan -- ullstein bild ullstein bild via Getty Images Background: Influential neoconservative who held multiple positions in the George W. Bush administration. Statement: In tweeting his short list of reasons to not vote for Trump, he listed, demagoguery, torture, bigotry, misogyny, isolationism, violence. Not the Party of Lincoln & not me. Short list: demagoguery, torture, bigotry, misogyny, isolationism, violence. Not the Party of Lincoln & not me. https://t.co/k7Y8A6yS3L Eliot A Cohen (@cohen_eliot) February 24, 2016 Carlos Curbelo Carlos Curbelo Photograph by Tom Williams -- CQ-Roll Call,Inc./Getty Images Background: Congressional representative from Floridas 26th district. Statement: This man does things and says things that I teach my six- and three-year-olds not to say, Curbelo told the Wall Street Journal in an interview. I could never look them in the eye and tell them that I support someone so crass and insulting and offensive to lead the greatest nation in the world. Kevin Madden Kevin Madden with Romney Photograph by Justin Sullivan -- Getty Images Background: Communications strategist to three Republican presidential campaigns as well as one-time press secretary to former Speaker of the House John Boehner. Statement: For many Republicans, Trump is more than just a political choice, Madden told the Washington Post. It's a litmus test for character. Im prepared to write somebody in so that I have a clear conscience. Mel Martinez Mel Martinez Photograph by Susana Gonzalez -- Bloomberg Bloomberg via Getty Images Background: Former congressman from Florida and past Republican National Committee chair. Statement: I would not vote for Trump, clearly, Martinez told the Wall Street Journal. If there is any, any, any other choice, a living, breathing person with a pulse, I would be there. Ron Paul Background: Former presidential candidate and member of Congress Statement: On Twitter in September, Pataki called Trump unfit to be president and said that he wouldnt vote for him. Image (2) ron_paul-home1.jpg for post 430137 Reid Ribble Background: U.S. Representative from Wisconsins 8th congressional district. Statement: I am not obligated to support a bad candidate from any party, Ribble told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. I will not support Donald Trump for president of the United States, no matter what the circumstances. Tom Ridge Background: Former Homeland Security Secretary and governor of Pennsylvania. Statement: When asked on MSNBC if he would vote for Trump should he become the nominee, Ridge said, Not a chance. I think hes an embarrassment to the Party, I think hes an embarrassment to the country. E. Scott Rigell Rep. Scott Rigell Photograph by Bill Clark -- CQ-Roll Call,Inc./Getty Images Background:Representative of Virginias 2nd Congressional District. Statement:Trump is a bully, unworthy of our nomination, Rigell wrote in an email, published by the website Hot Air. My love for our country eclipses my loyalty to our party, and to live with a clear conscience I will not support a nominee so lacking in the judgment, temperament and character needed to be our nation's commander-in-chief. Accordingly, if left with no alternative, I will not support Trump in the general election should he become our Republican nominee. Ben Sasse Sen. Ben Sasse Photograph by Bill Clark -- CQ-Roll Call,Inc./Getty Images Background: Republican Senator from Nebraska Statement: A presidential candidate who boasts about what hell do during his reign and refuses to condemn the KKK cannot lead a conservative movement in America, Sasse wrote on his Facebook account. On Twitter he said, If Trump becomes the Republican nominee my expectation is that Ill look for some 3rd candidate - a conservative option, a Constitutionalist. If Trump becomes the Republican nominee my expectation is that I'll look for some 3rd candidate - a conservative option, a Constitutionalist Ben Sasse (@BenSasse) February 29, 2016 J.C. Watts The Second Chance Act Photograph by Tom Williams -- CQ-Roll Call,Inc./Getty Images Background: Former Oklahoma representative Statement: Watts told the Wall Street Journal that he would write in a candidate before voting for Trump. It's going to be a tremendous setback for the party if he wins, he said. Peter Wehner Peter Wehner, director of the White House Office of Strategi Photograph by Preston Keres -- The Washington Post Washington Post/Getty Images Background: Served in the administrations of Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush as a speechwriter and advisor. Statement: Mr. Trump's virulent combination of ignorance, emotional instability, demagogy, solipsism and vindictiveness would do more than result in a failed presidency; it could very well lead to national catastrophe, he wrote in the New York Times. The prospect of Donald Trump as commander in chief should send a chill down the spine of every American. Christie Todd Whitman Christine Todd Whitman Photograph by Aaron Davidson -- Getty Images Background: Former governor of New Jersey Statement: No, I wont. I cant, Whitman said on Bloomberg Politics when asked if she would support Trump should he be nominated. The kind of rhetoric in which he is engaged, the divisiveness he is encouraging, the belittling of people just by reason of their ethnicity, he is creating a divide in this country that I think is very dangerous for the future and while I certainly dont want four more years of another Clinton administration or more years of the Obama administration, I would take that over the kind of damage that I think that Donald Trump could do to this country, to its reputation, to the people of this country. See original article on Fortune.com More from Fortune.com * Metre-long piece of metal found between Mozambique and Madagascar * Debris being sent to Australia for testing * Malaysian official says "high possibility" it from 777 jet * Families urge officials to concentrate search in same area (Adds Chinese Foreign Ministry comment) By Byron Kaye SYDNEY, March 3 (Reuters) - A piece of debris found off the southeast African coast that could be from a missing Malaysia Airlines flight is being sent to Australia for testing, officials said on Thursday, two years after the plane carrying 239 people disappeared. A white, metre-long chunk of metal was found off the coast of Mozambique earlier this week by a U.S. adventurer who has been carrying out an independent search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370. The debris will be tested by officials in Australia, with help from Malaysian authorities and representatives of manufacturer Boeing Co. "It is too early to speculate on the origin of the debris at this stage," Australian Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester told parliament. However, the piece was found in "a location consistent with drift modelling commissioned by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau", he said. Chester's comments added to a fresh sense of optimism after Malaysia's transport minister, Liow Tiong Lai, said on Wednesday there was a "high possibility" the metal chunk belonged to a 777 jet, the same type of aircraft as MH370. Flight MH370 disappeared on March 8, 2014, with 239 passengers and crew on board shortly after taking off from Kuala Lumpur bound for Beijing. It is believed to have crashed in the Indian Ocean and an initial search of a 60,000 sq km (23,000 sq miles) area of sea floor has been extended to another 60,000 sq km. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said he had "noted" the report about the new possible piece of debris. "We will closely track the development of the situation, and maintain close contact with relevant sides. We will also work with relevant countries to make great efforts to continue the search work for MH370," he told reporters in Beijing. Story continues A piece of the plane's wing washed up on the French Indian Ocean island of Reunion, on the other side of Madagascar, in July 2015. Voice370, a group representing families of those on board the missing plane, said the discovery meant the search must focus on the coastlines of Mozambique and Madagascar. "Debris fields, though subject to some degree of dispersal by the elements, generally tend to make landfall in close proximity," the group said in a statement. (Additional reporting by Rozanna Latiff in KUALA LUMPUR and Jessica Macy Yu in BEIJING; Editing by Nick Macfie) SAO PAULO, March 2 (Reuters) - Brazil's Supreme Court voted to accept corruption charges against lower house speaker Eduardo Cunha on Wednesday, putting him on trial for allegedly accepting bribes on contracts for two drill ships leased by state oil company Petrobras. The ruling weakens Cunha, a bitter political rival of President Dilma Rousseff, as he struggles to fend off a request from Brazil's top prosecutor for his removal as speaker for obstructing investigation into the Petrobras graft scandal. He could also lose his seat if an ethics committee inquiry underway finds he lied about undeclared Swiss bank accounts. (Reporting by Anthony Boadle; Editing by Daniel Flynn and Tom Brown) This article is published in partnership with Time.com. The original version can be found here. @hkbeech The headlines on the Southern Metropolis Daily's Feb. 20 front page seemed innocuous enough. One paid obeisance to the Chinese Communist Party in language redolent of the Cultural Revolution: "Party-sponsored media and the government are the propaganda front and their names must be that of the party." Below, a short headline accompanied a photo of mourners at a sea burial: "Souls return to the ocean." But if the neighboring headlines were read vertically, they carried a far more subversive message: "The souls of Chinese media have died because they bear the party's name." The word play came a day after China's President Xi Jinping instructed domestic media to dedicate themselves, above all, to burnishing the splendor of China's ruling party. "Love the party," ordered Xi, on a tour of the offices of China's biggest state media outlets. "Protect the party and serve the party." Southern Metropolis's sleight of hand wasn't subtle enough. On March 1, news leaked out that the editor in charge of the offending front page, Liu Yuxia, had been fired. It was the latest blow to media freedom in a country that last year jailed the most journalists of any nation, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Under Xi's reign, the Chinese government has cracked down on messages that diverge from party line, whether from journalists, academics or even influential businessmen. Over the weekend, Ren Zhiqiang, a property magnate with some 37 million online followers, had his social-media account shut by censors. His offense? Questioning Xi's media directive. Members of the Chinese media, particularly those who work for commercial outfits that were given more latitude than the official press, have been practiced at cat-and-mouse games with censors. Outspoken journalists and editors have been regularly fired or even detained. But after a period of disgrace, many turned up at other publications where they again raked mud or investigated official malfeasance. Story continues But in his third year in power, Xi has silenced even mild forms of dissent, from lawyers who want China to hew to its own constitution to watchdogs who call for officials to publicly declare their assets. Even though China now boasts the world's largest online population, the space for free expression has narrowed. A new rule that takes effect this month could make it illegal for foreign companies or joint ventures to publish online without prior government approval. Chinese officials have repeatedly warned the public that the West wants to prevent China's rise and have campaigned against the lure of so-called "universal values," such as free speech and democracy. "The Southern Media Group holds the flag of universal values," wrote veteran pundit Sima Nan, on his social-media account, dismissing speculation that the headline placement in the Southern Metropolis Daily, which is owned by the Southern Media Group, might have been accidental. "[The media group] has erased the contribution of the party." Meanwhile, one journalist with the Southern Media Group, who wished not to be named because of the sensitive political climate, described a gloomy mood at the paper's offices. Earlier this year, Li Xin, a former editor for Southern Metropolis Daily's website, disappeared from Thailand, where he was planning to apply for political asylum. Days later, he turned up back in China, under detention. Human-rights groups fear Li, who had leaked a list of censored terms to overseas media, was kidnapped abroad and forced home -- just one in a series of suspected extraterritorial seizures in recent months. "We think it won't get any worse and then it does," says the Southern Metropolis Daily journalist. "We are being strangled." -- With reporting by Yang Siqi / Beijing See original article on Fortune.com More from Fortune.com A hacker, who requests not to have his name revealed, works on his laptop in his office in Taipei July 10, 2013. REUTERS/Pichi Chuang By Joseph Campbell and Fabian Hamacher BEIJING/TAIPEI (Reuters) - Rappers in China and Taiwan are among the combatants squaring off in cyberspace after a landslide election win for the island's independence-leaning party fanned Beijing's fears that it could renew a push for sovereignty. Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won presidential and parliamentary polls in January, reviving China's concern that the self-ruled island might be emboldened to seek formal independence. DPP leader and president-elect Tsai Ing-wen says she wants to maintain the status quo and peace with China, but that has not deterred Chinese internet users from airing critical views on social media such as Facebook, provoking sharp responses in Taiwan. "There's only one China, HK, Taipei, they are my fellas," run the opening strains of a song by Tianfu Shibian, a rap group based in China's southwestern city of Chengdu. On its Twitter-like Weibo microblog, the group claims more than 7 million views for the music video of its song, "The Power of Red", which uses patriotic images laced with profanity to pour scorn on Tsai, her party and its independence notions. The song targets Taiwanese and foreigners unfamiliar with the complexities of Taiwan-China politics, aiming to dispel "misunderstandings," said Wang Zixin, the group's leader. "They just think us Chinese, or the mainland, are always bullying them," he added. "Through the song lyrics we want to say China is a peace-loving country, but we aren't chickens." The music video can be viewed on foreign websites such as Youtube, which is inaccessible in China, as is Facebook, but has yet to make a splash in Taiwan. In Taipei, prominent rapper Dwagie, who backs the DPP, often raps in Taiwanese Hokkien to spotlight the island's individuality, rather than using Mandarin, the official language of both sides. Chinese performers of songs such as "The Force of Red" should look to tackle the country's many social problems, from children's education to medical services for remote areas, before worrying about Taiwan, said Dwagie. Story continues "I want to know what the people who write these songs, and the netizens, are really thinking, deep down," he said. "Is there really nothing more important than whether this island belongs to you, or if Taiwan is independent or not?" China deems democratic Taiwan a breakaway province to be taken back by force, if necessary. FLOOD OF POSTS Thousands of posts flooded Tsai's Facebook page after the election win, demanding that the island be brought under China's control. China's internet users were just "exercising their freedom of speech," said DPP spokesman Yang Chia-liang. "We don't know if all more than one billion Chinese people can access the Internet and log on to Facebook, or if it is just a specific group of netizens that can access Facebook and browse Taiwan's web," Yang said. "But naturally we hope the former is the case." Tsai, hit by similar attacks in the past, put a message on Facebook last November welcoming mainland users to witness the "complete democracy, freedom and pluralism" that prevail in Taiwan. China's Taiwan Affairs Office did not respond to a request for comment, but a Foreign Ministry spokesman pointed to a lack of evidence that the government directed Facebook attacks. "If we put all of our energy into commenting on completely baseless or gossipy comments, there really is no time," Lu Kang told a daily briefing in Beijing, reiterating the stance that Taiwan forms part of China. Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalists fled to Taiwan in 1949, after being defeated by Chinese Communists in a civil war. The island has been self-ruled since. (Reporting by Joseph Campbell in BEIJING; Additional reporting by Fabian Hamacher and Damon Lin in TAIPEI; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) JERICHO, NY--(Marketwired - Mar 3, 2016) - Ecosciences, Inc. (OTCQB: ECEZ) ("Ecosciences" or the "Company") is pleased to announce its signing of a Master Distribution Agreement ("MDA") with Concepto Ecologicos Aplicados ("CONEAP"), a janitorial supply company based in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The Company, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Eco-Logical Concepts Inc. ("Ecological"), sells its products to distributors who then resell them to end user customers. The MDA gives CONEAP the right to resell the Company's products for the region of the Dominican Republic for one-year renewable terms. Ecosciences' management commented, "Our relationship with CONEAP has developed into this master distributorship. Their management team gives us confidence that we can grow our business through them in the Dominican over the long term." Carlos Labou, the Technical Director of CONEAP, commented, "We have been testing the product with customers, such as a shopping centers, airports and hotels, and the results have been positive. We also plan to seek business with government agencies in our country. We are excited to have the opportunity to represent Ecological's products in our country. We look forward to working hard as a master distributor to solve problems for our clients and grow business for ourselves and Ecological." About Ecosciences, Inc. Ecosciences, Inc. focuses on building, acquiring and investing in businesses around ecological and life sciences. From waste water remediation to healthcare and more, Ecosciences, Inc. is committed to building a better living environment for all people. The Company currently has one wholly-owned subsidiary, Eco-logical Concepts, Inc., which operates the Company's core business of producing and selling bio-remediation products under the brands TRAP-EZE, SEPT-EZE, TANK-EZE and WASH-EZE. Homeowners, keep your Septic System safe, Buy SEPT-EZE today, www.SEPTEZE123.com. Boat and RV owners clean and maintain your holding tanks, Buy TANK-EZE today, www.TANKEZE.com. For additional information, please visit the Company's website at www.ecosciences.company, the contents of which are not incorporated into this press release. Story continues CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS The foregoing contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We intend for these forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions of the federal securities laws relating to forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include statements relating to, or representing management's beliefs about, our future transactions, strategies, operations, events and financial results. Such forward-looking statements often contain words such as "will," "anticipate," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "is targeting," "may," "should" and other similar words or expressions. Forward-looking statements are made based upon management's current expectations and beliefs and are not guarantees of future performance. Our actual business, financial condition or results of operations may differ materially from those suggested by forward-looking statements as a result of risks and uncertainties which include, among others, those risks and uncertainties described in any of our other filings with the SEC. Certain other factors which may impact our business, financial condition or results of operations or which may cause actual results to differ from such forward-looking statements are discussed or included in our periodic reports filed with the SEC and are available on our website at www.ecosciences.company under "Investor Info." You are urged to carefully consider all such factors. We do not undertake or plan to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, changes in plans, assumptions, estimates or projections, or other circumstances occurring after the date of this news release, even if such results, changes or circumstances make it clear that any forward-looking information will not be realized. If we make any future public statements or disclosures which modify or impact any of the forward-looking statements contained in or accompanying this news release, such statements or disclosures will be deemed to modify or supersede such statements in this news release. Disclaimer: This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. Recaptured drug lord Joaquin Sinaloa cartel kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman has asked his defense team to expedite his extradition to the US because he is being mistreated in a Mexican maximum-security prison, his lawyer said Wednesday, according to AFP. Guzman, who was recaptured on January 8 after tunneling out of a jail cell in a spectacular escape, made the request in an "act of desperation," said lawyer Jose Refugio Rodriguez in a radio interview. Rodriguez said it would take at least two months for the extradition process to be completed and that defense lawyers would have to discuss it with US authorities. The timeline Rodriguez mentioned would likely require Guzman's lawyers to drop an estimated nine appeals they have filed. "We won't drop the (legal) defense in Mexico until we have an agreement with the United States," Rodriguez cautioned The lawyer said Guzman told him to negotiate with US authorities for a lighter sentence and confinement at a medium-security prison, according to the AP. Guzman has mentioned those conditions before, saying that he was willing to plead guilty in the US if authorities there met his requests Rodriguez said he saw Guzman on Tuesday and that the Sinaloa drug-cartel leader told him: "Try to get me extradited as fast as possible." El Chapo Guzman pinata image "He said to try to get a negotiation with the American government," Rodriguez said, according to the AP. "We know of agreements with other people for confinement in medium-security prisons ... a much lower sentence," Rodriguez added. Guzman, 58, has complained that guards at the Altiplano prison, some 90 kilometers (55 miles) west of Mexico City, wake him up all the time. Story continues El Chapo Guzman lawyer trial plead case "Not allowing someone to sleep is an act of torture," Rodriguez said. "I saw a desperate man, a dejected man. I found him very discouraged and in a very serious state of health." In February, Rodriguez gave The Associated Press a copy of Guzman's testimony in one of the cases against him. In it, the jailed drug lord accused prison authorities of torturing him "by waking him up, and said, 'I feel like a sleepwalker.'" "My head and my ears always hurt and I feel bad all over," Guzman said in the document. I am loudly awakened every two hours at night. They are turning me into a zombie, they do not let me sleep, Juan Pablo Badillo, one of Guzman's attorneys, quoted Guzman as saying during an interview with Ciro Gomez Leyva of Radio Formula. "I fear for his life, we don't know if he is eating well," said Guzman's wife, Emma Coronel during a Telemundo interview. "In general we don't know what situation he faces because we have not be able to see him." El Chapo wife Emma Coronel Telemundo interview Mexican authorities deny that Guzman is being mistreated. Security measures were stepped up at Altiplano following Guzman's July escape, which deeply embarrassed President Enrique Pena Nieto's administration. National security commissioner Renato Sales, whose responsibilities include overseeing federal prisons, said at a news conference Monday that Guzman's human rights are in no way being violated at the Altiplano prison. "Shouldn't someone who twice escaped from maximum security prisons be subject to special security measures? The common sense answer is yes," Sales said. NOW WATCH: Forget 'El Chapo' this is Mexico's most powerful drug lord More From Business Insider SAO PAULO, March 3 (Reuters) - Brazil and local planemaker Embraer SA are closely watching news of state support for Canadian rival Bombardier Inc's new C-Series program with concern, Embraer Chief Executive Frederico Curado told analysts on Thursday. "We are concerned that an artificial imbalance may be introduced into the market," Curado said on a call to discuss fourth-quarter earnings. He said neither the company nor the government had decided whether to act on those concerns. (Reporting by Brad Haynes and Priscila Jordao) Aubrey McClendon walks through the French Quarter in New Orleans, Louisiana March 26, 2012. REUTERS/Sean Gardner Energy pioneer Aubrey McClendon died in a car crash just a day after he was indicted on conspiracy to rig bids for oil and natural gas leases. The former Chesapeake Energy CEO rose to prominence by pioneering production techniques that unlocked America's supply of shale gas, which helped wean the country from its reliance on foreign oil. His indictment came on the heels of a four-year federal antitrust investigation which found that his company had planned to rig the price of land leases in Oklahoma, Reuters reports. While McClendon's own life was cut short, he left a legacy that will shape American energy policy for better or for worse for years to come. His company, Chesapeake Energy, pioneered the use of oil and natural gas locked up in shale rock, a technique commonly known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. The technique allowed America to unlock decades' worth of energy, but has also been linked to serious environmental and health concerns. Fracking: The good, the bad, and the ugly fracking crude oil Fracking involves the injection of fracking fluid consisting of pressurized water, sand or other ceramic materials, and thickening agents into a hole drilled in the ground. This produces cracks in the shale rock that allow oil and natural gas to flow more easily. The first fracking experiment took place in 1947 in the Hugoton gas field in Grant County, Kansas. One thousand gallons of napalm and sand from the Arkansas River were injected into a limestone rock formation that was clogged by mud from drilling operations. The attempt wasn't very successful, but the technology has advanced significantly since then. Today, the Society of Petroleum Engineers estimates that 2.5 million fractures have been pumped worldwide over the last 60 years; more than a million of them have been in the US. The technique has unlocked large sources of energy that would otherwise be inaccessible. For example, the Marcellus Shale in western New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, is thought to contain enough natural gas to supply the United States for more than 40 years. Story continues But fracking is incredibly controversial. Opponents say it can release harmful chemicals that contaminate air and water supplies, possibly trigger earthquakes, and cause human health problems. While scientists are just beginning to study the effects of fracking on the environment, some evidence suggests it can be done safely. As Scientific American reported in 2013, a study funded by the National Science Foundation and published in the journal Science found that fracking has "no irrefutable impact" on ground water quality. The problem is, it's not always done safely. If the cement casing that surrounds a fracking well is made incorrectly, natural gas can leak along its sides or through cracks, releasing harmful gases like methane to the environment. Methane is one of the most potent greenhouse gases, which trap heat in the atmosphere and exacerbate climate change. Another problem is the wastewater from these wells, which can contain toxic or even radioactive chemicals. The same NSF study found that fracking wastewater is already starting to contaminate rivers and other major waterways. A number of countries and states have banned fracking, but it continues to be a major source of American energy. McClendon's rise and fall Under McClendon, Chesapeake Energy grew from a small operation into the second-biggest natural gas producer in the United States, exceeded only by Exxon Mobil, according to The New York Times. With Wall Street backing, the company leased land all over the country for fracking, including Texas, Oklahoma, Ohio and Pennsylvania. chesapeake silhouette As the Times reports, they produced so much energy that natural gas prices collapsed, and Chesapeake's shares tanked. McClendon also used his investments in the company to shore up as much as $1.1 billion in loans to pay off the cost of drilling the fracking wells, and he was later forced out of the company. On Tuesday, the Justice Department indicted McClendon in a conspiracy in which two unnamed companies agreed not to bid against each other for oil and gas leases in northwest Oklahoma between late 2007 and early 2012, a charge he denied. McClendon died in a car crash less than 24 hours later. Investigators have not yet determined the cause of death. "He was a major player in leading the stunning energy renaissance in America," Texas energy investor T. Boone Pickens said in a statement. "No individual is without flaws, but his impact on American energy will be long-lasting." NOW WATCH: 40 years ago, NASA sent a message to aliens here's what it says More From Business Insider UBS, Switzerland's largest bank's share price fell 7.9 percent to 15.22 Swiss francs a piece in late afternoon trading as the Swiss stock exchange's main SMI index slumped 1.3 percent (AFP Photo/Kenzo Tribouillard) (AFP/File) Paris (AFP) - France on Wednesday launched an official investigation into the French subsidiary of Swiss banking giant UBS for alleged witness intimidation, a source close to the case told AFP. UBS France confirmed it was under investigation in a statement, saying it disputed the allegations and was awaiting the outcome of the matter "with serenity". UBS France is suspected of trying to silence a whistle-blower who was behind revelations of alleged tax fraud by the bank, the source said. The French subsidiary was also designated an "assisted witness" on a charge of moral harassment, a status between a full witness and being put under formal investigation. Wednesday's action came less than two weeks after the end of the formal investigation stage in a French probe into the Swiss parent bank for money-laundering and tax fraud, and for complicity at UBS France. UBS is alleged to have set up between 2004 and 2012 a system to incite rich French clients to open bank accounts in Switzerland to avoid paying tax in their home country. On Friday Belgium charged UBS with "serious and organised" fiscal fraud for encouraging clients to cheat on their taxes, as well as being involved in money laundering. By Marc Jones and Michel Rose LONDON/PARIS (Reuters) - France backs Britain's Suma Chakrabarti's second term as head of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the office of the French finance minister said on Thursday, confirming an earlier Reuters report. "I confirm our support to Suma Chakrabarti," a spokesman for Michel Sapin told Reuters. One of the sources, a European finance ministry official who requested anonymity, had said that the French had written this week to the Secretary-General of the EBRD expressing their support for Chakrabarti. "It is of course still early in the process, but the French letter follows other countries who have already spoken up in his favour," the source said. Chakrabarti has been at the helm of the London-based development bank since 2012 and the move by France could deter potential challengers for the role, such as Poland's central bank governor Marek Belka. Nominations for the job close on March 11 and if there is a challenger the bank's members will vote at the bank's annual meeting in May. The EBRD was created in 1991, originally to invest in the former Soviet bloc countries of eastern Europe to rebuild their economies and improve communist-era infrastructure. Chakrabarti's four-year term has been a difficult one for the bank. In 2014, the EBRD stopped lending in Russia, traditionally its biggest market, after Western countries imposed sanctions on Moscow over Ukraine. It saw its first annual loss since the 2007-08 financial crisis. But the EBRD has also continued to expand its reach. It is has started lending in euro zone crisis countries Greece and Cyprus. Lebanon is expected to be next, while China has become a member. (Reporting by Astrid Wendlandt; Editing by Dominic Evans) The 70th Giftionery Taipei in 2016 is expected to attract 18,000 buyers from home and abroad. Click here for high-resolution version TAIPEI, TAIWAN--(Marketwired - Mar 3, 2016) - Keeping it simple, added function and simplicity are the hallmarks of products at this year's 70th Giftionery Taipei that runs April 22-25. Pre-register NOW to visit Asia's best gift events at WWW.GIFTIONERY.NET This spring show is expecting to welcome more than 18 thousand visitors who will be eagerly scouting dream products, suppliers and partners at the TWTC Hall 1 venue which opens full selection categories on: Stationery, School & Office Supplies, General Gifts, Fashion Gallery, Tech & Trendy, Printing & Packaging, Health Caring, Brand Licensing, Home & Lifestyle and Natural Essences. There's a yearning for times past when quality was the norm supported by utility and simplicity. That theme extends to the adjacent Souvenir Taiwan to let the joint events host more than 615 exhibitors from Taiwan, Japan, Bhutan, Nepal, Guatemala, Vietnam and Poland who are using 910 booths. In Style with Simplicity! "Style with Simplicity" is the spirit and theme of this show that comes with most products from LED lamps and desk-top storage boxes to a full selection of stationery and household items. With Giftionery comes Souvenir Taiwan (the 2016 Taiwan Souvenir & Handicrafts Show) and many more prospects. These include a full complement of specialties, local food, and original arts & crafts from both big brands and start-ups. The rustic, go-simple home living theme is reflected everywhere at this show with home products, green packaging options and rustic local specialties. "Meet the rep from JSC, Russia's top home living products chain in St. Petersburg with US$240 million turnover, and another rep from WH Smith, one of Britain's largest retail chains!" Shows packed with exciting, profitable & fun events: Seminars on Global Design Trends and Retail Expansion Taitra invites International known keynote speakers in the field of branding and retail channel marketing strategies to share the most updated insights. OPEN TO ALL! One-on-One Procurement Meetings: Buyers here can lay down their specs face to face with pre-screened buyers, including many specially invited agents recruited thru TAITRA's 60 overseas branch offices. Most Popular Product Selections: Vote on-site for your favorite finalist product in a line-up of the champs previously selected through pre-show on-line voting. Hot Product Updates: Scores of new and innovative products will be introduced by the original makers from the Hot Products Stage. They're eager to meet you! Story continues For more details or to pre-register your visit click: www.giftionery.net & www.taiwansouvenir.net Or contact your nearest Taiwan Trade Center at: http://taipei.taiwantrade.com.tw/flash/big/unitList.jsp?lang=en_US About TAITRA Founded in 1970 to promote foreign trade, the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) is the foremost non-profit trade promotion organization in Taiwan. Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=2973442 A Google-modified, self-driving Lexus RX drove itself into the side of a public-transit bus on Feb. 14 in Mountain View, Calif.the first recorded instance when one of the companys autonomous vehicles actively contributed to an accident. No injuries were reported in the low-speed collision, but the crash serves as a reminder that, even though self-driving prototypes such as Googles are operating on public roads, the technology still has a long way to go before these vehicles can navigate every situation. Thats precisely why Consumers Union, the policy and advocacy arm of Consumer Reports, along with other safety advocacy groups, has been calling for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to commit to maximum transparency and public involvement as policy and safety standards are developed covering autonomous vehicles. Google has been operating its self-driving car program on public roads in California for 15 months to help its cars map the terrain and learn from real-world driving situations. The company has filed regular, detailed reports with the California Department of Motor Vehicles, and the program has logged 424,331 autonomous miles. During this time, a human driver has had to assume control of these purportedly self-driving vehicles more than 340 times, an average of 22.7 times a month. In these instances, the self-driving technology failed and automatically ceded control to the human driver 272 times. Another 69 times, the driver felt compelled to intervene and take control. This clearly shows that, despite the sophistication of the software that guides Googles vehicles, driving in the real world is fraught with a complexity that these cars are not yet capable of handling on their own. And the accident that took place on Feb. 14 was indeed a complicated situation. Googles 2012 Lexus RX 450h was trying to make a legal right turn on a red light, when it encountered some sand bags placed near a storm drain. The car stopped, waited for some cars to pass, sensed an opening, and attempted to go around the sand bags. Google says the car had detected an approaching bus, but assumed the bus would yield. But the bus did not stop, and the Google car made contact with the side of the bus at 2 mph. The DMV accident report shows the bus moving at about 15 mph. Story continues Up to this point, Google has been proud that none of the crashes of their prototypes has been the companys fault. But Google took partial blame for this incident, calling it a classic example of the negotiation thats a normal part of driving. Still, Google emphasized that even its test driver, who saw the bus in the mirror, figured the bus driver would slow or stop to allow them to merge. In this case, we clearly bear some responsibility, read Googles February monthly self-driving car report, adding, because if our car hadnt moved, there wouldnt have been a collision. Google says it has reviewed the incident in its simulator and already made refinements to its software. Our cars will more deeply understand that buses (and other large vehicles) are less likely to yield to us than other types of vehicles, and we hope to handle situations like this more gracefully in the future. There is no doubt that Google will learn from the incident and make its self-driving vehicles smarter because of it. But according to Jake Fisher, Consumer Reports director of auto testing, the crash should offer a reality check on some of the near-term expectations surrounding self-driving technology. Self-driving cars dont act like humans; they cant make eye contact, or give hand signals with other drivers to help get through odd situations, Fisher said. We are enthused, and frankly impressed, by the progress that is being made and how this helps advance safety features in todays cars, but we expect that a world where true autonomous cars are the norm is still decades away. In January, NHTSA released a statement that pledged within six months it would work with manufacturers and outside experts to develop a policy around self-driving technology. But since then, neither NHTSA nor its parent, the Department of Transportation has held any public proceedings on the issue. Consumers Union and other consumer/auto safety groups are asking NHTSA to hold public meetings, provide an open, public docket for information, and collaborate with advocates about policy and standards for self-driving cars. And the Google car incident underlines the need for the government to open up that process as soon as possible. Google has shown its support in a statement provided to Consumer Reports: Self-driving cars have the potential to save lives and improve mobility for those who cannot drive. We agree that the public should be included in an open and transparent process that gets this technology safely onto our roads. Consumers Union is joining other consumer advocacy and safety groups in delivering that message to the Department of Transportation today. (Read the pdf.) More from Consumer Reports: 8 Ways to Boost Your Home Value Why your cable TV bill is going up Get the Best Cell Phone Plan for Your Familyand Save up to $1,000 a Year Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright 2006-2016 Consumers Union of U.S. LONDON, March 3 (Reuters) - Germany's finance minister said on Thursday that Greece faced a major challenge coping with the refugee crisis but should not use it as an excuse to further delay meeting the terms of its bailout deal. "The (bailout) review has not been completed... because until now Greece has not achieved what has been agreed," Wolfgang Schaeuble said at an event in London. "I know how fragile the situation of Greece is by the additional refugee crisis which is a major challenge but (Greece) should have interest not to... use the migration crisis not to stick to the review agreements." International lenders are set to return to Greece early this month to complete the review, a move desperately needed by Athens to move on to debt relief talks. (Reporting by John Geddie and Ana Nicolaci da Costa; Editing by Toby Chopra) Greek Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos looks on during a news conference at the ministry in Athens, Greece, January 18, 2016. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece cannot accept demands by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), one of its creditors, to cut pensions further to achieve a primary surplus target in two years, the country's finance minister said on Thursday. "It (the IMF) thinks that the figures don't add up for us to reach (a primary surplus) of 3.5 percent of GDP in 2018 and says that since you have cut down on everything else, why you don't lower pensions further," Euclid Tsakalotos told parliament. Pensions in Greece have been cut 11 times since the country signed its first bailout in 2010 and Athens cannot lower them further, Tsakalotos said. Disagreement between IMF and EU lenders over additional reforms Greece must carry out to achieve its fiscal targets are delaying the first bailout review Athens desperately needs to open the way for debt relief talks. (Reporting by Angeliki Koutantou) The refugee crisis is a "manifestation of the disintegration of the European Union," Greece's controversial former finance minister told CNBC on Thursday, as he warned against Turkey and Greece becoming a "large concentration camp for hapless refugees." Yanis Varoufakis, who served as finance minister in 2015 under the ruling left-wing Syriza party, said Europe was "rich enough" to cope with the influx of refugees who have flooded to Europe in the wake of the turmoil in Syria. "The European Union should be a proper union with borders, which we control in a humane way. When somebody knocks on your door and they've been shot at, they have kids that are dying or thirsty or hungry, you just open your door to them," he told CNBC at the Global Financial Markets Forum in Abu Dhabi. According to the United Nations (UN), 131,724 refugees and migrants made the risky journey across the Mediterranean Sea during January and February. The large majority of these people, 122,637, landed in Greece. The European Union (EU), of which Greece is a member, has struggled to agree to a strategy to deal with the waves of people, particularly in the wake of terrorist attacks from the group that calls itself the "Islamic State." However, on Wednesday, the EU launched a 700 million euro ($760 million) fund to help Greece cope with the crisis. "The fact that we are now spending some money on refugees is a good thing, but you cannot buy back the lost dignity of the European Union," Varoufakis told CNBC. On Tuesday, the UN warned of an "imminent humanitarian crisis" in Greece and accused European nations of failing to cooperate to solve the problem. "With governments not working together despite having already reached agreements in a number of areas, and country after country imposing new border restrictions, inconsistent practices are causing unnecessary suffering and risk being at variance with EU and international law standards," a spokesperson for the UN's refugee agency said at a press briefing. Story continues Newer member countries of the EU in the east of the bloc have proved less willing to accept refugees than longer-standing, richer countries to the west. In particular, the likes of Hungary and Slovakia have refused calls for all 28 member states to take in a quota of refugees. On Wednesday, former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair said that improving the situation in Syria itself was crucial. "There is no solution outside of that in my view ... Europe will of course have a problem absorbing this number of people, but it is also a security problem for Europe," he said at a conference interview at the Global Financial Markets Forum in Abu Dhabi. Varoufakis left government before the refugee crisis reached its current zenith, under pressure from Syriza Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras. It was felt that Varoufakis's combative approach to negotiations with Greece's bailout supervisors was unhelpful, particularly after he likened the country's creditors to terrorists. By CNBC's Katy Barnato and Geoff Cutmore at the Global Financial Markets Forum in Abu Dhabi. More From CNBC Makeshift shelters burn in the "Jungle" migrant camp in the French port city of Calais on March 3, 2016 (AFP Photo/Philippe Huguen) Amiens (France) (AFP) - French President Francois Hollande warned Thursday of "consequences" for the management of migrants with Britain if the country voted to leave the European Union. "I don't want to scare you but to tell the truth, there will be consequences... including on the question of people... the way in which we manage migration issues," Hollande told reporters after meeting British Prime Minister David Cameron in the northern French city of Amiens. Hollande also said unaccompanied children in the Calais refugee camp known as the "Jungle" who have relatives in Britain should be "quickly" reunited with them. "When these youngsters have a family tie in the United Kingdom, they should go to the United Kingdom quickly and efficiently," Hollande said. "It should happen even faster and even more efficiently," he added. His comments came after his outspoken Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron raised the possibility of camps similar to the so-called Jungle shanty at Calais springing up on Britian's southern coastline. He told the Financial Times that a so-called Brexit would scupper an agreement between the two countries that allows Britain to conduct border controls on the French side of the border. "The day this relationship unravels, migrants will no longer be in Calais," Macron told the newspaper By Nidhi Verma NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's oil imports from Iran rose by over a fifth in February, the first month after a nuclear deal that lifted restrictions on Tehran's oil exports, preliminary tanker data obtained by Reuters shows. Iran emerged from years of economic isolation in January when world powers led by the United States and the European Union lifted crippling sanctions against the OPEC oil producer in return for curbs on Tehran's nuclear ambitions. Iran is working to regain market share after sanctions relief and exports had already risen by 500,000 bpd in February, Mohsen Ghamsari, director of international affairs at National Iranian Oil Co (NIOC), told Reuters on Tuesday. New Delhi shipped in 215,500 bpd from Tehran in February, a rise of about 21 percent from last month and more than double the about 111,000 bpd in the same month a year ago, the data showed. India had to cut imports from Iran in February 2015 under pressure from western sanctions. The sanctions had cut Iranian crude exports from a peak of 2.5 million barrels per day (bpd) before 2011 to just over 1 million bpd in recent years. In February Essar Oil was the biggest buyer of Iranian oil, shipping in 110,200 bpd, followed by about 69,500 bpd by Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd. MRPL shipped in just one cargo of Iranian oil in February. Indian Oil Corp, which rarely buys Iranian oil, received a cargo of oil equivalent to about 35,800 bpd. A true reflection of the step-up in Indian purchases of Iranian oil will emerge from April, the new contract year, as in the last leg of a fiscal year most companies cut purchases to maintain low inventory ahead of annual results. Reliance Industries Ltd, which halted supplies from Iran in 2010, is preparing to lift a million barrels each of condensate and oil next month. (Reporting by Nidhi Verma; Editing by Richard Pullin) Will Fear or Hope Dominate for Crude Tanker Investors? (Continued from Prior Part) Iran: Oil production and export Irans oil production has risen for the seventh consecutive month and produced 3.35 MMbpd (million barrels per day) in December 2015 as compared to 3.31 MMbpd in the prior month. The country exported 1.42 MMbpd of crude oil in December 2015. This was just more than half of the 2.2 million2.3 million MMbpd it had exported in mid-2012, which was before the export bans were imposed. Irans plans Iran has always talked about rapidly increasing its crude (DBO) oil production and exports after lifting a ban on its exports. On February 12, Irans first vice president, Eshaq Jahangiri, announced that Irans oil export will increase to 2 million bpd within a few months. The exports should touch 1.5 million bpd until mid-March. Earlier Irans oil minister had also announced the country will reach pre-sanction output levels within seven months. The country is targeting oil output of 5.7 MMbpd in five years time. If the country achieves this level, it would probably reclaim its position as the second-largest producer in OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries). Impact on crude tankers To gain a higher market share, Iran is competing fiercely and building relationships with countries to export oil. Asian countries like India and Japan had already agreed to import oil from Iran. The country is now trying to build its strong presence in the European market. Earlier, some insurance issues were holding back Iran oil exports to Europe. Now it seems that the issues have cooled off and in February, Irans oil minister mentioned the country plans to sell 300,000 barrels of crude oil a day to European customers. As Iranian crude reaches different parts of the world, the country can increase its exports as the demand for crude tankers will increase. This should benefit companies like Teekay Tankers (TNK), Tsakos Energy Navigation (TNP), Nordic American Tankers (NAT), DHT Holdings (DHT), Frontline (FRO), and Euronav (EURN). Story continues At the same time, the country has many VLCCs, which they earlier used for offshore storage. Already a few have left the shore and entered the global fleet. As all the vessels join, this should increase the VLCC supply. The net effect is predicted to be neutral to a slight positive for the crude tanker industry. Continue to Next Part Browse this series on Market Realist: TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Mar 3, 2016) - Kombat Copper Inc. (TSX VENTURE:KBT) ("Kombat Copper" or the "Company") has signed a definitive agreement with EBM Mining Namibia (Pty) Ltd. ("EBM") to carry out development and mining of lead/copper mineralization at the Kombat Mine while also commencing the refurbishment of the mine infrastructure and production facilities. Production is expected to commence within the year. The key terms of the definitive agreement are as follows: EBM will commence operations in the Kombat East and Kombat Central areas of the Kombat mine for a three year term. The Company's core areas of Kombat West, Asis West and Asis Far West are excluded. EBM will also focus on the lead enriched Gross Otavi Deposit located 12 km to the west of Kombat EBM has committed to making an investment to refurbish certain necessary components and infrastructure, which will benefit Kombat Copper in the future. Kombat Copper will have the right to acquire all the installed components and infrastructure at the end of the three year contract for a nominal N$1 and does not have to invest any capital up front. Profits will be split equally between Kombat Copper and EBM. Kombat Copper has agreed to reimburse up to 50% of EBM's capital investment from 50% of its profit share. EBM will pay operating costs directly. To maintain control, Kombat Copper will collect the proceeds from the sale of materials and then pay EBM its contracting fee. Kombat Copper will earn a N$150,000 (CAD$15,000) monthly retainer to cover its monthly Namibian carrying costs. EBM has also agreed to assume security costs for the site. Kombat Copper also has the right to re-start mining in other areas of the mine and use its infrastructure before the three year contract expires. EBM has agreed to manage all environmental compliance associated with re-starting mining operations. EBM will source local skilled and non-skilled labour and will utilize local suppliers and contractors, whenever possible, from the Kombat region. In its role as contractor, EBM will be managing the hiring process to support operations. Story continues The Company anticipates a steady flow of non-dilutive cash flow to become available towards the end of 2016 from the mining operations. The free cash flow will be used to: Focus on expanding the resource base for the western mine area, outside of the EBM contractual agreement area by funding an exploratory drilling program. Complete pre-feasibility and other studies as necessary to re-start Kombat Copper's core asset. Commence consolidation in the district and/or acquire additional land along the Kombat trend. Paul Bozoki, President and CEO of Kombat Copper, commented: "We are extremely pleased to have finalized this landmark agreement with EBM Mining Namibia. Kombat will now be able to realize on its goal of restarting operations at the Kombat Mine with an experienced and respected contractor. This relationship is expected to not only support the Company with a steady stream of cash, but it is also a great win for the local economy as we anticipate an increase in trade with our local merchants in the town and surrounding areas. Kombat will now be able to focus on our core copper assets for future production sources while also financing the refurbishment of our infrastructure and operations in a non-dilutive way for our shareholders." Kombat Attending PDAC 2016 at Booth #2221 Kombat Copper will be attending the Prospector and Developers Association of Canada's annual conference for two days on March 6th and 7th. Kombat will be located at booth #2221 and welcomes existing shareholders and interested investors to visit the Kombat Team. For more information on PDAC 2016 please visit their website at www.pdac.ca/convention. About Kombat Copper Kombat Copper is a publicly traded Canadian exploration and development company with its core operations focused on copper resources in Namibia, one of the world's most prospective copper regions, where it has substantial assets in place with significant upside. The Company continues to hold an 80% interest in five mining licenses in the Otavi Mountainlands, an area of Namibia particularly known for its high-grade copper deposits. Within these licenses are three past-producing mines including the Company's flagship property, the Kombat Mine. Kombat Copper has contracted EBM Mining Namibia to begin mining lead/copper mineralization at Kombat East, Kombat Central and potentially Gross Otavi within the year. Concentrates will be produced at the Company's production facilities, which will be refurbished by EBM. EBM will also be evaluating opportunities to market aggregate stone and sand byproducts locally. Cautionary Notes Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain forward-looking statements. These statements include statements regarding the drill program, possible mineralization and deposits, the anticipated timeline regarding future exploration work, availability of results and production, the Company's expectations regarding mineral resources, EBM's ability to commence operations and operate the applicable portions of the Kombat mine, EBM's ability to make the requisite investments, the Company's expectations regarding the production and sales of mineralization from the Kombat Mine and potential development work and the Company's plans for the Kombat Mine including any financial impact and community impact. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially because of factors discussed in the management discussion and analysis section of our interim and most recent annual financial statements or other reports and filings with the TSX Venture Exchange and applicable Canadian securities regulations. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable laws. ABU DHABI, March 3 (Reuters) - A rise in yields of domestic Oman government bonds is driven by the market, and the central bank does not plan steps to try to restrain yields, central bank executive president Hamood Sangour al-Zadjali said on Thursday. "It is driven by the market, we are leaving it to the market," Zadjali told Reuters on the sidelines of a financial conference. Last month, the government sold 100 million rials ($260 million) of five-year development bonds at an average yield of 4.32 percent, sharply up from 2.54 percent at the last issue of five-year development bonds, a 300 million rial sale last August. Low oil prices are pressuring state finances and banking system liquidity in Oman. But Zadjali said banking system liquidity was normal and banks' overnight lending rates were reasonably low. "I don't see any challenges." Bond yields "have gone up because of the higher doller, which has risen. And also after the Fed hiked rates," he said, adding that last month's bond sale had seen a very good response among investors. The next auction of domestic Oman government bonds will take place in two or three months, Zadjali said. (Reporting by Stanley Carvalho; Writing by Andrew Torchia) Syrians inspect the damage at the site of a double car bomb attack in the Al-Zahraa neighborhood of Homs, on February 21, 2016 (AFP Photo/) (AFP) Moscow (AFP) - Moscow said Wednesday it had started ceasefire negotiations with armed groups in several Syrian provinces following a Moscow-Washington deal on a cessation of hostilities in the war-torn country. The Russian defence ministry said it had opened a coordination centre at its air base in Syria that is "already carrying out work with representatives of the groups in various settlements in the provinces of Hama, Homs, Latakia, Damascus and Deraa." Some local ceasefires have already been agreed, its statement said. Moscow said it had already secured "practical results in the north of Latakia province", adding that "military action has halted" in settlements including Ghnaymeh and Borj Islam in the mountainous area. Still, over the past two days Russian warplanes have carried out 62 sorties over 187 targets in the provinces of Hama, Raqqa, Aleppo, Homs and Deir Ezzor. Talks on ceasefires in other settlements in Latakia and Homs were under way, Russia said. "This work is not simple as it requires not only phone talks but also trips to sites to implement the ceasefire agreements and the delivery of humanitarian aid to the people," the ministry said. Russia said it has also reduced the number of airstrikes over the past two days, primarily in the areas from where ceasefire requests were received. A ceasefire agreement brokered by Russia and the United States does not apply to jihadists like the Islamic State group and Al-Nusra Front and calls for a "cessation of hostilities" between regime forces and opposition groups from 2200 GMT on Friday. But some US officials have expressed doubt over whether Russia will respect the ceasefire, with Secretary of State John Kerry warning that Washington was considering a "Plan B" if Moscow and Damascus do not keep their side of the bargain. The Russian defence ministry in turn urged the US to take practical steps towards the ceasefire. Story continues "We are preparing for -- and moreover -- have begun concrete and difficult practical work towards reconciliation in the Syrian Arab Republic," it said. "We are expecting our American partners to shift to concrete deeds as soon as possible instead of letters and words," it said in an apparent dig at Kerry's Plan B comment. Moscow said that Russians had on Tuesday informed the US military about the work of the coordination centre. "So far there have not been any reciprocal steps from our partners," the ministry said. The defence ministry complained that the peace deal "does not suit everyone", adding that Turkey was continuing to use large-calibre artillery to shell Syrian settlements. Russia said separately that Kerry had phoned his counterpart Sergei Lavrov to discuss the "modalities" of the Syrian settlement. They discussed a resumption of political talks "as soon as possible", the foreign ministry said. Russian warplanes, which have been carrying out a bombing campaign in Syria since late September, are continuing to target jihadists from the Islamic State and other "terrorist" groups, Moscow said. BANGKOK, March 3 (Reuters) - Southeast Asian stock markets rose on Thursday as strength in Asia and global oil prices further lifted risk sentiment, with the Singapore benchmark leading the way but caution remained over weak economic numbers in the region. Singapore's Straits Times Index rallied 2 percent, extending gains for a fifth session to the highest since Jan. 7. Shares of DBS Group Holdings and Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation both jumped more than three percent. Banking shares saw buying in high volumes on talks of institutional buying, broker NRA Capital said in a midday report. "Further unwinding in safe haven trades continued," it added. Key economic indicators in the region remained weak, as activity in Singapore's factories fell to the lowest level in more than three years and Thai consumer confidence hit a three-month low in February. Thai SET index was up about 1 percent at midday after touching the highest since late November. Brokers in Bangkok said a stronger Thai baht could be supportive. "The market may extend with moderate gains on Thursday as Asian inflows remain strong. Further rise in Thai baht, despite a resilient US dollar index, is positive to inflows," KGI Securities said in a report. Among the outperformers, the Philippine composite index climbed 1.3 percent after two days of gains boosted by foreign inflows. Gains in Malaysia and Vietnam were relatively modest due to some quick profit-taking. Indonesia added 0.4 percent in its seventh straight session of gains, taking its year-to-date gain to almost 10 percent in dollar terms, Asia's best performer. The rebound of Southeast Asian shares in February amid foreign inflows and the strength in regional currencies also brought other key stock indexes among top performers in Asia this year. For Asian Companies click; SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS Change at 0602 GMT Market Current Prev Close Pct Move Singapore 2783.00 2726.96 +2.06 Kuala Lumpur 1695.87 1691.03 +0.29 Bangkok 1380.50 1365.31 +1.11 Story continues Jakarta 4856.49 4836.19 +0.42 Manila 6972.01 6882.45 +1.30 Ho Chi Minh 570.67 570.18 +0.09 (Reporting by Viparat Jantraprap; Editing by Anupama Dwivedi) SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Singapore's United Overseas Bank said it would invest $10 million in Israel-headquartered crowdfunding platform OurCrowd as part of the companies' collaboration to help Asian startups raise equity funds. UOB said the deal would allow accredited investors among its clients invest in OurCrowd's portfolio companies, adding the partnership would help address the funding gap for small and medium enterprises in southeast Asia. Sassoon Investment Corp, an investment holding company of Singapore-based Sassoon family known for building The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf brand, will also be investing in OurCrowd's Asian expansion. Crowdfunding is the practice of financing a project or venture by raising small amounts of money from many people, typically through the Internet. OurCrowd has invested over $200 million in 93 portfolio companies and has seen four exits since its 2013 launch. UOB's move is an example of how the global banking industry has been adopting financial technology by partnering with fintech companies, launching start-up programmes or funding them. Asia has become the second-most funded region for fintech, as investors keen to access to the world's largest unbanked population and a private wealth market about to overtake that of North America, E&Y said in a report last year. UOB had tied up last year with Singapore state investor Temasek to provide venture debt financing to start-ups in China, India and Southeast Asia. (Reporting By Aradhana Aravindan; Editing by Gopakumar Warrier) A man crosses the Grand Hamad street that hosts banks and financial institutions in Doha in this October 9, 2012 file photo. REUTERS/Fadi Al-Assaad/Files By Tom Finn DOHA (Reuters) - Credit cards on the limit, huge bank borrowings and a struggle to repay loans: these are the personal debt problems of some Qataris despite the Gulf state's reputation for fabulous wealth. Generous government salaries and free healthcare, funded by vast natural gas reserves in a country with only about 300,000 citizens, do not always translate into healthy bank balances for ordinary Qataris. Instead, they can come under intense social pressure to live way beyond their means, spending lavishly on everything from the latest smart phones and designer fashions to family weddings. Now their problems are deepening as diving global energy prices mean even the Qatari welfare state is becoming less generous. Many are borrowing enormous sums from local banks to finance lifestyles they cannot afford, according to a study by Qatar University. "The idea of Qataris being a small, lucky, happy few - it's a myth," said Laurent Lambert, of the university's Social and Economic Survey Research Institute. "Many do not have the income to match the lifestyle and a small percentage are significantly poor by local standards and struggling to make ends meet." Widespread personal debt, while familiar throughout the Gulf where loosely-regulated banks and extravagant living are commonplace, does not yet appear to threaten Qatar's overall financial system. Of the 75 per cent of Qatari families in debt - most owe more than 250,000 riyals ($68,700), according to a 2014 Qatar National Development Strategy report - only a handful default on their loan payments, an offense punishable by prison. But recent layoffs of some state employees and petrol price increases - reforms hastened by the sinking energy market - have refocused attention on indebtedness and the problems it could present to social cohesion if citizens start to press their relatives and the government heavily for help. "FEVER" While Qatar has a total population of 2.4 million, most are foreign workers who have less access to the cheap loans available in a country where a conventional banking system operates alongside - but separately from - Islamic financial institutions. Story continues Likened to a "social curse" by Qatari commentators and a "fever spreading from house to house", over-indebtedness among the much smaller local population is a raising national concern. Radio talk shows air interviews with distressed civil servants who complain of becoming mired in debt after borrowing from banks without understanding the costs of repayment. In Friday sermons, Muslim clerics rail against those who finance holidays to Europe and lavish wedding parties with loans that can devour salaries and lead to depression and divorce. Part of the problem, some Qataris say, is that the country's economic boom during the era of high energy prices that lasted until mid-2014 rapidly pushed up standards of living - and expectations of what it means to be both wealthy and successful. "You cannot have a bad watch on your wrist, a second-hand car, or an old telephone. You need to have the latest models so as not to appear 'poor'," said Mohammed al-Mari, a former traffic policeman who works in the charity sector. "People end up pretending they have money just to keep up. There is this social pressure." Al-Mari said that while he has managed to pay off debts and save money during his career years, he knew of a recent university graduate who was struggling. "He buys the latest iPhone because his peers have it but then, at the end of the month, he sells it back to pay his bills," he said. Al-Mari recalled how a Qatari woman had recently flown to neighboring Dubai to purchase a counterfeit designer handbag. "Her friend had bought a bag that she wanted but couldn't afford," he said. As well as a culture of extravagance and conspicuous consumption among some, others decry Qatar's "welfare syndrome" that has led a generation to believe it can live carelessly and be bailed out by relatives or a paternalistic government. SPREADING WEALTH Part of a strategy by Gulf Arab governments to distribute some of their newly-discovered wealth, loans were extended to citizens in the 1960s and '70s and again in the early 2000s to help them buy shares in the state's multi-billion dollar energy enterprises. Liberal lending by local banks, flush with funds from a fast-growing economy, was later extended to households wanting for instance to build a holiday home or buy a new car. These were handed loans, often several times their annual salary, with virtually no collateral. "It was a free for all. Anyone could borrow basically as much they wanted," said Mohamed al-Kubaisa, a Qatari sociologist and newspaper columnist. After concerns grew about the proliferation of loans and of Qataris unable to pay them back, the central bank imposed in 2011 a cap of two million riyals on consumer credit secured only against borrowers' salaries, with a maximum repayment period of six years. Later that year, as Arab Spring protests spread across the region, the government raised state employees' salaries by 60 percent and by 120 percent for military personnel. In a similar move neighboring Saudi Arabia, which like Qatar escaped major Arab Spring unrest, boosted welfare spending sharply in an apparent attempt to secure social peace. Also in 2011, the United Arab Emirates set up a fund to help cover low-income citizens' debts. Wielding oil-funded state largesse, Kuwait has occasionally paid off citizens' personal loans in response to popular pressure. Qataris are divided over how to tackle the debt problem. Those who see fault in the reckless spending habits of individuals advocate imposing upper limits on spending for marriage ceremonies and other social occasions, with penalties for those who violate. Others say the government should more strictly regulate the banks, for which personal loans remain a lucrative business, and help launch more share offerings to encourage citizens to enjoy long-term benefits such as bonus issues and regular dividends. Authorities have tried to raise awareness about the depth of the problem, launching a campaign titled "Debt is Disgraceful" in 2013 that saw donations collected to help pay money owed by debtors in prison or others threatened with criminal charges. But some Qataris say that absolving people of their debts sets an unhealthy precedent. "If you remove a person's debt, you also absolve them of their personal responsibility to repay the debt," said Mustafa al-Khamisi, who owns an audit firm. "That is really dangerous, because if you start eroding a person's responsibility towards society, you start eroding society itself." (Editing by William Maclean and David Stamp) Steve Smith was handed the captaincy, making him the leader in all three formats (AFP Photo/Marty Melville) South Africa and Australia will be seeking to find their best combinations when they meet in three Twenty20 internationals, shortly before both sides travel to India for the World Twenty20 tournament. Australia appear to have the most uncertainties. They were beaten 3-0 at home by India in their most recent T20 series and the selectors made several significant changes in picking a squad for South Africa and the global event. Steve Smith was handed the captaincy, making him the leader in all three formats, while the squad includes three players who have yet to play in a T20 international -- wicketkeeper Peter Nevill, left-arm spinner Ashton Agar and leg-spinner Adam Zampa. While Nevill has established himself as Australia's Test wicketkeeper, Agar, Zampa and fast bowler Andrew Tye are virtual novices at international level. Agar has played in two Tests and two one-day internationals, famously hitting 98 at number 11 on Test debut in the 2013 Ashes. Zampa made his debut and played in two one-day internationals in New Zealand last month. Tye played in only two T20 internationals against India. Australia have a strong batting line-up, however, although this too could be problematical in terms of deciding on the best combination. South Africa won two T20 internationals against England last month and will be strengthened by the returns of fast bowler Dale Steyn and wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock. Steyn played in a club match in Cape Town last weekend and took five wickets for 13 runs in two five-over spells spread over two innings. Steyn, 32, has missed most of the international season because of a groin injury suffered in the first Test against India in November and a shoulder injury in the first Test against England in December. He said after his club outing that he had been ready to play for the past three weeks and was eager to get into action against the Australians. De Kock was rested from the T20 series against England because of what was described as a minor knee injury. The selectors will have to decide which two out of De Kock, AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla will open the batting. The latter pair effectively won the second match against England with a century partnership. Story continues The series is a repeat of the 2013/14 season when the two sides met in South Africa shortly before the 2014 World Twenty20 in Bangladesh. Australia won convincingly and looked strong contenders for the world crown. But form in the warm-up series proved illusory. Australia won only one out of three matches in Bangladesh and failed to reach the knock-out stage, while South Africa reached the semi-finals. Squads: South Africa: Faf du Plessis (captain), Kyle Abbott, Hashim Amla, Farhaan Behardien, Quinton de Kock (wkt), AB de Villiers (wkt), JP Duminy, Imran Tahir, David Miller, Chris Morris, Aaron Phangiso, Kagiso Rabada, Rilee Rossouw, Dale Steyn, David Wiese. Australia: Steve Smith (captain), Ashton Agar, Nathan Coulter-Nile, James Faulkner, Aaron Finch, John Hastings, Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Peter Nevill (wkt), Andrew Tye, David Warner, Shane Watson, Adam Zampa. Fixtures: March Friday 4, Durban Sunday 6, Johannesburg Wednesday 9, Cape Town Statoil ASA STO initiated the first phase of the Johan Sverdrup field development by drilling of the first well on the field. A total of 35 wells will be spudded during the first phase of the Johan Sverdrup development. The Deepsea Atlantic drilling rig is being used to drill the first production well. Currently, the rig is engaged in predrilling the well using a predrilling template that was installed in the summer of 2015. Predrilling ensures proficient utilization of production capacity on the field when Johan Sverdrup comes online late in 2019. The predrilling template will be used to drill a total of eight wells before the rig is repositioned to drill injection wells on three locations on the field. The permanent Johan Sverdrup drilling platform, which is currently being constructed at Aibels yard in Haugesund, north of Stavanger, and in Thailand, will be installed in 2018. This will represent the second of four platforms on the field. Once the drilling platform is set up and functional, the eight predrilled wells will be hooked up from the predrilling template. Concurrently, Deepsea Atlantic will be drilling the injection wells providing reservoir pressure support to preserve high field production. In order to ensure safe and cost-effective deliveries, the three parties the operator Statoil, the rig owner Odfjell Drilling and the drilling service provider Baker Hughes Inc. BHI have worked in close cooperation. The Johan Sverdrup project introduces integrated drilling services as a new concept, which means that Baker Hughes will deliver the key supplies together with Odfjell Drilling. On Jul 6, 2015, Baker Hughes was awarded the contract for integrated drilling services worth NOK 1.5 billion. Odfjell Drilling was given the contract for rig and drilling services on Johan Sverdrup of more than NOK 4.35 billion on Jun 15, 2015. The Johan Sverdrup project has awarded contract worth over NOK 50 billion. Of these, more than 70% has been awarded to suppliers having billing address in Norway. Statoil carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked players from the energy sector are SolarEdge Technologies, Inc. SEDG and Enviva Partners, LP EVA. Both these stocks sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report BAKER-HUGHES (BHI): Free Stock Analysis Report STATOIL ASA-ADR (STO): Free Stock Analysis Report SOLAREDGE TECH (SEDG): Free Stock Analysis Report ENVIVA PARTNERS (EVA): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Donald Trump Speech The ascent of Donald Trump has caused dismay for many leaders, inside and outside the US. But for Rafael Correa, the president of Ecuador, a Trump presidency may be a positive development. When a type [like Trump] arrives, I think it would be very bad for the United States, Correa told a group of journalists on Tuesday, according to Sin Embargo. His discourse is so clumsy, so basic. The USs loss, however, would be Latin Americas gain, according to Correa. Trump's words "would arouse a reaction from Latin America," Correa said. "Latin America is already fairly independent," he continued, "and [Trumps] message, I think even for the progressive leaning of Latin America, would be positive." "That would be a major positive of a Trump victory," Correa concluded. Correa, whose comments come after Russian President Vladimir Putin praised Trump, is suggesting that a Trump presidency, considering the aggressively anti-immigration rhetoric and xenophobia toward Latin Americans that Trump has displayed so far, would galvanize many people in Latin America, in particular those with progressive or left-leaning politics. The Ecuadorian president compared this potential effect to the boost left-wing governments and progressive movements got during the administration of US President George W. Bush, who, Correa said, alienated many in the region and the world with his "primitive" politics, according to TeleSur. Ecuador's President Rafael Correa addresses the nation with a speech to commemorate 192 years of independence from Spain at the National Assembly in Quito May 24, 2014. REUTERS/Stringer It's not surprising that Correa thinks Latin America's progressives and leftists could benefit from an external boost. Recent defeats of leftist governments and their initiatives in Venezuela, Argentina, and Bolivia, as well as a region-wide economic slump, have led some to argue that the Pink Tide" of leftist governance in the region is receding. Story continues Recent backlash against the current Brazilian government has lent credence to this perception. Trumps incendiary comments have certainly aroused a response from people in Latin America, particularly in Mexico, whose citizens have borne the brunt of Trumps bombast. Donald Trump Mexico racist Many in Mexico have jeered the Republican candidate, mocking him online and in television and plays. Others worry Trump, regardless of if he gets elected, has irrevocably shifted US policy toward Mexico to a darker place. But, as Correa said, Latin America is independent, and voters there have shown their concern is for issues that affect them at home and that they vote pragmatically. In 2013, 55% of people in the region said they didn't identify as "left" or "right." Whether backlash against Trump will influence the political mood in Latin American remains to be seen. The rise of Trump may be getting global attention, but politics is still local. NOW WATCH: IAN BREMMER: These are the 4 reasons Donald Trump is doing so well More From Business Insider The logo of car-sharing service app Uber on a smartphone over a reserved lane for taxis in a street is seen in this photo illustration taken in Madrid on December 10, 2014. REUTERS/Sergio Perez By Heather Somerville SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Uber's [UBER.UL] new Oakland headquarters is nearly 70 percent bigger than Internet radio service Pandora Media's (P.N) office nearby and will house about five times the number of employees that ride-hailing competitor Lyft has at its headquarters. The on-demand ride service paid $123.5 million for Oakland's historic Sears building last year and so far has filed building permits to complete at least $2 million in renovations, according to BuildZoom, a startup that compiles construction and remodeling contractor data for homeowners. Across the bay in San Francisco, Uber has so far initiated $130 million in construction on a bigger office in the Mission Bay neighborhood, BuildZoom's data shows. The new building permit data from BuildZoom, provided exclusively to Reuters, underscores the mammoth growth in Uber's real estate footprint and associated costs, overshadowing most other tech startups in San Francisco and Oakland. Remodeling on the old Sears building will take another year, and the Mission Bay campus is still two or three years out, so construction costs will rise. Uber said it was also repairing damage on the Oakland building caused by the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. Uber is the most highly valued venture-backed tech firm and has raised more than $7.4 billion from investors, a war chest that can help fund real estate purchases. But its costly expansion in Oakland and San Francisco comes as the venture capital investing climate cools, with more investors wary that highly valued startups may not grow into their stratospheric valuation. The iconic Oakland building, which opened in 1929 as a department store, will house between 2,000 and 3,000 Uber employees across 380,000 square feet (35,303 sq. m.). By comparison, Ask.com, an Oakland-based search engine founded in the dot-com boom, has 200 employees in a 79,000-square-foot (7,339-sq.-m.) office it shares with other companies owned by parent IAC Publishing, spokeswoman Suraya Akbarzad said. Story continues Sungevity, a solar design company that has raised close to $900 million from investors, occupies approximately 68,000 square feet (6,317 sq. m.) in Oakland, spokesman John Ordona said. In San Francisco, Uber partnered with a real estate firm to purchase land for $125 million and develop a 423,000-square-foot (39,298-sq.-m.) campus that will house between 3,000 and 4,000 employees. That space is in addition to Uber's 500,000-square-foot (46,452-sq.-m.) headquarters in downtown San Francisco, according to BuildZoom. Other highly valued, fast-growing tech companies don't come close. Lyft said it has 66,000 square feet (6,132 sq m.)while online accommodations company Airbnb said it occupies 169,000 square feet (15,700 sq m.) in San Francisco. (This version of the story corrects size of Uber office in relation to Pandora in first sentence) (Reporting by Heather Somerville; Editing by Clarence Fernandez and Bill Trott) CARACAS, March 3 (Reuters) - Aluminum production in Venezuela continued to drop in 2015 though iron ore recovered slightly, the Ministry of Industry said in its annual report, after a year of labor conflicts, timid investment and a deep recession. Venalum, Latin America's largest aluminum factory, had output of 90,795 metric tons of the metal last year, a 15 percent drop from 2014. The ministry cited "low inventories of raw materials, supplies and spare parts, (and) intermittent availability of machinery and equipment." In March last year, Venalum said it had been forced to reduce the purity of its products owing to financial difficulties. Last year also saw an increase in production costs. Venalum has a capacity to produce 430,000 metric tons of aluminum annually and is 80 percent controlled by the Venezuelan state. The remainder is owned by a consortium of Japanese companies: Showa Denko, Kobe Steel, Sumitomo Chemical, Mitsubishi Materials y Marubeni . Venalum used to sell 75 percent of its production to the United States, Europe and Japan. Shipments, however, have fallen since 2009. The government has said it expects mining production to recover this year, but President Nicolas Maduro has asked the country's metals businesses, located in the south of the country, to reduce shipments to aid an energy savings plan. Meanwhile, Alcasa, the country's other major aluminum producer, saw output 28,536 tons of liquid aluminum in 2015, a decline of 0.9 percent on the previous year and far from its capacity of 170,000 tons. State-run Ferrominera, the country's largest iron ore producer, had output of 12 million tons in 2015, up 9 percent on the 11 million tons reported in 2014, one of its worst years. However, the figure is still far from its capacity of 25 million tons. Production at state company Sidor, the country's largest steelmaker, rose slightly in 2015 to reach 1.06 million tons of liquid steel, still far from its capacity of 5 million tons. (Reporting by Diego Ore; Writing by Girish Gupta; Editing by Thomas Brown) Iditarod For the first time in the history of the event, organizers of the Iditarod sled dog race in Alaska will have to ship in snow due to unseasonably warm weather. The traditional start to the famous, 1,000 mile race from Anchorage to Nome begins with a ceremonial trot through downtown Anchorage but this year race officials will have to improvise to make it work. The organizers will import 300 cubic yards of snow from Fairbanks which is 350 miles to the north via the Alaska Railroad to be distributed prior to the event on Saturday. According to Tim Sullivan, the spokesperson for the Alaska Railroad and a resident of Anchorage, the company has been in conversation with Iditarod officials all season. "It's been a warm and snow-free winter," Sullivan said. "It's been in the 40s all week." The railroad will attach seven cars full of snow collected in their Fairbanks rail yard to a southbound freight train later this week, with no charge to the race, Sullivan said. Anchorage is so snow-starved it has to haul snow in by train for Iditarod start https://t.co/YqeiA7wqFE pic.twitter.com/c7hv7RjVUe Alaska Dispatch News (@adndotcom) March 1, 2016 This is the third warm year in a row for Anchorage, which recently broke a local record for its most consecutive days without snowfall. NOW WATCH: A Dieselgate protester stormed the stage during a Volkswagen press conference More From Business Insider 2000 - 2022 24 .- . focus-news.net, () . 24 . 24 . . 24 . Yanis Varoufakis is clearly enjoying his new found fame as the Greek Government's finance minister which is not surpassing since he was until recently teaching at the Lyndon B Johnson School of Public Affairs in Austin, Texas. I was struck by his directness in answer to the question about how Greece was behaving before the financial crash where he admits that life was one big, never ending party. Yet in his very next answer to the people's mindset 'after the crash' he resorts to meaningless words and gobbledegook while shying away from the obvious point - that Greece is really the architect of its own misfortune. So while reasonable people are willing to help Greece recover from its present predicament, I suspect a little humility would go a long way in bringing about the right kind of mood music. Yanis Varoufakis: In his own words By Russell Hotten - BBC Business reporter By Russell Hotten - BBC Business reporter With his open-neck shirt hanging outside his trousers and long black overcoat, Yanis Varoufakis could pass for an ageing rock star. Greece's new finance minister is on a European tour, arguing the case for a debt write-off. For Europe's highly-polished political and financial elite, the 53-year-old 'libertarian Marxist' has been a culture shock. Not for him the guarded, diplomatic-speak that politicians are used to. Here's a selection of his opinions. On the austerity terms of Greece's 240bn bailout "Europe in its infinite wisdom decided to deal with this bankruptcy by loading the largest loan in human history on the weakest of shoulders... What we've been having ever since is a kind of fiscal waterboarding that has turned this nation into a debt colony." Varoufakis wants to stay in the eurozone "Greece is absolutely, irreversibly, committed to staying in the eurozone," he told CNN. "The problem is that once you're in, it goes just like the Eagle's song 'Hotel California' - you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave." His view on the 'troika' - the EU, IMF, and ECB - that arranged Greece's bailout "A committee built on rotten foundations." On being accused by a European finance minister of "killing" the troika by not talking to them "Wow!" Yanis Varoufakis met UK Chancellor George Osborne on MondayWith his open-neck shirt hanging outside his trousers and long black overcoat, Yanis Varoufakis could pass for an ageing rock star.Greece's new finance minister is on a European tour, arguing the case for a debt write-off. For Europe's highly-polished political and financial elite, the 53-year-old 'libertarian Marxist' has been a culture shock.Not for him the guarded, diplomatic-speak that politicians are used to. Here's a selection of his opinions."Europe in its infinite wisdom decided to deal with this bankruptcy by loading the largest loan in human history on the weakest of shoulders... What we've been having ever since is a kind of fiscal waterboarding that has turned this nation into a debt colony.""Greece is absolutely, irreversibly, committed to staying in the eurozone," he told CNN. "The problem is that once you're in, it goes just like the Eagle's song 'Hotel California' - you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave.""A committee built on rotten foundations.""Wow!" Varoufakis held talks with French finance minister Michel Sapin on Sunday as part of his whistlestop tour On the different treatment of bankrupt banks and bankrupt states "Quite remarkably, while the insolvent states are visited upon by stern IMF and EU officials, are constantly reviled by the 'serious' press for their 'profligacy' and 'wayward' fiscal stance, the banks go on receiving ECB liquidity and state funding (plus guarantees) with no strings attached. No memoranda, no conditionalities, nothing." He wants a deal with hedge funds, bankers and the establishment. But... "Forging alliances with reactionary forces, as I think we should do to stabilise Europe today, brings us up against the risk of becoming co-opted, of shedding our radicalism through the warm glow of having 'arrived' in the corridors of power." Poet Dylan Thomas was his inspiration after Syriza won Greece's general election "Greek democracy today chose to stop going gently into the night. Greek democracy resolved to rage against the dying of the light." To the wealthy and political elite that he says ran Greece "We are going to destroy," he told Channel 4 News "the basis upon which they have built for decade after decade a system, a network that viciously sucks the energy and the economic power from everybody else in society." He studied economics and maths in the UK in the 1970s and 80s "I found it [economics] such a morose subject, so bonecrushingly boring, so much reliant on third rate mathematics. Why study inane metamorphoses of third-rate mathematics when I could study first-rate, aesthetically pleasing, ideologically unproblematic, mathematics? So, I immediately transferred to the School of Mathematics." Varoufakis taught at Sydney University, where he was no fan of Australia's prime minister John Howard "That awful little man." On Karl Marx "In truth, Karl Marx was responsible for framing my perspective of the world we live in, from my childhood to this day. It is not something that I volunteer to talk about in 'polite society' much these days because the very mention of the M-word switches audiences off." "I found it [economics] such a morose subject, so bonecrushingly boring, so much reliant on third rate mathematics. Why study inane metamorphoses of third-rate mathematics when I could study first-rate, aesthetically pleasing, ideologically unproblematic, mathematics? So, I immediately transferred to the School of Mathematics.""That awful little man.""In truth, Karl Marx was responsible for framing my perspective of the world we live in, from my childhood to this day. It is not something that I volunteer to talk about in 'polite society' much these days because the very mention of the M-word switches audiences off." On Margaret Thatcher's legacy "All that sprang out of Thatcherism were the spivs, extreme financialisation, the triumph of the shopping mall over the corner store, the fetishisation of housing and Tony Blair." Before the financial crash, Greeks thought the party would never end "The average Greek had convinced herself that Greece was superb. Uber alles. A cut above the rest. That we had made it into Europe's hard core but that we were even better than the austere Germans, the snobbish French, the bubbly Italians, the stiff-upper-lip Brits. Due to our exceptional 'cunning', Greece was managing to combine fun, sun, xenychti (late nights) and the highest GDP growth in Europe." And after the crash? "Self-immolation followed self-congratulation, but left self-importance in the driving seat." He loves the BBC - well, most of the time "As a fan of the BBC, I must say I was appalled by the Varoufakis has spoken of his unease about his new-found fame"All that sprang out of Thatcherism were the spivs, extreme financialisation, the triumph of the shopping mall over the corner store, the fetishisation of housing and Tony Blair.""The average Greek had convinced herself that Greece was superb. Uber alles. A cut above the rest. That we had made it into Europe's hard core but that we were even better than the austere Germans, the snobbish French, the bubbly Italians, the stiff-upper-lip Brits. Due to our exceptional 'cunning', Greece was managing to combine fun, sun, xenychti (late nights) and the highest GDP growth in Europe.""Self-immolation followed self-congratulation, but left self-importance in the driving seat.""As a fan of the BBC, I must say I was appalled by the depths of inaccuracy in the reporting underpinning this interview (not to mention the presenter's considerable rudeness). Still, and despite the cold wind on that balcony, it was fun!" On worries about his elevation from university professor to politician "I know that I run the risk of, surreptitiously... indulging a feeling of having become 'agreeable' to the circles of 'polite society'. The sense of self-satisfaction from being feted by the high and mighty did begin, on occasion, to creep up on me. And what a non-radical, ugly, corruptive and corrosive sense it was!" And when did he first notice that "corruptive" influence? "My personal nadir came at an airport. Some moneyed outfit had invited me to give a keynote on the European crisis and had forked out the ludicrous sum necessary to buy me a first class ticket. On my way back home, tired and already with several flights under my belt, I was making my way past the long queue of economy passengers, to get to my gate. Suddenly I noticed, with considerable horror, how easy it was for my mind to be infected with the sense that I was 'entitled' to bypass the hoi polloi. I realised how readily I could forget that which my left-wing mind had always known: that nothing succeeds in reproducing itself better than a false sense of entitlement." On calls that he must now stop writing his widely-followed blog "Naturally, The meeting with Eurogroup head Jeroen Dijsselbloem was reportedly tense"I know that I run the risk of, surreptitiously... indulging a feeling of having become 'agreeable' to the circles of 'polite society'. The sense of self-satisfaction from being feted by the high and mighty did begin, on occasion, to creep up on me. And what a non-radical, ugly, corruptive and corrosive sense it was!""My personal nadir came at an airport. Some moneyed outfit had invited me to give a keynote on the European crisis and had forked out the ludicrous sum necessary to buy me a first class ticket. On my way back home, tired and already with several flights under my belt, I was making my way past the long queue of economy passengers, to get to my gate. Suddenly I noticed, with considerable horror, how easy it was for my mind to be infected with the sense that I was 'entitled' to bypass the hoi polloi. I realised how readily I could forget that which my left-wing mind had always known: that nothing succeeds in reproducing itself better than a false sense of entitlement.""Naturally, my blog posts will become more infrequent and shorter. But I do hope they compensate with juicier views, comments and insights." We value your privacy. Focus Taiwan (CNA) uses tracking technologies to provide better reading experiences, but it also respects readers' privacy. Click here to find out more about Focus Taiwan's privacy policy. When you close this window, it means you agree with this policy. To activate the text-to-speech service, please first agree to the privacy policy below. Taipei, March 3 (CNA) EVA Airways (EVA Air, ), one of Taiwan's leading international carriers, is planning to hire 600 flight attendants and more than 100 pilots by the end of this year in a bid to meet demand from an increase in destinations and flights, as well as an expansion of its fleet. To activate the text-to-speech service, please first agree to the privacy policy below. Taipei, March 3 (CNA) Taiwan has recently signed a mutual driver's license recognition agreement with the U.S. state of Massachusetts that allows the citizens of one side to obtain a driver's license from the other side without having to take a test, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said Thursday. That, given Canada and Israel share a long history of friendship as well as economic and diplomatic relations, the House reject the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which promotes the demonization and delegitimization of the State of Israel, and call upon the government to condemn any and all attempts by Canadian organizations, groups or individuals to promote the BDS movement, both here at home and abroad. This week, the Canadian Parliament overwhelmingly voted in favour of a motion condemning the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel.The motion, passed on February 22 by a 229-51 vote, states:First, there is no such thing as friendship between states. States have no friends, they have interests and nothing else.Second, the BDS movement does not promote the demonization and delegitimization of the State of Israel, as the motion puts it, in a very unfactual and questionable manner. The BDS movement promotes international law and Palestinian rights and condemns Israels total lack of respect for both.Despite its emotional and propagandist wording, the motion completely fails to hide the fact that it condemns criticism of human rights violations by Israel. This calls for some explanations.By condemning a peaceful movement that tries to bring Israel to account, Canada expresses its total disregard for human rights and international law and its sheer hypocrisy when faced with human rights violations.There are currently 22 states targeted by Canadian sanctions, several of them for human rights violations. And Israel, being Canadas friend, is not one of them, even if the sanctioned countries misdeeds pale in comparison to the death and destruction Israel has imposed on Palestinians for decades.While not one sanction has been imposed on Israel for its war crimes and crimes against humanity, some countries have been sanctioned by Canada simply for misappropriating state funds.There are no words to describe the scale of this hypocrisy, but, we dont need any since the facts speak for themselves. Before looking at the list of sanctioned countries and the reasons behind their sanctions, it is worth mentioning only a few facts about Israel.As mentioned in the quote above, Israels policies and practices violate the most fundamental human rights of the Palestinians. The Hebrew state has been the subject of at least 77 UN resolutions since 1955 , and has been criticized in at least 26 resolutions for its violations of U.N. Security Council resolutions.In July 2015, a report by Amnesty International found compelling evidence of serious violations of international humanitarian law by Cuz it's a free market, man.Alberta crude struggles to reach refineries swamped with foreign oilCanadian imports of foreign crude are soaring, swamping refineries in Quebec and New Brunswick, while efforts to connect the plants with Alberta supplies encounter fresh roadblocks.The National Energy Board said Canadian crude oil imports leaped by 16 per cent last year to 736,000 barrels a day, including growing supplies from U.S. shale producers and OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia.From less than 100,000 barrels a day as recently as five years ago, imports of U.S. crude surged to more than 400,000 barrels a day in 2015. They now account for 62.4 per cent of total Canadian imports, the energy watchdog said.Led by Saudi Arabia, members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries have also increased their share of the Canadian market.Saudi imports are up sharply and now comprise 11.4 per cent of the total, while Nigerias market share nearly tripled last year to 5.2 per cent, according to the federal agency.The upsurge underscores the dramatic upheaval that has rocked global oil markets since mid-2014, cutting U.S. and international prices by roughly 70 per cent and throwing growth prospects of major energy producers into neutral. Forget Trump... what's the U.S. done to deserve Hillary, asks RICHARD LITTLEJOHN By Richard Littlejohn for the Daily Mail 3 March 2016After Super Tuesday, the nightmare scenario has moved a step closer to reality. America is on the brink of electing a polarising president with a long history of dishonesty, scandals and shady finances.No, not Donald Trump. While the Republican front-runner was once again dominating the media coverage of the primaries, Hillary Clinton effectively sewed up the Democratic nomination.Her sole challenger, self-proclaimed socialist Bernie Sanders, is still in the race, but Hillary is now unstoppable. She was nailed on for the nomination before a single vote was cast.Nobody of substance was prepared to stand against her. They were all terrified of the wrath of the Clinton attack machine, which has left a trail of bodies in its wake over three decades.Nevertheless, her preordained progression towards the White House masks a distinct lack of enthusiasm on the part of the electorate.Turn-out in the Democratic primaries has been well down, compared with the wave of excitement generated by the Barack Obama bandwagon eight years ago.His optimistic Yes We Can has been replaced by Hillarys implied Its My Turn. In a direct inversion of John F. Kennedys dictum, Mrs Clinton asks not what she can do for her country, but what it can do for her.Hillarys sense of entitlement dwarfs even that of our own Cherie Blair, who still bristles privately that she had to play a supporting role to her husband.But while the Wicked Witch has settled for a pot of gold and a vast property empire, Hillary has unfinished political business.Not that the Clintons are short of a shilling. When Bill left office in 2001, Hillary complained that they were flat broke. Yet 15 years later, they are reported to be worth in the region of $110 million (about 80 million).Hillary is said to account for more than a third of that money. Which is why it was absurd to hear her condemning the wealthy and powerful at her victory rally on Tuesday night.Wealth and power are what the Clintons live and breathe. Through their charitable foundation, which allows them to lord it like potentates, they have taken tens of millions of dollars from dubious foreign donors. Meanwhile, only 10 per cent of the foundations income has actually gone to charity.Equally insulting this week was Mrs Clinton claiming to champion those who are struggling to put a little away for their retirement.Theres little chance of Hillary having to choose between heating and eating in her old age.You wont find the former First Lady spooning cat food out of the tin, in front of one bar of an electric fire, at her home in upstate New York, while Bill wraps himself in a moth-eaten blanket and watches a scratchy video of Debbie Does Dallas.This is a woman who, while railing against the bankers, has made a fortune from financial institutions. She was paid $675,000 by Goldman Sachs for three speeches.When asked why she accepted so much money, she replied: Thats what they offered.In other words, it would be rude not to. Her answer recalled that of the notorious American bank robber Slick Willie Sutton. When asked why he robbed banks, he replied: Thats where the money is.Coincidentally, Hillarys husband is also known as Slick Willie, not because he robs banks, but because he has made a career out of extricating himself from sticky situations.Bill has been involved in a series of bimbo eruptions, most notably the Monica Lewinsky affair, which led to impeachment proceedings being brought against him. He came dangerously close to being kicked out of office for lying.Throughout, Hillary stood by her man. One of Bills many conquests, Gennifer Flowers who was his mistress for 12 years recently came out of the woodwork to condemn Hillary for condoning his behaviour and hinted that there was more dirt to come.Women who cross the Clintons have to endure a torrent of ordure poured from a great height. Lewinskys life was blighted for ever.I recently met a ferociously bright, thirtysomething professor of U.S. politics at Cambridge.She told me that while young American women would love to see a female president, they couldnt abide Hillary whom they accuse of being complicit in her husbands crimes against the sisterhood.Twice-divorced Trump is also frequently accused of mistreating women. If he wins the Republican nomination, reports suggest that we will witness the exquisite irony of Bill Clinton leading the attack on Trumps suitability to be President.It will be interesting to see how Trump responds to being called a misogynist by Slick Willie, who these days resembles a redneck roue in a Reno casino.The Clintons have been mired in scandal, as far back as the Whitewater Controversy, which revolved around dodgy land deals in Arkansas, when Bill was governor.After he became President, Hillary was accused of lying to an official inquiry into the sacking of several White House staff who were replaced by Clinton cronies.Now Mrs Clinton is being investigated by the FBI for illegally using her own private email server to send and receive classified correspondence in connection with her position as Secretary of State, the American equivalent of Foreign Secretary, and deleting 30,000 messages she described as personal.U.S. government officials have been sacked and prosecuted for less.Mrs Clinton makes great play of her experience, but her record in office is dismal.She was Secretary of State for four years until 2013. On her watch, the world became a more dangerous place.Having once said shed nuke Iran to protect Israel, she then supported the deal to bring the mad mullahs back into the fold, by lifting sanctions and allowing them to develop a peaceful nuclear programme.She lied about coming under sniper fire while on a visit to Bosnia.Worst of all, she refused a request to send military reinforcements to protect the American embassy in Benghazi, Libya.The result was an attack by jihadists on September 11, 2012, in which the U.S. ambassador was murdered.Clinton has never accepted responsibility.No wonder between 50 and 65 per cent of voters regularly say she is dishonest and untrustworthy. Her negatives are almost as high as Donald Trump.While her husband has a roguish charm and a fierce intellect, Hillary is just plain weird.She looks like a Botoxed beaver and has a voice like a blowtorch. Shes a grown-up version of Labours Yvette Cooper.She claims to speak for the common people, but has been part of the self-serving elite for the past quarter of a century, a fully paid-off member of the insidious alliance between Washington and big business.A photograph of the Clintons sucking up to Trump at his most recent wedding tells you pretty much all you need to know about the rotten state of American politics. They all sup from the same pot.Trump even claims that Bill Clinton rang him in the summer, urging him to stand.After Super Tuesday, it looks as if Hillary and The Donald will be going head-to-head for the White House, unless the Trump Travelling Circus can somehow be derailed which appears increasingly unlikely.This gruesome twosome deserve each other, but what has America done to deserve either?The smart money is on Hillary, but then the smart money has been wrong about Trump up to now.Ben Stein, a former Nixon speechwriter, this week described Trump as terrifying, truly terrifying.But he added: Im not sure even Hillary can beat him.Even if she can, is the alternative to The Donald any less terrifying?The nightmare has only just begun. Its no secret that Nebraska has deep historical roots reaching back hundreds of years, but its often easy to forget what many of these moments or who many of these significant people were. On Wednesday morning, Washington Elementary students took community members, leaders and parents on a blast from the past as they hosted their Hall of History event inside the school. Prior to fifth-graders moving to Johnson Crossing Academic Center, they used to complete the Hall of Presidents ever year, where each student would research one president from the past and compile a poster board full of fun facts and information. After they left, fourth-graders picked up where they left off, but with the fourth-grade emphasis district wide being placed on history, exploring well known Nebraskans and significant events from the past became the focal point, said Diane Stevens, Washington principal. The Hall of History is a fourth-grade project that combines social studies, science, writing, learning about research and giving a presentation, she said. So the fourth-graders worked on gathering information about a topic of importance in regard to Nebraska history, and then they prepared a poster about it. Some of the topics presented down the stretch of hallway by students included information about: Father Flanagan from Boys Town, Kool-Aid being invented in Hastings, the Blizzard of 1888, Omaha tornadoes, Malcom X and many others. Some students are only Spanish speakers, she said, so they gave their presentations in the language they know best. Students lined the hallway with their posters hung around their neck with a piece of string. People interested in hearing what they had to say pushed a button attached to their poster to make the students talk it was just another way to make the interaction more fun for the students, she said. Projects were completed during Social Studies class as part of the regular curriculum during the past month. Stevens said that it is important for students to have a grasp about the historical aspects of the state they come from. I think its important for our children who are from Nebraska to know the history of the state, she said. Just as a point of being educated and having a well-rounded knowledge base of the world they live in. All grade schools district-wide complete some sort of fourth grade project like this, she said, but are individually selected by staff at each school. Stevens said that the experience was enjoyable for the students, that they immersed themselves in learning some even memorized their presentations. Seeing students engage in this manner was enjoyable for Stevens to see. It was a great day, she said. Its authentic learning, theres high levels of student engagement, they are motivated to do a good job, and through this process they learned how to do research. They put a project together and they were able to share all of the information they learned. Political science PhD specializing in delegate selection rules, presidential campaigns and elections. Founder of FHQ Strategies LLC Hyatt Hotels Corporation today announced the launch of its new brand for unique and independent stay experiences. The new brand named the Unbound Collection by Hyatt will include a portfolio of new and existing upper-upscale and luxury properties that will maintain a distinct character while providing guests and owners Hyatts award-winning customer loyalty program, robust operational and marketing resources and trusted, quality brand. The properties within The Unbound Collection by Hyatt which will include historic urban gems, contemporary trend-setters, boutique hotels, resorts, and more will have their own individual brand identities, free from constraint or convention. At the same time, the brand will provide guests the freedom from worry by giving them the high-quality that comes with the Hyatt brand. The Unbound Collection by Hyatt launches with properties around the world, including The Driskill Hotel in Austin, Texas; the Hotel du Louvre in Paris, France; the Carmelo Resort & Spa in Carmelo, Uruguay; and the Coco Palms Resort in Kauai, Hawaii, which is expected to undergo a revitalization and re-open in spring 2018. Future hotels in The Unbound Collection by Hyatt will be equally story-worthy, whether it be through a fascinating past, an exclusive location, famous architecture and design, or an award-winning dining experience. Hard Rock International with 23 Hotels & 11 Casinos from Bali to Ibiza and San Diego to Singapore expands its portfolio with a new property in China. Located in Chinas northeastern Liaoning Province, the 200-room Hard Rock Hotel Dalian, a new-build, oceanfront resort will soon rise on Dalians Golden Beach. With projects currently underway in Shenzhen and Haikou, Hard Rock Hotel Dalian will be the brands third property in Mainland China upon completion in 2018. With the Chinese travel industry quickly changing as leisure demand grows, we feel the music-centric programming at Hard Rock Hotels will resonate well with Chinese travelers who visit Dalian each year, states Leong Wy Joon, senior vice president of hotel development, Asia and India at Hard Rock International. Bordering the Yellow Sea, Dalian is recognized as one of Chinas major tourist destinations, drawing more than five million visitors each year with its expansive coastlines and easily accessible beaches. In addition to being Chinas top beach destination, Dalian charms visitors with its lively and enthusiastic spirit as one of Chinas youngest cities. Aligning with Dalians leisure offerings, the upcoming Hard Rock Hotel Dalian will offer a vast array of amenities, such as multiple dining establishments, including both a casual and fine dining signature restaurant, as well as a stylish nightclub, allowing for hosted events, DJ sets and live music performances. Additionally, the hotel will feature Hard Rocks signature brand offerings, including a Hard Rock Roxity Kids Club and Body Rock fitness center. To support the upcoming project, Hard Rock International in collaboration with China-based Luneng Real Estate Group, the developers of the project, will create the Hard Rock Hotels Preview Center a fully branded experiential space located directly adjacent to the hotels building site. Set to open Spring 2016, the Preview Center will allow for both locals and travelers to become familiar with the Hard Rock Hotels brand by engaging with multiple signature offerings, such as enjoying priceless music memorabilia from Hard Rocks collection of more than 80,000 legendary items. In addition, the space will feature Fender guitar stations allowing for guests to interact with The Sound of Your Stay music amenity program and Rock Spa demonstrations, providing guests with an all-encompassing look at the brand and what guests can expect from Chinas upcoming Hard Rock Hotels. Representatives of Sarawak, Borneo held a "captive audience" of 40 experts from the Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (Business Events) industry at Sydney's Hilton last week to showcase the "7 Wonders of Borneo". The 7 Wonders of Borneo showcased the best of Sarawak as the region's freshest destinations for international business events, inclusive of the Orang-Utan, the states indigenous tribe, Mount Mulu, the Rajah Brooke butterfly, Sarawaks colonial history, the Raffesia, and the carnivorous Nepenthes. This initiative embodies the concept of business meets adventure. Sarawak can deliver bold, fresh perspectives to conferences that can never be obtained anywhere else in this world, said Amelia Roziman, General Manager of Marketing and Sales for the Sarawak Convention Bureau (SCB). The highlight of the evening was the launching of the 7 Wonders of Borneo film a production inspired by a familiarisation tour (FAM) by key business decision makers from Australia and Singapore in August 2015. Nick Koerbin, executive director of Association Executive Services, had a change of perception after the FAM trip: To be frank, I was blown away by the outstanding facilities and logistical assistance provided in Sarawak, which far exceeds the antiquated perception of an exotic destination! With todays challenging world economy, Sarawak proves to be an excellent value-for-money location for Australian organizations to conduct their conferences out of Australia and even New Zealand, he continued. SCB, the driver behind both 7 Wonders of Borneo and the FAM trip, is a leader in its profession, contributing a revenue of RM337 million to Malaysias largest state, Sarawak, since its inception in 2006. Operated by TAV Airports, Turkeys leading global brand in airport operations, Istanbul Ataturk and Skopje airports received the prestigious ASQ awards for their service quality and their dedication to cultivating an outstanding journey for passengers from curb to boarding. Organized by Airports Council International (ACI World), the global platform of airport operators, Airport Service Quality (ASQ) program selected Istanbul Ataturk Airport as "the most improved airport in Europe. Skopje Airport in Macedonia was also awarded by ASQ as the best airport in Europe in the category of airports welcoming less than 2 million passengers. The award ceremony will be held in April during the ACI Asia-Pacific Regional Conference TAV has always focused on maximizing customer satisfaction throughout all its operations since its establishment. We are following up on the expectations and needs of customers closely and accordingly providing them the appropriate solutions, said Kemal Unlu, General Manager, TAV Istanbul. Last year Istanbul Ataturk Airport was the third busiest airport of Europe after London and Paris with 61.3 million passengers. We are continuously investing and innovating to offer the best travel experience to our passengers. In 2015, we completed a major renovation project in Istanbul Ataturk, in order to improve passenger flow. Duty-free store areas and food courts have been enlarged and redesigned to serve the increased passenger flow, while accommodating the increasing transit passenger traffic. Also, biometric passport checks were initiated at the terminal. The Obstacle-Free Airport Project of our company has been named as a best-practice at the UN Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in New York. TAV is in collaboration with all industrial stakeholders, especially the State Airports Authority, the Civil Aviation General Directorate and Turkish Airlines, to provide a safe, swift and comfortable travel experience to all our passengers. The ongoing extension project at the international terminal will be completed in the first half of this year, adding another 20 million passengers to the airports annual capacity. The ASQ program by ACI Europe has always been a fundamental tool in providing us with crucial feedback on how to improve our services. I would like to emphasize that we are honored to receive this award given solely upon the feedback of the passengers. Airports increasing concentration on ensuring a stellar passenger experience is part of a larger trend, noted Angela Gittens, Director General, ACI World. Airports have evolved into complex, customer-focused businesses in their own right that in many cases are in competition with each other for passenger traffic. From duty free and restaurants to ambience, cleanliness, courtesy of staff, amenities, efficiency and more, air travelers are expecting big things from the airports through which they travel. More than anything, ASQ is a way for participants to measure the extent to which they deliver on these expectations. ASQ program is applied at more than 80 airports annually welcoming more than 3.5 billion passengers in more than 80 countries. The ASQ Survey covers 34 key service areas and includes 8 major categories such as access, check-in, security, airport facilities, food and beverage, retail and more. All participating airports use the same survey questions, creating an industry standard set of responses that allows participants to track and analyze their performance, as well as benchmark results against airports across the globe. TAV provided service to 61.3 million passengers at Istanbul Ataturk Airport in 2015. Operating Skopje and Ohrid airports in Macedonia, TAV welcomed 1.56 million passengers in this country in 2015. Back in 2014, a company called UltimatePointer filed a patent lawsuit against Nintendo and a number of retailers including GameStop, Best Buy, and Target, claiming that the Wii Remote infringed on its own pointing device patents. The case against Nintendo was dismissed by a Seattle Federal Court before going to trial, however, UltimatePointer attempted to overturn that outcome in the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals. Nintendo has now revealed that the Appeals Court has ruled in its favor, and has upheld the Seattle Court's original ruling that UltimatePointer must pay some of its attorney feeds. According to the Appeals Court, UltimatePointer engaged in "bad faith, vexatious, [and] wanton conduct when choosing to accuse Nintendo of patent infringement. We are very happy with this result, said Ajay Singh, director of litigation and compliance at Nintendo of America. "This case again demonstrates that Nintendo will vigorously defend itself and its innovations against patent lawsuits. It also demonstrates that, when justified, Nintendo will pursue all available options to recover attorney fees for improper litigation conduct. "Nintendo continues to support reform efforts to reduce the unnecessary and inefficient burden patent cases like this one place on technology companies in the United States. Are you interested in getting your company, event, or institution noticed? Advertise with the GRC on Global Geothermal News - Contact at dgroves@geothermal.org A BEAR MARKET ECONOMICS BLOG OCCUPY THE REVOLUTION OCCUPY THE REVOLUTION OF CONSCIOUSNESS This site may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in an effort to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. we believe this constitutes a fair use of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. MASON CITY Aaron Miller, 32, of Mason City, died Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at home. Memorial services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, March 5, 2016, at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Avenue with Pastor Chuck Kelsey, First Congregational United Church of Christ, officiating. Private family inurnment will take place at a later date. There will be no visitation. Per family request, the body will be cremated. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Aaron Miller Memorial Fund. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.majorericksonfuneralhome.com Aaron was born Sept. 19, 1983, in Mason City, the son of Larry D. Miller and Melinda K. Clausen. Aaron graduated from Mason City High School in 2002. Some of Aarons favorite hobbies were Frisbee Golf, fishing, listening to music, watching movies and hanging out with his friends. Aaron is survived by his mother, Melinda Mindy Brunner of Mason City; father, Larry D. (Julie) Miller of Baxter; sister, Shawna (Jake) Frank of Mason City; step-sister, Lindsey (Aaron Dannen) Brunner of Manly; step-brother, Adam (Stephanie) Brunner of Mason City; maternal grandmother, Terry Beavers of Mason City; paternal grandparents, Harrison and Elaine Miller of Mason City; several aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins. Aaron was preceded in death by his step-father, Rex Brunner; maternal grandfather, Vern Clausen; and uncle, William Miller. Arrangements: Major Erickson Funeral Home and Crematory, 111 N. Pennsylvania Avenue, Mason City, IA 50401, 641-423-0924, www.majorericksonfuneralhome.com ROCK FALLS | Elizabeth Liz Hinrichsen, 85, of Rock Falls, died Tuesday, March 1, 2016, at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, March 4, 2016, at the Old Stone United Methodist Church, Rock Falls, with Pastor Jim Roth officiating. Interment will be in the Rock Falls Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Ave., Mason City. Memorials may be directed to the Rock Falls United Methodist Church, KCMR Radio or Hospice of North Iowa. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.majorericksonfuneralhome.com. Liz was born March 18, 1930, at the home of her parents Gottlob and Sarah (Thiemann) Goll in Klemme, Iowa. She was baptized and confirmed at the Reformed Church in Klemme. She graduated from Klemme High School in 1947 then attended Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls, now the University of Northern Iowa. She worked in Mason City until her marriage to Donald Hinrichsen Feb. 24, 1952, at the Klemme Reformed Church, Klemme. Don and Liz lived on the Hinrichsen Farm at Nora Springs before opening Don's Farm Store in Rock Falls in 1956. They moved to Rock Falls in 1957 with Liz working alongside Don as the bookkeeper in the family business. They sold the business in 1985. They enjoyed traveling and spending their winters in Texas. Liz was an active member of the Old Stone United Methodist Church where she served as financial secretary for over 30 years. She enjoyed volunteering at KCMR Radio, reading to the blind and her social life which included breakfast club and playing in several card clubs. Liz was always willing to lend a helping hand to those in need. Liz is survived by two daughters, Sandra (Tony) Wyborny of Bloomington, Indiana, and Dee (Roger) Pearce of Mason City; grandson, Kurt (Michelle) Hinrichsen of Washington, Iowa; grandchildren, Tonya (Jonathon) Bolton of East LeRoy, Michigan, Troy (Tara) Wyborny of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Angela (Ben) Miller of Waukee, and Ashley Pearce of Mason City; great-grandchildren, Madysen, Kolten, Lauren and Kendall Hinrichsen, Caden Molak and Tenley Bolton, Caleb Miller; several nieces and nephews. Liz was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Donald in 2003; son, Jay in 1976; two brothers and two sisters. Arrangements: Major Erickson Funeral Home and Crematory, 111 N. Pennsylvania Avenue, Mason City, IA 50401; 641-423-0924. www.majorericksonfuneralhome.com Los Angeles, March 02, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Moroccos first luxury skincare brand Ormana introduces farm-to-skin products that are harvested and bottled in the same day. Available online and at select specialty retailers, the nature-based anti-aging lines products are formulated in small batches to ensure the utmost freshness and efficacy. Ormana is a bit different from most conventional skincare brands in that we have our own farms where we grow and harvest our rare precious oils, says Ghita Chakir, vice president of marketing for Ormana. Not only does this give us greater control regarding the quality and purity of our ingredients, but it also means we can adjust the size of our batches depending on the demand. Ormana is known for providing some of the highest quality and most authentic forms of Prickly Pear and Argan oils, two botanicals lauded for their powerful anti-aging effects. Each oil variety is extracted by hand during the peak of ripeness and is bottled immediately thereafter. As a result, its ingredients are 100 percent free from impurities, unlike many drugstore beauty brands that process their products in bulk. The entire line is rooted in the anti-aging rituals passed down by generations of Moroccan women, said Chakir. Weve aimed to stay as true to those rituals as possible, which means cultivating and formulating our products with great care and patience. It may seem like a lot of extra work, but in the end, it makes all of the difference. From the purest precious oils to advanced formulas for the face, body, and lashes, Ormana offers a wide range of natural beauty solutions designed to boost the skins defenses and reverse signs of aging. All of its products are free from chemical-preservatives, parabens, silicones, coloring agents, and animal testing. To shop the complete line of Ormana products now, please visit http://myormana.com. About Ormana Introducing the Moroccos first luxury skincare brand, Ormana blends the best of nature, science, and tradition to enhance and reinforce the skins natural defenses. A translation of natural gold of Morocco, Ormana directly grows, sources, and bottles the regions most authentic botanical ingredients, such as organic Argan and Prickly Pear Oils, to deliver the purest and most effective anti-aging solutions, without the need for harsh chemicals. BEIJING, March 02, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Chinas meteoric economic rise and the burgeoning ascendancy of OIC nations in the international landscape are altering global economic power dynamics, and players from both markets are eager to tap the lucrative opportunities arising from stronger bilateral ties. With a more inclusive foreign policy, including a renewed stance on the Middle East and Africa, Chinese president Xi Jinping has set the motion for greater China-OIC relations with the One Belt, One Road initiative a central pillar to Chinas grand strategy. Yet, questions remain including: what are the considerations for market players from both sides of the divide in capitalizing this flow of opportunities and how can these linkages be created? In light of this development, the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD) (ICD-ps.org), private sector arm of Islamic Development Bank Group (IDB), is hosting for the first time ever, a groundbreaking event to connect investors and regulators from Asia, Africa and the Gulf with senior decision-makers of the worlds second-largest economy. To be held at the Westin Beijing Financial Street Hotel in Beijing on the 22nd March 2016, and with senior-level participation from state-owned funds such as the Silk Road Fund and the China Africa Development Fund, the pioneering China OIC Forum is expected to gather over 300 senior regulators, multilateral institutions and market players with the aim of enhancing partnerships between key industry players and multilateral bodies as well as identify joint investment opportunities. Why attend? The opportunity to meet decision-makers from Chinas largest funds, banks and state-owned enterprises High-level discussions focused on opportunities available to Chinese firms and institutions in global project and infrastructure finance deals Find out what investment options are available to Chinese investors in key OIC markets in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, and Establish connections and trade partnerships in line with the 'One Belt, One Road' initiative. With a stellar speaker lineup, the forum will serve as an excellent platform to meet senior decision-makers from Chinese state-owned firms and development banks as well as leading bankers and corporates from key OIC markets. Distributed by APO (African Press Organization) on behalf of Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD). Regulatory Announcement Royal Bank of Canada March 2, 2016 Publication of Prospectus Not for release, publication or distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States. Royal Bank of Canada has agreed to issue CNY 200,000,000 5.08 per cent. Notes due 4 March 2019, Series 25459 (the "Notes") pursuant to its Programme for the Issuance of Securities (the "Programme"). The following document constitutes the final terms dated March 2, 2016 (the "Final Terms") relating to the admission to trading of the Notes for purpose of Article 5.4 of Directive 2003/71/EC and must be read in conjunction with the Prospectus dated October 30, 2015, as supplemented by the 1st Supplementary Notes Base Prospectus dated December 14, 2015 and the 2nd Supplementary Notes Base Prospectus dated March 1, 2016 relating to the Programme (the "Prospectus"). Full information on Royal Bank of Canada and the offer of the Notes is only available on the basis of the combination of the Final Terms and the Prospectus. DISCLAIMER - INTENDED ADDRESSEES Please note that the information contained in the Prospectus and the Final Terms, may be addressed to and/or targeted at persons who are residents of particular countries (specified in the Prospectus) only and is not intended for use and should not be relied upon by any person outside these countries and/or to whom the offer contained in the Final Terms is not addressed. Prior to relying on the information contained in the Final Terms you must ascertain from the Prospectus, as supplemented by these Final Terms, whether or not you are part of the intended addressees of the information contained therein. The Notes have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") and are subject to US tax law requirements. Subject to certain exceptions, the Securities may not be offered, sold or delivered in or into the United States or to or for the account or benefit of US persons (as defined in Regulation S under the Securities Act). No public offering of the Securities is being made in the United States. Your right to access this service is conditional upon complying with the above requirement. To view the full document, please paste the following URLs into the address bar of your browser. http://www.rns-pdf.londonstockexchange.com/rns/8725Q_-2016-3-2.pdf For further information, please contact Paul Guthrie Assistant General Counsel Royal Bank of Canada Telephone Number: (416) 974-6516 Fax Number: (416) 955-2032 Email: paul.guthrie@rbc.com DGAP-News: MPC Munchmeyer Petersen Capital AG / Key word(s): Miscellaneous MPC Capital Builds STAYTOO Apartments in Leipzig 03.03.2016 / 08:04 The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- MPC Capital Builds STAYTOO Apartments in Leipzig - It's the fourth STAYTOO micro-apartment site - Slated for completion by the 2017/2018 winter semester Hamburg/Leipzig, March 3rd, 2015 - Leipzig will be the fourth location for MPC Capital's student apartment platform STAYTOO (www.staytoo.de). The Hamburg-based asset manager and investment managers acquired a plot in the district of Connewitz near the University of Technology, Economy and Culture and the University of Telecommunications. The company intends to start developing micro-apartments for students at the site this coming spring. The property was acquired from a private seller. Rainer Nonnengasser, Head of the Micro Living division at MPC Capital, had this to say about the choice of location: "Leipzig has experienced accelerating growth in recent years, which is primarily attributable to its economic clout. Yet the city is an attractive choice not just for businesses, but also for students." The property is located at Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse 144. Here, 110 student apartments on a gross floor area of around 4,000 sqm are to become available for students of nearby higher education institutions by fall of 2017. The property will also provide common-part areas, a washing lounge, a reception area, and a bicycle storage room. "Enrolment at higher education institutions in Leipzig currently totals around 36,000 students. Demand for high-quality apartments that satisfy the expectations of today's students keeps going up," explained Nonnengasser. He went on to say: "The idea is to offer modern housing solutions with the high-end amenities of the STAYTOO brand to students in Leipzig." About MPC Capital AG (www.mpc-capital.de) MPC Capital AG is an independent asset and investment manager for real asset investments. Together with its subsidiaries, the company develops and manages real asset investments and investment products for international institutional investors, family offices and professional investors. Its focus is on the asset categories Real Estate, Shipping and Infrastructure. MPC Capital AG has been quoted on the stock exchange since 2000 and has around 240 employees group-wide. Contact MPC Capital AG Stefan Zenker Head of Investor Relations & Public Relations Tel. +49 (40) 380 22-4347 Fax +49 (40) 380 22-4878 E-mail: s.zenker@mpc-capital.com Digital press kit STAYTOO: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/7bidtbxlvljq7xv/AAC1NGhcJhTXgRJ1ASxQ4hXBa?dl=0 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 03.03.2016 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Media archive at www.dgap-medientreff.de and www.dgap.de --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Language: English Company: MPC Munchmeyer Petersen Capital AG Palmaille 75 22767 Hamburg Germany Phone: +49 (0)40 380 22-0 Fax: +49 (0)40 380 22-4878 E-mail: kontakt@mpc-capital.com Internet: www.mpc-capital.de ISIN: DE000A1TNWJ4 WKN: A1TNWJ Listed: Regulated Unofficial Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Hanover, Munich, Stuttgart; Open Market (Entry Standard) in Frankfurt End of News DGAP News Service --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 442265 03.03.2016 AUSTIN, Texas, March 3, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Associa Hill Country is proud to announce that Community Manager Marlo Kelley has earned her Certified Manager of Community Associations (CMCA) designation from the Community Associations Institute (CAI). The CMCA is the only national certification program designed exclusively for managers of homeowner and condominium associations and cooperatives. It recognizes individuals who have demonstrated the fundamental knowledge required to manage community associations. "Kelley is most deserving of this recent honor as she has proven to be a true leader through her tireless work ethic and dedicated drive for unsurpassed customer service," says Associa Hill Country President Kelley Brewster. "Her positive attitude and upbeat personality influences others around her and I think she has what it takes to go a long way in this profession." Kelley attended Temple University, in Pennsylvania and joined Associa Hill Country four years ago. She manages several properties throughout Austin, Round Rock, and Dripping Springs. Building and managing successful communities for more than 35 years, Associa is the worldwide leader in community management with over 10,000 employees operating more than 180 branch offices in the United States, Mexico, Canada, the United Arab Emirates and South Africa. Based in Dallas, Texas, our industry expertise, financial strength, and innovation meet the unique needs of clients across the world with customized services and solutions designed to help communities achieve their vision. To learn more about Associa and its charitable organization, Associa Cares, go to www.associaonline.com or www.associacares.com. Stay Connected: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/associa Twitter: https://twitter.com/associa LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/associa Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/associa/ YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/associamarketing Google+: https://plus.google.com/+Associaonline/ A Brooklyn woman was arrested yesterday after she allegedly pushed an elderly homeless man onto the subway tracks at Union Square. Police say the incident happened around 5:30 p.m. when suspect Sandra Zelazny, 32, got into an argument with a 70-year-old man at the 6 train platform at Union Square. It's unclear what precipitated that, but Zelazny allegedly pushed him onto the tracks, then boarded a train. The victim, whose name hasn't been released, suffered an injury to his forehead and was taken to Bellevue Hospital. He was able to identify his assailant to police, who arrested her about an hour later. Zelazny, a Borough Park resident, has been charged with assault and reckless endangerment. In 2012, a homeless man allegedly pushed a Queens dad to his death in front of an oncoming train in a highly-publicized incident that was caught on camera by a Post photographer. Suspect Naeem Davis was offered a plea deal today that will save him from spending life in jail for shoving Ki-Suck Han in front of a Q train on Dec. 3, 2012. According to the Post, Davis will be offered a 22-year jail sentence on manslaughter charges. A source added that Han's "family is not opposed to the plea deal." After two years of boycotting, Mayor Bill de Blasio will finally march in the NYC St. Patrick's Day Parade this year. Why now? A large LGBT group with 300 marchers will be allowed to participate. De Blasio told the AP, "The St. Patricks Day Parade is a New York City tradition, but for years Irish LGBT New Yorkers could not show their pride. Finally, they can celebrate their heritage by marching in a parade that now represents progress and equality." The ban on LGBT groups in the parade started when Irish Lesbian and Gay Organization applied to march in the 1991 parade. The parade's organizers, the Ancient Order of Hibernians, rejected them, but Mayor David Dinkins allowed ILGO to march with himonly to be booed for 40 blocks. After that, Dinkins and Governor Mario Cuomo declined to march in the parade. (Mayors Rudy Giuliani and Michael Bloomberg marched in the parade.) High-profile sponsors like Guinness and Heineken dropped out of the parade after outrage steadily mounted. Though an LGBT group, made up of LGBT NBC employees, was allowed to march in the 2015 parade, critics said it was the result of a "closed door deal" and because NBC is a sponsor. Then, last summer, the homophobic chair of the parade, John Dunleavy, was ousted. Two months later the Lavender and Green Alliance was given permission to march, and its founder Brendan Fay said, "It will be a great day for the Irish diaspora and for all New Yorkers as we will honor the centenary of 1916 Rising together. The words from the 1916 proclamation, cherishing all the children of the nation equally, will be real and meaningful." The Irish Queers, who have staged protests during the parade, said in a statement last year: From the beginning, our demand has been for an Irish LGBTQ contingent to march behind their own banner saying who they are, like all other contingents. Todays decision to invite the Lavender and Green Alliance does just that! This is a victory for the grassroots organizing, civil disobedience, and street protest of the Irish Lesbian and Gay Organization and its successor, Irish Queers. Protests held the line year after year where politics constantly failed. Its also a victory for our beautiful queer and Irish community of support, stretching from New York City to Ireland and beyond. The parade issue has never just been about LGBTQ people. Irish peoples struggles are part of our identity: challenges to religious bigotry, demands for womens rights, Irish republicanism, and struggles against racism in New York and Ireland are irreducible parts of the Irish experience. Irish queers have often been at the forefront of those struggles. We are proud of the complexity of our lives and histories. The desire to march and the protests against exclusion began as part of Irish queer peoples work to stem the homophobia-fueled tide of AIDS deaths, to push back on the power of the church in Ireland, and to end the pretense that Irish queers are not a central part of Irish culture and politics. Even as other battles were won, the parades ironclad combination of bigotry, religion, money, and city politics made it a long holdout against justice. We are tired but happy to see the end of it. Our thanks: were thankful to the many ordinary New Yorkers who supported us over the last 25 years, as well as the many elected official who refused to march in the parade while we were left out. Were thankful for David Dinkins and others who made real, tangible tries at giving Irish queer people their rightful place in the parade. And were grateful to and proud of the original members of the Irish Lesbian and Gay Organization - who were also part of ACT UP, the Lesbian Avengers, and other important queer activist forces - who laid the groundwork for this victory. We look forward to marching up Fifth Avenue with our community! Mayor de Blasio has a press conference at the Irish Consulate at 12:30 p.m. today. A hit-and-run driver knocked a 70-year-old man off of his electric scooter in Gravesend Wednesday afternoon, causing critical injuries. The collision took place at roughly 3:45 p.m. The elderly victim had been using his scooter in the crosswalk of 85th Street at 25th Avenue when the eastbound driver hit him. Immediately following the crash, the driver stopped, got out of the vehicle, and looked back at the scene before driving off again. A witness told DNAinfo that the driver ran a red light just before the crash. The driver reportedly continued to rush down 85th Street, ignoring red lights as the man lay bleeding in the street. "I couldn't believe it at first," witness Jennifer Fahmy told NBC. "I immediately ran to the guy. He was barely moving." Another witness told Pix 11 that the victim was bleeding from his face and legs as he lay on the asphalt. The elderly man was rushed to Lutheran Medical Center and remains in critical condition. An NYPD spokesperson confirmed that no arrests have been made in the case, and the investigation is ongoing. Police have released video of the collision, hoping the public can help identify the hit-and-run driver. Police describe the vehicle as a 2011-2015 white Jeep Grand Cherokee. However, numerous outlets, including News 12, Pix 11, and the Post report that the SUV was a Kia. Bird poop forced a reactor to shut down at the Indian Point nuclear power plant in Westchester County in December of last year. The New York Post reports that a state-demanded investigation by plant operator Entergy found that the December 14th, 2015 outage was prompted by crap from a "large bird" that dropped onto some electrical gear and tripped the facility's automatic shutdown mechanism. "Damage was caused by a bird streamer. Streamers are long streams of excrement from large birds that are often expelled as a bird takes off from a perch," the report stated. "If a streamer contacts an energized conductor, the electrical current may travel through the streamer back to the bird or pole/transmission tower. The result may be a bird electrocution, power outage, and/or line trip." The unplanned outage was the 20th that one or the other of the plant's two reactors have had since 2011, according to state investigation documents. "Its not clear how many of those were due to birds," Entergy reportedly wrote, referring to Unit 3's 13 shutdowns, "but the dropping did not put the plant in any danger of causing harm to the public." An Entergy spokeswoman denied having a copy of the report referenced by the Post. Spokesman Jerry Nappi sent this statement regarding the shutdown: Indian Point Unit 3 shut down safely and as designed in December following an electrical disturbance on outdoor high voltage transmission lines situated between our plant and the external electrical grid. While the cause of the electrical disturbance is still being reviewed by an outside engineering expert, a possible cause is bird "streaming"an issue that is known to cause electrical interruptions in high voltage transmission lines throughout the world. An outside expert is still analyzing the failed equipment to determine the most likely cause. That final determination will be examined and reviewed for any going forward learnings. Governor Andrew Cuomo has long called for shuttering the plant, citing its location 30 miles north of the Bronx and within an hour drive of 20 million people. The confrontation has heated up in recent months. Two days after the December 14th outage, Cuomo ordered the Department of Public Service to investigate what one official has called "the troubling trend of unexpected outages," beginning a legal battle over what Entergy must disclose, and what of that material must be made available to the public. Entergy has argued repeatedly that much of the information the state is seeking constitutes trade secrets and should be hidden if it must be turned over. In a separate but related fight, Entergy sued the state in January over Secretary of State Cesar Perales trying to block the renewal of the facility's federal license by denying it a coastal safety certification. In refusing to sign off on the application, Perales argued that the plant is unsafe because of its proximity to two fault lines and the source of New York City's drinking water, and its heating apparatus's mass killing of fish in the Hudson River. Entergy countered that Perales doesn't have the authority to regulate nuclear power, and that the state's acceptance of three other nuclear plants undermine its arguments against Indian Point. Since the state investigation began, a spill has leaked radioactive tritium into groundwater around the plant, prompting the federal government to beef up its inspector presence at the site. Cuomo called the radioactivity "alarming," but acknowledged that it posed no immediate safety risk to nearby residents. In response to the spill, the state brought the Department of Health and the Department of Environmental Conservation into the larger investigation, state documents show. Late last month, the governor also demanded that the feds [pdf] halt construction of additions to the Algonquin natural gas pipeline, because of the planned pipe running less than half a mile from the plant. The pipeline transports gas from Texas to New England, and the planned expansion is supposed to add hydrofracked gas from Pennsylvania to increase capacity. The pipeline is operated by the company Spectra, which has also recently laid pipe beneath Chelsea and the Rockaways, and has a checkered safety record. "The safety of New Yorkers is the first responsibility of state government when making any decision. Over the past several months there have been a series of serious incidents at the Indian Point Nuclear Facility, which my administration is investigating," Cuomo said in a statement. "At the same time, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has approved a natural gas pipeline in close proximity of Indian Point. I am directing my administration to commence an immediate independent safety analysis of the natural gas pipeline project and until that occurs, we urge the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to suspend the project." "I like to put things on the menu that I crave so that I always have something when I'm like, 'Oh I didn't eat today!'" laughs Shanna Pacifico as we sit in front of a table hidden beneath plates bearing pimento cheese-lacquered burgers and mini cast iron skillets stacked with crisp pieces of fried chicken. Pacifico has recently signed on as the new head chef at Extra Fancy, the Williamsburg haunt known for its seafood-centric menu and late night attributes. Prior to her current kitchen, the chef was leading the charge at Greenpoint's Cozinha Latina, celebrating her Brazilian-American heritage with fresh and flavorful dishes the food world was buzzing about (the restaurant's owners have since reverted the space back to a boring bar, much to the neighborhood's detriment). So what's she up to now? Lobster Bisque Fries, for one thing. "I have this idea that people are interested in and flock to fat kid foodand then who doesn't like poutine or disco fries?" Pacifico says of the inspiration for the centerpiece entree of the recently launched brunch. The restaurant's popular lobster roll meant a backlog of lobster shells, which create a rich lobster stock; that's when Pacifico's creativity came into play. "How do we use the lobster bodies from the lobster rolls in a way that's not just putting lobster stock or lobster bisque on the menu?" The dishwhich one can acquire at brunch for $18 or as a special on occasion during the weekboils down to a mound of thick-cut fries doused in a savory lobster bisque, held captive in a ceramic dish. On top, a liberal scattering of lobster meat, including tender hunks from the claw. In the middle a poached egg, waiting to be pierced, and a final few spoonfuls of cheerful tobiko, flying fish roe. Decadent, dangerous and wholeheartedly delicious. (Nell Casey/Gothamist) A revamped brunch program isn't the only thing Pacifico's new reign has ushered in. Some menu itemslike the restaurant's popular deviled eggsare staying put, but there's been some changing and expansion in other areas of the menu. The signature late-night patty melt may be eclipsed by the new DBL Patty Cheeseburger ($15), a messy, beefy stack of two patties glued with pimento cheese, pickles and caramelized onions on a Martin's potato bun. Her Extra Fancy Fried Chicken ($14), perfumed with fried garlic and red onion and fresh chopped herbs, employs a corn starch batter that crisps up the skin without weighing down the entire proceedings. The Extra Fancy Hot Sauce, which they're hoping to bottle and sell at some point down the road, is her twist on a piri piri sauce and adds a bright accent to the dish without setting anyone's mouth aflame. On the milder end, Clam Chowder Croquettes ($8), a nod to some of the New England notes that play out on the menu. Come spring, the restaurant will open up a large, new outdoor section that'll mean more opportunities for ingenuity and playing around with food. She wasn't ready to talk specifics, but Pacifico's aiming for some fun finger foods that'll set them apart from the rest. "New York is completely saturated with restaurants and it's not necessarily how you stand out, it's just...why are they going to want to come here, and not there? And you know, if you try to do something a little differently, hopefully that helps." 302 Metropolitan Avenue, (347) 422-0939; extrafancybklyn.com Extra Fancy Brunch 2016 Extra Fancy Menu Spring 2016 A group of five women filed a class action lawsuit today against the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, claiming that the state's 4% sales tax on tampons and other feminine hygiene productsbut not "medical" items like Rogaine, adult diapers and dandruff shampooviolates the Equal Protection clauses of the United States and New York State Constitutions. In addition to seeking a permanent tax exemption for feminine hygiene products, the lawsuit demands a full tax refund for all women who have purchased tampons or pads in New York over the last two years. "This is one of many laws made by men and for men," said attorney Zoe Salzman on Thursday. "If men menstruated once a month, there is no way there would be a sales tax on these products." For context, women who don't prefer DivaCups spend about $61.11 per year on tampons, an annual expenditure that might be on par with your monthly utility costs, but still adds up over 40ish years of fertility. For the plaintiffs in this case, the savings aren't insignificant. "I have witnessed young women counting every penny," said plaintiff Natalie Brasington. Joseph Henchman (Henchman!), a policy expert for the Tax Foundation, a conservative think tank, recently argued to the NY Times that tampons and other necessary goods are a reliable source of tax revenue during times of economic downturn, because women purchase them no matter whatarguably, from a humanist perspective, a pretty good reason not to tax them. It's also the principal of the thing. New York State exempts medical items from its sales tax, but excludes pads and tampons from the "medical" classification. According to the Department of Taxation's guide for retailers [PDF], feminine hygiene products are "generally used to control a normal bodily function and to maintain personal cleanliness." This differentiates them in the fine print from over-the-counter medication for a "vaginal infection," which treats a "specific medical condition." The plaintiffs counter that pads and tampons are necessary for the preservation of health, especially compared to, say, chapstick for a coldsore. Manhattan Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal and Senator Sue Serino of Dutchess County agreelast month they introduced legislation that would exempt feminine hygiene products like tampons and pads from state sales tax, calling the tax "a regressive tax on women and their bodies that harkens back to a time when the laws were written by men for women." And Queens Councilwoman Julissa Ferreras would take it a step further. Since last summer, she's been spearheading legislation that would provide free tampons to teenage girls, distributed to practical spots like high school bathrooms. The law is still winding its way through the Council, but at least one Queens high school has since installed a free tampon dispenser. Speaking at a press conference for the plaintiffs on Thursday, activist Jennifer Weiss-Wolf said she hoped that the lawsuit could potentially prove more expedient than city and state legislation. In January, she pointed out, an all-male Tax Committee in Utah voted to maintain the tampon tax. "It's terrific that the legislature is looking at this," she said. "But politics is politics." The State tax department did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the suit. Some bars are smart enough to offer sweet happy hour discounts way, way outside the usual hours of 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. Here are some of our favorite late night happy hours, and as always, please leave yours in the comments. KEYBAR Keybar is probably one of the smallest DJ bars in the city, somehow fitting a VIP lounge and fireplace into one tiny East Village room. But if you want to dance, lose your shit, and drink a lot of sugary, hangover-inducing cocktails and shots (including this one, which Gothamist's Ben Yakas previously sacrificed himself to), this is as good a place as any. To help you out with that, their 2-for-1 drink special, which includes everything from beer to shots to specialty cocktails, runs most nights until 10 p.m., but runs until 4 a.m. (that is, until close) on Sundays and Mondays. Keybar is located at 432 East 13th Street in the East Village, (212) 478-3021; keybar.com SOFT SPOT Soft Spot, the offbeat piano bar which has graced Bedford Avenue for over a decade, knows what the neighborhood wants: lots of booze on the cheap. They're always shaking up $7 pints of tequila-filled margaritas, plus a shot and mini Budweiser for $5, but until 8 p.m. they'll sell you 2-for-1 drafts and wells, a discount that runs until closing time on Tuesdays, which is perfect if your midweek Tinder date lasts until 2 a.m. Soft Spot is located at 128 Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg, (718) 384-7768; softspotbar.com THE JEFFREY Whod have thought that one of the citys better beer bars would be under the 59th Street Bridge, but hey, here we are. And while specialty beer can regularly run you $8 and up around the city, The Jeffrey is refreshingly generous during Happy Hour. From 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Sunday through Thursday, you can enjoy $8 house wines, $5 well drinks, and $5 select beers (and in this case, select beers covers a pretty good chunk of their draft list, not just the old bottles of Bud Light they have sitting around). The Jeffrey is located at 311 East 60th Street on the Upper East Side, (212) 355-2337; thejeffreynyc.com HILL COUNTRYRick Perrys favorite NYC barbecue joint might be best known for its brisket and Kreuz sausage from Texas, but after the kitchen closes, Hill Country is also home to one of the citys more comprehensive after-hours happy hours. From 10 p.m. until close, seven nights a week, their Chelsea location offers discounts on Bud and PBR ($3), Coors pitchers ($12), Shiner drafts ($5), house wines ($6), margaritas ($5), and even jello shots ($2), while Hill Country Brooklyn has similar deals on Shiner drafts, PBR, house wine, margaritas, and Lone Star. Hill Country is located at 30 West 26th Street in the Flatiron, (212) 255-4544 and 345 Adams Street in Downtown Brooklyn, (718) 885-4608; hillcountry.com METROPOLITAN Metropolitan is one of only a handful of gay bars in Williamsburg, but they have the combo hipster/gay bar niche covered with drag shows, skee-ball, and a sprawling back yard which hosts free cookouts on summer Sunday afternoons. On most nights, the DJ sets, drag shows and karaoke kick off around 10 p.m., and with them, their late-night drink specials begin. On any given late night between Sunday and Thursday, expect to find $3 PBR tallboys, $5 PBR/shot specials, $4 drafts, or $3 well drinks. Metropolitan is located at 559 Lorimer Street in Williamsburg, (718) 599-4444; metropolitanbarny.com WHITE OAK OYSTER BAR Sometimes the happiest hours are the ones filled with delicious foods, and this Hell's Kitchen spot boasts a good raw bar, a full menu of high-end bar grub, and an outdoor terrace for the warmer months. Their happy hour runs from open to close and means $1 Bluepoint oysters, $1.50 Beausoleil oysters and $2.50 Gold Creek oysters from the West Coast. The only stipulation: a two drink per table minimum, which can be satisfied with anything from soft drinks to hard alcohol to wine. On top of that, they also offer a rotating list of specials throughout the week: Taco Tuesdays, Wine Wednesdays, beer and cocktails on Thursdays, wings on Fridays, spirit flights on Saturday, and across-the-board discounts on Sundays. White Oak Oyster Bar is located at 818 10th Avenue in Hell's Kitchen, (646) 692-9347; whiteoaknyc.com BOXCAR LOUNGE This narrow, East Village mainstay isnt so much train-themed as it is stuffed into a space the size of an actual boxcar, but it does feature DJs, and is actually quite cozy, especially on slower nights. It has also been home to one of the citys most enduring extended happy hours2-for-1 drinks until 10 p.m. Monday - Thursdaya special that has been a point of pride for over 18 years (the special runs until 8 p.m. Friday - Sunday). Its a good place to have in your back pocket for a late-night midweek date, or for a quick drink (or two, because why else are you even reading this?) if you get out of work late. Boxcar Lounge is located at 168 Avenue B in Alphabet City, (212) 473-2830 News Woman claims losing Dhs542000 due to relationship in Abu Dhabi The woman said she knew the appellee for a long time and trusted in him, so she lent him Dhs542,000, which he asked to pay off his financial obligations, as he claimed. This was passed along from Bob B. and also credit to Kevin Sorbo. For me When the State tells you its safe to go to Home Depot to buy a ... There are a lot of ways to identify dog people. First, we have telltale hair clinging to our jackets, pants, gym bags ... you name it. We often have our dogs photo on our cellphone or perhaps our computer desktop. Or maybe make that dogs photos. And we probably have a few dog biscuits in our coat pockets. So how did our furry friends move in and take over and get us so well trained to take care of them? I think dogs picked us more than we picked them, at least initially, said Erica Feuerbacher, an assistant professor of anthrozoology at Carroll College. They were attracted to our refuse. So theres a view ... that they selected themselves to be sociable with us. Feuerbacher studies the bonds between animals and humans through her work at Carroll Colleges Anthrozoology program, the only such undergraduate program in the country. They became social," said Feuerbacher. "And we tend to like other social species. We like something that interacts with us. But dogs did more than clean up garbage piles, they were eventually put to work herding, or pulling travois and sleds, and as protection. From useful workers, theyve graduated to be fun human companions. Most people say this happened 14,000 years ago, she said, that dogs started hanging out with humans as dogs, not wolves. Actual breeds didnt evolve until the 1800s, she said. Some universally recognized benefits of the human-dog bond, are things like lower blood pressure and lower heart rate in humans and in socialized dogs. It goes both ways. Dogs are a social lubricant, she added. They provide an ice-breaker and a way for people to connect. And dogs get their people out doing exercise. And now, researchers are finding dogs are capable of much more refined training. And thats not just as seeing-eye dogs and police dogs, but also to detect some medical problems, open doors for the handicapped, and sniff out such items as illegal drugs, bombs, guns and ivory. On a recent Tuesday, in Feuerbachers Advanced Canine Training Class, students and dogs were practicing their skills. All of these students and their dogs had been through a fall semester together, where they focused on learning good training techniques and good doggy manners. Now theyre working on more specialized tasks. Some will become therapy dogs and are learning to snuggle on cue. Others will go into service and are learning to open doors and retrieve objects. While others are working on scent detection. The students goals are to have their dog well trained, so it will be adopted by a dog lover and smoothly transition into its new home. A number of students stay connected with the dogs by serving as their dog sitters. Our goal of this program is to train professional dog people, said Feuerbacher, so students aren't allowed to keep their dogs. We start with positive reinforcement, she said, where students learn how to use reinforcers. Then they develop more complex training skills -- so treats are given more intermittently. A few of the basic rules of thumb for dog training, she said, are to learn patience, to look for good things and reward them, and to not blame the learner. It puts the onus back on the trainer, not on the dog. Tuesday afternoon in a classroom in the basement of the Carroll Campus Center, Pixie, a heeler/possible corgi mix, was learning how to hug. "Shes come a long way," said Michaella Gee, a senior in anthrozoology. Her biggest problem behavior was she was afraid of everyone, said Gee, and would hide. And she was not potty-trained whatsoever. She has turned out to be a really good therapy dog, said Gee. Were working on hugs right now, where she sits on your lap and puts her head on your shoulder. Its crazy how much she knows. ... She knows how to sit, stay, lay down, shake, high five and how to play dead and how to roll over, said Gee. Shes done amazing. Pixie already has a good home to go to, said Gee, and spends every weekend there and one night a week. The trainings not only creating a brighter future for Pixie, but also Gee. What I get out of it is a lot more experience, Gee said. I hope to open my own training business. "Im doing what I love finally, she said, adding that she had switched her major four times. Nearby, Kat Martineau, another anthrozoology senior, was training Roscoe, who was an under-socialized juvenile, for a future in service work. Holding a small neon pink flag, Martineau would give Roscoe a treat every time he touched the flag with his muzzle. The training will lead to where Roscoe will be able to push buttons to open doors, open and close cabinets and cuddle with people. One of Roscoes best tricks, so far, is opening refrigerator doors and pulling out a soda. Its going to break my heart, Martineau said of when he transitions to an owner, but Ill know hes going to be happy. Some dogs are so stellar they become rock stars. One of the anthrozoology dogs, Ruger, went on to work for Working Dogs for Conservation and is in Africa, sniffing out ivory smugglers. He was trained on pseudo narcotics, said Molly Rowland, a graduate of the anthrozoology program who trained him. She happened to be sitting in on Tuesdays class. Ruger, who was a high-energy black lab/German shepherd cross, came from a local shelter, Rowland said. He was insane. He was born to work. We wanted to get him a real job," said Rowland. "Hes in Zambia doing anti-poaching work. He can detect firearms and ivory. He loves his job. I think it was the best option for him. And along the way, Rowlands discovered her own path. I really didnt know what I wanted to do. I knew I liked dogs a lot, but I didnt know what I could do with them. ... Its opened up the world for me. Motorized users on the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest say they will fight a recently signed travel plan in court. Forest Supervisor Bill Avey signed a record of decision March 1 for the Divide Travel Plan and a related big game security amendment designating motorized use on 155,000 acres west of Helena. The plan has been contentious at times, particularly among motorized users opposed to closure of some popular areas and seasonal restrictions on other routes. Some hunting advocates also vehemently opposed the big game amendment, citing a lack of required hiding cover. Some quiet user groups support the plan, including the Montana Wilderness Association and Last Chance Backcountry Horsemen. Through the long and inclusive public comment process, we heard loud and clear that not everyone wants the same thing across this landscape, Avey said in a statement. I appreciate the public engagement and passion, but there is no doubt these decisions will be controversial as it is apparent that in many respects, different factions of the public are simply opposed to each others positions. The plan has been a long time coming. The Forest Service first began examining motorized use in the area in the early 2000s. In 2008 the agency asked for public comment on travel planning and in 2011 began preparing an environmental impact statement that culminated in this weeks decision. It is our duty, as public servants, to make these hard decisions and address the issues of public concerns, and I have done that, Avey said. These decisions are based on the best science available, and they provide the widest variety of recreation opportunity within the constraints of the resources and the laws which apply to their management. I am pleased to sign these decisions, and I look forward to their implementation. The final decision contains several late changes incorporating public comment and objections, including open and closed designations for full-sized and off-road vehicles in addition to some adjusted seasonal closures. Despite years of planning, commenting and objecting to proposed motorized route closures, the final decision leaves motorized users no choice but to litigate, said Capital Trail Vehicle Association President Doug Abelin. The association has long maintained that further restricting motorized travel is discriminatory and too heavily concentrates users in fewer areas. We tried working with them, given them supporting grants and labor and all we get is constant closures, he said. I dont see that we have an option because weve done everything we can to be cooperative and compatible. Chief among the motorized users objections are closures of Sweeney Creek near Priest Pass, closures beyond Kading Campground south of Elliston and closures of spur routes. Several other motorized groups plan to support a potential lawsuit, Abelin said. Despite the contention over the Divide, his organization will continue stewardship work with the Forest Service in other areas, he added. It does kind of take the wind out of the sails, he said. The big game security amendment drew the ire of Helena Hunters and Anglers and Backcountry Hunters and Anglers. The amendment identifies security areas free from roads but drops some requirements that those areas include forest cover to help elk hide during hunting season. Retired wildlife biologist Gayle Joslin of HHA noted that the historic standard of tying hiding cover to road density was proven to sustain elk, while the amendment leaves the Forest Service too much leeway. Guidelines are minimal, making this all optional, she said. They did have a good standard they consistently violated and now theyre making standards that cant be challenged because guidelines dont have any criteria involved. Avey defended the travel plan on several fronts, saying it allows for some new motorized loop opportunities, including increasing the overall number of trail miles while eliminating existing motorized use in inventoried roadless areas. Expanded seasonal restrictions work to protect wildlife, particularly during hunting season, he said. Dennis Milburn of Last Chance Backcountry Horsemen said that although they may have changed a few things, his organization supports the Divide Travel Plan. I think its a good, balanced plan, he said. We support the cooperative effort that recognizes other legitimate users. Motorized users have a right to be there and we support that right, but that use should be at the right times and places. WorldMontanas VP Stephen Maly (in a Feb. 18 op-ed) wont acknowledge stubborn realities. In my Feb. 4 op-ed arguing that importation of Syrian refugees to Montana is a bad idea, I didnt contra Maly slander WorldMontana. Instead, I provided highly relevant facts about American communities' experiences with refugee influxes, about the financial self-interest of the agencies currently involved in these refugee programs, and about Western civilizations unhappy history with Islam. Maly hadnt addressed any of these (aside from naive remarks about Islam) in his prior urgings to bring refugees here. That these facts were inconvenient for Malys purpose is presumably why he responded with so much misdirection on Feb. 18. For example, Churchills foreign-policy blunder at Gallipoli during the Great War detracts not at all from the statesmans famous summing-up of the Wests long, lethal encounter with Islam. As for the compassion that Maly seeks, commentator John Hawkins put it well: Compassion is about what you do personally, not what government programs you advocate funding with other people's money. Altogether, the quality of Malys thought is exemplified by his characterization of what I wrote as a diatribe. Rubbish. Read my op-ed for yourself, then consult the definition of diatribe. Paul Nachman Bozeman The Legend..... but should danger ever come, then Holger Danske will rouse himself, and the table will burst asunder as he draws out his beard. Then he will come forth in his strength, and strike a blow that shall sound in all the countries of the world. - Hans Christian Andersen I am person who is uncompromisingly black and unapologetically gay. Deal with it. I am person who is uncompromisingly black and unapologetically gay. Deal with it. Alvin McEwen [image: 649439 origin 1]Published by AFP Kanye West, known as Ye, has made a series of controversial statements in recent weeks Paris (AFP) Paris-based f... On November 12, 2017, at 6:49 pm, I received a text that read: Antron has transitioned. The official cause of death was cancer, but HIV was the cause. I... Weeks before the Nov. 8 elections, a gaggle of far-right pundits are helping raise money for the 1776 Project PAC, one of the right-wing groups that is i... Horror is quickly evolving, and "bury your gays" is a thing of the past. High school golfer Rio Pearlstein talks about navigation competition and transition on this weeks edition of The Trans Sporter Room | Rio Pearlstein Wi... The Senior White Nationalist at Fox News, Tucker Carlson, continues to preach his noxious brand of unabashed racism every night on his cable news program... Variety reports: A woman who accused That 70s Show actor Danny Masterson of raping her in April 2003 said Friday that she fears retaliation from the C... The campaign for a refurbished and expanded public library in New Lisbon has received a $250,000 pledge from the Balgord Family, whose roots in the community stretch back over several generations. In disclosing their gift, Mike Balgord cited the strong example set by his parents, Richard and Loretta, through their community involvement and, in particular, their interest in the public library. My mom and dad have been strong supporters of New Lisbon. Mom has been active in her church for over 50 years. She is a charter member of the Lioness Club and is still involved today. She was a den mother for both Girl and Boy Scouts, served on the Board of Trustees for Hess Memorial Hospital and is an active member of the Juneau Country Retired Teachers Association, Mike Balgord said. Dad, who passed away in 2003, was an executive at the New Lisbon State Bank for over 20 years and a director of the Lemonweir Valley Telephone Company. He was a member of the New Lisbon Volunteer Fire Department for more than 30 years, served on the Police and Fire Commission, was a key leader in raising funds for the community swimming pool, a charter member of the Lions Club and actively supported both Cub and Boy Scout programs. He was also widely known for his help to elderly people in the community. Loretta Balgord has taught school in New Lisbon since 1956, initially as a full-time fourth/fifth grade teacher before taking some time off when Mike and his younger sister Linda were born. Upon returning to the classroom, Loretta worked as a long-term grade school and special education substitute, and later in various title programs and as a teachers aide. She continues substitute teaching to this day. Virtually every young person attending New Lisbon Schools over the last 40 years has been positively influenced in some way by Loretta Balgord. Mike made special note of Richard and Lorettas longtime service on the librarys board of directors, where Loretta still serves today. The New Lisbon Memorial Library holds many memories for me. Linda and I participated in the summer reading program and story time for many years. Cub Scout meetings were occasionally held there and grade school presentations took place there. The library was a source for research papers, a safe place, and a place to meet friends and talk quietly, of course, since Ethel Dowden (head librarian for more than 40 years) ran a tight ship. Some years we would be marched from school to the library for annual vaccinations not necessarily one of my fondest memories. After graduation from New Lisbon High School, where he was involved in many extra-curricular activities, Mike attended UW-Oshkosh for an undergraduate degree and an MBA in finance. He began his career with First National, a bank holding company in Appleton, later moving to the Ariens Company where he became its Chief Financial Officer. Upon leaving Ariens, Mike, his wife Annette and their infant son, Evan, moved to Toronto. Following several years as a consultant, Mike got involved in the early stages of the ignition interlock industry. This device is a breathalyzer installed in the cars of convicted drunk drivers, protecting public safety while providing offenders a legal means to drive. He was instrumental in building LMG Holdings, the leading interlock company in the U.S., before his recent retirement. Mike and Annette continue to reside in the Toronto area and travel extensively. Linda also accomplished much during her school years in New Lisbon, before moving on to attain a degree in Theatre at Viterbo University in La Crosse. She worked in regional dinner theater, subsequently completing a Master of Fine Arts degree at UW-Milwaukee. Her talents led to larger roles in Chicago and then a lead role in Andrew Lloyd Webbers musical, Aspects of Love, in Toronto. This was the start of a highly successful career with leading roles in national tours and on Broadway in Sunset Boulevard, Cats, Pirate Queen, Passion, and Phantom of the Opera, among others. Linda resides outside New York City with her husband Andy Fenton. My sister and I had a great childhood in New Lisbon, Mike Balgord said. Ive told many people that I wish everyone could have a childhood like we did. If so, the world would be a much better place. People in New Lisbon are warm, caring, friendly and nurturing. When I grew up, people looked after each other. Both Mike and Linda return to New Lisbon regularly to visit their mom, saying the community truly feels like home. Our family is very proud of New Lisbon, and we feel that a vibrant, modern library is critical to the fabric of the city. The public library remains an integral part of the city and area as shown by the librarys increased usage over recent years. We are committed to helping this all-important project succeed, keeping the library strong and useful for years to come, Mike said. Heading the fund appeal to update and expand New Lisbons public library are co-chairs Dr. Tim and Tina C. Hinton. We share a deep appreciation for the value of a good public library to the quality of life in this area, Tina Hinton said. This wonderful gift from the Balgord Family encourages all of us to step up and finish the job. We hope this example will inspire others to participate as generously as they are able. Dr. Tim Hinton explained that, while the library facilities have served this area well through the years, time and heavy use have taken its toll. The structure is over 50 years old and urgently in need of infrastructure improvements. Building plans call for updated wiring, lighting and plumbing, with new energy-efficient windows and more insulation to reduce operating costs. A building addition will increase space for library collections, programming and community uses, including a multi-purpose meeting room with kitchen facilities. These improvements are expected to cost $2 million. The Hintons report that tax-deductible contributions toward the project are already approaching $1 million. Donors are asked to make their gifts payable to the New Lisbon Library Building Fund. Contributions can be dropped off at the library, or mailed to either The Bank of Mauston or to Royal Bank both in New Lisbon. Both banks have opened and are administering building fund accounts for the library. For more information about this fund appeal or the building plans, contact campaign co-chair Tina C. Hinton at 608-547-4132, or visit the library to pick up a no-obligation informational packet. Photos: Van Meter vs. Pleasantville football Van Meter, top-ranked in Class 1A, hosted Pleasantville on Friday, Oct. 21, 2022, in the first round of Iowa high school football playoffs. Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 16-03-03 Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW No. 43/16 03.03.2016 [A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS [01] Davutoglu and Kalyoncu signed the water "agreement"; Davutoglu reiterates that they do not recognize the Republic of Cyprus [02] Akinci: "By enforcing our structure we will come closer to the solution" [03] Isik stated that Turkey will continue exerting efforts for a solution in Cyprus and for the "lifting" of the so-called embargoes [04] Talat reacted against AKEL's statement that the water agreement will not bind Cyprus [05] Ozgurgun reacted over President Anastasiades' statement about the development of occupied Morfou [06] Durust: Anastasiades' statements do not concern us [07] Kibris Postasi resumed its printed edition [08] Protesters trying to break Sur curfew met with harsh police intervention [09] Turkish PM calls Cumhuriyet report an 'espionage against Turkey' [A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS [01] Davutoglu and Kalyoncu signed the water "agreement"; Davutoglu reiterates that they do not recognize the Republic of Cyprus Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (03.03.16) reports that Turkish Prime Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu and self-styled prime minister of the breakaway regime in the occupied area of Cyprus, Omer Kalyoncu signed yesterday in Ankara the "agreement" regarding the water supply and administration from Turkey to the occupied area of the island. In statements at a joint press conference, Kalyoncu argued that the water "agreement" is of vital importance for the Greek Cypriots as well in the federal republic to be established after the comprehensive solution to the Cyprus problem. He claimed: "We believe that the water should be used from now in the direction of peace and rapprochement. The positive course of the relations between the TRNC and Turkey in a sensitive period during which the negotiations between the two communities are advancing is of great importance". Arguing that important distance has been covered in the search for a just and lasting solution, Kalyoncu said that the negotiating process is continuing positively. Asked to assess the statement made by left-wing AKEL party's general Secretary that the water "agreement" between Turkey and the breakaway regime does not bind the Republic of Cyprus, Kalyoncu alleged that if a federal republic is established the international agreements made by the "south", as he described the Republic of Cyprus, and the "international agreements" made by the regime will be all valid. "I believe that they have created a fuss in vain and they did not do right", he alleged. In his statements, Davutoglu described the water project as "the project of the century" and argued that with this project the "daughter land is once more connected to the motherland". He added: "The motherland and the daughter land who have been sharing the same destine for centuries had unified forever with the blood of our martyrs who went there in 1974 and now with our water [?] With this project of the century we are sending to our Cyprus, our TRNC, the daughter land, Turkey's water which is [?] for them like the mother's milk, because in all places of the world the islands' most important problem is the fact that they cannot have water resources or their resources are limited. In this sense the Anatolian water transferred to the TRNC is a strategic investment [?]". Davutoglu said also that with Kalyoncu they discussed the negotiations for finding a solution to the Cyprus problem and had the opportunity to assess their work. He argued: "The TRNC standing on its own feet, having an institutionalized political and economic structure is one of the most important strategic targets for Turkey and bears vital importance. Either there is a solution or not, the TRNC which will continue its existence as a founding state, must be built on the soundest foundations as one of the two founding states and if there is no solution it is required that it has the deposit to be able to again continue its own way as a respectable and recognized country in the world. On this issue Turkey is by the TRNC's side [?] under any conditions. No one should make wrong calculations. Turkey's support, the support which makes possible the impossible today, will continue always just like in the water project and we will continue doing whatever is necessary from now on for our kinsmen, our brothers in the TRNC living in tranquility, security and stability". Replying to a question regarding Greek Cypriot statements that the Republic of Cyprus will not recognize the water "agreement" between Turkey and the breakaway regime, Davutoglu argued: "The comment of a country which we in any case do not recognize does not bind us. It is necessary to say this. Actually this reflects a mentality. It is tantamount to 'we are not accepting any step even if this is positive'. Think, with a great munificence we say I am not aiming at the TRNC, we are sending water to the entire Cyprus. We are in any case ready to give all we have for the TRNC. Let no one doubt about this. [?] Therefore the water which reaches the island of Cyprus and God willing when peace comes will be the water of life to all Cyprus, not only for the Turks but for the Greeks as well. We said this as well. We referred to it as the first step for a big peace. How positive language we use, how constructive approach we exhibit. We never said the following: 'This water goes only for the Turks and the Greeks will never make use of it'. Because for us the water is a blessing to all humanity by Allah to all humankind. [?] While we are using such a positive language, the other side says 'this agreement does not bind us'. It does not matter whether it binds [them] or not. Has the water reached there? Yes it has. Has an agreement been signed? It has. Is with this agreement every kinsman of ours in the TRNC going to be benefited of this water? Yes they will. Let it not bind them. There is no need to make this so big trouble of it. However, it is important because it reflects the mentality. Because of this mentality peace cannot be reached in Cyprus. That is, a stance which aims at preventing or denigrating or ignoring even a positive step is in any case preventing peace from coming to Cyprus. Look how relaxed we are, on the other hand, we are open to any kind of solution, we are open to discussing everything, we are open to sending water, we are open to pleasing. Why? Because we have faith in ourselves, we are certain of our justice, we are certain of our power, we are certain of the position we are standing. Therefore, we should not take it very seriously into consideration. One day they will remember these issues, this agreement which now they are not taking seriously into consideration or they do not accept, when they start drinking from water that came [?] and they will thank Turkey. And they will thank Mr Kalyoncu for signing the agreement. The day will come when they will be ashamed of what they did". (I/Ts.) [02] Akinci: "By enforcing our structure we will come closer to the solution" Under the above title, Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (03.03.16) reports that Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci, in statements yesterday during the "1st "TRNC KOBI summit", [Translator's note: KOBI is Small and Medium Sized Enterprises in the occupied area of Cyprus, which was established with a U.S financial grant of 30.5 million dollars, aimed to develop the economy in the occupied area of Cyprus], described the SMEs as the "unsung hero of the economy" of the occupation regime. Pointing out that "KOBI's" aim is the development of the "economy" and the creation of a competitive structure in the "TRNC", Akinci said: "It is highly important to become competitive not only within the federal structure to be in the future but also within the EU". "By doing this, we will come closer to the solution", Akinci argued and stressed that even if there will not be a solution, the Turkish Cypriots should establish a viable and competitive structure. Referring to the Cyprus negotiation talks, Akinci said that after his "election" in "presidency" he exerted efforts with honesty and goodwill together with the cooperation of Turkey in order to find a solution on the Cyprus problem. He also explained that Cyprus as a whole and as a new state to be within the framework of a federal structure, should take its place inside the EU. Pointing out that a remarkable progress has been achieved at the negotiation talks, Akinci added that there are still some difficulties in some core issues and underlined that they will continue their efforts in order for the process to yield a positive outcome. Stating that they are carrying out the talks conscious that 2016 will be the year of the solution, Akinci stressed that this solution will reflect positively to the region. Supporting that they should continue their path with the vision to turn the energy resources in the region as a mean of cooperation and not of friction, Akinci referred to the negative scenario of not being able to reach a federal solution in Cyprus and added that it is from this point of view that KOBI's role is very important. He stated also that if no solution is found, the life in the occupied area of Cyprus will continue and said that that they should do all necessary in order to be able to become a part of the international law. (AK) [03] Isik stated that Turkey will continue exerting efforts for a solution in Cyprus and for the "lifting" of the so-called embargoes Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (03.03.16) reports that Turkey's Minister of Science, Industry and Technology Fikri Isik, who is illegally visiting the occupation regime, delivered a speech yesterday to the "1st TRNC KOBI summit" and stated, inter alia, that they will continue their diplomatic actions for a fair and viable solution in Cyprus. Besides that, he added, they will continue exerting pressure to all channels for the lifting of the "unfair embargoes" imposed towards the "TRNC". Isik went on and stressed the need for the business world in "north Cyprus" to become competitive and for the occupation regime's economy to become innovative. Isik also stated that the Turkish Republic will continue providing any kind of support for the development of the "TRNC". Giving a briefing about the grants and the standby credits that Turkey provided to the entrepreneurs in the country, Isik added that Turkey will continue its contribution and support to the "entrepreneurs" in the "TRNC" as well. Pointing to the important role of "KOBI" (Small and Medium Sized Enterprises in the occupied area of Cyprus) for the development of the "TRNC's economy", Isik explained that the "TRNC's KOBI summit" is taking place with the aim to determine "KOBI's strategies" towards competition and development. Referring to the water transferred from Turkey to the occupation regime, Isik said that this will bring prosperity in the "TRNC" and boost the production of the "country". (AK) [04] Talat reacted against AKEL's statement that the water agreement will not bind Cyprus Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi newspaper (03.03.16) reports that the chairman of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) Mehmet Ali Talat criticized the statements made by AKEL party that Cyprus will not be bind to keeping the water agreement made between Turkey and the breakaway regime. AKEL issued a statement noting that the water project is a plan that should have been signed off by a unified federal Cyprus and not a regime that is not recognized. "Whether it is bind or not, this is not an issue that can be determined by a statement made by a party", Talat said and added: "This is not a significant statement? It is not clear yet which international agreement will bind or not the United Cyprus State". Talat also expressed the question why this agreement could not bind the federal state. "What kind of objections are there for it?", he said. He went on and added that they even undertook this issue with Demetris Christofias during the Cyprus negotiation and discussed on how the water would be under the federal authority. (CS) [05] Ozgurgun reacted over President Anastasiades' statement about the development of occupied Morfou Turkish Cypriot daily Halkin Sesi newspaper (03.03.16) reports that the leader of the National Unity Party (UBP) Huseyin Ozgurgun in statements yesterday, expressed strong criticism to the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nicos Anastasiades for his recent statement where he expressed his sadness over the report about the establishment of a "new university" in occupied Morfou. Commenting on Anastasiades' reaction, Ozgurgun said: "With this mentality, which is trying to present motherland Turkey as the side which is against the solution, losing time for an open-ended negotiation talks is the biggest injustice for the Turkish Cypriot people". (AK) [06] Durust: Anastasiades' statements do not concern us Turkish Cypriot daily Kibrisli newspaper (03.03.16) reports that the so-called minister of education Kemal Durust reacted against the statements of President Nikos Anastasiades who said that "there is no solution without Morfou's return". "These statements do not concern us", Durust stated adding that the construction of a "Cyprus science community health university" is extremely important for them and it does not concern them whether Anastasiades, the Greek Cypriots and their administration are pleased or not with it. He went on and added that the Turkish Cypriot "people" have been living in this soil for 40-42 years and they consider it as their motherland. "Investments will help towards the solution procedure", he said and added" "We are not against the solution. We think that a solution is necessary. If there is a solution, it will not be according to Anastasiades liking. [?] supporting the solution procedure means that we will not stop the investments in our country and we will make them where we think are needed", he stated. (CS) [07] Kibris Postasi resumed its printed edition Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Postasi newspaper (03.03.16) reports that it started its printed edition again as of today after it stopped its circulation for three days. According to Rasih Resat, the editor-in-chief of the Kibris Postasi, the paper's administration team decided to re-think its decision to stop the circulation of Kibris Postasi on paper and its continuation on internet, because of the reaction of the readers. "We could not bear the pressure, we missed our paper and we started printing again", Resat wrote. (CS) [08] Protesters trying to break Sur curfew met with harsh police intervention Turkish daily Today's Zaman (03.03.16) reports that the Turkish police have harshly intervened in local groups who tried to break a months-long curfew in six neighborhoods of the Sur district in the southeastern province of Diyarbakir following a call from pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) leader Selahattin Demirtas. The police used pressurized water, tear gas and plastic bullets against the protesters to force them away. Police detained 33 people during the protests. Diyarbakir authorities already announced on Wednesday that it has banned all entry into the Sur district, a move that came before the planned march to protest the long-standing curfew. Speaking on Monday, pro-Kurdish HDP Co-chair Selahattin Demirtas called on people to march on Wednesday to protest the more than 90-day curfew in Diyarbakir's Sur district. "We don't see it as normal that a war has been ongoing in the center of the province for three months. All Diyarbakir people should make a stand to lift the blockade in Sur," Demirtas said, and called on everyone to attend the march planned to be held in Sur on Wednesday. "This is a democratic right guaranteed by the Constitution," he underlined. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who spoke during a press conference in Nigeria on Wednesday, called on prosecutors to take action against Demirtas. "I think the prosecutors have to perform their duties, because nobody has the right to create chaos and disturb the peace in my country." Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Wednesday that lawmakers from the pro-Kurdish HDP had sought to collaborate with "terrorists" and drag Turkey into chaos. Davutoglu also told a news conference that there are plans to make it easier for civilians to leave areas under curfew in the predominantly Kurdish southeast, where hundreds have died since the clashes between PKK terrorists and the security forces members erupted after the collapse of a cease-fire in July. In remarks to reporters in Parliament on Wednesday, Interior Minister Efkan Ala termed Demirtas's call an "open provocation," adding, "Those who make provocations bear the consequences," he said. [09] Turkish PM calls Cumhuriyet report an 'espionage against Turkey' Turkish Hurriyet Daily News (03.03.16) reports that the Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has labeled a report on intelligence trucks bound for Syria, which lead to the imprisonment of two daily Cumhuriyet journalists before they were recently released upon a Constitutional Court decision, as espionage against the state, not a part of freedom of expression, as the political debate on the matter heats up further. "There is clearly an issue of an activity [carried out] against the Republic of Turkey. They published documents, which were meant to be secret and revived the issue. [?] The aims of those who gave the documents to them are obvious," Davutoglu said, adding it was wrong to reflect the case as one regarding press freedom. Davutoglu also said one could not apply to the Constitutional Court before the legal process was complete, adding that the whole legal process cannot be tied only to the Constitutional Court. TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION http://www.moi.gov.cy/pio (CS/AM) Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article The IBM lab responsible for inventing the scanning tunneling microscope and the atomic force microscope has invented another critical tool for helping us understand the nanoworld. Accurately measuring the temperature of objects at the nanoscale has been challenging scientists for decades. Current techniques are not accurate and they typically generate artifacts, limiting their reliability. Nature Communications, "Temperature mapping of operating nanoscale devices by scanning probe thermometry ( Motivated by this challenge and their need to precisely characterize the temperature of new transistor designs to meet the demand of future cognitive computers , scientists in Switzerland from IBM and ETH Zurich have invented a breakthrough technique to measure the temperature of nano- and macro-sized objects. The patent-pending invention is being disclosed for the first time today in the peer-review journal doi:10.1038/ncomms10874) " A History of Invention In the 1980s, IBM scientists Gerd Binnig and the late Heinrich Rohrer wanted to directly explore a surfaces electronic structure and imperfections. The instrument they needed to take such measurements didnt exist, yet. So they did what any good scientist would do: they invented one. It became known as the scanning tunneling microscope (STM), opening the door to nanotechnology. Just a few years later, the invention was recognized with the highest of honors, the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1986. More than 30 years later IBM scientists continue to follow in the footsteps of Binnig and Rohrer and with their latest invention. Dr. Fabian Menges , an IBM postdoc and co-inventor of the technique said, We started back in 2010 and simply never gave up. Previous research was focused on a nanoscale thermometer, but we should have been inventing a thermometer for the nanoscale an important distinction. This adjustment led us to develop a technique which combines local thermal sensing with the measuring capability of a microscope we call it scanning probe thermometry . IBM scientist Fabian Menges with his invention. How it Works: A Scanning Probe Thermometry The most common technique to measure temperature on the macroscale is to bring a thermometer into thermal contact with the sample. This is how a fever thermometer works. Once its placed under our tongue it equilibrates to our body temperature so that we can determine our temperature at a healthy 37 degrees C. Unfortunately, it gets a little more challenging when using a thermometer to measure a nanoscopic object. For example, it would be impossible to use a typical thermometer to measure the temperature of an individual virus. The size of the virus is too small and the thermometer cannot equilibrate without significantly disturbing the virus temperature. To solve this challenge, IBM scientists developed a single scan non-equilibrium contact thermometry technique to measure the temperature of nanoscopic objects using a scanning probe. As the scanning probe thermometer and the object cannot thermally equilibrate at the nanoscale, two signals are measured simultaneously: a small heat flux, and its resistance to heat flow. Combining these two signal the temperature of nanoscopic objects can then be quantified for an accurate result. IBM scientist Dr. Bernd Gotsmann and co-inventor explains, The technique is analogous to touching a hot plate and inferring its temperature from sensing the heat flux between our own body and the heat source. Essentially, the tip of the probe is our the hand. Our perception to hot and cold can be very helpful to get an idea of an objects temperature, but it can also be misleading if the resistance to heat flow is unknown. Previously, scientists werent accurately including this resistance dependence; but only measuring the rate of the thermal energy transfer through the surface, know as heat flux. In the paper, the authors included the effects of local variations of thermal resistance to measure the temperature of an indium arsenide (InAs) nanowire, and a self-heated gold interconnect with a combination of a few-miliKelvin and few-nanometer spatial resolution. From left to right, IBM scientists Nico Mosso, Bernd Gotsmann, Fabian Motzfeld and Fabian Menges in the Noise Free Lab with the scanning probe thermometer. Menges adds, "Not only is the scanning probe thermometer accurate, it meets the trifecta for tools: it's easy to operate, simple to build, and very versatile, in that it can be used to measure the temperature of nano- and micro-sized hot spots that can locally effect the physical properties of materials or govern chemical reactions in devices such as transistors, memory cells, thermoelectric energy converters or plasmonic structures. The applications are endless. Noise Free Labs Its no coincidence that the team began to see improvements in the development of the scanning probe thermometer 18 months ago when they moved their research into the new Noise Free Labs -- six meters underground at the Binnig and Rohrer Nanotechnology Center on the campus of IBM Research-Zurich. This unique environment, which shields the experiments from vibration, acoustic noise, electromagnetic signals and temperature fluctuations, helped the team achieve sub-milliKelvin precision. While we had the benefit of this unique room, the technique can also produce reliable results in normal environment, said Menges. Next Steps We hope the paper will produce both a lot of excitement and relief for scientists, who like us, have been searching for such a tool, said Gotsmann. Similar to the STM, we hope to license this technique to tool manufacturers who can then bring it to market as an additional function to their microscopy product line. The scientists would like to thank the 7th Program Framework for its support under the NANOHEAT project and the Swiss National Science Foundation. Labels: AFM, IBM Research - Zurich, nanodevices, nanotechnology, scanning probe thermometry In recent years, the importance of scaling up innovations for smallholder agricultural development and rural poverty reduction has been recognized as crucial in coping with emerging global challenges. This has motivated a renewed interest in local knowledge and in the development and testing of new learning tools to effectively trigger dissemination and scaling up of innovations.It is in this context that the concept of learning from the know-how of others inspired PROCASUR to design "learning routes" and other knowledge management and capacity-building approaches and tools, with the objective of valuing local knowledge and facilitating the development of platforms in which experiences and innovations can be exchanged. This methodology has proved effective in providing peer-to-peer training and technical assistance, and in addressing the needs of vulnerable groups.During IFADs Learning Days, a session was held on tools and approaches for sharing innovative solutions. Each regional division shared their experiences with a wide variety of innovations and knowledge management approaches. These included the following testimonies from IFAD country teams and technical experts:Project-to-project learning as a key for better portfolio performance by Nicolas Syed (CPO Bangladesh), Soulivanh Pattivong (CPO Laos), Aryal Bashu (CPO Nepal) and Tung Nguyen Thanh (CPO Vietnam)Innovation of extension services through the contraction of outstanding farmers/local champions as service providers in Cambodia by Sakphouseth Meng (CPO Cambodia)Good tested tools for knowledge management and policy engagement in the Philippines by Yolando Arban (CPO Philippines)Public Policy Dialogue for local champion inclusion as services providers for technical assistance and innovation systems: experiences from Peru by Laure Martin (Programme Analyst LAC, Andean Region)Learning Territories as associative tool for local knowledge management and technical assistance markets by local champions: experiences from Colombia by Laure Martin (Programme Analyst LAC, Andean Region)Supporting economic and social inclusion of rural youth in IFAD operations: the experience from El Salvador by Glayson Ferrari Dos Santos (CPM El Salvador)Local Knowledge Management in IFAD projects in Semi-arid Areas: experiences from Brazil by Leonardo Bichara Rocha (CPO Brazil)Effective partnerships and activities to Secure Land Rights by Harold Liversage (Lead Technical Specialist Land Tenure, PTA) and Sabine Pallas (Programme Officer, ILC)Building KM skills of IFAD supported projects in Uganda by Ann Turinayo (former Uganda Knowledge Management Officer)The South-South Cooperation and Scaling Up of innovations from ESA countries to Sudan by Ahmed Subahi (CPO Sudan) and Mia Madsen (ICO Sudan)Building the capacities of Farmers Organizations through the Learning Route methodology by Roberto Longo (Senior Technical Specialist - Farmers Organisations, PTA)The demand for Knowledge Sharing and documentation of good practices in WCA by Lucia Di Troia (ICO Senegal) and Steven Jonckheere (KM Officer, WCA)Strengthening the capacities of governments and civil society to scale up nutrition. The Scaling Up Nutrition Movement in Senegal by Giulia Pedone (Programme Officer, PROCASUR)At the end of the session, participants were informed on future opportunities. The new grant project of IFAD and PROCASUR was officially launched. The new initiative will last three years and involve three regional divisions (LAC, ESA and WCA) and PTA. A strong emphasis will be put on sharing experiences between the different regions. This session was just the beginning of what promises to be a very interesting new journey. SPRINGFIELD - Only four state reps voted against creating an elected school board for the city of Chicago Thursday. State Rep. Rob Martwick's HB 557 passed the Illinois House at an 110-4 vote. Rep. Martwick initially filed legislation to move from an appointed to elected Chicago school board after seeing overwhelming resident support for the idea and in response to Chicago Public Schools' mounting financial problems. If HB 557 were to become law, starting with the 2018 election, elected Chicago board members would serve one term of five years and then run for four-year terms in successive elections. The city would be divided into 20 districts drawn by the Legislature, with a board chair running citywide, for a total of 21 members on the new elected board. That's exactly why the Illinois Civil Justice League (ICLJ) has put together a judge and judicial rating system for March 15th primary election candidates. The initiative called Judges: Good and Bad-You Cant Afford to be Indifferent can be found at illinoisjudges.net . ELMHURST - Few aspects are more challenging for voters than finding out which judicial candidates represent their worldviews and their ideals, and which have served with distinction. And more and more as judges not only interpret the law, but edge towards setting legislative precedent and making public policy, serious voters are demanding more information before going to the polls. The ICJL judicial ratings show that Cook County is offering voters a number of candidates with Highly Recommended or Recommended ratings. That good news, however, is tempered by the fact that three judges in downstate St. Clair County have received Not Recommended ratings due to questions about their integrity. The ICJL invited judicial candidates and judges running in the Primary Election to submit answers to questions about their careers and candidacies in their own words which the ICJL then published in unedited form on its website, illinoisjudges.net, according to John Pastuovic, President of the Illinois Civil Justice League. The ICJL also evaluated questionnaire answers, judicial and career records, media accounts, bar ratings, campaign contributions, and other sources of information about each judge and judicial candidate to establish individual ratings. Judges and judicial candidates were considered for ratings of Highly Recommended, Recommended, Not Recommended, or No Position. The ICJL gave the rating of Recommended to judges or judicial candidates they believe have demonstrated a satisfactory level of competency in regards to their legal and/or judicial careers, and/or who have demonstrated their commitment to educating the voters about their background, experience and viewpoints on the judicial system. The Highly Recommended rating was reserved for candidates or judges who have demonstrated a high level of competency based on those criteria. The rating of Not Recommended was assigned to candidates or judges who have judicial records or campaigns that have left the ICJL with questions about the integrity, impartiality, fairness, or conduct of the candidate, judge, or their campaign. Additionally, the ICJL reserved the right to take No Position on a candidate or judge who did not return the questionnaire, and/or their candidacy left the ICJL insufficient information to assign a rating. We are pleased to report that voters, particularly in Cook County, will have the opportunity to vote for a number of candidates who will bring a high level of knowledge and experience to the bench, Pastuovic commented. In contrast, the ICJL said they are "compelled" to draw the voters attention to three judges whose actions - in their opinion - disqualify them to serve. St. Clair County Chief Judge John Baricevic and Circuit Judges Robert LeChien and Robert Haida, all of whom were facing an uphill retention election which requires 60 percent voter approval in November, have purposefully gamed the system. Instead of running for retention, they subverted the process by turning in their resignations effective Dec. 4 and filed as candidates in the March 15 primary, where they would only need a simple majority to win, Pastuovic continued. While none of these three judges have primaries, it is critical that voters in St. Clair County are aware that with this maneuver, these judges ignored the intent and spirit of the Illinois Constitution and are deemed Not Recommended. Moreover, their behavior is just another example of why Illinois must reform its civil justice system, he concluded. The ICJLs ratings for judges and judicial candidates are as follows: For Cook County Circuit Judge Biebel Vacancy: Fitzgerald Lyke (D) Recommended Elrod Vacancy: Rossana Patricia Fernandez (D) Highly Recommended Hogan Vacancy: Alison Conlon (D) Highly Recommended Johnson Vacancy: Carolyn Gallagher (D) Highly Recommended Karnezis Vacancy: Devlin Schoop (D) Highly Recommended OBrien Vacancy: Maureen ODonoghue Hannon (D) Recommended Palmer Vacancy: Pat Heneghan (D) Recommended Ruscitti Grussel Vacancy: Daniel Patrick Duffy (D) Highly Recommended Walsh Vacancy: Frederick Bates (D) Recommended Walsh Vacancy: Patrick Powers (D) Recommended For Cook County Subcircuit Judge Brim Vacancy 1 st Subcircuit: Maryam Ahmad (D) Recommended Savage Vacancy 2 nd Subcircuit: Chelsey Robinson (D) Recommended Eadie-Daniels Vacancy 5 th Subcircuit: Leonard Murray (D) Recommended Santiago Vacancy 6 th Subcircuit: Richard Cooke (D) No Position Rivkin-Carothers Vacancy 7 th Subcircuit: Rose Silva (D) Recommended Rivkin-Carothers Vacancy 7 th Subcircuit: Mable Taylor (D) Recommended Howard Vacancy 10 th Subcircuit: Colleen Reardon Daly (D) Recommended Howard Vacancy 10 th Subcircuit: Rick Cenar (D) Highly Recommended Kazmierski Vacancy 12 th Subcircuit: Louis Apostol (D) Recommended For Downstate Circuit Judge 14 th Circuit (Rock Island County): Kathleen Mesich (D) Recommended 20 th Circuit (Circuitwide): John Baricevic (D) Not Recommended 20 th Circuit (Circuitwide): Robert Haida (D) Not Recommended 20 th Circuit (St. Clair County): Robert LeChien (D) Not Recommended Additional recommendations will be made for general election contests and retention contests later in the year. For more information, visit illinoisjudges.net. Instead, I would like to offer my perspective on the nominating process of my party. In 1964, days before the presidential election which, incidentally, we lost, Ronald Reagan went on national television and challenged America saying that it was a "Time for Choosing." He saw two paths for America, one that embraced conservative principles dedicated to lifting people out of poverty and helping create opportunity for all, and the other, an oppressive government that would lead America down a darker, less free path. I'm no Ronald Reagan and this is a different moment but I believe with all my heart and soul that we face another time for choosing, one that will have profound consequences for the Republican Party and more importantly, for the country. I am not here to announce my candidacy for office. I am not going to endorse a candidate today. In case you were working - like the rest of us - to pay for your mortgage, utilities, food and most of all your Obamacare premiums and taxes of all sorts, here's what the former Massachusetts governor had to say: SALT LAKE CITY - At the University of Utah Thursday, 2012 GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney scheduled a speech to jar the Republican electorate away from nominating Donald Trump for its 2016 nominee. I say this in part because of my conviction that America is poised to lead the world for another century. Our technology engines, our innovation dynamic, and the ambition and skill of our people will propel our economy and raise our standard of living. America will remain as it is today, the envy of the world. Warren Buffett was 100% right when he said last week that "the babies being born in America today are the luckiest crop in history." That doesn't mean we don't have real problems and serious challenges. At home, poverty persists and wages are stagnant. The horrific massacres of Paris and San Bernardino, the nuclear ambitions of the Iranian mullahs, the aggressions of Putin, the growing assertiveness of China and the nuclear tests of North Korea confirm that we live in troubled and dangerous times. But if we make the right choices, America's future will be even better than our past and better than our present. On the other hand, if we make improvident choices, the bright horizon I foresee will never materialize. Let me put it plainly, if we Republicans choose Donald Trump as our nominee, the prospects for a safe and prosperous future are greatly diminished. Let me explain why. First, the economy: If Donald Trump's plans were ever implemented, the country would sink into a prolonged recession. A few examples: His proposed 35% tariff-like penalties would instigate a trade war that would raise prices for consumers, kill export jobs, and lead entrepreneurs and businesses to flee America. His tax plan, in combination with his refusal to reform entitlements and to honestly address spending would balloon the deficit and the national debt. So even as Donald Trump has offered very few specific economic plans, what little he has said is enough to know that he would be very bad for American workers and for American families. But wait, you say, isn't he a huge business success that knows what he's talking about? No he isn't. His bankruptcies have crushed small businesses and the men and women who worked for them. He inherited his business, he didn't create it. And what ever happened to Trump Airlines? How about Trump University? And then there's Trump Magazine and Trump Vodka and Trump Steaks, and Trump Mortgage? A business genius he is not. Now not every policy Donald Trump has floated is bad. He wants to repeal and replace Obamacare. He wants to bring jobs home from China and Japan. But his prescriptions to do these things are flimsy at best. At the last debate, all he could remember about his healthcare plan was to remove insurance boundaries between states. Successfully bringing jobs home requires serious policy and reforms that make America the place businesses want to plant and grow. You can't punish business into doing the things you want. Frankly, the only serious policy proposals that deal with the broad range of national challenges we confront, come today from Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, and John Kasich. One of these men should be our nominee. I know that some people want the race to be over. They look at history and say a trend like Mr. Trump's isn't going to be stopped. Perhaps. But the rules of political history have pretty much all been shredded during this campaign. If the other candidates can find common ground, I believe we can nominate a person who can win the general election and who will represent the values and policies of conservatism. Given the current delegate selection process, this means that I would vote for Marco Rubio in Florida, for John Kasich in Ohio, and for Ted Cruz or whichever one of the other two contenders has the best chance of beating Mr. Trump in a given state. Let me turn to national security and the safety of our homes and loved ones. Trump's bombast is already alarming our allies and fueling the enmity of our enemies. Insulting all Muslims will keep many of them from fully engaging with us in the urgent fight against ISIS. And for what purpose? Muslim terrorists would only have to lie about their religion to enter the country. What he said on 60 Minutes about Syria and ISIS has to go down as the most ridiculous and dangerous idea of the campaign season: Let ISIS take out Assad, he said, and then we can pick up the remnants. Think about that: Let the most dangerous terror organization the world has ever known take over a country? This is recklessness in the extreme. Donald Trump tells us that he is very, very smart. I'm afraid that when it comes to foreign policy he is very, very not smart. I am far from the first to conclude that Donald Trump lacks the temperament of be president. After all, this is an individual who mocked a disabled reporter, who attributed a reporter's questions to her menstrual cycle, who mocked a brilliant rival who happened to be a woman due to her appearance, who bragged about his marital affairs, and who laces his public speeches with vulgarity. Donald Trump says he admires Vladimir Putin, while has called George W. Bush a liar. That is a twisted example of evil trumping good. There is dark irony in his boasts of his sexual exploits during the Vietnam War while John McCain, whom he has mocked, was imprisoned and tortured. Dishonesty is Trump's hallmark: He claimed that he had spoken clearly and boldly against going into Iraq. Wrong, he spoke in favor of invading Iraq. He said he saw thousands of Muslims in New Jersey celebrating 9/11. Wrong, he saw no such thing. He imagined it. His is not the temperament of a stable, thoughtful leader. His imagination must not be married to real power. The President of the United States has long been the leader of the free world. The president and yes the nominees of the country's great parties help define America to billions of people. All of them bear the responsibility of being an example for our children and grandchildren. Think of Donald Trump's personal qualities, the bullying, the greed, the showing off, the misogyny, the absurd third grade theatrics. We have long referred to him as "The Donald." He is the only person in America to whom we have added an article before his name. It wasn't because he had attributes we admired. Now imagine your children and your grandchildren acting the way he does. Will you welcome that? Haven't we seen before what happens when people in prominent positions fail the basic responsibility of honorable conduct? We have, and it always injures our families and our country. Watch how he responds to my speech today. Will he talk about our policy differences or will he attack me with every imaginable low road insult? This may tell you what you need to know about his temperament, his stability, and his suitability to be president. Trump relishes any poll that reflects what he thinks of himself. But polls are also saying that he will lose to Hillary Clinton. On Hillary Clinton's watch at the State Department, America's interests were diminished in every corner of the world. She compromised our national secrets, dissembled to the families of the slain, and jettisoned her most profound beliefs to gain presidential power. For the last three decades, the Clintons have lived at the intersection of money and politics, trading their political influence to enrich their personal finances. They embody the term crony capitalism. It disgusts the American people and causes them to lose faith in our political process. A person so untrustworthy and dishonest as Hillary Clinton must not become president. But a Trump nomination enables her victory. The audio and video of the infamous Tapper-Trump exchange on the Ku Klux Klan will play a hundred thousand times on cable and who knows how many million times on social media. There are a number of people who claim that Mr. Trump is a con man, a fake. There is indeed evidence of that. Mr. Trump has changed his positions not just over the years, but over the course of the campaign, and on the Ku Klux Klan, daily for three days in a row. We will only really know if he is the real deal or a phony if he releases his tax returns and the tape of his interview with the New York Times. I predict that there are more bombshells in his tax returns. I predict that he doesn't give much if anything to the disabled and to our veterans. I predict that he told the New York Times that his immigration talk is just that: talk. And I predict that despite his promise to do so, first made over a year ago, he will never ever release his tax returns. Never. Not the returns under audit, not even the returns that are no longer being audited. He has too much to hide. Nor will he authorize the Times to release the tapes. If I'm right, you will have all the proof you need to know that Donald Trump is a phony. Attacking me as he surely will won't prove him any less of a phony. It's entirely in his hands to prove me wrong. All he has to do is to release his back taxes like he promised he would, and let us hear what he said behind closed doors to the New York Times. Ronald Reagan used to quote a Scottish philosopher who predicted that democracies and civilizations couldn't last more than about 200 years. John Adams wrote this: "Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide." I believe that America has proven these dire predictions wrong for two reasons. First, we have been blessed with great presidents, with giants among us. Men of character, integrity and selflessness have led our nation from its very beginning. None were perfect: each surely made mistakes. But in every case, they acted out of the desire to do what was right for America and for freedom. The second reason is because we are blessed with a great people, people who at every critical moment of choosing have put the interests of the country above their own. These two things are related: our presidents time and again have called on us to rise to the occasion. John F. Kennedy asked us to consider what we could do for our country. Lincoln drew upon the better angels of our nature to save the union. I understand the anger Americans feel today. In the past, our presidents have channeled that anger, and forged it into resolve, into endurance and high purpose, and into the will to defeat the enemies of freedom. Our anger was transformed into energy directed for good. Mr. Trump is directing our anger for less than noble purposes. He creates scapegoats of Muslims and Mexican immigrants, he calls for the use of torture and for killing the innocent children and family members of terrorists. He cheers assaults on protesters. He applauds the prospect of twisting the Constitution to limit first amendment freedom of the press. This is the very brand of anger that has led other nations into the abyss. Here's what I know. Donald Trump is a phony, a fraud. His promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University. He's playing the American public for suckers: He gets a free ride to the White House and all we get is a lousy hat. His domestic policies would lead to recession. His foreign policies would make America and the world less safe. He has neither the temperament nor the judgment to be president. And his personal qualities would mean that America would cease to be a shining city on a hill. America has greatness ahead. This is a time for choosing. God bless us to choose a nominee who will make that vision a reality. On the Occasion of Bulgaria's National Day Washington, DC - Secretary of State John Kerry: "On behalf of President Obama and the citizens of the United States, I congratulate the people of Bulgaria on your National Day. "The friendship between the United States and Bulgaria is rooted in our shared commitment to democratic governance, security, human rights, and the rule of law. Both countries underscored that during my visit to Sofia last year. "Together, we have worked on counter-terrorism, energy security, and education. As NATO Allies, we have deepened our defense relationship through joint and multilateral training exercises, hosted by Bulgarias government. In the year ahead, we have pledged to increase our trade and investment ties, strengthen our law enforcement cooperation, promote tourism and increase people-to-people exchanges. "All told, our partnership makes each of our countries stronger, our communities safer, and our economies more prosperous. The United States is proud to have a close friend in Bulgaria, and we look forward to further enhancing our relationship in the future." Three Hizbul Mujahideen militants were killed in an overnight encounter in Tral area of South Kashmir's Pulwama district, an army official said today. By Press Trust of India: Three Hizbul Mujahideen militants were killed in an overnight encounter in Tral area of South Kashmir's Pulwama district, an army official said today. Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Dadsara area of Tral last night, following information about the presence of militants there, the official said. The official said in the ensuing gun fight three local militants of Hizbul Mujahideen were killed. advertisement The slain militants have been identified as Ashiq Hussain Bhat, Mohammad Isaq Parray and Asif Ahmed Mir, the official said, adding that Bhat was involved in providing shelter to militants involved in Udhampur attack on a BSF convoy last year. Three AK rifles have been recovered from the scene of the gun battle, where search and sanitisation operation are in progress, the official said. --- ENDS --- Two youths, who would indulge in arson, just for the sake of fun, were arrested by the Bengaluru police.The police are on the hunt for two of their friends who are on the run. By Aravind Gowda: Two youths, who would indulge in arson, just for the sake of fun, were arrested by the Bengaluru police. The hunt is on for two of their friends, who are absconding. According to the police, they frequently received complaints from residents of Subrahmanyapura in south Bengaluru that miscreants would often torch vehicles parked outside their homes past midnight. They were not in a position to identify the culprits. Recently, 4 motorbikes and 2 two autorickshaws were set on fire in the same locality. advertisement The police who formed separate teams to probe the case zeroed in on 4 youths using CCTV footage from nearby shops. They managed to nab two of the accused - Jagath (29) and Ranjith. During interrogation the duo revealed that they torched the vehicles just for fun. The police are searching for two of their accomplices Sunil and Prashanth, who are absconding after the police commenced the probe. Also Read: Youth arrested for arson in Bengaluru, police launch manhunt for accomplices Also Read: Bengaluru police take IT route to curb crime, locate crime dens with GPS --- ENDS --- Medical Council of India (MCI) has granted a temporary registration to Dr Mats Brannstron, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, to carry out the uterus transplant procedure in India. By Neetu Chandra Sharma: Women without a uterus will now have a chance to bear children as uterus transplant, an advanced technology that has gained much ground across the world in reproductive medicine, would soon be available in India. The technology has great potential to benefit women who are either born without a uterus or lost it to a disease. Sources said the Medical Council of India (MCI) has granted a temporary registration to Dr Mats Brannstron, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, to carry out the procedure in India. Brannstron led an operation in October 2014 in Sweden in which a healthy baby was born to a uterine transplant recipient for the first time. He has collaborated with a Bengaluru-based fertility centre, Milann, along with HCG Hospitals to bring the technology of uterus transplantation to India. However, the process is under strict regulation of the state and Central government. advertisement "Two conferences and lectures by Dr Brannstrom in India have been organised to educate doctors on the technique and outcomes of his work in Sweden. A team of doctors and hospitals with infrastructure and expertise to support the procedure have also been identified," said Dr Kamini A Rao, member of the National Advisory Committee for framing guidelines on Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART), Union Health Ministry and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). "A registry of 15 patients who would benefit and wish to undergo the procedure has already been prepared. The process for regulatory and ethical clearance from various government bodies and Committees (Karnataka state and Centre) for permission to conduct the procedure is ongoing," she said. Around one in 5,000 women is born with a genetic condition called MRKH (Mayer Rokitansky Kster Hauser) syndrome, where a woman is born without a uterus. MRKH syndrome is a congenital abnormality, characterised by the absence of the vagina, cervix and the uterus. Uterus transplants are emerging as a boon for women with uterine factor infertility, as the only existing options are surrogacy or adoption, both of which may not be acceptable to all, due to either religious, cultural or legal issues. "The procedure portends to benefit all patients with uterine factorrelated infertility and is the most significant breakthrough in reproductive medicine since the birth of Louise Brown, the world's first IVF baby. If all the approvals are done, doctors in India would perform the transplant next month. Doctors in India, who have extensive experience in other organ transplants, they will attain expertise in this also," said Dr Rao. The procedure involves three stages. In the first stage oocytes (eggs) harvested from the recipient are used to create embryos. These embryos are frozen for future implantation. The second stage involves the transplantation where the uterus is harvested from a related donor. The organ is then prepared and placed into the pelvic cavity of the recipient. The uterus assumes normal function over a period of six months. The third stage involves the implantation of the cryo-preserved embryos and follows up till the pregnancy. Opening doors to new tech India may witness its first uterus (womb) transplant in a couple of months. MCI has granted a temporary permission to Dr Mats Brannstron, who led an operation in October 2014 in Sweden, in which a healthy baby was born to a uterine transplant recipient for the first time. Dr Brannstrom has collaborated with a Bengaluru-based fertility centre, Milann along with HCG Hospitals to bring the technology of Uterus Transplantation to India. advertisement --- ENDS --- A section of Muslims in Agra held a meeting demanding the resignation and filing of charges against Union minister Ram Shankar Katheria, who had allegedly made communally inflammatory references at a meeting. By Siraj Qureshi: A section of Muslims in Agra, Uttar Pradesh held a meeting at the Shobia Inter College on Wednesday demanding the resignation and filing of charges against Union minister Ram Shankar Katheria, who had allegedly made communally inflammatory references at a VHP meeting on February 28. Several BJP and Hindu outfit leaders, including Katheria and BJP MP from Fatehpur Sikri Babu Lal, attended the meeting to condole the murder of VHP worker Arun Mahaur, who was allegedly killed by some youths from another community on Thursday. In the meeting, several members made provacative speeches against Muslims. Katheria reportedly urged Hindus to "make ourselves powerful" and "launch a struggle." advertisement The Muslim leaders in Agra warned that if the administration does not book the minister for hate speech, the Muslims will "take the matter in their own hands" and file a writ in the high court with audio-visual evidence. Haji Malik Azim Ahmed Khan said it was high time that the BJP's communal 'dadagiri' was put to an end, either through the local administration or the court. Chairing the meeting, UP Congress Minority Cell vice-chairman Haji Jamiluddin said the incident was unnecessarily given a big political mileage, when it was a murder committed out of personal rivalry and there was no cow slaughter involved. "What exactly was the reason for the murder is a matter of investigation and there was no point inciting communal tension over such an ambiguous issue," he said. Meanwhile, the Congress is not convinced with some Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leaders claiming that Katheria, Babu Lal and other BJP leaders want to drag Agra into communal riots through hate speech. The party maintains that the BJP and the ruling Samajwadi Party are "hand-in-glove" in this incident and are "playing with fire" by inciting communal tension. Bhartiya Muslim Vikas Parishad Chairman Sami Agai said that Katheria was guilty of treason and should be removed from his post and prosecuted. He said that in a few weeks, the Hindus will celebrate Holi and before the festival, it was imperative to control the escalating situation through strict action against all those who are involved in the spread of communal mentality. Agai added that any incident in Agra will have a far-reaching effect on the communal peace in the entire state and the political parties should tread with caution when they're playing with the people's emotions. Also read: Agra hate speech: 3 booked, Katheria's name missing from police complaint Nothing inflammatory in Katheria's Agra speech: Rajnath Singh in Parliament Ruckus in Parliament over minister Ram Shankar Katheria's hate speech --- ENDS --- Responding to US Admiral Harry Harris' call in Delhi for the quadrilateral dialogue, Beijing says security cooperation 'should not be directed at a third party'. With United States Admiral Harry Harris on Wednesday pitching for the US, India, Japan and Australia to initiate a quadrilateral security dialogue, China has responded warily to the move, warning that it "should not be targeted against a third party". Speaking in New Delhi, Adm. Harris, who heads the US Pacific Command, called for closer maritime security cooperation between the four countries, while apparently hitting out at China's recent moves in the South China Sea. advertisement "Last year, India hosted Japan and Australia for its first ever high-level trilateral dialogue in New Delhi," Harris said at the Raisina Dialogue. "Some of the topics discussed were maritime security - including freedom of navigation patrols - and trilateral cooperation in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. An idea to consider is perhaps expanding this trilateral to a quadrilateral venue between India-Japan-Australia and the United States. We are all united in supporting the international rules-based order that has kept the peace and is essential to all of us." China has in the past expressed strong reservations at the idea, viewing a quadrilateral security dialogue as a 'front' to 'contain' China. Such reservations have in the past even made both India and Australia wary of going ahead with the dialogue, although the US and Japan have long pressed for it. Whether China's recent moves in the South China Sea, which have worried both India and Australia over freedom of navigation, will prompt a rethink remains unclear. Asked for a response to the US Admiral's call, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei said in Beijing, "We have no objection to relevant countries' normal cooperation, but we believe that relevant cooperation should not be targeted against a third party." The US Admiral also announced that this year's Exercise Malabar with India will once again include Japan, and that the three countries' naval drills will take place in the northern Philippine Sea, which is close to the South China sea. The exercise last year took place in the Bay of Bengal, with Japan included after being kept out for more than five years reportedly because of Beijing's discomfort. The exercises being held in the Philippines Sea - located east of the South China Sea - will likely anger Beijing, coming against the backdrop of rising tensions between China and the US over recent "freedom of navigation operations" (FONOPs) aimed at challenging Beijing's claims. Adm. Harris on Wednesday seemingly hit out at Beijing, referring to moves to reclaim islands and reefs and to build infrastructure, including runways, as creating "castles of sand". "While some countries seek to bully smaller nations through intimidation and coercion, I note with admiration India's example of peaceful resolution of disputes with your neighbours in the waters of the Indian Ocean," he said. "India, indeed, stands like a beacon on a hill, building a future on the power of ideas? not on castles of sand that threaten the rules-based architecture that has served us all so very well." advertisement Asked about plans for this year's exercises to be held in the Philippine Sea near the South China Sea, Hong, the Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said, "We hope that cooperation among relevant countries will be conducive to regional peace and stability as well as security, instead of harming interests of a third party." Also Read: China accuses US of militarising South China Sea US sale of F-16s to Pakistan: US defence secy Ashton Carter to visit New Delhi to address India's concerns --- ENDS --- The lesbian lover, who left her husband almost a year back, has been trying to woo the girl in her 20s from her neighbourhood. However, repeated rejections seem to have pushed her to the extent of attempting to kill the girl. By Ankur Sharma: In what appears to be a rather queer case, a woman, allegedly lesbian, has stabbed her 'love interest' following her refusal to enter into a homosexual relationship with her. The woman, who left her husband almost a year back, has been trying to woo the girl in her 20s from her neighbourhood. However, repeated rejections seem to have pushed her to the extent of attempting to kill the girl. The victim is a nurse at a private hospital. advertisement The accused facing charges of attempt to murder was arrested and later sent to judicial custody. According to the police, the incident was reported on February 26, when the victim, Priyanka (name changed), was heading home from a local market in Najafgarh, south-west Delhi, with her mother in a rickshaw. According to a senior police official, the accused woman, Tripti (name changed), was following Priyanka. She then approached Priyanka, asking to have a word with her. "The accused started speaking to Priyanka and after a while the conversation turned into an argument. When the victim's mother tried to resolve the matter, the accused threatened her. Tripti then attacked the victim with a knife and immediately fled the spot. The victim suffered an injury on her neck. The victim's mother took her to the nearest hospital, where she is now recuperating at hospital and is said to be out of danger," a senior police official said. Sources claim that on Saturday last, the Delhi Police arrested the accused from her house. "During interrogation, the accused divulged that she wanted to be friends with Priyanka but the latlatter was constantly ignoring her. All her attempts to befriend her seemed to turn futile. She therefore went ahead to execute the act, which she had been planning for a while. She also revealed that she moved out of her in-law's place seven months ago because she wasn't happy there," sources said. During investigation it has also surfaced that the two women have been friends for almost eight years. But after Tripti's marriage, Priyanka did not keep in touch with her. Investigations have revealed that the accused tried to contact her while she was living with her in-laws as well. However, this case is not the first of its kind. In November last year, the semi-nude body of a senior IT executive was discovered in his south Delhi residence. Investigators concluded that he might have been killed for denying anal sex. Cops claim that condoms were found on the floor of the victim's room. After the initial medical observation, it was revealed that the victim, who was smothered to death in his Safdarjung Enclave house, had same sex partners. advertisement "Initial medical observations confirmed that the deceased was used to having anal sex. We have also recovered condoms from the crime scene. The body was found in a semi-naked state when the cops reached the spot," a police official had said. Also Read: WATCH: Ridiculous stereotypes homosexuals are bombarded with on a daily basis SC to hear appeal against ban on homosexual acts as gay community suffers rise in rape, harassment Gay couple files a case against the right of same-sex marriage'You do realise you're gay,' said my friend, and the penny dropped --- ENDS --- By India Today Web Desk: Former BJP leader and senior lawyer Ram Jethmalani today claimed Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi's 'fair and lovely' jibe to explain the government's amnesty to black money holders was first used by him five years ago. "I had used this term in an article written about the amnesty scheme in 2011. I am happy Rahul is using my phrase and reading what I had written," Jethmalani, who was removed from the BJP last year for anti-party activities, told reporters. Rahul had on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the Narendra Modi government, saying it has launched a 'fair and lovely' scheme to convert black money into white. Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Gandhi said: "Nobody who has black money will be jailed under Modi's fair and lovely scheme. All those who have black money can make it white under this scheme." "Modi ji had promised that he will put people with black money behind bars, now they have come up with way to save those people. I was shocked to see Finance Minister Arun Jaitley launching such scheme," the Congress leader said. Rahul said the prime minister failed to fulfil his poll promise of bringing the black money from foreign countries. In the run-up to the 2014 general elections, Modi had promised to bring the black money hoarded in foreign banks and punish the culprits. advertisement Also Read Modi has a fair and lovely plan to protect black money holders: Rahul Gandhi --- ENDS --- Amidst the high decibel breakdown leading to the deployment of the Indian Army in Haryana last month, a quieter but similarly determined effort by a band of 2275 armymen saw thousands of lives being saved in Sudan. By Jugal R Purohit: It was easy to miss. Amidst the high decibel breakdown leading to the deployment of the Indian Army (IA) in Haryana last month, a quieter but similarly determined effort by a band of 2275 armymen saw thousands of lives being saved. Malakal, Pibor and Melut are not locations many in India would be aware of. Most may not even think of them as being of any importance. However, over the last two weeks they have been sites of a rather dogged and remarkable defence in the history of United Nations peacekeeping operations playing out on the soil of South Sudan - world's youngest nation - with the Indian Army as its lead protagonist. advertisement Tension peaked February 17 onwards when ethnic clashes were reported in Malakal, among the larger towns of the country. Subsequently, refugees putting up at the 'Protection of Civilian Camp' came under fire. To add to the woes, witnessing the lack of stability, nearly 37,000 additional people sought shelter in the camp. The army, deployed there under the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and recognized with the acronym IndBatt, took positions and fired at the attackers in order to prevent the slaughter. Reports have emerged which state there were killings which took place during this commotion however no official data is available. Matters came to the boil in Pibor, located close to the country's eastern border with Ethiopia on February 23. Simmering for nearly 48 hours since a transfer of power, town residents began seeking refuge in the UN camp since the evening of February 21. "Post 12 noon, the two factions, one belonging to the newly appointed governor Baba Medan and the other of his rival David Yauyau began clashing in the middle of the city. Gunfire erupted when Yauyau learnt that Medan was landing. Even the aircraft suspected of carrying Medan was fired upon from the airstrip," said a source familiar with the developments. Action shifted to the UNMISS compound in Pibor as residents, aid workers and others poured into it seeking safety. The 800 men constituting IndBatt-2, manned by men from army's 7 Kumaon, had the unenviable task of not just securing the base but also frisking those entering to ensure no armed personnel sneaked in. UN estimates listed the figure at over 2000 civilians and other aid workers. Meanwhile that evening, the Doctors Without Borders (MSF) staff sought extrication after reports that armed men were moving towards the facility. Using a mine proof vehicle as a shield from the raging gunfire, the IndBatt-2, got 25 people out, back to the UNMISS compound. Included in this were 11 patients who were subsequently treated within the base. "The situation continues to remain tense though under control. The IndBatt has carried out subsequent patrols to extricate personnel and bring them to the UN compound. Regular patrols are being carried out to bring stores required by aid workers as well as prevent looting," said a source. South Sudan has seen 'tens of thousands of deaths' in the last two years, international press reports quote United Nations officials as saying. Among the world powers who've deployed their personnel under the UN banner in South Sudan, India is the largest contributor with 2275 troops. Since 2005, the army has been deployed to secure camps and refugees inside from attacks by rival groups. The severity of South Sudan's conflict can be judged by the fact that eleven Indian Army personnel have been killed in the conflict since 2005, second only to the mission in Congo where India has lost 20 personnel since being deployed in 2004. advertisement In December 2014, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) had informed the Parliament that since 1950, India's deployment to UN peacekeeping missions stood at approximately 215000 across 38 countries making it the largest presence among all contributing nations. In this period, 147 Indian Army personnel have also been killed, among which 88 died in action whereas the rest were killed as a result of sickness, accidents and suicides. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, in his written reply had stated, "Army personnel killed in action are classified as "Battle Casualty (Fatal)". The UN pays US$ 70,000 to families of Indian Army Personnel who die in UN Missions due to enemy actions, accidents, natural causes and sickness. In addition, the government of India also pays compensation to the families. Provisions exist for 'Instant Enrolment' in the Army in respect of one son/brother (if unmarried/married but without a male child) of the Battle Casualty, wherein the candidate is enrolled in the Army as a soldier if he is medically fit and in recruitable age". advertisement Writer is a Senior Special Correspondent with India Today TV and tweets @JRPUR --- ENDS --- He was arrested for not giving access to WhatsApp data to a Brazilian court. By Reuters: A senior Facebook Inc executive was released after nearly 24 hours in a Brazilian jail due to a disputed court order demanding data from the company's WhatsApp messaging service for a confidential drug-trafficking investigation. An appeals court judge handling the case in Sergipe state overturned a lower court decision to arrest Diego Dzodan, Facebook's vice president for Latin America, court officials said on Wednesday. advertisement Law enforcement officials withheld further information about the nature of their request to the messaging service acquired by Facebook in 2014, saying it could compromise an ongoing criminal investigation. Also read: Facebook Brazil VP jailed for not giving access to WhatsApp data "Diego's detention was an extreme, disproportionate measure, and we are pleased to see the court in Sergipe issue an injunction ordering his release," a Facebook spokesperson said in an emailed statement. The arrest came as technology companies face mounting pressure from governments around the world to help them eavesdrop on users. Apple Inc and U.S. law enforcement officials are in a standoff over unlocking the iPhone of a shooter in the San Bernardino, California, attacks. Court officials said the judge in Brazil resorted to the arrest after issuing a fine of 1 million reais ($250,000) to compel Facebook to help investigators get access to WhatsApp messages relevant to the confidential drug-trafficking investigation. Also read: Germans talk tough, fete Facebook's Zuckerberg The move is likely impossible because WhatsApp began using end-to-end encryption technology in 2014 that prevents the company from monitoring messages that travel across its network, according to Christopher Soghoian, principal technologist with the American Civil Liberties Union. --- ENDS --- In his dig at the opposition over repeated disruptions in Parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today sought to turn the table on the Congress by invoking his predecessor and arch enemy Rahul Gandhi's father, Rajiv Gandhi. By India Today Web Desk: In his dig at the opposition over repeated disruptions in Parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today sought to turn the table on the Congress by invoking his predecessor and arch enemy Rahul Gandhi's father, Rajiv Gandhi. Defining Parliament as a place where debates must take place "within certain boundaries", Modi said, "This is not something I am saying. This has been said by former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi." advertisement Incidentally, a letter from the Tamil Nadu government asking the Centre to decide on releasing Rajiv Gandhi's killers was received on Wednesday. Rahul refused to comment on the matter, asking the government to take its own call. In his speech today, Modi repeatedly attacked the opposition for stalling Parliament. "When the Parliament does not work, it is the opposition which suffers the most since they are stopped from expressing their resentment against a government," Modi said. The other former parliamentarians Modi invoked in his motion of thanks to President's address included India's first PM Jawaharlal Nehru and former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee. "We should listen to our elders," Modi said, cheered by the treasury bench. "I appeal to the opposition to help pass important bills in both the Houses of Parliament," he added. Modi also proposed that only women MPs should speak in Parliament to mark International Women's Day on March 8. As he also asked for setting up aside of time for the first-time MPs to speak, Modi was reminded by the opposition of being a first-time MP himself. "Yes, I am one. I accept that," he said. --- ENDS --- Indo-Canadian students, the faculty and staff from Univeristy of British Columbia, Canada, would hold a rally on March 3 to show their support with Jawaharlal Nehru Univeristy (JNU), a media report said. By Indo-Asian News Service: Indo-Canadian students, the faculty and staff from Univeristy of British Columbia, Canada, would hold a rally on March 3 to show their support with Jawaharlal Nehru Univeristy (JNU), a media report said. "As you already know many central universities are under brutal attack from the BJP-led right wing government in India. Rohith Vemula, a bright PhD student of University of Hyderabad who belonged to Dalit community, was victimised, harassed, and thrown out of the university which ultimately forced him to take his own life," The Voice quoted an email sent by a student. advertisement "The students of the Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi who led a big student movement against the institutional murder of Rohith are now facing deadly onslaught of the state -- its entire student's union and leftist leadership booked under the draconian sedition charges," as per the email. "Its President Kanhaiya Kumar was almost lynched in the court premises by fascist hoodlums in black coats in full public view, and in spite of a huge police presence that refused to act," the email added. The email noted that the university would celebrate the day as "International Support Day for JNU". According to the report, Hundreds of universities, public intellectuals, human rights organisations from all over the globe have raised their voice in support of the JNU students and teachers, Recently, students from New York University (NYU) and Cooper Union college in New York including Indian-Americans, gathered at Washington Square Park to support JNU Students Union leader Kanhaiya Kumar and other students who were arrested on sedition charges in February. An Indian-American student said during the protest that the main aim of the event was to raise awareness about Kanhiaya's arrest. "[Kumar] was arrested for making these comments against the government, even though he was not actually saying anything against the government, he was just having this poetry reading," Anjana Sreedhar said. "We are protesting against the fact that he was arrested under the sedition law which is very antiquated and very outdated," Sreedhar added. Sreedhar, along with several other students read English transcripts of Kanhaiya's speech during the poetry reading and asked if his words warranted arrest. They also encouraged passersby and attendees to attend a forum discussion at Cooper Union next week. A student activist at the NYU Sumathy Kumar said she attended the rally because she wants to show her support to the JNU students who were "beaten and arrested and so much violence was being committed against them just for speaking out". Anthropology professor Tejaswini Ganti said that she was glad students were voicing concern for JNU's students and that universities should be an open forum for all opinions -- even those that disagree with the ruling government. --- ENDS --- The Supreme Court will on March 11 hear a plea seeking to quash the criminal prosecution, suspension and other actions taken against Gujarat cops in the 2004 alleged fake encounter killing of Ishrat Jahan. By India Today Web Desk: The Supreme Court will on March 11 hear a plea seeking to quash the criminal prosecution, suspension and other actions taken against Gujarat cops in the 2004 alleged fake encounter killing of Ishrat Jahan. The matter, which was pushed for urgent hearing before a bench comprising Chief Justice TS Thakur and Justice UU Lalit on March 1, will now be heard in the Supreme Court in view of the recent testimony given by jailed LeT operative David Headley. advertisement The plea, filed by advocate ML Sharma, refers to the statement recorded by Headley, the Pakistani-American terrorist, in a Mumbai court that Jahan was a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative. Gujarat Police personnel, including the then DIG D G Vanzara, are facing trial in a Mumbai court for their alleged role in the encounter. The plea, which cited the recent statements before a special court recorded by Headley, who allegedly conspired with LeT in plotting the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, said the facts are now undisputed that all four persons killed by Gujarat Police, including Ishrat Jahan, were terrorists. "The judicial proceeding and statement of David Headley, who conspired with LeT in plotting the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, stated via video conference and recorded in the special court at Mumbai that four persons, including Ishrat Jahan who were killed in June 2004 by Gujarat Police, were a part of LeT terrorist organisation belonging to Pakistan and they were assigned to kill then Chief Minister of Gujarat, Narendra Modi," it said. The plea sought a direction to close criminal proceedings and action taken in FIRs lodged by CBI against the Gujarat Police personnel and others, saying it was unconstitutional within the judicial facts and evidences of Headley. It also sought a direction from the court declaring that killing of a terrorist is not an offence under Indian law and proper compensation be paid to the state police personnel in the interest of justice. It also wanted initiation of suo motu perjury/contempt proceedings against the then Home Minister and CBI Director for concealing true facts before the Supreme Court and the Gujarat High Court and for filing a false affidavit pertaining to facts about Ishrat Jahan case. Also Read: Unlikely that Ishrat Jahan was a terrorist: Former SIT chief Sathish Verma Ishrat Jahan case: Was forced to sign second affidavit, says former MHA official --- ENDS --- Jammu and Kashmir Police have identified one of the three killed militants involved in recent Fidayeen attack saying he is Pakistan national. By Naseer Ganai: Jammu and Kashmir Police have identified one of the three killed militants involved in recent Fidayeen attack saying he is Pakistan national. A senior police official while pleading anonymity said one of the militant killed in the Entrepreneur Development Institute (EDI) attack had been identified as Abdul Manan son of Zia Ur Rehman of Wazirabad Punjab, Pakistan. Police suspect the three militants, who carried out an attack on paramilitary Centre Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on February 21 and then used sprawling building of the EDI main building as a bunker for 48 hours engaging the security forces, were fresh infiltrators. advertisement Police suspect that the militants might have infiltrated ten days earlier carrying the out the attack which left six people, including three soldiers, dead. On February 21 at about 3.30pm the three militants attacked a CRPF convoy in which 11 personnel were wounded. Of the 11, two succumbed later. A civilian, an employee at EDI, was caught in the crossfire between militants and the paramilitary troopers during the initial attack. Police and security forces also evacuated more than 100 people, including students and EDI employees, from a Jhelum building of the EDI complex. On February 22, Captain Pawan Kumar 23, who was the head of the Para Special Force team, sustained injuries while entering the main building. He too succumbed to his wounds. On the same day, the army lost 21-year-old Captain Tushar Mahajan and 32-year-old Lance Naik Om Prakash while entering the building. The militants were buried in the Uri area of Baramulla, around 70 km north of Srinagar, close to Line of Control. However, at several places in south Kashmir people offered funeral prayers in absentia for the killed militants. Police and the army said all the killed militants in the EDI attack were foreigners. Also Read: Pampore encounter: Militants may have done recce of the area Also Read:Pampore encounter: Hizbul Mujahideen chief's son rescued by Indian Army --- ENDS --- The court said JNU students' union president Kanhaiya Kumar must have introspected during his stay in jail and cautioned him from indulging in any anti-national activity once he is released on bail. By Sneha Agrawal: Putting the onus on JNU students' union president Kanhaiya Kumar to "control anti-national activities" on JNU campus, the Delhi High Court allowed his interim release on Wednesday evening. Granting six-month interim bail to Kumar, Justice Pratibha Rani noted that reason behind "anti-national views" in the mind of students who raised slogans on the death anniversary of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru had to be found. She also asked the JNU authorities to prevent recurrence of such incidents. Kumar will be released from Tihar Jail on Thursday morning. advertisement The court said the accused (Kumar) must have introspected during his stay in jail and cautioned him from indulging in any anti-national activity once he is released on bail. "The thoughts reflected in the slogans raised by some of the students of JNU who organised and participated in that programme cannot be protected as freedom of speech and expression?As president of JNU students' union, he will make all efforts within his power to control anti-national activities in the campus," the bench said. Justice Rani also said Kumar's surety should be a member of the faculty who will not only ensure his presence before the court but also ensure that his thoughts and energy are channelised in a constructive manner. Making a scathing remark, the judge termed the tendency of 'anti-nationalism' as a kind of 'infection' and warned that if it was not cured at the initial stage, the same could become 'gangrene' and leaving no option but to amputate the infected limb. "I consider this as a kind of infection from which such students are suffering which needs to be cured before it becomes an epidemic. The judge dubbed the interim release of Kumar as a 'conservative method of treatment'. "Whenever some infection is spread in a limb, effort is made to cure the same by giving antibiotics orally and if that does not work it may require surgical intervention also. However, if the infection becomes gangrene, amputation is the only treatment," it remarked. Expressing anguish over the sequence of events that unfolded on JNU campus, the high court said the feelings or the protest reflected in the alleged seditious slogans required introspection by the student community. The court noted that the photographs of such students were available on record holding posters carrying photographs of Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhatt. The court, in its 23-page order, dealt at length with the issue of sedition. It cited the Gujarat High Court's order in the case of Hardik Patel who is also facing sedition charges. "As president of JNU students union, Kumar was expected to be responsible and accountable for any anti-national event organised in the campus. Freedom of expression enjoyed by every citizen can be subjected to reasonable restrictions under Article 19(2) of our Constitution," it said adding such persons enjoy the freedom to raise such slogans in the comfort of University Campus but without realising that they are in this safe environment because our armed forces are there at the battle field situated at the highest altitude of the world where even the oxygen is so scarce that those who are shouting anti-national slogans holding posters of Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhatt close to their chest honouring their martyrdom, may not be even able to withstand those conditions for an hour even. advertisement 'Azadi' once again in JNU Slogan of azadi reverberated once again on Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus late on Wednesday evening but for a different cause this time. As the news of Kanhaiya Kumar's bail broke out among students, the campus started the celebrations. "The beating of the traditional JNU daflis with flags of different student organisations being raised marked the happiness and pride of the protesters. It's a big victory for us in the struggle which has a long way to go. We have been waiting for Kanhaiya to be back on campus ever since he was sent to jail in a sedition case. It's a huge relief for us and we will continue our struggle for Umar and Anirban who are still in jail," JNUSU Vice-President Shehla Rashid Shora said. advertisement Also Read: Kanhaiya Kumar granted 6-month conditional bail by Delhi High Court My son is not a terrorist, the world will know soon says Kanhaiya's mother India Today impact: Tests confirm 2 out of 7 Kanhaiya sedition videos doctoredExclusive: Here's how Kanhaiya Kumar is being treated in Tihar Jail --- ENDS --- Kumar's release follows the Delhi High Court's order on Wednesday, granting him a six-month interim bail in the case which became a national headline since his arrest three weeks ago. By India Today Web Desk: JNU student leader Kanhaiya Kumar has reached the campus of the university after he was released from New Delhi's Tihar Jail today after a 23-day custody following his arrest in a sedition case last month. Kanhaiya first had to undergo a medical examination before he was released and then secreted out of the jail by a colony route and taken to Hari Nagar Police station. advertisement The president of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU) was arrested on February 12 on charges of shouting anti-national slogans, a charge he has denied. Kumar's release follows the Delhi High Court's order on Wednesday, granting him a six-month interim bail in the case which became a national headline since his arrest three weeks ago. Thousands of students and academics all over India had rallied behind Kumar and other JNU students arrested for sedition following the holding of a controversial event in the memory of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. Kanhaiya's bail bond was given a day after the High Court judge Pratibha Rani granted him the bail after asking him to furnish a surety of Rs 10,000. Meanwhile, a Delhi government report said there was "no direct link" between Kumar and the alleged anti-India sloganeering at the JNU campus on February 9. District Magistrate, New Delhi, Sanjay Kumar, who conducted the inquiry, said his report also stated that the role of Umar Khalid, another JNU student accused of raising anti-India slogans, needs to be further investigated. "Umar Khalid was visible in many videos. His support for the role of Kashmir and Afzal Guru is known and he was the organiser of the event. His role needs to be further investigated," the report states. "Anti-national slogans were indeed raised on the campus of the JNU. The university administration has identified few faces who were clearly heard raising anti-India slogans. Whereabouts of them should be found out and their role must be investigated further," the report stated. The official said that seven videos were sent to Truth Labs, Hyderabad, of which three were found to be doctored. "In those doctored versions, video has been edited and voices added," the official said. The Delhi government had ordered a magisterial probe into the matter on February 13. Also Read: Kanhaiya Kumar granted 6-month conditional bail by Delhi High Court --- ENDS --- On News Today, the panellists discuss if it was unbecoming of a court of law to be judgmental despite agreeing with evidence which showed that Kanhaiya did not engage in 'anti-national' sloganeering. By India Today Web Desk: Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union leader Kanhaiya Kumar may have been granted bail, but that order didn't come without the Delhi high Court judging his odd predicament with the bench headed by Justice Pratibha Rani talking about the danger that the judge sees allegedly seditious slogans as posing. The Judge began the order quoting from the famous patriotic song Mere Desh ki Dharti (The Soil of My Country)and went on to speak about a myriad of topics including the fact that Indians enjoy their freedom only because "our forces are protecting our frontiers in the most difficult terrain in the world i.e. Siachen Glacier or Rann of Kutch". advertisement On News Today, the panellists discuss if the Judge got swayed by emotion and whether it was unbecoming of a court of law to be judgmental despite agreeing with the evidence which showed that Kanhaiya did not engage in 'anti-national' sloganeering. Lawyer Sanjay Hegde thought that the beginning of the verdict was inconsequential. "The 23-page bail order could have been finished in three lines," Hegde said. "This judgement by Pratibha Rani may later be used as a model for what not to write in a judgement," he added. JNU professor Aditya Mukherjee spoke about the Judge trying to invoke the sentiment of putting the armed forces against the students, saying, "Pitting armed forces against students is terrible." He also spoke about the goof ups made by the administration regarding the case, saying, "The way they are using Police and administration is shameful." Former Uttar Pradesh DGP Vikram Singh disagreed, saying that the Judge was right in giving her view to the public. "Judge Pratibha Rani in her bail order verdict told teachers and students what is right and what is not," he said. Meanwhile, RSS ideologue Rakesh Sinha continued to fight for the RSS' obsession with school textbooks, saying that this is historic judgement would be a part of school textbooks one day. You can watch the full video here: --- ENDS --- Prime Minister Narendra Modi today proposed that only women parliamentarians should speak in Parliament on March 8 to mark the International Women's Day. By India Today Web Desk: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today proposed that only women parliamentarians should speak in Parliament on March 8 to mark the International Women's Day. "8th March is International Women's Day and may be that day, only women members should speak in Parliament," Modi said in his motion of thanks to President Pranab Mukherjee's Budget session address. There are 62 women MPs in Lok Sabha today, constituting over 11 per cent of the House strength. It is the highest ever representation of women in the Lower House; the lowest was in 1977 with just 19 MPs or 3.5 per cent of the House strength. advertisement Some of the prominent women MPs in the current Lok Sabha are Congress president Sonia Gandhi, BJP's Hema Malini and Menka Gandhi, PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti, Shiromani Akali Dal's Harsimrat Kaur Badal, and NCP's Supriya Sule. While the BJP leads the pack with 30 women MPs, the AIADMK is a distant second with four. The Congress has three. Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan is also a woman MP from Madhya Pradesh. There has been a three-fold rise in the number of women MPs that made their way to Lok Sabha since 1951, when the first Lok Sabha met after India's independence. However, the average representation of women in Lok Sabha is higher than the national average of women MLAs, which stands at a dismal nine per cent. --- ENDS --- The minorities' rights body had shot four strongly worded letters to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Naseem Zaidi, Union Minister for Minority Affairs Najma Heptullah and Uttar Pradesh (UP) Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav. The National Commission for Minorities has sent strongly worded letters to Home Minister Rajnath Singh and UP CM Akhilesh Yadav, among others. By Siddhartha Rai: The National Commission for Minorities (NCM) has taken strong note of the 'hate speech' delivered by Union Minister of State (MoS) for Human Resource Development (HRD) and BJP's Agra MP Ram Shankar Katheria at a condolence meet organised in the city for slain VHP worker Arun Mahaur, who was killed allegedly by some Muslim youth. The minorities' rights body had on Tuesday shot four strongly worded letters to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Naseem Zaidi, Union Minister for Minority Affairs Najma Heptullah and Uttar Pradesh (UP) Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav. advertisement Chairperson of the body Naseem Ahmad issued the letters in response to media reports and the complaint filed by lawyer-activist and Congress sympathiser Shehzad Poonawalla. "It is high time hate-mongers are booked under 153A and 153B and 295A of the IPC. Authorities cannot drag their feet. ECI must act against BJP for being a habitual offender. On my petitions notices were issued to Amit Shah, Yogi Adityanath, Rampal Pundhir and others in the past. I hope CM Yadav takes cognisance and arrests these hate mongers. Equally hope that Modi ji throws out those talking about #HateInIndia and #DividedIndia instead of MakeInIndia and Digital India," said Poonawalla. In its letter to the home minister, Ahmad said it was a disturbing fact that "responsible persons from the government are reported to have made some of these vitriolic statements". The commission, Ahmad said, had "resolved unanimously" that appropriate action in the matter be taken "lest the situation takes an ugly and volatile turn". The notice to CM Yadav was similarly penned. The letter issued to the minority affairs ministry was relatively strongly drafted. The commission noted that "utterly shocking and provocative statements" were made at the Agra meeting. Quoting anti-Muslim statements that had appeared in media reports in which the members of the community were likened to the "descendants of Ravana" and as "demons" were made, the commission also made a mention of the "final battle" cries with Muslims that had allegedly been raised at the meeting by the rightwing leaders. Ahmad said the commission was hopeful that Heptullah would see this "as a serious breach of constitutional principles and convey our distress to the appropriate authorities within the Government". The letter demanded "quick action to reassure the minorities that such behavior will not be tolerated". Also read: Katheria hate speech: Where was this anger when Hindu women were molested in Haryana, asks Owaisi Agra hate speech: 3 booked, Katheria's name missing from police complaint --- ENDS --- "True to his characteristic style, he (Modi) created a smokescreen of boastful claims and made fun of his political opponents," Anand Sharma said. By India Today Web Desk: The Congress hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that he is "not rising above petty politics" and didn't answer any of the oppositions questions regarding Pakistan, JNU and Rohith Vemula among others. Responding to the Prime Minister's reply in the Lok Sabha, Sharma lamented that Modi did not speak a single word on the "failures" of government in several fields and how it planned to face the challenges. advertisement "True to his characteristic style, he created a smokescreen of boastful claims and made fun of his political opponents," he said. Sharma said that the Prime Minister failed to speak on the crisis facing the economy, falling exports, his stopover in Pakistan, black money, JNU row and Rohit Vemula's suicide. Party's senior spokesman Anand Sharma found Modi's reference to Nikita Khruschev a "very ominous sign", insisting that right to oppose is a Constitutional right. "The Prime Minister's reply was sad and disappointing. He did not respond to any of the issues raised by Opposition leaders including Rahul Gandhi," he said. Sharma said Modi got the story wrong as in actuality, the person who asked question to the Russian leader had never stood up, making Khruschev remark that is the answer why he did not speak during the Stalin era. He, however, said the Khruschev story narrated by the PM is a "very ominous sign" and "highly objectionable" as right to oppose is a constitutional right. Sharma said the government's "mindset" could be gauged from the fact that leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Sitaram Yechury were being slapped cases under sedition charges. Taking a jibe at Modi, he said, "He is telling others to become mature. I hope that after one reads Gandhi and Nehru more, he gains the ideological and political maturity to govern a complex, diverse and beautiful country that is the Republic of India." Also read: Some people age but do not mature: Modi's dig at Rahul Gandhi In Modi's appeal for Parliament to run, a reference to Rajiv Gandhi --- ENDS --- Former Head Imam of Al Madina Masjid in Barking, London, calls Mumtaz Qadri a 'martyr' and termed his execution 'wrongful'. By India Today Web Desk: Mumtaz Qadri, who was hanged for killing Pakistan Punjab's Governor Salman Taseer, is being praised and considered a 'martyr' by many. Joining the club is Imam Muhammed Asim Hussain, who travels across UK to lecture the youth on Islam. He was also the head Imam of Al Madina Masjid in Barking, London for three years. advertisement Imam Muhammed Asim Hussain in a Facebook post has called March 2, 2016 a 'dark day in the history of Pakistan' as Qadri was 'wrongfully' executed on this day. A dark day in the history of Pakistan; the day Ghazi Mumtaz was wrongfully executed and martyred in the way of Allah,...Posted by Imam Muhammed Asim Hussain on Sunday, 28 February 2016 He wrote that Qadri had 'martyred in the way of Allah' and whatever he did (take a life) was in honour of the Prophet. Qadri was a former police bodyguard. He shot Pakistan Punjab's Governor Salman Taseer in Islamabad in 2011 claiming it was his 'religious duty' to kill Taseer as he supported liberal reforms and criticised Pakistan's blasphemy laws. The Pakistani police bodyguard had no qualms about what he did. He had shot Taseer 27 times with an AK-47 assault rifle in a market. Many hard-line activists came on the street to protest his 'wrongful' execution. --- ENDS --- The Muslim woman carried the severed head of a 4-year-old child and screamed "Allahu Akbar" on the streets of Moscow. By India Today Web Desk: A woman was arrested on suspicion of murdering a child in Moscow, Russia. She brutally murdered a 4-year-old girl, beheaded her and carried the head on the streets. Eyewitnesses say she screamed "Allahu Akbar!" The suspect, Gyulchekhra Bobokulova, is from the former Soviet republic of Uzbekistan and was identified as the child's care taker. Also read: Woman with severed head of a child shuts down Moscow Metro advertisement A video that went viral showed the suspect carrying the severed head of the child and flashing it outside a Moscow metro station. The woman has said that she did it to avenge the lives of the Muslims killed in Kremlin's campaign of air strikes in Syria. "I took revenge against those who spilled blood...Putin spilled blood, planes carried out bombings. Why are Muslims being killed? They also want to live." Bobokulova is kept in a psychiatric care and attempts are being made to find out if she is capable of understanding her actions. While the investigation is still on, the investigators have not suspected her of any terrorism-related offence. She initially had told the media that Allah had ordered her to commit the crime and that she wanted to move to Syria but could not due to insufficient funds. Russia had launched its campaign of air strikes in Syria in September last year to support President Syrian Bashar al-Assad. The video below has graphic content. Viewer's discretion advised. --- ENDS --- In an exclusive chat with India Today TV, Rahul said, "I would say officially that the issue has come to the central government and the government has to decide. Personally, as a son, I would not like to express my opinion." By India Today Web Desk: Even as his party opposed the release of Rajiv Gandhi's killers, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi today said he has "no personal opinion" on the matter and asked the Narendra Modi government to take its own call. In an exclusive chat with India Today TV, Rahul said, "I would say officially that the issue has come to the central government and the government has to decide. Personally, as a son, I would not like to express my opinion." advertisement The Congress has sought Home Minister Rajnath Singh's response on a letter by the Tamil Nadu government, seeking the Centre's nod to release seven convicts in former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's assassination case. The letter by Tamil Nadu chief secretary K Gnanadesikan said the convicts - V Sriharan alias Murugan, T Suthendraraja alias Santhan, AG Perarivalan alias Arivu, Jayakumar, Robert Payas, Ravichandran and Nalini - have spent nearly 24 years in jail in the case. All seven have been in prison since 1991, the year a woman Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) suicide bomber blew herself up as she touched Rajiv's feet at an election rally near Chennai. The death sentence imposed on Murugan, Santhan and Perarivalan was commuted to life on the orders of Supreme Court in 2014. The Supreme Court on December 2, 2015, ruled that the Tamil Nadu government could grant remission and release the convicts only in consultation with the central government in cases investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Also Read PM Modi: Parliament not allowed to function because of Opposition's inferiority complex Parliament LIVE: Lok Sabha debates Rajiv Gandhi killers' issue Tamil Nadu govt decides to release convicts in Rajiv Gandhi case --- ENDS --- North Korea fired several short-range projectiles into the sea on Thursday, hours after the United Nations' Security Council voted to impose tough new sanctions on the isolated state and South Korean President Park Geun-hye vowed to "end tyranny" by the North's leader. By Reuters: North Korea fired several short-range projectiles into the sea on Thursday, hours after the United Nations' Security Council voted to impose tough new sanctions on the isolated state and South Korean President Park Geun-hye vowed to "end tyranny" by the North's leader. The firing escalated tensions on the Korean peninsula, which have been high since the North's January nuclear test and February long-range rocket launch, and set the South's military on a heightened alert. advertisement South Korea's Defence Ministry said it was trying to determine if the projectiles, launched at 10 a.m. (0100 GMT) from the North's east coast, were short-range missiles or artillery fire. Park has been tough in her response to the North's recent actions, moving from her earlier self-described "trustpolitik" approach, and on Thursday welcomed the move by the Security Council and repeated her call for the North to change its behaviour. "We will cooperate with the world to make the North Korean regime abandon its reckless nuclear development and end tyranny that oppresses freedom and human rights of our brethren in the North," Park said at a Christian prayer meeting on Thursday. Also on Thursday, South Korea adopted a long-delayed security law to set up an anti-espionage unit that was passed by parliament late on Wednesday, and another law aimed at improving human rights in North Korea. Last month, Seoul suspended the operation of a jointly run factory project with the North that had been the rivals' last remaining venue for regular interaction. In its latest barrage of insults against the South's leader, the North's official media carried a commentary on Wednesday likening Park to an "ugly female bat", fated to "die in the dreary cave, its body hanging down". North Korea faces harsh new sanctions for its nuclear weapons programme under the resolution passed unanimously by the Security Council on Wednesday, drafted by the United States and backed by the North's main ally China. The resolution, which dramatically expands existing sanctions, follows the North's fourth nuclear test on Jan. 6 and a long-range rocket launch on Feb. 7, which the United States and South Korea said violated existing Security Council resolutions. The North says it was its sovereign right to launch rockets as part of a space programme to put satellites into orbit. Also Read: UN imposes harsh new sanctions on North Korea drafted by US, China Also Read: South Korea, US to discuss missile defence; South cuts power to Kaesong park --- ENDS --- By India Today Web Desk: At a condolence meeting of a slain VHP leader in Agra on Sunday, Union minister RS Katheria made a series of objectionable remarks as he openly called for revenge. "If we are required to take to the streets, we will come on the streets in thousands. Let anybody dare stop us," the Minister of State for Human Resource Development said in remarks seen as inciting communal hatred. "We have to make ourselves powerful... Before another (life) is lost, we must show such strength that these killers themselves disappear," Katheria said. Other senior BJP and Sangh leaders made similar remarks as they mourned the murder of Arun Mahaur, a local VHP leader. Today, after the opposition demanded an explanation from the government over Katheria's remarks, Home Minister Rajnath Singh told Parliament there was nothing inflammatory in the speech. "We have seen the CD related to Katheria and our officials have informed us that nothing objectionable was said by him. An FIR (First Information Report) has been lodged against three people. Katheria has not given any speech which is inflammatory in nature," Rajnath said. The opposition has demanded Katheria's resignation for speaking at the condolence meet where speakers after speakers equated Muslims to "demons", warned of a "final battle" and asked Hindus to "take up arms if necessary" ahead of the elections in Uttar Pradesh. Among the others who spoke at the event in Agra were BJP's Fatehpur Sikri MP Babu Lal, local BJP MLA Jagan Prasad Garg, and a number of VHP and Bajrang Dal leaders. On Tuesday, Katheria clarified his statements, saying, "I had not taken the name of any community. I had said that the culprit who murdered the VHP worker should be given the death sentence. I had also said that the Hindu community should unite for their safety." Meanwhile, the Agra Police has booked three people, including a local BJP corporator Kundanika Sharma, for hate speech. advertisement --- ENDS --- The army foiled an infiltration bid by militants today along the Line of Control in Keran sector of Kashmir, and one terrorist was killed while two soldiers sustained injuries. By India Today Web Desk: The army foiled an infiltration bid by militants today along the Line of Control in Keran sector of Kashmir, and one terrorist was killed while two soldiers sustained injuries. "An infiltration bid was foiled by alert troops along the Line of Control in Keran Sector. "One militant has been killed so far," an army official said. advertisement The official said the two soldier, who sustained injuries in the exchange of fire with the infiltrators, were both evacuated to a hospital where their condition is stated to be stable. He said the operation was in progress till last reports came in. --- ENDS --- With women's productivity at work reducing during the first couple of days of their period, these countries have decided to give their women employees a break. By Somya Abrol: Anyone who has ever worked in a team that's full of women knows what the 'monthly red devil' does to a woman's mind and body. Though most women don't like to call in sick-unless they absolutely have to-on Day 1 of their period, many of them are not exactly in the mental or physiological state to move on with life as usual. advertisement In light of the above, a Bristol (UK) company, called Coexist, is planning to create an official 'period policy' that will allow women to take time off during their period, without being stigmatised. Bex Baxter, the director of Coexist, told Daily Mail that the move is an attempt to synchronise work with the body's natural cycles. Before this, Nike was the only company that included this type of leave in their code of conduct, worldwide. Nike introduced menstrual leave in 2007 and makes business partners sign a memorandum of understanding to ensure they maintain the company's standards. This move by Coexist, however, is not a first. The 'period leave' or 'menstrual leave' policy has been in existence for decades now. Here are some of the countries that practice it-either in entirety or in bits and pieces. JAPAN Japan has had menstrual leave in place since just after World War II. According to the 1947 Labor Standards Law, women suffering from painful periods or those whose jobs might exacerbate period pain are allowed seirikyuuka (meaning 'physiological leave'). At the time the law was written, women were entering the workforce in record numbers, and workplaces like factories, mines and bus stations had little by way of sanitary facilities. The new law, writes researcher Alice J. Dan, was "a symbol for women's emancipation. It represented their ability to speak openly about their bodies, and to gain social recognition for their role as workers." TAIWAN Taiwan's current menstrual leave legislation, however, is more recent. The 2013 amendment to the country's Act of Gender Equality in Employment guarantees female workers three days of menstrual leave a year, in addition to the 30 days of half-paid sick leave allotted to all workers. The act originally folded menstrual leave into the regular 30 days of sick leave, prompting a gender-diverse coalition of politicians to claim this was a violation of women's basic rights. CHINA This month onward, female employees in the central Anhui Province of China will be able to take one or two days off "on production of a certificate from a legal medical institute or hospital," reports China.org. advertisement This, however, is NOT the first Chinese province to practice the law. Menstrual leave is already in place for women in the northern Shanxi province and central Hubei province. INDONESIA Indonesian women are entitled to take two days a month of menstrual leave, though many companies simply ignore the law, and others have even been accused of harassment in wake of the law. SOUTH KOREA Women workers in South Korea were granted menstrual leave in 2001, though an experiment in extending the policy to female university students was deemed a failure ("faculty members decided that the policy was being abused as an excuse for absence"). The policy has lately come under fire from Korea's men's rights activists, who, despite Korea's heavily male-dominated work culture, see it as a form of discrimination. The idea of menstrual leave for women was floated in Russia as well, in 2013, but to no avail. With India's growing population of women employees, is it time for our country to follow suit? --- ENDS --- The film's protagonist, Adivi Sesh, who has also written the story, is now getting offers from the Bollywood film industry. It is said that he has been offered with two Hindi projects, but he hasn't taken the call yet. By India Today Web Desk: The Telugu Thriller Kshanam, which was released on February 26, is the talk of Tollywood. From Ravi Teja to Lakshmi Manchu, all leading stars of the industry have praised the film to heavens. The film's protagonist, Adivi Sesh, who has also written the story, is now getting offers from the Bollywood film industry. advertisement ALSO READ: Tollywood stars awestruck by Adivi Sesh's Kshanam "During the course of this week, he has been offered two Hindi projects. One of the projects is from a well-known banner. Adivi hasn't taken a call on the offers yet as he's busy with the success tour of Kshanam," a source close to the actor told IANS Adivi, according to the source, is not in a hurry to sign films. "He's happy with the offers but is in no mood to rush. He's also glad that Kshanam is doing extremely well and is being raved by audiences and critics alike," he said. Meanwhile, actor Satyam Rajesh, who has mostly played comic roles in his decade-long career, stunned everybody when he donned khaki and played a no-nonsense character in the Telugu suspense drama. "I've worked in about 350 films. Never did I imagine I could play such a character. In fact, nobody believed that I was capable of playing such a serious role. Kshanam has changed all that for me and has given me the confidence to experiment," Satyam told IANS. When he was approached for the project, he assumed he was expected to play the hero's friend. "When Sesh (writer) told me I have to play a cop, I wasn't sure if he was serious because I was mentally prepared to play the hero's friend. But when I heard the story, I was so thrilled," he said, adding that the makers had originally planned to approach actor Sampath Raj for the same role. For his role, Satyam worked hard to do full justice. "I had to practice walking, look macho and pump my chest. As a comedian, audiences were familiar with my body language. I had to change all that so that people take me seriously and not feel I was miscast," he said. The success of Kshanam might not change many things for Satyam, who says he will continue doing comic roles, but will get a little choosy. --- ENDS --- advertisement In the last two days, the rivalry between Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi has become more intense and exciting. In Rahul Gandhi's speech on Thursday, which received widespread praised, the leader used satire and sarcasm to punch holes in the prime minister's image and performance. By India Today Web Desk: In the last two days, the rivalry between Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi has become more intense and exciting. In Rahul Gandhi's speech on Thursday, which received widespread praised, the leader used satire and sarcasm to punch holes in the prime minister's image and performance. Today Modi hit back with the same coin, but without once naming Rahul Gandhi. advertisement In his show To The Point, India Today's Karan Thapar asked his panelists - Who has won this battle of speeches? How effective was Rahul Gandhi's performance? How telling was Modi's response? The panelists included former Congress minister Veerappa Moily, BJP spokesperson GVL Narsimha Rao, RSS ideologue Rakesh Sinha, founding editor of TheWire.in Sidharth Bhatia and the former press adviser to Dr Manmohan Singh and senior fellow at Centre for Policy Research Sanjay Baru. "Rahul has indeed scored a lot of self goals because his speech was full of bluster, false bravado, reeking actually of dynastic arrogance. Most of the independent voters found him to be very short in both substance and understanding issues. It was an insipid and imbecile performance," said BJP's Rao on the Congress vice-president's speech in Lok Sabha. The Congress president during former prime minister Indira Gandhi's time, Devakanta Barua, had coined the infamous slogan - "Indira is India, and India is Indira." Rahul Gandhi in his speech said that the country is not the prime minister, and the prime minister is not the country. "Immediately after the Second World War, Churchill was asked by the media - what is the reason for the war? Winston Churchill said - 'Jealousy, jealousy, jealousy'. This clearly applies to [the people who are criticising Rahul Gandhi. The BJP only dwells in the past. Rahul spoke with clarity and maturity, and it was spectacular. He also talked with humility when criticised. You cannot witness that with the prime minister or anybody else," said Moily. "Humour is part of the parliamentary ripostes. Rahul Gandhi did a good job. It did manage to puncture holes in the prime minister's image and performance," said Baru. On Modi not naming Rahul Gandhi in his speech, but taking indirect potshots - "Modi responded in a prime ministerial way to the humour and cutting speech of Rahul Gandhi. He spoke with gravitas and managed to unsettle the opposition. The visuals to watch is Sonia Gandhi's face on many occasions when Modi was speaking," said Baru. advertisement "The prime minister's body language was very sarcastic. It was not an honest repetition of sentences. In the last minute only he came back as a prime minister in the 75-minute long speech. Before that he was a pracharak," said Moily. Also Read In Modi's appeal for Parliament to run, a reference to Rajiv Gandhi Watch the full show here. --- ENDS --- Event held at Amit Shah's residence in Delhi saw the launch of the first official poster of Aishwarya's upcoming film, Sarbjit. By Mail Today: Power set and Bollywood glam in one frame is the ultimate high any press shutterbug seeks. When BJP president Amit Shah and with Union minister Nitin Gadkari posed for photos with superstar Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan, the media was naturally in frenzy! The event held at Shah's residence in Delhi saw the launch of the first official poster of Aishwarya's upcoming film, Sarbjit. Randeep Hooda, who plays Sarabjit Singh in the Omung Kuma rdirected biopic, was absent from the do. All eyes were on Aishwarya, who plays the protagonist's sister - Dalbir Kaur. advertisement The poster shows Aishwarya in an aged, de-glam avatar. She is obviously trying to capture the real Dalbir's simplicity with her bespectacled look and clad in salwar kameez. "We as a team are keen to share Sarabjit's story with those who don't know it in detail. It is important for us as a nation to understand, respect and recognise the struggle. I would like to say thank you for giving me this opportunity to play the part of a lady I immensely respect. It's an absolute honour," Aishwarya told the media. Spotted at the do were also Richa Chadha, who plays Sarabjit's wife, and Darshan Kumar, who plays a Pakistani lawyer in the film. The producers Vashu Bhagnani, Bhushan Kumar and Sandeep Singh, were also present. "I would like to congratulate the makers for choosing this subject. This a story of an Indian who spent his whole life in anonymity and the struggle that his sister went through to bring him back to his country. I wish the team good luck. I hope that the message of the film reaches every corner of the country because such stories inspire a lot of people," said Shah. Sarbjit tells the story of Sarabjit Singh, an Indian villager who unknowingly crossed over into Pakistan and was arrested on charges of being a spy. He was attacked in jail by Pakistani inmates and died of his injuries. --- ENDS --- The 'good news' about Sataparna Mukherjee, the 18-year-old student from West Bengal who won NASA Goddard Internship Programme, turns out to be fake. Here are 10 facts that back this claim. By India Today Web Desk: You must have come across the 'good news' about a bright 18-year old from West Bengal winning a prestigious internship offered by NASA. Sataparna Mukherjee, a student of St Judes School in Madhyamgram, is said to have bagged NASA Goddard Internship Programme under the Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS). And she claims to have done so by "sharing some of [her] thoughts on 'Black Hole Theory'" a Facebook group called 'Astrophysics'. advertisement "It all started in May last year when I was a member of a group on a social networking site where there were many members, including some scientists," Sataparna told Times of India. "One day I shared some of my thoughts on 'Black Hole Theory', and one of the members of this group gave me NASA's official website and told me to post my findings there, which I did." Sataparna's paper on 'Black Hole Theory' and how it could be used to make a 'time machine' is said to have sealed the deal with NASA, getting her the internship that would allow her to "work as a researcher at the NASA centre in London". She was said to be on her way to the Oxford University, where she would be pursuing her graduation, post-graduation and PhD in aerospace engineering at NASA's London Astrobiology Centre. But now, every bit of this 'good news' is crumbling down to a rubble of false information. Here's what is wrong with this piece of news: 1. There is nothing called "the Black Hole Theory" as such. Studies on black holes are situated in quantum mechanics and general relativity, as The Wire points out. 2. NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies has no facilities in London. 3. The internships offered by this institute are awarded only to students living within 50 miles of NASA's location in New York City. (Trust us when we say Madhyamgram does not fall there). 4. The 'London Astrobiology Centre' that reports Sataparna would be pursuing her PhD (as a NASA faculty) in aerospace engineering in, does not seem to exist. There's one University of Edinburgh's Astrobiology Centre in the United Kingdom, but it has 'no known significant association with NASA'. 5. Coming straight from the horse's mouth, NASA wrote this back to DNA in a clarification mail: "We have no record of anyone by that name receiving an internship, scholarship or any form of academic or financial assistance from any NASA institute, centre or program". 6. Replying to AajTak, NASA's Public Affairs Specialist Leslie McCarthy clarified that the education "programme noted by Indian media outlet does not exist". advertisement She, too, repeated that they have "no record of any student named Sataparna Mukherjee being granted an internship, scholarship or any form of academic award" from Goddard Institute for Space Studies or NASA. Here's a screenshot of the mail: Screenshot of NASA GISS Public Affairs Specialist's reply to AajTak. Source: Indrajit Kundu 7. As for the Goddard Institute for Space Studies, its Associate Chief for Communications, Michael Cabbage, told Huffington Post the following: "We have no record of any student named Sataparna Mukherjee being granted an internship, scholarship or any form of academic or financial assistance from our institute. Furthermore, the Goddard Institute for Space Studies has no facilities in London and all of our internships are awarded to students who live within 50 miles of our location in New York City. The application deadline for our 2016 students closed March 1. We have not made any selections yet." 8. As for the supposedly NASA-bound Sataparna, she has not yet named the 'scientist' who contacted her on Facebook and asked her to apply for the internship. Um, secrets, much? via GIPHY 9. DNA points out that the offer letter Sataparna claims to have received from NASA misspells "Goddard" Institute as "Godward". Sataparna has waved that away as "a technical error". 10. All in all, Sataparna insists that NASA, ESA and Oxford came together to pour in their resources to fund her education in astrobiology and English. All because of her stumbling founding about black holes and a time machine. advertisement The only bit we miss in the story is Stephen Hawking running out of his wheelchair to embrace the star student. The theory that is said to have compelled few of the world's best organisations and institutes to give their attention to Sataparna is this: "It is about a device which works faster than the speed of light," she told the Huffington Post. "You have to overcome the speed of light to turn back time. This machine will do that." Sheldon Cooper, are you listening? via GIPHY On a serious note, Sataparna is still standing by her claim of having won NASA's Goddard Internship Programme, and her parents are also preparing to send their daughter off to London come August. We hope she has not landed herself and her family in some poorly-researched scam. --- ENDS --- advertisement Shah Rukh Khan might be one of the most popular superstars in the country today, but his achievement wasn't an overnight affair. Much like other mortals, Khan too had been slapped by a random woman once upon a time. By India Today Web Desk: Sure Shah Rukh Khan is one of the country's most popular superstars today, a person who people can go crazy for. But his stardom wasn't exactly an overnight achievement. PHOTOS: 28 years after graduation, Shah Rukh Khan collects degree from his college ALSO READ: Shah Rukh Khan's Fan anthem released in six languages advertisement More often than not, Khan has gone out of his way to remind people of his not-so-rosy journey in filmdom. From the bylanes of the capital to the swanky film studios in Mumbai wasn't a journey fraught with no difficulties. In the more than two decades that he has spent in Mumbai first chasing and then epitomising stardom, Shah Rukh Khan too has had to face hardships. One such moment was when the actor had just arrived in Mumbai. "I came by train for the first time when I came to Mumbai. The train would turn into a local after entering Mumbai, which I was not aware of. So I did not let a few people sit on my berth saying that it is mine, 'I paid for it.' I did offer it to a lady, though, saying, 'You can sit but I won't let the men with you sit on my berth.' And that lady slapped me real hard saying, 'It isn't yours, it is everybody's.'," Mid-Day has quoted Khan as narrating at the recently-held trailer launch of his film Fan in Mumbai. Back then, of course, Shah Rukh Khan hadn't yet turned into the Shah Rukh Khan we know today. The actor's tale led to many wondering exactly how far Khan has come - from being a nobody to a person who he is today. --- ENDS --- A senior police official of the Jammu and Kashmir Police said that one of the killed militants of the Entrepreneur Development Institute (EDI) attack has been identified as Abdul Manan, son of Zia Ur Rehman of Wazirabad Punjab, Pakistan. By Naseer Ganai: Jammu and Kashmir Police have identified one of the killed militants involved in the recent Fidayeen attack. He is said to have been a Pakistani national. A senior police official requesting anonymity said that one of the killed militants of the Entrepreneur Development Institute (EDI) attack has been identified as Abdul Manan, son of Zia Ur Rehman of Wazirabad Punjab, Pakistan. advertisement Police suspect the three militants, who carried out the attack on paramilitary Centre Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on February 21 and then used the EDI main building as a bunker for 48 hours, were fresh infiltrators. Police also suspect that the militants might have infiltrated some ten days before carrying the attack. Six people, including three soldiers, died in the gunfight, which lasted for three days. The militants were buried in the Uri area of Baramulla, north of Srinagar, close to Line of Control. However, at several places across south Kashmir people offered funeral prayers in absentia for the killed militants. Police and the Army claimed that all the killed militants in the EDI attack were foreigners. On February 21 at 3.30pm the three militants attacked a CRPF convoy in which 11 personnel were wounded. Of the 11, two succumbed eventually. Also Read: Militants attack CRPF convoy at Sempora killing two, injuring many Pampore encounter: Militants may have done recce of the area --- ENDS --- By Press Trust of India: Aligarh Muslim University Vice-Chancellor Lt Gen (retd) Zameer Uddin Shah today said that HRD Minister Smriti Irani had in a meeting with Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on January 9 said the AMU centres in Kerala, West Bengal and Bihar were set up illegally and will not be funded by her ministry. After reports that Irani had insulted Shah at the meeting held in her office with Chandy, Shah issued a statement today, seeking to clear the air. advertisement "It would take a lot to humiliate a veteran of the Longewala Battle of 1971, who spent the better part of his 40 years in the army fighting insurgencies in Punjab and northeast and dousing communal passions in various riots," he said. "There have been several reports in the press and social media about a meeting with the HRD Minister on January 9. It is regrettable that these leaked reports are meant to create controversy and tarnish AMU's image," the V-C said in his statement. Shah said he had gone to meet Irani at the insistence of Chandy regarding the funding of an off-campus AMU centre in Kerala. Since the venue of the meeting was changed at the eleventh hour, he could not reach there on time, he claimed. "After the meeting, Chandy told me that the HRD Minister was adamant that the AMU centres were illegally set up and will not be funded by the HRD Ministry, despite being told that they had been approved by the highest policy making-bodies, including the Visitor (President of India)," Shah said. "It is apparent that certain frustrated alumnus of AMU have conveyed the wrong impression to the HRD Minister that these centres are illegal," he said. Also Read Smriti Irani threatens to shut down AMU off campus centres, questions authority of VC --- ENDS --- In a secret operation, Pakistan last month hanged Mumtaz Qadri, a police commando who gunned down Salman Taseer, then governor of Pakistani Punjab province in 2011. People hold the photo of police officer Mumtaz Qadri, the convicted killer of a former governor, during his funeral, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Tuesday, March 1, 2016. By AP: Tens of thousands of Pakistanis chanting anti-government slogans on Tuesday attended the funeral of a police officer executed the day before for assassinating a secular governor in 2011 over accusations of blasphemy. As a precaution against violence, authorities closed all schools and stepped up security in Islamabad and the adjacent city of Rawalpindi, where the funeral of Mumtaz Qadri was held. Roads around key government buildings and diplomatic compounds were also closed off, said police official Ashfaq Tarar. advertisement Qadri's supporters threw rose petals at the ambulance carrying his coffin through Rawalpindi and he was given a martyr's funeral before being buried in Islamabad. Earlier, authorities put a gag order on local media covering the funeral, warning outlets in a letter that they would face closure if their reporting "glorifies extremism." In response to the gag order, some stick-wielding supporters beat up a local media crew in Rawalpindi, breaking at least one video camera. Footage posted on social media showed Qadri's supporters jeering Pakistan's Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid at the Karachi airport. One threw a shoe at the minister, who ducked to avoid it. Qadri's hanging on Monday triggered street protests in several Pakistani cities. A number of prominent religious leaders, politicians and militant groups in Pakistan had defended his actions. He was executed for killing secular Gov. Salman Taseer, who had called for reforms of the country's harsh blasphemy laws. Qadri said he killed Taseer because the governor had allegedly committed blasphemy by campaigning to change the laws and by supporting a jailed Christian woman accused of desecrating Islam's holy book, the Quran. Pakistan's blasphemy laws allow for anyone convicted of insulting Islam or the Prophet Muhammad to be sentenced to death, though people often take the law into their own hands. The January 2011 assassination horrified Pakistan's relatively small liberal elite. However, many Pakistanis, including some in the religious establishment and in legal circles, praised Qadri. Tens of thousands of Qadri's supporters walked for miles to reach the funeral venue as police had blocked most of the roads for traffic, said police official Mohsin Abbas. Many chanted in support of Qadri while others carried posters with photographs of the former officer. Ahmad Nadeem wore a shirt reading: "I'm Mumtaz Qadri." "I wouldn't hesitate to do the same," he said. Pakistan is deeply conservative, and for decades the government tolerated and even encouraged certain Islamic militant groups, viewing them as a bulwark against archrival India. Perceived affronts to Islam can ignite street protests and lynchings. advertisement In recent years, the government has moved to counter Islamic extremism as it has battled a homegrown insurgency that has killed tens of thousands of people. Pakistan lifted a moratorium on the death penalty after a Taliban attack on a school in December 2014 and has executed over 300 convicts since then. The government has also introduced a ban on hate speech and a media blackout on militant groups. It has promised to improve security for religious minorities -- who are often targeted by extremists -- and strengthen legislation on individual rights and women's rights. Also Read: Pakistan hangs Mumtaz Qadri, the man who killed governor over call to reform blasphemy law --- ENDS --- Two CRPF commandos were killed while over a dozen injured in multiple encounters between security forces and Naxals today in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district. By India Today Web Desk: Two Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) commandos were killed and 14 injured today in Chhattisgarh's worst Maoist violence-affected Sukma district during multiple encounters between security forces and Naxals. Officials said while the two commandos succumbed to bullet injuries late evening. The others who sustained bullet and splinter injuries include Assistant Commandant Yogendra, Sub-Inspector Rajveer Singh, Head constable Santosh and Constable Sona Ram. advertisement They said the patrol team encountered multiple ambushes and fire fights beginning 12.30 PM and some teams of the squad, till late night, were still engaging in intermittent gunfire with Naxals in the area. The incident involves personnel of CRPF's exclusive jungle warfare unit CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) with the first encounter with Maoists occurring in the jungles of Dabbanarka of Sukma in Bastar area. While Singh was hit first in the exchange of fire, the others were injured in the later part of the operation. The officials said the men belonged to the 208th CoBRA battalion and have been air evacuated and sent to a hospital. Also read: Encounter deaths in Sukma: HC to hear PIL on March 9 --- ENDS --- An Indian-origin woman fought off an armed robber with her bare hands at a store in Georgia, United Sates forcing him to flee. By India Today Web Desk: Putting up an exemplary show of courage, an Indian-origin woman who works as a store clerk in Georgia United States, fought off an armed robber with a hammer, forcing him to flee. The whole incident was caught on surveillance camera and in the video released by the Burke County Sheriff's Office shows Christian Thornton, 17, trying to buy a soda, but then drawing the gun and pointing it directly at clerk Bhumika Patel. advertisement WRDW has reported that Patel was working in the in store on Tuesday when a hooded man walked to her at the counter with an item. Everything looked normal until the man asked her to hand over all the cash in the drawer. Patel fought the armed man with bare hands then thrashed him with the cash register and ultimately pulled out a hammer at the robber. She told WRDW that choice for her was simple. And she decided not to give in. After the robber pulled a gun at her, her first instinct was telling him he didn't have the guts to pull the trigger. "Because I no fight, still he shoot me. I fight, still he shoot me. Better, then, I fight," Patel said. While fighting the 17-year-old whom the police have arrested, Bhumika broke her three nails and suffered a minor scratch. --- ENDS --- Every year on March 3, the United Nations underscores the importance of the world's wildlife to reinforce the inseparable link between people and animals. The theme this year is "The future of wildlife is in our hands". By India Today Web Desk: World Wildlife Day is observed on March 3 every year to raise awareness about the diversity of wildlife and plants on our planet. It was declared by the United Nations in 2013 the same day the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) was signed. "The future of wildlife is in our hands", with African and Asian elephants being the main focus this year, the UN has called for an urgent attention towards the rampant illegal wildlife trade that has pushed thousands of animals to extinction. advertisement Animals of different species, especially the rare ones, are hunted down indiscriminately with bullets, poison darts and traps. Illegal trade is mainly driven by the demand for products from animal parts like elephant tusks, rhino horns, pangolin skin among others. According to statistics by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), nearly 988 species are listed in the category of endangered animals. They call it the 'Red List'. In India alone nearly 50 per cent of the wildlife has been wiped off since the 70s, mostly because of poaching. The primary reason for India to turn into a hub for the wildlife trafficking is the weak law enforcement mechanism. The Wildlife Protection Act has stipulated strict punishments which include prison terms and fines. The main impediment is the lack of coordination between the administration and law enforcement, which complicates the process of mitigating poaching. The problem of poaching is multi-faceted, it not only affects animals but also the entire ecosystem. In line with this years theme, it is high time we took up the task to protect and conserve biodiversity on our planet. The video below exposes how organised crime is pushing animals to the brink of extinction: --- ENDS --- The company will most likely unveil the phone in an event in Germany. By Saurabh Singh: Chinese tech major Huawei may launch its next flagship phone, aka the P9 on March 9. The company is hosting an event in Berlin, Germany on the said date where it will most likely unveil the P8 successor. The P9's dual-camera setup has been doing the rumour rounds for quite some time now. Only now, there's definite confirmation that the phone in question will definitely come with two cameras on the rear. The confirmation comes via a series of live images of the P9 leaked by a source who has reportedly spent some hands-on time with it and chosen to stay anonymous for now. advertisement The P9 is expected to pack two 12-megapixel cameras on the rear. The second camera is said to aid in altering depth of field post a shot. As per the leaked images, the P9 is also seen carrying a dualLED flash. There's also a spot for a fingerprint scanner just below the camera apparatus. The phone is further said to have an 8-megapixel camera on the front. Huawei's next flagship phone is expected to have a 5.2-inch screen of an unknown resolution, although reports suggest a QuadHD display could be on the cards. The phone will likely be powered by Huawei's home-bred Kirin 950 processor coupled with 4GB of RAM and 32 and 64GB of internal memory options that can be expanded via a microSD card slot. Chances are the phone may include a USB Type-C port for data syncing and charging purposes along with a 3,000mAh battery at least. Moving on, Huawei's next flagship phone will reportedly have as many as four different variants: a regular P9, a P9lite, a P9max and a feature enhanced P9. The P9lite is said to be the more budget-friendly offering while the P9max is being said to be the successor of the P8max. The enhanced edition meanwhile is said to offer a bigger screen, more RAM and in renal storage than the other variants. --- ENDS --- By Sahil Mohan Gupta : Xiaomi has announced that its flagship smartphone - the Mi 5 will launch in India in April. The phone was recently globally unveiled at the Mobil World Congress in Barcelona a week ago. The Chinese tech major made the announcement at New Delhi's Talkatora Stadium, where it hosted an event for the launch of the Redmi Note 3 smartphone. advertisement "The Mi 5 is coming to India in a month's time," said Hugo Barra, VP Global operations, Xiaomi. Also read: Xiaomi Mi 5 quick review: This could be the phone of the year This also comes after the phone was launched in China a couple of days ago where it received in excess of 16 million registrations. The Mi 5 which was critically acclaimed at the Mobile World Congress unveil packs in potent hardware. It is powered by the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor which is coupled with 3GB RAM and 32GB of storage. The phone has a 5.15-inch IPS screen which has a fullHD resolution and brightens levels of 600 nits. Also read: Xiaomi Mi5 price, launch date leaked The phone has a 3,000mAh battery which is packed in a frame that's just 7.3mm thin and weighs 129 grams. The phone is made out of aluminium which is sandwiched in glass on both sides. On the back of the phone there's a 16-megapixel camera which has a f/2.0 aperture, deep trench isolation and an industry first 4-axis optical stabiliser. The phone also has a dual-LED flash. On the front, it has a 4-megapixel camera which has large 2.0 micron pixels which are similar to HTC's UltraPixel cameras. The Mi 5 is also the first Xiaomi phone to incorporate a home-button, which doubles as a fingerprint scanner. The Mi 5 runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow, which is running underneath the Mi UI 7 skin. Also read: Exclusive: Xiaomi Mi 5 camera image samples The Mi 5 also has a superior 'Pro' model which has a processor with a higher clock speed, more RAM and also 128GB of storage. There's no word if that model is also coming to India. Apart from this, the Chinese company also announced the Mi Bluetooth Speaker for India. The device will cost Rs 1,999 and will be available around Holi at the end of the month from mi.Com. Besides, the Redmi Note 3 has also been launched in India for Rs 9,999. --- ENDS --- Investigative reporting from the inner city to Wall Street to the United Nations This is the blogspot version InnerCityPress.com The Kansas Republican Party is filled with characters on the inside. I'm looking through the window and holding up a mirror. Insurance Back IoT - Internet of Things technology in support of the motor insurance business, on the IIF 2016 agenda, with IBM "Value added services are already becoming very important and IoT technologies may help insurers, on the one hand to provide such personalized services, on the other to improve their core business processes and achieving significant operating costs reductions," recently stated in an interview for XPRIMM Dante CAFARELLI, Partner and Executive, Head of Insurance Sector Italy, Internet of Things Insurance Leader Europe, IMB Italy. In fact, precisely the way in which IoT may support the motor insurance business development and shift to a completely new paradigm will make the topic of the IBM representative at the 2016 edition of IIF - "MOTOR INSURANCE - The road towards profitability", to be held on April 17 - 19, 2016, at the Pera Palace Hotel in Istanbul. "We are living in a world in which "intelligent things" have already become of common use: smart phones managing all kind of App's which can monitor different kinds of activities, intelligent cars, all kind of portables continuously measuring our health parameters, intelligent house devices etc. All these "things" are collecting and storing lots of data defining our behavior as drivers, inhabitants or in what our health is concerned etc. In such a context, insurers need to figure out how to use such data stream in order to improve client's loyalty by expanding products and services beyond the classical core insurance coverage," explained CAFARELLI, also emphasizing that IoT technologies are extremely flexible and diversified, affordable solutions being available regardless the insurance company's size. IIF 2016 - "MOTOR INSURANCE - The road towards profitability" is organized by XPRIMM and Istanbul Underwriting Center, with the special support of the Insurance Association of Turkey. VIG, JLT Re and TRUST Re are the event's partners. Download the forum's brochure IIF 2016 - MOTOR INSURANCE, the road towards profitability " For additional information and registration, click here Author: Daniela GHETU on 03.03.2016 Archive Comment this article 0 comments Atention! "Comment" and "E-mail" are mandatory Name: If you are logged on and you do not fill in your name, will be used the name that you used when you registered If you are not logged on, your name will appear preceded by '(Anonymous)'. For authentication, click here If you are logged on and you do not fill in your name, will be used the name that you used when you registered E-mail: Comment: < 10.000 car. Fill in the code from the image: New deputy head of the State Property Fund of Ukraine (SPF) Volodymyr Derzhavin will oversee the management of corporate rights of the state as a specialist in the area, the fund said in a report on its website on Wednesday. "I was waiting for this appointment for nine months the names of the deputies were submitted for approval in June 2015," Derzhavin said. The fund said that the cabinet resolution of January 20, 2016 was received by the fund only on March 2. "Now I have to work in the emergency mode: general meetings of joint-stock companies where the state has corporate rights are to be held by April 1 and the reports for 2015 are to be approved, the issue with dividends is to be settled, the plans for 2016 are to be approved, and the new supervisory boards are to be selected," Derzhavin said. The fund said that Derzhavin was born in 1980. In 2003, he graduated from the Kyiv University of Law of the national Academy of Science of Ukraine, and in a year he received a certificate for practice of law. In 2014, Derzhavin was elected to the Kyiv City Council and worked as head of the law department of the Kyiv City Council before the appointed to the SPF. Restrictive measures on individuals and legal entities, which were extended for six months in September 2015, on the counts of subversive actions or activity jeopardizing Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence, are being studied in the light of the approaching expiry date March 15, a diplomatic source from the European Union told Interfax on Wednesday. The Council of the European Union is conducting a routine review of the sanctions; the revision process will end by March 15, the source said, adding that, in his opinion, a decision would be made shortly before that date. He abstained from comment on a possible decision, and a possible adjustment, of the list of 149 individuals and 37 entities, referring to the mandatory coordination of the matter at the level of ambassadors from EU member countries, and authorization by the Council of the European Union. Another source pointed to 'an obvious link' between the future of the sanctions and the fulfillment of the Minsk agreements. He said he was not sure how the sanctions could be lifted for those who were directly responsible for, or contributed to, the violation of the Ukrainian borders, while the problem of the Minsk deal implementation remained unresolved. The source said that no one could speak on behalf of the Council of the European Union, but the Council itself, and suggested that one should wait for its decision. He said, though, he did not see any grounds for the lifting of the targeted sanctions. The sanctions package, which is being analysed the Council of the European Union, includes citizens from Russia and Ukraine, among them leaders of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics. The Economic Development and Trade Ministry of Ukraine has proposed that a ban on exports of round timber that causes alarm with the EU is revoked, and the mechanisms for protecting the domestic market more acceptable in the World Trade Organization (WTO) are used, Deputy Economic Development and Trade Minister Maksym Nefyodov has said. "Ukrainian lawmakers with their safeguard measures towards timber prompted the large problem in relations between Ukraine and the EU. The ban on exporting round timber imposed for 10 years caused alarm with the EU and the WTO. We propose a bill that allows settling the issue: on one hand it revokes the ban and on the other hand thanks to the introduction of the mechanism for protecting the domestic market more acceptable in the WTO and we hope that MPs will support it," he said at a cabinet meeting in Kyiv on Wednesday. Nefyodov said that this concerns the creation of the timber registration system and sale of timber in two stages first at auctions for Ukrainian producers and then at exports auctions. "I ask cabinet members to support the bill, as the adoption of the bill directly depends on the next tranche of the macro-financial assistance from the EU," he said. Militants fired multiple-launch rocket systems at Ukrainian army positions in Donetsk region on Thursday morning, Ukraine's military reported. The press center of the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) said on its Facebook account, that militants used BM-21 Grad multiple-launch rocket systems against Ukrainian armed forces at around 05:15 on March 3. "These multiple-launch artillery weapon strikes were carried out from Donetsk against the Ukrainian Armed Forces' positions in the direction of the villages of Nevelske, Staromykhailivka and Krasnohorivka. In each individual case, at least ten projectiles were launched against Ukrainian checkpoints," the press center said. There have been no reports on injuries as a result of the strikes. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has issued a decree pardoning a Russian citizen in exchange for the release of Ukrainian journalist Maria Varfolomeyeva; the Russian man has been passed to Donbas territory not currently controlled by Kyiv, presidential press secretary Sviatoslav Tseholko said. "The militants have postponed the exchange or deliberately thwarted it many times. To have Maria freed, the president pardoned a Russian citizen, who was passed to the occupied territory today," Tseholko said on Facebook. It was reported earlier that Ukrainian journalist Maria Varfolomeyeva had been freed from captivity in the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic (LPR), where she had been held for more than a year. Poroshenko said he had personally called Varfolomeyeva and talked to her. "I have just personally called Maria Varfolomeyeva. A lot had to be done to free her. I thank Iryna Gerashchenko and all those who were involved in this," Poroshenko said on his social networking account. He also vowed to do all he could to have hostages freed as soon as possible. It was reported earlier that three captives were freed in an exchange between the LPR and Kyiv. An Interfax correspondent reported that the captives were swapped on a bridge near the community of Shchastya in the presence of OSCE monitors, International Committee of the Red Cross workers, and journalists. Comment Policy Advance Indiana allows you to post comments via this blog subject to the guidelines set forth herein. You understand that any comments you post are your own and are not those of Advance Indiana. You further understand that Advance Indiana is not responsible for the content of any external sites referenced in your comments. Unlawful, harassing, defamatory, abusive, threatening, harmful, obscene, profane, sexually oriented, racially offensive, or otherwise objectionable comments are not acceptable. If you think any content posted or otherwise included in Advance Indiana violates the guidelines set forth herein, then please alert Advance Indiana. Advance Indiana reserves the right to pre-screen, edit, and remove any post as it deems appropriate. You specifically acknowledge that Advance Indiana has no obligation to display any post submitted or otherwise provided via Advance Indiana. The Libyan branch of ISIS staged a gruesome attack Wednesday on government-security headquarters in the western city of Sabratha. According to the AP, the group beheaded 12 officers before taking control of the complex.A second security official said that the militants used the headless bodies of the officers they killed to block the roads leading to the security headquarterswhich they occupied for about three hours, the report added.The attack came less than a week after American airstrikes hit an ISIS training camp in the city, killing about 40 people, including two Serbian hostages. The renascent U.S. efforts in Libya speak to a growing concern shared by a number of countries about ISISs increasing ability to flourish in the North African country.American intelligence officials estimate that the groups ranks in Libya have grown to 6,500 fighters , more than doubling since the fall. ISIS first declared its intentions to establish a presence in Libya in 2014 and has been launching attacks ever since. The group is now thought to control 150 miles of Libyan coastline. With a UN mandate highly unlikely at this point because that would require Russias approval there would need to be an official request from Libyan authorities themselves. But there is no agreement in Libya on who the government is. Part of this surge is being attributed to the civil discord in Libya among the countrys competing political factions and militias, which have produce rival governments with their own security forcesThe chaos has had major economic repercussions as well. Last month, the head of the countrys national oil company estimated that Libya has lost $68 billion in oil sales since 2013.With Islamic State fighters suffering under heavy fire in Iraq and Syria, the groups strategy of exploiting the security vacuum in Libya also appears to be a conscious one.Islamic State leaders in Syria are telling recruits traveling north from West African nations like Senegal and Chad, as well as others streaming up through Sudan in eastern Africa, not to press on to the Middle East, The New York Times reported . Instead, they are being told to stay put in Libya.Although its not the most commonly used country, Libya is a popular place from which migrants and refugees cross the Mediterranean to go to Europe. One harrowing possibility for Western countries is the growth of ISIS in Libya means Europe, given its proximity, could be more vulnerable to attacks.On Wednesday, the French daily Le Monde issued a report chronicling Frances enhanced military engagement in Libya , which the paper characterized as a secret war to stanch the groups growth in the wake of ISISs attacks on Paris in November. Italy and the United Kingdom are also thought to be contemplating military involvement.The presence of special forces from these three countries as well as the United States have been reported in recent weeks and last month. Italy discreetly agreed to allow U.S. drones operating in Libya and North Africa to launch from one of its bases after a year of negotiations.But a complicated and telling question, which The Guardian noted on Tuesday , is how a major coordinated military operation could legally come together at all if deemed necessary.Since the American-led intervention in 2011 that resulted in the ouster of Muammar al- Qaddafi , the longtime leader, the U.S. has intermittently deployed troops for operations in Libya. The most recent confirmed activity took place in December of last year , less than 18 months after American commandos seized Ahmed Abu Khattala , the man currently on trial for his alleged role in the 2012 Benghazi attacks that killed four Americans, including Ambassador Chris Stevens.President Obama says he will go after ISIS wherever it appears, and is reportedly considering whether to approve the broader use of military force to combat the group in Libya. And, as he said last week: We will continue to take actions where weve got a clear operation and a clear target in mind. As we see opportunities to prevent ISIS from digging in, in Libya, we take them. Time to reveal my first investment in a truly Japanese company (that is bought with Yen and only listed in Japan). What really triggered me to pull the gun... In a decision of 28 January 2016 , the Oberlandesgericht Munich, like the first instance court before it, held that YouTube is not liable for financial damages for hosting copyright infringing videos.Plaintiff was the German collecting Society GEMA , acting on behalf of composers. It sent YouTube a list of 1,000 videos with music viewable on YouTube.com that were uploaded without the consent of the copyright holders and demanded information on the revenue generated by the display of these videos in preparation of claiming damages. When YouTube refused to comply, GEMA sued before the Landgericht Munich, which dismissed the complaint.On appeal, the OLG Munich also sided with YouTube. It carefully analyzed whether YouTube could be considered a perpetrator (Tater) of copyright infringement for hosting user uploaded content and concluded that it was not. According to the court whether YouTube was a perpertrator had to be assessed under the standards of German criminal law. Whether or not the safe harbor provision of art. 10 Telemediengesetz (which implements art. 14 (1) E -Commerce Directive ) applied was irrelevant.The fact that without YouTube's contribution, the infringement could not have occurred was insufficient to create civil liability. For information hosted on behalf of third parties, the operator of the platform was only liable if it adopted the content as its own ("sich zu eigen machen"), which was the case, e.g., when it assumed editorial responsability by selecting the content and checking it for completeness.In the case of YouTube, it was the user that made the content available by uploading it. YouTube did not assume any editorial responsibility. The overlay of the YouTube logo on the start page of videos, the categorization of content into categories such as Jazz or Rock or automatically generated biographies of artists, and the deletion of infringing videos on request of right holders did not amount to editorial responsibility.YouTube also was not an abettor (Gehilfe) to copyright infringement. Abetting requires actual knowledge of the specific illegal act being supported. The general knowledge that some users upload infringing content is insufficient. The mere knowledge of the possibility that the means provided could be used for illegal purposes is only sufficient if the risk of illegal use is very high, which was not the case for YouTube's services, which have many legal uses.Since YouTube was therefore not liable for financial damages, the request for the provision of information was denied. The OLG Munich allowed an appeal (Revision) to the Bundesgerichtshof, and GEMA has already announced it will "likely" appeal the decision , so we are likely to hear again from this case.Note that GEMA did not request injunctive relief and the court therefore did not have to address the issue whether YouTube had to remove infringing content if it had been made aware of its infringing nature (yes). * PermaKat Eleonora Rosati received the 2022 Adepi Award * PermaKat Eleonora Rosati listed as one of the World Intellectual Property Review's "Influential Women in IP" of 2020. * PermaKat Eleonora Rosati listed as one of the Managing Intellectual Property magazine's "Fifty Most Influential People" of 2018. * IPKat founder and Blogmeister Emeritus Jeremy Phillips listed as one of the Managing Intellectual Property magazine's "Fifty Most Influential People" of 2005, 2011, 2013, and 2014. * Recommended by the European Patent Office as reading material for candidates for the European Qualifying Examinations, 2013. * Listed as "Top Legal Blog" in The Times Online, March 2011. 2010 ABA Journal 100. * One of the only two non-US blogs listed in the Blawg100. * Court Reporter Top Copyright Blog award winner, November 2010. * Number 1 in the 2010 Top Copyright Blog list compiled by the Copyright Litigation Blog, July 2010. * Selected by the United States Library of Congress for inclusion in its historic collections of Internet materials related to Legal Blawgs as of 2010. * Top Patent Blog poll 2009: 3rd out of 50 in the "Favourite Patent Blog" poll and 2nd out of 50 in the "Most-read" poll. Blog of the Year, 20 August 2008. * ComputerWeekly IT Law and Governance, 20 August 2008. For critics of the Iranian regime, this adds to concerns about the sorts of resources that the Islamic Republic will be able to either use illicitly or distribute to terrorist groups beyond its borders. These concerns were already amplified in recent weeks by news of discussions regarding the possible purchase of advanced weapons from Russia. Now arewelivinginthelastdays.com quotes Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehqan as saying that the Iranian armed forces have foiled the intentions underlying Western-led sanctions on Irans trade in weapons, and that they would continue to do so in the future. Dehqan said it is an important mission for Iran to develop advanced and sophisticated defensive equipment like that which was unveiled on Monday. This anti-Western rhetoric underscores the motives behind much of Irans support for global terrorism. This was explained, for instance, in a Media Linereport on Monday regarding conflicts between Iran and the Palestinian Authority regarding recently-announced Iranian plans to make cash payments to perpetrators of attacks on Israel and to Palestinians whose home are lost as a result. The report notes that Iran intends to circumvent existing Palestinian institutions and deliver these payments directly to their recipients, thereby circumventing the PAs authority and securing a more direct Iranian foothold in Palestine. Media Line reports that Iran is able to justify such moves by characterizing the PA as an American tool and insufficiently adversarial toward Israel. Such commentary strongly suggests that Iranian activities in the region are aimed not only at asserting its own power but also specifically at challenging Western power or the perception thereof. This project has led to attacks on American targets in years past, and many critics of recent Western policy toward Iran are fearful that the same will happen again. Some such critics are taking their own steps to confront Iran over its past and potential support for terrorism. That side of Western policy circles scored a small victory recently when the Middle East and North Africa Financial Network reported that Americans were likely to gain access to well over 2 billion dollars in Iranian assets, to be claimed as compensation for the victims of past Iranian terrorist attacks. The figure is based on the expectation that a pending case will come to a similar conclusion as one that determined last week that victims of terrorism could intercept funds due to be paid to Iran by the United States over business disputes stemming from before the Islamic Revolution. More claims and judgments of this kind are likely to follow, in light of the seriousness with which some of Irans critics are looking at recent changes in Western policy toward Iran. MENAFN quoted a lawyer involved in the case as saying, The Islamic Republic needs to understand that these court judgments have not been canceled and that the terrorism victims will continue to pursue them in legal forums all over the world. They dont forgive and they arent going to forget either. Some Western legislators are striving to supplement these financial penalties with expansion of the kinds of sanctions that the Iranian defense minister dismissed in his recent comments. The lifting of sanctions under the July 14 nuclear agreement has opened up the possibilities for Iran to restore its diminished oil economy. But Iran has substantial ambitions, including a one million barrel per day boost in output, which will require foreign investment and stable economic resources. CNN reported on Monday that these ambitions remained in place and Iran was no closer to cooperating with an OPEC-Russian plan to freeze oil output in an attempt to stabilize prices. Deputy Iranian Oil Minister Amir Hossein Zamaninia reaffirmed this commitment to non-cooperation, saying, We do not intend to sanction ourselves again after coming out of the sanctions. This is latest in a series of statements that highlighted the ongoing competition between Iran and leading OPEC member Saudi Arabia. It is a conflict that relates not only to Irans sanctions status but also its support for terrorism as the two Middle Eastern countries vie for both economic and military influence in various areas of the region. Irans sponsorship of Yemeni rebels and the Syrian government has been well-publicized, and the Saudis have become increasingly involved on the opposite sides in an attempt to forestall the projection of Iranian strength. Irans actions in Palestine have also received some attention in the Israeli media at a time when the Saudis and Israelis have shown signs of greater willingness to cooperate against a mutual enemy. What has received comparatively little attention is Irans ongoing influence in neighboring Iraq, which is a minor partner in a burgeoning alliance among Iran, Syria, Russia, and Hezbollah. But on Monday, Assist News Service reported upon some of the latest terrorist activities that have served to solidify Iranian power in certain areas of Iraq. The report notes that Shiite militant groups that are operating in Iraq under the direction of Iranian military advisers and often on the basis of Iranian recruitment have been driving Iraqi Christians from their homes and stealing their assets en masse as part of an apparent ongoing project to establish sharper sectarian boundaries in the region. This same goal is arguably a driving force in Iranian state terrorism in its own border areas, namely in the province of Iranian-Pakistani province of Sistan-Baluchistan, which has been described as a hotbed for Sunni rebels, and also for the drug trade. The latter was used as the justification for a wave of recent executions in Iran, but Fox News reported on Monday that the crackdown was so severe that the entire adult male population of one village was killed on accusation of drug trafficking. Assuming that such crackdowns are aimed at reasserting the regimes control over the physical and cultural environment, they reflect other types of crackdowns closer to Irans populated areas. Iran News Update has extensively reported upon the ongoing political arrests and obstructions of free speech, especially in the months since the nuclear agreement between Iran and six world powers. And still accusations of that crackdown continue to accumulate, with one of the latest concerning the conclusion of a case involving two Iranian musicians and a filmmaker. IranWire reported on Monday that an Iranian court had sentenced Mehdi Rajabian, Hossein Rajabian, and Yousef Emadi to three years in prison plus a three year suspended sentence as punishment for their efforts to promote and disseminate the work of Iranian alternative musicians. A separate IranWire report indicated that the repressive environment represented by these sentences has contributed to a mass exodus of Iranian television and film personalities, which has greatly accelerated as a result of rising levels of access to information from outside of the country. In the midst of recent developments, the continued flow of this information can be expected to expose not only the freedoms that are available in foreign democracies but also the full range of activities being carried out by the Iranian government against targets both within the country and in the broader Middle Eastern region. [March 02, 2016] Technavio Expects the Global Industrial Wearable Devices Market to Exceed USD 5 Billion by 2019 According to the latest market research study released by Technavio, the global industrial wearable devices market is expected to exceed USD 5 billion by 2020, growing at a CAGR of over 144% during the forecast period. This research report titled 'Global Industrial wearable Devices Market 2015-2019', provides an in-depth analysis of the market in terms of revenue and emerging market trends. This market research report also includes an up to date analysis and forecast for various market segments and all geographical regions. Request sample report: http://goo.gl/0LRMPJ The report segments global industrial wearable devices market by product and can be divided into five broad categories being Smart glasses, Smart watch, Fitness tracker, Wearable camera, and Others. The most popular industrial wearable devices among these are: Smart Watch Smart Glasses Fitness tracker Smart Watch The global industrial smart watch market is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 402%. Smart watches look very similar to traditional watches but have functions far beyond the old analog ones. Smart watches are computerized wristwatches. Most of the smart watches are companion devices paired with a smartphone through Bluetooth or NFC to connect to the Internet. There are also some standalone smart watches that connect directly to the Internet. Such features are used in various industries. For instance, a smart watch paired to a manufacturing machine displays the production output in real time. It will also notify or alert the user if any error occurs in the machine. Smart watches are also used in warehouse management. They allow warehouse managers to gather information like resource planning, inventory management, shipping lists, and many such key performance indicators to better manage their distribution. According to Abhay Sinha, lead research analyst at Technavio for health and wellness, "Smart watches facilitate quick decision making in enterprises and industries as a result of which the demand for smart watches is increasing at a rapid rate globally." Smart Glasses The global industrial smart glasses market is expected to reach USD 877 million by 2019, growing at a CAGR of over 143%. Augmented reality (AR) gives a live direct or indirect view of a physical, real-world environment whose elements are supplemented by computer-generated sensory input such as graphics, video, sound, or GPS data. Smart glasses are used for the purpose of AR. Smart glasses are a kind of wearable computer that can reflect the projected digital images and also help the user to see through it or see better with it. Smart glasses even come with cellular technology, Bluetooth, or Wi-Fi capability that can run self-contained mobile apps. Some of the smart glasses can communicate with the internet via voice commands or with an activity tracker. Such applications of smart glasses are used for industrial purposes in the automation and manufacturing industries. "Smart glasses are becoming popular in the aviation industries where people in the industry are working on apps for flight attendants and passengers. For instance, Virgin Atlantic is one of the early adopters of Google (News - Alert) Glass and has permanently implemented these at its Copenhagen airport. Japan Airlines uses Google Glass to inspect planes," says Abhay. Fitness Tracker The global industrial fitness tracker market is expected to exceed USD 587 million by 2019, growing at a CAGR of over 66%. Fitness trackers are generally used for employee wellness programs in enterprises. The increasing health awareness has encouraged companies to provide fitness trackers to their employees as they help employers to contain the healthcare expenses of their employees. Fitness trackers monitor fitness-related metrics such as heart beat, quality of sleep, and distance walked, along with other factors. These devices are synced to a computer or smartphone to track the data. Various apps are being developed that sync with fitness trackers and monitor various health metrics of the end-user. Technavio analysts highlight the following six vendors as the top contributors to the global industrial wearble devices market: Apple (News - Alert) Epson Fujitsu Google Microsoft Vuzix Browse Related Reports: Global Smart Wearable Lifestyle Devices and Services Market 2015-2019 Global Smart Wearable Entertainment Devices and Services Market 2015-2019 Global Smart Wearable Healthcare Devices and Services Market 2015-2019 Purchase these three reports for the price of one by becoming a Technavio subscriber. Subscribing to Technavio's reports allows you to download any three reports per month for the price of one. Contact [email protected] with your requirements and a link to our subscription platform. About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. The company develops over 2000 pieces of research every year, covering more than 500 technologies across 80 countries. Technavio has about 300 analysts globally who specialize in customized consulting and business research assignments across the latest leading edge technologies. Technavio analysts employ primary as well as secondary research techniques to ascertain the size and vendor landscape in a range of markets. Analysts obtain information using a combination of bottom-up and top-down approaches, besides using in-house market modeling tools and proprietary databases. They corroborate this data with the data obtained from various market participants and stakeholders across the value chain, including vendors, service providers, distributors, re-sellers, and end-users. If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at [email protected]. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160302005085/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 02, 2016] NCL: FTC Report Shows Missouri ID Theft Complaints Tripled, Lead Nation WASHINGTON, March 2, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- New government data confirm that Missouri leads the nation in the rate of identity theft complaints, the National Consumers League warned today. In 2015, Missouri's identity theft complaints to the Federal Trade Commission tripled and the state lead all other states in the per capita rate of complaints, according to the Federal Trade Commission's recently-released Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book. Missouri took the top spot on the list with 22,164 complaints in 2015, more than tripling the previous year's 7,195 identity theft complaints when it ranked fourth. The vulnerability of the people of Missouri to fraud, and particularly identity theft, is exacerbated by the ongoing problem of data breaches. According to Javelin Strategy & Research, two-third of identity fraud victims have received a data breach notification in the past twelve months. As data breaches continue to affect millions of Americans, it is likely that millions more will suffer from this scam. "Data breaches regularly expose sensitive personal information about millions of Missouri consumers to cybercrime black markets," said John Breyault, Vice President of Public Policy, Telecommunications and Fraud at the National Consumers League. "Consumers can and should take steps to mitigate their risk of identity theft, but they can't prevent it entirely. Leaders in Washington need to help make sure that the companies that hold consumers' data protect it to the greatest extent possible." While there is no foolproof way for consumers to protect themselves from identity theft, there are steps they can take that will reduce their risk. Tips to protect your identity include: Make sure browser, anti-virus, and operating system software are updated regularly; Use strong passwords that are different for each website; Enable two-factor authentication when possible (this is the code sent via text to your mobile phone which you use to log into a website); Secure your home wireless router and network; Don't click on links in emails or download attachments you aren't expecting; and Know what companies store your personal data and limit what you share. File your taxes early in the tax season. Tax-related identity theft is a top source of identity theft complaints. NCL has published a step-by-step guide to spotting and recovering from this fraud. Review your credit reports regularly at www.annualcreditreport.com and report any suspicious activity promptly. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ncl-ftc-report-shows-missouri-id-theft-complaints-tripled-lead-nation-300229787.html SOURCE National Consumers League [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 02, 2016] RTI International launching initiatives in Latin America to combat Zika RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., March 2, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In response to the recent spread of the Zika virus, RTI International is launching of series of initiatives to help world leaders combat this health crisis. RTI is funding four studies in Latin American to better understand the effects of Zika on pregnant women and which trimester a baby is most at risk; the long-term effects of the virus on babies and their families; how drones can be used for vector control activities of Zika-carrying mosquitos; and the public's understanding of the virus and how to prevent it. "World leaders are struggling with how to deal with the Zika virus in large part because there is so much we still don't know about its health effects and transmission," said Wayne Holden, Ph.D., RTI International president and chief executive officer. "It's critical that we find out those answers so that policies and practices can be put in place to address the virus. RTI has the talent, expertise and global experience that puts us in a prime position to help with this crisis, and we're compelled to fund such an important effort." For the first project, RTI will pilot a cohort study enrolling women in Southwestern Guatemala who are pregnant or are trying to get pregnant. Researchers will monitor these women and their children for two years. They will evaluate neonatal outcomes, including microcephaly, among women with Zika infection during pregnancy and women who are not infected during pregnancy. "With this study, we hope to be abl to identify the trimester in which Zika infection has the greatest risk to a fetus as well as other outcomes among infants and young children that may not be immediately apparent at birth," said Pia MacDonald, Ph.D., senior director of RTI's Center for Applied Public Health Research and the project's principal investigator. Researchers will test female participants for Zika, dengue and chikungunya, all viral diseases carried by the Aedes mosquito. The infants will be evaluated for microcephaly and other neurological and ocular issues. RTI researchers are also conducting an exploratory trip to Brazil to meet with health officials and research collaborators to explore the possibility of a longitudinal study of families affected by Zika and the role of early intervention programs in supporting child development and family adaptation. Additionally, RTI will conduct research to understand Guatemalans' awareness of disease prevention behaviors, including household mosquito control measures. RTI researchers will try to understand what perceptions, attitudes and behaviors members of the public have about the Zika virus and how to prevent transmission through a series of in-depth interviews in the country. They also will track news coverage and social media mentions about the disease. "Because Zika virus transmission has emerged quickly and is not completely understood by researchers, it may encourage public anxiety and fear," said Brian Southwell, Ph.D., director of the Science in the Public Sphere Program in the Center for Communication Science at RTI. "That anxiety and fear, in turn, could complicate public engagement in prevention programs. Our research will help us understand current public perception in Guatemala surrounding the Zika virus so that we can develop strategies to clarify myths and misinformation and promote preventive efforts." When it comes to prevention efforts, vector control is currently the only disease prevention option available to Zika. RTI will use unmanned area vehicles (drones) to map potential breeding locations for the Zikus virus carrying Aedes mosquitos such as pots, old tires, and discarded swimming pools. The improved mapping will enable targeted efforts to eliminate the mosquito breeding habitat and improve behavior change communication programs to high risk villages and areas of towns and cities. CONTACT: Lindsey Luxon, 919-541-7340, [email protected] To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rti-international-launching-initiatives-in-latin-america-to-combat-zika-300229819.html SOURCE RTI International [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 02, 2016] Smart Cards Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2016 - 2023 NEW YORK, March 2, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Smart cards are IC-based cards that accumulate and retrieve information using various computer systems. Smart cards consist of central processing units and memory units. Smart cards primarily act as a cost-effective way to store, manage, and maintain credentials for their users. This makes these products highly convenient for different applications. In addition, the portability of smart cards enables their extensive adoption across different applications. Currently, smart cards are widely used across sectors such as telecommunications, BFSI, and government. Due to the numerous advantages they offer, smart cards are increasingly used in the healthcare, government IDs (e-passports), and retail sectors. Thus, strong ongoing adoption of smart cards across different sectors is estimated to substantially spur the market's growth in the coming years. The research study titled "Smart Cards Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2016 - 2023" provides in-depth analysis of the market and related sub-segments. The report strategically focuses on market segments including different types of smart cards and components. In addition, this report provides market insights and forecasts of the size and growth of each segment across each of the geographic regions. The report includes detailed analysis of prevalent market trends and profiles of key players. In order to provide better understanding of competition in the market, the report offers ecosystem analysis and competitive landscape. The study on the global smart cards market has been conducted with the objective of providing thorough coverage of the underlying technological and socio-economic factors driving the market. The smart cards market is expected to see consistent growth in the coming years due to the increasing demand for secure and reliable payment transactions across the retail and BFSI sectors. Moreover, cost-saving schemes for merchants from payments brands such as Visa, MasterCard, and Europay is driving the smart card technology innovations. The decreasing prices of subscriber identification module (SIM) cards and tariff rates are increasing the number of mobile subscriber, and thus further contributing to the growth of the smart cards market. However, factors such as price pressures and technological challenges along with the cost of migrating to smartcard compatible readers affect the adoption of smartcards. Conversely, technological advancements, falling prices, and the introduction of high-end SIMs offer potential opportunities for the growth of the smart cards market. This report studies the current scenario as well as the future market potential for smart cards globally. The market for smart cards has been segmented based on three major parameters: card type, components, and geography. The major types of smart cards used are contact smart cards, contactless smart cards, hybrid smart cards, and dual-interface smart cards. On the basis of components, the smart cards market is segmented into microcontroller-based smart cards and memory-based smart cards. The demand for microcontroller-based smart cards is significantly high owing to the wide adoption of such cards for contactless and dual-interface smart cards. The market size and forecast, in terms of revenue and volume (US$ Mn & Mn units), for each of these segments has been provided for the period from 2013 to 2023, considering 2013 and 2014 as the base years. For 2015, report provides actual data for the first half and estimate for the second half. Also, the report provides market size and forecast in terms of volume (Mn Units) for various segments for the above mentioned period. The report also provides the compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) for each segment of the market for the forecast period 2016 to 2023. Geographically, the market for global smart cards has been segmented into four regions: North America , Europe , Asia Pacific , and Rest of the World. The report also provides a competitive landscape, wherein the market share analysis of leading players in the global smart cards market for the year 2014, in terms of value percentage, has been discussed. The report concludes with the company profiles section, which provides an overview of the major companies operating in the market including strategies deployed by them to gain competitive advantage, annual revenue generated by them in the past two years, and key developments in the market. The companies profiled in this report include the American Express Company, Atos SE, NXP Semiconductors NV, Infineon Technologies AG, Gemalto NV, INSIDE Secure, Giesecke & Devrient (G&D) GmbH, and Texas Instruments, Inc. The global smart cards market is categorized into the following segments: Smart Cards Market, by Type Contact Smart Cards Contactless Smart Cards Hybrid Smart Cards Dual-interface Smart Cards Smart Cards Market, by Component Microcontroller Memory Card Smart Cards Market, by Geography North America Europe Asia Pacific Middle East & Africa (MEA) Latin America Read the full report: http://www.reportlinker.com/p03661965-summary/view-report.html About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. http://www.reportlinker.com __________________________ Contact Clare: [email protected] US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/smart-cards-market---global-industry-analysis-size-share-growth-trends-and-forecast-2016---2023-300229875.html SOURCE Reportlinker [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [March 03, 2016] What's Next for IT? Startup City at Interop Las Vegas Showcases 10 Companies Driving the Future of Networking SAN FRANCISCO, March 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Interop Las Vegas 2016 announces the 10 vendors selected to participate in Startup City, a new hub of IT innovation on the Expo floor. In its 30th year as the leading vendor neutral event for the IT community, Interop celebrates the Future of Networking by introducing up and coming vendors who are revitalizing enterprise tech. Interop Las Vegas returns to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center May 2-6, 2016. For more information and to take advantage of Early Bird Pricing by March 18, visit: interop.com/lasvegas. With more than 250 exhibitors, Interop hosts a sprawling marketplace of the hottest IT and networking solutions from cloud to security to storage. Leveling the playing field for newcomers who are often overshadowed by tech giants, Interop launched Startup City to help connect emerging vendors with potential buyers and investors. The companies selected to participate in Startup City 2016 include: Agora.io : Agora.io makes it easy to embed voice and video into mobile and web applications with unparalleled global reach and quality of experience. : Agora.io makes it easy to embed voice and video into mobile and web applications with unparalleled global reach and quality of experience. Ambedded Technology Co. : Ambedded Technology offers Software Defined Storage powered by ARM-based Microservers. : Ambedded Technology offers Software Defined Storage powered by ARM-based Microservers. AppFormix Inc. : AppFormix is a cloud service optimization platform that enables state-driven automation via real-time analytics, capacity planning, and orchestration tooling. : AppFormix is a cloud service optimization platform that enables state-driven automation via real-time analytics, capacity planning, and orchestration tooling. BeaconGrid | Azert : BeaconGrid is a platform that lets mobile apps know who is where within commercial buildings. : BeaconGrid is a platform that lets mobile apps know who is where within commercial buildings. Cluster : ClusterHQ is a growing group of storage, networking and container experts solving one of the last great barriers to container adoption: support for data. : ClusterHQ is a growing group of storage, networking and container experts solving one of the last great barriers to container adoption: support for data. Coolan : Coolan makes hardware operations at scale simple and easy to unerstand. : Coolan makes hardware operations at scale simple and easy to unerstand. Kentik : Kentik offers a leading SaaS & Big Data solution for NetFlow traffic visibility. : Kentik offers a leading SaaS & Big Data solution for NetFlow traffic visibility. NetBeez : NetBeez is a network monitoring solution that reduces wired and wireless network and application performance issues for multi-site enterprises. : NetBeez is a network monitoring solution that reduces wired and wireless network and application performance issues for multi-site enterprises. SimpleWan : SimpleWan brings enterprise class cybersecurity firewall technology to the small to medium size business space. : SimpleWan brings enterprise class cybersecurity firewall technology to the small to medium size business space. Soha Systems: Soha Systems is an innovator of Enterprise Secure Access delivered as a service for data centers and hybrid cloud environments. See the Startups Take the Hot Seat Bringing their concepts and business plans to life, Startup City companies will pitch their cutting-edge technologies during three Startup Hot Seat sessions, directly on the exhibit floor. In each session, enterprise startups will take the stage. Each will be given eight minutes to share their innovative solutions to problems and answer tough questions from attendees and an expert panel. For more information about Startup City and Startup Hot Seat, visit: interop.com/lasvegas/special-events/startupcity.php The Next Big Ideas Uncovered at the Future of Networking Summit What else is in store for the IT community? Packet Pushers' Ethan Banks and Greg Ferro will present the two-day Future of Networking Summit. They'll take deep dives into the trends and developments that you cannot yet buy or deploy, but seem likely to impact the five and ten-year corporate strategy. The sessions carefully uncover pre-standard technology, unknown startups, emerging ideas and the next big thing providing a glimpse into possible futures from both business and technology perspectives. For more information about the Future of Networking Summit, visit: interop.com/future-networking-summit-packet-pushers. IT's Next Generation of Leaders Speak Up Sometimes the ability to think creatively and take risks can outweigh experience. Interop will assemble a panel of some of the brightest IT stars under the age of 30 to talk about innovation, entrepreneurship, and making a reputation in the competitive tech landscape. The IT Trailblazers Under 30 Panel & Luncheon panelists include: Jamie Atchison | Director of Application Development, Association of Schools | Director of Application Development, Association of Schools Katie Hempenius | Software Engineer, Fitbit For more information about the IT Trailblazers Under 30 Panel, visit: info.interop.com/lasvegas/scheduler/session/it-trailblazers-under-30-panel-luncheon The Interop Conference offers five days of world-class education from cutting edge speakers, exclusive strategic content, technical how-to resources, and an inside look at the practical application of emerging technologies. For more information and to register for Interop, visit: interop.tech.ubm.com/lv/2016 Media Registration: interop.com/lasvegas/media-center Connect with #Interop and the #FutureofNetworking: Twitter | Facebook | Google+ | Instagram | YouTube About Interop Interop is the leading global IT infrastructure event series, offering in-depth education alongside a showcase of emerging technologies in an independent, vendor-neutral environment. For 30 years, Interop has brought the IT community together to explore the latest in network infrastructure, encouraging collaboration, and interoperability. Through dynamic conference programs, Interop helps professionals at all career levels leverage the network, systems and applications that enable business innovation. The Interop Expo and InteropNet Demo Lab provide immersive, hands-on experiences, while connecting enterprise IT buyers with leading suppliers. Interop Las Vegas is the flagship event held each spring, with an annual event in Tokyo and Cloud Connect China in Shanghai. For more information, visit interop.com. Interop is organized by UBM Americas, a part of UBM plc (UBM.L), an Events First marketing and communications services business. For more information, visit ubmamericas.com. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160302/339933LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/whats-next-for-it-startup-city-at-interop-las-vegas-showcases-10-companies-driving-the-future-of-networking-300230088.html SOURCE Interop [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Itongadol.- US Vice President Joe Biden will arrive on Tuesday for a two-day visit, the Government Press Office announced on Wednesday. Biden will arrive at 5:20 p.m., but there will be neither a welcoming ceremony nor any speeches at the airport, according to the announcement. He is expected to meet separately with President Reuven Rivlin and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the next day, where there are expected to be short statements to the media, but not a press conference. No other public events, such as a speech or press conference, have been announced. The current visit comes against the backdrop of the US presidential race, and an interest by the administration to underline its strong security support for Israel. Biden is considered among Israels strongest advocates inside the Obama administration. During a speech in Washington in December 2014 at the annual Saban Forum, as US-Israeli tension over a possible nuclear deal with Iran was on a sharp incline, Biden said, If there werent an Israel we would have to invent one. In a fiercely pro-Israel address, he said: We always talk about Israel from this perspective, as if were doing [them] some favor. We are meeting a moral obligation. But it is so much more than a moral obligation. It is overwhelmingly in the self-interest of the United States of America to have a secure and democratic friend, a strategic partner like Israel. It is no favor. It is an obligation, but also a strategic necessity. The vice president noted then that he and Netanyahu have been friends for more than 30 years, kidding that he loves the prime minister, even though he has disagreed with him intensively on many issues. Among the issues expected to be discussed during the upcoming visit is the Memorandum of Understanding, the agreement spelling out Washingtons security aid to Israel over the next decade that is currently being negotiated. The current MoU, which expires in 2018, provided some $30 billion worth of military aid, and the final figure for the new MoU is expected to be considerably higher. Biden has shown an interest in using the off-shore natural gas finds as a way to leverage stability in the eastern Mediterranean, and in pushing forward Turkish-Israeli reconciliation. He discussed both those issues when he last met with Netanyahu in Davos on January 21, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum. From there he went to Istanbul and had talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Israeli officials said that they did not know of any plans to announce completion of the long-discussed Israeli-Turkish reconciliation deal while Biden was in the country. US President Barack Obama brokered a telephone conversation between Netanyahu and Erdogan on the last day of his sole visit here as president in 2013. Biden was last in Israel in 2014, when he attended the funeral of late prime minister Ariel Sharon. During that trip, he also held a meeting with Netanyahu. Prior to that, he was here in 2010 for a visit that turned out to be a diplomatic disaster after the Interior Ministry announced plans to build 1,600 housing units in the northern Jerusalem neighborhood of Ramat Shlomo, beyond the Green Line. This incident strained ties with Washington for months. Truths suppressed by the Establishment and society generally, and analytical overviews of reality to deepen understanding. All contents copyrighted. Brief quotations with attribution and URL [jasonzenith.blogspot.com] permitted. Check out my other blog at taboo-truths.blogspot.com As a graduate of Eastern Illinois University, I have made my Alma Mater one of my top priorities. My first week in Springfield as an elected representative, I distributed EIU coffee mugs to all of my colleagues in the House because I wanted to serve them notice that I was going to be a strong advocate for my home town University. In addition, I worked with the Governors office to get former Coles County State Senator Max Coffey appointed to the State Board of Higher Education to be a strong advocate for EIU. But we all know that the most important thing right now is for EIU to get the state funding the University desperately needs. I have spent an enormous amount of time trying to get a workable bipartisan solution to EIUs funding in the past several months. I am on the phone every single day talking to anyone who will listen about the problems facing the University. Just recently, I along with three Democrat legislators are proposing a measure, House Bill 6409, to provide $160 million in emergency funding for Universities such as Eastern, and an additional $40 million for community colleges. It would be funded by redirecting dollars currently earmarked to repay excess fund balances swept last year. The Governor assures me he will sign the bill if the Legislature approves it. In addition, area Senators have filed a higher funding bill (SB 2360) of their own in the Senate. This is an emotional issue and sometimes in emotional situations we say things we dont mean. I have apologized for my remarks about the faculty senate in a note I sent to them. We do not need to be fighting each other in this great hour of need. My plea to the EIU faculty and staff is to put whatever differences we have aside and work together -- not against each other -- to solve the financial problems facing the University. Reggie Phillips State Representative, 110th District The Center for Development in Central America is a project of the Jubilee House Community (JHC-CDCA) a non-profit working with poor communities in Nicaragua to help them realize their own goals, rather than bringing in "ready-made solutions." Thursday, March 03, 2016 Some Grumbling Over Berry Bus Plan At City Council But Not Much More, Plus: The Donald And NM, Martineznomics And A Sayanora In Santa Fe GOP Councilor Brad Winter takes note of the opposition to the project in his NE Heights district saying, "I know it's the Mayor's project but we have many road projects that need to be done in my district. I went some help for them." But will Winter move to put the brakes on the buses? It doesn't appear so. Ditto for Dem Councilors Klarissa Pena and Pat Davis. They say it's the Mayor's project and there's nothing they can do but try to make sure it works. The same impotence was displayed by the council when it came to the APD crisis that has cost the city tens of millions. The council also followed the Mayor's lead in ignoring the city's job crisis which was again crystallized when last month there were 10,000 applicants for 290 jobs at the new Cheesecake Factory restaurant. None of the councilors made a peep. What the city council needs is a couple of members with fire in the belly. We already have plenty of chair warmers. (Here's MARTINEZ FOR RUBIO Gov. Martinez THE DONALD AND NM Could Donald Trump somehow put New Mexico back in play for the R's in the presidential race? His candidacy is so unpredictable that the question has come up, even though NM is classified as a solid blue state for the presidency. Hillary Clinton drew heavy Hispanic support on Super Tuesday (67% according to exit polls) and veteran Dem speech writer and political adviser Bob Shrum (Trump is) speaking to a group of people for whom conservatism is not a set of principles and programs, but a collection of grievances, alienations and angers. And he expresses that and theyre not going to leave him unless he does something really atrocious. But Shrum cautioned that he doesnt think Trump can get the share of the white vote high enough to overcome what will be a solid minority vote against him. It will make Romney look like the king of Cinco de Mayo, he said. MARTINEZNOMICS Reader Richard Flores has reaction to ABQ businessman Kevin Yearout's high praise of Governor Martinez's management of the state economy that we carried here this week: Yearout claims that under Martinez we are moving forward toward making things better for our citizens and our businesses. I'm not sure what citizens and businesses he is talking about. In the past 3-4 years I have seen more panhandlers and homeless people on the streets of Albuquerque than in my previous 25 years living here. Furthermore, I have not previously seen so many boarded up businesses as over the past few years. In a thriving economy this would not be the case. Maybe Mr. Yearout has a crystal ball that most of the rest of us are not privvy to because the statistics do not support his assessment. And if he sees a turnaround in the future, we may be a ghost town by the time the Martinez strategy bears fruit. Such an insular view does not reflect reality, and only serves to detract attention from the dismal failures of the Martinez administration. I appreciate reading the diverse opinions in your blog, but to attribute a macro style economic shift to an administration that has been "stuck in neutral" for six years? I don't get it. SAYONARA IN SANTA FE Councilor Bushee She's served on the Santa Fe city council since 1994--the longest run ever--and made two unsuccessful runs for Mayor, but now it's time for Patti Bushee to say sayonara. And she does so in an insighful way. Asked what needs to happen for the city to turn the corner and get on better economic footing, she The last two mayors. . . have had kind of a government bureaucrat mindset, and that is not reality. And so when it comes to balancing the budget or running an enterprise fund like the water company, you really have to approach it differently. It cannot be that it is just a slush fund. It is not sustainable. And that is what I mean about not saying no to some big things. . . I really wanted to change how we did business over there. And nobody wants to, nobody really wants to make change that way. To some degree, people inherit jobs over there. . . that kind of system has to change. That old pattern of cronyism. . . Santa Fe's government is again preparing to rob the city water fund to plug a deficit that is up to $18 million. The hard choice of reducing the city's padded political payroll that was larded up during the boom years is receiving scant attention, to the regret of Bushee. A WINNER Reader Phil Gasteyer in Corrales writes: Joe, A small correction. The Village of Los Ranchos elects trustees at large, with two slots being filled Tuesday. Both incumbents--Allen Lewis and Mary Homan--were re-elected. Diane Albert was the third candidate. Thanks, Phil. On Election Night we had first blogged that Lewis had been defeated. This is the home of New Mexico politics. Interested in reaching New Mexico's most informed audience? Advertise here. ( c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2016 You would think that with the intense and emotional opposition that has built throughout the city against Mayor Berry's ABQ rapid transit plan (ART) that at least one of the nine city councilors would be leading the charge to slow down the project. It would run rapid buses down a 10 mile section of a revamped Central Avenue, a plan that has drawn heated protests at recent public meetings.GOP Councilor Brad Winter takes note of the opposition to the project in his NE Heights district saying, "I know it's the Mayor's project but we have many road projects that need to be done in my district. I went some help for them." But will Winter move to put the brakes on the buses? It doesn't appear so. Ditto for Dem Councilors Klarissa Pena and Pat Davis. They say it's the Mayor's project and there's nothing they can do but try to make sure it works.The same impotence was displayed by the council when it came to the APD crisis that has cost the city tens of millions. The council also followed the Mayor's lead in ignoring the city's job crisis which was again crystallized when last month there were 10,000 applicants for 290 jobs at the new Cheesecake Factory restaurant. None of the councilors made a peep.What the city council needs is a couple of members with fire in the belly. We already have plenty of chair warmers.(Here's some video of Councilor Ike Benton being accosted over ART at a public meeting this week. Mayor Berry was not at that ART meeting or any of the others held recently).Gov. Martinez has endorsed Marco Rubio for the GOP nomination only a day after refusing to say whether she would vote for Trump. Martinez's endorsement comes as Rubio launches a critical campaign to take Florida on March 15 or likely be forced out of the race. One Alligator opined that Rubio is the GOP establishment's kamikaze pilot against Trump and the GOP grassroots. If so, Martinez is now one of the co-pilots.Could Donald Trump somehow put New Mexico back in play for the R's in the presidential race? His candidacy is so unpredictable that the question has come up, even though NM is classified as a solid blue state for the presidency.Hillary Clinton drew heavy Hispanic support on Super Tuesday (67% according to exit polls) and veteran Dem speech writer and political adviser Bob Shrum believes that will play against Trump in states like ours:Reader Richard Flores has reaction to ABQ businessman Kevin Yearout's high praise of Governor Martinez's management of the state economy that we carried here this week:She's served on the Santa Fe city council since 1994--the longest run ever--and made two unsuccessful runs for Mayor, but now it's time for Patti Bushee to say sayonara. And she does so in an insighful way. Asked what needs to happen for the city to turn the corner and get on better economic footing, she answered Santa Fe's government is again preparing to rob the city water fund to plug a deficit that is up to $18 million. The hard choice of reducing the city's padded political payroll that was larded up during the boom years is receiving scant attention, to the regret of Bushee.Reader Phil Gasteyer in Corrales writes:Thanks, Phil. On Election Night we had first blogged that Lewis had been defeated.This is the home of New Mexico politics. E-mail your news and comments. (jmonahan@ix.netcom.com) Links HOME E-MAIL ME About Joe Google News Real Clear Politics Huffington Post Drudge Report The Politico New Mexico newspapers NM TV stations Gov. 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According to statistics released earlier this week by the U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Economic Analysis, the state's gross domestic product grew 5.4 percent in the third quarter compared with the second quarter. That that was the fourth-highest rate of growth among the states and nearly three times the national average of 1.9 percent. According to the Commerce Department, agriculture was the driving force for Nebraska's growth, contributing 4.79 percent of the 5.4 percent GDP growth. That may seem odd, considering agriculture has been on a downward trend for a couple of years, but Creighton Economist Ernie Goss said it was simply a bump up from the worst quarter for agriculture in nearly five years. He said the second quarter of 2015 was the worst for agriculture in Nebraska since the third quarter of 2010. "In other words," Goss said. "Q3 2015s ag GDP number reflects the stabilization of Nebraskas ag sector." That's good news for a sector that has been hard hit. Third-quarter ag GDP, though up considerably over the second quarter, was down almost 16 percent from the third quarter of 2014, Goss said. And since the state's ag sector hit a record annualized GDP of $11.4 billion in the first quarter of 2013, it has fallen nearly 29 percent. He said the good news is that the ag economy likely bottomed out in the first half of 2015 and is now rebounding, although it has a long way to go to get back to 2013 levels. Farm income likely declined in 2015 and is predicted to do so again this year before rebounding in 2017. If Gov. Pete Ricketts' property tax plan emerges from a legislative committee this year, expect it to come with some significant edits. Revenue Committee members spent much of a three-hour meeting Wednesday raising questions about a component of the plan aimed at easing taxes on farm and ranch owners. "There was not a lot of enthusiasm for it, and a lot of concern about whether it accomplished the stated goals," Committee Chairman Mike Gloor of Grand Island said after the meeting. Ricketts' proposal called for limiting statewide aggregate growth in agricultural land valuations to 3 percent, one of several changes included in a bill (LB958) which Gloor sponsored on the governor's behalf. No vote was taken Wednesday, but several committee members suggested possibly replacing the 3 percent aggregate cap with language that would require county assessors to use a longer window of time five years instead of the current three when calculating land values for taxation purposes. The goal is "smoothing" the rise and fall of valuations as well as property tax bills. That change is part of a bill (LB717) sponsored and prioritized by Sen. Mike Groene of North Platte. Revenue Committee members did not discuss other components of Ricketts' bill at length during Wednesday's meeting. A companion measure (LB959) is being considered by the Legislature's Education Committee. Gloor and Education Committee Chairwoman Kate Sullivan of Cedar Rapids, who also sits on the Revenue Committee, said they are considering bringing the committees together for joint discussions. The two committees met at length over the fall as part of a joint study on lessening Nebraska's reliance on property taxes for funding K-12 education. Opposition continued Wednesday to a bill that would broaden the scope of businesses that fall under the state's Equal Pay Act. But the naysaying wasn't strong enough to keep the bill from moving to a second round of debate. The bill (LB83) advanced on a 26-7 vote. The bill, introduced by Omaha Sen. Tanya Cook, had started out as a wage disclosure measure -- employers would have been required to allow workers to disclose their own salaries to coworkers. But through negotiations, part of a bill (LB928) introduced by Omaha Sen. Heath Mello was substituted and came out of committee as one that would extend the Equal Pay Act to all businesses. Opponents said the bill wasn't needed, or would be a burden to those smallest of businesses that would have to follow all the requirements of reporting and record keeping. But Omaha Sen. Burke Harr said those businesses already must follow those requirements for the federal law. It would not add to the burden on business owners and would allow people to file discrimination complaints with the state, rather than just the federal government. Sen. Bill Kintner of Papillion, who opposed the bill, said it would do nothing to help women, could hurt small businesses, and is just not needed. "If you're dumb enough to not pay people what the law requires you, then you deserve everything you get," he said. Sen. Paul Schumacher of Columbus, who opposed the bill on the basis of the burdens it could put on small businesses, was chastised Tuesday for his use throughout the debate of the male pronoun and the word "guys" in referring to small business owners. "I can't say 'guys,' so I must say 'its,'" he said Wednesday. "We're applying (the equal pay act) to every business in the state. No exceptions, no mercy, even if it sounds absurd that a little 'it' has got to keep abstracts, has got to have manuals of employment," he said. Sen. Lydia Brasch of Bancroft said she didn't want to be accused of being anti-woman, so she was drafting an amendment to let people know the bill addressed women, exclusively. "Is there discrimination? Yes, there is. But is it changing? Yes, it is. Will it continue changing? Absolutely," she said. She'd rather be talking about human trafficking. "That's where we can crack down on abuse to women, and needing a change," she said. A 27-year-old Omaha man accused of raping a woman he was driving to Lincoln by taxi after a Garth Brooks concert last May appeared in court Thursday. Farah A. Diriye was arrested in Omaha Wednesday on a warrant after Douglas County prosecutors charged him Feb. 12 with first-degree sexual assault. By Thursday night, Diriye posted bail and was released from the Douglas County jail on $250,000 bond. His arrest comes almost 10 months after a 22-year-old woman reported a sexual assault to Lincoln police on May 9, according to a search warrant affidavit detailing the case. Police here referred the case to the Nebraska State Patrol because of jurisdictional issues. The woman told a state trooper she had gone out for drinks with friends in downtown Omaha after the May 8 concert, then decided to return to Lincoln because she wasnt feeling well, according to an affidavit for a search warrant. She hailed a nearby cab and agreed to pay $145 for the trip to her Lincoln apartment, the affidavit said. The woman told police she fell asleep in the back seat and woke up at an unknown location to find the driver sexually assaulting her, the affidavit said. Moments later, she said, she passed out again and later woke as the cab stopped in front of the gate to her north Lincoln apartment complex, the affidavit said. Her roommate called police, and investigators took the woman to Bryan West Campus for a sexual assault exam. Happy Cab confirmed to investigators that Diriye had driven the woman that night, according to the affidavit. A patrol investigator interviewed him last summer, and Diriye said he remembered picking the woman up and taking her to Lincoln but denied having sexual contact with her. But investigators said in the affidavit that the cab's electronic tablet -- used to track fares and routes -- had been shut off shortly after the woman was picked up and turned back on an hour later. The company told investigators that shouldn't happen unless there are technical problems, and Diriye reported none while he was working May 8 and 9, the investigator wrote. Diriye's next fare began about two hours after he picked up the Lincoln woman just before 12:30 a.m., according to the affidavit. Happy Cab fired him after learning of the allegations, operations director John Davis said last summer. Before that, Davis said, the driver had been in good standing. On Thursday, Diriye's attorney, Jeremy Jorgenson of Omaha, said his client maintains his innocence as he has from the beginning. His client didn't stop for any reason between picking up the woman and dropping her off in Lincoln about 1:30 that morning, Jorgenson said in an interview. Diriye told investigators that in an interview May 9, and he said he used a GPS application on his phone to provide directions to the woman's house, according to an affidavit for Diriye's arrest. That evidence, if it was preserved, will exonerate Diriye, Jorgenson said. "From what my client has told me, we cant wait to get our hands on the digital forensics, he said. It's unclear from either of the affidavits what DNA evidence testing in the case determined since neither of the affidavits mention it, Jorgenson said. "They could have charged him nine months ago because its her story against his story," he said. As a condition of Diriye's bond, a Douglas County judge ordered him not to have any contact with the woman. If convicted, Diriye faces up to 50 years in prison. Sen. Bernie Sanders on Thursday urged Nebraskans to "think big, not small" and embrace the transformative change he would bring to the country as president. Speaking before a crowd that overflowed the Lied Center two days before Nebraska's Democratic presidential caucus, Sanders said he can defeat Republican front-runner Donald Trump and lead a political revolution that heals the injustice of plutocratic privilege and "a rigged economy." Sanders said recent polling results should dispel any argument that he could not win a general election and he zeroed in on Trump, arguing that in the end "the American people will defeat Trump because love trumps hatred." A capacity crowd of 2,500, including supporters seated in chairs on the stage, filled the Lied Center. Outside, more than a thousand people were unable to get into the performing arts center after waiting in a line that spread across the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus for more than six blocks. Before delivering his 57-minute speech, Sanders grabbed a microphone and spoke to the overflow crowd outside, which he estimated at 1,500 people. "Maybe Nebraska is not quite so conservative as I've been told," he said later, as he was bathed in cheers and applause in the midst of his patented call for "a political revolution." Sanders will be matched against Hillary Clinton in the Saturday caucus, and former President Bill Clinton will be in Lincoln and Omaha Friday to make the closing argument for his wife's presidential bid. Sanders' focus on Trump pointed to the Republican front-runner's "insults (directed at) Mexicans, Muslims, women, the African-American community." Trump's effort to "delegitimize the first African-American president in our history (is) really ugly stuff," Sanders said. "The American people know that bringing people together trumps divisiveness and dividing people," he said. Young people, mostly students, composed the largest segment of Sanders' enthusiastic Lincoln audience. But there was a smattering of ages, a gathering of opponents of the rejected Keystone XL pipeline and at least a dozen cowboy hats. Jane Kleeb, who mounted the battle against the TransCanada pipeline and its pathway across Nebraska, introduced and endorsed Sanders at the event. Sanders pledged to lead transformation of the nation's energy system away from fossil fuels and into renewable energy, arguing that the future of the planet is on the line as humans confront climate change. "Let's listen to the scientists, not the politicians," he said. As president, Sanders said, he would tell TransCanada and others in the fossil fuel industry: "Pack up; get out." Jack Rodenburg of Lincoln, a UNL math and physics major, preceded Kleeb on the stage and said "the fate of humanity" is at stake as Earth deals with climate change. If Sanders is elected, Rodenburg said, political revolution is "not only possible, it is inevitable." Sanders' speech repeated the familiar themes of his campaign message. Campaign finance reform, a massive federal jobs program, free tuition at public colleges and universities, reductions in student debt, health care reform that provides Medicare coverage for all Americans and a reduction in the price of prescription drugs, an increase in the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour. "There is nothing we cannot accomplish if we demand change," Sanders said. "Keep thinking outside the box; keep thinking outside the status quo." Sanders acknowledged that some of his critics say: "That's a nice idea, Santa Claus." But, he said, it's all doable in the richest country in the history of the world, especially if "corrupt campaign financing" and its influence is ended and tax reform requires that the wealthiest Americans pay a larger share of their income in taxes. "Are you ready for a radical idea?" Sanders asked. "How about an economy that works for working people and not just for the 1 percent?" The American middle class bailed out Wall Street during the Great Recession, he noted, and "it's time for Wall Street to help young people and the middle class." Sanders also pointed to differences he has with Hillary Clinton that he said Nebraska caucus-goers should consider on Saturday. Clinton accepts campaign funding from super PACs and has ties to Wall Street, he said, and he does not. When he referred to the 4 million individual campaign contributions he has received, he asked the crowd what the average contribution was. And when they shouted back $27, the number he always recites, he smiled. "I love that," he said. As a senator, Clinton voted to authorize the war in Iraq, Sanders said, and he voted against that authorization. As president, he said, he would be committed to preventing U.S. involvement in "never-ending, perpetual war in the Middle East." On Saturday, Sanders said, "Nebraska can help push the political revolution forward." And with that, he was off to Kansas, the site of another Democratic caucus that will be held on Saturday. The wisdom of Nebraskas state senators deserves a salute as the search for a new chancellor for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln continues. The open process set in law by the Legislature gives stakeholders, ranging from students to faculty to ordinary run-of-the bill taxpayers, a chance to make their own up-close and personal assessment of the four finalists strengths and weaknesses. Nothing quite compares with the chance to size up a candidate in person. Its a more valuable and worthwhile opportunity than meeting a candidate who has already been selected behind closed doors and who is trotted out to meet the public after the fact. The open process is especially beneficial in a search like this one, when an in-house candidate is one of the prospects. The open process ensures that alternative candidates were given serious consideration. If UNL senior vice chancellor Ronnie Green ends up getting the job, there wont be doubt that he actually earned it. Greens day before the public as a finalist comes Thursday. The three candidates who have already visited campus offer an intriguing mix of backgrounds, qualifications and visions for the future. Sabah Randhawa, provost and executive vice president at Oregon State University, spoke of a UNL repositioning itself as a global land-grant university, leading the world in areas like food and water security, energy and adapting to climate change. The open process also offers a glimpse of the finalists personal side. For example April Mason, chief academic officer at Kansas State, likes to head out on the highway on a motorcycle with her husband. Mark her down as adventurous. Daniel Reed, vice president for research and economic development, credited his sharecropper grandfather for helping shape his leadership style with the adage, you can do a lot if you dont care who gets the credit. With the merits of the open process on display in recent days its something of a puzzle that efforts are underway once again to drag the process behind closed doors. Pending on the floor of the Legislature is a LB1109, pushed by Regent Howard Hawks and others to revert to a closed process in which only the final candidate makes a visit to campus, with a mandatory 30-day vetting period. The University of Nebraska already has a process that is the envy of constituencies around the country. Only two years ago state senators turned back an attempt to close the search process. Since then a new class of senators has moved into the Capitol. Lets hope they are just as wise as those who preceded them. So, Sen. Ben Sasse is proud to say ("Sasse steps up criticism of Trump," March 2) that he is "an American first, then a conservative, then a Nebraskan..." This perfectly illustrates the problem with many of today's elected officials: they place loyalty to their personal ideology above the needs of the people they are elected to serve. This kind of thinking is what leads to actions like repeatedly attempting to repeal the ACA with no chance of success while still failing to offer an actual, immediate alternative, refusing Medicaid expansion because the money has Obama cooties ("$53M cost of health reform to state won't hurt general fund, senators say," Feb. 25) and shutting down the government rather than working to compromise with those across the aisle. Sasse should look to our Unicameral legislature as an example of how government can actually get things accomplished when officials place the benefit of the state and its citizens first instead of prioritizing their own strict belief system. Nebraska should deal itself into the thick of the presidential selection process by creating a presidential primary election to be held in early March, Sen. John Murante of Gretna proposed Wednesday. Murante's bill (LB871) was presented to the Legislature's Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee as the 2016 presidential race swirled across the nation with major battles brewing in both parties. Nebraska Democrats have dealt themselves into the process with a presidential caucus that will be held on Saturday, but Nebraska Republicans are effectively shut out until the May 10 primary election, when the GOP contest already may be settled. Murante noted that Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders will come to Lincoln on Thursday, bringing the Democratic presidential battle directly to Nebraska. Shortly after Murante spoke to the committee, Hillary Clinton's campaign announced that former President Bill Clinton will make appearances in Lincoln and Omaha on Friday. On the Republican side, "Nebraska is thoroughly irrelevant now," Murante said, pointing to that exact description of the state's role voiced by Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who is seeking the GOP nomination. "Republican candidates come here only to raise money," Murante said. Murante, a Republican, said "Democrats wisely chose to conduct a caucus" to get in on the action, but he believes a primary system is a far better and more inclusive way to involve voters in the process. A March presidential primary election would be held in addition to a regular mid-May primary election during presidential election years Estimated cost of that additional election was pegged at $1.5 million. That would be a worthwhile expenditure every four years to "make Nebraska voices heard," Murante said, and the cost would be balanced by economic activity generated by presidential campaigns in the state. Murante said he would like to "work with Democratic friends" to reach agreement on a presidential primary election and he suggested the second Tuesday in March as a possible primary date. The size of a state has "very little bearing on the attention it receives," Murante said. Rather, it is when that state holds its presidential primary or caucus, he said. Murante noted that his bill is not prioritized, needs amended and is not ready for action this legislative session, but could pave the way for reform prior to the 2020 presidential election. In other action, the committee sent Sen. Laura Ebke's resolution (LR35) to call a convention of the states to propose amendments to the U.S. Constitution back to the floor of the Legislature after adopting her proposed changes. That proposal had been returned to the committee by a 25-18 vote, and its readvancement to the floor was largely a symbolic gesture of respect and goodwill toward Ebke. It is not expected to be acted upon this session. Sen. Bernie Sanders will bring his Democratic presidential campaign to Lincoln on Thursday and former President Bill Clinton will follow with an appearance here on Friday. Sanders will address a rally scheduled at the Lied Center beginning at 1 p.m. It will be first-come, first-served at the venue, which seats about 2,300. The doors will open at 11 a.m. Clinton will visit both Lincoln and Omaha on Friday, with no details on time and site yet available. The former president will make the case for his wife's presidential bid, centering on "Hillary's plans to raise wages and break down the barriers that exist for too many families," the Clinton campaign stated in its announcement. The Sanders campaign is asking that people not bring bags, signs or banners on sticks into Thursday's event due to security concerns. An overflow crowd is almost guaranteed based on the numbers Sanders has attracted on college campuses. The Lied Center is on the edge of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus, 301 N. 12th St. Sanders will touch on his major themes, including getting big money out of politics, making public colleges and universities tuition-free, combating climate change and ensuring universal health care, according to a statement issued by his campaign. Following his address, the Vermont senator will move on to Kansas, where he will speak at a fairgrounds rally in Lawrence, home of the University of Kansas. Both Nebraska and Kansas will hold their Democratic presidential caucuses on Saturday as the battle between Sanders and Clinton moves into the two Midwestern states. Bill Clinton campaigned for his wife ahead of the Iowa caucus last month, but his appearance in Nebraska will be a rare event. The former president's Lincoln and Omaha stops will complete what has been a family campaign appeal. Hillary Clinton addressed a rally in Omaha last December; her daughter, Chelsea, spoke in both Lincoln and Omaha earlier this week. OMAHA Omaha could get a $136 million medical facility built next to the run-down veterans hospital here if a public-private initiative goes through, officials said. The Department of Veterans Affairs plan would provide 157,000 square feet of new medical space, according to U.S. Rep. Brad Ashford, an Omaha Democrat who represents Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District. The VA would provide $56 million, Ashford said, and private donors would be asked to put up the remaining $80 million. Ashford spokesman Joe Jordan said Thursday the congressman is optimistic Nebraska benefactors will be found. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert McDonald said at a House subcommittee hearing Wednesday in Washington that his department is interested in testing the financing arrangement, which faces legal and accounting questions. I think public-private partnerships is the way of the future for us," McDonald said. "And we'd (like) ... to prove out this model, and I think Omaha is a good place to do it." The Omaha hospital serves more than 160,000 veterans in the VA's Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System. A 2007 study found the hospital was plagued by problems in its electrical, heating and cooling systems. In 2011, the VA unveiled plans for a $560 million, 1 million-square-foot replacement. Congress approved $56 million to start the project planning, and the new structure tentatively was scheduled to open in 2018. But the plans and work were delayed by funding shortages and changing VA priorities, officials have said. Last summer an analysis by Omaha-based Booz Allen Hamilton for the VA said funding for the full replacement project could be delayed until the late 2020s. The analysis pointed to a $9 billion backlog of approved projects and VA infrastructure needs that could reach $60 billion. Dear Readers: Not surprisingly, we've been getting lots of letters about the Zika virus. In today's column, I'd like to answer the questions that many readers are asking. Where did Zika virus come from? Zika virus has been present for centuries in Africa. About 50 years ago it spread to Asia. So far as we know, it arrived in the Americas (primarily Brazil) only last year. That means that the vast majority of us in the Western Hemisphere have no immunity against it. How does it spread? The virus is carried by mosquitoes, primarily one called Aedes aegypti. They pick up the virus when they bite a person who is infected with it. They spread it to other people when they bite those people. It is not clear that it can be spread directly from one person to another, as the influenza virus is spread when someone near you coughs, for example. There are a few cases in which the virus might have been spread by sex, but this appears to be very unusual. What is the dancer from catching this virus? That depends on who you are. Most of us, even those of us in the Americas, don't have any symptoms when we catch it. Some of us get aching joints, red eyes, fever and a rash, but it's a mild, flu-like illness that typically lasts less than a week. Infection with the virus also may infrequently cause a nervous system disease in adults called Guillain-Barre. But if you are a woman who is, might be, or might soon become pregnant, there is reason to worry. There is strong evidence from Brazil that when pregnant women catch the virus, there is a risk that their babies will be born with birth defects. The most serious of these is microcephaly -- small heads and brains. (Several other infections also can cause this tragic complication of pregnancy.) Defects of vision and hearing may also occur. Can I be tested for this virus? Currently, only very specialized laboratories, like those at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, can test accurately for the virus. Also, the tests are not perfectly accurate: They can both under-diagnose and over-diagnose the infection. Are there treatments for the virus? As of now, there are no treatments, and no vaccines to prevent people from becoming infected. As you might expect, scientists all over the world are working to develop treatments and vaccines. Has the virus come to the U.S. and Canada? So far, there have been only a few cases of Zika virus infection among people in the U.S. and Canada, and they all caught the infection in a country south of the U.S. The virus would become a serious threat to the U.S. and Canada only if it was carried by mosquitoes in those countries. So far, that has not happened. So what should I do to protect myself? In tomorrow's column, I'll address that question. I'll also talk about how we can better protect ourselves against other potential epidemics that might strike us. When the clerk told the suspect that police were on their way, he panicked and tried to break the doors to get out. When he was unable to, he grabbed a drink and threw it at the door, but the door remained closed. RACINE In Wisconsin and across the nation, there has been no shortage of politicians, public officials and everyday people with an opinion about the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a proposed free-trade agreement between the U.S. and 11 other nations bordering the Pacific Ocean. Earlier this week, the City Councils Committee of the Whole added its name to the list of organizations with something to say about the deal when it voted 9-5 to recommend to the City Council that it pass a resolution urging Congress to oppose the deal. The measure now moves on to the full City Council, which is slated to consider the resolution when it meets Tuesday. Aldermen Jim Kaplan, Sandy Weidner, Q.A. Shakoor II, Terry McCarthy and Jim Morgenroth, voted against having the City Council consider the resolution at the committees meeting on March 1. Put forward by 11th District Alderman Mary Land, the resolution is sharply critical of the deal, likening it to the North American Free Trade Agreement, which took effect in 1994. Racine has already lost many of its manufacturing jobs due to previous free-trade policies, said Land, a retired autoworker who said she was laid off following the passage of NAFTA. We all remember the promises of more jobs that came along with NAFTA ... These jobs were never created, instead we bled manufacturing jobs that flowed out of our country instead of in. When asked who drafted the resolution, Land could not identify the original author, but said the measure was essentially the same as one approved by the Kenosha City Council late last year. A quick Internet search of the resolution language turned up similar resolutions considered by local governments across the country, including Nashville, Tenn.; Northhampton, Mass, and Berkeley, Calif. Discussion Several aldermen on Tuesday voiced reservations about weighing in on the agreement, especially one unrelated to city business. This is beyond the jurisdiction of this City Council, as well as our ability to influence. I think it is inappropriate to consider this resolution, said McCarthy, who represents the 9th District. After watching a July 2015 news segment about the deal produced by Yahoo News and journalist Katie Couric called Trans-Pacific Partnership explained, many council members still had qualms about considering the resolution. Weidner said the issue is too confusing, and doesnt believe that the committee has been given enough information to send the resolution on to the full City Council. Kaplan urged residents themselves to reach out to their congressmen about the deal. I dont think we should put our stamp of approval on it knowing that it doesnt affect as much of southeastern Wisconsin than if it was directly aimed at us, he said. About the TPP The TPP has drawn opposition from a wide array of political figures, including Democratic presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton, Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump, and most recently Russ Feingold. On Monday, Feingold, who is running in an attempt to regain a seat in the U.S. Senate, called on his opponent in Novembers election, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., to join him in opposing the deal. Proponents of the deal include President Barack Obama, whose administration negotiated it. They say it could stave off rising Chinese influence in East Asia by strengthening U.S. trade ties with countries such as Japan, Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore. Contents of the proposed deal were released last fall. The proposal outlines plans to remove or lower tariffs on a range of products, resolve international investor disputes and protections for intellectual property such as copyrights and patents. Labor provisions would require participating countries to allow workers to join unions and collectively bargain, do away with child labor and forced labor, and be free from employment discrimination. House Speaker Paul Ryan, who represents Racine County in Congress, had made congressional approval of the TPA one of his central priorities when he was serving as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. CALEDONIA Village Police are warning residents of a home repair scam that resulted in a home invasion and theft Wednesday. Village Police Lt. Gary Larsen said the incident occurred at about 3:15 p.m. Wednesday in the 4600 block of Tennessee Road. According to Larsen, a 79-year-old female was outside shoveling snow when she was approached by a Hispanic male who told her his father put the roof on her house 10 years ago. The suspect told her he stopped by because the roof was leaking and needed to be fixed. Even though the homeowners just replaced the roof last fall, the suspect was let into the house. The womans elderly husband, 78, also was inside the residence, Larsen said. While inside the house, the suspect created a distraction and was left unattended, Larsen said. When the victim returned, the suspect was in the kitchen cabinets, Larsen said. The suspect moved about the house, asking about leaks in other places, Larsen said, After the suspect left the residence, the male stated he was missing money from his wallet, a cordless phone had been unplugged from the wall, and the front door that was previously locked was found unlocked, Larsen said. Police said the suspect drove a full-size gray or silver GM pickup truck with no cap. Two additional Hispanic males were in the truck, police said. At some point the two other males were seen on the front walkway. Police described the suspect as a Hispanic male in his late 30s, about 5-foot-9, 170 pounds with brown eyes and a thin mustache. He was wearing a blue jean jacket and blue jeans, police said. Anyone with any information on the suspects can contact the Caledonia Police Department at 262-835-4423. RACINE Just over a month after purchasing the long-vacant Zahns building in Downtown Racine, a Wisconsin gas station mogul says he already has several buyers interested in buying the former department store. We have a few people looking into it seriously. It is going to get sold pretty soon, Bachan Singh said Thursday morning. Public records show that Singh, a Brookfield businessman with a sprawling empire of gas stations and convenience stores in Wisconsin, purchased the building for $275,000 in early February. The four-story, 39,000-square-foot building located at 500 Main Street has been vacant 35 years, since Zahns Department Store closed in 1981. There have been various projects proposed for the structure including a childrens museum, boutique hotel, low-income housing, apartments and library space. I dont really have any plans for it, Singh said about the building. I would probably remodel it or sell. Either sell it just like (it is) or remodel it and then sell it. Asked why he chose to purchase the structure, Singh said, If something comes at a decent price and you think you can make some money on it My work right now is just to find someone who is interested and then sell it. City of Racine interim City Development Director Matt Sadowski said earlier this week that he didnt know anything about the developers plans for the building. According to property transfer records, the building was sold by Tri City National Bank to a limited liability corporation called 500 Main Street LLC, 4455 Acre View Court, Brookfield. At one time, the property was on the market for $2.5 million. But over the years the price tag dropped, at first to $1.99 million, then to $1 million, then to $850,000 and then again to $479,000 last September, according to Journal Times archives. Singh is an Indian immigrant who reportedly came to America in 1978 and has since made a fortune operating gas stations and developing real estate. He created his gas station empire in February 2010 when he spent $11 million to buy 66 gas stations at auction from the bankrupt Bulk Petroleum Co., media reports stated. In October 2014, Singh bought a 14-story office building in downtown Milwaukee for $3.28 million through a national online auction, according to the Milwaukee Business Journal. Singh told the Business Journal he had not decided what to do with the 154,000-square-foot property. RACINE The crowd of about 500 Park High School students burst into laughter Wednesday as the word swerved popped on a screen and a frustrated Tyler Chiaravalloti continued fighting a simulated battle with his cellphone. I wasnt really keeping a good (consistent) speed, the Park High sophomore said. I was going slow and then fast and then was in another lane. Chiaravalloti volunteered to take part in a driving simulation in front of his peers while at the same time looking up movie times on his phone at the behest of Nick Jarmusz, director of public affairs for AAA, the nationwide motor club and travel services organization. The simulation was a part of an It Can Wait assembly hosted by AAA, cellphone provider AT&T and the Wisconsin State Patrol at the school on Wednesday morning. We know that distracted driving, particularly distractions involving a smartphone, are on the rise as these devices become more popular, Jarmusz said. We see that the younger ages who grew up with this technology are much more likely to use it constantly, including behind the wheel. The assembly, attended by Park freshmen and sophomores, also featured presentations from Dextra Hadnot, AT&Ts director of external affairs and Wisconsin State Trooper Matt Barlar. It also included and a video titled The Last Text, in which family members talk about loved ones who lost their lives in texting-involved accidents. The video that we showed the kids, The Last Text, proved that its not worth dying for, Hadnot said. There were some very compelling stories in that video that showed these young people at Washington Park High School that their lives depend on being safe behind the wheel. Real-life scenarios The life-and-death nature of traffic safety is a reality Barlar deals with on a daily basis. Thats our job, traffic enforcement, Barlar said. We deal with a lot of crashes. If we can prevent those crashes, it saves everybody grief. For the students in attendance Wednesday, the simulation was clearly the highlight of the assembly. Each time one of their classmates would steer the computer-generated car dangerously into a crowded intersection, the room would erupt with laughter and banter. Chiaravalloti, who has his driving learners permit, said the simulator presented challenges that were only exacerbated by using his phone at the same time. It was already hard enough with the simulator, he said. Texting made it even worse. While Chiaravalloti said he doesnt text and drive, he said he has friends and family members who do. The presentation and simulation only reinforced his need to help correct that behavior. Ill tell them to put it away, he said. It made me think twice before I do it. Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy Recently, the State of Wisconsins Lincoln Hills School for Boys and Copper Lake School for Girls have been investigated by the FBI concerning allegations of sexual assault and child abuse. As Racine residents, we thank the county officials who had the foresight to create a youth corrections facility that allows incarcerated troubled youth to remain in this community- not exposed to the criminal activity that has been allowed in the state institutions. We also acknowledge that the Racine county program saves tax dollars, protects the inmates and has better outcomes for our youth as measured by recidivism rates. Thanks to all who took the initiative to create, support and grow that program. Some local pols have said that criticism of the state youth corrections programs are somehow political and disingenuous and that the incidents reported at those facilities are isolated incidents. That is simply not the case. Wisconsins youth corrections facilities are part of a deeply troubled Department of Corrections that fails to serve the citizens of our state. For example: Wisconsin leads the country in the incarceration of black men. The U.S. average is 6.7 percent. Wisconsins rate is 12.8 percent. The second-highest state is Oklahoma with a rate of 9.7 percent. Wisconsin imprisons Native American men at 7.6 percent, while the national average is 3.1 percent. Our states incarceration rates show that our criminal justice system is structurally racist. Although Wisconsin and Minnesota are comparable in population and ethnic diversity, Wisconsin consistently has twice the number of state-housed prisoners and spends twice as much on corrections as our neighboring state. Strangely our crime rates are not proportionally lower. Wisconsinites simply pay more and get less. Because 20 or so years ago, the Legislature passed tough on crime legislation particularly so-called Truth in Sentencing laws, people who were convicted of crimes years ago remained in prison as they aged beyond being statistical risks for release into society. Not only are they no longer threats to the public, they remain the states fiscal responsibility. Medical care for some patients can cost more than $100,000. Have the compassion to let these old men and women go home. As the state holds hearings to fill the position vacated by Secretary Walls, take note, legislators you need to do a better job. In March 2015 we edtiorialized against the use of nondisclosure agreements with regard to government purchases of technological equipment, specifically surveillance tools under the brand name StingRay. Were still against it, but we have new reasons. Last year the issue arose out of the case of a California sheriff wanting her county to spend $502,000 for cellphone location equipment but would not offer details on the equipment to the elected officials, because the purchase required that she sign a nondisclosure agreement. Despite this unbelievable stipulation, Santa Clara County officials went ahead with the purchase, but when they asked for a demonstration of StingRay in action, Sheriff Laurie Smith informed them that only people with badges would be permitted. StingRay is but one of the brand names for what are known as cell site simulators. They capture all of the cellular information being transmitted in a given area; meaning you could be a law-abiding citizen driving through a suspects neighborhood, and what you say on your cellphone can be monitored and captured by law enforcement. Absent a warrant, that conversation is none of the governments business. But the nondisclosure agreements are having more insidious consequences, with reports of law enforcement agencies entering into plea agreements rather than prosecution to the point where the use of StingRay or similar technology might have to be disclosed at trial. This is wrong in a number of ways, and its led to a bipartisan push in Congress to do something about it. U.S. Reps. Jim Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., and Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, have written to FBI Director James Comey to address growing concerns about the use of StingRay by local police. Sensenbrenner said the letter was prompted in part by a recent Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reportthat revealed Milwaukee police used Stingrays, and had to sign agreements with the FBI not to reveal that fact, even to judges, without written approval from the FBI. The letter also asks how many such agreements have been signed, whether the FBI has required such agreements for other technology and how often the FBI requested local police and prosecutors to dismiss a case rather than reveal the role of Stingrays. Sensenbrenner told the Journal Sentinel that the federal government needs to be more forthright with Wisconsin residents. While Stingray technology is a powerful tool that helps intelligence agencies and law enforcement find wrongdoers, it should not have been deployed on our streets under a veil of secrecy, Sensenbrenner said. The FBIs refusal to allow the Milwaukee Police Department to disclose its use of Stingrays has subjected the department to needless lawsuits and deprived Wisconsin residents of their right to know how law enforcement is operating in their communities. Jackson Lee said its wrong to put gag orders on police agencies and said the FBI should immediately replace any nondisclosure agreements with guidance mandating that local police get probable cause warrants before using Stingrays. Were glad to see a bipartisan push on this issue. The nondisclosure agreements have led to blind expenditure of taxpayer money, are costing taxpayers money when government bodies are obligated to defend against lawsuits, have caused less vigorous pursuit of justice in some cases and prevent legitimate questioning of technology which invades the privacy of law-abiding citizens. Lift the gag order. If government bodies want to continue to use taxpayer money on cell site simulators, theyre going to have to come out into the open. Mayor Paul Soglin said Monday he has asked Gov. Scott Walker for state funding for a public market to help drive economic development in the wake of the impending closure of Oscar Mayers Madison headquarters. He also asked for assurances that the state would help the 1,000 employees who face layoffs find as good a job as they have presently and that the Department of Workforce Development be adequately staffed to provide assistance. And he asked that any future user of the site on Madisons East Side keep the plant intact and use public and private improvements to the water and waste treatment infrastructure there. Were not interested in small, unrelated uses that do not create jobs, Soglin said. Creation of jobs at this site is paramount. Walker spokeswoman Jocelyn Webster confirmed that the conversation took place but was noncommittal about a state subsidy for a public market, saying the governor will evaluate any future proposal. She also continued to push back against Soglins criticism that the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp., the states flagship job creation agency, should have been more aggressive in contacting parent company Kraft Heinz about the future of the Oscar Mayer plant. We have a history of working with our local partners to coordinate resources and to work to retain and grow jobs at companies throughout the state, Webster said. If the mayor and city officials had contact with the company and were concerned that they may close down the facility, it does raise the question, Why didnt they reach out to our office or to WEDC? Soglin told the State Journal last week that WEDC should answer the question why they didnt have the sensibility to understand what was going on. Asked whether it was a mistake for the city not to contact WEDC after Kraft Heinz merged earlier this year, Soglin said, The city made no mistakes. WEDC, the states flagship job-creation agency, didnt contact Kraft Heinz as other states did after the merger was announced in March. Walker met briefly with a Kraft Heinz executive over the summer and discussed meeting in the future. But, according to records provided by the governors office, he didnt follow up with the company until prompted by a local lobbyist in October. He has not said whether the state should have done more to try and keep the iconic Oscar Mayer brand in the state. Soglin said that in the telephone conversation Friday, he and the governor discussed meeting with Kraft Heinz executives in the wake of the announcement last week. Soglin said he did not discuss with Walker what the state should have done differently. He said the mayors office is putting together a more detailed postmortem analysis of what should have happened from an economic development standpoint and will have more to report after meeting with the company and reviewing what Iowa and New York did differently. Both states announced multimillion-dollar economic incentive packages last week designed to keep plants in their states from closing. Soglin said last week that after the company in August announced 165 layoffs in Madison he offered Oscar Mayers CEO unspecified public assistance to keep the company here but never heard back. The Madison Region Economic Partnership also tried unsuccessfully to meet with Kraft Heinz. Its unclear if more aggressive involvement by the state would have made a difference. A commercial real estate agent told the State Journal the seven-story plant is antiquated. It also is farther from the cattle and hog farms that supply the companys meat, according to a former Oscar Mayer executive. Soglin announced last month that he wants to start construction on a $14 million public market on the East Side by 2018. It would be located at the site of the citys aging Fleet Services garage at North First and East Johnson streets, which Soglin wants to move to the Far East Side. As drawn up, the project relies on $4.25 million in city borrowing and $9.75 million from outside sources. The market would offer retail, wholesale and food production facilities and potential for a demonstration kitchen, restaurants, brewery, wine bar and other offerings. Soglin has touted a market concept that expands beyond the retail level to include wholesale and perhaps distribution tiers. A draft business plan, commissioned by the city and conducted by Project for Public Spaces, reported a Madison market could have up to $14 million in sales annually with a full economic impact of up to $21.9 million a year. The project would create about 244 construction jobs and roughly 264 full- and part-time jobs after the market is opened, with potentially more jobs to follow, according to the plan. Soglin noted New York and Massachusetts have committed millions of dollars to funding public markets. Madisons Oscar Mayer plant a fixture on the East Side for nearly 100 years will close and its headquarters will move to Chicago, putting 1,000 employees out of work, parent company Kraft Heinz announced Wednesday. The loss of one of Madisons signature companies is part of a plan by parent company Kraft Heinz to close seven factories in the U.S. and Canada, four months after the two food giants merged. Our decision to consolidate manufacturing across the Kraft Heinz North American network is a critical step in our plan to eliminate excess capacity and reduce operational redundancies for the new combined company, Kraft Heinz said in a statement. We have reached this difficult but necessary decision after thoroughly exploring extensive alternatives and options. The closings will eliminate 2,600 positions nationally and consolidate Oscar Mayers headquarters and Kraft Heinzs U.S. Meats division in Chicago in 2016, shifting 250 jobs to the Chicago area, the company said. We had no indication, said Doug Leikness, the head of the union representing Oscar Mayer factory workers in Madison. He said union and management officials met Monday and there was no sign a closing was imminent. They duped us, Leikness, sounding stunned, said of Kraft officials. Leikness, president of United Food & Commercial Workers Local 538, said he was told just after 1 p.m. that production at the factory, 910 Mayer Ave., will end by early 2017. A meeting with employees was held at 1:30 p.m., and Kraft Heinz released its statement to the media at the same time. Oscar Mayer, one of Madisons largest employers and mainstay businesses for nearly a century, makes hot dogs and lunch meats here. Headquarters of the company, incorporated in Chicago in 1911, have been in Madison since 1919. At its peak, in the mid-1970s, Oscar Mayer was Madisons No. 1 private employer, with more than 4,000 workers at its offices and plant at Packers and Commercial avenues. Today, Oscar Mayer and Kraft Heinz have 1,000 employees here, including about 650 union members at the factory. My thoughts and concern are with the 1,000 workers who will be losing their jobs in the time span of the next 24 months, Mayor Paul Soglin said in a statement. These men and women have dedicated their lives to this company. ... They are the heart and soul of the North Side. Soglin said corporate officials told him about the closure Tuesday evening. He said he had hoped the company would continue to be part of the fabric of our community for another 100 years. Since that is not to be, the city is committed to working with the state Department of Workforce Development and the Workforce Development Board of South Central Wisconsin to assist these workers in retraining and placement in their next employment opportunity, Soglin said. I am committed to working with these loyal employees as well as the local businesses that will feel the loss of this institution in our city. Soglin said the closure will have an impact in the hundreds of millions of dollars on the Madison-area economy. A part of Madison history State Sen. Fred Risser, D-Madison, and Rep. Chris Taylor, D-Madison, called the decision gut wrenching. It is a sad day in Madison, and our hearts go out to Oscar Mayers employees and their families, they said, in a joint statement. Leikness said he was told factory jobs will be phased out over the next 15 months or so. He said while there were some disturbing signs the loss of 165 administrative jobs in August and construction of a new hot dog line at an Oscar Mayer plant in Missouri Madison plant workers had been told they were doing a good job. Weve eliminated a lot of jobs. People are doing a lot of extra work in order to save the plant, Leikness said. There are a lot of production gains the plants been making on the backs of our workers for nothing. Outside the factory, plant worker Martin Dorau of Wisconsin Dells said no one was surprised when word of the closing came down. Its not a shock. Its been declining for a long time, said Dorau, 50, who has worked at Oscar Mayer for 12 years. Dorau said plant employees were not offered jobs at other Kraft Heinz locations. Jeff Parker, 55, of Madison, said working for Oscar Mayer has been his familys tradition. Parker has been a production worker for 26 years, his sister spent 25 years there and their father was an Oscar Mayer employee for 38 years. Parker said many employees saw the handwriting on the wall after former owner Kraft Foods, of Northfield, Illinois, merged with H.J. Heinz, of Pittsburgh, in July but they didnt expect it to happen so quickly. I guarantee you the founders are rolling over in their graves, Parker said. Ive seen three different owners and a lot of changes, some good, some bad. But this, he added, his voice trailing off. Its a tragedy. Its a big part of Madisons history. Its going to be felt economically, socially. I dont think people understand. Hit to middle class Economist David J. Ward, president of NorthStar Consulting in Madison and Sturgeon Bay, said Wisconsin had 100,000 fewer production jobs in 2014 than in 1999. The number of high-income and low-income jobs has expanded in Wisconsin, Ward said, but middle-income jobs which typically include factory work have been shrinking. I think this is just another indication of that, he said. Its great to be in an economy where were employing biologists, computer science people and researchers of various stripes, he said. But manufacturing when those jobs are gone, its really unlikely theyll reappear. Taylor said Wisconsin lawmakers will try to persuade Kraft Heinz from leaving but acknowledged the company seems dead set on expanding elsewhere. Like most everyone else, Gov. Scott Walker only learned of Kraft Heinzs decision Wednesday, spokeswoman Laurel Patrick said. She said his office will work with local officials and our Department of Workforce Development to connect affected workers with other potential employers as well as a variety of services that include job training and job search assistance. Patrick said the states economy is growing and moving in the right direction. Our unemployment rate is 4.3 percent, the lowest its been since April 2001, she said in an email. Steven Michels, spokesman for the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, said WEDC also learned about the decision on Wednesday. He said the agency will help workers find other job opportunities. While Madison joined other cities in marking the closure of Kraft Heinz factories Wednesday, three plants in New York are expected to stay open for at least five years. A fourth plants closure will be delayed after New York officials agreed to spend $20 million to help the company modernize its facilities, Gov. Andrew Cuomo and U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer announced. Youre not alone Kraft Heinz said Madison employees affected by the shutdown will get severance benefits, outplacement services and job search support. We will treat our people with the utmost respect and dignity, the company said. Kraft Heinz, in its statement, said administrative employees of Oscar Mayer and the U.S. Meats division will have the opportunity to move with the business to Chicago. Spokesman Michael Mullen said no decisions have been made yet on where Madison production will be transferred. Pat Schramm, executive director of the Workforce Development Board of South Central Wisconsin, a nonprofit that uses federal funds to help employees get training and jobs, said a Rapid Response Team will execute a plan right away. There will be resources to help them with their transition, she said. Theyre not on their own. The Workforce Development Board and state Department of Workforce Development will meet with company officials to learn specifics of the closure schedule to deliver help to employees as soon as possible, Schramm said. Others offered assurances. Youre not alone, Dane County Executive Joe Parisi said. Were here for you. Were united. State Journal reporters Karen Rivedal and Molly Beck contributed to this report. The truth about Australia's gun control experiment By David Leyonhjelm Australians pride themselves on 'telling it like it is', but when it comes to gun laws, straight-shooting often takes a back seat to a determined effort at silencing debate. In 1996, Australia passed some of the most restrictive gun laws in the western world. They included bans on self-loading rifles and self-loading and pump-action shotguns, universal gun registration and a taxpayer funded gun confiscation program costing over half a billion dollars. The ongoing costs of running the firearms registration systems are unknown but have been estimated at around $28 million per year, or $75,000 per day. That's more than what the average Australian earns in a year. For that price tag, any accountable democracy should expect to have a decent debate about its efficacy. But in Australia, debate about guns has been all but silenced. Anti-gun zealots, within and outside the halls of parliament, smugly try to convince the rest of the world that Australia's model of firearms management has been a resounding success. "We saved lives!" they claim. "We stopped mass shootings!" they say. To satisfy their conceit, they manipulate statistics to suit themselves and pretend that 'the science is settled'. This is an outright lie. ...... An opinion from, surprisingly perhaps, a Liberal Democrat Senator for New South Wales. The majority of genuine sentient beings should well know how efficiently the anti-gun brigade (anywhere) manages to massage figures, so helping them maintain their position with continued untruths. Read the full article. "You don't have to be Jewish to fight by our side." 2016 JPFO All rights reserved. jpfo@jpfo.org 1-800-869-1884 Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership 12500 NE 10th Pl. Bellevue, WA 98005 USA "America's most aggressive defender of civil rights" We make the NRA look like moderates Join JPFO Back to Top Withering on the Vine The Demographic Time Bomb is Most Marked in Japan The demographic time bomb whereby the elderly population assumes a greater and ... Government Sexual Libertinism Coming to a Government School Near You Further to our piece yesterday on the promotion of sexual libertinism in government schools, we rep... Some Random Observations The Aftermath of Mass Pre-Mediated Murder A few observations on the murder of 14 people in San Bernadino and the wounding of many more see... Letter From the UK (About State Tyranny) Ta-ta UK freedoms! Miranda matter outs vindictiveness of wounded police state Annie Machon is a former intelligence of... The Big One The Panoptican State Is Actually Operational Yesterday the "big one" dropped. The Guardian reported that the US and UK spy age... Fraud Central German Professor: NASA Has Fiddled Climate Data On Unbelievable Scale by James Delingpole BreitbartLondon A German professor ha... Statist Groupthink More and More Fashionable The Rise of Liberal Intolerance in America Edward Luce Financial Times I t ought to be a triumphal moment for American liberalism .... Vacuous Greenism Anti-Fracking Luddiocy Think of any technology that involves carbon based energy and its utilisation, and the lunatic fringe can be found ... "It is Finished": the Sixth Word from the Cross It is Finished: our Lords Sixth Word from the Cross What is history? That simple question covers a multitude of complexity, profundity... [JURIST] A retired lieutenant colonel and a former paramilitary were ordered to pay more than USD $1 million in damages to victims of sexual slavery and other crimes against humanity during Guatemalas Civil War and decades of armed conflict. Both retired Lt. Col. Esteelmer Francisco Reyes Giron and former paramilitary Heriberto Valdez Asij reportedly do not have the money [AP report] to pay the victims at this time. Last week Judge Jazmin Barrios found [JURIST report] that the actions of Reyes and Valdez did irreparable harm. Reyes and Valdez were tried for murder, forced disappearances and the sexual enslavement of multiple women. The court also found that the womens husbands and children had been forcibly disappeared. Guatemalan authorities arrested 17 former military and government officials [JURIST report] in January on charges of committing massacres and other human rights abuses during the Guatemalan civil war. Government security forces have been blamed [AP report] for the vast majority of the 245,000 killings and disappearances that occurred during the conflict. The prosecutors brought charges against officials suspected of involvement in the 1982 massacre at Plan de Sanchez, Baja Verapaz department, in which soldiers and militia members tortured, sexually abused and killed local residents. The prosecutors also brought charges against an ally of President-elect Jimmy Morales and moved to have the immunity of office lifted for Edgar Justino Ovalle, a member and co-founder of the party of Morales. The Delhi High Court [official website] granted bail [decision, PDF] Wednesday to student political leader Kanhaiya Kumar who was arrested with other students on February 9 when he rallied against the execution of Kashmiri separatist Mohammed Afzal Guru. The arrests sparked massive protests across India, with many accusing the government of violating free speech and peaceful dissent, but the government justified the arrests on the ground that the students supported the Kashmiri separatist movement and the break-up of India. Critics and rights groups have condemned the arrests as an assault on freedom of expression, but government officials have refused to back down, vowing to punish what they view as anti-national elements. Home Minister Rajnath Singh [official website] even went as far as putting out a Twitter post warning that those who shouted anti-India slogans and challenge the integrity of the country will not be spared. The case against Kumar is under the 1870 colonial-era sedition law and has fueled fears that PM Modis Bharatiya Janata Party [party website] is creating a climate of fear in the country and is promoting a fiercely nationalist agenda aimed at the minority groups. Kumars attempts at obtaining bail had proved difficult as it was marked by violence [JURIST report] initiated by right-wing nationalist lawyers who physically assaulted Kumar while he was on his way to court. Lawyers heading into the courthouse and journalists covering the case were also heckled. Kumars lawyer even attempted to move the bail hearing to the Supreme Court [official website], which rejected it [JURIST report], stating that Kumar must first approach the Delhi High Court. The bail has been set at INR 10,000 (USD $148). India is one among many countries that have struggled to balance citizens internationally recognized rights to free speech with domestic and international security concerns. Last August India, after widespread international criticism, ordered Internet service providers [JURIST report] to allow access to the 857 previously banned pornography and humor websites provided they did not include child pornography. Earlier last year Indias Supreme Court struck down [judgment, PDF] a law that gave authorities the power to jail people for offensive online posts. That ruling was welcomed and commended [JURIST report] by Prime Minister Narendra Modi [official website]. In May JURIST guest columnist Roy Gutterman noted [JURIST op-ed] that many countries throughout the world not only still have, but also actively enforce sedition laws. Indias own sedition laws, although rarely upheld, results in instant imprisonment should anyone violate such laws because of the inability to apply for bail immediately The Pheu Thai Party [party website] filed a complaint [text] with the UN Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) [official website] on Thursday over the detention of one of its key figures, Watana Muangsook accusing [Bangkok Post] the government of serious human rights violations. Acting Pheu Thai Party leader Viroj Pao-In wrote to High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad Al Hussein [official profile] recounting the forceful capture, and subsequent detention of Muangsook at an undisclosed location. According to Pao-In, although Muangsook has been released, he will be facing criminal charges under the Computer Related Crime Act BE 2007. Pao-In states that those charges are being brought merely because Muangsook commented that NCPO should stop the violation of human rights. Pao-In stated that this in and of itself is a serious violation of human rights. Human rights groups worldwide have expressed growing concern over Thailands governmental impunity since it became a military junta in May 2014. In January OHCHR Commissioner Zeid Raad Al Hussein called on the Thai government to fully investigate [JURIST Report] the whereabouts of at least 82 people listed as disappeared, and criminalize forced disappearance through legislation. That same month, Thailand unveiled a new draft constitution [JURIST Report], which human rights groups stated was aimed at increasing the power of the military under the guise of clauses intended to promote national security permitting them to commit human rights abuses without fear of punishment in violation of international treaties. In December Amnesty International [official website] called for [JURIST report] a thorough investigation into torture allegations levied against the police responsible for the arrests of two men in relation to the Koh Tao murders. The men, Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Tun, were found guilty of the murder of two British tourists in the vacation island of Koh Tao. The defense team for the Myanmar nationals claims that their confessions were coerced, and that DNA evidence linking the men to the crime was severely mishandled and unreliable. In November the UN Human Rights Office for South-East Asia urged Thailand to immediately close [JURIST report] a military detention center in Bangkok where two high-profile inmates died in October. [JURIST] A UK judge ruled Wednesday that Royal Dutch Shell (RDS) [corporate website] can be sued by two Nigerian towns in a British court for their involvement in oil leaks in Nigeria. Lawyers from Leigh Day brought a case [press release] in England against the oil conglomerate on behalf of the Nigerian towns of Ogale and Bille. The lawsuit stems from a claim that RDS has neglected the cleanup of oil spills for decades within the Nigerian region. The unaddressed spills have allegedly contaminated Nigerian farmland and polluted fishing waters. RDS has denied the allegations, blaming the oil pollution on sabotage and theft. Last November Amnesty International (AI) [advocacy website] reported that Shell has failed [JURIST report] to clean oil-polluted areas of the Niger Delta, despite the companys assurances [report, PDF] that it has properly handled the oil spills. In November 2014 AI reported [JURIST report] that Shell made false claims [court documents, PDF] about the potential impact of an oil spill in Bodo, Nigeria. In January 2013 a Dutch court ruled [JURIST report] that a Shell subsidiary could be held liable for damages to one Nigerian farmer, but dismissed the other farmers claims. In October 2012 four Nigerian residents and an advocacy group told the Dutch court that Shell should be held liable [JURIST report] for damage from oil pollution in the Niger Delta. The suit was the first time a Dutch company had been sued for the alleged misconduct of its foreign subsidiary. A Ukrainian pilot on trial in Russia on Thursday told the court she is going on a dry hunger strike after facing another delay at trial. Nadezhda Savchenko has been charged with complicity in the killing of two journalists, with prosecutors accusing her of providing coordinates to the Ukrainian army for the attack in which the reporters were killed. According to her lawyers, the case against Savchenko is a show trial and that call data from her cell phone disproves charges against her [Reuters report]. Prosecutors have demanded a 23-year sentence. Savchenko has protested her innocence, calling the proceedings against her unjust and saying that she was a Ukrainian officer who had a right to defend her country. Both rights groups and Western politicians have called for the release [AP, AFP report] of the pilot, who was made a member of Ukraines parliament [DW report] after her arrest. Her lawyer, Mark Feygin, has called her a prisoner of war and accused Russia of kidnapping and smuggling her across the border to try her in June 2014. Russia and Ukraine have been in conflict since the annexation of Crimea [JURIST backgrounder] in March 2014. Last month Russia filed suit [JURIST report] against Ukraine over Ukraines defaut on $3 billion in bonds. A Ukrainian official said in January that the nation plans to sue Russia [JURIST report] in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) [official website] on claims of financing terrorism. In December the UN issues a report about serious human rights concerns [JURIST report] that persist in Ukraine. In August a Russian military court sentenced [JURIST report] two Ukrainian activists to substantial jail time for the charge of conspiring to commit terror attacks. Last March the EU committed to stand by [JURIST report] its policy of refusing to recognize Crimeas annexation, as they purport the illegality of Russias referendum. Last February Russian liberal political activist Boris Nemtsov was shot in the back four times [BBC report] in the middle of busy downtown Moscow. Nemtsov was openly politically opposed to Russias annexation of Crimea and its role in Ukraine, and many believe Vladimir Putin ordered the killing. UN Special Rapporteur on the right to housing [official website] Leilani Farha warned Thursday that homelessness is increasing [press release] in every country due to government inaction. Presenting a report [text, PDF] to the UN Human Rights Council, Farha said that homelessness has become a global crisis because of government failure to respond to structural issues and legislation that allows for the displacement of individuals. The report indicates that social stigmas of homeless have prevented displaced people from recovering or having access to resources. The report furthered states that governments have sacrificed human rights for profits resulting in unregulated industries and market forces that have negative effects including making land and property unobtainable: These systemic inequalities are compounded by direct discrimination against people who are poor, often pushing them to precarious housing conditions, including into informal settlements or on occupied land, and ultimately into homelessness. Many municipalities use planning and zoning laws or regulations to prevent construction of shelters or affordable housing in their communities. Homeless people are often denied opportunities to live in central locations; instead, they are compelled to live in remote, isolated and poorly serviced areas where there are no jobs. Farha called on governments to recognize that homelessness is a global crisis and change polices to ensure that the epidemic ends by 2030. Homelessness remains a problem throughout the world. In August the US Department of Justice challenged [JURIST report] an Idaho city ordinance that criminalizes sleeping in public places by the homeless. In October Farha said that governments must commit [JURIST report] themselves to further action to improve housing conditions and urban development. Guest Columnist Azariah Jelks of Valparaiso University Law argued [JURIST op-ed] in December that affordable housing must become a reality because the current affordable housing initiatives are unable to assist every family or individual from being displaced and priced out of their neighborhoods. The US House Foreign Affairs Committee [official website] on Wednesday passed [press release] two resolutions calling for an international tribunal in the Middle East to address the alleged war crimes committed by the government of Syria and its allies, specifically Russia and Iran. The resolutions [materials] call on the president to direct the UN ambassador to promote the establishment of a war crimes tribunal in Syria for violations of international law in the Syrian conflict. The committee found that the gross violations amount to war crimes and deserve an immediate, international response. The resolutions will now go before the House and Senate. The Syrian Civil War [JURIST backgrounder] has been ongoing since 2011 when opposition groups first began protesting the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, and the increasingly bloody nature of the conflict has put pressure on the international community to intervene. Last month the UN Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic reported] that the Syrian conflict has had a devastating effect JURIST report on its civilians as it enters its sixth year. Also in February the UN rights office condemned [JURIST report] airstrikes in Syria that hit hospitals and schools in the region, saying they may constitute war crimes. That same week the human rights office reported that the Syrian government is systematically exterminating detainees [JURIST report]. Yes, you can transfer your domain to any registrar or hosting company once you have purchased it. Since domain transfers are a manual process, it can take up to 5 days to transfer the domain. Domains purchased with payment plans are not eligible to transfer until all payments have been made. Please remember that our 30-day money back guarantee is void once a domain has been transferred. For transfer instructions to GoDaddy, please click here. Community forests thriving in Banke, Dang and Bardiya Though large swathes of community forest land have been encroached upon in the name of landless people and other various reasons, some community forests in Banke, Dang and Bardiya districts are writing some successful conservation stories. Foreign delegates start arriving for convention Foreign delegates have started arriving in Kathmandu to attend the 13th General Convention of Nepali Congress that will begin here on Thursday at Khula Manch. Foreigners arriving at TIA get free sim cards The government is offering free sim cards to foreign travellers arriving at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) as a gesture in hospitality. The sim card, which allows them to use the phone, has a Rs50 balance and has been pre-activated by Nepal Telecom. Illegal workers in Malaysia allowed to legalise status Nepali migrant workers staying illegally in Malaysia will have to pay Rs135,000 to legalise their status. NC will take leadership in implementing constitution: Poudel (UPDATE) Nepali Congress 13th general convention has started with the inaugural session being held at Khullamanch in Kathmandu. Rs 8m Japan grant to restore Patan Durbar Square Japan has pledged Rs8.41 million rupees for the conservation of Patan Durbar Square which was badly damaged by the earthquake last year. Sadbhawana party Co-chair Karna warns of another protest Sadbhawana Party Co-chairman Laxman Lal Karna has said that they will launch another stern protest again as the state has failed to address their demands. Shrestha, Siwakoti named deputy governors of NRB A Cabinet meeting on Wednesday appointed Shiba Raj Shrestha and Chintamani Siwakoti as deputy-governors of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB). Two Nepali movies set to hit the screens this weekend Two veterans of the Nepali movie industry, Bhuwan KC and Dinesh DC, will be bringing their movies to screens across the nation on Friday, March 4. UN may not support Nepals TJ process Reminds Kathmandu to formulate act, procedures for the TJ bodies in line with international standards We wont raise fuel supply: IOC to NOC In what indicates that fuel imports from India will not increase to pre-blockade levels any time soon, Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) has informed Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) it will not boost petroleum supply to Nepal. Mike Dunleavy the governor of the US state of Alaska is intending to introduce legislation that will repeal the two state boards which regu... Ugandan traders have welcomed the admission of South Sudan into the East African Community. Yesterday during the EAC Heads of State Summit in Arusha, Tanzania, members agreed to add Africas youngest nation to the bloc after fulfilling all requirements. The spokesperson of Kampala City Traders Association Isa Ssekito tells KFM that the move will force South Sudan abide by universal regulations and resolve the pending issues with Ugandan traders. Ssekito cites the failure by the South Sudan government to pay compensation for goods lost by Ugandan traders during the civil war that rocked the country for over a year. He explains that the aggrieved traders can now use the lay-down channels to demand their money for all supplies they made to South Sudan government. Trollfest '09 Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, How I sold out to da Man. Robbie Bell again performs: Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells and Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to Dancing with the Stars, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango. Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and Big Cat Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything). Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge. Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson". In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word jackass was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up. In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates. Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one. Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!! This is definitely a Beaver production. Note: Security provided by INS. No Yes, a light case Yes, two or more light cases One serious case Two or more serious bouts Vote View Results Thank you to all my generous and faithful supporters! As I transition back to America I will have additional expenses. If you are interested in supporting me during my time of transition, it would be greatly appreciated! Thank you! You can send donations through PayPal below. For tax-deductible donations you can go through Shepherd of the Valley in Afton, MN or Trinity Lutheran Church in Sleepy Eye, MN. Please email me at krista.allgor@gmail.com if you have any questions. For some, going to college is a dream they can only hope to realize. The cost of attending a community college, let alone a big university, can be staggering, to say the least. This was the dilemma Bangor native and Air Force staff Sgt. Amanda Lafky was faced with six years ago this month. Now, the 22-year-old is preparing for graduation from the University of Wisconsin-Stout this spring. Lafky said she knew she wanted to go to college, but she didnt know how she was going to pay for it. I had always thought that I was going to play softball, she said. Like so many high school athletes, Lafkys dreams of winning a college scholarship were just that. With high school graduation fast approaching, she started looking at her options. When a close friend announced that rather than going to college, she was going to join the military, Lafky knew what she was going to do. If she can do this, why cant I? she remembered asking herself at the time. Lafkys older brother had joined the military after graduating high school, and her father had served in the Air Force. She remembered being told by her father that the Air Force treats people more like a person and the Army treats people more like an object. As an Air Force Reserve member, Lafky would be eligible for tuition waivers that would allow her to go to the school of her choice. Maybe not for free, but she wouldnt face crippling debt upon graduating. In March 2010, Lafky, then 17, left for basic training. She was nervous to leave her home behind, and said her mother joked, that she was going away to fat camp for two months. My mom and I were really close, she explained. Lafky said the physical stress of basic training wasnt the hard part. It was the separation from her family that got to her. But basic training also built up her confidence. After basic, she found herself at Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas, where she was trained to maintain and prepare air crew flight equipment. She said she worked with the pilots and their gear, and was responsible for packing the survival kits and parachutes, in case the pilots had to ditch. Lafky said she loved her time in Texas. Five months into her Air Force journey, she returned to Wisconsin to a base outside of Madison for a month and a half of on-the-job training. In Madison, she had to take everything she had learned at the school in Texas a put it to the test. After her brief stay in Madison, Lafky returned home and began shopping for schools. She initially had wanted to attend school at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in order to stay close to her family, but when that didnt work out she started looking at other schools. While visiting a friend, Lafky discovered the University of Wisconsin-Stout. She fell in love with the campus, and after she discovered it had just the program she was looking for, she was sold. At UW-Stout, Lafky began a new program in mass communications called Professional Communication in Emerging Media. Lafky had always been an avid writer and had wanted to attend school to become a news anchor. After investigating the economics of the profession, she was drawn to another writing intensive career: public relations. At UW-Stout, she was able to get the best of both worlds. She studied applied journalism and public relations. One weekend out of every month, Lafky would return to the Air Force base outside Madison for work or drills. Shed leave late on Friday after her classes got out and spend the weekend working on the pilots helmets making sure they were in good condition. It didnt really effect school as much as it effected events and things that I really wanted to do, Lafky said. If you have drill that weekend, you cant do homework, so you kind of miss out those hours. Despite the monthly disruption to her studies, she said the benefits made it well worth it. As a member of the Air Force Reserve, 50 percent to 60 percent of her tuition is covered. She said a lot of people think that if youre in the reserve your, education is paid for, but it isnt. Ill still leave school with some debt, she said. Over the course of her four years at UW-Stout, Lafky has worked her way up the ladder in the military. In 2014, she made the switch to personnel, where she handled more paperwork and tasks like making IDs for military families and retirees. Late last year, Lafky moved to security command support staff. I do a lot of paperwork, evaluations, awards and promotions, she said. It gets to be tedious, but I love it. After graduation, she plans to spend the summer traveling across Europe, including stops in London, France and Germany. For now, she isnt sure what she wants to do with her degree. Eventually, she said, she might transition to working in public affairs. She said her superiors had on two occasions offered her the chance to change to public affairs. On each of those occasions, it would have interfered with other plans. The first time they asked me, I wouldnt have been able to make it to Airman Leadership School, Lafky said. She said whatever she ends up doing, she will remain a member of the Air Force Reserve. I dont think I could leave the military, Lafky said. It has done too many positive things for me. I dont think I could leave the military. It has done too many positive things for me. Staff Sgt. Amanda Lafky ST. PAUL In a stunning announcement, a group of Oklahoma institutions has shared news of the acquisition of an enormous private archive maintained by Bob Dylan. Spanning Dylans entire career, the archive includes everything from song drafts to personal correspondence to multimedia. The archive is set to be opened to scholars and made available to the public, possibly in a new center to be built next to a Woody Guthrie museum in Tulsa. The New York Times, which was given access to the archive for an exclusive story on the acquisition, reports that the archives are deeper and more vast than even most Dylan experts could imagine, promising untold insight into the songwriters work. The Times story includes images of artifacts including working notebooks from the writing of Blood on the Tracks, a telegram from Peter and Dennis (as in Fonda and Hopper, corresponding about the use of a Dylan song in Easy Rider), notes from a Blonde on Blonde recording session, and a sketch on hotel stationery. Perhaps even more sensational than such papers, however, are the hundreds of master tapes that the Oklahoma institutions plan to digitize down to the individual instrumental and vocal tracks, which scholars and visitors may be able to isolate and manipulate as they explore alternate mixes of some of Dylans greatest recordings. The complete archive has been appraised at a value of over $60 million; the Oklahoma buyers, led by the foundation of the billionaire George Kaiser, paid an estimated $15 million to $20 million, and the Times speculates that Dylan may take the rest as a tax write-off. Why Oklahoma and not New York, or (ahem) Minnesota? The story starts in recent years, when Dylan and his team noticed the soaring values for original manuscripts like the ones Dylan had been quietly collecting in the widely-rumored personal archive for decades. Dylan started to have the material cataloged, and hired rare-book dealer Glenn Horowitz to look for a potential home for the material. Horowitz had brokered the acquisition of a major Woody Guthrie archive by the Kaiser Family Foundation, and approached the foundation about another music archive of global significance, Horowitz said when he first e-mailed Kaiser. The foundations director Ken Levit said that told him it had to be something from either the Beatles or Bob Dylan. Dylan said that he was glad to see his archives find a home next to the Guthrie material which is now available in a specially-built museum like the one that might be built for Dylans archive as well as near valuable artifacts from the Native American nations. The Grandview Emerson Neighborhood Association hopes to make the streets around University of Wisconsin-La Crosse safer for pedestrians this year. GENA will propose $477,000 in projects, including pedestrian crossings, speed indicator signs, tree plantings and bike lane improvements, for La Crosse Street, Campbell Road and Myrick Park, at the Finance and Personnel Committee meeting today. The projects will increase the areas walkability to benefit both residents and visitors, according to GENA co-chairs Jacob Sciammas and Barb Janssen. A lot of it is sidewalks and sidewalk connections, because neighbors really see the neighborhood as a priority, Sciammas said. GENA narrowed its desired projects down after a community survey done in 2014. The association sought input from all area residents to gather what was important to the neighborhood as a whole. The survey told GENA members that people were concerned about crossing La Crosse Street near UW-L and Campbell Road near Emerson Elementary School. Myrick and Roellig parks were also listed as the neighborhoods top asset by the survey-takers. There really needs to be a safe harbor for people to get off the street and be able to head over to the park and the marsh trails, Janssen said. The biggest project requested by GENA is a $60,000 pedestrian crossing at the corner of La Crosse Street and Myrick Park Lane with yellow signs and lights designed to get drivers to stop for people walking over to Myrick Park. We just need something to get peoples attention and get them to slow down and stop for the pedestrians, Janssen said. La Crosse Street sees 10,200 vehicles driving down it per day on average. Its just downright dangerous. If youve ever stood on La Crosse Street and tried to cross, at certain times of the day, youre taking your life into your hands, Janssen said. Jing Gu, a UW-L student from China, was killed in 2012 after she was struck by a vehicle while crossing La Crosse Street near Oakland Street. According to Wisconsin Department of Transportation data, four other people reported being hit by a car on La Crosse Street in the last five years. There were also a total of five bicycle vs. vehicle crashes from 2011 to 2015. GENA also hopes to add speed indicator signs going both ways on La Crosse Street and Campbell Road and add bump-outs to improve crossings near Emerson school. By putting the crossings closer to the traffic, youre putting the person who is crossing closer in view to the driver, Sciammas said. That encourages drivers to drive with more care, increasing safety for students walking to school. Other proposals include projects to add ramps to sidewalk crossings to accommodate people of all abilities and bike lane improvements on the intersection of Vine Street, 20th Street and Campbell Road and repainting bike lanes on La Crosse Street. The money for the projects will come from a capital improvement fund set up by La Crosse Mayor Tim Kabat in 2014. Kabat set aside $750,000 in the 2016 budget for investments driven by specific neighborhoods in the city. In 2015, the fund focused on the Washburn and Powell-Hood-Hamilton neighborhoods. If youve ever stood on La Crosse Street and tried to cross, at certain times of the day, youre taking your life into your hands. Barb Janssen, GENA co-chair Well, as it turns out, I had been wondering about the wrong thing all winter, fretting about how squirrels were getting through the teensy-weensy holes on our bird feeder to swipe sunflower seeds. The issue is far more serious than squirrels hand-to-paw existence, but I didnt connect the dots until I noticed that our neighbors have few, if any squirrels, while our yard is overrun. Granted, we have a few trees that provide not only nuts but also jungle gyms for the frisky critters, which explains their cankles and buns of tungsten. Plus, a couple of trees have knotholes where they set up housekeeping. Still, I wondered why the marauders force us into the role of providing them an Outback Nuthouse bill of fare instead of dividing up the neighborhood equally. During a spy mission that may or may not have included illegal drone flights, I discovered the answer. Neighbors yards are dotted with signs proclaiming: WARNING: No Squirrel Nudity Allowed. We must not have been home the day somebody hawked those signs door to door. The rodents may be squirrelly, but theyre not stupid they dont go where theyre not wanted, and we allow stark-naked squirrels by default, while neighbors dont let them expose their junk. This, I discovered, is the result of SAD, which I heretofore had thought is the acronym for only seasonal affective disorder. Imagine my surprise when a neighbor handed me a brochure for the other SAD a tongue-in-cheek organization called Small Animal Decency. That SAD bills itself on its website at http://www.smallanimaldecency.com/ as an organization that works to keep animal nudity away from the eyes of innocents. We believe that the natural state of all animals is clothed. and finally that it is up to us to clothe all the animals in nature before our world becomes a cesspool of iniquity. The hullaballoo has less to do with PETAs quest to protect animals, focusing more on PITA, a term I learned the other day that some hospitals use to describe patients. (Fortunately, the nurse who applied it to Kate did it in a loving, joking way plus, Kate returned the insult in like manner [dont mess with Kate anywhere, least of all in a hospital].) Small Animal Decency organizers dont just sit there whining about the unfairness of life, like Donald Trump might when his earpiece falls out at a David Duke rally. They put creativity behind their push for modesty, with their squirrel underpants. I had one of those why-didnt-I-think-of-that moments when I saw my first pair of briefs, a moment duplicated when I found that girl squirrel underpants also are available. Those and a few other squirrel knickknacks are available at http://www.squirrelunderpants.com/. Im not exactly sure how they distinguish between boy and girl squirrels, because they seem so neutrois from afar. Shocked and awed by the genius of the concept, Im jumping on the bandwagon not because Im a prude, by any means but rather, to follow the spirit of the corporal work of mercy to clothe the naked. Oh, some people might accuse me of being a capitalist pig, preying on the disadvantaged. But I figure that the little critters need something to put over the underwear. If not, why call it underwear? Why not just wear? As soon as I find a crew of workers with small enough hands, I will set up production lines to manufacture squirrel overwear, everything from ascots to Zubus, to protect squirrels from the elements. Oh, I know you already can get custom-made squirrel clothes at a few, overpriced clothiers. But those companies dont make off-the-rack clothes, probably because its hard to accommodate those bushy tails. Not even the Duluth Trading Co., which will open a store in downtown La Crosse in May and is renowned for its Buck Naked Underwear and its Shoremans Fleece to repel breaking wind, has squirrel suits. So I plan to hire fashion designers to church out clothes for my new company, soon-to-be trademarked Squirrel Civvies. Unlike the squirrel undies (the company also markets squirrel-in-briefs air fresheners), though, Squirrel Civvies wont be made in China. I refuse to wait for any dadgum election to be over to bring jobs back from China, and Mexico, and Taiwain, and Vietnam and that foreign land to our west: Minnesota. Squirrel Civvies will be manufactured right here in the Badger State and well make Wisconsin great again. And then were gonna build a wall to keep the jobs in Wisconsin. And you know whos gonna pay for that wall? Minnesotans, thats who. Well make them gopher their wallets. MADISON Months before the announcement that Madisons Oscar Mayer headquarters would close, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. discussed engaging a high-level contact at parent company Kraft Heinz about its future plans but was dissuaded from doing so after meeting with a top executive at Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, new records show. The records shed new light on why WEDC, the states job-creation and retention agency, didnt contact the multinational food conglomerate between the announcements of its merger in March and the planned closure of Oscar Mayer and reduction of 1,000 local jobs in November. Emails WEDC released to the Wisconsin State Journal under the state open records law show that WMC, the states largest business lobby, alerted WEDC in June that other states were seeking to lure Kraft Heinz facilities out of Wisconsin. The email related specifically to concerns about Kraft Heinzs cheese-processing facility in Beaver Dam and does not mention any concerns about Oscar Mayer closing. But the emails also show that WEDC decided not to contact Kraft Heinz after a discussion with a WMC official. WEDC officials discussed meeting with Kraft Heinz officials face-to-face asap, the records show, but instead decided to get more information from WMC senior vice president Jim Morgan. I met with Jim Morgan yesterday for more (perspective), Wade Goodsell, a WEDC business attraction account manager, wrote to then-WEDC CEO Reed Hall on June 30. He provided good background information, but he doesnt see a need for us to engage with Kraft at this time, it was more of an FYI. In an interview Wednesday, Morgan emphasized the conversation with Goodsell was related to the Beaver Dam cheese facility, and not Oscar Mayer. There was no talk of the Beaver Dam facility closing at the time Kraft Heinz has since said it will remain open so he didnt see a need to contact the company, Morgan said. Like other local and state officials, Morgan said he had no inkling Kraft Heinz would close the antiquated Madison facility, home to one of the states iconic brands.I think my conversation with them was a pretty isolated, unrelated conversation, Morgan said. WMC president Kurt Bauer said in a statement Wednesday there was no connection between the conversation and the Oscar Mayer plant closing. We told the WEDC that the Kraft cheesemaking plant in Beaver Dam was in good shape and committed to Wisconsin, he said. Bauer and Morgan declined to say whether WEDC should have reached out to Kraft Heinz to learn more about its plans for Wisconsin facilities after the merger was announced in March or whether Goodsell misinterpreted the conversation. A WEDC spokesman didnt make Goodsell available for an interview. Its unclear that it would have mattered if WEDC had contacted Kraft Heinz. The Madison Region Economic Partnership made two attempts to meet with the company after March but wasnt able to schedule a meeting. Mayor Paul Soglin told Oscar Mayer executives in August, after it announced it would lay off 165 employees, that city resources were available. But local officials didnt seek the help of WEDC. In contrast, Iowa offered Kraft Heinz $4.75 million in state incentives and $10 million in local incentives so the company can build a new facility and downsize its Davenport meat-processing operation from 1,400 to 475 jobs. New York put together a $20 million incentive package to retain 1,000 jobs at three Kraft Heinz plants that were at risk of closure. Gov. Scott Walker spoke briefly with a Kraft Heinz executive over the summer about setting up a meeting, but he didnt follow up with the company until prompted by a local lobbyist in October, according to records provided by his office. The company declined to meet with the governor before announcing the closure on Nov. 4. On June 18, Bauer forwarded to Hall an email Morgan had written with the subject line Kraft NY & CA Want Them. NY and CA are throwing incredible incentives at them to move their WI facilities, Morgan wrote after talking with a Kraft plant manager in Beaver Dam. They have no plans to do so, but in our business competitive benchmarks, she wonders how you capture that, referring to efforts to track how other states are offering incentives to businesses. Morgan also wrote that he was told other states were using incentives such as home property tax exemptions and student loan forgiveness to attract workers. Also, he was told California and New York were pressuring Kraft to add the CA cheese or NY Dairy seals to their products made in Wisconsin, which were also produced in their state, and offering big promotional dollars. Kraft has said no because it is deceptive, Morgan wrote. But, again, she wonders if anyone in WI is keeping track. Hall forwarded the email to Goodsell, deputy secretary Tricia Braun and Kristie Pulvermacher, another business retention account manager. Thanks for passing this on, Pulvermacher responded. We should get in to see them face-to-face asap. I have a high level contact there who could direct us to the right person. Goodsell and Pulvermacher discussed contacting Morgan to find out more. Goodsell met with Morgan on June 29 and advised Hall and Pulvermacher the next day that Morgan didnt see a need to engage Kraft Heinz. There was no further email discussion of the topic provided by WEDC. An agency official didnt meet with Kraft Heinz officials face-to-face until Nov. 19, two weeks after the Oscar Mayer announcement. After the State Journal published a story about the emails online Wednesday, Democrats announced plans to hold a press conference about them Thursday. Sen. Fred Risser, D-Madison, who once worked at the Oscar Mayer plant, said he was deeply troubled by the State Journals report that WEDC didnt reach out to Kraft Heinz after learning other states were luring its facilities. Equally troubling, WEDCs failure to act was apparently on the recommendation of what is supposed to be a pro-business lobby group, Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, Risser said. Rep. Chris Taylor, D-Madison, who along with Risser represents the Oscar Mayer site, said the state should have done more to prevent Oscar Mayer from leaving the state. Now I know why more wasnt done because this supposed pro-business advocacy group inexplicably told them not to, Taylor said. WEDC spokesman Steven Michels said the agency always responds and seeks to take action on leads from local, state or regional partners. He highlighted that the email from Morgan said the Beaver Dam plant wasnt at risk. In no way does WMC or any other chamber, regional or local economic development group direct WEDCs policies or decisions, Michels said. In this case we followed up with where the lead was generated. Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, issued a statement defending WMC. In this instance, WMC leadership volunteered to share insights gained from a meeting with one individual Kraft plant manager with the board of WEDC for informational purposes, Fitzgerald said. Any further claims as to what recommendations may have been made, what actions could have been taken and what impact that those actions might have had are nothing but rampant speculation. STEWARTVILLE (TNS) Nick Johnsons love for music began when he was 8 years old, sitting in his grandfathers truck while listening to a man named Billy Joel. As Joels expert fingers played riffs during Piano Man and River of Dreams, instant chemistry enraptured Johnson. He turned to his grandfather and declared, I have to learn how to do that. As a child, Johnson took piano lessons and quickly fell in love with music and every aspect of the art playing it, singing it, and writing it. I fell in love with it so much, that I decided to pursue it as a career, he said. I wanted to try to teach people to love it as much as I do. Now Stewartville High Schools choir teacher of nine years, Johnson continues to share his love for music with his students, and how Joel a six-time Grammy Award winning artist and nominated for 23 remains one of his biggest musical influences ever since that ride in his grandfathers truck. We were talking about musical influences in class, and I told them that mine was Billy Joel, Johnson said. We jokingly thought it would be fun to get Billy Joel to come see us. That joke eventually brought up a serious question: Why not try? To Johnson, the worse-case scenario would be that Joel doesnt respond. Soon, the students sparked a social media campaign called Bring Billy to Stewie on Twitter and Facebook for about a week. Their work eventually paid off. We learned that one of my students has ties to Billy Joels manager, Johnson said. So, I sent him an email about what we had been doing. He then forwarded that email to Billy Joels assistant. At the time, the assistant said Joel was preparing for a big concert and that she would return Johnsons message. Eventually, Joels assistant asked Johnson what time would be good time for a phone call. I told her, and she then told me that it wouldnt be her calling, Johnson recalled. It would be Billy Joel. It sounded too good to be true. After re-reading the email several times and asking several of his students to do the same Johnson was in disbelief. He would be getting a chance to speak with the artist who inspired him. Call of a lifetime Johnson waited at home for the phone call from Joel. It was around 5 p.m. He waited anxiously when caller ID indicated a call from New York, which turned out to be a Bernie Sanders supporter. Then, 10 minutes later, an unknown number called Johnsons phone. It was hard to believe that it was actually Billy Joel on the phone, he said. It was a very surreal moment. For what was expected to be a couple of minutes, Joel and Johnson ended up talking for 40 minutes. They chatted about Stewartville High School and about the choir program. His personality? Extremely kind. I didnt feel like I was talking to a celebrity, Johnson said. He seemed like a normal guy. It was so much fun for me to gush to Billy Joel about the amazing kids that I have the privilege to teach. The conversation drifted over to musical influences and some of Joels biggest highlights of his career. He told Johnson about his invitation to perform in the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Joel even assisted Johnson with a piano chord in Vienna that the students were currently singing in class all until his wife and daughter came home half an hour later. My wife is also a huge Billy Joel fan, Johnson said, and I was so happy that she got to talk to him for a little bit. My 3-year-old Gracie, even chatted with him for a while. Why not try? Ultimately, Joel wont be coming to Stewartville, but made a compromise: he was going to Skype in the near future and send a souvenir to the classroom. The date and time still in the planning stages by Joels assistant. Still, the mission of Get Billy to Stewie succeeded and the students efforts werent in vain. The experience began to sink in and the students are starting to realize any dream to strive for is worth pursuing. They werent trying to get him here for me, Johnson said. They were there trying to get him here for our choir program, our school and our community. It has been a great lesson in pursuing a dream. There were people who were telling the students that they were wasting time with this Billy Joel thing, but they kept going. Itll be another story to share with his students and loved ones further down the road, but Johnson wont forget the moment when his dream of interacting with Billy Joel became a reality, all because of his students. As many of these students are making plans for their future after high school, I think this has been a great reminder that if there is something you want, go get it, he said. There is nothing worse than looking bad at life with regret, so why not try? WINONA, Minn. -- Like the rest of Minnesota, Winona County voted hard for Bernie Sanders Tuesday night. The final countywide numbers from the DFL released Wednesday totaled 2,073 votes, 1,562 for Bernie and 496 for Hillary Clinton (a mere 15 were uncommitted) 75 percent for Bernie. Bernie love was present across the city of Winona. But in the 3rd Ward, which covers much of the city center including the Winona State University campus, Bernie votes approached 90 percent of the total cast. That came as no surprise to Winona State senior Kyler Steffe, who lives in the Third Ward, Precinct 2. She was coming home Wednesday afternoon from a walk with her dog, a two-year-old beagle mix named Diggity. Its predominantly college students, she said, looking out at the neighborhood from her front steps. Some of Bernies biggest audience is reaching out to the diversity of college students. Steffe, who voted at the caucus Tuesday night, said Bernie supporters are pretty common on the Winona State campus. She thinks his message resonates with students especially because of his focus on reducing the cost of higher education, and his stance against racism and sexism. The things he says appeal to us, she said. Even so, she was surprised to see the number of students attending the caucus. It was overwhelming, the amount of people there, she said. Steffe, who is studying communications at WSU and plans to attend law school next fall, described herself as always a diehard Democrat. She said she preferred Sanders over Clinton because in her view, Sanders has stuck consistently to his values throughout his political career. She petted Diggity, who sat in her lap. I even thought about getting him a little Bernie Sanders dog sweater, she said. Not all college students supported Bernie, though. Asked why Bernie Sanders won in the neighborhoods near campus, WSU student Ethan VanRooy shrugged. Your guess is as good as mine, he said. I wouldnt vote for Bernie. VanRooy said he prefers Ben Carson, who suggested Wednesday he was prepared to end his campaign, and values his Second Amendment rights. In addition to areas around campus, support for Bernie was strong throughout the Second Ward and in parts of the Fourth Ward. Regardless of who they voted for, a record number attended the DFL caucuses in the area. Party chairman Bill Harris said he expected numbers to be about 70 percent of what they were in 2008, when 1,767 participated in caucuses countywide. Tuesday nights turnout of 2,073 was 17 percent higher. Winona County DFL party volunteers were busy at their office Wednesday afternoon, swapping stories of Tuesdays high attendance as they prepared to enter all the names and addresses of the attendees. Some precincts ran out of ballots. One volunteer saw people arriving at 5:15 p.m., though voting didnt start until 6:30. In Lewiston, a caucus site that usually sees about a dozen people, there were around 70. The Winona GOP caucus also saw high attendance, with a total of 866 countywide. Mayor Paul Soglin slammed the states job-creation agency and top business lobby in the wake of revelations that they discussed Kraft Heinz facilities being lured out of the state in June, but saw no need to contact the company before it announced in November that Madisons Oscar Mayer headquarters would close. Soglin said the Legislature should open an investigation into why the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. didnt reach out to Kraft Heinz after the companys merger was announced in March. Youve got a state agency committed to economic development. Its run by a governor and a Legislature that has claimed that economic development is the most important thing for Wisconsin, Soglin said Thursday in an interview with the Wisconsin State Journal. Then one of the biggest challenges imaginable slaps them in the face, and they do nothing. Thats the bottom line. WEDC officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The State Journal reported this week that emails showed a conversation took place in June between Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce and WEDC officials related to other states luring Kraft Heinz facilities away from Wisconsin. The records dont show any discussion about Oscar Mayer, but they do show a WEDC official was dissuaded from contacting Kraft Heinz after meeting with WMC senior vice president Jim Morgan. Morgan reiterated Thursday that the conversation was about a cheese-processing facility in Beaver Dam that Kraft Heinz plans to keep open, and not related to Madison. To twist the loss of jobs for political gain is shameful, Morgan said in response to Soglins comments. Soglin called the focus on the Beaver Dam facility a lame excuse that obfuscates the issue. He said his office contacted Oscar Mayer on March 30 based on the instinct that the Kraft Heinz merger could result in layoffs and plant closures. He met with company officials on July 29, before the company announced an initial round of 165 layoffs in August. A WEDC official spoke with Kraft Heinz executives shortly after the Nov. 4 announcement that the Madison headquarters would close, cutting 1,000 local jobs. They first met with them in person on Nov. 19. After hearing from WMC on June 18 about other states trying to lure Wisconsin facilities, a WEDC official suggested contacting Kraft Heinz as soon as possible but that didnt happen. When they get evidence of shifts occurring in such a critical industry, they need to respond immediately, Soglin said. They should be talking to Oscar Mayer, they should be talking to and notifying us. Now I understand why they tried to shift the blame three months ago. They had knowledge of their own ineptness. In the days after the Oscar Mayer announcement, Gov. Scott Walker pointed out that Soglin never contacted his office or WEDC. In Thursdays interview, Soglin maintained that Madison made no mistakes. Were the ones who are supposed to be more brilliant than them? Soglin asked. This is their function. This is their job. We did our job. We contacted Oscar Mayer. Soglin also laid some blame on Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, saying, WEDC was taken for a ride. I think they knew how important WMC was to the governor and the core mission of the Republican Party, Soglin said. If WMC says dont go down this path, they werent going to go down that path. Thats a horrible thing, because it compromised the people of the state of Wisconsin. (WEDC) failed to do their mission on our behalf. Democrats in the Legislature also renewed their criticism of WEDC at a press conference Thursday. Rep. Chris Taylor, D-Madison, noted the agency has been plagued by reports of problems for the past year, yet the Legislature hasnt made any changes. We want to see an economic development corporation thats actually accountable to the people, not big special interests who are so influential and seemed to have dictated what happened in this case, Taylor said. One bill that would create a felony penalty for lying on a WEDC application has passed the Assembly but is stalled in the Senate and unlikely to be passed. Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, issued a statement Wednesday defending WMC and noting WMC President Kurt Bauer originally brought concerns to the WEDC about other states luring Wisconsin facilities. Neither Fitzgerald nor Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, responded Thursday to Soglins call for a legislative investigation. This editorial appeared in the Feb. 26 Wisconsin State Journal: The Politician Protection Boards are being filled, with Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald announcing his first appointment. Thats not the actual name of Wisconsins new commissions overseeing government ethics and elections. After all, the politicians are assigning their partisan pals to control the two commissions that will replace the nonpartisan Government Accountability Board on July 1. That means state leaders wont have to worry about serious investigations into their conduct at the Capitol or on the campaign trail. What a relief for the politicians. But what a disappointment for citizens of all political persuasions who want to encourage good government practices in Wisconsin. Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, just picked Katie McCallum of Middleton to serve on a new commission overseeing ethics, campaign finance and lobbying. She doesnt have a law degree, unlike the retired judges who have served on the GAB. Nor is she in any way insulated by partisan influence, as the GAB has carefully strived to be. Since graduating from college in 2005, McCallum has dutifully helped Republicans promote their interests and campaigns. McCallum is the state GOPs secretary and former spokeswoman. Shes been an aide to a Republican state senator and worked on GOP election races. McCallums last name should sound familiar because shes the daughter-in-law of former GOP Gov. Scott McCallum. Its a fine resume for conservative advocacy. What it doesnt represent is a history of settling complicated disputes in a fair and neutral way that respects the interests of the public over those of the politicians. Gov. Scott Walker signed legislation in December dismantling the nonpartisan GAB as of June 30. The Republican-controlled Legislature pushed the unfortunate change, which returns Wisconsin to the bad old days of weak enforcement of ethical standards. Though Democrats wisely resisted the GABs elimination, Democratic leaders now get to share power over the new commissions. The Legislatures top lawmakers two Republicans and two Democrats will control a majority of the six-member ethics and elections commissions replacing the GAB. So Senate Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling, D-La Crosse, on Wednesday just announced surprise! shes appointing a loyal Democrat (former trial lawyers president Ann S. Jacobs of Milwaukee) to the new elections committee. The governor will still appoint two retired judges to the ethics panel, and two retired clerks to the elections commission. But even those picks will be selected from lists the politicians create. The integrity of Wisconsin government is being harmed. CAMP DOUGLAS Protesters at a military base in Juneau County continue to spread their message of ending drone warfare, even if it costs them time in jail. On Feb. 23, several members of the groups Voices for Creative Nonviolence and the Wisconsin Coalition to End the Wars and Ground the Drones marched in protest along the gates of Volk Field, an Air National Guard Base in Camp Douglas. Two members, Kathy Kelly and Brian Terrell, were arrested after crossing into a restricted area of the base. Both were charged with trespassing and disorderly conduct. Four citations were also issued for littering and traffic violations. Last August, several drone protesters were arrested for crossing into restricted property following the Let It Shine walk from Madison to Volk Field. The two groups believe shadow drones used for surveillance and target attacks are piloted from commanders at Volk Field. According to activists who have lived in war-torn regions of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq and Gaza, the U.S. military is using drones for the purpose of indiscriminately killing people of color overseas. On Tuesday, Kelly and Terrell carried a loaf of bread and met with personnel at Volk Field before authorities from the Juneau County Sheriffs Department arrived and arrested them just moments later. The bread was used to symbolize the peaceful nature of breaking bread rather than resorting to violence. Certainly anybody who wants to make a statement and protest an issue, I dont have a problem with that, but in doing so, they cant affect the rights of other individuals and thats what these individuals seem to do, said Juneau County Sheriff Brent Oleson. Theyll protest peacefully on the side and then after a period of time they impede traffic and basically interfere with the rights of others, and thats not going to be tolerated. For the past four years, the two anti-drone groups have held vigils at Volk Field every month and attempt to cross the line every few months. Joy First of the Wisconsin Coalition to End the Wars and Ground the Drones said the group is following First Amendment rights, petitioning the government to address their grievances. We feel like we have a right to walk onto the base, First said. Brian and Kathy chose to come up here today for one reason: the last person who was arrested in August will have their trial (soon) and this is to just keep things going. According to Oleson, the multiple arrests for crossing the line at the military base have taxed the departments resources. When protesters crossed the line last summer, officers who were covering a large event in Camp Douglas had to be used to make arrests at Volk Field. They started trespassing on the base so we had to pull resources out of there to respond to the incident at Volk Field, Oleson said. Its very frustrating. A trial for protester Mary Beth Schlagheck, who was arrested in August, was rescheduled on Thursday to a later date this spring. While the groups believe they are facing penalties for a just cause, Oleson believes stiffer penalties should be put in place because the protesters have been arrested multiple times and keep breaking the law. Quite frankly, when you commit violations like this and when some continue to violate, the punishments should get harsher, Oleson said. When youre standing on the side, thats one thing, but when you start blocking traffic and intentionally causing a disturbance, thats not going to be allowed. I would hope the punishments get harsher, but that remains to be seen. Its frustrating because the taxpayers are the ones who are assuming the costs for this. However, First believes theres a greater issue at hand. We would like to see drone warfare ending. We know this might seem like this is futile; were up against the biggest empire in the world, but what is our choice not to resist? she said. To let them keep killing innocent people? Thousands have died in the Middle East because of drone warfare and we feel like we dont have an option. We cant just sit in our living rooms and not do anything, so we will continue. First said other anti-drone groups have marched in protest at additional military bases across the U.S. Other members have been jailed across the country for their resistance against military drones. We have a regular monthly vigil at the CIA against drones, First said. Were just grandmothers, grandfathers, people who are just concerned with whats going on. Its not like were far-out radicals, we just see this happening and feel worried about whats going to happen. First said the drones havent made the U.S. more secure because attacks feed into the actions of terrorist groups such as ISIS. She believes recent attacks on U.S. soil are in retaliation for drone attacks in the Middle East. Theyll protest peacefully on the side and then after a period of time they impede traffic and basically interfere with the rights of others, and thats not going to be tolerated. Juneau County Sheriff Brent Oleson You have the power to keep local news strong for the coming months. Your financial support today keeps our reporters ready to meet the needs of our city. Thank you for investing in your community. Stories like these are only possible with your help! Start your day with LAist Sign up for How To LA, delivered weekday mornings. Subscribe UCLA students and staff rallied today against the university's handling of a sexual harassment case against one of the school's history professors. Gabriel Piterberg, a history professor at UCLA, was accused by two grad students, Nefertiti Takla and Kristen Hillaire Glasgow, of allegedly making inappropriate comments to them, pressing his body against theirs, and trying to force his tongue into their mouths. The women filed a suit against UCLA regents in June of 2015, claiming in their suit that they were encouraged by university officials to stay quiet about their allegations, and that there were other allegations against Piterberg that were ignored. The alleged abuse occurred between 2008 and 2013 with Glasgow, and between 2011 and 2013 with Takla, according to the complaint. Takla told university officials in June of 2013. A quiet nine-month investigation into Piterberg's alleged behavior concluded in 2014. However, Takla said in the suit that she wasn't aware of what the results of that investigation were. Faculty didn't find out the end results until near a year later, according to the L.A. Times. After the investigation, Piterberg was required to pay a $3,000 fine, was suspended without pay for a quarter and attended mandatory sexual harassment training. That suspension coincided with Piterberg's fellowship at the European University Institute in Italy, which some have argued made the suspension less severe. Piterberg is currently on sabbatical in Europe, and won't be back on campus until the summer. Then, he may only have private meetings with students from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and he must leave the door open. He is also not allowed to entertain any "romantic" relationships with students, but that's not unique to himthat's already standard policy for any professor. If there are further allegations, the settlement states that they will be investigated via an expedited disciplinary process. He is also no longer the director of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies. A recent editorial in the Daily Bruin accuses the school of failing to adequately punish Piterberg. This outcome is an embarrassment for UCLA. Not only does this represent a huge step backward and a betrayal of students trust, but it displays a startlingly low standard when it comes to treatment of sexual assault suspects. Students rallied the university's handling of the allegations today. UCLA students and student workers union join together in protest of history professor Gabriel Piterberg's return pic.twitter.com/Jp0QiottP8 Annita K. (@caketwitty) March 2, 2016 The women's attorney, Michael Porcello, believes the school should "cut its ties" to Piterberg, saying that his presence is an "ongoing threat to those students and faculty given past complaints of harassment against him by members of the UCLA community." A total of 28 history faculty members wrote a letter to UCLA Chancellor Gene Block that was delivered on February 18, opposing Piterberg's return to campus. Additionally, over 65 graduate students sent a letter saying the investigation should have been more transparent. UCLA spokesperson Ricardo Vasquez said officials have hired a new Title IX coordinator, more staffincluding a confidential advocate for victims of sexual harassment or assaultand are working on creating a new office of equity, diversity and inclusion. 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24 (2) Oct 23 (3) Oct 22 (5) Oct 21 (4) Oct 20 (6) Oct 19 (3) Oct 18 (4) Oct 17 (3) Oct 16 (5) Oct 15 (2) Oct 14 (5) Oct 13 (2) Oct 12 (3) Oct 11 (7) Oct 10 (3) Oct 09 (3) Oct 08 (2) Oct 07 (7) Oct 06 (2) Oct 05 (6) Oct 04 (5) Oct 03 (3) Oct 02 (8) Oct 01 (3) Sep 30 (6) Sep 29 (3) Sep 28 (6) Sep 27 (4) Sep 26 (4) Sep 25 (4) Sep 24 (1) Sep 23 (5) Sep 22 (3) Sep 21 (2) Sep 20 (5) Sep 19 (3) Sep 18 (3) Sep 17 (5) Sep 16 (3) Sep 15 (4) Sep 14 (4) Sep 13 (4) Sep 12 (3) Sep 11 (3) Sep 10 (4) Sep 09 (5) Sep 08 (4) Sep 07 (4) Sep 06 (4) Sep 05 (5) Sep 04 (2) Sep 03 (4) Sep 02 (4) Sep 01 (3) Aug 31 (3) Aug 30 (3) Aug 29 (2) Aug 28 (4) Aug 27 (4) Aug 26 (4) Aug 25 (3) Aug 24 (3) Aug 23 (2) Aug 22 (3) Aug 21 (4) Aug 20 (4) Aug 19 (4) Aug 18 (4) Aug 17 (3) Aug 16 (4) Aug 15 (4) Aug 14 (3) Aug 13 (5) Aug 12 (5) Aug 11 (3) Aug 10 (4) Aug 09 (3) Aug 08 (4) Aug 07 (3) Aug 06 (3) Aug 05 (3) Aug 04 (4) Aug 03 (4) Aug 02 (4) Aug 01 (3) Jul 31 (4) Jul 30 (5) Jul 29 (3) Jul 28 (3) Jul 27 (3) Jul 26 (4) Jul 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Update 1/12/22: I talked to the person they were going to hire to do this interview , except he "noped out" when... 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Bullrich, who was accompanied by Security Secretary Eugenio Burzaco, met with representatives from US law enforcement organisations such as the Federal Bureau, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Bureau of International Narcotics and law Enforcement Affairs (INL). During the visit INL Assistant Secretary William Brownfield stressed the importance of establishing channels of dialogue between the both nations so as to promote improved border controls and create shelters for victims of human trafficking. This sentiment was echoed by DEA head Chuck Rosenberg, who said that he was happy that the US and Argentina can now rebuild their relations. Argentina-US relations became increasingly tense under the previous Argentine government led by former president Crisitina Fernandez (2007-2015). However, after assuming office in December 2015, President Mauricio Macri announced that one of his main priorities would be to actively combat the spread of drug trafficking in the South American country. This declaration of intent by Macri has helped to shore up ties with the US, which is interested in increasing its security cooperation with Argentina to reinforce its efforts to combat transnational drug trafficking and associated crimes. As Rosenberg said, the US is keen on constructing a strategic association that benefits not only these two nations but the rest of the world. During their visit the Argentine government officials were shown how the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a specialised information sharing US federal programme that involves 11 US law enforcement agencies, functions. Before leaving Washington, Bullrich also met with the US Secretary for Homeland Security Jeh Johnson, with whom she discussed facilitating legitimate trade, border security, and information sharing. End of preview - This article contains approximately 1027 words. Subscribers: Log in now to read the full article Not a Subscriber? Choose from one of the following options About Me Laura e Jorge Our objective is environmental conscientization regarding all the planet and its many forms of life. We are not alarmists but the situation is really bad, so we need to do something right now. View my complete profile Translate Blog Archive A dispute between Apple and the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, or FBI, has put law enforcement and technology in conflict. This could affect privacy, safety and security in the U.S. The dispute involves the FBI investigation of the mass shootings in San Bernardino, California, last December. Syed Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, killed 14 people and wounded 22 others. Farook and Malik were killed in a gun battle with police later the same day. Investigators found an iPhone that Farook had used. It was given to Farook by the Department of Public Health in California, where he worked. That department gave the FBI permission to unlock the phone. But, no one has the password. Farook is dead, and the phone is locked. The FBI wants the data on the phone. It could guess at passwords until it finds one that unlocks the phone. But after 10 failed attempts to enter a password, the phone will automatically erase all the data it has stored. The data will simply disappear. [Tip: To enable this feature on your iPhone, go to Settings =>Touch ID & Passcode =>Erase Data On] On February 16, 2016, a court ordered Apple to cooperate with the FBI. After that order was issued, Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, said Apple would not comply. What Does the FBI Want From Apple? The FBI said its goal is to conduct a thorough investigation of the crime. That includes seeing the data on Farook's iPhone. "We simply want the chance, with a search warrant, to try to guess the terrorist's passcode without the phone essentially self-destructing, and without it taking a decade to guess correctly," said FBI director James Comey. Why Apple Is Fighting the Court Order Apple CEO Cook published a letter explaining Apple's position. He said he is concerned that Apple is being forced to create software that makes the iPhone less secure. Once created, he argues, criminals could use the software to unlock other iPhones and steal data. The FBI says they only want Apple to create software for one phone. But Apple disagrees. Once this software is created, other law enforcement agencies and governments could try to force Apple to use this software, the technology company argues. In an interview, Cook said, "There's probably more information about you on your phone than there is in your house. Our smartphones are loaded with intimate conversations, our financial data, our health records. They're also loaded with the location of our kids, in many cases. So it's not just about privacy, it's about public safety." Apple also says that it fears the government could force the company to create other software. Apple argues that the government could require it to create software that turns on the iPhones camera or microphone to secretly record video and sound. The FBI disputes Apple's claim that the request violates privacy rights. It argues that Farook has died and does not have rights to privacy. Further, it says the owner of the phone has agreed to the search of the phone and to Apple's helping the FBI. On Monday a court in New York State ruled that Apple did not have to assist the FBI in a similar case, unlocking an iPhone that involved drug charges. On Tuesday, a committee of US Congress heard from both Apple and FBI about the San Bernardino case. The Next Steps The court will hear the case on March 22. As this dispute involves public and personal safety, privacy rights and the future of technology, this issue may be argued for many months and years to come. Im Kathleen Struck. Carolyn Nicander Mohr wrote this story for Learning English. Caty Weaver and Kathleen Struck were the editors. Have you been following the Apple vs. FBI dispute? Leave a Comment below and post on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story unlock - v. to gain entry to; to open data - n. information that is produced or stored on a computer auto-erase - v. to automatically remove (something that has been recorded) from a tape (such as a videotape or audiotape) or a computer disk CEO - n. short for Chief Executive Officer the top leader in a company or business comply - v. to do what you have been asked to do warrant - n. a document that gives the police power to do something software - n. the programs that operate on a computer interview - n. a meeting in which a person provides information intimate - adj. very personal or private conversation - n. an informal talk involving two people or a small group of people :the act of talking in an informal way location - n. place or position Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said Tuesday the suspension of fighting in his country after five years of war is, in his words, a glimmer of hope. The Syrian leader spoke on German television. He said his government will work to make the ceasefire permanent. Pro-government fighters and opposition forces in Syria have agreed to stop fighting. But the ceasefire does not include Islamic State militants or supporters of Jabhat al-Nusra, a group linked to al-Qaida. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said the next few days are very important to strengthening the truce and ending the conflict. He spoke to reporters Monday in Washington. Kerry said he and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov agree there have been some violations of the truce since it began on Saturday. But he said they do not want to talk about them publicly. He said a group led by the United States and Russia will investigate every reported violation and urge all sides to honor the truce agreement. Kerry said it is a difficult process, but the fact is that we need to stop the cycle of fighting and of bloodshed that is destroying Syria. It is that simple. On Monday, Syrian rebels reported that government forces attacked opposition-controlled villages and towns 26 times. Riad Hijab is the top negotiator for the rebels. In a letter to the United Nations, he said the Syrian government has continued to target populated areas using helicopter raids using explosive barrels, resulting in a large number of fatalities and causing significant injuries, most of whom were innocent women and children. On Sunday, Hijab said Russian fighter jets launched 26 air strikes on territory held by opposition groups, which have agreed to stop fighting. Rebels say a map released at the beginning of the truce by the Russian Ministry of Defense is filled with mistakes. The map is said to show the positions of moderate opposition groups in Syria. The rebels have asked the UN to make a new map. On Sunday, Russian ceasefire monitors said they have recorded nine violations of the truce. They blamed rebels for most of them. Separately on Monday, the U.N. and aid groups began transporting supplies to areas that need them. They hope to reach more than 150,000 Syrians in areas that have been affected by the fighting. Yacoub El Hillo is the UN humanitarian chief for Syria. He said the (ceasefire) is the best opportunity that the Syrian people have had over the last five years for lasting peace and stability. Staffan de Mistura is the special UN diplomat for Syria. He has said that if the truce remains in effect and aid groups continue to be able to bring supplies to areas that need them he will restart Syrian peace talks on March 9. That is two days later than the date he set earlier. A UN spokesman said the delay was needed to let officials deal with logistical and practical matters. Im Christopher Jones-Cruise. VOANews.com reported on this story, with additional information from Jamie Dettmer in Gaziantep, Turkey and Correspondent Margaret Besheer at the United Nations. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted their reports for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, or visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story glimmer n. a small amount or sign of something bloodshed - n. violence fatalities - n. deaths resulting from an accident or violence opportunity - n. chance; likelihood stability - n. the quality of something that is not easily changed Vicente Fox was the president of Mexico for six years, starting in 2000. He says Donald Trump should not insult Mexicans during his campaign for the Republican Partys presidential nomination. Trump says he will build a wall between the United States and Mexico. And he says he will get Mexico to pay for it if he becomes president. People think the cost of the wall could be greater than $1 billion. Trump also says he plans to deport Mexicans who are not in the U.S. legally. He also wants to deport children born to undocumented immigrants in the U.S. In response to Trumps claims, Fox recently told Fusion TV: Im not going to pay for that [expletive] wall. An expletive is a curse or swear word. Fox says he is surprised Trump won the votes of 46 percent of the Hispanics who voted in the recent Nevada caucus. Felipe Calderon followed Fox as Mexicos president. They both say they are concerned about the anti-Mexican sentiment Trump is stirring up. Calderon told The Washington Post the wall would be useless and said we wont pay a cent for that stupid wall. Calderon also noted that Trump is ignoring recent statistics from the Pew Research Center that show more Mexicans are returning home than entering the United States in the five years ending in 2014. Calderon says the fact that Trump is ignoring those statistics shows that he is an ignorant man. Trump responded to Foxs comments, using Twitter to say that the former president should apologize for using bad language. Fox says he will not apologize. Hes the one who should apologize, Fox says. Im Dan Friedell. Dan Friedell wrote this story for VOA Learning English. His report was based on stories from The Washington Post and Agence France-Presse. Kathleen Struck was the editor. What do you think of the war of words between the Mexican presidents and Donald Trump? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story deport v. to force (a person who is not a citizen) to leave a country stir up v. to cause (someone) to feel a strong emotion and a desire to do something ignorant adj. lacking knowledge or information expletive n. a word or phrase that people sometimes say when they are angry or in pain, especially one that is considered offensive North Korea launched several short-range missiles from its eastern coast Thursday. The action took place one day after the United Nations Security Council approved new sanctions against North Korea. U.N. members are seeking to punish North Korea for its nuclear and long-range missile tests earlier this year. The South Korean Defense Ministry said it is investigating the incident. It is not clear how many missiles were fired. U.S. officials say they are watching the situation closely. The U.N. resolution had more than 50 co-sponsors. One measure put in place is the required inspection of all cargo going in and out of a community nation. There is also a total arms embargo including both conventional and other weapons. The resolution calls for restrictions on the sale of coal from North Korea, as well as other minerals, including gold, iron, iron ore and titanium. An earlier ban on the sale or supply of aviation fuel to North Korea was revised. Aviation fuel can be used as rocket fuel. Russia urged that the measure be changed to permit fuel for passenger aircraft. Banking sanctions also have been increased in addition to bans on the sale of luxury goods to North Korea. Travel bans and asset freezes also have been placed on 16 new individuals. The vote on Wednesday came as the Security Council released a report on how North Korea has avoided international sanctions over ten years. The report says the four rounds of increasingly strong U.N. measures imposed on North Korea since 2006 have not worked. It says sanctions have not persuaded the government of Kim Jong Un to stop its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. The U.N. report documents a number of cases where North Korea has avoided sanctions. The report shows how the North continues to use the international financial system, airlines and container shipping routes to trade banned items. Report discusses problems with current sanctions A 2006 U.N. resolution requires member states to report all inspections of North Korean cargo if it is suspected of carrying arms, whether a violation is found or not. However, in the past 10 years only one member has filed a report. Southeast Asia, Africa and the Middle East, the report notes, continue to sell banned North Korean military equipment. These include parts for unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs, and radar systems. The U.N. contacted the government of Myanmar about the possible involvement of a Myanmar-based group in attempts to ship aluminum alloy parts to North Korea. The aluminum rods can be used to make nuclear centrifuges. These were seized in Japan while being transported in 2012. A number of companies identified The Korea Mining Development Trading Corporation (KOMID) was identified in April 2009 as a main exporter of North Korean banned goods. These include equipment relating to ballistic missiles and conventional weapons. But KOMID has been able to get around sanctions by using a different name and working though the Hong Kong shipping company Leader International. The report says China-based Dalian Union International Trading took part in trade banned under U.N. sanctions. It says the company used a bank held by the Sunny International Development Company, registered in Hong Kong. In 2015, Britain informed the panel about an attempt by North Korea to buy optical equipment for drones through companies based in China and registered in Hong Kong. In 2014, the U.N. panel examined a North Korean drone that crashed on a South Korean border island. It said the drone was likely made by one of two Chinese companies. Manufacturers in the Czech Republic and Canada also made parts used in the Chinese-made unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs. An examination of the wreckage of a North Korean Unha-3 rocket launched in 2012 showed the involvement of a Taipei-based company, the Royal Team Corporation (RTC). The report explained complicated payments used to get around sanctions. The U.N. panel found that North Korea tried to hide its banned dealings with RTC by sending payments through a third company that it paid to host a trade show. The report reveals North Korean military ties with Uganda, Eritrea and Vietnam. However, the past evasions show the difficulty in placing sanctions on North Korea in many countries, including China, where enforcement has not been strong. Im Mario Ritter. Brian Padden and Margaret Besheer reported this story from Seoul and Geneva. Mario Ritter adapted it for VOA Learning English. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story sponsors n. a person or group who takes responsibility for something and supports it conventional adj. not nuclear aviation adj. having to do with aircraft luxury adj. expensive, having to do with comfort, ease or wealth ballistic missile n. a missile able to travel long distances across the earth alloy n. a mixture of metals centrifuge n. a machine used to separate substances optical adj. having to do with optics and vision, having to do with devices that use lenses or mirrors to produce images evasion n. to evade or avoid something A prominent Republican has criticized presidential candidate and billionaire Donald Trump as unworthy of the office of president of the United States. Former U.S. presidential nominee Mitt Romney gave a highly critical speech Thursday about front-runner Trump. In his speech, he urged Republicans to vote for other Republican candidates, and not Trump. Heres what I know. Donald Trump is a phony, a fraud, Romney said. A Trump presidency would be bad for American workers ... and families, he said. Trumps success has worried Republican Party leaders. The party is worried about many of Trumps positions. That includes trade and immigration. Trump has called for building a wall between the U.S. and Mexico, deporting 11 million illegal immigrants, and barring Muslims from entering the country. If Donald Trumps plans were ever implemented, the country would sink into depression, Romney said Thursday. He also said that the only serious policy proposals that deal with the broad range of national challenges in America come from other remaining candidates: Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and John Kasich. Joshua Stockley, a political scientist at the University of Louisiana Monroe, said he cant think of another time when a presidential candidate was slammed by top leaders in the same party. The reason we cant think of a case like this is because in the modern age of the nomination process we never had a candidate like Donald Trump. Never have we had a case of someone so disliked by the establishment, doing so well in an establishment-created entity, Stockley said of the Republican nominating process. Stockley isnt sure Romneys speech will hurt Trump. The potential falls short because he doesnt tell voters where the anti-Trump votes should go, Stockley said. Not a business genius Romney listed Trumps failed enterprises a university, steaks, vodka, casino and more and said that a business genius, he is not. Trump's "promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University," Romney said. Trump University is under investigation for fraud in New York. Romney also mentioned that the billionaire refuses to release his tax returns. He also discussed Trumps reluctance to refuse political support from a former leader of the Ku Klux Klan white supremacist group. On Wednesday, a group of American foreign policy experts signed a letter opposing Trump. The final paragraph of the 454-word letter said Trump would make America less safe and hurt the U.S.s standing in the world. They said they could not support a party ticket with Trump as the candidate for president. The people who signed include former U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and former top Pentagon official Dov Zakheim. Romneys attacks on Trump differ greatly from remarks he made in 2012. Trump supported Romneys presidential candidacy then. Romney praised Trumps business expertise. "Donald Trump has shown an extraordinary ability to understand how our economy works, to create jobs for the American people, Romney said then. But on Thursday, Romney joined an increasing number of Republican Party leaders and financial supporters who strongly oppose Trump's candidacy. The opposition to Trump is gaining momentum. Groups are planning to spend millions of dollars on advertising against Trump. Conservative Solutions is a political action committee supporting Florida Senator Marco Rubio for president. Conservative Solutions opposes Trump and has bought $6 million of advertising in states with upcoming primaries. Im Bruce Alpert. Cindy Saine reported this story for VOANews.com. Ashley Thompson adapted her report for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or share your views on our Facebook Page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in this Story prominent adj. important and well-known phony adj. not true, real, or genuine fraud n. a person who pretends to be what he or she is not in order to trick people implement v. to make (something) active or effective challenge n. a difficult task or problem : something that is hard to do slam v. to criticize harshly establishment n. the people in business, government, etc., who have power over the other people in a society entity n. a process set up by a group of people potential n. the ability to get something done genius n. a very smart, or talented person reluctance adj. feeling or showing doubt about doing something extraordinary adj. very unusual Russia is sending troops to several regions and sees the U.S. and NATO as long-term threats, said NATOs military commander Tuesday. U.S. Air Force General Philip Breedlove spoke to a panel of the Senate Armed Services Committee in Washington, D.C. He said Russia has used its military against neighbors to gain regional influence. Russia has used military force to violate the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of Ukraine, Georgia and others, like Moldova, the general told the committee. Breedlove said Russia has kept Ukraine from moving closer to the West. Breedlove noted one of Russias objectives is to hurt the relationship between the U.S. and its NATO allies. The Air Force general added that Russias military influence has spread from the Black Sea to the eastern Mediterranean Sea and western Syria. Russia seeks to re-establish a leading role on the world stage. Russia sees the U.S. and NATO as threats to its objectives and as constraints on its aspirations. Russia recognizes strength and sees weakness as an opportunity, Breedlove told the Senate committee. Breedlove said Russia has done little to counter the Islamic State militant group in Syria. Russia started air strikes against rebel positions in Syria in September 2015, according to multiple media sources. Im Jim Dresbach. Isabela Cocoli wrote this story for VOA News. Jim Dresbach adapted her report for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor. What do you think of General Breedloves comments on Russia? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or visit our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story NATO n. short for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization; a group of countries that have agreed to provide military support to each other. sovereignty n. a country's independent authority and the right to govern itself objective n. something you are trying to do or achieve : a goal or purpose aspiration n. something that a person or group wants very much to achieve This blog is to suppliment current Soar 11-3 blogs and websites Paul and Lucy Spadoni periodically live in Tuscany to explore Pauls Italian roots, practice their Italian and enjoy la dolce vita. Paul is the author of "An American Family in Italy: Living La Dolce Vita without Permission," an Amazon bestseller. All work is copyrighted and may not be reprinted without written permission from the author, who can be contacted at www.paulspadoni.com Blog purpose This BLOG is for LLNL present and past employees, friends of LLNL and anyone impacted by the privatization of the Lab to express their opinions and expose the waste, wrongdoing and any kind of injustice against employees and taxpayers by LLNS/DOE/NNSA. The opinions stated are personal opinions. Therefore, The BLOG author may or may not agree with them before making the decision to post them. Comments not conforming to BLOG rules are deleted. Blog author serves as a moderator . For new topics or suggestions, email jlscoob5@gmail.com The Delhi High Court dismissed a plea of an alumnus of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) seeking a ban or change in the name of the controversial Manoj Bajpayee movie Aligarh, a film based on a gay AMU professor. A bench, comprising Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath, rejected the plea saying that no public interest is involved in this petition so it should be dismissed at the threshold itself. This is a personal grievance. We do not find a public interest, so we are not inclined to entertain this writ petition, the bench added. The petition, filed by a Delhi-based lawyer Mohammad Ahsan Khan, had stated that the news and reviews of the movie, published in print and social media, was lowering the image of AMU and Aligarh City among the residents. He also argued that contents and name of the movie are not only defamatory to the students who have passed from Aligarh Muslim University but the same hurts feelings of the citizens of Aligarh and therefore the certification granted to the film is assailed. Aligarh, directed by Hansal Mehta is based on the life of AMU professor Ramchandra Siras who was suspended from his job because of his sexual orientation. He later died under mysterious circumstances. Director Hansal Mehta has also said that the movie will be screened at the current hub of controversy, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on March 4. It will be showcased as a part of the Human Rights Festival. PTI Budget 2016 has unsettled many quarters in the country. Jewellers across the country have decided to pull down shutters for three days protesting against the budget imposition of one per cent excise duty in the jewellery sector. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley while presenting the budget for 2016-17 said the government proposes to levy one per cent excise duty on jewellery without input credit or 12.5 per cent with input tax credit on articles of jewellery excluding silver jewellery other than studded with diamonds and other precious stones. The strike is being called by the All India Gems and Jewellery Trade Federation (GJF) along with All India Jewellery Associations including manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers. All retail jewelers, manufacturers and wholesalers have decided to join the strike over the government apathy towards the industry which had earlier declared it as a thrust area for job creation of on lakh people per annum through Make in India initiative. This policy will choke the trade, industry sources said. G V Sreedhar GJF Chairman, said We are compelled to take the decision of going for three days all India bandh of jewellery trade and manufacturing to protest against the excise duty which is damaging to the growth of industry, he said. The proposed excise duty of one per cent without input credit or 12.5 per cent excise with input credit will create huge liabilities for small manufacturers, who employ unskilled day-to-day labor at large, the very people the government wishes to exempt, Sreedhar pointed out. The three day strike will lead to loss of around Rs 5,000 crore, say industry sources. But the trade is determined to protest to get a complete rollback on excise duty. Interestingly, the UPA government had introduced excise in the sector in 2005 and 2012 but had to withdraw it when the trade protested against it. The GJF is a national trade federation established for the promotion and growth of gems and jewellery trade across India. It represents over 6,00,000 players comprising manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, distributors, laboratories, gemologists, designers and allied services to the domestic Gems & Jewellery industry. Bullion market and most of jewellery showrooms remained closed in the national capital, Chennai and Puducherry among other states. Surinder Kumar Jain, Vice-President of the All India Sarafa Association, said that the proposed excise duty will lead to a drastic fall in business. Small jewellers are irked with the proposed levy of excise as they do not understand the legalities of it. Keeping in view of their demand, we have decided to shut our establishments for three days," Jain said. The domestic industry is estimated to be in the region of Rs. 3.15 lakh crores with the potential to grow to Rs. 5 lakh crore by 2018. The Federations mission is to support and promote the progress and prosperity of all members in the gems and jewellery industry across India. All India Gem and Jewellery Trade Federation, Zonal Chairman N Anantha Padmanabhan said the central government's proposal was a big disappointment for the traders and would be further intensifying the protest. "It is a big disappointment for us. We were expecting that the condition of providing PAN Card for purchase of jewels worth Rs two lakh to go above Rs five lakh. But it did not happen. We will be meeting government officials in Delhi to express our views shortly" he said. New Delhi: Delhi government has sent the magisterial probe report on the JNU row to its legal team to examine whether any action could be taken on the basis of it. The probe did not find any evidence of JNU Students' Union president Kanhaiya Kumar raising anti-India slogans at a controversial event in the university, the allegation based on which he was slapped with sedition charge by police. "Government has sent the fact-finding report prepared by the New Delhi DM to its legal team. The legal team will examine whether action, if any, can be taken on the basis of the report," a senior government official said. Sources said AAP government may also consider criminal action against those news channels which had aired doctored footage related to to the controversial event on 9 February. According to the report, anti-national slogans were shouted at the campus and JNU administration has already identified a "few faces" who were "clearly" heard raising them. The magisterial probe report said their whereabouts must be found out and their role must be investigated. The report said "nothing adverse" could be found against Kumar and that no witness or video was available to support the allegation against the varsity's students' union president. Kumar was granted interim bail for six months in the case by the Delhi High Court on Wednesday. It said seven videos of the event were sent to a Hyderabad-based forensic laboratory and three out them were found to be doctored, including a clipping of a news channel. PTI Auto refresh feeds "I trust the laws and courts of this country. Change is the truth and change will come. We have no hatred towards anybody, especially ABVP," Kanhaiya said. "The way JNU stood up for the people of the nation is admirable," Kanhaiya said. "The entertaining aspect is that this reaction was spontaneous. They had planned everything and our every reaction was spontaneous," he added. They had planned everything, our reaction was spontaneous: Kanhaiya Kanhaiya also said that the protests the Modi government was facing was because of their own doing. "You are eating what you earned," he said. "The way to make them forget is to stop the fellowship in the institutions," he said. Kanhaiya then took a dig at the government, saying, "some people say they will bring back black money, 'sabka saath sabka vikaas'...Even though we Indians forget easily, everyone knows about the jumla now because of the uproar created." "The PM has tweeted saying, 'Satyameva Jayate'. But since that saying belongs to the nation and not the PM, even I say, 'Satyameva Jayate'," said Kanhaiya. "I don't think a student has been used as a political tool," he said. "We are not asking for freedom from India. We are asking for freedom in India," he said. "Who is responsible for creating these fights? We want to ask those people who make prime time news," he said, criticising the media channels who had targetted him. "The people who fight are not responsible. Those who create fights are responsible," Kanhaiya said. We're not asking for freedom from India, we're asking for freedom in India: Kanhaiya "We fight for equality. So that a peon's son and the President's son can study in an equal environment," said Kanhaiya. "We are asking for freedom from poverty social oppression. And we will get that freedom through this institution. This was also Rohith's dream." "Whether it is the person working in the field, whether it is the person fighting for us in the army, or whether it is the person fighting for freedom in JNU, we will not stop fighting for them," he further said. "That is why you (the government) want to crush the JNU so that the backward people cannot dream of getting a PhD," he said. "I want to tell the media that there are those people, who - like me - come from a poor background, but did not get admission in JNU and are in the army," he further said. "ABVP is after fake revolution. We're after the real revolution," he said. 'Govt wants to crush JNU so that people from poor backgrounds cannot get a PhD' "Pradhan Mantri Mann Ki Baat karte hain...sunte nahi hain (The Prime Minister only does 'Mann Ki Baat'...but never listens)," he further said. "We will help establish a government which truly works for 'sabka saath, sabka vikaas'," he said. "I wanted to tell Modiji, "Thodi Hitler ki baat kijiye. Leave Hitler, talk about Mussolini instead. Your guruji Golwalkar saahab had gone to meet Mussolini." "I got two bowls in jail. One of them was red. I was looking at that bowl and I was thinking that something good was going to happen in this country," he further said, describing his experience in jail. "You (the government) have killed one Rohith. Now see how big this revolution has become," Kanhaiya said. He also told the media to "give time to JNU...tell the people that we want freedom not from India but from those who loot India." "Inside the campus, the forces who try to divide the nation, whether this is the RSS or ABVP, JNU will stand up against those forces. We will win this fight," he said. "In this country, trying to distract the actual questions of the people and trying to crush the voice of the JNU will not work. You will not be able to crush this revolution. The more you try to oppress us, the more we will fight," he added. "You cannot turn lies into the truth," he said. We want freedom not from India but from those who loot India: Kanhaiya "There are no personal differences (between him and the government) There are only ideological differences," he said. He also asked people to raise questions on the subsidies being given in other sectors like the avation sector. "We condemn the 9 February incident. Whether that was anti-nationalism or not will be decided by the courts," Kanhaiya said. "The Constitution is not a video which can be doctored," he added. He went on to say that Rohith Vemula was his icon. "But Afzal Guru is not my icon. Rohith Vemula is. If the government is responsible for Rohith Vemula's death, we will fight for him. Our fight is long. That is why we won't have a victory march. We will have a unity march," he said. When asked about what Afzal Guru meant to him, Kanhaiya said, "Afzal Guru was a citizen of India. He was a resident of Jammu and Kashmir. The law punished him. Speaking about that punishment is allowed by the same law." We don't look at ABVP as enemy. We look at them as opposition: #KanhaiyaKumar at JNU pic.twitter.com/U4sQwJuT3r "What kind of a country will it be if it does not have any countrymen? We should salute all those who stood up for JNU," he said. "What is happening in the country is very dangerous. I am not talking about one party or one media channel. I am not only taking about soldiers. I am talking about the entire country," he said. "Kabhi mann ki baat karte hain...kabhi maa ki baat bhi kar lein (You always keep talking about Mann Ki Baat...talk about what the mother has to say for a change)," Kanhaiya further said. "My mother told me that she was not making fun of Modi. She said that it was the government which was making fun of them," he said. "I talked to my mother after 3 months. Whenever I stayed in JNU, I was not talking a lot to her. After going to jail, I realised the importance of talking to her," Kanhaiya said. 'You always talk about Mann Ki Baat. For a change, talk about Maa ki baat.' "You tried winning over people by saying 'har har'. But now people are angry because of 'arhar'," he said, making a reference to the rising price of dal. "Actually, they are not speaking for JNU. they are merely making the distinction between right and wrong," he said. Kanhaiya also reminded the government that 69 percent of the country had voted against them in the Lok Sabha polls of 2014. "Sitharam Yechury and Rahul Gandhi are also being called anti-national," Kanhaiya said, adding that a lot was also being said against Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. "I don't have any connection with any party. But the people who are standing up for me are also being called anti-nationals," he said. People who are standing up for me are also being called anti-nationals: Kanhaiya He also told the media to "give time to JNU...tell the people that we want freedom not from India but from those who loot India." "Inside the campus, the forces who try to divide the nation, whether this is the RSS or ABVP, JNU will stand up against those forces. We will win this fight," he said. "In this country, trying to distract the actual questions of the people and trying to crush the voice of the JNU will not work. You will not be able to crush this revolution. The more you try to oppress us, the more we will fight," he added. "You cannot turn lies into the truth," he said. We want freedom not from India but from those who loot India: Kanhaiya #KanhaiyaKumar ends his speech at JNU urging his supporters to raise slogans of 'Azaadi' with context. pic.twitter.com/RGl2xdpM50 "JNU is a historic institution which stands up for democracy. Through this press conference, we want to tell the nation that the subsidies through which we study in JNU have not been wasted. The person studying in JNU can never be a deshdrohi," he said. "I thank all the historians, teachers, musicians, journalists and filmmakers who supported us," Kanhaiya further said. In a press conference, Kanhaiya Kumar again thanked the people who had supported JNU. "I thank those who stood up to save the autonomy of the educational institutions and secure their future," he said. Let me make it clear that I'm not a politician. I am only a student: #KanhaiyaKumar pic.twitter.com/Y3B23SNAJV "Your plans to divide the nation and the farmers and soldiers of this nation will fail because there is a difference between nationalism and anti-nationalism," he said, referring to the Modi government. "We have to stop the people who talk of democracy but then destroy democracy," he further said. "These dark clouds will go away. I want to tell the nation that after 22 days in jail, the most hopeful thing that I learnt was that these dark clouds won't be able to hide the red sun," he said. "There are some dark clouds. But it is only after dark clouds that there are heavy rains," Kanhaiya said. I want to assure the taxpayers of this country that a JNU student can never be anti-national: Kanhaiya Kumar pic.twitter.com/Y3yAn0Q8gr "There are no personal differences (between him and the government) There are only ideological differences," he said. He also asked people to raise questions on the subsidies being given in other sectors like the avation sector. "We condemn the 9 February incident. Whether that was anti-nationalism or not will be decided by the courts," Kanhaiya said. "The Constitution is not a video which can be doctored," he added. "Like other parents' children, we are also children. We are not terrorists," he said. "A worry that I have about every student and professor of JNU is that when they go out in the society, they'll face threats. A few channels maligned JNU. They couldn't even make a difference between anti-national and national and started calling us terrorists," Kanhaiya said. "We want to make the country a more united place. At a time when there is an attack of globalisation, it is very important to save our traditions and unity," he said. "Someone appointed a person to count condoms in the university," Kanhaiya said. "Many students study here. They are trying to make the society a better place. There is a fight to make democracy stronger." "Whether it is the farmer or the soldier, we fight for all," Kanhaiya Kumar said. "We want to tell the nation that we are being lynched by mobs in trains. Fabricated videos were used to spoil the image of JNU," he added. He went on to say that Rohith Vemula was his icon. "But Afzal Guru is not my icon. Rohith Vemula is. If the government is responsible for Rohith Vemula's death, we will fight for him. Our fight is long. That is why we won't have a victory march. We will have a unity march," he said. When asked about what Afzal Guru meant to him, Kanhaiya said, "Afzal Guru was a citizen of India. He was a resident of Jammu and Kashmir. The law punished him. Speaking about that punishment is allowed by the same law." JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar reached the Jawaharlal Nehru University premises on Thursday hours after being released from Tihar jail where he was lodged on the charge of sedition, triggering celebrations on the campus that had lately become a venue for vociferous protests. Students and teachers eagerly awaiting to catch a glimpse of Kanhaiya had gathered at the Ganga Dhaba from where they will take out a victory march to the Administration Block which has become a venue of protest since his arrest on 12 February. People also queued up outside Kumar's hostel Brahmaputra with 'dhols' and 'daflis' to accompany him during the march. Meanwhile, two separate meetings of the students union and JNU teachers association were underway to decide the future course of action. Kanhaiya is expected to address the gathering after the march. However, the university administration maintained the report of the high-level committee has not been submitted to it yet. "The five-member panel had a deadline till 12 am today. The varsity will take a call based on the recommendations of the panel," a senior JNU official said. "Kanhaiya was released from the jail at around 6.30 pm after his bail bond and release orders were properly scrutinised," Additional IG (Prisons) and Tihar Spokesperson Mukesh Prasad said. The student leader was greeted with loud cheers by his supporters when he came out of Tihar Jail. Celebrations also erupted on the JNU campus. A court in New Delhi had ordered the release of JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar from the Tihar jail after he furnished bail bond in the sedition case, a day after he was granted six months' interim bail by the Delhi High Court. Kanhaiya, who was in Tihar jail after being remanded to judicial custody in connection with the case, had furnished his bail bond before a magistrate at a makeshift court in a police station in New Delhi. According to the sources, the magistrate had accepted his bail bond and ordered his release from jail. Sources had told PTI that he had furnished a personal bond of Rs 10,000 and one surety of the like amount as directed by high court on Wednesday. A faculty member of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), professor SN Malakar, had stood surety for him. Kanhaiya was granted interim bail after the high court had observed that FIR lodged in connection with an on-campus event that led to his arrest on sedition charge suggested it "is a case of raising anti-national slogans which do have the effect of threatening national integrity". He was arrested on 12 February in the case in which he and others, including two arrested JNU students Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, are accused of raising anti-India slogans during an event organised inside the JNU campus on 9 February. The two other students who were arrested are presently in judicial custody. (With inputs from PTI) New Delhi: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has asked schools to encourage students, teachers and parents to download the 'Narendra Modi mobile app' so that they can share their experiences with the Prime Minister. The Board issued a notification after the Prime Minister in one of his 'Mann ki Baat' radio addresses urged students to face examinations with confidence and optimism while seeking their response through the Narendra Modi app. In its notification, CBSE has invited students, teachers and parents to give a feedback on their own experiences about examinations on the Narendra Modi Mobile App. Students can share their experiences of taking examinations while teachers and parents can also recount their experiences, the CBSE notification said. The Prime Minister will also be sharing some of his own thoughts, it added. "All School Heads are requested to encourage their students, teachers and parents to download the App, and share their experiences on how to overcome the stress of taking examinations," the CBSE notification said. The CBSE also mentioned part of the Prime Minister's radio address in which he had mentioned that final Examinations for grade 10th and 12th will be conducted in the coming days. The PM had said that it is his wish that students who have got success, share their experiences on how they have spent the tension-free days of examination, regarding the atmosphere in the family, teachers, elders, efforts made by them, or any tips or suggestions. "You must have had good experiences. This time you can send your experiences on Narendra Modi App," the PM had said in his 'Mann ki Baat' address on January 31, the CBSE notification said. PTI Underworld don Rajendra S Nikhalje alias Chhota Rajan's counsel told a special MCOCA court in Mumbai on Thursday that his voice samples have been provided to the CBI. Rajan, an accused in the murder of journalist J Dey in 2011, was presented before the court via a video link from New Delhi's Tihar Central Jail. Rajan's lawyer Anshuman Sinha then made the statement before special MCOCA judge SS Adkar. The court then directed the CBI to file a progress report in the case on March 14, the next date of the hearing. Rajan had consented to give his voice samples for a test last month, but later backed out. CBI prosecutor Bharat Badami had urged that a recording of telephonic conversations, allegedly between Rajan and another person, had been submitted to the court by the Mumbai police, which the agency wanted to compare with the gangster's voice. On January 19, the special court granted permission to the CBI to interrogate Rajan for 10 days beginning January 27. Dey, a veteran crime reporter and investigations editor at Mumbai tabloid Mid-Day, was shot dead near his home in Powai on 11 June, 2011, by four motorcycle-borne assailants. The murder, allegedly committed at Rajan's behest, took place near a D'Mart outlet at Powai's Hiranandani complex, while Dey was riding his two-wheeler. Rajan was nabbed from Bali airport in Indonesia on 25 October, 2015, and deported to India. Apart from the Dey murder case, he is also facing 70 other cases. The Maharashtra government subsequently handed over all the cases to the CBI. IANS New Delhi: The Delhi Police has said that there is "sufficient evidence" against TERI Executive Vice Chairman R K Pachauri that he sexually harassed, stalked and threatened his former woman colleague, in its charge sheet filed before a court here. The charge sheet, which was filed a year after the 29-year -old former research analyst of TERI lodged the complaint against Pachauri, also said that the probe in the case was complete and the accused may be called through notice and put on trial for his "criminal act". The charge sheet filed on Tuesday, the copy of which was accessed today, said "Investigation of the case has been completed in all aspects." "There is sufficient evidence against accused person as he had committed offences under sections 354 of IPC by outraging her modesty, 354A by making physical contact, unwelcome and sexually coloured remarks, 354D as he followed her through emails and text messages," the charge sheet filed before Metropolitan Magistrate Shivani Chauhan said. "...Under section 506 by threatening her of dire consequences regarding her job if she does not fulfil his wishes even after she had rebuked him not to indulge in such activities of stalking and 509 by teasing and using vulgar gesture and actions," it said. "Therefore, on the basis of statements and evidences on record there are sufficient evidence against the accused under sections 354, 354A, 354D, 506, 509 of IPC. Hence he may be called through notice, witnesses may be summoned and the accused person be trailed for his criminal act as per procedure of law," the charge sheet, running into over 1400 page along with the annexures, said. Pachauri has denied all the allegations against him. PTI Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Thursday said political parties are making a mockery of the judiciary by not following its orders prohibiting putting up of illegal hoardings and banners in the state. "Since a year we have been passing orders asking political parties not to put up illegal banners and posters. But 90 per cent political parties are not paying heed to this. Nobody is abiding by the orders. They are making a mockery of us," a division bench of Justices A S Oka and Shalini Phansalkar-Joshi said. The court was hearing a bunch of public interest litigations on the issue of illegal banners, hoardings and posters put up by political parties across the state. "We have to take strong action, only then this will stop. The moment we find there has been a breach of our orders there will be contempt notice issued," the court said. Petitioner's lawyer Uday Warunjikar today informed the court that on February 27, several posters were put up by political parties to celebrate 'Marathi Bhasha Diwas'. The court was also informed by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) counsel Anil Sakhre that on one occasion in suburban Deonar, when municipal officers had gone to remove illegal hoardings, they were beaten by members of a political party which had put up the banners. He, however, did not name the party. "FIR has also been lodged against unknown persons in the case. The high court had directed for two policemen to escort the municipal team while they remove illegal hoardings, but no such protection is given," he said. The court directed Deonar police station in-charge and the investigating officer to remain present tomorrow. "This is a serious allegation. This cannot be taken lightly," the high court observed. Shiv Sena lawyer Vishwajeet Sawant today suggested to the court that anytime a person sees an illegal hoarding, he or she can approach the concerned political party and request them to remove it. "If the political party does not remove it, then the civic body can take action," he said. The court, however, said, "You think political leaders are not aware that such hoardings are being put up? You think it is so easy for a common man to enter a party's office and complain. Here municipal officers need protection, what will be the plight of a common man then," the court said. PTI Editor's Note: This article was originally published on 4 March, 2016. It is being republished in the context of Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's statement that the Congress 'seriously compromised' India's national security with its handling of the Ishrat Jahan case. The eminence of a lawyer is often directly proportional to her/his ease with words and use of convenient logic. Former Union home minister P Chidambaram is an eminent lawyer. His capability to defend the indefensible can hardly be underestimated. But truth, even if buried deep down, has an uncanny habit of resurfacing at inconvenient moments. The revelations of sarkari hanky-panky in the Ishrat Jahan affidavits filed before the Supreme Court, is one such inconvenient moment for Chidambaram that will not go away in a hurry. Those aware of his role in the case know that Chidambarams part in this murky affair was not limited to his personal interest in drafting the second affidavit that erased Ishrats Lashkar-e-Taiba links. Chidambarams role was much deeper going right back to the manner in which he brought in a controversial IPS officer of the Gujarat cadre Kuldip Sharma as adviser to the home ministry. Chidambaram threw all norms to the wind and inducted the officer without even the mandatory approval of the Gujarat government. Was Chidamabaram enamoured of Sharmas professional calibre and efficiency? If this is true, Sharma would surely be one of the tallest police officers the country has ever produced. But Sharma is hardly known for his outstanding policing. Far from it. He was accommodated in the North Block to actualise Chidambarams plan to implicate the then Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah in the fake encounter case. Sharma, who had fallen foul of the Modi administration, was just a handy tool to harass the state. In an article in Governance Now on 9 July, 2013, I wrote the following: "Hearsay, these days, seems to have acquired greater validity than truth. Look at the manner in which the CBI has been trying to implicate Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi and his lieutenant Amit Shah in the Ishrat Jahan encounter case. All it has so far got is specious verbal evidence of an low-rung officer claiming to have heard another senior officer telling a third that 'black beard and white beard' (obvious reference to Shah and Modi) had okayed the execution. "The CBI had no problem making a mischievous mention of this bit of first rate hearsay in its chargesheet in the Ishrat case. But it conveniently omitted any mention of the recorded statement of David Coleman Hadley that Ishrat was indeed an LeT operative because that is supposed to have been mere hearsay. Headleys statement, recorded by the National Investigating Agency (NIA), would not have undermined the CBIs basic charge that the encounter was staged. But since the CBI is seeking to build a case that a minorities-unfriendly administration bumped off an innocent college girl, it chose to treat the NIA records as hearsay. "Government agencies are past masters at resorting to hearsay and half-truths when it suits them. But rarely have they influenced the political discourse so much as they are doing now in the Ishrat case. In this context this bit of hearsay about Amit Shah is worth recounting. After he was arrested in the Sohrabuddin fake encounter case by the CBI, Amit Shah was under constant pressure to turn approver and implicate Modi. "Arre bhai aap bania parivar se ho (Look, you are a bania) why are you putting yourself through so much trouble, just name Modi and be done with it," he was constantly nagged by CBI officers. Shah dutifully passed this information to top BJP political bosses. "The rest is history. But what is particularly galling is the use of the home ministry as an instrument to stoke revolt in the IPS officers of Gujarat cadre. The office of Kuldip Sharma as adviser to Chidambaram came in handy to carry out these designs. There have been umpteen stories of the union home ministry encouraging police officers to revolt against the state government. The protective umbrella of the home ministry was a perfect indemnity for these officials." The manner in which Chidamabaram altered the affidavit is no less culpable than a similar attempt made by his colleague in the Union government, Ashwani Kumar in relation to the coal scam case. But Kumar earned the ire of the Supreme Court and lost his job while Chidambaram emerged stronger after this indiscretion. There is a reason behind it. Unlike Kumar, Chidambaram was working to execute a political plan apparently vetted and approved by the Congress high command, particularly AICC president Sonia Gandhi. And those aware of the intrigue in those times (four years before the 2014 General Election) would know about stories of late night meetings at the residences of either Ahmed Patel or former CBI chief AP Singh, in which the then CBI chief Ranjit Sinha was a regular attendee. At times when Singh was not there, his junior officers attended those meetings to finetune plans to implicate Modi and Shah in the Ishrat Jahan encounter. However it came a cropper because of the stout resistance from two home secretaries GK Pillai and RK Singh. At the same time, the Intelligence Bureau (IB) practically revolted against the political leadership for its move to implicate some senior IB officials being complicit in the encounter. As the 2014 elections drew near, CBI chief Ranjit Sinha developed cold feet and declined to include Modi's name in the chargesheet as an accomplice to the fake encounter. Notwithstanding Chidambarams moral grandstanding, he was certainly not oblivious to the fact that the encounter that killed Ishrat Jahan and three others, was carried out with the approval of the internal security establishment of the UPA government. The then national security adviser (NSA) and old top sleuth MK Narayanan, was involved at every stage of the case and has recently acknowledged in this Hindu article the fact that the intelligence agency knew of Ishrats links to the LeT. The IB followed the precedent of handing over suspected terrorists to the state police for elimination. Anyone with even an elementary brush with the intelligence operations in the country would know how agencies carry out counter-terrorist operations in insurgency-prone areas. Chidambaram was no novice in the home ministry. His own operation against Maoists across the country known popularly as 'Operation Greenhunt' was nothing but a ruthless pursuit and elimination of suspected naxals jointly by the intelligence agencies and security forces. But what was acceptable to Chidambaram in 'Operation Greenhunt' was unacceptable to him in the Ishrat Jahan case. This change of heart for Chidambaram has far less to do with the killing of a hapless 18-year-old Muslim girl than to obtain his political objective of implicating Modi. His protestation of morality and lectures on ethics to the intelligence agencies is quite contrary to his conduct as the countrys home minister. But then Chidambaram is an eminent lawyer. By Devendra Jalihal and Shreepad Karmalkar [Editor's note: A group of 56 faculty members from IIT Madras wrote to President Pranab Mukherjee on 23 February (Tuesday) voicing a concern that institutions of higher learning in India have been turned into warzones. Devendra Jalihal and Shreepad Karmalkar, professors of Electrical Engineering Department, IIT Madras, and signatories of this petition, explain the rationale of their petition.] A university is a place of universal knowledge related to the world inside and outside human beings. For practical purposes, this universal knowledge is divided into a variety of disciplines, namely humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, formal sciences and applied sciences. The goal of universities across the world has been to absorb, store, generate and disseminate this universal knowledge, and transmit it from one generation to the next. This is the reason for funding a university from tax payers' money. India has a huge young population. Young minds are impressionable. Hence, educating them and ensuring social justice without them falling prey to the language of abuse and hate is a major challenge. This challenge can be met not by agitations, but by dialogue and debate among various perspectives in a calm atmosphere. If instead of the above lofty ideals, debate and dissent based on unfettered freedom speech becomes the foremost goal of a university, dialogue and debate may slip into hate and abuse as has happened in some Indian universities. These universities would then cease to attract talent or be crucial national assets in addressing problems; they would nurture despair rather than hope. This is what we alerted in our petition to the president. The Presidents of India notably Pranab Mukherjee and Late Abdul Kalam are patrons of knowledge and have been calling for Indian universities to reach landmark successes and to be renowned in the world. For this purpose, universities ought to have a metric of success. This metric could be different for different universities and disciplines. For example, IITs are trying to promote a metric based on the contributions of IIT graduates to the national or global economy. A Pan IIT study conducted in 2008 came out with a figure of Rs 20 lakh crore as the the total wealth generated by IITians. Eventually, the tax payer will judge the performance of a university by such metrics and not by agitations and protests. (Inputs from KK Mukherjee and Narayanan N are gratefully acknowledged.) The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) has dismissed claims made by an 18-year-old Class XII student from a village near Kolkata that the US space agency has selected her for its prestigious Goddard Internship Programme under the Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS). Nasa has stated that it has no record of anyone by the name Sataparna Mukherjee being granted a scholarship, reports The Huffington Post. The Times of India had earlier reported that Sataparna Mukherjee was among the five scholars chosen from across the world for the GIP, a programme which selects five exceptional individuals from across the world every year and funds their entire education after school. However, in a revelation made to The Huffington Post, Michael Cabbage, associate chief for communications, Nasa GISS, clarified that it does not have any record of anyone by that name being granted an internship or scholarship. While Mukherjee claimed that she will pursue her graduation, post-graduation and PhD (as Nasa faculty) in aerospace engineering at its London Astrobiology Centre, Nasa clarified that it does not have any such facility in London and its internships are awarded to students who are US citizens. Criticising media outlets for not verifying the basic facts of this story, The Wire said that Mukherjee's Black Hole Theory is misleading as well as misinformed. When Nasa's clarification came to light, Mukherjee told DNA that the US space agency is denying the claim because of a confidentiality agreement and that Nasa has sent her flight tickets to London. Mukherjee's father, Pradeep, who is still under the impression that Satparna will be flying to London told The Huffington Post, "We are just applying for the visa now." Thane: Investigators probing the Thane massacre are burning the midnight oil to explore the possibility of killer Hasnain Warekar suffering from a split personality disorder that might have drove him to slaughter 14 members of his family. A senior police officer, who is a member of the probe team, on Thursday said that they are trying to put together all the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle to figure out the behavioural pattern of the 35-year-old accused with the help of several mental health experts and criminologists to arrive at a conclusion as to what led him to execute the mass murders and whether he was a victim of a spilt or multiple personality. Also, during searches at his house, certain medicines pointing to psychological symptoms/illness were recovered, which the officer said is likely to give some leads into Hasnain's state of mind before the macabre killings. Now, police are trying to locate the pharmacist from where the medicines were procured and the doctor who prescribed them, he said. According to police, even though locals remember Hasnain as a good-natured and religious man, his dark side came to light on Sunday when he mercilessly butchered 14 his family members and then ended his life after a weekend feast. In the last couple of days, the police team has been recording statements of Hasnain's relatives and friends besides the caretaker of the Pardesi Baba Darghah (also known as Durgha Hazrat Gaji Salauddin Shah Baba) which he used to visit often. Police are also probing into the black magic angle to ascertain whether he was influenced by any such practise or followed any self-styled godman. When contacted in this regard, the caretaker, however refused to make any comments. Police had also learnt from neighbours that Hasnain used to slaughter goats for 'kurbani' (sacrifice) ritual and therefore knew how to use a butcher's knife that was used in the crime. A police official from Kasarwadavali station said they have collected the blood and nail samples of the lone survivor of the incident, Subiya Barmar. Among those killed in the shocking incident were Hasnain's parents, wife, sisters and children. The accused slit their throats with a knife after offering them drinks laced with sedatives at the family house in Kasarvadawali area on Thane outskirts, and then committed suicide by hanging himself. In a chilling testimony, a traumatised Subiya (22) on Wednesday told a team of investigators at a hospital in Thane that she saw her brother holding a blood-stained butcher's knife in his hand and menacingly approaching her shouting that he has killed everyone in the family and it was her turn now. Meanwhile, an uneasy calm prevailed at the 'Warekar Manzil' (Hasnain's house) in Wadavali. The residence that was a mute witness to the abominable act, has been sealed by police and it would be handed over to relatives only after the probe is over and an abatement summary report filed before the court, the official from Kasarwadavalli police station said. Even locals are yet to recover from the shock. Rajesh Gavli, one of the villagers who knew the family very well told visiting newsmen that Warekars displayed a very good conduct and never got involved in any issues. "How this happened is astounding," he said. A local Congress leader and the first elected Municipal Corporator of the Thane Municipal Corporation Janardhan Atmaram Patil was also acquainted with the Warekars. "I have been here for years together. The family was a respectable one. Hasnain rushed to help anyone who was in need. Even when I was the village sarpanch and corporator I knew them very well and was in close contact with them. The family had no issues. They did not not have any property disputes. What drove them to this is unimaginable", he said. At about ten minutes distance is the renowned Pardesi Baba Dargah. A board put up at the Dargah entrance contains the name of the alleged accused's father (Anwar Warekar) as one of the trustees. It states that any one wanting to donate for the Dargah in kind or cash may contact the trustees. According to police, Hasnain, a commerce graduate, used to prepare Income Tax-related documents with a CA firm in Navi Mumbai and did not have any permanent job. PTI Hyderabad: A software engineer was hacked to death by unidentified assailants in Secunderabad, the twin city of Hyderabad, on Thursday, police said. Four people, who came in a car, attacked Sanjay Junge, 25, with knives while he was walking near Swapnalok Complex in Secunderabad early in the morning. The techie, who was working in Sutherland Global Services, died on the spot. A security guard and some policemen, who noticed the car, tried to give a chase but it managed to escape towards Tank Bund. Police suspect a fight among friends led to the murder. The body was shifted to Gandhi Hospital for autopsy. A case has been registered at Mahankali police station. Deputy Commissioner of Police (north zone) Prakash Reddy said special teams have been constituted to track down the assailants. IANS By Shishir Tripathi Kanhaiya Kumar, president of the students' union at Jawaharlal Nehru University, reached the university on Thursday evening. His "conservative treatment" as Judge Pratibha Rani called it in her bail order judgement has already started. He will engage in "constructive work" and he will, hopefully, remain "in the mainstream". Hopefully, he does not participate "actively or passively in any activity which may be termed as anti-national". Hopefully, a "second line of treatment" is not required and, God forbid, the "need for surgical intervention" doesn't arise. Hopefully, Kumar understands that he is "enjoying this freedom only because our borders are guarded by our armed and paramilitary forces". Hopefully, he understands that, as president of JNU students' union, he is "responsible and accountable for any anti-national event" organised in the campus. Hopefully, he understands that "the kind of slogans raised may have a demoralising effect on the families of martyrs who returned home in coffins draped in the Indian tricolour". And hopefully, the truth is also established. The truth about the 9 February incident: who organised the event, who were the real culprits, which slogans were shouted and whether shouts of "Pakistan Zindabad" actually reverberated in the air at Sabarmati Dhaba. A lot will depend on how the police ascertain the merits of the case; whether they do so with much-required neutrality or with an agenda. So far, authorities investigating the case against the JNU students' union president and five other students accused of sedition seem to be ardent believers of this Kafkaesque assertion: "You don't need to accept everything as true; you only have to accept it as necessary". If you are putting a word (read anti-national) in someone's mouth, do it if it is necessary; believe it; and then enforce it to the hilt. According to various forensic reports, three out of the seven video clips of the alleged anti-national sloganeering at the university on 9 February, examined by the Delhi government, were found to have been doctored. Before this, the Delhi Police had accepted in court that Kumar cannot be seen in any of the videos touted as being the main evidence to prove his culpability; a fact that has been placed on record in his bail order. Without casting any aspersions on the witnesses, it is pertinent to highlight the fact that most of the witnesses enlisted by the investigating agencies are either JNU security personnel or members of the ABVP. The bench of the Delhi High Court that granted bail to Kumar asked the police: "Do you know what sedition is?" Let us assume that they know what sedition is, though there are serious doubts about whether the police knows what actually happened on 9 February who organised the event, who raised the "anti-national" slogans and on what grounds were Rama Naga and Anant Prakash Narayan booked when they are not even seen in most of the videos going around. American sociologist Edward Shils, in his 1968 essay Student politics and universities in India, made an important observation that resonates strongly with events that took place in JNU following the incident. Commenting about the gap in our knowledge of students movements, Shills wrote, We know very little about which students participate in them in different capacities as instigators, as coadjutors, as swellers of the chorus. We do not know which students take lead in acts of violence and in other acts of aggression or defiance against authorities. We do not know the scope of the process and particularly how actions begin and expand. We do not know how many students participate in these actions and we do not know how recurrent their participation is." Shils categorically states, "We are especially deficient in our knowledge of the processes of growth of an agitation and the way in which it spreads and draws in students previously indifferent to such issues and occasions of the initial disruption". On 9 February, an event was organised where allegedly some "anti-national slogans were raised, some of which deserved undiluted and unconditional reprimands and condemnation. But what followed resonates with Shils' observation in every respect. No one was sure which students actually participated in the protest and which students raised pro-Afzal Guru and anti-India slogans. Were Kumar and other accused active participants in the event or were oblivious onlookers? Who took the lead? All this remains mired in mystery to the same extent as to the reason behind the growth of the agitation. The university authorities failed to probe the reasons behind the alienating experiences that propel a 24-year-old boy to question the very state that is helping him survive. No attempt was made to explore the reason behind the growth of this agitation and the way in which it spread and drew in students previously indifferent to such issues and occasions of the initial disruption". The JNU is currently calm, fatigued by the protests that have continued for more than three weeks now. But, at a subterranean level, there is massive intellectual churning. Students are trying to ascertain why their university was targeted. Sitting at Ganga Dhaba, a thick-bearded, beedi-smoking student told Firstpost on Tuesday night, "A lot of people here are migrants but what happened in the last few days has made them look like fugitives. They have come from places where there is a lack of proper ventilation, leave alone talking about space for expressing themselves. They have migrated from their culture, their society. And here they get the opportunity to vent their resentment. That space is also slowly being snatched." This student's statement reminds one of what Rakesh Batabyal, author of JNU: The Making of India's National University, said a few weeks ago: "Institutions help us transcend barriers and that is the only exit route for many people. JNU houses a large number of students from the Northeast; they are all refugees. They have much resentment that cannot be expressed at the places they come from. They get that space here. This space works as what they call safety valves which prevents explosions that will cause big damages." If only the university's guardians had understood this and handled the case with more empathy! Hopefully, Kumar will follow what the court expects of him. Hopefully, everyone around will become wiser, thanks to his experience. By Shishir Tripathi The conditional bail for JNU students' union president Kanhaiya Kumar may have been a minor victory for students demanding his release, but the content of the order of Justice Pratibha Rani delivers them a sobering message. The bail comes with several conditions, directives to JNU faculty and some serious observations on the exercise of freedom of speech. The thoughts reflected in the slogans raised by some of the students of JNU who organised and participated in that programme cannot be claimed to be protected as fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression, the order said and considered it as a kind of infection from which such students are suffering which needs to be controlled/cured before it becomes an epidemic. The court further added: Whenever some infection is spread in a limb, effort is made to cure the same by giving antibiotics orally and if that does not work, by following the second line of treatment. Sometimes it may require surgical intervention also. However, if the infection results in infecting the limb to the extent that it becomes gangrene, amputation is the only treatment. While dealing with the bail application of the petitioner, it has to be kept in mind by all concerned that they are enjoying this freedom only because our borders are guarded by our armed and paramilitary forces. Our forces are protecting our frontiers in the most difficult terrain in the world i.e. Siachen Glacier or Rann of Kutch, the court observed. While Tushar Mehta, additional solicitor general (ASG), opposed the bail plea of Kumar, Rahul Mehra, standing counsel for the government of NCT of Delhi submitted that given the facts and circumstances of the case, the petitioner may be released on bail. Kanhaiya Kumar's bail plea According to the judgment, Kanhaiya Kumar has claimed that there was no incident of violence after the alleged incident of raising anti-national slogans. Rather, the JNU campus remained peaceful and no disturbance was reported from within the campus. The so-called video recording of the incident by some channels has been reported to be doctored by the press. In his speech delivered on 11 February, 2016 Kumar projected himself to be a law- abiding citizen having full faith in the Constitution. He contended that he was a victim of conspiracy by certain vested elements who are fabricating evidence against him. There is no possibility of his being capable of tampering with the evidence. Kapil Sibal, appearing for Kumar, submitted that Kumar has no role in that event. His name also does not appear on the poster of that event, contents of which were considered anti-national. The petitioner has not been seen raising anti-national slogans in any of the video footage. The defence counsel also submitted that the role of the Kumar is limited to the extent that he reached the spot in his capacity as president of JNUSU, on coming to know about the tension between the two groups. After the situation came under control, he left the spot. Ground on which the bail was opposed Tushar Mehta, additional solicitor general (ASG), referred to the statement of various witnesses to describe the role played by the petitioner in organising and participating in the event. Mehta contended that merely because the petitioner is not a signatory on the application form for seeking permission for the programme, is not sufficient to infer that he has nothing to do with the event and referred to the statement of various witnesses recorded to describe the role played by the petitioner in organising and participating in the event. Mehta also stressed that Kumar also talked to the concerned authorities showing his resentment about the cancellation of the permission and his active participation in the event, which led to a situation that the police had to be called and both the factions of the students raising slogans were separated. The ASG also took the plea that the speech given by the petitioner on 11 February, 2016 was part of his strategy to create a defence and opposed the bail. The courts observations The petitioner has been remanded to police custody thrice and has also joined the investigation. He is no more required for investigation of this case. The court observed that while Kanhaiya accepted his presence at the event on 9 February, the role played by the petitioner on that day is the subject matter of investigation and it is desirable at this stage to leave it to the investigating agency to unearth the truth. It added, It is not disputed by the State at this stage that in the footage of video recording of the incident, the petitioner has not been seen raising anti-national slogans. On the ASGs claim that the 11 February speech was part of his strategy to create a defence, the court observed that Whether the speech dated 11 February, 2016 by the petitioner contains his original thoughts and faith in the Constitution and nationalist approach, or the speech was to create a safety gear for himself is again something which cannot be examined by this Court at this stage. Courts observation on Sedition. While describing what sedition means and what sort of punishment it attract the court observed that it is again subject to outcome of investigation that will determine the category in which the accusations against the petitioner would fall. On the responsibility of Kumar As the president of Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union, the petitioner was expected to be responsible and accountable for any anti-national event organised in the campus, the court observed. The binary: Freedom of speech we enjoy is because of the soldiers While dealing with the bail application of the petitioner, it has to be kept in mind by all concerned that they are enjoying this freedom only because our borders are guarded by our armed and paramilitary forces. Our forces are protecting our frontiers in the most difficult terrains in the world i.e. Siachen Glacier or Rann of Kutch, the court observed. It added, Suffice it to note that such persons enjoy the freedom to raise such slogans in the comfort of the university campus, without realising that they are in this safe environment because our forces are there at the battlefield situated at the highest altitude of the world where even the oxygen is so scarce that those who shout anti-national slogans holding posters of Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhat close to their chest honouring their martyrdom, may not be even able to withstand those conditions for even an hour. The kind of slogans raised may have demoralising effect on the family of those martyrs who returned home in a coffin draped in the tricolor," the court said. Directives The court told the faculty of JNU to play its role in guiding students to the right path so that they can contribute to the growth of the nation and to achieve the object and vision for which Jawaharlal Nehru University was established. The court stated that, The reason behind the anti-national views in the minds of students who raised slogans on the death anniversary of Afzal Guru, who was convicted for the attack on our Parliament... has not only to be found by them, but remedial steps are also required to be taken in this regard by those managing the affairs of JNU, so that there is no recurrence of such incident. While considering Kumars family background, some concession to the petitioner on the monetary aspect for the purpose of furnishing the bond was given by the court, however, the same court also held that Kumar can be required to furnish an undertaking to the effect that he will not participate actively or passively in any activity which may be termed as anti-national. Apart from that, as president of JNU Students' Union, he will make all efforts within his power to control anti-national activities in the campus. His surety should also be either a member of the faculty or a person related to the petitioner in a manner that he can exercise control on the petitioner not only with respect to appearance before the court, but also to ensure that his thoughts and energy are channelized in a constructive manner, the order read. A two-month-old baby girl suffering from "frequent and silent heart attacks" that were damaging her heart muscles, was successfully operated upon at a Mumbai hospital, doctors said. According to the doctors at the Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital and Research Centre, when baby Aditi was brought to them, she was breathing too fast, feeding poorly and crying incessantly. "Doctors conducting an echocardiography on her found an abnormal artery origin which was turning away majority of the blood supply from the heart, and was reversing the blood flow away from the heart as well," a statement from the hospital said. "Having been born with this defect, the baby was suffering repeated heart attacks," the statement added. Aditi was born in Barshi and her parents knew by the tenth day that something was wrong, reports Mid-Day. They took her to a child specialist in Pune, Dr Chandrakant More, who diagnosed her as suffering from Anomalous Left Coronary Artery from Pulmonary Artery (ALCAPA). In this condition, a lesion is caused by an abnormal origin of the left coronary artery-the artery that carries impure blood to lungs. In the case of a normal baby, pressure in the lungs normalises seven days after birth. But in Aditis case, the lesion diverted the pink (pure) blood, thereby severely reducing the supply of pure blood to the heart. It resulted in the so-called frequent and silent heart attacks that damaged the heart muscles, according to a statement from the hospital. This defect is extremely rare and easily missed by doctors. "Nine out of 10 such babies die within a year. In this case, the credit goes to especially the mother, to pick up the signs," Dr Shivaprakash told Mumbai Mirror. Preeti and her husband brought Aditi to Mumbai and on the recommendation of relatives, took her to Reliance Foundation Hospital, reports Free Press Journal. After conducting the initial tests and confirming Aditi did suffer from ALCAPA, a team led by Dr Shivaprakash, chief surgeon and head of Paediatric Heart Centre at the hospital, operated on the baby on 22 February. The hospital said in a statement that the surgery lasted nine hours. The artery was disconnected from its abnormal origin, and was reimplanted at its right place in the aorta. A patch of the tissue covering the babys heart was used to reconstruct that part from where the artery was harvested. Doctors ensured that the reconstructed heart was supported for 30 minutes so that it functions properly. For the first three days after the surgery, Aditi had stiff lungs. However, her condition stabilised after five days and she is likely to be discharged in the next few days. A team of intensivists, cardiac surgeons, cardiologists, cardiac anaesthesiologists, and paediatricians meet twice a day to review her progress. She is expected to lead a normal life, the hospital said. Mumbai Mirror reports that the surgery bill ran up to Rs 3 lakh, after the hospital subsidised the cost. With inputs from IANS Geneva: It is typically triggered by episodes of severe emotional distress, such as grief, anger or fear, with patients developing chest pains and breathlessness. Happy events such as a birthday party or wedding can trigger a condition known as "broken heart syndrome" which may lead to cardiac arrest and death, a new study has claimed. Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) is known as "broken heart syndrome" and is characterised by a sudden temporary weakening of the heart muscles that causes the left ventricle of the heart to balloon out at the bottom while the neck remains narrow. Since this relatively rare condition was first described in 1990, evidence has suggested that it is typically triggered by episodes of severe emotional distress, such as grief, anger or fear, with patients developing chest pains and breathlessness. It can lead to heart attacks and death. For the first time, scientists from University Hospital Zurich in Switzerland have systematically analysed data from the largest group of patients diagnosed with TTS worldwide, and found that some patients have developed the condition after a happy or joyful event. They have named it "happy heart syndrome". Researchers analysed data from 1750 patients. They found 485 patients where there was a definite emotional trigger. Of these, 20 (4 per cent) had TTS that had been precipitated by happy and joyful events, such as a birthday party, wedding, surprise farewell celebration, a favourite rugby team winning a game, or the birth of a grandchild. Researchers found that 465 (96 per cent) had occurred after sad and stressful events, such as death of a spouse, child or parent, attending a funeral, an accident, worry about illness, or relationship problems; one occurred after an obese patient got stuck in the bath. As many as 95 per cent of the patients were women in both the "broken hearts" and "happy hearts" groups, and the average age of patients was 65 among the "broken hearts" and 71 among the "happy hearts", confirming that the majority of TTS cases occur in post-menopausal women. "We have shown that the triggers for TTS can be more varied than previously thought. A TTS patient is no longer the classic "broken hearted" patient, and the disease can be preceded by positive emotions too," said Jelena Ghadri from University Hospital Zurich. "Our findings broaden the clinical spectrum of TTS. They also suggest that happy and sad life events may share similar emotional pathways that can ultimately cause TTS," said Ghadri. Researchers found that "happy heart" patients were more likely to have hearts that had ballooned in the mid-ventricle than "broken heart" patients (35 per cent versus 16 per cent). The findings were published in the European Heart Journal. PTI Auto refresh feeds Azad then said that a sedition case should also be filed against these people. "You have one agenda for the party and another agenda for the government. This set of double principles is because the party fights elections on the ground and the government has to work here. You want to divide the nation...You charged Kanhaiya Kumar with sedition. Shouldn't sedition case be filed against these people?" he said. He further said, "Anant Kumar Hegde, BJP MP from Karnataka, in a press conference had said, 'I am the only who has been saying this for the past 20 years. As long as we have Islam in the world, there will be no end to terrorism in the world. If you media people have the freedom to report this, please report this.'" "We should all come together to make India the nation it once was," Rajnath said. "I would like to request all to make an effort to protect the image of India which has been there since the old days." On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the Parliament; this comes a day after Rahul Gandhi's salvo, when he asked the PM that he should not run the nation on his opinions. The house is expected to witness another storm as CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury is expected to raise the issue of doctored tapes in the JNU case in the house. Rahul Gandhi singularly targeted Prime Minister Narendra as he led the opposition attack on government in Lok Sabha, saying a "fair and lovely" scheme had been brought to launder blackmoney and slammed it over JNU and Dalit student Rohith Vemula issue besides the Pakistan policy. In acerbic remarks on Modi's style of functioning, the Congress Vice President, while participating in the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address, accused him of not listening to anyone's opinion including that of his ministers and MPs. He also ridiculed Modi's ambitious 'Make in India' programme, saying the Prime Minister has "created a 'babbar sher' (Asiatic Lion)" in which "clock and wheels are seen moving" and questioned how many jobs have been created. Hitting back, the ruling BJP said lessons on corruption should not be given by those who "looted" the country and reminded about scams like 2G and coal block allocation during the previous UPA tenure which had "tarnished" India's image among investors. Pralhad Joshi, fielded by BJP, accused the UPA of misusing the power and compromising the national security by changing the affidavit in Ishrat Jahan case with a view to "torture Modi and Amit Shah." He also mentioned the National Herald case involving top Congress leadership which currently is in courts. Gandhi, while attacking BJP, said, "You have been taught by your teachers in the RSS that there is one truth in the universe your own and nobody else's opinion matters." Focussing his attack on Modi, he said, "The Prime Minister cannot run the country with his opinion alone. The country is not PM and PM is not the country." Attacking the scheme on blackmoney announced in the budget on Monday, Gandhi said, "Nobody who has blackmoney will be jailed under Modi's 'Fair and Lovely' scheme. All those who have blackmoney can make it white under this scheme." Recalling Modi's promise of putting people with blackmoney behind bars, the Congress leader said the government had instead come up with a way to help such people. He was referring to the one-time four-month compliance window announced by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley under which people with domestic blackmoney can come clean by paying 45 per cent tax and penalty and get immunity from prosecution. Gandhi was sharply critical of the government over the turmoil in Delhi's JNU and maintained that student leader Kanhaiya Kumar, who has been charged with sedition, had not uttered a single word against the law but was behind bars while the "real culprits" were roaming free. Questioning Modi's silence over the JNU episode, Gandhi said that he had not uttered a single word when teachers and the media were attacked in the Patiala House court complex in the capital when Kumar was brought there for a hearing. "Which religion teaches to assault teachers," he asked. In his 40-minute speech, Gandhi said 60 per cent of students in JNU belonged to dalits, minorities and OBCs. 40 per cent of them came from a poor background. "Why are you after the JNU? Because dalits and adivasis study there and you don't want them to grow. But we will not let this happen. We cannot crush the JNU," he asserted in the course of his speech interrupted by the ruling NDA members. Referring to the suicide Vemula in the Hyderabad Central University, the Congress leader said the Prime Minister had not bothered to call his mother. He also attacked Modi's Pakistan policy and accused him of releasing that country from a "little cage" in which the UPA government had put it through its diplomacy by suddenly visiting Lahore to have tea with his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif. "What did the Prime Minister do? He decided to have a cup of tea with Nawaz Sharif without any vision. He decided to take a detour to Pakistan. Just like the Naga Accord, he did not bother to consult anyone...the people in intelligence, the diplomats. "Perhaps he did not even talk to (External Affairs Minister) Sushmaji (Swaraj). Only his opinion matters. He single-handedly destroyed the six years of work done by the UPA," Gandhi said. "When he stopped over at Pakistan without talking to the professionals in our government, the Prime Minister disrespected our flag. He disrespected those who died in Mumbai and Pathankot," the Congress Vice President said. Besides, he told Modi, "You cannot defend the Indian flag by destroying the relationships between Indians. You are not defending the flag when you frighten your own people into silence." Questioning whose opinion the Prime Minister respects except his own, Gandhi urged him to reach out to the Opposition, Gandhi made it clear that the opposition does not consider the government as an "enemy" and "does not hate you". Gandhi also raked up the 26/11 attack to target Modi, saying when security forces were battling terrorists, the then Gujarat Chief Minister went to the attack site in Mumbai and "disturbed" the entire operation. "The then government of India begged the then CM of Gujarat again and again not to go to Mumbai because he would disturb the operation. Did he care? No. He went right ahead to Mumbai, to the Oberoi hotel itself and disturbed the entire operation. He grabbed his headlines while our people died," he said. "There is only one truth in the RSS. One truth in universe your own. Nobody else's opinion matters in entire universe. This is all you have shown in last two years. PM cannot run the country with his opinion. Country is not PM. PM is not country," he said. Insisting that National Flag is much more than cloth, he noted that former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic and and Pakistan President Yayha Khan used to salute their flags but ultimately ended in breaking their nations. "Yahya Khan did not listen to the sentiments among the Bengalese and Punjabis," he said. Responding to Gandhi's accusations, Pralhad Joshi said "Those who have looted this country are talking about corruption." He alleged corruption was rampant during the UPA rule and coal blocks were allocated by the government on the recommendations of the Congress party. "There was time when foreign investors used to say that they have to bribe Congress if they wanted to invest in India," the BJP member said. The Modi government, Joshi said, was unlike the previous UPA government wherein "Prime Minister used to preside, and madam used to decide." Mulayam Singh Yadav (SP) said the government should think whay the people especially poor, farmers, intellectuals and workers have turned against it within a short period of two years. The BJP, he said, should also think why its relationship with Shiv Sena and Akali Dal is getting soured. He said the government should not think of scrapping reservation in jobs which was achieved after great struggle. With regard to JNU incident, Yadav said it would be wrong to accuse students and Left parties of sedition and the government must learn to respect the views of others. He suggested that the government should call an all party meeting on important issues and listen to the views of others. Supriya Sule (NCP) said the government should find out who had doctored the tapes in connection with the JNU controversy. She said the government should walk the extra mile to deal with the problem of agraran distress and farmer suicide. Thota Narasimham (TDP) said every move of the government should be in the direction of removal of poverty. "Benefit of growth should accrue to all the sections of society...there is a need to measure poverty," he said adding the government's initiatives like Clean India and Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana would help in eradication of poverty. Fruits of growth has not reached to the poor and due to the corruption and red tapism, qualified youth are applying for jobs to countries like the US, he said and attacked the previous government for politicising everything. He also demanded financial assistance and special status for the newly constituted Andhra Pradesh as "our state is facing great problem". "We want helping hand from the centre. We need special package from the Centre. I request the Union government to fulfill all the promises they have made for the state," he said adding "it will enable us to stand on our legs. Generous financial assistance for Amaravati", which is being developed as the new capital of Andhra Pradesh. He also demanded from the Railway and the Road Minister to provide connectivity to the new capital and asked the Centre to give top priority to the blue revolution in the state. A P Jithender Reddy (TRS) said that the President's Address has not mentioned about the diversity of the country. About the JNU issue, he said action must be taken whoever is found abusing the law and rule of law must be prevailed. At a time when the country is inviting companies to invest in India, situation in Haryana is getting out of control, he said. About Telangana where his party is ruling, he said the state is under stress due to drought situation and demanded from the Centre to provide additional financial support. CPI (M) member Mohammed Salim said the President's Address did not have any direction and vision and it looks like a compendium of press releases of PIB. He also said that sedition charges have been imposed on students and the government is not able to understand the anger of the students. He said the HRD minister only forwarded the letters written about the Hyderabad Central University. Discussions are happening on nationalism, which happened during the times of Britishers rule, Salim said adding a country will suffer if it go with religion. "There is a difference between rule and ruler. You are saying that the country will run by rulers and not by rules...You talked about maximum governance and minimum government. But what did we saw," he said adding in JNU there was maximum government and at Patiala Court, "we saw minimum government". "You can impose sedition charge on us, we are not afraid," he added. He also said that the President's Address did not mention about the soldiers died in Siachen. He said the Prime Minister has criticised the MNREGA for being a scheme of digging pits and now it seems he has "fallen" in the same pit. Salim said the problems of labours and farmers are increasing and the government was not able to do anything for that. Further he said that the government has claimed that they have distributed 6 crore LED bulbs but nobody knows where those bulbs are and there is also a mis match in the figures of Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana. "Government is running from its responsibilities," he added. Varaprasad Rao (YSR Congress) said that still lot of villages are under poverty...40 per cent do not have ration cards and unless that is done, poverty can not be eliminated... I do not think that anybody is getting into the nitty-gritty of the poorest of poor". He said that in the last 2 years, nothing has been changed and no specific steps have been taken for eradication of corruption or to punish the corrupt. He also demanded special status for Andhra Pradesh. "It is unfortunate that nothing has been done in this direction. The Central government should come to our rescue and declare special status," he added. Jaiprakash Narayan Yadav (RJD) said the government has done U-turn from all its promises and it has not done anything to bring back black money. "Youth have not get any employment. Prices of commodities like pulses are going up. 'Acche din nai aaye', because pulses prices are ruling at Rs 200 per kg," he said adding the Centre is doing discrimination with Bihar. He also said that JNU student leader Kanhaiya Kumar is innocent and he is being framed with wrong charges. He said the government will be impacted by "Dadri, Dal and Dalit". Upendra Kushwaha of Rashtriya Lok Samata Party said the representation of OBC, SC and STs are not good in the judiciary and "the country wants to know why is this situation". Attacking the government, Bhagwant Mann (AAP) said the BJP government asked for vote in the name on Digital India and bullet trains but this government is talking about "what to eat and what not to eat". He said the government has waived off loans of corporates but they did nothing for farmers and questioned "why the government is not implementing the suggestions of the report of Dr Swaminathan". "This is an anti dalit government. Rohith Vemula was murdered, he did not commit suicide...What is the relation with Pakistan. The Prime Minister has said that if they will cut one head, we will bring 15 but now he is drnking tea with them," he said. Sirajuddin Ajmal, All India United Democratic Front, said that although the good work of the government should be appreciated but the things that have not been done, need to pointed out. "Prices of essential commodities are rising. They are touching the sky. Millions of people are under poverty and the government is not doing anything. Communal riots have alo increased in teh last one year," he said adding these issues were not addressed in the President's Address. He also said that the minority status of Aligarh Muslim University and Jamia Millia Islamia University should not be disturbed. He said that floods situation in Assam is not good and something special should be done to deal with the situation. Anupriya Patel of NDA constituent Apna Dal commented on Rahul Gandhi's remark about "Fair and Lovely" scheme and said she has not heard of any such scheme instead there was a face cream with this name which Indian women use. P Venugopal of AIADMK said the Centre should extend a helping hand to Chennai, which was hit hard by the torrential rains. "The Centre has not taken note of this tragedy...we still look forward to some package..it needs to be treated as national disaster," he said. Saugata Roy of Trinamool Congress said: "I cannot support the motion...You make the President's speech which he does not feel". "This speech came in the backgound of the event of Kanhaiya Kumar. Police repeatedly saying that Kanhaiya did not give seditious speech," he said, adding several people have said that Section 124A should be done away with and "I support this". Naga People's Front MP Neiphiu Rio lauded the government for the historic Naga Accord terming it as a "bold step". He said former Prime Ministers Morarji Desai, Narsimha Rao and especially Atal Behari Vajpayee understood the uniquness of the Naga history. Speaking against the motion, AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi said although the government credo was 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas', this was only on paper, but not in practice. INLD MP Dushyant Chautala said the government should focus on giving quality education to people of the country. Raising the issue of MPLAD funds, JMM MP Vijay Kumar Hansdak said the either the limit of the funds should be increased to Rs 25 crore or else it should be completely stopped and instead the MPs should get a greater say in the Central schemes. PTI Editor's Note: As Tamil Nadu heads into poll frenzy, the overarching theme of the campaigns both by the ruling party as well as the Opposition is that of governance. While Opposition parties like the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) claim a breakdown of governance in the current regime, the ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam argues that governance has never been better in the state. In this series, Firstpost takes a dive into various aspects of governance in the past five years to analyse the merits and demerits of each partys claim. The first part of the series examined criticism, the second part looked at how populist politics are eating away at the economy, while the third in the series sought to explore corruption. In his small house at the edge of a Dalit colony in Omalur town in Salem, V Kalaiselvan, 24, sobs like a child. The lone photo album in his house brings on the tears - memories of carefree years, the only holiday the family had been on in 2003 to Tirupati. Kalai has seen tragedy very young. When he was in Class X, his father died of ill health. Last year his younger brother, Gokulraj, was allegedly murdered due to his caste. "My father Venkatachalam was a neat, stylish man," said Kalai in between sobs. "He was a government bus driver. He used to tell us that an education was most important. Gokul used to look just like dad, had his exact same mannerisms. Now he too is gone," he cried. Kalai explains after his tears, that the once happy family fell upon hard times and grew apart after his dad died. Following Gokul's tragic end, life, he says, appears pointless. Gokulraj, a 21-year-old engineer, was found lying decapitated on the railway tracks near Erode in 2015. Subsequently, police found that the cause for the murder was caste - Gokul, a Dalit belonging to the Scheduled Paraiyar caste, was allegedly murdered for talking to a classmate, a girl from the "upper" Gounder caste in Tiruchengode. The alleged killer Yuvaraj was finally taken into custody after four months of taunting the Tamil Nadu police. Kalaiselvan's anger which has now turned to helpless grief is not his alone. In 2014, Tamil Nadu had the dubious distinction of ranking number two in the country behind Maharashtra in terms of caste riots. In the past five years of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) regime, a number of cases of caste violence have taken place. In 2011, a mob of Dalit youths was fired upon by the police in Paramakudi, killing seven. Dalits alleged that the police opened fire without provocation and without first warning the mob or firing rubber bullets. Police claim that the mob was armed and attacked them first. In 2012, violence broke out in the northern districts as "upper" caste Vanniyars torched 200 huts in Natham Colony, a Dalit area in Dharmapuri district. The reason was that a Vanniyar girl had eloped with a Dalit boy Ilavarasan. Her anguished father committed suicide, leading to the huts being torched. Subsequently the girl returned home to Dharmapuri after living with Ilavarasan for some months. A devastated Ilavarasan allegedly committed suicide by lying down on the railway tracks. Dalit groups insist that Ilavarasan was murdered, while police say both post mortems clearly show suicide. This case triggered a number of revenge attacks across the state. "Dalit murders have increased in this regime," said Kathir, convenoe of NGO Evidence, which deals with cases of atrocities against Dalits. "There are two types of atrocities state violence against Dalits and caste groups related violence. 38 commissions on enquiry were set up between 1999 to 2015. All commissions of inquiry have gone with police version so far. Every year murders of Dalit Panchayat Presidents and other caste related violence taking place. This is a caste attack, not simply caste violence," he stated. In 2013 came the Marakkanam caste violence in which members of the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) clashed with Dalit groups like Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK). In August 2015, Dalit huts were burnt in Seshasamudram village near Kallakurichi. Apart from these, a series of murders and sporadic violence have marred the current regime's record. Activists say that the rival Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has nothing to crow about in terms of preventing caste related violence. "If there was a Paramakudi firing incident in 2011 in the AIADMK period, there was a Thamirabarani police firing in 1999 in which 17 were killed," said Kathir of Evidence NGO. "This regime has not done anything to contain caste violence which has increased in an unprecedented manner," said C Lakshmanan, Associate Professor, Madras Institute of Development Studies. "There has been a huge increase in honour killings. Rule of law did not help the downtrodden," he charged. Lakshmanan states that although there may have been fewer instances of caste related violence during the previous DMK regime, both parties were similar in dealing with this specific issue. "The DMK period did not see so many violent episodes as in AIADMK term. But as Opposition party, neither party takes up the issue of violence against Dalits. There is a clear uniform undercurrent in terms of addressing the Dalit question," he stated. The ruling party places the blame for caste clshes squarely on the Opposition. "Karunanidhi himself is creating these problems by aligning with caste-based outfits and inciting them to violence," said a senior leader of the AIADMK, who did not wish to be named. "We are bringing reconciliation between caste groups and religious groups in the state," he said. Police sources stress that firm action was indeed taken during this regime to control and prevent caste clashes. "In 2012, after a petrol bomb attack between two caste groups in Pasumpon, a decision was taken to prevent outsiders from coming into villages and causing law and order problems, especially during festivals like Thevar Jayanthi, Immanuel Sekaran's birthday and any other event related to caste leaders," said a retired police officer on condition of anonymity. He explained that the Collector of the district would impose Section 144 ahead of the festival, thus preventing groups from other areas from coming in in trucks and jeeps, chanting provocative slogans like "Indha padai podhuma, innum konjam venuma" (meaning is this army enough or do you want more?). "Since people from other districts tended to act irresponsibly in the safety of anonymity, unlike locals, this curtailed misbehaviour," he added. The jury is out though as regards the handling of caste and related tensions in the state by the current regime. In 2014, Dalits voted almost en masse for Jayalalithaa. With talk of the first ever Dalit chief ministerial hopeful now doing the rounds Thol Thirumavalavan of the VCK the issue of attacks on Dalits might just become more important in this election. The author had previously conducted a detailed study of caste politics in Tamil Nadu. She tweets @sandhyaravishan Afghan security forces recaptured Taliban-held Dand-e-Ghori district in the country's northern Baghlan province on Thursday, an official said. "Government forces swept out all enemies in Dand-e-Ghori on Wednesday night. Since then, cleanup operations have continued in different parts of the district," the official said. However, he could not provide details about possible casualties, saying details would be shared with media later in the day, Xinhua News Agency reported. Dand-e-Ghori has served as a bastion for the Taliban, from where the militants have organised their activities in Baghlan and neighbouring provinces. To evict Taliban from the area, the government launched a major offensive five weeks ago during which 200 armed militants were killed. IANS The Nasreen Mohamedi retrospective in New York powered by the Nita Ambani-led Reliance Foundation trended across Indian cities with a mention every 47 seconds even as New York media showered praise on an artist whose global career has zoomed after a reclusive life which ended in relative obscurity. The #NasreenMohamedi hashtag enjoyed its top trend ranking in 4 Indian cities Jaipur, Lucknow, Nagpur and Srinagar while Chennai, Kanpur, Patna, Surat, Thane, Ranchi and Rajkot came in next. Mumbais Twitter folks spent 10 minutes at a time engaging with the #NasreenMohamedi hashtag when it reached its top trend position of 19 in this city, according to iTrended data. The #NasreenMohamedi hashtag is enjoying strong brand stength across social media - 84 % with a 60% reach and 119 unique authors on the subject matter. The Nasreen Mohamedi retrospective making waves in New York less than a week before International Women's day is significant for many narratives. "As an Indian woman, it is important for me to celebrate Nasreen Mohamedis legacy. Women will play an integral role in the transformation of India," Nita Ambani said. From 20 different locations, there were 29 top trend data points on #NasreenMohamedi. To put these numbers in context, this is the first time that an Indian artist - any Indian artist is leading the inaugural raft of exhibitions in America, not just in New York. Speaking ahead of the launch, Ambani said the Mohamedi show in New York is a "proud moment for every Indian, especially so for Indian women." "What a historic inauguration! In a patriarchal culture Nasreen Mohamedi was creating strong and assertive works," Ambani said. The historical and social narrative is not lost on world media at a time when New York's great museums are pushing to layer their collections with diversity and depth. Who is Nasreen Mohamedi - powerhouse of South Asian modernism? The New York Times chief art critics have hailed the Nasreen Mohamedi odyssey at the Met Breuer as a beautiful survey of the closely related drawings and photographs of an artist finally becoming known for her visionary, culturally inflected vision of Minimalism. The Nita Ambani-led Reliance Foundation is pushing for more Indian art on a global stage and the Mohamedi exhibition will be open to public from March 18 to June 5 at Met Breuer - a new branch of the iconic Metropolitan museum dedicated to modern and contemporary art. Links: Business Standard on Reliance Foundation toasting Nasreen Mohamedi in NY On the day of the press preview March 1, the Met-led Facebook walkthrough with Nita Ambani and Sheena Wagstaff got worldwide viewership and proved the strength and reach of a great museums fourth outpost - online. The oldest and most widely circulated art magazine in the world - ARTnews picks the Mohamedi show as one of the reasons to be optimistic about the Met's contemporary reboot, a sign of what's to come in giving art shows a wide angle that embraces more than just the western. "Another fine sign is the elegant, understated retrospective of Indian artist Nasreen Mohamedi (19371990) on the Met Breuers second floor, which signals that the institution is staking a claim as a vital venue for presenting alternate strains of modernism, developed by artists from beyond the United States and Europe, which remain too little seen in the citys museums." "The reopening of Marcel Breuer's iconic building on Madison Avenue represents an important chapter in the cultural life of New York City," said Thomas P. Campbell, Director and CEO of The Met said the opening represents an important chapter in the cultural life of New York City. "Whether frequent or first-time visitors to our Fifth Avenue building or The Met Cloisters, we look forward to welcoming everyone to The Met Breuer, which provides an unparalleled opportunity to experience modern and contemporary art through the lens of the global breadth and historical reach of The Met's collection." In other words, more art that looks more like a changing America itself. Which is how the Nasreen Mohamedi retrospective found its place in the sun as New York warms to yet another powerhouse who has found a global career after life. Generous with its nod for #IndiaAtTheMet and its place in the larger context of the epic transformation at the Met, the New York Times says the museum is on solid ground with its Mohamedi survey and also when bringing older art to life. Spanning Mohamedi's entire career and bringing together more than 130 paintings, drawings, photographs, and rarely seen diaries, the exhibition traces the conceptual complexity and visual subtlety of the artist's oeuvre. Nasreen Mohamedi is not the only artist embedded in the #IndiaAtTheMet push. Theres the workaholic Vijay Iyer, the the jazz pianist and composer who will hold court in the lobby-level gallery, playing concerts sometimes as many as six sets a day with a rotating crew of guests. Iyer performed at the inaugural press preview March 1 to ringing applause from around the world which played live on @firstpost via Periscope. The Gothamist has put together a charming mosaic of images from all the galleries open during the press preview. On Mohamedi, Gothamist has this to say: "...used repetition and elegant straight lines to create captivating graphite and paper pieces. Her clean, high-contrast art recalls the music of Steve Reich and Philip Glass. It's deceptively simple but draws you in to a very deep and quiet place." Another piece in the New York Times on the Breuer says that of the two opening exhibitions, "the Nasreen Mohamedi (1937-1990) is the more venturesome, introducing a figure whose name will be new to many Met visitors, though the art-language she speaks, abstraction, will not." Writing in art net news, Ben Davis says the Met botches its first outing in contemporary art but singles out the Mohamedi display on the second floor as worthy of applause: "An exhibition dedicated to the late Indian painter Nasreen Mohamedi, on the Met Breuer's second floor and curated by Wagstaff herself, seems a more promising gesture towards telling new kinds of art histories. But that deserves a separate review." More Links: The Art Newspaper's sneak peek inside Met Breuer More Asia, more India at one of the world's great museums Asian treasures inside a 146 year old museum The New Yorker on the Met finally embracing the 'now' (Disclaimer: Firstpost is part of Network18, owned by Reliance Industries Limited) We are not sure if it is because of the immense hatred for Donald Trump, or the immense love for Justin Trudeau, but Google recently reported a huge surge in people searching, How to move to Canada. This doesnt come as a surprise, especially in light of the recent Super Tuesday results where Republican candidate Trump won in seven states including Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Virginia, Vermont and Massachusetts. The idea that Trump might actually make it to the White House is making a lot of Americans nervous and hence a lot of them are thinking of skipping country, trying to get as far away as possible from the billionaire real-estate mogul. According to data journalist and data editor at Google Simon Rogers, the search engine, on 2 March, reported a sharp spike in the search for variations of How to Move to Canada. Rogers had tweeted saying: Searches for "how can I move to Canada" on Google have spiked +350% in the past four hours #SuperTuesday Simon Rogers (@smfrogers) March 2, 2016 By midnight, the query rose to 1,150 percent, before settling on the 500 percent mark on the day, reported Mashable.com. By Wednesday morning, Google Trends said that the searches for Move to Canada was higher than at any time in Google history. Searches for "Move to Canada" are higher than at any time in Google history #SuperTuesday pic.twitter.com/0KBJPrHdEO GoogleTrends (@GoogleTrends) March 2, 2016 We have a sneaky feeling that apart from the utter dislike people have for Trump, it is the immense popularity of Justin Trudeau that is making Canada an attractive alternative. The hunky prime minister has recently been in the news for his support for women empowerment, Syrian immigrants and the LGBT community. We cant think of a more suiting prime minister and if we have to move to Canada to get in his proximity, then I think we would do it too. Kathmandu: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday said India should not be dragged into the issues connected with the Madhesis in the Himalayan country's Terai region, calling it "an internal affair of Nepal". "The issue of Madhes is an internal affair of Nepal and the country's leaders are capable enough to handle it," he told journalists In Kathmandu after a meeting with Madhes-based leaders. "Whatever problems Nepal is facing have to be resolved by the Nepalis. India should not be dragged into Nepal's internal affairs,"he added Nitish is visiting Kathmandu to attend the 13th general convention of the Nepali Congress from Thursday onwards. "Agitating Madhes leaders told me that the rights of the Madhesis were curtailed and so they were compelled to launch an agitation. I told them it is an internal matter of Nepal and (they should) resolve it within Nepal," Nitish Kumar said. The chief minister said that India need not intervene in the political issue and will always support the development of and peace and prosperity in Nepal. The Madhes-based parties are agitating for the last six months over the new constitution adopted by Nepal last year and are demanding amendments to it to take care of interests of people living in the southern plains adjoining India. The Janata Dal-United leader said that India has no objection over the new constitution and wishes to see Nepal as a prosperous, peaceful and stable country. "Leaders here are capable of addressing the problems of pahadis, Madhesis and janjatis," he said, "We just want progress and harmony in Nepal". Former Uttarakhand chief minister Bhagat Singh Koshiyari said the Nepal-India ties are excellent and both nations hardly have any differences. "If there were any differences among the political parties of Nepal, those can be mended," he said while addressing the 13th general convention of Nepali Congress. However, Koshiyari skipped Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal's question on alleged Indian blockade of entry of goods and fuel into Nepal after the adoption of the new constitution. Jogendra Sharma of the Communist Party of India-Marxist, criticised the Indian government on the blockade issue. "We struggled in India against the blockade, both on the street and in parliament. We sought answers from the Indian authorities and demanded that an all-party delegation be sent to Nepal to know the facts," Sharma said. Elements trying to set up a Hindu state in India and spearheading bloodshed are also trying to restore the Hindu kingdom status of Nepal, Sharma said. IANS In one of his visits to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan of Central Asia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned much enlightened about the untapped potential of Indias soft power. He was immensely impressed by the popularity of old Hindi songs sung by most dignitaries he met during his official interaction. It was simply amazing, he told accompanying Indian delegates. He was equally amused by the fact that local people of Central Asia, irrespective of their status, are under the thrall of Bollywood music. In the international parlance, particularly in diplomatic circles, the significance of filmi lyrics is often understated. But Modi discussed with his experts on diplomacy and expressed his desire to leverage this untapped source of people to people bonding. In a region threatened by radical Islamisation, the soft power of Indian music and poetry provides a flicker of hope. In this context, the realisation that Indias soft power needs to be extended across the globe prompted the government to open up new vistas. Along with the conference of countries from Africa, an event was planned hosting the nations where Buddhism influenced lives. But Central Asia and South Asia feature prominently in the strategic thinking of the government. Modis recounting of emotional ties with Afghanistan while addressing its Parliament recently was part of this consistent approach. All these efforts found a resounding echo in the three-day conference known as Raisina Dialogue that began in New Delhi on Tuesday. The conference hosted by the countrys leading think tank, Observer Research Foundation (ORF), jointly with the ministry of External Affairs was represented by delegates from 130-odd nations. Though it has a global elan, the focus on South Asia, Central Asia and its connection with the rest of Asia can hardly be missed. From Indias perspective, the forum offers a unique opportunity to discuss and collaborate on strategic affairs and has all the potential of turning into an Indian version of Shangri-la Dialogue, an annual event hosted by International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS) in Singapore. Just as the conference began, Sunjoy Joshi, director of the ORF, aptly outlined the purpose of the conference. For some time now, as the Indian growth story gained momentum, the absence of a truly global platform located in India had been a bit galling, Joshi pointed out while welcoming the guests including External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, former President of Afghnaistan Hamid Karzai, former President of Sri Lanka Chandrika Kumaratunga, Sychelles ex-President James Machan and Foreign Minister of Bangladesh Mahmood Ali. Hamid Karzai and Kumartunga were unequivocal in their emphasis on Indias greater role in building a peaceful subcontinent. In an oblique reference to those wary of Chinas rise as an economic superpower, Kumartunga said that the economic rise of China should be seen as a source of hope and optimism and not fear. Given the volatile history of the region beset by violence, Kumartunga reminded India of the imperative of peace in a region where two powerful nuclear neighbours (India and Pakistan) often remained in an eyeball to eyeball confrontation. On the other hand Karzai seemed to be nostalgic when he talked about the possibility of revival of the Silk Route to connect South Asia with the rest of Asia and Europe to make South Asia a prosperous place. He was quite appreciative of Modis speech in Afghanistan Parliament and cautioned those who think that Afghanistan could be cast aside in the process of development and growth. His speech expressed disappointment with Pakistan for spurning the friendly gesture of Afghanistan. Sushma Swaraj took note of the concerns expressed by Karzai and Kumartunga and said, Indias growth is the worlds opportunity. Apparently, Swaraj referred to Indias growing engagement with South Asia and rest of Asia and said that the increasing footprint of Indias diplomacy is discernible in the manner in which a decisive government has been engaging with the world. The best part of the three-day Raisina dialogue is the coming together of redoubtable strategic thinkers across the world to evolve coherent and compatible strategies to make the world a safer place. Melbourne: In a hate-fuelled attack, a 13-year-old Sikh school boy in Australia, travelling in a bus in Melbourne, was assaulted, mocked and threatened with being stabbed for wearing a turban. Harjeet Singh, was riding the bus home, when two males and a female ringleader all believed to be in their late teens assaulted and mocked him. Harjeet was also allegedly threatened with being stabbed and had his turban pulled in the hate-fuelled attack aboard a suburban bus, the Herald Sun reported. The female demanded to know why Harjeet was wearing a "towel" on his head and twice tried to remove his turban despite the terrified boy trying to get away. It is alleged that one of the males was also involved and the boy was sworn at. Harjeet's mother Rajinder Kaur Gill told the daily, "My son was so scared and he was crying. It's a horrible thing. I'm just scared if it's safe for him on the bus." "We are worried it's not just my son; we are worried it will be other people as well. It should not happen to anyone," she said of the incident that took place on 23 February. The two males and the female are being sought by police. Harjeet, who attends Doncaster Secondary College, was sitting in the middle row of the bus when the offenders approached from the back seat. The ordeal lasted until Eltham when Harjeet got off the bus early with schoolfriends, also in tears. One of their mothers drove Harjeet home. "I was so scared. I just froze and when my friends got off the bus I got off with them," Harjeet said. "The girl said I had a 'worthless towel' on my head," he said. "The girl pushed my son's turban with her elbow," Gill said. "My son moved from his seat to get further away from them and they followed him and sat behind him again. This time the girl pushed him hard and tried to remove his turban again. My son was scared and he asked them to stop but they laughed at him and they said there aren't that many stabbings in Eltham," she said. Victoria Police spokesman Paul Turner said police were investigating reports of an assault. "The investigation is in its infancy and it would be inappropriate to provide further comment at this time," he said. PTI Washington: Sartaj Aziz, Foreign Affairs Adviser to the Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, has said "India, not terrorism, is the biggest threat to the region", and asked India to reduce its nuclear stockpile so that Pakistan can consider reciprocation. Aziz underscored that Pakistans nuclear arsenal is a major deterrent, a fact that the US also recognises, according to Dawn. Responding sharply to US Secretary of State John Kerrys suggestion to cut down on nuclear arsenal, Aziz said it was India that was stockpiling and not Pakistan as it has to keep up a minimum deterrence. If they increase the stockpile, we cannot reduce ours, he said. Secretary of State Kerry urged Pakistan to reduce its nuclear arsenal by making it front and centre of its policy. However, Kerry did not mention if the US will ask India to do the same. Sartaj Aziz in turn asked the US to show a greater understanding of Pakistans security concerns and its desire to contribute as a mainstream nuclear power. The US appreciates Pakistans ongoing efforts of command and control in this regard and both countries decided to continue constructive discussion in the Security, Strategic Stability and Non-proliferation working group, Aziz said. This is what strategic stability means, to have that deterrence capability, he added. Indias nuclear arsenal has a qualitative side which is continually modernising, so Pakistan has to respond," Aziz maintained. Sartaj Aziz was briefing the media on Wednesday in Washington on the proceedings of the sixth round of the Strategic Dialogue between the US and Pakistan. Nuclear reactors under construction in Sanmen, Zhejiang province.[Photo/Xinhua] CNNC chairman admits it faces 'very strong competition' in selling its technology China has set a target of building around 30 nuclear power units in countries along the Belt and Road Initiative routes by 2030, according to Sun Qin, president of China National Nuclear Corp. He said 70 countries in total are already planning or developing their own nuclear power projects, and it is estimated 130 more nuclear power units will have been built by 2020. "But we also face very strong competition in the international nuclear market," he said. "Countries like Russia, South Korea, Japan and the United States are all exploring the global nuclear market aggressively." Belt and Road destinations are those along the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Roadthe initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping to strengthen regional economic integration and infrastructure connectivity. Currently China has 30 nuclear power generating units with a capacity of 28 million gigawatts and another 24 units are under construction, according to data from the National Energy Administration. CNNC is one of China's three nuclear giants. It has been accelerating the building of its flagship nuclear project using Hualong One, a third-generation nuclear reactor design, in Fuqing, Fujian province, and hopes to leverage this domestic experience to boost its nuclear technology exports. The operator has already reached bilateral agreements on nuclear energy cooperation with countries including Argentina, Brazil, Egypt, Britain, France and Jordan, Sun said. But he emphasized there was no need to hit full self-sufficiency in nuclear, because many general components can be bought through international suppliers. CNNC has already exported six nuclear reactors, five miniature neutron source reactors, two nuclear research facilities and one experimental reactor. Sun said the company is looking ideally to cooperate with countries throughout the whole nuclear power industry chain. It actively promotes localization of its technology and strives to establish integrated industrial systems for countries involved with the Belt and Road, Sun said. Hillary Clinton is misguided. Her opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership is based on "misinformation". Malcolm Turnbull's new trade minister says so. Within hours of being sworn two weeks ago, Steven Ciobo eschewed the traditional approach of getting up to speed and consulting widely, and blundered into the US presidential race. "I am not surprised that the trade union movement and, of course, the political arm of the Australian Labor Party is on a similar platform to, for example, Hillary Clinton," he told the Financial Review. "They both derive their key support from the union movement." The woman most likely to be the next US president, the former secretary of state who ran America's missions abroad, the woman who criss-crossed the world pressing flesh about the Trans-Pacific Partnership, knows less about it than Steven Ciobo. Fair Work Commission vice-president Michael Lawler has resigned on the eve of his deadline to respond to a report on his controversial use of paid sick leave. Mr Lawler has been embroiled in controversy for taking paid sick leave from his $435,000-a-year job while helping his partner - disgraced ex-union leader Kathy Jackson - defend a lawsuit over large-scale theft from the Health Services Union. His resignation on Thursday came a day before he was due to respond to the report. The report, by barrister and former judge Peter Heerey, was the result of a four-month investigation. Cardinal George Pell said it was a "mistake" to accompany notorious paedophile Gerald Ridsdale to court but he believed the action might result in a lesser sentence for the former priest. In his fourth day of testimony to the royal commission, the Cardinal was cross examined on why he supported Ridsdale at his 1993 appearance at Melbourne Magistrate's Court. Speaking by video link from Rome, Cardinal Pell told the commission that he attended court at the suggestion of Ridsdale's lawyer. "I said, 'Yes'. I now realise that was a mistake." 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And sometimes, thats all he wanteda single glass of wine. But, he said, Even when you have your own wine, theres always a feeling of waste if you leave the last two glasses in the bottle. So when he and his wife, Molli, were traveling on a train in France and were served a glass of winein single-glass packaging, he was determined to bring the idea to America. That was the beginning of what is now a $13 million-and-growing operation, based in The Dalles, Ore. But getting from that train to a patented premium wine by the glass wasnt without its challengesin food safety, quality, or funding. In fact, you may have heard of James Martinthe one who rejected the offers of ABCs Shark Tank ... twice. So what was the secret to his self-made success? According to Martin: creative passion. THE BEGINNING. After his eye-opening train ride, Martin met, then partnered with, the French creators of the single-glassed wine. Although they had begun a new process, it was far from perfected. The company was able to produce only small runs and shelf life was still an issue. Before they can be filled with premium wine, the incoming Copa cups must be robotically purged with nitrogen. One of the greatest challenges of packaging wine by the glass instead of the bottle is counteringand optimizingthe effects of oxygen on the wine. When packaging wine by the glass, this means considering variations in everything from ullage (head space) to plastic (vs. glass) to shelf life. Packaging it differently means creating differences for the wine, Martin said. For example, there is a reason that wine bottles have long necks. The lesser the head space, the lesser the exposure to air and its oxygen, therefore the lower the impact of oxidation and the vinegariness that can result. (See Oxygen: A Friend and Foe, page 16.) In traditional winemaking, sulfur dioxide is added to the wine to effectually absorb the oxygen and reduce its negative effects. The sulfur dioxide also acts as an antimicrobial, which is important for shelf life. This is effective for bottled wine which typically doesnt go to market for 90 days, giving the resulting sulfites time to settle out, and is often kept for longer periods needing longer shelf life. But Copa is produced to closely meet demand, and with the assumption that it will be drunk within 12 months. So the sulfites are not as needed, and they would be more likely to negatively impact quality. To counter this, Copa decided to implement technology that was being used in other segments of the industry: modified atmosphere packaging. We used gasses of an appropriate blend and vacuum-sealed the glasses, so we didnt have to use a large amount of sulfur, Martin said. The vacuum was necessary to keep the oxidation of the wine from blowing the sealas Copa found out the hard way when a number of cups of a lot of wine shipped to a customer did, in fact, blow their lids. Its still a challenge with high altitudes, he said. Another challenge in winemaking is that the process cannot be accelerated, which means that determining shelf-life for both quality and food safety aspects can be done only in real time. Wine is very complicated, and you have to watch it for a year or 18 months, Martin said. It has taken years to build the science because we have to allow that time evolution in the test itself. So we made some major errors in the beginning. The company also had its share of recalls in the beginning. We always tell ourselves not to drink our own Kool-Aid, Martin said, explaining, You want to follow your beliefs because its easy to motivate yourself to move forward. We definitely followed some myths without realizing itwe should have identified what had been scientifically proven. When youre doing something innovative and new for which the science hasnt been developed, be very specific and honest with yourself about what you know is true and what you believe is true, he said. A PREMIUM WINE. Not only is wine complicated, its sensory value is subjective, but with variations in vintages and the natural changes that occur over time, it can be difficult to create a consistent product year after year. Because of this, the primary test of quality is taste. Your QA is tasting it and trying to remember what it tasted like last time, Martin said. Those who do the tastings also have to keep tabs on their own senses, such as not smoking, so that their senses are in the same place as they were during the tasting conducted two months ago or two years ago. The quality analysis focuses on smell and mouth feel as well as taste, and it can be particularly difficult to do a tasting at 8 a.m. for what is more normally an 8 p.m. drink, said Director of Operations Tom Wood. Copa retains a library of samples of all lots of wine since it began production, and it continues to test samples of each at least quarterly. (Its a tough job, but someone has to drink it, Martin said.) With three filling lines, the winery generally processes three different varietals or blends at a time, with two runs per day, Wood said. But the winery operates on a supply/demand philosophy to keep all its Copa cups as fresh as possible to ensure they have as long a shelf life as possible after leaving the warehouse. Wood came from a microelectronics background, so his hiring in 2013 brought a quality systems and consistency focus to Copa. In consumer products, consistency is a very, very big deal, he said. With wine being a perishable product and having a vintage that changes year to year, quality controls become even more important for enabling a consistency of taste for the consumer. Other food safety and quality controls are the filtration system set immediately prior to bottling, filtering out any remaining yeast, and a final filtration step in the filling head to ensure a perfectly sterile product. The cup is robotically purged with nitrogen; filled with the wine to a calibrated level and the headspace filled with modified atmosphere; then capped with a foil seal. At this point, it becomes manual: the worker inspects the seal and fill level, taps the glass on carrier to create a vacuum that helps keep it from blowing the seal at different altitudes, and adds a plastic cap. Any rejected cups of wine are emptied into a stainless-steel vessel by another worker and run back through the filtration process to be filled into a new Copa cup. We have an extremely low level of waste, Wood said. The Sunshine Mill Winery As his Shark Tank appearances prove, no one can say that Copa Di Vino Founder James Martin takes the easy or ordinary way out. Even his choice of facility shows that his out-of-the-norm creativity is simply his nature: an 1860s grain mill, owned by the federal railroad system, that had sat decrepit since 1978 and its neighboring Wasco warehouse that was slated for demolition. The building was put out for bids, with the expectation that it would be razed and rebuilt. Having (easily) won the bid, Martin first worked with the local Congressional body to get co-funding for expanding the access road and adding a round-about to ease access for the trucks. Then he began the work to turn the old mill into a facility as unique as his product. The mill and warehouse now house Copa Di Vino production and storage, a tasting bar for the Martins Quenett wineand plans for an inn with round rooms to be built into the silos. The goal is to move the grape crush to the roof and install clear tubing through which the juice would run down to the basement and be visible in the rooms, said Director of Marketing Jim Semlor. James is a constant dreamer ... a dreamer who makes his visions come true. While serving the city by renovating what had become a dangerous eyesore, and growing into one of the citys largest employers, the company created a distinct, one-of-a-kind, virtually impossible-to-duplicate winery, keeping as much of the original as possible, Semlor said. With its 10 stories, the mill is the only designated skyscraper in the Columbia River Gorge. The facility still houses much of the original mill equipment, with tasting-room tables crafted from old crates and equipment parts (along with comfy chairs and couches from relatives homes), and relics from the 1800severything from an original Thomas Edison-signed and certified motor to production logs hanging on the wall and tin cans of food and cups left behind by workers. When they closed the mill in the 70s, they simply walked out and locked the doors behind them, Semlor said. Even with unique characteristics and a great deal of equipment that Copa simply walled in because it would be too difficult and costly to remove, the facility has proven to be ideal for the vintner. As one descends to the below-grade lower level, the ambient temperature drops by 10 to 15 degreescreating a natural wine cellar for storage of its finished cups of wine. The building has newly painted steampunk meets industrial signage that faces east and west (city ordinance allows signage on only two sides of a building) and extends nearly the entire height of the building. Its pubic tasting room and outdoor amphitheaterwhich regularly hosts weddings, parties, and Copa-sponsored musical eventshas become a tourist attraction in an area which never previously drew tourists, Semlor said. While ultimately altruistic, that wasnt necessarily the basis of his decision to rebuild and repurpose the mill, Martin said. I dont think we actually go out and make one choice over another, its just natural for us to see these alternate choices as more interesting, unique, and fulfilling than doing the norm. In this case, he said, it was that they could have chosen to build from the ground up, or they could reoccupy an old building and save it from demolition. Additionally, even though a single glass bottle of wine equals four plastic Copa cups, the company also leaves a small carbon footprint both in its processing and with its PET #1 recyclable plastic. With all its focus on providing only quality, premium wines, Copa still faces challenges in consumer perception, primarily in the thinking that single-serve wines are cheap wines. But Martin selects only premium wines for Copa. Although it currently partners with other vintners for its wine, the company now has three plats of land, totaling five square miles, and conducted its first planting on one of the plats earlier this year. With its design by renowned consultant Phil Freese, development by viticulturist Mark Greenspan and Mark Roser, and application of innovative technologies, it is, Martin said, the most advanced planting of pinot noir in the state of Oregon. I wanted to have something I want to drink myself, he said. Which brings us to the reason Martin is so disliked by the sharks. DEFYING THE SHARK TANK. Martin appeared on ABCs Shark Tank twiceturning down investor offers both times. Martin said he was the first entrepreneur to turn down a truly egregious offer from the Shark Tank investors. Why did he say no? Im not going to split the patent from the company, he said. Itd be like selling my soul. The Copa process is both automated and manual, with each filled cup inspected by a worker then tapped on its carrier to create a vacuum to prevent it from blowing its top. Martin said he also understands why the investors low-balled their offer on his second showing. But I didnt need the money. I would have loved to be partners with Mark Cuban in theory, but I would have had to change the culture to be about his interestthe money. Martin cited Apple Founder Steve Jobs as a role model. His achievements were that he didnt sell out on what he thought were the coolest, Martin said. Its about creative expression first. Money will follow if we stay oriented to that. And money, and opportunity, has indeed followed. With two appearances on the show, and re-airings of the episodes, Martins 13 minutes of prime time have not only provided the product with significant exposure, it has led to numerous distribution opportunities. Copa has gained investors who share in the dream and the passion, are a good fit culturally for us, and have shared insights on how to build a great company, Martin said. And it is continuing to bring in others. The market is in its infancy, and we want to have a very large share, he said. AN UNAIDED SUCCESS. Having turned down backing and support from some of the worlds top investors, what has enabled Copas success? According to Martin, the secret to success is passion. Copa Di Vino Fast Facts Copa Di Vino means cup of wine in Italian. Copa is based in The Dalles, Ore., at the bend in the river. It was the first single-serve wine manufactured in the U.S. Approximately 300,000 gallons of wine are stored onsite. The production area currently has three lines, with space for eight. It employee up to 50 workers when in full production. Big companies often have the resources to try different things: if something fails, they simply move on. But having literally sold the family farm (a cherry orchard) to fund Copa, a company failure for Martin also meant failure for his personal life, he said. I was in for a pennybut a penny was all I had. Most companies, somewhere along the way, make an error in putting money ahead of what they want the quality to be, Martin said. The consumer will pick up on that. Weve taken the higher road to create a quality product with a lower price. Dont discount passion, Martin said. Passion creates insight into how the end user is using your productand drives you to keep improving. Too often, companies replace those who are passionate with operatives and settle for good enough, he said, adding, At Copa, we have the creative passion to make a wine we want ourselves. The author is Editor of QA magazine. She can be reached at llupo@gie.net. About Me Mohd. Kamal bin Abdullah I am Mohd. Kamal bin Abdullah, who resides in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. I hold a post-graduate law degree from the United Kingdom. I blog to tell MALAYSIANS THE TRUTH. View my complete profile Blog Archive Citizens from Wisconsin and Minnesota gathered outside Rep. Ron Kinds Eau Claire office last June to urge Kind to stop Fast Track Trade Promotion Authority Photo: Wisconsin AFL-CIO The Wisconsin voter file which is administered by the Democratic Party of Wisconsin (DPW) will be made available to all the following individuals/groups in good standing with the DPW and legislative caucuses: all incumbent Democratic Party officeholders, Democratic nominees for public office, Democratic legislative campaign committees, and county, local unit, and Congressional District affiliates of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Voter file will be made available to non-partisan candidates who are in compliance with the membership requirements detailed in Article 1, Section 6(e), contingent upon the recommendation of their county party leadership. In the case of multi-jurisdiction or statewide races, such recommendations will be made by the State Chair, subject to review by the Executive Committee. Multiple recommendations for a specific office are allowed. All other requests made by individuals, candidates, groups, organizations, or political committees not specified above, must be approved by the State Chair, subject to review by the Executive Committee. All appeals for reversals or exceptions are subject to review by the Executive Committee of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. The Wisconsin voter file and other Democratic Party list access fees will be determined by the Executive Committee established fair market value, as required by state regulation. In the tradition of Bob La Follette voters should pick their representatives, not party bosses.Not so says the Democratic Party of Wisconsin (DPW).The Democratic Party of Wisconsin (DPW) Chair, Martha Laning, won her election in June 2015 promising to cultivate a progressive, grassroots-supporting agenda over party insiders, (Talaga, Isthmus ).It didn't take long for Laning to sell out and break promises, and in a presidential election year no less, betraying La Follette and the Wisconsin people who should be welcomed into the DPW, not shooed away.In a year rife with congressional primary challenges nationwide, (Bland, Meyer, Schneider and Robillard, The Politico ), Wisconsin's first major congressional primary challenge comes from progressive Democrat Myron Buchholz of Eau Claire in Wisconsin's third congressional district. Buchholz quickly found the DPW is run with broken promises, outright lies and disregard to internal Party rules from Chair Martha Laning.Laning's months-long tenure at DPW has already earned the moniker the "incumbent protection plan," protecting party insiders from the people whom they are elected to represent and progressives working on behalf of citizens against special interests.Rep. Ron Kind (D-Wisconsin) was first elected to office in 1996 and became so immersed in Washington politics and out-of-touch with his district, Kind champions the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) treaty The TPP is a give-away to transnational corporations, foreign interests, and hedge fund investors. The consequences of TPP would be the accelerated flight of American jobs and industry, and the substituting of citizens' legal environmental, labor and consumer protections with the full force of special interest law.Think NAFTA's giant sucking sound, multiplied by 1,000 and the reality of TPP , (not voted on yet), and you'll get the picture of this potential restructuring of American society not exactly responsive to citizen voices anymore. Kind made news when he tried to explain why he received over $16,000 in money from the Koch brothers, (Craver, The Capital Times ). Now there's a new kind of Democrat. Myron Buchholz decided enough is enough and launched his run in February So what does DPW Chair Laning do?She tells this Democrat in good standing that the DPW's voters' list, (Voter Activation Network (VAN), will not be made available to Buchholz for his challenge to Rep. Kind, ( Blogging Blue ), ( Cognitive Dissidence ).Laning's reasoning. She has no reasoning, saying she must control the VAN because if Democratic incumbents believe it will be sold to primary challengers the incumbents won't update the VAN and the voter information contained in the VAN will suffer.Buchholz' and other Democratic Party volunteers are taking to Facebook and other social media saying if they believed incumbents had a proprietary hold on the information volunteers gather, they wouldn't have volunteered in the first place.An email by supporters of Buchholz circulating reads:The DPW County Chairs Association is meeting this weekend in Stevens Point. The discussion on changing Laning's new protect-the-incumbents-against-grassroots citizens policy should begin in Point. Motion for Post-Conviction Relief. 08-16-2022. Includes affidavit from witness, Thomas Sowinski, who saw prosecution's star witness planting murder victim's car onto defendant's property. Tape and log of Mr. Sowinski's Nov. 5, 2005 phone call to Manitowoc Sheriff Dept was hidden from the defense, despite requests for all recordings and information, and despite duty of the State to disclose evidence, and duty not to withhold exculpatory evidence, Brady violation. USS Howard, DDG-83 ( Image credits- Wikimedia Commons / United States Navy) The world is steadily confronting the prospect of full-fledged Chinese domination in the worlds most important waterway, the South China Sea. Americas decades-long naval hegemony in Asia, as we know it, may soon vanish into thin air as a resurgent China reclaims primacy in the region. Though economically vulnerable, Beijing has lacked nothing in terms of geopolitical assertiveness. In a span of two months, China has dramatically redrawn the operational landscape in adjacent waters. China kicked off the year with a bang, conducting several test flights to its newly built airstrips in the Spratly chain of islands. This was followed by Chinas decision to (once again) deploy a giant oil rig, Haiyang Shiyou 981, into Vietnamese-claimed waters in the South China Sea, just as Hanoi deliberated on a high-stakes leadership transition. When President Barack Obama, during his short-sleeve summit with Southeast Asian leaders in Sunnylands, sought to mobilize regional diplomatic pressure on China, Beijing upped the ante by redeploying an HQ-9 surface-to-air missile (SAM) system to the disputed Paracel chain of islands. Days later, China also dispatched fighter jets to its military facilities in the area. More worryingly, China has placed high-frequency radar facilities across four artificial islands, which could allow Beijing to, as reported by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, eventually establish effective control over the sea and airspace throughout the South China Sea. Chinese officials, however, have adamantly downplayed the strategic relevance of these developments. Foreign Minister Wang Yi characterized them as "limited and necessary self-defense facilities," while the Chinese defense ministry dismissed all criticisms as Western media "hype." Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying took a step further, comparing Chinas recent military maneuvers as perfectly routine and not substantively different from the United States defending Hawaii." In fact, China tried to justify these military deployments as a response to Americas Freedom of Navigation Operations (FONOPs), with the latest one targeting Chinas excessive sovereignty in the Paracel chain of islands. Yet Chinas actions clearly contradict President Xi Jinpings pledge, during his visit to Washington last year, to avoid militarizing the disputes. Beyond the diplomatic obfuscations, however, the bottom line is clear. Having built a sprawling network of dual-purpose facilities, and dispatching advanced military platforms to artificial islands under its control, China is laying down the foundations of an Air Defense Identification Zone. Not only is China chipping away at American naval primacy in East Asia, thanks to its rapidly advancing anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) capabilities, but it is transforming the South China Sea into a national lake. The Obama administration has tried, with limited success so far, to rein in Chinese maritime ambitions by mobilizing a diplomatic and military coalition in the region. But America and its allies are running out of safe and easy options. And they will soon have to take more decisive countermeasures. Courting the Smaller Powers A crucial component of the Obama administrations constrainment strategy against China is the mobilization of regional diplomatic support on the South China Sea issue. Historically a Chinese backyard, Southeast Asia has emerged in modern times as a theatre of fierce competition among great powers vying for dominance in Asia. The end of Cold War paved the way for what appeared as uncontested American hegemony in the region, but Chinas rapid economic rise has allowed it to partially recreate a Sinocentric order in its backyard. President Obama, who has visited Southeast Asia more than half a dozen times, vigorously engaged the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) well beyond any of his predecessors. Shortly after coming to power, the Obama administration appointed the first permanent mission by an outside power to the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta. It also signed the ASEAN Treaty of Amity and Cooperation, the foundational document of the regional body, while energetically supporting multilateral constructive engagement with a liberalizing Myanmar. The Obama administration also launched the Lower Mekong Initiative in order to enhance American development footprint in Indochina, while inviting a rising Indonesia to join the elite G20 club. Sensing a strategic opening, it also established a blossoming security partnership with Vietnam, which has desperately sought to decouple from a domineering China. Shortly before the much-touted Sunnylands summit with ASEAN leaders, Obama dispatched Secretary of State John Kerry to Indochina, where he met leaders of Laos and Cambodia, two countries that have been largely perceived as Chinese satellite states within Southeast Asia. The timing of Kerrys visit couldnt be any better, since Laos recently underwent a leadership reshuffle, which saw the emergence of a more independent-minded politburo. With Laos taking over ASEANs chairmanship this year, the Obama administration wanted to ensure that the Indochinese country will act responsiblythat is, not block any meaningful discussion of the South China Sea disputes. China has consistently characterized the maritime spats as primarily bilateral issues to be discussed between claimant states alone, and has recently taken a hardline dont-even-mention-it position in international fora. Offering economic incentives, Kerry sought to solicit support from and help Laos and Cambodia dampen their dependence on China. It was a relatively fruitful visit that set the stage for Obamas high-profile summit with Southeast Asian leaders. By hosting ASEAN leaders in the same place where Obama met his Chinese counterpart back in 2013, Washington sent a clear signal that his Pivot to Asia (P2A) strategy is a comprehensive engagement with the whole East Asian region, including smaller powers in Southeast Asia. There was also a great sense of strategic urgency, especially in light of Chinas newfound economic dominance in East Asia as well as its increasingly aggressive posturing in disputed waters. The Obama administration tried to leverage the summit as a springboard to reclaim American leadership in Southeast Asia. Eager to push back against Chinas economic primacy in East Asia, which has been buttressed by the successful launch of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the pending implementation of the Maritime Silk Road Initiative, the Obama administration launched the U.S.-ASEAN Connect Initiative to reinforce Americas trade, investments and infrastructure footprint in Southeast Asia. There was also an emphasis on booming U.S.-ASEAN bilateral trade, which topped $254 billion in 2014, having tripled in fewer than three decades. The Obama administration also used the summit as an opportunity to discuss the prospects of the expansion of the recently finalized Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement to include the major ASEAN economies of Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines in the next round of negotiations. Mobilizing Support Crucially, President Obama encouraged ASEAN countries, especially the claimant states comprising Malaysia, Brunei, Vietnam and the Philippines, to adopt a more cohesive and unified approach vis-a-vis the South China Sea disputes. In the end, the Obama administration was able to get ASEANs support, including Laos, to issue a relatively robust joint statement, where the two sides underlined their [s]hared commitment to peaceful resolution of disputes, including full respect for legal and diplomatic processes [emphasis mine], without resorting to the threat or use of force in accordance with universally recognized principles of international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The emphasis on full respect for legal processes could be interpreted as an implicit endorsement of Manilas decision to file an arbitration case against China at a tribunal under the aegis of Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague. Time and again, China has consistently opposed the arbitration case, dismissing it as nothing but political provocation. The two sides also expressed their [s]hared commitment to maintain peace, security and stability in the region, ensuring maritime security and safety, including the rights of freedom of navigation and overflight and other lawful uses of the seas [emphasis mine], in accordance to UNCLOS, while encouraging parties to observe non-militarization and self-restraint in the conduct of activities in disputed waters. By emphasizing the rights of freedom of navigation and overflight and other lawful uses of the seas, America sought to communicate multilateral support for the U.S. Navys FONOPs, while communicating shared opposition to any plans by China to impose an Air Defense Identification Zone in the South China Sea. The emphasis on non-militarization and self-restraint could be interpreted as a criticism against claimant states decisions to deploy military platforms to disputed land features, as China has done in recent months. During the recently concluded ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting in Laos, regional states once again reiterated the importance of maintaining peace, security, stability and freedom of navigation in and over-flight above the South China Sea, and expressed how they were seriously concerned over the recent and ongoing developments [in the South China Sea] and took note of the concern expressed by some ministers on the land reclamations and escalation of activities [by China] in the area." Beyond seeking ASEANs diplomatic support, the Obama administration has also called upon major powers in the region, particularly allies such as Australia and Japan, to step up to the plate. In its latest Defense White Paper, Canberra announced a major defense spending hike and expressed its growing concerns over the South China disputes. Despite Chinas vehement opposition, Australia has also openly expressed support for the Philippines decision to take its maritime disputes with China to international court. There have been calls, including from Pentagon, for Australia to also conduct FONOPs in the South China Sea. So far, Australia has been involved in aerial patrols in disputed areas. Japan is another major power that could be involved in similar operations against China. In response to Chinas recent deployment of military platforms to disputed land features, Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani condemned what his country sees as a "unilateral move by China to change the status quo," adding that such actions "cannot be overlooked" by Japan, which has a direct stake in freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea. Even the Indian Navy is now considering joint FONOPs with the United States in the disputes waters. China is now confronting the prospect of four major naval powers conducting FONOPs in what it considers as its national blue soil, while the ASEAN has effectively opposed Chinas calls for dropping the South China Sea disputes from their regional agenda. Nonetheless, there is no assurance that China will be the first party to blink in this emerging maritime game of chicken in the South China Sea. Absent a concerted pushback by the international community, China will likely continue to use American countermeasures as a pretext for further consolidating its grip on disputed waters and land features. Gradually, the South China Sea has transformed into Asias new battleground for supremacy. About the author- Richard Javad Heydarian is an Assistant Professor in political science at De La Salle University, and formerly a policy adviser at the Philippine House of Representatives (2009-2015). The Manila Bulletin, a leading national daily, has described him as one of the Philippines foremost foreign policy and economic analysts. He is the author of Asias New Battlefield: The US, China, and the Struggle for Western Pacific (Zed, London), and a regular to the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). THE NATIONAL INTEREST ( ALL RIGHTS RESERVED) This is our blog that follows our life into and as full-time RVers. Navigation-Menus (Do Not Edit Here!) What could possibly go wrong? That seems to be the question Connecticut police are asking as they oppose a bill that would outlaw any weaponization of drones. Connecticut Police are now voicing their concerns about domestic drone use specifically, they want the option to be able to employ weaponized drones in the future, should the need arise. No word, of course, on what the word "need" means, here - but that shouldn't be an issue, as we had a president a few years back who tried to parse the meaning of the word, "is". Maya News Updates 2016, No. 4: New Maya Exhibit in the Netherlands - At the Drents Museum, Assen - First Series of Photographs from the Exhibit, taken February 27, 2016 The Holmul Dancer Theme in Maya Art The exhibit "Maya's - Heersers van het Regenwoud" ("Maya's - Rulers of the Rain Forest") was opened officially on February 27, 2016, during a reception well-visited by a host of foreign and local guests. After the reception and official opening one could visit the exhibit. Here I present a first series of photographs of some of the objects shown at the exhibit. Preliminary comments to each photograph written by the photographer.- Polychrome Classic period vase, provenance unknown (Motul de San Jose area), showing court scene; central text informs on the identity ("it is the image to ... of ...") of the elite person on the right (or Tayel Chan K'ihnich), seated on an elevation (throne, bench), and terminates with the paramount title of Motul de San Jose, K'uhul Ik'a' Ajaw "God-like King of Ik'a'." Tayel Chan K'ihnich is a name of Late Classic king of Motul de San Jose circa AD 720s-740s and vessels carrying his name have been found at Dos Pilas and Cancuen. These vessels, like the one at the exhibit, may have functioned as elite gifts exchanged at important courtly ceremonies either at Motul de San Jose itself or at the receiving courts when the Ik'a' king came to visit (Fundacion La Ruta Maya, Guatemala) (photograph Erik Boot/MNU 2016)- Unprovenanced polychrome Classic period vase, showing dancing Maize Gods with large back racks and accompanied by dwarfs in the so-called "Holmul Dancer" style (eastern Peten area, Holmul-Naranjo area; on this style see Reents-Budet, 1991,), restored and repainted. Note for instance the inclusion of a near-glyph-by-glyph copy of part of the dedicatory text on Kerr No. 0633 (Fundacion La Ruta Maya, Guatemala) (photograph Erik Boot/MNU 2016) (also see Maya News Updates 2011, No. 23 here - Fragment of limestone panel, showing the head of a captured dignitary, the short text provides a so-called Distance Number of 0 days, 0periods of 20 days, 12years of 360 days, and 3periods of 7,200 days each, after which "happens" (), but that part of the text is gone (it would have been the Calendar Round date) (Fundacion La Ruta Maya, Guatemala) (photograph Erik Boot/MNU 2016)- Limestone drum-shaped altar, provenance unknown, providing an elaborate court scene taking place at Yaxchilan or its direct environs (see Grube and Luin, 2014,). Secondary texts identify three of the protagonists and the sculptor (, "it is the sculpture of ..."), the long circular text on top of this altar refers to a mortuary ceremony and terminates with the paramount title of Yaxchilan, K'uhul Pa'chan Ajaw, "God-like King of Pa'chan" (Fundacion La Ruta Maya, Guatemala) (photograph Erik Boot/MNU 2016)- Fragment of limestone panel, showing a captured dignitary, his hands tied with a thick rope. The short text to the right of him reads Ucha'an Yax Tok Bahlam, "The () guardian () of Yax Tok Bahlam" (Fundacion La Ruta Maya, Guatemala) (photograph Erik Boot/MNU 2016)- Limestone statue of a crouching anthropomorphic warrior figure with jaguar mask, large ear spools, and elaborately dressed, some 3 meters long. Original colors remain at places like the ear spools and the mask surrounding the mouth. Found during digging work at a farm in the southwest of Lake Peten Itza, Peten, Guatemala, some ten years ago (Fundacion La Ruta Maya, Guatemala) (photograph Erik Boot/MNU 2016)- Early Classic period cave painting executed on a flowstone fan. Between the two anthropomorphic figures painted black short hieroglyphic texts can be found. One text opens with the Calendar Round date of 9 Ajaw 3 Muwaan. The most likely Long Count date reconstruction for this Calendar Round date is 8.19.10.0.0, the date February 1, in AD 426 (correlation constant 584,285), in the Early Classic period. The date is most probably followed by a so-called Period Ending ceremony, note the "flat hand" (pointing to the left) and the two lines of dots above the hand. Perhaps this is an Early Classic rendition of the"to scatter(droplets)" ceremony, known to be associated with Period Endings (compare for instance to Caracol, Stela 1, Front: F1, "flat hand" now pointing downwards, note six parallel lines of dots for) (Fundacion La Ruta Maya, Guatemala; formerly Museo El Principe Maya, Coban, Verapaz, Guatemala, a now defunct museum [since 2011]) (photograph Erik Boot/MNU 2016)- Plate the floor of which shows a dancing Maize God, stretching his arms outwards and who has elaborate head ornaments. The circular text, arranged around the dancing Maize God, in the literature known as the "Tikal Dancer" (see for instance Boot, 2003,on this iconographic theme and an interpretation of various of the positions of the Maize God) is a non-sensical text (aka. "pseudo-text") which repeats a single sign group over and over (Museo Juan Antonio Valdes, Guatemala) (photograph Erik Boot/MNU 2016)- Early Classic period cache vessel, the top of which is incised with a short five collocation dedicatory text, which opens with the name of the object, followed by the name of the owner or patron and which terminates with the statement, "for () the () god () Ahkan Yaxja' " (Fundacion La Ruta Maya, Guatemala) (photograph Erik Boot/MNU 2016)- Three Early Classic period lidded blackware and burnished vessels, each elaborately decorated with a frontal portrait. Note that the vessels on the left and right each have hieroglyphic signs in the central element of their headdress assemblages, most probably signaling a part of the their names. The lids are incised with symbols that define the water band (Fundacion La Ruta Maya, Guatemala) (photograph Erik Boot/MNU 2016)- Late Classic carved limestone panel, part of one of the legs of a monumental carved throne at the archaeological site of Dos Pilas portraying the Classic Maya Sun God, K'ihnich Ajaw "Sun () Person(?) () King ()"(Fundacion La Ruta Maya, Guatemala) (photograph Erik Boot/MNU 2016) (also see Maya News Updates 2012, No. 1 here A review of the exhibit "Maya's - Heersers van het Regenwoud/Maya's - Rulers of the Rain Forest," as well as some additional photographs of objects shown at the exhibit, will follow in a next Maya News Updates. Despite Egypts efforts to expand the Suez Canal to reduce the transit period at the canal and increase revenues, the tunnel is seemingly snubbed by freighters as vessels are increasingly bypassing the Suez Canal for the traditional round the Africa maritime route through South Africa because low oil prices make the long route cheaper. Vessels pay an average of $465,000 per passage through the Suez Canal while the trip round Africa is estimated at around $235,000 per voyage according to Sealntel; thereby allowing vessels to save as much as 50%. The trend is putting Cairo on the edge of losing income which could further worsen its economic and financial crises. President Sisis government portrayed the expansion of the Suez Canal, despite public criticisms that it was unnecessary, as an iconic project that would transform the area into an industrial and commercial hub and contribute as much as 33% to the economy as a whole. The canal is a major provider of foreign exchange and considering the crippled tourism sector, the development puts at risk Egypts foreign reserves that have been dwindling since 2011. The government would be obliged to reduce passage charges if the trend continues to remain competitive as Sealntel Maritime Analysis reported that 115 vessels running goods from Asia to North Europe and the U.S. east coast have chosen the weeklong route since October. Yet, Cairo has just raised $8 billion for phase II of the expansion project and the vice chairman of Suez Canal Economic Zone Authority, Abdel Qader Darwish, on Wednesday told delegates at Egypt Builders Forum that several regional and international investors are interested in venturing in the expansion project known as the Suez Canal Axis region. He said the Suez expansion scheme will be completed by July 2016. Documents released by the US and said to be from the dossiers seized from Osama Bin Ladens hideout in Pakistan during a raid in 2011 which led to his death showed that Al-Qaedas branch known as the n the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) planned a ceasefire agreement with Mauritania in order to focus on Algeria. In an undated file made public on Tuesday, AQIM wanted a peace deal with Nouakchott wherein both sides will refrain from carrying out any military activity in Mauritania for a year and a compensation fee between 10 and 20million in order to prevent the kidnaping of tourists by the extremist group. The proposal is believed to have been made around 2010 and AQIM was seeking legal advice from al-Qaedas management as to whether it was permissible to have a truce with apostates according to a translated US government version. It is unclear if the proposal was approved by Al-Qaeda or if AQIM was able to seal a secret deal with the Mauritanian government. A legal counsel to Mauritanias president, El Housseine Ould Nagi denied any agreement with the group saying we have always been against paying ransoms and indirect financing of terrorism. Consequently, there has never been a secret accord between us and those people. Mauritania has been safe from terrorist attacks for the past couple of years but there have been numerous escapes of AQIM members from its prisons with the latest dating back a couple of months. Part of AQIMs plan under the ceasefire would be the release of its militants held in Mauritanian prisons. Olga Bogorad, an independent security analyst specializing in extremist groups, said it was possible that Mauritania was playing a double game. Invaders in our DNA help us fight infections. Credit: University of Utah Health Sciences About eight percent of our DNA is viral in origin: remnants of ancient battles between infectious viruses and our ancestors. These so-called endogenous viruses are often perceived as a mere oddity with no clear biological significance. But a new study by scientists at the University of Utah School of Medicine shows that evolution has repurposed some of these viral remains into weapons against its own kind. Published in Science on March 4, the scientists report that bits of viral DNA embedded in our genome are regulating genes that are integral components of our innate immune system, the first line of defense against pathogens, including viruses. When some of these bits of foreign code are removed experimentally, the defense system becomes crippled. "We show that some of these endogenous viruses have shaped our biology," says Cedric Feschotte, Ph.D., co-senior author and associate professor of human genetics. "Within mammalian genomes are reservoirs of viral DNA that have fueled innovation of the innate immune system." The human innate immune system's ability to defeat foreign invaders depends on a well-coordinated response. Upon infection, cells dispatch a silent alarm by releasing interferons, a molecular signal that triggers nearby cells to activate an arsenal of hundreds of genes that fight off intruders. By analyzing publicly available genomic datasets from human cells, the authors discovered thousands of endogenous retroviruses that appeared to be activated by interferons. However, because these retroviruses crash-landed into our genomes many millions of years ago, they have long lost the ability to produce infectious particles. One clue to a potential modern-day function of some of these interferon-inducible elements came from their location in the genome. Instead of being distributed randomly, they were enriched near genes with known functions in immunity. "These were the first signs to us that some of these elements may be truly involved in switching on immunity genes," says Feschotte who collaborated on the project with assistant professor of human genetics and co-senior author Nels Elde, Ph.D., and lead author Edward Chuong, Ph.D., a Jane Coffin Childs postdoctoral fellow. To test whether the pieces of viral DNA were indeed important for immunity, the scientists used the gene-editing tool CRISPR/Cas9 in cell culture to remove one by one several of these viral sequences, each located near known immune genes. In mutant cells lacking the foreign code the adjacent immune genes could not turn on properly in response to interferon, demonstrating that they act as virus-derived switches. Further, when cells lacking the viral DNA element near the AIM2 immune defense gene were infected with virus, their ability to execute an effective immune response was greatly reduced. Taken together, the results indicate that ancient viral DNA has become important for mounting a proper defense against today's viral infections. Because similar virus-derived switches are embedded close to many immune genes, the implication is that together they help coordinate our cellular defenses. "The interferon response is like the alarm system of the cell. We found that some of the most important switches in this system are actually derived from ancient viruses," explains Chuong. The report also finds clues that other endogenous retroviruses may have independently "wired" the interferon responses of other mammals, potentially pointing to a widespread mechanism underlying species-specific immune responses. "It's likely no accident that innate immune systems reclaimed some of these viral remnants", says Elde. Immune defenses are continually challenged by pathogens that rapidly evolve and change invasion tactics. In order to keep up, evolution simply retooled the genetic material that was previously supplied by viruses. "Many viruses originally entered our genomes as part of the process of viral replication," says Elde. "The evolutionary process turned the tables to our benefit." Explore further Why bats don't get sick from the deadly diseases they carry More information: "Regulatory evolution of innate immunity through co-option of endogenous retroviruses," Science (2016). Journal information: Science "Regulatory evolution of innate immunity through co-option of endogenous retroviruses,"(2016). DOI: 10.1126/science.aad5497 To understand human behaviors, it is crucial to understand the motives behind them. So far, there was no direct way to identify motives. Simply observing behavior or eliciting explanations from individuals for their actions will not give reliable results as motives are considered to be private and people can be unwilling to unveil - or even be unaware of - their own motives. Psychologist and neuroscientist Grit Hein and Ernst Fehr from the Department of Economics, University of Zurich teamed up with Yosuke Morishima, Susanne Leiberg, Sunhae Sul and found that the way relevant brain regions communicate with each other is altered depending on the motives driving a specific behavioral choice. This interplay between brain regions allowed them to identify the underlying motives. These motives could not be uncovered by observing the person's choices, or based on the brain regions that are activated during the decision-making. Connections between brain regions linked to motives During the study, participants were placed in an fMRI scanner and made altruistic decisions driven by an empathy motive (the desire to help a person for whom one feels empathy) or a reciprocity motive (the desire to reciprocate an individual's previous kindness). Simply looking at the functional activity of specific regions of the brain couldn't reveal the motive underlying the decisions. Broadly speaking, the same areas in the brain lit up in both settings. "However, using Dynamic Causal Modeling (DCM) analyses, we could investigate the interplay between these brain regions and found marked differences between empathy- based and reciprocity-based decisions", explains Grit Hein. "The impact of the motives on the interplay between different brain regions was so fundamentally different that it could be used to classify the motive of a person with high accuracy" she continues. Empathy motive increases altruistic behavior in selfish people A further important result was that motives are processed differently in selfish and prosocial people. In selfish people, the empathy but not the reciprocity motive increased the number of altruistic decisions. After activating the empathy motive, selfish individual resembled persons with prosocial preferences in terms of brain connectivity and altruistic behavior. In contrast, prosocial people behaved even more altruistically after activating the reciprocity, but not the empathy motive. Explore further Empathy with strangers can be learned More information: Grit Hein, Yosuke Morishima, Susanne Leiberg, and Ernst Fehr. The brain's functional network architecture reveals human motives. Science. March 3, 2016. Journal information: Science Grit Hein, Yosuke Morishima, Susanne Leiberg, and Ernst Fehr. The brain's functional network architecture reveals human motives.. March 3, 2016. DOI: 10.1126/science.aac7992 In this Feb. 24, 2016 photo, Dr. Vanessa Rouzier examines a child suffering cholera symptoms, as his mother watches, inside Haiti's first permanent cholera center, run by Gheskio Centers, in downtown Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Cholera, undetected in Haiti before October 2010, has sickened more than some 7 percent of the population, and killed more than 9,200. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery) More than a dozen people reclined on cots inside the clinic in the Haitian capital, a few so sick they were receiving intravenous infusions to rehydrate their bodies and spare them an agonizing death. The worst off one recent morning was a thin and spectral man, weak from the vomiting and diarrhea caused by cholera. But all were expected to survive. The disease spread by contaminated water is easily treatable but can lead to death within hours if unattended. "However I got it, I really hope I never get this sick again," another patient, Estin Josue, said as he recovered inside an immaculately clean and orderly treatment center in downtown Port-au-Prince run by Gheskio Centers, a Haitian medical organization. Josue and his fellow patients were relatively lucky, getting sick close to the country's first permanent cholera treatment center. Many others are not as fortunate as Haiti continues to wrestle with the worst outbreak of the disease in recent history. Cholera, which arrived in Haiti in October 2010, has sickened more than 770,000 people, or about 7 percent of the population, and killed more than 9,200. So far this year, it has sickened more than 6,000 and is killing an average of 37 people a month, according to the latest government figures. In this Feb. 24, 2016 photo, people get treatment at Haiti's first permanent cholera center, run by Gheskio Centers, in downtown Port-au-Prince, Haiti. While the number of cholera cases has been significantly reduced from its first wave and the mortality rate has been slashed to lower than 1 per cent from a high of 9 percent in December 2010, the fact that cholera is still killing Haitians more than five years on is galling to public health experts. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery) The persistence of the preventable disease has alarmed public health experts who fear that attention and resources have been diverted by newer challenges, including the regional spread of the Zika virus and the political crisis that recently halted Haiti's elections. World Health Organization spokesman Gregory Hartl said cholera is now considered "endemic" in Haiti, meaning it's an illness that occurs regularly. Others have noted the cholera bacterium could very well be firmly established in Haiti's rivers, estuaries and even coastal waters. "Once it is established in a country's aquatic reservoir it is extremely difficult to eradicate," said Afsar Ali, a researcher at the University of Florida who has led studies of cholera in Haiti for years. Dr. Joseph Donald Francois, who coordinates the health ministry's efforts to combat the illness, still believes Haiti, with international help, can eliminate cholera by 2022. But he acknowledged the effort is badly underfinanced. Only $307 million, or less than 14 percent, has been funded of a $2.2 billion plan announced in 2013 to eradicate cholera from the island shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic over a decade, according to a November report from the U.N. In this Feb. 24, 2016 photo, a worker pours water for a patient at Haiti's first permanent cholera center, run by Gheskio Centers, in downtown Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The disease spread by contaminated water is easily treatable but can lead to death within hours if unattended. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery) In the first year of the outbreak, more than 200 international organizations were providing money and expertise to combat the illness in Haiti. Now, there are fewer than a dozen, Francois said. "Having far fewer deaths has led a lot of people to believe the situation is no longer urgent," Francois said. "But if we had the resources, people wouldn't be dying at all." Cholera was first detected in central Haiti's Artibonite Valley. Researchers say there is ample evidence the disease was introduced to the country's biggest river by inadequately treated sewage from a base of U.N. peacekeepers from Nepal, one of the units that have rotated in and out of a multinational force in Haiti since 2004. Victims' advocates have sued the U.N. in the United States. A federal judge ruled last year that the international organization was immune from a lawsuit seeking compensation. The U.S. Court of Appeals this week heard arguments for the plaintiffs challenging the U.N. immunity claim. A decision is not expected for months. Cholera showed up 10 months after a devastating earthquake in the south of Haiti, deepening the country's misery at a time when it was ill-equipped to cope with a second crisis. In this Feb. 28, 2016 photo, a man wades through a garbage filled water canal, pulling his bag after collecting empty bottles to sell in downtown of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Scientists believe cholera was introduced to the country's biggest river by inadequately treated sewage from a base of U.N. peacekeepers. Victims' advocates have sued the U.N. in the United States, but a federal judge ruled last year that the organization was immune from a lawsuit seeking compensation. The U.S. Court of Appeals heard arguments in March 2016 for the plaintiffs challenging U.N. immunity claims. A decision is not expected for months. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery) New research published this month by the U.S. Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention suggests cholera's death toll in Haiti could have been significantly higher due to inadequate reporting early in the outbreak. While the number of cholera cases has been significantly reduced from its first wave and the mortality rate has been slashed to lower than 1 percent from a high of 9 percent in December 2010, the fact that cholera is still killing Haitians more than five years on is galling to public health experts. "We need to raise our expectations of what's possible to do in Haiti and other countries in terms of these diseases that we've completely eliminated from our own societies," said Dr. Louise Ivers, a senior policy adviser with Boston-based Partners In Health. Ivers was working in Haiti's central plateau when cholera started sickening and killing so many people that it gave the nation the globe's highest rate of cholera one year after it was introduced. She said there hasn't been nearly enough progress addressing the lack of sanitation and access to clean water that are key to eliminating cholera and believes progress has stalled. Only 24 percent of Haitians have access to a toilet, sewage is rarely treated and safe water remains inaccessible to many. Jean Bertho, an unemployed laborer walking by a trash-strewn gully shook his head when asked about the disease. "I wouldn't be surprised if cholera lasts for another 50 years here," he said. "There's so much garbage everywhere and Haitian people can't get good water easily." Explore further UN: Haiti has more cholera than any other nation 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. A large clinical trial to assess the benefits or otherwise of inducing labour in pregnant women of 35 years or older has found there was no significant effect on the rate of caesarean sections and no adverse effect on the mother and newborn baby. The large, randomised, controlled study was carried out by researchers in Nottingham with the help of around 600 older first time mothers from all over the UK. It was designed to explore whether induction is an effective obstetric intervention that is currently being underused. The results of the NIHR-funded trial was carried out by a research team led by The University of Nottingham and Nottingham University Hospitals Trust and is being published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The average age of women giving birth in industrialised countries has been increasing for the past 30 years. In the 10 years until 2006, births to women 35 years or older in the UK went from 12 per cent to 20 per cent of all deliveries. The risks of stillbirth, pre-eclampsia, pregnancy diabetes and problems with the placenta are all higher in pregnant women aged 35 or over and they are more likely to deliver premature and underweight babies. These women are also more likely to have problems in labour with 38 per cent ending up with caesarean sections, rising to 50 per cent of women over 40 years of age having their first baby. The Nottingham trial randomly assigned pregnant women who volunteered to take part either to labour induction at 39 weeks or to 'expectant care'waiting until the spontaneous onset of labour or the development of a medical problem that warranted intervention. Induction of labour was achieved by the insertion of a pessary or an intravenous hormone drip. Of the 619 women who took part there were no significant differences between the two groups in how many ended up having caesarean sections or in the percentage of women who had a vaginal delivery with forceps or vacuum-assisted delivery. There were no maternal or infant deaths and no significant differences between the groups in the women's experience of delivery or in the frequency of adverse outcomes for mother and baby. Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at The University of Nottingham, Jim Thornton, said: "We were fairly surprised by our main result in that overall there was no significant effect on the rate of caesarean section in the group of mums who were induced at 39 weeks. Our trial was not set up to test induction as a way of avoiding stillbirth but it does prove the safety of performing a much larger trial to test this further. "Some people say why not just induce everyone at 39 weeks and prevent some stillbirths. Others say that would medicalise many normal pregnancies, increase intervention rates and may have long term unintended harms. Ours is the first clinical trial to provide some hard evidence to help decision-making among doctors and older first-time mothers-to-be. The results support the 'induce more women' advocates, although there are still reasons for caution." One of the women who took part in the trial said: "Having chosen to start a family later in life, we were very much aware of the increased risk of complications, so when asked to take part in the trial, given the reasons for the research it was an easy decision. I was completely supported by the trial team throughout my pregnancy, which was very reassuring." Lay member of the research team, Chris Wild smith, who lost a baby through stillbirth said: "I'm really encouraged by the results of the study, especially as it has covered such a difficult subject and area that isn't easy to suggest studies or research without creating more angst or worry among future parents. I really hope the work can generate more discussion to the clinical approach and how to address risk groups. I do hope for all our stillborn children that the evidence will avoid more families going through the traumatic pain and hurt that we endured." The Randomised Trial of Labour Induction in Women 35 Years of Age or Older was carried out by the Divisions of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at The University of Nottingham and Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust; Nottingham Clinical Trials Unit, Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Charity, London; and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre, Cambridge University. Explore further Ultrasound during active labour best predictor of C-section needs (HealthDay)The proportion of pediatric Staphylococcus aureus infections due to methicillin-resistant S. aureus seems to be decreasing in pediatric populations, according to a study published online March 1 in Pediatrics. Deena E. Sutter, M.D., from the San Antonio Military Medical Center in Fort Sam Houston, Texas, and colleagues examined S. aureus susceptibility data for pediatric patients receiving care in the U.S. Military Health System. They collected microbiology and demographic data for years 2005 through 2014 and examined correlations with antibiotic susceptibilities. Overall, 41,745 S. aureus isolates from 39,207 pediatric patients were included in the study. The researchers found that over the 10-year period there was an overall increase in susceptibility of isolates to oxacillin; in 2014, over 60 percent of isolates were oxacillin-susceptible. Over the study period, S. aureus susceptibility to clindamycin decreased; there was a decline from 90 to 83 percent in methicillin-susceptible S. aureus susceptibility to clindamycin (P < 0.0001). Over time there was a decrease in the differences in oxacillin susceptibility between U.S. regions. "Similar to recent trends seen in adults, the proportion of pediatric S. aureus infections secondary to methicillin-resistant S. aureus appear to be decreasing, as is variability in U.S. geographical resistance rates," the authors write. "Increasing clindamycin resistance among methicillin-susceptible S. aureus should raise caution in the use of empirical clindamycin in presumed S. aureus infection." Explore further Relative proportion of MRSA increasing in S. aureus isolates Copyright 2016 HealthDay. All rights reserved. (HealthDay)Seniors who use their computers as little as once a week may help ward off age-related declines in memory and thinking, new research suggests. The study found that those who did use a computer showed a 42 percent lower risk of developing mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a precursor to dementia. What isn't yet clear is exactly how computer use might help save memory and thinking abilities. "We did not investigate mechanisms that might underlie the association between mentally stimulating activities such as computer use and the risk of incident MCI," said study author Janina Krell-Roesch, a research fellow at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Ariz. "Therefore, we can only speculate why computer use might be of help." Seniors who reach for their keyboards may simply be more likely to adhere to a generally healthier and more "disciplined" lifestyle, Krell-Roesch suggested. Or, it could be that computer use actually brings about beneficial brain changes. It's also possible that computers may help seniors compensate and cope more effectively when mild memory and thinking problems do start to set in. Or, it could be a combination of all three, she said. It's also important to note that this study wasn't designed to prove a cause-and-effect relationship. It can only show an association between computer use and better memory and thinking with age. Krell-Roesch is to present the findings in April at the American Academy of Neurology's annual meeting, in Vancouver, Canada. Findings presented at meetings are generally viewed as preliminary until they've been published in a peer-reviewed journal. To explore how computer use and other forms of mental stimulation might affect dementia risk, the study included more than 1,900 seniors. None had signs of thinking or memory problems when the trial began. All were 70 or older. All of the seniors completed an activity questionnaire about the year that had just passed. Stimulating activity options included reading, socializing, game-playing and craft-making, as well as computer use. The health of study volunteers was then followed for an average of four years. The result: engaging in any of the activities at least once a week was associated with a lower risk for developing mild cognitive impairment. Computer use at least once a week was linked to a 42 percent drop in the risk for memory or thinking issues. About 18 percent of those who used a computer ended up developing mild cognitive impairment, compared with nearly 31 percent of seniors who didn't use a computer. Reading magazines was associated with a 30 percent drop in the risk of memory and thinking issues. Participating in social activities was associated with 23 percent drop in the risk for developing memory impairment. Practicing a craft task, such as knitting, curtailed the risk of memory problems by 16 percent, while game-playing reduced risk by 14 percent, the study showed. The researchers don't know whether the protective benefit would rise with increased participation in stimulating activities. "In the future, we may conduct additional analyses to see if a higher frequency is associated with a better health outcome," she said. Dr. Anton Porsteinsson is director of the Alzheimer's Disease Care, Research and Education Program at the University of Rochester School of Medicine in Rochester, N.Y. He said distinguishing the chicken from the egg in studies like this can be tricky. "When people start to experience cognitive decline they start to withdraw, especially from something like computer use because that is not a passive activity, like watching TV," he said. "Computer use can be reasonably complex. So it may be that using a computer can be brain protective. But, it may also simply be a marker for seniors who are still fine, and are also busy reading and knitting, and having a generally active social life." Dr. Amy Kelley, an associate professor in the department of geriatrics and palliative medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, expressed little surprise at the study findings. "It's impossible to draw cause-and-effect lines with these things," she cautioned. "But I do think that when older adults are engaged, challenged, active, and learning new things, it all adds up to a healthier lifestyle. And the brain is a muscle. You've got to use it to keep it healthy." More information: There's more on memory and brain health at the There's more on memory and brain health at the U.S. National Institute on Aging Copyright 2016 HealthDay. All rights reserved. Adverts via free Wi-Fi on Tbilisi public transport People who use public transport in Georgias capital Tbilisi will soon be able to enjoy free Wi-Fi while on the go.Local company WiFisher plans to invest about 40,000 GEL (about $16,100/ 14,650*) to create a new advertising channel in about 2,000 mini-buses that travel throughout Tbilisi.The new service will allow companies to deliver short adverts to consumers via a free wireless service through a cell-phone, tablet or other device. Once the advert is shown, mini-bus passengers will be able to enjoy free, high speed internet on their personal devices while they travel.WiFisher founder and director Nodar Ivanidze told Agenda.ge the company will start testing the system from March 4 to determine how in demand the new service will be by those in Tbilisi.The testing will take about three to four weeks. Initially we will put internet access into 14 mini-buses where the companies will be able to spread their advertisements. If the testing period is successful we will introduce the system in all mini-buses in Tbilisi, said Ivanidze.He believed the scheme would be successful as a large portion of society used the internet on a regular basis, and the project would allow passengers to access their favourite webpages at all times of their journey.Once a passenger connects his or her cellular device to the free Wi-Fi service, a five-second advertisement will appear on the screen. This is a good opportunity for companies to advertise their products or services. After five seconds the passenger will be able to freely use Wi-Fi and go to Facebook, YouTube, Myvideo or any page they would like to see, Ivanidze said.He believed the service would be interesting for micro-financing organisations, banking systems, technology companies and the other firms wishing to promote their products.Special stickers will be labelled on mini-buses letting people to know that the vehicle offered free Wi-Fi service.WiFisher was created five months ago with a 50,000 GEL (about $20,150/ / 18,300*) investment from an angel investor an affluent individual who provides capital for a business start-up.Ivanidze told Agenda.ge the company planned to expand its activities throughout Georgia before entering Armenia and Estonia and offering the innovative service there. The News in Brief Georgia, China Hold First Round of Free Trade Talks Officials from the Georgian Ministry of Economics and the Chinese Ministry of Commerce held the first round of talks on a free trade agreement between the two countries in Tbilisi on February 22-23. We have agreed on a joint goal to complete free trade negotiations by the end of 2016, Georgia's Deputy Minister of Economics, Genadi Arveladze, told journalists on February 23, adding that meetings between negotiators will be held once every two months. We will try to achieve maximum liberalisation of customs duties and taxes for the export of Georgian products to the Chinese market, he said. China was Georgias fourth largest trading partner in 2015 with a turnover of 712.7 million USD. Exports to China increased by 39.1% y/y to USD 125.8 million last year, mostly due to the export of copper ores and concentrates. Imports from China were down by 19.9% to 586.9 million USD in 2015. Georgias Economic Minister Dimitri Kumsishvili said that Georgia should especially focus on gaining a preferential regime for exporting the Georgian wine and agriculture products to China. Georgia exported 2.67 million 0.75-liter bottles of wine to China in 2015, up by 122% compared to 2014, according to the National Wine Agency of Georgia. (Civil.ge) MPs do not rule out possible change of ministers Parliamentary majority members have no concrete information about expected staff changes but MPs do not rule out the replacement of some ministers. As Eka Beselia has stated, no consultations on the matter have yet been held. We know PM Kvirikashvili said he did not rule out changes in the government; he said he needed more time to make a decision. Nothing is ruled out, she said. MP Ani Mirotadze stated that inter-parliamentary consultations and discussions on the matter have not yet been held, and so no decision on the changes can have been made yet. (IPN) Annual report by Amnesty International criticises Georgias human rights record Georgia still struggles with issues connected to its justice system, freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, the rights of LGBT people, as well as cases of torture and other ill-treatment. Amnesty International (AI) has released the annual report 2015/2016on the state of the worlds human rights. The organisation noted the significant worsening of global human rights, and writes that the year that saw a global assault on peoples basic freedoms, with many governments brazenly breaking international law and deliberately undermining institutions meant to protect peoples rights. AI notes that 2015 was a turbulent year in Europe and Central Asia , and a bad one for human rights. In a chapter dedicated to Georgia, AI writes that legal battles around the pro-opposition TV channel Rustavi 2 raised concerns over freedom of expression. Allegations of political pressure on the judiciary and selective justice persisted, particularly following the arrest and conviction of a former politician one day after the Constitutional Court ordered his release. In several instances police prevented or limited peaceful gatherings. The investigation of allegations of ill-treatment by law enforcement officials remained slow and ineffective, while a proposal for an independent investigative mechanism was put forward but not yet legislated on. AI takes note of the fact that political tensions in Georgia rose due to release of clandestine videos of prison rape from the period when the United National Movement (UNM) was in power and leaked communicationsbetween former president Mikheil Saakashvili and Rustavi 2. A 26% devaluation of the lari against the US dollar increased economic vulnerability for many families. Removal of South Ossetian border posts at the administrative boundary line and detentions of people heightened tensions between the central government and Tskhinvali, while the International Court launched an investigation into the events of the 2008 war. According to the report, concerns over the fairness of the judiciary, selective justice and politically motivated prosecutions persisted, which refers to the four-and-a-half-years sentence given to former Tbilisi Mayor Gigi Ugulava following two years of pre-trial detention. AI writes that local NGOs and political commentators raised concerns over the political aspect of the Rustavi 2 dispute. According to the report, in several instances, policy unduly limited or prevented peaceful gatherings, while on a number of occasions they failed to prevent clashes between political opponents, bringing up the example of a clash between Georgian Dream supporters and UNM activists and supporters, wherein the former forcibly entered a UNM office in Zugdidi. In June, ahead of the European Games in Baku, police prevented 15 activists from protesting against Azerbaijans poor human rights record at Heydar Aliyev Square in Tbilisi. AI writes that the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT) this year had to be marked in secrecy due to the polices refusal to guarantee the safety of activists unless the rally was a held at a contained and publicly disclosed location. Tbilisi City Court ruled that a man who killed a transgender woman in her own flat was acting in self-defence, convicting him only of arson and battery. In October, Tbilisi City Court acquitted all men charged with attacking the 2013 IDAHOT rally due to insufficient evidence. AI takes note of reports of new cases of ill-treatment by law enforcement and the slow and ineffective investigation of alleged abuse by members of the General Inspection of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. As for Georgias neighbouring countries, AI writes that in Armenia, largely peaceful protests were repeatedly disrupted, including with the use of excessive force by police, which led to yet more and larger protests. Protest organizers faced arrest and criminal prosecution on questionable charges. An anti-government protester was reported attacked and beaten. Torture and other ill-treatment, and impunity enjoyed by the perpetrators, remained a concern. New provisions for alternative civilian service, introduced into law in 2013, were made available for conscientious objectors. In Azerbaijan, 'the crackdown on civil society and persecution of political dissent continued. Human rights organizations remained unable to resume their work. At least 18 prisoners of conscience remained in detention at the end of the year. Reprisals against independent journalists and activists persisted both in the country and abroad, while their family members also faced harassment and arrests. International human rights monitors were barred and expelled from the country. Reports of torture and other ill-treatment persisted. In the Russian Federation, freedom of expression and peaceful assembly remained severely restricted. The authorities dominated the print and broadcast media, and further extended their control over the internet. NGOs faced further harassment and reprisals under the foreign agents law, while their access to foreign funding was further restricted by a new law banning undesirable organizations. Growing numbers of individuals were arrested and criminally charged for criticizing state policy and publicly displaying or possessing materials deemed extremist or otherwise unlawful under vague national security legislation. Four people faced prosecution under the2014 law that made repeated violations of the law on public assemblies a criminal offence. Deep flaws in the judicial system were further exposed through several high profile cases; a new law gave the Constitutional Court the authority to overrule decisions by the European Court of Human Rights. Refugees faced numerous obstacles in accessing international protection. Serious human rights violations continued in the North Caucasus, and human rights defenders reporting from the region faced harassment. In Turkey, the human rights situation deteriorated markedly following parliamentary elections in June and the outbreak of violence between the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and the Turkish armed forces in July. The media faced unprecedented pressure from the government; free expression online and offline suffered significantly. The right to freedom of peaceful assembly continued to be violated. Cases of excessive use of force by police and ill-treatment in detention increased. Impunity for human rights abuses persisted. The independence of the judiciary was further eroded. Separate suicide bombings attributed to the armed group Islamic State (IS) targeting left-wing and pro-Kurdish activists and demonstrators killed 139 people. An estimated 2.5 million refugees and asylum-seekers were accommodated in Turkey but individuals increasingly faced arbitrary detention and deportation as the government negotiated emigration deal with the EU. (DF watch) Your lamb shall be an unblemished male a year old...And you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month, then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel is to kill it at twilight . Moreover, they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. And they shall eat the flesh that same night, roasted with fire, and they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs...and you shall eat it in haste it is the Lord s Passover. For I will go through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike down all the first-born in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments WHAT HAPPENED TO THE DEMOCRAT PARTY? I can no longer remain in todays Demo Party that is now under the control of an elitist cabal of warmongers driven by cowardly wokeness, who divide us by racializing every issue and stoke anti-white racism, actively undermine our freedoms, are hostile to people of faith, demonize the police and protect criminals at the expense of law-abiding Americans, believe in open borders, weaponize the national security state to go after opponents.TULSI GABBARD @ByKristenMClark A controversial bonus plan that awards "highly effective" teachers based on their ACT/SAT scores faces a tough fight in the Florida Senate -- and that battle is bogging down a massive education bill that Sen. Don Gaetz wants to use as a vehicle to permanently extend the "Best & Brightest" bonuses. Rank-and-file senators in both parties are, at least, reluctant or, at most, altogether opposed to the program. Echoing other critics, they argue it's not a fair way to reward teachers, since there's no proven correlation between teachers' high school test scores and their ability to be good teachers. But Senate Republican leaders say they want to make a "good faith effort" to support "Best & Brightest" because it's a priority for House Appropriations Chairman Richard Corcoran, a Land O'Lakes Republican who's in line to become House Speaker in November. "The process works best when we respect each chamber's priorities, as much as we respect our own," Senate Appropriations Chairman Tom Lee, R-Brandon, said this evening. Gaetz's education bill (SB 524) that includes "Best & Brightest" -- among a dozen other policy proposals -- was scheduled to be heard on the Senate floor today, but dozens of amendments were added to it as late as this morning. Gaetz, a Niceville Republican, asked for his bill to be postponed so senators could digest the myriad proposed changes. The bill could come back up again as early as Thursday as part of the Senate's "Special Order" calendar. Among the proposed amendments to SB 524 are efforts by several senators to either strip the "Best & Brightest" bonuses entirely from the bill or, if that fails, significantly change the eligibility criteria, so that teachers could be awarded based on different benchmarks. @MichaelAuslen Congressman Ron DeSantis has launched his first 2016 Senate campaign ad, called "Accountable," which goes after Hillary Clinton. The 30-second ad will run during the next two Republican presidential debates and on March 15 during coverage of Florida's presidential preference primary. On Wednesday, one of DeSantis' rivals in the GOP Senate race, Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera, released his first Web video of the campaign. Congressman David Jolly, homebuilder Carlos Beruff and defense contractor Todd Wilcox are also running in the Republican primary. @ByKristenMClark Sen. Don Gaetz today backed down from plans to make a last-ditch effort in getting his open-carry proposal heard this session. The Niceville Republican had wanted to amend his plan on to a different concealed weapons bill that senators heard on the chamber floor today. But the attempt was short-lived. Ever since Gaetz filed the proposed amendment last night, some senators had been coordinating to thwart Gaetz by citing Senate rules. Heading into the Senate session this morning, Gaetz acknowledged the opposition but said "we'll give it a try." But when SB 612 came up early this afternoon, Gaetz said he'd been advised by Rules Chairman David Simmons, R-Altamonte Springs, that his amendment was "out of order," because it was the subject of his standalone bill that stalled in committee. Gaetz said "in deference to Senate rules" he would withdraw the open-carry amendment. Gaetz's bill -- which would let 1.5 million concealed-weapons permit-holders openly carry handguns in Florida -- cleared the its first committee last fall but then stalled before the Senate Judiciary Committee when Chairman Miguel Diaz de la Portilla, R-Miami, refused to take it up. Diaz de la Portilla's decision to not even consider open-carry sparked anger from Gaetz two weeks ago -- which led to a passionate retort from Sen. Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater, with whom Gaetz has had a long-standing feud. The Republican-heavy House passed its version of the open-carry bill in February, by a 80-38 vote. @NewsbySmiley Negotiations should begin soon to craft an agreement to rebuild Liberty Square now that Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez has authorized talks between the county's public housing division and Related Group's affordable housing arm. Gimenez on Tuesday signed off on a request to start negotiations with Related Urban Development Group. The county's negotiating team will include Housing Director Michael Liu, Assistant Director Julie Edwards, and division directors Jorge Cibran and Clarence Brown. Steven Mayers, a county real estate adviser, will also be involved. Gimenez does not want negotiations to linger, according to a source familiar with the process, and is willing to begin negotiations with second-place finisher Atlantic Pacific Communities if talks with Related Urban don't near resolution within several weeks. County Commissioners must approve any agreement to rebuild Liberty Square. For more background on the redevelopment of Liberty Square, click here and here. via @CTeproff From Florida's Python Challenge to the candidates most likely to get us into World War III, Dave Barry and Carl Hiaasen lobbed a few choice zingers about the 2016 presidential campaign Tuesday night at the Miracle Theater in Coral Gables. Here are nine ways Barry and Hiaasen would remake the campaign and, no, were not making this up! This is the weirdest presidential election campaign anybody has ever seen," Barry said, noting a CNN story about Donald Trump brushing aside comments from Marco Rubio about the size of his hands. Hiaasen: Where do you start with that?" Hiaasen on the Donald: It's like someone put a Muppet in the microwave." If anyone thought there was a chance of resurrecting the gaming bills at Thursday's Senate Appropriations Committee meeting, Senate President Andy Gardiner and budget chairman, Sen. Tom Lee, extinguished that possibility late Wednesday. "It's just a bridge too far this late,'' said Lee, R-Brandon, after the agenda to the last meeting of his committee was posted with no gaming bills. "We don't have the time on the agenda. There's not an agreement. Every time you put a gaming bill up in the Florida Legislature it's like throwing a side of beef into a shark tank." Meanwhile, Gardiner, R-Orlando, contradicted claims from members of the pari-mutuel industry that he was the force that stopped the gaming bills from advancing to the Senate floor. "I've heard the lobbyists, the gaming guys, trying to misconstrue my comments,'' Gardiner told reporters. "If something came to my desk. I would not block it. As far as I know, it has not come to my desk. I will support the sponsor of the bill. We can't try to rewrite history here. "Sen. Bradley negotiated a compact with the governor's office for months. In committee, an amendment was put on his bill which he voted against. So I don't think anybody would be surprised when he stands up before the committee and TPs his bill. This idea that we would just waive all the rules because somebody wants to have a vote on the floor -- we're going to follow what the chair recommendation is. There's still time but I think people need to make sure we don't misconstrue what I said." "As I've said before, gaming bills tend to die of their own weight. What happened in the committee, the reality is what they did violated the existing compact,'' he said. "Members have to decide if they want to do that. An argument could be made, if you pass that bill as amended, we would have had to take $75 million from the existing budget we're presently negotiating. I think it just got too heavy and the sponsor decided to do away with it." Michael-in-Norfolk disclaims any and all responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, completeness, legality, reliability, operability, or availability of information or material displayed on this site and does not claim credit for any images or articles featured on this site, unless otherwise noted. All visual content is copyrighted to it's respectful owners. Information on this site may contain errors or inaccuracies, and Michael-in-Norfolk does not make warranty as to the correctness or reliability of the site's content. If you own rights to any of the images or articles, and do not wish them to appear on this site, please contact Michael-in-Norfolk via e-mail and they will be promptly removed. Michael-in-Norfolk contains links to other Internet sites. These links are provided solely as a convenience and are not endorsements of any products or services in such sites, and no information or content in such site has been endorsed or approved by this blog. The March 15 deer and elk permit application deadline has gained more importance to hunters in west-central Montana as a result of the new regulations for the 2016 hunting season. This year, the Fish and Wildlife Commission reinstated antlerless elk permits in 13 of the 30 hunting districts in Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks' Region 2, and the deadline to apply for these and other deer and elk permits is March 15. Find out more and apply online at fwp.mt.gov. Hunters can also apply at FWP offices and all license providers. These antlerless permits replace antlerless B licenses in many hunting districts. Unlike a B license, the permit does not allow hunters to harvest a second elk. Instead, it provides the holder an opportunity to use a general elk license to harvest an antlerless elk in a particular district. The change was made to address public concerns in some parts of Montana, according to Mike Thompson, FWP Region 2 wildlife manager. Many people didnt feel it was right for one hunter to harvest two elk in the same area, particularly on public lands where elk are vulnerable to harvest, Thompson said. Antlerless permits for elk are available for 2016 in hunting districts 200, 201, 202, 210, 211, 213, 214, 215, 216, 270, 281, 291 and 293. Hunters must apply by March 15. Also due by March 15 are applications for special permits to hunt bull elk and mule deer bucks in some hunting districts, as in previous years. Hunting for bull elk is by permit in hunting districts 250 and 270, as in the past, and new HD 217, southeast of Drummond. Hunting for mule deer bucks is by permit in hunting districts 202, 204, 210, 212, 213, 214, 215, 217, 240, 250, 261, 262, 270, 281, 291, 292 and 298, which has not changed from previous years. Elk B licenses valid for taking a second elk will still be available in some hunting districts in Region 2, particularly where elk populations are over objective, or on private land portions of districts. The deadline to apply for B licenses is June 1. Complete hunting regulations for 2016 are expected to be online in early to mid-March. Missoulian Staff While U.S. citizens contemplate a radical presidential campaign this spring, our Canadian neighbors just underwent a similar upheaval last year. Its meant a lot of writing for Calgary Herald senior reporter Colette Derworiz, who will visit the University of Montana School of Journalism this week. She will discuss Canadas Changing Climate at the annual Marjorie Nichols Lecture at 7 p.m. Thursday in Turner Hall. Its amazing how my work has changed since the change in government, Derworiz said. Weve moved away from a conservative government in Alberta thats been in place for more than 40 years. And the conservative Harper administration had run the federal government for the past 10 years. The policies around the environment were muted at best. Derworiz has worked for the Calgary Herald for 17 years, covering most beats and duties in the newsroom before taking over environmental coverage four years ago. She said her stories have shifted from environmentalists criticizing the provincial governments policies on industrial development to those industries trying to figure out what the new government wants to do. Last May, Alberta voters elected Rachel Notley and her New Democratic Party in a landslide overthrow of the long-reigning Conservative Party. Liberal Party leader Justin Trudeau won the federal prime minister post in October. He quickly switched Canadas official stance on climate change from general indifference to active participation at the international climate summit in Paris six weeks later later. Its been fascinating, Derworiz said. I think people were upset with the Harper government saying that climate change was not an issue and muzzling scientists who were researching climate change. The conservatives didnt lose support in the last election, but the liberals drew out more new voters. They attracted more immigrants, more aboriginals and more younger voters. Trudeau planned to meet with leaders of the countrys 10 provinces in Vancouver, British Columbia, on Thursday to discuss national policy on greenhouse gas emissions. Trudeaus administration has proposed a national carbon tax to lower fossil fuel use and spur development of renewable energy technology. While British Columbia has adopted such a tax and Alberta is considering one, leaders of Saskatchewan and Manitoba have opposed creating a federal carbon tax. Meanwhile, Notley has asked Albertas extensive oil-sands industry to seek a social license for its activity. Her administration is imposing a carbon tax in 2017. Its a way to show youre reducing greenhouse gases and getting serious about climate change, but its not a leave-it-in-the-ground approach, Derworiz said. Theyre trying to show the world that our oil is cleaner than other oil. But its a lot harder to do environmental things when your economy is hurting. President Barack Obama has a state dinner and visit scheduled for Trudeau next week in Washington, D.C. Derworiz said the conversation could include several issues of particular interest to people in the Rocky Mountains. They include possible protection of the Flathead River headwaters in British Columbia, the Columbia River treaty renewal that governs hydropower and flood control in the Pacific Northwest, and the expired Softwood Lumber Agreement covering wood products trade between the two nations. Even closer to home, Derworiz has found herself covering the creation of a new provincial park in the Castles area between Glacier-Waterton International Peace Park and Banff National Park in Alberta. That area had been slated for extensive timber harvest before the change in provincial leadership, and its protection was one of Notleys first actions after taking office in 2015. Derworiz is also watching to see what U.S. officials do with grizzly bear protection. The big bears are a threatened species in Alberta with similar legal protections as in the United States. However, with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and state wildlife managers considering removing Endangered Species Act protection from grizzlies in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming, Derworiz said Alberta officials are pondering what to do with their expanding bear populations. All of this could take place very quickly. Albertas New Democratic Party leadership has to deal with a collapsing economy hurt by low oil prices, as well as a provincial bureaucracy dominated by people with connections to the old Conservative Party leadership. They only have 18 months to do things before the next election cycle, Derworiz said. Right now, Id be surprised if they get re-elected. It's been almost 30 years since Charlie met Pablo. Painter George Gogas had the idea for his Western-meets-modernism series in 1987 for a showing at the Missoula Art Museum. It was an exhibition on Western imagery, and Gogas, a dedicated, MFA-holding modernist, was a little stumped. "I thought, 'What can I do that wouldn't be really, really realistic and corny or whatever, about Western art?' " Gogas said earlier this week. He imagined a stylistic mashup of Charlie Russell's action-filled vistas with Pablo Picasso's flattened cubist planes. The painting was accepted and the largest part of his career was formed he estimates there are more than 50 now. To celebrate his long career, including decades as an art teacher and even more as an artist, Gogas has been selected as the 2016 honoree for "The Odyssey of the Stars" at the University of Montana. To accompany Saturday's ceremony, there's also a 40-year survey of Gogas' art at the Montana Museum of Art and Culture's Meloy Gallery. Each year, UM honors an alumnus from its art programs, whether it's fine art, theater, music, dance or more recently, media arts. Each year, an alumni is picked from one of the schools in the College of Visual and Performing Arts for "their outstanding achievements and contributions to the professional field," UM art professor Cathryn Mallory noted in an email. The selections rotate between the four schools, which are Fine Art, Media Arts, Music, and Theater and Dance. This year, it was the School of Fine Art's turn, they picked Gogas, who earned his bachelor's degree in fine arts in 1951. Mallory said Gogas was chosen "for his dedication and success as an artist, his ongoing commitment to art education, and his support for all arts institutions in our community." "Gogas has been an inspirational teacher to numerous students throughout his career. He is always interested in what young artists are doing and has rarely missed a student exhibit at the Gallery of Visual Arts," Mallory said. *** The MMAC show, titled "George Gogas: Odyssey," represents the many series Gogas' concurrently worked in over the years, which began with abstraction to figuration and back again. "We wanted to have a representation of his development from very early after art school on through the later, more figurative works to chart what I look at as the dismantling of visual representational language, a mimesis kind of taken down to its basic parts and then reconstituted over the course of over 40 years of creative output," said Jeremy Canwell, the MMAC's interim curator. The oldest piece dates to 1973, a part of his "Montana Midnight" series rooted in color field painting. He called them that because he'd stay up late to work, due to his day job teaching art, including time at Hellgate and Big Sky high schools. The paintings reflect his formative years as an artist: After graduating from UM, he headed to the University of Washington in Seattle, where he earned his master's degree in fine arts. Abstract expressionism and modernism were the style of the time. His career hit its stride after 1985, when he retired from teaching and dedicated himself to art full-time. During this period, he started a series called "Rubens Revisited," which were abstract expressionist interpretations of the Flemish Baroque master. The pieces have "all the cues that tell you that it's a figurative representation without the figuration," Canwell said. "(He's) trying to capture the dynamism and stronger areas of color and movement without it being about veracity and an optical recording." Two of the "Rubens Revisited" canvases are present in the MMAC exhibition, in addition to a smaller study. Not long after, Gogas painted the first of his signature series, now nicknamed "Judith Basin Encounter." "When Charlie Met Pablo on the Open Range" is also present in the show, on loan from the Missoula Art Museum. "Comes the early '90s, and I'm thinking that isn't the worst idea I ever had, so I started painting a few more," said Gogas, who peppers his stories with self-deprecation and sarcasm. The format remained the same: Finding reproductions of Russell's canvases and adapting them into cubist language. "Then I started making social statements with Charlie and Pablo," he said. They're mainly in the titles, such as "When Charlie and Pablo Went Stone Broke in the Stock Market," or "When Charlie and Pablo had Breakfast at McDonald's." *** In the mid-1990s, Gogas started his bull-rider series, which interprets professional riders through an abstract expressionist fashion. Gogas used to compete as a calf roper, and his wife, Lynn, was a barrel racer. Canwell said the canvases have a photographic quality, one that starts with an out-of-focus feel with the riders and bulls and dissipates into liquid formations toward the edges. They're "evocative of this dangerous sport, which is risk for it's own sake," he said. The series has expanded to more than 60, with one show that sold out and others that nearly did. After seeing Picasso's "Three Musicians" in New York, he initiated yet another series. "I took Pablo Picasso's painting, reproduced it pretty close and eliminated the middle musician's abstract face and inserted Charlie Russell," he said. He titled it, "When Charlie Joined Pablo's Rock 'N' Roll Band." From there, they grew into organic abstractions with clean brushwork that he called the "Band" series. "It's totally without narrative, totally abstract. No social, political statements, nothing like that. This is just an organization of formal visual elements. That's the formalist coming out in me from the middle of the 20th century," he said. Those grew into the "Gold Band" series, a variation in which he set the shapes on a gold background and extreme vertical compositions that circled back to his youth. He was raised in a Greek Orthodox family the nearest church was Great Falls. He went to bed at night, and in the corner of his bedroom his mother would hang the icons, such as a candle that would flicker all night. That was his "earliest recollection of what visual imagery was: Orthodox iconography," he said. Longtime Alumni Association head Bill Johnston will retire in September, making him the fourth member of the University of Montana president's Cabinet to announce a departure since October. In an email to the campus Wednesday, President Royce Engstrom praised Johnston's wisdom and advocacy, and he noted the unusual span of his career. "Bill will retire after completing 28 years in the Alumni Relations Office and 36 years of service to UM," Engstrom wrote in the email. "Bill has the distinction of being one of the longest-serving alumni professionals at a state university in the U.S." UM has announced three other high-profile retirements in the past four months to be effective at the end of June: Teresa Branch, vice president for student affairs; Provost Perry Brown; and Peggy Kuhr, vice president for integrated communications. The president earlier said he played no role in the decisions made by the provost and two vice presidents. In his email Wednesday, Engstrom wrote he would miss Johnston, who served as director of the Office of Alumni Relations and president and CEO of the Alumni Association since 1988. "I have greatly enjoyed working with Bill, and will miss his wisdom and counsel," Engstrom wrote. "We have accomplished a great deal for UM because of Bill's expertise, determination and passion for our university. His sense of humor and storytelling are legendary." In August, Johnston will complete 28 years as head of the Alumni Association, and nearly 36 years working on campus. Alumni directors typically stay on the job for seven to 10 years, he said, so his long tenure is out of the ordinary. "It's just been an adventure every day. I truly feel I've had the best job on campus," Johnston said. The former students who are using their careers to make contributions to their communities, to the state and to the world stand out to him, as do the staff and faculty on campus, he said. "It really has just been a wonderful job, a wonderful experience. I've met the neatest people in the world," Johnston said. Johnston served as a state lobbyist for the Montana University System and UM since 2000. The position required him to live part-time in Helena when the Montana Legislature was in session, and his work with alumni required travel. Johnston, a UM alumnus himself, said he's ready to see which direction life takes him with fewer demands on his time. He bought new ski boots, he's demoing skis and he's open to new experiences. On a sunny summer day in 2003, my husband and I were headed from Spokane to Moscow, Idaho via Highway 195. When we got to Colfax, Washington, we noticed a man walking down the sidewalk who stood out from the average citizen one would expect to see in a small western town. We had parked and started a conversation with him when he said he would pay us to take him to Pullman, Washing. We told him we were heading to Moscow and he could ride along for free. On the drive to Pullman we learned he was from Doha, Qatar, and was a graduate engineering student at Washington State University. As we chatted he told us that he had just been released from jail. When we enquired as to why he flatly said, I didnt know you couldnt hit your wife in the face here. He lived in married student housing. As we parked at his unit he insisted we take money; we again refused. He said we should come into his home and take anything we wanted, as he was leaving the country the next day. We met his wife and three small boys. As we looked through his wares, he talked and gestured with his hands. Each time his hands moved, his wife winced. I selected three kitchen items, we exchanged thank yous and farewells, and we left. My heart was heavy. Cultural assimilation is difficult in the best of circumstances; refugees do not have that advantage. Societal norms acquired through adherence to the Muslim faith and Sharia law are not well suited to a society that embraces religious freedom, equality, free speech and individual liberty. We still have that mans business card and the items we took that day. They are a reminder to pray for that family. Edna Kent, Florence HELENA Joseph Campbell, who is on trial for deliberate homicide, testified he was held at gunpoint by an erratic and enraged neighbor who repeatedly cocked his .357 pistol. Basically all he could see was the barrel of the gun, he said. "I've got to draw my gun or I'm not going to get out of this alive," Campbell recalled thinking on Oct. 18, 2013, during his confrontation with Timothy Newman outside of Augusta. "I was trying to stay alive," Campbell told jurors in the 13th day of testimony. "It was him or me, and I shot him. I did," he said. Just before succumbing to his wounds from two gunshots at close range, Newman grinned, Campbell testified. He then said, "Joe, you shouldn't have done that," according to Campbell. "The choice was to die up there on the hill. I wasn't ready to do that," he said. The contention between Campbell and Newman, who were once friends, had grown so heated that Campbell said he began adjusting his schedule to avoid Newman, who had taken to cutting locks to gain access to nearby land. Campbell said Newman had stalked him and his wife that day in hopes of a confrontation. He testified to feeling cornered and threatened by Newman, who was riding on an all-terrain vehicle with a pair of bolt cutters in the basket. The two men ended up on either side of a fence put up by Campbell. Newman's body lay in the dirt after Campbell shot him in the back, according to prosecutors. Threatening those who tried to cross his land, oftentimes armed, was not uncommon for Campbell, according to several witnesses' testimony. Landowners and visitors from the area, a rural subdivision about 20 miles southwest of Augusta, recalled for jurors Campbell's threats to "put down" Newman and references to body bags. Campbell countered that he didn't make those comments. A deputy county attorney testified regarding a call in which Campbell told her if the prosecutors didn't take care of Newman, then he would. Campbell said he was referring to civil litigation and possibly a restraining order, not violence. He testified he never intended to harm Newman "until he threatened my life." Prosecutors with the state attorney general's office replayed footage from an interview with investigators shortly after the shooting. In one of the clips, Campbell recalled a conversation in which he told another neighbor: "I'd like to get a restraining order because I don't want to have to shoot the son of a bitch." In the same taped interview, Campbell bragged about turning away tougher men than Newman and never having them return to his land. Montana Assistant Attorney General Dan Guzynski questioned the "bravado" Campbell displayed in the video and pointed out the defendant's small stature. "Really all you have is that gun that you carry around," Guzynski said, adding that Campbell was reportedly armed with a shotgun in two incidents. Guzynski then asked why Campbell didn't go with his wife when she ran to a neighbor's home to call 911 to tell authorities about the confrontation. She then called about 15 minutes later to report shots fired. "I don't know why. I don't know," Campbell answered. "Maybe in hindsight that would have been a better choice." Closing arguments will take place Thursday morning in the Old Supreme Court Chambers of the state Capitol. District Judge Jeffrey Sherlock, who came out of retirement to oversee the trial, said he anticipates the case going to the jury around noon. "We're going to keep you in there until you decide it," said Sherlock, adding that he anticipates deliberations will likely continue into Thursday evening. "It takes as long as it takes," he said. BILLINGS - The man who raped a 23-month-old child, causing severe injuries that sent the girl to the hospital, pleaded guilty Wednesday to sexual intercourse without consent and sexual assault. Daniel Joseph Degele, 27, who was charged in December 2014 with two counts of rape and one of sexual assault, signed a plea agreement on Feb. 4. The County Attorney's office has not yet signed the agreement. The agreement calls for Degele to be imprisoned for 40 years, with 60 years suspended and no chance of parole for at least 25 years. That is a total sentence of 100 years. The parole restriction is due to the age difference between Degele and the victim. The second charge of rape will be dismissed by prosecutors at sentencing, according to the agreement. However, at his change of plea hearing, Degele included language in his plea agreement that at the time of the crime he could not control his behavior due to a mental disease or defect. Degele must now be evaluated by experts at the Montana State Hospital to determine if his mental health disease prevented him from conforming his behavior at the time of the assaults. Should the Montana State Hospital agree with Degele's claim, he will receive a sentence to the Department of Health and Human Services, rather than prison. Chief Deputy County Attorney Juli Pierce said the state did not believe Degele's mental disorder would have prevented him from deciding not to rape a 2-year-old. Yellowstone County District Court Judge Russell Fagg set Degele's sentencing for mid-to-late summer in order to provide the hospital with enough time to make a determination. According to charging documents, Degele has stated in the past that he has borderline personality disorder. Charging documents state Degele waived his rights and admitted to detectives that he raped the child on Nov. 30, 2014. Degele made several attempts in court to have these statements suppressed, but Fagg denied the request. According to charging documents, Degele touched the genitals of a 6-year-old girl in June 2013. On Nov. 3, 2014, Degele raped a 23-month-old girl, causing severe injuries. The girl was flown to the Colorado Children's Hospital, where she had to have surgery to repair the internal damage. HAMILTON A Darby man pleaded guilty Wednesday to vehicular homicide while under the influence of alcohol as the result of a 2013 rollover wreck that killed his 20-year-old friend. Joshua Vernal Moore, 28, pleaded guilty to the vehicular homicide charge and no contest to a felony count of possession of methamphetamine in Ravalli County District Court. The charges stem from two separate cases. Moore accepted a plea bargain agreement that calls for a 15-year commitment to the Montana Department of Corrections with 10 years suspended on the vehicular homicide charge. The drug charge includes a five-year commitment to DOC, which will run concurrently with the other charge. Ravalli County Attorney Bill Fulbright said the plea bargain agreement was made possible by Moores willingness to step up and accept responsibility for his actions. Fulbright told Ravalli County District Judge Jeffrey Langton that if Moore chose not to follow the rules outlined in the agreement, his office may take a different approach. According to charging documents, Moore was driving a 1995 Ford Thunderbolt when it crashed at a high speed on the Old Darby Road on June 22, 2013. Jonathan Russell Trouten, 20, was ejected from the vehicle and died on the scene. Before the accident, Moore and Trouten had been partying with three women and consumed alcohol and marijuana. The last stop of the night had been an abandoned sawmill north of Darby. When the group left that location, Moore was driving and Trouten was in the front passenger seat. The women were sitting in the back of the vehicle. Moore failed to negotiate a turn while driving at a high rate of speed on the Old Darby Road. During the subsequent rollover, Trouten was ejected through the side window and traveled about 120 feet through the air before hitting the ground. He died from brunt force trauma and a fractured neck. Nearly empty bottles of vodka and rum were found in the crash debris. A bag containing about 70 grams of marijuana was also discovered. Moore told officers that Trouten was driving that night. Two of the women initially said they didnt know who was driving. Moores girlfriend told officers that she was pretty sure Trouten was behind the wheel. In a follow-up interview, the two women told officers that Moore was driving that night and that he had told them to say he wasnt. Moores girlfriend maintained that Moore wasnt behind the wheel. When confronted with the additional informational gleaned by investigators, the woman said God knows what happened and he will fix it in his way. Authorities were unable to locate Moore to do a follow-up interview. He was arrested last November and charged with accountability for criminal distribution of methamphetamine. The county attorneys office filed the vehicular homicide charges shortly after that arrest. As part of the plea bargain agreement, the accountability of criminal distribution of methamphetamine charge was reduced to criminal possession of the drug. The plea agreement also set aside three felony counts each of criminal endangerment and tampering with witnesses in the vehicular homicide case. Sentencing was set for May 4. HAMILTON A Florence physician facing 400 felonies, including two counts of negligent homicide, asked the court Wednesday to place a stay on his case until he could find legal representation. Ravalli County District Judge Jeffrey Langton said no. For the third time since January, Dr. Chris Christensen appeared without counsel. Christensen told Langton that he was continuing to interview potential attorneys, but their estimates were higher than what he can afford. Christensen was arrested in August for allegedly providing hundreds of illegal prescriptions to his patients, including two who died from an overdose. Initially, he was appointed a public defender, but after reviewing his financial records, the Office of the State Public Defender rescinded the appointment. Langton concurred with the decision, saying his review of Christensens records found the physician didnt come close to meeting the definition of indigent under the law. In January, Christensen told Langton that he planned to file for bankruptcy and reapply for a public defender. On Wednesday, Christensen said his accountant is still trying to reconstruct tax records from 2013 and 2014 in order to file for bankruptcy. When officers raided his medical office in 2014, Christensen claimed they carted off computer hard drives and financial documents that have yet to be returned. We are trying to reconstruct it with what we have available, Christensen said. Deputy Ravalli County Attorney Thorin Geist told Langton that Christensens hard drives had been scanned and returned to him. Geist said his office has provided all the material it has gathered during discovery to Christensen, but he hasnt bothered to pick it up from his previous attorneys office. Christensens trial is set for October. Given the lack of progress toward finding legal counsel, Langton said the court needs to assume that Christensen may be representing himself whether he wants to or not. Christensen told Langton that he had been advised to object to the case continuing without him having proper legal counsel in place. He then requested a stay. After denying the request, Langton said Christensen is free to apply again for a public defender. Christensen has said before that he has no intention of representing himself in the case. Christensen was arrested following a 16-month investigation that found his business in Florence operated almost exclusively in cash, earned about $2,500 a day and grossed more than $500,000 annually, according to an affidavit in the case. The 67-year-old Christensen faces a maximum of 388 life sentences, plus 135 years in prison and fines of $20 million. He remains free on a $200,000 bond. HAMILTON - The student enrollment is tumbling at Lone Rock School and so is funding. Trustee Gary Leese said the board is making decisions based on priorities. Ideas from the community are welcome. The Lone Rock budget committee met Feb. 29 to discuss budgets from this year and next. Were trying to bring solutions together and see where we can go, Leese said. Obviously, as every school in the valley has encountered, school funding is awful tight and ours is no different. Our enrollment has dropped 100 students in the last four to five years and is still shaking. We take out-of-district kids if we have room. Lone Rock policy says they will take students if there is room for in-district students also. Accreditation standards for kindergarten are 20 students per room. So, if the kindergarten class has 16 students we would take two more from out-of-district, Leese said. What if we have 24 kids? Now we can put an aide in there but as soon as we have 25 we need a second teacher. So, you see the kind of dilemmas we are facing. School funding from the state is based on three-year averages for ANB money. ANB stands for average number belonging. Schools report a student count on specific days of the school year, those numbers are averaged and school funding is based on the count. The Lone Rock enrollment average last year was 280. The enrollment this year is 223. With those numbers, our figures dropped $112,000 this year, Leese said. Next year we may come in with a loss of $50,000 to $70,000. So, how do we stop the landslide? Leese said the school receives about $4,900 in ANB money for each out-of-district student. The districts total costs are about $2.2 million, if you divide that amount by the total enrollment, you see thats about $10,000 per student, Leese said. Sixteen years ago we took our seventh and eighth graders from Stevensville and initiated a middle school program and three years ago we built a new gym. At the time, our enrollment was going strong. Leese said now the infrastructure has to be maintained. He wonders if the school should take the money for out-of-district students. Is it cheaper to pay $5,000 and maintain the facility or is it cheaper to let them help us, pay $5,000 and utilize the facility? Leese said. Otherwise were going to pay the whole $10,000. The Lone Rock budget committee includes two community members, two certified staff and two classified staff members and administration. Its meetings are open to the public. Yesterday was a chance to give more transparency to those people of not only where our budget is at but what we are faced with to make accommodations, Leese said. Leese said the school would prefer not to run a levy on community members, many of whom are on a fixed income, but may be out of options. The Lone Rock trustees have a special meeting scheduled to discuss the administrative configuration and superintendent search at 6 p.m. on March 8 in the Lone Rock Middle School library. The Jeannette Rankin Peace Center is holding its 16th annual Search for Peace student art contest in March and April. The theme this year is welcoming others as a way of finding and promoting peace within our community. The contest is open to all ages of students and there will be cash prizes for winners in each category elementary school, middle school, high school, college and collaborative (two or more students.) Students are encouraged to express what they feel it means to be welcoming toward others and how that is expressed both daily and in times of crisis and discrimination. Accepted entries may include artwork, essays, poetry and photography. The event and display of submitted art with be held May 6 at a First Friday event. The deadline to enter is Friday, April 22, and submission can be brought to the Jeannette Rankin Peace Center, 519 S. Higgins Ave. Submissions must be accompanied by an entry form which can be picked up at the Peace Center or select locations. More information is available at the center, by email to peace@jrpc.org or by calling 543-3955. Missoulian Staff BILLINGS A suspect in the abduction of a 4-year-old girl taken while playing in a park on Montana's Fort Peck Indian Reservation was charged Tuesday with kidnapping, attempted murder and aggravated sexual assault of a minor. John William Lieba pleaded not guilty to the charges during an initial appearance in Fort Peck Tribal Court, court officials said. Judge Marvin Youpee ordered him held without bail. Lieba, 20, is accused of forcibly removing the girl from the park on Friday night and holding her against her will "for a significant period of time," according to a criminal complaint filed by Fort Peck Chief Prosecutor Adrienne Weinberger. During that time, Lieba raped and attempted to strangle the girl at an undisclosed location in or around the town of Wolf Point on the northeastern Montana reservation, according to the complaint. He faces up to nine years in prison and $45,000 in fines if convicted on all three counts, according to the complaint. Federal charges also are anticipated in the case, FBI Special Agent Todd Palmer said. The Associated Press is withholding the girl's name because she is an alleged victim of sexual assault. The suspect was apprehended while driving around Wolf Point on Saturday, after being identified by witnesses to the abduction. After an intensive search, the girl was found a day later at an undisclosed location about six miles from the abduction site, according to the FBI. The federal agency is jointly investigating the case with the Fort Peck Tribal Police and Roosevelt County Sheriff's Office. Both Lieba and the victim are American Indians. They are not related by blood, Roosevelt County spokesman Lee Allmer said. The Fort Peck Reservation is home to the Assiniboine and Sioux tribes and has a population of about 10,000 people. It was not immediately clear who represented the suspect during his Tuesday court appearance. County officials said Lieba was being held at the tribal jail, and he could not be reached directly for comment. The federal government has jurisdiction over many crimes on Indian reservations. Potential punishments in federal court typically are far more severe than in tribal court. Palmer said the victim was in a safe location but released no further details. After an initial health assessment on the reservation, the girl was to be taken to Billings for further examination, Allmer said. The Montana Meth Project is calling all Treasure State filmmakers as the organization gathers submissions for a national 30-second commercial competition featuring a grand prize of $20,000 and nationwide air time for the winner. Aspiring and established filmmakers from around the United States are encouraged to create an impactful commercial centered on the theme of Life or Meth. The submissions will be evaluated by four of the country's Meth Project executive directors. The 10 best submissions will be invited to participate in an exclusive panel to be held at Series Fest in Denver on June 22-26. The 10 panelists will then be narrowed down to the top three in an online vote held in July, with the final winner to be determined by a celebrity panel of judges and announced Sept. 1. Additional prizes of $2,500 and travel for two to Series Fest in Denver also will be awarded to the top production in each of these Meth Project partner states: Montana, Colorado, Idaho and Georgia. Entries will be screened and approved by the Montana Meth Project and will be judged on the following criteria: cinematography, screenwriting, sound, acting, editing, originality and the thematic integration of Life or Meth. Entries will be accepted through Tuesday, May 31, at lifeormethcontest.com. Contestants will also find a link to the submission platform on the Montana Meth Project Facebook page. Previous Meth Project commercials have influenced viewers through graphic, hard-hitting campaigns that followed young adults from first-time users to full-blown addicts as a means of educating people about the dangers of using methamphetamine, a highly addictive drug that severely alters a persons brain activity. Syria opposition reports airstrikes BEIRUT (AP) Warplanes carried out Sunday air raids on two villages in northern Syria as Russia said a northern town held by a predominantly Kurdish militia came under fire from the Turkish side of the border. Sunday's air raids came on the second day of a cease-fire brokered by Russia and the U.S., the most ambitious effort yet to curb the violence of the country's five-year civil war. The truce has been holding since it went into effect at midnight Friday despite accusations by both sides of violations. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the airstrikes hit the villages of Daret Azzeh and Qobtan al-Jabal. The group did not say whether the warplanes were Russian or Syrian. The Local Coordination Committees said the warplanes were Russian. It was not immediately clear if the warplanes struck areas controlled by al-Qaida's branch in Syria, known as the Nusra Front. Both the Nusra Front and the Islamic State group are excluded from the truce. Twin Baghdad bombings kill at least 59 BAGHDAD (AP) Militants attacked an outdoor market on Sunday in eastern Baghdad, killing at least 59 people and wounding nearly 100, officials said. A bomb ripped through the crowded Mredi market in the Shiite district of Sadr City, a police officer said. Minutes later, a suicide bomber blew himself up amid the crowd that had gathered at the site of the first bombing, he added. Interior Ministry spokesman Sad Main said the bombings killed 38 people and wounded another 62. Multiple hospital officials later increased the casualty toll to 59 dead and 95 wounded. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to release information. The attack was the deadliest in a wave of recent explosions that have targeted commercial areas in and outside Baghdad. First post-deal Iran vote boosts reformists TEHRAN, Iran (AP) Iranian reformists appear have won all 30 seats representing the nation's capital in parliament, a definitive rebuke to the hard-liners opposing President Hassan Rouhani's efforts to open the economy and cooperate with the West. In the first elections held since last year's nuclear deal, none of Iran's three main political camps reformists, conservatives and hard-liners is expected to win an outright majority in the 290-seat parliament, but early results indicate the best reformist showing in more than a decade. Moderate conservatives also gained seats, and if their tentative coalition with the reformists holds, they could end the domination of parliament by hard-liners who were opposed to the nuclear deal. The reformist gains reflect strong public support for the agreement's promise of more economic opportunities now that the West has dropped crippling sanctions in exchange for limiting the nation's nuclear program. State television said Friday's vote heralds "the end of the presence of a powerful majority in the parliament that overshadowed decision-making apparatus in the country over the past decade." Rouhani thanked voters Saturday night in a message that encouraged Iranians to help him end the nation's isolation. Just type in my name (Fager, Mary Lynn) You can also mail checks/money orders to: World Outreach Ministries PO Box B Marietta GA 30061 ATTN: Mary Lynn Fager #106 Checks should be made out to World Outreach with my name in the memo line are tax deductible and may be made here: After weeks of dithering, mostly by China, the United Nations Security Council has finally delivered a serious response to North Koreas dangerous expansion of its nuclear weapons program, unanimously approving the toughest sanctions yet. The penalties respond to the Norths fourth nuclear weapons test, which took place in January, and to the launch, a month later, of a type of missile that could one day hit the United States. They would ban the trade of all conventional weapons as well as luxury goods like Jet Skis and Rolex watches, which are enjoyed by the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his generals. Going beyond sanctions in place since 2006, the Security Council mandated that all North Korean cargo entering or leaving a country must be inspected by that country. Some 16 individuals and 12 companies have been added to the sanctions list, allowing for asset freezes and travel bans. North Korea is forbidden from selling gold and rare-earth minerals. But even under the sanctions, the North would still be able to buy oil, and also sell its coal and iron ore as long as the proceeds are not used to finance the nuclear program. This could be hard to track. No matter how tough on paper, the sanctions will be effective only if they are enforced. There are good reasons to doubt that every country will follow through. The burden falls heavily on China, the Norths chief ally in providing food, fuel and political cover. BEIRUT, Lebanon Even as Iran and Saudi Arabia supported opposite sides in a bitter and bloody proxy war in Syria, the two adversaries managed to preserve a tense calm just over the border in Lebanon, where they have long competed for influence. Now, suddenly, it looks as if Saudi Arabia is walking away leaving Lebanon perhaps more firmly than ever in the grip of Hezbollah and its patron, Iran. Instead of vying behind the scenes to counter Iran, as it has for decades, the kingdom has taken to punishing Lebanon for Hezbollahs siding with Iran in Syria. It has slashed billions of dollars in aid, ordered Saudi tourists to avoid the Mediterranean nation, and, on Wednesday, declared Hezbollah, Lebanons most powerful political, social and armed organization, a terrorist group. Suddenly, this sliver of a nation, long beloved by Saudis for its night life, beaches and mountains, is once again thrust into the middle of the battle for regional dominance between Shiite Iran and Sunni Saudi Arabia. The consequences could be enormous for a nation that barely survived its own civil war, borders Israel, hosts well over a million Syrian refugees and relies on a shaky power-sharing arrangement between sects for its own stability. We were playing with open cards about the past when the vote took place in 2012, said Bjorn Quellenberg, a spokesman for the Kunsthaus. That was the time to discuss it. No one saw any major obstacle with the fact of the Jewish cemetery and, he added, Mr. Buhrles past was hotly debated. The expansion project, expected to be completed by 2020, is being financed by the city and the state government, or canton, of Zurich and the museums association of 21,000 members, who have pledged to raise more than $88 million. The Buhrle Foundation, created by descendants of the arms dealer to oversee the collection, will contribute an undisclosed amount. The project gained urgency in 2008 when three masked gunmen stormed a 19th-century villa on the edge of Zurich that housed the foundations art collection. They fled with four paintings: Boy in a Red Vest by Cezanne, a Degas, a van Gogh and a Monet that were jointly valued at $163 million at the time. That moment made it quite clear that the house, which had not been built for a museum, was really no longer up to the task of housing a collection of such importance, said Lukas Gloor, the director of the foundation. Two paintings were recovered within days, but the villa was closed except by appointment. Investigators recovered the two missing paintings, including the Cezanne, in 2012 in Belgrade, Serbia, in a sting operation. The expansion of the Kunsthaus was approved by voters in 2012, and the foundation pledged to loan about 200 works to the museum until 2034 on condition that they would be displayed together in the new building. Yarn-spinning, figurative as well as literal, is part of the deal. I prefer things to speak for me, said Grace Wales Bonner, 25, the thoughtful and retiring London-based designer, but I understand now its not that easy. Though Ms. Kloss, who visited her booth and expressed interest in a rhinestone-studded track suit, would be an equally effective megaphone for it. Tuomas Merikoski, 36, now based in Paris but originally from Tampere, Finland, (Its the Manchester of Finland, he explained) proclaimed that his goal with his line, Aalto, was to be an ambassador for his native countrys style. He, too, was still learning the ropes of salesmanship. Im really Finnish, so Im making a big effort, he said. You can go to the supermarket there and buy something without saying a word. In many cases, the clothes did speak, loudly. Besides Mr. Maxwells, Ms. Wales Bonners and Mr. Merikoskis, there were winning pieces from Alyx, by the New York-based designer Matthew Williams, 30; and from Facetasm, by Hiromichi Ochiai, 38, of Tokyo. The finest union of collection-and-story belonged to Vejas Kruszewski, the Toronto-based designer of Vejas, who at 19 is the youngest designer shortlisted for the prize this year. Mr. Kruszewski, formally untrained, learned by poring over Japanese sewing magazines to tease basic sportswear pieces like sweatshirts and jeans into loopy, alchemized versions of themselves. He still makes most of his samples, so he was especially pleased by the close inspection they got from the Arnault family as its members made the rounds. WASHINGTON Top Senate Democrats yearn for video of President Obamas Supreme Court nominee being ignored outside Senator Mitch McConnells suite just off the Senate floor, perhaps snacking on the Hersheys chocolate kisses the Kentucky Republican keeps in small bowls in his outer office. They cant wait for scenes of the presidents choice being barred from the reception area of a Republican member of the Senate Judiciary Committees office, ushered out without so much as a friendly hello. Those images would be something never seen in a Supreme Court nomination. Typically, it begins as a dignified process, with a White House ceremony and a series of decorous photo opportunities in Senate offices. The unveiling of President Obamas court pick promises to be a brawl from the start. Rather than the usual niceties about scrutinizing the nominees record and awaiting a hearing, Democrats and Republicans are preparing for an immediate acceleration of the fight once the identity of the presidents choice is known. Republicans have made clear there will be no confirmation hearing to await. WASHINGTON A former aide to Hillary Clinton has turned over to the F.B.I. computer security logs from Mrs. Clintons private server, records that showed no evidence of foreign hacking, according to people close to a federal investigation into Mrs. Clintons emails. The security logs bolster Mrs. Clintons assertion that her use of a personal email account to conduct State Department business while she was the secretary of state did not put American secrets into the hands of hackers or foreign governments. The former aide, Bryan Pagliano, began cooperating with federal agents last fall, according to interviews with a federal law enforcement official and others close to the case. Mr. Pagliano described how he set up the server in Mrs. Clintons home in Chappaqua, N.Y., and according to two of the people, he provided agents the security logs. The law enforcement official described the interview as routine. Most of those close to the case spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the continuing investigation. Mrs. Clintons work-related emails as secretary of state, which have been made public as part of a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit, show that she received spam emails intended to try to lure her into clicking a malicious link. Those emails, known as spear phishing attempts, were traced to Russia, but it was not clear from the emails alone whether anyone clicked on those links or whether the security was compromised. Mr. Xi first laid out a sweeping blueprint for economic rejuvenation, including vows to revamp the state sector and nurture market forces, in 2013. But the halting progress reflected his reluctance to cede state control, several economists said. The mixed signals have paralyzed state officials, who are unsure how far to impose cuts while preserving stability. The central government emphasizes supply-side reform, said Yao Yang, an economist at Peking University. On the other hand, you still encourage local governments to invest. Thats the confusion that local government officials are facing, so they dont know the direction. Image A steel plant in Hefei, China. Production outpaces demand. Credit... Jianan Yu / Reuters/Reuters How far Mr. Xi is willing to go, given the economic warning sirens, may become clearer after the Communist Party leadership presents its economic plans to the legislature, the National Peoples Congress. It remains to be seen if they walk the talk, said Jorg Wuttke, president of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China. It would be terrible for China if they dont. It could also be difficult if they do. A recent study concluded that more than three million people in the steel, coal and similar industries could lose their jobs in the next two years if state cuts go through. On Monday, the government said it would lay off 1.8 million steel and coal workers, around 15 percent of the work force in those industries, though it did not say when. Starting with two followers in July when he opened the site, Mr. Kosyak has built a congregation of 70 people, with a bakery, a church choir and various services on offer, like delivering firewood. That number rivals the turnout for Sunday services at the Orthodox Church of the Kazan Virgin in Maryinka. In an interview, the Orthodox priest, the Rev. Sergi Geiko, said he disapproved of luring doubters to God with material rewards, like groceries or bread. The foreign donors helping the evangelicals, he said, were trespassing in Orthodox land. This is not only a political war, but a spiritual war, he said. This is a crusade. The West is helping them. Mr. Kosyak was unapologetic. He thinks we are competitors, and that the people of Maryinka are his property, he said of Father Geiko. Out at the roadside prayer, as explosions thudded along the positions at the edge of town, Mr. Medvedev, the pastor, took pains to speak of unity in a town with enough conflict. Hate divides, love unites, he said. Use this chance, call his name, bring him into your life. When he comes like bread, there will be no hunger. I want you to think of this, my dears we dont want people lost to God. Copyright 2022 HT Digital Streams Ltd All Right Reserved U.S. beef cow herd rebuilding continued throughout 2015, as shown by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service release of the CATTLE report in January 2016. The number of all cattle and calves in the U.S. on Jan. 1, totaled 92.0 million head, a 3 percent increase over 2015. Note that National Agricultural Statistics Service did revise downward the July 1 2014, cattle and calves inventory by 0.6 percent and the 2014 calf crop by 1.1%. Inventory of cattle and calves on Jan. 1, 2015 was also revised downward by 0.7 percent. According to the report, on Jan. 1, the number of beef cows and heifers that calved at 30,300,800 head was up 3.5 percent from the 29,302,100 head on Jan. 1, 2015. The number of beef replacement heifers at 6,285.2 thousand head increased over 3% from 2015; however industry expectations were for a 5% increase. Finally, the number of beef replacement heifers expected to calve in 2016 at 3,924.6 thousand head was up over 5.7 percent from the 3,712 thousand in 2015. This suggests that the 2016 calf crop should increase by approximately 3.8 percent this year as compared to a 2.3 percent in 2015. The five states with the largest numbers of beef cows that have calved include Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Nebraska and South Dakota. These states account for over 38 percent of the U.S. beef cows and over 46 percent of the increase in the beef cows occurred in these five states. Texas, which has 4.3 million cows and over 14 percent of U.S. beef cows, saw a 3.9 percent increase in their beef cow numbers. Additionally, Oklahoma, Missouri, Nebraska, and South Dakota averaged over 4 percent increases in beef cows. In spite of continued drought in parts of California in 2015, beef cow numbers increased to 625,000 (5.9 percent ) although milk cow numbers decreased slightly from 1.78 million head to 1.775 million head (0.3 percent). Oklahoma saw the greatest increase in U.S. beef replacements of 40,000 head to 460,000 (9.5 percent ), followed by increases of 32,000 head (21 percent) in Arkansas and 30,000 head each in Colorado (18 percent) and Texas (4 percent). Interestingly, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas all saw decreases in the number of heifers held for beef cow replacements. A combination of 2.7 percent more beef and milk cows, and 2.9 percent more beef and dairy replacement heifers expected to calve should lead to a larger calf crop again in 2016. The combined total of calves under 500 pounds and other heifers and steers over 500 pounds (outside of feedlots) is 25.9 million head. This is 5 percent above one year ago. Those cattle that were grazing small grain pastures at 1.9 million were down 30,000 head from 2015. A 56-year-old Butte man who admitted sexually assaulting a nursing home resident will most likely face sentencing in April, a Butte-Silver Bow County prosecutor said Wednesday. Jeffery Alan Garoutte was arrested in October 2014 after a nurse at the Crest Nursing Home on Amherst Avenue witnessed him digitally assault a 58-year-old female resident. Garoutte was a resident in the facility at the time. Garoutte was initially charged with felony sexual intercourse without consent and pleaded not guilty. The charge was later amended to felony sexual abuse of a person with a developmental disability, to which Garoutte pleaded guilty in late January as part of a plea agreement with county prosecutors. Deputy County Attorney Ann Shea said a pre-sentence investigation is underway, with sentencing expected to take place next month. Garoutte had been held on $50,000 bond at the county detention center since Oct. 25, 2014. Shea said his case was transferred to Butte district court in December 2014. A trial slated for April 2015 was continued after the defendants public defender filed a motion for a continuance as well as a waiver of right to a speedy trial. A second trial date set in October 2015 was continued due to Shea being out of state. Garouttes public defender filed a motion for continuance for a third trial set for Jan. 11. Shea said additional time was needed to prepare and to review an evaluation of the victim requested by the state. According to court documents, the nurse eyewitness was visibly shaken and cried as she gave an account of the assault to a police officer. Garoutte, then 54, had been admitted to the skilled nursing facility for short-term medical care and did not suffer from a disability. The victim, however, was described as developmentally disabled and had the mental capacity of a child, documents state. She was oxygen-dependent and relied on a wheelchair for mobility. While the nurse was doing rounds she looked into the womans room and saw Garoutte leaning over her as she was sitting or sleeping in a recliner. The nurse witnessed Garoutte aggressively moving his hand in the area of the victims private area, documents state. She confronted him and asked what he was doing, and then asked him again after he jumped back. Playing with her, I guess, replied Garoutte, who left the room. The nurse and a colleague spoke to the woman, who said that she did not want Garoutte to enter her room that he was hurting her privates, court documents state. In a separate interview with a police detective, the woman told him she was afraid of Garoutte. She also reported he had been in or around her room several times during the evening, but the alleged assault was the first time he had touched her. In a recorded statement with the detective, Garoutte said he was not invited into the womans room and was not certain if she was awake when he kissed her among other acts. He also admitted that he knew his actions were wrong, documents state. Crest Nursing Home Administrator Kelli Costin said in a statement Wednesday that in addition to law enforcements investigation, the facility conducted an immediate review of the incident. He was unable to provide details on the case due to resident privacy and confidentiality. However, we can assure our residents, families and community that we take any allegation very seriously and take prompt protective action out of an abundance of caution, he said. We will continue to take every precaution to assure the safety and well-being of our residents. Sheriff Ed Lester said his departments records show that Garoutte had no previous criminal record prior to this case. He applauded the attentiveness by facility staff in doing the right thing. Thankfully this staff member witnessed and reported it, Lester said. Garoutte faces a maximum sentence of 10 years to the Montana State Prison. New Jersey Mining Company, the new co-owner of Highland Mining, the gold mine 15 miles south of Butte, is taking over the day-to-day management and permitting operations for the site, vice president Grant Brackebusch said. Montana State Gold Company, the other owner, retains a 50 percent stake in the company. Montana State Gold Company, based out of Missoula, is owned by ISR Capital and Sima Muroff. Muroff also owns additional companies called Quartzburg Gold, LLC, and Idaho State Regional Center, all based in Boise, Idaho. Brackebusch said Muroff is handing over the reins to New Jersey Mining Company, which has experience in mining. What Muroffs role will be with Highland Mining going forward is unclear. New Jersey Mining Company has been operating the Murray, Idaho-based Golden Chest Mine project since 2003, the company's website states. Brackebusch said the company is considering building a mill at the site to process the ore. This could change Butte Highland mine's future. The company went through a two-year long permitting process with the U.S. Forest Service to gain road access to haul the ore to a mill off-site. The Forest Service ruled in October of last year that the mine could use either route Roosevelt Drive north/Highland Road or Highland Road west. Both routes irked a few residents and two environmental groups, which posed objections throughout the permitting process. But having a haul route may not be necessary if New Jersey Mining Company determines it can build a mill at the site instead. If the company does decide to put in a mill, Brackebusch said it will be a flotation mill similar to what Montana Resources operates in Butte. But the company will have to do more test work on the ore to see if a flotation mill will work. The mill is attractive because we wouldnt have to ship the ore off site, Brackebusch said. It would be like what Montana Resources has, where you float the minerals you want in an agitated tank. It produces a concentrate. Brackebusch said it would be at least three months yet before they would know if building a mill is the next step forward. Kristi Ponozzo, public policy director for Department of Environmental Quality, said Highland Mining would have to seek an amendment to their permit with DEQ if the company intends to put in a mill and a tailings impoundment. If DEQ determines the project would have significant impacts, DEQ would do a Montana Environmental Policy Act review, which could take up to a year to complete. But if DEQ decides the project does not have significant impacts, then DEQ would do an environmental assessment, which could take months. Until New Jersey Mining Company knows for certain if it will build a mill on site or not, the company cannot say how many jobs it expects to create. But proponents said last year the mine could produce 55 high-paying primary jobs and 125 or more secondary jobs. PURCELLVILLE, Virginia -- With Super Tuesday hours away and make-or-break contests coming up March 15, we have entered the most intense and emotional two-week period of the Republican presidential campaign so far. Crowds are bigger, applause is louder, feelings run deeper. Just consider the events of the last few days. A wild debate in Houston. The emergence of Marco Rubio, the insult comic candidate. The Christie endorsement. And then, on Sunday, Trump's refusal to disavow either David Duke or the Ku Klux Klan, setting off what could become an epic wave of rancor inside the GOP. It was all very ... intense. And at Rubio's well-attended rally here at the conservative Patrick Henry College Sunday afternoon, there were hints the campaign can be too overwhelming for some well-meaning voters trying to make a decision. Scott and Stephanie Sloan, of Purcellville, told me they came to the rally undecided, but decided after hearing Rubio that they would vote for him. I asked who were the candidates they were considering when they arrived, and they said Trump and Rubio. When we talked, they hadn't heard about Trump's Duke-KKK exchange on the morning shows; they had been in church. But even so, Trump had become too much for them. "I think it's just the circus that surrounds Trump is just a little bit over the top," Scott told me. "He's a little too much crass, and not enough class, I guess," added Stephanie. "He's just a bit of a loose cannon." I asked what they liked about Trump to begin with. "I think a lot of people are intrigued by him because he's not a part of the establishment," Stephanie said. "He's an outsider, and he's like, hey, I can do everything differently." But the Trump circus was too much; he faded from consideration. Then the Sloans saw that Rubio would be appearing nearby on Sunday. They liked what they heard. "He reminds me of my parents and my parents' parents," Stephanie told me. "Someone who came from parents who had to work for everything they had. That resonates with me." So here's the theory, not just from Scott and Stephanie but also from talks with voters in Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina who were receptive to Trump but couldn't quite commit: Everyone has a certain tolerance level for uncertainty, disorder, and controversy. If a candidate's campaign stays below that level, all is fine. If it climbs above that level, a voter may begin to think a candidate is more trouble than he's worth. The voter sees the campaign as an taxing experience -- it's just one thing after another -- and looks for an alternative choice. The problem is, Trump has an apparently infinite tolerance for uncertainty, disorder, and controversy. He can be comfortable and prosper in a campaign that just wears some of his voters out. By Sunday, the Sloans had hit that point -- and that was before they heard what Trump said on the morning shows. Other Rubio supporters in Purcellville were in a strongly #NeverTrump mood. "I cannot vote for Donald Trump," Sara Brady, of Vienna, said. "I may have to vote for Hillary, if Rubio doesn't get the nomination. Donald Trump is a lunatic." Brady was dismayed at the "bathroom humor" Rubio has adopted against Trump, but said Rubio was forced to do it. "If you're attacked, you have to fight back." "He's a disaster," said Cheryl Buford, of Vienna. "He's a con man. I think Marco nailed it." "I could live with Cruz, quite frankly, but Rubio is the only candidate who inspires us," said Bill Cullo, of Alexandria, there with wife Tracy. Both have worked in politics in the past. Trump? "She sees Trump as the End of Days," said Bill, nodding toward his wife. "Oh, my God," said Tracy. Over the course of the campaign, Trump has been compared to any number of dictators and strongmen. Carlos Chaves, of Dumfries, said he saw something familiar in Trump. "I lived in Venezuela for two years," Chaves told me. "The way (Trump) speaks and the way he expresses himself are very similar to how Hugo Chavez expressed himself to the people. So I don't want to make the mistake of electing someone who is like that." There haven't been a lot of polls in Virginia. Only one, from CBS-YouGov, measured voter sentiment after last Thursday's debate. (It found Trump up by 13 points.) Before that, Monmouth had Trump up by 14. The Purcellville rally was in Northern Virginia, an hour outside Washington. It isn't Trump country, and there was a lot of enthusiasm for Rubio in the room. But the question is whether enough Virginians will come down with Trump Fatigue to prove the polls wrong. -- Byron York is chief political correspondent for The Washington Examiner. The recent and unexpected death of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia sent shockwaves across our nation. I was floored when I heard the news. Although I had only met Justice Antonin Scalia once, his legacy will have a lasting impact on me. Scalias longtime best buddy, liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg paid tribute to him perfectly: He was a jurist of captivating brilliance and wit. Scalia was a steadfast supporter of the Constitution who made principled decisions based upon what is in the text rather than what he wished was written. It is unfortunate that partisanship took over the conversation before the Justice was even laid to rest. The partisan bickering and demands to ignore the Constitution that unfolded after Scalias death is an affront to his legacy. Scalia dedicated his life to serving the Constitution. It is time for the Senate to honor that service and carry out their constitutionally mandated duty to advise and consent. To be clear: the Constitution reigns supreme. The president is not a king and he cannot rule this nation based on whatever whim or fancy that pleases him. It is also a well-known fact that it takes two to tango. My colleagues in the Senate have an obligation to provide advice to the president on nominees. Unlike the President and his followers, Republicans in Congress and the majority of Americans believe the Second Amendment guarantees the rights of all law-abiding Americans to bear arms. We believe executive amnesty, the Clean Power Plan and Waters of the U.S. are gross oversteps of executive authority. And we believe forcing the military to transfer prisoners and close Guantanamo Bay Prison is downright criminal. The reality is that with such a stark difference between the executive and legislative branches, I believe the Senate should fully embrace its constitutional role and advise the president on the type of nominee that should fill Scalias seat. Rather than burying their heads in the sand, I would like to see the Senate put forth legitimate standards for a qualified and capable nominee. There is no mandate for the Senate to confirm whomever the president nominates, but they should be proactive and provide sound advice to the president as to whom they would consider. Any nominee should meet the following requirements: Possess unconditional respect for the Constitution and its original intent, knowing decisions must be based upon what is written in the text Belief that the Second Amendment guarantees all law-abiding citizens the right to bear arms and that the government may not infringe on that right Belief in the separation and balance of power between the executive, legislative and judicial branches, and that no one branch or person is above this Belief that the president cannot unilaterally create laws or force agencies to ignore laws President Obama has a history of writing his own rules and ignoring the laws he doesnt like. This is clearly beyond his constitutional authority, and I have voted every chance possible to stop him in his tracks. Montana Attorney General Tim Fox has brought cases forward at every opportunity to stop Obamas Clean Power Plan, WOTUS, and executive amnesty. With this administrations onerous rules looming in the courts, the severity of the nomination before us cant be overstated. News recently broke that Obama was floating Nevada Republican Gov. Sandoval as a potential successor. Sandoval withdrew his name because he knew it was nothing more than political gamesmanship to try and cast Republicans as obstructionist. If the president were serious about the governor, he would put his money where his mouth is and actually nominate him rather than using his status as a Republican to browbeat the U.S. Senate. At the same time, I believe the Senate has an equal constitutional duty to advise the president on the characteristics and standards that would define a nominee that would pass that body. Montanans are tired of this president, with good reason. Whether it is his willingness to trample on his constitutional limitations or his incessant knack for politicizing every possible issue that comes across his desk, we have had enough. But my colleagues in the Senate have a unique opportunity before them. To the Senate I say: Fully embrace your job. Fully embrace the Constitution and proactively define the criteria for who should fill Justice Scalias shoes. They are big shoes to fill, but America did not give us the congressional majority to do small things. -- U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Montana Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy For immediate release MEDIA CONTACT: Andy Robbins at (319) 523-3102 Iowa DNR Plans Prescribed Burns in Muscatine County The staff of the Iowa DNR's Odessa Wildlife Unit is planning to conduct prescribed burns at several sites in Muscatine County this spring. The areas planned for burning include Cedar Bottoms WMA, Red Cedar WMA, and Wiese Slough WMA. Prescribed fire is a management tool that is used to control undesirable vegetation, stimulate the growth of native plants, reduce the amount of grass and leaf litter, restore nutrients to the soil, and improve wildlife habitat. Weather conditions will be assessed before and during the burns to choose conditions for burning that have a minimal chance of fire escaping the burn unit, or smoke causing issues for nearby residences or roadways. If residents located nearby any of the proposed sites have questions or concerns regarding the DNR's prescribed burn plans for this spring, please contact Andy Robbins at (319) 523-3102. DES MOINES, Iowa A Muscatine man is on the list of the newest members of the Iowa Volunteer Hall of Fame, Volunteer Iowa announced this week. Tom Hendricks will be honored April 13 at the State Capitol Building as part of National Volunteer Week. Additionally, the public is invited to vote for the People's Choice Award among the five hall of fame inductees. People can go online at https://www.volunteeriowa.org/peoples-choice-award to vote until March 31. For more than three decades, "Taco" Tom Hendricks has given his time, talents and tacos, the press release from Volunteer Iowa stated. Hendricks, along with four other small business owners, created Muscatine Charities Inc. (MCI), an all-volunteer organization with no overhead; 100 percent of the funds raised go to charity. To date, MCI has raised and distributed more than $2 million directly to local charitable causes. They also established the Pre-School Scholarship Program. In 2001, MCI supported 14 pre-school scholarships. By 2013, that number grew to 207. Fewer than 165 Iowans have been selected for the Iowa Volunteer Hall of Fame since it was launched in 1989. Inductees receive an engraved award and their names are added to plaques on permanent display in the State Historical Museum. Our state has long been known as a national leader in volunteerism and service, Gov. Terry E. Branstad stated i a press release. It is my great privilege and honor to recognize the Iowans who have clearly gone above and beyond whats expected in their pursuit to help others by welcoming them into the Iowa Volunteer Hall of Fame. Other inductees this year include Rosemary Beach, of Cedar Falls; Gloria Ford, of Anamosa; Diane Kutzko, of Cedar Rapids; and Des Moines University. For more information, email icvs@iowa.gov, or call 515-725-3094. This has become the New Surrealpolitik, this Trump phenomenon. I understand how monomaniacal Trump can believe he could be president of the United States but I fail to understand how American voters can actually cast a ballot for a racist, xenophobic, ignorant, gauche, arrogant billionaire. It is clear that Trump has no policy savvy. He can barely identify a current public policy that doesn't relate to what some obsequious staffer feeds to him. His misinformation, compounding contradictions, and racial slurs regarding Latina/os are profoundly painful. His dehumanizing mischaracterizations of non-white non-Christians, of Muslims in general, and Syrian refugees in particular are simply unAmerican. Trump's attitudes toward and relationships with women both individually and collectively are shameful. Imagining Trump with his thumb on the nuclear button is horrifying and a betrayal of our entire human history and future. If you believe in workers' rights you cannot intelligently support Trump with his record of predatory capitalism and ruthless exploitation of the most vulnerable. For anyone who believes our elected officials should possess integrity, a vote for Trump is impossible. We are descending in world opinion and global credibility every day we allow Trump to continue to march toward viable candidacy for President of the United States of America. Do we seriously wish to be the embarrassment of the Earth? The money Trump inherited, if left in an average mutual fund and never touched, would be billions more than what he has in his fortune today. His business acumen is actually lousy. Losing, losing, losing. Education? Here he is: "I love the poorly educated." I do not want that man to have a say in the education of my grandchildren or anyone else's. My stars! Trump will make negotiating on the global level essentially impossible. He has already insulted the majority of the world powers leadership that can help or hurt Americans. A vote for Trump is a vote to deepen alienation across the world from America and since so many vote for him Americans as people. Seriously? America has taken hits Ronald Reagan was a chickenhawk Cold Warrior B-movie actor and a president who in the words of one commentator "believed the last glib person who talked to him." This led the U.S. closer to nuclear annihilation than any time since the Cuban missile crisis. Bush the W led by the nose by Cheney--lied and stumbled our military into disasters thousands died for and the rest of us still pay for. Trump the Novice lacking in everything but hubris would bring us into irreversible catastrophic endgames that would literally threaten the existence of the US and all of us. I've never seen such a display of voter incompetence as the numbers who have gone for Trump. He is the most dangerous version of Bozo the Clown I've seen in 55 years of political observation. Just sayin'. Tom H. Hastings is PeaceVoice director (www.peacevoice.info). This is the music industry blog by best selling audio and music business author Bobby Owsinski. Published every weekday, Music 3.0 looks at the new music industry and how social media plays a part in it. Les blattes ou cafards (Blatta orientalis) sont des insectes qui appartiennent a la famille des Blattoptera. Ils se caracterisent par leur forme allongee, leurs ailes [] From Yee-Haw Brewing: Founded in late 2014 by Joe Baker, Yee-Haw Brewing Co. (Johnson City, Tennessee), a production brewery and taproom located in a historic railroad depot built in the late 1800s, focuses on brewing approachable beers that celebrate good times and good company. Brewmaster and COO Brandon Greenwood, formerly the Vice-President of Brewing for Lagunitas Brewing Company, is ready to introduce a new breed of craft beer drinkers to his tantalizing line-up of drinkable ales and lagers. With their passion for using only top-quality ingredients, Yee-Haw Brewing Co. is growing quickly by expanding their sales throughout Tennessee, Virginia and beyond. Greenwood described the decision to move south and join Yee-Haw with characteristic zeal and, calling it a leap of faith, and an action worthy of a Yee-Haw! o Their core line-up of highly drinkable, quality-driven beers are among the best and most palate pleasing in the South o Available primarily in East Tennessee, Yee-Haw is rapidly expanding its distribution and solidifying its role as the fastest-growing brewery in the South o Yee-Haw beers showcase the great flavor synergies that arise when the finest raw materials are utilized in simple, traditional brewing practices o Their flagship beers are eminently drinkable and balanced -- and include styles less often produced by competing craft breweries, demanding a high level of brewing knowledge and attention to detail Pilsner, a refreshing and golden-colored Bohemian-style lager that is easy to drink and equally at home with food Pale Ale, a bold-yet-balanced American pale ale with ample hop flavor but no overwhelming bitterness, rounded out by a touch of malt sweetness Eighty, a Scottish export-style 80 shilling ale that is subtly complex, deep-amber colored and malt forward Dunkel, a Munich-style dark lager with malt-derived flavors of biscuits, cocoa and caramel During their first year of operation, the demand for Yee-Haw has been tremendous; and both Greenwood and Baker view themselves as craft beer ambassadors for the South o Yee-Haws playful name only enhances their more serious mission, balancing their focus on quality with a spirited, distinctly Southern approach to beer and brewing o The brewery regularly supports the community and neighborhoods surrounding Johnson City, and Yee-Haw is the Official Craft Beer of Bristol Motor Speedway, one of NASCARs iconic race tracks o Baker proudly hails from Tennessee, and his deep roots in the area led him to purchase and restore two of the original railroad depots that had once served as the center of a bustling railroad town o Baker and Greenwood retrofitted the Tweetsie depot with the trappings of a 20,000-barrel capacity brewery, and are thrilled to serve as ambassadors for this great Southern town in the midst of a renaissance Greenwood, a Scottish trained brewmaster and proven industry veteran, brings a wealth of experience garnered over a 22-year career that has taken him to world-class breweries in the United States and overseas o Greenwood is a former organic chemist who brings a rigorously scientific approach and unmatched attention to detail to these famously unforgiving beer styles, relying on all-natural ingredients and expert techniques to brew Yee-Haws excellent beers o He is a recognized authority on the art and science of brewing great craft beer and has been the recipient of multiple medals at the Great American Beer Festival (GABF) o Greenwood left a prestigious job as Vice-President of Brewing Operations for Lagunitas Brewing Company, a brand he helped grow into that market, to help Baker build Yee-Haw Brewing and embrace the convivial charms of living and working in Tennessee About MyBeer Buzz Founder, owner, author, graphic designer, CEO, CFO, webmaster, president, mechanic and janitor for mybeerbuzz.com. Producer and Co-host of the WILK Friday BeerBuzz live weekly craft beer radio show. Small craft-brewer of the craft beer news sites and one-man-band with way too many instruments to play........Copyright 2007-2022 mybeerbuzz.com All Rights Reserved: Use of this content on ANY site without written permission is not allowed. MTN has released its financial results for the year ended 31 December 2015, which show strong growth in data revenue in South Africa. MTN increased its subscribers in South Africa by 9.3% to 30.6 million, and increased revenue by 2.9%. Service revenue, which excludes handset revenue, increased by 7.5%. The big story, though, was data. MTN South Africa increased its data revenue by 37.2%, which now contributes 31.7% to total revenue. Capex for the period was R10.9 billion 92.9% higher than the previous year. This resulted in a big network improvement. In the year, MTN South Africa added 966 2G, 1,593 co-located 3G, and 3,148 co-located LTE sites expanding 3G and LTE coverage and aiming for improved quality and capacity. Improving quality of service remains a priority, however, the roll-out process did cause some network disruptions, said MTN. More on MTN Here are the areas where you can get MTNs 100Mbps FTTH MTN pays Nigerian authorities R3.8 billion MTN has revealed its contract and cash prices for the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge, which will launch in South Africa on 11 March. Pre-orders and pre-registrations for the device are available through South Africas mobile network operators. Those who pre-order or buy a Galaxy S7 smartphone before 20 March will also receive a free Samsung Gear VR headset. Takealot has already announced its off-contract prices, confirming that the Galaxy S7 will be priced at the top-end of the market. MTN and Takealots Samsung Galaxy S7 cash prices are compared below. Samsung Galaxy S7 cash prices Takealot MTN Galaxy S7 32GB R13,999 R13,799 Galaxy S7 Edge 32GB R15,999 R15,399 MTN is also offering the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge on a variety of contract packages. MTNs deals come with 30GB of additional data for the first month, and let you add on R200 per month to include a Samsung Gear S2 smartwatch. Without the contract, the Gear S2 will cost R5,399 from MTN. The table below summarises MTNs headline contract deals for the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge. Samsung Galaxy S7 (32GB) Price Data Airtime/Minutes SMS My MTNChoice 100 R599 500MB 100 minutes 200 MTN AnyTime TopUp 200 R609 0 R210 25 My MTNChoice Flexi R200 R599 0 R200 0 Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge (32GB) Price Data Airtime/Minutes SMS My MTNChoice 100 R649 500MB 100 minutes 200 MTN AnyTime TopUp 200 R659 0 R210 25 My MTNChoice Flexi R200 R649 0 R200 0 All deals include Samsung Gear VR until 20 March 2016, and 30GB free data for first month. More on the Samsung Galaxy S7 Samsung Galaxy S7 hands-on tested it is beautiful The Samsung Galaxy S7 has built-in spam call blocking Samsung Galaxy S7 revealed the next generation of smartphone NASA astronaut Scott Kelly is back on American soil after spending almost an entire year in space. He received a hero's welcome in Houston after he broke the record for the longest time an American spent in space. His airplane touched down in Texas around 2 a.m. Thursday. Kelly initially landed in Kazakhstan on Tuesday after spending 340 consecutive days at the International Space Station. He was greeted in Houston by his girlfriend, his two daughters and his twin brother, Mark, who is also an astronaut. "This mission is the latest achievement in our country's space program, but it's not the last," Kelly said. "There will be more. It's in our DNA of our country, and we must never stop doing this. We must lead, we must learn and we must discover." Vice President Joe Biden's wife, Dr. Jill Biden, was also at Johnson Space Center to greet Kelly. She brought him beer and apple pie. Kelly posted a picture on Wednesday of his first salad back on Earth. He said fresh fruits and vegetables were what he missed most while he was in space. Kelly will continue to be monitored by doctors to study how space changed his body. He grew 2 inches over his time in space, but NASA said that's common for astronauts and isn't permanent. (NASA) My thoughts, assertions and observations on issues important to me as a Jew, a Zionist, a Revenant in Yesha and as an inquisitive human being. Kenya is beautiful no doubt about that and so are its people! So beautiful infact that, Rome-based high fashion house Valentino staged the new seasons campaign in the Amboseli National Park. With its spring 2016 runway show inspired by Africa, Valentino designers Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli made their way to the park and took some breathtaking photos. The Italian label tapped Stephen McCurry, a photographer who is most famous for his Afghan Girl National Geographic cover. The photographer explained his reason behind his choice of background saying, The idea of these pictures is to take the viewer on a journey. The clothes were inspired by African motifs, [so] to take the shoot to Africa and show how these things interact and, this connection of the clothes, the models, the environment, the local people; I thought it was a great endeavor. Also featured in the advertisements are the Maasai people, who are seen in the background going about their business. Concerns have however been raised over the use of white models instead of African ones. VALENTINO SPRING 2016 CAMPAIGN LAKE BERRYESSA U.S. Bureau of Reclamation officials are trying to explain how the wheels fell off the latest Lake Berryessa resort redevelopment effort and how they might yet achieve elusive, long-sought success. They faced a packed room Wednesday evening in the Lake Berryessa Senior Center at Spanish Flat. But convincing dozens of skeptical people to keep the faith proved difficult. The Bureau of Reclamation has destroyed a community and should pay to help rebuild it, Berryessa resident Wesley Plunkett said. Maybe you could get some (federal disaster) funds, because you made a disaster of it. Bureau officials kept calm as they at times absorbed a verbal pummeling. They explained how they will continue searching for private concessionaires to redevelop and manage five of the lakes seven resorts, an effort thats been underway since 2008. For now, the lakes recreation scene remains in a long transition, with two resorts operating at full strength, three operating as stripped-down versions and two closed. The Bureau estimates annual visitation has dropped from 1.5 million to 408,000 during this process, though some lake residents say that latter figure is inflated. We want to make sure our next step is a good next step, agency Deputy Regional Director Pablo Arroyave told the crowd. We understand the frustration. They got an earful of it. About seven years ago, the Bureau of Reclamation began leveling several of the resorts on federal land, removing the marinas and other features. But this start-from-scratch resort rebirth effort has stalled. The latest attempt ended with three companies each bidding to rebuild and run one resort, with two resorts receiving no bids. The Bureau deemed each bid as being non-responsive in at least one key area. This marked the third time the agency sought bids since 2007. It selected three companies to run various resorts in 2008, but then aborted the effort over a contract language error. It awarded a contract to Pensus in 2010 to run six resorts, then canceled the contract in December 2012. Weve had three attempts, Berryessa resident Stu Williams said. Each of them has been a failure. Because you did it enthusiastically, you want us to believe its a success. Im sorry, its not a success. That last point ended up being something everyone could agree on. There is no success story here, Arroyave said. What you hear is nothing more than a commitment from the Bureau of Reclamation to come back to this table as many times as needed to get it right. That didnt comfort Berryessa resident Carol Kunze. Youre sitting here saying, Were really committed. Your commitment has done nothing for years, she said. Emotions ran the gamut. Its amazing how quiet and depressed it is here, Berryessa resident Evan Kilkus said at the beginning of the public comment session. Everyones just tired. The mood had grown livelier by the time Marcia Ritz, operator of the Spanish Flat Country Store & Deli, came to the microphone. Her business depends on tourists flocking to the lake. First of all, you need to be angry, an emotional Ritz exhorted the crowd. This has got to stop. Everything has failed. You need to be angry and let them know it. Otherwise, they wont do (anything.) Some people wanted the Bureau to turn Lake Berryessa recreation over to another agency, such as the National Park Service or Napa County. Napa County managed lake recreation in the 1960s as the resorts developed. Kunze pushed Bureau officials to explain why they deemed the three bids received this time around as non-responsive. But officials didnt reveal the identity of the bidders and stuck to generalities. Drew Lessard, agency Central California Area office manager, said he cant get into the specifics. That prompted a round of Why not? cries from the audience. Wednesdays session also focused on options being considered by the Bureau of Reclamation. Agency officials will talk to the three bidders about why their bids were non-responsive. Then the Bureau could rebid the resort contracts quickly using the same prospectus that details bid requirements. That is obviously the shortest amount of time to get a prospectus back out on the street, Lessard said. Or the Bureau could try something different, he said. For example, instead of seeking 30-year contracts calling for lots of improvements, it could seek 10-year contracts calling for fewer improvements. California State Parks recently received no bids to operate a marina for 30 years at Folsom Lake, even though that is an opportunity to open right away with minimal improvements needed, Lessard said. The Bureau of Reclamation recently received no bids for a marina project at New Melones Lake in the Sierra Nevada foothills, he said. The Bureau asked for a lot of infrastructure requirements there and has rethought that approach. These are things we need to consider as we move forward, Lessard said. The Bureau talked to people in the recreation industry about Lake Berryessa. Some didnt like having seven resorts at the reservoir, he said. Large investment and development may not be the latest trend, Lessard said. Weve got to look at that and see if we need to make any changes. The Bureau of Reclamation will ask local residents for advice, including Napa County. The Board of Supervisors wants Bureau officials to appear before it and explain what is going on. I think the public is really at a crossroads right now, Board Chairman Alfredo Pedroza said at Tuesdays Board of Supervisors meeting. Arroyave said Bureau officials spent part of Wednesday talking to Napa County officials. Their input is extremely critical, Arroyave said. We think Napa Countys participation and our discussions with Napa County are going to be critical to us having the best chance of succeeding. Were talking about what those options are. The Bureau of Reclamation will need a success story to convince the audience at the Berryessa Senior Center. Markley Cove Resort is one of two resorts still operating at full strength. But an interim concessionaire contract for that marina expires after this year, and Winters City Manager John Donlevy expressed concern that it, too, could be sucked into redevelopment limbo. That would be the death of this lake, he told Bureau officials. It would. A pregnant Napa County woman has tested positive for the Zika virus, the first such case in Napa County and possibly the first in the Bay Area. The Napa County Public Health Division announced Wednesday that it had received confirmation from the California Department of Public Health of the case. The woman had traveled to Central America and is not showing symptoms of Zika virus infection now, said a news release. However, the woman was symptomatic at the time of the test, which was about four weeks ago. At a news conference on Wednesday, county representatives declined to identify the woman and her unborn child. However, they did say she is a Napa County resident between 30 and 45 years, and both she and her baby are being followed by her local health care provider. This Zika virus case is not a threat to public health. There is no active transmission of Zika virus in Napa County, and the two kinds of mosquitoes that transmit the virus have not been found here, said Dr. Karen Relucio, Napa County health officer. Anyone who is planning to travel to a country with active Zika virus transmission should consult with their healthcare provider before leaving, especially if they are pregnant or are considering becoming pregnant, Relucio said. Relucio said about 30 Napa County residents have been tested for the virus. This is the first positive test and other test results are pending. As of last Friday, there were six reported Zika virus cases across California. Relucio said she did not know if other cases have been identified in the Bay Area. About 1 in 5 people infected with Zika virus develop Zika, which is suspected of causing microcephaly (small heads) in newborns. Babies with microcephaly often need close follow-up with healthcare providers to monitor growth and development. Some women who are diagnosed with the Zika virus may face a choice to terminate the pregnancy. The most common symptoms of Zika are fever, rash, joint pain, or conjunctivitis (red eyes). Other common symptoms include muscle pain and headache. The incubation period (the time from exposure to symptoms) for Zika virus disease is not known, but is likely to be a few days to a week. Wes Maffei, manager of the Napa County Mosquito Abatement District, said that the district doesnt believe the two kinds of mosquitoes that carry Zika are in Napa County now. Of course, were concerned. We are looking for them. For the past year our district has been conducting surveillance and setting traps to hopefully detect these mosquitoes should they show up in our county, he said in a phone interview. Maffei urged Napans to monitor the water in and around their homes, including the bottoms of outdoor pots, rain gutters and other water collectors. If there arent places for them to breed, they are less likely to become established and become a problem, Maffei. Public Health officials expect to see more cases as testing for Zika virus continues. Napa County Public Health said it is working with local healthcare providers to test for cases of Zika virus among pregnant women who have traveled to countries with Zika virus transmission or who have a sexual partner who has traveled to countries with Zika virus. Zika is found in Mexico and other countries, including Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, Venezuela and Puerto Rico. Napa County Public Health continues to promote Zika virus prevention messages: Women who are pregnant or may become pregnant are advised to avoid travel to areas with Zika. Women who are pregnant and have sexual partner(s) who have traveled to areas with Zika are advised to abstain from sex or use condoms consistently for the duration of the pregnancy. Pregnant women or sexual partner(s) of pregnant women who cannot avoid travel to areas with Zika are advised to take precautions to avoid mosquito bites. A group of parents in the Napa Valley Unified School District has been clamoring for months for changes to the school lunch program, saying the meals being served to younger students are deplorable and unhealthy. Something is happening with the food quality for our children in schools in Napa, Laura Miller, whose kids attend Napa Valley Language Academy, told the school board last November. The quality is declining. I first noticed this when my two children went from purchasing school lunch one to two times a week down to zero times a week. Miller started looking into the food being served to students and found much of it was pre-made and processed, very much like fast food. Meals served at the middle schools and high schools are prepared in school cafeterias. It is different, however, for the elementary schools, and thats where many of the complaints originate. The food for elementary kids is prepared at a central kitchen in the early morning hours, then trucked around the district to be eaten hours later at lunchtime. Katie Aaron, whose kids attend Vichy Elementary School and Silverado Middle School, has been monitoring the lunch program for the past couple of years. She says it has become absolutely deplorable. It is time for our [school] board, the community and the [NVUSD] staff to look at the hard numbers, which will show we are not doing whats best for our children, Aaron said. Sodexo would not be here year after year if they were not making a pretty penny off this district. Sodexo, under contract with the school district since the early 1980s, is the worlds second-largest catering company. Headquartered in France, the company not only runs lunch programs for school districts across the United States, but also provides similar services for hospitals and private companies, including those in the oil, gas and mining industries. Following the litany of complaints aired before the school board, NVUSD organized a meeting with parents at American Canyon High School last Thursday to talk about school meals. Martha ORourke, a Sodexo district manager, spent a good portion of the meeting fielding questions and sometimes sharp remarks from the nearly two dozen parents in attendance. The discussion was boisterous and, at times, heated between moms and dads on one side and Sodexo and lower-level NVUSD staff on the other. The parent meeting was scheduled at the same time as a school board meeting in Napa, where senior NVUSD officials were discussing a new school bond with trustees, making them unavailable to be in American Canyon. ORourke insisted the food served in school lunches falls within the guidelines established by the federal government, which reimburses school districts for portions of their school lunch programs. She tried to point out the healthier items on the daily menus for kids, such as whole grain breads served on sandwiches or the 100 percent mozzarella on the frozen pizzas. Miller, Aaron and other parents have repeatedly complained about the Galaxy Pizza served three times a week for lunch. Aaron said elementary students call it the sweaty bag pizza because it is heated up in plastic. Deborah Duffy, whose children attend Browns Valley Elementary School in west Napa, warned ORourke that shes had it with the pizza. If I come to one more meeting where people say, Please take the Galaxy pizza off and people dont listen, I think I might scream, said Duffy. Napa resident James Hinton went back and forth with ORourke over the pizza, saying even if the cheese wasnt processed, which the Sodexo representative insisted, the crust and sauce likely were. I dont think you understand what processed means, Hinton told ORourke. The pizza was not the only menu item criticized. Using the nutrition information produced by Sodexo, the parents cited the many meals with high sodium levels per serving: Chicken burrito on a whole grain bun (1,430 milligrams); Chicken parmesan over whole grain pasta (1,473 mg); Asian stir-fry with chicken and vegetables over whole grain rice (1,744 mg). Thats too much salt! one parent shouted from across the room. These are children. Thats too much salt for an adult portion. The USDA nutrition guidelines recommend adults consume less than 2,400 mg of sodium in an entire day. Despite assurances that improvements would be made to the lunch menus, ORourkes efforts to assuage the parents largely failed. All of them made it clear they want the school district to stop using Sodexo, which signed a new five-year contract last year. The parents also questioned the decision to re-up with the company given that fewer students are buying lunch these days a sign that more kids are refusing to eat the food, they said. In 2011-2012, 2.2 million meals were served, according to information provided by Sodexo. By 2014-2015, the total was down to 1.8 million, even though enrollment had mostly remained the same, ORourke acknowledged. Both ORourke and Cherie Cahn, NVUSDs administrative director of business services, said efforts to alter the menus would have financial ramifications for the district. The nutrition and health of the students is very important, so is the education of the students, Cahn told the parents. But, she added, only so much could be done within the amount of money and funds we have. Hinton responded to Cahn by saying: Our kids health should be more important than your finances. I hope our kids health and nutrition is above your money. Later, when Hinton asked how many people in the room favored keeping Sodexo, the only ones to raise their hands were district employees. There is a massive change that needs to take place, Miller said to ORourke about her employer. Youre a multi-billion-dollar company, youre going to be fine. Our district is struggling, our kids are getting more obese, and we want change. Aaron said after the meeting: We cannot have Sodexo in the room and talk about progress. They cannot be a part of the future Nutrition Program in the NVUSD if we want to do what is best and right for our kids. Aaron, Miller and others want the district to operate their food service program without involvement from contractors. The district did that a long time ago, and its something other school districts have embraced recently, including those in Fairfield, Vacaville, Sonoma, Davis and Marin County. NVUSD spokeswoman Elizabeth Emmett said in an interview that the district has no plans to go it alone without Sodexo. She did add that self operation is something we would explore if the school board directed them to do so. When asked after the meeting about the calls to dump her company, ORourke said that Sodexo merely advises the district on how to run its school lunch program. She noted that the food service operation is composed of 91 district employees, and that the only Sodexo employee is the chef who oversees things. Weve added value, said ORourke. Its a district program. Were hired to support the district. Were more in an advisement capacity. Its not our food, or our program, she said. It feels like were spinning our wheels, said Duffy. I have a problem coming to all these committee meetings and hearing, Well, its the districts problem. Well, its Sodexo doing this. I dont understand the point of this meeting. The district intends to hold a workshop with the school board on April 7 to discuss food services for students. Rising sea levels brought on by climate change will impact American Canyon and south Napa County along the Napa River, representatives of a Bay Area commission told local officials. The Rising Tides workshop, organized by the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) , warned city and county leaders to expect considerably higher tides by mid-century. BCDC planners told the 30 attendees at last weeks meeting that modeling of the bay projects water levels to rise three feet by 2050. They did not offer specifics on how that increase would affect American Canyon or areas just north of it along the river. They said a new series of bay maps now being prepared should give a better idea of the impact by later this year. Some officials did not mince words about what the higher tides will mean locally. Carneros and American Canyon will be ground zero for sea level rise, said Napa County Supervisor Keith Caldwell, whose district includes all of American Canyon. American Canyon is proud of its recreation trails [along the wetlands], said Caldwell. But a lot of that will be underwater or very close to being underwater in the coming years. He also warned that American Canyon creeks could have a harder time emptying floodwaters into the wetlands against higher sea levels. American Canyon is really a good spot to do this discussion because the river here is about a million miles wide, County Supervisor Brad Wagenknecht said at the opening of the workshop that included Napa Mayor Jill Techel, American Canyon City Councilmember Kenneth Leary, and representatives from the offices of Assemblyman Bill Dodd, Senator Lois Wolk and Rep. Mike Thompson. It feels like youre out on the bay here, said Wagenknecht. But were going to be right in the heart of the bay rise and tidal rise here. Wagenknecht, who serves on the Bay Conservation and Development Commission along with Techel, said it is really important we all get together and figure out what thats going to look like. I think a lot of our citizenry is not aware of the rising tide. Caldwells mentioning of biking and walking trails prompted another official, John Woodbury, general manager of the Napa County Regional Park and Open Space District, to lament the possible loss of this recreation amenity. Woodbury pointed out that parts of the Vine Trail exist atop levies, the very structures that protect homes and businesses from high waters during floods. He also warned that agencies and interests havent always worked together or been good at sharing when it comes to the coexistence of trails and levies. Another open space advocate, Barry Christian, echoed Woodburys concerns. John made a good point about cooperating and sharing and working together for collaborative solutions, said Christian, who represents Ward 5 for the Regional Park and Open Space District and is a leading voice for trails and open space in American Canyon. You cant put a wall up and say, This is my agency, we wont deal with you, he added. We want to protect against climate change, but we also have recreational needs, needs to protect the environment or endangered species, said Christian. Workshop moderator Lindy Lowe, a senior RCDC planner, reinforced the collaboration point, saying: Youre going to have to make joint decisions together. RCDC has helped other Bay Area towns prepare for the coming changes, particularly in the East Bay. Its Adapting to Rising Tides (ART) program has helped organize local agencies in Alameda and Contra Costa counties to devise changes and launch new programs to mitigate the effects of eventual higher waters along shorelines. Working together will be important to bring about sound responses to higher sea levels, American Canyon Councilmember Leary said. Otherwise, if towns wait too long and react rashly, the results could be unfortunate. Are we going to get a demand to build seawalls around American Canyon, Leary asked rhetorically. If you look at how we respond as a nation or a people, its been during emergencies. Were reactive, said Leary. Thats what Im afraid of, one of those immediate fixes [a seawall]. He said thats why it is important to inform residents now and devise sensible solutions. This past weekend, my Mom came to stay with us for one last time before we move to Boston. She was here for less than 24 hours, but we packed in visits to all of our favorite places and then she did what she has done many times over the years here...she frosted her homemade cupcakes...400 mini ones. Earlier that week, my Mom had called me to say that she wanted to do something for the church because they had meant so much to her and figured cupcakes were the best way to go. She also decided to write a letter with these words: Humbly grateful for my second church familyHagerstown Church of the Nazarene: Almost a dozen years ago I entrusted one of my most highly prized earthly treasures to youmy daughter, Pastor Andreaand her husband Nate. They were fresh out of grad school, wet behind the ears, hearts filled with new ideas, eager to start a family, ready to change YOUR world. And my heart became entwined with yours. From helping Andrea and Nate to make the trip from Seminary to Hagerstown and helping them unpack, to hauling teens to activities, to hauling items for garage sales, and hauling pumpkins to Trunk or Treat here from the Amish Countrywas just the beginning of my travel saga between Bel Air and Hagerstown. And the traveling continued between our New Years/Retreat Breakfasts and opening my home up for floor sleeping room during an FOL blizzard! And because my daughter fell in love with your families, I grew to love you too. I watched your little ones grow up each year at Trunk or TreatI listened to your teens as they visited with my daughter late at night at her house, and when she cried over them, I did too, carrying the burden home with me. I traveled to volleyball games everywhere and loved on hundreds of girls in Jesus name in the name of Hagerstown Nazarene Church. And I even got to visit some of your children at college, see some of them get married, and start their own life. Then my love affair deepened with the coming of my second treasure, Mr. Birukwhen all of you, young and old alike, opened your hearts and arms to embrace our gift from Ethiopia. You were there for the dinners/tea, and I am quite sure that of the 4000 cupcakes that I baked, you all purchased/consumed 3000 of them! My heart will never forget those of you who waited at the airport with us as we cheered for his arrival. This is a bittersweet time for all of us, a time of sadness and celebration. I am confident that God has great things in store for ALL of us. Lets just say, until we see each other again. Stay true to HIM I will be cheering you on Much Love, Debbie, aka Mama Long, aka Grammy Long As I sat typing up my Mom's letter to print off for the church, I sobbed on the couch (which by the way caused Biruk to say, "Daddy...why is Mommy crying again?"), because I realized just how much my family has invested in the past 12 years of our ministry too. A couple of weeks ago, I sat next to my Dad under the Honduran Sun as we sobbed together knowing that this chapter of our life was coming to an end. A couple of weeks later, I sat across from my older sister and brother in law, in our local Starbucks, as we shared our hopes, dreams, and fears for this next piece of our life. They have not only journeyed with me...my family...,but they have often carried me in ways they probably will never know. I am thankful...beyond thankful...for the investment my family continues to make in the places God has called us to. We are unique. We are friends. We do life together. We are family. And I hope that Boston is ready for all of us! I've been told a few times that I have a unique family. It's not just the fact that we make random noises while walking in public places...all at the same time, or that we love to roll down the windows of my Mom's mini van and sing David Crowder songs in prestigious vacation towns, or even that we sometimes go searching for Santa in our Christmas PJ's on Christmas Eve. I think we are unique because we have a deep friendship with one another. Question -- What is the goal of this website? Why do we share different sources of information that sometimes conflicts or might even be considered disinformation? Answer -- The primary goal of Nesaranews is to help all people become better truth-seekers in a real-time boots-on-the-ground fashion. This is for the purpose of learning to think critically, discovering the truth from withinnot just believing things blindly because it came from an "authority" or credible source. Instead of telling you what the truth is, we share information from many sources so that you can discern it for yourself. We focus on teaching you the tools to become your own authority on the truth, gaining self-mastery, sovereignty, and freedom in the process. We want each of you to become your own leaders and masters of personal discernment, and as such, all information should be vetted, analyzed and discerned at a personal level. We also encourage you to discuss your thoughts in the comments section of this site to engage in a group discernment process. "It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." Aristotle 11 Watching out for the voters of Boston Japan and U.S. will hold joint military exercises France withdraws from Energy Charter Treaty CNN: White House is in talks with Elon Musk to create satellite Internet service Starlink in Iran Baku outraged by Iran's statements and frightened by IRGC military exercises Who are main beneficiaries of 'Zangezur' corridor?: Another anonymous article by 'Haykakan Zhamanak' newspaper Ankara decides to stand up for Riyadh amid deteriorating relations between Saudi Arabia and U.S. French Foreign Minister considers it vital to keep lines of communication with Russia open Pentagon refuses to give details of conversation between Austin and Shoigu Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin: Head of Caucasus Muslims Department again made slanderous and false statements Erdogan denies using chemical weapons against Kurds and threatens those who dare to talk about it Saudi Arabia and China will strengthen their ties in energy sector Governor of Gegharkunik province receives representatives of OSCE fact-finding mission Penny Mordaunt runs for Prime Minister of Great Britain Sweden expects ratification of NATO membership application by Hungary and Turkey to be completed soon European Union will allocate 1.5 billion euros per month to Kiev in 2023 An Israeli-built flight school opened in Greece Russian Railways is negotiating with Azerbaijan and Iran to launch the Rasht-Astara route Overchuk: Construction of road through Meghri, whose sovereignty is not in question, depends on Armenia's position Armenian Defense Minister's working visit to India is over Hungary will not agree to limit prices for imported gas Iranian Foreign Minister: Iran considers Armenia one of most important transit countries Naribekyan participates in meeting of secretaries general of PACE parliaments Delegation from United Arab Emirates visits Armenia at invitation of head of MONKS: Two agreements signed Dollar, euro drop in Armenia Iran consul general in Armenias Kapan: We do not accept any change of borders Baza: Mobile military registration and enlistment offices will be removed on Russian-Georgian border Iranian Consul: Countries of region do not need presence of foreign armed forces Armenia FM: Iran consulate general in Kapan will be important for regional security Iranian Consul General advises Kapan residents not to worry anymore: Iran is here for Armenian people FM reaffirms Armenia plan to open consulate general in Irans Tabriz Turkey to open consulate in occupied Armenian Shushi city of Artsakh Turkish Ministry of Finance: Ankara can buy Russian oil without Western funding Armenia Security Council chief briefs European Parliament rapporteur on recent Azerbaijan military aggression British bookmakers name favorite for post of prime minister Erdogan: Armenia-Azerbaijan relations progress will contribute to Armenia-Turkey relations normalization Iranian Consulate General opens in Kapan Erdogan: Turkey is looking for alternative to American F-16 fighters Iran consul general: We are here for Armenian people Turkey FM slams OSCE decision to send needs assessment mission to Armenia Peskov reacts to Erdogan's words about Putin's softening on Ukraine negotiations European Parliament rapporteur on Armenia visits Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan European Parliament rapporteur on Armenia to legislature speaker: Attack was from Azerbaijan, naturally Armenia President to EEU PMs: We will manage to take another confident step by respecting mutual interests EUSR Toivo Klaars exclusive interview with NEWS.am on EU Monitoring mission,Nagorno Karabakh future and violence videos Explosions rock Ukraines Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia President meets with newly formed Artsakh Public Council members Armenia PM: We need understanding in price horizon, at least in medium term Lawyer: 20 of fallen solders parents detained from Yerevan military pantheon are recognized as injured party PM: Armenia trade with other EEU countries increased by 74% France region to provide 300,000 to Armenias Syunik Province affected by Azerbaijan military aggression Eurasian Intergovernmental Council extended meeting underway in Yerevan MOD: Armenia did not fire at Azerbaijan positions, vehicle MPs in Strasbourg, present threatening dangers: Armenia has powerful support in European Parliament Years first snow falls in Armenias Shirak Province World oil prices on the rise Newspaper: Russia dismisses Armenia PM's news on Karabakh Russia PM in Yerevan, to discuss with EEU colleagues single oil, natural gas markets formation Newspaper: Why is Iran in hurry to open consulate in Armenias Syunik Province? France, Spain, Portugal agree to build Barcelona-Marseille natural gas pipeline Admiral: U.S. should now prepare for Chinese 'invasion' of Taiwan Harutyunyan: I cannot imagine Artsakh's future without presence of Russia Harutyunyan: Without questioning path of our independence, we must meet with Baku Prime Minister of Finland does not think that Hungary and Turkey will block country's application for NATO membership Iranian FM: U.S. made hasty statements in connection with protests Former Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim involved in car accident in Karabakh Arayik Harutyunyan: Artsakh people's right to self-determination is non-negotiable Iranian MFA calls it important to form platform with Armenia and India on North-South corridor Details of EU monitoring mission in Armenia are known Foreign Ministry: It seems Ankara is more interested in opening corridor through Armenia than Azerbaijan Mirzoyan: Unexpected third countries support Azerbaijani interpretation of road to Nakhchivan Foreign Ministry: Armenia, Iran and Bulgaria initial agreement on creation of Persian Gulf-Black Sea corridor Israeli Defense Minister to visit Ankara Armenian Foreign Minister names main obstacle to solving problems with Azerbaijan Erdogan once again raises issue of so-called 'Zangezur corridor' Armenian and Iranian FMs to open Iranian Consulate General in Syunik province tomorrow Abdollahian: Aliyev assured that he does not want border changes, Iran will prevent implementation of such idea Iranian Foreign Minister in Yerevan supports '3+3' platform Iranian Foreign Minister recalls Tehran's 'red lines' in regional issues Mirzoyan: We highly appreciate Iran's principled position regarding territorial integrity of Armenia UK imposes sanctions against Iran for alleged delivery of drones to Russia Yerevan hosts meeting of Eurasian Intergovernmental Council in narrow composition Armenian and Iranian Foreign Ministers meet in Yerevan in extended format Charles Michel: EU energy deal possible, but difficult Erdogan says Baku should demand 'compensation' from Yerevan Pashinyan: EEU mechanisms are of great help, trade turnover between Armenia and Belarus has doubled Yair Lapid: Russia-Iran relations are serious problem for Ukraine, Europe, and whole world Amir-Abdollahian: Iran is against presence of foreigners in this region, both in Azerbaijan and Armenia Pashinyan at EAEU meeting: Fundamental principles of world economic system in question Iranian Foreign Minister's official visit to Yerevan begins Macron says Germany should not isolate itself in Europe EU begins deployment of mission on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Trump's son made fun of Zelenskyy's ability to ask West for money EU to provide emergency aid for Armenia residents affected by recent Azerbaijan military aggression Azerbaijan army units fire at Armenia positions Mikhail Mishustin arrives in Yerevan EU approves new sanctions against Iran over alleged drone deliveries to Russia Eurasian Intergovernmental Council meeting begins in Yerevan Baku calls OSCE mission to assess situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border 'private visit' On fourth day of IRGC military exercises on border with Azerbaijan, artillery destroys planned targets Liz Truss quits as UK Prime Minister GBE students collect snacks for children with cancer Gulf Breeze Elementary School made it their mission to help local children battling cancer. Gulf Breeze Elementarys PTA president, Heather Pulling, heard that children at... School honors Sears Gulf Breeze Elementary recognized Kaye Sears as School Related Employee of the Year. Ms. Sears has worked at GBE for over 30 years and has... Santa Rosa Schools gets $2.6 Million Governor Ron DeSantis awarded more than $200 million in awards through the School Recognition Program. Santa Rosa County District Schools is pleased to be the... Project Graduation seeks sponsors, donations Planning for the annual Senior Class Project Graduation is now underway. Whether you are a member of the Gulf Breeze/Pensacola Beach community, a business owner,... LONDON: A new app that may help diagnose cancer in patients early by using information about symptoms, signs and images of what to look out for has been launched in the UK. The app developed by the Scottish Centre for Enabling Technologies, based at the University of the West of Scotland, can be continually updated when the user is in a wi-fi zone, giving them the latest information as quickly as possible. It can also be used offline. The app features a quick reference guide for health professionals, including information on symptoms, signs and images of what to look out for, BBC News reported. "This app, which has been developed in partnership with health professionals and patients, will make it easier and quicker for doctors, pharmacists and senior nurses to access information on referral for those suspected of having cancer," said Scotland Health Secretary Shona Robison. "The earlier a cancer is diagnosed and treated, the better the survival outcomes," said Robison. "Improving the number of patients diagnosed at an early stage will reduce premature deaths from cancer and have a positive effect on overall life expectancy," she added. Read Also: New Wave Equation Developed For Faster Tsunami Detection Stretchable Electronic Films Could Revolutionise Wearable Devices Curiosity leads Stanford bioengineers to discover the inner workings of a novel mode of insect flight A chance observation of a water lily beetle skimming across a pond inspired researchers to investigate the mysterious and sophisticated mode of flight it employs to overcome the physical challenges of flying over water. Video by Kurt Hickman A chance observation of a water lily beetle skimming across a pond inspired researchers to investigate the mysterious and sophisticated mode of flight it employs to overcome the physical challenges of flying over water. When Manu Prakash was a graduate student, he would often search for his thoughts during hikes through the woods in western Massachusetts. On one of these excursions, he stopped by a pond to watch water lilies blossom, and noticed a series of small ripples flash across the water. It was a perfectly still day; no wind, no rain. A few minutes of investigation revealed the culprit: a tiny insect, called the water lily beetle, which flits from lily pad to lily pad. Prakash scooped up a few of the beetles and took them home, and began studying them as they skittered across water-filled plates on his kitchen table. Years later, Prakash's curiosity has paid off, as he and his students have discovered the remarkable physics of this beetle's flight. "The surface tension forces are so large compared to this little thing, but it has the capacity to fly at half a meter per second on the surface of water without ever detaching from the water's surface," said Prakash, now an assistant professor of bioengineering at Stanford. "It's one of the fastest-known locomotion strategies on the surface of water." Maintaining contact with the water is central to the beetle's ability to travel from lily pad to lily pad. But the unique strategy the beetle employs to essentially fly in two dimensions didn't become apparent until Prakash arrived at Stanford and began formalizing his kitchen experiments. Prakash, along with a couple of summer interns, Thibaut Bardon and Dong Hyun Kim, painstakingly videoed the beetles as they darted here and there in small aquariums. The video clips caught the eager eye of Haripriya Mukundarajan, a mechanical engineering graduate student in Prakash's lab. "Every time they presented their work, I just thought it was the coolest project in existence," she said. "The beetles look so beautiful on film, and this project is so rich with opportunity to do really fascinating research in so many fields, including fluid mechanics, biomechanics and non-linear dynamics, and synthesize them into an explanation of this biological phenomenon." The videos revealed the beetle's unique technique. Once the bug settles on the water, it lifts each leg, one at a time, and carefully places them back so that only the tip comes into contact with the water's surface. Next, it raises its two middle legs high above its body, unfurls its wings, and flaps in a figure-eight motion. As the wing-beat action settles into a stable frequency 115 cycles per second the insect rocks slightly, picks up steam and shoots across the water without ever losing contact with the surface. But it required careful analysis of the video and the creation of mathematical models that incorporate all aspects of the insect's flight to unravel the complicated physics that make this possible. The researchers found that the preflight leg routine was crucial for minimizing friction with the water and for establishing stability. The research team's calculations also explained the invisible source of the ripples that first caught Prakash's interest. The claws on the beetle's feet grip the water just enough so that when it beats its wings downward, the beetle actually pulls the surface of the water upward. Conversely, on the upstroke, the water pulls the beetle back down. Amazingly, the beetle is able to beat its wings at a consistent frequency even through all this jostling, and the repetitive up-and-down action is maintained as the beetle travels, creating an unexpected effect. "This makes the insect feel as though it is on a pogo stick on the water. It makes for a fairly bumpy ride from the insect's perspective, but without this it will either fly off or sink," Mukundarajan said. "You don't usually associate bumpiness with water, but at that scale surface tension is so dominant in the system that it completely turns human intuition on its head. This has provided some fascinating insights into fluid mechanics." This discovery, Prakash said, serves as a reminder that simply altering one's frame of mind can lead to startling findings. For instance, imagine shrinking yourself down to the millimeter scale. You haven't just shrunk down, the entire world around you is suddenly changed, and forces that you never think about all of the sudden matter, often in ways you wouldn't expect. A drop of water to a human is nothing, but the surface forces of that same drop could feel like superglue to a small creature. "When you put yourself in the framework of animals that live in this planet, you suddenly realize the way they solve problems is fundamentally different from the way you and I would think about solving an engineering problem," he said. "That's just fascinating, because you suddenly stumble upon completely new and creative solutions." This research is published in the Journal of Experimental Biology and was funded in part by a Howard Hughes Medical Institute International Student Research Fellowship, an NSF Career Award and a Pew Foundation Fellowship. Media Contact Bjorn Carey, Stanford News Service: (650) 725-1944, bccarey@stanford.edu Manu Prakash, Bioengineering: manup@stanford.edu Haripriya Mukundarajan, Mechanical Engineering: haripria@stanford.edu Stanford professor explains the secret sauce for successful startups in China Research by Charles Eesley shows that funding is only one part of the complex entrepreneurial ecosystem, and that an innovative product isn't necessarily enough for success. Rod Searcey Chuck Eesley, assistant professor of management science and engineering, finds that China will need to evolve its policies if it hopes to encourage innovative startups. From humble beginnings known for its fruit orchards, Silicon Valley has transformed into the heartland of entrepreneurship and innovation in the United States. Each year hundreds of budding entrepreneurs from all over the world descend on Silicon Valley in search of the secret sauce. What makes this environment ripe for creativity and innovation? Can the environment be replicated in another country? Charles Eesley, an assistant professor in the Department of Management Science and Engineering and at the Stanford Technology Ventures Program, has been studying the implications of institutional change for entrepreneurship in the United States, China and Japan. This week, a study by Eesley and collaborators Delin Yang, a professor at Tsinghua University, and Jian Bai "Jamber" Li, a doctoral student at Stanford, was published in Organization Science that analyzes the successes and failures of one of China's primary efforts to encourage innovation. The work looks specifically at Project 985, an educational reform program funded and implemented by the government of the People's Republic of China and launched in 1998. It sought to foster a belief in the importance of innovation among students of 39 partner universities, with Tsinghua University and Peking University each receiving a current value of nearly $276 million. This funding provided new classes and programs on innovation and commercialization, recruitment of accomplished researchers from overseas institutions and corporations to teaching positions, construction of new facilities and acquisition of new equipment needed for advanced research. Following is a Q&A with Eesley about his research: What did your research reveal about innovation funding and outcomes in China? Government funding provided additional resources both in classrooms and in the lab, and students graduating from the Project 985 universities were significantly more likely to create innovative, high-tech firms. However, when they commercialize their technologies in a startup, they find that innovating in a manner advocated by Project 985 negatively impacts firm financial performance. How does Project 985 negatively impact firm performance? It turns out that political networking results in better firm performance in the Chinese context. This is a counterintuitive result. From a U.S. perspective, you would expect the additional funding for research and development would lead to more innovative products that would result in better firm performance. The other institutions in the U.S. that are implemented to support startups, such as intellectual property and antitrust laws, are lacking in their enforcement in China. Also, state-owned enterprises are often favored and it often becomes difficult for a startup to compete against a state-owned enterprise no matter how innovative the product. We found that those students influenced by Project 985 reform were less likely to engage in political networking and more likely to spend time and invest in research and development activities. They thought that the great technology that they developed was enough to succeed and they were actually spending time on activities not linked to better firm performance. How would you compare entrepreneurship in China to Japan and the United States? A big part of my research is that environment shapes the type of entrepreneurship for a specific region. China, the U.S. and Japan all have very different cultural and institutional environments. The forms of entrepreneurship that you see are a reflection of the policies at each place. Each of these markets is at a different stage of their development. In the Chinese market over the past decade, they have been going through a boom in manufacturing that the U.S. and Japan went through a couple of decades ago. The U.S. economy has moved more fully into services and the type of entrepreneurship that you see is focused on e-commerce, health care, financial services and less about agriculture and manufacturing. The Japanese economy is also advanced. With their aging economy, low-end manufacturing is becoming more commoditized and moving into robotics and high-end manufacturing. Some of the market struggles that we are seeing in the Chinese economy are a reflection of transitions taking place. The services industry is one of the fastest growing in China and manufacturing is slowing down. The million-dollar question: Is there a formula for boosting innovation and entrepreneurship that can be replicated? It is complicated and there are a lot of factors. There are institutional policies and culture, both of which take time. What we learn from this study is that sometimes changing just one policy in isolation is not effective and we need other complementary policies to be enforced as well. For instance, Taiwan mimics U.S. policies. However there is something about the education system in the U.S. that allows students to be creative and think outside the box and do something different. To purely compete on efficiency and low cost is very difficult over time and you don't gain the higher profit margin from offering a differentiated product or service. You have to consider both the policies, and their correct implementation, and the cultural environment. Educational institutions have an important role to play as well both in technical education as well as in entrepreneurship education and informing policymakers. In the end, it's a bit of copy and adapt depending on the local environment. Media Contact Pui Shiau, Office of International Affairs: (650) 723-3174, pwshiau@stanford.edu Senate chairman Mian Raza Rabbani admitted an adjournment motion moved by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Senator Hafiz Hamdullah despite the government's opposition, with directives that the house would hold a detailed debate on this issue by next Tuesday. Senator Hamdullah said that Saudi Arabia could buy nuclear bomb amidst mounting tension between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Riyadh's move to buy nuclear weapons would destabilise the Middle East as well as Pakistan, JUI-F Senator maintained. Federal Minister for Commerce and Trade, Khurram Dastgir Khan, opposed the adjournment motion. The House was informed that a national census would be taken this year and the reason for a delay in the census was the ongoing military operation against militants in the restive North Waziristan. Federal Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination, Riaz Hussain Pirzada, informed that a national census would be taken in March 2016 as per the recommendation of the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). (ANI) General Raheel made a brief stopover in Kabul on his way back from Tajikistan to attend the change of command ceremony of 'Resolute Support Mission' and held a meeting with the Afghan President, reports Dawn. Lt. Gen. Asim Bajwa, the head of the military's media wing, said the meeting focused on discussions regarding regional security, border management and coordination of 'Shawal Operation' to investigate the terrorists trying to flee across the border into Afghanistan. "The COAS reiterated whole hearted support to Afghan leadership for peace and stability in Afghanistan, Lt. Gen. Bajwa said on Twitter. (ANI) Reportedly these cards were illegally being imported from Hong Kong by a courier service in a parcel, said Director General (DG) of Customs Intelligence Moinul Khan. The parcel was intercepted while being cleared with the bill of entry at the airport earlier in the day. The Daily Star quoted Khan as saying that there was no valid document for the parcel and legal action was underway to catch the culprits. Further details are awaited. (ANI) Aziz underscored that Pakistans nuclear arsenal is a major deterrent, a fact that the US also recognises, according to Dawn. Responding sharply to US Secretary of State John Kerrys suggestion to cut down on nuclear arsenal, Aziz said it was India that was stockpiling and not Pakistan as it has to keep up a minimum deterrence. If they increase the stockpile, we cannot reduce ours, he said. Secretary of State Kerry urged Pakistan to reduce its nuclear arsenal by making it front and centre of its policy. However, Kerry did not mention if the US will ask India to do the same. Sartaj Aziz in turn asked the US to show a greater understanding of Pakistans security concerns and its desire to contribute as a mainstream nuclear power. The US appreciates Pakistans ongoing efforts of command and control in this regard and both countries decided to continue constructive discussion in the Security, Strategic Stability and Non-proliferation working group, Aziz said. This is what strategic stability means, to have that deterrence capability, he added. Indias nuclear arsenal has a qualitative side which is continually modernising, so Pakistan has to respond," Aziz maintained. Sartaj Aziz was briefing the media on Wednesday in Washington on the proceedings of the sixth round of the Strategic Dialogue between the US and Pakistan. --Indo-Asian News Service ahm/vt ( 269 Words) 2016-03-03-19:15:36 (IANS) The government on Thursday confirmed that no Indian was injured in the attack on the Indian consulate in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, on Wednesday in which eight people were killed, including the five attackers, and 19 were injured. No member of the consulate was injured except for superficial injuries on the right hand of one of the local staff members, external affairs ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup told the media here. Giving details of the attack, he said that five terrorists approached the consulate in a van rigged with explosives around noon. As soon as the van breached the initial barrier of the approach road, the Afghan National Police (ANP) contingent that was protecting the consulate opened fire, he said. Four of the five terrorists exited the van and returned fire. Swarup said that as the van could not get sufficiently close to the consulate, one of the terrorists blew it up shattering the doors and windows of the building. Another terrorist approached the gate but realising that he had no cover, blew himself up. The remaining attackers were engaged by the Afghan National Police and the National Directorate of Security (NDS) personnel for another half an hour until they were neutralised one after the other, the spokesman said. He said commandos of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) posted there took their designated positions but did not engage directly with the attackers as the ANP and NDS were actively engaging them. The entire encounter lasted about 45 minutes during which three people were killed. Swarup said that according to the NDS, 19 persons, mostly ANP guards, were injured. Two of the ANP guards are in serious condition. Later, senior officials, including the ANP and NDS chiefs of Nangarhar province as well as the provincial governor, visited the consulate and reassured the staff there of all cooperation. Additional forces from the ANP and NDS were deployed around the consulate. --Indo-Asian News Service ab/bg ( 333 Words) 2016-03-03-19:28:07 (IANS) Intel on Wednesday announced the appointment of Nivruti Rai as Intel India Site General Manager. Rai succeeds Kumud Srinivasan, who is relocating to the United States (U.S.) after the completion of her assignment in India. Rai has been with Intel for over 20 years and has held several technical and business management positions across different functions both in the US and India. Based in Bengaluru, Rai is Vice President and Director of R&D, in Platform Engineering Group, Intel Corporation. Asserting that Intel India had witnessed remarkable growth over the last few years, Rai said that Intel's state-of-the-art facilities in Bengaluru and Pune provide opportunity to innovate and design relevant products and solutions. "Intel India has been witnessing remarkable growth over the last few years. Today, it is a key design site for Intel with state-of-the-art facilities in Bengaluru and Pune involving advanced engineering capabilities across the computing spectrum from servers to IoT and wearables. India also presents us with opportunity to innovate and design relevant products and solutions to grow technology adoption in the country," said Rai. Rai holds a Master of Sciences degree from the University of Lucknow, India, and a MS Degree in Electrical Engineering from Oregon State University, Oregon, U.S. Meanwhile, Srinivasan wished Nivruti and hoped that Intel India would attain its next level of growth under her. "I've had the privilege of leading Intel India for the past three years. I have seen the site grow, innovate and contribute significantly to Intel's success worldwide. We are fortunate to have a strong and stable leadership team at the site with a vision for innovation and growth. I am confident that under Nivruti's leadership, Intel India will attain its next level of growth", said Srinivasan. With over 7,500 employees, Intel India is Intel's largest non-manufacturing site outside the US and the presence of two senior leaders at the helm in the country reiterates Intel India's strategic importance to Intel Corporation. (ANI) The All Day hitmaker caused controversy when he posted on Twitter a screenshot of his laptop to show he was listening to Sufjan Stevens, but it was the other tabs he had open which caught the eye of fans, reports femalefirst.co.uk. While one tab read Pirate Bay Torrent Xfe..., another displayed Xfer Records Serum t.., prompting Twitterati, including producer Deadmau5, to accuse him of stealing wave table synthesiser programme Serum by Xfer Records. The Electronic Dance Music star tweeted: "What the f*** @kanyewest... Can't afford serum? D***. (sic)" Deadmau5 also called on fans to donate money to help West who recently claimed he was $53 million in debt, to help him purchase the $189 music production programme, which is used to produce high-quality sound with an easy-to-use interface. "Let's start a kickstarter to help Kanye West afford a copy of Serum. He needs a small loan of $200 #prayforyeezy, he posted. --Indo-Asian News Service ks/rb ( 176 Words) 2016-03-03-03:43:32 (IANS) With JNU Students' Union president Kanhaiya Kumar getting interim bail from the High Court, Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Sitaram Yechury on Wednesday slammed the Centre for 'covering-up its all round failure' and asked to file charges against who doctored the tapes. "Kanhaiya is free. Now, Accountability anyone ? Govt must file charges ag those who doctored tapes. So much energy wasted by Modi govt. This government can go to any length to cover-up its all round failure. Victimisation of innocent students is only one case in point," Yechury said on twitter. Yechury, who has been critical of the Centre for booking the JNU students under sedition charges, accused the Modi government of whipping up false hysteria against JNU students. "Kanhaiya and others set up to mask other national security failures. False hysteria whipped up. But who framed Kanhaiya and JNU. Questions about this will continue to be raised inside and outside Parliament. This country expects answers from the government," he said. JNU student Kanhaiya was granted bail today by the Delhi High Court, nearly three weeks after he was arrested on sedition charges in a case that has led to mass protests and opposition allegations that the government is trying to crush dissent. Granting the student leader bail for six months with conditions, the court appeared to liken his alleged offence to infection in a limb. (ANI) Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students' union president Kanhaiya Kumar on Wednesday granted an interim conditional bail for six months in a sedition case by the Delhi High Court. Disposing of the bail petition of a single judge bench of Justice Pratibha Rani stated, "The thoughts reflected in the slogans raised by some of the JNU students, who organised and participated in that programme, cannot be claimed to be protected as fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression. I consider this as a kind of infection from which such students are suffering which needs to be controlled/cured before it becomes an epidemic. "Whenever some infection is spread in a limb, effort is made to cure the same by giving antibiotics orally and if that does not work, by following second line of treatment. Sometimes it may require surgical intervention also. However, if the infection results in infecting the limb to the extent that it becomes gangrene, amputation is the only treatment." Justice Pratibha Rani, however, observed: "As president of the JNU students' union, the petitioner was expected to be responsible and accountable for any anti-national event organised on the campus. Freedom of speech guaranteed to the citizens of this country has enough room for every citizen to follow his own ideology or political affiliation within the framework of our Constitution. While dealing with the bail application of the petitioner, it has to be kept in mind by all concerned that they are enjoying this freedom only because our borders are guarded by our armed and paramilitary forces. Our forces are protecting our frontiers in the most difficult terrain in the world i.e. Siachen Glacier or Rann of Kutch." Maintain that it is a case of raising anti-national slogans, which do have the effect of threatening national integrity, the court said, "Suffice it to note that such persons enjoy the freedom to raise such slogans in the comfort of University Campus but without realising that they are in this safe environment because our forces are there at the battle field situated at the highest altitude of the world, where even the oxygen is so scarce that those who are shouting anti-national slogans holding posters of Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhatt close to their chest honouring their martyrdom, may not be even able to withstand those conditions for an hour even." "The kind of slogans raised may have demoralising effect on the family of those martyrs who returned home in coffin draped in Tricolour," the court observed. Stating that the petitioner claims his right regarding freedom of speech and expression guaranteed in Part-III under Article 19(1)(a), the court added, "He has also to be reminded that under Part-IV under Article 51A of Constitution of India fundamental duties of every citizen have been specified along with the fact that rights and duties are two sides of the same coin." "The petitioner may have any political affiliation or ideology. He has every right to pursue that, but it can be only within the framework of our Constitution. India is a living example of unity in diversity. Freedom of expression enjoyed by every citizen can be subjected to reasonable restrictions under Article 19(2) of our Constitution. The feelings or the protest reflected in the slogans needs introspection by the student community whose photographs are available on record holding posters carrying photographs of Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhatt," said Justice Pratibha Rani. Observing that the JNU faculty also has to play its role in guiding them to the right path so that they can contribute to the growth of the nation and to achieve the object and vision for which the university was established, the judge said, "The reason behind anti-national views in the mind of students who raised slogans on the death anniversary of Afzal Guru, who was convicted for attack on our Parliament, which led to this situation have not only to be found by them but remedial steps are also required to be taken in this regard by those managing the affairs of the JNU so that there is no recurrence of such incident." The judge noticed that during the period spent by the petitioner in judicial custody, he might have introspected about the events that had taken place, and to enable him to remain in the main stream, at present I am inclined to provide conservative method of treatment. "Taking into consideration the facts and circumstances, I am inclined to release the petitioner on interim bail for a period of six months." The Court, however, asked him not to participate actively or passively in any activity which may be termed as anti-national. It also enjoined on him, as president of JNU students union, that he will make all efforts within his power to control anti-national activities in the University campus. Further, it said that the accused has to furnish an undertaking that he will not violate any of the conditions mentioned in the order. Kanhaiya, who is presently lodged in Tihar jail under judicial custody, was arrested on February 12th in connection with the sedition case. Kanhaiya and others, including two arrested JNU students Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, are accused of raising anti-India slogans during an event organised inside the JNU campus on February 9. Kanhaiya had sought bail claiming that he had not raised any anti-India slogans but the Delhi Police had maintained before the high court that they have evidence to show that the accused had raised anti-national slogans. The two other students who were arrested are in 14 days judicial custody. (ANI) The two-day meeting of the Front decided to continue new protest programmes. The Front said that it would hold assemblies in district headquarters from March 8 to 14, reports The Himalayan Times. They would burn an effigy of members of the then Constituent Assembly in a symbolic protest on March 20. The Front comprising seven Madhes-based parties has been staging protests for the last five months arguing that the new Constitution did not address their concerns. Meanwhile, the Front objected to the recommendation for Justices of the Supreme Court made by the Judicial Council, which claimed that it violated the principle of proportional inclusion.(ANI) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Ananth Kumar Hegde on Wednesday drew the ire of the Congress-led Karnataka Government in the state for his alleged hate speech critical of the Muslim community. Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara, while interacting with the media, said that such 'unfortunate' remarks by the Uttara Kannada MP were not in the interest of the society. "It is unfortunate that Members of Parliament make such statements, which are against the fundamentals of the Constitution. He has been elected for the third time, he is well versed with the Constitution and the democratic principles," Parameshwara told reporters here. "It is not in the interest of the society and of the country. These are things which we must look into seriously," he added. When asked if the state government was mulling legal action against Hegde, he said, "At this point of time, we have not looked into those angles. If it comes under provocative speeches, then the law will have to take its own course." Days after Minister of State for Human Resource and Development (HRD) Ram Shankar Katheria made disparaging remarks against Muslims at a VHP event in Agra, BJP Uttara Kannada MP reportedly said that terrorism cannot be stopped as long as Islam exists in the world. He also reportedly said that Islam must be uprooted for peace to prevail in a place like Bhatkal (Karnataka), which is considered a communally sensitive town. (ANI) Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's surprise visit to Pakistan and accused him of single-handedly destroying six years of hard work put in by the former UPA regime. "The Prime Minister cannot run the country only on his opinion. The country is not the Prime Minister and the Prime Minister is not the country. The Prime Minister didn't consult the armed forces, he didn't consult the officials, I don't think he even discussed with Sushma Swaraj over his visit to Pakistan and took a de-tour to Pakistan for having a tea with Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif," Gandhi told the lower house. "As per media reports, even officials in Home Ministry and Intelligence Bureau were not privy to discussions," he added. Gandhi further said the nation is the relationship between its people, adding it is nothing but the conversation between its citizens. "When I salute the flag, I am not saluting the cloth. I am saluting the relationships that the flag represents," he said. Gandhi further sought to know as to why the Prime Minister didn't utter a word when teachers and media were attacked in the Patiala House Court premises. He further attacked the Prime Minister for his claims on the Naga accord. "The Prime Minister told the Congress president that he has solved the Nagaland problem and signed a historic accord. The Congress president asked us to check what happened because none of our Chief Ministers mentioned anything about the Naga accord," he said. "Our North East Chief Ministers were stunned. They had not heard a word about any accord. What had the government signed? Where is Naga accord now? It's gone with the wind. Bye Bye accord," he said. He further appealed to the Prime Minister to listen to the Opposition and accept their views. "We are not your (PM Modi's) enemies, listen to us as well, we don't hate you. Just give the people the dignity of their word and listen to them," he added. (ANI) U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter at a discussion in San Francisco on Tuesday had said that China must not pursue militarization in the South China Sea and that specific actions will have specific consequences. China in mid February had deployed HQ-9 surface-to-air missile launchers on Woody Island, part of Paracel Islands in the South China Sea which created controversy amongst South Asian countries. The HQ-9 is China's new generation medium-to long-range, active radar homing surface-to-air missile and is first Chinese defense system capable of intercepting ballistic missiles. Accordingly, Chinese Foreign Ministry Wang Yi said that Beijing was entitled to deploy defense infrastructure on the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea. China for years has been involved ina dispute with many South Asia countries across the disputed island over the territorial jurisdiction which is believed to be rich in hydrocarbons. Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia and the Philippines also claim jurisdiction in the waters. China has intensively been engaged in large-scale hydro-engineering and construction work on the expansion and development of the territories under its control.(ANI) The controversy and debate surrounding the June 15, 2004 Ishrat Jahan encounter case took another fresh twist on Wednesday, when a former bureaucrat who was attached with the union home ministry, also questioned the need for a second affidavit. Former joint secretary in the home ministry A.K. Jain said that there was no reason to doubt the inputs provided by the Gujarat Government and the Intelligence Bureau (IB) in relation to the case. In an exclusive to ANI, Jain who was the Joint Secretary (JS) in charge of monitoring communal-related matters across the country, said, "I was JS in charge of the communal situation, and had obtained reports from the IB and the state government. The reports were clear that outfits to which Ishrat belonged to, had an association with terror groups." He further said there was no conflict between the state government and the IB in their reports. "There was no reason to doubt their inputs." However, he claimed that there was a considerable amount of distrust between the central government and Gujarat government at the time. He revealed that a commission of inquiry was proposed by the central government on the post-Godhra situation. "References also came from the National Advisory Council (NAC) to tweak the report of the commission, which I did not support," he alleged. He reiterated that no questions were raised on the IB reports when he was with the home ministry. (ANI) This information was given by Minister of State for Home Affairs, Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary in written reply to a question by Ramdas Athawale in the Rajya Sabha today. At present there is no proposal under consideration of Ministry of Home Affairs to provide any. However, Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) under Ministry of Culture has intimated that a committee of that Ministry has recommended creation of a Special Force for protection of Museums, objects and protected monuments as part of a comprehensive security policy. The responsibility for providing security to public places including places of religious and or cultural importance, rests primarily with the State Governments/Union Territory (UT) Administrations. However, threat inputs, if any, received by the Union Government through the Central Security Agencies, are promptly shared with the State Governments/UT Administrations concerned. Further, in order to augment the security arrangements made by the State Governments/UT Administrations for important places and / or important events, festivals etc, based on the requests made by them, Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) personnel are placed at the disposal of the State Governments / UT Administrations. Central Security Agencies carry out periodic security reviews of important places, including places of religious or cultural importance, and the reports of such security reviews are forwarded to the State Governments/UT Administrations concerned for necessary action, as per the recommendation made therein, for strengthening security. (ANI) TC3, the third edition of 'The Coalition,' a festival of creativity will return to Delhi with 30 curators, 300 speakers, 11 streams and hundreds of new ideas at the Talkatora Stadium from March 4th -March 6th. The Coalition brings India's creative community together under one roof with the aim of fuelling the next wave of creative ventures in the country. TC3 will showcase a variety of brilliant ideas through sessions, workshops, panels and networking events. The festival also offers plenty of opportunities to unwind with live performances by musicians, comedians and special screenings. Founded by Only Much Louder and Do One Thing two years ago, The Coalition started off as a boot camp for freelancers, entrepreneurs, students, professionals and other aspirants who wanted to transform their ideas into a business. "For us, The Coalition goes beyond a just a platform showcasing creativity; it serves as a hub for inspiration, one that generates ideas, innovations, new technologies and creative visions that drive progress. It's time we stopped thinking of the term 'startup' as just something related to digital platforms and IT," said Vijay Nair, CEO, Only Much Louder. With a continued endeavour to build a strongly-networked creative community, the festival will provide tangible tools and resources to the creative entrepreneur through some of the world's most respected entrepreneurs, designers, brands and visionaries. TC3 kicks off with a day-long series of focused sessions with industry experts from distinct streams including design, publishing, journalism, hospitality, fashion, makers, gaming, art and photography, music, comedy, content creation and social media hosted across different cultural centers in Delhi. TC3 will also host workshops and business clinics that will support budding creative entrepreneurs by offering advice from key mentors and funders. The festival will host power-packed panel discussions exploring social impact of the arts and content creation, thus, encouraging unique perspectives and motivating creative exchange.(ANI) This was told by Minister of State for Home Affairs, Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary in written reply to a question by Trinamool Congress leader Derek O. Brien in the Rajya Sabha today. All declassified files pertaining to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose received in the National Archives of India (NAI), are first subjected to preliminary conservation and digitization, before being released in public domain. Both of these are time consuming exercise. The issue of handing over documents relating to Netaji has been taken up with the governments of Austria, Federal Republic of Germany, Republic of Italy, Japan, Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and United States of America. Responses from the Governments of Russian Federation, Federal Republic of Germany, Japan and the United Kingdom have been received. Meanwhile, responses from the Governments of Austria, Republic of Italy and the United States of America are awaited. (ANI) Coming out all guns blazing on the Congress over the Ishrat Jahan encounter case, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday said that the entire episode was an attempt by the UPA regime, especially the Congress' top brass, to defame and implicate Prime Minister Narendra Modi who was then the Gujarat Chief Minister. "With regard to Ishrat Jahan, first it was the LeT website, secondly it was David Headley's evidence and thirdly it was the Central Government's affidavit in the Gujarat High Court. In spite of all this, they changed the affidavit. Now, there is another startling revelation by G.K. Pillai saying 'the decision to change the affidavit was taken at a political level'," Naidu told the media here. Asserting that then home minister P. Chidambaram, former prime minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi's were present at the helm of affairs during the encounter, Naidu emphasized on the misuse of position by the UPA government to harass the political opponents. "Now, Mani has come out saying that he was tortured. Torturing a government official by another agency at the behest of a political leadership is unheard of. You can understand how much misuse was done by the previous government with regard to the CBI and how political opponents were harassed. Their entire plan was to stop, defame and implicate Narendra Modi. They also harassed Amit Shah to some extent," Naidu said. Stating that the truth had finally come out in the open and it must be debated in the Parliament, he added that the Congress Party must come clean on the second affidavit instead of denying the charges against them. "What is the justification of changing the affidavit...do you (Congress) have answer? They must explain," Naidu said. In a revelation that has the potential to spark a fresh political row, Mani yesterday claimed that he did not draft the second affidavit and had been ordered to sign the file in the Ishrat Jahan case. Mani has alleged that the changes in the second Ishrat Jahan affidavit 'were made at the political level by the then UPA government' and that he was 'tortured' to sign it. His claims came days after the former home secretary alleged that Chidambaram as the country's home minister during the UPA regime 'bypassed him' and rewrote an affidavit submitted to a court on Ishrat Jehan, the 19-year-old student killed in an encounter in 2004. Chidambaram earlier on Monday said the revised affidavit was absolutely correct, adding he accepts full responsibility for the affidavit as a minister. (ANI) The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Maharashtra government to grant licenses to dance bars by March 15. It also ruled that no CCTV will be installed around performance areas in dance bars. The apex court also modified seven conditions imposed by the Maharashtra Police for granting licenses to dance bars in the state. "There were about seven conditions for which the bar owners had strong objections. Two of the main conditions were, with regard to installation of CCTV cameras in the restaurant area and second was erection of railing or non removal partition," said Chief Standing Counsel of the Maharashtra Government, Advocate Nishant Katneshwarkar "The court has permitted their condition that there should be a railing of three feet in the dancing area and there should be distance of five feet between the dancers and the viewers," Katneshwarkar added. The Advocate said that the court has directed that the CCTV camera should be installed at the entrance of the bar only and not in the dancing area. "Only four dancers are permitted in a Bar. Out intention is to prevent obscenity. And protect the dignity of the dance girls," he added. (ANI) Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh on Wednesday defended former home minister P. Chidambaram in wake of the latest revelations made by former home secretary G.K. Pillai and former under secretary (Internal Security) R V S Mani in the Ishrat Jahan case, saying it is quite surprising that these people have attained knowledge post retirement. "These are those people, who have attained knowledge post retirement. Do you (the media) know where Pillai Saheb (G.K. Pillai) is working these days? He is working with Gautam bhai Adani," Singh told the media here. "Mani Sahab had made a statement in 2013 that the terror strike in the Parliament was the conspiracy of the BJP. These all are being done to target Chidambaram ji, who has always exposed them and highlighted their failures," he added. The Congress leader further said attempts are being made to shield BJP president Amit Shah, who was then the home minister of Gujarat, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's trusted officers at that time. In a revelation that has the potential to spark a fresh political row, Mani yesterday claimed that he did not draft the second affidavit and had been ordered to sign the file in the Ishrat Jahan case. Mani has alleged that the changes in the second Ishrat Jahan affidavit 'were made at the political level by the then UPA government' and that he was 'tortured' to sign it. His claims came days after the former home secretary alleged that Chidambaram as the country's home minister during the UPA regime 'bypassed him' and rewrote an affidavit submitted to a court on Ishrat Jehan, the 19-year-old student killed in an encounter in 2004. Chidambaram earlier on Monday said the revised affidavit was absolutely correct, adding he accepts full responsibility for the affidavit as a minister. (ANI) Sharmila has been re-arrested and will be charged with attempt to suicide. Sharmila, who was released from judicial custody by the chief judicial magistrate of Imphal West yesterday, came out of the special ward of Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences Hospital here and headed for Sahid Minar with a large number of supporters. A team of police personnel led by a lady officer persuaded her not to proceed further at Nupi Lan complex. Sharmila however reached Sahid Minar at around 4 pm. After reaching the site, she resumed her fast to press her demand. Sharmila, known as the Iron Lady of Manipur, began her fast in November 2000 after ten people were killed in a shooting at a bus stop near her home in Manipur. Activists blame the army for the killings but no arrests have been made in the case. (ANI) A new study has revealed that when it comes to the nature of a boss, workers prefer a consistent jerk to a loose cannon. The Michigan State University study suggests employees, whose superior is consistently unfair, are actually less stressed and more satisfied with their job than employees with an erratic boss. The study included both a lab experiment in which participants' heart rates were monitored for stress levels and a separate field study of workers and supervisors from 95 employers representing a host of industries. Lead author Fadel Matta said that the findings essentially show that employees are better off if their boss is a consistent jerk rather than being a loose cannon who's fair at times and unfair at other times. They found that inconsistent treatment is much more stressful than being treated poorly all the time. Why is this the case? Brent Scott, MSU associate professor of management and study co-author, said people appear to value consistency and predictability in fair treatment as much or more than fair treatment itself. "Let's not lose sight of the fact that the best outcomes for employees occurred when their supervisors were consistently fair," said Scott. "However, if supervisors are going to be unfair, the results suggest that they would be better off behaving that way all of the time." Prioritizing self-discipline, focus and careful thinking could help deliver leaders, who are not just fair some of the time, but who are instead fair almost all of the time, the study concluded. The study appears online in the Academy of Management Journal. (ANI) Shipra Malik left her home on Monday afternoon for Chandni Chowk. The last call made by the victim's mobile phone was to 100. Her last location was found to be Lajpat Nagar in South Delhi. "The woman lives in Sector 37, Noida. She left Noida yesterday afternoon and was going to Delhi. Her last location is Lajpat Nagar. From there, she had called on 100. After that, her location cannot be traced," Superintendent of Police Dinesh Yadav said. "A missing person's report has been filed. The police are investigating whatever her family are providing in writing. She is being searched for. She used to run a boutique in Chandni Chowk," he added. (ANI) The fishermen, hailing from Pudukottai district in Tamil Nadu were arrested while they were reportedly fishing in Lankan waters, North West off Kovilan Point in Kareinagar, a senior official of State fisheries department said here today. The incarcerated fishermen along with the fishing dhows were handed over to the officials of the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources of Kankasanthurai for onward action. The fishermen, who returned to the shore this morning alleged that the Sri Lankan Naval personnel attacked several Indian fishing boats and destroyed fishing nets. The attack on fishing boats and arrest of eight fishermen had triggered resentment among the fisher-folk, here who urged the Centre to take immediate steps to prevent recurrence of such incidents and to restore the traditional fishing rights of Indian fishermen at Palk Bay. It may be noted that fishermen of eight coastal districts in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry had laid a siege to the Sri Lankan Deputy High Commission at Chennai on February 29 demanding the release of 29 Indian fishermen lodged in Sri Lankan prisons and to release 78 impounded boats. The fishermen of Mechanized fishing boat in Rameswaram also observed a five-day strike from February 26 for similar reason. UNI GSM CS 1015 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0414-618567.Xml Three militants were killed in a fierce encounter which broke out after a security force search party was attacked in south Kashmir district of Pulwama, official sources said here today.Acting on a tip-off, the Army, CRPF and Special Operation Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir police launched a joint search operation in Tral area of south Kashmir, about 35 km from here last evening. However, when the security forces were moving towards a particular area in the village, militants, hiding there, opened indiscriminate firing with automatic weapons.Security forces also retaliated and in the fierce encounter, three militants were killed. The identity of the militants was being ascertained; they said, adding a huge cache of arms and ammunition was recovered.Operation was going on when the reports last came in, the sources added. This was the second encounter in south Kashmir Pulwama during the past fortnight.Recently, three militants were killed in 48-hour-long encounter in Pampore area of the district on Srinagar-Jammu national highway. The encounter ensued after militants attacked a CRPF convoy at Sempora Pampore in which two personnel were killed and 13 others, including an Assistant Commandant, were injured before they (militants) stormed into EDI building on January 20.Later, three Army personnel, including two Captains, were also killed before all the three militants holed up in EDI building were killed.UNI BAS JW SV 0809 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0153-618491.Xml Suspected Maoist rebels shot dead a youth at Bariyapur village under Piribazar police station area in the district today. Police recovered the body near the electricity office on the information of local people. The deceased was identified as GautamTanti (25), a resident of Piribazar village. Sources said that extremists of the CPI(Maoist) reportedly gunned him down when he was found irregular in handing over extortion money collected from private companies and others to the Naxal organisation.The body had been sent for post-mortem and a search launched to nab the culprits.UNI XC DH PL SV PM1332 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0211-618716.Xml An amount of Rs 604 crore has been estimated under NABARD for the year 2016-17 for south Kashmir district of Shopian, District Development Manager (DDM), NABARD Rouf Ahmad Zargar said today. He said the Potential-linked Credit Plan (PLP) prepared by NABARD for 2016-17 was launched by District Development Commissioner Ghulam Mohammad Dar in a District Level Consultative Committee meeting at Shopian today. Mr Zargar said the total credit potential for 2016-17 under priority sector for the district has been estimated at Rs 604 crore with a growth rate of 20 per cent over projection for the year 2015-16. He said PLP has been prepared keeping in view the revised guidelines from Union Government and RBI. Mr Zargar said the document takes into account various sectors such as Short Term Crop loans, water resources, farm mechanisation, plantation and horticulture, animal husbandry, storage, solar energy, food and agro-processing and other activities under Priority Sector. He added that the document was drafted in consultation with officials at the Block, District, and State-level departments and banks. Giving the details, he said the potential for crop loans has been assessed at Rs 372 crore and term loans in Agriculture and allied sectors at Rs 104 crore. While an amount of Rs 12. 84 crore would be given under Agriculture Infrastructure and Ancillary Activities. He said loans under Social Infrastructure such as schools, bathrooms, hospitals would be also be considered under priority sector. In line with the push being accorded by the Centre to the MSME sector, Rs. 63.51 crore had been envisaged for the MSME sector. The banks could lend more to the non-farm sector under the MUDRA scheme, he added. The Deputy Commissioner emphasised upon the banks to increase the lending in agriculture and also the allied activities to generate employment in the district. He highlighted the need for area and activity specific schemes for integrating the farming with allied activities such as sheep rearing and bee-keeping for multiple income generation. He advised the banks to utilise the plan document while setting up their targets under credit plans. He lauded the NABARD for bringing out the document in time and said the PLP document would serve as a reference guide to banks and government agencies. The PLP would form the basis for the preparation of annual District Credit plan for 2016-17 by the Lead Bank in the district. DDM NABARD said the PLP was prepared based on the policies of the Central and State Government, thrust areas identified for the development.UNI BAS AE CS1505 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0153-618834.Xml The jewelers from Pune and neighbouring Pimpri-Chinchwad kept their shutters down in protest against the government's decision to impose excise duty on jewellery without input credit or 12.5 per cent excise with input credit. The jewellers have decided to go on an indefinite strike unless the government rethinks the move. Finance minister Arun Jaitely while presenting the Union Budget 2016-17 had announced that excise duty of 1 per cent will be imposed on all articles of jewellery excluding silver jewellery, except those studded with diamonds and other precious stones. If the move is implemented, it would result in rise in prices of gold jewellery and will discourage citizens from spending on it, which will also affect business for all jewellery shops, said a Jeweler B R Parmar. Fatehchand Ranka, President of Pune Saraf Association, has expressed disappointment at the decision stating that imposing excise duty spells trouble for the jewellery industry. UNI SP NV AE AS1608 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0171-619014.Xml The Memorandum of Understanding was signed recently in thepresence of Mr Moosa Zameer, Minister of Tourism, Government ofMaldives, according to a release here today. The investment for acquisition and development of the resort willbe undertaken by SCDCL, a Bangalore based Real Estate Development Company. SCDCL Chairman and Managing Director K N Balasubramanyam saidthat "a luxury resort in Maldives requires expertise in design andoperations of world class standards. The Oberoi Group, which israted as the best luxury hotel brand in the world, is well suitedfor this development." The Oberio Group Executive Chairman P R S Oberoi said that " weare extremely pleased to partner and assist SCDCL in the design andmanagement of the proposed luxury resort. The resort will reflectthe legendary Oberoi service delivered by an attentive and caringteam, making it the preferred choice for luxury travellers." The Minister Moosa Zameer said that "with growing demand ofluxury hospitality services in Maldives, it is imperative to bringin the best in the industry and our partnership with The OberoiGroup will be a testament to this".UNI MSP KVV ADB1535 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0284-618987.Xml Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Modi narrated how Nikita Khrushchev, who succeeded Stalin, gave a secret speech in 1956 denouncing the dictator's personality cult and purges in his era. Modi said that when Khrushchev was asked why he didn't criticize Stalin during his lifetime, he replied it was not possible during those days. The prime minister then warned Congress against creating personality cults. You won't know what will happen." --Indo-Asian News Service sar/mr ( 115 Words) 2016-03-03-16:11:33 (IANS) The three-member All India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF) committee that visited violence affected districts in Haryana recently has demanded an inquiry by a sitting judge of Supreme Court into the stir. The committee comprising president Karnail Singh Peer Mohammed, Jagrup Singh and Gurmukh Singh has visited the violence affected districts where 30 people were killed and arson and loot were reported. The committee also desired that the apex court should take up the matter suomoto on the reports of media so that justice could be provided to the affected people. The committee also appealed to AAP leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal not to 'ignore' his home state and take up the issue of jat stir 'seriously'. It also lambasted over the 'silence' of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi in this matter. Mr Peer Mohammed today said that their probing team spent four days in affected districts and observed that the stir was more worse than of 1984 Sikh Genocide where more than Rs 45,000 crore loss was estimated. He said that the facts finding team found that the stir was planned at least three months ago when in the districts kerosene oil was sold considerably, trees were felled, trenches were made and non-Jats property was targeted. The Chief Minister's Office (CMO) was not bothered about it, he maintained. The stir was not spearheaded by just one leader but by many groups which have indulged in protests across the state and it was preplanned to target non jats who were accounted for more than 90 per cent of property loss, he said. "It was unfortunate that none of the jat cabinet ministers of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar protested against the stir launched by the jats. The matter was taken seriously when certain ministers threatened to resign. Only then the Ministry opined that the stir should be withdrawan," the AISSF president said. He observed that by this stir development of Haryana would be suffered and investors would not be interested to set up industries in the state.UNI XC ADG CS1645 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0130-619210.Xml This follows the Delhi High Court's order on Wednesday granting him a six-month interim bail. "Kanhaiya's bail bond has been furnished in front of a magistrate. We are planning to submit his release papers to jail authorities," advocate Vrinda Grover told IANS. Kanhaiya Kumar's bail bond was given a day after the high court judge Pratibha Rani granted him the bail after asking him to furnish a surety of Rs.10,000. The president of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU) was arrested on February 12 on charges of shouting anti-national slogans, a charge he has denied. --Indo-Asian News Service rak/mr ( 140 Words) 2016-03-03-17:15:47 (IANS) The people of Kasarwadavali area in this district are yet to come out of shock of massacre of Warekar family members on Sunday last. A UNI correspondent, who visited the area has found that the residents of Kasarwadavali are totally indifferent to the entire episode as no one speaks of it today as they were speaking on the first two days. The area is gradually limping back to normalcy. In respect of the mass murders a conference which was scheduled to be held yesterday was cancelled to mourn the deaths. Incidenally, the invitees to the conference are Warekars from the village. A vendor in the corner of the road which leads to the Masjid in the village, Abbas Burre (30) said that he had seen Hasnain going to the Masjid from his house. When he used to smitimes pass this route he came to the shop and purchase 'nalli' he said and added that a polite and simple man as he was he never spoke to anyone and made the payment for the purchases and walked away. ''It is unfortunate that such an incident had happend to the family which was so much attached to the villagers,''he said. His shop is just behind the 'Warekar Manzil' which witnessed one of the worst ever murders in the world in the recent times now emerges. While moving around the 'haunted' bunglow one could notice the fat goats which were tied to the pole in the house opposite and some people sitting at the entrance and chatting. It seems that most of the people around have already forgotten the incident and life is rturning to normal in the village. UNI XR/STADG AS1712 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0171-618805.Xml Defence counsel informed Special Court Judge A L Pansare that Rajan has given voice samples to the investigating agency to match the voice samples. The court directed the Central Bureau of Investigation to file the progress report in the case and adjourned the hearing till March 14, this year. The CBI also told the court that it did not have infrastructure to proper the case. Dey was shot dead by a sharpshooter near his house at Pawai in 2011, in which Rajan is one of the key suspects. Rajan, a former key aide and lieutenant of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, was arrested at Bali airport in Indonesia on October 25, last year, after he arrived from Australia, and later deported to India. Of the 74 cases the Mumbai police has transferred to the CBI, the central agency registered its second case against Rajan in the J Dey murder case. The first case was regarding a fake passport the gangster was using during his stay in Australia.UNI AAA/ST AE RP AS1705 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0171-619178.Xml Tamil Nadu Chief MinisterJ Jayalalithaa today requested Prime MinisterNarendra Modi to direct the Ministry of External Affairs to take up with Sri Lankan authorities about the immediate release of 35 fishermen and 73 fishing boats including the 8 fishermenand their two fishing boats apprehended today. In a demi-official letter to Mr Modi, a copyof which was released to the media here,the Chief Minister said ''it is unfortunate thatthe apprehension of our Indian fishermenby the Sri Lankan Navy, while pursuingtheir traditional avocation of fishing, continuesunabated. She said, these continued instances ofapprehension and abduction of our fishermenby the Sri Lankan Navy is causing considerableunrest and resentment among the fishermenin the state. Ms Jayalalithaa also said, I write to bringto your notice that four fishermen on boardone motorised traditional craft, who went forfishing on March 1 from Arcottuthurai and another 4 fishermen on board anothermotorised traditional craft who went forfishing on the next day, from Kodiakaraifishing base, both in Nagapattinam district,have been apprehended by the Sri LankanNavy today and taken to Kankesanthuraiin Sri Lanka.MORE UNI CS 1831 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0414-619589.Xml Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh today lashed out at the doublespeak of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his alliance partner BJP on the Satluj-Yamuna Link (SYL) issue by saying something and doing something else at the Centre. The Congress leader also announced that he will start a march along the SYL route from the tail-end Gunjal village in Abohar assembly segment, to expose the doublespeak of the Badals and BJP which was going against the interests of Punjab. This is a classic case of running with the hare and hunting with the hound by the Badal and the BJP, he remarked. While the NDA government at the Centre, of which the BJP and Akali Dal are part and parcel and Badals daughter-in law Harsimrat Kaur Badal is a cabinet minister there, has taken a stand in the Supreme Court that is clearly against the interest of Punjab, Mr Badal and the BJP here (in Punjab) claim that they will not let a drop of water out, he pointed out while exposing their doublespeak. He advised the Chief Minister and his BJP partners to better go to Delhi and meet the Prime Minister and tell him that Punjab cannot afford even a drop of water for others. After all they are part of the government there and they must use their influence and not resort to fake breast beating in Punjab, he remarked. At the same time, Capt Singh assured his partys full support and cooperation to Mr Badal for saving and safeguarding the Punjabs waters. He warned that not only will whole of Malwa turn dry and barren, it may also lead to serious law and order situation in the state as it involves sentiments of Punjabis.UNI DB DJK 1959 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0293-619755.Xml : The city police have arrested six persons including a farmer for indulged in procuring PDS rice on lower price illegally during the raids conducted on godowns in the limits of Shadnagar and Chatrinaka police stations in the city, today. On credible information, the Commissioners Task Force, Central Zone team worked out on PDS Ration scam and conducted raids on Godowns with the Civil Supply Officials and apprehended 6 accused, in two cases who were found indulged in procuring PDS Rice on lower price illegally and black marketing the same on higher price to the needy persons for illegal gains. Seized 184 Quintals of PDS Rice and one DCM vehicle , one Mahindra Bolero and auto trolley from their possession, Hyderabad Commissioners Task force Deputy commissioner of police B Limba said in a release here . During interrogation it came to know that the accused persons by taking the advantage in the loop holes in the PDS distribution system, they were procuring the PDS Rice from the local area rice brokers and Fair price shop dealers. They purchasing PDS Rice from the different levels at Rs.7 per KG Rice and diverting the same to Shad Nagar, Mahaboob Nagar and Kurnool Districrts every month on higher price and making huge money. The accused Papishetty Srinivas (Absconding) and Alli Gopal are procuring PDS rice from mediator Adeppa and some other F.P. shop dealers in Hyderabad and from Mahaboobnagar District areas and supplying to one Kanna Reddy by using vehicles and stores in a shed at agricultural fields of Rasmallegudem, Nagulapelle village, Farooqnagar Mandal, Shadnagar, Mahaboobnagar District from where they transports to Thumkur and Bangarupeta, Kolar District of Karnataka State In another case the accused Sake Sudhakar alias Sultan and K. Suresh (Absconding )from the past few days purchasing the PDS rice from the unknown customers of Gowlipura area on cheaper rate and diverting the same PDS rice from Gowlipura to Rajendranagar with the help of auto trolley and transporting the same PDS Rice from Rajendranagar to Kurnool in a vehicle on higher price and making huge money. UNI KNR KVV ADB 2053 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0414-619900.Xml Bombay High Court today directed the superintendents of all jails across Maharashtra to ensure basic facilities for prison inmates. While taking serious note of the deplorable conditions in prisons in the state,a division bench of Justices V M Kanade and Revati Mohite-Dere directed the superintendents of all jails across the state to ensure that basic amenities like good food, clean and hygienic toilets and bathrooms should be provided to the inmates. The court also asks the state to file a compliance report within four weeks time. The court was hearing a petition filed by one Shaikh Ibrahim Abdul, who is presently lodged in Yerwada Central prison (in Pune), raising the issue of poor condition of the jail. Following the petition, the high court had directed the Pune judicial officer to visit the Yerwada jail and submit a report. After perusing the report and finding that the jail condition is indeed bad, the court sought a similar report from the judicial officer in Mumbai regarding Arthur Road prison and Byculla Womens prison. As per the report, in Arthur Road prison the capacity is to house 804 inmates but the present population in the jail is 2,466 inmates. The report further states that there are no bathrooms for inmates and they have to take bath in the open. The toilets which are in use are unclean and need renovation.UNI-AAA RSA VN2235 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0169-619951.Xml As per the directions of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, Punjab will identify and finalise the suitable land in next one month in all the municipal areas to construct affordable houses for slum dwellers and also for persons belonging to low income group. The detailed instructions to identify suitable land chunks, identify and notify slum areas, identify beneficiaries and to implement the Housing for All scheme as per guidelines were given to Local Government and Housing departments by Chief Secretary Sarvesh Kaushal while chairing State Level Sanctioning and Monitoring Committee (SLSMC) of Housing for All Scheme, an official statement said here today. SLSMC is the in-charge of overall implementation of the mission including approval of Housing for All Plan of Action, Annual Implementation Plan, Approval of DPRs, Quality Monitoring Plans and monitoring of the mission During the meeting the Chief Secretary was informed that under the scheme, the Local Government department has identified 30 sites (233 acres) in 18 cities and demand survey is in progress. Mr Kaushal directed the department to identify remaining land chunks for construction of affordable housing for slum dwellers and low income groups. 218 acres land also has also been identified by Housing department which will also be used for inviting applications from the beneficiaries under the scheme. The Chief Secretary directed the Secretary Local Government to study Dharavi model of Maharashtra in detail and also other successful Slum Development projects and finalise an action plan in seven days for replication of such successful models in slum areas of Punjab especially in Amritsar, Ludhiana and Jalandhar. The department will further prepare the detailed project reports and submit to Union Government. The performa for invitation of applications under the scheme and eligibility criteria were also approved during the meeting. The detailed project report of Dhobiana Basti amounting to Rs 56.63 crore was approved in it. UNI DB RSA VN2251 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0293-620090.Xml Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has requested Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, to allow as a special case, establishing a tower for 400 KV Ataur-Indirapuram power line at the Ghaziabad campus of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and issue necessary instructions. This, he pointed out, would be very necessary in finding a permanent solution to the power woes of a large population living in the National Capital Region (NCR). The Chief Minister, in his letter sent to Mr Singh tonight , says that to ensure power exit from the Bara, Meja, Karchana and Tanda thermal projects and to ensure transmission of the power generated from here to western parts of the state, the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation, on a PPP mode, is getting a 400 KV Ataur-Indirapuram power Line, for energization of an under-construction 400 KV substation by developers, M/s Western UP Power Transmission Corporation. This transmission line is the only alternative for energising this sub-station. Construction of this sub-station is vital for qualitative improvement of power supply to western UP, specially NCR's Indirapuram, Vaishali, Noida and Ghaziabad city. Once this is done, Mr Yadav pointed out, a large population in this region will get a adequate power supply and end their problems with regards to power supply. He further stated in the letter that a tower of the proposed transmission line, has to be established in the CISF's 5th RES Battalion campus in Indirapuram. For this, a 8.5x8.5 metre stretch of land is required and that there was no alternative option to this. With regards to this hence, a transmission tower in the CISF campus is a must and despite contact at local level no headway has been made on the matter, the Chief Minister detailed in the letter to Mr. Singh. The Chief Minister also pointed out that keeping in mind the importance of this transmission line, the Centre-State coordination cell of the Government of India's 'e-Samiksha Portal' has directed the Home Minister to intervene and find a solution to the issue on December 28, 2015. On January 14, 2016, through this portal, the Home ministry had informed that the said piece of land in the CISF campus has been earmarked for 31 units of houses and barrack construction for CISF troopers. It has also been informed that the CISF does not have any other stretch of land in Ghaziabad. Mr. Yadav also pointed out, in light of this, that local officials have physically inspected the said site and are of the opinion that even if the CISF constructs the said housing units and barracks for its jawans on this land, there would be adequate land left for establishing the tower and that no security parameters would be breached as well. With regards to this, a follow-up action is pending at the end of the union home ministry. The Chief Minister, while citing the vital conditions of the project, has requested Mr Singh to treat it as a special case and allow the establishing of the tower for the 400 KV Ataur-Indirapuram power Line and pass on necessary instructions to the concerned authorities. UNI MB CJ RSA 2313 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0400-620105.Xml Hearing on the PIL filed by the AP Civil Liberties committee (APCLC) alleging that the encounter was fake, the court also directed the police to handed over the slain naxals bodies if their families come forward to claim after recording their statements and videographing. The unclaimed bodies should be preserved till March 9 when the hearing on PIL will come; the court also directed the police. The anti-Naxal force of Telangana police, Greyhounds, was involved in the encounter. However, two bodies of eight Maoists killed in the encounter, had already been handed over to relatives by the Khammam police.UNI KNR CJ RSA 2315 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0400-620117.Xml Supreme Court Judge Justice B Sudershan Reddy today said the temporary reliefs being provided to farmers cannot resolve their problems and deplored that most of the ryots in the country were in a pathetic state. In his inaugural address at the 29th All India Kishan Sabha conference held, he alleged that the rulers were not following the guidelines of Constitution in providing help to the farmers. The unwise decisions, taking by the rulers, were adding woes to the farmers and all the happening had put the farmers in crisis, he regretted. Giving a call to all democratic forces to back the farmers who are in crisis unitedly, he deplored that the farmers in rural areas were facing irrigation water shortage one side and scarcity for fodder on the other side. Unable to face the problems, farmers with deep distress were committing suicides. Every 30 minutes a farmer commits suicide in the country which was reflecting the pathetic state and highlighting the alarming situation, he lamented and demanded that steps should be taken by rulers to check them. In his welcome address , AP high court former Justice and AIKS Reception committee President, Justice B Chandra Kumar said Hyderabad was under the control of Nizam during the freedom struggle. The Zamindars were having huge extents of lands and they continued to exploit and harass the farmers. Though 68 years have been passed after attaining independence, there is no security to the farmers, he said while adding that there is no guarantee that they can sustain in agriculture. Still large number of farmers have to depend upon the rainfall and the reduction of ground water level has been resulting in failure of crops. There is no need to emphasis the importance of agriculture and the need of the hour is to seriously think over and find out the solutions to the problems faced by the farmers, he asked. Unless the farmers unite and struggle for their rights, the governments may not yield, he added. As many as 900 delegates from 20 states attended the four-day conference. A host leaders of farmers including Praboth Panda and Athul Kumar Anjan were present.UNI KNR CJ RSA 2332 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0400-620132.Xml Two soldiers were also injured in the encounter, Colonel N N Joshi told UNI late this evening. He said troops guarding the Line of Control (LoC) in Keran sector noticed a group of militants infiltrating into this side from PoK under the cover of darkness early this morning. However, when challenged and asked to surrender, militants opened indiscriminate firing with automatic weapons, he said, adding that troops also retaliated, ensuing a fierce gun battle. A militant was killed so far and two soldiers were injured, Col Joshi said, adding that the injured were shifted to hospital where their condition was stable. He said despite snow bound dense forest the entire area has been sealed to foil any attempt by militants to escape. However, it was not immediately clear if any more militant had entered this side. '' Since it is a very dark, troops will take extra precautions while moving ahead in the forest. The operation was going on when the reports last came in,'' he said. UNI BAS RSA 2320 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0153-619978.Xml The State Government is trying to develop SSC examinations failed students by giving them guidance and skills. Maharashtra Eduction Minister Vinod Tawade said the Government was trying to ensure that no student fails in SSC. "Those who fail will be allowed to sit again. If they fail even in the second attempt, they will be counselled and the counsellors will find out their aptitude. Through the Skill Development Curriculum, their academic year will not be wasted. Every skill should have dignity in society and the skill developed students will be sucessful in life," he said during a college inauguration programme. UNI RDS RSA VN2326 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0169-619991.Xml Japan, Germany and Britain governments hailed early on Thursday the adoption of a new UN resolution on North Korea over its recent nuclear bomb test and rocket launch. Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe showed his support to the resolution immediately after the adoption and he strongly urged North Korea not to conduct further nuclear tests and rocket launches, Xinhua reported. The prime minister also called for close international coordination so as to resolve the nuke and rocket issues, as well as the abduction issue lingering between Japan and North Korea. Meanwhile, Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida also welcomed the UN resolution, saying the adoption expressed the international community's resolute attitude toward the issues. German government also welcomes the resolution. "The new sanctions are a necessary and logical response as well as an important signal to those in power in Pyongyang following the unacceptable provocations, the conduction of a nuclear test and the launch of a rocket using ballistic technology," a spokesman of the German Foreign Ministry said in a statement. With a unanimous decision, noted the spokesman, the international community demonstrates that it does not accept "the blatant violation of numerous Security Council resolutions and the threat to regional security and world peace." Britain also hailed the UN resolution on Pyongyang "The fact that this Resolution was passed unanimously demonstrates that the international community is prepared to take tough measures in response to such violations," Philip Hammond ,British Foreign Secretary ,said in a statement. Pyongyang "must put a stop to these provocations and take tangible steps to re-engage constructively with the international community, " he said, adding "If it is willing to change its approach and take concrete steps towards re-engagement, it will find that the international community will respond positively." The UN Security Council on Wednesday adopted a new sanctions resolution against the DPRK with stricter measures in response to the country's fourth nuclear test in January and a rocket launch last month. --Indo-Asian News Service sku/ ( 340 Words) 2016-03-03-03:01:34 (IANS) "Up to now, there is no evidence showing that it is explicitly or implicitly a part of MH370," Xinhua quoted Joao Abreu, the director of National Civil Aviation Institute of Mozambique, as saying. Abreu told media that it is a composite material called honeycomb, used in aircraft structures, adding that the finding piece will now be submitted to expert analysis under normal procedures. He said that Australian authorities responsible for the investigation of the disappearance of the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 has already been in contact with his institute. The piece was found two days ago by local fishermen accompanying an American tourist along the coast of Vilanculos, Inhambane province, and delivered this afternoon to the institute in Maputo, said Abreu. Flight MH370, a Boeing 777-200ER, disappeared on March 8, 2014, en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, with a total of 239 passengers on board. Joint search efforts in the Southern Indian Ocean, where the flight was presumably had ended its journey, has yielded no concrete results so far. --Indo-Asian News Service sku/ ( 217 Words) 2016-03-03-03:37:33 (IANS) Five terrorists were killed, one civilian was shot by accident, and one military officer was injured during an exchange of gunfire between National Guard and Army units of Tunisia near the Libyan borders, Tunisian Interior Ministry said on Wednesday. According to the Defense Ministry, the targeted terrorists entered the Tunisian territory from Libya after escaping attacks against the camps related to Islamic State in Libya, Xinhua reported. Tunisian security forces additionally confiscated five Kalashnikovs, special vehicles, grenades, ammunition and communication tools. --Indo-Asian News Service sku/ ( 97 Words) 2016-03-03-04:21:32 (IANS) Pakistan's Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs, Sartaj Aziz, instead asked the United States to understand its security concerns and its desire to actively contribute as a mainstream nuclear power. Both the statements made by Kerry and Aziz clearly show major differences in their positions on the nuclear issue. Pakistan said that its nuclear programme is designed only to deal with a possible threat from neigbouring India and it will not accept unilateral reduction in nuclear weapons on its side. Secretary Kerry did not mention India while calling for a drastic reduction in nuclear weapons. Aziz rejected the claim that Pakistan was pursuing a duplicitous policy and regretted that whatever goes wrong in Afghanistan, Pakistan was blamed for it. U.S. and Pakistan are still deliberating on the contents of a joint statement that was supposed to be issued after the sixth meeting of their strategic dialogue. The differences have reportedly delayed the statement but during their opening remarks both the leaders highlighted some pressing issues. Aziz is in Washington to attend the sixth US-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue which he co-chaired with Kerry yesterday.(ANI) India reduced the its financial aid to Nepal by 40 percent on its general budget for the fiscal year 2016-17 and allocated Rs 4.8 billion (IRs3 billion) against Rs6.4 billion (IRs4.2 billion) compared to previous year. The reduction comes days after Nepal Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli's visit to India. According to reports, the reduction in assistance has nothing to do with India's low confidence in the Oli-led government. For years, donors complained that poor development expenditure by the government has led to slow disbursement of foreign aid in Nepal and the Indian budget manifested the fact. Chief economic adviser at the Finance Ministry, Govind Nepal said there was no need to read too much on Indian aid cut to Nepal, linking it to soured bilateral relations following the promulgation of the constitution. India has reduced its aid allocation Nepal along with other South Asian nations excluding Maldives. The Kathmandu Post quoted Nepal saying, "The situation worsened this year due to supply constraints caused by the blockade.Reconstruction of damaged infrastructure by the earthquake will begin soon, which will increase overall spending." Nepal's former finance secretary, Rameshore Khanal however said that India itself was responsible for the poor performance of most of the projects undertaken with its aid because the southern neighbour was responsible for procurement and awarding of contracts. On January last year, the meeting on the utilisationof Indian aid was held in New Delhi, where it was agreed that many procedural steps for loan utilisation will be eliminated following Nepal's complaints. According to Nepal, both the nations agreed to create a provision allowing them to utilise the credit by just informing Indian authorities. Nepal hasn't yet decided on where half of $1 billion line of credit given by India would be used while projects of only half the amount has been finalised. The USD 1 billion line of credit was announced by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to the Himalayan nation in August 2014. Similarly no project has been finalised for additional $1 billion that was announced by Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj during the International Conference on Nepal's Reconstruction (ICNR) on June 25 last year. The Asian Development Bank, one of the largest donors to the Himalayan nation said that Nepal's overall portfolio performance was behind the ADB average. Indian finance ministry's mid-term review report of budget of this fiscal year also depicted poor expenditure pattern of foreign aid. Of the total Rs110.92 billion of allocated budget under foreign grant, only Rs5.9 billion (5.32 percent) was spent during the first half of the current fiscal year. Similarly, of the total allocation of Rs94.96 billion under the foreign loan heading, only Rs2.91 billion (3.07 percent) was spent.(ANI) Indo-Canadian students, the faculty and staff from Univeristy of British Columbia, Canada, would hold a rally in solidarity with Jawaharlal Nehru Univeristy (JNU) on March 3, a media report said. "As you already know many central universities are under brutal attack from the BJP-led right wing government in India. Rohith Vemula, a bright PhD student of University of Hyderabad who belonged to Dalit community, was victimised, harassed, and thrown out of the university which ultimately forced him to take his own life," The Voice quoted an email by a student as saying. "The students of the Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi who led a big student movement against the institutional murder of Rohith are now facing deadly onslaught of the state -- its entire student's union and leftist leadership booked under the draconian sedition charges," the email added. "Its President Kanhaiya Kumar was almost lynched in the court premises by fascist hoodlums in black coats in full public view, and in spite of a huge police presence that refused to act," the email noted. The email said that the university would to celebrate the day as "International Support Day for JNU". Hundreds of universities, public intellectuals, human rights organisations from all over the world have raised their voice in support of the JNU students and teachers, the report said. Recently, students, including Indian-Americans, from New York University (NYU) and Cooper Union college in New York gathered at Washington Square Park to support JNU Students Union leader Kanhaiya Kumar and other students who were arrested on sedition charges last month. An Indian-American student said during the protest that the primary purpose of the event was to raise awareness about Kumar's arrest. "[Kumar] was arrested for making these comments against the government, even though he was not actually saying anything against the government, he was just having this poetry reading," Anjana Sreedhar said. "We are protesting against the fact that he was arrested under the sedition law which is very antiquated and very outdated," Sreedhar added. Sreedhar, along with several other students read English transcripts of Kumar's speech during the poetry reading and asked if his words warranted arrest. They also encouraged passersby and attendees to attend a forum discussion at Cooper Union next week. A student activist at the NYU Sumathy Kumar said she attended the rally because she wants to show her support to the JNU students who were "beaten and arrested and so much violence was being committed against them just for speaking out". Anthropology professor Tejaswini Ganti said that she was glad students were voicing support for JNU's students and that universities should be an open forum for all opinions -- even those that dissent against the governing party. --Indo-Asian News Service sku/ ( 464 Words) 2016-03-03-08:19:35 (IANS) More than 50 Republican foreign policy veterans have signed a letter pledging to oppose Donald Trump and rejecting his proposals, according to one of the coordinators of the effort, in the latest sign of fissures between the Republican presidential front-runner and the party establishment.The letter will be posted early today morning on the "War on the Rocks" foreign policy blog, according to one of the organizers, Bryan McGrath, a retired US Navy officer who also advised Mitt Romney's unsuccessful 2012 presidential campaign."We've got the right set of people," said McGrath, founding managing director of The FerryBridge Group LLC consultancy. "It's Republican foreign policy, defense, international types who, in signing the letter, are pledging not to support Donald Trump."McGrath, who said 55 people had signed the letter so far, did not identify the signatories and declined to release the contents of the letter. Trump's campaign did not immediately respond to request for comment.The War on the Rocks blog calls itself a platform for former diplomats, intelligence officers and scholars to comment on global affairs "through a realist lens". It was not clear who hosts or funds it.Two people with knowledge of the letter said it pledged signatories to do all they could to prevent a Trump presidency, citing several of his proposals, including building a wall along the Mexican border, threatening to impose tariffs on China and supporting waterboarding, a harsh interrogation technique that critics say amounts to torture.Dov Zakheim, who served as undersecretary of defense under President George W Bush, and Peter Feaver, who worked on Bush's National Security Council staff, confirmed by email that they signed the letter.The Financial Times reported yesterday that Robert Zoellick, the deputy secretary of state under Bush and former president of the World Bank, had signed. Zoellick could not immediately be reached for comment.Trump has alarmed mainstream Republican foreign policy thinkers with comments denigrating Muslims and Mexican immigrants, and vowing to tear up international trade deals. Many of them fear a Trump presidency would severely strain ties with allies, and are concerned about his stated willingness to work more closely with authoritarian Russian President Vladimir Putin.Trump also has criticized the Republican party for its backing of Bush's 2003 Iraq invasion."I would sooner work for (North Korean dictator) Kim Jong Un than for Donald Trump. I think Donald Trump is objectively more dangerous than Kim Jong Un and not as stable," said Max Boot, who was a foreign policy adviser to Mitt Romney's 2012 campaign and supported the 2003 invasion. He said he had signed the letter.AMMUNITION FOR TRUMP?Boot and two other people said the anti-Trump effort was also being organized by Eliot Cohen, a Johns Hopkins University professor who served as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's counselor in the George W Bush administration.Cohen declined immediate comment.McGrath said two people, who he didn't identify, declined to sign the letter because of their "fear that Donald Trump would use this as some sort of ammunition."Kurt Volker, who was a permanent representative to NATO under the administration of George W Bush, said he declined to sign the letter on concerns it could end up backfiring. It was not clear if he was one of the two experts mentioned by McGrath."My concern is that it's not smart for the intelligentsia - the national security intelligentsia - to come out and bash Trump, the candidate, partly, he would use that as a tool, saying: 'Here's the establishment. More of the same. They're afraid of me. I can do better.' He would actually use it as a bragging right."Volker said he had no intention of working for Trump. But he also cautioned he wanted to be free to offer his advice to any future president, and that such a letter could prompt Trump to hold a grudge against signatories.Several others who declined to sign, and asked not to be identified, said they did so because they feared such an effort could help Democrat Hillary Clinton win the presidency.Trump's campaign has yet to release a full list of his foreign policy and national security advisers.Those Trump has spoken with on foreign policy include a retired US general and intelligence official, Michael Flynn, who favors closer ties with Russia. Flynn has declined to comment on whether he is advising Trump.Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who won popularity for his handling of the September 11, 2001 attacks, has said he has been having regular talks with Trump, but not in a formal role. REUTERS DS GC0742 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0177-618485.Xml Australia's deputy leader called for government unity today as Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's polls plummet amid party divisions and ahead of a critical budget and looming election later this year.Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce said the honeymoon was over for Turnbull, who became leader in a party room coup in late 2015 and is now under pressure on several policy fronts and facing party instability blamed on the man he toppled, former prime minister Tony Abbott."I think we've got to all get to get together as one, we've got to go to the election unified there will be an election this year," Joyce told reporters in Canberra."Quite obviously honeymoons don't go on forever," Joyce said of Turnbull's leadership.Turnbull's conservative Liberal government was on course to for an easy election victory, but polls have tightened in early 2016 and a tie with opposition Labor is a now possibility according to a Newspoll last week.Turnbull's ascension last September was seen as possibly ending an era of political instability in Australia, with five prime ministers in eight years.But political analysts say the multi-millionaire former tech entrepreneur needs a decisive election victory to quell ongoing dissension within his Liberal party.An election is due by January 2017, but Turnbull who does not control the upper house Senate has hinted he may go to the polls early, within five months, in the hope a new Senate will present an easier path for legislation.Critical for an election victory is Turnbull's first budget due in May, but the end of a decades-plus mining boom in resource-rich Australia and plummeting commodity prices has left the government struggling to raise revenue.In December, Australia forecast its budget deficit would swell to 37.4 billion Australian dollars ( 27.32 billion dollars) in the year to June.Government spending has increasingly become an area of division within Turnbull's Liberal party. He has been forced to rule out changes to several revenue raising policies, including negative gearing, which allows property investors to write off losses against taxable income, and a rise in a consumption tax.The right wing of Turnbull's government, with rival Abbott as its de facto leader, maintains a need to reduce spending, amid a so-called "budget emergency"."Abbott seems intent on undermining Turnbull," said John Uhr, Director, Centre for the Study of Australian Politics, Australian National University. ( 1 dollar = 1.3687 Australian dollars) REUTERS JW PM1048 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0364-618578.Xml France and Britain planned on Thursday to announce a 1.5 billion pound ($2.11 billion) project to build a next-generation drone prototype as the two allies seek to increase security and military ties at a time of conflict in Syria and Libya.President Francois Hollande and Prime Minister David Cameron were meeting in northern France as part of a bi-annual summit also commemorating the centenary later this year of the Battle of the Somme in which 600,000 British and French soldiers died.Cameron was expected to also use the visit to argue that continued European Union membership will enhance Britain's security as he lobbies for it to stay in the 28-nation bloc ahead of a June 23 referendum on the issue."I am convinced that the UK's membership of the EU gives us greater security and greater capacity to project power globally," Cameron said in comments released by his office before the meeting in Amiens, 120 km (75 miles) north of Paris.Officials from both sides said part of the summit's focus would be on forging closer police and counter-terrorism ties.France and Britain, both permanent veto-wielding members of the United Nations Security Council, are engaged in air strikes on Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq.Hollande and Cameron are also backers of the "moderate" Syrian opposition. They are likely to issue a new call for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces and allies including Russia to stop targeting rebel forces despite a new cessation of hostilities deal and to allow more aid to reach besieged areas.Britain and France have special forces operating against Islamic State in Libya too amid international efforts to unify two rival governments and loosen militants' foothold there."This summit is the opportunity to strengthen our close partnership," said a senior French official. "Defence is more crucial than ever because we are facing serious crises on our eastern and southern fronts."To that end, Cameron and Hollande will announce a project to build a prototype of the next generation of unmanned drone aircraft that would be able to conduct surveillance of security threats and fire missiles at targets.Each side is to contribute about 750 million pounds.The Future Combat Air System project to develop the most advanced drone of its kind in Europe builds on a 120-million-pound joint feasibility study undertaken agreed in 2014.Britain's BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce, along with Dassault Aviation, Safran and Thales of France, are taking part.An update is also expected on French energy group EDF's planned 18-billion-pound construction of two nuclear reactors at Hinkley Point in western England.Controversy over the thousands of migrants camped near the northern French port town of Calais is another theme of the summit, It dominated UK media coverage of the meeting on Thursday after France's economy minister said a British exit from the EU would let migrants into Britain.REUTERS CJ AS1841 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0400-619593.Xml A former media officer for the Somali Islamist group al Shabaab who arranged news conferences in the years when the militants controlled the capital Mogadishu was sentenced to death today for the murder of six local journalists.The al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab was pushed out of Mogadishu by African Union peacekeeping forces in 2011 but has remained a potent antagonist in Somalia, launching frequent attacks in its bid to overthrow the Western-backed government.Somalia was plunged into anarchy in the early 1990s following the toppling of military dictator Mohamed Siad Barre, and has been struggling to rebuild.Hasan Ali, chairman of the Somali military court, told reporters that Hassan Hanafi had admitted to killing one reporter and had been found guilty of killing five others."He will be put to death as soon as possible," Ali said.Hanafi, 30, has said he joined al Shabaab in 2008 when he was working as a journalist for a local Somali broadcaster. He was arrested in neighbouring Kenya last year and then returned to Somalia for trial.He had been promoted to commander in 2009. The following year, he was seriously injured in fighting."Al Shabaab killed many journalists but personally I killed only one," Hanafi said after the sentence was announced. "But I am indifferent if you kill me. You will see if killings will stop even after my death."Al Shabaab, whose name means "The Youth," seeks to impose its strict version of sharia law in Somalia, where it frequently unleashes attacks targeting security and government targets, as well as hotels and restaurants in the capital.The group was also behind deadly attacks in Kenya and Uganda, which both contribute troops to an African Union peacekeeping force in SomaliaREUTERS CJ AS1916 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0400-619718.Xml In the city of Kostanay in northern Kazakhstan, the ribbon of St George, a black-and-orange symbol of resurgent Russian patriotism that was adopted by separatists in Ukraine, hangs from every second car's rear-view mirror.Most people in this town and the surrounding region are ethnic Russians, distinct from the mainly Muslim ethnic Kazakhs who are in the majority nationwide and control the main levers of power in this oil-producing former Soviet state.Demographically, the region therefore has much in common with Ukraine's Crimea peninsula and the eastern Donbass region, whose majority Russian-speaking populations pulled out of Kiev's orbit with help from Moscow.There is no separatist rebellion in northern Kazakhstan, but the ethnic Russians, who make up more than a fifth of the country's 18 million population, are feeling increasingly insecure and some sympathise with the separatists in Ukraine.The Ukraine experience has made the Kazakh authorities highly sensitive to any signs of disloyalty by ethnic Russians. Ethnically based political parties are banned.Last year, a court in eastern Kazakhstan sentenced a user of Vkontakte, a Russian-based social network, to five years in prison for posting a poll which asked people whether they would support the idea of that region, which also has a big ethnic Russian population, becoming part of Russia."Their bodies are in Kazakhstan but their minds are in Russia," said political analyst Dosym Satpayev, talking about what he described as the significant portion of the Kazakh population influenced by Russian media."There are signs that (the authorities) in Kazakhstan are beginning to realize it also faces a separatist threat," said Satpayev, who runs the Risk Assessment Group, a think tank.There are no signs of Moscow promoting separatism in Kazakhstan, although it wants to keep the country in its orbit.But it remains unclear who will succeed ageing President Nursultan Nazarbayev and whether the new leader will maintain close ties with Russia. Ukraine's break with Russia prompted separatist upheavals there.Moscow has a clear interest in what goes on in its neighbour. At 3.7 million, Kazakhstan's Russian diaspora is the second-biggest after Ukraine and its northern and eastern regions are home to major industrial enterprises with Russian links. Northern Kazakhstan is a major coal and grain region.RUSSIAN ORBITMost of the landmarks in Kostanay, a city of 200,000, date back to the 19th century, when the territory became part of the Russian empire and settlers arrived. More people arrived from Russia when Kazakhstan became part of the Soviet Union.Kostanay lacks the glitz that oil wealth has given to the cities of Astana and Almaty. People live in nondescript grey apartment blocks built en masse under Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, who oversaw a large-scale campaign to turn "virgin lands" in Kazakhstan into farmland.Today, most people in Kostanay speak Russian. The Kazakh language can barely be heard in the streets, in contrast with southern Kazakhstan, where ethnic Kazakhs generally use it.Although the Russian and Kazakh economies are reeling from the slump in the price of oil - both countries' main export - nearby Russian cities such as industrial Chelyabinsk remain a magnet for job seekers.The Kostanay region, meanwhile, has been hit hardest among Kazakhstan's administrative units, according to official data.Some locals working across the border acquire a second, Russian citizenship, which is illegal but possible due to lack of coordination between Russian and Kazakh authorities.CRIMEA SCENARIOPerhaps mindful of the legal penalties, people in Kostanay do not express separatist sentiments in public. Many say they display the St George's ribbon to commemorate the Soviet victory in World War Two, not because of any association with the pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine.But some in the city sympathise with the pro-Russian movements in Ukraine and see parallels with Kazakhstan."I think Kazakhstan won't be able to make it without Russia," says 19-year-old Vladislav, who declined to give his full name because of the sensitivity of the subject."As for the Crimean scenario, everything went fine there - which cannot be said of Donbass and nobody wants the latter, nobody wants a war."Some ethnic Russians in the region have gone further, and fought alongside the separatists in Ukraine.Last February, a Kostanay court ordered the detention of two people who had fought in Ukraine. It is illegal under Kazakh law to participate in armed conflicts abroad.Another Kostanay man, kung fu instructor and masseur Vyacheslav Tretyakov, posted pictures of himself and other armed fighters in eastern Ukraine throughout 2014 and 2015 on social networks.Tretyakov, who now lists his location as Erbil, the capital of Iraq's Kurdistan region, did not reply to online contact requests, but an acquaintance from Kostanay told Reuters his social network account was genuine.ANGRY REACTIONThe Kazakh government under the 75-year-old Nazarbayev has nurtured close relations with Moscow, but pushes back hard against any sign the country could fracture along ethnic lines.The office of the president, who has run Kazakhstan since 1989, said last month the country's security council had discussed the dual citizenship issue and measures to prevent people illegally obtaining second passports.In an apparent attempt to change the ethnic balance, the government is also encouraging ethnic Kazakhs to repatriate and people from southern regions to move to the north by offering financial assistance and easier access to education.The government also reacts angrily to any hint that Russia covets its territory.In 2014, Kazakhstan's foreign ministry officially protested over comments by deputy Russian parliament speaker Vladimir Zhirinovsky who said Kazakhstan had been given Russian lands during the Soviet era.In the same year, Russian President Vladimir Putin praised Nazarbayev for establishing modern Kazakhstan, adding that Kazakhs had never had a state before. Although it never rebuked Putin directly, shortly afterwards Kazakhstan announced it would celebrate the 550th anniversary of the Kazakh Khanate in 2015REUTERS CJ RAI1942 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0400-619770.Xml Youth Congress (YC) National President Amrinder Singh Raja Brar today said that the BJP and CPI(M) were unholy nexus and are hand in glove to disturb the peaceful atmosphere in Kerala and stall the development works of the State. He also said CPI(M) is the elder sister of the BJP and they are unleashing violence in Kerala and killing about hundreds of people in Kerala especially in Kannur. Mr Amrinder Singh said while inaugurating the Youth Congress rally highlighting the slogan " Heart and hands against Fascism" at Collectorate ground . He also alleged that RSS wants to shut down all the Universities, that do not fall in line with their ideologies and thinking. As a process of this the Country is witnessing the scathing attack on the premier Institutes and Universities and those who resisted the ideological invasion unleash by the RSS were turned as anti nationals and extremists by the right wings. He said if the people want to see an undivided India they should stand together with the Congress led front to resist the forces like BJP/RSS and CPI(M). Mr Amrinder said that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been working to unite the country by taking up the issues of common people, dalits, minority communities and farmers. His intention is not to gain the power and become a Prime Minister but to serve the nation. However, he is being criticized and called anti national for supporting the cause of affected people including the recent Rohit Vemula suicide case at Hyderabad University. He said that there has been no Prime Minister like Narendra Modi, who is speaking lie one after the other every day and time. The Congress has made a great stride in Kerala by bringing several reforms and working in the path of development. However, the CPI(M) and BJP is trying to stop the path of development and hence the people of this State should emulate the example of Bihar and vote out the BJP and CPI(M) from the State. the only solace for the people can be in the form of Congress led UDF government coming back to power. Youth Congress General Secretary S K Arthanari, State Youth Congress president Dean Kuriakose, NSU President Roji John , Minister for rural development and planning K C Joseph,MLAs Sunny Joseph, Abdulla kutty also attended.Youth Congress district leader Rijil Makkutty presided over the function.UNI AK CJD CJ RAI2239 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0400-620094.Xml Bombed, Burned, and Urinated On: Churches Under Islam Left: The Assemblies of God Assyrian church in Tehran, Iran. The church was illegally confiscated two years ago by the regime, which now wants to convert it into a mosque. Right: On January 7, vandals damaged, robbed, and wrote jihadi slogans on the Light Church in Tizi-Ouzou, Algeria. Iraq: The Islamic State blew up the country's oldest Christian monastery, St. Elijah's. The 27,000-square-foot building had stood near Mosul for 14 centuries. For several years, prior to 2009, U.S. soldiers protected and sometimes used the monastery as a chapel. "Our Christian history in Mosul is being barbarically leveled," reported a Roman Catholic priest in Irbil. "We see it as an attempt to expel us from Iraq, [and] eliminating and finishing our existence in this land." Yet, when Col. Steve Warren, spokesman for America's military efforts against ISIS, was asked about the status of Christians in Iraq soon after the monastery's destruction, he replied, "We've seen no specific evidence of a specific targeting toward Christians." Kosovo: Muslims urinated in an Orthodox Christian church in Pristina, the capital. Deputy Prime Minister Branimir Stojanovic condemned the desecration of the Temple of Christ the Savior: "Urinating in a sanctuary is shameful, uncivilized, vandalism." (Last year in Italy, Muslims broke a statue of the Virgin Mary and also urinated on it.) Stojanovic added that, "The quiet observation of the demonstrators by the police, as they entered the temple and urinated is also shameful." Serbian [Christian] sanctuaries in Kosovo are constantly desecrated," the deputy prime minister said. Algeria: On January 7, unknown vandals damaged, robbed, and wrote jihadi slogans on a church. Furniture, ritual objects, and money worth about U.S. $8,000 was stolen from Light Church in Tizi-Ouzou, around 62 miles from Algiers. According to Pastor Mustapha Krireche, "Thieves broke into the inside of our church through the window, because we installed a reinforced door very hard to force open. ... They took the music equipment like guitars, synthesizer, percussion, and sound equipment, plus a printer, the trunk of tithes, a sum of money, and other material." The assailants left Islamic supremacist graffiti on the church walls including "Allah Akbar ["Allah is Greater"]." The church was targeted at least twice before: in 2009, "about 20 Islamist neighbors tried to block the congregation ... from meeting for worship"; in 2010, a group of Muslims rampaged through the church building, trying to burn it down and damaging Bibles and a cross. Kuwait: Lawmaker Ahmad Al-Azemi said that he and other MPs will reject an initially approved request to build churches because it "contradicts Islamic sharia laws." He added that Islamic scholars are unanimous in banning the building of non-Muslim places of worship in the Arabian Peninsula. Mongolia: Days after a church celebrated Christmas, explosives were thrown into the stove chimney of a Kazakh house-church. As a result, "Believers decided not to come together for a while. They [are] afraid of a repetition of the explosions in the homes of believers," said a church leader. Large numbers of people had attended the church's Christmas services and local Christians believe that this turnout had "angered some of the local Muslims and led them to carry out the attack." Pakistan: Three churches were attacked: 1) Apostolic Church was burned in the Punjab. The church building was torched a day after a prayer vigil for Epiphany on Jan. 6. Pastor Zulfiqar of the Apostolic Church said Bibles and sacred vessels were also lost in the blaze. An earlier dispute between Muslims and Christians is believed to be behind the arson attack. Locals accused police of being negligent, as usual. According to a local resident: "All the local Christians are now in great fear, the fire illustrates that Christians are not wanted in the local area." 2) Akba Azhar, a 26-year-old Muslim man, broke into the Victory Church in Kasur and burned copies of the Bible and other sacred books. Although he was captured and detained by a group of Christians who handed him over to police, and although any act of blasphemy against any religion is punishable in Pakistan by death, police claimed that he was mentally unstable and therefore could not be tried. Local Christians disagree, insisting that he is of sound mind. Several Christians are on death row in Pakistan due to accusations of blasphemy against Islam. 3) A group of Muslims illegally seized a church property. The Christian congregation eventually gave up trying to reacquire its church building and a reconciliation meeting was held by police: "the Muslims instead armed themselves with guns and machetes and attacked the Christians' family members in their homes," said local Christian, Bashir Masih. After the church seizure, Muslims in the area "made it almost impossible" for church members to worship even in their own homes. "We obtained written approval from the district police chief, Rai Ijaz, to hold a three-hour prayer meeting in the private courtyard of a Christian..." But when the congregation of about 30 Christians began worshipping, Rashid Jutt, a Muslim in his late 20s, appeared and disrupted the service. A young Christian in attendance stepped forward in an effort to stop the Muslim's harassment. A fight started, but the congregation separated the two men. The Muslim vowed to "teach all of us a lesson" as he left, said Masih. Apparently the Muslim's revenge was to tell police that the Christian congregation tied him up and tortured him. The Christian congregation "immediately reached the police station and told the inspector in-charge what had really happened." A police officer advised them to drop the matter and instead try to "reconcile with the Muslim youth." The Christians agreed to a reconciliation meeting, but the Muslim never showed up. Instead, they found him "and some 30 other men armed with guns, machetes, and batons storming through our houses and beating up our boys." The Christians instantly called police, who arrived slowly and "did not arrest any of the Muslims. ... We feel that the entire Muslim community has turned against us for standing up against their aggression. ... Even the local police, are on the Muslims' side," Masih concluded, "as raids were being conducted to arrest Christian boys while no effort is being made to arrest Jutt and his accomplices, whom we have named in our police complaint for attacking our homes and beating up our boys." South Sudan: Muslims "sent" from the Muslim majority in Sudan, a country in which Sharia law is enforced, are suspected of burning down a church building in its southern neighbor where there is a Christian majority. On January 16, members of the Sudanese Church of Christ in the refugee settlement of Yida awoke in the morning to find their place of worship in flames. "I learned that those who set our church on fire were sent from Sudan purposely," reported an anonymous church leader. The fire burned both the exterior and interior of the structure, destroying all of the chairs, a pulpit, and some copies of Bibles in Arabic. The following week his congregation of nearly 200 people held their prayer service in the open air in the remains of the charred church building, an adobe structure. Egypt: A makeshift bomb was found near a church on January 22. Father Paul of the Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt found what he described as a "foreign object" next to the garbage can outside of the Church of the Virgin Mary in Aswan. He took it to the authorities for analysis, and it was discovered to be a makeshift bomb. Separately, security forces arrested 10 Coptic Christians for trying to build a wall around a piece of vacant land in order to expand their current church into the territory or possibly even build a church. A church already exists in the village of Abu Hannas in Samalout, Minya but it is too small to serve the village's large Christian population. So the church purchased an unused piece of land next to it in the hope of expanding the current church or building another. Iran: Authorities from the Islamic Republic are trying to convert the Assyrian Christian church in Tehran into a mosque. The church was illegally confiscated two years ago, when church leaders were told that an Islamic prayer hall would be built there. Indonesia: Authorities in the Sharia-governed province of Aceh plan to remove tents built by Christians in which to worship after their churches were torn down late last year by authorities in response to Muslim violence against churches. The attacks left one dead and thousands of Christians displaced. The government claims that the removals were agreed to, as the tents were built only for Christmas services -- a claim that Christian leaders reject. When Sharia police and other officials arrived in early January to remove the tents, the congregation resisted. "Mothers, children, and youths blockaded them. They made their objections clear," said a pastor. Two church tents were torn down. Turkey: A Syriac Orthodox Church in Diyarbakir, considered to be a "unique heritage site," is believed to have been destroyed during fighting between the Turkish army and the Kurdish PKK. According to the last Christian family to flee the area, Fr. Yusuf and his wife: "My wife and I managed to escape the Church just moments ago with great difficulty... A few days ago, we already sent our children away in order to put them in safety. My wife and I, however, could not leave this ancient-old Church," which symbolizes the last living presence of the Arameans in this once flourishing Aramean city. "We heard the fighting coming closer to us and we felt the ground shaking more and more. Especially my wife got terribly afraid and then we both decided that we had to run for our lives. ... Not even at home or church we were safe. Our psychology has been greatly impacted by what we have experienced lately. ... We don't know what has happened to our Church, because we didn't dare to look while we were running for our lives. Now we have little hope left that there can be a future for us, Aramean Christians, to stay in the land of our forefathers." Christian refugees from Syria, Eritrea, and other countries are exposed to humiliation, manhunts, and brutal harassment at the camps for refugees by their Muslim neighbors. This also relates to the Yazidi religious minority. The cases when humiliation turns to injuries and death threats are frequent. ... According to the Islamic tradition, they [former Muslims, who are at special risk] should be punished, because they moved away from Islam. They are exposed to great pressure and are afraid for their lives, because "renegades" lose any right to it as far as radical Muslims are concerned. ... Many Christians who came from the Middle East are suffering from such great harassment that they want to return home, because their situation there seems to them to be a lesser evil as compared with the circumstances in the German refugee accommodation centers. : At least three Christians were raped and/or tortured to death by Muslims: 1) A group of Muslim men went into a Christian district, abducted a 7-year-old boy, and took turns gang-raping him before finally strangling him to death with a rope. Locals found the child's body the next day dumped in a field: "[T]he body was sent for post-mortem examination which revealed that the 7-year-old was killed after being brutally raped," a local said. "The suspects belonged to rich families and were drunk when they kidnapped the child, took him away and they raped him." 2) A week later, another group of reportedly "rich and drunk" Muslims in a car accosted three Christian girls walking home from work. They sexually harassed them, saying "Christian girls are only meant for one thing, the pleasure of Muslim men ." When the girls tried to run away, the Muslims chased them down in their car and ran them over, killing one 17-year-old girl. 3) A Christian man was brutally tortured to death by police in an attempt to get him to confess to stealing from his Muslim employer. Khurram, the son of Liaqat Masih, the 47-year-old slain Christian, was also tortured by police for the same reason; he shared his eyewitness testimony of the beating his father endured before expiring. Police stripped him naked, made him stand on a chair, tied his hands behind his back, and hung him from the ceiling, causing Liaqat's shoulders to become dislocated. Each time the captive's feet hit the floor, a police officer would pull the rope to lift him up again and continued applying tension to his arms and dislocated shoulders. Because both Khurram and Liaqat adamantly maintained their innocence during the ordeal, the officers continued to beat his tied-up father with wooden logs until he eventually died. About an hour into the beating, the guards noticed that Liaqat was no longer breathing. The officers then released the tension on the rope and laid the father's beaten body down in a pool of his own urine, said the son who watched. At the autopsy, doctors concluded that Liaqat died of a heart attack and failed to record the numerous injuries and bruises suffered during the beating.: ISIS claimed responsibility for the murder of an 85-year-old Muslim man for reportedly converting to Christianity. He was found lying in a coffin-like structure with blood on his chest. It is believed that he was stabbed to death while working at his homeopathic practice. According to the report, "Soldiers of the caliphate were able to eliminate the apostate, named 'Samir al-Din', by stabbing him with a knife." Although al-Din's son claims that his father never converted to Christianity and frequently prayed facing Mecca, One Way Church disagrees, stating that he was just "in a meeting of the church at Gopinathpur village on Jan 3" and that he had told others that his life was in danger. "The local church has shown us papers confirming his conversion to Christianity in 2001," said local police.: A bomb attack on a mostly Christian neighborhood killed three people and wounded 10 others, all Christians. The attack occurred on January 24 in the Kurdish city of Qamishli. While rumors began that ISIS was behind it, according to one Christian leader, "So many people think that behind the bombing there could also be Kurdish masterminds and executors. It is another disturbing factor of this war: there is terrorism, but sometimes we do not know who really terrifies us.": In a letter to the Federal Minister for Special Affairs, Hegumen Daniil, Father Superior of St. George the Victorious Monastery in Gotschendorf and a member of the Integration Committee at the German Federal Chancellery, wrote:: "The tombs of the Copts [Egypt's indigenous Christians] are being turned into garbage dumps." This was the message from Fr. Ayoub Yousef, who heads the Coptic Catholic church of St. George in the village of Dalga, in Minya, Upper Egypt. According to the priest, local Christian cemeteries are in a "piteous state," and all types of sewage and waste are being dumped into them to the point of filling the tombs. He has filed numerous complaints with the prime minister and many other officials "to no avail, to the point that the situation has become unacceptable" and urged "immediate intervention." Separately, during a televised Egyptian talk showaired on January 18, Ahmed 'Abdu Maher, a lawyer, denounced Al-Azhar, the Islamic world's oldest and most prestigious university, for continuing to radicalize its students. By way of example, he said: "There is a book in Al-Azhar that calls for the forceful shaving of the heads of the Copts, placing a sign on their homes [so Muslims know where the 'infidels' live], and refusing to shake hands with them." As it happens, the Islamic State and similar Muslim groups all make it a point not to shake hands with "unclean" Christians -- one Egyptian cleric said he finds Christians utterly "disgusting" -- and that Christian homes should be distinguished with signs, as ISIS did when it placed the Arabic "N" (nun) letter on their homes in Mosul and elsewhere. Even forced head-shaving is being practiced. Back in 2013, jihadi groups in Libya abducted around 100 Copts and abused them--including shaving their heads : Out of almost 2 million Syrian refugees within Turkey's borders, 45,000 are Christian and are finding that " life is only slightly better at best ." Many have to pretend to be Muslims in public in order to avoid being attacked. They restrict their Christian worship to the privacy of their tents and homes. According to the report, "Another group of refugees in Turkey that was attacked is the Armenians. Zadig Kucuk reportedly found his 85-year-old mother murdered in December 2012, even though she was living in a large Armenian community in Istanbul. When her body was found, a large cross had been carved into her chest. There have also been incidences of refugees being beheaded.": Instead of receiving much needed medical treatment, a Christian prisoner was instead given five additional years in prison . Ebrahim Firouzi was first arrested by agents of the Islamic Republic in 2013. He was later condemned by a court of law to one year in prison and two years' exile. After his sentence ended, Firouzi was kept in prison when new charges of "acting against national security" were levied against him. He remains in prison even though he has been suffering acute pain in the left side of his chest for over a year, and his condition has continued to deteriorate in the last three months.: After he appealed the decision, a court in Astana, the nation's capital, increased the sentence originally handed to Yklas Kabduakasov, a convert from Islam, from seven years' house arrest to two years at hard labor in a prison camp . The father of eight was arrested last year on charges of "inciting religious hatred." He was convicted last November and allowed to go home to begin his seven years of house arrest. Local Christians believe the real reason behind the arrest of Yklas Kabduakasov is his conversion from Islam to Christianity and that he was sharing his Christian faith with Muslims.: A Swiss Christian missionary, who was abducted for 10 days in 2012, has been kidnapped again in Timbuktu. On January 8, Beatrice Stockly, a woman in her 40s, was taken from her home before dawn by armed men who arrived in four pickup trucks. Militant Islamic groups are active in the area in which she lives and had launched two attacks in the previous weeks, one of them on a Christian radio station just before Christmas, which left 25 people dead. In 2012, when the jihadis ruled the area, they outlawed the practice of Christianity and desecrated and looted churches and other places of worship.: Yet another Christian girl was abducted by a group of Muslim men, forced to convert to Islam, and marry one of her kidnappers. The girl, 15-year-old Saima Bibi, was alone in a village in the Kasur district when she was seized. The family filed a complaint with police against her captors. Her parents hope that providing a birth certificate verifying her underage status will prove useful in the case, as the legal age for marriage in Pakistan is 16. Police, however, already confirmed that Saima has converted to Islam and officials have documents proving the marriage.While not all, or even most, Muslims are involved, persecution of Christians by Muslims is growing. The report entitled "Muslim Persecution of Christians" was developed to collate some -- though by no means all -- of the instances of the Muslim persecution of Christians that surface each month. It documents what the mainstream media often fails to report. It posits that such Muslim persecution is not random but rather systematic, and takes place in all languages, ethnicities, and locations. Previous reports Georgetown (Guyana) (AFP) - Police and guards stormed an overcrowded maximum security prison in Guyana's capital Thursday to put down a riot that left 16 inmates dead, authorities said. The riot began Wednesday when inmates angered by a search that led to the confiscation of cellphones set fires in one part of the prison. Police and prison guards moved in on Thursday, setting off battles with inmates armed with sticks broken off wooden bed frames, officials said. "It's a crisis situation," Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan told AFP. Clifton Hicken, a divisional police commander, said 16 people were killed and that bodies were being transferred to a mortuary. It was unclear how all of them died. Hicken said several died of smoke inhalation and hospital officials said at least one person died of burns. Besides the fatalities, six other people were seriously injured and being treated for burns, the state-run Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation said. The situation inside the prison, a concrete and wood-frame structure, was "very bad," Hicken said. But calm had returned by Thursday afternoon. Soldiers were posted outside the facility, which was built to hold 775 inmates but housed more than 1,000 at the time of the riot. By Kanupriya Kapoor and Gayatri Suroyo PADANG/JAKARTA, Indonesia (Reuters) - All 22 of the early-warning buoys Indonesia deployed after the 2004 tsunami disaster were inoperable when a massive undersea earthquake struck off the coast on Wednesday, a National Disaster Mitigation Agency official said. The 7.8 magnitude quake did not trigger a tsunami, and there were no deaths and no major damage, but it did expose gaps in the systems put in place to prevent a disaster similar to the Indian Ocean quake that killed more than 200,000 people 11 years ago. In addition to the malfunctioning of buoys designed to warn of massive waves, authorities said there were not enough evacuation routes or shelters in Padang, a Sumatra island port city of around one million people that felt the quake. "There was definitely panic last night, that cannot be denied," said Zulfiatno, the head of the disaster management agency in Padang who uses only one name, adding that shelters had the capacity to only hold around 200,000 people. "But the situation has improved from previous years. People have started to understand how to evacuate safely." The 9.15 magnitude quake of December 2004 opened a fault line deep beneath the ocean, triggering a wave as high as 17.4 meters (57 feet) that crashed ashore in more than a dozen countries to wipe some communities off the map in seconds. Indonesia straddles the so-called "Pacific Ring of Fire", a highly seismically active zone, where different plates on the earth's crust meet and create a large number of earthquakes and volcanoes. The province of Aceh on the northwest tip of Sumatra bore the brunt of the 2004 tsunami, with at least 168,000 killed. "WE CAN EASILY FORGET" Soon after that disaster, Indonesia introduced a sophisticated early warning system using buoys, sea-level gauges and seismometers that can send alerts to countries' tsunami warning centers within 10 minutes of a quake. Officials said the procedure is to issue a tsunami warning if a quake of more than 6.5 magnitude and with its epicenter less than 20 km (12 miles) deep happens at sea, and that went smoothly on Wednesday. But the buoys, which measure the force and speed of water movement, were a missing link in the chain. Authorities delayed the lifting of their tsunami warning because of the inoperable buoys, which cost around $2.3 million a year to maintain. "We can easily forget. After the quake in Aceh we wanted to do everything, but by 2015 we don't have money allocated (to fix the buoys)," Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman for the National Disaster Mitigation Agency, told reporters. "Most of (the buoys) were broken by vandalism," he said. Although there were some strong aftershocks on Thursday, normal life largely resumed at daybreak in Padang. There were 11 aftershocks during the night following the main quake, but authorities called for calm as they had diminished in strength. "We do not believe that there will be an earthquake of greater strength," the National Meteorological Agency said on its Twitter account. "And so residents are urged to keep calm and not be taken in by rumors." Fears ran high on Wednesday evening when it was reported that the tremor had measured 8.2 and authorities issued evacuation alerts on loudspeakers, radio and TV. Patients at hospitals in Padang were evacuated and there were traffic jams as panicking residents tried to leave. However, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) revised the magnitude down to 7.8 and within two hours of the quake striking the tsunami warnings were canceled. USGS said the epicenter was 808 km (502 miles) southwest of Padang. "If we had tried to evacuate outside the city it would have been difficult. Everybody grabbed their bikes and tried to (flee) but it was too much," said Febridal, a street food vendor in Padang who briefly went to an evacuation shelter after seeing the tsunami warning on TV. Others ignored all warnings and remained by the shoreline, watching the waves for signs of a tsunami. "We never heard any alarm, but we saw on TV that there was potential for a tsunami," said Mulyaman, whose family runs a small seaside restaurant. "We didn't see any signs of big waves so we decided to stay." (This story has been refiled to edit first paragraph) (Additional reporting by Eveline Danubrata and Bernadette Christina Munthe in Jakarta; Writing by Randy Fabi; Editing by John Chalmers and Nick Macfie) Tour de France race director, Christian Prudhomme (R) and Tour de France Ambassador Bernard Hinault (2nd L) are pictured on bicycles at the annual Paris farm show (Salon International de l'Agricultture) on March 3, 2016. Hinault and Prudhomme were having lunch with French wine professionals on March 2 at the farm show, to pacify a whiff of revolt in France after news broke that the Tour de France organisers had struck a deal to promote a Chilean wine at its 2016 event.The company that runs the Tour, ASO, had insisted it sees nothing wrong with the deal. AFP PHOTO / DOMINIQUE FAGETTour de France race director, Christian Prudhomme (R) and Tour de France Ambassador Bernard Hinault (2nd L) are pictured on bicycles at the annual Paris farm show (Salon International de l'Agricultture) on March 3, 2016. Hinault and Prudhomme were having lunch with French wine professionals on March 2 at the farm show, to pacify a whiff of revolt in France after news broke that the Tour de France organisers had struck a deal to promote a Chilean wine at its 2016 event.The company that runs the Tour, ASO, had insisted it sees nothing wrong with the deal. AFP PHOTO / DOMINIQUE FAGET (AFP Photo/DOMINIQUE FAGET) By Terrence Edwards ULAANBAATAR (Reuters) - Global aid agencies are responding to a call for assistance by Mongolia as harsh winter weather raises fears for the safety and livelihoods of the country's traditional pastoralists, who have already been hit hard by a drought last year. Dry weather has scorched most of Mongolia's wheat crop and now mass animal deaths due to a freezing winter, locally known as "dzud", are threatening more pain for the country, where farming accounts for about 13 percent of the economy. The last dzud in 2009-2010 killed 9.7 million of the country's livestock, according to the National Emergency Agency of Mongolia. While the government has not yet declared the current winter a natural disaster, it has warned the situation could get worse. So far, a drop in temperatures to minus 55 Celsius (minus 67 Fahrenheit) has killed nearly 200,000 livestock. The weather and grazing conditions are already worse than they were in the previous dzud, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said in a statement, citing the Mongolian Ministry of Food and Agriculture. "Usually for the dzud, the most devastation is observed in March, April and May," Garid Enkhjin, national program coordinator for the IFRC in Mongolia, told Reuters. The IFRC said it has launched an emergency appeal for 834,000 Swiss Francs ($835,000) to assist 25,500 Mongolian herders, who are at risk of losing their livestock and livelihoods due to the extreme winter. Currently, 80 percent of Mongolia is under snow, making it difficult for nomadic families to travel along centuries-old pasture routes to find food for their livestock. Aggravating the situation is the fact that herders can live up to 50 kms (31 miles) from urban settlements and many are without cars. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has said it plans to provide trucks to get aid to families' doorsteps at some of the most-difficult-to-reach areas. "We want to relieve the burden of that last mile of distance to the most affected," Ben Hemingway, USAID's regional adviser, said on phone from Bangkok. In the worst affected districts, sheep and other livestock have started dying. Many herders are trying to sell their animals while they are still alive, leading to an oversupply of livestock that has driven down market prices. Although the death toll for animals so far is far less than in 2009, "the impact on the people is more or less the same", said Enkhjin. "Livelihoods will be impacted immediately and have devastating effects." ($1 = 0.9987 Swiss francs) (Reporting by Terrence Edwards; Editing by Himani Sarkar) By Mark Hosenball WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Al Qaeda leaders discussed a plan in 2010 to arrange a peace deal with the government of Mauritania, according to documents seized by U.S. Navy Seals when they raided Osama bin Laden's Pakistani hideout in 2011 and made public by the U.S. government on Tuesday. The plan suggested that al Qaeda's North African affiliate, Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), would promise "not to carry out any military activity in Mauritania", initially for a year, with the possibility of renewal. In return, the proposal says, Mauritanian authorities would release all al Qaeda prisoners, commit not to attack AQIM, and pay it 10 to 20 million euros ($11 million-$22 million) a year to "prevent the kidnapping of tourists". Senior U.S. intelligence officials familiar with the documents said they had no evidence that any such deal was ever done, or that the militant group had contacted anyone in Mauritania to make the proposal. El Housseine Ould Nagi, legal counsel to Mauritania's president, denied that his government had had anything to do with such a deal. "We have always been against paying ransoms and indirect financing of terrorism. Consequently, there has never been a secret accord between us and those people," he said. Unlike its neighbors Mali and Algeria, Mauritania has enjoyed relative freedom from AQIM attacks in past years, especially since 2011. It has also faced international criticism for freeing jihadist prisoners, such as a former spokesman for the AQIM-linked group Ansar Dine. Others have escaped in opaque circumstances. However, Mauritania also hosts a regional security body known as the Group of Five Sahel and is working with Western allies France and the United States to counter a growing Islamist insurgency in the region. Olga Bogorad, an independent security analyst specializing in Islamist groups, said it was possible that Mauritania was playing a double game: "On one side, it has a deal with AQIM and enjoys no terror attacks on its soil ... and on the other, it participates in counter-terrorism efforts to avoid criticism and probably to get support." AQIM, a spinoff of what was originally an Algerian-based Salafist militant group, made its first public appearance in January 2007 and rose to prominence mainly through its involvement in kidnapping Westerners for ransom in countries in the Sahel region including Mauritania, Niger and Mali. In July 2012, the head of the U.S. military's Africa Command described AQIM as al Qaeda's wealthiest affiliate. The al Qaeda document also says that a "truce" with Mauritania would allow AQIM to "put the cadres in safe rear bases" that it said would be available there while enabling the group to focus on Algeria. (Reporting by Mark Hosenball in Washington, additional reporting by Kissima Diagana in Nouakchott and Emma Farge in Dakar; Editing by Kevin Liffey) Juba (AFP) - All sides in South Sudan's civil war have slaughtered wildlife including elephant, giraffe and antelope, conservationists said Thursday, warning huge efforts must be made to protect the surviving animal population. In a report released on World Wildlife Day, conservationists said gunmen had devastated one of Africa's largest animal migrations, yet another victim of an ongoing civil war marked by atrocities in which tens of thousands of people have been killed. The US-based Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), which backs government efforts to protect its natural resources, warned of an "alarming expansion of illegal exploitation and trafficking". It said there had been a "sharp rise" in recent months of commercial bush meat poaching of antelopes, elephant killing, ivory smuggling, logging of trees, charcoal production and gold mining, damaging formerly pristine forests. Elephants have been slaughtered for their tusks, while giraffe and antelope have been mowed down with machine guns for meat to feed the tens of thousands of soldiers and rebels battling each other since December 2013. "The various armed forces across the country have been implicated in cases of large-scale wildlife poaching, both for consumption and commercial trafficking," WCS said, adding that "international actors" were also believed to be involved. - 'Still hope' - Eastern regions are home to giant herds of antelope -- including tiang, white-eared kob and reedbuck -- as well as giraffe, lion, cheetah and vast bird populations. The wilderness is the largest area of intact savannah eco-system left in east Africa, and in terms of numbers, the circular migration of animals rivals that of Kenya's iconic Maasai Mara and Tanzania's Serengeti ecosystems. "There is cause for great concern for many vulnerable species in the country, particularly elephant, giraffe, and tiang populations," WCS said. Story continues In a gloomy assessment, it said ongoing surveys had confirmed "that some of these wildlife populations have managed to survive in some areas". "There is still hope to protect these populations and halt the expanding poaching and trafficking pressures," WCS added. The report comes a day after the United Nations warned that the country's humanitarian crisis is worsening, with the warring sides "dragging their feet" in implementing an August peace deal. Previously, animals -- and people -- have survived in the remote marsh areas of the Sudd, the world's largest freshwater swamp, in the Upper Nile and Unity regions. - Soldiers arrested for poaching - For the first time in South Sudan's conflicts, government troops however now have amphibious tanks, able to enter previously isolated swamp zones to hunt down opposition. Last month, 19 government soldiers and 11 civilians were arrested for commercial bush meat poaching and trafficking by government wildlife rangers, with sacks of dried meat of more than 60 antelope, WCS said. South Sudan's wildlife service chief, General Philip Chol Majak has said he "fears that hundreds" of elephants have been killed. The survival of South Sudan's wildlife was once a rare cause for hope in a land left in ruins by the decades of conflict that paved the way for its independence in 2011. Before civil war broke out, the government said there were some 5,000 elephants, although WCS' estimation was far lower, at around 2,500 animals. Last year WCS sad that almost a third of elephants fitted with its satellite monitoring collars were missing. Ongoing detailed surveys have been hampered due to the conflict with low flying aircraft at risk, with even UN helicopters having been shot down in the war. BEIJING (Reuters) - Alibaba Group Holding Ltd's internet finance arm Ant Financial Services Group [ANTFIN.UL] is in talks to invest in Chinese news outlet Caixin Media, said two people familiar with the matter. Ant Financial, Caixin and Alibaba declined to comment. Caixin, with its eponymous flagship magazine, is an influential business, politics and finance news media group founded by outspoken editor Hu Shuli. Caixin also possesses data and indices which could complement Ant's financial and wealth management services, should the companies agree to a deal. In a statement on its website on Wednesday, Caixin said it was nearing completion of a funding round, introducing a number of unnamed high-quality investors, but that new and original shareholders alike will recognize the group's editorial independence. Caixin's statement did not say how much it was seeking to raise. The sources did not say how much Ant Financial plans to invest in Caixin. E-commerce titan Alibaba and its affiliates have been expanding their media empire, investing in everything from film, television and music to video games and news. In December, Alibaba agreed to a $266 million acquisition of Hong Kong's flagship English-language newspaper, the South China Morning Post, a controversial deal that has raised questions over the publication's editorial independence. The talks with Caixin also come as China's ruling Communist Party tries to maintain a chokehold over domestic media and public opinion. Last month, President Xi Jinping told Chinese state media they must speak for the party and protect its authority and unity, the official Xinhua news agency reported. (Reporting by Shu Zhang and Paul Carsten; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman) A planet found at an extreme distance from its parent star may have been kicked out by a fellow planet. Planet HD 106906b orbits 16 times as far from its parent star as Pluto lies from the sun. A new study of the far-flung alien planet reveals what appears to be a lopsided comet belt surrounding its parent star a finding scientists say indicates a history of violence in the early planetary system. "Since HD 106906b is very massive, the most likely culprit is another massive planet in the system that gravitationally jostled HD 106906b from its original orbit," Paul Kalas, an adjunct professor of astronomy at the University of California, Berkeley, told Space.com by email. [The Strangest Alien Planets (Gallery)] Kalas and his team used the Gemini Planet Imager (GPI) in Chile and NASA's Hubble Space Telescope to identify the comet belt. He presented the results earlier this month at the American Astronomical Society's Extreme Solar Systems III conference in Hawaii. Other possible explanations for HD 106906b's distant orbit include a disruptive interaction with a passing star, according to Kalas. "If we find another planet, HD 106906c, then we could be more specific about the history of the system," Kalas said. Kicked out After a star collapses, planets form from the remaining disk of gas and dust around it. But the distant location of the enormous planet, which is about 11 times as massive as Jupiter, led to speculation that a different process could be responsible. When the planet was discovered last year, some scientists suggested that it might have formed like a star, from its own disk of debris. Intrigued by the strange system, Kalas and his team decided to search for other large planets in the area, using GPI. Instead, they found a massive disk of dust and rocks roughly the width of the solar system's cometary reservoir, the Kuiper Belt, orbiting the star. According to Kalas, the clean-swept interior of the disk suggests that planets formed within it. Story continues The team searched for another large planet near the parent star, but found nothing outside of a Uranus-size orbit. Hubble telescope images of the star taken previously revealed that the disk of material is even wider than shown by GPI, the new study shows. Rather than being uniform, the belt is lopsided, suggesting that something stirred things up around the star. Study co-author Ruth Murray-Clay, an assistant professor of physics at the University of California, Santa Barbara, told Space.com that the planet itself is too small to produce such a pronounced flaring without disrupting the thin disk along the way. "That sort of structure could have been produced by another star that passed by the system in the past," she said. A passing star also could have played a role in stretching the planet's distant orbit, the study said. When the planet was booted out of the system, it may have grabbed up material as it passed through the cometary belt, picking up its own disk of debris, the researchers said. Follow-up studies of the system should reveal the presence of such a ring around the planet, they said. But whether the planet will continue to circle its sun is still uncertain. "These results are so new, we do not know if the planet is on a bound orbit," Kalas said. The original discovery of the objects showed that the planet is moving in the same direction, and at the same speed, as the parent star, proving that it is not a background object. If scientists can confirm that the planet still orbits its parent star, it would have the most distant orbit of any known exoplanet. "Now that we've shown the system is quite interesting because of the disturbed dust disk, there will be a renewed motivation to measure the position of the planet and star over time, and thereby estimate the orbit," Kalas said. The new results were published in The Astrophysical Journal. A tight-knit pair During the question-and-answer session at the conference, Anne-Marie Lagrange, Senior Astronomer of France's National Center for Scientific Research, revealed another surprise about the system: that the host star is not one but two stars orbiting each other at less than half of Earth's distance from the sun. The pair of stars may have influenced the planet's journey in a way that a single star could not, said Lagrange, who is not part of Kalas' team. Her research has been accepted for publication in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics. "There is a slight possibility that the planet formed closer to the star, beyond the ice line, and then moved down to within the chaotic zone of the binary, and was then ejected by one of the two binary components, after one or several close encounters," Lagrange said. Murray-Clay agreed that the binary system could have played a role in kicking out the planet. "Massive planets like HD 106906b are more easily ejected from a binary star system than from single star systems," she said. "Though we don't have direct evidence that the binary star helped eject this particular planet, it's a reasonable guess." At the same time, the binary system does not discount the potential for another planet orbiting the two stars. Murray-Clay pointed out that the tight binary stars are too close to generate the inner hole in the ring structure identified by GPI. "An additional massive body like another planet is required to explain the system," she said. Dynamical upheaval in action HD 106906b is a young planet, only about 13 million years old (compared to the Earth's 4.5-billion-year age). Because of its youth, astronomers were able to capture a near-infrared image of the planet by direct imaging. "Direct imaging of exoplanets is accomplished in the near-infrared because young planets are still quite warm," Kalas said. "What we see in direct images is the heat emitted from such planets, not reflected light." The more massive a planet is, the longer it takes to cool off. Kalas said the giant world may continue to radiate heat into space for billions of years. The GPI Exoplanet Survey is targeting 600 young stars, all less than 100 million years old, to get a glimpse of how planetary systems evolve over time and to provide hints about how Earth's solar system evolved. "The wonderful thing about direct imaging is that we can image exoplanets when they are young we can find out where they were born and how they evolve," Kalas said. With HD 106906b, the team can understand some of the dynamics that the early solar system may have gone through. "I am excited about this system we're seeing dynamic upheaval in action," Murray-Clay said. Follow Nola Taylor Redd on Twitter @NolaTRedd or Google+. Follow us at @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com. Copyright 2016 SPACE.com, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Two newly described species of tiny kangaroos that lived between 18 million and 23 million years ago scurried rather than hopped, a new study finds. But although these pint-size kangas were short on bounce, they outperformed their fanged kangaroo relatives, which lived alongside them and eventually went extinct, researchers say. In a recent study, researchers described a new kangaroo genus, Cookeroo, and two new species: Cookeroo bulwidarri, dated to about 23 million years ago,and Cookeroo hortusensis, which lived between 18 million and 20 million years ago. Both species were found at the Riversleigh World Heritage area in northwestern Queensland, Australia, a location recognized as one of the richest fossil deposits in the world, according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Center. [See Photos of Kangaroos, Wallabies & Other Cute Marsupials] According to Kaylene Butler, the study's lead author, the new genus occupies a position near the base of the kangaroo family tree that includes all modern kangaroos and wallabies, their close relatives. Butler, a paleontologist at the School of Earth Sciences at the University of Queensland in Australia, told Live Science in an email that the team figured out where to place Cookeroo by comparing 119 different features representing 69 kangaroo species. "Cookeroo is distinguished as a genus by the combination of a number of features on the skull and teeth" points of comparison that were also used to distinguish between the two new species, Butler said. The newfound minikangaroos are "the size of very small wallabies," with bodies that probably measured about 17 to 20 inches (42 to 52 centimeters) long, Butler said. The landscape at the time was very different from the arid outback it is today, Butler said. C. bulwidarri and C. hortusensis likely inhabited a dense forest, moving through it on all fours and sharing it with a diverse collection of animals: marsupial moles, feather-tailed possums, ancient koalas and crocodiles. Story continues Cookeroo also lived alongside other species of small kangaroos that were part of the ancestral group for kangas alive today, as well as a related group of fanged kangaroos, Butler told Live Science.The fanged kangaroos were also plant eaters, and they probably competed with the ancestors of modern kangaroos over their habitat's vegetation. "However, the fanged kangaroos went extinct, while the ancestors of modern kangaroos continued to diversify and thrive," Butler said. The direct competition between the two groups may have contributed to the fanged kangaroos' extinction, Butler suggested in a statement, though it is not certain what features provided Cookeroo with the advantage. "The fossil record for kangaroos is quite rich," Butler said. "We have giant kangaroos from the Pleistocene [2.6 million to 11,700 years ago] and Pliocene [5.3 million to 2.6 million years ago], as well as other sites similar in age to Riversleigh where we see our tiny ancestors of modern kangaroos as well as the fanged kangaroos." However, there is still much to learn about kangaroo evolution, and new fossil finds help to bring this ancient lineage more clearly into focus, Butler said. "Hopefully, further study of these new species will help us understand just what is so special about the ancestors of modern kangaroos why did they survive when, at the same time, the fanged kangaroos went extinct." The findings were published online Feb. 17 in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. Follow Mindy Weisberger on Twitter and Google+. Follow us @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science. Copyright 2016 LiveScience, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Following a poor performance on Super Tuesday, Ben Carson announced on Wednesday that he sees no path forward in the race for the Republican nomination and will not attend Thursdays Fox News GOP debate in his hometown of Detroit. I do not see a political path forward in light of last evenings Super Tuesday primary results, Carson said in a statement. However, this grassroots movement on behalf of We the People will continue. Along with millions of patriots who have supported my campaign for president, I remain committed to Saving America for Future Generations. We must not depart from our goals to restore what God and our Founders intended for this exceptional nation. Even though I will not be in my hometown of Detroit on Thursday, I remain deeply committed to my home nation, America, he added. Carson said he will address his political future on Friday in a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference outside Washington, D.C. The soft-spoken retired neurosurgeon, who actually led Donald Trump in the Republican race in early polls, finished a disappointing fourth or fifth in all 11 of Tuesdays GOP contests. Ben Carson is bathed in a haze of purple backlight as he speaks during a primary night party in Baltimore, Tuesday, March 1, 2016. (Photo: Jose Luis Magana/AP) Carsons unlikely rise among the ranks of Republican hopefuls began in 2013 at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, where he criticized Obamacare with President Obama seated just a few feet away. What we need to do is come up with something simple, Carson said. When a person is born, give him a birth certificate, an electronic medical record and a health savings account to which money can be contributed pretax from the time youre born till the time you die. As recently as November, Carson was neck and neck with Trump in several states, including South Carolina. But mounting questions surrounding the 64-year-olds colorful biography, coupled with an admitted lack of foreign policy chops and a series of controversial comments on the campaign trail, ultimately derailed Carson. Story continues During the Iowa caucuses, Carson flew home to Florida for a change of clothes a move that was interpreted by Texas Sen. Ted Cruzs rival GOP campaign as Carson pulling out of the race, and broadcast by Cruzs operatives. Cruz subsequently apologized, but Carson and other Republican candidates accused the Texas senator who won Iowa of playing dirty. Im not going to use this opportunity to savage the reputation of Sen. Cruz, Carson said days later during a Republican debate. I will say I was disappointed that members of his team thought so little of me that they thought after having hundreds, if not thousands, of volunteers and college students who sacrificed their time and were dedicated to the cause one even died to think that I would just walk away 10 minutes before the caucus. On Tuesday night in Baltimore, Carson told his supporters he was not quite ready to quit. As Ive had an opportunity to study our system, it has become a little bit discouraging seeing all the relationships that exist there, he said. It is rotten to the core on both sides, Democrats and Republicans. And they have weaved such a complex web, it will be very, very difficult to untangle it. But Im not ready to quit trying to untangle it yet. Ben Carsons presidential bid has failed. But the retired neurosurgeons campaign succeeded wildly at one thing: collecting personal and lucrative information from more than 700,000 donors and millions of fans. This database is a potential post-campaign money machine: The remnants of Carsons campaign could wring riches from a legion of small-dollar supporters for years to come, as other campaigns have done before it. How? By renting supporters information to other candidates, political committees even for-profit data brokers that may, in turn, use it to raise money. If history is a guide, some of the primary beneficiaries of renting Carsons list would likely be his own campaign consultants and political operatives, who typically oversee marketing such lists and administering what remains of the campaign apparatus. Some Carson donors are unaware their information could be marketed to others, and when they find thats the case, theyre not pleased. I would be really, really surprised if Dr. Carson did that, said Travis Creed, 76, a donor from Pine Bluff, Arkansas. I would be very disappointed if someone else called me, especially if they told me they bought a list with my name on it. Theres too much of that kind of thing going on in this country already. This story is part of Buying of the President 2016. Tracking the candidates, political committees and nonprofits that are making this presidential election the most expensive in history. Click here to read more stories in this investigation. Don't miss another Politics investigation: Sign up for the Center for Public Integrity's Watchdog email. A high percentage of Carsons contributors hasnt previously given to political candidates, the Center for Public Integrity recently reported, which means those donors are less likely to be on other political lists already in circulation. This makes Carsons supporter database an even more valuable commodity, to the party and to others who want to raise money. Story continues Larry Ross, a spokesman for the Carson campaign, said the campaign would not answer detailed questions about how donor information would be used. As Dr. Carson is still running for President of the United States, and intends to stay in the race as long as he continues to receive revenue and support of 'We the People, the campaign does not answer hypothetical questions, including use of mailing lists, he said in an email to the Center for Public Integrity. On Wednesday, Carson released a statement saying, I do not see a political path forward in light of last evenings Super Tuesday primary results. He did not explicitly say he would suspend his campaign, but indicated he would not attend Thursdays Republican debate. However, this grassroots movement on behalf of We the People will continue, Carson said in the statement, promising that he would address the future of this movement in a speech Friday at the Conservative Political Action Conference near Washington, D.C. Six bucks a head So whats the market value for a typical Carson donors personal information? About $5 to $6 per donor name, said Walter Lukens, head of direct response marketing firm the Lukens Company. Lukens has worked for a long list of political clients, including the Republican National Committee and presidential candidates such as U.S. Sen. John McCain of Arizona and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas. The price goes up if Carson is himself willing to sign solicitations for other political committees that rent his supporter database, Lukens said. Lukens conservatively estimated Carsons campaign committee could earn $4 million or so over three years of renting its supporters information. As long as he continues to be a viable spokesman for a particular perspective around politics, an agenda, then he can make money on that forever and ever and ever, Lukens said of the list. Some defunct political campaigns operate like small corporations designed to sell an asset like donor lists. Related story: Inside Ben Carson's small-dollar fundraising machine During the 2010 election cycle, for example, Hillary Clintons 2008 presidential campaign committee reported more than $3.1 million in list rental income. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walkers presidential campaign, which still owes about $1.1 million to various vendors, is charging $10,500 to send one email to its list of 675,000 supporters, according to Politico. Mitt Romneys 2012 presidential campaign committee still functions in zombie state, and reported raking in nearly $1.4 million in list rental income in 2015. Romneys list, the most recent national list assembled by a Republican presidential nominee, has been rented by a variety of political and special interests: the National Republican Senatorial Committee, a nonprofit that promotes gay and lesbian rights, even Carsons campaign. Much of the money flows right back out. One of the top recipients of the Romney campaign committees cash is Red Curve Solutions, which was founded by Bradley Crate, the former deputy chief financial officer for the Romney campaign. Red Curve received about $430,000 in 2015 for compliance and communications consulting, according to campaign finance records. Roughly another $420,000 went to a consulting company headed by Romney aide Matthew Waldrip for list rental consulting. Crate said Red Curve handles the administrative work for the campaign committee, including campaign finance filings and paying taxes on the list rental income. The reason [the campaign committee] stays open is so that the list can remain on the market for those future candidates and current candidates, he said. Big money Carsons campaign has been a fundraising juggernaut, taking in $57.9 million through Jan. 31 more than any other Republican candidates campaign, although the pace of contributions fell off late last year as Carson faded in the polls. Its spending on fundraising has been equally striking. Expenses have soared so high that Carson found himself fending off a direct question about whether his campaign was one, big direct mail scam. His response was hardly definitive. Not that I know of, Carson said. On CNN last week, Carson laughingly suggested that his campaigns former senior staff didnt really seem to understand finances or maybe they were doing it on purpose. The Carson campaign has churned through managers, but most insiders give senior adviser Mike Murray credit for spearheading the grassroots strategy that made the campaign a striking success among small-dollar donors, giving Carsons bid instant credibility. Murrays relationship with Carson dates back to 2013, when the neurosurgeon reached new heights of public awareness after his remarks criticizing the presidents health care overhaul at the National Prayer Breakfast. Carson agreed to become the face of an anti-healthcare reform effort by American Legacy PAC, a political action committee founded by Murray. That effort far exceeded expectations, something Murray has attributed to Carsons appeal, and its supporters were an obvious source of money for Carsons presidential bid. When Carson decided to run for president, he stepped down from the American Legacy PAC chairmanship. Armstrong Williams, Carsons business manager and confidant, stepped into it, Williams confirmed in a February interview with the Center for Public Integrity. American Legacy PAC agreed to provide the nascent Carson campaign with information about its donors in an arrangement commonly referred to as a list exchange. Don't miss another Politics investigation: Sign up for the Center for Public Integrity's Watchdog email. Williams said he wasnt involved in the list exchange arrangement. In an interview with the Center for Public Integrity last month, Murray confirmed the list exchange agreement, as is typical, calls for American Legacy PAC to get information of equal value from the campaign in return. American Legacy PAC will not be entitled to any ownership rights over the full Carson campaign list, he said. The agreement between American Legacy PAC and the Carson campaign, though, has been clarified since it was first signed. Murray and Williams, who has no official role with the campaign but has acted as a high-profile public surrogate for Carson, confirmed that earlier this year, lawyers were directed to clarify language in the list exchange agreement to make it absolutely clear Carson America, Carsons campaign committee, was the sole owner of the campaigns donor list because the language to some could have been confusing. They made sure the ambiguity was removed and it was clear that Carson America owns the list, Williams said. Murray confirmed that lawyers had added a letter to the file. Nice work if you can get it Since launching last year, Carsons campaign committee has paid Murrays company, TMA Direct, about $5.7 million. Other top-earning vendors include Aston, Pennsylvania-based Action Mailers Inc., which has received nearly $6.9 million; Akron, Ohio-based Eleventy Marketing Group LLC, which has taken in about $10 million; and telemarketing company Infocision, also based in Akron, which has received about $4.9 million. Those numbers dont distinguish profit from expenses and the Carson campaigns costs are high, in significant part because Carsons team used expensive tactics such as direct mail and telemarketing to build its list. On some nights, the campaign through Infocision had as many as 400 people making fundraising calls. Williams said the expensive fundraising was necessary to boost the first-time candidate, and the campaigns strategy at one point had Carson at or near the top of the polls. The bottom line is what they set out to do theyve accomplished overwhelmingly. And you cant criticize something that works, he said of the campaign. Related: Carson story quote There is considerable overlap between Carson campaign vendors and American Legacy PAC. Two Murray companies, TMA Direct and Precision Data Management, are also on the payroll of American Legacy PAC. The companies have taken in more than $370,000 since 2013, according to federal campaign finance filings. Eleventy Marketing has been paid more than $30,000 by American Legacy PAC over the same period, and Infocision has received $4.8 million. Armstrong Williams Productions LLC, Armstrong Williams company, has received approximately $170,000 from American Legacy PAC for strategic consulting and media production since 2013. Angry donors Many Carson donors are upset with the notion that their names could be shopped around. You mean they give my name to other people? asked South Carolina donor Lucille Thompson. Im not interested in that. I get more junk mail than I can handle. Im not interested in my name being given to anybody, she said before hanging up on the Center for Public Integrity. I dont like that but I think its just something I cant do much about, said Frederick Tedesco, 74, of Bonita Springs, Florida, who has given $265 to Carsons presidential campaign in $10 increments. Tedesco says he would throw away solicitations from candidates hes not interested in, though if Carson were to make the request on behalf of someone else I would definitely pay attention to that. Another 88-year-old Arkansas donor, who asked to have her name withheld, said Carson is the first political candidate she had ever donated to and she hadnt realized her information could be marketed to others. Can you prevent that? she asked. A substantial portion of Carsons contributors giving more than $200 described themselves as retired, semiretired or retirees, suggesting they may be elderly. Campaign finance data tracked by the Center for Responsive Politics shows Carsons campaign has reported receiving more money from retired donors than any other Republican candidates campaign, as of the end of January. Some said they know candidates typically rent their donor lists to others, and are preparing for the avalanche that is sure to come. I get so many requests for money, said Clair Saxton, 93, of Cherry Log, Georgia. The only one[s] Im giving anything to [are] Dr. Carson and the church. This story was co-published with PRI. A version of this story was published with NBC News. This story is part of Buying of the President 2016. Tracking the candidates, political committees and nonprofits that are making this presidential election the most expensive in history. Click here to read more stories in this investigation. Related stories Copyright 2016 The Center for Public Integrity. This story was published by The Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative news organization in Washington, D.C. By Jonathan Landay WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Osama bin Laden wrote a letter calling on the American people to help President Barack Obama fight "catastrophic" climate change and "save humanity", in the latest evidence of his worries about environmental issues, newly released documents show The letter was among materials that were seized in the May 2, 2011, U.S. raid on bin Laden's hideout in Pakistan that killed the al Qaeda chief and which were released on Tuesday by the Obama administration. The undated, unsigned letter "to the American people," which U.S. intelligence officials attributed to bin Laden, appeared to have been written shortly after Obama began his first term in 2009, based on the letter's references to events. Bin Laden's preoccupation with climate change also emerged as a theme in the first tranche of documents from the raid that was declassified in May 2015, as well as in an audio recording released via the al Jazeera network in January 2010. In the rambling letter made public Tuesday, bin Laden blamed the 2007-8 U.S. financial crisis on corporate control of capital and corporate lobbyists, and the U.S.-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He called on Americans to launch "a great revolution for freedom" to liberate the U.S. president from those influences. That would enable Obama to make "a rational decision to save humanity from the harmful gases that threaten its destiny," bin Laden continued. In a separate letter, bin Laden urged a close aide to launch a media campaign for the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks that included a call for cutting greenhouse gas emissions. Bin Laden contended that the world would be better off fighting climate change than waging what he claimed was a war against Islam. "...the world should put its efforts into attempting to reduce the release of gases," said the undated, unsigned letter to someone identified as Shaykh Mahmud that U.S. intelligence officials said they believed was written by bin Laden. "This is a struggle between two of the largest cultures on Earth, and it is in the shadow of catastrophic climate conditions." (Reporting by Jonathan Landay; editing by Stuart Grudgings) By Warren Strobel, Phil Stewart and Mark Hosenball WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Al Qaeda's leaders were increasingly worried about spies in their midst, drones in the air and secret tracking devices reporting their movements as the U.S.-led war against them ground on, documents seized in the 2011 raid on Osama bin Laden's Pakistani hideout and reviewed by Reuters reveal. The cache of 113 documents, translated and declassified by U.S. intelligence agencies, are mostly dated between 2009 and 2011, intelligence officials said. The documents - the second tranche from the raid to have been declassified since May 2015 - depict an al Qaeda that was unwavering in its commitment to global jihad, but with its core leadership in Pakistan and Afghanistan under pressure on multiple fronts. U.S. President Barack Obama has said drone strikes and other counter-terrorism operations depleted al Qaeda's original leadership, culminating in bin Laden's killing by U.S. Navy SEALs on May 2, 2011. In the years since, the organization has proved resilient from Afghanistan to North Africa, and its ideological rival, Islamic State, has grown and spread. In one document, bin Laden issues instructions to al Qaeda members holding an Afghan hostage to be wary of possible tracking technology attached to the ransom payment. "It is important to get rid of the suitcase in which the funds are delivered, due to the possibility of it having a tracking chip in it," bin Laden states in a letter to an aide identified only as "Shaykh Mahmud." In an apparent reference to armed U.S. drones patrolling the skies, bin Laden says his negotiators should not leave their rented house in the Pakistani city of Peshawar "except on a cloudy overcast day." While the document is undated, the hostage, Afghan diplomat Abdul Khaliq Farahi, was held from September 2008 to late 2010. Another, fragmentary document acknowledges that al Qaeda executed four would-be volunteers on suspicion of spying, only to discover they were probably innocent, according to senior U.S. intelligence officials authorized to discuss the materials in advance of their public release. Story continues "I did not mention this to justify what has happened," wrote the undated letter's unidentified author, adding, "we are in an intelligence battle and humans are humans and no one is infallible." (For a full translation of the inheritance-related documents, see http://graphics.thomsonreuters.com/doc/binladen1.pdf and http://graphics.thomsonreuters.com/doc/binladen2.pdf) In a May 11, 2010 letter to his then second-in-command, Atiyah Abd al Rahman, bin Laden urged caution in arranging an interview with al Jazeera journalist Ahmad Zaidan, asserting that the United States could be tracking his movements through devices implanted in his equipment, or by satellite. "You must keep in mind the possibility, however, slight, that journalists can be under surveillance that neither we nor they can perceive, either on the ground or via satellite," he wrote. GROWING PRESSURE Even as al Qaeda came under growing pressure, bin Laden and his aides planned a media campaign to mark the 10th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington, the documents show. They plotted diplomatic strategy and opined on climate change and the U.S. financial collapse. In a undated letter "To the American people," the al Qaeda chief chides Obama for failing to end the war in Afghanistan; and accurately predicts that the U.S. president's plan for ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will fail. On April 28, 2011, just four days before his death, bin Laden was editing a document he had written on the Arab Spring revolutions. Al Qaeda's leaders also urged further attacks on the United States. "We need to extend and develop our operations in America and not keep it limited to blowing up airplanes," says a letter, apparently written by bin Laden, to Nasir al-Wuhayshi, head of al Qaeda's Yemen branch. Bin Laden "was still sort of thinking in very kind of grand schemes, and still ... trying to reclaim that 9/11 'victory'," said one of the senior intelligence officials, speaking on condition of anonymity. But he was "somewhat out of touch with the (actual) capabilities of his organization," the official said. The documents show the strains of managing al Qaeda's external networks, including identifying capable leaders and finding resources to fund operations abroad. One associate, who signed his 2009 note simply as "Your beloved "Atiyah," acknowledged troubles replacing an ineffective leader for external operations, saying some of the best candidates were dead. "There are new brothers, perhaps some would be suitable in the future, but not now," he wrote. Suspicion of tracking devices pops up again and again in the group's writings. The concern may have been merited - the United States conducts extensive electronic surveillance on al Qaeda and other Islamic militant groups. Abu Abdallah al-Halabi - who the U.S. Treasury has identified as a name used by bin Laden's son-in law Muhammad Abdallah Hasan Abu-Al-Khayr - writes in a letter to "my esteemed brother Khalid" about intercepting messages of "spies" in Pakistan, who he said would facilitate air strikes on al Qaeda operatives by marking cars with infrared streaks that can be seen with night vision equipment. In another, bin Laden, writing under the pseudonym Abu Abdallah, expresses alarm over his wife's visit to a dentist while in Iran, worrying that a tracking chip could have been implanted with her dental filling. "The size of the chip is about the length of a grain of wheat and the width of a fine piece of vermicelli," he wrote. The letter ended with this instruction: "Please destroy this letter after reading it." (Additional reporting by Jonathan Landay and Kevin Krolicki. Editing by Stuart Grudgings) New York (AFP) - Seeking to restore the sheen to the in-flight bathroom experience, Boeing is developing a "self-cleaning" toilet system to boost sanitation and battle unwelcome odors. The system can disinfect a bathroom in just three seconds after it is vacated by shining ultraviolet lights on bathroom surfaces, killing 99.99 percent of germs. The toilet seat would open and close by itself so that all surfaces get a once over. A hands-free door latch and hands-free faucet are incorporated to further fight mounting bacteria in overtaxed airplane loos. "We're trying to alleviate the anxiety we all face when using a restroom that gets a workout during a flight," said Jeanne Yu, Boeing commercial airplanes director of environmental performance. "In the prototype, we position the lights throughout the lavatory so that it floods the touch surfaces like the toilet seat, sink and countertops with the UV light once a person exits the lavatory. This sanitizing even helps eliminate odors." Boeing said the system will require further study before it can be deployed by commercial airlines. The aerospace giant has filed for a patent on the "clean lavatory" concept, and the idea has been nominated for a Crystal Cabin Award, an industry prize. London (AFP) - The European Union would be "less stable" if Britain votes to leave, in a referendum on membership in June, Germany's finance minister told a British business conference Thursday. "If the UK would not be engaged in the European Union, I think UK would take the risk that continental Europe would be less stable, more volatile," Wolfgang Schaeuble said. When asked what Germany would do if Britain voted to leave the EU in a referendum on June 23, Schaeuble added: "We would cry... and I hope that we will not." Schaeuble was speaking alongside his British counterpart George Osborne at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) annual conference in London. Osborne criticised the "confusion heaped on confusion" by those in favour of leaving the EU about what Britain's status would be if it did pull out of the 28-nation bloc. "If we were to leave the EU, over 50 of our trade deals with other countries in the world would automatically fall because they are trade deals with the EU," he said. Osborne also warned against the argument that if Britain were to leave the EU, it would be able to retain a special status on trade. He said there was a risk it could have "the worst of both worlds" by having to pay into the EU budget without having a say in setting the rules. Paris (AFP) - Britain will contribute around 20 million euros in extra funding to boost security at the French port of Calais where thousands of migrants have camped out hoping to cross the Channel, France's minister for European affairs said Thursday. Britain has already contributed more than 60 million euros and "there will be around an extra 20 million euros ($22 million)" Harlem Desir told RFI radio, with the money used to boost "security of the access zone to the tunnel... and fighting trafficking networks". The announcement came hours ahead of a summit between French President Francois Hollande and British Prime Minister David Cameron in the northern city of Amiens, where the Calais crisis will be top of the agenda. Demolition workers razed makeshift shelters at the so-called Jungle migrant camp on the outskirts of Calais for the third day running on Wednesday under the close watch of dozens of police officers equipped with water cannon. The camp, built on a former toxic waste dump, is a magnet for people hoping to reach Britain and many have refused to leave, although there has been no repeat of the violent clashes that erupted on Monday. French Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron told the Financial Times on Wednesday that if Britain left the European Union following a referendum in June, France would cease keeping the migrants in Calais. "The day this relationship unravels, migrants will no longer be in Calais," Macron told the newspaper. One of the most beloved interpreters of the American musical theater canon will return to the New York stage this spring, when Barbara Cook: Then and Now plays a 10-week engagement. Conceived by James Lapine and directed by Tommy Tune who between them have 13 Tony Awards the musical memoir will provide a showcase for Cook to reflect back on a legendary career spanning more than half a century, from her days as an ingenue in Broadway's Golden Age to the present. The show will coincide with the June publication from HarperCollins of Cook's autobiography, which bears the same title. "As I began to write my upcoming memoir, I was surprised by how moved I was in revisiting my early years and later my alcoholic years," said Cook in a statement. "I've always felt that the narrative of my life came through many of the songs I sing, both tunes I've introduced and favorites that have spoken to me through different chapters of my life. I'm hoping this evening will be a live companion piece to the book that taught me more about my own life than I ever would have expected." Cook made her Broadway debut in 1951 in Flahooley, and went on to star in the original productions of Plain and Fancy, Candide, The Music Man (for which she won a Tony in 1958) and She Loves Me, among others, as well as revivals of Oklahoma!, Carousel, The King and I and Show Boat. Her most recent Broadway appearance was in Sondheim on Sondheim in 2010. As a cabaret and concert performer, she has played major venues around the world, including seven returns to Carnegie Hall, most recently for her 85th birthday celebration concert. She was an honoree at the 2011 Kennedy Center Honors. The new show will give audiences an opportunity to hear Cook's warm soprano in a more intimate setting, at off-Broadway's New World Stages, where the limited engagement begins performances April 13 for an official May 4 opening, running through June 26. Roy Furman is producing, in association with Sandy Robertson and Luigi Caiola. LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister David Cameron will use a visit to France on Thursday to argue that Britain's continued EU membership boosts security, a case likely to be supported by his host President Francois Hollande. Cameron has called a referendum on British membership of the European Union for June 23 and his campaign for the "In" camp is backed by other leaders of the 28-nation bloc. "I am convinced that the UK's membership of the EU gives us greater security and greater capacity to project power globally," Cameron said in comments released by his office before the meeting in Amiens, 120 km (75 miles) north of Paris. "In an ever-more uncertain world, we gain from our membership of these international organisations." Cameron said the first Franco-British summit since Islamic State attacks killed 130 people in Paris last November was "an opportunity to discuss how we can work even more closely together to keep our people safe". This is likely to include closer police and security cooperation and more sharing of information. Counter-terrorism, Europe's migration crisis and the conflicts in Syria and Libya also are expected to be discussed at the summit, which the French and British foreign, interior and defence ministers will also attend. Cameron and Hollande are likely to make a new call for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces and his allies, including Russia, to stop targeting moderate opposition forces in Syria. Moscow says its air strikes in Syria are aimed only against Islamic State militants. The two leaders are expected to announce a 1.5 billion pounds project to build a prototype of the next generation of unmanned aircraft, to which each side will contribute about 750 million pounds, building on a 120-million-pound joint feasibility study undertaken after the last summit between Britain and France in 2014. The Future Combat Air System project is designed to give the two countries the most advanced vehicle of its kind in Europe. British companies including BAE systems, Selex ES and Rolls Royce and Dassault Aviation, SNECMA/Safran and Thales in France are expected to benefit from the project. (Reporting by Elizabeth Piper; Editing by Dominic Evans) TORONTO (Reuters) - Amaya Inc , an operator of online gambling websites, said on Wednesday it had tapped Moelis & Co to independently value the company in light of an anticipated takeover proposal from its Chief Executive Officer David Baazov. Last month, Amaya disclosed it had received a non-binding proposal from Baazov to take the company private for C$21 a share. It also said a special committee of its board has tapped Barclays to review the expected all-cash offer. Baazov has stated that he had begun preliminary discussions with a small number of potential investors and that it was his intention, subject to certain contingencies, to submit a formal proposal at or about the end of February. Amaya, which plans to announce its fourth-quarter results on March 14, disclosed on Wednesday that it has so far not received a formal offer from Baazov. Shares in Amaya closed 2 percent lower at C$19.50 in Toronto on Wednesday. "While February has come and gone, discussions with Mr. Baazov's representatives give us confidence that a bid is likely to materialize," said Canaccord Genuity analyst Kevin Wright, in a note to clients. The company also said in view of the potential offer and the ongoing reviews by Moelis and Barclays, it will not be providing any financial outlook for 2016 when it reports quarterly results later this month. It also said it has established guidelines and restrictions around the ongoing management of Amaya in light of the potential offer. (Reporting by Marwa Siam-Abdou; editing by Grant McCool) By Alastair Sharp TORONTO (Reuters) - Canadian wealth managers, foundations and individuals helped fill Kensington Capital Partners' C$300 million ($223.3 million) venture capital fund 16 months after it was launched, the Toronto-based investment firm said. The Kensington Venture Fund opened in November 2014 with C$160 million in commitments, one of several vehicles set up by Canada's former Conservative government to breathe life into the venture capital sector. With the government committing to provide one-third of the cash, Kensington had a target of C$300 million in investments. It ended up with C$306 million. The fund's manager said recent Canadian tech success stories such as Shopify Inc , which went public last year, have helped bring new investors to the industry. He said potential investments in the western province of British Columbia were particularly enticing. "In B.C. we are finding very strong opportunities ... it is a very attractive market right now," Rick Nathan, a Kensington managing director, said in a telephone interview. He added that the tech cycle kicked off by the arrival of Apple Inc's iPhone in 2007 and now incorporating booming use of mobile devices, social networks and other Internet-enabled services offers several more years of upside. "This cycle is very strong and in my opinion it still has a long way to go," he said. The new investors, which Kensington did not name, join early institutional and corporate backers Richardson GMP, Open Text Corp , Royal Bank of Canada , Bank of Montreal , CIBC , Toronto-Dominion Bank , and Bank of Nova Scotia . "We're investing in companies with real products in the market with real customers, typically with revenues from a few million dollars to C$40-C$50 million," Nathan said, adding that roughly half of the fund has so far been invested. That includes the backing of content provider Blue Ant Media, investment curator Brightspark, retailer marketplace Hubba and point-of-sale software provider TouchBistro. ($1 = 1.3435 Canadian dollars) (Reporting by Alastair Sharp; Editing by Paul Simao) Vatican City (AFP) - Australian Cardinal George Pell, the pope's powerful finance minister, is under fire on two fronts. For the outside world he is most notably accused of protecting paedophile priests. But closer to home he has made many Vatican enemies in his drive to shake up the secretive and archaic institution. What that means is that, while he swears he has Pope Francis's full support over clerical abuse allegations, his controversial reformist zeal means that many would relish his downfall. Pell was picked in 2013 to be one of a key group of advisors to the pope set up to help the Argentine reform the unruly Vatican's administrative body -- the Curia -- famed for infighting. In 2014 he was appointed finance minister, the number three spot in the tiny city state, and charged with dragging it into the 21st century, increasing profitability and bringing its scandal-hit institutions into line with international standards. The cardinal, 74 -- a former archbishop of Melbourne and Sydney -- did not hesitate to bring in top, and very costly, American firms to help him clean house. The shock to the system was severe: the centuries-old Curia, enthralled to tradition and above all loathe to spill its secrets, wriggled under the scrutiny of outside auditors and blanched at its affairs going public. - Making enemies - In December 2014, Pell revealed that hundreds of millions of euros had been found "tucked away" in accounts and desk drawers of various Holy See departments, which did not appear on the Vatican's balance sheets. He admitted that the city state had always tried to keep its problems "in-house", but swore its workings would from then on be "transparent" -- in a statement to the press which intensely irritated many in Saint Peter's corridors of power. Pope Francis wants "a poor Church for the poor" and that means cracking down on mismanagement, he said. An in-house leaks scandal at the end of last year revealing misuse of Vatican funds gave his words further weight. Story continues But the moral grandstanding did not sit well with those who accused the Holy See's most senior English-speaking official of splashing out on business class flights, costly robes and home furnishings. And he infuriated his boss as well: during a synod on the family in October, Pell ignored Francis's call for clemency towards those considered sinners by the Church, blocking attempts to open the door to remarried divorced people. He was also part of a conservative group of cardinals which wrote a leaked strongly-worded letter to the pope warning him of attempts by the progressive wing to undermine him -- forcing Francis to slam conspiracy theorists. - Paedophile priests - But the darkest shadow over Pell's head is the charge that he knew children were being abused by priests on his watch in Australia, and failed to act -- an accusation he categorically refutes. The cardinal's testimony, given this week via video-link to Australia's Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse -- under the watchful gaze of victims -- has created much unwelcome publicity for the Vatican. Pope Francis said last month that those who move priests from one parish to another in an attempt to hide abuse -- thus placing ever more children at risk -- should resign. Pell has not made his life any easier by saying he wasn't interested in the abuse, which dated back to the 1970s and 80s, and denying connections to serial paedophiles, despite once sharing a house with one of them. "If a driver sexually assaulted a passenger they picked up along the way, I don't think it appropriate for the... leadership of that company to be held responsible," he said in 2014. While slightly more contrite at the hearings, he still insisted he had not had any reason to investigate rumours of child molestation and blamed others for not stopping clerical abusers in Australia, including a gun-toting paedophile priest. British survivor and member of the Vatican's commission on sex abuse Peter Saunders in June described Pell as "almost sociopathic" and "a massive, massive thorn in the side of Pope Franciss papacy if he's allowed to remain". On Monday, the cardinal insisted he had "the full backing of the pope" -- but with abuse survivors in town asking for an audience with Francis, the pontiff may be feeling under increased pressure to find Pell another job. As catwalk stars criss-cross the globe for fashion week season, modelling agencies are increasingly using social media worldwide to scout out their new faces, to the alarm of some. Leading agencies such as IMG, Elite and Nevs and fashion houses including Marc Jacobs have all taken to sites such as photo-sharing service Instagram to recruit models, revolutionising the business. Kate Moss was famously scouted while waiting for a flight in New York, while Naomi Campbell was out shopping in south London when she got a tap on the shoulder, but a move online appears to be heralding an end to such chance encounters... and casting studios. IMG's campaign "We Love Your Genes", in which aspiring catwalk stars are invited to post pictures on Instagram, has attracted over 100,000 followers and led to the agency signing up models from "around the globe". "There's no need to wait to get discovered at your local mall, or in an airport, in the age of Instagram," IMG tells potential models on its website. "We've signed girls from around the globe -- sisters, friends, friends of friends, and friends of friends of other friends -- and you're on our radar," it said. IMG vice president David Cunningham told Fashionista magazine that social media had "absolutely changed" the model agency business, slim-lining the recruitment process and reducing the fear factor for girls nervous about meeting agents face-to-face. - 'Revolutionary platform' - "Instagram allows us to see potential models' natural beauty in their everyday lives. They no longer have to spend lots of money on photo shoots or portfolios," said IMG colleague Jeni Rose. US fashion giant Marc Jacobs posted a casting call for its Spring/Summer 2015 campaign on Instagram, which was won by Singaporean Nadia Rahmat. She told AFP that social media was opening doors for models in locations previously off the fashion map. Story continues "Social media has broken communication barriers that were previously almost impossible to get around," Rahmat said. "I don't think I would have received the opportunity if not for social media. It is a revolutionary platform." But some are concerned that encouraging adolescent girls to post selfies online could expose them to the darker forces of the Internet. "I am aware model agents routinely trawl social media to find new girls and my big concern is that proper regard must be taken to age," British MP Caroline Noakes, chairman of a parliamentary group on body image, told AFP. "I am really worried that whilst we have a requirement that young people between 16-18 must be in education or training, this appears to be disregarded in the fashion industry. "Unfortunately, with the age requirement for a Facebook account being only 13, this opens up the photographs of young people to everyone." IMG -- who along with other top agencies Elite, Select, Models1 and Nevs declined to comment -- trumpets its Instagram recruitment of two 14-year-old models in the Netherlands and Sweden, as well as a "15-year-old beauty from London". At the extreme end of the spectrum, 10-year-old Russian "supermodel" Kristina Pimenova has 1.3 million Instagram followers and 4.0 million fans on Facebook. - 'Digital narcissism' - Potential models must also guard against rogue online agencies. "At the end of the day it's about being smart," said Rahmat. "Background checks are always important to make sure you don't get trapped into something." The 25-year-old model also warned that the online world of selfies and instant comment could damage girls at a vulnerable age. "We have evolved into the age of digital narcissism, and this has prompted a culture where individuals seek validation through likes or comments," she said. But there seems little to stop the relentless march of social media, with IMG saying it has developed "proprietary methods" and "special tools" to identify talent. IT expert John Collamosse from Surrey University told AFP that face-computer vision technology was "approaching the point" where it could be used to sweep the Internet looking for models. "If you put in a photo of Kate Moss, then it would be possible to find images of someone that looked similar," he said. Mint-colored city buses and sherbet mid-rise apartment complexes with undulating facades. Women in polka-dot bikinis and men in wide-lapelled shirts unbuttoned halfway down their chests. Postcard-perfect white sand beaches and cocaine-addled nights that throbbed to a mix of brassy disco and tropical Cuban beats. It was 1981, and the 19-square-mile barrier island known as Miami Beach was on the verge of bursting into one of the most hedonistic scenes committed to the history books. Somehow, in the midst of this Caribbean decadence, a very different community also thrived. Just a few blocks from the scantily dressed beachgoers and the drug lords in Armani silk were men in ill-fitting black suits and heavy beards, and women in thick wigs and long woolen skirts all year long, even as the wet heat of the Atlantic swept across the peninsula. The ranks of Miamis ultra-Orthodox Jews, Hasidim, were swelling. They were insular and defiantly anti-secular, clinging to traditions that may have protected their community in a medieval world but in modern America would lead to tragic consequences for many of their youngest, most vulnerable members. Twelve-year-old Ozer Simon hadnt grown up Hasidic, but after his parents divorced, his mom became a baal teshuva, a secular Jew who has returned to religious ways, and enrolled him at a yeshiva. He immediately fell behind because the other kids had been studying Hebrew since they were toddlers, so when Rabbi Joseph Reizes, a new teacher recently arrived from Brooklyn, offered to tutor the child, his mother jumped at the opportunity. But when she asked Simon how his first lesson went, she could tell something was really wrong. Simon told her the rabbi hadnt taught him anything; instead, hed asked the boy to lie down and take a nap. When he did, the older man lay down on top of him. The next school day, Simons mother went to Rabbi Avrohom Korf, principal of the boys school, and told him what had happened. I said to him, If Reizes continues to teach here, Im going to go to the newspaper. Or whatever it takes, she recalls. The next thing I know, the guy is gone. Story continues 03_11_hasidic_03 Edu Bayer for Newsweek Korf says he confronted Reizes with Simons mothers complaint and that the teacher fled back to Brooklyn of his own volition. Soon after, Reizes was hired to teach elementary school at Oholei Torah, a yeshiva in Crown Heights. No official complaint against him was ever filed in Miami, and Simons school never alerted Oholei Torah about the incident that had prompted Reizess quick return to Brooklyn. Fifteen years later, Reizes was fired from Oholei Torah after allegations of sexual abuse arose yet again. A parent informed a principal that his son was inappropriately touched during a private tutoring session with Reices [sic], after school hours and off school premises, Oholei Torahs director, Rabbi Sholom Rosenfeld, tells Newsweek via email. Reizes was allowed to finish the school year, but Rosenfeld insists he was kept under constant monitoring for those three weeks. (Oholei Torah denied Newsweek many requests to speak to someone about this issue and stopped responding to email questions after an initial exchange. Through its lawyer, the school sent a note stating that to answer more questions would compromise its legal and religious obligations. Reizes did not respond to requests for comment.) When contacted by Newsweek, the child whose parents brought the complaint to the school in 1996 didnt want to speak about it publicly, but other students from that class say Reizes long had a reputation for inappropriate behavior. Bibi Morozow, 31 years old and now living in Florida, says a relative was molested by Reizes while attending Oholei Torah in the 1990s. (When reached by Newsweek on the phone, the relative declined to be interviewed.) Reizes was always touchy; hed put kids in his lap, says one student who asked to remain anonymous because he feared being shunned by his community. But no complaints were ever registered about the rabbi, nor were any criminal charges filedin fact, a Freedom of Information Act request to the Brooklyn district attorneys office turned up no evidence of his name ever appearing in its records. By now, the statute of limitations for most, if not all, of Reizess alleged crimes has expired, and the survivors are grown men, some with young boys in the Hasidic school system. Most are afraid to go public because they fear ruining the lives of their children. Reizes, now retired and in his 60s, lives across the street from the school where he used to teach. While there is no evidence that child abuse is any more likely to occur in ultra-Orthodox schools than in public or secular institutions, stories like Reizessan alleged abuser sheltered and victims unwilling to talk for fear of losing the only way of life they knoware common in the Hasidic school system. The many former students, advocates, sociologists, social workers and survivors interviewed by Newsweek, along with recordings, documents, public filings and personal emails that Newsweek obtained, place the blame on a confluence of factors: widespread sexual repression, a strong resistance to the secular world, and, most important, a power structure designed to keep people from speaking up about abuse. Introduced to Forbidden Knowledge Set on a leafy stretch of Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights, Oholei Torah is one of the most important institutions in the Chabad movements global yeshiva network and one of the largest of the dozens of Chabad schools in Brooklyn, with nearly 2,000 students at any given time. But stop any middle-school-age kid in the schools hallways, and hethere are no female studentswill likely know nothing of world history, wont be able to do long division and will speak only rudimentary Englisheven though hes growing up in the biggest city in the United States. Oholei Torah conducts its seven-plus daily hours of religious lessons mostly in Yiddish. According to more than a dozen former students across three decades, it provides almost no lessons in science, math, English grammar or history. (The school did not respond to queries about its curriculum.) Many of these students go home to an apartment with no television, no Internet, no newspapers and no books except religious texts. Many will not gain the basic knowledge of how to navigate the world until they are married off around age 18, like how to write a check, how to order General Tsos chicken or even what sex is. When youre a child in this environment, you dont question the fact that you cant identify your own state on a map. And when you are molested, you dont ask questions about that either. In the ultra-Orthodox world, sexuality is simultaneously denied and monitored to the point of obsession. Starting in childhood, boys and girls are separated; the opposite gender remains a mystery until its time to marry, usually in an arranged pairing. Boys are taught to avoid looking at girls, while girls are taught that they are a source of sex and transgression, say former members of the Haredi, or ultra-Orthodox Jewish, community. If children arent taught by their parents and teachers about appropriate sexual behavior, they have no way to sense when touching turns into something that is wrong. You dont even know what your body is, says Lynn Davidman, a professor of sociology and religious studies at the University of Kansas who grew up in a religious Jewish family. And you are not supposed to touch or know, and then all of a sudden you are introduced to forbidden knowledge in a most abusive way. The abused have no way to make sense of whats going on, to stop it or to tell anybody about it. When Manny Vogel was in seventh grade at Oholei Torah, a student a few years older, high school age, wouldnt let him alonehed follow Vogel in the hallways, into study halls and in the lunchroom. Then, Vogel recalls, the boy asked for a favor. He claimed he wanted to try karate moves on me. But karate was simply a pretense to touch the younger boy in ways he would later come to recognize as inappropriate. One time, Vogel says, the classmate paid him $5 to let him touch Vogels genitals over his pants. Vogel never said anything to his teachers, principal or parents. He took advantage of me. I didnt know any better. According to Vogel and other students, this older student had a reputation for touching younger kidsand teachers and administrators knew it. There were rumors he offered a classmate $175 for a karate practice session. Students believed the kid used the money he raised from selling bagelseaten at school, after morning prayersto fund his perversion. 03_11_hasidic_01 Pearl Gabel for Newsweek Eventually, Vogel says, school administrators prohibited the student from selling bagels. (The school denies any knowledge of this. The student could not be reached for comment.) But the boy wasnt punished, much less formally charged with any crime, and fellow students say the abuse continued until he graduated. Recently, the alleged abuser, now grown, was invited back to Oholei Torah to be a shaliach Hebrew for messenger, a sort of missionary in Chabad who mentors the young and newly arrived to the communityand he remains a fixture in the Haredi community. Not long ago, Vogels brother got married; the alleged abuser, Vogel says, showed up at the ceremony. We were dancing, in a circle, and he was just staring and staring at me, says Vogel. I was traumatized. After graduating from Oholei Torah, Vogel went to study at Yeshiva Brunoy, a prominent Chabad school in the suburbs of Paris. There, he was befriended by a shaliach, a man in his early 20s who would take Vogel into a private room and get him drunk. That wasnt unusual; it was a custom at the school for older mentors to farbreng with younger studentssit together and discuss Hasidism while drinking hard liquor deep into the night. But unlike the other farbrengen, these didnt take place on the first-floor classrooms and were not open to others. One hazy, liquored-up evening, the shaliach allegedly kissed and groped Vogel. When he sobered up the next day, Vogel was distraught. For days, the memory ate at him as he struggled with the decision to tell or not. Finally, he called his stepfather in Brooklyn, who in turn called several senior educators and administrators at the school. The rabbis batted around the problemno one wanted this toxic ball in his court. A week later, Vogel says, Rabbi Zalman Segal, director of the schools Higher Section for the oldest students, told him they would send the alleged abuser away to a yeshiva in another country. Angry and confused, Vogel returned to New York. Not long after, he got a conciliatory email from the alleged abuserand the numbers for two debit cards, with a dollar amount for each: $2,000 and $3,000. He said, This is all the money I have. Take it and do what you want with it. But do me a favor, do not say anythingnot for my sake, but for my familys sake. Vogel didn't take the money but decided to say nothing. Two years later, I spoke to Vogel on a rainy summer evening in a Crown Heights bar not far from where he grew up. Just a few days before, he says, he had seen something that had shaken him: Segal and the man Vogel says had sexually abused him strolling together, chatting amiably. They gave me such terrible flashbacks, Vogel says. Later, he found out that his alleged abuser had spent only a few weeks outside of France and was allowed back into Yeshiva Brunoy once Vogel was gone. And this past summer, he says, the man found work at a Chabad summer camp, where he was responsible for the welfare of 300 kids and teenagers. The school insists it responded adequately to Vogels complaint: An email signed Yeshiva Administration says, No sexual abuse was reported at the time of the incident, yet we took the concern of such or any abuse very seriously and sought professional guidance. The email adds that the school has worked closely with mental health professionals since then but cant share any details about what that entails. Newsweeks direct inquiries to Segal were ignored. Vogel asked that Newsweek not contact or name the older student because, he says, the fault really lies with Brunoy for mishandling the situationfor allowing his alleged abuser to return to a mentorship role at the yeshiva. I think there is little doubt that the extent and seriousness of abuse in society at large was underappreciated for decades until relatively recently, says Rabbi Avi Shafran, director of public affairs for Agudath Israel of America, an umbrella organization that provides leadership to Haredi communities. Unfortunately, the Orthodox community was likewise unaware of the degree and severity of the problem in its own midst. That, though, has changed. Oholei Torahs Rosenfeld tells Newsweek much the same, via email, adding, I am proud to say that our schools guidelines have often been ahead of the laws mandates. Medieval Laws in America There are many institutional barriers to stopping child abuse in the Haredi world. For example, theres widespread belief that reporting abuse to secular authorities constitutes heresy. Traditional religious law prohibits mesirah, or handing overa Jew may not snitch on another Jew to a secular government. Mesirah arose in the Middle Ages, when a European Jew charged with a crime would not get a fair trialit was a prohibition designed, essentially, to protect against institutionalized anti-Semitism. Today, in North American Haredi communities, there is debate over how the mesirah prohibition should be applied. In 2011, the Crown Heights Beis Din (the rabbinical court that handles internal religious disputes) ruled that mesirah do[es] not apply in cases where there is evidence of abuse and that one is forbidden to remain silent in such situations. And earlier this year, 107 Hasidic rabbis signed a kol koreh, or public pronouncement, stating that there is a religious obligation to notify secular law enforcement when it knows of child abuse. However, knowing is a murky term here. In 2012, Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, executive vice president of Agudath Israel of America, said mesirah meant community members should turn to rabbinical authorities to ascertain that the suspicion meets a certain threshold of credibility before reporting child abuse to the authorities. Scroll through the comments section of any of the muckraking websites that track abuses in the Haredi worldUnorthodox-Jew, FailedMessiah.comand it quickly becomes clear how deferential this community is to religious authority. At the bottom of news coverage of sexual abuse trials are seething comments claiming the reporters are acting above their pay grade. Stop speaking loshon harah and chillul Hashem evil speech and the desecration of Gods nameand let the Rabbis sort it out, they have written. The problem, though, is that this puts the decision to report on individuals who are usually not qualified to recognize signs of abuseand who, many say, have a vested interest in keeping secular eyes away. Furthermore, while New York state law says all school officials are required to disclose any child abuse, physical or sexual, they see or hear about to Child Protective Servicesreligious clergy are not. And when school officials are also religious officialsall yeshiva teachers are rabbisthere are dangerous legal loopholes. Chaim Levin, who grew up in Crown Heights and went to Oholei Torah, says his older cousin, Sholom Eichler, sexually molested him throughout his childhood. I was a 9-year-old boy, and he sodomized me with a pen, says Levin. Thats not two kids playing around. He didnt tell anyone for years, but in 2003, when Levin was 14, he finally confided in a former counselor at summer camp, who consulted with his father-in-law, Rabbi Hershel Lustig, and then told Levin he should talk to the rabbi. 03_11_hasidic_02 Pearl Gabel for Newsweek Lustig has worked for Oholei Torah for over 40 years. Hes an impeccably dressed, well-spoken man deeply beloved by the community. In 2003, he was the dean of Oholei Torahs elementary school, a position he still holds. Levin met with Lustig and told him about the abuse. The rabbi tried to be comforting: He told Levin not to worry, that he would still be considered a virgin and that his chances of successful shidduch, matchmaking, hadnt been harmed. He also offered to tell Levins parents, but added, We shouldnt tell your parents who did it. Its not relevant. For years, the abuse stayed buried, and everyone acted like nothing had happened: There is no public record that Lustig reported the incident to the police or to Child Protective Services. Lustig did not respond to Newsweeks queries about the episode. In 2007, Eichler worked at Gan Israel Montreal, a religious summer camp where he was responsible for the well-being of children all day and all night. A few years later, when Eichler got married, Levins family went to the wedding, but he stayed home. Finally, in 2012, he decided to speak outone of the first and still one of the few members of the Brooklyn Hasidic community to go public about sexual abuse. He knew it was too late to press criminal charges, but he could still take Eichler to civil court, so Levin sued his cousin for damages. When Levin tried to get Lustig to sign a declaration saying Levin had told the rabbi about the abuse a decade earlier, Lustig refused, saying it was against religious law. Even without that evidence, the court ordered Eichler to pay Levin $3.5 million. Levin has yet to collect, however. He says his cousin left the country soon after the courts decision and is in Israel, outside the reach of extradition. It started with what the trusted religious adviser, who lives down the street, told my parents to do, Levin says. And my abuser got away with it. He Started Working Me After his distressing experience with Reizes in Miami Beach, Ozer Simon was sent to a boarding school in Brooklyn in 1983. Chanoch Lenaar, he says, was a dumping ground for kids having problems in religious schoola place for all the misfits. Simon was flailing in school when the principal, Rabbi Jacob Bryski, offered to help with his studies. Come by my office after lights out, he told the 14-year-old. At first, Simon sat across the table from the principal during tutoring sessions, but when Bryski asked him to come closer, to sit next to him, Simon did. Then he got his hands in my pants. I didnt say anything. That was just the first step. He would take me to his house, to his basement, for a sleepover, says Simon. He would feed me dinner, a good mealIm in a dorm with crappy food, and I had no money. After dinner, Simon says, Bryski would sexually molest him. Whatever your mind can think of, he says of what was done to him. It was a nightmare. But Simon never told anybody. Bryski came from a highly respected and influential Hasidic family; one of his brothers is a multimillionaire in New York, and another is an important rabbi in California. Their father, Mordechai Meir Bryski, was a rabbi and real estate mogul, and a key figure in the establishment of the Hasidic school system in Brooklyn in the 1950s and 60s. Simon, meanwhile, was a troubled out-of-towner who wasnt even born Hasidic. Who would believe his word against Bryskis? After all, as Mordy Gluckowsky, an Oholei student in the 1990s, says, when we tell the parents or the teachers [about abuse], they say, Nobody did anything. They say, What did you do to make him touch you? About a decade later, in 1993, Simon filed a verified civil complaint against Bryski and Chanoch Lenaar in Brooklyn, asking for $50 million in damages for the abuse he allegedly suffered. Simon claimed in his suit that Bryski, at frequent times beginning in 1983 and ending in/or about 1985, engaged in forcible sexual contact with Simon and otherwise assaulted him at Bryskis residence and the yeshiva. Bryski denied these claims in his publicly filed response and submitted a counterclaim, arguing that Simon had falsely defamed his good name and asking for $10 million in damages. Five years later, the case was dismissed; the abuse Simon had alleged was no longer within the statute of limitations. Bryski acknowledges, both in court documents obtained by Newsweek and today, that he let Simon stay at his housebecause the child had chicken pox for a few days, and it was catchy. He also says he never molested the boy. He got kicked out of the school, so because of that he spread this libel against me. This is totally slander. Im a father of 10 children. I am a respected person in the community. By the 2010s, Simon was back in Miami, with a wife, young kids and a good job. He was in Chicago on business, driving through the city, when he got a call from a close friend. Pull over, the friend said, then told Simon to bring up a website on his phone. When Simon called up JewishCommunityWatch.org, he was shocked to see a photo of Bryski on the sites Wall of Shame of alleged child abusers. JCW is a grass-roots organization dedicated to exposing child predators and educating the public on how to prevent and respond to child sexual abuse. The Wall of Shame is purportedly based on investigations, performed by the local nonprofit, of individuals who may not have been previously arrested, charged or convicted of any wrongdoing. Through JCW, Simon soon met another Bryski survivor, 12 years his junior. Schneur Borenstein was 13 when he moved into Bryskis home in 2000. He had run away from his home in upstate New York and was living more or less on the streets of Brooklyn until a friend introduced him to Bryski. He started working me, Borenstein tells Newsweek. I was 13 and didn't have a place to stay. He took me into his home and provided me shelter and food. He gave me money to buy cigarettes. Even though the boy was unnerved by the fact that the grown man would creep into his bedroom at night and touch his penis, he kept his mouth shut. But after six months of abuse, Borenstein finally left. 03_11_hasidic_04 Edu Bayer for Newsweek Bryski says he kicked Borenstein out: He drove us crazy in this house. In the end, I had no choice but to throw him out of the house. He got angry with me, [and afterward] he spread lies about me. Bryski picked his targets, says Simon, explaining that each school year, the principal would choose one student from his gang of misfits and prey on him. I was an outcast, says Borenstein. I was at a weak point in my life. Its widely accepted by child abuse experts and advocates that some kids are particularly vulnerable. Usually, they are disadvantaged in some wayfamily problems, rejection by their peer groupthat perpetrators can exploit, particularly if they are teachers who also happen to be religious authorities. Many years after fleeing Bryskis home, Borenstein moved to Florida, where, with the encouragement of people like former Miami prosecutor Sara Shulevitz and Mark Meyer Appel, founder of Voice of Justice, a child advocacy group, he began to speak out. Borenstein published his story on a personal blog and talked to the Brooklyn district attorneys office about his legal options. But according to a district attorneys memorandum (which also provided Borensteins account of Bryskis alleged abuse), prosecutors decided the statute of limitations had run out and chose not to pursue the case. So Borenstein and his father, along with an attorney, traveled to Brooklyn and arranged a meeting with Bryski. During that conversation, which they taped, Bryski confessed to the sexual abuse, and they cut a deal. The Borensteins said theyd keep quiet about it under three conditions: Bryski would pay for Schneur Borensteins therapy, get professional help andmost importantstay away from children. At first, Bryski stuck to the agreement. Chanoch Lenaar didnt reopen the next school year. But in 2012, Crown Heights community blogs began reporting Bryski was opening up a new school, in the same location, under a different name. Despite Bryskis prominence, Borenstein and Simonnow working togetherwere undaunted. They tracked down a list of the new schools board of directors. Simons mother started making calls, alerting them to the allegations. The school never reopened. Bryski says he shut down the school after the New York City Department of Buildings said he had some problems because a lot of work was done in the building without permits. [The inspector] must have been an anti-Semitic guy; he wrote up violations like crazy. (Bryski did send Newsweek a sample of violation notices from 2011 to 2013.) Bryski still lives in Crown Heights, and though he has never been charged with or convicted of a crime, he is no longer a prominent community figureafter years of running widely respected schools, his career in education appears to be over. He says Simon and Borenstein ruined him: Two people and thats the end of my life. They took what I worked for for 35 years. My family suffered for no reason. I have seven married children and five I have to marry off. Im Supposed to Call the Police Like many grade-school kids, Mendy Raymond acted up every now and then and occasionally got detention. When he was in fourth grade at Oholei Torah, for example, he was teasing a classmate. Normal kid stuff. His teacher told him to stop, but he didnt. He says the teacher, infuriated, charged the desk and him so hard that he fell to the ground and nearly fractured his arm. He was then sent to the detention teacher, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Zalmanov, who locked away Raymonds coat and bag and told him to sit down. Now in his 20s, Raymond doesnt remember what he did that set off Zalmanovthough he does remember being upset about his throbbing armbut the next thing he knew, the teacher had hit him across the face so hard that he went flying into a closet, slamming his head into the hardwood. As the young child held his head in his hands, Zalmanov pulled him up by his shirt and threw him out of the class, closing the door behind him. Raymond ran out of the building, down the street and then home in the dead of winter, with no coat. When his mother returned home that evening, the baby sitter was distraught. When Raymond had walked in the door, he was shivering so uncontrollable it took a half-hour with blankets and hot drinks to warm him up, the baby sitter told his mother. Raymonds parents took their son to the family physician, a religious man respected in the community who, when he heard the story, called Lustig. He was blunt: I have to stop seeing these kids with bruises coming from your school. You need to get a grip on whats happening. Lustig agreed to meet with Raymond, his father, mother and Zalmanov later that week. Meanwhile, Raymond would be suspended from the school, Lustig said. It was supposed to be a meeting where they would apologize to us, says Raymonds mother. We got there expecting remorse and contrition, and it turned into a farce. They badmouthed Mendy and said he got what he deserved. I was in tears when they left. When they asked Zalmanov about his behavior, he was blunt, according to Raymonds mother: For chutzpah [impudence], I patsh [smack]. This wasnt the first time Zalmanov had allegedly harmed a student. Raymonds older brother Nachum says hes seen Zalmanov slap kids and even beat them up. He was a known abuser, says Mendy Alexander, a former Oholei Torah student, now a 25-year-old studying pre-med at Brooklyn College. Ive seen him hit kids multiple times. 03_11_hasidic_05 Pearl Gabel for Newsweek At the close of that meeting, Raymonds mother says, Lustig seemed quite appalled. But when she and her husband asked Lustig to transfer Raymond to another teachers class, the principal said there was no room for him. And neither Raymonds teacher nor Zalmanov was ever disciplined. There was little the family could do. It was traumatic, Raymonds mother says. You feel helpless. You open up your mouth, and you get ostracized. It was widely known that if you ratted out someone in the community for abuse, the community would turn its back on you. Gena Diacomanolis is the senior director of Safe Horizons Jane Barker Brooklyn Child Advocacy Center, where, over the past decade, she says, they have made tremendous strides in the Haredi communities. But the biggest barrier remains the pressure the community puts on individuals who want to come forward with stories of abuse. I can tell you tons of stories where they were so fearful of going forward, she says. I had one dad who said his son was sexually abused at school. He decided not to press charges, Diacomanolis recalls. He said, I don't want you to think I don't love my child, but if I go forward, I won't find a marriage for my daughter. Diacomanolis also says families are often harassed when they come forward. One client who charged her husband with abusing their child left her house, and the whole block was papered with things saying terrible things about her. One mother who found out her son had been sexually abused by a teacher at United Lubavitcher Yeshiva Ocean Parkway (another Hasidic school in Brooklyn) says when she complained to the yeshivas principal, she was shunned. I got thrown out of the community, she says. You cant imagine what was said to me. The phone calls I got. I was an outcast. I was threatened. Eventually, she left Crown Heights and then the stateyet she still insists on anonymity for fear of retribution from the community. (The current principal of ULYOP, Moshe Leiblich says he brought in a whole new staff when he started working there 11 years ago. We definitely do not condone those kinds of behaviors, he says. We have video cameras up in the rooms and take all measures. We are very careful.) Raymonds parents transferred him and his brothers out of Oholei Torah at the end of that school year. The authorities were never brought in, and Zalmanov, who was never charged with a crime, is still employed at Oholei Torah as a teachers assistant; he did not respond to Newsweeks requests for comment. This is the kind of thing where people pick up the phone and go to The New York Times or call the cops, says Raymonds mother. But nothing happened to those teachers. While sex abuse grabs all the headlines, experts say physical abuse is far more pervasive and has a similarly insidious and long-lasting impact on victims. And condoning a light tap on the wrist (as most ultra-Orthodox yeshivas do) can sometimes provide teachers a margin of safety to dole out much more violent penaltieswhich is why corporal punishment is illegal in New York public schools. However, there are no such restrictions in private schools (although, according to Rosenfeld, Oholei Torah has a no corporal punishment rule) and little motivation for them to change, unless theres a very public scandal. Catholic schools used to use a lot of corporal punishment too, says David Finkelhor, head of the University of New Hampshires Crimes Against Children Research Center. Theyve stopped, and I dont think it was because they got convinced it wasnt something they wanted to do. Protecting the Predators Chabad has a global network of synagogues, schools and other facilities that is often used to shelter abusers on the run. When rumors of abuse begin to bubble up, teachers are shuttled from school to school, city to citylike Reizes, shipped from Brooklyn to Miami and then back. In March 2008, eight students accused Malka Leifer, principal of the Adass Israel school for girls in Elsternwick, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia, of sexual abuse. Just days later, she hopped on a plane and fled to Israel. In September 2015, Australias Supreme Court awarded over $1 million in compensation to a 28-year-old abused by Leifer from 2003 to 2006. According to court documents, it was discovered during the course of the trial that there was a concerted effort by the community to protect Leifer: The schools president at the time, Yitzhok Benedikt, and board member Mark Ernst played key roles in arranging her escape to Israel. The two men are facing criminal charges; Leifer was arrested in Israel last year and is now fighting extradition to Australia. In recent years, Australia has emerged as the country most willing to confront child abuse in the Hasidic world. In 2013, the government formed the Royal Commission Into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, and in early 2015 it began a large investigation into the Hasidic community. Weeks of hearings led to a report detailing alleged abusesand how yeshivas and rabbinical leadership cover up that abuse and systematically ostracize survivors and their families. NSW_HasidicAbuse_halfpage_160229 Maelle Doliveux Back in the U.S., in 2013, two days before Rosh Hashanah, one of the holiest days of the year on the Jewish calendar, a 7-year-old boy came home from school seriously injured. He was traumatizedhe couldnt speak, says Shmuel, an adult family member who asked that Newsweek not print his name or that of anyone in his family. Eventually, the child told his parents the injury was caused by his teacher, Rabbi Velvel Karp, an Oholei Torah veteran. Karps name came up constantly during Newsweek s conversations with former students, with stories dating back to the 1990s. Five young men said they witnessed him routinely hit students hard across the face and, as a way to scare them into submission, hang children by their shirt out an open window of his fourth-floor classroomuntil the school moved him to a basement room. I know personally of one kid that he hung out the window, says former student Mendy Alexander. Hes a friend of mine. Hes still under community pressure and doesnt want to speak. But there were 28 students in the class, and everyone saw what happened. Its not a secret. The guy was completely abusive, says Mendy Pape, another former Oholei Torah student, now in his 20s. When you walked into his classroom, children were afraid to move. As their neighbors were preparing for the holiday, the childs family took him to the doctor, where they say he was diagnosed with a concussion. Karp lifted him in the air and tossed him into a glass door or windowwere not sure, says Shmuel. The following week, the family told the school what had happened. Karp soon paid a visit to the family and begged for forgiveness, according to Shmuel, and a week later the school moved the child out of Karps class. Meanwhile, the childs mother begged the school to transfer Karp to an administration job, Shmuel says. The school said theyd call her back, and they never did. That was two years ago. Rumors reached the Brooklyn district attorney and were in turn passed along to a local detective who had been working the precinct. The detective investigated, despite the fact that there was no complainant. No one wanted to cooperate, says the detective, who is retired now and asked to remain anonymous to protect her post-retirement livelihood. Oholei Torah, on the other hand, wrote in an email that it cooperated fully with the investigation and that both the police and the district attorneys office cleared Karp of any wrongdoing. The detective confirms that nothing indicating criminality was uncovered during the course of the investigation: After conducting a thorough investigation, I had no basis to proceed. An extensive investigation was conducted, but no one wanted to talk. Karp, who was never charged with or convicted of a crime, did not respond to Newsweeks requests for comment. Shmuel says theres a good reason the police investigation died: The childs family didnt want to talk because theyre scared. [His mom] is afraid theyll get kicked out of the school. Others who know the family say theyve been able to send their kids to Oholei Torah only with the help of scholarships and reduced tuition that they now fear losing. Oholei Torah, after all, is one of the most prestigious Chabad schools in Brooklyn. It has been praised by national luminaries like Joe Lieberman, the former U.S. senator from Connecticut, and former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. And it continues to have widespread support. On December 30, 2015, Oholei Torah launched a 24-hour crowdfunding campaign on Charidy.com, with the goal of raising $2 million, in honor of its 60th anniversary. The school blew by the target, reaching $2.7 million by days end. Knowing You Are Sick Despite all the physical, sexual and emotional abuse they have witnessed or endured, most of the former Hasidic yeshiva students Newsweek spoke to insist that what people outside their community really need to be alarmed about is the dismal education offered by these schools. They are angry that when they reached 18 and finally moved out of their parents home, they realized for the first time that they hadnt been given the tools needed to navigate the real world. (The New York City Department of Education is investigating at least three dozen yeshivas to determine if they are providing adequate secular education.) Perhaps this issue drives survivors because it is the one thing they can fix. After leaving the Orthodox world, many spend their early 20s regaining control of their lives and getting a real education. Its preposterously difficult for them because they are so far behind, but some do it. They earn GEDs, go to community college and then become doctors, artists, businessmen and social justice advocates. They focus on the futurebecause their efforts to stop the predators have been futile. In New York, survivors of most cases of child molestation have five years after they turn 18 to get the district attorney to prosecute. (In cases of sexual misconduct, legal proceedings must begin within two years after the offense was committed, regardless of the childs age at the time of the alleged crime.) Many child abuse experts say that window is not nearly big enough for young men just starting to understand what happened to them. Its no surprise that most of the abuse Newsweek uncovered happened long agono 10-year-old has the wherewithal to talk to the press about his abusive teacher. It takes a 25-year-old who has finally received a proper education to understand what was done to him 15 years ago. For almost a decade, Assemblywoman Margaret Markey, from Queens, has been trying to pass a bill that would eliminate the statute of limitations on both criminal and civil cases of sex crimes against children. But she has faced fierce opposition from two political powerhouses: the New York State Catholic Conference and Agudath Israel of America. The Hasidic world is starting to take allegations of abuse more seriously, and many of the individuals who talked on the record with Newsweek for this story say they finally feel comfortable speaking publicly about their personal histories with abuse because of the community support that has emerged in recent years. Schneur Borensteins parents, for example, are prominent members of the Hasidic community of Poughkeepsie, New York, where his father is the rabbi of the local Chabad synagogue, and they say the Hasidic public has been fully on their side. There are also organizations like Jewish Community Watch punching holes in a formerly impenetrable wall. Though JCW has faced criticism for a lack of transparency on the process it uses to obtain confessions and the evidence used to determine who ends up on its Wall of Shame, the organization has never been sued for libel or defamation, and it has published a clear process on its website. Former Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes has praised JCW and given it an award for exposing child predators and creating change in the tight-knit Hasidic community in Brooklyn. JCWs focus, it says, is to work with the community to improve transparency and protect children from abuse. It is our sincere hope that the rebbe's institutions will follow [his] guidance by fostering openness and accountability, a JCW spokesperson says. If wrongdoing has occurred, it should not be covered up but rather exposed and dealt with immediately. The foundation of our mission is to protect children. This can only happen when leadership is open and honest. Transparency leads to the protection of our children. But others say that despite the lip service paid to cleaning up the Hasidic school system, nothing has changed. In 2015, Manny Waks, one of the key whistleblowers in the Australian royal commission inquiry, visited Crown Heights as part of an ABC television special. Chabads international leadership rolled out the red carpet, Waks says, even inviting him to meet with Rabbi Mendy Sharfstein, Chabad director of operations, to discuss ways to improve the communitys response to abuse allegations. Waks left the meeting feeling they had listened and were genuinely considering his proposals. However, in the months following, they went radio silent, ignoring his emails and calls. The meeting, Waks says, was all smoke and mirrors. It was a PR exercise. 03_11_hasidic_06 Jonas Opperskalski for Newsweek Consider the high-profile case of Sam Kellner, who took allegations of his sons sexual abuse to the police in 2008 and worked with authorities to gather enough evidence to help convict Baruch Lebovits of child abuse in 2010. Lebovits was imprisoned and began to serve what was meant to be a sentence of 10 and a half to 32 yearsuntil the conviction was overturned on appeal in 2012, on the basis of a prosecutorial error, and Lebovits was released. Meanwhile, in 2011, Kellner was indicted on charges of bribing a man to falsely testify against Lebovits in order to extort hundreds of thousands of dollars from the Lebovits family. Those charges against Kellner were dropped in 2014 because the witnesses members of the Lebovits family, as well as their friends and employees lacked credibility to such a degree that their testimony cannot be trusted, according to Kevin ODonnell, an assistant district attorney at the time. The key witnessthe man supposedly bribed by Kellnerwas found to have been paid off by Lebovitss associate. At that point, in June 2014, Lebovits took a plea deal for two years. But because he had already served 13 months prior to his successful 2012 appeal, and thanks to a reduced sentence for good behavior, he was released in September 2014. Meanwhile, Kellner nearly lost everything, and the community turned him into a pariah. Almost every other member of the Hasidic community who has come forward with allegations of abuse has suffered a similar fate; when Chaim Levin accused his cousin of molesting him, he was publicly called a liar over and over. I was the villain for misleading the public, Levin says. From the age of 14, I was bounced around from yeshiva to yeshiva and was treated like a criminal because I had the audacity to speak up. There were also dozens of additional stories of abuse Newsweek was unable to print because the victims could not give their names or corroborating evidence for fear of losing their homes, families and livelihoods. The reality is that before the community learns to trust victims and consider alleged abuserseven rabbiswith skepticism, there will be many more Chaim Levins, and many more Sam Kellners, Ozer Simons, Manny Vogels and Schneur Borensteins. 03_11_hasidic_07 Pearl Gabel for Newsweek Im very proud of Schneur, says his mother, Hindy. I am very proud that these things were not swept under the rug and were dealt with openly. She prays that her familys story will set an example for not only its community but also others around the world. In Judaism, she says, we have an expression: Yediat machala, chetzi refuahKnowing that you are sick is half the cure. Related Articles Bogota (AFP) - Colombia said Thursday it will allow negotiators from the FARC guerrillas to resume flying into the country from peace talks in Cuba, two weeks after suspending the visits. The spat, which threatened to derail a peace process that appears close to a final deal, erupted after peace negotiators from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) were photographed alongside armed fighters at a rally during a visit to an isolated village near the Venezuelan border. The government said that breached the two sides' agreement on such visits, which are supposed to be exclusively for briefing FARC members at their bases on the ground about the progress of the three-year-old talks in Havana. "A fundamental rule of this agreement is that they do not make politics with arms," chief government negotiator Humberto de la Calle said at the time. The defense ministry said negotiators from the Marxist rebel group would be allowed two more "final" visits. The two sides have vowed to sign a peace deal by March 23, though the FARC have indicated the deadline may not be met. The half-century-old Colombian conflict has killed more than 220,000 people. KINSHASA (Reuters) - Democratic Republic of Congo will extradite a suspect in Rwanda's 1994 genocide, Congo's justice minister said on Thursday, retreating from an earlier demand that Rwanda first respond to Congo's own extradition requests. Ladislas Ntaganzwa, a former Rwandan mayor under indictment for his alleged role in the slaughter of some 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus by ethnic Hutu militias, was arrested in eastern Congo in December. He was one of nine high-profile fugitives wanted in connection with the genocide who are still at large. Rwanda has accused him of genocide, direct and public incitement to commit genocide, extermination, murder and rape. Justice Minister Alexis Thambwe said that he had promised a delegation from the Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals, a U.N. body charged with overseeing prosecutions related to the genocide, on Feb. 19 that Ntaganzwa would be extradited within a month. "I confirmed to them on that occasion that we agreed to extradite Ladislas," he said. "At the moment, there are just a few formalities to take care of. It could happen at any moment." Congolese officials said after the arrest that Rwandan authorities should extradite individuals wanted in Congo first, including Laurent Nkunda, the former leader of a Rwandan-backed insurrection in eastern Congo from 2006-2009. Nkunda is under house arrest in the Rwandan capital of Kigali, according to the United Nations. But Thambwe said on Thursday that reciprocity did not apply in Ntaganzwa's case as he is the object of a U.N.-backed international arrest warrant. (Reporting by Aaron Ross; Editing by Catherine Evans) Simone Moro stood atop Pakistan's "Killer Mountain" last week and observed the curve of the Earth -- a view which had never been seen by anyone in winter until the climber and his team conquered Nanga Parbat. The expedition had taken three months and came more than six decades after the mountain was first summited, but 10 minutes was all Moro could allow himself to enjoy his achievement. "Now you have to come back... But you are so completely exhausted," the Italian mountaineer explained in an exclusive interview with AFP, saying he was afraid of losing concentration on the long, dangerous descent. From the peak, 8,125 metres (26,660 feet) above sea level, the mountains of northern Pakistan and India stretched out before him -- including three more of the 14 eight-thousanders. These are the only mountains on the planet with "death zones" -- above 8,000 metres, where it is believed that the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere is too low to sustain human life. The pyramid of K2, the world's second-highest mountain and now the only eight-thousander unsummited in winter, was in the distance. "I saw the horizon -- the line of the horizon -- I saw that the line was curved," Moro said. "When you see these things... you understand how small and at the same time how big you could be." Nanga Parbat, with one of the highest death rates in the world, earned its grisly nickname after more than 30 climbers died trying to conquer it before the first successful summit in 1953. Climbing it in winter's treacherous conditions would remain a feat unattained until Moro and his team -- Alex Txikon of Spain and Pakistani climber Ali Sadpara -- made their historic summit on February 26. One member of their team, Tamara Lunger from Italy, was forced to abandon her attempt just 170 metres from the peak. She could see Sadpara waving at her from the summit, she said, but she knew she had pushed her body to its limit. "My muscles felt very bad... I was vomiting the whole day and everything I ate or drank came out again." Story continues Hesitating, she asked herself if she was sad -- but the choice was clear. "I said okay, if you go to the top now you will not go home... and I turned around and went down." - Altitude of a jumbo jet - Nanga Parbat's fearsome Rupal face, rising more than 4,000 metres from base to top, presents one of the most difficult -- and tantalising -- challenges in climbing. Moro said the team, which climbed without oxygen, had little time to acclimatise themselves, spending just one night at 6,200 metres before making the push toward the summit. "When you want to go the altitude of jumbo flight without oxygen you need to acclimatise," he said, admitting that a "big question mark" hung over their expedition as they began the final climb. Gusts buffeted them at 45 kilometres (28 miles) an hour, and with the wind chill temperatures plummeted to 50 degrees below zero, he said, admitting that due to frostbite he still cannot feel his toes. "We were shaking all day," he said. It took more than eight hours to cover the final two kilometres, then another four and a half to come down to the camp. - Pakistani 'utopia' - "When there was just 50 metres to go we had to wait where we were for 30 minutes because of the winds. If we had tried at that time to summit the wind would have thrown us off the mountain," added Sadpara -- who said he hoped to inspire a new generation of Pakistani climbers. Moro had already tried -- and failed -- to scale Nanga Parbat, which means "Naked Mountain" in Urdu, three times before, estimating that he has spent around a year of his life at base camp. This year, he says, everything aligned: a window of good weather opened, they had the right team and were in good shape -- and, he says, they were lucky. Three of the world's most spectacular mountain ranges converge in northern Pakistan's Gilgit-Baltistan region: the Karakoram, the Hindu Kush and the Himalayas, anchored at their western end by Nanga Parbat. The tourism industry there hit a record low when militants stormed Nanga Parbat base camp in 2013. Ten foreign tourists and their local guide were shot dead in the attack claimed by the Pakistani Taliban. Moro, who made his second attempt at the mountain the following year, dismissed any security fears, saying the threat of militancy in Pakistan is not worse than in the United States, Britain or Italy. "This is a utopia... There are thousands and thousands of unclimbed peaks, untouched mountains," he said, adding that he hopes a cultural shift will come. Meanwhile, he said, he dreams of continuing his climbing adventures. "The time of exploration is not finished... What I did is vertical exploration, it could be stupid I know because it is not useful." But the spirit could inspire people in other fields also, he said, such as a young medical student exploring new ways to cure cancer. "This kind of exploration will change the history of the world." Oxon Hill (United States) (AFP) - American conservatives faced a wrenching decision Thursday about their party's future: embrace Donald Trump's divisive but winning Republican presidential bid, or take former nominee Mitt Romney's advice and find a way to derail the billionaire's victory march. With the controversial real estate tycoon apparently on a glide path to becoming the Republican standard-bearer, some party leaders, operatives and voters have begun to panic at the prospect of nominee Trump, while others are saying it's time, for better or worse, to rally around the man leading the pack. The last-ditch effort to halt Trump, some say, threatens to rupture the Grand Old Party. Trump himself acknowledged as much Thursday, telling MSNBC that "we have a party that's stagnant and dying." In some of the bluntest criticism yet from the party establishment, Mitt Romney -- who ran unsuccessfully against Barack Obama in 2012 -- lambasted Trump as unfit to be president. Romney said if Trump were to be the nominee, it would enable a Democratic victory for the party's presumptive candidate Hillary Clinton. "Donald Trump is a phony, a fraud" lacking the temperament and judgment to be commander-in-chief, Romney said in a speech in Utah, as he urged voters to rally around one of the remaining candidates: Senator Ted Cruz, Senator Marco Rubio or Ohio Governor John Kasich. Trump, Romney said, "is playing the American public for suckers." The party's 2008 White House nominee, Senator John McCain, piled on, saying he shared Romney's concerns and those expressed by top national security experts, calling Trump's statements "uninformed and indeed dangerous." Trump wasted little time before striking back, assailing Romney for "begging" for an endorsement, only to lose to Obama four years ago. "I could have said 'Mitt, drop to your knees,' (and) he would have dropped to his knees," Trump said -- with a sufficient dose of sexual innuendo to light up Twitter. Story continues "He choked like I've never seen anyone choke," he told a rally in Maine, which holds its Republican primary on Saturday. - Debate night - Whether or not Trump should carry the torch is the crux of the GOP race, which he has dominated essentially since he jumped in eight months ago. It will no doubt feature prominently in Thursday night's Republican debate in Detroit, where Trump faces Cruz, Rubio and Kasich on stage. In interviews with AFP, several conservatives gathering at an annual convention outside Washington said they were torn. "I supported Rubio... now I'm going to have to hold my nose and vote for Trump," Ron Fodor, mayor of the small town of Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, said at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). Some voters proudly wore Trump shirts or "Make America Great Again" hats at the event, where Trump and Rubio are scheduled to speak Saturday. House Republican Steve King backs Cruz, but he said forcing a party implosion just to stop a popular candidate was not the answer. "We should not change the rules just because you don't like the person that emerges in the leadership," King told AFP. - Republican Party 'shattered' - The anti-Trump coalition is not the issue, argued Senator Ben Sasse, who is desperate to derail the tycoon. "We have a frontrunner right now who has waged war against almost every core plank of the platform, so it isn't any anti-movement that's causing that problem," he said. Scottie Nell Hughes, a Trump supporter, said if he is the catalyst for party disruption, so be it. "The Republican Party needed to be shattered," she told AFP at CPAC. "Losers" like Romney, she said, "have sat there and bullied the people to be quiet. All Mr. Trump is doing is pushing back." Resignation was setting in for some former Trump critics. "It is too late," Republican strategist Alex Castellanos, whose earlier call to back an anti-Trump campaign fell flat, told the Washington Post Wednesday. "There is a fantasy effort to stop Trump, like a fantasy campaign to stop yesterday but it exists only as the denial stage of grief." Still, the #NeverTrump movement was making a stand at CPAC, where Brian Hawkins, a 27-year old African-American waving a "Veterans Against Trump" sign, said it was time to rally around an alternate candidate. "A lot of us are thoroughly offended that these elements of the Republican Party have somehow had the loudest voice or are on the verge of nominating Trump," Hawkins said. Should Trump be actively blocked from becoming the nominee, it could be seen as blatant disregard for Republican voters and democratic principles. "The Republican Party gave me Trump," whispered Doris, a grandmother from Maryland who asked that her last name not be used, as she walked past Hawkins. "What we asked for, voted for, what we paid for -- jobs, immigration, health care, balanced budget -- nothing happened," she hissed, verging on tears as she criticized what she said was the party's unprincipled performance in Washington. "And you know what? I think he's going to make it OK." By Marc Frank HAVANA (Reuters) - Americans traveling to Cuba later this month are being moved out of Havana hotels to make room for President Barack Obama's entourage and being sent tantalizingly close to a place U.S. law effectively forbids them from visiting: the beach. Obama will make his historic trip to the Communist-ruled Caribbean island on March 21-22 with hundreds of people in tow, crowning 15 months of warming relations after more than half a century of Cold War animosity. Cuba is already experiencing a tourism boom and March is traditionally its busiest month. The Obama visit has put additional strain on hotels that have already been booked to capacity for much of the high season. Major Havana hotels are being cleared, according to the head of a U.S. travel company who asked not to be identified for concern it would damage future business relations. "Just got notice that the Capri, Panorama, Nacional, half of Parque Central and potentially other hotels have been told to send all guests to Varadero from the 19th to 23rd of March," he wrote in an e-mail. The Varadero resort, an hour's drive east of Havana, is Cuba's most sought after tourism destination, with sandy white beaches, shimmering waters and plentiful hotels. But the beach is off limits to Americans as U.S. restrictions on travel to the island expressly forbid tourism in Cuba. Americans are limited to authorized travel such as educational and cultural exchanges. This means most U.S. visitors are concentrated in Havana, where there are lots of cultural sites and activities, a rocky seafront and scarce hotel rooms. "The Cuban government is clearing out Havana hotels and sending visiting U.S. groups to Varadero Beach for a long weekend," said Collin Laverty, president of Cuban Educational Travel, which organizes authorized U.S. travel groups. "Tourism will be hard to avoid for a few days as U.S. visitors are surrounded by white sand, turquoise water and all you can eat and drink bars and buffets," he added. "But we will try." Cuban travel agencies were not immediately available for comment. Following the U.S.-Cuban detente announced by Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro in December 2014, American visits to Cuba soared 77 percent in 2015 to 161,000 visitors. Cuba is expecting a similar increase this year. Obama, a Democrat, has loosened travel restrictions to the once-forbidden land as well as some other trade barriers. But only Congress, currently controlled by Republicans, can lift the U.S. embargo and its ban on tourism, in place since the early 1960s. (Reporting by Marc Frank; Editing by Daniel Trotta and Frances Kerry) By Jonathan Landay and Phil Stewart WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In the months before he was killed in a U.S. raid, al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden made plans for a major media blitz to mark the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. The planning was revealed in documents seized in the May 2, 2011, assault on bin Laden's hideout in Pakistan and reviewed by Reuters. In the documents released on Tuesday, bin Laden and other senior al Qaeda leaders discussed names of media outlets, including al Jazeera, CBS and British and Arabic journalists, that could be offered material. "It is obvious to you that the coming anniversary of the two Manhattan attacks is the tenth anniversary and this event has great importance," read an unsigned, undated letter that U.S. intelligence officials believe bin Laden authored. "Therefore care must be given to it and preparation should be given to it." Al Qaeda shouldn't rely on a single media source "to benefit from that event" and to "deliver our message to Muslims...and incite their souls," the author continued in the letter to an adviser, Atiyah Abdul Rahman. A senior U.S. intelligence official, speaking on condition of anonymity, described the document and other materials as examples of bin Laden "thinking out loud. He did a lot of that." In the letter, bin Laden recommended that al Jazeera, the Qatar-based news network, be told that al Qaeda was "ready to cooperate with them in the area of coverage for the tenth anniversary of September 11." "We look for an American channel that is close to neutrality and professionalism, such as CBS, for example," he continued, adding that the network be sent material "that we want delivered to the American people." He also urged that contact be made with Robert Fisk, a correspondent with Britain's Independent newspaper, and Abdul Bari Atwan, then the editor of the London-based newspaper, Al Quds Al Arabi, who interviewed bin Laden in 1996 in Afghanistan. Story continues "Tell them that the 10th anniversary of September 11 is near and that it is the summation of ten years of severe warfare between the mujahidin and the United States," bin Laden wrote. "As they are hoisting the banner of opposing opinions, this is an opportunity for us to explain our motivations for the continuation of this war." The two journalists should be informed that al Qaeda had a plan for them to "prepare a documentary on the tenth anniversary and we will provide them with written, audio and video information," bin Laden said. It was unclear if al Qaeda ever followed through with elements of its plan. Atwan told Reuters he was surprised to learn he was mentioned in the documents and was unsure of their authenticity. CBS and Al Jazeera did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Fisk could not immediately be reached for comment. Another, unsigned document suggested that bin Laden kept an eye on his organization's media material. Writing to an associate named Hajj Uthman, the author -- who U.S. intelligence officials also believe was bin Laden -- made recommendations for the production of the network's "media products," including not publishing "pictures of prisoners after they were beheaded." Al Qaeda commanders should improve their selection of verbiage, media producers should avoid exaggerations, pictures shouldn't be doctored and no materials should mention suicide bombers who balked after arriving at their targets, he added. (Additional reporting by Idrees Ali; editing by Stuart Grudgings) As the United States appears to move ever-so-slightly toward the nationwide legalization of marijuana, the drug is still listed by the Drug Enforcement Administration as a drug "with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse." Critics of marijuana legalization are still concerned about the effects the drug could have on the body. "Along with others, we have expressed concern about the unintended consequences that may accompany the legalization of medical marijuana," Eric Hawkins, a spokesman for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints told the Salt Lake Tribune in a statement in February, opposing a bill in Utah that would legalize medical marijuana. "We have expressed opposition to Sen. Madsen's bill because of that concern." But many of the most widely spread "facts" about marijuana are actually myths. 1. Marijuana can be deadly. One of the most prominent myths surrounding marijuana is that the drug can be deadly. However, no one has ever died from an overdose on marijuana. But there is little evidence that smoking weed moderately has any long-term effects on the lungs. A 2012 study published concluded that "occasional and low cumulative marijuana use was not associated with adverse effects on pulmonary function," after observing over 5,000 adults for 20 years. T "Because cannabinoid receptors, unlike opioid receptors, are not located in the brainstem areas controlling respiration, lethal overdoses from cannabis and cannabinoids do not occur." Smoking marijuana is riskier than eating it, but still safer than other vices, according to Robert S. Gable, a professor emeritus of psychology at Claremont Graduate University. "My surmise is that smoking marijuana is more risky than eating it but it is still safer than getting drunk," Gable wrote for the American Scientist in 2006. "Alcohol thus ranks at the dangerous end of the toxicity spectrum. So despite the fact that about 75% of all adults in the United States enjoy an occasional drink, it must be remembered that alcohol is quite toxic." Story continues 2. Marijuana is not addictive. Marijuana probably isn't as addictive in the same way that nicotine, which produces strong, can be. However, many experts believe that smoking marijuana can become a habit that is hard to let go of, according to CBS News. Time reported addiction rates for weed generally don't compare to other drugs, whether they are legal or not. see mood effects, irritability. Food intake decreases. There are sleep disruptions. It looks like nicotine withdrawal," Carl Hart, associate professor of psychology at Columbia University, told Time in 2010. "You can actually die from alcohol withdrawal. Heroin withdrawal you can't really die from; it's more like the flu. Marijuana withdrawal is annoying, but it isn't life-threatening." 3. Marijuana Studies have shown that marijuana has little to no effect on existing memories, nor can marijuana be blamed for dementia. "I think all we can say safely so far is using low doses of marijuana for prolonged periods of time at some point in your life, possibly when you're middle-aged to late-middle-aged, is probably going to slow the onset or development of dementia, to the point where you'll most likely die of old age before you get Alzheimer's," Gary Wenk, professor of neuroscience at Ohio State University, told Leaf Science. Other studies found that marijuana had "no residual or long-term effects on working memory," according to Lifehacker. One 2002 study on brain function in long-term marijuana smokers found, after observing heavy smokers who stopped smoking weed for the research, that memories generally went go back to normal after a period of nonsmoking. 4. Marijuana is harmless. According to Kevin Hill director of the substance abuse consultation service at McLean Hospital, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School the most dangerous myth surrounding the drug is, "Marijuana is harmless." "It's not harmless. It is not as dangerous as opioids, for example, but while marijuana may not be as bad as opioids, it still can be dangerous," Hill wrote on a Reddit post that was consolidated by Quartz. "Most researchers agree that early, regular use of marijuana young people below 25 whose brains are developing is a bad idea. Major negative effects of long-term use include cognitive difficulties, worsening anxiety, worsening depression and increased likelihood of expressing a psychotic disorder (not causing one)." COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Denmark decided on Thursday to extend temporary controls at its border with Germany by 30 days to April 3, Immigration Minister Inger Stojberg said. The government first implemented temporary border controls on Jan. 4 as a reaction to similar steps from Sweden in response to an influx of migrants from the Middle East and Africa, and has been extending the measure in lockstep with its northern neighbor. "It is still the opinion of the Danish government that the Danish border control does not exceed what is strictly necessary in this situation," Stojberg said in a letter to European Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos explaining the extension. (Reporting by Teis Jensen; Editing by Kevin Liffey) Quito (AFP) - Ecuador's top diplomat, Ricardo Patino, will take over as defense minister after the previous chief resigned in a spat over cuts to the military pension fund by President Rafael Correa, officials said Thursday. Patino, a close ally of the leftist president, has held a series of cabinet posts in his administration, and has been highly visible as foreign minister for his outspoken defense of Ecuador's decision to grant exile to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in its London embassy. He replaces Fernando Cordero, who resigned Tuesday after Correa fired his top military brass for interfering in "administrative matters." The dispute appeared to stem from statements by the head of the joint chiefs of staff, General Luis Garzon, criticizing the government's intervention in a real estate deal between the army pension fund and the environment ministry. Correa's administration slapped a $41 million charge on the pension fund for allegedly overpricing a parcel of land in southwestern Ecuador. Current Culture Minister Guillaume Long will take over the foreign ministry, said state news agency Andes. Santo Domingo (AFP) - Frenchman Christophe Naudin arrived early Friday in the Dominican Republic after being extradited by Egypt over his alleged involvement in the escape of two pilots jailed in a drugs case dubbed "Air Cocaine." Naudin, a 53-year-old criminologist and aviation security expert who was arrested in Cairo on February 4, is wanted in the Caribbean nation on suspicion of helping pilots Pascal Fauret and Bruno Odos flee to France in October after they had been sentenced to 20 years in prison for drug trafficking. The pair, who maintain their innocence, were arrested in March 2013 as they were about to depart from Punta Cana in a private jet found to be carrying 680 kilos (1,500 pounds) of cocaine. Convicted of drug trafficking in August, they were released pending appeal but barred from leaving the Caribbean nation. They somehow managed to flee and return to France -- an escape that Dominican prosecutors allege Naudin facilitated. Prosecutor Francisco Dominguez said Naudin would be charged with conspiracy and the trafficking of migrants. Naudin arrived in Santo Domingo shortly after midnight, said Tessy Sanchez, a spokeswoman for the attorney general's office. Naudin will make an initial court appearance within 48 hours of arrival, the prosecutor told journalists. Fauret and Odos fled back to France vowing to clear their names, but were rearrested in November near the French city of Lyon. On February 11, an appeals court in the Dominican Republic upheld the 20-year prison sentences for the two pilots. Paris has ruled out extraditing them. But France's foreign ministry on Thursday confirmed Naudin had been extradited. "France has done everything it could to support Naudin," a statement said. "Our embassy in Santo Domingo is following the situation closely and is ready to provide consular assistance." Naudin's wife Michele said he would not receive a fair trial in Santo Domingo. "The Dominican Republic has already said he will be convicted. We know that there is no justice there, and France knows this, yet it let him leave" Egypt, she told AFP. Story continues The affair has prompted keen interest in France, after Interpol in November issued arrest warrants for Fauret and Odos, as well as a far-right member of the European Parliament accused of involvement. Olivier Cadic, France's senator representing overseas nationals, called Naudin's extradition "very bad news for our country." "There is real concern at how France has managed this affair," he told AFP. Miami (AFP) - Eight migrants traveling from Cuba on a rickety raft have landed safely in the Florida Keys, the latest in a wave of arrivals from the communist island, US officials said Wednesday. Frank Miller, a spokesman for the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency, confirmed the refugees' arrival. More than 2,200 Cubans have fled to the US by boat or raft since October, and under America's "wet foot, dry foot" policy, any Cuban who makes it to US territory is allowed to remain permanently. Thousands of Cubans continue to make the risky, 90-mile (145-kilometer) voyage despite the restoration last year of diplomatic relations between Washington and Havana, which many experts believe will lead to greater international trade and improved quality of life on the island. But some Cubans fear that the warming of relations could bring an end to their "wet foot, dry foot" welcome in America. By Robin Emmott BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union is considering additional measures against North Korea following the approval of harsh new sanctions by the U.N. Security Council in order to show solidarity with South Korea and Japan, both major trade partners, diplomats said. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini has welcomed Wednesday's U.N. unanimous vote to expand existing sanctions following North Korea's latest nuclear test and rocket launch, saying the bloc would update its sanctions regime. "There is scope for the European Union to adopt additional autonomous restrictive measures to complement and reinforce the new U.N. measures," said a diplomatic note seen by Reuters on the latest discussions. Germany, France, Spain and Poland want to see what more the bloc can do in areas such as finance and insurance, as well as hitting more North Koreans with asset freezes. Germany, one of seven EU member states to have an embassy in Pyongyang, also wants better monitoring of the "non-diplomatic" activities of North Korean envoys, EU diplomats said. While far from Europe, North Korea is a concern to NATO and to the EU's Asian trade partners. "This is about supporting our allies Japan and South Korea, who are directly threatened by North Korea's aggression," said one EU diplomat involved in the discussions on further measures. The foreign ministers of South Korea and Japan, which are both in range of North Korea's ballistic missiles, have phoned Mogherini in recent weeks to urge maximum pressure on Pyongyang. But the EU's leverage over the isolated communist state is limited because Germany, Sweden and others are unwilling to cut diplomatic ties. Sweden, present in Pyongyang since the 1970s, is among those providing humanitarian aid to North Koreans. Given that the United States says the new United Nations sanctions go further than any other U.N. sanctions regime in two decades, the EU's measures, once updated, also leave little room to go further and new steps still need to be discussed. Trade between the 28-nation European Union and North Korea fell to just 34 million euros in 2014 from more than 300 million euros a decade ago. EU foreign ministers have reinforced their sanctions several times in recent years to include asset freezes and bans on financing and the delivery of banknotes. EU countries also cannot export arms or metals used in ballistic missile systems and are banned from selling gold, diamonds and luxury goods to North Korea. Joint ventures are outlawed. (Editing by Gareth Jones) LONDON (Reuters) - European nations have handed out a combined 535 million free European Union carbon permits to industry to cover 2016 emissions, the European Commission said on Thursday. The allocation of EU Allowances (EUAs) will add supply to a market already awash with permits and could put more pressure on carbon prices, which are now below 5 euros a ton. Germany and France handed out the most permits, at 129.6 million and 73.2 million respectively, while five countries including Spain and Italy have yet to distribute any of the free permits, an update on the Commission's website showed. The EU Emissions Trading System caps the emissions of more than 11,000 power plants, factories and airlines, forcing them to surrender one carbon permit for every ton of carbon dioxide emitted annually by April of the following year. Industrial firms regulated by the scheme, such as steel and cement makers, will get a total of around 6.6 billion free allowances between 2013 and 2020 to help them compete with rivals in other countries that have looser environmental rules. The amount given is based on historical production forecasts and a fall in industrial output since the 2008 recession means many are left holding a surplus of credits they can sell. The Commission said it will publish its next update on the progress of the free allocation on March 17. (Reporting by Susanna Twidale; Editing by Mark Potter and David Holmes) Brussels (AFP) - EU President Donald Tusk sent a stark message Thursday to would-be economic migrants not to come to Europe as the bloc seeks to get a grip on the crisis. Here are some of the key figures on the migrant situation in Europe since the beginning of the year: - Influx continues - Between January 1 and February 29, 2016, 131,724 migrants and refugees crossed the Mediterranean Sea, of whom 122,637 arrived in EU member Greece, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The figure is comparable to the total registered in the first half of 2015, when 147,209 arrived on Europe's shores. In 2015 more than a million migrants entered Europe, with Germany taking in the vast majority. For its part the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said 120,065 people arrived by sea from January 1 to 24 February, 2016. According to the IOM's figures, Greece took in 111,099 migrants and refugees. In the month of January alone, out of 67,415 migrants who arrived in Greece, 44 percent were men, 22 percent women and 34 percent children, it said. In Italy, 8,966 migrants arrived by sea since the beginning of the year, one thousand more than the same period in 2015. On February 24, 98,752 migrants had been registered in Croatia, 95,744 in Slovenia, 2,476 in Hungary and 821 in Bulgaria, according to the authorities in the EU states concerned. Non-EU member Macedonia says it has registered 87,036, while Serbia has tallied 87,704. - Hundreds dead - According to the IOM, from January 1 to February 24, 2016, at least 418 migrants and refugees lost their lives trying to cross the Mediterranean. According to the UNHCR, 410 people have died since the beginning of the year. The route in the eastern Mediterranean linking Turkey and Greece continued to be the most dangerous, with a toll of 321 dead. Some 428 migrants had died in the first two months of 2015, the IOM noted. In 2015, 3,770 migrants lost their lives trying to reach Europe, according to the IOM. Story continues - Countries of origin - The migrants and refugees mainly come from Syria, where the civil war which started in March 2011 has left more than 270,000 dead and made more than 4.7 million people flee the country. Non-EU member Turkey is today the main country of asylum for Syrian refugees, hosting between two million and 2.5 million Syrians. Lebanon has taken in 1.2 million Syrian refugees. According to the IOM, citing Greek coast guards, between February 1 and 21, 48 percent of the migrants who arrived in Greece came from Syria, while 25 percent came from Afghanistan and 17 percent from Iraq. According to an IOM official, a rise in arrivals in Italy since the beginning of 2016 can be explained by a growing number of migrants from sub-Saharan Africa, in particular from Nigeria, Gambia and Mali. The number of migrants from Morocco has also been on the rise, with 483 arriving in January 2016 against 93 in January 2015. - Migrants blocked at borders - The crisis is particularly acute at the Greek border crossing of Idomeni where more than 10,000 are stuck after Balkan states including neighbouring Macedonia imposed tighter controls. Since the beginning of the year restrictive measures taken against refugees have spiralled in Europe, whether it be in the Balkan transit countries for migrants, or in the mainly northern European countries where they want to settle. After Austria, the first country to have imposed quotas, Croatia and Slovenia -- both EU members -- as well as Macedonia and Serbia have all decided to limit the number of migrants allowed to enter their territory. In the northern French port of Calais, hundreds of migrants who want to reach Britain languish in a sprawling makeshift camp where between 3,700 and 7,000 mainly Syrian, Afghan and Sudanese migrants are crammed. - Quotas - Despite opposition from several EU member states, in particular Hungary and Slovakia, the EU in late 2015 adopted a quota system under which 160,000 refugees who have landed in Italy and Greece would be shared out. Only some 600 people have so far been relocated under the legally-binding plan. - EU aid - On Wednesday the EU proposed a humanitarian aid budget of 700 million euros to help frontline member states face up to the massive influx. The move came after Athens submitted an emergency plan to the EU to help cope with in 100,000 refugees, estimating it needs 480 million euros to cope. An EU-Turkey summit on the crisis is scheduled for March 7 in Brussels. News Story not available This story has been published on: 2022-10-22. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. This story is no longer available on our site. Lisbon (AFP) - A former president of Portuguese football giants Benfica, Manuel Damasio, was arrested and indicted Thursday for alleged influence peddling and money laundering as part of an international corruption investigation. The 75-year-old -- who served as Benfica president between January 1994 and October 1997 -- was arrested in the morning and brought before an investigating judge who placed him in judicial custody, the Portuguese prosecutor general said in a statement. The investigation into "international business corruption, money laundering, influence peddling and tax fraud" was opened in late 2014. Last month, Jose Veiga, a key figure behind the scenes at Benfica between 2004 and 2006, was charged as part of the investigation along with two lawyers, including Paulo Santana Lopes, the brother of former Portuguese prime minister Pedro Santana Lopes. Police said their arrests were related to contracts for "public works, construction and the sale of petroleum products between different private and public entities." Portuguese media linked the enquiry with business dealings involving Veiga, 52, and the Congolese president Denis Sassou Nguesso. Veiga, who has acted as an agent to several players including former Portugal star Luis Figo, was remanded in custody while Paulo Santana Lopes was placed under house arrest. EDINBURGH (Reuters) - A former deputy leader of Scotland's ruling nationalist party says he is backing a British exit from the European Union, partly because the bloc told Scotland to "get stuffed" during its independence referendum in 2014. In a pamphlet published on Thursday Jim Sillars, deputy leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) from 1991 to 1992, criticised the party now led by Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon for backing Britain's EU membership in a June 23 referendum. "We ... are being asked by the SNP to campaign in favour of an EU that, during the (independence) referendum campaign, told us to get stuffed, and if the UK remains in, will tell us that again when we come to the second independence referendum," he said. Sillars is a leading figure in the more radical faction of the Scottish secession movement, and may galvanise a "leave" vote in Scotland, although polls so far show Scots are mostly in favour of staying in the EU. Some leading politicians, including Sturgeon, have warned a vote to leave the EU could mean a renewed independence drive should Scotland back staying in and Britain as a whole votes for leaving. Scots rejected independence by 55 to 45 percent in 2014. "By campaigning in England, the SNP implicitly recognises and gives legitimacy to the unionist case that this is an all-UK vote, with no separate status for Scotland," he said. A poll last year showed 27 percent of SNP members backed leaving the EU. (Reporting By Elisabeth O'Leary; editing by Michael Holden) By Marc Jones LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's Suma Chakrabarti took a big step towards securing a second term as head of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development on Thursday when France gave the former UK civil servant its backing. Chakrabarti has been at the helm of the London-based development bank since 2012 and the move by France could deter potential challengers for the role, such as Poland's central bank governor Marek Belka. "I understand that the French have this week written to the Secretary-General of the EBRD expressing their support for Mr Chakrabarti," said a European finance ministry official who requested anonymity. "It is of course still early in the process, but the French letter follows other countries who have already spoken up in his favor." A EBRD source confirmed that the letter had also been sent to the bank's governors. Nominations for the job close on March 11 and if there is a challenger the bank's members will vote at the bank's annual meeting in May. The EBRD was created in 1991, originally to invest in the former Soviet bloc countries of eastern Europe to rebuild their economies and improve communist-era infrastructure. Chakrabarti's four-year term has been a difficult one for the bank. In 2014, the EBRD stopped lending in Russia, traditionally its biggest market, after Western countries imposed sanctions on Moscow over Ukraine. It suffered saw its first annual loss since the 2007-08 financial crisis. But the EBRD has also continued to expand its reach. It is has started lending in euro zone crisis countries Greece and Cyprus. Lebanon is expected to be next, while China has become a member. (Reporting by Marc Jones; Editing by William Schomberg/Mark Heinrich) By Michelle Conlin NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Koch brothers, the most powerful conservative mega donors in the United States, will not use their $400 million political arsenal to try to block Republican front-runner Donald Trump's path to the presidential nomination, a spokesman told Reuters on Wednesday. The decision by the billionaire industrialists is another setback to Republican establishment efforts to derail the New York real estate mogul's bid for the White House, and follows speculation the Kochs would soon launch a "Trump Intervention." "We have no plans to get involved in the primary," said James Davis, spokesman for Freedom Partners, the Koch brothers political umbrella group. He would not elaborate on what the brothers' strategy would be for the Nov. 8 election to succeed Democratic President Barack Obama. Three sources close to the Kochs said the brothers made the decision because they were concerned that spending millions of dollars attacking Trump would be money wasted, since they had not yet seen any attack on Trump stick. The Koch brothers are also smarting from the millions of dollars they pumped into the failed 2012 Republican presidential bids of Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney, the sources said. Donors and media reports have speculated since January, when the Kochs gathered 500 of Americas wealthiest political donors at a California resort, that they would deploy their vast political network to target Trump. The Kochs oppose his protectionist trade rhetoric and hardline views on immigration - which include building a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico and deporting millions of illegal immigrants. Many Republican figures and business backers are eager to see Trump, a political outsider who has tapped into rising anti-establishment sentiment, fail in his bid for the nomination. They prefer instead a more traditional candidate like U.S. Senator Marco Rubio of Florida. But with Trump racking up a series of wins in the early nominating contests against opponents including Rubio and U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, there is a growing sense of inevitability that he will win the party's mantle. (Editing by Richard Valdmanis, Chris Reese and Peter Cooney) Freetown (AFP) - A group of 5,000 girls who were expelled from schools in Sierra Leone for getting pregnant during the Ebola crisis have returned to the classroom, the education ministry said on Thursday. All schools were closed from June 2014 to April 2015 in Sierra Leone as part of government efforts to curb the spread of the Ebola virus, which killed almost 4,000 people in the country. But when they reopened in April 2015, girls were assessed using invasive methods to check if they were pregnant or had recently given birth. Kadie, in her third year of secondary school in the south of the country, told AFP: "My breasts were lumped together to find out whether they contained milky substances before I was allowed to continue my tuition." It pupils were found to be expecting or had become mothers, they were given the choice of attending temporary alternative classes funded by the British and Irish governments. As a result many girls missed exams to gain entrance to higher secondary school, university or college. Education Minister Brima Turay said the girls, some of whom were still in the primary system when they became pregnant, were readmitted in January after being banned from mainstream schooling for being a "negative influence" on others. "They started during the school year in January but we were watching their performance before this disclosure and I am pleased to report that it has been outstanding and over our expectation," he told AFP. The authorities said last year the girls were expelled "to avoid other girls from following the example of becoming pregnant while attending school", as it "would set a bad precedent which runs alien to the country's cultural values". An outcry ensued, with the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone calling the exclusion of pregnant girls from mainstream educational institutions "discriminatory and stigmatisation". Sallimatu, 13, who spoke to AFP by phone from Bo, Sierra Leone's second largest city, said she was happy to have returned to school, adding that the stigma attached to teenage pregnancy made her determined to work hard at her studies. Story continues The government will contribute to some of the girls' school fees for two years along with some living costs, the ministry said, partnering with charities to keep class sizes down as the girls re-enter the system. Some girls, however, will not be returning. Janet who got pregnant in the capital of Freetown aged just 11, said she had given up on mainstream education. "I am done with schooling. I fear going back to be harassed by friend and foe alike. I rather nurse my year-old baby and look to what life can do for me," she said. LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's financial watchdog is investigating six insurance firms including Prudential and Old Mutual over their treatment of long-time life insurance customers. The other firms involved were Abbey Life, Scottish Widows, Countrywide and Police Mutual, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said. The financial watchdog has been monitoring whether insurers have treated customers locked into pension and other savings plans fairly compared with new customers. As part of this assessment, the FCA sampled a number of documents sent to customers who had requested either to surrender or transfer their policies. The FCA said the six firms may have failed to inform customers of charges they were likely to incur. "The practices at some firms appear to have been poor," acting FCA Chief Executive Tracey McDermott said in a statement on Thursday. An investigation could lead to the FCA imposing fines or demanding insurers pay compensation to policy holders. "The regulator isn't pulling any punches, and looks set to take action across the life industry based on these findings," said Matt Browne, conduct risk director at PwC's insurance practice. "The review is going to have a big impact on life assurers." Insurers are already under regulatory strain due to a number of recent changes including major pensions reforms, which could include a cap on charges. Old Mutual, Scottish Widows and Countrywide Assured-owner Chesnara said they would cooperate fully with the regulator. Shares in Chesnara were down 5 percent. Deutsche Bank , which owns Abbey Life, declined to comment, while Prudential and Police Mutual did not immediately respond to requests to do so. A briefing to some media outlets in 2014 by the FCA that an initial review was planned prompted a slump in insurer stocks and led to an inquiry and the departure of the watchdog's director of supervision. It is also as having contributed to the early exit of the FCA's former chief executive Martin Wheatley. (Reporting by Richa Naidu and Carolyn Cohn; Editing by Sinead Cruise and Keith Weir) Amiens (France) (AFP) - France and Britain on Thursday inked a deal to invest more than two billion euros in the development of next generation combat drones, Paris said in a statement. Following a two-year feasibility study begun in 2014, "we hope to proceed to the next phase in 2017 to prepare for the full-fledged development of operational demonstrators of air combat drones by 2025," the statement said. "This test programme, the most advanced in Europe, will be based on a platform of multi-purpose drones that could provide the basis for future operational capacity beyond 2030," it said. More than two billion euros will be invested in the programme, it said, adding that work on the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) would be submitted to a technical review around 2020. The British and French governments tasked BAE Systems and Dassault Aviation with the feasibility study costing 120 million pounds (150 million euros, $170 million) in November 2014. In addition to the two main groups, Rolls-Royce and Safran were assigned to work on propulsion systems while Selex ES and Thales was put in charge of electronics and sensors. Dassault has already developed a stealth drone named Neuron, a prototype for testing and developing technologies for the FCAS. BAE Systems also developed its own drone, the Taranis. The Franco-British combat drone programme comes under the so-called Lancaster House treaties signed in 2010 which aimed at building a more efficient joint defence. For the contractors involved it is also a matter of keeping up with US defence industry rivals. London (AFP) - France would cease keeping migrants in Calais and tempt bankers to relocate from Britain if the country exits the European Union, economy minister Emmanuel Macron told the Financial Times Wednesday. The comments come before Prime Minister David Cameron and President Francois Hollande are due to meet at an Anglo-French summit, with Britain's June referendum on whether to remain in the European Union high on the agenda. Macron told the newspaper that a so-called Brexit could scupper an agreement between the two countries that allows Britain to conduct border controls on the French side of the border, and that Paris could seek to lure financial services to relocate from London. "The day this relationship unravels, migrants will no longer be in Calais," Macron told the newspaper, adding that Britain would no longer have full access to the single market once outside the EU. Cameron warned last month that Brexit could mean British border checks being removed from Calais and that "there would be nothing to stop thousands of people crossing the Channel overnight". But campaigners in favour of leaving the 28-member bloc accused Cameron of scaremongering. Ahead of the talks in the northern French city of Amiens, authorities demolished parts the so-called "Jungle" camp, where thousands of people fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East and Africa had been living. London (AFP) - A French minister's comment that Paris would no longer stop migrants from crossing the Channel if Britain left the EU won a sceptical response from pro-Brexit campaigners Thursday, as French President Francois Hollande warned of "consequences". In an interview with the Financial Times, French Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron said a so-called Brexit could scupper an agreement that allows Britain to conduct border controls in Calais. "The day this relationship unravels, migrants will no longer be in Calais," he said, echoing British government warnings that a vote to leave the European Union in the June 23 referendum could result in thousands arriving on England's shores overnight. Hollande on Thursday warned that there would be "consequences" for how migration was managed after meeting Prime Minister David Cameron for an Anglo-French summit in northern France. "I don't want to scare you but to tell the truth, there will be consequences... including on the question of people... the way in which we manage migration issues," he told reporters. Under the 2003 Le Touquet border treaty, Britain is allowed to carry out border checks on French soil, stopping many migrants. But those pushing for Britain to leave the bloc reacted with scepticism to Macron's comments, noting they contradicted the official position of the French government. Last month, French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve dismissed the idea of ripping up the Le Touquet treaty, saying it would give a green light to people smugglers and would only boost the numbers trying to cross. "That is the genuine line to take from the French government," Conservative lawmaker Bernard Jenkin from the Vote Leave campaign told the BBC on Thursday. "What we are having now is propaganda being produced by other European governments at the request of the prime minister to try to scare people (out of) voting Leave." Story continues Cameron's official spokeswoman said the government had not been aware what Macron was going to say until his comments appeared in print. - Scaring voters? - Another group pushing for a Brexit, Leave EU, said the border treaty was a bilateral agreement that had nothing to do with Britain's membership of the European Union. Campaign spokesman Jack Montgomery said of Macron's comments: "Absolutely nothing has changed, besides the need to scare British voters." The number of those trying to reach Britain from France has reached crisis point in recent months, as a huge influx of people fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East and Africa have arrived in Europe. While not specifically mentioning migration, German finance minister Wolfgang Schaeuble warned at a London business conference Thursday that Britain would "take the risk that continental Europe would be less stable" if it left the EU. There were violent clashes Monday as French authorities began dismantling a Calais shantytown known as the Jungle, where thousands of people live while they try their luck trying to cross the Channel, many by sneaking onto lorries boarding ferries bound for England. Britain agreed to contribute 22 million euros ($24.1 million) in extra funding to boost security at Calais, on top of 60 million euros already pledged. Immigration is a major issue ahead of the EU referendum, with campaigners for a Brexit warning that leaving the 28-member bloc is the only way for Britain to regain control of its borders. Opinion polls suggest that the British public is almost evenly divided on whether to stay or leave the EU. BERLIN (Reuters) - Facebook may prevent its users from using fake names, a German court said on Thursday, overturning a previous order from the Hamburg data protection authority. The ruling is a coup for the social network firm which has long argued its real-name policy ensures people know who they are sharing and connecting with and protects them from the abuse of the wide-open Internet. The Hamburg data protection authority, which is responsible for policing Facebook in Germany, said last July that Facebook could not unilaterally change users' chosen usernames to their real names, nor could it ask them for official identification. A woman had complained to the Hamburg watchdog after Facebook blocked her account for using a pseudonym, requested a copy of some identification and unilaterally changed her username to her real name. Forcing users to stick to their real names violated their privacy rights, the watchdog said. The Hamburg Administrative Court ruled Facebook did not have to implement the order for the time being since its European headquarters are in Ireland it should therefore only have to abide by Irish law. A spokesman for Facebook said it could not immediately provide comment. In an audit in December 2011, the Irish privacy watchdog concluded Facebook's authentic name policy did not contravene Irish law and its reasons for the policy, such as child safety and the prevention of online harassment, were justified. Privacy remains a sensitive issue in Germany due to extensive surveillance by Communist East Germany's Stasi secret police and by the Nazi era Gestapo. Memories of espionage were stirred anew by Edward Snowden's 2013 revelations of prying by the U.S. state. (Reporting by Caroline Copley; Editing by Mark Potter) LONDON (Reuters) - Germany's BMW has written to the British employees who make its luxury Rolls-Royce car to warn about the risks the firm would face if Britain votes to leave the European Union at the upcoming referendum, the BBC said on Thursday. In a letter obtained by the corporation, the German carmaker set out what it sees as the benefits from Britain's membership of the 28-member bloc and the problems it would face if Britain votes to leave on June 23. "The decision on whether to stay in the EU or not is for British voters to decide on in June," the letter said. "However, as a wholly-owned BMW Group company, it is important for all Rolls-Royce Motor Cars employees to understand the view of our parent company." The firm said it was not clear that an independent Britain would be granted a free trade deal with the EU, meaning tariff barriers could lead to higher costs and higher prices. It also said that the free movement of people between Britain and the EU had led to the rapid transfer of knowledge between Rolls and BMW, helping to improve the skill level of the British workforce. Prime Minister David Cameron, who is campaigning to keep Britain in the bloc, has called on big business to explain the benefits of EU membership. In February, the bosses at more than a third of Britain's biggest companies joined forces to warn that leaving the EU would put the economy at risk. However many companies held back from signing the letter, saying they wished to remain neutral in such an important debate. Several big companies were criticized in the run up to the 2014 Scottish independence referendum when they urged Scots to stay in the United Kingdom, with some voters saying they would boycott those firms considered to be interfering in the country's political debate. BMW was not immediately available for comment. (Reporting by Kate Holton, editing by Andy Bruce) In the wake of Donald Trumps dominant performance in the Super Tuesday primaries last night, desperate speculation about how to stop him from securing enough pledged delegates for a first-ballot win at the Republican convention in July has largely taken the place of speculation about how to beat him outright. Trump took seven of 11 contests, winning by stunning margins in states as diverse as Massachusetts (by 31.2 percentage points) and Georgia (by 14.4 percentage points.) There is evidence that he is not only winning over a large segment of the Republican base but also that he is bringing new voters to the polls. Related: The Brutal Economic Truth Behind the Rise of Trump It is not hyperbole to say that Trump has created an existential crisis for the Republican Party one that would play out very publicly in a brokered convention. Does the GOP risk losing its conservative identity and many of its conservative members by nominating Trump, a man with a history of vague and opportunistic policy positions? Or does it deny him the nomination, by hook or by crook, and almost certainly alienate both a huge swath of longtime supporters and the Trump-inspired newcomers in the process? Either way, the likely result is a crippled candidate heading into a November showdown with Hillary Clinton. The Democrats already have a large demographic advantage over the GOP, meaning that while Republican candidates definitely have paths to victory in a general election, they are narrow and rely on winning multiple close races. If the GOP sees mass defections from either appalled conservatives or angry Trump supporters, the result will almost certainly be a loss in November. (To be clear, they wouldnt have to switch their votes to Clinton. Just staying home would do the trick all by itself.) Nevertheless, without saying it directly, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio made it pretty clear that for many Republicans, the main focus of the next few weeks will be limiting Trump to a plurality of delegates, and forcing the party into a brokered convention. Story continues It amounts to an admission that an intra-party crackup is coming and that at least some among the GOP elites want, at minimum, to make sure it happens on their own terms. Related: Heres What Happens in a Clinton v. Trump Match-up Rubio, who won just one state out of 11 that allocated Republican delegates last night, told CNNs Jake Tapper: You know this is about delegate count. This is not a traditional race. Usually in a race like this, youd have a frontrunner and at this point people would be saying you need to drop out and rally around the frontrunner for the sake of the party. Theyre saying the opposite now. There will never come a time in this race where our supporters are asking us to get out and rally around Donald Trump. What people are saying is, Fight as hard as you can to save the Party of Lincoln and Reagan from a con artist who refuses to criticize the KKK. If we nominate Donald Trump it will be the end of the modern Republican Party. Pundits and analysts are floating increasingly outlandish and improbable proposals to stymie Trump. All the non-Trump candidates could throw their support to Ohio Gov. John Kasich in his home state of Ohio, and to Rubio in Florida to deny Trump huge winner-take-all prizes. A Cruz-Rubio, (or Rubio-Cruz, or Cruz-Kasich, or Rubio-Kasich) unity ticket could come together to deny Trump certain states. Others are floating the possibility that the Republican National Committee and the organizers of the nominating convention could try to somehow change the rules binding delegates to specific candidates, giving the party establishment a chance to beat Trump in a floor fight. Related: Unstoppable? The GOP Has 13 Days to Keep Trump from Hijacking the Nomination If the GOP elites manage to manufacture a brokered convention, they might be able to derail Trump. But in an appearance on MSNBC Wednesday afternoon, Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginias Center for Politics, warned that such an outcome could be potentially quite destructive to the Republican Party if they try it. What would be worse for the party, Sabato was asked, denying Trump the nomination or dealing with the fallout from having him serve as the face of the party for the next election cycle and beyond? The choice between the devil and the deep blue sea... Sabato said. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: NASA astronaut Scott Kelly, who returned to Earth at 10:26 a.m. Wednesday in Kazakhstan (which was 11:26 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday, according to NASA) after nearly one year aboard the International Space Station, has spent his first day back doing what many in his position might do: watched a sunset, ate a salad and let himself fall into a pool. Kelly, known by many as the world's first social media astronaut his photos of Earth from thousands of miles above have frequently become viral memes shared moments from the past 24 hours with his Twitter followers that appear to convey the visceral joy of returning to one's familiar surroundings after a long time away. "It's great to be back in Texas, on U.S. soil," Kelly, 52, told reporters shortly after touching down, according to ABC News. "It's just an unbelievable feeling to be back here on planet Earth, back in our great country and back with all my family and friends." Here's a brief look at what Kelly has been up to: My first #sunset on #Earth in #Norway on my way home! #YearInSpace pic.twitter.com/RHHJJ972ci https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CcjvN6kUcAAk9vA.jpg:large My 1st #salad on #Earth! Growing fresh food like lettuce we grew on my #YearInSpace is vital for our #JourneytoMars. pic.twitter.com/9PEoMqa6fo https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CclURT9VAAQcJ36.jpg:large My 1st #flower on #Earth! Given to me in #Khazakstan on landing. Reminded of @ISSResearch #SpaceFlower #YearInSpace pic.twitter.com/FciI8wsSz5 https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cclv7AaUAAEURI8.jpg:large Great to be back on #Earth. There's no place like #home! Taking the plunge after my #Houston arrival. #YearInSpace https://amp.twimg.com/v/17a05e09-c316-4d6d-93d3-2f705dcaf29c ... Every aspect of Kelly's time in space will be studied, documented and analyzed in an effort to better understand the effects of long-term space travel on the human body. Among the things researchers will be looking at are the effects of increased radiation exposure astronauts in space are hit with about 20 times more radiation than people on the ground, according to USA Today and how space travel could alter vital organs like the heart. March 3, 2016, 2:23 p.m. Eastern: This story has been updated. Hillary Clinton continues to dominate among black women voters at the polls, but her individual exchanges with them keep making headlines for all the wrong reasons. The latest example comes courtesy of a campaign stop she made in Minneapolis on Super Tuesday: The former Secretary of State was confronted in a coffee shop by a young woman later identified as Stacey Rosana, a local organizer and Black Lives Matter activist. After a brief conversation caught on video, Clinton could be heard exasperatedly telling Rosana, "Why don't you go run for something, then?" Rosana then walked off under the nervous gaze of Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton, who could be seen standing in the background, visibly uncomfortable. The conversation was difficult to hear at times, but Rosana's questions were clearly aimed at Clinton's engagement with the local Somali-American community, which constitutes a large part of Minnesota's black demographic. "I'm very proud to have met with the Somali-American community and have a lot of support for the Somali-American community," Clinton said. When Rosana asked who specifically she was referring to, Clinton mentioned Abdi Warsame, the first Somali-American elected to the Minneapolis City Council, according to City Pages. Rosana responded inaudibly, shaking her head, to which Clinton replied, "You know what dear, you have a different opinion." "He is a Somali-American elected to the city council," she said. "I'm really proud of that." Dayton, who was watching the exchange, stepped in at that point to tell Rosana that other people needed time to ask questions of Clinton. The former secretary then ended the increasingly tense exchange, saying to Rosana, "Well, good. Good luck to you." Throughout her campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination, Clinton has had numerous with young black people. The most recent dealt with Clinton's fraught history with racial justice particularly her advocacy for then-President Bill Clinton's 1994 crime bill and her vocal perpetuation of the term "superpredator," which further demonized gang-involved youth of color, in 1996. Story continues The exchange came at a private fundraiser in Charleston, South Carolina, on Feb. 24, where an activist named Ashley Williams asked Clinton to apologize for her role in perpetuating mass incarceration which to this day disproportionately impacts black Americans. "Looking back, I shouldn't have used those words, and I wouldn't use them today," Clinton said in an apology issued the next day. h/t Jezebel Jane Fonda, Rosanna Arquette, Todd Morgan, Patricia Arquette and David Arquette came out to support Holocaust survivors and their families at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum's 2016 Los Angeles Dinner at The Beverly Hilton on Wednesday night. During the event, Rosanna Arquette and her investment banker husband Morgan received the National Leadership Award for their efforts in preserving the history of the Holocaust. Morgan's Aging With Dignity Fund has provided Holocaust survivors with over $3 million for medical assistance, transportation, food and other necessary services. "While genocide represents the catastrophic end of hatred, the Holocaust shows us that assaults on human dignity of any kind must never go unanswered even when the challenge is daunting," said Rosanna. "As Rosa Parks said, 'We must never be fearful about what you are doing when it's right.' My sister [Patricia Arquette] knows that. This is literally happening today in my country right now. And you know what I mean. He's got crazy hair. We cannot let this happen, guys." Jeffrey Goldberg, national correspondent for The Atlantic, gave the keynote address. NCIS: Los Angeles actress Daniela Ruah introduced a "Pledge to the Future" segment with Holocaust survivor Louis de Groot. Musician Lili Haydn, a friend of Rosanna and Morgan, performed an original piece inspired by human rights. Funds raised during the evening benefited the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, which recently launched "Time Capsule," featuring messages from Holocaust survivors for the future. Hollywood stars Steven Spielberg, Barbra Streisand and Josh Brolin are honorary dinner committee members but did not attend the gala. Richard Perry, Jane Fonda, Rosanna Arquette and Todd Morgan attend the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum 2016 Los Angeles Dinner: What You Do Matters. Photo credit: Mike Windle/Getty Read More: Hollywoods Last Survivors of the Holocaust Share Their Incredible Stories Two activists took the stand in Hong Kong Thursday over charges relating to mass pro-democracy rallies in 2014, defending the movement as "peaceful". Joshua Wong, 19, was the teenage face of the Occupy Movement, which brought parts of the semi-autonomous Chinese city to a standstill for more than two months when protesters called for free elections for the city's next leader. The protests tapped into concerns about Beijing's growing influence in the former British colony, despite a guarantee that its civil liberties should be maintained for at least 50 years. Hong Kong laws allow peaceful protests but the city's Public Order Ordinance criminalises gatherings of three or more who conduct themselves in a disorderly, intimidating, insulting or provocative manner, intended to cause fear. Wong and two other prominent student leaders, Alex Chow and Nathan Law, have been charged with taking part in such an "unlawful assembly" and inciting others to join it. All three have pleaded not guilty. The charges referred particularly to an incident leading up to the mass rallies when protesters climbed over fences to enter a restricted area in front of government headquarters. "We gathered there to express our desire for democracy... I have always followed the principles of peacefulness, rationality and non-violence," Wong told the magistrates court where the spectacled university student was tried for the September 26, 2014 protest. "Every person in Hong Kong should have the right to organise protests, marches or public assembly," he said. A total of 955 people were arrested throughout the Occupy movement, according to authorities. Hundreds were injured in clashes between police and protesters. Wong was charged nearly one year after the event. Law, another student leader, said residents' calls for free elections were "ignored". "We needed to take action," he said. David Leung, the government prosecutor, said protesters threatened public order. Story continues "Violence was definitely involved," he said. The three could theoretically face up to five years in prison if convicted, although the magistrates court where they were tried would only impose a jail term of three years at maximum. Wong is facing several other charges, including obstructing police, over his participation in the pro-democracy rallies. He has also been charged with contempt of court for violating an order to clear the Mongkok protest camp -- scene of some of the most violent clashes during the demonstrations. Wong has said he is the target of "political prosecution" and a "witch hunt" against those at the forefront of the Occupy Movement. The months-long protests failed to secure any concessions from the city's government, which supported a Beijing-backed political reform package under which candidates would have been vetted by a loyalist committee. Hong Kong was returned from Britain to China in 1997 under the "one country, two systems" arrangement, guaranteeing the city's freedoms unseen on the mainland. By Laura Zuckerman SALMON, Idaho (Reuters) - Idaho police arrested three teenagers on Wednesday and were seeking a fourth on suspicion the group set a fire that destroyed the home of a high school principal and could have killed the educator and his wife, authorities said. The principal had suspended two of the students just days before the blaze in Payette, said the town's police chief. Mark Heleker, principal of the 430-student high school in the small southwest Idaho community, said he and his wife were awakened during the fire by their adult daughter at about 1 a.m. on Feb. 22 after she returned from walking her dog and saw flames shooting from the home's attached garage. The trio and their pets escaped unharmed from the two-story house before it was engulfed, as their cars, furniture and other belongings were destroyed, he said. "I was in shock. And there was a greater shock still to come," Heleker said. Just hours later, the 22-year educator's adult son told Heleker some students were making suspicious statements about the blaze on social media. Police said investigators interviewed dozens of students at the high school and reviewed statements on Facebook pages and Snapchat, determining that three high school students and one eighth-grader were involved. Two of the high school students and the eighth-grader were arrested on felony arson charges on Wednesday and the fourth teen was still being sought, Payette Police Chief Mark Clark said. Their names were not immediately disclosed. In the hours preceding the fire, the four teens rampaged through neighborhoods in the community of 8,000 people, breaking into vehicles and vandalizing property, he added. "What's really scary is that after they started the fire, they drove away. "About 2 miles (3.2 km) down the road, they looked back to see the house, which is on a hill, fully engulfed, but made no attempt to call 911 or alert the family," Clark said. "These people could have easily died in the fire." (Editing by Alex Dobuzinskis and Lisa Shumaker) TUNIS (Reuters) - The International Monetary Fund and Tunisia are in the advanced stages of talks over a $2.8 billion credit over four years to help support the country's economic reform programme, an IMF delegation said on Thursday. A visiting IMF delegation said at the end of its mission that it would now focus on fine-tuning reform priorities and financing needs for this year.International lenders have been demanding Tunisia cut public spending, reduce deficits and introduce reforms that help create sustainable jobs and growth. "Moving ahead with economic reform is crucial as the Tunisian economy confronts several significant challenges. Economic growth is held back by investors' wait-and-see attitude and regional uncertainties," the IMF said in a statement. Five years after overthrowing autocrat Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and sweeping in democratic change, Tunisians are still struggling with an economy unable to deliver the jobs and reforms their revolution promised. Three major militant attacks last year, including two on foreign visitors, have battered the tourism industry, while a week of rioting earlier this year has worried Western partners looking to help the North African state. (Reporting by Tarek Amara; writing by Patrick Markey; Editing by Toby Chopra) By Rina Chandran MUMBAI (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - New legislation in India to crack down on the practice of forcing mainly the poorest women to clear other people's excreta will have little impact unless deeply entrenched sexism and caste bias are changed, activists said. Manual scavenging, a euphemism for disposing of faeces from dry toilets and open drains by hand, has long been an occupation thrust upon members of the Dalit group, traditionally the lowest ranked in India's caste system. At least 90 percent of India's estimated 1.3 million manual scavengers are women, according to campaign group Jan Sahas. "It is not just a case of caste discrimination, but also gender discrimination, as women are forced to do this basest of jobs," said Ashif Shaikh, founder of Jan Sahas, which says it has liberated more than 21,000 Dalit women from the practice. "It is not even a job, it's slavery," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "The women do not have a choice, they are paid a pittance, and are threatened with violence if they quit. There's a lot of pressure from the village, the community, and their own families." India, which banned caste-based discrimination in 1955, has passed several laws to end manual scavenging with government pledges to modernize sanitation and criminalize those who employ manual scavengers. Legislation passed in December further tightened penalties. Yet Dalit communities continue to face threats of violence, eviction and withholding of wages if they try to give up the practice, human rights groups say. In 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a "Clean India Mission" to improve sanitation in the fast-growing economy and increase funding for public toilets to end open defecation. The campaign has helped draw attention to the plight of manual scavengers and forced state governments to act, Shaikh said. The government offers 40,000 rupees ($590) to each rescued manual scavenger and training for alternate jobs. Yet crimes against lower-caste Indians are rising. There were more than 47,000 such crimes in 2014, an increase of about a fifth from the previous year, according to official figures. The Copenhagen-based International Dalit Solidarity Network has called manual scavenging, a "caste-based and hereditary occupation form of slavery". Paid less than a minimum wage, manual scavengers are often forced to borrow money from their higher-caste employers, leading to debt bondage. The government estimated in 2011 that more than 180,000 rural households are engaged in manual scavenging. Western Maharashtra state, which topped the list, had set a deadline of the end of March to end the practice. "We have provided incentives in rural areas to build toilets, and we have offered alternative employment to these people in some districts," said U.S. Lonare, a senior official in the state's social justice department. He did not say if the deadline will be met. Jan Sahas' Shaikh said the new legislation must be implemented in full. "Even one woman forced to do this work is a shame," he said. "It's a crime." ($1=67.74 rupees) (Reporting by Rina Chandran, Editing by Katie Nguyen.; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, corruption and climate change. Visit news.trust.org to see more stories.) Los Angeles (AFP) - World number seven Maria Sharapova has withdrawn from next week's BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells after failing to recover from a troublesome forearm injury, it was confirmed Thursday. The Russian star said in a statement issued by tournament chiefs she had pulled out in an effort to return to full fitness. "I am extremely disappointed that I am unable to compete in this year's BNP Paribas Open," said Sharapova. "I have been focused on healing my left forearm injury and tried to get my body to be 100% ready to play this event, as it is one of my favorite events on the WTA and so close to my home in LA. "I know the tournament will be a great success this year and I will be anxious to return next year and hopefully many years after." Sharapova has not played since exiting the Australian Open in the quarter-finals in January. Her withdrawal from Indian Wells is the third time this year she has withdrawn from a tournament because of her forearm injury, having also missed tournaments in Brisbane and Doha. Mariana Duque-Marino moves into the main draw for Indian Wells following Sharapova's absence. This year's tournament takes place from March 7-20. ANKARA (Reuters) - Iran accused Gulf Arab neighbors on Thursday of jeopardizing Lebanon's stability by blacklisting the Iranian-backed Hezbollah group, state television said, a move likely to stoke tensions in the regional power rivalry between Tehran and Riyadh. The six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) branded Hezbollah a terrorist organization on Wednesday, opening up the possibility of further sanctions against the group that wields influence in Lebanon and fights in Syria. Leading Sunni Muslim power Saudi Arabia and Shi'ite Muslim Iran compete for influence across the region and back different factions in sectarian-riven Lebanon and in Syria's civil war. "Lebanon's Hezbollah is the vanguard of resistance against the Zionist regime (Israel) and Iran is proud of the group, which is also the champion of the fight against terrorism in the Middle East," Iranian state TV quoted deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian as saying. "Calling Hezbollah a terrorist group ... will harm the unity and security of Lebanon." Hezbollah's leader said on Tuesday Lebanon had been pushed into a new phase of political conflict by Saudi Arabia but was not on the brink of civil war and its government of national unity, of which Hezbollah is a part, should survive. In 2013, the Sunni-dominated GCC - representing Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar - imposed sanctions on Shi'ite Hezbollah after it entered Syria's war in support of President Bashar al-Assad. The GCC did not specify on Wednesday what action might be taken against Hezbollah. But last week Saudi Arabia, the biggest power in the GCC, said it had blacklisted four companies and three Lebanese men for having links to the group. Relations between Lebanon and Saudi Arabia have been plunged into crisis since Riyadh halted $3 billion in aid to the Lebanese army - a response to the Beirut government's failure to condemn attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran. In January, Riyadh led several Arab countries in cutting diplomatic ties with Tehran after demonstrators burned its embassy and a consulate in protest against the execution of a prominent, dissident Shi'ite cleric by Riyadh. (Writing by Parisa Hafezi; Editing by Mark Heinrich) Tehran (AFP) - Iran warned Thursday that its Gulf Arab rivals were jeopardising Lebanon's stability by blacklisting the leading force behind its government, Hezbollah, as a terror group. Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said that the Shiite militant group, which is one of Iran's closest allies, was a bulwark against terrorism in the region. "We are proud of Lebanon's Hezbollah as the vanguard of resistance against the Zionist regime and the champion of the fight against terrorism in the region," Abdollahian told Iran's official IRNA news agency. "Those who call Hezbollah terrorists, have intentionally or unintentionally harmed the unity and security of Lebanon." Wednesday's move against Hezbollah by the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council was the latest salvo in an intensifying battle for regional influence between Gulf heavyweight Saudi Arabia and Iran. Riyadh has been alarmed by the international rehabilitation of Tehran since it reached a deal with major powers last year ending a 13-year standoff over its controversial nuclear programme. Saudi Arabia has also been angered by the military intervention of Hezbollah in neighbouring Syria since 2013 in support of Iran-backed President Bashar al-Assad against Sunni rebels it has invested heavily in backing. Hezbollah fighters have been active against the Islamic State group and Al-Qaeda but they have also battled non-jihadist rebel groups supported by the Gulf states and the West. The intensifying battle for influence between the region's main Sunni and Shiite powers has sparked growing concern in Lebanon, which relies heavily on the Gulf states for tourism, investment and as a market for its exports. In January, Riyadh led several Arab countries in cutting diplomatic ties with Tehran after demonstrators burned its embassy and a consulate in protest at its execution of a prominent Shiite cleric. Dublin (AFP) - Ireland's two main parties gathered their lawmakers on Thursday to discuss their options after final results from last week's election confirmed a fragmented political landscape with no clear winner. Prime Minister Enda Kenny's outgoing coalition lost its parliamentary majority as voters made clear their anger over continued austerity in the eurozone country, despite a return to economic growth. His Fine Gael party won 50 of the 158 seats, while its coalition partner Labour won just seven, just ahead of the Anti-Austerity Alliance-People Before Profit group which took six seats. By contrast Fine Gael's traditional rival Fianna Fail won 44 seats, while Sinn Fein, the former political wing of the IRA in Northern Ireland which campaigned against budget cuts, came in with 23. Analysts say the most obvious option would be some kind of alliance between Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, both centrist parties who would have a comfortable majority between them. But they have long been rivals, tracing their origins back to opposing sides in Ireland's civil war in the 1920s, and long-standing grievances will hamper any coalition talks. "We are heading into a high stakes poker game now," said David Farrell, professor of politics at University College Dublin. "A grand coalition of the two main parties would be the best result - but will there be long term agreement, and how long will the situation last until we have another election?" Parliament is due to reconvene on March 10 and in theory appoint a prime minister, but it is highly likely that there will be no agreement by then. "The current government will stay on as caretaker until a new government will be found. The problem here is that it leads to long periods of insecurity," Farrell said. - 'No obvious combination' - Kenny gathered his Fine Gael lawmakers together on Thursday to "formulate a set of principles that will guide Fine Gael participation in a future government". Story continues In comments made after a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, he said the election result was "disappointing". But he said: "We are determined to play our part in providing the Irish people with a government committed to working on their behalf." Micheal Martin's Fianna Fail party also gathered its new lawmakers together for the first time, where the mood was upbeat five years after they were punished at the ballot box. One option for an alliance could be a minority government led by Kenny and supported by Fianna Fail, who would remain in opposition but would support the government on key issues. Alternatively there could be a formal coalition of the two parties, but that would mean bridging a political divide that has existed since the foundation of Ireland in 1922. Former prime minister Bertie Ahern has predicted there is "not a chance in hell" of a deal before Easter, at the end of March. "It's not going to be easy and it's going to be long," Ahern told RTE radio as the result became clear at the weekend. "It's a new game, there's no obvious combination that can work this out." - Anti-establishment surge - Kenny had campaigned on a platform of maintaining a recovery that has seen Ireland become the fastest-growing economy in the European Union. But many voters complained that they had yet to feel the benefits and continued to suffer from years of tax rises and spending cuts imposed after a financial crash and international bailout. The swing to anti-establishment and anti-austerity parties echoed recent elections in other eurozone countries like Spain and Portugal which also led to political deadlock. In Spain, talks to form a government are still ongoing after a vote in December, and in Portugal, October elections resulted in an unstable minority Socialist government. Turnout in the Irish vote was 65.1 percent, lower than the 70 percent in the previous 2011 election which came after a banking crisis and bailout that precipitated the fall of a Fianna Fail government. (Reuters) - New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said on Thursday he has urged Donald Trump not to leave the Republican Party, saying it remains unified despite scathing criticism of Trump's presidential candidacy by a senior party leader earlier on Thursday. "I have urged him not to leave the party," said Christie, a former candidate himself, who gave Trump a major boost last week when he endorsed him for the party's nomination for the Nov. 8 election. "I don't think that's a constructive way to go about it, and he knows that," Christie told reporters. Trump, who has repeatedly threatened to leave the Republican Party if it does not respect him, told ABC News on Thursday that Republicans should be glad he has brought millions more people into the party: "They're leaving the Democrats. They're leaving the independents. And they're with me 100 percent." The New York real estate magnate is the clear front-runner to be the Republican nominee in November but is facing heavy criticism from many in the party establishment - including a blistering speech on Thursday by the party's 2012 presidential candidate, Mitt Romney. U.S. Senators Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, and Ohio Governor John Kasich are trailing Trump in their bids for the nomination, but are trying to coalesce the support of establishment Republicans to topple Trump before or at the party's nominating convention in July. Trump told MSNBC that the increasing number of ads from the establishment targeting him are "really unfair," and that he could depart the party to run as an independent. "If I leave, if I go ... which I may do, I mean, may or may not, but if I go, I will tell you these millions of people that joined, they've told them, they're all coming with me," he said. Concern about Trump among Republicans increased at the weekend over his failure to quickly disavow support from a leading white supremacist. "Ive know Donald Trump for 14 years, and Donald Trump is not a bigot," Christie told a news conference in New Jersey. "In fact, Donald Trump is someone I think who has given a lot of opportunity to a lot of people of a lot of different backgrounds, and I disagree with Governor Romney on that one. (Reporting by Washington newsroom; Editing by Mohammad Zargham and Frances Kerry) By Nate Raymond NEW YORK (Reuters) - A New Jersey pastor was indicted on Thursday for an alleged bribery scheme involving a bitcoin exchange owned by an Israeli man linked to cyber attacks on JPMorgan Chase & Co and other companies. Trevon Gross, the pastor and former chairman of the Helping Other People Excel Federal Credit Union of Jackson, New Jersey, was charged with receiving payments to let operators of an illegal bitcoin exchange gain control of the credit union. Gross, 46, was accused of accepting $150,000 in bribes from individuals including Anthony Murgio, who operated an unlicensed bitcoin exchange called Coin.mx, and Yuri Lebedev, who supervised computer programing functions for the exchange. Prosecutors have said their goal was to operate the credit union as a captive bank and evade potential scrutiny of Coin.mx, which was owned by Gery Shalon, an Israeli accused of orchestrating a massive hacking scheme. Prosecutors have said Shalon, another Israeli, Ziv Orenstein, and an American, Joshua Samuel Aaron, ran a criminal enterprise that hacked into a dozen companies' networks, stealing the personal information of more than 100 million people. The companies affected included JPMorgan, which prosecutors said had records stolen belonging to more than 83 million customers. While Murgio, Lebedev, and Gross were not accused of engaging in the hacking offenses, prosecutors said they committed crimes related to the unlicensed operation of Coin.mx. Prosecutors said Coin.mx exchanged millions of dollars of the virtual currency bitcoin for customers, and the credit union, which federal regulators liquidated in November. Beyond chairing the credit union's board, Gross is also the lead pastor of Hope Cathedral in Jackson, according to the church's website. Gross surrendered to the Federal Bureau of Investigation on Thursday morning, an agency spokeswoman said. He is scheduled to be arraigned on Friday. His lawyer did not respond to a call seeking comment. Story continues Murgio and Lebedev are scheduled to face trial on Oct. 31. Both have pleaded not guilty. The case is U.S. v. Murgio et al, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 15-cr-00769. (Reporting by Nate Raymond in New York; Editing by Tom Brown) By Suleiman Al-Khalidi AMMAN (Reuters) - The United States delivered eight Black Hawk helicopters to Jordan on Thursday to help its regional ally defend itself against the threat of Islamic State militants, Jordanian and U.S. officials said. They said another eight Black Hawks would begin arriving next year under a military aid deal worth about $200 million. The helicopters are central to a U.S.-funded "Quick Reaction Force" set up by Jordan to counter Islamic State, which controls large swathes of territory in neighboring Iraq and Syria. In a handover ceremony at Marka military airforce base, U.S. ambassador to Jordan Alice G. Wells said Washington had supplied "millions of rounds of small arms ammunition, hundreds of bombs" and other equipment to Jordan since February last year. "The United States is committed to standing with Jordan to face the threat posed by Daesh," she told senior Jordanian army officers, using an Arabic acronym for Islamic State. "As you employ these aircraft in the fight against Daesh, know that we will be standing right there next to you." Jordan is among a few Arab states that have taken part in a U.S.-led air campaign against the hardline militant group. In December 2014, a Jordanian pilot was captured by Islamic State after his F-16 crashed in territory it controlled in Syria and later burned alive. The military aid deliveries address some concerns King Abdullah expressed last year to the administration of President Barack Obama and top U.S. lawmakers about lack of military funding and responsiveness to one of its key regional allies. But Jordan's request for MG-9 Reaper drones was turned down, a U.S. official who requested anonymity said, adding this not "an option right now". One senior diplomat said ties between the countries had been strained by the king's enthusiastic endorsement of Russian intervention in Syria, in what some diplomats see as a shift in policy. U.S. Patriot missiles are stationed in the kingdom, however, and the U.S. army has hundreds of trainers in the country. U.S. officials say aid to Jordan, one of the largest recipients of its foreign military financing, is expected to rise to $800 million in 2016 and grow in future years. Since the start of the Syrian conflict in 2011, Washington has spent millions of dollars to help Amman set up an elaborate surveillance system known as the Border Security Programme to stem infiltration by militants from Syria and Iraq. (Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi; Editing by Catherine Evans) (Reuters) - The United States Justice Department will review how the city of Minneapolis responded to protests after police shot and killed a young black man last November, the mayor's office said on Thursday. Mayor Betsy Hodges and Police Chief Janee Harteau requested the assessment by the federal department's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, or COPS, said a spokesman for the mayor. The shooting of Jamar Clark, 24, by Minneapolis police officers came at a time of renewed nationwide scrutiny of police use of lethal force, especially against African Americans. A number of U.S. cities have been rocked by protests demanding more accountability for police officers who kill suspects on the job. After Clark's death, demonstrators set up an encampment outside a Minneapolis police station to hold around-the-clock protests. Police dismantled the camp, which at the time had about 50 people in it, on Dec. 3. A few people were briefly arrested at the time. "COPS Office Deputy Director Robert Chapman didn't commit to a specific timeline, but said that there is a sense of urgency and that his hope is that they would have a report completed by early fall," said David Prestwood, a spokesman for the mayor. The county prosecutor for Minneapolis has said he hopes to decide by the end of March whether charges will be filed against any of the officers involved in Clark's death. Some witnesses have said Clark was handcuffed or restrained on the ground when he was shot, while authorities have said there was a scuffle and Clark was trying to get a police officer's gun. Civil rights groups have sued the state of Minnesota to try to force them to release video footage of the shooting, although it is not clear what videos exist. (Reporting by Fiona Ortiz in Chicago; Editing by Frances Kerry) London (AFP) - Sculptor Anish Kapoor sparked debate in Britain Thursday by buying the exclusive right to use a pigment said to be the blackest ever, to the fury of others in the artistic community. Kapoor, whose huge works of public art are landmarks in cities from London to Chicago, has snapped up the rights to Vantablack, which absorbs 99.96 percent of light. The move has drawn some criticism in Britain's artistic community. Christian Furr, a portraitist who had planned to use Vantablack in a series of paintings, told the Mail on Sunday newspaper: "We should be able to use it. It isn't right that it belongs to one man." The Guardian newspaper ran a story headlined: "Can an artist ever really own a colour?" But it found that Kapoor was "an ideal artist to experiment with this freaky black" due to his love of "deep, dark, sensual colours". The colour's makers NanoSystems said on their website that they had chosen to licence Vantablack to Kapoor's studio which would limit its use "in the field of art but does not extend to any other sectors". It was originally developed for military and aeronautical purposes. Asked about the reaction of other artists, the firm told AFP: "This debate is for the artistic community, we don't want to get involved. We are scientists." DAKAR (Reuters) - More than 200 people have been kidnapped in eastern Central African Republic this year, already nearly double last year's level, in a wave of abductions blamed on the Lord's Resistance Army, an organisation tracking the rebel group said Thursday. A quarter of the 217 abducted were children, 41 of whom are still missing or in captivity, LRA Crisis Tracker said in a statement. The kidnapped children may be as used as soldiers, sex slaves or labourers, it said. The LRA, run by warlord Joseph Kony, is known for massacring and mutilating civilians as well as abducting children to use as soldiers or slaves. "The LRA is once again abducting children in central Africa, betting that the international community will fail to protect those most vulnerable to Kony's forces," said Paul Ronan, director of The Resolve, one of the organisations behind the crisis tracking project. The LRA has targeted the former French colony, which is reeling from years of inter-religious bloodshed. In January, the group killed a villager and abducted dozens of others during two weekend raids in a remote diamond-producing area of the country. LRA Crisis Tracker said the rebel group has been responsible for attacks and abductions in eastern Congo too, but those had slowed since August. Uganda led a crackdown against the rebel group about 10 years ago, at which point its fighters began to roam portions of Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan. Despite a U.S.-backed regional effort and the fact that the group's ranks are believed to have dwindled to several hundred fighters, LRA has continued assaults on civilians. (Writing by Makini Brice; Editing by Edward McAllister and Alison Williams) DAKAR (Reuters) - More than 200 people have been kidnapped in eastern Central African Republic this year, already nearly double last year's level, in a wave of abductions blamed on the Lord's Resistance Army, an organization tracking the rebel group said Thursday. A quarter of the 217 abducted were children, 41 of whom are still missing or in captivity, LRA Crisis Tracker said in a statement. The kidnapped children may be as used as soldiers, sex slaves or laborers, it said. The LRA, run by warlord Joseph Kony, is known for massacring and mutilating civilians as well as abducting children to use as soldiers or slaves. "The LRA is once again abducting children in central Africa, betting that the international community will fail to protect those most vulnerable to Kony's forces," said Paul Ronan, director of The Resolve, one of the organizations behind the crisis tracking project. The LRA has targeted the former French colony, which is reeling from years of inter-religious bloodshed. In January, the group killed a villager and abducted dozens of others during two weekend raids in a remote diamond-producing area of the country. LRA Crisis Tracker said the rebel group has been responsible for attacks and abductions in eastern Congo too, but those had slowed since August. Uganda led a crackdown against the rebel group about 10 years ago, at which point its fighters began to roam portions of Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan. Despite a U.S.-backed regional effort and the fact that the group's ranks are believed to have dwindled to several hundred fighters, LRA has continued assaults on civilians. (Writing by Makini Brice; Editing by Edward McAllister and Alison Williams) Paris (AFP) - Crucial elections should be held in eastern Ukraine by the end of July, the foreign ministers of Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France agreed, but questions remain over Kiev and Moscow's ability to seal the deal. French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said that the Paris meeting was a "step forward" for the restive region, but his German and Ukrainian counterparts painted a gloomier picture of negotiations. "We underlined the importance of adopting an electoral law to hold local elections by the end of the first half of 2016," Ayrault said at the close of the meeting. Ukraine's Pavlo Klimkin, however, repeated Kiev's insistence that there can be no polls in the country's east until a total cessation of hostilities with separatist rebels. "We must be able to ensure these elections are organised safely, we need our territory to be secure," he said. While Western powers see elections as an opportunity for the region to be brought back into national politics, Kiev fears that Moscow -- which is accused of militarily supporting the rebels -- will use polls to destabilise the entirety of the former Soviet Republic. Klimkin said there was "large weaponry hidden in the east" and complained of a lack of access to the border with Russia. Ukraine had proposed measures to reclaim control of the border in order to stop "the entry of arms, munitions, Russian mercenaries and troops, but the Russian side did not want to discuss a number of points in detail," he said. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier complained of a lack of engagement on both sides. "I am not satisfied by the way in which Kiev and Moscow have been leading these negotiations," he said, adding the two sides need to "work together in a more constructive manner." His Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov left the meeting without talking to the press. The four chief diplomats also called for "the release and exchange of all prisoners and people held in illegal detention between now and April 30", Ayrault said. Story continues The meeting was part of the implementation of the Minsk accord, which was signed in February 2015 with French and German mediation and in the presence of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The accord calls for a ceasefire along with a range of political, economic and social measures to end the conflict in eastern Ukraine that has claimed some 9,000 lives since it began in early 2014. Although violence has greatly diminished, there has been scant progress on other aspects of the accord in recent months. During a visit to Ukraine last month, Ayrault and Steinmeier called on the government to pursue the needed reforms to allow local elections to take place in the east. Moscow denies it has been offering military support to separatists. BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanon's armed Shi'ite Hezbollah movement on Thursday said a decision by Gulf States to designate it a terrorist organization was "reckless and hostile". The six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) took the step on Wednesday, opening up the possibility of further sanctions against Hezbollah, which wields broad political influence in Lebanon and is fighting in Syria for President Bashar al-Assad. The group's bloc in parliament said it held Saudi Arabia responsible for the GCC decision. "The decision by the GCC is reckless and hostile and is condemned. The Saudi regime bears responsibility for its issuing and for the consequences," the bloc said after its weekly meeting. The region's main Shi'ite power, Iran, had already accused Gulf Arab states of jeopardizing Lebanon's stability by blacklisting Hezbollah, which Iran supports. Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia is competing with Iran for influence across the region, and both sides back different factions in Lebanon and in wars in Syria and Yemen. Relations between Lebanon and Saudi Arabia have plunged into crisis since Riyadh froze $3 billion in aid to the Lebanese army in response to the Beirut government's failure to condemn attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran. (Reporting by Mariam Karouny; Editing by Kevin Liffey) Beirut (AFP) - Lebanon's Hezbollah on Thursday criticised as "irresponsible" a decision by Gulf monarchies to classify the militant group as a "terror" organisation for its role in regional conflicts. "The decision by the Gulf Cooperation Council to designate Hezbollah as a terrorist organisation is irresponsible and hostile and the Saudi regime must face the consequences," Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah said after a meeting of the group's parliamentary bloc. The GCC on Wednesday designated the Shiite movement for its "terrorist acts and incitement in Syria, Yemen and in Iraq". The move was the latest step taken by Gulf states, led by Sunni powerhouse Saudi Arabia, against Hezbollah, which is backed by Riyadh's main regional rival Iran. Last month, Saudi Arabia halted a $3 billion programme for military supplies to Lebanon to protest what it said was "the stranglehold of Hezbollah on the state". It urged its nationals last week to leave Lebanon and avoid travelling there. Qatar and Kuwait followed with similar travel advisories, while the United Arab Emirates banned its nationals from travel to Lebanon. Hezbollah is fighting in support of the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad against Gulf-backed rebel fighters and extremist militants. The war in Syria has increased existing divisions between Lebanon's political blocs and produced a string of bombing attacks carried out by Syria-based militants on Lebanese soil. Saudi has accused Hezbollah of supporting Iran-backed rebels in Yemen -- against whom Riyadh has led a bombing campaign since March 2015. Fadlallah said the GCC decision "won't prevent us from condemning the crimes of Saudi Arabia in Yemen, the kingdom's financing and support of terrorist groups in Iraq and Syria, or its collaboration with (Israel)". Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah this week said Riyadh had no right to collectively punish Lebanon over a disagreement with the Shiite movement's policies. And Iran -- Hezbollah's principal backer -- on Thursday warned that its Gulf Arab rivals were jeopardising Lebanon's stability by blacklisting the group. By Lia McGarrigle Depressing jobs are an almost universal experience. Especially if you aspire to work in a creative fieldunless youre very talented, lucky or richyoure going to have to take up a crappy job to pay the bills while you struggle along. Or maybe you dont even know what you ultimately want to be doing, so theres a bigger fear that this meaningless job will eventually become your life. Either way, depressing jobs are a fact of life and we just have to deal with them. Ive had a lot of pretty bad jobs but they definitely couldve been worse. Ive worked in a call center where a drunk old woman spent 30 minutes on a phone call berating me for being terrible at my job, while simultaneously lamenting her loneliness. Ive also done my fair share of au pair work, which varied from ridiculously cushy to hell on earth, depending on how much of a bully the child wanted to be. Most recently, I worked for a spam agency that didnt fully understand the internet. My days were filled with Internet Explorer, teenagers in India ringing me asking where their $5 payment was, and a lot of sexist, transphobic, racist, men. So naturally I took solace in music to drown out their offensive chatter, and also as a sort of companion. I may have been socially isolated in my job, but music was a source of empathy and understanding for me. The following songs will help you get through the toughestand the bestparts of your terrible job. If youre looking for music to pump you up, or to reflect on works inherent misery, read on. Black Dave & William Wilson - "Fuck Everybody" Black Dave & William Wilson - "Fuck Everybody" Image via YouTube Listen when: Its Monday morning Its the start of another week. Youre tired, and the last thing you want to do is go in and deal with your co-workers crappy stories and drink shitty coffee. Embrace that ragelean in hard with it. Press play on Black Daves Fuck Everybody in the elevator, so the hook kicks just as you step into the office. Youll feel like youre the main character in an ad about a lame office worker who balls out and tells everyone to fuck offexactly how you want to feel on a Monday. Story continues Bobby Raps & Corbin - "Frozen Tundra" Bobby Raps & Corbin - "Frozen Tundra" Image via YouTube Listen when: Your boss says, You dont have to stay late, but it would be a great help if you did Corbin knows how to sing like hes being emotionally torturedhis signature angst and introspective turmoil can be contagious at the best of times, so hes a perfect fit for any time life is getting you down. Few things are worse than last minute shift extensions, so when your boss essentially asks you to work unpaid overtime, making your hourly equivalent equal to less than a cup of coffee, throw on your headphones and silently scream at them: Fuck your Money / Fuck Your Fame. This small act of transgression will make everything that little bit better, and if it doesnt? Listen to any of Corbins discography and youll find something to match your angst, I promise. Young Thug - "Check" Young Thug - "Check" Image via YouTube Listen when: Its payday This is an obvious choice, Young Thug is a quintessential rags to riches story. He is the American dream, a beacon of hope that there could be light at the end of this weekly sloghis first series of releases were even called I Came from Nothing. Maybe that side project youre working on will get noticed by Gucci Mane, or remixed by Nicki Minajwho knows? Look forward to going home, throwing your money up in the air, or even making some calls with it. Whether youre cashing checks to buy new dresses, leather Balmain pants, or to feed your many children, Thugger is the perfect soundtrack. Sufjan Stevens - Should Have Known Better Sufjan Stevens - Should Have Known Better Image via Asthmatic Kitty Listen when: You come into work hung over Last nights indulgences have caught up with you, and now your head feels like its going to explode, and your eyes are so light-sensitive that the mere sight of your laptop makes you feel nauseous. Listening to Sufjan when youre not feeling great is always a good idea. His beautiful mix of intensely depressing lyrics and melodic harmonies will balance your emotions, no matter which end of the spectrum youre feeling. Sufjans ethereal voice will soothe your brain, and his almost breathless chorus of I should have known better reminds you to drink more sensibly next time. Press play, pop a pill, drink some water, and try to make yourself invisible. Now is not the time for office small talk. Mykki Blanco ft. Princess Nokia - "Wish You Would" Mykki Blanco ft. Princess Nokia - "Wish You Would" Image via soundcloud Listen when: Your boss just yelled at you Your boss just yelled at you for no reason, and being in a subordinate position, you just have to accept itunless you want to lose your job. Vent your frustrations and mend you bruised ego with Wish You Would. One of the opening lines of the track, You got your opinion of me / well I do not give a fuck what you think, sets the aggressive, ballsy tone. Mykki Blanco and Princess Nokia truly dont dont care about your opinion, because frankly, why should they? Putting this on will build your confidence back up to where it ought to be. Fuck your boss, youre amazing. Crows - "Suburbia Nervosa" Crows - "Suburbia Nervosa" Image via Facebook Listen when: Youre wondering if any of this is worth it Capitalism is hell, and its beyond me why we havent all risen up in revolution and make the robots do our work. However, capitalism also makes the world go round; it gets you into that cool club and lets you buy all those nice things that make you a hotter, more successful, and all-round better person. That said, in a menial job, there are times when you really question whether any of it is worth it. Maybe you should run away to go swim with dolphins, become a farmer and live off the land, or try out one of those European socialist utopias youve heard so much about. Irish hardcore band Crows understand you and feel your pain. Born. Work. Fuck up. Die. What theyre saying might depress you, but its also exactly what youre thinking. Sometimes you just need to really embrace the hopelessness to find new meaning. D.R.A.M ft. Donnie Trumpet - "$" D.R.A.M ft. Donnie Trumpet - "$" Image via YouTube Listen when: You need to be convinced that you actually need this job After Crows put you in an anti-capitalistic, depressive stupor, you should listen to something that will stop you from immediately quitting your job. D.R.A.M.s $ is that song. His voice is angelic, and he makes working seem like a beautiful, noble undertaking, which is exactly what you need right now. If you arent moved by the time Donnies trumpets kick in, then maybe you should seriously consider leaving. Kevin Abstract - "ECHO" Kevin Abstract - "ECHO" Image via YouTube Listen when: Youre wondering where all that childhood potential went The worst thing about being stuck in a dead-end job is the feeling that you should be doing something better. If youve ever found yourself staring at your mundane spreadsheets and trying to figure out where it all went wrong, listen to Echo and let the haunting hook of When did it all fall down? / Where you going now? become your personal mantra. By the way, Kevin Abstract and the video director, Tyler Mitchell, were 19 and 20 during the production of Echo. This could just be me, but whenever I see successful people who are younger than me, it makes me hyper aware of my inadequacies and makes me feel ever closer to the grave. What have you done with your life, huh? A$AP Ferg - "Work (Remix)" A$AP Ferg - "Work (Remix)" Image via YouTube Listen when: Youre half asleep and need something to pump yourself up Its mid-afternoon. Youre crashing hard after lunch, and all you want to do is go home and sleep. You need to put something on quickly before you start drooling on your keyboard. Dont worryall you need is a little help from Fergenstein. Work is like a rallying cry for your productivity. Its relentless tempo and sharp melody will help you push through, and could even get you excited enough to finish the day without collapsing in sobs. Even if the song itself doesnt enliven you, the repetition of, Put in work, put in work is guaranteed to get stuck in your head. That alone should keep you awake. Tyler, the Creator - "Cherry Bomb" Tyler, the Creator - "Cherry Bomb" Image via YouTube Listen when: You need to drown out your coworkers You dont get to choose your co-workers. Often times, youre stuck with people you would never hang out with of your own volition. And theres nothing you can do about it, unless you want to get shunned because you didnt want to talk about your co-workers roommates boyfriends shower schedule. Cherry Bomb isnt a pleasant song, even by the sometimes abrasive standards of Tyler, the Creator. Its essentially four minutes of angry, over-filtered noise, but itll help drown out everyone and everything around you. So whether your co-workers are spewing offensive crap about immigration, feminism, or just generally being annoying, turn it up loud enough and you wont hear a thing. Uno & Billionaire Black - "Costa Rica" Uno & Billionaire Black - "Costa Rica" Image via YouTube Listen when: Its 4:57 and youre about to get the hell out of there Regardless of whether its actually getting closer to the weekend, this song is so summery and upbeat that listening to it right before you dip out of work is a sure way to avoid any post office slump. The moment you leave work is the longest time you have before you have to be there again, so start it wisely. Despite the slightly psychopathic lyrics (Kill a n***a for no reason / Then we go chill in Costa Rica), listening to this will remind you that life is good, and that every day youre working means youre one day closer to chilling in Costa Rica. LCD Soundsystem - "New York, I Love You But Youre Bringing Me Down" LCD Soundsystem - "New York, I Love You But Youre Bringing Me Down" Listen when: The deli gets your lunch order wrong and you waited your entire lunch break for this damn sandwich City life is tough. You work all day, dont sleep enough, cram into poorly maintained mass transit where your chances of getting randomly knifed grow exponentially higher each day The worst part, however, is when the deli guy keeps messing up your damn sandwich. Lunch breaks are getting shorter and shorter, so by the time you get to the sandwich place and place your order, you have approximately ten minutes to shove food at your face before sitting back at your desk. No room for mistakes, or corrections. When the inevitable happens and they give you a chicken salad when you asked for a chopped cheese, youll have no choice but to suck it up and pay for it anyway. In times like these, turn to the mournful voice of James Murphy and lament your metropolitan curse: Like a rat in a cage / Pulling minimum wage Popcaan - "Everything Nice" Popcaan - "Everything Nice" Image via YouTube Listen when: Its your turn to make the coffee run When theres the opportunity to go on a coffee run, take it. Youll get a break from work, actually get to breathe some fresh air, and youll be welcomed back to the office with open arms. Make the brief excursion into something special and listen to what is probably the happiest song of all time, Popcaans Everything Nice. Its impossible to feel bad when you have Popcaan in your ear, empathizing with everyone who is struggling and working 9-5. Hes also reminding you to be grateful for everything you have, because everything is nice. That sentiment, combined with a caffeine high, is sure to make you feel #blessed, and make the rest of the day a breeze. Elliott Smith - "Everything Means Nothing To Me" Elliott Smith - "Everything Means Nothing To Me" Listen when: You see Instagram pictures of your friends on vacation We all have that one fashion blogger friend or world traveller acquaintance who we make fun of and hate-follow in an attempt to channel our jealousy. Because really, who doesnt want to get paid to travel halfway across the world to take pictures of expensive borrowed clothes and tell all your followers why they should stay in the same resort? Regardless of whether you secretly want to become a travel blogger, its a very painful experience to see someone drinking cocktails and asking if their picture is of hotdogs or legs. Especially if youre stuck at work, its raining, and the most exciting thing you have to look forward to is your office happy hour at the grim bar next door. At times like this, you need listen to a song that will reflect how hollow you feel inside. What are vacations anyway? What is work? Were all just trudging through our meaningless existences and no one understands that more than Elliot Smith. Wiki ft. Nasty Nigel - "Living With My Moms" Wiki ft. Nasty Nigel - "Living With My Moms" Image via YouTube Listen when: You think that moving back home might not be so bad after all Youre out here killing yourself day after day, and just barely making rent at the end of the month. And for what? Some vague sense of independence, the ability to smoke weed whenever you want, or to eat cereal and ramen for every meal? Your job sucksweve established that, so whats the use of spending all day in misery, only to come home hating that you got duped into a year-long lease in a windowless basement closet? Wikis mom is probably a lot cooler than yours, so youre both probably going to have to sneak blunts out the window, but its a small price to pay for clean digs and some respite from the adult world. The Playlist The Playlist The post What To Listen To At Your Depressing Job: A Pigeons & Planes Playlist appeared first on Pigeons & Planes. More from Pigeons & Planes A man has killed himself while taking a selfie with his gun - after he discovered too late that the weapon was loaded. The 43-year-old - who was not named by police - shot himself in his home in Concrete, Washington. He was taking selfies with his girlfriend and the weapon - and unloaded it each time, then replaced the bullets afterwards. But on the final occasion, one bullet remained inside, Skagit County Sheriffs Office Chief of Patrol Chad Clark told the Skagit Valley Herald. Its the latest in a string of deaths linked to the craze for taking selfies. South Korea banned selfie sticks, and Russia issued guidelines on how to take selfies safely. Last month, Mumbai has banned selfies in 16 areas of the city after a string of accidental deaths linked to taking selfies in odd places and at unusual angles. Indian youngsters are gripped by what local press called selfie fever - and the craze has led to up to 49 deaths on the subcontinent since 2014, according to analysts. Local politician Abhishek Ghosalkar said that that other countries had already seen the danger of selfies, saying, They have realised the potential danger of the habit, and even psychologists have termed it as a kind of disorder. LONDON, March 2 (Reuters)- A late free kick by midfielder Juan Mata earned Manchester United a laboured 1-0 home win over Watford after the visitors missed a flurry of chances in their Premier League clash on Wednesday. The 27-year-old Spaniard curled a superb shot from 25 metres into the top right corner in the 83rd minute, much to the relief of his manager Louis van Gaal, whose decision to play two strikers almost backfired. "It was a good night for us but we have to keep going," Mata told reporters. "We didn't feel comfortable, but in the end we won and I am happy I scored a good goal. "We are Manchester United, we dont give up and we have to keep going until the end." The result put fifth-placed United level on points with cross-town rivals City, who are fourth and have a game in hand after losing 3-0 at Liverpool. An array of forwards in the starting line-up left United's central midfielders Morgan Schneiderlin and Ander Herrera with too much to do while also giving Watford space to exploit. Fit-again Anthony Martial was deployed up front alongside 18-year-old Marcus Rashford, who made a dream start to his United career by scoring four goals in two games, but the pair looked toothless. Watford's Nigerian striker Odion Ighalo missed three gilt-edged chances in the first half and Austrian defender Sebastian Proedl had a header cleared off the line by Rashford before United sprung to life. Several darting runs by Rashford down the right flank swung the balance and keeper Heurelio Gomez saved two stinging shots by Mata before United's playmaker finally broke the deadlock. "I have to give a lot of compliments to my players because when it's a physical game and you can win in an important moment, because all our competitors are losing, it's very important," United manager Louis Van Gaal said. Asked whether switching Rashford to the right flank and Martial into the middle was crucial, he said: "Yes, I think that was the better change. "Anthony Martial was not in the match, Rashford was not in the match, so I changed them and they were both in the match again." (Writing by Zoran Milosavljevic; Editing by Ed Osmond) Forty-five members of Congress have called for reforms to mortgage sales programs run by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac including one program that was the subject of a Center for Public Integrity probe. The proposed changes are outlined in a March 1 letter to both Julian Castro, secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which oversees the FHA, and Mel Watt, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). Watts agency regulates the government sponsored entities Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The letter acknowledges prior reforms to the mortgage sales programs, such as the launch of sales to community-based nonprofit groups, rather than just commercial investors, as a step in the right direction. However, the letter continues sale after sale seems to indicatethat the fundamental approach of these programs, to bundle up hundreds or thousands of properties at a time for sale to the highest available bidder, and without sufficient attention to potential outcomes for homeowners, communities, and the affordable housing missions of your agencies, has not changed. The letter was first circulated by Rep. Michael Capuano, D-Mass., who sits on the House Committee on Financial Services, including subcommittees on financial institutions and consumer credit and housing and insurance. Among the other signatories are fellow House financial services committee members Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y. and David Scott, D-Ga. The Center for Public Integritys 2015 story about the FHA bulk sales program found that more than 98,000 mortgages have been sold through the so-called Distressed Asset Stabilization Program (DASP) since 2010, and that only a small fraction of those successfully avoided foreclosure. FHA began selling mortgages in bulk, often more than 900 loans at a time, in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis as a way to move troubled mortgages off its books. Critics have argued that many of the mortgages are going to wealthy investors, who have not provided the original borrowers a second chance at avoiding foreclosure, which was also supposed to be a goal of the initiative. Story continues The letter recommends four key improvements that would allow FHA and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to continue selling mortgages to improve their financial footing, while also encouraging neighborhood stabilization and preserving homeownership. The signees ask the housing agencies to disqualify bad actors from participating in auctions, improve transparency of the sales and require buyers to commit to foreclosure prevention, rehabilitation and affordable housing efforts as part of these transactions. HUD declined to comment on the letter, but said it would respond directly to the members of Congress who had signed it. This story is part of Finance. The latest investigations about U.S. financial reform, corporate accountability and consumer finance. Click here to read more stories in this investigation. Don't miss another Business investigation: Sign up for the Center for Public Integrity's Watchdog email. Capuano told the Center for Public Integrity that changes to mortgage sales programs should involve more nonprofit and community development organizations in the sales. The Center reported in 2015 that only 2 percent of DASP mortgages were sold to nonprofits. Its very simple, Capuano said, it comes down to whether you think local communities are best served by nonprofit or a for-profit entity. While institutional investors are attracted to the sales because of the chance to obtain discounted mortgages and turn a profit, public entities like Fannie and Freddie have an obligation thats a little bit higher than that, Capuano said.. Laurie Goodman, director of the Housing Finance Policy Center at the Urban Institute said bulk mortgage sales are working as planned. Theres no question that its a good program, Goodman says of the HUD program in particular. Yes, there are ways to improve the program; most of these recommendations (in the letter) involve transparency. For example, you dont know what kind of modifications are being done in these programs. Thats one of our suggestions. U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, and Democratic Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland have also asked HUD to address concerns about bulk mortgage sales. Related story: 11 things we learned investigating how the government sells mortgages to investors Related story: Hedge funds get cheap homes, homeowners get the boot This story is part of Finance. The latest investigations about U.S. financial reform, corporate accountability and consumer finance. Click here to read more stories in this investigation. Related stories Copyright 2016 The Center for Public Integrity. This story was published by The Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative news organization in Washington, D.C. The government of Mexico is finally responding to GOP frontrunner Donald Trump's insistence that the United States will build a "big and beautiful wall" between the two countries and that Mexico will pick up the tab. But according to Mexico's Treasury Secretary Luis Videgaray, that's "emphatically and categorically" not going to happen. "Mexico will under no circumstance pay for the wall that Mr. Trump is proposing," Videgaray said Wednesday on Mileno television, according to the Associated Press. This has been the first time the Mexican government has officially responded to Trump's proposal. In his immigration plan, released in August, Trump stated "the Mexican government has taken the United States to the cleaners. They are responsible for this problem, and they must help pay to clean it up." Trump first proposed the idea of the wall early in his campaign, shortly after he officially announced he was running for president and said Mexico was "not sending their best," but sending "rapists" and "bringing drugs" into the U.S. "I am not going to pay for that fucking wall," former Mexican President Vincete Fox said during an interview with Fox's Maria Bartiromo on Friday, repeating the sentiment he expressed a day earlier. "I am not." Trump responded to Fox's comments by saying the wall "just got 10 feet taller" during the last Republican debate. Trump has remained the undisputed leader of the GOP presidential race, and his Super Tuesday victory has many believing he will more than likely win the Republican nomination. Fellow GOP candidates have sharpened their attacks on Trump, and former Republican nominee Mitt Romney lambasted him in a Thursday speech, calling him "a phony, a fraud. His promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University." March 3, 2016, 2:46 p.m. Eastern: This story has been updated. Mexico City (AFP) - Mexico will under no circumstances pay for the border wall that US presidential candidate Donald Trump has proposed building to stop illegal immigration, the Mexican finance minister said. "Let me say this emphatically and categorically: under no circumstances is Mexico going to pay for the wall that Mr Trump is proposing," Finance Minister Luis Videgaray told TV network Milenio. "Building a wall between Mexico and the United States is a terrible idea, based on ignorance, and has no basis in the reality of North American integration," he said in the interview late Wednesday. Trump, who leads the race for the Republican nomination, has railed against immigrants and especially immigration from Mexico, accusing the country of sending drug dealers and rapists to the United States. At his campaign launch in June, the flamboyant billionaire vowed to build a wall along the border and make Mexico pay for it. Videgaray dismissed any such possibility, saying Mexican government funds were "to benefit Mexicans." "We have enormous needs and much more important uses for the public budget," he said. He added that "no benefit" could come from building a wall along a border that sees more than one million legal crossings a day and across which the two countries do $1 million a minute in trade. chinese gymnast kids The Chinese government will lay off 5 million to 6 million workers over the next few years in an effort to free up cash at massive, indebted companies in the country. Its coal and steel sectors alone will fire 1.8 million people. Naturally, this has people within the country worried. One worry, though, provoked an outcry that forced the government to respond. It's something that may never occur to people in the West, but will tell you a lot about regular Chinese people's hopes for the future, and how an economic downturn raises the specter that those hopes will be dashed. Chinese people are afraid of the return of the one-child policy. How do we know? Because officials have been forced to address the matter, and it's been widely publicized in China's unwaveringly on-message, state-controlled media. Take this report from Xinhua News: The appearance of laid-off workers amid China's efforts in cutting overcapacity won't affect people's hope for more children, a spokesperson with the annual session of the national political advisory body said Wednesday. Responding to a question if job losses amid China's digestion of excessive capacity is in conflict with the prospect of more children, Wang Guoqing said such job losses are "temporary" and the relaxation of one-child policy is "a carefully-made decision." Timing China officially made its shift from a one-child policy to a two-child policy official at the end of last year. Unfortunately, it also happened to be the year that the economic model that had turned China into the second-largest economy in the world started to break down. China's old model was based on investment, which built up a lot of debt, and industries like property and manufacturing commodities like steel. Now those industries are getting crushed under the weight of debt, and struggling over a lack of demand. So China is trying to move toward a new model based on domestic consumption. Of course, you can't have an economy based on that when people are laid off. It's also difficult to do in a country where the population is about to take a nosedive. China has both problems. Story continues The one-child policy turned China's population graph into this: china demographics What this graph is telling us is that in the not-so-distant future there will be a ton of old people in Chinese society to support and potentially not enough young workers to support them. So China reversed its policy and told everyone that they could have two children, and people were incredibly happy about that. Prospects That's why this worry about a reversion to the one-child policy is so important to understand. In it are wrapped the hopes of 1.3 billion people. They fear that the government may actually be worried enough to return to a policy instituted 37 years ago, when the economy was nothing like it is now. And that fear is so real that the government had to address it. Ask China observers around the world and they'll tell you that Chinese society is built on what the government calls "social harmony" the people accept government control in exchange for continued economic advancement. But this framework is being tested now. In the face of economic decline, President Xi Jinping is tightening his grasp on all parts of Chinese life the media, the army, education. On the other side of the bargain the prosperity side the government has come to face the fact that it must do something to stop the economy's slowing down and ease the burden on the masses. China is ready to spend $15 billion to help the 1.8 million people in the coal and steel sectors who will be out of jobs. It's easing monetary policy, too. But these are solutions to short-term problems. For the long term, China must execute more ambitious plans. Those will be discussed at China's upcoming Two Sessions. The Chinese media has already gone over some of the reform plans, but we're still waiting for them to kick into gear. Having to put out these short-term fires while capital leaves the country and China's foreign-exchange reserves dwindle is not helping. It's no wonder Chinese people are so worried. NOW WATCH: The fabulous life of Kirsty Bertarelli, the richest woman in Britain More From Business Insider (Reuters) - A Missouri man on Thursday pleaded guilty to trying to fire-bomb the local office of Missouri U.S. Democratic Representative Emanuel Cleaver using two bottles filled with charcoal lighter fluid, prosecutors said. Eric King, 29, of Kansas City, a self-proclaimed anarchist, pleaded guilty to using explosive materials to commit arson on Sept. 11, 2014, the U.S. Attorney's office said in a statement. In an incident caught on security video, King threw a hammer through the west window, and lit the two Molotov cocktails before throwing them. The first bounced off the side of the building, but the second went through the window, prosecutors said. King then ran from the office. No one was in the building at the time, no fire was started and no injuries were reported, according to an affidavit attached to the criminal complaint. Kansas City, Missouri police detectives had been investigating King in connection with a series of earlier anti-government acts of vandalism in the vicinity of Cleaver's office, which included King spraypainting a Bank of America building. King also had left a number of posts on social media, including "these cops aren't going to kill themselves, get to the streets." King faces a sentence of up to 10 years in prison without parole. A sentencing date has not yet been set. (Reporting by Mary Wisniewski; Editing by Alan Crosby) Seoul (AFP) - Leader Kim Jong-Un has ordered North Korea's nuclear arsenal to be readied for pre-emptive use at any time, in an expected escalation of military rhetoric following the UN Security Council's adoption of tough new sanctions on Pyongyang. The North's nuclear warheads must be deployed "on standby so as to be fired at any moment," Kim was quoted as saying by the North's official KCNA news agency on Friday. He also warned that the situation on the divided Korean peninsula had become so dangerous that the North needed to shift its military strategy to one of "pre-emptive attack". Such bellicose rhetoric is almost routine for North Korea at times of elevated tensions. While the North is known to have a small stockpile of nuclear warheads, experts are divided about its ability to mount them on a working missile delivery system. Washington downplayed Kim's threat as posturing. - 'Stern punishment' - "We have not seen North Korea test or demonstrate the ability to miniaturise a nuclear weapon and put it on an ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile)," a US defence official told AFP. Still, the official added, "our forces are ready to counter-eliminate strikes if necessary". In Seoul, President Park Geun-Hye promised South Korea would mete out "stern punishment" in the event of any North Korea provocation as she warned of a "fiercer" backlash than usual from Pyongyang over the latest UN sanctions. According to KCNA, Kim made his comments while monitoring the test firing of a new, high-calibre multiple rocket launcher on Thursday, just hours after the UN Security Council unanimously adopted the US-drafted resolution penalising the North for its fourth nuclear test in January and long-range rocket launch last month. South Korea's defence ministry said the North had fired half a dozen rockets about 100-150 kilometres (60-90 miles) into the sea off its eastern coast on Thursday. Story continues In a clear threat to the neighbouring South, Kim said the new rocket launcher should be "promptly deployed" along with other "recently developed" weaponry. In the wake of the "gangster-like" UN resolution pushed by the United States and its South Korean ally, North Koreans are now "waiting for an order of combat to annihilate the enemy with their surging wrath", he added. The Security Council resolution adopted late Wednesday laid out the toughest sanctions imposed on Pyongyang to date over its nuclear weapons programme and will, if implemented effectively, apply significant economic pressure on Kim's regime. It breaks new ground by sanctioning specific sectors key to the North Korean economy and seeking to undermine the North's use of, and access to, international transport systems. Pyongyang on Friday rejected the sanctions as "unfair, illicit and immoral" and vowed to keep building its nuclear arsenal. "The strengthening of our nuclear deterrent is a legitimate exercise of our right to self-defence, which will continue as long as the hostile US policy is in place," the foreign ministry said in a statement. - 'Dangerous phase' - Kim said the resolution had opened a "very dangerous phase", coming just days before the United States and South Korea kick off annual joint military drills that Pyongyang views as provocative rehearsals for invasion. The exercises involving tens of thousands of troops are scheduled to begin next Monday. The Security Council resolution ushered in the fifth set of UN sanctions to hit North Korea since it first tested an atomic device in 2006, and was the result of arduous negotiations between the US and China, Pyongyang's sole major ally. China had been reluctant to endorse tough sanctions out of concern that too much pressure would trigger the collapse of the pariah regime, creating chaos on its border. The measures Beijing finally signed off on are extremely tough on paper, but experts have warned that some of the language is vague enough to allow varying levels of enforcement. China's commitment could depend on the outcome of formal talks that opened Friday between Seoul and Washington on the possible deployment of an advanced US missile defence system in South Korea. Its deployment is strongly opposed by China and Russia, with Beijing saying it would undermine its own nuclear deterrent and has the potential to "destroy" relations with Seoul. Last month, high-school students from around the country came to NASA's Langley Research Center in Virginia for the second High School Students United with NASA to Create Hardware (HUNCH) space-food challenge . The Feb. 16 competition saw 21 high-school teams competing for spots in the semifinals, during which 10 teams will travel to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston for a tasting at the facility's Space Food Systems Laboratory. The ultimate winning team will have its entree processed and sent to the International Space Station (ISS), NASA officials said. This year's HUNCH challenge involves developing a vegetable entree that's amenable to processing for flight and consumption in microgravity, and also meets the following guidelines: 300-500 calories Total calories from fat under 30 percent; total calories from saturated fat 10 percent or less 300 milligrams or less of sodium per serving 8 grams of sugar or less per serving 3 grams of fiber or more per serving The panel of judges at the Langley event included a former restaurant owner, a slew of Langley administrators and former NASA astronaut Charlie Camarda, who flew to the ISS on the STS-114 mission of space shuttle Discovery in 2005. "The icing on the cake today was for them to actually meet an astronaut," said Tonya Ward, culinary instructor at the New Horizons Regional Education Center in Newport News, Virginia, who worked with two teams competing at the Langley HUNCH tasting. Camarda gave mostly positive feedback. "It's very good, very tasty," he said of the quinoa made by one of the teams. "I can definitely feel the kick. It's got a little bit of heat, and that's a good thing, especially up on orbit." Although Camarda said he also enjoyed the pasta made by another team, he had concerns about whether or not it was durable enough to make the journey all the way up to the ISS. "The flavor is fantastic, and the texture is fantastic," he said. "I like it. But I wonder how it will turn out with the cheese can it reconstitute well?" Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Originally published on Space.com. Copyright 2016 SPACE.com, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The Russian government is preparing more restrictions on Netflix and any other foreign video services that may want to enter the market. Under a new set of requirements, developed by a local media association, online video services will have to be run through a Russia-registered subsidiary. In addition, video services operating in Russia will have to translate at least 80 percent of their content into Russian, and at least 30 percent of their content will have to be locally produced. If a company fails to comply, access to it could be blocked, as is currently the case with websites that are proven to carry pirated content. Earlier announced legislation introduced a local value added tax on online digital sales, which will affect Netflix, Google Play and iTunes. It recently passed the first reading in Russian parliament and is expected to be enacted soon. Russian officials also said they might demand that Netfix apply for a broadcast license, but they are ready for negotiations and expect the U.S. video service to make the first move. Netflix declined to comment. Previously the company said it was willing to comply with the Russian law. Currently, Netflix content is available in Russia only in English and offers a few globally licensed Russian titles. Since Netflix launched in Russia in early January, local competitors have been lobbying to impose restrictions on the service. Read More: Russian Online Video Services Call for Tax on Netflix, iTunes By Camillus Eboh ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigeria's parliament expects to pass the 2016 budget in Africa's biggest economy on March 17, lawmakers said on Wednesday. President Muhammadu Buhari presented a record $30 billion budget in December but asked for its withdrawal in January to make changes after a further drop in oil prices forced the deficit up to 3 trillion naira ($15 billion) from 2.2 trillion. Last month voting on the budget was postponed because ministers could not agree on revised public spending plans. Representatives of the Senate, the upper house, and their counterparts in the lower house, the House of Representatives, said they had held talks with ministries on the issue of how much money would be allocated to each department. "We should be able to lay our report of the 2016 Appropriation Bill before the House and the Senate on 16th of March," Abdulmumin Jibrin, who chairs the budget committee in the lower house. He said parliament was expected to finish considering the budget's contents by the end of the following day. "So it is safe for us to conclude that the 2016 Appropriation Bill will be passed on the 17th of March," he added. Nigeria has held talks with the World Bank and has looked at borrowing from the African Development Bank and China Exim Bank to plug the budget gap as oil trades around $30 a barrel, down from over $100 in 2014. (Writing by Alexis Akwagyiram; Editing by Dominic Evans) NEW YORK (Reuters) - New Jersey Transit, the transportation network that handles commuter traffic into New York City from the state, on Thursday released plans for a possible strike on March 13, warning of major disruption if the industrial action goes ahead. NJ Transit officials said the emergency plan could only accommodate 38 percent of normal traffic, displacing over 100,000 commuters and leading to snarl ups on roads and serious overcrowding on alternative public transportation routes. Officials said a shutdown could force an additional 10,000 cars per hour into rush hour traffic during peak times, creating tail backs over 20 miles into New Jersey as commuters jostle to pass through limited crossing points into Manhattan. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said on Thursday he was hopeful a deal could be reached but that he would not "give away the store" in negotiations with labor unions. He said his first responsibility was to taxpayers and fare payers. The strike comes as a poll showed Christie's approval rating in New Jersey hit a new low after he endorsed Republican front-runner Donald Trump in his bid for president. Six local papers called on Christie to resign after the endorsement. No Agreement was reached on Thursday in talks between NJ Transit and 11 unions in the NJT Rail Labor Coalition, union representatives said. The parties will head to Washington on Friday to meet with the National Labor Relations Board. The unions are asking for 2.5 percent annual pay rises in return for increases in employee health-care contributions. They say that is their final offer and they will not accept the 0.6 percent they say NJ Transit is offering. (Reporting by Edward Krudy; Editing by Chizu and Alan Crosby) By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican presidential hopeful Marco Rubio has no plans to allow a vote on President Barack Obama's nominee to be ambassador to Mexico, a spokesman said on Thursday, despite calls from his fellow Republicans and Democrats in the Senate to let her confirmation move ahead. The long delay in confirming career diplomat Roberta Jacobson has contributed to concerns about the state of U.S.-Mexico relations fueled by aggressive rhetoric against its citizens in the race to be the 2016 Republican nominee. Three Democratic and one Republican U.S. senator held a news conference on Thursday calling for her nomination to move ahead. There has been no U.S. ambassador in Mexico City for nine months. Donald Trump, the front-runner for the Republican nomination, has labeled Mexicans drug runners and rapists and called for a massive wall along the border. Rubio and fellow Republican Senator Ted Cruz have also proposed building a wall. Obama nominated Jacobson in June. She has faced resistance from Rubio and some other lawmakers, however, for reasons including her role in helping negotiate Obama's easing of relations with Communist-ruled Cuba and what they say is the administration's failure to prioritize human rights. Rubio, a Cuban-American from Florida, has been a leading opponent of the policy, saying Havana should improve its rights record before trade and travel restrictions are eased. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved Jacobson's nomination in November, with Republican and Democratic support. But Rubio has been blocking her, under a Senate rule allowing any member to "hold" a nomination indefinitely. "Senator Rubio maintains his strong opposition to this nominee on the basis of her failure to be transparent during the confirmation process, inability to provide straightforward answers, and poor track record on a wide range of issues as the assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs," Rubio spokesman Alex Burgos said. Senators from states that border Mexico held a news conference with the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce calling for Jacobson's confirmation, citing the importance of the U.S.-Mexico relationship. Mexico is the second largest market for U.S. exports and the country's third-largest trading partner. "It's extremely important," said Republican Senator Jeff Flake of Arizona. Democrat Tom Udall of New Mexico, who tried to bring up Jacobson's nomination in the Senate but was blocked by Republican Mike Lee on Rubio's behalf, said he was confident Jacobson would be confirmed if a vote went ahead. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Steve Orlofsky) Seoul (AFP) - North Korea fired short-range projectiles into the sea off its eastern coast on Thursday, South Korea's defence ministry said, hours after the UN Security Council imposed tough new sanctions on Pyongyang. After initially describing the launches as being of "short-range missiles," spokesman Moon Sang-Gyun said the ministry was still analysing their exact nature. The projectiles were fired into the East Sea (Sea of Japan) at 10:00am (0100 GMT), Moon said. "The South Korean military is monitoring any additional movements from the North," he added. The United States and the European Union are about to reach a new privacy agreement intended to replace the old Safe Harbor agreement that came under intense scrutiny after the Snowden leaks revealed the scope of NSAs data collection operations. The new Privacy Shield was published in full a few days ago, showing the principles that would govern the exchange of digital information between EU consumers and U.S. companies. However, the new agreement also has provisions that explain how and when the NSA can continue bulk data collection in the region. DONT MISS: Apple asks the FBI: How hard did you really try to hack into the iPhone? The full text of the Privacy Shield agreement was released, BetaNews reveals, and its available at this link. As Ars Technica reports, the NSA will continue to have broad powers in certain cases regardless of the concerns voiced by privacy advocates. The deal is important for both sides, as virtually all data exchanges between the two regions will depend on this particular law. The new framework underpins $260 billion in digital services trade across the Atlantic, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker said, reminding everyone that the two sides worked for more than two years on developing a modernized and comprehensive framework that addresses the concerns of the European Court of Justice and protects privacy. Issued in January 2014, Presidential Policy Directive 28 (PPD-28) explains the cases where spy agencies can collect data in bulk from European users. That list covers six specific activities: detecting and countering certain activities of foreign powers; counterterrorism; counter-proliferation; cybersecurity; detecting and countering threats to U.S. or allied armed forces; and combating transnational criminal threats, including sanctions evasion. Basically, the US openly confirms that it violates EU fundamental rights in at least six cases. The Commission claims that there is no bulk surveillance any more, when its own documents say the exact opposite, privacy activist Max Schrems said. The previous Safe Harbour framework was struck down by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) a few years ago following a complaint by Schrems. Story continues Ars further points out that the U.S. is about to allow the NSA to share data originating from private communications it intercepts with other agencies, including the FBI and the CIA. These are the sort of details privacy advocates will inevitably address in future complaints. Even so, the new Privacy Shield act is also supposed to provide ways for EU citizens to inquire about the way their personal data is handled by U.S. intelligence agencies. An Ombudsperson will deal with complaints from the EU, and will be attached to the Department of State as well as being independent from national security services. Additionally, President Obama signed the U.S. Judicial Redress Act last week that will give EU citizens access to US courts to enforce privacy rights in relation to personal data transferred to the U.S. for law enforcement purposes. The Judicial Redress Act will extend the rights U.S. citizens, and residents enjoy under the 1974 Privacy Act also to EU citizens. EU citizens looking to address complaints related to how U.S. companies handle their data can also work with their national data protection authorities a visit to a lawyer is definitely advised if youre about to go down this route. The Privacy Shield proposal hasnt been signed yet. The next step is for a committee composed of representatives of the Member States and the EU Data Protection Authorities (Article 29 Working Party) to give their opinions on the matter before a final decision is reached. Related stories Apple asks the FBI: How hard did you really try to hack into the iPhone? Just how much access does the NSA have to all unencrypted communications? NSA's chief hacker explains how to keep the NSA out of your business More from BGR: One early adopters review of the Galaxy S7 edge This article was originally published on BGR.com By Lefteris Papadimas IDOMENI, Greece (Reuters) - The number of migrants awaiting passage to central and northern Europe swelled on Greece's border with Macedonia on Wednesday as the frontier remained shut, adding to a humanitarian crisis and deep fissures within the European Union. Aid workers said the situation at Idomeni, a small border town in northern Greece, could easily spin out of control with no let-up in the number of refugees gathering for passage into Macedonia. Living in filth, families with small children jostled for space in waterlogged fields, waiting for a crack in the border fence, which Macedonian authorities opened intermittently. By midday on Wednesday the border had opened once, Greek police said, allowing 170 people through. "There are 11,000 people here and conditions are very bad," said Antonis Rigas of charity Medicins Sans Frontieres. "We worry that if it exceeds 12,000 the situation might get out of hand," he said. Macedonian authorities have defended their stance. "Our daily admittance of migrants will depend on how many will be accepted in EU countries," Interior Minister Oliver Spasovski, told reporters in Skopje. "It is very important to secure humane treatment and admit these people, but its no less important that we protect the Macedonian citizens and police." Macedonian police fired tear gas to disperse hundreds of migrants who stormed the border from Greece on Monday, tearing down a metal gate. The European Union has called an emergency summit with Turkey on March 7, hoping for a consensus to implement an accord on the distribution of refugees and migrants fleeing conflict and poverty in the Middle East, North Africa and beyond. Many arrive in Greece on small, unsafe, boats from Turkey. More than one million people fled Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan last year. Around 131,000 have reached Europe so far in 2016. At Idomeni, a grassy plain, a tent community was growing rapidly in the mud, stretching resources to the limit. The average wait for a small package of food consisting of a sandwich and a boiled egg was two to three hours. Some people had no shelter. "We will sleep on the ground," said Hassan Fatahalla, 25, from Idlib in northwest Syria, who arrived at the camp with his wife Shakeri, nine months' pregnant. "We want to go to Germany ... it will be a better future for the baby." People continued to arrive as dusk approached, many of them on foot. An elderly couple, both in wheelchairs, made their way to the makeshift camp. A younger family emptied a wheelie bin and placed their two children in it, rolling it down the road. (Additional reporting by Kole Casule in Skopje, Writing By Michele Kambas; Editing by Janet Lawrence) US President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama were announced Wednesday as headliners of South by Southwest, the celebrated showcase of cutting-edge technology and music. Obama will be the first sitting president to appear at the closely watched annual conference in Austin, Texas, famous for providing early exposure to platforms such as Twitter, Foursquare and Meerkat as well as numerous bands. The president will speak before the creative audience on March 11 about "civic engagement in the 21st century." "The president will call on the audience to apply their ideas and talents to make technology work for us -- especially when it comes to tackling big challenges like increasing participation in the political process and fighting climate change," the festival said in a statement. Obama has been a longtime champion of new technology, with his 2008 presidential campaign considered groundbreaking in its embrace of burgeoning social media sites. But more recently his administration has been embroiled in a row with Apple as the FBI tries to force the technology giant to unlock an iPhone in the San Bernardino attacks probe. His appearance comes two years after the headliner at South by Southwest was former government contractor turned privacy activist Edward Snowden, whom the Obama administration wants to prosecute for his leaking of intelligence secrets. Michelle Obama will speak separately on March 16 during South by Southwest's music session where she will push the "Let Girls Learn" initiative that aims to bring education to some of the 62 million girls around the world who go unschooled. The Obamas' participation marks the 30th anniversary of South by Southwest, with each year throwing a spotlight on technology, music and film. "As each new generation comes up at SXSW they look for ways they can be of service, and it's important to reflect and support that message," the festival's co-founder Roland Swenson said. "President and Mrs. Obama's visit here will inspire attendees to that purpose," he said. By Kim Palmer CLEVELAND (Reuters) - An Ohio man arrested for allegedly threatening President Barack Obama and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton made an initial appearance in federal court on Wednesday. The suspect, Jonathan Smead, 35, of Cleveland, called a Secret Service office late on Sunday and asked if the call was being recorded, according to an affidavit. He then said, I want to kill President Obama. Smead asked if threatening the president was a federal offense and said he also wanted to kill Clinton, a former secretary of state, the court document said. Secret Service agents and Cleveland police arrested Smead on Monday at the home of his step-grandmother, where he lives. During questioning Smead said he had been drinking alcohol prior to making the call and does not know why he decided to threaten the President and Presidential Candidate Hillary Clinton, the criminal complaint read. Smead, who is unemployed, is set to appear in U.S. District Court next Wednesday to determine if he will be charged with a federal crime, according to court records. Smead said his interest in presidents had been piqued by watching the television show "The West Wing." His obsession with the 1963 assassination of President John Kennedy had caused him to visit the Texas School Book Depository in Dallas, at the site of the killing, as a tourist, the affidavit said. Smeads sister, Lisa Henry, told investigators that Smead joined the Navy in 1999 but was discharged after threatening to commit suicide. Henry also said she believes her brother had called police and threatened the president before but was never charged. A call to Smead's lawyer, federal public defender Charles Fleming, was not returned. (Reporting by Ian Simpson; Editing by Andrew Hay) United Nations (United States) (AFP) - More than 90,000 people have fled an upsurge of fighting over the past six weeks in Sudan's troubled Darfur region, the African Union and United Nations said Thursday. Expressing deep concern, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and African Union Commission chair Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma called on Khartoum to allow humanitarian aid to reach those in need. They also urged the Sudanese government to grant peacekeepers from the joint AU-UN mission access to the displaced in Darfur. The United Nations is seeking to verify reports that an additional 50,000 people have been driven from their homes in central Darfur, but the government has denied the UNAMID mission access to that area. The clashes between government forces and rebel fighters in Jebel Marra, in the heart of Darfur, erupted on January 15. Sudan's army has been trying to crush rebels of Abdulwahid Nur's faction of the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA-AW) in Jebel Marra. "The chairperson and the secretary-general call on the government to fully cooperate with UNAMID to facilitate its freedom of movement, as well as that of the humanitarian actors, in their continued efforts to protect and provide assistance to the civilian population affected by the fighting," said a joint statement from Ban and Dlamini-Zuma. About 63,000 civilians -- most of them women and children -- have taken refuge at a base at Sortoni in North Darfur run by UNAMID peacekeepers. More than 300,000 people have been killed in the Darfur conflict since 2003 and there are some 2.6 million displaced, according to the UN. By Gul Yousafzai QUETTA, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistani security forces killed seven separatist rebels in two separate gunbattles in Baluchistan province, an official from a government paramilitary unit told Reuters on Thursday, a fresh security concern in a province set to see major Chinese investment. Four of the militants were killed during an operation by the Frontier Corps (FC) paramilitary unit in Kohlu district on Thursday, while three others were killed in Kech district on Wednesday night, FC spokesman Khan Wasay said. Wasay identified the men as belonging to the Baluch Liberation Army (BLA), an armed separatist group that has been fighting for independence for Baluchistan province from Pakistan. The province has been wracked by violence since the start of the latest iteration of a ethnic Baluch separatist insurgency nearly a decade ago. The BLA is one of several groups involved in that fight against the State. Attacks on security convoys and personnel by the BLA are common, as are retaliatory operations by Pakistani security forces, who rights group allege have abducted and extrajudicially killed hundreds of Baluch political activists. Wasay claimed a senior BLA commander had been killed in the gunbattle on Wednesday night, but did not name him. "[That group was] involved in kidnapping and killing of two laborers working on a under construction dam in Gwadar district," he told Reuters. Gwadar hosts a newly constructed port that is the focus of the $46 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a project that would provide a trade route from western China through Pakistan to the Arabian Sea and beyond. Security has been a major concern along the route, particularly in Baluchistan. The Pakistani military is raising a new division numbering an estimated 13,000 troops to maintain order along the CPEC. Baluch nationalists, however, say they will attack any CPEC projects in the province. "We consider the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor as ... an occupation of Baluch territory," rebel spokesman Miran Baluch told Reuters in February. (Writing by Asad Hashim; Editing by Toby Chopra) MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill said on Thursday that Australia's detention of asylum seekers on Papua territory has severely damaged the archipelago's reputation and that the camp would have to close eventually. Australia's coalition government led by the conservative Liberal Party came to power in 2013 on a campaign to "Stop the Boats", adopting tough measures as a deterrent to asylum seekers. Everyone who arrives by boat is detained and sent to the tiny island of Nauru or Papua New Guinea's Manus Island. The government also conducts tow-backs, or turning a boat back to its origin. O'Neill also said that the camp on Manus Island would have to close eventually and that the country did not have the resources to resettle detainees, but that the decision rested with Australia. Responding to a question about whether the detention facilities had hurt PNG's reputation, O'Neill said: "It has done a lot more damage for Papua New Guinea than anything else. "When we saw women and children dying at sea, we stepped up our offer to help, and that's what we have done... At some stage, of course, we need to close the center. These people cannot remain in Manus forever... But it is entirely up to the Australian government." Australia's policy to house asylum seekers offshore has attracted international criticism from human rights groups including the United Nations. While the number of asylum seekers trying to reach Australia is small compared with those arriving in Europe, border security has long been a hot political issue. Australia's High Court last month rejected a legal challenge to the country's right to deport 267 refugee children and their families brought to Australia from Nauru for medical treatment. The detention and likely deportation back to Nauru of a baby girl known as Asha, born in Australia to Nepalese parents, sparked an outpouring of support that could prove a watershed in public opinion against Australia's harsh policies. (Reporting by Melanie Burton; Editing by Nick Macfie) By Julie Gordon VANCOUVER (Reuters) - Strains over stalled Canadian oil pipeline projects and Ottawa's push to impose a national carbon price hung over talks on Thursday between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the country's 10 provinces on how to tackle global warming. Trudeau's Liberal Party won an election last October on a pledge to do much more than the previous administration to curb emissions of greenhouse gases, which are climbing as firms exploit Canada's vast crude-rich oil sands. Behind the scenes, Trudeau officials have been pointing out to the premiers that introducing a national price on carbon was also a key element of the Liberal platform as they swept to power, knocking Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper from office after almost a decade in power. But the provinces, which enjoy significant jurisdiction over the environment, are wary of Ottawa's intentions and say they should be allowed to cut carbon emissions their own way. The federal government can unilaterally impose a tax, though Trudeau has been pushing hard for a pan-Canadian solution. "I think we need to respect that other premiers have issues with this carbon tax proposal that we've seen so far and think about the things we can do together," British Columbia Premier Christy Clark told reporters ahead of talks Thursday morning. British Columbia is one the few provinces that already has a carbon tax. Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall has come out fiercely against the idea, which he says would cripple industry in his energy-rich province. He admits Canada needs to do more to combat emissions, but suggests a province-by-province solution. "There's also a lot of resolve in the room that Canada needs to do better in terms of its own emissions and I think we're going to focus on how we can do better," Wall told reporters. "It doesn't necessarily have to be a carbon price." The political wrangling over the best way to cut emissions nationwide is playing out along side the other major point of contention among Trudeau and provincial leaders - the construction of new crude oil pipelines. Environmentalists are putting pressure on the Canadian leader to shift away from fossil fuels and focus on green energy, while energy-producing provinces say he needs to push through new pipelines to take crude to coastal ports. For his part, Trudeau says Canada needs the energy industry to help fuel and fund its transition to a greener economy. The Vancouver meeting was initially intended to create a firm plan for cutting emissions. Instead, in a sign of the challenges, that date has been pushed back by six months. (Additional reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Alan Crosby) This week, a major case was heard by the Supreme Court about abortion, Whole Womans Health v. Hellerstedt. The case is also the first major controversial case the court has heard since the death last month of Justice Antonin Scalia. In Whole Womans Health v. Hellerstedt, Texas House Bill 2, passed in 2013, regulated abortion clinics and doctors, rather than a womans access to those providers. Two provisions of the law were challenged, and the appeals were eventually taken up by the Supreme Court. The first challenged provision requires all abortion clinics to comply with standards set for ambulatory surgical centers. The second requires a physician performing an abortion to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of the location where the abortion is performed. Joining the National Constitution Centers Jeffrey Rosen to discuss the details of Whole Womans Health v. Hellerstedt are two long-time observers of this issue. Clarke Forsythe is currently Senior Counsel for Americans United For Life and author of Abuse of Discretion: The Inside Story of Roe v. Wade, published by Encounter Books in 2013. Mary Ziegler is Stearns Weaver Miller Professor at the Florida State University College of Law. Her latest book, After Roe: The Lost History of the Abortion Debate, is available from the Harvard University Press. You can listen to the full podcast at the following link or in the player below: Download this episode (right click and save) This show was engineered by David Stotz and produced by Nicandro Iannacci. Research was provided by Lana Ulrich and Danieli Evans. The host of We the People is Jeffrey Rosen. Get the latest constitutional news, and continue the conversation, on our Facebook page and Twitter feed. We want to know what you think of the podcast! Email us at editor@constitutioncenter.org. Please subscribe to We the People. While youre in the iTunes Store, leave us a rating and reviewit helps other people discover what we do. Story continues Please also subscribe to Live at Americas Town Hall, featuring conversations and debates presented at the Center, across from Independence Hall in beautiful Philadelphia. We the People is a member of Slates Panoply network. Check out all of our sibling podcasts at iTunes.com/Panoply. Despite our congressional charter, the National Constitution Center is a private nonprofitwe receive little government support, and we rely on the generosity of people around the country who are inspired by our nonpartisan mission of constitutional debate and education. Please consider becoming a member to support our work, including this podcast. Visit constitutioncenter.org to learn more. By David Lawder WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senate Banking Committee Chairman Richard Shelby, fresh off his primary victory in Alabama, signaled on Wednesday that he may soon end his moratorium on some of the 16 Obama administration financial nominees awaiting panel confirmation. The stalled nominees include those for two Federal Reserve Board governors, two Securities and Exchange commissioners, a U.S. Export-Import Bank board member needed to approve large financing deals and the U.S. Treasury's top anti-terrorist finance official. Banking Committee Democrats and some policy analysts had speculated that Shelby, 81, might be more willing to break the logjam once he defeated a 33-year-old Tea Party-backed primary challenger who had tried to make an issue of his age and long tenure in Washington. Shelby returned to Washington for a Senate vote on Wednesday afternoon, but Reuters could not reach him in the Capitol. His spokeswoman, Torrie Matous, said that the five-term senator now "intends to address a number of issues throughout the year including some nominations." She added that he would likely begin announcing some hearing plans next week. In Alabama on Tuesday, Shelby easily defeated four challengers to take 65 percent of the vote, enough to avoid a runoff election in April. In a campaign atmosphere dominated by Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump's anti-establishment message, Shelby did the opposite, running on his experience and emphasizing his "power base in Washington, D.C." Earlier this week, Democrats on the Banking Committee urged Shelby to "stop obstructing" the nominations. One of the most acute problems is for the Export-Import Bank, which cannot approve loans or guarantees above $10 million without Senate confirmation of a third board member --effectively locking it out of deals for Boeing commercial aircraft or major power equipment made by General Electric Conservatives, including Shelby, had waged a major campaign to close the trade bank last year, idling it for more than five months before Congress voted to renew its charter. The Fed nominees, former community banker Allan Landon and University of Michigan economist Kathryn Dominguez, would restore the central bank's board to its full capacity of seven members. Many had written off their chances of being confirmed, in part because of the testy relationship between Congress and the Fed, which has opposed Republican bills it says would curb its independence. Shelby had previously said that he would not move the 16 nominees until the Obama administration named a Fed vice chair for supervision, a position created by the Dodd-Frank financial reform law. (Additional reporting by Jonathan Spicer in New York and Tim Hepher in Paris; Editing by Dan Grebler) By Andrew M. Seaman (Reuters Health) - People who regularly take aspirin over several years may be less likely to develop colon cancer, researchers say. They found that regular aspirin use for several years was tied to a lower risk of cancer in general, but that was mainly due to a reduced risk of colon cancer. "We did find that aspirin reduced someone's risk of developing cancer overall," said senior author Dr. Andrew Chan, of Massachusetts General Hospital. "Much of that reduced risk is of cancers of the gastric system." Aspirin reduces inflammation throughout the body, which may influence cancer risk. Additionally, Chan told Reuters Health, aspirin may affect prostaglandins, natural compounds with a role in the development of colon cancer. In 2015, the government-backed U.S. Preventive Services Task Force said people taking aspirin for at least 10 years to prevent cardiovascular disease may also have a reduced risk of colon cancer. Previous research also suggested that routine aspirin use is linked to a reduced risk of overall cancer, Chan and his colleagues write in JAMA Oncology. For their new work, the researchers used data on 88,084 women and 47,881 men participating in two large studies. Women were between ages 30 and 55 when they enrolled in 1976, and men were between ages 40 and 75 when they enrolled in 1986. During about 32 years of follow up, there were 20,414 cancers among women and 7,571 among men. Overall, people who took aspirin regularly were about 3 percent less likely to develop cancer than those who didn't regularly take aspirin. Aspirin use was not tied to a decreased risk of breast, advanced prostate or lung cancers. Instead, the lower risk was mostly due to a 15 percent reduced risk of gastrointestinal tract cancers, which was itself mostly due to a 19 percent reduced risk of colon cancers. The new study suggests aspirin use may compliment colon cancer screening and lead to benefits among people who don't follow recommendations to get screened, write Karen Colbert Maresso and colleagues of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, in an editorial. They write that about 17 percent of colon cancers could be prevented with regular aspirin use among people who don't get colonoscopies. About 9 percent of colon cancers could be prevented with regular aspirin use among people who do get screened. In the study, the reduced risk of gastrointestinal cancers was tied to taking 0.5 to 1.5 aspirin tablets per week for at least six years. "What it looks like is even reasonably low doses like a baby aspirin a day has some benefit," Chan said. "What's unclear is if higher doses have more of an effect. I think that question is still open." The researchers warn that more information is needed on the cost-effectiveness of using aspirin for prevention and the possibility of side effects, including an increased risk of gastric bleeding. SOURCE: http://bit.ly/1njEQfx and http://bit.ly/1njEPbH JAMA Oncology, online March 3, 2016. By James Pearson and Ju-min Park SEOUL (Reuters) - From inspecting visiting North Korean ships to paring back coal imports, the burden of enforcing new U.N. sanctions on Pyongyang falls mainly on China, which wants to punish its ally for nuclear violations without squeezing it to the point of crisis. After nearly two months of negotiations between Washington and Beijing, China agreed on Thursday to a U.S. proposal that would dramatically tighten existing restrictions on North Korea after its Jan. 6 nuclear test and recent rocket launch. The draft, seen by Reuters, would require U.N. member states to conduct mandatory inspections of all cargo passing through their territory to or from North Korea and bans all gold exports, as well as exports of coal if proceeds fund the North's weapons program. For China, which accounts for 90 percent of North Korean trade, that means stepping up inspections at sea ports such as Dalian and in the border city of Dandong, through which much of the trade between the countries passes. China, which defended North Korea in the 1950-53 Korean War, is Pyongyang's closest ally and largest trading partner. While it has become increasingly critical of the North's nuclear and missiles program, it prizes stability on the Korean peninsula. "It might look like China is cooperating, but that'll just be on the surface," said Kim Dong-yub at Kyungnam University's Institute of Far Eastern Studies in Seoul. The two countries share a fairly porous 1,400 km (870 mile) border where both legal and illicit trade has grown in recent years, and off-the-books trade accounts for a significant share of commerce between the two. "Until these trade routes are shut off, the structure there makes it too difficult for sanctions to effectively kick in," said Kim. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said China believes the new sanctions should be aimed at reining in North Korea's nuclear and missile program, and should not affect ordinary people, and that what is most needed is to get negotiations back on track. Asked about criticism China had not fully enforced previous sanctions, Hong disagreed. "China consistently strictly abides by its relevant decisions," he said. AT THE COAL FACE The draft resolution targets impoverished North Korea's heavy reliance on mineral exports by banning the sale or transfer of North Korean coal, iron and iron ore if profits are deemed to be spent on its nuclear or missile program. Minerals for sale which are "exclusively for livelihood purposes" are exempted, which analysts said would be impossible to monitor. "You can't determine which part of the mineral trade is related to people's livelihoods or not," said Choi Kyung-soo, head of the North Korea Resources Institute in Seoul, who made dozens of trips to North Korean state mines between 2001 and 2008 as part of an inter-Korean cooperation team. China imported $1 billion worth of North Korean coal last year and $73 million worth of iron ore, according to Chinese customs data. Last year, North Korean coal deliveries to China surged 26.9 pct to 19.63 million tonnes, making North Korea China's third biggest supplier behind Australia and Indonesia. Coal deliveries from Australia plunged 25 percent, indicating the increase in imports may have been to help support its ally. 'HUMANITARIAN PROBLEM' Jin Qiangyi of China's Yanbian University, near the North Korean border, told Reuters there was a "real possibility" such far-reaching sanctions on top of an already moribund economy could create a "humanitarian problem", and affect China's ability to safely implement the proposed sanctions. "China has to think about what will happen to the North Korean economy, whether there will be other problems," said Jin. Critics of sanctions argue they would stifle the country's fledgling economy and hurt ordinary North Koreans. A senior Western diplomat in Beijing who declined to be identified said China remains wary of cutting off North Korea completely, and insists ordinary North Koreans should not be punished for the behavior of their leader. The draft resolution also proposes banning all exports of aviation fuel to North Korea, except for in "essential" and "humanitarian" cases, which could make it difficult stage an air show planned for September in the port city of Wonsan that is to include aerobatic displays by the North Korean air force. Much of North Korea's aviation fuel appears to come from China. In 2015, the isolated country spent $877,048 importing 1,415 tonnes of Chinese jet fuel, according to Chinese customs data - enough for North Korea to operate its fleet of largely Soviet-era military aircraft. "The draft is very strong and, if adopted as now written, was definitely worth the wait it took to plug loopholes and toughen restrictions on transport and finance," William Newcomb, a former member of the United Nations Panel of Experts on North Korea, told Reuters. "Implementation remains a challenge, however. Not even all members of the Security Council have implemented past resolutions". (This story corrects coal volume exported to China, paragraph 15; volume, value of jet fuel imported from China, paragraph 23) (Additional reporting by David Stanway, Megha Rajagopalan and Ben Blanchard in BEIJING and Louis Charbonneau and Michelle Nichols at the UNITED NATIONS; Editing by Tony Munroe and Raju Gopalakrishnan) By Steve Bittenbender LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Reuters) - Protesters at a Donald Trump rally in Kentucky last Tuesday have filed complaints with police claiming they were assaulted by Trump supporters, according to police and protesters. Henry Brousseau, 17, of Louisville, said he went to the Super Tuesday event at the Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville to protest Trump's campaign and was punched in the stomach by a woman who was wearing a T-shirt of the Traditionalist Worker Party. "We're going to see how the police can find out who she is and hopefully we'll move on from there," he said in a telephone interview. Another protester, Molly Shah, 36, also of Louisville, said that she, too, had filed a complaint. Alicia Smiley, spokeswoman for the Louisville Metropolitan Police Department, said three complaints were filed on Wednesday and Thursday and were under review. These would mark the latest clashes between Trump supporters, security, and protesters. The day before Trump visited Louisville, black students were removed from a rally in Georgia. A website for the Traditionalist Worker Party describes it as a grassroots political organization that believes, among other things, that "European-American identity is under constant attack." The Southern Poverty Law Center, a non-profit civil rights and public interest advocacy organization that monitors groups it considers extremist, classifies the Traditionalist Worker Party as a white nationalist hate group, said Ryan Lentz, a writer and researcher for the center. Brousseau, who is white and transgender, said he joined people from Black Lives Matter, Parents for Social Justice, Showing Up for Racial Justice and other groups that went to the Trump rally to protest. Video footage that has been circulated on social and traditional media shows people in Traditionalist Worker Party t-shirts pushing people, notably a young black woman, and taking their protest signs. Trump campaign spokeswoman Hope Hicks said in an email that the campaign does not comment on security matters. The Traditionalist Worker Party did not respond to requests for comment, and its website, tradworker.org, does not say where it is based. Matthew Heimbach, the group's chairman, wrote in a blog on the website of the Traditionalist Youth Network that the protesters, including those from Black Lives Matter, were the aggressors. And he tweeted, "Its (sic) funny how BLM comes to a Trump event to fight, starts the fight and then loses the fight but plays big victims to the media." Southern Poverty Law Center's Lentz said, "Matthew is a figure who is core to the white nationalists and white supremacist culture as it is right now in the U.S." For more on the 2016 presidential race, see the Reuters blog, Tales from the Trail (http://blogs.reuters.com/talesfromthetrail/). (Editing by Fiona Ortiz and James Dalgleish) One of the strangest talking points of Donald Trumps incomprehensible presidential campaign has to be his plan to force Apple to bring iPhone production back to the United States. Trump has made plenty of vague promises throughout his campaign, but during his Super Tuesday victory speech, he doubled down on this one. UP NEXT: 7 features I desperately want (but wont get) in the iPhone 7 Im going to get Apple to start making their computers and their iPhones on our land, not in China, Trump told an attendee on Tuesday. How does it help us when they make it in China? As Business Insider notes, Obama discussed the idea of building iPhones in the U.S. with Steve Jobs back in 2011. Jobs explained to Obama that the company had considered it, but it just wasnt a viable strategy. Here are all the reasons why Apple doesnt build in the U.S.: 90% of the parts that make up an iPhone are manufactured in other countries. Even if the final assembly took place in the United States, Apple would still have to get its hands on hundreds of components from overseas, and if there were any issues with the suppliers, they would take significantly longer to resolve with the assembly plants half a world away. Chinese workers simply understand manufacturing better than American workers, especially when it comes to smartphones. It would take years to develop a workforce even a fraction of the size of Chinas. Chinese factories take steps to ensure that their workers are always on call, which means that any sudden catastrophes or rush orders will be taken care of nearly instantaneously. Overtime is also standard at these factories. Workers also make less in China, even when working longer hours. Its a sad truth of the industry, but nevertheless, I would imagine youd be hard-pressed to find an American worker willing to put in 60+ hours a week for a monthly wage of less than $1,000. And with all of the added cost to hire workers, train workers, build the facilities and ship components overseas, the final price of the iPhone would go up as much as $50, according to Motherboard. Story continues Untenable would be a charitable description of Trumps plan a plan which appears to consist of telling Apple to do something and expecting them to do it. As a businessman worth potentially billions of dollars, you would think Trump would understand why Apple would be building its products overseas in the first place. After all, even Trumps own clothing line isnt made in the United States. Related stories NYPD counter-terrorism chief: Apple is helping 'kidnappers, robbers and murderers' I desperately want to hate 'Clash Royale,' but I can't stop playing it 10 paid iPhone and iPad apps on sale for free right now More from BGR: Galaxy S7s liquid cooling system doesnt have any liquid in it This article was originally published on BGR.com Jamira Burley knew both perpetrators and victims of violence in her family and in her Philadelphia community. Now 27, she was raised largely by older brothers because her parents were in and out of jail. My brothers had to become adults before they could fully experience their childhood, she said. They took care of the family by whatever means available, which often resulted in run-ins with the law. Whether that was selling drugs, getting into fights to protect the younger siblings, it wasn't done selfishly, it was done in order to ensure that me and my younger brothers and sisters were taken care of, she said. Every one of her 10 older brothers is either currently or formerly incarcerated, which does not make her family an anomaly: 36,000 black men are missing from Philadelphia primarily because of incarceration or early death, according to a 2015 New York Times analysis. This is the third highest of the cities analyzed, trailing behind New York and Chicagoboth with much larger populations. But Philadelphia may have reached a tipping point. The city is in the midst of what could be a pivotal phase of reform, now helmed by newly-minted mayor Jim Kenney. The magazine Philadelphia has called Kenney, Mr. Criminal Justice Reform, citing his record as councilman, which included championing the decriminalization of marijuana in Philadelphia, which he called a civil-rights issue, and campaign promises to eliminate cash bail for some low-level defendants and to give convicted felons a second chance. Kenneys candidacy was compared to that of New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio: Both are white, but ran on a populist platform preaching racial, economic, and criminal justice reform. On his first night as mayor in January, rather than celebrate with an inaugural ball, Kenney took the festivities to the streets with a block party. He aims to be a mayor of the people, addressing issues that have plagued the city for decades, including overcrowded jails and tense relations between police and residents. Story continues In the post-Ferguson era, where tensions between police and residents have risen in cities across the country, Philadelphia is no exception. Amid a rise of officer-involved shootings in 2013before Michael Brown was killed in Ferguson, Missourithen-Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey requested that the Department of Justice conduct an investigation into his own department. The DOJ report, released last March, found that there were at least 394 officer-involved shootings between 2007 and 2013 in Philadelphia. In 2013, the Philadelphia Police Department fatally shot 11 civilians. The median age of victims was 20, and over 80 percent were black. The most recent high-profile case was that of 26-year-old Brandon Tate-Brown, who, on December 14, 2014, was fatally shot by police officers after being pulled over, allegedly for driving with his headlights off. The story that followed is all too familiar in cities across the country: The community erupted in protest, demanding justice for his death; the officers involved were not charged. Recommended: Free Speech on Campus Is Under Attack In December of 2015, the DOJ announced that Philadelphia had made a turnaround, citing progress on 90 percent of the 91 recommendations it had made months earlier. Improvements included the banning of chokeholds, placing limitations on the use of stun guns, and creating an award for using exceptional tactical or verbal skills to avoid a deadly-force situation. An independent oversight board, led by JoAnne Epps, dean of Temple Universitys School of Law, has not yet adopted a position on the police departments progress, Epps said in an email. With almost seven out of every thousand citizens behind bars, Philadelphia has the highest per capita incarceration rate of the 10 largest U.S. cities. The department is accused of being overzealous with other practices that target African Americans, too. Civil-asset forfeiture, a practice originally designed to deal with high-volume drug dealers, was found to be used often against citizens in Philadelphia who were never convicted, or even formally accused of a crime. The law was created at the height of the war on drugs to take down high-rolling drug dealers who were difficult to convict in court. It allows law enforcement to seize any property that is suspected to be connected with criminal activity, such as cash, cars, or houses. If police cant send them to prison, at least they can take away their money, the philosophy went. Federal regulations require that the value of property seized be at least $5,000, going with the philosophy that this practice is used on kingpins. In Los Angeles, the average seizure is $25,000. In Philadelphia, an ACLU report found that the median seizure was a mere $192, mostly from ordinary citizens who hadnt been accused, much less convicted of a crime. Of the over $6 million that the Philadelphia police seize each year, about $2.2 million goes directly to the cashbox of the prosecutors who oversee the forfeiture process. Eighty percent of the cases do not result in a criminal charge. A bipartisan bill has been in consideration by Philadelphia lawmakers which would require that a person be convicted before property is seized. Stop-and-frisk, too, plagues the city. An ACLU report found that the Philadelphia Police Department engaged in over 200,000 stop-and-frisk encounters in 2014, 37 percent of which it alleged lacked reasonable suspicion. Already, Kenney is being accused of abandoning campaign promises to abolish the practice. With almost seven out of every thousand citizens behind bars, Philadelphia has the highest per capita incarceration rate of the 10 largest U.S. cities. Three-quarters of the jail population, over 7,000 detainees at last count, waits six months before trial. Recommended: The 40 Seconds John Kasich Will Regret for the Rest of his Life Before even being sworn into office, Kenney promised to reduce the citys jail population by one third in the next three years. The jails have been at over-capacity for decades, causing many inmates to be housed three to a two-person cell, a practice known as triple-celling, which means there are two bunkbeds, and at night they put down a piece of foam on the floor for the third person, whose head is about a foot from the toilet, said David Rudovsky, a civil-rights attorney. As of mid-January, there were approximately 1,380 people in triple cells, according to Rudovsky. He has been a head litigator for four out of the five class-action lawsuits brought against the city for jail overcrowding. The suits date back to 1969. The lead plaintiff in a 20062007 class action suit, Lee Bowers, gave vivid testimony about the crowded conditions he endured in a holding cell during his relatively brief but, by his own account, traumatic detainment. He was arrested on a court non-appearance warrant related to payment for his childrens health insurance. For three days he was held in a series of 9-by-13foot cellsabout the size of a small single bedroompacked with 30 men. Those who got a spot on a bench were lucky, Bowers said. People were sitting on the floor, standing up, standing over by the toilets, sitting up on the wall that separated the toilets, Bowers told the court. The heat, he said, was unbearable. He estimated 90 to 100 degrees. One fellow inmate passed out; he was dragged away by guards to be revived. After three days of this he saw a judge and was sent home, his bench warrant lifted. Several days after he was released from jail, Bowers entered the local hospital for treatment of his leg which was still swollen after he spent a night without drinking anything and curled under a jail bench, cramped by other inmates. He was treated for a severe blood clot. Recommended: Motor City Melee: The GOP Debate Gets Wild The most recent overcrowding class-action case, Williams et. al. v. City of Philadelphia, was temporarily resolved in 2008 with a settlement which allowed lawyers for the plaintiffs to monitor the jail-system conditions. But conditions worsened and the jail population again grew; the case was reopened in 2012 at the request of Rudovsky and his colleagues. One response from the city has been to simply build more cells. When I started this litigation, in '69, there was a capacity in the prison system of about 2,700, Rudovsky says. Today the capacity is 6,500. So they've added a lot of beds, but that is both expensive and I say it just invites more people to be in the prison system. (The city-jail systemwhere people are held pretrial or for short sentencesis officially called the Philadelphia Prison System.) The problem is, he said, over-reliance on pretrial incarceration for a lot of people who are not a danger to the community, but are locked up anyway. The situation has gotten better over the past few years. The jail systems inmate population reached a peak in 2009 with 9,800 inmates, nearly 3,000 of whom were triple-celledmore than twice as many as there are today. Since then, the jail population has decreased due to a series of factors including several pretrial reforms, such as an increase of diversion programs, more use of home monitoring rather than keeping people in on a low bail, and a Video Crash Course program through which probation and parole hearings for minor offenses can be held in local precinct stations, accelerating the disposition of these cases. Still, the number of people held in the Philadelphia jail system today is far from acceptable, Rudovsky said. But if this administration is as serious about reform as it claims, he said, hes hopeful that the problem will be alleviated without litigation. The city already received $150,000 from the MacArthur Foundation to study reducing its jail population. We are positioned to have some short term goals and gains, said Council President Darrell Clarke, who has been leading reform efforts alongside Kenney. I dont understand why it has taken so long, he said. A city council Special Committee on Criminal Justice Reform, which Clarke proposed, was formally launched in February. The city has a grant application for up to $4 million pending with the MacArthur Foundation. Elected officials have been tight lipped about the proposals specifics, but have indicated that it generally focuses on decreasing reliance on cash bail, bolstering diversion programs to decrease pretrial detainment, and enhancing mental-health services for defendants awaiting trial. The grant recipients are expected to be announced mid-March. Regardless of whether the money is granted, both Kenney and Clarke agree that the reforms are necessary and will continuethough perhaps on a slower timeline. Its all about priorities, Clarke said. If these are the things that we need to change, were going to change them. Read more from The Atlantic: This article was originally published on The Atlantic. For what feels like the one hundredth time but is actually just the eleventh, the Republican candidates will gather on Thursday night for another rousing debate, during which they will invariably come to verbal fisticuffs over what have been the defining moments of this, the 2016 presidential primary. The action will kick off live from Detroit, Michigan at 9 p.m. Eastern and will be hosted by Fox viewers can watch the broadcast on TV or on the network's live stream. While some may feel like they've heard this song and seen this dance just way too many times before, co-moderators Bret Baier and Megyn Kelly promise they'll be hitting the presidential hopefuls with new questions from new angles, for riveting results. "Likely, there's going to be some fireworks," said Baier in a preview of the event, predicting that a central issue of the evening would be bringing down party frontrunner Donald Trump, who will take the number one position onstage once again. The not-a-politician politician enjoyed a sweeping win on Super Tuesday, winning seven of the 11 states holding primaries and consolidating his lead on the GOP opposition. Get ready to see these three go head-to-head again. Joining him will be Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in second, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio in third and Ohio Gov. John Kasich in fourth while he is still in the race, former neurosurgeon Ben Carson declined to participate in Thursday's Republican debate. ICYMI, we have a full rundown of the goings on at the 10th GOP debate, which took place on Thursday, Feb. 25. How many more of these do we have to look forward to? At least two more. Brace. By Warren Strobel, Jonathan Landay and Matt Spetalnick WASHINGTON (Reuters) - More than 90 Republican foreign policy veterans have pledged to oppose Donald Trump, saying his proposals would undermine U.S. security, in the latest sign of fissures between the Republican presidential front-runner and the party establishment. "Mr. Trumps own statements lead us to conclude that as president, he would use the authority of his office to act in ways that make America less safe, and which would diminish our standing in the world," the signatories wrote in a open letter on Wednesday. "Furthermore, his expansive view of how presidential power should be wielded against his detractors poses a distinct threat to civil liberty in the United States," said the letter, which was posted on a blog called War on the Rocks. The signatories include Robert Zoellick, a former World Bank president and deputy secretary of state; former U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff; and Dov Zakheim, a top Pentagon official under President George W. Bush. They represent both centrist Republican foreign policy circles and neoconservatives who favor a robust U.S. international role and wielded clout during Bush's 2001-2009 presidency. Billionaire businessman Trump won the largest number of states in this week's Super Tuesday nominating contests, intensifying moves by the party's establishment wing to derail his path to the nomination. On Thursday, Trump in an interview with ABC News flatly rejected the criticism in the letter and blasted the nation's military leaders as ineffective. Bryan McGrath, a retired U.S. Navy officer and adviser to Republican Mitt Romneys unsuccessful 2012 presidential campaign who helped organize the letter, said at least two people declined to sign because of concerns it would fuel Trump's campaign theme of being an anti-Washington candidate opposed by the establishment. "This is really drawing a bright moral line and saying that if we're going to keep our souls, we can't cross it," said Eliot Cohen, who served as counselor to former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and helped spearhead the letter. Story continues Rice was asked to sign but chose not to, in keeping with her general practice of not signing on to such group letters, a spokeswoman for the Stanford University professor said. The list of signatures, which numbered 60 when the letter was released on Wednesday night, had grown to 94 by Thursday afternoon. The signatories did not include other several high-profile former officials such as Bush national security adviser Stephen Hadley or former Secretary of State Colin Powell. It was unknown if they were invited to sign. The letter rejects numerous Trump foreign policy statements, including his "hateful, anti-Muslim rhetoric," his demand that Mexico fund a wall to control illegal immigration across the U.S. border, and his insistence that Japan pay much more for U.S. security assistance. "As committed and loyal Republicans, we are unable to support a Party ticket with Mr. Trump at its head," the signatories said. "We commit ourselves to working energetically to prevent the election of someone so utterly unfitted to the office." The War on the Rocks blog calls itself a platform for former diplomats, military and intelligence officers and scholars to comment "through a realist lens" on global affairs. AMMUNITION FOR TRUMP? Trump has alarmed some mainstream Republicans with vows to shred international trade deals. Many fear a Trump presidency would severely strain ties with allies and are concerned about his stated willingness to work more closely with authoritarian Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump also has criticized the Republican Party for its backing of Bush's 2003 Iraq invasion and has said he supports the practice of waterboarding and other similar interrogation techniques. Max Boot, a foreign policy adviser to Romney's 2012 campaign and supporter of the Iraq invasion, was among the letter's signers and said he "would sooner work for (North Korean dictator) Kim Jong Un than for Donald Trump. I think Donald Trump is objectively more dangerous than Kim Jong Un and not as stable." Kurt Volker, a permanent representative to NATO under Bush, said he did not sign the letter because of concerns that any letter from "national security intelligentsia" could backfire. "He would actually use it as a bragging right," said Volker, adding he had no intention of working for Trump but wanted to be free to offer advice to any future president, and that such a letter could prompt Trump to hold a grudge. Several others who declined to sign and asked not to be identified, said they feared it could help Democrat Hillary Clinton win the presidency. Trump told MSNBC on Thursday that he would name his foreign policy and national security advisers "in a week or two. ... But ultimately it's my thought more than anybody else's." Those Trump has spoken with on foreign policy include a retired U.S. general and intelligence official, Michael Flynn, who favors closer ties with Russia. Flynn has declined to comment on whether he is advising Trump. Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who won popularity for his response to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, has said he has been having regular talks with Trump but not in a formal role. (Additional reporting by Phil Stewart, Arshad Mohammed and Susan Heavey; Editing by David Rohde, Stuart Grudgings, Bill Trott and Peter Cooney) More by necessity than design, some of the leading Republicans opposed to Donald Trump are completely reversing their thinking about how he might be stopped after his sweeping wins on Super Tuesday. After Trumps victories in seven of 11 states this week, some of his key Republican critics are moving from a long-shot bet on beating him through consolidation to an even riskier wager on denying him the nomination through fragmentation. Before Tuesday, Republican leaders had almost universally bet on consolidation: clearing the field to unite behind one alternative to the front-runner. But after Trump captured states across the GOPs geographic and demographic spectrum, those resisting him are now talking about a strategy of fragmentation: encouraging Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, and John Kasich, Trumps principal remaining rivals, to informally divide the country and simultaneously challenge him on different battlefields. Recommended: Donald Trump and the Violence to Come The goal is to splinter the vote enough to prevent Trump from acquiring the 1,237 delegates he needs for a first ballot nomination at the GOP convention in Cleveland. I dont think consolidation is the path forward; I think that was a December option, says Stuart Stevens, the senior strategist for Mitt Romney in 2012 and a leading Trump critic. I think people other than Donald Trump winning delegates is the answer, and that is better achieved not through consolidation. Katie Packer Gage, the executive director of Our Principles PAC, the leading conservative group targeting Trump, has now also concluded that fragmentation offers a better chance of stopping him than consolidation, if only because the latter is so unlikely. Whatever [is] the best option might be irrelevant, she says. That might be the only option. There probably does have to be a multi-pronged effort to deny him the nomination. Story continues It would be tempting to call this a strategy of divide and conquer-except that would understate the position of weakness from which this discussion springs. I would call it divide and survive, Stevens says. No one is going to be conquering. Among Republicans nervous about Trump, the talk of consolidation hasnt stopped. But nothing about Tuesdays results encouraged it. Instead it underscored the limits confronting each of the candidates chasing Trump, even as it demonstrated both the front-runners strengths and continuing challenges. Recommended: How Donald Trump Can Beat Hillary Clinton In most respects, Trumps performance this week was dominant. Trump crossed the geographic and religious divide that stymied the past two GOP nominees, Mitt Romney and John McCain, by winning northern and border states with relatively fewer evangelicals that they carried (Vermont, Massachusetts, Virginia) but also taking the heavily evangelical Southern states they lost (Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee). And Trump continued to demonstrate enormous appeal for the partys turbulent blue-collar wing, carrying at least 46 percent of non-college whites in Tennessee, Virginia, Georgia, Alabama, and Massachusetts. But in other ways, Trumps performance hinted at lingering resistance. He exceeded 40 percent of the vote in just two statesAlabama and Massachusetts. In every state, his showing among whites with a four-year college degree or more lagged behind his support from whites without degrees; hes carried most college-educated whites in only six of the 13 states with exit polls. And of course, his wins came even as concern over him among party leaders peaked following his refusal to instantly denounce the Ku Klux Klan and white supremacist David Duke on CNN last weekend. You talk to people on Capitol Hill and they are terrified, the veteran Republican strategist Pete Wehner said. The problem remains, though, that none of Trumps rivals appear big enough to stop him alone. Cruz and Rubio continue to demonstrate mirror-image weaknesses. Cruzs coalition is too narrow, while Rubios remains too shallow. Even as Trump has cracked Cruzs evangelical foundation in several states, the Texan has not topped 18 percent support among voters who are not evangelicals anywhere except his home state. Rubio, meanwhile, has drawn support that is broad but thin. On Tuesday, Rubio won white college graduates in just three states and non-college whites in none. And by tilting right in his message, Rubio has left room for Kasichwhose support is narrowly restricted to party centriststo peel away moderates outside the South. Recommended: What Mitt Romney Really Thinks of Donald Trump Looking at that record, its no wonder more Trump critics are losing faith that one candidate can unite the party against himand instead hoping that the field can collectively contest Trump in enough states to prevent him from obtaining a first ballot nomination. The most obvious risk in this approach is that the pack will divide the voters most skeptical of Trump. But, argues Stevens, There is no other path. Ask yourself: If Rubio gets out is Kasich going to win Florida? If Kasich gets out, is Rubio going to win Ohio? Even some senior advisers to the remaining contenders are privately echoing that logic. This last ditch strategy implicitly acknowledges that Trump is likely to arrive in Cleveland with the largest delegate haulbut bets that the convention will reject him anyway if he falls below an absolute majority. Ordinarily that would be a recipe for civil war. But Trumps critics justifiably think civil war is equally likely if hes nominated. There is a huge split in the party whether he wins or there is a brokered convention, said Gage. Neither, she added a moment later, bodes well for winning the general election. Read more from The Atlantic: This article was originally published on The Atlantic. Veteran Lleyton Hewitt is on standby to break his short-lived retirement if Australia need their new captain against the United States in this weekend's Davis Cup World Group tie in Melbourne. World number 27 Nick Kyrgios withdrew before Thursday's draw with a virus and back trouble, with Hewitt, in charge as Australia captain for the first time, nominated as his replacement. But Hewitt, 35, who was thought to have played his last competitive match at the Australian Open in January, did not name himself in Friday's singles or Saturday's pivotal doubles rubbers, instead preferring to use 77th-ranked Sam Groth. Groth will open the tie on grass at Kooyong in Melbourne against big-serving American John Isner, ranked 11, while Australia's top-ranked Bernard Tomic faces world number 24 Jack Sock in Friday's singles. Groth was nominated to partner doubles specialist John Peers in Saturday's showdown against multiple Grand Slam-winners Bob and Mike Bryan. But that decision can be changed up until an hour before the pivotal rubber, leaving open the possibility that Hewitt could take his place in the doubles. "We'll just see how it pans out," Hewitt said at the draw. "We've got to put our best options forward every single day and we will have a look at it after each day's play and see how Sam plays and pulls up after his singles." USA team captain Jim Courier said he was not surprised by the Australian team change. "We've seen how much Lleyton was practising this week and with Nick's pretty conspicuous absence but it's certainly not something coming down here that we were anticipating," Courier said. - Fitness test - If Hewitt does take part he will be the first playing captain for Australia since Norman Brookes in 1919. Kyrgios practised briefly this week but he was ruled out by team medical staff, having not recovered from a virus he contracted in Dubai last week. Story continues "We took Nick through his paces a little bit this morning, just gave him a bit of a fitness test," Hewitt said. "We had to see how he pulled up from yesterday. It wasn't the toughest hit yesterday but he just wasn't fit enough to play this weekend, which is just unlucky. It was bad timing for us, but it was really out of our hands in the end." Hewitt announced his retirement amid great fanfare at this year's Australian Open in Melbourne when he bowed out to Spain's David Ferrer in the second round. Since his debut against USA as an 18-year-old in 1999, Hewitt has played in a record 41 Davis Cup ties for his country, with a 58/20 win-loss record in singles and doubles. Hewitt was in the team that won the Cup in 1999, beating France in the final, and he lifted the trophy again in 2003 when he led Australia to victory over Spain. Hewitt also remains the youngest player to reach the world number one ranking, in 2001, aged 20 years and eight months. A team of refugees will compete at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro this summer, according to International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach. The BBC reports that a total of 43 athletes have been earmarked for the team, which will be called the Team of Refugee Athletes (ROA) and will compete under the Olympic flag. "By welcoming ROA to the Olympic Games in Rio, we want to send a message of hope to all the refugees of the world," Bach said on Wednesday. "We have all been touched by the magnitude of this refugee crisis. By welcoming this team, we want to send a message of hope to all the refugees in the world. This team will be treated like all the other teams." The Guardian claims three high-performance athletes were identified by the IOC in December 2015 as being suitable to form part of the team. Two of those are believed to be Yusra Mardini, the 17-year-old Syrian swimmer who fled Damascus for Germany and now trains in Berlin, and Raheleh Asemani, the Iranian taekwondo fighter from Iran who now works as a postwoman and trains in Belgium. Bach said he was not sure how many athletes would make up the proposed team. This team may end up between five and 10 athletes maybe," Bach said. "We have no target. It depends very much on the sporting qualifications." Each athlete will require United Nations refugee status. Newsweek Europe has contacted the IOC for comment. Related Articles Moscow (AFP) - Moscow investigators said Thursday that a nanny accused of decapitating a child has been diagnosed schizophrenic, as footage emerged of her apparently linking the killing to Russia's bombing in Syria. Suspect Gyulchekhra Bobokulova from Muslim-majority Uzbekistan -- whom the press have dubbed "the bloody nanny" -- was detained on Monday as she was waving the child's severed head outside a metro station in northwestern Moscow. She was sent for psychiatric examinations. Arriving at a Moscow court on Wednesday, the 38-year-old told journalists that "Allah ordered" the killing as a judge ordered her held in custody for two months over the murder of the girl, whom investigators say was aged either four or five. Undated footage later emerged on the Internet appearing to show the mother-of-three saying the attack was "revenge" for Russian President Vladimir Putin's bombing campaign in Syria, which began in September. "I took revenge," she says in the video in response to a question from a man who cannot be seen "Against the one that spilled blood," she says, dressed in the same clothes she wore in court. "Putin is bombing. Bombs from airplanes. Why are you bombing Muslim? Nobody talks about it. They also want to live." After the appearance of the video, Russia's Investigative Committee -- which reports directly to Putin -- swiftly released a statement saying Bobokulova has "long been diagnosed with schizophrenia". "For a person who has long been diagnosed with schizophrenia, the motive at the moment the crime was committed, as a rule, does not coincide with the explanations given after the event," committee spokesman Vladimir Markin said. "I appeal to the media: do not make premature conclusions and protect the psychological state of your viewers." - 'Deranged person' - Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also dismissed Bobokulova's apparent claims that the killing was revenge for Putin's Syria campaign. Story continues "It is obvious that we are talking about a deranged person," Peskov said. "You need to relate to her words as you would to the words of a deranged person." Bobokulova is suspected of butchering the girl at the family's apartment in northwestern Moscow, before torching it and fleeing the scene. Witnesses reported seeing an agitated woman dressed in black who threatened to "blow everyone up," with some media reports saying she shouted "Allahu Akbar" -- Arabic for "God is greatest" -- as she paced up and down with the child's head outside a metro station. Russia's national television channels have almost entirely ignored the brutal slaying of the child Nastya, who suffered from epilepsy and learning disabilities. The Kremlin has defended the blackout while rejecting claims it ordered the move, with Peskov saying the subject was "probably too monstrous to be shown on television". United Nations (United States) (AFP) - Russia warned Thursday the war in Yemen could grind on for a "very long time" because of the government's insistence on conditions for a ceasefire. Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, speaking to reporters after a UN Security Council meeting on the Yemen crisis, told reporters he was concerned that prospects for peace talks were dim. "We hear that the government does not want to have a ceasefire until there is a comprehensive settlement," Churkin said. "This is a recipe for a very long conflict which will have even more dramatic results," he said. Russia has repeatedly criticized the Saudi-led bombing campaign in Yemen that was launched last March to push back Iranian-backed Huthi rebels. More than 6,000 people have been killed in the conflict. It has brought the country to its knees, with more than 80 percent of the population in dire need of food, medicine or other basic necessities. Russia abstained, but did not veto, a Saudi-backed resolution adopted last year that demands that the Huthi rebels withdraw from all territory seized in their campaign. That resolution, Churkin said, "is being used essentially to continue the military campaign" by the Saudi-led coalition. UN envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed last month told the council that he was hoping to convene peace talks this month to follow up on a first round of consultations held in Switzerland in January. But the envoy did not announce a date for new talks during his closed-door briefing to the council, diplomats said. Yemen's Ambassador Khaled Alyemany said his government was ready to take part in talks but accused the rebels of failing to fulfill their commitment to release detainees among other confidence-building measures. Alyemany accused the Huthis of blocking aid convoys and looting relief supplies that he said were being sold on the black market. "The putschist militias are acting like war criminals. They are using starvation as a tool of war against my people in every province under their control," he told the council. Story continues Angolan Ambassador Ismael Gaspar Martins, whose country holds the council presidency this month, told reporters that "a speedy cessation of hostilities is a must" in Yemen. Deploring the "extremely grave" humanitarian crisis, Gaspar Martins said the council was considering a new resolution to press for more aid to reach Yemen and to stress the importance of protecting hospitals from attacks. The UN envoy is due to return to Saudi Arabia on Friday for more talks on the ceasefire and other confidence-building measures, diplomats said. Beirut (AFP) - Caught in the middle of tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran, Lebanon is paying the price for the growing rivalry between the Middle East's main Sunni and Shiite powers. Both Saudi Arabia and Iran are important players in Lebanon, where foreign powers have long backed a range of Sunni, Shiite and Christian groups on the country's complex political scene. Saudi Arabia has for years supported pro-Western Sunni politicians while Iran has nurtured the Shiite Hezbollah movement, with various Christian factions backing the two sides. And as rivalry between the two countries has intensified in recent weeks, Lebanon is suffering the fallout. "Saudi Arabia is at an impasse and feels very lost. It sees the United States abandoned it in favour of Iran and of Russia in Syria, while Iran expands its influence in the region," said Hilal Khashan, head of the American University of Beirut's political science department. "The Saudis believe they have to react to the Iranians in one way or another. So they've chosen to respond in Lebanon by putting pressure on Hezbollah." The two countries' rivalry plays out in a range of Middle East conflicts, from Syria where Iran and Hezbollah back President Bashar al-Assad while Saudi Arabia supports the opposition, to Yemen where Riyadh has launched a military intervention against Tehran-backed Shiite rebels. The implementation of Iran's nuclear deal with world powers earlier this year has raised deep concerns in Riyadh, a longtime US ally, and tensions boiled over in January. - 'Brandishing a sword' - Riyadh and a number of its Gulf allies cut diplomatic ties with Tehran after an angry mob ransacked Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran following Saudi Arabia's execution of a prominent Shiite cleric. The hostility has now spread to Lebanon, with Riyadh last month halting a $4-billion aid package to Lebanese security forces and calling on Saudi citizens to leave the country. Story continues Saudi officials have said the moves are due to "hostile positions" taken by Hezbollah, which they have accused of exerting a "stranglehold" on the Lebanese state. They have pointed specifically to Lebanon's refusal to join the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in condemning the attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran. The Saudi-dominated Gulf Cooperation Council upped the stakes on Tuesday, officially designating Hezbollah a "terrorist organisation". The GCC's decision was the equivalent of "brandishing a sword," said Lebanese researcher Waddah Sharara, author of the book "The Hezbollah State". "It's a weapon they reserve the right to use, but not one they have used directly yet," he said. Iran hit back on Thursday, with Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian calling Hezbollah "the champion of the fight against terrorism in the region" and saying the blacklisting was jeopardising Lebanon's stability. Hezbollah has escalated its own vitriol against Saudi Arabia, calling it a "criminal, terrorist" state. For now, Saudi Arabia's actions are having a limited effect. The withdrawal of aid to Lebanon's security forces is "more a formality" than a real economic sanction, Sharara said. But there are fears that Saudi Arabia, which has about $2 billion deposited in the Lebanese central bank, could step up its efforts to squeeze Hezbollah. - Remittances at risk? - "No one can predict if Saudi Arabia will go so far as to withdraw its deposits," said Nassib Ghobril, an economic analyst at Byblos Bank in Lebanon. For now, he said, there was also no sign of private Saudi investors taking action against Lebanon, but what could hurt the country is a move against Lebanese citizens working in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries. About 300,000 Lebanese work in Saudi Arabia and another 200,000 in the rest of the Gulf and their remittances home are crucial to Lebanon's economy. In 2015 alone, the remittances added up to $7.5 billion, Ghobril said. Some Lebanese working in the Gulf fear measures will be taken against them. "I have to renew my residency here soon and I'm really worried that it won't be approved," one man working in the United Arab Emirates said on condition of anonymity, fearing reprisals. Exporters are also worried that Saudi Arabia will close its borders to Lebanese goods, said Mohammad Choukeir, who heads the Union of Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in Lebanon. "About 75 percent of Lebanon's agricultural exports and 53 percent of industrial exports go to Gulf states," Choukeir said. Lebanon's former ambassador to Washington, Abdallah Bouhabib, said it was important for the Lebanese -- still recovering from the country's devastating 1975-1990 civil war -- to stand together against outside interference. "There is a discord between Sunnis and Shiites in the region, but our country needs balance and the Lebanese are aware of this," said Bouhabib, now a political analyst. "National unity remains more valuable than solidarity with a friendly nation." (Reuters) - Former world number one Maria Sharapova has withdrawn from this month's BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells in California due to a persistent arm injury, the Russian said on Thursday in a statement from tournament organizers. The five-times grand slam champion has been troubled by her left forearm since the start of the year when she pulled out of an Australian Open warm-up tournament in Brisbane. Sharapova lost to Serena Williams in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open in January and has not competed since then. "I am extremely disappointed that I am unable to compete in this year's BNP Paribas Open," said world number seven Sharapova, who won the Indian Wells title in 2006 and 2013. "I have been focused on healing my left forearm injury and tried to get my body to be 100 percent ready to play this event, as it is one of my favorite events on the WTA and so close to my home in LA." In the absence of Sharapova, Colombia's Mariana Duque-Marino moves into the main women's draw at Indian Wells. Williams is the top seed for the women's event at the BNP Paribas Open, which will be played from March 9-20. (Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by Frank Pingue) Will Smith has been confirmed to star in David Ayer's upcoming cop thriller "Bright" reports Deadline. The movie will reunite the director and actor after they worked together on soon-to-be-released DC Comics movie "Suicide Squad." Australian actor Joel Edgerton, known for his roles in "The Great Gatsby" and "Jane Got A Gun" will also star alongside Smith. The new film is described by Deadline as "a contemporary cop thriller, but with fantastical elements." Smith is currently filming "Collateral Beauty" with Kate Winslet, Keira Knightley and Jonah Hill, while Edgerton is shooting "Loving," based on the true-story of mixed race couple Richard and Mildred Loving. The moon shines in high-definition imagery in a new exhibit at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. Visitors can enjoy a display of 61 large prints taken from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) in an exhibit that is called "A New Moon Rises," which started Feb. 26. The pictures show off recent impact craters and volcanic activity on the moon, as well as crust buckling as the interior shrinks. "Most people do not realize that the moon is still a very active place, and that it has breathtaking landscapes that are both familiar and alien," Tom Watters, senior scientist at the museums Center for Earth and Planetary Studies and curator of the exhibition, said in a NASA statement. With thousands of images to choose from in LROC's mission it's been orbiting the moon since 2009 the exhibit's producers narrowed down the selection by sorting the images into six themes. The themes are Global Views, Exploration Sites, Discoveries, Vistas, Topography and Craters. For more recent pictures, visitors can also check out LROC images projected onto a large screen. These pictures will be updated daily. The exhibit will also show off spare cameras and a large, 3D model of a young lunar crater. "To me the LROC images reveal the moon to be a mysterious and beautiful place a whole world just three days away," Mark Robinson, LROC instrument principal investigator at Arizona State University, said in the same statement. "It is my hope that visitors will walk away from the show excited about the moon." LROC's discoveries not only include pretty pictures. The spacecraft has also found that lunar hydrogen is more prevalent on pole-facing slopes, suggesting that these might be good locations for colonists to mine water. LROC has also tested out laser communications technology, which is far faster than traditional radio. Follow Elizabeth Howell @howellspace, or Space.com @Spacedotcom. We're also on Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com. Copyright 2016 SPACE.com, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. By Feisal Omar MOGADISHU (Reuters) - A former media officer for the Somali Islamist group al Shabaab who arranged news conferences in the years when the militants controlled the capital Mogadishu was sentenced to death on Thursday for the murder of six local journalists. The al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab was pushed out of Mogadishu by African Union peacekeeping forces in 2011 but has remained a potent antagonist in Somalia, launching frequent attacks in its bid to overthrow the Western-backed government. Somalia was plunged into anarchy in the early 1990s following the toppling of military dictator Mohamed Siad Barre, and has been struggling to rebuild. Hasan Ali, chairman of the Somali military court, told reporters that Hassan Hanafi had admitted to killing one reporter and had been found guilty of killing five others. "He will be put to death as soon as possible," Ali said. Hanafi, 30, has said he joined al Shabaab in 2008 when he was working as a journalist for a local Somali broadcaster. He was arrested in neighbouring Kenya last year and then returned to Somalia for trial. He had been promoted to commander in 2009. The following year, he was seriously injured in fighting. "Al Shabaab killed many journalists but personally I killed only one," Hanafi said after the sentence was announced. "But I am indifferent if you kill me. You will see if killings will stop even after my death." Al Shabaab, whose name means "The Youth," seeks to impose its strict version of sharia law in Somalia, where it frequently unleashes attacks targeting security and government targets, as well as hotels and restaurants in the capital. The group was also behind deadly attacks in Kenya and Uganda, which both contribute troops to an African Union peacekeeping force in Somalia. (Writing by Edith Honan; Editing by Alison Williams) By David Lawder WASHINGTON (Reuters) - South Africa is allowing sales of American chicken, pork and beef products throughout the country, meeting benchmarks for resolving a 15-year trade dispute with the United States, Washington's top trade official said on Wednesday. U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman said that if sustained, South African sales are a key step toward President Barack Obama lifting his threat of suspending South Africa's benefits under a U.S.-Africa free trade deal. The first shipments of U.S. chicken cleared South African customs over the weekend under an agreement signed in January, Froman said. The deal could increase U.S. poultry, beef and pork exports by $160 million a year, supporting tens of thousands of jobs in states such as Delaware and Georgia. "We're comfortable that South Africa has met the agreed-upon benchmarks," Froman told reporters on a conference call. "We're going to continue to monitor the situation as poultry, beef and pork make their way into the market. The president will make a determination on the revocation of his suspension order. We expect that decision to be forthcoming." South Africa had effectively prohibited imports of U.S. chicken for about 15 years over various sanitary restrictions, and had raised concerns about a major outbreak of avian flu in the United States that killed nearly 50 million birds last year. U.S. officials had denied any health risks posed by American chicken and argued that South Africa's restrictions on U.S. beef, pork and poultry imports violated terms of the African Growth and Opportunity Act, a free trade deal aimed at boosting African exports to the United States. Obama had threatened to revoke the duty-free status of South Africa exports under AGOA on March 15 until the dispute was resolved. South African officials had estimated that exclusion from AGOA would impose additional costs of up to $7 million on the $176 million in agricultural products it sold the United States in 2014, including oranges, macadamia nuts and wine. "This is a great day for the chicken farmers of America," said U.S. Senator Chris Coons, a Delaware Democrat whose small state produces more than $4.6 billion worth of chicken per year, employing over 14,000 people. (Reporting by David Lawder; Editing by Eric Beech and Dan Grebler) By Sudip Roy LONDON (IFR) - South Africa's National Treasury will meet investors in London, Boston and New York as part of a non-deal roadshow, according to a lead. The sovereign has hired Deutsche Bank and Investec to arrange the meetings, which will take place next week. The delegation will be led by Pravin Gordhan, minister of finance. The sovereign is rated Baa2 by Moody's and BBB- by Standard & Poor's and Fitch. Last week a senior Treasury official said the country's recent budget has created a favourable basis for it to issue an international bond, but the country has adequate reserves to defer the launch if need be. The sovereign met investors through a non-deal roadshow last November. It also has an outstanding mandate, with Citigroup, Rand Merchant Bank and Standard Bank hired to arrange a foreign currency bond. (Reporting by Sudip Roy, editing by Julian Baker) JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's Constitutional Court on Thursday rejected Olympian Oscar Pistorius' right to appeal against his conviction for the murder of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. The Supreme Court of Appeal changed the 29-year-old's conviction to murder in December after the state prosecutors appealed the athlete's prior conviction of culpable homicide in the Pretoria High Court. South African authorities had challenged Pistorius' appeal on the grounds that the Supreme Court of Appeal had correctly found Pistorius guilty. The athlete, nicknamed "Blade Runner" because of the prosthetic legs he uses to race, had filed papers to appeal against his conviction at the Constitutional Court, the country's highest court, on January 11. "We can confirm that Oscar Pistorius' leave to appeal has been denied," National Prosecuting Authority spokesman Luvuyo Mfaku told Reuters. Anneliese Burgess, the Pistorius' family spokeswoman, said she had just heard the news and would issue a statement after consulting with the family. Tania Koehn, the lawyer for the Steenkamp family, told local TV news channel eNCA that they felt that: "The law must take its course." "They don't want to comment any further," she added. Pistorius shot and killed Steenkamp on Valentine's Day in 2013, and has spent the last few months under house arrest at his uncle's home in Pretoria while awaiting his appeal. Pistorius now faces a minimum 15-year jail sentence for the murder of his girlfriend. It is likely that a date for Pistorius' sentencing could be set on April 18, when he was due to appear in court to give an update on his appeal at the constitutional court. (Reporting by Mfuneko Toyana; Additonal reporting by Ed Stoddard; Editing by James Macharia and Dominic Evans) (Adds Steenkamp family lawyer) JOHANNESBURG, March 3 (Reuters) - South Africa's Constitutional Court on Thursday rejected Olympian Oscar Pistorius' right to appeal against his conviction for the murder of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. The Supreme Court of Appeal changed the 29-year-old's conviction to murder in December after the state prosecutors appealed the athlete's prior conviction of culpable homicide in the Pretoria High Court. South African authorities had challenged Pistorius' appeal on the grounds that the Supreme Court of Appeal had correctly found Pistorius guilty. The athlete, nicknamed "Blade Runner" because of the prosthetic legs he uses to race, had filed papers to appeal against his conviction at the Constitutional Court, the country's highest court, on January 11. "We can confirm that Oscar Pistorius' leave to appeal has been denied," National Prosecuting Authority spokesman Luvuyo Mfaku told Reuters. Anneliese Burgess, the Pistorius' family spokeswoman, said she had just heard the news and would issue a statement after consulting with the family. Tania Koehn, the lawyer for the Steenkamp family, told local TV news channel eNCA that they felt that: "The law must take its course." "They don't want to comment any further," she added. Pistorius shot and killed Steenkamp on Valentine's Day in 2013, and has spent the last few months under house arrest at his uncle's home in Pretoria while awaiting his appeal. Pistorius now faces a minimum 15-year jail sentence for the murder of his girlfriend. It is likely that a date for Pistorius' sentencing could be set on April 18, when he was due to appear in court to give an update on his appeal at the constitutional court. (Reporting by Mfuneko Toyana; Additonal reporting by Ed Stoddard; Editing by James Macharia and Dominic Evans) JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Members of South Africa's AMCU are staging an underground protest at Nasonti's Hlobane mine north of Johannesburg over unpaid wages, a union spokesman said on Thursday. "There is a liquidation problem there. The workers have not been paid. They are sitting there because they have not been paid," Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) spokesman Manzini Zungu told Reuters. Forty workers were underground taking part in the protest, AMCU's Twitter account @_AMCU said. (Reporting by Mfuneko Toyana; Editing by Janet Lawrence) Seoul (AFP) - South Korean President Park Geun-Hye on Thursday welcomed tough new UN sanctions on North Korea, saying they sent a powerful message to Pyongyang to discard its nuclear weapons ambitions. "I sincerely hope that the North will now abandon its nuclear development programme and embark on a path of change," said Park, who has taken an increasingly hardline stance with Pyongyang following its nuclear test in January and last month's long-range rocket launch. The new measures send "a strong message from the international community seeking peace on the Korean Peninsula and around the world," Park added. The sanctions laid out in the resolution adopted unanimously by the UN Security Council on Wednesday are the toughest to date on North Korea and, if implemented effectively, will apply significant economic pressure to the regime of leader Kim Jong-Un. The resolution breaks new ground, sanctioning specific sectors key to the North Korean economy -- such as mineral exports -- and seeking to undermine the North's use of and access to international transport systems. The government in Seoul had been a strong supporter of the US-led effort to get the Security Council to impose a resolution with genuine bite, given Pyongyang's defiance of four previous sets of UN sanctions. "I highly appreciate the efforts of the international community, including the members of the Security Council, to reach this result for the dismantlement of North Korea's nuclear programme," Park said. It remains to be seen just how far China, the North's main diplomatic ally and trade partner, will go in effectively implementing all the new measures. Wary of pushing Kim's regime to the brink of collapse, Beijing has resisted harsher penalties in the past and has been half-hearted in its implementation of existing sanctions. United Nations (United States) (AFP) - South Sudan's humanitarian crisis is catastrophic and continues to worsen as warring sides are "dragging their feet" in implementing a peace deal, the UN peacekeeping chief said. Herve Ladsous said "tens of thousands of people have died -- we've lost count" and some two million have been driven from their homes in the war, now in its third year. While a peace deal was reached in August, "the parties are dragging their feet on its implementation", Ladsous told reporters. Britain is pushing for an arms embargo to be imposed on South Sudan to halt the flow of weapons. Russia opposes such a measure, arguing that it would be more easily enforced against the government than rebels. "We still don't have a government of transition and the economic and humanitarian situation is catastrophic and continues to deteriorate, " said Ladsous. A senior UN official said the death toll from the fighting may have reached 50,000 or more. After winning independence from Sudan in 2011, South Sudan erupted into civil war in December 2013, setting off a cycle of retaliatory killings that have split the poverty-stricken, landlocked country along ethnic lines. DAKAR (Reuters) - French forces killed a Spaniard working as an al Qaeda commander in northern Mali during a military operation against the group this week, a Spanish intelligence firm and security sources said. Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), a group that emerged from Algeria's civil war, has stepped up a regional insurgency in West Africa, claiming two hotel attacks in Mali and Burkina Faso's capitals since November that killed at least 50 people. U.S. Africa Command calls it the world's "most enduring" extremist group and a U.S. commander warned last month it could strengthen further. "The death of (Abu al-Nur al-Andalusi) happened during an attack by French forces on a meeting of al Qaeda members in northern Mali," AICS, a Spain-based intelligence company said in a statement sent to Reuters on Wednesday, citing local sources. The firm's CEO Salvador Burguet described al-Nur as a 35-year-old from Melilla, an autonomous Spanish enclave in north Africa. For at least the past year he has been leading a Katiba, or brigade, made up of around 25 fighters in the desert area north of Timbuktu, Burguet said. Two other security officials in Mali confirmed al-Nur's death, adding two French operations were made in the Gao and Timbuktu regions earlier this week. It was not clear how many other militants were killed. Spain's Foreign Ministry said they did not have information on the case and French defence officials declined to comment. Al-Nur has been involved in a number of attacks against the U.N. peacekeeping force in the country, known as MINUSMA. An AQIM video in September showed a smiling al-Nur, wearing sun-glasses, encouraging others to join militants in Mali in Spanish, according to a video released by the SITE global intelligence agency. He then boards a truck with a group of fighters to ambush a U.N. vehicle and begins firing bullets into an apparently lifeless pile of bodies. The U.N. said at least six Burkinabe soldiers were killed in that attack. Separately, MINUSMA said six peacekeepers were wounded on Tuesday when their vehicle hit a landmine in northern Mali. French forces intervened in northern Mali in 2013 to drive out Islamic militants from urban centres but scattered bands of fighters remain in desert areas. France is the largest Western power involved in fighting insurgents in the arid Sahel region, with around 3,500 troops based there. (Reporting by Emma Farge; Additional reporting by Paul Day in Madrid, Adama Diarra in Bamako and Marine Pennetier in Paris; Editing by Janet Lawrence) Madrid (AFP) - Spanish police said Thursday they have seized about 20,000 military uniforms, "enough to equip an entire army", which were destined for jihadist groups operating in Syria and Iraq. The uniforms were found in three shipping containers seized in the eastern ports of Valencia and Alicante last month when police uncovered an operation to smuggle arms to jihadists under the guise of humanitarian aid, police said in a statement. Seven people were arrested at the time as part of a probe launched in 2014 into "foreign structures" providing logistical support for both Islamic State and the Al-Nusra Front, an Al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria. "The containers which carried the military uniforms were declared as 'second hand clothes' so as to not raise suspicions and be able to pass different customs inspections without any difficulty," the police statement said. "With the roughly 20,000 military uniforms and accessories, it would have been possible to equip an entire army which would be ready to enter into combat in any of the battlegrounds which jihadist terrorist organisations have round the world," it added. One of the firms run by the suspects who were detained last month was dedicated to importing used clothes. One of those arrested was a man who dispatched "military material, money, electronic and transmission material, firearms and precursors for making explosives" to Syria and Iraq via a company, police said at the time. This was shipped out in closed containers under the guise of humanitarian aid, and financed by "hawala," an informal system of payment based on trust that is far more difficult to trace than bank transfers. The leader of the network was in "constant" contact with a member of the Islamic State, who repeatedly asked him to recruit women in order to marry them off to IS jihadists in Syria, police said last month . By Sarah White and Blanca Rodriguez MADRID (Reuters) - A coalition plan by Spanish Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez stumbled at the first hurdle on Wednesday as rivals on the left and right voted against it in parliament and set in motion a two-month countdown to avoid another election. Spain has made little headway in resolving a political deadlock since a fragmented election result in December, when voters turned in their millions to anti-austerity Podemos ('We Can') and newcomer liberal party Ciudadanos ('Citizens'). All parties fell well short of an absolute majority in parliament and their jockeying for power has yet to yield a coalition with enough seats to get over the line. The Socialists' plan to team with Ciudadanos failed, as expected, to win the endorsement of the 176 votes needed in the 350-seat parliament, paving the way for a tricky second vote later this week. The defeat sets the clock ticking on a two-month window for parties to form a government, after which a new parliamentary election would be called, probably at the end of June. Sanchez's proposal received only the 130 votes of his own party and Ciudadanos, after an acrimonious debate between leaders that set the tone for a fraught few weeks of further horse-trading between parties. Politicians skimmed over policy issues with a volley of recriminations over who was to blame for the deadlock. Acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy of the centre-right People's Party (PP) branded the Socialist-Ciudadanos alliance a "bluff" and a threat to the national interest which sought to undo reforms his government brought in over the past four years. Sanchez, whose Socialists were runners-up behind the PP in the Dec. 20 ballot, defended his bid to unblock the stalemate, condemning Rajoy for passing up the first opportunity to try to form a government. Even natural allies are divided on many fronts, at a time when Spain's economic turnaround needs nurturing, notably to fix a labour market in which unemployment is above 20 percent. Podemos also voted against Sanchez's bid, spurning his offer of measures to alleviate social inequalities as it pushes instead for an alliance between leftist forces. "Your pact does not protect workers," Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias said, accusing Sanchez of aligning with the right. ELECTION MODE Sanchez needs to secure the most votes in a second ballot on Friday, rather than the 176 in favour, but that scenario is unlikely as the PP and Podemos together command 192 seats. No candidate for prime minister has failed in both confidence votes since Spain returned to democracy in the mid-1970s. Rajoy's comments on Wednesday raised questions as to whether he could persuade the Socialists to back him as leader in any subsequent votes in the coming weeks. With 123 seats to its name, the PP is also stuck for allies. "Rajoy came across as someone already in election mode," said Vincenzo Scarpetta, a political analyst at the Open Europe think tank in London. "Based on the debate it has become very difficult to envisage a breakthrough," he said, though Scarpetta said the countdown to new polls could induce some parties to make more concessions if they feared a rout. An uneven recovery from the economic crisis partly fuelled the political backlash in Spain, echoing an upset in Portugal last year that resulted in a fragile leftist coalition. A similar story unfolded in Ireland last week, with an inconclusive election. Corruption scandals have also tainted mainstream Spanish parties, especially the PP, and are likely to keep weighing on negotiations. Sanchez said Rajoy was becoming "a blockage for the renewal" of his party. Even Ciudadanos, which praised the PP for helping reboot the economy, rounded on the former premier. "You're not a credible (person) to lead this new political phase," said leader Albert Rivera. (Editing by Julien Toyer and Janet Lawrence) If Justice Anthony Kennedy were a character from Lord of the Rings, he would be Treebeard the Enta giant walking tree who makes up his mind in his own time and then goes wherever he is going without worrying much about whats in the underbrush. And thats why the big news out of Wednesdays argument in Whole Womans Health v. Hellerstedt is that Kennedythe swing votewants to get the Court out of this case. Treebeard isnt ready to decide the issue, and so he is searching for an off-ramp. After the argument, the most likely outcome seems to be remandmeaning that the Court sends the case back down to the Fifth Circuit with instructions to consider it again. The first hint came during the argument by Stephanie Toti, representing a coalition of abortion providers. Under a Texas law, passed in 2013, abortions may only be performed (1) by physicians who had admitting privileges to a hospital within 30 miles of the clinic, and (2) in an ambulatory surgical center. Together, those requirements will impel the closure of about 34 of the 40 abortion clinics in the state. Recommended: How Donald Trump Can Beat Hillary Clinton In the most recent year for which figures are available, about 70,000 legal abortions took place in Texas. The clinics that will remain open accounted for only 14,000 of those. The state, Kennedy mused aloud, was going to argue that these clinics could handle the demand for abortions. Would it be A, proper, and B, helpful, for this Court to remand for further findings on clinic capacity? he asked Toti. Toti, like any good lawyer, argued first that the evidence already in the record should tip that question in favor of the challengers. But, even though this was Totis first high Court argument, she recognized that a possible life line was being thrown. If the Court had any doubts about the capacity of the remaining clinics, she said, a remand would certainly provide [the challengers] with the opportunity to supplement the evidence already in the record. Story continues Capacity came up again in a colloquy by U.S. Solicitor General Donald Verrilli. (The Obama administration has entered the case to argue that the Texas law is unconstitutional.) Do you think the district court would have had discretion to say, Were going to stay this requirement for two-and-a-half, three years, to see if the capacity problem can be cured? Kennedy asked. Verrilli wisely refused to take a position; but the possibility of some kind of remand for an interim remedy was hanging in the air again. Kennedy gave a different kind of hint in a question to Scott Keller, representing Texas, who was arguing to uphold the law. The new restrictions require all abortions to be performed in ambulatory surgical centersmuch larger and more elaborate than most free-standing abortion clinics. That requirement even applies to medical abortionsmeaning abortions achieved by giving a pregnant woman two pills, spaced between two and seven days later. Under Texass new laws, a pregnant woman must come to a surgical facilitytwicesimply to take the pills. That could mean two 300-mile round trips just to take a pill that elsewhere women take at home. That makes medical abortion far harder to get. Recommended: The 2016 Presidential Cheat Sheet: Super Tuesday Results Edition [M]y reading indicated that medical abortions are up nationwide but down significantly in Texas, Kennedy told Keller. I thought an underlying theme, or at least an underlying factual demonstration, is that this law has really increased the number of surgical procedures as opposed to medical procedures, and that this may not be medically wise. If you are the state of Texas, you dont want the Court thinking the state is not medically wise. Texass position is that the new laws make women healthier, a question to be solely decided by the all-knowing, benevolent legislature. If Treebeard thinks the new law is not medically wise, then, Austin, we have a problem. That might mean hes considering remand for more facts on the medical-abortion issue as well, or he even possibly (though its unlikely) is considering a decisive vote to strike down the law altogether. The district court had concluded that the regulations were not imposed for any real medical purpose. Thus, it held, they imposed an undue burden (also called a substantial obstacle) on the right to choose abortion in Texas. The Fifth Circuit panel, however, reversed that judgment. The undue burden test, it said, required a state only to pinky-swear that its laws were honest-to-god, for-real, genuine, health-type laws; for a reviewing court, that meant game over. This is the first major abortion case in nearly a decade. Since Justice Antonin Scalia died last month, there is a real possibility that the result will be a 4-4 tie vote, meaning that the Fifth Circuits order would be affirmed without explanation, and the clinics would close for good. That would be, from the Courts point of view, a very bad result. First, since other courts of appeals have rejected precisely the same kind of laws, it would mean that abortion would be available or not available depending on an accident of geography. Second, one major party has already announced that the next Supreme Court justice is going to be elected in November. A party-line tie would suggest even more strongly that the Court is just another battleground in the all-out warfare between the parties. Recommended: Trump Gives His Supporters What They Want So if Kennedy were looking for a way out, it wouldnt be surprising. He is the last remaining author of the opinion in Planned Parenthood of S.E. Pennsylvania v. Casey, which invented the undue burden test. In 1992, the authors of that opinion firmly hoped they were resolving the abortion battle by giving states more leeway to regulate abortion, while at the same time reaffirming the core right to choose abortion before viability. Peace, however, did not break out, and the issue is as contentious today as it was a quarter-century ago. On the strength of Wednesdays argument, the four moderate liberals are hanging tough on this one. The health rationale was a pretext, they suggested; Texas doesnt regulate any other health procedures this strongly, including some that are far more dangerous. Justice Stephen Breyer noted that a colonoscopy (which doesnt need to be done in an ASC) is 28 times more dangerous than a pre-viability abortion. Justice Elena Kagan said that liposuction is 30 times more dangerous. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg pointed out that childbirth itself was a good deal more dangerous than abortion; Justice Sonia Sotomayor noted that even aspirin causes complications some of the time. Breyer, who can often find six nuances in a parking-meter violation, was relentless Wednesday. He demanded to know of one casejust one!where admitting privileges would have made a difference: [G]o back in time to the period before the new law was passed, he said. Where in the record will I find evidence of women who had complications, who could not get to a hospital, even though there was a working arrangement [with a local hospital] for admission, but now they could get to a hospital because the doctor himself has to have admitting privileges? Which were the women? On what page does it tell me their names, what the complications were, and why that happened? Judge Richard Posner of the Seventh Circuit, Breyer noted, says he could find in the entire nation, in his opinion, only one arguable example of such a thing, and hes not certain even that one is correct. Keller was finally reduced to an oblique admission that politics was behind the law. Legislatures, he said, react to matters of public concern. After the Kermit Gosnell scandalin which three deaths occurred in a Pennsylvania abortion clinic that the state had never inspectedpublic concern focused on clinics. To the public mind, relative risk doesnt matter, he implied, and doesnt need to. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito seem committed to upholding the Texas law. Alito repeatedly suggested that the challengers hadnt even proved that the new law caused any clinics to close; even though 11 had closed on the day the new law took effect, he implied, that might have been a coincidence. Verrilli turned into Encyclopedia Brown, spouting record evidence showing that the clinics closed because of the new lawand opened again when the law was temporarily blocked. In her rebuttal, Toti pointed out that the state itself had already stipulated that the law would close all the free-standing clinics. Chief Justice John Roberts focused on the issue the Fifth Circuit relied on. The law has something to do with health, he suggested; why isnt that enough? So what if the legislature really wanted to block as many abortions as possible? What difference does it make what the purpose behind the law is in assessing whether the burden is substantial or undue? All that matters is how many women it will literally block from choosing abortion; if not all that many, then no problem. The only honest way for the Court to uphold the Texas law would be to admit just thatthat the undue burden test means only that legislatures must keep a straight face as they abolish legal abortion step by step. If this law is upheld, Verrilli told the Court, what you will be saying is that this right exists only in theory. Kennedy is not a fan of abortion; but he would not want the Court to look disingenuous. No wonder he is looking for a path out of the woods. Read more from The Atlantic: This article was originally published on The Atlantic. Bangkok (AFP) - A Thai opposition politician is facing up to five years in jail after he was charged on Thursday for criticising a senior general for making "sexist" remarks about ousted premier Yingluck Shinawatra. Watana Muangsook, a prominent figure in the Pheu Thai party that was toppled by the 2014 army takeover, is being prosecuted under the country's computer crimes law, which bans spreading false information digitally. The charge relates to a Facebook post Watana wrote attacking the Thai junta's deputy leader for saying that soldiers continued to photograph Yingluck, two years after she was toppled from office, because she is good looking. "The soldiers took photos of Ms Yingluck probably because she is pretty," General Prawit Wongsuwon told reporters. "It's not a big deal. Don't think too much about it or be anxious about it." In his post calling on the military to cease monitoring of Thailand's first female prime minister, Watana said it was "unbelievable to hear such comments" by Prawit. "They were sexist comments," he added. The junta reacted with fury to Watana's post. On Wednesday he was "invited to talk" with the military -- the junta's euphemism for a short period of compulsory detention. However the authorities went a step further Thursday, charging him with breaching the Computer Crimes Act, a law that rights groups have long said is used by authorities to stamp out dissent. "At 9:30 pm (Wednesday) I was taken to Nang Loeng police station to acknowledge the charge of breaching Computer Crime Act BE 2550 (2007)," Watana posted on his Facebook page on Thursday. "After finishing at the police station the army escorted me home at 11:10 pm," he said. An official at Bangkok's Southern Criminal Court confirmed the charge, which carries up to five years in jail, and told AFP Watana had been released on 100,000 baht ($2,800) bail. Story continues Speaking after Watana was charged, former army chief turned Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-O-Cha said: "Don't write headlines that the army arrested him. The army just invited him." "If he did not make criticisms we would not bother him," he added. Since seizing power in May 2014 the junta has crushed dissent, banning political discussion, locking up opponents and dramatically increasing prosecutions under laws covering lese majeste, sedition and computer crime. General Prawit, officially the junta's number two, is often described as Prime Minister Prayut's mentor. A former army chief and defence minister, military analysts refer to him as the "Big Brother" of the Eastern Tigers, a clique of powerful generals who oversaw both the 2014 and 2006 coups. Prawit is not alone in making gaffes about women. Prime Minister Prayut had to apologise in 2014 for comments suggesting beautiful foreign women wearing bikinis in Thailand should not expect to be safe, following the brutal rape and murder of a British backpacker. Without Apples (AAPL) assistance, the FBI says it will remain shut out of an iPhone used by one of the two shooters in last Decembers mass murder of 14 people in San Bernardino, Calif. But there are still plenty of smartphones the government can crack without court orders, public hearings or any involvement by phone makers. A device called the IP-Box, made in China, can crack the passcode on older iPhones and has become a popular forensics tool for police agencies nationwide. Lke other similar gizmos, it doesnt work on iOS 9, Apples latest operating system. But there are roughly 100 million iPhones in use in the United States and about 25% of them still run on older software. The IP-Box has been a substantial help to solving many cases around the country, says Bill Teel, whose company, Teel Technologies of Norwalk, Conn., sells the device and other forensic tools to law enforcement agencies. The IP-Box, which costs around $350 new and less used, came on the market late in 2014. Teel wont say how many units hes sold, but sales spiked in 2015 as law enforcement agencies began using the device to work through a large inventory of iPhones seized in criminal cases that they couldnt crack any other way. Apple released its newest operating system, iOS 9, last September, and it has aggressively pushed updates of the newer system to any iPhone capable of handling it. So interest in the IP-Box has waned as more iPhones carry the newer software. The FBI says it does not have the ability to break into iOS 9, which is why its concerned about mobile devices going darkconcealing more and more information law enforcement cant access. With regard to the San Bernardino phone, FBI Director James Comey said at a recent Congressional hearing, We have not found a way to break the 5C running iOS 9. They have set out to design a phone that can't be opened and they're darn near succeeding. Android vs. iPhone Yet the public scrutiny surrounding that case and others like it shows that the government has better tools for cracking phones on their own than many users probably realize. Meanwhile, smartphones running on Googles (GOOGL) Android operating systemwhich have gotten little attention in the current controversyare considered far easier to crack than Apples iPhones, since Google doesn't emphasize security as heavily as Apple. And 52% of Americans use Android phones, according to comScore, which equates to slightly more than 100 million devices. Story continues Unlike iOS 9, Android is open-source software used by dozens of device manufacturers. Apple devices are much more secure, says Patrick Siewert of Professional Digital Forensic Consulting in Henrico, Va. Many of the Android manufacturers are just now coming up with hardware-based encryption, and many Android users dont update the software as religiously as iOS users do. The IP-Box tool for cracking into iPhones is a brute force device that works by guessing passcodes on an iPhone and quickly cutting the phones power after each failed attempt, which prevents the phone from counting each try and erasing its data after 10 mistaken entries. On versions of the iPhone that call for a simple four-digit numeric passcode, there are 10,000 possible options; it would take 6 seconds to crack the code if IP-Box guessed it on the first try, and as long as 111 hours if it guessed on the last try, according to British consulting firm MDSec, which tested the device last year. It effectively exploits a vulnerability in iOS 8, says Dominic Chell of MDSec. Apple plugged that hole with iOS 9but users have to upgrade to the new software to get the protection. In federal testimony last fall involving a now-convicted heroin trafficker named Adamou Djibo, Special Agent David Bauer of the Department of Homeland Security described working with the IP-Box and other similar tools. The phone in that case, heard in the Eastern District of New York, was an iPhone 5C running iOS 8.1.2. I have spoken with other examiners who have actually broken passcodes on phones that have operating systems that are more recent than this particular version, Bauer said. Those versions would arguably be more secure and more difficult to break into. He also said the IP-Box can be very finicky and theres a non-trivial risk of data destruction if its not used correctly, meaning an agent who makes a mistake using IP-Box can inadvertently delete evidence. Theres a cottage industry of other devices used for cracking both iPhones and Android devices, including svStrike, HDB Box and MFC Dongle. Many are hacker tools police departments and other law-enforcement agencies find handy because they typically have little or no budget for developing cryptographic tools of their own, and either cant get the manufacturers to help or dont want to. Some law-enforcement agencies send devices they need cracked to an Israeli company called CelleBrite, which is able to retrieve information from many locked smartphones, but that can cost $5,000 per phone, an amount not in the budget for many local police departments. Limits of the government's power An unanswered question is whether any corner of the U.S. governmentespecially supersecret ones such as the National Security Agencyhas better capabilities for cracking into the newest smartphone technology than the FBI is letting on. Documents released by Edward Snowden in 2013 showed that stealthily accessing smartphones was a high priority for the NSA, as it presumably still is. Those documents also showed the NSA was able to access virtually any iPhone in operation at the time. Whether the NSA maintained that capability for newer iPhones is not publicly known. At the recent Congressional hearing, some members of the House Judiciary Committee were skeptical that the FBI doesnt have technology to get into the latest iPhones, without Apples help. Comey insisted the agency isnt as slick as outsiders might imagine. We have engaged all parts of the U.S. government, he said, to see, does anybody have a way to do it with a 5C running iOS 9, and we do not." Cynical observers of government might note that there have been many instances of one agency withholding information or technology from another; its plausible the NSA has iPhone-cracking capability it doesnt share with the FBI. Comey may also have left some wiggle room by essentially saying he asked other agencies if they have the technology, rather than saying he knows for sure. If the feds truly cant crack into the latest iPhones, they certainly have the budget and brainpower to give it a go. Plus, other successful hacks, such as the Stuxnet virus that damaged Irans nuclear weapons system and was supposedly the work of the U.S. and Israeli governments, demonstrate the capability. Whenever Apple issues a new operating system, everybody starts developing new exploits, says Siewert. Its within the realm of possibility that the government already has something in place, and if not, theyre working on it. Which is why Apple, no doubt, is working on new countermeasures to the government countermeasures. Rick Newmans latest book is Liberty for All: A Manifesto for Reclaiming Financial and Political Freedom. Follow him on Twitter: @rickjnewman. Paris (AFP) - Tour de France organisers have invited local wine producers to showcase their products during the race, after they had threatened to disrupt the 2016 edition in protest at a Chilean wine being an official partner. Race supremo Christian Prudhomme told AFP on Thursday that he and five-time Tour winner Bernard Hinault met the producers for talks at the annual Paris Agriculture Fair this week. Upset to discover that a Chilean wine, 'Bicicleta' was the Tour's official wine, the two sides met in an effort to strike a deal. "We discussed the idea of regional producers showcasing their products at all the towns on the Tour itinerary," Prudhomme said. "There is no problem at all. Wine producers and cooperatives can promote their products on the Tour de France, as they can with our upcoming race Paris-Nice." The head of the French wine producers council Jerome Despey of FranceAgriMer, who invited Prudhomme to the Agriculture Fair, said the matter was settled. "It would have been a mistake to block the Tour de France," said Despey. "I was always against it." The wine "Bicicleta" from Chile's Cono Sur, will only be allowed on the promotional events outside France, in Switzerland, Andorra and Spain. Tunis (AFP) - Two members of Tunisia's Nobel Peace Prize winning quartet on Thursday condemned the decision of Arab states in the Gulf to blacklist Lebanon's Shiite movement Hezbollah as a "terrorist" organisation. The Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT), in a statement, said the Iranian-backed group Hezbollah was a "symbol of the (Lebanese) national struggle" against Israel. Wednesday's move against Hezbollah by the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), led by Saudi Arabia, formed part of "an offensive by foreign and other regional forces to divide the Arab world and destroy its forces", UGTT said. The head of the Tunisian Order of Lawyers, also a member of the Nobel quartet, called on all "forces in Tunisia and in the Arab world to exert pressure on governments to reconsider their decision". Foreign Minister Khemaies Jhinaoui in a televised interview said Tunisia did not support the decision to blacklist Hezbollah, despite Tunisia's Interior Minister Hedi Majdoub signing it. Tunisia's official stances are announced by the president or the foreign ministry, he said. The Sunni monarchies of the Gulf, at a time of deteriorating ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia, "decided to consider the militias (of Hezbollah) a terrorist organisation", GCC chief Abdullatif al-Zayani said. Hezbollah was targeted because of "hostile actions of the militia who recruit the young people" of the Gulf, he said. Zayani cited "their terrorist acts and incitement in Syria, Yemen and in Iraq", which he said were threatening Arab security. Tunis (AFP) - Five militants killed by Tunisian forces near the Libyan border had slipped across with the aim of carrying out "terrorist attacks", Prime Minister Habib Essid said Thursday. Essid, in a statement on his official Facebook page, praised the army and national guard units who had eliminated the "terrorist cell sent in from Libya". Their killing in a raid on Wednesday evening had "foiled the terrorist operations the cell was planning", the prime minister said. At least four of the infiltrators were Tunisian nationals, the interior ministry later said, while the fifth was still to be identified. One civilian was killed by a stray bullet during the assault on a house outside the town of Ben Guerdane near the border. An army commander was also wounded. Explosive vests, improvised grenades and a large quantity of munitions were recovered from the slain militants, the interior ministry said. Six foreign passports were also found, it said without elaborating. Defence Minister Farhat Horchani, questioned in parliament, said a gunbattle between security forces and the suspects lasted more than an hour. Troops had been on alert after receiving reports that militants had been slipping across the border this week following a US air strike on an Islamic State (IS) jihadist group training camp in Libya on February 18 targeting a senior Tunisian commander. Tunisia has built a 200-kilometre (125-mile) barrier that stretches about half the length of its border with Libya in an attempt to keep out militants. Deadly attacks by IS on foreign holidaymakers last year, which dealt a devastating blow to the country's tourism industry, are believed to have been planned from Libya. Last month's US strike on the IS training camp outside the Libyan city of Sabratha targeted the suspected mastermind of two of the attacks, Noureddine Chouchane. Washington has said Chouchane was likely killed along with dozens of other militants, and that the strike probably averted a mass shooting or a similar attack in Tunisia. Story continues Britain announced Monday it was sending a team of around 20 soldiers to Tunisia to train troops patrolling the border with Libya. Thirty Britons were among 38 foreign holidaymakers killed in a gun and grenade attack on a beach resort near the Tunisian city of Sousse last June. And last March, jihadist gunmen killed 21 tourists and a policeman at the Bardo Museum in Tunis. According to a UN working group on the use of mercenaries, over 5,000 Tunisians, mostly aged from 18 to 35, have travelled abroad to join jihadist groups, especially in Syria, Iraq and Libya. By Jeffrey Dastin (Reuters) - Top U.S. airlines on Wednesday said they were seeking regulatory approval to start flying specific routes to Cuba, ramping up competition over a limited number of opportunities to serve one of the industry's last frontiers. Dramatizing their eagerness for the coveted flights, American Airlines Group Inc , JetBlue Airways Corp and others argued why they were best suited for the routes in memos that at times were critical of one another. U.S. and Cuban officials signed an arrangement two weeks ago restoring commercial air service between the countries for the first time in decades. U.S. carriers had until March 2 to submit route applications to the U.S. Transportation Department. The arrangement, in the works after the Cold War foes said they would normalize ties in Dec. 2014, allows 20 round-trip flights per day from the United States to Havana and 10 round-trip flights per day to nine other airports in Cuba. But proposals by airlines appear to have exceeded the cap to Havana by at least 19 flights per day, with requests even higher for certain days of the week. American Airlines Group Inc , which has the widest Latin America network of its peers, asked for 10 daily flights to Havana from its Miami hub, one per day from its hubs in Charlotte and Dallas/Fort Worth and one per week from Los Angeles and Chicago. American said in its publicly filed application that there were 10 times the number of Cuban-Americans living in Miami-Dade county than in nearby Broward county, where its main rival to the Caribbean, JetBlue, has its large Fort Lauderdale operation. Separately, JetBlue said Wednesday it requested four daily flights to Havana from Fort Lauderdale, two from Tampa, Orlando and New York and one from Boston and Newark. In its application, JetBlue called American's Miami hub "chaotic" and more expensive per passenger compared to Fort Lauderdale. Story continues It added that the U.S. Transportation Department should support competition "rather than continuing the status quo by rewarding legacy carriers and increasing their market share." The government agency has said it will try to maximize public benefit in assigning the flights. Southwest Airlines Co , United Continental Holdings Inc and Delta Air Lines Inc also filed extensive route requests, with Delta arguing its proposed Miami routes were necessary to counterbalance American's otherwise market dominance. Analysts expect strong demand for airline travel from Cuban-Americans visiting relatives, leisure travelers desiring a once off-limits experience and executives evaluating commercial opportunities. "Our application is based on where the traffic is today," American's Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Howard Kass said in an interview, referring to high demand for its existing charter flights to the communist-ruled island. The Republican majority in Congress has defied U.S. President Barack Obama's call to rescind a long-standing trade embargo, which includes a general tourism ban to Cuba. Obama has used his executive authority to relax some travel restrictions, however. U.S. travelers must meet at least one of 12 criteria to visit, such as taking part in educational tours or visiting family in Cuba. (Reporting By Jeffrey Dastin in New York; Additional reporting by Daniel Trotta in Havana; Editing by Tom Brown, David Gregorio and Andrew Hay) By Ruffin Prevost CODY, Wyo. (Reuters) - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed on Thursday stripping Endangered Species Act protections from the grizzly bear in and around Yellowstone National Park, saying the animal's numbers have rebounded sufficiently in recent decades. The estimated tally of grizzlies in the greater Yellowstone region, encompassing parts of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho, has grown to a 700 or more today, up from as few as 136 bears in 1975 when they were formally listed as a threatened species throughout the Lower 48 states. At that time, the grizzly had been hunted, trapped and poisoned to near extinction. Its current estimated population well exceeds the government's minimum recovery goal of 500 animals in the region. Hunters and ranchers, who make up a powerful political constituency in Western states, have strongly advocated de-listing grizzlies, arguing that their increasing numbers pose a threat to humans, livestock and big-game animals such as elk. Environmentalists have raised concerns that while grizzlies have made a comeback, their recovery could falter if federal safeguards are lifted, a move that would open the animals to public hunting outside the national park boundaries. Moreover, they have argued that a key food source for the bears, whitebark pine nuts, may be on the decline due to climate change. Native American tribes, which revere the grizzly, also have voiced skepticism about removing its threatened status. But Fish and Wildlife Service said population studies show grizzly bears have more than doubled their range since the mid-1970s, occupying more than 22,500 square miles (58,275 sq km) of the Yellowstone ecosystem. That area is larger than the land mass of New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, combined, the agency said. The scope and quality of bear habitat, regulatory mechanisms developed over the years and the existing balance of male and female bears should allow the states to maintain a viable, long-term grizzly population numbering in the high-600s to low-700s, said Matt Hogan, the agency's deputy regional director. Story continues Yellowstone's grizzlies were briefly removed from protected status in 2007 but were re-listed after environmentalists sued, asserting the government had failed to account for such factors as climate change. A joint federal-state committee of wildlife managers recommended de-listing again in 2012. Four other smaller grizzly populations in parts of Montana, Idaho and Washington state would remain federally protected under the latest proposal. A much larger population in Alaska is unlisted. A final decision on the Yellowstone grizzly's fate is expected by year's end, Hogan said. (Reporting by Ruffin Prevost; Writing and additional reporting in Los Angeles by Steve Gorman; Editing by Sandra Maler) By Michelle Nichols and Patricia Zengerle UNITED NATIONS/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Seven U.S. women senators urged President Barack Obama on Thursday to push for the election of the United Nations' first female secretary-general later this year. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, a former South Korean foreign minister, is due to step down at the end of 2016 after two five-year terms. A man has held the top job at the world organization since its inception 70 years ago. The 15-member Security Council, including veto powers China, Russia, the United States, Britain and France, will recommend a candidate for election by the 193-member General Assembly to succeed Ban. "We ask that the United States play a leading role in pressing for the strong consideration of qualified women," the seven Democratic senators wrote to Obama. Led by Barbara Boxer, a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the letter was also signed by senators Patty Murray, Mazie Hirono, Tammy Baldwin, Kirsten Gillibrand, Jeanne Shaheen and Barbara Mikulski. In response to the senators' letter, a senior Obama administration official said: "While we would welcome the selection of a woman as the next Secretary-General, we will ultimately support the best candidate of either gender." Fifty-three 53 countries, led by Colombia, are pushing for a female secretary-general. Several civil society groups are also lobbying for a woman to lead the organization. Seven candidates have been put forward, including three women: U.N. cultural organization (UNESCO) Director-General Irina Bokova, former Croatian Foreign Minister Vesna Pusic and Moldova's former Foreign Minister Natalia Gherman. The other four candidates are former Macedonian Foreign Minister Srgjan Kerim, Montenegro Foreign Minister Igor Luksic, former Slovenian President Danilo Turk and former U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres. "I would say Guterres has got the better chance of all of those who have entered the race, but I still don't think the winning candidate has entered yet," a senior Security Council diplomat said on condition of anonymity. Diplomats said other potential female candidates included Helen Clark, former New Zealand prime minister and head of the U.N. Development Programme; Argentine Foreign Minister Susana Malcorra; and European Union Commissioner for Budget and Human Resources Kristalina Georgieva. The U.N. top job traditionally rotates between regions, with Eastern Europe next on the list. "While the U.N. has upheld the consideration of regional rotation, it has not given full consideration to gender equality," the U.S. senators wrote. A U.S. congressional aide said other female senators, including Republicans, were approached to back the letter to Obama, but none had yet signed on. Most Republicans see many of the U.N.'s actions as attempts to improperly influence U.S. policy. (Editing by Louis Charbonneau, Lisa Von Ahn and Richard Chang) For the first time, solar power will make up the lions share of new power added to the United States utility grid. According to an analysis from the United States Energy Information Administration, solar and wind will account for more than half of all new electric generation in 2016the latest indication that the country is moving away from high-polluting, climate changeinfluencing fossil fuels such as coal and oil. More than 26 gigawatts of electric-generating capacity is slated to come online this year, with solar, natural gas, and wind making up 37 percent, 31 percent, and 26 percent of the total, respectively. A gigawatt of power provides enough energy for about 700,000 homes. Over the past 20 years, natural gas has been the leading source of new power, but the increase in solar and wind means we will probably have three dominant sources of power in the years to come, said Tim Shea, an energy analyst with EIA. Falling costs of solar panels is one of the main reasons for the uptick in solar plants coming online, Shea said. Additionally, utilities companies in a growing number of states are required to meet certain renewable energy standards, and solar power is one of the ways they can meet those requirements. RELATED: The U.S. Just Approved One of the Worlds Biggest Solar Power Plants Part of their power production has to come from solar to meet the state-mandated goals, but now, in some areas of the country, its actually economic to build solar plants that can compete with more traditional energy sources, Shea said. The 9.5 gigawatts of solar power slated for the grid in 2016 is more than what came online in the past three years combined. The top five states where solar capacity is being added are California (3.9 gigawatts), North Carolina (1.1 gigawatts), Nevada (0.9 gigawatts), Texas (0.7 gigawatts), and Georgia (0.7 gigawatts). Its important to note that these numbers only account for utility-scale solarleaving out commercial and residential solar installations. Last year, 8.4 gigawatts of distributed solar capacity were addedenough to power 1.3 million homes. Story continues As for coal, only three plants are expected to come online this yearone 50-megawatt plant in Alaska and two marginal plants on Pennsylvania State Universitys campus. The additions will make up less than 1 percent of the new power added to the grid in 2016. Still, coal remains a powerhouse of electricity generation for the U.S., producing 1.4 billion megawatt-hours per day of electricity in 2015, edging out natural gasat 1.3 billion megawatt-hours per dayfor the top spot in U.S. power generation. But the dirty fuels days as a top U.S. power source are numbered. In 2015, companies shut down 15,000 megawatts of coal plantsthe most power ever taken offline in a single year. According to the Obama administrations impending Clean Power Plan, coal plants will have to cut greenhouse gas emissions as much as 32 percent by 2030. Take the Pledge: Pledge to Take Personal Action on Climate Change Related stories on TakePart: Frances Road of the Future Is Paved With Solar Panels Is Obamas Coal Moratorium Too Little Too Late? Morocco Will Soon Become the World's Solar Energy Superpower Original article from TakePart London (AFP) - A British judge urged a review of safety measures for online dating sites on Thursday as he jailed for life a serial rapist who met his victims through US service match.com. Judge Gregory Dickinson ordered 50-year-old Jason Lawrance to serve at least 12 years and six months in jail, saying he was "devious, manipulative and highly dangerous to women". Lawrance was found guilty at Derby Crown Court in central England of raping five women, attempting to rape another and sexually assaulting another between 2011 and 2014. Four of Lawrance's victims complained to match.com, but the trial heard that site administrators told one of the complainants that they could not take action because he had not sent abusive messages through the site. He was arrested in November 2014 after a friend of one of his victims complained to police. The judge said: "The seriousness of this case provides both the need and the opportunity to learn something and to take steps to increase protection for others in the future." He said that no one person or organisation had been in a position to "join the dots" or have an overview of the complaints made to match.com. "It does seem to me consideration should be given to a system of automatic referral to the police or some other central agency of any complaint that is made," he said. Lawrance, a self-employed builder, had contacted thousands of women on match.com using the profile names KeepItStraightToday and StraightMan_Looking. Police said he was a sexual predator who preyed on vulnerable women, including those divorced or widowed. Lawrance sent a text to one of his victims after attacking her, saying: "When you were crying out for me to stop I couldn't, I'm so mad at myself xxx." The judge said Lawrance had shown "no remorse", telling him: "I am compelled to the dreadful conclusion that you enjoyed raping women." In a statement issued after the hearing, match.com welcomed the trial outcome and said it was committing to working with the dating industry as a whole to raise standards and ensure the best possible protection and support for its users. "We are very sorry for those affected, and appalled by these terrible acts," the US service said, adding: "Our members' safety is our highest priority." By Huw Jones LONDON (Reuters) - New rules allowing people to cash in their pension pots must not give rise to the next mis-selling scandal after banks have paid out billions of pounds on loan insurance compensation, Britain's financial watchdog said on Wednesday. People aged 55 years or above can take cash from their pension schemes in a step policymakers hope will spur better retirement provisioning. Tracey McDermott, acting chief executive of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), said the reform creates risks for consumers. "We haven't actually seen an enormous amount of innovation in new products yet, but obviously we expect that there will be and that it will be good generally for consumers," McDermott told the Public Accounts Committee in parliament. "We have been very focused, and indeed the industry is very focused, on the fact that this cannot become another mis-selling scandal," McDermott said. Replacing Martin Wheatley, who was ousted by the government for being too hardline, McDermott steps down in the summer when Bank of England Deputy Governor Andrew Bailey becomes the FCA's permanent CEO. MPs said taxpayers must not end up funding the retirement of people who have blown their pension pots. Britain's public spending watchdog, the National Audit Office (NAO), said this month the FCA could not be confident that its approach to tackling mis-selling was effective or represented value for money. The NAO said banks have paid over 22 billion pounds in compensation for mis-sold payment protection insurance or PPI. Up to five billion pounds has gone to claims management companies (CMCs) who act on behalf of people and in return for a slice of the compensation, a sum MPs said could have gone directly to claimants if the government and regulators had acted faster. MPs asked McDermott how mis-selling could be stopped, and criticised her decision to ditch a review into culture at banks, saying this was a key area for tackling mis-selling. "Fundamentally, there will always be a risk that there will be mis-selling in any product that involves advice and sales. Mistakes will be made. What we are trying to make sure is that it's at a level that is minimised," McDermott said. "We have not washed our hands of this issue," she said regarding culture. Not having a mis-selling scandal on the scale of PPI on the horizon was a measure of success at the FCA, McDermott said. John Kingman, second permanent secretary at the Treasury, told MPs the FCA was facing misconduct challenges relating to past events. "We think they are doing a very good job," Kingman said. (Reporting by Huw Jones; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle) By Olzhas Auyezov KOSTANAY, Kazakhstan (Reuters) - In the city of Kostanay in northern Kazakhstan, the ribbon of St George, a black-and-orange symbol of resurgent Russian patriotism that was adopted by separatists in Ukraine, hangs from every second car's rear-view mirror. Most people in this town and the surrounding region are ethnic Russians, distinct from the mainly Muslim ethnic Kazakhs who are in the majority nationwide and control the main levers of power in this oil-producing former Soviet state. Demographically, the region therefore has much in common with Ukraine's Crimea peninsula and the eastern Donbass region, whose majority Russian-speaking populations pulled out of Kiev's orbit with help from Moscow. There is no separatist rebellion in northern Kazakhstan, but the ethnic Russians, who make up more than a fifth of the country's 18 million population, are feeling increasingly insecure and some sympathize with the separatists in Ukraine. The Ukraine experience has made the Kazakh authorities highly sensitive to any signs of disloyalty by ethnic Russians. Ethnically based political parties are banned. Last year, a court in eastern Kazakhstan sentenced a user of Vkontakte, a Russian-based social network, to five years in prison for posting a poll which asked people whether they would support the idea of that region, which also has a big ethnic Russian population, becoming part of Russia. "Their bodies are in Kazakhstan but their minds are in Russia," said political analyst Dosym Satpayev, talking about what he described as the significant portion of the Kazakh population influenced by Russian media. "There are signs that (the authorities) in Kazakhstan are beginning to realize it also faces a separatist threat," said Satpayev, who runs the Risk Assessment Group, a think tank. There are no signs of Moscow promoting separatism in Kazakhstan, although it wants to keep the country in its orbit. But it remains unclear who will succeed ageing President Nursultan Nazarbayev and whether the new leader will maintain close ties with Russia. Ukraine's break with Russia prompted separatist upheavals there. Moscow has a clear interest in what goes on in its neighbor. At 3.7 million, Kazakhstan's Russian diaspora is the second-biggest after Ukraine and its northern and eastern regions are home to major industrial enterprises with Russian links. Northern Kazakhstan is a major coal and grain region. RUSSIAN ORBIT Most of the landmarks in Kostanay, a city of 200,000, date back to the 19th century, when the territory became part of the Russian empire and settlers arrived. More people arrived from Russia when Kazakhstan became part of the Soviet Union. Kostanay lacks the glitz that oil wealth has given to the cities of Astana and Almaty. People live in nondescript gray apartment blocks built en masse under Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, who oversaw a large-scale campaign to turn "virgin lands" in Kazakhstan into farmland. Today, most people in Kostanay speak Russian. The Kazakh language can barely be heard in the streets, in contrast with southern Kazakhstan, where ethnic Kazakhs generally use it. Although the Russian and Kazakh economies are reeling from the slump in the price of oil - both countries' main export - nearby Russian cities such as industrial Chelyabinsk remain a magnet for job seekers. The Kostanay region, meanwhile, has been hit hardest among Kazakhstan's administrative units, according to official data. Some locals working across the border acquire a second, Russian citizenship, which is illegal but possible due to lack of coordination between Russian and Kazakh authorities. CRIMEA SCENARIO Perhaps mindful of the legal penalties, people in Kostanay do not express separatist sentiments in public. Many say they display the St George's ribbon to commemorate the Soviet victory in World War Two, not because of any association with the pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine. But some in the city sympathize with the pro-Russian movements in Ukraine and see parallels with Kazakhstan. "I think Kazakhstan won't be able to make it without Russia," says 19-year-old Vladislav, who declined to give his full name because of the sensitivity of the subject. "As for the Crimean scenario, everything went fine there - which cannot be said of Donbass and nobody wants the latter, nobody wants a war." Some ethnic Russians in the region have gone further, and fought alongside the separatists in Ukraine. Last February, a Kostanay court ordered the detention of two people who had fought in Ukraine. It is illegal under Kazakh law to participate in armed conflicts abroad. Another Kostanay man, kung fu instructor and masseur Vyacheslav Tretyakov, posted pictures of himself and other armed fighters in eastern Ukraine throughout 2014 and 2015 on social networks. Tretyakov, who now lists his location as Erbil, the capital of Iraq's Kurdistan region, did not reply to online contact requests, but an acquaintance from Kostanay told Reuters his social network account was genuine. ANGRY REACTION The Kazakh government under the 75-year-old Nazarbayev has nurtured close relations with Moscow, but pushes back hard against any sign the country could fracture along ethnic lines. The office of the president, who has run Kazakhstan since 1989, said last month the country's security council had discussed the dual citizenship issue and measures to prevent people illegally obtaining second passports. In an apparent attempt to change the ethnic balance, the government is also encouraging ethnic Kazakhs to repatriate and people from southern regions to move to the north by offering financial assistance and easier access to education. The government also reacts angrily to any hint that Russia covets its territory. In 2014, Kazakhstan's foreign ministry officially protested over comments by deputy Russian parliament speaker Vladimir Zhirinovsky who said Kazakhstan had been given Russian lands during the Soviet era. In the same year, Russian President Vladimir Putin praised Nazarbayev for establishing modern Kazakhstan, adding that Kazakhs had never had a state before. Although it never rebuked Putin directly, shortly afterwards Kazakhstan announced it would celebrate the 550th anniversary of the Kazakh Khanate in 2015. (Editing by Christian Lowe and Giles Elgood) New York (AFP) - A New York judge on Wednesday removed injunctions preventing Argentina from making payments on its debt, opening the way for a resolution of a decade-old dispute with hedge fund creditors. Judge Thomas Griesa said Argentina's efforts to reach deals to settle the drawn-out legal case over billions of dollars in defaulted bonds merited the lifting of the injunctions he had placed in 2012. Griesa pointed to the agreement by the new Argentine government of President Mauricio Macri to repayment terms with most of the major "holdout" bondholders in recent weeks, and to Macri's call Tuesday for the Argentine Congress to cancel its own block on paying the holdouts. "Circumstances have changed so significantly as to render the injunctions inequitable and detrimental to the public interest," Griesa said. The injunctions were laid down by Griesa to force Argentina to pay the holdouts before it made payments on any of its other debt. The previous government of Cristina Kirchner had refused to pay the holdouts, and so the court's block on any other debt payments forced the country to default in 2014, again isolating it from global capital markets. Macri, who took office in December, quickly moved to resolve the case with a $6.5 billion offer against some $9 billion in holdout claims. But to make the payments, Argentina must raise new funds on the market, impossible so long as the injunctions were in place. Lifting the injunctions remains contingent on the Congress removing its own payment ban, Griesa noted, as well as making good on the repayment deals struck over the past month. "There is a pressing need for certainty and finality," he said. "The court expects the Republic to continue to negotiate with the remaining non-settling plaintiffs." Washington (AFP) - The United States updated its "Worldwide Caution" to American travelers Thursday, warning that the Islamic State group, Al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, al-Shebab and other terror groups are plotting attacks. The State Department's warning, which replaces one issued in July, urges US citizens to remain alert in just about any public place, transport link or gathering in most countries around the world, particularly in the Middle East, North Africa, Europe and Asia. "Recent terrorist attacks, whether by those affiliated with terrorist entities, copycats or individual perpetrators, serve as a reminder that US citizens need to maintain a high level of vigilance," it says. "In the past year, major extremist attacks occurred in countries including Tunisia, France, Nigeria, Belgium, Turkey, Egypt and Mali," it says. The updated warning was issued on the same day that lawmakers on the House Homeland Security Committee independently issued a report on the Islamic State group's threat. The report, dubbed "Terror gone viral," studies 75 alleged plots to attack Western targets and warns that, despite military pressure on the IS heartland in northern Iraq and eastern Syria, it is getting deadlier. "The group's focus on 'do it yourself' jihad has allowed them to franchise their attacks worldwide, achieving a tempo of violence that has surpassed even Al-Qaeda's most violent years," Committee Chairman Michael McCaul said. "However, this report reminds us that we cannot win by simply bombing terrorist safe havens." The report says the United States has become Islamic State's main target and calls for a global strategy to counter it on the ground, online and among communities susceptible to its propaganda. Rome (AFP) - Vatican finance chief George Pell on Thursday described a meeting with Australian victims of priest sex abuse as "hard" and vowed to work to ensure suicide "is not an option" for them. Just hours after admitting to an Australian Royal Commission that he "should have done more" to follow-up claims a priest in his charge was abusing boys, Pell met victims of abuse from Ballarat near Melbourne. "I've just met with about a dozen of the Ballarat survivors, support people and officials, and I've heard each of their stories and of their suffering," he told reporters in a pre-prepared statement. "It was hard." Referring to the high number of suicides linked to abuse by priests Pell was in charge of, the powerful Cardinal added: "One suicide is too many, too many. "And there have been many such tragic suicides. I commit myself to working with the group to strive to stop this, so that suicide is not seen as an option for those who are suffering. "Now I shouldn't promise what might be impossible. We all know how hard it is to get things done. But I do want it known that I support the work to investigate the feasibility of a research centre to enhance healing and improve protection." Surrounded by a huge security detail, Pell declined to take any questions from the dozens of journalists waiting outside Rome's Quirinale Hotel to quiz him after the encounter. - 'Perfect family the Church destroyed' - A parent of victims, Anthony Foster, brandished pictures of his two daughters at the age (between five and seven) that they were abused by a Catholic priest. "A Catholic priest was raping them when this photo was taken, at this age. And that's why we've been fighting for so long," he said. Asked what he wanted from the Church, Foster replied: "Humility. Begging forgiveness from us. Doing everything they can to restore the lives of all the victims out there. Story continues "Words is what we get. We need some real action, we need the whole weight of the Church put behind helping these victims and ensuring it doesn't happen again. That's what we need." And despite Pell having been willing to meet with his group, Foster said he believed the cardinal had not come completely clean to the Royal Commission about his role in covering up abuse. "We got somewhere, I think there'll be some pretty damning findings about what George Pell did, but there's still a long way to go. George Pell was the auxiliary bishop in our area, looking after the priests who did that to my girls." His daughter Emma killed herself with an overdose when she was 26, while her sister Katie was hit by a car after a drinking binge and is now severely disabled and needs full-time care. Holding up another picture of himself, his wife and their three daughters, he said: "This was my perfect family. "And this is the perfect family the Catholic Church destroyed through not monitoring its priests... and allowing them to rape children". Caracas (AFP) - Venezuela's opposition-controlled legislature resolved Thursday to ask the Organization of American States to intervene in its standoff with President Nicolas Maduro and the judiciary. Tension in the recession-racked oil giant has reached the boiling point since the opposition won control of the National Assembly in December, dealing a severe blow to the socialist "revolution" launched by Maduro's late mentor Hugo Chavez in 1999. Since then, the Supreme Court has repeatedly stymied the opposition Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD), which has vowed to use its landslide election win to force Maduro from power before his term ends in 2019. The legislature said recent events had "seriously affected democracy" in Venezuela, and invoked article 20 of the Inter-American Democratic Charter, which provides for the OAS to take measures aimed at restoring democracy in the event of an "unconstitutional alteration of the constitutional regime" in any member state. The opposition earlier postponed its planned announcement of its strategy to oust Maduro, saying the latest Supreme Court ruling had forced the delay. It did not set a new date for the announcement. The opposition is seeking to dislodge Maduro by constitutional means, after mass protests in 2014 swept the country and left 43 people dead but failed to oust him. The two most obvious options -- a recall referendum or a constitutional amendment reducing the presidential term from six years to four -- face likely rejection by the Supreme Court or the National Electoral Council, both of which the opposition accuses Maduro of packing with allies. The opposition has been locked in a power struggle with the high court since its landmark election win. The court first reduced MUD's powerful two-thirds majority, ruling that three of its lawmakers could not take their seats because of a pending case over alleged electoral fraud. Then on Tuesday the court stripped the legislature's power to remove justices from the bench, voiding MUD's bid to review the recent appointment of 34 Supreme Court judges -- passed by the previous legislature in an 11th-hour session on the eve of the opposition takeover. Story continues - New protest violence - The institutional power struggle comes against the backdrop of a crippling economic crisis exacerbated by the crash in the price of oil, which long funded Chavez and Maduro's lavish social spending and subsidies. Despite holding the world's largest oil reserves, Venezuela's economy contracted 5.7 percent last year, its second year of recession. MUD, a motley coalition that spans the political spectrum but is dominated by the center-right, is united mainly by its shared hatred of Maduro. It has been divided over the best strategy to pursue his ouster. Radical opposition leaders sought to force him from power with street protests in 2014, but the main figures, such as Leopoldo Lopez, were jailed, and the protests eventually fizzled out after descending into deadly clashes with police and counter-demonstrators. The Supreme Court is meanwhile likely to reject any constitutional maneuvers to oust the president -- which could also include convening a constitutional assembly to draft a new charter or declaring Maduro in breach of duty. Moderate opposition leader Henrique Capriles, MUD's candidate in the past two presidential elections, said Wednesday he favors the option of a recall referendum, which enables voters to remove elected officials midway through their terms. But that would have to be validated by the National Electoral Council, which like the Supreme Court has been less than friendly to the opposition. Highlighting the tension gripping the country, violence broke out Wednesday at a protest over the recent Supreme Court ruling in the western city of San Cristobal, the cradle of the 2014 protests. Students threw Molotov cocktails and stones at police, authorities said, with at least two protesters injured in the clashes, according to an AFP reporter. San Cristobal (Venezuela) (AFP) - Venezuelan students threw Molotov cocktails and stones at police Wednesday in a protest against a Supreme Court ruling curbing the opposition-held legislature's powers, authorities said. Wearing masks in the colors of the Venezuelan flag, the demonstrators set up roadblocks in the western city of San Cristobal, the cradle of anti-government protests that shook the country in 2014. The new protest was against a ruling by the high court Tuesday that stripped the National Assembly's power to remove justices from the bench, which voided the opposition's bid to undo what it calls unconstitutional court-packing by President Nicolas Maduro. Governor Jose Vielma Mora said on Twitter that student protesters from Catholic University attacked police with stones and petrol bombs. The protesters "use violence to support a National Assembly that wants to violate the rule of law," the governor wrote. An AFP reporter saw protesters throw rubble and stones at a police brigade near the seat of the state government. Venezuela has returned to the boiling point since the opposition won a landslide victory in legislative elections in December, dealing a crushing blow to the socialist "revolution" launched by Maduro's late mentor Hugo Chavez in 1999. Riding a wave of outrage over a deep economic crisis gripping the once-mighty oil giant, the opposition has vowed to use its majority to oust Maduro from power. But it has repeatedly been stymied by the Supreme Court, which it accuses the president of loading with allies. The high court's constitutional panel ruled Tuesday that the legislature's oversight role is limited to the executive, quashing its attempt to review the lame-duck appointment of 34 Supreme Court judges -- passed by the previous legislature in an 11th-hour session on the eve of the opposition takeover. San Cristobal was also the scene of anti-Maduro protests that spread nationwide in 2014, leaving 43 people dead and more than 800 wounded. What will happen to American politics if, as now appears likely, the Republican Party nominates Donald Trump? Heres one bet: It will get more violent. The United States is headed toward a confrontation, the likes of which it has not seen since 1968, between leftist activists, who believe in physical disruption as a means of drawing attention to injustice, and a candidate eager to forcibly put down that disruption in order to make himself look tough. The new culture of physical disruption on the activist left stems partly from disillusionment with Barack Obama. In 2008, Obamas election sparked unprecedented excitement among young progressives. But that excitement was followed by deep disillusionment as it became clear that even a liberal black president could not remedy the structural injustices afflicting people of color. So Millennial activists began challenging politicians directly. In June 2012, two protesters connected with the National Immigrant Youth Alliance occupied the Obama campaigns Denver office for six days and threatened further takeovers unless the president stopped deporting the young undocumented immigrants dubbed Dreamers. Two months later, activists for undocumented immigrants sought to disrupt the Democratic convention in Charlotte. A year later, the Black Lives Matter movement was born in response to the acquittal of George Zimmerman for killing Trayvon Martin. In 2014, Black Lives Matter leaders began to organize protests after a policeman in Ferguson, Missouri, shot and killed Michael Brown. And last summer, in an effort to force presidential candidates to address police violence and mass incarceration, Black Lives Matter activists began disrupting candidates events. Recommended: The Republican Plan to 'Divide and Survive' Against Trump After some initial hesitation and defensiveness, Bernie Sanders, Martin OMalley, and Hillary Clinton reacted to these disruptions by meeting with activists and embracing much of their agenda. Most Republican candidates ignored the protests as best they could. Story continues But Donald Trump saw them as an opportunity. Asked last August about a Bernie Sanders event in which Black Lives Matters protesters spoke at length from the stage, Trump called the senator from Vermonts response disgusting. He added: That will never happen with me! I dont know if Ill do the fighting myself or other people will, but that was a disgrace. I felt badly for him. But it showed that he was weak. Believe me, thats not going to happen to Trump. Its no coincidence that Trump raised the specter of violence. The Black Lives Matter disruptions had been peaceful. But as Trumps campaign took off in the summer and fall of last year, he began depicting entire categories of overwhelmingly peaceful people as a physical threat. Undocumented Mexican immigrants were potential rapists. Syrian refugees were strong, powerful men who might be a trojan horse for ISIS. Trumps supporters exhibit high levels of what political scientists call authoritarianism. Authoritarians are unusually fearful of disorder and favor simple, brutal methods of quashing it. As Amanda Taub has noted, When many Americans perceived imminent physical threats, the population of authoritarians could seem to swell rapidly. So by fanning popular fears of chaos, especially violent chaos, Trump wins yet more votes. Recommended: Trump Gives His Supporters What They Want He does this, in part, by turning his treatment of the activists who seek to disrupt his events into a parable for how he would restore order in society at large. At a rally in Atlanta last November, an African American man began chanting, Black Lives Matter. According to various reports, Trump supporters responded by punching and kicking him while yelling racial slurs. Meanwhile, from the podium, Trump contrasted his response with that of Sanderss. You see, Trump declared, he was politically correct I promise you, thats not going to happen with me. I promise you. Never going to happen. Not going to happen. Cant let that stuff happen. Later on Fox News, Trump declared that, Maybe he should have been roughed up, because it was absolutely disgusting what he was doing. You know what they used to do to guys like that when they were in a place like this? Theyd be carried out on a stretcher. In January, when protesters tried to disrupt a Trump rally in Vermont, Trump instructed security guards to Get him out of here Don't give him his coat, keep his coat. Confiscate his coat. You know, its about 10 degrees below zero outside. As security dragged a protester from a Nevada rally in February, Trump declared: You know what I hate? Theres a guy, totally disruptive, throwing punches, were not allowed to punch back anymore. I love the old days. You know what they used to do to guys like that when they were in a place like this? Theyd be carried out on a stretcher. Reporters found no evidence that the protester had, in fact, punched anyone. In mentioning the old days, Trump was likely referring to the 1960s. Back then, another generation of young leftists disillusioned with the failure of liberal presidents to undo systemic justice tried to physically disrupt political events, most famously at the Democratic Convention in 1968. And back then, another presidential candidate, Alabama Governor George Wallace, also turned protesters into props for an audience hungry to see order restoredif necessary by force. In 1967, anti-Vietnam protesters laid down in front of President Lyndon Johnsons car. In 1968, in speech after speech, Wallace roused crowds by saying, falsely, that the protesters had threatened his [Johnsons] personal safety, but if some of them lie down in front of my automobile, it will be the last one theyll ever want to lie down in front of. Recommended: What Mitt Romney Really Thinks of Donald Trump The confrontation with the hecklers became a highly stylized feature of every Wallace rally, writes Lloyd Rohler in his book George Wallace: Conservative Populist. Violence seemed always to be lurking in the background and it frequently burst forth. At a Wallace rally on October 29 in Detroit, reported the Chicago Tribune, wild, chair-swinging violence erupted as Wallace supporters and some of several thousand hecklers clashed, first with fists and then with folding chairs Wallace supporters struck handcuffed hecklers as they were being led away by police, who did not interfere. The police are more professional today than they were back then. And video-recording devices are now ubiquitous, which may make such incidents less likely. Then again, Wallace never won a major partys nomination. Between now and November, Trump could hold hundreds more rallies, many in areas with large African American and Latino populations, in an atmosphere of mounting hysteria as Election Day nears. The young left-wing militants who have already braved danger in places like Ferguson, and who hold their more conflict-averse elders in contempt, are unlikely to stop their disruptions. Trump will keep baiting and threatening them because its how he rouses his fans. How will Americans react if something truly terrible happens? Given the events of recent months, its impossible to know. Related Videos Read more from The Atlantic: This article was originally published on The Atlantic. Thursday nights Republican presidential debate will be the partys 11th forumas well as its smallestwith four candidates participating in Detroit. The event is the first since front-runner Donald Trump scored multi-state wins on Super Tuesday. Ben Carson, who didnt win at all that day, announced on Wednesday he sees no political path forward to the GOP nomination and will skip the debate, which is happening in his hometown. The two-hour debate will be streamed on FoxNews.com beginning at 9 p.m. ET from the Fox Theatre. For viewers who prefer to watch it on television, the forum will be live on Fox News Channel. The debate also will be aired on Fox News Radio and Fox News Mobile. Social media users can follow along using the hashtag #GOPDebate. Host Fox News Channel will welcome Trump, who skipped the networks last debate in Iowa. He decided to boycott the event after he discovered anchor Megyn Kelly would serve as one of the moderators. The two had sparred in the partys first debate last August, and he criticized her for being unfair. Foxs Kelly, Bret Baier and Chris Wallace will moderate on Thursday, a repetition of the lineup to the January 28 debate that Trump refused to attend. Texas Senator Ted Cruz, who pulled off Super Tuesday wins in three states, including his own, will join Trump onstage, as well as Florida Senator Marco Rubio, who won a state this week, and Ohio Governor John Kasich. [Related: March Presidential Primary Election, Caucus and Debate Calendar] The next round of primaries and caucuses is set for Friday and will continue over the weekend in Puerto Rico for the Republicans and in Maine for the Democrats. Michigan, the state hosting Thursdays debate, will hold its primary on Tuesday, March 8. The Republican candidates will face off in their next debate in Miami on March 10, five days before Floridas primary. In the Democratic race, front-runner Hillary Clinton this week won big in the South, as well as in Massachusetts and American Samoa. Her challenger, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, took home four wins on Tuesday night. The two opponents will meet next for a debate in Flint, Michigan, on Sunday. Related Articles Severe cramps, debilitating headaches, excruciating lower-back pain, and extreme fatigue. Those are just some of the symptoms a woman might experience when shes menstruatingand sometimes popping a few painkillers doesnt make her feel better. Thats why Coexist, a creative event space based in Bristol, England, is considering a period policy that would enable its female employees to take time off when theyre menstruating. I have managed many female members of staff over the years and I have seen women at work who are bent over double because of the pain caused by their periods, Bex Baxter, the head of the small company, told the Bristol Post on Monday. Despite this, they feel they cannot go home because they do not class themselves as unwell. RELATED: Ditch the Euphemisms: Menstrual Hygiene Day Calls Out Period Taboos Twenty-four of Coexists 31 employees are women, so the company wanted a policy in place which recognises and allows women to take time for their bodys natural cycle without putting this under the label of illness, said Baxter. Although Baxter believes working around menstrual cycles could boost productivity, the idea has sparked plenty of debate on social media, with some critics writing that the policy plays into misogynist notions about women. Katy Schnitzler, a gender-bias researcher at Kingston University in the U.K., posted a statement on Twitter about the issue. Schnitzler called the idea innovative and wrote that it would help so many women who suffer (often in silence) and stop employees having to be dishonest about having a cold, or whatever they feel less embarrassed by saying. But Schnitzler also asked whether the policy could result in reaffirming the weak and inferior role of women? Menstrual leave was first implemented in Japan in 1947, and Oregon-based Nike has offered it to employees since 2007. But at a time when women are still fighting for paid maternity leave, getting sick time for menstrual cramps remains rare in the United States. Story continues Meanwhile, Coexist clarified on Wednesday that it doesnt yet have the policy in place. Our idea is to begin a conversation about flexibility in the workplace to support the natural cycles of women and men, the company wrote in a statement to TakePart. To that end, Coexist is hosting an event in Bristol to begin creating a policy and begin test driving it in our organisation. Take the Pledge: Stand With Working Women Around the World Related stories on TakePart: This Star-Studded Film Company Wants to Put Women Front and Center Gender Bias in the Classroom Is Pushing Women Out of STEM Programs Why Black Women Are the Real Unicorns of the Start-up World Original article from TakePart LUSAKA (Reuters) - A leader of Zambia's official opposition party was arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of conducting drills of party supporters to become an illegal militia, police said on Wednesday. Last week President Edgar Lungu accused political opponents of training a militia group to cause violence during elections. They denied the accusation. Geoffrey Mwamba, vice president of the United Party for National Development, was released soon after his arrest and will appear in court on March 10, police spokeswoman Charity Chanda said. "He has been charged with illegal drilling," Chanda said. The offence carries a maximum penalty of seven years in prison, according to George Chisanga, chief of the southern African country's Law Association. Police last week said they had arrested 21 United Party for National Development supporters found training in a gym on Mwamba's business premises, some with weapons like machetes and with live ammunition. United Party for National Development President Hakainde Hichilema, who lost narrowly to Lungu in the last election, said Mwamba's arrest was an improper move to intimidate the opposition. (Reporting by Chris Mfula; Editing by Mark Heinrich) WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand authorities are investigating whether the Zika virus was transmitted through sex from a man to his partner, the country's health ministry said on Thursday. The New Zealand man had tested positive for Zika after he visited a country, which was not identified to protect the man's privacy, Ministry of Health spokesman Don Mackie said in a statement. The man's female partner, who had not recently traveled to the Zika-affected country, tested positive for Zika after he returned. Both had since recovered and experienced only mild symptoms. Zika has been linked to thousands of suspected cases of microcephaly, a rare birth defect, in Brazil. The Health Ministry said that authorities were investigating whether the virus had been transmitted to the woman through unprotected sex or whether a mosquito could have entered New Zealand in the man's luggage and bitten the woman. New Zealand has so far this year reported 71 confirmed cases of people infected by Zika, most of whom had been infected in Tonga or Samoa, according to Ministry of Health data. U.S. health officials said last week they were investigating 14 reports of the Zika virus that may have been transmitted through sex, including to several pregnant women. Much remains unknown about Zika, including whether the virus actually causes microcephaly in babies, a condition defined by unusually small heads that can result in developmental problems. Brazil said it has confirmed more than 580 cases of microcephaly, and considers most of them to be related to Zika infections in the mothers. Brazil is investigating an additional 4,100 suspected cases of microcephaly (Reporting by Charlotte Greenfield; Editing by Richard Pullin) Cpl. Adam Margio and Spc. Randy Stevens from 1st Platoon, Troop C, 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Task Force Iron, from Fort Lewis, Wash., engage al Qaeda in Iraq operatives who fired on them from trees near an insurgent safehouse south of Hussein Hamadi village, Diyala Province, Iraq, Oct. 29 during Operation Ultra Magnus. The Soldiers killed four al Qaeda members (AQI) and wounded another during the safehouse raid. Soldiers 1st Platoon, Troop C, 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Task Force Iron, from Fort Lewis, Wash., return fire at al Qaeda in Iraq operatives firing at them from trees near an insurgent safehouse south of Hussein Hamadi village, Diyala Province, Iraq, Oct. 29 during Operation Ultra Magnus. Spc. Mabour Atem, Sgt. David Bokor and Spc. Nicholas Morgan 1st Platoon, Troop C, 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Task Force Iron, from Fort Lewis, Wash., return fire at al Qaeda in Iraq operatives firing at them from trees near an insurgent safehouse south of Hussein Hamadi village, Diyala Province, Iraq, Oct. 29 during Operation Ultra Magnus. Earlier the troops working side by side with the Iraqis, cleared the village of al Qaeda, and an Apache helicopter working with the Soldiers spotted someone fleeing the village to the safehouse. When the Soldiers arrived at the home, a fierce, 20-minute gun battle ensured. Four AQI operatives were killed and a fifth was wounded. No Coalition Forces were harmed during any phase of the three-day operation. Sgt. David Bokor, Alpha Section team leader, 1st Platoon, Troop C, 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Task Force Iron, from Fort Lewis, Wash., fires at al Qaeda in Iraq operatives near an insurgent safehouse south of Hussein Hamadi village, Diyala Province, Iraq, Oct. 29 during Operation Ultra Magnus. Sgt. 1st Class James Tembrock, platoon sergeant of 1st Platoon, Troop C, 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Task Force Iron, from Fort Lewis, Wash., fires his M-4 rifle during a firefight with al Qaeda in Iraq operatives near an insurgent safehouse south of Hussein Hamadi village, Diyala Province, Iraq, Oct. 29 during Operation Ultra Magnus. Coalition Forces killed four AQI members who were using the home as a base of operations to conduct terrorist activities in southern Diyala Province. First Lt. Ron Vinyard, platoon leader, 1st Platoon, Troop C, 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Task Force Iron, from Fort Lewis, Wash., throws a grenade at an enemy position south of Hussein Hamadi village, Diyala Province, Iraq, Oct. 29 during Operation Ultra Magnus. A 20-minute firefight ensued when Coalition Forces raided the al Qaeda in Iraq safehouse. Coalition Forces killed four enemy insurgents and wounded a fifth. No Coalition Forces were hurt. A Soldier from 1st Platoon, Troop C, 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 4thStryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Task Force Iron, searches for al Qaeda in Iraq operatives after a firefight near an insurgent safehouse south of Hussein Hamadi village, Diyala Province, Iraq, Oct. 29 during Operation Ultra Magnus. Coalition Forces exchanged gunfire with enemy insurgents for 20 minutes during the raid. Soldiers from 1st Platoon, Troop C, 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 4thStryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Task Force Iron, search for al Qaeda in Iraq operatives after a firefight near an insurgent safehouse south of Hussein Hamadi village, Diyala Province, Iraq, Oct. 29 during Operation Ultra Magnus. Coalition Forces exchanged gunfire with enemy insurgents for 20 minutes, killing four and wounding another. Spc. Billy Cassis, Sgt. Brandon Dean and other Soldiers from 1st Platoon, Troop C, 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 4thStryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Task Force Iron, walk away from vehicle they torched near an insurgent safehouse south of Hussein Hamadi village, Diyala Province, Iraq, Oct. 29 during Operation Ultra Magnus. The vehicle was used by al Qaeda in Iraq operatives to conduct mission in southern Diyala Province. Three AK-47s, about 15 full AK-47 magazines, a RPK rifle, one pistol and several grenades were taken from an al Qaeda in Iraq safehouse south of Hussein Hamadi village, Diyala Province, Iraq, that was raided by Coalition Forces Oct. 29 during Operation Ultra Magnus. No diversification strategy yet Williams, who is now chairman of the UWI St Augustine Campus Council, made his observation at the launch of the book In the Fires of Hope, Trinidad and Tobago at 50 at the UWI Principals Office in St Augustine yesterday. As he commented on his review of the book, with particular focus on where the economic analysis and the policy prescriptions could be strengthened, Williams observed, The recent slump in oil and gas prices have made economic diversification even more urgent. In his review, Williams referred to three articles in the book which pointed to issues in the energy sector which, have impeded progress towards economic diversification. He said for all its success, Atlantic LNG (now Atlantic) has been essentially an extension of the mining sector, offering a negligable contribution to employment and value added. Williams added, The point is that Atlantic may not be the golden goose that it is made out to be. Williams also observed that the book suggested that while there was a substantial increase in commodity export earnings from 2005 to 2013 (under successive PNM and Peoples Partnership governments), there was no commensurate increase in budgetary transfers to Tobago. Noting that Central Government transfers account for the bulk of Tobagos budgetary resources and these are treated like commodity export earnings, Williams said it was not entirely correct to suggest that annual GDP data for Tobago was unavailable or that foreign tourist arrivals are, a good proxy for economic activity in the sister isle. He said while there were certain shortcomings in the book, it did bring some clarity to the economic and political challenges facing the country after 50 years of independence. SALISES Director, Dr Patrick Watson, expressed regret that former prime ministers Patrick Manning and Kamla Persad-Bissessar did not participate in the Conversations with Prime Ministers series, upon which the book was built in large measure. Watson, who edited the book and served as a government senator under Persad-Bissessar, said Manning declined to participate while Persad- Bissessar accepted the invitation to participate but never followed through. Only former prime ministers Basdeo Panday and Arthur NR Robinson (now deceased) took part in that series. Jailed gang-leaders behind hit on prison officer The three were described as evil men with no regard for human life. They are said to have connections both within and outside of the prisons and are said to be running major drug rackets, overseeing murders and drug running from behind bars. Officers of the Criminal Gang and Intelligence Unit have teamed up with their colleagues at the Homicide Investigations Bureau to solve the murder of the prison officer. Victor Jr, Newsday was told, was allowed to take home his service firearm after he was deemed an at-risk officer following several death threats made to him by prisoners. These threats were made known to Prisons Commissioner Sterling Stewart who acted with haste to put certain measures in place to improve Victor Jrs security. Victor Jr also reported to his seniors, the names of prisoners and their associates who had issued threats to him. One of the gang leaders who is being closely monitored around the clock at the Port-of-Spain prison is believed to be the one who called the hit on Victor Jr. Senior prison sources told Newsday that Victor was warned to to be on full alert at all times, even when he was at his Laventille home. Police investigators also believe that Victor was being closely monitored by his killers who seized the opportunity to execute him while he was washing his car. Sources revealed that since the murder of Officer Victor the situation at the Port-of-Spain prison is very tense with officers being extremely cautious when dealing with the high-risk prisoners. Yesterday, Prisons Commissioner Stewart told Newsday that counselling was being given to colleagues of officer Victor Jr, under the Employee Assistance Programme. He commended officers for remaining committed to their duties in the face of the murder of a colleague. Stewart said that in the face of threats, his officers continue to man the gates of the nations prisons, while society goes about its business. God didnt give us a spirit of fear and the Lord is our light and our salvation, whom shall we fear? We will continue to walk in the light and perform our duties of preparing those in darkness to walk in eternal light and return to society as persons who understand their purpose. Remember this, the God we serve dont like evil and evil people will reap what they sow, said Commissioner Stewart. Newsday understands that Victor Jrs funeral will be held tomorrow following which he will be cremated. Yesterday, prison officers who worked alongside Victor Jr, said they continue to work under fear and believe the authorities, including the Ministry of National Security, can do better in ensuring their safety and the safety of their families. They added that they will be guided by the Prison Officers Association (POA) with regard to how they continue in relation to their duties.The NGC Bocas Lit Fest, April 27- May 1, will feature Desha Osborne. Human Trafficking case nears end He was arrested and charged in March, 2013 and was denied bail, but when the Preliminary Inquiry began before Deputy Chief Magistrate Mark Wellington in the San Fernando Magistrates court, he was granted bail in the sum of $350,000. Eastman, who is on suspension, has surrendered his passport and reports to the Princes Town Police Station four days per week. The human trafficking charges against Eastman who was last attached to the Mon Repos Police Station, alleged that during the month of March, 2013, he transported the women to Vistabella, San Fernando, for the purpose of exploiting them for prostitution, and received the women into the country, or transported, or harboured them for the purpose of exploitation. Eastman is from St Julien Road, Princes Town and was charged by Ag Sergeant Ramlogan of the Anti- Human Trafficking Unit. He is on suspension. The three Columbian women were flown into the country on diverse occasions and kept in a safe house courtesy the States expense, then called as witnesses by the prosecution. Each testified in the inquiry in which the media was debarred from even being too close to the courtroom in order to protect the identity of the Colombian women. Yesterday was the final day of the hearing in which, Senior State Attorney Sarah De Silva who is prosecuting the case, called Ramlogan to be cross-examined by Eastmans attorney, Kevin Ratiram. The prosecution had called a total of 15 witnesses. On March 14, De Silva will recall Sgt Roger Reid to the witness box after which Wellington will give his ruling. The magistrate is to decide whether the prosecution has established a prima facie case against Eastman. If Wellington is not satisfied, he will discharge Eastman. The Director of Public Prosecution, Roger Gaspard however, can review the evidence, and has the power to relay the charges and indict the police officer to face a trial by judge and jury. Wellington, on the other hand, can commit him to stand trial, and if he does so on March 14, the court would have to set a higher bail sum. Bullet to the head, buried in gravel pit Pierre, 20, who lived in Manzanilla, was reported missing by his relatives on January 22 - two days after he left home and never returned. His decomposing corpse was found buried in a 20-footdeeep gravel pit at the quarry site in Matura. It was reported that officers of the Homicide Investigations Bureau, acting on a tip-off, on Monday night went to the quarry and with the use of a backhoe, unearthed Pierres body. The District Medical Officer was summoned and ordered the body removed to the Forensic Science Centre in St James where the autopsy proved he was murdered. On being dug up, police sources said, Pierres body was wrapped in a sheet of blue plastic. No arrest has been made and police sources said a motive for Pierres murder has not be established. . Garcia: Licks not the answer That is a thing of the past. It is a form of violence because someone is bigger, stronger and cast in the position of authority and that person is inflicting a type of punishment... that is unreasonable, Garcia said. If I should look at my own experience, I was subjected to corporal punishment as a student in primary school and it was something that I really did not look forward to. I found that I can say it now, the teacher in my Standard Five class subjected me to a form of corporal punishment which was unacceptable. If only for that reason, I will not advocate corporal punishment returning to our schools. It is something that stays with you, Garcia said. The minister was speaking with members of the media yesterday at the National Institute of Higher Learning, Research, Science and Technology (Niherst) and the Institute of Electrical, and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) E-Scientia launch Churchill Roosevelt Highway, Maloney. Garcia was responding to questions on rising violence in some schools. When asked if he thought the police, who were trying to subdue a schoolboy in the social media video acted appropriately, the minister said he would prefer no comment on the mater. I dont want to make any pronouncement on the way the police handled the matter, but simply to say that there are challenges we face in the school system; challenges that we face from students; challenges that teachers are faced with, and challenges that the security officers are faced with. All these challenges we must overcome if we want to have a better education system, he said. The teenager in the video has since appeared before a Couva magistrate where he faced five charges, includin g assaulting a police officer, resisting arrest a nd using obscene language. Garcia said the presence of gangs was a very troubling issue, one which he was working closely on with National Security Minister Brigadier Edmund Dillon, and the National Security Ministry to find ways to root out the system. I feel very confident that very shortly we will come up with recommendations that will really see us having our schools safe and secure, Garcia said, however, he added that policing students after school hours, was not the way to handle the matter. I dont like the idea of schools being policed the way some people are suggesting. Schools must be safe places, where learning and teaching must take place, and after school when students exit, when they are on their way home, they must be in a safe environment. It is what we do in the schools to ensure that our children are safe, this is one of the requirements of the education system, to provide a very safe environment for all those who operate within, the minister said. Asked about implementing suspension centres, such as was done in Jamaica and Barbados, the minister said they were engaging all stakeholders, including the National Parents Teachers Association, the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teacherss Association, and the protective services in dialogue. He said that they were awaiting responses they received during the recently concluded national consultation on education, and would soon issue a statement on how they were going to treat with it. This problem must be solved, it must not be allowed to continue, Garcia said. Not good enough, Dr Rowley Richards held a press conference yesterday where he took issue with Rowleys statement, in response to the murder of Victor Jr, that, Government will continue to focus and redouble its efforts to protect, secure and ensure an environment that is not conducive to fear and terror... Richards said this response was not good enough. He said Rowleys promise of his governments will to redouble its efforts, was mere talk, because government has not been doing anything for prison officers in the first place. As far as the Association and our members are concerned, the efforts in the past have been zero. And if the prime minister is to double zero, then zero multiplied by two is still zero, an angry Richards said. So what effort is he talking about? Is he talking about getting all of our officers out of high risk areas? Is he talking about a policy to treat with the prison officers safety and security? Is he talking about the million-dollar insurance policy which was promised to us for so long? He needs to be very specific, because we are not in the business of taking political rhetoric, Richards said. He demanded that government specify what it intends to do to protect prison officers and give a time frame in which they intend to implement these policies. On Monday, prison officer Fitzalbert Victor Jr, was gunned down while washing his car outside his Prizgar Lands, Laventille home. He became the 18th prison officer to be murdered in the past two decades. Victor Jrs murder was the last straw for several prison officers who Newsday was told by sources that these officers intend to hand in their resignation papers. Told about this, Richards said the Association will investigate, but to his knowledge, there has been no planned resignations in response to Victor Jrs murder. Several prison officers yesterday said they are prepared to walk away from their job, if immediate action is not taken. Among those prepared to leave, is the associations general secretary Gerard Gordon. I ready already (to go), Gordon told Newsday. I am done asking around. I looking to press on. The people who work in the prison service continue to say, is not that we do not have options, but we are doing this as our way of serving our country. Another prison officer agreed with Gordon. We patriotically serve while threats to our lives pour in. While threats are made to our loved ones, we continue to serve. But there is only so much a person can take before saying, enough is enough, the officer said. We love the work we do. We love to serve our nation, Richards chimed in. But if we have no other choice and the reward for our service, is an assassins bullet...then would you be surprised if there is talk of resignations? PM invited to corruption conference The summit will bring together a coalition of world leaders committed to addressing the issue of corruption and its debilitating effects on development worldwide. The Prime Minister has been invited to the summit which is intended to galvanize a truly global response to corruption. It will focus on practical ways to prevent corruption, new ways to empower its victims and concrete actions to end impunity for those who engage in corruption. Rowley is one of the speakers at an anti-corruption conference which takes place at the Hilton Trinidad next week. Cabinet meets today at the Magdalena Grand Hotel for its weekly meeting. Following this meeting, the Government will go into retreat at the same venue from Friday to Saturday. The Prime Minister told Newsday on February 7, that Cabinet will meet in Tobago at least twice per year as part of an arrangement to strengthen ties between Central Government and the Tobago House of Assembly. Steel dust still a problem Dr Khan was giving his testimony as an expert witness in the legal proceedings filed by PLIPDECO against multi-national steel producer Arcelor/Mittal Trinidad, for allegedly polluting the Point Lisas port, and its neighbours with corrosive red dust. Khan provided reports based on air tests conducted in 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2016, at the Point Lisas Port, and surrounding areas. The reports measured the concentration of the dust particles as well as the chemical composition of the particles. According to his testimony in cross-examination by Arcelor/Mittals lead counsel, Martin Daly SC, the results for the chemical composition of the particles in the most recent report were inconclusive as there were insufficient levels of particles collected to provide a proper analysis. He also testified that the tests could not identify if the dust particles found in the ambient air was direct reduced iron (DRI) dust, or slag dust. Khan said the tests focussed on Arcelor/Mittal and its neighbour, Nu-Iron, and admitted that material from Nu-Iron was a possible source of the particle matter found in the air. He also testified under cross-examination that in 2016, Arcelor- Mittals plant was not at full operation. Khan is expected to continue his testimony on Friday. Adjudicating PLIPDECOs lawsuit is Justice Peter Rajkumar. PLIPDECO is claiming Arcelor/ Mittal breached its 30-year lease by failing to adhere to the environmental covenants contained in the lease agreement, and is seeking injunctive relief as well as indemnification for losses for continuing nuisance and damage caused by the emission of corrosive dust emanating from the steel producers plant. It is PLIPDECOs contention that more than 70 letters of protests to Arcelor/Mittal were allegedly ignored by the steel producer. The companys lead counsel Deborah Peake,SC, said the alleged violations were of a gross and obvious nature. She spoke of a four-year long battle with the steel producer to correct the problem. According to Peake, her client went through the expense and lost valuable man hours to document the nuisance caused by the dust as well as hire experts who all reported that the emissions from the steel company far exceeded international standards. In previous testimony at the trial, Gerrel Traboulay, PLIPDECOs Manager, Health, Safety & Environment, testified in cross-examination that the work stoppage attributed to the excessive air emissions represented 0.2 percent. Also appearing for PLIPDECO is Ravi Heffes-Doon and Vijay Deonarine, while Martin Daly SC, and Vanessa Gopaul represent Arcelor/Mittal. SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico Zika has landed forcefully in America, in one of its poorest and most vulnerable corners, a debt-ridden territory lacking a functioning health-care system, window screens and even a spray that works against the mosquitoes spreading the virus in homes, workplaces, schools and parks. There are 117 confirmed cases of the virus in Puerto Rico, four times the number at the end of January. The island territory, which has a population of 3.5 million people, is by far the most affected area in the United States, Tom Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said Friday. The number will almost certainly rise sharply in coming weeks, making it ever more likely that the virus will spread to the continental United States. Get Zika news by email We will update you when news breaks about the virus. Youve signed up for email updates on this story. Please provide a valid email address. Dozens of flights move daily between San Juan and Orlando, Washington, New York and other major cities on the mainland. Cruise ships stop here as part of their Caribbean tours. College students will soon head here on spring break. The growing outbreak has laid bare how deeply Puerto Ricos debt crisis has cut public programs, including basic health and environmental control services needed to fight the virus. Most homes and public schools and even some medical facilities dont have window screens. A specialist in birth defects at Puerto Ricos top hospital has trouble obtaining basic supplies, such as toner for his office printer. There are hundreds of abandoned houses not only in low- and middle-income neighborhoods but also in gated communities because owners have fled to the mainland as a result of the economic crisis. At dusk, health department workers spray permethrin in the middle-class neighborhood of Riveras de Cupey in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The government is beefing up anti-mosquito measures as the Zika virus spreads through the island. (Allison Shelley for The Washington Post) Experts say urgent action is needed before mosquitoes reach their peak with the start of the rainy season in April. Experts from the CDC estimate that 700,000 people about 20 percent of the population could be infected across the island by the end of the year, based on previous outbreaks of dengue and chikungunya, related viral diseases. In response, the CDC has sent 30 experts from its Atlanta headquarters and elsewhere to Puerto Rico, adding to the 70 CDC staff members based here who usually work on dengue fever but now are focusing on Zika. Frieden is expected to visit soon. President Obamas $1.9 billion emergency Zika request to Congress includes $250 million for Puerto Rico. I dont think were going to be able to stop the Zika outbreak, said Steve Waterman, chief of the CDCs dengue branch, located on the citys west side. There will be a substantial Zika outbreak that will peak in the summer and fall. Its likely that thousands of pregnant women will be exposed and infected, so thats why our efforts are focused on protecting as many pregnant women as possible. Five of the 117 confirmed cases involve pregnant women. And unlike in the continental United States, where cases are the result of infected travelers to Latin America and elsewhere bringing the virus back home, almost all the cases in Puerto Rico involve people bitten here by infected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which also spreads dengue fever and chikungunya. What you need to know about the Zika virus and how it spreads Because of the suspected link between Zika and potentially devastating birth defects, authorities are focusing on protecting as many pregnant women as possible. That includes 4,000 expectant mothers living in parts of the island where mosquitoes are spreading the virus. Thats more than one-third of Puerto Rico primarily San Juan, the northeast and the southern coast. Only the CDC and Puerto Ricos health department labs can perform the special Zika testing. The labs expect to run 100,000 tests over the year for pregnant women, five times as many as they handle now, Waterman said. Determining whether someone is infected is complicated because most people dont show symptoms. Its also hard for tests to easily differentiate between dengue and Zika infections. On Monday, authorities in Puerto Rico began distributing free Zika prevention kits to pregnant women that were created by the CDC and the CDC Foundation. The kits include information and tools to help them reduce risk of infection and include repellent, products that kill mosquito larvae, and condoms. Mosquitoes have ample breeding grounds here. In the Villa Palmeras cemetery in barrio Obrero, a low-income neighborhood in northeastern San Juan, virtually all of the thousands of graves have built-in flower stands where water, and mosquito larvae, collect. There are 109 cemeteries across Puerto Rico and thousands of flower holders. Mosquito larvae also flourish underground, in water meters and vent pipes of septic tanks, which contain more water than elsewhere in the United States, said Roberto Barrera, a CDC entomologist. And then there are the mountains of used tires, which mosquitoes flock to, said Johnny Rullan, a former health secretary who is helping the government eliminate breeding sites. Puerto Rico has accumulated more used tires than anywhere else in the United States, experts said. In the past three weeks, temporary collection centers have received more than 561,000 tires. Elwin Moran, 26, helps pile used tires at a former shoe factory in Humacao, Puerto Rico. The Humacao environmental board is collecting abandoned tires from neighborhoods. (Allison Shelley for The Washington Post) Part of living on the island Perhaps the most difficult challenge is changing peoples attitudes and behavior about an ever-present pest that is as much a part of life here as steamy weather and graceful old banyan trees. What can I say, its part of living on the island, said Jose Fernandez, a supervisor at a tire collection center in Humacao, in the southeast. Emeris Canales Morales, 27, a single mother who is 23 weeks pregnant, lives in a home that overlooks a small cemetery on one side and a fetid canal on the other. Plastic bottles and other trash collect along the banks of the canal. Her windows have no screens. In December, the mosquitoes were biting so hard that she woke up with red welts covering her arms. At a prenatal clinic for high-risk pregnancies at San Juans University Hospital at the Puerto Rico Medical Center, she was among the first to sign up for free Zika screening for women in their first and second trimesters. Tourists visit two of Puerto Ricos most famous landmarks Fort San Felipe del Morro fortress and Santa Maria Magdalena de Pazzis cemetery. Mosquitoes thrive in wet conditions, such as cemeteries. (Allison Shelley for The Washington Post) She wont know the results for at least another week. Her first two pregnancies ended in miscarriages because of complications from diabetes. She is hoping for the best this time. I havent had the fever or the red eyes or the rash, said Canales, who lives in Loiza, a northeast community that is one of the islands poorest areas. But even for pregnant women, its hard to stay vigilant against the mosquito. When there was chikungunya, we joked about it until everyone had it, she said. Until people have the sickness, nobody in Loiza will take it seriously. Said Brenda Rivera, chief epidemiologist for Puerto Ricos health department: Controlling Zika is going to be a daunting task. The department is coordinating the islands response to the public health emergency. Entomologist Roberto Barrea examines materials at a lab where his team breeds thousands of mosquitoes for research at the CDCs dengue branch in San Juan. (Allison Shelley for The Washington Post) Poor and unprepared Women in Puerto Rico give birth to about 33,000 babies a year. The island has one of the highest teenage birth rates in the United States, and many public high schools have no window screens. The government is estimating how much it would cost to add screens, said Grace Santana, chief of staff to Gov. Alejandro Javier Garcia Padilla. Nearly half of Puerto Rico lives below the poverty line. The thousands of pastel-hued public housing projects that dot the island dont have air conditioning. Residents dont have window screens, in part because they cant afford them, but also because they dont want to block the breeze. Adding screens to those homes would cost about $70 million, said Santana. At dusk on a recent day, a maroon pickup truck drove through the streets in the middle-class neighborhood of Riveras de Cupey, in San Juans south, spraying permethrin, a commonly used insecticide, from a machine mounted on the back. But Aedes aegypti mosquitoes already have developed resistance to permethrin in some parts of Puerto Rico, said Audrey Lenhart, a CDC research entomologist. She is testing which insecticides are most effective, something that was never done before. How a bloodsucker transmits the Zika virus The Puerto Rican government doesnt really have a well-developed vector control and surveillance program, she said, referring to basic programs to eliminate insects, birds and other vectors that transmit disease. CDC teams are helping authorities rebuild mosquito control programs, expand testing, and monitor and track thousands of pregnant women and their babies. They also are working with U.S. companies to provide window screens for womens homes, and to bring to market a CDC-invented trap that could be a potent and cheap way to snare and kill adult mosquitoes. For doctors such as Alberto De La Vega, an expert in high-risk pregnancies at the University Hospital in San Juan, Zika is one of many serious concerns. He worries that additional Zika testing will create huge demands on an already burdened health system. Were having problems getting supplies, but we have to uphold U.S. standards, he said. He has modern ultrasound equipment, but he pays out of his own pocket for the paper sheets that cover exam room beds. He tells his patients they need to remove standing water and wear repellent. What we can do as physicians is very little, he said. By the time we identify problems with the fetus, its usually well into the second trimester, and by then its too late. Everything you ever wanted to know about the Zika virus and its spread across North and South America. (Daron Taylor,Claritza Jimenez/The Washington Post) Im going to have the baby The new mystery disease has infected Zulmarys Molina Paredes, 29. Shes one of the five pregnant women with a confirmed Zika diagnosis. But at 16 weeks in her pregnancy, an ultrasound shows her baby developing normally. Molina and her 2-year-old son, Marco, live in Humacao in a peach-colored public housing project with her mother, aunt and brother. She is the sole breadwinner. She thinks she became infected at the private university where she works as an admissions officer, during tours of the campus. The campus has an artificial lake surrounded by trees full of mosquitoes. Her headaches began Feb. 5. The following Monday, she looked in the mirror and was stunned. I was starting to put on my makeup and realized I was covered in a rash, she said. I got really scared. The emergency room doctor sent Molinas blood to be tested. Nine days later, she was told her test was positive for Zika. But the doctor also said scientists didnt know how often women with Zika infections have babies with birth defects such as microcephaly, where they are born with abnormally small heads. Given the uncertainty, she is choosing to believe and to pray that everything will be fine. An amniocentesis is scheduled for next week. More ultrasounds will follow. I dont care what happens. Im going to have the baby, Molina said. I have faith that shes going to be fine. Her due date is Aug. 6. She will name her daughter Michaela. What you need to know about the Octagon Art Festival on Sunday in Ames news New Measures To Ensure Tribal Welfare Schemes Reaches Actual Beneficiaries New Delhi, Thu, 03 Mar 2016 NI Wire Post Matric Scholarship for ST Students to be Released Through DBT Mode: Says Jual Oram Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Shri Jual Oram has said that his Ministry will initiate new measures to ensure that money allotted to states under various tribal welfare schemes reaches the actual beneficiaries. Addressing a press conference in New Delhi today Shri Oram said that officials from National Commission for Scheduled Tribes and Tribal Affairs Ministry will visit various remote areas to personally ascertain the benefits accrued to tribals. The Minister said some independent agencies will also be involved in this task. The Tribal Affairs Minister also informed that post-matric scholarship for ST students will be released through DBT mode to ensure transparency and fast delivery. He said during the current financial year 20 new Ekalaya Model Residential Schools were opened and their total number has reached 213. Shri Oram said that allocation for Van Bandhu Kalyan Yojna (VBKY) in next year budget has been increased from Rs. 100 to Rs. 200 crore. He said blocks with very low female literacy rate have been selected for VBKY. Shri Oram informed that his Ministry has recognised 14 NGOs as Established Voluntary Agencies (EVAs) out of more than 200 NGOs. A simplified sanctioning procedure is being envisaged for grants in aid to these EVAs. Guidelines are being revised with focus on outcome. Referring to the livelihood and skill development efforts of his Ministry, the Minister informed that an amount of Rs. 285 crore was spent during the current financial for skill development/vocation training of 80,000 tribal beneficiaries. The Minister said Central TSP (Tribal Sub Plan) allocation to his Ministry increased by more than 20.15% from Rs. 19,979 crore to Rs.24,005 crore ensuring convergence of interventions of other Ministries/Departments. Ministrys budgetary plan provisions have been enhanced from Rs.4550 crore to Rs. 4800 crore addressing critical gaps in implementation. Approximately one third of plan outlay has been year marked for education. Referring to the implementation of Forest Rights Act 2006 the Minister said lagging states will be perused to improve their performance at par with better performing States. Giving an account of the progress made in implementation of FRA since 31.05.2014 till 31.12.2015. The Minister said total individual claims and community claims filed were 6.2 Lakhs and 0.30 lakhs. Out of this 2.57 lakhs individual titles and 0.18 lakhs community titled were distributed. The titles distributed covered an area of 34.2 lakh acres. Underlining the importance of health related activities Shri Oram said three crore ST children across the country were screened for sickle cell anemia. He said Rs. 157 crore were released in 2015-16 for heath infrastructure and health centres. Funds were provided for training of 6100 GNM/ANM/ Paramedic/ Lab technician in 2015-16. Source: PIB Retreat for Banks and Financial Institutions called "GYAN SANGAM" to be held in State Bank Academy New Delhi, Thu, 03 Mar 2016 NI Wire Two days' "Retreat for Banks and Financial Institutions" called "GYAN SANGAM" to be held in State Bank Academy, Gurgaon on 4th and 5th March, 2016; Retreat to take forward the Governments commitment to Reforms in the Banking and Financial Sector Two days Retreat for Banks and Financial Institutions called Gyan Sangamwould at held on 4th and 5th March, 2016 at State Bank Academy, Gurgaon (Haryana.). The Opening Address will be made by the Minister of State for Finance, Shri Jayant Sinha on March 4, 2016 which will be followed by the Key Note Address by the Governor, Reserve Bank of India, Dr. Raghuram Rajan. This is second Gyan Sangam. First one was held last year in January, 2015 at Pune. Participants in this Bankers Retreat include Ms Anjuli Chib Duggal,, Secretary, Department of Financial Services (DFS), Regulators, Officers of the Ministry of Finance, top Management of all Public Sector Banks (PSBs), Insurance Companies and Financial Institutions (FIs). This retreat has been held to take forward the Governments commitment to reforms in the banking and financial sector. The growth and change in the financial sector ought to be in tune with the development in the real sector. The idea of organising such a retreat is to provide an informal academic environment, which can bring out the creative best of the minds of professionals and regulators. The Chief Executives of these organisations, from their years of experience in the business, have many ideas about the reforms in banking sector. The objective of this Retreat is to arrive at a common understanding among the professionals, Regulators and the Government on the reform, required in the Public sector Banks (PSBs) in the current economic situations. Two days programme is annexed. The participants have been divided into five Working Groups. The Groups have been formed keeping in view the outcomes related to access, efficiency, stability, profitability/value creation. Working Groups include one each on Restructuring,(M/A), NPA Management and Recovery, Technology, digital and Financial Inclusion, Credit Growth and Risk Management. These Groups would hold discussions and finalise their reports and present them before the Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley on second day,5th March, 2016. The two-day conference will end with a Press Conference on March 5, 2016. Two day Schedule is also attached. Source: PIB Organizing 36th International Geological Congress in the year 2020 New Delhi, Thu, 03 Mar 2016 NI Wire Setting up of a Society, "36thInternational Geological Congress", for organizing 36th International Geological Congress in the year 2020 and promoting geoscience in Indian subcontinent The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its approval to set up of a Society, "36th International Geological Congress", under the Indian Society Registration Act, 1860 for organizing 36th International Geological Congress (IGC) in year 2020 and promoting geoscience in Indian subcontinent. The event will be held in NCR, Delhi during March 2-6, 2020. A budgetary outlay worth Rs. 52 crore has been already approved by Cabinet to carry out preparatory activities upto 2018-19 and additional funds will be sought on revising the estimate a year before the main event. The 36th IGC will be hosted jointly by the Ministry of Mines (MoM) and Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) with active support from the science academies of India and co-host neighboring countries. It is expected to attract 7000+ geoscientists from all over the world. The event is to be organized under the aegis of International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) and as per the statutes of IUGS-IGC Council. On being registered, the Society, 36IGC will start preparing for the event by taking up activities including constitution of a Local Organizing Committee (LOC) and participation in the 35th IGC which is scheduled to be held during 27 August-4 September, 2016 at Cape Town, South Africa.The Society will be wound-up after the completion of the event. The event will benefit the entire geoscientific community and all geoscience-related domains including mineral exploration, mining, environmental management, climate change studies, management of natural hazards, etc. It is also expected to give a boost to geo-tourism in the country.An exhibition 'GEOEXPO-2020", scheduled to be held alongside the conference, is expected to attract major mining and mineral exploration companies.The GEOEXPO exhibition will attract global companies involved in mining, mineral exploration and infrastructure development. Showcasing of India's mineral potential can create an opportunity for foreign investment in India in these areas. The 36th IGC has the theme Geoscience-the Basic Science for Sustainable Future. Hosting the event in India will provide an opportunity to upgrade geosciences and geoscientific research in the country to meet the challenges of global changes and ever increasing quest for natural resources. The Indian subcontinent has more than 10000 geoscientists engaged in mineral exploration, geotechnical investigations, geoscientific mapping, and research and development in fundamental geoscientific activities in various national organizations and institutions/ universities, industry and private sector enterprises. The applied fields are diverse ranging from oil and gas to groundwater, mining to environment, climate changes to natural hazards etc. The Indian Geoscientists will get a big opportunity to interact with the best of subject experts from world over to further improve their knowledge and skills to meet the emerging challenges. Background: India made a bid to host the 36th IGC in India along with its co-host neighboring countries, namely, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka during the 34th international Geological Congress held at Brisbane, Australia in August 2012, and won it with an overwhelming support of global geoscientific community. The IGC is a prestigious geoscience conference organized at an interval of 4 years under the aegis of International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) an affiliate of International Council of Science (ICSU). The IGC, since its inception in 1878, has attracted 6000 + delegates to each of its last five sessions held in different parts of the world. India had earlier hosted the 22nd session of IGC, which was the first IGC in Asia, in year1964 in Delhi. The event will showcase India as a scientific destination for human resource development and training, and this will help improve Indian position in the South Asian and African regions on a long term basis. It will also contribute towards increasing tourism revenue by opening new avenues for geo-tourism. Source: PIB China is expected to announce its biggest military budget increase in nearly a decade in the next couple of days, fuelled by increasing tensions in the South China Sea and the need for the latest weaponry. Chinas military insiders say the budget could increase by up to 20 per cent. Last year the budget was $200 billion. The Chinese Government is not only determined but capable of continuously increasing the military budget, Professor Shi Yinhong from the Renmin University of China said. In the arms race in the Western Pacific, China wants to close the gap with the US. The increase will fund a massive reform program, which will make the Peoples Liberation Army a meaner and leaner fighting machine. The worlds largest army has cut 300,000 soldiers and money is needed to pay them out. On top of this, to keep morale and loyalty up, President Xi Jinping will hand out a pay rise. Most of the increase will be for advanced weapons like new missiles. Welcome to the new Enlightenment, an era when suppressed science, hidden history and the enlightening nature of reality are all revealed to those with eyes to see and ears to hear. These are the thoughts and ideas of New Illuminati - bold forerunners and pioneers of new awareness all over the globe. Notes on new emerging paradigms from the NEXUS New Times Magazine Founder R. Ayana, who lives in a remote Australian rainforest (and is no longer involved with the magazine) - Catching drops from the deluge in a paper cup since 1984. Follow us via Facebook, Google+, Friend Connect, rss, Networked Blogs, Twitter or join the mailing list below for regular updates. We won't use your address for anything else. Please COMMENT at the end of any entry and see the realtime CHAT ROOM below this column, where you can find plenty of STREAMING VIDEOS. Together we can create the best of all possible worlds! The case gives the eight justices, one short following the death of Antonin Scalia on February 13, the chance to decide how much states can regulate abortion without infringing upon the right to abortion. Licensed facilities would have to meet the same standards that ambulatory surgical centers do, and they would have to be staffed by doctors with admitting privileges at local hospitals. Activists warn that if the law is upheld, that would leave just 10 abortion clinics in the second largest USA state, home to an estimated 5.4 million women of child-bearing age. States mainly led by Republicans have tried to limit when in a pregnancy abortions may be performed, restricted abortion-inducing drugs that take the place of surgery and increased standards for clinics and the doctors who work in them. It is not intended, they say, to restrict access to abortion or unfairly burden women seeking an abortion. With the court now split evenly between liberals and conservatives, all eyes are on Justice Anthony Kennedy, whose swing vote on this issue that has long roiled United States politics could determine the availability of abortion services nationwide. White House tells China: Hawaii is not South China Sea Also, tensions are rising in the South China Sea after Beijing deployed anti-aircraft missiles on a disputed island. He said ship owners and insurers have reported no problems and no commercial vessels have had their passage impeded. That's the impact of Texas draconian anti-abortion House Bill (HB) 2, passed in 2013. The appeals-court decision went into effect immediately, forcing women slated to get abortions Friday to reschedule. Those who object to the Texas law argue that if abortion clinics shut down it would violate the rights of women in a given area. Willie Parker describes in the film his irritation at having, under MS law, to tell patients about a link between abortion and breast cancer. "A lot of people sort of want to draw this into the life debate, and the reality is that this goes to our ability as Texas to set the health standards that we think are appropriate for women's health and beyond", said Chip Roy, first assistant attorney general. "Other circuits disagree and emphasize that courts must review the facts that justify legislation restricting exercise of a constitutional right". These requirements have not been shown to have any medical benefit, but they will cause 32 of the state's 42 clinics to shutter. United Nations envoy says Syria cease-fire 'reassuring' Germany has declared Syrian and Iraqi passports issued in territory controlled by the Islamic State group invalid. It is the first major cessation of hostilities in Syria's five-year war. If you factor in other restrictions, such as parental consent, waiting periods and mandatory counseling, it can be next to impossible to obtain an abortion in states where the right's laws have been enacted. That law is HB2, which in 2013 law imposed some strict regulations on abortion clinics throughout Texas. The state immediately appealed to the USA 5th Circuit of Appeals, which in June upheld most of its provisions. Across the country, 8 other states have introduced similar restrictions, and 23 states signed a brief sent to the Supreme Court in support of the regulations. In Mississippi for example, physicians at the state's only abortion clinic were rejected out of hand - two hospitals wouldn't even accept applications from the clinic's doctors, while others rejected them exclusively because they perform abortions. The only clinic in the Rio Grande Valley would be allowed to remain open on a limited basis. "A decision to overrule Roe's essential holdings under the existing circumstances would address error, if error there was, at the cost of both profound and unnecessary damage to the Court's legitimacy, and to the nation's commitment to the rule of law", they wrote. If it effectively doesn't rule at all, that leaves this particular question of "undue burden" open, with years more litigation to come. "I'm particularly troubled I'm looking at page ten of the order that the trial court says that because he has no evidence he's going to conclude that the second trip-he can't conclude that it is not an additional burden". Even if other factors contributed to some closures, the law played a role, Toti said. But in reality if the ruling assures that this measures are necessary, thousands of women seeking for legal abortion will be forced to flee towards the border to Mexico and acquire illegal abortion pills to finish the unwanted pregnancies. In the five years since the Whole Women's Health clinic in San Antonio built its ASC, they haven't used it once. Calm in the 'Jungle' ahead of fresh bid to raze migrant camp In retaliation migrants were seen hurling rocks as the camp descended into a blazing inferno as gangs set a dozen shelters alight. The vast majority of refugees in Calais want to go on to the United Kingdom via the Eurotunnel under the English Channel. Six Flags Debuts Virtual Reality Roller Coaster Experience This transforms the modern roller coaster into a totally new, one of a kind sensorial experience - powered by technology. They'll encounter Lex Luther creating chaos with an anti-gravity gun and soar along Superman as he saves the day. Families of slain college students speak Along the way, investigators solved a 2005 rape case and used DNA evidence to tie all three cases to Jesse LeRoy Matthew Jr. Harrington had been drinking alcohol from a flask when she stepped out of the Metallica concert and could not get back in. Apple iPhone fight moves to Congress A federal judge in California ordered Apple to help the FBI hack into Farook's phone, but the company is fighting the order. We do this because we think protecting security and privacy of hundreds of millions of iPhones is the right thing to do. Kendall Jenner & Gigi Hadid Compare Boobs, Make the Internet a Better Place Sam McKnight was behind Gigi and Kendall's hair swap, as well as several other of the top models in the show. Kendall Jenner plays dress-up with Gigi Hadid in Gucci and Proenza Schouler-when she's not topless, that is. Top Republicans scramble for last-minute Trump alternative But his limited appeal with the diverse set of voters who twice elected Obama will make it hard to seize the nomination. The billionaire clutched victory in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Vermont and Virginia. Samsung Gear 360 Camera to be available starting Q2 2016 Adoptable Storage eliminates a problem faced by devices with a small storage capacity, 8 to 16GB: lack of space for applications. The 5.1-inch Galaxy S7 and 5.5-inch Galaxy S7 edge are constructed with 3D glass and metal and are water and dust resistance. Intel preparing an augmented reality headset, says report Augmented reality is different than virtual reality, as it is mixed with the live, view of a physical, real-world environment. Its partners include Daqri , a startup that sells a hard hat for industrial settings that includes augmented-reality features. Globe introduces myLifestyle plans for Samsung Galaxy S7, S7 Edge You can buy the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge on all major USA carriers and it will be available in stores and online at many retailers. This look at the reasons you'll love the Galaxy S7 will walk you through what you can actually do with the new features . Rodriguez scores 19, No. 7 Miami beats Notre Dame 68-50 The Irish will be seeking to avoid back-to-back losses for the first time since finishing the 2013-14 season with three straight. The home team has won five straight in this series, but Miami has covered the spread in three of the last four meetings. Nanny arrested after beheading child in Russian Federation Further in the video , the woman is also seen raising the head of the child and the index finger of another hand up in the air. A nanny holding a child's severed head at a Moscow metro station was taken into custody Monday on suspicion of murder. Manuel Pellegrini demands response from Manchester City after Anfield defeat Liverpool may have lost out on the League Cup to Manchester City via penalties, but at least they won't have to wait long for revenge. Ukrainian pilot resigned to sentence in Russia Russian prosecutors say Savchenko was involved in the killing in her capacity as a volunteer in a Ukrainian battalion. They also claim she did not cross the border voluntarily but was kidnapped. Trailer released for 'Ghostbusters' reboot We won't spoil it for you , but you can look forward to a souped-up hearse, a double-slap and, of course, a whole load of gunk. Also of note: The ghosts are officially scarier in this version than in the original, male-led movies. Man finds possible Malaysian plane debris Almost two years after the plane disappeared, they must cope not only with his loss but with the theory that he was to blame. Blaine Gibson, a USA lawyer from Seattle found the debris. "We're not going to draw conclusions from the photos". The large litter falls just shy of the Guinness World Record of 24, and about seven or eight more than typically expected. John Costanzo of Napa Grass Farmer said in an email Monday that Stella, the farm's Maremma Sheepdog, just broke the California record for largest litter of puppies. One of the 17 puppies. Stella, a 3-year-old Maremma Sheepdog, has given birth to a record 17 puppies on a Napa, California farm. 'They all made it and are healthy. "Some of these guys are already going to farms around California, and we're just waiting to go through the rest of the interview process to put all 17 of them in different farms", Costanzo said. Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 launched in India: Get Price, Specification and Features The phones have a 5.5-inch IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen with a FHD resolution of 1080x1920 pixels and 403ppi pixel density. Hugo Barra , Vice President of International Xiaomi, also disclosed that the Xiaomi Mi5 will be launched in a month. "It's really important to us that the pups go to farms and not suburban homes", Costanzo said. "The dogs protect these animals in the pasture", Costanzo said. "They are bred for livestock protection only - awesome breed". Jon: "This is definitely the world record for the most sheepdogs, so a lot of our club members have been coming around and taking a lot of the shifts". The owner says Maremma Sheepdogs are a breed of livestock guardian dogs from central Italy. Gloucestershire Road Safety Partnership launch campaign against drug driving This could affect their employment and will also lead to a significant increase in the cost of their auto insurance. Nearly 200 illegal drivers have been removed from Cheshire's roads as a result of the new drug drive laws. Stella easily surpassed that, and it's not the first time she's birthed a large puppy pack. Napa Grass Farmer raises chickens, turkeys and sheep in pastures to provide organic meat for about 200 families. See them in the video below. The pre-paid segment increased by 12.3 percent to 25.3 million subscribers, while the post-paid subscriber base decreased by 3.3 percent to 5.2 million, hurt by low availability of handsets due to a strike earlier in the year. In an effort to achieve an amicable settlement, MTN Nigeria, without prejudice, agreed to withdraw the matter from the Federal High Court. "The fine imposed on MTN Nigeria and the related process continues to receive extensive attention from the group board", the company said. The uncertainty surrounding the record penalty has wiped nearly a third off the company's share price since it was made public on October 26. Shittu, according to Reuters, however, said the final decision rests with President Muhammadu Buhari. VW rejects allegations it didn't give timely info on scandal VW mentioned one unidentified automaker as having paid a $100 million fine in 2014 after certain violations of USA emissions laws. The devices detect when the vehicle is being tested and switch on instruments to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions. Africa's biggest cellphone network operator also announced on Thursday a surprise 5.2 percent increase in its dividend to 1,310 cents per share, even though its profits more than halved in what the company described as a "challenging year". Profit margins have risen at MTN South Africa, with signs that a solid turnaround of the operation, which has had a hard few years, is now under way. "We have adopted a cautious approach to the dividend outlook, taking into account the interests of shareholders and lenders and the importance of maintaining an investment-grade credit rating", MTN said. Manchester City fans tear into Pellegrini, players and Txiki after Liverpool loss They were very angry in a positive way. "We spoke about the final, about this game", he said in a news conference. So if you then play quick and safe and really simple, that's what we did in the second half really good. MTN South Africa increased its number of subscribers by 9.3 percent to 30.6 million in 2015. "But MTN must have a feel for what is going on with the ongoing negotiations on the fine". "This minimum dividend remains subject to the outcome of the regulatory fine". Data revenue grew by 37,2%, while service revenue - excluding handset sales and other revenue - rose by 7,5%. "Following the resumption of regulatory services we would anticipate an improved operational performance in 2016". Africa's biggest wireless phone company is in talks with Nigerian authorities to reduce the $3.9 billion fine imposed previous year for failing to cut off unregistered SIM card users. Behind the Facades in France: What expats and the mainstream media (French and American alike) fail to notice (or fail to tell you) about French attitudes, principles, values, and official positions Only two minutes after I had listed a dresser online for sale, someone was interested. I was ecstatic that the dresser would not only be off our hands, but wed get a little cash besides and in such short time. The buyer must have been searching for dressers for months, I thought, judging by Norfolk has grown, but some of the needs and wants havent kept up with the growth. A proposed half-percent sales tax would get the city caught up with many of those needs and wants with safety, streets, sports and recreation. Tunisian security forces have killed five militants near the border with Libya and the commander of the forces has been injured in the clash, the Defense Ministry announced on Wednesday. Five terrorists holed up in a house in El Aouija were killed by troops and police, the ministry spokesman Belhassen Oueslati said. A civilian who was accidently shot during the shootout died of his injuries. According to security sources, the terrorist group, infiltrated from the Libyan territory aboard all-terrain vehicles, is made up of ten members. Reports explained that security forces rounded a house in El Aouija where the alleged terrorists retreated after they refused to stop at a security check-point. On Tuesday, the Interior Ministry had announced it neutralized four militants near the Algerian border and seized important quantities of weapons and ammunitions. Tunisian security forces have stepped up their presence at the border with Libya in a bid to stem illegal crossing of IS fighters into Tunisia. A 125-mile barrier has been built along the border with uncontrolled Libya. The United Kingdom and Germany are assisting Tunisian forces in their endeavor to stop IS militants intrusion into Tunisia to commit terrorist attacks. Earlier this week, British Defense Secretary Fallon announced that 20 British troops would head to Tunisia to help enhance security at the border with Libya. On Tuesday, Germany donated security equipment to Tunisian forces. For German federal Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere, the donation will help in the anti-terror struggle as well as in the fight against illegal migration. Moroccan cement factory CIMAF based in Cote dIvoire will double its cement output as it inaugurated earlier this week its second production line expected to yield 500,000 tons. The launch of the new line comes as the West African country is confronted with a shortage of cement due to various ongoing infrastructure projects initiated over the past years. The new line which is expected to produce 500, 000 tons per year will increase the companys output to reach 1 million tons. The new line necessitated an investment of around 3.5 million and represents the final stage of the expansion of the plant situated in the capital Abidjan. Part of its projects in the West African country, CIMAF -owned by the Moroccan group Addoha- seeks to install a new plant in the coastal city of San Pedro. The company is ready to inject around 53 million. The cement market in Ivory Coast is dominated by CIMAF and SCA, Socimat (LafargeHolcim). Last year national cement output was estimated at 2.9 million tons; a figure deemed insufficient to meet local demand. The Ivorian government hopes that with the new line and other cement projects, the national output will reach 4.3 million tons by 2017. By Warren Strobel, Jonathan Landay and Matt Spetalnick By Warren Strobel, Jonathan Landay and Matt Spetalnick WASHINGTON (Reuters) - More than 90 Republican foreign policy veterans have pledged to oppose Donald Trump, saying his proposals would undermine U.S. security, in the latest sign of fissures between the Republican presidential front-runner and the party establishment. "Mr. Trumps own statements lead us to conclude that as president, he would use the authority of his office to act in ways that make America less safe, and which would diminish our standing in the world," the signatories wrote in a open letter on Wednesday. "Furthermore, his expansive view of how presidential power should be wielded against his detractors poses a distinct threat to civil liberty in the United States," said the letter, which was posted on a blog called War on the Rocks. The signatories include Robert Zoellick, a former World Bank president and deputy secretary of state; former U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff; and Dov Zakheim, a top Pentagon official under President George W. Bush. They represent both centrist Republican foreign policy circles and neoconservatives who favor a robust U.S. international role and wielded clout during Bush's 2001-2009 presidency. Billionaire businessman Trump won the largest number of states in this week's Super Tuesday nominating contests, intensifying moves by the party's establishment wing to derail his path to the nomination. On Thursday, Trump in an interview with ABC News flatly rejected the criticism in the letter and blasted the nation's military leaders as ineffective. Bryan McGrath, a retired U.S. Navy officer and adviser to Republican Mitt Romneys unsuccessful 2012 presidential campaign who helped organize the letter, said at least two people declined to sign because of concerns it would fuel Trump's campaign theme of being an anti-Washington candidate opposed by the establishment. "This is really drawing a bright moral line and saying that if we're going to keep our souls, we can't cross it," said Eliot Cohen, who served as counselor to former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and helped spearhead the letter. Rice was asked to sign but chose not to, in keeping with her general practice of not signing on to such group letters, a spokeswoman for the Stanford University professor said. The list of signatures, which numbered 60 when the letter was released on Wednesday night, had grown to 94 by Thursday afternoon. The signatories did not include other several high-profile former officials such as Bush national security adviser Stephen Hadley or former Secretary of State Colin Powell. It was unknown if they were invited to sign. The letter rejects numerous Trump foreign policy statements, including his "hateful, anti-Muslim rhetoric," his demand that Mexico fund a wall to control illegal immigration across the U.S. border, and his insistence that Japan pay much more for U.S. security assistance. "As committed and loyal Republicans, we are unable to support a Party ticket with Mr. Trump at its head," the signatories said. "We commit ourselves to working energetically to prevent the election of someone so utterly unfitted to the office." The War on the Rocks blog calls itself a platform for former diplomats, military and intelligence officers and scholars to comment "through a realist lens" on global affairs. AMMUNITION FOR TRUMP? Trump has alarmed some mainstream Republicans with vows to shred international trade deals. Many fear a Trump presidency would severely strain ties with allies and are concerned about his stated willingness to work more closely with authoritarian Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump also has criticized the Republican Party for its backing of Bush's 2003 Iraq invasion and has said he supports the practice of waterboarding and other similar interrogation techniques. Max Boot, a foreign policy adviser to Romney's 2012 campaign and supporter of the Iraq invasion, was among the letter's signers and said he "would sooner work for (North Korean dictator) Kim Jong Un than for Donald Trump. I think Donald Trump is objectively more dangerous than Kim Jong Un and not as stable." Kurt Volker, a permanent representative to NATO under Bush, said he did not sign the letter because of concerns that any letter from "national security intelligentsia" could backfire. "He would actually use it as a bragging right," said Volker, adding he had no intention of working for Trump but wanted to be free to offer advice to any future president, and that such a letter could prompt Trump to hold a grudge. Several others who declined to sign and asked not to be identified, said they feared it could help Democrat Hillary Clinton win the presidency. Trump told MSNBC on Thursday that he would name his foreign policy and national security advisers "in a week or two. ... But ultimately it's my thought more than anybody else's." Those Trump has spoken with on foreign policy include a retired U.S. general and intelligence official, Michael Flynn, who favors closer ties with Russia. Flynn has declined to comment on whether he is advising Trump. Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who won popularity for his response to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, has said he has been having regular talks with Trump but not in a formal role. (Additional reporting by Phil Stewart, Arshad Mohammed and Susan Heavey; Editing by David Rohde, Stuart Grudgings, Bill Trott and Peter Cooney) This article was funded in part by SAP. It was independently created by the Reuters editorial staff. SAP had no editorial involvement in its creation or production. Confira o preco do seguro para o Chevrolet Onix Saiba quando voce gastaria com o seguro do carro mais vendido do Brasil By Steve Holland By Steve Holland DETROIT (Reuters) - Former U.S. presidential candidate Mitt Romney attacked 2016 Republican front-runner Donald Trump as a fraud on Thursday and urged primary voters to keep the outspoken New York billionaire from getting the nomination, paving the way for possible horse trading at a party convention in July. In an unusually harsh speech, party elder Romney warned that former reality TV star Trump would likely lose to possible Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton in the Nov. 8 election if he becomes the Republican nominee. Trump's rise has split the Republican Party between mainstream figures like Romney, and Trump supporters who complain the party does not reflect their concerns about illegal immigration, the slow economic recovery and what they see as America's diminishing role in the world. That split widened when Romney, the party nominee in 2012, urged Republican primary voters to vote tactically in different states to back Trump's opponents and block his path to the nomination. "Here's what I know. Donald Trump is a phony, a fraud," said Romney, 68, who did not endorse any candidate. "I would vote for Marco Rubio in Florida, for John Kasich in Ohio, and for Ted Cruz or whichever one of the other two contenders has the best chance of beating Mr. Trump in a given state," he said. Rubio is a U.S. senator from Florida and Kasich is the Ohio governor. By calling for targeted voting, Romney was setting up the possibility of a contested convention when Republicans gather in Cleveland in mid-July to select their nominee for the November election to succeed Democratic President Barack Obama. That could create a pathway to deny Trump the 1,237 delegates needed for nomination. The last Republican convention to go beyond one ballot was in 1948 when Thomas Dewey was nominated. "I think the governor is just being realistic about where things stand and advocating a potential strategy that could stop the Trump nomination, said former Romney spokesman Ryan Williams. ESTABLISHMENT UNEASE Republican strategist Scott Reed said he doubted the last-ditch tactical voting suggestion would work. "No one will be playing the targeted voting game. Theres too much anger and distrust," Reed said. Trump, 69, has made his party's establishment uneasy with his abrasive tone and policy positions, including plans to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexican border, deport 11 million illegal immigrants and temporarily bar Muslims from entering the country. More than 90 Republican national security leaders have signed a scathing open letter opposing Trump and his stance on many foreign policy issues. Romney's speech in Utah was the spearhead of a mainstream Republican attempt to rein in Trump after he won most states in this week's Republican Super Tuesday nominating contests and took a step toward earning the nomination. The address came hours before Trump and his rivals shared a stage in Detroit at 9 p.m. EST for a debate hosted by Fox News. Trump leads many polls for primaries in the remaining states, including in major ones like Florida on March 15, dampening prospects of derailing him. The party establishment's strategy risks backfiring by further energizing Trump's supporters, many of them white, blue-collar voters. "If only Romney talked like this four years ago about Obama ... or Trump," conservative political commentator Michelle Malkin said on Twitter. "Too freaking late and too freaking lame." 'FAILED CANDIDATE' Trump dismissed the former Massachusetts governor who lost to Obama four years ago. "Mitt is a failed candidate. He failed. He failed horribly. He failed badly," Trump told a rally in Maine. Romney decided on his own to give the speech, which he wrote himself. Romney said Trump's economic policy would sink America "into prolonged recession," mocked Trump's ego, and called him a "con man." "A business genius he is not," Romney said. David Axelrod, a former senior adviser to Obama, called the Romney speech a "break glass" moment he had not seen since 1964, when Republicans abandoned their candidate Barry Goldwater. Axelrod noted thousands of Republicans had already voted for Trump in primary elections. "I wonder about tactic of calling them fools," Axelrod wrote on Twitter. (Additional reporting by Doina Chiacu, Eric Beech, Warren Strobel, Jonathan Landay and Matt Spetalnick in Washington; Writing by Steve Holland, Roberta Rampton; Editing by Alistair Bell and Peter Cooney) This article was funded in part by SAP. It was independently created by the Reuters editorial staff. SAP had no editorial involvement in its creation or production. De Blasio at last years St. Pats For All parade in Queens. Photo: Kathy Willens Bill de Blasio is the first New York mayor not to march in the St. Patricks Day parade down Fifth Avenue in two decades, but this year hes giving up his boycott. During his first year in office, de Blasio refused to march in the Manhattan parade because it still did not allow LGBT groups to march openly. Last year, parade organizers let OUT@NBCUniversal, a small group of gay NBC employees, participate, but de Blasio said that wasnt good enough. Now the longtime ban has been dropped fully, and the mayor tells the AP he intends to participate in the March 17 event. The St. Patricks Day Parade is a New York City tradition, but for years Irish LGBT New Yorkers could not show their pride, de Blasio said. Finally, they can celebrate their heritage by marching in a parade that now represents progress and equality. A formal announcement is expected tomorrow. De Blasio plans to march with the citys police officers and firefighters during the first part of the parade and will then join the 300 members of the Lavender and Green Alliance, the Irish LGBT group thats been fighting the ban for 25 years. For scribblers and gabbers, The Donald giveth and The Donald taketh away. Photo: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images One of the most widely shared fears among political journalists at the moment is being held accountable for dismissive things said at one point or another in this presidential cycle about Donald Trumps candidacy. At Politico, Hadas Gold points fingers in many directions for especially self-confident pontifications about the Donalds irrelevance: David Remnick, editor of The New Yorker, told his readers last summer that Donald Trump was running for president to promote his own brand and that the whole con might end well before the first snows in Sioux City and Manchester. Gold goes on to quote Remnick as suggesting that Trumps success didnt so much show journalistic malpractice as a freakish occurrence that no one could have anticipated without harboring very negative feelings about their fellow citizens. Damn emails. Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images The Justice Department has granted immunity to a former State Department staffer who helped set up Hillary Clintons private email server, the Washington Post reported Wednesday. Bryan Pagliano, who also worked with Clinton on her 2008 presidential bid, will now fully cooperate with the investigation into his former bosss handling of classified material during her time as secretary of State. The immunity agreement signals a new phase in the FBI and Justice Departments probe. The agencies have finished reviewing all of the emails sent from Clintons server and are now trying to determine whether the presence of highly classified information in those emails constitutes a crime, CNN reports. Clinton spokesperson Brian Fallon said the campaign was pleased that Pagliano has agreed to cooperate with investigators. As we have said since last summer, Secretary Clinton has been cooperating with the Department of Justices security inquiry, including offering in August to meet with them to assist their efforts if needed, Fallon said in a statement. The State Department has said that 2,903 emails on Clintons server contained classified material of some sort, though most of this material was deemed merely confidential, the lowest level of classification. Whats more, in most if not all cases, that low-level classification was applied retroactively. However, 22 Clinton emails contained information that was top secret, according to the State Department. It is not yet clear whether this material was highly classified at the time it passed through Clintons private server. The Democratic front-runner has maintained that she never emailed contemporaneously classified material. None of the publicly available emails have contradicted that claim. However, CNN notes that Clinton received emails from aides that while not marked as classified, did contain information that should not have been handled outside the governments secure email system. Charles McCullough III, the inspector general of the intelligence community, has suggested that some of the sensitive information in the emails was classified at the time it was sent, according to the Post. Many Republican politicians, including presidential front-runner Donald Trump, have suggested that the conviction of General David Petraeus for mishandling classified information sets a precedent for the criminality of Clintons actions. But according to the current and former intelligence officials who spoke with the Post, the precedent established by Petraeuss case actually makes charges against Clinton less likely. The retired four-star general shared top-secret code words, war strategies, and the identities of covert officers with his personal biographer, and then lied to the FBI about doing so. Although Petraeus was initially threatened with multiple felony charges, he ended up pleading guilty to a misdemeanor, for which he was fined $100,000 and sentenced to two years of probation. Petraeus was handled so lightly for his offense there isnt a whole lot you can do in Clintons far-less-egregious case of mishandling information, one former U.S. law-enforcement official told the Post. Blaine Alan Gibson, center, with Mozambicans Tony Manna, left, and Suleman Junior Valy, right. Photo: Blaine Alan Gibson Blaine Alan Gibson, a 58-year-old lawyer who lives in Seattle, Washington, has spent much of the past year traveling around the Indian Ocean region trying to solve the mystery of what happened to Malaysian Airlines Flight 370. Hes been to the Maldives to talk to villagers who say they saw a large plane fly low overhead the day after the disappearance; visited Reunion Island to interview the local who found the flaperon from MH370; and met with Australian deputy prime minister Warren Truss to discuss the ongoing seabed search. He has no professional background in aircraft-accident investigation or journalism, and no professional accreditation. He is simply motivated by the desire to know what happened to the airliner. I do not have a theory, he emailed me last September. I am just looking for evidence that may have been prematurely dismissed. Last week, Gibson found himself in Mozambique searching for debris on local beaches. On February 27, he says, he hired a boat captain to take him someplace where flotsam from the ocean tended to wash up. The captain chose a sandbar called Paluma, a half-dozen miles from the coastal town of Vilankulos. They arrived at around 7 a.m., and after about 20 minutes on the flat, low stretch of sand the boat captain spotted something unusual and handed it to Gibson. The next morning, Gibson emailed me a description of the object: The debris appears to be made of a fiberglass composite and has aluminum honeycomb inside. NO STEP is written on one side. It appears to be from an aircraft wing The piece is torn and broken into a triangular shape, 94 cm long at the base and 60 cm high. The remaining highlock pin has a 10 mm diameter head. The pin itself is about 12 mm long. The bolt holes are spaced about 30 mm apart from center to center of hole. The distance from the edge of the hole with the pin to the intact edge is about 8 mm. At the bottom of the intact edge there is a very thin (1 to 2 mm thick) strip of dried rubber remaining that runs about 30 mm along the edge before it was broken off. The intact edge is only 65 mm long. All the rest is broken. In a video that Gibson posted to a closed-access Facebook page, the fragment looks quite light and insubstantial, easy enough for one man to pick up and wave around unlike the flaperon found on Reunion, which required several people to lift. Gibson asked me to keep his find a secret, explaining, It is too large and metallic to be easily taken out of the country, and needs to have its provenance documented. The procedure with other possible debris discoveries in La Reunion, Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia has been to report it to local authorities first. Then the responsible international investigators can come to inspect. On Tuesday, Gibson bundled up the piece in cardboard and flew with it to Maputo, the capital of Mozambique, to turn it over to the authorities. Wednesday morning, news articles about the discovery appeared on CNN, the BBC, NBC, and elsewhere. According to these accounts, experts believe that the piece could be part of the composite skin from the horizontal stabilizer that is, one of the miniature wings on either side of the tail of a 777. And, of course, no other 777 has been lost in the Indian Ocean except for MH370. On Wednesday afternoon, I managed to reach Gibson by phone in Maputo. He sounded tired but elated, having just gotten off a live interview on Richard Quests show on CNN. I did not expect that this would all hit this early and so fast, he said. He told me that he and the Australian consul had met earlier that day with the head of civil aviation in Mozambique, who promised that he would do the proper paperwork and then turn the piece over to the Australian Transportation Safety Board, who are overseeing the search for MH370 in the southern Indian Ocean. Its in very good hands, he said. When he first held the piece, he told me, his immediate reaction was that it was so light and thin, that it was probably from some light aircraft or small plane but maybe its from MH370. Only when back on dry land and able to consult with other MH370 researchers did he realize that the lettering looks identical to the NO STEP warnings on the wings of 777s, and the alphanumerical code on the head of a rivet indicates that its a fastener used in the aerospace industry. Photo: Blaine Alan Gibson To verify that the part could indeed have floated its way naturally to the beach, he had put it in the ocean and photographed it floating just absolutely flat as a pancake at the surface. He was struck by the absence of marine life. There were a few little things that looked like a little bit of algae or calcification that may have come from something that tried to attach there, he says. But the top surface with NO STEP on it was very smooth, and the bottom was a little rougher but still pretty smooth. He knows that sounds odd: After two years in the ocean, a piece of floating debris should be encrusted with growth. But having spent the last year steeped in the oddness of the case, hes learned to expect the unexpected. Im open to anything, he says. Even the timing of the discovery was eyebrow-raising: just a few days before the second anniversary of the MH370s disappearance. The yearlong plunge into the case is just the latest rabbit hole for the California-bred Gibson, who is fluent in six languages. In the past, he has traveled to remote Siberia to investigate the Tunguska meteor, to Central America to figure out why the Maya disappeared, and to Ethiopia in search of the Lost Ark. So he knows not only about unraveling weird mysteries, but also the skepticism that such efforts can engender. I can tell you this about that piece: it is absolutely authentically there, he says. There is no way that that was planted there by any shenanigans. I rode with those guys on the boat there, and they didnt carry anything there. It was a completely natural find. It was just freak luck or destiny, whatever you want to call it. Trump isnt doing so well with the neighbors. Photo: Alex Wong; Win McNamee/Getty Images/Getty Images Donald Trumps plan to build a wall at the Mexican border reportedly to keep Mexico from exporting crime and poverty into the United States has one small flaw. Trump has said over and over that Mexico must pay for the wall, which as president he will persuade Mexico to do by cracking down on immigration and jacking up tariffs. Mexico begs to differ. Last month, former Mexican president Vicente Fox said he was not going to pay for that fucking wall, and other Mexican politicians have echoed his sentiments. But Thursday Mexican finance minister Luis Videgaray put the matter to rest in a televised interview. Under no circumstance will Mexico pay for the wall that Mr. Trump is proposing, he said, adding that the country emphatically and categorically refuses to do so. Vidergaray went on to say that the whole idea of the Trump Wall (Of course Id name it after myself, Trump told a crowd of supporters in Maine earlier today) emphasizes the candidates failure to understand the way nations are supposed to interact. Building a wall between Mexico and the United States is a terrible idea, he said. It is an idea based on ignorance and has no foundation in the reality of North American integration. Whats more, Trumps idea that Mexico should pay for the wall with its trade deficit is completely baseless. Just because the Mexican economy has a trade surplus relative to the United States doesnt mean the Mexican government has the resources to build a border wall, Alex Nowrasteh, an immigration expert at the libertarian Cato Institute, told PolitiFact. It would be like me threatening my neighbor to build a new fence or else Ill stop shopping at Walmart. According to PolitiFact, the trade deficit has almost nothing to do with the Mexican government; its mostly based on trading and investment from private individuals. Whats more, just because a country has a trade deficit doesnt mean it has that amount of cash sitting around in a vault somewhere. Nor will the nation have Trump himself: Mexico City lawmakers have passed a (largely symbolic) proposal banning Trump from the country. Former allies Mitt Romney and Donald Trump. Photo: Ethan Miller/2012 Getty Images Mitt Romney delivered a furious attack Thursday against Donald Trump, shockingly blunt for the ferocity with which the last Republican nominee attacked the moral character of the likely next one. For all its fury, though, Romneys assault was contained within temporal bounds that robbed it of most of its force. While depicting Trumps business career as a fraud, Romney failed to mention or explain why he had solicited and accepted Trumps endorsement four years before. (If his business career was not the credential, then was it Trumps birtherism that attracted Romney?) More importantly and incoherently, Romney even while assailing Trump as an authoritarian goon declined to rule out supporting him if he gets the nomination. Instead, Romney merely made the case that a Trump nomination would allow the apparently more-unthinkable prospect of a Hillary Clinton presidency: A person so untrustworthy and dishonest as Hillary Clinton must not become president. But a Trump nomination enables her victory. Nor did Romney even propose a coherent course of action going forward, other than to endorse all three of the remaining non-Trump candidates. Here, in a nutshell, is the Republican resistance to Donald Trump: full of righteous rage, but confused about how to proceed and unwilling to follow its own analysis through to its conclusion. The anti-Trump plan going into Super Tuesday called for Marco Rubio who had recently branded himself the leader of his partys anti-Trump forces to sweep aside his competitors and narrow the race into a two-man contest. That plan collapsed when Rubio massively underperformed. Now, standing far behind not only Trump but also Ted Cruz in the delegate race, Rubio needs two-thirds of all remaining delegates to capture a majority. It is a hopeless task. And so, while some of his supporters are pressuring other candidates (especially John Kasich) to leave the race, others want to keep them in. If Kasich can win Ohio on March 15, and Rubio his home state of Florida, the non-Trump candidates can combine to hold a majority of delegates and then deny Trump the nomination even if he has a plurality. Above all, they need to settle on one strategy and stick with it. Currently, Republicans find themselves halfway between: They havent forced Kasich from the race, but they have dogged him with taunts about the pointlessness of his effort. This is an awful prospect for the party professional Republicans conspiring to deny the nomination to the popular choice, who would storm out and bring his supporters with him. But Republicans could potentially pull it off if they win enough delegates and muster the willpower to fight Trump even at the expense of ripping their coalition in two. Failing that, Republicans could split from a Trump-led ticket and support a third-party bid, as Republican senator Ben Sasse has threatened to do. It is not clear that many Republicans have the guts to see through either strategy. Already, even as some of them express strident opposition, others have moved in his direction. The Republican faction embracing Trump most enthusiastically is the supply-siders. Heritage Foundation pseudo-economist and former Wall Street Journal editorial writer Stephen Moore gushes, For me, Trump potentially represents a big expansion of the Republican Party, a way to bring in those blue-collar Reagan Democrats. Thats necessary if the party is going to win again. Lawrence Kudlow, a frequent Moore collaborator, expresses the same idea. Middle class wage-earners no raise since 2000. They're furious. New @realDonaldTrump GOP must deliver. Establishment doen't get it. Larry Kudlow (@larry_kudlow) March 2, 2016 The support from supply-siders makes sense, given Trumps embrace of massive, regressive tax-cutting after initial rhetorical forays into economic populism. It is worth noting as well that the actions of many of these figures can be easily explained by their self-interest. For the Moores and Kudlows, the likely nomination of an outsider without an established network provides a grand opportunity for them to gain a position in his inner circle. For Romney, the prospect of a split convention offers the opportunity for himself to gain the nomination as a stop-Trump fallback candidate. One can see the gravitational lure of self-interest pulling other forces into place. Fox News, the most important party organ, has everything to lose from a party schism. Hence it is backing away from its golden child, Marco Rubio, as Rubios path to the nomination grows more prohibitive. As predicted, Trump reaching out to make peace with Republican "establishment". If he becomes inevitable party would be mad not to unify. Rupert Murdoch (@rupertmurdoch) March 2, 2016 Other Republicans have edged toward Trump to varying degrees. Sometimes their inevitable capitulation must be read between the lines. Danielle Pletka, a defense analyst at the American Enterprise Institute, compares Trump to a fascist dictator but still refuses to commit herself to opposing him: America has come to a pretty pass, pitting a woman who is anathema to many against a man who reminds us of Benito Mussolini. For conservatives, that means finding a candidate able to speak to the anger of voters who rightly feel betrayed by the parties that dominate the body politic. It does not mean compromising our values by opting for Mrs Clinton or Mr Trump. Pletkas case is that Mussolinis Italy was bad. But so is Clintons America! Having lived through a country ruled by a Clinton for eight years, this seems to me like an easy choice in comparison to fascism, but not so for Pletka. Like Romney, she finds Trump the worst thing in the world until he wins the nomination, at which point more prosaic partisan considerations will again prevail. What Romneys speech actually shows is that, for all its righteous anger, the anti-Trump backlash is unlikely to survive for long. Donald Trump wants Republicans to understand hes not going away even if they stop his march to the GOP nomination. Photo: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg Finance LP/Getty Images In a year when so many political precedents are being replaced by strange and wondrous developments, heres a new one: The unquestioned, overwhelming front-runner for a major-party presidential nomination feels its necessary to remind his increasingly frantic intraparty enemies that even if they find a way to stop him in the primaries or at the convention he can still get the last laugh as an independent candidate. Thats what Donald Trump did on Morning Joe today. Donald Trump said Thursday he is being treated unfairly by the Republican establishment and may run as an independent. I am watching television and I am seeing ad after ad after ad put in by the establishment knocking the hell out of me, and its really unfair, Trump said on MSNBCs Morning Joe. But if I leave, if I go, regardless of independent, which I may do I mean, may or may not. But if I go, I will tell you, these millions of people that joined, theyre all coming with me. On one level this is a straightforward response to Marco Rubios implicit repudiation of the loyalty pledge all the candidates, Trump included, signed late last summer. Since the whole thing was contrived to get Trump to forswear an independent bid that would surely ruin the GOPs general election prospects, he wants everyone to understand that deal is off, killed once and for all by #NeverTrump, not to mention the not-so-secret talk of finding some way to manipulate the rules to deny him the nomination even if he theoretically wins it in the primaries. On another level, Trump is letting Republicans know he expects some respect as the front-runner, not the sort of hysterical efforts to toxify him as a con artist morally disqualified from even seeking high public office. And finally, you have to figure Trump is acutely aware there are many, perhaps hundreds, of GOP elected officials who are watching the presidential nomination race closely and wondering if surrendering to the inevitable might be good for their careers. At this point the VIP lounge on the Trump Train is relatively empty. Chris Christie may have nailed down one Cabinet post, but there are many others, not to mention ambassadorships and other glittering objects, still up for grabs. How long is it prudent to identify oneself with the shrill and borderline self-destructive Rubio campaign? Or indeed, if Trumps going to be on the ballot in November no matter what, why not cozy up to him and his visigothic hordes right now? Whatever his motives, the timing of Trumps reminder is perfectly obvious. The odds are extremely high that tonights Fox News debate in Detroit will feature attacks on him by Rubio and Cruz that could make the clash in Houston itself a new low in presidential political tone look mild or at least routine. The fear of a Trump indie run may not inhibit his desperate rivals, but could have an effect on the rest of the partys reaction. One way or another, theyll have to deal with Donald Trump at least through November, and perhaps for four long years. The first Fox News GOP debate, where all the trouble started. Photo: MANDEL NGAN The last GOP debate was just a week ago, but in some ways it feels like its been weeks since Marco Rubio pounded Donald Trump with preloaded one-liners and Ben Carson mused about the fruit salad of our lives. Since then, the GOP Establishments nightmare has become a reality, with Trump sweeping seven Super Tuesday states, Cruz hanging on with three, and Rubio, the Republican savior, only managing to score one win. As if that werent enough of a recipe for drama, Thursday nights debate will be hosted by Fox News, with Trump nemesis Megyn Kelly serving as moderator. Heres a guide to get you up to speed, and be sure to tune in tonight for Daily Intelligencers live-blog and complete debate coverage. When and where is the debate being held? Thursday at 9 p.m. ET at the Fox Theater in Detroit, Michigan. How can I watch it? The debate will air on Fox News, Fox News Radio, and all of the networks mobile apps. You can also stream it with no login required at FoxNews.com. Whos moderating? The same crew from Fox Newss previous presidential debates: Bret Baier, Megyn Kelly, and Chris Wallace. Which candidates will be there? All of the current Republican candidates Donald Trump, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, and John Kasich minus Ben Carson. Technically Carson is still in the race, but following his terrible Super Tuesday performance he issued a statement saying he does not see a political path forward and thus will not attend the debate. As youll recall, Trump skipped the last Fox News debate over his ongoing feud with Megyn Kelly. He initially claimed that she is very biased and should not be allowed to moderate, but he eventually became more incensed by how network CEO Roger Ailes handled the incident. Now he claims his boycott was about a memo that was sent out by Fox that was a little bit taunting and I said it was inappropriate, but had nothing to do with Megyn Kelly, so hes happy to appear at the March 3 debate. But of course, with Trump theres always more drama. This week New Yorks Gabriel Sherman reported that Trump considered skipping Thursdays debate if he performed well on Super Tuesday, in an effort to hurt Foxs ratings and send the message that he no longer considers Cruz and Rubio credible rivals. Publicly, Trump says he never thought about missing his first rematch with Kelly since the August 6 debate. Sherman says a source explained that Trump changed his mind because he wanted to maintain the element of surprise. What does the venue look like? The Oriental style Fox Theater was constructed in 1928. It declined with the rest of the Motor City in the late 60s and 70s, but was restored and declared a National Historic Landmark in 1989. Live from Detroit, It's Thursday Night: 4 Republican Candidates Debate at 9 p.m. https://t.co/yuyuVXcpTE #detroit pic.twitter.com/W2QOxrK1Yz Detroit News Now (@detroitnewsnow) March 3, 2016 The aptly named Fox Theater, site of tomorrow night's GOP debate in Detroit, is magnificent pic.twitter.com/DMqOuMh6t2 HowardKurtz (@HowardKurtz) March 2, 2016 How will the location influence the debate? Republicans will cast their ballots in a handful of states on Saturday (Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Nebraska, and Louisiana), but the next big prize is Michigan, which holds its primaries on Tuesday. The state awards 59 delegates, and the candidates particularly John Kasich are hoping to pick up some momentum with a win there before the next round of crucial races on March 15. However, that seems fairly unlikely, as Trump has a double-digit lead in the latest poll. It will also be interesting to see whether the candidates are pressed on the water crisis in Flint, Michigan. Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have both visited the city and discussed the issue at length, and Flint will host the next Democratic debate on Sunday. However, the issue rarely comes up in Republican debates. Will the debate be as fiery as the last one? Its hard to predict how the candidates will behave. On the one hand, this is one of their last opportunities to stop Trump from becoming the GOP nominee (in fact, its probably too late). On the other hand, while Rubio is still attacking Trump, the New York Times reports that following his embarrassing losses on Super Tuesday, hes dropped the childish jokes about Trump having tiny hands and theoretically wetting his pants. Trump was also weirdly low-key at his victory press conference on Tuesday night. He was still combative and presented incoherent policies, but maybe hes switched into his version of presidential mode. How the candidates interact with Fox News moderators is an entirely different question. Gabriel Sherman reported today that Fox News has given up on Rubio, so it will be interesting to see how hes treated at the debate. In multiple interviews on Wednesday, the three moderators emphasized that they intend to be tough but fair (as is always true of Fox News). They also criticized CNN for letting the last debate go off the rails (see: Wolf Blitzer letting Trump, Rubio, and Cruz scream over each other for a full minute and a half). Wallace told Reuters the last debate was an embarrassment for Republicans. Our goal is to be able to on Friday have a headline that says, Fiery, but most substantive debate yet. Thats ideal, Baier told Business Insider. If we can get to that ideal, fantastic. If we can come close, great. If we can just keep it on the rails, Im happy. The truth is people are probably more interested in the Megyn KellyDonald Trump rematch than a substantive discussion of the issues. Kelly was a bit inconsistent when discussing her Trump strategy on Wednesday. She told Reuters she has her questions and doesnt plan on discussing her issues with Trump. Frankly, I have been ready for seven months to move beyond what happened after that August debate, Kelly said. I feel like its getting boring. Trump has bigger things to worry about, and so do I. In an interview with the New York Times, Kelly said that her first question to Trump in the August debate about his misogynistic attitude was a level 10, but I doubt the very first question of the debate will be from me to Trump. There may be a 1o on Thursday, but we probably want to ease into it a little more. So, it sounds like Kelly and the Fox News crew are trying not to provoke Trump this time. Or it did, until she added a quip about the root of their feud: He for some reason didnt think that question was fair, and then, I think, spent many weeks proving to the world it was fair. Photo: Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images On March 22, Apple and the FBI will meet in federal court to determine the fate of an iPhone: the 5s owned by San Bernardino shooter Syed Rizwan Farook. But whats at stake is really the future of all iPhones and maybe all phones in general. The FBI is asking Apple to write software to break into a terrorists iPhone. Apple says that doing so would compromise every iPhone-owners security. Experts in fields from computer science to law enforcement to cryptography to trade-secret law are all increasingly worried about the implications of the government winning the case, which Apple has promised to take to the Supreme Court if necessary. Based on conversations with experts, weve imagined a set of hypothetical future news stories (in italics) describing scenarios that could come to pass if the FBI wins, followed by explanations for why these stories are realistic. FBI Comes Under Attack for Alleged Apple-Key Leak As human rights groups across the globe amass evidence they claim demonstrates that Apples top-secret developer key has fallen into the hands of authoritarian governments and police forces, several sources inside the Federal Bureau of Investigation say the domestic law-enforcement agency has begun an internal review process to see whether the digital signature used by Apple to authenticate updates to its phones could have been leaked by FBI agents or contractors working on the phones. Apple has so far declined to comment, but privacy advocates and experts say that there is little oversight or accountability in the complex and multi-party process by which Apple cracks iPhones for law enforcement, and claim it is possible if not likely that the key was copied during one procedure and sold on the black market. Complicating the FBIs investigation, sources say, is the fact that neither Apple nor the FBI know whether the key has actually been leaked. The court order obtained by the FBI directs Apple to create an alternate version of iOS that would help agents circumvent the lock on the phone a major component of Apples heightened encryption, which has been strongly criticized by the government for not leaving it an easy backdoor. The FBI cant create this software itself because Apple, like all other major technology companies, code signs its software updates with a secret key that ensures other parties, like hackers or the government, cant send you malware that looks like a legitimate software update. (For more on code-signing and other words, phrases, and concepts that might be confusing, see our Apple vs. FBI glossary.) According to Steven Bellovin, co-director of the Cybersecurity and Privacy Center at Columbia Universitys Data Science Institute, and one of the creators of USENET, Apple can comply with that request in one of two ways: Create new software specific to that phones serial number (and handle each future case individually), or create a more general version. Either has its drawbacks, said Bellovin. In the former case, theres an issue of [the government] needing too much access to the signature mechanism attracting parties who want to subvert Apples signing process, or signers in the latter, [simply giving the government] the code is very risky because it can unlock many phones. The importance of signing authenticating the software cant be overstated. The key used to sign software is likely under a megabyte, making it extremely easy to put onto a thumb drive, attach to an email, or share on social media. Additionally, Apple has no real way of knowing whether the key has gotten out. Likely what Apple uses to keep the key secret is something called a Hardware Security Module (HSM), which puts the process of signing software through even more encryption and requires multiple people to access the key. HSMs are difficult to use and are expensive, even more so when you factor in the additional human labor. Currently, Apple only signs a few software updates a year, making HSMs and their protection a relative non-issue. But if law enforcement agencies are making regular requests, Apple would likely need to set up a dedicated in-house infrastructure for cracking phones what Matthew Green, an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins Universitys Information Security Institute, calls a factory for unlocking phones. Once a significant number of people and resources are assigned to accessing iPhones for law enforcement, Green says, thats when risk gets really high of the software getting out. Since the act of creating the software to bypass the phones encryption will, by definition, make iPhones more vulnerable, according to MIT technologist Jeffrey Schiller, it constitutes a backdoor for the government. In general, [backdoors require] more complex mechanisms to implement then security systems that do not provide for it, Schiller wrote on his blog. Complex systems fail in complex ways. Complex systems by their very nature are less secure because it is harder to reason about their security properties. Apple Access Requests Appear to Target Political Activists A months-long investigation into device-access requests made by the citys police department to Apple and other technology companies has found a disproportionate number of political activists and groups among the targets. Though most of the departments requests concerned investigations into drug trafficking or gang activity, a significant number concerned civil rights groups, anti-police brutality activists, and, in one case, a local politician and well-known police critic. The access requests are often used to target phones taken into evidence following arrest, and because of their wide berth allow police access to nearly every aspect of a phone, including its messages. The increasing reliance on technology companies to break into their own products is reflected across the country: Technology companies say they field thousands of device-access requests from law enforcement agencies at every level local, state, and federal every year, and even more that they cannot legally acknowledge or discuss. Now that Apple has created its iPhone-unlocking factory, who will its customers be? On the domestic front, its helpful to look at other government surveillance. The StingRay phone-surveillance system was originally built for the military and spy agencies by the Harris Corporation. Designed to mimic cell towers, StingRays trick cell phones into transmitting the location and identifying information of the owner, as well as those who happen to be physically near them. Documents obtained by the ACLU of Northern California also showed that StingRays can bug and record phone conversations. Also known as Triggerfish, among other things, theyve been in regular use by federal law enforcement since at least the mid-1990s. Over the past decade and a half, though, their use has spread to state and local law enforcement organizations in nearly half of America, largely thanks to grants from the Department of Homeland Security. Here are a few ways that local law enforcement used their new toys: Chicago police regularly use StingRays to monitor protesters and activists Baltimore police found a cell-phone thief A full third of StingRay uses by Tallahassee police between 2007 and 2014 were for property crimes Miami police made an emergency purchase of StingRays specifically to monitor protesters outside the Free Trade Area of the Americas Conference in 2003 Most experts I spoke with saw a similar path for encrypted-device access. There is definitely the possibility of this sort of demand becoming abused in the same nature as StingRays have, particularly if the government begins demanding that the company receiving the order remain silent about the fact that they have received it, as they so often do, said Ross Schulman, senior policy counsel at the New America Foundations Open Technology Institute, referring to the fact that both the Harris Corporation and the federal government often force local law enforcement agencies to sign non-disclosure agreements upon receiving surveillance equipment. Everything starts out as an exclusive tool, said Jonathan Zdziarski, an iOS security expert. These tools are the same tools Ive written myself on older iPhones. The tool theyre requesting exists because I wrote it. My tools went from being used in terrorist cases, fast forward, cops are using it to jailbreak their girlfriends phones . Weve already seen this play out. That path of military to federal law enforcement to local police forces brings opportunities for civil liberties- and privacy violations, increasing more and more as smaller and smaller agencies get their hands on them. If they have that tool, theyre gonna use it, said Stephen Downing, a former deputy chief with the LAPD and a speaker for Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, who took care to note that he didnt firmly fall on either side of the issue. Some, like with all else, will abuse it. Weve clearly seen abuses across the country at the federal level and at the local level, so if they had that capability, its gonna be used. The thing that nobodys talking about is messaging, said Green. If you look at FBI statements over last year, they talk about phone decryption and they talk about messaging services, how they cant decrypt messages. What is not being discussed is the implications of if the FBI uses this to go after messaging systems. Its not hard to see a future in which, according to Chris Soghoian, principal technologist at the ACLU, the government writes its own software to spy on Americans using their own devices, then has a judge sign a court order, and sends it off to Apples phone-unlocking factory. Previously, if the government wanted to record what was going on inside our homes, they had to break in and mic the place themselves. Weve brought the microphones into our homes, said Soghoian. The implications specifically for the War on Drugs are striking. According to the U.S. Court Systems 2014 Wiretap Report, 89 percent of all applications for phone wiretaps by law enforcement agencies were for drug cases. Anonymous government officials have been making overtures toward using a favorable ruling against drug traffickers in the media. We know that drug dealers store evidence on devices, like inventory, and that dealers take photos of drug stashes, which sometimes include geotags, said Zdziarski. I can see typical law enforcement rifling through phones to see whats interesting. Downing said, As you increase the scale, you increase the opportunity for abuse. The less oversight, the more abuse, basically, thats been our experience. Apple Faces Familiar Fight, This Time in China Apple and an intransigent government are entering a showdown over backdoor access to locked devices. Sound familiar? Think again: This time, its China. According to sources at Apple, speaking anonymously due to the sensitivity of the subject, after several weeks of pressure and legal maneuvering the Chinese government has essentially given Apple an ultimatum: Allow us access to locked iPhones, or close up shop in the country entirely. Where Apple might once have been able to avoid the problem by citing strict legal rules or political pressure in the U.S., the recent ruling upholding a judicial order forcing Apple to install a new version of its software on San Bernardino shooter Syed Rizwan Farooks phone gives it less wiggle room. Adding to Apples woes is the fact that China represents about a quarter of Apples global sales and its continued growth there is vital to its bottom line. The people I would worry about are foreign governments. People who have demonstrated theyre willing and able to hack U.S. security systems, said Green. The OPM hack in which Chinese hackers stole personal information about some 18 million government employees and contractors from the Office of Personnel Management from 2013 to 2015 was our Pearl Harbor. Worth noting, too, are the at least three separate instances in recent years that Apple software has been targeted by groups originating in China, as well as FBI director James Comeys 2014 claim, in an interview with 60 Minutes, that the Chinese government has hacked every major American company. Its inevitable that the tools will end up in other peoples hands, Zdziarski said. Were talking about every other government following in U.S. footsteps, ordering Apple to do what they want. Its like ordering Apple to create an atomic bomb and then just putting a padlock on it. Green agrees, saying that a ruling in the U.S. governments favor would make it difficult for Apple to prevent other countries from compelling it or other tech companies to provide them with the software. Once Apple announces theyre going to do this for the U.S. government, theyll need to give that capability to China, he said. And Apple certainly intends to keep operating in China, whose iPhone purchases surpassed Americas in April. Elizabeth Rowe, director of the University of Floridas Program in Intellectual Property Law, says that while theres no direct international legal precedent that would be set by a U.S. court ruling in the U.S. governments favor, American courts are a world leader. If a court in China says Apple should do this, the fact that American courts allow this would hurt Apple in a Chinese court. It would be hard to say with a straight face that Apple can comply with America and not with China. Once the floodgates are open, theyre kind of open all over. The vulnerabilities being exploited by private, or non-governmental, interests is a concern, too. The fact is that this software will absolutely become a target, said Schulman. Apple is good at security, but against a truly determined opponent it is hard to be sure that any kind of security is enough. The mere existence of the software the FBI is demanding is a danger. Additionally, the software the FBI is requesting constitutes a trade secret, according to Rowe, and they sure as heck do not want to give that over to the FBI. If the key were to get out, even if it ended up being the governments fault, it would regardless cease to be a trade secret by definition, and susceptible to then-legal use by competitors. How to Break Through the Fashion Week Noise Dries Van Noten's collection was one for the ages. Since the early 1980s, designers have been coming to Paris to communicate their feelings. True, Paris has been the capital of fashion for much longer at least a couple of centuries but it wasnt until the arrival of Rei Kawakubo and Yohji Yamamoto, from Tokyo, that fashion acquired explicit symbolism. Kawakubos 1982 all-black Destroy collection in particular featured ragged garments that some observers took as an allusion to Hiroshima. By the end of the decade, more and more designers were carving out their avant-garde space the Austrian minimalist Helmut Lang, the Belgian conceptualist Martin Margiela, and, of course, the Paris bad boy, Jean Paul Gaultier. Everyone, it seemed, had something to say. Nowadays, thanks to a saturation of brands, a host of economic factors, and not least a lack of courageous talent on par with Kawakubos, the situation is quite muddled. Many young designers seem to recognize that digital technology has led to an explosion of images and words, and that this has shattered thought processes and forms. In fact, that has become the standard explanation for a lot of shows the fusion of disparate elements, the hybridization of styles and genders. But it also could be a way to sugarcoat half-baked ideas. Thats how I read the Jacquemus and Maison Margiela shows. Last season, Simon Porte Jacquemus, a winner of the LVMH Prize for new talent, gave an affecting presentation that involved a child dressed in an adults white shirt pushing an enormous ball of fabric across a semi-dark space. Jacquemuss twisted shirts and partially assembled suit jackets measured up to that charm and innocence. This time, though, the collection looked cartoonish, and in a way that suggested that Jacquemus was struggling to advance his childlike methods of construction. The opening look was an oversize blazer, almost as square and flat as SpongeBob. It was followed by skirts whipped up from irregular bits of fabric, camisoles that looked injection-molded so that the straps rose several inches above the models bare shoulders, and coats done in a blue plaid fabric that mimicked the woven plastic carryalls you find in discount shops. As if to stress the disjointedness of the collection, the music kept stopping, like there was a bug in the sound system. You wanted to put your face in your hands and cry in agony. The opening Jacquemus look was an oversize blazer, almost as square and flat as SpongeBob. It was followed by skirts whipped up from irregular bits of fabric, camisoles that looked injection-molded so that the straps rose several inches above the models bare shoulders, and coats done in a blue plaid fabric that mimicked the woven plastic carryalls you find in discount shops. Photo: Imaxtree Jacquemus obviously wants to create in an unfettered way, but maybe its time to question his methods in a grown-up fashion, because the results were careless. Margiela looked good last season, and there are some winners in John Gallianos fall lineup, especially sweaters in a blend of three or four vintage patterns and a fabulous gunmetal evening slip with a floor-length cape in dark-emerald-green chiffon and what seemed to be burnt velvet. But in other ways the show was a cheat sheet of styling effects the khaki army jacket daubed with cheesy ruffles and cinched with a Paul Bunyansize belt, the buffalo-plaid skirt and schoolgirl top packaged with a saucy apron, the big platforms. Theres little chance that Margiela will ever recoup its conceptual magic fine. Few things last in fashion. But Galliano is better than this, and you cant help wondering if the effort to fuse two styles under the Margiela name hasnt led Galliano and his assistants to rely too heavily on old tricks perhaps on the theory that you can get away with anything today since nobody is paying very close attention. The Margiela show was a cheat sheet of styling effects the khaki army jacket daubed with cheesy ruffles and cinched with a Paul Bunyansize belt, the buffalo-plaid skirt and schoolgirl top packaged with a saucy apron, the big platforms. Photo: Imaxtree Kunihiko Morinaga has been sensitive to the uses and effects of technology for a long time, and he rather ingeniously embeds them into his label Anrealage. This time he had his models enter a large cube walled in clear plastic, so that the audience was viewing them through a screen as we do many things today. Working with a computer programmer and artist named Toru Urakawa, he used a technique he called visual cryptography. Think of it as code in the form of checks and flowers transferred to different weaves and jacquards. At first, an off-white dress or a coat looked plain what Morinaga termed a snow noise pattern. But as a model stepped up to a clear wall, the coded flower or checked pattern of her outfit became visible. As he said in his show notes: In the noise, it becomes meaningless. Code the noise, it makes meaningful. You could also say of Morinagas work that he is striving toward the singular in fashion. Anrealage models entered a large cube walled in clear plastic, so that the audience was viewing them through a screen. Photo: Victor Virgile/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images Sometimes it takes a poet to break through the noise. Thats how I felt about Dries Van Notens exceptional show. Theres no doubt that a dark, decadent vibe with a strong dose of masculine fashion serves Van Noten better than the scattered hippie attitude he sometimes gravitates toward. The early-20th-century affair between the poet Gabriele DAnnunzio and the heiress Marchesa Casati gave him an imaginative entree into a world of slinky, self-involved women who quickly run through a fortune. Almost every outfit held something of interest the washed, vintage-style blouses, the authentic English club jackets with crests, the leopard-print pants and coats, the plain and elegant chemises, dressing gowns done as wrap coats, a gray crewneck sweater with a broken necklace of pearls. For fans of Van Noten, this collection is one for the ages. Dries Van Noten had authentic English club jackets with crests, leopard-print pants and coats, plain and elegant chemises, dressing gowns done as wrap coats, a gray crewneck sweater with a broken necklace of pearls. Photo: Imaxtree Perhaps the strongest urge in any creative field is the desire to communicate your feelings or ideas. For the great Kawakubo, it was is a powerful thing. Last night, while meeting most of the 23 finalists for this years LVMH Prize, for which I am a judge, I was struck by how deep that need still is. But the messages do seem smaller than those in the '80s and '90s or are they just more particular? and they have to fight for attention in a much more crowded world. Each finalist showed a small presentation in a booth. Yuko Koike, in her second season, does marvelous crochet and fur pieces in an intense crush of flowers. Vejas Kruszewski, based in Toronto, with no formal training, has a knack for making familiar items like leather bombers seem unfamiliar. Hes also good at accessories with a DIY feel strips of fleece turned into belts and cuffs. In his booth, Moto Guo, from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, said that as far he was concerned a designer was just another office pencil pusher, destined to deal with unfeeling corporate bosses. But he had an answer, he said, and, in what seemed a well-practiced move, he showed me a blazer in colorful fabric. The buttons on the breast pockets could be made into an eye-roll, while a pink necktie popped through a hole low in the front and completed the universal expression of disgust. Alexander Solzhenitsyn on Lying Ayn Rand Francisco, whats the most depraved type of human being? The man without a purpose. Ronald Reagan "We need a government that is confident not of what it can do, but of what the people can do." The People are the Sovereign Power "The People are the government, administering it by their agents; They are the government, the sovereign power." Andrew Jackson Tyranny Exercised for the Good of its Victims Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience. They may be more likely to go to Heaven yet at the same time likelier to make a Hell of earth. This very kindness stings with intolerable insult. To be cured against one's will and cured of states which we may not regard as disease is to be put on a level of those who have not yet reached the age of reason or those who never will; to be classed with infants, imbeciles, and domestic animals. C. S. Lewis Mignon: Bust of Rose Beuret by Rodin Legitimate Government A government that serves as a palladium for the many and broad rights of the sovereign individual is legitimate. Unequal things are not equal Atlas Shrugged Ayn Rand In any hour and issue of your life, you are free to think or to evade that effort. But you are not free to escape from your nature, from the fact that reason is your means of survivalso that for you, who are a human being, the question to be or not to be is the question to think or not to think. Ayn Rand The basic need of the creator is independence. The reasoning mind cannot work under any form of compulsion. It cannot be curbed, sacrificed, or subordinated to any consideration whatsoever. It demands total independence in function and in motive. Alexander Solzhenitsyn on Socialist Liars We know they are lying. They know they are lying. They know that we know they are lying. We know that they know that we know they are lying. And still they continue to lie. Freedom and Safety Ben Franklin: "Those that give up their freedom for safety deserve neither." Joe Biden: "This is not about freedom, this is for your safety." Sam Zell "I simply don't buy into many of the made-up rules of social convention. The bottom line is: If you're really good at what you do, you have the freedom to be who you are." Ayn Rand Quote Albert Einstein "Everything that is really great and inspiring is created by the individual who can labor in freedom." Patrick Henry H.L. Mencken Both Catastrophic Man-Made Global Warming and Covid-19 have become such false fronts. "The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule." Constitution and Chris Cuomo Thomas Sowell on Racism Eisenhower on Party Legitimacy Ayn Rand Search This Blog Howard Roark The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand "Independence is the only gauge of human virtue and value .... There is no substitute for personal dignity." Robert Bidinotto ... the *main* target of individualists' moral proselytizing ought to be the Zero-Sum Narrative, i.e., the belief in inherent conflicts of interest among people -- and not altruism per se, which is mainly an emotionally driven *reaction* to the zero-sum worldview. We need to teach people that economic relationships in a free society are "win/win," not "win/lose." We need to teach what 19th-century thinker Frederic Bastiat labeled "Economic Harmonies." Ralph Waldo Emerson "Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of our own mind." G. K. Chesterton "Even the tyrant never rules by force alone; but mostly by fairy tales." Ayn Rand "Serenity comes from the ability to say 'Yes' to existence. Courage comes from the ability to say 'No' to the wrong choices of others." The Atlas Society "You were born an original. Don't die a copy." "Your life is your story. Write well. Edit often." John Wooden "Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out." Seneca "It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare, it is because we do not dare that they are difficult." Peter Diamandis "The best way to predict the future is to create it yourself." Howard Roark - The Fountainhead Democracy is Tyranny Thomas Paine: "A democracy is the vilest form of Government there is." John Adams: "Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There was never a democracy yet that did not commit suicide." John Adams: "You have rights antecedent to all earthy governments; rights that cannot be repealed or restrained by human laws;...." This is why our government is a Republic and not a democracy. James Madison: In a pure democracy "there is nothing to check the inducement to sacrifice the weaker party or the obnoxious individual." Mikhail Baryshnikov Cronyism and Socialism Advocates of Equality Ayn Rand "Power-lust is a weed that grows only in the vacant lots of an abandoned mind." David Kelley "It is the act of creating value that reflects the best within us, and is the center of a happy life." Calvin Coolidge "It is much more important to kill bad bills, than to pass good ones." The Welfare State Becomes the Totalitarian State Rights are not a Gift of Government Thomas Jefferson, 1774 "A free people claim their rights as derived from the laws of nature, and not as the gift of their chief magistrate." The Creative Man "A creative man is motivated by the desire to achieve, not by the desire to beat others." Ayn Rand To Fill the World with Fools "The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools." Herbert Spencer Ben Franklin "Democracy ... is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty ... is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote." From Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand Francisco speaking to Dagny -"...there's nothing of any importance in life - except how well you do your work. Nothing. Only that. Whatever else you are, will come from that. It's the only measure of human value. All the codes of ethics They'll try to ram down your throat are just so much paper money put out by swindlers to fleece people of their virtues. The code of competence is the only system of morality that's on a gold standard. " Charles R. Anderson Wishing that the provision of a good or service were free is not an idea of great merit. If the good or service can be made free without harming others, then it has negligible value. If it has value, then the harm done to others by making it "free" will be substantial. Is not harm a cost in itself? So can there be a free good or service of any value? Clearly no. Ayn Rand on Collectivism Milton Friedman "A society that puts equality before freedom will get neither. A society that puts freedom before equality will get a high degree of both." Once Surrendering His Reason "Man, once surrendering his reason, has no remaining guard against absurdities the most monstrous, and like a ship without a rudder, is the sport of every wind. With such persons, gullibility, which they call faith, takes the helm from the hand of reason and the mind becomes a wreck." Thomas Jefferson (1822) Winston Churchill Governments create nothing, but what they give they have first taken away you may put money in the pockets of Englishmen, but it will be money taken from the pockets of another set of Englishman, and the greater part will be spilled on the way. Speech 11 November 1903 [HT Tom Anderson] Name-Calling is Indicative of a Weak Argument Isabel Paterson "Poverty can be brought about by law; it cannot be forbidden by law." Reagan on Government's Place John Stuart Mill "The only freedom which deserves the name, is that of pursuing our own good in our own way, so long as we do not attempt to deprive others of theirs, or impede their efforts to obtain it." Anderson Materials Evaluation, Inc. Frederick Douglass "To suppress free speech is a double wrong. It violates the rights of the hearer as well as those of the speaker." Brutality is not Idealistic "Do not ever consider Collectivists as 'sincere but deluded idealists.' The proposal to enslave some men for the sake of others is not an ideal; brutality is not 'idealistic,' no matter what its purpose." Ayn Rand, textbook of americanism.com Work is an Act of Creating "Whether it's a symphony or a coal mine, all work is an act of creating and comes from the same source: from an inviolate capacity to see through one's own eyes." Ayn Rand Charles R. Anderson "Government is legitimate only to the extent that it protects the exercise of everyone's broad, many, and sovereign individual rights. Such limited-purpose government, often called Capitalism, is the only government system which allows individuals to make their own moral choices and live their lives in accordance with their choices. Capitalism minimizes the use of force and maximizes the freedom of cooperation and association within a society. It is in such a society that a rational man chooses to live and produce." George Washington "Government is not reason; it is not eloquence; it is force. It is a dangerous servant and a fearful master." Thomas Jefferson "A wise and frugal government which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry -- this is the sum of good government." Ayn Rand "Your life belongs to you and the good is to live it." "He who speaks of sacrifice speaks of slaves and masters. And intends to be the master." "He who speaks of sacrifice speaks of slaves and masters. And intends to be the master." Ayn Rand on Theft, Murder, and Collectivism "Many men now believe that it is evil to rob, murder and torture for one's own sake, but virtuous to do so for the sake of others. You may not indulge in brutality for your own gain, they say, but go right ahead if its for the gain of others. Perhaps the most revolting statement one can ever hear is: "Sure Stalin has butchered millions, but its justifiable, since it's for the benefit of the masses." Collectivism is the last stand of savagery in men's minds." from Textbook of Americanism Thomas Paine "It is error only, and not truth, that shrinks from inquiry." Dr. Thomas Sowell "I have never understood why it is greed to want to keep the money you have earned but not greed to want to take someone else's money." Calvin Coolidge "Don't expect to build up the weak by pulling down the strong." Thomas Jefferson "I have never been able to conceive how any rational being could propose happiness to himself from the exercise of power over others." David Kelley "If we are right, we have nothing to fear; if we are wrong, we have something to learn." Anderson Materials Evaluation, Inc. Eric Hoffer "Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength." E-mail Address Charles.R.Anderson@gmail.com Private correspondence is welcome from interested, rational individualists. There are few enough of us that we should highly value one another and any friendships that might grow from contact. Blog Archive Ayn Rand on Morality "The purpose of morality is to teach you, not to suffer and die, but to enjoy yourself and live." Anthem by Ayn Rand Man the individualist, not men the collectivists. "For the battle they lost can never be lost. For that which they died to save can never perish. Through all the darkness, through all the shame of which men are capable, the spirit of man will remain alive on this earth. It may sleep, but it will awaken. It may wear chains, but it will break through. And man will go on. Man, not men." Dr. Edwin Lewis, A First Book in Writing English "To gain new words and new ideas, the student must compel himself to read slowly. Impatient to hurry on and learn how the tale or poem ends, many a youth is accustomed to read so rapidly as to miss the best part of what the author is trying to say. Thoughts cannot be read so rapidly as words. To get at the thoughts and really to retain the valuable expressions, the student must scrutinize and ponder as he reads. Each word must be thoroughly understood; its exact value in the given sentence must be grasped." A high school textbook for freshmen and sophomores used around 1900. James Madison "Since the general civilization of mankind, I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people, by gradual and silent ancroachments of those in power, than by violent and sudden usurpations: but, on a candid examination of history, we shall find that turbulence, violence, and abuse of power, by the majority trampling on the rights of the minority have produced factions and commotions, which, in republics, have more frequently than any other cause, produced despotism." General George S. Patton "If everyone is thinking alike, then someone isn't thinking." H. L. Mencken "The urge to save humanity is almost always only a false face to rule it." George Orwell "The most effective way to destroy people is to deny and obliterate their own understanding of their history." National Park Scientist David Graber People have become "a cancer ... a plague upon the Earth. Until such time as Homo sapiens should decide to rejoin nature, some of us can only hope for the right virus to come along." H. L. Mencken "If a politician found he had cannibals among his constituents, he would promise them missionaries for dinner." Thomas H. Huxley "The improver of natural knowledge absolutely refuses to acknowledge authority as such. For him, scepticism is the highest of duties; blind faith the one unpardonable sin." Thomas Jefferson on Democracy "A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine." Prince Philip of the United Kingdom I bet he would like to concentrate his human eradication efforts on the Deplorables and not on the Aristocracy or the Progressive Elitists. "In the event that I am reincarnated, I would like to return as a deadly virus, to contribute something to solving overpopulation." Henry Ford "Genius is seldom recognized for what it is: a great capacity for hard work." Thomas Jefferson on Truth Truth is great and will prevail if left to herself; that she is the proper and sufficient antagonist to error, and has nothing to fear from the conflict, unless by human interposition disarmed of her natural weapons, free argument and debate; errors ceasing to be dangerous when it is permitted freely to contradict them." " Fix reason firmly in her seat, and call to her tribunal every fact, every opinion. Question with boldness even the existence of a god; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blindfolded fear." Niccolo Machiavelli "One who deceives will always find those who allow themselves to be deceived." Sherlock Holmes "It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts." Or Sir Arthur Conan Doyle if you prefer. Mary McCarthy "Bureaucracy, the rule of no one, has become the modern form of despotism." Sen. Tim Wirth, Democrat, Colorado "We've got to ride the global warming issue. Even if the theory is wrong, we will be doing the right thing." Bismarck "Fools learn by experience, the wise man learns by the experience of others." Albert Einstein As Albert Einstein once said about the book "One Hundred Authors Against Einstein": Why one hundred? If I were wrong, one would be enough. Governments are Never Sovereign Only individuals are sovereign. Governments are either legitimate or illegitimate. They are legitimate only to the extent that they protect the exercise of every individual's right to life; liberty; the ownership of their own mind, body, and labor; their property; their freedom of conscience and association, and the pursuit of their own happiness. No government on Earth is highly legitimate. Most are highly illegitimate. So sayeth Charles R. Anderson. Dr. Thomas Sowell is Retiring "The real minimum wage is zero." "The most basic question is not what is best, but who shall decide what is best." "People who have time on their hands will inevitably waste the time of people who have work to do." "The welfare state is not really about the welfare of the masses, it is about the egos of the elites." "If you are not prepared to use force to defend civilization, then be prepared to accept barbarism." "Socialism in general has a record of failure so blatant that only an intellectual could ignore or evade it." Prof. Walter E. Williams on Democracy "... one of the primary dangers of majority rule is that it confers an aura of legitimacy and respectability to acts that would otherwise be deemed tyrannical." Ayn Rand on Minorities "The smallest minority on earth is the individual. Those who deny individual rights, cannot claim to be defenders of minorities." Hillary Clinton on Job Creation Socialists never want anyone to credit individuals with a productive purpose as the source of their jobs. When the government piles on such heavy taxes and regulations as to prevent job formation, they are always trying to misdirect the people's attention. Hillary has been vigorous in promising more taxes and more major regulations which will make the Obama record of 0.5% annual increases in real per capita GDP look good in comparison. "Don't let anybody tell you that, you know, its corporations and businesses that create jobs." Frederic Bastiat "It's impossible to introduce into society a greater evil than this, the conversion of Law into an instrument of PLUNDER." Ayn Rand "The number of its adherents is irrelevant to the truth or falsehood of an idea. A majority is as fallible as a minority or as an individual man. A majority vote is not an epistemological validation of an idea." ... "it is important to note the epistemological significance of a free society. In a free society, the pursuit of truth is protected by the free access of any individual to any field of endeavor he may choose to enter." ... "This prevents the formation of any coercive "elite" in any profession -- it prevents the legalized enforcement of a "monopoly on truth" by any gang of power seekers -- it protects the free market place of ideas -- it keeps all doors open to man's inquiring mind." The catastrophic man-made global warming hypothesis is no exception to these general truths about the right of every individual to examine and evaluate any idea. significance of a free society. In a free society, the pursuit of truth is protected by the free access of any individual to any field of endeavor he may choose to enter." ... "This prevents the formation of any coercive "elite" in any profession -- it prevents the legalized enforcement of a "monopoly on truth" by any gang of power seekers -- it protects the free market place of ideas -- it keeps all doors open to man's inquiring mind." Charles at Naval Surface Warfare Center Do Not Subordinate Your Mind to the Mind of Another The vilest form of self-abasement and self-destruction is the subordination of your mind to the mind of another, the acceptance of an authority over your brain, the acceptance of his assertions as facts, his say-so as truth, his edicts as middle-man between your consciousness and your existence. John Galt in Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand UN Agenda 21, Principle 15 The real operating principle: Neither shall total lack of scientific certainty delay taking action with catastrophic economic effects if one can imagine some environmental degradation. "In order to protect the environment, the precautionary approach shall be widely applied by States according to their capabilities. Where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage, lack of full scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason for postponing cost-effective measures to prevent environmental degradation." Dr. Thomas Sowell "What 'multiculturalism' boils down to is that you can praise any culture in the world except Western culture -- and you cannot blame any culture in the world except Western culture." "It is so easy to be wrong -- and to persist in being wrong -- when the costs of being wrong are paid by others." "Intellectuals have trouble remembering that they are not God." "If you have always believed that everyone should play by the same rules and be judged by the same standards, that would have gotten you labeled a radical 60 years ago, a liberal 30 years ago and a racist today." Saul Alinsky It is good to understand what the nihilists think, especially since such politicians as Obama and Hillary admire this man and use his principles for damaging the private sector and Capitalism. "To say that corrupt means corrupt the ends is to believe in the immaculate conception of ends and principles. The real arena is corrupt and bloody. Life is a corrupting process from the time a child learns to play his mother off against his father in the politics of when to go to bed; he who fears corruption fears life." Ronald Reagan A democratic society that needs a much-controlling government to manage the affairs of its People has a People so lacking in character and ability that there is no hope the People can democratically elect leaders of good character and adequate capability. That society is doomed by a self-contradiction. The escape from doom is the development in the People of such character and ability that they shun a much-controlling government. "If no one among us is capable of governing himself, then who among us has the capacity to govern someone else?" Aesop "We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office." Examples: Obama, both Clintons, Kerry, Sanders, Biden, Reid, and Pelosi. Christine Stewart, Canadian Minister of the Environment What a sad thing is attempted justice without truth. "No matter if the science of global warming is all phony.... climate change provides the greatest opportunity to bring about justice and equality in the world." Aldous Huxley "Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored." Ayn Rand "'There are no evil thoughts, Mr. Rearden,' Francisco said softly, 'except one: the refusal to think.'" Francisco D'Anconia to Hank Rearden in Atlas Shrugged Frederic Bastiat on the Law "It has been used to destroy its own objective. It has been applied to annihilating the justice that it was supposed to maintain; to limiting and destroying rights which its real purpose was to respect. The law has placed the collective force at the disposal of the unscrupulous who wish, without risk, to exploit the person, liberty, and property of others. It has converted plunder into a right, in order to protect plunder. And it has converted lawful defense into a crime, in order to punish lawful defense. Louis L'Amour in High Lonesome "Nor were they free of the images their own minds held of themselves. The man on horseback, the lone-riding man, the lone-thinking man, possessed an image of himself that was in part his own, in part a piece of all the dime novels he had read, for no man is free of the image his literature imposes on him. And the dime novel made the western hero a knight-errant, a man on horseback rescuing the weak and helpless." "Folks talk a lot about the maternal feeling in women, but they say nothing about man's need to protect and care for someone; yet the one feeling is as basic as the other." Dr. Thomas Sowell "Even liberal professors can be adversely affected by the narrow groupthink that prevails. Without an opposition to keep them on their toes, they can develop sloppy habits of dismissing or even demonizing differing viewpoints, instead of practicing and teaching their students how to come to grips with opposing beliefs." From Dry Rot in Academia "Today one can literally go from kindergarten to becoming a graduate student seeking a Ph.D., without ever hearing a vision of the world that conflicts with the vision of the left." John Stuart Mill "In this age, the mere example of nonconformity, the mere refusal to bend the knee to custom, is itself a service. Precisely because the tyranny of opinion is such as to make eccentricity a reproach, it is desirable, in order to break through that tyranny, that people should be eccentric. Eccentricity has always abounded when and where strength of character was abounded; and the amount of eccentricity in a society has generally been proportional to the amount of genius, mental vigour, and moral courage which it contained. That so few now dare to be eccentric, marks the chief danger of the time." Josepth Stalin "We don't let them have ideas. Why would we let them have guns?" Robert Tracinski "The way we view the naked human body reflects our view of human nature itself. We portray our bodies in ways that are crude or refined depending on whether we view our souls as crude or refined. And we do the same with the sensuality and the sexual capacity of our bodies. We can view sex and the nude body as a dangerous temptation that draws us away from higher ideals and down into the muckor we can make it part of those higher ideals. We can make it an expression of a wider lust for life, an expression of the same spirit of aspiration that drives all of our other achievements." The Three Graces by Antonio Canova David by Michelangelo Frederic Bastiat "When plunder becomes a way of life for a group of men living together in society, they create for themselves in the course of time a legal system that authorizes it and a moral code that glorifies it." "But how is this legal plunder to be to be identified? Quite simply. See if the law takes from some persons what belongs to them, and gives it to other persons to whom it does not belong. See if the law benefits one citizen at the expense of another by doing what the citizen himself cannot do without committing a crime." Ayn Rand on Excellence "If it's worth doing, it's worth overdoing." Ayn Rand "The hardest thing to explain is the glaringly evident which everybody had decided not to see." Patrick Henry "No free government, or the blessings of liberty, can be preserved to any people but by a firm adherence to justice, moderation, temperance, frugality, and virtue; and by a frequent recurrence to fundamental principles." H. L. Mencken "The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed and hence clamorous to be led to safety by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary." Catastrophic man-made global warming is a great example of such alarmism to justify more power for the politicians and bureaucrats. Thomas Jefferson "Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. I do not add, `within the limits of the law' because law is often but the tyrants will, and always so when it violates the rights of the individual." Ayn Rand "Serenity comes from the ability to say 'Yes' to existence. Courage comes from the ability to say 'No' to the wrong choices made by others." Galileo Galilei "In questions of science, the authority of a thousand is not worth the humble reasoning of a single individual." "By denying scientific principles, one may maintain any paradox." Henry Ford "Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." Samuel Adams "The liberties of our country, the freedom of our civil Constitution, are worth defending against all hazards: And it is our duty to defend them against all attacks." The Constitution itself remains a strong defense of our individual rights, but those who want power over our lives have long claimed ridiculous interpretations of the powers it grants to the federal government which they have cemented in irrational precedents. Time after time, the fact that our individual rights are broad and must allow each of us to manage our own lives while we pursue our own chosen values, so long as we do not violate the equal rights of others, is a context ignored. Thomas Jefferson, 1816 "If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be." When the government controls the education system, you can be sure the education system will guarantee the ignorance of the people so they may be ruled without the impediment of the people demanding their individual rights. John C. Goodman "Closing Off Consumption Opportunities. Just as low-income individuals in their role as producers are increasing[ly] regulated out of income earning opportunities, in their role as consumers they are increasingly regulated out of the market for essential services. In addition to education and housing, they have been regulated out of the market for medical care, transportation and even police protection. For all these essential services, the wealthy turn to the private marketplace. They even employ police officers as off-duty, private guards for their gated communities. The poor are left with public housing, public schools, public transportation, government-provided health care, etc. The well-off get all the benefits of capitalism. The poor are left with socialism." Averroes "An army of philosophers would not be sufficient to change the nature of error and to make it truth." An army of scientist mercenaries at the service of All-Controlling Government is not sufficient to make the catastrophic man-made global warming hypothesis true either. Ayn Rand on the Creative Man "A creative man is motivated by the desire to achieve, not by the desire to beat others." Lawrence W. Reed "It constantly amazes me that defenders of the free market are expected to offer certainty and perfection while government has only to make promises and express good intentions." Patrick Henry "The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people; it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government lest it come to dominate our lives and our interests." Prof. Walter E. Williams "That initial premise is that each of us owns himself. Stated another way: I am my private property and you are yours. The institution of private property is the right held by the owner of property to keep, acquire, dispose, and exclude from use. The premise of self-ownership determines which human acts are moral or immoral and consistent with that premise. For example, rape, murder, slavery, fraud, and theft are immoral because they violate private property." Thomas Jefferson The "sum of good government" is one "which shall restrain men from injuring one another" and "shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement." The presumption is maximum liberty limited not by the welfare of others, but only by the injunction to do no harm to others. H. L. Mencken "The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule." Madison Versus Hitler "(The Constitution preserves) the advantage of being armed, which the Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation... (where) the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms." James Madison "The most foolish mistake we could possibly make would be to allow the subject races to possess arms. History shows that all conquerors who have allowed their subject races to carry arms have prepared their own downfall by doing so." Adolf Hitler Frederic Bastiat "The most urgent necessity is, not that the State should teach, but that it should allow education. All monopolies are detestable, but the worst of all is the monopoly of education." Mark Twain "It's easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled." This certainly applies to those who believe in the catastrophic man-made global warming alarmists, minimum wage laws, ObamaCare, the ethanol in gasoline mandate, and tying solar and wind power in high percentages to the electric grid. Prof. Walter E. Williams on White Privilege "The concept of white privilege, along with diversity and multiculturalism, is part of today's campus craze. ..... The bottom line to this campus nonsense is that "privilege" has become the new word for "personal achievement." .... Are those who work hard, take risks, make life better for others and become wealthy in the process the people who should be held up to ridicule and scorn? And should we make mascots out of social parasites?" Albert Einstein "A foolish faith in authority is the worst enemy of truth." Prof. John Christy, Climate Scientist If its not economically sustainable, its not sustainable. Ayn Rand on Human Progress "Man's ego is the fountainhead of human progress." George Orwell "The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those that speak it." Abbot of Arbroath, Chancellor of Robert the Bruce "For so long as one hundred of us shall remain alive we shall never in any wise consent to submit to the rule of the English. For it is not for glory we fight, for riches, or for honours, but for freedom alone, which no good man loses but with his life." April 1320, Six years after the Battle of Bannockburn Jean-Jacques Rousseau "whoever refuses to obey the general will will be forced to do so by the entire body; this means merely that he will be forced to be free." If one is told " 'it is expedient for the state that you should die,' he should die." From The Social Contract, a most emphatic statement of authoritarian collectivism by a profound misanthropist. Patrick Henry "The Constitution is NOT an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the PEOPLE to restrain the government -- lest it come to dominate our lives and interest." Dwight D. Eisenhower "If all that Americans want is security, they can go to prison. They'll have enough to eat, a bed and a roof over their heads. But if an American wants to preserve his dignity and his equality as a human being, he must not bow his neck to any dictatorial government." Alexander Hamilton "The best we can hope for concerning the people at large is that they be properly armed." "If the representatives of the people betray their constituents, there is no recourse left but in the exertion of that original right of self-defense which is paramount to all positive forms of government." Milton Friedman A major source of objection to a free economy is precisely that it ... gives people what they want instead of what a particular group thinks they ought to want. Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself. John Quincy Adams "Muhammad declared undistinguishing and exterminating war, as a part of his religion, against all the rest of mankind... The precept of the Koran is, perpetual war against all who deny, that Muhammad is the prophet of God." Justice Robert H. Jackson "If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein." This applies to the government-run education system, as well as every other act of government, including its procurements. Ellsworth Toohey in The Fountainhead "Don't bother to examine a folly, ask only what it accomplishes." Ayn Rand's villain giving us insight into the beliefs of the Progressive Elitists and others with beliefs too divorced from reality to be creditable, yet widely believed or propagated. Thomas Jefferson "let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the constitution." Of course this belief implies those great constraints on democracy imposed by the Constitution. Robert Tracinski "The real minimum wage is zero. Actually, its less than zero: the real minimum wage is going into debt just to have a shot at doing the work you love." I went hugely into debt to set up my materials analysis laboratory and paid myself only $10,000 in the first year and even less in the Obama Recession years of 2010 - 2016. Obama When what youre doing doesnt work for 50 years, its time to try something new. 2015 State of the Union Address So, we should ditch Big Government, government health care, The War on Poverty, The War on Drugs, Social Security, the Federal Reserve, government-run education, the Davis-Bacon Act, the Merchant Marine Act of 1920 (the Jones Act), and all expansionist interpretations of the Interstate Commerce and the Taxation Clauses of the Constitution upon this Obama Principle of Failure. Louis L'Amour "If he starts anything with me I'll just cloud up and rain all over him." Conagher "You better ride out of here, Staples. An' leave that gun alone. You ain't fit to handle one. And don't you cross my trail again. I don't like bein' braced by no tin-horn." Conagher "To be a man was to be responsible. It was as simple as that. To be a man was to build something, to try to make the world about him a bit easier to live in for himself and those who followed." Conagher "it was the man who planted a tree, dug a well, or graded a road who mattered." "Conagher had worked too hard too many times to like a thief or a vandal who would steal or destroy the efforts of other men." "when in doubt, sit down and think. It is only the mind of man that has lifted him above the animals." Evie's Dad"If he starts anything with me I'll just cloud up and rain all over him." Conagher"You better ride out of here, Staples. An' leave that gun alone. You ain't fit to handle one. And don't you cross my trail again. I don't like bein' braced by no tin-horn." Conagher"To be a man was to be responsible. It was as simple as that. To be a man was to build something, to try to make the world about him a bit easier to live in for himself and those who followed." Conagher"it was the man who planted a tree, dug a well, or graded a road who mattered.""Conagher had worked too hard too many times to like a thief or a vandal who would steal or destroy the efforts of other men." Big Bill Knudsen on Progress "Progress is only made when fear is overcome by curiosity. If you are curious enough, you will not have any fear." William S. Knudsen Elbert Hubbard "Prison is a Socialist's Paradise, where equality prevails, everything is supplied, and competition is eliminated." Charles R. Anderson "Every law mandates more guns. Most laws now outlaw individual value choices and more voluntary cooperation among individuals." Bad Deeds by Robert Bidinotto Charles Anderson on Hope ".... hope is contingent upon having the freedom to make your own value choices and make their achievement your personal dream. Without the dream, there is no hope. Without the value choice, there is no dream." A Collapsing Predation, a Plea for Salvation "These are just plain, ordinary people, Mr. Galt, " said Chick Morrison in a tone intended to project their abject humility. "They can't tell you what to do. They wouldn't know. They're merely begging you. They may be weak, helpless, blind, ignorant. But you, who are so intelligent and strong, can't you take pity on them? Can't you help them?" "By dropping my intelligence and following their blindness?" "They may be wrong, but they don't know any better!" "But I, who do, should obey them?" From Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand Sen. Tom Coburn Addressing the Senate "Your whole goal is to protect the United States of America, its Constitution and its liberties. It's not to provide benefits for your state. That's where we differ -- that's where my conflict with my colleagues has come. It's nice to be able to do things for your state, but that isn't our charge. Our charge is to protect the future of our country by upholding the Constitution." December 2014 James Madison on Laws "It will be of little avail to the people ... if the laws be so voluminous that they cannot be read, or so incoherent that they cannot be understood." Yet this is exactly the sorry state of law in America today. Even the legislators whose full-time job is to make laws cannot read them before voting on them. How can it even be imagined that a small businessman can know the law and the voluminous regulations applied most especially and most vigorously to commercial endeavors? It cannot be so imagined, which makes it clear that the intent is to make every businessman a criminal precariously dependent upon the goodwill of those with power in the government. Charles R. Anderson on Argument "Observe which side resorts to the most vociferous name-calling and you are likely to have identified the side with the weaker argument and they know it." From my statement in the Senate Minority Report of 2008 on Man-Made Global Warming Claims. Ben Franklin " Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both." Ayn Rand on Force and Morality From Atlas Shrugged "Force and mind are opposites; morality ends where a gun begins." The Neverending Battle for Freedom Winston Churchill "Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy." Ludwig von Mises "A society that chooses between capitalism and socialism does not choose between two social systems; it chooses between social cooperation and the disintegration of society. Socialism is not an alternative to capitalism; it is an alternative to any system under which men can live as human beings." Ayn Rand on Truth Seeking "The truth is not for all men, but only for those who seek it." Charles R. Anderson, Ph.D. Benno Schmidt, President of Yale, March 1991 "The most serious problems of freedom of expression in our society today exist on our campuses ... The assumption seems to be that the purpose of education is to induce correct opinion rather than to search for wisdom and to liberate the mind." Tacitus, 56 - 120 A.D. "The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws. " The more numerous the laws, the more corrupt the state. The more numerous the laws, the more corrupt the state. George Eliot "The strongest principle of growth lies in human choice." Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. "Cowardice asks the question, 'Is it safe?' Expediency asks the question, 'Is it politic?' Vanity asks the question, 'Is it popular?' But conscience asks the question, 'Is it right?' And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular -- but one must take it because it's right." Is that not all times? Public Servant Tyrants "The people must remain ever vigilant against tyrants masquerading as public servants." George Washington Aristotle on Inequality "The worst form of inequality is to try to make unequal things equal." Claiming unequal things equal in mathematics is obviously wrong, but so is claiming the equality of an individual with good character to an individual of bad character fraught with deleterious consequences. Mencken on Public Education "The aim of public education is not to spread enlightenment at all: It is simply to reduce as many individuals as possible to the same safe level, to breed and train a standardized citizenry, to put down dissent and originality." Henry Louis Mencken (1880 - 1956) Thomas Edison "From his neck down, a man is worth a couple of dollars a day; from his neck up, he is worth anything his brain can invent." Ayn Rand on Self-Assurance "But why should you care what people will say? All you have to do is please yourself." From The Fountainhead Frederick Douglass A mans rights rest in three boxes: the ballot box, the jury box, and the cartridge box. William S. Knudsen "A conference is a gathering of guys that singly can do nothing and together decide nothing can be done." Big Bill Knudsen was the manufacturing genius from the automotive industry who decided that U.S. WWII warfare production should be performed in the private sector with as little government interference as possible. U.S. production overwhelmed that of the Axis Powers as a result and the transition back to peace-time production was vastly eased. He is a little-recognized American Hero. Margaret Thatcher "Europe was created by history. America was created by philosophy." Pajama Boy for ObamaCare Ayn Rand on Lack of Self-Direction "The man who lets a leader prescribe his course is a wreck being towed to the scrap heap." From The Fountainhead Bastiat on Socialism "Now, legal plunder can be committed in an infinite number of ways. Thus we have an infinite number of plans for organizing it: tariffs, protection, benefits, subsidies, encouragements, progressive taxation, public schools, guaranteed jobs, guaranteed profits, minimum wages, a right to relief, a right to the tools of labor, free credit, and so on, and so on. All these plans as a wholewith their common aim of legal plunderconstitute socialism." Frederic Bastiat, 1801-1850 James Madison Property is "every thing to which a man may attach a value and have a right; and which leaves to every one else the like advantage." "He has a property very dear to him in the safety and liberty of his person. He has equal property in the free use of his faculties and free choice of the objects on which to employ them." "Government is instituted to protect property of every sort; as well that which lies in the various rights of individuals, as that which the term particularly expresses. This being the end of government, that alone is a just government, which impartially secures to every man, whatever is his own." "That is not a just government, nor is property secure under it, where arbitrary restrictions, exemptions, and monopolies deny to part of its citizens that free use of their faculties, and free choice of their occupations, which not only constitute their property in the general sense of the word; but are the means of acquiring property so called." "If there be a government then which prides itself in maintaining the inviolability of property: which provides that none shall be taken directly even for public use without indemnification to the owner, and yet directly violates the property which individuals have in their opinions, their religion, their persons, and their faculties; nay more, which indirectly violates their property, in their actual possessions, in the labor that acquires their daily subsistence, and in the hallowed remnant of time which ought to relieve their fatigues and soothe their cares, ... such a government is not a pattern for the United States." [Yet such a property violating government we now have.] Obama According to Ron Pisaturo "My opponents dont have a plan for the economy, for education, for training, for retirement, for health care, for energy, for jobs, for wages, for investments, for diets. What kind of dictators are they?" Ron Pisaturo's paraphrase of Obama's State of the Union Address in January 2014. Starve the Kleptocracy and Tyranny John Galt on the Battle John Galt says in Galt's Speech in Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand: Fight for the value of your person. Fight for the virtue of your pride. Fight for the essence of that which is man: for his sovereign rational mind. Fight with the radiant certainty and the absolute rectitude of knowing that yours is the Morality of Life and that yours is the battle for any achievement, any value, any grandeur, any goodness, any joy that has ever existed on this earth. Groucho Marx "Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly, and applying the wrong remedies." Charles in Pensacola, FL Andrew Jackson "Distinctions in society will always exist under every just government. Equality of talents, of education, or of wealth can not be produced by human institutions. In the full enjoyment of the gifts of Heaven and the fruits of superior industry, economy, and virtue, every man is equally entitled to protection by law; but when the laws undertake to add to these natural and just advantages artificial distinctions, to grant titles, gratuities, and exclusive privileges, to make the rich richer and the potent more powerful, the humble members of society -- the farmers, mechanics, and laborers -- who have neither the time nor the means of securing like favors to themselves, have a right to complain of the injustice of their Government .... If it would confine itself to equal protection, and, as Heaven does its rains, shower its favors alike on the high and the low, the rich and the poor, [government] would be an unqualified blessing." Jay Leno "The White House admitted President Obamas chief of staff had advance warning that the IRS was targeting conservative groups. President Obama says the first time he heard about the IRS and AP scandals was from the media. See, thats why President Obama holds press conferences. Its not to explain whats going on. Its to find out whats going on." Government is too big to be well-managed even by a competent manager. It is now apparent what happens when the chief executive is incompetent, but is convinced he is the chief Progressive Elitist. Thomas Jefferson "The democracy will cease when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not." "I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them." James I, King of Great Britain "The state of monarchy is the supremest thing upon earth, for kings are not only God's lieutenants upon earth and sit upon God's throne, but even by God himself they are called gods." There is historical precedent for the level of hubris of the Progressive Elitist rulers of our time. Just as James I tried to rule independently of Parliament with a claim of god-like knowledge, so does Obama rule independently of our Congress, secure in the belief that he too has a god-like knowledge of what is best for the People. 2nd Amendment Right Calvin Coolidge Reduced top income tax rate to 25%. Reduced the national debt. Balanced and reduced the budget. Vetoed 50 bills. "I am for economy, and after that I am for more economy. It is much more important to kill bad bills than to pass good ones. A Novel by Gen LaGreca Jean Jacques Burlamaqui "Natural liberty is the right, which nature gives to all mankind, of disposing of their persons and property, after the manner they judge most convenient to their happiness, on condition of their acting within the limits of the law of nature, and their not abusing it to the prejudice of their fellow men. To this right of liberty there is a reciprocal obligation corresponding, by which the law of nature binds all mankind to respect the liberty of other men, and not to disturb them in the use they make of it, so long as they do not abuse it." Frederick Douglass Knowledge makes a man unfit to be a slave. Pamela Geller In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support Israel, Defeat Jihad Roger Scruton, 2006 The English law existed not to control the individual but to free him. Laurence J. Peter Against logic there is no armor like ignorance. Ben Franklin - 2nd Amendment This is why every individual has the right to defend himself, as recognized in the 2nd Amendment of the Bill of Rights. "Democracy... Is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty... Is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote." John Milton "Where there is much desire to learn, here of necessity will be much arguing, much writing, many opinions; for opinion in good men is but knowledge in the making." Cato's Letters "the power which every Man has over his own Actions, and his Right to enjoy the Fruits of his own Labour, Art, and Industry, as far as by it he hurts not the Society, or any Members of it, by taking from any Member, or by hindering him from enjoying what he himself enjoys." They Would Rule the People Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand Atlas Shrugged, Part II Democracy -- The Suicide "Remember democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide." John Adams, letter to John Taylor, April 15, 1814 Thomas Jefferson "My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government." "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants." Praise the Constitution Ayn Rand: Philosophical Detection Alan MacFarlane, 1978 The majority of ordinary people in England from at least the thirteenth century were rampant individualists, highly mobile both geographically and socially, economically rational, market-oriented and acquisitive, ego-centered in kinship and social life. Perhaps this is no surprise, for it makes them very like their descendants. On Error and Judgment by Ayn Rand An error made on your own is safer than ten truths accepted on faith, because the first leaves you the means to correct it, but the second destroys your capacity to distinguish truth from error. Howard Roark at his trial: "I came here to say that I do not recognize anyone's right to one minute of my life. Nor to any part of my energy. Nor to any achievement of mine. No matter who makes the claim, how large their number or how great their need." ..... "I wished to come and say that the integrity of a man's creative work is of greater importance than any charitable endeavor. Those of you who do not understand this are the men who're destroying the world." ... "I recognize no obligations toward men except one: to respect their freedom and to take no part in a slave society." Thomas Jefferson "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." "The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government." Support Science, Reason Atlas Shrugged Part I - The Movie Thomas Paine on Reason California Venus George Bernard Shaw "A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul." Paul's immorality is soon characteristic of the entire society, contributing evermore to strife and conflict and the discouragement of productive labor. Fight Big Government Thomas Paine on Principle "A thing moderately good is not so good as it ought to be. Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice." Limited Government Capitalism is the only system that allows Individuals to make their own moral choices and to act upon them. Without individual moral choice, there is no morality and society is mean, brutal, envious, and depressing. The Homage of Reason "Question with boldness even the existence of God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blindfolded fear." Thomas Jefferson Tocqueville a mans admiration for absolute government is proportionate to the contempt he feels for those around him. First ObamaCare Stole Your Body In the name of the best within you, do not sacrifice this world to those who are its worst. In the name of the values that keep you alive, do not let your vision of man be distorted by the ugly, the cowardly, the mindless in those who have never achieved his title. Do not lose your knowledge that man's proper estate is an upright posture, an intransigent mind and a step that travels unlimited roads. Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark, in the hopeless swamps of the approximate, the not-quite, the not-yet, the not-at-all. Do not let the hero in your soul perish, in lonely frustration for the life you deserved, but have never been able to reach. Check your road and the nature of your battle. The world you desired can be won, it exists, it is real, it is possible, it's yours. But to win it requires your total dedication and a total break with the world of your past, with the doctrine that man is a sacrificial animal who exists for the pleasure of others. Fight for the value of your person. Fight for the virtue of your pride. Fight for the essence of that which is man: for his sovereign rational mind. Fight with the radiant certainty and the absolute rectitude of knowing that yours is the Morality of Life and that yours is the battle for any achievement, any value, and grandeur, any goodness, any joy that has ever existed on this earth. John Galt in Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand Hunter -- A Thriller by Robert Bidinotto Socialized Medicine Immoral Government Health Care Barack Hussein Obama A Compass that almost always points to the South Pole. Consensus Consensus means that everyone agrees to say collectively what no one believes individually"- Abba Eban Obama's Socialism Rose Robbins - Singer/Songwriter Who is John Galt? From John Galt's Speech to Americans in Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand: "I am the man who loves his life. I am the man who does not sacrifice his love or his values." "Man's mind is his basic tool of survival. Life is given to him, survival is not. His body is given to him, its sustenance is not. His mind is given to him, its content is not. To remain alive, he must act, and before he can act, he must know the nature and purpose of his action." "But to think is an act of choice." ..... "In any hour and issue of your life, you are free to think or to evade that effort. But you are not free to escape from your nature, from the fact that reason is your means of survival -- so that for you , who are a human being, the question 'to be or not to be" is the question 'to think or not to think.' "A being of volitional consciousness has no automatic course of behavior. He needs a code of values to guide his actions. 'Value' is that which one acts to gain and keep, 'virtue' is the action by which one gains and keeps it. 'Value' presupposes an answer to the question: of value to whom and for what? 'Value' presupposes a standard, a purpose and the necessity of action in the face of an alternative. Where there are no alternatives, no values are possible." "There is only one fundamental alternative in the universe: existence or non-existence -- and it pertains to a single class of entities: to living organisms." "Man has been called a rational being, but rationality is a matter of choice -- and the alternative his nature offers is: rational being or suicidal animal. Man has to be man -- by choice; he has to hold his life as a value -- by choice; he has to learn to sustain it -- by choice; he has to discover the values it requires and practice his virtues -- by choice." "A code of values accepted by choice is a code of morality." "Man's life is the standard of morality, but your own life is its purpose . If existence on earth is your goal, you must choose your actions and values by the standard of that which is proper to man -- for the purpose of preserving, fulfilling and enjoying the irreplaceable value which is your life." "Happiness is the successful state of life, pain is an agent of death. Happiness is that state of consciousness which proceeds from the achievement of one's values. A morality that dares to tell you to find happiness in the renunciation of your happiness -- to value the failure of your values -- is an insolent negation of morality. A doctrine that gives you, as an ideal, the role of sacrificial animal seeking slaughter on the altar of others, is giving you death as your standard. By the grace of reality and the nature of life, man -- every man -- is an end in himself, he exists for his own sake, and the achievement of his own happiness is his highest moral purpose." Thus said John Galt, or shall we say Ayn Rand, the great novelist, philosopher, moralist, and Capitalism's greatest moral defender. The quoted sections above are an abridgment of John Galt's speech in the novel Atlas Shrugged . Between the quotes, no changes were made. A Call to the Sons of Liberty John Paul Jones Charles R. Anderson, Ph. D. The First Known Use of the Concept Freedom The Rational Mind Seeks Truth in the critical observation and understanding of reality. Reality is primary, not man's wishes and whims. Followers Elizabeth Zanzinger Total Pageviews Canada has been particularly hit hard during the downturn in oil prices. A major oil-producing country, Canada rode the commodity wave upwards over the past decade, but has suffered from the downturn. The economy briefly dipped into a recession in 2015. Even after growth resumed, Canadas GDP slowed the most out of all G7 nations. The unemployment has rate ticked up, especially in Alberta where most of its oil and gas production is concentrated. And the Canadian dollar has plunged in value to its lowest level in over a decade. The problems for Canadas oil industry are compounded by several factors. First, Canadas oil is more costly to produce than other regions, particularly when compared to oil produced in United States where Canada competes for pipeline capacity and market share. Similarly, Canadas oil sector is also struggling to build enough pipelines to get their oil to market. With elevated levels of production in the U.S., Canadian producers have very few options to move their product. Pipeline routes to the east and west coasts for export abroad are limited, vexing Alberta producers. Related:Storage Stalemate Subdues Oil Prices That has led to a third problem that puts Canadian producers at a disadvantage to some of their peers: Canadian crude oil sells at a steep discount to more widely recognized benchmarks like WTI. In mid-January, for example, when WTI dropped to $30 per barrel, heavy tar sands in Canada traded at just $8 per barrel temporarily. Canadas oil, at a lower quality and produced at a higher cost, needs to be discounted in order to entice buyers. Job losses have proliferated across the oil patch. Earlier this week, Nexen Energy, a Calgary-based subsidiary of Chinas Cnooc, announced that it would lay off another 120 workers because of low oil prices. Aside from a crash in oil prices, Nexen has also presided over several technical problems at its facilities. Last summer, a Nexen pipeline spilled 31,500 barrels of oil and sand near its Long Lake project, the worst spill in three decades. And earlier this year two workers died from an explosion, also at the Long Lake facility. Related: In Risky Move Wall St. Backs Shale With Nearly $10 Billion In Equity The depressed marketplace for oil is raising concerns about the exposure of some of Canadas banks to the downturn. The Wall Street Journal reported that there is rising scrutiny from analysts over the vulnerability to Canadas banks from bad energy debt. I find it frustrating because I dont believe what the [Canadian] banks have disclosed with regards to credit truly reflects the quality or the current status of those loan portfolios, James Shanahan, an analyst at Edward Jones, told the WSJ. The Bank of Nova Scotia set aside $539 million in the first quarter of the fiscal year (ending on January 31) to deal with rising losses from credit card debt, auto loans, and other consumer credit from people directly and indirectly tied to the oil industry. The bank says that impaired loans doubled to $336 million compared to the previous quarter. Nevertheless, profits at the bank were up, and Scotia still managed to increase its dividend, suggesting that the pain may not be too extensive. In fact, four of the largest six Canadian banks beat estimates and raised dividends. Scotia says that even in a worst-case scenario in which oil prices remain depressed for two more years, it would still have a minimal impact on the banks portfolio. Related: Former Chesapeake CEO Dies in Car Crash 1 Day After Federal Indictment Meanwhile, Canadas oil patch continues to endure headaches from the inability to build enough pipelines to connect Alberta oil to the outside world. The Keystone XL pipeline is the most infamous incident, but other major projects also continue to languish amid stiff opposition from Albertas neighbors. The province of Quebec said on March 1 that it would seek an injunction against TransCanadas Energy East pipeline, a 4,600-kilometer pipeline that would carry 1.1 million barrels of oil per day from Alberta to Canadas east. Quebecs environmental minister says that the pipeline company has ignored the provinces request for an environmental assessment. Opposition to the $11.7 billion project runs deep in Quebec. In January the mayor of Montreal voiced opposition to Energy East, for example. At the federal level, the new Prime Minister also presents a challenge for the industry. He has not taken a position on Energy East, but has stepped up emphasis on protecting the environment, dimming the prospects for other large pipeline projects on Canadas Pacific Coast. Energy East will be reviewed by federal regulators at the National Energy Board. TransCanada says that Quebecs request for an injunction will not delay the project, although it has already suffered several years of delay. By Nick Cunningham of Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The former head of Chesapeake Energy died in a car crash in Oklahoma on March 2, one day after he was indicted on antitrust charges by the U.S. Department of Justice. Aubrey McClendon died in a single-vehicle car crash, his vehicle slammed into a wall at a speed 40-miles-per-hour in excess of the limit. It was unclear whether or not McClendon suffered a health incident that may have caused the crash. He collided into a concrete embankment at a high rate of speed, and the vehicle was immediately engulfed in flames, a spokesman for the Oklahoma City police department said in a statement. It appears that speed was most definitely a factor in the fatality, adding that it would take one to two weeks to complete the investigation. Aubrey McClendon made a name for himself at Chesapeake Energy, turning it into the largest natural gas producer in the United States. Related: The Race Between U.S. And Australian LNG Just Started On March 1, a federal grand jury indicted him on charges that he conspired with an unnamed company to manipulate the price of oil and gas leases in Oklahoma. The allegations described McClendon and another company deciding ahead of time who would win a lease auction, rigging the bids to keep prices low. If Chesapeake won a lease, it would give the competing company a slice of the winnings. Chesapeake was one of the most aggressive in acquiring land during what was a land rush in the years during his tenure between 2007 and 2012. Chesapeake controlled over 16 million acres in multiple states across the country at one point. McClendon became one of the highest profile CEOs in the industry, an icon of the shale gas revolution. Related: In Risky Move Wall St. Backs Shale With Nearly $10 Billion In Equity The charge that has been filed against me today is wrong and unprecedented, Mr. McClendon said in a statement following the indictment. All my life I have worked to create jobs in Oklahoma, grow its economy, and to provide abundant and affordable energy to all Americans. I am proud of my track record in this industry, and I will fight to prove my innocence and to clear my name. The charges carried a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Chesapeake itself was not expected to be hit with any charges. Related: Storage Stalemate Subdues Oil Prices McClendon left Chesapeake Energy in 2012 after shareholders revolted against his management. His aggressive expansion also left the company with low levels of cash and a high debt burden. Shareholders, including activist investor Carl Icahn ousted him. After McClendon left he setup American Energy Partners LP, a competing shale gas driller that would focus on drilling in the shale basins in Texas, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. It is with deep sadness that AELP confirms that earlier today, its founder, Aubrey K. McClendon, died in a car accident on Midwest Boulevard in Oklahoma City, American Energy Partners said in a statement. We will deeply mourn his loss, and please join us in expressing our condolences to his family. By Charles Kennedy of Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Irans 26 February parliamentary and Assembly of Experts elections saw strong gains for pragmatic forces, heralding a new openness in Iran and a much better window of opportunity for foreign businesses and the development of the countrys further oil and gas potential. While no one won a solid majority in Parliament, and the conservatives led with around 36 percent of seats, the pragmatists/reformists centered around Iranian President Hassan Rouhani made a strong showing with 32 percent, shoring up their power. In the Assembly of Expertsthe religious body of 88 clerics who elect Irans supreme leader--the pragmatists won a slight majority with 52 seats compared to the conservatives 36 seats. Related: This Might Be A Multi-Billion Opportunity For Oilfield Services In the whole scheme of things, the parliamentary results are the most important because the conservatives will have to join forces to a greater extent with the pragmatists and reformists on some issues. And radical forces that have fought the opening up of Iran to the international community have been sorely diminished. So for the next couple of yearsat least until Iranian presidential electionsthis is good news for anyone who was entertaining the idea of doing business in the new, post-sanctions Iran. What it means is that the likelihood of stronger ties with the West has just grown exponentiallyand that includes increased economic and commercial cooperation. It also heralds a certain degree of investment securityagain, at least for two yearsand this will be a key factor for foreign investors. Related: $32 Billion Loss Forces Pemex To Downgrade Offshore Ambitions There is a great deal of interest in the Iranian oil patch because among foreign E&P companies because of the opportunities here for low-capital developmenta key factor in todays low oil price atmosphere. Iran's production costs hover around $12 per barrel, which comes in well under the production costs of shale oil in the U.S. Its an attractive enough cost environment to accept a bit of investment-climate risk as it isbut with the parliamentary election results we should see things move a lot faster now. Specifically, were looking at 18 exploration blocks, and dozens of oil and gas projects up for grabstentativelyin Iran. Things were helped along late last year with a new Iranian Petroleum Contract which should get a boost from the pragmatists parliamentary victory because the details of this contract are still be fine-tuned. But even before sanctions were lifted, the overriding sentiment was that the new terms would be much more attractive to foreign investors, particularly with regard to the establishment of joint ventures with the state run oil company. We already know Rouhani wants this, and now he is more likely to get it. Previously, foreign companies couldnt own any shares, and couldnt form JVs. Related: China To Secure Future Oil Supply With This $10 Billion Loan The elections come at an interesting time, and the timing is fortuitous for foreign oil and gas companies seeking to get in on these plays. In fact, they come only a few months before all those E&P blocks and projects are set to be auctioned off in May. After May, and for any of those supermajors who bite at the auction, it will be important to gauge where Iran is going by watching how the Revolutionary Guardthe most influential economic force in Irandeals with Rouhani and his circle. Will they yield and join forces, or will they fight the opening up of Irans oil and gas largesse? What they do on the foreign policy front will indicate what theyre going for at home, so keep a close eye on Irans attitude when it comes to geopolitics and conflict in the Middle East because its being led by the Guards. By James Burgess of Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: At a time when Egypt has just raised $8 billion to expand the Suez Canal project, reports are surfacing that global cargoes are increasingly bypassing the canal due to low oil prices, as shippers prefer to take a longer route that is cheaper. Numerous cargo ships are now opting to take the longer route south of Africa, bypassing both the Suez Canal and the Panama Canal. All told, since last October, 115 vessels running goods from Asia to North Europe and the U.S. east coast have sailed around South Africa instead of going through the Suez Canal, according to a report by Danish SeaIntel Maritime Analysis. The report notes that while carriers could continue to reroute some Asia-Europe cargoes, they may keep the Suez Canal route for some services in cases where shippers require a faster transit time. Related: The U.S. Still Dominates World Oil Prices Its all about fuel. Falling fuel prices mean that vessels can afford to take a route south of Africa that would normally take up to a week longer, depending on the origins. Now they can foot the bill to burn the extra fuel it takes to go faster, closing the time gap and making the Suez Canalwhich charges a lot more for passage--less attractive. Vessels sailing from Asia to the East Coast via the Suez Canal have to pay on average US$465,000 for passage, according to SeaIntel, which calculated that the South Africa route would save an average of US$235,000 per voyage. It also noted that some services could save as much as US$19 million a year at the high, and as much as US$7.3 million per year in the worst-case scenario. This puts the Suez Canal is a tough spot. At the end of the day, it means it would have to slash its passage prices by half to compete and remain relevant while oil prices are low. Related: Oil Finds Some Support As U.S. Output Falls SeaIntel concludes that both the canals face a significant challenge in the current low bunker price, as it means that for many services it is cheaper to sail south of Africa on the backhaul than to use the canal routings We expect this to intensify as carriers can deploy larger vessels, with lower cost per container, without having a significantly longer transit time, direct to the densely populated urban centers on the east coast, the report said. For Egypt, its a nightmare that is contributing to both economic and political instability. Cairo only just managed to raise $8 billion in funds to finance a major extension project, and the canal is one of the main sources of the countrys foreign currency. The governments stability is being questioned by dire economic straits that have seen Egypts foreign currency reserves reduced to half of what they were before the 2011 uprising. Debt is rising. Right now, the country can barely pay for food and fuel, and its Suez Canal profits are taking a hit. The new project would expand the canal to two lanes of traffic and further reduce transit time down to 11 hours from 18 hours. Related: How To Spot Survivors In North American Oil More specifically, the expansion is to include a new 35-kilometer channel, while the original canal would be widened and deepened extensively. Egypt was hoping to add another $13 billion to its revenue by 2023 with this expansion project. As of 2014, revenues from the canal were only at $5.5 billion. Already, the public had criticized the expansion project as unnecessary, and the government had been banking on this to shore up its revenues and currency, none of which is happening. With cargoes now increasingly bypassing the canal, the expansion project is even less feasible. Its a bad time for President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, who was hoping the canal would be a major coup. Its also a bad time for Panama, which was likewise pursuing an expensive expansion project that would have nearly tripled the size of vessels that could pass through. The project was originally slated to be completed by June, but costs keep rising, and with fewer ships passing through it only makes sense in a longer-term view of a hoped-for oil price rebound. By Charles Kennedy of Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The Canadian province of Quebec will seek an injunction against TransCanada (NYSE:TRP) to ensure that its proposed $15.7-billion Energy East pipeline project complies with the province's environmental laws. Environment Minister David Heurtel said the injunction was filed Tuesday after TransCanada ignored his requests to submit the project for provincial review. "Today's motion is very simple and very clear. It signifies that whoever seeks to build a project in Quebec must comply with all Quebec laws and regulations," Heurtel said in a statement. "This is not only a matter of respect, but equally a question of fairness towards all companies that wish to do business in Quebec." Related: Oil Finds Some Support As U.S. Output Falls Heurtels announcement comes a few weeks after a coalition of Quebec environmental groups said it would take legal action against the project for the same reasons. It also follows a British Columbia ruling in January, which determined local authorities had a responsibility to examine the Northern Gateway project in that province. Energy East would carry 1.1 million barrels a day of western crude as far east as Saint John, N.B., serving domestic refineries and international customers. Related: A Shrewd Approach To Oil Investing The project has run into stiff opposition in Quebec, with the mayors of Montreal and surrounding municipalities arguing that environmental risks outweigh the economic rewards. (Click to enlarge) Source: TransCanada By Cecilia Jamasmie via Mining.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Debt-laden Brazilian state-run Petrobras is in exclusive talks with Argentinian Pampa Energia to sell its 67.2 percent stake in its Argentina business to the local company in its latest move to stay afloat. According to filings both companies made to their respective regulators, the talks will continue for a maximum of two months. A Reuters report citing an anonymous source close to the matter suggested that the deal is all but agreed, and only the formalities remain to be cleared. Petrobras Argentina is among the top four E&P companies in the country, and also has downstream operations and is active in the utility sector as well. This makes it a good fit for Pampa, a top utility thats also active in E&P via its Petrolera Pampa unit. The price tag of the deal is said to be between $1.2 billion and $1.5 billion, depending on the source. Whichever it turns out to be, Petrobras could certainly use some cash right now. The Brazilian giant is the most leveraged energy company in the world with its debt standing at 4.8 times its EBITDA and exceeding $100 billion. Related:Does This "Panic Index" Show A Major Crisis Coming In Oil And Gas? Against this background, the expected price of the Argentina divestment looks quite modest, but it will allow Petrobras a breath of fresh air, albeit a short one. Petrobras has more than one problem, and not a lot of ways to deal with them. The company borrowed heavily in the past, when oil prices were in the three-figure realm, to explore Brazils offshore deposits. Exploration and production in the pre-salt is very investment-intensive due to the substantial depths at which drilling takes place. Then prices fell, and the debt remained. Another thing that fell was the veil covering a corruption scandal involving Petrobras, local construction companies and Brazilian politicians. The unwinding of the scandal and the continuing investigation has put the company in the spotlightand not in a good way, as it was revealed that the machinations of some of its now former managers have cost it billions of dollars. Related: Oil Prices Seesaw On Declining U.S. Production, Increasing Stockpiles Then there is the issue of the pre-salt development. A new bill, passed by the Brazilian Senate in late February, aims to remove a stipulation made in earlier legislation that requires Petrobras to hold 30 percent in any pre-salt project development. The bill has yet to go through the lower house of parliament and President Dilma Rousseff. If it does get approval, it will make the exploration process easier, as Petrobras does not have the financial capacity to take a 30 percent stake in any major development. To date, the situation with the state-owned energy giant is all but catastrophic: no cash, huge debt, reputation in the dirt, and perhaps worst of all, no great chance of succeeding with its divestment program aiming to offload assets worth $15 billion by the end of this year. There are few buyers in the energy industry, and those that are there are unwilling to pay a lot in the current price environment. Related: Saudis Turn To Capital Markets For $10 Billion Loan The company needs to be capitalized at some moment, Maua Capital chief executive Luiz Fernando Figueiredo told Bloomberg. It needs at least $25 billion to stay afloat, the former central banker estimates. The $1.2-$1.5 billion that the Argentina sale could generate is a very small portion of this and whats more, it will strip Petrobras of otherwise lucrative operations. Beggars, however, cant be choosers, and Petrobras is so deep in the doldrums that any cash coming its way should be welcome. In fact, it should definitely be happy when the sale is overthis is its third attempt to unload its Argentinian business. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: "Bar Month" at OnMilwaukee is back for another round, brought to you by Great Northern Distilling: grain to glass spirits, handmade in Wisconsin. The whole month of March, we're serving up intoxicatingly fun articles on bars and clubs including guides, the latest trends, bar reviews, the results of our Best of Bars readers poll and more. Grab a designated driver and dive in! All month long, we'll feature cocktails from one of the newest bars on the block, Dock18 Cocktail Lab, located in the Twisted Path Distillery in Bay View. If you're hankering for a delicious take on the classic Moscow Mule, this week's menu at Dock18 might just have what the doctor ordered. Their version of the cocktail -- made below by bartender Brandon Reyes -- makes use of Twisted Path vodka, along with house-made spiced ginger liqueur, a simple syrup made with Top Note Tonic Ginger Beer Syrup and Bittercube bitters to create a citrus-forward cocktail with a nice gingery zing. Dock18 Mule 1 oz Twisted Path Vodka oz lime juice oz spiced ginger liqueur 1 oz 2:1 simple syrup / Top Note Ginger Beer Syrup 1 dropper Bittercube Jamaican #1 Bitters 1.5 oz seltzer Glass: collins Garnish: vertically slit lime wedge Instructions: Build cocktail in shaking tin. Add seltzer to glass. Double strain cocktail into glass, add ice. Garnish with vertically slit lime wedge. If you'd like to get your taste of the Dock18 Mule, pay a visit on Thursday, Friday or Saturday evening between 5 p.m. to 12 a.m. Since seating is limited, reservations are recommended. Reprinted from Mondoweiss Israel's large Palestinian minority held its first-ever conference on BDS -- boycott, divestment and sanctions -- this past weekend in spite of anti-boycott legislation introduced five years ago that exposes activists in Israel to harsh financial penalties. One participant called it a sign that the Palestinian minority was slowly emerging from the law's "reign of terror." The dangers of promoting BDS inside Israel were highlighted by the difficulties of finding a venue. A private cinema in Nazareth agreed to host the event after several public venues in Haifa backed out, apparently fearful that they risked being punished by the Israeli government. The question of how feasible it is for Israel's 1.6 million Palestinian citizens to promote BDS was high on the conference agenda, with speakers addressing issues of legality and strategy. In a sign of a tentative shift towards political support for BDS by the Palestinian leadership in Israel, the opening statement was made by Mohammed Barakeh, head of the High Follow-Up Committee, an umbrella body representing all the political factions. Barakeh said BDS was "an important form of solidarity with Palestinians" and was causing increasing panic among the Israeli leadership. He said there was a link between "support for BDS and our survival in the current conditions" of rising Israeli racism, the killing of Palestinians by security forces, the expansion of the settlements and entrenchment of the occupation. He noted arguments, echoing those of apartheid's supporters in South Africa, that BDS would chiefly hurt Palestinian workers. "The anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa had a simple retort: 'Apartheid hurts us more.'" Barakeh admitted BDS posed unique problems for Palestinians in Israel. "We cannot boycott everything. We need schools, passports, social security. We have the right to be citizens and live in our homeland." The conference -- titled "BDS and '48 Palestinians: Between International Influences and Local Contexts" -- had been a long time in the making. In 2009 Israel's Palestinian political factions set up a working group called the Boycott Committee '48 -- in reference to the Palestinians who managed to remain on their lands in 1948 and eventually became Israel citizens -- to examine the issue of support for BDS. Although it formulated general guidelines in 2012, they were effectively buried by the so-called Anti-Boycott Law, which the Israeli parliament passed the year before. The law exposed anyone inside Israel calling for a boycott, even of the settlements, to potential bankruptcy in Israel's civil courts. Companies, Israeli citizens and settlers were entitled to claim unlimited damages. The conference had been made possible now, organizers conceded, because last year the supreme court, while rejecting an appeal against the law, placed limits on how vigorously it could be applied. The event was sponsored by three groups: the Boycott Committee '48; Mitharkeen, a direct-action movement comprising Palestinians from Israel, the West Bank and Gaza; and Hirak Haifa, a youth group based in the northern Israeli city of Haifa. US Secretary of State John Kerry provoked widespread speculation when he referred in testimony before the Senate foreign relations committee last week to "significant discussions" within US President Barack Obama's administration about a "Plan B" in Syria. The speculation was further stoked by a "senior official" who told CBS News that options under consideration included "'military-like' measures that would make it harder for the regime and its allies to continue their assault on civilians and US-backed rebels." But "Plan B" is more complicated than that. A report by CNN's Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr on 26 February leaves little room for doubt that the administration's cupboard of policy options is actually bare. An unnamed "senior US official" at the Pentagon admitted that "Plan B" is actually "more an idea than a specific course of action." In other words, the administration's national security policymakers believe something more should be done in Syria, but they are not at all clear what could be done now. The official said three options were under discussion, none of which is even close to being realistic in the present situation: an increase in US Special Forces on the ground, an increase in arms assistance to fighters opposing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and a no-fly zone. The option of adding more Special Forces is only relevant to a counter-terrorism strategy aimed at the Islamic State (IS) group, not at preventing the further weakening of anti-Assad forces. Special Forces are now in Syria to help the one reliable ally against IS -- the Kurdish YPG. Sending them into provinces to fight the Syrian army or Hezbollah would be an overreach of stunning proportions. Increasing arms to opposition forces is not feasible as long as the Russians are able to cut the line of supply from Turkey to Aleppo -- unless the US is prepared to go to war with Russia by trying to airdrop the weapons, which would involve direct military conflict with the Russian Air Force. As for the no-fly zone option, which Turkey and Saudi Arabia have pressed on Obama for years without success, the senior official made it clear to CNN that the Pentagon still opposes that option -- as it has since early 2012 when it was first proposed. It is even less viable, according to the official, because it would have to destroy Russian air defence radars rather than just Syrian air defences. "I can't tell you that's off the table," said the official. "It's at the end of the table, just not off it." Translation: someone may still be advocating it, but it is not going to be adopted. Kerry's invocation of "Plan B," on the other hand, was an effort to suggest that there is a serious possibility of a more aggressive US posture in Syria and that he was personally behind such a move. Just before his reference to "Plan B" in the testimony, Kerry took the unusual step of declaring, "It is well known that I have advocated strong efforts to support the opposition." And he suggested that "Plan B," if there was one, would be more "confrontational." But he also acknowledged that there would be many stages before anything dramatically different would be done, and that it would only come when it became clear that there was no way to save the negotiating process. At the same time that Kerry sent signals that conflict with those of the Pentagon, he was also trying to fend off attacks on his ceasefire and negotiation strategy by Republicans who asserted that the Russians and the Assad government have already essentially won the war against the opposition. Ever since it became clear that the Russian air offensive in Aleppo and Idlib has been successful in loosening the grip of al-Nusra Front and its "moderate" allies along the route from Aleppo to the Turkish border, the political elite in Washington has been buzzing about what the Washington Post diplomatic correspondent has called the "appearance of allowing Russia to act with impunity" in Syria. Such language, implying that the United States should be taking action to counter the Russian-Syrian offensive, reflects the distorted image of the Syrian conflict in US political discourse. The Obama administration helped create that distortion by putting forward the fiction of a powerful "moderate" military force in Syria that could be the basis for a negotiated settlement. The premise of the administration's argument claims that Russian planes had mainly targeted US-supported "moderate" forces, who the Russians called "terrorists." In fact, the Obama administration had been well aware since early 2013 that al-Qaeda's affiliate al-Nusra Front and its Salafist allies, supported by US regional allies, were already beginning to dominate the secular, pro-democratic forces. Kerry was well aware in 2015 that the opposition groups in Idlib and Aleppo provinces -- to which the United States had been supplying weapons -- had not only been coordinating their military operations with al-Nusra, but actually intermingled with them throughout those provinces. Kerry had depended on the power of Salafist forces to gain some leverage on the Syrian government in negotiations. Reprinted from Wallwritings Super Tuesday performed as predicted. Hillary Clinton won six southern states with considerable African-American backing. She narrowly won Massachusetts. Sanders won Vermont, Oklahoma, Minnesota and Colorado. The major message from this particular Super Tuesday is that Donald Trump has emerged as an even more threatening nightmare to both political parties. It is a nightmare which will only grow in intensity. Trump's success is rooted in the political toxins of fear and hate, symbiotic emotions generated by a political process whose dominant generating force is the manic desire to gain power and control wealth. That force is so prevalent that a disturbingly large and expanding number of voters do not respond to the current political culture with the agonizing "scream" displayed above in the iconic composition by the Expressionist Norwegian artist Edvard Munch. Instead of screaming in horror, those voters thrive on fear and hate, toxic forces that landed with the pious Pilgrims at Plymouth Rock. After the Pilgrims and their successors conquered and slaughtered the indigenous people of a not-so-new land, a new republic grew into an empire, but at what a cost. "We reap what we sow" is the harsh reminder of how we got to this moment that demands a "scream." In our current political incarnation, Republicans are directly responsible for Trumpism, while Democrats assisted in creating the cultural soil in which Trumpism was born and raised. The Democratic Party developed a softer brand of fear and hate through its militant neoliberalism. That softer brand is now embodied in the campaign of Hillary Clinton, carrying forward the Clinton brand her husband shaped and polished in his two terms in the White House. Nicholas Kristof describes the current Trump phenomenon in polite New York Times language when he writes: "The most likely Republican nominee for president is a man who mocks women, insults Latinos, endorses war crimes like torture, denounces party icons and favors barring people from the United States based on their religion. "He's less a true-believer conservative than an opportunist, though, for he has supported single-payer health insurance, abortion rights and tighter gun measures. Lindsey Graham says he's 'crazy,' Jeb Bush says he would be worse than President Obama, and the conservative National Review warned that he is a 'menace to American conservatism.'" Donald Trump is "smarter than critics believe -- he understood the political mood better than we pundits did -- but I can't think of any national politician I've met over the decades who was so ill informed on the issues, or so evasive, or who so elegantly and dangerously melded bombast and vapidity." Kristof asks the question we will hear increasingly over the next nine months, "how did we get to this stage where the leading Republican candidate is loathed by the Republican establishment?" His answer is direct: "Republican leaders brought this on themselves. Over the decades they pried open a Pandora's box, a toxic politics of fear and resentment, sometimes brewed with a tinge of racial animus, and they could never satisfy the unrealistic expectations that they nurtured among supporters." Peter Wehner is a self-described evangelical Christian and a senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center. He served in the last three Republican administrations. He speaks from the GOP side of the political spectrum and the conservative side of the religious spectrum. The question that troubles him is why is Donald Trump "the candidate of choice of many evangelical Christians?" He probes for an answer in a recent New York Times column he wrote before Trump's Super Tuesday victories: Articles Listed By Date List By Popularity Search Title Date Between Any 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 Any 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 and Any 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 Any 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Page 1 of 6 First Last Back Next 2 3 4 5 6 View All SHARE Will the Democratic Party of "What?" Heed the Cry from the Center? Back in 2017, I wrote an article "Abandoned and Deserted, a Cry from the Center." In it I discussed the plight of "centrists," most of them hoping for some sort of dialogue to somehow "break out" between the country's various warring factions. I also could not understand why the majority of influential Democrats had ignored Joe Biden as their preferred presidential candidate. Sunday, June 26, 2022Back in 2017, I wrote an article "Abandoned and Deserted, a Cry from the Center." In it I discussed the plight of "centrists," most of them hoping for some sort of dialogue to somehow "break out" between the country's various warring factions. I also could not understand why the majority of influential Democrats had ignored Joe Biden as their preferred presidential candidate. (2 comments) SHARE The Democratic Party of What? In the past, I have sarcastically referred to the Democratic party as "The Democratic Party of Stupid" and Republicans as "The Republican Party of Evil." I went on to discuss some serious concerns which I felt had never been adequately addressed. The more obvious, those having to do with both parties becoming more and more extreme while at the same time becoming less and less credible... Tuesday, May 31, 2022In the past, I have sarcastically referred to the Democratic party as "The Democratic Party of Stupid" and Republicans as "The Republican Party of Evil." I went on to discuss some serious concerns which I felt had never been adequately addressed. The more obvious, those having to do with both parties becoming more and more extreme while at the same time becoming less and less credible... SHARE A Message Lost in the Mythology This article could have been written about almost any ethical religion and virtually any political party. It just happens that the predominant "religion" in our country is made up of a conglomeration of people who profess belief in someone we call "Jesus Christ." Monday, May 23, 2022This article could have been written about almost any ethical religion and virtually any political party. It just happens that the predominant "religion" in our country is made up of a conglomeration of people who profess belief in someone we call "Jesus Christ." SHARE The Story of Barrabbas: The Advent of Fake News and Q-Anon To my mind, the most troubling and at the same time the most intriguing story in the New Testament is that of Barabbas, the "brigand" supposedly freed by Pontius Pilate at the behest of the so-called "Jewish mob." Moreover, with all of its dripping irony, the story is representative of the very same conflict, I believe, that would eventually lead to the origin of "fake news," to the earliest form of "Q-Anon"... . Thursday, October 14, 2021To my mind, the most troubling and at the same time the most intriguing story in the New Testament is that of Barabbas, the "brigand" supposedly freed by Pontius Pilate at the behest of the so-called "Jewish mob." Moreover, with all of its dripping irony, the story is representative of the very same conflict, I believe, that would eventually lead to the origin of "fake news," to the earliest form of "Q-Anon"... . (1 comments) SHARE Is It Finally Time to Overhaul Those Unwritten "Rules of Procedure?" We have not had any accountability from either military or civilian authorities since the Vietnam War, certainly not since "W's" senseless attacks on Afghanistan and Iraq, attacks on two "tribal conglomerations," neither of which had any real involvement in "9/11." Neither have we had even an ounce of credibility from the FBI or the so-called "Justice" Department. Wednesday, September 22, 2021We have not had any accountability from either military or civilian authorities since the Vietnam War, certainly not since "W's" senseless attacks on Afghanistan and Iraq, attacks on two "tribal conglomerations," neither of which had any real involvement in "9/11." Neither have we had even an ounce of credibility from the FBI or the so-called "Justice" Department. SHARE Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire! Take Justice to The Next Level It is time to stop complaining about the violation of well established civilized norms and to begin discussions about whether to overturn some of the not quite so civilized norms that may actually need to be overturned, ironically, to save our democratic republic. Wednesday, January 13, 2021It is time to stop complaining about the violation of well established civilized norms and to begin discussions about whether to overturn some of the not quite so civilized norms that may actually need to be overturned, ironically, to save our democratic republic. (6 comments) SHARE The Real Question: Treason or Incompetence? The silence is deafening. Where are they? I'm talking about the people who can add and subtract without using their fingers and toes. Let's see, Mr. Trump sent his closest henchmen to meet with Russian agents during his presidential campaign intending to subvert official U.S. policy in exchange for the Russians' help in the campaign... Wednesday, December 23, 2020The silence is deafening. Where are they? I'm talking about the people who can add and subtract without using their fingers and toes. Let's see, Mr. Trump sent his closest henchmen to meet with Russian agents during his presidential campaign intending to subvert official U.S. policy in exchange for the Russians' help in the campaign... (5 comments) SHARE Righteous Murder, Really? What Next? I know, nobody, especially Democrats, wants to talk about it. A number of ignorant extremist "pseudo Christians," sharing a fleeting friendship with a number of equally ignorant extremist orthodox Jews, insist they have a right to turn worship services into super spreader pandemic events... Wednesday, December 2, 2020I know, nobody, especially Democrats, wants to talk about it. A number of ignorant extremist "pseudo Christians," sharing a fleeting friendship with a number of equally ignorant extremist orthodox Jews, insist they have a right to turn worship services into super spreader pandemic events... (1 comments) SHARE Will it be the Ghost of Antonin Scalia that Convicts President Trump? The clear distinction between an institutional vote and a public vote aside, one thing becomes abundantly clear, that not only would President Trump have a marked "conflict of interest" in any attempt to introduce an "institutional" pardon for himself, but so too would anyone Trump or his allies choose to appoint as "acting" president before the president elect is sworn in... Sunday, November 15, 2020The clear distinction between an institutional vote and a public vote aside, one thing becomes abundantly clear, that not only would President Trump have a marked "conflict of interest" in any attempt to introduce an "institutional" pardon for himself, but so too would anyone Trump or his allies choose to appoint as "acting" president before the president elect is sworn in... (1 comments) SHARE Originalism- A Fool's Errand? These are examples of only a few of the contradictions and compromises to be found in the "Bible." I bring this up reluctantly because try as I may, I cannot find a single U.S. Constitutional "originalist" who is not also some sort of religious originalist, that is also refusing to see the contradictions and human frailties inherent in any document composed by human beings, even human beings who are "divinely" inspired... Thursday, October 29, 2020These are examples of only a few of the contradictions and compromises to be found in the "Bible." I bring this up reluctantly because try as I may, I cannot find a single U.S. Constitutional "originalist" who is not also some sort of religious originalist, that is also refusing to see the contradictions and human frailties inherent in any document composed by human beings, even human beings who are "divinely" inspired... SHARE "Oklakoma" Republicans and Resurgence of the H. stupidus Virus As for the intellectual and moral "deplorables" attending the Trump viral-incubation rally in Oklahoma, if they have to thoughtlessly infect someone else, would anyone be asking for it more than Bloviator in Chief Trump? Monday, June 22, 2020As for the intellectual and moral "deplorables" attending the Trump viral-incubation rally in Oklahoma, if they have to thoughtlessly infect someone else, would anyone be asking for it more than Bloviator in Chief Trump? SHARE This Time There Must Be a Reckoning II The case of Captain Brett E. Crozier's dismissal as skipper of the nuclear aircraft carrier Theodore Roosvelt by acting Secretary of the Navy, Thomas Modley adds a new twist to the machinations of the president and the toadies with which he surrounds himself... Monday, April 27, 2020The case of Captain Brett E. Crozier's dismissal as skipper of the nuclear aircraft carrier Theodore Roosvelt by acting Secretary of the Navy, Thomas Modley adds a new twist to the machinations of the president and the toadies with which he surrounds himself... (1 comments) SHARE This Time There Must Be a Reckoning An adolescent president with a massive and fatal inferiority complex, already mentally and emotionally inadequate to lead, is faced with the worst natural disaster since the 1918 flu epidemic. His first worry is certainly not the loss of human lives, but the effect the truth of the pandemic will have on the economy, his only lifeline to reelection... Sunday, April 5, 2020An adolescent president with a massive and fatal inferiority complex, already mentally and emotionally inadequate to lead, is faced with the worst natural disaster since the 1918 flu epidemic. His first worry is certainly not the loss of human lives, but the effect the truth of the pandemic will have on the economy, his only lifeline to reelection... (9 comments) SHARE Democratic Candidates: It's Time to Start Doing Your Homework Trump has officially turned the White House into his personal brothel, employing his lackeys, both men and women, to turn political tricks. However, I believe we must be careful not to take out our frustration on relative "good guys," that is fellow Democrats and "moderate" Republicans, understandably terrified by mobsters Trump and McConnell's threats to utterly destroy their states... Wednesday, February 19, 2020Trump has officially turned the White House into his personal brothel, employing his lackeys, both men and women, to turn political tricks. However, I believe we must be careful not to take out our frustration on relative "good guys," that is fellow Democrats and "moderate" Republicans, understandably terrified by mobsters Trump and McConnell's threats to utterly destroy their states... SHARE Political Capital and the Best Ways to Waste It The greatest strength of the Democratic Party may well be its greatest weakness. Virtually everyone seems to know this, of course, but the party leaders in recent years have not been able to process the idea. It is one thing to brag about protecting candidates' diverse ideologies no matter how unresearched or extreme they may be... Thursday, October 17, 2019The greatest strength of the Democratic Party may well be its greatest weakness. Virtually everyone seems to know this, of course, but the party leaders in recent years have not been able to process the idea. It is one thing to brag about protecting candidates' diverse ideologies no matter how unresearched or extreme they may be... SHARE Ideologies Don't Solve Problems, People Do As a lifelong Democrat with progressive values, I sit here bewildered by the lack of common sense so predominant in my political party... Monday, May 6, 2019As a lifelong Democrat with progressive values, I sit here bewildered by the lack of common sense so predominant in my political party... (2 comments) SHARE Discipline, Discipline, Discipline I think it is time for Progressives to stop acting like snobs and realize that the goals of more moderate Democrats are the very same goals as their own. The secret to success, is seldom in the ultimate goals, some that may never even be achieved... Monday, December 24, 2018I think it is time for Progressives to stop acting like snobs and realize that the goals of more moderate Democrats are the very same goals as their own. The secret to success, is seldom in the ultimate goals, some that may never even be achieved... (1 comments) SHARE It's Time for the President's Cabinet to Do its Job! I have written before that Donald Trump is not a successful "businessman," but rather a successful "criminal" who has made a fortune out of bogus business deals, laundered money, defrauding tenants and college students and a stint as a television personality. He obviously knows nothing about legitimate business... Saturday, December 22, 2018I have written before that Donald Trump is not a successful "businessman," but rather a successful "criminal" who has made a fortune out of bogus business deals, laundered money, defrauding tenants and college students and a stint as a television personality. He obviously knows nothing about legitimate business... SHARE Proud to Be a Real American The current brouhaha over Elizabeth Warren's recent DNA test seems to represent yet another case of illiteracy so prevalent in Washington D.C... Thursday, October 18, 2018The current brouhaha over Elizabeth Warren's recent DNA test seems to represent yet another case of illiteracy so prevalent in Washington D.C... (3 comments) SHARE "Freedom of Speech:" The Supreme Court's Convenient New Garbage Can Regarding the recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court siding with the baker who turned away a gay couple, refusing to create their wedding cake, for quite some time, while awaiting the Court's decision, I felt that the baker was actually justified on legitimate religious grounds... Tuesday, July 17, 2018Regarding the recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court siding with the baker who turned away a gay couple, refusing to create their wedding cake, for quite some time, while awaiting the Court's decision, I felt that the baker was actually justified on legitimate religious grounds... Page 1 of 6 First Last Back Next 2 3 4 5 6 View All Articles Listed By Date List By Popularity Search Title Date Between Any 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 Any 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 and Any 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 Any 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Page 1 of 30 First Last Back Next 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 View All (2 comments) SHARE A Better Human Story: #11-- Humankind as Tragic Hero The story of the creature that breaks out of its biologically-evolved niche moves forward with an inevitability characteristic of tragic drama. Biological evolution -- which chooses life over death -- lays the foundation for the good. The breakout from that order into civilization inevitably creates a disorder transmitted through the system, working like what's always been called "evil." A drama in three acts that unfold here. Sunday, December 3, 2017The story of the creature that breaks out of its biologically-evolved niche moves forward with an inevitability characteristic of tragic drama. Biological evolution -- which chooses life over death -- lays the foundation for the good. The breakout from that order into civilization inevitably creates a disorder transmitted through the system, working like what's always been called "evil." A drama in three acts that unfold here. SHARE A Better Human Story # 9-- Understanding Evil In our times, a destructive force has arisen quite visibly in the American power structure. Trump is of course part of it, but he is also a symptom and product of what has been emerging on the right for years. Liberal America has been blind to this bigger picture-- a blindness that has enabled that force to gain power. Here's a way of understanding "evil": a coherent force that spreads a pattern of brokenness-- call it "evil." Friday, October 6, 2017In our times, a destructive force has arisen quite visibly in the American power structure. Trump is of course part of it, but he is also a symptom and product of what has been emerging on the right for years. Liberal America has been blind to this bigger picture-- a blindness that has enabled that force to gain power. Here's a way of understanding "evil": a coherent force that spreads a pattern of brokenness-- call it "evil." (31 comments) SHARE The Why of "White Supremacy" The profound human brokenness represented by "white supremacy" can be seen in both moral-spiritual and historical perspectives. Wednesday, August 16, 2017The profound human brokenness represented by "white supremacy" can be seen in both moral-spiritual and historical perspectives. (2 comments) SHARE Better Human Story # 5-- The Parable of the Tribes: The Problem of Power in Social Evolution When humankind broke out of the niche in which our species had evolved biologically, and thus began to create a new kind of life form, we inadvertently created also a new kind of disorder. And the consequence of that disorder was -- and has been -- that the evolution of civilization has inevitably been driven in a direction that humanity did not choose but could not stop: driven by a selection for the ways of power. Thursday, July 6, 2017When humankind broke out of the niche in which our species had evolved biologically, and thus began to create a new kind of life form, we inadvertently created also a new kind of disorder. And the consequence of that disorder was -- and has been -- that the evolution of civilization has inevitably been driven in a direction that humanity did not choose but could not stop: driven by a selection for the ways of power. (2 comments) SHARE Malign Alignment: How an Alliance of America's Darkest Forces Made the GOP Break Bad For a hundred years, the political force that had served the Slave Power and the force that was the instrument of the corporate money power had been opposed to each other along partisan lines. But then, beginning with Nixon's "Southern Strategy," the two became allies, as the Solid Democratic South became the Solid Republican South. The two darkest forces in America then turned the GOP into the force of darkness we see today. Thursday, June 29, 2017For a hundred years, the political force that had served the Slave Power and the force that was the instrument of the corporate money power had been opposed to each other along partisan lines. But then, beginning with Nixon's "Southern Strategy," the two became allies, as the Solid Democratic South became the Solid Republican South. The two darkest forces in America then turned the GOP into the force of darkness we see today. (9 comments) SHARE A Better Human Story #4-- Humankind's Perilous Step into Terra Incognita: The Rise of Civilization If we look back at history, we take civilization for granted, and we -- mistakenly -- conclude that the history of civilization represents human nature writ large. But if we look at the rise of civilization in the perspective of the almost 4 billion year evolution of life on earth, we see that humankind stumbled into an unprecedented and impossible situation we did not choose and could not avoid, dictating our destiny. Saturday, June 17, 2017If we look back at history, we take civilization for granted, and we -- mistakenly -- conclude that the history of civilization represents human nature writ large. But if we look at the rise of civilization in the perspective of the almost 4 billion year evolution of life on earth, we see that humankind stumbled into an unprecedented and impossible situation we did not choose and could not avoid, dictating our destiny. (2 comments) SHARE The Sacred Space of Lovers (Third in the Series, "A Better Human Story") This third entry in the series "A Better Human Story" builds upon the previous discussion of how evolution crafts us to find fulfillment in what has been life-serving, and how fulfillment is the only sensible basis for "value." Here, "the sacred space of lovers" is explored-- a place of deep fulfillment that has been central to the perpetuation of our kind. Friday, May 26, 2017This third entry in the series "A Better Human Story" builds upon the previous discussion of how evolution crafts us to find fulfillment in what has been life-serving, and how fulfillment is the only sensible basis for "value." Here, "the sacred space of lovers" is explored-- a place of deep fulfillment that has been central to the perpetuation of our kind. (3 comments) SHARE How "the Good" Emerges Out of Evolution (Second in the Series, "A Better Human Story") Many who arrive at their beliefs in a wholly secular and rational way -- believing what is shown by evidence processed by reason -- have concluded that "value" is not really "real," that one cannot get from "is" to "ought," that issues of right and wrong or good and evil are merely matters of opinion. Such conclusions are non sequiturs. This piece shows how "value" that is very real EMERGED out of the evolutionary process. Sunday, May 7, 2017Many who arrive at their beliefs in a wholly secular and rational way -- believing what is shown by evidence processed by reason -- have concluded that "value" is not really "real," that one cannot get from "is" to "ought," that issues of right and wrong or good and evil are merely matters of opinion. Such conclusions are non sequiturs. This piece shows how "value" that is very real EMERGED out of the evolutionary process. (20 comments) SHARE A Better Human Story (First in a Series) Would you be interested in hearing about a way of understanding our humanity, and the story of our species on this planet, that " Explains much about the overall trajectory of human history; and, " Offers insight into why our history has been as tormented and destructive as it has been; " Presents a plausible way of comprehending the nature, source, and modus operandi of what has tradtionally been called evil?(And more) Thursday, April 27, 2017Would you be interested in hearing about a way of understanding our humanity, and the story of our species on this planet, that " Explains much about the overall trajectory of human history; and, " Offers insight into why our history has been as tormented and destructive as it has been; " Presents a plausible way of comprehending the nature, source, and modus operandi of what has tradtionally been called evil?(And more) (12 comments) SHARE A Global Counter to the Global Rise of Fascism Trump's rise to the presidency in the United States is part of a larger global trend toward what might be called "The Rule of the Thug" or, as I'd propose, "The Rise of Fascism" in various democratic, or once-democratic, nations. This dark global trend calls for not only political struggle at the national level, but alsoo a global movement to combat it. This article describes what such a movement might most effectively do. Thursday, January 12, 2017Trump's rise to the presidency in the United States is part of a larger global trend toward what might be called "The Rule of the Thug" or, as I'd propose, "The Rise of Fascism" in various democratic, or once-democratic, nations. This dark global trend calls for not only political struggle at the national level, but alsoo a global movement to combat it. This article describes what such a movement might most effectively do. SHARE "Seek Peace While Preparing for War": A Strategy for the Outset of the Trump Era In this extremely dangerous moment in our nation's history, we owe it to ourselves and our posterity to seek best-case scenarios with the new president, rather than merely assuming that all that we fear will come to pass. Because we have good reason to fear the worst, we also need to prepare to fight What this calls for is moves that simultaneously test for the possibility of peace, and that also position us well for battle. Tuesday, November 15, 2016In this extremely dangerous moment in our nation's history, we owe it to ourselves and our posterity to seek best-case scenarios with the new president, rather than merely assuming that all that we fear will come to pass. Because we have good reason to fear the worst, we also need to prepare to fight What this calls for is moves that simultaneously test for the possibility of peace, and that also position us well for battle. (6 comments) SHARE "Seek Peace While Preparing for War": Going to/after Trump about Climate Change Here is the first application of the overall strategy -- develop moves toward/against Trump -- that are apt both for attaining a positive outcome and for framing the battle, if it must be fought, advantageously for our side. Here it is applied to that most crucial issue: meeting the challenge of climate change (regarding which all the signs thus far from Trump are deeply troubling). Tuesday, November 15, 2016Here is the first application of the overall strategy -- develop moves toward/against Trump -- that are apt both for attaining a positive outcome and for framing the battle, if it must be fought, advantageously for our side. Here it is applied to that most crucial issue: meeting the challenge of climate change (regarding which all the signs thus far from Trump are deeply troubling). (19 comments) SHARE The Line from Obama that Floored Me Last Night - Lumping Donald Trump with America's Mortal Enemies It is not President Obama's way to deliver a blow in the ring of the sort that puts an opponent down for the count. ("When they go low, we go high.") But last night he said something -delivering so unexpectedly powerful a blow -- that made me leap from my seat. Thursday, July 28, 2016It is not President Obama's way to deliver a blow in the ring of the sort that puts an opponent down for the count. ("When they go low, we go high.") But last night he said something -delivering so unexpectedly powerful a blow -- that made me leap from my seat. (18 comments) SHARE Brexit: A Setback in One of Humankind's Most Important Projects If we look at what provided the initial impetus for the unification of Europe, we can see why what the Europeans have attempted to do over the past several generations is something that prudence -- indeed possibly human survival -- requires that civilization as a whole attempt to do in the next century or two. Wednesday, June 29, 2016If we look at what provided the initial impetus for the unification of Europe, we can see why what the Europeans have attempted to do over the past several generations is something that prudence -- indeed possibly human survival -- requires that civilization as a whole attempt to do in the next century or two. (2 comments) SHARE Any Self-Respecting Supreme Court Would Have Struck Down the Texas Abortion Law The Texas law was clearly an attack on the authority of the Supreme Court. That alone should be enough for a Supreme Court justice -- even one who doesn't agree with what the Court has previously said about the right to an abortion -- to strike down that law. (But only Kennedy, of the four "conservative" Supremes, put the integrity of our constitutional system ahead of their partisan policy position.) Monday, June 27, 2016The Texas law was clearly an attack on the authority of the Supreme Court. That alone should be enough for a Supreme Court justice -- even one who doesn't agree with what the Court has previously said about the right to an abortion -- to strike down that law. (But only Kennedy, of the four "conservative" Supremes, put the integrity of our constitutional system ahead of their partisan policy position.) (10 comments) SHARE Did the Spirit of Donald Trump Help Assassinate Jo Cox in Britain Last Week? Thomas Mair pulled the trigger. But like all human actions, Mair's lethal attack took place in a context. There are quite plausible ways by which the rise of Donald Trump, with his message of bigotry, in the United States, could have contributed to pushing the bigoted Mair over the edge into assassinating the pro-EU member of Parliament, Jo Cox. Tuesday, June 21, 2016Thomas Mair pulled the trigger. But like all human actions, Mair's lethal attack took place in a context. There are quite plausible ways by which the rise of Donald Trump, with his message of bigotry, in the United States, could have contributed to pushing the bigoted Mair over the edge into assassinating the pro-EU member of Parliament, Jo Cox. (1 comments) SHARE I Was Wrong About Trump A piece appearing in newspapers in my conservative congressional district in Virginia: Previously, I thought Donald Trump was an accomplished actor, who could choose what role to play to achieve his purposes. Now it seems I was wrong. The needless, counterproductive fights he has picked lately,show that rather than being in control of his belligerence, Trump is controlled by it. Wednesday, June 8, 2016A piece appearing in newspapers in my conservative congressional district in Virginia: Previously, I thought Donald Trump was an accomplished actor, who could choose what role to play to achieve his purposes. Now it seems I was wrong. The needless, counterproductive fights he has picked lately,show that rather than being in control of his belligerence, Trump is controlled by it. (13 comments) SHARE A Win-Win Way for Bernie to Lead Now A strategy for Bernie that should be liked both by those who are still hoping for Bernie to get the nomination and those who want Bernie to strengthen the Democratic cause for the fall campaign, or at least stop weakening it. It is a good way for Bernie to make a case for himself. And it sets the stage for a strong party after the convention, no matter who is the nominee. Wednesday, May 25, 2016A strategy for Bernie that should be liked both by those who are still hoping for Bernie to get the nomination and those who want Bernie to strengthen the Democratic cause for the fall campaign, or at least stop weakening it. It is a good way for Bernie to make a case for himself. And it sets the stage for a strong party after the convention, no matter who is the nominee. (24 comments) SHARE Are We on the Democratic Side Going to Blow It Again? The Democratic side has a history of not seeing the battlefield well, and of either fighting the wrong battle or fighting the right one weakly. In recent weeks, this unfortunate pattern has been repeated, with a squandered opportunity to make the most of a moment when Trump and the GOP could have been weakened by a unifed Democratic voice delivering the right message to the Republican world and to the nation. Monday, May 23, 2016The Democratic side has a history of not seeing the battlefield well, and of either fighting the wrong battle or fighting the right one weakly. In recent weeks, this unfortunate pattern has been repeated, with a squandered opportunity to make the most of a moment when Trump and the GOP could have been weakened by a unifed Democratic voice delivering the right message to the Republican world and to the nation. (1 comments) SHARE Why Trump's Lies and Transgressions Appeal to His Followers Donald Trump breaks the rules. For his followers, that's part of his appeal. Trump specializes in the lie. That, too, draws his followers to him. That's because Trump's movement is an appeal to the authoritarian personality, which is built around a fundamental lie, and which is, at its root, a rebellion against the order it pretends to serve. Sunday, May 22, 2016Donald Trump breaks the rules. For his followers, that's part of his appeal. Trump specializes in the lie. That, too, draws his followers to him. That's because Trump's movement is an appeal to the authoritarian personality, which is built around a fundamental lie, and which is, at its root, a rebellion against the order it pretends to serve. Page 1 of 30 First Last Back Next 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 View All Articles Listed By Date List By Popularity Search Title Date Between Any 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 Any 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 and Any 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 Any 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Page 1 of 11 First Last Back Next 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 View All (5 comments) SHARE Afghanistan collapse reveals Beltway media's loyalty to permanent war state In the wake of a remarkably successful Taliban offensive capped by the takeover of Kabul, the responses of corporate media provided what may have been the most dramatic demonstration ever of its fealty to the Pentagon and military leadership. Thursday, September 2, 2021In the wake of a remarkably successful Taliban offensive capped by the takeover of Kabul, the responses of corporate media provided what may have been the most dramatic demonstration ever of its fealty to the Pentagon and military leadership. SHARE WATCH: A Fiery Defense of Assange Gareth Porter on the Pentagon deceiving and manipulating civilian leaders in the Cold War; Lori Wallach on greed hindering the global vaccine rollout; and Joe Lauria on the myths that mislead many on Julian Assange. Monday, August 2, 2021Gareth Porter on the Pentagon deceiving and manipulating civilian leaders in the Cold War; Lori Wallach on greed hindering the global vaccine rollout; and Joe Lauria on the myths that mislead many on Julian Assange. (2 comments) SHARE Pentagon campaign to recruit Vietnam as military ally against China exposed delusions of US war strategy After convincing itself Vietnam would grant it access for missile bases against China, the Pentagon got a hard dose of reality. Sunday, April 11, 2021After convincing itself Vietnam would grant it access for missile bases against China, the Pentagon got a hard dose of reality. SHARE Painting Fakrhizadeh as a Nuclear Mastermind Israel's Mossad intelligence agency eliminated Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, a defense official, despite the knowledge that its public depiction of him as the key architect of an Iranian nuclear weapons program was a deception. Sunday, December 6, 2020Israel's Mossad intelligence agency eliminated Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, a defense official, despite the knowledge that its public depiction of him as the key architect of an Iranian nuclear weapons program was a deception. (1 comments) SHARE Don't delay military withdrawal from the Middle East The Quincy Institute is right to call for a withdrawal of US troops from the Middle East, but its timeline is too slow. Saturday, August 8, 2020The Quincy Institute is right to call for a withdrawal of US troops from the Middle East, but its timeline is too slow. (19 comments) SHARE How the Pentagon failed to sell Afghan government's bunk "Bountygate" story to US intelligence agencies New York Times Russiagate bombshell turns out to be a dud, as dodgy stories spun out by Afghan intelligence and exploited by the Pentagon ultimately failed to convince US intelligence agencies. Saturday, July 11, 2020New York Times Russiagate bombshell turns out to be a dud, as dodgy stories spun out by Afghan intelligence and exploited by the Pentagon ultimately failed to convince US intelligence agencies. (1 comments) SHARE Israel leverages dubious "Nuclear Archives" to re-enlist IAEA in campaign against Iran The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has once again lent itself to the political interests of the United States and Israel, provoking a needless conflict with Iran. Sunday, June 28, 2020The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has once again lent itself to the political interests of the United States and Israel, provoking a needless conflict with Iran. (2 comments) SHARE FBI Launches Open Attack on 'Foreign' Alternative Media Outlets Challenging U.S. Foreign Policy The FBI has publicly justified its suppression of dissenting online views about US foreign policy if a media outlet can be somehow linked to one of its adversaries. The Bureau's justification followed a series of instances in which Silicon Valley social media platforms banned accounts following consultations with the FBI. Sunday, June 7, 2020The FBI has publicly justified its suppression of dissenting online views about US foreign policy if a media outlet can be somehow linked to one of its adversaries. The Bureau's justification followed a series of instances in which Silicon Valley social media platforms banned accounts following consultations with the FBI. (1 comments) SHARE COVID-19: Fallout From a Navy Captain's Heroism: The Possible Emergence of a New Idea of "National Security" The conflict between the Navy high command, a captain and his threatened crew could underscore a new meaning of national security after the pandemic runs its course, says Gareth Porter. Tuesday, April 14, 2020The conflict between the Navy high command, a captain and his threatened crew could underscore a new meaning of national security after the pandemic runs its course, says Gareth Porter. (2 comments) SHARE How Generals Fueled 1918 Flu Pandemic To Win Their World War The lack of concern of Washington bureaucrats for the well-being of the troops, as they pursue their own war interests, appears to be a common pattern -- seen too, in the U.S. wars in Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq. Now it has been revealed once again in the stunningly callous response of the Pentagon to the coronavirus crisis. Monday, April 6, 2020The lack of concern of Washington bureaucrats for the well-being of the troops, as they pursue their own war interests, appears to be a common pattern -- seen too, in the U.S. wars in Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq. Now it has been revealed once again in the stunningly callous response of the Pentagon to the coronavirus crisis. (6 comments) SHARE Bolton Is Spinning Israeli "Intelligence" to Push for War Against Iran John Bolton has gotten away with a dangerous deception. The national security adviser's announcement Sunday that the Pentagon has deployed air and naval forces to the Middle East, which he combined with a threat to Iran, points to a new maneuver to prepare the ground for an incident that could justify a retaliatory attack against Iran. Sunday, May 12, 2019John Bolton has gotten away with a dangerous deception. The national security adviser's announcement Sunday that the Pentagon has deployed air and naval forces to the Middle East, which he combined with a threat to Iran, points to a new maneuver to prepare the ground for an incident that could justify a retaliatory attack against Iran. SHARE Mueller Stoked Trump-Russia Alarmism, Despite Finding No Collusion The Mueller report doesn't show the Trump campaign collusion the public had been led by media coverage to expect. But it is a siren song for a continued focus on the supposed threat to U.S. democracy from Russian "meddling". It is aimed at maintaining public support for a focus on the threat from Russia, which diverts the attention of the media and Congress from real threats to democracy from Trump's domestic agenda. Monday, May 6, 2019The Mueller report doesn't show the Trump campaign collusion the public had been led by media coverage to expect. But it is a siren song for a continued focus on the supposed threat to U.S. democracy from Russian "meddling". It is aimed at maintaining public support for a focus on the threat from Russia, which diverts the attention of the media and Congress from real threats to democracy from Trump's domestic agenda. (10 comments) SHARE The Right May Finally Get Its War on Iran John Bolton has never made a secret of his burning desire to stoke a war between the United States and Iran. But Bolton is not the only one on Donald Trump's national security team who dreams of such a military confrontation. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has joined with Bolton in recent months to prepare a case for possible war with Iran. Saturday, March 2, 2019John Bolton has never made a secret of his burning desire to stoke a war between the United States and Iran. But Bolton is not the only one on Donald Trump's national security team who dreams of such a military confrontation. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has joined with Bolton in recent months to prepare a case for possible war with Iran. (2 comments) SHARE The Real Motive Behind the FBI Plan to Investigate Trump as a Russian Agent - Consortiumnews Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and senior FBI officials "viewed Trump as a leader who needed to be reined in, according to two sources describing the sentiment of the time." That description by anti-Trump law enforcement officials suggests that the proposed counter-intelligence investigation of Trump served as a means to maintain some leverage over his treatment of the FBI in regard to the Russia issue. Wednesday, February 13, 2019Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and senior FBI officials "viewed Trump as a leader who needed to be reined in, according to two sources describing the sentiment of the time." That description by anti-Trump law enforcement officials suggests that the proposed counter-intelligence investigation of Trump served as a means to maintain some leverage over his treatment of the FBI in regard to the Russia issue. (1 comments) SHARE Is the End of the Brutal War in Yemen Finally at Hand? The war's swift conclusion appears all but inevitable. While Crown Prince Mohammed may be committed to final victory, the Saudi regime remains heavily dependent on U.S. political-diplomatic cover, as it has since the beginning of the bombing campaign in Yemen. Ironically, that political reality could now tip the balance toward peace. Wednesday, January 2, 2019The war's swift conclusion appears all but inevitable. While Crown Prince Mohammed may be committed to final victory, the Saudi regime remains heavily dependent on U.S. political-diplomatic cover, as it has since the beginning of the bombing campaign in Yemen. Ironically, that political reality could now tip the balance toward peace. (3 comments) SHARE U.K. and Ecuador Conspire to Deliver Julian Assange to U.S. Authorities Behind the revelation of those secret charges for supposedly threatening U.S. national security is a murky story of a political ploy by the Ecuadorian and British governments to create a phony rationale for ousting Assange from the embassy. The two regimes agreed to base their plan on the claim that Assange was conspiring to flee to Russia. Tuesday, November 27, 2018Behind the revelation of those secret charges for supposedly threatening U.S. national security is a murky story of a political ploy by the Ecuadorian and British governments to create a phony rationale for ousting Assange from the embassy. The two regimes agreed to base their plan on the claim that Assange was conspiring to flee to Russia. (3 comments) SHARE America's Permanent-War Complex In the new permanent-war complex the interests of the arms contractors have increasingly dominated over the interests of the civilian Pentagon and the military services and dominance has became a new driving force for continued war. Sunday, November 18, 2018In the new permanent-war complex the interests of the arms contractors have increasingly dominated over the interests of the civilian Pentagon and the military services and dominance has became a new driving force for continued war. (2 comments) SHARE 33 Trillion More Reasons Why The New York Times Gets it Wrong on Russia-gate Further research shows The New York Times was even further off the mark in blaming Russian social media for Trump's win, as Gareth Porter reports. Saturday, November 3, 2018Further research shows The New York Times was even further off the mark in blaming Russian social media for Trump's win, as Gareth Porter reports. (31 comments) SHARE Could Trump Take Down the American Empire? More than any other presidency in modern history, Donald Trump's has been a veritable sociopolitical wrecking ball, deliberately stoking conflict by playing to xenophobic and racist currents in American society and debasing its political discourse. That fact has been widely discussed. But Trump's attacks on the system of the global U.S. military presence and commitments have gotten far less notice. Saturday, October 6, 2018More than any other presidency in modern history, Donald Trump's has been a veritable sociopolitical wrecking ball, deliberately stoking conflict by playing to xenophobic and racist currents in American society and debasing its political discourse. That fact has been widely discussed. But Trump's attacks on the system of the global U.S. military presence and commitments have gotten far less notice. (30 comments) SHARE How the Department of Homeland Security Created a Deceptive Tale of Russia Hacking US Voter Sites The narrative about Russian cyberattacks on American election infrastructure is a self-interested abuse of power by DHS based on distortion of evidence, writes Gareth Porter. Thursday, August 30, 2018The narrative about Russian cyberattacks on American election infrastructure is a self-interested abuse of power by DHS based on distortion of evidence, writes Gareth Porter. Page 1 of 11 First Last Back Next 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 View All Support our Overland athletes in their upcoming games and competitions. Click the headline title for this week's events and streaming links. Note: all home events that will take place in our West Gym from here on out will be broadcast FOR FREE on our Overland Athletics YouTube Channel. A forum for critical analysis of international issues and developments of particular relevance to the sustainable political and socio-economic development of Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs). Armed forces from 20 countries have begun manoeuvres in northeastern Saudi Arabia, described by the official Saudi Press Agency as one of the worlds biggest military exercises. Troops from the other five Gulf Arab states the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar as well as Pakistan, Malaysia, Turkey, Egypt, Morocco, Jordan and Sudan are among those participating in the Raad Al Shamal, or Northern Thunder, exercise, Spa agency reported. The military drill which began on Saturday and involves ground, air and naval forces will be one of the worlds most important military exercises based on the number of forces participating and the area of territory used, the agency said. While that sounds impressive, with Saudi news outlets claiming some 350,000 troops were expected to participate, not a single photo or video has surfaced so far showing this impressive force in action. The entire point of mounting such monumental military exercises is to show off ones military power to the world, not merely write about it in news articles. And more specifically, in Saudi Arabias case, such exercises are meant to show those nations it is trying to coerce by threat of military force just what it faces if concessions are not made. Tanks, combat aircraft and missiles are only as powerful as the people operating, maintaining and supporting them. And in this domain, Saudi Arabia has a very long way to go. Not much is known about the proficiency of Saudi Arabias military as a fighting force. The only real war the Saudis have taken part in was Operation Desert Storm in 1991; and most of the fighting there was done by the US. More recently Saudi Arabia has been fighting in Yemen, but unsuccessfully so far. Foreign advisers speak about the difficulties in bringing Saudi Arabian soldiers to the desired combat readiness and proficiency. However, this last point could be addressed by Saudi troops simply latching on to the supply lines already in place for Al Qaeda and IS, lines likely already very familiar to planners in Riyadh, since they have helped underwrite them to begin with. Still, the unique requirements for a modern, mechanized army would need these lines expanded and augmented, something Saudi Arabia has little experience doing. And experience is perhaps a third failing Saudi Arabia brings with it when it tries to threaten other nations of invasion. Entering into the Syrian conflict and doing anything more than seizing a buffer zone at the edge of Syrias territory would be the first rodeo of its kind for Riyadh. And if such a move was considered a rodeo, its move into Yemen next door could be considered a junior rodeo, and one Riyadh has yet to finish. Saudi Arabias Threat of Invasion is Cover For Something Else If Saudi Arabia cannot even win on the battlefield in neighboring Yemen, with fighting even spilling over the border into Saudi territory, it is unlikely it will do any better against the battle-hardened, better organized and better equipped forces of the Syrian Arab Army, let alone Russias presence in the country. Clearly Saudi Arabias phantom military exercises and posturing are cover for something else. It is likely that anything that goes over the border into Syria under the Saudi flag will be anything other than actual Saudi forces. Remember those Al Qaeda and IS supply lines mentioned earlier? What if the fighters and equipment pouring into Syria simply changed their black flags to Saudi Arabias? And though Saudi Arabias demands for democracy in Syria despite the fact that Saudi Arabia itself is an absolute monarchy devoid entirely of elections, staged or otherwise, are particularly discredited, an undeserving air of legitimacy still surrounds the regime in Riyadh, perhaps enough to make it difficult for Syrian or Russian forces to attack terrorists flagged as Saudis. Consider also that while moving thousands of additional troops into the theater may be difficult, moving Saudi warplanes is not. Many are already reportedly in Turkey, standing by for operations. Saudi-flagged terrorists backed by Saudi airpower would be a particularly potent mix that could keep supply lines to terrorists fighting in Syrias interior open long enough to break Syrian-Russian operational momentum and create a stalemate only tough concessions made by Moscow and Damascus could break. With this possibility, it would benefit Syria and its allies to begin considering a true no-fly-zone over the country, excluding from Syrian airspace all nations (especially the Saudis and Turks) not given authorization by Damascus. The matter could be brought before the UN under the plausible pretext that Syrian troops are closing in on IS positions in Al Raqqa and the chance of mishaps are growing by the day. This is not even a ploy, because in fact, Syrian forces are closing in on Al Raqqa. Now would be as good a time as any to begin closing off Syrian airspace and helping the US and its allies back down from increasingly desperate options, saving them from themselves and their demonstrably bad judgement. Ulson Gunnar, a New York-based geopolitical analyst and writer especially for the online magazine New Eastern Outlook. And, it is one thing to have such capabilities to move enough troops for any sort of meaningful incursion into Syria, and quite another thing to be able to keep them armed, fueled and otherwise supplied, especially during sustained combat operations.However, this last point could be addressed by Saudi troops simply latching on to the supply lines already in place for Al Qaeda and IS, lines likely already very familiar to planners in Riyadh, since they have helped underwrite them to begin with. Still, the unique requirements for a modern, mechanized army would need these lines expanded and augmented, something Saudi Arabia has little experience doing.And experience is perhaps a third failing Saudi Arabia brings with it when it tries to threaten other nations of invasion. Entering into the Syrian conflict and doing anything more than seizing a buffer zone at the edge of Syrias territory would be the first rodeo of its kind for Riyadh. And if such a move was considered a rodeo, its move into Yemen next door could be considered a junior rodeo, and one Riyadh has yet to finish.If Saudi Arabia cannot even win on the battlefield in neighboring Yemen, with fighting even spilling over the border into Saudi territory, it is unlikely it will do any better against the battle-hardened, better organized and better equipped forces of the Syrian Arab Army, let alone Russias presence in the country. Clearly Saudi Arabias phantom military exercises and posturing are cover for something else. It is likely that anything that goes over the border into Syria under the Saudi flag will be anything other than actual Saudi forces. Remember those Al Qaeda and IS supply lines mentioned earlier? What if the fighters and equipment pouring into Syria simply changed their black flags to Saudi Arabias?And though Saudi Arabias demands for democracy in Syria despite the fact that Saudi Arabia itself is an absolute monarchy devoid entirely of elections, staged or otherwise, are particularly discredited, an undeserving air of legitimacy still surrounds the regime in Riyadh, perhaps enough to make it difficult for Syrian or Russian forces to attack terrorists flagged as Saudis. Consider also that while moving thousands of additional troops into the theater may be difficult, moving Saudi warplanes is not. Many are already reportedly in Turkey, standing by for operations. Saudi-flagged terrorists backed by Saudi airpower would be a particularly potent mix that could keep supply lines to terrorists fighting in Syrias interior open long enough to break Syrian-Russian operational momentum and create a stalemate only tough concessions made by Moscow and Damascus could break. The news has been abuzz before and during the ceasefire announced amid Syrias conflict about Saudi Arabias possible intervention. Saudi Arabia has threatened to intervene amid incomprehensible, contradicting rhetoric, claiming that it would enter Syrian territory to fight IS (the Islamic State), but would do so only now because the Syrian government has refused to step down. Of course, the only coherent forces on the ground fighting IS now are the Syrian governments troops and Kurdish fighters who now appear to be working with Damascus. Saudi Arabias intervention to remove President Bashar al Assad from power would seem to work in IS favor, not against it. To give Saudi Arabias confusing threats some teeth, Riyadh announced its Northern Thunder military exercises which it claimed would be one of the largest military exercises ever held. The United Arab Emirates The National, would report in an article titled, Saudi Arabia hosts joint military exercise , that:The National Interest in an article titled, Saudi Arabia Goes to War , points out some obvious shortcomings of Saudi Arabias military that, even at face value, undermine Riyadhs threats before they left the mouths of its diplomatic corps. In the article it states:The article also mentions another key shortcoming, Saudi Arabias overdependence on foreign soldiers filling its ranks and the high number of contractors it relies on, as illustrated in its ongoing war with neighboring Yemen.There are several complications that immediately undermine Saudi Arabias threats. Its one thing to have an army, but its another thing to actually get it into another theater of war that isnt bordering your own nation. Moving troops into Syria will require the cooperation and complicity as well as additional logistical expertise of other nations to move troops from Saudi Arabia either through Jordan and into Syria, or in large numbers to Turkey by sea and then onward to Syria. Demonstraters booked for protesting against Qadri execution KARACHI: Some religious leaders and thousands of protesters who had staged a demonstration against the execution of the Punjab governors killer were booked for promoting enmity between different groups, rioting and misuse of the loudspeaker, police said on Wednesday. According to the Soldier Bazaar police, the FIR has been registered on behalf of the state against leaders of the protesters namely Mufti Ghulam Ghaus, Mufti Abid, Muzaffar Husain Shah, Bashir Qadri and around 7,000 others who blocked M.A. Jinnah Road, misused the loudspeaker and used abusive language against state institutions during their protest. The suspects have been booked under Sections 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups, etc), 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object) and 341 (wrongful restraint) of the Pakistan Penal Code and Loudspeakers Act, said Soldier Bazaar SHO Irshad Soomro while speaking to reporters. Mustafa Kamal back with a bang KARACHI - After a prolonged absence from the local political scene, former city nazim of Karachi Syed Mustafa Kamal was holding a press conference in Karachi on Thursday. The joint press conference with his former fellow Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Anees Qaim khani was being held in DHA phase 6 area of Karachi. Kamal had said that he would apprise the media over key matters. Addressing the media, Kamal lashed out sharply at MQM chief Altaf Hussain, with whom the former Karachi mayor has had a falling outs since years. Kamal said that his press conference would be divided into three parts. First part will be about why I and Anees left the party. Second, why we have cameback, and what we will do next. Kamal said that Altaf had insulted workers several times in public meetings, especially once in May 2013 when he changed the party set up overnight. How can a commander insult his sepoys other than to serve him? We have returned today because every child of Pakistan, every party, the establishment of Pakistan as well as the present and past governments know, that Altaf Hussain has links with the Indian intelligence agency RAW, he alleged. He recalled that during his time in the MQM, the Rabita Committee would be degraded and insulted by Altaf Hussain within weeks and months but recently the situation became such that the Rabita Committee would be insulted every few minutes. What was first done in private settings was being done in public through media channels, he said. He recalled how the MQM Rabita Committee was manhandled by people when the PTI secured 800,000 votes. He also revealed that a time came when former interior minister Rehman Malik would dictate the press releases for MQM, adding that Malik had access to the MQM chief even more than MQM leaders. Syed Mustafa Kamal served as a city nazim of Karachi from 2005 to 2009. Both the leaders were appearing before the media after almost three years of absence from the political scene in Karachi. Senior journalist Talat Hussain said that the two leaders, who have been estranged from the MQM for years, might provide an alternate leadership to voters of the MQM. Sources told that the MQM leadership has called its workers and top activists to the partys secretariat in London, where party chief Altaf Hussain is based. According to the sources, Altaf is also expected to be present at the meeting. But MQM senior leader Wasay Jalil rejected the news of the emergency meeting. Neither any meeting has been summoned nor workers have been called in London, said the leader in a message posted on Twitter. The MQM leadership has remained tight lipped about the press conference stating that it will only comment after the press conference takes place. Mustafa Kamal on Thursday slammed Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Altaf Hussain, saying the party leader didnt care about the fate of those who were hired guns for the Muttahida. The former Karachi mayor said MQM workers were not originally from Indias Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), but were made to work for the spy agency. Even after destruction of two generations, Altaf Hussain has no mercy for the party workers, he told reporters here. He said that everyone knew the MQM chief had links with RAW. First proof of Altaf's links with RAW emerged when Scotland Yard found evidence from Dr Imran Farooq's house, a furious Kamal said. We were once a patriotic community - now we are called RAW agents, he added. Pakistan committed to lessen armed conflict in South Asia 03 March, 2016 Related News Imran Khan distributed loan cheques under Kamyab Jawan Programme PTI govt to face all challenges coming its way: Imran khan More on this View All Tips for Taking Incredible iPhone Travel Photos Top 2021 Accessories We Know You Will Love Types of Casino Payment Methods Best Poker Hands ever played on a Casino Are Slot Developers Important for players? Hand Wash and Toiletries in Pakistan And the Role of DUPAS in Reshaping the Industry Woke Bingo WASHINGTON: Pakistan remains committed to lessening the risk of an armed conflict in South Asia, says a joint statement issued after the US-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue. The document also underlines Washingtons recognition of Kashmir as a dispute that needs to be resolved peacefully. Pakistan affirmed that it remains committed to pursuing measures aimed at building confidence and lessening the risk of armed conflict, said the statement issued on Tuesday evening, a day after the talks concluded. The United States and Pakistan emphasised the importance of meaningful dialogue in support of peaceful resolution of outstanding issues, including Kashmir, it added. The chapter on fostering strategic stability deals with preventing the proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) and their means of delivery to states as well as non-state actors. It rebinds Pakistan to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540, which requires all member states to enforce appropriate and effective measures against proliferation. In the joint statement, the US acknowledged Pakistans ongoing efforts to harmonise its strategic trade controls with those of the multilateral export control regimes. The US praised Pakistan for its proactive engagement with the international community, including through its hosting of IAEA training activities at its Nuclear Security Centre of Excellence and its active participation in the Nuclear Security Summits. The US also appreciated Pakistans commitment, in principle, to ratify the 2005 Amendment to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material. Both sides recognised the shared interest in strategic stability in South Asia and in pursuing increased transparency. In the chapter on regional cooperation, Washington welcomed Islamabads commitment to facilitating an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation process. The two sides underscored the imperative of quickly catalysing direct peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban to end the bloodshed and preserve Afghanistans unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. Secretary of State John Kerry, who led the US team at the dialogue, welcomed Pakistans calls on the Taliban to seek a negotiated settlement to end the Afghan conflict and its constructive role in establishing and hosting the Quadrilateral Coordination Group. The two countries agreed that all members of the group will intensify their efforts to forge broader regional consensus in support of the Afghan-led reconciliation process as the best way to bring peace and stability to the region. While emphasising the need for peaceful resolution of outstanding issues between India and Pakistan, the delegations urged both to continuously act with maximum restraint and work collaboratively towards reducing tensions. The US noted that Pakistan had detained Jaish-e-Muhammad leader Maulana Masood Azhar, and commended its commitment to bring the perpetrators of the Jan 2 attack on the Pathankot airbase to justice. The chapter on countering terrorism emphasised the need for effective action against all violent extremists, specifically underscoring that no countrys territory should be used to destabilise other countries. Adviser Sartaj Aziz, who led the Pakistani delegation at the talks, affirmed Pakistans resolve to take effective action against UN-designated terrorist individuals and entities, including Al Qaeda, the Haqqani network, and Lashkar-e-Taiba and its affiliates. The US and Pakistan also committed to eliminate the threats posed by violent extremism and terrorism. The two sides emphasised the importance of strengthening Pakistans capabilities to more effectively counter the use of improvised explosive devices. The chapter on defence and security cooperation expressed the desire for the US-Pakistan bilateral security relationship to continue on a mutually beneficial and sustainable trajectory. The United States reiterated its continuing support for the armed forces of Pakistan in their ongoing counter-insurgency operations in Fata and disruption of militant networks. The two countries underscored the importance of bilateral defence cooperation as serving their mutual interest and noted their willingness to explore new avenues to refine defence collaboration. They noted the challenges of enabling the return of internally displaced persons to Fata in the wake of operations. Acknowledging the emerging terrorist threat posed by the militant Islamic State group in the region, the US and Pakistan agreed to work closely together to counter it, and affirmed their commitment to combat the extremist ideology that fuels such groups. Talking to reporters, Mr Aziz said Pakistan would not accept any unilateral curb on its dynamic nuclear program. He cited a strategic and conventional imbalance with India as the main cause for Pakistans pursuit for nuclear deterrence, but also emphasised the need for staying engaged with India for reducing tensions in the region. He said the Pakistani and Indian prime ministers might meet on the sidelines of a nuclear summit being held here later this month. No unilateral action. If Indias capacity changes, we will have to follow. Thats what effective deterrence is, Mr Aziz told a Tuesday evening news briefing at the Pakistan Embassy. He rejected Indias claim that Pakistani agencies were involved in the Jan 2 terrorist attack on an airbase in Pathankot as a globally incorrect statement. Mr Aziz countered the Indian allegation with a claim that Indian state actors are involved in stirring troubles in Balochistan, Karachi and Fata. At two earlier meetings with the Defence Writers Group and at a think-tank, he disagreed with Secretary of State Kerrys call to reduce or cap Pakistans nuclear arsenal. He rejected the suggestion that non-state actors could access Pakistans tactical nuclear weapons. In terms of the safety and security of nuclear weapons command and control system, we have made outstanding progress, he said. Globally all the international agencies and the US have acknowledged that Pakistan has developed a very good system for the safety for export control, and command and control system. At the Council on Foreign Relations, Mr Aziz also explained Pakistans concept of nuclear deterrence. Our nuclear capacity is a deterrent against Indian capacity. Deterrent is not a static concept. It is a dynamic concept. If your adversary goes on expanding its capacity, then you have to respond. It is not something that you can take for granted. We keep insisting in our relationship that India is the independent variable in this. We are the dependent variable. So if India were to restrain and US would not increase its strategic and conventional imbalance between the two countries, then our task would become easier, he said. Mr Aziz explained that in conventional terms, the imbalance with India had increased phenomenally. In 1990s our defence budget was $3.5 billion and Indias was $11bn. We have moved from $3.5bn to $7.5bn. India has moved from $11bn to $50bn. So it makes our task much more difficult, he said. He also explained that while Pakistan had no problem with the increasing closeness between the US and India, it did want the Americans not to allow this conventional imbalance to widen further. This is our complaint with them that you are welcome to develop your relationship with India the best way you can, but keep in mind that you do not increase this imbalance between the two countries, or contribute to creating the atmosphere so that we dont need all these things, Mr Aziz said. While talking to the Pakistani media, the adviser said Pakistan had concrete policy for dealing with various terrorist groups. It is not a one fits all policy. Our action against the TTP is different from our action against the Haqqani network or the Lashkar, he said. But we are committed to act against all those who have been sanctioned by the UN. This strategy has been framed in accordance with our capacity, keeping in mind our strength as well as our limitations, he added. Mr Aziz said the US and Pakistan were redefining their defence collaboration, moving from an item by item approach to a medium-term framework. Return of Mustafa Kamal,Anees Qaimkhani is part of conspiracy: MQM 03 March, 2016 Related News Imran Khan distributed loan cheques under Kamyab Jawan Programme PTI govt to face all challenges coming its way: Imran khan More on this View All Tips for Taking Incredible iPhone Travel Photos Top 2021 Accessories We Know You Will Love Types of Casino Payment Methods Best Poker Hands ever played on a Casino Are Slot Developers Important for players? Hand Wash and Toiletries in Pakistan And the Role of DUPAS in Reshaping the Industry Woke Bingo KARACHI: Members of Mutahidda Qaumi Movement (MQM) Central Coordination Committee in London and Karachi held a joint press conference on Thursday evening, terming allegations leveled by Mustafa Kamal and Anees Qaimkhani against Altaf Hussain as an insult to the intelligence of those who vote for the party. The return of Mustafa Kamal and Anees Qaimkhani is part of a conspiracy but MQM stands by Altaf Hussain, said party leader Farooq Sattar. He said similar allegations were levelled against MQM during last year's NA-246 by-polls. But people voted in our favour which implies that the people of Karachi, regardless of their religion, sect and class, stand with Altaf Hussain and the MQM, claimed Sattar. He advised Kamal to support Wasim Akhter, the elected mayor, and help Akhter during his work with his experience if "he truly sympathises with the people of Karachi". Speaking via telephone from London, Rabita Committee convener Nadeem Nusrat lashed out at the media for making an issue out of a non-issue. Media gave hours of air time to people with no mandate, complained Nadeem Nusrat. He said the party does not need to clarify itself because the people's court has always issued its verdict in favour of MQM. On one hand the MQM chief is not allowed to appear on media, but the same media airs baseless allegations against Altaf Hussain, maintained Nusrat. I will ask the establishment to stop this media blackout because no one else but only Altaf Hussain is the solution to these problems, said Nusrat. Altaf Hussain is the only genuine leader in Pakistan, who is sincere to Pakistan's cause and its people. Nusrat said those who oppose Altaf Hussain are treated as heroes. But people like me, who still stand with the MQM chief are termed criminals. My message is clear, don't pay heed to any Tom, Dick or Harry. True leadership lies with Altaf Hussain, said Nusrat. Earlier today, MQM leader Barrister Saif said a press conference by two people does not affect MQM and its chief Altaf Hussain in any way, terming Mustafa Kamal's allegations as baseless. "My party and I stand with Altaf Hussain. The allegations levelled by Kamal do not concern us and have little value," said Saif while talking to Geo News. MQM lawmaker Syed Ali Raza Abidi also slammed his former colleagues Kamal and Anees Qaimkhani saying the presser reeked more of a "hurt ego" than any "substance". Meanwhile, other politicians and analysts remained divided in their reaction to Kamal's revelations that hit out at MQM supremo Altaf Hussain for alleged "deception" and poor management of party affairs. Former MQM MNA Nabil Gabol said that during his days in the party, he knew people belonging to the party used to visit India. "Around 70 per cent people belonging to MQM's Rabita Committee have similar thoughts about Altaf Hussain," said Gabol. Gabol accused former interior minister Rehman Malik of supporting a party 'funded by RAW'. PPP Senator Saeed Ghani, answering a question about Rehman Malik's role in negotiations with MQM, said only the former interior minister can clarify his position on claims made by Kamal. On accusations regarding Indian funding, Ghani maintained that similar claims have surfaced in the past too, referring to the 1992 operation against the party which he said was launched under the same pretext. Rehman Malik, however, clarified that "the whole world knows about my good relations with Altaf Hussain and MQM." "This allegation of writing MQM's press releases is humorous. I only used to give input during the meetings," said the PPP leader. Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) leader Ali Zaidi said Kamals press conference vindicated PTIs stance on MQM, including the party's links to RAW. Mustafa Kamals passionate candour regarding MQMs links to RAW and criminal activities is a true vindication of our stance on MQM, as we have been saying the same for the past few years in the media and other public forums. However, I wish that Kamal would have spoken earlier but better late than never, said Zaidi. Talking to Geo News, PTI's Imran Ismail claimed that "some friends in MQM" had told him Altaf Hussain was upset that PTI bagged over 30,000 votes in MQM strongholds in the May 2013 elections. Raza Haroon, Waseem Akhtar and others were at the forefront in that area. Then I met three MQM leaders at my home and they had the same sentiments Mustafa Kamal expressed today. Imran Ismail, who once contested by-elections against MQM in the party's stronghold NA-246, indicated that PTI may approach Kamal for inclusion in their party. Pakistan Peoples Party Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari tweeted Shakespeare's famous quote: "All the world's a stage. And all the men and women merely players; they have their exits and their entrances." The official account of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) tweeted that: "If Mustafa Kamal is saying PTI got more votes, he is validating that there was rigging and ECP involved." Lawyer and activist Mohammad Jibran Nasir tweeted that "Mustafa Kamal and Anees Qaimkhani cannot be absolved by a simple press conference. They were MQM members for years. Must be accountable in court." Earlier, before Kamal's press conference had begun, PTI leader Faisal Vawda told DawnNews that every party comprises good and bad people. He added that it will not be possible for the MQM to disassociate itself from Mustafa Kamal. The PTI leader had earlier also said that Kamal's return will open a "Pandora's box." Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed told DawnNews that in his view, Chaudhry Nisar could not have been behind the move as claimed by MQM leader Syed Ali Raza Abidi. Senate adopted Protection of children bill ISLAMABAD: The Senates functional committee on human rights adopted the Criminal Law (Amendment Bill) 2015 to provide for the protection of children, after discussions on whether amendments to the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) was a federal subject or a provincial one following the 18th Amendment and if the provinces had been consulted on the matter. This law has been pending for a few years and is needed for the protection of children. However, its implementation will be a challenge especially where there is a culture of not putting laws into practice, said committee chairperson MQM Senator Nasreen Jalil. Two important amendments were made to the bill. The minimum age of criminal responsibility was raised from seven to 10 years and in the case of juveniles, from 12 to 14 years. Former president of the Supreme Court Bar Council Tariq Mehmood told Dawn that a child less than 10 years of age will be considered innocent while an accused under 14 will have to prove innocence, Amendments were also made to cover a number of serious offences against children including child pornography and exposure to seduction or cruelty. Exposing a child to obscene and sexually explicit material has been criminalised, with punishment. The law also criminalises child pornography and has proposed punishments. Tariq Mehmood said there was always a provision in the law to improve it and make it better for the protection of both women and children. Minister for Human Rights Zahid Hamid told the committee that because of the Kasur incident of child abuse, the government wanted to have a law in place for child protection. The committee also took the Actions in Aid of Civil Power Regulation 2011 for consideration and to look over the consequences of its implementation. A representative from the Ministry of States and Frontier Regions (Safron) Naveed Iqbal Abbasi said his ministry was only concerned with legislation, the implementation of which was the responsibility of law enforcement agencies. The committee decided that as the lead ministry, Safron should seek views of concerned ministries regarding the implementation of the regulation and to inform the committee of these in its next meeting. The committee directed the Safron minister to be present for this. Senator Farhatullah Babar then asked for the ministry to prepare answers to his questions in the next meeting. The questions he asked were about the number of people detained from February 1, 2008 to the date from which the 2011 regulation was given retroactive effect. He asked about the status of the cases against them and if they were dealt with in military, terrorism or ordinary courts. The PPP senator asked if the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor had conferred additional powers upon armed forces or if he had amended the schedule to the regulation. Talking about how the regulation binds the government to set up oversight boards, the senator asked if such boards had been set up periodically to review the condition of internment centres and take notice of complaints regarding the treatment and torture of the detainees. He also asked if the federal government had notified rules which it was supposed to in order to implement the regulation. On Farhatullah Babars recommendations, two cases were referred to the National Council for Human Rights for investigation. These included the disappearance of human rights activist Rizwan Niazi in November 2015. The other case was of a comaplaint by a woman from Balochistan accusing a law enforcement agency of detaining two of her sons since February 2014 without legal proceedings against them, allegedly at the behest of a politician. He recalled that the Senate, acting as a committee of the whole on legal reforms last month, had taken up the issue of enforced disappearances. The Senate directed the government to give its views on recommendations made by the Human Rights Committee on how to address the issue of enforced disappearances and these include legislation to bring state agencies under oversight, he said. Taliban leaders live in our country: Sartaj Aziz Washington: Sartaj Aziz, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs, says that Islamabad has considerable influence over the Taliban because its leaders live in the country. "We have some influence over them because their leadership is in Pakistan and they get some medical facilities. Their families are here," he said. "We can use those levers to pressurise them to say, 'Come to the table'. But we can't negotiate on behalf of the Afghan government because we cannot offer them what the Afghan government can offer them." Aziz made the comments at Washington's Council on Foreign Relations think tank on March 1. He added that Islamabad pressured Afghan Taliban leaders to participate in the first-ever direct talks with the Afghan government on July 7, 2015. "We have to use these levers and [have] restricted their movements, restricted their access to hospitals and other facilities, and threatened them that 'If you don't come forward and talk, we will at least expel you'," he said of the tough message Islamabad sent to Taliban leaders, most of whom are believed to be operating out of Quetta, the capital of southwestern Balochistan Province. "[We told the Taliban leaders that] we have hosted [them] enough for 35 years, and we can't do it anymore because the whole world is blaming us just by [their] presence here," he said. Pakistan, Afghanistan, the United States, and China last week agreed on a road map to end the Afghan war through negotiations between Kabul and the Taliban. Taliban representatives are expected to join Afghan officials in the first round of peace talks in Pakistan during the next few weeks. Aziz, however, took pains to convince Washington's audience that Islamabad has abandoned its support for the Islamist militant groups. "After our government came into power in 2013, there has been a significant change in our policy. We are now moving against all terrorists without discrimination," he said. Speaking alongside US State Secretary John Kerry on February 29, Aziz said Pakistan now has little interest in fomenting violence in neighboring Afghanistan. It has taken a watchdog outside group, the Parents Coalition of Montgomery County, to ferret out this waste. The coalition, driven by its sharp curiosity, frequently uses the Maryland Public Information Act to request public records and keep track of district decisions and spending. We commend the coalition for its important work on this front. It is saving county residents money as inappropriate spending has been uncovered. July 16, 2014 Our company located in Baltic states-Latvia, one of our business direction is woodworking and trading with timber products. Mostly we are specialized to hardwood products, such as Latvian and Baltic birch, aspen, alder, black alder, oak etc. Currently we are working with birch wood - semi-finished parts for furniture. Quality - A,B ( without big knots, shrinks, stain etc.) KD with max moisture 8 - 10 % Sizes like: 26 x 115 x 440 ( not planed ) 32 x 63 x 900 ( s4s - planed, surfaced 4 sizes ) 25 x 50 x 300; 400; 740 See some photos attached We can fit to customer's request- moisture, quality, and profile. Would be pleased to hear from you what wood products your company is looking for, to discuss quality, sizes, price and delivery terms. It takes a peculiar form of arrogance to go on television and contradict your party leader and Prime Minister over an issue which he controls and you have little influence over, yet Welsh Conservative Leader Andrew R.T. Davies managed it last night. The BBC reports that Mr. Davies went ontoand insisted that Wales will still get economic aid for its poorest areas even if Britain votes to leave the European Union. He gave this assurance despite the fact that David Cameron said he "can't be certain" the UK government would spend the same if we left the EU.The European Union is providing 1.8bn to Wales between 2014-2020 to help economic growth. If we vote to leave then that money will go back to the UK Treasury, but there is no guarantee that it will then be passed back to Wales in its present form, quantity or at all.And given the Treasury's record on funding Wales nobody is going to gamble that we will see anythng more than a small fraction of that amount. Certainly, the Prime Minister is not prepared to make that commitment. So where is the Welsh Conservative Leader getting his confidence on this matter from?Mr Davies said: "In contrast, the Prime Minister, asked on BBC Wales Today if he could make up the shortfall in EU aid for places like Wales after an exit, said: "Experience says we should not be surprised that David Cameron is wary about commiting the UK Government giving Wales the sort of support it has now in the event of a BREXIT. The chances are we would have to cut elsewhere in our budget to make-up the shortfall.Andrew R.T. Davies' bravado on this issue has no credibility and the assurances he is giving are worthless. Media Report : During a stormy session at the Scottish Parliament , former top judge Lord Brian Gill - who twice refused to face a Holyrood probe on judges secret wealth, connections & links to big business - demanded MSPs close proposals to require judges to register their interests as called for in Petition PE1458: Register of Interests for members of Scotland's judiciary . Video footage of Lord Gills stormy evidence session with MSPs can be viewed here: Evidence of Lord Gill before the Scottish Parliament 10 November 2015 The proposals, backed by cross party MSPs during a debate in the Parliaments main chamber on 9 October 2014 - Debating the Judges - call for the creation of a publicly available register of judicial interests containing information on judges backgrounds, their personal wealth, undeclared earnings, business & family connections inside & outside of the legal profession, offshore investments, hospitality, details on recusals and other information routinely lodged in registers of interest across all walks of public life in the UK and around the world. This page has found a new home An analysis of more than 14 million reviews on RateMyProfessors.com, where students write anonymous reviews of their professors, found that students most often use the words "brilliant" and "genius" to describe male professors and in academic disciplines in which women and African-Americans are underrepresented. The findings, reported in the journal PLOS ONE, included academic disciplines in the sciences, humanities, social sciences and math. "Male professors were described more often as 'brilliant' and 'genius' than female professors in every single field we studiedabout two to three times more often," said University of Illinois graduate student Daniel Storage, who led the study with U. of I. psychology professor Andrei Cimpian. Princeton University philosophy professor Sarah-Jane Leslie and U. of I. graduate student Zachary Horne also contributed to the research. Students also used "brilliant" and "genius" to describe their professors most often in academic fields such as philosophy and physics, in which women and African-American students are a distinct minority, Storage said. The new findings mirror those of a 2015 study led by Cimpian and Leslie and published in Science. In that study, the researchers asked graduate students, researchers and faculty members to name the qualities that were most conducive to success in their fields. The 2015 analysis found that survey participants who emphasized brilliance or genius as a precursor to success were more likely to belong to academic disciplines where women and African-Americans were underrepresented. The new analysis reinforces the previous one and offers new insights into students' attitudes and thoughts, the researchers said. "What's valuable about spontaneous comments is that they provide an unvarnished reflection of how people evaluate others in their field, and what they look for in other people in that field," Cimpian said. In the 2015 study, the researchers tested several alternative hypotheses to explain why some disciplines have so few practitioners who are female or African-American. But none of the hypotheses could explain the phenomenon as well as the belief that brilliance or genius was necessary for success in those fields, Cimpian said. The new study also found that none of the following four factors could fully explain the underrepresentation of women or African-Americans in a field: average GRE (graduate school entry exam) math scores, the desire to avoid long hours at work, the selectivity of each field or the ability to think systematically. While there are correlations between some of these factors and the presence or absence of women and African-Americans in some fields, "we consistently found that the only thing that was explaining the proportions of women and African-Americans in a particular field was that field's emphasis on the importance of brilliance and genius," Storage said. "Both of these groups are stereotyped in a similar way about their intellectual abilities and therefore are potentially affected in a similar way by the amount of emphasis that's put on brilliance," Cimpian said. "The people in certain fields might not see that quality in women and African-Americans. Women and African-Americans themselves may be conditioned to not see these qualities in themselves." Explore further Study supports new explanation of gender gaps in academia Employees of DJI, a major Chinese consumer-drone maker, demonstrate their latest model Phantom 4 in Tokyo, Thursday, March 3, 2016. DJI has its eyes on the potentially lucrative Japanese market after regulations on drones were relaxed here three months ago. T,he drone which has propellers, cameras, sensors and automatic tracking technology, zipped around and followed a stunt bicycle-rider, successfully dodging a signboard. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi) Major Chinese consumer-drone maker DJI has its eyes on the potentially lucrative Japanese market after regulations on drones were relaxed here three months ago. DJI Japan General Manager Allen Wu launched the latest model, Phantom 4, Thursday in a fashionable mall in Tokyo. In a demonstration, the machine, which has propellers, cameras, sensors and automatic tracking technology, zipped around and followed a stunt bicycle-rider, successfully dodging a signboard. Shenzen-based DJI says it controls 70 percent of the world consumer-drone market. The niche market has great potential to grow, especially in Japan, a nation of avid photographers and videographers, some of whom are already using drones. Japan's first law on drones went into effect in December, with restrictions such as limiting them to daytime use, prohibiting explosives and not allowing flights over big crowds. Government permission is needed to use them near airports and other special areas. DJI, founded 10 years ago, has become a dominant player in a product that delivers excitingly visceral video taken from eye levels far lower than the usual aerial shots by a helicopter. Wu said some 70 million shots had been taken on a DJI drone in the past year. Footage shown at the event exploited the proximity of the camera lens while delivering high-definition-quality imagery and impressively smooth panning. A Phantom 4, developed by major Chinese consumer-drone maker DJI, flies during its demonstration flight in Tokyo, Thursday, March 3, 2016. DJI has its eyes on the potentially lucrative Japanese market after regulations on drones were relaxed here three months ago. ,he drone which has propellers, cameras, sensors and automatic tracking technology, zipped around and followed a stunt bicycle-rider, successfully dodging a signboard. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi) The Phantom 4, which has a flight range of 5 kilometers (3 miles), sells for 189,000 yen ($1,600) in Japan, and $1,399 in the U.S. Its maximum speed is 72 kph (45 mph). It comes with a "return to home," or RTH, function, meaning it will come back safely, evading obstacles while it still has battery life. DJI is the first Chinese company to be the industry leader in an emerging technology. It could take Japan by storm because of the lack of major local competition. Yamaha Motor Co., for instance, makes drones, but they are for businesses. Last year, Sony Corp. invested a majority stake in Japanese drone company Aerosense, but its drones also are not for consumers. DJI Japan General Manager Allen Wu shows the major Chinese consumer-drone maker's Phantom 4 during the launch of the latest model in Tokyo, Thursday, March 3, 2016. DJI has its eyes on the potentially lucrative Japanese market after regulations on drones were relaxed here three months ago. The drone which has propellers, cameras, sensors and automatic tracking technology, zipped around and followed a stunt bicycle-rider, successfully dodging a signboard. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi) A Phantom 4, developed by major Chinese consumer-drone maker DJI, flies during its demonstration flight in Tokyo, Thursday, March 3, 2016. DJI has its eyes on the potentially lucrative Japanese market after regulations on drones were relaxed here three months ago. The drone which has propellers, cameras, sensors and automatic tracking technology, zipped around and followed a stunt bicycle-rider, successfully dodging a signboard. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi) Explore further Drone maker plans software to block Washington flights 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. A research collaboration that combines novel "big-data" informatics tools with expertise in basic biology has uncovered details of an essential process in life: how a crucial enzyme locates the site on DNA where it begins to direct the synthesis of RNA. This finding may aid in the discovery of new antimicrobial medicines, and the powerful technological approaches developed for this research may shed light on other essential cellular processes. A bioinformatics group from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia collaborated with researchers from Rutgers University on the study, which appeared online today in Science. "The algorithms we developed enable us to tackle many questions across diverse areas of DNA and RNA biology," said study co-author Deanne M. Taylor, Ph.D., Director of Bioinformatics in the Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). "Understanding these fundamental processes may help in developing antimicrobial treatments to fight bacterial disease." Taylor collaborated on the study with biochemist Bryce Nickels, Ph.D., and chemist Richard Ebright, Ph.D., both from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. The research focuses on transcriptionhow cells read genetic information stored in DNA by first synthesizing a copy of that genetic information as RNA. The enzyme RNA polymerase is the molecular machine that carries out transcription. In the current study, the CHOP/Rutgers team determined how RNA polymerase locates the site on DNA where it starts transcription. In particular, working in bacteria, the CHOP/Rutgers team showed that after RNA polymerase binds to DNA and partly unwinds the two strands of the DNA helix, it then continues unwinding those two strands, pulling the unwound DNA strands into itself until it engages the transcription start site (TSS). The researchers call this processunwinding DNA and pulling strands into itself"DNA scrunching." Nickels points out, "Scientists have known for more than three decades that transcription start sites vary, but did not previously know the mechanism." To detect DNA scrunching during TSS selection, the researchers developed powerful new experimental approaches, called MASTER and MASTER-XL. The CHOP/Rutgers team first described MASTER (for "massively systematic transcript end readout") in a December 2015 paper in Molecular Cell. MASTER-XL combines the MASTER technology with crosslinkingintroducing artificial amino acids at specific sites on proteins to crosslink to sites in DNA. Using high-throughput algorithms, the study team was able to precisely and rapidly pinpoint those crosslinking sites in a million different DNA sequences, each carrying a distinct TSS region. In each sequence, the team identified the TSS as well as front (leading edge) and rear (trailing edge) positions where RNA polymerase attached to DNA. Yuanchao Zhang, a graduate student working with Taylor's bioinformatics group at CHOP, developed the big-data algorithms with Taylor to analyze the sequencing data output from MASTER and MASTER-XL experiments. "Our algorithms rapidly process many millions of DNA and RNA sequence reads," said Taylor. The rapid sequencing, plus advanced biochemical and chemical methods underlying the crosslinking, provided a key finding on how DNA scrunching occurs during transcription. As the position of the TSS changes, the position of RNA polymerase's leading edge changes in lock step, but the enzyme's trailing edge remains in the same position. This causes the DNA to scrunch: it remains fastened to RNA polymerase at its trailing edge, but RNA polymerase unwinds the adjacent DNA and pulls the unwound DNA into itself until it locates a new TSS. "The crucial feature of our approach," explained Ebright, "is the combination of protein-DNA crosslinking with next-generation-sequencing of DNA. This enables us to perform crosslinking studies with a million different DNA sequences in the same amount of time that we previously would have needed to perform crosslinking studies with one DNA sequence." He added, "The million-fold increase in throughput allows biological problems to be solved that couldn't be solved before." The CHOP/Rutgers collaborators are now investigating transcription in higher organisms, analyzing whether DNA scrunching occurs during TSS selection, and if so, how it compares to the process in bacteria. The team also hopes to apply MASTER and MASTER-XL to analyzing other essential cellular processes such as DNA replication. Fear of fracking can have negative effects on the UK housing market around shale gas sites, economic researchers have warned. The research team, from the University of Bristol, the London School of Economics and Duke University in North Carolina, carried out a study that found licensing and exploration had minimal impacts on house prices. However, two highly publicised minor earthquakes linked to exploratory fracking near Blackpool in 2011 caused a three to four per cent reduction in house prices nearby. A comparison with other regions that experienced minor earthquakes of similar magnitude without the incidence of fracking shows the estimated effect is not a general discomfort with seismic activity. The effect is more likely to express a fear of fracking. Fear of fracking may be directly related to the concerns about future seismic activity, but it may also reflect a rising awareness of the overall social costs of shale gas development, the researchers note in a briefing from PolicyBristol. Research for the USA, where shale gas is commercially developed shows that potential damage to air and water, noise and light pollution, and increased road congestion are of genuine concern to homeowners and buyers. This is because these costs are typically borne by nearby landowners and other stakeholders, but not by the drilling company. Dr Stephan Heblich, from the University of Bristol's School of Economics, Finance and Management, said: 'Despite the Department of Energy and Climate Change's position that shale gas operations should not affect real estate values, our findings reveal negative effects on house prices are strongly influenced by concerns over seismic activity.' The estimated effects add up to cumulative costs of 111-169 million for houses sold in the area that experienced earthquakes. Since fear of fracking also devalues land and property that is not yet on the market, this estimate is likely a lower bound. Any compensation payments should be weighed against the social costs. This is particularly important in the UK as the crown owns the rights to the nation's petroleum resources, thereby preventing direct royalty payments to landowners. The current practice in the UK is to make voluntary compensation payments to communities and not individual house owners. House prices may not or not fully capitalize these payments because the benefits of community projects are not clearly specified and because payments are not legally granted. Dr Heblich said: 'While shale gas's role in energy supply is well-recognised, there are increased concerns over the accompanying risks. With another 159 onshore licensing blocks being offered to operators in December 2015, and with steps undertaken to speed up the planning application process for new exploration wells, the social costs will probably increase. Therefore, compensation payments need to be reconsidered to reflect the social costs.' The researchers' study is the first study to measure the social costs of shale gas development in the UK. Because actual shale gas exploration has not yet begun in the U.K, the researchers' estimated effects are based on consumers' expectations. Explore further Fracking sharply reduces property values for property owners who use well water More information: Fear of Fracking: earthquakes linked to shale gas exploration cause house prices to fall: Fear of Fracking: earthquakes linked to shale gas exploration cause house prices to fall: www.bristol.ac.uk/media-librar l/documents/Briefing %2022_Fracking_FINAL_v2.pdf 'Sylvan Constellation' -- submitted by Columbia University's Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation. How a future cemetery could look. Credit: Columbia University Death Lab. How will the dead be disposed of and remembered in years to come? A recent design competition, organised through the University of Bath's Centre for Death & Society, which sought to reimagine a future cemetery drawing on architectural and technological innovations has been won by researchers at Columbia University for a design that could revolutionise future memorialisation. The proposal, entitled 'Sylvan Constellation' which was submitted by Columbia University's Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, envisages a network of memorial vessels which would transform biomass into an elegant and perpetually renewing constellation of light which could illuminate pathways. The team, based in New York, won a 5,000 prize and a month long summer 2016 residency during which they will research the historic 42-acre Arnos Vale Cemetery in Bristol (UK) and work with the University of Bath's Centre for Death and Society. The aim is to work towards a feasible design for a future prototype. Dr John Troyer, Director of Bath's Centre for Death and Society and co-founder of the Future Cemetery explains: "The Sylvan Constellation design by Columbia University's GSAPP DeathLAB and LATENT Productions in New York City is an outstanding mix of both respectful disposition for human remains and longer term thinking around the disposal of digital data. "The proposal captured the Future Cemetery design competition's larger themes by presenting a mix of different sustainable technologies. It is also a great opportunity for Columbia University's DeathLAB, LATENT Productions in New York City, the University of Bath's Centre for Death and Society and Arnos Vale Cemetery to collaborate. "By working together on this project, collaborators will establish networks for longer-term projects involving innovative, sustainable design around end-of-life planning. The collaboration will also demonstrate how Arnos Vale Cemetery is a sector leader in creating new possibilities for heritage site cemeteries while continuing to operate as a working cemetery. "This is an exciting time to be working on design projects that fully embrace topics like death, dying, and dead bodies and I very much look forward to seeing collaborations like this develop." Karla Rothstein, founder and director of Columbia University's DeathLAB and design director at LATENT Productions will be visiting Bath and Bristol in spring 2016. She says: "Our team at DeathLAB and LATENT Productions is honoured to have Sylvan Constellation at Arnos Vale selected as the 'first future cemetery.' Our goal is to offer elegant options at death that are commensurate with the social and environmental values we respect while alive. Our proposal aims to secure civic space for the future metropolis, allowing one's last impactful act to gracefully and responsibly celebrate the vitality of life. "DeathLAB was founded to produce environmentally responsible projects that reweave the ubiquity of death into the fabric of our cities, reminding us of our mortal finitude and the responsibility the living share to fortify our collective future. We appreciate Future Cemetery and Arnos Vale's optimistic support of the cultural shifts that our work embodies." Mike Coe, Chief Executive of Arnos Vale in Bristol (UK) added: "We are looking forward to hosting Sylvan Constellation at Arnos Vale and welcome the opportunity this provides us. As a recognised centre of future focussed, sustainable cemetery enterprise, I believe the work of Karla and her team fits with our pioneering but respectful objectives and values."? Explore further Bear alert: Russians warned off visiting cemetery Mainstream political parties in Europe have failed to respond to the increasing public skepticism of the European Union, opening the door for nationalist political groups to gain more power, a University of Kansas researcher has found. The fallout of the financial crisis and subsequent bailouts of Greece and other struggling nations, coupled with the recent migration crisis, have further enflamed skepticism toward European integration, said Robert Rohrschneider, KU's Sir Robert Worcester Distinguished Professor of Political Science. "Since 2007, there has been really a dramatic drop in acceptance of the European Union and further support for integration," he said. "Given their past commitment to integration , mainstream political elites in Europe have really had a difficult time responding quickly to the changing sentiments among mass publics." Rohrschneider is the lead author of the recent study "Responding to growing European Union skepticism? The stances of political parties toward European integration in Western and Eastern Europe following the financial crisis," published recently in the European Union Politics journal. The EU's formation is traced initially to the 1950s and since then it has included various economic and political partnerships among some 28 member states has given Europe global political clout because the region contains an estimated 508 million people. Proponents have argued the union has led to economic prosperity through free-trade zones and other economic policies. Robert Rohrschneider, a University of Kansas distinguished professor of political science, discusses three potential consequences of the financial and migration crises in Europe and likely diminished political support for EU and European integration. Credit: KU News Service However, recent events have shifted public opinion on such policies, he said. "On one hand, mainstream parties would like to go where voters are on integration issues, but on the other hand, most mainstream parties and political elites have supported integration for the past 40-50 years, virtually since the EU's inception," Rohrschneider said. Even after things seemed to have calmed down after the Greek government-debt crisis last year, the wave of millions of migrants fleeing the Syrian civil war has opened up a new set of contentious circumstances for nearly all European nations as leaders decide whether to close borders or seek to manage the flow of migrants, he said. In some cases the migration crisis has aided nationalist political parties in both Eastern Europe and Greece and more affluent nations like in Germany and France, and political scientists will be watching for how this could shift power in certain states and in turn attitudes toward EU membership in general. "If right-wing, neo-populist parties become mainstream parties because voters increasingly support them, then the political integration project of Europe will be stalled or perhaps even be reversed," Rohrschneider said. It could lead to dismantling of free-trade zones and more strict enforcement of national borders, two things that have been hallmarks of European integration in recent decades. Attitudes of nationalism have also turned ugly, he said. "That is an unfortunate return to a rhetoric that many observed had thought had been relegated to the dust heaps of history," Rohrschneider said. "It's a huge mess. The dimensionality and complexity of the problems have never been as severe since World War II. There's nothing comparable." One possibility could be the EU could shrink to a group of core states, mostly in Western and Northern Europe instead of the much larger, expanded set of members. Perhaps the first domino or at least major test of the EU's future could be the June referendum on Britain's membership. Prime Minister David Cameron, who favors EU membership, at least on economic grounds, also leads a Conservative Party that traditionally has resisted many aspects of European integration, Rohrschneider said. To appease those in his party, Cameron agreed to let the British voters decide. "If Britain stays in, Europe will have bought a bit of breathing space," Rohrschneider said. "If Britain is out, all bets are open." Explore further Political interest in environmental issues persisted despite economic recession More information: R. Rohrschneider et al. Responding to growing European Union-skepticism? The stances of political parties toward European integration in Western and Eastern Europe following the financial crisis, European Union Politics (2015). R. Rohrschneider et al. Responding to growing European Union-skepticism? The stances of political parties toward European integration in Western and Eastern Europe following the financial crisis,(2015). DOI: 10.1177/1465116515610641 Theories and views about the world. Mainly Randomisms. GLENS FALLS The owner of a Glens Falls company was arrested Tuesday and charged with taking money from employees that was supposed to have been put in their retirement accounts, authorities said. Lawrence P. Mancini, 65, of North River, was charged with felony counts of grand larceny, scheme to defraud and falsifying business records and misdemeanor petit larceny after an investigation by State Police. Mancini owns Glens Falls Business Machines on Dix Avenue in Glens Falls. The complaints came after two employees of the company determined that money that paystubs indicated had been put in their retirement accounts had not been contributed as indicated, according to State Police. The money amounted to more than $1,000. Police received the complaints in January. Mancini was released, pending prosecution in Glens Falls City Court. He said the charges were a procedural thing related to a change in payroll procedures, and he expects to be exonerated. The employees still work for his company, he added. Ive already been told its probably going to be dismissed, Mancini said. It sounds worse than it is. Mancini, a former Lake George Village trustee and deputy mayor from 1986-2002, also found himself the subject of police scrutiny in 2008, when police raided Glens Falls Business Machines as part of an investigation into allegations of business fraud related to copier sales. A former employee had gone to police, alleging the company was involved in a scheme in which customers were being given different machines than they purchased or leased when covers on them were switched. No criminal charges were filed after the Warren County District Attorneys Office reviewed the evidence. Mancini said he did nothing wrong, and blamed the investigation on a misunderstanding over inventory policies, with no customers receiving lesser machines than they paid for. GLENS FALLS Mayor Jack Diamond has dropped his quest to have the Warren County Sheriffs Office take over police services in Glens Falls. Please be advised that I am formally withdrawing my offer of police consolidation and ending any discussion of the issue with Warren County by the city of Glens Falls, Diamond wrote in a three-paragraph letter, dated Tuesday, to Warren County Board of Supervisors Chairman Kevin Geraghty. The city and county had been discussing consolidation for more than three years. Diamond identified consolidation discussions as a priority in both his 2015 and 2016 State of the City presentations. Both municipalities participated in a state Division of Criminal Justice Services feasibility study in 2015. Opposition to consolidation had been gaining momentum in recent months, including from the Glens Falls Police Benevolent Association, the union that represents city police officers. The union threatened to file a lawsuit if the city and county attempted to consolidate police services without a public referendum. Diamond released a copy of his letter to Geraghty on Wednesday, after Glens Falls 4th Ward Supervisor James Brock notified The Post-Star that Diamond had sent it. Diamond said he had planned to announce his decision Monday and discuss it with reporters, after Geraghty received the letter in the mail. I felt it was important that Kevin Geraghty get a copy of it before I shared it publicly, he said. Diamond said he would not discuss his reasoning or answer any questions about his decision until Monday. Once he (Geraghty) gets the letter, Id be more than happy to talk to you about it in detail, he said. But right now, Im working on other things. Diamond had issued formal consolidation proposals to the county in October and February, the first of which the county rejected. The county Criminal Justice & Public Safety Committee on Monday said before discussing the mayors latest proposal, grant funding should be sought to hire a consultant to evaluate questions about staffing, Civil Service implications, labor contract stipulations, equipment and responsibility for retirement and health insurance costs of officers and retirees. In an interview at City Hall on Tuesday, Diamond said those questions were covered in the Division of Criminal Justices survey, and another study would be an unnecessary delay. Diamond on Wednesday lashed out at Brock for notifying The Post-Star about his letter to Geraghty. Diamond said he shared the letter with Brock confidentially. I did not want to share that publicly before Mr. Geraghty received a copy. He (Brock) is undermining the city, Diamond said. Contacted later on Wednesday, Brock said the mayor did not tell him the letter was confidential. No one said, This is in confidence or anything. He ought to communicate better, Brock said. Brock, a vocal advocate for police consolidation, said he obviously is disappointed the city withdrew from the discussion. When he was city 4th Ward councilman, Brock originally initiated consolidation discussions in December 2012. Brock said he would wait until Diamond explains his reasoning before commenting further. I dont want to say anything until the mayor has a chance to say what he is saying, he said. Geraghty was not available to comment on Wednesday, his secretary said. The Whitehall man accused of illegally purchasing automatic weapons to execute minorities and commit robberies will stand trial in federal court this spring and is alleging he was entrapped by investigators. Shane R. Smith, 19, recently asked U.S. District Judge Mae DAgostino to dismiss the four-count felony indictment against him on procedural grounds, a request that DAgostino rebuffed and called meritless. The judge scheduled the case for trial in U.S. District Court in Albany, starting May 2. Smith faces three charges of illegal possession of a machine gun and one count of having an unregistered firearm, all felonies. He was indicted by a federal grand jury in November, about three months after his arrest in Whitehall when he purchased a MAC-10 submachine gun, fully automatic M-16 assault rifle and Beretta handgun, an illegal silencer and 120 rounds of illegal, armor-piercing ammunition from an undercover FBI officer. He also had indicated he wanted to buy hand grenades and C4 explosives, court records show. The gun purchases came after extensive phone and online communications between Smith and investigators, in which he said he wanted to build a hit squad to execute kikes, coons and get money for the crew and voiced a desire to rob a Granville gun store. He attracted police scrutiny after his conversations in online chat rooms about his desire to buy automatic weapons, court records show. Smith was arrested while he was on probation for a felony criminal mischief conviction in Washington County related to anti-Semitic and racist graffiti. In his request to dismiss the charges, Smith is quoted as saying he was deprived his right to confront his accusers when he did not testify before the grand jury that indicted him, as he had wanted to. He wrote that he was entrapped into getting possession of the alleged firearms and that delays in the case warranted dismissal. He did not elaborate on the alleged entrapment. Smith is being held in Rensselaer County Jail, pending further court action. Each charge he faces is punishable by up to 10 years in federal prison. KINGSBURY The chemical PFOA was formerly used in the manufacturing process at W.F. Lake Corp. in Kingsbury, but it could not have contaminated municipal drinking water sources, said John Hodgkins, the companys secretary/treasurer and co-owner. We have zero process water. We have nothing leaving the building as far as any of the process material, he said. So theres nothing that goes out into any form of groundwater. Theres no floor drains, no leach fields, no nothing. PFOA, or perfluorooctanoic acid, is the potentially cancer-causing chemical that contaminated the municipal drinking water supply in the village of Hoosick Falls and has been found in five private wells in North Bennington, Vermont. W.F. Lake, located on the Kingsbury side of Warren-Washington Counties Industrial Park, near Warren County airport, uses polytetrafluoroethylene, a chemical known as PTFE or, commonly, by the brand name Teflon, to coat threads and fabrics. PFOA, at one point, was an ingredient in PTFE. Tests have shown PFOA to cause cancer in animals, but not necessarily in humans, according to the American Cancer Society. PFOA was discontinued as an ingredient more than a decade ago when chemical manufacturers worked with the federal Environmental Protection Agency to develop a replacement ingredient, Hodgkins said. Great story about government working with industry to solve a problem, he said. The concentration of PFOA in the coating the company used was nominal, less than 0.1 percent, and the PFOA content was consumed in the coating process, Hodgkins said. Its consumed in the process. Its not like its sitting there so you can go wash it off or something, he said. There were no PFOA emissions in the process, and there was no disposal of PFOA, he said. Any residue of the coating itself was recycled. Hodgkins said circumstances in Hoosick Falls are different. For one, he said, the St. Gobain Performance Plastics plant suspected of contaminating drinking water in Hoosick Falls is located close to wells that are the municipal water supply, while W.F. Lake is not located near a municipal water supply. Theres no way of getting a contaminant out into the environment over here, he said. Queensbury Supervisor John Strough, too, has said that groundwater from the industrial park area flows into the Lake Champlain basin, and it would be very unlikely the chemical could have contaminated Queensbury or Glens Falls water supplies. Hodgkins said PFOA contamination built up at Hoosick Falls over many decades, while W.F. Lake used the material for only a few years. It was 50 years of accumulation, he said, referring to Hoosick Falls. W.F. Masons use of PFOA attracted attention after a report by Albany Times Union freelance columnist Fred LeBrun on Sunday mentioned sites of PFOA contamination or possible contamination. So now we play hopscotch with PFOA contamination as if the state is just now discovering there may be other sites. Petersburgh, the Little Hoosick, nearby Bennington, and, Im told, Glens Falls could show up on that radar as well, he wrote. LeBrun said Monday he was referring to the use of PFOA from 1997-2002 at W.F. Lake, which actually is in Kingsbury and gets its water from the Queensbury water system, not Glens Falls. The state Department of Health is not currently involved in activities related to PFOA use at W.F. Lake, said JP OHare, a Health Department spokesman, on Monday. Hodgkins said he is not aware of a state Department of Health investigation. We havent been contacted by anybody, There was no reason to. Everybody knows whats going on here, he said. tips, thoughts, tales about living and teaching in Japan Today Mitt Romney is scheduled to give a speech about the Republican race and is expected to say that Republicans should vote for either Rubio or Cruz. I think it's fair to say that such an entreaty coming from him will likely have the effect of clinching the nomination for Donald Trump. It's that kind of campaign. ...Digby . By the way, Congress writes the laws to explicitly exclude their own behavior from prosecution as bribery... even when the quid pro quo is as blatant as Wasserman Schultz's is-- not that she isn't completely typical of all the corrupt conservatives in Congress. Happy payday lenders have given her $68,000 in legalistic bribes since 2006, including $5,100 so far in 2016. She belongs in prison, not in Congress. Last night most Republican primary voters gave a big middle finger to their party's corrupt establishment. Last night most Democratic primary voters gave a big wet kiss to their party's corrupt establishment. ...Klein,C&L . I suspect the dumbbell vote is cover for a substantial "fuck-you" referendum directed at GOOP honchos by your better stratum of true believers who've been promised for years that their party is an uncomplicated and reliable delivery system for their often unrealistic ambitions towards achievement, affluence, and respectability. ...Huck and Jim . The entire Republican leadership is culpable for the rise of Trump. For years they have suppressed minority voters, denied rights to gays, and vilified immigrants. How in the hell can the party of Strom Thurmond, Jesse Helms, Joe Arpaio, Jan Brewer, Sarah Palin, Paul LePage, Mike Huckabee, Jason Rapert, Jon Hubbard, Loy Mauch, Bob McDonnell, Haley Barbour, Jeff Sessions, Rick Santorum, Ted Cruz, George Allen, suddenly be offended by Donald Trump? Hell, the list of racist, homophobic, immigrant-hating Republican politicians is so long, I havent even scratched the surface. And who do you think voted them into office? The numbers speak for themselves. ...Helen/MargeretandHelen . If it is a general election between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, one question will be how the nomination process led to the two candidates with the highest negatives for a general election winning each partys nomination. While the outcome is analogous, the process was completely different. Clinton has benefited from being the establishment candidate in a battle rigged in her favor, without regard to the consequences. Trump has defied the Republican leadership, which has so far been powerless to get in the way of voters rejecting the establishment. In other words, the Democratic race has been totally undemocratic, while the Republicans have had a much fairer process. As David Atkins wrote about the Democratic process at Washington Monthly, The Democratic Party should be true to its name and trust in democracy.Republican voters have been right in rejecting the establishment, but unfortunately the wrong person has benefited from this. ...RonChusid/TMV News from the prevention field, provided by The Governor's Prevention Partnership, a Connecticut nonprofit organization committed to keeping youth safe, successful and drug-free today for a stronger workforce tomorrow. www.preventionworksct.org The 25th Annual Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers Awards were announced on Wednesday during a private ceremony in New York City. Jill Leovy took home the first place nonfiction prize for Ghettoside: a True Story of Murder in America (Spiegal & Grau), while the first-place prize for fiction went to Mia Alvar for In the Country (Knopf/Vintage). Presenting the first place nonfiction award, Wild author Cheryl Strayed called Ghettoside "illuminating, heart-breaking, socially important, and a page-turner." Strayed also cited statistics from Leovy's book, pointing out the "invisible reality of homicide" that affects 40% of African American men in the U.S. Accepting the award, which includes a $30,000 purse, Leovy thanked her colleagues, her editor Chris Jackson, and B&N. "I was a crime writer; I spent years writing stories nobody read," she said. "It's very important to be heard." Eleanor Brown, author of a prior Discover selection, The Weird Sisters, presented the fiction award to Alvar. In accepting the award, Alvar thanked B&N for being "a great friend to new authors." George Hodgman, whose Bettyville (Viking) won the second place nonfiction award, said, in accepting his $15,000 prize, that he can now pay his taxes. Following the laughter that ensued, the author added: "Books are the most reliable vehicle for understanding people different from ourselves." Becoming Nicole by Amy Ellis Nutt (Random House) took third place for nonfiction, an honor that comes with a $7,500 cash prize. Accepting the award, she said her a book sent her on "a journey of great discovery and great love." In second place for fiction was Angela Flournoy with The Turner House (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt). The author thanked her agent Jenna Johnson, her publisher, and B&N, for supporting new writers with this award. Sophie McManus took the third place fiction award for The Unfortunates (FSG); accepting the award she said the Discover program "supports multiplicity, big ideas, and human complexity." This year's fiction judges were Brown, Ben Fountain, and Thrity Umrigar. The nonfiction judges were Strayed, Scott Anderson, and Candice Millard. The six finalists for the Discover Awards were chosen from 46 titles handpicked by B&N booksellers. Head of Communications of Barclays Bank, Cyril Nai said it has been "business as usual" for Barclays Bank Ghana, adding that nothing will change in the way the Bank conducts business with clients. " I can assure you that there have been no panic withdrawals, and things are calm. But that's because nothing has changed with the bank. People buy and sell shares everyday, it doesn't mean that all of a sudden everything in the company changes." Our strategy in Africa is the same, it hasn't changed. Mr. Nai then explained that Barclays PLC is different from Barclays Africa Group who run the Africa business of Barclays. "So by implication, nothing will change because the group that runs Barclays Africa is not getting out. So there is no need to feel worried" he said. Barclays is facing major changes under the new Chief Executive, Jes Staley. Tasked with the responsibility of returning the Bank to its past glory, Mr. Staley has sanctioned a new round of cuts revealed in January, with Staley slashing 1,200 positions at its Investment Banking Division, alongside news that he was closing offices across Asia. Barclays is one of several banks implementing job cuts amid a tough investment. Barclays is meanwhile said to be more than halfway through a three-year plan to cut 19,000 jobs, including 7,000 in the investment bank, and it still faces potential legal suits. Last May, Barclays was hit with US$ 2.4-billion fine by US and British regulators for manipulation of foreign exchange trading. Other global banks have been fined over the affair. Back in 2012, the bank was fined 290 million by British and US regulators for attempted manipulation of Libor and Euribor interbank rates between 2005 and 2009. Below is a statement released b Barclays Bank Ghana and copied to Pulse Business Barclays PLCs Announcement would not impact Barclays Ghana On Tuesday 01 March, Jes Staley, CEO of Barclays PLC, announced their intention reduce their stake in Barclays Africa Group Limited. The decision has been driven entirely by the regulatory pressures Barclays PLC faces, including the level of capital they are required to hold in respect to their shareholding in Barclays Africa. The decision of Barclays PLC is not a reflection on the strategic direction or performance of Barclays Africa or Ghana. Indeed the Chief Executive of Barclays PLC, Jes Staley, in his comments, noted the quality of the Barclays Africa franchise (including Ghana), the strength of our management team and colleagues and the success of our strategy to date. In 2013, Barclays Africa was formed and purchased the majority of Barclays PLC operations in Africa. This marked the first step in the journey to fulfil our ambition to build an African Bank we are all proud of. Barclays Africa Group Limited is an independent entity listed on the JSE that is well-capitalised with a track record of generating strong returns. It is delivering on its strategy, has a strong and independent board and is a bank regulated by the South African Reserve Bank. It serves more than 12 million customers in 12 countries across Africa including Ghana. This announcement will not affect the operations of Barclays Bank in Ghana. Barclays Ghana is a profitable business that is well capitalised, highly liquid and customers should not be worried about the safety of their funds. Additionally we are managed by Bank of Ghana who regulates the soundness of our business. The strategy for Barclays Africa Group in Ghana has not changed and the banks operations will continue as usual. The Group continues to see the Barclays Ghana franchise as a sound and solid business unit. Barclays Bank Ghana has been in this market for almost 100years, offering our customers cutting edge financial solutions and investing in our communities. We are in a strong liquidity position and we will continue to ensure that we deliver excellent service and value to all our stakeholders now and in the future. We have a clear strategy in Ghana and we remain focused on executing this strategy. Barclays is currently embarking on a new journey of offering unparalled banking experience for customers through our new state of the art branches at Ho, Osu, Knutsford Avenue, Kejetia and the latest at Nester Square, Airport City. These branches have real time technological services, making banking so much more convenient for our customers. Infact, there are more branches in the pipeline for remodelling this year. We have also introduced BARX - a real time foreign exchange trading platform and Barclays Dot.net for our corporate clients. Again, we recently launched a range of Credits cards, Ignition a youth account proposition and our flagship Citizenship programme -ReadytoWork- an employability initiative designed to help prepare young people for the world of work. The ReadytoWork programme is very close to our hearts, with very strong commitment from management and employees of the bank, to impact the youth this year and coming years. Speaking to Pulse Business, Mr. Samson Awingobite, Executive Director of the Ghana Importers and Exporters Association, Samson Awingobite bemoaned government show of apathy and non- concern over their plight. "Government did not even give us a phone call or even a text message in response to our concerns. We really feel let down by a government that is supposed to be working on our behalf and for us." The consultative forum was told to hold on with a planned extention of the strike while government prepares a response to the concerns of the traders. But Samson Awingobite says government has not failed to get back to them. " We agreed to restrict the strike to Accra alone on the demand of government, with the hopes that they will get back to us by the end of the strke, but not so far. This is not right." Some do not have the license from BoG to operate and tend to collaborate with others to work; this is not helping the industry hence the establishment of BOG regional offices, he added. The Bank of Ghana in October 2015 froze accounts of DKM Microfinance after the central bank placed a 120 day moratorium on the company for flouting the Banking Act. But president John Mahama in his state of the nation address blamed the BoG for the crisis. According to him, lack of effective supervision by the central bank of Ghana led to the very famous DKM case where hundreds of customers of had their savings go waste. These microfinance companies come under the direct supervision of the Bank of Ghana. Unfortunately, lack of effective supervision on the part of the central bank has resulted in many cases in which microfinance licensed by the Bank have breached the rules of procedure they were supposed to follow and have created supposed pyramid schemes that eventually came crashing down, he stated. But the Chief Executive Officer of Databank Kojo Addae-Mensah told Accra based Class FM that the Bank of Ghana cannot be entirely blamed for the microfinance crisis. He said it was incumbent on prospective investors to do due diligence before investing in a company that promise that huge investment returns. In a press statement signed by the party's general secretary,Murtala Mohammed, the party said "These rampant increases in taxes and the imposition of taxes that have the potential of killing local industries and businesses by the NDC government are of utmost concern to us." The statement comes on the heels of a strike action declared by the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) on Monday under the leadership of Joint Private Sector Business Consultative Forum to protest tax and utility hikes. The party said it is the responsibility of government to create a conducive environment for small business to thrive by introducing "Tax incentives, protection against foreign firms, easy access to loans with low interest, restriction on importation of goods that can be manufactured locally." Salifu Issahaku, the branch chairman, said they were unhappy concerning governments disregard for a nationwide input by POTAG. According to him, the educational gap between the north and south of Ghana is wide and the non-inclusion of polytechnics in the north for conversion is a deliberate attempt by government to further deepen this gulf and a recipe to deny the north an opportunity for growth. This comes at the time when the Cape Coast polytechnic is asking government to immediately begin processes leading to the conversion since every impediment that was hindering it from taking the move has been tackled. The exclusion of Cape Coast polytechnic from the technical universities list has affected enrollment. This is the sentiment of angry students and alumni of the school who staged a protest on Wednesday, March 2, 2016. The protesters blocked all roads leading to the school preventing even the rector of the school from entering the campus in his vehicle. The Deputy Minister in-charge of Tertiary education, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has asked authorities of Cape Coast Polytechnic to remain calm and work towards satisfying the requirements of becoming a technical university. See more: Government has explained that it cannot convert all the polytechnics into a university because a Technical Committee set up to advice it on the conversion, recommended that the exercise must be done progressively to satisfy the requirements of becoming a technical university. So far, six out of the ten polytechnics have made the cut for the conversion to technical universities as promised by the NDC administration. The six as announced by President Mahama in the State of the Nation address on February 25, 2016 are Kumasi, Ho Takoradi, Sunyani , Accra and Koforidua polytechnics. Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected! "Its just, [Trump] doesnt have any political experience -- not to mention, hes a bully,Jerry Slankard, a farmer who raises beef cattle, told the Times Reporter. It took Slankard about four hours to spell out the strongly scented message using a manure spreader, local news station ABC5 reports. His wife, Judy Slankard, said she was unimpressed with Trump after she fact-checked statements he made during Thursdays GOP debate. "Nine out of 10 things that Trump said was a lie, she said. I think its down to him and Hillary. I hope and pray for the sake of my grandkids that he doesnt get it. U.S presidential candidate, Donald Trump is referred to as a serial liar, rampant xenophobe, racist, misogynist, birther and bully who has repeatedly pledged to ban all Muslims -- 1.6 billion members of an entire religion -- from entering the U.S. Two men attempt to hold her down as she kicks out her limbs violently. The girl was taken to the church to get rid of the evil spirits in her after she threatened to kill her mother. The mother of the teenager said the girl had left her a note threatening to "grab a knife and kill her". She also revealed that she has to tie her daughter down as she sleeps, according to La Prensa news site. Her father, Wilson Ramos, said: "I'm surprised. I don't know what has happened to my daughter." She said malaria has so far resulted in the loss of 30 working days for each employee annually. Dr. Malm made this known during the launch of new a Behaviour Change Communications (BCC) campaign to encourage Ghanaian households to sleep under Insecticide Treated Bed Nets. The new campaign was jointly organised by NMCP, Ghana Health Service and UNICEF. Giving a break down on how malaria is taking a huge toll on businesses, Dr Malm said Ghanaian businesses spent an average of 0.5 per cent of the annual corporate returns on the treatment of malaria on employees and their dependents, 0.3 per cent on malaria prevention, and 0.5% on other health-related corporate social responsibilities. She therefore called on Ghanaian businesses to ensure employees use Insecticide Bed Nets, as well as support communities around them on how to effectively deal with malaria. Statistics in 2014 have revealed that 8.4 million cases of Out Patients Department cases (OPD) were recorded accounting for 30 per cent of all OPD cases, 27.9 per cent of admissions and 7.2 per cent of deaths. The Danish Ambassador to Ghana, Tove Degnbol had said the withdrawal of DANIDA 's support to Ghana follows Ghana's attainment of middle income status. She said after supporting Ghana for the past 22 years, the decision to opt out now is to allow other poorer countries in Africa to benefit from the Danish Government. But Dr GabrielGbiel Benarkuu, National Chairman of the Ghana Coalition of NGOs in Health has told Accra-based Joy FM, that DANIDA's withdrawal will stress Ghana's health sector. We will not be able to pay the human resources that are working in the health sector and we will not be able to train more. These issues will be considerably cut down. And also we will not be able to maintain the current services that we are providing; the issues of immunisation, the issues of HIV, TB," he added. It is expected that by the end of 2020, support for other sectors will also be phased out. Dr. Benarkuu believes the government of Ghana "now needs to start planning with civil society organisations and other groups on how we can be able to create a fund to finance our immunisation for children under five." This was revealed when the Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Dr Kweku Agyeman-Mensah, with his team went to inspect the progress of work at the Nsawam treatment plant. He was accompanied by the Nsawam-Adoagyiri Municipal Assembly and the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), as well as the new Eastern Regional Minister, Mrs Mavis Frimpong. Residents of Nsawam-Adoagyiri had been forced to fetch water from the Densu River for domestic use, due to lack of water at the treatment plant to serve the communities. Stanley Martey, Communications Director at the Ghana Water Company had told Pulse.com.gh that human activities along the banks of the river, as well as the harmattan had contributed to the drying up of the Densu river. But, with the resumption of water production at the Nsawam treatment plant, residents of the area will have 500,000 gallons of water a day. In a letter addressed to parliament dated February 29, 2016, Mr Amidu said the bill had the tendency to interfere with fundamental human rights and freedoms of citizens. "It had the tendency to interfere with the fundamental human rights and freedoms guaranteed under the constitution and needed a critical bi-partisan examination and analysis to ensure that it secured civil liberties recognised in free and democratic societies," he said. He said, Section 6 will be unnecessary if the request for authorization or warrant is made directly by the law enforcement or security and intelligence agency concerned. The bill that is currently in its consideration stage in parliament, will essentially grant government access to record telephone calls and messages of individuals. The bill when passed into law, will also give government the power to intercept postal packages upon suspicion of threat to the security of the country or any other individual. Parliament has come under pressure from some civil society organisation to suspend the passing of the Postal Packets and Telecommunication Messages Bill until enough public opinion has been sought on the matter. The Minority Spokesperson on Legal and Constitutional Affairs, Joe Osei Owusu, is reported to have accused the First Lady of building a privately funded warehouse on the premises of the Flagstaff House for a private initiative. Hon. Joe Owusu was reported to have said this during a parliamentary debate on President John Mahamas 2016 State of the Nation Address. But, the Presidency has explained that the said warehouse is actually a storehouse for the use of the Office of the President, and constructed by the State. "The attention of the Office of the President has been drawn to a mischievous claim being circulated by minority Members of Parliament through some media houses that the First Lady has constructed a private warehouse within the precincts of the Flagstaff House- the seat of government. It has finally emerged that the parliamentary candidate for the NDC in the Klottey Korle constituency in Accra, Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, is not a registered voter and as it currently stands cannot vote. 2 KIDS BURNT TO ASHES Two kids identified as Elton Apedo, 5, and Elise Apedo, 3, have been burnt to death at Agormanya municipality of the Eastern Region. NDC PULLS OUT OF JBS BY-ELECTION The ruling NDC has indicated that it would not partake in the upcoming by-election in the Abuakwa North Constituency of the Eastern Region slated for March 29, 2016. ABLEKUMA WEST NPP IN TURMOIL Disagreements over the voters list to be used during the impending NPP 2016 primaries in the Ablekuma West constituency is deepening further cracks within the party at the constituency level, Today has gathered. NANA ADDOS SONA EMPGY PPP CHARGES, ACCUSES HIM OF PLAGIARISM The Progressive Peoples Party has described the so called Real State of the Nation Address presented by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the NPP as nothing but a cacophonous rendition of criticism bereft of real solutions. FPSO Mills arrives 2 arrested for snatching Policeman's money We're ready to print textbooks locally - Printers 2ND FPSO ARRIVES NDC pulls out of Abuakwa North by-election Speaker cautions MPs against 'loose talk' Robber gunned down at Gwollu Goro boy charges GHC900 for fake licence The victim, Angel Sampson, according to sources, struggled with the suspect as he attempted to slash her throat with a sharp knife and the victim sustained some cuts around her oesophagus in the process. The victim who was bleeding profusely as a result of the incident was rushed to the Axim hospital where she was admitted for three days, treated and discharged. The suspect, Francis Odasenyi, who used to be a fetish priest in the Ayisakro community, is currently in the grips of the police while investigations into the case continued. Narrating how the unfortunate incident occurred in an interview, Sampson K. Obeng, a radio presenter at Ankobra FM, based at Ayisakro noted that at about 11pm last Monday he had a call from someone and the person informed him about the incident around a popular recording studio in the area. When I rushed to the area, I saw the victim with blood all over her and so with the help of some other residents I quickly sent her to the Axim police station to report the case. The victim was given a form to go to the hospital for treatment. So I sent the victim to the Axim hospital. The suspect had then gone into hiding, he added. Obeng pointed out that later the suspect was arrested from his hide out and is currently in police cells assisting in the investigations. Angel Sampson, who was granting interview after she had been treated and discharged narrated that about a month ago; she was travelling with her sister from Elubo in the Western region to Osu in Accra where she resides. She indicated that she boarded a vehicle at Elubo to Ayisakro where she believed she could get a vehicle to Takoradi faster and later board an Accra-bound bus. While waiting at Ayisakro to board a vehicle to Takoradi at about 6pm, the suspect, Francis Odasanyi from nowhere approached the victim and her sister and managed to get them a bus going to Takoradi. But before Angel and her sister boarded the vehicle the suspect asked the victim to give him her telephone number. The victim initially declined to do that but later had to give the suspect her number after persuasions from her sister. After a month has passed by, she received a call from Odasanyi but could not identify him at the initial stages. When I later made him out, I told him that I was seriously taking care of my sick relative. The suspect asked me to come for some money to take care of the medical bills. I told the suspect to send the money through mobile money but he disagreed. The suspect insisted that the victim travel to Ayisakro for the money. So when I got to Takoradi, the suspect came to pick me to his place at Ayisakro near a recording studio and decided to have sex with me, but I told him that, that was not what we negotiated. The suspect went for a knife and decided to kill me, the suspect was reported to have said. "I shouted for help as I struggled with the suspect and when he realized that people were rushing in, he took to his heels. In his State of the Nation's Address to parliament last week, the president said his governmentt has indeed fixed the energy crisis as he promised years back, with the provision of 800 Mega Watts of emergency power. In an interview with Pulse Business however, the Deputy Director of ACEP, Benjamin Boakye disputed the president's claim of an end to the energy crisis. His point being that the resumption of operations by companies who had either halted operations or relocated durign the energy crisis will shoot supply up tremendously. " First of all, the country has not added 800 MW as the president claims. What is currently operational is 500MW. Apart from that, demand is set to incrase sharply in the next few months as all companies that were not operating at full capacity during the heat of the energy crisis will all begin full operations. We also know that others relocated to other countries who will return. So the energy crisis is definitly lurking around" he said. Meanwhile Deputy Minister of Power, John Jinapor has insisted that the country will not be plunged into another energy crisis as supply is currently more than demand. " Currently total generation is 2300MW while peak demand is 2000MW. So clearly ACEP's negative predictions are not true." They say they have not had clean drinking water since 1989 because of the oil spills. London law firm Leigh Day Co is representing them after winning an unprecedented $US83.5 million ($A114.40 million) in damages from Shell in a landmark ruling by the same court in 2015. Shell originally offered villagers $US50,000, the Associated Press reported. Claims "The two new claims against Royal Dutch Shell plc (RDS) and the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd (SPDC) have now been issued in the High Court in London on behalf of residents of the Ogale Community in Ogoniland and the Bille Kingdom," Leigh Day said in a statement on Tuesday. Leigh Day said the Ogale community had "been subjected to repeated oil spillages across much of the community since at least 1989," while in Bille Bille community made up of fishing settlements, livelihoods had been "destroyed" from spills emanating from the Nembe Creek pipeline. Theft But Shell accused the two communities of oil theft, pipeline sabotage and illegal refining. "Both Bille and Ogale are areas heavily impacted by crude oil theft, pipeline sabotage and illegal refining which remain the main sources of pollution across the Niger Delta," Shell said. "Ogale is in Ogoniland and it is important to note that SPDC has produced no oil or gas in Ogoniland since 1993. Access to the area has been limited following a rise in violence, threats to staff and attacks on facilities," the company added. Court hearing The first court hearing is due on Wednesday at the Technology and Construction Court, which will determine if the claimants can can lodge a case against Shell's Nigerian business, known as Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC). Laigh Day also accused Shell of failing to comply with a UNEP report that recommended a clean up of the spill sites. "At the time, Shell stated it accepted the findings and the recommendations of the UNEP Report. However, four years later, Shell has failed to comply with the recommendations of the UNEP Report and to clean up the sites polluted by their oil," Leigh Day said. But shell said it has agreed a clean-up plan. According to him, "Given the difficult nature of running a third world country like Ghana we just moved into the middle income bracket, still with challenges, oil is not doing well on the international market, gold prices have dropped, difficulties and challenges and so on and so forth I would not say that he has been a bad leader. No." Speaking On Starr FM on Wednesday, March 2, 2016, Rev Korankye Ankrah said, "Under the circumstances, I think that hes done his best, and still doing his best in the same way as I would have rated president Kufuor in the eight years. Given the background that he did his best, [he] must be commended". See also: Mahama lauds work of EC He noted that, "Whoever becomes president after November 7, I would not expect a magical performance from that person. Its not easy in this part of the world." Rev Korankye added that, "Lets say we dont have in John Mahama a bad leader; in the same way we didnt have a bad leader in John Agyekum Kufuor; in Rawlings, a bad leader because listen, to lead this nation [is not easy]Im not ashamed to say the president is my friend and I have had personal conversations and visits with him and when I visit him and hes telling me some of his difficulties and challenges, its amazing, but the joy of it is that at the end of every conversation, he concludes by telling me: But Apostle General as you pray for me, I know that things will turn around. Ill do this and so on." In a letter addressed to the High court, he said he has in recent times been trailed by some unknown people whenever he is driving home after work. He added that he has lodged a complaint with the police and is making security arrangements for himself and that of his family. Gary Nimako was also engaged in the recent legal tussle within the NPP in the Klottey Korle constituency where he represented the loser in the rerun of the constituency primaries of the party Nii Noi Nortey. According to Rev. Korankye, Obinims assertion is "unbiblical, unchristian, magic and I dont know what came up of him." He described such claims as "sad and pure magic" which has brought the name of God into disrepute. In an interview on Starr FM with Bola Ray, Rev. Sam Korankye Ankrah said, "I dont know what came over him [Obinim] to say these things. Its been backlashed, its been criticised, people are making fun not only of him, [but] of all of us as it were. See also: Jon Benjamin dares Obinim to transform into a snake live on TV "I feel ashamed and the question is: Who is bringing the preacher to book in our nation? Who is ensuring that before you mount the pulpit and you grab a microphone to talk to people, and lead people, you so qualify, you are trained for it and you are licensed to do that. "Should we be hanging at the back of freedom of worship to as it were destroy their lives? When we have such people leading people, you can as well tell where the followers are heading." "Did you check whether the company you were putting your money in has a regulator or you assumed and you are pointing fingers at the Bank of Ghana? What should the Bank of Ghana do when the guys are not registered under their umbrella? They have no authority or no right to go in there and check their books, so it's important that you make sure, where you are putting your money has a third party properly established regulator," he added. President John Mahama and the minority leader Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu have both blamed the BoG for the crisis. The president in his state of the nation address to parliament said lack of effective supervision by the central bank of Ghana led to the famous DKM case where hundreds of customers had their savings go waste. Kyei Mensah suggested that the BoG is complicit in the matter because they failed to act timely in an interview with Accra based Starr FM. He said, This is a tragedy that has befallen us as a nation. This is a national emergency to some of us and it should be treated as such. Is it the case that we should always be lamenting and leave people who are responsible for it? We were told some officials of the Bank of Ghana went to the enclave to encourage people to invest. Bank of Ghana failed to act even when huge monies were being withdrawn and converted into foreign currencies. he added. But the Databank CEO said it was incumbent on prospective investors to do due diligence before investing in a company that promise huge investment returns.According to him, "Databank is regulated by the Securities and Exchanges Commission (SEC), as should all investment companies. Commercial banks are regulated by the central bank, pension funds are regulated by the National Pensions Regulatory Authority (NPRA), insurance firms are regulated by the National Insurance Commission (NIC), so there is a regulator for any properly established finance house and as an investor, you must check this out." Addae Mensah added that most of the companies involved in the crisis are not under the radar of the BoG, making supervision and monitoring difficult. "I think there are two of the firms that were under the umbrella of the regulator, but most of the others were not even on their radar. They are fan clubs, everybody is entitled to free associationsthey can go ahead and do that." Before Emirates' latest route, the holder for the world's longest flight was Qantas' 8,578-mile, 17 hour route from Sydney, Australia to Dallas, Texas. Inspite of Emirates current record, the airline may not hold the title for long if indications are anything to go by as Qantas is considering a nonstop flight from Auckland to London that would retake the title. Also Singapore Air announced it will operate a flight from Singapore to New York, covering a whooping 9,521 miles. GLO revealed that its brand endorsement deal with music duo, Peter and Paul Okoye, popularly known as PSquare is still very much intact. The company confirmed this in a statement released in Lagos on Thursday that, contrary to media speculations, the twins were still its brand ambassadors, adding that it was only in the process of reviewing contracts with its ambassadors, including the twins. We have not disengaged PSquare or any of our other ambassadors. We are currently in the process of reviewing our contracts with the brand ambassadors, the statement said. GLO stated that PSquare had since 2010, when they were first signed on, been among the companys most valued ambassadors, and that it had been a mutually rewarding relationship between both parties. We are proud of the role Globacom has played in the rapid upward trajectory of the musical career of these incredibly talented twin brothers. Globacom has also played a similar role in the exposure and economic empowerment of all the Nigerian entertainers, and others from neighbouring countries, who worked with us as brand ambassadors. Globacom holds its brand ambassadors in the highest esteem and has a dignified procedure of managing its relationships with its brand ambassadors. Whenever brand ambassadors are to be engaged or disengaged, we usually follow the due process and dignify them by holding constructive discussions with them. The Yeye Cabaret is an annual cultural showcase to celebrate mothers and mother figures, who add value to our individual lives and society at large. It is an evening of live performances using the creative art of poetry, music, dance and theatre to celebrate mothers. This year's cabaret features Naomi Mac, Dipe and guest chef - Chef Fregz. The theme - From Mother, With Love - features gifts of love and lessons passed down from our mothers, all presented in a theatrical performance - a Poetry Musical. The last two editions of the Yeye Cabaret have focused on different cultural themes and have attracted the presence of many dignitaries including, the former First Lady of Lagos State - HE. Dame Abimbola Fashola, the former Deputy Governor of Lagos State - HE. Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, and former DG. Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation - Mrs. Omotayo Omotosho MFR among others. It is the highlight of Mothers Day in Lagos State. Tickets are available online at naijaticketshop.com and ticketsextra.com and at Bogobiri House, Ikoyi. Tickets cost N3,000 (General), N10,000 (VIP), N15,000 (VIP Couple), N100,000 (Tables). The first 100 guests to arrive will receive FREE hair therapy cards from Natures Gentle Touch. Guests will also be entered into a lucky dip to win prizes at ORIKI Spa, Bistro 7 restaurant, and more. Date: Sunday, March 6, 2016 Time: 5pm (Red Carpet from 4pm) Efe who claimed the man, Bright Oni, pretended to be in love with her and promised to marry her, only ended up collecting a lot of money from her, not knowing that he is actually a married man who preyed on women online just to dupe them. Using her Facebook page, Efe warned other ladies to beware of the fraudster and not to fall for him and his likes whom she says use charm to seduce women on social media. This is what she wrote: " Ladies please be aware of this guy called Bright Oni. I have fallen a victim, so I want to share with you all my ladies in Europe and on Facebook to please be careful of him. He feeds with women's money; he will pretend as if he loves you and play you money, I believe is using charm. By the time I found out, lots has go down the drain. I just found out how he impregnated his 2 cousins, and another woman has 2 babies for him here in Europe. About 3 different women has give birth to him in different countries and he has 2 wives back home; he also impregnate a teenager; when she was trying to put to bed, the baby died immediately after birth. Thank God for saving the girl's life. He is a deceiver; he goes on Facebook and chats women up all in the name that he wants to marry them. Please do not fall as a victim of this stupid idiot any more. I am doing this not to damage his image but just to urge you all to be very careful of this guy, BRIGHT ONI. He is a fruadster, 419 in the making; it flows in his blood. If I have to reveal all he did to me, you will feel my pains but I leave everything for God. People may think I used the money to play love but I didn't. I was thinking he's a good man, that I have found the best man, not knowing he is a monster." See the Facebook post here. Photo Credit: Facebook But in a twist to the story, a woman who claims to be Oni's wife, by the name Eghosa Maxwell, went to Instablog to post a message about Efe trying to tarnish her husband's image, without giving much details. She also posted photos of Efe, claiming she is trying to snatch her husband. See it here. Photo Credit: Facebook Not yet done, Eghosa went to Facebook to call Efe all sorts of name, saying she is a scammer who is just out to spoil her husband's good name. See what she wrote unedited: "THIS IS THE WOMAN THAT IS TANNISHING MY HUSBAND NAME AND IMAGE , HER USERS NAME ON FACEBOOK ,,,, IS SONIA EFE,,, BUT HER REAL NAME ARE ,,,,, EHIS ENARUNA,,,,,, MEN BEWARE OF THIS LADY SHE IS A SCANNER,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,This is d ,,,,,,,,,ehis enaruna ,,,...,alias ,,,,,,,.,sonia efe ,,,,,,..old fool,husband snacher,what did you expect that my husband will abandon his family because of you , you are a dreamer ,,,,,,,keep crying until you eye will blind. Ehis go and take care of your 3 children with different father and live my husband alone bright oni,,,,,,,, you are crying for my husband when you are suppose to be prepareing for your 50 years birthday and your daughter marriage. Waoooo Ooooooooo ooooooo is a pity that you are disgracing woman like this , you are a disgrace to women ,,,,, when i called you 2year ago to stay away from my husband ,but you refuse ,even my father inlaw called you too from Nigerian ,what where you thinking ,you think your charm can do it ,,,,,,,no ,,keep on crying old woman." See her post here It was gathered that the Cross River State born Enyi had operated in the brothel for more than one year since she moved in there from another location. It was learnt that the night before, Enyi had taken in an unidentified man for an all night sex but in the morning when her colleagues did not see her, they went to knock on her door only to be met with silence. Suspecting foul play, they called in some of the staff of the hotel who forced the door open only to find the lifeless body of Enyi on the floor with no trace of the man who had gone in with her the previous night. According to the anti-graft agency, Wapa of Makwarari Quarters of Municipal Local Government Area of the state, had paraded himself as International Air Transport Association Agent, and had allegedly collected the sum of N500,000 from one Hajiya Umma Aliyu of Yakasai, as payment for the lesser Hajj (Umrah), with a written agreement that, the visa would be issued to her within 14 days. The suspect, however, failed to deliver on the terms of the agreement, and it was later discovered that he was not a registered travel agent with the National Hajj Commission. After efforts by the victim to recover her money were unsuccessful, she reported the case to the police. The one-count charge read to Wapa by the EFCC cousel reads: That you, Aliyu Muhammad Wapa, on or about 15th March, 2015, at Kano within the jurisdiction of the High Court of Kano State, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) only, from one Hajiya Umma Aliyu, for which you acknowledged receiving using the receipt of your registered Business Name (Al-Majmuatul Khairiyya international Ventures ) under the pretence that you would secure Umrah Visa (lesser Hajj) for her which pretence you knew to be false and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act. The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to him and the counsel to EFCC, B. M. Buhari, urged the court to fix a date for hearing. Young Chukwuma Okafor in the hospital Photo Credit: Facebook The young boy who is currently on admission at the Kubwa General Hospital in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, was taken to the hospital by his teachers after his wicked father drove him and dumped him in the school after breaking his bones with a pestle. Young Chukwuma Okafor in pains Photo Credit: Facebook A Facebook user, IG Wala, posted the very ugly case of child abuse with this caption: "WHO WILL SAVE LITTLE OKAFOR FROM HIS FATHER'S WICKEDNESS? Eight years old Chukwuma Okafor, is presently on admission at the Kubwa General Hospital, after a brutal beating by his own father. This child was taken to hospital by a Nun who was said to have been contacted by his school teachers. Yesterday morning, his own father drove him to school in a bad shape and dumped him. Little Okafor was in serious pain and could barely walk on his leg. The school teachers rushed him to the General Hospital in Kubwa. After undergoing series of X-ray tests, the result revealed he has fracture on his leg and hand as a result of beating with a strong object which the boy confirmed to be pestle. Incidentally, , a reporter with VOA Hausa was in the hospital to check on his friend. He saw the boy's condition and encouraged that the matter should be reported to the police. The school reported the matter to the police in Kubwa and Mr. Okafor (his father) has been arrested for child abuse. Chukwuma Okafor in the hospital Photo Credit: Facebook The school teachers confirmed that on several occasions, they made effort to intervene on the boy's situation but the father proved stubborn and even threatened them. The scars on the boy's head & back shows how long he has been maltreated by his own father. The sentence was handed down on Haruna by Justice Aisha Bawa Bwari, in the case that had dragged for over four years. While delivering her judgment, Justice Bwari noted that the court had examined all the issues surrounding the circumstances of the case and found out that the proper evidence arrived at, had shown, without any iota of doubt, that the accused person and no one else caused the death of the deceased. Justice added that the circumstantial evidence adduced by the prosecution was convincing. It is in the light of the foregoing that the court finds the first accused, Muhammad Haruna, guilty of the offence of culpable homicide punishable under Section 221. You are to be hanged by the neck until you are dead," Justice Bwari passed. Justice Aisha Bwari, however, discharged a second accused in the case, Musa Ahmadu, for want of enough evidence for his conviction. The Kisii Resident Magistrate, Joseph Karanja, ruled that the accused will serve a 50-year sentence for each of the four counts of murder concurrently. The ugly massacre took place on November 10, 2012, when the bodies of the four children were found near their home at Egesa in Kitutu Chache Central, Kisii County. During the hearing, Misati's wife, Helen Kemunto, who was among the witnesses, testified that her husband came home at night on November 10, 2012, woke her up and said he wanted them to move house. She, however, insisted they should first clear the rent arrears before moving out, and it was at that point that her husband got furious and stabbed her in the forehead. I managed to escape and went to seek treatment at Kisii Level Five Hospital, Kemunto tol the court in a sworn affidavit. Kemunto continued that she stayed at the hospital until the following morning when she went back to the house only to find Misati and all her children missing. Thinking that they had relocated to another house, her husband called the land lady to pass the mind blowing news to her. My husband called our landlady and told her to inform me that I pick my children from the nearby bush. However, one of the children lay dead at the doorstep while the other three bodies were in the nearby nappier grass, she said. Following the incident, Misati went on the run but was arrested on November 21, 2013, one year after he had committed the heinous act. Despite Misati pleading guilty to manslaughter, the prosecution maintained he had intention to kill, owing to his consequent actions, stabbing his wife and the instruction he gave the land lady. The suspect identified as Echeno Adakole, has reportedly been arrested by the police in Benue State for allegedly beheading his 50 years old stepmother, Titi Enokela, at their home in Obaganya community, a suburb in Otukpo Local Government Area. Adakole who has been reported to have had a long standing quarrel with his step mother over his father's property, had laid in wait for Enokela at a family farm settlement, hitting her over the head with a piece of wood before cutting off her head. The suspect was reportedly apprehended by the children of the deceased who had reportedly found him with the severed head of their mother. An Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates' Court said Blessing should be remanded at Ikoyi Prisons pending when the case would be filed at the appropriate court. The Magistrate, Mrs B.O. Folarin-William said:"The accused should be remanded in prison custody pending when the case will be filed at the appropriate court since the advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is out. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the DPP had advised that the accused should be prosecuted for murder at a higher court. Earlier, the Prosecutor, Sgt. Maria Dauda, told the court that the offence was committed on Aug. 18, 2015 at about midnight at No. 1, Falana St., Ogombo, Lekki. The offence contravened Section 221 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the section prescribes a life sentence for offenders. The suspects are a man and his brother, who is a hunter. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered from eyewitnesses that the suspects allegedly shot a man with a Dane gun and later died at the Panskhin General Hospital on Tuesday. It was, however, also gathered that some residents accused the hunter (name withheld) of the offence while others alleged that it was his goat that mistakenly picked the gun with its horns. But the Pankshin Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Mr Sunday Okpo, confirmed the incident and denied that a stray bullet killed the man. Okpo told NAN investigations had already begun into the incident. "We have arrested two persons in connection with the ugly incident, including the hunter and investigations into the remote cause of the killing has begun in earnest. "This is a clear case of culpable homicide; I heard people claiming that it was a goat that caused the death of the young man; it sounds so funny isnt it? Okpo said as long as the police were concerned, the incident was a clear case of culpable homicide, which they were investigating to get to its root. According to him: "As soon as we are through with our investigations, we shall transfer the case to the state CID for more investigation and prosecution. Read her letter here: "My name is Efe and I can say this is the most turbulent part of my life and if care is not taken, I could take a decision that I would live to regret for the rest of life my life. The source of my worry is that with just three weeks to my , my first and only true love surfaced and wants us to elope to the United States of America. I met Patrick when I was in my first year in the University of Benin and ours was a whirlwind romance that was made in heaven. He was in his final year then. I loved Patrick with the whole of my life and was ready to do anything just to be with him. He was the man that introduced me into the world of sex and since then, no man has ever been able to make me feel the way he alone is capable of. Even when he graduated and went for his service in Lagos, we made sure we saw each other at least twice a month. Immediately he rounded up his service, he was employed by the company and by the time I graduated, it was natural that we would get married and I moved to stay with him in Lagos. Then he had the opportunity to travel abroad and though my parents wanted us to have our introduction first, his family wanted him to settle down there first so that he could come back and take me along after our wedding. The first two years were a torment for me and only his calls and messages made things easier. But then, the calls and messaged stopped coming and he became incommunicado. Even his siblings and close friends did not know what had happened to him. I almost ran mad with worry and ran from pillar to post, with no positive result. After staying like that for over four years, my family and friends urged me to move on with my life. They tried to match make me with men but none could compare to my Patrick. But one man, Steve, withstood all I threw his way, endured my non-romantic life and stuck on till he proposed marriage. I accepted based on the fact that all my friends were married and my family was on my neck and time was no longer on my side. But I must state here that I only agreed to marry Steve because society wanted me to. We had done all the introduction, printed our cards and the date fixed when out of nowhere, Patrick showed up. He narrated that he was arrested in a credit card scam and sentenced to 15 years in jail but was later pardoned after he had spent 13 years on the ground of good behaviour and the fact that he was directly involved. He also said that he has been reabsorbed into the society and would want me to go back to the States with him. Now my dilemma is this: this is the man I have loved with all my heart coming back to me at the nick of time. My heart still wants him but I know that Steve will be so hurt because he has been a good man to me. But my happiness is all that matters. Efe." The teaser for the day was: How Nigeria voted: 55% - I will go with my heart and follow my true love 45% - I will go ahead and marry my new fiance/fiancee It was gathered that after murdering the woman, Adakole dumped her body in the farm and made away with the head wrapped in the woman's cloth. But his luck ran out after he was apprehended when relatives of the deceased became worried that she had not come back from the farm and went in search of her. When her headless body was discovered, the relatives raised an alarm. A quick search was conducted and the step-son of the woman was caught with the fresh head of th woman. A source in the village narrated how the sordid was discovered: After the woman did not return from her farm, some people were sent from the community to go and search for Mama and they were shocked to find her headless body in the farm. More shocking is the fact that when they came back home wailing and crying for help, her head was discovered with her step-son who was acting strange and making moves to flee from home. The quick intervention of the police saved the suspect from being stoned to death by an angry mob. As a result of tension in the community, the Police Area Command hurriedly moved the suspect out of the area to the State Command Headquarters in Makurdi, the source said. Nwakaego, a resident of Sahara Estate, Lokogoma, Abuja, was charged with criminal intimidation, wrongful restraint, attempted culpable homicide, resistance of lawful arrest and obstruction of public in discharging lawful duty. The police prosecutor, Urom Inah, had earlier told the court that Okonkwo of Lingo Estate in the same Lokogoma area, had reported the matter at the Apo Police Station on February 28, 2016, stating that the defendant had used his phone to send threatening messages to her, used blocks and stones to obstruct the entrance to her house as well as lighted candles and broke some eggs, while repeatedly calling her name and that of her husband. Inah added that Nwakaego had also resisted arrest when he was invited for questioning by the police. When the charges were read to him, the accused pleaded not guilty and the presiding judge, Alhaji Umar Kagarko, ordered him to pay the sum for his bail and must also produce one reliable surety in like sum. The sentence was handed down on Onah, a graduate of Microbiology from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and a postgraduate student of Mass Communication, of the same institution, by a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, for manufacturing and selling a fake brand of 200mg of Amazon Amagyl Metronidazole tablets. Earlier, the prosecutor, Shamaki Umar, had told the court that after her arrest, Onah deceived officials of the National Agency for Foods, Drugs Adminstration and Control (NAFDAC), by telling it that the fake drugs were manufactured in Ogun State but after taking the NAFDAC officials on a fruitless journey in search of the alleged manufacturing company, she opened up that she was the sole manufacturer of the fake drugs. When the officials traced her to her residence at No 12, Mosalashi Street in Alagbado area of the state, they discovered items she used in manufacturing the drugs, such as weighing scales and labels. Laboratory analysis of the confiscated drugs showed that they were fake and contained 20 rather than 200mg of Metronidazole. Onah who was in tears during her plea, begged the court to give her a second chance, adding that she was a graduate of microbiology who emerged with a second class upper division (2:1), and promised never to engage in such acts again if pardoned. The president of the court, Justice (Prof.) Chuka Obiozor, ordered her to stop shedding crocodile tears, arguing that he would have given her a second chance as a first offender but that some of those who took her drugs had died and were not given any chance to live. Justice Obiozor said: "I would have given you a second chance as a first offender, but those who took your drugs and died had no second chance. Googles Director, Jacquelline Fuller stated that the donation is intended at supporting vaccine research and also to work with the government and communities for the prevention and cure of Zika. Fuller also reportedly said that the organization has volunteered a team of engineers, data scientists and designers to help UNICEF organize the data they collect on the ground to make it more digestible to the public and other organizations working to combat Zika. As a company whose mission is helping people find information, with a lot of experience in analyzing large sets of data, were in a good position to helpat scale and at speed, says Google.org Director Jacquelline Fuller. Ultimately, the goal of this open source platform is to identify the risk of Zika transmission for different regions and help UNICEF, governments and NGOs decide how and where to focus their time and resources. This set of tools is being prototyped for the Zika response, but will also be applicable to future emergencies, Fuller added. Google launched a campaign to help match employee donations with a goal of providing an additional $500,000 for UNICEF and the Pan American Health Organization. YouTube which is owned by Google has a progressive plan to also join in creating awareness. Most recently, the first case in Slovakia was recorded. The chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriation, Sen. Danjuma Goje, made the statement on Thursday in Abuja. He spoke at an interactive session with Ministry of Budget and Planning, Ministry of Finance, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Accountant Generals Office and other stakeholders in the economy. "There is no detailed, clear cut structure laid down for implementation of this project because what we have in this budget is N300 billion recurrent and N200 billion capital. "We had to push hard yesterday to get some details which were not convincing. "For instance, the explanation we got was that N5, 000 would be given to one million Nigerians. "Who would choose the one million people, what structures you have in place to make sure that you choose the right people. "You want to give money to about one million market women or there about and in my place we do not have many market women. "How would they choose the market women that would represent all interests. "We have not got clear explanations to these numerous issues surrounding the implementation of this programme. "Even the afternoon school feeding contained in the budget is not feasible because some students study under non conducive environment. Will feeding them enhance their learning, he said. Goje pointed out that while the National Assembly was in support of the programme, implementing it in 2016 might not be feasible. He suggested that the money be added to the budgetary allocation for sectors like power, transport and health, while those responsible would map out better strategy against 2017. "We are all happy with the programme and I am a party man to the core but what needs to be done, needs to be done very well. "I think there is a need to do greater work on implementation; otherwise this money will go down the drain. "We support this programme; we want Mr President to succeed; we want our party to succeed; we want to continue to win election but we want the programme to be successful. "So, we want you to come up with workable implementation strategeies, otherwise there are so many things that require attention in this country. "We would rather use this money to solve our problem; use this year to do very sound ground work for implementation so that the programme can take off next year, he said. The chairman reiterated the need for more budgetary allocation to agriculture and solid mineral sectors in view of the emphasis on diversification. "We believe that N9 billion cannot diversify solid mineral and N43 billion cannot diversify agriculture. Responding, the Minister of Budget and Planning, Mr Udoma Udo Udoma, said that the special intervention programme was a political commitment which the present administration would not hesitate to fulfill. He promised to meet with relevant stakeholders to discuss on better strategies for its implementation. "You can be sure that before it is rolled out, the National assembly would be consulted, he said. On diversification, the minister said that the N9 billion allocated to solid minerals and N43 billion to agriculture would help to create an enabling environment for private investment. He said the Federal Government did not have any intention of being an investor. "What the government does is to provide enabling environment and infrastructure, he said. Udoma explained that the 2016 budget was zero based, adding that it did not mean that there would not be ceiling as obtained in the envelop system. He clarified that zero based budgeting meant that each project must be justified by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) before they are included in the budget. Moro was released today, March 3, 2016, by presiding judge, Justice Anwuli Chikere. Justice Chikere reached the decision after holding that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had failed to prove that Moro would interfere with his trial. I agree with the defendant that as a former minister and a responsible and senior citizen of Nigeria will not jump bail or escape justice and will present himself at all times for trial, Chikere said. The judge however ordered Moros co-defendants to pay N100 million each with a surety in like sum. Moro is facing fraud charges to the tune of N675 million in connection with the 2014 immigration recruitment exercise which led to the deaths of about 20 job seekers. The other defendants are Anastasia Daniel-Nwobia, F O Alayebami, Mahmood Ahmadu and Drexel Tech Nigeria Ltd. ------------------------------------------------------ Moro was remanded in prison custody by Justice Anwuli Chikere on Monday, March 1, 2016 following an 11 count fraud charge against him. Also was the company that handled the botched 2014 Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) recruitment exercise, Drexel Tech Nigeria Ltd. Moro, during a hearing on Wednesday, March 2, 2016 applied for bail, on the basis of his health. Punch reports that he told the court that he was suffering from cute diabetes and high blood pressure. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) opposed the ex-ministers bail application saying that he never complained of any sickness when he was in their custody. An investigator with the anti-graft agency, Isa Joshua, also told the court that Moro would frustrate its effort to apprehend others involved in the alleged crime as they were being trailed by EFCCs operatives. The EFCC accused the ex- minister of Interior, Abba Moro of defrauding job seekers of N676,675,000. According to Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) under the leadership of Suleiman Wambai, the airport project is a welcome development. Suleiman in an interview commended the state Governor for the proposed airport project to be situated in Lafia Local Government, in the state capital. But the state chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Abdullahi Adeka had condemned the multi-billion naira airport project, describing it as wastage of taxpayers resource. Also, a chairmanship aspirant under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Jacob Ogiri said the Governors insistence on building cargo airport in the state was to develop his Kwandere community. Ogiri said no proper compensation was given to land owners as widely spread adding that Nasarawa state people only need good bridges to link communities instead of engaging in wishful ventures. But a Special Adviser to the Governor, Hajiya Hajara Danyaro, said the establishment of the airport in Lafia would unlock the potentials of the state and create job opportunity for the teeming youth roaming the streets. Danyaro affirmed that the Governor is contributing 25% of N17bn which is N5bn for the project. Badeh was originally meant to be arraigned before the Abuja Federal High Court today, March 3, but the trial was shifted due to the absence of presiding judge, Justice Okon Abang. Justice Abang is said to have embarked on an official trip outside Abuja. Badeh is facing 10 counts of money laundering as well as charges of criminal breach of trust and corruption. The former CDS has been accused of participating in the $2.1 billion arms deal fraud which was allegedly supervised by former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki. Badeh has however denied the charges against him and is claiming that he is being persecuted. -------------------------------------------- The anti-graft agency also brought a 10 count charge against the former CDS, before Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja. You will recall that Badeh has been in the EFCCs custody since February 8, 2016. Punch also reports that the former CDS might be arraigned in court today, Thursday, March 3, 2016, alongside a company- Iyalikam Nigeria Limited. You will also recall that the former service chief had approached a court to apply for his bail. Reports also say the bail application will be heard on Friday, March 4, 2016, by Justice James Tsoho, also of the Federal High Court, Abuja. An excerpt of Badehs charge sheet obtained from Punch reads: That you, Air Chief Marshal Alex S. Badeh (whilst being the Chief of Air Staff, Nigerian Air Force) and Iyalikam Nigeria Limited between January and December 2013 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did use dollar equivalent of the sum of N1,100,000,000 (one billion, one hundred million naira only) removed from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force to purchase for yourselves a mansion situate at No. 6 Ogun River Street, off Danube Street, Maitama, Abuja, when your reasonably ought to have known that the said funds formed part of the proceeds of unlawful activity (to wit: criminal breach of trust and corruption) of Air Chief Marshal Alex S. Badeh and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act. The family of the ex Chief of Defence Staff also expressed concern that the health of their bread winner might get worse in EFCC detention. This is contained in a statement issued by Mr Bolaji Adebiyi, Director of Press in the Office of the SGF and issued to newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja The statement said Lawal made the call when he received the 2015 Christian Pilgrimage Report of the commission. It said that the SGF commended the commission for its innovations in the funding of its activities and for inspiring Nigerians who perform the Christian pilgrimage. It pledged the commitment of the Federal Government to address the challenges facing the commission. The statement said that the SGF assured the commission that the Federal Government would do its best to ensure that the Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) signed with Israel becomes operational. He urged the commission to remain non-partisan in the discharge of its responsibilities. The statement said that the Chairman of NCPC Rev. Nicolas Okoh, told the SGF that the commission conducted four pilgrimages in 2015. "These were the Easter, Youth, Family and Main Pilgrimages. "During the pilgrimages, there were no cases of mishaps nor pilgrim absconding, the statement quoted Okoh as saying. He said the Boko Haram terrorists have been producing improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in the factories. As the battle to clear the remnants of Boko Haram terrorists intensify, Nigerian army troops carrying out mop up operations as well as search and rescue drills have discovered several bomb making factories belonging to Boko Haram terrorists in Borno state, the statement read. Troops of 7 Division Strike Group Team B on clearance operations of the remnants of Boko Haram terrorists at Kumshe made startling discoveries of Improvised Explosive Device (IED) making factories replete with some equipment. Recall that last Tuesday the Nigerian Armys 33 Artillery Brigade, said it arrested 4 persons suspected to be Boko Haram terrorists spies that include the one that carried out surveillance on the Madalla church before it was bombed," Usman said. He listed three names of the men who have been carrying out surveillance mission for the terrorists on target for suicide bombings or attacks. This was disclosed via an announcement made by the local government Chairman, Hon. Abdulrahman Abdulkarim and posted on Facebook by one Yusuf Gulumbo Muhammed, a native of the area. The announcement, accompanied with Faridas photo, reads: She was kidnapped by Boko Haram in 2014. Her name is Farida, her father's name is Babangida, age, 17. She's from Tawon Ambborsa village of Kebbi State. This young girl suffered for years in the hands of these evils, she was recovered three days go during clearance operation in the Lake Tchad basic area of Gamboru Ngala LG Area. Anybody with the information details of her parents or their whereabouts should please forward them or refer them to the local govt area, G/Ngala, Borno State. Chikun also said Everyday we get reports from the Nigerian Army in Gwoza we appreciate their efforts and we are giving them all the necessary support at every given time. On Sunday I was in Pulka, as a result of joint operation of the Nigerian Army and their Cameroonian counterpart. They rescued a lot of our people, over 700 of them. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Demuren made the remark on Wednesday, while speaking at the Quarter One 2016 Breakfast Meeting of the Aviation Round Table (ART) in Lagos. NAN reports that the BASA was signed by the Minister of State for Aviation, Capt. Hadi Sirika, on the sidelines of President Muhammadu Buharis recent state visit to Qatar. The agreement is expected to pave way for more direct flights between major cities of both countries, on the principle of reciprocity by the designated airlines, on behalf of the countries. Sirika had said after the signing of the agreement that the accord would promote trade, commerce, tourism and travel, between both countries. However, Demuren argued that Nigeria presently had no airline that could compete favourably with Qatar Airways, thus making the agreement lopsided. He said the agreement would now give Qatar Airways, which currently has seven frequencies into Nigeria, more entry points into the country and further compound the woes of the domestic airlines. Demuren said: "It is good politics to sign BASA agreements, but it is bad economics. Airline operation is an invisible trade. Anytime you buy a ticket from a foreign airline, that money will be taken back in dollars. "So each time you sign a BASA agreement, you are simply committing your foreign exchange because you will be putting pressure on our naira. "Presently, Nigeria airlines cannot compete with Qatar Airways in terms of equipment, personnel, maintenance and other areas. "I am not saying that we should not sign BASA .What I am saying is that if we must sign BASA, we must know the content of the BASA we are signing. He said that in the past, international airlines that operated into the country based on BASAs paid royalties which was how the government got some money in return for its investment. According to him, presently, some of these airlines no longer pay royalties, thereby denying the Federal Government much-needed revenue. Also speaking, a former Managing Director of the defunct Nigeria Airways, Mr Andrew Okunuga, said Nigeria should grow its domestic airlines to become international players, in order to benefit from such agreements. Okunuga stated that Arik Air and Medview Airlines should have been present when the latest BASA with Qatar was signed, adding that this would have been more beneficial to the country. Pulse gathered that since assumption of office on May 29, 2015, El-rufai initiated a town hall meeting but has not attended any in Zone 3 Senatorial District also known as Southern Kaduna. The governor said recently at a zone 1 town hall meeting that he has created about 125,000 jobs. He also made a comment that received condemnation at a Zone 2 town hall meeting in October last year that anyone that was not happy with his policies should go climb Kufena Mountain and fall. But in an open letter addressed to El-rufai, Danfulani urged the governor to organize a similar meeting in Southern Kaduna so that the people of the area can have the opportunity of asking him some questions. Ransome-Kuti was arrested in January 2015 and tried by a special court martial for cowardice, while serving as Commander of a Joint Multinational Task Force in Baga, Borno State. In a statement by the spokesman of the Army Headquarters Garrison, Col. Aliyu Yusuf, he said the council confirmed the decision of the court martial but decided to review the punishment. Yusuf said the council commuted his dismissal from the Nigerian Army to demotion from the rank of a Brigadier-General to the rank of Colonel. He said the Army Council quashed his conviction and award of six months imprisonment by the court martial to not guilty, discharged and acquitted. She made the disclosure during an interview with the Daily Sun. Excerpts below: Daily Sun: How did you meet Yinusa? Ese: We sell food in Bayelsa; so they, Yellow and his other people, used to come and buy food from us. DS: Can you remember the day he took you from Bayelsa to Kano? How did it happen? E: I dont know. DS: So, how did you travel to Kano? E: I just followed him. I dont know how I followed him. DS: So, how did you know you were in Kano since you didnt know how you got there? E: I saw that the place was different and the people there are people that I didnt know. So, I knew it was his place because I did not know anybody there, but only him. We went to their house first. DS: Was it at the Emirs Palace that you first saw your mother? E: Yes. I saw her, but I was not able to talk to her. I was just looking at her and she was crying. I just looked at her. I did not know her and I did not talk to her. DS: Are you happy reuniting with your family? E: Yes, I am happy to go back to my family. Eses case has led to widespread outrage around the country since news of her abduction, which took place in August 2015, went public. She was also said to have been converted to Islam by Yinusa. The abduction has also been surrounded by much controversy due to the involvement of the Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi. Earlier Media reports had it that Yinusa was being protected by persons within the Emirs palace. The claim was further strengthened after Arase said that he couldnt save the girl without Sanusis intervention. The Emir however told Punch that he had ordered that Ese be returned home since September 2015. I ordered her repatriation since September 2015 through the office of the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 1. But to my surprise, the issue is still in between the Sharia Commission, Hisbah (religious police) and the Police,Sanusi said. Ese is under aged and she cant be married off as an under aged. Every Muslim also knows that marriage cant be without guidance. She must be taken back to her parents; she can only marry when she reaches the age of 18 years, Sanusi added. Meanwhile, Ese has reportedly said that she wasnt abducted but went with Yinusa of her own accord. No. I am not abducted by anybody, the teenager supposedly said in an audio recording obtained by Premium Times. "My name is Aisha Chuwas. I am 17-year-old. I came here to be a Muslim and I will stay here, she added. Her parents made the disclosure to Punch following widespread rumours that Ese is five months pregnant. My daughter was raped by that man. I saw the sign when I first saw her last night. We are glad stage one is over. I am happy she has been finally released and I have seen her, but I am sad. Now we will have to face whatever comes next, her father, Charles Oruru said. They told us she had undergone medical tests in Kano and Abuja. Until I see the results of the tests, I cant say for sure if Ese is pregnant or not, but I think my daughter was raped, her mother, Rose Oruru said. And that is another issue entirely; and the laws are there, which says rape is a crime. It was like she had been hypnotised, she added. Ese has also said that she doesnt remember making the journey to Kano with Yinusa. The abduction has also been surrounded by much controversy due to the involvement of the Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi. Earlier Media reports had it that Yinusa was being protected by persons within the Emirs palace. The claim was further strengthened after Arase said that he couldnt save the girl without Sanusis intervention. The Emir however told Punch that he had ordered that Ese be returned home since September 2015. I ordered her repatriation since September 2015 through the office of the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 1. But to my surprise, the issue is still in between the Sharia Commission, Hisbah (religious police) and the Police,Sanusi said. Ese is under aged and she cant be married off as an under aged. Every Muslim also knows that marriage cant be without guidance. She must be taken back to her parents; she can only marry when she reaches the age of 18 years, Sanusi added. Meanwhile, Ese has reportedly said that she wasnt abducted but went with Yinusa of her own accord. No. I am not abducted by anybody, the teenager supposedly said in an audio recording obtained by Premium Times. "My name is Aisha Chuwas. I am 17-year-old. I came here to be a Muslim and I will stay here, she added. This is coming after Falae reported that a policeman, who was escorting a bullion van, shot at his car. Speaking to Punch, the Osun state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Femi Joseph, said What I can say for now is that the case has just been officially reported to the command (Ondo) and we have started investigation; even though the incident is outside our jurisdiction, we will still investigate it. Also, Falaes Personal Assistant, Capt. Moshood Raji (Rtd.) confirmed the development. Raji said The Ondo police commissioner invited his counterpart from Osun to decide which command should handle the matter. So, Osun CP asked his Ondo counterpart to go ahead with the investigation since Chief Falae resides in Ondo and if there is a need to transfer the case to Osun, they would know later. Returning to the Kaduna Trade fair after three years, according to the companys Chief Marketing and Customers Services Officer, Alhaji Murtala Bello, will enable the company to inform the public about their new services. We are at the trade fair to share with the general public, especially our valued customers, the success recorded after the privatization of the company and further create the necessary awareness on the operations of the Company and the Nigerian electricity supply value chain, Bello said. According to The Sun, the clash was triggered by an incident which occurred on Tuesday, March 1, where a commercial rider knocked down a woman. They were said to have insisted the motorbike association, which collects tolls from them, should take care of the woman. This led to the clash that lasted all through Wednesday till today as some thugs believed to be Yorubas stormed the market and started attacking the Hausas. At least three people were said to have lost their livesand several cars burnt as Hausa and Yoruba traders clashed. Ambode ordered the closure while addressing newsmen at the Lagos House of Assembly. He said his government will deal decisively with those who disturbs the peace of the state and Lagosians. He also ordered temporary restriction of movements within some streets in the axis, including Oniyanri Street, Meidan Street, Agiliti 1 and Agiliti 2, urging traders and community leaders to be law abiding. Ambode, who recalled that there was some disagreement in the market on Wednesday but the situation was brought under control, said, Today, I have just been informed that some miscreants and criminal elements have exploited that dispute to cause a breakdown of law and order within the area. These sorts of clashes do occur from time to time in multi-ethnic city like Lagos and the government has always responded appropriately. The public is hereby assured that we will not shy away from our responsibility to protect lives and properties," Ambode said. I will deal decisively with those criminal elements that fan embers of ethnic strife. I have been assured by the commissioner of police and other security agencies who are on ground at the scene that it has been substantially brought under control. Let me assure Lagosians that the state is home to every tribe and ethnic group and nobody should give this disturbance any ethnic colouration or whatsoever. Every law-abiding citizen should go about their lawful business, he assured. Also speaking, the Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseeni, many of the traders linked to the clash, noting that the market closure and restriction of movements in the areas mentioned by the Governor will remained closed as long as needed. We have made a substantial number of arrests, we are still counting, Owoseeni said. The state Commissioner for Works, Transport and Energy, Alhaji Sirajo Wakil, disclosed this in Damaturu in an interview with the News Agency of Agency of Nigeria (NAN). He said "the airport will contain all necessary facilities required of a standard cargo airport because there is no standard cargo airport with the required facilities in the north. "The state government has earmarked N6 billion in this year's budget for the construction of the airport to boost trade, revenue and economy of the state. "Yobe state has the largest deposit of livestock in the country and the highest grade of Gum Arabic in West Africa. "The cargo airport will facilitate export of meat, dairy products and Gum Arabic to earn foreign exchange," he added. The commissioner said regulatory agencies, including Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NAMA, Nigerian Meteorological Agency and Ministry of Aviation had visited the state and "checked all the parameters for the proposed airport". He described public criticisms of the airport as "skewed, narrow and tied to air passenger transportation and not seeing it as a gateway for investors to the state". Sirajo said the government had also constituted a committee for the development of border communities in the state. Hajiya Maryman Sani, the state commandant of agency, made the statement on Thursday in Katsina in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). "Several of these young girls take narcotics and cough syrup with codeine. "Some married women due to the influence of bad friends have also become drug addicts, she said. Sani said that drug addiction was exposing the young girls and married women to high risk behaviour. She said that as future mothers, young girls should be assisted to drop the habit. The commandant told NAN that some parents had approached the agency to rehabilitate their children and wards in its rehabilitation centre. She said that inadequate space to rehabilitate drug addicts was one of the challenges facing the agency. She appealed to Katsina State Government to construct standard rehabilitation centre in the state to cater for drug addicts. Find out what is making headlines all over the country from the covers of The Punch, Vanguard, The Guardian and more. For today, March 3 2016: VANGUARD NEWSPAPER Abduction: 14-yr-old Ese Oruru 5 months pregnantABUJA 14-year-old Ese Rita Oruru, the Delta State-born girl-child, resident in Bayelsa, who was abducted by Yunusa Dahiru, alias Yellow, but rescued by the Police in Kano, has been discovered to be about five months pregnant, very reliable sources have told Vanguard. READ MORE Another 14-yr-old Benue girl abducted in SokotoRelations of another missing 14-year-old girl, Patience Paul, have alleged that the primary six pupil of Mohammed Zako Model Primary School, Sokoto, may have been abducted and housed at the palace of the Sultan of Sokoto. READ MORE Idoma nation takes protest to National Assembly over Agatu killingsWORRIED by the killings in Agatu Local Government in Benue State by suspected Fulani herdsmen, a coalition of civil society groups from the state, yesterday stormed the National Assembly to protest against the wanton destruction of lives and properties, and called for immediate deployment of soldiers and policemen to the area to maintain law and order. READ MORE_______________________________________________ THE GUARDIAN NEWSPAPER Relief as Ese Oruru, mother arrive in Bayelsa homeSOME minutes before 8:00 p.m. yesterday, the trauma of the family of Charles Oruru was almost over. They received their daughter, Ese, who was allegedly kidnapped by one Yunusa to Kano State. The Bayelsa State Police Commissioner Peter Ogunyanwo confirmed the arrival of Ese and her mother in Bayelsa from Abuja. READ MORE Lagos students kidnappersAS parents and government anxiously await the return of the three female students who were kidnapped from Babington Macaulay Junior Secondary School in Ikorodu, Lagos, the abductors may have demanded a N200 million ransom. READ MORE Uncertainty over economic summitFAR from the enthusiasm with which the need for an emergency summit to revive the nations ailing economy was canvassed by stakeholders, the plan may not be as promising as initially envisaged. READ MORE_______________________________________________ THE NATION NEWSPAPER Abductors demand N200m to free Lagos schoolgirlThe kidnappers of three girls from Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary (BMJS) have demanded N200 million ransom. READ MORE EFCC releases Secondus on bailThe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) last night released the Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party( PDP), Prince Uche Secondus. READ MORE Badeh faces 10-count charge for diverting N3.97b NAF fundsALL is set for the trial of a former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, for diverting N1.1 billion, among others, meant for Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to buy a choice mansion for himself in Abuja. READ MORE_______________________________________________ BUSINESS DAY NEWSPAPER Investors elude $450m Lagos Lekki International AirportEfforts to secure investors for the construction and management of the proposed $450million Lekki international airport, near Epe, in Lagos, are not producing the desired results, several years after the project was mooted and site earmarked. BusinessDay findings show that 3,000 hectares of land on the Lekki-Epe corridor, once cleared in anticipation of the take-off READ MORE Nigeria to start new talks on $3.9bn MTN fine very soon MinisterNigeria will start new talks with South African mobile phone operator MTN very soon to settle a dispute over a $3.9 billion fine but the final decision rests with President Muhammadu Buhari, the communications minister said. Last week, MTN said it had withdrawn a lawsuit against Nigeria over the fine, which originally stood at $5.2 READ MORE The fresh allegations come after prominent lawyer, Rickey Tarfa was accused of bribing Yunusa with N225,000. The EFCC made the disclosure on Thursday, March 2, 2016, in a counter-affidavit filed in response to Tarfas claim that he had paid the sum in question to a namesake of the judge. The counter-affidavit, sworn to by EFCC agent, Moses Awolusi, read: Investigation has also shown that as part of this chain of fraud, Mr. Joseph Nwobike (SAN) also transferred the sum of N300,000 to Hon. Justice H.A Nganjiwa. That investigations further revealed that Honourable Justice M.N. Yunusa, as part of this scheme of fraud, also received the sum of N750,000 from Mr. Joseph Nwobike (SAN) and Co. Nwobike has however denied the allegations saying that the sum was given to Yunusa to help in the treatment of his mothers kidney ailment. Sometime ago, Justice Yunusa requested to see me. When I got there, he pleaded with me to assist him with some funds since his mother was undergoing dialysis, he said. He stated that (one of) her kidney had packed up and that he needed assistance. I felt sorry for him. I told him that I did not have funds, but that I will assist him when I get some money. I requested for his account details which he obliged me. When I got some money about two weeks after, I gave the money to him and he thanked me when he saw me along the corridor of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Nwobike added. The conflict between the Shiites and the army occurred after the group allegedly attempted to assassinate Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai in Zaria, Kaduna State. The groups denial was contained in a statement released by its spokesman, Ibrahim Musa. It reads: Our attention has been drawn to a report by some online media sites captioned: Alert: Shiites threaten mass revolt nationwide. The report insinuated that the Islamic Movement of Nigeria under the leadership of Sheikh Ibraheem Yaqoub Zakzaky is planning a revenge mission for the killings done to it by the army in Zaria. The story was predicated on an extracted part of a speech by a member of the Islamic Movement in Kano, which was taken out of context. We hereby categorically deny that there is any plan to hit back at the army and other symbols of authority as claimed by the report. This is only a ploy to start series of false flag operations whereby attacks will be staged somewhere and these will be attributed to the Islamic Movement as a revenge attacks. It will be recalled that security operatives have for long had a history of planning such attacks, especially when all efforts to justify their atrocities fail woefully. Similar plots were exposed soon after the daylight cold-blooded murder of 34 members of IMN in 2014. It must be made clear however that any such attacks, now or in the future, is not by the Movement or its members as we wish to reiterate that the Islamic Movement in Nigeria has never ever even contemplated taking up arms or use of violence as a means to achieving our aims. We remain committed to our non-violent ways of extending our message of fairness and justice to all irrespective of sect or religion. There has never been a single occasion when the Islamic Movement in Nigeria under the leadership of his Eminence Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky ever threaten the peace and stability of Nigeria or engaged in any form of violence throughout its 38 years of existence. We have always been the victims of those who are opposed to justice because of our insistence that due process of law should be followed by those in authority. For the benefit of doubt, we restate that we will never be distracted by anyone and no amount of provocation or incitement would make the IMN ever engage in any form of violent activity. Our leader Sheikh Zakzaky has said it many times in his discourses that the large following the Movement enjoys among the Nigerian people is not due to the use of arms by the Islamic Movement, but rather by its adherence to truth and justice for all irrespective of religion, tribe and region. It seems those that wrote the story assume that the Islamic Movement in Nigeria operates like some terrorist groups created by the enemies of Islam, who release video clips in dissemination of its message. Such lousy ways are not our modus operandi and we are not anonymous. We have been living as peaceful Muslims for almost four decades and so it is myopic for anybody to attribute violence to us. The Islamic Movement is still focused on its demand for the unconditional release of Shaikh Zakzaky and all those in detention sequel to the genocidal attack perpetrated by the army against the Islamic Movement in Zaria. Arase, who was on a fact-finding mission to the state, made the assertion at a joint stakeholders meeting between Agatu farmers and herdsmen. He disclosed that the force had deployed additional four units of police teams to the area to arrest the situation. "I am in Benue on the directives of Mr President on a fact- finding mission and to also see if there is a way to resolve the crisis. "We have enough security officers to end the ongoing crisis between farmers and herdsmen in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue. "We have also deployed additional four units of police teams in the area to arrest the situation. "There is no way we can all live together without having disagreements with one another at some point; it is the way we manage the disagreements that matters. "Both the farmers and herdsmen must learn to cohabit with one another as a nation for the peace and progress of our people." Mr Akpa Iduh who spoke on behalf of the Agatu people decried the continued unprovoked attacks on his people by `Fulani mercenaries. Iduh, who said that the crisis started over five decades ago, lamented that it had recently turned into a war because of the types of weapons the herdsmen were using against them. He alleged that the `Fulani mercenaries were killing both children and pregnant women on sight, adding that they were powerless after embracing the Benue Amnesty Programme and surrendered illegal arms to government. "The herdsmen are bent on turning our land into their grazing area, thereby rendering us homeless and without food. "Is it because we are minority and poor that they are using their numerical advantage and wealth against us? "We are going to remain in Agatu until the day they have succeeded in killing all of us." Ado Boderi, who spoke on behalf of the Fulani community, said that the crisis started as a result of killing of 10,000 cows by the Agatu people. Boderi said that though the governor quickly intervened in the crisis, activities of some criminal elements from both sides led to the escalation of the crisis. He said that they were a peace loving people, whose main concern was the problem of cattle rustling. He said The consistent harassment and intimidation of Tompolo will be counter- productive and I advise the Federal Government to see dialogue as a better option, rather than employing military might that has today raised tension in the Niger Delta. Piniki said the people of Gbaramatu Kingdom see it as a politically motivated agenda of the government based on the scrapping of the proposed Nigerian Maritime University, which was a project of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA). The youth leader also said The university will provide jobs for the teeming unemployed Nigerians and further stem the tide of youth restiveness in the riverine communities that has been without any form of tertiary institution. So, why are they cancelling it? I think the Federal Government should stop playing politics with development, as every part of country deserves governments attention and development. Before government came out with the decision, the Minister of transportation should have visited the site for onthe- spot assessment of work done. He cannot sit in Abuja and cancel a project of such magnitude, which is capable of lifting the economy of the area, and raise the standard of living of the people, he said. Piniki also said the scrapping of the University, showed that the Federal Government did not want the area to be developed. Tompolo was declared wanted by a High Court, following his refusal to appear before it, despite various orders summoning him. This new guideline was included in an eight-page document on "vulgar, immoral and unhealthy content," which was posted on the website of the China Television Drama Production Industry Association and dated December 31. Recently, a popular same-sex drama "Addicted Heroin" was pulled from online streaming websites, causing protest on social medua. ALSO READ: The guidelines also stated extramarital affairs, one-night stands and underage love not allowed. "No television drama shall show abnormal sexual relationships and behaviors, such as incest, same-sex relationships, sexual perversion, sexual assault, sexual abuse, sexual violence, and so on," it states. The new policy has not been accepted by China's gay community, which says the guidelines are out of step with a country beginning to accept same-sex relationships. According to a Gay activist, Chen Qiuyan, "Who are these high-up creeps identifying same-sex (relationships) as abnormal? They have no common sense." The lawmakers gave the pledge while addressing State House Correspondents after paying a courtesy visit to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in his office. The leader of the delegation, Mr Stephen Twig, a member of the Parliament in the United Kingdom, described the meeting as an opportunity to create a fair and more equal society in both countries. "I am leading a delegation of British members of Parliament this week. "It is a privilege today to meet the Vice President to talk about the very important partnership between the United Kingdom and Nigeria. "And how our Department for International Development (DFID) can support Nigeria in creating jobs for the future, in creating a fair and more equal society in the future as well." He said that the Vice President took questions on extremely wide range of issues and gave the legislators full and well informed answers especially in the area of education and opportunities for children and people in future Nigeria. He also said that Osinbajo responded to questions about malaria prevention. Twig described the dialogue with the Vice President as a very important part of the lawmakers visit to the country. According to Twig, the parliamentarians were interested in offering the assistance to Nigeria because of the long standing relationship between the UK and Nigeria. "There is of cause a large Nigerian diaspora in the United Kingdom. They are very important part of the British public and they speak up for Nigeria. The EFCC arrested the PDP Chieftain over the luxury vehicles he received from the detained Jide Omokore, an associate of former minister petroleum, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, who is being investigated for alleged fraud. Secondus admitted to receiving the automobiles, noting that he has been friends with Omokore for over 20 years and regularly received car gifts from him for personal use. "Mr. Jide Omokore has given me car gifts on several occasions in the last 10 years for my personal use," he said in a statement. He added: "I want to state categorically that what I received from my friend, Jide Omokore were cars and buses supplied by a well-known car company, Skymit Motors apparently from a credit facility Mr Omokore has with the company. I dont have any knowledge of the so-called transaction the investigators are alleging he had with NNPC. "Against this background, it is most disheartening that the facts of the matter under investigation have been grossly misrepresented in the media, apparently under inducement by some political opponents in the APC particularly, a Minister from Rivers State. "This is in line with the strategy of the ruling Party to hide under the anti-corruption fight to humiliate the leadership of our Party. "My immediate concern is the denial of the fundamental human rights, excessive physical incarceration and the orchestrated negative media campaign completely skewed against those being investigated." Cardinal George Pell, the Vatican's treasurer, however, said that he did nothing when a boy at a Christian Brothers school in rural Victoria State mentioned the priests behaviour casually in conversation in the mid-1970s. He regretted not acting on the information, saying that he would have done more to stop sexual abuse of children in the Catholic Church. "With the experience of 40 years later, certainly, I would agree that I should have done more," Pell said while giving evidence via video link from Rome to Australia's Royal Commission into Institutional Response to Child Sexual Abuse. The four-day questioning over cases involving hundreds of children in Australia from the 1960s to the 1990s has taken wider implications about the accountability of church leaders, given Pells high rank within the church. There were audible gasps when, during a testy exchange earlier in the week, Pell said of abuse by a priest who was later convicted of 138 offences against 53 victims. "It's a sad story and it wasn't of much interest to me, he said. He said that he regretted the comment, which was seized by victims and the Australian media as evidence of the Catholic Church's uncaring attitude. In addition to that, the commission also confirmed that the South Africa-based telecom giant has withdrawn the suit it filed against the regulator. Channels TV Online reports that Tony Ojobo, Public Affairs Director at the NCC, said, in a statement, that the commission received official confirmation of the transaction from the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, on Monday. The amount was an unconditional good faith payment, on the basis that this sum would be applied towards eventual settlement agreement for payment of the fine imposed by the Commission, where the ongoing negotiations between the Federal Government and the company reaches a final resolution, Ojobo's statement read. The statement also said that the receipt of the amount, and withdrawal of the suit by MTN Nigeria, is without prejudice to the final decision of the government on the terms of payment proposed by the company. MTN Nigeria was fined by the NCC last year, for failing to deactivate unregistered SIMs. The matter has since taken several turns and the company's latest move means there could be yet more drama. The Commission made this known in a press statement. The auction was orginally scheduled to hold in December 2014, whilst Dr. Eugene Juwah was still boss at the NCC, but it was postponed to May 2015, after which another indefinite postponement was announced. Prof. Umar Danbatta, new EVC of the NCC, who took over from Mr. Juwah, however announced in November 2015 that the commission will be issuing new spectrum licenses in 2016. The NCC on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria, hereby informs parties interested in participating in the Auction of Frequency Spectrum Licences in the 2.6GHz Band that the process of the auction has resumed. Further details will be published in due course in print and electronic media, as well as on the commissions website. Interested participants are advised to be on a watch out, said Danbatta in the statement, officially informing the public of the auction. According to Techpoint, Danbatta had said in an earlier interview that the move was to bolster a level playing field for all telecom companies in the Nigerian industry, as well as investors who are looking to maximize investments. Premium Times reported that the girl was interviewed at at the premises of the Zone 1 Police Headquarters in Kano, on Monday. In the recording, Miss Oruru was heard saying she did not want to return to her home in Bayelsa, a claim a lawyer said should be disregarded because she is still a minor. Ese Oruru insisted her name is now Aisha Chuwas, she is 17 and not 14 as claimed by her parents. She said in the audio: "I came here to be a Muslim and I will stay here, Twitter users have claimed that the voice in the recording is that of an Hausa girl not someone born and raised in Bayelsa. "How can she speak like that when she has not even lived in Kano for 6 months" a social media user asked. Human rights lawyer, Huwaila Mohammed, claimed she was given access to the girl at the Zonal Police Headquarters in Kano. She said upon interrogation, she understood the girl was never forced to convert to Islam. When I approached her initially, she refused to talk to me. Later she opened up to me. She is very defiant. She told me she was born in February 1999. I personally wanted her to reunite with her family, but surprisingly she asked me to tell her mother that she will never return to Bayelsa." Ms. Mohammed, who also spoke with Miss Orurus lover, Yunusa Yellow, said upon interrogation, she established that he is 18-year-old man not anywhere above 20. I was surprised when I saw a very small boy. He is just 18-year old. I was enraged thinking that it was an old man involved in the saga. From the way I see it, they eloped not because of religion but love, she said. Mohammed added that the police should ensure that she is protected and returned to her family. The Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II has also ordered the immediate release of Ese to her parents. According to Vanguard, the emir of Kano, in his first official response since the abduction of the youngster was made public, distanced himself, Kano emirate council from the purported abduction by her suspected lover. I have ordered the sharia commission to liaise with the office of Deputy Inspector General of police zone to repatriate and reconcile the teenager with her family immediately, he said. Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has also promised to work with his Kano State counterpart, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, to ensure the immediate return of 14-year-old girl. Ese Rita Oruru was allegedly abducted in Opolo, Yenagoa local government area of Bayelsa state, by Yunusa in August, 2015. Listen to the recording below. The body parts of victims might have been used to bring good luck to political hopefuls in Uganda, the Kyampisi Child Care Ministries (KCM) charity said on Monday. "Like in the past, child sacrifice is common during election period and the perpetrators believe that spilling blood brings luck. We think the killings were election-related," child protection worker Shelin Kasozi told MSN news. The activists believe that killings were meant to invoke magic bringing "wealth and power." A total of six cases were reported in several district in central Uganda since October last year, during the in the run-up to the general election and immediately after the February 18 polls. The suspects were apprehended but the trials have not yet began, Kasozi added. However, senior ministry official in charge of the issue, Moses Binoga, said there was no conclusive evidence that the children were killed for election purposes. The bride Vanessa Wills said she couldn't quite put her finger on why this date which made the leap year the perfect date to get married to partner, Peter Wills. "For some reason I looked at the calendar and went, 'oh it's a leap year next year'," she said. Wills went ahead to organise a surprise wedding for her guests and of course the groom on Monday. The bride and groom had decided to be 'eternally engaged' after their first marriages failed. She said of the biggest challenges of organising a secret wedding was sizing up Peter's finger for the perfect wedding ring fit. Wills said she would attempt to put the ring on Peter's finger while he slept so she could return it back to be sized approximately. On their big day, one hour before the guests arrived, his best man who was also in on the surprise had driven the groom to the wedding venue at Onaero Domain in Taranaki. "He said, 'I hear you've been asking your lovely girlfriend to marry you for the last 14 years' and then he said 'you're getting married in an hour'." Peter said he wouldn't have had it any other way, as his bride-to-be had organised all his favourite things from the food, to the XJ6 Jaguar she arrived in. "All my likes in life were out there," the happy groom said. The couple who lived together for seven years are honeymooning at Rarotonga in Cook Islands. "It's a story to tell the grandkids. "For seven years, he and I have been together 24/7. We get on amazing," the new Mrs Wills said. Giulio Regeni, 28, disappeared in January and his tortured, battered body was found in a ditch on the outskirts of the Egyptian capital on Feb. 3. Egypt has denied any such suggestion. The case has put a spotlight on alleged police brutality in Egypt, a strategic ally of the United State and other Western powers. The Egyptian authorities invited Italian police to join the inquiry, but the judicial source said there was little point in keeping the team in Cairo because they had not received any relevant evidence to work with. In particular, the investigators have not received Regeni's mobile phone records and cell data that would allow them to pinpoint Regeni's movements before his Jan. 25 disappearance. The murder of Regeni, who was studying Egypt's independent labour unions and wrote critical articles about the government, continues to be followed closely by Italian media. On Wednesday, Milan officials hung a banner from city hall reading "The Truth for Giulio Regeni", in response to a campaign by human rights group Amnesty International. Other cities around the country started to follow suit. BUSINESS TIES Calling the legal team home would be a joint decision by the Rome court that is leading the Italian investigation and the government, the source said, because it would signal growing frustration with Egypt - an important Arab ally for Italy. A spokesman in Prime Minister Matteo Renzi's office said he did not know whether the investigators would be brought home, while a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. An Egyptian forensics official has told the public prosecutor's office the autopsy he conducted showed Regeni was interrogated for up to seven days before he was killed, Reuters reported on Tuesday, citing two sources. The findings, which were denied by Egypt's Justice Ministry, are the strongest indication yet that Regeni was killed by security services because they pointed to interrogation methods which human rights groups say are their hallmark. With no sign of the furore abating soon, the case has caused serious friction between Egypt and Italy, though it looks unlikely to drive a permanent wedge between two countries. Italy exported some 3 billion euros ($3.25 billion) in goods to Egypt last year, Italian export credit agency Sace said. State-controlled oil producer Eni is leading the way for Italian firms, developing Egypt's giant Zohr gas field. In a letter to Amnesty International seen by Reuters, Eni CEO Claudio Descalzi expressed his support for Regeni's family. "We are confident in the work being done by the Egyptian and Italian governments and we can't but hope, like everyone, that the question marks regarding this affair are cleared up as soon as possible," Descalzi wrote last month. Besides business ties, Egypt is also expected to play a major role in helping to stabilise Libya, its western neighbour, should factions there agree to a U.N.-sponsored unity government - a project vital to regional security in Italy's eyes. Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), a group that emerged from Algeria's civil war, has stepped up a regional insurgency in West Africa, claiming two hotel attacks in Mali and Burkina Faso's capitals since November that killed at least 50 people. U.S. Africa Command calls it the world's "most enduring" extremist group and a U.S. commander warned last month it could strengthen further. "The death of (Abu al-Nur al-Andalusi) happened during an attack by French forces on a meeting of al Qaeda members in northern Mali," AICS, a Spain-based intelligence company said in a statement sent to Reuters on Wednesday, citing local sources. The firm's CEO Salvador Burguet described al-Nur as a 35-year-old from Melilla, an autonomous Spanish enclave in north Africa. For at least the past year he has been leading a Katiba, or brigade, made up of around 25 fighters in the desert area north of Timbuktu, Burguet said. Two other security officials in Mali confirmed al-Nur's death, adding two French operations were made in the Gao and Timbuktu regions earlier this week. It was not clear how many other militants were killed. Spain's Foreign Ministry said they did not have information on the case and French defence officials declined to comment. Al-Nur has been involved in a number of attacks against the U.N. peacekeeping force in the country, known as MINUSMA. An AQIM video in September showed a smiling al-Nur, wearing sun-glasses, encouraging others to join militants in Mali in Spanish, according to a video released by the SITE global intelligence agency. He then boards a truck with a group of fighters to ambush a U.N. vehicle and begins firing bullets into an apparently lifeless pile of bodies. The U.N. said at least six Burkinabe soldiers were killed in that attack. Separately, MINUSMA said six peacekeepers were wounded on Tuesday when their vehicle hit a landmine in northern Mali. Last week President Edgar Lungu accused political opponents of training a militia group to cause violence during elections. They denied the accusation. Geoffrey Mwamba, vice president of the United Party for National Development, was released soon after his arrest and will appear in court on March 10, police spokeswoman Charity Chanda said. "He has been charged with illegal drilling," Chanda said. The offence carries a maximum penalty of seven years in prison, according to George Chisanga, chief of the southern African country's Law Association. Police last week said they had arrested 21 United Party for National Development supporters found training in a gym on Mwamba's business premises, some with weapons like machetes and with live ammunition. The decision by the billionaire industrialists is another setback to Republican establishment efforts to derail the New York real estate mogul's bid for the White House, and follows speculation the Kochs would soon launch a "Trump Intervention." "We have no plans to get involved in the primary," said James Davis, spokesman for Freedom Partners, the Koch brothers political umbrella group. He would not elaborate on what the brothers' strategy would be for the Nov. 8 election to succeed Democratic President Barack Obama. The Koch brothers are also smarting from the millions of dollars they pumped into the failed 2012 Republican presidential bids of Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney, the sources said. Donors and media reports have speculated since January, when the Kochs gathered 500 of Americas wealthiest political donors at a California resort, that they would deploy their vast political network to target Trump. The Kochs oppose his protectionist trade rhetoric and hardline views on immigration - which include building a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico and deporting millions of illegal immigrants. Many Republican figures and business backers are eager to see Trump, a political outsider who has tapped into rising anti-establishment sentiment, fail in his bid for the nomination. They prefer instead a more traditional candidate like U.S. Senator Marco Rubio of Florida. Eddgar Romero was charged on Jan. 29 with failure of convicted sex offender to register with local law enforcement agency, a felony. Rudy Eugene Ruiz was charged on Feb. 5 with driving under the influence of intoxicating liquor thereby causing the death of another, a felony. Teena Hardesty was charged on Feb. 11 with burglary, three counts; perjury, three counts; fraudulent acts concerning public assistance; unlawful acts concerning food stamps; and theft, all felonies. Christian David Meyer was charged on Feb. 16 with failing to appear, a felony. Thomas Joseph Kelley was charged on Feb. 16 with violation of a temporary or extended order, a felony. Dudley Valentine was charged on Jan. 21 with possession of a controlled substance and unlawful use of a controlled substance, both felonies. Brandi Lee Osterhout was charged on Jan. 21 with possession of a controlled substance and unlawful use of a controlled substance, both felonies. Justin Anthony Kurpiel was charged on Feb. 17 with child abuse and neglect, a felony. Ilene Shild was charged on Feb. 17 with burglary, a felony; theft and obtaining money under false pretenses, both misdemeanors. Robert Rupp was charged on Feb. 11 with attempted grand larceny of motor vehicle and habitual criminal, both felonies. Alexander Michael Cook was charged on Feb. 17 with burglary, three counts; attempted burglary; unlawful use of a controlled substance and theft, all felonies; possession of instrument with burglarious intent, a gross misdemeanor; petit larceny, three counts; and injury to other property, three counts, both misdemeanors. Felix Ordaz Resendez was charged on Feb. 19 with battery by a prisoner, a felony; battery upon a peace officer, a gross misdemeanor; unlawful trespass upon land and resisting public officer, both misdemeanors. Michael Scott Berroyer was charged on Feb. 12 with petit larceny and resisting public officer, both misdemeanors. Casey William Lomax was charged on Feb. 16 with domestic battery, second offense, a misdemeanor. William Paul Farthing was charged on Feb. 16 with obstructing a public officer, a misdemeanor. Jonathan Lloyd Clifford was charged on Feb. 18 with false imprisonment and domestic battery, both misdemeanors. Nancy Lord was charged on Feb. 17 with running at large, a misdemeanor. Lawrence Robert Moore was charged on Feb. 17 with running at large, a misdemeanor. Marcella Alicia Vito was charged on Feb. 19 with possession of drug paraphernalia, three counts and possession of less than an ounce of marijuana, first offense, both misdemeanors. Jerry Lynn Duffel was charged on Feb. 19 with unlawful trespass upon land, a misdemeanor. Melissa Burson was charged on Feb. 27 with battery, a misdemeanor. Patricia Carter was charged on Feb. 19 with harassment, a misdemeanor. Katie Jo Nguyen-Curby was charged on Feb. 17 with possession of less than an ounce of marijuana, first offense, a misdemeanor. James Michael Robert Ross was charged on Feb. 19 with injuring or tampering with a motor vehicle, a misdemeanor. Anthony Lamonte Spates Jr., was charged on Feb. 17 with petit larceny, a misdemeanor. As the controversy over the U.S. Supreme Court vacancy appears to swirl around U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, he appears to have gained a high-profile opponent. The New York Times reported Thursday that former Iowa Lt. Gov. Patty Judge is expected to announce her candidacy this weekend for the Democratic nomination. The newspaper did not identify its sources. Judge did not return messages seeking comment Thursday, but she has been "strongly considering" running, said Sam Roecker, a former state party spokesman who has been helping Judge with media inquiries. Judge would join three other Democrats who have said they are going to run for the Democratic nomination. State Sen. Rob Hogg of Cedar Rapids, former state Sen. Tom Fiegen of Clarence and Bob Krause, an ex-lawmaker from Fairfield, have said they plan to run. Judge would be the only one of the four who has been elected statewide. In addition to being lieutenant governor under Chet Culver, Judge was the state's secretary of agriculture. She also served in the Iowa Senate. Hogg said Thursday he had not spoken to Judge about her candidacy but that he would welcome her to the race. "I'm excited that we have another candidate who believes that Senator Grassley is beatable in 2016, like I believe," he said. "I have high regard for Patty Judge, and I believe she has high regard for me." Hogg has won the endorsement of 63 legislative Democrats, and Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, D-Council Bluffs, emphasized Thursday he still is supportive. "My candidate is Robb Hogg," he said. Grassley has been widely considered the favorite to win a seventh term this year. But the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and the Senate Republicans' decision not to allow a hearing or vote on whomever President Barack Obama nominates as a replacement has angered Democrats. Grassley, as chairman of the Judiciary Committee, has been on the receiving end of much of the criticism, with Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid frequently taking to the Senate floor to criticize him. In Iowa on Thursday, Why Courts Matter, a coalition of groups, said volunteers went to Grassley's offices across the state, including Davenport, petitioning him to "do your job" and dropping off 36,000 copies of the part of the U.S. Constitution that describes the process for appointing justices. On a conference call Wednesday, Grassley, when asked about the prospect of a Judge candidacy and the political implications of the court controversy, said, "I can't do anything about anybody running against me. All I can do is about my campaign and when it interacts with things that are going on here in Washington, D.C., I have to do what's right." Grassley and congressional Republicans say the court vacancy should be an issue in the 2016 presidential election and the next president should appoint a replacement. Critics, however, have argued that it is unprecedented to deny a hearing to a nominee. A new CNN/ORC poll released Thursday said 66 percent of Americans think a nominee should at least get a hearing. (James Q. Lynch contributed to this report.) DES MOINES Members of an Iowa House committee that reviews the performance of state agencies clashed Wednesday over the scope of its authority to compel testimony from members of the public. The dispute arose when the House Government Oversight Committee returned to the subject of a 2015 anti-bullying conference that allegedly provided students with instructions on safe sexual bondage and how to find orgies. Some members of the committee have been calling for an investigation of the use of tax dollars to register middle and high school students and use school vehicles to transport them to and from the conference. The annual Iowa Governor's Conference on LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning) Youth was sponsored by Iowa Safe Schools. The conference has no connection to the Governors Office. The refusal by its executive director, Nate Monson, to meet with the committee on the advice of his attorney has rankled Chairman Bobby Kaufmann, R-Wilton, and prompted a running debate among members on whether the committee can compel a private citizen to testify. Defense attorney Rep. Mary Wolfe, D-Clinton, said she would advise a client to refuse to appear in front of a panel that has no legal authority over him to answer questions. However, Rep. Dawn Pettengill, R-Mount Auburn, cited a section of Code that specifically gives us authority to call witnesses, administer oaths, issue subpoenas, cite for contempt. The idea that any standing committee can subpoena anybody for any reason at any time based on curiosity or a personal issue was never the intent of the people who wrote the Code, Wolfe said. I find that really concerning and I would think that everyone in this room would and certainly everyone in your party. Kaufmann continued to justify the inquiry into the Iowa Governors Conference citing the use of tax dollars. That prompted Pettengill to ask why the committee was investigating Midwest Academy, which did not receive tax funds. We cant say its one thing out of one side of our mouth and something else out of the other side of our mouth, she said. As Wolfe started to respond, Rep. Clel Baudler, R-Greenfield, jumped in. Catfight, he said, eliciting laughter from some committee members, including Pettengill. Wolfe defended the investigation of Midwest Academy, a Keokuk area boarding school for troubled youth, on the grounds that the Department of Human Services was aware of allegations of sexual abuse and physical assault and the Department of Education allowed the school to operate perhaps to gaps in our law. Our role to investigate how state agencies dropped the ball and to make sure it doesnt happen again, she said. After more discussion, Kaufmann said that Rep. Greg Heartsill, R-Melcher-Dallas, after meeting with Rep. Ruth Ann Gaines of Des Moines, the committees ranking Democrat, will issue a report on his research on the LGBT conference. Either the big guns will get you or I'll load up the trike with Talibanfan and pay you a visit. WASHINGTON | Donald Trump's distinctive rhetorical style poses an almost insuperable challenge to people whose painful duty is to try to extract clarity from his effusions. For example, last week, during a long stream of semi-consciousness in Fort Worth, this man who as president would nominate members of the federal judiciary vowed to "open up" libel laws to make it easier to sue to intimidate and punish people who write "negative" things. Well. Trump, the thin-skinned tough guy, resembles a campus crybaby who has wandered out of his "safe space." It is not news that he has neither respect for nor knowledge of the Constitution, and he probably is unaware that he would have to "open up" many Supreme Court First Amendment rulings in order to achieve his aim. His obvious aim is to chill free speech, for the comfort of the political class, of which he is now a gaudy ornament. But at least Trump has, at last, found one thing to admire from the era of America's Founding. Unfortunately, but predictably, it is one of the worst things done then the Sedition Act of 1798. The act made it a crime to "write, print, utter or publish, or cause it to be done, or assist in it, any false, scandalous, and malicious writing against the government of the United States, or either House of Congress, or the President, with intent to defame, or bring either into contempt or disrepute, or to excite against either the hatred of the people." Now, 215 years after the Sedition Act expired in 1801, Trump vows to use litigiousness to improve the accuracy and decorousness of public discourse. The night before his promise to make America great again through censorship, Trump, during the Houston debate, said that his sister, a federal judge, "(signed) a certain bill" and that (Supreme Court) Justice Samuel Alito also "signed that bill." So, the leading Republican candidate, the breadth of whose ignorance is the eighth wonder of the world, actually thinks that judges "sign bills." Trump is a presidential aspirant who would flunk an eighth-grade civics exam. More than anything Marco Rubio said about Trump in Houston, it was Rubio's laughter at Trump that galled the perhaps bogus billionaire. Like all bullies, Trump is a coward, and like all those who feel the need to boast about being strong and tough, he is neither. Unfortunately, Rubio recognized reality and found his voice 254 days after Trump's scabrous announcement of his candidacy to rescue America from Mexican rapists. And 222 days after Trump disparaged John McCain's war service ("I like people that weren't captured"). And 95 days after Trump said that maybe a protester at his rally "should have been roughed up." And 95 days after Trump re-tweeted that 81 percent of white murder victims are killed by blacks. (Eighty-two percent are killed by whites.) And 94 days after Trump said he supports torture "even if it doesn't work." And 79 days after Trump said he might have approved the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II. And 72 days after Trump proved that he does not know the nuclear triad from the Nutcracker ballet. And 70 days after Trump, having been praised by Vladimir Putin, reciprocated by praising the Russian murderer and dictator. And so on. Rubio's epiphany announcing the obvious with a sense of triumphant discovery about Trump being a "con man" and a "clown act" is better eight months late than never. If, however, it is too late to rescue Rubio from a Trump nomination, this will be condign punishment for him and the rest of the Republican Party's coalition of the timid. "Once to every man and nation, comes the moment to decide,/In the strife of truth with falsehood, for the good or evil side." So begins James Russell Lowell's 1845 poem protesting America's war with Mexico. The Republicans' moment is here. We are about to learn much about Republican officeholders who are now deciding whether to come to terms with Trump, and with the shattering of their party as a vessel of conservatism. Trump's collaborators, like the remarkably plastic Chris Christie ("I don't think [Trump's] temperament is suited for [the presidency]"), will find that nothing will redeem the reputations they will ruin by placing their opportunism in the service of his demagogic cynicism and anti-constitutional authoritarianism. Military court to review case against student accused of justifying terrorism MOSCOW, March 3 (RAPSI) The Solntsevsky District Court of Moscow granted a motion by defense team of a Moscow student who is accused of justifying terrorism and transferred the case to a military court, RAPSI reported from the courtroom on Thursday. The case is going to be reviewed by the Moscow District Military Court. Patimat Gadzhieva is accused of public cries in support of terrorism and national strife; she is facing a prison term. According to Gadzhievas lawyer, Timur Aliev, the student posted an image to a social network depicting representative of ISIS terror organization prohibited in Russia and a scene of execution. A copy of text in Russian was copied by Gadzhieva in the form of a prayer. She deleted the image after 13 days, but Russian authorities found the posting in Vkontaktes archive and launched a criminal case against Gadzhieva in November 2015. ECHR calls on Russia to help woman dying of cancer in prison Context Inmate dying of cancer released from Russian prison ST. PETERSBURG, March 3 (RAPSI, Mikhail Telekhov) The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has demanded from Russian authorities a provision of an emergent help to a seriously ill convict so she would be able to participate in the hearings concerning her release, lawyer Sergei Petryakov told RAPSI on Thursday. The woman who is currently serving a term for storing drugs is suffering from cervix cancer, HIV and Hepatitis C. According to the lawyer, head of a penitentiary clinic for St.Petersburg and Leningrad Region has asked a court to provide the woman with an early release. The motion has been initially dismissed but later it was put on a review. ECHR was asked to intervene because of concerns over probability of the womans death before her hearings. ECHR stated that Russian authorities have to immediately provide woman with an access to all need medicines, including painkillers. If these things are impossible to provide in penitentiary clinics, she must be transferred to a civil one. Eccentric artist Pavlensky to stay in detention on vandalism charges Context Eccentric artist Pavlensky arrested after alleged arson attempt at FSB headquarters MOSCOW, March 3 (RAPSI, Diana Gutsul) The Moscow City Court has upheld the detention of Russian performance artist Pyotr Pavlensky, who stands charged with vandalism for setting fire to the Moscow headquarters of the Federal Security Service, the FSB, RAPSI learnt in the court on Thursday. Pavlensky will stay in jail until March 5. He was arrested on November 9 along with several other people who claim to be journalists that were invited to the artists performance. On November 10, Moscow's Tverskoy District Court ordered the detention of Pavlensky. He stands charged with vandalism on grounds of ideological hatred and faces up to three years in prison if convicted. Pavlensky is known for a number of controversial performances. In July 2012, he sewed up his mouth and stood at the Kazan Cathedral with a poster in support of Pussy Riot. In May 2013, Pavlensky lay down on the ground in front of the St. Petersburg Legislative Assembly naked with barbed wire around his body. In November 2013, also naked, Pavlensky nailed his scrotum to the Red Square pavement near the Lenin Mausoleum. In October 2014, he staged an eccentric stunt on the roof of the Serbsky Mental Institution in Moscow by cutting off one of his earlobes. In February 2015, Pavlensky and his accomplices burned car tyres, waved Ukrainian flags and banged sheet metal with sticks in a show of solidarity with the anti-government protesters in Ukraine. The performance was held near the Church of the Savior on Blood in St. Petersburg. LIVINGSTON Livingston expressed outrage and concern in a Tuesday night town hall meeting covering a recent spell of suicides and the sometimes unruly social media posts it sparked. Concerned parents and community members gathered in Park High School and shared their experiences and ideas for growth while school administrators and health care professionals focused the conversation. Social media has just gotten way out of control, way out of control, said Elliott Gillen. And if theres one thing I can say, I just want it to stop. Gillens 17-year-old son, Deon Gillen, took his own life on Feb. 14. Another Park High student took his life one week later, sending the town into a race to address the issue. Community Facebook pages including This is REALLY Livingston erupted with shocked comments, speculation and finger-pointing. Rich Moore, superintendent of Livingston School District said Park High School Principal Lynne Scalia has subsequently been subject of death threats and phone harassment. Livingston also lost two more community members to suicide in the last week, this time adults. Many at the meeting wrote off the bickering as divisive and counterproductive while the crisis continues. Instead, attendees suggested the community focus on solutions as simple as asking members of other generations how theyre doing or complex as addressing the poverty issues prevalent in the community. At the school, our job is to attempt to keep more suicides from happening, Scalia said. But she said the response should be a wide-sweeping community effort and a long-term commitment. She doesnt want just a one shot assembly. That could include community training to identify the signs of suicide and what to do what theyre identified. We understand this is not just a school situation. This is bigger than us and we need everyones assistance, Scalia said. Rachel Jergenson, a Livingston psychologist and one of two facilitators at the meeting, advised the room to be blunt and practical. She said to ask their children if they ever had suicidal idealization, how many times and if they actually considered carrying it out or even attempted to. If they say no I ask why not. I make them verbalize why they did not, Jergenson said. She said then they can have a discussion about the devastation suicide leaves with the people who love them. After 35 minutes of grueling competition, an eighth grade Stevensville student claimed this years top spelling honors. Jenna Wiegert outlasted her competition to win the Ravalli County Spelling Bee title. Hamilton sixth grader, Natalie Hoerner, placed second. Only five competitors made it through a tough first round that included words like tarmac, tenant and commandeer. This was the second year that Wiegert finished in the top two at the county level. Last year, she competed at the state spelling bee. Hoerner said the county competition on Tuesday was very nerve-wracking. She correctly spelled gibbous but later misspelled umbrage. Since all remaining spellers misspelled words that round Hoerner was called back for another round. She was the only one to spell her word correctly and had to spell a final word to be announced the winner of second place. Nearly 50 people turned out to support the competitors at the Hamilton Middle School auditorium Tuesday. Frank Laurence was the director, Sarah Windsor the pronouncer and Robin Clute, retired Justice of the Peace, was the honorary judge. Laurence and Windsor have been organizing the district spelling bee for 10 years and the county bee for seven. The spelling bee is for students in fifth through eighth grade, but not older than age 14. Robin has always been our guest judge, Laurence said. Windsor agreed, We are a threesome, we do this together. Windsor said the competitors are amazing. They are so very brave, Windsor said. I think it is fair to say it breaks every one of our hearts when someone misspells a word because you know that sooner or later youre going to go down. Generally, most of them are going to go down. That is so hard to see. Windsor said that as pronouncer she sees a tough word coming and knows it will be misspelled. It makes me sad, Windsor said. Clute said she is impressed with the spellers. I find it incredible the words that these kids are able to spell, Clute said. Some of these words I didnt even know what they meant and yet they spelled them. Im just amazed. Laurence said spelling bees are an institution. This is a long-standing tradition in the United States, it goes back to the 1920s and skipped a few years during World War II, Laurence said. Scripts publishing says that something like 5 million students participate in this every year at some level, in their classroom, in the school, district and county. So many people remember, all their life, what was the word that got them knocked out. Clute said words are fascinating. My grandfather said to go to the dictionary once a day, even a Readers Digest, and pick out a new word and learn that word, Clute said. Words say so much and I think its great that these kids are doing this. Ravalli County Superintendent of Schools Regina Plettenberg receives the words and pronouncing guides from the National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. Other competitors on Tuesday were Nick Sanchez eighth grade, Florence Carlton; Michael Zielenski seventh grade, Stevensville; Madisyn Johnson eighth grade, Lone Rock; Moria Perry eighth grade, Victor; Ryker Johnson eighth grade, Darby; Sophia Jarrett eighth grade, Corvallis; Tiani Ertel seventh grade, Lone Rock, Bryce Cooper fifth grade, Corvallis; Ethan Daggs seventh grade, Florence Carlton, Andrew McLinden eighth grade, Hamilton and Victoria Tori Redman fifth grade, Victor. Two students qualified but did not compete: Andrew Thomas seventh grade, Darby; and Moria Perry eighth grade, Victor. In addition to first and second trophies, the top two contestants received $150 each from Trail West Bank to help defray travel costs to the state bee at Rocky Mountain College in Billings on March 19. Refugees and local history Recently, I researched the University of Montana Mansfield Librarys archival 1889 Carrington Consolidated Map of Indian and Settlers Land in Bitter Root Valley, Montana and 1909 Northern Pacifics Uncle Sam Will Give You a Home in the Flathead Indian Reservation, Western Montana. Carrington depicted lands as taken from the Indians before October 1891 U.S. horse-mounted military forced the Bitter Root Salish Trail on foot to the Flathead Reserve north of Missoula. Salish farms of 50 years, since the 1841 St. Marys Mission arrival of Father Pierre-Jean DeSmet and farming, were immediately auctioned. Soon, in 1909, NP Railroad advertised homesteading on Flathead Reservation. The artifacts verify Missoula/Ravalli County Deeds (separate in 1893) and my oral history from the 1860s of great-great-grandmother Eliza Foster Carlton Holden Lavey. Widowed twice, she, with her third husband Lawrence Lavey and her five sons, including Robert Carlton, Sr. (Florence-Carlton area) and Ruben Holden, Sr., (Holden School) bought land from Squire Parker and his Salish wife. He was a squatter before the Homestead Act of 1862. Laveys paid this off in the early 1870s. This is on Larry Lavey namesake, Larry Creek, which runs through U.S. Department of Agriculture Larry Creek Campground. Along with other St. Marys Mission members, Laveys wrote to Washington, D.C., to protect the Salish from removal to no avail. Simultaneously to my studying, Bitterrooters voiced similar bans against homeless Syrian and Muslim refugees. However, we can better learn from Missoula Countys history where refugee families visibly contribute in jobs, businesses, art fairs, farmer markets, parades, construction, etc. To the Salish, yellow at St. Marys Mission altar represents courage. We must continue to live Salish, pioneer and Missoula strength of courage and compassion to accept new peoples. We are 21st century Bitterrooters known to wave hello, not 19th century America. This is Montana. Cheryl Holden Rice Stevensville Meeting about refugees The charade called a public informational meeting two weeks ago, regarding the Syrian refugee placement, was the most shameful pandering to a political base that I have seen in this county. The inappropriate letter produced by the Ravalli County commissioners, intended to generate baseless fear regarding the acceptance of Syrians into our county, was created by our county commissioners for a specific reason - as a smokescreen to cover their malfeasance in generating certain large attorneys fees that we - the taxpayers - must pay. Check your tax statement. And, of course, it never hurts to stir up the political base during an election year. At the meeting itself, our commissioners chose to create an environment of hate and disrespect, while allowing differences of opinion to be heckled and yelled down. When you establish such a climate of incivility and hatefulness, why would any business want to locate itself in Hamilton, providing the jobs we so badly need? Time and time again, these commissioners have made decisions that reflect their personal ideological bias. Remember the river setback rules, which they chose to ignore? How about their desire to sell off our public lands? Clearly, these commissioners do not represent all the people of this county, and often, do not even represent the majority. It is time to look beyond party affiliation, and examine the truth of the job they have done. Their self-interested behavior can only be corrected at the ballot box. Bill Peters Hamilton Revenue declines, the pandemic, and rising competition create new realities in higher education. Uprooted Palestinians are at the heart of the conflict in the M.E Palestinians uprooted by force of arms. Yet faced immense difficulties have survived, kept alive their history and culture, passed keys of family homes in occupied Palestine from one generation to the next. Sagarmatha Network Pvt. Ltd. is the organization dedicated in the field of printing, publishing service since 2001. As part of media, we've been publishing Review Nepal, an English medium weekly registered at District Administration Office (DAO) Kathmandu with registration number 130-162-163 and reviewnepal.com as an online digital newspaper, with registration number 849-075-076 at Department of Informational and Broadcasting (DIB) from Kathmandu, Nepal since 2003. Welcome to my blog. Here you will find information that is both interesting and useless. You can even see how Steve, my camera, sees the world through my eyes, or get your hands on my latest novel, Jihad Joe at: Thanks for visiting. Hope you enjoyed the coffee and cake. Sorry we ran out of donuts. WARNING for European visitors European Union laws require you to give European Union visitors information about cookies used on your blog. In many cases, these laws also require you to obtain consent. As a courtesy, we have added a notice on your blog to explain Google's use of certain Blogger and Google cookies, including use of Google Analytics and AdSense cookies. feministsindia.com March 3, 2016 Veshya Anyay Mutki Parishad writes to Jawaharlal Nehru University students expressing solidarity with their fight against right-wing orchestrated violence and intimidation Dear Students of JNU, Salute! Jai Bhim! Laal salam! We will win this war against sedition! March 3rd, International Sex workers Rights Day, Zindabad! We write from the sex workeras rights movement to hail your struggle and to add to the discourse you have sparked. We would like to discuss why using the term sex worker in the alleged pamphlet in JNU on Mahishasura Martydom Day is a concept fraught with the Whore Stigma. The use of the politically correct sex worker instead of the commonly used `prostitutea does not take away from the fact that it is used to depict an insalubrious deed. The use of this term has only led to more misunderstandings of the term itself. Sex worker is the term used by the sex workeras rights movement in order to claim dignity to the work adults do consensually by providing sexual services for money. The sex workers use this term to give dignity to those that exchange sexual services for money but the use here is to supposedly strip the `goddessa in this instance, of any dignity. The term since then has taken a life of its own. From a politically correct term it is now being used to describe anti-nationals, anti-goddesses even anti- patriarchy! But the thinly veiled contempt for the sex worker is huge in every utterance, from the Hindu Goddess Durga to the `anti-nationala women students in JNU. It was brought to the nation on Februrary 24, 2016 when an alleged pamphlet issued in JNU to mark Mahishasura Martydom Day, October 2014 was produced in Parliament by Minister for Education Ms. Smriti Irani stating that it contained offensive material regarding the aDurga Pujaa a awhere a fair skinned beautiful goddess Durga is depicted brutally killing a dark-skinned native called aMahishasura, a brave self-respecting leader, tricked into marriage by Aryans. They hired a sex worker called Durga, who enticed Mahishasura into marriage and killed him after nine nights of honeymooning, during sleep.a The pamphlet was issued on aMahishasura Martyrdom Daya observed by scheduled tribe, scheduled caste, other backward caste and minority students of JNU. The minister asked for forgiveness from her god to even utter the words as printed in the pamphlet. The use of the politically correct term sex worker and the use of the words like enticed and honeymoon to depict sexual exchange are the reason for the chocked anger of Ms. Irani. Would it have been better for the pamphlet not to have used the term sex worker? Because I cannot see what else the minister could have to ask forgiveness for, a fair skinned woman enticing Mahishasur and killing him is a well-accepted concept among the tribals, whether the woman was Durga is unclear. Earlier on February 13th Jawahar Yadav, former Officer on Special Duty to the Chief Minister of Haryana In his tweet, Yadav wrote aFor the girls who are protesting in JNU, I only have one thing to say that prostitutes who sell their body are better than them because they atleast donat sell their countrya . Almost after two hours, Yadav wrote a clarification and deleted his previous tweet. In the clarification he said: aNo girl has been compared to any prostitute in my previous tweet. Instead I meant that the girls who are forced to enter prostitution are rather better than the girls who were protesting in JNU and raising anti-India slogans, Pakistan Zindabad slogans. The daughters and sisters who are forced to sell their body are better than the girls who were demanding the freedom of Kashmir and Kerala and shouting that their fight will continue till India is destroyed.a To continue this saga, on 27th February Devdutt Patnaik has written a piece on `How patriarchy makes asex workera a term of abusea where he explains that, The Goddess as a free woman discomforts many, who cannot bear to see any female, divine or otherwise, in positions of power. His analysis however is very far away from this misleading headline in the Daily O. Devduttas simplistic analysis cannot move away from its moral frame of the single woman who has to satisfy `the unsavoury yearnings of mena. Mr. Patnaik also falls into the same trap of having a very interesting analysis but not addressing why the term sex work cannot be used interchangeably with the stigmatising concept of the `prostitutea. Then on February 29th there is the headline, aThreatened and termed a sex worker after Mahishashura debatea: Asianet News editor Sindhu to TNM. Now we move from the alleged JNU pamphlet to the discussion on the Mahishasura Martydom day and all hell breaks loose. The anchor is threatened with life and also called a sex worker. The mobile number of Sindhu Sooryakumar, the Chief Coordinating Editor of Asianet News, was circulated on WhatsApp allegedly by activists of right wing groups offended by a TV programme where members of Congress, BJP and Left parties debated whether celebrating Mahishasura, a common custom among certain tribes in India, is enough to accuse students of Delhias Jawaharlal Nehru University of aanti-nationala activities. This constant reference to sex work and women in sex work in particular is made to stigmatise and put down the woman it is describing. It is used to depict sleaze, disgust, distaste and revulsion. Mere use of the politically correct term has not taken away the whore stigma attached to the term `prostitutea if it is used to divide women into the `good and the bada. The sex worker rights movement would like to bring to your notice the fact that it is therandi [whore] stigma that pushes sex workers outside the rights framework, effectively cutting them off from privileges and rights supposedly accorded to all citizens irrespective of what they do for a living. Stigmatization, which has its roots in the standards set by patriarchal morality, is experienced as the major factor that prevent sexworkers from accessing their rights. In the real world of sex workers, the lives of women in sex work are particularly held hostage. Stigmatization impacts the lives of women in more ways than one. Some of the rights denied due to discrimination are: freedom from physical and mental abuse; the right to education and information; health care, housing; social security and welfare services to name but a few. We also demand Azadi! Azadi from discrimination, azadi from the violence of a judgemental attitude, azadi from the multiplicity of injustice meted out to sex works, Azadi from the loose use of the politically correct but deeply stigmatised use of the term sex worker.Sex workers demand Azadi from `Goddessa Durga In solidarity, Shabana Khazi, Durga Pujari, Kiran Deshmukh, Chanda Vazane, Neelawa Siddereddy, Suvarna Ingalgave, Meenakshi Kamble, Raosaheb More, Sudhir Patil, Aarthi Pai, Meena Saraswathi Seshu. Veshya Anyay Mutki Parishad Muskan [ TG and Male sex workers] SANGRAM. siawi.org, March 2, 2016 IN SOLIDARITY WITH STUDENTS AND TEACHERS OF JNU, NEW DELHI, INDIA The Hindu-Right government of India identifies the nation with its Hindu majority and imposes the domination of Hinduism over citizens of other denominations and also the alowera castes. Over the past few years, the Hindu-Right has curtailed free speech at universities, banned books, and falsified history. Students protesting against the oppression of non-Hindu citizens and alowera castes have been fiercely repressed and police has been called into the premises of the Jawaharlal Nehru University. In protest, university teachers now organize lectures in the open to freely discuss nation, nationalism, and the politics of the Hindu-Right. A protest march to the Parliament in New Delhi is being organized on March 2, and on this occasion Delhi students call for international solidarity. We the undersigned, fully aware of the dangers of all fundamentalist extreme-Rights, wholeheartedly support the protest movement of students and teachers at JNU, those at Delhi University and other protestors against the Hindu-Right government in India. Signed Amel Grami, professor at the University of Manouba, Tunisia Ariane Brunet, Centre for Secular Space Chulani Kodikara, Research Associate at the International Center for Ethnic Studies, Colombo, Sri Lanka Deeyah Khan. Filmmaker and activist. Founder of Fuuse. Elizabeth Cox: independent feminist activist and former UN Women regional director Fariborz Pooya, Host of Bread and Roses TV Gita Sahgal, Director, Centre for Secular Space Homa Arjomand, Coordinator of the International Campaign against Sharia Court in Canada and One Secular School System for All Imad Iddine Habib, Council of Ex-Muslims of Morocco/Britain Inna Schevchenko, FEMEN Leader Jeanne Favret Saada, Directeur de recherche CNRS, Paris Kate Smurthwaite, Comedian and Activist Lila Ghobady, Writer & Documentarymaker Marieme Helie Lucas, Algerian Sociologist, former faculty member Algiers University and Founder of Secularism is a Womanas Issue Maryam Namazie, Spokesperson of One Law for All and Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain and Producer of Bread and Roses TV Meredith Tax, Chair, Centre for Secular Space Nadia El Fani, Tunisian Filmmaker Nahla Mahmoud, Spokesperson of Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain Nina Sankari, Polish Feminist and Secularist Nira Yuval-Davis, Director of the Research Centre on Migration, Refugees and Belonging (CMRB) at the University of East London Pervez Hoodbhoy, Pakistani nuclear physicist, mathematician and academic Peter Tatchell, Human Rights Campaigner Pragna Patel, Director of Southall Black Sisters Rayhana Sultan, Spokesperson of Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain Rina Nissim, Espace Femmes International, Geneva Rumy Hasan, Academic Sultana Kamal, Bangladeshi Lawyer and Human Rights Activist Terry Sanderson, President of the National Secular Society Yasmin Rehman, Womenas Rights Campaigner source URL: http://www.siawi.org/article10968.html I give my consent to Sakshi Post to be in touch with me via email for the purpose of event marketing and corporate communications. Privacy Policy Click On Our Advertisers Ads Most of our ads have links to take you directly to their Websites. Just click on an ad and away you go. If you are currently a print subscriber but don't have an online account, select this option. You will need to use your 7 digit subscriber account number (with leading zeros) and your last name (in UPPERCASE). Mark Holden, GC at Koch Industries, makes "The Factual Case for Criminal Justice Reform" | Main | "This Mornings Breakfast, Last Nights Game: Detecting Extraneous Influences on Judging" March 2, 2016 Are death penalty advocates troubled by plea deal, presumably urged by families of two slain Viriginia college students, that allows a double murderer to escape any real punishment? The question in the title of this post is my reaction to this news story about an expected plea deal which seem to allow a high-profile double-murderer in Virginia to, in essence, avoid suffering any real punishment for murdering two college students. The article is headlined "Report: Matthew to be spared death penalty in Va. student murders," and here are the details (with my emphasis added): Two remarkably similar murder cases that amplified concerns about campus safety are expected to end when a Virginia man enters a plea deal that will spare him a possible death sentence. Jesse LeRoy Matthew Jr., 34, is expected to enter pleas resolving the Hannah Graham and Morgan Harrington cases Wednesday, according to Albemarle County Commonwealth's Attorney Robert N. Tracci. The prosecutor did not disclose the terms of the plea agreement ahead of the hearing. Sources told CBS affiliate WTVR Matthew is expected to plead guilty to first-degree murder and intent to defile in both cases. WTVR reporter Laura French reports via Twitter that Matthew is expected to serve four life sentences with no eligibility for parole. The deal will spare him the death penalty, sources told the station. The former hospital orderly and cab driver is charged with capital murder in the September 2014 death of 18-year-old University of Virginia student Graham. He also faces a first-degree murder charge in the 2009 death of Harrington, a 20-year-old Virginia Tech student. He already is serving three life prison terms for a sexual assault in northern Virginia. According to authorities, Graham and Harrington were young women in vulnerable straits when they vanished in Charlottesville five years apart... Graham's disappearance, which came at a time of rising national concern about sexual assaults and other crimes on college campuses, prompted a massive search. Her body was found five weeks later on abandoned property in Albemarle County, about 12 miles from the Charlottesville campus and 6 miles from a hayfield where Harrington's remains had been found in January 2010. After police named Matthew a person of interest in Graham's disappearance, he fled and was later apprehended on a beach in southeast Texas. He was charged with abduction with intent to defile, a felony that empowered police to swab his cheek for a DNA sample. That sample connected Matthew to the 2005 sexual assault in Fairfax, a Virginia suburb of Washington, according to authorities. The DNA evidence in the Fairfax sexual assault, in turn, linked Matthew to the Harrington case, authorities have said. The charge against Matthew in the Graham case was later upgraded to capital murder, giving prosecutors the option to seek the death penalty. Both the Harrington and the Graham families are supportive of the deal, WTVR reports. Both families requested to give victim impact statements at the Wednesday afternoon hearing. When I first saw the headline of this local story, I was puzzled by the willingness of Virginia prosecutors to let a defendant who is already serving multiple life sentences for other crimes now avoid any capital prosecution for two horrific murders. But, after reading that "the Harrington and the Graham families are supportive of the deal," I presume that these families strongly urged the prosecutors to take this kind of deal in order to conclude legal proceedings quickly and to allow them to get a measure of closure. Assuming I am right that this plea deal is at the behest of the families of the victims, I am genuinely interested to hear from death penalty advocates about whether they think this outcome is ultimately a serious injustice. I surmise that some (many? most?) death penalty advocates think it is an injustice anytime a first-degree murderer escapes a capital prosecution and possible execution. In this case, given that the double-murderer is already serving life sentences for other crimes, this plea deal to additional life sentences means, functionally, Matthew is going to receive no real punishment at all for murdering Graham and Harrington. Because I am a something of a death penalty agnostic, and especially because I am a strong supporter of taking very seriously the sentencing interests of crime victims in all cases, I really am not sure how I feel about this outcome. But I am sure I would like to hear the opinions of others, especially those who genuinely believe, as did Immanuel Kant, that the "satisfaction of justice" demands the execution of certain killers. March 2, 2016 at 05:27 PM | Permalink Comments I assume that these murders were committed before he went to prison on the three life terms. Is that correct? I.e. he did not escape and then go out and commit more crimes? If it is the case that he can successfully be contained and prevented from committing any further harm, then I don't know what extra "justice" would be gained from killing him. Posted by: Kirsten Tynan | Mar 2, 2016 5:34:34 PM "he can successfully be contained and prevented from committing any further harm" People kill in prison. The family of victims have opposed the death penalty in the past and the state has prosecuted and obtained a capital sentence and in some cases executed. So, the wishes of the victims (who repeatedly are split -- my family would be if one of our own were murdered and the question arose) have been ignored in the past. We don't live in a nation like IIRC Iran (or some Middle Eastern nation) where it was up to the victim's family to determine if the person dies. It is of course generally a good idea to get the victim's family on your side. Not always possible or apparently in the eyes of some (if they chose unwisely) good public policy. As to why, the article notes a plea deal. Also, it looks like the other terms didn't have the "no eligibility for parole" tag. Posted by: Joe | Mar 2, 2016 6:01:34 PM Professor, I am willing to take the proffered bait notwithstanding my complete and utter lack of knowledge of Virginia criminal law and procedure. First, I would note that it is my understanding that the defendant was eligible for release at 60 under Virginia law for his three life terms. A plea to life without the possibility of parole (to the extent that is still in existence during Graham's lifetime) would appear to qualify as a greater punishment. Second, if in fact the plea was driven by the desire of the families of the two victims, that is certainly a powerful reason to make this deal. Putting the next-of-kin of a murder victim through the ordeal of a trial is difficult enough, but it would be hugely amplified if they disagreed with a decision to seek the death penalty. Third, we do not know the state of the evidence of these two cases. In my opinion, it would take an exceptional set of circumstances where I would seek death in a case where I was not absolutely certain of the defendant's guilt. That all being said, I would respectfully disagree with any decision to plea bargain the death penalty. Plea bargaining is a necessary evil that should never be considered in death penalty cases. Either the case/criminal deserves death or does not. If the Commonwealth's prosecutor felt the case merited the death penalty, then "no power on earth should deter him/her from presenting these facts to the jury". Posted by: Cal prosecutor | Mar 2, 2016 6:03:50 PM Thanks for the quick comments, Cal and others. I was unsure if the other life terms in Virginia included eligibility for some kind of release, and certainly the elimination of that possibility serves as some formal extra punishment (although, assuming limited doubt about guilt on at least one of these murderers, actual release seems a long-shot on these facts). As for uncertainty about guilt, I hear that a lot from prosecutors as a reason to not pursue a death sentence, but that rationale has always struck me as curious if the alternative is a plea to LWOP because (1) I sure hope a prosecutor would not seek LWOP if uncertain about guilt, (2) a full trial would seem the best way to explore any residual/uncertainty about guilt rather than using the threat of a death sentence to get LWOP without any need for a trial to test the state's case, and (3) an innocent person sentenced to death is likely to get more volunteer lawyers and abolitionist advocates to help them from death row rather than when stuck with the huge number of LWOPers. That all said, the chief point I was hoping to make with this post is to highlight that even in states like Virginia with laws and prosecutors seemingly very committed to, and quite capable in, using the death penalty, the voices of victims and the discretion of prosecutors can and will sometimes thwart a capital prosecution even in a seemingly very deserving case. Posted by: Doug B. | Mar 2, 2016 6:32:22 PM Just to clarify Virginia law, crimes committed after 1995 are not eligible for normal parole. Defendants are eligible for geriatric parole except for Class 1 Felonies. See Va. Code 53.1-40.01. Rape carries 5 to life and isn't a Class 1 Felony. Given this, a life sentence for a conviction of capital murder (not First Degree Murder) would prevent the possibility of parole. Posted by: Erik M | Mar 2, 2016 7:17:38 PM A mandatory death penalties constitutional, and it should be imposed in cases like this. Posted by: federalist | Mar 2, 2016 8:06:18 PM I'm all for federalism. And the Federalist Papers. But not even Alexander Hamilton or Antonin Scalia would advocate imposition of the death penalty without adjudication of guilt and the requisite jury findings leading to the death penalty. Posted by: Fat Bastard | Mar 2, 2016 9:40:15 PM Even if a mandatory DP statute was possible, federalist, this kind of plea deal would still be possible. Are you suggesting not only mandatory DP sentencing, but also mandatory DP prosecution? Posted by: Doug B. | Mar 3, 2016 7:02:07 AM There is too much second-guessing in this case to make informed judgments/comments about it. However, as a principle, given that the decision of victim's relatives not to seek the death penalty to satisfy their own lust for revenge, or to protect themselves from needless years of trauma of subsequent appeals with no certainty of outcome, is not so rare as many would like to imply (partly reflecting divided public opinion on the efficacy of the death penalty anyway), then it is entirely reasonable and right that the views of the victim's relatives be respected. It is entirely unreasonable and irrational to argue on the one hand that the death penalty is all about victim's and victim's relatives rights, and then cherry pick only those views that favor the death penalty, saying that death is justified anyway on the level of public safety or state revenge. Posted by: peter | Mar 3, 2016 7:28:53 AM Doug: Your assessment doesn't make sense. Virginia executes within 7 years, on average, since 1976, for their 111 executions. The last execution occurred after 5 years of full appeals. I presume the families know this. All murder victim survivor families are aware that emotional and psychological closure does not exist, but that legal and life closure (end of appeals, execution or other death) does. The only optiona that makes sense, here, are that the two families oppose the death penalty, to such an extent, that it affected the DA's decision, unlikely with a strong death penalty proponent prosecutor, and/or that there are some case problems that we are unaware of. Both of the cases cry out for the death penalty, if justice were the only consideration. Posted by: Dudley Sharp | Mar 3, 2016 8:13:28 AM Kirsten: Taking away life is a considerably different sanction than taking away freedom. Criminals, judges and juries are very aware of that fact, as I presume that you are. It is not a matter of safety but justice, as you noted but were, evidently, unaware of the differences. But, if your comparison is only one of safety, which I find inappropriate, then you would also pick the death penalty, as it has the additonal safety of enhanced due process, enhanced incapacitation and enhanced deterrence. Posted by: Dudley Sharp | Mar 3, 2016 8:29:50 AM peter--if the DP is made to be a death slog over 20 years thereby deterring victims from wanting it, then something needs to be done with the process. Doug, no I am not suggesting mandatory prosecution--but a state should have the power to require death as a punishment in a case like this if guilt is determined beyond reasonable doubt. In a sane world of justice, he would be given a fair trial, almost certainly convicted, then executed within a few months. Posted by: federalist | Mar 3, 2016 9:32:54 AM Is it conceivable, in your world, federalist, that victims may not desire the death penalty no matter how swift? And that these persons might be more sane than those who find some solace in still another death? Posted by: Fat Bastard | Mar 3, 2016 3:00:17 PM As an abolitionist myself, as I've argued before, it may be more pragmatic to not argue against the death penalty in cases like this one, where DNA evidence confirms multiple murders. But DNA evidence isn't foolproof either. The problem with swift punishment is that it too often takes years and years before an exoneration is proven. Indeed, in the 20s, 30s and 40s from crime to execution could be within a year or two, so of course wrongful convictions and executions were more likely. My new book, In the Court of Deadly Assumptions, tackles another potential example from 1937. Posted by: George | Mar 3, 2016 3:43:19 PM Consider also that geriatric release in Virginia is very rarely granted. According to the magistrate judge in LeBlanc v. Mathena, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 189736 (E.D. Va. 2013), more than 95% of all requests for geriatric release were denied by the Virginia Parole Board "only because of the seriousness of their offense." All this is to say that Prof. Berman's original point holds: Jesse Matthew was going to die in prison before this plea deal. Kudos to his attorneys. The capital defense bar has nearly eradicated the death penalty in Virginia. Posted by: Rob | Mar 3, 2016 3:57:02 PM In USA there are 15.000 homicides per year. 10.000 are punished in some way, and 2-4.000 of these 10.000 are death penalty eligible. In 2015 death sentences were 50. How many were the Matthew cases? P.S: Kant was out of order. Posted by: claudio giusti | Mar 3, 2016 5:18:06 PM federalist, I remember a few weeks back I suggested parole as an alternative for resentencing in the Miller cases and you brought up the parents saying they deserve better. Here, this is what the parents want and you're saying the parents don't deserve to have a choice in the matter? Is that right? Posted by: Erik M | Mar 3, 2016 5:31:10 PM What I am saying is that (a) these crimes deserve capital punishment normatively and (b) victims' families, when faced with the prospect of a trial and years of appeals may just want it over. Were capital punishment swift and sure, then much of the victims' families' opposition would evaporate. My mom doesn't agree with the death penalty, but she wouldn't lose sleep over it if one of us were murdered. As for parole hearings yanking the rug out from under victims' families, isn't that a pretty obvious issue? And of course, no one gave a shit about it when determining the evolving standards. Posted by: federalist | Mar 3, 2016 6:53:13 PM "People kill in prison." I understand that. However, people in prison (a) can be isolated and/or split up based on the risk they pose, (b) approximately never put the general public at risk, and (c) the average homicide rate in local jails and state prisons in 2011 (the most recent year I found with a quick Google search) was lower than that of the average American town. All that points to a high ability to contain dangerous people without having to kill them-a measure which does not seem to add any additional "justice" as far as I can tell. Posted by: Kirsten Tynan | Mar 3, 2016 10:24:40 PM "A mandatory death penalties constitutional, and it should be imposed in cases like this." As far as I know, there is no such thing as a constitutional mandatory death penalty in the United States. Per recent Supreme Court ruling in Hurst v. Florida as to what is constitutional in terms of death sentences, the jury is the final authority on whether to sentence a defendant to death or not. The implication of that is that it would be unconstitutional to require the death penalty, even if the jury finds a defendant guilty of a capital crime, because if it were required, then the jury does not have the final say. Moreover, I don't think anyone would like the results if a guilty verdict in a capital case required a death sentence. We might see, as we did during the American Revolution in the Philadelphia Treason Trials, jurors voting not guilty rather than risk sealing the deal permanently through killing, leaving no possibility of correcting an error in the future. And, of course, given that we know that a percentage of capital cases result in wrongful convictions, a mandatory death penalty would essentially be mandating murder or manslaughter. Posted by: Kirsten Tynan | Mar 3, 2016 10:38:22 PM Kirsten Tynan, I'm against the death penalty, but people do harm others in prison (including guards) and in a few cases have escaped. Plus, "justice" to those who support the death penalty includes retribution. And, it is seen as a deterrent/means to encourage pleas. These last two things a debatable balance. The death penalty provides some benefit there ... the question is if it is overall worth the candle. Posted by: Joe | Mar 3, 2016 10:54:14 PM Yes, people do harm others in prison, but if someone is in conditions equivalent to death row today, with the only difference being absence of the actual death at the end of the process, the only people who can be harmed inside the prison are (1) prison employees, lawyers, visitors, and others who voluntarily choose to take the risk, (2) other incarcerated people who knowingly took risks that put them in their position, or (3) incarcerated people who are there mistakenly by way of unjust conviction. People in categories 1 and 2 are basically responsible for their own risk-taking, and even then there's . People in category 3 would arguably be harmed far worse by a policy of 100% certainty of being killed than by exposure to some less than 100% risk of being killed. So the only elevated risk to people through no fault or choice of their own by not executing someone would be if the person escaped and then harmed someone outside of the prison. Statistically speaking, that happens approximately never. If just one person every year escaped from death row, and as far as I can tell that is FAR more frequently than it actually happens, that is less than 0.03% of the death row population. That certainly represents a FAR, FAR smaller injustice than executing the roughly 4-10% of prisoners on death row in error. What would be a definition of "justice" such that it includes the death penalty? Posted by: Kirsten Tynan | Mar 4, 2016 2:28:13 PM Or rather, I should say absent execution at the end of the process, since if you're in prison for life without parole, death is still at the end of the process. Posted by: Kirsten Tynan | Mar 4, 2016 2:29:39 PM It's statistically extremely rare for those with life or capital sentences to kill in prison. It's why the Virginia Supreme Court has pretty much barred any testimony in capital cases that discuss the issue (instead, future dangerousness must be limited to the hypothetical situation of whether they'd escape or were otherwise released). Posted by: Erik M | Mar 4, 2016 3:41:54 PM Take death off the table and I will plead guilty PLUS tell you where I hid the dismembered bodies Posted by: Docile Jim Brady the Nemo Me Impune Lacessit guy in Oregon | Mar 4, 2016 10:02:14 PM I appreciate the additional commentary and repeat I'm against the death penalty. The general point seems to be that "he can successfully be contained and prevented from committing any further harm" = "except for some tiny number of people." And, yes, that's true, and things can be done to reduce even that. It would take a major change of how we deal with prisoners but other places manage. As to "justice," again, as an opponent of the death penalty, I'm not going to take it, but the bottom line is that some people (as cited by the opening comment) think justice has some sort of retributive component that warrants taking the life of those who take it in certain cases. Putting aside a few cases, this is basically what "justifies" the death penalty in this country to the degree it can be. Deterrence doesn't have a lot going for it. Prof. Berman at times appeals to plea bargains, but non-capital jurisdictions manage without them & in some cases at least, coercion raises problems there. This includes some cases of false confessions. This isn't novel -- the debate over the death penalty has been going on for some time. I myself favor if we are appealing to criminal justice philosophers. But, I'm somewhat turned off by blanket statements of people being safe in prison, when it isn't quite true. Posted by: Joe | Mar 4, 2016 11:11:58 PM Cesare Beccaria is the philosopher I favor. Posted by: Joe | Mar 4, 2016 11:14:08 PM A google search of "you will get a fair trial and then will be shot" shows that to be a quote from Colonel Klink. Nice company; but then, that tendency has always been plainly evident. Posted by: Mark M. | Mar 5, 2016 2:52:42 AM The general sentiment on "Hogan's Heroes" was a fair trial was not something Nazi Germany (particularly the Gestapo) thought is necessary. Any use of "fair" there - and yeah it comes up in a search - would be very sarcastic. It wasn't exactly that a truly fair trial (to the degree that's generally possible in human society) followed by the death penalty was totalitarian justice. Some, including in the days of Cesare Beccaria, might have THOUGHT that (e.g., the death penalty was not something republican governments did), true. Posted by: Joe | Mar 5, 2016 11:46:01 AM Post a comment "This Mornings Breakfast, Last Nights Game: Detecting Extraneous Influences on Judging" | Main | Indiana county prosecutor seeks re-election by bragging about "proudly over-crowding our prisons" March 3, 2016 Has the federal Adam Walsh Act been a success and should it be reauthorized? The question in the title of this post is prompted by this recent press release coming from the office of Senator Chuck Grassley, the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is titled "Grassley Introduces Bill to Aid States, Public in Tracking Sex Offenders." Here is how it begins: Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley today introduced legislation to assist states in preventing future abuses by registered sex offenders. The Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act Reauthorization helps to improve tracking of sex offenders through federal support of state registries and dedicated resources to target offenders who fail to comply with registration requirements. Preventing sex crimes, especially by known offenders, requires a team effort by law enforcement at every level. Congress has passed laws to promote a unified approach to sex offender registration and notification. This bill will help to ensure that our state and local law enforcement officials continue to have the federal resources and assistance they need to successfully track offenders with a history of crimes against children, Grassley said. The Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 established nationwide notification and registration standards for convicted sex offenders to bolster information sharing between law enforcement agencies and increase public safety through greater awareness. Grassleys bill reauthorizes key programs in the 2006 act to help states meet the national standards and locate offenders who fail to properly register or periodically update their information as the law requires. Specifically, Grassleys bill reauthorizes the Sex Offender Management Assistance Program, a federal grant program that assists state and local law enforcement agencies in their efforts to improve sex offender registry systems and information sharing capabilities. The bill also authorizes resources for the U.S. Marshals Service to aid state and local law enforcement in the location and apprehension of sex offenders who fail to comply with registration requirements. The Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act is named for a six-year-old Florida boy who was kidnapped and murdered in 1981. Adams father, John Walsh, worked closely with Congress to develop the 2006 law and the reauthorization that was introduced today. Cosponsors of the bill include senators Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.). Candidly, I am not entirely sure what would be the best metrics for judging the "success" of the Adam Walsh Act, and perhaps that should be the question in the title of this post. So, dear readers, I would be eager to hear thoughts both on how we ought to assess the success of the AWA and also on whether it ought to be reauthorized. March 3, 2016 at 09:44 AM | Permalink Comments You want to know how to assess the success of the AWA? Just ask the families of registrants who have been killed by vigilantes merely because their names and addresses where found on the SOR.! John Walsh and the Senator can take their act and shove it! Posted by: kat | Mar 3, 2016 10:11:13 AM I can't speak for those offenders who actually violate a child. I have a close family member who has been charged with possession of CP, who has never violated a child or adult for that matter. Why should he,and those like him be on a public registry? Their names and photos plastered all over the internet. Wouldn't a law enforcement registry for these particular individuals be enough? Why,oh why does our society continue to ignore all the empirical research regarding those who view CP?? To lump all offenders together is like lumping those who have thought about killing someone with those who have actually killed someone. Posted by: tommyc | Mar 3, 2016 12:48:44 PM The AWA was pushed through to become a law by John Walsh (America's Most Wanted) He should be on the very registries he supports as he is a child sex offender! He admitted to having relations with an underage girl when he was in his 20s. Posted by: Joe | Mar 3, 2016 12:58:29 PM A little less emotionally, it is an unfunded mandate, a solution looking for a problem, and fraught with all the problems that registries imply. Ask the governor of any state how they like the AWA. In other words, federal politician pandering at it's very finest. But who will think of the children. Posted by: Fat Bastard | Mar 3, 2016 1:03:56 PM Acts named for people are almost always an appeal to emotions. Posted by: beth | Mar 3, 2016 2:45:15 PM Has the Adam Walsh Act been a success? Let see. Two-thirds of states rejected it, two of the 17 states that adopted it considered repealing it (MO and KS), and even the states that adopted it aren't similar in the way they categorize individuals (AL and FL are AWA compliant, yet both register everyone FOR LIFE). Ohio was the first state to adopt the AWA, and wasted $10 MILLION to defend it in court, only for the state Sup Ct to rule it is punishment and can't be applied retroactively. it is about as successful as Jeb Bush's presidential run. Posted by: Derek W. Logue of Once Fallen | Mar 3, 2016 3:22:43 PM We would have to know how many children the Act saved before we could determine the cost/benefit analysis of its effectiveness. Somewhere in that analysis it would be necessary to solve for the slippery slope side of the equation. Posted by: Anon | Mar 3, 2016 3:25:07 PM Every politician who negatively speaks "sex offender" or supports "sex offender" "laws" deserves a bullet between the eyes. I am a firm believer that the Sex Offender Registries and the nanny big government needed to support them are a large, net detriment overall. I believe that the SORs increase sex and other crimes. If you add in all the other huge negatives that they bring, they are a huge problem. The P.O.S. AWA only adds to that. So it is not worth it. Any person that is listed on an SOR has been relieved of his or her duty to be a good citizen. They should do anything legal to retaliate for the existence of the SORs every day. Posted by: FRegistryTerrorists | Mar 3, 2016 6:33:01 PM The SOR, like Grassley, Schumer, Hatch and Feinstein, are big sick jokes that are far from funny. Yes, let's reauthorize our stupidity and putridness. This should be obvious to anybody with a modicum of intelligence. Here, burn another billion dollars. It's not our money. If only the USSC had the courage necessary to state the obvious, we wouldn't have this AWA fiasco. Maybe Grassley was talking about updating the "All Writs Act" of 1789. Posted by: albeed | Mar 3, 2016 7:15:57 PM Public citizen. It appears that everyone will ignore the data supporting the harmful effects of the SOR and statistics that it provides little if any public safety. Maybe Senator Grassley will lose his seat this year and do the country a good turn. Posted by: Anne | Mar 3, 2016 8:33:15 PM Has the federal Adam Walsh Act been a success and should it be reauthorized? I feel it has not been successful. It has created paranoia with the people and the Jury's allowing for Prosecutors to manipulate the court system and innocent people to go to prison, when there is lack of evidence. Better idea would be to keep this invading culture that is now in the U.S.of A. out of America and stop breaking up families. It's been proven that children need both parents to grow up balanced (good or bad) and parents need to accept their responsibility equally. Even a person found guilty and has served their required sentence has a right to show that they have changed and that a un-corrupt judicial system works and should not have to pay for the rest of their life. Probation for the highest risk (if released) offender should be temporary after serving their appointed time if justified (and not just income for the county). Posted by: LC in Texas | Mar 4, 2016 4:11:25 PM Even animal abusers can get off Animal Abuse Registries after 5 yrs. Posted by: kat | Mar 5, 2016 10:16:18 AM Convicted 22 Years ago - Have been living with my spouse since 2005 and we got married in 2013, we are a Gay couple ( we had to even wait for Gay marriage to be allowed in our State and then wait even longer for DOMA, there has never been a risk to him and now the only risk we are having is him being suicidal and the loss of outr business if the USCIS has their way. We were denied due to the USCIS using AWA against me no matter what letters I got to show my crime (22+ yrs ago old) (not something untrue - I messed up ONCE in my lifetime, was CP), I have never been in trouble before or after my sentence and probation were fulfilled, I am a USN Vet and a business owner that has worked my self and my spouse from nothing to being a family business, a loving home ( with our dog ) and family and friends whom know of my past and my life now. Other familt members and friends are sickened by this law and how it is going to devastate us and everything we have built over 10 years. It seems as if they did not read ALL my reference letters and family letters - according to a lawyer and also my ex-therapist it was a Blanket Denial and personally attacking for my past crime and also due to the fact we are in a Gay marriage. We have fought many hurdles to be at this point. Letters from therapy and counseling over 8 years ( yes I went even after I was off Federal Probation to deal with the stigma of being harrasses and such being an ex-SO and also having to deal with the life of a lot of people hating gay people. All USCIS did was DENY it and now want to start the deportation of my husband - He has been in the Country 11 years and 10.5 of that with me in our home. Never and issue or as they say "RISK". But they still denied. I can even say that my crime was CP ( not proud of it in the least ), my husband is 32 years old and I am 52. We will never have children and have no relatives with children ( all grown up ). We have our dog our life and business and this is all we have and now USCIS using this TERRIBLE law is taking it all away. Let them sit in my home and see what a risk I am - the answer is NOT one Iota. I just want to live in peace and continue to live with my husband. I am fearful of my future and I will lose not only my husban, but our business as he runs one big chunk of it. I will lose my home as I will not be able to afford it with no business and I sure cannot find a job due to my past. PLEASE ABOLISH this garbage - all we want and I see many others want is a chance to move on and enjoy life as best we can. I do not mind the State Registry and will continue if need be do that, but to take my spouse away and destory me is another thing. They talk about Vigilantism - now the US Government is the Vigilante. To top it off I just found out the International Megans law thing is passed, so I could not even move to Europe with my spouse if I could. One other sad thing is my spouse wanted to desperately join the US Navy and now due to the USCIS and his age 32 now - he cannot. WHY is the US Government punishing him for what I did over two decades ago and only once. I served my time and never signed up for this - I was told then what I would deal with - now they come up with something new and this AWA applies to me even though it was not a law back in '94. Hopefully I can get an appeal and of course money to pay for an attorney - we have already spent thousands for the request for information - now being asked for thousands more - from our hearts thought we gave everything we would need to show NO RISK! Now we are in debt up to our ears already and if they deport my husband - I'll lose our business too as it is our shop and how we live, eat and pay bills, without him I cannot run it. He is also my rock to lean on and when I go to the VA for medical treatments he is all I have to be there. Prayers to all who are in this and I Pray something helps me keep my spouse here and also Pray for everyone out there. Posted by: CH | Mar 7, 2016 1:13:57 PM Have they done any good....let us see. Convicted 25 years ago, passed a lie detector, was a Pe teacher and coach who got arrested for patting a player on the bottom. Plastered all over the news for days. DA said he does not think there was sexual intent after I passed lie detector, but he said it was an election year so he could not dismiss. Was given a deal of 7 years probation. My lawyer said just take it and get on with your life. 4 years into my probation they passed the first Megans Law. My PO said I had to register. I said I never agreed to that. (I never would have made a deal if that law was in place.) Threatened with jail I registered. I had been married for a year when this happened and my wife said I know your not like that and stayed with me. Let us fast forward to 2013.22 years later. I have 3 boys who are 22, 21 and 15 and they are awesome and successful. Never even a parking ticket in 22 years. I was working in PA and my wife and 15 year old were moving down to be with me after school year. A policeman ran my license and said your a registered sex offender. I said yes, but I only had a 15 year requirement in this state so I am not required to register. They changed the law December 20, 2012. The SORNA act. I was arrested. I got out on bond and went back to my wife in NH. I had no idea about the new law, for NH did not pass it. We moved to Illinois and were doing well. My lawyer tried to get PA to drop the charge for a year and a half. He said he is another state and never going to return to PA. They said no..bring him back. I returned here in April 2014. They offered a plea bargain which they are not allowed to do according to the law. 9-23 months. If convicted 3-10 years upstate. I did not want to lose my youngest child so I took a plea. I went to jail for 9 months for a piece of paper. I served no time on my original charge. I finished parole March 7, 2016. Why would the state bring me back if they were concerned about their kids? Why would they ruin a family and lose taxes since I was working? If I was really a molester, why turn me lose in your community for 13 months and pay my medical and give me 200 for foodstamps a month? Could it be money? Oh hell yes I take them. After making 6 figures for 20 years I paid in enough and it was not my choice to come to this state. I cannot get a job because I have a failure to register conviction, which is a felony. So I will stay on the public dole and milk it for all its worth. So let us see...hmmmmm..no, the piece of shit that passed this can go to hell. All he did was ruin many peoples lives like mine, not to mention my children's and my wife. BTW...if you do some research, sex offenders have the lowest recidivism rate of any other criminal. I think I would like to know if a murderer was living next to me more than a sex offender. It is the modern day scarlet letter and completely unconstitutional. John Walsh should rot in hell. Posted by: Punished | Mar 16, 2016 9:23:30 PM Wait until they find out John Walsh killed his own son... Posted by: Joel Q. Nash | Feb 3, 2018 4:05:27 PM status of appeal Posted by: david turner | Oct 5, 2018 1:42:43 PM are they still working on appeal threw the cuyahoga county court and the state of ohio Posted by: david turner | Oct 5, 2018 1:47:05 PM I found this blog while researching issue for a news article. Missouri State auditor just released study critical of CLEO's for failure to followup on non-compliance and highway patrol for weaknesses in maintaining the registry. From this blog to Human Rights Watch and all points in between I find evidence of harms but cannot find any studies indicating actual successes in the registry other than the general "feel good" public safety speeches. The registry concept seemed to be sold on the two false ideas of high recidivism rates and the statistically rare but salacious crime like Walsh or Wetterling which stick in the human mind when looking for solutions. Mostly what I have found are issues of legal and moral problems in registration as currently configured. From loss of social status to loss of income to loss of life from vigilante justice; from legal concepts of punitive results in a "public safety" policy to court decisions about the constitutionality of retrospective laws where offenders were required to register upon passage of the enabling statutes even if their convictions were prior to the effective date of the statutes. The last harm I have found discussed is the hinderance to effective and meaningful management, treatment, and reintegration back into society of the offender. I have even found a quote from Wetterling's mother that she was very mistaken in her basic assumption about repeat offenders and real danger to the community when she started her advocacy of the registration concept. Posted by: Al Griffin | Oct 25, 2018 10:58:25 AM Post a comment Has the federal Adam Walsh Act been a success and should it be reauthorized? | Main | Why I am tempted now to call two federal judges who were formerly federal public defenders "front-runners" for a SCOTUS nomination March 3, 2016 Indiana county prosecutor seeks re-election by bragging about "proudly over-crowding our prisons" As reported in this Reason blog posting, a local prosecutor in Indiana is pursuing reelection by bragging about being proud to overcrowd the state's prisons. The full headline of the posting, along with the picture, provides the essentials of this notable story: "Indiana Prosecutor Bradley Cooper Is 'Proudly Over-Crowding our Prisons': Cooper's new campaign flyer brags about the people he's put in prison for decades over drug sales and minor theft." Here is more from the blog post about this local prosecutor and his record: As American conservatives and liberals alike embrace criminal justice reform, those opposed are blatantly bragging about their overcriminalization agendas. One particularly gross example: a new campaign mailer from Johnson County, Indiana, Prosecutor Bradley D. Cooper, which announces that he has been busy "proudly over-crowding our prisons." The flyer also features mugshots from convicted criminals, along with what they were found guilty of and what prison sentence they were given. It includes a man who was sentenced to 40 years in prison for selling meth, a man convicted of manslaughter who died while in prison, and a man who received a 40-year sentence for burglary. In the latter case, William A. Russell was arrested after breaking into someone's home and stealing $52. For that offense, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison. A trial court also determined that he was a "habitual offender," which qualified him for a sentencing enhancement of 20 years. Another of the offenders featured is Amanda Smith, a schizophrenic woman who drowned her son in 2012 while he was on a court-ordered overnight visit from foster care; she claimed it was God's will and turned herself in immediately afterward. Smith's lawyers argued for her to be sent to a state mental hospital, but a judge sentenced her to 55 years in state prison instead. Last year, Cooper made a fuss that a man accused of forcible rape was only eligible to receive 63 years behind bars, pursuant to a 2014 change to Indiana's criminal code. Previously, the man could have received a maximum sentence of 168 years in prison. Cooper called the sentencing-reform measure the "hug a thug" law and accused the state of coddling violent criminals. For more about this local prosecutor professional history and accomplishments, his office's website includes this bio and this resume for Bradley D. Cooper. Interestingly, I believe that Prosecutor Bradley attended the same law school as frequent blog commentor federalist, and thus I would be especially eager to hear from federalist (or others) whether they think this kind of campaign slogan is unsavory or perhaps even unethical. March 3, 2016 at 10:20 AM | Permalink Comments Well, given that I have many times said I believe execution to be the appropriate sentence for offenses as relatively minor as the theft of a couple hundred dollars I really don't see any of the cited cases as being out of line. Perhaps the manslaughter case, but I'm not likely to discover enough of the facts to really question that outcome. And I fail to see how it would be either illegitimate or unethical for a prosecutor to highlight the work they have done, that is exactly the sort of information a community needs in order to decide whether to keep or ditch the man. Posted by: Soronel Haetir | Mar 3, 2016 10:50:40 AM Dear Madam/Sir: I am a husband, father, business-owner, and citizen of Johnson County, Indiana; non-Federalist, fiscal conservative, social libertarian. I also happen to practice criminal defense throughout Indiana and support common-sense criminal justice reform. I have known Mr. Cooper professionally for more than 20 years. Mr. Cooper's rhetoric aside, he genuinely is a hard-working servant of the people of Johnson County. Mr. Cooper is one of the few elected prosecutors in the State who actively handles, manages, and takes to trial all levels of criminal cases. He also is the only prosecutor I ever have encountered who has an "open file" policy - he will hand to any defense lawyer who asks his entire file for their thorough review. While Mr. Cooper can strike hard blows, he always strikes fair blows. Most notably are the blows he chooses not to strike at all. Mr. Cooper's pragmatic approach is such that he will not even a bring a case unless he has both solid evidence to prove the case and a belief that bringing the case might make a difference in our community. While I do not always agree with Mr. Cooper's case decisions/analysis or his personal or political views, the people of Johnson County are better and safer with him as our Prosecutor. Sincerely, -Jay Hoffman Posted by: George (Jay) Hoffman | Mar 3, 2016 11:16:10 AM I wonder if the Reason folks knew that Indiana has 1/1 credit for good time, which would allow the forcible rapist to be out in 30 years. Maybe they'd still think too much--but Cooper's position isn't as harsh as one would think from reading the Reason article. Not sure that a B & E is "minor theft." I guarantee you that the Marion County criminals who have heard of Mr. Cooper stay north of County Line Road. Posted by: federalist | Mar 3, 2016 12:12:21 PM To brag about "proudly over-crowding prisons" is sick. This guy is sounds like a blowhard tooting his own horn. Maybe if he spent alittle time in an "over-crowded" prison himself, saw the conditions, the filth, roaches, gray colored turkey-ham &, odd-meat bricks disguised as meals and 2-person cells that hold 4-6 people, maybe he'd find his human-ness again, I doubt it, but maybe. Some people think they are better than everyone else and that they could never end up behind bars. Karma can be a bitch. Using mugshots of those incarcerated, for his own personal political gain, may come back to bite him. Posted by: kat | Mar 3, 2016 3:44:22 PM kat, Sorry, I will only start caring about the humanity of felons when those same felons start caring about the humanity of the rest of society. Someone who demonstrates they are unwilling or unable to handle the rather lax responsibilities of being free have no one but themselves to blame for the circumstances they find themselves in. Posted by: Soronel Haetir | Mar 3, 2016 4:04:01 PM Martha Stewart lost her humanity, huh? When "caring about" humanity is supposed to be a high bar to manage, I start to worry just a tad about humanity of the rest of us. Posted by: Joe | Mar 3, 2016 4:23:15 PM It is remarkable how thoroughly disconnected the rationale for AWA and state Megan's Laws (public sex offender registration & notification - SORN) are from the body of empirical literature pertaining to them. Legislators such as Mr. Grassley seem to completely misunderstand the spectrum of sexual misbehaviors sanctioned by law. Research has consistently shown SORN to be ineffective and counterproductive. Recent studies have not contradicted pivotal studies published 7 years ago: 1."Megans Law: Assessing the Practical and Monetary Efficacy," 2008. Zgoba et al, U.S. Dept. of Justice NCJRS document #225370 (https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/225370.pdf). Excerpt from summary: "Megans Law showed no demonstrable effect in reducing sexual re-offenses. . . Given the lack of demonstrated effect of Megans Law on sexual offenses, the growing costs may not be justifiable." 2. "DOES A WATCHED POT BOIL? A Time-Series Analysis of New York States Sex Offender Registration and Notification Law," 2008. Sandler, Freeman, & Socia. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 14 (4)284302. Abstract except: "Results provide no support for the effectiveness of registration and community notification laws in reducing sexual offending by: (a) rapists, (b) child molesters, (c) sexual recidivists, or (d) first-time sex offenders. Analyses also showed that over 95% of all sexual offense arrests were committed by first-time sex offenders, casting doubt on the ability of laws that target repeat offenders to meaningfully reduce sexual offending." They jury is in: SORN is a failed experiment. SORN laws do not help the police or the community and they do a great deal of harm. AWA and all SORN regimes should be abolished. Posted by: Phil Taylor | Mar 3, 2016 6:03:37 PM May I say that this is the biggest problem, "Thou Shall Not Bear False Witness". Our Oath taking Prosecutors forget about the Oath they took and the words "so help me God" while either climbing the ladder or stuffing their pockets. The Prosecutor and the judicial system do not want to hear the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.The Prosecutor would rather you take a plea bargain and ensures it with fear & threats. Posted by: LC in Texas | Mar 4, 2016 4:25:54 PM Post a comment It's well established that Oakland is San Francisco's Brooklyn, right? Well, maybe not according to international Australian airline Qantas, which is excitedly marketing the other city by the Bay to its many customers as like San Francisco, but you know, edgier. "Introducing Oakland," a huge splash page on an Oakland feature reads, "the wild side of San Francisco." This, likely, would have gone unnoticed by Oakland residents had an employee of Visit Oakland, a non-profit booster organization trying to increase tourism for the city, not posted the image to her Facebook page. The response was swift, reports CBS 5, and generally displeased. Oakland is magnificently Oakland," the channel reports Oakland City Councilmember Desley Brooks as writing in response, "not in the shadow of anything and not the comical wild side. I didnt and dont approve of this marketing campaign." Not so if you ask Qantas, which prints a stereotype-laden first-person narrative of one writer's "whirlwind 24-hour visit through the wilder corners of the city." "Technically, Oakland is a city completely separate from San Francisco," the post helpfully begins, before noting that even though "for plenty of residents, the East Bay Area is just an outer suburb of SF, an easy commute from city jobs, gigs and restaurants," it excels at "breathing gnarly creative energy into the spare industrial landscape." Qantas, for its part, doesn't even fly to OAK so to visit San Francisco's "wild side," you'll fist have to book a ticket to SFO. How tame. Related: Map: The Bay Area, Through A New Yorker's Eyes Who has time for traditional happy-hour hours anymore, amirite? The hours between 4 and 8 p.m. are, for many of us, filled with work, commuting, and gym-going, except on those occasions when you're obligated to drink with coworkers. The real surprise and delight, especially in a town this expensive, is when you find yourself somewhere that offers late-night happy hour prices or special deals, giving you an extra incentive to stay for one more. Below, we bring you some well known and some little known late-night deals, in various corners of town. 440 Castro There are constant happy hour specials in the always-drunk Castro, but some of the cheapest drinking can be done mid-week, until late, at the always bear- and daddy-friendly 440. On Tuesdays, all draft beers are $2, which means you can get pretty wasted for $10 (before tip). On Wednesdays, the two-for-one drink special that most bars in the neighborhood do before 8 p.m. extends all night, using the tokens pictured above, with different sized tokens depending on whether you ordered top shelf or well cocktails. Just beware that this isn't the most lady-friendly of the neighborhood's bars, and if you're a dude, make sure you're prepared to get a little manhandled and ogled, before the night is done. Jay Barmann 440 Castro Street near Market Alta CA Making sure Mid-Market workaholics get fed, Alta offers one of the only late-night food menus in the 'hood, served from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m., which includes their most excellent cheeseburger. Also important to know, though, is that Sunday to Wednesday starting at 10:30 p.m. it's half off select glasses of wine and champagne. Not that we're encouraging drinking multiple glasses of champagne on a random Tuesday after 10:30, but just in case you need to. Jay Barmann 1420 Market Street near Polk Cafe Du Nord via Facebook Cafe Du Nord Cafe Du Nord, as old timers needn't be reminded, hasn't always been a champagne and oysters operation, having returned from a past life as a real venue in the form of a very fine restaurant. But back to the champagne and oysters. When they ring the bell at midnight, you can forget about the sticker shock on those admittedly bourgeois indulgences: Bottles of bubbly are half off, and oysters are too. Caleb Pershan 2174 Market Street between Church and Sanchez Streets Photo via Cockscomb. Cockscomb Late night happy hours are great, but late night happy hours with food are even better. In this regard, Cockscomb excels. Offering $1 oysters, Monday through Friday from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m., it's a tight window but definitely worth it. With $5 happy-hour priced beers to wash it all down, the restaurant helmed by Chris Consentino is a perfect spot to either end your night or quickly recharge before heading back out into the world. Oh, and if the oysters aren't your thing, try snacking on the $3 pig ears. Jack Morse 564 Fourth Street between Bryant and Brannan Photo: Facebook DOSA Little known fact: At both DOSA locations, on Valencia and on Fillmore, they offer discounted wine ($7), beer ($4), and their Spice Route Cocktail ($8) from 9 p.m. until closing, in addition to offering the deal from 5 to 7 p.m. nightly. Also available are some appetizers like their vada pav ($4), just note that the beer selection is different at each location it's Kingfisher at Valencia, and Firestone DBA at Fillmore. Jay Barmann 1700 Fillmore Street near Post, and 995 Valencia Street near 21st Hog & Rocks via Facebook Hog & Rocks Update: Hog and Rocks has retired their late night happy hour. SFist and the restaurant apologize for the confusion. After 10 p.m. at Hog & Rocks, meticulously made drinks that usually clock in at $12 return to regular old '90s prices. Well cocktails are $6 and a group of craft cocktails are $7 a piece, including a Nardini Manhattan (rye, carpano antica, and Nardini amaro), which you ought to try. Sadly, this is all just for one magic hour on most nights, as they'll cut you off at 11 p.m. On Fridays and Saturdays, however, you can keep 'em coming till 1:30 a.m. Caleb Pershan 3431 19th Street between San Carlos and Mission Streets Photo via Yelp. Palomino They take happy hour at Palomino pretty seriously, so seriously in fact that it not only goes all night but it has its own menu. Available at the bar and patio only (not in the dinning room), the happy hour runs until 11 p.m. nightly and features a wide selection of food and drinks. Cocktails are priced at $6 (well, $5.95, but whatever) and with beer and wine selections at $5. And on a nice night the patio stands out as a perfect spot to munch and sip. With ample options for vegetarians, and people who eat gluten free, it stands in contrast to your more typical greasy, late-night happy hour fare. Jack Morse 345 Spear Street, between Folsom and Harrison Streets A sake display at Sakesan. Photo: Alan L/Yelp Sakesan "What is that Miami Vice bullshit?" I asked my friend as we passed the glossy neon splendor of Sakesan. "No, it's amazing!" he said, and he wasn't wrong despite its Michael Mannish exterior, the sushi there is a Clement Street standout, and their sake list is bonkers. Sakesan's sake and beer prices are chopped (and oysters go for a buck each) during their 4-6 p.m. and 10 p.m.-12:15 a.m. happy hours, which run from Sunday through Thursday. Those two sets of happy hours are an excellent bookend to a night singing your ass off in one of their two karaoke rooms. Call in sick for work tomorrow, tonight's the night to sing "Heartbeat" at the top of your sake-drenched lungs. Eve Batey 626 Clement Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues Since George Lucas' $700 million museum of illustrations and graphic art was spurned by San Francisco's Presidio board and shopped around to Chicago in 2014, and since it's mired in lawsuits in its adopted home, Chronicle architecture critic John King checked back in with former Presidio board Chairwoman Nancy Hellman Bechtle who is rather understandably a little smug about the turn of events. "There would have been lawsuits up the wazoo, he quotes her. "I dont want to come out sanctimonious on this, but the trust board wasnt established to make money for the city... We had oversight over public land. You take the oath to protect a special place, and that makes a difference. King speculates that the Board was trying to, in rejecting Lucas, get him to consider a less-grandiose vision or a slightly different location. But billionaire mayor whisperer Ron Conway represents one prevailing opinion from the time of the kerfuffle. After Bechtle lost her position when she was not reappointed by President Obama, he called her and some of her fellows colluders and thanked god that "the president of the United States got out the broom and swept out the trust. Is the museum as defensible now? Mayor Lee still thinks so, perhaps, with spokesperson Christine Falvey writing in that her boss "continues to believe that the museum and investment belong in San Francisco and the Bay Area, and we would welcome the opportunity to work with Mr. Lucas again. Maybe if JJ Abrams was involved in the project, the force behind it would be a little stronger. Previously: As Chicago Plan Stalls, Oakland Hints At Second Bid For Lucas Museum It's been about a year and a half since the strange tale of a gymgoer who allegedly beat a fellow exercise enthusiast to death in front of a crowd at a Bally Total Fitness in South San Francisco. This week, the accused man finally made his plea in the case and blamed steroids for the rage that overcame him as he killed a popualr area butcher. It was September 17, 2014, when then-46-year-old Kenneth Osako walked up behind 44-year-old Diego Galindo and struck him on the head several times with "a solid steel bar, normally used to lift weights," South SF police said at the time. Galindo was rushed to San Francisco General Hospital, but died of his injuries the next day. According to Bay City News, Galindo was "a popular butcher at Carniceria Tepa on Linden Avenue," and his "death drew numerous messages of mourning and anger from the South San Francisco community." Following the attack, "Osako dropped the steel bar and left the scene," police say, and was arrested the following morning. He pled "not guilty" at that time, and was ordered to stand trial. This Tuesday, however, Osako agreed to plead no contest to second-degree murder, Bay City News reports. According to the San Mateo County District Attorneys Office, that charge carries a minimum sentence of 15 years to life, and Osako will receive "no more than 17 years to life" at his sentencing hearing on April 25. Osako's attorney Steven Chase says that the issue between the two men began after a brief encounter in the locker room, when he says Galindo spoke to Osako in Spanish. Osako, who is not fluent in Spanish, believed that he heard the word "fight," which sent him into a "'roid rage," Chase says. He feels horrible, he killed basically an innocent man because he was so wired up from using steroids and a little bit of methamphetamine that he wasnt thinking clearly, Chase says. Osako, who Chase told BCN "was once a munitions expert in the U.S. Army and recently had been working as a plumber...has four daughters and a son ranging from their teens to their early 20s who he doted on, and now he feels awful that he took Galindo from his family." Its just a tragedy what steroids can do to somebody, and a life has been taken because of it, Chase says. Thats something hes going to have to live with for the rest of his life. Previously: South San Francisco Man Beats Fellow Gymgoer To Death With Exercise Equipment 0. SINGAPORE 60's: ANDY's POP MUSIC INFLUENCE IS A PERSONAL MUSIC, MEMORY TRAIL. BLOGGER DOES NOT OWN THE RIGHTS TO VIDEOS, AUDIO TRACKS AND IMAGES. THEY ARE UPLOADED FOR FUN, EDUCATIONAL, ILLUSTRATIVE PURPOSES AND HAVE BEEN CREDITED. BLOG IS NOT SPONSORED IN ANY WAY WHATSOEVER. INFORM BLOGGER OF COPYRIGHT ISSUES AND POST WILL BE DELETED IMMEDIATELY. DO NOT COPY THE POSTS; GET PERMISSION N CREDIT ME IF YOU DO. ANDY LIM LA (NOVEMBER, 2008) - () WASHINGTON | The House last week approved a bill to expand access to hunting and fishing areas on public lands, extend protections for the use of lead bullets in hunting and strip wolves of federal protections in four states. The bill also would let hunters import 41 polar bear carcasses shot in Canada before they were declared threatened in 2008 and allow limited imports of ivory from African elephants. The bill was approved, 242-161, and now goes to the Senate. Twelve Democrats joined 230 Republicans in favor of the measure. Supporters said the bill would protect and expand the rights of sportsmen to hunt, fish and enjoy other recreation on public lands. "Washington bureaucrats don't understand that federal lands can be used in multiple ways," said House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. "By overregulating, these bureaucrats do a lot of damage to our fishermen, shooters and outdoor enthusiasts, stopping perfectly legal and safe outdoor activities. Washington regulations should enable access (to public lands), not stop it." Opponents said the bill would roll back important protections for wolves and other wildlife and undermine international efforts to combat ivory trafficking. "This legislation would open up our most pristine protected lands to road-building, motorized vehicles and other activities that undermine the explicit intent of the Wilderness Act," said Gene Karpinski, president of the League of Conservation Voters. The bill waives crucial environmental reviews for decisions affecting hundreds of millions of acres of federal lands, diverts funding meant for conservation and threatens to increase the amount of lead poisoning of birds and other wildlife, Karpinski said. The bill also contains a provision to remove gray wolves in the Great Lakes region and Wyoming off the federal endangered list. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has long said that wolf populations in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Wyoming have all recovered enough to return responsibility for managing the animals to the state. The agency has made several attempts to take wolves in the four states off the endangered list but has been blocked by federal courts. The House bill bars further court challenges. Wolves are well-established in the western Great Lakes and Northern Rockies after being shot, poisoned and trapped into near-extermination in the lower 48 states in the last century. Altogether, their estimated population now exceeds 5,000. Animal protection advocates contend the wolves' situation remains uncertain and have sued repeatedly over more than a decade to block efforts to remove them from protection under the Endangered Species Act. Drew Caputo, vice president of the environmental group Earthjustice, called the House vote unfortunate. If enacted, the legislation "could prove devastating for the recovery of wolves in the continental United States," Caputo said. With so many social media studies showing that companies are looking to up their involvement in social activities this year, I thought Id help cure that age-old what should I blog about today? question. Or at least give you a healthy head start for the year by providing 100+ potential blog topics for your small business blog. Consider it my contribution to your yearly editorial calendar. I know youre creating one, right? So, here are some potential topics. Grab a pen and jot down your favorites. [Or maybe just hit Print.] Focus on your Industry Write 10 ways your industry will change this year Break down the new laws that will affect your niche in the coming year Create a list of the best industry resources Talk about why things are better today (or not) than they were 10 years ago Attend industry events and blog about them Your best marketing tips How your industry is like Your Favorite TV Show [I suggest using Glee. Because thats my favorite show.] The ugly truth about your industry The 8 people in your industry you want to meet What someone needs to consider before getting involved in your industry Comment on an industry-related conversation going on in LinkedIn or Google Groups Talk about the thing that would rock your industry if invented or put together Create a chart that breaks down a complicated industry issue or problem Interview someone well-known in your world and profile them Rewrite an old post with fresh eyes and new ideas Publish a presentation you gave somewhere else (with permission) Have a chat with a competitor and blog about it (again, with permission) Search Google News for relevant press releases and news about your industry. Write your own take. Debunk a long-standing myth Host a seminar or meetup and blog about Create a list of the 10 books that someone in your industry should read. Post about what youd like to see fixed in your industry Conferences people in your industry should attend/speak at Your favorite untapped traffic sources in your industry Issues in your space that deserve more attention Go Social How youre using Twitter to increase earnings Post a video that has nothing to do with your industry but that you think people would enjoy. Post a picture. [Browse StumleUpon for inspiration] Participate in a blog meme like last months Best of 09 Share the best social media campaigns youve seen, big and small Hold a contest and pit people against each other Create a poll. Blog the result. Invite a guest blogger to post on your blog How social media increased your ROI this year How social media did nothing but confuse you this year Search Delicious for popular posts on your topics and take a new stance Go to your industrys Wikipedia page and see what people are talking about in the Discussions area. Comment on it on your blog. Post photos from your company party/team building workshop Find a question on Yahoo Answers or OnStartups and respond on your blog Create a list of the Must Follow Twitter people in your industry About your Business Why youre different (and better) than your competition A video tutorial showing how to use your most popular product The problems your sales people hear about most The answer to the most common email you get Share the tools do you use to do your job The secret ways to use your site/product The top 10 WordPress plugins you use on your site How you use your favorite social media site How you built your email list How youre using Facebook Look at your site logs & answer customer questions How you delegate tasks (or what you mucked up by not delegating) Use Wordtrackers Keyword Question Tool and answer popular questions Write about why youre not using social media at all Answer questions left in your comment section Write about the personal branding tactics you use Give 5 reasons to sign up to your email newsletter How you learned to do what you do Create a list of your favorite X What youre doing to beat the summer slump or winter blues Share a case study Provide an end of the week link roundup Review something Reveal the best niche blogs to guestblog for What keeps you up at night Share a time when you got it wrong in 2010 Your strategies for coming up with blog topics. Branding tips that have worked for your business 50 reasons why someone should hire you 5 things people should be focusing on but arent What can other industries learn from yours Highlight Your Customers Put the spotlight on your most active commenters Praise your best customers Post a question and let the community to answer it How customers can woo your customer service department for free stuff Give something away to one of your blog readers. Feature a video detailing a customers success with your product Share your biggest screw up with a customer and how you made it right Publish a customer testimonial Explain the benefits of being a customer Share local organizations you support and ask customers to share their favorites How customers can connect with you on social media Hold an event for Twitter followers to meet and blog it Get Personal What have you read lately that inspired/angered you? Introduce your staff Share the best decision you made as a SMB Your biggest challenge as a SMB owner What you love best about being a SMB owner. What you dont like. The danger of doing everything by yourself Write about the achievement youre most proud of A time when you got it right in 2009 Create a video introducing your team to your community Get your rant on How to remain productive working at home Introduce a new employee and what they bring to the table Share the local vendors you trust Give people a video tour of your building Describe your company culture Your new baby (whether thats a real baby, a pet, a new project for 2010, the car youve been restoring for the past two years, etc) Share your companys history or story Tell a story not about your company Share 10 things youre thankful for Whats next for your company A list of your most trafficked posts The point is, there are TONS of things for a small business owner to blog about and share with their audience. Now that Ive helped get the ball rolling, get to it. Youve received plenty of emails that ended with sent from my iPhone or another mobile email signature. Whatever your opinion of these generic signatures, they do serve a purpose. When communicating with clients and business contacts via mobile, you may end up sending emails with typos or formatting errors. Your message may be brief and sound abrupt, versus friendly. A mobile email signature lets people know why. Youre sending from a smartphone! Ah that explains it. However, there are more creative ways to tell your contacts that youre using a mobile device to communicate with them. Some business people have figured out how to have a little fun with those mobile email taglines. Blaming Technology Certain smartphone features, such as autocorrect and voice recognition, are meant to make your life easier. But at times they do just the opposite. Your colleagues and clients can likely relate to these issues, so making a note about them in your signature can be both helpful and funny. Ivana Taylor of DIY Marketers has an email signature on her phone that reads, Excuse any typos darn autocomplete! And Mike Blumenthal of Local University, has a mobile signature that accomplishes a similar task, while placing the blame on a different smartphone feature. It reads, Sent from a typical smartphone. If this is illiterate, its the voice recognitions fault. Missy Ward, co-founder of Affiliate Summit and FeedFront magazine, also pokes fun at the potential for typos. Hers reads, Sent from my iPhone. Random auto-corrects and typos are my special gift to you. Claiming Smartphone Ignorance Sometimes it isnt the phones fault. Sometimes it can just be more difficult to communicate on the go or with such a small device. Matthew Goldfarb of Corporate Renegade has a signature that jokes, sent from my almost always misspelling iPhone. Becky McCray, co-author of Small Town Rules, contributes one used by Sheila Scarborough, of Sheilas Guide. It says, Sent from my phone; if there are typos I will still be quite annoyed at myself. Even Small Business Trends own Chief Operations Officer, Staci Wood, has joked about creating a mobile email signature to highlight her minimal smartphone knowledge. She said if she could figure out how, shed change hers to: Apologies for any spelling errors sent from my stupid smart phone. Having Fun With Siri Siri, in case youre not aware, is the voice-enabled command prompt and answering feature that Apple calls the intelligent personal assistant. Its available on the latest iPhones and iPads. Some people like to have fun with Siri in their email signatures on their iPhones. Deborah Shane, branding consultant, has an email footer that reads, Sent from Siri, My Personal Assistant. Small business author and all-around funny guy, Barry Moltz, also has fun with Siri. His reads, Sorry so short the keys are small on the iPhone 4S. Uh, oh..there are no keys. Maybe Siri can help. Random Acts of Email Taglines Just because you have a smartphone with access to email doesnt necessarily mean you should have to respond to every single thing right away. Ramon Ray of SmallBizTechnology.com has a mobile signature that says, from my phone (hopefully not while Im driving or with my family). It pokes fun at the over-reliance many Americans have on their mobile devices. But it also lets contacts know that there are times he may not be able to respond right away. Joel Libava, who has created a trademarked brand around the moniker The Franchise King manages to continue the brand emphasis in his email tagline. His reads, The Franchise King, Joel Libava, sent this from his Royal Droid. Brent Leary, technology analyst, conveys that hes an equal-opportunity technology user. His tagline says, Sent from my BlackBerry, or iPhone.., or iPad or well you get the idea . Making Jokes But you dont necessarily need to be specific about which device you use, for people to get the point. You can simply make a joke that lets people know youre sending the email from your mobile device. Sent via carrier pigeon, or Sent from my rotary phone, or Sent from my payphone, let people know that youre communicating on your phone. But youre making a joke about technology that isnt misconstrued as snobby or exclusive. On the other end of the spectrum, Sent from my iPhone because Im better than you, or Sent from my $400 smartphone, poke fun at using certain mobile devices as status symbols. Just be aware that sarcastic email lines can be misinterpreted as gloating if others dont get your humor. What Mobile Email Signature Do YOU Use? Have you come across any funny mobile signatures? Or do you use one yourself? Share it in the comments below we want to hear! This is Tongue-Tied 3When you tear out a mans tongue, you are not proving him a liar; youre only telling the world that you fear what he might say. Tyrion Lannister"No one is more hated than he who speaks the truth" - PlatoPosts by John J. Ray (M.A.; Ph.D.) Email me here (Hotmail address). "Dissecting Leftism" (Backup here There are also two blogspot blogs which record what I think are my main recent articles here and here . Similar content can be more conveniently accessed via my subject-indexed list of short articles here or here (I rarely write long articles these days)(My frequent reads are starred)The archives provided by blogspot below are rather inconvenient. They break each month up into small bits. If you want to scan whole months at a time, the backup archives will suit better. See here or here There are many fitness goals out there that we desire. Some of us want to be leaner and others wish to put on muscle mass. The thing is, for you to achieve your fitness goals, you need to The gravity of the existential threat we face from Islamic Jihad is truly of epic proportions. It is essentially a battle pitting free-civilized man against a totalitarian barbarian. What is at stake is the struggle for our very soul - namely who we are and what we represent. The lives that were sacrificed for individual rights and freedoms that we've come to cherish are being chiseled away from right under our noses by the stealth jihadists. And many of us are in denial and totally clueless. The left's appeasement and pandering to evil is nothing new. What makes their utopian delusions so infuriating and unpardonable is that it is not only they who will have to pay the consequences, and deservedly, so, they are thwarting and undermining our best efforts at resistance and are thus dragging us down in the process as well. By Peter Lancz,, the head of the Raoul Wallenberg World Campaign Against Racism. "If a woman gets raped walking in public alone, then she, herself, is at fault. She is only seducing men by her presence. She should have stayed home like a Muslim woman." - Dr. Abd Al-Aziz Fawzan Al-Fawzan, Professor of Islamic Law, Saudi Arabia. Many Germans welcomed with open arms the million, mostly male and Muslim, migrants Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel invited into Germany last September. At train stations, they handed out water bottles to the newcomers, while holding signs stating: Willkommen! At first, everything was, as the Germans say, Friede, Freude, Eierkuchen (peace, joy and happiness). But the good feeling these greeters created, especially among themselves, has somewhat dissipated, primarily due to the increasing number of reported sexual assaults by migrants against women and children. The best known incident was the sexual molestation of hundreds of women in Cologne on New Years Eve by about 1,000, mostly North African men that included migrants. The latest such multicultural enriching incident to create similar outrage occurred last Thursday in Kiel, a northern German city in Schleswig-Holstein, a state bordering Denmark. Three teenage girls, aged 15, 16 and 17, were visiting a central shopping mall, the Sophienhof, in broad daylight when two young Afghan asylum seekers, aged 19 and 26, began to follow and film them with their cell phones. Evidently, the criminals then posted these films on their social networks with the result that more and more men came to a restaurant area of the Sophienhof in order to persecute, sneer at them and to frighten them, reported the newspaper, Die Welt. Like the women in Cologne and those participating in the anti-Morsi demonstrations on Tahrir Square in Egypt in 2013, the three Kiel teenagers were at first probably unaware they were being hunted, and that a pack of hyenas was slowly surrounding them. In total, between 20 and 30 men of migration background, as German papers described them, were involved. Police report there were no acts of sexual violence, but papers state the teenagers were very hard pressed. But if no sexual molestation did occur, it is probably only because it was in the middle of the day, in the middle of a shopping mall. Outside and at night, this story most likely would have had a much sadder and more tragic outcome. As it was, it was reported the girls received psychological counselling after their ordeal. The teenagers torment finally ended when passersby noticed their plight and notified security, who in turn notified police. Police then took four men, including the two Afghans, into custody, but not without difficulties. As a consequence (of their arrest), the suspects fought fiercely, also at the police station, Die Welt reported. The talk is of massive insults, threats and bodily injuries. At the suspects medical examination, the police doctor was also threatened and insulted. However, thanks to Germanys cuddly justice system , as law-and-order Germans derisively call it, all suspects were released by the following day. Police are currently evaluating mall security videos to lay charges. Perhaps the most surprising aspect surrounding this awful incident is that Germans are so surprised. But why, one wonders, are they so astonished when such occurrences as this one and the mass sexual assault of women in Cologne have been going on around them for years in Sweden, France and England? In England, Muslim men associated with the rape of hundreds of girls in Rotherham, were recently given heavy prison sentences . And Muslim rape gangs in Sweden have contributed to giving that country the second highest rape rate per capita in the world. Only one African country, Lesotho, has a higher rate. The whole world also witnessed this tactic of surrounding women by large numbers of men in order to sexually molest and/or rape them in 2011 on Tahrir Square in Egypt during Arab Spring demonstrations. CBSs Lara Logan was its most famous victim. Part and parcel of the culture, it even has a name: taharrush gamea. So if some Muslim men behave like this in their own countries, why wouldnt they do so in other countries, especially in ones full of infidel women? The Cologne police chief called taharrush gamea, a completely new phenomenon, one never encountered before. Besides terrorizing women, since the Cologne event it is responsible for turning many against Merkels migrant policy. Also unsurprisingly, after the Kiel incident became known in the city, the local newspaper, Kieler Nachrichten, reported more women came forward to state they had had similar experiences at the Sophienhof. A police spokesman said this is quite typical for this kind of crime marked by shame. The Nachrichten states, however, that the hunting of girls is just the tip of the iceberg. Business people in Sophienhof report an increasing number of thefts, the paper reports. Again and again customers are bothered. A mall worker, who emigrated to Germany decades ago from the Arab world, said young migrants are at the mall practically every evening and that he can tell by their accent that they are almost all Syrians. What they do here is not right, he complained to the Kieler Nachtrichten. As soon as they see a young woman wearing a skirt or some way or other open clothing, they believe they have a free pass. At a neighbouring department store, the situation is perhaps even worse. A store clerk there states they have been experiencing difficult situations here since the end of last year. Sometimes, young foreigners jostle old people, she said. They bother young women, grab them, smack their behinds. They have also shouted abuse at people and spit at them. When they appear in a group, they display a disrespectful approach to others. Due to their understandable fear, many women in Germany have changed their behaviour since last September. Some do not go out alone, or only in a group with female friends, in the evening any more. The risk of harassment, or worse, by migrant street terrorists, as they are called in Holland, is deemed too great. However, when women disappear more and more from public, this will have the negative effect of gradually giving Germany the appearance of an Islamic society. In some Muslim countries, women can only venture outside properly covered and with a male relative. Which could be Germanys future, if the current trend is not reversed. And with women becoming more hesitant to venture evenings from their homes because of fear, more and more German public space, also like in Islamic countries, will be left to men. In this case, Muslim men. All of which represents a further Islamisation of German society and another step downwards toward dhimmitude status. After the tormenting of the three teenaged girls, a female journalist reported that last summer in Kiel people smiled mildly at several young, male migrants who were standing at a tennis court near their refugee hostel, watching the girls training there. This was just something new to them, they thought. "However, there were larger numbers every day," she related. "They filmed them (the girls) with their cell phones." After last weeks incident at the Sophienhof, it is doubtful anyone is smiling any more. South Florida art lovers have two opportunities to explore the legacies of influential gay artists Robert Mapplethorpe and Andy Warhol. Photographer Robert Mapplethorpe became a household name in 1989 when Sen. Jesse Helms (R-N.C.) denounced his provocative and erotic images on the floor of the U.S. Senate. His exhibitions were deemed obscene and even raided by police in what would be one of the first battles in the culture wars that eventually set the stage for gay rights and later marriage equality. The Miami International Film Festival, opening on March 3, will celebrate the works of the artist, who also died of AIDS in 1989, with an outdoor exhibit of his most famous images, Mapplethorpe: The Pictures, projected on the sides of stacked cargo containers on the Miami-Dade College campus Wolfson Campus at the intersection of NE 1st Ave. and NE 1st St., Thursday, March 3 through Friday, March 5 from 5 to 10 p.m. The outdoor gallery, which includes a more intimate exhibit inside the containers, is free and open to the public. Also, the festival will screen a new HBO documentary, Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures, on Saturday, March 5 at 6:30 p.m. and Saturday, March 12 at 7 p.m. at the Regal South Beach 18, 1120 Lincoln Road in Miami Beach. Filmmakers Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato (The Eyes of Tammy Faye, 2000; Inside Deep Throat, 2005) dont hold back in confronting Mapplethorpes personal complexities or the unabashed provocations of his x-rated photography, according to production notes. Both filmmakers will be in attendance at the festival to accept the Knight Documentary Achievement Award. After the films premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January, BBC reviewer Owen Gleiberman wrote, The movie is a gorgeous edited scrapbook of underground passion. Tickets for the screenings are $13 at 2016.MiamiFilmFestival.com and the documentary will also be broadcast on HBO on Monday, April 4 at 9 p.m. No other artist of the 20th century had a firmer grasp on the zeitgeist of his time or a greater impact on contemporary art than Andy Warhol. Illustrator, filmmaker, painter, sculptor, photographer and celebrityWarhol is one of the few artists to make the transition from studio into pop culture. The Boca Raton Museum of Art, 501 Plaza Real, is showcasing three exhibitions on display through May 1 that explore Warhols continuing legacy: Music fills the galleries devoted to Warhol on Vinyl The Record Covers, an unique survey of the artists career through the design of record album covers. According to curators, Warhols tastes in music were eclectic and his record cover designs reflect his interests ranging from the classical music of Sergei Prokofiev to divas Debbie Harry and Aretha Franklin. The exhibit includes more than 100 album covers, original designs, wallpaper and video. As confidante and editor of Warhols Interview magazine from 1971 to 1983, Bob Colacello was perfectly positioned to photograph the artists world from inside out. Bob Colacello: In and Out with Andy is a collection of candid photographs documenting the glamorous social scene of Warhols milieu and its celebrity denizens. An accidental photographer, as Colacello calls himself, he captured hundreds of engaging images of Warhol with Mick Jagger, Diana Vreeland, Gloria Swanson, Liza Minelli, Truman Capote and more. The museums celebration of Warhols art, also includes an installation of more than 100 silkscreens, Warhol Prints from the Collection of Marc Bell. This collection includes the artists iconic Campbells Soup Cans, the remarkable portraits of Marilyn Monroe and Chairman Mao, and Wizard of Oz, all from the collection of Boca Raton resident Marc Bell. Admission is $12 for adults and $10 for seniors. For more information and museum hours, go to BocaMuseum.org. Nothing gets me ragin for Cajun food more than the idea of Mardi Gras. For too many people the cuisine of New Orleans begins and ends at Popeyes Fried Chicken. And while I do love me my Popeyes (especially after a few too many cocktails), Louisiana cooking is so much more than that. Cajun and Creole are the major influences on Louisiana cuisine. Many people think the two are the same, but they are two distinct styles of cooking. The main difference between the two cuisines is that Creole cuisine uses tomatoes and Cajun food doesnt. Additionally, Cajun cooking tends to be more rustic, while Creole is a bit more refined. Even a roux, the basis for sauces in both cuisines are different. A Creole roux is made with butter and flour while a Cajun roux is made with oil and flour. Cajun originates from the term les Acadians, which was used to describe French colonists who settled in the Acadia region of Canada (present-day New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia). When the British conquered Acadia in the early 1700s, the inhabitants were forced to relocate and many settled in the levees and coastal marshes of Louisiana. Descendants of those original Acadians also have Native American, German or French roots. Creole describes the people who were born to settlers in French colonial Louisiana in the 18th century. Creoles are the descendants of the French and Spanish upper class that ruled the city. Over the years, the term Creole has also expanded to include native-born slaves of African descent. French Creole describes someone of European ancestry while Louisiana Creole implies mixed racial ancestry. Cajun food is famous for being very well seasoned and most dishes begin with a medley of vegetables based on the French mirepoix (onion, celery, and bell pepper) the holy trinity of Cajun cuisine. Creole food is a blend of the various cultures of New Orleans including Italian, Spanish, African, German, Caribbean, Native American, and Portuguese. The dishes often include creamy sauces such as remoulade. Creoles had access to exotic ingredients and a wider mix of cultures. Restaurants in New Orleans usually serve dishes from both cultures and each resident of the city has their favorite. I love both Cajun and Creole, but this year my calendar was so full that Fat Tuesday came and went and I wasnt able to get down to Nawlins, so I went on the prowl in Fort Lauderdale for a taste of the bayou. Shuck N Dive 650 N. Federal, Fort Lauderdale 954-462-0088 Shuck-n-Dive.com The strip mall storefront doesnt look like much. In fact, from the outside youd think it was a fast food franchise. Dont let appearances fool you. This is some mighty fine Looseeana cooking, with an emphasis on seafood (but there are plenty of options for landlubbers). Sandwiches include poboys, burgers, fried and blackened chicken and a patty comprised of a mixture of ground gator and spicy sausage, all of which come with a choice of tater tots, fries or authentic Zapps chips. Entree options include crawfish etouffee, catfish, roast duck, fried oysters (most of which are harvested from state certified Louisiana waters) and a variety of combo platters. Sandwiches are in the $10-$15 range, entrees about five bucks more. Theres a nice surprise bordering the menu; a damn good and very reasonably priced wine selection. On April 1-2 Shuck N Dive will host its 2nd annual Craw Debauchery, a New Orleans food and music festival. Gumbos 9940 NW 6th Ct., Pembroke Pines 954-842-3957 JGumbos.com In addition to a few apps and a half dozen poboy options, the menu mostly consists of bowls of rice topped with any number of traditional, as well as some innovative Louisiana fare. The menu may be limited, but the flavors are not! Gumbo, jambalaya and chicken dishes are all about $9 for a large bowl with a scoop of rice. Vegetarian options, such as white chili, ratatouille or bumblebee stew, a mixture of corn and beans, are about a buck less. For an extra buck you can combine three entree options in one bowl. The fact that the menu not only indicates the heat level for each dish, but also points out gluten free and vegan options is a nice touch. Whatever you do, make certain you leave room for dessert; the peach cobbler is worth every calorie. This may be a small chain (there are franchises in 10 states, but this is the only Florida location), but it sure feels like a mom and pop operation. Hot & Soul 3045 N Federal, Fort Lauderdale 754-206-2155 HotAndSoul.com Technically, this is not a Cajun/Creole restaurant. The menu at Hot & Soul is an unlikely mix of Southern, Asian and vegan fare. That being said, the menu always features a gumbo of the day (which sometimes mixes in ingredients from other cultures) and tasty BBQ shrimp, a NOLA staple. Husband and wife chefs Mike Hampton and Christy Samoy blend his experience as a cook at Emeril's Delmonico and her flair for unusual combinations that often incorporate her Filipino heritage with her Florida cracker roots. The food here is a bit pricier than the other places listed in this column, but you are getting top of the line ingredients and an extra dash of charm. International Women's Day is a global celebration that the United Nations marked as an official day to celebrate the accomplishments of women on March 8,, 1975. The day was inspired by the work of women in labor movements across the U.S. and Europe in the early part of the Twentieth Century. As the movement of womens activism grew so did support for womens rights and gender equality in all spheres of life. International Womens Day seeks to celebrate the social, economic, and political achievements of women and also signals a call to action for unity and continued activism. The following are local LBT South Florida women who continue the legacy of International Womens Day in their efforts to bring about change and empowerment in their communities: Carthy Frye-Thomas, Healthcare Marketing Leader What Does International Women's Day Means to You? I am reminded of the poem by William Ross Wallace that I read in high school called, What Rules the World, and of that very profound line, "For the Hand That Rocks the Cradle, Is the Hand That Rules the World." The strength of that poem sums up perfectly what International Womens Day means to me. The contributions that women have made throughout history deserve to be acknowledged and celebrated, as they have clearly changed the course of time. Is there a historical woman that has inspired you? There are so many famous women, both nationally and internationally that I admire. I have always been able to see greatness at any stage in life and for that inspiration I look closer to home. My mother, Aldith Phillips, has always been an inspiration of strength, fortitude and perseverance. I have always looked to her for motivation. Additionally, I have had many women mentors whove helped me along lifes journey. One of the most encouraging is a non-profit business development executive and business owner, Cynthia Jerry. She is a philanthropist, community leader and mother, who gave me one of my first opportunities to hone my public relations skills. What is your greatest achievement? Marrying my wife and the process of starting our family in a community that is not always supportive, but doing so proudly and without apology is without question one of my greatest personal achievements. Professionally speaking, being considered a healthcare warrior, dedicated to creating excellent healthcare experiences, while consistently advocating for the community is also something Im really proud of. Throughout my career, Ive worked cross culturally in an effort to eradicate perceived barriers, connect with countless communities and provide programming to a variety of individuals. How do you personally support or advocate women's empowerment? I strive to advocate and empower women daily by my involvement in many community organizations, including Suits, Stilettos and Lipstick, Inc. of which I am a board member. Our mission is to empower women and children through education, personal and professional development, mentorship, leadership training, networking and philanthropic endeavors. For the past three years its been an honor to support women and give voice to their needs. Working on behalf of women is not only fulfilling, but at times, it can be a lot of fun. Throughout the years Ive met some great people, grown passionate about my advocacy and learned a lot about myself - perhaps the biggest lesson Ive amassed from my advocacy is that sometimes in life you dont find your purpose, your purpose finds you. Martha Sternberg, Self Employed What does International Women's Day mean to you? It means women are recognized for their achievements without divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political. Is there a historical woman that has inspired you? Other than my mother, the first real feminist I ever knew, I've always admired and been inspired by Eleanor Roosevelt, wife and political aide of American president Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Eleanor made a significant contribution to the field of human rights, a topic she campaigned upon throughout her life. As head of the UN human rights commission, she helped to draft the 1948 UN declaration of human rights. What is your greatest achievement? That's tough since I'm not sure I've reached that goal yet. But I'd say coming out in the mid-'80s was pretty brave since anti-LGBT sentiment was alive and well in the U.S. as it was the middle of the AIDS crisis. Those of us who were out and fighting for federal funding of AIDS drugs didn't have time to think about what our coming out meant. We just knew we wanted to help save our gay brothers and becoming separatist lesbians like some women we knew was never an option. So, I joined thousands of others at the March on Washington in 1987 for equal rights and in 1993 for federal AIDS funding. How do you personally support or advocate women's empowerment? I'm proud to be one the seven founders of the Aqua Foundation for Women and seen how much the organization benefits women in South Florida, whether through grants or scholarships. I was also proud to serve on the boards of Broward Women in Network and Pridelines Youth Services. Elena Naranjo, MS Ed, Licensed Mental Health Counselor What does International Women's Day mean to you? To me, International Women's Day symbolizes the journey of women everywhere around the world to make a space for themselves, where they can be all that they can be. Women experience different levels of oppression in different parts of the world, but we all experience some form of oppression, even if it's seemingly subtle. And, while I no longer subscribe to a binary gender system, I can appreciate that there is still a large divide between the way "men" and "women" are treated. International Women's Day provides us with an opportunity to reflect upon the things that still keep us from reaching our full potential. Is there a historical woman that has inspired you? Probably the first historical woman who impacted and inspired me as a child was Marie Curie. She was a brilliant chemist and physicist. She also had the self-confidence to pursue her dreams and never allowed society to limit her because of her gender. She gave me hope that, I too, had possibilities. What is your greatest achievement? Being present. I had a realization a few years ago that I wasn't fully awake in my life. I was going through the motions, but I was completely numb. In that "aha" moment, I made a commitment to myself to be more present and make more conscious decisions. I began to care more deeply about all living beings. It has made me an activist. I connected with my passion and now it is just a part of who I am. How do you personally support or advocate women's empowerment? I advocate women's empowerment in all of my roles, as partner, stepmother, friend, supervisor, therapist and board member for a women's empowerment organization. I feel that we all have the responsibility to bring each other up. Local City of West Palm Beach Unveils New LGBT Web Page (PBCHRC) Members of the West Palm Beach Lesbian, Gay Bisexual and Transgender community now have a place they can go to learn who can help them in the city. At the request of the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council, the city has created a LGBT page on its website. On it the public will find information on the city's history of supporting the LGBT community, as well as contact information for the two liaisons to the LGBT community at the city. The information can be found at: wpb.org/LGBT "West Palm Beach has led the way in promoting and supporting the rights of the LGBT community," said Rand Hoch, President and Founder of the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council. "Having a specific name and way to contact someone to assist with LGBT-related issues in the city is so important, and just another example of the city's continued commitment to our community." The city has two LGBT liaisons. One is located at city hall and the other is with the police department. The city hall liaison is Robert Telford. He can be reached at 561-822-1866 or at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . The police department liaison is Lt. Greg Babcock. He can be reached at 561-822-1860 or at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. National Anti-Gay Stickers Stir Controversy at California High School (AP) Administrators say students at a Southern California high school have the right to wear anti-gay stickers on their school ID badges, just as other students have the right to wear stickers supporting gay rights. Shadow Hills High School administrators in Indio emailed The Desert Sun newspaper saying both protests were OK, as long as they didn't escalate. The anti-gay stickers, a small rainbow inside a circle with a line through it, showed up about two weeks ago. The administrators warned that students aren't free to interrupt class to express their beliefs, because students have a right to be educated without fear. One teacher says some students and staff object because they feel the gay and lesbian community has been targeted. Anti-Gay Catholic League Spends 6 Figures to Blast ABC for Dan Savage Sitcom (EDGE) Dear Catholic League supporters: here are your charity dollars at work. Bill Donohue, president of the virulently anti-gay Catholic League, presumably spent six figures to run a full- page open letter in The New York Times Monday that blasts Disney-ABC for its plans to air "The Real O'Neals," a sitcom based on the life of LGBT activist and sex columnist Dan Savage. The ad reads in part: ABC, which is owned by Disney, will launch a new show on March 8, "The Real O'Neals." It is billed as a comedy about an Irish-American family, loosely based on the life of one of its producers, Dan Savage. For those not acquainted with him, his maniacal hatred of Catholicism is so strong that it would be as though David Duke were hired to produce a show about African Americans. According to the advertising rate card for The New York Times, a full page black and white insertion on a weekday costs $158,859 to run nationally. The Catholic League, which is a 501 c3 charity, gets 100% of its income from contributions, gifts and grants. According to Charity Navigator, their total revenue for 2014 came to $3,529,624, out of which 48.6% was spent on "programs." Its president Bill Donohue was paid $465,769 in salary, which amounts to 16.44% in expenses. Utah Senators OK Adding LGBT Protections to Hate Crimes Law (AP) The Latest on a plan in Utah's Legislature that would add protections for gay and transgender people to Utah's hate crime law. Utah senators are backing a proposal that would beef up the state's hate crime law and add protections for gay and transgender people. Lawmakers voted 17-12 Friday in favor of the plan, saying it protects many groups of people that are not currently protected in the state. Bill sponsor Republican Sen. Steve Urquhart of St. George says he feels fantastic that the plan advanced. He remains wary about its chances advancing further given that the Mormon Church released a statement urging legislators not to upset a balance between religious and LGBT rights. Most lawmakers are members of the faith. Some lawmakers criticized the proposal, saying it gives special protection for certain groups of people over others. The proposal would also beef up the penalties for crimes against a person or their property if the action was motivated because of the victim's race, gender, or other protected groups. The Human Rights Campaign says Utah is one of more than a dozen states with hate crime laws that lack protections for sexual orientation and identity. Lutheran Church Cuts Ties with Wisconsin Boy Scouts (AP) Boy Scouts in Appleton will have to find a new location for weekly meetings and other events. Faith Lutheran Church has been the chartering organization for the scouts for about 60 years. WBAY-TV reported that Faith Lutheran has notified the Boy Scouts that its beliefs no longer align with the church and that it will need a new location by June 1. Faith belongs to the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod which has advised its thousands of churches to cut ties with the Boy Scouts after its decision to accept openly gay adult leaders. The Appleton Boy Scouts council says the overwhelming majority of its members, families and chartered organizations remain committed to scouting. National Bill Allowing Companies to Deny Services to Gays Advances (AP) Kentucky businesses could refuse services to gay, lesbian or transgender clients in the name of protecting religious beliefs under a bill advancing in the state Senate. The bill comes after the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Human Rights Commission ordered a Christian T-shirt company to get diversity training for refusing to print shirts for a gay pride festival. A state judge overturned the order, but an appeals court is reviewing the case. The bill is the latest effort of lawmakers in some states to react to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling last summer that effectively legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. The Georgia legislature is considering similar legislation, and the Missouri legislature is considering amending its state constitution to protect businesses that decline to provide goods or services for same-sex marriage ceremonies or celebrations. NGLCC Names New Affiliate Chamber Council Chair (NGLCC) NGLCC is pleased to announce that Jason Rae has been named the new National Chair of the Affiliate Chamber Council. Rae previously served as the chair of the Midwest Region and is the founder and Executive Director of the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce. "We are thrilled that Jason has joined us as the National Chair," said NGLCC Senior Vice President Sam McClure. "Jason has shown a commitment to LGBT business equality in the Midwest and across the country, and I know his vision and leadership will be a great asset to the Affiliate Chamber Council." The Affiliate Chamber Council (ACC), previously known as the Council of Chambers and Business Organizations (CCBO), has recently undergone several changes in order to create a better support system for the 44 affiliate chambers around the country. In addition to the name change, the ACC has also restructured from six regions to four: West, Midwest, South, and Northeast. International Canadas Top Political Leaders Strike a Pose for Pride Toronto (TravelOut) Pride Toronto unveiled its 2016 Pride Month theme, announcing to the world that this June, You Can Sit With Us. The campaign for Canadas first-ever Pride Month, features Canadas top political leaders: noted sexiest man alive and politician dreamboat (Vogue) Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, openly out Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne and partner Jane Rounthewaite and Toronto Mayor John Tory who will all participate in this years festivities in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Pride Torontos 2016 Parade will make Canadian history, with Justin Trudeau participating as Canadas first ever sitting Prime Minister to march, alongside leadership from both Torontos municipal and Ontarios provincial governments. Pride Toronto held an open photo shoot for community members, artists and city leaders to show their Pride, enabling the campaign to showcase over 300 community members of all ages, sexual orientations, gender identities, gender expressions and ethnicities. If a picture is worth 1,000 words, maybe 1,000 pictures has the potential to give a true face to our community. And what a truly diverse and beautiful community we have, said Mathieu Chantelois, Pride Toronto Executive Director. By striking a pose for our camera crew, hundreds took a stand for Pride Toronto, they are telling the world that its ok to sit with us, but also to rally, march, celebrate, love and change the world with us. Noted personalities in the campaign also include: Ministers of Canadian parliament, Toronto City Councillors, Trans activists, the Toronto Police Service Chief of Police, the Guinness World Record Holder for Oldest Performing Drag Queen, DJs, artists and performers, along with Pride Torontos recently announced 2016 Honoured Group, Black Lives Matter Toronto. Canadas first-ever Pride Month will launch on June 1, featuring extended programming and events throughout the city, culminating in the Pride Parade on July 3. Christians Slam Aussie Arts School for Allowing 'Cross-Dressing' (AP) An Australian high school has been criticized for allowing students to wear boy or girl uniforms regardless of gender. The Newtown High School of Performing Arts in inner Sydney changed its uniform policy last week to allow all students to "wear any part of the available uniform options," the New South Wales state education department said in a statement Wednesday. Several parents and students hailed the change as a boon for transgender students, who previously needed parental approval and a psychologist's report to gain the school's permission to cross-dress. The change was condemned as radical by the Australian Christian Lobby, an influential conservative advocacy group. "It's a deeper problem than just boys choosing to wear a girl's skirt to school," ACL spokesman Wendy Francis said. "What they're trying to do in schools is make boys' and girls' gender disappear." A number of federal government lawmakers this week backed the ACL's call to remove federal funding from a national program aimed at preventing bullying in schools of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students. Almost 500 schools have signed up to the Safe Schools Coalition Australia, which runs the program that also advocates that schools allow students to cross-dress. It is not known how many schools adopted that uniform policy, but the education department said Newtown High was not the only one in New South Wales, Australia's most populous state. Newtown High declined to comment. Prime Minister Malcom Turnbull bent to pressure from government lawmakers by agreeing Tuesday to review the continuation of 8 million Australian dollars ($5.7 million) in federal funding for the Safe Schools program, which teaches students about gay and lesbian issues. THE UN COMMITTEE on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination still recommends that Slovakia establishes an independent monitoring body to investigate crimes involving the police. Font size: A - | A + The committee calls on the contractual side to immediately take measures for effective investigation of hate crimes reported, and to secure that all racially motivated crimes are investigated in compliance with domestic legislation and the Convention, the periodical Slovak report on International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination reads, as quoted by the SITA newswire. The Foreign Ministrys document was approved by the government. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement The committee also asks for information on the exact number of complaints against police officers which involve inadequate treatment of minorities and wants information on the results of investigation of complaints and on the procedures at the criminal and disciplinary levels. Slovakia advocates itself by stating that the section of audit and inspection service of the Interior Ministry is independent from the police management and organisation. It detects, documents and investigates crimes of police officers, Slovakia reacts. Based on the law, the ministry annually files a report on how complaints and petitions falling under the Interior Ministry are handled. However, statistics included in the report in compliance with the law on protection of personal data which bans authorities from dealing with data on racial or ethnic origin, political views, religion or world outlook, membership in political parties or movements, in labour unions as well as data concerning health or sexual life do not render information on the number of complaints about mistreatment of members of minority groups against police officials, the Foreign Ministry informs. The investigator of the Interior Ministry inspectorate searches for and secures evidence, based on which an independent court then decides, the report continues, as cited by SITA. Moreover, a prosecutor oversees the activities of the investigator. " Since 1993, Slovakia has been the signatory of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. Thus, it has to regularly file reports on how it implements the Convention to the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination of the UN. The next report is due by May 28, 2016. AT ITS final session just three days before the parliamentary elections, the Robert Fico cabinet approved a hefty package of investment stimuli for a handful of companies, some of which have vague and suspicious backgrounds. Font size: A - | A + Negotiations about stimuli were led for several months; it is not a new thing that has arrived in the very last moment, said Economy Minister Vazil Hudak as cited by the SITA newswire after the cabinet okayed the stimuli on March 2, stressing that the investors will receive the stimuli only after they invest the money which they promised to invest and create the declared number of jobs. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Peter Kremsky, the executive director of the Business Alliance of Slovakia (PAS) and Martin Reguli, analyst from the F. A. Hayek Foundation, see the approval of stimuli rather as a pre-election strategy to improve the reputation of the ruling Smer party. It think this is part of a pre-election fight in which the cabinet tries to utilise also this tool in order to bring earlier results by which it can promote itself in the pre-election fight, said Reguli as cited by the Hospodarske Noviny economic daily. The approved investment stimuli total 43.3 million. They will go to five companies that plan to invest 224.6 million and create 1,820 jobs by 2018 in Slovakia. The stimuli consist of direct incentives to be used for purchase of tangible and intangible assets and tax holidays. Out of the stimuli and investors, the biggest ones raise the biggest questions. RKN Global Europe which plans to invest 89.4 million in Banska Bystrica and create 1,238 new jobs asked for assistance worth 18 million of which 10 million should be used for purchase of tangible and intangible assets and 10 million should be in the form of tax breaks. Midia Agro applied for investment aid worth 18.5 million to build a new plant for producing milk-based childrens products in Cab (Nitra Region) while it plans to investment 98 million and create 325 new jobs. Of the stimulus, the company wants to use 16.5 million for purchase of tangible property while tax breaks should account for 2 million. Plans of RKN Global Europe to build a plant to produce duty stamps and blank copies of personal documents in an industrial park near Banska Bystrica has been hitting headlines in Slovak media for some time. The Dubai-based firm, formally run by the former head of Interpol Robert Noble, is seeking to cooperate on this project with Ukrainian firms accused of corruption in the US. Noble confirmed on March 2 that all patents and know-how for production of secure identity documents are held by his Ukrainian partners, while his explanation of financing the project was unclear, according to the Sme daily. RKN Global Europe also does not hold, as of now, an industrial security review by the National Security Office (NBU), which in case of production of blank copies of personal identification documents is a necessity. Minister Hudak said that the cabinet would require such a review within the agreement with this investor and it must be carried out before the investment stimulus applies. But Peter Golias of the INEKO think tank also pointed out that the proceeding should be reverse and that initially the review should be done and only afterwards the stimulus should be granted. Midia Agro, on the other hand, unveiled its plans only in late February. Even though Slovak milk producers have welcomed its plan as they are in a desperate situation as there is an excess of milk on the European market due to cancelation of milk quotas within the EU, the Russian embargo and decreasing demand of the Chinese market for powdered milk, the Food Chamber of Slovakia (PKS) has called on the cabinet not to allocate the stimulus. It is bewildering then when deciding about financial support for a company, one which does not have listed in its business activities processing of milk and production of dairy products; it was preferred to local traditional producers, the PKS wrote in its stance, pointing out that an unknown Cypriot company that has no experience with production and sale of powdered milk has launched Midia Agro some months ago. While also the Environment Ministry pointed to the absence of a licence to process milk, for the cabinet to greenlight the investment it was enough that Midia Agro is in the process of getting it. The chamber further pointed to unused capacities of existing dairy companies in Slovakia and thus in its opinion it would be more effective and just to financially support these producers than to provide selective state support and create unfair competition in the milk-processing sector. Moreover, Midia Agro is taking a 50 million loan to finance the project, while the bank is waiting to see whether the company will receive the stimulus. Thus the company is not able to prove that it is capable of financing the investment, Sme wrote. Remaining stimuli The cabinet also approved allocation of stimulus of 1.4 million for cheesemaker Bel Slovensko in Michalovce (Kosice Region) that plans to expand production at its existing plant. It plans to invest 4.25 million and create 50 new jobs. The Jasplastik-SK company in Galanta (Trnava Region) requested 3.9 million in aid for expanding its production capacities in Nitra-Mlynarce. The investment, worth 17.6 million, is to be carried out in 2016-18, and 140 new jobs should emerge by the end of 2017. The car component manufacturer Mar SK in Sucany (Zilina Region) is seeking 1.53 million in aid to expand its existing plant via a production line for making ball bearings and wheel hubs. The investment worth 15.35 million is expected to lead to 67 new jobs. During the last four years the cabinet supported investments with an aggregate amount of 1.5 billion, and those supported companies created around 10,000 jobs. But an economic expert warns that huge stimuli may deform the business environment. While the investment stimulus supports origination of some investment, on the other hand this money was collected from other businesses, which as a consequence have less for their own investments, Martin Vlachynsky, analyst with the Institute for Economic and Social Studies (INESS), told the TA3 newswire. Investment stimulus is a tool widely used by European countries to draw foreign investments and it is questionable whether investors would choose Slovakia if incentives were not offered. THE IPEC Group has brought Chinese investor Jiangsu Weitian Chemical Group into its Eurasian D1 business park project in Senec in Bratislava region, the TASR newswire learnt on March 3. Font size: A - | A + Jiangsu Weitian Chemical Group has invested 10 million in the project, which is aimed at setting up an administrative and logistics base for Asian investors. The group is preparing 80 administrative units in the D1 Park for its Asian partners, according to IPEC Group director Ivan Carnogursky. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Theyll be able to buy some of these units so that they can set up their administrative centres for central Europe or Europe as a whole, Carnogursky said, as quoted by TASR. Weve sold 20 such units so far to business representations of Chinese companies, with some of them due to come as early as this summer. For example, Senec will welcome traders handling stonemasons goods or soya beans, Carnogursky added. The Chinese group has opted to set up business in Senec due to Slovakias EU and eurozone membership and its easy access to the key markets of central and western Europe. The D1 Park project is unusual in its efforts to put Chinese companies under a single roof so that they can share their experience and knowledge stemming from dealings with European markets, Jiangsu Weitian Chemical Group CEO and co-owner Lin Shengqin said, as quoted by TASR. This is no trivial matter for small and medium-sized companies. The D1 Park has vast potential for further growth. THE CITY of Trencin city will be connected to the Czech capital Prague by a new rail link, with the first train due to depart on March 6, the TASR newswire learnt on March 3. Font size: A - | A + A company called Arriva will be responsible for operating the line, with trains from Prague to Trencin leaving every Saturday morning and from Trencin to Prague every Sunday afternoon. Hundreds of people commute every day from Trencin and its vicinity to Prague for work or study. Until now, they have only been able to travel by means of a direct bus connection, stated the director of Arriva Czech Republic Daniel Adamka. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Wed like to offer people a convenient rail connection on this route, Adamka said, as quoted by TASR. Buses bound for the Czech Republic travel along the D1 motorway, which is currently under reconstruction, and is therefore very unreliable. The line will also connect Trencin with other major Czech cities such as Pardubice, Prerov and Olomouc. This is the first time that such a connection has existed. It will take five hours for the trains to travel the 407-kilometre route. The survey in the United States and the United Kingdom was conducted by the major research company Populus on February 3-4, 2016, in Germany by Forsa on February 4-8, and in France by the oldest polling company IFOP, on February 3-5. The survey involved 1,047 British respondents, 1,004 American respondents, 1,002 German respondents and 1,499 French respondents. According to the US Department of Defense, Russian Ministry of Defense, French Defense Ministry and UK Ministry of Defense, as of February 2016, Russia has carried out 7,725 air strikes, the US 3,267, the UK 33, France 5. Daesh is a terrorist organization whose activities are banned in many countries, including Russia. About the Sputnik.Polls Project The international public opinion project was inaugurated in January 2015, in partnership with Populus, Forsa and Ifop France's oldest polling institute. The project organizes regular surveys in the United States and Europe on the most sensitive social and political issues. Sputnik (sputniknews.com) is a news agency and radio network with multimedia news hubs in dozens of countries. Sputnik broadcasts through its websites, analog and digital radio, mobile apps and social media. Sputnik newswires, available by subscription, run around the clock in English, Arabic, Spanish and Chinese. The Russian-American joint proposal to stop the fighting in Syria was a masterstroke of diplomacy that simplified the battlefield situation and has made it much easier to identity the "good moderates" from the "bad terrorists", according to an exclusive Sputnik interview that Ekaterina Blinova conducted with The Saker, the pseudonym for a former military analyst and popular blogger on Russian affairs. His comments about a "binary setup" whereby "those who cease fighting are integrated into the political process (and) all others are designated for annihilation" infer that Russia and the US de-facto recognize Turkey's local proxies as terrorist organizations, which represents a complete reversal of American policy. Aegean NATO Mission: Erdogan is incensed that the US and a handful of its NATO allies want to patrol the Aegean Sea to intercept and send back the boatloads of immigrants that are incessantly reaching Greece's shores. There were even earlier reports that Turkey had flat-out refused to cooperate in this mission, although Turkish military representatives later officially refuted those claims. The bone of contention is obvious, and it partly rests in the simmering and unresolved slew of territorial disputes that Turkey has with Greece and which a Sputnik article previously referred to as the "Battle Over The Aegean". Erdogan is anxious that the US and its partners will take Athens' side in this spat and use the immigrant-intercepting mission as a cover for establishing military facts on the water' that play to Greece's advantage. The Turkish leader's greatest fear, however, is that the mission will succeed beyond its wildest expectations and return hundreds of thousands of departing, destitute, and dissatisfied immigrants back to his country's shores and consequently destabilize the already politically fragile Turkish society. Mixed Signals Despite all the evidence pointing to the US getting ready to turn on Erdogan, Washington has characteristically sent some mixed signals on the matter in order to prevent its "partner" from panicking and to keep him in a suspended state of strategic uncertainty: Anti-Kurdish Bombs: The Pentagon just gave its stamp of approval to a deal in which the US has agreed to sell $680 million worth of bunker-busting "smart bombs" to its Turkish counterparts, which the International Business Times describes as being for use against the Kurds. This indicates that the US draws a differentiating line between its support for the Syrian and Anatolian Kurds by sticking to its designation of the PKK as a "terrorist organization" and supporting Ankara's brutal war against it. The Israeli Privilege: Even the US' assistance to the Syrian Kurds has its limits, it seems, with Mike Whitney pointing out in his earlier-cited article that the US "acknowledged Turkey's "right to defend itself", which is an expression the US reserves for Israel when it conducting one of its murderous rampages in the West Bank or Gaza Strip." By bestowing Turkey with the Israeli Privilege, Washington is tacitly giving Ankara the green light to carry out limited, low-intensity cross-border shelling of the Syrian Kurds so long as it refrains from a conventional ground invasion against them. EU Membership Support: The US is an advocate of Turkish admission into the EU out of the self-interest that it has in having its Mideast partner behave as the ultimate Trojan Horse and sabotage the bloc from within. Accepting Turkey into the EU or even giving its citizens visa-free access to the Schengen Zone (like last year's 3 billion immigrant deal stipulated will eventually happen) would essentially institutionalize and legalize the Immigration Crisis' ongoing processes of destabilization by opening "a gateway for further immigration and [flow of] refugees to Germany", according to Vice-President of the Bundestag Johannes Singhammer. To bring the reader up to speed, the objective behind this is to handicap the EU via a chain reaction of socio-political crises that renders it incapable of pragmatic bilateral cooperation with the multipolar powers of Russia and China, a strategy which the author described more comprehensively in an earlier Sputnik piece available here. Engineering Erdogan's Ouster The Problem: The events of the past year have proven that Erodgan's policy of Neo-Ottomanism has been a colossal failure in the Mideast and are partly responsible for why he agreed to the US' suggestion to shift his strategic focus to Europe, the southeastern region of which was also previously colonized by the Turks for around half a millennium and therefore seen as fair game' for his expansionist Sultan-like ideology. Turkey was on the cusp of greatly facilitating this and the corresponding institutionalization of the Immigrant Crisis when its citizens were promised eventual visa-free travel privileges to the EU, but Ankara and the US encountered a major problem Erdogan himself. The Turkish strongman is so reviled all throughout Europe because of his facilitative role in the Immigrant Crisis and his publicized support of Daesh that the EU elite have a substantiated fear that inking the historic visa-free travel deal with a person that their citizens believe is so notoriously dangerous, duplicitous, and undependable could lead to a full-scale revolt against them. From the US perspective, this might lead to anti-Atlantic/pro-Eurasian leaders and parties simultaneously coming to power in key countries all throughout the bloc and rapidly undermining Washington's hegemony over this space. The Solution: The public could largely be mollified, however, if Erdogan were removed from power and a friendlier face signed the agreement instead, thereby mitigating the chances that they'd immediately revolt and gradually securing the US' long-term strategy (the "boiling frog" approach). The most realistic way that the US might do this if they were so inclined is through a Color Revolution or military coup against the Turkish President, both of which are mutually compatible with their end-game strategic vision. The convicted mass murderer made it clear that he is not happy about the longstanding isolation that he has undergone for some five years. Breivik is suing the Norwegian state over the "cruel" treatment of his confinement. A hearing is due March 15-18. Norway dismissed the accusations Wednesday. The office of the attorney general explained in a document submitted to the Oslo district court that the convict has been held apart from other inmates for security reasons. They added that he was still able to interact with guards and professional staff. Breivik has three cells at his disposal: for living, for studying, and for physical exercise, according to the document. He is also allowed to watch TV, use a computer, although without Internet access, cook for himself and do his own laundry. Question 2. Why is the investigation taking so long? The parliamentarians also complained about the investigation into the MH17 disaster taking too long and obvious attempts to keep the public in the dark about its progress. Question 3. Why havent the key documents related to the investigation been made available to the Dutch MPs? Some important documents related to the probe have been classified indefinitely, which means that they will be kept under wraps for good. The reason probably being that if these documents were released, they would compromise the method of how this intelligence was collected. If the US has either secret ground based radar in Ukraine or satellites with unknown capabilities, they will not want to disclose their collection abilities to the public. Question 4. What is being done to prevent such tragedies ever happening again? The lawmakers also wanted to know what was being done to rule out such tragedies in future again and make sure that civilian aircraft never fly over war zones. When asked by representatives of the far-right Dutch Freedom Party whether such incidents could be ruled out in future, Prime Minister Mark Rutte said that such guarantees simply did not exist. When asked during a daily briefing in Washington whether the US had provided Dutch investigators with the data that Secretary Kerry said the US had, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said: I believe we have collaborated with the Dutch in their investigation. To what level of detail, I just dont know. RT correspondent Gayane Chichakyan asked whether the Americans had shared vital radar information with the Dutch. I know weve collaborated with them; I just dont know to what level weve shared information with them. Id have to look into that, Mark Toner said. MOSCOW (Sputnik) The risk of resuming hostilities in Ukraine's conflict-torn southeast remains high despite the ongoing ceasefire, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said Thursday. "Ukrainian armed forces continue to position themselves near towns and villages while armed groups have embedded deeper into residential areas, further endangering the local population. The risk of re-escalation of hostilities therefore remained high," the OHCHR said in its 13th report on the human rights situation in Ukraine. The report covers the period between November 16, 2015 and February 15, 2016. According to an OHCHR press release, the report focuses on how the conflict impacts people living close to the "contact line" between government troops and the Donbas militias. Her backing of the plan for the EU to pay Turkey US$3.35 billion to control its border has failed to work so far with Ankara showing little effort to stem the flow of refugees across its border distracted as it is with the ongoing war in neighboring Syria and the ongoing battle with the PKK within Turkey. Seehofer Merkel's partners in the alliance between her CDU and his CSU party told Der Spiegel: "We can't demand that other countries solve our problems! The Swedes have taken action, the Danes have taken action, the Belgians have taken action. It's only here that things are completely different. "If it continues like this, we will reach the ceiling I proposed, of 200,000 per year, in March and there is a danger that by the end of the year we will once again have a million refugees in the country. I am just soberly describing reality. You can run away from reality for a time because it doesn't fit into your political world view," Seehofer said. Merkel's call for Germany to play a leading role not just in Europe, but beyond its borders will be seen by many as an attempt to portray herself as a strong world leader at a time when she is losing political value both at home and abroad and ahead of regional elections next week which may damage her coalition government and mar her chances at the federal elections in 2017. Athens has found itself in a bad fix and desperately needs EU help, primarily financial, to accommodate the migrants. The Greek army is currently setting up five new camps for the refugees who will be accommodated according to religion, language and race. This has been done to prevent conflicts that might arise over matters of faith, the journalist emphasized. Evren Dede said that if Ankara fails to cut the number of migrants heading north through Greece by the March 7 EU-Turkey summit, Greece risks becoming a rogue state within the 28-nation bloc. When asked about the way the feel about the incoming migrants Evren said that, according to a recent poll, almost half of the countrys 11 million people voiced their support for and desire to help the newcomers. Ninety-two percent of respondents complained about the lack of EU help for the countrys effort to tackle the migrant crisis and around 60 percent blamed their own government for not doing enough. Evren Dede also mentioned the negative impact the migrant crisis has had on the countrys tourism industry. Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and the government are trying to minimize the potential damage by keeping the media out of the refugee camps. They fear that the disturbing photographs made there could scare off foreign tourists who account for a hefty portion of the countrys budget, Evren Dede noted. We have already seen a significant drop in the number of hotel bookings both on the Aegean Sea and elsewhere in the country, he added. "It is hardly surprising that the EU looks like an ever less attractive club to join. What, after all, is the appeal of joining a club into which the entire world can apparently move? "Switzerland had been brutally treated as a nation aspiring to join the EU, in all its negotiations. It had to accept idiotic bureaucracy in the previous era of the Europhiles. Now Switzerland is a more independent nation and in a better position to negotiate with the EU." The decision will be a boost for those campaigning for Britain to leave the EU in the forthcoming In-Out referendum on the UK's membership of the union. Euroskeptics argue that Britain would be better out of the EU, which many see as a sprawling bureaucracy which has taken powers away from Westminster. Boost for Brexit "This is a clear and historical message from the Swiss parliament to British voters. We wish you the best of luck for Brexit. These days, Switzerland is called Britzerland because Swiss people support the Brexit. A big advantage of leaving the EU, is free trade worldwide, not only between the member states, making it easier and cheaper for British companies to export their goods to the rest of the world, Reimann said. Norway & Switzerland, the 2 most prosperous nations on earth, somehow manage to struggle by without being in the EU. pic.twitter.com/ZaH9bsw66y Tony Parsons (@TonyParsonsUK) 3 March 2016 "The boost to income outweighs the billions of pounds in membership fees that Britain would save if it left the EU. The UK can have even more of its important negotiation power internationally, by leaving the trading bloc: It would be free to establish trade agreements with non-EU countries worldwide. "The vast majority of small and medium-sized firms do not trade with the EU but are restricted by a huge regulatory burden imposed from abroad. Leaving the EU makes the United Kingdom more open to the world without being bound or enslaved by EU laws on areas such as agriculture, justice and home affairs. The era of the EU application is over for Switzerland. And the era of the EU membership could be over soon for Britain. This is Britain's chance of the century for a better future and for prosperity!" he said. Last Friday, Dundar and Gul were released from jail following a Constitutional Court ruling. The court found that their rights to personal liberty, security, freedom of expression and freedom of the press were violated. On Sunday, President Erdogan said that he did not "accept or respect" the court's decision since the case had allegedly nothing to do with the freedom of the press. Turkey's Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag backed Erdogan's stance, saying that the top court's ruling was unconstitutional. He also claimed that it was Erdogan's democratic right to criticize the court's decisions. "The justice minister could criticize a court's ruling, but he cannot say that the court's ruling was wrong. From this point of view, we could abolish the courts and establish an organization, which would employ public workers, who would be tasked with delivering rulings based on what the president and the justice minister want," the professor observed. Ibrahim Kaboglu is part of a group working on Turkey's new constitution. "Turkey is pushed to an abyss and we can only guess how deep it is," he added. "One cannot but ask what were the people who voted for [Erdogan] thinking. Did they want him to violate the constitution once he came to power or rule in accordance with the basic law?" Kennedy Jr. went on to say that this has resulted in severe blowbacks for the US. He spoke about the US and Syrias relations and how they both fought beside each other in World War II against the French who controlled Syria at the time. After the war, the Syrian people tried to introduce a US fashioned democracy in Syria. The elected presidents big mistake was that he was reticent about building an Arabian pipeline as the US energy project and because of that CIA overthrew him. Six years later they again tried to overthrow him and this time their attempt failed and it was highly publicized and it caused riots. He spoke about how the CIA agents tried to murder the Syrian chief of staff by bribing the Syrian military but that plan backfired and the Syrian government expelled all of the US diplomats from Syria. Kennedy Jr. also talked about CIA engineered involvement in Iraq which essentially brought Saddam Hussein to power. He also mentioned how Muammar Gadhafi managed to keep Libya stable. Kennedy also spoke about the upcoming US election and who he thinks should be president. Czech had also committed to increasing their military expenses up to 1,4% of GDP before 2020, a number which looks unlikely now. According to Czech Ministry of Defense Press Secretary Jan Pejsek, the current criticism from NATO is connected to Czech military expenditure cuts over the past past few years. We find it positive, that the North Atlantic Alliance has appreciated our readiness to increase our military budget and take conceptually important measures. These two factors are what might influence our activities evaluation in future, Pejsek commented. The Czech Republic became a NATO member state in 1991, after the Warsaw Pact was disbanded, almost a year before the collapse of the Soviet Union. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) Photos on the US Embassys social media account showed Wells with Jordanian military officials jointly inspecting the Blackhawk helicopters during the handover ceremony. "The United States is committed to standing with Jordan to face the threat posed by Daesh We are honored to partner with you," US Ambassador Alice Wells was quoted as saying in the announcement during a ceremony to handover the eight helicopters. The helicopters are "another tool for safeguarding" Jordans border with Syria and Iraq, where the terrorist group has grown significantly since 2014, according to the announcement. Indeed, the $2 billion dollar arms deal was concluded by Moscow and Beijing last year. In accordance will the contract, 24 Russian Su-35 fighter jets, advanced, super-maneuverable multi-role aircraft will be delivered to China later this year. "We are not keeping up with that kind of technology development," Welsh said, as quoted by Majumdar. "[China] will have a lot of technology that's better than the stuff we've had before," the general added. Indeed, China is very serious about "getting better." According to Xinhua, Beijing is setting up a conglomerate that will bring together three aircraft engine manufacturers: Sichuan Chengfa Aero Science & Technology Co., Avic Aviation Engine Corp. and Avic Aero-Engine Controls Co. "The move will improve China's standing in plane design and manufacturing. Though one of the biggest aviation markets, the country is still heavily reliant on imported engines," China's state-owned media outlet reports. Remarkably, last year, Russia and China reached an agreement aimed at extending subsidized loans to speed up work on joint long-haul aircraft and heavy helicopter projects. "With regard to joint projects in aviation, the creation of a wide-body aircraft [and] developing a heavy helicopter, we have agreed on the possibility of allocating preferential loans to work at a faster pace," Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin told journalists in October 2015. "We must enter the market with a product that will drop the jaws of potential buyers," Rogozin stressed. "Increasing arms to opposition forces" does not make any sense either since Moscow and Damascus are able to cut Islamists' lines of supply from Turkey "unless the US is prepared to go to war with Russia by trying to airdrop the weapons." At the same time, the no-fly zone option is "at the end of the table," the investigative journalist notes, citing an unnamed senior Pentagon official. "Someone may still be advocating it, but it is not going to be adopted," Porter underscores. What lies beneath Kerry's initiative? On the one hand, the US Secretary of State is sending a signal to the Pentagon that a "serious possibility of a more aggressive US posture in Syria" is not off the table; on the other hand, he is trying to counter attacks to his ceasefire and negotiation strategy from Republicans, the investigative journalist suggests. Indeed, the serious infighting is going on in Washington between the influential party of war and John Kerry and his backers, Stephen F. Cohen has repeatedly stressed in his interviews with John Batchelor. While Kerry is apparently interested in mending Russo-American relations and solving the Syrian crisis through a diplomatic process, American neocons and warhawks from the Pentagon, the CIA and the administration are trying to throw a monkey wrench in these efforts. MOSCOW (Sputnik), Alexander Mosesov Earlier in the day, missiles were fired from the North Korean Wonsan naval base after the UN Security Council adopted a resolution on Wednesday introducing sanctions against Pyongyang in response to its repeated violations of its obligations under previous UN resolutions. "North Koreas provocations are unacceptable and we have repeatedly condemned them," the spokesperson said, commenting on Thursday's missile launch. The spokesperson also underlined the fact that the latest UNSC resolution contained the toughest measures "ever taken." MOSCOW (Sputnik) The nanny accused of brutally killing a little girl in Moscow is insane, therefore, her words and explanations of what happened should be treated accordingly, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday. On Monday, the nanny in question allegedly beheaded a four-year-old girl, set the apartment on fire, and later took the childs head to a nearby subway station, where she wielded it around, threatening passers-by. The suspect, Gyulchehra Bobokulova, a citizen of Uzbekistan who was born in 1978, raised no objection to her arrest citing Allah's will as the crime's motive. However, investigators believe that she was incited by a third person. "It seems clear to me, though I could be mistaken at this point, I'm not an expert or a judge, but it is obvious that the woman is clearly unstable. It seems to me that one needs to treat the words of such an unstable woman accordingly," Peskov told reporters, commenting on Bobokulova's statement that she acted according to Allahs will, in revenge for Russian President Vladimir Putin's "Syria bombings." Last month, Maher advocated for the end of the federal prohibition on marijuana while smoking a joint on air. He argued that the government is unwilling to legalize weed because the war on drugs brings in too much money for private prisons, as well as enlarging police and state budgets. States rights is always code for taking away rights, Maher pointed out, adding that when some people have it and others dont, it is not equality. The unpermitted White House smoke-out protest was announced on Tuesday by the D.C. Cannabis Campaign to demand that the president reschedule marijuana without Congress, thus freeing those who have been jailed over it. He mentioned that the vice consul of the Russian Consulate General in New York had visited him periodically and that the consul had been to see him more than once. "If necessary, I can call and a consular representative will come to me immediately if the prison authorities allow," the Russian pilot noted, adding that he also has been given contact telephone numbers for Russian Embassy staff in case of an emergency. "Ive made use [of the Russian Embassys telephone contacts] once. They turned out to be very useful. I havent been put in solitary confinement. Both the Russian Embassy and the Consulate General help and support me in every possible way," Yaroshenko said. Yaroshenko Doubts Likelihood of Russia-US Prisoner Swap Obviously, I would like to see my daughter, my wife and my mother, who I havent seen in five years, as soon as possible, Yaroshenko said. But I am sure that Russia does not have any US citizens in custody on trumped-up charges based on fabricated evidence. The last public prisoner exchange between the United States and Russia took place on July 9, 2010, when ten Russian nationals were deported to Russia in exchange for several US citizens, arrested in Russia on espionage charges. Yaroshenko Doubts Success of Appeal Against US Refusal to Hold Retrial "I think nothing will come of the appeal, as the case was fabricated from the very beginning to achieve a desired result, unrelated to the fabricated case and the drugs," Yaroshenko said. There is no justice, democracy, honesty and openness in the United States, or at least it does not exist in this particular case, he noted. "Most likely, the courts are implementing someone's instructions. There is no other explanation for everything what has happened and is happening to me at present the fabrication of crimes, kidnapping, torture, lies, ignoring of facts, the tribunal, suppression of evidence and so on," Yaroshenko stressed. Yaroshenko Says US Court Ignored 'Strong' Evidence of DEA, Prosecutors' Lies Pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko told Sputnik that the court ignored a host of evidence that proved that US prosecutors and the drug authority had fabricated the case against him. Writing to Sputnik from the US prison, Yaroshenko said that, "the US court ignored the plea to dismiss the case despite my strong arguments." These included evidence that US prosecutors and agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) had built the case specifically to target Yaroshenko, whereby they violated US and international laws. "[The US authorities] have ignored much of the indisputable legal basis and arguments in favor of my innocence presented by my lawyer, have disregarded the arguments about multiple violations of US laws and the international obligations of the United States and about the manipulation of US laws and facts by the prosecution and the DEA," he stressed. Yaroshenko alleges that the case was artificially assigned simply by virtue of the fact that the US agents mentioned the United States in their communications with Yaroshenko, a move which enabled them to extradite the Russian national from Liberia to the United States. "[The US court] accepted for review, the case falsified by DEA agents which had an artificially created US jurisdiction," he explained. The DEA and US prosecutors also withheld a considerable amount of evidence audio, video and phone records that proved his innocence beyond doubt, as well as exposing lies that the US authorities had submitted under oath, Yaroshenko asserted. Yaroshenko was detained in Liberia in 2010 during a US sting operation conducted in West Africa, and was transferred to the United States. The US authorities sentenced him to 20 years in prison on charges of smuggling cocaine. The Russian authorities have repeatedly expressed concern over the circumstances of Yaroshenko's arrest and the poor conditions of his detention. In 2012, Moscow sent a request to the United States to transfer Yaroshenko to Russia, but the request was denied. The US military insists on the need for forces capable of defeating Russias anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) capabilities, military analyst Dave Majumdar wrote in his article for The National Interest. As soon as the Russian A2/AD defense is breached the Pentagon would be able to reinforce NATO defenses in Europe as they move eastward. "We need to be able to rapidly reinforce that sounds very straightforward. It is not. [] Remember Russia has created a very dense pattern of A2/AD access/area-denial. We need to be investing in those capabilities and capacities that allow us to enter into an A2/AD environment and be able to reinforce," U.S. Gen. Philip Breedlove, commander of US European Command, told the Senate Armed Services Committee on March 1. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) Haydens remarks come as Washington has been locked in a heated legal battle with Apple, which is refusing to help the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) open the iPhone of an Islamic terrorist that killed 14 people in San Bernardino, California on December 2. Apple maintains that opening the iPhone would compromise the security of all its phone devices. "Theres a powerful privacy argument off to the side, but just in the security lane, right now Im believing that American is better served for its security with unbreakable, end-to-end encryption," Hayden told WTOP. "The governments current request to have some kind of permanent, standing, baked-in access that they can call on I actually think that that threatens that security." "It's now clear that for over a year the governor's top aides and advisers wrote thousands of emails relating to the Flint situation, and that they held many meetings and had many conversations about Flint," Greimel told MLive. "It is inconceivable that the governor wasn't aware of what was going on. In fact, the governor's own chief of staff came out last week and indicated that he had been keeping the governor informed all along the way." The poisoning of Flint water began in April 2014, when the city stopped receiving its supply from Detroit, instead shifting to water taken directly from the Flint River, a source known to have a high corrosive salt content. Corrosive salts in the water damaged the pipes, which contain lead, causing that material to be released into the water, and contaminating it. The FBI has joined the US Postal Inspection Service, the US Environmental Protection Agency's Office of the Inspector General, and the EPA's Criminal Investigation Division, into the wide-ranging criminal probe of the Flint water crisis, to determine which laws were broken and who broke them. According to the Intercept, Alex Khatib, the director of the flight school Elsayed attended, turned to the FBI shortly after reading the post. On February 4 Secret Service agents came to the school and interrogated Elsayed for several hours, asking if he was linked to any terror group. That day the student deleted the post. The next day agents came to his house and searched his belongings. One week later, Elsayed was arrested on grounds that he had violated the terms of his admission to the US. "It seems like the government was not able to get a criminal charge to stick on him, so they used the immigration process to have him leave the country," Bushra told the AP. At the court hearing it was revealed that the pilot school director terminated Elsayeds I-20 form, a document that provides foreigners with student visa status. Court papers reveal that Khatib was persuaded by authorities to do so. They told me that the State Department revoked Mr. Elsayeds M-1 visa and that it was better for Mr. Elsayed to leave the country, Khatib wrote in a statement to the court. [T]he only thing that [was] left [was] to terminate his I-20. Based on their information and their suggestion, I terminated the I-20 of Mr. Elsayed. Commenting on the case, Bushra claimed that he has never seen anything like this. The Syrian crisis is less dangerous for Turkey , a larger and richer country. Nevertheless, the two million refugees currently living in Turkey are a problem that cannot be ignored, especially taking into account the fact that most of them live in regions hit by the turmoil in Syria. According to experts, the wars in Afghanistan (since the Soviet invasion in 1979) have provoked mass displacement of people and played major role in the process of political polarization in neighboring Pakistan. Thus, a similar scenario cannot be ruled out for Turkey, and the consequences may be disastrous since Ankara is a NATO ally and the stronghold of stability along Europes southeastern borders. The same concerns are growing for Africa, the author wrote. According to the UN, the conflicts in DR Congo, Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, and Central African Republic will cause massive displacement of people on the continent. If the wars continue the number of refuges may significantly grow in the coming decades, which will be a catastrophe for economic growth in Africa. It would be especially tragic taking into account the actual perspectives for growth in many African countries. Of course, all of the above does not mean that there is no serious migrant problem in Europe, according to the article. But the European Union has enough resources to withstand the crisis. In fact, the difficulties the EU has faced due to the migrant influx may be the catalyst for positive changes, including stricter border controls, deepening political integration and a more diligent approach to the foreign and security policy. Corey Callahan and Somebody AS made it look easy rolling to a second consecutive victory in the $20,000 Open Handicap Trot on a windy and chilly Wednesday, March 2 at Dover Downs. Somebody AS and Callahan got away quickly from the outside to take the early lead and continued to extend the margin until turning for home when War Cry Hall, with Tim Tetrick, picked up the pace to close within a half-length at the wire in 1:54.3. Winemaster Hanover (Toby Lynch Jr.) edged Panamanian Hanover (Tony Morgan) for third money. Owned by Kjell Johansson and breeder ACL Stuteri, the seven-year-old altered son of Striking Sahbra-Noblesse AS recorded his third win in five starts this season. He is conditioned by Anette Lorentzon. The victory was number 24 in Somebody AS' career and pushed his lifetime earnings over $475,000. (With files from Dover Downs) Officials with the Meadowlands Racetrack have announced that The Stable will be holding a new-owner seminar and information night at the East Rutherford, New Jersey raceway on Saturday, March 12. The Stable which is also commonly referred to as thestable.ca is a new fractional ownership group headed by veteran Canadian horseman Anthony MacDonald. The owner seminar / information night on March 12 will get underway at 6:30 p.m. in the Pink skyboxes. The event is free to attend, although advanced reservations are required (please send an email to [email protected] if you are interested in attending). Light refreshments will be served. Under The Stables concept, anyone can purchase any percentage of the horses available in MacDonalds stable and pay a flat rate each month for that percentage. In addition, MacDonald provides weekly HD videos of the horses training, plus access to the training centre and racetracks. It is all designed to attract new owners to the sport and provide a unique experience that only the sport of harness racing can provide, all while doing so in an affordable manner. Thestable.ca is the most inexpensive way to enjoy the best part of harness racing, horse ownership, MacDonald has been quoted as saying in the release. A one per cent investment can cost as little as $100 and your bill for that same one per cent ownership is 55 cents per day. We simply took the unaffordable for most people, and made it affordable for everyone. The Stable has already attracted 46 investors. (With files from the Meadowlands Racetrack) Longtime horseman Frank Herold of LaSalle, Ont. passed away on Monday, Feb. 29. He was in his 75th year. Herold was an avid and dedicated horseman who truly loved the sport. Pretty much from the inauguration to the final days of Windsor Raceway, Herold was a true follower. Herold was also an avid picker of collectibles. Among his favourites were Coca Cola and Betty Boop, the latter being displayed as the license plate on his wife Betty's car. He is survived by his wife Betty and children Nancy (Brian), Ron (Sheila) and Ken (Alma), along with several grandchildren. Cremation has taken place and his remains are resting at Families First Funeral Home at 585 Sandwich St.S. in Amherstburg. Visitation will be Friday, March 4 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., as well as Saturday, March 5 from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. A gathering and lunch with family and friends will follow at the Royal Canadian Legion in Harrow at 41 McAffee St. Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Frank Herold. Miami Valley Raceway announced on Wednesday (March 2) that it has joined forces with the United States Trotting Association and has become part of the popular Strategic Wagering Platform, which jointly guarantees pool sizes on specific selected exotic wagers at many of the top harness tracks in America. Miami Valley's initial Strategic Wagering offering will be a 'Lucky Pick 5' wager on Friday night (March 4) with a $10,000 guaranteed pool. The wager, which features an industry low 12 percent takeout rate and a 50 percent consolation payoff when no winning ticket is sold, has gone unsolved for eight programs and currently has a $4,008 carryover into the pot before wagering opens on Friday's $10,000 guaranteed pool session. The Lucky Pick 5 is comprised of races eight through 12 on the 14-race program. The races include two top-level conditioned paces for mares, a top conditioned trot, a $20,000 mares claiming pace and concludes with a $20,000 full field Mares Open Pace. Free past performance pages for the Miami Valley Lucky Pick 5 can be downloaded by visiting the Strategic Wagering listing near the bottom of the USTA website home page. Post time at Miami Valley on Friday is 6:05 p.m. (With files from Miami Valley Raceway) Pulling back the curtains on the life of a horse trainer in New Jersey is the goal of an online video series called Fika with Jonas, which debuted on YouTube on March 1. Fika is the Swedish word for a coffee break, and Swedish-born trainer Jonas Czernyson is the star of what will be a monthly series produced by Cody Bach Productions. "We were overwhelmed with the response when we posted the first episode," said Christine Czernyson, wife of Jonas and the person who oversees social media for Team JC Stable, the nom de racecourse of the couple's training operations. The first episode was filmed at the Czernysons' Millstream Farm, which covers 78 acres in Allentown, NJ. Millstream Farm has eight broodmares soon to deliver in New Jersey and another five in Kentucky. Bach, whose late father, Ole, was one of the premier bloodstock agents, provided the hosting duties on the first video. Cody asked Jonas questions collected from Facebook and Twitter followers, including how he came to the United States, his family background, how he met Christine and his typical daily schedule. Subsequent episodes will include the view from the sulky, while training some of the premier trotters in North America at Winners Training Center in Chesterfield, NJ. "We hope to release a new video on the first of each month," said Christine, who oversees the broodmares and babies at the farm. "We invite people to send us questions through the Team JC Stable page on Facebook, @teamjcstable on Twitter or by email at [email protected]. (Team JC Stable) Harness Horsemen International will hold its annual meeting and awards luncheon beginning Sunday, March 6, at the Embassy Suites Deerfield Beach Resort & Spa in Deerfield Beach, Fla. Featured speakers include Dr. Mary Robinson of the University Of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center in Chester, PA, and Joe Pennachio, president and executive director of Florida Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association. Registration starts at 2 p.m. on Sunday, followed by a welcome reception at 5:30 p.m., with general sessions beginning daily on March 7, 8 and 9. Monday's (March 7) agenda includes an opening address by HHI President Tom Luchento, followed by remarks from USTA President Phil Langley and American Horse Council Executive Director Jay Hickey. HHI association reports and business will follow. On Tuesday (March 8) Dr. Robinson will speak regarding medication issues followed by HHI meetings and discussions including insurance, finance, legal, convention and scholarship. Wednesday's (March 9) agenda features a presentation by Pennachio regarding the current de-coupling' legislation, followed by committee reports and pertinent HHI business. The HHI Annual Awards Luncheon will follow, honouring USTA Executive Vice President Mike Tanner, PHHA's retiring director Ron Battoni, and Harness Racing Communications Ken Weingartner. Tanner is being honoured as the 2015 Dominic Frinzi Person of the Year; Battoni will receive the 2015 HHI Appreciation Award; with the 2015 Clyde Hirt Media Award going to Weingartner. (HHI) Er is iets heel griezeligs aan de gang in Nederland. Dat wij geleidelijk aan in een totalitaire 'democratie' wegzinken wordt steeds ... Norwegian special operations have expanded a bit by adding a dozen female operators. This group, called the Jegertroppen (Hunter Troop), was created to serve in situations where women are more effective. The need for a female unit came out of recent Norwegian experience in Afghanistan. As in many Moslem countries male soldiers having anything to do with Moslem women is considered very bad manners. Some foreign forces adapted. The United States quickly trained female soldiers and marines to accompany raids and such to deal with searching or questioning women. This worked but the Norwegians often use their special operations troops for long range patrols and intelligence gathering operations. In some cases having some women along would be useful, but the female operators had to be as capable as the men. So it was decided to see if some women could be recruited and trained for the jobs. There were 317 women who applied for the special operations course. Only 28 percent made it past the screening test and only 15 percent of these completed the yearlong training. Those percentages are about the same for male candidates. The only accommodation for the women was a 32 percent lighter basic combat load. Otherwise the women had to deal with the same stresses and learn the same combat, tracking, intelligence and other skills as the men. Female commandos and intelligence field operatives (Jane Bond types) are not unknown, but their existence is generally played down and their identities kept secret. The reason for this is that these highly trained women are few in number and used for situations where a women is not expected and will make a big difference. Nearly all the major special operations organizations of the 20th century have had some female operators. What was unusual about Norway was that they issued a press release, no information on the women themselves. Norway only has a population of five million but still has built, since World War II, a highly regarded commando (special operations) force of about 500 personnel. This includes army and navy forces. Norwegian ground forces only have 9,000 active duty troops and the entire armed forces only 24,000. Christians in the Middle East and Africa are dismayed to discover that the increasing anti-Christian violence by local Islamic conservatives and terrorists is largely being ignored in the West. One of the worst examples is Nigeria where, since 2004 over a million Christians living in the Moslem majority north of the country have been chased from their homes and over 10,000 of them killed by Islamic terrorist group Boko Haram. Nearly all the Moslems killed in the north are victims of Boko Haram and most of the few Moslems killed by northern Christians are Boko Haram men killed by self-defense militias protecting their homes and families. Boko Haram literally means Western education is forbidden and to many Islamic terrorists nothing is more Western and forbidden than Christianity. This despite the fact that Christianity has been around a lot longer than Islam. Often, as in Nigeria, the first invaders were Moslems not Christians. In Nigeria the south is largely Christian while the north is largely Moslem. But for over a century Moslem tribes from the north have been moving south looking for more grazing lands and consider it an economic and religious duty to chase out any Christian tribes in the way. While Moslems like to think of themselves as the victims of anti-Moslem Western aggression the reality is quite the opposite. Islam is, in reality, a region of intolerance and hypocrisy. In the West this is obvious, but in the Moslem world it is not. Consider the fact that Moslems demand that others be tolerant of their customs but refuse to respect the customs (or religions) of others. Thus Moslems are free to practice their religion in the West while in many Moslem countries others are not. Saudi Arabia does not even allow any religious buildings that are not Moslem. Thus there are no Christian churches, Hindu temples, Jewish synagogues or any non-Moslem house of worship in Saudi Arabia. It is against the law there. In many Moslem countries it is illegal to convert a Moslem to another religion. In some Moslem countries (like Saudi Arabia and Pakistan) the penalty for any Moslem converting is death. There is a reason for all this. The word Islam derives from the Arabic word istaslama which means, literally, submission. What is implied, for most Moslems, is that non-Moslems must submit as well, whether they want to or not. Refusal to submit is a sign of intolerance, religious bigotry, racism and blasphemy and most definitely against Islamic scripture and practice. For Islamic conservatives, clergy and scholars there can be no other interpretation. Westerners have had a hard time understanding this crucial cultural difference, but now it is becoming violently obvious to Moslems and non-Moslems alike, especially in countries where lots of Moslems live next to largely Christian populations.. Moslems in the West expect the locals to accommodate their religion and customs, even though some of those customs (genital mutilation, honor killings, mandatory arranged marriages, and much more) are illegal in the West. Yet Moslems have no intention of being accommodating to Westerners. Most Moslems dont care if Westerners see Islam as a religion of intolerance, of all take and no give. To Moslems it is natural to demand submission from those with other religious beliefs and not to reciprocate or show tolerance (unless forced to). Moslems are now being forced to confront their long history of violent intolerance. This flawed view of Islamic terrorism has lots of nasty side effects. Take, for example, the growing anti-Christian violence among Moslems. Christians in countries with Moslem majorities, or large minorities, are having a difficult time getting the rest of the world to recognize that most (as in about 80 percent) of the religious violence (not counting Islamic terrorism) in the world is carried out against Christians and most of the violence is committed by Moslems. This is because the Islamic world, while unable to do much in terms of economic, scientific, or cultural progress, or even govern themselves effectively, have proven quite adept at convincing leaders and media organizations in the West that Islam is not the aggressor and is actually the victim. For those who have spent any time living among Moslems, this all seems absurd. But this delusion is real among many Moslems. The effort to eliminate the religion angle when it comes to Islamic terrorism is also present in the United States. For example, its official policy in the U.S. military to eliminate any mention of a war between Islam and the West. This policy is enforced despite the fact that Islam, at least according to many Moslems, is definitely at war with the West. The U.S. has officially maintained this illusion since shortly after September 11, 2001, despite the fact that many Islamic clerics and government officials in Moslem nations, openly and frequently agree with the "Islam is at war with the West" idea. But many Western leaders prefer to believe that by insisting that such hostile religious attitudes are not widespread in Moslem countries, the hostility will diminish. To that end the U.S. government has, for years, been removing any reference to "Islam" and "terrorism" in official documents. This comes as a shock to military or civilian personnel who have spent time in Moslem countries. The "Islam is at war with the West" angle is alive and well among Moslems and when you look at media in Moslem countries it is all pretty explicit. There is plenty of other evidence. For example, twenty nations account for over 95 percent of terrorism activity in the world. Of these twenty (Pakistan, Iraq, Afghanistan, South Sudan, Yemen, Iran, Uganda, Libya, Egypt, Nigeria, Palestinian Territories, Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Colombia, Algeria, Thailand, Philippines, Russia, Sudan, Iran, Burundi, India, Nigeria, and Israel) all but four of them (Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Colombia, and Burundi) involve Islamic terrorism. In terms of terrorism fatalities the top four nations (Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Somalia) accounted for 75 percent of the world total of terrorism related deaths. All of these were the result of Islamic radicalism, often directed at other Moslems and not just non-Moslems (infidels). In Asia we have religion based tension between India and Pakistan. Inside India many Moslem communities remain and feelings aren't always neighborly. Indonesia and the Philippines suffer growing strife between Moslems and non-Moslems. Malaysia has fanatical Moslems persecuting more laid-back ones and non-Moslems in general. China has a large Moslem community that generates an increasing amount of violence. Russia and America have formed a curious partnership to deal with Islamic-based terrorism coming out of Afghanistan and Pakistan. In Chechnya Russia faced Islamic-inspired violence all alone in the 1990s. Africa has long had problems with Islam, especially south of the semi-arid Sahel region. Many African nations are split by increasingly sensitive religious differences. The Moslems are in the north, Christians and animists in the south. Nigeria, Egypt, and Sudan are among the more violent hot spots at the moment. When the Moslem Somalis stop fighting each other they will return to raiding their Christian and animist neighbors to the south. The Middle East still contains many non-Moslems. None have their own country, except for Israel. But Egypt contains six million Copts, native Christians who did not convert to Islam. Similar small Christian communities exist throughout the Middle East and growing hostility from Moslem neighbors causes many to migrate or get killed. Moslems are particularly vicious when they turn their righteous wrath on dissident Moslem sects. The Druze and Alawites are considered by many Moslems as pagans pretending to be Moslems. Similarly, the Shias of Iran and neighboring areas are considered less orthodox, not just for their admitted differences but because many adherents openly practice customs of the pre-Islamic Zoroastrian religion. These differences are less frequently overlooked today. To survive, many Druze have allied with Israel and most of the current Syrian leadership are Alawites who pretend to be more Shia than they really are. Even Europe has local problems with Islam. The Moslems in the Balkans (Albanians and Bosnians) have been a constant source of strife for the last decade. Moslem migrants in Europe face even more persecution because of all the Islamic violence elsewhere, and this makes it easier for radical groups to recruit and carry out their crusade against Christians. In many European cities with Moslem minorities there are neighborhoods non-Moslems are advised to stay out of. But the Islamic religious strife is often about more than religion. A lot of it is politics. One of the reasons Islam ran out of steam centuries ago was that the Moslem areas never embraced democracy and intellectual progress. Until the 20th century most Moslems lived as part of some foreign empire, under local totalitarian monarchs or Western colonial administrators. The foreign empires disappeared early in the 20th century but democracy has had a hard time taking hold. The dictatorships are still there. And the people are restless. Radical Islam arose as an alternative to all the other forms of government that never seemed to work. In theory, establishing "Islamic Republics" would solve all problems. People could vote but only Moslems in good standing could be candidates for office. A committee of Moslem holy men would have veto power over political decisions. Islamic law would be used. It was simple and it makes sense to a lot of Moslems in nations ruled by thugs and thieves, especially if the people are largely uneducated and illiterate. The problem with this is that Islamic Republics don't work. The only one that has been established (not counting others that say they are but aren't) is in Iran. The major problems were twofold. First, the radicals had too much power. Radical religious types are no fun and you can't argue with them because they are on a mission from God. Most people tire of this in short order. To speed the disillusionment many of the once-poor and now-powerful religious leaders became corrupt. This eventually sends your popularity ratings straight to hell. It will take a generation or so for everyone in the Moslem world to figure out where all this is going. This is already happening in Iran, where moderates are getting stronger every day but everyone is trying to avoid a civil war. While the radicals are a minority they are a determined bunch. The constant flow of Islamic radical propaganda does more than generate recruits and contributions in Moslem countries, it also energizes Moslem minorities (both migrants and converts) in Western countries to acts of terrorism. In the United States you find such Moslems regularly getting arrested for attempting to carry out religious violence. Radicals throughout the Moslem world continue to take advantage of dissatisfaction among the people and recruit terrorists and supporters. To help this process along they invoke the ancient grudges popular among many Moslems. Most of these legends involve Christians beating on Moslems. To most radicals it makes sense to get people agitated over faraway foreigners rather than some strongman nearby. Most radicals lack the skills, money, or ability to carry their struggle to far-off places. So most of the agitation takes place among Moslem populations. Any violent attitudes generated are easily directed at available non-Moslems. Thus we have all that violence against non-Moslems. But the more violence you have against non-Moslems the more really fanatical fighters are developed. These are the people who are willing to travel to foreign lands to confront the non-believers and kill them for the cause. We call it terrorism, the fanatics call it doing what has to be done. Not surprisingly, Moslems get motivated to do something about Islamic radicalism when the violence is literally next door. That's why terror attacks in the West are so popular. The infidels are being attacked, without any risk to those living in Moslem countries. Iraq changed all that, and during the course of that war (2004-7) the popularity of Islamic terrorism, in Moslem countries, declined sharply because the terrorists were killing so many Moslems. That, in the end, is what has killed, for a while, most Islamic terrorism in Iraq. Worldwide, al Qaeda never recovered the popularity (in the Moslem world) it enjoyed after September 11, 2001. It would also be nice if the Moslem world got their act together and expunged this malevolent tendency once and for all. The Arab Spring was supposed to help but so far it hasnt. Change is coming but don't hold your breath waiting for it to suddenly appear. Havent published on the Blog in quite a while. I at least part have been immersed in the area of writing books. My focus is on Science Fiction an Historic... 1 year ago ...they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Acts 17:11 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. Isaiah 8:20 "Whatever it is, I'm against it. No matter what it is or who commenced it, I'm against it." Groucho Marx, from Horse Feathers We retired from our 30+ years teaching careers to go Sailing Somewhere Sometime. After nearly two years sailing the Gulf of Mexico coast and the Florida Keys we moved to Seattle to be Grandparents to our new Grandson and later our third Granddaughter. We were in Seattle for 7 years and are now planning the next phase of our retirement as we have returned to Austin, TX for the duration of the Pandemic and beyond. The Sea Hawks use a strong serve and balanced attack for a commanding win in the opening round of the Division 2 playoffs. Charolette Conklin will host the next WordFest gathering at 6 p.m. March 7 at Cassava, 1333 Broadway in Longview. A regular participant for many years, Conklin has read her often humorous poetry and short stories that have been published in The Salal Review, The Rambunctious Review, and the WordFest anthology, That Holiday Feeling. Local writer and poet Mary Lyons will return to Wordfest with essays, poetry and part of a short story, all part of a wide-ranging collection shes writing entitled Body Parts. Patrick Kubin will read an excerpt from his novel, Foolish Fire, a coming of age story about a teenage girl overcoming hardships and family tragedies while growing up in the 1970s on a farm in the fictional town of Riverview, Ore. Kubin, a Longview attorney, has written three previous novels. Cam Parvitee will read from the second book in her Black Dragons series, about the trials and challenges of a group of senior citizens and the 12 neighborhood children they befriend. An open mic period will follow the presentations. For more information, contact Alan Rose at www. Alan-rose.com. The Lewis County prosecutor has dropped a charge against a Castle Rock woman accused of first-degree custodial sexual misconduct involving an offender under state supervision. Kristina M. Auckland, 31, is a Thurston County corrections counselor who is on paid administrative leave from the Cedar Creek Corrections Center near Olympia. Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer said he dismissed the sexual misconduct charge because a man Auckland supervised while he was at Cedar Creek, stopped cooperating with the prosecution. In October, Auckland recommended the mans early release. The victim, I think, still has feelings for the defendant, he said. According to court documents, the alleged victim told a detective he spent three nights with Auckland at a Motel 6 in Centralia after he was released from the center, that he had nude photos of her and that the two exchanged text messages. Auckland was arrested after a DOC employee claimed he saw the two together at the motel in November. It is illegal for state employees to have sexual relations with inmates or people under correctional supervision. Auckland this week called her arrest and the news coverage that followed a nightmare that damaged her image. She pleaded down another charge of witness tampering to two counts of attempted witness tampering, agreeing to an Alford plea. An Alford plea is one in which a defendant pleads guilt but does not admit guilt. Auckland, a single mother of two, said she accepted the plea to avoid going to trial. I just wasnt willing to have that scare of possibly losing my children because of potential (conviction for) witness tampering, she said. Auckland was charged with witness tampering because she had contact with the offender her alleged sex misconduct victim after a judge ordered her not to. Auckland said she feels the Department of Corrections defamed her character and is speaking with a lawyer about her complaints. She declined to say whether she was suing the DOC. She said she hasnt decided whether shell still work for DOC. I was very hurt by the way it was handled from my facility that I thought I could count on, she said. Auckland will have to pay $1,600 in court fines and spend 29 days on electronic home monitoring. More than eight months after 30-year-old Christopher Earl Heller died from injuries he sustained in an assault, authorities have arrested the man suspected of killing him. Randall Lee Pritchard, 49, of Rainier, turned himself in to Columbia County sheriffs deputies Tuesday after a grand jury indicted him on murder charges. A lawyer entered a not guilty plea for Pritchard shortly after he turned himself in. Shortly before 5:30 p.m. on July 21, Columbia County sheriffs deputies were called to the 6800 block Whitney Road near Goble for a reported assault involving Pritchard and Heller, who was from the St. Helens area. By the time emergency personnel arrived at the scene, Hellers mother had already left to drive him to a Vancouver hospital. Authorities later discovered Heller had suffered a fractured skull. The Columbia County Sheriffs Office and the Columbia County Major Crimes Team began investigating the incident. A week later, Heller died from his injuries while in the hospital. Pritchard is held in the Columbia County Jail on one count of murder, along with an outstanding warrant from the state of Washington for escape. Neither charge had a bail amount set. A trial date has not been set. Winter of discontent The primary elections and caucuses reflect a serious discontent with the way government has been operating. Discontent may be a mild reflection of the anger displayed. Unfortunately much of the political promises do nothing to correct the problems. President Obama was elected on a platform of change. His actions revealed a distrust of Congress, and he sought to govern on his own close circle of political advisers. He proclaimed he would circumvent Congress, and use his phone and pen to implement his interpretation or view of what was best for the people. A unilateral governing from the executive branch. Donald Trump has gained a lot of support lambasting Congress, the establishment and his view of what is wrong with our relations with other countries. He would sidestep all views from Congress that is supposed to be the views of the people and unilaterally rule under his view of unanimous public support for him. Donald Trump would use his phone to seek advice from his team of advisers and his pen to unilaterally sign law as he sees it. Same phone, maybe a different colored pen. But the same Obama platform. All with the same failed results. We desperately need a president who can work with Congress, gain an understanding of the will of the people, provide leadership in Congress, and identify and gain support of friends around the world. Kelly C. Niemi Kelso What Im for After writing a letter to the editor, I often get asked the following two questions: Are you against everything? and What are you for? Im for less government-control-of-people and more people-control-of-government. Im for doing away with political correctness. Im for believing that human-caused global warming is a contrived socialist political hoax to attack capitalism and empower a few globalist elites in their relentless drive to rule the world. Im for getting the U.S. out of the U.N. and the U.N. out of the U.S. Im for returning to Congress the exclusive right to make treaties, tariffs and war. Im for restoring what should again be our national purpose: Give me liberty or give me death. Many Americans seem to have shortened it to just gimme. Im for saying that all lives matter, including unborn babies. Im for putting an end to police brutality before all our police get killed or maimed. Im for an upward reach for our nation toward more spiritual values and morality, starting at the presidential level. Im for Hillary for prison in 2016. Jack Malone Longview Demand for security No one appointed secretary of state should fail to recognize the necessity guided by common sense and mandated by law for separate handling of classified and unclassified information. No secretary of state should believe a personal, unclassified system can be used to effectively carry out his/her responsibilities. The Department of Defense and Department of State utilize SIPRNet (Secure Internet Protocol Router NETwork) for transmitting material classified SECRET and below and a separate NiprNet (Non-Secure Internet Protocol Router NETwork) for sensitive, but unclassified information; TOP SECRET data requires stringent verification procedures prior to sending even over TOP SECRET encrypted systems. Actual and potential compromises warrant investigation. Considering the volume of classified, or data of questionable classification involved, an investigation is absolutely justified. Removal of classified portions, prior to sending via unencrypted means, renders that information essentially useless for truly informative purposes of making critical decisions. The FBI appears to have gathered sufficient evidence to prove violation of pertinent policies and federal laws by State employees, possibly at Secretary Clintons instigation. Security, speed, and accuracy are considerations in communications. Exigencies may demand security be sacrificed for speed; it is never done for convenience. Richard McCaine Kelso tech2 News Staff In the wake of the recent battle with FBI over iPhone encryption, Apple was known to be ramping up its phone security system. The upcoming iOS 9.3 update release says to be working on just that, with the ability to know if your employer is tracking your device as well! If an iPhone is being tracked by a company, the device will clearly mark it in the About page of Settings and the lockscreen, says 9To5Mac. The message stating, 'This iPhone is managed by your organisation' will be seen at the bottom of the screen. The current iOS versions do not have the ability to indicate the kind of control a company-locked device has. But iOS 9.3 will introduce transparency and indicate if the employer is tracking the device. The next version is expected to start rolling out by the end of the month. The company also plans to launch the upcoming 4-inch iPhone SE and 9.7-inch iPad Pro on March 21, and it is quite likely the new version may be introduced then. Though not a big release, the iOS 9.3 gets quite crucial when it comes to the security, given the onging better battle between Apple and FBI. For those living under the rock, Apple chief Tim Cook has refused a court order that wants the company to break into the iPhone owned by San Bernardino shooter, Syed Farook. Farook, along with his wife Tashfeen Malik, were responsible for killing 14 people on December 2 last year. Click here, to know what's it all about and the story so far. Naina Khedekar Apple's big standoff with the FBI over unlocking an iPhone belonging to a terrorist has been hitting headlines for sometime now. For those living under the rock, Apple chief Tim Cook has refused a court order that wants the company to break into the iPhone owned by San Bernardino shooter, Syed Farook. Farook, along with his wife Tashfeen Malik, were responsible for killing 14 people on December 2 last year. So, doesn't Apple want to help nab a terrorist by opening a 'single' requested iPhone? Well, it does want to help, but opening one unit means creating a backdoor for future requests that may follow and eventually compromising on user privacy, believes Cook. Now, the question is how tech companies will comply criminal investigation whilst upholding their customers' secure data. Yes, that pretty much sums up what's the fight about. But there has a lot of mud-slinging over the last one week. Here's a quick timeline showing how it all started. February 16 Tim Cook wrote a long letter to its customers initiating a public discussion over court's orders that the company had decided not to comply with. He wrote how Apple has done everything possible in its power to help the FBI tackle the case. "Up to this point, we have done everything that is both within our power and within the law to help them. But now the U.S. government has asked us for something we simply do not have, and something we consider too dangerous to create. They have asked us to build a backdoor to the iPhone. Specifically, the FBI wants us to make a new version of the iPhone operating system, circumventing several important security features, and install it on an iPhone recovered during the investigation," Cook wrote. "In the wrong hands, this software which does not exist today would have the potential to unlock any iPhone in someones physical possession," he further explained. Read the complete letter here. February 17 While Apple was firm at its decision, the company saw support from arch-rival Google. Google chief Sundar Pichai said directed his followers to Apple Chief Executive Tim Cooks open letter arguing that helping the FBI try to get into the phone would sabotage the security of tens of millions of American citizen". February 19 By now, there were debates and discussions and people had started taking sides. Users supporting and opposing Apples position flooded Twitter with rival hashtags #thankyouapple and #boycottapple and Facebook users wrote lengthy posts on the move. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and Facebook were also among the firsts who voiced their support for Cook along with Google chief Sundar Pichai. The US Department of Justice (DOJ) slamed back at Apple saying the company's refusal was nothing but brand marketing strategy. The Obama administration also told a US magistrate judge that it would be willing to allow Apple to retain possession of and later destroy specialized software it has been ordered to design to help the FBI hack into the said encrypted iPhone. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump called on to boycott Apple products until it agreed to help the US government unlock the phone of the killers. Boycott Apple until such time as they give that information, Trump said. February 20 Tim Cook wrote an early morning email to employees, thanking them for their support, and urging the government to withdraw the demand that Apple help the FBI hack the locked iPhone. February 22 Reports pouring in from all quarters spoke about worldwide protests planned by Internet rights groups. Other companies came forward supporting Apple's stance including Huawei and Microsoft. February 23 Apple asked the US government for the creation of a government commission or panel of experts to discuss the implications of the demand on issues such as national security and personal freedoms, taking the case to public opinion. February 24 In an interview with the ABC News, Cook explained how unlocking San Bernardino iPhone would be bad for America. Meanwhile, prosecutors took unusual steps in enlisting victims of the San Bernardino attack in the governments heated battle with Apple. Family members of at least two victims will join a legal brief to be filed next week urging Apple to help the government unlock the phone. Here comes something that was worrying Apple. The US Justice Department started looking at court orders forcing Apple to help investigators extract data from iPhones in about a dozen undisclosed cases across the country, which were seized in a variety of criminal investigations. These cases also involve wherein prosecutors are compelling the company to help them bypass the passcode security feature, reports said. February 25 By now, Apple was reported to have started taking precautionary measures. It was developing security measures to make it even harder for the government to break into iPhones. The FBI had attempted to crack the pass code but failed as Apple systems are designed in a way that automatically erases the access key and renders the phone permanently inaccessible after 10 failed attempts, adds the report. Meanwhile, activists conitnued protesting against the FBIs attempt to install software with backdoors in all of Apples iPhones. February 26 Refuting Cook's claim of a dangerous precedent, the FBI chief said that it's quite unlikely to be a trailblazer for setting a precedent for other cases. And Apple continued to fire back at the US government in the encryption standoff asking the court to dismiss the order. No court has ever authorized what the government now seeks, no law supports such unlimited and sweeping use of the judicial process, and the constitution forbids it, Apples lawyers wrote in the motion filed in California federal court. Several major tech companies including Google, Facebook and Microsoft plan to file a joint motion supporting Apple. February 26 was said to be the last day for Apple to file its response to the motion filed by the Justice Department. February 27 Meanwhile, some rivals backed Apple's stance, and many others, mostly Asian companies, chose to stay tight lipped and maintain a low profile. February 29 In another case, a New York drug case, a federal judge in Brooklyn said the US government cannot force Apple to unlock an iPhone. In fact, a report hinted at that Members of the US House Judiciary Committee are considering filing a friend of the court brief in Apples encryption dispute with the US government to argue that the case should be decided by Congress and not the courts March 1 White House soon said that the New York ruling won't affect San Bernardino case. FBI Director James Comey told a congressional panel that forcing Apple to give the data of the shooter would be potentially precedential in other cases where the agency may require similar cooperation from tech companies. As you see, the statement seems contradictory to what he said last week about it is unlikely to be a trailblazer for setting a precedent for other cases. He also acknowledged that it was a mistake to ask San Bernardino County officials to reset the phones cloud storage account. This decision prevented the device from backing up information that the FBI could have read. By March 3, anyone outside the case can submit their remarks, which will be considered by the judge. On March 10, the government plans to respond to Apple and by March 15, Apple can submit its final reply to government's response. On March 22 a District Court will listen to both sides and take a call on the decision accordingly. hidden Digital privacy advocates have called on a US federal judge to approve Apple Inc's request not to be compelled to build software to help the FBI unlock an iPhone used by one of the shooters in the San Bernardino attack. The American Civil Liberties Union, Access Now and the Wickr Foundation laid out arguments in amicus briefs released on Wednesday ahead of a March 22 hearing in which Judge Sheri Pym will review Apple's appeal of a court order demanding it help unlock a phone used by Rizwan Farook. Alphabet Inc's Google, Facebook Inc, Microsoft Corp and Twitter Inc also plan to file similar briefs, Twitter, Microsoft and people familiar with the plans of the other two companies said last week. [L2N1642BW] The ACLU argued that the FBI's request would undermine the privacy and security of Americans by forcing a private firm to act as its investigative agent, seeking information that it does not already possess. "Law enforcement may not commandeer innocent third parties into becoming its undercover agents, its spies, or its hackers," according to a draft of the brief obtained by Reuters. Access Now and the Wickr Foundation, which both advise activists on digital privacy, said in a joint brief that complying with the order would undermine human rights around the globe. "In some countries reliable security tools such as encryption can be the difference between life and death," their brief says. "The relief sought by the government endangers people globally who depend on robust digital security for their physical safety and wellbeing." The U.S. government has said the Dec. 2 attack in San Bernardino, California, was inspired by Islamist militants, and the FBI wants to read the data on Farook's phone to investigate any links with militant groups. Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, shot and killed 14 people and wounded 22 others before they themselves were killed in a shootout with police. Reuters Are you wondering where to start? https://issuu.com/bryanthaoworra is one place where I have many examples online to sample my poetry... This year marks the 25th anniversary since the death of Konerak Sinthasomphone, a 14-year old boy killed by Milwaukee serial killer Jeffrey ... Special Sponsorship This activity was made possible in part by a grant provided by the Minnesota State Arts Board, through an appropriation by the Minnesota State Legislature from the Minnesota arts and cultural heritage fund with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008. Dedicated to the Restoration of Progressive Democracy Tree Fitzpatrick and The Culture of Love blog, from year 2006 to current date. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this sites author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Tree Fitzpatrick and "The Culture of Love" with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. BNP gets permission to hold council at Engineers' Institute BNP is finally going to hold its 6th national council at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh in the city on March 19 as it has got the permission to use the venue. BNP joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi announced this at a press briefing at the Party's Nayapaltan central office on Thursday. "We've got the permission from the authorities of three venues to hold our council. The authorities of Engineers Institute last night (Wednesday night) informed us in written we can use their venue for our council", he said. The BNP leader said though earlier they got permission from the Public Works Department to use Suhrawardy Udyan to hold their council, they will withdraw their applications in this regard. "We won't go to Suhrawardy Udyan. Now we'll start our preparation soon to hold our council at the Engineers' Institute," he added. -- Dhaka, Mar 3 (UNB) Mother 'confesses' to killing 2 Banasree siblings: Rab UNB, Dhaka: The Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) on Thursday said the mother of the two siblings, who were found dead at their apartment in the city's Banasree area on Monday, 'confessed' to killing them due to her 'mental problem' resulting from a family problem. During interrogation, Mahfuza Maleq alias Jasmine confessed that she had killed her two children around 5:30 pm due to a family feud, said Mufti Mahmood Khan, director (Media) of the Rab Headquarters. Rab also suspected that Mahfuza might have killed her two children out of insanity, resulting either from a family or social problem, extramarital relationship or over wealth, he said. Rab on Wednesday detained Amanullah, Mahfuza and Afroza Malek, father, mother and maternal aunt of the two siblings, from Jamalpur district for quizzing them over the mysterious death of the two siblings. Nusrat Jahan Urmi, 14, a seventh grader at Viqarunnisa Noon School, and her younger brother Alvi Aman, 6, a nursery student at Holy Crescent School in Banasree area, were found dead at their apartment on Monday night. Family sources claimed that they died after eating refrigerated Chinese restaurant food. However, the autopsies conducted on their bodies by the forensic department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital found injury marks on the throat of Urmi and on that of Alvi and his one leg. Police detained four people-- Pintu Das and Shaheen, caretakers of the house, victims' relative Ferdous and house tutor Sheuli Akter -- the following day for questioning them over the death. Besides, a court asked the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to conduct chemical tests on the food and water taken by the two siblings and permitted police to conduct DNA tests of the evidence, including pillow-cover, bed-sheet, tissue paper and blanket, collected from the room of the two children. Turkey ready to fight terrorism in Nigeria: Erdogan Nigerian President Mohammadu Buhari (right) shaking hands with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the presidential Villa in Abuja. AFP, Abuja :Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday he was ready to help combat terrorism in Nigeria, where Boko Haram fighters have killed thousands of people in a bloody campaign for a hardline Islamic state.He also signed a memorandum on trade and economic cooperation, which Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari said was "just the beginning of what we have in the pipeline."Speaking after talks with Buhari in Abuja, Erdogan commiserated with Nigerians fighting insurgents, saying he felt their pain."As a country combating terrorism for a long time now, every reprehensible terrorist attack that takes place here in Nigeria deeply hurts our heart," Erdogan said to reporters at the presidential villa."We are always ready to cooperate with Nigeria when it comes to combating terrorism."Security was a recurring theme in the Turkish leader's stops in Ivory Coast and Ghana ahead of his stay in Nigeria during a tour designed to strengthen economic ties with members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). On Tuesday, Erdogan told Ghana's parliament that Turkey can "contribute tremendously to the establishment of global peace and security."He will cap off his visit to the region with a stop in Guinea.Traditionally focussed on North Africa, Turkey in the past decade has paid increasing attention to the fast-growing economies of sub-Saharan Africa."Erdogan wants to build a case that Turkey is not just a regional power, but aspires to be a global one," David Shinn, Africa professorial lecturer at The George Washington University, told AFP."The primary connection with Africa is commercial, especially investment," Shinn said."Turkey can rarely compete head-to-head with China in Africa but can fill niche markets such as small construction projects, smaller manufacturing companies and even some services." WFH condoles death of Dr Mizanur President of Bangladesh Chapter of World Homeopathy Federation Dr. Md. Mosharraf Hossain addressing the condolence meeting and Doa Mahfil for Dr. Mizanur Rahman at Cityas posh hotel as chief guest. Chittagong Bureau : A condolence meeting on sudden death of the divisional President of World Federation of Homeopathy, Chittagong Division Principal Dr. Mizanur Rahman held at a city posh hotel on Wednesday with district President Prof. Dr. Sariful Kabir in the chair. Former chairman of Bangladesh Homeopathy Board and President of Bangladesh chapter of World Homeopathy Federation Dr. Md. Mosharraf Hossain graced the occasion as chief guest. Chief Editor of Homeo Chetona and former member of BHB Principal Dr. Abdul Karim was the principal speaker in the meeting. Principal of Dr.Zakir Hossain City Corporation Homeopathic Medical college Dr. Nurul Amin, Principal of Azizur Rahman Homeopathic Medical college Dr. Ferdousi Begum , member of the managing committee ofChittagong Homeopathic Medical college Dr. Anowrul Ahsan, central acting general secretary of BAHOP Dr. Anjan Kumar Das, district president of BHMA Adv. Dr. Samiuddin, general secretary Dr. Md. Shamsuddin, BAHOP district presient Dr. Debabratha Bhattachairya, Dr. Md. Ismail chowdhury and Dr. Naim quaders were present on the occasion as special guests. The meeting expessed deep shock at the sudden demise Dr. MizanurRahman and paid sympathy to the members of the bereaved family. A doa mahfil also held at the same venue soliciting his salvation of the departed soul, sources said. Call to save Chaktai-Khatungonj business hub Chittagong Bureau : General Secretary of Khatungonj Trade & Industries Association and Director of Chittagong chamber of commerce & Industry Syed Sagir Ahmed called upon the concerned authority to save the major business hub of Chittagong -Chaktai-Khatungonj through reviving the transportation systems through waterways alleviating the water logging and traffic congestions in the areas. He disclosed it while inaugurating the development work of Chandmiah lane of Khatungonj recently. He said for last few years, the traders of the wholesale market of the essential commodities are bearing the losses so incurred during last few years following the submerge of the business area during rainy season. Tidal water alongwith the flash flood water, these areas went under water caused huge losses to these traders, he alleged. He urges the city mayor to take initiatives for dredging the Karnaphuli river channel and construction of marine drive road upto Madunaghat from chaktai for easy transportationof commodities. Among others, former councilor Md. Jamal Hossain, business leader Abul Bahar, Md. Alamgir sowdagar, Shafiqul Mannan, Morshed Alam, Md. Yousuf, and officials of City corporation were present on the occasion. Thai Pizza Get creative with your culinary skills, try out Thai pizza. Ingredients : dough shell (uncooked) 2/3 cup smooth peanut butter 3 tsp Hoisin sauce 2 tsp rice vinegar 1 tablespoon sesame oil 6 grams Monterrey Jack cheese 1 cup bean sprouts 1/2 gram small shrimp, cooked, shelled, and deveined 1/4 cup finely chopped green onions Crushed dried hot chilis, to taste Procedure: Preheat oven to 450F. Mix the above ingredients together. Spread them evenly over crust. Top with shrimp and onions, then cheese. Bake until cheese begins to brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven, top with bean sprouts and pepper flakes, slice and serve. Seizure of counterfeit ATM cards at airport THE safety of ATM banking appears to be at bigger stake than what was primarily presumed following the breaking of several cash windows of two banks in the city last month. Meanwhile several national dailies on Thursday reported yet another case of forgery involving six ATM booths of Premier Bank in which five customers lost Tk 35 lakh from their accounts. Another media reports in the same day unveiled seizure of over 1000 counterfeit ATM cards at Dhaka Airport to the utter disbelief of bankers and intelligence agencies as to how quickly the ATM swindling network is spreading in the country. The consignment invariably shows the crime gang is working on a larger project to widen their outreach to deceive banks and their clients. Fraudsters are not only targeting ATM booths in this case but also using international credit cards of overseas clients in any country using the money in payment of bills for hotels, restaurants, departmental stores and travel agents. The latest disclosure that the Premier Bank reported to Bangladesh Bank recently showed swindlers used duplicate credit cards of five clients originally issued by Al Rajhi Bank of Saudi Arabia and made payment for services in Bangladesh.The German national arrested in charge of recent breaking of several ATM booths in the city said members of his network, that include Bangladeshi nationals and foreigners, move from country to country under various business cover. They hack credit card identity of clients having deposits in different banks and then create their duplicates and use those cards in making business payments. In fact, as we see it is a huge business to deceive clients holding them unaware of the theft from their accounts. The counterfeit ATM cards seized at Dhaka Airport were shipped by a courier firm from Hong Kong to an address at Mohakhali in Dhaka. The consignments were cleared without the Bill of Entry. It invariably suggests that agents of the fraudsters are at work globally and locally at every important business place. It further shows unless the network can be destroyed, safety of the banking system now going more and more electronic at home and abroad can't be made foolproof. The very presence of global fraudsters in local ATM booths gives the ominous sign of bigger challenge to protect the banks. Banking system in the country made significant stride in recent time with a fast growing ATM network and global transactions using credit cards. So it needs comprehensive safety measures with strong anti-money laundering vigilance. In our view bank management and the government must do more to eliminate the risk. Research ushers in new hopes in disaster management Staff Reporter : Natural calamity like flood, storm, tremor and tidal bore are part of our life. Loss of life and property, cash and crops also are no exception. Apart from it, the adverse effect of the climate change has worried us. On the one hand, the tremendous pressure of the population on a small land like Bangladesh, and on the other hand, climate-change's adverse effect like SIDR, AILA and fear of loss of means of livelihood of a large number of people have made all fretful and perplexed. Today's world is the world of science and technology. So, rising consciousness and knowledge as to how to save life and property can reduce losses of life and property to a great extent. To achieve the objective, research and advance technology can help us. Realising it, a Bangladeshi named Syed Ali Tarek has been doing research work at John Moores University in Liverpool, UK and by this time, he has proved that a particular type of Tablet Device (TD) which can be used as unique tool to improve the understanding level of the common people, is essential for the disaster management work. When contacted, he said that Paris Deal was signed in 2015 to work out ways to protect the present and the future generations from the effect of the climate change. There is no alternative for consciousness in handling the pre and post natural calamity effect. And to raise consciousness, the role of technology is undeniable today. We have seen how the cell phones have reached every body's hand. They handle it efficiently even though most of them have no idea about technology. Tablet Device is such a technology that one can learn its operation easily. For this, just a simple training is necessary. TD is now used in the classrooms of the Western hemisphere, but the developing and the less developed countries lag behind. Experiences say that the poor and the coastal people are the severest victims of the natural calamities. That is why, tocheck the loss of life and property of those people, Ali Tarek started a research work in 2012. Educationist by profession, he is also a fellow of Royal Arts Society and Royal Asiatic Society. Tarek says, training was imparted with TD in few areas of Khulna and Dhaka Divisions. Not only the educated people were given training, the uneducated and the common people were also included in the programme. He says that use of TD is not only first in Bangladesh, but also in the whole world. The training on TD was arranged in eight areas of Bangladesh between 2012 and 2015. Though the medium of instruction of technology is English, the Interface of the programme is in Bengali. Thus the users can know about pre and post disaster management. When contacted with the trainees, many of them from Dhaka and Khulna Division said, though natural calamities are not new to them, the training is new and would benefit them greatly. Syed Ali Tarek said, since everything of the programme is in Bengali language, every man and woman took part in the training at ease. The success has made him optimistic about his research. This device is good enough for educating the people and creating awareness in the matters of disaster management. Tarek says some aspect of the training has been disseminated at international seminars and conferences. It will be made public in Bangladesh at the end of the current year. He has urged upon the government as well as the rich to extend their support to popularise the system. Certainly it will usher in new hopes in disaster management. Mother confesses killing her two kids, says RAB "She was frustrated due to social condition and worried about their education' and future Mother of two Banasree siblings Mahfuza being taken to RAB Headquarters in city confesses to killing them during interrogation on Thursday. Staff Reporter :The mother of the two siblings, who were found killed on Monday in the capital's Banasree, has confessed to killing her children, claims Rapid Action Battalion (RAB). Mufti Mahmud Khan, Director of RAB's Legal and Media Wing, said this at a press conference at the elite force's Headquarters in Uttara on Thursday afternoon.Jasmine made the confession during primary interrogation at the elite force's custody, the RAB officer said. Quoting Mahfuza Maleq alias Jesmine, the main suspect in the mysterious incident, the RAB official told reporters that she was worried about the education and future of her children. That is why she killed her two innocent children.He also said that Jesmine killed her children over extra-marital affair and psychological and social disorder."Mahfuza strangled her daughter with her scarf. During the scuffle, Oroni fell off from the bed. After making sure that her daughter is dead, she then killed her son in similar way," the RAB official said. He said, "In an effort to cover it up, she then called her husband and said the children were sick. "Amanullah (the father) then sent two of his friends to the home. The children were taken to the hospital where doctors declared them dead."But in the media call, RAB could not come up with a credible explanation as to why a mentally sound mother would kill her children out of frustration over their education.The RAB spokesman also informed that a case over the incident will be filed and there will be further investigation to find out more details. Amanullah is a businessman of garment accessories, it is learnt. Earlier in the morning, RAB said that mental anxiety, family or social disorder, psychological illness, extra-marital affair, and grabbing of wealth and property are the main reasons behind the killing.Meanwhile, forensic experts suspicion that the two siblings might have been murdered get reinforced further as investigators on Tuesday said information provided by the parents and relatives did not match.Investigators said, the mother Mahfuza Malek Jesmine had the same meal with her children, through both Mahfuza and her sister Afroza Akhter claimed that only the children had Chinese food. Besides, Mahfuza chose to stay at home when her children were taken to a nearby hospital, an act the investigators dubbed "unusual and suspicious."Afroza on Monday told reporters at the DMCH that her sister and the children's grandmother were at home at that time. Afroza, who lives down the road, claimed she had gone to her sister's house after Mahfuza called her over phone.When asked, RAB Additional Director General Ziaul Ahsan told whether the father Amanullah too was involved, he said, "We are yet to be certain about that. He is being questioned." He claimed that Jesmine confessed before the security force that she strangulated her children to death over extra-marital affair and family squabble.The two siblings -- Nusrat Jahan Urmi, 14, a Class-VII student of Viqarunnisa Noon School and her younger brother Alvi Aman, 6, a nursery student of Holy Crescent School in Banasree -- were found dead at home in the city's Banasree on Monday night. Family members claimed that the children slept after having leftover Chinese food at lunch and did not wake up. N Korea 'fires missiles' into sea BBC Online : North Korea has fired six short-range projectiles into the sea, South Korea's defence ministry has said, hours after the UN imposed tough new sanctions. A South Korean spokesman told the Yonhap news agency the projectiles were fired at about 10:00 local time (01:00 GMT) from Wonsan on the east coast. They were either rockets or guided missiles, the ministry said. Correspondents say it is being seen as an act of defiance against the sanctions. Hours earlier, the UN Security Council unanimously voted to impose some of its strongest ever sanctions against North Korea. The new measures are in reaction to North Korea's recent nuclear test and satellite launch, both of which violated existing sanctions. They will result in all cargo going to and from the country being inspected, while 16 new individuals and 12 organisations have been blacklisted. North Korea is believed to have more than 1,000 missiles of varying capabilities. Here is a look at the country's arsenal. All shipments of goods to North Korea must be inspected under new sanctions. Chinese city Dandong handles much of North Korea's trade. The United States and North Korea's long-standing ally China spent seven weeks discussing the new sanctions. Police to go tough if irregularities happen: CEC Staff Reporter : Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad on Thursday directed the law enforcement agencies to go hard if irregularities take place during the upcoming Union Parishad elections. "Law enforcers will take tough action against those who will try to create unrest and irregularities during the polling. In case of necessary, police will use their last bullet," he told journalists The first phase of the UP polls is scheduled to be held on March 22. The CEC made the remark after a coordination meeting of the Election Commission with law enforcement agencies and local administrations about security measures during countrywide Union Parishad polls held at the National Economic Council auditorium. The chiefs of the Police, the RAB, the BGB, the Coast Guard the Ansar, different intelligence agencies and high ups from the home ministry joined the meeting. Four election commissioners namely Mohammad Abdul Mobarak, Abu Hafiz, Md Zabed Ali and Shah Nawaz, and EC Secretary Sirajul Islam were also present there. "The presiding officers and law enforcers will make it sure that there will be no ballot stuffing, while police will check untoward incidents during voting hours at polling stations," he said. CEC said those who stuff ballots are a handful of miscreants, who do not belong to any specific political party and they will face toughest action if caught. He urged the political parties, candidates and their supporters to help make the elections peaceful. Replying to a query about any pressure from the government, he ruled out the allegation and called it baseless and untrue. Plan to invest Tk 1000 cr to import hydro-power from Bhutan Anisul Islam Noor : The country will invest about Tk 1000 crore in hydropower of Bhutan aiming to import electricity considering took part in regional power trade. The official of the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources are working to finalize the memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Bhutan. The final draft would be sent back to Bhutan after necessary changes before inking the proposed deal, the official said. The International Finance Corporation (IFC), an enterprise of the World Bank Group, has already assured the government of financing regional power trade involving Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Bhutan. Once the MoU is inked, the two governments could start work on specific agenda to expedite import of electricity from the hydropower-rich Himalayan country, said the official. Bangladesh has already completed preliminary talks with Bhutan as well as neighboring India to facilitate import of hydroelectricity crossing over Indian territories. Currently, India has electricity connectivity with Bhutan. India has invested in hydropower project in Bhutan before importing electricity. Bangladesh is set to follow suit, sources said. A joint working group, comprising officials of Bangladesh, India and Bhutan earlier had decided to prepare a framework for hydroelectric joint ventures in Bhutan. Bhutanese Economic Minister Lyonpo Norbu Wangchuk already visited High-Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) back-to-back station of the state-owned Power Grid Company of Bangladesh Ltd (PGCB) at Bheramara in Kushtia last October to see the electricity-import infrastructure in Bangladesh. Currently Bangladesh imports around 500 megawatts (MW) of electricity from India. Import of another amount of 100MW electricity from India's Tripura state may start in this month. Bangladesh has also targeted to import more electricity from India after upgrading the existing grid capacity, said a senior official of the PGCB. Before initiating electricity import Bangladesh had inked a similar MoU with India on power-sector cooperation. The government has opted for electricity import from neighbouring countries to diversify the country's energy sources and enhance the country's overall electricity-generation capacity to 20,000 MWs by 2021 and to 40,000 MWs by 2030 under a master plan. Trunks carrying Tk 18m for ATM booths snatched Empty trunks found in Mymensingh Staff Reporter :Within days of swindling money from the ATM (Automated Teller Machine) booths of different banks in Dhaka city, an incident of looting cash money from the bank booth took place in Gazipur on Thursday. Miscreants snatched more than Tk. 18 millions from an ATM booth of Dutch-Bangla Bank Ltd (DBBL) adjacent to Apex Footwear factory at Shafipur in Kaliakoir upazila in the early hours. At least three persons, including an armed guard, were injured in the incident. The robbery took place when ATM maintenance and security service provider 'Money Plant' was about to reload the booth with cash, said DBBL's Shafipur Branch Manager Shawkat Ali.The pick-up trucks, which were used by the miscreants during the robbery, later found abounded in Mymensingh. Police said that they recovered the trucks from Asim area of Fulbaria upazila at about 11:00 AM without the looted money. Officer-in-Charge of Fulbaria Police Station Rifat Khan Rajib said that the locals informed the police. Later, police recovered the trucks with an ATM card. Officer-in-Charge of Kaliakoir Police Station Abdul Motaleb Mia said that a gang of 10 to 12 miscreants riding on pick-up trucks swooped on the employees of the Money Plant' and snatched away two steel cases stuffed with the cash. The employees reached the booth by a microbus around 3:00 am. Two gunmen and security guards were among the employees. When they were unloading the cash from the steel cases, the miscreants attacked them and snatched away the steel cases, said the OC.According to the employees, the robbers beat security guard Liakat Hossain, 40, and snatched away the trunks. Two other injured employees of the company are Ziaur Rahman, 35, and Sheikh Shajahan, 32. The injured employees tried to resist the miscreants. Critically injured Liakat was admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. On information, police visited the spot. The OC said that they were trying to hold the culprits. Masud Rana, executive director of the DBBL, filed a case in this connection with the police station in the morning. 2 Narsingdi double murder accused killed in gunfight with police Staff Reporter : The two accused of a double murder case were killed and three others were injured in a "gunfight" in Narsingdi Sadar early Thursday. The deceased have been identified as Jahirul Islam and Rakib. The "gunfight" took place at Nagoriakandi around 4:00am when police acting on a tip-off conducted a raid to nab the accused. During the "gunfight", Jahirul, Rakib, Hossain, Al-Amin and Manirul Islam were injured, Golam Mostafa, Officer-in-Charge of Sadar Police Station said. They were rushed to the district's general hospital where doctors declared Jahirul dead. The other four were shifted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. After few hours, Rakib succumbed to his injuries on Thursday morning. A gang of 10 to 12 criminals on Wednesday allegedly killed one Khokon Khandker and Arif Khandker, as they protested their threatening of neighbour Rafiqul Islam in the area. Selim Khandaker, brother of Khokon, filed a murder case accusing 14 people, including Jahirul and Rakib on Thursday. If justice is not more than law, it is autocracy In a fumbling democracy the judiciary has to play a very responsible role to save democracy to save itself. Without democracy, judicial independence does not exist even as a myth. Free speech and the free press are guaranteed for protecting the government in a democracy from the self-seeking sycophants. Our Constitution has guaranteed such rights.The Supreme Court judges are guaranteed independence for protecting democracy and the rule of law so that the justice is not derailed by power politics. We are fortunate that the people have not yet given up hope on the judiciary. But the lower judiciary needs to be guided and strengthened to withstand political pressure. For whatever reason, when justice is denied the forces of lawlessness prevail and social tranquility disturbed paving the way for chaos.There is already a great deal of lawlessness to be worried about. There is lack of human considerations for life and safety. The pressure of uncertainty and insecurity is such that parents kill their children being worried about their future. At least more than one such incident has been brought to light by the media. The judiciary has a big role to play to protect society from the forces of injustice and cruelty. We know how lonely and difficult the expectation of the nation is. The people are bewildered to see defamatory cases are initiated in courts by others not defamed. The courts have also accepted such cases to issue summons to compel appearances of the alleged offender. The truth is, against an editor on a genuine defamation allegation cases can also be filed legally in many places of the country.It is an unhappy situation that journalists did not care to change the laws to make the process rational. In the Press Commissions' Report there are definite recommendations to alter the defamation law for clearly defining what is criminal defamation and what is civil defamation. In other democracies this distinction is clearly maintained, so that for every defamation a journalist is not treated criminally. The journalists must know how to protect their rights and dignity. But many journalists are happy to be party activists seemingly without caring for protection of the profession of journalism. Most defamation matters are civil in nature. In spite of that, under the present law all defamation cases are conveniently treated as a criminal offence. But the journalists have not taken any initiative in this regard to change the law. They are being harassed by defamation cases filed everywhere for a single defamation matter.It is reported that a case has been registered as a sedition case by the Home Ministry without worrying about the need of finding the ingredients of the offence of sedition. We are surprised to find such a report in a national daily. Where sedition is easy, the government must be too unsure of itself. Anybody can call murder being committed so frequently in the country as a crime against humanity. In fact, every killing is a crime against humanity. Sedition is a serious offence against the government and in a democracy it should not be an easy matter to bring such an accusation. No democratic government will overreact to such an isolated comment. But threats of sedition cases are heard too often.What is disturbing is the easy tendency to use the judiciary as a show of power and create frustration of helplessness among many. The reputation of the judiciary is a very sensitive issue and protecting the justice system is essential for preventing lawlessness in the country. What the government fails to understand is that the police actions alone cannot maintain peace and order in a free country without the help of a fair and strong justice system to ensure protection of law to the citizens. Without the certainty of justice and protection of law there cannot be social order. Abuses of power is everywhere in public life. For it's heavy responsibility, it is only the judiciary that has been guaranteed the independence for safeguarding the peoples' freedoms under the rule of law. No other branch of the government enjoys constitutionally guaranteed independence in performing functions assigned to it.The politically motivated cases for using the judiciary for the benefit of politics of power struggle must be discouraged if the judiciary has to remain free of political controversies. Malafide use of law is no use of law. The policy guidelines from the Supreme Court for the lower judiciary should be clear that politics must not be mixed with the justice system.The lower courts have to rely on the Supreme Court for the necessary courage and integrity. The process of justice begins in the lower courts and it is at this level all efforts are at work to derail the course of justice.Political cases cause unnecessary pressure on the lower judiciary in considering bail and remand matters. In politically inspired cases, the government naturally insists against granting of bail as part of the political motive.Because, it is normal for the government side to urge strongly in political cases that the accused political leaders and workers should suffer the humiliation of police remand, it is now a normal practice to send an accused to police for interrogation. It does not matter if such remand is a violation of the Constitution or not.Our Constitution prohibits torture and making an accused give evidence against himself. The accused are under huge anxiety as how to obtain bail and avert police remand. It is for the rule of law that the people will not be made helpless before the process of justice. Toughness in getting bail in every matter is a sure way to make the path to justice dreaded. It is the idea of justice that gives humane face to the law and faith in the judiciary. We support that everything must be done to maintain the purity of the justice system in the lower judiciary where foundation of justice is laid. But the public perception that corruption is most extensive in the lower judiciary must be dispelled by making justice system as the protector of freedoms. The judiciary should function as the citadel of justice and freedom. Our international image as a civilised people depends on the image of the judiciary. The politicians are known for their inclination to be oppressive and undemocratic. The judiciary is independent and the Chief Justice of Bangladesh has rightly appealed to all to help uphold the image of the judiciary. But the image of the judiciary means public faith in the judiciary and this faith has to be built by the judges themselves relying in their own courage and conscience. When the lawyers are divided as political activists they cannot be counted as much of a force for helping the judiciary unitedly. Nothing could be more disappointing for the rule of law and democracy. The lawyers must realise they are loosing their own identity and own role. If you are looking for the new Immoral Minority posts, you should know that they can be found here at our new home Please stop by to get caught up on politics, join the conversations, or simply check out the new digs. Design by Corne-Lemaire Group. Rendering by Michael Wayne Broussard St. Pius X Catholic Church this week began construction on its new church at 600 Kaliste Saloom Road, the former location of Acadiana Bottling Company. Including the purchase and demolition of property, additional office space and parking, the total project is estimated to cost $19 million. Of that price tag, $14.3 million is for construction costs, $1.2 million for liturgical appointments and $300,000 for an organ. St. Pius officials tell ABiz the church project represents the final phase of its campaign to Build the Faith in Acadiana: Body and Soul, Bricks and Mortar. It has been about 17 years since a new Catholic Church was constructed in Lafayette St. Elizabeth Seton at 610 Rain Tree Trail was completed in 1999. The St. Pius project is a result of a strategic planning process that began in 2008; parishioners, who were actively involved in the process, identified the building of a new church as a top priority. This is a big project, and the details are extensive, but through this process St. Pius has envisioned a church that will be here for generations to come and which will be another symbol of the Catholic faith in Acadiana, the Rev. Steven C. LeBlanc, the churchs pastor, says in a prepared statement. St. Pius X began as a Mission of Our Lady of Fatima with its first Mass held in a Verot School Road warehouse equipped with a portable hand-built altar and removable chairs. Its first 30-foot-by-60-foot cement block church was constructed in 1960 on East Bayou Parkway and now houses classrooms of St. Pius Elementary School, which was added in 2000; the current church at 201 E. Bayou Parkway was built in 1975. Over the last 15 years, the church parish has experienced tremendous population growth and is expected to expand even more in the coming years. When we began this huge undertaking, I wondered how we would manage it all. We worked with parish leadership, received parish feedback, formed the building committee, worked with the architect and developed a church design in which we all could be proud, LeBlanc continues. Our next obstacle was where we would build the new church. Then suddenly the 3.3-acre lot where the Acadiana Bottling Company was located became available, and we had the funds in savings to buy it. Scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2017, the church is a 31,141-square-foot structure with 1,925 square feet of covered areas on its exterior to accommodate funerals and for drop-offs and pick-ups in inclement weather. The churchs French and Spanish architecture will represent the ancestry of the Acadiana region. The new church will have seating for 900, compared with the current capacity of 520. Additional features include a large gathering area to provide a more welcoming environment when entering the building that can also be used for ministry communications, displays and other reading material; a practice area for the choir, which will double as a brides room for weddings; a room for child care; a room to be shared between the childrens church and the RCIA group; restroom facilities for men and women; and an adoration chapel offering 24-hour access and restroom facilities. Corne-Lemaire Group, the architectural firm hired for the project, is working with liturgical design consultant Michael Carrigan of Sacred Spaces. JB Mouton, an ABiz Top 50 company, is the general contractor. St. Pius X will celebrate the groundbreaking at the new site on Palm Sunday, March 20, at 2 p.m. Following the ceremony, guests are welcome to attend a reception hosted by the Womens Guild. For more information regarding attending the ceremony, contact Schuyler Kleinpeter at [email protected] or (337) 232-1818. We commissioned them to do exactly what they do, says co-founder of the BODYTRAFFIC Dance Company, Tina Finkelman Berkett, in an interview in 2015 about their performances. The company, started in 2007 by Berkett and Lillian Barbeito, is quickly rising to the top. Performing all the around the world and making critics rejoice, BODYTRAFFIC displays sheer animal magnetism..., gushed San Francisco Weekly. The company was named the company of the future because of their style and high quality of work by The Joyce Theater Foundation, was named to Dance Magazines 25 to Watch in 2013 and Best of Culture by the Los Angeles Times. Experience BODYTRAFFICs joyous, contemporary style on Saturday, March 5, at 7:30 p.m. at the Acadiana Center for the Arts. The company will host a master class on Thursday, March 3 from 6-7:30 p.m. at AcAs James Devin Moncus Theater. The class is $5, or free with a pre-purchased ticket to the BODYTRAFFIC performance on Saturday. This class will incorporate a short warm-up and the opportunity to learn sections of the companys diverse repertoire by some of the most distinctive choreographic voices today. To register contact Paige Krause at [email protected] or (337) 233-7060 ex. 232. The company will be hosting closed events Thursday and Friday also. For the complete schedule and tickets to the show go to www.acadianacenterforthearts.org/bodytraffic. On the heels of a third-place finish in last falls gubernatorial election, Public Service commissioner Scott Angelle, a former parish president in St. Martin and head of the state Department of Natural Resources under former Gov. Bobby Jindal, announced Thursday that he will run for the 3rd Congressional District seat being vacated by Senate-seeking U.S. Rep. Charles Boustany. Angelle, an affable politician from Breaux Bridge known for accentuating his Cajun heritage, released the following statement Thursday: Our families and communities in Southwest Louisiana, who help feed and fuel this nation, are struggling to survive oil prices at historic lows. Layoffs are happening every day. Our people need to know that Washington has our back. Instead, Washingtons answer is more regulations and a massive job-killing tax hike. It makes absolutely no sense. Time and time again, when things get bad, the politicians in Washington rush in and make it worse! Its time we make them listen. And this is no ordinary time. Our families are suffering, our coast is eroding, our jobs are disappearing and Washington refuses to listen to us. Thats why, today, I am announcing my candidacy for the Third Congressional District. Im going to Washington and Im going to make them listen. The last time the oil and gas economy was under attack was when Washington declared a moratorium on offshore oil and gas drilling. But we fought back, we stood up, we spoke out, and we made Washington listen. I said it at the time, and I believe it to this day, the drilling moratorium did not hurt the shareholders of BP, Exxon, and Chevron, it hurt the Boudreauxs and the Thibodeauxs and the Cheramies and the Calais. We came together. We spoke with one voice. And we made Washington listen. But Washingtons incompetence and overreach did not end with the Moratorium. In fact, it would take too long to list the problems Washington politicians have created for us...Veterans not receiving the care they deserve because of a corrupt and incompetent Veterans Administration...Farmers harassed by an Environmental Protection Agency too focused on regulating backyard puddles...Hard-working families struggling with rising healthcare costs because of Washingtons unwillingness to repeal and replace ObamaCareThe growing threat of terrorism from radical IslamThe federal government threatening to take away critical royalties for coastal restoration...and now we have our jobs and salaries threatened by a rising wave of illegal immigration because Washington politicians refuse to listen and secure our border. As your congressman, I will defend the Second Amendment, protect the sanctity of life and fight for religious freedom. I will stand up for our brave law enforcement officers and I will never cave to political correctness. Ill continue to be a partner to our coastal ports, support our local farmers, and work with our economic development partners to cut the red tape and allow job creation. Public service should be about hard work, addressing problems head-on, and serving the public with courtesy and kindness. Its time we make the Washington politicians listen. Make them listen to us and make the changes needed so we can grow our economy and create jobs. We are going to travel across this district from the Sabine to the Atchafalaya, from Big Lake to Bayou Teche, from the Calcasieu, the Mermentau and the Vermillion to meet all of the people of the Third Congressional District and earn the chance to serve the people of this great state. Times are tough right now, but I will always believe that Louisiana and Americas best days are ahead of us. My wife, Dianne, our five children, Zack, Alexandra, Simone, Jean-Paul, Marissa, our son-in-law, Louis, and I humbly ask for your prayers and for your vote this Fall as we set out to make Washington listen. Pre-purchase property inspection is a relatively new thing in the United Kingdom. Its not something that most people have heard about, but it has become increasingly popular over the last few years with the rise in property prices and increased demand for high quality homes. What are the benefits of pre-purchase building inspection? What can you expect to find out when you pay someone else to inspect your home before you buy it? And what should you look for during an inspection? Many people want to know if theyre buying a house thats been well maintained or if its had any serious problems. If youve found a place on the market that seems attractive, but then discover some issues after moving in, you may not be as excited about buying it as you thought you were. Its important to do your due diligence when looking at properties. A lot goes into making a property appealing to potential buyers, from the landscaping to the flooring to the kitchen appliances. The same applies when inspecting a property there are many things that need checking over to make sure everything is running smoothly. Here are some of the benefits of performing a pre-purchase inspection: You get to see exactly what will happen to your money When you go shopping for a new car, youll probably be shown several different models. You might even be shown one that looks like a great value, but doesnt fit around all of the extra features that you want. When it comes time to actually buy the vehicle, however, you wont have seen how your money will be spent on it once you drive it off the showroom floor. Likewise, when you shop for a new home, you dont really know what youre getting yourself into until you move in. In order to get a feel for whether the home youre considering is what you want, you normally have to spend quite a bit of time inside it. This allows you to learn more about everything that youre going to be spending your hard-earned cash on. A pre-purchase building inspection gives you much the same kind of experience without having to spend thousands of dollars. Since youre paying for the service, you can expect to see exactly what youre paying for, instead of just seeing a vague idea of what you might end up with. You find out about potential major repairs Some buildings are very expensive to maintain, which means that owners often neglect them for the sake of saving money. While youre paying for a building inspection, youre also paying for a professional who knows how to spot signs of trouble and repair work that needs doing. If you notice that a particular area of your new home needs fixing right away, you can call in an expert to take care of it quickly. If you find that theres something wrong with your boiler, you wont have to wait weeks for a plumber to come over and fix it. Instead, youll have access to a solution immediately. You can save hundreds of pounds by finding out about potential problems early on One of the biggest expenses when you first buy a home is the cost of moving in. Many people dont realize this until its too late. Buying a home involves not only paying for the actual house, but also for moving costs, furniture, and other items that have to be moved along with the home. Having a good idea ahead of time of what youre likely to encounter can help you avoid these kinds of costs. If you know youll need to replace the plumbing system, for example, youll be able to put together a budget for the expense and plan accordingly. You can protect your investment by finding out if the homes been well cared for While there are plenty of people who think that houses always look better when theyre newly built, youd be surprised at how well maintained older residences can still look nice. Sometimes, though, those homes need some additional maintenance to keep them looking their best. This could involve repairs that arent so noticeable or small improvements that you wouldnt consider otherwise. Even worse, some houses have fallen into disrepair without anyone noticing. This is why having a professional perform a building inspection prior to purchasing a home is such a big benefit. Not only will it give you insight into the state of the property, but it will also give you peace of mind knowing youre not getting taken advantage of. As long as youre aware of the potential pitfalls, youll have less reason to worry about the state of your new home. You can use information gathered during a building inspection to negotiate a lower price If youre worried about buying a home because you suspect that it may need extensive renovation work, you may already have a rough idea of how much work youll need to do to bring it up to scratch. That knowledge can come in handy if you decide to buy the home. You can use all of the details that you gather during a building inspection to present a realistic picture of what the home is worth to prospective buyers. If a potential buyer thinks that the home is worth more than what you paid for it, you can try negotiating a lower price. You can sell your home faster and for more money If you decide to list your home on the market soon after buying it, youll need to price it accurately in order to attract buyers. But if youve already done a thorough building inspection, youll know exactly what work is needed and what the current market conditions are. In other words, youll be able to make a more accurate estimate of the amount of money youve invested in the home and how much its worth. If you find that youre selling your house for close to its full market value, you can use this information to convince the potential buyer that your home is worth the asking price. Even if youre planning to stay in the home for a while before you decide to sell, the fact that you did a thorough building inspection will give you more confidence when listing it. Prospective buyers will know exactly what theyre paying for. Your home will hold its value longer As mentioned earlier, the value of a home depends heavily upon the condition of the building itself. If your home is in bad shape, potential buyers wont be interested in buying it. On the other hand, if youve performed a thorough building inspection and know what sort of repairs are necessary, you can offer your prospective buyer a compelling reason to invest in your property. When you buy a home, youre essentially agreeing to have it inspected periodically to ensure that it stays in top shape. Not only does this allow you to avoid expensive repairs down the road, but it can also increase the value of your home. You can make smart decisions about property investments Buying real estate isnt as simple as just driving a couple of minutes to pick up a house. There are lots of considerations involved, ranging from location to cost. The same is true when youre investing in property. If you find a house that meets all of your requirements, youll want to make sure that you have a solid understanding of where it stands with regards to the rest of the market. If you havent spent enough time researching the area, you could inadvertently end up with a bad deal. There are lots of resources available online that can help you determine the overall level of competition in your area. They can also help you figure out if there are any properties that meet your requirements that you didnt know about. If you own rental property, you can use the information to identify tenants who might cause damage If you own rental property and youve noticed that certain tenants consistently cause damage, you can use the results of a building inspection to identify them. You can then contact them directly to let them know that youre watching them closely and that you dont appreciate the problem theyre causing. They might start taking better care of their homes, which would be good news for everyone. It could also be the case that youll find out that theyre responsible for previous damages that werent caught during a previous visit. You can make smarter decisions about hiring contractors If youve hired contractors to build or repair your home, you might want to ask them for references. However, unless you perform a thorough building inspection, you might not know exactly what to look for. For instance, maybe you only checked the roof for leaks or the walls for cracks. You might not have looked underneath the foundation for anything that could cause a future issue. By performing a building inspection, you can ensure that you hire reputable contractors who will be trustworthy with your money. You can avoid purchasing a home thats in poor condition Of course, the main benefit of structural inspections perth is that it helps you avoid purchasing a home thats in poor condition. Before you make the decision to buy a home, you should do whatever you can to find out about the state of the building. You can also ask your realtor about what sorts of inspections are typically recommended. Some agents say that its standard practice to check the heating system, the roof, the electrical wiring, and the floors. Others will tell you that they recommend that you check the entire structure. Either way, if you choose to hire an inspector, youll find out exactly what needs to be fixed and how much it will cost to do so. As a result, it can be concluded that a pre-purchase building inspection is highly important for the buyers because it provides transparency regarding the current conditions of the structure. Additionally, the building owner is made aware of any upgrades or repairs that are required, which could lead to a fair deal throughout the purchasing and selling process. I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. -Jesus -John 14:6 President Joe Biden has decided to ban Russian oil imports, toughening the toll on Russia's economy in retaliation for its invasion of Ukraine. The United States generally imports about 100,000 barrels a day from Russia, only about 5% of Russia's crude oil exports, according to Rystad Energy. Last year, roughly 8% of U.S. imports of oil and petroleum products came from Russia. Gas prices have been rising for weeks due to the conflict and in anticipation of potential sanctions on the Russian energy sector. The U.S. national average for a gallon of gasoline soared 45 cents a gallon in the past week and topped $4.06 on Monday, according to auto club AAA. Should the US ban Russian oil imports over Ukraine war? You voted: Pictured at the launch of the 'Orange and Green: Derry and the First World War' exhibition at the Guildhall Press in Creggan's Rathmor Centre are Gerard Diver MLA (left), Seamus Breslin organiser from the Templemore Great War History Society, John Kelly Education and Outreach Officer Bloody Sunday Museum and Raymond Craig Guildhall Press. DER0716GS065 The exhibition is currently at the Rathmor Centre in Creggan It will move to Derrys Central Library in March The exhibition is the culimination of 20 years work In what has been termed a decade of centenaries in Ireland much has been made both of the Easter Rising and the political circumstances that gave rise to it. The Rebellion broke out in Dublin in April, 1916. Prior to that of course, many thousands of Irish men, Catholic and Protestant had joined the ranks of the British services to fight in WWI. For those from the Irish Volunteers, it was a matter of pinning their hopes to the promise of the British Government that at the successful conclusion of the conflict Ireland would be granted a degree of autonomy via the delayed Home Rule Bill. For the Protestants of Ulster who left the ranks of the UVF to fight in Europe it became a matter of their display of loyalty to the British Crown would see the link with Britain retained. In the interim, Republicans within the Irish Volunteers and the Irish Republican Brotherhood choose to exploit Englands difficulty as their opportunity to separate that link forever by force of arms. A century later, one thing remains clear, and that is WWI remains the biggest and bloodiest episode of slaughter of the twentieth century. Ireland didnt get Home Rule, but instead got partition. The signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1920 in turn saw a bloody civil war fought in Ireland. The homogenous Unionist rule in Northern Ireland bred discrimination against Catholics and the refusal for even mild reforms in the 1960s saw a civil rights campaign being bludgeoned off the streets and in the end resulted in 30 years of violence inside the Northern state. A recently opened exhibition at Creggans Rathmor centre called Orange and Green-Derry and the First War examines how men from both traditions set off for the battlefields of Europe hoping to achieve their aims. The upshot was that men from both traditions ended up fighting and dying side by side. Seamus Breslin has spent over two decades examining the tales of those from the nationalist tradition in Derry who chose to don the British uniform and fight in Europe between 1914-1918. The exhibition is currently at the Rathmor Centre in Creggan Seamus Breslin and Cathy Breslin at the launch of the exhibition at the Rathmor Centre. The exbition will also be at the Central Library on Foyle Street for the whole of March. A graduate in both Irish History and Politics and a holder of a MA in Peace Studies from Ulster University, the exhibition under the auspices of The Templemore Great War Society and in Association with Guildhall Press will run at Rathmor until the end of February and will then transfer for the entire month of March to the Central Library in Foyle Street. The exhibition has received funding from the Community Relations Council, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Dublin, The Honourable The Irish Society and Creggan Enterprises. Recalling the story of what happened in Derry at the outset of war in 1914, Seamus said: I graduated from Magee in 1993 I found myself pursuing post-graduate Peace Studies also at Magee in 1994. As part of the course there was a study trip to Brussels including a visit to NATO headquarters. Having told my mother-in-law about it she mentioned that her grandfather had died in action in WW1 and that he might be buried there. Some of those who attended the launch of 'Orange and Green: Derry and the First World War'. I had never heard him mentioned before and was surprised considering both my in-laws were former Irish republican prisoners. However, a quick phone call to the British Legion led me to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and soon a letter arrived. Private John James Diver from the Bogside No.2317, served with the 6th Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment . He died on the 21 August 1916. He is buried in Plot 1, Row A, Grave 10 of the St Patricks Cemetery, Loos, France. For the first time ever they now had a burial place for their grandfather. A few weeks later a fellow student and I were standing at this graveside feeling very emotional. Staring at the rows and rows of headstones lined out, it was as if these men were still an army on parade. Buried alongside was another man called Charles Diver [no relation] from St Johnstone, Donegal and Dan Kerr from the Brandywell all killed on the same date. So, what was the story that led these men to be buried in the appropriately named St Patricks Cemetery France? As suspected the long and complicated history of Ireland had played its part. When war broke out in 1914 many men from Derry joined up in the feverish war spirit that existed. Many others had no choice because they were reservists and were recalled to the colours. At the railway station it was recorded there was good-natured banter between those from the unionist and nationalist backgrounds as to the role that each might play. A major question at the time was what role would the two largest armed organisations play in that war. These were of course the UVF and the Irish Volunteers. Edward Carson was not long in directing the UVF to the war effort and thus the local UVF became the 10th Battalion of the Inniskilling Fusiliers-the 36th Ulster Division. John Redmond held back on committing the Irish Volunteers but eventually did so months later after his famous Woodenbridge speech. The Irish Volunteers split and a small minority that would eventually stage the Easter Rising broke away. The majority now known as the Irish National Volunteers would go off to war. Two opposing factions who looked certain to go to war with each other were now off to the great European war in the same army yet for different reasons. John Redmond believed that by offering the volunteers for service it would strengthen his Home Rule debate and create an experienced Irish army. On December 5, 1914 the Derry INV men who were to enlist were summoned to St Columbs Hall and the great adventure had begun. Over 260 of these men would become a company of the 6th Battallion-Royal Irish Regiment, Irish Brigade, 16th Irish Division commanded by John Redmonds brother, the twice imprisoned Nationalist MP, William. Now the story was unfolding as to why these men were lying in far off foreign fields. The vast majority of nationalist Derry of all shades of opinion were solidly, and none more so than their church leaders, behind these men and their decision. Within weeks they were feted and fed at great banquets in the Guildhall , given rousing patriotic speeches and after Mass in St Eugenes Cathedral, led by bands and joint British Army and armed INV parties, marched through crowded, cheering streets to the railway. An overnight stop in Dublin was next where they would be greeted by all sorts of dignitaries and then on to the Fermoy area of Cork for one year of training . Many men expressed the opinion that hopefully the war would not be over by Christmas. A tough year training in Cork On arrival in Cork these men who were civilians had to be made soldiers. They were joined by 600 INV men from West Belfast and elsewhere and became the Irish Brigade of the 16th Irish Division. They got on with what recruits do and learned how to march, handle weapons and all the other skills that make a trained soldier. Willie Foster who lived in Richmond Street became something of a war correspondent for the Derry Journal at that time in Shipquay Street. A lot of the mens time was spent in Fermoy and the remote Kilworth camp that is still a functioning Irish military base. Kilworth camp was also used in 1969 to house refugees from the North including a few from Derry. The Derry men were joined in the battalion by a company of Guernsey men whose French language skills would later prove useful. Not all the men would even left Cork and one such was Private William Bradley from the Waterside who died of illness on February 13, 1915. He lies buried in Fermoy military cemetery. After training in Cork it was over to Borden in the Aldershot area and the huge Salisbury plains for further training as a division . Several weeks later the 16th Irish were reviewed by the King for whom they gave three cheers and at Christmas 1915 it set sail for France. Terror in the trenches Seamus continued: Just prior to Christmas 1914 the men from Derry had enlisted in a great wave of excitement and now twelve months on were in France and could hear the thunder of the guns. An officer wrote home that the Derry boys fit for anything. As was the norm, an inexperienced battalion was not put straight into the front line. Various companies were seconded to units already experienced in the art of war. So the Derrymens first time in the trenches was as part of English and Scottish fighting units. The casualties were not long in coming. January 21, 1916 would become a significant day in the mens journey. Private John Doherty from 133 Lecky Road would be the first Derry man killed in action and on that very same day Charles Kennedy from the parish of Templemore also died of the wounds he sustained. Most people associate WW1 with images of men constantly being in the trenches. That was not the case and most time was spent doing manual work, training and resting. For most of 1916 the men would find themselves in the Loos area of Northern France a fact reflected in the rows of headstones in the military cemeteries of the area. It is widely known that over 100 local men from the protestant-Unionist tradition died on July 1, 1916 at the opening Somme battle. What is lesser known is that one month earlier at Hulluch a German gas attack decimated battalions from the Irish Brigade and it was only because of unit rotation that it was not the Derry INV that was wiped out. This gas attack was taking place at the same time as the Easter Rising in Ireland. The political climate was changing. William Redmond on hearing of the Dublin rebellion was reported as having sobbed as bitterly as a child. The last known survivor of the men William Kennedy said they were upset when they heard they were killing our Boys in Dublin-referring to the leaders being executed-and that there was going to be a mutiny only for one sergeant. At Loos the men settled into the routine of periods in the front line, training, work and rest. Let no one be in any doubt that like all soldiers these men got up to all sorts of antics. Foul language, card schools and alcohol all played a part. There are numerous records of men punished for drunkenness, desertion, being absent without leave, striking a senior officer and even murder. Private Kenny from Derry was found not guilty because of insanity of murdering a local French farmer. Professor Richard Holmes in one of his books, notes that a brothel in Rouen was visited by 171,000 men in its first year. The War Diary for the men records that on the 24-2-1916 48 men were found medically unfit and sent back to base depot after only two months of front line service. One consolation of serving in the Loos area, a huge coal mining region was the availability of hot steam baths. On St Columbas Day, June 9, 1916, the men would celebrate just like in Derry but later there would be many tragedies at Loos that would bring grief to many homes in the Bogside. On May 2, 1916, James Rush of Lecky Road and Willie Woods, Foyle Road were killed by shell fire. On June 18, 1916, James Quigley of Nelson Street, Richard McCarron of 13 Frederick Street and Hugh Mc Laughlin from Bishop Street died together-killed by a trench mortar. On the night of August 20, 1916 plans were finalised for a night raid on the enemy trenches at Loos. Military opinion at the time was divided, but most thought these raids were futile gestures that got your best men killed. The war diary records that five other ranks were killed, eighteen wounded and two missing during the raid. Three of those killed were Dan Kerr, Deanery Street, John James Diver, Stanleys Walk and Charles Diver, St Johnstone. It is of note that later that day the battalion left the area. These men now lie at rest in St Patricks Cemetery, Loos. The men moved to the Guillemont and Ginchy area to prepare for a huge battle that was also part of the Somme campaign. Guillemont and Ginchy were the most significant battles the Derrymen were involved in. A letter home from Edward Friel , a former compositor with the Derry Journal, to the Bogside best conveys the atmosphere. He states that the night before they attacked they had a jolly fine concert around a bonfire and before parting in the morning they sang A Nation Once Again. At dawn, Masses were said by the chaplains and most men received communion. Fr Willie Doyle described his experiences at these battles as living literally in hell. The 6th Royal Irish Regiment diary for September 63, 1916 records the men went over the parapet with their pipes playing and the men went forward in excellent order. The final objective was in our hands by about 3pm and the line was at once consolidated and held in spite of the counter attacks. The casualties in the days fighting are heavy, being 14 officers and 311 ORs. The casualties were heavy and these two battles signified the end of the Derry INV men as a cohesive unit and started widespread mourning in nationalist areas of Derry as word spread through. Willie Foster, a keen piper, was wounded three times piping the men into battle and many found it amazing he was never awarded a medal. Willie helped train the US Marine Corp during WW2 and was buried with shrapnel still in him from his Pennyburn home during the 1980s. During the same time William Quigley another of these veterans was buried From Drumleck Drive, Shantallow. The next major battle the remnants of the men would partake in was in 1917 at Messines. This is the lamented battle where the 16th Irish and 36th Ulster Divisions would fight side by side. William Redmond the Major in charge of the men died in the battle. He was brought back wounded from no-mans land by men of the Ulster Division but later died. Indeed, the Derry Journal reported William Downey from the Bogside writing home that at Messines the Irish and Ulster Divisions fought shoulder to shoulder and they were not thinking of Home Rule at the time. Those who survived would return to a changed Bogside, Derry and Ireland, they had left one war behind and now in that turbulent period of 1919-21 they would walk right into another. Time to go home to Derry The changed political circumstances in nationalist Ireland would also have a deep impact on the returning soldiers from the nationalist tradition. "On November 11, 1918 the war was over, the guns fell silent and for those who survived it was time to go home, said Seamus. He continued: This was a changed Derry they returned to. Sinn Fein was now the predominant party and the Easter Rising and subsequent executions had changed the peoples outlook. Ireland was being threatened by partition and the returned veterans were not long in organising themselves and becoming involved in the campaign against it. At a grand parade in Derry on August 15, 1919 that was designed to be a show of nationalist strength, the veterans were the talk of the day. An observer wrote: There was the most harmonious coalescing of all the Catholic forces in the city and congratulations were extended on the magnificent size of the gathering and the grand evidence it afforded of cohesion and unity in assertion of Catholic rights. The Hibernians and Sinn Fein both made a fine turn out, but by far the most significant thing in the days proceedings was the march of the nationalist veterans of the city. Over ten hundred demobilised men marched with soldierly bearing and at the head of this section there were a number of soldiers and sailors in uniform sporting green favours. At the head of the veterans was carried a banner with the inscription,Irish National Veterans Association we fought for the rights of small nations; Ireland a nation. As sectarian tensions increased during 1919 with partition increasingly likely the nationalist veterans erected an arch in the Bogside to the memory of their dead in the Irish Brigade. Another form of commemoration was a memorial mass. Over four hundred men from the Long Tower parish paraded to mass on September 14, from Waterloo place to the church. It was reported: It was an exceedingly creditable turn out demonstrating not only the strength numerically of the organisation in the parish but the unfaltering fidelity of the ex-servicemen to the Catholic faith. The veterans also boycotted the great Peace Parade in Belfast 1919, saying it was being exploited by the Ulster Division and refusing to parade past. Nationalist councillors protested that the Council lowered the flag and held a silence for the Ulster men who died on the first day of the Somme yet did nothing for the local men who perished at the victories of Guillemont and Ginchy. As is evident the nationalist veterans upon return were not parading Union flags and singing for the King. During 1920, Derry was in political turmoil with curfews and descended into what could be described as a mini-civil war. Many of those engaged in the defence of the Bogside were war veterans. It was reported that at one of the biggest battles at St Columbs College, the defenders were mostly ex-soldiers under the command of a Sinn Fein officer. Numerous court reports of men for disorderly behaviour and singing rebel songs turn out to have been WW1 veterans. The two most prominent nationalists of that period are buried side by side in the city cemetery. James Keenan, IRA and Commander Mc Glinchey, Irish National Volunteers were both ex-British army. The veterans walked out of one war and straight into another at home. They ended up in a partitioned Ireland-something they went to war in 1914 to prevent. The nationalist veterans lot in Derry was far from a happy one. They had marched off to war as proud Irishmen and that was how they returned. As late as 1924, a widow of one of the dead men placed a memoriam in the Derry Journal. It stated: So sad dear husband you died in vain, small nations rights we did not gain. Most nationalist veterans never went to any ceremonies at the war memorial. Their story was one of tragedy that stretched from death, bombs and gunfire in the fields of France to the same on the streets of Derry. Local writer Sam Hughes who knew many of the men and lived through that period summed up what it was like for all the veterans of that war. He said: Survivors returned, some to be despised as dupes and others to beg a living off those who, though enriched by the others sacrifices, in their hearts regarded going voluntarily to war as the hallmark of immaturity. eamon.sweeney@jpress.co.uk) KSN&C is intended to be a place for well-reasoned civil discourse...not to suggest that we dont appreciate the witty retort or pithy observation. Have at it. But we do not invite the anonymous flaming too often found in social media these days. This is a destination for folks to state your name and speak your piece. It is important to note that, while the Moderator serves as Faculty Regent for Eastern Kentucky University, all comments offered by the Moderator on KSN&C are his own opinions and do not necessarily represent the views of the Board of Regents, the university administration, faculty, or any members of the university community. On KSN&C, all authors are responsible for their own comments. See full disclaimer at the bottom of the page. I didn't go to the movies this week, so here are some things to watch on Netflix. What? There was nothing I wanted to see. Don't judge me. 'After the Wedding' I adore this movie and it's been on Netflix forever. The Danish film stars Mads Mikkelsen (probably best known for the TV series "Hannibal" and as the villain, La Chiffre, in "Casino Royale") as Jacob Petersen, a manager of a financially unstable orphanage in India, who must return to his native Denmark to meet with a company CEO who is interested in investing in the children's home. While there, the CEO insists he attend his daughter's wedding, where bits and pieces of Jacob's past begin to emerge. Mikkelsen is confirmed to be in this year's "Star Wars: Rogue One" and there has been a lot of disbelief over the fact that he's apparently not playing a villain, as that's what American audiences are used to from him. Watch "After the Wedding." The guy is legit. He has the range and is a criminally underused actor. The movie itself was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar in 2006, but had the misfortune of being nominated the same year as the masterpiece, "The Lives of Others." 'Daredevil' No, not the stupid Ben Affleck movie. Forget it existed. This was Marvel's first Netflix original series, followed by the also fantastic "Jessica Jones." The series follows Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox), a man who was blinded by chemicals in a freak accident as a child, but gained superhuman senses. Now he works as a lawyer in the New York neighborhood Hell's Kitchen with his best friend, Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson). At night, he puts on a mask and fights crime. Let's be honest. It's Marvel's Batman. It's dark. It's bleak. It's violent. But it's also really exciting. I loved the characters, including the villainous Kingpin (Vincent D'Onofrio), and I loved the story. I could not stop watching it. And season 2 comes out this month, adding Jon Bernthal as the unforgiving vigilante the Punisher in what seems like a brilliant casting choice. 'Pee-Wee's Big Adventure' Time for some cinematic blasphemy. I don't really like Tim Burton films all that much. In fact, this 1985 movie is my favorite entry on his resume, by far. I was about 6 years old when this movie first came out and I thought it was hilarious as a child, mostly just for Pee-Wee's voice and dancing. It wasn't until I watched it as an adult that I realized how funny it was. It's a movie about a strange man-child who loves his bike and Rube Goldberg contraptions and must go on a cross-country quest after his bike is stolen. Ah, the '80s. Seriously, the scene where Pee-Wee is confronted by gang members in a dark alley after he loses his bike gets me every time. And, like "Daredevil," I'm including it because a new entry, "Pee-Wee's Big Holiday" comes to Netflix this month. Finally, a sequel. What? "Big Top Pee-Wee?" Nope. Doesn't ring a bell. Sounds made up. The first job of a governor is to keep the state's government running. Governor Rauner has failed in his duty. If he feels his "Turnaround Agenda" is in the best interest of Illinoisans, he should campaign for it and then his party would make gains in the legislative elections. Eventually, much of his agenda would become law if this is in accord with the general will. Instead, Rauner holds the state of Illinois hostage until he gets his way. Apparently, he lacks confidence in his ability to convince the people; this may explain why he did not campaign on this agenda. I even agree with a few of his ideas, but you cannot save Illinois by destroying it. The only way to stop this madness is to insure that no one from his party wins a legislative seat this November. We can find solutions to our problems without his brand of shock-and-awe. Orangeburg City Council is considering waiving some fees for Orangeburg County as a way to build cooperation between the two. City County voted Tuesday to change rules so it can waive water and sewer tap fees for the county and municipalities. We need to work better together, Councilman Bernard Haire said. During its meeting, Orangeburg City Council gave final reading approval to a 9 percent increase in water rates and a 15 percent increase in wastewater rates. The Department of Public Utilities is projected to begin losing money on the services if it doesnt raise the rates, DPU Manager Tommy Miller said. DPUs number of customers has declined and chemical costs have tripled for the department because of recent rains. Councilman Richard Stroman voted against the increase. Rates became an issue again when council discussed the ordinance that would allow it to waive the cost of hooking up to DPUs water and wastewater systems for Orangeburg County and its municipalities. This ordinance will give away revenue, which will make it harder for DPU customers, Councilman Charlie Jernigan said. Its counterproductive to give away DPUs revenue, he said. Councilman Buddy Barnwell said if council continues to make DPU give up revenue, the department could reach a point where it cant contribute money to the citys budget. But Haire said the fees have nothing to do with DPUs rates. Why are we trying to muddy up this thing? he asked. Haire noted the ordinance does not require DPU to forego the tap fees, it only gives city council the option to waive the fees for the county and municipalities. Allowing the DPU to waive tap fees will help the city build closer ties with the county, Councilwoman L. Zimmerman Keitt said. The city, other municipalities and the county need to work together to bring growth, she said. Why do we always give to the county and the county does not give us anything? Barnwell said. Haire noted the city asked the county to reduce the tax on airplanes, and it did. Stroman said the county is also working with the city to collect money for fire service. Were not giving away the key to the bank, Stroman said. He noted council will still have to approve the waiving of tap fees. Council gave second reading to the change, with Barnwell and Jernigan voting against it. In other business: Council gave first reading to an ordinance increasing the fees wreckers can charge when theyre called to clean up accident scenes. Area wrecker services called by the Orangeburg Department of Public Safety requested the change, which will be the first since 2001. Several fees will increase. For instance, the fee for clearing a disabled vehicle will increase from $50 to $125. The cost of a heavy-duty wrecker will increase from $175 an hour for the first hour and $125 per hour thereafter to $350 per hour. ODPS Chief Mike Adams said he compared the prices to those in other jurisdictions and, We are equal to or less than many of these agencies. Council agreed to renew the citys membership in the Lower Savannah Regional Housing Consortium. The group was designed to help get HUD funding to counties and cities in a more efficient way. Since 2014, the funding has helped build three Habitat for Humanity homes. The funds are also helping build nine additional Habitat homes on Kings Road and two duplexes on Peasley Street through New America. Appointed Michael Stroman as an alternate to the Building Board of Appeals. Council met in executive session to discuss the termination of a DPU employee. While a grievance committee previously upheld the termination, city council on Tuesday reversed that decision. The employee is to return to DPU and be provided with back pay. Jernigan opposed the decision. Mayor Michael C. Butler presented a resolution to Laura L. Nichols, who retired from the Department of Public Utilities. Endurance was proclaimed the Community of Character trait for March. Council learned the ribbon will be cut for the new gymnasium on Broughton Street at 10 a.m. Friday, March 11. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz can see what is happening but like many others finds it hard to believe. After winning his home state of Texas and getting victories in neighboring Oklahoma and faraway Alaska on Tuesday, the GOP presidential candidate is arguing he alone stands between Donald Trump and the Republican nomination. That is wishful thinking. Cruz has based his candidacy, and his Senate tenure, on being a lone warrior for the conservative cause. He is to the right of just about everything and everyone on any issue. In fact, Cruz prides himself on being an obstructionist, a lawmaker known for derailing any effort at compromise in Washington. Cruz was to be the conservative champion much the way Ronald Reagan was in rising to the top of the GOP and winning the presidency by overcoming moderate forces in the Republican Party. That was 1980. This is 2016. The South was supposed to be prime real estate for Cruz, with social conservatives and evangelicals leading his way to victories that by now would have him solidly in place to be the GOP nominee. But along came billionaire Trump and what has become a political movement. Few could blame Cruz for shaking his head in disbelief that a man Cruz has accused of having New York values could come South and achieve what he has politically. Look at Super Tuesday. With archconservative Cruz and a Florida senator championed by GOP stars such as S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley as vocal opponents, Trump scored convincing victories in Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee and Arkansas and at the same time won in Northern states Massachusetts and Vermont. It is apparent traditional Republican conservatism is not the top priority for voters in this election cycle. In the eyes of those backing Trump, Cruz and Rubio are part of the Washington leadership that has failed. Trump has tapped into the vein of American public opinion wanting to see a businessman go to Washington, be decisive and move beyond government paralysis. They want strength in a leader and Trump has promised it with a capital S. Cruz is not going to become the lone challenger to Trump. Sen. Marco Rubio and Gov. John Kasich are vowing to stay in the race. The next two weeks are crucial. GOP stalwarts say upcoming primaries will be different, featuring only Republican voters (not independents and crossover Democrats). Couple that with the contests being winner-take-all in delegates and the theory is Trump wont do as well. Dont bet on it. Trump shows electoral strength in all groups of voters and his candidacy has to be credited with producing record turnout in GOP primaries and caucuses to date a majority vowing to support only Trump and some voting to oppose him more than support another contender. Voters are making the choice of a GOP nominee and the choice is very likely to be Donald Trump. Trump victories in Rubios home state of Florida and Kasichs home state of Ohio in two weeks would effectively end their candidacies. That would leave Cruz. Despite what Cruz argues about defeating Trump in a one-on-one, he will be too late in terms of delegate count. And he will have to accept what he does not want to believe: The archconservative this time around is no match for the candidate voters believe will actually shake up Washington and get things done. Like many Americans, I learned my first real civics lesson watching my mother vote. Unlike many, my first lesson was fairly depressing. I grew up in southern Louisiana and, in the 1991 gubernatorial election, David Duke, a former grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, was running against Edwin Edwards, a three-time former governor who had been charged with bribery and was later convicted of 17 counts relating to extortion and racketeering. Edwards was heavily disliked because of his alleged crimes and because he raised taxes sharply as state revenue fell when the oil industry collapsed. Despite this, many in Louisiana were terrified of what might happen if Duke won the election, and signs and bumper stickers sprang up all over the state with one simple message: Vote for the Crook. Its Important. On Election Day, I watched as my mother dutifully went to the polls, voted for every other office, and then tried to vote for governor. She could not. She couldnt vote for Duke, of course. But she also could not overcome her distaste of Edwards. I thought of this story when I heard that Duke had endorsed Donald Trump for president and that Trump, inexplicably, said he did not know anything about Duke. I say inexplicably, because in 2000, when Trump considered running for president with the Reform Party, he declined, because, The Reform Party now includes a Klansman, Mr. Duke. This is not company I wish to keep. But for the allegedly straight-talking Trump, no statement of fact or belief is ever permanent. After Trump received Dukes endorsement in this campaign, CNNs Jake Tapper gave Trump three opportunities to renounce Dukes support. Trump merely said, I dont know anything about David Duke, OK, I know nothing about what youre even talking about with white supremacists or white supremacy. Tapper again said he was asking about Duke and the Klan, and again, Trump denied understanding. Later Trump tried to claim that he had not heard Tappers question, despite the fact that he was able to repeat Tapper several times. This is another Trump statement that is impossible to believe. It is simply not plausible that he does not know what the Ku Klux Klan (or white supremacy) is, even if he no longer remembers that he once left the Reform Party because of David Duke. This election increasingly leaves Americans with the possibility that in eight months we will have two terrible choices for president. On the one hand, there is Trump, who cannot find it within himself to denounce Klan proponents if they support him, and cannot consistently hold to a political position of any importance for more than about a week. On the other hand, there is Hillary Clinton, who in a saner political world would probably already have been indicted for endangering national security by violating the law with regard to top secret documents. In that scenario, one is tempted to say, Vote for the Crook. Its Important. Happily, we are not yet staring into that abyss. There is also another option, as Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse has reminded us. When asked who he would support between Trump and Hillary, he was brief and to the point: Neither of them. Later, in an interview on MSNBC he noted, correctly, that the Republican Party is the party of Abraham Lincoln not the party of David Duke, Donald Trump but fundamentally, this party needs to return to its principles of believing in equality under the law and believing in the greatness of the potential of the American people. Sasse concluded, the political party is a tool. And like any tool, if it breaks, you have to replace it. That, after all, is how the Republican Party began. Lincoln realized the Whig party was broken beyond repair because it could not explain why slavery was fundamentally unjust, so he helped start the Republican Party. If the Republican Party has truly become broken enough to nominate Trump with the support of David Duke, it will be time to find a new tool. Either that, or we might be stuck saying, Vote for the Crook, Its Important. Issues of concern to people who live in the west: property rights, water rights, endangered species, livestock grazing, energy production, wilderness and western agriculture. Plus a few items on western history, western literature and the sport of rodeo... Frank DuBois served as the NM Secretary of Agriculture from 1988 to 2003. DuBois is a former legislative assistant to a U.S. Senator, a Deputy Assistant Secretary of Interior, and is the founder of the DuBois Rodeo Scholarship. Stop worrying about the potholes in the road and celebrate the journey. Fitzhugh Mullan We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. To see our child's killer brought to justice and face Federal terrorism charges in a Washington DC court, two things need to happen. One: The US has to explain to Jordan the imperative of the Hashemite Kingdom complying with its legal obligations under the 1995 Jordan/US Extradition Treaty whose validity Jordan has disingenuously denied since March 2017. Two: Jordan must arrest Ahlam Tamimi who has lived free in Jordan's capital since 2011 and hand her to US law enforcement officials who will put her on a flight to the US. Saint Thomas is one of the 12 disciples of Jesus and is also known as doubting Thomas. He is the patron saint of architects and woodworkers/carpenters, which is explained by the apocryphal legend. This legend of Saint Thomas relates that he was sold by Jesus as a slave to a South-Indian king, who wanted to have a palace built. The king gave massive amounts of gold to Thomas for his castle, but he distributed it to the poor. When the king learned of this he was angry and wanted to execute Thomas. However, the Kings brother, who miraculously had returned from death, intervened and told the king that he had seen an enormous palace in heaven. When he asked to whom this palace belonged, he was told that it belonged to his brother, the King. Upon hearing this Saint Thomas was released. Saint Thomas is frequently depicted with a square or a compass as these are the tools of the builders, and with a spear (signifying the wound in Jesus side where doubting Thomas laid his hand in, or the spear that caused his death as a martyr). A business forum will be held in Azerbaijan March 6 within the framework of the visit of the Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban to the country, Azerbaijan Export and Investments Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO) said March 3. The Azerbaijani-Hungarian business forum will be organized by AZPROMO with the support of the Ministry of Economy of Azerbaijan. Over 50 representatives of Hungarian companies representing spheres of agriculture, ICT, construction, renewable energy sources, industrial production and equipment, tourism, light industry, aviation, consulting, etc. will take part in the event. In 2015, the trade turnover of Azerbaijan with Hungary amounted to $27.96 million, of which the import of Hungarian products accounted for over $27.7 million, according to the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijani Consul General in Los Angelos Nasimi Aghayev as part of his visit to the State of Oregon has met with the State's Governor Kate Brown. The meeting was also attended by Oregon State Senator Floyd Prozanski. Prospects of mutual cooperation in various fields were discussed at the meeting. Informing the Governor about Azerbaijan's steady development as a free and independent nation in a strategically important region, Consul General Aghayev stressed the great potential for fruitful cooperation between Azerbaijan and Oregon in a variety of areas, especially in the fields of port services, urban development, transportation, agriculture, IT, and education. Highlighting also Azerbaijan's long-standing traditions of tolerance and positive multiculturalism, the Consul General spoke of peaceful and harmonious coexistence of various religions and ethnicities in the country. He expressed his hope that in light of the recent increase in religous and ethnic intolerance and violence in different parts of the world, Azerbaijan's successful and internationally appreciated model of tolerance would inspire many others to follow towards a better and more peaceful world. During his visit to the State, Aghayev also met with Oregon Secretary of State Jeanne Atkins, various State Legislators, Mayor of Portland (the State's largest city) Charlie Hales, as well as addressed a group of students at the Portland State University. The withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from the occupied Azerbaijani territories is the only way to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry has told AZERTAC in response to Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan`s statement that his country wants only peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Seyran Ohanyan, who committed crimes with extreme cruelty and torture against the Azerbaijani civilians, has made another ridiculous statement, which once again proved complete irresponsibility of the military and political leadership of Armenia, and hypocrisy of those who do not think of their nation's future." Ohanyan alleged that the Azerbaijani side does not want to carry out a constructive work, and accused the country of committing provocations on the frontline and violating ceasefire. "The only solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is the complete and unconditional withdrawal of the Armenian troops from the occupied Azerbaijani territories. The issue must be solved either through Armenia's complying with the norms and principles of international law or the Azerbaijani armed forces` pushing the invaders out of the occupied lands to restore the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, " the Defense Ministry said. It is very important to unite the efforts of Azerbaijan and Pakistan toeffectively combat such kinds of transnational organized crime as international terrorism, drug trafficking, human trafficking and illegal migration, Azerbaijani Colonel-General Ramil Usubov said. Azerbaijani Interior Minister Usubov made this statement at a meeting with a delegation led by Chairman of Pakistans Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Rashad Mahmood, the Azerbaijani interior ministry told Trend. Usubov stressed the importance of two intergovernmental agreements on cooperation in combating international terrorism, organized crime and drug trafficking. The Azerbaijani minister added that these agreements were signed for the expansion of relations between the interior ministries of the two countries. Mahmood stressed the need for jointly combating the transnational organized crime, international terrorism and religious extremism. The Pakistani official also emphasized the importance of learning and using the positive experience of the two countries, the development of strategic partnership and friendly relations in all spheres between Azerbaijan and Pakistan. Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu will travel to Iran this week on an official visit, IRNA reported citing Turkish media. The visit could offer the neighbors an opportunity to discuss their different views on the war in Syria. Tehran, along with Russia, supports Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while Turkey is among his most outspoken critics. Turkey is also close to Saudi Arabia, which has cut its diplomatic ties with Iran. Despite their differences, Turkey and Iran have largely maintained cordial diplomatic relations. Davutoglu will travel to Iran on March 4 and 5, according to a statement from his office. This post is prompted by a number of things that have left me pondering how as Christians we are to bring about change in our churches. When we strongly b... 7 years ago Tourism, Travel, Hospitality, Conservation: News,Stories And Experiences From Allover The World Saudi Arabia's aviation regulator is in talks with government agencies to set up free zones at Jeddah and Riyadh airports as part of a long-term plan to diversify the kingdom's economy away from oil, its chairman said. "This is not a simple development of a free zone; there's a lot of agencies involved. The starting point would be one in Jeddah Airport and one in Riyadh Airport," Faisal Al Sugair, vice-chairman of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), told Reuters in an interview. The free zones would aim to attract foreign businesses through relaxed licences, visa and taxation rules, available to various industries and services. They would be large enough to include manufacturing facilities, Al Sugair said. The authority, which oversees all the country's 27 airports, announced plans in November to privatise Saudi Arabia's international and domestic airports by 2020 as the kingdom seeks foreign investment to support state finances. Al Sugair said the Council of Economic and Development Affairs (CEDA) and Public Investment Fund (PIF) were working on the free zones as part of the National Transformation Plan, a package of reforms meant to boost the non-oil private sector. "It's led by CEDA and the PIF, working together with the Ministry of Commerce and obviously GACA to develop the right concept for these free zones, but that's going to take some time," he said. Saudi Arabia, with finances hit by low oil prices, announced plans last year to shrink a record state budget deficit with spending cuts, reforms to energy subsidies and a drive to raise revenues from taxes and privatisation. Al Sugair said he expected bids for Jeddah's King Abdulaziz International Airport, Saudi's busiest, by the end of April. Work on the new Terminal 5 at Riyadh's King Khaled International Airport would be completed in May, he said. T5 will be run as a concession by Dublin Airport Authority before the rest of the airport is itself privatised. Al Sugair said he expects approval from CEDA's privatisation committee to come in April, after which point fundraising for upgrades at the kingdom's other airports would come exclusively from non-governmental sources. "Once we corporatise, no more government funding. That's fundamental. If we cannot get that, we're wasting our time," he said. Reuters Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) said it has won three awards at the Smart Cities Summit and Awards 2016 during the World CSR Day activities in Mumbai, India. Dewa clinched the top honours in the Best Smart City Initiative category for their Green Charger plan, in addition to winning in the Configuration and Deployment of Smart City Infrastructure 2016 category for its Dubai Smart Soil Initiative. The Dubai utility also received the award for Most Powerful Smart City Leaders. These awards reflect Dewas commitment to enhancing Dubais position in the regional and international renewable energy sectors. On the win, Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, the managing director and chief executive, said: "The strategic objectives of these initiatives support the long-term green economy for sustainable development initiative, to establish the UAE as one of the global leaders in this area, and a global hub for exporting and re-exporting green products and technologies." Dewa, he stated, has developed a comprehensive smart grid strategy and aligned its corporate strategy with the Smart Dubai initiative. According to him, Dewa is currently implementing three major initiatives: Shams Dubai, smart applications and smart meters, and Green Charger. "The Green Charger initiative will substantially contribute to introducing electric vehicles to Dubai, boosting the use of energy resources and reducing the Emirates carbon footprint. These initiatives have contributed to Dewa winning these awards," he explained. Dewas Water and Power Planning division, and Distribution Planning department won the Configuration and Deployment of Smart City Infrastructure 2016 category for its Dubai Smart Soil initiative. The initiative aims to create a special mix of soils that will then be used to cover medium-pressure cables, improving the soils resistance to heat, to better cope with Dubais climate, a pioneering initiative locally, regionally, and internationally. Abdullah Al Ahgbari, Vice President of Distribution Planning at Dewa, was honoured during the final ceremony of the conference. The Smart Cities Summit and Awards were held as part of the World Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Congress on February 18 in Mumbai, India. These awards recognise pioneering projects to make cities more liveable, sustainable and economically-viable.-TradeArabia News Service UAE-based Gulf Asia Contracting Company has won a Dh450 million ($123 million) contract for the construction of a mid-rise residential building in Dubai, said a report. The contract for the ground plus 19-storey project in Al Barsha locality was awarded by Geepas, a flagship brand of Western International Group, reported the Gulf News. With a built-up area of 1.5 million square feet, the building will have as many as 640 units and a 700-bay car park. The project is due to be completed in March 2018, it stated. A large marina mall project, being developed in the new Lusail city 23 km north of Doha, Qatar is expected to cost 20 per cent less than the previous estimate of QR1 billion ($274 million), said a report. Mazaya Qatar Real Estate Development Company, which owns the project, is conducting a new study to determine costs of the planned mall in Lusail, reported Arabic newspaper Sharq. There is a new study for the project costs, which are expected to be below previous estimates by around 20 per cent, the paper said, quoting the company chairman Rashid Al Nuaimi. Engineering studies will soon be completed and the project will get launched shortly afterwards, it stated. He said designs for the 57,000-sq-m project had been completed and that it had already been awarded, adding that the contract would be signed shortly. The project is due to be completed within the next three years, it added. The Gulf Education and Training Exhibition (Getex) 2016, a leading student recruitment platform in the Middle East and Asia, is expected to attract 35,000 visitors when it opens in Dubai, UAE next month. The event will run from April 13 to 15 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre. Getex 2016 will focus on topics such as general education, residential schools, undergraduate and postgraduate education, occupational and industry education, professional development, continuing education and training, as well as host a Student Counselling and Career Advisory Forum. Getex 2016 will target various student groups based on their preferences, ensuring that it maintains an exceptional year-on-year exhibitor retention rate of over 90 per cent. The hosted seminars and presentations on subjects that bridge the gap between education and industry will reinforce ties with the business community. Students across all age groups will have access to more than 2,500 international academic, training and vocational programs during the three-day event. Getex offers tangible returns on exhibitor investments as much of the recruitment happens on the exhibition floor, said Anselm Godinho, managing director of International Conferences & Exhibitions, the organizer of Getex. For nearly three decades, Getex has provided a vital link between learners and professionals seeking prime education and education providers, offering the best study programmes for aspiring students, Godinho said. The 2016 edition of Getex will cater to a broader audience in response to growing demand in specific industry sectors such as Medicine, Engineering and Finance along with a host of vocational trades. School officials, faculty, parents and students of all ages will appreciate the vast array of study options that Getex has to offer. Exhibitors, on the other hand, will have an easier time pursuing their admissions targets and enrolment quotas courtesy of the show. Last years edition of Getex received 35,500 visitors, 63 per cent of whom were high school students looking for undergraduate programmes, 23 per cent mature learners seeking postgraduate education options, 12 per cent professionals interested in occupational education and training courses, and 2 per cent faculty, career guidance counsellors and visitors from education regulatory authorities around the Middle East. TradeArabia News Service PA Consulting Group, a consultancy specialising in management consulting, technology and innovation, has bolstered its presence in the Mena region with 14 new appointments. The new recruits, from countries including Bahrain, India, Jordan, Lebanon and the UK, include Roisin Duffy and Helena Moren, two internal appointments from PA offices in London and Stockholm respectively, who have relocated to the region to work within the transport and IT transformation sectors. Jason Harborow, head of PA Consulting Group Mena, said: We have started this year with an aggressive recruitment drive to support our growth plans for the region. The increased headcount is vital to the ongoing delivery of work we are producing for our clients across a variety of industries. The government services, healthcare, and transport, travel and logistics sectors continue to be major areas of expansion for PA, both globally and within our region, and we are bringing together the best minds in the business to ensure the offering to our current and future clients is unbeatable. Joining the PA Mena healthcare team, Hamssa Qureshi brings extensive experience from the UK working on the NHSs National Screening Programme to rollout a failsafe system for new born babies, while Ahed Ebrahim has moved to the company from EY where he worked across a range of projects including performance improvement in healthcare and life sciences companies. Holding an MBA from Warwick University in the UK, Joseph Murphy has more than 20 years experience in commercial directorship and the ability to influence organisational strategy. Having worked throughout the UK, Middle East and Brunei, he has a track record of implementing high profile, high value defence projects and has delivered work for clients around the world in the logistics, telecom and energy sectors. Lina Shabeeb is an education strategy consultant with more than 10 years of industry and consulting experience throughout the GCC markets across K-12, higher education, vocational training, education for employment, and health and social care education. She is also interested in teachers professional development, and women education and employment. Harborow added: We are also making great strides in balancing the gender ratio of our team, with 10 new female colleagues appointed, all of whom offer the Mena practice invaluable experience in their chosen fields. Tanya Kauchhur is an expert communicator with involvement in business analysis and development, and project management, while Chama Mengad has functional expertise in delivering business design, people and change management, corporate strategy, and performance improvement across a wide range of sectors and organisations. Nupur Nagesh will capitalise on her UAE experience working across sectors including maritime, oil and gas, government, and travel and tourism, and Steffi Birack will provide clients with advisory services including benchmarking analyses, workforce planning, organisational transformation, and compensation and benefits design. TradeArabia News Service Iran has signed a partnership agreement with Singapore, aiming to develop a tanker service for shipping oil products and petrochemicals between East Asia and West Africa, a report said. The agreement was signed between the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) and Singapores Pacific International Lines (PIL), reported The Iran Project. The deal will boost Irans government revenues as well as expand the capabilities of East Asian shipping services, IRISL chief Mohammad Saeidi was quoted as saying. The agreement calls for the establishment of feeder lines in Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East and the Black Sea, the report cited other Iranian media reports. Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) provided six high school students engaged in the Middle East Model United Nations programme (MMUN) with the opportunity to take part in the recent World Future Energy Summit (WFES) 2016 Student Forum, in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Each student gave a one-minute speech at the forum during a session entitled UN Habitat Youth Speech, to express their thoughts on renewable and sustainable energy, said a statement from EGA. A vital source of energy in the UAE and around the world, fossil fuels may cease to be readily available during the lifetime of todays youth. The speeches delivered by the students during the event highlighted this issue and stressed the urgency of developing alternative energy solutions, it added. The six students, Shamsa Saeed Al Muhairi; Shaikha Khalid Al Agroovi; Hamda Naser Khanji; Hessa Naser Khanji and Maitha Abdullah Mohammed, represented two Dubai-based schools (Al Ebdaa Model School and Greenwood International School), it said. The MMUN programme comprises a series of events where students step into the role of ambassadors from UN member states to debate current issues on the UNs agenda, further added the statement. Abdulla Kalban, managing director and CEO of EGA, said: EGA is committed to creating an enduring legacy for the communities where we operate, with supporting education initiatives being a key part of our CSR strategy. The student forum helps to nurture the presentation and negotiation skills of talented students and provides them with an inspiring educational experience that shapes their journey to being future leaders, he said. On behalf of EGA I congratulate all of the students who we supported at the forum. Each student demonstrated a strong understanding of the key issues and shared some highly innovative and thought-provoking ideas, he added. TradeArabia News Service Rockwell Collins, a leader in the development of innovative communication and aviation electronic solutions, announced that its chairman, president and CEO Kelly Ortberg will address the Global Aerospace Summit in Abu Dhabi, UAE, on March 7, 2016. With the theme, Building the future of aerospace through innovation, the Global Aerospace Summit, hosted by Mubadala, is an international by-invitation only forum of senior executives in the global aerospace, aviation, defence and space sectors. During his panel presentation, titled Setting your company to succeed: from international to global, Ortberg will join a team of panelists to share insight on strategies that are helping companies to transform to global organisations, said a statement from the company. Ortberg said: Over the past decade, our company has made a firm commitment to transition from a US company with international subsidiaries to a truly global company offering aviation and high-integrity solutions to our customers worldwide. The creation of our international and service solutions organisation, which is focused on heightening our presence and establishing strategic partnerships in growth regions like the Middle East, is playing a key role in our global growth journey, he said. Colin Mahoney, senior vice president, international and service solutions for Rockwell Collins, will speak immediately following Ortberg on a panel titled, Creating successful partnerships with UAE and Gulf Cooperation Council local players. During this panel, Mahoney will focus on Rockwell Collins strategy for expanding in the Middle East, including examples of successful partnerships and lessons learned from collaborations in markets across the globe, it added. TradeArabia News Service European business is increasingly concerned about the potential collapse of the region's 26-nation border-free zone under the pressure of a huge influx of migrants, with companies from automakers to logistics firms warning of serious losses. Some use words such as "horrific" and "devastating" to describe the prospect of an end to the 30-year-old Schengen accord, seen one of the essential linchpins of post-World War Two peace and prosperity in Europe. Schengen has already been temporarily suspended by seven countries to keep migrants from crossing their borders, and fears are rising of an European-wide reversal towards costly and delaying frontier checks. Now stretching from Greece in the south to Iceland in the north and encompassing more that 400 million people, the Schengen area has offered border-free commercial and personal movement since an initial 10-nation pact in 1985. It has been widely considered one of the European Union's most successful, wealth-creating projects, stretching to several non-EU countries and excluding just Britain and Ireland in Western Europe. One of the benefits of Schengen to manufacturers has been to allow them to work with very low stocks of components, relying on the fact they can be delivered on time as demand rises. But the frontier-free zone is now on the brink of seizing up, driven to the edge by the crisis that saw more than 1 million refugees and migrants enter the EU last year, many fleeing wars in the Middle East. Politicians have long warned about the danger. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Tuesday that the EU must come to an agreement very soon, possibly at a March 7 summit, on how to deal with the crisis in order to get Schengen back up and running properly. Business, however, is worrying that it won't happen. "A breakdown of Schengen would be horrific for us," carmaker Opel's chief executive, Karl-Thomas Neumann, told reporters on Tuesday, noting Opel depends on the reliable transport of goods and components from Germany, Spain, Poland, Britain and Italy. "We have huge logistics operations in southern Europe; any disruption would have an immediate impact on the bottom line." Airports association ACI Europe, meanwhile, warned that a Schengen collapse would create major congestion and cost larger airports hundreds of millions of euros to redesign terminals. "The impact would be quite devastating," Olivier Jankovec, the association's director general, said, though adding that he did not believe this would transpire. Other businesses - including delivery specialists DHL Express, UPS and TNT - played down the impact of Schengen unravelling, saying that they had ways of mitigating it. But DHL cautioned: "Border controls would lengthen delivery times to most target countries. Parallel with this, fuel and wage costs for a given route would probably increase and new administrative costs could also arise." ECONOMIC HIT The nature and scope of a Schengen closure makes estimates of the macro-economic impact hard to gauge - ranging from an immediate slowdown of commerce to knock-on effects on sectors such as tourism. One study released by the European Commission, however, sought to assess the impact of just a small slowdown caused by border controls on roughly 57 million road transport journeys a year. "Assuming that each of these crosses one border and has an additional waiting time of one hour. This could easily add up to a total cost of around 3 billion euros per year," it said, citing an estimate by DG Move, the EU directorate-general for mobility and transport. That is small in the context of a 13.9 trillion euro ($15.06 trillion) EU economy. But the impact could be far greater, especially if a shutdown was long lasting. A study conducted for Bertelsmann Stiftung found that losses in overall EU growth as a result of reinstating border controls could reach 470 billion euros for the years 2016 to 2025. Another study, from France, suggested that over time, "widespread border controls would decrease trade between Schengen countries by 10 per cent to 20 per cent." In the same vein, Morgan Stanley estimates that the overall loss of to GDP growth resulting simply from a 5 per cent rise in transport costs would amount to 0.2 per cent. "A suspension of Schengen would undermine the functioning of the single market, hurting cross-border trade, transport and tourism," Morgan Stanley said. Reuters Al Muneera Beach Plaza, Abu Dhabis first waterfront retail development developed by Aldar Properties, is set to host a beach festival from March 23 27 to bring families and friends together. Crowds of up to 10,000 tourists and local residents are expected at the five-day Aloha Abu Dhabi held at Al Raha Beach, which will feature an array of street performers, food stands, fashion brands and live music. Aldar Properties aims to make Aloha Abu Dhabi an annual lifestyle event, a statement said. Meaning both hello and goodbye in Hawaiian Aloha Abu Dhabi represents Al Muneera Beach Plazas welcoming warm spirit, as the community is a place where residents and guests can truly live, work, dine and relax: all in one amazing location. Designed to offer a fun-filled day out with its mixture of music and magicians the whimsical Aloha Abu Dhabi event is perfect for families wishing to spend quality time together whilst its trendy selection of fashion pop-ups and food trucks appeals to fashionistas and friends alike. Mustafa Mohamed Al Marzooqi, general manager of Aldar Community Retail, said: We are delighted to host the first Aloha Abu Dhabi Carnival as this action-packed family festival is yet another change to engage the local residents and welcome new visitors. Inviting everyone to experience our Al Muneera Beach Plaza, with its unique waterfront development of retail outlets, family facilities and great selection of restaurants, Aloha Abu Dhabi will bring the community together. TradeArabia News Service Key members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries plan to meet with other producers in Russia on March 20 for new talks on an oil output freeze, Nigeria's petroleum minister said on Thursday, according to Bloomberg News. The news agency quoted Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu as saying there will be a "dramatic price movement" when the meeting takes place. "Both the Saudis and the Russians, everybody is coming back to the table," Bloomberg quoted Kachikwu as saying. He added that producers generally seek a recovery in the crude price to $50 a barrel. Reuters Some members of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) plan to meet with other producers in Russia around March 20 for new talks on an oil output freeze, Nigeria's petroleum minister said on Thursday. "We're beginning to see the price of crude inch up very slowly. But if the meeting that we're scheduling, it should happen in Russia, between the Opec and non-Opec producers happen about March 20, we should see some dramatic price movement," he told a conference in Abuja. "Both the Saudis and the Russians, everybody is coming back to the table," he said. "I think we're very humbled today to accept that if we get to a price of $50, it will be celebrated. That's a target that we have." Meanwhile, Brent oil prices eased on Thursday after ballooning US crude inventories and a lack of any fresh action from the world's largest producer to temper supply snuffed out some of the bullish sentiment that has built this week. International benchmark Brent futures lost 6 cents to $36.87 a barrel by 1200 GMT, while US crude futures edged up 6 cents to $34.72. "Prices must fall once again to reach bottom in a way that really shuts down production. I don't think a freeze is the solution," Natixis commodities strategist Abhishek Deshpande said. "That is the only true way of really turning around prices sustainably and for good ... once that happens, there will be a true turning point and, for me, that kind of bottom is still below $25." US crude inventories rose 10.4 million barrels to a fresh record of 517.98 million barrels last week. Around 1 million to 2 million barrels of crude are being produced globally every day in excess of demand, contributing to a 70 percent fall in oil prices since mid-2014. An agreement struck in February by some big producers, led by Russia and Saudi Arabia, to freeze output at January levels is expected to do little to reduce the oversupply, not least because output in the first month of the year was at, or near, record highs. "We continue to remain wary of possible rallies," said Daniel Ang of brokerage Phillip Futures. - Reuters The Meetings, incentives, conferences, and events (Mice) market has grown rapidly in the GCC and particularly in Dubai, which in 2015 held nearly 27 per cent market share of the $1.3 billion Mice GCC market, said a report According to a study conducted by Strategy & in 2015, business tourists in the GCC comprise one in three of all tourists in the region. This is a high number when compared with the worrying statistic that suggests only 2 per cent of global exhibitions take place in the Middle East, it said. Outbound travel from the Middle East, according to United Nations World Tourism Organization's (UNWTO) 2015 Tourism Highlights, numbered approximately 37 million people for 2014 and accounted for 3.3 per cent of the global outbound market. A study conducted by Frost & Sullivan and Insights Middle East for Amadeus in 2014, estimated the total value of outbound travellers from the GCC at $64 billion. The same study estimated the average spend in GCC countries for inter-regional travel at $4,980 and for international business travel at $9,920. These statistics clearly reflect the immense potential for business and MICE travel from the region. Speaking of luxury travel, according to a study by 2014 online survey conducted by YouGov, the average spend by luxury travellers from the Mena region is $8,310 while the average length of the trip is 5.1 nights. However, for sustained growth in the coming years, challenges facing the Mice and luxury travel sectors for both inbound and outbound travellers need to be addressed. We truly think that the easiness of access via direct airline connectivity is key. Time is too important for people and changing flights three times is not acceptable for business travellers, said Mikael Lambotte, sales manager chez Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski Munchen, and Jason Warren, Conference & Touring. This is true for both inbound and outbound GCC business tourists, as well as luxury tourists. Changing attitudes and requirements for more experiential, cultural, and sight-seeing tours rather than the previously strong preference for shopping, are also challenges that Mice, hospitality and travel sectors are facing. Furthermore, security plays an important role as travellers should always feel secure while meeting or discovering a new city, said Lambotte and Warren. Security concerns are not isolated to GCC countries only, but are indeed a global issue for Mice, travel and hospitality industry personnel. When it comes to luxury travel, the challenges are more intense. Keeping in line with global changing tastes and attitudes, luxury travellers too are looking for more value for their money. While this does not necessarily mean cheaper, it does mean more benefits such as personalisation, simplification, and seamless services. Another challenge in luxury travel is the changing nature of group travel, where multi-generational travel is now becoming the norm. However, competition from emerging and developing market further complicates the landscape for Mice and luxury travel. The fourth annual Mice Arabia Congress, which takes place nest month, provides a huge advantage for participants by focusing and guaranteeing the attendance of qualified corporate decision makers and MICE agencies, said Aishvarya Guhagarkar, Switzerland Convention & Incentive Bureau. The choice for suppliers to pre-select the buyers they want to meet and vice-versa ensures good quality one -to-one pre-arranged meetings. In addition, the speakers and panellist share real time insights, current trends and exchange of ideas, she added. At the fourth edition of the Mice Arabia Congress, the trends and challenges in the industry will be discussed, in addition to other crucial subjects, said Sidh N C, director, QnA International speaking on the agenda of the conference. The Mice Arabia Congress will take place on March 01 and 02 at the Palazzo Versace, Dubai. TradeArabia News Service Turkish Airlines recently hosted its annual Travel Agency Awards and a gala dinner to recognise travel agents across Dubai for being an intrinsic part of the airlines advancement in the region. The airline recorded a healthy passenger growth of 9.2 per cent across the GCC markets in 2015, as compared to the previous year. The event, which welcomed over 250 guests including Mustafa Levent Bilgen, the Turkish ambassador to the UAE; Erdem Ozan, the Turkish consul general in Dubai, and senior officials from Dubais civil aviation department, was held at the Park Hyatt in Dubai. The airline acknowledged partners for their strong support and role in growing passenger traffic from the Emirate. Additionally, it also recognised them for being a contributor to the 2.6 per cent capacity growth in Dubai in 2015. Emre Ismailoglu, general manager, Turkish Airlines, in Dubai, said: We are delighted to host this event for the travel industry. We would like to thank all the travel agents we work with for their continual support and commitment to the airlines growth. He added: In December 2015 we added seven flights from Dubai Airport to Sabiha Gokcen Airport which is located on the Asian side of Istanbul. We now have 21 flights between Dubai and Istanbul and we are planning to add to this number in March. This is obvious testimony to our success in this region. TradeArabia News Service The TransGriot is available for speaking engagements, college lectures, panel discussions, media interviews, conferences or Trans 101 education efforts for your school, business or professional organizations. For local Houston area, Texas or national events, you can e-mail me at transgriot@yahoo.com For events outside the Houston metro area, I ask that my travel and lodging expenses be covered. This is separate from my speaking fee. If you are interested in having me appear as a speaker or panelist, you can e-mail me with the date and details of your proposed event. Please book as early as possible because my speaking and event calendar slots during the year rapidly fill up. Art of the Appetizer workshop Through food, art, and music, participants will experience the era of the Impressionists from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, taught by Kathy Kirlin. This is full sensory immersion. Drawing from the lives of Monet, Renoir, and Van Gogh, participants will be guided through the creation of several appetizers inspired by artists journals, recipes, and gatherings. Cooking techniques, recipes, and ideas, as relates to the arts, will be shared through lecture, images, and sound. Online resources, such as collections of photographs and musical interludes, will be shared. This is a multi sensory, multimedia workshop. Participants will see, touch, smell, listen, and taste the experience! It will leave an impression; please join us. You are welcome to bring a sketchbook. Fee: $30 members/$50 non-members + $10 supply fee. Open to all levels. Sign up in person at Art 321 Casper Artists Guild, 321 W. Midwest Ave.; by phone, 265-2655, or online at http://art321.org/workshops.html Women of Distinction nominees named The following women have been nominated for Caspers Woman of Distinction Award. The nominees include Judy Aurelius, Mary Behrens, Jackie Ellis, Kathy Herter, Patricia Hrnicek, Sharon Lockwood, Valerie Maiers Ph.D, Heidi Maldoon, Evelyn McDaniel, Linda Nix, Kelly Taubert, and Lesli Wright. The luncheon to honor these outstanding women will be held March 10, 2016, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Parkway Plaza. For reservations please contact Dyann at 237-1334 or dyanndurst@aol.com. The cost of the luncheon is $25. Please send checks to Dyann Durst, 6655 Westland Rd., Casper, WY 82604, and include your meal selection of chicken, beef, or vegetarian plus the names of those with whom you wish to be seated. Dyann Durst 237-1334 Veteran Cigar Night Every Wednesday from 5:30 to 7 p.m., all veterans are invited to Veteran Cigar Night at the Casper Cigar Company, 4717 W. Yellowstone Highway, sponsored by Casper Cigar Company. There is no cost to attend. This is a time and place for our communitys combat veterans to relax and share their stories with other combat veterans while enjoying a good cigar. Veterans receive 20 percent off cigars. For more information, call Josh Cruse at (307) 337-4400 or josh@caspercigar.com Craftastic Bead Jewelry The Natrona County Library will continue its monthly Craftastic Saturday arts and crafts program for adults on Saturday at 2 p.m. in the Crawford Room. This month, well make boho bracelets colorful, fun and easy-to-make woven jewelry crafted from natural materials such as gems, stones, glass and leather. No experience necessary. All supplies provided. Craftastic Saturday is free and open to the public, and held the first Saturday of every month. Call 577-READ ext. 2 or email reference@natronacountylibrary.org for more information. Out of the box at Art 321 The Out of the Box exhibition and auction event will be a fundraiser for ART 321, much like the Pallet Project Event last year. These works of art will be judged by a prominent Portland museum curator. The deadline for submission is Saturday, April 2, 2016 by 4 p.m. All works in any media are welcome. Be creative; think out of the box. Pizza boxes, shadow box, jewelry box, photo on a box, sculpture box, repurposed box. Do your creative thing! The exhibit opens April 7 at the first Art Walk of the year. Art 321 auction event April 22 From 4 to 8 p.m., on Friday, April 22, 2016, the Casper Artist Guild is hosting Out of the Box, our annual gala and fundraising event in the Art 321 space at 321 W. Midwest Ave. It will be an evening of art, music, food, fun and auctions. We have secured many outstanding live auction packages, including private parties, a guided fly fishing trip, and dining out for a year. Our most exciting package is a week for eight in Cabo San Lucas at the private home of one of our most generous donors, as well as a day of deep sea fishing on a private yacht. Get your tickets soon as we are limiting ticket sales to the first 200 attendees. Hogs and Hops Do you enjoy a nice craft beer? Do you enjoy bacon? So come down to the Yellowstone Garage and enjoy both at the same time. Yes, that is correct, beer and bacon. The Harley Owners Group (HOGS) is proud to host Caspers first beer and bacon festival on April 16. Early bird tickets purchased by March 20 are $35 each or two for $65. Sampling is 4 to 7 p.m., with live music after 7 p.m. Tickets are available online at eventbrite, and at the Oil City Harley Davidson dealership, where only cash or check will be accepted. Harley Ownership Group (HOGS) is a group of Harley Davidson owners who have come together in the area to help the community in which they live. Mexican border exhibit opens Saturday, March 12, 2016, is the opening reception for the Centennial of the Mexican Border Deployment, at the Wyoming Veterans Memorial Museum. 10:00 a.m. The Curators Lecture on the Deployment of the National Guard to the Mexican Border in 1916 begins at 10 a.m., with a public information meeting on the new museum concept to follow at noon. Join the staff at 2 p.m., for the updated Porch Gallery exhibit on Casper Army Air Base during World War II. Free to the public, open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Senior enrichment Free to men and women 60 or older. Join the tap dancing group of Joyces Senior Stompers. It is moderate, easy, balanced clogging keeping us seniors young. It is great exercise for developing flexibility, helps coordination, increases endurance and strength and helps stimulate our brain in learning different dance routines. Exercise is important to increase lung capacity, burn calories, relieve stress, and it is fun. We meet on Monday mornings at 10:50 a.m. Call Joyce Sisk, 237-4908, for more information. Long Island Medium coming to Casper Theresa Caputo, from TLCs hit show, Long Island Medium, will be appearing live at the Casper Events Center at 7:30 p.m., on Wednesday, April 6. Theresa will share personal stories about her life and explain how her gift works. She will deliver healing messages to audience members and give people comfort knowing that their loved ones who passed are still with them, just in a different way. Tickets go on sale at 11:30 a.m., this Friday and can be purchased at caspereventscenter.com, 800.442.2256, or the Casper Events Center Box Office. Tickets start at $39.75 (plus applicable service charges) and are subject to change. Purchasing a ticket does not guarantee a reading. The Experience brings Theresa face-to-face with her fans, as she lets spirit guide her through the audience. A video display ensures everyone in the venue has an up-close-hands-on experience regardless of seat location. The experience isnt about believing in mediums. Its about witnessing something life-changing, says Theresa Caputo. Its like Long Island Medium live, witnessing first-hand spirit communication. Doll collection on display Please come and see a fabulous doll collection of Lisa Esterlines at the Senior Center, 1831 E. 4th St. She belongs to the Casper Doll Club and the Casper Needle Guild. Some of her doll costumes have won prizes in competition. Advanced Facebook for business The Center for Training and Development at Casper College is offering a short class for owners and operators of a business Facebook page on Thursday, April 28 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Facebook for Your Business: Advanced (CEU 1077) will be taught by Dana Volney. Those attending the class will learn how to use Facebook to build successful and engaging campaigns for their business, she said. In addition to campaigns, students will learn Facebook marketing fundamentals including how to grow the fan base and drive topical and useful engagement with the business. The class is designed for those who have a current Facebook page that they have used before. The cost per person is $45 and those successfully completing the class will earn .2 continuing education units. All students are asked to bring a tablet or laptop to class. To register or for more information, contact Ann Dalton, workforce training specialist, at 268-2085 or adalton@caspercollege.edu. Super Flea this weekend The Super Flea sponsored by the Casper Antique and Collectors Club will be at the Fairgrounds Industrial Building this weekend, Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Vendors from surrounding states and various Wyoming places and of course, from Casper. There will be all kind of merchandise including collectibles and some antiques, coins and just what you have been looking for items. The Casper Reading Council will greet you at the door and will receive one fourth of the gate receipts and 43 museums around the state will also receive donations. Adults are $2 and ages 12 and under are free. This is a family oriented show and there is something for everyone. Arlene Maxwell will be in the food area with snacks and lunch. See you at the Super Flea this weekend. Fun for everyone. You might win a $10 gift certificate that is free to all who are over the age of 12. Betty Hazen 234.2963 Mammoths at Saturday Club Mammoths and saber-tooth cats will be the subjects of study for the Tate Geological Museums Saturday Club from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. March 5. This month the older kids will look at the wild and wooly mammals that lived during the ice age, said Russell Hawley, Tate Museum education specialist. In addition, the group will also construct their own prehistoric zoo, according to Hawley. The Saturday Club is free and has two age divisions: one for students aged 8 and older, and the other for children aged 5-7. Saturday Club is held at the Tate Geological Museum located on the Casper College campus. For more information, call the museum at 268-2447. Senior dance Saturday From 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, come dance to the 3HIPP band at the Senior Center, 1831 E. Fourth St. Neefer Dude on piano, Sissy on bass guitar and Birdy on drums. Snacks to share will be available and served around 8. All ages are welcome. Admission is $5. For information, call Sheldon Wood, 234-8754. Unitarian Universalist events The public is invited to attend the Unitarian Universalist Community of Casper services and other events at our new location, 1040 West 15th Street. Services are held Sundays at 10 a.m. On March 6, Rev. Leslie Kee will present The Power of Paternalism. Drawing on the ideas of James Newton Poling and his book, Deliver Us from Evil, Rev. Kee will explore the nature of power and communities of resistance. A potluck celebration of the one year anniversary of our new home will follow the March 6th service. On March 13, guest speaker R.C. Johnson will present One Womans Use of Power to Build a Community, telling the story of R.C.s great-grandmother, Nellie Lockhart, one of Caspers early entrepreneurs. On March 20, guest speaker Dr. Tanis Lovercheck-Saunders will present Religious Justifications of Far Right Extremism. The annual Flower Communion will be held on March 27, and on April 3, Rev. Leslie Kee will speak about The Web of Creation. The UU Casper meditation group meets Thursdays at 6:30 p.m., and the weekly coffee talk is held Tuesdays at 10 a.m. The next Care N Share potluck will be held on March 16, from 6 to 8 p.m. Participants are asked to bring donations for the Wyoming Food for Thought Project. For more information about these events or Unitarian Universalism, visit uucasper.org, email info@uucasper.org, visit us on Facebook, or call Laura Gossman at 259-4469. Chamber society presents trio A trio of musicians, Veronica Turner, soprano; Joshua Mietz, clarinet; and Diego Caetano, piano, will perform at the Casper Chamber Music Society concert at 4 p.m. Sunday at Shepherd of the Hills Presbyterian Chruch, 4600 S. Poplar. Adults $8, seniors $6, students $2, 12 and under free. Tickets available at the door. The program will feature a great variety of works, from Mozart to Animal Antics, by contemporary composer Lori Andovina, including How to Make a Hippo Sandwich. Build robots at Tween Monday Students in grades four through six are invited to the weekly Tween Monday program at 4 p.m. March 7 at the Natrona County Library. This week, well build movable robots with wind-up feet and playdough. All supplies provided. Call 577-READ ext. 122 or email reference@natronacountylibrary.org for more information. Author C.J. Box at library C.J. Box will discuss his latest Joe Pickett novel, Off the Grid, at 6 p.m. March 7 at the Natrona County Library. The talk is free and open to the public. Seating is limited and available on a first come, first served basis. Wind City Books will have copies of Boxs newest release for purchase, which he will sign after his talk. Wind City Books will also raffle off an Off the Grid hat and book. Call 577-READ, ext. 2, or email reference@natronacountylibrary.org for more information. Photographers meet Monday The Casper Photography Associations next meeting will be at 7:30 p.m. Monday at the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission Building, 2211 King Blvd. Enter through the east door. The public is welcome. The March meeting will feature Sam Shermans photography from Adam Jahiels Willow Creek Ranch Photo Workshop which was held during September 2015. Jahiel and the Willow Creek Ranch at the Hole in the Wall, Kaycee, provided an experience for photographers to be at the heart of the fall cattle roundup. Shermans photography, from the workshop, allows the audience to visually participate by viewing a short video of his workshop photography. In addition, the meeting will include a photo tip about the Sunny 16 rule, also presented by Sherman. Sherman is a retired teacher from Casper. Please join us, to learn, network and enjoy a variety of events and field trips designed to maximize both the enjoyment and craft of photography. Lyn Clark 259-1894 Buying online The Natrona County Library will offer a Buying Online computer class at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, March 8, in the Tech Center. Come learn about online retailers, iTunes, app stores and much more. We will also discuss topics including how to avoid scams, safe online credit card use and credit card alternatives. Call 577-READ ext. 2 or email reference@natronacountylibrary.org for more information. Never Too Old Book Club A book discussion of young adult novel Dodger by Terry Pratchett will be held at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 8, at Metro Coffee Co. The Never Too Old Book Club, sponsored by the Natrona County Library, discusses young adult literature with adult appeal. The group is open to both teens and adults, with parent-teen pairs especially encouraged. Pick up your free copy of Dodger at the Librarys second floor reference desk. Please call 577-READ ext. 101 or email reference@natronacountylibrary.org for more information. Bible study starts Tuesday Heart of Casper Community Bible Study, Jesus the One and Only, by Beth Moore, begins with registration at 6:30 p.m., on March 8, at Hilltop Baptist Church, 2555 E. 2nd St. The study runs March 8 through May 3. Class facilitators are Nicole King, Carol Ann Marsh, and Gail Hilstrom. Remember you are something special in the Lords eyes and ours too! Call Jean Brown for more information at 234-3594. Choral concert at CC on Tuesday The Casper College choirs, under the direction of Dr. Zachary Vreeman, will present A Choral Feast: Songs About Food on Tuesday, March 8 at 7 p.m. in the Wheeler Concert Hall. The concert will feature Casper Colleges three choral groups: Collegiate Chorale, Womens Choir and Mens Choir. Special guest artists will include Casper College faculty: vocalists Kristen Lenth and Veronica Turner, clarinetist Dr. Joshua Mietz and percussionist Ron Coulter. The evenings program will include pieces by Ralph Vaughn Williams, Carl Orff, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Dmitri Bortniansky, songs from Eat Your Vegetables! by John Muehleisen, and others including several pieces by Kevin Memley and Kurt Knecht, two composers who will be visiting campus this semester, said Vreeman. Of the concert selections, Vreeman said, Some of the music is fun, some serious, but all quite enjoyable. The concert, which is free and open to the public, will also feature collaborative pianists Paula Flynn and Lynn Kahler. The Wheeler Concert Hall is located in the Music Building on the Casper College campus. After School at the Library Elementary-age students are invited to attend our weekly After School at the Library program at 4 p.m. Wednesday, March 9, at the Natrona County Library. This week, well learn watercolor techniques while creating personalized bookmarks to take home. All supplies provided. Call 577-READ ext. 122 or email reference@natronacountylibrary.org for more information. Coin club March 9 The Casper Coin Club will meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 9, Casper College, Gateway Building room 222. The topic will be Confederate currency. Call Al at 237-1156 if you have questions. Auto club meets Wednesday The regular monthly meeting of the Oil Capitol Auto Club will be held March 9 at Zs Classics on East Yellowstone. This will be the St. Patricks Day pot luck with the main course supplied by the club. Dinner will begin at 6 p.m., so dont be late. Please be sure to bring a dish and your table service. Jason Vican of the National Historic Trails Center will address the group with ideas for both on and off pavement visits. Everyone is Irish on St. Paddys Day. Archaeologists meet Wednesday The monthly meeting of the Casper Chapter of the Wyoming Archaeological Society will be held on Wednesday, March 9, at 7 pm. The meeting is on the ground floor of the Oil & Gas Conservation Commission Building, 2211 King Blvd. Please use the entrance on the east side of the building. Following a brief business meeting, David Eckles, retired director of the Office of the Wyoming State Archaeological Survey, will speak on the Garrett Allen (also called Elk Mountain) site. He will feature the history of investigations, chronology, projectile points, lithic raw materials, and the more interesting aspects of the faunal assemblage. Visitors and potential new members are welcome. Please contact Mavis Greer, Chapter President, at 237-2037 or via email at mavis@greerservices.com if you have any questions. Completing the FAFSA If youre planning to attend college next year and need financial aid, then its time to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. A representative from the University of Wyoming at Casper Educational Opportunity Center will provide FAFSA assistance from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 10, at the Natrona County Library. Please bring all 2015 W2s and tax information for both student and parents. Call 577-READ ext. 2 or email reference@natronacountylibrary.org for more information. Beekeepers meet Thursday Interested in beekeeping? The Natrona County Beekeepers Association invites you to join us to learn more about beekeeping on Thursday, March 10, 7 p.m., in room 207 of Strausner Hall, Casper College. Earth Angels on March 11 Earth Angels meets once a month. It is a gathering of women who will meet from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 11 at 3420 South Poplar St. to make bibs, lap covers, preemie baby gowns, caps for cancer patients, dolls, bears, quilts for preemie babies, heart patient pillows and any other items that will be of help to bless those who are hurting. Take a small luncheon salad to share at each monthly meeting (drinks are provided) as well as your scissors and your sewing machine if you own one. Please call Dolores at 237-2992 for information. Audubon meets March 11 Travis Neebling, the reservoir research biologist with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, will be the guest speaker for the Murie Audubon Societys March program. Travis earned his Master of Science degree from Iowa State University and his Bachelor of Science degree from Northland College. Travis research focuses on native and non-native sportfish populations in Wyomings large natural lakes and reservoirs. He evaluates new gear and techniques, monitors trends in populations, evaluates fish size and health, and evaluates stocking and harvest rates. He also serves as the states technical specialist on hydroacoustics and technical specialist on mercury contamination in fish. He will be describing his work in more detail and will be available to answer any questions you may have on Wyomings fisheries. Come and hear more about this ongoing research at 7 p.m. Friday, March 11, at the Oil & Gas Conservation Commission Building at 2211 King Blvd. As always, the program is free and open to the public. Lenten lecture series at FUMC First United Methodist Church, Casper will host a Lenten lecture series, Turning Points in Jesus Life, featuring Dr. James Fleming. It will be held from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, March 12, and 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and Sunday, March 13. Lunch included both days. Registration is $10. Fleming serves as director of Biblical Resource Study Center, an ecumenical organization serving Christians around the world. Fleming lived and worked in Israel from 1974 to 2006, where he founded and directed the World of the Bible Archeological Museum and Pilgrim Center in Jerusalem. He also taught at Hebrew University in Israel. Casper First United Methodist Church is located at 332 E. Second St., Casper. You can pre-register by calling 234-9385 or email the office at office@fumccasper.com. Equality at March 12 forum Two strong supporters of helping Wyoming become more deserving of its Equality State motto will be speaking at the March 12 luncheon meeting of the Democratic Womens Forum at the Casper Petroleum Club. State Representative Cathy Connolly (D) from Albany County and Aimee Van Cleave, executive director of the Wyoming Democratic Party, will speak on gender equity and related issues in the Legislative session just ending. Rep. Connolly has served in the legislature since 2008. She currently serves on the Joint Appropriations Committee and several select committees. Van Cleave graduated from the University of Wyoming in Gender and Womens Studies and Political Science. She maintains her big passion in life is to increase the number of women in elected office. Democratic Womens Forum meetings are open to anyone interested, regardless of gender. Reservations for the $15-a-plate luncheon need to be made the Thursday prior to the Saturday meeting. Please call Jerre at 234-8625 for reservations. Cabin fever clinic March 12 The Wyoming Flycasters will be hosting their annual Cabin Fever Clinic from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 12, at the Casper Recreation Center, 1801 E. Fourth Street. This free event is open to the public. We will have the pros who can teach you everything you need to know about fly fishing. There will be experienced fishermen giving casting lessons, as well as several people demonstrating the art of tying flies. We will give away a rod and reel at the end of the day. Come down and see us, well get you hooked! Cheryl Wilson 267-1903 Zilah Club cards March 12 A card party sponsored by Zilah Club, Daughters of the Nile, will be held Saturday, March 12, at the Casper Shrine Club at 39th and Coffman streets. This function helps fund the clubs charitable giving projects. Lunch is served at noon for $10 with cards or the game of your choice to follow at 1 p.m., or just enjoy lunch. For reservations, please contact Mary at 234-2951 or Lois at 472-9017 for reservations. Computer Help en Espanol The Natrona County Library will offer a Computer Help en Espanol class at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 12, in the Tech Center. This is an open session to answer questions related to computer use, Microsoft programs, the Internet and much more. Call 577-READ ext. 2 or email reference@natronacountylibrary.org for more information. Ayuda tecnologica en espanol La Biblioteca Publica del Condado de Natrona ofrecera una clase de Ayuda tecnologica en espanol el sabado, 12 de marzo a las 2 de la tarde en el Centro Tecnologico. La clase sera de un formato abierto para contestar preguntas sobre el uso de la computadora, los programas de Microsoft, el Internet y mucho mas. Por favor llame al 577-7323 extension 2 o envienos un correo electronico a reference@natronacountylibrary.org para mas informacion. Celebrate Pi Day March 14 Come celebrate Pi(e) day with Wyoming Food for Thought Project. Now an annual celebration, Wyoming Food for Thought Project invites you to celebrate community and food. Doors open at 5 p.m. at our community program center, located at 900 Saint John Street. After pie and coffee, we will show the film, The Starfish Throwers. This event is open to all. A donation of food or $5 will help us continue our vital childhood hunger program of weekend food bags. It just takes $5 to provide one child with a food bag which contains breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks for Saturday and Sundaywhen children are away from the safety nets of school. We currently serve 625 children every week, and the number continues to climb. Every dollar given, every can of food donated, is used in our community to change lives and give hope. For more information about how you can be a part of Pi Day or how you can help Food for Thought, call 337-1703, visit www.wyfftp.org. Fleece blankets keep rolling The Fleece Blanket Project provides a time of fun, fellowship, and community service for people of all ages. The group meets the third Saturday of each month from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at First Christian Church, 520 CY Ave. This informal group welcomes volunteers from numerous churches, groups and other agencies, as well as anyone who would like to help cut and tie fleece to make brightly colored blankets to be given to the homeless and those in need in Natrona County. Upcoming dates are March 19, April 16, May 21, and June 18. To date volunteers have made 101 blankets which have been given to Interfaith, Community Action, the Casper Police Department, Youth for Christ, NCSD homeless student liaison, the Self Help Center, the Youth Crisis Center, and individuals in need of warmth and comfort. In addition to volunteering your time, you may donate fleece (2 yards each of two complimentary colors/patterns). Bring sharp scissors if you have them or just come and tie! Spring Break camp at rec Spring Break is almost here, and the Casper Recreation Center has activities planned for elementary-age children. Spring Break Camp will be held from Friday, March 25, through Friday, April 1, with leaders available from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Activities will include games and sports, arts and crafts, ice skating on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and swimming on Tuesday and Thursday. The fee for all six days is $92, or there are a limited number of daily registrations for $18 per day. Children are supervised at all times and need to bring a sack lunch and morning snack. Fee includes an afternoon snack, skating and swimming. Pre-registration for these activities is highly recommended as space is limited. Registration can be done in person at 1801 E. Fourth St., by phone with a credit card at 235-8383 or online at www.activecasper.com. Babysitting clinic March 19 The next Babysitting 101 class for ages 11 to 14 will be offered from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, March 19 at the Casper Recreation Center. Babysitting 101 is an interactive class that trains the emergent babysitter in important topics, such as: getting your business started, understanding the likes and dislikes of children and equipping yourself with ideas for playing with kids of all ages. Students will learn solutions to the most common problems babysitters face and how to perform first aidincluding a demonstration of CPR & abdominal thrusts for choking emergencies. They also get to make and fill their own babysitting bag and receive a notebook with first aid information and a resource guide. The cost is $20 for those without a rec center pass and $18 for those with an annual rec center pass. Registration can be completed by calling 235-8383 with a credit card, stopping by the rec center or online at www.activecasper.com Other Babysitting 101 classes will be offered in May. Gymnastics at rec The Casper Recreation Center is offering a new session of gymnastics classes for fun, flexibility and fitness. Saturday classes begin March 19, and Wednesday classes begin March 23. Ages 2 to 12 can learn to tumble, balance, jump and spin in one of the following classes: Gym Jam, Tot Tumbling, Youth Beginning or Advanced Beginning Gymnastics. No experience is necessary. Gym Jam is for children ages 2-3 and their parents or other adult family member. They will improve motor skills and build a foundation for a healthy lifestyle with music, movement, tumbling and games. The class is held from 10:15 to 11 a.m. Wednesday. Tot Tumbling is for ages 3-4 and is offered from 4:30 to 5:10 p.m. Wednesdays. Youth Beginning Gymnastics for ages 5 and over is held from 5:15 to 6:15 p.m. Wednesdays or 9 to 10 a.m. Saturdays. Advanced Beginning classes are for ages 6 and up who have permission from the instructor and are held from 6:20 to 7:20 p.m. Wednesdays or 10:05 to 11:05 Saturdays. A new instructor, Lauren Baures, comes to us with 20 years of international competitive gymnastics experience. Class sizes are limited, so register today. For further information, or to register for any of our classes, please call the Casper Recreation Center at 235-8383. Information is also available at www.activecasper.com. High school rodeo fundraiser Rodeo is a year-round commitment that requires long hours, dedication, and motivation. Contestants build skills that will help them become future leaders. The Casper High School Rodeo Club will be hosting its third annual dinner and silent auction fundraiser on Friday, March 25, 2016 at the Ramkota Hotel. Our event last year raised over $23,000. We are hoping everyone can help us spread the word that we are looking for items for our silent auction or table reservations. Individual dinner tickets, $35; reserved table, $350 (includes dinner and full page in rodeo program); gold buckle table, $600 (includes dinner, two bottles of wine at the table, western keepsake, full page ad in rodeo program, and name in a drawing for a one-night Jacuzzi suite at the hotel). Funds raised will be used towards the annual Casper High School Rodeo at the Central Wyoming Fairgrounds in May, enhancing members rodeo skills through participation in clinics, and providing scholarships to our high school seniors. If you would be interested in helping us in our fundraising efforts or purchasing banquet tickets, please contact Marty or Collette Cox at (307) 267-6718 or marcolcox@hotmail.com. Thank you in advance for helping the Casper High School Rodeo Club. Joshuas needs driver Joshuas Storehouse is a 501(3) charity that needs drivers to help with daily operations. If you have the time, a good driving record and need to be needed, this may be just what you are looking for. Please call Dr. J at 265-0242 for an interview. Artisans deadline to Werner is April 4 Monday, April 4, is the deadline for those interested in submitting entries for the Werner Wildlife Museums annual show Artisans Unbound: Feathers, Fur, and Fiber. The show will open on Tuesday, April 12, and will run through Monday, July 11. There is no charge to enter, though size constraints may apply due to space limitations. To request entry forms and guidelines, stop by the museum, call 235-2108 or email India Hayford at indiahayford@caspercollege.edu. The Werner Wildlife Museum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and is located at 405 E. 15th St. CC sets livestock sale April 9 The Casper College Agriculture Department is hosting its 36th Annual Lamb and Pig Sale at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, April 9, in the Casper College Grace Werner Agricultural Pavilion on campus. Viewing of the animals, including goats, will begin at 10:30 a.m. This is a great chance for kids to buy a high quality pig, lamb or goat for show purposes, said Heath Hornecker, Casper College agriculture instructor. According to Hornecker, 35 to 40 lambs, 60 to 70 pigs, and a number of goats will be up for sale at the auction. The auction is a learning experience for the Casper College Agriculture Club members, who are responsible for the setup and handling of the event. Proceeds from the auction will go to the club to help with general and travel expenses. For more information contact Hornecker at 268-2525, hhornecker@caspercollege.edu or www.caspercollege.edu/events/lamb-pig-sale. Dems hold county convention April 9 The Natrona County Democratic Convention to choose our presidential candidate is to be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 9, at the Gateway Building at Casper College. To be eligible, voters must be registered as a Democrat by March 25. Attendees can preregister for the convention at wyodems.org and can contact Eric Nelson (ericnelsonwyo@gmail.com) or Brett Governanti (bgovernanti@gmail.com) for more information. The Supreme Court has left intact a federal rule that targets mercury pollution, giving the Environmental Protection Agency time to fix legal problems and come out with a revision by April. Twenty states had urged the court to block the rule while the government decided how to account for its costs, but Chief Justice John Roberts turned down their request on Thursday. The justices ruled last year that the EPA should have considered the costs and benefits before imposing limits on mercury and other air pollutants from coal- and oil-fired power plants. The high court let the rule stay in effect and sent it back to the federal appeals court in Washington to decide how a cost-benefits analysis should be conducted. A three-judge panel unanimously rejected the states' request to postpone the rule in December. The states, led by Michigan, argued that leaving the rule in place had already imposed billions of dollars of compliance costs on utility companies. They said it was unfair to keep it intact even after the Supreme Court said the EPA ignored the cost to power plants. A coalition of environmental groups and states supporting the rule urged the high court to keep it in place. The two-year state spending bill before Gov. Matt Mead includes a provision asking agency heads to find more reductions in their departments a sign lawmakers expect the downturn will linger. We are hopeful, but we want to have a plan in place to gradually reduce spending if we need to going into the next biennium, said Rep. Tim Stubson, a member of the Joint Appropriations Committee, the first group of lawmakers to craft the states budget. The provision, at the end of the 73-page state budget bill, requires agency heads, in consultation with the Wyoming Budget Division, to submit plans for new cuts. Most agencies will submit 3.5 percent reductions. The provision requires cuts totaling 5 percent, based on the budget recommendations that Mead submitted to the Legislature on Dec. 1, but lawmakers have already begun cuts for the upcoming two-year cycle to most agencies. Oil, gas and coal, which provide 70 percent of the revenues that fund government operations, are anticipated to be down $477 million for the two years beginning July 1. In the budget bill, most state agencies will be cut by 1.5 percent over that time period. Departments will additionally experience cuts in private-sector contracts, vacant positions, travel and state vehicle usage. Some programs have been completely slashed. Mead is reviewing the budget bill and has the option to sign it or veto some or all of it. The Legislature wouldnt consider the new reductions until the following two-year funding cycle, which begins July 1, 2018. That would help agencies ease into the reductions, instead of having them all occur at once, said Stubson, a Republican from Casper who is running for the U.S. House. The budget bill contains a separate provision asking department heads to list their agencies priorities. That will assist the Legislature as it is easier to cut low-priority programs, Stubson said. Critics of some of the cuts in the budget bill believe the new requirement is reasonable. It might give agency heads more control if further cuts are necessary in coming years. During this session, Democrats criticized the Joint Appropriations Committee for not being thoughtful when it recommended cuts in the state budget bill. I do think the Legislature becomes frustrated because the standing committees take hours and hours of testimony from constituent groups, experts, department personnel and really develop a deep understanding, said Sen. Chris Rothfuss, the leading Democrat in the Senate. Then they make recommendations to the Joint Appropriations Committee. The Joint Appropriations Committee considers the same issues for perhaps a few minutes and rejects the recommendations from the standing committees and chooses their own path. That does lead to frustration among other legislators. Rothfuss, who is from Laramie, said he doesnt believe the 5 percent requirement needs to be in state law. He believes Mead is responsible and would tell his agency heads to list their priorities and recommend cuts if the revenue picture becomes worse. Marguerite Herman, lobbyist for the Wyoming League of Women Voters, said the budget provision puts agency heads on notice that more cuts may be coming. The administrators can be more strategic, she said. And theyre the ones who really know what functions can be pared back. A separate bill now under consideration, Senate File 68, also outlines government practices that should occur during a revenue shortfall. Many of the practices are common but are simply being codified in state law, Stubson said. First, it requires the governor, when he is going to make decisions to divert funds or dig into the (rainy day fund) to cover the shortfalls, he has to report and give us a heads up, he said. The bill states the Joint Appropriations Committee can weigh in on the governors decisions. That would be new, Stubson said. They cant stop it, but they can comment to the governor, he said. Stubson doesnt know exactly how the Appropriations Committee would participate. Perhaps it would be an Appropriations Committee meeting and a letter to the governor. The bill puts a cap on how much the governor can dip into the rainy day fund, technically called the Legislative Stabilization Reserve Account, when he is preparing his budget recommendations. The Senate capped it at $108 million. The House capped it at 5 percent of the value of the rainy day fund, which currently amounts to about $90 million, Stubson said. Currently, the fund has $1.8 billion. The chambers will have to negotiate over the differences in coming days. Stubson said the Legislatures fiscal approach is hoping for the best for Wyoming revenues but planning for the worst. Many blame President Obamas initiatives on climate change for hurting Wyomings economy. Energy prices are also being affected by national and global supply and demand. If you continue to have the administration adopt positions that harm coal sales, if you continue to have administration positions that harm the oil and gas industry, its going to drive down prices over and above what the world market does, Stubson said. Sometimes I think this world is going completely crazy. The House of Representatives Natural Resource Committee is considering two bills that would hand over vast tracts of federal land for mining, logging or other commercial activities. This is just after the very disturbing occupation of the wildlife refuge in Oregon by armed militia. If these bills are looked at for what they really are, it is an attempt to obtain public lands for special single interest users. It is a land grab under a different name. Where we, the general public, thought that these public lands were the property of the American public, our representatives in Washington, D.C., would legalize a land transfer to big private money interests. And those lands where we fish, hunt, birdwatch, snowmobile, and hike would move over to special user groups who would have their single use and individual profits as top priority. Even our elected representatives in the Wyoming Legislature are fostering the same kind of land grab. They are using the same sales pitch that local interests can manage the land better and bring in income to the state. This sidesteps the whole issue: The public lands belong to the people of the United States. To try to appropriate them for state and local interests is a violation of the public trust. It feels like an armed militia in Cheyenne wanting to legalize an appropriation of federal lands. If I might back up for a little history, I want to point out that the land management agencies were set up to protect the rights and values of public lands. When I was a young person, I remember that the forest rangers were dedicated people and much admired and respected by those of us using public lands. Those people chose their careers because they were dedicated to the land ethic and quality values we enjoy here in Wyoming. They still do. Now it is popular to demonize these dedicated public servants and the agencies they represent. This is a calculated smear campaign to destabilize and confuse the public into thinking private industries are better land managers. What a shameful tactic. Pretty soon we can think of ourselves as a third-world poverty country, where big money rules. It is easy to crab about regulation. But that is a thoughtless generalization. The big corporations love regulation when it serves their purpose. When it is in their way, like requiring water quality and clean air, they want to get rid of it. So let us be specific on who benefits from what regulation. In a recent paper published by the journal Global Change Biology, there is documentation that increasing droughts threaten our forests. Dr. James Clark, professor of global environmental change and statistical science at Duke University and lead author of the paper, states that changes from climate will cause change in the biodiversity and numbers of plants and animals that live in the forests. The climate change is happening too quickly for tree populations to respond. Instead of looking to invade the national forests again, our elected representatives should look at slowing climate change, not allowing increased invasion from new forest harvest. I want to be on record to thank the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of Environmental Quality, Soil Conservation Service, Wyoming Game and Fish Department, National Park Service and the many other agencies (including law enforcement agencies) that protect our lives and the land we live on and enjoy. Without these agencies we would have crass competition by single interests to use the land assets for their private profit. If you think that the average citizen will have any access to obtaining ownership or use of public lands under the bills proposed by the House of Representatives Natural Resource Committee, think again. This is big money talking. This blog represents my personal views and is not reflective of the views or opinions held by any company, contractor, client or employer I work for currently or have worked for in the past. These views are not an endorsement to take any action in the markets or of any political position, figures or parties. ARGENTINA Obama urged to visit on different date BUENOS AIRES In a sign of growing discontent over a visit by President Obama, a former Argentine Nobel Prize winner says the U.S. leader should skip his planned March 24 visit to the country because its the 40th anniversary of a coup that installed a military government that had U.S. backing. Adolfo Perez Esquivel, who won the prize in 1980 for his defense of human rights during Argentinas 1976-1983 dictatorship, told The Associated Press that he plans to publish an open letter this week. Esquivel and Obama know each other through the Nobel Prize; Obama won it in 2009. Esquivel said the two had communicated before over human rights issues, including the indefinite detentions of prisoners at the U.S. naval base Guantanamo Bay. Esquivel said he welcomes Obama, and thinks its great that an American president wants to better get to know people in Latin America. However, he should not visit on March 24, Esquivel said. On that day in 1976, the military staged a coup. Human rights groups estimate that 30,000 people were killed or disappeared during the 1976 to 1983 military government. INDONESIA Tsunami warning lifted after powerful earthquake JAKARTA Indonesia lifted a tsunami warning issued Wednesday after a powerful earthquake off Sumatra sent islanders rushing to high ground. The U.S. Geological Service said the earthquake had a magnitude of 7.8. It was centered under the ocean at a depth of 15 miles, it said. Shallow earthquakes are more likely to cause damage, but the USGS said the quake was located far from land, about 409 miles from the town of Muara Siberut. Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said no damage or casualties were reported so far, but panicked people in several cities and villages on Sumatra Island and in the Mentawai island chain fled to higher elevations. GUATEMALA Court orders $1M in damages in sex-slavery trial GUATEMALA CITY A retired army officer and a former paramilitary must pay more than $1 million in damages to victims of sexual enslavement during the countrys civil war, a Guatemalan court ruled Wednesday. The tribunal ordered former 2nd Lt. Esteelmer Reyes Giron to pay about $65,000 and Heriberto Valdez around $32,500 to each of the 11 victims who participated in their criminal trial. Defense lawyers said the two do not have the money to pay such amounts. At trial, victims testified that they were raped and forced to cook and wash for soldiers during six months in 1982-83. They had gone to the Sepur Zarco base in northern Guatemala to ask about their husbands, who had disappeared when the military moved in. Reyes was also convicted of murder for the deaths of a woman and her two young daughters, and Valdez for the forced disappearance of seven men who were husbands of the victims. They were sentenced to 120 and 240 years, respectively, although Guatemalan law caps actual prison time served at 50 years. PHILIPPINES Chinese ships depart from disputed atoll MANILA Chinese coast guard ships were sighted two weeks ago at a disputed South China Sea atoll, sparking fears Beijing may take control of it, but they were gone when the Philippine government checked on Wednesday, the countrys top diplomat said. In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said the Ministry of Transportation dispatched ships to salvage a fishing vessel that had run aground near Jackson Atoll in late 2015 and which posed a risk to navigation. Wire reports Some things never get old. Take John Steinbecks Of Mice and Men, for instance. Arizona Theatre Company opens the play in previews this weekend. Steinbeck wrote the 1937 novella in a new style. My idea, Steinbeck told The New York Times shortly after it was published, was to write a play in the form of a novel. It was an experiment. I wanted to call it at first a play to be read. The famous director George S. Kaufman read it soon after it was published and immediately saw the theatrical potential in the dialogue-rich story. Steinbeck had a few offers to transfer it to the stage, but Kaufmans reputation won out over others. Steinbeck worked with the director to adapt the play which didnt take much; about 85 percent of the dialogue is straight from the book. The ATC production is co-produced with Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, and that companys artistic director, Mark Clements, directs. The story, required reading in almost every high school and banned in some takes place during the Great Depression. It is about two migrant workers, Lennie and George. Lennie is large, mentally childlike, and loves to pet soft things. George, his protector, has a dream of owning a ranch someday; he and Lennie would run it. But that dream is threatened when they get jobs as field workers at a ranch with a beautiful woman, the boss son, Curley, who has a mean streak, and a few other ranch hands to lend drama and texture to the story. Here are a few not-well-known facts about the play: Write what you know Steinbeck had worked in Soledad, Calif., where the play takes place, and once had a job as a blindstiff thats what migrant workers were called. The characters are composites to a certain extent, he told the Times in the 37 article. Lennie was a real person. Hes in an insane asylum in California right now. I worked alongside him for many weeks. He didnt kill a girl. He killed a ranch foreman. Got sore because the boss had fired his pal and stuck a pitchfork right through his stomach. I hate to tell you how many times I saw him do it. Curleys wife The lone woman in the Steinbeck play never gets a name shes known just as Curleys wife. She is denigrated in the dialogue, dismissed as a tease and a floozy. That interpretation of the character disturbed Clare Luce, who played the role in the original 38 production. Steinbeck wrote her a letter to try to help her understand the character. She grew up in an atmosphere of fighting and suspicion, Steinbeck wrote to the actress. Quite early she learned that she must never trust anyone but she was never able to carry out what she learned. A natural trustfulness broke through constantly. ... Her moral training was most rigid. She was told over and over that she must remain a virgin because that was the only way she could get a husband. This was harped on so often that it became a fixation. It would have been impossible to seduce her. She had only that one thing to sell and she knew it. Now, she was trained by threat not only at home but by other kids. And any show of fear or weakness brought an instant persecution. She learned to be hard to cover her fright. And automatically she became hardest when she was most frightened. She is a nice, kind girl, not a floozy. No man has ever considered her as anything except a girl to try to make. She has never talked to a man except in the sexual fencing conversation. She is not highly sexed particularly but knows instinctively that if she is to be noticed at all, it will be because someone finds her sexually desirable. About that title Steinbeck first called the book Something That Happened. By the time it was published, the title had changed to Of Mice and Men. The origin of that was the Robert Burns poem To a Mouse, which contains the line: The best-laid schemes o mice an men gang aft agley. Dog gone Steinbeck wrote in longhand, and his manuscript looked quite tasty to his dog, Max, who ate the original draft. a native of Tucson with a career in health care administration, died February 26, 2016 after a lengthy illness. She was 67. Leslie was the daughter of the late Marvin Bliss Price and Claire Price. She was born in 1949 and graduated in 1967 from Catalina High School. Years later, she served on the board of directors for the high school's foundation. Leslie was graduated from Northern Arizona University with a degree in health care administration. She was among the original organizers of AHCCCS, the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System. She met her husband, Tom, in Tucson, and they moved to California, Wisconsin and West Virginia due to his newspaper career. Their twin daughters were born in Monterey County, California. While raising her daughters, Leslie worked in programs aimed at helping parents become better parents. Before retiring in 2013, Leslie worked as a program coordinator at the University of Arizona Human Subjects Protection Program. Wherever they lived, Leslie was active in the local Episcopal Church. In Tucson, she was a member of St. Alban's Episcopal Church, where she served on the altar guild. Survivors include her husband, Tom, of the home; daughters, Dana of Tucson and Tessa of San Diego; sisters, Janice Seward of Tucson and Harla Young of Las Vegas and numerous nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that honorariums in Leslie's name be made to Amyloidosis Support Groups, 232 Orchard Drive, Wood Dale, IL, 60191. See www.amyloidosissupport.orgFollowing cremation, a Memorial Service will be held at 2:00 p.m., Friday, March 4, 2016 at St. Alban's Episcopal Church, 3738 N. Old Sabino Canyon Road, Tucson. ADAIR FUNERAL HOMES, Dodge Chapel, is handling arrangements. of Benson, AZ died February 27, 2016. He was 90 years old. Dean was born in Concordia, Kansas on February 10, 1926. He served in the US Navy, a veteran of World War II and the Korean War. He lived his earlier life in Eugene, Oregon where he married his wife, Fay (deceased) in 1950. Dean and Fay were married for 60 years and raised five children. Dean worked a 36 year career for the Southern Pacific Railroad as a car man and skilled welder. In 1971 he transferred his job with the Southern Pacific from Eugene, Oregon and moved his family to Tucson, Arizona. Dean lived and worked in Tucson until his retirement from the railroad in 1986. After retirement, Dean and Fay enjoyed traveling around the United States in their motor home, their goal, to see and explore all 50 states. After many years of traveling, Dean and Fay settled in Benson, AZ where he lived the last 20 years of his life. Dean was a member of the Knights of Columbus at his church and a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars. As a veteran of World War II and the Korean War, in 2012, Dean participated in an Honor Flight, honoring him for his service in two wars. Dean is survived by his five children, six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Services will be held at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church at 386 E. 5th St., Benson, AZ 85602 on Saturday, March 5, 2016, a Mass at 10:00 a.m. A brunch will follow the Mass. Arrangements by BRING'S BROADWAY CHAPEL. The Pima County Attorneys Office declined to file charges against a man who in December shot and killed a man police say had stolen beer. The shooter, whose name was redacted from police reports, reportedly killed Gerald Ramon, 46, on the afternoon of Dec. 6 after following Ramon from the Circle K on the corner of West Grant and North Oracle roads where, according to police, Ramon stole two cases of beer. A jury likely would see the shooting as self-defense because Ramon became the aggressor when he raised a piece of wood and advanced toward the shooter in the parking lot of a nearby Burger King, said Kellie Johnson, chief criminal deputy with the Pima County Attorneys Office. I didnt believe there was a likelihood of conviction based on issues of justification, Johnson said. Prosecutors would have had to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the shooting was not in self-defense, Johnson said, noting the shooter followed Ramon from a distance and did not confront him until Ramon stopped in the parking lot. The shooter told Tucson police he suffers from hydrocephalus a buildup of fluids in the brain and has undergone several brain surgeries, according to the police report. Given the shooters medical circumstances, a jury likely would have found that his fear of serious bodily harm or death was reasonable, Johnson said. When asked if her decision not to file charges was based on the states stand your ground laws, Johnson said although some people may think it was unwise to have followed Ramon, the shooter still had the right to defend himself. Theres nothing illegal about a citizen following another citizen when they think a crime has been committed and are trying to get the police there, Johnson said. The shooter told police he was terrified by Ramon coming toward him with the piece of wood and felt he needed to shoot to protect himself. The shooter told the Star by phone that he was the victim in the incident. The Star is not revealing his name because he was not charged with a crime, and he expressed a fear of retaliation. Sometimes we see crime happening and its just an impulse, he said. I know it wasnt the wisest thing to do. When he walked into the Circle K to cash a lottery ticket and buy something to eat, Ramon was walking out with beer, he said. The clerks at the store said Ramon had not paid for the beer and my impulses kicked in. Surveillance video at the store cited in the police report showed the shooter opening the door for Ramon and following him outside. A Circle K employee told police he got in his car and followed Ramon and the shooter, with the intention of calling the police once he discovered where Ramon was headed. The shooter said he tried to reason with Ramon by saying, Stop, it aint worth it, but his adrenaline was flowing pretty good. Mine was, too. He didnt know if Ramon had a weapon and fired his handgun when Ramon charged at him with a tree limb, he said. It all happened so fast, he said. The shooter told police he carries a LC Ruger 9mm handgun in his front pants pocket, with a fully loaded magazine, a round in the chamber, and the safety on. When asked if he would ever follow another person he saw committing a crime, he said: Absolutely never, no, unless it was an egregious case, such as someone attacking an old woman. It wasnt the wisest thing to do, but it happened, he said. I cant rewind the tape. Family members of Ramon did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday, but in the days immediately after the shooting they told the Star that Ramon was a former firefighter on the Tohono OOdham reservation who had worked in construction and landscaping for the past several years in Tucson. Ramon was the father of a 13-year-old daughter and 4-year-old son, said his sister Clare Ramon. He was a big-hearted person, she said. He loved to sing and he loved to dream. Thats not right, what he did. Following him and killing him, she said of the shooter. He should have just called 911 and let the officers take over, but him taking that action was not right. He ended the life of a very good person, son, and friend to many, she said. Several people living in the area described Ramon as a jokester who went out of his way to help others. A memorial including candles, a red balloon, flowers, a teddy bear and a plaque reading The love of a family is lifes greatest blessing was set up under a tree near the shooting site. We all knew him, so it hits us hard, said Ramons friend Tony Tillis. The public looks at what side of town its on, Tillis said. If hed killed a rich white guy, I guarantee hed be charged. Court records show Ramon had been convicted of misdemeanor charges of shoplifting, consuming liquor in public, assault, and criminal damage in the past five years. Ramon is not listed in the state prison systems online records. If he felt threatened by a stick, why not shoot him in the leg? said another friend of Ramon, Kenny Gonzales. The bullet hit Ramon in the front left side of his torso and lodged in his spine, according to the police report. Witness and police accounts in the Tucson police reports describe the piece of wood Ramon picked up as a big stick, log, section of tree branch/old log and large tree branch. The length of the piece of wood was estimated at 18 inches by two officers. Another piece of wood found near the scene was described as being 4 feet long. The shooter told police the wood was 12 to 14 inches long and about as wide as a softball. A Circle K employee told police the store loses about $6,000 each week to beer theft. One of the Circle K employees told officers Ramon was a regular beer runner. State lawmakers may put a stop to Pima Community Colleges longtime practice of overstating its enrollment to prop up its spending limit. A bill supported by some legislators but opposed by a tax watchdog would force the school to reduce its annual spending ceiling by basing it on an average of actual enrollment instead of on estimates. Current rules allow colleges to estimate the number of students they expect to serve that year to calculate their spending limits. PCC typically overestimates by 30 to 40 percent, which has kept its spending ceiling from dropping in tandem as the schools enrollment plunges. Between 2012 and 2015, for example, the Tucson schools actual enrollment fell 25 percent while its spending limit, based on the inflated estimates, fell by just 11 percent. A colleges spending limit, which is separate from its budget, caps the amount of local tax revenue a school can spend. It does not limit how other revenue, such as tuition dollars, can be spent. The House Government and Higher Education Committee is expected to hear SB 1322 Thursday, March 3. The measure, which would apply to all community colleges, has already passed the Senate. Had the proposal been in effect this school year, PCCs $114.4 million spending limit would have fallen by nearly $4 million to $110.6 million, school officials say. Thats a much softer hit than the college would have taken under similar bills proposed this year and last. A version floated in 2014, for example, would have required PCC to make budget cuts of around $30 million. Pima isnt the only Arizona school to use inflated enrollment figures to calculate its spending limit but its probably the biggest abuser of the current system, said Sean McCarthy of the Arizona Tax Research Association, the statewide group thats been pushing for changes to how spending limits are calculated. The group pushed this year for a different reform bill that would have reduced PCCs spending limit by about $16 million, but that proposal hasnt found support among lawmakers. SB 1322 would require colleges to use a five-year average of actual enrollment to calculate spending limits. An amendment added at PCCs urging would allow schools to use a 10-year enrollment average for the first three years to keep spending limits from falling too quickly at schools with declining enrollment. The bill also would allow colleges to count a student taking career and technical training as 1.3 students when calculating spending limits since such programs often are more expensive to operate. The current system for determining spending limits, makes no sense in 2016, said state Sen. Steve Farley of Tucson, one of SB 1322s sponsors. The world has changed since 1980, when the current rules were established, Farley said. Some of the programs being offered today cost a lot more to run, he said. When a college loses enrollment as quickly as PCC, it doesnt necessarily follow that its spending should drop to the same degree, Farley said. There is a limit to how far you can adjust your spending downward without having a permanent free-fall, he said. McCarthy said hes expecting kind of a battle in the House when the measure is debated. Hell be arguing against the provisions that allow for 10-year averaging and weighting for career and technical students, measures his group deems too generous to properly protect taxpayers. PCC Governing Board member Demion Clinco said college officials are keeping fingers crossed that the bill passes in its current form. It isnt perfect, he said of the measure. But it would give the college some financial certainty going forward. If it passes the committee Thursday, the bill will also have to clear the House Appropriations Committee and get the go-ahead from the full House before it can proceed. A bill that would force Pima Community College to stop using inflated enrollment figures to calculate its constitutional spending limit has cleared another hurdle in the Arizona Legislature. The House Government and Higher Education Committee voted 5-2 Thursday to support Senate Bill 1322, which requires all community colleges to use an average of actual enrollment instead of estimates when establishing their annual spending ceilings. The bill includes a change sought by PCC which would allow schools to use a 10-year average of actual enrollment for up to three years before reverting to a five-year average. The bill also contains a new enrollment calculation formula that puts a 30 percent higher value on career and technical education students than on other students when determining a schools spending limit. And it allows colleges to exempt certain types of revenue such as funding from community business partners -- from the spending limit calculations. A colleges spending limit, which is separate from its budget, caps the amount of local revenue such as taxes that can legally be spent through a formula based until now on enrollment estimates. It does not limit how other revenue, such as tuition dollars, can be spent. PCC longtime practice of inflating its enrollment estimates by 30 to 40 percent a year in recent years is part of what prompted scrutiny from state legislators. Has the bill had been in effect this school year, PCCs spending limit would have fallen by about $4 million. The committee heard nearly two hours of arguments for and against the bill Thursday before giving it a thumbs-up. Critics said the bill alters existing rules so much that the changes should be presented to taxpayers for voter approval, since the original rules for community college spending limits were established by voters in 1980. What youre providing is an override for the entire (community college) system, said Michael Hunter of the Phoenix-based Goldwater Institute, a conservative policy organization. Supporters said the bill will bring transparency to spending limit rules by banning the use of enrollment estimates, and will make it easier for community colleges to offer more-costly career and technical training programs that lead to better-paying jobs. Were making it a little easier for our community colleges to provide educational opportunities, said the committee chair, Rep. Bob Thorpe of Flagstaff The bill, which already has passed the Senate, now must win approval the House Appropriations Committee and get the go-ahead from the full House before it can proceed. OPINION: "Pima Community College belongs to the entire Tucson community. The governing board is the communitys way to hold the college accountable and to steer the institution toward best serving the greatest number of people. Help secure the brightest future for our community college and join us in supporting Theresa Riel for the District 2 seat on the PCC Governing Board," writes Makyla Hays, president of the Pima Community College Education Association. PHOENIX Abortion foes at the Legislature are throwing up new roadblocks to Planned Parenthood being able to provide any services through the states Medicaid program. HB 2599 would allow the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System to exclude any organization that failed to segregate taxpayer dollars from abortions. That would include not only direct expenses for doctors and other staff but also any overhead expenses, such as keeping the lights on. The legislation approved by the House Wednesday on a 35-24 party line vote comes two years after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to give Arizona the go-ahead to cut off family planning funding to Planned Parenthood simply because the organization also provides abortions. The justices let stand lower court rulings that said singling out that organization for disparate treatment is illegal. This new proposal by Rep. Justin Olson, R-Mesa, is a way to get around those rulings. But Jodi Liggett, spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood Arizona, said this measure suffers from the same legal flaws. She said if it is signed into law it will meet the same legal fate a fate that resulted in Arizona taxpayers shelling out $200,000 to pay Planned Parenthoods legal fees. Arizona and federal laws already bar the use of public funds for abortions that are not medically necessary. But the state, as part of its participation in the federal Medicaid program, provides family planning services for needy women. The federal government pays 90 percent, with the state covering the balance. Medicaid statutes and regulations also permit eligible women to choose from any qualified provider, which has included Planned Parenthood. In 2012, however, state legislators amended the law to say any organization that also provides abortions cannot be a qualified provider. Olson, who sponsored that legislation, too, said any money the government gives Planned Parenthood to pay for other expenses frees up funds for abortions. But that argument failed to convince federal judges. Judge Marsha Berzon, writing for the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, pointed out that the law says those enrolled in Medicaid, which includes AHCCCS, get the services they need from any qualified provider. And Berzon said there is no evidence that Planned Parenthood medical staffers are not qualified. Olson said this new measure is legally distinguishable from that 2012 law. More to the point, he said its justified. The overwhelming majority of voters agree that tax dollars should not fund abortion, he said. Theres no guarantee that thats not occurring right now, Olson continued. What this bill does is it creates a requirement that a provider of abortions segregate those dollars so that taxpayers have some certainty that their funds are not being used to fund an abortion. Put simply, he said Planned Parenthood would not get family planning dollars unless it can show absolutely none of it helps underwrite the cost of elective abortions, even indirectly. Liggett said HB 2599 is set up to provide a pretext to cutting off Medicaid dollars no matter what evidence Planned Parenthood provides. Part of the problem, Liggett said, is providing absolute proof to the satisfaction of state officials who operate from a position of opposing abortion. Nobody can prove that, she said. Ask Banner Health if each of their hospitals can prove that theyre not paying for all their air conditioning from one particular procedure or another, she said. Olson, however, said he is not setting a trap. You can segregate those appropriately through accounting. Intolerance is rampant at every level and in all age groups of the society, but it is more visible amongst the younger generation as our youth can be seen losing their altitude of patience over petty issues. We seriously need to think over it as what we are going to inculcate in them, which may help them seek success in future. Will it be tolerance or intolerance? Unsung Heroes Select Search Engine... Turtlelearner Unsung Heroes Search The Web Powered by Rollyo About Me turtlelearning Retired June 30, 2009 -- job was cut. Seemed better to agitate from without rather than from within. Are students inspired by books about real people? If so, I plan to write about people they have never heard about because the history books wouldn't allow it. View my complete profile World Book Day (WBD) in the UK marks its 19th year this March, staying true to the underlying principles of UNESCOs annual celebration of reading and Books, which provides encouragement to millions of children and young people across the globe. Annual event to boost reading Held each year on the first Thursday in March in the UK and Ireland, WBD represents a charity event and the local manifestation of the wider World Book and Copyright Day (also known as International Day of the Book), which allows UNESCO to encourage reading, publishing and copyright around the world. To celebrate WBD, schools in the UK are encouraged to hold special fundraising events for Children less fortunate than themselves. UK moved the date The official UNESCO celebration was originally held on 23rd April, a development on a Catalonian tradition whereby roses and books are traditionally given as presents on that date. But it was sensibly moved to its current place in the UK calendar to avoid clashing with Easter and St Georges Day, hence ensuring that it falls in term time. The UKs localised version began in 1998, with the then Prime Minister Tony Blair launching the event at Londons Globe Theatre. Voucher given to children In the UK, the event is actively promoted with the aim of giving a voucher to every child in full-time education that they can spend on books. From its basic premise, World Book Day UK has expanded to incorporate additional initiatives that encourage adults to participate as well: Spread The Word encourages readers to recommend books to each other. encourages readers to recommend books to each other. Quick Reads Initiative was introduced in 2006, the idea being to inspire adults who do not read very often and those who struggle to read to find joy through the pastime. To facilitate that ambition, a series of short books (128 pages or shorter) have been penned over the years by bestselling authors and celebrities such as Gordon Ramsay, Ricky Tomlinson and Andy McNab. Patterns of reading There is certainly a growing market for childrens literature, with an estimated 349 million worth of sales across all formats during 2014. The heartening figures provided by the Publishers Association suggest an 11% increase on those for the previous year, with best-selling titles such as The Gruffalo (Julia Donaldson) and Gangsta Granny (David Walliams) proving particularly popular in their respective target age groups. UNESCOs overall goals UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is a specialised agency within the United Nations. World Book Day fits neatly within its overall aims to promote international collaboration through educational, scientific, and cultural reforms. The largest airline of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the flag carrier of the Emirate of Dubai , Emirates , has announced that it will ... The University of North Georgia was formed through the consolidation of North Georgia College & State University and Gainesville State College, two of the top-performing schools in the University System of Georgia, in January 2013. Positioned in the fastest-growing region of the state, UNG is comprised of five campuses united by a single mission focused on academic excellence and academic and co-curricular programs that develop students into leaders for a diverse and global society. The University of North Georgia is a University System of Georgia leadership institution and is The Military College of Georgia. The university offers more than 100 programs of study ranging from certificate and associates degrees to professional doctoral programs. The Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) requires colleges and universities that participate in federal student financial aid programs to disclose certain information to current and prospective students, and to university employees. This site was developed to provide these disclosures in one coherent location. If you have questions, please contact the appropriate office. ShoreTel Expands Globalization Growth Through HYBRID System and Voxbone Partnership Share Tweet By Jessica N. Abraham-Hogan Contributing Writer By Jessica N. Abraham-HoganContributing Writer ShoreTel (News - Alert), provider of unified communications solutions and phone systems, has decided to partner with Voxbone in extending the reach of its Cloud PBX Service. Voxbone (News - Alert) is a global provider of virtual local and business-centric telephone numbers, serving both individual and enterprise consumers. Impacting global expansion strategies, ShoreTels partnership with Voxbone will enhance enterprise operations, by allowing clients to be reached by customers outside of their current territories and markets. ShoreTel recently launched the Connect CLOUD, providing fully hosted management to benefit collaboration and unified communications experiences. This not only establishes a centralized universe for companies working across continents, but it also allows them to receive direct inward dialing (DID) extensions that facilitate global demand through a carrier-grade network. Voxbone, an industry choice for many, has partnerships with national carriers all over the world, providing service possibilities to the end-customer. They not only assign traditional geographic-based numbers, but they also provide regional 800 numbers and the ability to receive text via virtual mobile numbers. This is extremely important for organizations that are switching from strict call center models to contact call centers in keeping with modern progression. This move also facilitates customer contact through multiple platforms. Delivering the means to communicate through a central source provides continue efficiency and fosters proactivity in the workplace. It also establishes brand trust and loyalty. Which means, ShoreTel is providing clients with more convenient way to serve their customers. Striving to better serve a globalized workforce, ShoreTel has been working to evolve their solutions in meeting the needs of companies operating in obscure locations and geographical regions, while connecting remote teams throughout. In other news, the rollout of the ShoreTel Connect HYBRID is allowing sites to mix-and-match efforts towards more effective UC deployment. Companies are be able to move all communications within the cloud or route them to where it most benefits their daily activities. Directory synchronization allows for extension-to-extension dialing, pairing virtual extensions with actual extensions in the physical realm. "The hybrid architecture is a destination, instead of a transitional strategy," states Dave Michels, Analyst of UC Strategies. ShoreTel is taking an initiative in upselling existing solutions by helping companies exceed their current growth and business models. With growth comes the need to upgrade servicing and ShoreTel is working to help them get there. "Many customers want to take advantage of UCaaS capabilities, and at the same time they want to leverage their existing assets and business processes," states Eugenia Corrales, SVP of product at ShoreTel. She continues by discussing new subscription-based model targeting the specific needs of each business. "Businesses now have the flexibility to optimize communications services and applications while migrating payments to a subscription-based model." A few benefits of the ShoreTel Connect HYBRID and the move to integrate Voxbone technologies include little or no expense in: Adding additional offices and office expansions in remote locations Providing seasonal teleworkers with their own extensions without interfering with IT operations Simplifying communications Centralizing communications Transitioning operational models and existing solutions Reaching customers outside existing markets or market reach Providing flexibility in the communications model Protecting sensitive communications and identities of workforce This shift in solution servicing allows on-site and remote workforces to work together in synch, while facilitating productivity and collaboration in day-to-day business operations. Its almost like theyre down the hall from each other. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Article comments powered by Disqus Article comments powered by Edited by Maurice Nagle Contact US for US Tax Services in Mexico We are in Mexico to assist our clients at various times during the year even though we provide most services by email, fax, internet and phone. If you would like to see us in Cabo San Lucas Mexico in 2015, call us at our Mexican phone number 624-131-5228 or our US number in Mexico at 949-480-1235. Email us at ddnelson@gmail.com Taiwan to expand use of quake early warning system Updated: 2016-03-04 01:15 (Xinhua) TAIPEI -- Taiwan should expand the use of an early warning system for earthquakes that could give valuable seconds for people to react before deadly quake waves arrive, the island's quake research institute said Thursday. Currently, the technology is used in 236 primary and middle schools. When a quake hits, a short broadcast will automatically notify students and teachers, according to Chang Kuo-chun, head of the Center for Research on Earthquake Engineering. The center's figures show that after a quake is detected there is around 4 to 50 seconds before strong waves arrive, depending on different distances from the epicenter. For quakes stronger than magnitude 5, there are still 4 to 17 seconds for issuing early warnings. Chang said the center will cooperate with authorities to expand the use of the warning system to residential and commercial buildings, especially for high-tech sectors. At present, installing the technology in privately-owned buildings has a relatively high cost and must be agreed upon by property owners in a building, making installation more difficult. The center will also use its technological expertise to help raise the earthquake resistance of public buildings, including hospitals, police stations, department stores and cinemas, according to Chang. High military budget necessary Updated: 2016-03-03 07:42 (China Daily) A formation of the Nanhai Fleet of China's Navy on Saturday finished a three-day patrol of the Nansha islands in the South China Sea. [Photo/Xinhua] As the annual session of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, draws near, there has been a growing number of foreign media reports speculating that "a considerable rise" in China's military spending will be announced. Some have suggested a 20 percent rise. In the context of the United States' accelerated military deployment in the Asia-Pacific region, its strengthening of its military alliances with countries in the region and increased military provocations in the South China Sea, it is only reasonable to make comparison between China's military spending and that of the US if there is a need to compare China's military spending with that of others. Compared with the 10 large aircraft carrier battle groups the US possesses, China only has an intermediate-sized aircraft carrier that is not part of its fighting capabilities. That means China still has a lot to do to upgrade its military combat system. There is a belief that only after its military budget is at least a half or two-thirds that of the US can China realize an initial strategic balance with the US in the Asia-Pacific. China's military buildup is not intended for confrontation with the US. It is only an indispensable step toward matching its military strength to its economic status, and dealing with the greater geopolitical pressures China faces than other major powers. A large military gap between China and the US is unfavorable to world peace, and may spark risky military moves from the US, the stronger party. Washington's recent show of its military muscle in the South China Sea can largely be attributed to its superior military strength. The stronger China is militarily, the less the US will be motivated to make such military provocations. China's exact military budget for this year is yet to be revealed, but a majority of Chinese people look forward to a considerable increase. Family policy can succeed only with support Updated: 2016-03-03 08:22 By MU GUANGZONG(China Daily) The policy allowing all couples to have two children has been in effect since Jan 1, but the authorities should improve policies related to pregnancy and childcare to raise China's total fertility rate. Since 2000 China has been in the lowest-low fertility rate trap, with the actual fertility rate being less than 1.3. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the total fertility rate in 2011, 2012 and 2013 was 1.04, 1.26 and 1.23, far below the population replacement rate, which has led to problems such as an aging population, "empty nest" families, gender imbalance and labor shortage. The goal of reforming the reproductive rights policy should be to strengthen families against risks to achieve a moderate fertility rate (total fertility rate between 1.6 and to 2.5). And to promote the new family planning policy, the authorities should devise a new population concept based on population security. If, in the process, there is a baby boom, it will create more advantages than disadvantages, and more opportunities than challenges for the country. Therefore, China should work out a long-term road map for the family planning policy, not only to allow all couples to have two children, but eventually make couples' wish to have more children a "personal choice". Perhaps this process could start during the 13th Five-Year-Plan (2016-20). The percentage of children in China's total population has been in decline since the 1980s, while that of senior citizens has been increasing. The third national census, held in 1982, showed people aged between 0 and 14 years accounted for 33.6 percent of the total population, while those between 65 and above added up to 4.9 percent. In 2000, the percentages were 22.9 and 7, and in 2010, 16.6 and 8.87. This shows the sustainable development of China's population has been largely undermined. Big pants: China Central Television (CCTV) headquarters in central Beijing, often cited as one of the country's unusual buildings. CFP It looks like China's "weird" buildings got caught with their pants down. The headquarters of China Central Television in Beijing is among the most famously odd. The building designed by noted Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas is known as the "big trousers" by locals. Now the government is going after monstrosities and also has had it with gated communities. "There is a phenomenon that buildings in cities are attempting to be large, Western-orientated and weird," was how Xinhua quoted a State Council report detailing the new design guidelines. "Bizarre architecture that is not economical, functional, aesthetically pleasing or environmentally friendly will be forbidden." The aesthetic issue came up in the Feb 21 report addressing problems with China's massive urbanization and city expansion. The report, which calls for "applicable, economic, green and elegant" designs, was preceded by a December planning conference of Chinese leaders. The Central Urban Work Conference in December was the first such meeting to address the issue since 1978, when only 18 percent of China's population lived in cities. By the end of 2015, the number approached 50 percent. "These changes, long overdue, should give every city in China a new lease on life," said Ming Wu, AIA, design principal for the New York-based international architectural firm Perkins Eastman, which is prominent in China. "President Xi Jinping famously remarked about this first in 2014." Wu told China Daily that for many years "as China has been intent on commanding the world's stage, the global community of architects has been only too happy to oblige when it came to the built environment. Client ambition and ego, combined with architects' wildest dreams, created a playground for the design - and engineering - community that was bound to result in 'too much fun' from time to time. "However, given the scale of China's demand, coupled with some one-upmanship, the result has been an excess of high-profile, `weird' buildings, in both the private and public sectors. "The flip side of this coin is that, at the same time, China has been a key and fertile proving ground for advancing the state-of-the-art for many building typologies, in terms of both architectural design and engineering." Wu also believes the move against gated communities makes sense. "Such private enclaves tend to occupy much too much land - land that China cannot spare - and often in some of the best locations in the hearts of cities. These developments have been characterized by uncomfortably large blocks that are not walkable nor pedestrian-friendly, deny active street settings edged by storefronts, and are simply anti-urban in every way. "The new policy advocates smaller blocks, smaller developments that turn outward to address surrounding streets, and thus a more dense network of streets - all good. "After all, streets are the circulatory system of cities. Of course, in the near term, we can expect a NIMBY (not in my back yard) outcry from those enjoying such residential sanctuaries at the expense of the larger communities," he said. Cities no longer will be allowed to grow beyond what their natural resources can support, according to the guidelines. Increased urbanization has brought more pollution, traffic congestion and public safety hazards. Poor urban planning also has led to overtaxed power grids, the report said. The document calls for greater oversight by city legislative bodies and harsher punishment for anyone contravening regulations. Construction techniques that generate less waste and use fewer resources, such as prefabricated buildings, will be encouraged. In 10 years, 30 percent of new buildings are expected to be prefabricated. Within five years, a map of non-conforming buildings across China's cities will exist, and violations will be addressed, the State Council document said. The reform of urban housing will be geared to the basic needs of disadvantaged groups, with the market expected to meet the demand of other residents. By 2020, the transformation and renovation of shantytowns, urban villages and dilapidated houses in cities will be complete. Open residential communities will be established, with links to public roads that can become part of the urban road system, leading to better land use and optimization of roadways. Cities will get more green belts and urban parks. The buildings occupying public green land also should be phased out, the report said. By 2020, mega cities with a population greater than 5 million will have at least 40 percent of trips completed via public transport; that figure will be 30 percent in cities with a population above 1 million, and 20 percent in other cities. "Advancements achieved in China can be applied everywhere in the world," Wu said. "So one can say that some of the 'weirdness', but not all of it, can be forgiven." Contact the writer at williamhennelly@chinadailyusa.com US tariffs hit Chinese steel industry Updated: 2016-03-03 12:12 By Amy He in New York(China Daily USA) The latest US tariffs imposed on steel from China could hurt the Chinese steel market as the sector continues to see declines in demand and is suffering from a supply glut, industry observers said. The US Department of Commerce announced in a preliminary decision on Tuesday that it had placed tariffs on cold-rolled steel from China and several other countries. China received the most punishing tariff, 266 percent. Cold-rolled steel is used in automobile parts and appliances. It was the second high tariff the Commerce Department has levied against China in several months, the other one a 256 percent tariff on corrosion-resistant steel, which is used in automobiles and air conditioners. According to the Commerce Department, China exported more than 790,000 metric tons of cold-rolled steel to the US in 2014, and is the biggest exporter of the commodity among the countries with the newly imposed tariffs. "At this point I would doubt that there would be any steel coming in from China to the United States," said John Packard, president and publisher of the trade publication Steel Market Update. "The Chinese were already blocked from shipping hot-rolled from a past ruling from many years ago, and this will essentially stop them from being able to ship cold-rolled and [corrosion-resistant] products to the United States," he said. Domestic steel producers in the US filed petitions accusing several international competitors of dumping their products in the US and receiving subsidies from their governments. China was shipping from 130,000 to 275,000 metric tons of steel a month to the US, which has dropped to around 83,000 metric tons a month, according to figures compiled by Steel Market Update. In early 2015, China was averaging about 60,000 metric tons of cold-rolled steel exports to the US monthly, but that declined to less than 40 tons in January and February 2016. "These are not insignificant numbers," Packard said. China's steel industry is already facing a slowdown due to decline in demand that has led to large supplies of cheaply priced steel. The government announced earlier this week that roughly half a million steel workers will be laid off. Adam Hersh, senior economist at the New York-based Roosevelt Institute, said that China has overinvested resources in steel capacity and is now cutting back, and the tariffs will pressure producers. "What it does is that it's going to financially squeeze the producers in China who have not responded to market signals when prices were low to pull back on investments and increasing production. So they're going to find themselves with a lot of product that's worth less and less," he said. The steel industry is also affected by the country's shift from a manufacturing-led economy to a service-based one, and a desire to curb pollution caused by heavily industrialized sectors like steel. "Since 2010, the domestic demand for steel is declining - not shrinking in absolute terms, but growing more slowly," said Nicholas Lardy, senior fellow at the Washington-based Peterson Institute for International Economics. "It's mostly because the property market investment has been growing more slowly. The biggest challenge in the domestic industry arises from changes in the domestic demand situation," he said. amyhe@chinadailyusa.com DPRK fires short-range missiles into eastern waters: Yonhap Updated: 2016-03-03 09:58 (Xinhua) SEOUL - The Republic of Korea's defense ministry said Thursday that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has fired several short-range projectiles into eastern waters after new UN Security Council resolution on Pyongyang. Defense Ministry spokesman Moon Sang-Kyun told a regular press briefing that DPRK forces fired several rounds of short-range projectiles at about 10 a.m. local time (0100GMT) from its Wonsan area into the East Sea. Whether the projectiles were short-range missiles or artillery shells hasn't been identified, the spokesman said, adding that the military has been analyzing the launches. Moon noted that the ROK military maintained a full defense readiness while closely monitoring the moves of DPRK forces. The DPRK's launches came just hours after new UN Security Council resolution on Pyongyang was adopted by consensus in New York over its recent nuclear test and long-range rocket launch. Pyongyang tested what it claimed was its first "hydrogen bomb" on Jan 6 and launched a satellite on a long-range rocket, which was condemned by outsiders as a banned test of missile technology, on Feb 7. Describing the new UN resolution as one of the toughest and most effective non-military measures in seven decades of UN history, the ROK said it will step up efforts at international cooperation to encourage the DPRK to dismantle its nuclear program "completely, verifiably and irreversibly." The new resolution was the fourth UN sanction against Pyongyang's nuclear tests. Previous resolutions were adopted in 2006, 2009 and 2013 each when the DPRK tested its atomic devices. Two separate UN resolutions were also approved in 2006 and 2013 when the DPRK tested a prohibited missile technology by launching long-range rockets. Seoul's foreign ministry said that new sanctions against Pyongyang would eliminate loopholes in previous resolutions to focus on cutting off resources to finance the DPRK's nuclear and missile programs. Liang appeal sill gathering steam Updated: 2016-03-03 10:02 By Neu Yue in New York(chinadaily.com.cn) Donations for Peter Liang's case are reaching a critical mass, according to Chinese community leaders. Eddie Choi, president of the Lin Sing Association of New York, said on Wednesday that his group and the Brooklyn Asian Communities Empowerment had raised more than $600,000 to support Liang's legal fees for the appeal on his manslaughter conviction. Liang, now 28, was a rookie cop on patrol in a Brooklyn housing project in 2014 when he fired his gun. A stray bullet ricocheted off a wall, fatally striking Akai Gurley, 28, on a lower floor. "We had collected approximately $600,000 in total and we can afford better lawyers to help Liang," Choi told China Daily. Choi said at least three lawyers had met with Liang's family this week, but no formal arrangement had been made yet. Some lawyers proposed establishing a fund and investment plan to provide financial support for Liang's family. John Chan, chairman of Asian Community Empowerment in Brooklyn, said that about $100,000 from the total donation had been given to subsidize Liang's family. Chan hoped all the money would be used in an appropriate way because all the contributors, most of whom were Asian Americans, donated the money to help Liang's appeal and reverse what they consider to be an unjust trial. "The ultimate decision on how to spend the money is in the hands of Liang's family," Chan said. Chan said Liang would continue with the appeal and new lawyers would be selected by the end of this week. "Peter and his family were very thankful for all the help from Chinese communities across the US," Chan said. Thousands of people rallied across the country on Feb 20 to demonstrate what they see as an unfair conviction of Liang, Long Yifan in New York contributed to the story. UN puts new sanctions on North Korea Updated: 2016-03-03 12:12 By Chen Weihua in Washington(China Daily USA) The UN Security Council unanimously passed a resolution on Wednesday imposing new sanctions on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) for its latest nuclear and ballistic missile-related activities. In the Resolution 2270, sponsored by the United States, the 15-member Security Council condemned "in the strongest terms" the nuclear test conducted by the DPRK on Jan 6, noting that it was "in violation and flagrant disregard" of the council's prior resolutions. It also condemned DPRK's Feb 7 launch, which used ballistic missile technology and was a "serious violation". Liu Jieyi, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, reiterated China's opposition to the North Koreans' tests. He said China sticks to the principle of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula; maintaining the peace and stability of the peninsula; and resolving the issue through dialogue and negotiation. "The Security Council resolution passed today has reflected that principle. It shows the seriousness of the international community in opposing DPRK's further development of the nuclear and missile capacity and protecting the global non-proliferation regime," he said. Liu urged parties involved to return to the Six-Party Talks, saying, "Today's adoption should be a new starting point and a paving stone for political settlement of the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula. "Sanctions are not an end in themselves," he said, emphasizing that history has shown that dialogue and negotiation make up the only correct path to the denuclearization of the peninsula. China has proposed a dual-track parallel approach that includes denuclearization and replacing the 1953 armistice agreement with a peace agreement. Liu and Russia's Permanent Representative to the UN Vitaly Churkin expressed their opposition to deploying a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile system in South Korea. The Republic of Korea and the US are in consultation about the possible deployment of the system in response to the DPRK. Liu said the situation on the peninsula is tense and sensitive. "All the parties should refrain from actions that will aggravate tensions on the peninsula," he said. He described the deployment of THAAD as an action that will hurt the strategic and security interest of China and other countries in the region and runs contrary to the goal of maintaining peace, security and stability. "It will seriously damage the efforts by the international community to seek a political solution," he said. "Todays unanimous action by the Security Council has sent a clear message that the DPRK must return to full compliance with its international obligations," UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said in a statement. He said the firm response by the Security Council should put an end to the cycle of provocation and lead to the resumption of dialogue in accordance with the unified view of the international community. The resolution expands sanctions against the DPRK by imposing a ban on all exports, including coal, iron, iron ore, gold, titanium ore, vanadium ore and rare earth metals, and banning the supply of all types of aviation fuel, including rocket fuel, according to a UN press release. It also requires all states to inspect all cargo to and from the DPRK, not just that suspected of containing prohibited items, as was previously the case. The resolution also bans the leasing or chartering of vessels or airplanes, crew services to the country, and the registration of vessels, while calling on states to de-register any DPRK-owned or controlled vessels. The resolution also states that all countries shall ban any flights and deny entry into their ports of any vessel suspected of carrying prohibited items. US President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry applauded the resolution on Wednesday. "Today, the international community, speaking with one voice, has sent Pyongyang a simple message: North Korea must abandon these dangerous programs and choose a better path for its people," Obama said in a statement. chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com Liang appeal still gathering steam Updated: 2016-03-03 12:12 By Niu Yue in New York(China Daily USA) Donations for Peter Liang's case are reaching a critical mass, according to Chinese community leaders. Eddie Choi, president of the Lin Sing Association of New York, said on Wednesday that his group and the Brooklyn Asian Communities Empowerment had raised more than $600,000 to support Liang's legal fees for the appeal of his manslaughter conviction. Liang, now 28, was a rookie cop on patrol in a Brooklyn housing project in 2014 when he fired his gun. A stray bullet ricocheted off a wall, fatally striking Akai Gurley, 28, on a lower floor. "We had collected approximately $600,000 in total and we can afford better lawyers to help Liang," Choi told China Daily. Choi said at least three lawyers had met with Liang's family this week, but no formal arrangement had been made yet. John Chan, chairman of Asian Community Empowerment in Brooklyn, said that about $100,000 from the total donation had been given to subsidize Liang's family. Chan hoped all the money would be used in an appropriate way because all the contributors, most of whom were Asian Americans, donated the money to help Liang's appeal and reverse what they consider to be an unjust trial. "The ultimate decision on how to spend the money is in the hands of Liang's family," Chan said. Chan said Liang would continue with the appeal, and new lawyers would be selected by the end of this week. "Peter and his family were very thankful for all the help from Chinese communities across the US," Chan said. Long Yifan in New York contributed to the story. Please turn JavaScript on and reload the page. Loading... Checking your browser before accessing the website. This process is automatic. Your browser will redirect to your requested content shortly. Please wait a few seconds. Garri a staple food for a lot of people in the world. Garri is basically eaten as Eba with different soups or poured into cold water and t... By Gabriel Sherman , New York MagazineIn his role as the donor class's darling, Marco Rubio has enjoyed support from the Republicans' media arm, Fox News. Throughout the primary, Fox provided Rubio with friendly interviews and key bookings, including the first prime-time response to Barack Obama's Oval Office address on ISIS. Many of the network's top pundits, including Stephen Hayes and Charles Krauthammer, have been enthusiastic boosters. Bill Sammon, Fox's Washington managing editor, is the father of Rubio's communications director, Brooke Sammon.But this alliance now seems to be over. According to three Fox sources, Fox chief Roger Ailes has told people he's lost confidence in Rubio's ability to win. "We're finished with Rubio," Ailes recently told a Fox host. "We can't do the Rubio thing anymore."Ailes was already concerned about Rubio's lackluster performance in GOP primaries and caucuses, winning only one contest among the 15 that have been held. But the more proximate cause for the flip was an embarrassing New York Times article revealing that Rubio and Ailes had a secret dinner meeting in 2013 during which the Florida senator successfully lobbied the Fox News chief to throw his support behind the "Gang of 8" comprehensive immigration-reform bill. "Roger hates seeing his name in print," a longtime Ailes associate told me. "He was appalled the dinner was reported," the source said.Already, there are on-air signs that Fox's attitude toward Rubio has cooled. This morning, anchor Martha MacCallum grilled Rubio about his poor Super Tuesday performance. "Is that a viable excuse at this point?" she asked, when he tried spinning his second-place finish in Virginia. Zelenskys diplomacy masterclass outpacing dour, grey Putin in battle for hearts and minds When Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24 this year, there was no room for jokes or play acting, and Zelensky needed to step up. He did. Megyn Kelly fires up at Meghan Markle over her deceptive nature Sky News Australia contributor Megyn Kelly has slammed Meghan Markle over her "abject dishonesty" after the Duchess of Sussex took a swipe at Deal or No Deal in her latest podcast episode which featured Paris Hilton. Boris Johnsons dad tight-lipped on sons potential return Speculation has begun on who could replace Liz Truss in the wake of her resignation, with her predecessor Boris Johnson expected to stand for the Conservative leadership again. DES MOINES -- A House subcommittee sent an expansion of Iowas trespassing law that would allow authorities to prosecute Peeping Toms to the full Public Safety Committee. The change makes it easier to prove criminal trespass. Under current law, to gain a conviction it must be proved the trespasser was aroused and the victim was nude or partially nude. A similar bill was unanimously approved by the House last year but died in the Senate. SF 2185 was approved 50-0 by senators last month. Gun permits Sen. Steve Sodders, D-State Center, chairman of the Senates Judiciary Committee and a Marshall County deputy sheriff, introduced a bill amendment that would require those with a permit to carry a weapon to complete proficiency tests roughly every 10 years. Representatives of the NRA and Iowa Firearms Coalition said the amendment unduly burdens a constitutionally protected right. Sodders said Democrats in control of the Senate want the provision for safety reasons. Silencers, please Iowa gun owners would be able to legally possess silencers under a bill that cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee on an 11-2 vote Wednesday. Committee chairman Sodders said he believes the bill will win Senate approval this session. DAVENPORT -- The nomination of a respected Cedar Rapids jurist wouldn't neutralize Sen. Charles Grassley's insistence the Senate wait until the next president takes office before vetting any potential Supreme Court justice. FBI background checks are under way for 8th Circuit appellate Judge Jane Kelly, the New York Times reported Wednesday. Kelly won't comment on the report, said a staffer at Kelly's office in Cedar Rapids on Wednesday. In a statement, Grassley, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said Kelly's nomination wouldn't sway his decision to withhold hearings until January. I supported her for the 8th Circuit, but as Ive said its the principle not the person, and if Clinton or Sanders is elected, she may be on the short list," Grassley said Wednesday afternoon. In 2013, the Senate unanimously confirmed the 51-year-old jurist to the 8th Circuit. Grassley spoke highly of Kelly during those hearings, congratulating her on the federal post. The Supreme Court is a different animal, Grassley said. He cited Reagan nominee Robert Bork, who the Senate unanimously confirmed to a circuit court seat in 1982. In 1987, Senate Democrats scuttled his appointment to the Supreme Court following a bitter 12-day battle on the Senate floor. Grassley and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have spent two weeks in an election-year stare-down with President Barack Obama following the death of Associate Justice Antonin Scalia. The Reagan appointee was widely seen as the leading conservative voice on the nation's highest court. His death came while the court was considering politically charged cases involving abortion access, union power and affirmative action. Kelly's nomination could have a political tinge, the New York Times reported. Grassley might be hard-pressed to block the nomination of a fellow Iowan, particularly when Grassley is in the middle of a re-election campaign. DES MOINES Members of an Iowa House committee that reviews the performance of state agencies clashed Wednesday over the scope of its authority to compel testimony. The dispute arose when the House Government Oversight Committee returned to the subject of a 2015 anti-bullying conference that allegedly provided students with sexually explicit information. Some members of the committee are calling for an investigation of the use of tax dollars to register middle and high school students and use school vehicles to transport them to and from the conference. The annual Iowa Governors Conference on LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning) Youth was sponsored by Iowa Safe Schools. The conference has no connection to state government. Its executive director, Nate Monson, refuses to meet with the committee on the advice of his attorney. That rankled Chairman Bobby Kaufmann, R-Wilton, and prompted a debate among members on whether the committee can compel a private citizen to testify. Defense attorney Rep. Mary Wolfe, D-Clinton, said she would advise a client to refuse to appear in front of a panel that has no legal authority over him. However, Rep. Dawn Pettengill, R-Mount Auburn, cited a section of code that specifically gives us authority to call witnesses, administer oaths, issue subpoenas, cite for contempt. Kaufmann justifies the inquiry into the Iowa Governors Conference, citing the use of tax dollars. Kaufmann said the committee will issue a report on the LGBT conference. WATERLOO A Waterloo woman has been arrested following an overnight stabbing. Waterloo police arrested Leslie Ranae Anderson, 43, of 617 W. Second St., No. 3, for willful injury causing bodily injury and domestic assault with a weapon. She was also arrested for possession of crack cocaine after authorities found a metal pipe with crack residue when she was booked at the Black Hawk County Jail. Her boyfriend, 50-year-old Tommie Lee Johnson, was taken to UnityPoint Health-Allen Hospital with a deep puncture wound to the upper torso, according to court records. His injuries arent considered life threatening, police said. According to police, officers were called to an argument at the Second Street apartment at 11:04 p.m. Tuesday. When they arrived, they found Johnson injured. Authorities allege Anderson stabbed him with a kitchen knife. C.F. robbery suspect arrested WATERLOO A man suspected in a Cedar Falls mobile home robbery has now been arrested for allegedly taking a handgun during a burglary in Waterloo. Authorities said it was fingerprints that pointed to 18-year-old NyJawon Varshaun Alexander of Waterloo in the Aug. 24 break-in at 316 Boston Ave. He was arrested for second-degree burglary on Tuesday while he was at the Black Hawk County Jail awaiting trial in a Feb. 14 shotgun robbery at the mobile home on Zircon Lane in Cedar Falls and other charges. His bond is currently set at $251,000. According to police, a .380-caliber Ruger handgun was reported stolen from the Boston Avenue home, and investigators determined the suspect had entered after cutting the screen on a back window. A fingerprint was found in that location, and the print was later linked to Alexander, records state. Alexander was initially taken into custody on Feb. 17 after he and others were spotted in the area of Zircon Lane. Arrest made in August break-in WATERLOO Police have made an arrested in connection with an August home break-in where a teenage girl was pistol whipped. Alexander Clark Austin, 22, of 729 Glenwood St., was arrested Wednesday for first-degree burglary. He was taken to the Black Hawk County Jail, and bond was set at $100,000. According to court records, the front door to 702 N. Barclay St. was kicked open at 3:30 a.m. on Aug. 2, and several people entered the home. One of the intruders had a handgun, and another had a shotgun. A fight broke out, and a male resident was injured in addition to the 17-year-old girl who was struck in the head with a gun. They were treated at a local hospital. Austin allegedly told police he drove a group of people and dropped them off in the area of the home before the break-in. Woman hurt in semi collision MASON CITY A Charles City woman was injured Tuesday when her van collided with a semitrailer in rural Mason City. The Cerro Gordo County Sheriffs Office said Tina Friest, 34, was northbound on Mallard Avenue in a 2000 Honda Odyssey that collided with a southbound 2012 Volvo semitrailer driven by Benjamin Hancock, 58, Chariton. The crash was reported about 10 a.m. at the intersection of Mallard Avenue and 250th Street, about 1 miles south of 19th Street Southwest. According to Friest and eyewitnesses, she lost control on the snow-covered roadway and crossed the center line after trying to correct her vehicle, which had drifted onto the shoulder. Friest was transported to Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa by Mason City Fire medics. A hospital spokeswoman said she was treated and released. Hancock was not injured. its a blog about my life. I can tell whatever I want to By West Kentucky Star Staff-AQS Mar. 01, 2016 | 02:26 PM | PADUCAH, KY The American Quilters Society announced Tuesday that it will host a second AQS QuiltWeek in Paducah starting next year. The Fall AQS QuiltWeek Paducah will be held at the Paducah Convention & Expo Center, September 1316, 2017. During the announcement it was proclaimed that the Paducah Expo Center is now named the William and Meredith Schroeder Expo Center, to honor the Paducah couple who started and continue to be very involved in the annual and now biannual AQS Paducah Quilt Week. The couple was totally surprised by the announcement. AQS president Meredith Schroeder said, The Fall 2017 AQS QuiltWeek in Paducah will have a new contest with more prizes and new events for the quilters to attend. More than $250,000 will be awarded to quilters in the Spring and Fall QuiltWeek events in 2017. It will also be another opportunity for AQS to recognize todays quiltmakers and to provide another tourism event in Paducah and Western Kentucky. "We appreciate the assistance of Mayor Kaler and the Paducah City Commissioners, Judge Leeper and the County Commission, Brian Katz, chairman and the Paducah-McCracken County Convention Center Board, and Mary Hammond, executive director and the Paducah Visitors Bureau in making this new event possible. The AQS Quilt Contest at the new Fall AQS QuiltWeek in Paducah features new categories, with the Best of Show award of $20,000 and $125,250 in total cash awards. There will be no purchase awards for the Fall Paducah contest. AQS has hosted events in Paducah for 32 years. A 2014 survey indicated an economic impact of $25.4 million in Paducah and western Kentucky from the event. For more information on the American Quilters Society, please visit http://www.americanquilter.com or call 1-270-898-7903. A new poll suggests the governments carbon-pricing scheme to fight climate change has offset the positive impact of giving free college and university tuition to low-income students. Thats part of a cap-and-trade regime being done in conjunction with Quebec and California that forces businesses and consumers to cut carbon emissions by increasing fossil fuel costs. In the budget, the government announced gasoline will jump by 4.3 cents a litre next year and natural gas prices will rise by about $5 a month for the average homeowner. Cap and trade is just seen as a gas tax, Forum president Lorne Bozinoff said Tuesday, referring to the new system designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. The Forum Research survey found 58 per cent of respondents said Finance Minister Charles Sousas spending plan Thursday was not a good budget for Ontario while 19 per cent felt it was and 23 per cent werent sure. But 68 per cent of people disapprove of the higher prices while 22 per cent approved and 10 per cent werent sure. With a provincial election in the offing, the Saskatchewan premier has been working hard to position himself as the champion of the ailing oil industry. And it wont hurt him among his supporters that hes picking a fight with Big Brother Ottawa to do so. Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall may be the loneliest leader in the room later this week when provincial and territorial leaders meet in Vancouver to talk, among other things, action on climate change. Wreckage from what is said to be the missing MH370 plane has reportedly been found. The debris from a Boeing 777 - the same model as the missing jet - washed up on the coast of Mozambique this weekend, according to a U.S. official. Investigators are now examining the find to determine whether it is definitely from the Malaysia Airlines plane that vanished two years ago. 15. Gerard Butler One minute youre accepting an Oscar, revelling in the plaudits and the barely disguised envy of your fellow actors, partying long into the night at the behest of Vanity Fair, and trying not to spill Cristal on your borrowed Versace. The next youre receiving an invitation from the Razzies and repeat dialling that studio boss who promised you the lead in the next big franchise, who now wont return any of your calls. Popularity is a fickle mistress, and for the A-list superstar, B-list mediocrity is all too often a reality. But why? Why are some of your favourite actors destined to be forever earmarked for supporting roles only? If its not down to talent, and so often it isnt, why are these household names, and former darlings of award season red carpets left fighting for scraps behind the real elite. Some you'll know well; others maybe not so much but there are some very familiar faces who for whatever reason just cannot catch a break. In truth, some are actors who are never out of work, constantly churning out decent-to-good performances in films so often no better than average-to-poor. Some are former A-list stars and award winners now forced to take whatever their lower tier agent can secure for them as, lets face it, everyone knows the cost of maintaining that Malibu beach house. And for some, well, for some their face just doesnt seem to fit. Here are a few people whose careers haven't gone quite how they probably imagined, but all is not lost: that first, second, and in some cases final break might be just around the corner.Here is an actor who epitomises the term B-list. Despite several starring, and impressive roles including an oiled up king and a shadowy phantom, supplemented by numerous decent supporting ones, reaching the A-list has so far proved elusive for the affable Scot. In truth, it's difficult to see what Butler has done wrong. In his career he's thrown himself wholeheartedly into trying everything: alongside the historical dramas and a musical, Butler has appeared in romantic dramas (P.S. I Love You), Shakespearean epics (Corialanus) and comedy-thrillers (the distinctly unfunny RocknRolla) but nothing has quite garnered the attention of either casting agents or the paying public. There seems to be a sense that Mr Butler is lacking either in true star appeal, or genuine thespian abilities. Nowadays, he seems typecast in swords and sandals epics such as Gods Of Egypt or the burgeoning repetition that is the Has Fallen franchise with whatever city seems set for destruction at the time.There are two directions open to Butler. One would be securing a good role in a Marvel or DC film; the other would be a Foxcatcher-like drama to add credibility and some awards chatter. At the very least, being typecast does ensure a certain amount of offers will come your way. Even the most casual of professional wrestling fans know that WrestleMania is the single most important time of WWE's year. As soon as the Royal Rumble is visible on the horizon, excitement starts to build and attentions turn - inevitably - to what the company itself has dubbed 'The Showcase Of The Immortals'. To be 'immortal' means to live forever, never dying or decaying, but some careers are currently in a state of decay. Last year, Vince McMahon sat opposite Steve Austin and told one of his biggest draws in history that some of the current roster just don't want it as much as he did. Naturally, this caused waves on social media, with fans calling out the boss for effectively downplaying the dedication of his talent live on the WWE Network. When it comes to this list, dedication isn't the problem. It's fair to say there are a myriad of factors at play here, but most of the examples contained within this article would likely point towards the creative team as their main bone of contention. WrestleMania 32 is right around the corner, and these men and women are really struggling to maintain relevancy at the moment. It's been said that it's better to be pissed off than pissed on, but these performers may just feel that the writing staff have taken an almighty toilet break right above them at the most crucial time of the year. past daily news Sep 13 (1) Sep 09 (15) Sep 06 (12) Sep 04 (10) Sep 03 (10) Aug 31 (17) Aug 29 (14) Aug 26 (13) Aug 22 (11) Aug 21 (12) Aug 19 (21) Aug 14 (6) Aug 13 (10) Aug 10 (10) Aug 08 (9) Aug 07 (10) Aug 06 (10) Aug 05 (8) Aug 03 (8) Aug 02 (7) Aug 01 (7) Jul 31 (14) Jul 29 (1) Jul 27 (7) Jul 25 (5) Jul 24 (10) Jul 22 (11) Jul 19 (16) Jul 17 (6) Jul 16 (10) Jul 15 (13) Jul 12 (7) Jul 11 (5) Jul 10 (8) Jul 08 (8) Jul 07 (3) Jul 06 (5) Jul 05 (8) Jul 04 (11) Jul 03 (8) Jul 02 (7) Jul 01 (5) Jun 30 (8) Jun 28 (7) Jun 27 (8) Jun 26 (7) Jun 25 (8) Jun 24 (6) Jun 23 (6) Jun 22 (9) Jun 20 (5) Jun 19 (9) Jun 18 (8) Jun 15 (9) Jun 13 (13) Jun 11 (11) Jun 09 (19) Jun 06 (10) Jun 04 (10) Jun 03 (8) Jun 01 (6) May 31 (5) May 30 (5) May 29 (6) May 28 (7) May 27 (7) May 26 (6) May 25 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(15) Oct 26 (10) Oct 25 (10) Oct 24 (13) Oct 23 (9) Oct 21 (8) Oct 20 (13) Oct 19 (6) Oct 18 (11) Oct 17 (8) Oct 16 (14) Oct 14 (9) Oct 13 (11) Oct 12 (9) Oct 11 (13) Oct 10 (7) Oct 09 (15) Oct 07 (7) Oct 06 (11) Oct 05 (18) Oct 04 (14) Oct 03 (1) Oct 02 (10) Sep 30 (11) Sep 29 (11) Sep 28 (11) Sep 27 (15) Sep 26 (7) Sep 24 (9) Sep 23 (11) Sep 22 (7) Sep 21 (17) Sep 20 (20) Sep 19 (4) Sep 18 (11) Sep 16 (10) Sep 15 (12) Sep 14 (9) Sep 13 (12) Sep 12 (14) Sep 11 (4) Sep 10 (8) Sep 09 (9) Sep 08 (5) Sep 07 (13) Sep 06 (15) Sep 05 (8) Sep 04 (11) Sep 03 (10) Sep 02 (12) Sep 01 (12) Aug 31 (14) Aug 30 (14) Aug 29 (8) Aug 28 (8) Aug 27 (9) Aug 26 (12) Aug 25 (6) Aug 24 (8) Aug 23 (12) Aug 22 (6) Aug 21 (5) Aug 20 (6) Aug 19 (9) Aug 18 (4) Aug 17 (7) Aug 16 (11) Aug 15 (2) Aug 14 (12) Aug 12 (15) Aug 11 (11) Aug 10 (6) Aug 09 (7) Aug 08 (3) Aug 07 (4) Aug 06 (5) Aug 05 (7) Aug 04 (7) Aug 03 (4) Aug 02 (5) Aug 01 (5) Jul 31 (7) Jul 30 (5) Jul 29 (9) Jul 28 (8) Jul 27 (8) Jul 26 (7) Jul 25 (6) 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We ask that you post responsibly, the use of foul language and any personal attacks will not be tolerated. If you have a town matter you'd like to discuss drop us an email and we will post the subject and open it for discussion for you. The statue of Christ the Redeemer is located at the top of Corcovado Mountain. The entire monument of statue of Christ the Redeemer is 38m ... If youre looking to try out an online casino, there are several things that will help you make a decision. Heres what you should look for when choosing an online casino Are they regulated? A lot of the larger ones have licenses issued by the authorities in their respective regions, so its worth checking this first. Do they offer games from different software providers? Some casinos just use one software provider and limit your selection. This is fine if you like playing those types of games but you may want to check other casinos as well. What does their payout percentage look like? 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Cast: Brigid Brannagh, Kris Lemche, Carrie Genzel, David Alpay and Dimitri Diatchenko. The film's theatrical trailer: A fan page for the film: They're Watching on Facebook Subscribe to 28 Days Later: An Analysis Release Date: March 25th, 2016 (Limited Theatrical and VOD).Director/writers: Jay Lender and Micah Wright.Cast: Brigid Brannagh, Kris Lemche, Carrie Genzel, David Alpay and Dimitri Diatchenko.The film's theatrical trailer:A fan page for the film:Subscribe to 28 Days Later: An Analysis 28 Days Later Analysis Email Subscription A new trailer forhas been released. Very comedic, the clip shows a group of friends hounded by an Eastern European cult. From the creators of, the theatrical trailer also shows what can happen when you move to Moldova.andstar in this feature, which will be released later this month.The synopsis mentions a home improvement television show. From there, the protagonists enter a village, where you are not allowed to say the word "witch." Of course, someone does say the word and the town's weirdos begin to hound Becky (Brannagh) and her friends.The film releases on March 25th, 2016. On this date, the film will be available in a few select theatres and through video-on-demand. Film fans can find a few laughs now, in the trailer and even more, when the film releases soon! Mar 2, 2016 | By Kira A new study from the University of California, Irvine, has revealed the surprising fact that the sounds emitted from a 3D printer could be enough to compromise valuable intellectual property, allowing cyber attackers to reverse-engineer and re-create 3D printed objects based off of nothing more than a smartphone audio recording. 3D printer in action, image by Maurice Mikkers via Flickr When it comes to the legal aspects of 3D printing, the majority of makers are concerned with their intellectual property being illegally appropriated and copied via online platformstake the recent case between Thingiverse designers and shady eBay reseller just3Dprint, for example. According to UCIs findings, however, designers and manufacturers wouldnt even need to upload their STL files or 3D prints to the World Wide Web to be the victims of IP theft. Provided the attacker has access to the 3D printer in question, say, in the case of a worker at a 3D printing manufacturing plant or a workplace rival, all they would have to do is set up a recording device, and the designs are as good as theirs. UCI visitors watch a 3D printer in action, image via UCI news The research was led by Mohammad Al Faruque, electrical engineer, computer scientist, and director of UCIs Advanced Integrated Cyber-Physical Systems Lab. He and his team demonstrated that the acoustic signals emitted by a 3D printer carry unique information about the precise movements of the nozzle, and that this information can be reverse-engineered to reveal the objects original source code. The acoustic information is in fact so precise, that Al Faruque and his team were able to recreate a key-shaped object with nearly 90 percent accuracy using only the 3D printers audio recordings. If used maliciously, the technique could represent a significant security threat. According to Al Faruque, the scientific explanation for this 3D printer sound-copying process is based on the relationship between information and energy flows: According to the fundamental laws of physics, energy is not consumed, its converted from one form to anotherelectromagnetic to kinetic, for example. Some forms of energy are translated in meaningful and useful ways; others become emissions, which may unintentionally disclose secret information. In this case, the emissions are the sounds a 3D printer makes as it extrudes plastic into pre-programmed layers. Indeed, makers have often complained that the loud, robotic noise emitted by 3D printers can be extremely annoying, leading some companies to try and develop quieter 3D printing hardware. But, they probably never thought those sounds could actually be used against them. An example of the sounds emitted by a 3D printer in use There's no reason to become paranoid just yet, as it is unlikely that individual makers would be the victims of such a 3D printing cyber attack. However, this kind of security breach could pose a bigger threat to companies developing novel 3D printed devices or 3D printing sensitive prototypes: In many manufacturing plants, people who work on a shift basis dont get monitored for their smartphones, for example, Al Faruque told UCI News. If process and product information is stolen during the prototyping phases, companies stand to incur large financial losses. To protect themselves from potential "industrial espionage", he therefore suggests a few methods for deterring 3D pritner audio recordings. For example, manufacturers could jam the acoustic signals by using white noise machines. At the very least, cautious manufacturers could restrict people from carrying smartphones or recording devices when susceptible objects are being 3D printed, however that could be a difficult rule to enforce. Since uncovering their findings, the UCI team has received interest from other departments at UCI, and even from various U.S. government agencies. The research will be officially presented at ICCPS 2016 (International Conference on Cyber-Physical Systems) taking place this April in Vienna. Posted in 3D Printing Technology Maybe you also like: Richard wrote at 3/11/2016 5:36:00 AM:This opens a new world. Think about macro semiconductors. With conductive and semiconductive filaments a new class of devices can be custom manufactured.Iva wrote at 3/5/2016 4:36:49 AM:The world will just move forward if intellectual property collapses anyways. Bye bye big business. You're role is almost fulfilled, and you're rule is almost over. There is no going back now.Avi wrote at 3/3/2016 7:21:32 PM:High value products are produced using lasers. Not sub par desktop FDM machines. The world will not changenzyrzglotz wrote at 3/3/2016 12:01:30 PM:kinduh sounds like a van halen song..Ey Cee Yoo wrote at 3/2/2016 11:36:38 PM:Delta printers rule Mar 3, 2016 | By Tess Here at 3Ders we often write about how 3D printing technology has helped people around the world become healthier, fuller human beings through its various and growing number of medical applications. It is not everyday however, that we hear first hand from someone personally affected by the medical capabilities of additive manufacturing, so when Materialises Corporate Communications Manager and 3Ders' longtime friend Vanessa Palsenbarg shared her own personal story we were extremely moved. Palsenbarg posing with her 3D printed spine Palsenbarg, who has worked at Belgian 3D printing company Materialise for nearly six years, has suffered from scoliosis for almost her entire life. While she underwent many professional consultations, wore numerous back braces, and even underwent surgeries earlier in her life, Palsenbarg never found a solution to her curved spine and had all but given up on fixing her back. Palsenbarg's 17th birthday, after one of her treatments She told us of her current state, My condition is stable, but the operations I received in the past unfortunately did not improve my condition due to complications following the first procedure. I am not sure if I will need further treatment in the future, but as I get older, pain is increasingly an issue and already limits some of the things I am able to do, especially with sports. Therefore, I would love to find a solution now rather than waiting until I am really in trouble. Part of this potential solution has been enabled by Materialises own 3D printing medical division, which decided to take on Palsenbargs case to see how they could help her with their state-of-the-art 3D modeling and printing technologies. For those perhaps unfamiliar, Materialise has done some exceptional work in the field of medical 3D printing, by developing X-ray knee and shoulder guides for surgeons, 3D printed prostheses, and various other 3D printed medical applications. The team at Materialise worked with a CT scan of Palsenbargs spine, and using Materialise Mimics inPrint technology was able to turn the medical data into a 3D model of her spine. Upon seeing an image of her own spine in this format, Palsenbarg was shocked, but impressed. She explains, I stared at the screen shot for much of the evening. Despite seeing my spine in x-rays year after year, for much of my life, I had never seen my spine quite like that before. Once the digital 3D model was generated, the team 3D printed Palsenbargs spine in Materialises medical production facility, and let her pull her own 3D printed spine out of the bed of powder, which she says was a truly surreal experience. Not only a novelty, however, the 3D printed spine and 3D digital model of it could help Palsenbarg to give doctors and surgeons the insight they need to find a way to fix her back. As she explained to 3Ders, Around 11 years ago, I was told by an orthopaedic surgeon that due to the 3D nature of my curve, he was hesitant to operate because they would not know what they were really dealing with until I was open on the operating table. He could therefore not guarantee that I would not come out with my shoulders completely lopsided, but a straighter spine. Since then, I have just kind of ignored my spine, assuming that solutions would be too hard to find. Now, armed with her anatomically correct 3D printed spine, Palsenbarg is more confident that doctors will be able to help her as they will be able to visualize and better understand how exactly her scoliosis afflicted back is shaped. What is particularly remarkable about Vanessa Palsenbargs story is that not only did 3D printing give her a physical copy of her spine, but it provided her with a renewed hope that perhaps her scoliosis could be fixed. As she begins her search for a surgeon in Belgium, where she is living, we at 3Ders are wishing her the best of luck and hope to soon write a happy follow-up story! Posted in 3D Printing Application Maybe you also like: Mar 3, 2016 | By Benedict Jennifer Grayburn and Benjamin Gorham, two PhD students from the University of Virginia, have been using their university Makerspace to 3D print replicas of fragile and immovable archaeological findings. The Scholars Lab Makerspace at the University of Virginia is currently being put through its paces for a number of additive manufacturing projects in a wide range of academic disciplines, but history of art and architecture doctoral candidate Jennifer Grayburn and archaeology doctoral candidate Benjamin Gorham have been utilizing the 3D printing technology for a particularly interesting purpose: To rebuild lost civilizations of Iceland and Sicily, one 3D printed brick at a time. The Makerspace is part of the Scholars Lab and the intention is to have a place where people can tinker and experiment to integrate interactive objects into both research and teaching, explained Grayburn, who is also a Makerspace Consultant helping students from all disciplines to incorporate 3D printing technology into their academic projects. Grayburn and Gorham have each been working to preserve fragile and immovable archaeological findingsby using aerial drones and on-the-ground photography to make precise topographical images of their findings. These topographical images can then be used to create 3D printed scale models of the archaeological discoveries, which can be used for further close examination. The ancient city of Morgantina, Sicily in Italy, has been subjected to archaeological exploration since 1884, with UVA academics in charge of the project since 1978. The Bronze Age city has a rich history, having been inhabited by Greek, Syracusan, Roman, and Spanish citizens over its lifetime. Unfortunately, the ancient ruins of the city are extremely fragilemoving them would likely damage or destroy them, so archaeologists are best served leaving the finds in place and documenting them on-site. Grayburn and Gorhams technique represents one of the most thorough ways of doing this. [Documenting] used to just mean sketching out the sites on paper or CAD, said Gorham, who has a particular interest in the ancient Silician city. But now that we have this capability, we can actually lift things out of the ground without really lifting them out of the ground. We do this by photographing the findings many times, weaving those photos together for a complete 3D model, and then printing it. Although the doctoral students can only 3D print their findings on a much smaller scale, the Ultimaker 2 3D printer at the university is capable of printing with an adequately fine level of detail for further inspection. When looking the 3D printed replica of part of the Morgantina site closely, ridges can be seen which signal where different layers of wall had been added over time. A doorway-obstructing terracotta pot can also be seen. Gorham has, until now, been 3D printing his replicas in random colors, according to whichever 3D printing filament the Makerspace has had in greatest abundance. However, the doctoral candidate hopes to create more chromatically accurate models in future: When we start doing them on larger scale, I would absolutely love to paint them to resemble the actual ground soil types, the stone features and the terracottas, he said. Grayburn, on the other hand, has already begun painting the 3D prints of Norse artifacts she has been researching in Icelandartifacts like a 12th-century carved stone from Hitardalur, which must remain on-site due to Icelandic heritage laws. Im slicing the 3D models and printing them in pieces that we can glue together to get close to the size of the original item, she said. My aim is to reproduce it, and paint it so that it actually looks like stone. The idea is to preserve the carving details before they erode further and to reproduce them so that students who cant travel to Iceland can still interact with the object instead of just seeing it reproduced on a screen in the classroom. Grayburn has also been experimenting with different 3D printing materials in order to produce the most accurate 3D printed reconstructions. The student has been using a blend of plastic and powdered metal to reconstruct Viking artifacts such as helmets and belt buckles: What you end up with are metal objects that you can then tarnish. They react just like the true metal artifacts do, she said. So these projects are actually a way to reconstruct artifacts in their archaeological state. Both Grayburn and Gorham hope to someday use the 3D printing technology at their disposal to create 3D printed replicas of bone findings. 3D printed bone replicas would allow archaeologists to more easily compare findings and ascertain the origins of their findings. The doctoral candidates are all in favor of open access databases of 3D models, such as the burgeoning Morphosource, which can help to speed up and increase the accuracy of archaeological research. The use of 3-D printing has always been based in this open-access community, and in the concept of open sharing to de-commercialize things and objects, Grayburn said. The two UVA students will be sharing their own 3D models with the academic community, since the archaeological sites themselves will not last forever. Erosion, tomb robbing and clandestine intervention are always a problem, Gorham said. One of the jobs of archaeologists in the field is always to figure out some way to prevent or circumvent losing artifacts, and this is one way to do that. Thats why open sharing and recreation is a huge deal, Gorham continued. Even before it gets to the actual 3D printed model, having these objects digitally in a format that we can post on websites and send to other parties amplifies our ability to build an audience and secure our findings. Want to get a closer look at the digitally reconstructed city of Morgantina? Check out the interactive 3D rendering below. Posted in 3D Printing Application Maybe you also like: Mar 3, 2016 | By Tess Loveland, Colorado based 3D printer company Aleph Objects, Inc. has announced that it has just additively manufactured its one millionth part, 3D printed by one of their well-regarded LulzBot 3D printers. The part, a large herringbone gear (licensed under the GNU GPLv3), will be kept on display at Aleph Objects headquarters as a symbol of the companys growth and development. As some of our readers may have guessed, the one millionth part 3D printed by Aleph Objects Lulzbot was in fact a part being made to create more Lulzbot 3D printers as the acclaimed machines are in fact made up of over thirty 3D printed parts each. The part was also notably manufactured by Aleph Objects Cluster system of 140 LulzBot 3D printers that work day in and day out (about 100 hours per week to be exact) to produce an array of parts for their LulzBot Mini and LulzBot Taz 5. As Stan Middlekauff, Aleph Objects Cluster production supervisor explains, We 3D print a myriad of different parts for use in between the two main projects of TAZ and Mini, and tool heads (Dual Extruder, Flexystruder, Dual Flexystruder, and single tool heads)...The alternative to having Cluster producing those parts would be injection molding everything, but the injection molding cost for a die could be thousands of dollars and upward. With the Cluster now in place, the up-front cost has been paid for us to make any type of part. Plus, if at any moment in time we need to change a part, we can change it quickly. LulzBot Cluster Aleph Objects, which has dedicated itself to advancing free software, libre innovation, and open source hardware in the 3D printing industry, explains that it took them two and a half years to print their first 500,000 parts but since developing their Cluster system, they have upped their production rate to about 500,000 parts per year, meaning it wont be too long before we hear about their 2 millionth part! The efficiency brought about by the Cluster of LulzBot 3D printers working to create parts for more LulzBot 3D printers has also helped the company to adjust and upgrade their models, and to expand their operating hours, upping their productivity. LulzBot desktop 3D printers are workhorse machines that we, and our customers in over 85 countries around the world, rely on every day, said Harris Kenny, Aleph Objects, Inc. Vice President of Marketing. We are proud to see the growing number of universities, laboratories, facilities, and businesses investing in clusters of LulzBot 3D printers to scale up educating, training, prototyping, and manufacturing. If you happen to be a maker dedicated to the LulzBot 3D printer, the company has made the digital file for their one millionth part available for download in either BLEND format or as an .STL file. Posted in 3D Printer Company Maybe you also like: D Ambrose wrote at 4/1/2016 4:18:35 PM:200,000 went onto the machines and 800,000 were replacement parts for when they broke I bet.D Ambrose wrote at 4/1/2016 4:13:53 PM:200,000 went onto the machines and 800,000 were replacement parts for when they broke I bet.Tom R wrote at 3/3/2016 10:44:46 PM:Way to go guys!!! I love my Lulzbot Mini!!!HK wrote at 3/3/2016 6:16:17 PM:Who cares...meaningless statistic. Mar 3, 2016 | By Kira Israeli metal 3D printing company XJet has closed a $25 million funding round led in large part by Israeli-Chinese private equity fund Catalyst CEL and 3D software creator Autodesk, through its Spark Investment Fund. While the funding represents a major financial boost for the companys patented NanoParticle Jetting technology, a new form of metal 3D printing that deposits liquid metal from a standard printing head, Autodesks investment will no doubt bring XJet unprecedented exposure within the competitive metal 3D printing industry. XJets breakthrough NanoParticle Jetting technology uses nano-sized metal particles suspended within a patented liquid formula. This formula can be jetted from standard printing heads, eliminating the lasers used in most metal additive manufacturing processes and setting it apart from traditional sintering or metal powder fusing technologies. When put through extremely high temperatures (550F/300C), the liquid formula evaporates, leaving behind extremely complex, precise, and strongly-bound metal components with layer thicknesses under 2 microns. According to the company, the NanoParticle Jetting process is safe, easy, more accurate, and up to 5x faster than laser metal 3D printers. It also enables virtually any geometry to be designed, and is ideal for short run productions of precision, custom metal 3D printed parts in high-demand areas of production, such as aerospace, automotive, medicine, dental and more. Animation of the liquid metal 3D printing process This revolution in metal additive manufacturing certainly seems to have sparked the interest of Autodesk, which is no stranger to making hefty investments in promising new 3D printing technologies. Recently, Autodesk invested in Carbon3Ds CLIP technology, in 3D printing company Optomec, and it acquired 3D printing software company netfabb. Our support of XJet through the Spark Investment Fund stems from our belief that this technology has the potential to change the future of the additive manufacturing industry, said Eitan Tsarfati, head of Digital Manufacturing and general manager at Autodesk Israel. Autodesk Israels Development Center is focused on driving breakthroughs in the future of making things, and we are proud to work with companies such as XJet that likewise are pushing the limits of manufacturing technologies to accelerate a new industrial revolution. Based in Rehovot, Israel, XJet was originally founded in 2005 by Hanan Gothait in an attempt to develop 3D printed solar panels, raising $60 million in the process. Two years ago, the company shifted its focus entirely to metal 3D printing, raising another $22 million, and filing roughly fifty different patents since. The company consists of over 60 employees, many of whom, including Gothait and CBO Dror Danai, are veteran leaders of the 3D printing industry, having worked for Object Geometries before its merger with Stratasys. The $25 million funding boost, contributed by Catalyst CEL (a partnership between Catalyst Private Equity in Israel and China Everbright), Autodesk, and other existing shareholders, will be used to complete the development and launch XJets technologies to international markets. XJet will also be present at SMEs upcoming RAPID 3D printing event taking place in Orlando, Florida. To learn more about their patented NanoParticle Jetting technology, watch the short, informative video below: Posted in 3D Printer Company Maybe you also like: Mar 3, 2016 | By Kira Though not always deadly, a scorpion sting is certainly to be feared. However, three students from Ghent University in Belgium have created a digitally manufactured hexapod scorpion specifically for the purpose of stinging visitors at the Industrial Design Centers tech exposition. Though the sting is completely harmless, it effectively demonstrates the intuitive and complex mechatronic functions of the 3D printed scorpion, as well as the stigmergic methodology of prototyping by leaving a trace. The Scorpion Hexapod was created by Electronics Engineering student Pieterjan Deconinck and Industrial Design students Stephan Flamand and Robbe Terryn, all in their final year of Industrial Engineering at Ghent University. As part of the Mechatronics Design and Embedded Prototyping course, their goal was to re-design the Stigmergic Ant Hexapod Robot, a previous student creation that was used as a mascot for the Industrial Design Center (IDC), an industry-education platform that works closely with Ghent U. Stigmergic is defined as leaving a trail behind for others to follow or to learn from, explained Terryn. At IDC Kortrijk, we see prototyping as a way to make ideas tangible and the possibility to leave trails for others to pick up in order to inspire, transform, or combine new ideas and prototypes. The original Ant Hexapod roamed the floors of the IDC expo leaving behind a trail of candy. It encouraged visitors to follow its path, symbolizing the way each new prototype of a design follows its own path, gradually becoming better and better until its final iteration. For the 2015 Mechatronics Design course, however, the team wanted to upgrade the original hexapod, keeping the stigmergic concept, while improving its materials, modularity, and autonomous functions. They chose to do so by re-imagining the ant as an entirely new creature: the Hexapod Scorpion. Rather than leaving a trail of candy, it can sense and detect people in its environment. Anyone who approaches and covers its eyes is stung by its lightning fast 3D printed tail, which leaves behind a marker stamp and thus creates a trail of people it has interacted with. Our goal was to design an impressive, digitally designed robot with lots of possibilities towards interaction and functionality, said Terryn. The scorpion seemed the appropriate animal as an inspiration for this robot, because the tail and claws could be given all kinds of functions. Another goal was to improve its design using multiple digital production techniques. Unlike the original ant, which used only laser cutting, the scorpion robot consists of a body, six legs, two claws and a tail, all of which were produced suing 3D printing, laser cutting, and CNC milling. For each component, we made the considered decision for the right techniques and the right material, said Terryn. The 3D printed parts include mechanical components, connections between the legs and the claws, a wheel for the tail actuation mechanism, and all of the tail modules. All were 3D printed on the IDC Protlabs Ultimaker 2 using PLA filament, as well as colorFabb_XT for parts that required additional strength. As for the scorpions body, it consists of a laser cut architecture and freeform shells, modeled in Siemens NX and filled out of foam with a CNC-milling machine. These foam models were afterwards used as a mold to thermoform a polystyrene copy of these parts, explained Terryn. The body frame exists of two 6mm plates, including all holes for cable management, etched codes, snap fits, etc. As a result of these advanced digital production techniques, the Industrial Engineering students were able to achieve a modular and reproducible Scorpion Hexapod robot that is lighter and more durable than the original. It also includes more advanced autonomous functions, created by the teams electronics, programming and GUI designer, Pieterjan Deconinck. At the moment, the Scorpion Hexabod robot has two function modes: in autonomous mode, it interacts with its environment based on sensorial input, whereas in remote mode it is controlled via GUI. It can walk in all directions, even on steps or elevated surfaces, and perform a broad range of natural body movements, such as moving its claws and, of course, striking its tail. Due to its modularity, Terryn said that the Hexapod Scorpion can easily be adapted and expanded upon both in terms of hardware and software functions. The digitally manufactured Scorpion Hexapod robot has since been used at various IDC expositions to promote the Mechatronics Design course and hopefully inspire the next generation of industrial design students. Whether it thoroughly convinces new students or simply freaks them out, this impressive application of digital manufacturing, engineering, and computer science will certainly have left its mark. Posted in 3D Printing Application Maybe you also like: jigar n.hundia wrote at 9/7/2018 1:40:05 PM:can you tell me the mechanism used to make the bot sting automatically and also the mechanism through which it moves in all the directions. please help me out. my email id:jigarhundia12@gmail.comsuvahhna cruz wrote at 3/4/2016 7:49:10 PM:coolbriana wrote at 3/4/2016 7:22:24 PM:thats sooo awesome i that as my pet.Marvin wrote at 3/4/2016 5:14:55 PM:NIce project but i feal like it should be faster at stingingI. A. M. Magic wrote at 3/4/2016 8:44:13 AM:Nice projet! Seems like a lot of time and effort was spent on this. Philip Horne at the Times Literary Supplement: Despite failing health, particularly chronic angina pectoris, James might have completed more books but for the advent of war. He wrote to Edward Emerson on August 4, 1914 that It has all come as by the leap of some awful monster out of his lair he is upon us, he is upon all of us here, before we have had time to turn round. The effect was devastating: It gives away everything one has believed in & lived for. British friends and their children were wounded or killed. James flung himself into the war effort caring for Belgian refugees, visiting wounded soldiers, serving as honorary president of the American Volunteer Motor Ambulance Corps. Though it was draining, James could cherish what he called, writing to Edith Wharton in May 1915, the unspeakable adventure of being alive in these days. He was especially tormented by the prolongation of American neutrality in the face of German aggression to the point of taking the oath of allegiance on July 26, 1915. Civis Britannicus sum! he wrote to Edmund Gosse. London friends were pleased. On August 8, he told Rhoda Broughton of the many welcoming reactions to his act of conscience, declaring that like old Martin Luther, Here I stand, I can no other. But his given reasons looked suspect if not downright treasonous to American detractors, and he hoped for relief, as he told Lucy Clifford the next day, from Whites Spectator thing of August 14 Dr J. William Whites article revealing another and probably a controlling factor in Jamess decision: an intense dislike for and disapprobation of the official attitude of America since the beginning of the war, based on the principles of civilization and of humanity. The strain seems to have been too much. On July 30, only four days after his great step, James was again taken ill. His diary would look back: Date from that day the beginning, with intermissions, very brief, of all this late and present (Sept. 12th) crisis. more here. James McWilliams at The American Scholar: In 2012, Paul Miller, a 26-year-old journalist and former writer for The Verge, began to worry about the quality of his thinking. His ability to read difficult studies or to follow intricate arguments demanding sustained attention was lagging. He found himself easily distracted and, worse, irritable about it. His longtime touchstonehis smartphonewas starting to annoy him, making him feel insecure and anxious rather than grounded in the ideas that formerly had nourished him. If I lost my phone, he said, hed feel like I could never catch up. He realized that his online habits werent helping him to work, much less to multitask. He was just switching his attention all over the place and, in the process, becoming a bit unhinged. Subtler discoveries ensued. As he continued to analyze his behavior, Miller noticed that he was applying the language of nature to digital phenomena. He would refer, for example, to his RSS feed landscape. More troubling was how his observations were materializing not as full thoughts but as brief Tweetshe was thinking in word counts. When he realized he was spending 95 percent of his waking hours connected to digital media in a world where he had never known anything different, he proposed to his editor a series of articles that turned out to be intriguing and prescriptive. What would it be like to disconnect for a year? His editor bought the pitch, and Miller, who lives in New York, pulled the plug. more here. ACAs library of educational tools help members improve their business practices. ACA also holds the most popular industry conferences and offers credentialing for collectors, attorneys, and more. ACAs Training Zone subscription gives agencies access to almost all of our education for one low cost. Arena Media a part of Havas Media Group, today announced the win of Bagrrys India Limited - one of the leading brands of breakfast cereals and health foods in the Indian subcontinent. The brand was won after a multi-agency pitch. The Integrated Media mandate will include traditional as well as digital and mobile duties. The account will be handled from the Gurgaon office of Arena. Aditya Bagri, Director, Bagrrys, commented, As Indias Health Food FMCG we are dedicated to creating products that are cherished by customers - not viewed as a mere necessity. Arena instinctively understood our passion, vision and forward thinking. Arena has the credentials, strengths and focus to build platforms of connect and relevance, across media. They also have a good understanding of the Indian customer who is today driven by quality. Anita Nayyar, CEO, Havas Media Group, India and South Asia, speaking on the appointment said, The Indian consumers dependence on packaged foods has increased and health awareness has constantly been on the rise. The Bagrrys group has played a meaningful role in customers lives over the past many years; it is a great brand in a targeted but high potential category. We are honoured to take on the mandate of a yet another innovative and pioneer Indian brand. Mohit Joshi, Managing Director, Havas Media Group, India, explained, Wellness ranks high as an emerging industry and Bagrrys is perfectly positioned in that domain. At play will be Havas Media Group's integrated media skills centered on digital-mobile and the Meaningful Brands framework which together will map the brand chart for Bagrrys. We look forward to working with the team. For the first time, the BBCs international news services are to use chat apps to bring their hard hitting storytelling to even more people around the globe. As BBC World News marks 25 years of TV news broadcasting, the channels international current affairs programme Our World will use Viber to tell the story of a kidnapping that took place in Mexico, publishing posts via a BBC public channel within the app. It will be delivered to Viber users across a week, replicating the timeline of the original events as told by the victims. This will then be tied in with the television broadcast of the half hour documentary Our World: Kidnapped in Mexico. For their audiences on the continent and beyond, BBC Africa will be using WhatsApp to tell the story of young people in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) who are using new online ways to get their voices heard and bring change to their country. Across five days clips will be shared from its documentary Young, Angry and Connected. The innovative pilot projects, which are set to start from this weekend, mark a significant step forward for the BBCs use of instant messaging platforms. The broadcaster has been experimenting with chat apps in countries where mobile use outstrips desktop and to reach those people who would not necessarily access its journalism via traditional means. They were trialled as a way of gathering and sharing content during the 2014 Indian Elections and then again during the Ebola crisis, which saw thousands of people across West Africa signed up to receive the latest news and lifesaving information. But the use of the platforms to share content from its documentaries breaks new ground, helping to extend the life and reach of TV programmes. Trushar Barot, BBCs Mobile & Apps Editor, explained: There are now more users of chat apps globally than there are people on social media. Thats why BBC World Service is focussed on experimenting and developing long term strategies for these platforms. Using them is second nature to hundreds of millions of people around the world. These are the next generation of digital audiences we want to reach out to. Two years ago, we were the first news organisation to develop news accounts in chat apps, but we know we have to continue to innovate on them. Working with the likes of Viber to trial projects like this enables us learn quickly and deliver the types of digital content our audiences are going to increasingly expect. Our World: Kidnapped in Mexico on Viber from 6th March For the first time a linear TV documentary about a real life kidnapping case is being broken down and retold for users of a public channel on Viber. Users following the channel at www.viber.com/bbcstories will be able to follow the story of a kidnap victim and his wife told in text, images and animations, as if it were happening in real time. The posts will run across a week, around the broadcast of correspondent Vladimir Hernandezs TV documentary on Friday, March 11th Jo Mathys, of the BBCs Impact team, who developed the chat apps project said: What I find exciting about this project is the ability to tell a story as if in real time, and the sense of immediacy that chat app platforms provide. Its as if the characters are talking directly to the audience. Its a very different way of story-telling. Theres potential to tell a wide range of current affairs stories using this format. The full documentary Our World: Kidnapped in Mexico will be broadcast on BBC World News on Friday March 11th at 2030 GMT with repeats on Saturday March 12th at 1130, 1630 & 2230 GMT and on Sunday March 13th at 0330 & 1730 GMT. Young, Angry and Connected on Whats app- from the 7th March BBC Africas first ever WhatsApp series Young, Angry and Connected will bring the story of young Africans using social media and their mobiles to get their voices heard, to an audience in a unique way. The series will launch on Monday, March 7th and run until Friday, March 11th. A daily clip of around 2-3 minutes will be delivered to those who subscribe to the WhatsApp service number (+44 7734778817) and will be available in French and English. Once the number is added, users can write SIGN UP for English and SOUSCRIRE to receive editions in French. The documentary will then be available in full on BBC.com/Africa and www.bbcafrique.com at the end of the week. WhatsApp is hugely popular in Africa, and a widely used app for people to communicate, including those involved in the story of Young, Angry and Connected. Many of those featured in the programme depend on WhatsApp to communicate to their peers across the country. Vladimir Hernandez, Correspondent and Assistant Editor for World Service said: The rising youth groups in Africa are mobile-first and bringing their story to a wider audience on a chat app is the perfect new way of telling their story A short preview trailer for Young, Angry and Connected is available to watch here: https://myshare.box.com/youngconnected. In the fiscal Budget 2016-17, presented on February 29, 2016, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley proposed to introduce Equalisation Levy as a self-contained code to tax digital e-commerce transactions under Chapter VIII. The Finance Minister in his Budget speech stated that the Equalisation Levy was aimed at taxing Business to Business (B2B) e-commerce transactions. Therefore, the scope of the levy may be expanded to cover a larger gamut of digital goods and services as the time progresses. Under the BEPS Action Plan 1, the OECD had amongst the others, considered Equalisation Levy as one of the modes of taxing digital transactions, although, the report did not finally recommend such a levy. Indias action on BEPS agenda relating to digital economy was eagerly awaited as India had played a significant role in incorporating various tax options in the Action Plan. The Equalisation Levy has been defined as Tax leviable on consideration received or receivable for any specified service under the provisions of this chapter. The levy would be under a separate self-contained code and is not part of the income-tax law. The Equalisation Levy would be applicable at 6 per cent on gross consideration payable for a Specified Service. The levy is currently applicable only on B2B transactions, if the aggregate value of consideration in a year exceeds approx $1,500. Specified service includes online advertisement, any provision for digital advertising space or facilities/ service for the purpose of online advertisement, and any other service which may be notified later. Commenting on the Equalisation Levy, Ashish Bhasin, Chairman & CEO South Asia, Dentsu Aegis Network and Chairman, Posterscope & MKTG - Asia Pacific, said, This is almost like a global phenomenon now because there is a general feeling that many large Internet-based companies are not being taxed in any country or are evading taxes by setting up companies in tax havens. So there seems to be a trend globally, not just in India, to try and tax them. To an extent I think it is in continuation with that and of course, the Government is going to try to maximise its strategies with it. He foresees two impacts. One is that perhaps these companies will have to change the way they work because at the moment a lot of them are offshored at places where they claim that taxes are not leviable. Now, the benefit of that may be negated through this levy. The second thing is that it will impact their profitability and eventually drive up the cost of accessing Internet for advertisers and may have a detrimental impact on the overall digital spends and digital advertising. However, the entire digital ecosystem is growing at such a rapid pace that the growth might make up for that, Bhasin opined. For Zafar Rais, CEO, MindShift Interactive, the latest move doesnt come as a surprise at a time when online advertising is exploding in the Indian market. He remarked, This shift will lead to a large impact on business done, especially with platforms such as Google, Facebook, Yahoo, since they earn huge ad revenues from business entities in India. The 6 per cent, however, eats into the media budgets that marketers allocate to increase outreach for their business, directly impacting their overall budgets. Start-ups or smaller businesses are more inclined towards online advertising platforms as a means towards reaching out to their audiences in a cost-effective manner, and a charge of this sort certainly will reduce their budgets especially since every penny matters to them. Sanjay Tripathy, Senior Executive Vice President - Head Marketing, Product, Analytics, Digital & E-Commerce, HDFC Life, too, felt that this latest move of 6 per cent equalisation levy was not surprising since online advertising is booming in the Indian market. It is a way of indirectly taxing platforms like Google, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc., he added. According to him, The equalisation happens because the Government is supposedly levelling the playing field and making companies such as Google and Facebook pay for the money they make from local advertisers. The payer for these services is required to deduct 6 per cent prior to making the payment. The levy will increase the cost of digital advertising by 6 per cent. But it is unlikely to impact digital advertising spend of the advertisers as they are convinced of the growing benefit of digital. May be a bit of restructuring of the Budget will happen at the planning level. It will eat into overall media budget, he added. Tripathy felt that since there was no way to directly tax the foreign players, this was a smart move by the Government to indirectly dip into their share of earnings made by these players from India. It will come in the way of businesses that act as intermediaries brokering the sale of advertising on Facebook and Google, since they have already been paying a domestic tax and will be liable to pay more, he added. Vivek Bhargava, CEO, iProspect India, Of what I understood, this would be for players who dont have an established company in India rather than for companies who have established companies in India. Digital delivers so much value that the price going up by 6 per cent will not affect it much, most likely people will shift even this budget from their conventional media budgets. In a report released, consultancy firm EY, stated, This is the first significant step taken by India in respect of taxing digital economy transactions. An IAMAI spokesperson remarked, We are looking into the impact with our member companies, prima facie looks like an imposition on overseas companies. Indias much awaited trust decoder, The Brand Trust Report 2016, a study measuring the primary attributes of trust held in brands has been released. Samsung Mobiles has been ranked as Indias Most Trusted Brand of 2016. From the consumer electronics segment, Sony has emerged as Indias 2nd Most Trusted Brand. LG is the 3rd Most Trusted (fallen down two ranks from 2015), followed by Nokia ranked 4th and Tata is ranked 5th (replacing each others rank from the previous year). The 6th position is held by the automobile giant Honda (up one rank over last year) followed by Indias very own Bajaj from the diversified category. Dell and Godrej maintain their 8th and 9th position for the second year running followed by ICICI (up by 38 ranks over 2015) at the 10th position from the BFSI category. The report is launched annually by TRA (formerly Trust Research Advisory), a sister company of the Comniscient Group, a diversified communications group. The Brand Trust Report, the sixth in its series, is the result of a comprehensive primary research conducted on the proprietary 61-Attribute Trust Matrix of TRA. This years study involved 18000 hours of fieldwork covering 2500 consumer-influencers across 16 cities in India and generated 6 million datapoints and 20,000 unique brands from which the top 1000 brands have been listed in this years report. The 200 page, hardbound report is available for Rs. 14000/-. N. Chandramouli, CEO, TRA, said on the occasion of the reports launch, Samsung Mobiles is Indias Most Trusted Brand of 2016 as a result of its constant efforts in bringing consumer value through conscious pricing, great quality and exquisite designs. Samsung Mobiles strategy of focusing on the core intangibles of its brand is evident from its climb to leadership in BTR 2016. Trust is the sole connector between a brand and a consumer and it is important for every brand to analyze its Trust Quotient very closely. Among Indias 1000 Most Trusted brands, 267 categories were listed. The categories with the maximum brands were Food & Beverage represented by 152 brands, FMCG represented by 128 brands, Automobile represented by 72 brands and Personal Accessories represented by 52 brands. Some of the important category leaders in Trust are ICICI (BFSI), Oxford (Education), Bharatgas (Energy), Dove (FMCG), Pepsi (F&B), Dabur (Healthcare), Google (Internet), Prestige (Kitchencare), Birla Cement (Manufacturing), Puma (Personal Accessories), Amitabh Bachchan (Personalities), KFC (Retail), Airtel (Telecom) and SpiceJet (Transportation)., Chandramouli added. Malmstrom female commander breaking barriers in engineer field Looking down the road as a new lieutenant in 1994, Col. Yvonne Spencer never imagined she would be in the position she is in today -- a colonel and commander of one of only four active-duty RED HORSE units. Spencer took command of the 819th RED HORSE Squadron in July and is the first African American and first female to lead her squadron. Shes also the first African American to lead an active-duty RED HORSE unit. RED HORSE (Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operations Repair Squadron Engineers) squadrons provide the Air Force with a highly mobile civil engineering response force to support contingency and special operations worldwide. Spencer said when she thinks back on the past and the pioneers who paved the way for females, she feels the Air Force is carrying on the legacy. "My Air Force is getting it right," she said. "My Air Force is accepting people for what they bring to the fight and not their packaging. They are looking at skills, capabilities, enthusiasm and successes. "We are embracing those ideals that the military is known for," she continued. Only two other females have been civil engineer commanders including retired Col. Susanne Waylett, former 823rd RHS commander and the first military woman to enter the Air Force civil engineering career field, and Maj. Gen. Theresa Carter, the first female engineering officer promoted to the rank of brigadier general. Spencer's success speaks volumes for people wanting to lead and be successful, even when she may not have received as much support as she would have liked. "I was putting together my package to apply to the Air Force Academy," she said. "I asked one of my instructors for a letter of recommendation and he declined. He told me, 'I don't think you have what it takes.' "In hearing that, it was almost additional fuel to my fire," she continued. "In the back of my mind all I kept saying was 'watch me.'" Even though Spencer's potential may have been doubted in the beginning, she worked hard and has risen through the ranks from lieutenant to colonel, proving herself to others that it is not physical attributes that matter, but what an individual brings to the table that counts. "If you're attempting to do something and you're thinking 'I'm a female' or 'I'm this or that,' my reply to you is 'so what?'" Spencer said. "What do you have on the inside? "You need to look within yourself and say 'what am I bringing to the fight?' and you keep moving in that direction," she added. "Do not take 'no' for an answer." In her more than 20 years of success in the service, Spencer recalled one of her favorite memories while serving with her fellow Airmen. "(One of my favorite memories was) the opportunity, as a major, to be a detachment commander," she said. "I was responsible for getting my folks, preparing them for the deployment and bringing everyone back in one piece. That was my first true opportunity to be a leader. "It was a great feeling spending time with my Airmen and getting them back to their families," she continued. Spencer said one of her proudest accomplishments was pinning on the rank of colonel because she never knew it was going to happen. "You sit there as a lieutenant and look and see down the road and think 'there's no way, I'm not going to be able to do that,'" she said. "But I was able to achieve that level of rank. My family and friends were there sharing that accomplishment." She added the accomplishment was not about her, but something larger. "It was about the folks that I looked out to in the audience," she said. "Each one of them played a part in my success, small or large, and they fed into this machine that I am and to help me be successful. I am just so very thankful for it. "I feel so privileged and honored that the Air Force believes in me to give me this level of responsibility." When speaking about success, people speak of keys to success. Spencer's advice is just two words. "Be nice," she said. "When I say that, it really means to be respectful to others. Showing that you care and just being nice to folks. Treat people the way you want to be treated. At the end of the day, we're a big Air Force, we're a big machine but the machine doesn't run without the people." Spencer's story can be relatable to anyone with potential and the nothing will stop me attitude. She said if it's something that is important to an individual, a way to achieve that something will be made, the excuses will be removed and it will be achieved. "You just can't stop," she said. Airmen look ahead after historic GPS satellite mission Capt. Trung Nguyen was born the year the first of the latest series of GPS satellites was blasted into space. Twenty seven years later, the Airman helped process the final GPS IIF satellite, worth about $131 million, before it was launched on an Atlas V rocket in early February. All your work leads up to that point when the rocket is launched and the satellite is in orbit, said Nguyen, the 45th Launch Support Squadrons GPS IIF field program manager. Its very gratifying work. The next round of Air Force-owned GPS satellites, Block III, is now in production by Lockheed Martin, which is expected to launch the first of its 32 satellites in late 2017. Global influence GPS satellites offer countless civilian and military uses. From getting cash out of an ATM or sharing a trip on social media to tracking combat troops or dropping precision bombs, the Air Forces Navstar GPS constellation of 24 satellites is there. You have the same capability that the military does as far as accuracy, said 1st Lt. Olivia Kinney, a 45th LSS responsible engineer who has worked on several of the satellites. Since 1989, when the GPS programs second generation began, 62 satellites have been launched. As satellites degraded over the years, new ones have taken their place providing better accuracy. This has increased position accuracy to only 5 feet, while the next GPS satellites aim to further narrow it to about 2 feet. GPS will be here when you need it, said Col. Steve Whitney, the director of the Space and Missile Systems Centers GPS Directorate at Los Angeles Air Force Base. Our goal is to deliver sustained, reliable GPS capabilities to users around the world. Before a GPS satellite is shot out 11,000 miles above Earth, an Airmen-led team oversees its preparation inside two facilities nestled among the ruins of past space missions at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Were working on hallowed ground here, Nguyen said. Although it can be a tedious three-month operation of extensive fuel and electrical systems testing, processing is vital to ensure a satellite can work in space. If it cannot, the GPS constellation may face serious flaws. If the GPS system were fully disrupted, for example, it could cost roughly $96 billion per year to GPS users and manufacturers, according to a 2011 study by the NDP Consulting Group, a Washington, D.C.-based economic consulting firm. Youre really the last person to work on them, Kinney said of the years of work that goes into each satellite. Were just here at the end of the process. The final GPS IIF mission capped off a hectic time for Airmen who saw seven of the satellites in 21 months, on top of other satellite missions, during one of the most aggressive launch campaigns in decades. We had overlapped missions, said Nguyen, who helped on six GPS launches. One satellite was going up, another was coming in. There were a lot of moving parts. Lifting a curse The most recent GPS mission was also riddled with snags leaving Airmen and contractors on high alert. The satellite was jokingly called the Beetlejuice curse since it had been delayed for delivery three times. (The satellite) had problems at the factory with processing and it got pushed out of line, said Staff Sgt. David Jeetan, a 45th LSS mission assurance technician. More issues surfaced later when it arrived at the squadrons facilities due to it being out of the processing flow. When it came to the Cape, there were extra eyes on it, said Jeetan, who served as the satellites lead MAT. We were able catch all the anomalies. GPS satellites may belong to the Air Force, but contractors are the only ones who physically handle them. Airmen make sure tools are calibrated correctly, testing systems run properly, and procedures are followed. When a mishap does arise, mission assurance technicians link up with the squadrons responsible engineers to share their thoughts on how to solve the issue. Thats a big help in anomaly resolution, Kinney said of her enlisted counterparts who come from the missileer career field. While MATs are more mechanically minded from their experience with intercontinental ballistic missiles, the role of responsible engineers is to look at data and give a risk assessment before the contractor sends a satellite to space. Once the first GPS III satellite arrives next year, Airmen will again add the GPS mission to their list of processing duties. At the end of the day, the Air Force still owns the satellite, Kinney said. Its our baby so we want to make sure its processed properly. The Air Force is accepting nominations for the 2016 Outstanding Department of Defense Employee or Service Member with a Disability Award.The award honors civilian and military members with disabilities who supported the DOD mission or overseas contingency operations, or whose activities best demonstrate the core values of their respective military service or other DOD component. The civilian or service member's performance throughout their career is considered the performance period for this award.Each major command, field operating agency and direct reporting unit may submit one military and one civilian nomination. Applications are due to Air Force Personnel Center by April 25.Organizations and base-level personnel must contact their major command, field operating agency or direct reporting unit for applicable suspense dates and additional information regarding nomination procedures.For more information about Air Force personnel programs go to the myPers website . Individuals who do not have a myPers account can request one by following the instructions on the Air Force Retirees Services website The special court directed CBI to file a progress report in connection with journalist J Dey murder case of 2011 and adjourned the hearing to March 14. Special judge for CBI cases S S Adkar sought the progress report saying it will help the court know how much more time CBI would need to complete the probe. Meanwhile, deported gangster Chhota Rajans lawyer today told the court that Rajan was shown as absonding in 68 cases in the state and he should be taken into custody in all the cases as non-bailable warrants against him were pending in these cases. Dey, a veteran crime reporter, was shot dead in suburban Powai by motor-cycle borne assailants on June 11, 2011, allegedly at the behest of Rajan. Rajan was allegedly peeved with Dey over some articles written by the latter. Rajan is facing around 70 cases in Maharashtra, including the J Dey murder case. Maharashtra government has handed all these cases to CBI. Advocate Avinash Khamkhedkar, Rajans lawyer, also told the court that Rajan had given his voice sample to CBI (for the purpose of probe). Rajan was deported to India after his arrest at Bali airport in Indonesia on October 25 last year. The first charge-sheet named Satiah Kaliya, Abhijeet Shinde, Arun Dake, Sachin Gaikwad, Anil Waghmode, Nilesh Shendge, Mangesh Agawane, Vinod Asrani, Paulson Joseph and Deepak Sisodia as (arrested) accused. Another charge-sheet was filed in 2012 against journalist Jigna Vora who had allegedly instigated Rajan owing to her professional rivalry with Dey. Taking serious note of the deplorable conditions in prisons in the state, the Bombay High Court today directed the superintendents of all jails across Maharashtra to ensure basic facilities for prison inmates. We direct the Superintendents of all jails across the state to ensure that basic amenities like good food, clean and hygienic toilets and bathrooms are provided to the inmates. A compliance report shall be filed within four weeks, a division bench of Justices V M Kanade and Revati Mohite-Dere ordered. The court was hearing a petition filed by one Shaikh Ibrahim Abdul, who is presently lodged in Yerwada Central prison (in Pune), raising the issue of poor condition of the jail. Following the petition, the high court had directed the Pune judicial officer to visit the Yerwada jail and submit a report. After perusing the report and finding that the jail condition is indeed bad, the court sought a similar report from the judicial officer in Mumbai regarding Arthur Road prison and Byculla Womens prison. As per the report, in Arthur Road prison the capacity is to house 804 inmates but the present population in the jail is 2,466 inmates. The report further states that there are no bathrooms for inmates and they have to take bath in the open. The toilets which are in use are unclean and need renovation. The court directed the state government to immediately start work of construction of bathrooms and toilets inside the Arthur Road prison and complete the work within six months. The court also directed the government to construct toilets and bathrooms in Byculla womens prison immediately. This refers to your Diary Pro farmer budget will revive agriculture economy (March 3). As per Census 2011, 52 per cent of the countrys workforce is engaged in agriculture. The agricultural sector is Indias biggest employer but over the past few decades, agriculture has been systematically starved of financial resources, and continuing neglect and apathy has turned farming highly uneconomical. Without hurting any section of society, Jaitleys well-thought-out proposals are bound to stimulate industrial growth, boost exports and open up additional opportunities for employment. The focus on the rural economy, particularly agriculture and rural development, deserve to be appreciated. The announcement for an increase in expenditure on MGNREGA and Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana is welcome in this regard. I feel that farmers distress has not been correctly read by those who advocate steps for their emancipation. The commitment of the government to increase spending on agriculture will certainly come as a relief to millions of farmers in rural India in the long run. The increased allocation for MGNREGA reaffirms the fact that it is still the way to ensure the uplift of the rural poor. One hopes that support to the agriculture sector will be used to promote agro-based industries including marketing assistance, credit, warehousing and cold storage facilities. It is acknowledged that the magnificent edifice of our market-based economy rests on the strength of farmers and the agricultural sector. Vinod C. Dixit (The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.) North Korea fired six short-range projectiles into the sea Thursday in a show of defiance just hours after the United Nations adopted the toughest sanctions to date on Pyongyang over its fourth nuclear test and rocket launch. Limited displays of military firepower have become a routine response by North Korea to international pressure over anything from its nuclear weapons program to its human rights record. South Koreas defence ministry said the six projectiles either rockets or guided missiles fell into the sea around 100-150 kilometres (60-90 miles) off the Norths eastern coast. Chinas foreign ministry responded by urging all parties to refrain from any actions that might see tensions escalate still further. The launches came after the UN Security Council unanimously passed a resolution late Wednesday imposing new sanctions after seven weeks of arduous negotiations between the United States and China, Pyongyangs sole major ally. All eyes are now on China and Russia to see if they fully enact the sweeping measures. North Korea offered no immediate statement on the sanctions, which break new ground, requiring all countries to inspect cargo destined for and coming from the North, in all airports and sea ports. They also ban or restrict exports of coal, iron and iron ore and other minerals from North Korea, and prohibit the supply of aviation fuel including rocket fuel. But analysts have pointed to several possible loopholes, including interpretations of what constitutes a proper cargo inspection and a provision that excludes mineral exports if their revenues are not deemed to be destined for military use. North Korea earns about $1 billion per year in coal exports a third of all export revenues and about $200 million annually from iron ore sales, US Ambassador Samantha Power told the Security Council. Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray can set up a Davis Cup quarter-final blockbuster if they successfully pilot Serbia and defending champions Great Britain through the first round. However, the worlds top two players will go into their home clashes against Kazakhstan and Japan respectively this weekend with question marks over their fitness and match sharpness. World number one Djokovic saw his streak of 17 successive finals come to an end in Dubai last week when an eye infection forced a quarter-final retirement. Murray, meanwhile, hasnt hit a ball in anger since losing to old rival Djokovic in the Australian Open final almost five weeks ago. The 28-year-old took February off after his wife Kim gave birth to their first child, Sophia. Djokovic led Serbia to the 2010 Davis Cup title. I am optimistic and I hope that I am going to play, said the 11-time major winner. I was a little sceptical but now all is going well. Djokovic and world number 23 Viktor Troicki will play singles for the Serbs in Belgrade while Kazakhstans top player is Mikhail Kukushkin, the world 79. Murray, who led Great Britain to their first Davis Cup title in 79 years last November, said being a new father has not affected his sleep patterns. It was very different to what I expected, he said. I still practise hard and do all the same things I was doing before. I will find out if it is different on Friday or not. The key clash in Birmingham could come on Sunday when Murray takes on Japans top player, Kei Nishikori, the world number six. Murray holds a 5-1 career advantage over Nishikori ahead of the first Davis Cup clash between the two nations since 1931. Britain have one of the best teams with Andy and his brother (doubles star, Jamie). Its a great challenge, said Nishikori. Hewitt plays it again Should Serbia and Britain emerge victorious, they will clash in the UK from July 15-17 for a place in the semi-finals with Murray already revealing that he intends to play. As the reality of the Donald Trump train rumbling towards Republican presidential nomination after his Super Tuesday performance hit the party establishment, it mounted a last ditch effort to stop the unstoppable. In what analysts described as too little and too late, the partys 2012 nominee Mitt Romney was set to take a shot on Thursday at slowing the brash billionaire who has won 10 of the 15 nomination contests so far, including seven of 11 on Tuesday. Sources cited by CNN said Romney plans going after Trump to make the point that the frontrunner is the wrong person to lead the Republican Party and underscoring the choices facing the Republican Party and the country in this election. Trump responded late Wednesday by mocking Romney in a pair of tweets. Failed Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney is having a news conference tomorrow (Thursday) to criticise me, he tweeted. Just another desperate move by the man who should have easily beaten Barrack (sic) Obama. But at least one rival, retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson acknowledged that after going 0-for-15 in the first states to vote, he did not see a political path forward and said he would not participate in Thursdays Republican debate hours after Romney speaks in Utah. Carson, however, stopped short of saying he was officially leaving the race. Most Republicans in Congress will not embrace Trump as long as there is a possibility, regardless of how slim, that theres still another Republican candidate in the race that is trying to take him down, CNN reported. But the problem for Republicans pushing the anti-Trump effort is that they cannot agree on who the party should elevate as the most effective challenger to Trump, it said. The D.C. establishment is scared to death, House member Tom Marino, a Trump supporter told CNN expressing confidence that top Republicans in Washington will eventually come around and work with Trump. They would not have much choice, he warned as the American people are fed up with it and the elected officials, if they dont grasp it, theyll be out of a job. Meanwhile, Trumps nearest rival Texas Senator Ted Cruz, who has won four contests so far, also acknowledged that primary loss in his home state would have meant the end of his campaign. Listen, everyone recognises Donald Trump is a unique phenomenon, Cruz told reporters in Kansas on Wednesday night. Indo-Canadian students, the faculty and staff from University of British Columbia, Canada, would hold a rally in solidarity with Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) today, a media report said. As you already know many central universities are under brutal attack from the BJP-led right wing government in India. Rohith Vemula, a bright PhD student of University of Hyderabad who belonged to Dalit community, was victimised, harassed, and thrown out of the university which ultimately forced him to take his own life, The Voice quoted an email by a student as saying. The students of the Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi who led a big student movement against the institutional murder of Rohith are now facing deadly onslaught of the state its entire students union and leftist leadership booked under the draconian sedition charges, the email added. Its President Kanhaiya Kumar was almost lynched in the court premises by fascist hoodlums in black coats in full public view, and in spite of a huge police presence that refused to act, the email noted. The email said that the university would to celebrate the day as International Support Day for JNU. Hundreds of universities, public intellectuals, human rights organisations from all over the world have raised their voice in support of the JNU students and teachers, the report said. Recently, students, including Indian-Americans, from New York University (NYU) and Cooper Union college in New York gathered at Washington Square Park to support JNU Students Union leader Kanhaiya Kumar and other students who were arrested on sedition charges last month. An Indian-American student said during the protest that the primary purpose of the event was to raise awareness about Kumars arrest. [Kumar] was arrested for making these comments against the government, even though he was not actually saying anything against the government, he was just having this poetry reading, Anjana Sreedhar said. We are protesting against the fact that he was arrested under the sedition law which is very antiquated and very outdated, Sreedhar added. Sreedhar, along with several other students read English transcripts of Kumars speech during the poetry reading and asked if his words warranted arrest. They also encouraged passersby and attendees to attend a forum discussion at Cooper Union next week. A student activist at the NYU Sumathy Kumar said she attended the rally because she wants to show her support to the JNU students who were beaten and arrested and so much violence was being committed against them just for speaking out. Anthropology professor Tejaswini Ganti said that she was glad students were voicing support for JNUs students and that universities should be an open forum for all opinions even those that dissent against the governing party. Finally, Delhi High Court on Wednesday granted six-month interim bail to Kanhaiya Kumar, the Jawaharlal Nehru Students Union president who was arrested on sedition charge. Kanhaiya was lodged in the Tihar Jail under judicial custody. Looking at the whole saga, I strongly feel that Narendra Modi government will not come to the power in the next general election. The raising of sedition issue is one of the examples where a 150 year old law is being used to suppress the rational views. The law which was used by colonial masters to suppress descent with colonial power is still used by us. Now, we are living in a very different atmosphere where India is a socialist, secular and democratic nation. If someone wears a belt made up of cow skin, eats beef or any other animals meat, then he is labelled as anti-national. This only means that we should subscribe to such views otherwise we have to leave India. The need of the hour is to delete the law of sedition from IPC else in future the government may book many under this law to chock voices. In spite of all sorts of conspiracy, the court gave relief to Kanhaiya by asking him to furnish a personal bond of Rs. 10,000 and a surety of like amount. The high court made it clear that a JNU faculty member has to stand as surety for Kanhaiya. Justice Pratibha Rani had reserved the order after over three hours of hearing on the bail plea of Kanhaiya, accused of raising anti-India slogans inside JNU campus during an event organised on February 9. During the hearing, while Kanhaiyas counsel had argued that the student leader had never raised any slogans against the nation, Delhi Police had maintained that there was evidence that he and others were shouting anti-India slogans and were holding Afzal Gurus posters. The bench had also asked tough questions to the police on slapping sedition charge on the accused and asked it to show evidence against him of his active role in raising anti-India slogans. While giving bail to him, the high court listed out certain conditions, including that he will have to cooperate in the investigation in the case and present himself before the investigators as and when required. Kanhaiya had also distanced himself from Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, the two other accused arrested in the case. Earlier, the Delhi Police had interrogated Kanhaiya, Khalid and Anirban together for a day at RK Puram police station following which police identified as many as 22 persons who allegedly participated in the JNU event but there is no proof against any one of them. Delhi Police miserably failed to prove its claims. Meanwhile, India Today has managed to exclusively access the report of the forensics laboratory which examined the Kanhaiya Kumars so called sedition videos. A total of seven videos had been sent by the Delhi government for forensics examination. The final supplementary report submitted by Truth Labs to the Delhi Government has confirmed the India Today investigation, which had exposed how the Kanhaiya video had been doctored with. Out of the seven videos, shot at the Jawaharlal Nehru University, that had been sent for forensic examination, two have been found to be fake. A video which had gone viral on social media, are to be fake. This video was labelled as clinching proof of Kanhaiya raising seditious slogans in the Jawaharlal University campus. The video shot at JNU was from February 11, two days after the now infamous pro-Afzal, anti-India event organised by the Democratic Students Union. The video was played up aggressively by some Hindi and English news channels. Here, somebody might have taken the audio from the video which was shot on February 9 and overlaid it on the video that was shot two days later on February 11, which is why the audio that can be heard is completely different? Forensic probe report said that the manipulation of two videos but brings to fore that voices of persons not present in the clips were added. It implies those anti-national slogans were not raised on camera. Should those leave those who had doctored the video, upload and distributed on social media as gospel truth for creating a hostile environment and giving a tag of anti national to scholars and students? Earlier, a video shows rising of anti-India slogans, the slogan-raising youths faces were covered. It too conveys the identity of those who raised slogans is not known to public at large. In this scenario, those people who manipulated the videos by adding voices of persons not present in video and those who shouted slogans with faces covered qualifies to a tag of traitors of the nation? Please unmask the masked people in the video. Delhi Police had noticed the covered faces those were shouting anti-national slogans in a video that was in public circulation since then. Their competence, logic and investigative acumen including legal righteousness are just mind-boggling and they are in charge of the Capital of India and working directly under Home Ministry. Here, should I mention the fake Hafiz Saeed twitter account reference which was given by our intelligent Home Minister for filing a sedition cases on students belonging to opposing party union. Narendra Modi has been an utter disappointment. He has disenchanted on all fronts because, he felt with the mandate BJP received, things should be cake walk for the party. How wrong he proved himself. He just allowed elements in the party to ride on him and his success. Instead of reining them in, he had been a silent spectator! He has not administered the country effectively and failed to lead the country from the front. His utter silence on atrocities inflicted on the helpless minorities, explain everything. The lists of his failures are long and still growing. In some days, people will wonder, why they elected him. We know, political parties believe in divide and rule. They skillfully brainwash us through media, creating issues which polarize us for political gains. Congress did that by seudo-secularism and BJP is doing through seudo-nationalism. Meanwhile, the real issues like poverty, education and development took a backseat. If we really proud ourself as an Indians then its our duty that we should not be trapped in these polarization, disharmony and distrust. The idea of India developed by RSS-BJP was forcefully argued by HRD Minister. She even invoked caste and religion during the debate. However, she missed the important point mentioned in our Constitution that there is no place for religion. It is a private affair and the State cannot intervene. Thereby, for the time such unacceptable had happened in the Parliament. It cant be denied that RSS is pursing the anti-nationalist boggy and there cannot be a better place than Universities. (Any suggestions, comments or dispute with regards to this article send us on feedback@afternoonvoice.com) Turkish police killed two female militants who had earlier on Thursday staged an attack on a police bus in an Istanbul suburb. The woman were cornered after fleeing into a nearby apartment block following the attack, in which they opened gun fire and tossed hand grenades at the bus in the Bayrampasa district of Istanbul, according to reports. Two women opened fire and threw a grenade at a Turkish police bus as it arrived at a station in an Istanbul suburb on Thursday, footage from the Dogan news agency showed. Television stations said there were no casualties. One of the women threw a grenade and the other opened fire with what appeared to be a machine gun as the riot police bus drove towards the station entrance in the Bayrampasa district of Turkeys biggest city, the footage showed. Police returned fire, injuring one of the women, before tracking them to a nearby building, CNN Turk said. Special forces units were sent to the area and residents were evacuated as security forces prepared to carry out an operation, it said. Footage on Turkish television stations showed the street cordoned off as armed plainclothes police in bullet-proof vests emerged from the police station. Attacks on the security forces have increased as violence flares in the countrys predominantly Kurdish southeast, where a ceasefire between Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants and the state collapsed last July. The PKK, considered a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and the European Union, launched a separatist armed rebellion against Turkey more than three decades ago. More than 40,000 people, mostly Kurds, have since been killed. Turkey has also become a target for Islamic State militants, who are blamed for three suicide bombings one last year in the town of Suruc near the Syrian border and another in the capital, Ankara, and one in Istanbul in January. Those attacks killed more than 140 people. Christians in India have frequently become victims of violent attacks, and these incidents have increased dramatically ever since Modi government came into power in May 2014. Prayer meetings are often raided and Christians pastors/priests and believers beaten; many rural Christians have also been expelled from their villages and refused access to the village well and pastureland; and others have been forced to convert to Hinduism, often with violence. The Catholic-Christian community in India does not indulge in terrorism, anti-national activities, smuggling, cheating, corruption, arson looting, rioting, communal and fundamentalist activities, criminal activities, encroaching government lands to create slums and female foeticide/infanticide. They are extremely secular and work with honesty and dedication. But in spite of being very peaceful and law-abiding citizens, they face religious discrimination and persecution by some people of the majority community. Just because we Christians are peace-loving people and do not retaliate, it does not mean that the government can take an upper hand of us. Christians are also being defamed in the name of Ghar Wapsi (Home Coming) and Muslims in the name of Love Jihaad. India will never achieve prosperity with all this communalism taking place. Even before when the BJP government was in power with Atal Behari Vajpayee as the Prime Minister, Christians were being persecuted, churches vandalised and burnt and nuns molested and raped. When Narendra Modi broke his silence and spoke in favour of religious harmony and tolerance at a church function, everyone sighed with relief. Babur, the founder of the Mughal Empire in India is said to have left a will to his son, Humayun which is still preserved in the State Museum of Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh. The contents of the will are that Babur informs his son Humayun that India is the homeland of many religions and he has to be respectful and impartial towards all of them and ought not to burn, destroy, desecrate or disturb any shrine of any religious order. Our present-day politicians do not care for the people and they have no respect for the common man, especially the minority communities. In the name of religion, they destroy religious structures and kill people belonging to the Christian and Muslim religions. Our Prime Minister, Narendra Modi should know that Christians in spite of being numerically a small minority community, has contributed a lot to the nation. I quote what freedom fighter, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan has said: My religion is truth, love and service to God and humanity. Every religion that has come into the world has brought the message of love and brotherhood. Those who are indifferent to the welfare of their fellowmen, whose hearts are empty of love, they do not know the meaning of religion. In the West, people pay their taxes to the government, who in turn, takes good care of them in their old age. This is not the case in India. Here the middle-class people, who are the backbone of economy, are taxed heavily throughout their working lives and are forgotten completely after retirement. The government does not come to their rescue even when they turn old or have no one to take care of them in their old age. The promises made by Narendra Modi at the time of elections seem to be completely forgotten. Empty promises, werent they? Jubel DCruz (The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.) Congratulations California! You're right there with the forward thinking of Mississippi! Medical doctors don't know as much as state workers. Since California has now followed the lead of those progressive states, Mississippi and West Virginia, and refuses all philosophical and religious exemptions, are they also going to enforce their draconian rules for a medical exemption in California? In Mississippi it seems that it doesn't matter if a doctor says your child should be exempt from further vaccinations. The final say must come from the state health department. People who never have seen the child in question regularly override a physician's call for an exemption. By Anne Dachel There is no real MEDICAL EXEMPTION IN MISSISSIPPI. In truth it's a STATE EXEMPTION. DOCTORS DO NOT HAVE THE FINAL SAY. There's law to try and change that. JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - A bill that would let physicians exempt children from Mississippi's vaccination requirements is advancing in the state House. A split Education Committee voted Tuesday to push House Bill 938 (http://bit.ly/1S02JWj ) to the full chamber for more debate. Rep. Mark Formby, a Picayune Republican, says the state should honor physicians' wishes. Under current law, the state Health Department must approve requests to exempt children from the requirements, and top health officials oppose a change. A group of parents pushing the bill say they, not the state, should be able to decide when their children get vaccines. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that in 2013-14, Mississippi had the largest percentage of kindergartners vaccinated against diseases. A broader bill allowing parents to decline vaccinations for philosophical reasons died Tuesday. March 2, 2016, Jackson (MS) Clarion-Ledger: House OKs medical exemptions for vaccines http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2016/03/02/house-approves-medical-exemptions-vaccines/81204130/ VIDEO: Lindey Magee: "My 12 year old who is here, when he got his 5 year old shots, he had several grand mal seizures within the window of time that they tell you they can have seizures after vaccines. And when they have seizures from a vaccine like that, they're not supposed to get any more. So the pediatrician that was on call sent a letter in to the health department ... and it was denied by the health department. ... "A bureaucrat in the state health department that has never seen my child should not be able to override my doctor." The Mississippi Health Department doesn't give their denials on paper. They do them by phone so there is no paper trail. "We have letters from pediatricians in Mississippi that their requests for exemptions are denied by phone regularly, and they get more denials than they get accepted exemptions." Mary Jo Perry: "We're the only state in our nation that has bureaucrats health department overriding our doctors' advice." From the article: Following heated debate, the Mississippi House of Representatives passed a bill that would allow medical exemptions of vaccinations Currently, the state Department of Health must approve a doctors request for vaccination exemptions. This bill would remove the department from the equation. "You as adults would not want a government agency to be able to overrule your physician on your treatment for anything, so why would we do it for your children?" said Rep. Mark Formby, R-Picayune, the bill's author. VIDEO: "Of course there's his false theory that vaccines can cause autism. ...There is simply no scientific evidence that links vaccines to autism. And it's not correct to call autism an epidemic, as Mr. Trump often seems to do." He has also promoted the notion that vaccines cause autism, a claim that has been widely debunked by doctors and scientists. Just the other day, 2 years old, 2-and-a-half-years old, a child, a beautiful child went to have the vaccine, and came back, and a week later got a tremendous fever, got very, very sick, now is autistic, Mr. Trump said at a Republican debate in September. When another presidential candidate, Michele Bachmann, then a Minnesota congresswoman, made a similar claim in the 2012 campaign, she was savaged by news media commentators for the remarks; Mr. Trump received little serious blowback. Trump must be crazy. He believes in all these paranoid conspiratorial plots......including that vaccine somehow cause autism. And where did that slam about autism NOT being an epidemic come from? There is no proof of that. Overwhelmingly autism affects CHILDREN, since no one has ever shown us a comparable rate among adults--especially adults with severe, regressive autism. (Still waiting for ABC's John Donvan and Caren Zucker to show us the lost generations of ASD adults. They spent 15 years researching their book...Where are they?) The New York Times needs to go back into their archives and look at their coverage of the Hannah Poling concession by HHS medical experts. Government doctors agreed that the nine vaccines Hannah received in a single doctor's visit caused her autism. They even printed a letter from Terry Poling, Hannah's mother, in response to Dr. Paul Offit criticism of the decision. Response from Terry Poling to Paul Offit, New York Times, April 5, 2008 To the Editor: Re Inoculated Against Facts, by Paul A. Offit (Op-Ed, March 31): Our daughter, Hannah, developed normally until receiving nine vaccines at once. She immediately developed a fever and encephalopathy, deteriorating into what was diagnosed, based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or D.S.M. IV, as autism. The federal government, not an unusual court, made the concession. The decision wasnt careless, as your subheading called it. It was based on a thorough review of Hannahs records by Health and Human Services doctors. The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program does rely on a preponderance of evidence standard, which Hannahs case met. It doesnt necessarily compensate families quickly, generously and fairly. We filed our claim six years ago, pain and suffering are capped at $250,000, and Hannah has yet to receive compensation. Dr. Offits assertion that even five vaccines at once would not place an unusually high burden on a childs immune system is theory and risky practice for a toddlers developing brain. No one knows if Hannahs mitochondrial dysfunction existed before receiving vaccines. Dr. Offits claim that Hannah had already weakened cells is unfounded. We support a safe vaccination program against critical infectious diseases. We need straight facts, serious science and speedy answers on these important issues. Jon Poling Terry Poling Athens, Ga., April 3, 2008 Anne Dachel is Media Editor for Age of Autism. WASHINGTON, March 2, 2016 - The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is allowing another 45 days for comments on its plans to overhaul its biotechnology regulations and the scope of a planned environmental impact statement. After receiving requests from industry and environmental groups for a 60-day extension, APHIS today said it would extend the deadline for comments from March 7 to April 21. We are fully committed to engaging constructively with APHIS to help the agency reach its regulatory goals and to develop a successful, broadly-supported system of regulation, said one such request from 24 farm and food groups. The regulatory system, the request went on, should provide risk-appropriate oversight that is consistent with the need for growers to have timely, reliable access to the products of innovative breeding techniques while at the same time not disrupting access to markets. The 24 groups included the American Farm Bureau Federation, American Seed Trade Association, Biotechnology Innovation Organization, Grocery Manufacturers Association and National Association of State Departments of Agriculture. Friends of the Earth, Food & Water Watch, the Center for Food Safety and Center for Biological Diversity also asked for a 60-day extension. Watching for stories about biotechnology? Sign up for an Agri-Pulse four-week free trial subscription to stay on top of this and other ag, rural policy and energy issues. In light of the ongoing discussion around updates to the federal Coordinated Framework for the Regulation of Biotechnology, this effort by APHIS to assess potential environmental impacts of its process must be done carefully and in a thorough manner, said Food & Water Watch Assistant Director Patty Lovera. As reported last month by Agri-Pulses Philip Brasher, APHIS notice of intent to prepare a programmatic Environmental Impact Statement has sparked some concern in the industry. The notice lay(s) out in broad terms a new two-step process for analyzing new crop traits and deciding which ones would be subject to regulation, Brasher wrote. The regulatory docket for the action is here. #30 March 2, 2016 Fat chance, is how Avigdor Liberman, the chairman of the Yisrael Beitenu Party, reportedly related to the possibility that in the next elections he would team up and form a joint slate with Yair Lapid, the chairman of the Yesh Atid Party. After organizing the Feb. 29 conference with Lapid under the heading Fighting for Israels international standing, Liberman has been repeatedly asked that question. At the conference, held at the Knesset to great media attention, the two gleefully took potshots at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who also serves as the foreign minister. Liberman and Lapid sought to distance their public move from far-reaching partisan contexts, explaining that they teamed up ad hoc for a very specific reason, namely to salvage what is left of Israels diplomacy, which they charge Netanyahu has been systematically destroying. The Foreign Ministry is nobodys private domain, not even the Netanyahu family, the leader of Yisrael Beitenu lashed out. Netanyahu is trying to take Israels foreign service and physically destroy it. This government has no foreign policy, he said. Looking very serious, Lapid said, Our international standing has never in all the years of the country since 1948 been so bad. What the prime minister saw upon analyzing this move is leaders from two opposition parties, which in recent months have seen a spike in the polls, teaming up against him. Identifying the political threat, he quickly fired back. Trying to discount the importance of the conference, he offhandedly blurted at a Likud faction meeting that took place nearby, I have heard that the left-wing parties held a political emergency conference today. So some people opt to ramble endlessly and engage in political conferences and there are those who fend off the pressures on the State of Israel and strengthen its international alliances to safeguard our future here. The prime ministers casual remark stood in stark contrast to the pressure and fear that have gripped him since learning about the conference. Both Liberman and Lapid served as ministers in his previous governments. The former is associated with the right, while the latter is supported by the centrist-left constituency but constantly keeps trying to take away votes from the moderate right. Ever since the March 2015 elections, the two have emerged as the oppositions new power couple, fostering close and productive ties. The chemistry between the two is conspicuous, and they have been a source of great concern for the Likuds chairman due to the potential damage they can cause if they run together in the next elections. Having both served in Netanyahus third government, they ended up being the prime ministers arch rivals, vowing to do everything to topple him. Living up to their word for the time being, they remain in the opposition. Netanyahu is known to overblow assessments concerning political threats. Oftentimes he makes a mountain out of a molehill, taking action to avert the threat. But this time around, is he attaching too much clout to the political nexus? It appears that when it concerns the Liberman-Lapid alliance, Netanyahu has very good reason to be on tenterhooks. As mentioned, the duo claims to have teamed up for a specific purpose but this is obviously only part of the greater picture. This is an important political alliance based on interests and on identifying opportunities, from which the two stand to gain. By having a strong right-wing figure who will help him blur his leftist image, Lapid is signaling that as a candidate for the premiership he will be able to form a coalition. As far as Liberman is concerned, Lapid is giving him a seal of approval as an upright, sane Israeli politician. In this fashion, they both bolster their position vis-a-vis Netanyahu. But there is more to the story than meets the eye. In fact, this is not an alliance whose sole objective is to bring Netanyahu down in the next elections. It also aims at undercutting the standing of Isaac Herzog, the chairman of the opposition and the chairman of the Zionist Camp. There is a reason that he was not invited to the party (namely the Knesset conference), even though it would have made sense, on the face of it, to have Herzog join the topical venture sponsored by the leaders of two opposition factions. After all, he, too, is concerned about Israels international standing. Had he been invited, the conference might have had a much greater public impact. But Herzog was left out. As a result, both his standing and his relevance took a hit. Lapid and Liberman want to take away votes from the Likud and having a public appearance with Herzog is the least helpful move, especially as hard as Lapid is trying to pass off as a non-leftist. Netanyahu accurately identified this vulnerability, turning Lapid and Liberman into left parties as if this were a mark of shame. It is highly doubtful whether Lapid and Libermans warnings about the collapse of the Foreign Ministry can cause Netanyahu any public damage. The Israeli public, mainly the centrist-right, is more preoccupied with security. When it comes to Israels international standing, it tends to demonstrate local patriotism and convey a sense that the whole world is against Israel, regardless of what it does. In recent years, Netanyahu has been re-elected time after time despite Israels declining international standing. In the short run, Lapid and Liberman do not pose a threat to Netanyahu, but this could be the start of a significant alternative to the Likud that isnt coming from the left, and therein lies the real threat to the prime minister. March 2, 2016 Congress has taken its first step toward labeling Islamic State (IS) atrocities against Christians and other religious minorities a genocide in an effort to convince President Barack Obama to follow suit. The House Foreign Affairs Committee voted on the measure March 2, two weeks before the administration is supposed to render its ruling on the issue under the terms of December's omnibus spending bill. Obama appears ready to apply the label for Yazidis, Yahoo News reported in November, but not Christians and other groups who also face persecution but may not meet the legal threshold. "We have recognized genocide in numerous other situations, including in Rwanda, including in the former Yugoslavia," Chairman Ed Royce, R-Calif., said in his opening remarks. "It is time that we do so again, to speak the truth about the atrocities of [IS] and hope that the administration and the world will do the same before it is too late." Concurrently, the panel adopted a resolution from Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., that calls for the creation of a Syrian war crimes tribunal to prosecute Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and other alleged criminals. "We cannot condemn [IS'] atrocities without also denouncing the horrendous war crimes being perpetrated on a massive scale by Syria's Bashar al-Assad," Royce said. Both measures easily passed by voice vote and are expected to hit the House floor shortly. But the committee debate did bring to light several fault lines among lawmakers. "I'm afraid that the wording of this resolution, by including everyone that has been under attack in the Middle East, we have diluted the fact that the Christians and Yazidis are specifically targeted for genocide," said Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif. The resolution was crafted and introduced by Reps. Jeff Fortenberry, R-Neb., whose district is home to the largest number of Yazidis in the United States, and by Rep. Anna Eshoo, a California Democrat who is Assyrian-American. It has been championed by an international coalition of religious freedom organizations that hope to spark a global movement to create a safe zone for Middle East Christians in their historic homeland of the Ninevah Plains of Iraq (the European Parliament declared IS guilty of genocide last month). Rohrabacher argued that including Turkmens and other minorities in the resolution would require the United States to open its doors to those fleeing the violence. Congress has revolted against Obama's plans to allow 10,000 mostly Muslim Syrians into the country. "By declaring people targets of genocide," he said, "what we mean is that we will accept whoever is part of that [list] into our country and give them refuge." Others argued for being as inclusive as possible. "A word of caution on the other side," said Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va. "There could be other groups that end up being targeted. I think it's just prudence, the way this was drafted, so that we're not precluding the situation on the ground changing." Rohrabacher also objected to the second resolution calling for the establishment of a UN tribunal to prosecute possible war crimes by the Syrian government and the rebel groups fighting it. He said targeting Assad made as much sense as confronting Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin during the war against Nazi Germany. "We are at war with radical Islam," he said. "And, yes, we have imperfect partners in this war." Others countered that Assad's crimes are fueling the rise of IS and other radical groups. March 2, 2016 On Jan. 27, Human Rights Watch (HRW) published its World Report 2016. In a news release headlined Egypt: Security Operations Inflame Rights Crisis, HRW summarized the "mounting torture and disappearances" during President Abdel Fattah al-Sisis rule, more than two years after the army removed former President Mohammed Morsi. HRW is one of many groups documenting human rights violations under Sisi's regime. Other groups include the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI), Amnesty International and the Egyptian Center for Economic and Social Rights (ECESR), to name just a few. In its annual report released in February, ANHRI said that while 2015 saw a decline in the number of protests compared with 2014, this was due to broadened enforcement of the Anti-Protest Law, as well as the detention and persecution of large numbers of protesters. In an interview with Al-Monitor, ANHRI director Gamal Eid said, The current situation of human rights in Egypt is worse than it was during the tenures of former presidents Hosni Mubarak and Anwar Sadat. This can be [shown] by the number of journalists in prison, which stands at 60, according to the reports estimation. Eid also pointed to growing incidents of torture in prisons and places of detention, as well as in unfair trials against activists and death sentences in political cases. Furthermore, the ANHRI report said freedom of expression suffered in 2015, as Egypt worked to silence dissidents, journalists and media professionals. The report logged a total of 343 such violations last year. Some of the government's violations of human rights included 51 arrests and detentions, five "enforced disappearances" (abductions), 15 unjust court rulings and two travel bans, according to ANHRI. The current regime has also broadened its use of legislative power, passing a number of anti-freedom laws. The report also monitored what it described as fierce attacks by the regime against human rights organizations and defenders. For example, the report mentioned Azza Soliman, a prominent lawyer and human rights defender who was among 15 charged March 24 with demonstrating without a permit. ANHRI said all of those arrested were later acquitted. On Aug. 18, security forces stormed the house of human rights lawyer Abdel-Aziz Yusuf in Al-Sharqiyah governorate and arrested him. In another case, according to ANHRI, on Oct. 21 the Egyptian security forces raided the headquarters of Mada Foundation for Media Development. Mada Foundation's director, Hisham Gaafar, was arrested and "detained in an unknown place" for days before being imprisoned pending an investigation. The report also mentions journalist Hossam Bahgat, who on Nov. 8 was detained at the Military Intelligence Services' building, where he was interrogated as a defendant. The Military Prosecution Department then decided to imprison Bahgat for four days pending an investigation, but he was released two days later. The latest report published by Amnesty International on Egypt stated that authorities target those who criticize the government or express dissent. Media workers who documented rights violations or questioned authorities political motivations faced arrest and prosecution, while journalists who reported on army activities faced unfair trials before military courts, according to the group. The same report said thousands of actual and suspected government opponents were arrested during protests, at their homes or on the street. Many were not told why they were being arrested and were arbitrarily held in pre-trial detention for periods that in some cases exceeded a year, or else were brought before the courts and sentenced to lengthy prison terms after unfair trials. In its annual report, HRW said that in response to a rising threat from armed extremists based in the Sinai Peninsula and other anti-government groups, the authorities have used torture, abducted scores of citizens, banned many others from travel and possibly committed extrajudicial killings. The report added that the Interior Ministry in particular the ministrys National Security Agency, formerly known as State Security has returned to practices that were common before the 2011 uprising, effectively operating outside Egypts laws altogether. According to HRW, National Security officers often target political activists for abduction. National Security officers and other members of the police also regularly use torture in their investigations, HRW said. In December, authorities took action against a dozen officers suspected of involvement in multiple torture cases. Courts preliminarily have sentenced three of them to five years in prison, the report said. Sameh Samir, a lawyer in the criminal justice unit at ECESR, told Al-Monitor, There are ongoing crackdowns on the freedom of opinion and expression in the form of increasing incidents of arrest of activists and raids to apartments in the downtown area aimed at thwarting any potential protests. Often, defendants lawyers are not allowed to be present during interrogations, Samir added. He also said hundreds of abductions have been reported to ECESR by the families of the missing. He noted that prison conditions are worsening. Prison administrators intend to intensify the torture of detained activists and politicians, using new forms of torture such as denying prisoners access to food and clothing, especially during winter," he told Al-Monitor. The ANHRI report cited violations committed against prisoners of conscience, with overcrowding, denial of medicine and visitors, and poor treatment being among most frequent complaints. The report also said numerous complaints and nonstop communiques have been filed with the public prosecutor and authorities but have not been investigated. The report described the types of violence prisoners are subjected to, including electric shock on genitals and other sensitive areas of the body, beating, hanging prisoners by their limbs, as well as tying their hands behind their back in painful positions while beating and molesting them. March 2, 2016 Due to changing allegiances and loose alliances, there has been some confusion as to how to label the parliamentary elections. Reformists have been in a celebratory mood since the Feb. 26 elections. Conservative media, on the other hand, have tallied votes in a manner that shows them having an edge. According to Iranian Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, the countrys next parliament can be divided into three factions: Reformists, moderates and conservatives (Principlists). By comparison, Rahmani Fazli said the outgoing parliament can mostly be divided among two conservative groups. Although he did not say this, many observers believe the current parliament is dominated by traditional conservatives and hard-liners, who are often referred to as "Principlists" in most Iranian media. Rahmani Fazli added that the runoff elections for the remaining 69 seats will be to the advantage of one side. Rahmani Fazli said that conservatives had more time to organize and that Reformists, with many of them disqualified, had little name recognition and had to rely on party lists. Many observers believe the ability of Reformists to sweep Tehrans parliament was due to former President Mohammad Khatamis video message asking Iranians to vote for the Reformist list. During a television interview, Ali Motahari, a traditional conservative who ran on the Reformist list, said that banning Khatami from state media has been ineffective and everyone saw how influential he was. Rahmanim Fazli also said that many of the polls conducted turned out to be wrong. He said that even polls conducted by the Interior Ministry failed to take many factors into account. He believes that social media and social messaging services played a large part in shaping public opinion. When asked why Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel, who led the conservative list for Tehran, failed to make it into parliament when early results showed him to be in seventh place, Rahmani Fazli said that it simply had to do with the location of ballot boxes and in what order they were counted. Haddad-Adels loss has been a blow to many hard-liners. He did not make the cut, ranking 31st while only 30 seats are allotted for Tehran. He has been in parliament since 2000. When asked by reporters if he would contest the outcome, Haddad-Adel said he had still not made a decision to protest the election results for parliament. Rahmani Fazli said that the Interior Ministry is currently in talks with the Guardian Council to introduce electronic voting stations for the runoff elections. He said this would eliminate human errors and lower the costs for carrying out the balloting. In Tehran, for instance, voters had to write out the names of 30 candidates for parliament and 16 names for the Assembly of Experts by hand. As has been reported, women were able to more than double their numbers in this parliament to at least 22. More significantly, many of the women belong to the Reformist list. After the elections, a video interview of Parvaneh Salahshouri, one of the Reformist candidates to win in Tehran, surfaced in English in which she reportedly questioned the mandatory hijab laws. After those comments went viral on social media, Salahshouri spoke to the Iranian Students News Agency to clarify her strong displeasure at how the original report was presented. Salahshouri said that the only distinction she made was that some women might prefer to wear the black chador while others would prefer a headscarf and long coat. Salahshouris immediate correction and decision to walk back her original reported comments perhaps indicates that the Reformists in the next parliament will have an uphill battle if they intend to question the countrys social and cultural policies. March 2, 2016 On Jan. 18, about a month before the 2016 legislative elections in Iran, Israeli Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot said, quoted by military sources on condition of anonymity, Our eyes are fixed on election day in Iran. After that day, we will be able to attempt to understand what direction Iran is headed, what are the underlying currents in Iranian society and how these currents will influence what will be most dominant in the coming years: [Iranian] Reformists or Islamists. Eizenkot characterized the situation with great precision: All the branches and arms of the Israeli intelligence have stretched themselves to the limit in their attempts to pinpoint, understand and analyze what will take place in Iran on Feb. 26, election day for the parliament and the Assembly of Experts. Its not as if anyone in Israel dared hope for a real political revolution. No such scenario exists, admits a high-placed Israeli security source, speaking to Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. We cant fool ourselves into thinking that one day the ayatollah regime will simply collapse. Even the harbingers of revolt in 2009 did not arouse great hopes in the West, because the Iranian regime is still buttressed by great power and [its leaders] do not hesitate to use force to preserve their survival. If so, what is so fascinating about whats going on in Iran now? Eizenkot defines the internal situation in Iran as a battle of titans between two approaches: the hard-line [extremist] approach, headed by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani of the Quds Force, and the moderate, pragmatic and open approach of President Hassan Rouhani and his people. According to intelligence sources in Israel and the world, the results of this struggle will determine Irans image in the coming decades. There are voices in the Israeli security establishment who argue that even if Iran does change direction, it may not necessarily be due to revolution. Even if the steering wheel of a ship changes only slightly toward a certain direction, this may lead to a change in the ships course after many kilometers, said a senior Israeli intelligence source talking on condition of anonymity. Even now we identify very interesting changes of Iranian behavior and rhetoric in certain things that are happening that are surprising all the Western observers. A classic example of this is the fact that Iran has withdrawn its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that fought in Syria alongside Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Hezbollah forces and returned them to Iran. Initial publicity of this trend appeared a few months ago. The information was conclusive, yet Tehran denied it. At the time, senior military sources talking on condition of anonymity verified to Al-Monitor, At least half of the Revolutionary Guard that fought in Syria have returned to Irans borders. On Feb. 28, two days after the elections, Israels Channel 2 Middle East analyst Ehud Yaari announced that the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guard had completed their withdrawal from Syria and that, currently, no Revolutionary Guard soldiers remain fighting alongside Assad in Syria. Analysts in Israel do not deny the possibility that the decision to recall the Iranian fighters from Syria may have been influenced by the relative victory of the Reformists in the Iranian elections and the blow to the hard-liners, which strengthened the camp of President Hassan Rouhani. One way or the other, said a senior Israeli military source speaking on condition of anonymity, We are witnessing a real internal drama [in Iran]. We are surprised to reveal high sensitivity to the loss of human life among President Rouhani and his people: The fact that almost 200 members of the Quds Force were slain in Syria, and at least 400 of them wounded, is not accepted so easily in todays Iran. These are not the days of the war against Iraq in which the Iranian people accepted harsh losses on a daily pace. [Now] the regime is more attentive to human feelings, considerations are becoming more pragmatic in Western terms, including sensitivity to the loss of human life. All this is good news. In general, developments in Iran are assessed by Israeli intelligence, according to a source speaking on condition of anonymity, as welcome and refreshing, in the right direction. But according to Eizenkot recently in private discussions, No IDF [Israel Defense Forces] expert thinks that the Iranians have abandoned the nuclear vision. The concerted efforts of the covert battle and international sanctions led them to sign the agreement with the world powers and carry it out religiously. What was created is a window of 10 to 15 years in which a strategic change took place. For the first time, Irans nuclear program stops advancing and instead is being rolled backward, to the freezing point. This window constitutes a great opportunity, not only for the West and Israel but also to the entire Iranian nation. On Feb. 26, the Iranian people finally had their say. True, most of the Reformist candidates were disqualified by the authorities and those who remained were only partially Reformist in nature, as reflected in Hooman Majds article in Al-Monitor. Still, the direction is clear. Now its official, said a senior Israeli intelligence source speaking on condition of anonymity. The Iranian people are not on the same page as the ayatollahs or the Islamic Revolution. The Iranians want to live, to bring up their kids with dignity. They want to earn a living and enjoy openness to the world, culture and freedom. The question is, how the Iranian nation will realize all these desires. And this, they say in the Israel Defense Forces, well see in the coming decade. Will it be a decade of great change in Iran or will a strategic turnabout take us by surprise to return everything to the starting point? There are also pessimists in the IDF. One of them, a very high-placed officer who spoke recently with Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, said, Israel hasnt had good experience with empires coming from the East. Throughout all the generations, they have given us much grief. In general, Irans human capital is much more powerful than human capital in the Arab world. The nuclear agreement sends hundreds of billions to Iran, which will allow the ayatollahs to construct the new Persian Empire. The Iranian opponent today constitutes a totally different order of magnitude than what we coped with in the past, and not only in the nuclear context. They have human capital the Persian civilization is much more developed than the Arab one. They have more than 70 million citizens and tremendous natural resources: crude oil, gas and more. The Iranian regime is strong and steadfast, their Revolutionary Guards are big business with tremendous economic abilities and powerful political influence. The Basij [the Iranian paramilitary volunteer militia under command of the Revolutionary Guard] will not disappear tomorrow morning. He continued, For dozens of years, they [the Iranians] have been deeply indoctrinated with anti-West combat ideology, and they detest everything symbolized by the West. It is not at all clear that the optimistic forecasts will materialize. It is not clear that they will smile back at the Western world that smiled to them this year. What remains for us is to continue to watch and wait. These two outlooks exist in Israel as well, as evident in this article: optimism and pessimism. At the moment, the day after Iranian elections, the optimists have the upper hand. And this is certainly a refreshing change. March 2, 2016 BAGHDAD Videos posted to YouTube of fighting in the city of Basra by proud young men look like scenes from an American action movie. The fighters are seen firing into the sky as they warn each other of shots coming from opposing forces. Iraq is bursting at the seams with weapons, and tribesmen are both users and fodder. The same situation prevailed under Ottoman rule and in the early days of the monarchy. The Iraqi state curbed the tribes' influence, which experienced a strong resurgence in the years that followed the US invasion of Iraq in 2003. When the state collapsed, security forces grew weaker and the new authorities were unable to restrict the use of arms, and the tribes grew to become forces to be reckoned with. During the inaugural conference of the Council of Tribes and Social Components of Basra Province held in Basra on Jan. 12, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi stated, There can be no development, services or prosperity in Basra and other governorates if security is lost. His statement was a response to the tribal disputes that had spread throughout Basra and other governorates, such as Dhi Qar and Baghdad. Abadi addressed tribal elders who gathered around him at the conference, saying, Tribal fighting is unacceptable, and a small minority must not be allowed to destroy the social fabric of Basra. Basras security is tightly linked to the security of all of Iraq. Unfortunately, as we triumphed over the Islamic States terrorist gangs, some have instigated disputes and conflicts that have led to security breaches. He added, A strike force has been dispatched from Baghdad to impose security, restore the states authority and bring about social peace. For two years now, not a month passes without heavy tribal fighting in Basra, resulting in the deaths of both fighters and civilians that are not involved in the conflict. Basra is located in the far south of Iraq and is home to major tribes such as the Garamshe, al-Halaf and Bani Malik. These tribes possess light and medium weapons and in the absence of law enforcement, fighting among them has skyrocketed. Al-Monitor contacted Abadis spokesperson Saad al-Hadithi and asked him about the appropriate mechanism to put an end to tribal fighting. Hadithi replied, In the pursuit of general security, Abadi decided to confiscate medium and heavy weapons from the tribes, without any exceptions. He added, The implementation mechanism includes the disarmament and arrest of dispute instigators. Abadi is not the only one interested in quelling tribal disputes and the disarmament of Iraqi tribes. During a meeting with tribal elders Feb. 7 in Baghdad, Iraqi President Fuad Masum stressed the importance of removing medium and heavy weapons and restricting the use of arms to the state in order to allow it to protect society, bolster the states authority and spread the rule of law. Nevertheless, the disarmament process faces many obstacles, most importantly the states powerlessness, said Sheikh Mohammed al-Danbous, the secretary-general of the Iraqi Tribes Movement in Basra. Danbous, a Basra tribal elder, told Al-Monitor, Confiscating medium and heavy weapons from the tribes and restricting their use to the state is both healthy and commendable; but the state is powerless to remove weapons from the hands of even ordinary citizens. He added, Many parties taking part in the state possess weapons beyond the purview of security agencies, which has contributed to the deterioration and fragility of the security situation. Danbous explained, In Basra, security forces began conducting raids and searches for weapons, following Abadis demand. The latest plans of the Basra police helped confiscate weapons, while some clans facilitated the disarmament process. Danbous, however, indicated, There are parties and tribes that refused to allow their weapons to be taken away and security to be restored. For his part, Iskandar Watout, a member of the parliamentary Security and Defense Committee, told Al-Monitor, Disarming the tribes is extremely difficult, as weapons are extremely prevalent among them. Most tribes are currently fighting against IS alongside the Popular Mobilization Units and security forces. He added, All tribesmen have weapons at home. Al-Monitor spoke to a police officer who has conducted three raids looking for weapons in Basra governorate. He said, Dealing with the tribes is extremely difficult, for they are very conservative by nature and their permission is required before searching their houses. The officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to talk to the media, added, Tribes usually ask us not to enter their houses unless their women cover their heads and withdraw to a particular room. He explained, Security forces may be forced to wait for half an hour sometimes, until they are given permission to enter and search the house. The room where women are cloistered is off limits to security forces, and that is where weapons are usually stored. He added, Requesting a search of said room might lead to problems with the tribe with which the house owner is affiliated. Most Iraqis hail from one tribe or another. Even many of those who have forsaken their tribes to reside in cities or hold private sector jobs have now reverted to abiding by tribal norms. Tribes do not recognize the rule of law and are somewhat more permissive of killing, resolving murder cases with blood money. Many state officials resolve political disputes through tribal methods, such as politicians in the Shiite National Alliance. Alliance members Baligh Abu Kalal and Hanan al-Fatlawi resolved a dispute between themselves in May 2015 through mediation via their respective tribes, exemplifying the difficulty the government faces in curbing tribal influence. March 1, 2016 KIRKUK, Iraq An unexpected shot rang out as a peshmerga officer pointed over sandbags at a black Islamic State flag in the distance. Just shooting at a bird, he said, swiveling around to see what the other men were doing below, near a cluster of deserted mud and brick homes in the closed military zone on the wide, oil-rich plains of northern Iraq. He said that the other soldiers seen on the way to the front line wandering around abandoned, heavily damaged villages had been looking for firewood for warmth on that February night. Soldiers warmed their hands at a small fire built below an earthen embankment as dusk fell. Others mulled around, smoking and chatting, Kalashnikovs slung across shoulders, while one tried to fix a heavy machine gun pointing toward IS-held territory. This front line is near Kirkuk, about 250 kilometers (155 miles) north of Baghdad and about 90 kilometers (56 miles) south of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) capital, Erbil, long a source of contention due to its proximity to some of the countrys most important oil wells. It's mostly quiet at the moment, one officer told Al-Monitor, other than occasional sniper fire. But the bombing of IS targets by the international coalition continues. The KRG has been experiencing a severe economic crisis after the freezing of its share of the $102 billion federal budget in 2014, 17% of which was earmarked for the KRG, and a steep drop in the price of oil, which has long been its main source of revenue. Many public employees, including police, have begun moonlighting as taxi drivers. One of them told Al-Monitor he had not been paid in six months and was now working three days a week as an officer and three as a driver. Several protests have been held in recent months over unpaid wages, and Kurdish officials have warned that the economic crisis could increase desertions from the peshmerga, who blocked roads in Sulaimaniyah in February to demand their salaries. Gen. Wasta Rasul, who oversees Sector 4 of the KRGs eight front-line zones, told Al-Monitor back at the K1 base northwest of Kirkuk that he commanded about 23,000 peshmerga, but that only about a third are on duty at any given time, due to the ministrys orders, because of the economic difficulties. He said that salaries hadnt been paid in around three months, adding that a private is due around $400 per month. Nevertheless, he said, his troops had taken an area of around 120 kilometers [75 miles] in about six months. Several damaged Humvees that the United States gave to the Iraqi army but that the peshmerga say they took in the fighting against IS sit awaiting repairs. Every military vehicle seems to have a cracked windshield. At a nearby base, Patriotic Union of Kurdistan commander and former Minister of Peshmerga Sheikh Jaafar Sheikh Mustafa complained, We havent seen any cooperation with the Iraqi government. When we ask for things, they just ignore us. He cautioned, however, that at this point any further advances would have to be made in coordination with the Iraqi central government, given the situation with Shiite militias. He told Al-Monitor that though there was currently no fighting with the mainly Shiite militias of the Popular Mobilization Units in the nearby flashpoint town of Tuz Khormato, the situation there is very fragile. The string of clashes beginning in October last year between the Popular Mobilization Units and peshmerga have been quelled, but rumors of extremely high levels of disappearances and sectarian-based kidnappings in the town mean we dont know when it will start again, Mustafa said. For example, he noted, if the Shiite Turkmens find an Arab Sunni in the mixed-ethnicity town, they will kidnap him. Its a mess, he said of the various groups that make up the Popular Mobilization Units, noting that there is no clear chain of command and they all acted independently to some degree. Though when it comes to fighting against us, they all work together, he said. As for an Amnesty International report released in January that accused the peshmerga of involvement in home demolitions and forced displacement of Arab communities, both Mustafa and Rasul said that the international organization doesnt seem to understand how dangerous IS is, and that the level of destruction was due to the fact that the jihadis hide everywhere and fight to the death, leaving areas filled with explosives. No IS prisoners were taken in his area for this reason, he said. Mustafa said that the peshmerga took IS prisoners in other sections under his command, but that about 80% of our losses are to improvised explosive devices and booby-trapped buildings, and only about 20% of the deaths are due to shooting, mortar rounds, etc. The K1 base, where Rasul is stationed, was initially an Iraqi forces air base and taken over by US forces in 2003 only to later be handed back to Iraqi forces. The peshmerga took it over in 2014, reportedly at the request of the Iraqi prime minister at that time, Nouri al-Maliki, after government troops abandoned their positions in Mosul, allowing it to fall into the hands of IS. Rasul noted that several foreign armed forces had been helping the peshmerga there for over a year, with everything training, weapons, etc., citing Americans, Italians, French, Norwegians and others. He said that they were grateful for all the help they were receiving, but that the economic situation in the country remained a major problem. Meanwhile, a trench currently being dug along the front lines held by Kurdish forces from Khanaqin near the border with Iran across the disputed territory south of Kirkuk and all the way to Rabia, a northwestern town on the border with Syria has led some to call it an attempt to set down the border of a future independent Kurdistan state. In response to this contention, Mustafa said, All Kurds grow up with the idea that the Hamrin Mountains are the border of Kurdistan. The Hamrin Mountains extend from Diyala province bordering Iran northwest to the Tigris River, crossing the northern Salahuddin and southern Kirkuk provinces. Referring to a much-debated referendum on Kurdish independence from Iraq first proposed in 2014 before IS attacks led to a postponement, and for which KRG President Massoud Barzani renewed a call in early February Mustafa said that they had shed too much blood to remain under the control of a different country. March 2, 2016 Ongoing preparations are taking place for the coming battle of Mosul, which appears to be getting closer, military sources say. Iraqi forces will face a difficult and costly battle and many obstacles before they can take over the western bastion of the Islamic State (IS). In a speech praising the army's victory in Ramadi against IS, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said Dec. 28, "We are coming to liberate Mosul, and it will be the fatal and final blow to [IS]. The liberation of the city of Ramadi on Dec. 28 was the first major success of Iraqi forces against IS, which took over large swaths of western and northern Iraq in June 2014. Iraqi military sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Al-Monitor that the Mosul attack would most probably be launched by June. Political bickering may cause the postponing of the operations. However, constrained by weather conditions, Iraqi and coalition forces will have to capture the city before the coming winter if they are to retake Mosul in 2016, as Abadi suggested. Military sources say the battle for Mosul will have to take place in the spring or in summer, as IS generally uses bad weather and the cover of rainy nights to attack frontlines. Located 400 kilometers (248.5 miles) north of Baghdad, Mosul, the second-largest Iraqi city, is the self-proclaimed Iraqi capital of IS and home to more than 1 million Iraqis. The city has become emblematic in the war against IS, and its liberation would not only destroy IS center of power but deal a huge moral blow to the organizations expansionary narrative by marking the end of the caliphate, as proclaimed by its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Retired US Col. Harry Schute, who is currently a senior security adviser to the Kurdistan Regional Government, told Al-Monitor that it is still hard to say when the Mosul attack will take place, noting that shaping operations is required before such an offensive. These preparatory steps, which appear to be starting, include a further attack on IS direct and strategic interests and the organizations supply lines and strategic locations. The US-led coalition is continuously working on targeting the organizations direct or strategic interests, said Schute, who referred to direct interests as manpower and military equipment and strategic interests as oil infrastructure and other revenue-generating operations. On Dec. 10, coalition strikes had killed mid-level IS leaders in Syria and Iraq. With the takeover of Sinjar last November, west of Mosul, Kurdish forces, backed by US airstrikes, have also worked on cutting IS supply lines, namely by controlling Highway 47 that connects Raqqa to Mosul. Other key cities and regions will have to be taken over before any attack on Mosul can be launched. Schute said that the rest of the Tigris area, namely Baiji and cities such as Gyara and Tal Afar, will have to be liberated before the Mosul offensive. The Fallujah takeover might also be necessary, he added, given the tribal uprising against IS percolating there. For military expert Ahmad Shawki, Gyara will be instrumental in the Mosul battle as it is an important supply line for IS connecting the city to Hawija. In addition, capturing the city of Hit could also be a prelude to any Mosul operations. Al-Arabiya Al-Hadath reported Feb. 22 that Iraqi and tribal forces were congregating in the Ain al-Assad base, south of Hawija in Anbar, to attack Hit. Shawki added that after cutting supply lines and taking over strategic areas, the Iraqi forces advances toward Mosul will still be problematic because of the high population density; the sheer size of the city makes it a difficult target. "Mosul is different from Ramadi; it is a very large city with over 2 million people, Mosul-born political activist Ghanem al-Abed told Al-Monitor. Abed said that the surrounding areas and the western part of the city, which are less densely populated and more recently built, will be relatively easy to take over. However, Mosul contains other very dense and old areas barely accessible by car, which will complicate the advance of forces and cause high human losses, he added. IS is also believed to have set up elaborate defenses, booby traps and mines as it did in other cities such as Ramadi. Retaking the mostly Sunni city of Mosul will be rendered more difficult because of the number of local and regional players in northern Iraq with diverging agendas. Mosul is not only populous but multiethnic, which means multiple players will be involved in the operation, Abed added. The region is comprised of different and often rival ethnic and religious groups including Sunnis, Shiites, Christians, Kurds, Turkmens and Yazidis. The [Kurdish] peshmerga, as well as the local Sunni Hashid Shaabi [Popular Mobilization Units] and Christian forces, will have to play a role in the Mosul offensive. The Sunni Hashid Shaabi includes forces affiliated with former Ninevah governor Atheel al-Nujaifi, as well as some 4,000 police forces from the city, trained by former Iraqi generals, as well as the Turks in the Zalkhan base, Shawki said. He estimates that a total of 10,000 fighters have been trained for the Mosul battle in the base, where some 150 Turkish military are present. Iraqi newswire Al-Mada reported that 1,000 Iraqi forces had already been moved back to Makhmur, and that 26,000 police forces were ready to fight for the liberation of Mosul. Shawki added, There are also the Mosul tribes that will certainly play a role in the battle, as well as Christian and Yazidi Popular Mobilizations Units, amounting to some 1,500 fighters. The Popular Mobilization Units consist of a coalition of mostly Iran-backed Shiite militias set up to fight IS. According to Reuters Dec. 29, Kurdish forces have positions east, north and west of Mosul, while Iraqi security forces backed by Shiite militias have positions in Baiji, south of Mosul. Recent articles by Al-Arabiya and Al-Mada quoted Feb. 22 Abadi and House Speaker Salim al-Jubouri discussing the future involvement of Shiite Popular Mobilization Units in the Mosul battle, which was denounced by members of the Ninevah governorate on the same day. Whether Shiite militias will play a role or not in Mosul will be a decisive factor in the next battle and determine whether the local population will cooperate or not with Iraqi forces and facilitate their entry into the city, Abed said. On US demand, Iraqi military commanders kept Shiite militias away from the Ramadi battlefield, to avoid clashes with Sunni civilians. We need the cooperation of the local residents to feed the Iraqi forces information, Shawki said. Cooperation with Iraqi forces appears to be already taking place in certain areas. According to Al-Mada, local residents and IS defectors have attempted to open channels of communication with the Iraqi central government for a possible battle at Fallujah. The Baghdad government needs to win over local populations to prevail over IS in Mosul. For that, it will have to decide carefully which factions can support the Iraqi forces' advance on the city, while avoiding the exacerbating sectarian sentiments. IS objective will thus be to postpone, as much as possible, the citys liberation by creating stalemates in areas it already holds and using sectarian fault lines in its favor. March 3, 2016 As Turkeys regional policy drifted from zero problems with neighbors to precious loneliness, the accompanying loss of trade markets in the neighborhood and Russia has made Africa a potential lifesaver in Ankaras eyes. Accompanied by 150 business people, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan went on a tour of Western Africa from Feb. 28 to March 3, visiting the Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria and Guinea, following a trip to the continents eastern coast in January 2015 that took him to Ethiopia, Djibouti and Somalia. What groundwork does Turkey have in Africa to build on? The Turkish Foreign Ministrys official website lists the following milestones in ties with the continent: In 2008, the First Turkey-Africa Cooperation Summit was held in Istanbul with the participation of 49 African countries, resulting in the adoption of a road map on boosting ties. Follow-up gatherings were held later in Addis Ababa and Istanbul. In January 2013, Turkey became a member of the African Development Bank. At the Second Turkey-Africa Cooperation Summit, held in Equatorial Guineas capital, Malabo, in November 2014, a Joint Implementation Plan was agreed for the 2015-19 period. Since 2009, the number of Turkish embassies in Africa has increased from 12 to 39. As part of efforts to boost economic exchanges with the continent, Turkey has signed 38 bilateral agreements on commercial and economic cooperation, 17 bilateral agreements on investment promotion and protection, and eight bilateral agreements on the prevention of double taxation. According to the website, the Turkey-Africa trade volume, which stood at $5.47 billion in 2003 increased four times by 2014, reaching $23.4 billion. Turkeys exports grew from $2.13 billion to $13.7 billion, while imports rose from $3.34 billion to $9.6 billion. At the end of 2014, Turkish direct investment in the continent stood at over $6 billion. In addition, Turkish development aid to African countries was worth $772 million in 2012 and $783 million in 2013. The $23 billion figure in trade volume may sound impressive on its own, but given that it covers 49 countries, commercial ties are clearly in a fledgling stage. And what is Turkey pursuing on the African market? Following Erdogans 2015 African tour, Deputy Culture and Tourism Minister Huseyin Yayman, who was part of the delegation, said, Turkey is making the test drive of a new foreign policy in Africa It stands as a model with its secular democracy. As Turkey is opening up to the world, domestic problems are fading in importance. Geostrategists say the 21st century will be an African century. Turkey is, in fact, seeking its history and a new future in the Dark Continent. Yaymans emphasis on secularism is present also in the Foreign Ministrys narrative. It is quite ironic, though, that the Islamist-leaning Turkish government promotes secularism in Africa, while avoiding the same message at home. Now, back in the economic realm, the question is: Can Turkey increase its share on the African market at an extent that makes up for the regress in trade with neighbors and Russia? Turkeys trade volume with Nigeria, one of the stops on Erdogans latest tour, stood at $426 million in the first 10 months of 2015. With the Ivory Coast and Ghana, the trade volumes were $390 million and $399 million respectively for the whole year. Even a two-fold increase in trade with those countries would mean less than $3 billion in total, while trade with neighboring Iran alone was $25 billion off target last year. On the Iraqi and Russian markets, meanwhile, Turkeys expor ts were down by some $2 billion and $2.5 billion respectively in 2015. The downturn with Russia became even more pronounced this year, with the decline in exports worsening from 39% in 2015 to 60% in the first two months of the year. In remarks to Al-Monitor, Faik Oztrak, a former treasury and foreign trade undersecretary who is now a lawmaker for the main opposition Republican Peoples Party, drew attention to another alarming detail. Market diversification is important but not sufficient. One has to look at what Turkey manufactures, he said. The technologic level of Turkish exports has been decreasing. The share of advanced technology goods in manufacturing industry exports was 6.2% in 2002, while it is down to 3.2% as of January 2016. In other words, Turkey is failing to export goods that are light in weight but heavy in value, which is forcing it to turn to markets where it can sell low-technology goods. Omer Cihad Vardan, the head of Turkeys Foreign Economic Relations Council, warned that competition was already heated on the African market. China, the United States and European countries have made great headway there. We must act very fast from now on, he told reporters last week. In an overview of trade opportunities in the countries on Erdogans itinerary, Vardan stressed the Ivory Coasts mining, energy and construction sectors offered an investment volume of $46 billion. He said, With a population of nearly 200 million, Nigeria is hungry for Turkish export goods. There is a high demand for Turkish textiles. Seventy tons [of Turkish textiles] make their way to Nigeria every week in the form of luggage [carried by travelers] trade. The Ivory Coast, meanwhile, targets an economic growth of nearly 10% in 2016. Twenty-five Turkish companies are currently active in the country, with investment concentrated mainly in the construction sector. The country has a housing deficit of 400,000 homes, and they are well-disposed to Turkish contractors. In Ghana, the industry sector is growing faster than agriculture, and the energy sector tops the development agenda. According to DEIK, Ghana offers opportunities also in the fields of railway transport, renewable energy and citrus fruits, while in the Ivory Coast, Turkish contractors face tough competition from French and Chinese counterparts. One has to keep in mind that the African markets are thousands of kilometers away, home to the worlds poorest people with the lowest purchasing power. They could hardly become a substitute for the decline in Turkeys exports to neighboring countries. Moreover, China is already in full force in Africa, posing tough competition with its cheap goods. In sum, Africas retail market offers little hope for Turkeys traders, but its contractors and investors stand a chance in the long term. March 2, 2016 The suicide bombing in Ankara Feb. 17 is shining a spotlight on the disparity between the treatment of official military personnel and civilian contractors. Among the 29 people killed in the attack were 13 civilian workers at the Chief of Military Staff headquarters and nearby service commands. While the officers and noncommissioned officers killed in the attack were buried in military cemeteries after military funerals, the civilian staffers were not given such a grand farewell. The families of the officers and NCOs who lost their lives will receive a one-time compensatory payment of about $30,000. They will be entitled to "martyrs'" salaries and two members of each family will be offered public employment. Will the families of the slain civilian workers receive the same benefits? The initial official reaction was that the civilian victims will be given benefits equal to those of the military personnel, but many doubt whether this promise can be fulfilled under existing law. Ali Onal, president of the Public Union for Workers in Military Workplaces (ASIM-SEN), told Al-Monitor the union will follow the issue. He said, Sadly, there are some serious personnel problems for thousands of civilian workers. Legal amendments are needed to address these problems. Unfortunately, we are not getting the necessary support from the parliament. There were more than 52,000 civilian employees in 280 professions in Turkey's armed forces (TSK) and 630,000 military personnel as of February. About 20,000 of the civilians are laborers and 32,000 hold clerical and professional posts. When the legal impediments that prevented the unionization of civilians employed in military workplaces were abolished in 2013, ASIM-SEN became a full-fledged union promoting the economic, career, social and democratic rights of civilian TSK workers. Civilians working for the TSK say that although they are covered by the omnibus civil servants law, they are also subject to military regulations and thus cannot claim their full rights. In many places, although civilian staffers work under the same conditions as military personnel, they dont enjoy the same rights. ASIM-SEN is making some progress toward giving civilian personnel a say in their affairs and to preserve their rights, Onal said. He added, In recent years we have been observing some positive developments in the high command over the rights of the TSKs civilian personnel. The most important development is the recognition by the high command echelons of the important role played by civilian personnel. They are listening to us more. Naturally, ASIM-SEN's demands create some friction between the union and the TSK high command, which functions on the principle of absolute obedience, and there are sometimes disputes. For example, Onal was not happy when union members were not allowed to attend a Feb. 27 memorial ceremony at the chief of staff headquarters for the Ankara bus bombing victims. According to Onal, the parliament has the last word on TSK civilian personnel's rights. What are the grievances of the civilian personnel working for the TSK? Civilian workers are not entitled to the same service compensation as military personnel. They cant use military rest and recreation facilities and are not allotted military housing. They are not paid extra for overtime work and night duties. They also have serious disadvantages compared with other civil servants: Even with advanced degrees, civilian workers in the military cant become supervisors. A civilian professional with 30 years of experience and a doctorate may have to serve under a 22-year old lieutenant. Working for the TSK requires much self-sacrifice, especially for parents. Requirements for shift work and night duties naturally affect family order, as there is a lack of child care facilities. There has been some recognition of this by the TSK in recent years. This pleases us, and this trend must continue, Ozlem Isik, a ASEM-SEN official, told Al-Monitor. The most severe and frequent grievance of civilian personnel is what they call "mobbing," the use of psychologically and even physically aggressive attitudes to intimidate workers on a regular basis. ASIM-SEN lawyers filed the first legal case alleging mobbing of a civilian TSK worker in 2013. Most mobbing complaints come from workers required to be present at morning parades, those who are ordered to address their superiors as "my commander" or "sir" or those banned from using mobile phones while on duty. Discipline is paramount in the TSK, which expects absolute obedience. As civilian workers have no military background, they are sometimes labeled ill-disciplined or incapable and are punished. This pressure eventually becomes a form of mobbing. The treatment of the civilian victims of the Ankara bombing has triggered the first public debate on the rights of thousands of civilian workers. Although there have been some improvements in recent years, it is not easy to achieve cultural changes solely through parliamentary amendments in an institution like the TSK, with its rigid hierarchical structure and strict discipline. But with the growing presence of the ASIM-SEM, civilian workers wont give up the struggle for their rights, and winning them will also help democratize the TSK's organizational culture in the long term. March 2, 2016 A female deputy of the Kurdish-dominated Peoples Democratic Party (HDP), Tugba Hezer, is a heated topic of discussion in Turkey these days. She paid a controversial condolence visit to the family of Abdulbaki Somer, the suicide bomber who struck Ankara on Feb. 17 and killed 29 people, most of them military officers. Readers outside Turkey may find this strange, for what is normally debated at length is the attack itself and the organization and reasons behind it. Senior government officials, led by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, have been lashing out at Hezer for days, triggering efforts to strip HDP lawmakers of their parliamentary immunity. The media and the main opposition Peoples Republican Party have reacted in a similar hard-line fashion. Echoing Erdogans statements, pro-government newspapers trumpeted in almost identical headlines Feb. 25 that Hezer was not a lawmaker but a terrorist, that the nation has lost patience and that action should be taken against the HDP. The pro-government press was not alone. Even columnist Ahmet Hakan, one of the most popular names in the mainstream media who seemed quite sympathetic to the HDP prior to the elections last June, joined the chorus, going as far as to sarcastically call on HDP deputies to become suicide bombers themselves. Ankara had first blamed the bombing on the Syrian Kurdish Peoples Protection Units in an apparent bid to legitimize intervention against the Kurdish region in Syria. Soon, however, the Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (TAK) a shadowy group that some say is a hard-line splinter of the armed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and others see as a PKK front claimed the attack. The government nevertheless took the opportunity to attack the HDP, which it has been trying to equate with the PKK ever since the elections. The first opportunity came when the HDP refused to sign a joint parliamentary declaration condemning the bombing. The Justice and Development Party (AKP), however, had to find another pretext when the HDP said it would join the condemnation provided that four bomb attacks blamed on the Islamic State since June were also mentioned. It was at that time when Hezer made her controversial visit, providing the government with a pretext to pin the Ankara massacre on the HDP. Erdogan urged the lifting of parliamentary immunities from HDP deputies on the grounds they supported terrorism. His call was quickly translated into action, and files concerning 11 deputies most of them HDP members, including the partys two co-chairs were sent to the parliament as a first step. The parliament, currently busy with budget debates, is expected to take up the issue in the coming weeks. Hezer, the woman in the eye of the storm, is the parliaments youngest member. She was born in the eastern province of Van in 1989, five years after the PKK began its armed campaign. As a Kurdish child growing up in the midst of a war, she belongs to a generation that is often seen as more radical. Prominent Kurdish politician Serafettin Elci, who died in 2012 at the age of 74, famously said shortly before his death that his was the last generation of Kurds with which Ankara could have a dialogue to resolve the Kurdish problem. Yet by running in the elections, Hezer has opted to strive for a political solution to the Kurdish problem, even though she comes from a family with a tragic past. Last week, journalist Gunay Aslan recounted Hezers family story, writing that her ancestors were among victims of the 1930 Zilan massacre in Van, one of the bloodiest crackdowns on Kurds in the history of the Turkish Republic. Hezers elder brother was one of the first Kurds in Zilan to join the PKK's ranks, in which he lost his life, while her elder sister is still a PKK member after 20 years with the group, according to Aslan. The journalist wrote, Tugba Hezer hails from Zilan, where 15,000 innocent people, including her ancestors, were brutally massacred. Hence, she stands right in the heart of the Kurdish problem of the Republican era and addresses us from there. One has to see her from where she stands and try to understand her without judging, blaming and insulting her. Interestingly, Hezer and TAK bomber Somer were born in the same year in the same province. Despite the baggage of the Zilan massacre and her siblings in the PKK, Hezer chose to enter the parliament with the HDP, which struggles for a democratic settlement to the Kurdish problem. Somer, on the other hand, believed in an armed solution and joined TAK. Somer represents a Kurdish segment that validates Elcis argument, while Hezer represents another that debunks it. And thats where the tangle lies: The AKP has come to lump together Kurds advocating democratic politics with those who favor violence, just as its predecessors did in the 1990s. The year Hezer was born, seven Kurds became parliament members on the ticket of the Social Democratic Peoples Party (SHP). They were soon expelled from the party for attending a pan-Kurdish conference in Paris, which eventually led them to create the Peoples Labor Party (HEP), the predecessor of the HDP. From the day of its creation, the HEP was equated with the PKK, even though PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan denied any organic links between the two and faced pressure to push it out of the political arena. The records from HEPs congress in September 1992 show that what HEP members advocated at the time is almost exactly the same thing HDP deputies say today: basically, that Ankara should seek to reconcile with the PKK, end the armed conflict and find a political solution. The headlines in the press the following day in 1992 were also familiar, accusing the HEP of being a PKK front. And the attitude of the political leadership was no different from how the incumbents reacted after the Ankara bombing. Then-Prime Minister Suleyman Demirel, for instance, urged the judiciary to act, and responding to a call for the PKK to be legalized, said, Whoever backs the PKK is actually advocating the bloodshed. Not surprisingly, the HEP was outlawed in July 1993. The HEPs closure marked an escalation in the so-called low-intensity war in the southeast, claiming tens of thousands of lives in the 1990s. Kurdish deputies were expelled from the parliament and some, including the iconic Leyla Zana, landed in jail with lengthy sentences. Still, the Kurdish parties that succeeded the HEP grew stronger by the day. After the initial parliamentary breakthrough with the SHP, the HEP had come to hold 21 parliamentary seats, while the HDP clinched 80 on June 7, 2015. So the question now is: Will Turkeys political establishment choose to draw a line between the two currents represented by Hezer and Somer or lump them together and try to oust the Kurdish political movement from parliament once again? And if the HDP is sidelined, will history repeat itself with the war escalating anew, dragging on for years and claiming thousands of more lives? Can the AKP pressure curb the steady, 26-year rise of the Kurdish political movement? If Ankara does bring back the 1990s, this will cost many more lives, while the HDP will continue to strengthen. March 1, 2016 On the easternmost edge of Turkeys Black Sea coast lies Artvin, a small province of 100,000 people known for its high per capita rate of higher education and its proclivity to leftist activism. Artvins picturesque forests are cited among the worlds top 100 in terms of natural riches, lying on a bird migration route and boasting a diverse ecosystem and endemic flora. No wonder Artvin attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists each year. In the eyes of governments and companies, however, Artvin is a place where billions of dollars lie underground in the form of unexplored ores. This clash of viewpoints has for years made Artvin a base of resistance against mining projects, the biggest and most striking of which erupted Feb. 15. Back in the summer of 2013, the people of Artvin lent strong support to the Gezi Park resistance in Istanbul, which infuriated then-Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and earned him widespread international criticism for the excessive force he used to suppress the protests. Artvins current resistance is having a similar impact on now-President Erdogan. This became evident when Erdogan blasted it as "junior Gezi." For the activists, however, this may have come as a compliment. The current resistance started with a few tents that activists set up on Cerattepe, a lush hill overlooking Artvin city. Like Gezi, this has become a mass green protest of remarkable creativity. The similarity became even more pronounced when the government unleashed its security forces and tear gas vehicles after thousands of Artvin residents took to the streets Feb. 15 to join the activists who had camped at Cerattepe for 242 days. Marching arm in arm, the protesters blocked roads, some with the help of their livestock. The detentions and injuries from confrontations with the police failed to deter them. They were bent on keeping the earth movers away. The controversy dates back to 1988 when a Canadian company embarked on a mining project at Cerattepe, where it discovered gold and copper ores. The people of Artvin, however, believed the natural beauty of their region was more precious than any precious metal and mounted a resistance. The company struggled to move on for years before it finally gave up in 2003. In 2008, thanks to the efforts of environmentalists, a court canceled the mining license for the area on grounds that mining activities would pollute water resources and create the risk of landslides. Despite the courts strong judgment, the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government held an open tender the same year. The winner leased its royalties to Cengiz Holding, owned by a top Erdogan crony. The people of Artvin were up in arms again. This time, in late 2014, the mining project was blocked by Turkeys top administrative court, which ruled that mining activities would destroy indigenous life in the area. Yet neither the government nor the company gave up. Though the drilling area remained the same, a new, favorable environmental assessment report was issued, and the relevant ministries were quick to approve it. In July 2015, Cengiz Holding moved to build a worksite at Cerattepe. Lets take a closer look at Cengiz Holding. Company founder Mehmet Cengiz figured prominently in the corruption scandal that rocked Erdogans government in December 2013, followed by the leak of dozens of implicating wiretaps. Cengiz became a household name thanks to a wiretap in which he expressed his business zeal with the memorable vow to f*** this nations mother. Known as the businessman closest to Erdogan, Cengiz presides over a company that has won the largest number of public tenders in the past 15 years, including giant projects for dams, bridges and Istanbuls third airport, which have often brought it to loggerheads with both the courts and the public. Given the companys reputation, few were impressed by the statements it made after Feb. 15 to convince the Artvin folk of the mining projects merits. To understand why, it is best to hear what the people of Artvin say. Speaking to Al-Monitor, Nese Karahan, chairwoman of the Green Artvin Association, said, If mineral exploration is allowed, the nature in the region will suffer extraordinary damage, while the gains of the state and the public will be very limited. What is over the ground is of greater wealth than what is underground. It cant be brought back, once gone. If we let them proceed, Artvin will become history. Metallurgical engineer Cemalettin Kucuk said, Cengiz Holding is not alone at Cerattepe. Eleven other companies are waiting in line. If you let them, theyll go all the way to the Georgian border, riddling all natural beauty along the way. All engineering experts say the forests should be off-limits [to mining] and their flora and fauna should remain untouched. Geology engineer Oguz Kurdoglu pointed to a strong tradition of environmental awareness in the region. In Artvin, a village council would make a decision that not even a branch is cut from a certain hill, and all villagers would comply because they would know that a landslide risk exists at that spot. Anyone visiting Artvin is supposed to comply with the ban. The law of gravity is unfortunately still working! Kurdoglu said. Ill put it plainly the place where Cengiz Holding is planning to drill is a landslide-prone area. A 1991 report by the states own Mineral Research and Exploration Directorate speaks of serious landslide risks in Cerattepe, up to the Coruh Rivers bed. In a series of bold statements, the company insisted that no danger of landslides exist in the area, that Artvins water resources would sustain no damage, that no cyanide would be used for drilling and that the extracted minerals would be transported with cable cars without cutting roads through the forests. The company never managed to convince the locals. On the contrary, the resistance grew. Activists organized solidarity demonstrations in other provinces, and hundreds of Artvin natives living elsewhere rushed to their hometown to support the resistance. At the end of the day, the earth movers were unable to start work, even after the heavy-handed response of the security forces. With the protest wave spilling over across Turkey, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu was compelled to take action, but he did not follow Erdogans example during the Gezi Park protests. After a two-hour meeting with both sides Feb. 24, he announced that work at Cerattepe was suspended until an ongoing judicial process on the issue was completed. The move injected some hope to the protest movement and the tensions subsided, pending the courts next exploratory study in the area, set for March 24. Only three days after the Feb. 24 meeting, however, Erdogan took the stage, blasting the protest and calling it a junior Gezi. Given Erdogans great clout over both the company and the judiciary, his outburst overshadowed Davutoglus conciliatory approach, heralding fresh tensions. In a sign that the people of Artvin have lost nothing of their resolve, Karahan said, Our resistance is not shrinking but growing. This is a vital struggle. The upcoming days will show whether Erdogan or Davutoglu gets the upper hand in how the government treats the junior Gezi. March 1, 2016 The Middle East Quartets decision to prepare a joint report on the obstacles to a two-state solution with recommendations for how to renew a Middle East peace process is probably a turning point in the international communitys diplomacy on the matter. The United States is gradually moving away from being the sole mediator in the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This change is acceptable to the US administration, given Secretary of State John Kerrys failed efforts in spring 2014 as well as President Barack Obamas preference for collective diplomacy (as in the Iran and Syria negotiations). The news is also welcome in the Arab world. Despite Obamas strained relationships with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Arab states concerned with the Palestinian quest for a state continue to be suspicious of Americas traditional pro-Israeli stance. Adding the European Union, Russia and the United Nations as actors in this quest, the Arab world believes, would balance future peacemaking. A senior Egyptian official told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi spoke recently to French President Francois Hollande and Russian President Vladimir Putin of the necessity to create international support for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, by way of an international initiative for a realistic two-state solution. Egypt is concerned that without it, the Palestinian Authority will destabilize in favor of Hamas. Egypt favors a Security Council resolution initially suggested by the French that would also freeze settlement construction and declare Palestinian statehood. The Egyptian official claimed that there is already international consensus on most, if not all, relevant issues to a permanent status agreement. This statement is partly correct. All the major international players favor a resolution to the conflict based on a new border on the 1967 lines with mutually agreed-upon land swaps. The 2002 Arab Peace Initiative is accepted by all, including the United States, as an important basis for future regional peacemaking. There is consensus on an agreed and just settlement to the Palestinian refugee problem. These parties agree that there must be stringent security and anti-terror measures that do not infringe on future Palestinian sovereignty. The international community is united on the need for a settlement freeze. On two issues, however, there is a divergence of views. On the sharing of Jerusalem as two capitals for two states, the United States hesitates on defining the scope and place of the Palestinian capital in the Jerusalem area. On the issue of mutual recognition, only the United States favors the recognition of Israel by the Palestinians as the homeland of the Jewish people. The Palestinian leadership is very much in favor of eroding the US monopoly on mediating a two-state solution. A senior Palestinian official who has been involved in virtually all previous Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts expressed to Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity great frustration about American attitudes toward a two-state solution, saying, The US administration, in all its diplomatic peace efforts, is not an honest broker, but mostly represents Israels interests. Every administration is influenced by the powerful Jewish lobby." He sharply criticized Kerry, who during the 2013-14 peace talks mostly presented to Abbas Netanyahus positions and not those of the United States, explaining, It has always been the American approach, even during the Oslo process, to first explore what the Israeli side is ready for and then to exert pressure on the Palestinian side to accept these positions. With this type of mediation, Israel will always have the upper hand. The official predicted an even more one-sided American position with the next administration beginning in January. He therefore concluded that it is essential for the success of a two-state peace process that it involve other international players, especially the EU, UN and Russia, which are, in the Palestinian view, more even-handed. The Israeli view is very different. A senior Israeli Foreign Ministry official told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that the Netanyahu government rejects the efforts to create a wider forum in favor of a two-state solution, saying, "Every negotiation must be bilateral and unconditional. The only legitimate facilitator able to bring this about is the United States. The Egyptian and Palestinian points of view to enlarge the international support system for a two-state solution are legitimate and have clear advantages in an era of collective diplomacy. Yet, the Palestinian side would be better served to deal in a more balanced way with the American administration. It remains, given its relationship with Israel and its international efforts, the main international peace broker. All in all, it is difficult to accuse Obama and former President Bill Clinton of not being supportive of Palestinian statehood. IMG_9459.JPG Ditto Landing in Huntsville. (Lucy Berry | lberry@al.com) The search is over for Ditto Landing's new executive director in Huntsville. Brandi Quick speaks March 2, 2016 at Ditto Landing. Brandi Quick, assistant director at the Von Braun Center for 19 years, is the new leader of the riverside park and marina after a months-long search by the Ditto Landing Board of Directors. Quick, a Hazel Green native and University of Alabama in Huntsville graduate, will direct the Huntsville/Madison County Marina and Port Authority and implement the BIG Picture master plan that includes renovations, expansions and new construction. She will also oversee administrative duties, fundraising and communications as officials work to transform Ditto Landing from a "diamond in the rough" to a family-friendly destination. "I'm just so excited for the opportunity to see an organization like this grow from being the best kept secret to being the most known secret around Huntsville, and even in the Tennessee Valley," she said. The park, located on a stretch of the Tennessee River in south Huntsville, has several near-term projects on the horizon: Reopening of the historic Old Trestle Bridge. Development of infrastructure specifications. Relocation of utility and sewer services. Design of new high-end campground with 200 spaces. Excavation of two new lakes. Construction of base for a new divided, four-lane street off Hobbs Island Road into Ditto Landing. Relocation of On Land Storage facility. Development of hiking and mountain bike trails through the Land Trust of North Alabama. Quick, who said the master plan was created with help from the community, plans to expand the boat harbor and develop an event facility for Ditto Landing parties, meetings and receptions. A restaurant with a river view may also operate at the property, she added. Click here for a view of the master plan on the city's BIG Picture website. Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle said Quick will be a great asset for Ditto Landing because of her proven track record in the community and at the VBC. "We've taken the visioning and we've turned it into a plan," Battle said. "Now the plan has to be executed and you need a strong executive director to execute that plan and I think that Brandi Quick is a great one to do that through her years and years that she worked at the Von Braun Center." HCJ Tour 2016 Image.jpg Harry Connick Jr. Harry Connick Jr. has announced three upcoming shows in Birmingham, Huntsville and Mobile in June in support of his new album "That Would Be Me." The shows are slated for June 5 at the BJCC Concert Hall in Birmingham, June 7 at the Von Braun Center Concert Hall in Huntsville and June 8 at Saenger Theatre in Mobile. Tickets for all three shows will go on sale Friday, March 18 at 10 a.m. The "American Idol" judge has released 30 albums, won three Grammy Awards and two Emmy Awards. He has sold more than 28 million albums. Connick is recognized for his live and recorded musical performances and for his achievements on screens large and small, as well as on the Broadway stage. His latest release features all new songs. Officials say it was cooperation between agencies and the timely intervention of a Croatian bed-and-breakfast owner that resulted in the capture of a Calhoun County sexual abuse fugitive halfway around the world. Calhoun County Sheriff Larry Amerson said David Alan Pirritano, 54, is back in the United States following his arrest at a Croatian border crossing Jan. 10. Pirritano has been charged with first degree rape. Authorities said the road to Pirritano's capture was long. Pirritano was previously employed as a Calhoun County jailer in the 90s until he left to take another job, and worked for another county agency until recently. Last year, Pirritano became the subject of an investigation after a woman in her thirties, who is Pirritano's stepdaughter, identified him as the father of her child. The information came to light during an investigation into the sexual abuse of that woman's 15-year-old child, Amerson said. "It might never have come to light if it hadn't been for that," Amerson said. "Through DNA testing, we were able to confirm that he was the father of this 15-year-old child." Amerson said once Pirritano became aware he was the subject of an investigation, he fled to Germany. From there, he said, Pirritano disappeared. He evidently traveled within Europe for several months, making trips to Italy and Croatia. Pirritano eventually began staying at a bed-and-breakfast in Croatia, where he befriended the owner. The establishment usually caters to bike tourists, but Pirritano arrived without a bike, Amerson said. He came to befriend the owner and asked for help to get to border crossings. During conversations with the owner, Pirritano told the man he was trying to cross to join up with Syrian rebels to fight against ISIS in the Syrian Civil War. However, when the two men arrived at a border crossing, Amerson said, the owner slipped a note inside his passport alerting guards that Pirritano might be wanted in the U.S. Pirritano was detained there, since U.S. officials had obtained a warrant for his arrest in August of last year and notified Interpol, said Cliff LaBarge, a chief deputy with the U.S. Marshals Service. Back in Calhoun County, however, authorities were questioning Pirritano's wife, Tammy, who told them she had no idea where he was. She simply told them he had quit his job, left their Alexandria home and got a ride to the Atlanta airport. However, it didn't take long for authorities to learn Pirritano had been receiving money from his wife, Amerson said. She was arrested Feb. 17 on charges of hindering prosecution. There is no preliminary court date yet for either, said Randy Moeller with the Calhoun County District Attorney's Office. David Pirritano is being held on $100,000 bond in the Calhoun County Jail. Tammy Pirritano is free on $7,500 bond. The FBI is investigating Pirritano's actions while in Europe also. "The facts of this case are incredible," Moeller said. Republicans woke up on Wednesday morning not sure if the so-called Super Tuesday was actually so super: The party is divided, the establishment has a frontrunner it dislikes and none of the challengers made any great breakthrough. But such is Donald Trumps strength after his showing at the polls, that there are those who now believe there may be a way to work with him and hope that he may not be such a bad option after all. It is interesting to see the change in attitude towards the billionaire businessman. In many ways it reflects the five stages of grief. 1. Denial At first they thought Trumps campaign would never last. They believed it would perhaps survive through the summer. They were sure that Trump would say something, or do something, that would seriously damage his campaign. From the first moments, when he accused Mexico of sending their worst people as immigrants to the US, Trump walked into several battles. Each one was predicted to kill the campaign. But his poll numbers kept going up. When he came second in Iowa, there were some who were relieved, believing they were about to be proved right. But then he won the next three states in a row. Trump was not going away. 2. Anger Trump has been able to tap into a widespread anger among Republican voters. The exit polls showed people are frustrated with the government, with the Republican Party and with their own economic situation, and they are looking for a game changer. The Republican Party is angry too. Many of them dont believe Trump is a true Republican, never mind the Conservative he claims to be. They point to his previous positions on abortion, on immigration and his comments on temporarily banning Muslims from entering the US. READ MORE: Super Tuesday and the triumph of Trump And he infuriated them further before the vote in South Carolina, where he attacked former Republican President George W Bush as a liar for the intelligence that led to the US invading Iraq. Former presidential hopeful and South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham told Trump to get the hell out of my party. But Trumps refusal to initially condemn the racist Ku Klux Klan saw him widely attacked. He eventually disavowed the support of a former leader of the group, but not before he stoked some pretty severe anger. 3. Bargaining There are those in the Republican Party who have now made their peace with the idea of a Trump candidacy, which they hope will lead to a presidency. The most high-profile is New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who gave him his endorsement last week. But others have begun to imagine what it might be like with the businessman in the White House. They are trying to convince themselves that somehow theyll be able to rein in some of his more aggressive and unsettling instincts. They point to some of his comments after his win on Super Tuesday, which they said sounded statesmanlike. And they believe that given he is a political neophyte, he would have to rely on the political establishment to operate the levers of power and that may give some sway over him. 4. Depression Some Republicans are slightly further along the five stages. They are totally depressed with the idea of Trump winning the nomination, fearing he has no ideological core and will say anything to get elected. READ MORE: Whats behind the rise of Donald Trump? They lose sleep worrying about the damage he would do to the partys reputation and wonder if that would lock them out of the White House for many election cycles to come. And they fear that a Trump candidacy will energise the Democratic Party and bring out voters in huge numbers. That could hit votes for Republicans across the ticket in November, so possibly put the US Senate at risk as well as a number of state governorships. In their worst moments, they have nightmares that this could be the end of the Republican Party as they know it, seeing it hijacked by Trump and his supporters. 5. Acceptance Theres been talk that somehow the Republican Party will refuse to accept Trump if he secures the nomination. But you simply cannot set up a process to involve the party to select a presidential candidate, run elections in all 50 states and a number of territories and then reject the outcome. There is such huge distrust of the political establishment on both sides, that would simply play in to the hard-held views people have and turn them off the process for years, if not generations to come. The Republicans may just have to accept Trump if he wins the nomination. This article originally stated that Darren Chalmers was abused at a boy's school. The abuse took place at a boy's home. It also said that Leonie Sheedy's brother had been abused by a priest at a boys home, when, in fact, he had been abused by a Christian Brother. Sydney, Australia Sitting alone on a bench in Sydneys busy financial district, Darren Chalmers is surrounded by dozens of placards condemning the Roman Catholic Churchs response to child sex abuse victims like himself. Inside the building behind him, around 50 people, including a dozen victims, watch one of the Vaticans most powerful clergymen, Cardinal George Pell, testify, via a videolink from a hotel in Rome, as to what he knew about decades of sexual abuse within the church. Over four days of hearings for the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse, 48-year-old Chalmers, who was sexually abused at the age of 14 at a boys home in Melbourne, sat outside with signs, some which read Pell go to hell and Pope Sack Pell Now. He wasnt able to bring himself to join the other victims inside the hearing. Being in there feels too uncomfortable, it brings back memories of things I try and forget. But sitting out here, I do feel proud, people see me and Im helping myself and other victims who cant be here, Chalmers told Al Jazeera. After he swore on the Bible on Monday, Pells gruelling questioning lasted almost 20 hours over the four days and focused on what he knew about sexual abuse in his small hometown of Ballart and in the city of Melbourne between the 1970s and 1990s as he rose in the Catholic Church hierarchy. During that time many priests who were sexually abusing children were moved from parish to parish and not referred to police. Child abuse The former Archbishop of Melbourne and Sydney, once considered a contender for pope, moved to the Vatican in 2014 after he was tasked by Pope Francis with cleaning up the Catholic Churchs finances as secretariat for the economy. He is effectively the treasurer and many regard him as the third most powerful person in the church. This makes him the highest-ranking official to ever face an inquiry into the Churchs response to sexual abuse. The Royal Commission has been running since 2012 and has heard from almost 5,000 victims, according to its chair, Justice Peter McClellan. Pell himself has previously testified to the inquiry twice before, but was called back after allegations emerged last year that senior clergy officials, including those working with Pell, moved priests from parish to parish when they knew they were abusing children. Seventy-four-year-old Pell was meant to come to Sydney to testify but his lawyers said he was unable to make the long journey from Rome owing to ill health, a move that angered victims. The inquiry only had local media coverage, but it gained international attention after a radio station set up a crowd-funding campaign which raised more than $150,000 to send 10 survivors of abuse along with five support staff to Rome to watch Pell testify in person. The campaign was helped along by comedian-musician Tim Minchin, who released a song mocking Pells decision not to return. Part of me wanted to not go, forget about it, but another part of me understood how important it would be to be in that room, to bear witness, Peter Blenkiron, who was abused at the age of 11 by a Christian Brother at his school in Ballarat, told Al Jazeera. Now 53, Blenkiron says he has had a lifelong struggle with his mental health and has been unable to hold down a steady job. He says making sure that abuse never happens to his two children is why he continuously speaks out about his experience. We are just a group of damaged men who want to make sure this never, ever happens again. I do believe healing is possible through all this, for ourselves and the community, said Blenkiron, who wore a shirt with a picture of his 11-year-old self on it at the hearing in Rome. READ MORE: Australian cardinal Church mucked up on sex abuse Denying responsibility During the long hearings which ran late into the early hours of the morning Rome time, Pell repeatedly denied knowing anything in the 1970s about the abuses of various priests, including the notorious Father Gerald Ridsdale. Ridsdale, who was a decade later convicted of 138 offences against 53 victims, was moved from parish to parish after parents complained to a senior bishop to whom Pell was an adviser at the time. When Ridsdale eventually faced court for paedophilia charges in 1993, Pell, then a senior clergyman, accompanied him to court in support, something Pell acknowledged to the inquiry was a mistake. Pell also denied the accusation claims from Ridsdales nephew David, who was abused by his uncle, that Pell had tried to bribe him to remain quiet. Pell said that while he had heard rumours of the abuse as early as the 1970s it was not the responsibility of his job at the time to investigate further. Pell repeatedly said he couldnt remember certain details of conversations about various priests abusing and said that others in the clergy deceived him by not telling him about the paedophilic behaviour of some priests, which was widely known. Counsel assisting the inquiry Gail Furness told Pell she thought his claim to ignorance was implausible. We are sick of the lies.He keeps saying everyone else is covering up, but he is the one covering it up now. He needs to stop the charade and show some compassion, Leonie Sheedy, whose brother was abused by a Christian Brother at a boys home, told Al Jazeera in Sydney during an interval in the testimony. Reconciliation? Pell also struck a conciliatory tone and said the Church had too often dismissed the claims of victims. Im not here to defend the indefensible. The Church has made enormous mistakes and is working to remedy those, but the Church in many places, certainly in Australia, has mucked things up, has let people down, he told the inquiry. Past 3am in Rome on Thursday, Pell answered the inquirys final questions, briefly spoke to the gathering reporters and left. Months from now the inquiry will deliver all its findings, including as to Pells culpability in the moving of priests and the cover-up of abuse. There has been some suggestions that a negative finding against him may make his job at the Vatican untenable. In Sydney it was early afternoon when the inquiry ended. Darren still sat on the bench, hand over a placard, eyes squinting under a hat to keep the harsh sun off his face as he watched the foot traffic rush by. You can follow Jarni Blakkarly on Twitter @JarniBlakkarly Guatemala City, Guatemala What will the law say about what happened to us? asked Petrona Choc, pausing in the middle of her testimony to give powerful voice to the question at the heart of the Sepur Zarco trial, in which she was a complainant and witness. Looking up at the panel of judges in Guatemalas Supreme Court, she continued: After all the damage they did to us will things remain as they are? Or will there be justice? The 75-year-old is one of 15 Mayan Qeqchi women from Sepur Zarco in Guatemala who demanded justice for the sexual violence, sexual slavery and domestic slavery perpetrated against them 34 years ago by the Guatemalan military. Last Friday, those women finally got to hear what the law had to say about what had happened to them: the two accused former members of the military received sentences totalling 360 years imprisonment. When the sentence was announced, supporters who had lined the courtroom for the month-long public trial erupted into chants of justice. Rigoberta Menchu Tum, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning indigenous rights activist who has led previous campaigns to bring members of the Guatemalan political and military elite to trial, embraced the elderly women who, since they speak no Spanish, had been given headpieces to hear the sentence translated into their own language, Qeqchi. During the month, Guatemalas High Risk Tribunal A the special court set up for cases of particular political sensitivity had heard witness testimonies from survivors, as well as contextual analysis, medical reports and forensic evidence from expert witnesses. In sentencing, Judge Yassmin Barrios said: We firmly believe in recognising the truth: it helps to heal the wounds of the past, to raise consciousness that such incidents must not be repeated. The crimes in context Barrios statement also acknowledged the militarys use of sexual violence as a strategic weapon in the context of Guatemalas 36-year civil war. The desecration of the bodies of the women also constituted a desecration of the community, Barrios said. It turned the women into objects of war, to achieve the annihilation of those considered their enemy. Guatemalas conflict was triggered by a CIA-organised coup in 1954, which replaced a democratically elected government implementing progressive reforms including land redistribution with military rule. When the military returned the redistributed land to the countrys oligarchs and violently repressed any opposition, leftist groups took up arms. War broke out in 1960, with, in the ideological framework of the Cold War, the US continuing to provide the Guatemalan state army with funds and CIA counterinsurgency training. Sepur Zarco is a small rural community in the Polochic valley of north-eastern Guatemala. Historian Juan Carlos Pelaez, who testified in court, explained that the Qeqchi people the second-largest ethnic Maya group in Guatemala have inhabited the Polochic valley for more than five centuries, despite having suffered land-grabs, persecution and forced displacement. In the early 1980s, the Qeqchi community leaders of Sepur Zarco sought to obtain legal titles to their land. When a state military base was established in Sepur Zarco in 1982, the men involved in this land struggle were forcibly disappeared. They were the husbands of the complainants in the trial. The whole conflict began when we solicited for our land, explained Domingo Tzup in his testimony. My father was one of the ones who was soliciting it in Sepur Zarco . They took him one night. We found his body [on] the third day. A former soldier, who testified via video-link as a protected witness, said that the forcibly disappeared men had been designated as guerrillas. There was, however, no guerrilla activity in the area. The crimes in court Once the army had forcibly disposed of the men, the women of the Qeqchi community were enslaved, forced into unpaid labour at the base. During their shifts the women were forced to cook for the military and wash their uniforms, using their own soap. They also suffered repeated, systematic sexual violence, perpetrated by numerous individual soldiers and by groups, often at gunpoint. Most of the women in the courtroom gave their evidence in the form of pre-trial testimonies recorded in 2012 and screened in court. But Petrona Choc gave hers in person. One day the soldiers arrived, she told the court, and one of my sons, Abelino, said Here come the soldiers, today we are all going to die. I gathered my children and told them we would flee to the mountains. We were fleeing when we heard the thunder of gunfire, and there my husband died It is very painful to tell this I was violated many times. One of my daughters was also violated It still hurts me, everything they did. The two defendants in the trial were arrested in June 2014. Former military commissioner Heriberto Valdez Asig has been found guilty of the forced disappearance of six of the womens husbands, as well as crimes against humanity in the form of sexual violence against one woman. He pleaded his innocence until the end, and his lawyer argued that there was no evidence linking him personally to crimes. He has been sentenced to a total of 240 years in prison, and is required to pay 250,000 quetzales (around $32,500) in reparations for each of the disappeared men. Retired Lieutenant Colonel Esteelmer Francisco Reyes Giron was found guilty of crimes against humanity in the form of sexual violence, sexual slavery and domestic slavery, against 11 women. When called to the stand on the first day of trial he interrupted Barrios, declaring his refusal to recognise her authority. His lawyer, Moises Galindo suggested that the women of Sepur Zarco had voluntarily prostituted themselves due to a context of economic crisis. Reyes Giron was sentenced to a total of 120 years in prison, and required to pay 500,000 quetzales (around $65,000) in reparations to each of the women he abused. Reyes Giron was also found guilty of the murder and cruel treatment of three women: Dominga Cuc and her two infant daughters, Anita and Hermelinda. Seventy-nine-year-old Julia Cuc, the mother of Dominga Cuc and grandmother of the two girls, aged two and three when they were murdered with their mother in 1982, testified in court: [My daughter] had to dig her own grave. They killed her despite the fact that she had washed their clothes. They told her to wash because they were going to release her . My daughter was very unwell when they sent her to the river and killed her. They did a lot of damage to her body violating her. In the exhumation they found clothes and big bones of my daughter. Of my granddaughters they only found their underclothes. Their bones were already dust. Breaking the silence For 25 years, the women of Sepur Zarco suffered in silence. The legal system had historically been an agent of their exclusion and re-victimisation and this, teamed with their feelings of shame and trauma, meant that they never sought legal redress. But Guatemalan womens organisations have been working for decades to expose the systemic sexual violence perpetrated during the war. The National Union of Guatemalan Women (UNAMG) and ECAP, which offers psychosocial support, have backed the women of Sepur Zarco since 2003 and, in 2009, the feminist legal organisation Women Transforming the World (MTM) joined them to form the Alliance to Break the Silence and Impunity. With the support of this alliance, 15 women from Sepur Zarco filed their lawsuit in 2011. Paula Barrios is the director of MTM. She explains how they worked with the Qeqchi women for two years to find ways of introducing the formal legal system into their worldview. At one stage, she says, they collectively agreed on animals with particular symbolic connotations to represent actors in the judicial process. For women, the butterfly has always been an important icon, after the Mirabal sisters, and throughout womens struggle. So each of the women painted their butterfly and that is how we represented them in the process. For the organisations that have accompanied the women, they chose bees. The lion is strong, so that is how we understood that we are facing two aggressors the accused who have a lot of power, which it takes strength to face. The parrot is the public prosecutor, because it asks a lot of questions, talks a lot. We represented the judge as an owl, which in the community they call Lechuza, because the Lechuza sees clearly, even in darkness. Ending impunity The verdict sets an important precedent at both a national and international level. The Sepur Zarco trial was the first case in which the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war was tried in the country in which the crimes took place. Previous cases such as in Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia were tried in international courts. It is also the first such case to be brought to trial in Guatemala despite the UN-backed Commission for Historical Clarification finding that rape was a widespread, systematic practice during the war, and that the rape of indigenous women 89 percent of victims was a key element of the genocide committed against Mayan peoples. Luz Mendez, the only woman in the Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unit delegation that signed the Peace Accords with the Guatemalan government in 1996 and who is on the executive board of UNAMG, said: The judgment issued by the court did not only bring justice for the women of Sepur Zarco, but it broke the total impunity for crimes of sexual violence during the armed conflict, and gave hope to hundreds of thousands of women in Guatemala and the world, who have suffered sexual violence in war. Yet significant structural obstacles remain. Cases of this magnitude implicate many interests at one point the public prosecutor doubted going ahead with the arrests despite all the elements required by law being in place. The Qeqchi womens representative said to the public prosecutor: But look, do not be afraid, we are with you. We have already testified. We have been doing ceremonies. You can go ahead with the arrests. This made a big impression on me. How can it be that the victim should have to say to the public prosecutor Do not be afraid? asked Paula Barrios. Luz Mendez is clear on the source of such entrenched obstacles to justice: The main threat is the control that despite the advances that have been made military and oligarchical powers continue to have over the Guatemalan justice system. Little, too, has changed in the balance of land ownership in Guatemala, which remains acutely unequal: 57 percent of the countrys land is owned by two percent of its people; while three percent of the land is shared between almost half of the population. Indigenous people continue to be displaced. The people who did this to us are free, they are eating well. And we are very poor, said Domingo Coc in his testimony. This is why the women of Sepur Zarcos main demand for reparation, heard in the audience for victims reparation yesterday, is material compensation in the form of land and housing. Luz Mendez quoted the pre-trial testimony of one woman by way of explaining this: When the war came to our community they [the military] burned our houses. To date I do not have a piece of land. When they killed our husbands it was for land, so they [the state] must recognise our need for land to work on. The women have also asked that the state publicly recognise and apologise for the damage done to them, that measures be taken to eliminate all forms of racism, improve health, educational and cultural facilities, and that the authorities continue to search for their disappeared husbands and sons. Behind these women there are many more There is also another way in which this trial has set a precedent. Currently, in the Guatemalan system, explained Paula Barrios, to prove sexual violence you have to include a physical analysis of the body of the woman: it is the body that has the burden of proof in determining the credibility of the womens testimony. This not only violates the rights of women, but it is also absurd. As the crimes took place so long ago, this was impossible in this case. And the organisations representing the women hope this trial will pave the way for similar ones to proceed using the same strategy. Because, as Paula Barrios said: Behind these women there are many more waiting for justice. The justice system must see and value this case and generate the conditions that will enable other women to access justice without having to go through everything the women of Sepur Zarco have had to go through to achieve a trial. Ada Valenzuela, the director of UNAMG, hopes the women of Sepur Zarco live to see the fruits of the justice that had so long been denied them. In Jalok U [the Qeqchi womens collective], one of the women said something that I carry in my heart, in my mind, in every part of me. She said: I cannot die. I am still fighting. And as there is still no justice, I cannot die in peace. Now in their 60s and 70s, the women see themselves as very old. Magdalena Pop, one of the 15 women from Sepur Zarco that originally brought the case, died in 2013, only three months after recording her pre-trial testimony. It was screened in court on February 15. In it, she said: I have already done everything I could. I spoke when I had to speak. Now you must continue this struggle. Libya has replaced Syria and Iraq as the top military priority, especially for Europeans. In the course of a few days, the United States and France reportedly conducted military operations in Libya against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). That is not new: Both countries have allegedly been involved in special forces operations in the North African country for the past two years. At first, the targets were linked to al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and al-Mourabitoun. Now the emergence and the fast expansion of ISIL in Libya is a game changer. Some countries consider that time is of the essence, and that they cannot afford to sit around and do nothing. The US is one of them: the commander of their special forces in Africa believes that Libya will need the US to defeat ISIL. On February 19, in concert with Britain, France and Italy, the US conducted an air strike on an ISIL camp in Sabratha, killing at least 41 people, Tunisians for the most part. The main target was a man who had links to attacks in Tunisia at the Bardo Museum in March and Sousse beach in June 2015. The jihadists were allegedly planning more attacks in that country. Interestingly enough, the US warned neighbouring Algeria about the raid only minutes before it took place. The presence of Western special forces is an open secret: French, US and British forces are likely to be on the ground. Indeed, it is interesting that the question is not whether French special forces are in Libya or not, but whether they are taking part in military operations. French special forces have reportedly been helping Libyan troops to battle ISIL fighters in Benghazi for two months. Le Monde, the French newspaper, has revealed the extent of the presence of French undercover operations in Libya. It has also discovered that France provided the intelligence that led to the killing of ISIL leader Abu Nabil in a strike in Derna in November 2015. In January, the Libyan National Army, known as the LNA, claimed France carried out its first strikes against ISIL in Sirte and Bin Jawad. Coincidence or not, the son of General Khalifa Haftar, the LNAs leader, was in Paris in early January, probably to coordinate military operations. The political stalemate is ongoing with Libya's two governments having competing patrons: Tripoli supported by Qatar and Turkey, while Tobruk gets the nod from the West, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. by The recent victory of the LNA in Benghazi in kicking out ISIL and Ansar al-Sharia forces from some parts of town may be the proof that Western help could have been a deciding factor. Other international actors might get involved. The European Union has also reached out to General Haftar, whom they consider the only viable option for taking on the various jihadist groups. What is interesting is how General Haftar is reaching out to Russia as well. The latest US raid on ISIL in Sabratha seemed to have pushed some of its members to move towards the Tunisian border. The risk of a larger Western intervention may have incited ISIL fighters to leave their bases in Libya and head south, potentially putting both Niger and Chad at risk. In the light of this, it is not surprising that Nigers president repeats what he has said over the past two years: Foreign intervention in Libya is a must. Moreover, neighbouring Algeria is said to have amassed 50,000 soldiers at its borders with Tunisia and Libya, and beefed up drone and plane surveillance to counter jihadist threats. Little doubt is left about a Western military intervention in Libya: For instance, Egypts foreign minister said in Washington that Libya intervention should wait. That meant not if but when. OPINION: Libyas litmus test with ISIL The timing may be sooner than later. Indeed, the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, which was sent to the Gulf in December to strike ISIL in Syria after the November Paris attacks, has been recalled to the Mediterranean, probably to go to Libya. It will carry out joint exercises with Egypt a country very concerned about ISILs activities in Libya that conducted air strikes there in 2015. This shows how Libya has replaced Syria and Iraq as the top military priority, especially for the Europeans. The rapid expansion of ISIL in Libya in terms of fighters, leaders and territory is a huge cause for concern for the West: In December, the United Nations estimated that ISIL had between 2,000 and 3,000 fighters in Libya, and now the US is talking of 6,500 fighters. OPINION: Gulf States a burning priority for ISIL? Additionally, reports of ISIL leaders leaving Syria for Libya and calling for new recruits to join them there prove the central importance of the country for the group. Some pundits in Washington are calling for Western air strikes on ISIL in Libya now, claiming there is no need to wait for a unity government. The political stalemate is ongoing with Libyas two governments having competing patrons: Tripoli supported by Qatar and Turkey, while Tobruk gets the nod from the West, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. Patience is running thin and there is speculation that if a national government is not agreed upon soon, Italy may push a plan to split Libya into three mini-states. In the meantime, countries such as France or Britain cannot afford to witness a massive terror attack at home that would have been planned in Libya. Sadly, in light of this, more chaos and violence are in store for Libya. Olivier Guitta is the managing director of GlobalStrat, a geopolitical risk and security consultancy firm with a regional specialisation on Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy. The long-awaited rapprochement now centres on an unlikely competition for advantage in all but abandoned Gaza Strip. The oft-postponed and much discussed reconciliation between Turkey and Israel appears to be approaching its endgame. The strictly bilateral understandings on compensation and an apology by Israel for the deadly assault on the Mavi Marmara passenger ship almost six years ago have been finalised. As both Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently got elected for the office, there is no question about their power and influence in the foreseeable future. Like it or not, if there is to be an agreement, Erdogan and Netanyahu will have to overcome their mutual antipathy in pursuit of a mutually advantageous strategic payoff. The long-awaited rapprochement now centres on an unlikely competition for advantage in the all but abandoned Gaza Strip, against a background defined by the regional fallout from Turkeys mistakes in Syria and the slow if deliberate turnaround in Israels view of the permanence of Hamas presence. Closing Mavi Marmara file Turkey has long insisted that closing the file on the Mavi Marmara should include an end to Israeli restrictions on trade with Gaza. In this context Turkey has demanded, and Israel has rejected, unrestricted access to Gaza for Turkish assistance and trade. ALSO READ: Gaza Flotilla a war crime, but a minor one For many years, Turkey has tried to play an economic role in Palestine, both in Gaza and more successfully in the West Bank. To that end, the Turkish think-tank the Center for Multilateral Trade Studies at the Economic Policy Research Foundation of Turkey (TEPAV), together with the powerful Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB), has recently prepared an ambitious $5bn Gaza reconstruction plan, that includes a port. When Hamas first raised the idea of rebuilding the simple port destroyed by Israel during the Second Intifada, it was dismissed as impossible. by We have made a strategic plan, explained Guven Sak, the foundations managing director who prepared the report. A Gaza port will be one of the most important projects of this plan. In Israel, the prospect of a port in Gaza has travelled a tortuous road. When Hamas first raised the idea of rebuilding the simple port destroyed by Israel during the Second Intifada, it was dismissed as impossible. Now after many years and much conflict, the issue has been placed squarely on the desk of Netanyahu. The engine driving this change is, as always, Israels security establishment. After Hamas established uncontested control of Gaza in June 2007, Israel, together with the international community, adopted a draconian policy of restricting imports into Gaza and banning all exports, in the hope of fatally weakening the Islamist government. Eight years and three wars later, Hamas is still in the chair, presiding over a besieged population of close to two million people and is heading full steam in a race to the bottom. Gaza and Palestine as a whole is paying an extraordinary price for this policy. According to the Untied Nations, Gaza will be uninhabitable by 2020 if current conditions persist. The UN report didnt reveal anything that Israels defence and intelligence officials the architects of this policy do not already know. But they now warn that Palestinians will not be the only ones to pay the price for Gazas engineered descent into penury. OPINION: The future of Gaza looks bleak At a recent closed briefing on Gaza by the head of Israeli military intelligence, Major General Herzl Halevi reportedly said that, If there wont be improvement [in Gaza], Israel will be the first to feel it when things explode. Halevi explained that the critical difference between Hamas military capabilities, which continue to increase, and its intentions. Hamas, he said, does not want another round of hostilities with Israel and is working to prevent rocket fire into Israel. Gazas reconstruction, he told the Knesset, is the best way to prevent another war. A feasible port of Gaza In recent weeks numerous reports, inspired by progress with Ankara and the dawning realisation that Israeli security can be improved by opening Gaza to trade and commerce, have highlighted the role of a Gaza seaport as the keystone of a new, more benevolent, if self-interested, strategy. For more than a year, Israeli security and trade officials have studied the numerous security and administrative aspects of a Palestinian seaport, defining at least five options and outlining the security and operational challenges that each presents. The options range from an offshore port and airport on the Dutch model, to privileged use of the Israeli port of Ashdod or the Egyptian port of al Arish. Senior Israeli military officers are confident that security issues regarding the ports administration can be addressed, and they made clear that the security implications of a seaport are manageable. What is now required is for Israels politicians, notably Netanyahu and his minister of security, Moshe Yaalon, to address the issue. Hamas political leadership, which has long understood both the strategic and political advantages of a maritime outlet, has made supportive noises. OPINION: No more flotillas The Strip needs and wants a seaport, and that issue has also been conveyed to the Turks. The siege on Gaza will not be lifted without the establishment of a seaport, senior Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya said at a recent symposium in Turkey. What does the world fear? That well smuggle weapons? We have no intention to smuggle weapons and the world is invited operate any monitoring mechanism it wishes on this port, he added. The Egypt factor Egypt is the other key player contesting for influence in Gaza. In Cairo, two views prevail: One opposes a seaport if Hamas is to reap the benefits promised by an end to the siege. The other favours any move including a port that reflects Israels continuing responsibility for Gazas welfare and security as the internationally recognised occupying power. Trumping each view is the continuing antipathy between Ankara, which has yet to recognise the Abdel Fattah el-Sisi government, and Cairo, which opposes Erdogans support for the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood and his desire to be viewed as Hamas patron and Gazas saviour. However, a tentative engagement between the rivals, hastened by regional upheavals, may occur at the April Organisation of Islamic Cooperation meeting in Istanbul. If Erdogan and Sisi can resolve their differences and end their zero-sum game in Gaza, another impediment to Israels endorsement of a Mediterranean seaport in Palestine will be removed. Geoffrey Aronson writes about Middle Eastern affairs. He consults with a variety of public and private institutions dealing with regional political, security, and development issues. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy. How the two most provocative men in the news are feeding into each others agendas. How does the leading Republican candidate for the US presidency, Donald Trump, square off with Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi at the helm of the so-called Islamic State group? For many, shoving the two names in the same headline is anathema. Drawing any association between them is an abomination. After all, how could anyone in their right mind dare to compare the clean-shaven, white businessman and leading candidate to the highest public office in the oldest liberal democracy, with the bearded fundamentalist preacher, former inmate, and head of the worlds most notorious terrorist group, ISIL? Defining extremism Extremism is a loaded word. Its use in geopolitical newspeak has never been objective. Conferring labels such as extremist or moderate on individuals, movements, leaders and regimes has generally been ideological and therefore unproductive. It has, however, been a useful imperial construct. Allies of global powers are described as moderates, whereas political opponents are classified as extremists or terrorists. In this regard, extremism is reliant mainly if not exclusively on the actors and not on their actions. For example, if you are a US ally, you are by definition a moderate, because it is assumed that the US epitomises moderation. Lumping together different peoples and groups as 'extremists' out of distaste for their ideas or religion is as wrong as it is counterproductive. by It is irrelevant in this context whether a group or a regime wages wars, commits acts of terror, and occupies other people, or, if they are religiously intolerant and totalitarian. On the contrary, they are defined as being moderate according to their political orientation. Even after the US invaded and occupied Iraq on false pretenses, it continued to label Iraqis as moderates and extremists, depending on their support of its endeavour. The same applies to Russia and other imperial or regional powers. In Moscow, the Syrian regime is portrayed as moderate despite the governments brutal policies. The opposition movement, on the other hand, according to Russia, falls on the extremist end of the spectrum simply for not being in line with the Kremlins foreign policy. This is as false as it is misleading. Lumping together different peoples and groups as extremists out of distaste for their ideas or religion is as wrong as it is counterproductive. For the sake of brevity, let me just say that, beyond the realm of imperial constructs and language control, extremism as moderation can only be defined in terms of how the moral imperative is found or lost in the use of means and attainment of ends. Or more precisely, how far the ends justify the means, regardless of their immorality or wickedness. Back to Trump and Baghdadi Trump, in the words of The New York Times, is a shady, bombastic liar, who is hardening the image of the Republican party as a symbol of intolerance and division. Trumps call for banning Muslims from entering the US presumably to maintain security, or his disdain for Latinos under the pretext of protecting the American workers are all a case in point. He has even accused Mexico of sending rapists and drug runners to the US. Two former Mexican presidents, not known for their haste, have compared Trump to Hitler. Trumps racist and extremist rhetoric, for the time being, has allowed him to succeed in rallying the support of angry white Americans in order to win the presidency. On the face of it, such extremism could be seen as no more than a campaign tactic to eclipse his opponents, who have been repeating the same old tired slogans and cliches. READ MORE: Why Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is an impostor Or, as I wrote previously, Trumps danger lies not in his political or ideological extremism but rather his vulgar populism. In the process, however, he is further radicalising the American Right. And yet, Trumps rhetoric does not measure up to Baghdadis actions. The latter has established a totalitarian rule that constantly represses non-Muslims and enslaves the likes of Yazidis in the name of a Caliphate. The Bush-Bin Laden precedence But when I think of these provocative men dominating global news and of what they may become, I remember George W Bush and Osama bin Laden. I remember how they drove the world to the brink through terror and by labelling each other evil, each claiming to be holier than thou. They gained no greater legitimacy and support than from feeding into each others hatred and incitement. Each side seemed to sanction the other, and bringing down the evil empire justified all means, including the horrific attacks of 9/11, just as defeating al-Qaeda justified all means, including war and occupation, in addition to torture for good measure. Trump is yet to be nominated, let alone elected. Yet his incitement is already feeding into ISILs conspiratorial propaganda, just as the latters actions are pushing more Americans into Trumps lap. It remains to be seen if or when a President Trump will indeed be as reckless as Bush. Confronting extremism There is no doubt that grievances matter, especially to those most affected. But these should not be used as a ploy to inflame the souls, and drive further extremism. Extremism could have different roots and ideologies, and it could harden in self-defence or for self-preservation, and it can result in minor or devastating damage, but in general, the record shows that extremism on one side is no remedy for extremism on the other. On the contrary, it provokes more of the same violence and war. And even if it results in short-term gains, the long-term consequences of extremism on the very cause they claim to be fighting for, are generally catastrophic. That is why it is high time for the true moderates on all sides; those who believe the means are no less important than the ends; those driven by moral imperatives not religious bigotry and political and geopolitical greed to stand together against the immoral extremism that has fuelled the cycle of hatred and violence. Marwan Bishara is the senior political analyst at Al Jazeera. Follow him on Facebook. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy. European Council president tells economic migrants to not risk their lives as crowds swell on Greece-Macedonia border. The European Council president has warned refugees against coming to Europe for economic benefit as thousands of people remained trapped at the Greece-Macedonia border after being blocked from continuing their journey. I want to appeal to all potential illegal economic migrants, wherever you are from: Do not come to Europe, Donald Tusk said in Athens on Thursday after meeting Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras. Do not risk your lives and your money. It is all for nothing. Greece, or any other European country, will no longer be a transit country. Greece is the first transit point for refugees seeking to make the journey north to more prosperous EU states. The vast majority of the people arriving in Greece are those fleeing war and political repression in countries such as Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan. But EU politicians have sought to crack down on those they say are motivated by financial betterment. Tusk was on a trip through Balkan states to try to drum up support for cohesion on how to deal with hundreds of thousands of refugees a crisis that threatens to tear the bloc apart ahead of an emergency EU-Turkey summit on the ongoing crisis on Monday. His comments came as a bottleneck of refugees had formed at Idomeni, near the Greek border with Macedonia, after Skopje severely curbed the number of people allowed to cross into its territory. Thousands continue to enter Greece every day but are finding their route north blocked by Macedonian security forces, who are conducting vigorous checks on the refugees who manage to reach their checkpoints. At least 10,000 people, including women and children, are stuck outside the crossing at Idomeni with little access to basic provisions. Al Jazeeras Hoda Abdel-Hamid, reporting from Idomeni, said the situation at the border was getting worse by the day. This is a makeshift camp. The transit camp is already at full capacity so people are setting up their tents wherever they can. Theyre going to the woods to set up fires when the temperatures fall dramatically people are frustrated with each day that passes, theyre getting more and more tired. Theres a very very long queue in front of the [Greek] police desk made up of people waiting for hours on end to get the right stamp. Fair share The number of refugees flowing into Europe has soared in the first two months of 2016 amid tighter borders and ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, prompting warnings from agencies and rights groups of a looming humanitarian crisis. On Tuesday, the UNs refugee agency, the UNHCR, said that 131,724 people made the journey across the Mediterranean during January and February, with 122,637 refugees landing in Greece. READ MORE: Crisis looms as a new wave of refugees reaches Europe After his meeting with Tusk, Tsipras lashed out at fellow EU leaders for not taking their fair share of refugees and forcing Athens to deal with the huge numbers waiting to cross through. The Greek leader called for sanctions on EU states that refuse to accept refugees. At Mondays summit, Greece will demand that burden-sharing be equitable among all countries in the bloc, and sanctions for those that do not, Tsipras said. We ask that unilateral actions stop in Europe, he added, in a view echoed by Tusk. Tusk later travelled to Turkey, which has taken more Syrian refugees than any other country, and is the departure point for the majority trying to reach the EU. Berta Caceres, who won the 2015 Goldman Environmental Prize, has been shot dead at her home in the town of La Esperanza. Honduran environmentalist leader and winner of the 2015 Goldman Environmental Prize Berta Caceres has been shot dead at her home in the town of La Esperanza. Caceres was killed early on Thursday by two assailants who broke into her home, a member of her group, the Indian Council of Peoples Organizations of Honduras, said. Honduras has lost a brave and committed social activist, fellow activist Tomas Membreno said in a statement. Caceres, a mother of four, led opposition to a proposed dam on the Gualcarque river, considered sacred by the Lencas. She had previously complained of receiving death threats from police, soldiers and local landowners because of her work. Activist Carlos Reyes described the assassination a political crime by the government. The information from the police is that [attackers] broke into her home from the back and shot her twice, but we all know its a lie, that they killed her because of her struggle, said Reyes. The United Nations special rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, wrote that it is highly probable that her assassination is linked with her work in protecting the human rights of the Lenca indigenous peoples to their lands and territories. Security Minister Julian Pacheco said police arrested a security guard at the complex where Caceres lived. He said police had measures in place to protect Caceres, who recently won a ruling by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights granting her special security measures. Alluding to the death threats, Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas Director for Amnesty International, said in a statement that the cowardly killing of Berta is a tragedy that was waiting to happen. For years, she had been the victim of a sustained campaign of harassment and threats to stop her from defending the rights of indigenous communities, said Guevara-Rosas. Bertas death will have a devastating impact for many human rights activists and organisations, she said. A family member said they were devastated by the loss of fearless Berta. We ask the international community and human rights organisations around the world to put pressure on their leaders to bring about justice. Her murder is an act of cowardice that will only amplify Bertitas message to bring about change in Honduras and make this a better, more humane world, the family said in a statement. US State Department struggles to provide staff who are fluent enough in Arabic to receive reports of ceasefire breaches. A 24-hour hotline set up by the US State Department for people in Syria to report alleged violations of a ceasefire agreement has faced serious language hurdles. The State Department said on Wednesday that it was working to provide operators who were fluent enough in Arabic to hold proper conversations with callers to the hotline, which was established on February 27 when the truce came into effect, and accurately log the allegations. Syrians can also report truce breaches to the State Department through email, text, and Google Voice. They can also issue complaints to the United Nations. The international community is trying to monitor a nationwide ceasefire between Syrian rebel groups and the Russian-backed Damascus government that was agreed upon last week, but opposition groups have accused the other side of breaching it with heavy attacks across the country. If you have firsthand knowledge of a violation of the #CoH in #Syria, there are several ways to report it: pic.twitter.com/5jE1SoumuT U.S. Embassy Syria (@USEmbassySyria) February 28, 2016 We are aware that there were some language issues and were working to correct those, obviously, because its important that we have Arabic speakers that are able to field incoming calls, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said. He added that the Arabic language skills of some of the operators werent properly vetted. The issue came to light after a number of Syrians called to report alleged truce violations but doubted that they were understood properly by the staff. Syria Direct, a group of journalists reporting on the Syrian conflict, has published an article citing the barriers their members encountered when trying to report violations. READ MORE: Syria War what you need to know about the ceasefire I did not expect an American to answer; he answered in English but switched to Arabic. I started telling him in Arabic about reports we were getting from Homs province of specific ceasefire violations, Syria Direct reporter Orion Wilcox was quoted as saying. He is really struggling and cant understand me. I am like, why is this American guy on the phone who cannot speak Arabic? Id give a detailed account of something happening in Homs province and he would listen and his answer was: Homs. Thats it. Syria Direct added: Wilcox said he finally switched to English and asked the hotline monitor how he could effectively document events without understanding all the Arabic. The operator answered that other people were working the hotline, declined to comment further and hung up. Tehran says decision to label the Lebanese group a terrorist organisation undermines peace and the unity of Lebanon. Irans deputy foreign minister has said that a decision by a Saudi-led bloc of Gulf Arab states to label the Lebanese group Hezbollah a terrorist organisation was a mistake. Iranian state TV on Thursday quoted Hossein Amir Abdollahian as saying that the Gulf Cooperation Councils (GCC) move would undermine peace in the region and the unity of Lebanon. He said it was a new mistake by the GCC and that Iran was proud of Hezbollah. On Wednesday, GCC Secretary-General Abdullatif al-Zayani said that the six Gulf monarchies took the decision because the [Hezbollah] militia recruited young people [from the Gulf] for terrorist acts. OPINION: Lebanon and Saudi Arabias love and hate relationship Hezbollah, a Shia political organisation with an armed wing, fights in neighbouring Syria to support the government of President Bashar al-Assad. The Sunni-dominated GCC comprises Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Gulf nations have taken a series of measures against Hezbollah since Saudi Arabia last month halted a $4bn programme funding French military supplies to Beirut. Hezbollah is backed by Saudi Arabias regional rival Iran, with whom relations have worsened this year. The two nations are on opposing sides in conflicts in Syria and Yemen. Announcing the military funding cut last month, a Saudi official said that the kingdom had noticed hostile Lebanese positions resulting from the stranglehold of Hezbollah on the state. Riyadh would be conducting a comprehensive review of its relations with the Lebanese republic, the unnamed official told the AFP news agency. He specifically cited Lebanons refusal to join the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in condemning attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran in January. Riyadh cut diplomatic ties with Tehran after demonstrators set fire to its embassy and a consulate following the Saudi execution of a prominent Shia cleric. Spare Lebanon Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah lashed out at Saudi Arabia during a televised speech on Tuesday. The kingdom is trying to put pressure on the Lebanese to try to silent us but we will not be silent on the crimes the Saudis are committing in Yemen and elsewhere, Nasrallah said. Does Saudi Arabia have the right to punish Lebanon, its state and its army because a certain party has decided to raise its voice? he asked. If they have a problem with us, let them keep it with us, and let them spare Lebanon and the Lebanese, Nasrallah added. Jamal Abdullah, head of the Gulf Studies Unit at the Al Jazeera Centre for Studies, said he did not believe that the Gulf decisions targeted Lebanon as a whole. The relations between Gulf states and Lebanon are governed by diplomatic norms and strong links from their shared membership in the Arab League, Abdullah said. The GCC supported Hezbollah throughout the past three decades in its resistance against Israel. However, the bloc has always condemned Hezbollahs military intervention in Syria. This was a milestone in the nature of the relationship between Hezbollah and Gulf countries, Abdullah said. Far-left group claims gun and bomb attack by two women on a police station that slightly wounded two officers. Police in Istanbul have shot and killed two women who had earlier attacked police with gunfire and a hand grenade, Turkish officials and state media said. Security footage broadcast on national television channels on Thursday showed them brandishing weapons they pulled out of their handbags. Officers returned fire, injuring one of the attackers before they fled the scene. The women escaped the scene in a vehicle and hid inside a building located near the police station in Istanbuls Bayrampasa district. Police then surrounded the building and launched an operation to apprehend them. The two women were neutralised, Istanbul governor Vasip Sahin was quoted as saying by the official Anatolia news agency. Two police officers were slightly wounded. A banned far-left group, the Revolutionary Peoples Liberation Army-Front, or DHKP-C, claimed responsibility for the attack, according to a statement on a website close to the group. Greetings to you, our two brave female liberation fighters who have taken the peoples liberation fight on their shoulders, the statement said. Al Jazeeras Jamal Elshayyal, reporting from southern Turkey, said it was the latest in a series of attacks that have been rocking Istanbul and Ankara in recent months. Turkey has been on a state of alert for months since a series of deadly attacks on its soil. Last month, 29 people were killed in a car bombing that targeted a military convoy in Ankara, which was claimed by the Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (TAK), a breakaway faction of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). In 2015, there were four deadly bomb attacks blamed on the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group, including the deadliest in Turkeys modern history that killed 103 people in Ankara in October. In a stinging speech on Thursday, Mitt Romney said other Republican candidates would be better alternatives to the billionaire businessman, whom he called a phony, a fraud. The 2012 Republican nominee for the US presidency has urged his own party to oppose the nomination of Donald Trump this year, warning that the current frontrunner would greatly diminish prospects for a safe and prosperous future for the country. The race for the Republican nomination, dominated by insults and name-calling, has seen Trumps once-unlikely candidacy morph into an increasingly strong bid for his partys nomination for the November election. The only serious policy proposals that deal with the broad range of national challenges we confront today come from Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and John Kasich, Romney said of Trumps rivals. One of these men should be our nominee. Romney said Trump does not possess the temperament of a stable, thoughtful leader. His imagination must not be married to real power. Earlier on Thursday, Trump dismissed Romney as a stiff who didnt know what he was doing as the partys candidate in 2012. During the same year, Trump endorsed Romney as president. People are energised by what Im saying and turning out in remarkable numbers to vote, Trump told the NBC television. Al Jazeeras Patty Culhane, reporting from Washington DC, said there is a concerted effort by party leaders to stop Trump. She said that prominent members of the party are also planning to run television ads against the New York businessman. We havent seen anthing like this before, she said, referring to the party trying to take down its own nominee. But we dont know if its going to work. Republican frontrunner The back-and-forth comes as Republican candidates prepared for the first post-Super Tuesday debate, scheduled for Thursday night. Trump is coming under increasing pressure from his party as he fights for the majority of delegates needed to win the nomination. Romney said a Trump nomination at the partys convention in July would enable Democrat Hillary Clinton to win the presidency. Arizona Senator John McCain, the losing Republican nominee in 2008, issued a statement endorsing Romneys remarks. Trump had dismissed McCains war-hero status for his long imprisonment during the Vietnam War. UN envoy Staffan de Mistura says violence greatly reduced as UK and France urge Russia to end attacks on rebel groups. The United Nations has said that the conditional truce that began in Syria on Saturday has made visible progress, despite clashes in some cities and areas, as Britain and France called on Russia and the Syrian government to stop attacking opposition groups. Following a Franco-British summit on Thursday, French President Francois Hollande and UK Prime Minister David Cameron expressed concerns that rebel forces continued to be targeted in Syria. We ask all sides that are committing human rights violations, including Russia and the Syrian regime, to put an immediate end to the attacks against moderate opposition groups, they said in a joint statement. The meeting came one day before Hollande and Cameron, along with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, are scheduled to discuss the truce in a conference call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Tomorrow is an opportunity for the leaders of the UK, France and Germany to come together and make very clear to President Putin that we need this ceasefire to hold, to be a lasting one and to open the way for a real political transition, Camerons spokeswoman told reporters. READ MORE: Claims of violations test Syrias fragile truce Meanwhile, Russias defence ministry said in a statement on Thursday that it had registered 14 ceasefire violations in Syria over the past 24 hours. The violations concerned the shelling of residential areas and Syrian government forces in the provinces of Damascus, Latakia, Hama and Deraa, it said. Visible progress It has been six days since the US-Russia-brokered truce was carried out but fighting continues in some parts of the country. Syrias government and the opposition and their respective backers have traded accusations over ceasefire breaches. Despite the sporadic attacks, Staffan de Mistura, the UN envoy to Syria, said the level of violence in the county had been greatly reduced despite incidents in parts of Hama, Homs, Latakia and Damascus. In general, the cessation has been holding, he said on Thursday before entering a meeting of the UN-backed international task that is overseeing the truce. EXPLAINER: What you need to know about the ceasefire in Syria To summarise, de Mistura said, the situation is fragile, success is not guaranteed, but progress has been visible. He added that the progress laid out hopes of resuming peace talks between Syrian sides in the conflict on March 9. The truce excludes areas under the control of the armed groups the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and the al-Nusra Front. Late on Wednesday, a car bomb explosion killed the leader of the rebel group Syria Revolutionaries Front and 17 others in the village of al-Ashe in Quneitra province. No group has claimed responsibility for the car bombing. No group has taken credit for the car bombing, which killed the leader of Syria Revolutionaries Front and 17 others. A car bombing targeting an influential Syrian rebel group has killed at least 18 people in Quneitra province of the countrys south, as opposition groups elsewhere in Syria accused the government of breaching a truce. Late on Wednesday, the car bomb targeted the Syria Revolutionaries Fronts local finance office in al-Ashe, a village on the outskirts of southern Quneitra near the border with the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Syria fighting continues despite ceasefire Among those killed was the armed groups leader Muhammad al-Qairi, also known as Abu Hamza al-Naimi, as well as three other leaders, local sources told Al Jazeera. No group has claimed responsibility for the bombing. Unfortunately, civilians who were near by were among those killed, said Abu Omar al-Jolani, a Quneitra-based media activist who was present at the time of the blast. In addition to a metre-deep hole in the street, the explosion destroyed the SRFs finance office and badly damaged several nearby residential buildings, he added. READ MORE: Assad forces build up troops in Syrian Golan It was a rough scene. An old man was sitting and crying as he watched people collect his dead brothers body parts, Jolani recalled. I had gone there to film, but I turned off my camera and just started crying with him. Jolanis video footage of the attacks aftermath was published by Qasioun News, a local Syrian agency. The SRF is part of the Southern Front, a broad alliance of rebel groups operating in several provinces in southern Syria. Hamza Mustafa, a research assistant at the Arab Centre for Research and Policy Studies, said the Southern Front had in the past been targeted by both government forces and armed groups, including the al-Nusra Front and its allies. Some people are accusing the regime of this attack, but many analysts believe it was Nusra or al-Muthanna, he told Al Jazeera, referring to an armed group believed to have ties with both the Nusra Front and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). I expect that al-Muthanna is behind this, he said. These groups have been accused of many assassinations in the Deraa and Quneitra provinces. Strategic region The Syrian conflict began nearly five years ago as a largely unarmed uprising against the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, but it morphed into a full-on civil war that has killed more than 260,000 people, according to the United Nations. Quneitra is located in the roughly 30 percent of the Golan Heights that remained under Syrian control after Israel occupied the rest of the region during the 1967 Middle East war. In January, the Syrian government and pro-Assad armed groups launched an offensive in the Syrian-controlled portion of the Golan. Media activist Jolani, who is close to the Revolutionary Command Council in Quneitra and the Golan, another alliance of armed groups that coordinates with the SRF, said that the Assad government controls only around 20 percent of the province. The regime is still present in Khan Arnabah, al-Baath city and some villages, he said. The Syria Revolutionaries Front has become very popular here because it focuses its fight on the regime. Marwan Kabalan, a Syrian academic and associate political analyst at the Doha Institute, explained that SRF is an influential faction in southern Syria and enjoys the backing of Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. READ MORE: Golan Heights New flashpoint in Syria war? We must not forget about the importance of Quneitra and the Golan, Kabalan told Al Jazeera. The regime lost a lot of territory over the last few years, but now there is a stalemate. The opposition cannot advance, while the regime is unable to take back the areas it lost, he added. Assad does still hold some important areas in the northern Golan Heights. There are strong military divisions there serving as the regimes defensive line for Damascus. Kabalan explained that Quneitra province remains a strategically and politically significant region in the Syrian conflict because of its close proximity to Israel and the Israeli-occupied portion of the Golan. He said that Assads government, as well as its Iranian and Hezbollah allies, are very keen on controlling this area in order to use it as a bargaining chip in any future settlement for the situation in Syria. The regime feels that [controlling the Golan] gives back legitimacy that it lost throughout this revolution. Whoever controls Golan Heights has a say in the Arab-Israeli conflict and has leverage on Israel. Wednesdays bombing came amid complaints that the government had violated the cessation of hostilities in areas across northern Syria, namely in the Latakia province near Turkeys border. Follow Patrick Strickland on Twitter: @P_Strickland_ As many as 50,000 have died in the two-year conflict, one official says, with violence continuing despite peace deal. Tens of thousands of people have been killed in South Sudans two-year civil war, the UN said, putting the death toll much higher than estimates by aid groups that operate in the country. An unnamed UN official told news agencies that 50,000 have died in the conflict, which is a fivefold increase of the toll previously reported by humanitarian agencies. Fighting is still ongoing, despite a peace agreement between President Salva Kiir and his former deputy Riek Machar signed in August last year. The two mens power struggle started in December 2013 and prompted a cycle of retaliatory killings along ethnic lines between Kiirs Dinka and Machars Nuer people. READ MORE: Little to celebrate on South Sudans fourth anniversary UN spokesperson Ariane Quentier in Juba told Al Jazeera that tens of thousands had been killed in the war but that the exact number was difficult to verify. The country has hardly any roads and besides that moving around is very dangerous. It is impossible for anyone in or outside the country to have exact numbers, she said. The battle for control of South Sudan has repeatedly pushed the country to the brink of famine, with millions of people dependent on the UN and aid agencies. In January, both sides of the conflict agreed to share positions in a transitional government, and in February Kiir reappointed Machar to his former post as vice president. But despite the reconciliatory rhetoric there have been multiple clashes in the past weeks, according to Quentier. Last month, the UN stated that South Sudans warring parties were still killing, abducting and displacing civilians and destroying property. READ MORE: Q&A the future peace in South Sudan Ahmed Soliman, a regional analyst at Chatham House in London, said there was a lot of undocumented killing going on. Since the August agreement, fighting even occurred in new areas. The UN is clearly not overseeing what is really happening on the ground. There is limited access, they are overstretched and mainly focusing on their camps, Soliman said. The actual amount of people suffering [in] this war is hard to tell, he added. There are people dying of hunger and isolation in an attempt to flee the violence. To make a reasonable estimate of the people affected in the country is a very hard task right now. Currently the UN peacekeepers are sheltering nearly 200,000 people at six protection sites in South Sudan. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged the leaders of South Sudan last month to respect the terms of a peace agreement that ended two years of civil war last year. Nearly 700 ISIL fighters have returned to Tunisia but there is no formal strategy to deal with them, analysts say. Ksibet el Mediouni, Tunisia Lamia pulls out her mobile phone and scrolls through a series of pictures on a messaging app. There is her eldest son, Bilal, smiling jauntily in a black beret bearing the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group logo and a gun in his hand. There he is posing on a bombed-out street with a friend, or standing in front of a colour-coded map of Syria. I just kept telling him I wanted him to come back, said Lamia, who did not give Al Jazeera her last name, from her home in Ksibet el Mediouni, a small village near the coastal city of Monastir in Tunisia. In July 2013, Bilal, then 20, told his parents that he was going to the beach. Instead, he went to fight with ISIL in Syria. In late March 2014, Bilal stopped calling his parents. A fellow fighter contacted the family to say Bilal had died, though the family still holds out hope he might be alive. According to recent United Nations statistics, 5,500 Tunisians have gone to join ISIL, al-Nusra Front, and al-Qaeda in Syria, Iraq, and Libya. As the wars have dragged on, thousands, like Bilal, have been killed; hundreds more have been jailed in Syria. But for other fighters, home beckons.To date, nearly 700 fighters have returned to Tunisia, according to a spokesman for the interior ministry. Most fighters return after becoming disenchanted by the war, being cajoled by their distraught families, or in the hope to recruit their fellow countrymen. They dont realise that when they come back, it will be another challenge. They are really going to be hassled, said Mohammed Iqbel Ben Rejeb, the president and founder of the Rescue Association of Tunisians Trapped Abroad (RATTA), a civil society group founded in 2013 to work with families of children caught in conflicts around the world. READ MORE: Remembering Moneem Gharsalli: He died for Tunisia The issue hits close to home for Ben Rejeb: His younger brother went to Syria in March 2013 and celebrated his 24th birthday at an al-Nusra Front training camp. He spent only 10 days in Syria, during which time his family bombarded him with phone calls and messages pleading with him to come home, before returning to Tunisia. But Ben Rejebs brothers case is unique. His brother has muscular dystrophy and is confined to a wheelchair, which made it difficult for him to perform any duties in the al-Nusra Front camp. The peculiar nature of the case garnered media attention in the Arab world, as did a public plea by Ben Rejeb. In the end, he was given authorisation to leave and re-enter Tunisia without hassle. They don't realise that when they come back, it will be another challenge. They are really going to be hassled. by Mohammed Iqbel Ben Rejeb, president of the Rescue Association of Tunisians Trapped Abroad For most returning fighters, jail and state surveillance are common. But that is only if they are able to return to Tunisia at all. Jounedi Ayeds son went to Syria in 2012, leaving behind an education, a stable job, and his family. At the familys home near Monastir, Ayed, who did not want his sons name made public, recounted his sons journey from partying teenager to pious Muslim to member of ISIL. Ayed told Al Jazeera from his home that his son realised his mistake after witnessing abuses of power in Syria. But since sneaking out of Syria into Turkey, his son has been stuck in Istanbul without a passport. According to RATTA, dozens of Tunisians are caught in limbo in Turkey. Disillusioned fighters usually try to return to Tunisia one of three ways. The most common route is to fly directly from Turkey to Tunisia, but that involves a high probability that they will be arrested at the airport. According to Ben Rejeb, returnees may also try flying from Turkey to Tunisia with a stop in Morocco, where they are known to burn their passports and go to the Tunisian embassy to get new ones. Upon receiving a new passport, they then proceed to Tunisia. READ MORE: Sousse seaside home of jihadists volunteers Finally, some fighters attempt to cross the border with Libya, either undetected or by presenting themselves to border guards at the Ras Ajdir checkpoint. RATTA estimates that 400-500 fighters have re-entered Tunisia undetected. Many former fighters have repented, but dont have the opportunity to demonstrate this to the Tunisian authorities, Ben Rejeb said. In November 2015, then Foreign Minister Taieb Baccouche declared that Tunisia would not accept a pardon for these Tunisians just on the basis of a declaration of repentance without legal accountability. Ayed said that he believes his son has changed. But though he wants to return home, Ayed said he is worried that his sons future will be spent in a Tunisian prison cell. The EU-wide Radicalisation Awareness Network (RAN) notes that an effective policy for rehabilitating returning fighters includes dialogue and engagement with a wide range of actors from the micro to macro level, such as families both immediate and wider community members and leaders, religious scholars, teachers, local authorities, police, and intelligence services. READ MORE: My Arab Spring Tunisias revolution was a dream But Tunisia has not established a formal strategy to deal with returning fighters, though the government uses powers accorded through a new anti-terrorism law to contain them. President Beji Caid Essebsi signed the law in July 2015, following two ISIL-claimed attacks on the Bardo museum and a Sousse beach resort. It is designed to give the government sweeping powers to combat terrorism, and most returning fighters are immediately placed in jail following a trial, or kept under surveillance. Ninety-five percent of them [returning fighters] were arrested and interrogated by police upon their return, while the others remained under surveillance, Walid Elweikene, spokesman for the Ministry of Interior said last December, according to the Saudi paper Asharq al Awsat. The government has emphasised addressing immediate security objectives through surveillance and imprisonment. European countries such as France and the UK are also following such hardline measures, while other countries are pursuing softer strategies, such as rehabilitation. So far there is too little evidence to suggest that one approach is better than the other. The rehabilitation programmes that exist are small and have had few graduates. It will take time to measure their long-term effect, writes Richard Barrett, senior vice president of the Soufan Group, in an email to Al Jazeera. According to Charles Lister, a research fellow at the Brookings Doha Center, about 11 percent of fighters pose a credible threat upon returning home. The three large-scale attacks in 2015 were claimed by ISIL, with all the attackers being trained in Libya before returning to Tunisia. To this extent, the possibility that a returning fighter could orchestrate an attack should be taken into account in this case, around 70 fighters but neither should it be exaggerated. Ben Rejeb said that while returnees convicted of committing crimes in Syria, or who pose a proven threat to Tunisian security, can be imprisoned, it is not a blanket solution. Tunisias overcrowded and under-served prisons are well-known breeding grounds for recruitment and the dissemination of radical ideas, he added. In the short term youve won, but in the long term its a flaw, Ben Rejeb said. Legislative body controlled by opponents of President Maduro calls on Organization of American States to end standoff. Venezuelas opposition-controlled legislature has said it will ask for foreign intervention to resolve a standoff with President Nicolas Maduro and the countrys judiciary. The oil-rich South American country has been rocked by political deadlock and rising tensions since the opposition won control of the National Assembly in December. On Thursday, the National Assembly said it would ask the Organization of American States (OAS) to mediate and bring an end to the crisis, accusing the judiciary of blocking attempts to pass new legislature. It invoked article 20 of the Inter-American Democratic Charter, which provides for the OAS to take measures aimed at restoring democracy in the event of an unconstitutional alteration of the constitutional regime in any member state. Maduro has a troubled relationship with OAS, accusing it of being a tool of American imperialism. Rising tensions Opposition to the Maduros Bolivarian government has grown as Venezuelas economy flounders under the weight of low oil prices and poor economic management. A coalition of groups known as the Democratic Roundtable (MUD) has taken aim at Maduro since gaining a large majority in the December election. READ MORE: The worlds worst-performing economy Since then, however, the Supreme Court has repeatedly stymied the opposition, which hopes to force Maduro out before the end of his term in 2019 but has been divided over the best strategy to achieve this. The court first reduced MUDs powerful two-thirds majority, ruling that three of its members of parliament could not take their seats because of a pending case over alleged electoral fraud. On Tuesday, the court stripped the legislatures power to remove justices from the bench, voiding MUDs bid to review the recent appointment of 34 Supreme Court judges, passed by the previous legislature in an 11th-hour session on the eve of the opposition takeover. On Wednesday, youths protesting against the court ruling clashed with police in the western city of San Cristobal. Students threw petrol bombs and stones at police, authorities said, with at least two protesters injured in the clashes, according to an AFP news agency reporter. Ballot on whether to replace colonial-era flag will extend over the next three weeks, with results expected on March 24. New Zealanders have begun voting on whether to change their flag from a design which features the British Union Jack to one which features a native silver fern. The postal ballot will extend over the next three weeks from Thursday, with preliminary results to be announced on March 24. Organisers say that deciding the issue by popular vote represents a world first, and that other countries have changed flags by revolution, decree or legislation. Opinion polls indicate the nation of 4.7 million people will opt to stick with its current flag, although proponents of the new design say they have momentum on their side and that more and more people are embracing a change. READ MORE: New Zealands flag and precarious nationalism Those favouring change say the current flag is too similar to Australias and references a colonial past that it is time to leave behind. Those opposed to change say the new design is uninspiring or is an attempt by Prime Minister John Key to create a legacy. Critics have also said holding the referendum, estimated to cost $27m, is a waste of money. Opinion divided One group seeking to keep the status quo is the Returned and Services Association, which represents war veterans. Its been a witness to not only my personal history and my life in the military but has also borne witness to major events in this country, war veteran Clive Sinclair told Al Jazeera in Auckland. It has a lot of history behind it, so its not something that you can discard. But another veteran, Chris Mullande, voiced another opinion, saying that the challenging design represents the new, multicultural New Zealand. There are links to the past, it celebrates our present and it also very bravely looks to the future, he told Al Jazeera. Laser-shooting kiwi bird The process of choosing a potential new flag has been long and sometimes amusing. People submitted more than 10,000 designs, including one with a kiwi bird shooting a green laser beam from its eye and a stick drawing of a deranged cat. A December popular vote saw a flag by architectural designer Kyle Lockwood become the official challenger. Only 48 percent of eligible voters took part in that poll, the lowest turnout for any government-initiated referendum in the countrys history. Like the current flag, the suggested new flag features four red stars representing the Southern Cross, but replaces the Union flag with a fern and changes the background colours. Historian Caroline Daley said that despite the long and democratic process, the vote has not come at the right time. Governments that change flags tend to do so because of a really major event, like becoming a republic, the University of Auckland academic told Al Jazeera. She mentioned South Africas flag-changing after Nelson Mandelas release from prison as one example. We havent had one of those big events, which I think is why a lot of people are thinking why bother?'. Prime Minister Key told Radio New Zealand this week that people had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to vote for a new flag. If they dont vote for change now, theyll never get another chance until we become a republic, he said, adding that he could not see that happening within his lifetime because of the popularity of the young British royals. There is also a campaign under way in Australia to change the flag there. After welcoming one million refugees, attitudes across Germany are changing with confrontations and vitriol on the rise. Last summer Germany opened its arms to more than a million refugees the vast majority from Syria and Iraq. The move won huge international applause for Chancellor Angela Merkel and seemed to reflect an impressive degree of tolerance among her fellow citizens But well before the end of the year, the mood had begun to sour. As the influx continued, even some of Merkels own supporters began to voice concerns about when it would end and to question exactly how so many people from other cultures were going to be absorbed. Then over the New Year came widely reported allegations of sexual assault on German women by asylum seeker and illegal immigrant men in Cologne and other cities closely followed by claims that the authorities had failed to prevent the attacks because of political correctness. Since then deep cracks in Germanys Wilkommenskultur (welcoming culture) have appeared, and support for extreme right-wing anti-immigration groups such as Pegida and the Eurosceptic Alternative fur Deutschland (AfD) party has gained momentum. Meanwhile beyond the countrys borders, tension over the refugee crisis is testing the cohesion of the European Union and pushing its free-movement Schengen agreement to the point of collapse. Some of Germanys neighbours a number of which, such as Hungary, have nationalistic governments deeply antagonistic to asylum seekers are loudly blaming Merkel for encouraging the flow of migrants through their states. Now the rhetoric within Germany itself is becoming more vitriolic; violent confrontations are on the rise and more moderate voices are being drowned out. As Dutch journalist Koen van Groesen discovered, for some the divisions have begun to evoke worrying themes from the countrys dark past. Okay, Okay...OKAY! Bill Stewart is not a pianist, but his long-time collaboratoris, so, LAY OFF!Marc CoplandZenithInner Voice Jazz2015Pianistcomposes with a certain use of darkness, an updated musical version of Caravaggio's use of chiaroscuro in painting. Copland is aided in his alchemic light-shifting by his regular bassistand drummer. Joining the trio is trumpeter, who is given plenty of room to investigate some brass dynamics. On "Sun at the Zenith" Alessi's horn sounds like the cross between a flute and trombone, it is eerie. He shifts faintly toon's "Mystery Song," enweaving elements of "Freddie Freeloader" and "So What." The lengthy, three-part suite "Air We've Never Breathed" shows Copland's evolution between light and dark matters. It is soundtrack music, the soundtrack of restfulness and thoughtfulness, lying somewhere between being and being content. Effortlessly ambient without the pretentious trappings of new age, Copland's Zenith is a quiet wayside where to count the time in quarter-tones to ten.Bill StewardSpace SquidPirouet2015Drummerfollow suite with Marc Copland in adding a horn to his typical jazz piano trio. In this case the electric-dry tenor saxophone of. In kind with both Copland and, Stewart opt for at least a breath of impressionism, buried deeply within a hard angular shell of sharp edges and acutely defined corners. Space Squid sounds like a '70s prog-jazz rave-up, but reveals itself a loosely tethered post-bop orgy. "Paris Lope" is exactly that a lopping saunter across a littered landscape, with Blake waving a Wayne Shorter bat, while Stewart demonstrates that this is a drummer-led date. Pianistshows off some polyrhythmic fireworks early, while bassistsews the entire cloth together with steel thread. Stewart reveals on "Tincture" that he can play blowing-session bop with the best of them. He and bassist Street give a masters' class in bop rhythm section art while Carrothers accents the piece with various seasonings. Over all is Blake playing with a piquant sharpness. No. Stewart is not a pianist, but Carrothers is and this disc belongs in this discussion.Julian ShoreWhich Way NowTone Rogue Records2016Ottawa Citizen critic Peter Hum described Julian Shore's Filiments (Tone Rogue, 2014) as, 'an assured, organic debut." Organic it is, the opening with the classically informed, "Our Story Begins on a Mountain" performed with an uncredited string quartet. "Back Home" is faintly Latin while "Moss, Mansion, Sandstorm" is a delicate rumination with a distinct Midwestern flavor. This is a theme on this release... there is an impressionism here, but it is an American impressionism. On what is surely the album centerpiece is the waltz "Pine Needles," incorporating the dobro and pedal steel guitar of Kurt Ozan beneath's breathy tenor saxophone. It is a great collision of style and genre, something that will one day soon render such categorical descriptions meaningless.'s "Con Alma" is turned out elegantly in a delicate trio performance,'s bass slipping in and out of Shore's rolling chords and' light percussions. This is a bright jewel of intrigue and improvisation.Bob WijnenNYC UnforeseenVoordekunst2015This is the New York performance of the present collection. Pianist Bob Wijnen plays with assertion, aptitude, and a confident rhythmic sense. Joined by guitarist, bassistand drummer, Wijnen assembles an urbanely urban plot and climax to the story that is NYC Unseen. The distinct impressionism found on other recordings in this discussion is notably absent here, in deference to Wijnen's concrete compositional and performance approach. Even on the standards "The Look of Love" (Burt Bacharach) and "If It's Magic" (Stevie Wonder), Wijnen endeavors for a certain grounding of the music that anchors the entire presentation. On "The Look of Love" Wijnen has bassist Douglas present the melody. On the Wonder piece, it is Bernstein that highlights the brilliance of the songwriting. Wijnen takes on an almost western pastoral approach. The results are traditionally satisfying. NYC Unseen is like the best travel writing, it leave somethings to the imagination while defining others explicitedly.Pablo Held TrioRecondita ArmoniaPirouet Records2015German pianist Pablo Held has become a cornerstone in the cathedral that is Pirouet Records. His trio, with bassist Robert Landfermann and drummer Jonas Burgwinkel in this present distillation, enters the time-honored practice of spreading the seeds of jazz in traditional classical music and vice versa. Using compositions for the Late Romantic Period, Held weaves an impressionistic travelogue from Italy (Puccini) to Mother Russia (Rachmaninoff). These performances are as delicate and intricate as spider's webs, including improvisation so seamless it's as if there is no discordant wind at all. This is music of meditation...meditation on its origins and destinations and the distances traveled between two worlds caressing one another in different dimensions. The title piece that closes the disc is "Recondita Armonia" or "Hidden Harmony" is derived from Puccini's Tosca: "L'arte nel suo mistero, / le diverse bellezze insiem confonde..." Art, in its mysterious way, / blends the contrasting beauties together..." Yes, indeed. Tubby HayesA Man In A HurryMono Media Films2015Tubby Hayes -the finest jazz musician Britain ever produced and one of the unheralded greats of the genre. Powerful claims, but there are plenty of jazz fans (not only in the UK) who're in favor of both of them: A Man In A Hurry is a lovingly-crafted documentary that offers plenty of evidence in their support.Hayes was primarily a tenor saxophonist, but he was also a skilful flautist and vibraphonist. He was also a man who lived life to the fullhence the movie's titleand like his early hero, a man whose life was all too short. A Man In A Hurrydirected by Lee Cogswell and written by Mark Baxterfocuses on Hayes the musician and arranger, but it doesn't shy away from the lifestyle that Hayes chose to follow and the detrimental effects it ultimately had on his life.Actor Martin Freemanprobably best known as Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbitnarrates. He's a dedicated and knowledgeable music fan and he delivers his commentary with the right mix of gravitas and respect. The movie opens with a clip of Hayes' friend and fellow tenor playerintroducing Hayes on a grainy black and white TV show: Hayes enters with a hard hitting, energetic burst of tenor that immediately grabs the attention.There's a short look at Hayes' schooldays, and film of Parker and(another major influence). The story of Hayes the jazz musician really begins with the Boston haircut he sported in his mid-teens, when he embarked on his professional career. After that, the documentary takes offa few archive interviews with Hayes, but most excitingly clips of Hayes in full flight, in small combos and big bands, on tenor, flute and vibes. There are recordings of Hayes soloing with, playing on the soundtrack of The Italian Job (1969), with Scott in the Jazz Couriers.Contributors are knowledgeable and respectful, like Freeman. There's Hayes' eldest son Richard, fellow musicians likeand fellow tenor player (and Hayes biographer), contemporaries such as drummer, poetand artist Sir Peter Blake. The contributions are well edited, anecdotes are never stretched too far. They're an entertaining collection: a fascinating argument in favour of Hayes as the arch-Modernist and the precursor of the Mods; the tale of Hayes sitting in within place of an over-tired, after the pair enjoyed a night on the town;'s offer of a spot in the Jazz Messengers; and an intriguing rumor regarding Hayes' possible role on the soundtrack of the 1966 Michael Caine movie Alfie.On the downside, A Man In A Hurry shows that despite his talent and widespread fame in the late '50s and early '60s Hayes arrived just a little too late. By '63 the sharp suits and side partings looked old fashioned. He continued to play superbly, he remained at the top of the jazz tree, but jazz was no longer the pop music it had been. By 1970 his health was failing. In 1973, during heart surgery, he died age 38.But it's the good times that get the lion's share of this documentary: the muscular yet melodic playing, the innovative arranging, the appearances alongside legends such as Fitzgerald and Ellington. As broadcaster and fan Robert Elms puts it, the UK has ..."one of the Giants of Jazz, and we should celebrate it." A Man In A Hurry should help with that celebration. AR's Editor Joe Shea Talks About Elections On Iranian TV Bear Stearns Saved By Fed As Lehman Bros. Falters; Major Bank Failure Looms Over Wall Street, Sends Markets Into 200-Pt. Dive Lie Upon Lie Five Years Into the Iraq War The Administration Still Churns Out Lies by Randolph Holhut A Small Tragedy Even at 90, As Friends Turn Cool She Knows the Show Must Go On by Joyce Marcel I'll Take Me Imagine John Wayne or Arnold In Heels, Silk and a Girdle by Elizabeth Andrews Sen. Nelson Calls For New Fla. Primary; Gov Crist Backs 'Do-Over' Who'll Win? Ask Spock Spock.com Engine Predicts Winners By Site Searches; It Can be Wrong by Jay Bhatti Chatting Up The Cat God Gave Me Dominion Over Him But I Think He's a Non-Believer by Constance Daley Death of a Thug The Life and Horrors of Suharto by Andreas Harsono ___________________________ This Just In Sierra Club: McCain Ducked All 15 Key Votes On Green Laws (AR) A Work By AR's T.S. Kerrigan Is Chosen As 'Best Poem' By Wordpress Site Murder At Mile 63 The Deadly Assault and Bush Administration Cover-Up by S. Eben Kirkesby and Andreas Harsono 5427 14th St. West, Bradenton, FL 34207 $6.99 Fish Fridays! Manatee Co.'s Only 24-Hr. FREE Wi-Fi Paid Advertisement On Native Ground AFTER 5 YEARS, WE'RE STILL LIED TO ABOUT IRAQ by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- Next week is the fifth anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq. And it is likely that sometime in the next couple of weeks, the 4,000th American soldier will die in Iraq. [MORE] Momentum OFF TO SEE THE WIZARD by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. - It's 1931, and a 14-year-old girl is standing alone on a stage. She's small and lively with dark curly hair, widespread hazel eyes, slender wrists and an open, eager face filled with the wonder of performing. Her name is Rose, and one day she will be my mother. But now she is performing an Eugene O'Neill monologue called "Before Breakfast" for a ladies' club in a wealthy suburb of Long Island. [MORE] One Woman's World COMFORTABLE WITH MYSELF by Elizabeth T. Andrews CARTERSVILLE, Ga. -- I'm not sure but I think I may be socially incorrect. [MORE] On Native Ground ENOUGH FOR A WAR, NOT FOR A PEOPLE by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- Last week, the National Governors Assn. met in Washington, D.C. One of the tasks the NGA had on its agenda was to ask President Bush to increase federal spending on roads, bridges and other public works projects as a way to stimulate the economy. He rejected their pleas out of hand, claiming that infrastructure projects wouldn't offer any short-term economic boost. [MORE] Brasch Words BEWARE THE SELF-REVERENTIAL PRESS by Walter Brasch BLOOMSBURG, Pa. -- Shortly before the primary votes this past week, Newsweek's Jonathan Alter called Sen. Barack Obama's surge to the Democratic nomination "inevitable." It also called for Hillary Clinton to "start her campaign for Senate majority leader." [MORE] Constance A CONVERSATION WITH MY CAT Constance Daley ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. -- Normally, when the cat starts his evening rant of meowing continuously until he makes his point, I just take it as long as I can, pick him up, and put him in the garage for the night. He doesn't want to go, but the meowing stops and I don't care if he likes it or not. [MORE] Momentum OUT OF STRUGGLE, ART by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- Here we are again at the crossroads of art and social change, having the opportunity to watch good and great films about the lives of women in support of the Women's Crisis Center. [MORE] Campaign 2008 HOW TO PREDICT SUPER TUESDAY II WINNERS? ONLINE SEARCH by Jay Bhatti NEW YORK, March 4, 2008, 7:00PM ET -- With the outcomes of the Texas, Vermont, Ohio and Rhode Island primaries to be decided tonight, how possible is it that online searching can predict who will win tonight's primaries? [MORE] One Woman's World DON'T VOTE; IT ENCOURAGES THEM by Elizabeth T. Andrews CARTERSVILLE, Ga. -- Call me angry and disgusted but don't call me un-American because I won't be voting come November. [MORE] On Native Ground BUSH AND THE KEYBOARD COMMANDOS by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- As the days tick down toward the eventual departure of President George W. Bush from the White House, it's a hopeful sign that most Americans are no longer moved by his Administration's constant exploitation of terrorism for political gain. [MORE] Momentum WHICH AMERICA DO YOU LIVE IN? by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- It's a little confusing. [MORE] Make My Dat THE LAWYER THAT ATE NEW YORK by Erik Deckers INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- I used to know a guy who, quite literally, didn't get hyperbole. He didn't understand exaggeration. As a result, he missed most jokes that came his way. [MORE] On Native Ground FIDEL RETIRES: NOW THE COLD WAR IS REALLY OVER by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- Maybe now, we can finally say the Cold War is over. [MORE] Make My Dat THE LAWYER THAT ATE NEW YORK by Erik Deckers INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- I used to know a guy who, quite literally, didn't get hyperbole. He didn't understand exaggeration. As a result, he missed most jokes that came his way. [MORE] One Woman's World POLITICS IS NO PARTY by Elizabeth T. Andrews CARTERSVILLE, Ga. -- Are you having a hard time focusing your eyes? Do you have faint red spots all over your body? Is there a ringing in your ears and do you see wavy lines when you look at your television set? Do your hands shake when you try to hold a cup of coffee? And have you recently been forgetting what day of the week it is - or what year? [MORE] Make My Day FOR BETTER OR WORSE ... A LOT WORSE by Erik Deckers INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- "Marriage: It's Only Going to Get Worse." [MORE] Constance YOU CALL THESE RIGHTS? by Constance Daley ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. -- When you express an opinion you hope to persuade others to your point of view. It doesn't always happen but still, opinion writers try. [MORE] Momentum THE BRIDGE WOMAN by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. - Out there in America - yes, still - is a generation of women who were born in the 1940s, raised in the 1950s, and who came to radical consciousness in the late 1960s and early 1970s. I am one of them. Hillary Clinton is one of them. [MORE] On Native Ground OBAMA AND MY GENERATION by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- I originally planned on voting for Dennis Kucinich in the Vermont Primary on March 4. [MORE] The Willies: WARNING: THIS MEDICATION MAY MURDER YOUR FRIENDS by Joe Shea BRADENTON, Fla. -- You've heard the warnings, haven't you? Stop Prozac and you may take a shotgun, an Uzi or an AK-47 and mow down your family and friends, or even a whole classroom full of your fellow students. You didn't? Well, that warning is not on the bottle, but like countless mass-murder incidents before it, Friday's shootings at Northern Illinois University, as well as the Virginia Tech shootings that killed 32 last year, was probably precipitated by the effect of stopping medications that suppress anger and other powerful emotions but do not relieve the underlying cause. Isn't it time we started warning people - or stopped prescribing these medicines? [MORE] One Woman's World DON'T KNOCK ON MY DOOR by Elizabeth T. Andrews CARTERSVILLE, Ga. -- I wish I could feel delight in my poet's mansion being like Grand Central Station all the time, but I can't. And I wish my place was such a place that someone would one day write: "Her door was always open and she always made you feel all fuzzy and warm in her presence. She could make a cup of coffee seem like a banquet." [MORE] Reporting: Panama PANAMA'S VIOLENT LABOR UNREST INTENSIFIES Mark Scheinbaum PANAMA CITY, Panama, Feb, 15, 2008 -- After just one day of relative calm, wildcat construction strikes by some members of Panama's largest union flared up again Friday morning, four days after a police sniper shot one worker. More than 140 demonstrators have been injured and at least 500 arrested, authorities say. [MORE] Brasch Words TO STIMULATE ECONOMY, BUY A CHINESE-MADE U.S. FLAG by Walter Brasch BLOOMSBURG, Pa. -- Walking down Main Street, pushing a grocery cart loaded with clothes, toys, and appliances was Marshbaum. Fastened to the right front corner of the cart was an American flag tied onto a three-foot ruler. [MORE] Make My Day THE TOOTH, AND NOTHING BUT THE TOOTH by Erik Deckers INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- To commemorate the death of noted shark exploder Roy Scheider, and the "Jaws" movies that resulted in Erik never setting foot in the ocean again, we are reprinting this column from 2003. Shark Experts 0, Sharks 1 [MORE] Momentum THE WINTER OF MY DISCONTENT by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. - As I write this, it's raining ice. Maybe a half a foot of snow and ice has already landed up here in the woods of Dummerston. Our cars are encased in it, and the door to the house is blocked. The satellite dish that brings in our Internet service quit about 20 minutes ago - frozen solid. [MORE] The Willies AMERICA TO HILLARY: GET OUT! by Joe Shea BRADENTON, Fla., Feb. 13, 2008 -- Sen. Hillary Clinton has adopted the Rudy Giuliani strategy, and it's working - for Sen. Barack Obama. It turns out to be the strategy all Democrats are seeking - an exit strategy. But it's not for Iraq. It's for her exit from the race for the 2008 Democratic Presidential nomination. [MORE] Constance CONFESSIONS OF A DISAPPOINTED VOTER by Constance Daley ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. -- A week ago at just about this time, I completed an article and was about to submit it as scheduled to The American Reporter. I was feeling rather elated, ready to show up on Super Tuesday morning, firmly touch the X next to Rudy Giuliani's name and get on with my day. He was my choice; he would get my vote. [MORE] Reporting: Florida SIERRA CLUB SET TO SUSPEND FLA. CHAPTER by Joe Shea BRADENTON, Fla., Feb. 10, 2008 -- The national Sierra Club is set to suspend its Florida chapter after years of divisive infighting, the president of the national club told Florida members in a letter delivered to some this weekend. It is the first time in its 116-year history that such a step has been considered by the club, according to news reports. [MORE] One Woman's World PLANT A NEW WORLD THIS SPRING by Elizabeth T. Andrews CARTERSVILLE, Ga. -- For a little while, the men will just have to toss and turn in their fear-free-women beds. For a small space of time Hillary Clinton will just have to trudge on toward the White House without my faint applause in the background. [MORE] On Native Ground VERMONT AND THE 5 STAGES OF CONSERVATIVE GRIEF by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- First, Vermont tried to convince the nation to impeach President Bush and Vice President Cheney. [MORE] Make My Day REBEL WITHOUT A TONGUE by Erik Deckers INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- Kids' brains work in amazing ways. At times, they can grasp complex concepts and make impressive discoveries. Other times, you have to wonder how we ever survived as a species. [MORE] The Willies FOR DEMOCRATS, NOW IT'S ABOUT RACE, INCOME AND GENDER by Joe Shea BRADENTON, Feb. 6, 2008 -- It's not a good time to be a Democrat. As the Super Tuesday results demonstrated, the presidential race between Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton has divided the partly along clear racial, income and gender lines - the very distinctions the party has sought to erase in principle but has emphasized in its pursuit of diversity. [MORE] Momentum SUPER TUESDAY BLUES by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- Super Tuesday has come and gone and I still can't get excited about the upcoming presidential elections. [MORE] The Willies ON THE BRINK OF HISTORY, YOUR PUSH IS NEEDED by Joe Shea BRADENTON, Fla., Feb. 5. 2008 -- I'm expecting a sea change tonight. I believe that for the first time in this nation's history we will once and forever banish racism as the deciding factor in the destiny of African-Americans, and indeed adopt diversity as our path to the future. [MORE] Campaign 2008 AT 88, EVERY VOTE REALLY COUNTS by Ted Manna DENVER, Feb. 5, 2008 -- Pearl Turner will caucus for Mitt Romney tonight in Denver. [MORE] One Woman's World STAND BY YOUR WOMAN by Elizabeth T. Andrews CARTERSVILLE, Ga. -- The black vote. The gay vote. The fundamentalist vote. The Hispanic vote. [MORE] An AR Special SUSPECTS IN BENAZIR ASSASSINATION HAVE TIES TO MUSHARRAF by Ahmar Mustikhan WASHINGTON, D.C. -- When Gordon Brown this past Monday feted coup-leader-turned-President Pervez Musharraf at 10 Downing Street, Britain's new prime minister probably didn't ask the Pakistani dictator a question that is now on many minds: Did you order the murder of Benazir Bhutto? [MORE] Momentum TO THE VERMONT DELEGATION: WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR US LATELY? by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. Back when President George W. Bush and Dick Vice President Dick Cheney were building up to their loathsome war in Iraq, very few people were brave enough to call the bullies' bluff. [MORE] On Native Ground IF BUSH HAS HIS WAY, WE'LL NEVER LEAVE IRAQ by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. - In his final State of the Union address on Jan. 28, President Bush cautioned against accelerating U.S. troop withdrawals from Iraq, saying that it would endanger the process that has been made over the past year. [MORE] Campaign 2008 CLASH OF COMMENTS AND PROTESTORS AT CLINTON, OBAMA RALLIES IN DENVER by Ted Manna DENVER, Feb. 1, 2008 -- At least four presidential campaigns of both partiers rolled into in Denver this week ahead of the Feb. 5 "Super Tuesday" primaries in 22 states, but it was the Democratic presidential contenders who drew the big crowds and duked it out Wednesday. If sheer numbers are any indication, Sen. Barack Obama - preceded by a buoyant and beautiful Caroline Kennedy - won the round handily. He is the overwhelming favorite to win the Colorado primary next Tuesday. [MORE] The Willies WHY THE FLORIDA PRIMARY STINKS by Joe Shea BRADENTON, Fla., Jan. 30, 2008 -- I was with my wife and daughter driving the back way from Miami home to Bradenton when we stopped at a McDonald's in Clewiston, the only big town along the vast shore of Lake Okeechobee, the state's precious freshwater reservoir. The McDonald's had three televisions at a central seating area, each tuned to a different network, and our table was in front of CNN as the very first election results started to pour in around 7:30PM. With them, almost as counterpoint, suddenly came such an overwhelming odor of cow plop that my wife started to throw up as we all ran to the parking lot. [MORE] Passings: Suharto DEATH OF A KEMUSU THUG by Andreas Harsono JAKARTA - A few minutes after hearing that former president Suharto had died in his hospital bed, Marco, a militia leader in downtown Jakarta, raced to Suhartos house, wearing his jungle camouflage and began guarding the Suhartos residence on Cendana Street. [MORE] Constance I REMEMBER YOU by Constance Daley ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga.. -- It seems to be more often lately that the sentiment is spoken but it's always been out there: "You never get over the death of your child." This is true. But the heartfelt expressions come from some who cannot fathom the notion of losing a child; their own child is who is in their mind, not another mother's child. [MORE] Without a national footprint, dedicated analysts or the ample press attention that the megabanks receive, smaller banks really only get four opportunities a year to tell their story to investors. The quarterly earnings press release is the cornerstone of the relationship between banks and the investment community. It is the key piece of information that helps smaller institutions bridge potential information gaps. But unfortunately, the vast majority of publicly traded, lesser-known banks are woefully behind in preparing adequate disclosures. Too many of their earnings press releases raise more questions than answers and simply do not provide enough information to properly value a company. Generally speaking, the level of disclosure is typically correlated with the size of a bank, meaning smaller institutions tend to disclose less than their larger counterparts. Because of the more limited disclosures, reduced coverage of smaller banks by stock analysts and often a lack of access to management, the potential investor is often left in the dark. Examples of sub-optimal disclosures for small banks include truncated financial statements which limit an analyst's ability to achieve greater insight into what's driving the business. More granular disclosures are necessary to address loan and deposit trends. An investor or analyst needs to be able to assess the balance sheet not just at a snapshot in time but as an average over the entire quarter. Balance sheet items need to include corresponding yield trends to identify the direction of the net interest margin, one of the more critical components of a bank's earnings stream. Smaller banks' disclosures on mortgage banking do not consistently provide sufficient detail on originations, gain-on-sale margins and market color to confidently arrive at a near-term outlook for the mortgage sector. Simply providing summary level net chargeoff and nonperforming loan balances is not enough to gauge the health of the individual portfolios, particularly during inflection periods where identifying credit trends is the most critical. The effect of transparency on stock value speaks for itself. Institutional investors prefer to own banks that are transparent, and tend to shy away from buying shares of banks that are more of a mystery. And the stocks of banks with greater institutional ownership trade higher. When analyzing the more than 950 publicly traded banks with under $10 billion in assets, KBW found a direct linkage between valuation and shareholder base. More specifically, banks with over 50% ownership comprised of institutional investors currently trade at over 1.4 times of tangible book value, or a 35% premium. By comparison, those with a minority institutional ownership base trade at less than 1.1 times. So what makes a good earnings press release? At bare minimum, banks should provide a healthy mix of text and tables. Provide a brief, but substantive review of major underlying issues and driving factors. This should include information on things like net interest income and margin, loan and deposit trends, asset quality, and capital. Commentary by the chief executive officer is especially helpful as it provides analysts and investors with a better appreciation of current trends and the fundamental outlook for the company and industry as a whole. Financial tables are necessary to illustrate income statement, average balance sheet, capital position and asset quality for the current, prior and year-ago quarters. There are a number of small and mid-cap banks that set the gold standard for public disclosure. While many of these companies are larger than $10 billion in assets, they can serve as role model for smaller institutions. They include Ameris Bancorp ($5.6 billion), Associated Bank ($27.7 billion), Bank of Hawaii ($15.4 billion), Independent Bank Corp. of Michigan ($2.4 billion), Old National Bancorp ($12.0 billion), Sterling Bancorp ($11.9 billion), Trustmark Corp. ($12.7 billion) and Western Alliance (14.3 billion). Even banks with sufficient earnings releases should go further. The quarterly reports should include data for the previous five quarters, including subportfolio granularity and how the institution's data compared with regional trends. The discussion of recent quarters could also include mortgage banking activity and a detailed explanation of how acquisitions filter through the financial statements, especially since these are among the more volatile revenue sources for banks. Institutions could also provide the math behind calculating ratios of tangible common equity to tangible assets, in order to better assess the capital base. Institutions should provide data on net charge-offs and nonperforming loans, by portfolio. Regional data, earnings-per-share guidance and other factors can help align expectations with the company outlook. Knowledge is power. Those willing to put forth the effort to narrow the information gap that exists with the investment community will reap the benefits of greater transparency. Thomas Michaud is the chief executive of Keefe, Bruyette & Woods. Christopher McGratty is a managing director of equity research for KBW. A large investor in the prepaid card pioneer Green Dot plans to nominate three directors to the prepaid card company's board, as the activist investor group seeks to remove founder and Chief Executive Steve Streit. Harvest Capital Strategies, which owns a 7.2% stake in the Pasadena, Calif., company, said it will identify its board nominees in the coming weeks, whom they hope will replace management-backed directors, according to a Thursday news release. Green Dot has scheduled its annual meeting and board election for May. Harvest in January called for Streit's dismissal, saying he has made strategic mistakes, delivered weak financial results and destroyed shareholder value since its 2010 initial public offering. Before it announced its proxy fight, Harvest said Green Dot made an offer to the investment group to cooperate on finding directors to expand the company's board. "What we received was a terse, four-paragraph letter with an offer to participate alongside other shareholders in a search process" to supplement the board with additional directors, Harvest's Jeff Osher and Craig Baum wrote in a letter to Green Dot's board. "To say we were thoroughly disappointed by the Board's immutable position regarding the need for substantial changes at Green Dot would be an understatement," Osher and Baum wrote. "The size of the Board is not the problem, but rather it is the composition of the Board that so desperately needs to be addressed." Harvest has hired the law firm Olshan Frome Wolosky and the proxy solicitor Okapi Partners for its proxy fight. "Green Dot deeply respects and values input from all of our shareholders and, as previously stated, we certainly respect and value the opinions and views offered by Harvest Capital Strategies," the company said in a statement issued Thursday, after Harvest released its letter to the board. "We welcome the spotlight cast upon our business, including our past accomplishments and future prospects, resulting from Harvest's public communication," Green Dot said. When I was little, my stay-at-home mom always had lengthy conversations with the bank tellers she thought of as her friends, whether she went to the teller window in the branch or the drive-through. (I preferred the drive-through because the tellers usually sent me a lollipop through the pneumatic tube.) That kind of lifelong dialogue is disappearing as consumers increasingly bank by taps and swipes on devices. Yet banks are experimenting with newer communication tools to try to revive lost conversations in the mobile and online banking worlds. Tangerine Bank, for one, recently became the first bank to use secure, encrypted chat sessions with customers in its mobile app and online banking site. This allows customers to talk about private or complex matters with bankers in the same channel they start their interactions. The technology, which the $1.9 billion-asset Tangerine developed with IBM and Genesys, also provides call center agents with views of customers' Web and mobile banking app sessions, so they know exactly what the customers have been doing when they ask their questions. Customers do not have to explain themselves and can get immediate, informed help without having to provide lots of personal information. Wells Fargo has been testing video chat and plans to launch it this summer. This will give some customers the ability to talk face to face, Skype-style, with the banker trying to explain complex products like home equity lines of credit. Customers will be able to choose the banker with whom they want to converse, so if they forged a bond with the person who originally signed them up for an account, they can select that friendly person to video-chat with. Wells Fargo has an intentionally lengthy enrollment process, typically about 45 minutes, to get a full picture of the customer's banking needs. Incidentally, TD Bank has a similar process. It is all about regaining that human relationship. "We've done such a terrific job of enabling people to do banking 24/7 in their pajamas, they never see a banker," said Mark Schwanhausser, director of omnichannel financial services at Javelin Strategy & Research. "So we've lost that face-to-face opportunity that's so powerful. People still come into the branch, those opportunities are still there, but there are fewer of them. In some senses, digital banking is a double-edged sword. It's enabling us to provide convenience and satisfaction, but it's also undermining or weakening the fundamental relationship we have with our customers." Chatting Uninterrupted At Tangerine Bank (formerly ING Direct), which has long been a tech pioneer in areas like biometric authentication, the goal is to make banking effortless, according to Chief Information Officer Charaka Kithulegoda, who was American Banker's Mobile Banker of the Year in 2013. Customers using the bank's regular "click here to chat" button, a messaging feature common to bank websites that Tangerine has had for several years, would inevitably reach a point where personal information needed to be shared one way or the other, and the customer service rep would have to ask the customer to stop chatting and call. Then the customer would have to start over again. A similar problem happens when banks try to conduct customer service in Twitter a conversation that should be private is happening in an open forum, and the bank needs to at some point take the discussion to a more secure, private venue. "Today in a nonsecure chat environment, when people say, 'I want to open up a checking or savings account,' or, 'What was my balance on that investment account I had with you?' we'd say, 'Hey, you've got to call us,' " Kithulegoda explained. "Here, if you're validated, we create a very seamless experience for you. So we don't have to say, Sorry, I couldn't answer that question or do that for you, you'll have to call us." Customers can only use secure chat after they have authenticated themselves and successfully logged in to the bank's online banking site or mobile banking app, both of which are encrypted. Because the call center software has been integrated with technology that provides a view into the customer's current Web or mobile banking session, the agent has good intel. "They can see what you've done before, and carry on a conversation on pretty much anything," Kithulegoda said. The underlying software is Genesys' contact center program. IBM helped with integration and built some of the chat tool. For contact center agents, the new technology adds life to their work. "It makes the job much more interesting, [and] it empowers them as well," Kithulegoda said. For the first time, they have insight into what a customer was doing in a digital channel at a certain point in time and can fix customer problems efficiently, rather than having to pepper the customer with questions. Sometimes customers cannot explain what went wrong in a mobile or online banking session anyway. In a future release, the bank may give customers the option of receiving an emailed transcript of the secure chat. "It's almost like a confirmation here's what I meant," Kithulegoda said. The bank will also be able to mine the archived secure chat transcripts to learn how its digital channels are working. For instance, if the same question is cropping up repeatedly, there may be an additional feature the bank could add to address that. Face to Face at Wells Fargo With a similar goal of rebuilding relationships in digital channels, Wells Fargo has been testing a video chat tool for several months and plans to launch it to customers in early summer. The bank declined to share which vendor it's working with. "We're high on video chat. We think it will be a tremendous advantage for our customer experience," said Paul Bajus, executive for Wells Fargo contact center sales. It's taking a careful, phased approach, partly to work out any technical kinks that arise. Video chat technology has existed for years Cisco came out with video streaming for online and mobile banking about five years ago, and Linqto and Personetics more recently have rolled out bank-specific products. But while several banks have deployed video kiosks in branches, drive-throughs and other locations, few U.S. banks have formally launched video chat through a mobile app or online banking Capital One offers video communication in its iPad app. The main reason is that other priorities like making mobile banking profitable and secure are probably taking precedence at the moment. Another challenge is that because banks have no control over the telecom network, the smartphone or the laptop or desktop the customer is using, they cannot ensure the quality of the video streaming. This is why Wells Fargo is taking things slowly. It is using a software that will do a systems check on the customers' PCs to determine if they need to download a special browser plug-in. "In the lab, we've tested it on Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Internet Explorer, and the testing has gone well for us," Bajus said. Wells Fargo implemented text chat about four months ago and considers video chat the next logical step, Bajus said. "As customers continue to move more digitally, remotely and virtual, they'll still want that face-to-face connection, especially on more complex transactions," he said. "They're not going to want to get in the car and drive to a store." Video chat will at first be available only on PCs to customers looking for home equity lines of credit. "Real estate secured lending is one of the more complex transactions we do," Bajus noted. "We're thinking, how do we improve the customer experience for some of the more complex transactions we do a lot? We want to be that lifeline out there if the customer needs us, and make that visual face-to-face connection with the customer." About a dozen existing contact center reps will become video agents when the new tool launches. "We asked for volunteers among the voice-team members," Bajus said. "We had an overwhelming response I was kind of shocked. I wouldn't want to be in front of a camera." Those agents are being trained in what to wear on camera, what the background behind them should look like and other tricks of the trade, he said. By the end of the year the bank plans to make the feature available in its smartphone and tablet apps. It also plans to give the agents co-browsing capability be yearend. Schwanhausser said such video chat tools will become common. "Sometimes when you talk to somebody face to face, you can see the way their eyebrows furrow and you can say, 'Let me come at that another way,' " he noted. "That can be really powerful." Can chat tools fully replace the human connections that in the past were made in person? Probably not. But the ease and convenience of being able to get informed help quickly in digital channels could build a lot of goodwill (or at least reduce irritation) and could help banks differentiate themselves from each other and from fintech startups. Editor at Large Penny Crosman welcomes feedback at penny.crosman@sourcemedia.com. Bancorp of New Jersey in Fort Lee is looking for a new chief executive. Michael Lesler resigned as CEO and president of the $803 million-asset company, it said Thursday. Lesler also stepped down as CEO and president of Bank of New Jersey. The company named its chairman, Gerald Calabrese, interim CEO and president while it searches for Lesler's replacement. Bancorp of New Jersey did not say why Lesler resigned. The company reported fourth-quarter net income of $1 million, or 17 cents per share. For the full year it reported net income of $4.8 million, which it said was a record. Lesler, who was 44 as of the company's April proxy statement, had been CEO since December 2013 and started work at Bancorp of New Jersey in 2006. HCSB Financial in Loris, S.C., is getting a new chief executive after a $45 million recapitalization led by Castle Creek Capital Partners. HCSB, the parent of the $361 million-asset Horry County State Bank, said in a press release Thursday that a group of institutional and accredited investors, including a fund tied to Castle Creek, agreed to buy common and preferred stock in a transaction that is expected to close next month. Castle Creek, along with one or more other investors, will be allowed to appoint a representative to HCSB's board. The company said it is planning to raise another $3 million through a public offering. HCSB said it plans to use proceeds from the private placement to repurchase stock it issued to the Treasury Department under the Troubled Asset Relief Program at a 99% discount. The company will also repurchase trust preferred securities at a 90% discount. In addition, HCSB, under terms of a recent legal settlement, will pay an amount equal to 20% of principal to holders of its subordinated debt. Some of the remaining funds will be used to recapitalize HCSB's bank, which will help the unit meet higher minimum capital ratios required by a consent order with regulators. The company also announced that Jan Hollar will become its chief executive once the recapitalization closes. Hollar, who has been working with HCSB as a consultant since August 2014, was chief financial officer of Yadkin Financial in Statesville, N.C., from September 2009 to July 2014, when that company was sold to VantageSouth Bancshares. Hollar will succeed Jimmy Clarkson, who has been HCSB's president and chief executive since the bank was formed in 1987. "We are excited about the capital raise and our partnership with Castle Creek and our other investors," Hollar said in the release. "This capital raise significantly strengthens our balance sheet and will put us in a position soon to exit our written agreement and our consent order. We look forward to the financial and strategic flexibility this capital will provide us." HCSB also disclosed that Jack McElveen had become its chief credit officer on Feb. 26, succeeding Glenn Bullard, who retired at the end of last year. McElveen recently served as chief credit officer at Palmetto Bank in Greenville, S.C. Associated Banc-Corp in Green Bay, Wis., has given its top lawyer additional duties after another executive's retirement. Randall Erickson, the general counsel, will add the title chief risk officer, the $27 billion-asset company said in a news release Wednesday. Erickson is to succeed Arthur Heise, who will retire on July 1. Erickson will take over for Heise on May 1. Erickson has been Associated's general counsel since 2012. He previously worked for Marshall & Ilsley Corp. Heise has been chief risk officer since April 2011. He previously worked for U.S. Bancorp. Justice Thomas, Candle in the Darkness I had never met Justice Clarence Thomas. The occasion for our meeting was a private ceremony at the United States Supreme Court last year. The ceremony honored a scholar of law and leader in his profession, who happened to be a friend of mine. There were perhaps eight in his office. We stayed for nearly an hour, after which he met with a room of young scholars. That day, I got a shock. To me, having been a U.S. Court of Appeals clerk for a Reagan appointee and admirer of Justice Scalia, I imagined -- I am not sure what I imagined. My preconceptions of Justice Thomas gave me to think he was humble and self-effacing, but naturally a man of few words. Every indication from the bench reaffirmed this. While Justice Scalia regularly demonstrated his saber wit, infinite and ironic humor, knack for incisive questions, and indefinite recall of legal precedent, my expectations of Justice Thomas were different. Too well, I recalled the extraordinary unfairness visited on him during confirmation hearings, a scalding experience for all who watched. They still dragged my heart down, almost 25 years later. They had been a travesty, a secular crusade to undermine a good mans integrity -- turning first this way, then that, anything to prevent Americas first Black conservative jurist from taking a seat on the High Court. This travesty, ironically enough, was led by two senators who espoused an interest in juridical thinking and egalitarian principles -- but hardly treated their distinguished nominee with the respect due his depth, training and record. The two accusatory senators were Joseph Biden and Ted Kennedy. The memory of that painful process quieted me every time I thought about it. I imagined it left scars on the justice, a man who already kept his own counsel. No wonder he requested appellants exhaust their reasoning in written briefs, and he asked few questions from the bench. As I sat there in Justice Thomas chambers, I knew that questions from the bench -- by any justice -- had been rare prior to Justice Scalias appointment in 1986. At that time, a sudden shift occurred. Justice Scalia evinced a willingness to mix it up, verbally and intellectually jousting with contenders for his concurrence. He was willing to shake and uncap the bottle, testing the reasoning of appellate litigants, probing their nimbleness of mind, depth of knowledge and application of case law. Scalia brought life to the courts oral arguments. By contrast, Justice Thomas was -- like many before him -- a listener who avoided verbal duals, demurred to briefs. Naturally, that is what I expected -- a quiet, listening justice, a man of few words, counsel closely kept. That is not what I encountered. Not at all. From the get-go, Justice Thomas was a tour-de-force, opening with boundless energy, Scalia-like wit, and a deep reservoir of good humor. He was crisp, alive to each question and comment, focused on the background of everyone in the room, deferential and quick to extend the thread, and surprising in another way. Asked about a wide range of cases, crossing many and obscure areas, he took us on the adventure of a lifetime, case by case, in some instances winding back through the detailed common law and the origins of our rights, back to the Magna Carta. His mental flexibility, verbal fluidity and depth of knowledge on how, when, in what sequence, by what historical forces, and why our Constitutional rights holds us together was powerful, even spellbinding. I had not expected anything like this. Mentally, I struggled to keep up with him, scrambling to follow complex fact patterns and clever comparisons, logical explanations for controversial cases, interlocking syllogisms and what these implied, important case connections, and an agility with philosophy, history, principle, and the distillate of our vast past. His grasp of our Constitution was rooted in mastery of case and statutory law, American and British history, and his frank ability to place each case -- without prejudice or revisionism -- in historical context. Forget narratives, he had facts. And he explained why meaning was imputed to the facts. Clearly, this was a thinker whose still waters ran deep. His past, earliest days in poverty, raised by a strong mother and principled grandfather, gifted him with unusual insight, a thoughtful blend of patience and passion, inner peace and aspiration for the truth, doggedness, strength of character, and intergenerational perspective. To see these qualities in a justice expected to be quiet was amazing. To understand that, along with Justice Scalia, Justice Alito, and flashes by others, there sat on the High Bench a mind profoundly grounded in historic understandings and timeless conservative principles, compelling in the way he graciously conveyed them to us, was a cool breeze on a stifling day, water in the desert. Behind those big closed doors, another powerful, compelling, conservative voice sounded. To hear Justice Thomas answer hard questions, see him prod with proportion and kindness, hear him unpack and handle assumptions, watch his facility with historical reference points, was impressive. He shamed no one, accommodated everyone, but let nothing slip past. He educated without officiousness, enlightened with timely details and analogies, enlivened our little discussion with self-deprecating good humor. He was suddenly not the justice but one of us, helping us to see the light. To cap his tour-de-force, he offered a playful exercise. In a second room, filled with perhaps 50 young scholars, he offered not an open hand, mind and smile, but also a unique connection to their respective worlds. He asked many where they were from. Invariably, a give state would come back, and then he would ask where in the state, eventually working down to township or part of a given city. Then he would tell them how he knew that place, a general store across from the church, a gravel parking lot adjacent a specific intersection, something about their hometown. It was startling to the point of funny. Only it was real, since he travels the country and has for years, coast to coast, north to south, every summer. And why? To stay connected. So what does this add to? Just this. This week, for the first time in almost 30 years, justices of the United State Supreme Court heard arguments without the great jurist, Justice Antonin Scalia. His loss is palpable to everyone who follows the Court, but it must be profound to those who knew the man. For thirty years, he asked those penetrating, incisive, probing and humorous questions. No one can replace Justice Scalia, as justice, jurist, or man. But he did set an example, the example of mixing it up, stirring appellate litigants to think on their feet, asking them questions -- some simple, some layered -- which live on. And by odd coincidence, this week, his good colleague and no doubt decades-long friend, Justice Thomas, asked his first open court question -- a constitutionally focused inquiry -- in many years. As a common citizen, with no interest or case before the High Court, that fact made me look up, suddenly happy. I know the extraordinary power of Justice Thomas uncommon mind and extraordinary command of case law, statutory law, their nexus and context. I have seen his reverence for our Constitution and for the people he serves. So, I hope this is the beginning of a new chapter. I hope that he may consider offering more probing questions now, no doubt on the unspoken encouragement of his friends absence. Perhaps his banner may more fully unfurl, his light shine more brightly. We could use that sort of wisdom in the open court these days. The bible says, Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick. And it giveth light unto all that are in the House. The High Court is a big house, but if there was ever a time for more light in that house, it is now. Thank you, Justice Thomas. Robert Charles is a former U.S. Court of Appeals clerk, litigator, instructor at Harvard University extension school in law and congressional oversight, and former Assistant Secretary of State under Colin Powell. France is proposing to lead the Middle East Quartet on a new foray into Israeli-Palestinian diplomacy. This is understandable as a part of French politics. The Palestinians, however, are setting up to be at least as difficult a client for France as they have ever been for the U.S. Of the members of the P5+1 negotiating the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with Iran last summer, France was least happy with the result and said so publicly. Since President Obama needed all five other nations to sign onto the deal, he bowed to a previously expressed French interest in midwifing a Palestinian state in exchange for French acquiescence on Iran. Aside from its traditional delusions of influence in the Middle East, France wanted to appease its large, unassimilated, unhappy, and increasingly violent Muslim population, which is predominantly Sunni with no love for Iran and not much love for the French State. France is also part of the anti-Sunni ISIS coalition, which angers parts of the French Muslim population as well. President Francois Hollande perhaps thought he could buy time or space by inserting himself in the issue of Palestinian statehood not resolving the problems that bedevil Israelis and Palestinians, but just producing a Palestinian state. Hollande & Co. will run afoul of two trends: one French, one Palestinian. First, France's Muslim population, while increasingly anti-Jewish, is not particularly interested in a Palestinian state. Watching Israel sold down the river by a Western country may have some visceral appeal, but it will not let Hollande off the hook for France's perceived sins against its Muslim population or the Sunni Muslim cause. Second, France is offering the Palestinian Authority nothing the Palestinians have not previously rejected and will reject this time as well for the same reasons. Three firm offers of Palestinian statehood have been tried: the U.N. Partition Plan of 1947 that called for "a Palestinian Arab State and a Palestinian Jewish State" (Jews were called Palestinians before the establishment of Israel made them Israelis); the Olmert offer of 2000, made at Camp David with the active assistance and blessing of President Clinton, including 97% of the West Bank, free passage to Gaza (this was before the Hamas-Fatah civil war in 2007), and rights in Jerusalem; and the 2006 Barak offer. The Arab states rejected the first, Arafat the second, and Abbas the third. The Palestinians have always had three bottom lines: Establishment of an internationally recognized state without permanent borders. This leaves open the possibility of future claims against Israeli territory. The right of return by the original 1948-49 refugees and their descendants to places inside the "Green Line" from which they or their ancestors claim to have originated. Jerusalem as the internationally recognized capital of Palestine. Simply stating the parameters makes it clear that any true negotiation is unlikely to succeed not that France was offering one, but the parties always paid lip service to the idea of a negotiated settlement. The Palestinians have now decided that even that is risky. Palestinian Authority foreign minister Riyad al-Malki told a press conference in Japan, "We will never go back and sit again in a direct Israeli-Palestinian negotiations." Then, as Palestinians often do, he almost told the truth about why. He warned that radical forces in the West Bank are growing and threatening "moderate" Palestinian rule. "If Daesh takes advantage of a lack of brokers ... then of course they might come and try to fill [the vacuum]. This is very dangerous." Hamas, the main enemy of Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian Authority, has indeed made inroads in the West Bank, and ISIS-supporters are found there as well. P.A. corruption and repression have produced a citizenry that is poor, angry, and fearful fertile ground for radicals. And while the P.A. blames Israel, 81 percent of Palestinians in a poll by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research believe that the P.A. is corrupt. Al Shabaka, which calls itself "The Palestinian Policy Network," noted in a 2015 study, "Palestinians have been increasingly frustrated with corruption in the PA over the last decade, leading to street protests in 2004, and the election of Hamas in 2006. Dealing with corruption effectively would require structural change of the political system, including an effective legislature, an independent judiciary, civil society monitoring, and a reformed international aid system." The same report notes: Employment in the PA public sector does not necessarily imply job security: If employees express criticism of PA policies, they are likely to be forced into early retirement, denied salary payments, or arbitrarily removed from their posts. They may also face a series of punitive measures, including denial of promotion or transfer to distant areas. Just this week, the P.A. set up security checkpoints you know, like the hated Israeli checkpoints? But not for security the P.A. was attempting to prevent Palestinian teachers from demonstrating for payment of their salaries. The P.A. threatened the bus companies that drove the teachers to Ramallah for the demonstration. In the past year, the P.A. has arrested more than 50 Palestinians for social media activity. It is in hopes of channeling public anger that the P.A. provides direct and indirect support to the stabbing campaign against Jews. But at the same time, the P.A. continues to coordinate with the IDF in the territories so that Israel can continue to arrest Hamas and ISIS operatives which serves both PA and Israeli interests as well as arresting Palestinians organizing and supporting terror against Israel. Palestinians claim that security coordination is forced upon them and would cease if the "occupation" ended. This is a necessary double game for Abbas. Palestinian security forces make up 44% of total PA employees and use 30-35% of its total budget (much of which is supplied by the U.S.), but without the support and coordination of the Israel Defense Forces in the territories, Abbas would find it impossible to stay in power. His fear isn't that Israel won't give enough at the negotiating table; it is that Israel might concede so much that France might force him into a deal that will remove IDF protection from his corrupt regime. There is little chance that France could succeed, but enough of one that Abbas won't risk sitting in the room with Israel. "Trump will do what he says." "Trump isn't a lying politician." "Trump promised to do it, and he will." So say thousands of supporters of The Donald throughout the internet. Old and young, male and female, they say it vehemently, without reservation. I confess that for the longest time, I thought I detected a note of protesting too much in their assurances, as though they were saying these things more as a talisman against their own doubts than as a counterargument to anything Trump's critics were saying. This seemed the most reasonable interpretation, because it was apparent that these people had nothing substantial to say against the criticism itself. But on the Lewis Carroll principle that "What I tell you three times is true," it follows that what hundreds of people tell you thousands of times must be super-duper-true. So I've decided to stop denying the obvious and start trusting Donald Trump to do exactly what he says he'll do. Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying I trust him to do what his followers say he's going to do. They have invented their own weird category of campaign promises namely, promises they make to themselves in Trump's name. Wish-fulfillment promises. Projection promises. "If I were the candidate, I would do X" promises. These supporters have stocked their weird new category with all kinds of amazing ideas, but the most commonly cited are probably these three: "He's going to deport all the illegals so we can have our country back." "He's going to clean out all the cronies and hacks in the Washington establishment." "He's going to deal mercilessly with the Muslim threat." I suppose these three promises Trump's supporters make to themselves are the most commonly repeated for the simple reason that they can't find anything he actually believes that they could, in good conscience, cite as a reason for supporting him. Would these people and I say "people" to clarify that I'm talking about the patriotic Americans among his followers, and excluding the progressives, white supremacists, reality TV junkies, and ex-Obama cultists looking for a new god but would these decent people have the nerve to defend Trump for saying he wants universal health care? For saying people who don't support socialized medicine "have no heart"? For saying an old lady who doesn't want to give up her "terrible house" to a private real estate development project should be forced off her property by the government? For saying a sixty-year-old Republican woman is too unattractive to be president? For saying a senator is an unlikeable candidate because he hasn't ingratiated himself with Mitch McConnell? For donating more than $60,000 to McConnell's 2014 fight against a Tea Party challenger, and publicly endorsing him for Senate majority leader? For saying he likes and looks forward to making "great deals" with Chuck Schumer, Nancy Pelosi, and other socialists? For saying that not only were the bank bailouts a good idea, but even nationalizing the banks would be acceptable in the event of an economic crisis such as the one in 2008? For finding freedom of speech objectionable and unworthy of defense when people use it to say things he doesn't like? For casually supporting unlimited NSA authority to collect everyone's private communications, or proposing to "call Bill Gates" and shut down parts of the internet? For promising to use presidential authority to punish companies that send jobs overseas, while he has done the same himself, or for hiring foreign workers rather than qualified Americans, while he does it himself? Of course, his rational supporters could not cite any of these positions or promises in his defense. After all, they might as well vote for Hillary Clinton if they agreed with any of those ideas. How different are they from her positions? And Hillary, like Trump, supported both Jimmy Carter and Walter Mondale against Ronald Reagan. She too, at the end of Reagan's presidency, would have written, as Trump did, that he was a con man whom "people are beginning to question" concerning "whether there is anything beneath that smile." She too believed in 2008 that she would make "a great president." She, like Trump, would have said, during Obama's 2012 re-election campaign, that she was doing "a good job" as secretary of state. So it stands to reason these Trump supporters would cling to their three big wish-fulfillment promises noted above deporting all the illegals, cleaning up Washington, fighting Islamism even though none of them represents Trump's actual positions. Trump, like all progressive-spirited sophists, is a master of the rhetorical skill we might call "far side of the moon" campaigning. He deliberately embraces positions that, if looked at from different angles, seem to be saying almost contradictory things. Thus, by carefully emphasizing the half of the position that his given audience prefers to hear, he convinces them that he believes what they believe. The next day, when he is called on it by the opposing side of the debate, he (or a surrogate) simply restates the position with emphasis on its other half, which was left in the dark when speaking to the previous audience. Hence you get "a big beautiful wall" with a "big beautiful door." You get "free market solutions" on health care with universal coverage paid for by the government. You get a ban on Muslim immigration (whatever that means) for an unspecified brief time. But if you focus only on the first part of each of those positions the part a person in despair at the thought of losing his country might prefer to hear you can almost believe that Trump really took the position you wished he had taken. Once you have convinced yourself that what you wanted him to say is what he actually said, no one can talk you out of that dead certainty. In fact, not even Trump himself can dissuade you from trusting what you believe you heard him say. Trump seems to have intuited this weakness of desperate human beings their willingness to see what they need to see, in defiance of the truth that is before them and he is exploiting it for his own short-term advantage. I say short-term because it is obvious that once he is the GOP nominee, he will, as he has promised, change his tone and become something completely different for the general election. In saying this, Trump is merely telling you the truth namely, that he is not a man of principle or a real leader. He is a professional salesman who is adept at winning over an audience by quickly divining what that audience wants to believe and then giving it to that audience with both barrels. That is, he is a sycophant who has the dubious skill of bluffing his victims into feeling he is leading them rather than merely flattering them with imitation. This modus operandi is obviously the opposite of what people want in a political leader, because it guarantees that he will betray you the moment he is speaking to an audience with different priorities. (And is there a public figure on Earth with a clearer record of such betrayals?) But because his sales pitch is so blunt and vigorous, even his promise of hypocrisy tends to get absorbed into the audience's admiration: "Of course he has to speak differently in the general election. That's what he needs to do to win so that he can then fulfill all the great promises he made to us!" We see this convenient delusion regularly among Trump supporters. Every time you mention all the large contributions Trump has made to leading progressive establishment politicians of both parties, right up to the year before his candidacy, his fans enthusiastically recite his own revealing rationalization, which boils down to "I'm a businessman, and I saw my personal advantage in propping up the socialists and other soft despots of the Washington establishment, so naturally I supported them in exchange for influence and favors." In other words, he's a poster boy for crony capitalism but that's okay, in his case alone, because oh boy, when he's elected, "Trump will do what he says." I give up. It works for me now. Trump will do what he says. He's not a lying politician. He promised to do it, and he will. Please allow me to explain my new faith. He promises to send all the illegals to Mexico, and then bring almost all of them back on an expedited path to legalization. This is called touchback amnesty; it was endorsed many years ago by The New York Times and supported by a large majority in an LA Times poll of illegal immigrants. When Trump was accused by his useful idiot media of being a troglodyte for wanting to deport twelve million law-abiding criminals, his son was quick to shine a light on the far side of that moon: The point isn't just deporting them, it's deporting them and letting them back in legally. He's been so clear about that [when speaking to certain audiences] and I know the liberal media wants to misconstrue it, but it's deporting them and letting them back legally. He promises touchback amnesty, and I believe him. He promises to get along with everyone in Washington, to make deals with Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer, to support Mitch McConnell as Senate majority leader (unlike that guy everybody hates, Ted Cruz), and to "take the calls" of all those members of the establishment he always worked with back (eighteen months ago) when he "was a member of the establishment meaning a giver, a big donor." In other words, he promises that his anti-establishment, "burn the place down" rhetoric is just rabble-rousing talk, but that in truth he will be a model Washington establishment back-scratcher. He promises to continue his lifelong friendship with the progressive status quo, and I believe him. He promises that his much loved (by his supporters) "ban on Muslim immigration" is merely a temporary "pause," which was presented with the light shining on the "ban" side of its moon in order to appeal to the nationalist sentiment of his crowds, but which was really just a call for administrative adjustment of immigration procedures from a candidate who had, a few months earlier, supported the acceptance of Syrian refugees. When free speech activists, including Geert Wilders, gathered in Texas for a "Draw Muhammad" contest in 2015, to show solidarity with European artists and journalists living (and dying) under threat of attack by Islamists, the gathering itself was attacked by Islamists who have since been connected with ISIS. Donald Trump held the event's organizer, Pamela Geller, responsible for the violence and loss of life, on the grounds that people shouldn't speak in a way that might aggravate Muslim jihadists: What is she doing, drawing Muhammad? It looks like she's actually taunting people. ... Isn't there something else they can draw? ... They can't do something else? They have to be in the middle of Texas, doing something on Muhammad and insulting everybody? He recently said he wishes to remain neutral for the moment regarding negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, basically in order to retain the element of surprise should he end up involved in those negotiations. That is, he seeks to maintain neutrality between a longtime American ally under siege by jihadists and a terrorist-electing faction supported for years by the mullahs in Iran. He advocated using American military assets to support the Islamist uprising against Moammar Gaddafi, actually proposing that U.S. troops be sent in to "knock this guy [Gaddafi] out very quickly, very surgically." (That this is the far side of the moon that he is hoping to hide in front of his current audience is proved by his outright lie, during the February 25 debate, when he claimed he had never discussed Libya before.) Few American public figures have been more deeply involved in offering aid and comfort to the global Islamist movement than Hillary Clinton. Trump's support for Clinton continued through to the fall of 2013, after her tenure at the State Department was over, when he told Larry King, "I know her very well. They're members of my club, and I like both of them very much." This, you may note, was a full year after the Benghazi attack, a year after Hillary's "offensive video" cover story to protect herself and Barack Obama from culpability, months after she responded to questions concerning her lies about the causes of that terrorist attack by screaming, "What difference, at this point, does it make?" Though Trump has since called her "the worst secretary of state," he has not tied that convenient and sudden flip-flop to her role in enabling the rise of Islamic extremism in the Middle East (a policy he supported, at least in Libya) or her questionable associations with the caliphate movement within the U.S. So Trump promises to pause Muslim immigration for a short time a weaker position on restricting Muslim Islamist infiltration than those both Rand Paul and Ted Cruz were advocating long before Trump's headline-grabbing announcement. He promises to shout down free speech that might offend Islamists (except, apparently, when he finds such speech useful to himself during a campaign). He promises to claim neutrality in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. And he promises to ignore global caliphate influence in Washington when his old friends are involved. He promises to talk tough, but act weak, on Islamism, and I believe him. Give in to the magic, ladies and gentlemen. Trump will do what he says and America's last glimmer of hope to save herself from Reagan's famous thousand years of darkness will vanish. The 22-minute production by John Oliver's team was a great spiel. The argument of the monologue was that Trump is taking everyone on a ride with lies except, of course, Oliver is the one who is taking you on a ride. First Oliver says Trump is not actually self-funding his campaign because he "loaned" and did not donate money to himself. Oliver does not tell you that in most cases, these loans are one-way streets. It's an effective donation. Then Oliver says Trump actually accepted $7 million in donations, "proving" he is not self-funding. Well, Hillary raised $180M, Cruz $104M, and Sanders $96M and counting. Trump, the GOP frontrunner since July 2015, got only $7 million in donations pocket change in presidential politics. This actually shows that Trump does not actively solicit donations; he just does not reject them. Oliver, however, has you believe that $7 million in donations prove the opposite of what it proves. Oliver spends a third of his monologue mocking Trump's business record. Good job and yes, Trump had a leg up in business with his father's wealth. But there are plenty of millionaires whose sons played with their money, yet they and their sons are in the dustbins of history. Donald, on the other hand, built up his father's net worth to levels Fred his father never had on his own. Despite being wiped out in the early 1990s, Donald came back and has been a consistent billionaire ever since. Few people have done it on his level. According to Forbes, Trump is worth $4.5 billion. This is 18 times more than what Fred was reportedly worth when he died in 1999. A very limited number of people with or without their fathers' help have been on the Forbes list so many times as Trump; few have been there after a wipeout. Any joker (or GOP operative) can produce an equally destructive yet more honest video against Hillary's foreign policy "successes," thus discrediting one of Hillary's claims to the throne. Don't get me started on the fact that Hillary as secretary of state emailed her staff asking help how to send a fax or to recharge an iPad. Oliver says Trump has been on both sides of all the issues over the years. This claim is also used by Trump opponents in the GOP, but the same can be said about "stupid" Democrats voting for Hillary. Mrs. Clinton changed position on most major issues. Hillary shifted on redefining marriage, amnesty for undocumented immigrants, and criminal justice only in recent years with an eye on the White House. Less than a decade ago, Hillary (and Obama, Biden) were of the Senate Democrats who voted to build a 700-mile-long wall; now Hillary mocks Trump for wanting a wall. Half the reason Democrats vote for Hillary is because of her last name, but there is hardly any major Clinton-era policy that the Democrats of today still support. Hillary's signature action in the Senate is voting for the Iraq war, yet Dems are about to crown her their nominee. Oliver played the clip of Trump saying the U.S. needs to kill families of terrorists. Crazy talk but last year, the NYT reported that according to a "very rough estimate" compiled by an expert, 3,852 people have been killed from U.S. drone strikes. They were mostly civilians including American citizens and mostly since Obama came into office. Trump is guilty of saying things done under Obama, but few Oliver viewers are aware of it. In closing, Oliver makes fun of Trump's name. Cute. On merit, however, Oliver did to his viewers what he says Trump does to you...or what can be done against Hillary many times over. You can find Yossi on Twitter at @YossiGestetner. Shortly after he claimed to be a unifier during his Super Tuesday press conference, Donald Trump was at it again, lambasting so-called conservatives who dont share his liberal position on Planned Parenthood, continuing to insist he applauds the group because it allegedly does a lot of good of good things for womens health. Similar logic applies to his position on Obamacare. He loves the coercive freedom- and job-killing individual mandate, which is the heart of Obamacare, because he doesnt want to see bodies in the street, a classic liberal rhetorical scare tactic. Planned Parenthood may do the occasional mammogram referral, but the heart of its business has been abortions, and money, the saying goes, is fungible. Trumps support of Planned Parenthood is incompatible with his claim to have seen the pro-life light. As LifeSiteNews observes: Some pro-life voters are wondering how long Donald Trump can continue to praise the nations largest abortion business and continue getting away with the claim that he opposes abortion or would sign a bill defunding Planned Parenthood. Tonight unprompted by an interview or attack from a fellow Republican presidential candidate or from someone on the pro-abortion side, Trump praised the nations biggest abortion conglomerate. Trump dismissed the notion he is not a true conservative because he supports Planned Parenthood, insisting he is just doing whats right. Look, Planned Parenthood has done very good work for many, many for millions of women, Trump said in a news conference Tuesday night. And Ill say it, and I know a lot of the so-called conservatives, they say thats really cause Im a conservative, but Im a common-sense conservative. According to Trump, being 100 percent pro-life is not a true conservative position, and supporting an organization in any way that willingly sells aborted baby parts so its executives can afford Lamborghinis is common sense. Planned Parenthood appreciates The Donalds mental and moral gymnastics. In a recent interview with Andrea Mitchell on MSNBC, Planned Parenthoods Cecile Richards expressed her appreciation to Donald Trump: MITCHELL: Cecile, as the head of Planned Parenthood, youve been through the mill with all of the controversy in the past couple of months. Here is Donald Trump recently on Meet The Press and he sounds like he is in your court. Lets watch. [clip starts] TRUMP: They do some very good work, cervical cancer, lots of womens issue womens health issues are taken care of.Planned Parenthood does a lot of good job a really good job at a lot of different areas but not on abortion. So, Im not going to fund it if its doing the abortion. Im not going to fund it. Now they say its 3 percent and its 4 percent, some people say its 60 percent. I dont believe its 60 percent by the way, but, I think its probably a much lower number. But Planned Parenthood does some very good work. [clip ends]. RICHARDS: Well, this is one thing I agree with Donald Trump on, is that Planned Parenthood does amazing work for 2 1/2 million patients every single year. And so, I appreciate his kind words. Were very proud of our work, but I think women in this country and families and men are going to be very concerned about a president who wants to roll back access to affordable health care in America. Someone like Sen. Ted Cruz, perhaps, someone who doesnt believe that abortion and selling baby parts are health care, someone who will order his Justice Department to investigate the arguably criminal activities of Planned Parenthood? Ted Cruz gets no love letters from the group. One wonders how Trump would attack Hillary Clinton, who received the groups Margaret Sanger Award, for her pro-abortion stance, both supporting the good works of Planned Parenthood.. Planned Parenthood has tried to discredit the undercover videos exposing its baby body part business by saying they were carefully edited and that the admissions of Planned Parenthood officials of conducting a for-profit baby body part flea market were taken out of context. It is hard to imagine in what context the discussion of the price of a fetal head versus the price of a new Lamborghini is okay. As LifeNews comments: The video of the Houston Planned Parenthood makes it appear the Planned Parenthood abortion business may be selling the fully intact bodies of unborn babies purposefully born alive and left to die. The video shows the Director of Research for Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast, Melissa Farrell, advertising the Texas Planned Parenthood branchs track record of fetal tissue sales, including its ability to deliver fully intact aborted babies. Planned Parenthood could be breaking the federal law known as the Born Alive Infants Protection Act that requires abortion clinics, hospitals and other places that do abortions to provide appropriate medical care for a baby born alive after a failed abortion or purposefully birthed to let die. That would be one of the potential ways Planned Parenthood could produce a fully intact baby to sell to StemExpress for research. Most crunchy abortion methods would do damage to the babys body. Unlike Trump, Ted Cruz has called on Congress to cut off funding for Planned Parenthood and its ghastly practices. He knows that our Founding Fathers rightly decided that among the inalienable rights bestowed on us by our Creator, life comes first, even before liberty, and certainly before our secular ages pursuit of happiness. Daniel John Sobieski is a freelance writer whose pieces have appeared in Investors Business Daily, Human Events, Reason Magazine, and the Chicago Sun-Times among other publications. It is estimated that the earths surface is struck by about 500 meteorites a year, but only about 5 or 6 are large enough to be detected by weather radar instruments or their fragments recovered. Large collisions that leave discernable impact craters are thankfully, extremely rare events, that occur in intervals of thousands of years on average. For instance, stony asteroids of size 100 meter in diameter strike earth every 5,200 years on average. Such a collision would create a crater 1.2 km across and release energy equivalent to 3.8 mega-ton of TNT, or about a thousand times more powerful than the combined energy of both the Hiroshima and Nagasaki explosions. Larger collisions involving asteroids 1km in diameter are even rarer (every 500,000 years), and collisions with 5km objects are rarer still (once every twenty million years). The last known impact of an object of 10 km in size was the dinosaur killer that happened 66 million years ago. Barringer Crater in Arizona, the US, is the most famous impact crater. Photo credit: Mouser Williams/Flickr To date there are 188 confirmed impact craters on earth, but most of them are barely recognizable. Only a handful of them have escaped erosion and weathering or show the classic features that result from a large meteorite striking the earth. Here are 16 impact craters that provide the most stunning visuals. Barringer Crater The Barringer Crater near Winslow in the northern Arizona desert of the United States, is not only the most beautiful and one of the best preserved impact craters on Earth, its discovery was a turning point in geological science. Before Daniel Barringer conclusively proved that the crater was created by a meteor impact and not by volcanism, geologists didnt believe meteorites played any role in terrestrial geology. Even craters on the moon were attributed to volcanoes. Since Barringers discovery, numerous impact craters have been identified around the world. It is now widely accepted that meteor impacts have significantly shaped the earths geological and biological history from the origin of water, extinction of dinosaurs to origin of life itself. The Barringer crater is about 1,200 meters in diameter, 170 meters deep and is surrounded by a rim that rises 45 meter above the surrounding plains. It was formed 50,000 years ago. Read more about this crater and its discovery. Photo credit: Erik Charlton/Flickr Pingualuit Crater The Pingualuit Crater is located in Quebec, in Canada. It has a diameter of 3.44 km and was probably formed by an impact roughly 1.4 million years ago. The crater rises 160 meters above the surrounding tundra and is 400 meters deep. A 267 meters deep body of water fills the depression, forming one of the deepest lakes in North America. The lake also holds some of the purest fresh water in the world, and has great visibility at 35 meters. Read more about Pingualuit Crater. Photo credit: NASA Wolfe Creek Crater This well-preserved meteorite impact crater is located in the flat plains of the northeastern edge of the Great Sandy Desert in Western Australia, some 150 km south of the town of Halls Creek. It measures roughly 880 meters in diameter, and the mostly flat crater floor sits some 55 meters below the crater rim and some 25 meters below the sand plain outside of the crater. At the craters center, the ground rises slightly. Here grows some surprisingly large trees that draw moisture from the craters water reserves that remain after summer rains. The crater was formed 300,000 years ago. Read more about Wolfe Creek Crater Photo credit: unknown Amguid Crater Amguid crater is located in a remote and inaccessible region of southwestern Algeria. The crater is about 500 meters across and 65 meters deep, but the actual depth has not been measured as the crater is partly filled with a wind blown sand. The central part of Amguid crater is flat and covered with aeolian silts. These silts refract the light due to which the crater appears white when viewed from space. The crater is thought to have been formed less than 100,000 years ago but older than 10,000 years. Read more about Amguid Crater Photo credit: NASA Aorounga Crater The Aorounga crater, in the Sahara Desert, in north-central Chad, in another well preserved crater. The crater is surrounded by concentric rings which scientists believe resulted from three successive impacts by a large meteorite that broke up into pieces just before striking the earth. The event is thought to have occurred 345 million years ago. The central highland, or peak, of the crater is surrounded by a small sand-filled trough; this in turn is surrounded by a larger circular trough. Linear rock ridges alternating with light orange sand deposits cut across the crater. These were named Yardangs and were formed by wind erosion of exposed rock layers in a unidirectional wind field. The wind blows from the north-east at Aorounga, and sand dunes formed between the yardangs are actively migrating to the south-west. Photo credit: NASA Lonar Crater Lonar crater is located in a small Indian village of Lonar in Maharashtra. The crater was formed about 52,000 years ago when a gigantic chunk of rock crashed into this place creating a hole 1.8km wide and 150m deep. Over time perennial streams transformed the crater into a lake. Photo credit: Mangesh dams/Panoramio Gosses Bluff Gosse's Bluff is located in the southern Northern Territory, near the center of Australia, about 175 km west of Alice Springs. The crater is thought to have formed by the impact of an asteroid or comet approximately 142 million years ago. The original crater rim was 22 km across but has been eroded away. The 180 meters high, 5 km diameter structure that is visible now is the eroded remains of the crater's central uplift. Photo credit: Yann Arthus-Bertrand Tenoumer Crater This crater is located Mauritania, in the western Sahara Desert. Its a near perfect circle of diameter 1.9 km with a rim 100 meters high. The age of the crater is estimated to be between 10,000 and 30,000 years. Photo credit: NASA Tswaing Crater Tswaing crater is in South Africa, 40 km to the north-west of Pretoria. The crater is 1.13 km in diameter and 100 meters deep with an estimated age of 220,000 52,000 years. Surface springs, ground water and rain water have filled the crater and turned it into a lake rich with dissolved carbonates and sodium chlorides which was harvested until 1956. Photo credit: M J Gaylard Roter Kamm Roter Kamm in Namib Desert is 2.5 km in diameter and is 130 meters deep, but appears like a very shallow depression because the floor is covered with 100 meters of sand. It was formed between 4 and 5 million years ago. Photo credit: baumeler.hp/Panoramio Manicouagan crater The Manicouagan Crater in Quebec, Canada, is one of the oldest known impact craters and is the largest 'visible' impact crater on Earth. It is thought to have been caused by the impact of a 5 km diameter meteorite about 215.5 million years ago. The crater is a multiple-ring structure about 100 km across, with a 70 km diameter inner ring, which is now the Manicouagan Reservoir. Photo credit: NASA Shoemaker Crater The Shoemaker crater is situated in arid central Western Australia, about 100 km north-northeast of Wiluna. The crater has a central circular region of uplifted Archaean Granite (Teague Granite) about 12 km in diameter, surrounded by a downwarped ring of sedimentary rocks with traces of a rim about 30 km in diameter. The age of the crater is uncertain. Photo credit: NASA Clearwater Lakes The Clearwater Lakes are a pair of annular lakes on the Canadian Shield in Quebec, Canada, near Hudson Bay, situated inside the near-circular depressions of two eroded impact craters. The eastern crater is 26 km across while the western crater is 36 km in diameter. Initially it was believed that both craters formed at the same time in a double impact event, but repeated radio dating of the melted rocks from both impact craters suggests that Clearwater East was formed 460470 million years ago, whereas Clearwater West was formed 286 million years ago. Photo credit: NASA Kaali Crater The Kaali Meteorite Crater is located in the village of Kaali on the Estonian island of Saaremaa. It is one of the youngest impact crater on earth, formed only 7,600 years ago. The meteorite that created the crater had broken up during entry leaving a total of nine craters in an area which is now known as the Kaali Meteorite Crater Field. The largest of these crater has a diameter of 110 meters and a depth of 22 meters. Other pieces of meteorite formed smaller craters with diameters ranging from 12 to 40 meters. Read more about the Kaali crater Photo credit: Tpani/Wikimedia Kamil Crater This is another young crater located in the Egyptian desert and was discovered only in 2008 via Google Earth. The Kamil crater is about 147 feet wide and 52 feet deep, and was created by a solid iron meteor about 4 feet wide and weighting between 5,000 to 10,000 kilograms that slammed into the desert some 5,000 years ago. One feature that makes this crater unique is the rayed structure that is visible around the crater. These are ejecta rays formed when the meteorite exploded leaving prominent splatter pattern around the blast site. While such ejecta rays are common on Moon or planets with a thin atmosphere, they are exceedingly rare on Earth because erosion and other geological processes quickly erase such evidence. It is possible Kamil Crater is the only impact crater on earth to have ejecta rays. See more pictures of Kamil crater Lake Bosumtwi Lake Bosumtwiis situated within an ancient meteorite impact crater, 10.5 km across formed by an impact 1.07 million years go. The lake itself is slightly smaller, at approximately 8 kilometers across and is the only natural lake in Ashanti and Ghana. The lake is now a popular resort area with local people for swimming, fishing and boat trips. There are about 30 villages near crater lake Lake Bosumtwi, with a combined population of about 70,000. Photo credit: NASA Worldwind Khronos is an industry body with responsibility for overseeing a number of graphics standards. Over the last few months, Khronos have been working on a next-generation graphics API (application programmable interface) technology called Vulkan, being developed in parallel on the Android, LINUX and Windows platforms. The API is described as a new graphics and compute code and is designed to improve the performance and efficiency of graphical content by better utilising the various cores present in modern hardware these being processor and GPU cores. At the end of January a number of industry businesses got together in Paris to discuss the new Vulkan technology. The delegates included representatives from NVIDIA, Intel and Samsung and discussed a number of points including the type of developer able to benefit from the Vulkan API, the difficulties faced when integrating the technology into existing rendering engines and how various debugging tools might help or hinder the success of the API. One of the first points addressed by the panel was how to manage the OpenGL issues. Vulkan has been designed to cover a number of OpenGLs weaknesses, including creating a single API technology to cover desktop, console, mobile and embedded hardware, based upon an understanding of modern GPU technologies. This meant writing the code to cope with multiple application and GPU cores and using a console-like, low-overhead explicit API. The panel were asked why the Vulkan API was developed from scratch rather than from modifying, improving and refining the OpenGL technology especially when OpenGL has seen improvement designed to reduce the CPU overhead and better improve the efficiency of GPU cores. The panel discussed how there were a number of technical reasons why it would be easier and more reliable to rewrite the API rather than modify existing code, including how some of OpenGLs limitations would remain after the rewrite. The example given was how OpenGL allocates and synchronises buffers, which would need be done by an opaque driver and this meant stalls and buffer ghosting could still occur based on how a given vendors had set up the hardware. The other major reason why rewriting OpenGL was not considered viable is because it would have been difficult to set up an efficient multi-threaded command submission system OpenGL was not designed for modern GPU architecture. Of course, the risk associated with writing fresh code is that the project may miss design objectives or be delayed. Advertisement When the panel discussed the relevance of the Vulkan API to developers, the members disagreed here. The hardware vendors almost universally agreed that providing an API to allocate memory and other hardware switches should result in both improved performance (and so efficiency) across multiple platforms. This in turn should mean that maintaining and bug-fixing issues should be easier, smoother and cheaper. Software vendors were less optimistic the hardware vendors have spent many, many software engineer hours optimizing and refining OpenGL, Open GL ES and DirectX drivers and in order to approach similar or better performance, the software vendors will need to invest significant resources to optimise the new technologies. Furthermore, the existing OpenGL technologies will still need maintaining the Vulkan API is another API standard that will need resources. The panel discussed the issues and restrictions that the significant graphics engines place on graphics hardware and how it will take some time before these graphics engines are well optimised on the Vulkan API. The panel considered that in the short term, the greatest beneficiaries of Vulkan were likely to be those developers working on software that uses a 2D rendering engine such as in-car navigation systems with limited hardware resources. The Vulkan API should allow the software to better utilise the hardware and so save power (and heat output). This is important for all hardware, but arguably more so for those machines running on battery power. One interesting point that was raised is that the quality of development tools can have a greater impact on the success of a given graphics API than the quality of the API itself. Sonys APIs were used as an example: Sonys platforms and APIs are considered to be amongst the best and easiest to work with in the industry, and because of this the Sony platforms are often first to benefit from a new game. OpenGL development has traditionally been difficult although over the years, a suite of development tools and utilities has been built up to assist. Khronos has thought more about the development tools for Vulkan compared with OpenGL. The market has also moved on since the introduction of OpenGL with many companies, such as Google, offering cross-vendor tools designed to help developers. There are also community-maintained tools and utilities, with RenderDoc given as an example, that can help developers debug applications across a range of operating systems and underlying hardware. In essence: good development tools were seen as being vital in order for Vulkan to succeed. Advertisement On paper, the new Vulkan API should offer improved performance, reduced power consumption and easier development across multiple platforms. As with any standard, we can expect development to be lumpy during the first few months and years as individual developers and hardware vendors provide support for the technology. Weve already seen NVIDIA and Google release software with built-in Vulkan API support and this is set to continue. Chrome has been receiving a good number of new features with each update lately, mainly under-the-hood fixes and API fixes that are meant to cater more to developers than users. Chrome is also working toward supporting newer protocols, upping security and dropping support for insecure or outdated protocols on both the security and content delivery ends. The newest update to hit the stable channel, Chrome 49, is no different, bringing a swath of new features for developers with just one user-facing feature. On the user side, the update enables smooth scrolling by default, rather than having to enable it manually, leaving users with a smoother and faster experience when scrolling through pages. Other fixes were mostly on the development and bug-fix or security fronts. On the security side of things, Google wound up paying out $14,500 in rewards for contributions from outside of Google. Some services that got patched up by those outside of Googles own employee force are Blink, Pepper Plugin, Extensions, libpng, Skia, WebAPI, WebRTC and Favicons. Outside contributions included, a grand total of 26 security fixes went into Chrome 49 before it hit the stable channel. Some fixes are still in the works, however, and wont be disclosed to the public until theyve been patched. Things like memory leaks, vulnerabilities and bypasses populated the rap sheet for the bugs squashed in the newest update, among other issues. Advertisement The total number and details of other fixes and optimizations was undisclosed in the release announcement, though it was implied that the update mostly fixed things up under the hood, fine-tuning some services and providing a lot of friendly touches for developers. For the full list of changes, a changelog is available that will show all of the details of the newest update. The update is already live for Windows, Linux and Mac, but a timeline for release on other platforms was not announced. An update to version 49 for Android is implied to be in the works and available soon, however. For the full announcement, complete with a changelog that shows all of the security fixes and under-the-hood updates present in Chrome 49, hit up the source link. For all of Googles tech advancements and industry-leading web services, the company has a strong reputation as one of the most philanthropic organizations in the entire world. In the past, the company has donated portions of its considerable profits to several global foundations and charities, having been consistently ranked among the most generous companies in the United States each year. Its not always just about the money either, as Google regularly contributes in ways that go beyond simply writing a check; in fact, they oftentimes utilize their own technology and engineering acumen as a means of assisting other organizations in various humanitarian efforts (e.g. earlier this year they introduced charitable Donation Cards on YouTube). In a recent partnership with the United Nations Childrens Emergency Fund (UNICEF), the company once again looks to affect change with both their bank account and their technological prowess. Specifically, both organizations are working together to tackle the so-called Zika virus, an infection believed to cause birth defects in children. Researchers believe the Zika virus might be linked to a condition known as microcephaly (a birth defect signified by smaller-than-normal heads in affected children) which could then lead to even greater challenges in a childs early development. Zika has been particularly troublesome for Brazil, and the country has reported thousands of individual cases throughout the past year. Moreover, health professionals are currently limited in their ability to accurately test for the virus, making it even more difficult to effectively contain the outbreak. Advertisement For their part, Google donated $1 million to UNICEF to assist volunteers working in the field, particularly in Brazil and other Latin American nations. The company took their efforts a step further, however, by providing UNICEF with several volunteer members of their own expertly-qualified engineering team. The teams objective will be developing a platform for mapping potential outbreaks through a variety of sources, such as weather and travel patterns. The upshot is providing a method of illustrating when and where Zika outbreaks are most probable, thus providing researchers and medical professionals with a more effective means of curbing the viruss progression throughout Latin America. In typical Google fashion, the company labels their platform as open source, meaning that interested third parties will have the opportunity to contribute to its growth and development. South Korea, not unlike a number of wealthy Asian nations, is often at the forefront of technology in a number of areas, but no more so than communications. While some parts of the world ares till just waking up to 4G LTE, South Korean networks have much like Japan been operating speedy LTE networks for a lot longer than we have in the West. South Korea is also home to Samsung, and its no surprise that their home turf says hello to new features a lot quicker than the rest of the world. Samsung Pay was launched first in South Korea, and now a new feature will go live in Samsungs home country first, too. As ZDNet is reporting, users of Samsung Pay will soon be able to withdraw cash from their bank accounts from ATM machines in the country. ATM machines from Industrial Bank of Korea, KB Kookmin Bank, NH Nonghyup Bank, Shinhan Bank and Woori Bank. ATM support for these mobile payment systems doesnt seem all that new an idea, as American banks have plans in place for this sort of thing later this year, but the fact that this method appears to also include the ability to deposit money into a bank account is fairly original. According to reports, this sort of functionality is said to be launching around March 11th, which is curiously-close to the Galaxy S7s retail launch in-store the world over, so we could be in store a little more news from Samsung next week. Advertisement Samsung Pay is a service that, as of right now, only works on a handful of Samsung devices. These include the Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge, Galaxy S6 Edge+ and of course, the Galaxy Note 5. Next week however, theyll be joined by the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge next week, which will potentially help the service reach new heights, alongside the new launch in Europe, something Samsung promised during Mobile World Congress next month, which is happening soon. For now though, it appears as though South Koreans will be able to enjoy the latest technology once again, before any of us have a chance. Sony recently unveiled its all-new Xperia X series smartphones at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The Xperia X Performance, the Xperia X and the Xperia XA are all 5-inchers, which is a departure from the current trend of phablets that most companies seem to be concentrating on, given the increasing popularity of large screened handsets in most regions around the world. While the Xperia X Performance is powered by the Snapdragon 820 SoC from Qualcomm, the Xperia X has the comparatively more humble Snapdragon 650 running under its hood. The third device, the Xperia XA, runs on a MediaTek chipset (Helio P10 MT6755). Coming to the two Snapdragon chips in question, both of them support Quick Charge 3.0, but a recent post on Qualcomms official website seems to suggest that neither of the two handsets will actually support the latest technology, but will only come with support for Quick Charge 2.0. The post outlines some of the features of the two Sony smartphones that run on Qualcomms latest SoCs and highlights the benefits of its custom Kryo CPU cores and the integrated X8 and X12 LTE modems in the Snapdragon 650 and 820 respectively. Towards the end of the post, Qualcomm mentions that the two latest smartphones from Sony incorporates Quick Charge 2.0 for up to 5.5 hours of power in just 10 minutes of charging, and a charge that can last up to two days. Now whether that bit about Quick Charge 2.0 is a typo or not remains to be seen, but at this stage, it is highly likely that the Sony devices will come without the latest version of Qualcomms fast charging technology. Advertisement Qualcomm has already officially confirmed that the recently-announced LG G5, which also runs on the Snapdragon 820, has support for Quick Charge 3.0. However, not all Snapdragon 820-powered handsets come with that new fast charging technology from Qualcomm, as the two latest smartphones from Samsung the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge have already been confirmed by the San Diego-based chipmaker as packing support for only Quick Charge 2.0 and not 3.0. Both devices are powered by the Snapdragon 820, and theres no official explanation from either Qualcomm or Samsung as to why the latest flagships from the South Korean company lacks support for the new technology from Qualcomm. The BlackBerry Priv, released at the end of November, is BlackBerrys first commercial Android device. When launched in the United States, the Priv was an exclusive for one of the two larger carriers, AT&T, for the first couple of months. Now that the exclusive arrangement is over, weve seen other carriers adopt the device: T-Mobile US and Sprint swiftly joined AT&T in offering the Priv, but despite a device destined for Verizon going through the FCC right before Christmas, Verizon Wireless have been relatively quiet on the subject until the last few days.At the time the rumours were that Verizon would be picking the device up in March and this has now come true. The silence has now ended and the carrier is offering the BlackBerry Priv for either $30 a month or $720 up front. For the money, there is no mention of the wireless charging feature that AT&Ts BlackBerry Privs have. Verizons Priv does not support Wi-Fi calling but the website states that this technology will be added via a software update once available. When constructing the BlackBerry Priv, BlackBerry used high end components in a similar manner to LGs flagship device for 2015, the G4. The Priv is based around the Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 System-on-Chip rather than the flagship 810: the 808 is a big.LITTLE processor with two clusters of application processors. The lower performance tier consists of a quad core 1.4 GHz cluster of ARM Cortex-A53 processors. The higher performance tier consists of a dual core, 1.8 GHz ARM Cortex-A57 application processor. The Snapdragon 808 is backed up by 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal storage, plus a MicroSD card slot. Theres a QHD 5.4-inch AMOLED panel, a 3,410 mAh battery, an 18MP rear camera and something customers expect from BlackBerry: a physical keyboard. In the case of the Priv, the device features a slide-out, touch-sensitive keyboard that may be used as a track pad or as a keyboard. BlackBerry have also hardened the software against hacking to keep devices secure. Advertisement The BlackBerry Priv was released running Android 5.1 and BlackBerry have used a stock plus approach: the user interface looks similar to a stock Android device but BlackBerry have included a number of their applications onto the device to improve the user experience. Furthermore, BlackBerry have kept up with Googles regular monthly software vulnerability patches whilst working on Android 6.0 Marshmallow, which is due shortly. Whilst some industry observers will explain that it is easy for BlackBerry to keep their single device up to date, this is their first consumer facing Android-powered smartphone and as such is new territory for the Canadian device manufacturer. (see related)(ANSA) - Rome, March 3 - Former center-left premier Romano Prodi told RAI public broadcaster Thursday the conditions are not there for an intervention in Libya. "Our prime minister and the United Nations said a military intervention in Libya could only take place upon request by a (Libyan) government of national unity," Prodi told TG3 evening news. "Currently we are very far from (such a scenario)... war is the last resort". Prodi added that Italy "could only intervene under the aegis of the UN ". The former premier said the killings of two Italian hostages in Libya were "deliberate rather than an accident". "Holding four Italian hostages is a formidable tool for (so-called Islamic State terror group) ISIS to exert pressure," Prodi said. "This is why I am inclined to believe it was something deliberate rather than an accident". (ANSA) - Milan, March 3 - The Council of State, Italy's highest administrative court, on Thursday admitted an appeal from media magnate and ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi against the sale of a stake in the Mediolanum financial services company, financial sources said. The Lazio Regional Administrative Court (TAR) in June turned down Berlusconi's appeal against a Bank of Italy order he sell part of his holdings in the bank and insurer. In autumn 2014, the central bank ordered the sale of a 20% stake in Mediolanum held by Fininvest, the Berlusconi family holding company. Such a sale would leave Fininvest with a stake of 9.9% in Mediolanum, which is controlled by the Doris family. In October 2014, the Bank of Italy and the national insurance authority ordered the sale of holdings above a 9.9% level by the Berlusconi-controlled entity. The legal appeal came at the end of a three-month deadline set for the divestment of the shares, which sources said was ordered based on Berlusconi's loss of good standing. (ANSA) - Rome, March 3 - Italian external secret service agency AISE is to direct Italian operations in Libya, Corriere della Sera and Sole 24 Ore dailies reported Thursday. Three 12-man teams are reportedly already on the ground in the North African country and they will be followed by 50 special forces. Italy is prepared to contribute 3,000 troops to a possible peacekeeping mission there. Both papers reported the move is being made under a February 10 decree issued by Premier Matteo Renzi, which reportedly says "the prime minister... can authorize... AISE to adopt intelligence and fightback measures, including with the technical cooperation of special defence forces, with the consequent support of assets from the Defence Department itself". The premier is reportedly authorized to do so "in crisis and emergency situations that require urgent and exceptional measures". In related news, the Suez Canal authority said France's flagship aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle passed through the Suez Canal heading for the sea off Libya. According to a French military source on Monday, the ship is carrying "fighting groups at the disposal of the French army to gather information on Libya by air and sea". (ANSA) - Rome, March 3 - The Foreign Ministry said Thursday that two of a group of four Italians kidnapped in Libya last year may have been killed in a shooting. "As regards the publication of some images of victims of a shooting in the region of Sabrata in Libya, apparently traceable to westerners, the foreign ministry communicates that those images, with the bodies still unavailable, could be two of the four Italian employees of the 'Bonatti' construction firm kidnapped in July 2015," the ministry said in a statement. It named the possible victims as Fausto Piano and Salvatore Failla. The ministry said it is verifying the situation, while stressing that this was difficult without the bodies, and that it has informed the families. A Libyan witness who is in Tunis after leaving Sabratha told ANSA Thursday that the two Italians killed in a shooting "were used as human shields" by ISIS jidahists. The witness said that the two were killed "in clashes" on Wednesday in the south of the city, in the area of Surman. (ANSA) - Rome, March 3 - The foreign ministry said Thursday that two of a group of four Italians kidnapped in Libya last year may have been killed in a shooting. "As regards the publication of some images of victims of a shooting in the region of Sabratha in Libya, apparently traceable to westerners, the foreign ministry communicates that those images, with the bodies still unavailable, could be two of the four Italian employees of the Bonatti construction firm kidnapped in July 2015," the ministry said in a statement. It named the possible victims as Fausto Piano and Salvatore Failla. The ministry said it is verifying the situation, while stressing that this was difficult without the bodies, and that it has informed the families. A Libyan witness who is in Tunis after leaving Sabratha told ANSA Thursday that two Italians killed in a shooting "were used as human shields" by ISIS jidahists. The witness said that the two were killed "in clashes" with local militias on Wednesday in the south of the city, in the area of Surman. Libyan medical sources had previously said that at least seven people were killed on an attack by local militias on an ISIS hideout in the Sabratha area, while two jihadists, a Syrian and a Tunisian, were captured and three others escaped. Piano and Failla were taken captive along with Gino Pollicardo and Filippo Calcagno, who also work for Parma-based oilfield construction and maintenance company Bonatti. They were captured in the area of Mellitah, in western Libya some 60km from Tripoli, near to a facility of the Mellitah Oil Gas Company, a partner of Italian oil-and-gas company Eni oil and gas company complex. The Italian intelligence services had believed that the abductions were carried out by criminal militias seeking a ransom. "I spoke to Salvatore Failla this morning, she is a devastated woman who requests that her pain be respected," said Francesco Caroleo Grimaldi, a lawyer representing the Failla family. "There is absolutely no certainty that her husband is one of the dead Italians and for this reason she is going through infinite anxiety". A family member of Pollicardo, a 55-year-old from Monterosso, near La Spezia, said that "we know nothing, apart from what we have managed to glean from the media over the last few hours. We hope for the best". Renato Brunetta, the Lower House whip for Silvio Berlusconi's opposition centre-right Forza Italia (FI) party, and Lia Quartapelle, a lawmaker for Premier Matteo Renzi's Democratic Party (PD), both requested that the government report to parliament shortly on the reports and on the situation in the chaos-hit North African country. (ANSA) - Rome, March 3 - The cabinet has been informed by the foreign ministry of a report of two Italians possibly being slain in Libya and "checks are ongoing", Transport Minister Graziano Delrio said Thursday. He said that Intelligence Undersecretary Marco Minniti will report to the parliamentary intelligence service oversight committee COPASIR at 14:30. "All information will be given in that forum," he said. The foreign ministry said Thursday that two of a group of four Italians kidnapped in Libya last year may have been killed in a shooting. "As regards the publication of some images of victims of a shooting in the region of Sabrata in Libya, apparently traceable to westerners, the foreign ministry communicates that those images, with the bodies still unavailable, could be two of the four Italian employees of the 'Bonatti' construction firm kidnapped in July 2015," the ministry said in a statement. It named the possible victims as Fausto Piano and Salvatore Failla. The ministry said it is verifying the situation, while stressing that this was difficult without the bodies, and that it has informed the families. (ANSA) - Rome, March 3 - Two Italian hostages, Fausto Piano and Salvatore Failla, workers for an oilfield construction firm abducted in July 2015, were killed in unclear circumstances in Libya Thursday. According to one report, they were killed by government loyalists while being moved by a rival militia. According to another report, they were killed while being used as human shields during a government attack on an ISIS hide-out. It was said to be unsure, however, that they were being held by ISIS, according to the head of the COPASIR parliamentary intelligence oversight committee, Giacomo Stucchi. The fate of two other employees of the Bonatti company was also unclear most of the day until Intelligence Undersecretary Marco Minniti testified to COPASIR that the pair, Filippo Calcagno and Gino Pollicardo, were still alive. Calcagno and Pollicardo were captured along with Failla and Piano near a Mellitah Oil Gas Company facility in western Libya, some 60 kms from Tripoli, last summer. Piano and Failla were likely not killed as a reprisal for Italy's upcoming role, if requested by Libya, in leading an international coalition in the north African country, officials said. The Italian government's priority is now to save Calcagno and Pollicardo, the head of COPASIR, Stucchi, said after Minniti reported to the panel. He said "a rigorous silence must be observed on such a delicate situation". The pair killed "have been recognised using photographic techniques, we hope their bodies will soon be returned to Italy", said Stucchi, who said militias had been trying to regain their positions after last month's US airstrikes in the area. He also said Italian intelligence services were present in in Libya, though not necessarily in the area where the fatal shoot-out took place. A ransom will likely not be demanded, Stucchi added. The two Italians were being held prisoner by ISIS and are said to have been killed on the outskirts of Sabratha while being moved, judicial sources said on Thursday. The convoy they were travelling in came under attack by a militia group and all the passengers were killed, the sources said. The bodies were recovered by the militias, they said. A Libyan witness who is in Tunis after leaving Sabratha, however, told ANSA Thursday that two Italians "were used as human shields" by ISIS jidahists. The witness said that the two were killed "in clashes" with local militias on Wednesday in the south of the city, in the area of Surman. Libyan medical sources had previously said that at least seven people were killed on an attack by local militias on an ISIS hideout in the Sabratha area, while two jihadists, a Syrian and a Tunisian, were captured and three others escaped. Piano, Failla, Pollicardo and Calcagno all worked for the Parma-based oilfield construction and maintenance company Bonatti. They were captured near a facility of the Mellitah Oil Gas Company, a partner of Italian oil-and-gas company ENI oil and gas company. The Italian intelligence services had believed that the abductions were carried out by criminal militias seeking a ransom. Renato Brunetta, the Lower House whip for Silvio Berlusconi's opposition centre-right Forza Italia (FI) party, and Lia Quartapelle, a lawmaker for Premier Matteo Renzi's Democratic Party (PD), both requested that the government report to parliament shortly on the reports and on the situation in the chaos-hit North African country. Northern League leader Matteo Salvini told a House press conference after the reports the two Italians had been killed that "Renzi has blood on his hands in Libya as in Italy. In Italy he roots for and frees criminals, he is an accomplice of international terrorism on immigration." He went on that while the reports of the two slain Italians "are arriving from Libya, (President Sergio) Mattarella boasts Italy is in the vanguard (for welcoming migrants). Let's hope the news is unfounded". Former premier Silvio Berlusconi said there was always the risk of victims if "hasty" action was taken. (ANSA) - Rome, march 2 - Italy is increasingly exposed to terror threats, a report from the country's intelligence services said Wednesday. They said another attack like the November 13 attacks in Paris that killed 130 was likely, not just in Italy but also in the rest of Europe. Italy "appears increasingly more exposed" to the threat of jihadist terrorism, even though no specific terror plans have been detected, the country's intelligence services said in their annual report to parliament on Wednesday. The report said there were numerous references in extremist Islamist propaganda to Italy being an enemy for its relations with the United States and Israel and its commitment to fighting terrorism. It said that the greatest potential threats were linked to the Catholic Church's Jubilee of Mercy and to the potential activation of new generations of aspiring jihadists joining ISIS campaigns. The report also highlighted the risk of Islamist terrorists infiltrating the flows of asylum seekers trying to enter Europe via the Balkans. It said that no evidence had been found of infiltration of migrants and refugees reaching Europe from North Africa, but added that there was a "more concrete" risk with the Balkans route. The report said the Balkans was the region of transit favoured by foreign fighters, with over 900 leaving from it to reach theatres of war, and an area "consolidated extremist situations". The intelligence services added that there is a high risk of Europe suffering another major terrorist attack by Islamist extremists like those staged in Paris in November. "The risk of new actions on European territory is considered high," the intelligence services said in their report. The report said these could be "sensational attacks in the style of the Paris ones". It added that the Paris attacks had probably "inaugurated a strategy of attack on the West that is destined to increase". It said there was a two-fold risk of both actions by ISIS foreign fighters trained in conflict zones and by secret militants living in Europe, both lone wolves and small sleeper cells. It said the terrorists were increasingly likely to attack soft targets and that the threat posed by al-Qaeda had not disappeared with the rise of ISIS. On the contrary, the report said, "the competition with Daesh could reinforce al-Qaeda's determination to intervene on the global scene with sensational acts". National Anti-Mafia Prosecutor Franco Roberti said terrorism was an emergency that required urgent political action. (ANSA) - Rome, March 3 - Egypt is not working fully with Italy on the case of slain Italian student Giulio Regeni, the head of the National Intelligence and Security Department, DIS, told Italian TV Thursday. The case "is not marked by full, satisfactory collaboration with Egypt," Giampiero Massolo told TG1 news. "We are doing everything possible to make sure collaboration is complete and timely and allows us to arrive at the truth", he said. The Italian foreign ministry said Wednesday that a first batch of documents on Regeni's murder sent by Egyptian authorities are "in particular information relating to the questioning of witnesses by the Egyptian authorities, the telephone traffic of Giulio Regeni's cellphone and a partial summary of elements that emerged from the autopsy". Egyptian authorities have mooted several different possible reasons for the murder of Regeni, who was found February 3 in a ditch outside Cairo with signs of torture on his body after disappearing January 25, the heavily policed fifth anniversary of the uprising that ousted former strongman Hosni Mubarak. (ANSA) - Rome, March 3 - The foreign ministry said Thursday that two of a group of four Italians kidnapped in Libya last year may have been killed in a shooting. "As regards the publication of some images of victims of a shooting in the region of Sabratha in Libya, apparently traceable to westerners, the foreign ministry communicates that those images, with the bodies still unavailable, could be two of the four Italian employees of the Bonatti construction firm kidnapped in July 2015," the ministry said in a statement. It named the possible victims as Fausto Piano and Salvatore Failla. The ministry said it is verifying the situation, while stressing that this was difficult without the bodies, and that it has informed the families. The two Italians were being held prisoner by ISIS and are said to have been killed on the outskirts of Sabratha while being moved, judicial sources said on Thursday. The convoy they were travelling in came under attack by a militia group and all the passengers were killed, the sources said. The bodies were recovered by the militias, they said. A Libyan witness who is in Tunis after leaving Sabratha, however, told ANSA Thursday that two Italians "were used as human shields" by ISIS jidahists. The witness said that the two were killed "in clashes" with local militias on Wednesday in the south of the city, in the area of Surman. Libyan medical sources had previously said that at least seven people were killed on an attack by local militias on an ISIS hideout in the Sabratha area, while two jihadists, a Syrian and a Tunisian, were captured and three others escaped. Piano and Failla were taken captive along with Gino Pollicardo and Filippo Calcagno, who also work for Parma-based oilfield construction and maintenance company Bonatti. They were captured in the area of Mellitah, in western Libya some 60km from Tripoli, near to a facility of the Mellitah Oil Gas Company, a partner of Italian oil-and-gas company Eni oil and gas company. The Italian intelligence services had believed that the abductions were carried out by criminal militias seeking a ransom. "I spoke to Salvatore Failla this morning, she is a devastated woman who requests that her pain be respected," said Francesco Caroleo Grimaldi, a lawyer representing the Failla family. "There is absolutely no certainty that her husband is one of the dead Italians and for this reason she is going through infinite anxiety". A family member of Pollicardo, a 55-year-old from Monterosso, near La Spezia, said that "we know nothing, apart from what we have managed to glean from the media over the last few hours. We hope for the best". Renato Brunetta, the Lower House whip for Silvio Berlusconi's opposition centre-right Forza Italia (FI) party, and Lia Quartapelle, a lawmaker for Premier Matteo Renzi's Democratic Party (PD), both requested that the government report to parliament shortly on the reports and on the situation in the chaos-hit North African country. Northern League leader Matteo Salvini told a House press conference after the reports the two Italians had been killed that "Renzi has blood on his hands in Libya as in Italy. In Italy he roots for and frees criminals, he is an accomplice of international terrorism on immigration." He went on that while the reports of the two slain Italians "are arriving from Libya, (President Sergio) Mattarella boasts Italy is in the vanguard (for welcoming migrants). Let's hope the news is unfounded". (ANSA) - Rome, March 3 - The Foreign Ministry said Thursday that two of a group of four Italians kidnapped in Libya last year may have been killed in a shooting. "As regards the publication of some images of victims of a shooting in the region of Sabrata in Libya, apparently traceable to westerners, the foreign ministry communicates that those images, with the bodies still unavailable, could be two of the four Italian employees of the 'Bonatti' construction firm kidnapped in July 2015," the ministry said in a statement. It named the possible victims as Fausto Piano and Salvatore Failla. The ministry said it is verifying the situation, while stressing that this was difficult without the bodies, and that it has informed the families. (ANSA) - Rome, March 3 - COPASIR parliamentary intelligence oversight committee chair Giacomo Stucchi said Thursday two of the four Italian employees of the Bonatti oilfield construction firm kidnapped in Libya in July 2015 are confirmed dead. "They were recognised using photographic techniques, we hope their bodies will soon be returned to Italy," Stucchi said. Intelligence Undersecretary Marco Minniti earlier told COPASIR the other two hostages are still alive. Filippo Calcagno and Gino Pollicardo were captured along with Salvatore Failla and Fausto Piano - both of whom are confirmed dead - near a Mellitah Oil Gas Company facility in western Libya, some 60 kms from Tripoli. The foreign ministry said Thursday that Failla and Piano may have been killed in a shooting. "As regards the publication of some images of victims of a shooting in the region of Sabratha in Libya, apparently traceable to westerners, the foreign ministry communicates that those images, with the bodies still unavailable, could be two of the four Italian employees of the Bonatti construction firm kidnapped in July 2015," the ministry said in a statement. The two Italians are said to have been killed on the outskirts of Sabratha, judicial sources said on Thursday. The convoy they were travelling in came under attack by a militia group and all the passengers were killed, the sources said. The bodies were recovered by the militias, they said. A Libyan witness who is in Tunis after leaving Sabratha told ANSA Thursday that two Italians killed in a shooting "were used as human shields" by ISIS jidahists. The witness said that the two were killed "in clashes" with local militias on Wednesday in the south of the city, in the area of Surman. Libyan medical sources had previously said that at least seven people were killed on an attack by local militias on an ISIS hideout in the Sabratha area, while two jihadists, a Syrian and a Tunisian, were captured and three others escaped. Italian intelligence services had believed the abductions were carried out for ransom. A family member of Pollicardo, a 55-year-old from Monterosso, near La Spezia, said that "we know nothing, apart from what we have managed to glean from the media over the last few hours. We hope for the best". Renato Brunetta, the Lower House whip for Silvio Berlusconi's opposition centre-right Forza Italia (FI) party, and Lia Quartapelle, a lawmaker for Premier Matteo Renzi's Democratic Party (PD), both requested that the government report to parliament shortly on the reports and on the situation in the chaos-hit North African country. Giampiero Massolo, the director of National Intelligence and Security Department DIS, on Thursday called for caution. "There are two more lives to save and we must not say things that would compromise ongoing operations," he said. He added: "the area of the shooting is a zone where militias loyal to Tripoli are trying to combat Daesh (ISIS)". The deaths of the two was likely not a reprisal for an announced Italian intervention in the North African country. "I really don't think so," Massolo told Sky TG24 news. Libya: French carrier De Gaulle passes Suez Canal Sources say carrier 'heading for north African country' (ANSAmed) - CAIRO, MARCH 3 - "The French Aircraft Carrier Charles De Gaulle today passed through the Suez Canal," maritime officials from the Authority managing the Egyptian waterway said Thursday. On Monday a "French military source" cited by an Arab media organ indicated that the aircraft carrier is headed "toward being off the Libyan coast" and was taking on board "fighting groups at the disposition of the French Army to gather information on Libya by air and sea". The Authority made its announcement while recording the passage of various vessels to underline that navigation was normal despite the shipwreck of a Panamanian ship. The French source, cited by Al-Wasat, had indicated that the aircraft carrier left the Persian Gulf a week earlier and was due to arrive off the coast of Libya "at the end of the current week," which in Islamic countries finishes Friday. The carrier was in the Gulf since December 19, the source recalled, noting that for the moment there are no plans to strike at Libya in the near future, even if "that possibility ought to be taken seriously". (ANSAmed). BRUSSELS - "This is an appeal to potentially illegal economic migrants: don't come to Europe. Don't listen to traffickers. No European country will be a transit country''. So tweeted the president of the European Council, Donald Tusk, shortly after his meeting with the Greek prime minister, Alexis Tsipras, in Athens. In another message Tusk wrote: "The EU will not leave Greece alone. I welcome the European Assistance Instrument for Emergency worth 700 million euros (announced by the Commission yesterday) to confront the humanitarian crisis also in Greece''. Tusk's visit to Athens is the second in 16 days as the president of the European council noted after his meeting with Tsipras. The Polish European leader already visited Vienna, Ljubljana, Zagreb and Skopje and after Greece he travelled to Turkey and is also due to Belgrade, to complete his tour of the countries on the Balkanic route. "We must build European consensus based on our decisions and common rules. We must avoid divisions because they do not bring us closer to a solution and they only erode trust" he said in his address after his meeting with Tsipras, adding that "respecting Schengen rules will not solve the migrant crisis but without them there is no chance to solve it''. Tusk went back to his appeal on Twitter. He reiterated his call ''not to come to Europe'' and added: "Don't put your lives and money in peril: that means risking it all to have nothing in return. Greece like every other European state will no longer be a transit country. Schengen rules must be reapplied''. Announcing his trip to Turkey, Tusk stressed that "the joint action plan remains a priority'' and that ''we must do everything we can in order for it to be successful''. "This - he specified - will mean that, ultimately, the high numbers we are seeing will have to decrease and rapidly. In practical terms this means that we must increase the return rate of irregular migrants who arrive to Greece from Turkey''. Turkey and the EU "concur that the flow of refugees still remains too high and that further action is necessary" and to reduce the flows the best way is to discourage departures organising systematic return of irregular migrants to Turkey from Greece, European Council President Donald Tusk said in Ankara after meeting Turkish Premier Ahmet Davutoglu on the latest stage of his tour of Balkan route capitals ahead of the special summit being held next Monday. "It is up to Turkey to decide how best to obtain the reduction of flows," said Tusk, adding however that "for many in Europe the most promising seems to be that of a rapid mechanism on a vast scale to send back to Turkey the illegal migrants who arrive in Greece". "This would cut effectively the traffickers' business model". Tusk added that during the meeting the two leaders also "underlined the importance of reaching an overall solution to the Cyprus problem". (By Denis Greenan). ROME - Two Italian hostages, Fausto Piano and Salvatore Failla, workers for an oilfield construction firm abducted in July 2015, were killed in unclear circumstances in Libya Wednesday. According to one report, they were killed by government loyalists while being moved by a rival militia. According to another report, they were killed while being used as human shields during a government attack on an ISIS hide-out. It was said to be unsure, however, that they were being held by ISIS, according to the head of the COPASIR parliamentary intelligence oversight committee, Giacomo Stucchi. The fate of two other employees of the Bonatti company was also unclear most of the day until Intelligence Undersecretary Marco Minniti testified to COPASIR that the pair, Filippo Calcagno and Gino Pollicardo, were still alive. Calcagno and Pollicardo were captured along with Failla and Piano near a Mellitah Oil Gas Company facility in western Libya, some 60 kms from Tripoli, last summer. Piano and Failla were likely not killed as a reprisal for Italy's upcoming role, if requested by Libya, in leading an international coalition in the north African country, officials said. The Italian government's priority is now to save Calcagno and Pollicardo, the head of COPASIR, Stucchi, said after Minniti reported to the panel. He said "a rigorous silence must be observed on such a delicate situation". The pair killed "have been recognised using photographic techniques, we hope their bodies will soon be returned to Italy", said Stucchi, who said militias had been trying to regain their positions after last month's US airstrikes in the area. He also said Italian intelligence services were present in in Libya, though not necessarily in the area where the fatal shoot-out took place. A ransom will likely not be demanded, Stucchi added. The two Italians were being held prisoner by ISIS and are said to have been killed on the outskirts of Sabratha while being moved, judicial sources said on Thursday. The convoy they were travelling in came under attack by a militia group and all the passengers were killed, the sources said. The bodies were recovered by the militias, they said. A Libyan witness who is in Tunis after leaving Sabratha, however, told ANSA Thursday that two Italians "were used as human shields" by ISIS jidahists. The witness said that the two were killed "in clashes" with local militias on Wednesday in the south of the city, in the area of Surman. Libyan medical sources had previously said that at least seven people were killed on an attack by local militias on an ISIS hideout in the Sabratha area, while two jihadists, a Syrian and a Tunisian, were captured and three others escaped. Piano, Failla, Pollicardo and Calcagno all worked for the Parma-based oilfield construction and maintenance company Bonatti. They were captured near a facility of the Mellitah Oil Gas Company, a partner of Italian oil-and-gas company ENI oil and gas company. The Italian intelligence services had believed that the abductions were carried out by criminal militias seeking a ransom. (ANSAmed). ROME - The foreign ministry said Thursday that two of a group of four Italians kidnapped in Libya last year may have been killed in a shooting. "As regards the publication of some images of victims of a shooting in the region of Sabratha in Libya, apparently traceable to westerners, the foreign ministry communicates that those images, with the bodies still unavailable, could be two of the four Italian employees of the Bonatti construction firm kidnapped in July 2015," the ministry said in a statement. It named the possible victims as Fausto Piano and Salvatore Failla. The ministry said it is verifying the situation, while stressing that this was difficult without the bodies, and that it has informed the families. A Libyan witness who is in Tunis after leaving Sabratha told ANSA Thursday that two Italians killed in a shooting "were used as human shields" by ISIS jidahists. The witness said that the two were killed "in clashes" with local militias on Wednesday in the south of the city, in the area of Surman. Libyan medical sources had previously said that at least seven people were killed on an attack by local militias on an ISIS hideout in the Sabratha area, while two jihadists, a Syrian and a Tunisian, were captured and three others escaped. Piano and Failla were taken captive along with Gino Pollicardo and Filippo Calcagno, who also work for Parma-based oilfield construction and maintenance company Bonatti. They were captured in the area of Mellitah, in western Libya some 60km from Tripoli, near to a facility of the Mellitah Oil Gas Company, a partner of Italian oil-and-gas company Eni oil and gas company complex. The Italian intelligence services had believed that the abductions were carried out by criminal militias seeking a ransom. "I spoke to Salvatore Failla this morning, she is a devastated woman who requests that her pain be respected," said Francesco Caroleo Grimaldi, a lawyer representing the Failla family. "There is absolutely no certainty that her husband is one of the dead Italians and for this reason she is going through infinite anxiety". A family member of Pollicardo, a 55-year-old from Monterosso, near La Spezia, said that "we know nothing, apart from what we have managed to glean from the media over the last few hours. We hope for the best". Renato Brunetta, the Lower House whip for Silvio Berlusconi's opposition centre-right Forza Italia (FI) party, and Lia Quartapelle, a lawmaker for Premier Matteo Renzi's Democratic Party (PD), both requested that the government report to parliament shortly on the reports and on the situation in the chaos-hit North African country. Serbia, Turkey discuss improvement of economic cooperation Especially in the field of tourism (ANSAmed) - BELGRADE, 3 MARCH - Serbian Minister of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications Rasim Ljajic talked on Thursday with Turkish Ambassador Mehmet Kemal Bozay about further improvement of the economic cooperation of the two countries, notably in the field of tourism. It is one of the priorities in the Tourism Organisation of Serbia's strategy for foreign markets to attract Turkish tourists, as their number has been steadily increasing and saw a year-on-year rise of 40 percent in 2015, the minister's office quoted him as saying. Ambassador Bozay said that the Turkish government would back this campaign, finance the Turkish-language promotional materials, brochures and publications about Serbia's tourist potentials, which would be then made available to citizens across the country. (ANSAmed). Spain: Pp Podemos dialogue with Sanchez after latest 'no' On Saturday, to form Grand Coalition or 'Leftist government' (ANSAmed) - MADRID, MARCH 3 - Pp and Podemos are ready to initiate dialogue with Socialist secretary Pedro Sanchez after the likely 'no' by Congress, on Friday night, to his candidacy as premier with the objective by the former to reach a Grand Coalition and by the latter a Leftist government. The Congress rejected Sanchez' candidacy during its first reading, after the harsh criticism voiced by outogoing Pp leader Mariano Rajoy and Podemos secretary Pablo Iglesias. A second and last vote with a simple majority will take place tomorrow evening. In an interview with Tele 5 the Pp's general secretariat said that Rajoy will call Sanchez probably on Saturday already to suggest negotiations for a Grand Coalition between the Pp, Socialists and Ciudadanos, an outcome Sanchez has so far always refused. Podemos organisational secretary Sergio Pascual said that the post-indignado party intends to reestablish its dialogue with Psoe "as soon as possible, if feasable already on Saturday'', after Sanchez' definitive rejection in order to reach an agreement to form a Leftist government that could be supported by 161 MEPs out of 350. Yesterday Sanchez approved only by Ciudadanos obtained 130 votes in favour out of 350. If the country will not have a government by May 3, elections will be called for June 26.(ANSAmed). Serbia: Kopaonik Business Forum from March 8 to 10 (ANSAmed) - BELGRADE, 3 MARCH - The Kopaonik Business Forum will take place from March 8 to 10 and bring together a record number of participants - over 800 governmment representatives, foreign and Serbian businessmen, diplomats, economic analysts and experts. In constructive discussions, participants will try to consider and analyse the key reform challenges, it was said at a press conference. Over the course of three days, the forum will encompass 20 panel discussions, three plenary sessions and five special presentations, President of the Serbian Association of Economists Aleksandar Vlahovic told the news conference. The forum will be organised by the Serbian Association of Economists, Association of Corporate Directors, in partnership with MasterCard, under the auspices of PM Aleksandar Vucicch. (ANSAmed) Gas: EU Commission OKs accord between Greece and Tap Antitrust commissioner, no distorsion in market or state aid (ANSAmed) - BRUSSELS, MARCH 3 - The European Commission approved the agreement between Greece and the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (Tap), a project that - explained Margarethe Vestager, EU Antitrust Commissioner "improves the safety of energy provision in the south and east of Europe, in accordance with regulations and with no distorsion of competition or market positions''. The gas pipeline is destined to link Greece and Italy. Today's decision on the new gas pipeline that will reach Italy 'landing' on the shores of Puglia ''opens the door to the development of a multi-billion infrastructure in Greece'' stressed Vestager. "Incentives offered by Greek authorities - added the commissioner - are limited to what is necessary for its realisation and are compatible with EU regulations on State aid''. According to Energy Commissioner Maros Sefcovic, ''an important step ahead was made'' today for the completion of the united market of energy and the realisation of the southern corridor through which gas will reach Europe. "Yesterday - said the commissioner- all parties interested in the project met in Baku and confirmed their willingness to build this infrastructure respecting the timetable already indicated''. The Tap consortium (Trans Adriatic Pipeline), formed by the following companies BP (20%), SOCAR (20%), Snam (20%), Fluxys (19%), Enagas (16%) and Axpo (5%) will invest 5.6 billion Euros in the gaspipeline in the next few years, of which 2.3 billion will be funded by Greece alone. Italian hostages killed in Libya,'used as human shield' Two other abducted Bonatti employees alive, government says (By Denis Greenan). (ANSAmed) - ROME, MARCH 3 - Two Italian hostages, Fausto Piano and Salvatore Failla, workers for an oilfield construction firm abducted in July 2015, were killed in unclear circumstances in Libya Thursday. According to one report, they were killed by government loyalists while being moved by a rival militia. According to another report, they were killed while being used as human shields during a government attack on an ISIS hide-out. It was said to be unsure, however, that they were being held by ISIS, according to the head of the COPASIR parliamentary intelligence oversight committee, Giacomo Stucchi. The fate of two other employees of the Bonatti company was also unclear most of the day until Intelligence Undersecretary Marco Minniti testified to COPASIR that the pair, Filippo Calcagno and Gino Pollicardo, were still alive. Calcagno and Pollicardo were captured along with Failla and Piano near a Mellitah Oil Gas Company facility in western Libya, some 60 kms from Tripoli, last summer. Piano and Failla were likely not killed as a reprisal for Italy's upcoming role, if requested by Libya, in leading an international coalition in the north African country, officials said. The Italian government's priority is now to save Calcagno and Pollicardo, the head of COPASIR, Stucchi, said after Minniti reported to the panel. He said "a rigorous silence must be observed on such a delicate situation". The pair killed "have been recognised using photographic techniques, we hope their bodies will soon be returned to Italy", said Stucchi, who said militias had been trying to regain their positions after last month's US airstrikes in the area. He also said Italian intelligence services were present in in Libya, though not necessarily in the area where the fatal shoot-out took place. A ransom will likely not be demanded, Stucchi added. The two Italians were being held prisoner by ISIS and are said to have been killed on the outskirts of Sabratha while being moved, judicial sources said on Thursday. The convoy they were travelling in came under attack by a militia group and all the passengers were killed, the sources said. The bodies were recovered by the militias, they said. A Libyan witness who is in Tunis after leaving Sabratha, however, told ANSA Thursday that two Italians "were used as human shields" by ISIS jidahists. The witness said that the two were killed "in clashes" with local militias on Wednesday in the south of the city, in the area of Surman. Libyan medical sources had previously said that at least seven people were killed on an attack by local militias on an ISIS hideout in the Sabratha area, while two jihadists, a Syrian and a Tunisian, were captured and three others escaped. Piano, Failla, Pollicardo and Calcagno all worked for the Parma-based oilfield construction and maintenance company Bonatti. They were captured near a facility of the Mellitah Oil Gas Company, a partner of Italian oil-and-gas company ENI oil and gas company. The Italian intelligence services had believed that the abductions were carried out by criminal militias seeking a ransom. (ANSAmed). Turkey: Police fired on in Istanbul, female attackers killed Two women belonged to extreme left Dhkp-c (ANSAmed) - ISTANBUL, MARCH 3 - Turkish police stormed a building in the Bayrampasa district of Istanbul Thursday and killed two women who in the morning opened fire on a busload of police agents in front of a police station. The two dead women attackers were members of the extreme left Dhkp-c (Party-Front for the liberation of revolutionary people), which carried out other attacks in cities on the Bosphorus, the Anadolu Turkish state news agency said, citing police sources. The two women were killed during the blitz by anti-terrrorist police on a nearby building where they had barricaded themselves after the attack. They were identified as Cigdem Yaksi and Berna Yilmaz. Two police officers were slightly wounded. The style and target of the attack immediately made police suspect ultra-left groups who typically carry out isolated small scale attacks on the Turkish security forces. The Dhkp-c claimed an attack last August 10 on the US consulate in Instanbul. Turkish police believe the group also responsible for an attack a few days later at the Dolmabahce palace, a major tourist destination in Istanbul and location of the prime minister's office. The same group also was blamed by police for a rudimentary explosive attack at the start of December near the Bayrampasa metro station in the same area as Thursday's attack. (ANSAmed) - ROME, MARCH 3 - The foreign ministry said Thursday that two of a group of four Italians kidnapped in Libya last year may have been killed in a shooting. "As regards the publication of some images of victims of a shooting in the region of Sabratha in Libya, apparently traceable to westerners, the foreign ministry communicates that those images, with the bodies still unavailable, could be two of the four Italian employees of the Bonatti construction firm kidnapped in July 2015," the ministry said in a statement. It named the possible victims as Fausto Piano and Salvatore Failla. The ministry said it is verifying the situation, while stressing that this was difficult without the bodies, and that it has informed the families. A Libyan witness who is in Tunis after leaving Sabratha told ANSA Thursday that two Italians killed in a shooting "were used as human shields" by ISIS jidahists. The witness said that the two were killed "in clashes" with local militias on Wednesday in the south of the city, in the area of Surman. Libyan medical sources had previously said that at least seven people were killed on an attack by local militias on an ISIS hideout in the Sabratha area, while two jihadists, a Syrian and a Tunisian, were captured and three others escaped. Piano and Failla were taken captive along with Gino Pollicardo and Filippo Calcagno, who also work for Parma-based oilfield construction and maintenance company Bonatti. They were captured in the area of Mellitah, in western Libya some 60km from Tripoli, near to a facility of the Mellitah Oil Gas Company, a partner of Italian oil-and-gas company Eni oil and gas company complex. The Italian intelligence services had believed that the abductions were carried out by criminal militias seeking a ransom. "I spoke to Salvatore Failla this morning, she is a devastated woman who requests that her pain be respected," said Francesco Caroleo Grimaldi, a lawyer representing the Failla family. "There is absolutely no certainty that her husband is one of the dead Italians and for this reason she is going through infinite anxiety". A family member of Pollicardo, a 55-year-old from Monterosso, near La Spezia, said that "we know nothing, apart from what we have managed to glean from the media over the last few hours. We hope for the best". Renato Brunetta, the Lower House whip for Silvio Berlusconi's opposition centre-right Forza Italia (FI) party, and Lia Quartapelle, a lawmaker for Premier Matteo Renzi's Democratic Party (PD), both requested that the government report to parliament shortly on the reports and on the situation in the chaos-hit North African country. ROME - UN Special Envoy for Libya, Martin Kobler warned that the stalemate in Libya is helping Isis gain momentum and launched an ultimatum to the new government's opposition saying "they must approve it by the beginning of next week" or we shall enter into a new phase, while, in the meantime, IS forced its way west over the border and engaged in combat with the Tunisian army. The Italian Defense Ministry denied the establishment of a 'war room' in Rome, revelaed by the commander of Us Special Forces in Africa: "As there is no mission yet, there is no operations coordination centre" the official said. Kobler reported on the situation in Libya at the UN Security Council. "The majority of the Libyan people approve the unity government but we have been unable to convince those opposed to the accord'' he explained. Libya can't be "held hostage by a few minorities in the Tobruk Parliament and the Tripoli Congress'' and if there will be no vote of confidence on the government of national unity "by the beginning of next week" the diplomat will convene the delegations belonging to the Libyan Political Dialogue (Lpa). In essence this means that without the approval of the government of premier designate Fayez Sarraj, the UN is ready to embark on other paths to stabilise the country. The first step should be - said Ban Ki-moon's envoy - sanctioning those who are boycotting the accord. Kobler warned that the humanitarian situation in the country has "increasingly worsened" and that one third of the population is at risk. There are no ''effective'' state institutions and, by exploiting the political void, Isis is expanding ''in every direction from its stronghold in Sirte where "atrocities and beheadings are being perpetrated". This opinion is shared by Italian intelligence persuaded that it will be difficult to contain terrorists in Libya if the country remains unstable. Italy looks to the Libyan scenario with great concern and it is ready to take a leadership role in a possible international intervention for the stabilisation of the country, but "there is no war room" in Rome said undersecretary of Defense Domenico Rossi denying a report in the Wall Street Journal quoting General Donald Bolduc, US Commander of Special Forces in Africa. Military sources at the Operative Joint-Force Command (Coi) in Centocelle, (Rome) - where all missions abroad are ''usually'' directed say there is no operative planning and coordination centre. It is still ''premature'' to speak about putting forces on the ground. A request still needs to come through from Libyan authorities which may limit 'the scope' of an 'excessively visible' military intervention. The Italian government will report on the situation in Libya at the Senate on Wednesday, March 9. Migrants: railway on the Macedonia-Greece border blocked Over 10 thousand people blocked in Idomeni. Rising tension (ANSAmed) - SKOPJE, MARCH 3 - A group of refugees and migrants stranded for days in Idomeni, in Greek territory on the border with Macedonia, blocked the rails of the line connecting the two countries and asked the authorites to allow them access to Macedonia to continue their journey through the Balkan route. There are over 10 thousand migrants at the border, a border Macedonia has opened intermettently letting just a few hundreds people pass each day, many - they say in Skopje - as many as nearby Serbia allows. Tensions are rising and the humanitarian situation is worsening day by day. Greek Police sources quoted by the media report that other four thousand migrants are amassed in the reception centres of Nea Kavala, Hersa and Kilkisa. A ship carrying almost 600 people on board arrived at the Pyreus in the last few hours where a ferry carrying other 500 refugees is also expected to arrive. Greek Premier Alexis Tsipras will talk about the migrant crisis with the head of the European cabinet Donald Tusk who will stopover in Athens today during his tour of the Balkan route. Tusk already visited Vienna, Ljubljana, Zagreb and Skopje and he will conclude his trip in Ankara.(ANSAmed). Migrants: Tusk calls on irregular migrants not to come to EU Don't listen to traffickers, no country is country of transit (ANSAmed) - BRUSSELS, MARCH 3 - "This is an appeal to potentially illegal economic migrants: don't come to Europe. Don't listen to traffickers. No European country will be a transit country''. So tweeted the president of the European Council, Donald Tusk, shortly after his meeting with the Greek prime minister, Alexis Tsipras, in Athens. In another message Tusk wrote: "The EU will not leave Greece alone. I welcome the European Assistance Instrument for Emergency worth 700 million euros (announced by the Commission yesterday) to confront the humanitarian crisis also in Greece''. Tusk's visit to Athens is the second in 16 days as the president of the European council noted after his meeting with Tsipras. The Polish European leader already visited Vienna, Ljubljana, Zagreb and Skopje and after Greece he will travel to Istanbul, Ankara and Belgrade, to complete his tour of the countries on the Balkanic route. "We must build European consensus based on our decisions and common rules. We must avoid divisions because they do not bring us closer to a solution and they only erode trust" he said in his address after his meeting with Tsipras, adding that "respecting Schengen rules will not solve the migrant crisis but without them there is no chance to solve it''. Tusk went back to his appeal on Twitter. He reiterated his call ''not to come to Europe'' and added: "Don't put your lives and money in peril: that means risking it all to have nothing in return. Greece like every other European state will no longer be a transit country. Schengen rules must be reapplied''. Announcing his trip to Turkey, Tusk stressed that "the joint action plan remains a priority'' and that ''we must do everything we can in order for it to be successful''. "This - he specified - will mean that, ultimately, the high numbers we are seeing will have to decrease and rapidly. In practical terms this means that we must increase the return rate of irregular migrants who arrive to Greece from Turkey''. (ANSAmed). Migrants:Tsipras wants sanctions on states breaking Treaties Greek Premier asks immediate halt to "unilateral actions" (ANSAmed) - BRUSSELS, MARCH 3 - Alexis Tsipras asked the EU Thursday to impose "sanctions" on member states whose "unilateral actions" over the last two weeks "have actually weakened" the management of migrant flows. The Greek premier made the remarks to reporters after meeting European Council President Donald Tusk. Without citing specifically Austria and eatern european countries, he underlined however that such unilateral decisions "add to the heavy and even provocative refusal by many countries to take part in the migration process". Greece "already has taken on a disproportionate burden" in the refugee crisis, said Tsipras, outlining his position ahead of the extraordinary European Council to be held next Monday. "Our culture obliges us to give protection and to carry out violence against the migrants. But unfortunately it has emerged that the culture of others in the Union is different". After pledging that Greece "will do everything possible not to leave anyone without assistance," the Greek leader added that "we expect the EU to recognise explicitly that Greece has been left alone to carry all the burden". "A founding principle of the EU cited specifically in the Treaty of Lisbon is solidarity between members. That means equal distribution of responsibilities and duties. Greece therefore will ask that all member states respect the Treaty and that there be sanctions for those who do not do so". "We won't allow Greece or any other country to be transformed into a deposit of souls," Tsipras continued, who said his country "unlike others repects the Geneva Convention" and therefore "we never will send people back into the sea". The Greek premier also again asked for financial support for the creation of "temporary infrastructure" of reception that Greece "already is making, going well belong the commitments made" and recalled that "now every individual migrant is regostered in the hotspots". Not at all. It just seems like a lot of back-and-forth talk. Yes. I'm growing very worried over what might happen. If it keeps up, I might be a little more concerned. I think there are much larger things to concern us as a country. It's hard to tell; I can't take the leader of either country seriously. Vote View Results BarcelonaDuring an oversight session in parliament last Wednesday, Catalan president Carles Puigdemont insisted that the investiture debate being held in Madrids Congress means the definitive end of any possibility of a third way that might allow Catalonia to find a fit within Spain. "We'll keep moving forward, and if anybody has anything to say to us, they'll let us know", noted Puigdemont in response to Jordi Turull, President of the pro-independence Junts pel Si parliamentary group, in reference to the mandate arising from the 27-S elections. The president and former mayor of Girona city believes that the possibility of Pedro Sanchez becoming the new Spanish president is a figment", and finds his government program "disappointing". "It's vague and insufficient with regards to the proposals from our Parliament", said Puidgemont. Referendum Puigdemont assured that he will sit down to negotiate, should a new Spanish government be willing to discuss a referendum on independence in Catalonia. This was his answer to Lluis Rabell, leader of Catalunya Si que Es Pot (CSQEP), who asked of him a more "proactive" attitude towards Madrid so as to facilitate an option for change that would address the relationship between Catalonia and Spain. "It is a tradition of Catalanism: we always sit down to listen. We always do, if we can find points of agreement. If the Spanish government proposes a referendum, we will always sit down to negotiate. And right now only Podemos is arguing for this option", noted the president of the Generalitat. Foreign Affairs Yesterday the Catalan government decided to change the name of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Institutional Relations, and Transparency, which will from now on be called Institutional and Foreign Affairs and Relations, and Transparency. Puigdemont signed a presidential decree to ratify the responsibilities that were suspended by Spains Constitutional Court (TC), and minister Raul Romeva noted that the government has the "legal" obligation to undertake foreign action to the extent that it is a part of the executive plan approved by Parliament. Puigdemont, in response to Ciudadanos leader Ines Arrimadas, simply said that the government will follow through with the roadmap approved by the Catalan Parliament. Debt and the CUP CUP representative Joan Garriga asked the president about the maturities of the Generalitat debt in the hands of banks, and for which it is paying default interest. Puigdemont, as he did on February 2nd after meeting with the CUP in the Palau, announced the creation of a work group on debt. 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(1) Sep 04 (1) Sep 03 (1) Sep 02 (1) Sep 01 (1) Aug 31 (1) Aug 30 (1) Aug 29 (1) Aug 28 (1) Aug 27 (1) Aug 26 (1) Aug 25 (2) Aug 24 (1) Aug 23 (1) Aug 22 (2) Aug 21 (2) Aug 20 (2) Aug 19 (1) Aug 18 (2) Aug 17 (1) Aug 16 (1) Aug 15 (2) Aug 14 (2) Aug 13 (2) Aug 12 (1) Aug 11 (3) Aug 10 (2) Aug 09 (1) Aug 08 (1) Aug 07 (1) Aug 06 (1) Aug 05 (2) Aug 04 (2) Aug 03 (1) Aug 02 (1) Aug 01 (1) Jul 31 (1) Jul 30 (3) Jul 29 (1) Jul 28 (1) Jul 27 (2) Jul 26 (2) Jul 25 (1) Jul 24 (1) Jul 23 (1) Jul 22 (2) Jul 21 (1) Jul 20 (2) Jul 19 (1) Jul 18 (1) Jul 16 (2) Jul 15 (1) Jul 14 (2) Jul 13 (1) Jul 12 (2) Jul 11 (1) Jul 10 (1) Jul 09 (1) Jul 08 (1) Jul 07 (2) Jul 06 (1) Jul 05 (1) Jul 04 (2) Jul 03 (2) Jul 02 (1) Jul 01 (1) Jun 30 (2) Jun 29 (2) Jun 28 (1) Jun 27 (1) Jun 26 (2) Jun 25 (1) Jun 24 (1) Jun 23 (2) Jun 22 (1) Jun 21 (2) Jun 20 (1) Jun 19 (1) Jun 18 (2) Jun 17 (1) Jun 16 (2) Jun 15 (2) Jun 14 (1) Jun 13 (2) Jun 12 (2) Jun 11 (1) Jun 10 (1) Jun 09 (2) Jun 08 (1) Jun 07 (2) Jun 05 (2) Jun 04 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(1) Aug 04 (4) Aug 01 (1) Jul 31 (2) Jul 28 (1) Jul 27 (1) Jul 26 (1) Jul 25 (2) Jul 23 (1) Jul 22 (1) Jul 21 (2) Jul 20 (1) Jul 18 (2) Jul 17 (2) Jul 16 (1) Jul 15 (1) Jul 14 (2) Jul 13 (3) Jul 12 (2) Jul 10 (1) Jul 09 (1) Jul 08 (2) Jul 07 (2) Jul 06 (3) Jul 05 (1) Jul 04 (2) Jul 03 (3) Jul 02 (4) Jul 01 (2) Jun 30 (3) Jun 26 (1) Jun 23 (1) Jun 22 (1) Jun 20 (1) Jun 17 (4) Jun 15 (1) Jun 13 (1) Jun 10 (4) Jun 09 (2) Jun 08 (1) Jun 06 (1) Jun 03 (2) Jun 02 (1) May 30 (1) May 27 (6) May 23 (1) May 20 (2) May 19 (1) May 16 (1) May 13 (2) May 12 (2) May 09 (1) May 05 (3) May 01 (1) Apr 28 (1) Apr 25 (1) Apr 21 (2) Apr 17 (1) Apr 15 (2) Apr 13 (1) Apr 11 (1) Apr 08 (2) Apr 07 (2) Apr 03 (1) Apr 01 (1) Mar 28 (1) Mar 25 (1) Mar 24 (2) Mar 21 (1) Mar 19 (3) Mar 14 (1) Mar 08 (2) Mar 06 (1) Mar 04 (2) Mar 03 (3) Feb 27 (1) Feb 25 (1) Feb 22 (1) Feb 19 (2) Feb 18 (1) Feb 12 (2) Feb 11 (1) Feb 08 (1) Feb 05 (1) Feb 04 (1) Feb 01 (1) Jan 31 (1) Jan 28 (1) Jan 25 (1) Jan 22 (3) Jan 19 (1) Jan 15 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(2) Jul 10 (3) Jul 08 (4) Jul 07 (2) Jul 06 (3) Jul 05 (1) Jul 04 (4) Jul 03 (3) Jul 02 (1) Jul 01 (1) Jun 29 (1) Jun 28 (1) Jun 27 (1) Jun 26 (1) Jun 24 (1) Jun 23 (2) Jun 22 (1) Jun 21 (3) Jun 20 (1) Jun 19 (4) Jun 18 (1) Jun 17 (2) Jun 16 (2) Jun 15 (2) Jun 14 (1) Jun 13 (3) Jun 12 (1) Jun 11 (1) Jun 07 (1) Jun 05 (1) Jun 03 (1) Jun 02 (1) Jun 01 (4) May 30 (2) May 29 (3) May 26 (1) May 24 (1) May 22 (3) May 21 (2) May 20 (2) May 19 (1) May 18 (1) May 17 (2) May 05 (1) May 04 (4) May 03 (1) May 02 (4) May 01 (4) Apr 30 (2) Apr 29 (2) Apr 28 (3) Apr 26 (1) Apr 25 (3) Apr 24 (2) Apr 23 (2) Apr 22 (2) Apr 21 (4) Apr 20 (5) Apr 19 (1) Apr 18 (1) Apr 17 (1) Apr 13 (3) Apr 12 (1) Apr 10 (3) Apr 09 (2) Apr 08 (2) Apr 05 (2) Apr 04 (1) Apr 03 (2) Apr 02 (2) Mar 30 (1) Mar 29 (1) Mar 27 (1) Mar 26 (1) Mar 25 (1) Mar 24 (1) Mar 23 (1) Mar 20 (4) Mar 19 (1) Mar 18 (2) Mar 17 (1) Mar 15 (1) Mar 14 (1) Mar 13 (2) Mar 12 (1) Mar 11 (2) Mar 10 (1) Mar 09 (1) Mar 08 (1) Mar 07 (1) Mar 06 (2) Mar 05 (3) Mar 04 (1) Mar 03 (1) Mar 01 (1) Feb 28 (3) Feb 27 (1) Feb 26 (2) Feb 25 (4) Feb 24 (1) Feb 23 (3) Feb 22 (2) Feb 21 (1) Feb 20 (1) Feb 19 (2) Feb 18 (3) Feb 17 (3) Feb 16 (1) Feb 15 (3) Feb 14 (2) Feb 13 (3) Feb 12 (3) Feb 11 (2) Feb 10 (3) Feb 09 (1) Feb 08 (3) Feb 07 (4) Feb 06 (2) Feb 05 (1) Feb 04 (2) Feb 03 (2) Feb 02 (1) Feb 01 (2) Jan 31 (2) Jan 30 (3) Jan 29 (2) Jan 28 (1) Jan 27 (3) Jan 26 (1) Jan 24 (1) Jan 23 (3) Jan 22 (4) Jan 21 (4) Jan 20 (5) Jan 19 (3) Jan 18 (4) Jan 17 (4) Jan 16 (5) Jan 15 (5) Jan 14 (3) Jan 13 (5) Jan 12 (3) Jan 11 (4) Jan 10 (2) Jan 09 (3) Jan 08 (2) Jan 07 (3) Jan 06 (2) Jan 05 (3) Jan 04 (4) Jan 03 (4) Jan 02 (4) Jan 01 (3) Dec 31 (3) Dec 30 (4) Dec 29 (4) Dec 28 (4) Dec 27 (2) Dec 26 (4) Dec 25 (3) Dec 24 (4) Dec 23 (2) Dec 22 (2) Dec 21 (3) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (4) Dec 18 (3) Dec 17 (3) Dec 16 (3) Dec 15 (4) Dec 14 (2) Dec 13 (4) Dec 12 (4) Dec 11 (3) Dec 10 (4) Dec 09 (2) Dec 08 (4) Dec 07 (4) Dec 06 (3) Dec 05 (3) Dec 04 (2) Dec 03 (4) Dec 02 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(1) Aug 25 (1) Aug 24 (3) Aug 23 (2) Aug 22 (2) Aug 21 (1) Aug 20 (2) Aug 19 (1) Aug 18 (1) Aug 17 (2) Aug 16 (2) Aug 15 (2) Aug 14 (1) Aug 11 (1) Aug 10 (2) Aug 09 (1) Aug 08 (1) Aug 07 (2) Aug 06 (2) Aug 05 (2) Aug 04 (1) Aug 03 (1) Aug 02 (1) Aug 01 (2) Jul 31 (1) Jul 30 (1) Jul 29 (1) Jul 27 (2) Jul 26 (1) Jul 25 (1) Jul 24 (2) Jul 23 (1) Jul 22 (1) Jul 21 (2) Jul 20 (1) Jul 19 (1) Jul 18 (1) Jul 17 (1) Jul 16 (2) Jul 15 (2) Jul 14 (1) Jul 13 (1) Jul 12 (2) Jul 11 (2) Jul 10 (2) Jul 09 (2) Jul 08 (2) Jul 07 (2) Jul 06 (2) Jul 05 (1) Jul 04 (1) Jul 03 (1) Jul 02 (2) Jul 01 (3) Jun 29 (4) Jun 28 (3) Jun 27 (2) Jun 26 (2) Jun 25 (1) Jun 24 (2) Jun 23 (2) Jun 22 (1) Jun 21 (2) Jun 20 (1) Jun 19 (3) Jun 18 (3) Jun 17 (2) Jun 16 (2) Jun 15 (2) Jun 14 (2) Jun 13 (2) Jun 12 (3) Jun 11 (2) Jun 10 (1) Jun 09 (2) Jun 08 (2) Jun 07 (1) Jun 06 (2) Jun 05 (2) Jun 04 (1) Jun 03 (1) Jun 02 (2) Jun 01 (1) May 31 (4) May 30 (2) May 29 (4) May 28 (1) May 26 (2) May 25 (1) May 24 (2) May 23 (1) May 22 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(1) Jun 13 (3) Jun 12 (2) Jun 11 (5) Jun 10 (2) Jun 09 (3) Jun 08 (3) Jun 07 (1) Jun 06 (3) Jun 05 (2) Jun 04 (1) Jun 03 (2) Jun 02 (3) Jun 01 (1) May 31 (5) May 30 (3) May 29 (2) May 28 (1) May 27 (1) May 26 (2) May 25 (2) May 24 (3) May 23 (1) May 22 (3) May 21 (1) May 20 (5) May 19 (1) May 18 (1) May 17 (2) May 16 (4) May 15 (4) May 14 (5) May 13 (4) May 12 (2) May 11 (3) May 10 (4) May 09 (3) May 08 (2) May 07 (1) May 06 (3) May 05 (4) May 04 (2) May 03 (2) May 02 (2) May 01 (2) Apr 30 (2) Apr 29 (4) Apr 28 (4) Apr 27 (2) Apr 26 (5) Apr 25 (4) Apr 24 (4) Apr 23 (1) Apr 22 (3) Apr 21 (2) Apr 20 (2) Apr 19 (2) Apr 18 (3) Apr 17 (2) Apr 16 (2) Apr 15 (1) Apr 14 (1) Apr 06 (2) Apr 05 (3) Apr 04 (4) Apr 03 (1) Apr 02 (1) Apr 01 (1) Mar 31 (4) Mar 30 (1) Le CBD, cette molecule active du cannabis a aujourdhui le vent en poupe. Et cela est en grande partie du au fait quil permet... Amazon I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. WASPs were pioneers for female pilots of today, tomorrow Before there could be a first female Thunderbird pilot or women flying combat missions into Iraq and Afghanistan, there were the pioneers: the Womens Airforce Service Pilots of World War II. In September 1942, nine months after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Army Air Forces commander Gen. Henry H. Hap Arnold stood up the Womens Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron, or WAFS, and the Womens Flying Training Detachment, or WFTD. According to the Air Force Historical Support Division, both units merged July 5, 1943, into a single unit for all women pilots who were rapidly extending their qualifications to every type of aircraft in service. The new unified group called itself the Womens Airforce Service Pilots, or WASP, with its pilots known as WASPs. Training The women paid their own way to travel to basic training at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas. More than 25,000 women applied, even some from Canada, England and Brazil, said Bernice Bee Falk Haydu, a WASP pilot from Montclair, New Jersey. But only 1,830 U.S. women were accepted into the program. Of those, 1,074 earned their wings. To qualify, applicants had to be at least 5 feet, 4 inches tall, pass Army physicals and have a pilots license, Haydu said. Women also had to have at least a high school diploma and be age 18 to 35. Most of the women were college graduates, but the toughest part of the training was you started out in a basic aircraft and then youd go to a medium and then an advanced, Haydu said. When she joined the WASP program in 1944, she said training was being accelerated. They wanted to experiment with the women to see if they could eliminate one of the phases of training, so we went from the Stearman, which is an open cockpit biplane, in primary (training), and after about 60 to 70 hours of that, we went directly into the advanced, which was the AT-6 (Texan) -- thats 650 horsepower comparted to 220 horsepower, she said. It was successful. Most of the washouts were in primary training. The men adopted the same training. During training, women had to pay for their dress uniforms and their room and board but were issued mens coveralls that they nicknamed zoot suits, Haydu said. There were six women per bay in the barracks, with one latrine, one sink, one shower, and one toilet. If the winds kicked up, the women would lie on the bottom wings of the airplanes to help keep them down, she said, because they needed more weight to keep the airplanes on the ground. Missions After graduating, the women would go to either Ferrying Command or Training Command. Lucile Doll Wise was a pilot at Ferrying Command, and she said she ferried aircraft from factories to air bases and points of embarkation. There was an alarming shortage of pilots at the beginning of the war, Wise said, and we delivered more than 12,000 aircraft in the two years we operated. We also performed many other domestic flying duties. I loved every minute of it, she added, but it was not easy. It was hard work, and I came back from trips pretty tired. Haydu served as an engineering test pilot and a utility pilot in the Training Command, where the womens missions ranged from towing aerial targets for the infantry, flying tracking missions, smoke-laying, searchlight strafing and simulated bombing, and testing radio-controlled aircraft. The women were also flight instructors, engineering test pilots and utility pilots and performed all stateside flying duties. If an engine needed to be flown a certain manner for a certain number hours before it went into regular service, I would do that, she said. I also would fly personnel to wherever they had to go. Haydu said she was disappointed when the WASPs were disbanded on Dec. 20, 1944, just 11 days before she was to begin training to fly the B-25 Mitchell bomber. The last class graduated Dec. 7, 1944. Arnold told the last crop of pilots, We of the (Army Air Forces) are proud of you; we will never forget our debt to you. According to the Air Force Historical Support Division, the WASPs ferried more than 50 percent of the combat aircraft within the United States during the war years and flew at 126 bases across the country. Thirty-eight of these women died in their service: 11 in training and 27 during missions. Doing everything the men did We flew every aircraft manufactured for World War II, and one of the WASPs was sent to Dayton, Ohio, where they did testing and actually flew a prototype jet, so we just did everything the men did, Haydu said. For example, Betty Tackaberry Blake, who flew tourists in Hawaii in an open cockpit biplane before World War II, was in the first class of the WFTD. Later, while in the service of the WASPs, she flew all of the fighter aircraft in the U.S. inventory and also the B-25 Mitchell, B-26 Marauder and B-17 Flying Fortress bombers and C-47 Skytrain cargo aircraft, as well as all of the trainers. She also flew four-engine aircraft. After the WASPs were disbanded, she became a Link Trainer instructor, where she taught instrument flying on the ground. The first WASP to be killed in action was Cornelia Fort, 24, of Nashville, Tennessee, who died in a mid-air collision in Texas. In an interview before her death, she said she became a WASP because of her commitment to serving her country and because she was in the attack on Pearl Harbor as a civilian pilot. Her Interstate Cadet was riddled with bullets, though the Japanese invaders missed the gas tank. She said she lost friends that day. Delivering a trainer to Texas may be as important as delivering a bomber to Africa if you take the long view, Fort said. We are beginning to prove that women can be trusted to deliver airplanes safely and in the doing, serve our country, which is our country too. She said she realized the importance of their mission because of an event at her graduation. While we were standing at attention, a bomber took off, followed by four fighters. We knew that bomber was headed across the ocean and that the fighters were going to escort it part way. As they circled over us, I could hardly see them for the tears in my eyes, Fort said. It was striking symbolism, and I think all of us felt it. As long as our planes fly overhead, the skies of America are free and thats what all of us everywhere are fighting for, she continued. And that we, in a very small way, are being allowed to help keep that sky free is the most beautiful thing I have ever known. Im profoundly grateful that my one talent, flying, happens to be of use to my country. The fight for recognition The women were initially paid as civil service employees, with the promise that they may be able to join the Army Air Forces afterward. Arnold told the WASPs, We have not been able to build an airplane that you cant handle. It is on the record that women can fly as well as men. He planned to commission the women pilots as second lieutenants within the Army Air Forces, but political opposition meant the plan never came to fruition. As a result, the WASPs were left without the benefits to which veterans status would have entitled them, and the families of the girls who had been killed in the performance of their duties were denied the gratuities which they would have received as beneficiaries of military personnel. For 35 years, the women werent allowed to call themselves veterans and their records were classified and sealed from the public. They fought Congress and pushed for publicity. Haydu said they didnt care as much about the benefits as much as for the chance to serve and to be recognized as veterans. When the first women began to enter the service academies in 1976 and to fly military aircraft, contemporary media reports indicated that it was the first time women could fly for the U.S. military. Haydu was president of the WASP veterans organization at the time, and members lobbied and spoke to the media until their service was finally recognized by Congress. The legislation became the only piece of legislation in history to be co-sponsored by every woman member in Congress, she said. One of the long overdue items included in the WASP bill was for the women telephone operators of World War I to be recognized as war veterans. They had never been given this status, in spite of the fact they were stationed in the front line trenches side-by-side with the fighting soldiers. Victory at last What sealed the deal, Haydu said, was the WASPs in their Santiago blue uniforms descending on Washington after sending letters and telegrams, making telephone calls and pushing publicity in their home towns. President Jimmy Carter signed Public Law 95-202, Title IV, on Nov. 23, 1977, which granted former WASPs veteran status with limited benefits. The Air Force graduated its first female pilots that same year. In 1984, the WASPs received World War II Victory Medals and, for those who had served more than one year, American Theater Ribbon/ American Campaign Medals. On March 10, 2010, the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian award bestowed by Congress, was presented to the WASPs. Haydu said she was tremendously proud and happy the WASPs finally received their recognition. Female pilots of the future Haydu said she enjoys sharing her stories with Air Force service members and at Boys and Girls Clubs, and said that during her speeches, her goal is to stress equality. Its not what sex you are, she said. Its what you can do, and if you can be successful at something that should be all that should matter. You should pursue whatever it is you want, and you should not allow people to say, Oh, you cant do that. Just do the best you can and I hope you can make it. Both Wise and Haydu said they are impressed by the female airmen of today. Im so impressed by what women pilots are doing today, flying combat missions, Wise said. The military is not for everyone but it offers a great opportunity to young women. I admire the women who fly today, Haydu said. The navigation has changed so much. There have been huge improvements. All-women crews are just fantastic. They do every job, from the loadmaster to the navigator to the pilot, to every job that there is to be done in the aircraft. It just proves that an airplane knows no sex. It doesnt know whether a man or a woman is flying it. Best Travel Products and Services Would you like to submit an article in the Travel category or any of the sub-category below? Click here to submit your article. Would you like to have your product or service listed on this page? Contact us. What a disappointment! The debut installation at the Met Breuer, unveiled to the press on Tuesday (and to the general public on Mar. 18), fell short of the expectations raised by the Metropolitan Museum itself. I had looked forward to seeing how the museums formidably erudite curators would rise to the challenge of creatively reimagining their roles by presenting art in fresh, provocative new contexts. Instead, what could have been an exhilarating exploration turned out to be a dispiriting letdown. All photos by Lee Rosenbaum: Red awning, in lieu of red carpet, at the entrance to the Met Breuer Unfinished: Thoughts Left Visible is a labored, often unconvincing exercise in parsing the various permutations of finish, as that word applies to the visual artsunfinished, non finito (seemingly unfinished, but not really), finish (i.e., a high degree of finish), never finished (because the work is expected to change over time) and even infinite (i.e., boundless). While sometimes providing new insights into the works on display, based on their degree of finish or lack thereof, the curators too often are reduced to confessing on their labels that the work was left incomplete for unknown reasons; we do not know why it remains in this [unfinished] state; we cannot tell why he never finished this oval portrait. If youre someone who meditates on exhibition labels, unknown becomes an unwelcome mantra. To succeed, this show needed more than high concept; it needed deeper thought. Too frequently, it strains to co-opt works whose purported unfinishedness is either unconvincing or irrelevant. The art is conscripted into serving a theory, instead of the other way around. For example, is this Jackson Pollock unfinished because its allover composition goes beyond the literal dimensions of the canvas, in the words of artist Allan Kaprow (as quoted on the paintings label)? Jackson Pollock, Number 28, 1950, 1950, Metropolitan Museum Is thisred chalk study for the Sistine Chapel ceiling unfinished because its head and torso, and various other body parts are in varying stages of completion? Isnt a study expected to be sketch-like, by its very nature? Michelangelo Buonarroti, Studies for the Libyan Sibyl (recto), c. 1510-11, Metropolitan Museum Does anyone gazing ats sensitive portrait of his longtime companion, Hendrickje Stoffels, fret about its being unfinished, because it includes some rough passages of loosely applied paint? Rembrandt, Hendrickje Stoffels, mid-1650s, Metropolitan Museum Are contemporary works, like thisinstallation of beach sand and mirrors, unfinished, because the artist expects them to change over time? Robert Smithson, Mirrors and Shelly Sand, 1969-70, Dallas Museum The shows biggest disappointment stems not from the inadequacy of its awkward construct but from its failure to fulfill this description by Tom Campbell, the Mets director: Stretching across history and geography, the exhibition is the result of a cross-departmental collaboration, drawing on the expertise of the Mets outstanding faculty of curators. Not exactly stretching across history and geography, this show consists of some 190 works of American and European art (about 40 percent from the Mets own collection), ranging across history only from the Renaissance to the present. For the Mets inaugural outing on Madison Avenue, I had hoped for wider cross-cultural comparisons, taking advantage of the full range of the museums outstanding faculty of curators by drawing upon holdings from the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Latin America, and encompassing periods from the ancient world to the 21st century. As if to compensate somewhat for turning its back on the rest of the world in its main exhibition, the Met Breuer also features an outsized monographic show devoted to an understated artistNasreen Mohamedi (1937-1990), a female minimalist from India. Little known in the U.S., but admired by several critics and curators who are familiar with her work (including Sheena Wagstaff, the Mets chairman of modern and contemporary art, who co-curated this retrospective), the conceptual complexity and visual subtlety of Mohamedis pencil and ink drawings of delicate hard-edged lines would have been seen to better advantage in more intimate surroundings, with a more selective sampling. The current 130-work display, occupying an entire floor of the former Whitney, is overkill. Nasreen Mohamedi, Untitled, c. 1975, Sikander and Hydari Collection What might the Met have done instead? What we want most from the Met, wrote New York Times art critic Holland Cotter in 2011, contemplating plans for the Met Breuer, is what only the Met can give: thousands of years of world culture brought to life in small polycultural exhibitions shaped by skilled curators. Given the fact that the Met Breuer is being overseen by Wagstaff, its shows are likely to be weighted heavily towards contemporary art, especially when contemporary galleries in the Mets flagship building are closed for a complete do-over by architect David Chipperfield. Indeed, the plans for future Met Breuer shows are contemporary-centric. Id particularly like to see installations of monumental contemporary sculptures that the Met owns but can rarely display. The good news is that the Met, with the help of Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners, has lavished money and care on the respectful restoration of Marcel Breuers 1966 Brutalist art fortress. Energy-saving LED bulbs have been installed in the distinctive ceiling fixtures, the concrete walls have been cleaned and the bluestone floors have been polished. The Met Breuers lobby If the Whitney, happily ensconced in its spacious new-designed downtown digs, decides to reclaim its former flagship building when the Mets eight-year lease expires, it will find the place in better shape than when it left. Michael Butterworths new book, The Blue Monday Diaries: In the Studio with New Order recently published in the U.K., and just out in the U.S. tells how he began hanging out with New Order at the London recording studio Britannia Row while the band was making its album Power, Corruption & Lies and the single Blue Monday, which became a dance-club sensation. But Butterwoths tale really begins in Manchester, where he and his writing partner David Britton founded Savoy Books and where they fought a decades-long battle against censorship by authorities who were yes powerful, corrupt, and liars to the marrow of their bones. For over twenty years, a virtual state of war existed between the Manchester police and us, colouring everything we did, Butterworth writes. Trouble began with the rise to power of James Anderton, Gods Cop, who took over the Chief Constable of greater Manchester Police Force slot in 1976, just after we had started publishing. The Chief arrived with a mission. He claimed to have been visited by God, who told him personally to clean up the city. (In his campaign, Margaret Thatcher supported him.) The appeal of our shops to youth and the outre meant that we quickly became his prime targets Between 1976 and 1999, the Greater Manchester Police raided us about a hundred times. Butterworth and Britton had founded Savoy above a locksmith shop and branched out with a small chain of bookshops that helped finance their publishing operation. The cops were looking to confiscate hardcore porn. But their raids on Savoys shops and other retailers, including news agents and a major department store, were ridiculous (not to mention destructive). The laugh was that there was nothing really to clean up,' Butterworth recalls. Hardcore porn was not being sold at any of those shops. Nor did we sell it. It would get you jailed. We just wanted to publish books. But that didnt matter to the authorities. Police officers men and women helped themselves to our stock, making off with adult magazines, underground comics, horror magazines, occult literature, drug manuals, gay contact magazines, biker mags, books on body piercing, tattoo magazines. Once I can remember seeing a policeman climb into the shop window at Bookchain to seize a display copy of a Conan book. With its Frank Frazetta cover art, depicting a muscular bronzed barbarian wearing a Viking helmet, they believed it to be gay porn. Sometimes, the police just stripped the shops entire contents. Unwilling to back down, Butterworth and Britton and the artists they published raised the ante. Our Meng & Ecker comics lampooned the police overtly, while the Lord Horror miniseries made more subtle attacks on them. We undoubtedly stoked the conflict, Butterworth writes, to keep going as serious publishers. They felt they had to draw the attention of the national media, because under the rule of Gods Cop a culture of collusion existed between the citys judiciary and the police that would otherwise have carried on unnoticed. The increased hostilities and the pressure of the raids resulted in the forced liquidation of Savoy Books, in 1982, and a jail term for Britton, who was sentenced to twenty-eight days in Strangeway Prison. This was the first of two jail terms. In 1993 David served another four months for writing Lord Horror, published in 1989. The book was the first novel to be banned in Britain since Hubert Selby Jrs Last Exit to Brooklyn in 1967. His imprisonment became a cause celebre, and resulted in our one win over the police. In the full glare of the national media the ban was overturned in the Crown Court. [Yet] the police raided us again, the very next day. Butterworth writes that they retreated but were still undeterred. They opened a new bookshop and a rehearsal space for Manchester rock bands hidden away from public view. This allowed them to keep going by packaging music and comedy books for other publishers, often assembled by the two of them under pseudonyms. New Order felt a kinship with Butterworth, and he kept a diary about his experience of their recording sessions. It was our brand of defiant art for arts sake publishing in the face of police harassment that impressed New Order and it was thanks to Savoys evident concern for artists, he notes, that they allowed me to write about them. The most important and subversive novels that Savoy has published, along with Lord Horror, are undoubtedly its two sequels Motherfuckers: The Auschwitz of Oz and Baptised in the Blood of Millions. Motherfuckers principals are Meng and Ecker, twins who had been subject to scientific experiments by Josef Mengele. After the war they find themselves in northern England, waiting for Lord Horror the way others wait for Godot. Ecker is rational but violent, Meng is a mutant whose huge cock and tits are nothing compared to the mutations of his mind. Not Holocaust survivors in any sense youve ever seen before, Meng and Ecker have adopted the ways of their captors the bloodlusts and hates. However, there is nothing paramilitary about them. Theyre not neo-Nazis or skinheads. Theyre more like the ultraviolent droogs of A Clockwork Orange, though it is quite possible that the droogs would not feel any affinity in return. Meng and Ecker are even further out in some post-war delirium. Auschwitz, meet Oz. Keith Seward explains in Horror Panegyric, an exegesis (with excerpts) of the novels which Butterworth cites in his memoir as the best account of the predicament he and Britton had faced that the novels succeed by applying to literature the Boschian method. They satirize via hyperbole and excess. (See Not the Yellow Brick Road .) Heres a recent interview of Butterworth looking back at it all, beginning with avant-garde literary magazines like New Worlds and Ambit, and his relationship with J.G.Ballard, in connection with a museum installation of his work: Postscript: After this blogpost went up, Butterworth messaged that Savoys decision to produce music owed an enormous debt to the example of Open Head, a subversive print-based publisher in London at the time. In the book, he described what happened. As well as my experience of being in a studio at Brit Row, other influences played their part in David and I taking the joint decision to become music producers. One of the biggest was a series of demo tapes and vinyl discs that had been arriving on our desk from the London-based Open Head press since around 1977. Run by the anarchist poet-playwright Heathcote Williams and Oz/IT designer Richard Adams, Open Head was a print-based publisher yet they were producing music. Such departures by our peers into a new medium had an incendiary effect on us. The arrival on our desks of their record Sid Did It (1979) a Sex Pistols pastiche released under the moniker of Nazis Against Fascism, with vocals by Ben Brierley and spoken contributions by Marianne Faithfull and a sexually explicit Why DYa Do It? penned by Williams for Faithfulls 1979 album, Broken English, acted like our Lesser Free Trade Hall moment when the Sex Pistols performed in the block next door to Bookchain, inspiring Bernard and Hooky and a generation of young Manchester musicians. If Heathcote and Richard could do this, then so could we. Williams audaciously clever fictions were both magical and dangerous some of Open Heads productions were regarded as seditious and we published them as often as we could. The publications I gave to Ian Curtis to read nearly all contained contributions from Williams, such pieces as The Abdication of QE II, an obscene, black-humoured, anti-monarchical fantasy depicting the abdication of the Queen; Natty Hallelujah about a Rastafarian blissed out on joints and cosmic orgasms; Security Leak From the Future: Or Things Liberation, concerning the revolutionary uses of Kirlian photography; plus the song lyrics and poems penned for Faithfull. Open Heads treasonous postcard of Prince Charles fondling the breasts of a smiling naked Princess Diana sold in its thousands throughout the country. Of course we also sold it in our bookshops. A copy ended up in the Haciendas first DJ box, pasted there as a visual memento, where it remained until the box was moved up onto the clubs balcony. Other Open Head postcards showed Maggie Thatcher stealing from a housewifes shopping bag, or a smiling Maggie giving a V-sign (not for Victory). Heathcote and Richard were eventually warned by plainclothes agents of the Crown and had to desist. But their press continued producing publications of remarkable subversive energy and diversity. David and I werent anti-monarchy per se, but the insubordinate cleverness and design of these productions books, magazines, posters, postcards and recordings was an impressive lesson in how to project an artistic mixed-media ideology. We later used Open Head as a model for the multi-media satirical Lord Horror Savoy Wars and Moral Ambiguity campaigns launched in the mid-eighties, commencing with the Lord Horror cover of Blue Monday. At the same time as Open Heads music productions, we were being acquainted with the fierce irreverent energy of early club tracks like D.A.F.s Der Mussolini (1981). Later, in 1984, came Funkmeisters War Dance, which sampled wartime radio broadcaster Lord Haw- Haws voice over a dance beat (from hearing this, David made Haw-Haw the model for Lord Horror). Such numbers had a mad surreality to them. They were mixed into the mainly punk and rocknroll playlists at our bookshops. Crossposted at IT: International Times, The Newspaper of Resistance. Update: Still a Clockworks of Suppressed Emotion (Jon Pareles on New Orders March 10 concert at Radio City Music Hall in New York). Talk about a life: Alma Thomas was born in Georgia in the 1890s, one of the most vicious decades of the Jim Crow South. She told a reporter in 1972 that when she was young, blacks like her could not enter museums. Yet that year she became the first African-American woman to be honored with a solo exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art. But it wasnt her biography that drew me, and that draws others nowadays, to Alma Thomas. Its her exuberant artsomething she took seriously only after she retired from teach art to middle-schoolers at the age of 69. In fact, one of the most memorable works I noticed when the Whitney opened downtown last year was her Mars Dust, which had been purchased from the 1972 show but, in recent years at least, kept in storage. I had heard of Thomas, but Im not sure I had ever seen her works in person until then. So when a press release arrived saying that the Tang Teaching Museum at Skidmore was giving her a show, I quickly pitched a review to The Wall Street Journal, which published it today. You can read it here (and see a different painting of hers). Before she died, Thomas gave or bequeathed many works to the American Art Museum of the Smithsonian Institution, so take a look at those works. I love many of her worksthough not alland another thing I love about her is her flair for titlesespecially when so many artists cop out and slap Untitled on their work. Not Thomas. Her titles are as imaginatively engaging as her art. Theres Snoopy See Earth Wrapped in Sunset, Breeze Rustling Through Fall Flowers, White Roses Sing and Sing, Scarlet Sage Dancing a Whirling Dervish and many more like that. What a charmer. More good news: you can see the exhibition at the Studio Museum in Harlem this summer if you cannot make the trip to Saratoga Springs. UPDATE: I have retrieved some installation shots from my phone to share: Photo Credit: Courtesy of the Whitney Museum (top) and me. by Mathias Hariyadi Koerniatmanto Soetoprawiro, of Parahyangan Catholic University, speaks of Pope Francis appeal for the abolition of capital punishment: "Even if the offender was killed, it would not bring my son back to life. I preferred mercy, although I support the death penalty for drug traffickers. " From 1979 to 2015, 66 executions in Indonesia for crimes ranging from political corruption to terrorism. Jakarta (AsiaNews) - I decided "to forgive my sons killer, I have no idea who he is and I do not want to know. I decided to take this stance because I do not want my heart to be filled only by feelings of revenge. And I do not even know the killer, if he were caught by police, he would be given the death sentence. But this would not bring my son back to life, even if the court decides on the death penalty". With these words Koerniatmanto Soetoprawiro, professor of law at the Catholic University of Parahyangan (Wets Java), spoke to AsiaNews about the difficult process that led him to forgive the man who in April of 2012 shot his second son, Harrindaka Maruti while robbing their home. The professor expressed his view on the death penalty in force in Indonesia, following an appeal by Pope Francis last February 21 for the abolition and moratorium on convictions during the Jubilee of Mercy. On the one hand, Soetoprawiro prefers "to discuss the issue from the perspective of mercy", forgiving the murderer of his son; on the other, the professor is in favor of capital punishment for drug traffickers, "the silent killer" of thousands of young people: "Over time it has become increasingly necessary to punish these people with death, because they continue to operate their dirt on the market also behind bars. On the one hand I very much agree with the Catholic Church that promotes the culture of life. But, for the sake of humanity and young people, the Church should generate a new theological thought that preserves them from the influence of this negative silent killer ". From 1979 to 2015, 66 executions have been carried out in Indonesia for crimes ranging from political corruption to terrorism. In January 2015, six people linked to drug trafficking were executed by firing squad. At present, 64 people are on death row, awaiting execution, all of for drug trafficking. Among them there are 28 Indonesians and eight Nigerians. The country has done much to discuss the decision taken last year by President Joko Widodo, to execute convicted drug dealers. AsiaNews has gathered different opinions on the matter. According to Catholic politician Joseph Umarhadi, Pope Francis appeal must be put into practice: "As Catholics, our mission is to promote the spirit of forgiveness between people, helping them to repent for their sins and to forgive others. If we succeed in this, there is no theological basis in support of the death penalty ". Ibnu Prakoso, politician and former candidate for vice mayor in Banten province is of a different view: "The death penalty is still needed and should be applied in respect of serious offenders, such as the drug mafia. There can be no mercy for them. As for the perpetrators of other crimes, I agree that the death penalty should be reconsidered. In this sense the appeal of Pope Francis is to be sustained". by Kamran Chaudhry During a meeting with the pontiff in Rome, two Pakistani cabinet ministers extended the invitation. We welcome the Catholic spiritual leader, said Kumar Vankwani, a Pakistani MP. We have not received any written information from Rome", said the bishop of Faisalabad. In his view, the visit is not likely to take place this year, but "If he comes, it will be a great encouragement and show of solidarity for Pakistan where people have been facing terrorism for years." Islamabad (AsiaNews) The Pakistani government has invited Pope Francis to visit the country and the pope has accepted, this according to a government press release that also noted that the pontiff prayed for Pakistan and the victims of terrorism. Some Pakistani political leaders spoke to AsiaNews confirming the report, but the bishop of Faisalabad warned that it is not likely to happen this year. Pakistan's Religious Affairs Minister Sardar Yusuf and the Minister of Ports and Shipping Kamran Michael passed on the invitation during a meeting with the pope in Rome. On that occasion, Francis offered special prayers for Pakistan and its people. Pakistani media welcomed the visit. Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, a Member of the National Assembly and head of the Pakistan Hindu Council, confirmed the news with AsiaNews. "We welcome the Catholic spiritual leader, he said. This is a good omen for our country. The pope himself has mentioned the news about his visit. The security situation is now favourable. Still, Bishop Joseph Arshad of Faisalabad believes that it is hard to say whether Pakistans Christian minority will see the Holy Father in person this year. "Usually a team from the Vatican starts visiting the destination country a year ahead, said the Bishop Arshad who served for 14 years in the diplomatic service of the Holy See. There are lots of arrangements before the arrival of the pontiff. We have not received any written information from Rome", he added. Still, "If he comes, it will be a great encouragement and show of solidarity to Pakistan where people have been facing terrorism for years." According to Fr Morris Jalal, founder of a Catholic TV station in Lahore archdiocese, the popes acceptance of the invitation by the Pakistani prime minister is part of diplomatic negotiations. "Local media aired the news yesterday night, he said, but the country's security situation is not favourable at the moment. Still, the security agencies have the capacity to provide protection to Pope Francis. Local Christians need their spiritual leader to boost their image." The Islamic Republic of Pakistan has a population of about 200 million. Of these, 97 per cent are Muslim (80 per cent Sunni and 20 per cent Shia). Christians number about 3 million; Catholics are little more than a million. The Hindu community has about 3 million members, whilst Sikhs are about 20,000. In a meeting with the members of the Pontifical Academy for Life, Francis said that there is a lot of scientific knowledge and many technical tools that can provide support to human life. Likewise, there are many institutions "engaged in service to life". However, he warned that "there also are many structures that are more concerned with economic interests than the common good because they are afraid of reality as God created it. Vatican City (AsiaNews) Pope Francis spoke this morning to the participants of the Plenary Assembly of the Pontifical Academy for Life, which is meeting to discuss the virtues in the ethics of life. In his address, the pontiff said that in today's world there is a lot of scientific knowledge and many technical tools that can provide support to human life. Similarly, there are many institutions "engaged in service to life." Yet, "there are also many structures that are more concerned with economic interests than the common good. At the same time, in the name of modernity, ideological colonisations" are reducing ideological freedom because they are afraid of reality as God created it. "In our time, said the Holy Father, some cultural orientations no longer recognise the imprint of divine wisdom in created reality and even humans. Human nature is thus reduced to mere matter, malleable according to any design. Our humanity, however, is unique and very precious in God's eyes! For this reason, the first nature to preserve, so that it may bear fruit, is our own humanity. We must give freedom clean air and the life-giving water of truth, protecting it from the poisons of selfishness and lies. In terms of our humanity, a great variety of virtues will then be able to blossom." "The situation cannot change because of theories or social or political reforms. Only the work of the Holy Spirit can reform our hearts if we work together." Speaking about virtue "is not a cosmetic issue, about outer beautification." Instead, "it is about eradicating dishonest desires from the heart and seek what is good with sincerity. Even within the context of the ethics of life, necessary rules that entail respect for people are not enough to realise fully what is good for human beings. The virtues of those who work to promote of life are the ultimate guarantee that what is good will be truly respected. [. . .] Good deeds are not the correct application of ethical knowledge, but require a real interest in people who are fragile. Medical doctors and all health care providers should never neglect to reconcile science, technology and humanity." "Therefore, I encourage universities to consider all this in their training programmes, so that students can develop those dispositions of the heart and mind that are necessary to accommodate and care for human life, in accordance with the dignity that belongs to it in all circumstances. I also urge all the directors of health and research facilities to ensure that their employees consider including a human touch as an integral part of their professional service. In any case, those who dedicate themselves to the defence and promotion of life should first show its beauty. In fact, since "It is not by proselytizing that the Church grows, but by attraction" (Apost. Exhort. Evangelii Gaudium, 14), human life is thus defended and promoted effectively only when we know its beauty and promote it. By experiencing genuine compassion and other virtues, you will be privileged witnesses to the mercy of the Father of life. " "Contemporary culture still holds premises that assert that human beings, whatever their living conditions, are a value to be protected. However, it is often the victim of moral uncertainty, which does not allow it to defend life effectively. Not infrequently, it is also possible for 'splendid vices' to hide in the name of virtue. For this reason, it is necessary not only that virtues truly inform human thoughts and actions, but they be nurtured through continuous discernment and be rooted in God, the source of all virtue. Thus, Let us ask the Holy Spirit for help to draws us out of selfishness and ignorance. Renewed by Him, we can think and act in accordance with God's heart and show his mercy to those who suffer in body and spirit. The wish I address to you is that the sessions may be fruitful and accompany you and all those whom you will meet in your service on the path of virtuous growth. Free newsletter Subscribe to our FREE newsletter service and well keep you up-to-date with the latest breaking news, cutting edge opinion, and expert analysis affecting both your business and the industry as whole. Please enter your email address below and click on Sign Up for daily newsletters from Australasian Lawyer. A free service allowing small businesses facilitate contract management has launched in Australia, following huge success in Singapore. LawCanvas is an online platform used to create, edit, store, collaborate and sign business contracts. Its so easy to use that you can get a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) done in under a minute, co-founder and CEO Daniel Leong told Australasian Lawyer. Were helping businesses take the pain out of dealing with legal documents so that they can get back to building products and delighting customers. Aimed predominately at tech-savvy businesses looking to streamline their processes and reduce service costs, Leong likened LawCanvas to business productivity software. As start-up founders themselves, Leong said he and his co-founders know first-hand how much time can be spent searching for templates, amending and sending for review. If youre creating a contract on your own from scratch, it can take up to 10 hours to complete and execute a draft, and another 1-3 weeks to get multiple parties to sign off, he said. After experiencing this one too many times, we realised that there was a need in the market for an easier way for people to find the contracts they need, collaborate online, sign them quickly, and refer to them when they need to which is how LawCanvas was born. Its really frustrating and tedious and we'd much rather be working on our businesses. Leong said while there are similar online providers, LawCanvas serves a new function as more of a contract workflow tool rather than a template library of a lead-generation platform. One of the simpler but yet popular uses is in employment, these companies often start using LawCanvas as a one-stop repository to create, store, and manage all their employment related documents, he said. But before long, they discover the other documents in our contracts library and then expand it to other use cases. LawCanvas launched in Australia, Malaysia and Hong Kong last month after its success in Singapore. JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. The made-in-India Baleno took centre stage at Suzukis stall at the Geneva Motor Show 2016. While the Baleno etches a new milestone by kick-starting exports to its parent Suzuki in Japan for the first time from end-January, it also re-opens the European markets for Maruti after a lull of around four years, when the carmaker had discontinued exports of its A-Star hatchback. Maruti Suzuki had then been given the mandate by Suzuki Motor Corporation to export to the non-European markets of Latin America, Asia, Middle East and Africa from India, while its parent serviced the EU geographies from its manufacturing facility located at Hungary and at Japan. But since the global Baleno mode launched last October in India is being made only locally, a natural corollary would be to export it to Europe from India. Hence, early this month the Baleno was shipped to several EU countries of Italy, France, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Poland, Slovenia and Spain to start with. From these ports, it will be forwarded to different countries in the EU and be stocked at the warehouses ready for the spring launch that normally falls between May to July. Interestingly, the first consignment of the 1,760 right-hand-drive, CVT-equipped, 1,242cc petrol-enginedBalenos has reached Japan on February 15. The Europe-bound left-hand-drive Balenos are powered by the 1,242cc DualJet, dual-injection petrol engine and equipped with both five-speed manual and automatic CVT options. In India, the Baleno is powered by the DDiS 190 diesel engine (1.3L) and the VVT petrol (1.2L). At the Geneva Motor Show, the production version of the made in India Baleno displays the new technologies of Suzuki in the premium hatchback segment including a rigid, lightweight new-generation platform, the 1.0-litre direct-injection turbo Boosterjet engine that was recently exhibited at the Auto Expo 2016. The engine will power the Baleno RS model that will be launched during the festive season in India. The engine will also be the motor of choice for future Baleno consignments that are exported to Europe. In addition, the Baleno for Europe will have the option of the 1.2-litre SHVS (Smart Hybrid Vehicle by Suzuki) powertrain, featuring engine assist from an Integrated Starter Generator (ISG) connected to a lithium-ion battery. All of these are expected to engage the customer with fuel-efficient driving experience, imparting the Baleno more than just good looks and convenience. The 1.2 Dualjet can be paired with either the same five-speed manual transmission as the 1.0 Boosterjet or with a CVT. The global models layout has been optimised and various lightweighting technologies have contributed to meet the rigorous size and weight requirements specific to compact cars for Europe. In line with the European requirements, the Baleno has undergone extensive testing in the EU. Suzuki Motor Corporations participation at the Geneva Motor Show this year will enable Maruti Suzuki to win a slew of new export orders for Europe, where it was faced with dwindling sales due to the economic slowdown at last count. With the Baleno, the export market could start looking good once again for Indias largest carmaker. Automotive headlamps have come a long way since the 19th century, but how much can a new car buyer benefit from the technology advancements? Weve put together a short list of the best headlights available on the market for the 2016 Model Year. To make everything easier to see (pun indented), we have split the list into five segments for less clutter. Thankfully, the five headlamps we selected arent just for the five models we mention below, so the manufacturers of the particular cars do offer the technology for other products in their range. However, we did select them based on the way they look and the way the manufacturers managed to integrate the new technology into the designs of the cars that have the most advanced headlamps in their segments. We have to mention that, as we browsed through the headlights available for new vehicles of the 2016 Model Year, we noticed an increase in the full-LED versions as optional equipment. The cars that do offer this technology as a standard feature are in the premium segment and have hefty price tags, but the technology is available on more affordable vehicles as well. Obviously, in the second case, it is offered as optional equipment and it is not as cheap as getting parking sensors, but once you experience Full-LED headlamps, you wont want to go back to regular lights, even if you have a Bi-Xenon setup. Trust us on this one, LED headlights will make roads safer in the coming years and will replace all halogen bulbs shortly. Meanwhile, Laser lights have started to appear on some top tier cars, and these will be the Bi-Xenon headlamps of the 21st century . A few automakers have LED lights as optional equipment for several cars in their portfolios, and the next big thing seems to be the OLED technology. The latter is not included in this article, as it has been featured on concept cars and is attributed to the rear lights. We expect it to come to production in the coming years, most likely from German manufacturers like Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz. Mazda 2 The Japanese carmaker offers LED headlights as optional equipment in the Mazda2 range since the model was released. The Mazda2 came to market as an MY2015 car, and its optional LED headlamps are excellent. Not only do they come with a high-beam assistant but they also provide a broad range and fresh design. We appreciate the way these lights have been integrated into the cars design, and they make this Mazda stand out in the crowd. Opel Astra Opels new Astra was first shown in fall 2015 as an MY2016 car. As optional equipment, the Astra K is available with LED Matrix headlamps. The latter were first available on top-of-the-range Audi models, but Opel has managed to squeeze the LED Matrix headlamp technology into a more affordable car. The Astra is the only model in the compact segment to be available with such headlights. While we did not get the chance to experience this technology in real life, we can tell you that LED Matrix headlamps are an advancement on conventional LEDs, and they come with a high-beam assistant thats smarter than the one found in regular LED lights. Naturally, the LED Matrix technology is more expensive than classic LEDs, but it may become affordable once more people buy cars fitted with it. We also appreciate the design of the Astra K with these LED Matrix headlamps as a modern look. Mercedes E-Class Mercedes-Benz also features headlights with the LED Matrix technology, but they call it Multibeam LED. On the 2017 E-Class, the optional Multibeam LED headlamps each have 84 individually controlled LEDs. Thanks to this intelligent (and complex) solution, the new E-Class will be able to provide optimum light distribution in any driving situation. Since 84 LEDs per headlamp is a lot, the carmaker can program the system to do more than others that have fewer LEDs. The new E-Class is not the first Mercedes-Benz to feature Multibeam LED, as the technology was first introduced on the facelift of the CLS. However, the E-Class has more LEDs per headlight, so it earns its spot here will full merits. Since the light emitting diodes (that is what LED stands for, by the way) have been spread out, Mercedes-Benz can use more eccentric headlight designs. Considering they are a premium car maker from Germany, they chose a more sober look, that happens to suit the E-Class very well. BMW 7 Series The new generation 7 Series from BMW is not the first model in the Bavarian brands portfolio to be available with Laser headlamps. That honor went to the i8, which happened to be the first production vehicle with Laser headlights. Laser Light features an increased intensity when compared to LED light, and headlamps which use this technology are more energy-efficient than their LED counterparts. BMW claims that the laser light beam of the i8 can light up to 600 meters (1,968 feet), more than double the range of the standard LED headlights of the i8. Meanwhile, the 7 Series flagship sedan received the technology and provided the same feature for the driver of the luxurious BMW. We could have chosen the i8 in this article just as well as the 7 Series, but then we would not have had room for our next subject. Audi R8 V10 Audi was in a big battle with BMW over who launches the first production vehicle with Laser headlights. BMW won at the time, but Audi did offer Laser lights on the LMX version of the previous generation R8. The new Audi R8 is also available with Laser lights, while LED headlights are standard. Just like on the BMW i8, the optional Laser headlamps of the 2016 R8 V10 have a range of up to 600 meters (1,968 feet). Audi pushed the idea with dynamic turn signals on the front lamps, which are composed of LEDs that are progressively illuminated to show the direction the vehicle is signaling. So, if the driver turns on the right turn signal, the headlight on the right of the car will move a beam of light from the left to the right. The entire action described in the previous phrase happens inside the turn signal, not in the whole headlight. BMW i8 Laser headlamps EV Citroen didn't give up on its posher dreams completely, but has made the right decision and launched the separate sub-brand to take care of that: the DS. As for its core brand, Citroen seems to be going... bananas. Just look at the C4 Cactus and you'll see what we mean: there probably isn't a bolder mass-producing car maker out there at the moment, and we like it. Citroen is acting as if it's got nothing to lose, and as it was proven so many times before, it's helping the French give the best they've got.The cars aren't perfect - not by a mile - but they're fresh, they're different, and they give you joy without the need of thousands of horsepower. A modern car with a couch-like bench for front seats and air-filled pockets on the side? That sounds silly, but please, do tell me more.The company's Geneva stand showed the same kind of exuberance, building on the awareness brought by the strange e-Mehari it showed last year in Frankfurt. In fact, one of the concepts present at Geneva was based on the: Citroen got in touch with French fashion house Courreges and asked them to spice up the electric buggy however they saw fit.That's how a completely white e-Mehari by Courreges came to life. If you happen to drop something white while inside this car, you can kiss that thing goodbye as it will be impossible ever to find it again. There are some orange accents on the wheels and the inside, but it's not enough to break this solid block of whiteness.The other concept, the Citroen Space Tourer Hyphen, is the exact opposite. It's a small van full of color with a dizzying pattern that will make your eyes struggle to focus on a single point. The Hyphen name isn't inspired by "Cee apostrophe d," but by the French band that helped Citroen with the design - Hyphen Hyphen. The van got a more rugged look thanks to a jacked-up suspension and a set of wheels that seem to defy the long established idea that they work best when they're round. It also gets four-wheel-drive, because apparently Hyphen Hyphen is the kind of band with lots of gigs in hard-to-reach places. For somebody who drives an ordinary mid-sized sedan or a hatchback, the V-Class is fine the way it is. However, should you happen to get out of your Rolls-Royce (or make it a Mercedes-Maybach, so as to not switch sides) and, for some reason, be forced to climb into a V-Class, you'll politely decline to seat down in an attempt to touch as little of it as possible.That would make you the client LARTE Design is after with this Mercedes-Benz V-Class conversion. Named after another LARTE product, the G-Class Black Crystal, the van has been completely overhauled both inside and out. The exterior gets a tuning package consisting of new composite front and rear bumpers, the former sporting a pair of inlaid crystals, hence half of the vehicle's name. The other half pays dividends to the dark paint scheme.The V-Class Black Crystal's interior is actually built by Klassen, a German company specialized in work such as this. It's unclear whether Klassen is responsible only for the execution, or it played a role in the cabin's design as well, but what we do know is that the interior is so busy, it literally hurts your eyes and tires your brain. Look at it for a few seconds and then close your eyes: it's still there, right? It dug a hole in your retina and refuses to come out. The only way to force it out would be to look straight into a camera flash (no, seriously, don't try that).Those wide veneered surfaces look like they're some kind of marble stone, which makes the V-Class cabin come off as a posh toilet. We have no doubt that all the materials used are of top-quality and the craftsmanship is impeccable, it's just that luxury is about more than just cramming as many expensive things as possible in one place. And that's exactly what LARTE Design appears to have done with the V-Class Black Crystal. ABS Veyron's successor, the Chiron, was among the hypercars to make it over the less and less impressive 1,000 hp hurdle, but it wasn't the fastest of them. Nope, not even close. And the worrying trend for automotive industry's purist fans is that the quickest cars these days tend to be electric.When compared to the Veyron, for example, even the range argument doesn't stand ground, as the speed at which the Great Bug used to sip from its fuel tank when driven flat out is something of a legend. It's not every day that you actually get to see the fuel gauge move right before your eyes.Sadly, Rimac isn't saying anything about the range of its two hypercars that, in spite of their names (Concept_One and Concept_S) are very much production ready. Made by a virtually unheard of Croatian company that has plenty of background with electric things that go fast (it set some speed records before working with "Monster" Tajima for his Tajima Rimac e-Runer race car that took part in the Colorado Pikes Peak Hillclimb - and came second), these two electric hypercars are fast, just as they are beautiful.The first model is the Concept_One, which uses a pair of electric motors fed by an 82kWh lithium-ion battery pack. Power is delivered to all four wheels via a proprietary torque vectoring system that supposedly does everything a traction control system, a stability control system, andwould normally do. Total power output reads 1,088 hp and an even more staggering 1,180 lb-ft (1,600 Nm) - especially since we all know how electric motors deliver their torque - which help the Rimac Concept_One reach 62 mph (100 km/h) in just 2.6 seconds and 186 mph (300 km/h) in 14.2 seconds. Sadly, top speed is "limited" to 220 mph (355 km/h).And what if we told you that this isn't the best that Rimac has to offer, since the Concept_One has "an evil twin," as the Croatians like to pet-name the other hypercar present in Geneva. The large wing at the back and the more aggressive apron and side sills should be enough to tell you that the Concept_S is even more radical than its sibling. An extra 277 hp are thrown into the mix, with the maximum torque figure increasing to 1,328 lb-ft (1,800 Nm). The power increase is joined by a drop in weight (about 110 lb or 50 kg), which together manage to shave 0.1 seconds off the 0-62 mph sprint time and over a second off the 0-186 mph one.The great thing about these two Rimac electric hypercars - apart from being able to punch through the space-time continuum - is that they also look superbly. There's a mix of British and Italian design that doesn't look like it's trying too hard to grab your attention, instead doing it naturally by simply looking like a beautiful, well-proportioned car. The interior appears to be exactly what the doctor prescribed, with carbon fiber and brushed aluminum complementing the sporty Alcantara lining.The other things the Geneva Motor Show didn't lack in, besides very powerful hypercars, were the very expensive hypercars. The Rimac Concept_One makes no exception, costing in the vicinity of one million dollars. However, only eight of them will ever be built, so extreme exclusivity is included. HP As most of you know, Alfa Romeo unveiled the performance version of the Giulia before the standard model, and the latter was still under wraps before the Geneva event began.Thankfully, Alfa Romeo had a grip on the situation and revealed the regular trim versions of their brand-new sedan. You cannot buy it yet, but at least you can admire its elegance in a trim level that doesnt involve a big price tag and a 510engine.The Giulietta range received a facelift just before it got presented at this years Geneva event, and we can see that the car has not changed dramatically.We are talking about a revised interior, mildly updated engines and transmissions, along with minute design modifications. In a way, it is understandable, as it is just a facelift for the Italian compact car, but the bread and butter of the Alfa Romeo range could have received extra attention from the companys development team.However, the Giulietta range was also revised in 2014, so this might be a plausible explanation for the small design changes applied to the car this time. The standard equipment level has been improved, as have the other equipment options in the range. Out of the nine powertrain options, the Giulietta has a new 1.6 diesel engine available with a twin-clutch transmission. Customers also have a choice between more alloy wheel designs and a wider array of exterior color options.The Alfa Romeo MiTo also got a small facelift that was unveiled at this years Geneva Motor Show. The Italian supermini received the brands new logo and front grille, as well as the new font used by the company.Furthermore, the MiTo now has headlights with a restyled graphic, as well as improvements to the infotainment system. The latter comes with a five-inch display available with the UConnect system, which is now able to access Facebook, Twitter, and apps like Deezer and TuneIn.On a mechanical level, the Alfa Romeo MiTo received a power hike for its 1.3 MultiJet engine, which went from 85 to 95 HP. The Italian brand split the MiTo range into three equipment levels: MiTo, Super, and Veloce. The top-level trim gets a new rear spoiler, dual exhaust system, 17-inch alloy rims with black tint, and a stiffer suspension. Cleveland-based fleet management company Fleet Response celebrated its 30th year in business in February. To celebrate this milestone, Fleet Response employees participated in various fun filled 1980s-themed activities to highlight the decade that Fleet Response was founded. Fleet Response also revealed a new employee recognition wall, which showcases the pictures of employees who have been with the company for various year increments. More than 45% of Fleet Response employees have been with the company for more than five years, and more than 20% have been with the company for more than 10 years. Fleet Response is a family-owned company that was founded by Ron Mawaka Sr. in Cleveland in 1986 as Rental Concepts, Inc. (RCI). The original focus of the organization was to manage temporary business rentals. However, as the needs of clients evolved, so did RCI, expanding in 1997 to include accident and maintenance management programs under the name Integrated Vehicle Systems (IVS), according to the company. In 2003, Rental Concepts, Inc. and Integrated Vehicle Systems combined to create Fleet Response, one company that offers comprehensive custom fleet services. A full safety program was added in 2005, and in 2012 Fleet Response launched FleetSuite, an exclusive, proprietary, custom-built online tool offering access to real-time claims, maintenance and safety data. Over the years, Fleet Response has steadily grown and continues to operate on the founding principles of innovation, professionalism, accountability and effectiveness. Clients include Fortune 500 companies with fleets ranging from 50 to 25,000 vehicles. Fleet Response has been named a Plain Dealer Top Workplace and featured as a growing firm in Crains Cleveland Business. Fleet Response is a member of NAFA, RIMS and the National Safety Council and currently has more than 100 employees who provide support for accident, maintenance, and safety programs. Boeings first 727 jet to be produced took a final flight Wednesday after 25 years of sitting at Paine Field in Everett, Washington. The airliner had been donated to Seattles Museum of Flight in 1991, but it was dismantled before undergoing a long, volunteer-driven restoration at Paine. Wednesdays flawless 10-minute flight to Seattle marked the fruition of a retired Boeing engineers vision of seeing it fly one last time. The museum will now add it to a future exhibit that will include the airlines 737 and 747 prototypes. Taking it apart would be very destructive, Bob Bogash told KOMO News during the event. It would be cut up and put back together more like a mock-up instead of a real airplane. Spectators at the departure and destination points caught the Boeings departure and arrival on video. Bogash told the station that hundreds of pilots applied for the job of ferrying the 727 to Seattle. The honor went to Tim Powell, along withco-pilot Mike Scott and flight engineer Ralph Pascale, who are all experienced 727 crew members, according to the museum. Bogash served on board as safety officer. The first 727 was completed in 1962 and went into service the following year. The three-engine jet was a business risk for Boeing at the time due to a competitive short-haul market and choosy customers, but aggressive promotion helped the 727s sales, according to the companys website. More than 1,800 of the jets were built over 22 years. The FBI arrested a flight attendant this week for allegedly setting a fire in an airliner lavatory during a flight, then pretending to discover it and save the day. Johnathan Tafoya-Montano was on the job during an American Airlines flight from Dallas to Detroit on Feb. 1 when he reported a fire in a lav at the rear of the cabin. He put it out and reported it to the captain as the jet was on approach to Detroit Metropolitan, the FBI said. The captain alerted the tower to the situation and was given emergency status. The aircraft landed and parked without any further issues and there were no injuries to the crew or the unknown number of passengers. During an ensuing investigation, Tafoya-Montano, 23, of Texas, changed his story several times and then admitted to authorities he set the fire intentionally in the lav by igniting paper towels with a lighter, then put it out once the flames started picking up, according to a Detroit Free Press report. He went out to the hall and waited before pretending to find a fire, raising the alarm with other flight attendants and deploying an extinguisher to douse the paper towels, the report said. After appearing this week in U.S. District Court in Detroit, Tafoya-Montano was released on bond and prohibited from flying without court permission. The FBI then put him on an American flight to Dallas with a security escort, the newspaper reported. The FBI charged him with destruction of aircraft or aircraft facilities and making false statements. AVwebs search of news in aviation found award announcements from Angel Flight and AOPA, and scholarship announcements from the Ninety-Nines/EAA and Whirly-Girls International. Angel Flight South Central announced that Board Chairperson Dianna Stanger has been awarded the coveted Endeavor Award for leadership and service in Public Benefit Flying. As a volunteer pilot with Angel Flight South Central, as well as several other Public Benefit Flying organizations, Stanger sets a high bar through flying missions providing transportation to people in their time of greatest need. California general aviation advocate Elliott Sanders has been named the 2015 winner of the Laurence P. Sharples Perpetual Award. The award is the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Associations (AOPA) highest honor for individuals. Sanders is AOPAs Airport Support Network volunteer at Van Nuys Airport, an active private pilot and the owner of PAB Insurance Solutions. The Ninety-Nines and EAA will award a $3,000 Karen Johnson Solo Scholarship to provide a young woman (age 16-20 at any time during 2016 calendar year) who wants to learn to fly with financial support for flight training through first solo and beyond. In addition, the winner will receive a King School flight training course to prepare for the written exam and checkride. Whirly-Girls International announced the winners of the 2016 Whirly-Girls Scholarship Awards. The Whirly-Girls Scholarship Committee made the announcement on Feb. 28 at the Whirly-Girls International Annual Awards Banquet during the HAI Heli-Expo convention in Louisville, Kentucky. The Whirly-Girls awarded a record-breaking number of 28 scholarships to deserving female aviators, setting the bar for the entire helicopter industry, thanks to the support of aviation leaders. The Weekender found some three-day getaways on SocialFlight coming up along with a few morning fly-ins. Reserve your single-engine spot for a dry camping site across the street from the three-day Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival in Florida, which starts Friday. The private Citrus Hedging Ranch offers 80 acres of room with its own grass runway. On Saturday, Fort Lauderdale Airport will host an Aviation Safety Expo to promote aviation and runway safety. The day will be packed with information, exhibits and activities of interest to South Florida general aviation pilots and aircraft owners. Join fellow aviators Thursday through Saturday for the United States Pilots Associations spring fly-out to Texas, highlighting Houston, Galveston and NASA. Highlights include a private, behind-the-scenes tour of NASA and the Lone Star Flight Museum along with dinner theater and local sightseeing. Membership in USPA is not necessary, but advance registration is. Plan on arriving at Pearland Regional Airport Thursday to kick things off. For those just looking for fly-to breakfasts, Saturday morning will have pancakes and more waiting thanks to EAA Chapter 1055 in York, Nebraska, EAA Chapter 1001 in Searcy, Arkansas, and EAA Chapter 699 in Winchester, Tennessee. For more on this weekends events, visit SocialFlight. 3 March 2016 13:50 (UTC+04:00) By Laman Ismayilova The OSCE Minsk Group, engaged in mediation for peaceful settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, seems not willing to settle the conflict, Kazakh expert Daniyar Kasumov announced about this while talking to Day.Az. It's clear that no one pins hope on the OSCE Minsk Group to settle the conflict. They are engaged only in one thing- preservation of the status quo, even at the expense of systematic infringement of Azerbaijani people rights, said Kasumov. Armenia have occupied more than 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions, having made territorial claims against its South Caucasus neighbor, which led to a lengthy war in the early 1990s. Peace talks mediated by Russia, France, and the United States through the OSCE Minsk Group and on the basis of the Madrid Principles have been largely fruitless. However, the Kazakh expert believes that the OSCE MG format has not yet fully exhausted its possibilities. I think that the OSCE format has not yet fully exhausted its possibilities. This organization is currently headed by Germany, a large, influential country with extensive experience in identifying and punishing persons responsible for crimes against humanity. The OSCE is chaired by one of the heavyweights of European diplomacy - Frank-Walter Steinmeier. The motto of the German presidency is: " Renewing Dialogue, Rebuilding Trust, Restoring Security, he said, noting that this gives some hope for the conflict resolution. Speaking about the possibilities for conciliation between Armenia and Azerbaijan, he voiced belief that after the liberation of the temporarily occupied territories of Azerbaijan, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will be resolved. The expert also spoke about the Khojaly genocide, committed by Armenian militaries back in February 1992, noting that perpetrators of the Khojaly genocide have probably got a guarantee of personal inviolability. Nagorno-Karabakh separatists probably got permit from a third party in order to implicate Baku in conflict and cause a split in Azerbaijani society. That is why they were fully confident of their impunity. Otherwise would they openly brag to the world about their "feats"?", Kasumov said. However, the expert said, the situation developed in a completely opposite direction. Azerbaijani people have become more cohesive and defended its statehood. Khojaly, the second largest town in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, came under intense fire from the towns of Khankendi and Askeran already occupied by the Armenian armed forces in 1992. As many as 613 civilians mostly women and children were killed in the massacre, and a total of 1,000 people were disabled. Eight families were exterminated, 25 children lost both parents, and 130 children lost one parent. Moreover, 1,275 innocent people were taken hostage, and the fate of 150 of them remains unknown. When Thomas de Waal, a senior associate at Washington DC-based Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, interviewed Serzh Sargsyan back in 2000, the then-Armenian Defense Minister Sargsyan confessed that the Armenian army had indeed carried out an ethnic cleansing campaign in the Nagorno-Karabakh region in order to achieve its goals. Before Khojaly, the Azerbaijanis thought that they were joking with us; they thought that the Armenians were people who could not raise their hand against the civilian population. We were able to break that [stereotype]. And thats what happened, Sargsyan said. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 3 March 2016 11:00 (UTC+04:00) By Joschka Fischer At stake in the United Kingdoms upcoming referendum on whether to remain a member of the European Union is the nature of the EU itself. The UK wants a different kind of Europe than the one that the EU currently represents. Its preference is a Europe that essentially consists solely of a common market. Even though Britain has long been able to opt out of the euro and much else (and thus is not forced in any way to participate in the process of deepening Europes political union), this is the ideological essence of the controversy. It is a question that transcends the UKs Brexit debate. The growing strength of euroskeptic forces in many EU member states has raised the same issue on the continent, where many believe that the goal of a political union might overburden member states citizens and should be abandoned. Like the British, many Continental Europeans are asking whether transnational regulation by Brussels-based institutions and a political union are actually necessary. Wouldnt a loose association of sovereign nation-states, sharing the hard economic core of a continental common market the British model be enough? Why bother with all that complicated integration involving the Schengen Agreement, a monetary union, and EU regulations, which in the end dont work properly and only weaken the member states global competitiveness? Looking at European postwar history, it becomes clear that this debate has been with us almost from the very beginning. The UKs focus in the 1950s and 1960s was still mainly on the Commonwealth. The European integration process aimed at overcoming Franco-German enmity and reconciling West Germanys industrial potential with European stability (and thus, under the US and NATO security umbrella, excluding the recurrence of war in Europe) was marginal to its concerns. After the Treaty of Rome in 1957 established the European Economic Community (EEC), the European Free Trade Association was established under British leadership a few years later. EFTAs aims were a straightforward customs union and a common market, and it was designed from the outset to compete with the EEC, particularly in northern Europe and among the neutral countries. But it never caught on. The reason EFTA failed to take hold is instructive: It was based only on economic interests and pursued no further idea. EFTA had no soul, and that absence rendered it unable to compete with the incipient EU. Of course, economic interests have been paramount in sustaining the EUs progress; but the idea of uniting Europe clearly transcended mere economic unification. It was and still is about overcoming European fragmentation via an integration process beginning with the economy and ending in political integration. Winston Churchill knew that, as can be seen in his 1946 Zurich speech well worth reading today in which he called for a United States of Europe. The EU is Europes main historical project. It has attempted, so far successfully, to learn from centuries of seemingly unending wars, by building a new pan-European system of states that is no longer based on a balance of power alone, but also on overcoming national rivalries by institutionalizing common interests and shared values. The EU has achieved great things, and this should not be forgotten amid its current crises. The British error is to assume that one goal, a common market for Europe, can be had without the other, greater political integration, over the long term. In order to function, a common market requires a substantial delegation of sovereignty and extensive European regulation. In fact, the EU can ignore neither the nation-states nor the common institutions and policies without putting itself at risk. Both are its cornerstones. The EU was characterized by this duality from the very beginning: a confederation with strong integrated federal elements and institutions. Whoever questions this duality calls the entire system into question, all the more so given that the EUs current status quo is anything but conducive to enduring stability. The EU will achieve that only when it has taken the critical step toward a genuine federation. This is why the majority of EU member states must never abandon the aim of an ever closer union. The UK doesnt share this aim, and it doesnt have to share it. But the future of the EU hinges on pursuing it. Everything else is a question of pragmatic compromises, for which a good deal of leeway exists. Copyright: Project Syndicate: Ever Closer Union or Common Market? --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 3 March 2016 16:49 (UTC+04:00) By Aynur Karimova Iran seems to be ambitious to become a car production hub in the Middle East region, regarding the car making industry as the biggest field of non-oil economy. Mohammad Jamali, the head of Iran's Saipa automaker, believes that the Islamic Republic is capable of turning into a car making hub in the region given the countrys geopolitical situation and its high security. He has also called on the international car makers to join efforts with Saipa. The automobile industry accounts for nearly 10 percent of Irans gross domestic product. The latest data shows that Iran ranks 18th on the list of the worlds top auto manufacturers. However, sanctions on Iran hit the automotive industry hard, slicing production by 1 million units from its peak of 1.6 million in 2011 and leading to 100,000 job redundancies. Experts believe that removal of international sanctions from the Islamic Republic has created better conditions for Iran to realize its plans regarding the car industry. Meanwhile, James Dorsey, a senior fellow at Nanyang Technological University's S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, believes that initially, the car industry is likely to focus on the country's domestic market. "Beyond the fact that Iran has a substantial domestic market in its own right and a long-standing industry with local models, the car industry needs significant upgrading to erase the effects of years of international sanctions, he told Azernews. However, according to the expert, Iran will have to compete with Turkey in the car industry. "In terms of being a regional producer and supplier, Iran is likely to have a fiercely competitive, uphill battle against Turkey that has a well-established car industry with many of the major brands and that supplies markets in Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East and North Africa," he said. The 2014 production statistics released by the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers show that Irans auto production increased by 46.7 percent in the 12-month period. The figures indicated that Iranian automakers produced 1,090,846 cars and commercial vehicles in the mentioned period. The lifting of international sanctions from Iran has given an impetus to the development of this sector of the national economy as since January 2016 the country's car making industry is one of the most appealing sectors for foreign investments. Today, the race has tightened for access to Irans auto market. European automakers, which were forced to leave the Iranian market after international sanctions on the Islamic Republic for its nuclear program, are now attempting to restore their previous shares of Irans vast car market. Earlier, President Hassan Rouhani called on international companies to cooperate with Iran to develop the countrys auto making industry. He said Iran welcomes foreign carmakers to come, do research and produce. He also criticized the government's policy over the past decades on imposing restrictions against importing foreign cars and urged all officials involved in car making industry to make efforts to please people, saying "we cannot close the doors and make people buy home-made cars." Dorsey believes that as the Iranian car industry has historic relations with France, Peugeot has already returned to Iran in the wake of the lifting of the sanctions. "Other European and perhaps Japanese manufacturers may well follow," he noted. Meanwhile, economists claim that the countrys automotive industry needs modernization after years of sanctions. Irans car part manufacturing industry needs to absorb $8 billion worth of foreign investment in a long-term period. President Rouhani has urged for fully privatizing the car industry in Iran for achieving its development. He said the policy for privatizing car industry aims to create competition which will lead to lower prices and enhancing quality. Dorsey believes that privatization, being one of the key strategies for rehabilitation of the Iranian economy, will facilitate upgrading and modernization of the Iranian car industry, as well as its growth. -- Aynur Karimova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Aynur_Karimova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 3 March 2016 10:33 (UTC+04:00) Emir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani will pay an official visit to Baku on March 8, a diplomatic source told Trend on March 2. The prospects of Azerbaijan-Qatar relations will be discussed during the two-day visit. During the visit of Qatars Transport Minister Jassim Saif Ahmed Al Sulaiti to Azerbaijan in 2015, the sides discussed the opportunities for cooperation in industry, agriculture, education and other areas. Qatar ranks third in the world in terms of its natural gas reserves and is the largest supplier of liquefied natural gas. As an OPEC member, it exports considerable volumes of oil. In this regard, the prospects for cooperation in the oil and gas sector can also be discussed during the upcoming visit of the Qatari emir to Baku. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 3 March 2016 12:32 (UTC+04:00) The UK parliament has put forward Early Day Motions on Khojaly genocide aimed at raising awareness of social and political circles of the country to the tragedy. The author of one of the Early Day Motions is Chairman of All-Party Parliamentary Group on Azerbaijan Bob Blackman. The document expresses sympathies to the Azerbaijani people, who are commemorating the 24th anniversary of the attack on the town of Khojaly by Armenian forces on February 26, 1992; and calls on the UK government to play a more active role in encouraging the peaceful settlement to the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan based on the resolutions and decisions of international organizations, in particular the UN Secretary Council resolutions. Khojaly, the second largest town in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, came under intense fire from the towns of Khankendi and Askeran already occupied by the Armenian armed forces in 1992. As many as 613 civilians mostly women and children were killed in the massacre, and a total of 1,000 people were disabled. Eight families were exterminated, 25 children lost both parents, and 130 children lost one parent. Moreover, 1,275 innocent people were taken hostage, and the fate of 150 of them remains unknown. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The author of the second Early Day Motion is the UK Scottish National Party MP Patrick Grady. Other MPs also joined the motion. Grady notes that UN Security Council resolutions, which call on the Armenian forces to end the occupation of Azerbaijan, remain unfulfilled, he is concerned about the recent escalation in tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan and calls on the UK government to use the anniversary of this tragedy as an opportunity to renew international efforts to find a lasting peaceful resolution to this long-standing conflict. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 3 March 2016 12:55 (UTC+04:00) By Amina Nazarli Baku has announced its interest in developing cooperation with Islamabad, one of its close allies in the Asian continent, in all areas, particularly in political, economic and military spheres. The ways of developing relations between Azerbaijan and Pakistan were explored as Rashad Mahmood, Chairman of Pakistans Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee was on three-day visit to Baku. The cooperation in the military and defense industry sphere was one of the main issues of discussions between Azerbaijani and Pakistani officials in Baku. The fundamental building block of the bilateral bonds is military cooperation. The sides intend to join efforts to gain access to modern technologies, as well as modernize their potential. Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov, addressing the meeting with Rashad Mahmood, stressed the importance of developing cooperation in the fields of security, defense, military, military-technical and military education, as well as expansion of relations and organization visits of expert groups. The sides exchanged views on the issues on combat readiness joint trainings, cooperation in the fight against terrorism, also development of relation between Air and Naval Forces of Azerbaijan and Pakistan. During the Baku visit, the delegation led by Mahmood also met Chief of Azerbaijan's State Border Service Elchin Guliyev to mull prospects of cooperation in military-technical field. The two highlighted Azerbaijan-Pakistani relations, saying these ties increased to the level of strategic partnership. It is very important to unite the efforts of Azerbaijan and Pakistan to effectively combat such kinds of transnational organized crime as international terrorism, drug trafficking, human trafficking and illegal migration, Colonel-General Ramil Usubov said at the meeting with the Pakistani officials. Usubov stressed the importance of two intergovernmental agreements on cooperation in combating international terrorism, organized crime and drug trafficking. The Azerbaijani minister added that these agreements were signed for the expansion of relations between the interior ministries of the two countries. Mahmood, for his part, emphasized the importance of learning and using the positive experience of the two countries, the development of strategic partnership and friendly relations in all spheres between Azerbaijan and Pakistan. Pakistan supported Azerbaijan during and after the Nagorno-Karabakh War and it is the only country that does not recognize Armenia. Relations between the two states were established after Azerbaijan became independent following the collapse of the USSR in 1991. Pakistan was among the first countries to recognize Azerbaijan. -- Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Courtesy of the author When Hawkins told us he wanted to party, we were sitting out on the porch at Stanford house drinking Coors Beer from small brown bottles. The swamp cooler was on the fritz. Sundown was coming on slow. We were watching to see whether the rockers across the street would open up their front door to let their pet pig, Royal Eddie, run around the front yard. Tim Hunter suggested we coax one of our housecats into the ensuing fracas. He was an Earth-First fellow convinced of the cruelty of nature. So he was mean as hell to animals and most humans too. He worked at an art movie theater near the college. Hunter liked to scour the auditorium for used popcorn buckets after every show. He'd sneak them into the men's room, clean out the cardboard cylinders as good as possible. Then he would fill them up with corn and resell them for a buck and a quarter each. Tim spent his days off camping and fishing so he wasnt around much. We threw bottle caps at him or gave him the finger whenever he talked nonsense. Hed usually shut up and creep back to his room, rubbing his hands together like they were still covered in a flavorful artificial butter concentrate. And Royal Eddie never showed up. It turns out he was feigning delirium that eveningamidst four heshers, three deconstructed Triumph motor bikes, two empty cases of Fosters Lager and a quarter inch of mud, four stroke oil and vomit. So it was a good thing Hawkins was having a motel party that night. It would be a gift to bounce from the hood. He walked up to the porch, checked the mail and asked when Tim was moving out. By the way, he gravely intoned, I have rented a room at the Lorlodge. That was a sketchy motel with a swimming pool right off the 25 on the other side of the student ghetto. I had been working as a welder for a month and told Hawkins I wanted to make it a special occasion. I thought it would be ironically summer-weather defying to wear my leather jacket and safety hat and parade down there in style. Chauncy the actor who worked at the Steak and Ale up by Winrock agreed; he put on his tux and patent leather oxfords. Hawkins grabbed his scuba gear from out the closet, fins and all. We started walking down Central Avenue. When we passed the Fat Chance Bar and Grill, I heard a rock band playing. Damned it if wasn't A Murder of Crows. But we didn't go in because Hawkins owed Junius and Caleb a sawbuck and two pints besides. On the other side of University Boulevard a fellow in a green beret with a red flag fixed to it jumped out from the doorway of a storefront. He asked if we wanted to come to his meeting of the Communist party. They were having ice-cold refreshments and a discussion on Marx in the twentieth century, he said, smiling wanly. Chauncy told him our party would be better, handed him a half-smoked jazz cigarette that he had been fiddling with earlier and did his best impression of Harpo. As we passed Mulberry Street, three of the groovy gals we knew from art school turned the corner named for a big green tree and the middle of things. It was Split-level Lisa, who dressed in black but took photos of colorful birds; the magenta-haired performance artist named after a Hindu goddess and her pal Caroline from Sarah Lawrence College. They were on their way to Jack's Bar to get a case of Olympia and the Hawaiian-style pizza to go. Since I was full of feria after working on water tanks and decorative wrought iron all week, I offered to pitch in. I told them about the cable teevee at the motel and how they had a pool and air conditioning too. And Lisa thought that was just fine. She started to tell how she needed a new set of trucks but a helicopter was landing at the big hospital by the freeway and her voice sounded like flowers coming apart in a storm. The blades were spinning fast and fluttering around like they were made of hummingbird wings. The hot air of July swirled around us while the engine roared and roared. A security guard with a steel badge shaped like a seven-sided star chased us away when we got too close. The six of us ran the rest of the way with heat rising off the sidewalk and the light turning rosy on account of the earths rotation. Parvati lost her left flip-flop and Hawkins both his fins to the highway underpass. But just as the sun touched the horizon, we crossed over and waltzed into the office at the Lorlodge, laughing like we owned the place. 3 March 2016 13:28 (UTC+04:00) By Amina Nazarli The International conference NATO 2016 Warsaw Summit opportunities and expectations will be held in Baku on March 7, jointly organized by the embassy of Romania and the Institute for Human Rights of the Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan. Representatives of the Administration of President, Ministries and Parliament of the Republic of Azerbaijan, NATO officials, ambassadors and military attaches of North Atlantic Alliance member states accredited to Baku, members of diplomatic corps, experts and journalists will take part in the event. The goal of the conference is to bring added value to the discussions held on Euro-Atlantic security and the perspectives of cooperation between North Atlantic Alliance and partner countries, especially regarding NATO-Azerbaijan relations in the light of NATO 2016 Warsaw summit. The conference will be opened by Director of the Institute for Human Rights of the Academy of Sciences of of Azerbaijan Aytan Mustafayeva, Ambassador of Romania to Baku Daniel Cristian Ciobanu and Senior Advisor of Foreign Relations Department, Administration of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Elmar Huseynov. Officials from NATO Headquarters (Political Affairs and Security Division) and Azerbaijani Ministries (including Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Defense and Ministry of Emergency Situations) will present key aspects of NATO-Azerbaijan relations. Head of NATO Liaison Office for South Caucasus William Lahue will refer to the main elements of NATO relations with Georgia in the light of Warsaw Summit. Experts of Institute for Human Rights of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Azerbaijan will touch upon the security situation in the South Caucasus. Ambassador of United Kingdom H.E. Mr. Irfan Siddiq and Ambassador of Poland H.E. Mr. Marek Calka will refer, from a national perspective, to the main elements of NATO transformation from Wales Summit in 2014 to Warsaw Summit in 2016. As NATO Contact Point Embassy in Azerbaijan, the Romanian diplomatic mission is a channel for disseminating information about the role and policies of the North-Atlantic Alliance. Romania strongly supports the strengthening and deepening of NATO-Azerbaijan partnership. Azerbaijan is a very important and highly valued partner of the North-Atlantic Alliance. Relations between NATO and Azerbaijan are successfully developing. NATO and Azerbaijan actively cooperate on democratic, institutional and defence reforms, and have developed practical cooperation in many other areas. NATO Summit in Warsaw (8-9 July 2016) will be a landmark event. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 3 March 2016 18:26 (UTC+04:00) By Amina Nazarli The inefficient activities of the OSCE Minsk Group, which is brokering for peace in the long-lasting Nagorno-Karabakh conflict for over 20 years without any effect achieved so far, have been criticized for many years. The 'trio' of international mediators representing the U.S., Russia and France, did not take any strong steps to move the conflict from a standstill, hereby leading to a broad gap in the peace process. Thierry Mariani, former transport minister and member of the French National Assembly, pointing to no obvious shift in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict during the past years, said no progress will ever be in the activity of this group. The activity of the OSCE Minsk Group has not moved from the deadlock, he told Dailykarabakh, adding that he supports those, who do not believe in the efforts of this group. Armenia captured the Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions in a bloody war in 1990s that was a result of its illegal territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Large-scale hostilities ended with a Russia-brokered ceasefire in 1994 but Armenia continued the occupation in defiance of four UN Security Council resolutions calling for immediate and unconditional withdrawal. In 1994, the OSCE Budapest Summit established the so-called Minsk Group to find a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Mariani said the OSCE Minsk Group has little advantages and weak role in establishing dialogue and relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. "The hope is to hold joint discussions of the conflicting sides - Armenia and Azerbaijan. There is no doubt that the conflict solution depends on the will of a country that has more power in the region and that has a trump card in the hands. Everyone knows that Armenia is under economic and political pressure from Russia. So, I think that the truth can not be concealed. If Moscow wants to solve the problem, there would be a shift in the process, he said. He went on to say that first of all the regions around Karabakh must be returned. Of course, the return of the regions around Karabakh may also be a certain shift. In a word, all the tools are in the hands of Russia, and this issue is up to Moscow". Impunity makes Yerevan even more rampant and constant violations of the ceasefire reached in 1994 and repeated provocations on the front line have become a daily occurrence. Various terrorist and extremist groups are conducting training operations in these areas under the auspices of the Armenian government. The truce can be achieved if the occupied Azerbaijani territories are returned and justice is restored, Mariani emphasized. It will also reduce the military attempts between Armenia and Azerbaijan, allow to invest in the military funds in the civil sphere. So, first it needs to restore peace. With regards to the cooperation between Armenia and Azerbaijan, it is clear that this process can begin only after the conflict is resolved between the two countries". --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 3 March 2016 15:47 (UTC+04:00) A delegation of the Azerbaijani Parliament led by MP Khanlar Fatiyev, a head of the Azerbaijan-Australia inter-parliamentary working group has visited the Australian War Memorial and laid a wreath at the monument to fallen soldiers. The delegation got acquainted with the memorial. Books and videos prepared by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation about the Khojaly genocide were handed over to the library of the memorial. Later, the Azerbaijani delegates met with Australias Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce. The importance of development of relations between Australia and Azerbaijan in the spheres of oil and gas, agriculture and other sectors of economy was stressed during the talks. Also, the meeting with Assistant Minister for Multicultural Affairs and Federal MP of Australia Craig Laundy took place. During the meeting, Laundy said that Azerbaijan, located in a very complex region, faces with various challenges, namely, separatism, terrorism and extremism. Azerbaijan is a secular Muslim country, he said, adding that it is exemplary for other countries due to its policy of tolerance, stability and developed economy. The official further noted that he was informed that the representatives of all religions and faiths are peacefully living in Azerbaijan. Khanlar Fatiyev, for his part, stressed Azerbaijan's efforts in combating terrorism and separatism. Fatiyev stressed that despite Azerbaijan is located in a complex region, a policy of tolerance, intercultural dialogue and multiculturalism is conducted at the state level in the country. He added that a striking example is President Ilham Aliyevs announcing 2016 as the Year of Multiculturalism in the country. Azerbaijani ambassador to Australia Rovshan Jamshidov and chairman of the Australia-Azerbaijan Interparliamentary Friendship Group, MP Luke Simpkins also attended the meeting. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 3 March 2016 11:27 (UTC+04:00) By Aynur Karimova Azerbaijan, which completely ensures its gross energy consumption through domestic production, pays significant attention to energy-saving policy. The South Caucasus nation, by applying energy efficiency experience of leading countries in its own energy system, has achieved great achievements in this regard. The country has recently ranked the 33rd in the Global Energy Efficiency Index, sharing the same results with Japan. Energy efficiency index is a weighted average of the specific consumption index of 10 branches; the weight being the share of each branch in the sum of the energy consumption of these branches in year. Urkhan Alakbarov, Rector of the Public Administration Academy under the Azerbaijani President, commenting the result, highlighted Azerbaijan's achievements gained over the past years. He said the country's achievements were reflected in the reports of the international organizations, adding that Azerbaijan's high achievements were proven in the reports of the World Bank and the UN. Ecologists believe that energy saving measures are 2-5 times more cost-efficient than the construction of new electricity- and heat-generating facilities. They say energy efficiency reduces greenhouse gas emissions, which is beneficial for improving the environmental situation in the country. Azerbaijan, with its energy saving potential of around 8-10 million tons of fuel equivalent, enjoys potential for growth in energy efficiency primarily in the residential sector, in power generation, and at industrial plants. Taking this potential into account, the country's Energy Ministry is developing a national program for the efficient use of energy resources. The Azerbaijani government has set a priority to achieve energy efficiency through decreasing losses in production and sale of energy resources. In this regard, the country eyes cooperating with Japanese companies to increase the reliability of electricity supply and reduce losses in the network. Azerbaijan's energy efficiency measures are supported by international financial institutions, in particular by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. The EBRD earlier backed the preparation of a 165 million investment program to modernize and upgrade AzDRES TPP, the countrys largest thermal power plant (TPP). This project has also applied for carbon credits under the clean development mechanism (CDM) and is expected to reduce annual CO2 emissions by 3 million tons CO2eq. With the help of its partner banks, the EBRD has launched a credit line in Azerbaijan, meant for Azerbaijani private businesses of all scales and sectors as well as individuals who intend to invest in energy efficiency or renewable energy projects. The credit line is part of the Caucasian Energy Efficiency Program (CEEP). -- Aynur Karimova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Aynur_Karimova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 3 March 2016 12:24 (UTC+04:00) An Azerbaijani-Hungarian business forum will be held in Baku on March 6 within the framework of the visit of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to the country, Azerbaijan Export and Investments Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO) reported. The forum will be organized by AZPROMO with the support of the Ministry of Economy of Azerbaijan. Over 50 representatives of Hungarian companies representing spheres of agriculture, ICT, construction, renewable energy sources, industrial production and equipment, tourism, light industry, aviation, consulting, etc. will take part in the event. In 2015, the trade turnover of Azerbaijan with Hungary amounted to $27.96 million, of which the import of Hungarian products accounted for over $27.7 million, according to the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan. The sides enjoy a huge capacity for the development of trade and economic cooperation, as Hungarian companies consider the Azerbaijani market as an alternative to the Russian market, on the background of EU sanctions. Hungary is also a good platform for Azerbaijani investors. So far, the two countries have signed almost 40 documents. Moreover, the governments of both countries have expressed interest in increasing bilateral trade. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 3 March 2016 15:54 (UTC+04:00) By Aynur Karimova The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has expressed readiness to allocate funds for the development of Azerbaijans agrarian sector. Head of the EBRDs Baku office Neal McCain announced that currently, the Bank is holding trainings for bankers in agricultural lending. But this year, we have not financed agriculture [within the framework of the Azerbaijan Agricultural Finance Facility AZAFF] due to the situation in the banking sector [of the country], he told Trend. "Our partners are waiting for the situation in the sector to stabilize." Most likely, less than $50 million will be allocated to Azerbaijans agricultural sector in 2016, McCain added. Nevertheless, he considers that the improvement of the situation has to be expected for the second half of 2016. Currently, we are also discussing financing of projects in other spheres in Azerbaijan, McCain said adding that of course, this year the volume of financing will be less than the year before last, but we are waiting for good progress due to the large infrastructure and gas projects. Azerbaijan works for the development of agricultural sector, and aims to increase volume of domestic production and expanding range of the export goods. In this regard, the government keeps cooperating with international financial institutions and attracting investment in this sector. Over the past few years, the EU and the EBRD have been involved in several initiatives aimed at supporting development in Azerbaijan's agricultural sector. The EBRD, with the support of the EU, has been implementing the AZAFF, a financing facility to encourage local financial institutions to increase lending to farmers and other entities in the agricultural sector, since September 2015. AZAFF combines the EBRD's traditional approach to channel financing to ultimate beneficiaries through banks with the provision of non-financial assistance in order to increase the direct impact of financing and foster the overall economic development of the agriculture sector in Azerbaijan. The projects overall objective is to support the development of the agricultural sector in Azerbaijan by facilitating access to finance and business development services for agricultural enterprises and to help local banks diversify loan portfolios and increase their regional presence. The EBRD has been active in Azerbaijan since the country's independence. To date, the Bank has invested in 146 projects with over $2.5 billion across various sectors of the Azerbaijani economy. One of the EBRD's priorities in Azerbaijan is to contribute to the growth of the non-oil private sector by investing in dynamic small and medium-sized enterprises. -- Aynur Karimova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Aynur_Karimova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 3 March 2016 15:20 (UTC+04:00) The meeting of oil producing countries will be held in Russia on March 20, Bloomberg reported citing Nigerias Oil Ministry. Earlier, Russias Energy Minister Alexander Novak said that his country will agree with OPEC and non-OPEC countries to meet in March to discuss the output freeze deal. Russia, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Venezuela have agreed to freeze the oil production at the January levels, if the others follow the suit. Later, Ecuador, Algeria, Nigeria, Oman, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates expressed readiness to join this initiative. Iran and Iraq have just expressed support to the steps for improving the situation on the oil market, avoiding promises to join the deal. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 3 March 2016 11:37 (UTC+04:00) Export of Turkish goods to Russia decreased by 66 percent in January 2016 as compared to the same period 2015,Turkeys Statistical Institute reported. Turkish exports to Russia amounted to about $108 million in January 2016. In January 2016, the export of Russian goods to Turkey fell by 29.5 percent compared to January 2015 and totaled about $1.3 billion. Earlier, Russia was among the TOP-20 countries in terms of imports and exports to Turkey. Russia did not rank in this list in 2016. Relations between Russia and Turkey deteriorated following the SU-24 incident. Following the incident, Russian president decreed on taking actions to ensure the national security and special economic measures against Turkey. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 3.0 ( - - ): editor [at] bahrainmirror.com A couple of fundraising efforts have been launched to help Catheys K-9 recover from the wreck, get a new truck (for which Cathey only had liability insurance) and cover the cost of getting the 15 Kern County dogs back from the LA city shelter.This site is for the shelter fees: https://www.youcaring.com/cathey-s-k-9-rescue-531889 This site is for the truck, etc.: https://www.gofundme.com/4mf7r9bu8 Check Catheys Facebook page for updates: https://www.facebook.com/CatheysK9Rescue/?fref=ts Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. 10 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW: Todays guide to the obscure, the possibly relevant and things in between The Cornelius Group has been included in the London Stock Exchanges 1,000 Companies to Inspire Britain report. The Hertfordshire-based independent European distributor of raw materials and ingredients has featured on the list for the second time. The list has been compiled annually for the past three years and showcases the UKs most dynamic and fast-growing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). To be selected, businesses had to demonstrate positive growth in revenue during the last four years, as well as outstanding performance in comparison to sector peers. Supported by the government, the report aims to show the importance of fast-growing companies to the future of the UK economy, and the support they require. An honour to be recognised Dr Neville Prior, chairman and chief executive at Cornelius, said: It is a great honour to be recognised. Cornelius is going from strength to strength here and overseas, and we are focused on delivering high-quality materials and ingredients that our customers require for their products. Combined with an excellent level of customer service, everyone at Cornelius is committed to ensuring that we stand out as a company to do business with. Last month, the company announced plans to extend its health and nutrition offer across Europe. Cornelius is the sponsor of the 2016 Bakery Market Report. The high street coffee shop chains owner, Whitbread, has blamed mild weather for disappointing sales. Sales growth slowed considerably in the groups final quarter, due to a combination of an unusually warm winter this year, and a reduced number of shoppers using the high street. Whitbread reported like-for-like (LFL) sales growth of just 0.5% at Costa Coffee in the 11 weeks to 11 February. This meant LFL sales growth across the Whitbread group, which also owns restaurants that are often attached to its Premier Inn hotels, rose by just 1.7% in the final quarter, compared to 3.5% growth in the previous three months. At Costa, the group expects to open 200 new stores worldwide and install 950 Costa Express machines. It is also trialling Costa Collect, a pay-and-collect app to reduce queues and boost sales, along with improved food ranges. Analysts at Morgan Stanley recently toured a Costa Fresco trial site in central London, where the kitchen prepares freshly baked products. Currently, Costa mainly sells pastries, other sweet treats and centrally produced panini, and is missing out on the trend towards more freshly made and healthier food. Most analysts had been expecting a fourth-quarter LFL sales growth increase of 3% at Costa. But some had talked about the prospect of weaker sales at the coffee chain in the final quarter, as they said shoppers were wary about spending time on high streets, in the wake of the terrorist attacks in Paris last November. Whitbreads new chief executive Alison Brittain said in the statement that it was another good trading period for the group, and full-year pre-tax profits were likely to be in line with expectations. She said: Costa had good total sales growth of 10.5% and like-for-like sales growth of 0.5%, reflecting lower footfall on the high street and an unusually warm winter. Brittain admitted in December that the group had work to do, as its third-quarter results also fell short of expectations. The shares have lost more than 9% since then, and more than 25% since last April. In January, Costa became the first UK coffee shop chain to launch a vegan product registered with The Vegan Societys Vegan Trademark. The full year results for Costa Coffee and Whitbread will be published on 26 April. Keith Vaz MP met with Alex Knight, chief executive of Samworth Brothers, to discuss grave concerns about the food manufacturers wage proposals. Staff at Samworth Brothers, which has nine sites in Leicestershire, received a letter last month from management informing them of cuts to premium and overtime payments. Samworth is the biggest savoury pastry producer in the UK and owner of bakery brands Ginsters, Tamar Foods, Walker & Son and Kensey Foods. According to employees, the proposals will result in cuts to the rate of pay on Sundays and bank holidays from double-time to time-and-a-half, a reduction in night-shift supplements and the abolition of paid breaks. By 2018, all overtime will be abolished, they say. One employee, who wished to remain anonymous, said: We are going to lose a lot of money. Its going to be drastically different for people who work at the weekend and on night shifts, but the company is not listening to us. Vaz invited Knight, chief executive of Samworth, to parliament to discuss issues raised by his constituents (in Leicester East) regarding the salary consultation, which some believe will adversely affect them. Grave concerns He said: I am extremely grateful that Mr Knight came to discuss this in person, which shows that the company is prepared to meet, discuss and take this matter seriously. I told Alex about my grave concerns that some Samworth Brothers employees would be significantly disadvantaged as a result of the new contract. He assured me that the consultation with employees about contract changes is continuing and that his door is always open. Samworth wants to come to an agreement that suits both their employees and the business as a whole. Vaz said he would continue to monitor the issue closely, and would look forward to hearing the result of the consultation. Last November, Lindsey Pownall, the chief executive of Samworth Brothers, decided to step down from the top job at the food group. 3rd Annual Puerto de Chacala Festival de Musica y Arte Puerto de Chacala, Nayarit, Mexico - It's March and you know what that means... it's time for the annual Chacala Music and Art Festival! Every year in March, the Puerto de Chacala Music and Art Festival brings together musicians and other artists for a three day and night celebration, complete with sing-alongs and dancing in the street, as well as artists, educators, exhibitors and authentic Mexican food and spirits. This year's festival, scheduled to take place from March 10-13, 2016 in Chacala-by-the-sea, a relaxing fishing village in the heart of the Riviera Nayarit, just 50 miles north of Puerto Vallarta, includes art exhibitions and workshops every day, nights that feature music by Jazz, International and Mexican bands, a day devoted entirely to children, and much more! How it All Began One night in 2012 at a Friday night roof-top reception, a group of attendees began to break out in song, regaling the crowd spontaneously with music from Broadway Musicals. The group began to realize that Chacala might just be a perfect place to celebrate music and other arts: thus was borne the Puerto de Chacala Festival de Musica y Arte. The general feeling was that Chacala was destined to grow, and it was felt that an ideal growth trajectory was to see this quaint Mexican village evolve into a high quality locale where people could develop in body, mind, and spirit. This could potentially develop the sea-side village into a center of artistic values, similar to models achieved in other places such as Carmel, California and San Miguel Allende, Mexico. Since then, the Chacala Festival de Musica y Arte has continued to grow, and this year's festival promises to be the best yet! 2016 Festival Schedule All events are free and will be held in the Palmgrove/El Palmar unless otherwise indicated 6:00 pm: Olivia De La Cruz7:00 pm: Cafe Canela8:00 pm: Dan III9:00 pm: Trio Moruno Friday, March 11th - International Night 6:00 pm: Janalyn Rose 7:00 pm: Ojo de Agua 8:00 pm: Luna Rumba 10:00 pm: DJ B3HAR Saturday, March 12th - Mexican Night 6:00 pm: Kindermusik 6:30 pm: Chacoro 7:00 pm: Mariachi Infantil 8:00 pm: Grupo de Danza Infantil Nayar 9:00 pm: Mariachi Tradicional Cora 10:00 pm: Musical Sereno Purpura Sunday, March 13th - Kids' Day 10:00 am: Payaso "Calcetin" 11:00 am: Percussion Workshop Kids 12:00 pm: Patito Feo 1:00 pm: Cuenta Cuentos 6:00 pm: Winston Coronel - Town Plaza For more information, visit the Chacala Festival de Musica page on Facebook. New artists are being added every day, so be sure to check the this year's schedule, which is posted on their website, ChacalaMusicFestival.com, often. 24 Mexican States Now Using Accusatory Court System Mexico City - The new accusatory penal system, which employs oral trials rather than the submission of written evidence reviewed behind closed doors, began on February 29 in nine states of the country, including Mexico City, Nuevo Leon and the State of Mexico. The new system will apply to prosecute federal crimes, which has represented the greatest challenge to the Federal Judiciary Council (CJF) and the Attorney General's Office (PGR) since the reform was published in June 2008. The CJF signed agreements last Friday that will see the creation of eleven new federal criminal justice centers. Three of these will be in Mexico City - one in each of the capital's federal prisons. The three judges assigned to the centers in Mexico City were appointed on February 22, although construction, which began last September, is only about 50% complete. The new centers will have an overall cost of 915 million pesos ($50.64 million USD) as the works were contracted by direct award due to the lack of time. CJF councilman Alfonso Perez Daza explained, "It is impossible to issue tenders for the construction of the three needed centers, then allocations, and finish building in a four-month period. We're subjected to the times established in the constitution." According to Perez, the judges' offices will be located temporarily in the city's justice centers, and the lack of infrastructure won't hinder the implementation of the new system. The new adversarial criminal justice system already operates at the federal level in 15 states, but it has gone largely unnoticed because, among other reasons, it applies only to crimes committed after the system's implementation date. Only 215 cases were initiated during January in the courts of the 15 states that operate under the new system. Moreover, almost all of the cases recorded by the PGR have been minor non-drug dealing and weapons possession charges. The figures, concluded the CJF, imply that a large legal staff and premises aren't immediately needed, as the new system will grow slowly but steadily in the next few years. "So far, one court per state has been enough," said Perez. The 15 states that have fully implemented the new system at the federal level are Durango, Puebla, Yucatan, Zacatecas, Queretaro, San Luis Potosi, Guanajuato, Baja California Sur, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Nayarit, Oaxaca, Coahuila, Tlaxcala and Sinaloa. Those states were joined this week by Mexico City, Nuevo Leon, the State of Mexico, Aguascalientes, Colima, Quintana Roo, Morelos, Tabasco and Hidalgo. The 8 remaining states will be applying the new system in two separate stages: Campeche, Sonora, Veracruz and Michoacan will do so on April 29, while Baja California, Tamaulipas, Jalisco, Guerrero and Islas Marias will do so on June 14, just 4 days before the deadline set by the Constitution. PVRPV Vacation Rentals Celebrates 11 Years in Vallarta Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico - Puerto Vallarta Rentals Premier Vacations (PVRPV) first opened its doors for business on March 1, 2005, when Tim Longpre, who is originally from Toronto, and his staff of 3 represented 50 properties out of a small office at Francisca Rodriguez #152 on PV's south side. In 2008, the business moved to its present location, at Pino Suarez #210, where Tim and his staff of 24 have continued their rise to the top of Vallarta's vacation rental industry. This month, PVRPV is celebrating its 11th anniversary as Puerto Vallarta's premier vacation rental agency, representing over 500 properties throughout the Banderas Bay area. In addition to quality luxury and affordable vacation rentals throughout greater Puerto Vallarta, PVRPV offers vacation concierge services, so no matter what you need - from a car, cell phone or baby equipment rental, to help scheduling an area tour - you can count on the experts at Puerto Vallarta Rentals Premier Vacations. But that's not all! Puerto Vallarta property owners can count on PVRPV to take the headaches out of being a landlord through professional rental property management and administration. From managing your reservation calendar and bookings, to taking care of your property and guests, to contracting maid services, general maintenance, renovations and emergency repairs on your behalf, and the myriad other vital tasks such as paying the taxes and utility bills, their friendly and professional staff will take good care of your home and your guests. Customer service is an extremely important commodity, one that often falls by the wayside in far too many businesses, but PVRPV has served thousands of satisfied vacationers over the years - and they are looking forward to celebrating their 21st anniversary a decade from now. Congratulations, PVRPV and here's wishing you many more successful years! March 6 Pool Party at Hotel Mercurio to Support SETAC Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - The poolside bar at Hotel Mercurio has long been a favorite hangout for locals, expat residents, and tourists. Bartender Jorge is practically an "institution" there, serving up fresh fruit margaritas and daiquiris, and entertaining the crowd with jokes and a big friendly smile. The latest videos - or some classic oldies - are on the new giant-screen TV, and everyone's welcome to enjoy the heated pool, whether you're just popping in for a cold beer or staying at the hotel. (They even have pool towels and clothing check - no day-pass charge! Just change into your bathing suit and jump in!) On Sundays, the party amps up a few notches with the "Beers, Boys & Burgers" Pool Party. Now in its third year, the hunky Mercurio boys grill up the tastiest hamburger sliders this side of Mexico City, and offer all the burgers you want and all the beers you can drink for only $150 pesos! Add to that some fun pool and bar games and it's a guaranteed great way to spend Sunday afternoon. On Sunday, March 6, (that's just a couple of days away!) Hotel Mercurio will be donating 50% of the total proceeds from the Beers Boys & Burgers party to SETAC, the local community center and HIV/AIDS service nonprofit. The folks from SETAC will be on hand to talk a bit about their many programs, from HIV testing and counseling, to outreach and sexual health education, to providing baby formulas for mothers living with HIV, who cannot breast feed due to the potential for passing the virus to newborns via breast milk. The SETAC crew will also be promoting their upcoming Duckaton 2016. The Duckaton has been an annual fundraising event for SETAC for seven years, and has consistently been a big part of the annual fundraising that keeps the organization's programs going. With the participation and support of local restaurants and businesses, literally hundreds of donated prizes are given away, and there's always great food, lots to drink (Hotel Mercurio will be donating the beer for this year's Duckaton) and amazing artwork and other valuable items at auction. To make this Sunday's Beers, Boys & Burgers pool party a little different, we'll be spinning rock, Motown, and disco from the 60s, 70s, and 80s. The new MC, Paco, will keep the fun rolling with bar and pool games with prizes for... the most daring! Come out to Hotel Mercurio on Sunday, March 6, from 4:00 to 7:00 PM! It will be the best party in town, and for an important cause. Just $150 pesos, all the beer and all the burgers you want. And half of the total income will be donated to SETAC. Hotel Mercurio is located on the south side of Puerto Vallarta, just a half block up the hill from Olas Altas on Calle Francisca Rodriguez (the street perpendicular to the beach where Los Muertos Pier is located.) The purpose of the SETAC Community Center, located at Constitucion #427 and the corner of Manuel Dieguez on the South side of Puerto Vallarta, is to provide essential services to the community, including physical and mental health treatment, referrals, and education in an atmosphere of safety, free from discrimination. For more information, contact Paco Arjona at (322) 224-1974 or paco(at)setac.com.mx. Heres how the rule of 55 can help you take an early distribution from your 401(k) or 403(b). 5 min read Clearwater Beach has been named the No. 1 beach in the country in the Trip Advisor Travelers' Choice Awards. The travel website announced its "Best Beaches" rankings on Wednesday. Clearwater Beach was cited for "its sugar fine, white sand" and "calm, shallow water. Trip Advisor also pointed out the beach area "has it all" with the beach, water sports, Beach Walk Promenade, Pier 60 and a mix of hotels and restaurants. Barron Reynolds of New Port Richey said he's not surprised. "I think it's amazing. I come down here all the time, at least once a week. It's a beautiful thing to have this right in your backyard, something people pay thousands of dollars to come here and visit. I love it, this is exciting. Congratulations Clearwater," he said. Clearwater Beach also made the list of the Top 25 beaches in the world, coming in at No. 20. "I would come here every day if I could," said Jessica Epp who was visiting from Canada. "I would recommend it to anyone," added her friend, Marissa Evans. Top 10 Travelers Choice Beaches in the U.S. include: 1. Clearwater Beach Clearwater, Florida 2. Lanikai Beach Kailua, Oahu, Hawaii 3. Siesta Beach Siesta Key, Florida 4. Saint Pete Beach Saint Pete Beach, Florida 5. Wai'anapanapa State Park Hana, Maui, Hawaii 6. Ka'anapali Beach Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii 7. Pensacola Beach Pensacola Beach, Florida 8. La Jolla Shores La Jolla, California 9. Saint Augustine Beach Saint Augustine Beach, Florida 10. Beach at Panama City Panama City Beach, Florida Clearwater police officer Jeff Williams was suspended for one day without pay for violating a use of force policy when he used his foot to push a handcuffed man whom he yanked to the ground out of a cruiser, according to an internal affairs report. "I think he should be thrown off the job," said the victim, Kevin McCue, 56. "For what this officer did to me, I just want to get it out there to have justice." The internal affairs case was recently closed and officer Williams served his one day suspension last Friday. The incident happened at the Clearwater Beach Marina on Sept. 26 and was caught on surveillance video. Police responded to a disturbance call after McCue got into an argument with a woman he was dating, according to the complaint. McCue, who was handcuffed and placed into the back of a police cruiser, was arrested for disorderly conduct. The Largo man has a defibrillator, complained of chest pains and paramedic were summoned to the scene, according to the report. When the paramedics arrived, police said McCue refused to get out of cruiser. That's when officer Williams said he "violently ripped" McCue out of the cruiser and onto the ground. Surveillance video shows that struggle lasted nearly 20 seconds. Then Williams can be seen on video using the sole of his right foot to push against McCue's stomach as the man's lying handcuffed on his side, according to the report. "He can call it whatever he wants," said McCue's attorney, John Trevena. "He kicks him with his foot, while hes handcuffed on the ground. Totally inappropriate." In his original report, officer Williams makes no mention of using his foot on McCue. In a second report, Williams wrote that he used his foot on McCue to keep him from getting up and because he was worried the man would spit blood on him. "I dont buy the blood spat argument one bit," Trevena said. "It just shows the officer was trying to cover up his conduct by not including it on the report. When an officer uses force, anytime during an arrest, hes supposed to document that thoroughly." The Office of Professional Standards asked Williams if he intentionally left out the foot information in his original report. Williams said, "no" and that he initially put it in the report but took it out because at the time he thought it "was a minor incident." McCue said he suffers from bipolar disorder, was having an episode that night and doesn't remember much. According to the report, McCue was Baker Acted and the State Attorney's Office dropped the disorderly conduct charge against him. Police said McCue threatened to kill himself and the officers that night, had been drinking heavily and was resisting arrest. "I was having a mental episode," McCue said. "I really dont trust the police department anymore." Clearwater Police Chief Daniel Slaughter declined Bay News 9's request for an interview. Trevena said he's going to forward the compliant to the Mayor's office for civil damages. As multiple airlines vie to fly passengers to Cuba, officials at Tampa International Airport are positioning the facility to be a departure site to the communist island. Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, Frontier and Silver Airways were among eight that filed applications Wednesday with the U.S. Dept. of Transportation for permission to fly between U.S. airports and Cuba. The airlines are largely sticking to major hub cities for these flights, and most of the flights would be to Havana. Delta wants to fly to Havana daily from Orlando, Miami, Atlanta and New York. Meanwhile, Southwest and Jet Blue have both filed to fly direct from Tampa to Havana starting as early as this fall. "We think we are a natural market," TIA spokesperson Janet Zink said of Tampa hosting flights. "Tampa is a natural market for these flights. We have the third largest Cuban-American population in the US and our charter flights have done really well. We have seen a 65 percent increase in passenger traffic since 2012." There currently are charter services to Cuba right now out of Tampa, but no regularly scheduled commercial flights. The same Cuba travel restrictions would apply but the enforcement of those has been loosened. About 75,000 people used charter flights to visit Cuba last year. There are about 20 flights to Cuba up for grabs right that airlines and airports nationwide are fighting over. Zink described the application process for flights as a bid for a major event like the Super Bowl or political convention - on a much shorter time scale. TIA officials will have about three weeks to come up with strategy and make their pitch to the Department of Transportation. "What's going to happen now is over the next couple of months there will be a bidding war," Zink said. "There will be only a limited number of flight going from the US to Cuba on these commercial airlines. "What we're going to be doing over the next couple of weeks is trying to make the case to the Dept. of Transportation that Tampa should be one of the cities that hosts flights." Jared DeJong, 25 of London pleaded guilty Wednesday to the traffic death of Leaside High grad Andrea Christidis, 18, last October 7 as she walked home on the campus at the University of Western Ontario. An agreed statement of facts revealed that DeJong, who was not a Western student, was on campus drinking with friends at the campus pub for three or four hours. Evidence showed DeJong had an over 80 mg reading of alcohol in his blood. when his vehicle mounted a sidewalk and killed Ms Christidis. Witnesses said road conditions at the time were perfect and that DeJongs vehicle was seen travelling very fast and at one point cut in front of a public transit bus. Video from the bus showed DeJong driving on the wrong side of the road. The car went through two intersections without stopping, causing other drivers had to try to avoid it., It then jumped a curb and struck Ms. Christidis, throwing her 10 metres. She died in hospital two days later. He will be sentenced April 28, 2016 Related What is your business philosophy? At Equality New Mexico (EQNM), we envision a world in which oppression is obsolete and all dimensions of human identity are honored. We believe that every lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) New Mexican is a vital community member in our Land of Enchantment, that we are more than just our LGBTQ identity, and that the health and wellbeing of LGBTQ New Mexicans is crucial to creating a stronger, more balanced world. This belief compels us to challenge structural and individual barriers that limit our self-determination and ability to thrive. In and through our work, we strive to be a trusted partner, and to uplift the voices and build the leadership of our community in creating a reality of equity, full access and sustainable wellness for LGBTQ New Mexicans. What is your or your company's greatest asset? EQNM's greatest asset is the community that drives and supports us in everything we do. This includes our hardworking Board of Directors, our tireless staff and our beautiful LGBTQ and allied communities that invest their money, confidence and energy in this organization and our work. What's your favorite saying or quotation? Audre Lordea radical Black feminist, lesbian, writer, and civil rights activistsaid: "There is no such thing as a single issue struggle because we do not live single issue lives." This quote calls attention to the fact that we, as human beings, do not inhabit a single identity; thus, we must address oppression, privilege, access, equity and justice from the whole person perspective. For instance, while I identify as a lesbian, I am also a woman making 70 cents to every dollar a man makes, I am an Iraq War veteran, I am a survivor of religious trauma, and I am a person living with PTSD, to name a few other challenging identities that I inhabit. However, I am also white, I am able-bodied, I am a documented U.S. citizen, I come from an economically advantaged family in which I had access to higher education, and I am cisgender (meaning, my sex assigned at birth is aligned to the gender with which I identify)identities which come with significant inherent privilege in every single aspect of my life, our culture, and our society. In other words, life looks much different and is inherently more privileged for me than for a transgender, undocumented and disabled woman of color who is homeless. And both of us are a part of the LGBTQ community. What significant changes have you implemented recently? The concept of " intersectionality, " a term coined by UCLA and Columbia law professor, Kimberle Crenshaw, is what is described in Audre Lorde's quote above. This concept plays out significantly in the work we do at EQNM, and is why we are intentionally uplifting and integrating a " liberation" frame into our structure and work. A "civil rights" framewhich has been the core of the movement for LGBTQ equalityincludes important policy milestones like marriage equality, nondiscrimination protections, anti-bullying statutes, conversion therapy bans and moreall work that is important and in which we will continue to engage because we absolutely need the legal basis from which our civil rights can be protected. A liberation frame, on the other hand, recognizes that LGBTQ people need more than marriage, more than anti-bullying policies, in order to survive and thrive. In New Mexico, at least 60% of our population is people of color; thus, we must address the racism that LGBTQ people of color experience every single day and in every single institution and structure with which they engage. The extreme poverty in New Mexico extends to all communities, including LGBTQ people; thus, we advocate for a livable wage and measures that support economic equity. New Mexico is home to over 70,000 immigrants, many of whom are LGBTQ; thus, we have built capacity in Southern New Mexico to work on issues like racial profiling by Customs and Border Patrol. This shift in how we approach and develop our work has opened up countless opportunities for organizing across other issues and movements like #BlackLivesMatter, reproductive rights and justice, economic justice, worker rights, immigrant rights and disability justice, to name a few. Simply stated: We are stronger together! What is your company's greatest challenge? Our greatest challenges are apathy and ego. Creating equity and achieving justice requires a willingness and ability of individuals to examine their implicit and explicit biases, their privilege, their internalized oppressions, and their external behaviors, and how they perpetuate or mitigate injustice and inequity. And, we must be willing to accept responsibility for these things, and be held accountable to addressing them. This is the work of changing hearts and minds, and is much harder than passing a policy or regulation. Anything else you would like to add? EQNM exists on the shoulders of giants, and among some of the most fierce social justice organizing and movement building in the country. We are here because of the leaders who came long before me, and because of the power and partnership of the community in which and for which we work with all our hearts. It is a privilege to work for EQNM, with organizations like Transgender Resource Center, Young Women United, and Somos Un Pueblo Unido, and on behalf of LGBTQ New Mexicans across our great state. On Feb. 2, the Florida House passed various free-market healthcare reform proposals, according to The Miami Herald. Here are eight key points: 1. The proposals aim to cut regulations to incite competition, lower costs and increase healthcare access. 2. One proposal enables the creation of new recovery centers able to care for patients for up to 72 hours post-surgery. The bill extended the time patients can recover at an ASC for up to 24 hours. 3. The House passed a telemedicine proposal, which permits out-of-state physicians to legally treat Florida patients via technology. 4. A proposal allows patients to contract directly with physicians to pay for primary care without payer involvement. 5. The House also passed a bill allowing advanced nurse practitioners and physicians' assistants the right to prescribe patients narcotics and other drugs. 6. Although the House approved a bill implementing price transparency requirements, they failed to include Gov. Rick Scott's rigid requirements aimed at inhibiting "price-gouging" at hospitals. 7. Despite opposition from many physician groups, the House passed legislation to protect patients from "balance billing," which allows physicians to directly bill patients for serves insurance doesn't cover. 8. The House did not reach a consensus on the elimination of Florida's certificate-of-need licensing program for hospitals, which the Senate opposed. More articles on coding & billing: Cadillac tax, wellness incentives & more: 5 trends in employer-sponsored healthcare plans Consumers bear the fine, instead of purchasing coverage: 5 takeaways Highmark stands by 5% physician pay cut in Pennsylvania: 5 things to know Florida-based Malkani Retina Center is opening a new office in Naples, Fla., according to Naples Daily News. Here are five things to know: 1. Sunil Malkani, MD, is the founder and director of the center. 2. Along with Dr. Malkani, Katia Taba, MD, PhD, will see patients in the Southern Florida area. 3. Malkani Retina Center also has locations in Fort Myers and Port Charlotte. 4. Dr. Malkani has practiced in Florida for more than eight years. 5. He completed his vitreoretinal diseases and surgery fellowship at the University of Florida in Gainesville. More healthcare news: Cadillac tax, wellness incentives & more: 5 trends in employer-sponsored healthcare plans Fort Sutter Surgery Center hosts Medical Board of California members: 5 key notes 7 things for ASC leaders to know for Thursday March 3, 2016 President Barack Obama is scheduled to visit Wisconsin March 3 to promote successes of the Affordable Care Act, according to a report from The New York Times. Here are three things to know about the president's upcoming visit. 1. President Obama's trip is intended to reward Milwaukee, which won a nationwide Healthy Communities competition by enrolling an estimated 38,376 people in private health insurance under the ACA, according to the report. That number represents an estimated 75 percent of previously uninsured residents who were eligible, a rate higher than that of any other city in the nation, according to the report. 2. The president's trip is also intended to promote successes of the ACA. President Obama will talk with a handful of people who wrote him letters saying the ACA had changed their lives, and will deliver a speech at a downtown Milwaukee middle school, in which he will highlight that the ACA is working despite opposition from Republicans, according to the report. 3. During his trip, President Obama will likely take aim at Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R), who was largely responsible for the state's decision to use the ACA to expand Medicaid while declining federal money offered to pay for that expansion, an administration official said, according to The New York Times. More articles on finance and revenue cycle management: New Mexico takes aim at surprise medical bills Auditor to Whidbey General: Improve payroll oversight Fitch revises Mississippi Baptist Health System's outlook to negative The North American health IT market is expected to reach $104.3 billion by 2020, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 13.5 percent during 2015-2020, according to a MarketsandMarkets report. Here are four findings on this projected growth and the North American health IT market in general. 1. The North American health IT market is expected to experience significant growth due to various factors, such as increasing healthcare expenditure, increasing use of data-driven technologies, introduction of various healthcare reforms and changing regulations and the growing pressure healthcare organizations face to curtail healthcare costs with the rising incidences of chronic disorders and increasing geriatric population, according to the report. Healthcare insurance providers' growing need to efficiently manage an in-depth record of claims and reimbursements is also expected to be part of the growth of the North American healthcare IT market in the future, according to the report. 2. But MarketandMarkets notes high costs incurred for implementation, maintenance and upgrading services; dearth of in-house IT skilled resources; and inadequate IT infrastructure are hindering the growth of the North American health IT market. Additionally, the adoption of health IT solutions in North America is being slowed by rising incidences of data breaches, costs associated with training staff, technical difficulties in integrating health IT solutions and interoperability issues. 3. Hospitals accounted for the largest share of the North American health IT market in 2014, and this segment is poised to grow at the highest compound annual growth rate during 2015-2020. 4. Major players in the North American healthcare IT market include McKesson, Epic Systems, Cerner, athenahealth, Allscripts Healthcare Solutions, Oracle and Infor. A new study that uses telehealth services to treat patients suffering from type 2 diabetes has found success in Mississippi's Delta region, reports AJMC. The University of Mississippi Medical Center's Center for Telehealth launched the Diabetes Telehealth Network initiative in 2014. The program aims to improve disease management in patients with type 2 diabetes living in the Mississippi Delta region, historically the state's lowest-income and most rural area. Below are five things to know about the study. 1. Participants received a remote patient monitoring kit that included an iPad Mini and peripherals, such as a blood glucose meter 2. Daily interactive health lessons were delivered to the patient on the iPad, set with an alarm to remind patients to start the lesson. 3. The digital program tracks patient medication adherence, glucose levels and attempts to resolve transportation issues for patients needing to visit a pharmacy or medical office. 4. For the first 100 patients enrolled in the program, there were zero hospital readmissions and zero emergency room visits for uncontrolled diabetes. The program was able to identify 18 cases of diabetic retinopathy. 5. Program researchers plan to publish official study results after enrolling 200 patients. More articles on health IT: Bad data may harm a single patient, but it can kill your ACO MDLive launches new framework for mobile development Dignity Health to implement Cerner's PowerChart Ambulatory EHR To continue following the latest news and information for Bedfordshire and surrounding areas, simply enter your full postcode below Poundland boss Jim McCarthy is to retire after a decade-long tenure at Europe's biggest set-price retailer Poundland boss Jim McCarthy is to retire after a decade-long tenure at Europe's biggest set-price retailer. Mr McCarthy (60) will be replaced by former B&Q chief executive Kevin O'Byrne on July 1, but will remain with the group until his retirement at the firm's annual shareholder meeting in September. Mr O'Byrne is a graduate of Trinity College and headed B&Q in the UK and Ireland until a shake-up by owner Kingfisher last year. He will become chief executive designate from April 4. Poundland chairman Darren Shapland said Mr McCarthy has "skilfully guided" the business from a small, private chain of less than 150 stores when he joined in August 2006 to more than 900 outlets across the UK, Ireland and Spain. It has around 20 stores in Northern Ireland. The group also broke the 1bn sales barrier for the first time in the year to March 2015. "His energy, enthusiasm and passionate management style has touched many people during his successful tenure," Mr Shapland said. But his departure also comes at a testing time for Poundland, which has seen profits come under pressure amid tough trading, while its takeover of rival chain 99p Stores has also been far from smooth. Poundland warned over annual profits in January after seeing fewer shoppers on the high street over Christmas, which came after it posted a 26% drop in half-year profits in November. The group finally received the all-clear for its 55m takeover of rival 99p Stores from the competition watchdog last September, but Mr McCarthy has since admitted that 99p Stores was "in a mess" when it was handed over. He said on announcing his retirement that Poundland was a "strong business, which I am privileged to have had the opportunity to lead through a period of significant growth and change". He added: "After over 40 years in retail, including 10 years leading Poundland, I will leave the business in the hands of a very experienced leadership team who I know will give Kevin their full support." Prior to his role at B&Q, Mr O'Byrne also acted as the head of finance at the then Dixons Retail and Kingfisher. Retail analyst Clive Black at Shore Capital praised Mr McCarthy on his "considerable achievements" at Poundland. He said that incoming boss Mr O'Byrne was an "excellent replacement". Housing projects in Northern Ireland have all benefited from European Investment Bank funding Education projects in Northern Ireland have all benefited from European Investment Bank funding Infrastructure, housing and education projects in Northern Ireland have all benefited from European Investment Bank funding Northern Ireland could lose out on generous funding from the European Investment Bank in the event of a Brexit, it's been claimed. Housing, infrastructure and education projects are among those which have benefited in the past. The bank is currently assessing a loan of 280m to support social housing investment by Choice and Apex in Northern Ireland. A spokesman said existing projects which had qualified for funding were secure, but added: "Things could be different as a result of a UK withdrawal and issues discussed during that process". Some of the biggest projects earmarked to receive funding from the European Investment Bank include those of Choice Housing. It's seeking up to 150m from the bank to "finance the new construction of social housing and retro-fitting of existing units in Northern Ireland". Past projects included two major road infrastructure projects, upgrading sections of the M1 and M2 motorways, along with 169m (130m) for the construction and maintenance of improvements to a 120 km section of the A1, A4 and A5 trunk roads. It also gave a 150m loan to the Ulster University in order to help fund the relocating of the Jordanstown campus to Belfast city centre. A spokesman said: "The referendum itself does not impact EIB loans and the EIB engagement would continue, in the event of a no vote, until the EIB shareholders decided otherwise." The bank is supported by member states, but non-member states can apply for funding, though the spokesman said non-EU countries had received less funding. Norway and Switzerland have benefited from 1bn in loans in recent years, compared to 43bn in the UK. The spokesman said: "The EIB has a strong commitment to supporting infrastructure investment across Northern Ireland and for nearly 40 years has supported crucial energy, communications, transport, water and education investment. But the EIB said it "was not possible to say for sure what would happen in the case of a 'leave' vote". The Construction Employers Federation (CEF) has also said key infrastructure projects such as the York Street Interchange - set to benefit from EU money in the form of the Trans-European Transport Network - could also lose out. Meanwhile, a Government report has said: "Northern Ireland would be confronted with difficult issues about the relationship" with the Republic, if the UK votes to leave the EU. And it said that could mean "it would be necessary to impose customs checks on the movement of goods across the border". The Cabinet Office said: "Questions would also need to be answered about the 'common travel area' which covers the movement of people". It warned: "This could have an impact on cross-border cooperation and trade." 150m Loan to Ulster University to move Jordanstown campus to Belfast city Construction faces a shortage of skilled young people after graduates deserted the trade in the downturn. The Construction Industry Professionals Council (CIPC) said the recession had put young engineers and IT workers off a career in the sector. Instead, they had flocked to other areas, while many had also emigrated, leaving construction with a skills gap. CIPC chairman Kevin McShane said: "The council is stepping up its collaboration with education providers to help deliver the next generation of professionals, including through apprenticeships. "With every 1 invested in construction generating 2.84 in economic activity, our sector is a valuable contributor to the economic recovery." The council held an event at Stormont to mark its 100th meeting, joined by Finance Minister Mervyn Storey and First Minister Arlene Foster. Earlier this week, a survey by the Construction Employers Federation said just 25% of construction companies were operating at full capacity. And around 20% were at half capacity or less. The picture for the final quarter of 2015 had worsened since the same period a year earlier. Yesterday, a major survey said housebuilding activity in the UK sank to its lowest level in more than two-and-a-half years in February. The closely watched Markit/CIPS construction purchasing managers' index showed that housebuilding growth slumped to its lowest level since June 2013, and that it was the weakest part of the construction sector for the first time since January 2013. Overall, the survey indicated growth in the construction industry sank to a 10-month low in February, falling to 54.2 last month from 55.0 in January - the lowest since April 2015. A reading above 50 indicates expansion. Figures from the National House Building Council (NHBC) showed there was a 30% increase in registered new homes, from 2,487 to 3,223, in Northern Ireland during 2015. Michael O'Leary at the Ryan Air Press Conference on March 03, 2016 Belfast, Northern Ireland ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Michael O'Leary at the Ryan Air Press Conference on March 03, 2016 Belfast, Northern Ireland ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Michael O'Leary at the Ryan Air Press Conference on March 03, 2016 Belfast, Northern Ireland ( Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary has revealed seven new routes from Belfast as part of the airline's fresh expansion plans here. The low-cost airline chief is presenting a keynote speech at Davy Private Clients' inaugural annual conference at the Europa Hotel on Thursday. The outspoken boss has revealed seven additional routes Ryanair is bringing to Belfast. The seven new routes for Belfast winter 2016 include: Berlin (19.99 3 weekly) Milan (19.99 2 weekly) Lanzarote (34.99 2 weekly) Tenerife (34.99 2 weekly) Alicante (24.99 3 weekly) Krakow (19.99 3 weekly) Malaga (24.99 4 weekly) *prices are from amount stated and are one way* The airline, which is investing $300m (200m) in three new planes, said it would create 750 jobs when it begins flying four times to London Gatwick daily. It's six years since the budget carrier pulled out of Belfast City airport, following delays to a planned runway extension. Ryanair has said it will bring a million more passengers through its new city hub at Belfast International Airport. Speaking in Belfast Ryanairs Michael OLeary said: "This large inward investment (over $300m) and new job creation is the latest example of how Northern Ireland benefits from the UKs membership of the European Union. "Low fare air travel, which was pioneered by Ryanair in the UK and Europe, is one of the EUs great success stories." Belfast International Airport's managing director, Graham Keddie, says the inclusion of Berlin and Milan represents a long-awaited breakthrough into the lucrative German and Italian markets, and is a cause for major celebration in Northern Ireland. Mr Keddie said: "To say were delighted with this expansion would be an under-statement. For us, the inclusion of Berlin fulfils a major ambition, and is the long-awaited breakthrough we have worked to achieve. This new network comes at no cost to the taxpayer or support from Government. It will provide direct access to Northern Ireland, drive up tourism numbers, increase Northern Irelands international appeal and lead to many hundreds of new jobs. These new jobs will be at the airport and the ever-increasing supply chain. Already, weve announced close to 300 new jobs which will generate 4.8 million in wages, but thats just the beginning of an amazing period of growth and expansion that will be the inevitable consequence of this most welcome announcement." Meanwhile, according to the Centre for Aviation, which provides independent market analysis on the sector, 2016 could be Ryanair's most profitable year in 11 years. Mr O'Leary will be addressing more than 400 of Northern Ireland's top business leaders during the Davy event this week. The panel discussion will include contributions from Brian O'Reilly, Davy's head of global investment strategy, Alan Werlau, UK investment strategist, and Andrew Fisher, former chief executive of Coutts & Co. A former Deutsche Bank trader who pleaded guilty to conspiring to manipulate the Libor rate has been banned from the UK financial services industry. Michael Ross Curtler was convicted for Libor-related fraud in the US for receiving requests from Deutsche traders to change his US dollar submissions. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said it enforced the ban following the criminal conviction because Mr Curtler lacked "honesty and integrity". The London interbank offered rate - or Libor - is a short-term rate that banks charge each other for loans. The rate, which is calculated on submissions by a panel of banks, underpins hundreds of trillions of dollars of financial products across the globe, from mortgages to credit card loans. Mark Steward, the FCA's director of enforcement for market oversight, welcomed the ban. "Mr Curtler has admitted engaging in dishonest conduct in making US dollar Libor submissions," he said. "Dishonesty must disqualify him from UK financial services. Consequently, he must be prohibited." Mr Curtler was employed by Deutsche Bank between 1993 and December 2012. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy in a Manhattan federal court in October 2015 for participating in a scheme to manipulate Libor, which was tied to the profitability of trades in which he and others had a financial interest. Mr Curtler is awaiting sentencing by the US courts, facing a maximum jail term of 30 years. He could also be hit with a maximum fine of $1m (715,000), or twice any gain or loss of others resulting from the offence. A company in Bristol has decided to give its employees menstrual leave. Read More Employees would be expected to make up time taken off for period pain, but they could stay at home while they were suffering without having to produce a sick note. Could other companies follow suit? Coexist seems to think so. It is holding a seminar on March 15 to discuss the idea with other employers and organisations. Nike introduced menstrual leave in 2007 and makes business partners sign a memorandum of understanding to ensure they maintain the companys standards. Are there any laws in place at the moment that guarantee women that right? Not in the UK or at EU level. Japan is actually a pioneer in the field of menstrual leave. Japanese labour unions started to demand leave for female workers in the 1920s. By 1947, a law was brought in to force that allowed women to take days off work if there were suffering with period pain. Similar laws now exist in South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong. In English law, severe period pain could be considered a disability, according to lawyers. Read more Read More Lynne Marr, a partner in the employment team at Brodies LLP, said that employers should be aware that severe period pain that is impacting on performance or attendance could amount to a physical impairment or be a symptom of an underlying medical condition, which could constitute a disability under the Equality Act 2010. Should a law be introduced? Marr said that menstrual leave could in effect be legislated, but that it would be very difficult to manage in practice. "I imagine that this is something that could be legislated for, but it might seem unlikely given the UK Governments attempts to cut red tape," she said. "I also think it would be very difficult for employers to manage in practice - such as how to determine who suffered from pain. In some work forces it may create bad feeling and grievances about sex discrimination." Some workers unions say that certain kinds of work can be hard for women during their periods. In 2005, the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union sought 12 days menstrual leave a year for women from Toyota. The union said that standing, welding, painting and other production line work was especially tough on women during their menstrual cycle. But Toyota did not agree. To date only Nike is thought to have a dedicated policy for menstrual pain. But scientific evidence shows that women could benefit from such policies. Studies have shown that, in general, women struggle to concentrate when they have period pain, becoming slower and less accurate. Whats next? Coexist is not offering paid leave for period pain. Instead it is allowing workers who might be suffering to rearrange their days accordingly, by allowing women to fulfill their hours flexibly. That policy has been created as part of a debate: Pioneering Period Policy: Valuing Natural Cycles in the Workplace. The seminar will take place on March 15 at Hamilton House in Stokes Croft. Independent Arthur Mathews and Graham Linehan were among the mourners Bairbre Kelly (right) and family at the funeral of her husband Frank Actor Frank Kelly, best known for his role as Father Jack in the hit comedy Father Ted, was remembered at his funeral as a loving family man as well as a comic legend. Hundreds of mourners, including stars of the stage and screen, turned out to say a final goodbye to the veteran performer at a moving, sometimes funny, service at the Church of the Guardian Angels in Dublin's Blackrock. Irish President Michael D Higgins, Father Ted co-creators Graham Linehan and Arthur Matthews, as well as Ardal O'Hanlon, who played the hapless Fr Dougal in the TV series, were among those paying their respects. In an emotional tribute, the actor's son Emmet joked: "When he gets to heaven, when they choose to let Father Jack through the duty free at the pearly gates, they'll have no choice - it will be the first time anyone ever told St Peter to feck off." Kelly's simple wooden coffin, adorned with bouquets of white lilies, was placed before the altar with a black and white photograph of the actor on top throughout the Mass. After 60 years in theatre and on television, Kelly, who died on Sunday aged 77, is mostly widely remembered for his feisty parody of the drunken priest Fr Jack. Despite his role in lampooning the Catholic Church, chief celebrant Father Bill Fortune said the late actor was, in fact, a devoted church-goer with a deep faith. He pointed to the exact seat Kelly took "Sunday after Sunday" and which was "probably contoured to his person". Paraphrasing Napoleon, the parish priest said his friend and parishioner had "two o'clock in the morning courage", not a hot-headed but a cool courage, as he battled Parkinson's disease, cancer and a failing heart over the past decade. A number of poignant gifts were brought to the altar, including the Irish Times crossword, which he tackled every day, and a picture of his beloved 40 Foot, a swimming hole in Dublin Bay which he plunged into daily. A picture of the family pet Lucky "who is already missing him" was placed next to them. Along with 17 flowers, representing each of his grandchildren, a copy of his recently published autobiography The Next Gig was also brought to the altar. "Dad's next gig is in the best theatre hall," remarked Emmet. Father Fortune told the packed congregation Kelly was many things - a son, a sibling, a friend, a husband, a father, a grandfather, actor, writer and parishioner. "But none of those could encapsulate or define him," he added. "He was much more than that." Such was his renown, "Father Jack" was trending on Twitter ahead of Donald Trump and Leonardo DiCaprio for a short while after his death, quipped Emmet. After the service, Father Ted co-writer Matthews described Kelly as a legend. "He was naturally very funny, he was great, he had a great life," he said. "He packed a lot in. He'll be missed, he was a legendary figure in Irish comedy." He is survived by his wife Bairbre, children Aideen, Fiona, Jayne, Ruth, Emmet, Stephen and Rachel, and his grandchildren. Film star Richard Gere has said it is "mind boggling" that American citizens are voting for Donald Trump Film star Richard Gere has said it is "mind boggling" that American citizens are voting for Donald Trump. Billionaire businessman Trump achieved a decisive victory on Super Tuesday in the US, coming closer to winning the presidential nomination for the Republican Party. He won seven states in the biggest day in the primary campaign, building his lead in the delegate count that will determine the party's official nominee at the national convention in the summer. Speaking at a VIP screening of his film Time Out Of Mind at the Curzon Mayfair in central London, Gere said: " You can't ignore him. This is a guy who may well be the Republican nominee. "As a person I don't think he's that interesting. "What is interesting is, why would so many people be willing to support him, knowing that he represents all these horrible things? That's mind-boggling." Trump has sparked outrage with many of his policies, which include building a wall in an attempt to halt illegal immigration from Mexico, and a short-term ban on Muslim immigrants. He has also pledged in a campaign advertisement to "bomb the hell out of ISIS". But despite initial derision when Trump announced his candidacy, the Republican has struck a chord with his party's voters. The American actor added: "I don't blame him for that, I blame us. "We have something inside of us that is almost completely ignorant of emotional realities on this planet." Dozens of young Scots pursuing a career in TV and film production have helped complete work on the second season of hit US show Outlander. Based on a series of novels from American author Diana Gabaldon, the TV series follows the story of Claire Randell, a nurse from 1946 who is swept back in time to Scotland in 1743. Broadcast on US channel Starz and Amazon Prime, the show i s filmed at various locations across Scotland and has helped boost visitor numbers to the likes of Doune Castle, Stirling. A group of 25 trainees were picked to work on the production of the second series in a programme supported by Creative Scotland, and they have been praised for their efforts. They worked with the cast and crew for 18 months on location and in the purpose-built Cumbernauld studios, filling roles including costume designer, assistant director and carpenter on set. Camera trainee Josh Rowe said: "Working on one of the biggest productions in the country has given me invaluable experience that I can now take to any set I work on in the future. "Most importantly, working for an extended period of time, and in the conditions we faced, means I have accumulated knowledge, experience and work practices that could have taken years to pick up, had it been on several smaller shoots, commercials or dramas." Nicki McCallum, Outlander's supervising art director, said: "The ability to immerse someone within the department, in order to establish the area in which they excel, and to encourage that over a decent period of time has proven invaluable. "We cry out for people to have decent draughting, model making and graphic skills. To have the time and space to nurture these skills has been fantastic." Outlander has been used by tourism bodies to encourage more people from the US to visit Scotland. The production spend has also been welcomed in Scotland's creative industries. Natalie Usher, director of screen at Creative Scotland, said: "The strength of the screen sector relies on a continuous flow of skilled and creatively ambitious craft and technical crew. "The Outlander trainee placement scheme is one of a number of valuable initiatives taking place across Scotland to develop a skilled and diverse workforce, an ambition outlined in our Screen Strategy. "The young people engaged in the Outlander scheme have not only gained first-hand experience of working on set and learning from the talented crew, but have also made those all-important contacts that are essential when competing for their next career move within the sector." The DUP's Gregory Campbell is to stand down from the Northern Ireland Assembly. The MLA, who is the last of Stormont's double-jobbing politicians, has decided to continue at Westminster rather than contest the forthcoming Assembly elections in May. The law banning people from holding dual mandates is due to to come into force after May's assembly election. The East Londonderry MP said in statement: "It is with deep regret I am standing down from the Northern Ireland Assembly. I have been elected to various formats at Stormont since 1982 and have enjoyed my time immensely representing people there for 34 years. "As most people will know, legislation was changed several years ago which meant that dual mandates had to end by the conclusion of the current Assembly mandate, which is this month. "I intend to remain at Westminster as to have remained at Stormont would have meant the administrative costs of a by-election for the Westminster seat. "I entered politics in the 1970s determined even at local Council level that those bent on destroying Unionism would find yet another opponent that they could not break. Whatever venue or stage that has presented itself since those humble days, I have maintained that principle throughout and intend to continue in the same vein." Police have seized an estimated 300,000 worth of herbal cannabis in Newtownabbey. The drugs were found during a search of commercial premises on Wednesday. A 30-year-old man was arrested and taken to a Belfast police station for questioning. Detective Inspector Sean Taylor said: "Officers have also searched properties in Randalstown and Ballymena and our enquiries are continuing. This is the latest in a series of unrelated drugs seizures this week which brings to total value recovered since Monday to more than 1 million. "We are aware of the threat posed by illegal drugs and are determined to use every opportunity to take these substances off the streets and bring anyone involved in their sale, supply or distribution before the courts." General manager of Ashers and son of the owner Daniel McArthur and his wife Amy arrive at the court Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye Northern Ireland's Attorney General has been given the green light to become involved in a Christian-run bakery's appeal against being found to have discriminated against a gay customer. Senior judges in Belfast today issued notices of devolution following legal arguments from John Larkin QC about the lawfulness of legislation at the centre of the case. They decided he had raised an arguable case that sexual orientations regulations in Northern Ireland directly discriminate against those who hold religious beliefs or political opinions. The move gives Mr Larkin authorisation to make representations when Ashers' Baking Company seeks to overturn the verdict against them at a full hearing in May. Lord Chief Justice Sir Declan Morgan said: "We are satisfied that there is an issue about whether or not the relevant statutes give rise to direct discrimination issues which is more than frivolous and vexatious." The bakery, run by the McArthur family, is appealing the outcome of legal action over its refusal to make a cake with a pro-gay marriage slogan. Last year Belfast County Court held that it had discriminated against customer Gareth Lee on grounds of sexual orientation and political beliefs. The company was ordered to pay 500 in damages to the gay rights activist. Backed by the Equality Commission, Mr Lee sued the Co Antrim-based firm after it refused an order placed at its Belfast city centre shop in May 2014. He was seeking a cake depicting Sesame Street characters Bert and Ernie below the motto 'Support Gay Marriage' for an event to mark International Day Against Homophobia. Bosses at the bakery refunded his money because the message went against their Christian faith. During the original trial Ashers' representatives insisted the problem was the cake, not the customer. But Mr Lee claimed he was left feeling like a lesser person when his order was turned down. Although the County Court judge accepted Ashers was entitled to have "genuine and deeply held" religious views, she said the business was not above the law. Her ruling is now to be examined by the Court of Appeal. It will determine whether the judge was correct in law to hold that Ashers discriminated against Mr Lee on grounds of sexual orientation and religious belief or political opinion. Lawyers for the McArthurs are also expected to argue that they had protection under the European Convention on Human Rights. Their planned appeal was dramatically stalled last month following the Attorney General's last-minute intervention. In court today he argued there was a theological context to the interpretation of the sexual orientation regulations in the case. "The issue of political and religious discrimination is direct," he contended. Mr Larkin also claimed the ramifications were "potentially enormous". Counsel for Mr Lee, who was present in court for the hearing, countered that the legislation was neutral on the issue. Robin Allen QC told the judges: "It simply does not say this applies or gives prior rights to a particular religious group, or lesser rights to a particular religious group." The barrister also confirmed a key point he will maintain at the full appeal hearing. "What was decided was that a sphere of commercial activity, not all commercial activity but nearly all, should be a religion-free and political opinion-free zone," he added. However, Sir Declan, sitting with Lord Justices Weatherup and Weir, decided to issue devolution notices on the sexual orientations regulations and also a Fair Employment and Treatment Order. It means the Attorney General can make further submissions on compatibility with constitutional law when the main appeal gets underway on May 9. The NI21 leader claimed he had been the victim of a conspiracy to force his resignation and welcomed the outcome of the investigation Basil McCrea has vowed to fight for his political career after an Assembly watchdog cleared him of a range of serious allegations, including sexual misconduct and voyeurism. The NI21 leader claimed he had been the victim of a conspiracy to force his resignation as he welcomed the outcome of the investigation carried out by Assembly Standards Commissioner Douglas Bain. Mr Bain examined a range of complaints levelled at the Lagan Valley MLA, including bullying, harassing and groping staff members; taking voyeuristic photos; and obtaining cash by deception. The commission cleared Mr McCrea, a former Ulster Unionist, on all 12 complaints lodged. When dismissing the allegations regarding voyeuristic photos, Mr Bain expressed concern that three images that formed the basis of the complaint had been "heavily doctored by a person unknown in a vain attempt to make them appear in some way improper". Mr McCrea was in defiant mood as he welcomed the report. "I contend that the allegations were part of a conspiracy to force me to resign my position as a Member of the Legislative Assembly. "However I am a fighter. I will not run away. I won't let the people who did this get away with it. If I don't stand up for what is right, no one new will ever enter politics in Northern Ireland." While the report's findings have been endorsed by the Assembly's Committee on Standards and Privileges, the committee has raised concern over how Mr McCrea treated his staff on occasion. The committee said his behaviour occasionally fell below the standards it would encourage. The committee also questioned how Mr Bain had handled some the interviews he conducted in the investigation and has called for an independent review of the probe. The allegations against Mr McCrea emerged two years ago during the high profile implosion of the fledgling NI21 party. His erstwhile friend and co-founder of the party John McCallister was one of those who made complaints to the commissioner. Mr McCallister, who quit the party at the height of the controversy, is currently subject to a police investigation about other elements of NI21 business. He has denied wrongdoing. Commenting on the report's publication, Mr McCallister said: "I am thankful that this long and difficult process has now drawn to a conclusion. My desire throughout was that the allegations should be independently examined. It is my hope that the publication of this report will bring some sense of closure to all involved." Dr John Hinds passionately advocated the establishment of an air ambulance service before his death A leading doctor's union has thrown its weight behind supporting a government-funded, doctor-led air ambulance in Northern Ireland. The British Medical Association (BMA) NI publicly backed lobbying the DHSSPS to set up the Helicopter Emergency Service (HEMS) at a major conference yesterday. There has been a huge campaign for the air ambulance to be established in memory of Dr John Hinds who died last year. Northern Ireland is the only region of the UK which does not have a helicopter emergency medical service. Since his death, Dr Janet Acheson, John's partner, and his family have campaigned for an air ambulance service, with a petition they launched attracting approximately 80,000 signatures. A public consultation on an air ambulance service ended in January, however a decision has yet to be made on whether or not it will be introduced. The BMA's commitment was made during the UK Consultants Conference 2016 which met in London. The motion, put forward at the conference by Dr Anne Carson, chair of BMA Northern Ireland's Consultant Committee, expressed "dismay that Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK which is not covered by a HEMS as part of a trauma network". It was passed unanimously by conference. Dr Carson said she was "delighted" by the support. "I look forward to taking this issue to our newly elected representatives in the Northern Ireland Assembly, post-election," she said. "The HEMS model here should be funded directly by the government to ensure sustainability of the service and - given the skills needed and advances in interventions in a trauma situation - it should be led by doctors and paramedics." John Hinds, known as one of the flying doctors of Irish road racing, was fatally injured last July as he provided medical cover at a Skerries 100 practice session in Co Dublin. John, a consultant anaesthetist at Craigavon Area Hospital, campaigned for a dedicated helicopter emergency medical service. Speaking in January, Dr Acheson said: "If anything good comes out of John's death, it will be that there are lives saved. "In some ways, this is much bigger than John. His death has brought this into the spotlight in a way I don't think it would have been otherwise. That's a positive I have to take." The cost of the service is 2.38m, with annual running costs of 1.8m. Last September Health Minister Simon Hamilton said he was committed to the idea. A pensioner whose brother was murdered by the Provisional IRA more than 40 years ago is still grieving over the circumstances of his brutal death, a court was told A pensioner whose brother was murdered by the Provisional IRA more than 40 years ago is still grieving over the circumstances of his brutal death, a court was told. William Slater (78), from Culmore Point, appeared before Londonderry Magistrates Court yesterday. He pleaded guilty to a charge of drink-driving along Culmore Road on November 17 of last year. A Public Prosecution Service solicitor told District Judge Barney McElholm the defendant crashed his car onto the verge of the road. An ambulance was called and he was taken to Altnagelvin Hospital. The police suspected that he had been drinking alcohol, and a blood test revealed he was three times over the legal limit. Slater's solicitor told the court that the incident occurred on the anniversary weekend of the murder of the defendant's brother, and in his grief he went into a local bar and drank alcohol before driving to his nearby home. His younger brother Hugh was 29 when, together with colleague Leonard Cross (19), he was abducted by the IRA from a bar in the Republic close to the Derry-Donegal border and subsequently murdered. Both men - who were civilian Ministry of Defence employees working at Ebrington Barracks - were shot in the back of the head. It is understood the pair, both Protestants, regularly drank in a bar just across the border in Co Donegal despite the risk from republicans because of their employment with the MoD. Their bodies were dumped in a field beside Sheriff's Road, close to where they had been abducted. They were murdered on November 12, 1974. Mr McElholm said he was giving the defendant credit for his early plea of guilty. He also took into consideration the defendant's previously unblemished record, as well as the circumstances of his offending. He fined the defendant 50 and disqualified him from driving for 16 months. PACEMAKER BELFAST 02/03/2016 Gizmo is a hero after he alerted a family to safety after a house fire. Two adults and six children have escaped serious injury after a fire at a house on the Falls Road in west Belfast. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 02/03/2016 Gizmo is a hero after he alerted a family to safety after a house fire. Two adults and six children have escaped serious injury after a fire at a house on the Falls Road in west Belfast. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 02/03/2016 Gizmo is a hero after he alerted a family to safety after a house fire. Two adults and six children have escaped serious injury after a fire at a house on the Falls Road in west Belfast. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 02/03/2016 Gizmo is a hero after he alerted a family to safety after a house fire. Two adults and six children have escaped serious injury after a fire at a house on the Falls Road in west Belfast. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 02/03/2016 Gizmo is a hero after he alerted a family to safety after a house fire. Two adults and six children have escaped serious injury after a fire at a house on the Falls Road in west Belfast. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 02/03/2016 Gizmo is a hero after he alerted a family to safety after a house fire. Two adults and six children have escaped serious injury after a fire at a house on the Falls Road in west Belfast. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press Six children had a lucky escape from a house fire in west Belfast when their dog woke them up as it began barking. Two adults and six children were inside the house on the Falls Road at the time and all managed to escape before the Fire Service arrived. The fire started in one of the child's bedrooms from an extension lead plugged in behind her headboard in the early hours of Wednesday. A mobile phone was plugged in and charging at the time. The fire crept around her bed and was moments from setting alight her pillow and hair when their pet dog Gizmo began barking and woke her up. She was able to jump out of bed and the whole family escaped to safety. NIFRS Station Commander Kevin O'Neill said that while the mobile phone charging was not the cause of the fire in this incident, he warned people against it. He said: "Whilst it is bad practice to do so, it wasn't the cause in this case. "We recommend against charging mobile phones overnight." Damage can be seen around the wall socket in the teenager's bedroom. While there were smoke alarms fitted in the house, they were not working. Mr O'Neill said there have been three fire deaths in Northern Ireland since the start of the year and that if it wasn't for the family dog he fears they would have been dealing with a tragedy today. He told the Belfast Telegraph: "We are so grateful and relieved that we are not dealing with another fire death today with this young family and the six children that were in the house "The fire itself was relatively small but it had produced a lot of smoke. There were no working smoke alarms in the house, there were smoke alarms present but they weren't working. "The only thing that alerted the family in the house was the fact that their dog awakened, barked and woke up the people in the house." He described how close the fire, which started behind a young girl's bed, was from setting alight a young girl's hair. "The fire itself was an electrical fire and started in the plug that was in a socket right behind her headboard and the fire started in the plug, it crept up the base of the bed and alongside the matress. "It was impinging right where she was sleeping - that's how close the fire was to her head. "It was only because the dog wakened her that she was able to get up and escape otherwise I've no doubt the next thing that would have caught fire would have been the pillow and her hair." He praised the family for not being tempted to re-enter their home once they made their escape. "They evacuated out of the house, got into the car and waited on the fire service and never returned to the house," he added. "That is positive and I would commend them for their actions in getting out and staying out and waiting on the fire and rescue service arriving. "There is always that temptation and what we are trying to do is to reinforce the message to let us deal with the incident. If you were to re-enter there's the chance you could be overcome by the smoke so we want to emphasise the point that you get out and stay out." Mr O'Neill once again urged people to ensure they had a working smoke alarm in their house and to test it regularly. He said: "We would urge people that not everyone will be as fortunate and have a pet that can alert them. " A Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service spokesperson said: "One female was treated at the scene for burns to her arm and we finished at the scene at 6:45am. The fire is being treated as accidental. An extraordinary row has broken out over a Government report that has seen a Sinn Fein minister criticised by members of his own party. The controversy centres on a publication by Stormont's Public Accounts Committee examining education policy in Northern Ireland. It strongly criticised the Department of Education's sustainable schools policy. The department is headed by Sinn Fein's John O'Dowd. The committee that produced the report is chaired by Sinn Fein MLA Michaela Boyle and includes two other Sinn Fein Members. Its report said the policy was undermined by "flawed and inaccurate data". However, in a statement, Mr O'Dowd hit back at the PAC, saying it had "completely failed to grasp the complex nature of the policy". In an unusual move on Tuesday, an embargoed Press release that initially quoted Ms Boyle was withdrawn at late notice. Journalists were contacted and told the comments should be attributed to SDLP MLA John Dallat, who is vice-chair of the committee. It is usual practice for Ms Boyle, as committee chair, to be quoted in the Press release. The word "fundamental" was also removed from a sentence saying "the department has failed to recognise the fundamental flaws in its own management information". An Assembly source said the initial draft had been sent out mistakenly. The source explained Ms Boyle, a West Tyrone MLA, had not been present at some sessions when the report was being compiled. As Mr Dallat was chair in her absence, the source said it was usual practice that he should be quoted in the Press release. Yesterday Mr Dallat hit back at Mr O'Dowd's criticism. He said the report was "an excellent piece of research" identifying serious flaws in the methodology used by Mr O'Dowd's department to identify schools earmarked for closure. "This report was unanimously agreed by all members of the PAC including the three Sinn Fein Members who did not attempt to put party politics before the need for critical change that will benefit schools and children," he said. The PAC examined the Department of Education's sustainable schools policy, which decides whether schools should close or not. The committee said the number of empty places in schools is "likely to be overstated". It called for up-to-date school enrolment figures to be gathered "as a matter of urgency". But Mr O'Dowd said the sustainable schools policy has been tested in court on several occasions and found to be competent. Before Speaking about the report, chairperson of the committee, Michaela Boyle MLA said: "We are concerned by the fact that the Department has failed to recognise the fundamental flaws in its own management information. It is concerning that the Department's calculation of the actual number surplus school places may be substantially lower than the figure reported by the Department. This is no basis upon which to implement such an important policy." After Speaking about the report, deputy chairperson of the committee, John Dallat MLA said: "We are concerned by the fact that the Department has failed to recognise the flaws in its own management information. It is concerning that the Department's calculation of the actual number surplus school places may be substantially lower than the figure reported by the department. This is no basis upon which to implement such an important policy." The paramedic was unable to continue with the remainder of the shift A paramedic was allegedly bitten by a patient in Ballycastle in the early hours of Thursday morning. An ambulance was called to a house following reports of a man being unconscious. When the crew arrived the man allegedly became aggressive and bit the paramedic. The PSNI was called to the scene and an 18-year-old man was taken into custody. The paramedic was later assessed at Causeway Hospital and was unable to continue with the remainder of the shift. The PSNI said: "Shortly after 1.45am police received a report that a man had assaulted Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) staff. "An 18-year-old male was arrested on suspicion of disorderly behaviour, assault and assault on police following an incident in Ballycastle during the early hours of this morning, Thursday 03 March. " The male was later released on police bail pending further enquiries." A statement from the ambulance service said: "This incident once again highlights the potential dangers faced by our crews when attending calls. "The paramedic has more than 20 years service, dedicated to the care of those who need our help. It is disgraceful that we have witnessed yet another incident of this type. "When the member of staff was unable to continue with the rest of his shift, Ballycastle was left without cover in the town, relying on the neighbouring stations of Ballymoney and Coleraine to be available to respond to calls from the town. "This also has the potential to impact on the staff from those other stations as they may have to travel longer distances at high speed to respond to Category A patients." The statement added: "We recognise that we have the support of the vast majority of the public in attempting to consign these attacks to history but if people refuse to listen, we would like to see custodial sentences as a deterrent." The pair met on a suicide support website called takethislife.com as they had both lost a loved one. A young woman has warned of the potential dangers of meeting people online after a man she believed groomed her on a bereavement website avoided a prison sentence. The 21-year old was speaking after Jonathan Fawcett - who travelled from England to Northern Ireland to meet and have sex with her on two separate weekends when she was 15 - was placed on probation for three years. The pair met on a suicide support website as they had both lost a loved one. Contact between the two first occurred in 2008 when the girl was 14, and in 2009 Fawcett - who used the name 'Fallen Angel Jon' - sent her a private message inviting her into a chatroom. Shortly after, the pair began communicating via MSN and the messages started to become sexual. When the contact between the two first started, Fawcett was 19 and aware he was messaging a 14-year old girl. Fawcett then travelled from his home on Manley Road in the Lichfield area of Staffordshire and booked into a Co Antrim B&B in May 2009 and again in July of that year. On both occasions, he engaged in sexual activity with the then 15-year old girl. Fawcett, who has autism and who is now 26, admitted 18 counts of sexual assaulting the teenage girl, and was placed on three years probation at Belfast Crown Court today after a judge said he was taking into account his condition. Citing the case as "exceptional", Judge Gordon Kerr said various reports compiled on Fawcett suggested that if he was jailed he presented a high risk of suicide. The Judge also spoke of "ongoing treatment" that Fawcett is undergoing in England, adding probation would allow him to continue with that work. Speaking after Fawcett was placed on probation, the young woman said: "That's not enough for what he did to me. He has ruined these last seven years of my life and I now suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, anxiety and depression." "I also feel the fact that he has autism was used as an excuse for what he has done. They made such a big deal of his autism in court - but he was able to book flights on his own, he was able to book accommodation on his own and he travelled from England on his own. "He was able to do all these things but apparently he is not able to leave his own house because of his autism." "He groomed me, he did what he did to me over those two weekends and he didn't spend a day in prison for it. "I think he should at least have experienced what it was like in prison. I honestly feel like he has got away with this." Whilst sentencing Fawcett, Judge Kerr spoke of the vulnerability of the teenage girl, adding Fawcett "took full advantage of that fact." The victim said: "I definitely feel he groomed me, and after the first time he came over I felt he manipulated me into meeting him again because he threatened to tell my family if I didn't." She also said she hoped what happened to her would act as a warning to others of the potential dangers of meeting strangers online. She said: "You need to be really careful about who you talk to and how you can trust online. You really don't know who they really are, so please be very careful." During a previous hearing, Crown prosecutor Kate McKay said Fawcett "tapped into the girl's vulnerable and emotional fragility". On both of the weekends that Fawcett came over from England, the pair engaged in several sexual acts including intercourse. Mrs McKay told the court that afterwards the girl "felt like she had been treated like a sexual object." Mrs McKay also revealed that on the second occasion, she felt Fawcett was "more assertive." She didn't tell anyone what happened until she went to the police at the end of 2012, and has still not told her family. When Fawcett was first spoken to in June 2013, he admitted he knew the girl was 14 when they both met. He also told police they were in a relationship and admitted "a majority of the sexual contact." Fawcett admitted filming them on one occasion which he said he deleted, but denied being assertive with her. Mrs McKay said it was the Crown's case that despite pleading guilty Fawcett has tried to minimise his culpability. Defence barrister Sean Devine said: "This is a case where the defendant had a sexual relationship with a 15-year old girl when he was 19, after they met on the internet and were in contact for over a year." Saying Fawcett's autism contributed to his lack social awareness, Mr Devine spoke of him leading a "reclusive and socially isolated life" in England. He also spoke of Fawcett's difficult childhood which included a "family beset with problems" and being subject to bullying, as well as the impact his girlfriend's suicide had on him. The barrister also told Judge Kerr there has "been no reoccurance of this type of behaviour" since 2009. Authorities have struggled to keep pace with the different types of so-called legal highs that have emerged in recent years (City of Edinburgh Council/PA) Scientists have developed new screening technology to speed up the process of identifying the countless variants of potentially deadly so-called legal high drugs. Authorities have struggled to keep pace with the different types of novel psychoactive substances (NPS) that have emerged in recent years. By the time they take action against one legal high, often another version, with a slightly different chemical composition, will been in circulation. Chemists from Queen's University in Belfast have created a new fast track approach to identifying NPS. Legal highs got their name because when they first emerged in the UK there was no legislation in place to prevent their legitimate sale. Subsequent prohibitions against certain drugs have followed and next month a total ban will come into force under the Government's Psychoactive Substances Act. The ban covers "any substance intended for human consumption that is capable of producing a psychoactive effect", with certain exceptions such as caffeine and alcohol. Those caught producing or supplying such drugs will face a maximum prison sentence of seven years. The new technology produced by Queen's will enable statutory agencies to identify the actual substances contained within the legal highs more quickly, so more prompt public health warnings can be issued. It will also allow agencies to build a "live" picture of which drugs are currently in circulation, with the aim of helping to speed up related criminal prosecutions. The research findings have been published in the Royal Society of Chemistry's journal, Analyst. The project was conducted by researchers in Queen's School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering in conjunction with Forensic Science Northern Ireland. It was awarded 71,000 funding by Stormont's Department of Justice through its Asset Recovery Community Scheme which uses assets seized from criminals to support a range of initiatives in Northern Ireland. Queen's professor Steven Bell said: "The production of these drugs is constantly evolving and unfortunately there have been many instances of highly dangerous variants appearing, causing multiple fatalities before the threat they posed was recognised. "In 2014 alone 101 new psychoactive substances were identified. "As a result of the new approach devised at Queen's, we predict that we will be able to identify many more substances and at a much more rapid pace as our work in this area progresses. "This will not only aid in the creation of new legislation but will also enable more meaningful information to be available to the community, police and public health agencies, with the aim of saving lives and preventing serious injury." Stormont's Justice Minister David Ford hailed the development. "The importance of this valuable work cannot be overstated," he said. "Legal highs continue to be a major problem on our streets and because so many compounds are available, it is very hard to keep ahead of those producing them. "Whilst there's still work to do, this research will help Forensic Science Northern Ireland to identify what's in these legal highs more quickly, enabling them to identify substances and get public health messages out to communities. "It is also very satisfying that this work is funded by the Asset Recovery Community Scheme which uses the assets seized from criminals to support projects aimed at preventing crime." A Northern Ireland banker accused of torturing his flatmate's pet cat has been rearrested in New York for violating a court order. Declan Garrity, a 24-year-old from Co Tyrone who is on a work visa, was arrested last Wednesday and is accused of ripping out the cat Lucy's nails, breaking bones in her face, pelvis and legs and burning the animal, since moving into the apartment in November. Garrity, a financial analyst from Omagh, had been working at Barclays' offices in New York since October 2014, according to his LinkedIn page. He was charged with aggravated cruelty to animals and torturing and injuring animals and released on a $5,000 (3,500) bond. The criminal complaint filed by the Manhattan District Attorney's Office states that "shortly after [Garrity] moved into the apartment, the individual observed Lucy's behaviour change, including hiding in the individual's bedroom closet, not eating and constantly licking her paws." The complaint also states that Garrity told his flatmate on January 25 that an iron had fallen on the cat while he was at work. Last Saturday, the flatmate claimed that when she came home from work, she found Lucy "hiding in her carrier [with] her rear foot facing in the wrong direction," and that she was damp and missing hair. The roommate also saw paper towels on a bedroom vanity unit with "cat hair and blood". A vet said the cat had a dislocated and fractured bone in her leg, several broken ribs, broken teeth, burns on various areas of her body, as well as broken claws. After his court appearance last week, Garrity was prohibited from going to his New York apartment where the alleged animal abuse took place. However, a judge permitted him to visit the apartment from 1-3pm to collect his belongings as long as he was accompanied by a police escort, but when Garrity arrived at the apartment on Tuesday afternoon he was alone. A newspaper in New York reported that he greeted removal workers who were waiting on the street and rang the apartment's buzzer. A voice on the intercom asked: "Do you have police with you?" Garrity replied: "No, the movers are here." The father of Danielle, Garrity's former flatmate and owner of the cat he's accused of abusing, was waiting in the apartment. The father called his daughter to tell her Garrity had arrived without a police escort and Danielle called the police to report the violation of the court order. He was arrested and led out of the building in handcuffs. He was charged with criminal contempt in the first degree. Meanwhile, members of the public have set up an online petition demanding that should he be convicted, the Omagh man receive the maximum sentence for his crimes and be banned from owning a cat. It reads: "This level of animal torture is sick and alarming. This person, if guilty, should be brought to justice. "We urge you to seek the maximum penalty in this case and see to it that this man is banned from ever owning animals if he is found guilty of this horrific crime." School budgets have been cut by 0.8% for the coming financial year. The decrease amounts to around 10m. The aggregated schools budget is one of the largest funding pots in the Department of Education and this year stands at 1,167.5m. The department faces a cut of 72m in its resource budget in 2016/17. Education Minister John O'Dowd said he had done everything possible to protect the aggregated schools budget. "In order to mitigate against reductions in school budgets, my department has funded the 2015-16 strategic cost reduction programme in schools," he said. "This will result in up to 12.5m of full year salary savings in 2016-17 for schools. I have also allocated three-quarters of the additional 20m, announced by the Finance Minister on February 10, 2016 and which will be made available to my department as part of the June 2016-17 monitoring round, to the aggregated schools budget which is being announced today. "The remaining 5m will be directed towards the Education Authority for special educational needs services." Deputy Chief Constable Drew Harris in one of the storage vaults where historic murder files are kept The PSNI is hiring a number of former police officers as civilian investigators to help with investigating historic crimes, the Belfast Telegraph can reveal. Adverts have been placed with recruitment agencies across the UK for 17 investigation officers to start work on cases including the Stakeknife probe. Their contract is due to run until May 2017, and they will be paid 170 a day. The PSNI is also hoping to secure detectives from other police forces on a secondment basis to support the investigations. The news comes after Stakeknife's alleged victims called for an independent probe. But due to difficulties in securing the numbers needed, applications have been opened to former police officers. Those people selected to take up work will join a special major investigation team that will report directly to Chief Constable George Hamilton. The police chief will, in turn, report to the Northern Ireland Policing Board about the probe's findings. The investigation into Stakeknife - who has been widely named as former west Belfast man Freddie Scappaticci, which he strenuously denies - is expected to be the largest ever in the UK into allegations against a single individual. The team will investigate claims about the activities of Stakeknife and the IRA's internal security unit, the so-called "nutting squad", between 1978 and 1995. The unit was responsible for identifying, interrogating and killing IRA members suspected of being informers. It has been claimed that Mr Scappaticci was a leading member, as well as being the Army agent codenamed Stakeknife. In October, the director of Public Prosecutions in Northern Ireland, Barra McGrory QC, announced that he had asked the police to investigate allegations that Stakeknife was involved in 24 murders. However, it is believed that the number could grow significantly as the investigation progresses. Dealing with legacy cases, Troubles-related inquests and major investigations such as Stakeknife and Bloody Sunday is placing a huge strain on the PSNI's already reduced resources. Police bosses believe that hiring former officers on short contracts, or serving officers on secondments from other forces, could help relieve some of this pressure. Chief Constable George Hamilton has said several times that his priority is for the PSNI to keep people safe today, and not tie up precious resources investigating the past. Policing Board member and DUP MLA Jonathan Craig said he had concerns about the use of retired officers in the Stakeknife investigation and other cases. "These investigators are needed for the Stakeknife probe," he added. "I would be happy for detectives from other police forces in GB to be brought in to assist. "But I wouldn't be happy for former officers to be involved. This is where the HET (the now defunct Historical Enquiries Team) fell down. "I would have concerns around whether their (the former officers') qualifications and investigative techniques were up to date." He added, however: "While I would prefer existing officers from outside Northern Ireland, I believe that it is unlikely we will be able to secure the numbers needed, so it puts the PSNI in a difficult situation." The advertisement for the investigation officer posts insists that candidates be willing to undergo developed vetting, which is the highest level of security clearance. They must also have knowledge of organised criminality, as well as experience in reviews into historic investigations and the use of covert tactics. In addition, applicants should be familiar with the HOLMES system (Home Office Large Major Enquiry System) - an information technology system used in the investigation of major incidents. The government has set aside a total of 150m for those bodies that are set to investigate Troubles-related cases. But a failure by Stormont politicians to agree on how best to deal with issues concerning the past means that the extra money is currently on hold. Last month, the Northern Ireland Office indicated no more cash would be made available to deal with police investigations into Troubles-era crimes. A scrambler driver who went flying through the back window of a car and ended up in the rear seat after a crash is lucky not to have killed anyone, the PSNI have said. Police seized the bike after the terrifying incident on Tuesday in Colin Glen Forest Park, Dunmurry. The rider of the unregistered bike was wearing a helmet - but not a motorcycle helmet - and green fishing waders. He ran off after the collision around 3pm. Writing on their Facebook page, the PSNI urged the rider to come forward as he could have been hurt. "We are appealing for witnesses and for the scrambler rider to come forward, as they may need medical attention," the post read. "We have seized the motorbike and an investigation is under way. The occupants of the car and the rider are lucky to be alive. "If your child or young person has an off-road bike, you must be aware of what they are doing with it and where they are riding it. Too many people have experienced the worst - police arriving at their door, to tell them a loved one has been either killed or seriously injured - because of the inappropriate use of these vehicles." In 2011, Daniel Mooney (12) died after the bike he was travelling on crashed in north Belfast. The Hazelwood College pupil was not wearing a helmet. A man in his 30s was later sentenced to eight years in prison. Last July, a 15-year-old was left in a critical condition after a crash as he and a friend rode scramblers along the Glen Road. Police said off-road bikes should never be ridden on private land where consent has not been granted. They also warned they should never be used on public land not designated for such use. Officers have the power to seize vehicles, and those riding them illegally could face prosecution. However, the sight of children riding scramblers around parts of Belfast with impunity is increasingly common. The illegal memorial in the Lurgantarry area of Lurgan is currently under construction An illegal memorial garden in Lurgan dedicated to the Easter Rising has been blasted as an attempt by dissident republicans to claim control of the area. Work is still ongoing to the substantial structure in the Tarry area of the Co Armagh town. Located just yards from a school, St Ronan's, it consists of eight grey brick pillars and is intended to remember republicans who died in the 1916 Rising and since. But Republican Sinn Fein has received neither permission from the Housing Executive - which owns the land - nor planning permission from Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Council. The Housing Executive has said it cannot remove the memorial, despite receiving complaints. DUP councillor Carla Lockhart said she had contacted the chief executive of the council to investigate taking forward a planning enforcement case. She said she was concerned by the memorial, and questioned whether dissidents were trying to stamp their authority on the area. "I have requested to meet with the Housing Executive locally and also spoken with the Social Development Minister asking him to investigate," she explained. "There should be no place in our society for the glorification of terrorism and this monument appears to be an attempt by dissident republicans to stamp some level of authority on this part of Lurgan." A spokesman for Republican Sinn Fein told the Lurgan Mail that the memorial was being erected in memory of Edward Costello, who it said was a Lurgan man who died during the Rising. He had moved to Dublin seeking work and ended up joining James Connolly's Irish Citizen Army, which along with the Irish Republican Brotherhood, staged the revolt against British rule. The spokesman said the monument would also be in memory of all those who died in the Rising. He claimed that the group had carried out door-to-door collections to raise money for the monument, and no one had raised any objections to it. A spokesman for the Housing Executive said the memorial was on its land and was being built without permission. "We can confirm the memorial is on Housing Executive land," he said. "It has recently been built without planning permission or the approval of the Housing Executive. We have never been asked for permission and would not have supported a memorial of this nature." But he added: "The replacement or removal of symbols such as murals and memorials is a complex and sensitive matter. No one single agency can work on its own to do this. "To this end we will continue to work with those who live on our estates, their representatives and other agencies to look at an alternative use for these spaces." Ms Lockhart said: "It is being constructed by Republican Sinn Fein who have made it clear that its purpose is to celebrate not just those who participated in the Easter rebellion, but those who engaged in a terrorist campaign here in Northern Ireland." Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary has urged Northern Ireland to vote to stay in the EU as he launched seven new continental routes for Belfast. The carrier will operate flights from Belfast International Airport to Alicante, Berlin, Krakow, Lanzarote, Malaga, Milan and Tenerife from the autumn. Ryanair also confirmed the expansion of its recently unveiled Gatwick service from the Co Antrim airport. The airline said the investment in its operations in Northern Ireland was in excess of 200 million - the cost of the three Boeing planes it is basing at the airport - and claimed the move would support 750 jobs. Mr O'Leary used the route launch event in Belfast to reiterate his belief that the UK would be better off in the EU. "This large inward investment and new job creation is the latest example of how Northern Ireland benefits from the UK's membership of the European Union," he said. "Low-fare air travel, which was pioneered by Ryanair in the UK and Europe, is one of the EU's great success stories. We are calling on everyone in Northern Ireland to vote 'Yes' to Europe in the Brexit referendum in June, because staying in Europe will mean stronger economic growth, more tourism and more jobs for young people, whereas leaving will reduce the UK to the same status as Norway - namely outside the EU, but part of the single market, but with no role in setting EU policy or strategy." Tourism Ireland has welcomed the new services. Chief executive Niall Gibbons said: "Today's announcement is excellent news for tourism to Northern Ireland as we roll out our 2016 promotional drive. "We already work very closely with Ryanair and we look forward to co-operating with them to maximise the promotion of these new flights from Berlin and Milan to Belfast and to grow tourist numbers from Germany and Italy. "As an island, the importance of convenient, direct, non-stop flights cannot be overstated - they are absolutely critical to achieving growth in inbound tourism. Tourism Ireland is committed to working with Ryanair, Belfast International Airport, as well as other tourism interests, to promote and help maintain vital routes and services to Northern Ireland." A walker makes their way through snow in Buxton, Derbyshire, with forecasters warning of more to come Parts of the UK could wake up to almost four inches of snow on Friday morning as March continues to feel more like winter than spring. Weather warnings are in place for Northern Ireland, north Wales, northern and western England and Scotland as a frontal system continues to make its way in from the Atlantic. The greatest snowfall, up to 3.9ins, is forecast to hit the Peak District and the Pennines as daytime temperatures on Friday in northern England struggle to reach 4C (39.2F) in Leeds and Manchester, and 3C (37.4F) in Bradford. The Met Office yellow warnings cover snow and ice and warn of difficult driving conditions and the likelihood of travel disruption as a result. Forecaster Alex Burkill said: "There could definitely be some significant accumulations by the time people wake up tomorrow morning. "It's going to be pretty chilly and it's going to feel pretty unpleasant in some parts". While the South and South East will escape the snowfall on Friday, experiencing a mostly dry and clear day, those areas are likely to be in store for a soggy Saturday, Mr Burkill said. "The frontal system will push its way eastwards as we go through Saturday morning, bringing rain so it is not looking like a great day across many eastern and south-eastern parts of England. Strong, north easterly winds and wintry showers in many places will ensure temperatures remain below normal at least until the middle of next week. Mr Burkill said: "Late next week is probably the best that we can hope for, for temperatures to pick up." A security alert sparked in east Belfast following the discovery of a suspicious object has been declared 'nothing untoward'. The Sydenham Road was closed while ATO examined the object. They declared it to be nothing untoward. Diversions were put in place but all roads in the area have now reopened. Arlene Foster has backed the DUP's East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson, insisting he is "not a racist". Mr Wilson was embroiled in controversy when footage shot by the BBC emerged of him appearing to agree with a member of the public's "get the ethnics out" comment. In his brief conversation with the member of the public, Mr Wilson told the man: "They are doing a programme on the BBC about should we stay in the European Union or get out of it, so I am going around talking to people and then they are going to do an interview with me." The man then said: "I'd say get out of it... between you and me get the ethnics out too." Mr Wilson then replied: " You are absolutely right, you know." The politician, who was taking part in a BBC programme about the forthcoming EU referendum, insisted he was agreeing with the man's comments on leaving the European Union. The DUP MP also accused the BBC of giving the impression he had been "caught out" during a walkabout at a market in Carrickfergus three weeks ago. He stressed that anyone who was aware of his personal life would know he was not a racist. "I knew that I was being recorded, filmed and followed by the reporter," Mr Wilson said. DUP leader Arlene Foster said she had spoken to Mr Wilson on Tuesday afternoon, the Irish News reported. "I think Sammy had been very clear he was not agreeing with the member of the public," she said. "What he was agreeing with was the fact that he believes that we should come out of Europe and that was his assertion. "Sammy's made his position very clear. I know Sammy very well. He's not a racist. "He's far from it and therefore I think that's an end to the matter." A Westminster inquiry has said supermarket giants must do more to explain why Northern Ireland farmers get the lowest UK prices for red meat A Westminster inquiry has said supermarket giants must do more to explain why Northern Ireland farmers get the lowest UK prices for red meat. And it warned that dairy farmers must not become the victims of supermarket wars in which milk is sold as a loss leader to attract more customers. The environment, food and rural affairs committee heard that price differentials cost beef farmers here around 17m a year. Its report also questioned assurances by retail bosses that there was "no link" between the prices at which supermarkets sell goods and prices paid to farmers. It said that trust between farmers and retailers had been damaged over the last 10 years and "must be restored and reinforced". The Belfast Telegraph has repeatedly highlighted the plight of producers over recent months. They include a Co Down farmer who was receiving 14p for a kilo of potatoes which then sold for 1 in the supermarkets, and a Co Armagh farmer who was getting 8p for parsnips which retailed for 10 times more. The report - which will bolster the investigation being conducted by the Assembly's agriculture committee - warned: "Regional price disparities pose a threat to the economic sustainability of the national market, with regions receiving lower average prices being made more vulnerable to external price shocks and regions relying on an above average market price becoming vulnerable to undercutting over time." The inquiry said the situation for dairy farmers in Northern Ireland was "particularly difficult, as three-quarters of milk produced (is) exported as milk powder". Yesterday's inquiry, to which the Ulster Farmers Union gave evidence, concluded: "Retailers must adopt clear and transparent approaches to pricing and ensure that any regional price differentials for equivalent produce take into account the full costs of production and do not undermine the economic sustainability of farmers at a regional or national level. "Supermarkets may choose to sell milk cheaply as a loss leader, but farmers must not be the victims of the supermarket wars currently taking place in the UK." Recent research showed farm incomes had fallen far further and faster in Northern Ireland than in Britain. Economist Paul Gosling said incomes shrank by 17% in real terms in 2014 compared to a fall of just 4% in the rest of the UK. Almost one in seven farms (14%) in the province now runs at a loss - with severe knock-on effects on employment and the overall economy. Unions have vowed to keep picketing a Cadbury's factory as talks begin on fears over outsourcing of jobs. Siptu and Unite representatives will negotiate with owners Mondelez Ireland after 17 positions at the Coolock factory were reassigned. More than 200 workers went on strike disrupting production of some of the company's most iconic chocolate bars such as Dairy Milk, Twirl and Flake amid concerns more permanent roles could go the same way. The talks beginning on Friday morning will be chaired by mediators from the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC). Unite regional coordinating officer Richie Browne warned that the move to outsource 17 core roles in Coolock will herald a "move away from good permanent jobs to precarious work". "The unions have put forward proposals which would achieve productivity improvements and cost savings with no loss of permanent jobs. We welcome the intervention of the WRC, and hope for a meaningful engagement," he said. Siptu s ector organiser John Dunne said: "Our union representatives have decided to attend these talks in the hope that a resolution can be found to this dispute. "However, the work stoppage at the plant will continue tomorrow and the pickets outside the plant will remain in operation." Cadbury's in Coolock has been producing chocolate bars for five decades for the Irish, UK and other international markets. Enda Kenny attends the launch of 'Proclaiming a Republic: The 1916 Rising exhibition' at the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin Irish premier Enda Kenny has admitted it will be difficult to form a new government after a seismic split in the vote in last week's general election. In his first public appearance since the result of the poll became apparent over the weekend, the Taoiseach conceded he will have to sit down with arch-enemies Fianna Fail to decide on the way forward. "The numbers in the Dail make it difficult to form a government," he said. "But that's what the people expect and as leader of the largest party and Taoiseach, it is my responsibility to ensure that prospect is put in place - and that includes talking to Fianna Fail." Mr Kenny's ruling Fine Gael and junior coalition partners Labour suffered humiliating losses at the election after five years in power administering an austerity programme. An unprecedented schism in the electorate has thrown into disarray the prospect of a new government any time soon. Although the two largest parties, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, have enough support between them to form a power-sharing alliance, there is little trust between the pair - whose historic rivalry was born out of Ireland's civil war more than 90 years ago. Both are also wary of Gerry Adams, leader of the third largest party Sinn Fein, walking into the new Dail as the official head of the Opposition. The impasse could mean Ireland will celebrate the centenary later this month of its 1916 Easter Rising, a pivotal moment that led to the country's partition and independence for the Republic, without a government. Speaking at an exhibition marking the rebellion at the National Museum in central Dublin, Mr Kenny refused to be drawn on whether he would prefer a coalition administration or a minority government. "We have not started any discussions about any options yet," he said. "There are a number of options, they're all difficult." A minority government is one possibility, potentially led by Fine Gael and backed by Fianna Fail in return for some concessions. Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin has called for all parties to sit down at the negotiating table to agree parliamentary reforms in advance of talks to forge an administration. In a statement on Tuesday evening, Mr Kenny said his Fine Gael party would work comprehensively with the manifold forces, factions and Independents to restore political stability in the "changed circumstances". The Dail is scheduled to resume on March 10 to elect a new Taoiseach. But such is the splintering of the vote, uncertainty hangs over whether the diverse parties and groupings can come to any agreement that would pave the way for a new government. Willie Penrose took one of the final seats in the election in the redrawn Longford-Westmeath constituency The Labour Party has secured seven seats in the Dail, ensuring its leader and TDs retain valuable speaking rights. After a marathon count which finished six days after polling day, Willie Penrose took one of the final seats in the election in the redrawn Longford-Westmeath constituency and guaranteed the party a precious public profile in Leinster House. "It was a touch of Lazarus," he said after being elected. "I got three runs of Lazarus this time. "It just shows you the vagaries of the proportional representation system. "I'm delighted to have secured it. It's the sixth time I've been elected. It's a great honour and privilege to represent the people. "It's very important in the context of the Labour Party itself. I'm the seventh member and that's very important in terms of us, we are the oldest political party in the state, born in 1912. We have a very proud tradition." Mr Penrose told RTE Radio: "To those who wanted to write us off prematurely or to those who predicted our demise, let this be a warning and a signal that we do not intend to die easily, we intend to reorganise and rebirth." The Labour TD has been in the Dail since the so-called "Spring Tide" of 1992. He was appointed to a junior ministry dealing with housing in 2011 but stood down after six months over the closure of an army barracks in Mullingar. Two years later he rejoined the party ranks. Mr Penrose defeated James Bannon of Fine Gael for one of the final seats in one of the closest fought contests in the 2016 election. The knock-out blow was delivered at about 5.30am on Thursday at the count centre in St Dominic's community centre in Keenagh, Co Longford, dubbed the Siege of Keenagh by some of those who stuck with it to the bitter end. Mr Penrose's victory ensures Labour's leader has valuable time to question the Taoiseach and Tanaiste in the Dail, a precious bonus to help the party maintain a profile after its setback in the election. Labour has gone from 37 seats to seven. Mr Penrose, who took a phone call from party leader Joan Burton at 6.15am, said he was not interested in contesting a leadership race. Fine Gael's Peter Burke took the other of the last two seats. Mr Bannon, who was the outgoing TD based in Longford, is considering a legal challenge to the count after he was eliminated on the 14th count, six votes behind Mr Penrose. About 66% of SMMT members believe access to EU automotive markets has a positive impact on their firm More than three in four (77%) companies involved in the UK motor industry believe a vote to remain in Europe would be best for their business, according to a survey. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) found that 88% of members which are large companies and 73% of small and medium-sized businesses want to stay in the EU. Some 66% of SMMT members think access to EU automotive markets has a positive impact on their firm. The ability to hire a skilled workforce (55%) and influence industry regulations (52%) were also given as benefits of the UK's EU membership. SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said: "The message from UK automotive is clear - being in Europe is vital for the future of this industry and to secure jobs, investment and growth. "UK automotive is thriving, with record car exports, new registrations and the highest manufacturing levels for a decade. Our industry supports 800,000 jobs across the UK and contributes more than 15 billion to the UK economy - our members have clearly stated that pulling out of Europe could jeopardise this." Data from the Home Office reveals numbers claiming asylum as a proportion of the UK population hit an 11-year peak The number of people claiming asylum in the UK as a proportion of the population has reached its highest level for 11 years, official data shows. Claims from 38,900 main applicants and dependants such as children were recorded in 2015 - equivalent to 107 every day. This means Britain registered 597 asylum seekers per million residents - the highest rate since 2004, when it stood at 680 per million. The findings emerged in Press Association analysis of Home Office data which provides a comprehensive insight into the impact of the international migration crisis on asylum claims in Europe for the whole of last year. It also emerged that: :: The UK has fallen steadily down the ranks of EU countries in terms of applications per million of population in recent years, to 17th out of 28. :: Around one in 30 (3.2%) of an estimated 1.2 million people who sought asylum in the 28 member states lodged their claim in Britain. :: The percentage of asylum seekers received by the UK was the ninth highest in the EU. :: Germany received by far the highest share, with 35%. :: Sweden and Hungary had the highest number of applicants as a proportion of population, with 16,620 and 16,602 per million respectively. The figures, which include estimates for some countries for the last three months of last year, were included in immigration data released by the Government last week. Asylum claims from main applicants jumped by 29% in the UK last year, with 32,414 - which is also the highest number since 2004. It was also revealed earlier this week that the number of lone children applying for international protection passed 1,000 in a quarter for the first time in seven years. Last month, the borders watchdog suggested that the asylum system could struggle to cope if recent surges in claims continue. Meanwhile, campaign groups have called for Britain to take in more refugees after large numbers fleeing conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa poured into Europe. The Government last year opted out of plans to relocate 160,000 people from Italy, Hungary and Greece. The UK has committed to committed to taking in 20,000 Syrian refugees from camps bordering the country and allocated more than 1 billion in aid. Dr Lisa Doyle, of the Refugee Council, said: "Given the world is in the grip of one of the worst refugee crises in history, the truth is that comparatively fewer people get as far as Britain in their search for safety. "Britain received just 3% of all asylum claims made in the EU last year. "Poor countries continue to host the vast majority of the world's refugees. "As a global leader, the Prime Minister must step forward and ensure we do our bit to help offer safe haven to some more of the desperate people forced to flee bloody conflicts and brutal regimes. "Lives depend on us living up to our proud tradition of protecting refugees." A Home Office spokesman said: "The United Kingdom has a long and proud history of offering sanctuary to those who genuinely need our protection. "All claims for asylum are considered on their individual merits, and where people establish a genuine need for protection from persecution, refuge will be granted. "However, if people do not need our protection they are expected to leave the UK and we may remove them if they do not go voluntarily." Science and technology firms could suffer in a "decade of uncertainty" following a British exit from the European Union, Universities Minister Jo Johnson will warn. The minister will claim a vote to leave would be a "leap in the dark" - a view which puts him at odds with his elder brother Boris Johnson, one of the figureheads of the Brexit movement. In a speech at Cambridge University, the minister will acknowledge that the UK could survive outside the EU - but its status as a "science superpower" would be put at risk. Mr Johnson, who will be visiting the university with EU science commissioner Carlos Moedas, will hail Cambridge's position as "the most successful innovation cluster in Europe" with more than 1,500 hi-tech companies employing 60,000 people. "As one of the most powerful engines of Britain's knowledge economy, it is a national asset of supreme importance," he will say. "I want to ensure we sustain the momentum behind the Cambridge phenomenon and our national status as a global science superpower. "We put in around 12% of all EU funding, but win around 15% of research funding, making us one of the largest beneficiaries of EU science programmes." He will say that the "modern knowledge economy" depends on researchers working across borders and point to studies showing overwhelming support for remaining in the EU among scientists and university leaders. "To thrive in the information economy we need to be open to the world, we need to be innovative, and we need to be building academic partnerships with our close neighbours, not turning our backs on them," he will say. "Our competitors in other countries will not hang around during a decade of uncertainty that might follow a vote for Brexit. "They will seize the opportunity to win new investment and build new research links. All this: at a time when the world economy remains extremely fragile. "In the end, the British people will decide whether we are safer, stronger and better off as part of the EU. "In this referendum campaign, it is vital that we have an evidence-based debate and properly informed choice. "The facts matter. And few value evidence more than scientists. That's why we should take seriously the surveys showing nine out of 10 agree EU membership benefits UK science and engineering. "That's why we should take seriously the fact that none of the 132 vice chancellors represented by Universities UK is advocating leaving. "My clear view is that a vote to leave would be a leap in the dark, and one that would put the Cambridge phenomenon and our status as a science superpower at risk. "While many factors explain Cambridge's success, it's clear that our close ties with the European Union are a crucial part of this great national success story. "We could of course survive and prosper outside. I'm not saying we would lose eight centuries of achievement, or turn Silicon Fen back to marshland. "But those who want to leave must explain how they will sustain the same levels of investment and the same depth of partnership if we were outside the EU." Former SSI steelworkers have been awarded a share of 6.25 million over lack of consultation when their plant in Redcar closed. The Community union took action on behalf of more than 1,100 of its members who lost their jobs when the site closed last year. Workers who were part of Community's claim will now receive up to eight weeks' pay from the Government's Redundancy Payments Office. The union said the headline figure would have been over 14 million but because SSI is bankrupt, workers will only get the share that the Government pays. Roy Rickhuss, general secretary of Community, said: "This is a deserved victory for our SSI members and it is only right and proper that the tribunal found in our favour because of the way these workers were treated. "As the lead union in the claim, the diligent preparation and hard work of our team of staff and lawyers has been rewarded today and our members will get what they are entitled to. "However, as we have said before, this small victory will not compensate for the devastation from the end of steel-making. "Today's judgment is not an end, just a moment of welcome good news. In the coming days we will be supporting our members to access their share of the claim. Beyond that, our work continues to secure a better future for the steel community on Teesside." Tom Blenkinsop, Labour MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, praised the union's campaigning. "In the scale of things it is, of course, a small victory, as steel-making will not return," he said. "But without Community's efforts on behalf of its members, and on behalf of other union members, the legal entitlements of these workers would never have been obtained. "It is a sorry state that a union had to push this through by legal means as it shows, yet again, the Government have nowhere near coughed up the money they said they would give." Anna Turley, Labour MP for Redcar, said: "Today's ruling is a victory for former SSI workers who have repeatedly been treated unfairly by the Government. "The closure of SSI is testament to this Government's total and abject failure. Over 3,000 people lost their jobs and their livelihoods immediately, including jobs in supply chain businesses. The knock-on effect for other small enterprises, such as childminders and decorators, is even harder to quantify. Many ex-workers are still waiting for training courses or are applying for jobs. "The reparations that have been awarded, whilst welcome, will do nothing to replace the steelworks and the damage to the wider community following the closure of SSI." The Howard League for Penal Reform called for a 'faint hope' law to give prisoners serving life sentences the chance to apply for early release Prisoners given life or indefinite sentences should have the chance to seek release before the end of their minimum term, according to campaigners. The Howard League for Penal Reform called for a "faint hope" law to be introduced. It would enable those given open-ended punishments, who make an "exceptional effort" to rehabilitate themselves, to apply for earlier parole eligibility. Those handed life or indeterminate sentences are given a minimum term - also referred to as the tariff - which they must serve in full before becoming eligible to apply for parole. Release at the end of the tariff period is not automatic, however, and prisoners can remain behind bars for many more years. The Howard League claimed its proposal would "reward progress and save the taxpayer millions of pounds". Frances Crook, chief executive of the charity, said: "Prisoners should be incentivised to change their lives and reform, and the system has to be flexible and able to reward their efforts through earned release. "Otherwise, what hope do they have?" The proposal would mirror a section of the criminal code in Canada which became known as the "faint hope clause". It allowed offenders who are serving life with a minimum term of more than 15 years to apply for early parole once they have served 15 years. Under the clause, which has been abolished, applicants' progress in prison could be reviewed by a jury. A Howard League briefing paper said: " Theoretically, any person serving life with a minimum tariff of 15 years can apply for a jury to consider their case. "However, in practice the majority of lifers who have not made efforts to rehabilitate themselves or have a poor record of behaviour in prison do not apply. "All applications go through judicial pre-screening and only those judged as having a reasonable prospect of success proceed to a full jury hearing." The paper also claimed there are more people sentenced to an indeterminate term in England and Wales than in the other 46 countries in the Council of Euro pe combined. The most recent official statistics said 11,675 prisoners were serving indeterminate sentences, which include life sentences and Indeterminate sentences for Public Protection (IPPs). IPPs were abolished for offenders convicted on or after December 3 2012. However, the change was not retrospective and did not apply to those already serving the sentences. A Ministry of Justice spokeswoman said: "Protecting the public will always be our top priority and it is right that those who have committed serious crimes - including rapists, murderers, child abusers and gang leaders - are held in prison for a substantial period of time. "At the same time, most of these offenders will be let out at some point in their lives, so it is vital that we protect the public by making sure they are less likely to commit more crime and create more victims on release. "Our reforms will improve rehabilitation so that reoffending falls, crime is cut and public safety is improved." A galaxy far, far away has shattered the cosmic distance record set by astronomers. Scientists pushed the Hubble Space Telescope to its limits to confirm that the galaxy is 13.4 billion light years away, the most distant and oldest object known in the universe. The light we see from the galaxy began its long journey through space just 400 million years after the Big Bang gave birth to the universe. Astronomers measured the distance to the galaxy, known as GN-z11, by splitting its light up into its component colours. Because of the expansion of the universe, distant objects flying away from us have their light stretched to the red end of the spectrum - a phenomenon known as "red shift". The larger an object's red shift, the further away it is. Previously a galaxy called EGSY8p7 held the red shift record, a figure of 8.68. But GN-z11 has a red shift of 11.1, corresponding to just 400 million years after the universe began. Dr Pascal Oesch, a member of the team from Yale University in the US, said: "We've taken a major step back in time, beyond what we'd ever expected to be able to do with Hubble. We managed to look back in time to measure the distance to a galaxy when the universe was only 3% of its current age." The Big Bang is thought to have brought everything that now exists into being around 13.8 billion years ago. GN-z11 is believed to be 25 times smaller than the Milky Way, but growing fast and spawning new stars 20 times faster than our galaxy. The findings, reported in the Astrophysical Journal, raise many questions because according to current theories of cosmic evolution even a galaxy of this size should not have existed so long ago. Co-author Dr Ivo Labbe, from the University of Leiden in the Netherlands, said: "The discovery of GN-z11 showed us that our knowledge about the early universe is still very restricted. How GN-z11 was created remains somewhat of a mystery for now. Probably we are seeing the first generations of stars forming around black holes." A "sexual predator" convicted of raping five women he met on internet dating website match.com is due to be sentenced. Jason Lawrance, a father of three, contacted thousands of women online and committed three sex attacks months after getting married to someone he met via the site. The 50-year-old, of Liphook, Hampshire, was also found guilty of attempting to rape and sexually assault two other women after chatting to them online. Lawrance, a former company director turned self-employed builder, texted one of his victims after attacking her apologising for "hurting her" and saying: "When you were crying out for me to stop I couldn't, I'm so mad at myself xxx." The jury of six women and six men heard that Lawrance raped another woman in the back of a van which he had parked in a field in Northamptonshire, while a third was attacked at her home while her son was asleep in a nearby bedroom. He was arrested after a friend of a woman who was raped in Derbyshire in November 2014 went to police. Investigations from Derbyshire Police revealed he had sexually attacked another six women he met through the site since June 2011. Detective Chief Inspector Allison Rigby from the force said the trial had been "devastating" for the victims. Speaking after the verdict on Wednesday, she said: "Jason Lawrance is a prolific, serial rapist who preyed on women he had contacted through match.com. "These women were looking for companionship and instead what they found was a man who was willing to commit serious sexual offences against them." Lawrance had denied all the charges, but a jury at Derby Crown Court took 10 hours to convict him after a two week trial. The CPS said it could be a criminal offence "if a profile is created under the name of the victim with fake information uploaded which, if believed, could damage their reputation and humiliate them" Internet trolls who set up fake profiles in the name of their victims to post damaging or embarrassing material can face criminal charges, new advice for prosecutors says. Social media guidelines are being updated by the Crown Prosecution Service to cover cases where offenders create false online accounts and websites. The CPS said: "For example, it may be a criminal offence if a profile is created under the name of the victim with fake information uploaded which, if believed, could damage their reputation and humiliate them. "In some cases the information could then be shared in such a way that it appears as though the victim has themselves made the statements." Such conduct could amount to an offence such as grossly offensive communication or harassment. Director of Public Prosecutions Alison Saunders said: " Offenders can mistakenly think that by using false online profiles and creating websites under a false name their offences are untraceable. "Thankfully this is not the case and an online footprint will be left by the offender." Social media giants such as Twitter and Facebook have facilities in place to report impersonation accounts. Twitter's help centre says impersonation is a violation of its rules, adding that accounts portraying another person "in a confusing or deceptive manner" may be permanently suspended. Parody, commentary, or fan accounts are allowed on the microblogging site. Facebook's help centre says "i mpostor accounts" are not allowed. The CPS is today launching a six-week public consultation on proposed revisions to the guidelines, which will also be updated to incorporate two new offences created since they were published in 2012. Revenge pornography, which is predominantly carried out online, was the subject of a new law introduced last April. Legislation rolled out in December created the offence of " controlling or coercive behaviour" in intimate or family relationships. It means d omestic abusers who control their victims through social media accounts or spy on them online could face up to five years in prison. Ms Saunders said: " Online communication is developing at such a fast pace, new ways of targeting and abusing individuals online are constantly emerging. "We are seeing more and more cases where social media is being used as a method to facilitate both existing and new offences. "It is vital that prosecutors consider the bigger picture when looking at evidence and examine both the online and offline behaviour pattern of the defendant. "Online abuse is cowardly and can be deeply upsetting to the victim. "Worryingly we have seen an increase in the use of cyber-enabled crime in cases related to Violence against Women and Girls, including domestic abuse." Prudential is one of six firms being investigated by the Financial Conduct Authority Six life insurance firms are being investigated by the City regulator after evidence of poor practice was uncovered during a review of the treatment of long-standing customers. Abbey Life, Countrywide, Old Mutual, Police Mutual, Prudential and Scottish Widows are being investigated to determine whether they failed to meet standards and see if further action is needed, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said. The regulator said it will also take steps to improve firms' behaviour generally, with plans to reach a voluntary industry solution to capping or removing some charges. The announcements were made in the FCA's findings from a review of the fair treatment of "closed-book" customers, who have been with their firm for some time and whose policies are no longer being actively marketed. The FCA looked at fees for exiting policies as well as paid-up fees, where customers stop paying premiums but are still in the policy. These are the fees it is proposing to cap or remove under a voluntary agreement. It considered whether closed-book customers can move from products in a fair and reasonable way and whether they receive clear and timely communications. The review focused on how customers are being treated now, not how the policies were sold in the first place. The review looked at 11 firms and found a "mixed picture", with most showing good practice in one or more areas and poor practice in other areas. The impact exit fees and paid-up charges can have on returns can be "significant" and may be a barrier to customers shopping around, it said. The FCA is concerned that where exit or paid-up charges were applied, some customers may not have been informed at the time. The regulator said it is not possible at this stage to draw conclusions on the reasons for such practices, or to say whether customers suffered detriment. For all six firms being investigated, the FCA will focus on the disclosure of exit and paid-up charges after December 2008. The regulator emphasised that no conclusion has been reached on whether there have been any breaches of regulatory requirements. It said the probe should not be taken to indicate there will necessarily be disciplinary action against the firms, or that a penalty will be imposed or redress payable. Tracey McDermott, acting chief executive of the FCA, said: " We expect all firms with closed-book customers to take into account the findings we have published today and ensure they are treating their closed-book customers fairly. "The practices at some firms appear to have been poor. We have particular concerns regarding how some firms communicated with their customers about exit and/or paid-up charges. "We are now doing further work to understand the reasons for these practices, whether customers may have suffered detriment as a result and if so, how widespread these issues are." Hugh Savill, director of regulation at the Association of British Insurers (ABI), said the review raises "various issues". He added: "However it should be noted that products sold today bear little resemblance to those described by the report. "The long-term savings industry is now modernising and focused on serving its customers, through auto-enrolment pension products or helping them make the most of the new pension freedoms." A businessman has won a libel case over his ex-wife's Facebook claim that he tried to kill her - but does not want any damages. Businessman Ronald Stocker said that the statements posted by former wife Nicola in a December 2012 exchange with his new partner Deborah Bligh wrongly painted him as a "dangerous and thoroughly disreputable" man. Ruling on Thursday that 65-year-old Mr Stocker had a "meritorious" claim, Mr Justice Mitting said the libel was not trivial and assessed the appropriate compensation at 5,000. But, he added, he was making no award of damages as Mr Stocker "to his credit" had decided he did not want one. Mrs Stocker, 48, of Longwick, Buckinghamshire, who denied libel and said what she posted was substantially true, gave an undertaking not to repeat the defamatory words. She faces a costs bill of about 200,000 and must make an interim payment of 140,000 within 28 days unless she pursues an appeal. During the trial in London, Mr Stocker, of Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire, said the posts suggested he tried to kill Mrs Stocker nearly 10 years earlier by strangling her and had also threatened her, breached a non-molestation order and been arrested countless times. The allegations were published to 21 individuals who had authorised access to the page and were also visible to 110 of Ms Bligh's "friends" and to their Facebook "friends". Mrs Stocker said that the March 2003 incident was triggered by Mr Stocker being pricked with a pin while he stood on a chair as she shortened the hem of his trousers. She said her ex, from whom she was acrimoniously divorced in 2012 after 13 years together, became very angry and pinned her down on a sofa with his hands tightly around her throat. "I was unable to breathe and was frightened that he was going to kill me. I remember thinking 'this is it'." She managed to push him off and hid in the office where she put a chair in front of the door and rang 999. Her throat had red marks and felt very sore. Mr Stocker said he knew he did not aim for her neck but put one hand over her mouth to stop her shouting and waking up their son. He added: "To me this was a very, very small domestic incident where I hadn't done the things suggested." The judge said that both were generally truthful witnesses and had much to commend them but they brought out the worst in each other. "Under the stress of a failing marriage, each behaved towards the other in a manner which does no credit to either of them." He said that the hearing was necessary to "lance the boil" of their grievances. The judge said that he was satisfied that Mr Stocker and Ms Bligh did not set out to entrap Mrs Stocker. A comment on Facebook was the same as a comment posted on an office noticeboard. Mrs Stocker had no right to assume it was private and was liable for the consequences if it was not. He said he did not accept Mr Stocker's account of the incident - but he was not satisfied that he threatened to kill his wife. "I do not believe he was capable, even in temper, of attempted murder. "The most likely explanation is that he did in temper attempt to silence her forcibly by placing one hand on her mouth and the other under the chin to hold her head still. His intention to silence - not to kill." He said that Mrs Stocker had proved that Mr Stocker did commit an offence against her, of at least common assault, and he was arrested three times and had made threats. "But she has not met the sting of posting that he was a dangerous man. The impression to an ordinary reader was a significant and distorted overstatement of what had in fact occurred." Painting such a false picture was intended to be and was damaging to Mr Stocker's reputation and his relationship with Ms Bligh, but its circulation was limited and the damage substantially remedied. The BMA said that almost 300 GP surgeries are facing closure Tens of thousands of people across England could be left without a local GP practice, doctors' leaders have warned. The British Medical Association (BMA) said that almost 300 GP surgeries are facing closure - which could lead to thousands of patients looking for a new family doctor. A new BMA poll of more than 2,800 GP surgeries - around a third of practices around England - found that 10% (294) believe they are financially "unsustainable". More than 900 GP practices believe they are in a "weak" financial position, with only 5% reporting their finances were in a "strong" state, the survey found. The BMA said that the figures show that the " crisis in general practice is set to worsen" as it called on the Government to safeguard GP services for patients. Figures from the poll also reveal that many GPs are planning to retire or move abroad. Almost half of practices (46%) said they were expecting some of their doctors to leave for these reasons. "This survey provides further evidence of the state of emergency facing general practice," said BMA GP committee chair Dr Chaand Nagpaul. "Almost half of GP practices are looking at the loss of part of their workforce at a time when there is a shortfall in new doctors entering general practice. As GP services struggle to replace existing staff who leave, it will inevitably make it more difficult to maintain current services to patients and particularly to offer enough appointments for them. "Just as worrying, close to 300 practices looking after tens of thousands of patients believe their financial future is unsustainable. "GP practices are facing this dire situation because they are being overwhelmed by rising patient demand, cuts to funding, staff shortages and more unfunded work being moved from hospitals into the community. Given these pressures it is unsurprising that GPs are considering leaving the NHS while new medical graduates are turning their backs on a career as a GP, a situation undoubtedly worsened by the Government's appalling handling of the junior doctor contract. "With hundreds of GP practices facing financial uncertainty, and close to 300 facing possible closure, we need the government to act urgently to deliver a comprehensive rescue package that safeguards GP services for patients. We cannot have a situation where thousands of patients are left without a local GP practice that can deliver the care they deserve." The BMA has launched a new initiative aimed at providing GP surgeries with support and is sending a package of materials to every practice across England. A Department of Health spokeswoman said: "We know GPs are under pressure and that is why we have agreed record investment for general practice. "We saw an increase in the number of GPs recruited last year, and we will continue to boost numbers with an extra 5,000 doctors in general practice by 2020 - helping to deliver a safer NHS for patients seven days a week." The data was published following a written parliamentary question from Lilian Greenwood Network Rail has forked out more than 23 million on car hire in the space of four years. Figures show that in 2014/15 the organisation responsible for managing Britain's railway tracks and many key stations spent just over 8 million on the hiring of vehicles. And so far in 2015/16 just over 8.3 million has been spent. The statistics represent a huge jump in Network Rail spending on hire cars. Just under 2.5 million was dished out in 2012/13, rising to almost 4.6 million in 2013/14. Therefore, combined spending for the latest four-year period totals almost 23.5 million. Shadow transport secretary Lilian Greenwood told the Press Association the figures are "more evidence" that rail commuters are "getting a raw deal". "No wonder passengers think they're getting ripped off when even rail bosses are spending millions to hire cars instead of getting the train," she said. "Some journeys by car will be necessary, but Network Rail must explain why its spending on hire cars has rocketed by an incredible 234% in just four years. "Rail fares have increased by 25% since 2010 and passengers aren't seeing the improvements that they were promised. Many rail commuters don't have the choice to travel by car and this is just more evidence that they are getting a raw deal." Figures released by the Department for Transport in response to a written parliamentary question from Ms Greenwood revealed that more than 16 million has been spent on car hire by Network Rail in the last two years. The statistics for 2012/13 and 2013/14 were published by Network Rail on its website. The Department for Transport also published data showing how much Highways England has spent on the same thing. In 2014/15 it was just over 630,000 and so far in 2015/16 it is more than 750,000. A Network Rail spokesman said: "Our staff travel by rail wherever possible, but it's vital our frontline staff have access to road vehicles so they can carry out their work, night and day, including vital maintenance and repairs. "The contract we have in place for hire vehicles provides preferential rates for Network Rail and we constantly strive to reduce our spend." A council in England has banned swearing in a public space as part of a crackdown on anti-social behaviour. Salford City Council, outside Manchester, have brought in a Public Space Protection Order in a bid to ban foul and abusive language in the Salford Quays development. It will be a criminal offence to use bad language and anyone who is caught will face an on the spot fine of up to 1,000. But the order, which has been in place since August 2015, does not define what is and is not foul and abusive language. Human rights group Liberty said that this could have a chilling effect on freedom of expression and they have written to the council to express their concerns. They have asked the council a number of questions about implementing the order including whether language has to be both foul and abusive to breach the PSPO. They also asked what legal test will be applied to determine whether language is foul and/or abusive and if someone uses foul and/or abusive language in the area covered by the PSPO, but there is no one present to hear it, will that amount to a criminal offence? Rosie Brighouse, Legal Officer for Liberty, said: This is a staggering example of the misuse of a Public Space Protection Order so vaguely worded its impossible for anybody to know whether theyre in danger of breaking the law. The right to say what we want should not be restricted at the whim of council officials, able to issue fixed penalty notices on the basis of a poorly defined legal order. Without the freedom to offend, real freedom of expression cannot exist. They are particularly concerned about the effect the order will have on artistic performers and political activists in the Salford Quays area which encompasses the renowned Lowry theatre. Well-known comedian and activist Mark Thomas is due to perform at the venue next week and intends to encourage his audience to join him in a number of artistic and political activities after the show in the area outside. He is concerned that he is unable to predict whether he or any audience member will be in breach of the PSPO and therefore committing a criminal offence by participating in his planned activities. Mr Thomas has prepared a list of words which he may wish to use and which he intends to send to Salford City Council to seek specific guidance on whether or not they will breach the PSPO. The all-female Ghostbusters strap on Proton Packs, fight with ghouls and tear around New York in Ecto-1 in the first trailer for the reboot of the classic film. The new version of the movie stars Bridemaids actresses Melissa McCarthy and Kristen Wiig and Saturday Night Live comedians Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones, replacing the original quartet of Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson. Ivan Reitman, who directed the original films, serves as a producer for the remake and hands over the directing reins to Paul Feig, who is responsible for female-starring comedies Bridesmaids, The Heat and Spy. Thor star Chris Hemsworth also appears in the trailer as the group's receptionist Kevin. The trailer reveals that Wiig plays a particle physicist, McCarthy is an expert in the paranormal, McKinnon plays a nuclear engineer and Jones appears to take on the role of a subway employee who serves as a guide to the city. Unveiling the trailer for the first time to an audience of Ghostbusters fans, Feig said: "It was really important to us to make them scientists. That's what I love about the first one, the idea of funny people fighting the paranormal with science." Asked how they plan to address the controversy over the all-female cast, the director replied: "We don't. I just want the funniest people and the funniest people I happen to know are these women. It should never be about that. Ghostbusters are for everybody." He added: "When I see pictures of young girls making Ghostbusters costumes it chokes me up, I just like the idea that a new generation will have their own that they will love as much as the original guys." Reitman, who had been hoping to revive the franchise for years, said: "I've often talked about the moment I saw the original quartet walk down Madison Avenue the first time on the first day of shooting and there was a tingle in my back and I really got the same feeling when I saw these four women. "There was no issue of gender, it was really 'Oh my god, there is something unique about these four together'." Feig also revealed that the movie will include nods and references to the original films, as well as cameos from original cast members including Murray and Aykroyd. He said: "When you see the movie there will be a lot of things that you will be happy to see but they will be coming at you in a different way." He added: "Slimer makes an appearance - you can't do Ghostbusters without Slimer." As for the famous theme song, Feig said: "You will hear the song; you can't do it without it. We are playing with the original and some new versions" :: Ghostbusters will be released in UK cinemas on July 15. A nuclear reactor near New York shut down due to bird droppings, officials said Bird droppings were the likely cause of a December shutdown at a nuclear power plant outside New York City, according to the operator. An Indian Point reactor safely shut down for three days starting on December 14 following an electrical disturbance on outdoor high voltage transmission lines, Entergy Corp said. An outside expert is analysing whether what is technically called bird "streaming" was the culprit. In a report to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) last month, the New Orleans-based company said the automatic reactor shutdown was apparently from bird faeces that caused an electric arc between wires on a feeder line at a transmission tower. "If it has nowhere to send its electricity, the generator senses that and automatically shuts down," Entergy spokesman Jerry Nappi said. Plant managers told the NRC they were revising preventive maintenance for additional inspection and cleaning, and installing bird guards on transmission towers. Mr Nappi said he could not recall a similar incident in the past several years from birds at Indian Point, which is located along the Hudson River north of New York City. NRC spokesman Eliot Brenner said it is not uncommon for wildlife to trigger electrical outages on transmission lines regardless of the generation source of the electricity. "Squirrels are the biggest offenders," he said. He did not know if the NRC was specifically tracking animal-related reactor outages. "They're kind of few and far between, but they're not uncommon," he said. Migrants wait behind portable barriers to have errors in their transit documents corrected by Greek authorities at a camp in Idomeni on the Greek-Macedonian border (AP) A United Nations migration official has warned 70,000 people are set to be "trapped" in Greece in coming weeks because countries including Macedonia are closing their borders to the flow of migrants into Europe. Peter Sutherland, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's special representative for international migration, said the "inevitable consequence" of closed borders throughout the Balkans "is that Greece increasingly becomes a camp for refugees and migrants". Mr Sutherland noted that half of those arriving in Greece via the Turkish coast are Syrians, and about 70% of them come straight from Syria without stopping long in Turkey, which has already taken in 2.7 million Syrians. He urged a better international response, saying: "The issue for the global community is: Are we prepared to share responsibility, or not?" Earlier, Greece's prime minister called for sanctions to be imposed on European Union states that refuse to take in their fair share of refugees. Speaking after a meeting with European Council President Donald Tusk in Athens, Alexis Tsipras promised to provide "dignified" living conditions for the more than 25,000 migrants trapped in Greece after other countries further north along the migration route to Western Europe imposed sweeping entry restrictions. But he insisted that the solution can only be temporary and Greece will accept only its fair share of permanently resettled refugees. Mr Tusk warned prospective economic migrants to not even think of setting off towards Europe. He said people who are looking for a better life but are not fleeing war should not risk their lives or their money paying smugglers to bring them to Europe. He said: "It is all for nothing. Greece, or any other European country, will no longer be a transit country." Mr Tusk was in Athens as part of a tour through countries worst affected by the continent's immigration crisis. Meanwhile, a group of migrants blocked a railway line at Greece's border with Macedonia in protest at Macedonia's refusal to let them in. The group lay down on the Greek side of the track on Thursday morning, preventing a freight train that had just crossed from Macedonia from continuing its journey south. Some 10,000 people are stranded at the Idomeni border crossing. Macedonian authorities have said they will only let in as many people as the next country on the route, Serbia, takes. Greek police said that in the 24 hours to 6am on Thursday, 500 people were allowed to cross. A migrant father with his child waits on the Greek side of the border to enter Macedonia (AP) Macedonian authorities have briefly opened their border with Greece to refugees heading for central Europe, allowing in a few score. About 10,000 people remain camped at the crossing, awaiting their turn. Greek police said Macedonia opened the crossing from midnight on Tuesday to 2am on Wednesday, and from 7am to 9am on Wednesday, admitting 170 people from Syria and Iraq. Hundreds, including many families with small children, arrive daily at the Idomeni crossing in northern Greece, where two official camps are so full that thousands have set up tents in fields all around. Macedonia has said it will only allow in as many refugees as Serbia, its northern neighbour, takes each day. The tiny trickle has caused a huge backlog in Greece, where most refugees and other migrants reach Europe. A United Nations field official on the Macedonian side of the crossing said authorities will soon send a train with about 500 people from the nearby town of Gevgelija to the Serbian border. Jasmin Rexhepi, head of the aid group Legis, said a group of about 50 Pakistanis remain trapped for a fourth day on the Macedonian side of the border between two razor-wire fences. He said Macedonian authorities are trying to send them back to Greece because the group crossed the border illegally. Mr Rexhepi also said that about 1,000 refugees - 750 Afghans and 250 Iraqis - are stuck at Macedonia's border with Serbia, which has refused them entry. In Greece, arrivals by smuggling boats from Turkey on the eastern Aegean Sea islands continue at a rate of nearly 2,000 a day. More than 120,000 have landed so far this year, on top of 850,000 in 2015. A string of hastily thrown-up transit camps on the mainland has rapidly filled up, and hundreds are sleeping rough in a central Athens square. A photo taken on March 3, 2016 shows a piece of suspected aircraft wreckage found off the east African coast of Mozambique at Mozambique's Civil Aviation Institute (IACM) in Maputo. / AFP / ADRIEN BARBIERADRIEN BARBIER/AFP/Getty Images A photo taken on March 3, 2016 shows a piece of suspected aircraft wreckage found off the east African coast of Mozambique at Mozambique's Civil Aviation Institute (IACM) in Maputo. / AFP / ADRIEN BARBIERADRIEN BARBIER/AFP/Getty Images Joao de Abreu, president of Mozambique's Civil Aviation Institute (IACM), holds a piece of suspected aircraft wreckage found off the east African coast of Mozambique at Mozambique's Civil Aviation Institute (IACM) in Maputo on March 3, 2016. / AFP / ADRIEN BARBIERADRIEN BARBIER/AFP/Getty Images A suspected piece of aircraft debris found on the coast of Mozambique, with Malaysia's transport minister saying there was a "high possibility" it came from a Boeing 777, the same model as missing flight MH370. AFP PHOTO / AUSTRALIAN TRANSPORT SAFETY BUREAU / Blaine GIBSON" A suspected piece of aircraft debris found on the coast of Mozambique, with Malaysia's transport minister saying there was a "high possibility" it came from a Boeing 777, the same model as missing flight MH370. AFP PHOTO / AUSTRALIAN TRANSPORT SAFETY BUREAU / Blaine GIBSON Malaysia's Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai (C) speaks during a short press conference on an update for Malaysia Airlines ill-fated flights MH370 at an event in Kuala Lumpur on March 3, 2016. A hunk of suspected aircraft wreckage found off the east African coast will be sent to Australia where experts will examine whether it is a new piece in the puzzle of missing flight MH370, officials said on March 3. AFP PHOTO / MOHD RASFANMOHD RASFAN/AFP/Getty Images A suspected piece of aircraft debris found on the coast of Mozambique, with Malaysia's transport minister saying there was a "high possibility" it came from a Boeing 777, the same model as missing flight MH370. AFP PHOTO / AUSTRALIAN TRANSPORT SAFETY BUREAU / Blaine GIBSON Debris found on a beach in Mozambique has a "high possibility" of belonging to missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, the transport minister has said. Flight MH370 lost communications and made a sharp turn away from its Beijing destination as it travelled from Kuala Lumpur before disappearing in March 2014 with 239 people on board. In a statement Australia's minister for infrastructure and transport Darren Chester said the location of the debris is consistent with drift modelling commissioned by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) and reaffirms the search area for MH370 in the southern Indian Ocean. The piece of metal which is 1m long was found on a beach at the weekend. The debris is to be transferred to Australia where it will be examined by officials from Australia and Malaysia, as well as international specialists. Mr Chester added: "As we approach the second year anniversary, our thoughts remain with the loved ones of those on board and in particular those who have called Australia home." Malaysia's transport minister Liow Tiong Lai said on Twitter that based on early reports, there was a "high possibility debris found in Mozambique belongs to a B777". Based on early reports, high possibility debris found in Mozambique belongs to a B777. (1/3) Liow Tiong Lai (@liowtionglai) March 2, 2016 But he said: "I urge everyone to avoid undue speculation as we are not able to conclude that the debris belongs to MH370 at this time." A vast seabed search started in October last year led by Australia based on satellite analysis of the jet's flight for more than six hours after it went off course. If the piece of metal is confirmed to be from the missing Boeing 777 it will be the second piece of debris from the aircraft discovered. It is yet to be confirmed & verified. @dca_malaysia working w Australian counterparts to retrieve the debris. (2/3) Liow Tiong Lai (@liowtionglai) March 2, 2016 In August 2015 a maintenance seal and other details proved that a wing part found on an Indian Ocean island belonged to the missing plane., A nanny accused of decapitating a four-year old girl in Moscow has said during an apparent interrogation that the killing was an act of revenge against President Vladimir Putin for Russian air strikes in Syria. Mr Putin's spokesman said it was difficult to judge the testimony of a woman he said was mentally unstable. Gulchekhra Bobokulova was detained in Moscow on Monday. She is accused of killing the child and brandishing her head outside a subway station. Video footage posted online appeared to show police interrogating her. It was not clear where the video originated. The woman appeared to be wearing the same clothes she wore during a court appearance on Wednesday. In the video, she says the killing of the child was revenge. Asked who it was revenge against, she says "the one who has spilled the blood". Asked who that was, she replies: "Who spilled it? Putin has been dropping bombs." Russia has been carrying out air strikes against Islamic State (IS) fighters in Syria for five months to support President Bashar Assad's offensive. Russian officials have flatly denied numerous reports by international aid groups that accuse it of killing not only IS fighters but also civilians. The Investigative Committee, Russia's top investigative agency, would not confirm or deny the authenticity of the video, but spokesman Vladimir Markin warned in a statement that Bobokulova's words should be treated with caution. "The motive for a crime committed by a person who was diagnosed with schizophrenia often does not coincide with the explanations that they give later," he said, adding that investigators will look into all possible theories. Russian media has reported that Bobokulova, originally from the former Soviet republic of Uzbekistan, was first diagnosed with schizophrenia in 2003. She has not yet undergone a psychiatric examination in Russia. Mr Markin refuted reports that investigators found phone numbers of Islamic extremists in Bobokulova's contacts. Russian prosecutors told a court on Wednesday that Bobokulova was not acting alone and that others they did not name had incited her to kill the girl. In the video, she tells investigators that she reads the Koran and prays day and night, but that they can go and kill her three children in Uzbekistan, who do not read the Koran. A spokesman for Mr Putin said it would be wrong to draw conclusions from the video. He said: "It appears obvious to me, although I may be wrong, I'm not an expert or judge, that we are evidently talking about a woman who is clearly deranged. "Any words that come from such a deranged woman should be treated like they should be in this situation." Victor Gizzi and David Moginie, managers at Flagmakers, pose next to the flags of New Zealand, left, and Australia (AP) The new flag that could replace New Zealand's current one (New Zealand Government/PA) New Zealanders began voting on whether to change their flag from a design which features the Union Jack to one which includes a native silver fern. The postal ballot will extend over the next three weeks, with preliminary results to be announced on March 24. Organisers say deciding the issue by popular vote represents a world first, and that other countries have changed flags by revolution, decree or legislation. Opinion polls indicate the nation of 4.7 million people will opt to stick with its current flag, although proponents of the new design say they have momentum on their side and that more and more people are embracing a change. Those favouring change say the current flag is too similar to Australia's and references a colonial past that it is time to leave behind. Those opposed to change say the new design is uninspiring or is an attempt by Prime Minister John Key to create a legacy. One group seeking to keep the status quo is the Returned and Services Association, which represents war veterans. The process of choosing a potential new flag has been long and sometimes amusing. People submitted more than 10,000 designs, including bizarre ones like a kiwi bird shooting a green laser beam from its eye and a stick drawing of a deranged cat. A December vote saw a flag by architectural designer Kyle Lockwood become the official challenger. Like the current flag, it features four red stars representing the Southern Cross, but replaces the Union Jack with a fern and changes the background colours. Mr Key told Radio New Zealand this week that people had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to vote for a new flag. "If they don't vote for change now, they'll never get another chance until we become a republic," he said, adding he could not see that happening within his lifetime because of the popularity of the young British royals. Oscar Pistorius has been denied the right to appeal his murder conviction. Lawyers for Pistorius, who killed girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in his home on Valentine's Day in 2013, had appealed to South Africa's highest court, saying another court erred when it overturned a manslaughter conviction and declared the Olympic athlete guilty of murder. Pistorius is under house arrest while the Constitutional Court decided if it would hear the case. A lawyer acting for Oscar Pistorius has said South Africa's highest court has dismissed his appeal against his murder conviction, adding he will be sentenced for murder. The athlete will be sentenced on April 18. A manslaughter verdict was overturned in December and a murder verdict introduced in its place. Luvuyo Mfaku, a spokesman for the National Prosecuting Authority, said: "The court dismissed the application for leave to appeal because there are are no prospects of success." The minimum sentence for murder in South Africa is 15 years, though a judge can reduce that sentence in exceptional circumstances. Pistorius's legal team maintained that the Supreme Court of Appeal, which convicted Pistorius of murder, ignored his vulnerability as a person with a disability. It believes the court wrongly rejected a lower court's judgment that Pistorius acted out of fear when he opened fire at what he thought, by his account, was an intruder behind the closed door of a toilet cubicle. However, prosecutors argue that they had appealed against the earlier manslaughter conviction because of an error in the way the law was applied, rather than any facts of the case, Mr Mfaku said. Spain's Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez leaves the main chamber after an investiture voting session at the Spanish parliament in Madrid (AP) Spain's Socialist Party has lost its first attempt to form a government, falling far short of the parliamentary votes needed ahead of a second ballot scheduled for Friday. The Socialists, led by Pedro Sanchez, got just 130 votes, with 219 against and one abstention. The conservative Popular Party, led by acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, and the far-left newcomer Podemos party joined together along with several small regional parties to deny Mr Sanchez's attempt at becoming prime minister. The vote came after an inconclusive December 20 election that saw the nation's traditional two-party system shattered with the entry of Podemos and another upstart party, the business-friendly Ciudadanos. Podemos and Ciudadanos got third and fourth place because of voter outrage over high Spanish unemployment, unpopular austerity measures invoked by the Popular Party during its 2011-2015 rule and corruption scandals hitting the Popular and Socialist parties. Mr Sanchez needed at least 176 votes to form a government but only received his party's 90 votes plus 40 from Ciudadanos. Mr Rajoy had earlier labelled Mr Sanchez's plans to form a government as a joke and said all of his party's 123 deputies would vote against the Socialists, who came in second in the election. Mr Rajoy's party came in first but fell far short of winning the parliamentary majority it had previously. Pablo Iglesias, the leader of Podemos with 69 seats, said his parliamentarians voted against Mr Sanchez because they did not believe the Socialists would lead a bonafide leftist government. Mr Sanchez has another chance on Friday in a second parliamentary voting round with different winning rules in which he must get more votes for him than against him. That is a lower bar which allows parties to abstain, letting a rival into power in return for concessions. Mr Rajoy decided in January not to try to form a government because he lacked support. If Mr Sanchez fails to win Friday's vote, parliament has two more months to try to choose a government or new elections will be called for June 26. A governing alliance of parties excluding the first-place winner has never happened nationally in Spain. But it recently happened in neighbouring Portugal and has a precedent in Spain at the regional and local governing level. Apple has been backed by rivals in its battle against being forced to help the FBI unlock an iPhone A host of technology industry groups and civil liberties advocates have filed legal arguments backing Apple in its fight with the FBI. They include security experts worried about hacking and independent app-makers who fear more burdens on their business. These "friends of the court" briefs aim to bolster Apple's challenge of a court order that would force it to help FBI agents hack an encrypted iPhone used by a San Bernardino gunman. The government must file its response next week, before a hearing on March 22. Among those backing Apple are some of its biggest competitors, including Google, Microsoft and Facebook, which have signalled they will file a joint brief on Apple's behalf. A group of 17 smaller tech firms, including Twitter, LinkedIn, Airbnb and Reddit submitted a separate joint filing. The phone at the centre of the dispute was used by Syed Farook, one of the gunmen who killed 14 people in San Bernardino. Many, though not all, of the filings rehash arguments made by Apple itself in a court filing last week. For instance, a group of cryptographers and security experts warned in their brief that forcing Apple to write software that overrides iPhone security features would produce a dangerous new tool that itself would be vulnerable to theft or hacking. An organisation of app makers, meanwhile, argued that the order would create untenable burdens for smaller tech companies and software developers who might be asked to create similar programmes for their own products. "If the government prevails, then this case will be the first of many requiring companies to degrade the security and to undermine the trust in their products so essential to privacy in the digital age," attorneys for the American Civil Liberties Union warned in their brief, adding that the precedent would implicate "the security and privacy of hundreds of millions of Americans". Security experts argued the government's request is not as simple as it sounds. Any new software code is likely to have unexpected bugs that could be exploited by hackers, according to a brief from Stanford computer scientist Dan Boneh, cryptologist Bruce Schneier, independent researcher Jonathan Zdziarski and four others. "The security bypass this court would order Apple to create almost certainly will be used on other iPhones in the future," they warned. "This spread increases the risk that the forensic software will escape Apple's control either through theft, embezzlement, or order of another court, including a foreign government." Meanwhile, the app-makers trade group, known as ACT, noted that Apple has said it would take "between six and ten" engineers to create the software. A similar demand "would be exceptionally onerous for the small companies that constitute the majority of ACT's members and that are the heart of the mobile economy," the group argued. Telecommunications giant AT&T also filed a brief arguing that current law doesn't support the government's demand. AT&T urged the magistrate to rescind her order and let Congress address the issue. Another trade group warned the order would undermine public confidence in "the integrity of the internet". The Computer and Communications Industry Association said its members invest heavily in technical measures to protect customers' information against theft by criminals and hackers backed for foreign states. CCIA members include Google, Facebook, Amazon and Microsoft - but not Apple. The association has been at odds with Apple over various policy issues such as disputes over technology patents. But an official said the organisation believes Apple's position is right for the industry and the country. Two women have been shot dead after an attack on a police station in Istanbul, Turkey Police in Istanbul have killed two women who attacked officers with gunfire and a hand grenade. Two officers were slightly injured. The women were identified as members of banned far-left group the Revolutionary People's Liberation Army-Front, or DHKP-C, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported. Security camera footage showed the women firing at a police bus outside a riot police station in Istanbul's Bayrampasa district, and also hurling a hand grenade, before apparently taking aim at the police station. The grenade did not explode. They fled the scene in a vehicle and hid in a building a short distance from the police station. Special forces police surrounded the building and launched an operation after the pair ignored calls to surrender and opened fire on officers. Istanbul Governor Vasip Sahin said both of the assailants were killed in the operation. He said two police officers were wounded - one by broken glass during the attack on the bus and the other during the assault on the building. The DHKP-C, among other attacks, carried out a 2013 suicide bombing on the US Embassy that killed a security guard. DHKP-C militants also opened fire on the US Consulate in Istanbul last year. The latest attack came amid a surge in violence in Turkey since the summer. A fragile peace process with the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, collapsed in July, reviving a three-decade conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people since 1984. Last month, a suicide car bombing that targeted buses carrying military personnel in the capital, Ankara, killed 29 people. A Kurdish militant group that is an off-shoot of the PKK claimed responsibility for that attack. But the government maintains that it was the work of a Syrian Kurdish militia group, in coordination with the PKK. Some 145 people have died since July in three separate suicide bomb attacks that authorities have blamed on the Islamic State group, including 12 German tourists who were killed in Istanbul's historic Sultanahmet district on January 12. As a member of the Jewish community, I've waited a long time for Eamonn McCann to say something positive about Israel (the only state for the Jewish people and the only democracy in the Middle East) As a member of the Jewish community, I've waited a long time for Eamonn McCann to say something positive about Israel (the only state for the Jewish people and the only democracy in the Middle East). After all, Israel is a haven for Holocaust survivors. It is where almost a million refugees from Arab lands have settled. Eamonn will particularly rejoice that Israel is now home to more than a million Russian Jews who, under communism, faced prison sentences if they wished to teach their children Hebrew. It has absorbed a huge percentage of its population as refugees from racial and religious persecution. What a lesson for the West as we struggle to absorb immigrants or refugees from the Middle East. Eamonn could also acknowledge the positive contribution Israelis make to Northern Ireland. For example, one in six medicines dispensed by the health service is developed in Israel. Patients in our hospitals are swallowing a micro camera pill, rather than face surgery. I'll leave it for Eamonn to explain which Israeli hospital invented that. A device enabling disabled children to walk is being manufactured in Northern Ireland - the invention of a Jerusalem mum. In a more charitable moment, Eamonn might acknowledge the risks Israelis have taken for peace with their neighbours - Egypt and Jordan, for example. Or the proposals put by Israeli Prime Ministers Barak and Olmert, which - if negotiated on - would have resulted in an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel. However, Eamonn's latest column is yet another negative tirade. Who does Israel have on its borders that Netanyahu refers to as "wild beasts"? He was referring to Islamic State and al-Qaida affiliates, who are active on Israel's borders, driving out Christians, Yazidis and Muslim minorities alike and contributing to 200,000 dead in Syria alone. I don't know how Eamonn refers to Islamic State or al-Qaida. However, I think many readers will consider Netanyahu justified in building a security fence to keep out terrorists. They are bringing carnage to the streets of Damascus and would dearly love to do the same in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Avraham Sender lives and works in London Queen's University (QUB) prides itself on being a good employer, but its record with respect to recently appointed lecturers on probation tells a different story. In January 2016 there were approximately 222 probationary lecturers at QUB hoping to be confirmed in-post by the end of their three-year probationary period. However, in early-November 2015, 133 of them received a letter that effectively moved the goalposts by changing the requirements to pass probation. Rather than applying for grant income, they had to attain grant income. They also had to achieve arduous student evaluation scores and be principal investigators on a grant application. The catch-22 was that having applied for a grant, the individual has no control over whether they get it. In fact, in many subjects only about 20% of grant applications are successful. At the time of their appointment, the 133 probationary lecturers were given one set of standards, only for QUB to unilaterally change and impose new requirements, thus breaching the terms of the employment contract. That is the legal advice received by the University & College Union, acting on behalf of lecturers. In addition QUB will face claims for unfair dismissal if any of the 133 probationary lecturers fail to pass probation. Essentially, QUB has shifted its priorities to generating grant research income at whatever the cost to the individuals concerned. At a time when young, newly appointed lecturing staff should be teaching, publishing and furthering their subject, QUB has erected what are seen as unachievable income targets. If these are not fulfilled the probationer is at risk of being dismissed. Many probationary lecturers feel betrayed by QUB and unjustly treated. Unfortunately, senior management at QUB seem oblivious to these opinions. QUB stands to do itself reputational damage as word gets round about the unjust and unscrupulous treatment. The solution is simple: let the 133 probation staff complete their probation period under the profile existing at the time of their appointment. Alan Harpur is president of the University & College Union at Queen's University, Belfast 'We promised to hack Google,' a group calling itself the 'Cyber Caliphate Army' declared A group of Isis hackers falsely boasted they had hacked Google - but instead targeted a website with a similar name. A group calling itself the "Cyber Caliphate Army" vowed on messaging app Telegram they would attack Google on Monday, Vocativ.com reported. "We promised to hack Google," the group declared. "Keep the promise inshallah [God willing], expect us today." However, a few hours later, they had instead defaced the website www.addgoogleonline.com, which is reportedly registered by someone named Gandani K. from India. After it was hacked, the website played an Isis song in French and displaced the group's logo along with a sign saying "Hacked By: CCA". The group also allegedly published a list of 35 British websites it had targeted, saying the attacks were revenge for the killing of British-born Isis hacker Junaid Hussain. Hussain was killed by a US airstrike last year. Among the sites targeted were those of a salon, an instructor who offers Japanese dance classes and businesses selling bedroom furniture and laminate flooring. The hackers said the attacks were "a message to David Cameron". The attacks follow pro-Isis hackers' threats that they would target the founders of Facebook and Twitter for shutting down their social media accounts. Last year, Isis hackers successfully accessed the Twitter account of the United States Central Command, posting personal details of senior officers. Independent Can you please ask the angels to help me find a job? is on the top ten list of questions we get asked for help with. To help you with any job or career related situations, these are the big 3 I call upon: Archangel Gabriel, Archangel Chamuel, and Master Lu-Hsing. Archangel Gabriel is the Messenger angel and he will deliver your messages and assist in communication on all levels. Archangel Chamuel helps you to build strong foundations for your careers and relationships so that they are long-lasting, meaningful, and healthy. Lu-Hsing is an ascended master and god of salaries, pay, success, career progress, investments, steady accumulation, wealth, and employees. He is one of the big three Chinese stellar deities known collectively as the Fu Lu shou San Hsing, the gods who bring about happiness, fortune, wealth, and longevity. He will help to open doors for you, for all aspects of employment, job interviews, raises, and promotions.* Ask Them to overlight you when you are creating your resume, creating your covering letter and to deliver it when you send it and have it energetically stand out when it arrives at its destination. Say a prayer and ask for guidance and assistance to help you achieve your career goals. Use something like this as your Mastermind statement and say it everyday, 3 times if you can. Fill in the information as it relates to you and what you want to create for yourself. Quiet yourself, connect with heart centre and then read this statement aloud when you can and really feel it. Then take a few minutes and see yourself happy and fulfilled in your new job. I am so happy, grateful, and excited about my new job as _________________ for a wonderful new company doing what I love, supporting myself well and enjoying this new chapter of my life. Thank you Archangel Gabriel, Archangel Chamuel, Master Lu-Hsing, The God Creator, my guides and angels and all the beings of light who helped to set things up to make this all possible and manifested for me. Amen When you have a job interview, send Master Lu-sing to overlight the way and yourself before you go to help you make a better impression. We wish you much success on your quest! Tons of love, Sharon and the angels xoxox www.playingwiththeuniverse.com Read more: http://www.beliefnet.com/columnists/angelguidance * Doreen Virtues book, Archangels & Ascended Masters The scab is off, and the wound of Americas history is bleeding. Again. Perhaps because a black man is president? Its a savage old wound, never really healed, and apt to erupt into pestilence at any moment. Medical terminology comes to mind: suppurating, necrotic, septic. In other words it eats away at the flesh of the American covenant that this is a country with justice for all. Our politicians today are open in their racism, advocating the deportation of Muslims merely because of their religion. Advocating a wall against Mexico so that no [insert any of a number of racial slurs here] can come take our jobs. Every time I hear some demagogue talk about taking our jobs, I wonder: does s/he not realise that its AMERICANS who employ undocumented immigrants? And that Arizona which tried successfully to profile brown residents ended up losing million$$ in business because they had no workers? Americans dont seem to WANT the jobs that hard-working undocumented immigrants are happy to have. At a recent gathering of colleagues & friends, to share African American literature in honour of African American History month (the GREAT African American Read-In!), a dear friend shared that he is sorry for racists. They are filled with fear, he said, and that poisons their lives, surely. I confessed then, and will repeat: I am NOT sorry for racists. Im not that big a person. This is, I might add, a dear man who deals daily with the disrespect & fear his physical presence (bigblackmale) generates. I have seen this myself, when he & I lunch together to discuss work. Restaurants that are welcoming of my (white) husband & me are measurably different in their response when my friend & I enter. Not my imagination, I assure you. So for him to be this generous of heart & spirit is a far bigger gift than I can offer. As a Buddhist, I know I shouldnt hate. But racism? And racists? Not an ounce of tolerance in my life for that crap. Its poison hence the medical terms of dying body parts. When it is common for police to shoot unarmed brown children (multiple cases, from Tamir Rice to Laquan McDonald), when a police officer in my state can rape 36 black women before coming to trial, we need to confront the infection that eats away at our (white) assertion that this is a post-racial country. No one I know who is not white will agree with such a disingenuous statement. Today, in the wake of a Super Tuesday that saw the joyful victories of demagogues arguing for WWII tactics to make America great again, and reignite the promise of America, I grieve. I grieve for an America that is happy to make others the victims of our own fear & hatred. I grieve for my beloved cousins black grandsons & granddaughter, and my beloved daughter-in-laws brown brother. Each is at risk every time s/hes pulled over by police, as Sandra Bland found out. Im an engaged Buddhist filled, these days, w/what Buddhists call wrathful compassion. Although Im afraid the wrath (far too often!) outweighs the compassionsigh. Still, while I do NOT pity racists (or other haters of the other), I do feel sorrow for how awful it must be to fear so many of my dearest friends. What do you miss when you cut yourself off from other religions, for instance? The humility of Ramadan, the joy of Diwali, the exuberance of Loi Krathong. And when so many of the worlds artists, musicians, just plain people are off limits to you because you fear their colour and/or culture? So, Im still lobbying for engagement. Im not going to turn my other cheek while racism is still rampant. To bow quietly is in my engaged opinion to offer tacit acceptance of this hateful, hurtful belief system. Dont expect me to approve of candidates who base their entire platform on hate, pretty much. And dont expect me to keep quiet about it, either. Mya Taylor made history this past week after becoming the first transgender performer to win a major film award. The actress took home the Film Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female for her work in Tangerine. The Independent Spirit Awards recognizes American movies made for less than $20 million. Tangerine was one of 2015s most memorable indie-films, and is now available on Netflix for streaming. The movie revolves around two transgender sex workers in Los Angeles and portrays the routine harassment black trans women face. The director, Sean Baker, shot the movie using only iPhones. It first premiered at last years Sundance Film Festival. During her powerful speech, Taylor said There is a transgender talent. Theres very beautiful transgender talent. So, you better get it out there and put it in your next movie. Taylor isnt the first transgender to be nominated for an award. In 2012, Harmony Santana was nominated for her part in Gun Hill Road. Taylor is, however, one of the only African-American performers to score acting prizes during this awards season. Taylor was also honored with a Gotham Award for Breakthrough Actor. Taylor ran up against Robin Barlette (H), Jennifer Jason Leigh (Anomalisa), Marin Ireland (Glass Chin) and Cynthia Nixon (James White). Taylors co-star, Kitana Kiki Rodriquez, was nominated for Best Female Lead but lost to Brie Larson (Room). Backstage, Taylor revealed how big the win meant to her. When I look at acting, I dont look at the money or the fame or anything like that. I went through a very, very hard struggle. And for me when I do stuff like this, I have to let other people know you can do what you put your mind to. Because the struggle was real for me, and I got out of it Taylor is proud to be an inspiration for the LGBT community and is looking forward to working on her next project, a TV show. Perhaps nowhere in history were women held in higher standing and regard than in Mama Africa, the birthplace of humanity and the worlds first great civilizations, with its preponderance of matriarchal and matrilineal societies. You know that in our country there were even matriarchal societies where women were the most important element, writes Amilcar Cabral, the Guinean leader of the African Liberation Movement, in Return to the Source. They were not queens because they were the daughters of kings. They had queens succeeding queens. The religious leaders were women, too. Probably the most famous woman in African history is Queen Nzinga Mbande, Amazon Queen of the Ndongo and Matamba in West Africa, who ruled Angola for thirty-some years in the mid-1600s. In 1621 at the age of thirty-nine, she negotiated with the Portuguese for the preservation of Angolan independence while seated on the back of a kneeling servant, an ingenious and face-saving performance, as the colonialists had not provided a chair for her in an attempt to embarrass and humiliate her. Years later, Nzinga refused to hand back runaway slaves to the Portuguese, thus bringing down their colonial wrath. Along with her female officers and advisors Nzinga formed formidable tribal alliances and gathered a vast army that, in true guerrilla fashion, harassed the Portuguese to exhaustion from all sides while avoiding direct confrontation. Politically astute, she formed alliances with other foreign powers, pitting them against one another to free Angola of European influence. I may be kindly. I am ordinarily gentle, but in my line of business I am obliged to will terribly what I will at all. -Catherine II. Russian Queen, 1729-1796 Queen Nzinga was a visionary political leader, competent and self-sacrificing, completely devoted to the resistance movement against the European slave traders. She possessed an abundance of both steely hardness and soft charm and used them each, depending on the situation, as a tactical tool when it suited her. Her death in 1663 helped open the door to the massive Portuguese slave traffic. Yet her struggle helped to inspire others to follow in her powerful path and continue to mount offensives against the White invaders. Queen Nzinga is so revered that, despite logic, a pre-historic imprint of a footprint on a rock at Pungu Andongo in Angola is attributed to her. One of Queen Nzingas spiritual children, a ferocious middle-aged woman known as Nanny, led a victorious slave revolt in Jamaica, then founded a free Maroon community called, Nannyville. It is said that when the pursuing British fired cannonballs into their village, Nanny caught them between her buttocks and shot them right back at the soldiers. Harriet Tubman, another on Queen Nzingas mission, was, in addition to being the famous founder of the underground railway, a soldier in the Union army of the North. On June 2, 1863, at the age of sixty-six, she led a mission on the Tennessee River with three gunboats under her command. Queen Harriet and her allies blew up a Confederate bridge, engaged in espionage, and saved the lives of seven hundred and fifty-six slaves. After the war, the army not only refused to recognize her contributions, they robbed her of her just veterans pension. They tell me nothing but lies here, and they think they can break my spirit. But I believe what I choose and say nothing. I am not so simple as I seem. -Catherine of Aragon, Spanish Queen of England, 1485-1536 *** Donna Henes is the author of The Queen of My Self: Stepping into Sovereignty in Midlife. She offers counseling and upbeat, practical and ceremonial guidance for individual women and groups who want to enjoy the fruits of an enriching, influential, purposeful, passionate, and powerful maturity. Consult the MIDLIFE MIDWIFE The Queen welcomes questions concerning all issues of interest to women in their mature years. Send your inquiries to thequeenofmyself@aol.com. Dateline: Austria A man says he was fined 70 Euros ($77) for burping at a kebab stand in Vienna. Edin Mehic, 27, posted a photo of the police report on his Facebook page, saying he got the ticket after stopping for a quick bite at a kebab stand in the Praterstern area of Austrias capital. According to Mehic scarfing down the spicy food caused him to belch. Mehic said he felt a hand on his shoulder a few moments later and discovered it was a police officer. The officer issued him a ticket for alleged breach of peace. Thank God this guy is protecting my beloved city of Vienna! What would we do without him? Mehic wrote. I guess things cant be as bad in the area as we read in the papers because if they have time to chase up burping, it means there isnt anything more serious to worry about. Mehics lawyer, Heinz Robathin, told The Local newspaper, It is all a question of perspective. If my client had done it in the opera or theater, I could probably understand somebody complaining. But not in the Praterstern, where there are drug dealers and other people of a dubious character on a daily basis. People burping is hardly rare there. Dateline: Florida Four suspects have been charged with burglary and criminal mischief after they allegedly trashed a Palm Coast pizzeria because they were served garlic knotswith cheese on them. According to a Flagler County Sheriffs Office report, 25-year-old Jessica Conti began arguing with employees at Palm Coast Pizza because they put cheese on her side order of garlic knots. Conti demanded her money back, but the Daytona Beach News-Journal reports she became incensed when a clerk placed the money on the counter in what she perceived to be a disrespectful manner. At that point 23-year-old Vincent Conti, 26-year-old Hareem Jones and 32-year-old Shawn Cody allegedly stormed into the restaurant and began ransacking it. Employees told deputies the four customers knocked a fax machine and a cash register off the front counter, then entered the kitchen area and began throwing food and pizza boxes everywhere. At some point someone tossed a glass parmesan cheese container at a television screen in the lobby. Employees estimated around $1,000 damage was done to the propertyroughly $995.50 more than the large order of garlic knots. The suspects had fled by the time deputies showed up, but witnesses at the pizzeria knew the suspects and readily identified them. The quartet was arrested at a nearby residence. In addition to the vandalism-related charges, Jones was charged with one count of marijuana possession of less than 20 grams. Indian students and activists shout slogans and protest outside of a Delhi courthouse as a judge ruled in favor of bail for Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union President Kanhaiya Kumar, March 2, 2016. An Indian student leader who was arrested on charges of sedition for allegedly raising anti-national slogans at an on-campus event is set to walk out of a Delhi jail on Thursday, after a court granted him bail late Wednesday. Citing a lack of evidence, a Delhi High Court judge granted six months interim bail to Kanhaiya Kumar, president of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU). Kumar was given bail on a surety bond of 10,000 rupees (U.S. $148). He and five other JNU students were charged with sedition for allegedly raising slogans during a Feb. 9 event that condemned the executions of two Kashmiris. Kumar denies participating in anti-India chanting at the event to mark the death anniversaries of Afzal Guru, who was executed in 2013 for his role in the attack on the Indian parliament in 2001, and Maqbool Bhat, a Kashmiri separatist hanged in 1984. The thoughts reflected in the slogans raised by some of the students of JNU who organized and participated in that program cannot be claimed to be protected as a fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression, Delhi High Court Justice Pratibha Rani noted in her order, which followed a five-hour hearing. Conditional freedom In opposing bail for Kumar, Delhi Police argued that although they had no video evidence against him, three witnesses claimed to have seen him participate in anti-India sloganeering. The police said that, if granted bail, Kumar could obstruct investigations by influencing witnesses or leading rallies that could be deemed a threat to law and order in India. The judge turned down the police plea and agreed to release Kumar on bail on certain conditions, including that he cooperate with the police probe and refrain from participating in any political activities that may be interpreted as anti-national. Kumar is set to walk out of Delhis Tihar Jail, where he has been held since Feb.12, on Thursday. Thousands of students will participate in a march tomorrow on the campus to celebrate Kanhaiyas release and protest the government action against JNU students. Kanhaiya will be leading the rally, V. Lenin, a member of the Democratic Students Federation, told BenarNews on Wednesday. The truth is vindicated, Lenin said, reacting to the decision. Those who called him anti-national should apologize, he added, while calling on the authorities to drop sedition charges brought on the five other students. On Tuesday, a court sent Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, two of the five students facing the same charges, to 14 days in judicial custody. Ashutosh Kumar, Anant Prakash and Rama Naga, the three other students charged with sedition, are not in police custody although they have declared they are inside the JNU campus in south Delhi. Government stifling dissent The sedition charges against these students drew complaints against Indias ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from critics who accused the government of using the archaic law to curb dissent and free speech. This government believes anyone who is against the BJP is an anti-national, Manish Tewari, spokesman for the opposing Congress party, told CNN-IBN. He should not have been arrested in the first place, Tewari said. You pick up a student on sedition charges and throw him behind bars without any evidence ... if this isnt a misuse of state machinery, then what is? The BJP refuted those claims, saying the government was not on a witch hunt to arrest those who dont agree with the ruling party. This has nothing to do with political ideology, BJP spokeswoman Shaina N.C. said. You can criticize the BJP or the government, but we cannot stand for those who propose to dismember India or voice support for those who have been convicted by law. If we were to allow that, it would result in a complete breakdown of law and order, she said. Senior advocate Amit Khemka challenged police for mishandling the situation. Before making arrests, the police should have verified the evidence, Khemka said. Citing a previous Supreme Court ruling, he said, An act is only to be treated as sedition if it is accompanied with violence or the threat of violence. Just raising slogans is not enough (to sustain sedition). The students should have been given the benefit of doubt. They need to be given that extra latitude and their voice should not be silenced with these criminal laws. Small victory Even as the court was hearing Kumars bail plea, hundreds of university students staged a 5-km (3-mile) march in the national capital to show support. As news broke of bail being approved, deafening applause and cheers rang out. We are really happy. We were struggling for this for so many days. Finally, he will be released, Riya Raj told BenarNews as she hugged fellow students. Another student, Shweta Raj, said although Kumars bail approval is a small victory, the fight against the fascist government remains. We are happy that comrade Kanhaiya is coming back. But there still lies a long battle in front of us. We have to fight a political attack on us, she told BenarNews. Kumars brother, Manikant, echoed Rajs sentiments. We are happy, very happy. But this is just a small victory. We will only have achieved a full victory when Kanhaiya is absolved of the sedition charge. He is mentally very strong. I am certain he will come out of this clean as a whistle. Because I know my brother is not a traitor, but a true patriot, Manikant told reporters. Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad is drawing support from an unlikely source in his efforts to get the current PM to resign over a financial scandal jailed opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim. From his prison cell Ibrahim on Thursday posted a statement on his blog, in which he stated his backing for the 90-year-old former PM and others who have criticized Prime Minister Najib Razak over corruption allegations linked to the debt-ridden state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). I support the position of friends in civil society, political parties and individuals including Tun Dr Mahathir, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and others to build up strength and common understanding together, Ibrahim said, referring to Mahathir and a former deputy prime minister whom Najib sacked in July 2015 for criticizing in public over the scandal. The 1MDB scandal involving the prime minister is the most severe scandal in our history and has badly damaged our nations image, wrote Anwar, the leader of the opposition Peoples Justice Party (PKR). This can only happen when power is centered in one individual such as the prime minister, as well as the failure of key financial, judicial and enforcement institutes to perform their tasks independently without fear or favor. Anwar is serving a five-year sentence for a 2008 sodomy conviction. He is Mahathirs former No. 2. But in 1998, then-Prime Minister Mahathir dismissed him as his deputy. That year Anwar was also booted from the United Malays National Organization (UMNO), the party that heads a coalition that has ruled Malaysia since 1957. Shortly afterward Anwar was arrested, convicted and jailed on corruption and different sodomy charges. In 2004, the sodomy conviction was overturned but his corruption conviction stood. In Thursdays statement, he also called for political change in Malaysia. The common understanding that he hoped to build with Mahathir, Muhyiddin and others would, Anwar wrote, focus on the demand for Najib to resign as prime minister as he has clearly failed to lead this nation. He is responsible for continuing to engage in selfish political acts, wreaking havoc upon administrative institutions and burdening the Rakyat [people] with continued economic crisis. We have also learned from history that meaningful transition of power cannot happen only with a change of leadership but it also demands a systemic change, Anwar went on to say. Najib has denied all allegations related to scandals tied to 1MBD and a 2.08 billion ringgit (U.S. $681 million) deposit made to his private bank accounts prior to the 2013 general election. In January, Malaysias attorney general cleared the prime minister of any wrongdoing linked to the deposit, saying it was a donation to Najib from Saudi Arabias royal family. Muhyiddin, Mahathirs son stay with UMNO Anwars statement of support for Mahathir came three days after the ex-PM who is popularly known as Dr. M announced that he was quitting UMNO in protest over the scandal and what he said was the partys efforts to protect Najib from corruption allegations. Last week, the party suspended Muhyiddin Yassin from his post as its deputy president, saying that he had breached UMNOs constitution by failing to assist its president, Najib, in his duties as party chief. On Thursday, Muhyiddin vowed that he would not quit UMNO but warned he would fight crimes against the party. I was with UMNO since the 70s. I never said I wanted to leave the party. So today I decided to stay and fight the party from within, he told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur. Former Kedah state Chief Minister Mukhriz Mahathir the son of the former prime minister joined Muhyiddin in announcing his intention to remain a party member. Mukhriz, who was forced to resign from the Kedah post last month, blamed UMNO at the time for leading an effort to remove him. Mukhriz said that while he did not follow in his fathers footsteps by quitting UMNO, they were pursuing the same objective. I was with Muhyiddin and remain a member of UMNO, Mukhriz said. I decided to criticize from within and this does not contradict the efforts of Mahathir. This approach may be different, but the principle is the same going after and exposing the truth in the face of evil and falsehood, Mukhriz said. Haireez Azeem Azizi contributed to this report. The body of rubber tapper Chatchai Saethong, 55, is covered at the scene where he was shot dead and his corpse was burned in Baan Sesehnai, a village in southern Thailands Yala province, March 3, 2016. Four people including at least two civilians were killed in separate shootings within a 24-hour span in Thailands restive Deep South, local police said Thursday. The four killings brought to 16 the number of people killed across the Deep South in shootings and bombings by suspected insurgents since Feb. 10, when Thai security forces raided a rebel hideout in Pattani province. Thirty-one other people were injured in 14 bombings and 18 shootings since then, officials said. The recent spate of violence has taken place after a period of relative calm in the Deep South and while the Thai government has been negotiating with southern rebel groups to persuade them to reopen formal peace talks for the first time since 2013. Last year, the number of violent incidents in the region hit a record low since 2004. Last months raid appears to have triggered a series of retaliatory attacks by rebels, a security source told BenarNews on condition of anonymity. Since Feb. 10, there have been shootings more often. They seem like a vendetta, the source told BenarNews. The latest killings began Wednesday night with the slaying of a paramilitary officer in Yala province, and culminated with three more deadly shootings the next day in Yala and neighboring Pattani. Two of the victims were shot dead and set on fire, according to police. One of the two, identified as rubber tapper Chatchai Saethong, 55, was gunned down and his body burned at around dawn on Thursday as he rode his motorcycle in Baan Sesehnai, a village in Yaha, a sub-district of Yala. Chatchai was shot dead with a handgun while riding a motorcycle on the way to work in a rubber plantation, Lt. Capt. Pol. Prachaya Hedhark told reporters. Later Thursday, police in Yalas Muang district found the body of Arnus Muso, 26, an intelligence officer with the 41st paramilitary regiment in nearby Raman district. Police said they suspect insurgents killed him Wednesday night. Meanwhile, electrician Suthas Kraiwan, 44, was shot while working on a utility pole Thursday afternoon in Pattani, police Lt. Col. Wichain Khamsao told reporters. And at dusk, a retired policeman Ong-art Boonma, 82, was shot dead and burned while riding his bike, according to a police investigator in Pattanis Yarang district. After receiving word of the four killings, the chief of the Thai Armys 4th regional command called a meeting to discuss how to thwart more attacks. Safe zones not yet achieved The killings came a few days after the third anniversary, on Feb. 28, of the launching of efforts by the previous Thai government to negotiate an end to the separatist insurgency in Thailands predominantly Muslim and Malay-speaking region. More than 6,000 people have died in related violence since 2004, when the insurgency flared up again in the Deep South. Those Malaysia-mediated peace talks faltered in December 2013. But the Thai junta, which toppled the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra in May 2014, last year initiated efforts to revive formal peace talks through a series of closed-door meetings with representatives of MARA Patani, an umbrella body representing rebel groups and factions in negotiations with Thailand. The ongoing efforts have yet to achieve safe-zones, or ceasefire zones, which were one of the pre-conditions for formal talks established by the government, MARA Patani Chairman Awang Jabat acknowledged in a videotaped message that was screened at a seminar in Pattani on Sunday. We have already noted that the local people have voiced their demand to set up safe zones, Jabat said. Setting up safety zones in a conflict area has never been easy, and it could not be announced by just one side as we had heard. No one has ever done so, he added. ein Google-Unternehmen Google-Dienste anzubieten und zu betreiben Ausfalle zu prufen und Manahmen gegen Spam, Betrug und Missbrauch zu ergreifen Daten zu Zielgruppeninteraktionen und Websitestatistiken zu erheben. Mit den gewonnenen Informationen mochten wir verstehen, wie unsere Dienste verwendet werden, und die Qualitat dieser Dienste verbessern. neue Dienste zu entwickeln und zu verbessern Werbung auszuliefern und ihre Wirkung zu messen personalisierte Inhalte anzuzeigen, abhangig von Ihren Einstellungen personalisierte Werbung anzuzeigen, abhangig von Ihren Einstellungen Wenn Sie Alle ablehnen auswahlen, verwenden wir Cookies nicht fur diese zusatzlichen Zwecke. 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Tihomir Oreskovic: "Of course I care. Croatia has provided humanitarian assistance and will continue to offer support. We understand the immediate needs but need a solution." But Croatia and other Balkan States are helping Macedonia to close off its border to Greece. Oreskovic: "We are helping out with police at the border between Macedonia and Greece in order to control the influx of migrants and refugees. We have established effective communications and collaborations with Austria, Slovenia, Serbia and Macedonia to ensure a coordinated effort starting in Macedonia. This has yielded very positive results, all parties along the route have daily information which ensures a smooth and humane processing of the migrants." Auch interessant Is closing the borders the solution for the Balkans? Oreskovic: "The efficient police coordination between Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia and Macedonia has significantly lowered the transit through our countries. This also helps Germany: now it is no longer over 3,000 refugees per day that arrive at the German border from Austria, but fewer than 500. The current situation helps avoid the tensions and bad surprises that we have experienced with no controls. However, this is not a long term solution but has made a significant difference. Controlling the flow of migrants in Macedonia has yielded reslults but we need stronger support in Greece and Turkey." Germany is heavily criticized for keeping its borders open. Oreskovic: "Open borders are the right principle for Europe. Permanently closing the borders would greatly harm the European Union, and not only economically " but the border to Greece is closed! Oreskovic: "I do not believe any borders are closed, however we need to ensure migrants are processed correctly, following the Schengen rules." Have Germanys open borders caused the refugee influx? Oreskovic: "Last summer, Chancellor Merkel and Germany provided leadership in a crisis in a very humane way. I have a lot of respect for their compassion.. However, since the influx is not declining, there are growing concerns in Germany and elsewhere. The EU has to find a remedy for this problem, together with Greece and Turkey." Why was Greece not invited to the meeting of the Balkan States and Austria? Oreskovic: "Greece is back at the table now and it requires strong financial help. Greece belongs to the Schengen Area and we cannot leave Greece on its own in dealing with the problem." Lesen Sie auch One issue under discussion right now is the distribution of refugees following strict quotas. Will Croatia cooperate? Oreskovic: "Croatia is not the refugees target country, but we have supported a distribution. The problem with a strict quota is, however, that you cannot keep the refugees in a country where they do not want to stay." Is Germany isolated in this question? Oreskovic: "Not at all. Germany is a very important voice, but there are also others." Does the EU need Germanys leadership? Oreskovic: "I am unhappy with the word leadershipin the context of a single leader. There will be a European solution, not a German, French, or Hungarian solution. We are a family in the EU, so sometimes there is a difference of opinions. Differences make you stronger, Europe will define a joint solution." Lesen Sie auch Croatia is the youngest EU family member. Have you ever regretted joining? Oreskovic: "No. We Croatians are very much aware of the advantages that an EU membership has for us. Croatia was always a part of Europe, its where we belong. In the end, Europeans always find a compromise. We have just seen this in the negotiations with the United Kingdom. We achieved a compromise that we hope will allow the British people to remain within the European Union family." Mr Prime Minister, you are a self-confessed Lego fan. Do you think the EU leaders would currently manage to jointly build a great Lego space shuttle out of a thousand bits? Or would they all be thrown across the room? Oreskovic: "Good idea, we should try that. My two boys have taught me to be patient when it comes to building Legos. But seriously: the most important thing, also in building Lego, is knowing what you want to build. If we keep in mind the bigger picture of Europe, we will also agree on how to put the bits together." For Immediate Release, March 3, 2016 Contact: Andrea Santarsiere, (303) 854-7748, asantarsiere@biologicaldiversity.org U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Proposes to Prematurely End Endangered Species Protection for Yellowstone Grizzlies Famed Bears Remain Isolated, Face Ongoing Threats VICTOR, Idaho The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced plans to remove Endangered Species Act protections for Yellowstone's famed grizzly bears, paving the way for state-supported trophy hunts. Grizzly bear numbers in the Greater Yellowstone area have improved since the animals were first protected in 1975, but the bears continue to be threatened by isolation from other grizzly populations, loss of key food sources and human-caused mortalities. Overall grizzly bears occupy less than 4 percent of their historic U.S. range. Photo courtesy USFWS. Photos are available for media use. Its simply too soon to remove protections for grizzly bears, said Andrea Santarsiere, a staff attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity. Were prepared to make sure the Service follows the science and the law to ensure these wonderful animals can truly recover. Historically grizzly bears ranged from Alaska to Mexico, with an estimated 50,000 bears occupying the western half of the contiguous United States. With European settlement of the American West, they were shot, poisoned and trapped to near extinction. Today just 1,500 to 1,800 grizzlies are found in five isolated populations in the northern Rocky Mountains and North Cascades, including about 715 in the Yellowstone area. Yellowstones amazing grizzly bears are loved by people around the world, and they deserve a real shot at survival, said Santarsiere. Its frustrating to see the Fish and Wildlife Service moving to strip protections for bears when these majestic creatures live in just a tiny fraction of their historic range and face a slew of ongoing threats. The science just doesnt support removing protections for Yellowstones bears right now. The grizzly bear is currently listed as a threatened species in the lower 48 states. According to scientists there are multiple areas in the grizzly bears former range where the animals could once again thrive, including the Selway-Bitterroot, Sierra Nevada in California, southern Rockies of Colorado and Grand Canyon area in Arizona. The Center submitted a petition in July 2014 asking the Service to revise its recovery plan for the grizzly bear and consider additional areas, but to date the agency has refused. Were disappointed that the Obama administration is taking such a narrow view of grizzly bear recovery, said Santarsiere. The proposal to remove protections comes at a time when key grizzly bear food sources in the heart of the Yellowstone ecosystem have been collapsing and grizzly mortality rates have been increasing. The dramatic decline of whitebark pine and Yellowstone cutthroat trout has prompted bears to eat more meat, such as big-game gut piles and livestock, resulting in increased conflicts with humans and grizzly bear mortality. Drought and climate change are likely to exacerbate these problems. Yellowstones bears have long been isolated from other bear populations, forcing the government to keep them on permanent life support by trucking bears in to avoid inbreeding. This fact further highlights the need for recovering grizzly bears in more places. In December 2014 the Center petitioned the Service to reintroduce grizzly bears to the Selway-Bitterroot ecosystem in central Idaho and western Montana, which would help connect Yellowstone's bears to other populations. The Fish and Wildlife Service identified the Selway-Bitterroot as a recovery area for grizzly bears in 1993, but due to political meddling under the George W. Bush administration, grizzly bears were not released into the area. The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 990,000 members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places. For Immediate Release, March 2, 2016 Contact: Amaroq Weiss, (707) 779-9613, aweiss@biologicaldiversity.org Oregon Legislature Passes Controversial Wolf-delisting Bill Blocking Court Review PORTLAND, Ore. The Oregon Legislature passed a bill tonight ratifying the delisting of wolves in Oregon and effectively preempting the right to any legal challenge. The 17-11 Senate vote to pass HB 4040 follows the bills passage in the House two weeks ago. The bill was introduced by Republican proponents of delisting on behalf of the livestock and sports-hunting industries seeking to block judicial review of the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commissions illegal wolf-delisting decision last November. Photo of OR-25 courtesy Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. This photo is available for media use. The legislature has no business inserting itself into a matter that rightfully needs to be decided by a court of law, said Amaroq Weiss, West Coast wolf organizer for the Center for Biological Diversity. The only conscionable thing for Gov. Brown to do now is to veto this special-interest driven bill. In November 2015 the Fish and Wildlife Commission voted 4 to 2 to strip gray wolves of state endangered species act protections, despite having received comment letters from 25 leading scientists noting significant disagreement with delisting, and 10,000 public comments, 96 percent of which opposed the delisting. In December the Center for Biological Diversity, Cascadia Wildlands and Oregon Wild filed a legal challenge to the commissions decision. Shortly after the 2016 session of the Oregon Legislature convened earlier this month, bills were introduced by Senate and House Republicans to ratify the commissions decision in order to block judicial review of the delisting decision. H.B. 4040 now moves to the desk of Gov. Kate Brown, who can sign it into law, veto it or allow it to become law automatically by not signing it within 30 days. Two days before the Senate vote, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife released its end-of-year annual wolf report for 2015 indicating the wolf population had grown from 81 wolves at the end of 2014 to 110 wolves, an increase of 36 percent. The report also documented that livestock-wolf conflicts had decreased and that at least three, and possibly as many as five, wolves were illegally killed. What the 2015 wolf report tells us is that Oregons wolf population is still in the early stages of recovery and needs ongoing protections from threats like illegal killing, said Weiss. This anti-wolf bill is an affront to every Oregon citizen who cares about the states wild heritage. The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 990,000 members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places. At this year's Design Indaba, Nedbank underscored its positioning as South Africa's green and caring bank with its innovative Wonderland Project. M&C Saatchi Abel created and executed the project which seeks to transform decommissioned ATMs into 'works of wonder'. The project challenged all 2016 Design Indaba delegates to submit their ideas of how these terminals can be repurposed for social benefit. There were many interesting ideas, especially around education and public health, says Paul Coetzer, Business Director at M&C Saatchi Abel. He highlighted the Conversation Starter Machine idea: this could be placed in different parts of the country to encourage people from different backgrounds to start up random conversations and get South Africans talking. The competition received over 200 entries. At the close of the Design Indaba, Katherine Farrell from Johannesburg was announced the winner of the Nedbank Wonderland Project competition. Her idea is to turn decommissioned ATMs into Hotel Perk Hubs, where hotel guests, tourists and travellers can deposit unused perks (meals and credits, toiletries, etc) for people in need to withdraw. Her key insight was that the richer you are, the more stuff you get for free, which leads to wasted resources. Farrell won an all expenses paid two-week immersion experience at the Google Creative Lab in Sydney, Australia. Over and above the competition, the project included a branded Wonderthon activation area, which in keeping with the theme of repurposing was furnished with recycled wooden pallet furniture. The activation area also featured a Wonder Window where delegates were encouraged to doodle their ideas of what decommissioned ATMs could become as well as an ATM turned into an entry box where delegates could drop physical, hand drawn entries. As part of this activation, a team of engineers, programmers and designers was challenged to repurpose a decommissioned Nedbank ATM in real time, adds Coetzer. Over the course of the three days the team repurposed the ATM as a community movie projector, an arcade game, and finally a fully functioning breathalyser which tests intoxication levels and prints an Uber voucher for people who are over the legal alcohol limit. The prototype was launched at the Design Indaba closing concert, hosted by Nedbank. Everyone who has heard of the project is extremely positive about it as an initiative and about the potential impact it can have on communities across South Africa, says Coetzer. In his budget speech, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan indicated sugar has officially descended into the realm of "sin". The penalty for such sin has come in the form of a sugar tax that will be introduced from April 1 next year. SA has an extremely high incidence of heart disease and diabetes and the sinful sweet stuff is one of the primary causes of the strain on our already stretched public health-care system. A tax discouraging consumers from buying products that significantly exacerbate these health issues is surely a good thing, right? From a policy and public health perspective, sugar is now categorised as being in the same class as tobacco and alcohol, both of which are already the subject of heavy sin taxes. In this context, a punitive tax measure has typically been the precursor to more stringent regulation; aligned in theory with the related public health policy initiative by disincentivising the consumption of that which is identified as unhealthy. For tobacco, the plain packaging movement has started to gain momentum globally. Sin taxes are now no longer considered a sufficient deterrent to smoking, and hence the policy agenda has shifted purportedly to make the products less attractive. There is no concrete evidence that the appropriation of the brand owners distinctive trade dress does anything other than make the package plain. However, the policy makers who are implementing regulation of this nature do so under the rhetoric that they are being proactive in the fight against self-inflicted public health woes such as lung cancer, diabetes and heart disease. The policy initiative regarding sugar raises the question: is a similar plain-packaging movement the next policy step? What happens when the sin tax does not deter people from purchasing sugary drinks and more extreme policies, such as plain packaging, are implemented? The negative consequences of such reactive policies on tobacco are that counterfeiting becomes easier, as plain packages are easier and cheaper to replicate. Counterfeit goods do not enter the market through traditional channels and are, therefore, not subject to value-added tax and import duty. Initial research into the effects of plain packing on sugary drinks and other sugar-laden products suggests plain packaging could increase consumption. The finding is based on the premise that "deactivating the marketing components of an unhealthy snack packaging deactivates the inhibition system associated with it". It suggests that education and public awareness on what is healthy and unhealthy (specifically in relation to sugar) has actually been somewhat effective and by removing branding, the associated concern about these products is mitigated, and may result in consumers consuming more of these types of goods. Public health policy cannot be based on any one study, but the evidence suggests that the issues surrounding plain packaging be it on cigarettes, alcohol or high sugar content items requires more investigation and study before extreme regulatory steps are taken. There may be severe knock-on effects that could lead to other unintended social ills. Such knock-on effects may potentially be worse for public health than the original problem they were implemented to solve. CAPE TOWN - The Competition Commission's Health Market Inquiry flexed its muscles and asked SA's biggest medical scheme administrator, Discovery Health, to submit its contracts with private hospital groups, along with the records of their price negotiations. At issue is whether any of these parties enjoy dominant market power, and how this affects their capacity to determine prices. It is one of the central questions occupying the inquiry, which was established due to concern over high prices in private healthcare. It is holding hearings to establish the nature of the relationships among role players. Discovery Health, Medscheme and Metropolitan are the three biggest administrators, while the private hospital sector's biggest players are Netcare, Mediclinic International, Life Healthcare and the National Hospital Network, which represents smaller groups and independent hospitals. Is it a fair fight? "When Discovery sits with Life, Mediclinic or Netcare to negotiate tariffs, is it a fair fight?" panelist Ntuthuko Bhengu asked Discovery Health CEO Jonathan Broomberg. "Definitely," Dr Broomberg said, arguing that Discovery Health's investments in systems and analytics had enabled it to achieve countervailing power against the private hospital groups. Private hospitals had an "implicit weapon" because they could refuse to admit members of the schemes Discovery Health administered, while Discovery Health had extensive data and large numbers of members on network plans in its corner, he said. Network plans restrict medical scheme members to specific hospitals. Discovery Health was willing to provide the information requested by the panel, said Dr Broomberg. No interest in denying claims In his submission, Dr Broomberg sought to rebut some of the charges levelled against medical schemes in the first two weeks of public hearings, during which patients and doctors painted schemes and their administrators as obstructive and uncaring. "Contrary to what you have been led to believe, medical schemes and their administrators have no interest in denying claims to medical scheme members. All other things being equal, our first choice would be to pay everything, but of course we can't," he said. The role of medical schemes was to provide affordable cover, and therefore, they could not meet everyone's needs, he said. Times Media Group recently appointed experienced editor and journalist Andrew Trench as its new digital editor, starting this week 1 March 2016. Trench will be responsible for steering digital content strategy across TMG titles, TimesLive, SowetanLive, and BDLive. Times Media has seen steady growth in web traffic on all of its news websites. In January 2016, TimesLIVE recorded 2.9-million unique browsers, 42% growth since January 2015. According to Effective Measure stats, this makes TimesLIVE one of the fastest growing news websites in South Africa. Trench has spent the past five years at Media24 as head of their media investigative unit, editor of the Natal Witness, and most recently as News24 editor-in-chief. His new job heralds his return to the Times Media fold where he started his career in 1995 as a reporter on the Sunday Times, later becoming London Bureau Chief. Trench was also editor of the Daily Dispatch and DispatchOnline in Eastern Cape. Q: Please outline your new role and responsibilities? A: My role as digital editor will be to oversee and drive content strategy and execution across the Group, and this will include building a digital-first editorial operation. Q: What will be your first order of business? A: As with any new role, the first order of business is to put my assumptions and presumptions on a shelf, shut my mouth for a while, and open my ears. That means sitting down and understanding the dynamics, culture and talent of my new environment and working from there. Luckily I have a long history with Times Media and I know - and am friends with - many people who will be my colleagues again, and I hope this will make things easier all round. Q: What is your core strategy for TML? A: A detailed strategy will emerge once I have done the above, but without doubt the final goal of this strategy will be to produce digital products and platforms which reflect the market-leading positions of the Groups fine print titles, and its traditions of journalistic excellence and commercial success. Q: Is there an ideal newsroom model? A: Yes. It's the one which puts the interests of the audience it serves first, ahead of legacy, industry traditions and complacent habit. What the structure of that newsroom might be will differ from place to place, and the needs of the audience. But, if the primary goal is to delight the people we are serving then that's okay. I'm pretty certain that the model for Times Media will be unique and interesting, as it should be. Q: Most important attribute needed to do your job? A: I think there are several: a passion for the practice of journalism (otherwise what's the point?), the ability to keep calm in chaos; trust in the judgement of others, and having a healthy sense of humour. Everything seems to fall into place if those attributes are in play. Q: The biggest trend to note in your industry? A: The rise of mobile as the number one platform and the dominance of third-party platforms like Facebook, Twitter and others which are still emerging, like SnapChat - and the challenges and opportunities these present to digital news publishers. Q: What inspires you? A: A great story told well and people who surprise me when they beat my expectations. Q: What are you currently reading for work? A: Spreadable Media: Creating Value and Meaning in Networked Culture by Henry Jenkins, Sam Ford and Joshua Green; and Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide also by Henry Jenkins. Q: Tell us something about yourself not generally known? A: I'm a decent cook. My latest obsession is Chinese, inspired by a recent trip to China which made me realise I had never eaten real Chinese before! And I also know how to write code. So cooking and coding are my side-line passions. Q: At the top of my bucket list is... A: A trip to Paris with my daughter and wife. Steinhoff International's deal-making prowess has come to the fore again - it has made a second stealth play in as many weeks, this time on electronic goods firm Darty in a bid worth 662m. The bold move by Steinhoffs Conforama threatens to spoil a lower competing share and cash offer from Groupe Fnac for Darty. Last month Steinhoff snuck in an offer to buy UK-based Home Retail Group for 1.4bn, pipping the 1.3bn bid of UK retailer Sainsburys. On Wednesday Conforama said it had asked the board of Darty to recommend its proposed all-cash offer of 125p per share to shareholders. Darty shares shot up 13% in intraday trade and sold as high as 129p on news of the offer. Conforamas rationale for pursuing the deal was its ability to be able to offer customers "a seamless solution for each room of the home". The company had a "multi-style product strategy", and also operated "an online sales platform which is supported by its 285 physical store network, with the majority in France". Darty is an electrical retailer with more than 400 stores, with more than half of them in France. The group also operates online retail platforms such as Mistergooddeal.com. Darty and Groupe Fnac had been working on the transaction since last September. Steinhoff may have to rely on its reputation for being an opportunistic and astute dealmaker to win over those who do not see the rationale of a furniture retailer buying an electrical goods retailer. Andreas Riemann, an analyst with Commerzbank who rates Steinhoff a buy, said he could not see the immediate rationale behind the bid for Darty but conceded that the group had a good track record with acquisitions. "Operating margins did not suffer from acquisitions in the past," Riemann said. With the potential cumulative value of the Home Retail Group transaction and a successful Darty deal, Steinhoff would have to fork out close to 2.2bn, Riemann said. He was not overly concerned about the timing or the companys aggressive appetite for deals. Mark Hodgson, an analyst at Avior, said Steinhoffs size was an advantage as it was bigger than both Sainsburys and Groupe Fnac. A new consumer campaign from Albany Bakeries, called Love at First Bite, will give radio listeners and Facebook users a chance to showcase their sandwich-making skills, whilst learning more about the Albany product range. Albanys Love at First Bite campaign started in February 2016, and it will give consumers the chance to win a cash prize of R5,000, as well as an additional prize of R1,500 in fresh Albany products for the charity of their choice. Albany Bakeries has partnered KZN-based radio stations Ukhozi FM 102.4 and Vuma Fm 103.0. The competition is twofold, primarily on the partnering radio stations and secondly on social media, via Facebook. Participants who enter the radio competition will get a chance to win R5,000 in cash and those who enter on social media need to share their delectable recipes on Albanys new Facebook page, Love Albany Bread, using Albany products and stand a chance to win themselves Albany prizes, said Patience Mhlarhi, marketing assistant of Albany Bakeries. Entering the radio competition is very easy, all participants need to do is listen to Ukhozi FM or Vuma FM, and SMS the words Albany Fresh to the number given by the radio presenter. Lucky draw The radio presenters will then conduct a quick lucky draw from all the SMS entries received and call two listeners who will then compete with each other with their Albany recipes live on air. The radio presenters will then choose the winner according to the Albany criteria. Once a winner has been chosen, the winner will be given a chance to win a bonus prize of R1,500 worth of Albany product to be given to a charity of choice. All the winner needs to do is answer an Albany product-related question. So participants must make sure to have their Albany product to hand. The new campaign aims to showcase how Albany Bakeries delivers love daily, through freshly baked bread, buns and rolls prepared with care to millions of South Africans every day. All participants entering the competition have an opportunity to show how they show their love to their families daily using fresh Albany products. On 3 March Vuma FMs Kwasa Breakfast Show, hosted by Linda Mr Magic Sibiya, will be broadcasting live from Albanys Pietermaritzburg bakery from 6am to 9am. For more information on Love at First Bite, recipes and competitions, follow Albany on Facebook. WASHINGTON - With the arrival of US frozen chicken portions in South African stores at the weekend, Pretoria satisfied conditions for retaining US trade privileges under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), US Trade Representative Michael Froman said on Wednesday. The announcement puts an end to a long-running dispute that came to a head in November when US President Barack Obama gave SA 90 days to open its market to US chicken, beef and pork or lose duty-free access to the US market for its own agricultural products. The poultry dispute dates back to 2000 when SA imposed prohibitive antidumping duties on US chicken parts. That was partially resolved last June when SA agreed to give US exporters an annual 65,000 tonne quota at normal duty rates. The two sides then deadlocked over health-related barriers, not only to US poultry, but also beef and pork. The resolution could be worth $160m annually to US exporters, Froman said. After missing Obamas deadline, SA reached final agreement with the US in early January. Obama then gave SA until March 15 to meet one last benchmark: the physical availability of US chicken for sale to SA consumers. On Tuesday, senator Chris Coons, the Delaware Democrat who, with Georgia Republican senator Johnny Isakson championed the US poultry industry in the dispute, distributed photographs showing bags of US chicken parts for sale in a South African market. Before Froman could make his announcement, last-minute uncertainties had to be resolved over the treatment of US pork shipments once they landed in SA. These had been worked out "within the past 24 hours", the trade representative said. Obama has still to issue a formal proclamation announcing that SA has satisfied Agoa conditions, but Froman indicated that was now a formality. His office would, however, continue to monitor SAs compliance with the requirements of the act, which is not a trade agreement but a unilateral grant of US market access to qualifying countries. There's nothing like a whiff of taboo to make news media outlets and social media erupt with vitriolic debate. Mention menstruation in popular culture and - just like sex-related topics - it proves to be irresistible "click-bait". But for those of us interested in gender equality, the real issue is whether this is helping or hindering the feminist cause. The latest mention of menstruation to hit the mainstream comes from the United Kingdom, where a not-for-profit organisation called Coexist has introduced a period policy. It offers female employees the option of taking leave from work if they are suffering from menstrual pain, or dysmenorrhea. International sportswear company Nike introduced similar menstrual leave for employees in 2007. Around the world, leave is available to women suffering menstrual pain in China, South Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia and Japan. But such open acknowledgement of menstruation and its impact upon the female body is rare in western countries. Coexists period policy has provoked some wonderful satire and divided public opinion as to whether this constitutes playing the girly card. My feelings about the move are mixed. This policy could be seen either as a positive recognition of the realities of everyday life as a menstruating woman, or as a regressive return to the dark days when women were discriminated against on the basis of biology. In this sense, the debate around period policies or menstrual leave references the wider history of feminist thought and the battle for womens rights. Late 19th century doctors were in furious agreement that menstruation rendered girls and women less capable than men. Many agreed with Harvard medical professor Edward Clarke that this monthly sickness meant females were not mentally or physically fit for public roles such as paid employment or university study. Biology was used as an excuse to lock women out of the public sphere. This history explains the 20th century movement for equality feminism: the claim that women are exactly the same as men. The curious things that womens bodies can do, such as menstruate, lactate and bear children, were downplayed in an effort to minimise any sense of female incapacity. Sex education books for girls from the mid-20th century insisted that menstruation doesnt make you any different than you are on any other day. These days opinions on menstruation are divided. Some, like menstruation educators Red School, want to recognise and celebrate female cycles. Some menstrual activists look for ways for women to reclaim control of their cycles, through such steps as the use of re-usable menstrual products. Others want to get rid of menstruation altogether through the use of hormonal treatments, arguing that it is linked to heightened risks of breast, endometrial and ovarian cancers (an unproven claim). The problem with deciding whether menstrual leave is a good idea is that womens experiences of menstruation are as varied as our fingerprints. Research is contradictory, claiming variously that half of New Zealand women, 84 per cent of Italian women or 90 per cent of Iranian women experience some form of dysmenorrhea. Enshrining menstrual leave as a normal part of organisational policy creates the impression that all women experience period pain so crippling that ordinary work functioning is impossible. But menstrual experiences are not uniform. Some women feel like sex during their periods, some dont. Some feel creative and stimulated, some would rather avoid social interaction. Some feel like going for a 10km run and some would rather curl up on the couch with a block of chocolate. Id rather not instigate a workplace policy that mandates a particular way of experiencing menstruation: that it necessarily requires time off work and a retreat from the world. Instead, Id rather teach girls and women to pay attention to their unique experience of menstruation, to listen to how it makes them think, feel and act. That may require some adjustment to their lives at different times of the month (when sick leave is always an option). That may mean explaining to people around them that they feel grumpy when PMS strikes. But lets not create a blanket expectation that all women are crippled by periods or we risk a return to the bad old days when a womans intelligence was thought to drip out of her body along with her uterus lining. General insurer, Santam, posted good results for 2015, despite the substantially weaken rand and the effects of El Nino. The net underwriting margin of 9,6% for the year ended 31 December, 2015, was a result of positively disciplined underwriting actions and a relatively benign claims environment. The group reported gross written premium growth of 8% (excluding cell captive insurance business) in the current low-growth economic environment. Chief Executive, Lize Lambrechts, said Santams underwriting results were achieved in competitive market conditions. We continue to operate in a tough general economic environment with low GDP growth and a weakening currency. Agricultural sector Growth in the crop insurance business was negatively impacted by the strong El Nino weather system and the consequential drought conditions in South Africa. The drought resulted in significantly less crops being planted, reducing gross written premium for the crop insurance class by 19% compared to 2014, Lambrechts said. Andrew Stepovoy {{www.123rf.com 123rf.com}} However, the lack of rainfall also resulted in lower exposure to hail damage. The net underwriting profit of R131 million is significantly lower than the exceptional results of R251 million in the comparative period, following the favourable weather conditions experienced in 2014. Property and car market The property and motor classes achieved solid growth, notwithstanding the cancellation of specific unprofitable books of business on outsourced platforms. The motor class benefited from the 19% growth reported by direct insurance business, MiWay. Lambrechts said the underwriting results in the motor and property classes of business improved substantially compared to 2014 on the back of lower claims frequencies and sustained corrective underwriting actions. The loss ratio was negatively impacted by the catastrophic hail events mainly in February and November 2015, with gross claims amounting to R290 million (2014: R187 million). International diversification Santams focus on international diversification gained momentum with gross written premium from the rest of Africa (excluding Namibia), India, South-East Asia and China of R1,4 billion (2014: R1,1 billion). Santam Namibia reported gross written premium in excess of R1 billion for the second consecutive year, resulting in total gross written premium outside South Africa increasing to R2,4 billion (2014: R2,1 billion). Future focus The groups focus in 2016 will be to maintain its profitable growth momentum in South Africa and increase its international diversification through the Santam specialist lines and Santam Re. A strategic focus area will be to support the development of the SEM general insurance businesses in emerging markets by allocating appropriate technical resources. In South Africa, focus areas include growing the business in new segments, developing Santams full multichannel capability and enhancing risk assessment, Lambrechts concluded. The Santam board has declared a final dividend of 528 cents per share, up 10% on the dividend of 480 cents per share declared on 2 March 2015. Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) has been named the strongest business-to-business brand by Brand Finance, and one of the world's 10 most powerful brands in their annual index. The "Brand Finance index" is an annual assessment of the brand value of over 500 of the worlds best known businesses. PwC achieved the highest score (AAA+) for the sixth year in a row assessing the brand as "exceptionally strong and well managed". The assessment measures a range of metrics including brand awareness, satisfaction and recommendations, financial performance and internal investment, market share and revenues. It also examines corporate responsibility, governance, and the views of internal and external stakeholders. Organisations are then judged relative to their competitors. PwC achieved the highest ranking and score amongst its closest sector rivals. James du Preez, Clients and Markets Development Leader for PwC Africa says: "This is a wonderful achievement by the strong PwC brand, and is reflected on the African continent, where we consistently rank as the number one brand in most of our major markets. As the professional services firm with the largest Africa footprint, our brand has played a key role in ensuring that PwC remains top-of-mind. Since 2007, the "Brand Finance Index" has ranked PwC amongst the top 100 global brands, and as the leading "commercial services" sector brand. Lightstone Property recently researched crime statistics in relation to the population growth and shifts in the geographic location of both suburbs and police districts - and the effect thereof. When the South African Police Service (SAPS) crime statistics were released in September 2015, the headlines were dominated by the news that crime increased from 2014 to 2015 in most categories. While the sheer number of crimes committed in South Africa is definitely concerning, there is a bit of good news when looking at it in relation to the population growth and shifts in the geographic location of both suburbs and police districts. Using their comprehensive database of geo-demographic and asset related information, Lightstone set out to add some perspective to these numbers. Looking at the geographic boundaries for police districts there has been an interesting shift that occurred from 2014 to 2015. New police districts In Map 1 below, the black lines indicate the police districts that existed in 2014 and the red lines indicate the new police districts in 2015. Usually there is an overlap from year to year, but 2015 saw some major shifts in location for some police districts in the North West, Gauteng and Limpopo. This means that crimes that were previously handled (and recorded) in a specific police district, would now fall under the jurisdiction of a different police district and will distort year on year comparisons. Absolute crime statistics vs crimes per 100,000 population With a rapidly increasing population crime levels are bound to increase. That said, we evaluated absolute crime values and crimes per 100,000 population for South Africa as seen in the table below. There is a total of 38 different crimes as classified by the SAPS, which was grouped into the six 'SAPS Groups'. The crimes under 'Lightstone Group' particularly pertain to residential and non-residential crimes. Residential crimes include burglary at residential premises, malicious damage to property, and robbery at residential premises. Non-residential crimes include: burglary at non-residential premises, robbery at non-residential premises, and shoplifting. When looking at the total absolute crime values of both SAPS Groups and Lightstone Groups, a 0.09% increase is observed, but when adjusted for population growth and looking at the crime rates per 100,000 population, we actually see a 1.63% decrease in crime. We then broke things down further by comparing the population size and residential crimes per province. The ratio of the province with the least to the highest comparative residential crime rate is represented in the graph below and is ordered from the lowest residential crimes per 100,000 population (Limpopo) to the highest (Western Cape). Crime statistics on Lightstone suburb level Lightstone has 9,647 areas identified as suburbs in South Africa. Through the use of a comprehensive dataset of property transactions, spatial data and other demographic information, we are able to estimate the population growth that occurred in each of these suburbs and combine it with the spatially distributed crime statistics on a suburb level. The change in the crime rate for Residential, Non-residential and Total crimes is given below, and is based on the number of crimes per 1,000 households (HH). In the majority of suburbs, there was a decrease in all crime categories with a smaller proportion of suburbs experiencing an increase in the number of crimes per 1,000 households. Looking at the breakdown according to property value segment, the distribution shows that suburbs across different value segments had similar experiences in crime growth, and also indicates that there is not any market segment that is significantly better or worse off than others compared to a year ago. Crime affects every segment and every suburb, and although some suburbs saw an increase in crime, the majority of suburbs across all value segments experienced a slight drop in crime when taking the population growth into account. While global online retail company Amazon.com widens its net with online food shopping and walk-in bookstores, its web services division is making inroads in South Africa. Amazon Web Services says it is recruiting 250 people for its offices in Cape Town and Johannesburg. laurentiu iordache via 123RF The company offers cloud computing for other companies. Cloud computing refers to the on-demand delivery of IT resources and applications via the internet with pay-as-you-go pricing. Ideal for growth The head of technology and solutions architecture at Amazon, Attila Narin, said the company had recognised the potential for growth in South Africa where Cape Town and Joburg acted in perfect unison. "Cape Town is ideal for the technical side of things, and Joburg is perfect for the customer-facing side of things. In fact, some of the core technology for Amazon's cloud computing used across the globe was built right here in Cape Town," said Narin, who is based in Luxembourg but worked in Cape Town from 2006 to 2008, and was back in the city this week. "This city has an amazing pool of talent, as universities like UCT and Stellenbosch produce some of the finest engineering students on the continent. That is the main criterion for choosing our development centres, so Cape Town ticked the boxes." Narin said that Johannesburg, which opened its Amazon Web Services office last year, is "the economic heart of the country and the continent too, so it made sense to have our customer-facing presence there". Successes in SA Narin said the company's successes in South Africa included Entersekt, Travelstart, and Medscheme. Stellenbosch-based Entersekt developed South Africa's first security solutions for mobile banking, resulting in a decline in credit card fraud. Travelstart, an online booking service for flights and hotels, "shows how you go beyond the normal borders with cloud computing. It is now present in all of southern Africa and the Middle East". Medscheme uses cloud computing to keep patient records, making them "more accessible to medical service providers". Narin said South Africa was a "highly innovative and creative space for startups" and that the best advice he could give was to "focus on the vision of what you want to provide for your customers. Don't try reinvent the technology - rather treat it like a utility the same as electricity and water, so you can focus on what the customers' needs are and how you can meet them." Source: The Times Mobile World Congress 2016 took place last week and what came of it was largely the industry is looking ahead to what the future brings. From new devices to new apps to new services - it's not a surprise that the theme for this year was 'Mobile is Everything'. One topic that I heard a lot about is security. Thats because its something that affects users and service providers alike; and as the industry grows so too will security threats. Ciscos VNI report predicts that IP traffic will triple between 2014 and 2019. South Africa and Saudi Arabia will have the highest IP traffic growth rate with a 44% compounded annual growth rate from 2014 to 2019. According to the report, that means 'enhanced security and intelligence [will be] required' to deal with all the new devices that will be connecting to networks. Its not just the devices; as the networks themselves are re-architected, new threats will emerge. And as the new networks emerge, develop, and scale, service providers will also have to scale their security architectures to keep up with the threats. The two simply have to go hand in hand. So its scaling, performing and providing security at the same time. Changing approach The nature of security approaches is changing rapidly, from being perimeter-oriented with well-defined borders to protect to now being more dynamic in nature with granular requirements across the network, the devices, and the applications. The simplistic approach of placing a security appliance in front of defined perimeter is a thing of the past. As networks evolve, as they become more virtualised, they will also get more 'open' and network services will continue to become more dispersed. The next generations of devices will also have much greater capabilities and different usage characteristics - where increased connections to the network will be accompanied by exponentially higher connections per second. This will impact the scaling of security architectures like never before as devices will be launching multiple sessions that are going to touch different domains of the network and increasing rates. Next-generation networks need to support these different traffic models and different security solutions will also be needed in order to accommodate all of this. However, the issue lies with the fact that many security platforms on the market were not designed to meet the security requirements of 4G or 5G, with the sheer volume of data that will be flowing across networks and the frequency of application access and connection rates. Mitigating attacks With these new networks service providers will need to secure all points of the network in real-time and on a dynamic basis. They will need to mitigate DDoS attacks and device-oriented attacks, and absorb high volumes of traffic while quickly detecting and shedding bad traffic. And as networks evolve and become much more dispersed, they will also have to quickly detect threats and dynamically push out IP blacklisting and other mitigation techniques upstream to other network and security elements. So, if threats are detected in one portion of the network, a mitigation policy can dynamically be pushed out to other points on the network, so you dont have to rely on someone having to first detect and then manually push that policy out, which could take days, weeks or even months. It really is a new security paradigm that service providers will be facing; high performing solutions that can offer a multi-domain and multi-layer set of services that can be deployed across the network. Ultimately, as service providers evolve to 4G and 5G where they will be deploying incredibly high-performing networks, they also will need incredibly high-performing security. The Minister of Science and Technology, Naledi Pandor; and Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Mzwandile Masina, will be guest speakers at the 15th Annual Oliver Empowerment Awards on 14 April. With a geared focus on making sure the younger generation is not redundant in the job market over the coming years, it is important we concentrate our energy on spreading the importance of this sector in driving transformation. It is clear that Skill Development is at the top of the agenda being the most entered category featuring more than 20% of our overall nominees over the last three years. This should give South Africans a great sense of comfort that the calls for change have been heard and organisations are enabling a skilled workforce. Minister Pandor and Deputy Minister Masina will both focus on the importance of transformation in driving economic growth. Several other senior representatives of government and business will attend the awards. The event will be held at Emperors Palace on 14 April with the theme Out of Africa and a special celebration of the Legends of Empowerment and Transformation, focusing on Oliver Awards winners over the past 15 years. The Awards have been recognising the efforts of businesses, civil society, public sector and truly outstanding individuals. This year the Oliver Empowerment Awards will take a walk down memory lane, honoring companies who have won not once or twice but numerous times over the years showing a sustainable commitment to the upliftment of this country. As President Jacob Zuma pointed in the State of the Nation Address, the implementation to the NDPs 9 -Point Plan will be one of the governments key drivers in growing our economy. In light of this, the Oliver Empowerment Awards is announcing a new category, The Vision 2030 Award sponsored by MMI Holding, which celebrates private companies that have initiatives contributing to the NDPs 2030 goal. We expect to see a lot of organisations entering this category as we have seen a massive commitment from the private sector to the NDP, however a lack of opportunities for this to be showcased, which we feel will address this, Ryland Fisher, Editorial Director, Topco Media. We ought to be walking this common road hand-in-hand conscious of our past and confident of our future, no longer at the mercy of systems that divided us into black and white and men and women and saw no measure of equality between us, Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa said. For more information, contact Rose Setshoge: az.oc.ocpot@egohstes.esor | 086 000 9590 Dan Patlansky's eighth studio album, entitled 'Introvertigo', which was written over the course of two years, produced by Theo Crous and recorded at Bellville Studios, Cape Town, will be released in May 2016. Introvertigo describes a feeling I very often experience being an introvert. The concept behind the album is very much about my own insecurities. Its about being an introvert in the music industry, my experiences in the industry and life in general. Even though the songs on the album have different topics and are not directly about being an introvert, It comes from an introverts point of view. Patlansky used his personal life experiences as inspiration for the album to marry good songs with guitar playing. Working with Theo Crous for the second time, he describes the process as more streamlined this time around, which allowed space for a more creative environment. Fans can expect a unique brand of blues rock born out of guitar playing whilst striving for strong song writing. I am very excited and proud of this album, and honestly feel this is my best release to date. 'Introvertigo' will be released on CD and will be available for purchase on iTunes and at all Dan Patlansky 'Introvertigo' album launch tour live shows. The album will be available for pre-order in South Africa from 25 March, and will be released worldwide on 6 May 2016. Launch tour dates: Friday, 25 March: Splashy Fen 2016. Entrance: R750 weekend pass. Tickets: splashyfen.co.za/tickets Saturday, 26 March: Old Selbornian, East London. Entrance R150. Time: 8pm for 8.30pm. Bookings: az.oc.feernoohan@yelknim or +27 (0)83 797 3546/+27 (0)82 660 6586. Sunday, 27 March: Jolly Dolphin, Jeffreys Bay. Entrance R150. Time: 8pm. Bookings: +27 (0)72 980 8023 or az.oc.nihplodylloj@ofni +27 (0)42 293-2624. Supporting Acts: Joe van der Linden/Rowan Stuart. Monday, 28 March: The Barn, Plettenberg Bay. Entrance R150. Time: 8pm. Bookings: az.oc.znoitkudorpmrots@ennaej or +27 (0)79 876 0406. Supporting Act: Rowan Stuart. Wednesday, 30 March: George Arts Theatre, George. Entrance R150. Time: 8pm. Bookings: az.oc.ertaehtstraegroeg@ofni or +27 (0)44 874 3142. Supporting Act: Rowan Stuart. Friday, 1 April: The Showroom, Prince Albert. Entrance R150. Time: 8pm. Bookings: az.oc.ertaehtmoorwohs@nimda or +27 (0)23 541 1563. Supporting Act: Rowan Stuart. Friday, 8 April: Franschhoek Cellar (full band acoustic show). Entrance R350 (includes dinner). Time: 8pm. Bookings: az.oc.bgd@roodrallechf or +27 (0)21 876 2086 or Webtickets. Saturday, 9 April: Blues Meets Rock Fest, Cape Town. Entrance R220. Tickets: http://tinyurl.com/zwxx3ww Saturday, 16 April: Vereeniging Barnyard. Entrance R150. Time: 8pm. Bookings: az.oc.aple@draynrab or +27 (0)16 454 8388/+27 (0)81 249 4509. Sunday, 17 April: Atterbury Theatre, Pretoria. Entrance R175. Time: 6pm. Bookings: http://tinyurl.com/jnwrndc Friday, 22 April: The Civic, Bloemfontein. Entrance R150. Time: 8pm. Bookings: http://tinyurl.com/jkc4ojb Wednesday, 27 April: Rivonia Barnyard, Joburg. Entrance R175. Time: 8pm. Bookings: http://tinyurl.com/h66wjja www.danpatlansky.com Digital advice ranging from a selection of the 2016 Bookmark Awards' publishers' jury panel: Pad entries at your peril. Instead, experiment and create work that betters people's everyday lives. An incredible amount of effort was put into finding the most appropriate and experienced judges for the various Bookmarks categories. With Deirdre Ingpen, 24.com's head of commercial, judging the publishers category judges, we caught up with three of its members to find out what we can expect from this years results Ingpen revealed last week that entries into the publishers category are not only about a redesign or relaunch of a site they also include innovation, whether in storytelling or finding new ways to engage users. Cobbledick, MacLeod, Fairweather, Malan and Pampalone Claire Cobbledick, head of marketing for Gumtree; Lisa MacLeod, head of digital at Times Media Group; Alistair Fairweather, chief technology officer of Publicis Machine; Annel Malan, GM: e.tv Online; and independent writer and editor, Tanya Pampalone, are just five of the nine-strong publishers jury panel. Here, they exclusively share their insights into judging this category of digital work 1. What are you most looking forward to from this years IAB Digital Summit & Bookmark Awards? Cobbledick: Its always exciting to review great ideas and innovation. I am particularly interested in seeing the shift from 2014 to 2015; I think we have moved significantly forward in these 12 months. MacLeod: Its always good to see local talent being rewarded, and these awards are a celebration of just that. Fairweather: The part I love most about the judging process is getting to see the great work being done out there in the industry. A lot of entries are average, but the gems are often extremely brilliant. We have world-class talent in South Africa and its great to see it on show. I also love the face-to-face part of the judging process, where I get to hear my fellow judges opinions and insights. I always learn more about the industry and my craft. Malan: Im most looking forward to seeing what innovation weve come up with over the last year, as well as how South Africans are interpreting international digital trends and bringing it home in a way that makes sense and benefits our local communities. Pampalone: I love seeing what the industry is up to how people are using new storytelling technologies in fresh ways that make sense in journalism, how they are experimenting across platforms. I get really excited about this stuff. 2. Share some pointers on your personal judging process and what youre looking for from entrants in your category. Cobbledick: The explanation of the entry is key. Understand what makes an entry unique and focus on that. Some entries feel like they are padded with information, but never actually make a potent case for the piece of work. Also be sure to be specific in terms of results. I favour entries that detail the specifics even if theyre not as impressive as they could have been over entries that quote broad success in percentages. MacLeod: I was looking for originality, clever ideas and meticulous execution. Many entries were of an incredibly high standard, and the judging was great fun. Fairweather: I work a lot from my gut. If an entry feels flimsy or cut-and-pasted, I tend not to give it as much attention. Innovation and difference for their own sakes is pretty boring to me. Rather show me how you did something really, really well than that you simply used a new toy or tool to do it. Malan: Most importantly, I look for innovation and clear proof that the goals people set out to meet were achieved. Pampalone: It's a bit of arts and crafts beauty and innovation in storytelling meets structure, depth and sensibility. But I suppose it comes down to a gut feel. I know it when I see it! 3. Elaborate on the overall standard of digital work in SA. Where do we shine and whats still lacking? Cobbledick: I believe theres room for improvement all round. Although there are areas of particular opportunity for an emerging market such as ours, for example in mobile, I dont think were yet pushing the boundaries as far as we could. MacLeod: Ive always thought the standard of advertising and marketing work in SA is exceptional. After suffering through dismal British ads for 13 years, its great to be back here and see that standard again on online platforms. While editorially there is a dearth of good, innovative digital work, thats simply a lack of skill and a lack of resource not a lack of will or experience. Fairweather: We still focus on the flashy, insubstantial stuff and ignore the plumbing that makes a campaign or a piece of editorial work really hum. We make great looking and sounding work, but we dont always give that work the strong foundation it needs to really make a deeper impact. Malan: We really strong on quality of content. We have some excellent digital journalists at the moment. It is a field that was totally underdeveloped a few years ago. I think as South Africans we are still lacking when it comes to using apps as tools to better peoples everyday lives. As connectivity becomes more pervasive and we see more females developers rise, Im hoping well see this change in the near future. Pampalone: There really are some pockets of serious, world-class excellence. I get a little depressed, though, when I see so much average work because the talent is obviously here we're just not harnessing it properly. Exciting times! If youre eager to delve in deeper into digital, click through to this podcast interview with Josephine Buys, CEO of IAB South Africa, to find out more about the highly anticipated IAB Digital Summit &Bookmark Awards 2016, taking place at Turbine Hall in Johannesburg on 3 March 2016. Click here for the full list of Bookmarks 2016 judges and here for the full list of finalists and watch for our in-depth coverage. A skills training initiative, funded by the not-for-profit Amarula Trust, with the aim to boost eco-tourism in Southern Africa and combat unemployment has exposed a total of 116 students to the demands of field guiding as a career. The eight students at the Wilderness Safaris Damaraland Adventure Camp where the first part of the course was offered - photo by Gerhard van Niekerk. The project saw eight students undergo a month-long training course at the Erindi Private Game Reserve and Wilderness Safaris Damaraland Adventure Camp in Namibia, ending last week. This is the fourth time Namibian candidates have benefitted from the programme that extends field guide training provided by EcoTraining in association with the Field Guide Association of South Africa (FGASA). Namibia's travel and tourism industry set to grow The initiative comes at a time when Namibia's travel and tourism industry is set to significantly increase its contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP). According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, travel and tourism accounted for 14,9% of GDP in 2014, a contribution that is expected to rise to 21,6% by 2025. The growth of the sector will also result in more jobs. The council anticipates that the 102 500 jobs it currently generates directly and indirectly, will rise to 186 000 by 2025 to represent 25% of the country's total employment. Hardie Basson, who is marketing manager for Amarula's parent company Distell, in Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland, said the building of rural skills to support eco-tourism was critical. The growth in tourism means there is an increasing demand for qualified field guides to host mostly foreign guests. By facilitating the provision of skills, the Amarula Trust is also helping to tackle unemployment. The Amarula Field Guide Scholarship programme is a very important part of the work of the trust that focuses on promoting social sustainability and conservation. Begun in 2010 in Botswana, the programme was extended in 2011 to South Africa and, in 2012, to Namibia. Field guides in training Candidates with the potential to develop their careers who are currently working in entry-level positions at game lodges and private reserves are chosen by their employers for the project, he explained. When they are promoted after undergoing the course, and they vacate their positions, they also create employment opportunities for others. The latest Namibian course involved eight candidates from six game lodges and private reserves. Students were taught about the natural, physical environment and ecology, with the accent on climate, biomes and diversity. Some of the areas they covered included arthropods, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals, geology and soils. They also learned about astronomy, tracking, how to drive a 4x4 and even hosting of guests. Some of the students come to the course with a basic understanding of their natural environment. The course builds on that and then formalises their knowledge and skills. It also teaches effective communication: how to transfer knowledge to tourists in a fun, interactive and informative manner, said EcoTraining instructor Gerhard van Niekerk. At the prize-giving ceremony, Van Niekerk said many of those who benefited from previous training courses run in South Africa, Botswana and Namibia, now worked as field guides in reserves and at private lodges. Some were in reserve or lodge management while others had continued their studies to become academic researchers. He stressed the importance of the ongoing development and training of the candidates in order for them to become fully-fledged field guides. Elephant tracking For many of this year's Namibian students, elephant tracking was their highlight. We encountered an elephant cow with her calf at the Wilderness Safaris Damaraland Adventure Camp, said Rector Tetuka, a student from the Gondwana Namushasha River Lodge in the north of Namibia. This was the first time for many of us to come across elephants on foot. We were instructed to stand very still in a non-threatening way, and then to go down on our knees while the elephant cow and her calf passed by literally a few metres from where we were. It was exhilarating but very scary. Experiences like this teach us to truly respect animals in their natural environments. Here they set the rules, not the humans. Students also learned to analyse elephant dung. Sheldin Naruseb, a student from the Erindi Private Game Reserve, explained: Generally speaking, if the tree bark and leaves in the dung are finely chewed, the elephant is considered young to middle-aged. This is because during their lifetime, elephants go through six sets of large teeth. When the elephants final set of teeth falls out, the animal slowly dies of malnutrition or starvation as it can no longer chew its food to release the essential nutrients. Now in its seventh year running, the IT Leaders Africa Summit will take place on 15 and 16 March at Vodacom World in Johannesburg. The IT landscape is swiftly evolving and continually facing disruptions which makes it incredibly difficult for CIOs, CTOs, directors and managers in the information technology space to keep up. The IT Leaders Africa Summit is a meeting place for IT and business leaders across all industries: FMCG, mining, manufacturing, finance, retail and many more. It is designed to provide attendees with the latest key insights, the tools needed to re-look at IT strategies, advice on how to update skill sets and the latest in trends and technologies. Business-IT synergy We are excited to host the 7th annual IT Leaders Africa Summit. With budget cuts looming and more pressure than ever on the IT leader to reduce overall costs and improve efficiency, the synergy between an IT head and the business is paramount. The summit is about building relationships, meeting industry peers and networking, says Shannon Mackrill, joint managing director, Kinetic. The event will assist delegates to align IT with business priorities and provide the ideal setting for engagement, networking and relationship building with like-minded individuals in the African IT industry. The event will feature 40 high level speakers, 250 attendees and many blue chip sponsors. Keynote speeches, panel discussions and educational workshop sessions will be hosted by industry leaders that are shaping the IT landscape in South Africa and beyond. This year the agenda will focus on digital disruption and its impact on organisations, the evolution of technology, the effective management of data centres, cost reduction through the adoption of innovative technology and how to ensure a sustainable network. See the event website for more details. Got a question or tip? Contact us at bizmojoidaho@gmail.com. It looks like you have reached this page in error ... The content you are looking for has either moved, or if you typed in the address there might have been a mistake. If you believe there has been a technical error please let us know. Most Popular Destinations Following a runoff election, Mary Lou Bruner is expected to be elected to the Texas state Board of Education. This is a bit of a problem because, among other things, Mary Lou Bruner believes President Obama was once a gay prostitute who sold himself to pay for his drug addiction. I heard from a reliable source that Obama was also a male prostitute for a while when he lived in New York with his male partner, she wrote. How do you think he paid for his drugs? Obama is also racist who may have been elected with rigged voting machines. The baby named Barak [sic] was an illegitimate son but his grandparents registered his birth in the Hawaii newspapers as if he were legitimate so he could be eligible for welfare, she wrote. Would Obama have been elected president if he had appeared in public in Muslim attire or if he had admitted publicly he was born in Kenya or he is still a citizen of Indonesia? Just asking! Bruner also believes the civil war was not about slavery and that dinosaurs were carried aboard Noah's ark. She also believes school shootings are caused by a lack of Jesus in our lives. You get the idea. If you're not a resident of Texas you might be asking why this matters and the answer is fairly simple. Texas has an abnormal level of influence on the content of history textbooks distributed throughout the country and decisions made by the state board can have an impact far beyond their borders. Beside that, let's have some sympathy for the millions of Texas school children this crazy cat lady will be responsible for managing. They're getting desperate. Kentucky state Representative Joseph M. Fischer (R) has introduced a bill to essentially bypass the Supreme Court's ruling against gay marriage bans by renaming marriage to "matrimony." Fischer has introduced HB 572, the Matrimonial Freedom Act an epic 454-page bill that creates the new status of matrimony. Declaring that the Supreme Court has established an absolute Tyranny over these States, the bill asserts, we have full power to define marriage and to establish a new institution of matrimony in this Commonwealth, adding, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor. Naturally, Fishcer's institution of "matrimony" would only accommodate straight couples. Fischer's bill, HB 572, is apparently over 450 pages long because renaming and redefining the institution of marriage requires renaming it across all applicable state laws and codes that apply to marriage. Representative Fischer also filed another bill, HB 571, that amends the state Constitution to replace marriage with "matrimony." Granted I am not a constitutional law professor or even a legal clerk, but I'm fairly certain you cannot circumvent the Supreme Court's ruling by simply renaming marriage and establishing a new set of rules for it. I don't expect the legislature will pass Fischer's bills but even if they did the very first federal judge to get a whiff of it would laugh it out of the courtroom. The Board of Investments and retirement industry stakeholders envision the Philippines as a viable retirement destination for foreign and Filipino retirees. DTI Undersecretary and BOI Managing Head Ceferino Rodolfo described the Philippines as an emerging retirement destination. With our compassionate and competent pool of healthcare professionals and world class wellness facilities, the Philippines is fast becoming an attractive country for foreign and Filipino retirees from around the world, he said. The Board of Investments said that the Retirement Industry Roadmap will be finalized within the first half of 2016. The roadmap was crafted by stakeholders in the retirement industry in collaboration with BOI and other government agencies. The Retirement Industry Roadmap outlines the course of action needed for the industry to be globally-competitive. The Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA), current chair of the Technical Working Group (TWG) for the Retirement Sectors Roadmapping Activity, is currently reviewing the draft roadmap. In the Annual Global Retirement Index 2016, the International Living Magazine ranked the Philippines as 17th out of the 23 best countries to retire in. The Annual Global Retirement Index bases its rating on a number of composite factors, namely, real estate costs, special benefits for retirees, cost of living, leisure amenities, healthcare services, infrastructure, and climate. The retirement industry has made considerable contributions to the economy, reflected largely in revenues from visa deposits of Special Resident Retirees Visa (SRRV) holders. Introduced by PRA in 1987 to entice foreign nationals and former Filipino citizens to retire in the country, retirees can either apply for multiple entry privileges and rights to stay permanently or indefinitely in the country by way of visa deposits ranging from US$10,000.00 to US$50,000.00 and US$1,500.00 for former diplomatic corps workers. In 2014, PRA enrolled 4,781 new retirees. Total visa deposits of SRRV holders as of December 31, 2014 amounted to US$452 million or about PhP19 billion. Although not yet comprehensively documented, significant economic contributions are known to also come from local retirees and pensioners from the Government Service Insurance System and Social Security System (of about 1.3 million individuals combined), Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO), and the Retirement and Separation Benefits System (AFP-RSBS) for the uniformed services. Meanwhile, Retirement & Healthcare Coalition, International, a non-profit, non-stock private organization affiliated with the Joint Foreign Chambers of the Philippines, is doing its share in making the country more viable as a retirement destination. The organization recently conducted a certification and training program for a Quality Management System based on DIN EN ISO 9001:2000 to participating nursing homes under the Public Private Partnership Project Human Touch. The activities under the program were tailor-made for the institutional framework of the Philippines. For more information on the services of the DTI, log-on to http://www.dti.gov.ph 5 Acid Attack Victims Who Are Amazing Pulse oi-Denise When you are born with a beautiful face and it is disfigured by no fault of your own, won't you feel like the whole world is crashing beneath your feet? Well, for these five beautiful young women they have a different story to tell. Survivors of acid attacks, these five amazing women have really shown the rest of the world what it is to be courageous, strong-willed and powerful. No doubt, you and I will not be able to really understand the exact pain and torment each of them have been through, but looking at their life today and what they have achieved from it, it is indeed remarkably inspiring. This March 8th we celebrate International Women's day, which is one of the best days in the year for us, women, as we are pampered and treated with much love. However, this March 8th, let us look at these amazing women and be motivated to do the best in our ability as a woman, striving to live a life in a patriarchal society. Take a look at these 5 survivors who've lived to their tale: Monica Singh India is famously known for its "arranged marriages". For some women, there is hope in finding the right man; and for some.....let's leave it at that. In the year 2005, Monica Singh refused a marriage proposal and it resulted in the assault. At the time of the attack, Monica was only 19 years old. As she was driving home, the assailants threw acid on her, which scarred Monica's face and torso. Today, Monica is a fashion designer and is studying at the Parson's New School of Design, New York. She underwent 43 surgeries to make her face resemble a little to what it used to be like. Resham Fatma At a ripe age of 17, Resham was asked for her hand in marriage by a man who threathened her at knife point. Ignoring the proposal, the attacker punished Resham for no fault of her's. After being attacked, little Resham took an auto to the police station to lodge a complaint before going to the hospital. For her bravery at such a tender age, she was awarded the Bharat Award by President Pranab Mukherjee in 2015. She is a powerful woman and she aspires to be an IAS Officer some day. Rupa At the age of 15, Rupa was attacked by her step mother, who threw acid on her. Since she was talented in needle work, Rupa discovered her inner strength; and today she runs a boutique at the Sheroes Hangout, a cafe near Agra's Taj Mahal known as 'Rupa Creations'. The best thing about this wonderful woman is that she inspires other acid victims too, wherein her boutique is also run by other acid attack survivors. Laxmi Agarwal Here again is a story of young Laxmi whose face was disfigured by a man who she rejected to marry. Laxmi was only 15 when her attacker threw a beer bottle full of acid on her face. Today, the 27-year-old is a mother of a bubbly little girl and a wife to a proud man, Alok Dixit. Laxmi who is an amazing woman is the director of Chhanv Foundation, an NGO for acid attack survivors. Sonali Mukherjee 18-year-old Sonali Mukherjee's face was splashed with burning acid in her sleep by a man who she refused to begin a life with. After the attack, the miscreants were sentenced to nine years in jail, but they never served their full sentence. Today, this acid attack victim is a Grade III officer at the Bokaro deputy commissioner's office, welfare department. Picture Courtesy: Facebook CHICAGO Illinois' latest tax revenue projections add another degree of difficulty to its already intractable budget deadlock. Revenues this year are expected to fall $442 million short of projections and are expected to climb only $215 million next year, according to the report from the legislature's non-partisan forecasting commission. The state expects $31.9 billion of general fund revenues in fiscal 2017 based on current tax rates, up little from the $31.7 billion now expected in the current fiscal year that runs through June 30. "That sub-par growth reflects continued weakness in jobs, wages, and the increased likelihood of recessionary pressures," said Jim Muschinske, revenue manager at the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability. Projections for the next fiscal year and the update for fiscal 2016 were laid out by the commission in a report that comes with the General Assembly's Democratic majorities and GOP Gov. Bruce Rauner still locked in a stalemate over the budget for fiscal 2016, which began more than eight months ago. The fresh numbers underscore the state's difficulty in climbing out of its budget hole, currently estimated at about $6 billion, without deep cuts and tax increases. Democrats want a mix, but Rauner won't support tax increases unless Democrats get behind at least some of his governance and policy reforms, including tort and redistricting reforms, worker's compensation changes, and local government curbs on union powers. Rauner says they are needed to structurally repair the state's economy and balance sheet but opponents have labeled them as being anti-union and detrimental to the middle class. The state continues to spend at fiscal 2015 levels under continuing appropriations and court orders which are projected to push the state's bill backlog up to $10 billion by June 30. Personal income tax revenue is estimated to grow by about 2%, corporate income taxes are expected to grow just 1.5%, and sales tax are forecast to grow 1.9% in the next fiscal year. The three are the state's biggest sources of revenue. The state's deficit has spiraled amid the gridlock in Springfield that has left the state's leadership unable to respond to the revenue loss from the partial expiration on Jan. 1, 2015 of a 2011 hike in personal and corporate tax rates. The commission's tax projections are roughly on par with numbers Rauner outlined in the fiscal 2017 budget he unveiled in February. The two projections split in overall revenues available in the coming year, due to what the commission sees as $925 million in uncertain revenue from various sources that Rauner anticipates. "It's just a matter of certainty whether they will or will not occur," Muschinske told lawmakers at a committee hearing Tuesday. COGFA labels $500 million in federal funds primarily from Medicare reimbursements, $275 million from the state's budget reserve, and proceeds from the sale of the state building in downtown Chicago as questionable. The reserve use would require legislative approval, COGFA believes the building sale proceeds might not arrive in fiscal 2017, and believes the federal funds are reliant on an outdated federal reimbursement methodology. The fiscal 2016 downward revision reflects flat sales tax growth and poorer-than-expected corporate profits while personal income taxes are on par with previous estimates. Federal funding also could slip as the state benefitted in fiscal 2015 from an infusion of matching funds after it swept $1.3 billion from various non-general fund accounts. State economist Edward Boss Jr. painted a picture of the state's slow economic recovery, with unemployment that has lagged the nation's improvement and a pessimistic view of the economy going forward. The state relies on Moody's Analytics and Economic & Consumer Credit Analytics for its economic outlook and Democrats sought to highlight comments in those independent reports that suggest it is the state's shaky state government finances and budget woes that tarnish its long-term outlook. The comments "run counter to the political narrative," said Rep. Elaine Nekritz, D-Northbrook. Rauner has billed his turnaround agenda items as needed to improve the state's finances while Democrats argue the budget is the number one issue holding back the state and should be tackled alone. The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a loan package worth $1.1 billion to Tanzania to be paid out over five years to fund infrastructure projects and improve public sector governance, it said. The line of credit will be used primarily to support the transport and energy sectors and improve the business environment in east Africas second-biggest economy. The loans would support transport and energy to promote domestic and regional transport connectivity and improve access to reliable, affordable and sustainable electricity, AfDB said in a statement late on Thursday. The second pillar prioritises strengthening of financial management and improving the enabling environment for private sector investment and finance for sustainable job creation. The government plans to spend $14.2 billion to construct a new standard gauge rail network in the next five years financed with external loans. It also plans to build a new $10 billion port at Bagamoyo, expand existing airports and invest in new roads. Tanzania, like its neighbour Kenya, wants to profit from its long coastline and upgrade existing rickety railways and roads to serve growing economies in the land-locked heart of Africa. Tanzania boasts economic growth of 7 percent a year, yet it is largely driven by state investment and poverty remains stubbornly high. It also has natural gas reserves that are estimated at more than 57 trillion cubic feet (tcf) and the central bank believes 2 percentage points would be added to its annual economic growth simply by starting work on a plant to process that would draw in billions of dollars of investment. Board members underscored the need for Tanzanian authorities to ensure that the country s high GDP growth delivers robust economic transformation, poverty reduction and improved livelihoods, AfDB said.Reuters China Resources Beer Holdings agreed to buy out the remaining stake in Snow Breweries, its Chinese joint venture with SABMiller, for $1.6bn, smoothing the way for a takeover of its partner by Anheuser-Busch InBev. The Chinese brewers shares jumped. The deal values Snow at 11 times the brewers 2014 net income before taxes, or about half the median 21 times earnings before interest and taxes valuation for brewery acquisitions announced over the past 12 months, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The transaction was approved by the board and is subject to regulatory approval, China Resources said in a statement on Wednesday. Sale of the stake may help AB InBev secure Chinese antitrust approval for its acquisition of SABMiller. For China Resources, it will mean tackling the local market without an overseas partner, as beer consumption in the country is expected to grow with younger consumers increasingly migrating to high- end, foreign-brand brews. It will be tougher for China Resources Beer now as they have to develop their premium segment organically, Mizuho Securities Asia analyst Jeremy Yeo said via telephone. Their priority now will be to accelerate consolidation within beer space in China; any other large asset that comes up, they will be ready to get it. Yeo had expected China Resources to pay $3.3bn for the 49 percent stake it didnt own, while analysts at Nomura Holdings and Sanford C. Bernstein previously estimated the stakes value at about $5bn. The Chinese brewers shares rose as much as 32 percent to HK$16.80 in Hong Kong, the biggest jump in almost a year. The benchmark Hang Seng Index rose 2.4 percent. AB InBev said February 25 that it was making progress with Chinese regulators on gaining approval for it to buy SABMiller; the beer industrys biggest-ever deal. Beer sales in China, the worlds largest beer market by volume, are expected to rise 41 percent in the five years through 2019 to reach $104bn, according to a June report from research firm Euromonitor. Snow is the worlds best-selling brand, Euromonitors data shows. The partnership between SABMiller and China Resources, which began with two breweries in 1994, operates more than 90 operations across China, according to SABMillers website. Nomura and UBS Group AG advised China Resources on the deal, along with Rothschild & Co, Citigroup and HSBC Holdings. The declaration signed by government, mining companies and labour unions put 16 000 potential job losses in the mining sector on ice, said Mines Minister Mosebenzi Zwane on Wednesday. It was the first time in months that the minister attended a parliamentary oversight committee and Zwane was lauded for his willingness to attend. Zwane, who replaced Ngoako Ramatlhodi in September last year, and Acting Director General David Msiza briefed Parliament on the state of job losses in the industry. The declaration, which has been in place for the past six months, has yielded positive results, said Msiza. There are, for example, other rehabilitation activities to create alternative jobs for mineworkers who are about to be retrenched. Another initiative is to help new and emerging mining companies to buy some of the assets of multinational corporations, which are restructuring and unbundling their assets. During question time, Democratic Alliance MP James Lorimer told Zwane it is not entirely realistic to expect junior and emerging mining companies to take over the assets of multinationals. People who want to get involved dont have the capital to develop that mine. Where will the money that will replace the money multinationals are taking out, come from? Lorimer also took issue with the reasons the Department of Mineral Resources gave for job losses in the industry. Msiza attributed job losses by and large to global economic challenges and the slowing down of demand for commodities and lower prices of key minerals. You ascribe the decline in jobs and profits in the industry to international conditions, Lorimer said. But the massive cost increases in South Africa arise out of poor regulation, electricity supply problems, increased labour cost, black economic empowerment requirements and the fact that we have months of strikes. Who can blame a company like Anglo American for selling their assets (coal and iron ore) in South Africa? SA not unkind to miners Zwane responded by saying international companies are not leaving South Africa because the country has been unkind to them in terms of legislation and black economic empowerment targets. Its an open secret that Anglo is disinvesting in countries, such as Australia (and) Brazil, but they choose to remain in South Africa. Their CEO (Mark Cutifani) told me theyre selling assets because of financial problems and that South Africa has always been kind to them. He is disinvesting in this country of origin, but they are continuing operations in South Africa because we have been kind to them. Their future lies here. Botswana is a diploma and degree saturated country, Acting Director of the Human Resource Development Council (HRDC) in the department of Statistics, Research, Development and Innovation Masego Mokubung has said. The country, she said, has a small number of students enrolled at the level of Philosophy Degrees (PhD) in both public and private tertiary institutions. Of the total 94 PhD students, 89 are enrolled in public tertiary institutions and five in other colleges. Only five of the 94 students are locals while the rest are foreigners, she said. Mokubung was giving highlights of the 2015 tertiary education statistics at the dissemination seminar between HRDC and Statistics Botswana (SB) held in Gaborone last Friday. She was particularly grieved by the small number of women studying engineering courses and enrolling in vocational training, considering that vocational education is a route students can take in order to self- employ. HRDCs acting head honcho Dr Patrick Molotsi, who is retiring at the end of this month, also urged tertiary institutions to do more in grooming their graduates. He said there are still some institutions that dont abide by Tertiary Education Council rules thereby compromising students. He expressed concern that lack of employment for graduates of tertiary institutions was still persisting, adding that they had partnered with Statistics Botswana to build precise statistics capable of informing policy and development processes. Statistics Botswana External Relations Manager Koontse Mokgwathi explained the importance of official statistics as to enable stakeholders formulate policies, plan and make decisions. SB guides against unnecessary overlapping in the collection of publication of the data and information for statistical purposes, this ensures maximum utilisation of existing information and resources of data collection available in the system for statistical purpose, said Mokgwathi. Speaking on the number of students placed outside the country, Mokubung observed a significant decline. She said that in 2014/15, 14 017 or 98.05 percent of tertiary education learners were placed in local institutions while 279 or 1, 95 percent of learners were placed externally. It can be noted that external placement has been declining over the past ten years, this indicates that study in Botswana initiative is showing positive results that even cut costs for the government it allowed for sponsorships of more students locally rather than sponsoring a few students externally, said Mokubung. Indian Army soldiers. A file photo PUNE (PTI): A week-long multinational Field Training Exercise, involving military personnel from ASEAN plus countries, has commenced in Pune on Wednesday. Christened "Exercise Force 18", the largest ground forces operation ever conducted on Indian soil, being held from March 2 to 8 at Aundh Military Station, will focus on the theme "Peacekeeping operations and humanitarian mine action", a defence release said. Playing of national anthems of participating nations and a fly past marked the grand opening ceremony in the presence of 80 foreign dignitaries from various countries. Speaking on the occasion, Lt Gen Bipin Rawat, Army Commander of the city-based Southern Command, said "Exercise 18" would build common understanding and achieve inter-operability among 18 ASEAN plus countries. A 40-member Indian Army contingent at the ceremony was led by a woman officer, Lt Col Sophia Qureshi. Ten countries from South East Asia Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam are members of the ASEAN. India and some other countries form part of the ASEAN plus. A file photo of Malabar Exercise. India, Japan and the US took part in the multi-national maritime exercise in the Bay of Bengal last year. NEW DELHI (PTI): Amid increasing Chinese military assertiveness in the waters of South China Sea, a top American military commander has pitched for a quad-lateral security dialogue between India, Japan, Australia and the US even as he hoped for a joint patrol in the Asia Pacific region in future. Wooing India, chief of US Pacific Command Admiral Harry Harris said that on the security front, the US needs India's leadership in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region as there are significant security challenges that no country can tackle alone. "We are ready for you. We need you," he said on Wednesday in his address at the 'Raisina Dialogue', a conclave on geo-economics and geo-politics in New Delhi. He said both countries can together develop a roadmap that leverages respective efforts to improve the security architecture and strengthen regional dialogues. Talking about India hosting Japan and Australia for its first-ever trilateral dialogue in New Delhi last year, Harris said some of the topics discussed were maritime security, including freedom of navigation patrols, and tri-lateral cooperation in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. "One idea to consider is initiating a Quad-lateral Security Dialogue between India-Japan-Australia and the United States. Adding the US into this dialogue can amplify the message that we are united behind the international rules-based order that has kept the peace and is essential to all of us," he said. Pitching for more joint military exercises, he said exercising together will lead to operating together. "By being ambitious, India, Japan, Australia, the United States and so many other like-minded nations can aspire to patrol together anywhere international law allows... And for decades, the United States has conducted freedom of navigation patrols without incident. No nation should perceive it as a threat," he said. On the US' re-balance to Asia Pacific, Harris said strengthening economic connective tissue through security and diplomatic partnership is what America's Rebalance to the Indo-Asia-Pacific is all about. "Expanded cooperation with India will not only be the defining partnership for the Rebalance, it will arguably be the defining partnership for America in the 21st century," he said. Without naming China or its military assertiveness in South China Sea, the Admiral said freedom of navigation on the high seas and the airspace above them "are not privileges of rich and powerful countries. They're fundamental rights of all nations". "While some countries seek to bully smaller countries through intimidation and coercion, I note with admiration India's example of peaceful resolution of disputes with your neighbours in the waters of the Indian Ocean. India, indeed, stands like a beacon on a hill in a potential Dark Age," he said. The Admiral said that two visionary policies are now coinciding at the perfect time. "Initiated four years ago by President (Barack) Obama, the United States is conducting a strategic Rebalance west to the Indo-Asia-Pacific. While at the same time, India is implementing Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi's 'Act East' policy. "You need look no further than last October's Malabar maritime exercise between India, Japan and the United States to see the security inter-connectedness of the Indian Ocean, Asia, and the Pacific Ocean," he said. Harris hoped that in not too distant future, American and Indian Navy vessels steaming together will become "a common and welcome sight" throughout Indo-Asia-Pacific waters. "Considering the USD 5.3 trillion dollars in trade that traverses each year from the Indian Ocean and through the South China Sea, we all have a vested interest in ensuring our region remain secure, stable, and prosperous. How Indo-Asia- Pacific nations employ naval forces to support these economic interests matters greatly," Harris said. He said that by 2050, it is expected that 7 out of every 10 people who walk the planet will live in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. "This level of population and urbanization will present special challenges in regard to the demand for food, energy, housing and importantly, freedoms," he said. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 03/03/2016 (2423 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Longtime Brandon University professor and tireless peace researcher M.V. Naidu passed away on Saturday after a lengthy battle with cancer. He was in his late 80s. He didnt enjoy aging, so it was really important to him that nobody knew his age, Naidus daughter Paromita explained over the phone from her home in Vancouver. He was a vital force. His body slowed down, but his mind just kept churning out articles and research and speeches and lectures. Born in Hyderabad, India, Naidu graduated university at the age of 16 and was teaching his post-secondary peers by the time he turned 17. M.V. Naidu He moved to the United States as a Fulbright scholar in his 20s and taught at the University of Minnesota before taking a position in 1965 in the political science department of what was then Brandon College. During the colleges transition into a university, Naidu was charged with instituting a new curriculum and bringing specialists into the political science department. He modernized the curriculum and actually most of the courses we have now on our calendar are courses that he instituted, said Meir Serfaty, a BU professor and longtime colleague of Naidus. Serfaty says he was impressed with Naidus ability to impart to students and his advocacy for social justice and racial equality in the larger community of Brandon. In the late 60s and early 70s, he was a force to contend with in the community, Serfaty said. Paromita shares a similar view of her father, adding that he created a south Asian cultural association immediately after moving to the Wheat City. He fought oppression, he fought racism because he was one of the pioneers here and people dont picture pioneers being a jovial gentleman in a black turtle neck with a pipe, she said. During BUs early years, the political science department was a motley crew made up of Serfaty, Naidu, a specialist in Mahatma Gandhis non-violent methods, and Errol Black, a local leftist activist. Students that came through there got a good exposure All three of them contributed to political science in a different way, former BU president Louis Visentin said. Much to his credit, Naidu stuck to his commitment in peace research like many other faculty do not in the Canadian university system. Visentin remembers Naidu as a dedicated and eccentric colleague, recalling a time when the professor came into his office and tried to get the university to take on his substantial book collection. He could just never convince the librarian to do it (but) I respected him for trying, Visentin said with a laugh. Naidu was not only a collector of books, but an author in his own right. According to his daughter, he penned 10 books, 100 academic articles and 250 newspaper articles he was a regular political columnist with The Brandon Sun during his 40 years in the city. In 1984, Naidu took on the role of editor and publisher for Peace Research and turned the newsletter into a respected peer-reviewed journal. When Naidu and his wife, Premalatha, moved to Winnipeg in 2006 to be closer to a cancer treatment centre, the researcher relinquished his duties with the journal to Menno Simmons College. John Derksen is the current editor of Peace Research. Submitted M.V. Naidu hosts an episode of his show, Professors Parlour, at Brandons CKX-TV station in the 1960s. The show covered politics and civic issues, and featured guests from diverse backgrounds. (Naidu) remained curious about the world right to the very end he kept wanting to publish articles and he would contact us (often), Derksen said. The Menno Simmons conflict resolution studies professor fondly remembers visiting Naidu at home on occasion. He would try and get me to stay for two and three hours just to chat he was a great storyteller, Derksen said, adding his amazement of Naidus grasp of global affairs. He had a large view of the world and he knew what was going on in a lot of countries at the same time. Closer to home, Naidu created and hosted a television show in the 1960s on Brandons CKX-TV station, called Professors Parlour, in which he talked about civic and political issues in Manitoba. It ran for two years Thats a really long time for a strange show to run all over Manitoba, Paromita said. Paromita grew up in Brandon and moved away when she was 10 years old after Naidu and her mother split up. She remembers her father as a fiercely intelligent man with a witty, dry sense of humour. I remember wanting a treasure hunt for my eighth birthday and he made these Egyptian hieroglyphics that nobody could figure out and he thought it was the greatest thing, Paromita said. He was kind of above us in a lot of ways kind of Stephen Hawking-ish. A funeral service for Naidu will be held on Saturday at 2 p.m. at Thompson in the Park in Winnipeg. In lieu of flowers, donations for the M.V. Naidu Award can be made by cheques payable to the Brandon University Foundation, 270 18th Street, Brandon MB, R7A 6A9, or by credit card online at brandonu.ca/give/donate or by phoning 204-727-7374. ewasney@brandonsun.com Twitter: @evawasney Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 03/03/2016 (2423 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. TORONTO The man who could become the next premier of Ontario hopes his first convention as Progressive Conservative leader will show voters how much hes changed the face of the party. Registration for this weekends annual meeting of Progressive Conservatives is through the roof, said Patrick Brown, who promised there would be more youth delegates and more visible minorities than at any previous party gathering. I think youre going to see through those that are there how the party has changed, he said. We have more people who want to be involved, are eager to be involved, and thats a healthy sign for a party. Conservative MP Patrick Brown gives his farewell speech in the House of Commons in Ottawa, Wednesday, May 13, 2015. The man who could become the next premier of Ontario hopes his first convention as Progressive Conservative leader will show voters how much he's changed the face of the party. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick Brown, the former federal Conservative backbencher who defeated former MPP Christine Elliott for the leadership last May, said the Tories will start developing their 2018 campaign platform this weekend. Historically PC platforms were created by a small group at Queens Park, and Brown wants this to be the exact opposite of that. I want this to be a grassroots process, he said. I want to participate myself Ive got tons of ideas on how we can make Ontario stronger but I want to involve as many people as possible. He declined to lay out any of his policy ideas until he speaks at the convention. Brown wants to avoid a repeat of the Tories 2014 campaign pledge to cut 100,000 public service jobs, which many party members feel cost them the election that year and allowed the Liberals to be re-elected with a majority. Hes been reluctant to criticize public sector unions, and instead has been reaching out to police, teachers, nurses and others to try and bring them into the Tory fold. Its not a matter of playing it safe, said Brown. I view the broader public sector not as an adversary but as a partner in that search for how to make Ontario more prosperous. One of the items on the weekend agenda is the election of the PC party executive, but an expected showdown between former MP Rick Dykstra and party veteran Jag Badwal for the position of president has been averted. Dykstra will be acclaimed as PC party president Sunday and Badwal will become first vice-president, but Brown insisted it wasnt because of the very type of backroom deal that he used to condemn, and called them both good friends. They came to the conclusion they didnt want to hamper the unity and they preferred to work together, he said. That was a decision they made on their own, and I certainly applauded it. The Official Opposition leader said voters are tired of the scandal-plagued Liberals, pointing to big gains in Tory support in two recent byelections they won, and hes convinced there will be a change in government in two years. I think voters are fed up, are frustrated, and I think the byelections are indicative of that, said Brown. As long as the PCs can be reasonable, thoughtful and put forward a platform that is about making Ontario stronger, were going to be in a great position. Federal Conservative leadership hopefuls will help raise attendance at the Ontario partys convention as they host hospitality suites and work the hallways looking for support for their still unofficial campaigns to replace Steven Harper. Follow @CPnewsboy on Twitter Already have an account? Log in here CALGARY - Spanish energy giant Repsol is reducing its Calgary headcount by between 10 and 15 per cent as the downturn in oil prices continues to take its toll. We need your support! Local journalism needs your support! As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed. Now, more than ever, we need your support. Starting at $4.99/month you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website. or call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527. Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community! Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 03/03/2016 (2423 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA A profile interview with Justin Trudeau is to air Sunday on the iconic CBS program 60 Minutes, just days before the prime minister travels to Washington, D.C., for a state visit. A promotional blurb on the networks website describes Trudeau as a scion of Canadian political royalty from a family often compared to the Kennedys in the United States. It touches on the Liberal decision to bring in 25,000 Syrian refugees, a move questioned by some in the United States. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pauses while speaking during the launch of the green economy initiative, Smart Prosperity, in Vancouver, B.C., on Tuesday March 1, 2016. A profile interview with Trudeau is to air Sunday on the iconic CBS program "60 Minutes," just days before the prime minister travels to Washington, D.C., for a state visit.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck Trudeau has defended the refugee plan as safe and the right thing to do, saying he prefers openness and respect to erecting barriers and imposing oppressive policies. He concedes there is a risk, but no more so than whenever any tourist, immigrant or refugee enters the country. In a brief clip of the interview posted on the site, correspondent Lara Logan asks the prime minister about his unusual path to the job and criticism that he wasnt ready for it. I was a snowboard instructor, I was a bouncer in a nightclub, I was a whitewater river guide I worked as a teacher, he replies. I make no apologies for a very varied set of life experiences. He shrugs off suggestions that he is too young and unprepared. You cannot let yourself be defined by the hopes that you will fulfil the darkest wishes of your opponents, he says. The 60 Minutes interview airs Sunday at 7 p.m. ET. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 03/03/2016 (2423 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Did you know that many Canadian cities are banning the sale of dogs and cats in stores? In 2010, Richmond, B.C., was the first city to ban the sale of dogs and cats in stores. Then, in 2011, Toronto became the second city Canada to ban the sale of dogs and cats in stores. With large numbers of cats and dogs kept in small glass cubes and cages around the clock, concerns over both the environment and care these critters were receiving lead to questions from the public but it was the source of the cats and dogs in pet stores that ultimately lead to the bans. There are good breeders out there that take the time to really become educated on a specific breed, and develop a legitimate breeding program. These are breeders that only produce a litter or two a year, and expect a female to produce only few litters in her lifetime. These breeders care greatly about their puppies or kittens, and ensure the babies are vaccinated on schedule, dewormed and vet checked before they go into homes. They put an effort into educating the families looking at their dogs about the breed and take the time to make sure their pups are going to the right home. These puppies are cared for and loved, and it shows. When puppies and kittens started to be sold in stores, a market was developed for baby animals that became much more about quantity than quality. Stores wanted babies to sell, and this became an opportunity for some breeders to turn a pretty good profit if they were able to deliver to the demand of the pet stores. As you can imagine, in time the operations that developed to supply the pet store market took a factory-style approach puppy mills. With an increased public awareness about puppy mills, bans on commercial pet sales are sweeping through many communities in Canada. Taking their lead from Richmond and Toronto, many other cities across Canada have banned the sales of puppies and kittens in stores. In addition to the puppy mill (and kitten mill) problem are a number of cats and dogs that are looking for new homes through animal rescues. When Mississauga, Ont., put their ban of cat and dog sales into effect, they made one provision. While this community does not allow the sale of cats and dogs, they do encourage pet supply stores to assist with adoptable animals that are placed through a rescue, shelter or humane society. In Brandon, our own Pet Valu locations work closely with local pet rescue, Funds for Furry Friends. Each of the local store locations provides a space for one rescue cat, and donates the food and supplies for that cat until he or she has found a home. This is an excellent program which provides additional space for the rescue, and the adoptions take place through the rescue so the cats are not sold at the stores. The entire chain of Pet Valu locations across the country are actively involved in promoting adoptable animals and working with rescues! Brandon has a number of pet supply stores but our community does not have a single store that sells dogs and cats. We do not have a ban in our community but this would really be an ideal time for Brandon to put a ban into effect, as it wouldnt change anything! What it would do, is prevent a future pet store from setting up shop and selling puppies and kittens. It would be wonderful to see Brandon follow the lead of so many of the other communities across the country. Most recently, our countrys capital, Ottawa, has stepped up and joined the communities banning the sale of cats and dogs. Dana Grove is an animal lover who works with several pet organizations in Brandon. communitynews@brandonsun.com Already have an account? Log in here ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - Hundreds of icebergs are cruising south down the coast of Labrador. We need your support! Local journalism needs your support! As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed. Now, more than ever, we need your support. Starting at $4.99/month you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website. or call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527. Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community! Already have an account? Log in here RENOUS, N.B. - A union representing prison guards says its members should be told an inmate's medical history if they come into contact with their bodily fluids. We need your support! Local journalism needs your support! As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed. Now, more than ever, we need your support. Starting at $4.99/month you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website. or call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527. Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community! Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 03/03/2016 (2423 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. TORONTO Toronto police are bringing reinforcements in an ongoing battle to rid their boathouse of winged invaders they say pose a threat to officers and possibly the publics safety. For years, the forces marine unit has struggled to deal with an infestation of barn swallows, which nest in the boathouse and leave it covered in droppings. The birds are a protected species and cannot be disturbed during nesting season. Moving their nests requires permission from the provincial Ministry of Natural Resources. RCMP and Toronto marine units patrol before the arrival of the Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games torch in Toronto on May 30, 2015. Toronto police are bringing reinforcements in an ongoing battle to rid their boathouse of winged invaders they say pose a threat to officers' -- and possibly the public's -- safety. For years, the force's marine unit has struggled to deal with an infestation of barn swallows, which nest in the boathouse and leave it covered in droppings. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn In a letter to city officials last year, the Toronto Police Services Board called for prompt action on what it called an issue with potential impacts on operational resources and public safety, as well as on the health and safety of members of the Marine Unit. The infestation necessitates costly cleaning operations and utilizes the resources of the unit unnecessarily, the letter said. It can also have an adverse effect on public safety as it can at times impede emergency response due to the need to remove bird feces from boats and equipment. The droppings can also increase the risk of exposure to some diseases, it said. A new three-year project set to begin this month aims to find the birds a new home and discourage them from returning to their current nesting grounds, a spokeswoman for the city said. Officers will have to deal with their unwelcome guests at least another season, however: the first year of the project consists mainly of consulting with experts and surveying the barn swallow population, Natasha Hinds Fitzimmins said in an email. Next year, an alternate nesting site will be set up within a kilometre of the boathouse, as laid out in the ministrys requirements, she said. Existing nests will also be removed and additional measures taken to deter the birds from returning, she said. The last year will be spent surveying the birds to see how they respond to the change. The modifications to the nesting situation will need to be monitored year after year to determine the success of the nesting relocation and barn swallow population, Hinds Fitzimmins said. In the meantime, she said, the best course of action to reduce the chance of bird infestation has been and continues to be to keep the doors closed, especially during periods of bird migration. Robert Duncan, a program co-ordinator for the Toronto police occupational health and safety unit, said that was the first thing they looked at but it didnt work. Theyre quite small birds and unfortunately because the water levels fluctuate the birds were just getting underneath the doors even when theyre fully dropped, he said. The other problem, of course, is that because theyre an emergency response unit, having the doors closed can slow down the response to an emergency call, so thats a public safety consideration we had to make. He said police dont want to harm the birds, just evict them. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 03/03/2016 (2423 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The Liberals and NDP remain without candidates in several Westman constituencies less than three weeks from a provincial election being called. Of the three primary parties in the province, only the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba has a full slate of candidates in Westman. Premier Greg Selinger has consistently said he is sticking to the April 19 fixed election date, meaning the campaign will be called between March 15 and 22. The deadline for candidates to register is March 29. While Winnipeg remains the battleground within which the election will be won, Brandon University political scientist Kelly Saunders said the NDP and Liberals have had plenty of time to find and prepare candidates in the area. It shows they are scrambling a bit to find viable candidates, Saunders said. Historically, the Liberals havent had a strong presence in Westman, according to Saunders, who is more surprised that the incumbent NDP government, which has been in power for 17 years, doesnt have a full slate of candidates yet. The NDP has registered candidates in four of the eight Westman constituencies. An NDP official said Bela Gyarmati is expected to be nominated in Spruce Woods on Friday. Gyarmati is listed as a fundraising specialist with the NDP, according to his Facebook page. He is also listed as being from Winnipeg. Saunders said as we inch closer to the writ being dropped, more parachute candidates will be employed by the Liberals and NDP. They are going to find sacrificial lambs, she said. I wouldnt be surprised if you find party organizers and officials people willing to put their name on the ballot just so the parties can say theyve nominated 57 candidates in all the constituencies. Southwestern Manitoba has long been considered a Tory stronghold. Arthur-Virden has voted PC since its inception in 1990 following redistribution in 1989. Spruce Woods, Riding Mountain and Agassiz voters have elected PCs since their creation in 2011, when Westman went from nine constituencies to eight. The most interesting constituencies to watch, Saunders said, will be the three that went NDP in 2011. In Swan River, incumbent NDP MLA Ron Kostyshyn will be challenged by PC Rick Wowchuk, while there is no Liberal candidate yet. Kostyshyn won the seat in 2011 with nearly 56 per cent of the vote. In Dauphin, longtime NDP MLA Stan Struthers has resigned, leaving Darcy Scheller to carry the orange banner into the upcoming election. Bradley Michaleski will run for the PCs, while the Liberals still havent nominated a candidate. Struthers won the seat in 2011 with nearly 55 per cent of the vote. Struthers highlights a long list of veteran NDP MLAs Theresa Oswald, Jim Rondeau, Nancy Allan, Jennifer Howard, Bidhu Jha, Gord Mackintosh, Daryl Reid and Ron Lemieux who are retiring or who have already left office. The exodus follows a conflict between five former cabinet ministers and Selinger, who has remained the least popular premier in the country. I think there is a lot of incumbent MLAs who are recognizing the reality of what a liability their leader has proven to be and continues to be for the party, Saunders said. Its something that will influence the election in the constituency Saunders is paying the most attention to in Westman Brandon East. NDP MLA Drew Caldwell is being challenged by two candidates with municipal experience. Former Riverview councillor Len Isleifson is representing the PCs, while current Riverview Coun. Vanessa Hamilton is running for the Liberals. During the NDP leadership convention, which was triggered following the resignation of five cabinet members, Caldwell supported Selinger, who narrowly defeated Oswald by 33 delegates. Saunders expects some residual internal fracturing to affect Caldwell during the campaign. You have a likable, well-respected, long-serving constituency person (like Caldwell) that most people feel has been a good MLA for the constituency, but his party and leader are a liability especially considering he supported Greg Selinger in the leadership race and are really going to hurt him, Saunders said. Some of that turmoil boiled over last week when the Winnipeg Free Press reported that St. Norbert NDP MLA Dave Gaudreau told Selinger during a caucus meeting that voters hate him. After being scolded for his comments by Kildonan MLA Dave Chomiak, Gaudreau stormed out. Brandon East has voted NDP since its inception in 1969. While the seat has been safe for the NDP in the past, Saunders said Caldwells biggest threat could come from within his party as typically ardent supporters see an opportunity. There are ambitious people who finally see this riding as in play for them in terms of being able to run for the (NDP) nomination, Saunders said, adding their motivation to help Caldwell might be diminished in this election. Theyre either not going to show up for Drew or certainly not work with the type of enthusiasm they might have in the past. ctweed@brandonsun.com Twitter: @CharlesTweed REGISTERED WESTMAN CANDIDATES The list of candidates running in the upcoming provincial election, according to Elections Manitoba. Incumbent candidates are identified by (i). Deadline to register is March 29. Agassiz PC Eileen Clarke Independent Damian Dempsey Arthur-Virden PC Doyle Piwniuk (i) Brandon East NDP Drew Caldwell (i) Liberal Vanessa Hamilton PC Len Isleifson Brandon West PC Reg Helwer (i) NDP Linda Ross Dauphin PC Bradley Michaleski NDP Darcy Scheller Riding Mountain PC Greg Nesbitt Liberal Jordan Fleury Spruce Woods PC Cliff Cullen (i) Swan River NDP Ron Kostyshyn (i) PC Rick Wowchuk Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 03/03/2016 (2423 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA A historic land claim agreement in principle struck by the Algonquins of Ontario with the federal and provincial governments is being denounced as fraudulent and illegal by chiefs of a number of Iroquois and Algonquin First Nations. They charge that the vast majority of the Algonquins of Ontario (AOO) are not actually Algonquin or even aboriginal. Indeed, the chiefs say even Prime Minister Justin Trudeau could technically qualify as an Algonquin under the loose criteria set to determine eligibility to participate in a ratification vote on the proposed deal. While non-natives are entitled to vote on and benefit from the deal, the chiefs say other legitimate First Nations, whose traditional territory overlaps with the AOO land claim, have been ignored while their rights were bargained away. The claim, the largest being negotiated in Ontario, covers a territory of 36,000 square kilometres in eastern Ontario, including Parliament Hill. Among other things, the proposed deal would transfer 117,500 acres of Crown land to Algonquin ownership and provide a $300 million settlement. If successful, it would become the provinces first modern-day, constitutionally protected treaty. The agreement in principle, which is in the midst of a ratification vote, was denounced Thursday by the chiefs of four Algonquin First Nations, who said the land claim overlaps almost 900,000 acres of their territory. Lance Haymond, chief of the Kabaowek First Nation, said the vast majority of the Algonquins of Ontario are not Algonquin at all, but non-natives who claim a loose connection to an Algonquin root ancestor. In many cases, those eligible to vote on the land claim deal have not had any intermarriage with Algonquins for more than 200 years, he said. According to a genealogical analysis done for the chiefs, Trudeau could technically trace his ancestry to an Algonquin woman eight generations ago. The process for eligibility is so convoluted and ludicrous that Trudeau could declare himself to be an Algonquin of Ontario, Haymond said. The Algonquins of Ontario do not have the moral or legal obligation to negotiate away all the rights of the Algonquin people, he said. Haymond said Trudeaus fledgling government is not to blame for the situation but, given Trudeaus vow to create a new, respectful, nation-to-nation relationship with First Nations, has an obligation to fix it. The deal was also denounced by the Iroquois caucus, which represents seven Iroquois communities in Ontario and Quebec. What has happened is, I will call it, fraudulent, Kahnawake Grand Chief Joe Norton told a news conference. An illegal deal has been made, has been struck to bring in people who are not Algonquins, who are not in any way attached to the land, who have not strived and struggled for centuries to try and maintain the integrity of the lands within Ontario. Norton said the claim involves lands continuously occupied by the Iroquois, yet they have more or less been pushed aside for people who have no right to any of this territory. The Algonquins of Ontario consist of the federally recognized Pikwakanagan First Nation and nine other communities where people claim Algonquin ancestry. AOO principal negotiator Robert Potts has said the inclusion of non-status descendents of Algonquins is intended to correct a historic injustice wherein many bands were never recognized under the Indian Act. He has also said the criteria for determining descendents has been stringent, involving a genealogist, a ratification committee and a retired judge. Indigenous Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennetts office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 03/03/2016 (2423 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Five stories in the news today, March 3, from The Canadian Press: WALL PROMISES CONSTRUCTIVE ROLE AT FIRST MINISTERS MEETING Brad Wall says Saskatchewan will play a constructive role when the premiers sit down today in Vancouver with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to discuss climate change policies. The first ministers meeting has taken on a fractious atmosphere this week amid squabbling over who was invited to the table, pipeline politics and a dispute over carbon pricing. POLL: BIG REGIONAL DIVIDES ON ENERGY EAST A new online poll by the Angus Reid Institute suggests 64 per cent of Canadians support the Energy East pipeline, but there are stark differences when the numbers are broken out by region. The proposal to ship Alberta crude to Atlantic Canada had the strongest backing in Alberta and Saskatchewan 87 per cent and 78 per cent, respectively. ABORIGINAL PEOPLES WANT SAY IN CLIMATE CHANGE POLICY Indigenous leaders have told Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the premiers that they want a role in developing climate change policy. Its like were standing at the doorway, said Clement Chartier of the Metis National Council. What happens next, well get to see. Its always good words, this government right now is offering us an opportunity to sit at the table. Well see in the action what happens next. LUXURY HOME SALES REPORT EYES TORONTO, VANCOUVER A new report says Toronto and Vancouver will continue to lead luxury home sales in Canada this spring in both volume and price, and mostly for the same reasons they dominated last year. Sothebys International Realty Canada cites macro-economic trends, including limited inventory and both domestic and international demand in making its prediction. LOBLAW EXPANDS UGLY FRUIT, VEGETABLE LINE Ugly food can mean a pretty profit. At least, thats the bet Loblaw is making with its ugly duckling line of produce aimed at shoppers looking to save money on the sky-rocketing cost of fresh food. The company launched its Naturally Imperfect line last March in Ontario and Quebec and plans to expand the sale of cheaper, but blemished and misshapen, produce across the country. ALSO IN THE NEWS TODAY: Aboriginal Chiefs will hold a briefing in Ottawa on the proposed Algonquins of Ontario Agreement. The Iroquois caucus holds a news conference in Ottawa to outline its opposition to a Land Claim Agreement in Principle. Companies reporting quarterly results today include SNC-Lavalin Group, George Weston Ltd. and Canadian Natural Resources. The Canadian Club of Toronto hosts a panel discussion on Women Entrepreneurs. Michael Sabia, president and CEO of Quebecs largest pension fund, speaks to the Toronto Region Board of Trade. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 03/03/2016 (2423 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. HALIFAX Nova Scotia is moving to capitalize on its moment in the spotlight provided by the leather-lunged billionaire now enjoying a yuuuge lead in the U.S. Republican primary race. Tourism Nova Scotia is redirecting some of its advertising budget toward Google ads targeting people intrigued by the now-famous Cape Breton If Donald Trump Wins website. Although its been a fun story, were also trying to take advantage and monetize it, Martha Stevens, acting CEO of Tourism Nova Scotia, said in an interview. Rob Calabrese, of the Giant 101.9 radio station and creator of the website (cbiftrumpwins.com) responds to questions from CNN reporter Paula Newton during an election piece for her news organization in Sydney, N.S., Tuesday, March 1, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Vaughan Merchant Its been a wonderful gift that keeps on giving. The website, created by Cape Breton radio host Rob Calabrese, facetiously tempts Americans dismayed by the prospect of a President Donald Trump to relocate to the hard-pressed but beautiful island. The site has attracted about 800,000 unique visitors since Feb. 15 most of them from the United States. Calabreses site, cbiftrumpwins.com, is mostly focused on immigrants, not tourists. But it now links to a specialized version of Cape Bretons tourism site that asks, If moving here is an option, why not visit us this tourism season to experience our way of life? Tourism Nova Scotia said Thursday that traffic to novascotia.com, the provinces main tourism site, was up 44 per cent in mid-February, while its Cape Breton page had a 975 per cent increase in site entrances. Stevens said a portion of the $5 million her Crown corporation spends on advertising will be re-directed toward Google ads targeting people whove shown an interest. The Google ads will not mention Trump, she said. They will target people in Ontario, Quebec and northern New England, Nova Scotias key tourism markets. What we will focus on is what we know to be our unique experiences. Were all about Nova Scotia and Cape Breton, said Stevens. It allows us to be a bit more efficient to target those consumers who have already shown some interest. Already have an account? Log in here MONTREAL - The Quebec government has granted another $500,000 to an anti-radicalization centre in Montreal. We need your support! Local journalism needs your support! As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed. Now, more than ever, we need your support. Starting at $4.99/month you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website. or call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527. Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community! Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 02/03/2016 (2424 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. VANCOUVER The University of British Columbia has announced the members of a committee that will develop a sexual assault policy, after students complained the process for reporting attacks was broken. Kimberley Beck of the Office of the University Counsel and Sara-Jane Finlay of the Equity and Inclusion Office will lead the 12-member committee of students, staff and faculty from the Okanagan and Vancouver campuses. A first draft of the policy is expected to be ready for review and consultation in June, with a final policy to be submitted to the Board of Governors in October. UBC vowed to create a standalone policy for responding to sexual assaults last November after a group of former and current graduate students complained the school had dragged its heels on responding to multiple allegations about a PhD candidate. The university currently relies on a general discrimination and harassment policy, and a recent investigation into the students allegations concluded that a lack of clarity around procedures led to the delayed response. UBC has announced a separate panel made up of four professors and a graduate student, who will consult broadly with experts on its two campuses and prepare a report by May with recommendations for the policy committee. The university is also working on a campus-wide prevention plan to reduce sexual assault, and is developing an action plan that it says will shape a respectful campus culture and improve policy and practice. The 12 members of the policy committee are: Kimberley Beck Legal counsel, Office of the University Counsel, UBC Vancouver Sara-Jane Finlay Associate vice-president, Equity and Inclusion, UBC Vancouver Shannon Dunn Director of business operations, UBC Okanagan Tobias Friedel President, Graduate Students Society, UBC Vancouver Susan Frohlick Head of the Community, Culture and Global Studies Unit, Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences, UBC Okanagan Isabel Grant Professor, Allard School of Law, UBC Vancouver Daniel Heath Justice English professor, chair of First Nations Studies, UBC Vancouver Patricia Mirwaldt Director, Student Health Services, UBC Vancouver Linda McKnight Director, Human Resources Advisory Services, UBC Vancouver Jenna Omassi Vice-President of academic and university affairs, Alma Mater Society, UBC Vancouver Janice Robinson Director or residence life, Student Housing and Hospitality Services, UBC Vancouver Kimberly Rutledge UBC Students Union Okanagan, UBC Okanagan Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 03/03/2016 (2423 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Recently, I tabled a motion in the Senate calling on the government to create a pilot project that would test a basic income in Canada, also known as a guaranteed annual income. Canadians face immense challenges. Many families struggle to pay the rent; they cant afford their childrens school supplies or school trips. Many rely on donations at the food bank just to feed their families. In numbers, one in seven Canadians live in poverty. Thats more than five million people including more than one million children. And there are an estimated 150,000 to 300,000 people homeless. Last year, close to 900,000 Canadians used food banks every month, with more than one-third of those children. We also have increasing income and wealth inequality that is changing the core of our society. The Conference Board of Canada gave Canada a C grade for inequality, ranking us 12th out of 17 countries studied. But why a basic income? What we have done for far too long is simply not working. Even with all the social supports in place, the resulting income is often only enough to maintain a family in poverty. At their worst, existing policies and programs actually entrap people in poverty. This is why we need a new way. A basic income would work as a tax credit administered through the taxation system similar to the Guaranteed Income Supplement for seniors. If someone earns less or has less than the poverty line, they would simply be topped up to a point above the poverty line. This wouldnt be the good life, but it would ensure that all Canadians would have an income that covers the basic necessities clothing, food and decent shelter. It would provide a floor, a foundation that low-income people could then build upon for a better life. This idea is supported by a majority of Canadians, a 2013 Environics poll found. Interestingly, this support does not fall along party lines or political philosophy. People across the political spectrum support a basic income. Conservative economist Milton Friedman was a proponent of basic income, as is former Conservative senator Hugh Segal. On the other end, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, Alberta NDP Finance Minister Joe Ceci and Quebec Liberal Employment and Social Solidarity Minister Francois Blais support the idea. We also see communities across the country are coming on board. There are many other provincial, territorial and municipal leaders who have publicly supported the adoption of a basic income or the adoption of pilot projects to that end. We also have organizations like the Canadian Medical Association that are calling for action on inequality. Canadians have come to realize that there may be a lot of positives to this approach. A basic income is a simpler and more transparent approach to fighting poverty than our current patchwork of social programs. It would extend benefits to those who are currently not covered by social assistance programs, such as the working poor. And introducing a basic income could have a stimulus effect by quickly injecting money into the economy. In the 1970s, Canada piloted a basic income program known as Mincome in Manitoba, primarily in Dauphin. Research done by Evelyn Forget from the University of Manitoba found that as a result, hospital visits dropped 8.5 per cent. Fewer people went to the hospital with work-related injuries and there were fewer emergency room visits from car accidents and domestic abuse. There were also far fewer mental health visits. What about employment? Research shows that only new mothers and teenagers worked less with a basic income. Mothers stayed home with their babies longer. Youth worked less, but spent more time in school and graduated in higher numbers. Overall, labour force attachment remained strong. Looking at these results and other similar examples from around the world, Canada could see not only see a great upsurge in the living conditions for our most vulnerable if a basic income were employed, but we could also realize a decrease in costs. Poverty is costing us all as much as $30 billion a year by one estimate by slowing the economy, forcing up our tax bills, increasing health-care costs and crime. On the other hand, the now-closed National Council of Welfare put the poverty gap in Canada at $12 billion in 2011. That is what the council said it would take to get everyone up to the poverty line. If these numbers are correct, its obvious which one makes more economic sense. But lets take this step by step. We need a pilot project that can provide new and robust Canadian data, that can determine how such a system would function in this day and age, and that would make clear the benefits and costs. A basic income is a different approach - a new path that has shown great potential. Lets get the evidence. Lets study this approach. If proven, we not only end poverty but we spend smarter, more efficiently and effectively. Art Eggleton is a Canadian senator and former mayor of Toronto and member of Parliament. A 7bn estimate to abolish Irish Water has been rubbished by the Right2Water movement. The State-owned utility produced the figure amid speculation that the new Government may abandon water charges. Cash costs alone would reportedly involve pay offs for staff who would not be transferred to local authorities. But protesters claim that estimates include projected earnings and does not accurately reflect the savings to be made. David Gibney from Right2Water said the 7bn price tag is totally inaccurate. That is absolute nonsense, he said. Theyre factoring in 1.6bn that is to be collected between now and 2021. But the real numbers, the real fact about this is that it would cost 350 to provide water to every household in the country through general taxation. By installing water meters we double that cost immediately. Over the next five years, were going to be wasting 2.6bn in just looking after those water meters. A survey of parents has revealed that almost a third (31%) of children in Ireland have never climbed a tree. The RED C poll for ESB Tree Week also found that one in 10 have never even visited a forest or wooded area. Showcasing the growing disconnect Irish people have with trees, ESB brought parents and children through local woodlands, assessing their behaviour and asked both groups, Why are trees important? While parents were distracted by their phones and focused on the functional aspect of trees, in stark contrast, the children came to life when surrounded by them. The journey was brought to life in a short film titled Wood for the Trees. The research found that 82% of the respondents commenting that walking through a forest has a calming effect on them. The findings of the survey also reveal that parents claim nearly half (48%) of Irish children spend more time in front of a screen than outdoors. RED C interviewed a random representative sample of 1,002 adults aged 18+ by phone between February 18-22. Running from March 6-13, ESB Tree Week hopes to reignite the nations love of trees through hundreds of events all over the country. The purpose of the week is to encourage people to go outside, learn about, grow, and most importantly enjoy trees. This year, the Irish public are invited to share their personal tree stories using the #ESBTreeWeek campaign hashtag. It is being organised by The Tree Council of Ireland, supported by Coillte and sponsored by ESB. Pat ODoherty of ESB said: Tree Week is a good fit for ESB because it reflects the spirit of what we stand for in terms of promoting sustainability, respecting nature and supporting communities right across Ireland. ESB Tree Week provides an opportunity to remind people why trees matter, and together with the Tree Council of Ireland, we are encouraging people to take the time to appreciate them, either by learning about them, planting them or just simply getting out into the fresh air to enjoy them. Kevin Hutchinson, President of the Tree Council of Ireland said: "This years ESB Tree Week promises to be the biggest one yet with hundreds of events happening around the country to celebrate trees. We hope that people of all ages are able to get out and enjoy their local events. With the support of ESB we have been able to reach out further and deeper into communities to demonstrate the benefits of trees and get more people involved than ever before. Coillte is delighted to be providing the 15,000 native Irish trees which are at the heart of the events taking place around the country between the sixth and 13th March. Coillte has donated approx. 450,000 trees since Tree Week began and has been a proud supporter of the event and of the Tree Council of Ireland for 30 years. The company which owns Cadbury's has said it has no plans to outsource more than 17 jobs from its factory in Coolock in Dublin. Staff at the plant began an indefinite strike this morning over plans to outsource positions in their stores division. Mondelez, the company which owns Cadbury's, has said the staff currently in the roles are being offered employment elsewhere in the factory and a 4% pay rise. "The company currently has no plans to outsource any other positions from the Coolock plant," it said in a brief statement. Richie Brown, regional officer with trade union UNITE, has said they want to see engagement from the company to prevent any outsourcing: What it will take to end the strike is the company to engage with us in meaningful talks. We have proposed to the company that we would reduce the numbers working in the stores, that we would introduce efficiencies and flexibilities, in order to achieve verifiable and real cost savings in the area. We have offered that to the company and at this moment in time the company are not interested in listening to us and our proposals they just seem intent on implementing unilaterally and without agreement the outsourcing of the stores. Four medical experts with the States only 24-hour treatment service for young victims of sexual assault have withdrawn their services after a breakdown in negotiations with the HSE. The Child and Adolescent Sexual Assault Treatment Service in Galway said it requires funding of 200,000 a year to provide services for children under 14. A 66-year-old man has been found guilty of stealing over 18,600 from a charity he set up to send terminally-ill children to Lapland. John Murphy of Church Road, Killiney, Co. Dublin was remanded in custody and is due to be sentenced next week. After just 42 minutes of deliberations, the jury came back with guilty verdicts on all four counts of theft. They related to four cheques lodged into his personal account from The Children to Lapland Appeal a charity he set up in 1987. One of the directors who signed the cheques said he was horrified when he heard what happened and told Gardai he believed it amounted to fraud. His defence claimed his personal account was also used for his business United Travel, which used to subsidise the charity. The court heard the charity owed United Travel 69,000 at the end of 2009 a few months before the offences took place. The court heard Mr. Murphy is in remission from cancer and has a sister who is dependent on him, but despite his barristers plea for him to remain on bail, Judge Patrick McCartan remanded him in custody ahead of his sentence hearing next week. The Mayor of New York has praised the Irish Government for it is work in promoting gay rights. Bill de Blasio announced earlier today that for the first time LGBT groups will be allowed participate in this year's New York St Patrick's day parade. The Law Reform Commission says it is exploring gaps in the law on harrassment, so that online impersonation and trolling might be included as an offence. It comes as the Crown Prosecution Service in England and Wales is looking at updating its guidelines on social media to deal with trolls who impersonate others online. Read: Read More: Why internet trolls could face criminal charges in the UK for fake online profiles The Law Reform Commission here is currently reviewing the law on cyber crime affecting personal safety, privacy and reputation, including cyber-bullying. It has been consulting with interested groups and individuals and says it hopes to publish a report on the matter due by the end of June. However it admits that there are gaps in the law that are being examined. Media lawyer Andrea Martin said that the law is lacking regarding a lot of online abuse. "At the moment in Ireland, unless there's a specific law like harassment law, incitement to hatred law, child pornography law - unless one of those laws is being broken, there is sometimes very little that can be done unless an individual is prepared to go to the High Court," she said. She said however that there was a case the year before last involving a fake profile. "The High Court ordered Twitter to take down an impersonation account that was set up in a woman's name without her knowledge - obviously someone had all her details and put up very distressing photographs that were not of the woman in question, and they were quite sexually explicit photographs. "But she had to go to the High Court for that to happen. "So we don't have specific laws that address for example, impersonation and trolling." The DPP there says it reflects the pace of change in online communication - where new methods are being used to abuse people. Claire O'Dowd from Spun Out, which has been involved in the Law Reform Commission's consultation process says a change in the law would be welcome. "The fact that this is happening more often and people are realising that it can cause a lot of harm to be harassed online, the inclusion of that into the Non-fatal Offences Against the Person Act, we think, would really act as a deterrent to people, and make victims aware that they could go to the Guards if this ever happens to them," she said. Representatives of SIPTU and Unite will attend talks at the Workplace Relations Commission over the Cadbury's dispute. However, a stoppage by workers at the Coolock plant in Dublin will continue, with pickets in place. A nanny accused of decapitating a four-year old girl in Moscow has said during an apparent interrogation that the killing was an act of revenge against President Vladimir Putin for Russian air strikes in Syria. Mr Putin's spokesman said it was difficult to judge the testimony of a woman he said was mentally unstable. Gulchekhra Bobokulova was detained in Moscow on Monday. She is accused of killing the child and brandishing her head outside a subway station. Video footage posted online appeared to show police interrogating her. It was not clear where the video originated. The woman appeared to be wearing the same clothes she wore during a court appearance yesterday. In the video, she says the killing of the child was revenge. Asked who it was revenge against, she says "the one who has spilled the blood". Asked who that was, she replies: "Who spilled it? Putin has been dropping bombs." Russia has been carrying out air strikes in Syria for five months to support President Bashar Assad's offensive. Russian officials have flatly denied numerous reports by international aid groups that accuse it of killing not only so-called 'Islamic State' fighters but also civilians and Syrian opposition malitia. The Investigative Committee, Russia's top investigative agency, would not confirm or deny the authenticity of the video, but spokesman Vladimir Markin warned in a statement that Bobokulova's words should be treated with caution. "The motive for a crime committed by a person who was diagnosed with schizophrenia often does not coincide with the explanations that they give later," he said, adding that investigators will look into all possible theories. Russian media has reported that Bobokulova, originally from the former Soviet republic of Uzbekistan, was first diagnosed with schizophrenia in 2003. She has not yet undergone a psychiatric examination in Russia. Mr Markin refuted reports that investigators found phone numbers of Islamic extremists in Bobokulova's contacts. Russian prosecutors told a court on Wednesday that Bobokulova was not acting alone and that others they did not name had incited her to kill the girl. In the video, she tells investigators that she reads the Koran and prays day and night, but that they can go and kill her three children in Uzbekistan, who do not read the Koran. A spokesman for Mr Putin said it would be wrong to draw conclusions from the video. He said: "It appears obvious to me, although I may be wrong, I'm not an expert or judge, that we are evidently talking about a woman who is clearly deranged. "Any words that come from such a deranged woman should be treated like they should be in this situation." Jurors have been urged to put aside any "sympathies" they might have for a millionaire philanthropist accused of driving off as a police officer clung to the steering wheel of his supercar. Sir Harry Djanogly, 77, denies one count of dangerous driving and one of assault at Isleworth Crown Court. The textile manufacturer, from Angel Court, off Pall Mall, London, was allegedly clocked driving his Jaguar XK at around 70mph in a 50mph zone on the A40 near Acton, west London on December 27 2014. A police sergeant, Robert McDonald, suffered leg injuries after trying to get him to stop the car, having pulled him over for speeding. During his evidence, Sir Harry did not deny speeding but said his driving had not been dangerous. He said he had been taking his wife of 52 years, Lady Carol Djanogly, to St John and St Elizabeth private hospital as he "honestly believed that her life was in danger". He fought back tears as he described how health problems, including emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), had meant she had been in and out of hospital and intensive care units for the previous five years. But prosecutor David Malone said that while the jury may have "understandable sympathies" with the defendant, "emotion will not assist" them. He said Sir Harry refused to stop for police because "wild horses would not have stopped him going to that hospital". Mr McDonald had been "fearing for his life" as he clung to the car, he added. But Robert Gibbs QC, defending, claimed the officer may have exaggerated in his recollection of the incident. Judge Richard McGregor-Johnson also told the jury they should be "unswayed" by emotional evidence as they retired to consider their verdicts. Sir Harry is thought to have a personal fortune of an estimated 300 million and, together with his wife, has helped the V&A, Tate and the Chickenshed theatre company. Sir Harry's son Jonathan Djanogly, 50, is the Conservative MP for Huntingdon. Oscar Pistorius has been denied the right to appeal against his murder conviction over the shooting of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. The ruling by South Africa's Constitutional Court clears the way for a judge to sentence Pistorius for murder at a hearing scheduled for April 18. A serial rapist who attacked seven women after contacting them on a dating website has been sentenced to life in prison in the UK. 50-year-old Jason Lawrance will serve a minimum of 12 and a half years. Three fishermen have been winched to safety after their boat caught fire about 40 miles off the Cornish coast. The coastguard received a mayday broadcast from the fishing boat just before 1pm on Wednesday. There were five crew members on board the boat, which was about 37 nautical miles off Newlyn. They managed to extinguish the fire, thought to have been in the engine room, but several were reported to be suffering from smoke inhalation. The coastguard search and rescue helicopter based in Newquay and the Lizard RNLI lifeboat were sent to the boat. Three of the crew were winched off the fishing vessel to the helicopter and transferred to hospital. Steve Mann, of the UK Coastguard, said: "Fortunately the crew were able to extinguish the fire, they were also able to contact the coastguard when they needed assistance. "This is another example why it is so important to make sure that you have appropriate safety equipment on board and several means of contacting the coastguard if the worst should happen." Following the rescue, the fishing boat and remaining crew made their way to Newlyn, escorted by the Lizard lifeboat. DOHA: The bill being paid by Qatar for the most expensive World Cup ever held is set to rise to fantasy levels in... KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian palm oil futures on Wednesday rose to their highest level in nearly seven weeks, as fears of... PARIS: Renault on Friday said its sales rose to 9.8 billion euros ($9.57 billion) in the third quarter, in line with... LONDON: Liz Truss came to 10 Downing Street vowing to be a disruptor. She U-turned on almost everything else, but... The canopy of lanterns have been hung. The giant lucky cat is about to be inflated. The Enlighten Night Noodle Markets are back and they've doubled in size this year. For nine days starting on Friday, Canberrans can get their fix of noodles and Asian street food while taking in Enlighten, the festival of colour and light in the Parliamentary Triangle. (On the 10th day they can still have a Sunday session at the final day of the noodle markets). Stall holders Leilani Fox, of Kusina, and Carlos Ramirez, of Mr Papa, prepare for the Night Noodle Markets. Credit:Melissa Adams This year's Enlighten festival features a collection of giant seven-metre tall rabbits from artist Amanda Parer, stiltwalkers in solar-powered bug costumes, aerial circus, and the trademark colourful light projections on the walls of galleries, libraries and other institutions. Meanwhile the noodle markets feature more stallholders from Canberra, including Japanese Peruvian dishes from food truck Mr Papa, a "street boodle" from Filipino restaurant Kusina and lobster rolls from Lilotang and Chairman and Yip. Cash Converters, Australia's biggest payday lender, may need to change its name. The infamous yellow pawn shop also known as "Cashies'' is preparing to issue all of its cash advance loans electronically, in the form of prepaid debit cards that can be used at ATMs. The infamous yellow pawn shop also known as ''Cashies'' is preparing to issue all of its cash advance loans electronically, in the form of prepaid debit cards that can be used at ATMs. The switch may seem technical but it has sparked concern among financial counsellors and consumer advocates, who say it is designed to trap more users into high-interest loans. The ASX-listed company on Thursday reported a $15.9 million profit for the first half of the financial year, helped by a rise in the number of payday loans issued online. It could be worse it could be American politics but it's a sorry day when the Australian government allegedly finds the idea of everyone getting a 15 per cent tax break on their superannuation contributions "too complex". That's what the Financial Review is reporting. After ditching any consideration of improving our negative gearing/capital gains tax interaction for political motives, Prime Minister Turnbull allegedly has lost enthusiasm for fixing the inequity of the flat 15 per cent tax on super guarantee levy contributions a system which actually penalises those on low incomes, taxing them 15 per cent on money that would otherwise be tax free. "Treasury and other super industry groups had done considerable work on taxing super at either 15 per cent or 20 per cent below people's marginal tax rates," writes Jennifer Hewett. An active public program kicks off the opening weekend of the NGV's major exhibition 200 Years of Australian Fashion, with a handful of curator-led talks, panel discussions and tours offering insights into what is a wide-ranging vantage on the history of Australian fashion. A definite highlight is a talk by the legendary Jenny Kee and Linda Jackson, who came together to create Australian fashion's most iconic and laterally minded forces in the early 1970s. Indeed, the pair's Flamingo Park "frock salon" in Sydney was at once a store, label and platform for a mix of creative endeavours that drew upon a community of artists, designers and performers of the likes of David McDiarmid and Peter Tully among countless others. Linda Jackson and Jenny Kee wearing Jackson's Tutti Frutti dress in 1975. Credit:Ann Noon Kee and Jackson will recount Flamingo Park's activities while expanding on individual pieces featuring in the show. The talk will play out on Sunday March 6, 2pm, at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia at Federation Square. Booking is not required but exhibition fees apply. ngv.vic.gov.au Destabilisation, leaking, leader against ex-leader, awkward photos and calls for unity. No, not the Gillard Labor government circa 2012 but the Turnbull Coalition government today, in March, 2016. The transaction costs of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's ousting of Tony Abbott are beginning to show, as the conservative MPs flex their muscles against a shaky executive. Tensions went up a notch this week with the leaking of classified national security documents to the media. Although Abbott and his former defence minister Kevin Andrews denied leaking, the former prime minister was quoted as being "flabbergasted" with a Turnbull government decision. Frustrated users of the troubled myGov web portal now have the chance to contribute to an official review of the government web portal's performance by the Commonwealth's Audit Office. The Australian National Audit Office wants stakeholders and members of the public to make submissions to its report which is due to be tabled in parliament in spring this year. The giant Department of Human Services, which runs myGov, has had an unhappy recent history with ANAO audits after it was savaged in mid-2015 for its performance in answering its phones. The Audit Office says it is conducting a "performance audit" of Human Services' performance in implementing myGov, and whether the intended benefits of the portal have been realised. Brown, a research professor at the University of Houston studying vulnerability, courage, shame, and authenticity, spoke at a leadership conference held by Business Chicks in Sydney on Thursday. "It's not about what you know, it's about who you are," Brown told the 500-strong audience, later adding: "Do you care about what you're doing? I don't think you can have great leadership when people have no sense of purpose about what they're doing." In her talk she revealed her latest research about the key qualities in the world's most successful people and the best leaders. Interestingly, none were to do with education or access to funding or great connections. "It is the lack of personal development, not the lack of professional development that prohibits leaders from being good," Brown said. "They are not taking care of their shit; they do not know who they are, they do not know how they are showing up, and they are working stuff out at work." So what do the greatest leaders have in common, she asked. 1. "Absolute complete awareness about their emotional life." 2. "They have a deep understanding of the emotional landscape of the people who work around them and are not afraid to engage with emotion." 3. "I have not met a transformational leader in 15 years who did not do discomfort. Leadership is about discomfort. I will choose what is courageous over what is comfortable." As for the biggest issues in leadership, Brown said there are a couple of standouts. TRUST "How do you build trust?" she asked. "Trust is not a grand gesture. It is a collection of small moments." She recounts a story of famed relationship researcher John Gottman who was in bed one night finishing a riveting book. He was about to find out who the mystery killer in the story was when he got up to go to the bathroom. As he walked out, he passed his wife, who was sitting there looking distressed. There was a moment when he went to keep walking and pretend he hadn't seen her so he could finish his book, before realising that walking past and ignoring her distress would be ''absolute betrayal''. "When you stop to connect," Brown said, "this builds trust." These small trust-building moments comprise of seven elements which she calls BRAVING. Boundaries (having them and respecting others), Reliability, Accountability, Vault (keeping confidences), Integrity, Non-judgment (the ability to ask for help) and Generosity of attitude towards others (benefit of the doubt). Creating trust, Brown adds, is also about being real. "How many of you will take the tough truth over easy bullshit," she asked the audience. Every hand in the room was raised. This means being able to ask for help when you need it. "When you ask for help, it is one of the most trust-building behaviours because you are not going to ram our business into the ground pretending you know what you're doing." ANXIETY Anxiety in the workplace (or in any social situation) is "one of the most contagious effects we experience". "One person shows up super-anxious and 10 minutes later all hell breaks loose," Brown says. "The antidote to anxiety is calm which is also contagious." While some people are naturally more calm, Brown says that it is a learned skill. Brown's research has found calm people have common behaviours: they breathe, they respond slowly and they ask questions. These calming factors "change the cadence of a conversation", Brown said. Great leaders not only change the cadence of the conversation, they change the conversation. "They have enough confidence to be unsure," Brown said. If we lack confidence we tend to become unsure about ourselves, thinking we're not good enough or smart enough. We lose self-belief. When we are confident in ourselves but can admit we don't always know the best way to tackle a problem but that we're going to deal with it, we become brave. And bravery not bravado is what makes for the best leaders. "Are you willing to be uncomfortable?" Brown asked. "To me that's the bottom line." The nation's top public servant Martin Parkinson also told the gathering that departments should go looking for talented women to fill top jobs, rather than relying on them to submit applications. From Monday, the Australian Public Service will roll out the most comprehensive strikes in its two-year dispute with the Government. Pictures is Public Service Minister Michaelia Cash Credit:Janie Barrett But women in the service have the skills to overcome entrenched male power, the minister has told an International Women's Day event in Canberra. An "old boys network" in the Australian Public Service has been dominating jobs on government boards, according to Employment Minister Michaelia Cash. The comments come after the Australian Bureau of Statistics revealed women remain in the minority at the top of the APS, despite making up the majority of workers in the bureaucracy. Nearly 60 per cent of federal public servants are women, but only 41 per cent of the APS elite senior executive service are female. Women are twice as likely as men to have temporary jobs with the service and eight times more likely to work part-time and female public servants are also over-represented among the lower-paid APS classifications. But Senator Cash, who is also minister for women and for the public service, told the IPAA's International Women's Day event that targets for female representation were compatible with merit-based hiring. "A target is just a target, something you should try to reach, but you should never appoint other than on merit," the minister said. He describes it as the best time of his life. Will McCann took three months paid parental leave to care for his two young sons, Eddie and Leo, when his wife Mel returned to work. Will McCann and his sons Edward (left) and Leo. Credit:Simon Schluter The time was a gift. Each morning McCann would give Eddie, then 11 months, breakfast while chatting to toddler Leo. Then they might go to the park, or for a coffee. There was no rush. None of the usual morning bedlam; juggling baby socks and nappy bags while rushing for the Williamstown train to the city, where Mr McCann works in policy at ANZ. War veteran Ross Albert Merrick once threw his girlfriend, Marika Ninness, across a room with such force that her head damaged a wall and her injured tailbone needed hospital treatment, the Newcastle Supreme Court has heard. A jury also heard on Thursday that Ms Ninness told hospital staff she had injured herself when falling off a chair, but would later confide in friends that Mr Merrick had "ragdolled" her during an intense argument before Melbourne Cup day in 2013. In happy times: Ross Merrick and Marika Ninness. Credit:Facebook Defence counsel Tania Evers had previously told the jury the incident was a "one-off" in which Merrick had pulled Ms Ninness out of bed during an argument, but did not know his own strength. Paramedics found a 30-year-old man with a knife lodged in his stomach, when they were called to a Gold Coast home after a fight late Thursday. Emergency services were called to a home in Currumbin Waters about 11.30pm, after reports of a stabbing. Paramedics found a Gold Coast man with a knife lodged in his stomach on Thursday night. Credit:Greater Manchester Police Upon arrival, paramedics found the weapon yet to be dislodged from the victim's abdomen. He was taken to Gold Coast University Hospital for treatment to a non-life threatening injury. Not enough state school parents understand what religion instruction involves, secular advocates believes, with more parents pushing for transparency at their children's schools. The secular movement is growing in Queensland, with groups such as Secular Public Education, Queensland Parents for Secular State Schools and a political party, The Secular Party of Australia all working to remove religious instruction from curriculum hours in state schools. More Queensland parents are pushing for transparency over religion being taught at state schools. Under the Queensland Education General Provisions Act, state schools make up to one hour of curriculum time a week available for the provision of religious instruction. Usually carried out by volunteers, religious instruction does not involve the educational aspects of religion, such as the history of theology or how it fits into culture. Matt Walker Skyping his son Jarvis as the RambleBot. Credit:Matt Walker "Telepresence will never be as good as being there in real life. "However it's actually easier to play hide and seek ... I'm able to hide in the most obscure corners and under beds!" Clockwise from top: Matt Walker with his three sons Jarvis, Maxi and Jack. Credit:Matt Walker Most important is that the kids love it. "It's robots! They don't think about how weird it is, they just think it's cool," he says. Anyone who's tried to Skype young kids will know they can easily get bored and walk away from a computer. The kids' mum, Sharon, says having Matt visit as a robot is much easier. "At first I was like, 'What the hell?!' but it's actually pretty cool," she says. "It helps him [Matt] have control of the view and everything he's doing, and it also means I don't have to be there every second." Matt says having a robot his kids can pester and interact with keeps them engaged and entertained. After a while you begin to feel like you're right there in the room with them, he says. And something remarkable happened with Maxi. Maxi has autism, and doesn't normally look his parents in the eye. But when Matt visits as a robot, Maxi looks right at the smartphone screen where his father's face is. Sharon says the robot didn't necessarily make divorce easier, but the fact Matt went to so much trouble to build it showed he wanted to spend time with the kids even though he moved away. "[The robot] wouldn't work any better than anything else in a situation where there's a lot of bitterness," she says. "You have to be open to making it work, but really, when the motivation of both parents is the children's happiness, then usually you can get to that place." Matt still flies back to Australia to see Jarvis and Maxi in person during school holidays. When he's in Australia, he visits Jack back in California as a robot. RambleBot takes off Matt got the idea to build a smartphone-enabled telepresence robot after he used the Botiful, a compact bot on wheels which is no longer in production. Matt thought the Botiful had some drawbacks, such as only being able to roam on smooth surfaces. Matt now makes RambleBots by hand in his own home and sells them for $US199 ($US248 with an arm gripper). He also has a miniature version called a PuckBot which sells for $US59. It fits in a handbag and runs purely off a 5V smartphone battery. There are other telepresence robots on the market today, but most of them are way beyond the price range of an average lonely parent. There's the Teleporter, and the Segway-inspired AnyBot, which sell for about $US15,000 ($20,587) each; the Double robot, at $US3000; and the Beam for $US2000 still 10 times the price of the RambleBot. Two railway stations on the Frankston line will close for up to five months while they are rebuilt and level crossings removed. McKinnon and Ormond stations will be closed from March 24 and Bentleigh station will also close in early June so they can be rebuilt. McKinnon station will be closed for up to five months. Credit:John Woudstra Premier Daniel Andrews said the work to rebuild the stations and remove the level crossings would be completed ahead of schedule in September. "This had been slated to be completed by mid 2017," he said. At around 3.15pm the city had reached 33 degrees, but by around 4.30pm the city had copped an unexpected soaking. City skies are expected to remain fairly clear for the rest of the day, however Melbourne's south-eastern suburbs can expect a possible shower. The Bureau of Meteorology took the unusual step of revising temperatures overnight - up from a comfortable 26 degrees - thanks to an unexpected blast of hot air from Victoria's north. A heavy downpour has caught some Melbourne commuters unawares, after a day that promised to hit a sweltering 36 degrees. Waters off south-eastern Australia were exceptionally warm in 2017. Credit:Jason South Melbourne Airport reached 38 degrees around 2.30pm, and Scoresby, Coldstream and Viewbank also recorded temperatures at 37 degrees and above. A cool change is expected to pull temperatures back to the low 20s in the late afternoon or evening, dipping to 19 overnight. A cooler, partly cloudy day of 26 degrees is expected for Saturday in Melbourne, before a run of above-average days in the low 30s. Other parts of Victoria will not be so lucky, with temperatures around the 40-degree mark expected in the state's north and northwest for at least the next six days. A pink T-shirt could be the key to finding a predator who broke into a Roxburgh Park home and sexually assaulted a 16-year-old girl in her own bed a week ago, police say. The girl's parents were asleep in the next room when the masked man broke into the house just after 7am last Friday and assaulted her for about 25 minutes. The attacker was last seen running south on Roycroft Road and is still on the loose. Investigators on Friday released an image of a pink 'Mossimo' T-shirt found in a vacant block near the crime scene and which is believed to belong to the attacker. A 2000-square-metre "skypark" will form the centrepiece of a huge new office and apartment precinct at the Docklands end of Collins Street, on what is now one of the CBD's most unloved corners. As part of an almost $2 billion redevelopment of empty city land, Lendlease had applied to build seven office and apartment towers on long-empty land below Collins Street and facing onto Wurundjeri Way. Lendlease's plan for its Melbourne Quarter project, approved by the Andrews government on Thursday. Planning Minister Richard Wynne on Thursday gave the nod to the first stage of Lendlease's massive Melbourne Quarter project, approving a 19-level office tower designed by Denton Corker Marshall. The development will mean a new home for the 25-metre tall Bruce Armstrong sculpture of Bunjil. The eagle sculpture, a Docklands landmark since 2002, was inspired by Bunjil, the eaglehawk regarded as the spirit creator of the Kulin nations, which include the Wurundjeri people. Wurundjeri Way will be decked as part of the project, and vacant land between Flinders and Collins streets will be linked via a new laneway. A man who is already behind bars for running over backpackers on a Broome beach has been handed more jail time for possessing a commercial quantity of methylamphetamine. Kevin James Drage ran down three tourists in October 2012 and was handed a two-year jail term for the dangerous driving offence in June 2014. Kevin James Drage has been handed more jail time for meth possession. Credit:Fairfax Media Drage was sentenced to another six-and-a-half years in jail in the District Court of Western Australia this week after being caught in February 2014 - when he was on bail for the beach offence - arranging to transport about 900 grams of methylamphetamine to the Kimberley and Pilbara regions with two co-offenders. The 51-year-old hid 444g of the drug inside his ute and planned to bring it to Broome. A teenager has been charged with assault after violent chaos erupted on a suburban Perth street following an 18th birthday party, resulting in a teenager's death. The 16-year-old boy was charged over an attack on an 18-year-old man who was found hurt on a Girrawheen footpath on February 19, police said on Thursday. Kuol Akut was killed at the Girrawheen party. Credit:WA Police The victim was hospitalised but discharged the next day. The teeanger is the second person to be charged over the night of violence after Tommy John Jackson, 18, was accused of murdering South Sudanese boy Kuol Akut. Blaine Alan Gibson, from Seattle, has been travelling to remote islands around the Indian Ocean for the past year at his own expense in a quest to solve the enduring mystery of what happened to the international flight, which vanished almost two years ago with 239 people on board. A piece of wreckage believed to be from a Boeing 777 that was found off the Mozambique coast on the weekend was discovered by a US lawyer and blogger who has been driving his own search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370. Mr Gibson has blogged previously about his "independent investigation" into the plane's disappearance, writing how he has been "combing beaches for a year to find anything that looks like it could be possibly ... from an airplane". In one entry, he describes visiting Bird Island, off the coast of Myanmar, where debris often washed ashore and remained untouched. Blaine Gibson has been funding his own search for MH370. "We anchored the speedboat ... and I swam ashore," he wrote, before detailing how he found two items that were of interest to him. In some of his photographs he is wearing a black T-shirt with an image of a plane and the words "MH370 Search On". But his discovery at the weekend, on a sandbank of the Mozambique Channel, the body of water that separates the south-east African nation from Madagascar, has captured the attention of officials investigating the plane's disappearance. Latest News NAB reveals six market megatrends for brokers More opportunities for investors, first home buyers Firstmac shifts up a gear on auto loans National sales manager appointed to pursue growing market Traditional banks will not be toppled by disruption from fintech players, an executive director of Macquarie Bank has said.Speaking at the AltFi Australasian Summit held in Sydney this week, Macquarie Bank executive director, head of corporate development & strategy, Ben Perham, said major tech companies are certainly driving innovation, but they will never compete as full financial services businesses.The ambitions of Apple and Google and so forth are hard to predict but certainly when we talk to them they are not interested in being a regulated financial services business, Perham said.Perham admits they are incredibly active in the payments space in terms of disruption, but it is only at the level of customer interface rather than at the level of the rails that actually run the payments system.He said he would be very, very surprised if the biggest banks in Australia couldnt maintain that status in the future.I think the focus will be a lot on partnering and ways that loans can be originated in more efficient ways but I would be very, very surprised if the largest five banks in Australia werent still the largest five banks in Australia in twenty years time.However, Martin Barrett , managing director of Auswide Bank , was not so steadfast about the future. Also speaking on the panel at the AltFi Australasian Summit, he said banks will need to innovate if they dont want to perish.I think the biggest risk for the banks generally is confusing apathy or loyalty. If we are lousy at the customer experience and we treat our customers with a level of content, if we are not focusing our efforts in terms of our customer experience then ultimately we will perish. It is inevitable.But if we get those pieces right and we have a focus on a meaningful relationship with those particular customers and if we can match what we lack with whats on offer in the marketplace from new entrepreneurs then I see no reason why we wouldnt be around for some time. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams Did you hear the one about the comedy festival that is charging straight, white dudes more to apply? There is no punchline just the set-up of a new Williamsburg gala, whose organizers are hoping the gimmick will attract a more diverse lineup of performers than the average bro-median heavy bill. The discount is a tongue-in-cheek way of inviting people who may have been previously booked as the token comic to have a spotlight on them as well, said Coree Spencer of the Cinder Block Comedy Festival, which will run across several yet-to-be-determined venues from Sept. 1518. Stand-ups and sketch troupes who are women, people of color, disabled, transgender, or queer can pay $19.25 to apply for a slot in the fest through the end of March. Starting in April, straight, white able-bodied guys can apply as well but theyll have to shell out for the regular sticker price of $25. The small markdown a nod to the 77-cents-on-the-dollar nationwide pay gap between men and women is mostly for laughs, Spencer said. And Cinder Block applicants wont actually have to offer any proof of their minority cred although they will have to submit headshots with their submission. This isnt Trumps America, she said. We dont need to know everything about you. But Spencer does think the stunt will have a serious impact on the final festival by catching the attention of comedians who wouldnt otherwise apply. You need to go out of your way to attract diverse comics, she said. Women, people of color, and everybody were offering the discount to those people dont apply to festivals, and were giving them a reason to. Spencer isnt the first borough joker to proffer facetious mark-downs for minority groups. Mo Fathelbab, the owner of Williamsburgs Experiment Comedy Gallery, famously offers free admission to fellow Muslims who can recite the opening verse of the Koran though it is mostly a middle-finger to presidential candidate Donald Trump and his views on Islam than an actual policy. But Fathelbab who will host a few of the Cinder Block shows at his club says he hopes Spencers shtick helps break down real barriers in the comedy scene. Theres some sort of wall thats being built around people that are not the norm right now, he said. People are regressing, so its good shes doing this. Comics can apply to the Cinder Block Comedy festival at www.cinde rbloc kcome dyfes tival.com . Could Bensalem's riverfront one day rival Baltimore? Mayor hopes so Bensalem Mayor Joe DiGirolamo, now in his 28th year, focuses on riverfront redevelopment, despite opposition. latest news October 3, 2022 Dee Gambit Hundreds if not thousands of new and returning TV shows and movies are released every month your options of what to watch are endless. Variety, they say is ... 1st Congressional District race sees Norcross, Gustafson rematch U.S. Rep. Donald Norcross, D-1, is looking to repeat his win two years ago over Republican Claire Gustafson when voters turn out this November. CASTE, DISCRIMINATION, AND EXCLUSION IN MODERN INDIA Vani Kant Barooah and others Sage 337 pages; Rs 995 "On 26th January 1950, we are going to enter into a life of contradiction. In politics we will have equality and in social and economic life we will have inequality." B R Ambedkar In a sweeping study of the discrimination that continues to haunt Indian society 68 years after Independence, Caste, Discrimination and Exclusion in Modern India highlights this very contradiction. This book does not show what is unknown, but provides extensive statistical data to underline the limits of political freedom amid the continued subjugation of the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Muslims and women. As Sukhdeo Thorat, professor emeritus, Jawaharlal Nehru University, points out in the foreword, "the caste system, according to Ambedkar, in its outcome serves the economic and social ends of the dominant groups of high castes." In lines that seem almost prophetic, the authors say the book "details the many ways in which an accident of birth affects a person's chances of achieving economic and social success". Events in recent months have made us more than aware what this means. In his suicide note, Rohith Vemula alluded to this "fatal accident" of his birth and the inability of our society to treat "a person as a mind." In its chapters on educational attainment, child malnutrition, health outcomes, employment and wages and the position of women, this book painstakingly details the extensive hurdles that stop marginalised groups from fully participating in the life of their communities. Three kinds of difficulties that marginalised groups typically face are mentioned here. Access to the market, in terms of the ability to get jobs and housing, is often denied. For example, housing in villages is organised along caste lines, with Dalits often living in "colonies" outside the village. Then there is disparity in the kind of jobs offered to them and the wages that they receive. There are sections here about the difficulty "untouchable" casual labourers face in finding jobs in harvesting fruit and vegetables because of the notion of purity that underpins the caste system. In terms of land, lower-caste households do not get access to good quality land. Land is also sold within castes, which automatically excludes them. In terms of access to common property resources, dominant castes "privatise" such resources, leading to skewed access to basic amenities like water, or denial of other essential services, like the denial of haircuts within villages in parts of rural Karnataka. Access to health care too, according to the book, is so skewed that the average age at death for Scheduled Tribes is 4.9 years lower than the national average, 7.1 years lower for Scheduled Castes, and 6.1 years lower for Muslims. Public policy initiatives meant to address these issues are "captured" by dominant groups, and often those entrusted with implementing such schemes are upper castes. Then there are other instances of such discrimination, such as in a village in Mysuru district, where the decision to hire a Dalit woman for the midday meal scheme resulted in upper castes withdrawing their children from the school. The book also highlights the problems women belonging to the Scheduled Castes face. For them it is an intersection of issues, a three-fold discrimination. Discrimination based on caste, gender, and the discrimination based on being Scheduled Caste women. The book also draws attention to the lack of any affirmative action for Muslims, despite the Sachar Committee pointing out the gross underrepresentation of Muslims in public life. Such studies, however, are not new. Many have studied the extent of discrimination and the resultant deprivation. Every piece of evidence against the caste system, though, must be welcomed and the effort to constantly highlight injustices entrenched in this system must be lauded. This is after all a society that does not stop with discrimination of humans. India is home to two kinds of kites. The Brahminy Kite which has a white body, and the Pariah or Black Kite. This is clearly a society where the "value of a man was reduced to his immediate identity and nearest possibility," as Vemula noted. However, where the book does fall short is in its conclusion. The authors say, "For Indian society to progress, Hindu social order needs reform." Yet, reform is violently resisted by the caste hierarchy. For example, in Tamil Nadu's Dharmapuri district, when a Dalit man and a woman belonging to the Vanniyar caste eloped, a Vanniyar mob torched 200 houses in the Dalit hamlet. The mob paid special attention to destroying the assets the Dalits had accumulated as a result of their hard work and increased access to services. In a system that has exclusion as an added safeguard for dominant castes, as Mr Thorat points out, it is hard to see how reform from within can be transformative. It is probably for this reason that Ambedkar called not for reform but the annihilation of caste. To achieve this, one must follow through on Ambedkar's proposition: Educate, agitate and organise. Educating people about this injustice is just one part. After the signing of the agreement to acquire the cement business of Reliance Infrastructure, Kolkata-based Birla Corporation is now focusing on building a brand image for its cement range. Officials close to the development said that a lack of brand-building activity had resulted in the company owning a marginal market share in the northern part of the country. Where we are losing out and need to focus on is on building a brand of our cement portfolio and sustain it in the long run, said an official. The company is also in the process of restructuring its marketing team apart from rationalising the marketing budget. Lack of a brand presence in its portfolio had motivated the company to opt for the acquisition of Lafarge cement plants in Sonadih in Chhattisgarh and Jojobera in Jharkhand for Rs 5,000 crore. The deal facilitated Birla Corporation to completely acquire the Concreto brand and partially control the PSC brand. Regulatory approvals and considerations resulted in the deal being called off and the MP Birla group firm resorting to legal action against the France-based company. Even though it didnt have a brand, the Reliance acquisition gave Birla Corporation an advantage of Rs 300-400 per tonne in input cost. While the Reliance deal helps Birla Corporation save between Rs 30 and Rs 40 a bag, the deal comes with other benefits as well. It gives the company a tax benefit incentive in Madhya Pradesh and also provide access to various mining licences. All that needs to be done is to just pay for the mining fees to obtain the permit, said the official. The bargain gives the Kolkata-based company access to various mining leases in Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan. In the coming financial year, Birla Corporation will take forward the 4.5 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) project at Wani in Maharashtra, which was planned by Reliance Infrastructure for Reliance Cement. To avail the tax benefits and facilitate the transition, a part of the cement from the recently acquired Maihar plant in Madhya Pradesh will be sold under the Reliance Cement brand name for sometime, while a part will be packaged with the Birla Samrat logo. Nevertheless, the recent move from Birla Corporation clearly cites its goal to scale up its production capacity to about 15 mtpa. While the Lafarge deal had the potential to pull up the former's capacity to 14.45 mtpa, the Reliance Cement deal gave it provisions to boost it to 14.8 mtpa. The company, whose ownership is still disputed between the Lodha and the Birla family, however, told Business Standard that it was not in the race to increase its production capacity for the sake of it and was rather focusing on increasing its bottom line and future competitiveness. It has already started using pet coke in its plants in Madhya Pradesh, Rajashtan, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh resulting in an annual saving of Rs 72-84 crore, which will be further scaled up. It is also planning to rationalise its limestone procurement. Additionally, it plans to scale up using alternate fuel and further wastage recovery, which can help the company battle a falling bottom line. In what can be described as the coming together of two rival retailers, Kishore Biyani's Future group has tied up with Trent Hypermarket, a joint venture of Tata group's Trent and UK-based Tesco. The agreement will enable Future Consumer Enterprise, a consumer goods company of the Future group, to supply its own brands in foods and non-foods category to Trent Hypermarket. This comes right after Future's mega marketing deal with Baba Ramdevs Patanjali. Star Bazaar, the chain operated by Trent Hypermarkets, would launch 148 products from 10 brands of Future Consumer Enterprise, under the pact. ABOUT FUTURE CONSUMER ENTERPRISE Revenues: Rs 1082 cr in FY2015; eyes Rs 4,000 cr by FY2017 Rs 1082 cr in FY2015; eyes Rs 4,000 cr by FY2017 SKUs: 350 now; plans to have 1,000 stock keeping units in 1 year 350 now; plans to have 1,000 stock keeping units in 1 year Started distributorship Benaras for its Tasty treat brand; to have distributors in other cities Brands: Sunkist, Tasty Treat, Karmiq, Desi Atta in food and Clean Mate and Care Mate in non food Sunkist, Tasty Treat, Karmiq, Desi Atta in food and Clean Mate and Care Mate in non food Plans to supply wholesale stores, general trade soon We are expecting a 8-10 per cent shelf share in Star Bazaar stores, Biyani said at the event organised to announce the tie-up. The group is in talks with other chains as well. We want to be become one of the top three FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) in the country, he said. Biyani expects Future Consumer Enterprise to become a Rs 4,000-crore company by FY17. Its revenues were pegged at Rs 1,082 crore in FY15. Future Consumer Enterprise has 350 products under brands such as Sunkist, Tasty Treat, Karmiq, Desi Atta in Food and Clean Mate and Care Mate in non-food. Analysts said the tie-up with Star Bazaar was part of the groups plan to become a Rs 20,000-crore FMCG company by 2021 and open a new distribution avenue for the firm. Biyani is looking to launch oats, 100 varieties of flour, sauces and dips from its food park at Tumkur in Karnataka. He is also looking to launch personal care products. Future has appointed a distributor in Varanasi for Tasty Treat and for selling to 6,000 traders in the region. Biyani said the company would appoint such distributors in other regions, too. Star Bazaar operates 22 stores in Maharashtra and Karnataka, which are among the states to have allowed foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail. Tesco, which is the part-owner of Star Bazaar, is the only international chain to be present in the multi-brand category in India, but till now has operations just in Maharashtra and Karnataka. Telecom operators association Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) and Association of Unified Telecom Service Providers of India (AUSPI) on Thursday moved Supreme Court, challenging the Delhi High Court order which upheld Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai)s decision to offer compensation to mobile users for call drops. The apex court will hear the plea on Friday. We are requesting a stay for no coercive action by Trai while the matter is being heard by the SC, said an executive with a telecom firm. The appeal on Thursday in the SC says the impugned regulations are inconsistent with the Telegraph Act of 1885 under which licences are granted, he adds. The plea of the associations was mentioned before a bench of Chief Justice T S Thakur, seeking urgent hearing on the matter. The bench, also including judge U U Lalit, asked the associations: Why dont you correct the system? Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the telecom associations, said this matter required urgent hearing as Delhi High Court had upheld the Trai order, after which the bench agreed to hear the plea on Friday. On Monday, the high court had dismissed the petitions filed by COAI, AUSPI, and 21 telecom operators, including Vodafone, Bharti Airtel and Reliance. The regulation was to come into effect from January 1, but telecom operators had approached the high court against the Trais order. In October last year, Trai issued amendment in Telecom Consumers Protection Regulations, mandating this compensation. Mobile users will be given rupee one compensation for each call drop, with a compensation cap of Rs 3 per day but no coercive step was taken by the regulator as the matter was pending in the court. Trai had told the high court that consumers have a right to get compensated for call drops and this was different from the quality of service guidelines that cellular service providers have to follow under the licence conditions. However, telecom had argued that even if consumers were facing problems, a regulation without statutory backing cannot be created. The telecom firms had termed the regulation as arbitrary and whimsical, contending that providing compensation to consumers amounted to interfering with companies tariff structure which could be done only by order, not regulation. The high court, while brushing aside the contention of telecom firms, had also observed that the compensation for call drops was capped at Rs 3 only and the regulation also mandated compensating the calling consumer and not the receiver. The Debt Recovery Tribunal is likely to issue orders on Friday over a plea by State Bank of India to arrest and impound the passport of UB Group chairman Vijay Mallya over unpaid loans taken to run Kingfisher Airlines.State Bank of India had filed the petition with the DRT after Mallya signed a deal with United Spirits Ltd and its parent Diageo last week that gets him $75 million or Rs 500 crore over five years. All civil cases filed against him by USL and Diageo has also been dropped. A counsel for SBI and a DRT official independently confirmed that the orders will be posted on Friday. The plea also maintains that SBI should have the first right of the funds from United Spirits as Mallya had stepped down from the company's board. Mallya has objected to the SBI's plea stating that the DRT was not the forum to seek a defaulter's arrest. His counsel said that objections were filed on Thursday against the SBI's notice. SBI, which leads a consortium of banks that lent Mallya, declared him as a willful defaulter in october 2015. Besides SBI, United Bank of India, which he has got a stay from the Calcutta High Court, and Punjab National Bank has also declared him willful defaulter. Mallya and Kingfisher, now defunct since it suspended operations in October 2012, owe SBI and the consortium of 17 banks over Rs 7,800 crores of loans raised to run the airline. Kingfisher Airlines was started as a trophy airline by Mallya for his son's 18th birthday. The airline redefined luxury air travel in India but soon crash landed due to high cost structures, increased competition and mismanagement. Mallya, a Rajya Sabha MP, on Thursday also faced a setback from the Delhi High Court, when it refused to accept his plea against SBI's decision to declare him defaulter. The court asked Mallya and United Breweries (Holdings) Ltd, the company he owns majority stake to approach an appropriate forum. Mallya arrived at a deal with Diageo and USL, nearly 18 months after USL has reported that financial irregularities and fund diversion when Mallya ran the company has cost USL over Rs 7,200 crores. The USL board has recommended to Diageo to evict Mallya from the company, after it lost confidence in him due to the fraud. Social networking giant revealed on Thursday that it has three million active advertisers on its platform, up 50 per cent from last year. Globally, 45 million small businesses are using . About 70 per cent of these advertisers are not from the US. As of October 2015, about two million small businesses in India used the platform, up 500,000 from August 2015. It now has 142 million monthly active users and 69 million daily active users. As many as 133 million monthly active users access Facebook via mobile. Facebook is the bridge to new mobile economy for small businesses, helping them communicate with customers anytime, anywhere. More than one billion people on Facebook are connected to at least one business. And, in India, over 57 per cent of people on Facebook are connected to small businesses, said the company in a statement. Around two billion interactions were generated between businesses and people in India. To woo more small businesses to its platform, Facebook has introduced movie tool which helps businesses create their own stories and share them with the world. To celebrate businesses that use Facebook to grow, we created Your Business Story a tool that makes it easy to create a video that shows what your business brings to the world, says a blog post by Facebook. Facebook also announced the launch of SME India Council, first-of-its-kind in Asia Pacific. The council will interact with small businesses to discuss progress on solutions, business ideas, new successes and challenges. In 2014, Facebook had also created an India Client Council. Some of the major brands that have joined the India Client Council include Tata Motors, Flipkart, GroupM, Madison World, Airtel and Hindustan Unilever. Facebook said more than a million advertisers create ads directly from mobile devices. Instagram, which stared monetising its platform from last year, saw its global advertiser base touch 200,000. More than 50 million small businesses use Facebooks free Pages to grow. Going by their analytics, more than a billion people are connected to at least one business. The senior officers at and the labour department played a good cop-bad cop routine to end the strike at the auto majors Sanand plant in the western state. On Wednesday, senior officers of the plant, about 45 km southwest of state capital Gandhinagar, presented flowers to the labourers a gesture reminiscent of the Gandhigiri tactics made popular in the 2006 Sanjay Dutt-starrer Lage Raho Munna Bhai to persuade them to return to work. The state government, on the other hand, prohibited the strike and referred the matter to the industrial tribunal. Confirming the development, K O Shah, additional labour commissioner, Gandhinagar, said: We have prohibited the strike under Section 10(3) of the Industrial Disputes Act, and have referred the matter to the industrial tribunal in Ahmedabad. He explained that now the tribunal would decide if the suspension orders against 28 workers at the plant would be upheld, and also whether or not the workers on strike would be paid their wages for the days they have stayed away from work. Shah also said the workers were now expected to return to work immediately as their strike had been prohibited. The company can take legal action if they want, but it is trying other means of persuasion to woo the protesting workers. On Wednesday, senior officers of the plant (around 80 of them), presented roses to the workers. Along with the flowers was a note in Gujarati: Tame hamare maatey mulyavaan chho (You are valuable to us) We were indeed taken aback by the gesture, said a worker on strike, who did not want to be named. They came to us one by one and gave us the roses. They are trying to break our unity. Last week, the company also organised a meditation session with the workers The labourers, however, had not returned to work on Thursday and were holding meetings to decide on the future of their protest, which has continued unabated for 11 days. Labour department officials noted that if the workers continue to be on strike after it has been prohibited, it becomes illegal. A company spokesperson said, The matter is now sub-judice. We expect everyone to conform to the order and restore normalcy, while awaiting the tribunals decision. There have been tripartite talks between the company, the labour department and workers at the assistant labour commissioners office in Ahmedabad but without yielding any result. The workers have written to Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, Ahmedabad Collector Sanand Mamlatdar and other senior officers of the government to help them solve the problem. The plant has an installed capacity of 250,000 units per annum, and is now making Nano. Preparations are in final stages to roll out its new hatchback Tiago. TROUBLE AT MOTOR PLANT suspended two workers at the Sanand plant on December 16 last year: 2015 -Dec 19: Workers and management decide to take decision on suspension after enquiry 2016 -Feb 22: Workers protest at the site demanding the enquiry report, and re-instatement of their suspended colleagues. They allegedly damaged cars. The company suspends 26 more labourers for indiscipline Feb 23: Workers stage a sit-in at the site, demanding re-instatement of all those who were suspended Feb 25: Workers and representatives meet at assistant labour commissioners office; talks fail Mar 1: Workers write to the Gujarat chief minister and the Ahmedabad collector Mar 2: The labour department prohibits the strike. Tata Motors officials present flowers to the workers To have a Jag or a Merc is a dream for many. Now, the dream is coming true in Chennai, with models of luxury cars being sold at dirt cheap prices. How? About 80,000 vehicles - including two-wheelers - were damaged during the in November last year. Of these, about 20,000 were declared to be "fully damaged" and written off by insurance . Read more from our special coverage on "CHENNAI FLOODS" Chennai calamity: Flood-ravaged corporate jets to cost insurers Rs 500 cr Now, the insurers who have acquired this inventory are selling off the cars - in the open market, and yard and online auctions - for 25-45 per cent of their insured declared value (IDV). Car dealers from all over the country are flocking to the southern metropolis to buy these cars. But why would someone buy a damaged vehicle? Take an example: The on-road value of a Jaguar F-Type is about Rs 2.2 crore. In Chennai, if you are lucky, you could get one for as low as Rs 15-25 lakh. Add the cost of refurbishment to it (about Rs 5-10 lakh), and it is still dirt cheap. Of late, garage owners and dealers of used cars are flocking to Chennai - they comprise about 96 per cent of the buyers. If the cars are beyond repair, they can be turned into scrap. Others can be repaired and sold off. Dinesh Pathania, the managing director of Autoworld, a Delhi-based bulk used car dealer, is in Chennai. He said he had already bought and sold about 500 of these cars. Of these, 70 to 100 were luxury cars such as Mercedes and Audis. "I'm expecting a batch of another 100 luxury vehicles in 10-15 days, and shall sell them to smaller traders and used car dealers," Pathania said. The insurance companies, too, are benefiting from this sale, as it is helping them cut some of the losses. A source in the sector said: "If a car is totally damaged, the insurance company might have to shell out as much as Rs 80 lakh - an IDV of around Rs 1-1.2 crore. In this case, there is no chance of recovering the money. "However, if the insurance company does not pay the entire IDV to the consumer, there is hope that the car might even fetch 45 per cent of the IDV, thus offsetting the losses to some extent." Ravi Mehra, president, auctions, CarTrade.com, told Business Standard, "The inventory of damaged vehicles (those that have been written off) is around 20,000. Considering the average price of a vehicle at Rs 6 lakh (it ranges from Maruti Alto to Jaguar F-Type), the size of the inventory is around Rs 1,200 crore." Around 4,000 vehicles have already been auctioned off, and 400-450 vehicles are being auctioned every week, Mehra added. Another online portal, CarDekho.com, however, pegs the number of lost assets to insurance at 10,000-12,000 units. Abhishek Gautam, chief operating officer, CarDekho auctions, elaborated, "For flood-damage vehicles, there are basically in three categories: First, C-level: Water damage till floor or carpet level; second, B-level: water damage till dash-board level; and third, A-level: water damage till the roof. Depending upon the damage, cars can be sold for anything between 20 and 50 per cent of the original value." Vishal Sikka, chief executive officer and managing director of Infosys, said on Wednesday that despite the firms rapid progress in bringing innovations powered by automation, artificial intelligence, products and platforms, there is no way it would become a product company. This is because of the fact that the world itself is moving the services way with disruption happening in every segment, he said, while addressing the Morgan Stanley TMT (technology, media and telecom) conference held at San Francisco on Wednesday. The endeavour is not to become a product company; that will completely miss the point. At a time when everything is becoming a service, why would a services company want to become a product company? The Infosys CEO also reiterated the commitment to achieving the industry leading growth in the ongoing financial year and the long-term goal of touching $20 billion in revenue with 30 per cent operating margin and $80,000 revenue per employee in calendar year 2020. The company, he said, would be able to achieve these with minimal investments, both in people as well as acquisitions. Im quite satisfied with the early progress, but it is still early and a lot is still in front of us. Our endeavour is to have consistent profitable growth and we dont believe in sacrificing margins in order to grow. We are on track to get to industry leading growth in the next financial year. We want to be a global leader in this new kind of IT services, Sikka added. After Sikka assumed the charge of CEO & MD at the Bengaluru-based firm in August 2014, Infosys had introduced a new strategy with a focus on renewing the existing services and getting into newer areas. A part of that strategy was to acquire newer capabilities by acquiring small but niche technology . Sikka said the company would continue to look for such companies, but its not looking at any large acquisition for scale. Our objective is to have consistent profitable growth and we believe we can achieve all of these without making too many investments, said Sikka. We will make acquisitions, small ones, very niche, focused on high and complex technologies, which will give us a jump in our road forward and enable us to accelerate our journey, and that is something we are excited about. During the past 18 months, it has shown steady improvement in its performance, led by the new management team with Sikka at the forefront. The firms deal win rate has risen considerably while the size of the deals has doubled to $800-900 mn in a quarter compared to the earlier period. Besides, the growth rate of the top clients has now exceeded the average company growth rate. Sikka said as the company was now in the midst of a journey to become the next generation services company, its focus would be on getting into more outcome-based and fixed price projects that would require new kind of expertise to sell the software and IP-led innovation. I think, going forward the go-to-market has to scale to bring innovation to every client. We need to bring this to every client now and thats our big endeavour as we look at the new financial year ahead of us. Netherlands-based Royal Philips today gave a further push to its India manufacturing unit, with the rollout of its entry level catheterisation lab (cath lab), Intuis. The product is entirely designed, developed and manufactured in India by Philips Healthcare Innovation Center (HIC) in Pune. With this, the company seeks to provide access to affordable cardiac care in tier-II and tier-III cities. Intuis will be the sixth product that Philips' centre in Pune has developed grounds-up for the Indian and the global markets. "This is the sixth Philips product which is entirely designed, developed and manufactured in India. We are looking at India as a global supply base for our products. Our strategy is to build a mature organisation in India. We are also expanding our mobile surgery portfolio in Pune for global markets. While we are manufacturing and designing our imaging products from India, we will also begin designing mammography portfolio from here," said Bert Van Meurs, general manager image guided therapy at Philips. With the launch of the cath lab, Philips will have three portfolio products being designed and developed out of India these include-imaging, cath labs and mobile surgery portfolio. "Today, 50 per cent of our mobile surgery products are developed in Netherlands and 50 per cent in Pune. We have a large range of product portfolio, going ahead we will have some of our general x-ray's being designed and developed here. Other than diagnostic products we are also exploring to get some of the consumer market focused to be manufactured in India," added Meurs. Other than designing and developing high-end diagnostic products out of India, Philips is also trying to increase the localised component in its product. "When we started the HIC in Pune we were at 20 per cent localisation, today that has moved to 40 per cent. Moreover, with these products we now cater to almost 80 countries both emerging and several of the Western European markets," said Rekha Ranganathan, general manager, mobile surgery, Philips image guided therapy systems and head of Philips HIC. The company said that the products developed at the HIC not only catering for the Indian market but to several of the emerging and developed markets. As Ranganathan stated that the Intuis, that has been designed and developed in India will give a competitive advantage of 25-30 per cent over other similar products. "This need is felt acutely in tier-II cities, where the availability of effective healthcare infrastructure is often a challenge. With Philips Intuis, we are addressing the evolving needs of cardiologists and patients beyond metro's and tier-I cities," she added. Meurs said that Philips India journey as a hub for its products started with acquisition of Mumbai-based Alpha X-Ray Technologies in September 2008. "The reason why we came here was the capability to design for value. Taking a premium system and stripping it down for other markets will never work and our engineers in the Netherlands do not have the capability to design from bottom-up a value product. Our India centre capability and engineers are equipped to design in that fashion," added Meurs. The company will export these cath labs to other markets like Latin America, Africa and Western Europe. Philips HIC in Pune manufactures both interventional and diagnostic X-Ray systems. The center has successfully installed over 1,000 systems in more than 80 different countries, including countries in Western Europe. Since 2012, HIC has launched five global products -- MobileDiagnost Opta, Allura FC, Allura Centron, BV Vectra and Primary Diagnost. As part of the transformation, Philips changed the name of its health care division in Pune to Healthcare Innovation Centre (HIC) from its earlier Development Manufacturing Centre. For Philips, the Pune-based HIC is the only such centre worldwide. It does have an innovation campus in Bengaluru but this caters to all its product ranges, across categories of health care, consumer lifestyle and lighting, and focusing more on the software and services aspect. Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) is set to miss its deadline for re-opening all 1,400 retail fuel outlets by March-end. Till December, the company had 750 operational retail outlets, up from 320 such outlets in April last year. "We are opening all our outlets one by one. In the next few months, we would be opening the other closed outlets. A lot of infrastructure details have to be looked into before re-opening of these outlets," said a company official. RIL says it is also trying to address the perception that fuel at its outlets is costlier than the state-run oil marketing companies (OMCs). The company had shut down its fuel retail outlets in 2008 when global oil prices surged to $150 a barrel. While the state-run OMCs were providing subsidies to customers, private fuel retailers couldn't survive in the market. RIL says it has around 3.5 per cent market share, compared with around 12 per cent fuel retailing market share in 2005-06. The top three state refiners - Indian Oil Corp, Bharat Petroleum Corp and Hindustan Petroleum Corp - control over 95 per cent of the market. The Mukesh Ambani-led company is also offering discounts on diesel and petrol at few fuel stations in Gujarat and the scheme may be widened if sales increase. "Indian customer is used to having a uniform rate across all outlets. We had initially sold fuel at rates higher than that of OMCs. But customers still have this negative perception that fuel rates at RIL outlets are higher than that of OMCs. We would be addressing the sales issue in various ways which I cannot disclose," the company official said. RIL is offering a discount of Rs 2 per litre of diesel at few company-owned, company-operated (COCO) outlets. Around half of RIL's 1,400 retail outlets are COCO while the other half are company-owned, dealer-operated (CODO) and dealer-owned, dealer-operated (DODO). At the end of December quarter, diesel sales at RIL's outlets were up 64 per cent from the previous quarter. Diesel is RIL's mainstay. It had achieved the highest retail outlet throughput of nearly 200 kilolitres per month compared with key competitors. At its company owned, dealer operated (CODO) outlets, RIL is offering a discount of Rs 1 per litre of diesel and petrol. It has offered to bear 75 paise of the discount and the rest will be borne by the dealers. The discount schemes, dealers said, would be around till May 2016. RIL dealers said given the company's handsome gross refining margins (GRM), it could offer more discounts to customers. The gross refining margin measures earnings from turning every barrel of crude oil into fuel. RIL has been posting strong gross refining margins, defying the Singapore benchmark by $3-4.5 a barrel for two consecutive quarters. The October-December 2015 quarter saw its GRM increasing to $11.5 a barrel from $10.6 a barrel in 2014-15. A major factor, RIL said, was reduction in the crude oil basket cost. RE-SECURING CUSTOMER BASE In sync with 'Startup India' initiative, Uber, the app-based taxi-hailing service provider, on Thursday said it would mentor and help 10 start-ups with funding under 'UberExchange' programme. As many as 750 start-ups are participating in the programme. The company will host six leadership talks by senior executives, including from their headquarters in San Francisco. The programme addresses issues like fund-raising, product design and scaling up. At the end of the programme, the top 10 start-ups will travel to San Francisco where they will be introduced to global investors, fellow entrepreneurs and the Uber team. Out of 750 start-ups, 20 will be short-listed by the end of the year. Finally, 10 will be selected for mentorship by Uber. The company, however, said 'UberExchange' will not act as an incubator. "It is not an incubator. There are no plans right now of funding any of these start-ups. But we never say never. We are doing it in partnership with Invest India and the idea is to mentor start-ups," said a senior Uber official. The start-ups in the race are from diverse sectors including health, pharma, mobile apps, and are in different stages of development. The companies would be short-listed according to product relevance and expansion plans among other things. The company said the initiative will enable students, entrepreneurs and industry leaders to learn from each other, helping create a culture that celebrates risk-taking and views failure as an opportunity to learn. "Today, more and more people aspire to be entrepreneurs . That's why Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Startup India initiative is so important, and that's why we're excited to share our experience with hundreds of start-ups and entrepreneurs as they begin their journey," Uber chief executive Travis Kalanick said in January. Uber India general manager joins Shuttl as V-P Bus aggregator Shuttl on Thursday said that Suryansh Kumar, who was general manager at Uber India, has joined them as vice-president, growth. At Uber, Kumar was responsible for operations and marketing. In the past, he worked with Bharat Matrimony and Bharti-Walmart. Shuttl was founded in April 2015 and has led the way in app-based bus service category in India. KEY TAKEAWAYS Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday introduced the Aadhaar Bill in the Lok Sabha with Opposition members objecting to the governments intent to categorise it as a money Bill. A money Bill does not need the approval of the Rajya Sabha, where the government is currently in a minority. The Aadhaar (Target Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Bill, 2016 aims to give statutory backing for transferring government subsidies and benefits and also lay down a regulatory framework to protect core biometric information of Aadhaar cardholders from any unauthorised disclosure or sharing. The Bill is the key to the governments plan to plug leakages in disbursal of subsidies and other services and in ensuring that these reach intended beneficiaries. The government is also likely to move to withdraw the National Identification Authority of India Bill. That Bill was a precursor to the Aadhaar Bill introduced on Thursday and was placed in the Rajya Sabha on December 3, 2010. The earlier Bill wasnt a money Bill and introduced in the House by the then Minister of State of Parliamentary Affairs V Narayanasamy. It was later referred to the parliamentary standing committee on finance. As Jaitley stood up to introduce the Bill, Congress members Mallikarjun Kharge and Jyotiraditya Scindia said the government shouldnt bypass the Rajya Sabha on an issue that affects all the 1.25 billion people of India. Speaker Sumitra Mahajan indicated that the issue would be dealt with when the Bill comes up for discussion. Kharge, however, insisted that the government should make its intent clear on the issue. Jaitley said the current Bill was significantly different from the earlier Bill. He said it falls within the textbook definition of money Bill and went on to remind the Congress of Bills like juvenile justice and workman injury compensation it brought as money Bill during the tenure of its governments in the 1980s. The minister said the Bill satisfied the requirements, as laid down in Article 110 of the Constitution, for it to be categorised a money Bill. He said it was for the Speaker to certify whether its a money Bill or not. Constitution expert Subhash C Kashyap said the Opposition, if it disagrees on the question of it being a money Bill, can keep its view on the floor of the House to argue that the Bill violates the relevant Constitutional provision. It is for the Speaker, and not the government, to certify a Bill as money Bill, he said. Kashyap, former secretary general of the Lok Sabha, said the Speakers ruling on the subject cannot be challenged. In the Lok Sabha, Jaitley said the Bill addresses concerns over privacy of Aadhaar data and Clause 9 of the Bill makes it clear that the Aadhaar number shall not, by itself, confer any right of, or be proof of, citizenship or domicile. Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said this would save Rs 20,000 crore by avoiding subsidies being taken by the undeserving. In the case of money Bill, the Rajya Sabha can only make recommendations but no amendments. The Upper House has to return money Bills to the Lok Sabha within 14 days from the date of receipt, failing which it is considered approved. The second edition of a two-day retreat, Gyan Sangam, will outline the reform agenda for the coming year for state-owned . The event follows Minister Arun Jaitley's Budget statement that the government will unveil a road map for consolidation in public sector . The event, to be held at the State Bank of India academy in Gurgaon, will be attended by officials from the ministry of and senior managers of public sector banks, insurance companies and financial institutions. On the agenda are mergers, bad debt and credit growth. "The objective of this retreat is to arrive at a common understanding among professionals, regulators and the government on reforms required in public sector banks," a ministry official said on Thursday. Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan will talk on asset quality review, a measure that hit earnings of public sector in the third quarter as they set aside more money to cover bad loans. The State Bank of India, the country's largest bank, recognised 50 per cent of its non-performing assets to be declared under the asset quality review, while Oriental Bank of Commerce recognised 80 per cent NPAs required to be declared. RBI on Tuesday allowed banks to recognise some of their assets like real estate, foreign currency and deferred tax, reducing the extra capital needs of state-owned banks by 15 per cent. The move is aimed to align the regulatory capital of banks with the Basel-III standards. Unlike the previous year, the event will not be addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. At last year's in Pune Modi had promised banks there would be no interference from any government functionary in their commercial decisions. Seven months after the first Gyan Sangam, the government came out with a strategy, Indradhanush, to revive public sector banks. It relies on professional appointments, a bank board bureau, re-capitalisation, de-stressing, empowerment, accountability and governance reforms. The government has infused Rs 25,000 crore capital in state-owned banks in 2015-16, with a provision for another Rs 25,000 crore infusion in the next financial year. This, however, is inadequate for the scale of the stress in the system and state-owned banks are expected to make a pitch for higher capitalisation. Animals are Often the Forgotten Victims of Disasters- Radha Mohan Singh . . Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister, Shri Radha Mohan Singh inaugurated the two-day workshop on Management of Animals in Emergencies organised by National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) here today. . . Addressing the gathering, Shri Radha Mohan Singh said that the NIDM is playing pivotal role not only in disasters occurring in the country but also in our neighbouring countries like Nepal where massive earthquake struck impacting adjoining States in our country as well. The role of disaster management agencies in rescue and rehabilitation of several people during recent Chennai floods was highly appreciated, he added. The Minister said that it is important to note that animals are often the forgotten victims of disasters and thousands of animals suffer and perish each year. . . Considering the importance of livestock in the economy of the nation and also lives of rural population, Shri Radha Mohan Singh said that the management of livestock during disaster becomes imperative. He said that the NIDM along with organisation like Policy Prospective Foundation and World Animal Protection have been working together to address much needed issue of management of animals in emergencies. For better policy support, measures to protect animals from disasters should also be included into the Disaster Management Act, he added. . . Shri Radha Mohan Singh said that this workshop is going to identify the challenges and focus on the way forward to mitigate and prevent loss of livestock resources before, during and after disasters. . . Following the inaugural, the Minister released the Disaster Management Plan for the Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying & Fisheries and Government of India. The Plan has been developed to protect animals before, during and after disasters. . . The two-day workshop includes sessions to brief on subjects like Veterinary Emergency Preparedness Measures (Pre Disaster stage), Veterinary Emergency Response Measures (During Disaster stage), Veterinary Emergency Recovery Measures (Post Disaster stage), National Legislative & Institutional Perspectives and Animal Centred DRR measures. . . Shri Ashok Kumar Angurana, Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying & Fisheries, Prof. Santosh Kumar, Executive Director, NIDM and other dignitaries were present on the occasion. . . KSD/SS/KM/CP Assessment of Implementation of RTE Act . . The Central Government reviews and monitors implementation of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 periodically with the States and Union Territories at different fora, including the State Education Ministers Conferences. An independent concurrent financial review is also undertaken to cover all States within two years. Educational data on outcomes are collected through Unified District Implementation System of Education (UDISE) every year. The status of these evaluations and monitoring is placed in the public domain on the Ministrys website. The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) is the designated scheme to meet the object of RTE Act, 2009. The combined RTE-SSA programme is reviewed twice every year by a Joint Review Mission (JRM) comprising independent experts and members of external funding agencies, covering all States by rotation. The last JRM was held from 2nd to 12th February, 2015. The major challenge in meeting the objective of the RTE Act is ensuring quality education for all children at elementary level. . . The no-detention policy has resulted in improvement of retention of children in schools. This is reflected in the decline in annual average dropout rate of children which is 4.15% at elementary level as per UDISE, 2014-15. Some States have requested for review of no-detention policy. Reports and views of several State Governments reflect that standard of elementary education has come down due to no-detention policy. . . Section 7 of the RTE Act, 2009 provides that the Central and State Governments have concurrent responsibility for providing funds for carrying out the provisions of the RTE Act. Allocation of outlays of the States under SSA are made on the basis of the approved Annual Work Plans and Budgets (AWP&B) prepared by the States based on their requirements. The central share released to States/UTs under SSA during the last five years and the current year is at Annexure. . . The Government of India has introduced several measures to facilitate the implementation of the SSA to meet the objectives of the RTE Act by (i) launching Padhe Bharat Badhe Bharat- a foundational sub-programme under SSA to improve early reading and writing with comprehension and early mathematics; (ii) launching Rashtriya Avishkaar Abhiyan a convergent framework to make Science, Mathematics and Technology exciting for children; (iii) sharing an exemplar on continuous and comprehensive evaluation in elementary education developed by the National Council for Educational Research & Training (NCERT); (iv) sharing learning outcomes by class and stage of education brought out by the NCERT; (v) conducting National Achievement Surveys for Classes III, V and VIII to track student learning outcomes; (vi) bringing out guidelines against discrimination in schools; (vii) monitoring of States to set up decentralized grievance redressal systems under the RTE Act; and (viii) launching of National Programme on School Standards and Evaluation called Shala Sidhhi", which is an initiative aimed at evaluating each school as an institution, with the intent to improve the quality of school education. . . This information was given by the Union Human Resource Development Minister, Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani today in a written reply to a Rajya Sabha question. . . Civil Nuclear Agreement with Japan and France . . The details of Indias civil nuclear agreement with Japan and France are as follows: . . (i) The negotiations with Japan on bilateral civil nuclear cooperation agreement have been concluded during the visit of Japanese Prime Minister to India in December 2015, and both sides have confirmed that the agreement will be signed after the technical details are finalized, including those related to the necessary internal procedures. . . (ii) In pursuance of the 2008 Agreement on the Development of Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy between India and France, discussions with France for setting up nuclear power plants in Jaitapur, Maharashtra have been going on to finalize the techno-commercial parameters of the project. During the visit of the French President to India in January 2016, the two sides agreed on a roadmap of cooperation to speed up discussions on the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project in 2016. . . There are presently twenty-one (21) nuclear power reactors in the country with a total capacity of 5780 MW. A capacity of 4300 MW is at various stages of commissioning/construction. The installed nuclear power capacity is expected to reach 10080 MW by 2019 on progressive completion of the projects under commissioning/construction. Two projects with a total capacity of 3400 MW have been accorded sanction. Of these, at one project, Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) 3&4 (2x1000 MW) at Kudankulam, Tamil Nadu, excavation has commenced. The other project, Gorakhpur Haryana Anu Vidyut Pariyojna (2X700 MW) is being readied for launch soon. Further, projects based on both indigenous technology and with foreign technical cooperation are also planned in future. . . The current tariffs of nuclear power plants range from 97 Paise per unit for first generation plant to 394 Paise per unit for the latest commissioned plant. The average tariff of nuclear power in the year 2014-15 was about 278 Paise per unit. The tariffs of nuclear power plants are comparable to that of contemporary plants of other electricity generating technologies in the region. . . This information was provided by the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh in a reply to an unstarred question in Rajya Sabha today. . . The prophecy is more than seeing into the future. For the prophecy sees without the element of time. For the prophecy sees things as they were, as they are, and as they always shall be. Coastal Tourism . . The Government proposes to develop cruise and coastal tourism which is one of the growing areas of travel in the country. The Government has taken the following steps in this regard: . . (i) Foreign flag vessels carrying passengers have been allowed to call at Indian ports for a period of 10 years with effect from 6th February, 2009 without obtaining a licence from Director General of Shipping. . . (ii) The Ministry of Tourism extends Central Financial Assistance to State Governments/Union Territory Administrations/Central agencies for the development of tourism infrastructure including infrastructure related to development of Cruise Tourism under relevant scheme guidelines subject to availability of funds. The details of projects sanctioned during the last five years for development of cruise tourism infrastructure include development of Cruise Passenger Facilitation Centre at Cochin Port, development of dedicated cruise berthing facilities at Cochin Port, Cruise Passenger Facilitation Centre in the existing Passenger Terminal at Chennai Port and Cruise Terminal Building at Mormugao Port Trust. . . (iii) Ministry of Tourism has launched a Swadesh Darshan Scheme for Integrated Development of Tourist Circuits around Specific Themes. Coastal Circuit has been identified as one of the themes. The projects sanctioned under the Coastal Circuit are Kakinada Hope Island Konaseema in Andhra Pradesh in the year 2014-15, Beach Circuit Udaipur Digha Shankarpur Tajpur Mandarmani Fraserganj BakkhlaiHenry Island in West Bengal, Sri PottiSriramalu Nellore in Andhra Pradesh and Union Territory of Puducherry in the year 2015-16. . . The Ministry of Shipping proposes to develop tourism at 78 lighthouses on Public Private Partnership mode. The development of lighthouse is likely to be completed by 2019. . . This information was given by Minister of State for Shipping, Shri Pon. Radhakrishnan in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today. . . Dr Jitendra Singh hails the quantum jump in the Budget allocation for North East in Union Budget 2016-17 . . Focus on organic value chain development, connectivity and skill development . . The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh has hailed the quantum jump in the Budget allocation for North East Region in Union Budget 2016-17. He said that in addition to all other allocations, the single most important announcement of exclusive and unique Organic Value Chain Development" scheme for Rs. 115 crore will prove to be a game-changer for the entire region. Not only will it help in boosting the enormous unexplored potentials of organic entrepreneurship in the region but would also comfort the entire region into a favourite destination for new start ups from across the country to come to north east. He said that the emphasis of the current Government has been on the promotion of organic farming and North east has become an important destination for that with state of Sikkim being declared as the first Organic state of India by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi recently. He was addressing a press conference here today. . . Dr Jitendra Singh said that the Budget for Ministry of DoNER has been increased from Rs 2334.50 crore to Rs 2,400 crores this year as compared to previous year, The Minister said that the main emphasis of the Budget allocated for north east is on the overall development of the region. The provisions have been made for connectivity in north east region, skill development and organic value chain development among others. . . The Minister said that a budget of Rs 33097.02 crore has been allocated for the North Eastern region across 56 ministries. This is 14% higher than the BE of Rs 29087.93 crore for previous year. Under Non-Lapsable Central Pool Reserve (NLCPR), BE has been increased from Rs 90 crores to Rs 200 crores in 2016-17. The budget allocation for North East Council schemes has been increased from Rs 700 crore to Rs 795 cores this year, he added. . . The Minister also informed that Rs 150 crore have been provided for the newly launched NE Road Sector Development Scheme. He said that this scheme will be helpful in the development of the inter-state roads in the north east. In addition, he said Asian Development Bank (ADB) will spare funds from its own sources for construction and maintenance of roads in the north eastern region. . . Dr Jitendra Singh also mentioned increase in the Budget allocation for North Eastern Development Finance Corporation (NEDFI) from Rs. 30 crore to Rs. 75 crore which will further boost the Prime Ministers Start-up India programme in the region. Similarly, skill development Budget enhancement from Rs. 16 crore to Rs. 56 crore will further supplement the Start-up Programme, he said. In addition to all the provisions like 3 years tax holiday and 3 months exit period announced by the Prime Minister, the DoNER Ministry will also offer Venture Fund" for new entrepreneurs so as to ease their financial liability, he added. The Budget also has a provision of Rs. 150 crore for rural livelihood, he said. . . Besides the above provisions, emphasis has also been laid on the rural livelihood in the north east and BE for this purpose has been enhanced to Rs 150 crore this year. . . Showcasing the north east to the rest of India is very important for the development of the region. The budget allocation for this purpose has been increased from Rs 10.50 crore to Rs 17 crore this year, the Minister said. He said that this is almost 60% more than the last year allocation. In this regard, he mentioned that the Ministry of DoNER has recently organized Destination North East-2016 in New Delhi during 12th to 14 February, 2016. Now, the Ministry intends to organize similar events, especially, so as to showcase the strengths, the potentials of the North East, especially in the fields of Handicrafts/Handlooms and exhibition of/ sale of produce of North East. Such events have been planned to be organized in Mumbai, Bangalore in the first quarter of 2016-17 financial year. . . Laying emphasis on the Governments efforts to improve the connectivity in North east, Dr Jitendra Singh said that the main initiative of the DoNER Ministry as a part of the Act East Policy and is to provide funds to link Railways between India and Bangladesh. The budget cost for Indian side Rs 587 crore would be provided by the Ministry of DoNER, he added. . . There had been repeated attempts from our side, the Minister said that in spite of more than a dozen universities functioning in the State of Assam, the young students felt constrained to move out to other cities like Bangaluru and Pune for higher education and for the matter of gratification, a special amount of Rs. 10,000 crore for countrywide upliftment of higher education institutions will spare a special share for North Eastern Region and Rs 1623 crore has been allocated to north east for this purpose, he added. . . Dr Jitendra Singh also informed that Rs 300 crore will be spared for the Bodoland Tribal Council by the Government and their demands would be considered in course of time subsequently. . . Overall Dr Jitendra Singh said, the budget allocations for Northeast this year are not only substantial but are also very imaginative and hoped that the State Governments will respond in similar vein by offering cooperation through timely submission of DPRs, utilisation certificates, State sharing of 10 per cent of funds etc. . . Shri Naveen Verma, Secretary, Ministry of DoNER and other senior officers were also present on the occasion. . . Flyovers on Delhi-Jaipur Expressway . . The status of work on the Delhi-Jaipur Highway (NH-8) is as follows: . . Total 93 structures (Flyovers/VUP/PUP) have been proposed on six laning of Delhi- Jaipur Project which is on BOT mode. . . Out of the 93 structures, 9 structures have been deleted & 17 structures have been delinked due to non availability of land. Construction of the 17 delinked structures envisaged in the project for smooth flow of traffic depends upon availability of encumbrance free land. . . Out of the balance 67 structures, 61 structures have been completed and 5 structures are targeted to be completed by June 2016 and one flyover (at Hero Honda Chowk) is targeted to be completed by May 2017. A budgetary provision of Rs. 53.90 crore has been kept during the financial year 2015-16 for construction of flyover at Hero Honda Chowk on EPC mode. After construction of flyover at Hero Honda Chowk, congestion on the project highway is likely to be decreased. . . Regarding the Delhi-Jaipur Expressway, feasibility study is in progress. In view of high cost of land acquisition, innovative financial options are being explored . . This information was given by Minister of State for Road Transport & Highways, Shri Pon. Radhakrishnan in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today. . . Highway Advisory Services . . The Government proposes to launch Highway Advisory Services, a radio channel to give real time update of traffic movement on the highways. Highway Advisory Services is going to be launched shortly on a pilot basis on the stretch of NH8 between Delhi to Jaipur in three phases. In phase I existing AIR stations located at Delhi, Alwar and Jaipur are to broadcast the live traffic updates to commuters. . . Contract has been signed with AIR to buy air-time for phase I of the pilot project in which 22 bulletins will be issued every day for three months. The bulletins are to include safety awareness content along with live traffic updates on NH8. Possibility of a single frequency for whole country is being examined subject to viability and other regulatory clearances. This pilot project will be launched very soon. . . This information was given by Minister of State for Road Transport & Highways, Shri Pon. Radhakrishnan in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today. . . India and United States Partner on Cancer and Traditional Medicine Research Efforts . . Collaborative research on cancer and traditional medicine may pave the way for potential breakthroughs . . The first U.S.-India Workshop on Traditional Medicine (March 3-4, 2016) began in New Delhi today. The Workshop was jointly inaugurated by the Minister of State for AYUSH (Independent Charge) and Health & Family Welfare, Shri Shripad Yesso Naik and U.S. Ambassador to India, Mr. Richard Verma and Assistant Secretary of Global Affairs at HHS, Ambassador Jimmy Kolker. . . Representatives from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Global Affairs (OGA), the National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Cancer Institute (NCI), and U.S. academic institutions will interact with their counterparts from the Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH), and Indian research institutes and universities, in New Delhi during the workshop. . . The Workshop is being organized under the auspices of the first U.S.-India Health Dialogue held in September, 2015 in Washington, D.C. This effort underscores the discussions between the U.S. President and the Indian Prime Minister to encourage bilateral dialogue on traditional medicine. . . Over the course of the two-day workshop, participants will share current traditional medicine therapies and practices for cancer in U.S. and India. They will review available evidence for AYUSH products and interventions, which could reduce pain/morbidity from cancer treatments and improve the quality of life. Scientists will explore opportunities to collaborate on mutually-identified research in the areas of natural products, palliative care and other support studies. Professional training and scientific exchanges will be an important aspect of this cooperation. . . Addressing the participants, the AYUSH Minister, Shri Shripad Naik said that globalization of AYUSH is one of the major policy thrusts of our Government. The constructive collaboration between India and U.S. in this field is important for incorporating more scientific inputs from both sides in Traditional Medicines which can help mainstreaming AYUSH systems in patient health care across the globe. India is also collaborating with World Health Organization (WHO) in the area of Traditional Medicine which will help in achieving international acceptability and positioning of AYUSH systems, the Minister explained. . . Todays workshop supports the important deliverable from the President Obama-Prime Minister Modi Joint Statement and U.S.-India Health Dialogue, where both India and the U.S. agreed to explore further potential areas of mutual collaboration on Indian Traditional Medicine," said Mr. Richard Verma, U.S. Ambassador to India. . . This meeting demonstrates the commitment of HHS to support bilateral cooperation on cancer and traditional medicine research, with science at the cornerstone," said Ambassador Jimmy Kolker, Assistant Secretary of Global Affairs at HHS. . . This is a great opportunity to bring to the table from the US side NCI and NIH expertise in laboratory and clinical evaluation of traditional medicine and from the Indian side an impressive commitment to building the evidence base for traditional Indian medicine," said Dr.Edward Trimble, Director of the U.S. NCIs Center for Global Health. . . Secretary AYUSH, Shri Ajit Mohan Sharan informed that the International Cooperation Division in the Ministry has been asked to work proactively to forge such collaborations so that large sections of people can benefit from AYUSH systems. . . The U.S. delegation also visited several Indian institutes Benares Hindu University, Jamia Hamdard University, All India Institute of Ayurveda and Medanta The Medicity, to learn first-hand how Traditional and Modern Medicine co-exist for patient-care. . . Nearly 175 participants including experts related to both traditional systems and modern medicine, biologists, and researchers from India and the U.S. will take part in the two day Workshop. . . These discussions will be strengthened at the next U.S.-India Health Dialogue this year in India. . . Petroleum Minister seeks cooperation of States in implementing DBTK . . The Minister of State (I/C) for Petroleum & Natural Gas Shri Dharmendra Pradhan has sought wholehearted cooperation of the States in making Direct Benefit Transfer in Kerosene (DBTK) success. Addressing a Conference in New Delhi today on DBTK, he said that Direct Benefit Transfer in LPG has been successfully implemented, due to contribution of all the stakeholders. . . Representatives from 19 States/ UTs attended the Conference. Punjab Food, Civil Supplies & Consumers Affairs Minister Shri A.P.S Kairon and Maharashtra Food & Civil Supplies Minister Shri Girish Bapat also attended the meeting. The conference, being attended by State Government officers, officers of Oil Marketing Companies and other stakeholders has been organized to discuss the preparedness and concerns in launching DBTK from 1st April, 2016. . . Honble MoS (IC) P & NG, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan emphasized that DBTK will be implemented in consultation and partnership with State Governments, in consonance with the spirit of cooperative federalism. He emphasized that the process should be technology driven and should ensure proper identification of beneficiaries in consonance with Kerosene Control Order. He complimented the nine States which have opted for implementing the scheme on a pilot basis and expressed optimism that other States will also come on board and will take up at least one district for implementing the Scheme. . . Each State made their presentation on the challenges and issues associated with the implementation scheme. Various issues raised by the states having bearing on implementation of the scheme which included the basis of identifying beneficiaries, use of Point of Sale (PoS) machines, integration with the existing PDS system and modalities of availability of white kerosene, etc. were discussed. . . Apart from the nine States, other States also evinced keen interest in joining the DBTK platform. It was decided to carry forward the process and discuss the modalities of implementation with the nominated nodal officers. All other stakeholders including NIC, Banks, etc will also be part of the consultative process. . . Background . . The Government has announced implementation of Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) in Kerosene w.e.f 01.04.2016 in 33 districts identified by 9 States Governments namely, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat. More districts are likely to join soon. . . Where the scheme for direct transfer of subsidy is introduced, the consumer will pay the non-subsidized price of kerosene at the time of purchase. Subsequently, the amount of subsidy will be directly transferred to the bank account of the beneficiary. To avoid any inconvenience to the beneficiary during the initial purchase through payment of un-subsided price, an initial amount of subsidy shall be credited to all eligible beneficiaries. . . With a view to incentivize States/UTs to implement DBT in kerosene, it has been decided that the States will be given cash incentive of 75% of subsidy saving during the first two years, 50% in the third year and 25% in the fourth year. . . Smt Maneka Sanjay Gandhi expresses satisfaction at the budgetary allocation for the WCD Ministry for the Financial Year 2016-17 . . Significant increase of 11% in the Gender Budget for 2016-17 . . Womens safety, fighting malnutrition, preventing crimes against women and children, and economic empowerment of women shall remain the priority areas for the Ministry of Women and Child Development in the coming year. The Minister for Women and Child Development, Smt Maneka Sanjay Gandhi said that these priorities are adequately reflected in the budget for the financial year 2016-17. . . She was briefing media persons about the budget allocation for the Ministry of Women and Child Development in New Delhi today. Smt Maneka Sanjay Gandhi said that in reference to the Gender Budget 2016-17, the financial allocation for women in Central Budget stands as Rs.90,624 Crore as against Rs.81,249 Crores which is a significant increase of 11%.. . Expressing satisfaction at the allocation, the Minister said that, we are very happy with the budget, we got everything we asked for." . . The main highlights of the Budget 2016-17 of Ministry of Women and Child Development are as below: . . 1. The allocation of the Ministry for the year 2016-17 is Rs. 17,300 crores as against the original allocation of Rs 8,335 crores in 2015-16. Which was later revised at RE stage toRs. 17,257 crores. The Budget 2016-17 also contains provision of Rs.108 crore for Non-Plan expenditure bringing the total budgetary allocation for the Financial Year 2016-17 to Rs.17,408 Crores. . . 2. This allocation needs to be seen along with the overall Gender Budget of the central government. Gender Budget is divided in two parts. Part A covers all the programmes run by different Ministries which are fully dedicated to women. Part B covers those programmes of different Ministries which have a specific allocation for women or which benefit women in quantifiable terms. . . 3. The total allocation for Part A in the Gender Budget for 2016-17 is Rs. 17,412 crores as against Rs. 11,388 crores in 2015-16. Similarly, the allocation under Part B for 2016-17 is Rs. 73,212 crores as against Rs. 69,860 crores in 2015-16. Together, the total allocation for women in the Central Budget stands at Rs. 90,624 crores as against Rs. 81,249 crores which is a significant increase of 11%.. . 4. Major increase in the allocation include the component of Indira AwasYojana dedicated to women, components of schemes of farmer welfare, higher education, MNREGA etc. . . 5. The primary area of focus of the Ministry is malnutrition. A number of measures have been taken to enhance the capacity of the Ministry to deliver supplementary nutritional services for women and children in line with the philosophy of Economic Survey which had stated that investment in maternal and child nutrition is the best way to make economic social investment for reaping the benefits of demographic dividend. . . 6. The Ministry has been given enhanced allocation of Rs. 400 crores in 2016-17 for the MatritavaSahyogYojna as against the previous years final allocation of Rs. 233 crores. . . 7. An allocation of Rs. 360 crores has been made in 2016-17 as against Rs. 65 crores last year under the National Nutrition Mission. . . 8. Alongwith this, an allocation of Rs. 450 crores has been made in 2016-17 under the World Bank assisted ICDS Strengthening Project as against last years final allocation of Rs. 35 crores. . . 9. An additional sum of Rs. 15 crores has been provided to the Food and Nutrition Board for establishment of state-of-the art laboratories at four regional locations in the country. . . 10. The Budget of NIPCCD has also been increased from Rs. 20 crores in 2015-16 to Rs. 40 crores in 2016-17. . . 11. Similarly, the budgetary allocations for key programmes for women have also been enhanced. . . 12. The allocation of establishment of shelter homes for women has been increased from Rs. 52 crores in 2015-16 to Rs. 100 crores in 2016-17. This will enable the Ministry to create additional facilities, especially for widows. . . 13. The Ministry had proposed to significantly expand the reach of National Mission for Empowerment of Women (NMEW) to establish a network of village level facilitation centres. Accordingly, the Budget for the NMEW has been enhanced from Rs. 26 crores in 2015-16 to Rs. 50 crores in2016-17. . . 14. The Ministry has been giving focused attention to the subject of trafficking of women and children and it has been decided to establish a comprehensive framework to combat this problem. A Committee has already been constituted to draft a new legislation and design an institutional framework for this purpose. The allocation for this has accordingly been increased from Rs. 20 crores in 2015-16 to Rs. 35 crores in 2016-17. . . 15. One of the key elements of Ministrys functioning is a comprehensive outreach programme which can enable change of mind-set of common people. In order to further strengthen this, the budget has been enhanced from Rs. 40 crores in 2015-16 to Rs. 60 crores in 2016-17. . . 16. Establishment of One Stop Centres for providing safety to women affected by violence is being significantly expanded in 2016-17. For this purpose, the Budget has been enhanced from Rs. 13 crores in 2015-16 to Rs. 75 crores in 2016-17. . . 17. A sum of Rs. 500 crores has been provided under the Nirbhaya Fund to the Ministry in 2016-17. . . Standard of Primary Education . . The Central Government has taken several steps to improve the quality of primary education. The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) conduct periodic national surveys of learning achievement of children in classes III and V of the primary stage. Four rounds of National Achievement Surveys (NAS) have been conducted so far for class V whereas three rounds have been conducted for class III. These reveal improvement in learning achievement levels of pupils, in various subjects. . . Under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), the State Governments and UT Administrations are supported on several interventions to improve teaching standards, including regular in-service teachers training, induction training for newly recruited teachers, training of all untrained teachers to acquire professional qualifications through Open Distance Learning (ODL) mode, recruitment of additional teachers for better pupil-teacher ratios, academic support for teachers through block and cluster resource centres, continuous and comprehensive evaluation system to equip the teacher to measure pupil performance and provide remedial action wherever required, and teacher and school grants for development of appropriate teaching-learning materials, etc. . . The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 specifies statutory duties and responsibilities of teachers and lays down the minimum qualifications for a person to be eligible for appointment as a teacher in elementary schools. . . The Central Government through SSA has supported States/UTs on early grade reading, writing & comprehension, and early Mathematics programmes through a sub-programme namely Padhe Bharat Badhe Bharat in classes I and II. . . Further the Government has launched Rashtriya Aavishkar Abhiyan (RAA) programme on 09.07.2015, inter alia, as a sub-component of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA), to motivate and engage children of the age group from 6-18 years in Science, Mathematics and Technology through observation, experimentation, inference drawing, model building, etc. both through inside and outside classroom activities. . . The Central Government has launched the Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya National Mission on Teachers and Teaching in December, 2014 with a vision to comprehensively address all issues related to teachers, teaching, teacher preparation, professional development, curriculum design, research in pedagogy and developing effective pedagogy. . . A World Bank Report on Student Learning in South Asia Challenges, Opportunities and Policy Priorities", in 2014, highlights that South Asia has made considerable progress in improving access to education but faces a major quality challenge in primary and secondary education. The Report emphasises on investing in education quality and that policies to improve student learning outcomes should be embedded within a larger agenda of inclusive growth and governance reform. For India specifically, the report points out that both Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 have led to impressive increases in enrolment, school infrastructure, provision of trained teachers, free textbooks and ensuring access to elementary schools even in rural areas. The Report points out that overall student achievement is low and the policies to promote equity in education need to focus on reducing the large and growing learning gaps between poor and better-off children. . . The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER), 2014 brought out annually by Pratham", a non-governmental organisation has expressed concern regarding learning levels of children in English reading and Mathematics at elementary level. It also presents certain positive findings, including the fact that 96% of children in the 6 to 14 age group are enrolled in schools in rural areas and that the percentage of out-of-school children in the 6-14 age group is at 3.3% in 2014, the same as the figure last year. It has also found steady improvement in school infrastructure. . . As per UNESCO EFA global Monitoring Report- 2015 India made marked progress, increasing its net enrolment ratio significantly as GNP per capita improved, suggesting a more equitable distribution of economic gains. . . This information was given by the Union Human Resource Development Minister, Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani today in a written reply to a Rajya Sabha question. . . Using Ships to move Cars across Domestic Markets . . A Chennai based motor company is using ships to move its cars across domestic markets saving on costs and reducing carbon foot-print. M/s Hyundai Motor India Ltd. transported 800 cars to Pipavav from Chennai Port through the maiden Coastal RoRo voyage m.v. IDM SYMEX on 05.02.2016. The vessel reached Pipavav in record time on 10.02.2016. . . A number of meetings and interactions have been held between the port officials of Chennai Port Trust/Kamarajar Port Limited and the Auto Original Equipment Manufactures(OEMs) &RoRo Vessel operators on the transportation of automobile cargo through coastal RoRo Vessels. In order to attract more (OEMs), Ports are giving concessions/incentives on wharfage for coastal car movements/RoRo coastal movements. . . This information was given by Minister of State for Shipping, Shri Pon. Radhakrishnan in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today. . . Let's say computers come for most of our . This may not seem likely at the moment; computer scientists and economists offer wildly varying ideas for how deeply automation will affect future employment. But for the sake of argument, imagine that within two or three decades we'll have morphed into the Robotic States of America. In Robot America, most manual labourers will have been replaced by herculean bots. Truck drivers, cabbies, delivery workers and airline pilots will have been superseded by vehicles that do it all. Doctors, lawyers, business executives and even technology columnists for The New York Times will have seen their ranks thinned by charming, attractive, all-knowing algorithms. How will society function after humanity has been made redundant? Technologists and economists have been grappling with this fear for decades, but in the last few years, one idea has gained widespread interest - including from some of the very technologists who are now building the bot-ruled future. Their plan is known as "universal basic income," or UBI, and it goes like this: As the dry up because of the spread of artificial intelligence, why not just give everyone a paycheque? Imagine the government sending each adult about $1,000 a month, about enough to cover housing, food, health care and other basic needs for many Americans. UBI would be aimed at easing the dislocation caused by technological progress, but it would also be bigger than that. While UBI has been associated with left-leaning academics, feminists and other progressive activists, it has lately been adopted by a wider range of thinkers, including some libertarians and conservatives. It has also gained support among a cadre of venture capitalists in New York and Silicon Valley, the people most familiar with the potential for technology to alter modern work. Rather than a job-killing catastrophe, tech supporters of UBI consider machine intelligence to be something like a natural bounty for society: The country has struck oil, and now it can hand out checks to each of its citizens. These supporters argue machine intelligence will produce so much economic surplus that we could collectively afford to liberate much of humanity from both labour and suffering. The most idealistic thinkers see the plan as a way to foster the sort of quasi-utopian future we've only encountered in science fiction universes like that of Star Trek. As computers perform more of our work, we'd all be free to become artists, scholars, entrepreneurs or otherwise engage our passions in a society no longer centred on the drudgery of daily labour. "We're talking about divorcing your basic needs from the need to work," said Albert Wenger, a venture capitalist at Union Square Ventures, a proponent who is working on a book about UBI. "For a couple hundred years, we've constructed our entire world around the need to work. Now we're talking about more than just a tweak to the economy - it's as foundational a departure as when we went from an agrarian society to an industrial one." Sam Altman, president of the tech incubator Y Combinator, recently proposed to fund research into UBI. The firm has received thousands of applications for research funding, Altman said; it plans to select winning recipients within a few weeks, and ultimately Y Combinator plans to spend "tens of millions" of dollars on research to answer some of the most basic questions about life under UBI. Altman said these questions range from the most practical - how much UBI would cost the country, and whether we could afford it - to deeper issues concerning people's motivation and purpose in what you might call a "post-work" age. When you give everyone free money, what do people do with their time? Do they goof off, or do they try to pursue more meaningful pursuits? Do they become more entrepreneurial? How would UBI affect economic inequality? How would it alter people's psychology and mood? Do we, as a species, need to be employed to feel fulfilled, or is that merely a legacy of post-industrial capitalism? There is an urgency to the techies' interest in UBI. They argue that machine intelligence reached an inflection point in the last couple of years, and that technological progress now looks destined to change how most of the world works. "People have been predicting that would go away for a long time, and usually what happens is they just change," Altman said. But even so, "during those periods of change, things can be quite disruptive," and at the very least, UBI may be able to smooth out the transition period. We may already be seeing the disruptions. Though the macroeconomic statistics suggest the US has recovered from the last recession - job growth in 2015 reached levels not seen since the 1990s - surveys show that many Americans feel vulnerable and anxious about their jobs and finances. Wage growth is sluggish, job security is non-existent, inequality looks inexorable, and the ideas that once seemed like a sure path to a better future (like taking on debt for college) are in doubt. Even where technology has created more jobs, like the so-called gig economy work created by services like Uber, it has only added to our collective uncertainty about the future of work. "All of a sudden people are looking at these trends and realizing these questions about the future of work are more real and immediate than they guessed," said Roy Bahat, the head of Bloomberg Beta, the venture capital firm funded by Bloomberg LP. A cynic might see the interest of venture capitalists in UBI as a way for them to atone for their complicity in the tech that might lead to permanent changes in the global economy. After all, here are rich people who both actively fund and benefit from creating highly profitable companies that employ very few people. It doesn't help that you have some investors who've been terrifically tin-eared about the perils of globalisation and the modern economy (see musings from Paul Graham on inequality, Marc Andreessen on colonialism and Thomas J Perkins on class resentment.) But my conversations with techies interested in UBI revealed a sincerity and sophistication about the idea. They aren't ashamed or afraid of automation, and they don't see UBI merely as a defence of the current social order. Instead they see automation and UBI as the most optimistic path toward wider social progress. "I think it's a bad use of a human to spend 20 years of their life driving a truck back and forth across the US," Wenger said. "That's not what we aspire to do as humans - it's a bad use of a human brain - and automation and basic income is a development that will free us to do lots of incredible things that are more aligned with what it means to be human." Like much of what venture capital firms work on, basic income is a pie-in-the-sky notion. Though it has enjoyed recognition among wonks and some political momentum in Europe, not a single American presidential candidate has expressed even passing interest in the idea. It has also been hampered by some very basic practical questions: How much should we give out in monthly income? Can the country afford that? Proponents say these questions will be answered by research, which in turn will prompt political change. For now, they argue the proposal is affordable if we alter tax and welfare policies to pay for it, and if we account for the ways technological progress in health care and energy will reduce the amount necessary to provide a basic cost of living. They also note that increasing economic urgency will push widespread political acceptance of the idea. "There's a sense that growing inequality is intractable, and that we need to do something about it," said Natalie Foster, the co-founder of Peers, an organisation that supports sharing-economy workers. Andrew L Stern, a former president of the Service Employees Union, who is working on a book about UBI, compared the feeling of the current anxiety around jobs to a time of war. "I grew up during the Vietnam War, and my parents were anti-war for one reason: I could be drafted," he said. Today, as people across all income levels become increasingly worried about how they and their children will survive in tech-infatuated America, "we are back to the Vietnam War when it comes to jobs," Stern said. "We're entering a universal, white-collar, middle-class anxiety, which drives political change faster than poor people tend to drive change." 2016 The New York Times News Service It is a remarkable moment for the technology industry, with many different and organisations rallying around a single company - - in a major legal case against the United States government over privacy and security. Yet behind the scenes, it took time for some of the tech to make the decision to support . Several feared the showdown with the government was too risky and could have far-reaching implications for the tech industry if lost. Those misgivings ultimately did not win the day. About 40 and organisations are expected to file court briefs on Thursday backing Apple as it fights a judge's order to help law enforcement break into an iPhone used by a gunman in the San Bernardino, California, terrorist attack last year. Dropbox, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Snapchat and Yahoo! are among the tech companies expected to sign on to briefs in the case, according to people with knowledge of the plans who spoke on the condition of anonymity. More than 40 individuals, including prominent security experts and academics, are also planning to sign briefs, which will focus on themes like free speech, the importance of encryption and concerns about government overreach. The show of support - including briefs filed on Wednesday by groups like the American Civil Liberties Union and Access Now - is unusual in its breadth, showing that many in Silicon Valley believe that it could have profound implications on the trustworthiness of their products. "Given the years of companies' reluctance to be at the barricades around intelligence discussions, this is significant," said Jules Polonetsky, chief executive of the Future of Privacy Forum, an industry-financed think tank in Washington. Still, several executives at tech companies supporting Apple said they were worried that Apple had picked a fight that could end up backfiring on the rest of the industry. In the days since a magistrate judge in California ordered Apple to bypass security measures on the iPhone, lawyers in some of the companies debated these issues with one another and peers at other firms. All of the executives asked to remain anonymous because their deliberations were private, but their views are shared among others in Silicon Valley. Keith Rabois, a venture capitalist with the firm Khosla Ventures, said he was a strong believer in privacy and encryption - "all the normal Silicon Valley views," he said - but worried that Apple could lose the case, setting a legal precedent that could force other companies to compromise the security of their products for law enforcement. "In my view, this is the wrong case to fight," Rabois said. "There are plenty of other cases with a lot less sympathetic case for the government." For Rabois and others, the circumstances working against Apple include the iPhone's connection to a terrorist attack that left 14 people dead, rather than to a less highly charged crime. Furthermore, the iPhone was owned by the employer of the gunman, Syed Rizwan Farook, which consented to a search of the device. Apple's defenders said the company did not pick this fight - the government did. Critics of Apple's approach believe that the company could have quietly complied with the government's request to help break into the iPhone and then taken a public stand in a more favourable case. But Apple has said that once a tool exists for extracting data from the phone, that tool cannot be made to disappear. Yet whatever doubts Apple's allies voiced privately, they were in the end insufficient to keep a large number of big companies from signing on to the cause. Dropbox's general counsel, Ramsey Homsany, said in a statement, "We stand against the use of broad authorities to undermine the security of a company's products." Bruce Sewell, Apple's general counsel, said in a statement, "We are humbled by the outpouring of support we've received from our customers, our colleagues in business, non-profit organisations, the security community and many others." He added, "The groups filing briefs with the court understand, as more and more people have come to realise, that this case is not about one phone - it is about the future and how we protect our safety and our privacy." On Tuesday, Apple filed its formal objection to the government order to open up the iPhone, citing the reasons set forth in a previously filed motion. For many tech companies that were initially concerned by Apple's opposition to opening up the iPhone in the San Bernardino case, the worries centred not only on whether this was the right case for challenging the government but also on how public perceptions of the fight might reflect on the rest of the industry, according to tech executives involved in the discussions, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. A report by Pew Research Center last week said 51 per cent of Americans believed that Apple should unlock the iPhone to assist the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the case, while only 38 per cent found Apple in the right. Some of the companies were also concerned that the relationships they had forged with the government might degrade because of Apple's battle, according to the people involved in the tech industry discussions. In the years since the disclosures by Edward J Snowden, the former intelligence contractor who released a trove of details on US government surveillance tactics, some tech companies have been trying to educate members of Congress about online privacy practices. Others were also anxious that Apple's defiance of the government could lead to congressional efforts to reshape, in ways unfavourable to the tech industry, the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, which privacy advocates and tech companies have long claimed needs an overhaul. And these companies are watching what effect the fight could have on a proposal to establish a national commission that would explore ways to obtain encrypted data from consumers while working to safeguard users' privacy. The proposed commission, the bill for which was introduced on Monday, would be led by the House Homeland Security Committee chairman Michael McCaul, Republican of Texas, and Senator Mark Warner, Democrat of Virginia. On Monday, Apple got good news that could help soothe lingering tech industry doubts about its defence in the San Bernardino case. A federal magistrate judge in a separate drug case in New York ruled against a government request to extract data from an iPhone, a decision that could influence the San Bernardino case. Silicon Valley's arc in supporting Apple - an initial flurry of concerns followed by an eventual coming around to the idea - is epitomised by Max Levchin, the co-founder of PayPal and chief executive of Affirm, an online financial services firm. Last week in an interview on CBS, Levchin said his views on the case over the previous several days had shifted from a "clear-cut, black-and-white" stance of helping the FBI. He has since sided with Apple. 2016 The New York Times News Service Google on Thursday said it was working with Unicef to map the spread of Zika and pitching in a million dollars to support the group's efforts on the ground. A volunteer team of Google engineers, designers and data scientists is helping Unicef build a computer platform to analyse data from sources such as weather and travel patterns to predict potential outbreaks, the director of the internet giant's charitable arm said in a blog post. "Ultimately, the goal of this open source platform is to identify the risk of Zika transmission for different regions and help Unicef, governments and NGOs decide how and where to focus their time and resources," said Google.org Director Jacquelline Fuller. "This set of tools is being prototyped for the Zika response, but will also be applicable to future emergencies." The million-dollar grant to Unicef was intended to go toward cutting mosquito populations; developing diagnostics and vaccines; awareness, and prevention, according to Fuller. Google also launched a campaign to match employee donations, with a goal of providing an additional $500,000 for Unicef and the Pan American Health Organization efforts to fight Zika. Google ramped the amount of Zika-related health information, and the number of languages in which they are provided, at its search engine and backed YouTube videos aimed at raising awareness, Fuller said. The rapidly spreading Zika virus, which has affected more than 20 Latin American countries, is suspected to be the cause of a sudden increase in cases of neonatal microcephaly, a severe deformation of the brain and skull among newborns. Brazil has been hardest hit. Over the last six months of 2015 Honda, which has dominated the Indian scooter market ever since it split from Hero, has witnessed the sharpest fall in market shares. From nearly 60 per cent in July, Motorcycle and Scooter Indias (HMSI) share slumped to 51.3 per cent by the end of December, according to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM). Although is still the market leader, the company is pushing back, promising to cut down on the waiting period for Activa and aggressively wooing consumers in small towns and non-metros. For January 2016, it has managed to increase Activas share to 54 per cent and push Hero MotoCorp back to below the 20 per cent mark. Activa is the market leader and Hondas best-selling scooter. A dent in its dominion is particularly hard for because, the bulk (65 per cent) of the companys domestic sales volumes is from scooters. Worse still, the challenger is none other than former ally Hero; the two split in 2010 ending a partnership of over two decades. Honda believes the figures are a reflection of its inability to push out enough Activas and not that of slackening demand. Guleria sees it as a missed opportunity to sell which will soon be addressed. The market share loss was an issue of demand-supply gap which we will fill, he adds. Hero, meanwhile, is losing no time and Chairman and Managing Director Pawan Munjal recently declared his ambitions to be the leader in the scooter market just like, he said, his company dominates the motorcycle segment. Allies turned rivals Activa is the volume churner for Honda. It generates 88 per cent of Hondas scooter sales, while outselling nearest competitor Hero Maestro by nearly three times. To beat Honda, Hero knows it has to topple Activa and that is what it aims to do with newly launched Duet and Maestro Edge, both priced marginally lower and available off-the-shelf. Hero has been helped by Hondas production handicap. Although plants are running to full capacity, demand for Activa continues to outstrip supply. Analysts believe that Honda need not be unduly worried. It is normal for market leaders to lose some market share. Both Maruti Suzuki (in cars) and Mahindra & Mahindra (in utility vehicles) have ceded shares to rivals. But Honda, perhaps true to the legendary Japanese fighting spirit, is not willing to let go. Last month it kick-started the fourth two-wheeler plant in Gujarat to boost production. The new plant is expected to generate 1.2 million scooters annually and shrink the waiting period for Activa. The next step will be to get into the non-urban areas, the heart of Heros market. More than 40 per cent of Heros motorcycles sales volumes come from tier-II and III towns where buyers prefer bikes over scooters. We see a big opportunity once we expand our network to these areas. The ratio of scooter to motorcycle is 1:9 in these areas. But from the day we opened our dealerships, within six months, the ratio changed to 2:8, which even we were not expecting. The same sub-dealers are now asking for more scooters for what is basically a motorcycle market, adds Guleria. Honda says its network penetration presently stands at 4,200 whereas that of Hero is estimated at 6,500. Keeping with the times The Activa was introduced with a 100cc engine in 2001, it moved to 110cc and then 125cc. The three models Activa 125, Activa 3G and Activa I have helped Honda stay on top. Guleria says that the company is open to introducing and reintroducing old models if the market so demands. When asked if Activas natural progression would be to hit the 150cc category given that it already has the engine in motorcycles, Guleria did not deny the possibility of having a more powerful model. He believes that the Activa customer has never really complained about the scooter being underpowered, not even when the engine was 100cc. But we decided to upgrade the customer, he adds, indicating perhaps the company may well look at doing so again. For, as he says, it is all about creating new demand and guarding ones turf. There is a big disparity among Indian states when it comes to contribution of assets to country's Rs 13 lakh-crore mutual fund industry. With continued low penetration of the mutual fund product as an investment avenue for investors in states considered less developed, the graph is quite skewed towards a select chunk of states. Ten Indian states contribute a lion's share of 95% or Rs 12.25 lakh crore. These include, Maharashtra, New Delhi, Karnataka, Gujarat, West Bengal, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh. The asset contribution from the rest two-third of the Indian states comprise a meager 5 per cent. Interestingly, out of them, there are several which are less than Rs 1,000 crore and many which contribute less than Rs 500 crore to the mutual fund sector. Ironically, there are various schemes which are bigger in size that their contribution. For instance, north-eastern states like Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Mizoram have Rs 200 crore each as contribution of the overall assets. While, Nagaland and Tripura, each has Rs 300 crore and Rs 700 is contributed by Meghalaya. Mutual Fund industry gets Rs 900 crore and Rs 400 crore from Jammu & Kashmir and Sikkim, respectively. Industry officials say that the visible divide is on the back of uneven financial prosperity of people and non-uniform distribution of corporates which are concentrated majorly in the west, north and southern region of India. Another factor which has impacted the distribution of assets is region-specific issues of insurgency, poor infrastructure and law & order problems. This does not go well with fund houses as they resist expansion by opening branches in unstable territories which they term as "high risk centres". This has resulted into poor penetration of the and therefore the lower contribution. For instance, out of the nearly 1,600 mutual fund branches across the country, hardly 34 are in the north-eastern region. And only handful of fund houses which include SBI MF, UTI MF, ICICI Prudential MF, Birla Sun Life, Reliance MF and Peerless MF have managed to have their direct presence in the region. Industry executives understand the pain but they explain their helplessness. According to them, the primary reason is the inaccessibility in the northeast which needs to be blamed. "States like Maharashtra, New Delhi, Karnataka and others have relatively better infrastructure and wealth is concentrated in states like these. So, why would not we expand here when business is here. And given the thin margin the industry is operating on, it's economically not advisable for us to go out in troubled regions," says a chief executive of a fund house which focuses on top states. He requested anonymity on the issue. The states he mentioned have concentration of corporate offices in cities like Mumbai, New Delhi and Bangalore. Such large clients contribute heavily in the non-equity segment of the industry. According to Dhirendra Kumar, chief executive of fund tracking firm Value Research, "The MF sector can't alone be blamed for low expansion in the region. There are various other issues such as a weak underlying economy and insurgency. More, expansion is a commercial call. Unless it is profitable, why would players go and expand?" At a time when industry and the regulator is more interested in the debate of top-15 and beyond-15 cities, the divide among states is widening. Though the industry has got robust flows from beyond-15 cities in the last two years, one can't rule out the possibility that these smaller towns and cities will be from the top 10 states only. Shares of are up over 2% to Rs 67.55 on BSE after the bank said that a special committee of the board has approved raising funds by issuing equity shares. said that the Capital Raising Committee of the Board of Directors of the Bank at its meeting held on 2 March 2016, approved raising of additional equity capital by issuance and allotment of upto 3.14 crore equity shares of the face value of Rs 10 each at the issue price of Rs 52.66 per equity share, aggregating to Rs 165.56 crore to Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India on preferential basis, subject to approval of Government of India, Reserve Bank of India, shareholders and other statutory authorities (if any). Further, the committee also noted that the bank has sought approval of Government of India (GoI) for raising additional equity capital by conversion of entire 5,830 Innovative Perpetual Debt Instruments (IPDI) of the face value of Rs 10 lakh each, aggregating to Rs 583 crore, held by GoI, into equity shares to be issued and allotted to GoI on preferential basis. At 11:32 AM, the stock was up 2% at Rs 67.58 on the BSE. A combined 7 lakh shares changed hands on the counter on the BSE and NSE so far. was locked in upper circuit of 20% at Rs 237 on the BSE on back of heavy volumes. Till 02:49 PM, a combined 7.01 million shares changed hands on the counter and there were pending buy orders for 174,873 shares on the BSE and NSE. An average sub five million shares were traded daily in past two weeks. today announced that it has been named a 2016 excellence in Information Security Testing Award recipient by ICSA Labs for successful completion of five years of continues ICSA Labs information security testing. A global security company, Quick Heal launched its Seqrite product line in North America last year. Seqrite provides everything a small-to-midsize enterprise (SME) needs to prevent internal and external threats, attacks and malicious intents before they strike and can be managed through a simple-to-use, cloud interface. Offered through the North American IT channel, Seqrite delivers cross-platform support for Apple, Windows, iOS and Android endpoints, along with servers and networks/gateways, and total mobile device management. Shares software security provider was continued under pressure since its listing on the bourses last month. The stock hit a low of Rs 180 on February 29, in intra-day trade, nearly halved from its issue price of Rs 321. The company had raised Rs 451 crore through its initial public offer (IPO). Twenty three people from Bangladesh, including women and children, were arrested for entering Tripura illegally here on Wednesday. Police arrested them from the motor stand area in remote Gandachera town in Dhalai district. The infiltrators entered into the Indian territory through Gandachera, which is mostly hilly and unfenced. Gandachera is around 170 km from capital Agartala and located opposite to Chittagong Hills Track in Bangladesh. All of those arrested are tribals of the Tripuri and Chakma community and residents of Panchari area in the CHT. The arrested persons said that they had crossed the boder seeking a Hindu saint. One of the arrested Bangladeshi Monindra Tripura said, "All total we are 43 and had crossed the border through the portion where there was no fencing or border guards. We entered in the early morning through Boalkhali area and had come for treatment. Others had gone to their relatives houses. We do not possess any valid document." Meanwhile, another arrested Bangladeshi, Prajendra Tripura, said that they come seeking blessings of Goddess Kali. "We had come to the Maa Bari (Kali temple) for treatment and crossed the border hoping that our problems will be solved with the blessing of the goddess Kali but landed in problem as do not possess passport," he said. The detained individuals were later produced at a local court, which sentenced them to imprisonment till March 8. Gandachera Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Bhaskar Dasgupta, said that future course of action wpuld be decided after the hearing on March 8, when the police would produce the victims before the court along with chargesheet. "There have been some illegal entries of 23 numbers of Bangladeshi people. They were arrested by the Gandacherra police and produced before the sub-divisional judicial magistrate Gandacherra. They were sentenced to jail till the 8th of March and the juvenile cases were send to Agartala and after that on 8th there will be hearing and the police will be finalizing the charge sheet and will be producing it by today only," said Dasgupta. Police at present is in hunt of others who had crossed the border and took refuge in their relative's houses. Meanwhile, BSF officials would take-up the matter with their counterparts in Bangladesh, so that the procedure to sent back detained persons, after completion of their jail term and necessary proceedings, can be discussed. The bands of the Her Majesty's Royal Marines and the Indian Navy will come together to present a joint sunset performance at India Gate in New Delhi. The one hour performance will be held from 6.30 p.m. to 7.30 p.m. on March 4, 2016. The band of HM Royal Marines is based at HMS Raleigh in Torpoint, Cornwall, the premier training establishment of the British Royal Navy. The very same band has given rise to great composers and music directors such as British March King K J Alford and F J Ricketts. The Indian component will comprise of musicians from INS India augmented by musicians from the Indian Navy Central Band. The bands will perform a wide repertoire of stirring martial music like Colonel Bogey, The Thunderer, Heart of the Oak, Jai Bharti, Life of the Ocean Waves, Sare Jahan Se Achcha. Popular movie theme tunes like Dragon Music, Pink Panther, and James Bond will also feature alongside Amazing Grace. Popular Indian pieces like Vaishnava Janto, Jeena Jeena and a medley of old Hindi music from the 1970s will also be played. The programme will culminate with the Anthems of the two countries. The bands will perform under the baton of Commodore VC D'Cruz and Major Richard Long respectively. The band has played at various locations in Delhi this week, including the local schools and the Gymkhana Club, and held a workshop with the Indian Navy band. The visit of the Royal Marine Band is part of a broad and deep collaboration between the UK and India. During Prime Minister Modi's visit to the UK in November 2015, the UK and India agreed to deepen Defence and International Security Partnership across military capability, counter terrorism and cyber, as well as consolidating strong cooperation that exists already in many areas of defence and security. The UK and India are elevating their defence relationship by establishing capability partnerships in strategic areas, through which both the countries will work together across the spectrum of doctrine, training and other elements upon which military effectiveness depends. These partnerships would enable support to 'Make in India' and transfer of strategic capability between the two nations, including defence technologies and manufacturing in areas of mutual interest. In support of India-UK technology capability partnerships, the two countries are set to develop research into new areas and progress their defence science and technology collaborative projects. The huge crowd recently thronged the railway station to get the glimpse of actor Shahid Kapoor, who was spotted shooting his upcoming flick 'Rangoon,' in the North East locales. Dressed in an army uniform, the 35-year-old actor was seen shooting a scene amidst the heavy crowd at a railway station. Few days back, the 'Shaandaar' actor, along with his 'Rangoon' co-actress Kangana Ranaut, was spotted clicking pictures with their fans in Arunachal Pradesh, where they filmed a song sequence at Jonai railway station. Directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, the upcoming romance drama that will also star Saif Ali Khan, is a love triangle set against the backdrop of the Second World War. The movie is slated to hit theaters on September 30, 2016. In a relief to Kanhaiya Kumar booked under charges of sedition, a Sub-Divisional Magistrate probing the JNU row observed in its report that he didn't find any evidence or came across any witness suggesting that the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students' union president had delivered seditious utterances or raised any anti- slogans on the campus on February 9. In his report submitted to the Delhi Government on Thursday, the SDM observed, "No witness or any other evidence found which could suggest that Kanhaiya? had delivered any anti- speech." "Umar Khalid, the main organiser and a member of JNU's Democratic Students' Union (DSU), has been known for his views on Kashmir's self-determination and Afzal Guru. He had in the past organised many such programmes. After going through the footages given by the JNU security, which had filmed the incident, and various television channels and speaking with witnesses, it became clear that Khalid raised slogans such as 'Kashmir ki janta sangharsh karo, hum tumahare saath hai'. JNU security staff, who claimed to have identified voices of Anirban Bhattacharya and Ashutosh Kumar, said they raised slogan 'Afzal ki hatya nahi sahenge'," the report observed. The report found many outsiders of Kashmiri descent, most of them having their faces covered, were seen shouting pro-Afzal and anti-India slogans in videos. "They should immediately be identified for further investigation. Possibly two of the Kashmiri descent students are from the JNU and the administration would work to bring them to the book," the report said. Commenting on the presence of the news media on the JNU campus, the report observed, "The Zee News team was called to the event by Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad's (ABVP) Saurabh Sharma at 5.20 p.m. The JNU entry register categorically reflects that by sending WhatsApp pic of the register entry, the media were called to share video and details to which they never complied. The news channel came in without the permission of the university. This channel also flashed news and thereafter the police obtained a copy from them and filed the FIR." As per the FIR, the report said, during the examination of the video, they found that people raised anti- slogans under the leadership of Khalid. The FIR, however, does not state that Khalid or Kanhaiya raised anti-India slogans. The police personnel doubted that they were raising the slogan of 'Pakistan Zindabad'. However, the raw footages provided by 'Zee News' and transcripts of JNU security staff videos don't support their claims. Kanhaiya Kumar was on Wednesday granted an interim conditional bail for six months by the Delhi High Court. Disposing of the bail petition of a single judge bench of Justice Pratibha Rani stated, "The thoughts reflected in the slogans raised by some of the JNU students, who organised and participated in that programme, cannot be claimed to be protected as fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression. I consider this as a kind of infection from which such students are suffering which needs to be controlled/cured before it becomes an epidemic. "Whenever some infection is spread in a limb, effort is made to cure the same by giving antibiotics orally and if that does not work, by following second line of treatment. Sometimes it may require surgical intervention also. However, if the infection results in infecting the limb to the extent that it becomes gangrene, amputation is the only treatment." The Court, however, asked him not to participate actively or passively in any activity which may be termed as anti-national. It also enjoined on him, as president of JNU students union, that he will make all efforts within his power to control anti-national activities in the University campus. Further, it said that the accused has to furnish an undertaking that he will not violate any of the conditions mentioned in the order. Kanhaiya, who is presently lodged in Tihar jail under judicial custody, was arrested on February 12th in connection with the sedition case. Kanhaiya and others, including two arrested JNU students Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, are accused of raising anti-India slogans during an event organised inside the JNU campus on February 9. Kanhaiya had sought bail claiming that he had not raised any anti-India slogans but the Delhi Police had maintained before the high court that they have evidence to show that the accused had raised anti-national slogans. The two other students who were arrested are in 14 days judicial custody. The Delhi Police have detained two juveniles, who allegedly kidnapped and murdered a nine-year-old boy from Dwarka. The duo kidnapped Lalit, a Class III student, from Sector-23, Dwarka. The kid's father runs a hardware shop and has given out shops and cars on rent. The child was last seen with a youngster, who was known to the family. "He did not return home. So, I went in search for him. I suspected a boy. He said he was not with him. They did not demand ransom," said the child's father. Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal met the relatives of the victim. "The Juvenile Law should be made strict. We wanted to bring it, but it is pending in the Rajya Sabha. I will talk to the law department to bring it at least in Delhi," Kejriwal told the media here. "The way two persons kidnapped the nine-year old boy and murdered him is very sad. The juveniles have taken the law very lightly. We will examine as to what the Delhi Government can do regarding this. I will talk to the Police Commissioner to take strict action on it," he added. Pakistan's Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz has admitted that Islamabad has considerable influence over the Taliban because its leaders live in the country. for years had denied that it provides safe haven to the Afghan Taliban on its soil. Neither did ever mention that it could do anything to end the violent campaign in Afghanistan that has since 2002 killed thousands of civilians and troops. The Dawn quoted Aziz, as saying that , "We have some influence over them because their leadership is in and they get some medical facilities. Their families are here. We can use those levers to pressurise them to say, 'Come to the table'. But we can't negotiate on behalf of the Afghan government because we cannot offer them what the Afghan government can offer them." Aziz's unusual comment was made at Washington's Council on Foreign Relations think tank on March 1. Aziz added that Islamabad pressured Afghan Taliban leaders to participate in the first-ever direct talks with the Afghan government on July 7, 2015. Aziz asserted that Islamabad had told the Taliban leaders that they have hosted them for 35 years and can't continue the services as the world was blaming them. Last week, Pakistan, Afghanistan, the United States and China had agreed on a road map to end the Afghan war through negotiations between Kabul and the Taliban. According to reports, Taliban leaders are expected to hold talks with Afghan officials in Pakistan in coming weeks. Aziz has meanwhile pressed before United States in convincing that Pakistan has abandoned its support to the militant groups. Pakistan's Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz has admitted that Islamabad has considerable influence over the Taliban because its leaders live in the country. Pakistan for years had denied that it provides safe haven to the Afghan Taliban on its soil. Neither did Pakistan ever mention that it could do anything to end the violent campaign in Afghanistan that has since 2002 killed thousands of civilians and international troops. The Dawn quoted Aziz, as saying that , "We have some influence over them because their leadership is in Pakistan and they get some medical facilities. Their families are here. We can use those levers to pressurise them to say, 'Come to the table'. But we can't negotiate on behalf of the Afghan government because we cannot offer them what the Afghan government can offer them." Aziz unusual comment was made at Washington's Council on Foreign Relations think tank on March 1. Aziz added that Islamabad pressured Afghan Taliban leaders to participate in the first-ever direct talks with the Afghan government on July 7, 2015. Aziz asserted that Islamabad had told the Taliban leaders that they have hosted them for 35 years and can't continue the services as the was blaming them. Last week, Pakistan, Afghanistan, the United States and China had agreed on a road map to end the Afghan war through negotiations between Kabul and the Taliban. According to reports, Taliban leaders are expected to hold talks with Afghan officials in Pakistan in coming weeks. Aziz has meanwhile pressed before United States in convincing that Pakistan has abandoned its support to the militant groups. In what is being read as a development of significance, the Government of has agreed to cut off support to leading terror groups like the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and the Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT), while the United States has welcomed the several steps taken by Islamabad to counter terrorism, including the detention of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) leader Maulana Masood Azhar. This major development has found indirect mention in the joint statement issued at the end of the sixth ministerial-level Pakistan-US Strategic Dialogue. While noting the reference to the terror groups JeM and LeT, senior US analysts said this statement by could be "a form of window dressing to mislead the West." The real test, they said, would come after verification of Pakistan's true intents, as in the past also such deceptions have been targeted at Western Governments. The American delegation was led by US Secretary of State John Kerry, while the delegation was led by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz. Referring to the Pakistan-based terrorist groups, "Advisor Aziz affirmed the Government of Pakistan's resolve to take effective action against United Nations-designated terrorist individuals and entities, including Al-Qaeda, the Haqqani Network, and Lashkar-e-Tayyiba and its affiliates, as per its commitments and obligations under United Nations Security Council resolutions and the Financial Action Task Force," the joint statement issued after the talks, said. Noting the steps taken by Pakistan to date, including the detention of Maulana Masood Azhar, the United States delegation appreciated Prime Minister Sharif's stated commitment to take prompt and decisive action on this investigation and to bring the perpetrators of the January 2, 2016 attack on the Pathankot air base in India's Punjab state to justice. The joint statement also agreed that both sides would take effective action against all violent extremists, and specifically underscored the view that no country's territory should be used to destabilize other countries. Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to countering terrorism, including by targeting all terrorists without discrimination. The United States and Pakistan committed to continue promoting peace, stability, and transparency in the region and to eliminate the threats posed by violent extremism and terrorism. The two delegations also said they looked forward to the upcoming Law Enforcement and Counterterrorism Working Group meeting where both would work together to further bolster Pakistan's judicial and law enforcement authorities capacity to enforce the rule of law and combat terrorism, including the financing of terrorism. Both sides underscored the need for effective action against all violent extremists that threaten regional security. The United States expressed appreciation for the role Pakistan has played in helping to degrade al-Qa'ida and its affiliates. Pakistan reaffirmed its commitment to taking action, in line with the country's National Action Plan, to ensure that the Taliban are unable to operate from Pakistani soil. Acknowledging the emerging terrorist threat posed by ISIS/Da'esh in the region, the US and Pakistani delegations agreed that their countries should work closely together to counter this threat of mutual concern, and affirmed their commitment to combat the extremist ideology that fuels such groups. Pakistan reiterated its firm resolve not to allow ISIS/Da'esh to develop a foothold in its territory, and the United States expressed its appreciation for Pakistan's efforts in this regard. The two sides underscored the imperative of quickly catalyzing direct peace talks between the Afghan government and Taliban to end the bloodshed and preserve Afghanistan's unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. According to the joint statement, Secretary Kerry welcomed Pakistan's calls on the Taliban to seek a negotiated settlement to end the Afghan conflict and its constructive role in establishing an important regional initiative like the Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) that brings together representatives from Afghanistan, Pakistan, China, and the United States to achieve the shared objective of initiating peace negotiations between the Afghan government and Taliban. It was agreed that all members of the QCG will intensify their efforts to forge broader regional consensus in support of the Afghan-led reconciliation process as the best way to bring peace and stability to the region. The United Nations has asked the Government of Myanmar look into the matter of Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) as also its treatment of Muslim minorities. Reportedly a high- ranking UN official who had toured IDPcamps in Rakhine, Kachin and Shan states spoke about his heartbreaking experiences. Myanmar Times has reported that the Director of Operations for the Office of Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), John Ging, stressed that the welfare of these groups cannot be forgotten when the country is transforming actively on the economic and political fronts. Ging met with the Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine State and around 5000 ethnic Rakhines who remain displaced after communal violence in 2012 in which more than 150 people were killed. UNOCHA noted that camp inhibitors still faced extreme restriction on movements and were denied access to hospitals. While hailing the government for making progress in improving the living conditions for some, Ging highlighted that temporary shelters were in state of collapse and terrible sanitation conditions. Ging appealed Myanmar government to end discriminatory policies. Over 100,000 people remain displaced by conflict in Kachin and Shan states despite ceasefire signed last year. Many are living in temporary camps. Ging pressed that the country and international community must work together to resettling the displaced. The National League for Democracy (NDL) who will soon form the government in the country has remained largely silent on the issue of displaced Muslim Rohingya. An agreement to release Rs 1000 Crore to the Fertilizers and Chemicals Travancore (FACT), a Central Public Sector Undertaking, for its revival was signed today. The Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) was signed by Shri Dharam Pal, Joint Secretary, Deptt. of Fertilizers, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Government of India and Shri Jaiveer Srivastava, CMD, FACT, in the presence of Shri Ananth Kumar, Minister of Chemicals & Fertilizers and Shri Hansraj Gangaram Ahir, Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers. The function was also attended by the Secretary (Fertilizers), Shri A. K. Bishnoi and officers from Department of Fertilizers and the Government of Kerala. Speaking on the occasion, Shri Ananth Kumar said that the Modi Government is committed to the food security of the nation, and fertilizers security is one of its main components. He said that FACT, due to various reasons, had fallen sick and its revival has been one of the priority item on the Government's agenda. Stating that FACT is one of the oldest fertilizer company of the country, Shri Ananth Kumar said that it provides employment to over 2,700 persons directly or indirectly, over 30,000 families are associated with the Company, and it caters to the needs of lakhs of farmers of South India. He said that the Company has done excellent job in educating the farmers of Southern India about modern inputs for improving productivity. He expressed the hope that the Company will now make start making operational profits, after induction of funds. The Minister said the reduction in gas prices, and benign policy of the Government will help the Company in its growth. He said that over a period of time, the Company may add an ammonia plant to produce urea. The Minister of State for Chemicals and fertilizers Shri Hansraj Gangaram Ahir said that it is the beginning of a new dawn for FACT. He said that the initiative will not only help in fulfilling the objective of 'Make in India' but also meet the mantra of 'Sabka saath, Sabka vikas'. As per this MoA, FACT will be getting a loan of Rs.1000 crore, to be repaid with interest within a period of five years, with a moratorium of one year. The Company which has been facing severe financial crunch for the last more than a decade, has now got a breather in the form of this loan, which will ease its liquidity crisis. The new resources will be helpful in clearing long pending dues of the Company, and facilitate much needed working capital, as well as for augmenting production. This will help FACT to maintain production at optimum level on a sustainable basis in the coming years. The Company is initiating steps to enhance the production capacity of Factamfos by setting up a new stream of production of 1000 tonnes per day at FACT's Cochin Division at Ambalamedu in Kochi. Powered by Capital Market - Live News Dr Reddy's Laboratories rose 5.29% to Rs 3,174 at 14:33 IST on BSE after receiving approval from the US health regulator for anti-nausea drug. Meanwhile, the BSE Sensex was up 322.28 points, or 1.33%, to 24,565.26. On BSE, so far 67,000 shares were traded in the counter, compared with an average volume of 48,706 shares in the past one quarter. The stock hit a high of Rs 3,201.35 and a low of Rs 3,050 so far during the day. The stock hit a record high of Rs 4,382.95 on 20 October 2015. The stock hit a 52-week low of Rs 2,750 on 21 January 2016. The stock had underperformed the market over the past one month till 2 March 2016, sliding 1.02% compared with 1.21% decline in the Sensex. The scrip had also underperformed the market in past one quarter, sliding 7.30% as against Sensex's 7.18% fall. The large-cap company has an equity capital of Rs 85.30 crore. Face value per share is Rs 5. Dr Reddy's Laboratories has received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) for Palonosetron Hydrochloride injection or Aloxi generic. Palonosetron Hydrochloride is used to treat chemotherapy induced nausea. Media reports suggested that this is a positive news for the company in the background of USFDA warning letters for its three plants. In November 2015, it had received a warning letter from USFDA for active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) manufacturing facilities at Srikakulam (Andhra Pradesh), Miryalaguda (Telengana), and oncology formulation manufacturing facility at Duvvada, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. In October 2015, Dr Reddy's Laboratories had entered into a settlement agreement with Helsinn Healthcare SA, a Switzerland-based pharma company for patent litigations related to Aloxi generic in the US. With this settlement, the company is permitted to market Aloxi generic on 30 September 2018 or earlier. Dr Reddy's Laboratories' consolidated net profit rose 0.8% to Rs 579.20 crore on 2.7% rise in total income to Rs 3986.50 crore in Q3 December 2015 over Q3 December 2014. Dr Reddy's Laboratories is an integrated global pharmaceutical company. Through its three businesses - Pharmaceutical Services & Active Ingredients, Global Generics and Proprietary Products - Dr Reddy's offers a portfolio of products and services including APIs, custom pharmaceutical services, generics, biosimilars and differentiated formulations. Powered by Capital Market - Live News Infosys rose 1.54% to Rs 1,174 at 11:22 IST on BSE after the company said that Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait has selected Finacle to drive its technology transformation. The announcement was made after trading hours yesterday, 3 March 2016. Meanwhile, the BSE Sensex was up 261.75 points, or 1.08%, to 24,504.73. On BSE, so far 87,000 shares were traded in the counter, compared with an average volume of 1.97 lakh shares in the past one quarter. The stock hit a high of Rs 1,192.90 and a low of Rs 1,167.50 so far during the day. The stock hit a 52-week high of Rs 1,219 on 12 October 2015. The stock hit a 52-week low of Rs 932.55 on 10 July 2015. The stock had underperformed the market over the past one month till 2 March 2016, sliding 1.58% compared with 1.21% decline in the Sensex. The scrip had, however, outperformed the market in past one quarter, rising 9.06% as against Sensex's 7.18% fall. The large-cap company has an equity capital of Rs 1148.47 crore. Face value per share is Rs 5. Infosys Finacle, part of EdgeVerve Systems, a product subsidiary of Infosys, announced that Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait (ABK), a leading retail bank in Kuwait, has selected Finacle to drive its technology transformation. The bank will deploy the complete suite of Finacle solutions including core banking, trade finance, wealth management, CRM, e-banking, payments, treasury, alerts, sms banking, liquidity management, retail, and corporate loan origination. With Infosys Finacle, ABK will be able to achieve high operational efficiencies, accelerate growth and manage scale-ups easily, while delivering a digital age banking experience to its customers, the company said in a statement. Finacle is a universal banking solution from EdgeVerve Systems, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Infosys. Finacle solutions address the core banking, e-banking, mobile banking, CRM, payments, treasury, origination, liquidity management, Islamic banking, wealth management, and analytics needs of financial institutions worldwide. Infosys' consolidated net profit as per International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) rose 2% to Rs 3465 crore on 1.7% increase in revenue to Rs 15902 crore in Q3 December 2015 over Q2 September 2015. Infosys is a global leader in consulting, technology and outsourcing solutions. Powered by Capital Market - Live News Market may edge higher in early trade. Trading of Nifty 50 futures on the Singapore stock exchange indicates that the Nifty could gain 54.50 points at the opening bell. In overseas stock markets, Asian markets were mostly higher. US stocks closed slightly higher yesterday, 2 March 2016, after previous trading session's sharp rally. Closer home, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) bought shares worth a net Rs 1437.50 crore yesterday, 2 March 2016, as per provisional data released by the stock exchanges. Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) sold shares worth a net Rs 593.67 crore yesterday, 2 March 2016, as per provisional data. Among corporate news, TCS announced that as a new member of the GE Digital Alliance Program created by GE Digital, it will develop innovative digital solutions that increase the productivity of mobile workforces and assets in motion by leveraging Predix, GE's cloud platform for the industrial internet. TCS and GE will work together to create an innovative industry solutions ecosystem by leveraging TCS' comprehensive business and digital expertise to enrich GE's Predix platform, TCS said. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 2 March 2016. Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) will be in focus. With reference to the media reports titled "Govt approves Adani Port's proposal to club 3 SEZs in Gujarat," Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone after market hours yesterday, 2 March 2016, clarified that the company has not received any formal communication from the central government about the consolidation of the special economic zones (SEZ). APSEZ said that the clubbing of the three SEZs at Mudra will result in higher operating flexibility for the SEZs and is not a material event. News reports suggested that APSEZ had submitted a proposal to the government for clubbing of three SEZs at Mudra. Coal India said that Northern Coalfields, a subsidiary of Coal India in its board meeting held on 1 March 2016, revised the standard stripping ratio for OBR accounting for 10 opencast projects. The financial impact due to the change in stripping ratio till December 2015 would be around Rs 59.76 crore. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 2 March 2016. HDFC announced that the company has filed term sheet for issuing secured redeemable non-convertible debentures worth Rs 2000 crore on private placement basis. The coupon rate on debentures is 8.75% per annum. The tenor of the debentures is five years. The issue opens and closes on the same day on 4 March 2016. The object of the issue is to augment long term resources of the company, HDFC said. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 2 March 2016. Shares of BPCL turn ex-dividend today, 3 March 2016 for second interim dividend of Rs 3.50 per share for the year ending 31 March 2016. HPCL announced that a meeting of the board of directors of the company will be held on 11 March 2016, to consider declaration of second interim dividend, if any, for the year ending 31 March 2016. The company has fixed 19 March 2016 as the record date for the purpose of payment of second interim dividend. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 2 March 2016. Banking, metal sector stocks along with index heavyweights Infosys, HDFC and Reliance Industries (RIL) powered the rally on the bourses yesterday, 2 March 2016. The Sensex jumped 463.63 points or 1.95% to settle at 24,242.98, its highest closing level since 8 February 2016. Powered by Capital Market - Live News MEP Infrastructure Developers rose 1.74% to Rs 41 at 15:11 IST on BSE after the company said it bagged toll collection rights in Tamil Nadu. The announcement was made during trading hours today, 3 March 2016. Meanwhile, the BSE Sensex was up 389.91 points, or 1.61%, to 24,632.89. On BSE, so far 1.46 lakh shares were traded in the counter, compared with an average volume of 91,993 shares in the past one quarter. The stock hit a high of Rs 42.50 and a low of Rs 39.85 so far during the day. The stock hit a record high of Rs 67 on 17 July 2015. The stock hit a record low of Rs 34.20 on 12 February 2016. The stock had underperformed the market over the past one month till 2 March 2016, sliding 7.25% compared with 1.21% decline in the Sensex. The scrip had also underperformed the market in past one quarter, falling 22.05% as against Sensex's 7.18% fall. The small-cap company has an equity capital of Rs 162.57 crore. Face value per share is Rs 10. MEP Infrastructure Developers said it received the Letter of Acceptance (LoA) dated 25 February 2016 from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) informing that MEP has been engaged as the contractor for user fee collection at Athur Toll Plaza on Tambaram to Tindivanam section of National Highway 45 in Tamil Nadu. The company said it will commence operations from 26 March 2016 after complying statutory formalities. The period of contract is one year. The contractual amount for this project is Rs 72.36 crore payable to NHAI on a weekly basis over a period of one year, the company added. On a consolidated basis, MEP Infrastructure Developers reported net profit Rs 5.28 crore in Q3 December 2015 as against net loss of Rs 35 in Q3 December 2014. Net sales declined 5.99% to Rs 497.28 crore in Q3 December 2015 over Q3 December 2014. MEP Infrastructure Developers is among the leading players in tolling operations in the road infrastructure sector. The company's focus is on pure toll collection projects as well as OMT (Operation, Maintenance and Toll) collection projects, which involve maintenance obligations in addition to toll collection on operational roads including highways constructed by third parties. Powered by Capital Market - Live News Searching for the positive in everyday life The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi was today apprised of the following Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) and Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs):- (i) The MoC signed between Ministry of Railways (MoR) and Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), Japan on technological cooperation in Rail Sector on 11th December 2015. (ii) The MoU signed between Ministry of Railways and Joint Stock Company "Russian Railways" on technical cooperation in railway sector on 24th December 2015. (iii) The MoU signed between Research Design & Standards Organization (RDSO) and Railway Technical Research Institute (RTRI), Japan on technological cooperation in railway sector on 11th December 2015. Background Ministry of Railways have signed MoC/MoUs for technical cooperation in the rail sector with various foreign Governments and National Railways. The identified areas of cooperation include high speed corridors, speed raising of existingroutes, development of world class stations, heavy haul operations and modernization of rail infrastructure, etc. The cooperation is achieved through exchange of information on developments in areas of railways technologyoperations, knowledge sharing, technical visits, training & seminars and workshops in areas of mutual interest. The MoUs provide a platform for Indian Railways to interact and share the latest developments and knowledge in the railway sector. The MoUs facilitate exchange of technical experts, reports and technical documents, training and seminars/workshops focusing on specific technology areas and other interactions for knowledge sharing. (i) The Memorandum of Cooperation between MoR and MLIT of Japanwill enable technical cooperation in the following areas:- (a) Railway Safety; (b) Rolling stock including train sets/EMU; (c) Information sharing for station development and land value capture; (d) Information sharing for environment friendly Sanitation technology in trams; (e) Signaling and telecommunication; (f) Railway Electrification; (g) Civil structure and railway track system; (h) Train control system; (i) Mitigation of natural disasters; and (j) Any other areas jointly determined by both Sides. This MoC is valid for a period of three years. Thereafter it will be automatically renewed for further period of two years. (ii) The MoU signed between Ministry of Railways and Russian Railways provides for technical cooperation in the following areas: a) High Speed Rail (HSR) in India; b) Modernization of existing lines of the Indian railways in order to raise train speeds up to 160-200 kmph; c) Modern Control and safety related Systems based on satellite navigation and digital communication means, d) Satellite and geo- information technologies; e) Transportation safety and cyber security; f) Rolling stock; g) Heavy haul transportation; h) Organization of Human Resources training for the Indian Railways: secondary and higher vocational education of students and advanced training of staff members including managers; i) Station redevelopment j) Dedicated freight rail corridors; k) Modernization, reconstruction and construction of track superstructure,civil engineering works, including bridges and tunnels; and l) Slab tracks. This MoU is valid for a period of three years. Thereafter, it will be automatically renewed for further successive period of two years. (iii) The MoU signed between RDSO, India and RTRI, Japan provides for technical cooperation in the following areas:- (a) Safety in train operation; (b) Advanced techniques of maintenance; (c) Use of environment friendly technologies; (d) Throughput enhancement measures; and (e) Any other area jointly agreed upon by the Parties. This MoU is valid for a period of three years and it may be renewed for further period of one year at a time with mutual written agreement. Powered by Capital Market - Live News Vijaya Bank rose 1.08% to Rs 32.85 at 12:12 IST on BSE after the bank said that its board will meet on 3 March 2016 to consider raising upto Rs 226 crore by issuing shares to Life Insurance Corporation of India. The announcement was made before trading hours today, 3 March 2016. Meanwhile, the BSE Sensex was up 246.64 points, or 1.02%, to 24,489.62 . On BSE, so far 81,000 shares were traded in the counter, compared with an average volume of 53,024 shares in the past one quarter. The stock hit a high of Rs 33.60 and a low of Rs 32.45 so far during the day. The stock hit a 52-week high of Rs 50.70 on 4 March 2015. The stock hit a 52-week low of Rs 28.70 on 18 January 2016. The stock had outperformed the market over the past one month till 2 March 2016, rising 6.04% compared with 1.21% decline in the Sensex. The scrip had, however, underperformed the market in past one quarter, falling 7.41% as against Sensex's 7.18% fall. The small-cap company has an equity capital of Rs 859.12 crore. Face value per share is Rs 10. Vijaya Bank said that a meeting of the board of directors of the bank will be held on 3 March 2016 to consider the proposal for issue equity shares to Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) through preferential issue upto Rs 226 crore. Net profit of Vijaya Bank rose 40.67% to Rs 52.61 crore on 2% decline in operating income to Rs 3237.02 crore in Q3 December 2015 over Q3 December 2014. As per the shareholding pattern, the Government of India held 74.06% stake in the bank as at 31 March 2015. Powered by Capital Market - Live News As many as 23 Bangladeshi nationals, including nine women and three children, have been arrested in Tripura for illegally entering Indian territory, police said here on Thursday. "Acting on a tip-off, the police arrested 23 Bangladeshi nationals at Gandachara in northern Tripura late on Wednesday. Later, a local court sent 20 of them to judicial custody and three children to a juvenile home and asked the police to present them in court again on March 8," police spokesman Uttam Kumar Bhowmik told IANS. He said the Bangladeshis, all tribals, told the police that they came to Tripura from Bangladesh's Chittagong Hill Tracts to take remedial advice from a tribal traditional practitioner. Another police official said the detainees told the police that 43 Bangladeshi nationals, including the 23 arrested, entered Tripura to seek consultation about their ailment from the tribal doctor. Police were looking for the remaining trespassers. Tripura shares an 856-km border with Bangladesh and most parts of the frontier are fenced, mountainous and riverine. Forty nine Indian fishermen who were detained by Iran in December last year have been freed and reached India on Thursday, a senior government official said. "On December 1, 49 Indian fishermen who are employees of Al Shamshi Al Ajman, a UAE-based company, were detained while they were unknowingly fishing between the UAE and Iranian waters in the Kish island," external affairs ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup said at a media briefing here. "These 49 fishermen have now been released by the Iranian authorities. They left Iran yesterday (Wednesday) for Chennai via Dubai and have arrived in India this morning," he said. Of the 49 fishermen, 44 are from Tamil Nadu and five are from Gujarat. Renowned academicians on Thursday slammed the central government for what they called its unwarranted interference in central universities and autonomous educational institutes. "Universities are places for dialogue where people from different ideologies are free to express their opinion based on ideologies they concur to. In any case, depleting system over the year has turned most of the state universities to cheerleaders of the respective governments," Satish Deshpande of the Delhi School of Economics said at a seminar here. "Central universities were still managing to hold their position but the series of recent events have shaken their autonomy to a huge extent." "The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh map of India begins from Afghanistan and goes up to Myanmar across Pakistan and Bangladesh. Is it not distortion of the geography, as the actual Indian map is a lot different," said Burra Srinivas of the South Asian University. "There has been a complete distortion of Indian history under the present regime. Recently, the Sanskrit department of our university organised a seminar on the Indian history. When I asked them about the historians and evidence provided by the Archaeological Survey of India on the topic they were discussing, they told us that western powers have wrecked our history. We will re-establish it through our Sanskrit scholars," University Grants Commission fellow Vikram Soni said. Concurring with his views, Sunil Kumar of Delhi University asserted that "certain forces wish to saffronise the entire history, demolishing its factual perspective completely". "Ambedkar fought for the existence of the Dalits in higher . Today, there is a class which is challenging this very existence. Anyone dissenting with their view is labeled with a range of adjectives," Rukmini Sen of the Ambedkar University said. More than a dozen intellectuals and academicians participated in the seminar. Diego Dzodan, Facebook's vice-president for Latin America who was arrested by Brazilian police for not complying with previous judicial decisions, was released on Wednesday. Facebook spokesman Matt Steinfeld confirmed to technology website Ars Technica that executive Diego Dzodan has been released. Dzodan was arrested in Sao Paulo followed an arrest warrant issued by a judge from the state of Sergipe after Facebook allegedly did not release messages, sent by WhatsApp - a messaging service owned by Facebook - which concerned a drug trafficking investigation. Since late 2014, all WhatsApp messages sent between Android devices are end-to-end encrypted. It means that not even parent company Facebook can access their plain text contents. Facebook has maintained that WhatsApp is operated independently and that it has no staff in Brazil and does not store messages, making it impossible to comply with the court order. In December, another Brazilian judge ordered the WhatsApp service to be blocked nationwide for 48 hours after the company refused to provide information as part of an investigation into a user of the app. At the time, the judicial decision provoked a wave of criticisms in Brazil and Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, stated that he was "stupefied" and called it "a sad day for Brazil". An Australian woman was found dead under suspicious circumstances on Thursday, police said. The body of Margret Linda, 53 was lying on a bed in the flat in Toli Chowki area here, where she was allegedly staying with a Nigerian. A friend of Linda found the body and alerted the police. Some medicines used for treatment of asthma were found near the bed. Police shifted the body to a hospital for autopsy and are investigating the cause of the death. A case of suspicious death has been registered at Golconda police station. The Nigerian could not be traced and police began investigation after gathering clues from the scene. The authorities have informed the Australian embassy in New Delhi about the incident. The Australian had come to the city on a visit visa last month. Leading Chinese language internet search provider Baidu on Thursday launched its advertising network "DU Ad Platform" for advertisers and publishers in India. Baidu's "DU Ad Platform" provides advertisers with intelligent targeted ads and publishers with efficient monetisation solutions, the company said in a statement. It can serve advertisements to over one billion people in both emerging and developed markets around the world. "Advertisers and publishers have different needs and we want to make it work for both sides," said Tim Yang, general manager of Baidu India. "Baidu has extensive experience in big data and cloud computing. This expertise was a huge asset for us to build our ad platform and help advertisers find the right customers. We're really excited to finally bring it to India," he added. To ensure efficient ad delivery, Baidu has set up local servers in key markets and has incorporated cloud technology into the platform. According to a 2015 study by Deloitte, total mobile ad spend in India was estimated to have reached between $70-80 million, with a year-over-year growth rate of roughly 70 percent. "We know that lots of publishers have trouble balancing monetisation and user experience and we think we have great solutions for them," Yang added. The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Thursday said it will celebrate the birth centenary of party leader and former chief minister Biju Patnaik across the globe from March 5. Industry Minister and BJD general secretary Debi Prasad Mishra said the party was in touch with embassies and several Oriya organisations outside the country to celebrate the centenary. The party will conduct the yearlong centenary celebration at the state and national levels from March 5, the birthday of Biju Patnaik. "We are in touch with the Oriya associations in countries like the US, UK, Indonesia and Russia. We will celebrate the birth anniversary in all these countries. Details will be finalised later," said Mishra. Biju Patnaik contributed to Indonesia's Independence and rescued by an airplane in 1947 Indonesian prime minister Sutan Sjahrir, who had been placed under surveillance by the colonial Dutch. The Indonesian government bestowed on him the country's highest honour. Senior BJD leader Surya Narayan Patro rejected opposition allegation that the ruling party was confining Biju within the party, saying "he is above politics". "He is not confined to the BJD. He is a statesman and above . Anybody can celebrate his birth centenary," said Patro. A Gorakhpur-bound flight of the Jet Airways was on Thursday held up at Delhi International Airport for over three hours following a hoax call that claimed there was a bomb on board. "A call regarding a bomb in the Jaipur-Gorakhpur Jet flight was received at around 12.08 p.m. at the office of Gorakhpur Air Director. The Jet flight No.9W 2647 was scheduled to land at 3.30 p.m. in Gorakhpur but was detained here and thoroughly checked," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (IGI) Dinesh Kumar Gupta. Gupta said that following the call, the flight landed at Delhi Airport and all the passengers were deboarded and the necessary checking was done. The flight landed in Delhi at 12.57 p.m. with 61 passenger and four crew members on board. "All passenger were Delhi-bound and have since left," Gupta added. Gupta further said that the flight took off at 3.18 p.m. with 59 passengers on board after it was given security clearance by the authorities. The union cabinet was apprised of three important technological cooperation agreements Indian Railways inked with Japan and Russia in December 2015 on Wednesday. On December 11, 2015, Ministry of Railways (MoR) signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) with Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) for technical cooperation in the railways. Similarly on the same day, Indian Railways' Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO) inked an MoU with Japanese Railway Technical Research Institute (RTRI). While MoR and Joint Stock Company "Russian Railways" signed an MoU on December 24, 2015. "The MoUs provide a platform for Indian Railways to interact and share the latest developments and knowledge in the railway sector. The MoUs facilitate exchange of technical experts, reports and technical documents, training and seminars/workshops focusing on specific technology areas and other interactions for knowledge sharing," said an official statement. The MoC with MLIT enables technical cooperation in railway safety, rolling stock including train set, railway electrification, train control system and signalling and telecommunication among others. And the MoU with Russian Railways covers High Speed Rail (HSR) in India and satellite and geo-information technologies among others. While the MoU with RTRI encompasses safety in train operation, advanced techniques of maintenance, environment friendly technologies, throughput enhancement measures and others. All the agreements are valid for three years including extensions for another two years as well. Underworld don Rajendra S. Nikhalje alias Chhota Rajan's counsel on Thursday told a special MCOCA court here that his voice samples have been provided to the CBI in journalist J. Dey murder case of 2011. Rajan's lawyer Anshuman Sinha's statement before Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act Special Judge S.S. Adkar came when the don was presented before the court via video-link from New Delhi's Tihar Cenral Jail. Accordingly, the special court directed the Central Bureau of Investigation to file a progress report in the case on March 14, the next date of hearing. Last month, Rajan consented to give his voice samples for a voice test but later backed out. CBI prosecutor Bharat Badami had urged that a recording of telephonic conversations allegedly between Rajan and another person had been submitted to the court by the Mumbai police, which the agency wanted to compare with the don's voice. On January 19, the special court granted permission to the CBI to interrogate Rajan for 10 days beginning January 27. Dey, a veteran crime reporter and investigations editor of Mumbai tabloid Midday, was shot dead near his home in Powai on June 11, 2011, by four assailants riding motorcycles. The murder, allegedly committed at Rajan's behest, took place near the D'Mart in the Hiranandani complex, while Dey was riding his two-wheeler. Rajan was nabbed from the Bali airport in Indonesia on October 25 last year and later deported to India. Besides the Dey murder case, he is facing 70 other cases. The Maharashtra government subsequently handed over all the cases to the CBI. China has set a target of building around 30 nuclear power units in countries along the Belt and Road Initiative routes by 2030, the media reported on Thursday. According to Sun Qin, president of China National Nuclear Corp, 70 countries in total are already planning or developing their own nuclear power projects, and it is estimated 130 more nuclear power units will have been built by 2020, the China Daily reported. "But we also face very strong competition in the international nuclear market," he said. "Countries like Russia, South Korea, Japan and the US are all exploring the global nuclear market aggressively." Belt and Road destinations are those along the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road-the initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping to strengthen regional economic integration and infrastructure connectivity. Currently China has 30 nuclear power generating units with a capacity of 28 million gigawatts and another 24 units are under construction, according to data from the National Energy Administration. CNNC is one of China's three nuclear giants. The operator has already reached bilateral agreements on nuclear energy cooperation with countries including Argentina, Brazil, Egypt, Britain, France and Jordan, Sun said. But he emphasised there was no need to hit full self-sufficiency in nuclear, because many general components can be bought through international suppliers. A pair of Chinese giant pandas arrived in South Korea on Thursday on a 15-year lease aimed at joint research. Yuan Xin, a three-year-old male, and Hua Ni, a two-year-old female, arrived at the Incheon International Airport at around 2.20 p.m. by a special Korean Air flight from Chengdu, Xinhua news agency reported. The lease was put on one of agendas during Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to South Korea in July 2014 when Xi agreed with his South Korean counterpart Park Geun-hye to cooperate in panda research. The lease was confirmed during Premier Li Keqiang's visit to Seoul last year. China had previously loaned a pair of pandas to South Korea in 1994, but they were returned to their home country in 1998 when Seoul suffered from the Asian foreign exchange crisis. The pair will live in the 3,300 sq.m. Panda World at Everland, South Korea's largest theme park. Joint research will be conducted by Everland and China Conservation and Research Centre for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP). The pair will be unveiled to the public from April after a one-month period of adjustment to new environment. During the transitional period, they will be fed Sichuan bamboo taken from the region. A court here will consider on Friday a charge sheet filed by Delhi Police against five accused in a case of alleged supply of sensitive documents to Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence, official sources said on Thursday. According to the sources, the charge sheet was filed in the court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sumit Dass last week. Those charge-sheeted under the Official Secrets Act include the then Border Security Force (BSF) head constable Abdul Rasheed, retired Army Havildar Munawwar Ahmad Mir, government school teacher Sabar, soldier Fareed Ahmed and library assistant Kafaitullah Khan alias Master Raja. The five were arrested in November and December last year by a joint team of Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir Police. Kafaitullah Khan, a resident of Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district, allegedly working for the ISI, was arrested from the New Delhi railway station on November 26 on the charge of obtaining secret information related to India's national security and sharing it with the ISI. According to the police, Kafaitullah's interrogation led to the arrest of Rasheed from Rajouri. Following their arrests, police picked Mir and Saber from Rajouri and Ahmed from West Bengal. According to Delhi Police, Sabar helped Kafaitullah establish contact with Mir, who took retirement from service in 2011 after serving with a Rashtriya Rifles (Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry) battalion. A team of doctors at Max Super Speciality Hospital in east Delhi's Patparganj successfully performed a high-risk skull reconstruction surgery on a 14-month-old boy from Iraq recently, an official statement said. Aysar Ihab Khaleel Al-Azzawi spent the first year of his life battling a deformed skull caused by a condition medically termed as Crouzon Syndrome, which is characterised by the premature fusion of certain skull bones (craniosynostosis). Due to the abnormality, the baby's brain did not have sufficient space to grow and caused him severe headache. With time, the child's eyes began to bulge out as his brain began pushing for space to grow. The child had stopped feeding, sleeping and was visibly suffering from excruciating pain. If untreated, this could have also resulted in fatal consequences like permanent damage to the brain, permanent mental disorder, vascular damage to his nerves and other life-shattering health issues. "This surgery took about eight 10 hours and required a combination of neurosurgery and plastic re-constructive skills. We are ecstatic that our efforts have given a new lease og life to the baby and he can now lead a happy and healthy life," said Sanjeev Dua, director, department of neurosurgery, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Patparganj. "In this patient, the challenge here was to open up the coronal suture, advance the frontal bones and ensure that the bones do not fuse back quickly. We had to open up his skull and to do so in a child as small as the patient was in itself a big challenge. We used strut grafts as spacers for the multiple segments of bone," Dua noted. Globally, incidence of Crouzon syndrome is currently estimated to occur in 1.6 out of every 100,000 people, the statement added. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday said India should not be dragged into the issues connected with the Madhesis in the Himalayan country's Terai region, calling it "an internal affair of Nepal". "The issue of Madhes is an internal affair of Nepal and the country's leaders are capable enough to handle it," he told journalists here after a meeting with Madhes-based leaders. "Whatever problems Nepal is facing have to be resolved by the Nepalis. India should not be dragged into Nepal's internal affairs,"he added Nitish is visiting Kathmandu to attend the 13th general convention of the Nepali Congress from Thursday onwards. "Agitating Madhes leaders told me that the rights of the Madhesis were curtailed and so they were compelled to launch an agitation. I told them it is an internal matter of Nepal and (they should) resolve it within Nepal," Nitish Kumar said. The chief minister said that India need not intervene in the political issue and will always support the development of and peace and prosperity in Nepal. The Madhes-based parties are agitating for the last six months over the new constitution adopted by Nepal last year and are demanding amendments to it to take care of interests of people living in the southern plains adjoining India. The Janata Dal-United leader said that India has no objection over the new constitution and wishes to see Nepal as a prosperous, peaceful and stable country. "Leaders here are capable of addressing the problems of pahadis, Madhesis and janjatis," he said, "We just want progress and harmony in Nepal". Former Uttarakhand chief minister Bhagat Singh Koshiyari said the Nepal-India ties are excellent and both nations hardly have any differences. "If there were any differences among the political parties of Nepal, those can be mended," he said while addressing the 13th general convention of Nepali Congress. However, Koshiyari skipped Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal's question on alleged Indian blockade of entry of goods and fuel into Nepal after the adoption of the new constitution. Jogendra Sharma of the Communist Party of India-Marxist, criticised the Indian government on the blockade issue. "We struggled in India against the blockade, both on the street and in parliament. We sought answers from the Indian authorities and demanded that an all-party delegation be sent to Nepal to know the facts," Sharma said. Elements trying to set up a Hindu state in India and spearheading bloodshed are also trying to restore the Hindu kingdom status of Nepal, Sharma said. (Anil Giri can be contacted at girianil@gmail.com) Eric Schmidt, executive chairman of Alphabet -- the parent company of Google -- has been picked by Pentagon to head a new advisory board on defence innovation. Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook announced on Wednesday in Washington DC that Defence Secretary Ash Carter met Schmidt during the annual RSA Security Conference in San Francisco, Xinhua reported. Schmidt will be the chairman of the first Department of Defense Innovation Advisory Board and will work with Carter to select up to 12 members of the board. The initiative is an effort to tap innovators from the private sector in Silicon Valley and beyond, and board members will "represent a cross-section of America's most innovative industries, drawing on technical and management expertise from Silicon Valley", Cook said in a statement. While tasking the board to identify and adopt new technology concepts, the Pentagon spokesman said Schmidt has "a unique perspective on the latest practices in harnessing and encouraging innovation and in the importance of technology in driving organisational behaviour and business operations". The Pentagon expected the board to advise on areas that are familiar to Silicon Valley companies, such as rapid prototyping, iterative product development, complex data analysis in business decision making, the use of mobile and cloud applications, and organisational information sharing, Cook said. Around three dozen farmers in Bihar's Vaishali district have refused to reap their standing wheat crops to make space available for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's function on March 12, officials said on Thursday. Farmers of Sultanpur near Hajipur, the district headquarters of Vaishali and about 30 km from Patna, have been protesting against attempts by local authorities to cut their unripened crops for Modi's function. "These farmers are adamant not to cut their crops and threatened to protest if forced to do so," a district official told IANS from Hajipur. According to officials, the farmers have made it clear that they would not go for early harvest of standing crops since these would fetch low prices in the market. "Farmers have also rejected the offer of adequate compensation." The land on which Modi's function is proposed to be held belongs to nearly 40 farmers. "We will not allow the administration to harvest our unripe crops at any cost. Even if they offer us five-fold compensation, we will not go for early harvest; it is our (final) decision," an angry farmer, who did not want to be named, said. A team of local officials, during their visit to the area two days ago, said that the farmers should cooperate to clear their farmland for the prime minister's function. But the farmers said they would harvest only the fully ripened crops by March-end. A camp of former insurgents in Manipur was attacked by a group of militants who escaped before police could reach the site, authorities said on Thursday. The "peace camp" of the former guerrillas of the United Revolutionary Front (URF) at Lamlai in Imphal district came under attack at 11 p.m. on Wednesday. Police said a large number of unidentified men sneaked near the camp's fence and began firing from automatic weapons and lobbing Chinese-made hand grenades. Although the attack continued for several minutes, no one in the camp was injured. But police reached the site after the attackers had fled, only to find a grenade, a rifle magazine and several empty cartridges. Ngangom Kiran of the URF said: "Earlier we had been camping in the Manipur Spinning Mills in Imphal. But following some differences, we had shifted to this temporary camp." He admitted there were some threats from another group. "It is mind boggling why we should be attacked like this. We are unarmed and we have not indulged in anything objectionable including extortion," Kiran told IANS. "We are eking out a living with the stipend given by the government." He expressed unhappiness that the government had not taken up any meaningful steps for their protection. All underground organisations in Manipur are agreed on one thing -- to exterminate all those who have come overground. Police cannot say whether the attackers of Wednesday night were related to the URF or not. The attack is seen as a serious blow to the government's efforts to restore peace in Manipur, where members of 18 outfits have come overground after suspension of operations. But some of them allege that security forces continue to arrest them for incidents with which they have no links. Some former insurgents who strayed out of their camps were done to death by armed insurgents. But this is the first time a "peace camp" has been attacked. Freedom fighter and West Bengal's senior most Left leader, Ashok Ghosh, who was state secretary of the All India Forward Bloc (AIFB) for 65 years at a stretch, died here on Thursday. He was 92. Ghosh had been on ventilator support since last month after being rushed to Apollo Hospital on February 2 following lower respiratory tract infection. "At 11.25 a.m., he breathed his last," hospital superintendent Partho Bhattacharya said. With a history of Addison disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Ghosh, during his stay at the hospital, had multiple episodes of renal shutdown and stopped responding to treatment in his final days. He will be laid to rest at the Netaji Subhas Ashram in Suisa of Purulia district on March 6, as per his wish. "His final journey will begin from the party office in the city on March 5 and he will be taken to the Netaji Subhas Ashram in Suisa, where he had built a school, college and a charitable dispensary. "According to his wish, he will be buried at the Ashram," Bloc leader Naren Chatterjee said. Born on July 2, 1923 in Chinsurah of Hooghly district, Ghosh joined India's freedom movement early in the 1940s after being deeply inspired by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's political philosophy and revolutionary ideals. He participated in the Quit India movement of 1942 and was imprisoned for three years. In 1948, Ghosh became national convenor of AIFB, founded by Bose, and took over as its West Bengal unit secretary in 1951 - retaining the post till his death. He was also the party's all-India financial secretary. In independent India, Ghosh participated in Goa freedom struggle, the movement against proposed unification of Bihar and Bengal, and was one of the spearheads of the food movement of 1959. Among the founding members of the Left Front in West Bengal, Ghosh played a prominent role in formulating the policies of the coalition which ruled Bengal from 1977 to 2011. However, he was critical of the Left Front over acquisition of farmland for setting up industries. Ghosh also criticised the lack of transparency in the way the Left Front government acquired land in Singur in Hooghly district for the Tata Motors project. At the same time, he tried to resolve the Singur tangle by calling all party meetings which were attended by then opposition leaders like Mamata Banerjee. The veteran leader called Tatas "traitors" after the auto-major relocated the industrial unit to Sanand in Gujarat in 2008. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her grief over Ghosh's death. "Saddened on the passing away of veteran politician Ashok Ghosh. He used to adore me a lot," she said. Communist Party of India-Marxist state secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra said the Left movement had lost its guardian. "He was the senior most leader of the state's Left movement. We are deeply saddened... "He played a significant role in the Left movement, formation of the Left Front and keeping it intact for so many years. He was like a guardian to us." Added Forward Bloc leader and former minister Hafiz Alam Sairani: "His death is a huge blow to the democratic movement in the state and the country." "He was truly a mass leader who devoted his entire life for the people. Living his entire life in the party office, his only concern was welfare of the masses," former Bloc MP Barun Mukherjee said. Trinamool secretary general Partha Chatterjee said: "In him we have lost a guardian, a mass leader. We don't know how long will it take to fill the void created by his absence." Ghosh's body was taken to a mortuary, from where it would be transferred to the AIFB state headquarters at 9 a.m. on Saturday and kept there till 1 p.m. for people to pay last respects. A procession would then be taken out till Netaji's Statue at Shyambazar five point crossing. Later, the body would be carried to Purulia after a brief stop at his ancestral house in Chinsurah. A senior French minister has warned that his country could tear up a treaty allowing British border police to operate in the port city of Calais if it left the European Union (EU), the media reported on Thursday. France's economy minister Emmanuel Macron said the "Le Touquet" agreement -- a bilateral relationship between Britain and France -- would be threatened by Brexit (Britain's EU exit), The Guardian reported. The Treaty of Le Touquet is an agreement between France and Britain that has been in place since 2003 and governs border control arrangements and immigration. The comments came as British Prime Minister David Cameron prepared to travel to France for a summit, raising the prospect of the "Jungle" refugee camp being relocated to Britain in the case of Brexit. There are currently believed to be about 4,000 migrants amassed in Calais, hoping to cross to Britain. Cameron and French President Francois Hollande will address the Calais refugee crisis later on Thursday. The prime minister has claimed that thousands of refugees will end up on the Kent coast if Britain leaves the EU. He said France would respond to a Brexit vote by saying it was tearing up the bilateral treaty that allows police officers from both countries to work across the Channel. Speaking before the meeting, Cameron said EU membership gave Britain "greater security and greater capacity to project power globally". The government faced a tough time in the on Thursday as opposition members raised the issue of what they called "hate and inflammatory" speeches by BJP MPs and legislators in different parts of the country. The irresponsible speeches by elected representatives of the people were sending wrong signal among the masses and the practice should be stopped, Leader of Opposition in the Ghulam Nabi Azad said. The Congress leader was speaking on a calling attention motion regarding speeches made by union ministers and other elected representatives in violation of the Constitution and the oath of office they take. "What message do you want to send out to the people across the country," he asked the union government while naming BJP lawmakers like union Minister of State for Human Rresource Development Ram Shankar Katheria, Yogi Adityanath and Sakshi Maharaj who have been caught on camera making such statements. "These are the leaders who continue to make inflammatory speeches," the Congress leader said. Azad said it seemed that the union government and the Bharatiya Janata Party had "two different agendas". Asking for Home Minister Rajnath Singh's attention to his submissions, Azad said: "There is a problem. The BJP has its own agenda which is different from that of the government." He urged the home minister to book the culprits and send them to jail. D Raja of the Communist Party of India also expressed similar sentiments and said that by making such speeches the public representatives were insulting "Mother India". Raja asked Rajnath Singh why the government had not taken action against Katheria and others. The Left leader also expressed disappointment that people like Nathuram Godse, who killed Mahatma Gandhi, were honoured by the BJP. Husain Dalwai of the Congress said this was happening ever since the National Democratic Alliance government came to power at the Centre. "I have not seen such a weak prime minister who cannot control his own people," he remarked. "Is it a government of the BJP or the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh," the Congress leader asked. Sharad Yadav of the Janata Dal-United and Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati also expressed concern over the issue. Yadav said the precious time of the house was being wasted by discussing such issues. "Had the BJP controlled its members, this time could have been used to discuss important issues the country is facing," he said. Similarly, Mayawati said had there been a BSP government in Uttar Pradesh, she would have sent Katheria to jail. "Katheria should have been sent to jail. Had I been in power, I would have sent him to jail - the place he belongs to," she added. Other opposition members also echoed the same sentiments over the issue, urging the government to pay heed to it. An indefinite blockade of National Highway 102 linking Manipur capital Imphal with Myanmar crippled movement of vehicular traffic on Thursday. A Joint Action Committee (JAC), formed for justice to Thongkhogin Haokip, a school teacher who was bludgeoned to death on February 28, called for the blockade beginning Wednesday midnight to protest against the failure of the authorities to nab the culprits. As a result of the blockade of the 110-km highway, the border trade between India and Myanmar came to a grinding halt. A large number of vehicles, tourists and traders were stranded at Moreh, which is located along the India-Myanmar border. The accusing finger was pointed at some cadres of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah), a signatory to the ceasefire. However in a statement, the NSCN (IM) has denied any involvement in the incident. Mangboi Haokip, the convener of the JAC said: "The teacher had made a dying declaration to his family members. He had said that an NSCN (IM) cadre, Thangminlal Simol and his two accomplices, Sanboi and Groundthang along with some unidentified people had beaten him inside the house of a Kargil martyr at Aimol Satu village." He further said that the villagers took out the body in a procession the next day to demand that the culprits be handed over to them. But the armed people holed up inside the house opened firing at the villagers using automatic rifles. Police rushed there and there was a fierce exchange of fire for over 20 minutes. However, no one was injured in the incident. The irate villagers then burned down the house and the check-gate erected by the NSCN (IM) along the road. Sartaj Aziz, foreign affairs adviser to the Pakistan prime minister, has said "India, not terrorism, is the biggest threat to the region", and asked India to reduce its nuclear stockpile so that Pakistan can consider reciprocation. Aziz underscored that Pakistan's nuclear arsenal is a major deterrent, a fact that the US also recognises, according to Dawn. Responding sharply to US Secretary of State John Kerry's suggestion to cut down on nuclear arsenal, Aziz said it was India that was stockpiling and not Pakistan as it has to keep up a minimum deterrence. "If they increase the stockpile, we cannot reduce ours," he said. Secretary of State Kerry urged Pakistan to reduce its nuclear arsenal by making it front and centre of its policy. However, Kerry did not mention if the US will ask India to do the same. Sartaj Aziz in turn asked the US to show a greater understanding of Pakistan's security concerns and its desire to contribute as a mainstream nuclear power. The US appreciates Pakistan's ongoing efforts of command and control in this regard and both countries decided to continue constructive discussion in the Security, Strategic Stability and Non-proliferation working group, Aziz said. "This is what strategic stability means, to have that deterrence capability," he added. "India's nuclear arsenal has a qualitative side which is continually modernising, so Pakistan has to respond," Aziz maintained. Sartaj Aziz was briefing the media on Wednesday in Washington on the proceedings of the sixth round of the Strategic Dialogue between the US and Pakistan. India Power Corporation Ltd (IPCL) along with an arm of Qatar Sovereign Wealth Fund bought out stakes held by French energy major Engie in two power projects in Andhra Pradesh and Indonesia, said investment banking firm Jefferies. India Power signed a deal with Engie to acquire its holding in Meenakshi Energy Private Ltd operating a 0.3 GW thermal power plant and in the process of constructing 0.7 GW new plant in Andhra Pradesh Similarly, Nebras Power, the arm of Qatar Sovereign Wealth Fund, signed a binding agreement with Engie to acquire its 35.5 percent stake in East Java-based Indonesian power company PT Paiton Energy. India Power is part of the Kanoria Foundation operating wind and solar power plants. Jefferies acted as sole financial adviser to Nebras Power and India Power Corporation in their acquisitions in Indonesia and India, respectively. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, during a meeting with her Bangladeshi counterpart Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali, has sought "swift action" over crimes against minorities in the South Asian neighbour. "Referring to recent incidents of attacks on minorities in Bangladesh, the external affairs minister sought swift action against the perpetrators of the crimes by the Bangladesh authorities," the external affairs ministry said in a statement late on Wednesday. "Foreign Minister Ali assured that the government of Bangladesh was conscious of the importance of checking the activities of radical forces in the country and expressed the commitment of his government to safeguarding Bangladesh's secular, progressive and liberal character," it said. Wednesday's meeting between the two ministers assumes significance because of Bangladesh government's clampdown on terrorist elements following the killing of a head priest of a Hindu temple in the country last month, the responsibility for which was claimed by the Islamic State (IS) terror outfit. The external affairs ministry statement also said that the two ministers, while applauding the excellent state of relations that currently prevails between India and Bangladesh, expressed their determination to deepen ties even further. "Matters of mutual interest including future political exchanges, security, connectivity and transit, power, energy, water etc. were discussed," it stated. On Tuesday, Ali addressed the Raisina Dialogue here, a global conclave on geopolitics and geo-economics organised by the external affairs ministry and the Observer Research Foundation. He called for integration of the South Asian nations, saying that the newly formed Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal (BBIN) sub-regional coordinative architecture would prove to be a game changer in the region. Sushma Swaraj and Ali will meet again at the Joint Consultative Commission meeting scheduled to be held in Dhaka later this year. Indo-Canadian students, the faculty and staff from Univeristy of British Columbia, Canada, would hold a rally in solidarity with Jawaharlal Nehru Univeristy (JNU) on March 3, a media report said. "As you already know many central universities are under brutal attack from the BJP-led right wing government in India. Rohith Vemula, a bright PhD student of University of Hyderabad who belonged to Dalit community, was victimised, harassed, and thrown out of the university which ultimately forced him to take his own life," The Voice quoted an email by a student as saying. "The students of the Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi who led a big student movement against the institutional murder of Rohith are now facing deadly onslaught of the state -- its entire student's union and leftist leadership booked under the draconian sedition charges," the email added. "Its President Kanhaiya Kumar was almost lynched in the court premises by fascist hoodlums in black coats in full public view, and in spite of a huge police presence that refused to act," the email noted. The email said that the university would to celebrate the day as "International Support Day for JNU". Hundreds of universities, public intellectuals, human rights organisations from all over the world have raised their voice in support of the JNU students and teachers, the report said. Recently, students, including Indian-Americans, from New York University (NYU) and Cooper Union college in New York gathered at Washington Square Park to support JNU Students Union leader Kanhaiya Kumar and other students who were arrested on sedition charges last month. An Indian-American student said during the protest that the primary purpose of the event was to raise awareness about Kumar's arrest. "[Kumar] was arrested for making these comments against the government, even though he was not actually saying anything against the government, he was just having this poetry reading," Anjana Sreedhar said. "We are protesting against the fact that he was arrested under the sedition law which is very antiquated and very outdated," Sreedhar added. Sreedhar, along with several other students read English transcripts of Kumar's speech during the poetry reading and asked if his words warranted arrest. They also encouraged passersby and attendees to attend a forum discussion at Cooper Union next week. A student activist at the NYU Sumathy Kumar said she attended the rally because she wants to show her support to the JNU students who were "beaten and arrested and so much violence was being committed against them just for speaking out". Anthropology professor Tejaswini Ganti said that she was glad students were voicing support for JNU's students and that universities should be an open forum for all opinions -- even those that dissent against the governing party. Two unidentified female assailants on Thursday opened fire at a riot police station in Turkey Istanbul city. Initial reports indicated that two women inside a vehicle opened fire at the station and fled the scene after abandoning their car, Hurriyet Daily News reported. Police launched an operation in surrounding neighbourhoods to apprehend the attackers. According to CNN Turk, both attackers were currently trapped inside a building. Police were set to launch an operation once the surrounding buildings were evacuated. The Himachal Pradesh High Court on Thursday widened the scope of investigation into administrative negligence, if any, that led to the outbreak of jaundice in the state capital. Hearing the case, a division bench of Chief Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir and Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan directed the special investigating team (SIT), constituted by the state, to investigate jaundice outbreak in Solan district too and submit a report. The authorities in Solan are directed to report as to how many deaths have occurred so far in the district due to jaundice, said the bench. It also directed the state to deposit within four weeks the amount of compensation to be disbursed to the families of those who died of the water-borne disease. In its last hearing on February 25, the high court not only pulled up top government functionaries for their apparent lapses in dealing with the outbreak of jaundice but also awarded an interim compensation of Rs.2 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased. The high court is hearing the matter as a public interest litigation (PIL) by taking suo motu notice of media reports regarding contamination of drinking water in Shimla. The next hearing is scheduled for March 28. The bench asked the state as to what action has been taken against the additional chief secretary and secretary (irrigation and public health) and other officers who were responsible for supplying drinking water from September 18, 2014, onwards. The court noted that the Ashwani Khad water treatment station, which supplies water to one-third of Shimla's population, is highly contaminated. Official sources told IANS that more than 1,500 cases of jaundice, including among senior government officials, have been reported in Shimla and 12 people have lost their lives to the disease. Patients suffering from the water-borne disease were also reported from Solan town, which was located in the downstream of Ashwani Khad. The bench directed state Pollution Control Board member-secretary Vineet Kumar to be present in the court on the next hearing. JNU student leader Kanhaiya Kumar, arrested for sedition 20 days ago, was released from the Tihar Jail here on Thursday evening and returned to the university campus amid noisy celebrations by hundreds of students and teachers. As the sprawling Jawaharlal Nehru University campus was enveloped in darkness after street lights mysteriously went off before Kanhaiya Kuamr's return, slogan-shouting students massed in the open holding flaming torches and carrying placards and posters hailing the student leader. "We are all relaxed that Kanhaiya is back but the fight is far from over," PhD student Priyanka Das told IANS, summing up the general mood in the student community. "We will maintain the solidarity till Anirban (Bhattacharya) and Umar (Khalid) are back and safe," she added, referring to the two other student activists who too are in jail on sedition charges. Das, who is with the Centre for English Studies, said the JNU community "must not give up until students are safe inside and outside the campus". Added another student, Monika Gupta: "Kanhaiya's release is an happy hour for all the students." JNU Assistant Professor Rohit Azad told IANS: "As you can see, the JNU community has gathered here in full support. It is a relief that Kanhaiya is back." The February 12 arrest of Kanhaiya Kumar, the first president of the JNU Students Union from the CPI-affiliated AISF, was widely denounced, more so after he was beaten up in a Delhi court on two days by some lawyers. Delhi Police kept claiming that they had irrefutable evidence that Kanhaiya Kumar had raised anti-national slogans but failed to come up with the evidence in the court, weakening their case. On Wednesday, the Delhi High Court gave a six-month interim bail to the jailed student leader but made wide-ranging observations on issues such as nationalism and love for the country that were quickly lapped up by the establishment and denounced by legal experts as unwarranted. Judge Pratibha Rani told Kanhaiya Kumar to ensure that no "anti-national" activity took place in the JNU. Wednesday's bail order sparked wild celebrations in the JNU by students, particularly those from leftist groups. On Thursday, there were fears that there may be clashes between leftist and rightist student groups. But the situation in the JNU was largely peaceful although surcharged even as activists ranged against Kanhaiya Kumar gathered outside the JNU's main entrance. Kanhaiya Kumar, who comes from a poor family in Bihar, eventually entered the university through a side gate. The JNU Teachers Association (JNUTA), which actively backed Kanhaiya Kumar, welcomed his release but said it was concerned over the two other students still in custody. "The JNUTA reiterates its demand that the sedition and criminal conspiracy cases based on frivolous videos be immediately withdrawn," its Secretary Bikramaditya Choudhary told the media. Earlier, two JNU professors and one of his lawyers reached the Tihar Jail with judicial orders for his release. Kanhaiya Kumar was released around 6.30 p.m., Mukesh Prasad, the jail's deputy inspector general, told IANS. Advocate Vrinda Grover told IANS that Kanhaiya Kumar's surety of Rs.10,000 had been furnished. The student leader has repeatedly denied the charges hurled at him. According to forensic experts, at least two of the seven videos which the police used to act against him had been doctored. JNU student leader Kanhaiya Kumar was released from the Tihar Jail here on Wednesday evening, a day after the Delhi High Court gave him a six-month interim bail, jail authorities said. They said two Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) professors and one of his lawyers came to the prison with judicial orders for his release. "Kanhaiya was released from the jail around 6.30 p.m. He left along with the professors and the lawyer," Mukesh Prasad, the jail's deputy inspector general, told IANS. The student leader was arrested on February 12 on sedition charges for allegedly raising anti-national slogans at an event in the JNU campus -- a charge he has repeatedly denied. JNU student leader Kanhaiya Kumar reached the JNU here on Thursday evening, 20 days after he was arrested there on charges of sedition. Kanhaiya Kumar entered the sprawling Jawaharlal Nehru University campus from one of the side gates to avoid activists ranged against him who were massed outside the main entrance, students told IANS. The JNU Students Union president was earlier released from the Tihar Jail, a day after the Delhi High Court gave him a six-month interim bail. JNU student leader Kanhaiya Kumar, accused of sedition, will soon be released from Tihar Jail here as his bail bond has been furnished, a lawyer said on Thursday. This follows the Delhi High Court's order on Wednesday granting him a six-month interim bail. "Kanhaiya's bail bond has been furnished in front of a magistrate. We are planning to submit his release papers to jail authorities," advocate Vrinda Grover told IANS. Kanhaiya Kumar's bail bond was given a day after the high court judge Pratibha Rani granted him the bail after asking him to furnish a surety of Rs.10,000. The president of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU) was arrested on February 12 on charges of shouting anti-national slogans, a charge he has denied. It will be wrong to see central Minister Ram Shankar Katheria's anti-Muslim speech as an "aberration" and he should be removed from the central government, the CPI-M has said. CPI-M journal "People's Democracy" said in an editorial that it had become routine for ministers in the Narendra Modi government to make speeches of communal incitement, violating their oath of office. Even so, the comments by Minister of State for Human Resource Development made against Muslims in Agra "has to be taken with the utmost seriousness", it said. Addressing a gathering organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parisad after one of its workers was killed, Katheria said: "We have to make ourselves powerful... Before another (life) is lost, we must show such strength that these killers themselves disappear." The editorial said similar speeches were made at a Mahapanchayat in Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh prior to the horrific communal violence there in September 2013. "That a minister in the Modi cabinet is fomenting such communal violence is an act which cannot be condoned in any way," the Communist Party of India-Marxist said. "It will be a mistake to see Katheria's incitement of violence as an aberration. There are some who still think that all this would stop if Modi intervenes and reins in his ministers. The reality is otherwise. "The Modi cabinet is filled with ministers, who, motivated by their RSS and Hindutva links, not only spout communal rhetoric, but also act on it." The editorial urged the Uttar Pradesh government to book Katheria and all others who incited communal violence in Agra. It also asked Modi to sack Katheria as a minister. In a bid to pre-empt an opposition onslaught during the coming Maharashtra assembly budget session, the chief minister and his ministers embarked on a daylong tour of some of the worst drought-hit regions, official sources said on Thursday. Many of the 27 Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena coalition ministers, including cabinet and ministers of state hailing from both the parties, besides Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, have either left or are slated to leave for their destinations on Thursday to cover 29 sub-districts of Beed, Latur and Osmanabad among others. The ministers will take stock of the grim water shortages that have severely hit the people in these areas of the dry Marathwada region and submit their detailed reports to Fadnavis. They were expected to gather in Latur on Friday evening and Fadnavis will make a detailed review after considering the inputs and reports submitted to him. The ministers will study the impact of shortage of water for drinking, irrigation or industrial purposes in rural and urban areas, cattle camps and availability of fodder for animals. He will also assess reports of damage to crops in some areas lashed by heavy rains and hailstorms earlier this week, disbursal of aid and relief materials, and response of the local administration to tackle the situation. The ministerial tours come amid a high-profile five-day tour undertaken by Leader of Opposition in the assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil of the Congress, who has drawn large crowds in several areas of the drought-hit regions since Tuesday. Pointing out that there were 244 farmland suicides in January alone, Vikhe-Patil in his public meetingsdemanded a complete loan waiver and other relief measures for the farmers. Following the ministerial tours, the BJP is likely to depute all its legislators and parliamentarians, besides state party office-bearers, to undertake similar tours and monitor relief works to help people tide over the crises till the next monsoon sets in after around 100 days. The budget session of the Maharashtra assembly will begin in Mumbai from March 9. Even before the release of his debut film "Love Games", Gaurav Arora has been roped in for "Raaz 4" along with Emraan Hashmi. And veteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt feels he is a star in the making, ready to soar high in showbiz. Gaurav, who has walked the ramp as a model and featured in a slew of TV commercials, will be making his Bollywood debut with "Love Games". Directed by Vikram Bhatt, "Love Games" is an urban thriller and will release on April 8. "I think Gaurav has all the attributes of being a long distance runner. He is a person who is going to be fed in the landscape of ours, soaring from strength to strength because he has the looks. He has the talent and the willingness to give it all," Mahesh said in a statement. Mahesh also asserted that Gaurav has got a good start. "He has made a spectacular beginning with a great role under Vikram Bhatt and I think with 'Raaz', he is only going to add to it. I see a glorious future. He will soon be among the new breed of young actors that you'll see walking down," Mahesh added. The fourth instalment of the "Raaz" franchise features Emraan in the main lead opposite south Indian actress Kriti Kharbanda. The film has been shot in Romania. The plot of the film is not out yet, but it is expected to retain the spooky level with a haunting story. Industrialist on Thursday objected to the State Bank of India's (SBI) interlocutory application (IA) before the debt recovery tribunal, seeking his arrest in the Kingfisher Airline's multi-crore loan default case. "We have filed our objections against the bank's IA on the ground that it (tribunal) is not the forum to seek a defaulter's arrest or impound his passport," Mallya's counsel told IANS here. The IA also sought a directive from the tribunal to the authority concerned for impounding Mallya's passport, evaluate his assets and claim on the $75 million (Rs 516 crore) severance package British liquor major Diageo and its Indian arm United Spirits Ltd (USL) signed with him on February 25 here. Tribunal judge R Benkanahalli posted the IA for next hearing to Friday and gave notice to Mallya for filing objection, if any, after the bank counsel's arguments on Wednesday. "The quasi-judicial tribunal is meant to facilitate banks and financial institutions recover speedily outstanding loans and avoid procedural delays in civil courts," Mallya's counsel said. SBI's advocate also admitted that he had filed four IAs before the tribunal for Mallya's arrest, impounding his passport, inventory of his assets in India and other countries and first right over Diageo's sweetheart deal in lieu of his resignation as chairman and non-executive director of USL. Mallya, who is also an independent lawmaker from Karnataka in the Rajya Sabha, is reportedly in New Delhi to attend the on-going budget session of Parliament. A SBI-led consortium of 17 state-run and private banks filed an application before the tribunal a day after (February 26) seeking a directive to Mallya for paying the amount Diageo and USL agreed to pay him over the next five years, including $40 million this year and the balance $35 million by 2020. Debt-ridden Kingfisher Ltd owes the consortium Rs 7,800 crore as combined loans, including Rs 1,600 crore from lead bank SBI that were raised from 2004-12. The defunct airline suspended operations in October 2012 due to a staff strike over non-payment of salaries and other dues and the civil aviation regulator DGCA terminated its licence subsequently. The SBI-led consortium moved the tribunal after CBI director Anil Sinha expressed concern over its delay in acting against Mallya at the seventh CBI conference on combating financial crimes on Wednesday in Mumbai. "We had recently (July 2015) registered a case of cheating and fraud against Kingfisher and its erstwhile management involving allegations of defrauding banks up to Rs 7,800 crore, borrowed as loans/advances by the bankrupt airline during 2004-2012," Sinha recalled at the day-long conference, organised by the CBI in partnership with Indian Banks' Association (IBA). Observing that there was a growing sense of anguish among the public over increasing bad loans as non-performing assets, Sinha said while banks were strict on retail borrowers, the big borrowers and large-scale fraudsters were able to not only evade the law, but also enjoy the fruits of crime. "Undue delay in identifying and reporting such a fraud has jeopardised the cause of justice to the offenders benefit, giving them opportunity to divert funds and destroy evidence," Sinha added. Liquor baron Vijay Mallya will on Thursday file objections to the State Bank of India's (SBI) interlocutory application (IA) before the debt recovery tribunal seeking his arrest in the defunct Kingfisher Airline's multi-crore-rupee loan default case. "We are filing our objections today (Thursday) against the IA on the merit that the tribunal was not the right forum to seek a defaulter's arrest or impound his passport," Mallya's counsel told IANS here. The bank's IA on Wednesday also sought a direction from the tribunal, headed by judge R. Benkanahalli, to the authority for impounding Mallya's passport, seize his assets and claim on the $75 million (Rs.516 crore) severance package British liquor major Diageo signed with him on February 25. After arguments by the bank's advocate, the judge posted the IA for next hearing on Friday and gave notice to Mallya for filing objections, if any. "The quasi-judicial tribunal is meant to facilitate banks and financial institutions recover outstanding loans speedily and avoid the inordinate procedural delays in civil courts," Mallya's counsel said. Bank's advocate also admitted that he had filed four IAs before the tribunal for Mallya's arrest, impounding his passport, seizing his assets and seeking rights to the Diageo's sweetheart deal in exchange for his resignation as chairman and non-executive director of United Spirits Ltd (USL). Mallya, an independent lawmaker from Karnataka in the Rajya Sabha, is reportedly in New Delhi for attending the budget session of Parliament. A consortium of 17 state-run and private banks led by SBI moved an application a day after the February 25 Diageo deal in the tribunal seeking a directive to Mallya for paying the amount Diageo agreed to pay him over the next five years, including $40 million this year and balance $35 million by 2020. Kingfisher Ltd. owes the consortium Rs.7,800 crore as outstanding loans, including Rs.1,600 crore from SBI as a lead bank over a decade from 2004-12. The debt-ridden airline suspended operations in October 2012 due to staff strike and termination of its licence by the civil aviation regulator DGCA subsequently. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday reached out to the opposition for its support to run the government smoothly and invoked late Congress stalwarts and prime ministers Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira and Rajiv Gandhi for peaceful functioning of parliament. In his over an hour-long speech, Modi, however, didn't speak about raging issues like crackdown on Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students and death of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula in Hyderabad University that had stalled parliament for two days earlier this week. "Parliament is a forum where different view points are put forward, where questions are being asked to the government, where government is made accountable and nobody is spared," Modi said, winding up the discussion in the Lok Sabha on the motion of thanks to President Pranab Mukherjee for his Address to parliament. "And in doing so, it would be great if we uphold parliamentary traditions" and let the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha function "peacefully and responsibly", he said. Modi noted this was "not a sermon" but the "words of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi". He also recalled the statements of Nehru, Indira and India's first president Rajendra Prasad and urged the opposition for its support to pass crucial legislations, including the Goods and Services Tax (GST) bill. Modi said the opposition was suffering from an "inferiority complex". "Some people want to oppose for the sake of it. There are such bright MPs in the opposition, but they are not being allowed to speak. Nobody in the opposition must look stronger and this is the inferiority complex." However, at the end of his speech, the prime minister toned down his aggression and sought the support of the Congress and other opposition parties to run the government for the sake of people and the country. "Let's walk shoulder-to-shoulder and do something for the country. I am new, you are experienced," Modi said. "We need to make an atmosphere of improving trust. If you have suggestions, please do offer. I would like the government to adopt these habits. The government also needs to improve and this would not happen without your support. I need your support. I need you people, your experience." In an obvious attack on Rahul Gandhi, Modi returned the barbs the Congress leader had hurled at him on Wednesday in the Lok Sabha over the prime minister's reluctance to take the opposition on board over various issues. "Some people learn with age but some don't," Modi said. Modi didn't name Rahul Gandhi but recalled how he had in 2013 torn before reporters a controversial ordinance of the then Congress government on convicted lawmakers when then prime minister Manmohan Singh was visiting the US. "The ordinance was torn apart when the then honourable prime minister was in the US to meet (Barack) Obama. Please learn to respect elders," Modi said as Gandhi listened. MPs from the BJP and its allies thumped their desks in appreciation even as the opposition booed following Modi's remark. With the Congress repeatedly targeting the government over Modi's earlier opposition to MGNREGA, the prime minister said it was the Comptroller and Auditor General who had punched holes in the implementation of the the flagship rural job guarantee scheme. He said his government was improving its implementation and trying to generate assets under it. "You have sown the roots of poverty so deep, there is no denying this," he said, adding sarcastically that if he tries to tackle it, he himself will get uprooted. He said the opposition criticism is not over our performance but "they are worried because we are doing better". Saying there was freedom to criticize the government in India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday pointed out how Stalin could be denounced in then Soviet Union only after his death. Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Modi narrated how Nikita Khrushchev, who succeeded Stalin, gave a "secret speech" in 1956 denouncing the dictator's personality cult and purges in his era. Modi said that when Khrushchev was asked why he didn't criticize Stalin during his lifetime, he replied it was not possible during those days. The prime minister then warned Congress against creating personality cults. "You won't know what will happen." At least 80 percent of Americans feel that the US is the main force fighting against the Islamic State terrorist group in Syria and European countries have no role in it. According to the Sputnik.Polls survey, the 80 percent respondents believe that Europe is adding to the struggle. Britain's role was recognised by 29 percent, of Russia by 25 percent, France 36 percent, while Germany's effort by just 8 percent. The survey was conducted by various research companies for Sputnik news agency. In Germany, 36 and 38 percent of respondents believe that Russia and the US are playing the same leading role in the fight against groups like IS and Jabhat al-Nusra in Syria. France ranks third on 25 percent, while 24 percent of respondents named the Syrian Army and the Kurds among the fighting forces. The survey involved 1,047 British respondents, 1,004 American respondents, 1,002 German respondents and 1,499 French respondents. Russia has carried out 7,725 air strikes, the US - 3,267, Britain - 33, France - 5, according to the reports from their foreign ministries. Islamabad on Thursday said its nuclear arsenal is for the defence of Pakistan and its people. This comes days after US Secretary of State John Kerry asked the south Asian country to consider reducing its nuclear arsenal. "Our nuclear deterrence is to deter any aggression against Pakistan's territorial integrity," Foreign Office Spokesperson Mohammed Nafees Zakaria said during the weekly briefing. "It is for the defence of Pakistan and its people, as a responsible nuclear state, we have invested in ensuring nuclear safety, nuclear security and robust command and control system," the spokesperson added. On Wednesday, Pakistan's Foreign Affairs Advisor said in Washington that "India, not terrorism, is the biggest threat to the region", and asked India to reduce its nuclear stockpile so that Pakistan can consider reciprocation. Sartaj Aziz underscored that Pakistan's nuclear arsenal is a major deterrent, a fact that the US also recognises. Responding sharply to Kerry's suggestion to cut its nuclear arsenal, Aziz said it was India that was stockpiling n-weapons and not Pakistan as it has to keep up a minimum deterrence. "If they increase the stockpile, we cannot reduce ours," he said. A team of young Indian researchers and naturalists have recently discovered a new snake genus and species in Gujarat, it was announced here on Thursday. The snake genus has been named Wallaceophis in honour of the legendary 19th century British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace (1823-1913), considered the father of biogeography, while the snake species has been named Gujaratenisis to commemorate the western Indian state where it was discovered. The team included researchers Zeeshan Mirza, Raju Vyas, Harshil Patel, Rajesh Sanap and Jaydeep Mehta and their discovery has been documented in the respected international journal, Plos One's issue on Thursday. Herpetologist Mirza, the lead author of the study works with the National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bengaluru, and had come across a picture of the snake in a paper published by then undergraduate student, Vyas, in 2007. "This snake was really odd looking and called Vyas for his opinion on the snake's identity, but barring the image, he had no other information," Mirza said. After seven years, Patel, researcher from Gujarat studying reptiles and amphibians in the southern parts of the state, informed Mirza that the snake has been discovered by a snake rescuer, Mehta, and now it would be possible to identify it. Mirza, Sanap, Vyas, Patel and Mehta got down to researching it, comparing specimens from Gujarat with available information and other measures to identify it. Armed with Vyas's data of 12 members of the same species from different locations in Gujarat, based on scalation, tooth numbers, bone morphology and DNA, it was identified as belonging to a group of colubrid snakes. Colubrids include racers, royal snakes and whip snakes, but differ considerably not only to term it as a new species but also an entirely new genus to embody it. Colubrid snakes "Family Colubridae" are present around the world with more than 1,800 species. Gujarat was a different place way back in the past, especially Saurashtra and Kutch regions, which were isolated islands and only after considerable rise of Himalayas and increase in the Antarctic ice sheet growth, the global sea level dropped by 50 metres which re-shaped landmasses worldwide, including Gujarat. Mirza said it is quite likely that the so-called less biodiverse state would yield many more interesting biota in the future. "In the 21st century, more than 100 new species of reptiles and amphibians have been discovered in India, many in the Western Ghats and the North-Eastern parts of the country, but the rest of India remains relatively less explored," said Patel. The Wallaceophis Gujaratenisis is presently found in just seven localities of Gujarat and virtually nothing is known about its biology, said Vyas who has extensively documented the reptilian fauna of that state. "No direct link" had been found with JNU Students Union president Kanhaiya Kumar with anti-India sloganeering in the JNU campus, said a Delhi government report. "I have submitted the report to the Delhi government late last (Wednesday) night," District Magistrate, New Delhi, Sanjay Kumar, told IANS. Sanjay Kumar refused to divulge the details but an official privy to the report, who did not want to be named, said: "The DM report says they could not find any link between what Kanhaiya said and the anti-India slogans raised at the gathering. But, the official said that "anti-India slogans were indeed raised in the campus. There is no doubt about it". He said that seven videos were sent to Truth Labs, Hyderabad, of which three were found to be doctored. "In those doctored versions, video has been edited and voices added, the official said." The report was submitted to the Delhi government late on Wednesday night. The state government had ordered a magisterial probe into the matter on February 13. On February 9, a cultural event was organised at JNU to commemorate the hanging of parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. During the event, anti-India slogans were allegedly raised, following which JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar was arrested by Delhi Police on February 12. Kanhaiya Kumar was granted interim bail for six months by Delhi High Court on Wednesday. "No direct link" has been found between Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU) president Kanhaiya Kumar and "anti-India sloganeering" on the campus on February 9, a magisterial report said. The report, however, said the role of Umar Khalid, another JNU student accused of raising anti-India slogans, needs to be further investigated. It also said that three of the seven videos sent for analysis were found to be doctored. "I have submitted the report to the Delhi government late last (Wednesday) night," New Delhi District Magistrate Sanjay Kumar, who conducted the inquiry, told IANS. "Umar Khalid was visible in many videos. His support for Kashmir and Afzal Guru is known and he was the organiser of the event. His role needs to be further investigated," the report said. The DM's report said they could not find any link between what Kanhaiya Kumar said and the anti-India slogans raised at the gathering. "No witness or video (made) available to me could support the allegation against him," Sanjay Kumar said in the report. But Kumar said that "anti-India slogans were indeed raised in the campus. There is no doubt about it". "Anti-national slogans were indeed raised on the campus. The university administration has identified a few faces clearly heard raising anti-India slogans. Their whereabouts should be found out and their role investigated further," the report stated. Kumar said seven videos were sent to Truth Labs, Hyderabad, of which three were found to be doctored. "In those doctored versions, video has been edited and voices added," he said. The state government had ordered a magisterial probe into the matter on February 13 after the arrest of Kanhaiya Kumar on February 12. The report cited the claims of some JNU security staff that "possibly" Umar, Anirban and Ashutosh had raised the slogans at the February 9 event on the campus to protest against the hanging of parliament attack convict Afzal Guru and on Kashmir. The report said that after going through the footage handed over by the JNU security staff who filmed the incident and other footage taken by news channels as well as speaking to eyewitnesses, it was found that Khalid allegedly raised slogans like 'Kashmir ki janta sangharsh karo, hum tumhare saath hain (People of Kashmir struggle, we are with you)'. In the videos, Anirban and Ashutosh are seen with Umar Khalid and the JNU security staff claim to identify their voices and slogans like 'Afzal ki hatya nahi sahenge' (Won't tolerate Afzal's murder) raised "possibly" by them, the report said. The DM's probe included examination of the JNU security staff, students and other eyewitnesses. Videos from various channels, other videos from YouTube and videos made by the JNU security team were also examined. The report said that many outsiders of Kashmiri descent were seen in the videos, shouting pro-Afzal and "anti-India" slogans. "Many outsiders have their faces covered. They should be immediately identified for further investigation. Possibly, two of these students are from the JNU," the report suggests. "The inquiry also wanted to interrogate Umar Khalid, Anirban and Ashutosh after they resurfaced but they didn't come before the district magistrate and sent a 'thank you note'," the report said. Kanhaiya Kumar was granted interim bail for six months by the Delhi High Court on Wednesday. The government on Thursday confirmed that no Indian was injured in the attack on the Indian consulate in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, on Wednesday in which eight people were killed, including the five attackers, and 19 were injured. "No member of the consulate was injured except for superficial injuries on the right hand of one of the local staff members," external affairs ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup told the media here. Giving details of the attack, he said that five terrorists approached the consulate in a van rigged with explosives around noon. "As soon as the van breached the initial barrier of the approach road, the Afghan National Police (ANP) contingent that was protecting the consulate opened fire," he said. "Four of the five terrorists exited the van and returned fire." Swarup said that as the van could not get sufficiently close to the consulate, one of the terrorists blew it up shattering the doors and windows of the building. Another terrorist approached the gate but realising that he had no cover, blew himself up. "The remaining attackers were engaged by the Afghan National Police and the National Directorate of Security (NDS) personnel for another half an hour until they were neutralised one after the other," the spokesman said. He said commandos of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) posted there took their designated positions but did not engage directly with the attackers as the ANP and NDS were actively engaging them. The entire encounter lasted about 45 minutes during which three people were killed. Swarup said that according to the NDS, 19 persons, mostly ANP guards, were injured. Two of the ANP guards are in serious condition. Later, senior officials, including the ANP and NDS chiefs of Nangarhar province as well as the provincial governor, visited the consulate and reassured the staff there of all cooperation. Additional forces from the ANP and NDS were deployed around the consulate. US President Barack Obama spoke on phone with NASA astronaut Scott Kelly on Wednesday, welcoming him back to Earth from his yearlong mission on the International Space Station (ISS), the White House said. Obama thanked Kelly "for his participation in important research about what it will take for us to make long journeys in space, and for inspiring a new generation of young people to pursue studies and careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics," Xinhua quoted the White House as saying. The US president also said Kelly's year in space would "provide critical data" to researchers trying to understand how to keep astronauts healthy during long space voyages and fulfill Obama's vision of putting American astronauts on Mars in the 2030s. "Thanks to Kelly's work, in addition to that of everyone at NASA and in the US space industry, the president believes the US will be successful in that journey to Mars," the statement added. Kelly landed in Kazakhstan on Tuesday with his Russian counterparts Mikhail Kornienko and Sergey Volkov after a 340-day mission aboard the International Space Station. It is the longest continuous stay in space for an American astronaut. The central government has set up a high-level committee identify critical issues and suggest measures to plug loopholes in vigil along the India-Pakistan border in Punjab, a state government official said on Thursday. The committee has been set up in view of two attacks by suspected Pakistani terrorists in Punjab's Pathankot, targetting the Indian Air Force base, in January and Dinanagar town last year respectively. To be headed by former union home secretary Madhukar Gupta, it will suggest measures to cease any possibility of recurrence of such attacks in future. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had urged the central government to ensure strict vigil along the India-Pakistan border so that infiltration of terrorists from Pakistan side does not take place. "Deputy National Security Advisor (NSA) Dr. Arvind Gupta informed the state government that Deputy NSA, Director IIT Delhi/IIT Roorkee, the Surveyor General of India and a representative from the state government, not below the rank of IG, would be the members of the committee, which would identify critical issues and suggest measures to cease any possibility of recurrence of such attacks in future," a spokesperson of the chief minister's office said, citing a letter from Gupta. The letter said: "The committee has been mandated to physically inspect the condition of border fencing along Indo-Pakistan Border, identify gaps and their condition and suggest methods to seal the gaps. The committee has been asked to submit its report within three months. Since the committee was to be an independent body, it has been decided to form it under National Security Council Secretariat." Terrorists attacked the Pathankot Air Force Station (AFS) of the Indian Air Force in Pathankot early on January 2 this year. Four terrorists and seven security personnel were killed. On July 27, three terrorists had attacked Dinanagar town, killing seven people. All three were eliminated by security forces. Both attacks took place in Pathankot and Gurdaspur districts in north Punjab, close to the international border with Pakistan. Florence (Italy), March 3 (IANS/AKI) Police in the Italian city of Florence impounded assets worth more than 3 million euros from a Calabrian businessman with alleged mafia links. The assets included companies, real estate, vehicles, bank accounts and several well-known eateries, police said. Using assumed names, the businessman laundered money for the Calabrian mafia by buying patisseries, bars, pizzerias and apartments in Florence, in the nearby town of Prato and in the southern city of Crotone, according to investigators. The impounded businesses included the Caldana and Il Barco patisseries and the Pizzaman restaurant in Florence as well as the Becco d'Oca bar in Prati, according to police. Drug trafficking, extortion and money-laundering rackets have in recent decades made the Calabrian mafia Italy's wealthiest and most powerful criminal organisation. It operates throughout Italy as well as in Europe but its influence and networks extend from Australia to North and South America. --IANS/AKI mr/ Mozambican aviation authorities on Wednesday confirmed the finding of a piece of an airplane off the coast of Mozambique, but considered it "premature" to relate it with a Boeing 777 aircraft. "Up to now, there is no evidence showing that it is explicitly or implicitly a part of MH370," Xinhua quoted Joao Abreu, the director of National Civil Aviation Institute of Mozambique, as saying. Abreu told media that it is a composite material called honeycomb, used in aircraft structures, adding that the finding piece will now be submitted to expert analysis under normal procedures. He said that Australian authorities responsible for the investigation of the disappearance of the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 has already been in contact with his institute. The piece was found two days ago by local fishermen accompanying an American tourist along the coast of Vilanculos, Inhambane province, and delivered this afternoon to the institute in Maputo, said Abreu. Flight MH370, a Boeing 777-200ER, disappeared on March 8, 2014, en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, with a total of 239 passengers on board. Joint search efforts in the Southern Indian Ocean, where the flight was presumably had ended its journey, has yielded no concrete results so far. In a major blow to the Congress, 30 rebel legislators in Arunachal Pradesh led by Chief Minister Kalikho Pul on Thursday merged with People's Party of Arunachal (PPA), a regional political outfit in this mountainous state. "We (30 Congress legislators) have merged with the PPA after the Congress party high command failed to recognized Kalkiho Pul as the elected Congress Legislature Party," Pasang Dorjee Sona, one of the 30 rebel lawmakers, told IANS. "We have merged with the PPA after fulfilling all the constitutional provisions having the requisite number of two-third of the legislature party without violating the tenth schedule of the constitution," he added. Pasang said that the internal feud within the Congress legislature party could have been resolved had the party high command taken serious interest in ironing out the issue. "When we were camping in New Delhi seeking Congress president and vice president's intervention but they refused to give us audience to hear our grievances and instead pushed us to the wall. Therefore, they are responsible for the political mess in the state. "We have to merge with the PPA in the interest of the people of the state and governance has nothing to do with political ideology. Good governance and the development of the state come first," Pasang said. Pul was sworn-in as the eighth chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh on February 19 after the central government recommended that President's Rule be lifted from the state. On February 25, Pul won a vote of confidence in the 60-member assembly, whose strength now stands at 58 following the expulsion of two Congress legislators. The BJP which has 11 members and two other Independent members also supported Pul. Ousted chief minister Nabam Tuki and his 16 loyalist Congress members did not attend the assembly session. Tuki described the merger as "unconstitutional". "They have been violating the constitution provisions. How can they merge with another party and when there is no split at the party (Congress) at the national level? Therefore, the merger is highly constitutional and illegal," Tuki told IANS over phone. "Since the political matter is still pending in the Supreme Court and the (Gauhati) high court. I hope the court will also take review on this fresh political development and decides accordingly," he said. The BJP has welcomed the development. As the reality of the Donald Trump train rumbling towards Republican presidential nomination after his Super Tuesday performance hit the party establishment, it mounted a last ditch effort to stop the unstoppable. In what analysts described as too little and too late, the party's 2012 nominee Mitt Romney was set to take a shot on Thursday at slowing the brash billionaire who has won 10 of the 15 nomination contests so far, including seven of 11 on Tuesday. Sources cited by CNN said Romney plans "going after Trump" to make the point that the frontrunner is the wrong person to lead the Republican Party and underscoring the "choices facing the Republican Party and the country" in this election. Trump responded late Wednesday by mocking Romney in a pair of tweets. "Failed Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney is having a news conference tomorrow (Thursday) to criticise me," he tweeted. "Just another desperate move by the man who should have easily beaten Barrack (sic) Obama." But at least one rival, retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson acknowledged that after going 0-for-15 in the first states to vote, he did not see "a political path forward" and said he would not participate in Thursday's Republican debate hours after Romney speaks in Utah. Carson, however, stopped short of saying he was officially leaving the race. Most Republicans in Congress will not embrace Trump as long as there is a possibility, regardless of how slim, that there's still another Republican candidate in the race that is trying to take him down, CNN reported. But the problem for Republicans pushing the anti-Trump effort is that they cannot agree on who the party should elevate as the most effective challenger to Trump, it said. "The D.C. establishment is scared to death," House member Tom Marino, a Trump supporter told CNN expressing confidence that top Republicans in Washington will eventually come around and work with Trump. They would not have much choice, he warned as "the American people are fed up with it and the elected officials, if they don't grasp it, they'll be out of a job". Meanwhile, Trump's nearest rival Texas Senator Ted Cruz, who has won four contests so far, also acknowledged that primary loss in his home state would have meant the end of his campaign. "Listen, everyone recognises Donald Trump is a unique phenomenon," Cruz told reporters in Kansas on Wednesday night. "I asked the team what do we do if we lose Texas? And we had reached the conclusion, if we had lost Texas, that would've been the end of the road." Cruz campaign's chief strategist, Jason Johnson also asked Trump's other rival Marco Rubio to quit should he lose his home state of Florida in the next crucial primary battle on March 15. Trump leads the Republican delegate count with 315, according to a CNN estimate. Cruz is in the second lead with 205, and Rubio with 106. The winner needs to have the support of a majority of the 2,340 delegates in 50 states. (Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in) Rome, March 3 (IANS/AKI) The threat of Islamist terror attacks in Italy is rising, the country's intelligence services have said in their annual report. New jihadi recruits to the Islamic State group pose a great risks, said the report submitted to parliament on Wednesday. Although no specific terror plans have been detected, jihadist Internet chat rooms were increasingly visited by "often very young" extremists living in Italy, said the 130-page report. "The risk of new actions on European territory is considered high," it said. These could be "sensational attacks in the style of the Paris ones." The Paris terror attacks of November 2015 had probably "inaugurated a strategy of attack on the West that is destined to increase", the report added. Italy is seen as an enemy for its relations with the US and Israel and its commitment to fighting terrorism, according to the report. Young extremists who might stage attacks are "swayed by the group or by charismatic individuals" in the online jihadist chat rooms they frequent, it said. "They are more vulnerable to radicalisation due to identity crises, feelings of marginalisation and paranoid views of society's rules." The report highlighted the danger of Muslim inmates being radicalised while serving prison sentences for crimes not related to terrorism, and also the growing number of women and entire families recruited to jihad. Most female jihadists are the brides of foreign fighters, who they have often met on the Internet and travel to wed in the war zones of Iraq and Syria. Some of the women proselytise, recruit, provide logistical and operational support for IS and other jihadist groups as well, the report said. --IANS/AKI mr/ The makers of Suriya-starrer Tamil actioner "S3", the third instalment in the "Singam" franchise, will head to Romania next week to shoot a few scenes and a song across some exotic locations in the European country. "The team will shoot in Romania from March 9 to 19. In this schedule, they'll shoot a song and some crucial scenes," a source from the film's unit told IANS. Directed by Hari, who also helmed the first two parts in the franchise, the film co-stars Anushka Shetty and Shruti Haasan. The film, which is produced by Studio Green, so far has been shot across Chennai, Hyderabad and Vishakhapatnam. Tipped to be even more action-oriented than the first two parts, "S3" has music by Harris Jayaraj. The source also added that the film is being planned to hit the screens worldwide on October 7. The Centre will provide Rs.587 crore for a rail project to link India and Bangladesh, union minister Jitendra Singh said on Thursday. The project, one of the most important under the 'Act East' policy of the Narendra Modi government, will help boost trade, cultural and social ties between the two countries, the minister of state for development of north eastern region (DoNER) said. "The main initiative of the DoNER ministry is to provide funds for the rail link between India and Bangladesh. The budget cost of Rs.587 crore for the Indian side will be provided by the ministry," Singh told the media here. The ministry has received Rs.2,400 crore in the current fiscal compared with Rs.2,334.50 crore in the last fiscal. In a fillip to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Digital India initiative, Samsung India Electronics on Thursday launched the Samsung Portable SSD T3, a premium, palm-sized, external Solid State Drive (SSD) that offers multi-terabyte (TB) storage capacity. The SSD has been offered in new 2TB variant, along with a wide range of capacity options, including 250GB, 500GB and 1TB. Available from March 21 at retail stores as well as leading online stores, including Flipkart, Amazon and Snapdeal, the Portable SSD T3 is available for Rs.10,999 for 250GB variant, Rs.18,999 for 500GB, Rs.37,999 for 1TB and Rs.74,999 for 2TB variant. "With digital content on the rise, consumers, content creators, and business professionals are in need of a high-speed, reliable and secure storage which is accessible from multiple devices such as PCs, smartphones and tablets," Sukesh Jain, vice-president, Samsung India Electronics, said in a statement. "Samsung is leading the way in redefining and revolutionizing the external storage market with the success of Portable SSD T1 launched in 2015. We will set new benchmarks with the new Portable SSD T3 without compromising on storage capacity, style and security," he added. Equipped with Samsung's proprietary Vertical NAND (V-NAND) and SSD TurboWrite technology, the T3 drive provides advanced performance enabling consumers to quickly store and transfer large content across a variety of devices, including laptops, desktops (working on Windows 7 or higher), TVs and android smarphones and tablets (Kitkat 4.4 or higher). "With Samsung's V-NAND technology, the company managed to write and store data in multiple layers. This enabled less interference and more endurance that eventually helped us reduce the size of the hardware," Jain told IANS. The SSD T3 has blazing-fast reading and writing speeds of up to 450MB per second with a USB 3.0 super speed interface - which is up to 4X faster than external HDDs. The responsiveness is as fast as internal SSD with random read/write speed up to 240X faster than external HDD (Hard Disk Drive). The metal body hardware has AES-256 bit hardware encryption allowing users to easily manage password settings on the move, making it among the safest devices in the world and safe from unwanted access. With no moving parts, the drive is designed for portability and can withstand bumps and drops that are majorly responsible for lost or corrupted data. The internal frame offers shock resistance of up to 1,500G and resistance up to two meter drop test. It has a thermal guard, which efficiently manages workload to prevent overheating. The portable SSD T3 is a slim and compact designed hardware -equal to the size of an average business card holder. It weighs about 51 grams and comes with 74x58x10.5mm dimensions. The hardware features a USB 3.1 Type C connection that also enables it to connect to large-screen devices such as televisions. Unfortunately this gadget in not waterproof. On a question about their future plans after this launch, Jain said "This is a new category and is in developmental phase. Our motive is to expand this category." The second retreat of heads of public sector financial institutions - Gyan Sangam - will kick off on Friday at the State Bank Academy in Gurgaon, an official statement said. The two-day conference, to be opened by union Minister of State for Finance Jayant Sinha, will be attended by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Raghuram Rajan, Financial Services Secretary Anjuly Chib Duggal and other senior finance ministry officials, the statement said. "This retreat has been held to take forward the government's commitment to reforms in the banking and financial sector," it added. Continuing government efforts to deal with the high levels of non-performing assets (NPAs), or bad debts, of state-run banks, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has allocated Rs.25,000 crore towards their recapitalisation in the next fiscal. Gross NPAs of public sector banks stood at Rs.3.60 lakh crore at December-end, up from Rs.2.67 lakh crore at the end of March 2015, while gross NPAs of private banks stood at Rs.38,396 crore at December-end, up from Rs.31,576 crore at March-end 2015. Jaitley plans to provide Rs.25,000 crore capital each in the current and next fiscal years, while Rs.20,000 crore would be provided during 2017-18 and 2018-19. As per estimates, public sector banks would need additional capital of up to Rs.240,000 crore by 2018 to meet the Basel III capital adequacy norms, put in place to guard against a repeat of the situation following the 2008 US financial crisis. At the upcoming Gyan Sangam, various decisions taken at last year's edition, held in Pune, will be reviewed, along with the performance of banks and financial institutions. Afghan security forces recaptured Taliban-held Dand-e-Ghori district in the northern Baghlan province, an official said on Thursday. "The government forces swept out all the enemies in Dand-e-Ghori on Wednesday night. Since then, cleanup operations have continued in different parts of the district," the official said. However, he could not provide details about possible casualties, saying details would be shared with media later in the day, Xinhua news agency reported. Dand-e-Ghori has served as bastion of Taliban from where the militants organised their activities in Baghlan and its neighbouring provinces. To evict Taliban from the area, the government launched major offensive five weeks ago during which 200 armed militants were killed. Chairman of the moderate faction of Hurriyat Mirwaiz Umer Farooq here on Thursday blamed the government for pushing talented and educated youth to pick up the gun. "Stifling of dissent and democratic expression is now forcing talented and educated Kashmiri youth to the wall," the Mirwaiz said. Referring to a youth's killing in Tral area of south early Thursday, he said, "He excelled in studies. These youths are the future of and they are opting for gun because the state is pushing them to the wall." Mirwaiz Umer released a documentary titled "Children in conflict-torn Kashmir" to highlight the tragedy of children affected by the turmoil. The documentary was to be released on Wednesday, but "we were prevented from undertaking the democratic exercis", he said. The film based on the plight of the turmoil-hit children highlights the behaviour of the state police and the paramilitary forces. Releasing the documentary at the uptown Rajbagh headquarters of Hurriyat, the Mirwaiz said, "Children are arrested, handcuffed and produced in courts. There is no juvenile justice system." The film will be screened in Geneva next week, where the 31st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council has started. The 20-minute documentary shows both physical and psychological trauma suffered by children in . In its bid to save children from online sexual abuse, France's national police has urged parents to stop posting photos of their children on Facebook and other social media platforms. According to the technology website The Verge, such images can put privacy and security of the kids in danger and, if shared widely, such photos can reach sexual predators. France's data protection authority has also urged parents to implement stronger privacy controls to limit the audience for their photos. Jay Parikh, Facebook's vice president of engineering, recently wrote in a blog post that Facebook is planning a new feature that will automatically alert parents before they share photos of their kids with larger audiences. "If I were to upload a photo of my kids playing at the park and I accidentally had it shared with the public, this system could say: Hey wait a minute, this is a photo of your kids, normally you post this to just your family members, are you sure you want to do this?," Parikh told a gathering at a media event in Bloomsbury in London recently. More than two billion photographs are uploaded to Facebook every day and the social media giant will automatically warn you before you share images that features children or other family members, he added. "Protect your children! You can all be proud moms and dads to your magnificent children, but be careful. We remind you that posting photos of your kids to Facebook is not without danger!," France's national gendarmerie wrote in a Facebook post. A gendarmerie is, in principle, a military force charged with police duties among the civilian populations. Members of such a force are called "gendarmes". In another post, a regional branch of the gendarmerie even cautioned parents to "STOP" the practice altogether. The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) told the National Green Tribunal on Thursday that stopping the Art of Living Foundation's World Culture Festival to be held here this month will not serve any purpose. No permanent construction has taken place at the site; stage, ramps, pontoon bridges and other structures are temporary, made of mud without using any concrete, DDA's counsel Rajeev Bansal told the tribunal. He said the structures will be removed upon the conclusion of the event, and so stopping the festival at this juncture will not serve any purpose. The festival, organised by spiritual guru Ravi Shankar's the Art of Living Foundation, is scheduled to be held from March 11 to 13 on a site that is thought to be a part of the environmentally sensitive flood plains of the Yamuna river. The NGT has given DDA four days to furnish the details of the event. The next hearing of the case has been fixed for March 7. Environmental activist Manoj Mishra, who filed the plea against the holding of the festival, has insisted that the event should not only be stopped but the tribunal should also impose a fine on the organisers. "The small water bodies that existed earlier have been filled up, all natural vegetation has also been removed while most of the trees too have been brought down. The preparations for the event have had a severe impact on the environment. Therefore, the event should not only be stopped, in fact Art of Living must be fined and same quantum of punishment should also be imposed on DDA," Mishra told reporters. The Art of Living Foundation said in a statement that the festival is likely to be attended over three days by more than 35 lakh people from 155 countries. According to some estimates, about 35,000 people are expected to gather at the temporarily constructed site on the Yamuna flood plains. The government is examining a Tamil Nadu government's plea seeking the release of those linked to the assassination of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday. "We have received the letter yesterday and the government is examining it. The apex court has already given its decision on the matter. Now it is the constitutional and moral responsibility of the government to abide by the decision of the apex court," Rajnath Singh told the Lok Sabha. Earlier, the issue was raised by Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, who urged the government not to entertain the letter from the Tamil Nadu government. "The letter should not be entertained at all. The assassins must not be released -- to uphold the integrity of the country for which Rajivji gave his life," he said. Deciding to release all seven convicts in the Gandhi assassination case now in jail, the Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday sought the views of the central government. In a letter to union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi, Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary K. Gnanadesikan said the state government had received petitions from the seven convicts requesting their release as they had spent over 24 years in jail. The seven convicts are V. Sriharan alias Murugan, T. Suthendraraja alias Santhan, A.G. Perarivalan, Jayakumar, Robert Payas, Ravichandran and Nalini Sriharan, wife of Murugan. All seven have been in prison since 1991, the year a woman Tamil Tiger suicide bomber blew up Rajiv Gandhi at an election rally near Chennai. Thailand's ruling military junta has introduced "attitude adjustment" programmes for those who critique government policies, the media reported on Thursday. Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon said a course "can last three to seven days if their remarks damage the nation and cause conflicts. Laws must be enforced", EFE news reported. The junta, led by Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, has tried to control the media since usurping power on May 22, 2014. In February, the Committee to Protect Journalists had expressed concern about restrictions introduced by the Thai government over the issue of visas to foreign journalists, alleging the new norms seek to create a vacuum in international media coverage of the country and silence criticism of the military regime. Meanwhile, social networks have emerged as a hub for cartoonists, comedians and activists seeking to dodge state censorship, which can sometimes reach fever pitch in the country, and criticise various issues, including the involvement of the military in notorious corruption cases, the junta's tribulations in drafting the new Constitution, economic fiascos as well as the continued arrests of opponents. Three of the five Hong Kong booksellers, detained in China, will be freed in a few days shortly after they confessed on television, the media reported on Thursday. A statement by the Hong Kong police on Wednesday night confirmed the imminent release of Cheung Chi-ping, Lui Por and Lam Wing-kei, although it is unclear what will happen to the remaining two, Gui Minhai and Lee Bo, both of whom hold European passports, Efe news reported. Cheung, Lui and Lam, all of whom work for publishing house Mighty Current owned by Gui Minhai and Bo, and which specialises in books containing sordid details of the ruling Communist Party of China and its leaders, besides its internal power struggles, will be released on bail for displaying "good attitude" although the investigation against them will continue. It is not known yet whether they will be allowed to return home to Hong Kong or will need to remain on the Chinese mainland. The five booksellers who disappeared under mysterious circumstances from Hong Kong and Thailand, have been charged by the Chinese police of selling unlicensed books in China, allegedly under the orders of Gui Minhai, who is considered the mastermind of the operation. All of them reappeared in Chinese custody and confessed on television, a common practice in the country and widely criticised by human rights groups, who claim they are done under coercion. According to police, Cheung, Lam and Liu had sent 4,000 copies of unlicensed books to 380 buyers in mainland China since October 2014, under orders from Gui. It is still not known what Bo is accused of but the editor said in a televised confession that he had gone to China voluntarily to assist the authorities in an investigation into his company. Three Turkish soldiers and eight members of the Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) militant group were killed in clashes, the media reported on Thursday. The clashes took place on Wednesday when the security forces carried out an operation in Mardin province, sources said. Turkey's southeast region has seen the worst violence since a cease-fire between the government and the PKK collapsed in July 2015, Xinhua news agency reported. Since then, more than 260 members of the Turkish security forces and thousands of PKK members have been killed. Five terrorists were killed, one civilian was shot by accident, and one military officer was injured during an exchange of gunfire between National Guard and Army units of Tunisia near the Libyan borders, Tunisian Interior Ministry said on Wednesday. According to the Defense Ministry, the targeted terrorists entered the Tunisian territory from Libya after escaping attacks against the camps related to Islamic State in Libya, Xinhua reported. Tunisian security forces additionally confiscated five Kalashnikovs, special vehicles, grenades, ammunition and communication tools. Two Israeli Arabs were indicted on Thursday with supporting the Islamic State (IS) and planning to carry out attacks against security forces on behalf of the militant group. A statement by the Shin Bet security service said that Bahaa Eldin Ziad Hasan Masarwa, 19, and Ahmad Nabil Ahmad, 21, were arrested in a joint operation by the Shin Bet and the police earlier this year, Xinhua reported. Both are Israeli citizens and residents of the northern Nazareth region. An indictment filed on Thursday in the Nazareth District Court accused them of "conspiring to assist the enemy during war." Masarwa was also indicted with contacting a "foreign agent" and supporting a terror organisation. During their interrogation, the pair said they were inspired by the IS, the Shin Bet said. They planned to perpetrate shooting attacks against soldiers or police in the northern city of Afula and the Jalamea Crossing, west of Jenin, said the Shin Bet. They also allegedly collected money to buy a rifle for the attacks. Two soldiers were injured on Thursday in an ongoing operation against separatist guerrillas near the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district, police said. The soldiers were injured in an ongoing operation in Keran sector of the LoC, police sources told IANS. "The operation against militants is going on well within our side of the LoC. Firing exchanges are still on," the source said. There has been no official confirmation so far whether the guerrillas engaged in the gunfight had recently infiltrated into the Kashmir Valley or were part of an existing group here. A Maharajganj court has admitted a complaint against former union home minister P. Chidambaram for his alleged remarks that Parliament House attack accused Afzal Guru was not given a proper hearing before he was executed. Lawyer Vinay Kumar Pandey in his complaint pointed to media reports wherein the senior Congress leader was quoted on the matter. The petitioner also said that Chidambaram's statement that Jawaharlal Nehru University student leaders were not anti-national but had acted stupidly was also enough to take action against him. Afzal Guru was executed on February 9, 2013, in the Tihar Central Jail in Delhi in the Parliament House attack case of 2001. The court has fixed April 11 as the next date of hearing in the case. A police inspector in Uttar Pradesh has been suspended for torturing two men suspected of carrying out a series of thefts in Bahraich district, an official said on Thursday. According to sources, Ajeet Verma, station house officer (SHO) of Dargah police station arrested the two men - Sonu (25) and Kallu (24) - and used third degree torture to force them into admission. The two have accused Verma of forcing them to drink urine, to urinate on a heater and dousing their private parts with petrol. After the intervention of the district police chief, the duo are now recouperating at a medical facility. However, condition of one of them is said to be critical. They were picked up on February 25 and were only released on Wednesday evening, when the condition of one of the suspects deteriorated. Verma was suspended after family members of the duo petitioned senior police officials. Lawyers said that the inspector was also guilty of detaining the men for over 24-hours -- Indo-Asian News Service md/ksk AMU Vice Chancellor Zameer Uddin Shah said on Thursday that he will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to clarify issues related to the controversial off-campus AMU centres. Shah, a retired lt. general, also denied that he was insulted by Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Smriti Irani when he went to her house in New Delhi for a meeting on January 8. "It would take a lot to humiliate a veteran of the Longewala Battle of 1971 who spent the better part of his 40 years in the army fighting insurgencies in Punjab and North-East and dousing communal passions in various riots," he said in a statement. Shah maintained that Irani had refused to fund the AMU centres in Malapuram in Kerala, Kishanganj in Bihar and Murshidabad in West Bengal. He said the Aligarh Muslim University Act of 1920 allowed the university to have these centres, including the one in Malappuram, and two more in Bhopal and Pune. "However, it is apparent that a certain AMU alumnus has wrongly informed the minister that the centres have been established illegally," he said. The vice chancellor said he would meet Modi soon "to resolve the problems". Irani insists that the AMU off-campus centres have been established illegally and that her ministry won't fund them. At the January 8 meeting, she even told Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy to take back the land allotted to the AMU centre. Shah said media reports over the issue were aimed at tarnishing the AMU's image. "I will reserve further comments on this," said the vice chancellor, on his failure to hold discussions with the HRD minister on January 8 in the presence of the Kerala chief minister. "The chief minster informed me that the HRD minister was adamant that the AMU centres were illegally established and would not be funded by her ministry despite being told that they had been approved by the AMU Executive Council and the president of India," he said. The five off-campus centres were supposed to be fully functional by 2020. Only those in Kerala, West Bengal and Bihar are partially working but without any schools. The centres had got the approval of the country's president, who is the AMU's Visitor, in 2010. Actor Vicky Kaushal says he will soon head to Amritsar for the shooting of "Manmarziyan", which also stars Ayushmann Khurrana and Bhumi Pednekar. "'Manmarziyan is releasing on 23rd September. Once I am done with 'Zubaan', I will head straight to Amritsar, where the movie is currently being shot. I have not worked with Ayushmann, but I am from Punjab just like him," Vicky said at the special screening of "Zubaan" on Wednesday. Will Vicky sing along with Ayushmann, who is also known for his singing skills? "He sings and he sings beautifully. But I can't sing for the love of god... even if my life is depending on it. But I am really excited to work with him. We both love music. He is a talented actor and I am sure I will be able to learn a lot from him," said Vicky. Any specific actress he would like to work with? "Deepika Padukone and Alia Bhatt are remarkable actresses. I would like to work with them. And among directors, I would like to work with Vishal Bhardwaj, Imtiaz Ali, Mani Ratnam, Rakesh Omprakash Mehra and many more. I am such a greedy actor," he said. Director David Ayer and actor Will Smith, who worked together for American superhero film "Suicide Squad", are reportedly teaming up again for the upcoming thriller "Bright". They are in talks to join the film, which is scripted by Max Landis, reports variety.com. Ayer is eyed to direct the film with Smith as the lead actor. Actor Joel Edgerton is also in talks to feature as a co-star. Although plot details are not known, sources suggest the project will be in the vein of "End of Watch" (which was directed by Ayer) but set in a world where fairies live among humans. Sources also say the story is not set in the present day. "Suicide Squad," which also stars Margot Robbie, Jared Leto and Viola Davis, will release on August 5. In a bid to take the lion's share in the mid-priced smartphone segment, Chinese smartphone maker on Thursday launched Redmi Note 3 3GB RAM, 32GB ROM -- the world's first device equipped with Snapdragon 650 processor in India. Read more from our special coverage on "XIAOMI" Xiaomi says 75% of phones sold in India made locally Available in two variants - 2GB RAM, 16 GB ROM for Rs 9,999 and 3GB RAM, 32GB ROM for Rs 11,999 - the smartphones will be initially available on official Mi website and e-portal Amazon.com from March 9. "We are extremely excited to launch Redmi Note 3 in India, which is the start of many firsts for us in 2016 and more than meets the demands of our hardcore Mi fans," vice president Hugo Barra said in a statement. "With Redmi Note 3 we are redefining what you can get in the category of 'phablets' below Rs 10,000 in India. 2016 is a significant year for us and we are looking forward to introduce even more amazing products in India in the year to come," he added. Two of the many features of Redmi Note 3 are its metal body and a huge 4,050mAh battery that can last a full day on a single charge. The device supports 5V/2A Qualcomm Quick Charge technology, charging up to 50% in one hour and taking only three hours for a full charge. Xiaomi's first-ever smartphone with a fingerprint sensor, Redmi Note 3 uses capacitive scanning technology for accurate, secure and fast performance, unlocking the device in just 0.3 seconds. Due to its impressive MIUI 7, the scanner can be used for unlocking apps, accessing hidden folders, and even taking a front or rear camera selfie. The 5.5-inch display phone weighs only 164 grams and measures only 8.65mm at its thickest point. The device also incorporates "Reading Mode" that cuts down blue light emitted by the display, which reduces eye fatigue. The new Wallpaper Carousel feature in MIUI 7 delivers stunning wallpaper images daily, so your lockscreen looks refreshingly different every day. Powered by Snapdragon 650 processor, the first Qualcomm Technologies' chipset equipped with ARM's two Cortex-A72 performance cores and four A53 CPUs makes it exceptionally fast. It features the latest Qualcomm Adreno 510 GPU, which provides impressive graphics performance for an unparalleled gaming experience without heating problems. "Qualcomm Technologies is very pleased to work with Xiaomi on their latest smartphone Redmi Note 3, featuring the Snapdragon 650 processor designed to deliver amazing performance, thanks to its powerful 64-bit capable hexa-core CPUs and super-fast 4G LTE connectivity," said Qualcomm India president Sunil Lalvani. The phone comes with 16MP rear camera, which has dual ISPs for more powerful post-processing of photos. It also comes equipped with Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF) for faster focusing, as well as "Local Tone Mapping", which adjusts contrast at a pixel level to deliver images with much better contrast levels. Redmi Note 3 has been designed for full compatibility with India's cellular networks and supports all Indian LTE bands allowing the users to fully utilise the Voice over LTE (VoLTE) technology. The smartphone will also be available on Flipkart, Snapdeal and offline partners soon. The company also announced the launch of its colourful range of powerful bluetooth speakers in the last week of March - around Holi in India. The speaker has a 1,500mAh battery and gives a eight-hour playback, while aluminium body speakers, which measure less than a pencil case, are available for Rs 1,999. The company also announced that their Mi5 smartphone, which was recently launched in China, would be launched in India next month. Eminent scientist C.N.R. Rao on Thursday urged young India to participate in nanotechnology revolution and produce more results at the eighth Bangalore India Nano summit. "Time has come for India to produce more results. One has to be determined, do good work and not give up. I urge young India to take this up and bring greater loyalty. Nano is a big revolution and I hope we all will be participants," said Rao at the summit's inaugural session. Praising nanotechnology, the Bharat Ratna recipient highlighted that the discipline is helping West Bengal and Punjab face water scarcity with water purification methods. "Nanotech in the purification of water is another important development to make fresh water available to communities. India has a lot of success in this field (Nanotechnology) that it can boast about," added Rao. Karnataka's IT, Biotechnology (BT) and Science and Technology Minister S. R. Patil said the state government aims to make Bengaluru the "Citadel of Nanotechnology" in India. "Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS) will be setting up a facility on Bengaluru - Tumakuru Road, with funding support from government of India, which will be a center of excellence for nano science, research and development," he said. He said Bangalore India Nano 2016 is the only event of its kind to be held consistently for the past eight years. "The participation of scientists and researchers from various parts of the world is an indication of the international importance of this event," said Patil. Scheduled from March 3-5, the three-day summit will address nanotechnology trends in healthcare, clean water, energy, manufacturing and others. As many as 600 delegates from nine nations and 200 organisations among others will participate in the summit. Dr Reddy's Laboratories saw its stock gain 5.77 per cent to Rs 3,188.35 levels on news of the company getting the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval to launch Aloxi generics. This is the single largest daily gain in six years. The drug in the injectables form is used to prevent chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. This is positive news restoring some confidence in the companys growth prospects in the US. Although the firm is not expected to launch the drug immediately, looking at the pending litigation, analysts expect the same to be launched by the end of FY17. On launch, the drug is expected to contribute $100 million per annum, thereby driving the companys growth. The product adds strength to the companys injectables portfolio and will be at least a year and a half ahead of competitors, say experts. This can lead to revision of earnings estimates going ahead. Analysts had been cutting their forward earnings estimates looking at the FDA issues involving the companys Indian plants. The company had, a few days ago, announced buyback of 4.49 million shares under the open market route at a price not more than Rs 3,500 per share subject to approval from share holders. With the move, while downside to the stock prices, remains limited, the approval will add to confidence. Analysts feel more confident of Dr Reddys strategy of de-risking products from Srikakulam. Given the limited downside, the opportunity is good for accumulating the stock from the long term perspective. While the major trigger for the stock will be clearance of its Indian plants from FDA lens, analysts at J P Morgan say the de-risking activities and filing from other facilities should help improve launches in FY17 and see approvals from other facilities. What is it about the Congress that makes it so family-dependent? Is it the way the party is structured? Is it the personality of the Congressman, so conditioned by the party's spoken history that it refuses to countenance a leadership other than the Nehru-Gandhi family's? And is this the way it is always going to be? This was the central issue in the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President's address that concluded in the Lok Sabha on Thursday. Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi advised Prime Minister Narendra Modi to listen to someone in the party besides himself: there were many other equally capable leaders. Modi's response was: "And what about you? How come talented leaders in the Congress are never allowed to flourish for fear that they might outshine the family?" Wake up a Congressman in the middle of the night and ask him why he tolerates a regency. His unguarded, spontaneous response will be: "The family has made sacrifices for India that no one else has". Apropos the report, "Tie-up yet to be sealed, Cong, CPI(M) holding joint protest" (March 3), with due in West Bengal this year, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has asked its state unit to seek the cooperation of all "democratic forces" to defeat the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and isolate the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The Congress high command has also reciprocated this intent. Although leaders of the two parties are trying to project their possible alliance as the people's desire to see a democratic secular front taking on the TMC, the actual story is different. If for the CPI(M), the alliance is a desperate attempt to regain power in West Bengal, for the Congress it is the last resort to remain relevant in state politics. After the Left Front was decimated in the 2011 Assembly polls in the state, it also suffered setbacks in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. The Congress has also lost vote share in Murshidabad and two other north Bengal districts. A bulk of the voters from minority communities have shifted their loyalty to the TMC. If a pre-poll alliance between the Congress and the Left Front succeeds, it may regain the votes of the minorities. The alliance may then pose a formidable threat to the TMC. This would also halt the stream of Left and Congress members quitting their respective parties. But there are several constraints. The alliance may be considered lacking in political ideology by a section of still loyal voters of both the CPI(M) and the Congress. There is also doubt whether the one-time arch-rivals would be able to embrace each other like former foes Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad did in Bihar. A half-hearted approach may fail to win the confidence of voters. The Congress' prospects in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls has put the party in a dilemma about how prudent it is to forge an alliance with the Left Front. For the Congress, to defy the TMC, which at one time stood by it on different issues against the BJP, could amount to ingratitude. The Congress and the Left Front will both face embarrassing questions regarding their stances in Kerala and Tripura. Besides, smaller parties in the Left Front may feel neglected in the new alliance. Buddhadev Nandi, Bishnupur can be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to:The Editor, Business StandardNehru House, 4 Bahadur Shah Zafar MargNew Delhi 110 002Fax: (011) 23720201E-mail: letters@bsmail.in The overwhelming response to the Union Budget for 2016-17 has been one of relief. Theres relief partly because Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and his team have wisely stuck to the fiscal consolidation road map that they had rolled out last year, and reduced the fiscal deficit in the coming year to 3.5 per cent of gross domestic product or GDP. But theres also relief that the Budget itself comes across as a better thought through and thorough document than most of what has emerged from this government in its nearly two years in power. The Modi government has drastically lowered expectations in its tenure so far, and this Budget has benefited from that process. Reliance Industries (RIL) shares have surged almost five per cent in March so far on the back of earnings upgrades from various brokerages with the latest one coming from Morgan Stanley. The brokerage in its report dated March 1, 2016 raised RIL's FY17 and FY18 earnings per share estimates by three per cent and eight per cent, respectively. They believe as the company nears completion of its capex cycle ($46 billion over F14-17), its earnings as well as free cash flows will improve significantly. In this backdrop, they estimate the stocks market capitalisation could double to $100 billion over the next three to four years. Morgan Stanleys optimism is pegged on expectations of a revival in crude oil prices to $60 a barrel over the next few years and a telecom break-even. Based on our FY20 estimates of $7 billion of revenues and 132 million subscribers, we project Ebitda of $2.9 billion. This could lead investors to raise the valuations for its telecom business, wrote analysts led by Vinay Jaising of Morgan Stanley. Subscriber additions will be the key factor determining the break-even of RIL's telecom business. Although most analysts believe telecom business will weigh on RIL's earnings in the near term, they have varied estimates on this business' contribution to RIL's sum-of-the-parts valuation. For instance, BNP Paribas assigns zero value to the telecom business, while Citi and Bank of America Merrill Lynch peg it at 10 per cent and nine per cent, respectively, of their target price for RIL. UBS and Morgan Stanley are much more bullish on the telecom business and expect this business to contribute 21 per cent and 29 per cent of RILs target price. Analysts also remain positive on RIL's oil & gas business. Morgan Stanley analysts believe if crude oil prices rebound to $60 a barrel levels, RILs Ebitda could increase 14 per cent. RILs consistent out-performance to peers on the gross refining margin (GRM) front is a key positive and is likely to continue going forward as well. With the likely commissioning of the petcoke gasification project by end-FY16, RILs GRMs could further increase by $1-1.7 a barrel in FY17 from the current level of $11.5 a barrel, believes Amit Shah, analyst at BNP Paribas. Analysts are also constructive on the company's petrochemicals business and believe margins will remain strong on the back of subdued oil prices. In its retail business, RIL plans to foray into e-commerce for fashion and lifestyle segment. Contribution of retail to overall financials, though, is expected to be smaller than other businesses going forward. Lower oil prices are favourable for the company as it can source cheap crude and the higher complexity of its refinery enables it to use a larger variety of crude oil. Any potential setback in its telecom business is a key downside risk. In this backdrop, most analysts are positive on RIL and expect upsides of about 17 per cent from current levels. Facebook is not charging its users any money, yet still is not free: users are paying with their personal data. But are they getting a fair deal or is Facebook abusing a dominant position? Either way, it's good that a pioneering investigation by Germany's competition watchdog is asking the question. In privacy-obsessed Germany, Facebook has already had many brawls with data protection bodies. For instance, Hamburg's data protection office in 2015 legally challenged the company to allow users to sign up with pseudonyms. Yet the probe launched by Germany's cartel office on March 2 is entering unchartered water: for the first time, it is linking conventional arguments about market power with privacy. With a market share of about 90 per cent, according to a joint survey by Darmstadt and Dresden Universities, Facebook is Germany's dominant social network. Anyone wanting to connect with friends online has few viable alternatives - domestic competitors like StudiVZ faltered years ago. This is caused by a natural winner-takes-all dynamic: the more people are using a network, the more useful it becomes for everyone. The German authorities suspect Facebook may be exploiting its dominance to push inappropriate or even illegal data protection policies on its users. The company says it is confident that it does not violate any laws. The cartel office has shown its teeth to internet giants before. In 2013, retailer Amazon dropped clauses that restricted competition on its Amazon Marketplace. Last year, the regulator forced online booking sites HRS and Booking.com to tweak inappropriate contractual terms with hotels. The Facebook case is more complex, and likely to drag on for months if not years. If the cartel office concludes Facebook is in fact violating a dominant position, the immediate financial fallout for the company would probably be negligible. The competition watchdog cannot impose a fine but would have to call for a change in business practice. A potential remedy may be greater transparency on how the company is using customer data. The cartel probe implies competition authorities are taking potential market abuse and consumer rights on the internet seriously. For that, it warrants at least a Like. Congress vice-president had on Wednesday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a debate on the President's Address in the Lok Sabha. During his half-hour long fiery speech, the Congress leader lashed out at the Prime Minister and his Cabinet ministers on issues ranging from the domestic economy, foreign relations, and MGNREGA to Rohith Vemula and JNU. Under the Fair and Lovely scheme, no one will go to jail, no one will get arrested; no one will be asked. Just go to Arun Jaitley, pay tax and make the money white, he said while referring to the Black Money scheme announced during the Budget. Heres a look at what else Gandhi said during his speech on Wednesday. Indian Economy Modiji had said (during his campaign) that economy is down, dal (prices) are at Rs 70. When I come to power, the prices will come downModiji came and you get Rs 200 dal in the market On MGNREGA Modiji stood here saying that he has not seen such a bad scheme as MGNREGA. Arun Jaitley came to me and said there was nothing better than MGNREGA. I told him, why dont you say this to your boss? Rajnath Singh and Naga Accord Even the Home Minister was not aware of the Naga Accord, which PM signed. Where is the accord gone? It has vanished into thin air. Gone with the wind. Sushma Swaraj and Pakistan Visit When 26/11 operations were on, the government of India begged the then Gujarat CM to not visit Mumbai. But he didn't listen. Pakistan directly attacked this country in Mumbai. Did he care? He went there, disturbed entire operations, grabbed headlines when our people died. And what does PM (now) do? Without any thought or vision, the PM decided to go have tea with the Pakistan PM (Nawaz Sharif). PM didn't consult the armed forces, he didn't consult the officials, I don't think he even discussed with Sushma ji Black Money In 2014, Modiji had given a speech that I will end black money; I will win the battle against black money. Whoever earned black money, I will put them in jail. Under the Fair and Lovely scheme, no one will go to jail, no one will get arrested; no one will be asked. Just go to Arun Jaitley, pay tax and make the money white. Running India The Prime Minister cannot run the country with his opinion alone. The country is not PM and PM is not the country. Rohith Vemula The first question was asked by Rohith Vemula, what is my fault? You came down on his shoulders with the full might of the Indian government. Your ministeryou pressed him down and he committed suicide. JNU Issue You can suppress neither JNU nor the poor people of this country RSS and making mistakes Bhaiya, I am not from the RSS. I make mistakes Gandhi and Savarkar I said (Mahatma) Gandhi is ours, Veer Savarkar is yours. Am I wrong? Have you thrown Savarkar away? Good for you. Returning the fire after Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi's onslaught on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, two senior ministers today contested his claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not consult cabinet colleagues and raised questions about the "maturity" of Gandhi. Rejecting Gandhi's charge that Modi hardly consulted senior ministers, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the more he hears him, the more he wonders "how much does he know and when will he know" while Home Minister Rajnath Singh condemned his attempts to "mislead" the over consultations on the Naga peace accord. Gandhi also came under attack from BJP Secretary Shrikant Sharma who said his speech in the Lok Sabha was "devoid" of facts and "full of drama but lacked in content" and called him a "lying machine" and a "non-serious, part-time politician". In a Facebook post, Jaitley said the prime minister not only works hard and involves himself in the functioning of the various departments of the government but also inspires his team to work harder. "The Prime Minister should be the natural leader of the party and the government. In the NDA it is so. The UPA was quite different. The Prime Minister is to lead by example." Jaitley said all ministers including External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and he himself were responsible for each important decision taken by their departments. "We do not by-pass the Prime Minister who is always available for consultation and guidance," he said. Jaitley was reacting to Gandhi's claim that Swaraj was not consulted on the Pakistan policy, Rajnath Singh was unware of the Nagaland accord and Jaitley did not know of the Budget proposals. The Finance Minister said Gandhi's views are "shaped" by the environment of a political party which has evolved into a "crowd around a family". "The UPA model of governance was that if a person outside the family is the Prime Minister, he should be reduced to being a figure-head. Given a choice between a 'hands-on' Prime Minister or a 'nominal' head, I would unhesitatingly choose the former," he said. Taunting Gandhi, Jaitley said, "As one evolves from a young to a middle-aged one, we certainly expect a certain level of maturity. The more I hear Shri Rahul Gandhi, the more I start wondering 'how much does he know - when will he know'. In the post titled 'How much does he know - when will he know', the minister went on to say that after hearing Gandhi, "I think India has made the right choice between the Prime Minister who leads the Government and a Prime Minister who is merely implementing decisions taken elsewhere." Rajnath Singh refuted Gandhi's claim that he was not informed before signing a peace pact with Naga insurgent group NSCN-IM, saying his statement was "completely false and baseless" and he "misled" the . "Rahul Gandhi's statement on Naga peace accord in Lok Sabha today is completely false and baseless. I had several rounds of consultations with the PM on Naga peace process. I strongly condemn Rahul Gandhi's attempt to mislead the House," Singh tweeted. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday invoked late Congress stalwarts and prime ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Rajiv Gandhi to urge the opposition to let function "peacefully and responsibly". " is a forum where different view points are put forward, where questions are being asked to the government, where government is made accountable and nobody is spared, and one shouldn't expect otherwise," Modi said, replying to the discussion in the Lok Sabha on the motion of thanks to President Pranab Mukherjee's address to . "And in doing so, it would be great if we uphold parliamentary traditions" to let the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha function "peacefully and responsibly", he said. Read more from our special coverage on "PARLIAMENT" "It is not me saying this... These are the words of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi," Modi told the Lok Sabha with most of the MPs present in the house. He also referred to India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and his speeches in parliament and urged the opposition to help the government pass crucial legislations, including the Goods and Services Tax bill. "If house maintains decorum, we will be able to put our point of view in a better manner," he said. Modi also referred to Left leader Somnath Chatterjee who was Lok Sabha speaker during the first UPA government from 2004 to 2009. "As far as disruptions are concerned, our former speaker and some members here whose guide and philosopher Somnath Chatterjee said that to disrupt is totally counter-productive." Modi also stressed that the nation suffers if parliament does not function properly. "The House is a place where debates are to take place. When parliament sessions are not functional, the nation suffers and more than that the MPs suffer because they can't discuss issues," said Modi. Parliament is a forum where the government is questioned and made to clarify its stand on various issues, Modi said and added that the sessions are fruitful if boundaries are maintained during a debate. Taking a dig at the Opposition, he also said that members of the ruling NDA are not allowed to speak out of an inferiority complex, so that the nation cannot see their views and skills. In an obvious attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Modi said some people appeared reluctant to learn with age. "Some people learn with age but some don't," he said, a day after Gandhi attacked the prime minister and his reluctance to take the opposition on board over various issues. Again, without taking Gandhi's name, Modi recalled how the Congress leader had in 2013 tore before reporters a controversial ordinance of the then Congress government on convicted lawmakers. The incident occurred when then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was in the US. This, Modi said, embarrassed the party. MPs from the BJP and its allies thumped their desks in appreciation even as the opposition booed following Modi's remark. Modi said he was being criticised because the Congress was feeling "jealous" with his government's achievements in less than two years -- something "they didn't do in 60 years". "They are worried because we are doing better." He also took a dig at the Congress for poor implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in the states. Citing the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report of 2012, Modi said the Congress-led UPA government failed to get the scheme implemented to maximum effect in the poorest states. "Kharge ji (Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge) said that there is corruption in MGNREGA, I agree with him 1000%. I don't disagree with it," said the Prime Minister. He said the 2012 CAG report had stated that the scheme was implemented better in states where the population of the poor was less. "But the states in which it was needed the most, the scheme was utilized the least. This means we could not target the poor through this scheme properly," Modi said. The CAG report had also stated that even after seven years of its inception, there were five such states which did not even draft the rules of the scheme, he said. "The sad part is that among the five, four are those states who sing the praises of the scheme," Modi added. However, as his more than an hour-long speech in Hindi drew to a close, Modi made a plea for peace. "Let's walk shoulder-to-shoulder and do something for the country. I am new, you are experienced. Come, let us work together for the country. We indulge in verbal brawls because we fear what will be printed in the newspapers. All of us have to work together and think of increasing the accountability of the executive." Prime Minister (PM) on Thursday invited the Opposition in both Houses of Parliament to help the government pass key laws and also implored them to help in the "improvement" of his government with their long years of experience. The PM's rare olive branch to the Opposition was followed by potshots at Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi. In a 75-minute speech on the motion of thanks for the President's address in the Lok Sabha, the PM quoted from the speeches of former prime ministers Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and former Speaker Somnath Chatterjee to attack the Congress and Left parties for disrupting proceedings of the two Houses. Not once did Modi refer to Rahul Gandhi by name but said that one should listen to one's elders. While the Trinamool Congress and Biju Janata Dal have been ambivalent in their opposition to the government, the PM took jibes at their more vociferous members like Saugata Roy and Tathagata Satapathy. The attacks on the Congress made party members repeatedly shout out their protests. The PM stood up to speak a little after Finance Minister Arun Jaitley introduced the Aadhaar Bill. Opposition members objected to the government's intent to push it as a money Bill, while Speaker Sumitra Mahajan asked them to put forth their objections at the time the House took up the Bill for discussion and passage. Modi asked the Opposition to support the Aadhaar Bill that seeks to weed out middlemen and ensure participation of the common man in implementation of government schemes. He also asked the Opposition to support the passage of the Waterways Bill, Whistleblowers Protection Bill, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Constitution Amendment Bill, the Consumer Protection Bill and the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code. On the GST, Modi said, "It is yours' (Congress'), still it is being stopped." In a comment directed at Rahul Gandhi, the PM said some people "age but don't mature". He didn't answer any of Rahul Gandhi's criticism of his government on the JNU row, the government's Pakistan policy or the half-truths on the Naga accord. The PM said the real reason for constant disruptions was not because the Congress was upset with the government, but due to the "inferiority complex" of its leadership. He said disruptions meant that the more capable parliamentarians were not being allowed to speak lest they outshone others. He disapproved of Rahul Gandhi' ridicule of the Make in India policy of the government. The PM quoted former Indira Gandhi to claim that some people, including intellectuals, were intent on painting India as a country perennially holding a begging bowl. On Rahul Gandhi's criticism of the Modi government's flip-flop on the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), the PM listed seven similar schemes both at the Centre and the states since the 1970s to establish how the UPA government was not the originator of the idea. The PM said he was steadfast in his belief that the MGNREGA had lacunae, which his government had tried to plug. He said the focus of the MGNREGA would be to help with irrigation and water supply. The PM also berated Rahul Gandhi for having torn at a press conference an Ordinance passed by the Cabinet headed by Manmohan Singh, and which included such senior Congress leaders as A K Antony and Sharad Pawar. Modi ended his speech on a conciliatory note. He appealed to all to rise above scoring points, as this only made the bureaucracy rejoice. He said politicians come and go every five years, but bureaucrats remain. Modi said there have been a surfeit of programmes and policies, both by Congress as well as BJP-led governments. "But even your governments have had to suffer non-implementation of policies," he said. Modi said a country like India could not be left at the mercy of the bureaucracy. "This government also needs improvement, which cannot happen without your help. I am new, you are experienced. I need the benefit of your experience. Governments will come and go. Let us work shoulder to shoulder," he said. The PM also claimed his was a performing government, pointing at the increased pace of laying railway tracks, construction of toilets in rural areas, and electrifying 18,000 villages. To Rahul's criticism that his ministers and MPs were scared to speak out, Modi recounted an incident about Joseph Stalin and Nikita Khrushchev to point out that he was a democrat who tolerated dissent. Targeting Rahul's record as MP The PM said MPs had increasingly failed to use the instrument of asking questions in Parliament to make the bureaucracy accountable. He said officers no longer feared questions from MPs. While the reference was general, sources said it was directed at Rahul Gandhi, who had not asked a single question in the current Lok Sabha. The average for other MPs is 112 questions. One person was killed while at least 24 others were injured, four of them seriously, in two separate road incidents of Bihar's Purnea and Aurangabad districts, police said today. Dhamdaha Sub-Divisinal Police Officer (SDPO) S H Fakhri said that at least 18 persons were injured, two of them seriously, in a road accident near Tikapatti check post on Kursela-Rupauli main road under Dhamdaha police station area late last night. The incident occurred when a bus, which was going to Purnea from Bhagalpur, lost control, the SDPO said and added that one Ram Pravesh Mandal and a girl, whose identity could not be ascertained yet, have been admitted to Purnea Sadar hospital in a serious condition while all other injured persons have been admitted to Rupauli referral hospital for treatment. In an another incident, a minor was killed while six others injured, two of them seriously, when a pick up van's driver lost control over the vehicle on NH 2 (GT road) near Aura village under Mufassil police station of Aurangabad district today. One Munna Kumar (12) succumbed to death while being taken to Sadar hospital for treatment, Mufassil SHO Shaud Ansari said adding that all the six injured persons have been admitted to Aurangabad Sadar hospital. The incident occurred when the passengers travelling in pick up van were returning to their native Simra village under Kutumba block of the district after attending a marriage function in famous 'Deo' temple, SHO said. The police have seized the vehicle, he added. As many as 15 persons were injured today when a private bus they were travelling in hit a stationed lorry in neighbouring East Godavari district, police said. The private bus was going to Visakhapatnam from Hyderabad and on its way this morning in Murari village on national highway in Gadepalli mandal rammed into a stationed lorry, a Gandepalli police station personnel said. The injured, including the driver and the cleaner, were were rushed to Rajahmundry Government General hospital, the officer said. Andhra Pradesh deputy chief minister N Chinna Rajappa directed police officials to conduct an enquiry into the incident. A case was registered in this regard and further investigations were on, police said. Four persons were today killed and as many injured when a truck rammed into a stationary truck on National Highway in Saini area here, police said. The incident took place this afternoon when a truck coming from Kanpur lost control and rammed into a stationary truck standing alongside road, killing four persons on the spot, they said. The injured have been rushed to hospital, where their condition is stable. The bodies have been sent for postmortem and attempts are on to ascertain their identity, police said. Four proposals for grant of deemed university status were received by UGC in the last two years and are currently under examination. In a written reply in Rajya Sabha, HRD minister Smriti Irani also said that while no institution has been declared as Deemed to be University in 2014 and 2015, the Central Institute of Buddhist Studies in Leh has been accorded the status this year. The minister said proposals for deemed university status to three institutions -- Vignana Jyothi, Hyderabad, Northern India Engineering College, New Delhi, and College of Engineering, Pune, were received in 2014. Further, in 2015, a similar proposal was received from Chinmaya Vishwavidyapeeth, Ernakulam. In reply to another question on whether UGC regulations permit auditing of Deemed Universities by the CAG, the minister cited the relevant clauses as per which "the accounts of the institution deemed to be university shall be open for examination by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India. The accounts shall also be open for inspection by the Commission". She added that the University Grants Commission (UGC) is not opposing the auditing of deemed universities by the CAG. "In the context of clarification sought on whether it comes under the purview of CAG to audit institutions which are neither funded by central government, state government or by the UGC, the matter was referred to CAG, which has sought specific proposals under section 20 of the CAG's (Duties, Power and Conditions of Service) Act, 1971, for their consideration and appropriate action," she said. Forty-nine Indian fishermen, who were detained three months ago in Iran, have been freed and returned to India today, External Affairs Ministry said. "On 1 December 2015, 49 Indian fishermen, who are employees of M/s. Al ShamsiAn Ajman (UAE based company) were detained while they were unknowingly fishing between UAE and Iranian water in the Kish island....These 49 fishermen have been released by the Iranian authorities," MEA Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said. They left Iran yesterday for Chennai via Dubai and have arrived in India this morning, he said. Out of these 49 fishermen, 44 are from Tamil Nadu and five from Gujarat, he said, adding their air tickets were arranged from the Indian Community Welfare Fund and travel expenses were borne by the Embassy. (REOPENS DEL32) As many as 44 Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu arrested by Iranian authorities last year returned home today following "sustained efforts" taken by the state government, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa said. Announcing a financial assistance of Rs five lakh to each of them, she said the 44 fishermen, employed in fishing firms in UAE, had "lost their way" and crossed over to Iran in December 2015, resulting in their arrest. Jayalalithaa in a statement here said she had directed the state government authorities to contact the Ministry of External Affairs officials in UAE and Iran for the release of the fishermen, who hailed from Ramanathapuram, Tuticorin and Kanyakumari districts. "Following the sustained efforts taken by state government, the 44 fishermen were released and returned home (by flight) today. They were sent to their respective destinations on state government's expense," she said. Considering their families' poor economic condition, she ordered a financial assistance of Rs five lakh to each of the fishermen to enable them start their life afresh in the state. (REOPEN MDS5) Meanwhile 11 of the 44 fishermen who returned here to an emotional welcome, said they were asked to pay a heavy fine, amounting to lakhs of Rupees, but were released later through effective intervention of various officials concerned. Apart from these 11 fishermen, 31 are from Kanyakumari, two from Tuticorin and five from Gujarat. Arumugam, Puroshottam and Mani said all of them were arrested and detained in their boatoff Kis island in Iran and were periodically supplied food from their employer. They had spent most of the time in their boats and were without even change of clothes. Once a week they were allowed into the island to buy essential items, the fishermen said. They said Iranian police did not give them any trouble or ill treat them. Just as they were losing hope of getting release, they were one day told they would be set free. "We feel we got our life back when we meet our relatives and friends here." The fishermen thanked the Union government and also CITU's Tamil Nadu fishing workers federation for taking steps to secure their release. Five countries in the UN Security Council are working on a new draft resolution demanding a halt to attacks on hospitals and medical facilities in Syria, Yemen and other war zones, diplomats said. Egypt, Japan, Spain, New Zealand and Uruguay are working on the measure which would reaffirm that such attacks violate international law and would call for perpetrators to be held accountable. All five are non-permanent members of the 15-nation Security Council. "Given the increase of attacks, it would be timely to have a text that holds up international law, re-states respect for medical workers and sends a message about health care in armed conflict," said New Zealand's UN mission spokeswoman Nicola Garvey yesterday. The United Nations has raised alarm over the targeting of medical workers and hospitals in conflict zones, in particular in Syria, Yemen and Afghanistan. Last year, there were 94 attacks in Syria against 63 hospitals and clinics supported by Doctors Without Borders (MSF), according to the organisation's executive director Jason Cone. Missile strikes have hit at least three MSF clinics in Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition has been battling Shiite Huthi rebels who have seized territory from the internationally recognised government. One of the most devastating attacks was the US strike in October on a MSF-run hospital in the Afghan city of Kunduz that killed 42 people. MSF condemned the airstrike as a war crime and demanded an investigation. The US military unveiled the results of an internal investigation a month later, blaming human error. MSF is supporting the initiative by the five council members, which would not break new legal ground but would highlight the need to respect existing humanitarian law. "Unless states come together and denounce these attacks, these kinds of attacks will somehow become normal, acceptable by-products of conflict," Cone told AFP. Seven months since it launched assembly unit in Vishakhapatnam, Chinese smartphone maker today said about 75% of its phones sold in the country are now 'Made in India'. In August last year, had partnered Taiwanese firm Foxconn to set up local assembly of its phones to cater to one of the world's fastest growing smartphone markets globally. "Within months, we have seen the unit being ramped up and now 75% of phones are Made in India. It is a herculean feat that we have been able to do," Global Vice President Hugo Barra told PTI. He, however, declined to disclose details on sales and production numbers. India is one of the largest markets for Xiaomi globally . The company assembles devices like Redmi 2 and Redmi Note in India. Xiaomi also launched its latest device Redmi Note 3 here, priced at Rs 9,999 onwards. The device had made a global debut in November last year. The company has already sold one million units of Redmi Note that was launched in 2014. The Redmi Note 3 features Qualcomm's Snapdragon 650 chipset and will come in two variants - 16 GB (with 2 GB of RAM) and 32 GB (with 3 GB of RAM) for Rs 11,999. With its price tag, the handset will compete with the likes of Lenovo's Vibe K4 Note and LeEco's Le 1s. The device will go on sale on March 9 on Mi.com and Amazon.in. Barra said Xiaomi will launch its Mi5 handset in the next one month. It also unveiled a bluetooth speaker for Rs 1,999. With a 5.5-inch display, the 4G dual SIM handset runs Android-based OS MIUI 7 and includes a fingerprint sensor. It also has a 4,050 mAh battery and measures just 8.65 mm at its thickest point. It also has a reading mode to help prevent eye fatigue. Armed with a 16 megapixel rear camera and 5 MP front camera, users can click selfies with the rear camera using the fingerprint sensor to shoot the image. "The device also supports LTE band 5 (as well as 3, 40 and 41) to ensure customers can have the best Voice over LTE quality, an innovation that was done only for the Indian market," Barra said. It also comes equipped with Infrared capabilities which can be used to control household devices like TVs, ACs and DSLR cameras. According to research firm IDC, shipments in India grew 28.8% in 2015 Y-o-Y to 103.6 million units compared to 10.1% growth for the global market. As eight more Tamil Nadu fishermen were arrested today by the Sri Lankan Navy, the state government sought the Centre's intervention for the release of all 35 Indian fishermen and 73 fishing boats in the custody of the neighbouring island republic. Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa wrote a letter to Prime Miniter Narendra Modi, calling for appropriate actions for a permanent solution to the recurring arrests. "There is an urgent and imperative need to proactively initiate appropriate actions to deliver a permanent solution to this sensitive issue that plagues the livelihoods of thousands of Tamil Nadu fishermen," she said in the letter. A report from Rameswaram said the eight fishermen were arrested and their two boats seized by the Sri Lankan Navy on charges of crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line. Referring to their arrest, Jayalalithaa said "our fishermen are only following their traditional occupation and fishing in an area to which they have a historic claim -- their traditional fishing waters of the Palk Bay. "The very ownership of these waters and the position of the IMBL are matters which are in the Supreme Court," she said about the case filed by her challenging the validity of the Indo-Sri Lankan agreements of 1974 and 1976 which ceded Katchatheevu to the island nation. The Sri Lankan strategy of not releasing the apprehended boats and fishing gear even after releasing the fishermen has severely impaired the means of livelihood of several of their families, "causing great frustration and despondency amongst the fisherfolk of Tamil Nadu", she said. The prolonged detention and disuse of the boats even through the Northeast monsoon would have caused extensive and irretrievable damage, she said and reiterated her request that the fishing boats and gear be restored in a refurbished condition by the Government of India at the earliest. The Chief Minister, who reminded Modi of her demand for a Rs 1,520 crore deep-sea fishing package for her state, sought his direction to officials of the Ministry of External Affairs to press for the release of 35 fishermen, including the eight apprehended this week, and 73 fishing boats from Lankan custody. Additional Afghan forces have been deployed around the Indian Consulate which was attacked yesterday in Jalalabad city of Afghanistan by heavily-armed terrorists including suicide bombers. External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said that senior officials of both National Directorate of Security (NDS) and Afghan National Police (ANP) visited the Consulate to reassure Consulate officials of their complete cooperation. "Our Consulate in Jalalabad came under attack yesterday by a group of 5 terrorists at 12 noon. The attackers approached the Consulate in a van rigged with explosives... "No member of the Consulate was injured except superficial injuries in right hand of one of the local staff members. Three persons reportedly died in the attack. National Directorate of Security (NDS) reported that 19 persons were injured, mostly Afghan National Police (ANP) guards, two of whom have serious injuries," Swarup said. He also said additional forces, both from ANP and NDS, have been deployed around the Consulate. Electricity lines that were knocked out due to an explosion were repaired and power was restored on priority, he added. Once the encounter was over, ANP chief of Nangarhar General Fazal Ahmad Sherzad, NDS Chief General Dad Mohammad Harifi, Governor Salim Khan Kundozi and ANCOP Chief Colonel Mohammad Naseem visited the Consulate to reassure Consulate officials of their complete cooperation, he added. Yesterday's attack was fourth in a series of terror strikes on Indian Consulate in Jalalabad in the last nine years. It was attacked twice with hand grenades in 2007 and in 2013 and then by three suicide bombers. In 2015, an attack on it was thwarted by the Afghan security forces. Two months ago, heavily-armed terrorists had carried out an attack on Indian mission in Mazar-e-Sharif which lasted for over 25 hours with all the attackers who attempted to storm the building getting killed by the Afghan forces. Soon after that in January, Islamic State jihadists claimed responsibility for a deadly gun and bomb siege targeting the nearby Pakistani consulate in Jalalabad. Director Raja Krishna Menon, who is basking in the glory of "Airlift" is working on a couple of ideas for making a drama. Menon's last release on the biggest airlift evacuation of Indians from Kuwait was a huge success. Now, he has started working on his next film. "I am working on three-four different ideas. Out of this, one is a real-life incident story like "Airlift". It's an interesting story but I can't give details about it," Menon told PTI. "While the other two are fictional stories. But all films are (from) drama (category)," he said. Menon also has been approached to direct the Hindi remake version of hit Hollywood film "Chef" that would have actor Saif Ali Khan in the lead. "I am yet to decide on it (directing "Chef"). All I know is that the makers are yet to decide on the leading lady. The film is likely to go on floors later this year," he added. Various airlines, including the defunct Kingfisher, owed Rs 3,030 crore to the Airports Authority of India (AAI) at the end of December last year, the government said today. "The total dues from various airlines as on December 31, 2015 amount to Rs 2,793.04 crore towards aeronautical charges and Rs 236.60 crore towards non-aeronautical charges," Minister of State for Civil Aviation Mahesh Sharma told the Lok Sabha in a written reply. He was responding to a query on whether various Indian and foreign airlines owe dues to AAI for availing of fuel and other facilities. In a reply to a question on whether Kingfisher, SpiceJet and GoAir airlines owe money to AAI, the minister replied in the affirmative. The grounded Kingfisher Airlines owe Rs 294.57 crore, including interest. As on December 31, 2015, SpiceJet and GoAir have to pay Rs 78.87 crore and Rs 50.89 crore, respectively, Sharma said. "In the case of SpiceJet, the party is paying Rs 1.50 crore every day against which Rs 1.10 crore is adjusted against current operations charges and the balance towards overdues. Bank guarantee of Rs 82.50 crore is available for adjustment/encashment in case of default," the minister said. With regard to GoAir, Sharma said the dues are centrally monitored on a weekly basis and notice is issued for settlement of overdues (in excess of bank guarantee). "In the case of Kingfisher Airlines, recovery suit has been filed in the Mumbai High Court for the overdues and also criminal proceedings for cheques issued by Kingfisher Airlines amounting to Rs 136.22 crore in 2012 which was dishonoured by the bank," he noted. Government will meet its target of electrifying 18,452 villages by March next year, much ahead of the May 2018 deadline as over a third of the task has been completed already, Power Minister Piyush Goyal said. "During the last 11 months we have already electrified 6,029 unelectrified villages under our mission of energising 18,452 villages. We will complete the target by March 31, 2017, much ahead of the set deadline of May 2018," Goyal said at Raisina Dialogue, organised by ORF here. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day speech last year announced the initiative to electrify these 18,452 villages in 1,000 days - by May 2018. Earlier, Goyal had said that the electrification of over 7,000 villages will be completed by March end this year. The minister also informed that Manipur and Tripura have evinced interest in joining UDAY scheme meant for revival of power distribution companies. The scheme was launched last year for revival of discoms, which have an accumulated debt of over Rs 4.37 lakh crore. As many as six states -- Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, have already singed legally binding agreements to join the scheme so far. Punjab will become the seventh state to ink the pact to formally join UDAY tomorrow. On this occasion, Goyal urged to the representatives from the developed countries and other nations that the United Nations Sustainable Development goal of providing energy to all by 2030 should be expedited as the societies cannot wait for 15 long years for this. He also urged them to support the renewable energy so that the objective of maximising clean energy generation can be achieved in the backdrop of India losing a WTO litigation in solar energy case. India will go in appeal against the WTO's panel ruling which has stated that the country's power purchase agreements with solar firms were "inconsistent" with international norms. The rulings of the WTO's dispute settlement panel can be challenged in the WTO's Appellate body. Goyal also said: "When I took charge on May 26, 2014, I could have imposed anti-dumping duty on solar equipment imports as our domestic producers had won the case at Commerce and Industry Ministry level (Directorate General of Anti-Dumping & Allied Duties)." Elaborating, he said: "I did not impose anti dumping duty because India's domestic production capacity was one or two gigawatt." He said, "It is not the question of who won or who lost but the cause of renewable energy should not lose." India has set an ambitious target of 175 GW of capacity addition from renewable energy sources including 100 GW of solar. The government is expected to impose anti-dumping duty of up to USD 127 per tonne on a chemical, used in flavours and fragrance industry, originating from six countries, including the US and the EU. The move is aimed at protecting the domestic industry from cheap in-bound shipments from the six countries - European Union, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Chinese Taipei and the US. The Directorate General of Anti-dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD) during its investigation has concluded that "2-Ethyl Hexanol" have entered the Indian market from these countries at prices "less than their normal values". The domestic industry has suffered material injury due to the dumping, it said in a notification. "The authority (DGAD) considers it necessary and appropriate to recommend imposition of definitive duties duty on imports" of the chemical, it added. DGAD, the nodal agency under the Commerce Ministry for such investigations, has recommended the anti-dumping duty in the range of USD 15.55 per tonne and USD 127.82 per tonne. Imports of the chemical from these six countries have increased considerably to 1,13,261 tonnes during the period of investigation (April 2013 to June 2014) from 16,539 tonnes in 2010-11. While DGAD recommends the duty, the Finance Ministry imposes it. Countries initiate anti-dumping probes to determine if the domestic industry has been hurt by a surge in below-cost imports. As a counter-measure, they impose duties under the multilateral WTO regime. Anti-dumping measures are taken to ensure fair trade and provide a level-playing field to the domestic industry. They are not a measure to restrict imports or cause an unjustified increase in cost of products. Advertising industry watchdog ASCI has upheld complaints against 42 out of 79 campaigns in December for misleading advertisements, including those of OLX, Snapdeal, Uber, Bharti Airtel, Marico and Colgate- Palmolive India. According to the Customer Complaints Council of Advertising Standard Council of India (ASCI), out of the 42 advertisements, 8 belonged to the healthcare category, 9 to the education category followed by 7 in the ecommerce segment, 3 in telecommunication and broadband and 15 advertisements from other categories. ASCI upheld complaint against Snapdeal as "the claim in the advertisement, 'free delivery' was not substantiated". On the other hand, complaints against OLX were upheld for the use of phrase "deriding a certain caste of people" and visual use of 'a police inspector riding a bike without a helmet' as shown in the advertisement, promotes an unsafe practice". Complaint against Uber India passed the ASCI muster, which said "switch to Uber @ Rs 9/-per km period, was not substantiated and was also misleading by omission of any disclaimer that other additional charges are also being charged per minute/per trip". ASCI also upheld three complaints against Bharti Airtel for "misleading" and "contravening the ASCI Guidelines". Besides, complaints against advertisements of Colgate-Palmolive and Marico were also upheld. In the Colgate advertisement, "The scene in the ad showing 'two young school students kneeling on the school floor', is in violation of Article 21 of the Protection of Children against Corporal Punishment in Schools and Institutions. Also, the advertisement is likely to result in the physical, mental or moral harm of the children," ASCI said. While Marico's advertisement for its product Nihar Shanti Amla Hair Oil claiming '500 per cent jyada Vitamin E' was found misleading. "The choice of comparison with a product that does not contain Vitamin E confers an artificial advantage upon the advertiser and there is likelihood of consumer being misled. Also, such comparison unfairly discredits Dabur Amla product," advertising watchdog said. Smoothtalker, a device that helps those with speech defects communicate better and an eye tracking device that empowers those with disabilities to communicate and interact with the world are among a host of assistive technologies on offer for the differently-abled. Prominent companies such as Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Accenture etc. Are showcasing various innovations developed to assist differently-abled people to overcome their day-to-day difficulties at the 5th edition of Techshare 2016, that began here today. The two-day event inaugurated by Vinod Aggarwal, Secretary, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry for Social Justice, is being organised by Barrierbreak, a company that works in the area of accessibility and assistive technology. "The disability conversation almost always revolves around the charitable part. Everyone should understand that the needs of those with disabilities will have to be catered to. They do not have the technology access," Shilpi Kapoor, MD, Barrierbreak said. According to conservative estimates, Kapoor said, there are around 70 million differently-abled people in India and the market for assistive technology is Rs 4,500 crore. "There are so many initiatives such as Make in India, Digital India etc. But what are we thinking for those who are differently abled?" Kapoor said. Organisers said beginning from the first edition of Techshare held in 2008, things have started looking up. On the inaugural day, a specially designed app for the differently-abled people, called Newz Hook, was launched. The app has a screen reader as well as a sign language facility. It seemed to be an instant hit with the participants at the event who queued up for a free demonstration. Similarly, Optelec,a Dutch company came to the event with its Clear View Speech, a device that would help a person with low vision read or hear . Tobii technology, a Swedish company displayed Eyetracker, a device that reads eye movement. There is the Smoothtalker that helps those who suffer from any form of speech defect. All these products are marketed by Barrierbreak in India. Roli from Facebook explained why the social networking website has come forward to join the initiative. "Around 50,000 Facebook users listen to the site instead of reading it," she said. "Facebook has a number of alternative commands for the differently-abled such as Ctrl+L for 'like'. The full list can be obtained by pressing Ctrl+?," she added. "The government launching the Accessible India (Sugamya Bharat) campaign is a positive sign. It acknowledges that what we have been saying all this while is true and somebody has to address the problem. Companies such as Microsoft, Google, Accenture-- they are all out to cater to the needs of the differently-abled people today. This itself is a success," Kapoor said. Similar sentiments were echoed by Rajender Singh Negi who has attended all the editions of Techshare so far. An employee at the National Institute for the Visually Handicapped (NIVH), Negi said, "Nothing changes ovenight. The good thing is, the mindset is changing. The awareness level is on the rise. That itself is a giant leap. At least 16 prisoners died today in a fire inside a prison in the capital of the South American country of Guyana, authorities said. Inmates apparently set two fires during a riot over conditions inside Georgetown Prison, said Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan. Those killed were inside the most secure section of the facility, he said. The first fire was set late Wednesday and extinguished with no injuries reported. The second fire was set Thursday around noon and led to the fatalities, officials said. Ambulances were seen entering the main gate of the facility, and officials said at least eight prisoners had been hospitalised. Hundreds of people who were lined up at the prison gates to take food to inmates were seeking information about relatives inside. The colonial-era prison holds about 1,000 prisoners even though it was built to hold less than 500 inmates. Police believe the inmates were protesting overcrowding and delays for prisoners awaiting trial. Formally announcing its tie-up with AGP in Assam, BJP today said the assembly election in the key north eastern state will be a contest between "all indigenous people" led by it on one side and Congress and the UDF on the other. AGP, which has ruled the state on its own twice, will play the junior partner and contest 24 seats while the rest 126 will be divided among BJP and three smaller outfits, with the saffron party leading the alliance. Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad made the announcement at a press conference here and said the "massive infiltration" in the state with the "collusion and patronage" of the Tarun Gogoi-led Congress government will be their main poll issue besides freeing the state of "corrupt and non-developmental" rule marked by "mal governance". BJP has already entered into a tie-up with Bodoland People's Front, which will contest 16 seats, besides two other outfits representing local tribes. An alliance with AGP, which is now a much weaker force but retains some influence, will help BJP, which emerged the largest party in the Lok Sabha poll in 2014, in consolidating Hindu votes in a state where Muslims are more than 30 per cent and back UDF and Congress, BJP sources said. They said the AGP leaders had also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi before the alliance was sealed. The BJP-led alliance will come out with a common minimum programme. "All indigenous and our people are one side and UDF with the blessings of Congress on the other," Himanta Biswa Sarma, BJP leader and convener of the state's Election Management Committee, told the media. Badruddin Ajmal-led UDF has emerged as a strong force in the state, drawing its support mostly from Muslims. Union Minister and Assam BJP chief Sarbananda Sonowal, who is the alliance's chief ministerial candidate, and AGP chief Atul Bora besides BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav were also present at the media conference. The leaders said implementing the Assam accord, under which illegal immigrants are to be identified and deported, will be a priority for the alliance if it is voted to power. Bora said the previous AGP governments had also "failed" in executing it but added that with BJP in power at the Centre, they will be able to do it this time. "BJP has assured us they will do whatever they can to implement the accord," he said, adding there can be "friendly fight" between the two parties on a few seats. Sarma, who had left Congress to join BJP along with some MLAs, claimed that Congress was committed to the accord as it was signed by Rajiv Gandhi but Rahul Gandhi "shifted the goalposts". BJP today hit out at former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah, accusing him of "adopting double standards" while in and out of power. "We strongly condemn the utterances of . He had been an opportunist whose past itself stands witness to his of compromise on the so-called principles", BJP State General Secretary Narinder Singh alleged. Addressing reporters, Singh said Omar today says in public that he will "never enter" into alliance with BJP and rather quit than compromising with the honour and dignity of the state. This nothing but a reflection of frustration after NC being given humiliating defeat in the Assembly elections. He said that it is funny that the leaders like "adopt double standards while in chair and when out of power". "It is not aimed at serving the state or its people but a game of opportunism," Singh said. The BJP leader said people of the state, Jammu province in particular, had given mandate to BJP to form the government and our party did nothing wrong to honour the verdict of the people. Brazil's Supreme Court has voted unanimously to allow corruption charges against a key congressional leader in a step that could weaken efforts to impeach President Dilma Rousseff. All 10 justices at the session voted to proceed with charges against Eduardo Cunha, the head of the lower house of Congress who is accused of taking USD 5 million in bribes involving a contract by state oil company Petrobras. The 11th justice was out of the country. Under Brazilian law, charges against federal congressmen and other top government officials can be filed and judged only by the Supreme Court. Yesterday's decision marked the first time the Supreme Court has authorised charges in connection with the wide-ranging "Car Wash" investigation into corruption at Petrobras. Cunha is one of the biggest names implicated in the scandal, which prosecutors allege involved billions of dollars in bribes. He is also a sworn enemy of Rousseff, having authorised the opening of impeachment proceedings against her late last year over allegations she violated fiscal responsibility laws. Analysts said the Supreme Court's move could undermine the impeachment effort. "This means that Dilma's accuser is no longer on the offensive but rather on the defensive," said Pedro Fassoni Arruda, a professor of political science at Sao Paulo's Pontifical Catholic University. "The government can use that as a trump card in the sense that they can say that the person who is accusing the president of having committed a crime probably committed a crime himself." "This could change the balance of power between the government and the opposition, fortifying the government and weakening those who support Dilma's impeachment," he said. Rousseff said yesterday that fighting corruption was among her government's top priorities. "No government has cracked down as hard and efficiently against corruption as mine. And it will continue to be that way," Rousseff said at the swearing-in ceremony for Brazil's new justice minister, solicitor general and comptroller general. Prosecutors allege Cunha accepted USD 5 million in bribes between 2006 and 2012 in connection with the construction of two Petrobras drilling ships. He is charged with corruption and money laundering. Cunha has denied any wrongdoing. After the Supreme Court session began Wednesday, he told reporters: "Truth is on my side. I am innocent." The Supreme Court has not yet weighed in on whether Cunha will be able to continue as head of the lower house and serve out the more than two years that remain of his term representing Rio de Janeiro state. Attorney General Rodrigo Janot has asked the justices to remove Cunha from office, but the court has not yet taken up the matter. Britain will contribute around 20 million euros in extra funding to boost security at the French port of Calais where thousands of migrants have camped out hoping to cross the Channel, France's minister for European affairs said today. Britain has already contributed more than 60 million euros and "there will be around an extra 20 million euros (USD 15 million)" Harlem Desir told RFI radio, with the money used to boost "security of the access zone to the tunnel... And fighting trafficking networks". The announcement came hours ahead of a summit between French President Francois Hollande and British Prime Minister David Cameron in the northern city of Amiens, where the Calais crisis will be top of the agenda. Demolition workers razed makeshift shelters at the so-called Jungle migrant camp on the outskirts of Calais for the third day running on Wednesday under the close watch of dozens of police officers equipped with water cannon. The camp, built on a former toxic waste dump, is a magnet for people hoping to reach Britain and many have refused to leave, although there has been no repeat of the violent clashes that erupted on Monday. French Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron told the Financial Times yesterday that if Britain left the European Union following a referendum in June, France would cease keeping the migrants in Calais. "The day this relationship unravels, migrants will no longer be in Calais," Macron told the newspaper. The Budget session of Haryana Assembly will commence from March 14. "The budget session will commence from March 14," Haryana Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ram Bilas Sharma told reporters after the meeting of State Cabinet here today which was presided over by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. Later, BJP MLA Gyan Chand Gupta, speaking on Jat agitation, alleged that for the last one month politics was being played by the Congress and the INLD on the issue of the community's quota protests. He alleged that efforts were being made to ruin state's atmosphere so as to stop inflow of investments into the state and he some people of trying to hurt the brotherhood. Earlier, BJP MLA Prem Lata also raised concern over the ongoing agitation by the Jat community, which today entered its 35th day. "Children who reside in villages are neither getting good education nor they posses land and are in good health. Today they feel disappointed and dejected. This is one of the issues of the agitation," she said. In a bid to cut litigation, the government has decided to withdraw central excise cases older than 15 years involving duty less than Rs 5 lakh. "It has been decided with the approval of the competent authority to recommend filling of application before the Hon'ble Court to withdraw from prosecution of the cases where evasion of Central Excise duty is less than Rs 5 lakhs and prosecution is pending for more than 15 years," the CBEC said. The Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) in an order to all its Principal Chief Commissioners/ Chief Commissioners of Central Excise said the decision was in conformity with the policy of the government to reduce litigation in taxation. The decision has also been taken after considering the fact that expenditure involved in continuing with such prosecution may not be commensurate with the result likely to be achieved and the human resources saved can be redeployed to garner more revenue for the exchequer. "Withdrawal of such cases would send a positive message to the manufacturing sector in which policy of 'Make in India' is being actively pursued," it said. This decision has also been taken in light of fact that the present limit for arrest and prosecution in Central Excise is Rs 1 crore. This enhanced limit of Rs 1 crore was prescribed on October 23, 2015, prior to which limit was Rs 25 lakh for the past 21 years. "The present enhanced monetary limit indicates a liberal policy of the government in relation to prosecution. If this limit is interpolated to a value 15 years back, it would be higher than Rs 5 lakh. Therefore, it would be reasonable to conclude that the equivalent cases, of the cases under consideration, would not undergo prosecution today," the order said. It asked its officials to file an application requesting courts to allow withdrawal from prosecution in accordance with law. On filing of such applications, it is for courts to finally decide whether or not to pursue the prosecution. CBI has filed a charge sheet in a court against All Indian Overseas Bank Employees Union president L Balasubramanian and his family members in a disproportionate assets case. Balasubramanian (62), his wife B Vijaya and his sister L Meenakshi allegedly conspired and collected Rs 3.20 crore from bank employees and diverted the amount to a trust in which they were members. They had allegedly collected money by giving a false reason. CBI's Anti-Corruption Bureau, in its charge sheet filed in the Special Court for CBI cases, accused the trio of collecting Rs 3.20 crore while their total income was Rs 51 lakh and expendiutre Rs 11 lakh during the check period of January 1, 2010 to June 30, 2012. Later, the three purchased properties in various places, including Palani, Karaikudi and Tiruchirappalli in Tamil Nadu, the charge sheet said. Supported allegedly by a section of union office bearers, Balasubramanian had allegedly circulated pamphlets in all the branches and collected Rs 25,000 as 'advertisement charges' towards padayatra to Palani hill temple and expenses incidental to it. Balasubramanian had also been held by CBI in a 2014 IOB recruitment scam using forged documents in Tamil Nadu. He joined IOB as a godown keeper in 1972 and was promoted as Special Assistant. He was elected president of All Indian Overseas Bank Employees Union (AIOBEU) in April 1991. After retirement, he continued to hold his union post. Vijaya joined Indian Bank as a clerk in 1985 and took voluntary retirement in 2000. Meenakshi was an Assistant Manager in IOB and opted for VRS in 2001. Shares of Central Bank of India today settled with over 2 per cent gains after its board approved raising over Rs 165 crore by issuing additional equity shares to insurance giant LIC on preferential basis. After surging 6.28 per cent to Rs 70.20 intra-day, shares of the company finally ended at Rs 67.50, up 2.20 per cent on BSE. On NSE, the stock went up by 1.35 per cent to settle at Rs 67.20. In terms of volume, 2.51 lakh shares of the company changed hands at BSE and over 9 lakh shares were traded at NSE during the day. The board of directors at its meeting held yesterday "considered and approved raising of additional equity capital by issuance and allotment of up to 3,14,41,088 equity shares of the face value of Rs 10 each at the issue price of Rs 52.66 per equity aggregating to Rs 165,56,87,694.08 to LIC," the company had said in a BSE filing. Besides, the bank informed it has sought approval from the government for raising additional equity capital by conversion of entire 5,830 innovative perpetual debt instruments of the face value of Rs 10 lakh each aggregating to Rs 583 crore held by the government into equity shares to be issued and alloted to the government on preferential basis. Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today said the formation of a committee by the Centre to recommend the modalities to accord Scheduled Tribes status to six OBC communities in Assam is an attempt to "hoodwink" the people of the state and cover up its failure. He said the formation of the committee is a "tactic" of the Centre to "evade" the issue and added the modalities can be decided even after conferring the status. The Centre had on February 29 set up a committee, to be headed by Special Secretary (Internal Security) in the Home Ministry Mahesh Kumar Singla, to recommend the modalities for granting of ST status to six OBC communities in Assam. "It is responsibility of the Central government to confer ST status as the state government does not have any role in it and it can play the role of a facilitator only," Gogoi said is a statement here. The Chief Minister urged the Centre to accord the ST status to the six communities - Moran, Muttock, Tai Ahom, Koch Rajbongshi, Sootea and Tea Tribes - expeditiously shunning its "dilly-dally tactic". "Had this power been given to us, we'd have conferred the ST status upon the six communities long back," Gogoi said. He said he has on several occasions recommended granting the ST status to the communities and will "endorse their demand" all along. Moreover, the state government has given its no objection to the Ministry of Home Affairs opinion regarding insertion of a separate new list of ST for the six communities. When the Hindu minorities were given refugee status without seeking opinion of the state, why the Centre has not taken the same stance in this case, Gogoi asked. Depressed over seeing his neighbours getting married, a 46-year-old man allegedly clubbed his ailing father to death for failing to get him a bride in north-central China, media reports said today. Wei, from Yuzhong county, kicked and beat his father with a club after dragging him out of his sickbed on Tuesday, Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post quoted local reports as saying. His father, 69, was taken to hospital, but succumbed to his injuries. When police arrived at the family home, the accused, identified only by his surname Wei, reportedly brandished a knife and threatened to kill himself if anyone approached him. He was arrested following a stand-off lasting nearly three hours when police fired tear-gas and overpowered him. Wei had beaten his ailing father a couple of times before the Chinese Lunar New Year on February 8, the report said. On Tuesday, Wei's mother had reportedly tried to stop him after he started to beat his father again. She went to call her younger son for help, but when she returned she found her husband lying injured on the ground, the report said. Police have sent Wei to a local hospital where his mental health will be assessed. The report said the unmarried Wei had been living at his parents' home. People from the village said Wei had complained that his parents were not rich enough to provide him with a high enough economic status and that they had failed to help find him a wife. One villager told the newspaper that Wei had grown more depressed after seeing his neighbours getting married. A pair of giant pandas, a state gift to South Korea from Chinese President Xi Jinping, arrived in Seoul today to a red-carpet welcome. Aibao (lovely treasure), a two-year-old female, and Lebao (pleasant treasure) a three-year-old male, flew in from the western Chinese province of Sichuan to Incheon international airport on a specially chartered flight, accompanied by vets and a handler. Transported in a special cage, the animals received repeated health checks during the three-hour flight, the amusement park that will house the pandas said in a statement. They then rode to the park south of Seoul in a vehicle with advanced suspension to minimise jolts. South Korea received its first pandas from China in 1994 to mark the second anniversary of diplomatic ties. But when the Asian financial crisis hit in 1998, the country had to return the pair, citing the high cost of keeping them. Xi announced the new gift during his state visit in July 2014. South Korean President Park Geun-Hye has made closer relations with China -- the South's largest trade partner -- a cornerstone of her administration's foreign policy and is understood to have formed a good working relationship with Xi. However, ties remain troubled by differences of opinion over how to deal with North Korea's nuclear weapons programme, with Seoul favouring sanctions over Beijing's preference for dialogue. Two city-based school students today claimed to have developed a sound wave-based technology that would help railways control the increasing number of elephant fatalities on tracks. With reports of a large number of deaths of Asiatic elephants on tracks every year, Prabhav Chawla1 and Ahan Mukhopadhyay, both students of class XII of Sri Ram School, have approached the Delhi Zoo seeking permission to perform tests in this regard. The proposal came on the occasion of World Wildlife Day the theme of which this year is 'The Future of Elephants is in Our Hands'. The students have written a paper which gives a detailed study on the causes of such accidents, current preventive methods employed by the government, and have proposed the infra-sound technology or Doppler Effect-based formula to overcome this problem. "We propose to use sound waves to repel elephants from the tracks of an approaching train and hence prevent such fatalities. Elephants have an audibility range of 12-12000 Hz and can hear infra-sound. Through experimental means, a particular frequency can be determined at which the animal experiences minor irritation. "A device emitting the sound of this frequency can be placed in trains and switched on when the train is passing through elephant-bound areas. This can either be done manually or done automatically using a GPS, which will work along with the device," the students said in their paper. They said that big storms such as hurricanes produce distinctive infrasonic signature, while earthquakes produce distinct infra-sound pulses that can travel thousands of miles. Elephants react quickly to these pulses and tend to run away even before the disaster strike, they said. Responding to the request of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to intensify vigil on the international border in Punjab to prevent recurrence of fidayeen attacks, the Centre has set up a committee which would suggest measures to prevent such attacks in the state. The committee would identify critical issues and suggest measures to prevent any possibility of recurrence of fidayeen attacks in future. The Centre has set up a committee under former Union Home secretary Madhukar Gupta which would have the Deputy National Security Advisor, Director IIT Delhi/IIT Roorkee, Surveyor General of India and a representative from the state government not below the rank of IGP, a Punjab government Spokesman said here today. The committee has been mandated to physically inspect the condition of border fencing along Indo-Pakistan Border, identify gaps and their condition and suggest methods to seal the gaps. The committee has been asked to submit its report within three months, the spokesman said. The spokesman said a communique had been received from Ministry of Home Affairs, Deputy National Security Advisor (NSA) Arvind Gupta in this connection by the state government. "Since the committee is to be an independent body, it has been decided to form it under National Security Council Secretariat", added Gupta in his letter to the state government. The Chief Minister wrote to the Centre to intensify vigil in the international border in Punjab as state was hit by two fidayeen attacks in Dinanagar in July last year and in Pathankot Air Force base in January this year. Congress Deputy Leader in Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma is being nominated as party candidate from Himachal Pradesh for election to the Upper House while senior leader A K Antony is likely to be renominated from Kerala and Oscar Fernandes from Karnataka. Sharma, whose tenure as MP from Rajasthan is expiring soon, will have to resign from the seat to contest the polls from Himachal Pradesh, party sources said. With the Congress having little chance to win any Rajya Sabha seat from Rajasthan owing to the overwhelming majority of the BJP in the state assembly, the party has chosen the Deputy Opposition Leader's home state for him to gain an entry to the Upper House. Congress could contest three seats from Karnataka, if it enters into an understanding with JDS. Otherwise it is likely to contest two seats. Simone Moro stood atop Pakistan's "Killer Mountain" last week and observed the curve of the Earth -- a view which had never been seen by anyone in winter until the climber and his team conquered Nanga Parbat. The expedition had taken three months and came more than six decades after the mountain was first summited, but 10 minutes was all Moro could allow himself to enjoy his achievement. "Now you have to come back... But you are so completely exhausted," the Italian mountaineer explained in an exclusive interview with AFP, saying he was afraid of losing concentration on the long, dangerous descent. From the peak, 8,125 metres above sea level, the mountains of northern Pakistan and India stretched out before him -- including three more of the 14 eight-thousanders. These are the only mountains on the planet with "death zones" -- above 8,000 metres, where it is believed that the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere is too low to sustain human life. The pyramid of K2, the world's second-highest mountain and now the only eight-thousander unsummited in winter, was in the distance. "I saw the horizon -- the line of the horizon -- I saw that the line was curved," Moro said. "When you see these things... You understand how small and at the same time how big you could be." Nanga Parbat, with one of the highest death rates in the world, earned its grisly nickname after more than 30 climbers died trying to conquer it before the first successful summit in 1953. Climbing it in winter's treacherous conditions would remain a feat unattained until Moro and his team -- Alex Txikon of Spain and Pakistani climber Ali Sadpara -- made their historic summit on February 26. One member of their team, Tamara Lunger from Italy, was forced to abandon her attempt just 170 metres from the peak. She could see Sadpara waving at her from the summit, she said, but she knew she had pushed her body to its limit. "My muscles felt very bad... I was vomiting the whole day and everything I ate or drank came out again." Hesitating, she asked herself if she was sad -- but the choice was clear. "I said okay, if you go to the top now you will not go home... And I turned around and went down." Nanga Parbat's fearsome Rupal face, rising more than 4,000 metres from base to top, presents one of the most difficult -- and tantalising -- challenges in climbing. Moro said the team, which climbed without oxygen, had little time to acclimatise themselves, spending just one night at 6,200 metres before making the push toward the summit. "When you want to go the altitude of jumbo flight without oxygen you need to acclimatise," he said, admitting that a "big question mark" hung over their expedition as they began the final climb. Gusts buffeted them at 45 kilometres an hour, and with the wind chill temperatures plummeted to 50 degrees below zero, he said, admitting that due to frostbite he still cannot feel his toes. With US pitching for a quadrilateral security dialogue with India, Japan and Australia, a wary China today said it has no objection to "normal cooperation" between the countries but it should not be aimed at a "third party". "We have no objection to relevant countries normal cooperation, but we believe that relevant cooperation should not be targeted against third party," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told reporters here without directly mentioning China. He was responding to a question on remarks made by Admiral Harry B Harris, Jr Commander, US Pacific Command, in New Delhi, proposing a quadrilateral cooperation between the US, India, Japan and Australia. "One idea to consider is initiating a Quadrilateral Security Dialogue between India-Japan-Australia and the United States. Adding the US into this dialogue can amplify the message that we are united behind the international rules-based order that has kept the peace and is essential to all of us," he had said. Though he did not specifically mention China, Admiral Harris said powerful countries were seeking to "bully smaller nations through intimidation and coercion" and made the case that a broad naval collaboration was the best way to avert it, media reports said. He also hoped for a joint patrol in the Asia Pacific region in future. Hong also gave a similar reply to a question on Malabar exercises held in December last in which Japan was invited to take part along with the US and India. "We hope that cooperation among relevant countries will be conducive to regional peace and stability as well as security instead of harming interests of a third party," he said. Hong's remarks come in the backdrop of two articles in the last few days in state-run Global Times which lashed out US' attempts to rope in India for joint patrols in the disputed South China Sea. While one article said India cannot afford to loose China's support by joining US patrols, another article on February 26 in the same daily said, "any move by India to join the US navy for jointly patrolling the disputed South China Sea will be against its national interest and it would divide Asian countries and further escalate regional tensions. The special court here today directed CBI to file a progress report in connection with journalist J Dey murder case of 2011 and adjourned the hearing to March 14. Special judge for CBI cases S S Adkar sought the progress report saying it will help the court know how much more time CBI would need to complete the probe. Meanwhile, deported gangster Chhota Rajan's lawyer today told the court that Rajan was shown as 'absonding' in 68 cases in the state and he should be taken into custody in all the cases as non-bailable warrants against him were pending in these cases. Dey, a veteran crime reporter, was shot dead in suburban Powai by motor-cycle borne assailants on June 11, 2011, allegedly at the behest of Rajan. Rajan was allegedly peeved with Dey over some articles written by the latter. Rajan is facing around 70 cases in Maharashtra, including the J Dey murder case. Maharashtra government has handed all these cases to CBI. Advocate Avinash Khamkhedkar, Rajan's lawyer, also told the court that Rajan had given his voice sample to CBI (for the purpose of probe). Rajan was deported to India after his arrest at Bali airport in Indonesia on October 25 last year. The first charge-sheet named Satiah Kaliya, Abhijeet Shinde, Arun Dake, Sachin Gaikwad, Anil Waghmode, Nilesh Shendge, Mangesh Agawane, Vinod Asrani, Paulson Joseph and Deepak Sisodia as (arrested) accused. Another charge-sheet was filed in 2012 against journalist Jigna Vora who had allegedly instigated Rajan owing to her professional rivalry with Dey. (Reopens LGD 32) The CBI sources had said these officers had allegedly ignored rules and regulations of verification while issuing the passport on fake identity and address. CBI claimed that on the basis of passport issued in Kumar's name, Rajan had allegedly got another passport issued on December 19, 2003 from High commission of India at Harare, Zimbabwe, and another one from the Consulate General of India in Sydney. Deported after being on the run for 27 years, the 55-year old gangster, who was once a close aide of fugitive terrorist and underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, was brought to India to face trial in over 70 cases of murder, extortion and drug smuggling in Delhi and Mumbai. Rajan was deported to India after his arrest in Bali in October last year. CPI(M) today demanded the Centre sack Union Minister Ram Shankar Katheria for his alleged hate speech in Agra and asked the Akhilesh Yadav government in Uttar Pradesh to book him. "The state government has a bounden duty to book Katheria and all others who incited communal violence in Agra. They should learn from lapses of administration in the build up to Muzaffarnagar violence (in 2013). "As for central government, the demand raised in Parliament that the minister should be removed, has to be complied with if the minimum obligation towards the Constitution and the rule of law is to be observed," ex-CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat said. In the editorial of forthcoming issue of party mouthpiece 'People's Democracy', Karat alleged that attempts were being made to undermine the Constitution and re-work the definition of law by some ministers in the Union Cabinet. "So, incitement to violence against minorities becomes 'nationalism' and fealty to Bharat Mata, while defence of secularism and freedom of speech becomes 'anti-national' and seditious," he added. Apparently referring to the Hyderabad Central University and JNU rows, the Communist leader accused Union Ministers Rajnath Singh and Smriti Irani of branding Dalit and Left student-activists as "anti-nationals" while allegedly shielding elements who resort to goondaism and violence against those who express dissent. Katheria had on February 28 attended a condolence meeting held for VHP worker Arun Mahaur, who was allegedly killed by some youths from another community in Agra, last Thursday. At the meeting, Katheria had said "this conspiracy that is being hatched against the Hindu community, we have to be alert to recognise it and strengthen ourselves. We will have to fight it because if we do not do it now, today we have lost one Arun, tomorrow it could be another Arun...The killers should also go, we have to set such an example". In a quandary over alleged non-payment of dues of cotton growers from Vidarbha by a buyer believed to be close to RSS, the Maharashtra government has convened a meeting in Mumbai on March 9 to resolve the issue. Energy Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule today visited the venue at RBI Square here where farmers from Seloo in Wardha district are on a sit-in agitation and assured them of resolving the issue at the meeting, stated an official release. State Cooperative Minister Chandrakant Patil, Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, Bawankule and officials concerned will attend the meeting. The government is in a dilemma over the issue which has landed at the RSS headquarters here as farmers had threatened of self-immolation over the issue and marched towards the building on February 28, but were detained by police. As many as 400 cotton growers had alleged non-payment of dues to the tune of Rs 8 crore by Sunil Talatule, who owns Shrikrishna Ginning and Pressing Factory and is said to be close to Sangh and BJP leaders. The farmers had accused RSS of shielding Talatule, who allegedly failed to make payment to them on purchase of 20,000 quintal of cotton. Talatule is the son of a RSS founding member Babasaheb Talatule. "We were assured on behalf of Chief Minister that cheques worth Rs 8 crores will be paid to nearly 400 cotton farmers," one of the affected farmers, Ram Narain Pathak had said, alleging that government has failed to deliver its promise. A court here today ordered release of JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar from the Tihar jail after he furnished bail bond in the sedition case, a day after he was granted six months' interim bail by the Delhi High Court. Kanhaiya, who was in Tihar jail after being remanded to judicial custody in connection with the case, furnished his bail bond before a magistrate at a makeshift court in a police station here. According to the sources, the magistrate accepted his bail bond and orderded his release from jail. Kanhaiya is expected to walk out from the jail this evening. Sources said that he furnished a personal bond of Rs 10,000 and one surety of the like amount as directed by high court yesterday. A faculty member of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Professor S N Malakar, stood surety for him. Kanhaiya was granted interim bail for six months by high court which had observed that FIR lodged in connection with an on-campus event that led to his arrest on sedition charge suggested it "is a case of raising anti-national slogans which do have the effect of threatening national integrity". He was arrested on February 12 in the case in which he and others, including two arrested JNU students Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, are accused of raising anti-India slogans during an event organised inside the JNU campus on February 9. The two other students who were arrested are presently in judicial custody. A ruling JD(U) legislator's alleged derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi created ruckus in Bihar Legislative Assembly today and peace returned only after the member tendered an apology. Pandemonium began post-lunch session, when a JD(U) member Manish Kumar, while participating in a debate on demands for Rural Works Department for third supplementary budget, made disparaging remarks against Modi, thus prompting BJP members to rush to the Well of the House in protest. BJP members started shouting against the JD(U) member's remarks that continued for around 15 minutes and demanded that the member apologise for his comment which has hurt their sentiments. "He (JD-U member) has used derogatory words for the Prime Minister and they (BJP members) would not go back to their seat unless and untill the member expresses regret for his remark," Leader of Opposition Prem Kumar said. In a bid to bring back peace in the house, Finance Minister Abdul Bari Siddiqui intervened and requested the chair to expunge the derogatory remarks from the proceedings. On this, the presiding officer Iliyas Hussain said that statements made with regard to the Prime Minister have been expunged from the proceedings of the house, even as the opposition members were adamant on their demand for apology from Manish Kumar. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was not in the House as he had gone to Nepal to take part in the 13th convention of Nepali Congress. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Shravan Kumar requested Leader of Opposition to intervene in the matter and urged him to ask his members to take their seat. The presiding officer again asked the JD(U) member to apologise to maintain the dignity of the House. Manish said, "I have concerns for Bihar's development and its people...Centre has been meting out step-motherly treatment. If my statement has hurt them, then I express regret for my statement." Later, the Assembly passed Bihar Appropriation Bill 2016 to appropriate Rs 8,769.37 crore. The Commerce and Industry Ministry today invited applications from companies to be recognised as third party inspecting authorities for the boiler industry, a move aimed at promoting ease of doing business. Third party inspecting authorities, as per the Indian Boilers Regulations (IBR), are allowed to inspect and certify boilers and boiler components. Also, well-known manufactures under IBR are allowed to self-certify products manufactured by them for use in boilers. The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) said applications are invited from the "eligible companies/ firms for recognition as third party inspecting authorities, competent authority" and well-known material testing lab, steel maker, foundry/forge, tube/pipe maker and remnant life assessment organisation under the Indian Boiler Regulations. The aim is to "promote third party inspection/ self-certification for ease of doing business," the DIPP said in a notification. "Competent authorities are also allowed to issue certificates to welders for welding of boiler and boiler components. Well known material testing laboratories and remnant life assessment organisations are allowed to do materials testing and assess remnant life of boilers respectively," it said. The DIPP has already implemented several measures to improve India's ease of doing business index. Improving this index helps in reducing transactions cost of industry and attract both domestic and foreign investors. In the latest report of the World Bank on ease of doing business, India's ranking has been improved to 130th out of 189 countries, moving up 4 places from last year. The government aims bringing India's ranking within the top 50. Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray can set up a Davis Cup quarter-final blockbuster if they successfully pilot Serbia and defending champions Great Britain through the first round. However, the world's top two players will go into their home clashes against Kazakhstan and Japan respectively this weekend with question marks over their fitness and match sharpness. World number one Djokovic saw his streak of 17 successive finals come to an end in Dubai last week when an eye infection forced a quarter-final retirement. Murray, meanwhile, hasn't hit a ball in anger since losing to old rival Djokovic in the Australian Open final almost five weeks ago. The 28-year-old took February off after his wife Kim gave birth to their first child, Sophia. Djokovic led Serbia to the 2010 Davis Cup title. "I am optimistic and I hope that I am going to play," said the 11-time major winner. "I was a little sceptical but now all is going well." Djokovic and world number 23 Viktor Troicki will play singles for the Serbs in Belgrade while Kazakhstan's top player is Mikhail Kukushkin, the world 79. Murray, who led Great Britain to their first Davis Cup title in 79 years last November, said being a new father has not affected his sleep patterns. "It was very different to what I expected," he said. "I still practise hard and do all the same things I was doing before. I will find out if it is different on Friday or not." The key clash in Birmingham could come on Sunday when Murray takes on Japan's top player, Kei Nishikori, the world number six. Murray holds a 5-1 career advantage over Nishikori ahead of the first Davis Cup clash between the two nations since 1931. "Britain have one of the best teams with Andy and his brother (doubles star, Jamie). It's a great challenge," said Nishikori. - Hewitt plays it again - ========================= Should Serbia and Britain emerge victorious, they will clash in the UK from July 15-17 for a place in the semi-finals with Murray already revealing that he intends to play. In Melbourne, former world number one and two-time major winner Lleyton Hewitt could be drafted into action as a playing captain in the clash with the United States after Nick Kyrgios was ruled out through injury. It's a match-up between the tournament's two most successful nations but the US won the last of their 32 titles in 2007. Australia captured their 28th and most recent crown in 2003. In a shock move late Wednesday, Hewitt replaced Kyrgios in the squad despite having retired as a player after the Australian Open. The 35-year-old is now ranked 301 in the world but boasts a formidable Davis Cup record of 42-14 in singles. Bernard Tomic, the world 20, will play singles as will Sam Groth with Hewitt likely to only feature in Sunday's doubles on the grass courts of Kooyong. Top 30 players John Isner and Jack Sock will lead the United States' hopes. The winner of the tie will take on either last year's runners-up Belgium or 2005 champions Croatia who meet in Liege. Switzerland, the champions in 2014, go to Pesaro to face Italy without Roger Federer, who is recovering from knee surgery, and the resting Stan Wawrinka. Instead their hopes will be spearheaded by 34-year-old Marco Chiudinelli whose ranking is a lowly 146. The winner of that tie will face either Poland or Argentina who are playing in Gdansk. The Poles are in the World Group for the first time while Argentina, runners-up three times since 2006, are in the elite section for a 15th consecutive year. The South Americans will be favourites to progress with two players -- Leonardo Mayer and Guido Pella both in the top 50. Poland's top singles player is Jerzy Janowicz ranked at 96. Yannick Noah begins his second spell in charge of France in the Caribbean where Guadeloupe hosts the tie against Canada. Nine-time champions France can count on top-10 stars Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Richard Gasquet while Canada are reeling after world number 13 Milos Raonic withdrew with an adductor injury suffered at the Australian Open. For France or Canada, a quarter-final with either Germany or the Czech Republic, the 2012 and 2013 champions, awaits. They meet in Hanover with world number seven Tomas Berdych making his 30th Davis Cup appearance for the Czechs. Wooed simultaneously by DMK, BJP and the four-party combine PWF to join their fronts for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly polls, DMDK is delaying its decision, as Union Minister Prakash Javadekar today returned to Delhi without meeting party chief Vijayakanth, who asserted his party was not bargaining with any other outfit. While Javadekar arrived here today, apparently to continue discussions with DMDK chief Vijayakanth, the latter left for Villupuram district to participate in party functions. Before leaving for Delhi, Javadekar told Sun News TV he "had not come for any political appointments." He said he was in Chennai for an official review meeting and that he would be coming here again next week. On February 28, after holding discussions with Vijayakanth, he had told reporters here that the deliberations would be taken forward during his visit next week. Meanwhile, addressing a meeting at Tirukovilur in Villupuram district, Vijayakanth said he was "not engaged in bargaining with any political party" and indicated that a decision on forging alliance would be made known. His reaction comes against the backdrop of claims in a section of the media that he was engaged in hard bargaining with parties over seats. DMDK sources said their chief Vijayakanth along with senior party office-bearers was holding discussions over the question of alliance. Addressing his party's "turning point conference" last month in Kanchipuram, Vijayakanth had said his party workers desired him to be a "king" rather than a "kingmaker." He, however, did not categorically spell out what it meant and whether his party would strike an alliance with the DMK, BJP or if it would go it alone. DMK, which clinched its deal with Congress, fervently hopes that DMDK would hop on to its bandwagon to fight against the ruling AIADMK. BJP continues to insist that DMDK, which fought the Lok Sabha polls in 2014 as its ally, would do so again for the coming Lok Sabha polls. On behalf of PWF (a combine of MDMK, CPI(M), CPI and VCK), VCK general secretary D Ravikumar said, "still there are possibilities for DMDK and TMC to join the People's Welfare Front." He said PWF had extended an open invitation to both the parties to join it and that there were positive indications from them. As soon as DMDK reveals its cards, the political momentum will gather pace in Tamil Nadu. Jharkhand government today informed the state Assembly that efforts are on to bring down malnutrition in the state. "We can't deny that there is malnutrition. But, we are trying to bring it down to the minimum level," Social Welfare Minister Louis Marandi said. Replying to a starred query of Bahujan Samaj Party's Kushwaha Shivpujan Mehta, she said malnutrition level has come down to 22.84 per cent in 2015 from around 56 per cent in 2005-06 and around 42 per cent in 2009-10. A special campaign was being taken up to make people aware about nutrition, Marandi said. She termed tackling malnutrition in the state as a challenge and sought cooperation from all members in the House to bring it down. A court in El Salvador has sentenced a gang member to 410 years in prison for his role in an attack on a public bus that left 17 dead. The court confirmed the sentence against Carlos Oswaldo Alvarado of the Barrio 18 gang on Thursday. It was handed down Wednesday. The attack occurred in 2010 in the suburb of Mejicanos in retaliation for the killing of Alvarado's brother by members of the rival Mara Salvatrucha gang. Gang members stopped the bus, soaked it in gasoline and ignited it. The sentence is largely symbolic because the maximum prison sentence anyone can serve is 60 years. El Salvador's street gangs claim some 70,000 members and are largely responsible for the country's soaring murder rate. Against the backdrop of attacks on him at the Patiala House court complex here, Delhi Police today threw a tight security cordon around JNU Students' Union president Kanhaiya Kumar as he was released from high-security Tihar jail after three weeks' incarceration. After his release at around 6.30 PM, Kumar got inside an SUV which was arranged by his counsel, a source said. While the car was secretly driven out via staff quarters in the backyard of the prison complex, three other vehicles, including an ambulance, were used as decoys with a posse of media personnel camped outside gate No.4 to cover the release of the JNUSU president. Kumar, who is facing sedition charges, and those accompanying him were instructed to reach Hari Nagar police station near Tihar jail, from where he was provided with an escort comprising officials of Delhi Police's West district. Officials of South district later took over from their West district counterparts as Kumar reached the JNU campus safely, the source added. Earlier in the day, police mounted heavy security outside the Jawaharlal Nehru University gates where a group was spotted protesting against the release of Kumar. Kumar was attacked by a group of men at the Patiala House Court complex here when he was taken there on February 17. Following the incident, the high court had come down hard on Delhi Police and said it will be answerable if any of the students arrested in connection with the case suffered even a scratch. Apprehending "clashes" following Kumar's release, police issued an 'advisory' to all district, traffic and PCR units asking them to maintain a strict vigil, especially in and around the JNU and Delhi University campuses. "The advisory says that in case Kumar gets bail, there is a possibility he may visit places like Jantar Mantar, JNU and DU with a large number of his supporters, including students' groups like AISF and AISA and members of some political parties," a police source said today. "It says that ABVP and other right wing groups, including some political leaders, may oppose such gatherings and there is a possibility of clashes among the groups. "In view of the sensitivity and gravity of the matter, a sharp vigil by local police is recommended to avoid any untoward incident," he said. The advisory was first issued when police opposed Kumar's bail plea in the high court. It was reissued yesterday, the source added. Kumar, who was arrested on February 12 in connection with a sedition case over a controversial JNU event, was yesterday granted interim bail for six months by the Delhi High Court which said he has to cooperate in the ongoing investigation and appear before investigators as and when required. A 60-year-old security guard was beaten to death allegedly by a labourer in southeast Delhi's Kalkaji area, police said today. Nanhe, who was a security guard at an under-construction building, was murdered with a hammer while he was sleeping by accused Sanjiv Rana on Tuesday night, police said. After the attack, Nanhe's colleagues held Rana and handed him over to police. During interrogation it emerged that Rana had an ongoing dispute with the victim as he did not allow the accused to take shelter in the building, police added. Emirates Airline, which was scheduled to launch what it called the world's longest non- stop flight this month between Dubai and Panama City, has said it is postponing those plans for around a year. The launch, which had been slated for March 31, will now occur in late 2016 or early 2017 due to "operational factors," the Dubai airline said in a statement released in Panama yesterday. Emirates announced in August that it would launch the world's longest flight, at 17 hours and 35 minutes between the two trading hubs, making Panama the airline's first destination in Central America. The company had said it would offer a daily flight to Panama's capital aboard a Boeing 777-200LR aircraft, which can also carry up to 15 tonnes of cargo. However, the company said that upon extensive review, it would now postpone the flight after "considering all operational factors, including fleet utilization and commercial demand." Among the world's other longest flights are one connecting Dallas to Sydney (almost 17 hours), Johannesburg to Atlanta (16 hours, 40 minutes), and Dubai to Los Angeles (16 hours 35 minutes). Previously, the longest flight, lasting almost 19 hours, linked Singapore and New York and was operated by Singapore Airlines. But it was suspended in 2013 to cut costs. Emirates said it remained enthusiastic about linking its airline network to the region and would keep its staff in Panama. Meanwhile yesterday German airline Lufthansa launched a direct flight to Panama, which the company said was its first to Central America. The flight, which connects Panama City and Frankfurt, will be made five times a week by an Airbus A340-300 with a 298-passenger capacity. The Hyderabad High Court today directed Khammam police in Telangana to preserve the bodies of the eight Maoists who were killed in an allegedly fake encounter in Sukma district of neighbouring Chhattisgarh on March 1. The elite anti-Naxal force of Telangana police, Greyhounds, was involved in the encounter. A division bench of acting Chief Justice Dilip Bhosale and Justice P Naveen Rao passed the order on a public interest litigation filed by the State Civil Liberties Committee, an NGO, alleging that the encounter was fake. The bench directed that if the relatives of the slain Naxals came forward to claim the bodies, the police may record their statement and hand over the bodies. This process must be videographed, it said. The unclaimed bodies will be preserved till March 9 when the court will hear the PIL, the judges said. Additional Advocate General J Ramchander Rao said that two of the bodies had already been handed over to relatives. Taking serious note of the deplorable conditions in prisons in the state, the Bombay High Court today directed the superintendents of all jails across Maharashtra to ensure basic facilities for prison inmates. "We direct the Superintendents of all jails across the state to ensure that basic amenities like good food, clean and hygienic toilets and bathrooms are provided to the inmates. A compliance report shall be filed within four weeks,"a division bench of Justices V M Kanade and Revati Mohite-Dere ordered. The court was hearing a petition filed by one Shaikh Ibrahim Abdul, who is presently lodged in Yerwada Central prison (in Pune), raising the issue of poor condition of the jail. Following the petition, the high court had directed the Pune judicial officer to visit the Yerwada jail and submit a report. After perusing the report and finding that the jail condition is indeed bad, the court sought a similar report from the judicial officer in Mumbai regarding Arthur Road prison and Byculla Womens' prison. As per the report, in Arthur Road prison the capacity is to house 804 inmates but the present population in the jail is 2,466 inmates. The report further states that there are no bathrooms for inmates and they have to take bath in the open. The toilets which are in use are unclean and need renovation. The court directed the state government to immediately start work of construction of bathrooms and toilets inside the Arthur Road prison and complete the work within six months. The court also directed the government to construct toilets and bathrooms in Byculla womens' prison immediately. : Madras High Court today advised the Tamil Nadu government to examine the possibility of allotting areas near the place of work or education of children in cases of rehabilitation to encroachers. The First bench, comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice M M Sundresh stated this while disposing of a PIL by T K Shanmugam, CPI(M) North Chennai Secretary, seeking to direct Collectors of Chennai and Thiruvallur districts to grant patta and regularize encroachments in Menambedu and Korattur villages in Ambattur Taulk as per the Dec 30 2006 and October 03 2008 Government Orders. "It is not in dispute that the area in question is a water area. In view of the full Bench Judgment of the High Court in this very case, the relief has worked itself out as there cannot be any regularization of such encroachments, on the other hand, the encroachments would have to be removed." When the petitioner sought a direction to consider for rehabilitation in not too far away area, the bench said it is a policy decision. It said the schemes where persons are taken completely outside the original inhabitation often do not work out as he beneficiaries give away/sell their rights in these areas to somehow come near the area where they were originally located. "It is this problem which has been debated and in many places now, the process of development and rehabilitation is being thought of. This emanates from the fact that their occupation which lasted in number of years, the place of work, education etc. Makes the people to come back to the area in question." The bench advised government to examine the aspect of rehabilitation places to somehow come near the area where they were originally located, subject to availability of plots. Former Goa BJP minister Ramrao Dessai's brother Rajesh was found dead today at the family farmhouse in a village near here, police said. "We found the body of Rajesh at his farmhouse. The investigations are on. The cause of the death has not been ascertained till now," police inspector Ravi Dessai told PTI. The Dessai-family owned farmhouse in Curchorem village, about 60 kms from here, where Rajesh's body was recovered was in after Sameer Mapari who worked as a driver with the family, was also found dead in a river in 2007 in the same place. The prosecution in the Sameer Mapari death case had said that the driver was allegedly killed at Dessai family's farmhouse. The involvement of Rajesh and two others was suspected during police investigations. The three were subsequently arrested but acquitted by South Goa District and Sessions Court due to lack of evidence in February 2013. Sameer's mother had even tried to attack Rajesh outside the court when the judgement was pronounced. A total of 100 witnesses were examined in the case which led to the political downfall of Ramrao, who had earlier held the Industries portfolio in the BJP-led state government. "I have requested police to inquire the incident from all possible angles. Nothing can be said right now," said Ramrao, responding to a question whether he suspected that Rajesh was murdered. Four people have been gunned down in Thailand's Muslim-majority southernmost provinces, police said today, in 24-hours of violence that included the murder of a Buddhist rubber tapper whose corpse was then set alight. The deaths come during a recent uptick in violence after months of relative calm in a region where more than 6,500 people -- the majority civilians -- have died since a rebellion against Thai rule re-ignited in 2004. Rubber tapper Chatchai Saethong, 55, was shot early today in Yaha district of Yala province, one of the three provinces bordering Malaysia hit hardest by the violence. "His body was set on fire and left charred," local police Colonel Praponwat Khantiwaranant told AFP. An hour later, a Muslim army ranger was gunned down in a neighbouring district, according to a separate police statement. Two other Muslim civilians -- including another rubber tapper -- were shot dead yesterday, the report added, while another army ranger remains in critical condition after being shot as he drove his pick-up truck. Rebels fighting for greater autonomy often target perceived collaborators with the Thai state, which annexed the culturally distinct region more than 100 years ago. Muslims and Buddhist civilians -- including monks and teachers -- have fallen victim to their near-daily shootings or bomb attacks. The region's minority Buddhist population has slumped since the conflict broke out in 2004, despite the Thai army handing out weapons and training to the communities that want to stay. Thai security forces also admit to killing Muslim civilians in botched raids. Rights groups accuse the army of extra-judicial killings and links with shadowy death squads who operate with impunity in the remote region. The army denies such tactics. A car bomb wounded several people outside a police station on Saturday as violence appears to bubble up despite the ruling junta trumpeting peace efforts to end the complex and bloody conflict. Rebel leaders stay out of the public eye and it is unclear how much leverage insurgent parties negotiating in preliminary peace talks hold over the militants. Violence dropped to a record low last year due to tighter security and fewer rebel attacks on civilian "soft" targets. Egypt extradited Frenchman Christophe Naudin to the Dominican Republic today for his alleged involvement in the escape of two pilots jailed in a drugs case dubbed "Air Cocaine." Naudin, a criminologist and aviation security expert who was arrested in Cairo on February 4, is wanted in the Caribbean nation on suspicion of helping pilots Pascal Fauret and Bruno Odos flee to France in October after they had been sentenced to 20 years in prison for drug trafficking. The pair, who maintain their innocence, were arrested in March 2013 as they were about to depart from Punta Cana in a private jet found to be carrying 680 kilos (1,500 pounds) of cocaine. Convicted of drug trafficking in August, they were released pending appeal but barred from leaving the Caribbean nation. They somehow managed to flee and return to France -- an escape that Dominican prosecutors allege Naudin facilitated. Prosecutor Francisco Dominguez said Naudin would be charged with conspiracy and the trafficking of migrants after reaching Santo Domingo, where he was expected to arrive around midnight after a stopover in New York. Naudin will make an initial court appearance within 48 hours of arrival, the prosecutor told journalists. Fauret and Odos fled back to France vowing to clear their names, but were rearrested in November near the French city of Lyon. On February 11, an appeals court in the Dominican Republic upheld 20-year prison sentences for the two pilots. Paris has ruled out extraditing them. But France's foreign ministry on Thursday confirmed Naudin had been extradited. "France has done everything it could to support Naudin," a statement said. "Our embassy in Santo Domingo is following the situation closely and is ready to provide consular assistance." Naudin's wife Michele said he would not receive a fair trial in Santo Domingo. "The Dominican Republic has already said he will be convicted. We know that there is no justice there, and France knows this, yet it let him leave" Egypt, she told AFP. The affair has prompted keen interest in France, after Interpol in November issued arrest warrants for Fauret and Odos, as well as a far-right member of the European Parliament accused of involvement. Olivier Cadic, France's senator representing overseas nationals, called Naudin's extradition "very bad for our country." "There is real concern at how France has managed this affair," he told AFP. Future Consumer Enterprise (FCEL) is set to forge distribution alliances with retailers to sell a range of food and non-food products, and targets a revenue of Rs 4,000 crore in 2016-17, Future Group head Kishore Biyani said today. The company announced a tie-up with Star, a Tata and Tesco enterprise, to retail its products across Star Bazaar stores. "This alliance is a stepping stone, and we are in talks with all modern retailers for similar alliances, and FCEL targets a revenue of Rs 4,000 crore in FY17," Biyani, Chief Executive of Future Group, told reporters here. "We are targeting about 8-10 per cent of sales for our products in Star Bazaar. They have given us the space, it is now up to us," he added. Star Bazaar aims to introduce over 148 SKUs (stock keeping units) across 10 FCEL brands. The company currently has over 30 brands across food and non-food categories, with about 350 SKUs. Biyani said it will introduce about 1,000 SKUs by the end of the current fiscal. Future Group is currently in the process of evaluating different distribution models and has started a pilot in Varanasi, where they have appointed distributors in the general trade. "We want to go all-India with our FMCG distribution and have appointed distributors in Varanasi, and will be selling our products in about 5,000 stores in the city. We are only selling one brand, Tasty Treat," he said. The company targets an all-India launch in 18-20 months, he added. Future Consumer Enterprise brands have expanded their reach so far through Nilgiri's KB's Fair Price/KB's Conveniently Yours, Big Apple, Aadhar and Easy Day stores and are present in 750 outlets including Big Bazaar, the company said. Two policemen, including an officer-in-charge of a police station, were injured when five alleged ganja smugglers attacked them with sharp weapons in Kandhamal district, police said today. The policemen, including officer in-charge of Gochhapada police station, Mrutunjaya Nayak, were attacked by the smugglers when they tried to arrest them at Tambisuga village yesterday, Kandhamal SP K V Singh said. Police could arrest two of the smugglers and seized 40 kg of ganja. The others managed to flee. The vehicle used by them to transport the contraband and the weapons were also seized, he said. In an unique initiative, Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) has partnered with several agricultural institutes to host a seminar on 'EntrepreneurialDevelopment for Kokum and Jack Fruit in Western Ghats States'here onMarch 18. GCCI has joined hands with Western Ghat Kokum Foundation for this seminar which will have experienced speakers from Konkan Krishi Vidyapith-Dapoli (Maharashtra), Cenral Food Technological Rsearch Institute, Mysore, Western Ghat Kokum Foundation, NABARD-Goaand highly successful agro entrepreneurs from Maharashtra and Kerala participating in it. "India is one of the major producers of food in the world and it is also one of the largest consumers of food. Agriculture has huge potential to drive our nation's economy, but various indications clearly convey that there are many areas that have not been fully explored," GCCI has said in a press statement issued here. "Many items which are produced by farmers have huge market potential, but yet theyremainuntapped by most farmers. Some farmers find it difficult todovalue addition to their produce," the chamber said. "This results in poor and many times uneconomical returnsto farmers. Many a times due tolackof post harvest facilities and lack of processing capabilities, large amounts of valuable produceis wasted. Hence, such products are not reaching the consumer in spite of high demand for such products in the market," it adds. The GCCI has said in Goa too the position is not very different. There are manyfruits and other agro-produce which have tremendous market potential if properly processed and value addition isdone. Hence, it is necessary to encourage farmers to becomeagro-entrepreneurs. They have to graduate from pure agriculture to agro-industry. There isalso a need to attract non-agro entrepreneursto agro industry," the press note says. Thousands of Goans who migrated to the UK on a European Union (EU) passport using their Portuguese ancestry are concerned about their future in the event of Britain leaving the 28-member bloc. According to the UK's Office of National Statistics (ONS), there are around 20,000 Goans holding Portuguese passports who live and work in the UK. They used their right to freedom of movement within the EU to settle in Britain over the years but now fear their immigration status could change after the referendum on June 23. "There is a lot of ambiguity. Forget Goans, even British citizens are not clear what a 'yes' or 'no' vote in the referendum would really mean. In the process it causes a lot of concern and unease among Goans who have made the UK their home with their families," Ravi Vaz, president of the Goan Association (UK), told PTI. The association, founded in 1966 as a cultural and professional hub for Goans across UK and Europe, said Goans in India in the process of applying for their Portuguese passports are also affected. Vaz said: "The application process itself involves a large investment of time and money, including translated documents and affidavits. There are many Goans mid-way through this process suddenly left unsure about their future. "They may have applied after narrowing down job opportunities here but are now no longer sure what the future would hold in the UK. "Our message would be to look out for opportunities in the homeland first because the decision to leave your homeland often involves moving entire families. But individual circumstances vary, and if you have decided to make the move, please explore the job market across the EU to see what kind of criteria you meet best. "Every country has something different to offer. There should not be a kind herd mentality of just following others without a plan." The EU nationality for some Goans has its roots in the Portuguese colonisation of Goa in the 16th century. The region was ruled by the European nation for nearly 450 years before it officially became a part of India in 1961. According to data from the Election Commission of India, 11,500Goanssurrendered their Indian passports in favour of Portuguese citizenship in the five years between January 2008 and January 2013. This figure is now estimated to be closer to 24,000, many of whom have settled in the UK. (Reopens FGN 16) The UK has been the first choice for Goans who acquire their Portuguese nationality mainly due to the comfort of the English language and a strong UK Goan community, concentrated largely in Swindon, south-west England, and parts of London. They are mostly employed within the catering and hospitality sector in customer service roles or as chefs but also as IT professionals and labourers. "Most of the Goans based here are professionals who come with a particular skill set or are entrepreneurs. They have moved here to improve their circumstances and not for the benefits system," said Flavio Gracias, a Goan who has been based in London since 1968. "In the event of changes following the referendum, they will still be part of the EU and may look at going to Germany or France or other EU countries that have job opportunities," Gracias said. Google today said that it is working with UNICEF to map the spread of Zika and pitching in a million dollars to support the group's efforts on the ground. A volunteer team of Google engineers, designers and data scientists is helping UNICEF build a computer platform to analyze data from sources such as weather and travel patterns to predict potential outbreaks, the director of the Internet giant's charitable arm said in a blog post. "Ultimately, the goal of this open source platform is to identify the risk of Zika transmission for different regions and help UNICEF, governments and NGO's decide how and where to focus their time and resources," said Google.Org director Jacquelline Fuller. "This set of tools is being prototyped for the Zika response, but will also be applicable to future emergencies." The million-dollar grant to UNICEF was intended to go toward cutting mosquito populations; developing diagnostics and vaccines; awareness, and prevention, according to Fuller. Google also launched a campaign to match employee donations, with a goal of providing an additional $500,000 for UNICEF and the Pan American Health Organization efforts to fight Zika. Google ramped the amount of Zika-related health information, and the number of languages in which they are provided, at its search engine and backed YouTube videos aimed at raising awareness, Fuller said. The rapidly spreading Zika virus, which has affected more than 20 Latin American countries, is suspected to be the cause of a sudden increase in cases of neonatal microcephaly, a severe deformation of the brain and skull among newborns. Brazil has been hardest hit. Countries throughout the region have launched operations to eliminate pools of stagnant water where the mosquitoes, which also spread dengue and chikungunya viruses, can breed. Cuba has detected the first case of Zika in a Venezuelan doctor who came to the island for postgraduate studies, the health ministry said Wednesday. The 28-year-old woman, who arrived in Cuba on February 21, is hospitalized at the Pedro Kouri Tropical Medicine Institute in the capital Havana. Union Minister Maneka Gandhi today expressed satisfaction with the budget allocation for the Women and Child Development Ministry following an increase in the funding for major schemes like the National Nutrition Mission for children and One-Stop Crisis Centre for women. "We are very happy as we have got everything we asked for," Gandhi said in her reaction to the Union Budget, which was presented by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on February 29. Setting up of One-Stop Centres for providing safety to women affected by violence is being significantly expanded in 2016-17, she said, adding that the target is to "open 150 such centres this year". The allocation for this purpose has been enhanced from Rs 13 crore in 2015-16 to Rs 75 crore in 2016-17. An allocation of Rs 360 crore has been made under the National Nutrition Mission as against Rs 65 crore last year. The budget also provided Rs 500 crore to under the Nirbhaya Fund. The home ministry has approved four major projects planned by WCD ministry under the said fund, including the setting up of special units to investigate crimes against women in all states. "The special investigation units will be paid for out of the Nirbhaya Fund. The home ministry has sanctioned the project," Gandhi said, adding that it will be implemented at a cost of Rs 324 crore. The other three projects are creation of Central Victim Compensation Fund for supporting the states and Union Territories to implement a Victim Compensation Scheme, setting up of an organised investigation agency to deal with cases of trafficking, and opening of special units for north-eastern women to ensure support and protection for them. "The ministry has been giving focused attention to the subject of trafficking of women and children and it has been decided that a comprehensive framework shall be established to combat the problem. A committee has been constituted to draft a new legislation and design an institutional framework for this purpose," an official said. Assam Governor P B Acharya has congratulated Tezpur University for winning India's Best University Award, 2016. In a letter to Vice Chancellor, Mihir K Chaudhuri, the Governor expressed his happiness and pride that the University has been awarded as the Best University this year. "This is a great achievement for an institution of higher education in the country and this attainment has no doubt made the state and its citizens honoured," he said. He also hoped that all Universities of the state would be encouraged to carry forward their responsibilities with greater vigour and zeal. The Governor concluded his letter by saying he hoped to see the University rise to greater heights in the international arena. The government has given approval to set up four new special economic zones including that of Infosys Ltd and Cognizant Technologies Services in the IT sector. These SEZs were given approval by the Board of Approval (BoA), chaired by Commerce Secretary Rita Teaotia, in its meeting on February 23. Cognizant Technologies Services Pvt Ltd has proposed to set up IT/ITeS zone at Ranga Reddy District in Telangana. It is planned at over an area of 2.51 hectares. Infosys Ltd too proposed to set up sector specific SEZ for IT/ITeS in Mohali over an area of 20.23 hectares. Saltire Developers and Amin properties LLP have got "formal approval" by the board to set up IT/ITeS zones in Bangalore. Further the BoA has given extra time to as many as 12 SEZ developers and units to implement their projects. Kandla Port Trust, developer of multi product SEZ at Kandla, in Gujarat got one year extra till May 6, 2017 to execute its project. G P Realtors Pvt Ltd too got an extra one year till January 25, 2017 to implements it IT/ITeS zone in Haryana, the minutes of the BoA meeting said. In the Budget 2016-17, the government has extended the tax benefits to those SEZ units, which will commence commercial activity before March 31, 2020. The move was aimed at prompting such units to expeditiously complete their projects and begin operations. However, the industry's apex body EPCES has expressed disappointment over the Budget proposals and has again asked the government to look at removing or reducing minimum alternate tax as it is impacting the growth of these zones. During April-September, exports from these zones stood at Rs 2.21 lakh crore as against Rs 4.63 lakh crore in 2014-15. The SEZs enjoy 100% income tax exemption on export income for the first five years, 50% for the next five years thereafter and 50% of the ploughed back export profit for another five years. About 500 proposals for SEZs have been formally approved by the government, out of which over 200 are operational. The government has proposed to constitute a 10-member committee of Kashmiri Pandits (KPs) to monitor implementation of packages for rehabilitation of the displaced community. The panel, according to the proposal of the Union Home Ministry last month, includes representatives of migrant camps from Muthi and Pukhroo. The proposal has been sent to governments of Jammu and Kashmir and Delhi, asking them to consult various associations of Kashmiri migrants and offer inputs in the matter at the earliest. The proposed committee includes representatives of SK Foundation (Sunil Shakdhar), Sampooran Kashmir Sangathan (Anoop Koul), All India Kashmir Samaj (Vijay Aima), Jammu and Kashmir Vichar Manch (Ajay Bharti), Panun Kashmir (Ashwani Charungoo), Kashmiri Pandit Sabha (K K Khosa), Jagti Tenements Committee (S L Pandita), Muthi camp (Payrey Lal), Pukhroo camp (Daya Kishen), and All India Youth Kashmiri Sabha (R K Bhat). The Narendra Modi government, after assuming office in 2014, had announced an over Rs 500-crore package for the return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants. This year's budget saw that more than half of the Rs 580 crore fund allocated for the rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants remained unutilised during 2015-16 fiscal. According to the Union budget, Rs 580 crore was allocated during 2015-16 but as per revised estimates, only Rs 280 crore was provided, leaving Rs 300 crore unutilised. There are about 62,000 registered Kashmiri migrant families in the country who left Kashmir Valley due to the start of militancy/terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir in the early 1990s. Besides this, the Prime Minister, during his visit to Kashmir Valley in November last year, had announced a package of over Rs 80,000 crore for the state, of which Rs 5,263 crore were meant for security and welfare of displaced people of the state. This included amounts towards jobs for Kashmiri migrants, rehabilitation of families from Chhamb and PoK, construction of houses, and setting up of five India Reserve Battalions. Honduran Indian leader Berta Caceres, who won the 2015 Goldman Environmental Prize for her role in fighting a dam project, was murdered today. Caceres, a Lenca Indian activist, had previously complained of receiving death threats from police, soldiers and local landowners because of her work. Tomas Membreno, a member of her group, the Indian Council of People's Organizations of Honduras, group said at least two assailants broke into a home and shot Caceres to death today in the town of La Esperanza. "Honduras has lost a brave and committed social activist," Membreno said in a statement. Caceres, a mother of four, led opposition to a proposed dam on the Gualcarque river, considered sacred by the Lencas. Many of the project's backers have largely abandoned building plans. President Juan Orlando Hernandez 's chief of staff, Jorge Alcerro, said "we reject this abominable crime." "The president has instructed all government security forces to use all means to find the killers," Alcerro said. Alcerro said Caceres was supposed to be receiving special protection because of the death threats, but did not explain why there were no police protecting her when she was killed. The United Nations special rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, wrote that "it is highly probable that her assassination is linked with her work in protecting the human rights of the Lenca indigenous peoples to their lands and territories." Human Rights Minister Karla Cueva said "this crime cannot go unpunished." The website of the Goldman Environmental Prize said Caceres "waged a grassroots campaign that successfully pressured the world's largest dam builder to pull out of the Agua Zarca Dam," which the site said "would cut off the supply of water, food and medicine for hundreds of Lenca people and violate their right to sustainably manage and live off their land." Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas Director for Amnesty International, said in a statement that "the cowardly killing of Berta is a tragedy that was waiting to happen." "For years, she had been the victim of a sustained campaign of harassment and threats to stop her from defending the rights of indigenous communities," said Guevara-Rosas. "Berta's death will have a devastating impact for many human rights activists and organisations. Gangster-turned-politician Arun Gawli has been granted furlough by the Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court. The bench, however, asked the state government to decide the duration of the furlough. The former MLA, currently lodged in the Central Prison here and serving life imprisonment in a murder case, had filed a petition before the bench on February 2 for grant of furlough. A division bench of justices Bhushan Dharmadhikari and V M Deshpande granted him the furlough yesterday. The petitioner claimed that there was no material on record to prove that he violated the provisions of furlough on earlier occasions. He also mentioned that he had not indulged in any illegal activity and had surrendered before the authorities on due date. On October 14, 2015, Gawli had written to officiating Deputy Inspector General of Prisons, Eastern Region, Nagpur, Yogesh Desai, requesting furlough. His application was, however, rejected by the authority on the ground that if released, he may commit some offence and might cause harm to the society. Subsequently, he approached the High Court. Gawli, the founder of Akhil Bharatiya Sena, was in August 2012 convicted for the murder of Shiv Sena MLA Kamalakar Jamsandekar in 2008, and awarded life imprisonment by a sessions court in Mumbai. He was arrested by Saki Naka police in Mumbai and booked for offences under IPC sections 302 (murder), 149, 120B, and sections 3(1), 3(2) and 3 (4) of the MCOCA Act. The festivals of Holi and Diwali together came in advance to the native village of JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar in Bihar's Begusarai with his family and villagers rejoicing the Delhi High Court order granting conditional bail to him. "We got much relief from tension and anxiety for the first time since the arrest of my son Kanhaiya Kumar on charges of sedition," Kanhaiya's father Jaishankar Singh told PTI today. "Though he should have got a clean chit as no evidence of him indulging in anti-national activities has been found, still the courts have their own wisdom. We welcome the order of the Delhi High Court on Kanhaiya," he said. After hearing the court order last evening, kins of Kanhaiya celebrated Holi by rubbing gulal on the face of his father Jaishankar and mother Meena Devi. Villagers also burst crackers over the good news, Kanhaiya's younger brother Prince Kumar said. People continued to pour in the house of Kumar in Masnadpur Tola of Bihat village within the limits of Barauni police station, some 30 km from the district headquarters, since last night to express happiness over the release of Kanhaiya. The 61-year-old father of JNUSU president, who is confined to his home due to a paralytic stroke two years ago, said a few family members have gone to Delhi to be with Kanhaiya after his release. "There is no plan to call him home immediately. He will go to his university and be with the fellow students who stood with him during the crisis," Singh said. Kanhaiya's mother Meena Devi is an Anganwadi worker, earning Rs 4,000 a month and running the household. After clearing MA from Nalanda Open University in Bihar, Kanhaiya had joined JNU in 2011 to pursue an M.Phil in International Studies and is now in the final year of his PhD. As part of the nationwide 'Milcy' campaign, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd today launched the Coimbatore leg aiming to educate consumers on the benefits of the premium quality engine oils. The consumers mainly include owners, drivers, retailers and mechanics of diesel vehicles. The campaign comprises various educative engagement activities with people, including a skit, games and quizzes. This integrated outreach campaign would target nearly 50 Tier I and Tier II cities in 90 days, a company statement said today. "India is driven by diesel engines. Across the nation trucks, buses, LCV's, jeeps, tractors and cars move people and goods. Due to the economical viability of diesel, there is a growing demand for diesel engine vehicles. Globally there is a lot of research and innovation being conducted to increase efficiency of diesel engines. To enhance efficiency and improve performance, a good engine oil is important," the statement added. HPCL said 'Milcy' range comprises of 'technologically enhanced premium quality diesel engine oil known for its fast lubricating action for assured smoothness and high performance, with enhanced drain period. Working with Resonate Global Mission to equip pastors and farmers for God's glory. Making a guarded response to AIADMK's decision to remit the sentence of life imprisonment of seven convicts in Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, BJP's Tamil Nadu unit today said a "humane approach" should be taken on their incarceration period, but it should be within the legal framework. Party's State unit President Tamilisai Sounderrajan also charged the government with not taking a "firm decision" when there was time earlier. Speaking to reporters here, she underlined her party's stand that not a single culprit should be spared while no innocent should be punished. "One has to take a humane approach while looking at the time spent by them (the seven convicts) in jail but everything should be within the legal framework," she said after paying obeisance at the Lord Venkateswara Temple here. Tamil Nadu government had yesterday informed the Centre about its decision to remit the life sentence of all seven convicts in the assassination case - V Sriharan alias Murugan, T Suthendraraja alias Santhan, A G Perarivalan alias Arivu, Jayakumar, Robert Payas, Ravichandran and Nalini- and sought Centre's views on the matter. DMK President M Karunanidhi had also backed the decision, saying the convicts had spent about 25 years behind bars. Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and 14 others were killed on May 21, 1991 when a suicide bomber blew herself up at an election campaign rally in Sriperumbudur, near Chennai. Nyaya Yatra, organised by Delhi-based Forum for Fast Justice, today sought large-scale participation of people to pressure Centre and the state governments to carry out judicial reforms. Activists took out a march from civil courts to the Shaheed Smarak in the busy Sanjay Place commercial complex today where they addressed a public meeting. NGO India Rising president Anand Rai said, "For decades the issue (of judicial reforms) has been postponed as delay in dispensation of justice suits vested interest. No meaningful headway had been made despite repeated demands from the civil society." Activists said there was an urgent need to broad-base the movement and mobilise the masses to pressure the governments to implement recommendations of various commissions and experts bodies in this regard. Pravin Patel, national convener of Forum For Fast Justice said, "Right now we have 10.5 judges per million, whereas in Australia it is 41, in England 51, Canada 75 and, 107 in the US. The SC had directed the number be increased to 50." "Those in power do not want any judicial reforms as it suits people sitting in the legislatures," he said. Nyaya Yatra reaches New Delhi tomorrow where a public rally will be held at Jantar Mantar. India imports 1,542 MW power from Bhutan under bilateral agreement between the two countries, Power Minister Piyush Goyal said today. "Majority of power imported from Bhutan is under bilateral agreement between government of Bhutan and Government of India. The tariff is negotiated by the government to ensure supply of cheap imported power to consumers," he said in Lok Sabha during Question Hour. Presently, India imports around 1,542 MW power from hydro stations located in Bhutan -- from Tala (1,020 MW), Chukha (336 MW), Kurichhu (60 MW) and Dagachu (126 MW). Two companies -- Druk Green Power Corporation (DGPC), a Royal government of Bhutan undertaking owning hydro power stations at Tala, Chukha and Kurichhu, and Dagachu Hydro Power Corporation (DHPC), a joint venture of DGPC and Tata power company Ltd, supply power to India. India's overall business environment has improved and the country is also taking a hard look at its IP-related competitiveness, an American business advocacy group has told the US government. "India's overall business environment has improved and likewise India is taking a hard look at its IP-related competitiveness," the US Chamber of Commerce said in a submission to the US Trade Representative in its hearing on Special 301 Submission. At the same time the chamber said much work remains and it looks forward to addressing, among other things, patentability requirements that remain outside established international best practices; improving specific IP rights for the life sciences sector; and improving the enforcement environment by working with Indian authorities to combat high levels of physical and online piracy. A clear commitment by the Indian government to establish, adequately resource and effectively implement an IP-led innovation model will surely help to achieve the goal of USD 500 billion a year of bilateral trade, it said. Over the past 12 months, it said there has been important evidence of a recalibration of the political attitude towards intellectual property (IP) in India. The past year was marked by several sustained dialogues on a broad range of intellectual property rights issues between India and the US under the Trade Policy Forum, the Strategic and Commercial Dialogue, and the High-Level Working Group on Intellectual Property. "The level and frequency of engagement between the US and Indian governments was encouraging and with many seasoned observers noting that they had not seen this level of engagement with the government ever before," it said. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself has been one of the most vocal proponents for robust IP standards and we have seen some positive developments on the ground, particularly in the area of IP judgments," it said. Positive decisions by the Delhi High Court in 2015 in MSD (Merck) vs Glenmark and Roche vs Cipla reflect the increased capacity and competency of Indian judges to resolve patent infringement cases, assess damages, and order injunctive relief, it noted. "We recognise the willingness of the Modi government to engage with industry and the US government on these issues," the chamber said adding the government has undertaken a review of the Indian IPR environment to prepare a National IPR Policy intended to "transform India into an innovative economy". The launch of the Make in India, Digital India, and Start-Up India initiatives underscore the importance of IP protections to India's continued economic growth and the development of its technology and manufacturing base. "We are encouraged by the positive tone of the bilateral dialogue and the decrease in adverse intellectual property events," it said, adding that accordingly, there is currently no substantive basis for a change in India's previous designation from the 2015 Special 301 Review. India today hoped there would be "greater understanding" in the UN Sanctions Committee of the need to ban JeM chief Masood Azhar following the Pathankot terror strike, days after it moved the panel for a second time with the request as the first attempt was scuttled by China. Noting that India formally approached the UN on February 26 to include Azhar, also the Pathankot terror attack mastermind, in the Security Council's sanctions list, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said currently the request was being considered by the Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate (CTED) for technical aspects. CTED will take between 15-30 days to complete the process before India's submission is taken up by the 15-member 1267 Sanctions Committee, he said. "We hope that following Pathankot terror attack there would be greater understanding of the need to proscribe the activities of Masood Azhar who is the leader of the banned organisation JeM. "We do hope that once the CTED clears this, the 15-member 1267 Sanctions Committee would take a forward look on our submission request and will agree that Azhar does deserve to be sanctioned by the Committee," the Spokesperson said. After India made a fresh submission of 11 individuals and one organisation linked to terrorism in the country to the Committee on February 18, India's Permanent Representative to the UN Syed Akbaruddin wrote to Gerard Jacoubus Van Bohemen, the Chair of the panel, on February 26 submitting country's request that the JeM chief's name be included in the sanctions list. The submission was armed with strong evidence of the outfit's terror activities and its role in the January 2 Pathankot attack that killed seven Indian soldiers. India also told the UN Sanctions Committee that not listing Azhar would expose it and other countries in South Asia to threats from the terror group and its leader. Calling for immediate action to list Azhar under the al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee, India said it is the responsibility of the panel to protect UN member nations and their citizens from terror groups like the JeM and its leaders. India also noted that following the Pathankot attack, Pakistan had taken action against some individuals belonging to the Jaish-e-Mohammed. The UN had banned JeM in 2001 but India's efforts to get Azhar on the sanctions list after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack did not fructify as China, one of the five permanent members of the UN with veto powers, blocked the move, apparently at the behest of Pakistan. Five Indians, hailing from Kerala, are undergoing prison sentence in Togo on charges of attempt to robbery, while 11 Indian sailors are being tried in Nigeria, government said today. Replying to a question in Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh said the Indian nationals from Kerala have been convicted by a Togolese court and government was making efforts to secure their release. "They were arrested in July 2013 for their suspected involvement in a piracy attack off the coast of Togo," he said. The Minister said 11 Indian sailors are also being tried at a court in Bayelsa state in Nigeria and Indian mission in Abuja was seeking an expeditious hearing in the case. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had raised the issue with Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari when he was here in October last year. The crew, who are employees of a Merchant Navy firm, had set sail for South Africa on October, 2013 from Mumbai. While returning in the month of July, 2014, their ship got stranded in Nigeria and the entire crew was arrested for violating laws of international waters. To a separate question on whether Chinese submarine is lurking in waters around India, Singh said government keeps a constant watch on all developments having bearing on India's security. "Government is aware that one Chinese PLA Navy Submarine Support Vessel and one Yuan Class PLA Navy submarine entered Karachi port on May 23, 2015 and left on May 29 for deployment in Gulf of Aden. "A conventional Chinese submarine berthed at Colombo port from September 7-13, 2014 and October 31 to November 6, 2014," he said. Taking forward the Indo-US dialogue on collaboration in traditional medicines, researchers from India and US today started discussions to review and cooperate on methods to reduce morbidity due to cancer using AYUSH interventions. The two-day India-US workshop on traditional medicine was inaugurated by AYUSH Minister Shripad Yesso Naik in the presence of US Ambassador to India Richard Verma and Assistant Secretary of Global Affairs Health and Human Services (HHS) Ambassador Jimmy Kolker. "Globalisation of AYUSH is one of the major policy thrusts of our government. The constructive collaboration between India and US in this field is important for incorporating more scientific inputs from both sides in traditional medicines which can help mainstreaming AYUSH systems in patient health care across the globe. "India is also collaborating with World Health Organization (WHO) in the area of traditional medicine which will help in achieving international acceptability and positioning of AYUSH systems," Naik said. The workshop is being organised under the auspices of the first US-India Health Dialogue held in September, 2015 in Washington. This effort underscores the discussions between the US President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to encourage bilateral dialogue on traditional medicine. Over the course of the two-day workshop, participants will share current traditional medicine therapies and practices for cancer in the US and India. They will also review available evidence for AYUSH products and interventions, which could reduce pain and morbidity from cancer treatments and improve the quality of life. Scientists will explore opportunities to collaborate on mutually identified research in the areas of natural products, palliative care and other support studies. Professional training and scientific exchanges will be an important aspect of this cooperation. "Today's workshop supports the important deliverable from the President Obama-Prime Minister Modi joint statement and US-India Health Dialogue, where both India and the US agreed to explore further potential areas of mutual collaboration on Indian traditional medicine," said Verma. Representatives from the US department of HHS Office of Global Affairs (OGA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Cancer Institute (NCI) and US academic institutions will interact with their counterparts from the Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH) and Indian research institutes and universities during the workshop. "This meeting demonstrates the commitment of HHS to support bilateral cooperation on cancer and traditional medicine research, with science at the cornerstone," said Ambassador Kolker. Nearly 175 participants including experts related to both traditional systems and modern medicine, biologists and researchers from India and the US are taking part in the workshop. "This is a great opportunity to bring to the table from the US side NCI and NIH expertise in laboratory and clinical evaluation of traditional medicine and from the Indian side an impressive commitment to building the evidence base for traditional Indian medicine," said Edward Trimble, Director of the US NCI's Center for Global Health. Secretary AYUSH, Ajit Mohan Sharan said that the international cooperation division in the ministry has been asked to work proactively to forge such collaborations so that large sections of people can benefit from AYUSH systems. The US delegation also visited several Indian institutes -- Banaras Hindu University, Jamia Hamdard University, All India Institute of Ayurveda and Medanta - The Medicity to learn first-hand how traditional and modern medicine co-exist for patient-care. These discussions will be strengthened at the next US-India Health Dialogue this year in India. Indian scientists were aware of Zika virus way back in 1950s and had even stored a vial of the pathogen, which has now emerged as a global health threat, a senior government official said today. "We have that report and in fact, they (Indian scientists) even saved a vial of that virus from that time. So, in our virology institute in Pune, except the virus was dead, couldn't be revived. This is the advantage of having a repository. (It) couldn't be revived. Because, in those days, we don't know how they stored it. The scientists, even in 1951 or 52 thought about storing a vial...," Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Director-General Soumya Swaminathan told reporters. She was replying to a query about Indian scientists being aware of the virus that first surfaced in 1940s in Africa. She was here in connection with the ongoing 17th International Congress on Infectious Diseases. To deal with Zika, Swaminathan said, surveillance and testing of people is being done in the country at present, besides looking at the issue of developing a vaccine. "India, at the moment, for Zika, what we are doing is surveillance. Making sure that we equip our labs to be able test for Zika. We want to find out if there is any Zika circulating. So, we are testing people who present with fever, just like a dengue but a dengue negative. We have not found any case so far, but we will continue this exercise," she said. The ICMR hopes to get a live virus so that government labs can start working on it, Swaminathan said. Zika disease is caused by a virus transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. People with Zika virus usually have symptoms like mild fever, skin rashes, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, malaise or headache. These symptoms normally last for 2-7 days. There is no specific treatment or vaccine currently available for the infection, whose latest large outbreak was reported from Brazil. According to WHO, Zika was first identified in Uganda in 1947 in rhesus monkeys. It was subsequently identified in humans in 1952 in Uganda and Tanzania. Outbreaks of Zika virus disease have been recorded in Africa, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific. Early last month, the WHO declared Zika virus a public health emergency. Amidst a controversy over the arrest of Bangalore resident Mohammed Sirajuddin, an employee of Indian Oil Corporation, for being an alleged sympathiser of banned outfit ISIS, the Centre has asked NIA to investigate the case. Sirajuddin was arrested by the Rajasthan Special Operation Group for allegedly using various social networking sites to "lure Muslim youths to the ideology of ISIS". According to the FIR registered in Jaipur, Sirajuddin, who was employed in the sales division of IOC in Jaipur, was "actively associated with the promotion of the ideology of ISIS". He allegedly incited other persons to become ISIS members through the use of social media forums and exhorted them to engage in terrorist and anti-national activities. "Considering the gravity of the offence, the Centre has issued orders for investigation by National Investigation Agency into the case and accordingly, NIA has re-registered the case," NIA said, adding that an officer of the rank of Superintendent of Police has been appointed as Chief Investigating Officer in the case. However, the family of Sirajuddin, who is at present in judicial custody, has been complaining that he has been framed in the case and called for proper investigation into it. The family members, including his wife and father, have been meeting officials saying their son had nothing to do with terrorism. The Supreme Court would hear on March 11 a plea seeking quashing of criminal prosecution, suspension and other actions taken against Gujarat cops in the 2004 alleged fake encounter killing of Ishrat Jahan in view of recent testimony of jailed LeT operative David Headley. The matter, which was mentioned for urgent hearing before a bench comprising Chief Justice T S Thakur and Justice U U Lalit on March 1, will now be heard on March 11, sources said. The plea, filed by advocate M L Sharma, refers to the statement recorded by Headley, the Pakistani-American terrorist, in a Mumbai court that Jahan was a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative. Gujarat Police personnel, including the then DIG D G Vanzara, are facing trial in a Mumbai court for their alleged role in the encounter. The plea, which cited the recent statements before a special court recorded by Headley, who allegedly conspired with LeT in plotting the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, said the facts are now undisputed that all four persons killed by Gujarat Police, including Ishrat Jahan, were terrorists. "The judicial proceeding and statement of David Headley, who conspired with LeT in plotting the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, stated via video conference and recorded in the special court at Mumbai that four persons, including Ishrat Jahan who were killed in June 2004 by Gujarat Police, were a part of LeT terrorist organisation belonging to Pakistan and they were assigned to kill then Chief Minister of Gujarat, Narendra Modi," it said. The plea sought a direction to close criminal proceedings and action taken in FIRs lodged by CBI against the Gujarat Police personnel and others, saying it was unconstitutional within the judicial facts and evidences of Headley. It also sought a direction from the court declaring that killing of a terrorist is not an offence under Indian law and proper compensation be paid to the state police personnel in the interest of justice. It also wanted initiation of suo motu perjury/contempt proceedings against the then Home Minister and CBI Director for concealing true facts before the Supreme Court and the Gujarat High Court and for filing a false affidavit pertaining to facts about Ishrat Jahan case. Linking the Cyprus issue to the Kurdish issue of Turkey is the only effective way to [a] uncover Turkish hypocrisy on her approach to majority-minority community relations [b] bring about a fair and permanent settlement to Cyprus' Turkish problem and [c] help bring community status recognition for the close to 20 million Kurds of Turkey. A win-win-win for the Kurdish, Turkish and Cypriot peoples. It may also bring about the first ever truly democratic constitution in Turkey's history! Hackers affiliated to ISIS terror group who promised to take down International search engine giant Google has instead targeted a small India tech firm, according to a media report. Cyber Caliphate Army (CCA), a hacking group affiliated to ISIS, hit www.Addgoogleonline.Com - registered by Gandani K for Indian tech firm Always Say, which offers search engine optimisation (SEO) services to local clients. According to vocative.Com website, CCA had vowed on messaging app Telegram they would attack Google on Monday. "We promised to hack Google. Keep the promise inshallah (God willing), expect us today," the group declared. However, the website claims that a few hours later they had instead defaced the website www.Addgoogleonline.Com - which is completely unrelated to the Silicon Valley based Google. After it was hacked, the website played an Islamic State (ISIS) song in French and displaced the official logo along with a sign saying "Hacked By: CCA". The CCA's "defacement of the website" was short-lived as yet another hacker group called "n3far1ous" wiped out the ISIS message and replaced it with an "Eat this, ISIS" message, and a rock tune playing in the background. The"n3far1ous"message was still on display today. According to UK media reports, the CCA allegedly hacked into 35 British websites, which appear to be a random mix of relatively small British businesses. The websites hacked into include a Japanese dance instructor's website, a company selling furniture and laminate flooring and a salon. ISIS hackers allegedly said that the attacks were "A message to David Cameron" as revenge for the killing of British Muslim terrorist Junaid Hussain, who was killed in a US-led air strike last year. The attacks follow pro-ISIS hackers' threats that they would target the founder of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, and Twitter's Jack Dorsey for shutting down their social media accounts. Hackers affiliated to terror group who promised to take down search engine giant Google has instead targeted a small Indian tech firm, according to a media report. Cyber Caliphate Army (CCA), a hacking group affiliated to ISIS, hit www.addgoogleonline.com - registered by Gandani K for Indian tech firm Always Say, which offers search engine optimisation (SEO) services to local clients. According to Vocative.com website, CCA had vowed on messaging app Telegram they would attack Google on Monday. "We promised to hack Google. Keep the promise inshallah (God willing), expect us today," the group declared. However, the website claims that a few hours later they had instead defaced the website www.addgoogleonline.com - which is completely unrelated to the Silicon Valley based Google. After it was hacked, the website played an Islamic State (ISIS) song in French and displaced the official logo along with a sign saying "Hacked By: CCA". The CCA's "defacement of the website" was short-lived as yet another hacker group called "n3far1ous" wiped out the message and replaced it with an "Eat this, ISIS" message, and a rock tune playing in the background. The"n3far1ous"message was still on display today. According to UK media reports, the CCA allegedly hacked into 35 British websites, which appear to be a random mix of relatively small British businesses. The websites hacked into include a Japanese dance instructor's website, a company selling furniture and laminate flooring and a salon. hackers allegedly said that the attacks were "A message to David Cameron" as revenge for the killing of British Muslim terrorist Junaid Hussain, who was killed in a US-led air strike last year. The attacks follow pro-ISIS hackers' threats that they would target the founder of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, and Twitter's Jack Dorsey for shutting down their social media accounts. The Income Tax department is scrutinising a reply sent to it by HSBC bank after the taxman recently issued notices against the Swiss and Dubai arms of the global banking giant for allegedly abetting tax evasion by certain Indians. The department had issued notices to the bank under relevant IT laws for alleged "abetment" of tax evasion by at least four unidentified Indians and their families and subsequent initiation of prosecution in a court of law against it as part of its probe against overseas stash holders. "A notice was given to them. It was a notice for abetment of offence (of tax evasion). They (HSBC bank) have given some reply and that is being examined. It was a show-cause notice and they have raised certain issues and that is being examined," CBDT Chairman Atulesh Jindal told PTI. Jindal said as the investigations in this regard are in progress, he would not want to comment further on the action taken by the taxman as part of its action against holders. The bank, without disclosing the names of the Indians who indulged in the alleged tax evasion through its Swiss or Dubai units, had recently announced in its annual results that tax authorities had first issued summons to it in February 2015 and subsequent fresh notices were issued in August and then in November last year. "In August 2015 and November 2015, HSBC entities received notices issued by two offices of the Indian tax authority, alleging that the Indian tax authority had sufficient evidence to initiate prosecution against HSBC Swiss Private Bank and its Dubai entity for abetting tax evasion of four different Indian individuals and/or families and requesting that the HSBC entities show why such prosecution should not be initiated," the bank had said. It had further said that the bank is "cooperating with relevant authorities in a manner consistent with relevant laws" with respect to each of the ongoing matters. The income tax department has also filed over 140 prosecution complaints in courts against Indians who allegedly held bank accounts in foreign branches of HSBC bank, especially in Geneva. Gujarat parliamentary affairs minister Pradeepsinh Jadeja today objected to the former MLA and Congress leader Arjun Modhwadia's interview to TV channels on the Assembly premises about an alleged land scam. During the discussion on budget, Jadeja drew Speaker Ganpat Vasava's attention to Modhwadia's interview, and said it might lead the people to believe that the issue (discussed in the interview) had been raised in the house too. Modhwadia yesterday demanded the resignations of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel over an allotment of land to a firm in Gir sanctuary, alleging that norms were flouted to favour Patel's daughter Anar and her business partners. He spoke to newschannels at a spot designated for them outside the exit gate of the Assembly. The minister requested the Speaker to pass an order and prohibit interviews on the premises by those who are not the members of the house. He termed Modhwadia "a former Congress MLA who was rejected by the public". "Elected representatives can give interviews at that spot about issues raised in the house. In this case the issue never came up in the house. Yet an attempt was made to mislead the people," Jadeja said. Senior Congress MLA Shaktisinh Gohil defended his party colleague. "Though I am not an MP, many times I gave interview to TV channels on the Parliament's premises. Even some 'rejected' BJP MPs go there to give interviews. Same is applicable here. Everyone can give interviews at that spot," said Gohil. "I can understand why the minister took objection; the issue was related to CM's daughter," Gohil said, which led to counter-allegations and ruckus in the house. Vasava said it was a serious issue and he would conduct an inquiry and then pass a ruling. Expressing dismay over reports that an idol from an ancient Jain temple in Pakistan had gone missing ever since it was virtually demolished in 1992, members of Jain community here today urged the Centre to register protest on the issue with the neighbouring country. Located near famous Anarkali Bazaar of old city in Lahore, a mob had heavily damaged the Jain Mandir in 1992 after the demolition of Babri mosque. Early last month, authorities in Pakistan's Punjab province demolished the remains of the temple, notwithstanding a court order, to pave the way for a controversial metro line project. Convenor of Jain Yuva Sanghatan, Anurodh Lalit Jain said, "We had requested External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to find out the exact status of the demolished temple." Following our request, a top official of External Affairs Ministry had contacted the Indian High Commission in Islamabad and told us that the temple was demolished by a mob in 1992 and since then, neither worshiping was taking place in the temple, nor there was an idol in it, he added. "We suspect that the idol was deliberately made to disappear. Indian government should register an official protest with Pakistan on this issue," Jain said. Stating that they were worried over the security of places of worship of minorities in Pakistan, they demanded that India should diplomatically ensure that the temples there remain safe. Before it was completely razed, the 10th-century temple was being used for some commercial purposes like shops and the office of the Lahore Waste Management Company and a private filling station. As many as 127 passengers onboard a Jet Airways plane from New Delhi had a close shave after its main landing gear collapsed when it landed here. All the passengers deplaned safely, Jet Airways said in a statement. The incident resulted in the blocking of the main runway, forcing Mumbai authorities to shift flight operations to the secondary runway, sources said. Jet Airways said its engineering team was working on towing away the Boeing 737 aircraft from the taxiway. "Airways flight 9W 354 on landing in Mumbai reported a technical fault with the main landing gear. All 127 passengers have been safely disembarked," the airline said. Jet Airways engineering teams are inspecting the aircraft to assess the next course of action for shifting the aircraft form its current location on taxiway, it said. "As per preliminary assessment of the aircraft by the Jet Airways engineering team, the right hand main landing gear has been damaged. Efforts for recovery of the aircraft are currently underway," it said. Despite the ongoing jewellers' strike to protest against reimposition of 1 per cent excise duty on gold and diamond jewellery, CBEC today said the sector contributes to generation of black money and needs to be brought under the tax ambit. "We have brought jewellery (sector) into the tax net. This is the levy which we had attempted two years ago and withdrawn... This is the sector which you will agree with me needs to be brought into tax needs," Chairman of the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC), Najib Shah today said at an event organised by industry body Assocham. "This is a sector which lends itself to generation of unaccounted wealth." Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in the Budget for 2016-17 had proposed 1 per cent excise duty on jewellery without input credit or 12.5 per cent with input tax credit on jewellery excluding silver other than studded with diamonds and some other precious stones. Jewellers are on a three-day pan-India strike to protest against the proposed re-introduction of 1 per cent excise duty on gold and diamond jewellery and mandatory quoting of PAN by consumers for transaction of Rs 2 lakh and above. Shah noted: "... Manufacturing sector contributes 17 per cent of GDP. We have a huge chunk of industry which is out of the tax net." The CBEC chairman said the revenue department will take a hit of Rs 1,000 crore due to the change in CENVAT credit rules. "But we thought it is essential because the cost of litigation for you and me are much more than revenue which otherwise we have got," he said. Noting that the government has increased some duties, Shah said it's done so to create a level-playing field for Indian industries as was the case in defence. He urged industries to stop demanding exemptions to avail of goods and services tax (GST). "If you want GST, you should not demand exemptions because two don't go together," Shah said. (REOPENS DCM45) Shah said Budget 2016-17 aims to bring various sectors under the tax net in an easy manner. Talking about CENVAT credit rules, he said that more than 10-12 per cent of the litigations were because of two specific rules -- Rule 6 and Rule 7, that have now been completely revamped. "We have tried to simplify them to the maximum extent possible," Shah said. Shah said that all these simplified processes will add to ease of doing business and reduce transaction costs. "The focus right through the Budget has been on simplification, on ensuring that the taxpayer gets better value for money, gets better services from us and has lesser interaction with us," he noted. On the customs side, Shah said that deferment of payment of duty had been permitted. "There are sections which have been amended in the Customs Act which permits removal of goods without payment of duty. The rules and details will be finalised in the course of next few weeks. "Basically, we want to club this along with the concept of an accredited client, a scheme which we already have," the CBEC chairman said. Shah said that because the customs are at the point of entry and exit, the department tends to get all the blame for reasons like the importer not filing bill of entry, wanting to take time to pay duty or not producing goods for examination and assessment. On the issue of increasing the time limit for normal period of adjudication, he said, "Our analysis showed us that one year was too little for us simply because balance sheets for the financial year are invariably filed by the September 30 of the following year." "So by the time the audit gets done and department gets to know something which we have to collect or not collect, the one year period gets over. To cover that, the departmental officers are invariably going in for the extended period of five years," he said. Shah said that CBEC was trying to simplify the entire process of complying with tax laws. "It is an on-going process, we are still finalising a lot of other things which we will be releasing, we have dramatically simplified SVB (Special Valuation Branch) processes," he said. JNU student leader Kanhaiya Kumar walked out of Tihar jail to a rapturous welcome today, three weeks after his arrest on sedition charges that unleashed widespread outrage with a combined opposition mounting a spirited attack on government accusing it of crushing dissent. 29-year-old Kumar's release in the evening came even as a Delhi Government-appointed magisterial probe did not find any evidence of him raising anti-India slogans at a flashpoint event at JNU campus on February 9. The report said "nothing adverse" could be found against Kumar and that no witness or video was available to support allegations against the JNU students union president. Kumar, a PhD student at the prestigious university, was released from the prison at 6:30 PM and accorded a spirited welcome by a group of students and teachers on being handed over to them. Jubilations at the Jawaharlal Nehru University(JNU) campus which erupted after Kumar was granted bail yesterday by the Delhi High Court acquired a new momentum with the students, agitating since his arrest, taking out a march shouting slogans like "Jai Kanhaiya Lal ki". After his release, Kumar maintained that he never raised any anti-India slogans, asserting truth will prevail. Kumar was arrested on February 12 in connection with the event to protest the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru on his third death anniversary during which anti-national slogans were allegedly raised. Kumar was granted interim bail for six months by the Delhi High Court yesterday on condition that he will cooperate in the ongoing investigation. Earlier in the day, a city court issued Kumar's release order after he furnished a bail bond. Jail officials said the papers for the release of the JNU student leader were received at around 5 pm and he was released about one-and-a-half-hours later. Five other students Umar Khalid, Anirban Bhattacharya, Rama Naga, Anant Prakash and Anirban Bhattacharya were also named by the police in the case. Umar and Anirban had surrendered before police on the night of February 24 and they were subsequently arrested in connection with the sedition charge. Police had also questioned twice Ashutosh Kumar, another JNU student. Kumar's arrest was seen as an attack on the university by its teachers, students and alumni who were supported by students from across the country as well as international scholars including Noam Chomski and Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk among others. Almost all the Opposition parties had come down hard on the BJP-led NDA government accusing it of muffling free speech and trying to impose RSS-backed ideology. His arrest had also triggered a debate on nationalism. JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar reached the Jawaharlal Nehru University premises today hours after being released from Tihar jail where he was lodged on the charge of sedition, triggering celebrations on the campus that had lately become a venue for vociferous protests. Students and teachers eagerly awaiting to catch a glimpse of Kanhaiya had gathered at the Ganga Dhaba from where they will take out a victory march to the Administration Block which has become a venue of protest since his arrest on February 12. People also queued up outside Kumar's hostel Brahmaputra with 'dhols' and 'daflis' to accompany him during the march. Meanwhile, two separate meetings of the students union and JNU teachers association were underway to decide the future course of action. Kanhaiya is expected to address the gathering after the march. However, the university administration maintained the report of the high-level committee has not been submitted to it yet. "The five-member panel had a deadline till 12 am today. The varsity will take a call based on the recommendations of the panel," a senior JNU official said. After Kanhaiya was granted interim bail yesterday by the Delhi High Court, celebrations had broken out outside Parliament Street Police Station where students had been camping. Shouting "victory" slogans for Kanhaiya, students later marched from Sabarmati Dhaba, during the night hours. The JNUSU president was arrested in connection with an event on the campus during which anti-national slogans were allegedly raised. Five other students -- Umar Khalid, Anirban Bhattacharya, Rama Naga, Anant Prakash and Ashutosh Kumar -- had gone in hiding since then but resurfaced on the campus 10 days later. While Umar and Anirban surrendered before the police, the remaining three refused to do so but maintained that they are open to questioning by police as and when needed. Kanhaiya was granted interim bail for six months by the Delhi High Court. In an embarrassment to the ruling Congress-led UDF in Kerala ahead of coming assembly elections, one of its partnersKerala Congress (M) today split with a group of rebels led by former MP Francis George walking out of the party accusing its chief K M Mani of functioning unilaterally. Addressing a press conference here, Antony Raju, a former MLA and a member of the party's high-power committee, said he along with Francis George and Dr K C Joseph, also a former legislator, have decided to leave the party as Mani was functioning in an "unilateral manner". Dynastic rule is prevailing in the KC-M with Mani trying to make his son Jose K Mani, MP, as the leader of the party, Raju said adding, it is difficult for any Kerala Congress worker with self-respect to continue in the party. Another leader P C Joseph, a known opponent of Mani, also left the party. All these leaders were part of Kerala Congress (Joseph) led by Water Resource Minister P J Joseph before it merged with KC (M) ahead of assembly elections in 2011. Reacting to the development, Joseph said he would remain with the KC-M and the UDF and rejected the charge that Mani was planning a tie-up with BJP. Earlier in the day, sources close George, son of Kerala Congress founder leader K M George, said in Kochi that their leader was cut up with Mani's bid to promote his son. Raju also alleged there was no inner party democracy or discussions in the party over several issues faced by people. He alleged that Mani, who resigned as finance minister over the bar bribery scam, was trying to take the party into the fold of BJP and Sangh parivar. "It is a total deviation from party's ideology for which it was formed", he added. He said they would revive their outfit Kerala Congress (J) at a meeting to be held here on March 9 and decide the future course of action. "We have not carried out anydiscussion with LDF leaders", Raju said when asked whether the new party would work along with LDF in the coming polls. K M George is the founder leader of Kerala Congress, a political party which later went through several splits ever since its formation in 1964. (REOPENS MDS 3) Reacting to the development in KC(M), Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said it would not in any way affect the ruling UDF and its prospects in the coming polls. "KC-M led by K M Mani is a major partner in UDF. The party became stronger when the faction led by P J Joseph merged with KC-M. There will be no impact on UDF if certain individuals leave KC-M," he told reporters here. The first round of seat sharing talks with IUML was over and talks with KC-M would be held on March 5, he said adding, the plan was to complete the seat sharing talks by March 7. "We are moving ahead with the scheduled agenda. The UDF will face the coming polls unitedly," he asserted. KC-M leader and party Rajya Sabha member Joy Abraham said the rebel leaders left the party following dispute over seat allocation and "nothing political". He alleged that it was a strategy scripted by LDF and the group had already held talks with Left leaders. Meanwhile, veteran CPI-M leader V S Achuthanandan said without examining and studying, it would be difficult to include the new faction in the LDF. Trouble was brewing for some time in the KC-M with the group led by Francis George not happy over "some issues" related to seat allocations for the coming polls. KC, which has a stronghold in the Central Travancore districts of the state, had undergone several splits since its formation. At present, besides KC-M, there is Kerala Congress (J), of late T M Jaob, Kerala Congress (B), led R Balakrishna Pillai. Then there is a faction of Kerala Congress led by former government Chief Whip P C George and, former MP P C Thomas, a Kerala Congress (Secular) by former speaker T S John. (REOPENS MDS 4) Later, P J Joseph disapproved of the Francis George-led leaders' decision to quit the KC(M). "Not agreeing with their decision (to quit the party). They should have been with the party which is part of the UDF. The UDF government did a lot of good things for the people," he said. He dismissed the their allegations that Jose K Mani held secret alliance talks with BJP President Amit Shah in New Delhi earlier this month. "I don't think so," Joseph said reacting to the allegations levelled against Jose K Mani by Francis George faction. Talking to reporters in Kochi, Francis George alleged the KC(M) under Mani's leadership drifted away from its aims and values. "The Kerala Congress party's declared moto is to protect the interests of the minorities. We can't agree with the move (by Mani and his son) to establish a link--secretly and publicly-- with a party like BJP which stands against the interest of the minorities," George said. When asked about the voice of disagreement raised by P J Joseph, Francis George said, "He is our leader. He should come forward and continue to lead us". He said they have a three-decade-long relations with veteran leader and he would not be able to continue in the Mani-led Kerala Congress (M) for long. Hitting out at Francis George-led faction, Kerala Congress (M) said, "nothing is going to happen to the party as long as Joseph and Mani stand together". 31 intact burials unearthed at large Mycenaean cemetery View of the excavation of the Mycenaean cemetery near Elati, Macedonia [Credit: Georgia Karamitrou-Mentesidi via Ethnos] Mycenaean graves excavated at Elati [Credit: Georgia Karamitrou-Mentesidi via Ethnos] Mycenaean kylikes from Elati [Credit: Georgia Karamitrou-Mentesidi via Ethnos] TANN you might also like An extensive Mycenaean cemetery with 31 undisturbed burials containing numerous items of jewellery and several different types of ceramic vases, including 12 ornate Mycenaean drinking cups or kylikes, has been unearthed by Greek archaeologists at the Loggas site near Elati in Kozani (Macedonia), a short distance from ancient Aiani."The Mycenaean presence in Upper Macedonia is now well established by the discovery of several settlement types throughout the region", says archaeologist Georgia Karamitrou-Mentesidi The site at Elati spans some 45 ha. of which less that 2 ha. have been excavated to date. The cemetery itself is located along the banks of the Aliakmon river and occupies around 5 ha. of land of which only 0.5 ha. has been excavated.The 31 burials appear to belong primarily to the Late Bronze Age (1600-1100 BC), though archaeologists believe some may be considerably earlier in date.According to Ms. Karamitrou-Mentesidi, the unlooted cist graves were lined with stone slabs and contained both jewellery (bronze rings, beads of amber) as well as abundant pottery.Bowls, jugs, drinking cups and amphorae make up most of the 47 ceramic vessels found in the graves.Significantly, 12 Mycenaean goblets or kylikes were discovered in 7 of the graves. Indeed, 3 burials contained only Mycenaean goblets while another 2 contained other types of Mycenaean vases.Mycenaean kylikes have surfaced elsewhere in western Macedonia. 8 (intact and fragmentary) Late Bronze Age kylikes have been identified in the prefectures of Kozani and Grevena, 2 earlier examples were recovered from the necropolis of Kozani and another 3 at ancient Aiani."The kylix, then, which belongs exclusively to the Mycenaean vase repertoire, is fairly widespread at several locations of Upper Macedonia. The tall kylikes from Elati, with one exception, are wheeled, with a long tapering body. However, there is variety in the size, style, and even some variations in the shape," says Ms. Karamitrou-Mentesidi."Their general shape resembles specimens from Epirus, while the characteristic decorative rings on the leg are known from Western Greece, especially Kephalonia, Ithaca and elsewhere, which suggests that the Mycenaean penetration originated from these areas."The cups of Elati bear rich decoration with a variety of motifs, including the 'running' spiral, concentric circles, herring-bone pattern and even horizontal zigzags."The comparison of kylikes from neighbouring areas - especially Thessaly, Epirus and the Ionian Islands - demonstrates both similarities and differences. While direct influence is often taken for granted, we cannot exclude the possibility that they were produced locally", adds Ms. Karamitrou-Mentesidi."Kylikes and the other Mycenaean vases were produced in small local workshops and were not only a useful household item, they were also considered ideal to accompany the deceased in the afterlife, even if some were missing a handle or a foot." West Bengal government today directed the task force on essential commodities to stay vigilant and take necessary measures to keep prices under control. During a high-level meeting with the task force, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said it should ensure that there is no sharp rise in prices of essential food commodities over the next few months, Rabindranath Koley, a member of the task force said. The government tried to focus more to check rise in prices of a few commodities including potato. With the state Assembly elections getting closer, the Trinamool government is in no mood in taking chances to anger the common man and food prices is one of its focus areas. Prosecutors in Kosovo have pressed terror charges against three alleged Islamic State group supporters, including two who went to the Syrian frontline to wage jihad, an official said today. The pair allegedly fought with the extremist group in Syria last year while the third "was propagating and recruiting people through Facebook to join IS," Liridona Kozmaqi, spokeswoman of the chief prosecutor's office, told. The third was even "publicly inviting IS to liberate Kosovo", according to the indictment against him. Kozmaqi said one of the men was out on bail while the other two were in detention. Their ages were not disclosed. Muslim-majority Kosovo is home to 1.8 million people, around 300 of whom have joined the jihadists' frontlines in Iraq and Syria in recent years -- the highest ratio in any European country. Kosovo's authorities have subsequently strengthened legislation and made high-profile arrests in a bid to root out suspected Islamist networks. They say around 50 homegrown jihadists have been killed in fighting while around 120 have returned to Kosovo. In another case, a court in eastern Kosovo on Thursday ordered that a girl who attempted to leave Kosovo to join IS be put under surveillance for a year. She and a friend were caught last year trying to illegally cross into Macedonia, from where they were planning to fly to Turkey and on to Syria, the court said. Visiting Pristina in December, US Secretary of State John Kerry said Kosovo had "set a powerful example" for the region in preventing jihadists but added: "It's obvious that more needs to be done." The issue has touched most of the Balkan region, including Bosnia, Serbia and Albania, where legislation against jihadists and their recruiters has also been tightened. Eight Tamil Nadu fishermen were arrested today by the Sri Lankan Navy on charges of crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line, Their two boats were also seized by the navy, Assistant Director of Fisheries Department, S Sekhar said. The fishermen were taken to Kangesanthurai port, he said. Domestic handset maker Lava plans to set up a research and development centre in Hyderabad and the talks with Telangana government are in advanced stage, a senior company official said today. "We have already submitted an application to Telangana government for setting up an R&D centre and discussions are at an advanced level. Once it gets okayed from the state, we will start a R&D centre in Hyderabad. The plan is to have 200 people at the proposed centre," Sandeep Dongre, Vice President and Business Unit Head - South, told reporters here. The company already has a R&D facility in Bengaluru with more than 400 employees. "We have decided to invest Rs 200 crore in R&D over the next three years," he said. Lava has a manufacturing unit in Noida. The company has earmarked Rs 500 crore for its second manufacturing plant in Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh) which will be set up over 20 acres of land allotted by the government and will be operational in 2017 and will target production capacity of 5 million phones per month once fully functional, Dongre said. Earlier, the company had said it will invest Rs 2,615 crore over the next seven years (over three phases) to set up two manufacturing plants in the country. "In phase-I, we have invested Rs 56 crore and in phase-II, we will be investing 1,052 crore. In phase-III, we will be completing an investment of Rs 2,615 crore," he said. Dongre said in phase-I, the company will be able to produce 2.5 million handsets per month, 5 million a month in phase-II and 18 million handsets per month, he said. Lebanon's Hezbollah today criticised as "irresponsible" a decision by Gulf monarchies to classify the militant group as a "terror" organisation for its role in regional conflicts. "The decision by the Gulf Cooperation Council to designate Hezbollah as a terrorist organisation is irresponsible and hostile and the Saudi regime must face the consequences," Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah said after a meeting of the group's parliamentary bloc. The GCC yesterday designated the Shiite movement for its "terrorist acts and incitement in Syria, Yemen and in Iraq". The move was the latest step taken by Gulf states, led by Sunni powerhouse Saudi Arabia, against Hezbollah, which is backed by Riyadh's main regional rival Iran. Last month, Saudi Arabia halted a USD 3 billion programme for military supplies to Lebanon to protest what it said was "the stranglehold of Hezbollah on the state". It urged its nationals last week to leave Lebanon and avoid travelling there. Qatar and Kuwait followed with similar travel advisories, while the United Arab Emirates banned its nationals from travel to Lebanon. Hezbollah is fighting in support of the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad against Gulf-backed rebel fighters and extremist militants. The war in Syria has increased existing divisions between Lebanon's political blocs and produced a string of bombing attacks carried out by Syria-based militants on Lebanese soil. Saudi has accused Hezbollah of supporting Iran-backed rebels in Yemen -- against whom Riyadh has led a bombing campaign since March 2015. Fadlallah said the GCC decision "won't prevent us from condemning the crimes of Saudi Arabia in Yemen, the kingdom's financing and support of terrorist groups in Iraq and Syria, or its collaboration with (Israel)". Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah this week said Riyadh had no right to collectively punish Lebanon over a disagreement with the Shiite movement's policies. And Iran -- Hezbollah's principal backer -- today warned that its Gulf Arab rivals were jeopardising Lebanon's stability by blacklisting the group. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today said the Madhesi issue is Nepal's "internal matter" and India should not be dragged into the matter that has crippled the Nepalese economy. "The Madhesi issue is Nepal's internal matter and the Nepali leaders are capable to address it," he told reporters here. Kumar, 65, had reached Kathmandu yesterday to take part in the four-day 13th general convention of the main opposition Nepali Congress party, which began today. Yesterday, he held separate meetings with Nepal's President Bidhya Devi Bhandari, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and UCPN-Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal. "India should not be dragged into Nepal's internal affairs," the chief minister said, adding "India wishes for development of Nepal and extends its goodwill." "During a meeting, the Madhesi leaders told me that the new constitution has curtailed rights guaranteed by the interim constitution," he said. Kumar said he has asked the Madhesi leaders to solve the issue internally. The Indian-origin Madhesi community, which has close ties with people in the Indian states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, are protesting the promulgation of the new constitution, which they say did not address their demand for a greater say in the government. Madhesis have led a nearly six-month-long violent protest over better representation in the Parliament and the federal structure of the new Constitution that divides their ancestral homeland and has claimed over 50 lives before being called off suddenly, days before prime minister Oli's maiden visit to India last month. Oli had said that it would not be proper for him to visit India when the border blockade was still on. The months-long border blockade enforced by the Madhesi people had caused chronic shortage of food, fuel and essential life-saving medicines in the land-locked country, already reeling under the impact of two devastating earthquakes last year that killed over 9,000 people. The blockade has also badly affected supplies of essential commodities, including construction materials and raw materials, needed to run local industries and rebuild the country post the two earthquakes. The country's overall trade has also come down by one third during this period. In a major police reshuffle in Jammu and Kashmir, Additional Director General S M Sahai was today made the head of state CID while two others were promoted to the rank of directors general. The State Administrative Council (SAC) transferred and promoted 30 officers while overhauling the entire police machinery of the state, a move which indicates a longer spell of Governor's rule. The state was placed under Governor's rule on January 9 following the reluctance of Mehbooba Mufti to take oath as chief minister after the death of her father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. The SAC which met here today under the chairmanship of Governor N N Vohra approved the transfers and postings in police department of 2 DGs, 6 ADGPs, 2 DIGs and 9 district SPs among 20 SPs. S K Mishra, DGP (Prisons) has been transferred posted as Special DG (Coordination) against an available vacancy. S Gopal Reddy, on deputation to Telangana has been posted as Commandant General, HG/CD/SDRF. S P Vaid, ADGP (Headquarters), Police HQ has been transferred posted as DGP (Prisons). V K Singh, ADGP (Security) has been transferred posted as ADGP (Hqrs). The salary of the officer holding the post of ADGP (Trgs) will be drawn against the post of ADGP Homeguards/CD/SDRF, spokesman said. Dilbag Singh (ADGP) awaiting orders of posting has been posted as SDGP (Security), he said, adding L Mohanti, ADGP Homeguards/CD/SDRF has been transferred posted as ADGP (Armed). He may continue to hold the additional charge of ADGP Homeguards/CD/SDRF till further orders. A K Choudhary (AFGP) shall continue to hold the post of MD, PHC, J&K. The post of MD, PHC, J&K has been declared equivalent in rank and status of ADGP till held by the officer, he said. Garib Dass, DIG, North Kashmir, Baramulla has been transferred and posted as DIG (Adm) PHQ against an available vacancy, the spokesman said, adding Uttam Chand, SSP Jammu upon his promotion has been posted as DIG NKR, Baramulla. A 26-year-old Manipuri woman was allegedly assaulted by a man in suburban Santacruz, following which an FIR has been registered against him, police said today. The incident took place on the evening of February 27, according to the victim's family. The accused, who has been identified but his name is yet to be disclosed by police, allegedly spat on the girl and when she protested, he assaulted her, the victim's sister alleged. The man hit her on the lower abdomen. He then grabbed her hair and dragged her on the street for a few metres, she said, adding that no one came to her sister's rescue. She further alleged that when they approached police that day after the incident, the personnel just registered a non-cognisable offence (NC) and not the First Information Report (FIR). However, a senior police official today said that initially they did not have all details about the incident. The FIR was registered last night by Vakola police after investigation, he said. "The accused will be arrested soon. We will look into all the allegations made by the victim," the officer said. The accused has been booked under IPC sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 323 (voluntary causing hurt) and 504 (intentional insult with intention to provoke breach of peace). The matter is being probed further, he added. Students were seen copying and taking help from outside at several centres in Mathura during Uttar Pradesh Board Examinations for Classes X and XII, following which over 70 students and teachers have been booked. According to officials, 57 examinees including two girls have been booked for cheating. Cases have also been registered against 14 teachers in Valdev, Raya and Mahavan blocks of the district. Following reports of "mass copying" at Rammadhav Inter-College on Tuesday, pictures of which went viral on the Internet, deputy district collector Rajesh Kumar visited the examination centre. He was attacked and his vehicle damaged as the locals pelted stones. Pictures and videos showed friends and relatives of the students scaling walls and passing chits through windows at the exam centre. A local claimed that an organised network helps the students in the examinations in return for money. Last year, scores of students were expelled after being caught cheating during the Intermediate Examination in Vaishali in Bihar. Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chief Mehbooba Mufti today held meeting with her party legislators here. Soon after her arrival here, Mehbooba held meetings with several MLAs and MLCs of the party including several former ministers. "This meeting had nothing to do with the government formation, it was aimed at discussing about the membership drive of the party", former minister and MLA Darhal, Zulfiqar Ali said. On the issue of government formation party MLA from Pooonch, Shah Muhammad Tantray said that there was still hope (about the formation of the government). The other legislators of the party who attended the closed door meeting with the party president were - Coudhray Qamar Hussain, Mohammed Yousuf, Aijaz Ahmed Mir, Syed Mushtaq Shah, Rahim Rather, Yawar Dilawar Mir and former minister and MLC Naeem Akhtar. "PDP president Mehbooba Mufti will launch membership drive for Jammu on March 4", District President PDP, Jammu Urban, Vinood Sharma said. YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan published a report regarding its 2015 financial activities. According to the report, the reserves of the fund decreased by $ 3.6 billion in one year, and currently amount to $ 33.5 billion, Armenpress reports citing Turan news agency. In 2015 the funds budget incomes amounted to 7.3 billion, which is 8.8 billion less than 2014.The budget expenditures last year amounted to 8.7 billion (12.8 billion in 2014). Not once has there been a budget deficit since the establishment of the State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan (2000). The Fund had a deficit of $ 1.4 billion in 2015. The decline in foreign currency reserves of the Fund is related to the depreciation of foreign currencies and other assets (real estate, gold) as reduction of value has occurred in the direction of asset investments. The agency reported that in 2015 the allocations to the state budget from the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan SOCAR decreased by $ 1.5 billion. The company reported this on its website ( fins.az ): Fitch Ratings has downgraded Azerbaijan's Long-term foreign and local currency Issuer Default Ratings (IDR) to 'BB+' from 'BBB-'. The Outlooks are Negative. The issue rating on Azerbaijan's senior unsecured foreign currency bond has also been downgraded to 'BB+' from 'BBB-'. The Country Ceiling has been revised to 'BB+' from 'BBB-' and the Short-term foreign-currency IDR has been downgraded to 'B' from 'F3'. The Mexican government has made its first direct response to Donald Trump's pledge to build a wall along the two countries' border and and make Mexico pay for it. "I say it emphatically and categorically: Mexico, under no circumstance is going to pay for the wall that Mr Trump is proposing," Mexican Treasury Secretary Luis Videgaray said late Wednesday to Milenio television. The wall proposal by the Republican presidential hopeful has been criticised widely and fiercely in Mexico, but the government itself has tried to avoid commenting directly on the issue until now. Read more from our special coverage on "DONALD TRUMP" Trump is leading the Republican presidential contenders and has used especially tough talk on immigration. His comments came one day after Francisco Guzman of President Enrique Pena Nieto's office told reporters that the government would not engage in verbal duels with US candidates. Instead, he described a plan to reach out with information to campaigns through Mexican consulates in the US Former Mexican president Vicente Fox and Felipe Calderon had already derided the idea and compared Trump to Adolf Hitler. "Building a wall between Mexico and the United States is a very bad idea, it is an idea based in ignorance and that is not supported by the reality of North American integration," Videgaray said. He said there was no way that Mexican taxpayers could pay for that sort of project. Since he launched his campaign last summer, Trump has taken aim at Mexicans, saying they bring crime and drugs to the US and are "rapists." Mexico's answer until now had been to remind Americans of the economic contributions made by their citizens and Mexican-Americans. The two countries' trade amounts to more than $500 billion annually. It took Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) over Rs 8 lakh to clear 315 metric tonnes of debris that was the result of massive blaze at an 'Make in India' event last month, reply to an RTI query has revealed. The civic body also said that it has sought the total expenditure incurred for removal of the gutted material from CII, the organiser of the event. RTI activist Anil Galgali had sought information from the civic body about clearing of the site after the fire that broke out during the 'Maharashtra Rajani', a cultural show held at Girgaum chowpatty on February 14, as part of the week-long MII programme. "After the fire incident, the BMC had to clean almost 315 metric tonnes of debris and damaged material, for which it incurred Rs 8,06,952," Assistant Engineer of Solid Waste Management Department (D ward) of BMC informed this to Galgali's query. The reply further says that the work was executed by D ward staff as well as people roped in from non-government agencies. The debris was cleaned up by the next morning with the help of 10 JCB machines, 39 dumpers (that made total 67 trips), two compactors, 198 labour staff and 80 supervisory staff in two shifts, it said. "The cost incurred for the clean-up has been intimated to the organisers of the show, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and they have been asked to pay up. But we are yet to get a response from the organisers," the reply added. The BMC had dashed off this demand notice to Regional Director of the CII, Western Region, on February 22 and directed the industry body to reimburse the expenses. The civic administration's notice to the event organiser said, "Since it was the duty of the event organiser to arrange to clear the chowpatty and hence are liable to compensate for the expenses made by BMC. Meanwhile, when contacted, a CII spokesperson said that it has received a letter from the municipal authorities and that it is talking to other stakeholders before replying to BMC in this regard. Galgali said he has also written a letter to Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta seeking action against the organisers if they fail to pay up the fees. "I have written a letter to Mehta demanding that if the organisers fail to pay up the cost of clearing the debris, then a police complaint be lodged against them as the BMC has helped them during testing times and this kind of behaviour now is not expected from them," he said. An investigation into the fire had found that the event organiser flouted the safety norms by keeping LPG cylinders under the stage and cited electric spark coming into contact with combustible material under the stage as likely cause of the blaze. Auto components manufacturer Minda Industries has acquired Spain-based Rinder Group's global automotive lighting business for 20 million euros (over Rs 145 crore). The acquisition includes 100 per cent equity holding in Rinder India, Spain-based Light Systems and Technical Center, along with 50 per cent stake in Rinder Riducu, Colombia. "This acquisition will give us immense advantage technology wise in lighting solutions and will further augment the R&D Capabilities of the company. With this acquisition the company's lighting business will have turnover in excess of Rs 700 crore," Uno Minda Group Chairman N K Minda told PTI. The turnover from the lighting business is currently around Rs 300 crore, he added. "Our vision is to achieve 25 per cent of group turnover from international business. The overseas leg of this global acquisition will ensure that the company moves closer to its vision and expand its geographical footprints further," Minda said. The deal will be financed through a mix of internal accruals and debt. As part of the deal, Minda has also acquired Rinder's brand name and intellectual property rights. Integration and merger with Uno Minda brand name will be finalised at a later stage. Minda group manufactures lighting products at its plants at Manesar, Pune and north of Delhi. Rinder India's manufacturing facilities are located at Chakan, Pimpri (Maharashtra) and Bahadurgarh in Haryana. Minda Industries shares today ended at Rs 849 apiece on the BSE, up 2.47 per cent from previous close. Tamil Nadu government's decision to release all seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case evoked mixed response among opposition parties today with BJP guarded in its reaction and PMK slamming ruling AIADMK for trying to gain political mileage out of it. Union Minister and senior BJP leader from the state Pon Radhakrishnan said a "right decision would be taken at the right time by the Central government". "This is not an issue that could be politicised," he said reacting to the government's decision announced yesterday to remit the life imprisonment of the seven convicts and release them. The state government has intimated its decision to the Centre and sought its views under CrpC section 435, which requires the state to consult the Central government in certain cases before taking action. BJP's state President Tamilisai Sounderrajan underlined her party's stand that while guilty should not be spared, innocent should not be punished, too. "One has to take a humane approach while looking at the time spent by them (the seven convicts) in jail but everything should be within the legal framework," she said. PMK Chief S Ramadoss said, "It is an exercise aimed at seeking political mileage", as he lashed out at Jayalalithaa for not choosing to use Article 161 of the Constitution, which deals with power of governor to grant remit sentences, to free the seven convicts. The present exercise would never succeed, he claimed. Tamil Manila Congress chief G K Vasan said "the Centre should take a decision based on law, justice and humanitarian grounds subscribing to the court guidelines in this regard." Tamilaga Vazhvurimai Katchi chief Panruti T Velmurugan said Jayalalithaa's move was "historic" and urged the Centre to give its nod for remission. The state government has said it took the decision on petitions from the seven convicts requesting it to release them as they had spent more than 20 years in prison. The convicts are V Sriharan alias Murugan, T Suthendraraja alias Santhan, A G Perarivalan alias Arivu, Jayakumar, Robert Payas, Ravichandran and Nalini. DMK President M Karunanidhi has backed the decision, saying the convicts had spent about 25 years behind bars. His son and DMK Treasurer M K Stalin said the government had taken up the issue "with an eye" on the coming election. The state government's move also had its echo in Parliament where Congress opposed it. Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla today said the state was not having any industries except village industries, though it has a huge potential for development in the tourism industry, an official release said. Lal Thanhawla, who chaired a meeting of the state Planning Board, said changes were needed to develop tourism in the state, while sites of heritage should not be disturbed so that tourists would be able to witness the original sites, the release said. The meeting discussed the newly formulated New Economic Development Policy and laid emphasis on harnessing the bamboo potential, handloom and handicraft and agro-based service industry. It was also suggested policy guidelines having special focus area in the social sector be formulated. Mixing aggression, wit and barbs, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today accused of stalling Parliament because of "jealousy" and "inferiority complex" of its leadership even as he appealed for opposition support for "improving" governance while sidestepping the raging controversies surrounding JNU and Hyderabad University. In his 75-minute speech in the Lok Sabha, he paid back in sarcasm to the attack, particularly by Rahul Gandhi, yesterday over various initiatives of his government, including the 'Make in India' programme and MNREGA. However, at the end of his speech winding up the debate on the motion of thanks to the President's address, the Prime Minister held out an olive branch to the opposition seeking its cooperation in running the government for the benefit of the people and the country. "We need to make an atmosphere of improving trust. If you have suggestions, please do offer. I would like the government to adopt these habits. Government also needs to improve and this would not happen without your support. I need your support. I need you people, your experience. "I am new. You are experienced. Let us walk shoulder to shoulder and do some good work for the nation. Governments may come and go. People mkay come and go. Things may fail or succeed but the country will remain immortal. And we will work for the fulfilment of the country," he said reaching out to the Opposition. After the prime minister's reply, the House rejected all opposition amendments, including one by division insisted upon by BJD leader Batruhari Mahtab, and adopted the motion. Paying back in good measure to Rahul without naming him, Modi appeared to be responding to his remarks yesterday that the prime minister should "listen" to others by saying it is "easy to preach others". The Prime Minister recalled how Rahul had in 2013 shown "respect" to the Cabinet headed by Manmohan Singh and veterans of his cabinet including A K Antony, Sharad Pawar and Farooq Abdullah by tearing in public an Ordinance cleared by it. Slamming Congress for disrupting Parliament and stalling bills, Modi said it was doing so because of "jealousy" and "inferiority complex" of its top leaders, suggesting they were not allowing "young" and "Bright" leaders to emerge fearing that they may overshadow Rahul. "In the opposition there are bright and talented youngers who don't get a chance to speak. They do a lot of study. The concern is that if they6 speak, they will be praised. Then what will happen to us," he said to the cheers from the treasury benches. He also invoked the statements made by Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and first President Rajendra Prasad by reading out their statements against stalling of legislative business. Modi deplored the 'tu tu, mai mai' (blame game) attitude by political parties for "scoring points", saying the bureaucracy rejoices over this and nation suffers. He said a democratic country like India cannot be left at the mercy of bureaucracy as he sought to underline the importance of the legislature, saying even a single MP of any party should be treated like "Prime Minister". The prime minister, however, did not respond to the specific issues raised by Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders, like his visit to Pakistan, blackmoney, JNU and Dalit student Rohith Vemula's suicide in Hydeabad University. In an apparent reference to Rahul's remarks yesterday that he should listen to others, Modi said, "It is easy to preach others...There are some people to whom all kinds of questions are asked. But there are some others, whom nobody dares to ask questions." Apparently referring to the attacks on him in the aftermath of Gujarat riots of 2002, he said, "I have been questioned, I have faced criticism and accusations over the last 14 years. I have learnt to live with it." When Congress member Kantilal Bhuria said that there is a "gap between what you say and what you do", Modi said, "I have got several certificates during the last 14 years, let there be one more. I accept it with bowed head." The Prime Minister said it is his government's privilege to do the work that should have been done years ago, but unfortunately didn't happen. While talking of disruptions in Parliament, he appeared to take a swipe at the 45-member Congress, saying its attitude was to "demonstrate its strength" even though its "strength may be less". While hitting out at Rahul for criticising him, Modi sarcastically recalled how he had torn at a press conference an Ordinance approved by the Cabinet headed by Manmohan Singh and including veterans like A K Antony, Sharad Pawar and Farooq Abdullah. "The nation cannot forget September 27, 2013. The then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was in the US... An Ordinance approved by the Cabinet was torn at a press conference.... (This is) respect..," he said. He also took on Rahul for mocking at the government's ambitious 'Make in India' programme, questioning whether such a scheme should be made fun of. "You are mocking at 'Make in India'? If it is not successful, you should suggest what should be done to make it successful," he said. Referring to disruptions in Parliament due to which several bills, including the crucial GST legislation is stuck, Modi said "House is not allowed to function due to inferiority complex (of the opposition leadership)." While elaborating, he appeared to suggest that top Congress leadership was not allowing "young" and "bright" leaders to emerge fearing that they may overshadow Rahul. "In the opposition there are bright and talented youngsters who don't get a chance to speak...They do a lot lot of study...The concern is that if they speak, they will be praised. Then what will happen to us," Modi said. Training guns at the Congress, Modi also slammed it over the issue of poverty. "You (Congress) boldly say that during elections I had promised to rid the country of poverty. But you have made poverty so deep-rooted that it is so difficult to uproot it... You must be saying 'Modi, you yourself will be uprooted but poverty will not go'.. Still, we are making efforts," he said. "To uproot poverty, a lot of efforts need to be made.... I realised how deep-rooted poverty is only when I came here (after becoming Prime Minister)," the former Gujarat Chief Minister said. fired short-range projectiles into the sea off its eastern coast today, South Korea's defence ministry said, hours after the UN Security Council imposed tough new sanctions on Pyongyang. After initially describing the launches as being of "short-range missiles," spokesman Moon Sang-Gyun said the ministry was still analysing their exact nature. The projectiles were fired into the East Sea (Sea of Japan) at 10:00a.m (local time), Moon said. "The South Korean military is monitoring any additional movements from the North," he added. A recent, 14-year dry spell in the West Asia was the worst drought in the past 900 years, according to a new NASA study released this week. NASA's researchers examined records of rings of trees in several Mediterranean countries to determine patterns of dry and wet years across a span of 900 years. They concluded that the years from 1998 to 2012 were drier than any other period, and that the drought was likely caused by humans. The study's lead author Ben Cook said the range of extreme weather events in the eastern Mediterranean has varied widely in the past nine centuries, but the past two decades stand out. "This recent drought falls outside the range of natural variability," he said. Drought has continued in parts of the West Asia, he added. Cook is a climate scientist at NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies and the Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia University in New York City. The researchers used records of tree rings in Northern Africa, Greece, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria and Turkey, and combined the data with records from Spain, southern France and Italy to examine patterns of drought across time in the region. They studied rings of trees, both living and dead, that were sampled all over the region. Rings in the trunks of trees represent years. Thin rings indicate dry years; thick rings show years when water was abundant. Cook said the research supported other studies indicating human causes of extreme climate events. Last year, researchers at Columbia University and the University of California Santa Barbara found that drought triggered a collapse in agriculture in Syria and the migration of 1.5 million farmers to the cities, straining resources. The water shortage was one of several contributing factors that had worsened the situation in Syria in the lead-up to the outbreak of that country's devastating civil war in 2011. A senior official of Chhattisgarh government today claimed that Naxals reportedly killed as many as 20 villagers for being police informers in the past two months in the Narayanpur district of the state. "Frustrated with the success of police, Naxals have now started creating trouble for local villagers," principal secretary of the state home department BVR Subrahmanyamsaid. "In the interior Abujhmad area of Narayanpur we have confirmed that four villagers were killed by Naxals last week. We are verifying the murder of another villager in the area. "As per the local intelligence, at least 20 villagers were killed in the past two months in Narayanpur," he said, adding that these reports could not be confirmed as in most cases bodies were cremated, and the villagers can't always travel from these remote areas to inform the police. The slain villagers were not surrendered Naxals, but they were those who had quit the Naxalism on their own to lead a normal life, he added. Subrahmanyam claimed the Naxals were on backfoot in the region. In the past six months, post-monsoon, security forces eliminated 56 Naxals in Bastar region, while police lost 11 personnels. As many as 420 Naxals surrendered and 522 were arrested in this period. "Despite tough opposition from Naxals, a road network is being developed in the hinterlands of Bastar. The roads are reaching Jagargunda, Chintalnar, Kistaram and Chintagufa which are believed to be Maoists' headquarters in Bastar," he said. As many as 73 mobile towers are operating in Bastar, which has improved the connectivity to remote regions. Banks or ATMs are being set up at 150 remote locations, he said. Nepal's Maoist supremo Prachanda today expressed confidence that the Indian leadership would respect Nepalese people's "sentiments" and hoped that the crippling blockade "imposed" by India on Nepal will not be repeated. Addressing the 13th convention of Nepali Congress to elect its new leader after the death of its ex-president Sushil Koirala, UCPN Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias Prachanda wondered what was the fault on the part of Nepal that "prompted" India to impose a blockade on Nepal. "I would like to ask through Koshiary ji what was our fault that made India to impose blockade on Nepal," said Prachanda at the event attended by Bhagat Singh Koshiary, vice-president of BJP and former Uttarakhand chief minister. He also said that such blockades should not be repeated in future. "Nepal has undergone a lot of political experiments. I would seek neighbours' support in our political experiments," said Prachanda who is known for his anti-India stance. "I want to convey this message to the leadership of India through the leaders who are present here," he said. "We want friendship between our two countries, which are bound together by our unique history, culture, economy and no one can separate them," Prachanda said. Madhesis, who are largely of Indian-origin, organised a nearly six-month-long violent protest over the newly promulgated Constitution which they said discriminated against them. They withdrew the protest that crippled essential supplies to the Himalayan nation and left over 50 dead, after the Constitution was amended to include their participation in government institution in proportion to their population and fresh delineation of electoral constituencies. Nepal had accused India of imposing the "economic blockade", which India denied. Other than Koshiary, the convention was also attended by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and general secretary of Socialist International Luis Ayala. "India wants to see a prosperous and strong Nepal. I want to see Nepal to be connected with India through railway line very soon," Koshiary said. YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. Film and stage actress, Honored Artist of Russia Natalia Krachkovskaya passed away at the age of 77 on March 3. A few days earlier she had been hospitalized and placed under intensive care, Armenpress reports citing RT. Natalia Krachkovskaya appeared in more than 80 films. She mainly played supportive, yet very characteristic and noticeable roles. National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has signed a pact with Indian School of Business, Hyderabad, to develop management competencies of its technical and managerial staff. "NHAI ties up with Indian School of Business for skill development of its technical and managerial manpower NHAI has taken a significant step in ensuring development of management competencies of its technical and managerial manpower, with a tie up with ISB, Hyderabad," Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said in a statement. With the government's ambitious plans for infrastructure development in the country, road sector is seen as one of the thrust areas to achieve the objective and ensure sustained economic growth. Against this backdrop, a need was felt for effective leaders who can understand and take on the multi-disciplinary challenges that need to be addressed at multiple levels, the statement said. The programme on 'Leadership Programme in Infrastructure Management' by ISB aims at developing skills and competencies relating to multiple disciplines like Strategic Planning, Finance, Economics, Law, Social and Environmental issues, Public Policy etc. In infrastructure management, it said. "ISB has selected eight NHAI officers after stringent scrutiny and evaluation. Four officers which includes Chief General Managers, General Manager and Dy General Manager, have commenced training in 'Leadership Programme in Infrastructure Management' this year with funding support from NHAI," the statement said. NHAI is planning to create a pool of officers who can play a critical role in ensuring professional capability to shoulder the responsibilities at senior management level and guide the NHAI towards its long term vision, it added. Commuters can soon plan their journey via as per live traffic updates from All India Radio (AIR), Parliament was informed today. The Highway Advisory service which is to be launched on a pilot basis can be replicated pan-India, Minister of State for Road Transport and Pon Radhakrishnan told Lok Sabha in a written reply. Read more from our special coverage on "HIGHWAYS" Robust infrastructure to unlock opportunities for all: President Mukherjee "Highway Advisory services is going to be launched shortly on a pilot basis on the stretch of Highway 8, between Delhi and Jaipur, in three phases," he said. In phase 1, existing AIR stations located in Delhi, Alwar and Jaipur will broadcast the live traffic updates to commuters, Radkhakrishnan said. "Contract has been signed with AIR to buy air time for phase 1 of the pilot project in which 22 bulletins will be issued every day for three months," he said. He further said the bulletins will include safety awareness content along with live traffic updates on NH 8. "Possibility of a single frequency for whole country is being examined subject to viability and other regulatory clearances," he added. The minister said the pilot will be launched very soon. Oil prices held steady today in Asian hours despite a rise in US inventories, with traders hoping talks among major producers could lead to an output cap. According to US Energy Information Administration (EIA) data, oil production fell to just over nine million barrels per day in the week to February 26 although inventories rose an expected 10.4 million. At around 0930 IST, US benchmark West Texas Intermediate for April delivery was up five cents at USD 34.71 a barrel while Brent for May was six cents down at USD 36.87 a barrel. Phillip Futures investment analyst Daniel Ang told AFP that the fall in US production provided a degree of "bullishness" in the market. "Judging from this decrease, we could easily be seeing more drops and by the end of the year even a 500,000 barrel per day drop." Plans by major oil producers including Russia as well as OPEC members led by Saudi Arabia to cap output have also provided some support for prices in the past two weeks. Crude, which in January was wallowing near 13-year lows below USD 30 a barrel -- hit by overproduction and a supply glut -- has steadily picked up recently as dealers are buoyed by the fact there are talks. But analysts doubt it will have much effect in the near term on crude prices, which are about 70 per cent off their mid-2014 highs. "On the balance of probability, it's going to be very hard for OPEC to do much more than, say, freeze production at current levels or agree to that, which won't have much impact on the current market," CMC Markets chief market analyst Ric Spooner told AFP by phone from Sydney. Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to rein in forces who were trying to "create a wedge" between Muslims and Hindus in the country, saying people of all religions should live together in peace and brotherhood. Omar, the working president of National Conference (NC) was reacting to inflammatory speech made by BJP leaders in Agra. "If Muslims would have been weak, then perhaps we would have become afraid by a statement from one BJP member. "This is the weakness in their thinking. "We have always believed that all religions should live together in peace and brotherhood. "Such statements worsen the situation instead of setting it right and it will be good if Modi reins in such forces," Omar told reporters here. The National Conference (NC) working president was speaking to media after a convention of his party's youth wing at NC headquarters. He also criticised the Centre over the handling of JNU row saying the government either "remained silent" or "lied" whenever they said something. Everyone with right thinking will be worried about the (JNU) situation. The way they made arrests and then played a "propaganda war" with the arrested person by producing "fake evidence" and even taking help of television channels to broadcast "fake videos," he said. Omar said Delhi police has itself "admitted" that there was no video "evidence" against those who have been arrested. When those videos were analysed forensically, it was found out that those videos were "fake", he said. In such a situation, what message are we giving to our students and our youth? That even if they speak truth, it will still be "twisted". This is a worrisome situation and unfortunately, the present government either remained "silent" or even if they said something, they "lied", he said. (REOPENS DES 36) Omar said after the JNU episode and consequent developments, Kashmiri youth were "apprehensive" of venturing outside the state for their academic and professional pursuits. The "victimization" of Kashmiri youth outside the state was "alarming" as they were being "openly profiled and hounded", he alleged. During our tenure in the Government, we tried our best to open avenues of employment for our youth outside the state through landmark schemes, Omar claimed. "Today our youngsters, students as well as job aspirants are terrified at the very prospects of venturing outside the state after the JNU issue was used as a pretext to harass our youth," Omar said. "Where will Kashmiri students and young professional go in this poisoned atmosphere,"? he asked, alleging as it is, our youth are stereotyped, harassed and profiled without any provocation or basis. "Now, where will they go? Who will show them the right path and protect them from radical voices who are now openly advocating tyranny and bigotry,?" the NC Working President said. Omar however, claimed his party would protect the youth of Kashmir in this atmosphere of victimization and harassment and would offer them hope, encouragement and support. We will stand by our youth, we will not allow anyone to harass them and defame them, he said. While PDP has "sold its tongue" for power, NC will fight tooth and nail for the rights of our youth to live with dignity and peace of mind both within and outside the State, he said. Omar also said NC was proud of its legacy and history and stood by its political agenda while maintaining that the Kashmir issue is a political issue that cannot be resolved through money or economics. "We stand by our demand for the restoration of Autonomy and will never compromise with our State's honour and dignity. "We will never betray our people for power. If someone else can achieve more than Autonomy, they are welcome to strive," he said. We haven't stopped anyone from pursuing their proposed methods of resolving the Kashmir issue and we will continue to stand by our political stand, he added. Delhi Police today arrested a man in connection with the murder of two employees of the toll collection centre at southeast Delhi's Badarpur area earlier this week. Vimal Pandey, a native of Allahabad, was arrested from Delhi in the wee hours, a senior official said. Police is conducting raids in Rajasthan and Haryana to nab his associates, of which two have been identified as Deepak and Vishal, he said. Two of the suspects in the case were arrested in Rajasthan in connection with robbery and murder, the official added. The incident took place on Sunday morning when four assailants allegedly shot dead cashier Manmohan (60) and security guard Mahipal (50) at their rented accommodation near the toll collection centre in a robbery bid and fled with a laptop bag. The investigations have raised suspicion on Deepak and Vishal, who had rented rooms in the same locality and were preparing for exams related to recruitment in Delhi Police. It also emerged that they had rented a room by submitting fake documents, following which the landlord of the house was booked, police said. To check discrimination against SC /ST students, varsities and colleges across the country have been asked to launch a special page on their websites where complaints in this regard can be posted, a suggestion that has come amidst a row over the suicide by Dalit PhD scholar Rohith Vemula. In a letter to all Vice Chancellors, University Grants Commission (UGC) Secretary Jaspal S Sandhu also said that a complaint book should be placed in the office of the varsity's registrar or, in case of a college, its principal, for such complaints to be registered. The move comes amidst the debate on the issue of alleged discrimination in higher educational institutions in the aftermath of Vemula's suicide at Hyderabad Central University. UGC said it should be ensured that officials or faculty members desist from any act of discrimination against SC or ST students. The university, institute or college may develop a page on their website for lodging of complaints of discrimination by SC/ST students and also place a complaint register in the registrar or principal's office for the purpose, it said. If any such incident comes to the notice of the authorities, action should promptly be taken against erring official or faculty members, it added. UGC has also asked the varsities to submit an action taken report on the steps for the prevention of discrimination. In the last months of his life, Osama bin Laden was a worried man as he was in a serious dispute with the two brothers who had been his bodyguards and the only link to the outside world from his hideout in Pakistan, according to newly declassified files. According to letters released by the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence that were recovered during the US Navy SEAL raid on bin Laden's hideout in the Pakistani garrison city of Abbottabad, by early 2011 the brothers were fed up with all the pressure that came from protecting and serving the world's most wanted terrorist. The brothers -- Abu Muhammad and Abu Khalid -- were two longtime members of al-Qaeda whose family hailed from northern Pakistan, not far from where bin Laden was hiding in the garisson city of Abbottabad. They did everything for the 54-year-old al-Qaeda chief before he was killed in the raid on May 2, 2011. Worried about the CIA hunting for him, bin Laden was confined to one building inside the large compound in Abbottabad, which the brothers had moved him to in 2005. Bin Laden was completely reliant on the two brothers both to maintain any semblance of control over al-Qaeda and its far-flung affiliates and also for the daily needs. But by January 2011, just four months before his death, bin Laden was having a serious dispute with the two brothers, CNN reported, quoting from the declassified documents. Indeed, the documents portray bin Laden as entirely dependent on his two bodyguards, running out of money and paranoid that even his family members might have concealed tracking devices to home in on him. Bin Laden confided to one of his wives that the brothers who protected him were "exhausted" by all the pressures on them and were planning to quit. Things got so bad with his two protectors that on January 14, 2011, bin Laden took the unusual step of writing the brothers a formal letter, despite the fact that they lived only yards away from him on the Abbottabad compound. In the letter, bin Laden said the brothers had been so "irritated" in a recent meeting with him that he was resorting to writing them a letter to clarify matters. He asked the brothers to give him adequate time to find substitute protectors. Bin Laden then wrote a letter to one of his confidantes asking if he knew of any Pakistanis who could be trusted with "complete confidence" who might replace the two brothers as his liaisons to the outside world. Relations between bin Laden and the two brothers deteriorated to the point that they entered into a written agreement that they would separate sometime in 2011 or early 2012 and that bin Laden and his family would move away from the compound in Abbottabad. Bin Laden and his two bodyguards were killed in the SEAL raid on his Abbottabad compound on May 2, 2011. warned al-Qaeda affiliates against prematurely declaring an Islamic caliphate and cautioned his fighters against excessive display of brutality, according to newly declassified files seized from his Abbottabad hideout. In letters to subordinates, Osama denounced almost every aspect of the Islamic State playbook but the admonishments were issued several years before al-Qaeda's affiliate in Iraq severed ties and rebranded itself as the Islamic State. But the documents released Tuesday show the extent to which the ideological dispute behind that rupture was becoming intractable even before the slain al-Qaeda leader's demise. In one undated letter to Nasir al-Wuhayshi, who led the al-Qaeda branch in Yemen before he was killed in a US drone strike, Osama warned against taking over the capital city to quickly establish a new Islamic state. "We want Sana'a to establish an Islamic State, but first, we want to make sure that we have the capability to gain control of it," Osama wrote. "The enemy continues to possess the ability to topple any state we establish. We have to remember that the enemy toppled the Taliban and Saddam's regime," he said. Defeating the US was Osama's first priority, and he consistently pushed back against al-Qaeda members who called for hitting local targets instead. In the letter, Osama instructed al-Wuhayshi to remind "the new generation" not to pursue "separate operations rather than concentrating on the main objective." Osama, in the letters, warned against seizing more territory than would be possible to hold, against prematurely declaring the restoration of the Islamic "caliphate" and even against "publishing pictures of prisoners after they were beheaded". The origins of the disagreement between al-Qaeda and (its Iraq wing) - all the guts are there," a senior US intelligence official, involved in reviewing the Osama letters and other materials that were declassified for Tuesday's release, was quoted as saying by the Washington Post. Osama was essentially warning subordinates that if they pursued the Islamic State model, "it will fail", the official said, adding that he and other counter-terrorism analysts are now "waiting to see if bin Laden was prescient". Although the Islamic State has experienced significant setbacks in recent months, the organisation has eclipsed al-Qaeda as the dominant brand of Islamist militancy in the years since Osama wrote those messages and has replaced the parent group as the most feared sponsor of terrorist attacks against Europe and the United States. The documents released on Tuesday were the second set of materials from the 2011 raid made public. The first came out last May. Over six lakh posts in various central government ministries are vacant, the Rajya Sabha was informed today. Out of the total sanctioned posts of 37,16,520, a total of 6,02,325 are vacant, Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pension Jitendra Singh said in a written reply. Of the total vacancies, 5,33,081 are at Group C level (comprising clerical and support staff), 51,478 are of Group B level and 17,766 are of Group A officers' level, he said. Pakistan accused India on Thursday of engaging in an "unhelpful" blame game over the and said cooperation and understanding were needed to take the investigation forward. During a weekly news briefing here, Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said cooperation and understanding is the need of the hour to take the investigation into Pathankot incident forward. Commenting on the Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar statement accusing Pakistan of the attack, he said blame game on the part of India is "unfortunate" and "unhelpful", Radio Pakistan reported. Parrikar on Tuesday told the Rajya Sabha that the terror attack on the air force base in Punjab's Pathankot was carried out by Pakistan's "non-state actors" who operate with the support of the Pakistani establishment. Zakaria said a Joint Investigation Team has been formed and modalities are being worked out for its visit to India to probe the matter. He said Pakistan has denounced terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and believes all nations need to collaborate with each other to defeat this menace. To a question, the spokesperson said Pakistan and India are working on the dates for the Foreign Secretary-level talks. Responding to another question, the Spokesperson said Pakistan's nuclear arsenals are only meant to deter any aggression against its territorial integrity. YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. Hovhannes Hovsepyan has been dismissed from the post of the Head of the Presidential Oversight Service by March 3 Presidential decree. As Armenpress was informed from the Department of Public Relations and Mass Media of Republic of Armenia Presidents Office, by another Presidential decree Hovhannes Hovsepyan has been appointed Head of State Revenue Committee of Armenia adjunct to the Government. Hovhannes Hovsepyan Born on 28 January 1973, Ijevan. 1980 - Vanadzor Secondary School 2. 1988 - Apprentice turner, then first-class turner at Kirovakan fur factory. 1988-1990 - "Tatevik" cooperative, Kirovakan garment production association. 1990 - entered Yerevan State University, Law Faculty. 1996-1998 - Russian Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Russian Federation. 1996 - first-class specialist, leading specialist, advisor to the Chief Specialist at Legal Department of Republic of Armenia Presidents Office. 2002-2003 - applicant at Russian Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Russian Federation. 2003-2004 - lecturer at Republic of Armenia Academy of Public Administration. 2002-2006 head of Human Resource Department, Republic of Armenia presidents Office. 1 March 2006 26 February 2007 - president of "Alliance" Consulting Center. 26 February 2007 22 December 2007 - adviser to the Minister of Territorial Administration. 22 December 2007 26 May 2008 - deputy Minister of Territorial Administration. 27 March 2003 Ph.D. in Legal Studies. Author of 10 scientific articles. 2003 - Degree of Republic of Armenia civil service second-class state adviser. 2008 - Head of the Presidential Oversight Service 2007 - Member of the Republican Party of Armenia. 28 November 2009 (RPA 12th Congress) - member of RPA Council. Married, has a child. Pakistan today accused India of engaging in an "unhelpful" blame game over the Pathankot terror attack and said cooperation and understanding were needed to take the investigation forward. During a weekly briefing here, Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said, "Pakistan believes that all nations need to cooperate with each other to defeat the menace of terrorism. Pakistan condemned the (Pathankot) incident. Prime Minister called to assure cooperation." Commenting on the Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar's statement accusing Pakistan of the attack, he said, "Cooperation and understanding is the need of the hour. Blame game is unfortunate and unhelpful". Parrikar on Tuesday told the Rajya Sabha that the terror attack on the air force base in Pathankot was carried out by Pakistan's "non-state actors" who operate with the support of the Pakistani establishment. Zakaria said Pakistan took all necessary measures on the basis of preliminary information provided by India regarding Pathankot terrorist attack. "A Joint Investigation Team has been formed and modalities are being worked out for the visit of the team to India." To a question on the Foreign Secretary-level talks, the spokesperson said Pakistan and India are working on the dates for it. When asked about Pakistan's reaction on the terror attack on the Indian Consulate in Jalalabad yesterday, Zakaria said, "Our position on terrorist attacks around the world is very clear. We condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. However, I don't have the details of the incident you are referring to." On the 2008 Mumbai attack trial case, Zakaria said, "The Foreign Secretary had written to the Indian Foreign Secretary regarding evidence required for the Mumbai trials. These are those pieces of evidence, which Pakistan had asked for earlier also. "This issue was also discussed during the meeting between the Adviser and the Indian External Affairs Minister on the sidelines of the Heart of Asia Conference in December 2015. Additional evidence from India is awaited, which is required to conclude the trial," he said. (Reopens FGN 19) Responding to a question on remarks by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's Adviser Sartaj Aziz that some Taliban leaders live in Pakistan, the spokesperson said, "You need to see things in their correct prospective. I will not comment on the Adviser's statement." When asked about US pressing Pakistan to roll back its nuclear programme during the bilateral strategic dialogue, the spokesperson said, "Pakistan's nuclear deterrence is to deter any aggression against Pakistan's territorial integrity. It is for the defence of Pakistan and its people. As a responsible nuclear state, Pakistan has invested in ensuring nuclear safety, nuclear security and robust command and control system. (Reopens DEL 89) Swarup said Pakistan High Commission staffer Mehmood Akhtar, who was caught by police for espionage, had revealed to police sensitive information and investigators are working on it. The MEA Spokesperson said root cause of the ties with Pakistan was cross border terrorism and Pakistan using it as a instrument of state policy which has failed. He said India expelled only one Pakistani official but Islamabad on its own decided to withdraw six other officials from its High Commission here. Asked whether Pakistan High Commission had approached Ministry of External Affairs when names of four of their officials went public, Swarup said he was not aware of it. He, however, referred to public statement by Pakistani side on the matter. Replying to a question on attack on a section of people from Hindu community in Bangladesh, Swarup said the matter was taken up with the Bangladesh government which assured that it will ensure there safety. Pakistan's finance minister today said that his country will never roll back its nuclear programme despite financial hardship and threat of mounting external debt. Ishaq Dar was briefing the Senate, the upper house of parliament, on the country's economy. The Express Tribune reported that Dar dismissed reports about Pakistan bartering away its nuclear arsenal. "We did not start this (nuclear) programme to roll it back. This is a programme of our security, and it is a national responsibility to protect it. All political parties of Pakistan share the ownership of our nuclear programme," he said. "Even if our debts swell to $100 billion or $100 trillion, we will not roll back our nuclear programme," he said. He referred to a 2008 article in Wall Street Journal headlined 'Let's Buy Pakistan's Nukes' in which the author asked Western donors to agree on a $100 billion economic package in exchange for eliminating Pakistan's nuclear stockpile, currently said to be the world's fastest growing. He mentioned another article which suggested the ever-ballooning debt may lead Pakistan to compromise on its national security assets. Dar's forceful statement came after US Secretary of State John Kerry pressed Pakistan at this week's strategic dialogue in Washington to reduce its nuclear arsenal. Dar did not mention Kerry's statement but Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani asked Adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz to brief the house on the issue. Aziz had urged the US not to contribute to "strategic imbalance in South Asia" by aiding India. Over 7,000 supporters of Mumtaz Qadri have been booked by the police for rioting in Pakistan's biggest city following the execution of the former police commando, hanged for killing Punjab's governor Salman Taseer over his opposition to the blasphemy laws. Around 7,000 protesters had blocked the busy M A Jinnah Road, and used abusive language against state institutions during their rally here in the city after Qadri was hanged on Monday. Dawn reported the FIR against the protesters was filed in the Soldier Bazaar police station on behalf of the state. The protesters have been booked under various sections of the Pakistan Penal Code and Loudspeakers Act, Soldier Bazaar SHO Irshad Soomro said. Qadri, deputed on the security of Taseer, had killed the governor at a market close to the latter's house in 2011 in Islamabad for allegedly criticising the controversial blasphemy laws and was convicted the same year. Taseer, who died aged 66, had termed the blasphemy regulations, introduced by Pakistan's military ruler Zia-ul-Haq in 1980s, as "black laws" drawing the ire of extremists. Qadri was hanged on Monday morning at a Rawalpindi jail after his appeal against the conviction was rejected by the Supreme Court. Around 50,000 supporters of Qadri, mostly from Sunni Tehreek group had attended his funeral in Rawalpindi on Tuesday, while thousands of people took out processions in favour of the murderer in other cities as well. Government today said Pakistan must fulfill its repeated assurances of not allowing its soil for "aiding and abetting" terrorism directed against India and asserted that it was committed to work towards a normal relationship with the neighbour. Replying to a question in Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh said it was conveyed to Pakistan at the highest level after the Pathankot attack that it must take firm and immediate action against organisations and individuals responsible for and linked to the strike. "The government is committed to working towards a normal relationship with Pakistan by addressing all outstanding issues through bilateral peaceful dialogue," he said. At the same time, he said it has been reiterated to Pakistan that "it needs to fulfill its repeated assurances including at the highest level to not allow its territory or areas under its control for aiding and abetting terrorism directed against India." The Pathankot terror attack had led to postponement of the Foreign Secretary-level talks between the two countries. India had blamed terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed for the attack and sought action against its perpetrators. It had said Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar masterminded the attack. Yesterday, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar had suggested that action against terror by Pakistan was priority for it over bilateral dialogue in the aftermath of the Pathankot attack. Singh said both sides had agreed on December 9 last year to a Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue on all outstanding issues in view of the "express assurance" given by Pakistan to take steps for expediting Mumbai terror attack trial and the mutual understanding to cooperate with each other to eliminate terrorism in all its forms. To a separate question, he said the Foreign Secretaries of the two countries have been in touch with each other to schedule their meeting to work out modalities of the Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue. A primary school teacher has been arrested in Pakistan's Sindh province for allegedly raping a fourth-grade student and making her pregnant. The incident, which occurred in Nau Abad village near Larkana, came to light after the girl's maternal uncle registered an FIR against the accused. A official at the Hatri Ghulam Shah Police station confirmed that medical reports had confirmed the fourth-grade student was pregnant. "The medical tests at the Chandka Medical College and Hospital have confirmed the girl was raped and is four months pregnant," police official Ghulam Aziz said. A doctor at the Chandka Medical College and Hospital confirmed that the girl had been raped. "The girl's parents got to know off the whole case she complained of nausea and vomiting," the doctor said. The suspect has apparently confessed to his crime and had been remanded to police custody for seven days by a judicial magistrate. A 14-year-old Palestinian girl stabbed and lightly wounded an Israeli policeman in a West Bank village today while gunshots fired elsewhere in the territory wounded another Israeli officer, according to Israeli authorities. Police spokeswoman Luba Samri said the stabbing incident took place as officers were redirecting traffic around a fallen tree on a highway in the Palestinian village of Al-Auja, in the Jordan Valley of the West Bank. The teen stabbed the officer in the shoulder, and he ran after her and arrested her without firing any shots, Samri said. Earlier, gunshots were fired at a police car near a Jewish settlement in the West Bank, lightly wounding another officer. Troops searched the area for the shooter. Today's incidents were the latest in more than five months of Israeli-Palestinian violence that have resulted in the deaths of 28 Israelis and at least 170 on the Palestinian side, the majority of whom Israel says were attackers. Also today, the armed wing of Islamic Hamas movement said one of its militants died accidentally while working in an attack tunnel in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. The Qassam Brigades identified the dead as Mohammed Astal, 31. It gave no further details. Fourteen Hamas militants have died in tunnel collapses so far in 2016. In the 2014 Israeli war with Hamas, attack tunnels from the Gaza Strip into Israel proved to be a greater threat than rockets fired from the coastal enclave. Israel sent in troops who destroyed more than 30 tunnels Hamas had dug across the border to carry out attacks against soldiers and civilians. More than 2,200 Palestinians, about two-thirds of them civilians, were killed in the 50-day summer war. In Israel, 66 soldiers and seven civilians were killed. The border area has since remained largely quiet, but Hamas has boasted it has rebuilt its tunnel network. A teenage Palestinian girl stabbed and lightly wounded an Israeli policeman in the occupied West Bank today before being arrested, Israeli authorities said. The policeman was directing traffic after a tree fell and blocked a road in the town of Auja, in the Jordan Valley north of Jericho, when he was stabbed in the shoulder, police said. The girl ran off but was caught and arrested by her victim. Israeli police gave her age as 14. Palestinian security sources said she was 16. A wave of violence in Israel and the Palestinian territories since October has killed 180 Palestinians as well as 28 Israelis, an American, a Sudanese and an Eritrean, according to an AFP toll. Most of the Palestinians who died in the violence were killed by Israeli forces while carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks, according to Israeli authorities. Others were shot dead by Israeli forces during clashes or demonstrations. Many of the attackers have been young Palestinians, including teenagers. Israeli forces have been accused of using excessive force in some cases, which they strongly deny. No shots were fired in today's incident. remained one of the world's busiest markets for energy M&As, witnessing 200 deals, while private equity (PE) investment in the region totaled $11.9 billion last year, says a report. According to the joint report by law firm Eversheds and M&A intelligence service provider Mergermarket, PE investment in the energy space totaled $11.9 billion in 2015, with 17 buyouts - the best performance since 2007. Australia led the region by a considerable margin, with $10.2 billion spread across five buyouts. This was followed by India, with $920 million (four buyouts), and China, with $379 million (three buyouts). While PE interest in oil and gas assets is picking up slightly, opportunities in clean energy assets and infrastructure are attracting greater attention, the report added. Ahead of the 2015 COP21 climate talks in Paris last December, India's energy minister Piyush Goyal announced plans for a $1 billion PE fund for the renewable energy sector. "A number of Indian clean energy companies were also the subject of PE buyouts throughout the year, including a $600 million acquisition of Mumbai-based Continuum Wind Energy," the report added. It said energy corporates were rationalising their operations in the Asia Pacific region driven by ongoing uncertainty toward global market conditions. "With markets unsure how long depressed prices will continue, producers are seeking to cut costs through restructuring and, in some cases, widespread divestment programmes," said the report, A towering presence: energy M&A. According to Eversheds partner Charles Butcher oil price volatility is one of the greatest impact on Asia-Pacific energy M&A. According to Mergermarket data, 2015 closed with 200 M&A transactions completed in the Asia-Pacific region, with 85 involving Chinese companies, at a total value exceeding $56 billion, with the country's demand for oil due largely to ongoing urbanisation and rising household incomes. Australia and New Zealand, with 28 and 5 deals respectively, contributed to 17 per cent of Asia's overall deal count, amounting to a total transaction value of $20.5 billion. Chinese-led cross-border values topped $10.8 billion through 23 deals, up from $4.1 billion through 22 deals in 2014. Piramal Realty today launched a luxury residential project 'Piramal Aranya' at Byculla in the megapolis and plans to invest Rs 4,300 crore for the same. The company is expecting revenue of around Rs 8,000 crore over the next 4-5 years from the project, Piramal Group Executive Director Anand Piramal told PTI here. Spread across seven acre, the company plans to develop a 70 storey tower with a construction area of 3.7 million sq ft. The prices of the apartments, 3BHK and 4BHK, range between Rs 8 crore and Rs 12 crore. "In the past few years, we have seen an improvement in the market for luxury residential and people are ready to pay a premium for a good product. We will be investing around Rs 4,300 crore for the project, which will include cost of land, construction cost and cost incurred for approvals," he said. He further said the work on the project is expected to commence in the next 1-2 months and is likely to be completed in 4-5 years. "We expect to garner revenues of around Rs 8,000 crore over the next 4-5 years from the project," Piramal said. When asked how the company plans to raise the funds, he said it will be a mix of debt and equity. "It will be a mix of debt and equity. The equity portion will come from the promoters of Piramal Group including Goldman Sachs and Warburg Pincus who have invested around USD 434 million in the company, at the entity-level," he added. The company has joined hands with international project partners like the US-based Make Architects, Hirsch Bedner from the UK for interior designing, BuroHappold for structure and MEP Design and EDSA as landscape architect. Piramal further said the company has adopted Expression of Interest (EoI) strategy for the pre-launch of this project, which will allow customers to understand the product proposition and register for the pre-launch offer with a token amount of Rs 10 lakh. Oscar Pistorius was today preparing to return to jail for 15 years after South Africa's Constitutional Court rejected his last-ditch attempt to appeal his murder conviction for shooting his girlfriend. Pistorius's lawyers had applied for leave to appeal to the Constitutional Court, the highest court in South Africa, arguing that the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) had wrongly upgraded his conviction to murder. But the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), which opposed the application, said the appeal bid had failed. "The court dismissed the application for leave to appeal because there are no prospects of success," NPA spokesman Luvuyo Mfaku told AFP. Mfaku said the court's decision had been made on Wednesday. The former Paralympic champion, 29, will attend a sentencing hearing in Pretoria on April 18. The minimum 15-year jail term for murder may be reduced due to time he has already spent in prison. The double-amputee killed Reeva Steenkamp, a model and law graduate, on Valentine's Day three years ago, saying he mistook her for an intruder when he shot four times through the door of his bedroom toilet. He was released from jail in October to live under house arrest at his uncle's property in Pretoria after serving one year of his five-year prison sentence for culpable homicide -- the equivalent of manslaughter. The SCA judges in December described his testimony at his trial in 2014 as "untruthful" and delivered a damning indictment of the original verdict. They found him guilty of murder, overruling the culpable homicide conviction. Legal papers filed at the Constitutional Court by Pistorius's lawyers contended that the SCA had "acted unlawfully and unconstitutionally". They also accused the SCA of making "errors of law" over the principle of "dolus eventualis" -- awareness of the likely outcome of an action -- which has been at the crux of the long-running case. But most experts had dismissed his chances of success in the Constitutional Court. "The court has exercised its power not hear this matter -- that means that they considered it to have no merit," Stephen Tuson, criminal and constitutional professor at Wits University in Johannesburg, told AFP. "The trial court now will take into account his personal circumstances and decide on a suitable sentence. YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian teams first match was played against Macedonia at the Davis Cup, which is taking place in Estonia from March 2-5. As "Armenpress" reports, the Armenian tennis players were defeated 3: 0. On March 3 Armenia's national team will play against Ireland and on March 4 against Albania. Armenia's national team is one of the 14 teams competing in Group 3 of the European Zone. Only 2 teams will be qualified to play in the Group 2 Euro-African Zone in 2017. The Armenian team includes Mikael Avetisyan (20 years old), Sedrak Khachatryan (24 years old), Mikael Khachatryan (19 years) Henrik Nikoghosyan (28 years old). The team is coached by Vahe Avetisyan. The Madras High Court today allowed a plea seeking to quash an Income Tax circular mandating deduction of TDS from salaries and pensions of nuns and fathers of a minority school on condition that their pay be credited to the society or congregation they belong to. Justice B Rajendran stipulated the condition while allowing the petition by Neela Chinna Rani, correspondent of Holy Cross Primary school here. She sought quashing of the circular of Income Tax authorities, asking the school, a registered society of a congregation, to deduct TDS from religious nuns and fathers, who are also teachers. The October 7, 2015 circular and another of the Director of Treasuries and Accounts were arbitrary and illegal, she contended. Under the Income Tax Act, exemption was given to them taking into account factors like the charitable nature of the society. The petitioner claimed that nuns and fathers did not carry any amount as their personal income and gave the money to the congregation. The IT exemption in vogue for the congregationall these yearshad been cancelled and withdrawn after the circular. Neither a notice nor opportunity was given to the congregation or to religious nuns employed in the school. The order sought to interfere in the petitioner's right to establish and administer the institution as a minority institution, the petitioner submitted. With dates of state assembly polls expected to be announced in few days time, major political parties in Kerala are gearing up for the election with leaders engaged in discussions on finalising their list of candidates. The process of giving finishing touch to candidates' list has speeded up in the Congress, the lead partner in the ruling United Democratic Front, with Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, KPCC President V M Sudheeran and Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala holding talks with district leaders. The sub-committee of each district have given a list of candidates of their respective constituencies with more than six probable names to the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee. KPCC wanted to finalise the list in a few days time and submit it to the party high command for approval, party sources here said. Discussions with Front partners on seat sharing was also progressing. The second largest partner in the ruling UDF, Indian Union Muslim League, which contested 24 seats last time, is likely to demand more seats this time. Other constituents, Kerala Congress (M) and JD(U), which contested 15 and six seats in the last polls, have already demanded more seats. RSP and KC-J, are the other two minor parties in the UDF. Deliberations are also going on in full-swing in CPI-M, which heads the LDF opposition, in finalising the candidates. Key discussion in the party is over the candidature of CPI-M veteran and state Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan. As per reports, the focus of debate is whether both 93-year-old Achuthanandan and politburo member Pinarayi Vijayan should contest the polls and who should lead the Front campaign. Party General Secretary Sitaram Yechury, who attended the party secretariat held here yesterday, took stock of political situation in the state and discussed the issue of candidates. District Committees of the party would meet again in the coming days and discuss on candidates. Later, the suggestions of the district committees would be debated at the party state secretariat to be held on March 11 and 12, followed by state committee, party sources said, adding, "a final decision on list of candidates is expected by then." CPI-M had contested 93 seats in the 2011 polls. Discussions with front partners on seat sharing were also on in the left camp. CPI, the second largest partner in the LDF, contested 27 seats last time. Janata Dal (S), NCP and Congress (S) are the other minor partners of LDF. CPI State Secretary Kanam Rajendran has said their candidates' list would be announced on March 19. The party council meeting here on March 11 would lay down the guidelines for selecting candidates. Kerala Congress (B), led by former minister R Balakrishna Pillai, has already severed its ties with the UDF. Even though the party has not officially joined LDF, it has already extended support to the Left camp opposing UDF. Its lone MLA and Pillai's son, K B Ganesh Kumar has openly stated that he would like to contest from his home constituency Pathanapuram in Kollam district. However, LDF has not responded to the request. Similarly, KC-M rebel leader and former government Chief Whip P C George, who was suspended from the party, has also extended support to the Left. He has also expressed his desire to contest from his constituency Poojar in Idukki district. Another major change in the coalition equation is that RSP which was with LDF in 2011 polls is now with UDF, after the party snapped its ties over differences of seat sharing in the last Lok Sabha polls. BJP, which has not tasted victory in the assembly and Lok Sabha polls in the state, is in an upbeat mood after its good performance in the recent civic polls. The party is likely to have tie-up with new political outfit Bharthiya Dharma Jana Sena formed by Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam, a social organisation of the powerful backward Ezhava community,led by Vellappally Natesan. Natesan had gone to Delhi to meet BJP president Amit Shah to discuss issues regarding the tie-up in the state. BJP State President Kummanam Rajasekharan and former BJP state president, V Muraleedharan, who is Election Committee Chairman, would hold a meeting with Natesan before announcement of the alliance, party sources added. The Art of Living Foundation today said that preparations for its 'World Culture Festival' scheduled to be held in Delhi from March 11 are completed. Around 35 lakh people from 155 countries are expected to take part in the festival which will be also attended by leaders from various religions and artists among others. The three-day event will be organised at Mayur Vihar and would be attended by 35,973 performers in a grand musical symphony of 49 different instruments, the organiser said, adding that all the preparations are completed. "The Art of Living is completing 35 years of service to humanity and this congregation is the celebration of it. Not only serving the humanity, but also our commitment (is) towards serving spirituality and human values," Trustee of the 'Art of Living Trust' Prasana Prabhu said here. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony while President Pranab Mukherjee will be the chief guest at the concluding day. Prabhu said the event will be open to all and will be attended by political and spiritual leaders, peacemakers, artists across the globe irrespective of sects or religions. "By showing the rich cultural traditions of dance, music and the arts from around the world as well as yoga, the festival believes to foster a deeper understanding between people of different faiths, nationalities and background," Prabhu said. He said the festival will celebrate the diversity in cultures from across the world while simultaneously highlighting "our unity as a human family". "This would be the first time in the world that 3.5 million people will meditate for the world peace on all the three days at one physical location," said a volunteer, adding that more that 20,000 international guests from South America, Mongolia, Russia, US, Europe, Japan, Malaysia, Australia, Pakistan among others are expected to attend the festival. "A very special highlight of the festival will be a 'peace meditation' led by humanitarian and spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar which will be held on all three days of the festival, for the millions in attendance," he said. Faculty members of varsities and academic institutions in Delhi today expressed concern over alleged "attacks" on academic freedom and institutional autonomy while calling for protection of the university system in the country. Teachers from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi University, Jamia Millia Islamia, Ambedkar University, South Asian University, IIT and other institutions also condemned the "attack on freedom of ideology" citing recent incidents at JNU and Hyderabad Central University. "The universities and other institutions of higher learning are not exclusively meant for the elite class but the children of the poor as well," said Jamia faculty Satish Deshpande. "The academicians feel the attack on ideological freedom is dangerous and the educational spaces need to be allowed the freedom of ideology," he added. DU's Apoorvanand expressed apprehension that "violation" of the autonomy of universities and other academic institutions may "ruin" them. Prof Vikram Soni said judicial intervention should be sought for protecting the autonomy and freedom of academic institutions. "If you consider the fact that the constitutional autonomy of the universities is being completely challenged by the government, why should we not file a PIL against it?" he said. "The autonomy of universities must be maintained because without freedom and debate there can be no learning," he said. On the sedition case against JNU students' union president Kanhaiya Kumar, the teachers termed it an "attack" against the institution. "JNU became a target because student politics there has traditionally been Left of Centre," said Prof Balveer Arora. A proposal to create separate cadre of all India services--IAS, IPS and IFoS-- for Goa is under examination of the government, Rajya Sabha was informed today. There was a communication from the Goa government in 2011 proposing for creation of separate cadre of all India services -- Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and Indian Forest Service (IFoS)-- for Goa, Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pension, Jitendra Singh said. Being the cadre authority for AGMUT (Arunachal Pradesh- Goa-Mizoram-Union Territories) cadre, the comments of the Ministry of Home Affairs were sought. It was, thereafte, conveyed to the state government that the existing joint AGMUT cadre system addresses the concerns of the state government with reference to cadre management, he said. "A similar proposal has been submitted by the state government of Goa to the cadre authority i.E. Home Ministry in 2014. It is currently under examination by Ministry of Home Affairs along with similar proposals by other constituent segments of AGMUT cadre," the minister said. There has been a "quantum jump" in allocation for the Northeast in the Union budget 2016-17 and it will help all-round development of the region, Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Jitendra Singh said today. Singh said the announcement of Organic Value Chain Development Scheme, with an allocation of Rs 115 crore, will prove to be a "game-changer" for the entire region. "Not only will it help boost the enormous unexplored potentials of organic entrepreneurship in the region but will also convert the entire region into a favourite destination for new start-ups from across the country to come to the Northeast," he said in a statement. The minister said emphasis of the government has been on promotion of organic farming and Northeast has become an important destination for that with Sikkim being declared as the first organic state of India by Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently. Singh said the budgetary allocation for the Ministry of DoNER has been increased from Rs 2,334.50 crore last year to Rs 2,400 crore this year. Provisions have been made for connectivity in Northeastern region, skill development and organic value chain development among others, he said. The minister said a budget of Rs 33,097.02 crore has been allocated for the Northeast across 56 ministries, which is 14 per cent higher than the budget estimate of Rs 29,087.93 crore for the previous year. Under Non-Lapsable Central Pool Reserve (NLCPR), budget estimate has been increased from Rs 90 crore to Rs 200 crore in 2016-17. The budget allocation for North Eastern Council schemes has been increased from Rs 700 crore to Rs 795 crore this year, he said. The minister also said Rs 150 crore has been provided for the newly launched NE Road Sector Development Scheme which will be helpful in the development of inter-state roads. In addition, he said, Asian Development Bank (ADB) will spare funds for construction and maintenance of roads in the region. "The budget allocation for Northeast this year is not only substantial but also very imaginative and hoped that the state governments will respond in similar vein by offering cooperation through timely submission of DPRs (Detailed Project Reports), utilisation certificates and states sharing of 10 per cent of funds etc," he said. CPI(M) today asked the Centre to reconsider its decision to remove over 70 drugs including life-saving ones used for treating cancer and HIV from customs duty exemption list, saying the move will make these more expensive resulting in "severe" hardships for patients. "The CPI(M) politburo expresses its deep concern that the life-saving drugs have been taken off the customs duty exemption list. This gazette notification by the government has made these drugs more expensive. "The CPI(M) demands the government should reconsider this decision," the party said in a statement. The Left party said the decision will trigger a rise of "at least 22 per cent" in the prices of imported drugs, leading to "severe" economic hardships in case of medicines which have no domestic alternatives. The government had last month withdrawn customs duty exemptions on 74 drugs, including life saving ones used for treating cancer and HIV. But within few days, in the face of criticism from various quarters, it had restored exemption on three of the 74 drugs that are mainly used for treatment of hormonal disorders, growth failure and haemophilia. The government though had defended the move saying the drugs removed from the list can be produced in India and such a move would promote domestic manufacturing in line with its 'Make in India' initiative. Astronomers have for the first time detected repeating short bursts of mysterious and powerful radio waves from an enigmatic source that is likely located well beyond the edge of our Milky Way galaxy. The findings indicate that these "fast radio bursts" come from an extremely powerful object which occasionally produces multiple bursts in under a minute, researchers said. All previously detected fast radio bursts (FRBs) have appeared to be one-off events, they said. Because of that, most theories about the origin of these mysterious pulses have involved cataclysmic incidents that destroy their source - a star exploding in a supernova, for example, or a neutron star collapsing into a black hole. The new finding, however, shows that at least some FRBs have other origins. FRBs, which last just a few thousandths of a second, have puzzled scientists since they were first reported nearly a decade ago. Despite extensive follow-up efforts, astronomers until now have searched in vain for repeat bursts. Lat year, McGill University PhD student Paul Scholz was sifting through results from observations performed with the Arecibo radio telescope in Puerto Rico - the world's largest radio telescope. The new data run through a supercomputer showed several bursts with properties consistent with those of an FRB detected in 2012. The repeat signals were surprising - and "very exciting," Scholz said. "I knew immediately that the discovery would be extremely important in the study of FRBs," said Scholz. Scholz pored over the remaining output from specialised software used to search for pulsars and radio bursts. He found that there were a total of 10 new bursts. The finding suggests that these bursts must have come from a very exotic object, such as a rotating neutron star having unprecedented power that enables the emission of extremely bright pulses, the researchers said. It is also possible that the finding represents the first discovery of a sub-class of the cosmic fast-radio-burst population. "Not only did these bursts repeat, but their brightness and spectra also differ from those of other FRBs," said Laura Spitler, postdoctoral researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy in Germany. Scientists believe that these and other radio bursts originate from distant galaxies, based on the measurement of an effect known as plasma dispersion. Pulses that travel through the cosmos are distinguished from man-made interference by the influence of interstellar electrons, which cause radio waves to travel more slowly at lower radio frequencies. The 10 newly discovered bursts, like the one detected in 2012, have three times the maximum dispersion measure that would be expected from a source within the Milky Way. The study was published in the journal Nature. A Trinamool Congress member in Rajya Sabha today demanded restructuring of Rs 2 lakh crore debt of West Bengal on the lines of humongous write-offs of bad loans of corporates done by banks. Raising the issue through a zero hour mention, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy (TMC) also said if the Centre truly believed in cooperative federalism, it should release over Rs 15,000 crore of pending dues to the state, including Rs 8561 crore for flood relief and Rs 5,100 crore compensation towards CST. He said public sector banks have written of Rs 3 lakh crore of bad loans. On similar lines, there should be "restructuring of bad debt of West Bengal without further loss of time." "Why should the same principal of waiver and restructuring not be extended to West Bengal," he said and demanded release of arrears and restructuring of debt his party's government in the state had inherited. 29 public sector banks have reportedly written off an estimated Rs 1.14 lakh crore non-performing assets (NPAs) or bad debts between 2013 and 2015. Mohammed Nadimul Haque, also TMC, raised the issue of delay in appointment of information commissioners in the Central Information Commission, which has led to large pendency of RTI cases. : A coconut tree climbing robot is among five awards won by Amiritha University students at a Asia competition in Singapore. While the coconut tree climbing robot won the Best Mechanical Design award, a staircase-cleaning robot, room-cleaning robot, a gesture-based navigational robot and a hand-orthosis robot for stroke patients, were among the award winners at the recent OMRG Asia competition,where 20 teams from various countries participated,a university release said. The robotic coconut-tree climber, the hand-orthosis robot for stroke patients, the gesture-based navigational robot and staircase-cleaning robot bagged prizes in the Open Category, while the autonomous room-cleaning robot won the second prize in the Under 18 category. The coconut-tree climber named Amaran was judged 'Best Mechanical Design and ClePa, the staircase cleaning robot, was declared the "Best Marketable Design, it said. The robots were designed by students as part of Humanitarian Technology (HuT) Labs of University's Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering. The University intends to develop the robots further and introduce them in the market, Hut Director, Dr Rajesh Kannan Megalingam, said in a release here. +This is a huge achievement for Amrita University as well as the country as instances of Indians winning robotic contests outside India are rare. Of the several universities from Asia which participated in the OMRG contest, Amrita was the only one to win more than two prizes, he said. OMRG Asia 2016 (One Moment of Robot Glory Asia) was organized by EDU Studio Solutions of Singapore. YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. According to the operations report of the Police of the Republic of Armenia, 11 out of 13 cases of infliction of bodily injuries were registered in the territory of the Republic from March 2 to March 3, as well as 12 cases of theft, 4 cases of swindling, 2 cases of squandering, 2 cases of tax evasion, 1 case of intentional destruction of property and 1 case of smuggling, Armenpress reports. From earlier committed crimes 2 cases of theft have been solved. Over the past 1 day 10 road traffic accidents were registered in the republic: 12 people got bodily injuries of varying levels. Complaining that airlines were "looting" passengers, Rajya Sabha members today asked the government to set up a regulatory mechanism so the carriers could not charge exorbitant prices. Raising the issue during the Zero Hour, K N Balagopal (CPI-M) said airlines were charging exorbitant prices, especially from travellers to Middle Eastern countries and cited example of high fares between Calicut and the Gulf. Observing that foreign airlines were ruling the aviation market, he said the airlines are "looting actually". When Deputy Chairman P J Kurien asked for government's response on the matter, Minister of State of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said he would convey it to the minister concerned. As some time was still left in the Zero Hour after all the mentions were taken up, the issue was raised again. A member said airfares between Delhi and Amritsar had touched as high as Rs 1 lakh during recent the Jat agitation in Haryana. Rajiv Shukla (Cong) demanded that there should be regulatory authority for air prices. "There should be some regulatory mechanism. This is the sense of the House," Kurien said and asked Naqvi to convey the sense to the government. Earlier, the House witnessed some lighter moments. As some members were not present for the special mentions, Kurien said most of the them did not accept that the matter would be taken up during the morning hour. He also quipped "running (the House) has a become a rare thing". During the past two days, the House had witnessed uproar and disruptions due to sloganeering by AIADMK and Congress members. Russia expressed hope today that North Korea would "draw the right conclusions" and resume talks after the United Nations adopted the toughest sanctions to date on Pyongyang over its fourth nuclear test and rocket launch. "We are hoping that the North Korean side will take this decision in an adequate manner, draw the right conclusions and return to the negotiating table to settle the nuclear problem on the Korean peninsula," the foreign ministry said. The UN Security Council measures adopted yesterday were the product of seven weeks of arduous negotiations between Washington and Beijing, Pyongyang's sole ally and main provider of trade and aid. Russia -- which enjoys friendly ties with the Stalinist regime -- said the new resolution was "rather tough" but added world powers had no other choice. "For the past 10 years North Korea has defiantly ignored Security Council demands," the foreign ministry said, adding that the global community could not accept "irresponsible 'games' with missile-borne nuclear weapons." But Russia also expressed hope that the new resolution would not be interpreted as an excuse to worsen the plight of North Koreans, when it came to the economic and humanitarian situation in the country. Moscow reiterated its warning to Washington not to deploy a missile defence system to South Korea that could "escalate tensions" in the region. Hours after the United Nations adopted the sanctions North Korea fired six short-range projectiles into the sea in a new show of defiance. The latest resolution ushered in the fifth set of UN sanctions on North Korea since it first tested an atomic device in 2006. Russia warned today the war in Yemen could grind on for a "very long time" because of the government's insistence on conditions for a ceasefire. Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, speaking to reporters after a UN Security Council meeting on the Yemen crisis, told reporters he was concerned that prospects for peace talks were dim. "We hear that the government does not want to have a ceasefire until there is a comprehensive settlement," Churkin said. "This is a recipe for a very long conflict which will have even more dramatic results," he said. Russia has repeatedly criticised the Saudi-led bombing campaign in Yemen that was launched last March to push back Iranian-backed Huthi rebels. More than 6,000 people have been killed in the conflict. It has brought the country to its knees, with more than 80 percent of the population in dire need of food, medicine or other basic necessities. Russia abstained, but did not veto, a Saudi-backed resolution adopted last year that demands that the Huthi rebels withdraw from all territory seized in their campaign. That resolution, Churkin said, "is being used essentially to continue the military campaign" by the Saudi-led coalition. UN envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed last month told the council that he was hoping to convene peace talks this month to follow up on a first round of consultations held in Switzerland in January. But the envoy did not announce a date for new talks during his closed-door briefing to the council, diplomats said. Yemen's Ambassador Khaled Alyemany said his government was ready to take part in talks but accused the rebels of failing to fulfill their commitment to release detainees among other confidence-building measures. Alyemany accused the Huthis of blocking aid convoys and looting relief supplies that he said were being sold on the black market. "The putschist militias are acting like war criminals. They are using starvation as a tool of war against my people in every province under their control," he told the council. Angolan Ambassador Ismael Gaspar Martins, whose country holds the council presidency this month, told reporters that "a speedy cessation of hostilities is a must" in Yemen. Deploring the "extremely grave" humanitarian crisis, Gaspar Martins said the council was considering a new resolution to press for more aid to reach Yemen and to stress the importance of protecting hospitals from attacks. The UN envoy is due to return to Saudi Arabia on Friday for more talks on the ceasefire and other confidence-building measures, diplomats said. Russian tourism authorities have drawn up an ambitious plan to attract more Indian tourists to popular destinations like Moscow and St Petersburg and are promoting Crimea as the new tourism hub. "In 2015, the number of tourists from India to Russia was around 31,000. The possibilities to expand the tourist inflow to our country are enormous," Katerina Belyakova of the Russian Information Center in India said. "Many Indian tourist go to Europe and Asia, but regions of Russia are relatively less known," she told reporters here. "We are holding 'Indo-Russian Tourism Exchange' events for development of tourist traffic between India, Russia, and the countries of the Eurasian Economic Council, which includes a series of promotional tours for Indian travel companies in April-May this year in St. Petersburg, Moscow and the Crimea," Belyakova said. Initiatives undertaken by the Indian and Russian tourism ministries and the non-commercial industry bodies aim to promote best travel destinations in their respective countries among tour operators and travel agencies to boost tourism exchange, she said. RIC plans to organise tours for the tourism industry to Russia to familiarise them with Russian culture and attractions, she said. Satish Soni, Joint MD of Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) and Sergey Kidisyuk, General Manager (India) of Aeroflot airline, were present at the first such exchange event held in Mumbai recently. Soni said MTDC is ready to provide full support and take promotional tours of Russia. The tourism potential of our state for the Russian tourists has not yet fully been explored. The tourism community was very interested in the packages to Russia and CIS regions for reasons of it being yet untapped market, more attractive than Western Europe and lower costs compared to other packages. The next such event will be held at Delhi on March 10 at the Russian Centre for Science and Culture in New Delhi. A 'Thank You' message was all that a senior official got from Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, two JNU students at the centre of a sedition row, when he sought to interrogate them in the case. Khalid and Anirban declined to appear before District Magistrate Sanjay Kumar, tasked with probing the case, and sent him a 'Thank You' note'. New Delhi District Magistrate Sanjay Kumar had on February 23 gone to Jawaharlal Nehru University to interrogate Khalid, Anirban and another JNU student, Ashutosh Kumar, hours before the first two surrendered to police. "I wanted to interrogate Khalid. When I heard of them (Khalid and Bhattacharya) being back in JNU after their disappearance, I went there on February 23 to interrogate them. "I was sitting in a room while Khalid along with Anirban and Kumar was in another classroom that day. I sent a message to Khalid on his phone to appear before me, but he sent back a message saying they would first consult their lawyers. They added a 'Thank You' in the message," Kumar said. Khalid and Anirban are in police remand since their surrender and subsequent arrest on February 24. Police have also questioned Ashutosh twice. On March 1, a Delhi court sent Khalid and Anirban, arrested in the sedition case over a controversial event on the JNU campus, to 14 days' judicial custody. In a hate-fuelled attack, a 13-year-old Sikh school boy in Australia, travelling in a bus here, was assaulted, mocked and threatened with being stabbed for wearing a turban. Harjeet Singh, was riding the bus home, when two males and a female ringleader -- all believed to be in their late teens assaulted and mocked him. Harjeet was also allegedly threatened with being stabbed and had his turban pulled in the hate-fuelled attack aboard a suburban bus, the Herald Sun reported. The female demanded to know why Harjeet was wearing a "towel" on his head and twice tried to remove his turban despite the terrified boy trying to get away. It is alleged that one of the males was also involved and the boy was sworn at. Harjeet's mother Rajinder Kaur Gill told the daily, "My son was so scared and he was crying. It's a horrible thing. I'm just scared if it's safe for him on the bus." "We are worried it's not just my son -- we are worried it will be other people as well. It should not happen to anyone," she said of the incident that took place on February 23. The two males and the female are being sought by police. Harjeet, who attends Doncaster Secondary College here, was sitting in the middle row of the bus when the offenders approached from the back seat. The ordeal lasted until Eltham when Harjeet got off the bus early with schoolfriends, also in tears. One of their mothers drove Harjeet home. "I was so scared. I just froze and when my friends got off the bus I got off with them," Harjeet said. "The girl said I had a 'worthless towel' on my head," he said. "The girl pushed my son's turban with her elbow," Gill said. "My son moved from his seat to get further away from them and they followed him and sat behind him again. This time the girl pushed him hard and tried to remove his turban again. My son was scared and he asked them to stop but they laughed at him and they said there aren't that many stabbings in Eltham," she said. Victoria Police spokesman Paul Turner said police were investigating reports of an assault. "The investigation is in its infancy and it would be inappropriate to provide further comment at this time," he said. A 25-year-old man, working with an IT firm here, was murdered by a group of nearly four unidentified persons in the wee hours today, police said. The incident occurred at around 4.50 AM near a commercial building gate on S D Road in Secunderabad when four persons, who came in a car, stabbed Sanjay Junge. The victim died on the spot, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Mahankali Division) V Thirupathi told PTI. "A police patrol vehicle chased the car of the accused while they were fleeing from the spot. However, they managed to escape. The motive (behind the murder) is still not known," the ACP said. A police team is verifying the car's registration number with the RTA (regional transport authority) office, he said. A case has been registered. The deceased was staying with his parents at Parsigutta, police said. Seven years after the end of civil war, Sri Lanka today decided to ban land mines describing it an "important" move for the resettlement of people displaced during the conflict with the LTTE. Sri Lanka has decided to ratify the anti-personnel mine ban convention also known as the Ottawa Convention, Gayantha Karunathilake, the Cabinet spokesman and the Minister of Media, said. Northern and Eastern provinces in Sri Lanka have been severely affected by land mines and explosives due to the conflict situation prevailed in Sri Lanka. Demining process is important for the resettlement of internally displaced persons, he said. Karunathilake said the Cabinet had approved a joint proposal made by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Prison Reforms, Rehabilitation, Resettlement. According to UN figures, up to 100,000 people were killed in the three-decade long civil war that ended in 2009. Hundreds of people are still missing. The Ottawa Convention was adopted on September 18, 1997 and entered into force on March 1, 1999. The landmark humanitarian and disarmament treaty seeks to end the suffering caused by land mines. By joining the convention, each state undertakes to destroy all stockpiled anti-personnel mines it owns or that are under its jurisdiction or control, not later than four years after the entry into force of this convention. According to the latest figure, to date, 162 states have joined the convention. UNHCR Mid-year Trends 2014' published by the UN agency said 1,23,028 persons of Lankan origin were refugees, another 16,190 were asylum-seekers (pending cases) and 30,847 were declared IDPs, either protected or assisted by UNHCR as of June 2014. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today said the issue of Indian fishermen straying into Pakistan's waters would be resolved soon with the installation of GPS in fishing boats and marking of the maritime boundary. Responding to concerns raised by her party colleague during Zero Hour in Rajya Sabha, she said the issue of fishermen crossing over to Pakistani waters would soon be resolved as GPS navigation system were being installed on fishing boats to guide them. Besides, the international maritime boundary could be clearly marked by floating poles and lights to warn fishermen not to go beyond them, she said, adding that marking of the maritime boundary should be done in a way so that it is easily identifiable by the fishermen. "They (fishermen) want us to help them with information about the maritime boundary. The issue in relation to Pakistan would be soon resolved. We will install GPS and mark the maritime boundary line so that neither Pakistanis come to our side, nor do Indians stray to the other," she said. Earlier, BJP's Mansukh Lal Mandavia raised the issue of 117 Gujarat fishermen being arrested by Pakistan. He said fishermen from Tamil Nadu were also arrested by Sri Lanka. Swaraj said the issue was not of Gujarat or Tamil Nadu, "they are Indian fishermen." The Minister said when Pakistani fishermen come to the Indian side, they are arrested here and when Indian fishermen cross over, Pakistan arrests them. On the arrest of Tamil Nadu fishermen by Sri Lankan Navy, a mechanism was set up under which it was decided that fishermen of both sides would meet and find a solution. However, 5-6 meetings have taken place but this mechanism has not given any solution till date, she said. Swaraj said that during her recent visit to the island nation, she had raised the issue with the Sri Lankan President, Prime Minister and Foreign Minister. It has been decided that since fishermen of the two sides are not able to find a solution, Sri Lankan fisheries minister would come to India in May to hold talks. The matter would be discussed and "we will find a permanent solution," Swaraj said. Star Union Dai-ichi Life Insurance today said it has launched a new critical illness plan. The new plan, SUD Life Aarogyam, is a non-linked non-participating health insurance plan and guarantees a fixed rate of premium for first five policy years, the insurance company said in a statement. The plan assures payment of sum assured chosen as a lump sum amount in case the life insured is diagnosed with any of the listed 40 critical illnesses, it claimed. SUD Life (Star Union Dai-ichi Life Insurance Co Ltd) is a joint venture between Bank of India, Union Bank of India and the Dai-ichi Life, Japan. YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. The Government of the Republic of Armenia confirmed the decision to appoint Gebriel Gyozalyan Aragatsotn Governor. Armenpress reports Minister of Territorial Administration and Development David Lokyan mentioned that Gyozalyan is very experienced. Armenian Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan congratulated Gabriel Gyozalyan on the appointment and wished him productive tenure. Sargis Sahakyan was the Governeor of Aragatsotn Province. This change is conducted within the framework of RPA-ARF cooperation. Fitness chain Talwalkars Better Value Fitness today said it will invest Rs 100 crore over the next three years to open 100 gyms across Sri Lanka. "Over the next three years, the company plans to inaugurate some 100 gyms across the length and breadth of Sri Lanka, investing about a crore in the latest equipment and technology in each of the facilities," Talwalkars said in a BSE filing. The company today announced opening of 10 gyms in Sri Lanka in collaboration with the Colombo-based Power World Gyms Ltd (PWG). In October last year, Talwalkars had picked up a 49.5 per cent stake in PWG for an undisclosed sum. The stock of Talwalkars Better Value Fitness was trading at Rs 206.20, up 0.78 per cent, on BSE. Steel major Tata Steel today observed the 177th birth anniversary of its founder Jamsetji N Tata in the steel city of Jamshedpur here today. Chairman Cyrus Mistry and Managing Director (India and South East Asia) T V Narendran, among the host of senior officials of the company as well as its associated companies, paid floral tribute to the doyen of India industry at the company works to mark the occasion. Speaking on the occasion, Mistry said the flourishing city of Jamshedpur stands testament to the vision of the Founder which went far beyond the pioneering organisations he started. "Inspired by him, we have charted new courses and taken on new challenges, while keeping the best interest of all our stakeholders at heart," he said. Mistry said he sees Tata Steel as an illustration of the group's future potential. The modernization investments here, and the expansion in Kalinganagar will propel Tata Steel's sustained leadership of the steel industry. "Similarly, in other established Tata businesses, we continue to invest for the future. At the recent Auto Expo, Tata Motors unveiled a very exciting pipeline of products," Mistry said, adding that at the same time, today's highly interdependent world has unprecedented volatility. Globally, China rebalancing its economy has put pressure on the steel industry. The last year was challenging and underlines the importance of productivity and cost competitiveness, he said. Being lean and agile will help us tackle uncertainty, and will also position us to leverage large opportunities. Government spending on Infrastructure will have a positive impact across our businesses, Mistry said. A broad array of technology firms joined Apple's legal fight on encryption today, warning of a dangerous precedent if the company is forced to help the government break into a locked iPhone. Three tech associations which represent Apple's main business rivals -- including Google, Facebook, Microsoft and Yahoo -- announced a joint brief supporting Apple's efforts to challenge an order that would require it to help unlock an iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino attackers. "If the government arguments prevail, the Internet ecosystem will be weakened, leaving Internet users more vulnerable to hackers and other bad actors," said a statement from the Computer and Communications Industry Association, which announced a joint amicus brief with the Internet Association and the i2 Coalition of Internet infrastructure firms. The three associations said their brief was set to be filed before the midnight deadline in federal court in California where the case is being heard. A number of other companies and associations were expected to file briefs in the case, which has divided the American public and set off a highly charged debate about the limits of law enforcement in accessing digital devices. "There is broad and deep concern throughout many types of companies throughout the tech industry that there is a potentially dangerous precedent in this case," said Ed Black, president and chief executive of CCIA. "While the tech industry understands the government's desire for information, and respects its mission to keep us safe, we hope the court appropriately weighs the wider issues of security and trust that are also at stake in this case." The case stems from the FBI's efforts to access the locked iPhone used by one of the perpetrators of the December attack in San Bernardino, California, that killed 14 people. Apple has argued that the only way to unlock the phone is to introduce a weakened operating system, which could potentially leak out and be exploited by hackers and foreign governments. The FBI has argued that by introducing encryption which can lock data only accessible to the user, Apple and others are essentially creating "warrant proof zones" for criminals and others that will cripple law enforcement and jeopardize public safety. The CCIA includes Apple rivals such as Amazon, Pandora and Samsung, and the Internet Association counts as members Dropbox, Microsoft, Yahoo and Facebook. Some firms are members of both. The i2 Coalition includes Google, which is a member of all three organizations. Some individual companies and other industry groups were also planning to file amicus briefs, which back the legal arguments of one side or the other. Thai police seized nearly one million pairs of fake designer sunglasses in a series of raids against a counterfeiting gang in which two Chinese nationals were arrested, investigators said today. The two suspects, a man and a woman, were detained at a warehouse where much of the huge contraband cache was uncovered in Bangkok's bustling Chinatown district, Thailand's Department of Special Investigation (DSI) said in a statement. Ray-Ban, Oakley, Louis Vuitton and Dior were among the labels that the gang had faked with the haul worth more than 130 million baht ($3.6 million) if sold as genuine versions, the statement said. A total of 895,897 pairs of sunglasses were seized at seven locations across Chinatown. A DSI investigator told AFP parts for the fake designer goods were manufactured in China but assembled by the gang in Thailand. Counterfeit goods are ubiquitous in Thailand and sold openly on the streets. Occasional police crackdowns do little to dent the demand for cheap copies of luxury labels. Thailand has deep cultural and geographical links with China thanks to centuries of migration. Bangkok's crowded Chinatown district is popular with tourists and locals alike for its heaving alleyway markets stacked with a huge array of goods, many of them manufactured in Chinese factories. Police arrested three persons here and claimed to have busted a gang which allegedly duped students of their money by promising them admission in medical colleges. "Acting on a tip-off, a special team was formed to probe the matter. Four days back, one of the accused, Nasim Ahmed was arrested from Jaipur. Another accused, Sanji Ranjan was nabbed three days back while the third, Ranjan Kumar, was arrested today," DCP Anshuman Bhomiya said. "The accused operated from Jaipur and Delhi. They used to get details of students seeking admission in medical colleges and call them promising admission," he said. Primary investigation showed the accused used to secure admission for some of the candidates in different medical colleges including one in Jaipur, as well as in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, under management and NRI quota by charging lakhs of rupees each, the DCP said. However, in most cases they failed to secure admission but did not return the money they took from the candidates, Bhomiya said, adding the accused have allegedly cheated candidates from Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. The role of the colleges and universities is also being examined, he said. Delhi Police have ensured tight security for JNU Students' Union president Kanhaiya Kumar who was released from Tihar jail on Thursday after he got bail in a sedition case. Kumar was released at around 6.30 pm, following which a team of officials of Delhi Police's west district escorted him till one point from where a south district police team took him to the JNU campus, a police source said. Earlier in the day, police mounted heavy security outside the Jawaharlal Nehru University gates where a group was spotted protesting against Kumar. Apprehending "clashes" following Kumar's release, police issued an 'advisory' to all district, traffic and PCR units asking them to maintain a strict vigil, especially in and around the JNU and Delhi University campuses. "The advisory says that in case Kumar gets bail, there is a possibility that he may visit places like Jantar Mantar, JNU and DU with a large number of his supporters, including students' groups like AISF and AISA and members of some political parties," a police source said. "It says that ABVP and other right wing groups, including some political leaders, may oppose such gatherings and there is a possibility of clashes among the groups. "In view of the sensitivity and gravity of the matter, a sharp vigil by local police is recommended to avoid any untoward incident," he said. The advisory was first issued when police opposed Kumar's bail plea in the high court. It was reissued on Wednesday, the source added. Kumar, who was arrested on February 12 in connection with a sedition case over a controversial JNU event, was granted interim bail for six months by the Delhi High Court on Wednesday which said he has to cooperate in the ongoing investigation and appear before investigators as and when required. Kumar was attacked by a group of men at the Patiala House Court complex here when he was taken there on February 17. Following the incident, the high court had come down hard on Delhi Police and said it will be answerable if any of the students arrested in connection with the case suffered even a scratch. US Republican front-runner today came under a brutal attack from the party's former presidential nominee Mitt Romney who called him "phony and a fraud", alleging that "dishonesty" is the hallmark of the real estate tycoon. "There's plenty of evidence that Trump is a con-man, a fake. Trump has changed his positions not just over the years, but over the course of the campaign," he said. "We will only really know if he's a real deal or a phony if he releases his tax returns and the tape of his interview with the New York Times. I predict that there are more bombshells in his tax returns. I predict that he doesn't give much, if anything, to the disabled and to our veterans. I predict that he told the New York Times that his immigration talk is just that talk," he said. Read more from our special coverage on "DONALD TRUMP" In a rare speech, Romney gave a clarion call to his party men to not let Trump become the presidential nominee as he is the "wrong person" to lead the party and the country. "Here's what I know: is a phony, a fraud," Romney said. Romney, who was defeated by President Barack Obama in his 2012 re-election, joins a growing chorus of anxious Republican leaders who appear to have ganged up against Trump in a last ditch effort to prevent him from becoming the nominee for the November presidential poll. Trump, so far, has won 10 of the 16 States where Republican primaries and caucus have been held in the last one month and has a substantial lead in terms of number of delegates as against the three other major Republican candidates Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and John Kasich. Claiming that there is a "bombshell" hidden in Trump's tax returns, which he has not released so far, Romney said Trump's nomination would only help Hillary Clinton become the next president of the United States. Romney alleged "dishonesty" is Trump's hallmark. "He claimed that he had spoken clearly and boldly against going into Iraq. Wrong. He spoke in favour of invading Iraq. He said he saw thousands of Muslims in New Jersey celebrating 9/11. Wrong. He saw no such thing. He imagined it," he said. "He's not of the temperament of the kind of stable, thoughtful person we need as a leader. His imagination must not be married to real power. The president of the United States has long been the leader of the free world," he said. Think of Trump's personal qualities, Romney urged his party men. "The bullying, the greed, the showing off, the misogyny, the absurd third-grade theatrics. You know, we have long referred to him as 'The Donald'," he said. "He's the only person in the entire country to whom we have added an article before his name, and it was not because he had attributes we admired," he said. Romney was soon joined by his senior party leader Senator John McCain, who endorsed his speech that slammed Trump. "I share the concerns about that my friend and former Republican nominee, Mitt Romney, described in his speech today. I would also echo the many concerns about Trump's uninformed and indeed dangerous statements on national security issues that have been raised by 65 Republican defence and foreign policy leaders," McCain said in a statement. In his speech, which was telecast live by all major television channels, Romney said Trump lacks the temperament and judgement to be a president. "And his personal qualities would mean that America would cease to be a shining city on a hill," Romney alleged. "I understand the anger Americans feel today. In the past, our presidents have channelled that anger, and forged it into resolve, into endurance and high purpose and into the will to defeat the enemies of freedom. Our anger was transformed into energy directed for good," he said. "Donald Trump says he admires Vladimir Putin, while has called George W Bush a liar.That is a twisted example of evil trumping good," he said. "The president and yes the nominees of the country's great parties help define America to billions of people. All of them bear the responsibility of being an example for our children and grandchildren," he said. "We don't have a nominee yet. This thing still has a ways to play out, and so people who are in the party are gonna be speaking their minds while we're selecting a nominee and so everything's fair game on the way to the nomination," Romney said. Romney challenged Trump to release his tax returns or the transcripts of his meeting with The New York Times editorial board. "I predict that despite his promise to do so, first made over a year ago, that he will never ever release his tax returns. Never not the returns under audit; not even the returns that are no longer being audited. He has too much to hide. Nor will he authorise the release of the tapes that he made with the New York Times," Romney said. "If I'm right, you'll have all the proof you need to know that Donald Trump is indeed a phony. Attacking me as he surely will won't prove him any less of a phony. It's entirely in his hands to prove me wrong. All he has to do is release his back taxes like he promised he would and let us hear what he said behind closed doors to the New York Times," he said. Trump disparaged Romney in a series of tweets, including "I am not a Mitt Romney, who doesn't know how to win". Two female attackers today opened fire and hurled a hand grenade at police outside of a riot police station in Istanbul, Turkish media reports said. One of the assailants was believed to have been wounded when police returned fire. The state-run Anadolu Agency said the two attackers escaped the scene in a vehicle and were hiding inside a building some distance from the police station. Police have surrounded the building and are preparing to launch an operation to catch them, Anadolu said. Dogan agency showed what appeared to be security camera footage of the two women firing at a police bus and throwing a hand grenade at it, before apparently aiming at the police station. No police officer was injured in the attack, according to state-run TRT television. The motive of the attack was not known but both Kurdish rebels and militants of a far-left organization have attacked police in the past. Police in Istanbul today shot and killed two women who had hidden inside a building after attacking police with gunfire and a hand grenade, an official said. Two police officers were slightly injured. Security camera footage showed the women firing at a police bus outside a riot police station in Istanbul's Bayrampasa neighborhood and also hurling a hand grenade, before apparently taking aim at the police station. The hand grenade did not explode. They escaped the scene in a vehicle and hid inside a building a short distance from the police station. Police quickly surrounded the building and launched an operation after the pair ignored calls for them to surrender. Istanbul Gov. Vahip Sahin said both of the assailants were killed in the operation. He said two police officers were wounded one by broken glass during the attack on the bus and the other during the operation on the building. Sahin said police were trying to identify the assailants and possible accomplices. There was no immediate responsibility claim for the attack on the riot police station. Both Kurdish rebels and militants of a far-left organization have attacked police in the city in the past. The attack comes amid a surge in violence in Turkey since the summer. A fragile peace process with the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, collapsed in July, reviving a three-decade conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people since 1984. Last month, a suicide car bombing that targeted buses carrying military personnel in the capital, Ankara, killed 29 people. A Kurdish militant group that is an off-shoot of the PKK claimed responsibility for that attack. But the government maintains that it was the work of a Syrian Kurdish militia group, in coordination with the PKK. Some 145 people have died since July in three separate suicide bomb attacks that authorities have blamed on the Islamic State group, including 12 German tourists who were killed in Istanbul's historic Sultanahmet district on January 12. Two CRPF commandos were killed while over a dozen injured in multiple encounters between security forces and Naxals today in Chhattisgarh's worst Maoist violence-affected Sukma district. Officials said while the two commandos succumbed to bullet injuries late evening, at least 14 others including team leader and Commandant P S Yadav were injured. The others who sustained bullet and splinter injuries include Assistant Commandant Yogendra, Sub-Inspector Rajveer Singh, Head constable Santosh and Constable Sona Ram. They said the patrol team encountered multiple ambushes and fire fights beginning 12.30 PM and some teams of the squad, till late night, were still engaging in intermittent gunfire with Naxals in the area. The incident involves personnel of CRPF's exclusive jungle warfare unit CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) with the first encounter with Maoists occurring in the jungles of Dabbanarka of Sukma in Bastar area. While Singh was hit first in the exchange of fire, the others were injured in the later part of the operation. The officials said the men belonged to the 208th CoBRA battalion and have been air evacuated and sent to a hospital. Security forces personnel, including those from Central Reserve Police Force, CoBRA and state police, were combing the area till late, they said. "The encounter spot is deep inside jungles and hence there is weak connectivity with the patrol squad," an official said. YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. The Syrian refugee crisis has been the subject of widespread debate around the world and in particular in Europe. While European countries agree on promoting European principles and values, the level of solidarity action diverges drastically from country to country, and the subject is often transformed into cold questions of refugee quotas and political bargains. In the meantime, unbeknownst to many, Armenia, a country of the size of the state of Maryland, with its 3 million inhabitants, has been welcoming refugees flying from war and persecution. In fact, according to the Economist, Armenia has welcomed the third largest number of Syrian refugees as a proportion of total population. Armenpress reports, Luna Atamian and Haykaram Nahapetyan touched upon this issue The Huffington Posts blog. Since the start of the conflict, 17,000 Syrians have migrated to Armenia, according to UNHCR. The Syrian refugee exodus has reminded Armenians of their own tragic history which explains the moral and historic duty of the country to open its doors and offer a safe place to those fleeing war and persecution. The majority of these are descendants of Armenians who escaped the Genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman Turks in 1915, and were given refuge in Syria. Other minorities such as the Yazidis and the Assyrians have also found refuge in Armenia, the authors mention. The Armenian Government is working to address the urgent humanitarian needs by offering a wide range of emergency assistance and integration projects. To name a few, the government offers free health insurance as well as scholarships, has put into place a simplified naturalization and accelerated asylum procedure and has facilitated residence permits. Moreover, through the "adopt-a-family" project, refugees are matched with Armenian host families who help them integrate into the social, legal and cultural life of Armenia. To further integrate migrants, the Armenian government established a micro-credit scheme in collaboration with UNHCR to help refugees create startups. The authors of the article document that unlike Lebanon, Turkey or Jordan, Armenia has not received any financial assistance needed to pursue its humanitarian efforts. They state that the international community must provide Armenia with financial assistance in order to be able to receive and integrate refugees. Police today arrested two youths in South Mumbai for allegedly kidnapping as many minor girls from Bhopal. The alleged role of Mustafa Khan (20) and Raju Nimama (18) behind the abduction came to light when the police spotted them roaming suspiciously with the two girls (around 15 years) during 'nakabandi' (police checking) on Walkeshwar Road in early hours and questioned them. Following the questioning, the girls told the police they were abducted, a police official said. A case was registered against the duo in Malabar Hill police station. According to the officer, guardians of the girls lodged a complaint at Ratibad police station in Bhopal in wee hours today under section 363 (punishment for kidnapping) of IPC. The local police have contacted their counterparts in Bhopal who have left for Mumbai to take custody of the girls and the youths. Gold and jewellery establishments in many parts of the country remained closed today for the second day as traders protested against a budgetary proposal to levy 1% excise duty on jewellery. Traders in metros too downed their shutters for the second consecutive day, All-India Sarafa Association Vice-President Surinder Kumar Jain told PTI. "The budgetary proposal levying 1% excise duty on jewellery would affect business and wipe off the existence of nearly 90% of small jewellers in the country," he reasoned. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in the Budget for 2016-17 had proposed 1% excise duty on jewellery without input credit or 12.5% with input tax credit on jewellery excluding silver other than studded with diamonds and some other precious stones. "Nearly 6,000 shops and establishments in the capital alone are closed for the second day," Jain said. Meanwhile, jewellers and goldsmiths in Jaipur, Lucknow, Chandigarh and Jammu also kept their shutters down today to join the nation-wide protest. Jain said that in 2012, the UPA government had also proposed levying a 1% excise duty on unbranded jewellery, but had to discard the plan later. Bullion traders and jewellers have called a three-day nation-wide strike to lodge their protest against the proposed levy. The US is concerned over Pakistan's fast-expanding stockpile of nuclear weapons which in combine with evolving doctrine increases the risk of an "accident", a top pentagon official has said. "Pakistan's nuclear stockpile continues to grow. We are concerned that this growth, as well as the evolving doctrine associated with tactical nuclear weapons, increases the risk of an incident or accident," Lt Gen Vincent Stewart, Director of Defense Intelligence Agency said during a Congressional hearing. "Islamabad continues to take steps to improve its nuclear security, and is aware of the threat presented by extremists to its programme," Stewart said during his testimony before the House Armed Services Committee on Worldwide Threats. will face internal security threats from militant, sectarian and separatist groups this year, he said, adding that ISIS in Khorasan and al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent will also remain significant security concerns for Islamabad. Counter-insurgency operations along Pakistan's western border and paramilitary operations in Karachi have had some success in reducing violence and are likely to continue, he said. Tensions between India and subsided in late last year following high-level diplomatic engagement and an agreement to continue the talks next year, he added. However, there remains a significant risk that tensions could once again escalate with little warning, particularly if there is a large-scale terrorist attack in India, Stewart said. has ruled out any change in its "dynamic" policy of increasing its nuclear weapons, dismissing the US' request in this regard citing India's rapid military modernisation. Our nuclear capacity is a deterrent against Indian capacity. Deterrent is not a static concept. It is a dynamic concept. If your adversary goes on expanding its capacity, then you have to respond. It is not something that you can take something for granted," Sartaj Aziz, foreign affairs advisor to Pakistan's prime minister said yesterday. An American Airlines flight attendant has been arrested by the FBI and charged with starting a fire on board a flight. Johnathan Tafoya-Montano allegedly started a fire on an American Airlines flight that was traveling from Dallas, Texas to Detroit on February 1, 2016. During the flight, Tafoya-Montano reported a fire in a rear lavatory on the aircraft and extinguished the flames. After the fire was reported to the captain, the captain notified the control tower, and the aircraft, already on approach to land at Detroit Metropolitan Airport, was granted emergency status. The aircraft landed without incident and all passengers and flight crew safely disembarked. David P Gelios, special agent in charge of Federal Bureau of Investigation Detroit Division, said an investigation found that Tafoya-Montano had set the fire himself. Tafoya-Montano also admitted starting the fire, the FBI said in a press release. He has been charged with destruction of aircraft or aircraft facilities and false statements or entries generally. He was arrested on Tuesday. He was released on bond with conditions yesterday. One of the conditions included a prohibition from flying without permission of the court, the FBI release said. However, the FBI did not say why Tafoya-Montano started the fire on board the plane. Killer selfie! In a bizarre incident, a 43-year-old man in the US shot and killed himself accidentally while taking a selfie with a gun in hand. The man from Concrete, Washington, who has not been named, accidentally shot himself in the face with what he thought was an unloaded gun. The man and his girlfriend were at home taking photos of themselves with the gun when the incident occurred on Sunday, Skagit County Sheriff's Office Chief of Patrol Chad Clark was quoted as saying by the Skagit Valley Herald. The girlfriend reported that the pair had done this several times during the day, with the man apparently removing the bullets and then reloading the gun multiple times. After the last time, however, a bullet apparently remained in the gun, Clark said. The death is being investigated as accidental, Clark said. The Washington man is not the first to accidentally shoot himself while taking a selfie, or even the first to die doing so. Last year, a 19-year-old from Houston died while taking pictures of himself with a gun and posting them on Instagram. He too thought the gun was unloaded when he held it to his head for a photo. It has been reported that more people die while attempting to take selfies than in shark attacks. At least 27 people reportedly died in "selfie-related" incidents around the world last year. In Russia, where a woman almost died after inadvertently shooting herself while posing for a photo with a gun she had found, the ministry of internal affairs published a brochure instructing citizens on safe selfie habits. Dozens of conservative national security experts are warning that Republican presidential candidate is unfit to be commander in chief. In a letter released on Wednesday, former Homeland Security secretary Michael Chertoff and more than 70 other experts wrote that they have disagreed with one another on a variety of issues but are united in their opposition to a Trump presidency. They called Trump "fundamentally dishonest" and said his support for the expanded use of torture against suspected terrorists is inexcusable. They also cited Trump's "hateful, anti-Muslim rhetoric," his admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin and his advocacy for waging trade wars, which they say would lead to economic disaster in a globally connected world. Read more from our special coverage on "DONALD TRUMP" The letter was posted on the web site War On The Rocks, an online forum for foreign policy and national security commentary. Other experts who signed the letter include Fran Townsend, former homeland security and counter-terrorism adviser to President George W Bush; Eliot Cohen, former counselor to the State Department; Dov Zakheim, former Pentagon comptroller; and Robert Zoellick, former president of the World Bank. The letter was released the evening before 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney criticised Trump in a speech, calling him dangerous and a fake. Romney said that if Republicans choose Trump to be their presidential nominee, "the prospects for a safe and prosperous future are greatly diminished." During an interview on Thursday on MSNBC, Trump declined to say whom he consults with on foreign policy issues. But he said he has spoken to his team and plans to announce its members soon. "I don't think there's any rush," Trump said. Trump said he respects Richard Haass, the president of the Council on Foreign Relations. Haass served in the administrations of Presidents George W Bush and George H W Bush. To help bridge the gap in medical services, the US today extended a guarantee to loans of USD 9 million (Rs 60 crore) to be given to Healthspring, a primary healthcare provider. Small-sized private sector lender Ratnakar Bank Ltd will be extending the loan under the scheme for a five-year period, during which Healthspring is targeting to grow its network of family health clinics by 10 times to 300 centres. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is giving the loan guarantee through its Development Credit Authority, its mission director Jonathan Addleton told reporters here. The USAID signed the agreement with RBL today. Managing director and chief executive Vishwavir Ahuja said the bank is topping it up with Rs 40 crore of its funds without any guarantee, making it a Rs 100 crore funding line for the company. Addleton said USAID has participated in six different transactions in the renewable energy and agri space in the country till now and this is the first time that it is supporting the healthcare sector. He said given the huge population and the demographics, there is a huge opportunity for the healthcare sector in the country. Stating that he expects the healthcare opportunity in the country to grow to USD 280 billion by 2020 from the current USD 40 billion, Ahuja said the critical challenges are infrastructure and capital. Given the long gestation periods and the high capital requirements, banks are nervous to extend loans to this segment, he said, adding the private sector banks are best placed to support the sector given their ability to innovate. Healthspring's Chief Executive and Co-founder Kaushik Sen said the company has 100 doctors and three lakh registered users at present. For achieving targeted network expansion, it needs to raise up to Rs 200 crore in equity and there will be one round of infusion in mid-2016, he said, adding that it has already had four rounds of fund raising in which seven investors have participated. Vatican protocol has been rewritten to enable divorced Catholic leaders and their new spouses to be received jointly by Pope Francis, Holy See sources confirmed today. The move is unlikely to be officially announced but has already been applied once; when Argentinian President Mauricio Macri visited Francis on Saturday accompanied by his third wife, Juliana Awada. Under the previous protocol, Awada would have been made to wait in a separate room before being greeted by the pope after her husband's audience -- and after the official photos of the visit had been taken. That practice was based on a belief that the pontiff should not be seen to endorse relationships which Church teaching maintains are adulterous unless a first marriage has been annulled. Since coming to office in 2013, Francis has tried to steer the Church away from such a judgemental approach, arguing that divorced and remarried believers should be able to play a fuller part in the life of their congregations. At present their marriages are considered invalid and they are banned from taking communion. Francis has also ordered a streamling of the annulment process in a bid to help many Catholics caught in limbo between unhappy personal situations and their faith. The treatment of divorced people was one of the hot button topics discussed during a major synod of Catholic bishops and others which concluded last year. The Church is now waiting for Francis to announce what, if any, conclusions he has drawn from those discussions which exposed a deep rift between Catholic leaders in Europe and North America and more conservative clerics in Africa and Asia. Veteran Forward Bloc leader Ashok Ghosh, who played a vital role in the formation of the first Left Front government in West Bengal, died here today. He was 94. A bachelor, Ghosh was admitted to a private hospital here on February 2 with lower respiratory tract infection. Later his condition deteriorated and he was put on ventilator, according to his party. A veteran in Bengal politics whose political career spanned more than seven decades, Ghosh was known for his spartan lifestyle and used to live in a small room in the party office. He was widely respected across the party lines. Ghosh was drawn towards politics and freedom struggle after being influenced by the leadership of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, when he left Congress to form his political party Forward Bloc. It was in 1952 that Ghosh for the first time was elected as the state Secretary of the Forward Bloc. Ghosh gained prominence as a leader who led several mass movements and along with the Communists threw a challenge to the then ruling Congress regime in the state. Ghosh, along with Marxist stalwarts like late Jyoti Basu and Promod Dasgupta had played a vital role in the formation of the first Left Front government in the state in 1977 which was in power till 2011. Although Ghosh was a strong advocate of strengthening the Left Front, he never hesitated in criticising the wrong polices of the Left Front. He was critical of land acquisition in Singur by the LF government. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed grief on the passing away of the veteran leader. "Saddened on the passing away of veteran politician Asok Ghosh. Condolences to his family and friends", she tweeted. Sri Lanka's main Marxist party today said it is not "anti-Indian" despite its opposition to the proposed economic and technical cooperation agreement with India. "We understand that times have changed and the country must move forward internationally. But any trade agreement must result in the transfer of investment capital and technology," Vijitha Herath, JVP's spokesman told a political gathering at Kurunegala in the north western province. "We are opposed to the ETCA but it does not mean we are anti-Indian," he said. The JVP along with several professional groups have expressed opposition to the Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement (ETCA). They claim the pact would be inimical to Sri Lankas trade, investment and limited employment opportunities. The Sri Lankan government had vowed to go ahead with the ETCA despite opposition. The JVP during 1987-90 led a bloody rebellion against the Indian intervention in Sri Lanka's Tamil separatist conflict through the Indo-Lanka Peace Accord. YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. At least eight US airline companies requested the authorities to approve flights to Cuba, Armenpress reports citing BBC. Air carriers want to fly to the island from several cities, including Chicago, Houston, Denver and Miami. Earlier, the United States and Cuba signed an agreement on the resumption of regular flights between the two countries. According to forecasts, 20 flights will be carried out daily between Havana and American cities, as well as 10 flights to other Cuban cities. In 2015, about 160 thousand tourists visited Cuba, arriving by charter flights. Barack Obama will visit Cuba on March 21-22 as part of the trip to Latin America. Obama will be the first US president to visit Cuba after Calvin Coolidge, who visited Cuba in 1928. British rock band Rolling Stones will have a concert in Havana, which will be the largest concert in the capital of Cuba after the 1959 revolution. The concert will take place on March 25 at the Ciudad Deportiva stadium. Entrance will be free of charge. Rolling Stones stated in a press release that this will be a special event for the band and their Cuban fans. For many years, Cuban authorities persecuted young people for their passion for rock music. It was considered the influence of Western capitalism. In addition, the Cuban government has long banned the unofficial mass gatherings of people. The Centre today said it will abide by Supreme Court verdict on the issue of freeing convicts, a day after Tamil Nadu government decided to remit the life sentence of all the seven killers of Rajiv Gandhi, a move opposed by the Congress. The Supreme Court had on December 2, 2015 held that the Centre and not State government will have the "primacy" and that states cannot exercise "suo motu" the power to decide whether persons convicted in matters of the CBI or central agency should be released or not on remission, dealing a blow to efforts by the state government to release all the convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. Congress opposed the decision of the AIADMK government to remit the sentence of the convicts, calling it "very unfortunate". The state government had also sought the Centre's views on its move. Members of Congress and AIADMK also sparred in the Lok Sabha during the Zero Hour over the state government's decision with Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharg demanding a response from Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who was present in the House. Singh while stating that the government is examining the decision, however, made it clear that abiding by Supreme Court's order on release of convicts is its Constitutional responsibility. "We have received a letter from the Tamil Nadu government yesterday and we are examining it. But I want to state about the accused that Supreme Court has given a verdict and to abide by its order is our constitutional responsibility, not only constitutional but also moral responsibility," Singh said. Kharge protested against the decision, terming it as "very unfortunate". If such a practice to free such convicts is allowed, then other states might also make such demands, Kharge said, adding that such a move should not be allowed for the sake of the country's unity and integrity. Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad told reporters that Congress would oppose the state government's decision. "We don't agree with the Tamil Nadu government. The Supreme Court has already rejected this plea of several organisations and there is no question of supporting such a move. "As a party, we will definitely oppose this move of the Tamil Nadu government," he said. In a guarded response , BJP's Tamil Nadu unit said a "humane approach" should be taken on the incarceration period of the seven convicts, but it should be within the legal framework. Backing the state government's decision, DMK President M Karunanidhi asked the Centre to take steps for the release of the seven convicts. The convicts are V Sriharan alias Murugan, T Suthendraraja alias Santhan, A G Perarivalan alias Arivu, Jayakumar, Robert Payas, Ravichandran and Nalini. Indian Wind Turbine Manufacturers Association (IWTMA) today sought higher tariff for wind energy in Telangana to encourage more companies to set up projects in the state. Telangana has the potential for 4,000 MW wind energy generation, IWTMA Chairman and Deputy Managing Director of RRB Energy Limited, Sarvesh Kumar, told reporters here. "The tariff should be in the range of Rs 6 per unit. The tariff offered was much lower in the undivided state. We are going to convey the same to the government also. "Telangana has tremendous opportunity, with over 4,244 MW of wind power potential at 100 metre hub height, as estimated by the National Institute of Wind Energy," he said. Kumar said the government has indicated an intention to add "at least 2,000 MW of wind power by 2018-19". IWTMA, in partnership with Confederation of Indian Industries - Godrej Green Business Council (CII-Godrej GBC), organised a workshop here to discuss the outlook for the wind power sector in Telangana. Chintan Shah, vice-chairman, IWTMA, and president, Strategic Business Development, Suzlon Energy Limited, said the Central government should be much more liberal towards the industry for achieving the country's energy goals and 'Make in India' targets. The industry is currently capable of producing wind energy equipment to produce 9,000 MW per annum, Shah said. A woman Naxal was today killed in an exchange of fire with police in Abhujmad area of Chhattisgarh's Maoist-hit Narayanpur district, police said. "The skirmish took place in Kasturmeta forests," said Inspector General of Police, Bastar range, S R P Kalluri. Following the reports of killing of some tribals in Abhujmad by Maoists after accusing them of being police informers, security forces had been sent to the interior villages like Kutul, Parpa and Kasturmeta for getting more information, the IG told PTI. A police team spotted a group of ultras in Kasturmeta forests following which a gun-battle broke out but the Maoists soon fled taking cover in the forest, he said. Subsequently, during a search, the body of a woman Naxal wearing a uniform was found. A .303 rifle was also recovered from the spot, the IG said. "Her identity is being ascertained. Preliminary investigation showed that she was not a local. She could be from Peoples Party Member (PPM) of Maoists," he said. A police team was still pursuing some rebels who could have been injured in the encounter and fled towards Ketulnar village, the IG added. By Tim Hepher PHOENIX (Reuters) - Airbus is seeking airline support for a new 400-seat jetliner provisionally dubbed the A350-8000 as competition escalates with Boeing over the world's largest two-engined jets, airline and aviation industry sources said. After talking up the possibility of a new member of its A350 family, the European planemaker has swung into an active pre-marketing phase as it responds to a recent upgrade in the competing Boeing 777 series. While Boeing has scored successes in the Gulf with its biggest ever twin-engined jet, the 406-seat 777-9, Airbus is expected to aim its design at airlines that do not always require the performance needed for extreme Gulf conditions. "It would have similar capacity and range (as the 777-9) and substantially lower seat-mile costs," Airbus sales chief John Leahy said in an interview. "We are showing it to airlines right now." The project is the latest move in a game of leapfrog played by Airbus and Boeing over the past decade in the market for big twinjets, valued at about $1.9 trillion over 20 years. It marks a shift in priorities after the collapse in oil prices eased pressure on Airbus to upgrade its larger four-engined A380, output of which is declining because of slow sales. Two of the airlines whose feedback could be decisive in whether Airbus launches the new jet are Singapore Airlines and British Airways. Singapore took delivery of its first smaller A350-900 model this week and has long been weighing up the 777-9, while putting pressure on Airbus to offer it a choice. Both airlines declined to comment. Airbus planemaking president Fabrice Bregier was visiting Singapore on Thursday for a delivery ceremony, at which a company spokesman declined to comment. The A350 XWB (Extra Wide Body) family was launched after a string of setbacks in 2006 to compete with Boeing's mid-sized 787 Dreamliner and the larger 777. Boeing responded to the all-new jet by upgrading its existing 777 series to include the 777-9, which has outsold the A350-1000 by about 40 percent but has entered a lean period since its launch with big Gulf orders in 2014. Boeing has disclosed 306 sales of 777-9s and a similar variant, while Airbus has sold 181 of its A350-1000s. "It is clearly an airplane that is on its own in the marketplace and the airplane is selling very well," Boeing marketing chief Randy Tinseth told the Istat Americas air finance conference, referring to the latest 777 model. KEY DECISIONS The new, bigger A350 would use a derivative of the latest Rolls-Royce Trent XWB planned for the A350-1000. One person briefed on the plans said it would boost thrust from the current 97,000 pounds to about 100,000 pounds. A Rolls-Royce representative was not immediately available for comment. To give it more capacity and compete with the 777-9 on long trips, engineers are likely to examine design tweaks to boost the maximum take-off weight to a little more than 319 tonnes, compared with 308 tonnes on the Airbus A350-1000, the person said. However it would sacrifice some range compared with the 8,000-mile A350-1000. Airbus says it has not made a final decision on whether to launch the longer new plane and will provide an update at the Farnborough Airshow in July. Meanwhile, it has been weighing up what to call the new member off the A350 XWB family, reflecting deeper decisions on market positioning that can affect billions of dollars in sales. It needs to strike a balance between protecting sales of the A350-1000, by emphasising differences without weakening its long-held mantra of commonality between related aircraft. Until now, the possible new model was widely known in the industry as the A350-1100, continuing a sequence from the 276-seat A350-800 to the 315-seat A350-900 and 366-seat A350-1000. Now, sources say it is being pre-marketed with a surprise new identity, the A350-8000, though a final decision has yet to be taken. An earlier working title was A350-1000 XL. Leahy confirmed that Airbus was reluctant to ratify the industry's nickname of A350-1100 but declined to give details. "You don't want it so close to the 1000 that it is an either-or decision. You have the 1000 and another airplane, with equal gaps of 40 seats between the 900 and 1000 (models), and then whatever this becomes." Eight is a number widely used by planemakers and is seen as a symbol of success in a key battleground for sales: Asia. "Eight is a very nice number out in Asia, but we are not going to comment until we launch the programme," Leahy said. (Editing by David Goodman) BEIJING (Reuters) - Alibaba Group Holding Ltd's internet finance arm Ant Financial Services Group is in talks to invest in Chinese outlet Caixin Media, said two people familiar with the matter. Ant Financial, Caixin and Alibaba declined to comment. Caixin, with its eponymous flagship magazine, is an influential business, politics and finance media group founded by outspoken editor Hu Shuli. Caixin also possesses data and indices which could complement Ant's financial and wealth management services, should the companies agree to a deal. In a statement on its website on Wednesday, Caixin said it was nearing completion of a funding round, introducing a number of unnamed high-quality investors, but that new and original shareholders alike will recognise the group's editorial independence. Caixin's statement did not say how much it was seeking to raise. The sources did not say how much Ant Financial plans to invest in Caixin. E-commerce titan Alibaba and its affiliates have been expanding their media empire, investing in everything from film, television and music to video games and . In December, Alibaba agreed to a $266 million acquisition of Hong Kong's flagship English-language newspaper, the South China Morning Post, a controversial deal that has raised questions over the publication's editorial independence. The talks with Caixin also come as China's ruling Communist Party tries to maintain a chokehold over domestic media and public opinion. Last month, President Xi Jinping told Chinese state media they must speak for the party and protect its authority and unity, the official Xinhua news agency reported. (Reporting by Shu Zhang and Paul Carsten; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman) German luxury car makers are in talks with possible partners for digital mapping company HERE, Chief Executive Rupert Stadler said on Thursday. Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz clubbed together last year to buy Nokia's maps business, beating out high-tech rivals for location services seen as key to the future of self-driving cars. "There are different kinds of talks at the moment," Stadler told reporters. "We have let it be known that we are pleased to invite our partners and competitors to become co-users of this platform. We have also said we are prepared to reduce our stakes, so that other technology partners will come on board," the CEO said, declining to be more specific. (Corrects spelling and characterisation of Natixis in 11th paragraph in story released on March 03, 2016) SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Moody's downgraded its outlook on Chinese government debt to "negative" from "stable" on Wednesday, citing uncertainty over authorities' capacity to implement economic reforms, rising government debt and falling reserves. The Moody's downgrade comes just days before the National People's Congress (NPC) is due to vote on China's 13th five year plan, a closely held development blueprint for the next five years, which policymakers began formally drafting in 2015. Analysts will closely scrutinise the NPC's final text for hints on the likely trajectory of reform and policymakers' thinking on the appropriate growth strategy for China - key factors highlighted by Moody's in the report issued on Wednesday. "Without credible and efficient reforms, China's GDP growth would slow more markedly as a high debt burden dampens business investment and demographics turn increasingly unfavourable. Government debt would increase more sharply than we currently expect," Moody's said. The agency said its rating committee had discussed China's status at a meeting on Feb. 9, during which the country's institutional and fiscal strength, as well as its susceptibility to event risk, were reviewed. The agency said the downgrade was driven by expectations that China's fiscal strength will continue to decline, as well as the fall in its foreign exchange reserves which have shrunk by $762 billion over the last 18 months. It also said that policymakers' credibility was at risk of being undermined by incomplete implementation or partial reversals of some reforms. "Interventions in the equity and foreign exchange markets over the past year suggest that ensuring financial and economic stability is also an objective, but there is considerably uncertainty about policy priorities," Moody's said. Moody's, however, retained China's Aa3 rating, noting the country's sizeable reserves gave it time to implement reforms and gradually address economic imbalances. But the agency warned that it could further downgrade China's rating if it saw slowing down of reforms needed to support sustainable growth and to protect the government's balance sheet. "It's not a worrying sign yet, but rather a negative direction. That's what Moody's is flagging," said Trinh Nguyen, senior economist for corporate and investment bank Natixis S.A. "But they (Chinese authorities) have room to do this. They have one of the lowest government debt as a share of GDP in comparison to other emerging nations. And most importantly, as China has a current account surplus it can fund its own fiscal expansion." Initial market reaction to the outlook change was muted, although the cost of insuring Chinese government debt against default rose slightly. "The drivers - local government debt, capital outflows, falling reserves and concerns on the progress of reforms - are all well recognised by investors and a lot of them have arguably already been priced in," agreed Aida Yah, Senior Emerging Market Asia Economist at AXA Investment Managers. HIGH AND RISING CORPORATE DEBT A major rationale for downgraded outlook, Moody's said, was the large stock of contingent sovereign liabilities such as state-owned corporations' debt, local government debt, and the debt of China's big "policy" banks - the Agricultural Development Bank of China, China Development Bank, and the Export-Import Bank of China. While Moody's put actual government debt at only 40.6 percent of GDP at end-2015, Standard & Poor's estimated in July that corporate debt had already risen to 160 percent of GDP in 2014, twice the level in the United States and up from 120 percent in 2013. "There has been a lot of poor credit allocation, with too much credit directed at inefficient state firms and not enough going towards smaller efficient firms," said Julian Evans-Pritchard, China Economist at Capital Economics in Singapore. In a separate note on Wednesday, ratings agency Fitch also highlighted rising risks to Chinese banks from accelerating credit growth. "The 50bp cut to the reserve requirement ratio (RJR) for Chinese banks on Tuesday, together with record loan growth in January, could point to an increasing likelihood that the authorities are shifting policy to enable more credit-fuelled growth," Fitch analysts wrote. "Rolling over more debt will only delay and not resolve an expected rise in non-performing loans." On Tuesday, the People's Bank of China cut bank reserve ratio requirements by 50 basis points, releasing an estimated $100 billion of cash for lending. (Reporting by Brenda Goh in Shanghai and Rishika Sadam in Bengaluru; Additional Reporting by John Ruwitch, Nathaniel Taplin, Michelle Price, Umesh Desai and Elzio Barreto; Editing by Eric Meijer) (Corrects region in spokeswoman's title paragraph 3) By Mehreen Zahra-Malik ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - U.S.-based ride-hailing service Uber Technologies Inc launched in Pakistan on Thursday, venturing into a country where credit cards are rare and security is a concern. Uber's launch comes shortly after rival service Easy Taxi, backed by German firm Rocket Internet, pulled out of Pakistan amid a broad exit from Asia, where competition from local ride-hailing start-ups including Singapore-based Grab Taxi and China's Didi Kuaidi is strong. Uber's Pakistan launch is part of a $250 million drive into central Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, Shaden Abdellatif, Uber's head of communications for the region, told . It launched its low-cost uberGo service across Lahore at 13.7 Pakistani rupees (13 U.S. cents) per km, a price Abdellatif said was low enough to attract as many customers as possible. And in a departure from its usual business model, Uber customers will be allowed to pay in cash, rather than credit cards, which are rarely used in Pakistan. "The response to our arrival has been fantastic - both from riders and drivers," Abdellatif said. In Pakistan, Uber must contend with one of the lowest Internet penetration rates in Asia. The safety of both passengers and drivers will also be a major challenge in a country with a high crime rate and an intractable Taliban insurgency. In neighbouring India, the government temporarily banned Uber after an Uber driver was accused of rape. Abdellatif said all Uber drivers would go through rigorous screening, as well as undergo mandatory training aimed at raising awareness about sexual harassment. "We are also engaging the local law enforcement on ways we can develop the incident response process," she added. Uber, currently valued at over $50 billion, has expanded more quickly globally than any company in history and is operating in 300 cities in over 60 countries. ($1 = 104.7000 Pakistani rupees) (Editing by Miral Fahmy) By Marc Jones and Michel Rose LONDON/PARIS (Reuters) - France backs Britain's Suma Chakrabarti's second term as head of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the office of the French finance minister said on Thursday, confirming an earlier report. "I confirm our support to Suma Chakrabarti," a spokesman for Michel Sapin told . One of the sources, a European finance ministry official who requested anonymity, had said that the French had written this week to the Secretary-General of the EBRD expressing their support for Chakrabarti. "It is of course still early in the process, but the French letter follows other countries who have already spoken up in his favour," the source said. Chakrabarti has been at the helm of the London-based development bank since 2012 and the move by France could deter potential challengers for the role, such as Poland's central bank governor Marek Belka. Nominations for the job close on March 11 and if there is a challenger the bank's members will vote at the bank's annual meeting in May. The EBRD was created in 1991, originally to invest in the former Soviet bloc countries of eastern Europe to rebuild their economies and improve communist-era infrastructure. Chakrabarti's four-year term has been a difficult one for the bank. In 2014, the EBRD stopped lending in Russia, traditionally its biggest market, after Western countries imposed sanctions on Moscow over Ukraine. It saw its first annual loss since the 2007-08 financial crisis. But the EBRD has also continued to expand its reach. It is has started lending in euro zone crisis countries Greece and Cyprus. Lebanon is expected to be next, while China has become a member. (Reporting by Astrid Wendlandt; Editing by Dominic Evans) By Alexandria Sage and Paul Lienert SAN FRANCISCO/DETROIT(Reuters) - Google's self-driving car team is expanding and hiring more people with automotive industry expertise, underscoring the company's determination to move the division past the experimental stage. The operation now employs at least 170 workers, according to a review of their profiles on LinkedIn, the business-oriented social network. Many are software and systems engineers, and some come from other departments at Google. More than 40 of the employees listed on LinkedIn have previous automotive industry experience, with skills ranging from exterior design to manufacturing. They hail from a wide range of companies, including Tesla Motors Inc, Ford Motor Co and General Motors Co. For a look at the composition of Google's self-driving car team, see http://tmsnrt.rs/1oxX4Lg Google has not disclosed details about the size or composition of its self-driving car team, and Johnny Luu, spokesman for Google's car team, declined to comment. The team could have additional members who do not publish profiles on LinkedIn. Google has said previously that it intends to ready the technology for a marketable self-driving car by 2020, but it may never manufacture vehicles itself. The tech giant is more likely to contract out manufacturing - much like Apple does with iPhone - or to license technology to existing car manufacturers, automotive industry experts said. Licensing would follow the model Google has used with its Android operating system for mobile devices. In the past four weeks, Google has advertised nearly 40 new positions on the team, and many are related to manufacturing. The team currently has six people with such experience, including purchasing, supplier development and supply chain management. Hires with manufacturing skills could help Google find and coordinate with a partner to build a vehicle, said Paul Mascarenas, a former Ford executive who is president of FISITA, the International Federation of Engineering Societies. Google is also engaged in discussions with federal and state regulators about how to revise motor vehicle safety standards to accommodate autonomous cars. The competition for technical talent is intensifying as tech and automotive companies race to build driverless vehicles. Beyond Google, the players include Tesla, established car makers such as Daimler AG and GM and, and technology companies such as Apple Inc and Uber Technologies Inc. Google's team is being assembled by John Krafcik, an industry veteran who previously headed Hyundai Motor Co's U.S. operations and is an expert in product development and manufacturing. Krafcik joined Google in September 2015. Another senior executive with previous automotive experience, Paul Luskin, was hired last month as operations manager, according to his Linkedin profile. An engineer with stints at Jaguar Cars, Ford and Japanese supplier Denso Corp, Luskin most recently was president of Ricardo Defense Systems, a unit of Britain's Ricardo PLC, according to the Linkedin profile. Google hired industry veteran Andy Warburton in July to head the vehicle engineering team, according to his Linkedin profile. Warburton spent two years as a senior engineering manager at Tesla and 16 years as an engineering manager at Jaguar. A third auto veteran, Sameer Kshisagar, joined Google in November as head of global supply management on the self-driving car team. Kshisagar is a manufacturing expert who previously worked for GM, according to his Linkedin profile. Luskin, Warburton and Kshisagar did not respond to requests for comment. Google's self-driving car group also has tapped people with experience beyond the auto industry, including aerospace (Boeing, SpaceX, Jet Propulsion Lab) and electronics (Intel, Samsung, Motorola), according to LinkedIn profiles. Krafcik and Chris Urmson, director of the car team, have said they want to forge partnerships with established automakers and others to build vehicles. Krafcik made a public pitch for alliances at an auto industry conference in Detroit in January. However, Google may have to look farther than the auto industry to find a manufacturing partner, said Raj Rajkumar, a Carnegie-Mellon University professor who advises companies on self-driving car development. The tug-of-war over who controls - and profits from - the stream of user data in self-driving cars is "an inherent and fundamental conflict" between Google and traditional automakers, Rajkumar said. Instead, Google may choose to build its own engineering and design prototypes, then partner with a Chinese automaker or an Asian contractor such as Hon Hai Precision Industry's Foxconn Technology Co that wants to enter the automotive field, several experts said. Michael Tracy, a Michigan-based auto manufacturing consultant, said Google sees the potential of several different revenue streams from its self-driving technology, including licensing its mapping database and vehicle control software, as well as an integrated package of software, sensors and actuators that would form the backbone of a self-driving vehicle. The least likely prospect is that Google will manufacture its own vehicles, Tracy said, due to the massive expenditures required and the stiff competition from established automakers. (Reporting by Paul Lienert in Detroit and Alexandria Sage in San Francisco; Editing by Joseph White and Brian Thevenot.) YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan received the "Armenian Water and Sewerage" CJSC contract manager and first deputy chairman in charge of international operations of the French SAUR company Michel Furier. As "Armenpress" was informed by the Information and Public Relations Department of the Government, the Prime Minister praised the ongoing bilateral cooperation in the field of water supply and the importance of the presence of the company in Armenia. Michel Furier assessed the cooperation with the Armenian Government as efficient and noted that "Saur" is interested in the continuation and expansion of its activities in Armenia. The parties discussed issues of further cooperation in the field of water supply. MUMBAI (Reuters) - The chief executive of India's second-largest phone manufacturer has left the company, the second high-profile departure within a year, as the business grapples with falling sales in the face of competition from cheaper Chinese handsets. Micromax said that Vineet Taneja has left to pursue other opportunities. It did not name a successor but said that senior management can handle operations in his absence. The company's low-cost smartphones have enabled it to grow rapidly since 2008, but sales have slowed more recently. Shipments fell by 12.1 percent in the final quarter of 2015, against growth of 15.4 percent for sector as a whole, data from industry tracker IDC showed. Taneja joined Micromax from Samsung Electronics' Indian business in 2014 as the company began to step up its international expansion into countries such as Russia. In the past year, however, Micromax has been undercut by even cheaper feature-rich smartphones sold by Chinese rivals including Xiaomi, Lenovo, and LeEco. Taneja's exit comes almost a year after former Bharti Airtel CEO Sanjay Kapoor resigned as Micromax chairman. Micromax, which is majority owned by its four co-founders, has expanded into areas such as personal computers and televisions, but mobile phones still account for the bulk of its business. (Reporting by Himank Sharma; Editing by David Goodman) BEIJING (Reuters) - Moody's downgrade of its outlook on China's government debt lacked support from facts, the official Xinhua agency said in a commentary published on Thursday. Moody's Investors Service downgraded its outlook on Chinese government debt to "negative" from "stable" on Wednesday, citing uncertainty over authorities' capacity to implement economic reforms, rising government debt and falling reserves. (Reporting by China Monitoring Desk and Kevin Yao; Editing by Richard Borsuk) US based ride-hailing service Technologies Inc launched in Pakistan on Thursday, venturing into a country where credit cards are rare and security is a concern. Uber's launch comes shortly after rival service Easy Taxi, backed by German firm Rocket Internet, pulled out of Pakistan amid a broad exit from Asia, where competition from local ride-hailing start-ups including Singapore-based Grab Taxi and China's Didi Kuaidi is strong. Uber's Pakistan launch is part of a $250 million drive into central Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, Shaden Abdellatif, Uber's head of communications for the region, told Reuters. Read more from our special coverage on "UBER" Uber to launch services in Pakistan from tomorrow Ubers real estate footprint unmatched among San Francisco Bay Area startups Uber starts bike taxi scheme in Bangkok Uber opens centre of excellence in Hyderabad Were toying with our own payment wallet idea: Amit Jain It launched its low-cost uberGo service across Lahore at 13.7 Pakistani rupees (13 U. S. cents) per km, a price Abdellatif said was low enough to attract as many customers as possible. ALSO READ: Ola and Uber pilot bike taxi services in congested Bengaluru And in a departure from its usual business model, customers will be allowed to pay in cash, rather than credit cards, which are rarely used in Pakistan. "The response to our arrival has been fantastic - both from riders and drivers," Abdellatif said. In Pakistan, must contend with one of the lowest Internet penetration rates in Asia. The safety of both passengers and drivers will also be a major challenge in a country with a high crime rate and an intractable Taliban insurgency. In neighbouring India, the government temporarily banned Uber after an Uber driver was accused of rape. Abdellatif said all Uber drivers would go through rigorous screening, as well as undergo mandatory training aimed at raising awareness about sexual harassment. "We are also engaging the local law enforcement on ways we can develop the incident response process," she added. Uber, currently valued at over $50 billion, has expanded more quickly globally than any company in history and is operating in 300 cities in over 60 countries. ($1 = 104.7000 Pakistani rupees) The International Monetary Fund is seeing "good progress" in discussions over Greece's debt and economic reforms and is not insisting on new, tougher targets, a spokesman for the Fund said on Thursday. IMF spokesman Gerry Rice told a general news briefing that he sees an early return of an IMF mission to Greece, but did not offer a date. "Our views have essentially not changed since the summer, when the original agreement is made. We are not, in fact, asking for anything additional in terms of the agreed targets," Rice said. (Reuters) Source: www.businessworld.ie Irish SMEs should explore new sources of funding in addition to traditional bank lending according to the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI). The SBCI recently teamed up with two non-bank lenders Finance Ireland and Merrion Fleet to provide a new range of low-cost SME financing options such as leasing, hire purchase and fleet finance facilities. The organisation plans to introduce more non-bank lenders to the Irish market in the coming months. The Central Statistics Office (CSO) published a survey today that showed few medium-sized enterprises looked for finance from non-bank sources. The CSO survey also found that 45% of SMEs choose to borrow from a particular bank because they already have an existing relationship with it, while 22% do so because the bank has a local branch presence. SBCI Chief Executive Nick Ashmore said Irish SMEs are more dependent on banks than SMEs in other countries and that they should be alert to the increasing number of non-bank funding options that have emerged in recent months. "Through Finance Ireland and Merrion Fleet, the SBCI has made 75m in new low-cost funding available to Irish SMEs through non-bank lenders, said Mr Ashmore. This is in addition to the 675m we have made available to SMEs through AIB, Bank of Ireland and Ulster Bank. Any SME that has not considered non-bank lenders could be missing out on low-cost, innovative financing that can help them grow their business. Source: www.businessworld.ie AIB have today released their annual financial results for 2015. The figures show that the bank achieved a 1.9bn profit before tax, 0.8bn (+72%) increase on 2014 driven by high quality new lending, continued progress on operating expenses and net credit provision write-backs of 925m. They have announced 14.4bn in new lending approvals to customers and 8.7bn of drawdowns, up 49% on 2014. Furthermore, total operating income is up 4% to 2.6bn. This bank is now well positioned to enable the State to recover its full investment of 20.8bn. "There can be no doubt that the Groups financial performance has confirmed our transition from a work-in-progress to a fully-functioning sustainable well-capitalised bank," says AIB CEO, Bernard Byrne. "Our strong profitability, significant increased lending, material reductions in impaired loans, normalised capital structure and significant payments to the State made 2015 a milestone year for AIB, he added. Source: www.businessworld.ie About us The Irish Times has reported that Drivers on the Luas tram line in Dublin are to take further strike action to disrupt services on Easter Sunday and Easter Monday in a dispute over pay. Luas operator Transdev said that in addition to stopping the tram service on Easter weekend, drivers planned to stop work next Tuesday, March 8th and on St Patricks Day. This was in addition to the earlier dates of Thursday February 11th and Friday February 12th, Thursday February 18th and Friday February 19th 2016. The workers have sought increases of between 8 and 53% as well as improvements in their conditions of employment. Management has proposed increases in the region of one to three per cent, linked to productivity. Transdev said it had stated its willingness to attend the Workplace Relations Commission and was disappointed the invitation had to be withdrawn because of last weeks unofficial action by some Luas drivers. The Chairman of the Small Firms Association, AJ Noonan, yesterday reacted with incredulity to the announcement, "Luas drivers have again escalated this industrial dispute with no regard for the people of Dublin. "The commemorative events scheduled to take place over the Easter weekend should be accessible to all. They represent a fantastic opportunity for businesses in the city centre. The festival spirit must not be dampened by Luas drivers seeking outrageous pay increases." Source: www.businessworld.ie YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian visited the Yerevan State University on March 3, where he attended the meeting of the Scientific Council of the University, during which he was awarded the honorary title of professor by Academic Council of Yerevan State University. As "Armenpress" was informed by the RA Foreign Ministry s Press, Information and Public Relations Department the Academic Council made a unanimously decision regarding this at a meeting on February 11. YSU Rector Aram Simonyan awarded the diploma of honorary professor to Edward Nalbandian noting that the decision of the Scientific Council was made considering Minister Nalbandians prolific social-political activities, achievements in science and long-term fruitful cooperation with the University. Minister Nalbandian expressed his gratitude during his speech, after which a Q&A took place with participation of students and the Academic Council of YSMU. Responding to "What is your assessment of the Turkish Prime Minister's statement that the Kurds, like the Armenian gangs "in the past, are cooperating with the Russians, and thus justifying the actions against the Kurds", Armenia's Foreign Minister said: "Turkey's Prime Minister openly says that their previous hypothesis regarding the Armenian genocide that it was war and what happened to the Armenians in the logic of war, is fabricated. Ankara officially and publicly announces that, in fact, the genocide against Armenians was intentional and deliberate, because Armenians had collaborated with the Russians. And today a similar threat is directed against the Kurds. This is a serious warning for the international community as to what might happen to the Kurds. The history of crimes against humanity has a lot in common. One of them is to discredit the victim by labeling them as a traitor. The killings are justified in the sick imagination of the executioners. "The responsibility falls first and foremost on the Armenians, whom Russia prompted to come out against us." These are the words of the Prime Minister of Turkey, but not of Ahmet Davutoglu in the early 21st century, but of Talaat Pasha in the early 20th century, one of the perpetrators of the Armenian Genocide. It is obvious that during hundred years the Turkish ruling elite has not changed much. The Managing Director of the Guinness Storehouse, Paul Carty, has been awarded the Presidents Award at the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) annual conference. The conference was held on Tuesday at a gala dinner in the INEC in Killarney, Co. Kerry. Paul received the award for the contribution he has made to Irish tourism, including his pivotal role in the success of the Guinness Storehouse. Under Pauls direction, the Guinness Storehouse is now firmly established as Irelands number one International Visitor Centre. It welcomes 1.5m visitors annually and last year was awarded the prestigious tourism travel award of Europes Leading Tourist Attraction beating stiff competition from Buckingham Palace, The Colosseum and the Eiffel Tower. Commenting on his win, Mr. Carty said, "I have always been so immensely proud to work in this industry. From a young age, I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in the hospitality industry and it has certainly served me well. "Ive been fortunate to work with amazing people in many parts of the world and gained valuable experience that I hope I have brought to bear in my work in both the Guinness Storehouse and in my other duties within the tourism industry." Source: www.businessworld.ie Germany's cartel office is investigating Facebook for suspected abuse of market power over breaches of data protection laws in the first formal probe of the social network for violating competition rules. The watchdog said it suspected Facebook's terms of service regarding how the company makes use of users' data may abuse its possibly dominant position in the social networking market. It planned to examine whether users were properly informed about how their personal data would be obtained by the company. Facebook, the world's biggest social network with 1.6 billion monthly users, earns revenues from advertising based on data it gathers about its users' social connections, opinions and activities in their postings. Federal Cartel Office President Andreas Mundt said,"For advertising-financed Internet services such as Facebook, user data are hugely important." "For this reason it is essential to also examine under the aspect of abuse of market power whether the consumers are sufficiently informed about the type and extent of data collected." A Facebook spokeswoman said on Wednesday: "We are confident that we comply with the law and we look forward to working with the Federal Cartel Office to answer their questions." The company has faced criticism from politicians and regulators in Germany, where data protection is strictly regulated. Co-founder and Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg visited Berlin on a charm offensive last week. Hamburg Data Protection Commissioner Johannes Caspar told Reuters, "We welcome the approach of the Cartel office. Whoever has power over user data gets market power and vice versa." EU officials have also expressed support for the view that Facebook's use of data might expose it to regulatory action on competition grounds. (Reuters) Source: www.businessworld.ie About Us Alphabet Inc's Google said on Thursday that its engineers were working with U.N. child agency UNICEF to analyse data in an effort to map and anticipate the spread of the Zika virus, linked to birth defects among children in Brazil. Google said in a statement it was providing a $1 million grant to the United Nations Children's Emergency Fund to help their volunteers on the ground, mostly in Latin America. The U.S. company said that it was also updating its products to make information on Zika more available. The outbreak of Zika in Brazil, first detected last year, has been linked to 4,863 confirmed and suspected cases of microcephaly, a condition defined by unusually small heads that can result in developmental problems. The Zika virus, transmitted by mosquitoes, is spreading rapidly in the Americas, according to the World Health Organization, which last month declared the outbreak a global health emergency. Google said a volunteer team of its engineers, designers, and data scientists was helping UNICEF build a platform to process data from different sources, including weather and travel patterns, in order to visualize potential outbreaks. "The goal of this open source platform was to identify the risk of Zika transmission for different regions and help UNICEF, governments and NGOs decide how and where to focus their time and resources," the company said. UNICEF Innovation Co-Lead, Chris Fabian, said the open source platform could be expanded for global use and employed in future disease outbreaks. Caryl M. Stern, President and CEO of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF, said the Google grant would help UNICEF to reach 200 million people in the region who are either affected by or vulnerable to Zika with information on how they can protect themselves.(Reuters) Source: www.businessworld.ie About Us Volkswagen will pay employees a bonus for 2015, despite the scandal over defeat devices used to rig emissions tests in the United States, the company's works council head said. "Extra shifts and overtime were once again the theme in 2015. And employees are standing by the company in light of Dieselgate," Bernd Osterloh said in VW's employee newsletter. Osterloh said he and Chief Executive Matthias Mueller had agreed staff on in-house contracts, around 100,000 people, should be rewarded with a bonus, but the amount still needed to be determined. "Staff are carrying out their work at a difficult time," the newsletter quoted Mueller as saying. VW, which on Wednesday said the U.S. diesel test problems did not initially receive particular management attention, last year paid in-house workers at its factories in western Germany a bonus of 5,900 euros each. VW's luxury unit Audi on Thursday said it would pay staff working at factories in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm a bonus of 5,420 euros on average, down from 6,540 for the previous year. (Reuters) Source: www.businessworld.ie As basis for this adoption was noted that there have been many genocides throughout history or events that led up to the genocide in April, and many genocide research institutions commemorate April as the month of fight against and prevention of genocides. It is noted that during World War II, Raphael Lemkins term genocide intended systematic or whole destruction of a national, religious or ethnic group, was established in view of the 1915 killings of Armenians and other Christian nations, exiles and forces assimilations. Further the document indicates Adolf Hitler's famous speech made in September 1939, "Who, after all, today remembers the annihilation of the Armenians?" The resolution cites the Holocaust, Cambodia, Bosnia, Rwanda and Darfur genocides .1984-1988 genocide against Kurds by Saddam Hussein's regime, as well as from 2014 until now genocide against Yazidis by the terrorist group "Islamic state" in Syria and Iraq. The adoption of the resolution is important for raising awareness of past genocides and prevention of such crimes in the future. The Georgia State Senate had previously adopted a resolution recognizing the 1915-1923 Armenian Genocide on April 22, 2011. Europe: For the refugee crisis, hope has been postponed Published on March 3, 2016 en de it fr es pl The EU summit from February 18th to 19th wasnt just about a potential Brexit. The refugee crisis was also up for discussion as hope dies at last. The hall is empty, awaiting the next press conference. As rumor has it, the heads of state are still dining. Six hours in all. Merkel has already stated her intention of finding agreement among the 28 member states. But that could take some time. My tired eyes wander to the wall, where the mission of the European Council is posted in all languages of the member states. Europe, "unification of the diverse". Its a distorted concept these days. The newspapers here are full of reports on the latest developments in the Brexit debate. At the same time, people are massing at European borders, and refugee camps are filling up. Refugee Crisis on the back burner? The focus of the meeting was apparent: UK, UK and a dash of the refugee crisis. A journalist asks how the crisis developed. European Parliament President Martin Schulz has a clearcut answer: "If all European member states were to participate in the distribution of refugees, either via legal mechanisms or voluntarily, there would be no crisis." Schulz further explains that the crisis developed because "a large percentage of countries are acting as though they are not affected by the stream of refugees fleeing from terrorism, civil war and persecution." Its cynical, Schulz said, that countries responsible for causing the crisis in the first place now are criticising the European Union for its lack of a meaningful response. "If all participate. If theres distribution based on fair criteria. If we register people at hotspots," Schulz said, "If we concentrate on the people from Iraq, Syria, from areas where brutal conditions exist, then we can definitely deal with the situation." His words are reminiscent of Merkel's famed "Wir schaffen das" (We can do this). But maybe its also realistic and important to sustain the community belief in finding a common solution. Schulz explains: "The EU is as strong as its member states want it to be. But if the member states arent prepared to accept their responsibility, the union will suffer." Numbers speak for themselves While the EU president emphasises the people and their suffering in his statement, others eye the numbers. Given the framework of the Dublin refugee agreement, its unthinkable and untenable that Austria should shoulder the burden for accepting refugees on behalf of all of Europe, that's according to Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann. But is the Dublin agreement really the issue? Wasnt that issue settled a few months ago? Faymann discusses the refugee situation in terms of numbers that represent the people that Austria has accepted in the context of the refugee crisis, but its not clear from his statement that there are human beings behind those numbers. But he does explain that, whatever cant be resolved at the borders, has to be achieved with an equitable distribution of refugees within Europe. A long night Late in the evening, Angela Merkel presents an outline that all 28 member states can agree on. The main goal is to end the stream of migrants and to reduce illegal immigration based on an EU-Turkish action plan, Because of the recent terror attacks in Ankara, the details will be hammered out at an upcoming March EU summit. Theres an urgency in the air as it becomes clearer that some countries will take unilateral steps. Austria, for example, will reduce the number of refugees it will accept and other countries are closing their borders completely. With the potential for a big surge in refugee numbers in spring, Merkel declares its critical to reach a decision in order to hold the union together. One big foreseeable change is a NATO mission to secure the EUs external border. Theres also talk of more cooperation between Frontex (the EU border security agency) and the Turkish coast guard. A second step would be to begin a process for a legally based resettlement of refugees from Turkey to the EU. But transportation issues arent the main focus whats really at stake is the security of Schengen. According to Merkel, the first results of new policies should become apparent by March. "We need a certain amount of time to evaluate those results and we will take that time," Merkel says. In general, theres a feeling that time is running out, and the conference participants look tired. Discussions continued until there was a consensus because, after all, Brexit remains on the agenda for the following day. --- This translation was completed by Bob Berwyn. Story by Oksana Sapelkin Translated from Europa: Vertagte Hoffnung in der Fluchtlingskrise Beyond Nordic Noir: A Foreigners Guide to Danish Cinema Published on March 1, 2016 Story by Lena Rosing en fr es it de pl 12 Danish feature films that will make you want to learn Danish, and then get the hell out of Denmark. There are many countries which are famous for their distinct and innovative approaches to artistic filmmaking. Denmark is usually not one of them. According to the international film industry Denmark has only really contributed to the world of cinema with two things, nordic noir series and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau. Nevertheless, there is so much more to Danish feature films than solving the crimes of psychopaths. Being a relatively small country does have its limitations when it comes to casting and therefore one will find that the same actors are used repeatedly. By now, the world knows about our three main actors, namely Mikkelsen, Coster-Waldau and Lie Kaas, who usually occupy the roles of either foreigners with psychopathic tendencies or Viking-looking heroes, but in Danish cinema they are usually neither of these. The films in this guide are the ones that Danes themselves love, probably because they so cruelly demonstrate the strange reality of Danish life through black humor and disturbing amounts of political incorrectness. With a maximum audience of approximately 6 million people for the purely Danish version of a feature film, there is plenty of room for experimenting with provocative or even discomforting themes, portrayed in a cruelly honest manner. De grnne slagtere (The Green Butchers) DIRECTOR: ANDERS THOMAS JENSEN (2003) This masterpiece is directed by Anders Thomas Jensen staring both Mikkelsen and Lie Kaas in leading roles. Unfortunately no vikings are present in this film, but get ready to bend your head in wonder and cringe your toes in discomfort while the noir danish humor takes you on a journey between reason and insanity. The scene is set in a typical small danish town where two friends decide to open their own butcher shop. Obsessed with the idea of success and acceptance, an unfortunate event turns out to be just what they need for the business to thrive. With one bad decision leading to another, mostly through repedent and justified denial, this film beautifully portrays how things are never what they seem to be, but that some level of insanity is always part of life. Drengene fra St. Petri (The Boys from St. Petri) DIRECTOR: SREN KRAGH-JACOBSEN (1991) As the Second World War is taking its toll on Denmark, seven young friends are sabotaging the German occupation through small acts of resistance. But as the group takes in a new member things start to change, and before they know it, their initiative turns from amateurs work into a real resistance group. Taking on one of the worlds largest armies, their importance as saboteurs expands beyond their wildest imagination. The film is a beautiful portrait of how local communities are affected by conflict and war, and how they rise and stick together in times of need. Harry og kammertjeneren (Harry and The Butler) DIRECTOR: BENT CHRISTENSEN (1961) A heartwarming story about Harry, an old and poor man who suddenly inherits a considerable amount of money. Harry has never cared much for material things so he decides to use it all on a Butler, too much wonder to his friends. Being used to serving counts and barons, the Butler is quite surprised when being called to Harrys humble house. Even though it might seem like a very simple story, it offers an extraordinary perspective on human dignity and humility. This is also the only film in this guide which was actually nominated for an Oscar in 1961 for Best Foreign Language Film. Charles Tante (Charley's Aunt) DIRECTOR: PAUL BANG (1959) This film is a danish re-creation of a farce comedy by the british writer Brandon Thomas, staring Denmark's all-time favorite comedian Dirch Passer. The three young law students Charles, Peter and Ditlev are looking forward to spend the summer in the charming countryside. Peter and Charles are both desperate to pursue the love of two lovely ladies, and with Charles aunt, Donna Lucia d'Alvadorez, announcing her arrival from Brazil, they have the perfect excuse for spending time with the girls, now appropriately accompanied by a female chaperone. But as Charles aunt doesnt show up, the boys plead their friend Ditlev to dress up and act as Charles aunt, a role that Ditlev plays surprisingly passionate and well. The film is a potpourri of Denmark's best actors from the 50s and will leave you laughing both of and with the characters. Mnd og Hns (Men and Chicken) DIRECTOR: ANDERS THOMAS JENSEN (2015) Probably the sickest twist in any danish film so far. If you want to take a stroll through the dark and disturbing version of Wonderland this is the film for you. Staring all the best actors from Denmark, this film makes danes laugh, even though they will probably never admit to it. The movies captures the beauty of the sane within the insane, the extraordinary within the ordinal, and will almost certainly make you reconsider the concept of normal. Discovering being adopted, the two brothers Elias and Gabriel seek out to discover their true identities, leading them to a remote danish island with only very few inhabitants. Further discovering the existence of several other siblings who live on the island, the brothers are drawn into a mystery they could never have imagined. Questioning the ordinal, this black comedy beautifully exposes new outlooks on existential themes such as love, brotherhood and identity. Blinkende lygter (Flickering Lights) DIRECTOR: ANDERS THOMAS JENSEN (2000) Another great movie from Anders Thomas Jensen that you just cannot miss. As four childhood friends are trying to escape the rage of the gangster boss, whos 4 million kroner they have just stolen, they are forced to hide in the countryside in an old house for several weeks. Here, trapped together, they are forced to deal with each other and more importantly with their own individual problems and ghosts of the past. Disguised as an action-comedy, where the action is almost non-existent, it is a beautiful story of how a troubled past does not prevent you from changing your future for the better. With its remarkable and cruelly honest, and often ironic dialogue, the film is an absolute must-see. Fri os fra det onde (Deliver us from evil) DIRECTOR: OLE BORNEDAL (2009) Despite the horrible title in english, most of all indicating a typical bad horror film, this is a danish thriller which will make you question why you came to Denmark. And moreover, it will make you stay away from the dark corners of the danish countryside forever. Its grotesque caricature of small-town life in modern Denmark will almost certainly make you sick to your stomach, but nevertheless it is a remarkable and distinctive contribution to danish cinema. When returning to his hometown to settle down with his wife and children, Johannes is not only confronted with his older violent brother Lars but also with the scepsis involved with being back as the new in town. Italiensk for begyndere (Italian for beginners) DIRECTOR: LONE SCHERFIG (2000) This dogme film is one of a kind in its genre as it is a comedy. With its handheld cameras and natural lightning, combined with a playful dialog, the film creates a distinctive expression which will leave the audience with a smile, while also giving a new perception of how comedies can be made. In a desperate need for change, 6 singles from the same suburb, each dealing with their own existential dilemmas, sign up for the same italian language course. The course gives each of them a new outlook on life and when the teacher passes away, they eventually take a much needed trip to the mysterious land of Italy. De fem benspnd (The five Obstructions) DIRECTOR: JRGEN LETH and LARS VON TRIER (2003) This bizarre film is a cooperation between two of Denmark's most prominent personas, namely Jrgen Leth and Lars von Trier. The film is based on Leths previous film Det perfekte menneske (The Perfect Human) and incorporates long sections of experimental film, produced by both filmmakers. Von Trier challenges Leth to do a remake of his film The Perfect Human five times, each time with a different obstruction imposed by von Trier. Innovating the art of filmmaking, this film will almost certainly leave you full of new impressions and food for thought. Cinematically, this film is one of a kind, as it is constantly challenging the norms in the field of filmmaking. Solkongen (King of the Sun) DIRECTOR: THOMAS VILLUM JENSEN (2005) In this beautiful and honest comedy, Nikolaj Lie Kaas is getting as far away from his former role as the mysterious villain in Angels and Demons as possible. This slightly different love story between a rich lonely widow and a young, and slightly mentally challenged man is a remarkable example of the unpretentious and playful danish cinema, never afraid of making a fool of itself. Sandheden om mnd (The Truth About Men) DIRECTOR: NIKOLAJ ARCEL (2010) Did you ever wonder how your life would have been if you had made other and maybe better decisions? While moving into a beautiful house in the suburbs, Mads suddenly discovers a letter he wrote to himself as a teenager where he outlines how he life shall be. Realising that it has not turned out as his 17-year old self wanted, he leaves his caring and beautiful wife Marie in order to get the life he really deserves, in his own opinion. He sets out to find the mysterious and beautifully troubled girl he was in love with in high school, who has only gotten more beautiful and interesting in his mind over the years. This film is an interesting story of how life could have been, how most dreams of adolescence remain dreams, and how consumerism breeds spoiled and unsatisfied people who arent able to enjoy life for what it is. Kunsten at grde I kor (The Art of Crying) DIRECTOR: PETER SCHNAU FOG (2006) This is the tragic story of Allan, a 11-year old boy who is trying desperately to keep his family together, and more importantly, keeping his depressed father from killing himself. This film has received numerous nordic awards, and is furthermore remarkable as it is always shown with danish subtitles. It was recorded in Snderjylland, a place known for its thick countryside accent, only adding to the film's authenticity. Previously published in Jutland Station Story by Lena Rosing The Bike Project: Helping refugees navigate London Published on March 3, 2016 Story by Valentina Cala Translation by: Branislav Bakotic en it de pl es fr In 2015 more and more refugees and asylum seekers found their way to Europe. Their arrival does not signal the end of their odyssey; other problems, like reception centres and bureaucracy, present themselves. In London, The Bike Project association offers people a little helping-hand for an everyday problem how to get around in one of the largest and most expensive cities in Europe. One of the biggest problems for asylum seekers upon arriving in London beside the never-ending wait to get (or not get) the authorisation to stay in the country as refugees is public transport. London is a metropolis that extends over an area of more than 1,500 square metres. Travelling from one part to another requires time and money. Each asylum seeker receives 36 pounds (approximately 46 euros) a week from the British government. The administrative procedures for examining a humanitarian protection request can last years, but during that period the person is unable to work and with such a small subsidy bearing the costs of public transport becomes practically impossible. A weekly bus ticket (not including trains, trams or the Underground) costs around 21 pounds. We found all this out from Jam, the founder of The Bike Project, an association born with the goal of helping asylum seekers get around the English capital using a free mode of transport: the bicycle! Over the next five years Britain is set to receive approximately 25,000 Syrian refugees. With this project, they will be able to save 20 pounds a week. Beside the practical benefits, the intangible, emotional plus points are equally important. Recipients feel more independent and their self-esteem increases. Physical exercise helps in cases of depression and anxiety, conditions from which refugees often suffer. The bikes are recovered from among the 27,500 that Londoner's abandon every year; either that or they are donated by private citizens, companies and local institutions. The Bike Project then gives them for free to asylum seekers who take part in the project. However, the bikes usually need some adjustments and maintenance. That is why Jam decided to train with a specialised bike repair shop, and now his organisation employs a team of full-time mechanics, ready to intervene. Beside a few employees, the association is largely based on the work of volunteers, many of whom are women. Some help with the arrival and sorting of donations, while others work in the repair shop. The Bike Project doesn't just help asylum seekers by providing transport, but also by employing them directly. One of the part-time workers within the association is an asylum seeker who comes from Eritrea. Today he is one of the best mechanics the association has. --- This feature report is a part of our EUtoo 'on the ground' project in London, seeking to give a voice to disenchanted youth. It is funded by the European Commission. Story by Valentina Cala Translated from Donatori di biciclette: come Londra aiuta i rifugiati a muoversi YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. President Serzh Sargsyan received the head of Yerevan Office of Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Ambassador Andrey Sorokin on March 3, who completes his mission in Armenia. As Armenpress was informed from the Department of Public Relations and Mass Media of Republic of Armenia Presidents Office, the President thanked Ambassador Sorokin for his active efforts during his tenure and mentioned with satisfaction that the OSCE Office in Yerevan headed by him carried out productive works and implemented numerous projects in different spheres. Do not doubt, you leave in Yerevan not only the works done by you, but also people who highly appreciate both your activities and your human qualities. I wish you success in your future activities and personal life, President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan said, hoping that the new head of the OACE Yerevan Office will work with the same spirit and readiness for cooperation, further enhancing the relations between Armenia and OSCE Yerevan Office. Andrey Sorokin expressed gratitude to the President of the Republic for the cordial words and wishes, as well as for the trust towards OSCE Office in Yerevan and effective cooperation by Armenian state agencies during his entire tenure. He mentioned proudly that firm grounds and favorable prerequisites for further close partnership and implementation of new projects have been established between Armenia and OSCE Office in Yerevan thank to the implementation of projects during the recent years. Caller-Times file The Fulton Volunteer Fire Department will host the 37th annual Oysterfest from Thursday through Sunday at the Fulton Festival Grounds, 402 N. Fulton Beach Road, Fulton. SHARE THURSDAY SEMINAR: Del Mar College Continuing Education and a local financial services professional will provide the Financial Strategies for Successful Retirement seminar from 6:30-9 p.m. at Del Mar College Center for Economic Development, 3209 S. Staples St. Cost: $59 Information: 361-888-0820. PERFORMING ARTS: The Department of Theatre and Dance at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi will present a production of Wendy Wasserstein's timeless Pulitzer Prize-winning comedy, "The Heidi Chronicles," at 7:30 p.m. in the Wilson Theatre in the Center for the Arts. Cost: $10, adults; $7, students;$5 TAMU-CC students with a valid ID. Information: 361-825-2337. FUNDRAISER: The YWCA hosts its 36th Annual Y Women in Careers Awards Banquet at 6 p.m. at 4601 Corona Drive. YWCA honors the 2016 Y Women in Careers Award winners, provides strong role models for young girls, and invests in YWCA programs. Sponsorship and ticket information: www.ywca.org/corpuschristi. FESTIVAL: The Fulton Volunteer Fire Department will host the 37th annual Oysterfest from Thursday through Sunday at the Fulton Festival Grounds, 402 N. Fulton Beach Road, Fulton. Cost: $2, general admission; free military and children younger than 12. Information: 361-729-2388, www.fultonoysterfest.org. FRIDAY FUNDRAISER: Ella Barnes Elementary will host the 2016 annual StarFest fundraiser to help raise additional funds for improved instruction programs and technology for scholars from 6-9 p.m. at Barnes Elementary School, 2829 Oso Parkway. Cost: free to attend event, attraction prices vary. Information: 361-878-7331. PERFORMING ARTS: The Young Irelanders is comprised of eight Irish performers who will perform at 7:30 p.m. at the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Performing Arts Center. Cost: $25, adults; $10, students with valid ID. Information: 361-980-1949, www.corpuschristilive.com. PERFORMING ARTS: The Department of Theatre and Dance at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi will present a production of Wendy Wasserstein's timeless Pulitzer Prize-winning comedy, "The Heidi Chronicles," at 7:30 p.m. in the Wilson Theatre in the Center for the Arts. Cost: $10, adults; $7, students;$5 TAMU-CC students with a valid ID. Information: 361-825-2337. PERFORMING ARTS: The Port Aransas Community Theatre will host the Forever Opry Tribute to Country Women at 7:30 p.m. The performance takes a look at some of the great ladies of country music through photos, videos and live performances of a selection of their greatest hits. Cost: $17. Information: www.portaransascommunitytheatre.com. CONFERENCE: The A Girl Thing! conference will be at 7 p.m. at West Oso Junior High School, 5202 Bear Lane. Moriah Peters is the vocal guest. Cost: $25. Information: www.itsagirlthing.org. CIRCUS: The Carson & Barnes Circus will return to Corpus Christi with its Asian elephants for the 80th Celebration Tour from to Monday, March 7. The event will be at 7:30 p.m. at Moon Plaza, 4135 Ayers St. Cost: $16, advance adults; $8, advance children younger than 12. Information: 580-743-7292, www.bigtopshow.com. FESTIVAL: The Fulton Volunteer Fire Department will host the 37th annual Oysterfest through Sunday at the Fulton Festival Grounds, 402 N. Fulton Beach Road, Fulton. Cost: $4, general admission; free children younger than 12. Information: 361-729-2388, www.fultonoysterfest.org. For more events check Caller.com/vivacc Caller-Times file Corpus Christi Museum director Aalbert Heine leads a hands-on demonstration for kids during a summer class in July 1965. SHARE By Allison Ehrlich of the Caller-Times The best way to get a child interested in a museum: Please touch the exhibits. And the tradition of hands-on learning at the Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History had a huge advocate in Aalbert Heine, the museum director from 1957 to 1984. In a 1969 interview he described his first visit to a museum as a 10-year-old. He was so enamored of the exhibits he went home and rearranged his bedroom and labeled everything as if it were an exhibit. Even the tables, chairs and bed got identification labels. Heine's life took a detour before he could realize his ambitions of museum work. Heine was born in The Hague, Netherlands in 1920 and went to school to become a geological engineer. But Germany invaded in 1940 and when Heine finished his schooling in 1942 all able-bodied men were being shipped to Germany as laborers. Heine was sent in 1943 and worked for six months as a lab technician in a cement plant before being arrested and imprisoned for leaking plant information to Allied spies. He was released in 1945 when Gen. Patton's forces crossed the Rhine. He eventually returned to Holland and married, then moved to the U.S. in 1951 and worked as a lecturer at the American Museum of Natural History before moving to Corpus Christi to take the director position at the Corpus Christi Museum. His desire to teach and reach the public was immense. To Heine a museum wasn't a static building that "just stands there," but an always growing experience. "Every exhibit ought to compete with the others for the public's eye." He was especially interested in reaching kids, instituting summer classes, hosting a weekly "Corpus Christi Museum Open House" on KRIS-TV and creating the Treasure Hunt program which continues to this day. In this photo from the July 11, 1965, Caller-Times, Heine crouches on the floor surrounded by kids attending the museum's summer class, which was in its eighth year. There were 120 students enrolled, and the museum emphasized that age wasn't a factor in determining who could attend: all they asked for was inquisitive students. Heine retired in 1984 and died in 2003. At the time of his death, longtime museum volunteer Ruth O'Brien recalled Heine used to say he "could start a museum even if he had a rusty nail. He could go into the history of the Iron Age, rust, how to make iron, all the modern manufactured stuff. He just had a knack for making education interesting and fun." Channeling that same inquisitive spirit Heine valued, the Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History Saturday will host an unveiling of Phase 1 of its new $3 million Science Center Annex designed to draw visitors in with hands-on participation. A musical piano staircase, a three-story DNA double helix climber and a giant talking cell are among the interactive exhibits. I think Heine would be pleased. Allison Ehrlich is the archive coordinator for the Caller-Times. Contact her at allison.ehrlich@caller.com and follow her on Twitter @CallerArchives. CALLER-TIMES FILE CCISD Superintendent Dana Williams escorts children onto buses at the beginning of the school year in 1975. Busing was the result of the landmark desegregation case Cisneros et. al. vs. CCISD. SHARE CALLER-TIMES FILE At the beginning of the 1975-76 school year, CCISD Superintendent Dana Williams escorts children onto buses on the west side of town so they can attend a crosstown school. School desegregation was ordered by the courts in Cisneros et. al. vs. CCISD. The lawsuit was filed in 1968. By Beatriz Alvarado of the Caller-Times Christine Colunga complained to her father about broken windows and doorless bathroom stalls at Prescott Elementary. The 6th grader had transferred from a private Catholic school and also pointed out to her father the textbooks at the school, near the city's Westside, were outdated. "Schools on the Southside got all the new stuff," Colunga, now 62, recalled. Her father, the late Jose Cisneros, relayed the message to officials, but "the district ignored him." He and 24 Corpus Christi ISD parents didn't take that lightly. They filed a class-action lawsuit against the district that redefined the boundaries of equality for Hispanics in the public education system. Colunga and three generations of Cisneros' family sat in during a presentation on the 1968 case Wednesday at Del Mar College. Sponsored by the college's Mexican-American Studies Program, the "Cisneros v. CCISD: A Community Divided" presentation was led by Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi associate professor of sociology Isabel Araiza and assistant professor of first-year seminar Amanda Marquez. The original suit, filed in 1968, accused the district of operating and maintaining a segregated school system that denied Mexican-American students equal education. The Cisneros case was the first time that civil rights protections afforded to blacks in the Supreme Court's 1954 decision in Brown vs. the Board of Education were extended to Hispanics. The case found that Hispanics were a minority group that was frequently discriminated against. Thousands of students in the district were bused during court-ordered integration from 1976 to 1982. The busing resulted from case. The case was dismissed in 1997. District Judge Janis Graham Jack dismiss it saying the desegregation case has forever improved Corpus Christi education. Araiza and Marquez shared excerpts from about 30 interviews with people who were CCISD parents, students, and activists who were involved in actions in the city from 1968-1982. Finding people who were directly impacted by the case and the research into library archives started in 2013. Araiza said the content will be published in a book in the next two years. The landmark case's impact on public education is underrated and warrants deep analysis, Araiza said. During the presentation she reviewed the origins of institutionalized racism, how the media portrayed hostility between communities during reforms prompted by the case and pointed out King High School continues to have the largest percentage of white students enrolled, based on Texas Education Agency statistics. The presentation slide with the data was preceded by an anecdotal reference to King as "the white school" in 1960s. "(The public education system is) rooted in systemic inequality," she said. "It's a foundation of the past that makes the present. We have to face that." Twitter: @CallerBetty TIME LINE 1954: The U.S. Supreme Court finds segregation in public schools unconstitutional. 1955: The U.S. Supreme Court orders school desegregation be carried out "with all deliberate speed." 1956: CCISD implements a "Freedom of Choice" plan for desegregation. Some black parents begin sending their children to white schools. July 22, 1968: Jose Cisneros and 25 other Hispanic and black United Steelworkers Union members file a class-action lawsuit in federal court charging the school district operates a segregated system. May 14, 1970: Trial starts in Cisneros et al. vs. Corpus Christi Independent School District before U.S. District Judge Woodrow Seals of Houston. June 3, 1970: Seals rules CCISD has operated an ethnically segregated school system. July 2, 1970: Seals orders CCISD to implement by the 1971-72 school year a desegregation plan busing about 15,000 students. July 13, 1970: U.S. District Court Judge Owen Cox of Corpus Christi, to whom the case is soon formally transferred, gives CCISD until 1972-73 to implement the plan. The district appeals Seals' ruling. Aug. 20, 1970: U.S. Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black stays the busing order until the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals or the Supreme Court rules on the case. The appeals court had twice ordered the district to implement the plan by the start of the 1971-72 year. 1971: Judge Seals enters a final decree, setting up a desegregation plan for the district. The plan includes busing 15,000 of the district's more than 50,000 students. A series of court appeals and plan changes delay busing for another four years. June 25, 1973: The Supreme Court refuses to hear the case, saying CCISD has unconstitutionally segregated its students by ethnicity. Aug. 15, 1973: Cox orders CCISD to proceed with a desegregation plan the district presented in June. The plan, opposed by the suit's plaintiffs, involves boundary changes, changing the transfer policy and closing Coles Junior High School. Dec. 5, 1973: Cox tells CCISD to encourage voluntary student transfers to achieve integration. 1975: Busing begins. The plan implemented is the brainchild of Nueces County Medical Examiner Joseph Rupp. The Rupp Plan, which is supposed to minimize busing, calls for thousands of elementary students to attend schools located within two miles of their homes. Cox orders crosstown reassignments of first- through sixth-graders in paired-school busings, with students attending a crosstown school for two of the six years. Aug. 14, 1975: One month after Cox orders a computerized student assignment plan enacted, 1,600 students are chosen by lottery to be bused to elementary schools. Cox had told CCISD in May to include more elementary schools in its desegregation plans. July 22, 1978: CCISD requests an end to court-ordered busing, saying it is no longer necessary. Plaintiffs object. Aug. 8, 1982: U.S. District Judge Hayden Head Jr. approves an agreement drafted jointly by plaintiffs and CCISD as an alternative to forced busing. The agreement creates special-emphasis elementary school programs and majority-to-minority transfers, which allow students in the ethnic majority in their neighborhood schools to transfer to campuses where they are in the minority. This plan expires in 1986. June 28, 1988: CCISD agrees to creates a special-emphasis program at Martin Middle School and creates a special health and science program at Moody High School. The plan expires in 1991. May 13, 1991: CCISD board, with the plaintiffs' blessing, votes to ask the court for a three-year monitoring period at the end of which court supervision of the district's desegregation efforts would end. July 23, 1992: Head grants the plaintiffs' and CCISD's joint request for a three-year monitoring period. Fannin, Garcia, Houston, Kostoryz, Lexington and Prescott elementary schools, because of their standardized test scores and minority populations, will be federally monitored through 1995. Both sides predict that in 1995 the court will dismiss the lawsuit because of the district's good faith and compliance. 1997: U.S. District Judge Janis Graham Jack dismisses Cisneros et. al. vs. CCISD, saying the desegregation case has forever improved Corpus Christi education. Source: Caller-Times files YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. The draft Electoral Code confirmed by the Government differs from the one submitted to the Venice Commission as a result of parallel activities caused by time shortage, Minister-Chief of Government Staff David Harutyunyan announced at the Cabinet meeting. He informed that the visit of international experts to Armenia over draft Electoral Code is expected in mid-March, during which they will be familiarized with the changes made after the draft was sent to them. I think we will also conduct the second part of our works regularly working in parallel and presenting it to the public. This means that starting from this point we will introduce not only the draft to the public but also all the comparative suggestions of the working group in order to show the interested parties the pace of the procedure, Harutyunyan said. Chief of Staff of the Armenian National Assembly Hrayr Tovmasyan, considering that June 1 is the deadline for accepting the draft and the fact that the National Assembly agenda is quite saturated, suggested announcing it an urgent issue in order not to encounter any obstacles in terms of time and be able to discuss it within proper period. In response, David Harutyunyan mentioned that announcing it an urgent issue could be wrongly perceived by our partners. In order to make clear what Mr. Tovmasyan suggests I would explain it this way: Yes, to announce an urgent issue, but I also want to remind that urgent presumes 3-month period for accepting and no one will artificially accelerate the process. Artificial steps will not be taken because we really must launch in-depth discussions starting from tomorrow, Harutyunyan said. Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan urged to consider also the priorities submitted by their Ministry. David Harutyunyan assured that there will not be a single suggestion to be ignored. SHARE Hatten, shown in 2014, had been scheduled to be executed in October. GABE HERNANDEZ/CALLER-TIMES Christine Jackson wipes tears from her eyes as she talks about how their family has been impacted by court proceedings that have spanned more than 20 years for their grandsons killer, Larry Hatten, on Wednesday at the Nueces County Courthouse. GABE HERNANDEZ/CALLER-TIMES Lester Jackson talks about how their family has been impacted by court proceedings that have spanned more than 20 years for their grandsons killer, Larry Hatten, on Wednesday at the Nueces County Courthouse. Hatten was sentenced in 1996 for the shooting death of 5-year-old Isaac Jackson. By Krista M. Torralva of the Caller-Times Birthdays and holidays remind Tabatha Thompson of the night bullets riddled the bed where she lay with her 5-year-old son, Isaac Jackson. Each court proceeding for his killer also brings back her most painful memories, her father, Lester Jackson, said. "What hurts my daughter the most, what tears her up, is she feels like she wasn't there to protect him," he said Wednesday as tears ran down his face. For 21 years, Thompson's family has gone to court to face Isaac's killer, Larry Hatten. Each time, there was a hitch in Hatten's case that led to his execution being delayed. This time, though, the family thought it might finally be coming to an end with a hearing Wednesday. It wasn't. Hatten wrote a letter to the court asking to waive an appeal. The Feb. 1 letter said he wished to go forward with his execution. Hatten, 41, was later transferred from a Livingston prison, where death row male inmates are housed, to the Nueces County Jail to see a judge. Then on Feb. 29, he penned another letter saying he'd changed his mind. On Wednesday, he said he did want to take up his final appeal. The process could take years. "We're back at square one again, when we've been at square one for 20 years," Isaac's aunt Lashonn Devones said. Hatten was convicted in 1996 of capital murder in the shooting that killed Isaac and wounded Thompson the year before. Thompson and Isaac were sleeping in her boyfriend's apartment when Hatten broke in and shot into the bed, expecting to find Isaac Robinson. Hatten testified he wanted to shoot Robinson because he believed Robinson knew who was responsible for setting fire to his BMW and his brother's Jaguar. In 2014, Hatten's lawyers discovered an unresolved 1997 filing claiming his trial lawyers were ineffective. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals halted his execution and sent it back to the trial court. Hatten called his choice a "spiritual decision" to move forward with his remaining appeal. Hatten said he wants Thompson to have more time "to tell the truth before the Creator and Maker take me to the top of the heavens, should that be the plan after my time on Earth." His family and newly appointed lawyer, Benjamin Wolff, declined to comment after the hearing. Thompson's sister said her family was baffled at the latest letter and reiterated that Hatten confessed to the shooting at trial. Their family said they feel for Hatten's family but want the court proceedings to be over. Thompson is in constant mourning, suffers sleepless nights and is overly protective of her 9-year-old son, her family said. "We're asking for closure so this can be done, so we can move on with our lives," Devones said. Twitter: @CallerKMT SHARE By Chris Ramirez of the Caller-Times The skies above Corpus Christi are a little quieter these days, and Mother Nature is the reason why. Personnel from the Naval Air Station Corpus Christi's Training Air Wing Four have been undergoing flight training at two public airports in western Arizona since mid-January. It's there - at Kingman and Laughlin/Bullhead International airports - the detachment gets extensive instruction on T-6 aircraft, as well as precision aerobatics. The weather in the Arizona desert is more often clear for flying in the winter than Corpus Christi, whose humid subtropical climate makes it prone to rain and fog. "Weather in Corpus Christi ... can be a little unpredictable in the winter," said Lt. j.g. Liz Feaster, of the Navy public information office. "The tendency for good weather in Laughlin and Kingman provides a better flying environment" from January to March. The group is expected to return to Corpus Christi by mid-March, Feaster said. The Navy sent pilots from Corpus Christi to Arizona during the same period last year as well. The Port of Corpus Christi in 2014 reported 642 hours - or 26.7 days - of fog-related delays between November 2013 and March 2014. Ships in the port experienced 185 hours in fog delays in 2010, 201 hours in 2011, 155 hours in 2012, according to port records. Mayor Nelda Martinez said she was "deeply concerned" when she first learned pilots from Corpus Christi's 75-year-old base were training elsewhere, fearing that it signaled the group's intention to leave town altogether. She later was relieved after finding out that moving pilots to remote locations temporarily for training was common in the military. Naval Air Station Pensacola in Florida has a similar program. "The final product is a more capable pilot," she said. "I have a lot more confidence in general about the quality of the pilots that are protecting our country. This adds to our reputation of graduating pilots who are top of the line." Training Air Wing Four is comprised of four individual units - two primary training squadrons and two advanced multi-engine training squadrons. It graduates 600 pilots each year and is also headquarters of the Chief of Naval Air Training, head of the Naval Air Training Command. Joe A. Gonzalez and John Marez will face each other in a primary runoff election May 24 for the Nueces County Precinct 3 commissioner seat. SHARE Rachel Denny Clow/Caller-Times Jose A. Gonzalez Courtney Sacco/Caller-Times John Marez Courtney Sacco/Caller-Times Jesus Jesse H. Gonzalez By Julie Garcia of the Caller-Times Still hyped up over the nail-biting finale of the Precinct 3 commissioner race, the two front-runners had to switch from campaign mode to work mode for their day jobs Wednesday. An eight-year employee with the Nueces County Sheriff's Office, Joe A. Gonzalez was still in shock as he put on his deputy uniform. He received 29.8 percent or 1,717 votes for a first place finish going into a May 24 primary runoff election against John Marez. The Precinct 3 candidate is not to be confused with Precinct 2 commissioner Joe A. Gonzalez, a former justice of the peace. "The biggest thing is getting people to come back out and vote. I know that in runoffs, voter turnout is generally not the best," Gonzalez said. "I'm ready to start working every day, getting out there and talking to all the county employees and working with the rest of the commissioners as I've done in the past." Marez, former city councilman and Corpus Christi ISD board vice president, finished second with 26.4 percent or 1,472 votes for a spot in the runoff. In addition to his political experience, Marez is a longtime state employee as a training supervisor for the Texas Family Protective Services. As precinct results were flowing in, Marez and former county court-at-law judge John Martinez were neck-and-neck at 26 percent for most of the night. A late-arriving ballot box from Baker Middle School catapulted Marez to a second chance in a runoff. Though he started in the lead with early votes, Martinez narrowly missed the chance to compete in a runoff as he finished with 25.2 percent or 1,406 votes. "We worked hard for the last four months campaigning, and that showed last night in our election day returns," Marez said. "You want to look at the numbers and see where your strengths were and focus on that." Gonzalez said he wants to look at the numbers and see which areas of Precinct 3 with lower voter turnout. A map on the Nueces County website breaks down the votes by candidate. "The map helps fine tune what you need to work on," he said. "It's a great tool that I like to use and see that this is the area we need to focus on and go from there." Marez will continue to put work into the runoff election campaign as the first race, he said. "Every day other than Christmas Eve and Christmas, we have been focused on the campaign, meeting with voters and going to events," Marez said. "I'm excited to continue to do that and look forward to making my case to voters for the best candidate. In the end, I think people will support us because of that." Twitter: @Caller_Jules GABE HERNANDEZ/CALLER-TIMES file People exit La Retama Central Library after casting their votes Tuesday. SHARE Roy Barrera 50.6% Rep. Blake Farenthold, Rep, U.S. Rep Dist 27 (incumbent) Mark A. Gonzalez James O. Gardner Nueces County voters have a lot to look forward to come November. Throw in school district and city races, and the ballot will be intriguing. But as vote tallies were finalized Tuesday, three local races almost immediately interested political wonks -two for what they will be in November, and one for how close the race was in Nueces County. The sheriff race in November pits an incumbent sheriff against a former sheriff. The district attorney seat, which Democrats have held for years, is suddenly in play for both parties. And Nueces County's incumbent congressman narrowly won his home county. So what's next? Here's a quick breakdown of the three races. CONGRESS DISTRICT 27 Congressman Blake Farenthold, for all intents and purposes, retained his seat in Washington when he held off Republican primary challenger Gregg Deeb. With the Republican lean of District 27 since redistricting, the November general election shouldn't be as stressful for Farenthold as Tuesday's contest. The primary race wasn't easy, especially in Nueces County. Farenthold won by about 4.5 percentage points in his home county. To the north, Farenthold actually suffered losses in two of the district's 13 counties. Political newcomer Deeb scored wins in Lavaca and Matagorda. Farenthold won back some of that ground with strong wins in Bastrop and Wharton counties. Still, Farenthold felt plenty of heat from South Texas GOP voters upset with Congress. The incumbent will face Democratic Party challenger Raul "Roy" Barrera, of Corpus Christi. Barrera, a political novice, narrowly avoided a runoff on Tuesday night. Farenthold's challenge now is reconnecting with voters who wanted to fire him so he can avoid another stiff primary challenge in 2018. NUECES COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY The November race for district attorney is suddenly open. With Mark Skurka's loss to Mark A. Gonzalez in the Democratic primary, another county office is within reach for Republicans to take control. Since 2010, there are few countywide offices that the GOP doesn't occupy. After losing a Democratic primary for district judge in 2014, Gonzalez bounced back and scored his first political win. His challenge now is the same as his opponent Republican James O. Gardner: persuade voters he is the right new face for the office. NUECES COUNTY SHERIFF Sheriff Jim Kaelin has name recognition. So does Larry Olivarez. They both have had sheriff before their name, too. Kaelin was first elected sheriff in 2006 and is well established in the office. Olivarez was elected sheriff in 1996 and resigned in 2005 to run for county judge. His name is so well known that even when his opponent for the Democratic nomination had a similar name (Jose Olivares), he still easily won the election with 59.7 percent of the vote and little confusion. That's no easy task on a candidate's part. Just ask Supreme Court Justice Paul Green who with 52.1 percent edged out his challenger Rick Green. Expect the jail and how it's run to be a main topic. Olivarez said on the primary election night that he plans to reveal his campaign cornerstones within days. Staff reports SHARE There's spin - Sen. Ted Cruz won his home state. And there's fact - 56 percent of Texas Republicans who voted in the presidential primary rejected their home-state senator. Nearly 27 percent chose instead a profane, race-baiting New Yorker who enriched himself via bankruptcy, and who Cruz accurately labels not a true conservative. Not only that, but 35,415 Texas Republicans decided they'd rather have their party represented by Jeb Bush, whose presidential campaign is suspended. We can understand the allure. Bush could have been the nation's first Hispanic president in the sense that Bill Clinton was its first black president. Think about it: Bush is much more immersed in Hispanic ethnicity at home than Cruz, is Spanish-fluent and much more Hispanic-friendly policy-wise than either Cruz or Marco Rubio. Again, the election returns are the facts. They add up to a lot of dislike of Cruz within both his party and his home state. He campaigned aggressively in Texas when he should have felt free and clear to devote his energy and resources to other states while counting on Texas to come through for him. The notion that Texas came through for Cruz is spin. On the upside for Cruz, he won Oklahoma and Alaska, the latter despite former Gov. Sarah Palin's endorsement of Trump. But Trump won seven states and Marco Rubio won Minnesota. For Cruz to declare a true victory in Texas, he'd have to beat Trump in a runoff, which isn't going to occur. Instead he won 30 Texas delegates to Trump's 17 based on their vote totals. We can't help but wonder, wistfully, how Texas' other senator, the likable, presidential-sounding John Cornyn, might have fared. Whatever resistance to Cornyn exists among Texas Republicans can be blamed directly on Cruz and his anti-"establishment" spin. The friction between the two senators is just another measure of Cruz's lack of likability. He's known to be disliked among his Senate colleagues and our spin is that voters sense it, too. Cruz's continued assertions that he and only he is the candidate to beat Trump in a head-to-head is just more unsupported spin. It seems all the more speculative with each passing primary. The facts point toward an increasing likelihood that the party primaries will produce two milestones - the first woman nominated for president by one of the two major parties, and the first time the Republican Party chose a candidate with no political office-holding experience, no true discernible policy and not only a lack of support but actual opposition among party leaders. Trump winning under those circumstances has its anti-establishment allure - until Trump himself is taken into account. To be a compelling underdog he'd have to be an underdog and compelling. But the problem with our last statement is that, though it's true, cleverer people have made cleverer true observations to no avail. We could recite the encyclopedic reasons he's unacceptable, but they just don't seem to matter. The mounting facts don't just undermine Cruz as a viable alternative. They also point to no other serious alternative. Rubio winning his home state of Florida and our preferred Republican candidate, John Kasich, winning his home state of Ohio are most likely too little, too late. Nevertheless, congratulations are in order for Cruz. He won the largest minority of Republican votes in his home state. That's the irrefutable fact. YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. The latest racist announcement made by Prime Minister of Turkey Ahmet Davutoglu has become subject for broad discussions. Garo Paylan, Armenian member of the Turkish parliament from Pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) severely criticized the Prime Minister during the discussion of the budgets of the ministries of Interior, Health, Culture and Tourism. Armenpress reports the Turkish Demokrathaber.net informed about this. Paylan showed a photo reading Armenian dregs. Unfortunately, it is not only the security forces that do this, he mentioned. The MP reminded Davutoglus anti-Armenian announcement, where the Prime Minister, criticizing the HDP, had said, Armenians seek to cooperate with the Russians like gangs. Today Turks cooperate with the Islamic State and if I say Turkish gangs, it will be a racist announcement. Mr. Prime Minister openly made a racist announcement, Paylan mentioned. In respond to Paylans statement, head of the ruling Justice and Development party faction Naci Bostanc stood for Davutoglu saying that in in fact Paylan himself makes a hate speech New York Times marketing correspondent Rob Walker outlines an idea in his 2008 book, Buying In, that feels all the more resonant today. A central idea is what he calls the dialogue between individuals and the things they buy. One of the most important influences on our brand decisions, he insists, is not what these items say to other people about us, but what they say to us about ourselves, Think of the middle-aged, middle-manager with his MacBook, assuring himself that he is far more creative than the average Excel-sheet drone. Its tempting to dismiss this as twaddle. Surely theres no such thing as a one-to-one dialogue between any one buyer and any one branded product. Brands have meaning and value insofar as they play on the shared aesthetics, understandings and aspirations out there in culture. This is particularly the case, in the western perception, when it comes to luxury brands. But could all this preoccupation with the externalwhat people are telegraphing to others through their brand choicesbe mistaken? If the dialogue is only external and not internal, how does one explain choices in all sorts of categories that arent on display? Like $100 Diptyque bathroom candles? Many (again mostly western) commentators have been quick to ridicule aspiring, emerging middle-classes in fast-growing economies for their love of branded bling. They dismiss the logos and the Louis as tasteless display. But if we try and see these purchases (be they real or fake versions) as motivated by internal considerations, they take on a rather different character. Seen in this way, they look rather less like shallow assertions of new wealth, and more like markers of personal progress. They become a means for individuals to find and understand their place in this world. Newly mass-affluent populations are largely uncharted territory. Their forebears never had the opportunities to achieve the material comforts they now possess. Many of these rapidly growing markets were closed and had little culture of consumerism. What weve noticed, at Flamingo, about the regions aspiring individuals is that they are planning ahead. Saving for homes and marking out milestones, theyre experts at delayed gratification, earning and waiting patiently to enjoy their own wealth. What theyre not doing is indulging in ostentation for its own sake. What these brands can reflect back to them (as opposed to telegraphing out to others) is that Im doing okay. They can make you feel modern. They provide signposts and markers on this untrodden path. Less 'one up on you', more 'one step further on my journey for me'. This is not to say that display isnt involved, but there is also an internal dialogue. We must understand that in many ways, luxury is a necessity. So in todays downturned world what does this mean for the luxury brands? This article is part of the Cultural Radar series On the face of it, Chinas belt tightening is a double-blow for luxurya severe pruning in the key market with knock-on effects globally from Sydney to Sao Paulo. It doesnt look promising. But thinking of luxury as necessity, we predict something more interesting and a little more complex will happen. The slowdown works as a refiners fire, burning out the dead or dying wood and leaving the strongest branches. The brands that succeed will engage with the personal dialogue. Faced with these headwinds, the dialogue between the person and the thing will become all the more important; people will seek more meaning from fewer things. Brands that give an experience that goes beyond the productto the purchase and retail experience, digital engagement and the ongoing experienceare the ones that will thrive. Dont think product innovation but ecosystem invention, with a purposeful and beautiful product at its heart, that takes an interest in the person it speaks to and the context for that ongoing conversation. If this all sounds familiar, its because this is, in many respects, a new reminder about old advice. We saw this after 2008 in The Great Recession in the West, where Rolls and Agent Provocateur grew while Bentley and Victorias Secret shrank, where the rough luxe trend, a refocusing on provenance and the mainstreaming of craft were some of the tallest trees left standing. We may be about to see the same again globally. Adam Nelson is director at Flamingo Singapore Once again, the world convened in Barcelona at Mobile World Congress 2016. For health and mHealth, the level of innovation, quantity and quality of health technology opportunities represented have steadily improved, with this year being the best ever, as far as Im concerned. The new mobile technology coming on stream is more powerful than ever in helping people to live healthier lives. The omnipresent Internet of Things (IoT) was a key theme. The future is promising IoT literally everywhere. Our environment, powered by 5G and with improved network connectivity and security, will actively come up with what it thinks is best for us. Imagine an IoT healthcare scenario in which a patient (lets call him Mr. Lee) has the following interactions with the medical things in his environment. First, Mr. Lees pill box gives a heads-up to his smartwatch that its running low on pills and suggests that next time the watch tracks him near a pharmacy, it should remind him to refill. Then, once Mr. Lee gets the reminder and walks into the pharmacy, his smartwatch signals to the connected diagnostics unit to conduct a quick health check once Mr. Lee does a biometric login. The data gets cross-referenced against Mr. Lees electronic health record, and maybe even quickly passes through IBM Watson Health on its way back to his mobile phone. If everything seems okay and there is no need to alert the users physician, the drugs are provided and payment is handled via NFC technology. As Mr. Lee walks out the door, the payment gateway communicates to the pillbox that if no new pills are added in a few days, it needs to remind Mr. Lee again, or maybe even alert his physician to get Mr. Lee to comply. This IoT scenario is only one takeaway from MWC 2016 on the technology opportunities ahead for healthcare marketers. Whether you are a physician, patient, payer or caregiver, you will have access to more insights faster than ever. A second big theme was virtual reality (VR), with plenty of opportunities to test it out. Over the course of one day, I played virtual whack-a-mole using my gaze (eye-tracking), went ski jumping and made virtual 3D paintings in thin air. My third takeaway was that software startups related to healthcare and wellness were much more visible than in previous years. The whole spectrum of technology was covered, ranging from demos of Nokias mHealth activities on a network level to health information-management systems for hospitals to apps that can smell bad breath and diapers with sensors. In fact, the improvement of sensor technology and use of optoelectronics and nanotechnology are powering a number of existing products into areas such as blood diagnostics and spurring the development of different types of wearables. I had the opportunity to talk with startup entrepreneurs working with everything from clinical imaging to clinical trial recruitment and adherence. Adoption is the tricky bit Unfortunately, its also a fact that our capability to develop technology for health is so much better than peoples willingness and ability to adopt it on their own behalf. During a seminar on digital health and behavioural change, I asked a panel of different specialists on mobile, innovation and clinical psychology where they favoured investing their mHealth agenda resources: would it be in technology, in legal and framework standards, or in human behavioural research? None of them answered that it would be in technology. And there is a good reason for this. Technology and other external motivators havent been very successful in creating behavioural change. Take weight-management as an example. An ever growing proportion of the global population is becoming overweight or obese, from about 2 billion people in 2010 to a projected 2.7 billion in 2025. And weve had technology to inform people that they were risking serious weight increase for a while, going back to the inventions of mirrors and scales. The truth is that while the more than 200,000 health-related apps certainly have helped some people to lead healthier lives, it tends to be those people who already take an active interest in their health who download and use them. So to really achieve progress in the application of health technology we need to put the person in the centre and focus on the physicians, patients and caregivers as part of the whole environment. And we need to understand behavioural change theory, as well as we do IoT network management. Another essential factor in facilitating value generation and trust is interoperability between, and the validation of, the data collected. And without a legal framework and universal standards, implementation is a massive challenge. The good news is that things are starting to change. The medical paradigm is shifting from being primarily clinician-centric in the '80s (focused on effect, quality and safety) to becoming increasingly patient-centric (focused on the value and outcome delivered to the patient). And with that the rest of the ecosystem is following. Those of us who work in healthcare communications have a unique role to play in driving user-centricity and in functioning as the bridge between tech, academia, science and creativity to deliver innovative solutions that work. MWC 2016 confirmed to me that technology is giving us all the opportunity we need to create healthy behaviour. Now it is up to the healthcare industry and the rest of the ecosystem to build the environment and the user understanding necessary to make it work. Marcus Sigurdsson is the chief digital officer for McCann Health Asia Pacific. For International Womans Day on 8 March, BBDO and Promixity Singapore are taking the Confidence Gap head-on by sparking a conversation for everyone to #ConfrontTheConfidenceGap. The Confidence Gapthe habit of doubting one's ability and competence, despite evidence that suggests the oppositeaffects nearly everyone, men and women alike at some point in their career, yet tends to go under the radar. BBDO Asia hopes this conversation and debate can help people realise their potential. To kick off the conversation, senior female clients from the BBDO Asia client portfolio, including P&G, Fonterra, Visa, HP and J&J, were filmed sharing their personal experiences and advice for confronting the confidence gap. This short film, along with additional content from internal agency members, audience polls and an opinion piece, will be housed on a Tumblr site as well as distributed through Facebook and BBDO channels. Ad Nut enjoyed the video, as it offered a peek into often-unexpressed hesitations around the challenges faced in life, told from the perspectives of these highly accomplished women. Ad Nut also approves of how the message of the video strived to be inclusiveacknowledging that the confidence gap, while prevalent in women, also affects menas Ad Nut has always been a bit wary of the women-only-stay-out approach to awareness campaigns. Ad Nut hopes humans put more thought into how they can deal with the confidence gap and more importantly, start talking to each other about it. In an email interview with Campaign Asia-Pacific, CEO Blake Irving said the companys goal is to help small business owners across Asia create a strong digital presence by finding the perfect domain name, building a website, attracting new customers and improving productivity. GoDaddy is a publicly traded Internet domain registrar and web hosting company that also offers e-business related software and services. In its Q3 2015 earnings report, the company recorded US $411.1 million in revenue, up 15.2 percent year over year. International revenue was also up 17.4 percent over last year with revenues of US$105.3 million. The company doubled its total international customer base over the last four years, reaching 4 million international customers during Q3. When asked about how much the company will invest in marketing to grow its customer base in the region, Irving said, there isnt a specific dollar amount. But I can say that well continue to grow GoDaddys business in Asia, including employees, customer support, products and technology infrastructure, he added. Asia is a long-term commitment for GoDaddy, and well be investing accordingly. Irving added that Asia Pacific represents one of the fastest growing regions in the world for the company, which can be attributed to accelerated Internet adoption across the region and small businesses realising they need to compete online if they are to be successful in the long-term. GoDaddy has 14 million customers globally, and following the launch in new markets, is now in 10 languages and 14 markets across Asia. The full list of markets includes: Hong Kong (English and Traditional Chinese) Indonesia (Indonesian) Japan (Japanese) Malaysia (English and Malay) Philippines (English and Filipino) Singapore (English and Simplified Chinese) South Korea (Korean) Taiwan (Traditional Chinese) Thailand (Thai) Vietnam (Vietnamese) The marketing mix GoDaddys marketing agency of record is TBWA New York, while its advertising agency of record is MEC, with its Asia headquarters based in Singapore. The brand has a history of running bawdy Super Bowl ads, but did not buy a spot during this year's big game and has reportedly turned over a new leaf in its strategy. Irving described the companys marketing approach as thoughtfully tailored to the local markets it serves and leveraging a combination of platforms and channels, such as TV, search, display and social media, to connect with small businessesits core demographic. Our goal is to develop meaningful relationships with customers so that we can assist them along their small business journey, he said. Regardless of the stage of maturity, we aim to provide the specific help they need, at the time they need it. To achieve this, the company is focused on personalised, data-driven marketing, and Irving said the company lays claim to one of the largest networks in the world dedicated to small business which offers insights about SMB challenges, successes, goals and obstacles to growth. Were harnessing these insights to develop marketing strategies that enable us to better serve customers at every stage of their lifecycle, he added. Asked how the company intends to stand out amongst the competition, Irving said marketing efforts would also highlight GoDaddys customer care. We differentiate ourselves by providing expert customer care from representatives who understand the challenges of small business owners, he added. We offer much more than technical assistance. We are problem solvers and go out of our way to help every customer we serve. The customer care aspect becomes increasingly crucial, given its core clientele of SMBs, are known to be cautious spenders. They have to be cautious spenders because they run their operations on thin margins and dont have the luxury of large marketing or IT budgets, Irving said. He added that one key lesson learnt by the company over the years, is the role it plays as the IT department for many SMB customers, who contact customer support to ask general technical questions, inquire about what-if scenarios and discuss the pros of using new products. Irving added that there are also certain truths among small businesses, whether its a restaurant in Hong Kong or a jewellery designer in London: the vast majority are looking to expose their business to more people and acquire more customers. We try to talk to our customers in these terms. That is, how can we help them achieve their growth goals by enabling them to build powerful online identities, that has proven successful for other similar small businesses all over the world, he said. | BY Ricki Green | Lion is launching a campaign via Integer for its new low alcohol beer, Hahn Ultra, which is set to bring new interest into the low alcohol category in Australia. The creative focuses on the key product benefit of Hahn Ultra containing just 0.2 standard drinks (per 330ml bottle) with the tagline The 0.2 Advantage. Says Ben Slocombe, marketing director for Lion: To us, the 0.2 Advantage is that consumers no longer need to compromise, either on the time theyre able to connect with their mates over an ice- cold beer, or what they want to achieve tomorrow. Theres no need to say cheers with a lemon squash anymore. The launch of Hahn Ultra is Lions response to the global popularity in non/low alcohol beers, with the segment increasing by 34%1 in the past five years. Says Slocombe: In Australia, consumption of low alcohol beer has remained low compared to our international counterparts and understanding of its benefits have been limited. We hope that with the launch and campaign we will begin to see the dial shift and awareness increase, particularly given how popular mid-strength beers are locally. We believe Hahn Ultra is going to bring new interest into the low alcohol category. We are offering more choice to people who are looking to moderate their alcohol consumption, but still want to connect socially and enjoy a great tasting beer. At 0.9% ABV, Hahn Ultra is low in alcohol but is crafted to offer the full flavoured beer taste that Aussies love. The campaign is scheduled to run from March until the end of July and will be supported by digital, social, PR and a sampling campaign. Says Slocombe: We believe Hahn Ultra is going to bring new interest into the low alcohol category. We are offering more choice to people who are looking to moderate their alcohol consumption, but still want to connect socially and enjoy a great tasting beer. Client: Lion Creative and BTL: Integer Media: Bohemia PR: Res Publica Packaging Design: Barker Gray Digital: The White Agency | BY Ricki Green | UN Women National Committee (NC) Australia has launched a visual petition to coincide with International Womens Day on March 8. The campaign via The Pulse, Frank PR, Andreas Smetana, Maxus and BMF, shines a light on violence against women and girls in the region, where as many as two in three women will experience violence and abuse at the hands of those closest to them. In some places, as many as 100% of women report experiencing violence. The campaign sees the creation of a single portrait, composed of the faces of all the men, women and children who pledge their support and image. The petition, and the affiliated fundraising campaign, is designed to help women affected by violence in the Pacific. UN Women goodwill ambassador Nicole Kidman has been the first celebrity to donate her face to this international petition. UN Women National Committee Australia champion Nicole da Silva, Wallabies captain Stephen Moore and Sydney Swans forward Kurt Tippett have also pledged their faces. Australias renowned photographer Andreas Smetana contributed to the campaign by capturing more than 75 faces of men and women, from different nationalities, ages and backgrounds. His photographs are the first faces to lead the portrait gallery. Says Smetana: I believe in the power of non-fiction visual storytelling, and we always make a real effort to work with organisations who do good. Violence Against Women does not only affect women but society as a whole. We are excited to be part of this project. I for one will give some money. From today, a virtual platform at faceittogether.unwomen.org.au will allow users to take their photograph and submit it to the visual petition or upload an existing image of their choice. The site developed by The Pulse (creative technology partner) will also give pledgers the chance to share their image within the composition on social media, using the hashtag #FaceItTogether. Campaigners are urging supporters to do so and even request that individuals use the image as their social profile picture for the duration of the campaign. Says Brett Heil, managing director, The Pulse: We are honoured to contribute to this important campaign and urge everyone to participate in the most visible way possible, by adding your face to the cause. As each day passes, pledgers will be able to revisit the site, to see the composition evolve as more and more individuals commit their faces. Whilst campaigners are calling on Australians to join celebrities and prominent national figures in uploading their face, they are keen to stress that this alone will not bring about change. Says Julie McKay, executive director of UN Women NC Australia: Your face is your pledge, but your donation is the easiest way for you to show your support and invest in the elimination of violence against women. Make no mistake; this is a life and death issue. Every ten minutes, somewhere in the world, a girl loses her life to violence. If every person who pledges their image were to donate just $20, then we have a real chance of saving lives. Money raised will build on the strides already made in recent years: from increased access to shelters for women at imminent risk, to the establishment of a 24-hour crisis hotline. The Pulse, Frank PR, Andreas Smetana, Maxus and BMF. Federal appeals court temporarily blocks Biden student debt relief plan A federal appeals court has temporarily blocked the Biden Administration from moving forward with its student debt relief program aiming to forgive billions of dollars in student loans. YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian film critic supports the nationalization of Hayfilm studio, for which the Law on Films is necessary to pass. And although in the opinion of the Honored Artist of Armenia, film critic Suren Hasmikyan Armenian films do not respond to reality and nationalization will solve many problems. Film critic Suren Hasmikyan said during a press conference on March 3, that the film industry should not be privatized." "Essentially black and white films were made in color, and destroyed. I stop believing documentary films due to digital technology. Digital technology is an important thing in technical terms, it gives the operator great opportunities, but I still want to believe the scenes. Essentially films should eternalize reality, and reality is human life. Film is the reflection of physical reality, and it should not be ignored. And today's Armenian films do not respond to reality, "Hasmikyan said. The most important thing in films is reality; it is the language of the twenty-first century through which the moving reality is eternalized on screen. The main essence of the film is documentation; it should not have invented parts. According to film critic, film is not a work of one person, but of a group and it is wrong to characterize it as an authors work, as the director and operators greatly contribute to its creation. There is the necessity to portray reality in films. YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. Two female militants were killed by police when they fired shots and threw a grenade at a Turkish police bus in Istanbul on March 3, local media and the Istanbul governor said. Armenpress reports citing Reuters that two police officers were lightly wounded in the attack, Governor Vasip Sahin told reporters in televised comments. An investigation was under way to identify the militant group responsible, he said. One of the women threw a grenade and the other opened fire with what appeared to be a machine gun as the riot police bus drove towards the entrance of a police station in the Bayrampasa district of Turkey's biggest city, footage from Dogan News Agency showed. Police fired back, injuring one of the women, before tracking them to a nearby building, CNN Turk said. Special forces units and police surrounded the building, television footage showed, leading to an hour-long stand-off between the women and the police in which there was sporadic gunfire. Attacks on Turkey's security forces have increased as violence flares in the predominantly Kurdish southeast, where a ceasefire between Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants and the state collapsed last July. Wednesday, March 2, 2016 at 9:18PM This tends to happen during the American election season. When a controversial candidate wins, Americans start to look for ways to move to Canada. Google Trends have tweeted and pointed out that following Super Tuesday and Trumps win in seven states against other Republican candidates, the search engine has had the highest search for Move to Canada queries in the companys history. The numbers have nearly doubled since George W. Bush was re-elected. The other data Google Trends was able to cull include Trump being the top search query for all seven states among the Republican politicians. On the Democrats side, Hillary Clinton beat out Bernie Sanders to take out the seven states. But in terms of searches, Sanders and Clinton were pretty close except for Vermont where Sanders was more popular. If youve been following the U.S. Elections, you can see more interesting data from Google here. Source: SlashGear "They got them out pretty quickly, but there was also the issue of all the other cars trying to come south down the highway into Canberra, trying to get through the floodwaters," he said. The State Emergency Service advises people to move cars under cover or away from trees, secure loose items around the house and yard in the lead up to the storm and unplug computers and appliances and avoid using the phone and stay indoors away from windows during the storm. YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. Members of the US House of Representatives, Chairman of Intelligence Committee Devin Nunes and member of the House Budget Committee David Valadao called on the international community to recognize the right of Nagorno Karabakh people to self-determination. As Armenpress reports, both congressman represent the central valley of California; William Saroyan's native region. Over the course of the past century, the Armenian people have been subject to some of the worst treatment in modern history. From the Armenian Genocide and the repressive years under Soviet rule, to the pogroms committed against Armenians in the cities of Sumgait, Kirovabad and Baku, the tragic plight of the Armenian people in their search for freedom cannot be overstated. According to Devin Nunes and David Valadao, as a nation built on the concept of freedom, the United States must support those who put their safety on the line in the pursuit of that most basic human right. The people of Nagorno Karabakh have suffered enough under Azerbaijans aggressive policies, and it is time for the international community to recognize their right to self-determination. Today I rise to recognize the Armenian people, especially the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, who struggle for the same things the United States fought for over 200 years ago: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, authors of the statement concluded. Western support for each of them comes at a cost. While the Kurds are the US's most effective fighters in Iraq and Syria, Turkey is opposed to any US support for the Kurdish militia whom they see as a long-term threat to Turkish sovereignty. The Kurds are now getting to the limits of what they consider to be Kurdish areas in Iraq and Syria and do not seem motivated to advance into areas that have traditionally been Sunni areas. Some would prefer to be operating in Kurdish areas of Turkey instead. YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. On March 2 embassy of Armenia participated in annual Vienna Vodka Festival. Except Armenia, Russia, Austria, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Moldova, Mongolia, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia also introduced vodkas, produced in their countries. Armenpress was informed from the Press, Information and Public Relations Department of the Armenian MFA that Armenian production of alcoholic beverages was presented by various products, produced under ABRI, Armenian Wine and Artsakh brands. The festival was attended by a large number of Austrian public and political figures, heads of diplomatic missions accredited in Vienna, diplomats, heads of international organizations and employees. Fruit vodkas of Armenian production received the best evaluation and Armenian embassy reached an agreement with the Austrian side to organize meeting with Armenian vodka producers during the upcoming Armenian-Austrian business forum and discuss the possibilities of cooperation. Three college students who first met while attending a Catholic high school in Florida have launched a scholarship fund to help others experience faithful Catholic education at a Newman Guide college. As we went off to different colleges, we kept in touch and found time to catch up whenever we returned [] YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. Delegation of NATO's International Staff was in Armenia for the assessment of the package of Armenia-NATO Individual Partnership Action Plan (PAP) and Planning and Review Process. Armenpress was informed from the Press, Information and Public Relations Department of the Armenian MFA that in the frames of the visit, the joint session of Armenia-NATO IPAP interagency committee and NATO delegation was held on March 2. Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Ashot Hovakimyan and First Deputy Defense Minister David Tonoyan delivered welcoming speeches. During the session the 2015 preliminary results of the assessment on the package of NATO IPAP and Planning and Review Process were presented. NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Defense Policy and Planning Jonathan Parish noted that Armenia is a significant partner for NATO and on behalf of NATO expressed his gratitude to Armenia for its participation in NATO operations in Kosovo and Afghanistan. Both sides noted the progress which was made on the implementation of the goals, included in the package. Members of the Armenian Interdepartmental Commission referred to the works in corresponding sectors, existing issues and basic priorities. Our Promise: Welcome to Care2, the world's largest community for good. Here, you'll find over 45 million like-minded people working towards progress, kindness, and lasting impact. Care2 Stands Against: bigots, racists, bullies, science deniers, misogynists, gun lobbyists, xenophobes, the willfully ignorant, animal abusers, frackers, and other mean people. If you find yourself aligning with any of those folks, you can move along, nothing to see here. Care2 Stands With: humanitarians, animal lovers, feminists, rabble-rousers, nature-buffs, creatives, the naturally curious, and people who really love to do the right thing. You are our people. You Care. We Care2. YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. Chaired by Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan, the Government continued discussing the draft Tax Code of the Republic of Armenia, attended by representatives from of interested state bodies. Armenpress was informed from the Department of Information and Public Relations of the Armenian Government that the meeting reviewed amendments and changes proposed for specific types of taxes, as well as procedures and management mechanisms. The interested state bodies submitted their comments and observations on the discussed topics. Even though Ford isnt selling the Edge in all of its European markets, it still happens to be a more upscale option than the more popular Kuga. The same should probably apply when talking about the Vignale lineup, which is on display at this years Geneva Motor Show. As some of our readers pointed out, the prospect of owning an overpriced Kuga isnt the most appealing thing in the world, but what about the already more premium Edge? Ford actually brought two Edge Vignale models to Geneva, identical in every way, yet wearing separate colors. The metallic brown model you saw in the press images was painted in Vignale Ametista Scura, whereas the other car is wearing Vignale White Platinum but well leave it to you guys to tell us which one you think looks best. Also, keep in mind that even Ford thinks that the Edge Vignale is their most contemporary and stylish SUV, and as far as Europe is concerned, its hard to argue with that statement. Since theyve yet to release more information about the car, which should include prices at some point, its safe to assume its going to cost more than the current flagship Edge Sport, priced from 34,495 in the UK. PHOTO GALLERY Peugeots latest midsize light shuttle vehicle was at Geneva, and so was its businessmen conveying counterpart, the i-Lab Concept. The Traveller is the product of a joint venture between Peugeot, Citroen and Toyota, but unlike the other two companies, Peugeot is decided to offer a touch of exclusivity for its own model. On the outside, nothing separates them (except maybe the tinted windows), but step into the i-Lab concept and youre greeted by a high-tech lounge, composed of four comfy-looking leather and Alcantara seats, with a 32-inch touch tablet in the middle that can be positioned as preferred on the arch supporting it. Peugeot collaborated with Samsung in the development of the interior, as the screen, the Wi-Fi hotspot, the Bluetooth modules, the charging docks and the virtual reality headsets featured inside are made by the Korean company. The van also comes with a 17-loudspeaker hi-fi acoustic system, supplied by three amplifiers and controlled by a Digital Signal Processor. But the tech doesnt stop there, because the 4.96 m long and 1.90 high Pug benefits from other onboard systems such as connected navigation with 3D mapping and real-time info and safety systems, and driver inattention monitoring devices. PHOTO GALLERY Among all the ultra-connected, electric-powered autonomous cars that visited the 2016 Geneva Motor Show, Toyotas Kikai concept actually looks to keep things simple. Ever since this car made its debut at last years Tokyo Motor Show, the media called it plenty of clever names, such as hot rod, analog and even anti-connected, which is appropriate seen as how this is the age of connectivity. The reason why this concept looks the way it does is because Toyota wanted to remind people that regardless of how much on-board tech you stuff your car with, the vehicle itself will always function because of its mechanical principals first and foremost, and not because you can sync your iPhone with it and get it to park itself. In Tokyo, the Japanese automaker also stated that the Kikai reminds us of the appeal of the physical and tactile in a digital age, which is true, though some people whove voiced their opinions about it seem to think it looks ridiculous. So in a weird way, the Kikai would be the ideal car to park next to something like Nissans IDS concept, since youd end up with a sort of past versus future type of image. PHOTO GALLERY YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. Armenian National Committee of US State of Georgia reports on the adoption of H.R. 1580 "Honoring and Recognizing the Nagorno Karabakh Republic" in the Georgia State House, Armenpress informs. Representatives Pat Gardner (D-57) and Demetrius Douglas (D-78) were the main sponsors of the resolution. Georgia is the 6th state which recognizes the independence of Nagorno Karabakh Republic. Before that, similar resolutions were adopted by legislatures of Louisiana, Rhode Island, California, Massachusetts and Maine. Photo: The Canadian Press/artist's rendering Thrill seekers looking to take their fear of heights to a new level can come to downtown Los Angeles this summer and careen down a clear glass slide atop the tallest building west of the Mississippi. The "Skyslide" is scheduled to begin sending urban adventurers down the relatively brief ride 1,000 feet above the ground in June. It will span 45 feet from the 70th to the 69th floor of the U.S. Bank Tower downtown. Nothing but 1 1/4-inch glass separates riders from the ground, promising to provide both a thrill and quite the view for anyone willing to open their eyes along the way. On a clear day, the 72-story tower provides panoramic views that extend to Catalina Island 22 miles off the Pacific Coast and over the Santa Monica Mountains to the city's sprawling San Fernando Valley. "There will be nothing like it in the U.S.," said Lucy Rumantir, head of U.S. operations for the building owner OUE Limited of Singapore. And that is just the reason for building a giant slide in the sky, she added. Skyslide is part of a $50 million renovation that will also put an open-air observation deck and bar on the building's top floors. Asked if she'll actually slide down the thing when it opens, Rumantir laughed: "Oh yeah, of course. We're going to be the ones who actually test the whole thing before it goes public. The risk is on us." Photo: Contributed - mercycorps.org Several refugee families are now calling the Shuswap area home. Brian Ayotte, of the Salmon Arm Refugee Coalition, said 11 refugees are now living in Salmon Arm. The first to arrive was a 24-year-old male who is waiting for his father and younger brother to arrive. The rest of his family was killed by an explosive device. He has been in Salmon Arm since mid-January and has been actively involved in helping two families of five each who arrived over the past two weeks, settle into their new surroundings. The 24 year old is acting as a translator, said Ayotte. He has been a great ambassador for Canada to the new arrivals. Ayotte said they are expecting two more families to arrive in the next 10 days. There will also be two privately-sponsored families arriving in the near future. All of the refugees go through the same screening process, but the government-sponsored ones are assisted financially by the government. The Justin Trudeau Liberals are making good on a promise to bring thousands of Syrian refugees to the Great White North, and last week the 25,000 milestone was reached. The Vernon area is also expecting several refugee families, but there is no word on when they will arrive. One of the challenges Okanagan communities have been facing is finding accommodations for the new arrivals. Ayotte said a week ago, Salmon Arm was in the same boat, but now they seem to be falling out of the sky. When the call went out looking for places for the refugees to live, Ayotte said people called offering apartments and basement suites at reduced rates. Some companies have even contacted the group with job offers for the refugees. The whole community has really gotten behind this, said Ayotte. It has made this a wonderful experience. Photo: Contributed - Hstiver On budgets and Friday sittings It should never be forgotten that elected officials work for the public, and should be accountable to the people we collectively serve. This is why, in last weeks MP report, I asked citizens to share their input with me on these weekly reports, and what changes people would like to see for future reports. More so now, given my role as an opposition MP. The response was significant, and very encouraging. I would like to sincerely thank the many citizens who took the time to offer very valuable suggestions and ideas that will be incorporated into future reports. One frequent comment was to spend less time on events widely covered in media, and more time on issues that are less covered. Taking that feedback to heart this week, I will mention a few topics that were not widely covered, but may be of interest. One issue announced last week is that MP office budgets are being increased. MP office budgets have been frozen since the 2009-2010 fiscal year. The increase announced last week is a 20% raise to MPs basic office budgets, a 5% increase to travel accounts, and a 20% increase to House officers budgets in Ottawa. These budgets are intended to allow MPs to pay for increases in rent and staffing costs, as well other expenses encountered when running several offices between the riding and Ottawa. I should add that an increased budget does not necessarily lead to increased spending. Any unused funds from an MPs annual office budget are returned to Ottawa each year, with the exception of a 5% carryover that an MP can apply to their next fiscal year. All of these funds, when spent, are reported in a Members annual financial report. In my case, I also provide an annual accountability report to make this and other information easier to find to compare with previous years. To date, since I was first elected as a Member of Parliament in 2011, I have never maximized my available budget spending, and have returned unused funds to Ottawa. I expect this trend to continue. Another change being contemplated in Ottawa is the shortening of the work week when the House of Commons is in session. Generally when MPs are in Ottawa, the House of Commons will sit from Monday to Friday, with the rare exception of a holiday creating a shorter week. For the majority of time when the House sits, it typically does so for two or three weeks in a row before adjourning for one, or occasionally two, constituency weeks. A Parliamentary committee is currently exploring that the House of Commons no longer sit on Fridays. The intent of this change is to help improve the family life balance for Members of Parliament. My thoughts on this? Currently, for a BC based MP travelling either to or from Ottawa, the travel time takes the better part of a day, so having a Friday strictly for travel would allow for more time back home. However, as it stands now there are currently 24 Fridays the House is sitting in 2016, meaning the elimination of Fridays would result in a loss of over one month of House time. That is significant. The current obligations that include sitting five days a week when the House is in session were well known to all who put their names forward and were elected as MPs only a short time ago. As I believe it is important that elected MPs fulfill the obligations under which they were elected, I will be opposing these changes. I welcome your comments, questions, and concerns on this or any subject before the House of Commons. I can be reached at [email protected] or toll free at 1-800-665-8711. This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet. Photo: Thinkstock.com Dog owners are sounding the alarm on social media about someone trying to steal their hounds. On Wednesday evening, Coral Dicer posted, Just a heads up, there have been men spotted in the VSS and Mission Hill area trying to coax dogs away from their yards or into their vehicles. Please keep your dogs in eye sight at all times. This is disgusting. Her post was met by a chorus of others saying they have seen similar activities. Several people are reporting seeing a man in his 30s dressed in black trying to lure dogs away from their homes. Denay Fantin posted, He was crouched behind a bush in front of our house calling our dog. As soon as he saw my hubby he got up and left in a hurry. It is not just Vernon area dogs being targeted, with reports coming in from Sicamous, Salmon Arm and Enderby. Sherrie Van Dusen said, I have learned today, after someone tried to steal my dogs in GlenEden, that a purple panel van tried to steal a golden in Sicamous three weeks ago. A Norwegian elkhound was stolen on Salmon River Road recently, a Yorkie in Enderby was stolen and a cattle dog in the Salmon River Road area has also gone missing. Whoever these people are, it appears they are targeting pure bred dogs. Please keep your dogs safe. There was also a report out of Salmon Arm of someone trying to steal a bernese mountain dog. Pat Ellis, with K9 Control that handles dog complaints throughout the North Okanagan, said she has heard of only one recent case of a missing dog she found suspicious. She said a six-month-old pitbull was reported missing Thursday morning. She said pitbulls are sometimes taken because they are a macho dog. The street people like them. And men in their 20s like them. Salmon Arm RCMP Staff Sgt. Scott West said police have recorded only one incidence of suspicious activity involving someone possibly trying to lure two dogs from a property into a pick up truck. There has been a name change for a movie filmed partly in Enderby, Lumby, Armstrong and Vernon. According to imdb.com the movie originally called Go With Me, will be released as Blackway later this year. The movie stars Anthony Hopkins, Julia Styles and Ray Liotta. Set against the rugged backdrop of a Pacific Northwest logging community, Blackway tells the story of Lillian, played by Stiles, a young woman newly returned to her hometown who becomes the subject of harassment by a man named Blackway, played by Liotta. Blackway is an ex-cop turned violent crime lord who operates with impunity in the small community on the edge of the wilderness. Forsaken by the local townspeople, and advised by the sheriff to leave town, Lillian decides instead to take a stand against her sociopathic stalker, and enlists the help of ex-logger Lester, played by Hopkins. The movie is produced by Enderby's own Rick Dugdale, directed by Daniel Alfredson and written by Joe Gangemi and Gregory Jacobs. If you have just started your journey in an online casino or are looking for a new site to play,... YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. Wolfgang Schaeuble, the German finance minister, has said he would cry if Britain votes to leave the EU in the referendum on June 23, Armenpress reports citing the Independent website. Schaeuble was asked what he would do during a panel discussion with George Osborne at the annual conference of the British Chambers of Commerce in London. "We would cry," he said, reportedly prompting laughter and applause. Earlier in the discussion, Schaeuble said the EU would be less competitive and more unstable if the UK votes to leave. YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. An Electricity Ministry source said power is gradually returning to Syrian areas after the cause of outage was found, Armenpress reports, citing SANA agency. The source noted that the network will be restored to its earlier capacity by midnight. Earlier information came that power suddenly went out in all the provinces and that maintenance teams were working to identify the cause of the outage and fix it in order to restore electricity as quickly as possible. In a relevant context, the Syrian Telecommunications Establishment said Internet service is back after a fault that earlier caused a partial outage to all the provinces has been fixed. Discussion A single, traditional funeral likely led to a sharp increase in Ebola cases in a previously low-incidence district in Sierra Leone, suggesting a substantially higher rate of secondary transmission from one patient than the basic Ebola virus reproduction number of 2.53 estimated for the outbreak in Sierra Leone (4). A high number of secondary cases might be explained by a high viral load in the primary patient, the type of contact, timing of contact (e.g., while a patient was alive or dead), the number of persons exposed, or a combination of these factors. An investigation of the 1995 Ebola outbreak in Kikwit, Democratic Republic of the Congo, identified 38 secondary cases linked to one patient who had many visitors while hospitalized (5). Eight men with confirmed Ebola who attended this funeral died. The high case fatality rate among men might be explained by more intense or prolonged contact with the corpse by the male funeral attendees. According to traditional funeral practices in Sierra Leone, family and friends of the same sex are often responsible for preparing, washing, and clothing the body (6). Funerals pose a substantial risk for Ebola transmission for several reasons. First, the risk for transmission might increase with viral load, which is often highest in nonsurvivors, especially during the later stages of disease progression and at death (7). Second, the traditional practices of washing, preparing, and touching the body include direct, prolonged contact with the corpse. Finally, funerals attract family, friends, and colleagues from various locations. Attendance is important to demonstrate respect, establish land rights, and determine whether widows will return to their community of origin (6). Travelers who are exposed and become infected can establish new chains of transmission when they return to their original communities. This report highlights the potential for high levels of transmission from a single patient or event and underscores the importance of vigilant Ebola surveillance and response. At least 36 Ebola cases and nine deaths might have been prevented had the pharmacist had a safe, medical burial. The DHMTs comprehensive and targeted response, including rapid community engagement, quarantine, and active surveillance through daily house-to-house visits and formation of a youth neighborhood watch, likely led to the prompt identification of cases and limited transmission beyond the four cases in the second generation and the four cases in the third generation. Fear, stigma, and discrimination might lead to underreporting of Ebola cases (8), and there was likely underascertainment of Ebola cases, deaths, and exposures. During the time of the investigation, Moyamba DHMT and CDC witnessed and received anecdotal reports of persons who were fleeing the area and hiding from surveillance and contact tracing teams. Self-reported data are limited by patients and proxies ability to recall exposures and dates, and social desirability bias and fear might have led to underreporting of Ebola symptoms and contact with ill persons or corpses. To achieve and maintain zero new infections, enhanced community-based surveillance strategies, such as the community event-based surveillance system, which employs community health monitors to detect and report Ebola trigger events (e.g., two or more ill or dead family or household members) (9), are critical to the rapid identification of high-risk events to prevent transmission. Safe, dignified burials by trained burial teams using appropriate protective equipment are critical to the interruption of transmission and control of Ebola in both low-incidence and high-incidence settings, as well as in rural and urban settings (10). Early identification of Ebola cases along with prompt isolation, testing, and care of patients can limit transmission, improve likelihood of survival, and ensure safe burials of persons who die, ultimately preventing deaths from occurring at home and unsafe burials in the community. Ebola response teams can strengthen community Ebola surveillance. YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. The United States should be aware that by prolonging anti-Russian sanctions they are undermining the possibility of cooperation on key international issues. As Armenpress reports citing "RIA Novosti", it was said by the Russian Foreign Ministry on March 3. "From the atmosphere of dialogue between our countries a lot depends in world affairs, in matters of global and regional security. Methodically shaking the framework of bilateral relations, the United States should take into account that thereby it undermines the possibility of cooperation on key international issues over which they themselves regularly turn to us", - this was noted in comments posted on the foreign Ministry website in connection with the extension of the anti-Russian US sanctions. YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. The discussions of the draft condemning the Armenian Genocide in Germanys Bundestag indicated that all the factions accept that massacres of Armenians in Ottoman Turkey, in 1915 is genocide and it must be condemned, Vice President of the Armenian National Assembly (NA) Eduard Sharmazanov said after the executive body session of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA). There were no speeches to put the Armenian Genocide under suspicion. After the discussion I met with the author of the draft Cem Ozdemir and Vice-President of the German Bundestag Edelgard Bulmahn after a day. They both stated that they are ready to do everything possible for the Bundestag to condemn the Armenian Genocide, Sharmazanov said, Armenpress reports. Sharmazanov added that most of Germany's ruling coalition representatives expressed the need for recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide. I believe that there are all the bases for Germanys Bundestag to condemn the Armenian Genocide during 2016, Sharmazanov concluded. YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. The publicized draft Electoral Code is merely the basis upon which the new code will be elaborated. Spokesperson for the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), Vice President of Republic of Armenia National Assembly Eduard Sharmazanov told about this after RPA Executive Board session. The main discussions will be held at the National Assembly. Of course, there will be also hearings and all the interested parties will participate in the discussions. We must also be responsive towards the opinion of civil society and opposition representatives. It should not be claimed that the opinions of the opposition and the civil society have been refused, Armenpress reports Sharmazanov saying, referring to the allegations that the opinions of the opposition and the civil society have been ignored. He stated that the main discussions on the draft Electoral Code will take place at the National Assembly. You are well aware of cases when the Government submits a bill to the National Assembly which later undergoes changes, considering the proposals of the opposition and the civil society. Naturally, there cannot be a draft that will include all the suggestions of everyone, but the authorities have political will to hear moderate proposals of both the opposition and the civil society, National Assembly Vice President added. Sharmazanov expressed conviction that an Electoral Code will be accepted which will be a better one, more democratic, practical and will rule out possible electoral frauds and double voting. It will be an Electoral Code elaborated taking into account the remarks and proposals of our partners, Sharmazanov said. Referring to the suggestion of the opposition that it is necessary to publish the voting lists after elections, Sharmazanov mentioned that there is a decision taken by the Constitutional Court in that regard, which is binding for everyone. This is not a political issue. There is a legal decision, and the decision of the Constitutional Court is binding for every citizen of Armenia. But we must do so that mechanism come into reality in the new code which will raise public trust towards electoral procedures, Sharmazanov concluded. The Business Side of Green Blog is where Peter Arpin gets to interact with the community on an ongoing basis. Here, Peter will share his thoughts and ideas when it comes to helping our community move towards a more sustainable future. Peter is also looking for your ideas and thoughts to promote and share through the Arpin Broadcast Network and its affiliates, Arpin Group, Arpin Van Lines and Arpin International Group. Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android From:"Leroy Boucha" Date:Fri, Feb 26, 2016 at 3:33 PM Subject:Fw: Fwd: FW: On Thursday, February 25, 2016 7:23 PM, John Fisher wrote: Sent from my iPhone Begin forwarded message: From: Junior Andersen Date: February 23, 2016 at 1:13:12 PM EST To: Gary Scott , John Fisher Subject: FW: Cc: UNITED STATES DOLLAR BILL Who Was Haym Solomon? Read this fascinating history of the $1 bill all the way to the bottom to know about Haym Solomon. You may be in for quite a surprise history of the $1 bill all the way to the bottom to know about Haym Solomon. You may be in for quite a surprise! On the rear of the One Dollar bill, you will see two circles. Together, they comprise the Great Seal of the United States The First Continental Congress requested that Benjamin Franklin and a group of men come up with a Seal. It took them four years to accomplish this task and another two years to get it approved. If you look at the left-hand circle, you will see a Pyramid. Notice the face is lighted, and the western side is dark. This country was just beginning. We had not begun to explore the west or decided what we could do for Western Civilization. The Pyramid is uncapped, again signifying that we were not even close to being finished. Inside the Capstone you have the all-seeing eye, an ancient symbol for divinity. It was Franklin's belief that one man couldn't do it alone, but a group of men, with the help of God, could do anything. 'IN GOD WE TRUST' is on this currency. The Latin above the pyramid, ANNUIT COEPTIS, means, 'God has favored our undertaking.' The Latin below the pyramid, NOVUS ORDO SECLORUM, means, 'a new order has begun.' At the base of the pyramid is the Roman numeral for 1776. (MDCCLXXVI) If you look at the right-hand circle, and check it carefully, you will learn that it is on every National Cemetery in the United States. It is also on the Parade of Flags Walkway at the Bushnell, Florida National Cemetery, and is the centerpiece of most heroes' monuments. Slightly modified, it is the seal of the President of the United States, and it is always visible whenever he speaks, yet very few people know what the symbols mean. The Bald Eagle was selected as a symbol for victory for two reasons: First, he is not afraid of a storm; he is strong, and he is smart enough to soar above it. Secondly, he wears no material crown. We had just broken from the King of England. Also, notice the shield is unsupported. This country can now stand on its own. At the top of that shield there is a white bar signifying congress, a unifying factor. We were coming together as one nation. In the Eagle's beak you will read, ' E PLURIBUS UNUM' meaning, 'from many - one.' Above the Eagle, we have the thirteen stars, representing the thirteen original colonies, and any clouds of misunderstanding rolling away. Again, we were coming together as one. Notice what the Eagle holds in his talons. He holds an olive branch and arrows. This country wants peace, but we will never be afraid to fight to preserve peace. The Eagle always wants to face the olive branch, but in time of war, his gaze turns toward the arrows. An (untrue) old-fashioned belief says that the number 13 is an unlucky number. This is almost a worldwide belief. You will almost never see a room numbered 13, or any hotels or motels with a 13th floor. But think about this: America, which relies on God (not a number) to direct and lead, boldly chose: 13 original colonies, 13 signers of the Declaration of Independence, 13 stripes on our flag, 13 steps on the pyramid, 13 letters in 'Annuit Coeptis', 13 letters in ' E Pluribus Unum,' 13 stars above the eagle, 13 bars on that shield, 13 leaves on the olive branch, 13 fruits, and if you look closely, 13 arrows. And finally, notice the arrangement of the 13 stars in the right-hand circle. You will see that they are arranged as a Star of David. This was ordered by George Washington who, when he asked Haym Solomon, a wealthy Philadelphia Jew, what he would like as a personal reward for his services to the Continental Army. Solomon said he wanted nothing for himself, but he would like something for his people. The Star of David was the result. Few people know it was Solomon who saved the Army through his financial contributions...then died a pauper. Haym Solomon gave $25 million to save the Continental Army, money that was sorely needed to help realize America's our- freedom and independence from England. Therein lies America's Judeo-Christian beginning. Most American children do NOT know any of this. They are not taught because their history teachers do NOT know this. [They were not taught!] On America's Freedom: Too many veterans gave up too much to let the meaning fade. Many veterans came home to an America that did not care. Too many veterans never came home at all. They served, they died for you for me. I hope you will share this page with many-so they can learn about the UNITED STATES DOLLAR BILL, and what it stands for America is at a critical juncture. Let's do whatever we can to save her while never, ever forgetting: It is God in whom we put our trust! "Yesterday is history, Tomorrow is a mystery. And Today? Today is a gift. That's why we call it the present." Absence of epidemiological data, with the exception of information regarding domestic violence and sexual assault limits the extent to which the prevalence of the problems identified can be specified. Other events relevant to mental health were the displacement of more than half of Bougainvilles population; the perpetration of wide-scale human rights abuses; undermining of the traditional authority of elders and women, cultural values and relationships; property damage; and major disruptions to education and the economy. ESTIMATES of the number of war deaths attributable to the Bougainville civil war vary considerably, but a figure of between 15,000 and 20,000 appears to be most widely accepted in Bougainville. Most deaths involved civilians. Nevertheless, Mr Beleh (a local politician) and Sr Garasu (a Catholic Nun) reported that they had identified 232 ex-combatants as manifesting one or more mental health problems arising from the conflict in one of Bougainvilles 33 political constituencies. Those who were children or adolescents during the war (the lost generation) were reported as having limited education, a lack of engagement in traditional values and activities and displaying aberrant behaviours all of which contribute to their marginalisation in the community. Many of this group experienced events during the war likely to have been traumatic and, while the numbers who continue to be impacted by these experiences is yet to be determined, an expatriate Marist Brother teacher/counsellor noted that most of 50 male students he taught had been involved in combat and appeared to be suffering from symptoms of post-traumatic stress. Various reports, largely based on community perceptions, have highlighted the detrimental effects of the conflict on subsequent risk of substance abuse. Gender-based violence including sexual violence is considered a significant issue in Bougainville and thought to continue at a higher rate compared to that prior to the war. The number of people missing presumed to have died during the war is unknown, but the inability to conduct customary burial ceremonies was reported as resulting in complicated grief for the surviving relatives and as having broader impacts including land title and use issues. Meetings with senior police personnel highlighted the difficulties the police force experience in carrying out their duties amongst a community impacted by the war and its aftermath and by some officers who continue to be impacted by their personal war experiences. People continue to be displaced since the war and family separation, separation from traditional land, insecure living circumstances and the strain on host communities/families were reported as continuing impacts. Finally, our informants reported a trans-generational impact on those born after the war through their exposure to a range of trauma-related aberrant behaviours displayed by parents and within the community at large. Collectively, the mental health issues identified were described as having a broad impact on the social fabric of Bougainville society and, indirectly, on economic recovery. There was a broad consensus concerning the priority need to address mental health issues to reduce the distress experienced by individuals and the burden of associated disturbed behaviours on families, community, health services, the police, the judiciary and educational institutions. The overarching view of our informants was that addressing mental health issues, particularly trauma related aberrant behaviours, had the potential to: assist in healing relationships damaged during and since the conflict; support efforts to maintain and enhance the peace process; and encourage the re-engagement of those affected in purposeful and productive family, community and economic activity. It was recognised that, in addition to the need for mental health and psycho-social services, traditional reconciliation ceremonies in which perpetrators compensate victims might play a complementary role in achieving healing for sides of the conflict. While a range of government and non-government services, agencies and groups are confronted by mental health issues in their daily work, only a few agencies are specifically focused on assisting people with these problems. Two such agencies are the Nazareth Centre, which provides refuge for women and other survivors of family violence, youth who have substance abuse issues and treatment for former combatants; and the Leitana Nehan Womens Development Agency who provide counselling and referral related to gender based violence, trauma-related awareness raising programs and training for community based organisations. In addition to the limited number of trained staff to address mental health issues across Bougainville, there are minimal resources to attend to people with severe mental disorders including those with psychotic disorders (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and other psychotic disorders), neuropsychiatric conditions/brain disorders, severe mood disorders and chronic traumatic stress disorders that are typically found in low-income, post-conflict settings. At the time of writing, there is only one mental health nurse for the total Bougainville population of 254,000. Patients referred to the national hospital are assessed and treated by the mental health nurse supported by hospital physicians, noting that the hospital is distant from and difficult to access from many areas of Bougainville. The only options for care for the more severely disturbed patients referred to the hospital are short-term accommodation in a centre designed principally to provide refuge for women experiencing domestic violence; being held in police cells with criminal offenders; or being transported by air (with medical and police escort) to the national capital, Port Moresby, for specialist treatment. The inadequacies of the system add credence to observer reports that the mentally ill are at risk of neglect (and in some cases abuse) throughout Bougainville. This brief overview indicates that while key individuals and agencies have worked valiantly over many years to address mental health and psycho-social issues, it is evident that the capacity within Bougainville to address them is severely limited relative to the demand. On the positive side, important facilitating factors were made evident. A clear recognition of the need to address mental health was identified throughout the consultation process as was a strong interest in building Bougainvilles capacity to address these needs and the governments interest in developing the necessary supportive policy and legislative framework. They have established brands and operations that still throw-off cash. Yes, newspapers have been struggling with legacy costs. But in the news business, one cannot underestimate the power of reputable brands and newsrooms and the existence of print operations that still drive customers to advertisers and make money. There are many digital-only businesses that would love to have something (anything) that made money and it would be very difficult to over-estimate the investment that will be needed over many years to create credible brands and news cultures on par with historic newspapers. Take the airline industry, for example. Many startups have challenged the status quo since financial struggles began in the 1970's, yet three out of four of the surviving major carriers in the U.S. are "legacy" companies. Incumbency has its advantages. The public has a continuing, insatiable demand for news. Contrary to conventional wisdom, the public is consuming more news than ever and the curve is accelerating. Cat videos and click bait may get the attention, but if you want to pick a digital content segment with legs, then news is where you want to be. Newspapers are already there and, as I often say, "Google isn't going to interview the quarterback." This service applies to you if your subscription has not yet expired on our old site. You will have continued access until your subscription expires; then you will need to purchase an ongoing subscription through our new system. Please contact The Chanute Tribune office at 620-431-4100 if you have any questions The Full Story: All Our Advice Coverage Options...And How Much to Buy The first step in shopping for auto insurance is to decide on the types and levels of coverage that will keep risk to an acceptable level for a reasonable annual premium. You will have to choose from a broad range of auto insurance coverage options. In terms of the amount of coverage, keep in mind that the purpose of insurance is to protect you from losses you cant afford to cover yourself. When you buy more insurance than you need, you are simply wasting money. Liability Coverage When you injure someone else, or damage someones property, you may be legally required to pay for the loss. Your home, your savings, and even your future wages are vulnerable. Liability coverage pays the amount for which you may be liable for bodily injury and property damage to othersup to certain limitsand covers legal fees incurred in your defense. Bodily injury claims can include wage loss, medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, and pain and suffering. Property damage can include damages to someone elses car, building, or other property. Liability coverage generally protects you, your spouse, other members of your household, and anyone else who drives your car with your expressed or implied permission. But any liability coverage has payout limits, and if the damages for which you are found liable exceed those limits youll have to pay out of pocket. Determine what limits you can live with, keeping in mind that the higher the limits the higher the premium. Your policys limits are usually expressed as a set of three numbers each representing a multiple of $1,000 divided by diagonal lines. For example, a 100/300/50 policy pays a maximum of $100,000 for bodily injury to one person, a maximum of $300,000 for total bodily injuries when more than one person is hurt in an accident, and a maximum of $50,000 for property damage in a single accident. Some policies are written with a single limit, say $300,000, and will pay up to this limit even if only one person is injured or only property is damaged. Because of its greater flexibility, single-limit $300,000 coverage is worth somewhat more than 100/300/50 split-limit coverage. Since your liability insurance not only protects your assets but also ensures financial relief for anyone you injure, Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania laws require you to carry at least a minimum level of liability insurance. The minimums are 15/30/10 in Delaware and 15/30/5 in Pennsylvania. New Jerseys minimums vary because two types of insurance policies are available: Basic insurance is a bare-bones policy that requires only $5,000 in property damage liability coverage and no bodily injury coverage. The Standard policy requires liability limits of at least 15/30/5. Be aware that if you drive without liability insurance, or buy a policy with minimum coverage amounts, most companies will treat you as a person who takes unnecessary risks and charge very high premiums for future coverage. To protect their assets from catastrophe, most drivers buy liability insurance and insure above the legal minimum. Drivers who possess substantial assets (or anticipate substantial future assets) have the strongest incentives to purchase substantial liability coverage: They have the most to lose; they are the most attractive targets for lawsuits; and they may receive the least sympathy from juries. Although coverage with higher limits costs more, cost increases are often modest. As this figure shows, policyholders with 100/300 bodily injury liability coverage (and $500 deductibles for collision and comprehensive coverages) can expect their total annual premium to increase by about 12 percent by moving up to 250/500 coverage, and expect to save only about nine percent by moving down to 50/100 coverage. And for most drivers, doubling the limits of property damage coverage from $50,000 to $100,000 costs very little. Most consumers consider these extra costs a small price to pay for increased peace of mind. If you want to protect your assets and future income from claims in excess of $500,000, consider an umbrella policy that supplements the liability protection provided by your auto and homeowners policies. In addition to protecting you from claims for bodily injury and property damage, an umbrella policy will protect you against suits for other types of injuriessuch as libel, slander, defamation of character, false arrest, and invasion of privacywhich are not covered by your auto or homeowners policies. Before selling you an umbrella policy, insurance companies may require you to increase the liability coverages in your auto and homeowners policies to the maximum offered. Collision and Comprehensive Coverage Collision and comprehensive coverage pay to repair or replace your car following an accident, regardless of who is at fault. This coverage is not required by law, but if your vehicle is financed your lender may require you to purchase it. Collision coverage pays for the damages your car suffers when it runs into something. Comprehensive coverage pays for damage to your car from almost all other causesincluding vandalism, explosion, fire, wind, and collision with animals. It will even pay if your dog chews up the upholstery. Comprehensive also pays if your car is stolen. Both collision and comprehensive pay only up to the actual cash value of your car. If you want to cover additions to your carvideo screens, an upgraded sound system, a special paint job, or other featuresyou will have to pay an extra premium. As the cars value diminishes, the price of comprehensive and collision coverage declinesbut only during the first few years of the cars life. The collision premium for a 10-year-old carfor which an insurance company would pay almost nothing in the event of a complete lossis about the same as for a six-year-old car. So collision coverage becomes increasingly wasteful as your car ages. Collision and comprehensive coverages are sold with deductiblesthe amount you agree to pay out of pocket before you can collect from the company. You save by taking a high deductible because it helps the company avoid the paperwork of processing small claims. In general, the best course is to take as high a deductible as you can afford to lose without seriously disrupting your life. This figure illustrates the considerable savings yielded by high deductibles. For example, the sample couple would save about nine percent off their total insurance bill by increasing their collision and comprehensive deductibles from $500 to $1,000. The virtues of substantial deductibles are more obvious insofar as you may not even choose to file claims for under $1,000 or so. Filing small claims might lead a company to cancel your coverage or raise your premiums. Medical Payments and Personal Injury Protection Coverage Delaware In Delaware, drivers are required to purchase personal injury protection coverage (PIP) with a limit of at least $15,000 per person involved in an accident and $30,000 per accident. Under this coverage, your insurance company will cover medical expenses and loss of wages resulting from an auto accident for you, your family members, and your passengers, regardless of who is at fault. New Jersey New Jersey drivers are also required to purchase PIP coverage. Under this coverage, your insurance company will pay medical expenses for you, your family members, and your passengers injured in an auto accident, regardless of fault. If you choose a state-authorized Basic policy, you are required to take PIP coverage for medical expenses up to $15,000 per person per accident and up to $250,000 for permanent or significant injury. If you take a Standard policy, you have a number of choices. You can take coverage limits for medical expenses as low as $15,000 and up to $250,000 regardless of whether there is permanent or significant injury (there is always mandatory coverage up to $250,000 if there is permanent or significant injury). You pay a higher premium to cover lost wages and to pay someone to perform tasks you ordinarily perform yourself, such as housecleaning and laundry. With the Standard policy, you have the option of taking a deductible, which means you wont collect on your PIP coverage until expenses exceed the deductible. You can also save money by making your familys health insurance plan the primary payer of medical expenses in the event of an accident. Northern Arizona University and Dine College officials formalized an agreement between the two institutions Monday afternoon that will promote seamless student transfer, educational collaboration and sharing of resources. The presidents of both institutions, Rita Hartung Cheng and Martin Ahumada, signed a memorandum of understanding Monday afternoon to make the deal official. The memorandum allows the partnership to exist for five years before it must be renewed. In a ceremony before the signing, both presidents expressed their excitement for the new alliance, which both said they hope will encourage more Native American, particularly Navajo, students to pursue a bachelors degree. The strengths of NAU match very well with what we need the most, Ahumada said. This relationship with NAU will be critical to the role we want to play both nationally and internationally. Ahumada said the partnership will provide greater opportunities to students and the college. What a wonderful opportunity to work with a university with the strengths of NAU that match very well with what we need the most, Ahumada said. With the agreement, each institution will appoint a single liaison, who will be tasked with preparing recommendations for the presidents about utilization of resources between the institutions. This liaison will then establish teams to address educational needs of the Navajo Nation, create initiatives to fulfill the partnership and provide technical assistance and support for education-related technology, according to the signed agreement. Academic advising teams from each institution will also meet periodically, and Dine College students will have the opportunity to meet with NAU advisers. Dine College is a two-year college with locations throughout the Navajo Reservation that enrolls nearly 1,700 students in various programs. This partnership will allow Dine College students to receive NAU credit for courses completed should they decide to transfer to NAU to further their degree. Dine College does offer three of its own bachelors degree programs in Business Administration, Tribal Management and Economic Development and Elementary Education. Ahumada said he hopes the partnership will expand opportunities for Native American students to not only receive bachelors degrees, but graduate degrees and experience for skilled career paths. There are so many careers we want the Dine people to forge and pursue, and we need your help for that, Ahumada said in his speech to NAU and Dine College leadership. Cheng said she was thrilled at the new partnership. We share a vision of excellence with Dine College, she said. Together we can smooth the path to a bachelors degree in several different ways. Cheng said she wanted to partnership to give students a connection to their home while they studied at NAU, and give Native American students the support and resources to be successful at a university after leaving Dine College. We are fortunate to have an extremely diverse campus and student environment, Cheng said. Through dialogue and collaboration, we continue to find ways to promote the success of Native American students. Cheng said the two institutions have a long history of collaboration without having a formal agreement, and said she looked forward to building on past ventures with the formalized memorandum. Our goals align well with those of Dine College, Cheng said. We want much better access for families and communities to encourage more college completion. The Streeterville Target store's grocery section features grab-and-go healthy food in small packages for urban customers who are typically traveling on foot or by bus, store team leader David Gerber said. (Michael Tercha / Chicago Tribune) Target's experiment with tweaking merchandise to appeal to local audiences in some Chicago stores appears to be paying off, company executives said Wednesday. Target has been testing "localized" merchandise at a handful of Chicago stores since late 2014, said Target spokeswoman Erika Winkels. Advertisement Those test stores saw a percentage point or two bump in sales, Cathy Smith, Target's executive vice president and chief financial officer, said during a presentation to analysts. The Chicago test "demonstrated the potential" of choosing stores' merchandise with local customers in mind, Smith said. Advertisement But don't expect to see local goods chainwide just yet. "We certainly like the results. But we don't have the ability to roll this out everywhere and be successful," said John Mulligan, Target's chief operating officer. When Target adjusts a store's inventory for a local audience, it might change 3,000 to 4,000 items, Target executives said. Winkels said it's still a pretty hands-on process and wouldn't be sustainable across the company's 1,800 stores, although Target is introducing it in some Los Angeles locations. Chicago was picked to test localization because it includes a variety of types of stores in both downtown and suburban areas with diverse customers, Winkels said. Teams at Target researched test stores' neighborhoods to find out what types of goods were already widely available nearby and what niches needed to be filled, she said. Local craft beers have been popular, and one manager arranged coolers, beach chairs and Frisbees at the front of the store before a major music festival. Some stores might offer local tortillas or cheeses, she said. "It's things that feel like not just a Target, but their Target," Winkels said. Even before the Chicago experiment with localization, Target was adjusting its mix of merchandise in its roughly 20 smaller, urban flexible-format stores, she said. Chicago's Streeterville Target was highlighted in a video during the analyst presentation showing a store stocked with Goose Island beer, Chicago-themed apparel and Ventra cards. The store also has a Starbucks selling beer and wine and grab-and-go healthy food in small packages for urban customers who are typically traveling on foot or by bus, store team leader David Gerber said. Advertisement Mulligan said Target is planning to continue testing local products while upgrading its behind-the-scenes processes and supply chain to make it feasible on a wider scale. Localization is a logistical challenge for big national chains, but if done right, it also means stores won't waste space on items that don't sell or run out of popular goods and lose sales, said Brian Kilcourse, managing partner at Retail Systems Research. Customers have also been rebelling against a "sea of sameness" and want products that feel relevant, he said. "You want them to enjoy going to the store, and part of that is not making them slog through products they don't care about," he said. Target announced Monday it hired Amazon's former vice president of operations, Arthur Valdez, to upgrade its supply chain, planning, distribution and transportation. As Target looks to improve logistics, executives also said they plan to increase spending on capital expenditures to as much as $2.5 billion a year by 2017. Modernizing the supply chain will also help Target reduce problems with out-of-stock items and keep up with all the new ways the retailer gets items to customers, Mulligan said. Advertisement Items once went on a predictable path from vendor to regional distribution center to a store's shelves, where a customer would collect them. Now, Target might also ship items directly from a regional distribution center or store, or assemble items on a customer's list for speedy pickup, Mulligan said. Target has been expanding its ship-from-store program, available in 450 locations, up from fewer than 150 the year before, with about 30 percent of online orders filled by stores last year, Mulligan said. Shipping directly from stores means items travel a shorter distance to reach customers. The retailer can get a package to about 90 percent of customers within two days, he said. The company said it will be testing more personalized customer service and improving its grocery selection. It also announced a collaboration with Finnish brand Marimekko on clothing and home goods. lzumbach@tribpub.com Twitter @laurenzumbach State lawmakers moved Wednesday to restore health insurance to thousands of children of the working poor. Without comment the House voted 47-12 for legislation which requires the state to reapply for dollars from the Childrens Health Insurance Program. It provides coverage to children in families who make too much to qualify for Medicaid -- about $27,700 for a family of three -- but less than $40,200 a year. The state had participated in the program, known in Arizona as KidsCare, until 2010, when it became the victim of budget cuts. Jan Brewer, then the governor, ordered an enrollment freeze saying the state could no longer afford its 25 percent match. At that time there were close to 45,000 children in the program. Current enrollment is now below 1,000. Proponent say there may be 60,000 children who would be able to get care if the measure is approved. What changed since 2010 is Congress has approved to pick up the entire cost of the program through 2017, meaning there is no hit to the state budget. The measure has drawn concern from some Republicans, including Gov. Doug Ducey who has said he does not want to put the state in the position of having to continue the program if full federal funding stops. Rep. Regina Cobb, R-Kingman, crafted the measure so that enrollment will stop if that happens. HB 2309 now goes to the Senate. Pawnbrokers The state House voted 35-24 Wednesday to block cities and counties from imposing fees on pawnbrokers. Rep. David Livingston, R-Peoria, said the fees amount to a tax on individuals who have to pawn items. "This is a reduction in taxes to the citizens of the state,'' he said. But Rep. Debbie McCune Davis, D-Phoenix, said the fees which some cities impose fund special divisions within the police department that keep an eye on the shops and the goods that flow through there. "If approved, this measure would make it harder for victims of stolen property and easier for thieves to dispose of stolen property in pawn shops,'' she said. McCune Davis said the $3.50 per transaction fee charged by Phoenix resulted in that city being able to recover $760,000 worth of stolen property last year. The vote sends HB 2566 to the Senate. Publication requirements A Senate panel voted 4-2 Wednesday to eliminate the requirement for businesses in Maricopa and Pima counties to buy legal notices when they incorporate or make other changes. HB 2447 would instead require the Arizona Corporation Commission to set up a special web site where these notices would instead be posted online in a searchable database for at least 90 days. That would be separate from the online records the commission now maintains of all corporations doing business in the state. The vote came over the objections of Ginger Lamb whose newspaper, the Arizona Capitol Times, publishes these notices both in print and online -- for a fee. "In this day and age of corporate corruption, shell companies being formed to hide business entities, this would constitute less transparency,'' Lamb told members of the Senate Government Committee. "If a notice is published online only, there are no standards for verifying that information cannot be hacked or tampered with,'' she said. "A document is vulnerable if it's only posted online,'' Lamb continued. "A newspaper cannot be tampered with.'' But Scot Mussi of the Arizona Free Enterprise Club said Arizona is the last Western state to have such broad publication requirements. And he said the permanent commission files are searchable by company name and the information is "there forever.'' Sen. Steve Smith, R-Maricopa, said he can support the measure because it deals only with the two largest counties. He said that preserves the income stream that currently keeps many smaller newspapers afloat. Bill Cosby, center, accompanied by his attorneys Brian McMonagle, left, and Monique Pressley, arrives at court to face a felony charge of aggravated indecent assault, in Elkins Park, Pa. (Matt Rourke / AP) For decades, comedian Bill Cosby was celebrated as a keen and vigorous observer of daily life. Now, as he faces a criminal charge of sexual assault and myriad allegations that he preyed upon and drugged women, a vastly altered Cosby has emerged: impaired, dependent and, his lawyers argue, blind. At his December arraignment in suburban Philadelphia, the embattled entertainer carried a thin wooden cane and stumbled over a curb, as two attorneys guided him by each arm into the courtroom. Advertisement "He's a 78-year-old blind man who they've chosen to charge," Cosby attorney Monique Pressley said later. "That's not a defense to a charge, that's just a fact." How prominent a role will the entertainer's health play in his multiple legal cases? How was Cosby able to conduct his "Far From Finished" comedy tour last year, where he often sat in a chair but, at his Baltimore appearance, was without a cane and performed workout exercises on the stage? When did his eye condition first arise? Advertisement Cosby's attorneys would not comment for this story, but the comedian's impaired vision was mentioned in a 2004 sexual assault lawsuit brought against him by Andrea Constand, a former Temple University official and the alleged victim in the Pennsylvania criminal case. In a decade-old deposition, Cosby testified that his weakening eyesight "is ongoing. It's getting worse" and refers to his then-ophthalmologist, who has a subspecialty in glaucoma. Between the deposition and the 2014 storm of sexual-assault allegations, Cosby maintained a rigorous schedule of appearances and comedy concerts, collecting multiple honorary degrees and the 2009 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, where he did not require assistance appearing on the Kennedy Center stage.He was developing a weekly sitcom with NBC and taped a comedy special for Netflix, both projects ultimately shelved. In 2010 at Al Sharpton's annual convention, Cosby acquaintance and news commentator Roland Martin recalls the comedian "was assisted by someone to get to the stage" and initially didn't recognize Martin. The previous year at the Essence Music Festival, Martin says, Cosby "was observant and did not require the assistance." A 2015 defamation lawsuit that Cosby filed against model Beverly Johnson, one of his sexual-assault accusers, notes that "Mr. Cosby has suffered from a degenerative eye condition for years, which has steadily worsened," and that "for over a year" the entertainer has been "legally and functionally blind." Cosby's right eye appears cloudy and gray in his police mug shot. News articles have variously reported that the comedian has glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration and keratoconus, a progressive cornea disease. "His right eye looks like he might have had a cornea transplant," said ophthalmologist Christopher Rapuano, chief of cornea services at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia, who has never examined the comedian. From his police photo, Cosby could have a cataract or glaucoma, Rapuano says. "The left eye looks good and clear." During a two-day February hearing in Norristown, Pennsylvania, part of the aggravated indecent assault criminal case, Cosby never referred to documents or wore glasses, occasionally applying drops to his eyes. Cosby's seemingly impaired vision is cited frequently as a possible mitigating factor in a defense motion in the criminal case: "Mr. Cosby has lost his eyesight, hampering his ability to identify the physical appearance of witnesses, to view documents, photographs and video, and thus is limited and in many instances incapable of working with attorneys in preparation of his own defense as well as hindered in his ability to confront evidence offered against him by the District Attorney's Office." Advertisement Will such arguments succeed? "It is a creative defense, likely without precedent, that I expect will be unsuccessful," says Jacob Frenkel, a veteran Maryland criminal defense attorney and former federal prosecutor. "A defendant becoming incompetent or compromised after the offense does not affect culpability for the commission of a crime." Under the theory that poor eyesight impairs Cosby's defense, Frenkel says, "no blind person could ever be prosecuted." More essential to his legal defense is Cosby's health in 2004. "It's the sight he had at the time of the alleged offense," says Maryland criminal and civil lawyer Bruce L. Marcus. In addition to his "loss of eyesight," the defense motion states that Cosby's "age and the substantial passage of time have impaired his memories of the relevant events and witnesses." "Sort of floating around is the issue of competency," Marcus says, "to take the position that he's incompetent to stand trial." Advertisement In the decade-old Constand lawsuit deposition, Cosby said he gave his onetime protege Benadryl to relieve stress and help her sleep. Constand and her attorneys dispute it was Benadryl and say it was a stronger drug that, according to a court filing, made her feel "dizzy and weak" and "only barely conscious." At that time of the alleged 2004 assault, Cosby testified it was easy to know what he gave Constand, but that his eyesight had since deteriorated. "A number of months have passed. When Andrea took the pills, I could see and identify the boxes clearly," Cosby said. But when he gave the deposition, he testified that "the degeneration of the vision" now required him to use an illuminated magnifying glass to distinguish the antihistamine. Cosby continued to lead an active life. "Many of our patients have limited vision and visual function but live very productive and fairly normal lives," says Rapuano, the ophthalmologist. Cosby was criminally charged days before Pennsylvania's 12-year statute of limitations expired. That long prosecutorial delay, rather than Cosby's vision, "now impairs his ability to defend himself," says Joe King, a veteran Virginia criminal defense lawyer. "A good defense lawyer from day one pulls every trick out of his bag," says Frenkel. "The defense strategy is to do everything possible to ensure it never goes to trial." Despite all of the social and professional advancements for women, the monthly period is still treated as a taboo. (Yavuz Arslan / Getty Images) Despite all the social and professional advancements for women, the monthly period is still treated as a taboo. Because of this persisting social stigma, women will surreptitiously slip a tampon up their sleeve on the way to the bathroom. They'll talk about having their periods in code. They'll hide their symptoms from bosses or teachers. To explore just how deep this goes, a recent global survey conducted by Clue, a women's health app, and the International Women's Health Coalition, an advocacy group, asked women about their attitudes toward their periods. They received responses from 90,000 women who use the app from 190 countries. Advertisement The survey found that globally there are thousands of euphemisms women use to talk about their period. In the U.S., women commonly refer to it as a visit from Aunt Flo, that time of the month, their monthly friend, or, as coined by Cher in "Clueless," riding the crimson wave. The Swedish may say, "Lingonveckan," which means "lingonberry week" and the German say "Erdbeerwoche," which means "strawberry week." Some French say, "Les Anglais ont debarque," which means "the English have landed" an ode to the bloody battles of yore. Advertisement The survey also found that most women, regardless of whether they lived in the Eastern or Western world, were uncomfortable talking to a male family member, colleague or friend about periods. "For you to understand your body and take care of your body you have to first not be ashamed of this part of your life," Ida Tin, Clue founder, said. "Without cycles there would be no humans on this planet, it's that fundamental. That taboo is left over from the dark ages." IWHC president Francoise Girard recalled being at a conference on sexual health in Ghana and one of the male speakers started referring to "intimate parts." The lack of clear, straightforward language is confusing for girls, especially ones in the developing world who receive such little, if any, information about menstruating. "You internalize the shame, it suggests something is wrong and something you should be ashamed of," Girard said. "Society is suggesting this is something (women) should keep hidden." If women can't even say the word "period" without someone laughing, or themselves feeling embarrassed, it can be challenging for women to be advocates for their own health. By using cute names for periods, and other reproductive organs, it can suggest women shouldn't be taken seriously. It's a huge public health issue in the developing world, where some girls think they're dying when they suddenly start bleeding because they had no education about their periods, Girard said. Many stop going to school while they're menstruating. But it's also an issue in the developed world. Women are still dismissed as having PMS if they're perceived to be in a bad mood. This even came up in U.S. presidential politics when GOP front-runner Donald Trump said after the first debate in August that Megyn Kelly of Fox News had "blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever." Though he denied it, most people understood it as him saying she asked tough questions because she was on her period. This prompted women to tweet about their periods with the hashtag #periodsarenotaninsult. Advertisement There have been other movements to address the social stigma around periods. Thinx, for instance, is an underwear that absorbs menstrual blood. The company's mantra is, "we bleed for women's empowerment." Its website says "100 million girls in the developing world fall behind in school just because of their periods, forcing many of them to eventually drop out." It's an issue in American schools too, which is why a New York City councilwoman has pushed to get free tampon dispensers in public schools. "It's important to de-stigmatize feminine hygiene products, which help us carry out our daily functions without interruption and avoid those risks," Councilwoman Julissa Ferreras-Copeland told Yahoo in September. "It's also a matter of giving young girls dignity throughout the process they shouldn't feel ashamed of being women." For her part, Tin developed Clue when she tried birth control pills in her 20s and couldn't bear the side effects. She looked for other contraceptive options and realized there hadn't been many major developments in family planning since the pill came on the market in the midst of the 1960s sexual revolution. With all of today's technological advancements, she was baffled that no one had successfully brought family planning into the modern-age. Sure there were plenty of period tracking applications, but, in her view, they lacked scientific seriousness and most were pink and flowery in a way that felt like stereotyping and almost belittling. So Tin, a Danish woman who lives in Germany, started Clue, a free smart phone app that tracks not just a woman's menstrual cycle, but also moods, physical symptoms like headaches and cramps, sleep, sex drive and energy level. The idea is to give women a complete picture of their health. Advertisement "Women use it for many different reasons," Tin said in an interview. "They use it as a body diary and that is very empowering. Anything from figuring out what that headache is about to a young woman starting out on her first period." Since she launched it about three years ago, more than 2.5 million women from nearly 200 different countries became users. It also recently integrated with Apple to allow users to merge its data with the iPhone's existing health app. So now, alongside daily steps, nutrition, and body mass index, women can maintain a record of their basal body temperature, cervical mucus quality, menstruation, ovulation test results, sexual activity and spotting. Tin is quick to say that Clue itself is not a contraceptive. But she said it can be a tool to help women know when to have sex if they want to get pregnant, and when not to if they don't. But the larger goal, she said, is to give women the power to know what is going on in their own bodies, and not be ashamed of it. Many parents know the feeling of a child asking a difficult question theyre not prepared to answer. But for many Muslim parents, those questions are increasingly fearful and focused on Donald Trump and the presidential race. "I have kids coming in asking, 'Is Trump going to exile us?'" said Dr. Azmaira Maker, a San Diego psychologist. Advertisement Muslim children throughout the country are expressing fear amid fiery campaign rhetoric, say therapists and community leaders. Maker said questions crop up everywhere, from her office to dinner parties. An eighth-grader wanted to change his name, she recalled, calling it "a terrorist name." Another child, after seeing a campaign rally on television, asked if the family would be deported. Still others worry whether the election results will mean they can't see relatives who live abroad, such as grandparents. Advertisement "It's one thing as an adult. You hear all this hatred and maybe you can put it in context," said Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for the national Council On American-Islamic Relations. "But imagine what it's doing to a young Muslim child." Bullying of Muslim children is not new in a sobering CAIR study, nearly half of California students reported being bullied for their faith. But many said as the campaign of Republican candidate Trump grows, so do their sons' and daughters' questions. Trump has suggested banning Muslims from the country, and most recently stacked up wins on Super Tuesday. Hooper cited several anti-Muslim incidents affecting youths teenage girls in Buffalo getting hit by eggs while wearing hijabs, a man in St. Louis who threatened to kill a family with four kids. Those examples, he said, were on his mind just from the past few days. "Every day American Muslims are hearing this and experiencing this, and that is obviously being translated into the experience of their children," he said. Compounding the difficulty of answering these adult-size questions is the fact that many parents also feel fear. A Super Tuesday poll by CAIR revealed Islamophobia is the No. 1 concern for Muslim voters. "The level of fear and apprehension in the American Muslim community has never been higher," Hooper said. "Even after 9/11, it wasn't at this level." Then, he said, anti-Muslim sentiment seemed to stay in the fringes. Now, he said, anti-Muslim statements are blasted across headlines by public figures. This amplifies the sentiment, and stress. Advertisement As any parent knows, best efforts to shield children from harmful, hurtful things can fall short. Even if moms and dads can monitor television or headlines, they can't control chatter on the playground. Negative sentiments seep from recess into sleepless nights next to stuffed animals. A recent paper in the Journal of the Student National Medical Association showed concern over a new generation of young Muslims "who have lived lives bathed with near chronic stress." Parents respond in different ways. Some limit television, or try to keep discussions to rooms beyond children's ears. Laith Saud, an Iraqi immigrant who grew up in Indiana during the Gulf War, teaches his daughter, who is 14, to exude confidence. Her experience in a predominantly white, Protestant school has largely been positive, he said. Saud, who lives in Hyde Park and teaches Religious Studies at DePaul University, doesn't guard her from headlines. Advertisement "We don't try to evade this, but we don't indulge in it either," he said. "We tackle that challenge with confidence and a sense of entitlement that we belong here. We're not asking anybody to belong. We do belong." For Muslim parents wrestling with direct questions such as "will we be deported?" a conversation steeped in facts and honesty is best, advised Maker, who has two sons. "You want to explain in a very logical, factual way," she said. She suggests something like, "There are people with different beliefs and values. This is part of our reality. This is part of our history." Buffer any conversation with a message of protection. For example, "My job as a parent is to keep you safe and happy. We will do whatever it takes to keep you safe. If it means that we have to do something different, we will do something different. We are empowered. We have choices." And any child bringing up these topics whether Muslim or not can benefit from adding context to blaring headlines, she said. "It's really important to not generalize," Maker said. If the word "terrorism" comes up, she said, parents can add to the conversation, "These kids who you go to school with are good people. They are not terrorists." Advertisement Yasmina Blackburn, whose children are 12 and 14, lives in a tolerant community in the Schaumburg area, she said. Still, someone once put a threatening letter in another family's mailbox naming Muslim families, including theirs. Recently, her daughter came home from school with a question she didn't know how to answer: "Mom, what if Trump does win the presidency?" First, she tried to gamely deflect. But her daughter persisted would their family get kicked out of the country? and she found herself at a rare loss for words. "It's that fear in her face," she said. "It's a tough situation." abowen@chicagotribune.com Twitter @byalisonbowen Jahn has partially accommodated that view, getting rid of much of the Lakeside Center. By transforming the building into a giant trellis, he makes it less wall-like and more porous, putting most of the ground beneath the big roof back to a public use. The new Lucas Museum could be inserted within this framework, creating a visual dialogue between old and new, void and solid, rectilinear and organic. A police SUV is parked outside 555 W. Kinzie St., the scene of a fatal shooting March 2, 2016, on the eighth floor of a high-rise in Chicago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) Three men have been shot to death on the West Side since mid-afternoon Wednesday, including one who a witness said was shot in a high-rise workout room, police said. In addition to those killed, at least 10 other people have been wounded in shootings in Chicago since midmorning Wednesday, according to police. Advertisement About 7:05 p.m., a 45-year-old man was shot multiple times in the 500 block of West Kinzie Street in the Fulton River District on the Near West Side, police said. He was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the head and was pronounced dead there. A person of interest in the shooting turned himself in at police headquarters at about 3:30 a.m. Thursday, according to police. Advertisement Earlier, about 4:30 p.m., a 31-year-old man was shot to death in the 3600 block of West Division Street in the Humboldt Park neighborhood, said Officer Thomas Sweeney, a police spokesman. At least two attackers entered a business and fired shots before fleeing, leaving the man with multiple gunshot wounds. The man was pronounced dead at the scene. The Cook County medical examiner's office identified the man as Tommie L. Pledge, 31, of the 5200 block of West Congress Parkway in the Austin neighborhood. He man died in the store slumped face-down against a counter wearing a white jacket. Police closed off the area in front of the store. Neighbors gathered on the corner of Lawndale Avenue and Division Street. At one point, a man ran to the scene and ducked under police tape before police pushed him back, asking him to let them do their jobs. Earlier, a man was shot to death outside on a commercial block in the Austin neighborhood, police said. The 22-year-old man was shot around 1:55 p.m. in the 300 block of North Central Avenue and pronounced dead at the scene, police said. According to police, the man was walking on the block when someone approached him and shot him multiple times. He was identified as Natyia K. Bowen, 22, of the 9100 block of South Yates Boulevard in the Calumet Heights neighborhood. The homicide happened not long before nearby schools let out, and the man was killed on a city Safe Passage route, so workers in fluorescent vests stood back watching the scene with a few dozen other curious onlookers. He's the second man killed at this intersection this year. Police closed Central in both directions, and when it came time to load the body into a squadrol, they positioned cars around the body so people would have a hard time seeing. Central just south of the Green Line, where the shooting took place, is lined for about a block with stores -- the Shoe Shine King, in front of which the victim fell -- a couple grocery stores and a clothing store. Advertisement The crowd occasionally jeered police, who didn't respond. A couple separated from the crowd to mourn alone in a nearby parking lot. A witness talks about the fatal shooting at a high-rise gym in the 500 block of West Kinzie Street on March 2, 2016. (Tony Briscoe / Chicago Tribune) (Tony Briscoe / Chicago Tribune/Chicago Tribune) Most recently, at 2:10 a.m., a 21-year-old man was shot in Cragin, police said. He was in the 5400 block of West Fullerton Avenue when he was shot in the torso and arm. He was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center in serious condition. At about 11:50 p.m., a 23-year-old man was wounded in a shooting about in Englewood on the South Side, said Officer Hector Alfaro, a Chicago police spokesman. The man was standing on the sidewalk in the 1900 block of West Marquette Road when a male attacker walked up to him and fired shots, Alfaro said. The man was shot in the upper left leg. His friends took him to Holy Cross Hospital, and he was later transferred to Mount Sinai Hospital, where his condition stabilized, Alfaro said. Early Thursday, police officers blocked off Marquette Road and Wolcott Avenue with yellow crime tape. Inside the crime scene, about 24 shell casings lay scattered on the sidewalk and the road. There were more shell casings than evidence markers available; one was marked with an empty juice bottle, and others with slips of paper getting wet from the snow. Advertisement About 11:45 p.m., a 26-year-old man was shot while he was driving in the Morgan Park neighborhood on the Far South Side, Alfaro said. The man was in the driver's seat of a silver Toyota stopped at a stoplight in the 11400 block of South Ashland Avenue when a red-colored sedan pulled alongside and someone inside it fired shots, Alfaro said. The man was shot in the back and crashed his car into a fence next to Interstate 57 on Ashland Avenue. The car leaned and almost fell into an embankment. The man was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in critical condition, Alfaro said. At 9:50 p.m., a 19-year-old woman was shot in Roseland, police said, citing preliminary information. She was in the 11000 block of South Normal Avenue when she was shot in the back. She was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in critical condition. Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > At 3:09 p.m., a 27-year-old man was shot on the 4100 block of West North Avenue, police said. The man was shot in the head, but his condition had stabilized at Mount Sinai Hospital, police said. The man is a documented gang member, police said. Advertisement In the Woodlawn neighborhood just after 2 p.m., a man and woman were wounded in a shooting in the 6400 block of South Eggleston Avenue, police said. The woman, 38, was shot in the leg and abdomen, and went to St. Bernard Hospital and Healthcare Center before being transferred to Stroger Hospital, where her condition had stabilized. The man, 20, went to St. Bernard Hospital, where his condition was stabilized as he was treated for a gunshot wound to the shoulder. A 28-year-old man, Nicholas Robinson, was shot to death in the same block on Feb. 22. Earlier, about 12:30 p.m., a 21-year-old man was shot in the 9400 block of South Stony Island Avenue, police said. He was taken to a hospital with a gunshot wound to the buttocks. In the morning, two men were wounded about the same time a few blocks apart in what police said appear to be unrelated shootings. A 30-year-old man showed up at West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park about 10:40 a.m. with a gunshot wound to his thigh. He told police he was shot near Harrison Street and Cicero Avenue. About the same time, a 28-year-old showed up at Mount Sinai Hospital with a gunshot wound to the hand. He told police he was shot in the 4300 block of West Van Buren Street. Both men were in good condition. Check back for updates. Chicago Tribune's Carlos Sadovi and Liam Ford contributed. WGN-TV contributed. About Me Bagsy Born Beeston, Notts 1946, my family moved to Dorset 1959. Joined the Royal Navy age 15 years and 50 days serving 10 years. In frigates firstly then over 5 years in the Submarine Service as a Seaman/Diver, reaching the dizzy heights of Leading Seaman, before leaving to join the Merchant Service, working in Ocean Salvage and Harbour Tugs, passenger / cargo ships, trials vessels, etc. Qualified as Mate (Chief Officer) in 1976 and as Master (Captain) in 1978. For my final 20 years of 47 I worked in the Offshore Oil Industry initially on the drilling rig Stena Hunter, then the accommodation barge Borgland Dolphin and finally the Floating Production Platform Buchan Alpha. On the rigs I forged a number of long lasting friendships several of whom shared some of my extensive travels. Setting foot on Caymen, Bermuda, Bahamas and The Azores in March 2013 brought my countries / autonimous regions total to 148. The best, undoubtedly, was Antarctica, followed by Australia, Mongolia, Belize, Zimbabwe, China and Madagascar, in no particular order. Love to all our readers, your in my thoughts. Bagsy View my complete profile Students at Northwestern University make their way to classes March 3, 2016, with the Evanston campus' University Hall in the background (Chris Walker / Chicago Tribune) Northwestern University students who qualify for financial aid no longer will have to borrow to pay for their education, part of a plan announced Thursday to make the school more affordable and prevent students from being saddled with debilitating debt. Starting next fall, freshmen who ordinarily would have to take out loans will instead receive a combination of grants and scholarships, along with earnings from work-study and summer jobs, to cover their expenses. Current undergraduate students who already have $20,000 or more in loans will have that debt capped starting next fall, and receive a scholarship instead of having to borrow more, according to spokesman Alan Cubbage. Advertisement A few dozen institutions across the country, including the University of Chicago, offer similar arrangements to relieve students of the borrowing burden. The issue of skyrocketing college costs has been highlighted by Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders' call for free college tuition, and experts say the initiative at Northwestern reflects a broader urgency for major universities to make their high-priced institutions affordable to a wider swath of candidates. "The ability for students of limited means to be able to graduate and not have debt hanging over their head just opens up so many doors that might not be open otherwise," said Alison Segal, director of college access for Evanston Scholars, which helps students attend and complete college. Advertisement "We hear all the time about how students can be leaving their undergraduate institutions with six-figure debt. That's a crippling amount, especially if they want to go on to graduate school. And it can affect their ability to help their own children in the future." Around half of all Northwestern students qualify for financial aid, Cubbage said. Full-time tuition for undergraduates in 2015-16 is $48,624, according to the school's website. Room and board, fees and average costs for books and personal expenses tack on almost $20,000 more. "We know that the fear of loans chases people away," Northwestern President Morton Schapiro said in an interview about the new policy. "It might attract some students who might otherwise not go here, but I think it's more about treating the students who come here better. We have a very successful capital campaign, we have a large endowment. We have the resources. The question is do we have the will and we do." Northwestern Senior Amanda Walsh, who leads a campus advocacy group for low-income and first-generation students, called the policy "a new lease on life" for those students. "It's literally life-changing for many low-income students," said Walsh, president of Northwestern's Quest Scholars Network. "It absolutely changes the trajectory of their academic, personal and professional lives because they can now go to one of the best institutions in the entire world without having to worry about what job they're going to have to get after graduation, and without having to change their path to make sure that they get a job in a sector that's going to pay them a ton." Northwestern also will increase aid for undocumented students who graduate from U.S. high schools, as well as for international, law school and business students. Undocumented students, who do not qualify for federal or state loans and grants, now will qualify for the privately funded Northwestern scholarships already available to U.S. citizens who apply. Few institutions could even consider implementing a no-loan financial aid policy like that of Northwestern, which has one of the largest endowments in the country at just under $10 billion. About 60 institutions have no-loan arrangements, including Princeton University, Harvard University, Yale University and the University of Pennsylvania, according to U.S. News & World Report. Advertisement At U. of C., a $100 million donation from an anonymous benefactor in 2007 provided full scholarships and partial scholarships for hundreds of students in an aim to eliminate student loan debt. That program, called the Odyssey Scholarship Program, received a boost in February thanks to a $50 million gift from writer Harriet Heyman and her husband, Sir Michael Moritz. In 2014, U. of C. launched the No Barriers program, which replaces student loans with grants for students with need-based financial aid. Tuition, room and board, fees and personal expenses at U. of C. run about $69,000. "There's a lot of intimidation and fear (about student loans) and that keeps a lot of those kids out of the pipeline," said Veronica Hauad, U. of C. deputy dean of admissions and director of Equity and Access. "That burden of debt can also influence the things they achieve after they graduate. If they are afraid of their ability to pay off loans, that may put them on a different path. We want kids of all types to be able to do what they love, do what they're good at and move forward in a good way. Loans aren't bad, but there's a tipping point." Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > For institutions that cannot absorb that kind of expense, Segal said the aim is to make it more affordable for as many students as possible. Schools routinely look to maintain or even lower their tuition rates, as is the case this year with University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Northern Illinois University and Western Illinois University. Northwestern also said it will put up the money this year to cover the Illinois Monetary Award Program grants, which are not being released to college students because of the monthslong budget impasse in Springfield. About 500 students receive $2.4 million in MAP grants, according to the university. "We continue to hope that the governor and the legislature can reach an agreement on a (fiscal year) 2016 budget and restore MAP funding, which supports Illinois students," Schapiro said. "In order to enable our students to continue without incurring additional costs, Northwestern will stretch its institutional resources to make up for the lost state funds." Advertisement Last year, Northwestern announced increased aid to international students with the largest gift in Northwestern history. Roberta "Bertie" Buffett Elliott donated $101 million to her alma mater in January 2015 to help enhance the field of global studies and endow scholarships for international students. A $100 million gift from J.B. and M.K. Pritzker in October is enabling more financial help for law school students. Financial assistance for undergraduates will total nearly $160 million in the 2016-17 school year, an increase of 55 percent over the past five years, according to university officials. More than $147 million in scholarship money has been contributed through the university's fundraising campaign. cdrhodes@tribpub.com Twitter @rhodes_dawn John-Ashton Allen, brother of Nailah Franklin, is questioned March 2, 2016, during the sentencing hearing for Reginald Potts Jr. Potts was convicted of first-degree murder in the 2007 killing of Franklin. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) The youngest sibling of Nailah Franklin, testifying at the sentencing hearing of her convicted murderer, spoke Wednesday of her "vibrant, inspiring" nature and as the family favorite who was unafraid to ruin her hair playing with him in the snow on Christmas Day. Family members wiped tears from their eyes as John-Ashton Allen, a 25-year-old software engineer, described how the pain of losing his older sister in 2007 made him shut down, irrevocably damaging other relationships he had. Advertisement "I try to convince myself that over time wounds must heal, but I can't shake off the feeling that I need something more than time," he said at the hearing for Reginald Potts, 38, who faces up to life in prison for her killing. "I want to call her for advice on how to deal with losing her." The sentencing hearing has been underway since Monday at the Leighton Criminal Court Building and is scheduled to continue Thursday. Advertisement Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 16 Reginald Potts Jr., center, exits the courtroom after he was sentenced to life in prison on March 8, 2016 at the Leighton Criminal Court building in Chicago. Potts was convicted of first-degree murder in the 2007 killing of 28-year-old pharmaceutical sales representative Nailah Franklin. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) Allen said he was surprised that Potts who once casually dated Franklin remains "unapologetic, arrogant" and with "the same ego that had caused him to do the unthinkable years prior." Earlier Wednesday, Judge Thomas Gainer Jr. heard testimony from a Chicago businessman who admitted he once bought a $225,000 Bentley for Potts after the two met at a Mercedes-Benz dealership. Orences Christian testified he met Potts in 2006 when they were buying the same $115,000 Mercedes model at a downtown dealership. They became friends and later Christian agreed to buy the white convertible Bentley for Potts, who promised to make the $5,000 monthly payments after Potts had trouble getting a loan. Potts stopped paying five months later the same month Franklin was killed and Christian testified he had to have the $225,000 car towed from the Maywood police station while Potts was being questioned by police. Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > Christian said Potts later came to his office and threatened to kill him and his family if he didn't return the car. "He told me I don't know who I'm (expletive) with and 'you better check my resume,'" Christian testified. Franklin, a 28-year-old pharmaceutical sales representative, was slain after she left her Chicago condo and fell into a "deadly ambush" set by Potts, who had been stalking her for days, prosecutors said at trial. Potts was the last person seen with Franklin before she went missing. Just days before her disappearance, Franklin told Potts in an email that she had recently filed a police report and planned to obtain an order of protection against him. After she vanished, Franklin's family distributed thousands of missing-person fliers as people searched for her. On the ninth day of the search, her badly decomposed, naked body was found in a wooded area near Calumet City, behind a vacant store owned by Potts' brother-in-law. Advertisement Much of the three days of the unusually long sentencing hearing have detailed Potts' lengthy criminal history, including allegedly attacking correctional officers while being held in Cook County Jail. sschmadeke@tribpub.com Twitter @SteveSchmadeke Democratic candidate Andrea Zopp waits for the start of a U.S. Senate debate at ABC7 Chicago on Feb. 19, 2016. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune) A year after taking over leadership of the Chicago Urban League, Andrea Zopp was asked whether she would ever consider running for public office. "I don't have a thick enough skin to run for office. You have to be perfect or not care," Zopp told the Tribune in 2011. Advertisement More than four years later, Zopp is making her first bid for public office a Democratic run for U.S. Senate admitting she's toughened up after a stint on the Chicago Board of Education during tumultuous times. "I'm not trying to go to Washington to make a career. I'm trying to go to Washington to bring a lifetime of experience on key issues and (having worked) with a broad range of people to get things done," said Zopp, 59. "I know that sounds oh-so naive, but that's what I've done across my entire career." Advertisement Much like her decision to enter politics, her career and her campaign represent a series of contrasts. Find out where the Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate stand on the Affordable Care Act. Feb. 8, 2016. (WGN-TV / Chicago Tribune) (Chicago Tribune) Her decades of experience have largely been as an executive, but she is seeking a seat in the legislative branch of government. She is running against the Democratic establishment candidate U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth though Zopp has some high-profile backing from some establishment Democrats, including many in the African-American community. Zopp's first TV ad features her in a courtroom, focusing on her background as a former Cook County and federal prosecutor at a time when prosecutors aren't exactly popular figures in Chicago. She served in the corporate board rooms of Sara Lee, Sears Holdings and Exelon, earning an executive salary, but has positioned her campaign as one representing the underserved and impoverished within the African-American community. And her school board service included voting to close nearly 50 schools, a move that advocates contended would upend already struggling neighborhoods from which she now seeks support. Zopp responds by using a phrase at the junction of corporate America, public policy and politics she's striving for "better outcomes" by bringing diversity to the corporate world and student improvement at Chicago Public Schools, and getting elected to help "the communities that I care about and working families trying to climb out of poverty." William Daley, the brother and son to two Chicago mayors and a former White House Cabinet official and chief of staff, said he was surprised Zopp "called one day and said, 'What do you think of my thinking about running for the Senate?'" Advertisement Daley told Zopp it would be a "tough race," given Duckworth's candidacy. "Much to my surprise, (Zopp) said, 'No, I want to do this. It doesn't matter. I know it's a long shot, but I want to do this.'" Daley acknowledged that he believes from a "political perspective that having someone who could help draw out the African-American vote in the first presidential election without Barack Obama would be important for Democrats," as well as electing an African-American to the seat that Obama once held. "She's a very smart person and she'd be a great representative and I think she'd be a very strong candidate in the general election," likely against Republican Sen. Mark Kirk, Daley said. Zopp said going into the Senate campaign, she knew her four-year tenure on the board overseeing Chicago Public Schools carried political baggage. "To the extent that there is a negative over what people will criticize me about in this race, it's my time on the school board something I did out of a passion and commitment to young people. I worked for free a lot to try and help improve schools for educational outcomes for the students in the district," Zopp said. As for the school closure vote, Zopp said she has "never heard anybody say, 'How are the kids doing? What happened to the students?' Or even, 'what happened to the neighborhoods?' Advertisement Andrea Zopp, a candidate for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate, appears at the Chicago Tribune editorial board for an endorsement session Feb. 8, 2016. (Michael Tercha / Chicago Tribune) "The question always has been, 'how are the students doing now,' and largely, they're doing better, the new schools are doing better. You have to look at the whole package and it's a very difficult decision to get to better outcomes for students and a better positioning for the district that's now in a very tough fight." Zopp also served on the board during the tenure of Barbara Byrd-Bennett, the former district CEO who pleaded guilty to a federal corruption charge stemming from a kickback scheme in which prosecutors said she steered a contract for principal training to her former employer. "That (Byrd-Bennett) was engaged in a scheme to defraud the district was just not on the radar screen, and there were no flags other than she had worked there. But from my perspective, the fact that she worked there meant that I trusted her judgment," Zopp said. In hindsight, Zopp said, the district should have put the contract out for bids and required an annual reassessment of the training program. Though it is her first bid for public office, Zopp is not a stranger to politics. Her father, Reuben Davis, was a prominent lawyer in her hometown of Rochester, N.Y., who went on to run for judge. "It was horrible. As a Democrat, the Republicans ran a younger, much less qualified guy against him, and it was bad and he lost. But he ran again and ultimately got on the bench. The second time he ran, both parties endorsed him," she said. Advertisement Her parents' involvement in social causes instilled the same urge in Zopp from an early age. "I grew up middle-class," Zopp said. "My parents were deeply engaged in the community (and countered) the idea that if you're not embedded that somehow you either forgot where you came from or more importantly, you're not committed to help. "Yes, I worked in corporate America. I got paid as an executive so that I could raise my family, take care of them like we all want to do. But I made a difference in corporate America. I created opportunities for women, minority businesses, I brought a perspective that wasn't there and I still stayed deeply involved in community organizations," she said. Zopp served on a variety of boards, including the Chicago Area Project and the National Urban League. She also served on the Cook County Health and Hospital Systems board, commissions that reviewed the E2 nightclub fire and Burr Oak cemetery scandal, and the state commission that reviewed the now-ended death penalty process in the state. But Zopp's corporate career might have come later, or not at all, if it weren't for a political decision. In 1997, she was one of three finalists for U.S. attorney in Chicago a position never held by an African-American or a woman. The job went to Scott Lassar in a selection that involved then-U.S. Sen. Carol Moseley Braun, an African-American. "I was devastated. Then-Sen. Carol Moseley Braun made a careful, cautious political decision," Zopp said. "It still hasn't turned me cynical. It hurt." Advertisement A 1981 Harvard Law grad, Zopp soon went to work in the criminal division in the U.S. attorney's office. A decade later, she joined the Cook County state's attorney's office under Republican Jack O'Malley and went on to become the first woman and first African-American appointed to the position of first assistant state's attorney. O'Malley called her appointment the "smartest decision I ever made as state's attorney." "I think she'd be a fine senator who has an uncanny ability to garner respect from a variety of people in a very tough job. She's just a great all-around person," said O'Malley, now a retired state appellate court judge. Among the cases Zopp successfully prosecuted was taking on former U.S. Rep. Mel Reynolds, who was charged with having sex with a teenage campaign worker. Reynolds had accused the office of racism, prompting Zopp to try the case herself. Zopp has made changes in criminal justice a dominant theme of her Senate campaign, to the point that another rival in the race, state Sen. Napoleon Harris of Harvey, asked her if she wasn't running for the "wrong" office and should instead seek the state's attorney's post. But the controversy following the release of a video over the shooting death of black teen Laquan McDonald by white Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke has provided some political lift to her theme. Zopp has sharply criticized re-election-seeking Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez's handling of the 2014 case and has called for a special prosecutor. I made a difference in corporate America. I created opportunities for women, minority businesses, I brought a perspective that wasn't there. Andrea Zopp, Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate In listing her experience, Zopp has said she "investigated and indicted a police officer who murdered a homeless man." That's the controversial 1995 case of off-duty Officer Gregory Becker. Prosecutors withdrew murder charges, and a judge threw out a charge of involuntary manslaughter. Advertisement A public outcry ensued, including complaints that prosecutors didn't take the case to a grand jury to avoid harsher charges, including murder. Prosecutors subsequently re-evaluated the evidence and went to a grand jury, securing a tougher indictment, but not murder, and won a conviction. In the end, after appeals dramatically reduced charges against him, Becker ended up serving nearly four years in prison. "There were a lot of issues with the case," Zopp recalled. Because prosecutors couldn't prove the shooting was a premeditated act, she said, Becker "didn't serve a lot of time in prison, but he did go to prison." rap30@aol.com Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth, candidate for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate, appears at the Chicago Tribune Editorial Doard for an endorsement session Feb. 8, 2016. (Michael Tercha / Chicago Tribune) WASHINGTON Tammy Duckworth's first bid for Congress in 2006 was a costly, bitter affair a loss to Republican Peter Roskam by less than 3 percentage points. The Democrat with the famous Iraq War hero back story had some perspective on the situation, however. "Losing a campaign is no fun," she said, "but it's not like losing a limb." Advertisement In the decade since, Duckworth has bounced back through a series of assists from Democrats in high places. Then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich named her Illinois' veterans affairs chief though she had never run a state agency. A couple of years later, President Barack Obama gave Duckworth a job as an assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Then Democrats redrew the boundaries of a northwest suburban congressional district, paving the way for her to win a House seat in 2012. Find out where the Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate stand on the Affordable Care Act. Feb. 8, 2016. (WGN-TV / Chicago Tribune) (Chicago Tribune) As Duckworth mulled a Senate campaign, a pair of fellow Democratic House members from the suburbs opted against the race, which left her facing less-established opposition in former Chicago Urban League CEO Andrea Zopp and Harvey state Sen. Napoleon Harris. That's allowed the 47-year-old Duckworth to focus her gaze on the bigger prize a general election battle against Republican Sen. Mark Kirk in what's expected to be one of the most expensive and closely watched Senate contests in the country. Advertisement Duckworth announced the decision to challenge Kirk last March, about four months after having her first child and with a little more than two years in Congress under her belt. "I did not at all plan on running," Duckworth said in a recent interview, though she's been mentioned as a potential Senate candidate since she won a spot in Congress. "I was just home and then, you know, I just started thinking about the baby and the state and where things were, and I just felt like I could really make a difference. ... And I really felt like I was the best candidate to defeat Mark Kirk." Zopp has criticized Duckworth for "a lot of talk but no action" from her stints in state and federal veterans agencies to her three years in the House. Republicans have tried to paint her association with the imprisoned Blagojevich as her being the political product of a corrupt Democratic machine. The centerpiece of her campaign is helping working families. She supports the Affordable Care Act and wants comprehensive immigration reform with an "earned" pathway to citizenship for those in the country illegally after they pay a fine. She is open to raising the $118,500 income cap beyond which wages are not subject to Social Security taxes. The candidates diverge on allowing Syrian refugees into the U.S. Duckworth would admit 100,000, while Zopp and Harris have said they would allow only 10,000. The White House has proposed admitting at least 10,000 refugees from Syria this year. Her late father was a Marine and Army veteran. Her mother, who is ethnic Chinese, was born in Thailand. The family lived in Singapore and Indonesia before moving to Hawaii, where Duckworth finished high school and college. She came to Washington, D.C., to earn a master's degree. She moved to Illinois in 1991 for a doctoral program at Northern Illinois University and before deploying to Iraq, worked for Rotary International in Evanston as a manager for its Asia-Pacific Region, which had her dealing with its clubs in New Delhi, Tokyo, Korea and Australia. In 2004, the National Guard officer was in Iraq co-piloting a helicopter that was taken down by a rocket-propelled grenade. She lost both her legs and nearly died but recovered after numerous surgeries. She entered politics, encouraged by both Democratic U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and future Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who headed the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee during her initial bid. Advertisement Weeks after her 2006 loss to Roskam, Duckworth took the Blagojevich appointment. It was not long after the Chicago Tribune reported that Blagojevich's administration skirted hiring rules to give jobs to hundreds of workers, often at the expense of military veterans guaranteed a first-in-line spot for most state openings. The agency she inherited had a $94 million budget and more than 1,100 employees. Blagojevich's appointment of Duckworth has triggered recent criticism from Republicans, who cast her as someone who got her start because of his "political maneuvers." "This is the typical, standard political line," Duckworth said. She defends her work at the state veterans affairs department despite "very challenging circumstances," noting that she helped raise millions of dollars for veterans' housing and installed a 24/7 mental health hotline for veterans. Still pending in southern Illinois is a court case alleging Duckworth retaliated against two state employees at the Anna Veterans' Home who say they received poor evaluations and were targets of harassment after filing complaints against the facility's acting director. The suit accuses Duckworth of violating the state's ethics act. The employees still have their jobs, according to the state comptroller's office. Lawyers for the Illinois attorney general's office representing Duckworth have argued for summary judgment, saying there was no evidence of retaliation on her part. The next court date is April 4. The case was earlier dismissed in federal court. Jennifer Duffy, who analyzes Senate races for The Cook Political Report, said if Duckworth wins the primary, the GOP will attack the Democrat because of the suit. Advertisement Her work at the troubled federal VA also could be cannon fodder. "It hasn't played much in this race yet, but I expect it to," Duffy said. When Duckworth took the federal post in 2009, she was so impressed with VA Secretary Eric Shinseki, a retired general, that she said she would work for him even if it was "mopping the floors." But her support sank in 2014 when a scandal erupted over veterans dying while waiting for medical care as schedulers manipulated wait times. She joined many in Congress calling for his resignation. He quit in May 2014. "The VA is a huge bureaucracy, and there are always failures within the bureaucracy," Duckworth said. "And you just have to keep working at it." Duckworth said her successes at the federal VA included assembling a plan that cut the number of homeless veterans and expanding outreach to female veterans and young veterans. Tammy Duckworth, of Hoffman Estates, center, and her husband, Bryan Bowlsbey, left, talk with supporters after a news conference announcing her candidacy for U.S. Congress at her Lombard campaign headquarters Dec. 18, 2005. (Michael Tercha / Chicago Tribune) Joe Davis, national spokesman for the Veterans of Foreign Wars, praised Duckworth's work on two fronts. "As a combat-wounded, female veteran, she was able to increase the services that the VA provides to all veterans, but especially to women veterans, and she carried that same passion over to Congress," said Davis, whose group does not endorse candidates. Advertisement In Congress, her committee assignments include House Armed Services and Oversight and Government Reform. She counts as one of her achievements her work on a bill aimed at reducing suicide and improving mental health care for veterans. She co-sponsored the measure. As a result of another measure she co-sponsored to rein in multiple varieties of military camouflage uniforms, the Army chose not to debut a new family of such uniforms, resulting in savings of about $4.2 billion over five years, the Government Accountability Office found. At a time when Democratic candidates are trying to win over average Americans in the aftermath of the recession, her campaign has stressed the early hardships she endured after her late father lost his job at age 55. She said her family had to rely on food stamps, and that she got through college with Pell Grants, student loans and working as a waitress. Duckworth's Hoffman Estates home had an estimated market value of $265,630 last year, Cook County records show. She and husband Bryan Bowlsbey also own a plane, a Piper PA-24, according to Federal Aviation Administration records. She has a private pilot's license but hasn't flown in a few years, in part because of her recent pregnancy. I just felt like I could really make a difference. ... And I really felt like I was the best candidate to defeat Mark Kirk. U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth Her most recent House financial disclosure report listed investment assets in the range from $157,000 to $961,000. The reports list assets in broad ranges and do not reflect net worth. The couple also had student loans in the range of $50,000 to $100,000 and a mortgage in the same range. Advertisement A 2012 investment gave her a 24.5 percent interest in Pacific First Health Solutions LLC in Aiea, Hawaii, according to the report. The health insurance and consulting firm had been managed by a University of Hawaii classmate, Democrat Mark Takai, then a Hawaii state lawmaker, according to a disclosure he filed in 2014 during a run for Congress. With Duckworth's backing, he won the seat that year, and a disclosure he filed in 2015 put the asset in his wife's hands. Duckworth said she invested $500 or $1,000 to help the company get started, but "it never did anything, never won a contract or anything" and she was divesting. kskiba@tribpub.com Twitter @KatherineSkiba Blaine Gibson, who discovered an aircraft part in Mozambique that may be from missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, says he initially thought it was part of a much smaller plane. (Tom Bowker / AP) MAPUTO, Mozambique An American adventurer said Thursday that he discovered part of an aircraft on a sandbar and initially thought it was from a small plane, and not from a Malaysia Airlines flight that disappeared two years ago with 239 people aboard. In an interview with The Associated Press, Blaine Gibson described how a boat operator took him to a sandbar named Paluma off the coast of Mozambique and then called him over after seeing a piece of debris with "NO STEP" written on it. Advertisement "It was so light," said Gibson, who has told reporters that he has spent a long time searching for evidence of missing Flight MH370. Photos of the debris appear to show the fixed leading edge of the right-hand tail section of a Boeing 777, said a U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak publicly. Flight 370 is the only known missing 777. Advertisement Gibson said the discovery happened after he decided to go "somewhere exposed to the ocean" on the last day of a trip to the Mozambican coastal town of Vilankulo. "At first, all I found were usual beach detritus flip flops, cigarette lighters. Then 'Junior' called me over," said Gibson, using the nickname of the boat operator. After being interviewed, Gibson went to the Maputo airport to take a flight to Malaysia to participate in second anniversary commemorations of the disappearance. "It's important to keep it in perspective," Gibson said of his find. "This is about the families of the 239 victims, who haven't seen their relatives for two years now." Gibson, who is from Seattle, said the piece of debris is now in the hands of civil aviation authorities in Mozambique, and that he expects it to be transferred to their Australian counterparts. He said that he had come to Mozambique as part of a dream to see every country in the world. "It has been my ambition since I was 7 to visit every country in the world. Malawi was number 176, Mozambique was number 177," he said. According to New York Magazine, Gibson has also spent much of the past year searching for traces of the missing airliner. Gibson has traveled to the Maldives Islands to investigate reports of a plane flying low at the time of the disappearance, Reunion Island to interview a man who found another section of the plane, and met with Australian Prime Minister Warren Truss to discuss Australia's seabed search for the plane, according to Wise. The location of the debris matches investigators' theories about where wreckage from the plane would have ended up, according to Australian officials. Advertisement The plane disappeared on March 8, 2014 and is believed to have crashed somewhere in a remote stretch of the southern Indian Ocean, far off Australia's west coast and about 3,700 miles east of Mozambique. Authorities have long predicted that any debris from the plane that isn't on the ocean floor would eventually be carried by currents to the east coast of Africa. Australian Transport Minister Darren Chester said Thursday the location of the debris in Mozambique matches investigators' drift modeling and would therefore confirm that search crews are looking in the right part of the Indian Ocean for the main underwater wreckage. Malaysian Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai also said the location of the debris lines up with investigators' predictions. People who have handled the part, called a horizontal stabilizer, say it appears to be made of fiberglass composite on the outside, with aluminum honeycombing on the inside, the U.S. official said. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau, which is running the search for the plane in remote waters off Australia's west coast, said the part is expected to be transported to Australia for examination. Malaysian representatives from the nation's Civil Aviation department and Malaysia Airlines were heading to Mozambique to discuss the find, Liow said. Australia will work with Malaysian investigators to examine the object once it arrives in Australia, he said. Advertisement In this image provided by Blaine Gibson and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), a piece of aircraft debris with the words "NO STEP" is photographed after it was found washed up on a beach in Mozambique. Debris that washed up in Mozambique has been tentatively identified as a part from the same type of aircraft as the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, a U.S. official said. (Blaine Gibson / AP) Some have expressed skepticism that the part could be from the missing aircraft because it appears to be remarkably clean and free of sea life unlike the barnacle-encrusted wing part that washed ashore on the French island of Reunion last year. That part, known as a flaperon, remains the only confirmed trace of Flight 370. But Charitha Pattiaratchi, an oceanographer with the University of Western Australia, said if the part was discovered on a sandbank, the motion of the waves pushing it against the abrasive sand may have shaved any sea life off it. "If somebody actually found it in the middle of the ocean while they were sailing and picked it up, I would say, 'Well, that should have some barnacles,'" he said. "But if it's been on a beach, it's basically been sandblasted." Also, the part appears to be very flat and barnacles need something to grip, he said. Last year, Pattiaratchi met with Gibson. Pattiaratchi has used computer modeling to predict where floating debris might end up and Gibson wanted to get Pattiaratchi's opinion on where to look. Pattiaratchi's models showed it would likely end up around Madagascar or Reunion Island, and possibly in the Mozambique Channel. The Paluma sandbar is in the channel. Flight 370 disappeared on March 8, 2014, while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Authorities who scrutinized data exchanged between the plane's engine and a satellite determined that after veering sharply off course, the jetliner continued on a straight path across the Indian Ocean, leading them to believe that it flew on autopilot for hours before running out of fuel and crashing into the water. Advertisement Associated Press Republican candidate for Kane County Board Chairman Chris Lauzen speaks during a candidate forum hosted by League of Women Voters of the Elgin Area on Feb. 25, 2016. (Brian O'Mahoney, The Courier-News) Here are the Tribune's endorsements for contested countywide races in Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties. DuPage County has none. You'll find the candidates' answers to our survey, and all of our endorsements to date for the March 15 state primary election, here: elections.chicagotribune.com/candidates/. Advertisement Kane County Board Chairman: Republican incumbent Chris Lauzen has kept his promise to hold the line on county property taxes over the last five years. Lauzen, a former Illinois state senator, also reports he has consolidated agencies, saving taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars. Lauzen has aggressive plans to improve the technology infrastructure, setting the stage for further growth. His opponent, former Kane County Board attorney Kenneth C. Shepro of Wayne, hasn't made a compelling case for change. Lauzen is endorsed. Advertisement Auditor: Republican incumbent Terry Hunt of Sugar Grove runs a tight office. He reports that he has cut expenses and come in under budget. He launched a user-friendly Web portal that allows taxpayers to view county financial documents and learn details about revenues, spending and other trends. He is endorsed over opponent Craig P. Lee of Geneva, a retired businessman. Coroner: Republicans: Incumbent Kane County Coroner L. Robert "Rob" Russell of South Elgin is working to restore confidence in the office after his predecessor, Chuck West, died in 2012 while facing criminal charges for official misconduct. Russell put in place new policies that helped the office earn statewide accreditation in 2014. So what was he thinking when he charged thousands of dollars' worth of promotional items plastic bags and clip-on reflectors identifying Russell as coroner to his county credit card? Russell reimbursed the county for those purchases, and he gets high marks for job performance from many local officials. He deserves a chance to build on the progress he has made. Russell has a strong opponent, Bob Tiballi, of Elgin, an experienced infectious diseases expert with an MBA from the University of Michigan. It's a close call. Russell is endorsed. Democrats: John Shoemaker of North Aurora says his 15 years as a nurse and his government experience as Aurora Township highway commissioner for the past seven years qualify him to run the coroner's office. No argument here. He is endorsed over his opponent, Tao "Tom" Martinez of North Aurora, owner of a biohazard cleanup business. Lake County State's Attorney: Democrat Michael J. Perillo Jr. of Grayslake has strong experience as a prosecutor, first in the Navy and later in the state's attorney's office in the early 1990s. He tells us he will focus on making attorneys and support staff more productive. He is our choice over his opponent, Gurnee attorney Matt Stanton, who lacks Perillo's depth of prosecutorial experience. McHenry County Board Chairman: This is the first time voters will elect the McHenry County Board chairman instead of having board members choose their own leader. The voters would do well to keep the one they have. Republican Joseph "Joe" Gottemoller of Crystal Lake says he has reduced the county's head count since he became chairman in 2014. Advertisement Joseph Joe Gottemoller of Crystal Lake is the incumbent Republican candidate for McHenry County Board chairman. (HANDOUT) He pushed for a comprehensive economic study and stresses economic development and expanding efforts to retain and grow more businesses. His opponent in the primary is Michael J. Walkup, a County Board member, organic farmer and Crystal Lake attorney. We admire Walkup's efforts to consolidate township governments and urge Gottemoller to embrace it. State's Attorney: We were bracing for another bare-knuckles political brawl in McHenry County when incumbent State's Attorney Louis Bianchi suddenly dropped out of the Republican primary race for personal reasons. We got the brawl anyway after Bianchi endorsed one of his top deputies, Patrick D. Kenneally of Crystal Lake. Kenneally's opponent is Daniel J. Regna of Woodstock, another former McHenry County prosecutor who ran against Bianchi in 2008 and now is in private practice. Both have strong legal experience. Kenneally pledges to step up a campaign to attack heroin use in the county and to continue to work with local law enforcement agencies to crack down on repeat DUI offenders. He also promises to reorganize the office to put more prosecutors in felony courtrooms. Kenneally is endorsed. Recorder: Longtime incumbent Phyllis Walters is stepping down and three candidates are vying for her job in the Republican primary. Only one, Joe Tirio of Woodstock, pledges to eliminate the office before the end of his term. Tirio wants to fold the recorder's office into the clerk's office and save taxpayers big money. Tirio, who owns Monarch Senior Care Inc., which provides in-home care for seniors, faces Tina R. Hill, a McHenry County Board member from Woodstock, and Joni Smith, of Crystal Lake, currently a supervisor in the recorder's office. Tirio is endorsed. Judge of the Circuit Court: Judge James S. Cowlin was chosen by the Illinois Supreme Court to fill the unexpired term of Judge J. Gordon Graham, who retired in September. Cowlin, a third-generation McHenry County judge, had been an associate judge since 2007. He's endorsed in the Republican primary over Demetri Tsilimigras, a 17-year prosecutor who has been deputy chief of the state's attorney's Criminal Division for eight years. Will County Circuit Clerk: Democrat Andrea Lynn Chasteen of Frankfort is our choice to replace her boss, incumbent Pam McGuire, who is retiring. Chasteen says she'll continue the tech upgrade that McGuire started and will consolidate jobs to reduce staff levels. She gets the nod over Robert "Bob" Enright of New Lenox, who works in the Kane County information technology department. Advertisement Follow the Editorial Board on Twitter @Trib_Ed_Board and on Facebook. Published by an old curmudgeon who came to America in 1936 as a refugee from Nazi Germany and proudly served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He is a former law enforcement officer and a retired professor of criminal justice who, in 1970, founded the Texas Narcotic Officers Association. BarkGrowlBite refuses to be politically correct. (Copyrighted articles are reproduced in accordance with the copyright laws of the U.S. Code, Title 17, Section 107.) The idle musings of a former military man, former computer geek, medically retired pastor and now full-time writer. Contents guaranteed to offend the politically correct and anal-retentive from time to time. My approach to life is that it should be taken with a large helping of laughter, and sufficient firepower to keep it tamed! By Dezan Shira & Associates Editor: Jake Liddle For foreign small and medium-sized companies and representative offices operating in China, it is important to be aware of the pros and cons of internal bookkeeping. A company may not actually have the relevant qualifications to legally process payroll and bookkeeping, and if found in this circumstance, the company may meet severe legal implications and financial consequences. There are therefore many good reasons to outsource bookkeeping services to a fully qualified accounting firm in China, as they can at once provide experience, compliance, certain liabilities, data security and fraud protection. Outsourcing can also offer a company the time to focus on its core competencies, increasing efficiency and ultimately reducing expenses. For companies that specialize in accounting services, new provisions have been put in place to enable such entities to engage in agency bookkeeping, allowing them to handle bookkeeping services entrusted by a client. Issued on February 16, 2016 by the Ministry of Finance, the Measures for the Administration of Agency Bookkeeping states that any entity that has not established an internal system or assigned the task of bookkeeping to accounting personnel is required to entrust accounting business to an external bookkeeping agency. Thus, it is in a companys best interests to know when it is necessary to outsource these services or not. Companies are also suggested to carefully check if the bookkeeping agency that they entrust meet the following criteria as stipulated by the new provisions. Requirements The new measures assert that any organization, apart from accounting firms engaging in agency bookkeeping, may apply for a bookkeeping qualification after obtaining authorization from the local government finance department, in addition to a bookkeeping licence issued by the relevant finance department. They must also meet the following conditions: Are a legally established enterprise; Have no less than three full-time employees holding a professional accounting certificate; The person in charge of bookkeeping holds a professional accounting qualification and is a full time employee; Have sound internal rules for bookkeeping business. Application Process Foreign investors are also encouraged to set up a bookkeeping agency if they meet the above-mentioned requirements. Firms looking to apply for the bookkeeping qualification must submit the following materials to the local authorities: A copy of a business license; Accounting qualification credentials of employees; Written commitment of full time employees practice at the firm; Internal bookkeeping service specifications; Qualification Affordment Once the bookkeeping qualification is obtained, agencies are permitted to engage in the following business entrusted by a client: Conducting business accounting according to the state uniform accounting system and on the basis of the source documents and other materials provided by the client, including examining the source documents, filling out vouchers for keeping accounts, registering account books, compiling financial reports, etc.; Providing financial reports externally; Providing taxation materials to the tax authority; The new provisions for engaging in agency bookkeeping services, which will come into effect on May 1, reinforces the encouragement of investment into the accounting and audit industry as stated in the 2015 Catalogue of Industries for Guiding Foreign Investment. According to IBISWorlds Auditing, Accounting & Tax Services Market Research Report, the industry grew at 8.5 percent from 2010 to 2015, generating US$10 billion last year. It will remain open to investment in the coming years, and with the new measures coming into effect in May, this is an opportunity for accounting firms to expand their services. About Us Asia Briefing Ltd. is a subsidiary of Dezan Shira & Associates. Dezan Shira is a specialist foreign direct investment practice, providing corporate establishment, business advisory, tax advisory and compliance, accounting, payroll, due diligence and financial review services to multinationals investing in China, Hong Kong, India, Vietnam, Singapore and the rest of ASEAN. For further information, please email china@dezshira.com or visit www.dezshira.com. Stay up to date with the latest business and investment trends in Asia by subscribing to our complimentary update service featuring news, commentary and regulatory insight. Tax, Accounting, and Audit in China 2016 This edition of Tax, Accounting, and Audit in China, updated for 2016, offers a comprehensive overview of the major taxes that foreign investors are likely to encounter when establishing or operating a business in China, as well as other tax-relevant obligations. This concise, detailed, yet pragmatic guide is ideal for CFOs, compliance officers and heads of accounting who must navigate the complex tax and accounting landscape in China in order to effectively manage and strategically plan their China-based operations. Annual Audit and Compliance in China 2016 In this issue of China Briefing, we provide a comprehensive analysis of the various annual compliance procedures that foreign invested enterprises in China will have to follow, including wholly-foreign owned enterprises, joint ventures, foreign-invested commercial enterprises, and representative offices. We include a step-by-step guide to these procedures, list out the annual compliance timeline, detail the latest changes to Chinas standards, and finally explain why Chinas audit should be started as early as possible. Managing Your Accounting and Bookkeeping in China In this issue of China Briefing, we discuss the difference between the International Financial Reporting Standards, and the accounting standards mandated by Chinas Ministry of Finance. We also pay special attention to the role of foreign currency in accounting, both in remitting funds, and conversion. In an interview with Jenny Liao, Dezan Shira & Associates Senior Manager of Corporate Accounting Services in Shanghai, we outline some of the pros and cons of outsourcing ones accounting function. Airbus employees celebrate at the ground breaking ceremony for Airbus Tianjin A330 completion and delivery center in the Tianjin Airport Economic Area of north China's Tianjin Municipality, March 2, 2016. Construction began in Tianjin on Wednesday of an Airbus facility where the company's A330 aircraft will be finished off and delivered to clients. It is the company's first "completion and delivery center" for wide-body aircraft outside Europe. It will be responsible for cabin installation, painting and flight tests. [Photo: Xinhua] Construction began Wednesday on an Airbus facility in north China's Tianjin, where the company's A330 aircraft will be finished off and delivered to clients. The European aircraft manufacturer wants to establish itself in China's booming aviation market, where the company faces fierce competition with its U.S. rival Boeing. It is the company's first "completion and delivery center" for wide-body aircraft outside Europe. The facility will be responsible for cabin installation, painting and flight tests, Airbus said in a statement. A330 will be assembled in Toulouse, France, before delivery to Tianjin. The first plane is expected to arrive in the metropolis by the end of 2017. "This action by Airbus moves it closer to Chinese clients and the Chinese market [...] It derives from our confidence in China's future development," Eric Chen, president of Airbus China, told Xinhua. Chen said despite China's stressful economic transition, Airbus remains optimistic about the aviation market in China, which has overtaken the United States to become the largest buyer of Airbus aircraft. "We're very confident that in the next 10 or 20 years, there will be strong demand for aircraft in China's aviation market," he said, expecting increased air-travel demand from the country's increasingly mobile population, a growing middle class and easing visa policies by countries hoping to attract Chinese tourists. Airbus estimates that China will need 5,400 new planes within the next 20 years, accounting for about 17 percent of the global total. Tianjin already has an assembly line for Airbus A320 models. More than 250 aircraft have been delivered in Tianjin since 2008. About 24 percent of Airbus aircraft are sold to China every year. On Monday, Air China ordered 12 A330-300 aircraft from the company. There are presently more than 1,240 Airbus aircraft in use by Chinese airlines. The A330 is the most popular wide-body aircraft in China. You are here: Home China will support foreign participation in its drive to reform state-owned enterprises (SOEs), Spokesman of the Ministry of Commerce Shen Danyang said Wednesday. Mergers and acquisitions (M&As) by foreign entities will help upgrade China's industrial structure, bring in advanced management experience and sharpen domestic firms' international competitiveness, Shen said at a press conference. M&As involving foreign companies have been growing steadily in recent years, though the overall scale and their proportion of China's foreign direct investment (FDI) are still below global standards, Shen said. The value of foreign capital M&As was US$17.8 billion last year, accounting for 14 percent of FDI into China, lower than the 38-percent international level, according to Shen. He said China will continue to improve the environment for foreign investment and lower the investment threshold, while encouraging foreign investment into sectors like high technology, environmental protection and services. An Alibaba Group Holding Ltd stand at an Internet expo in Wuzhen, Zhejiang province. [Photo/China Daily] Alibaba Group Holding Ltd's financial affiliate is in talks to invest in Chinese business magazine publisher Caixin Media Co as billionaire founder Jack Ma expands his media interests, according to two people familiar with the matter. Caixin, founded by Hu Shuli, has been discussing a stake sale with Ma's Zhejiang Ant Small & Micro Financial Services Group Co, the people said, asking not to be identified because the matter is private. No deal has been signed, the people said, declining to comment on the price or size of the stake. Alibaba agreed in December to buy Hong Kong's South China Morning Post newspaper as Ma, who controls Ant Financial, expands his media empire. An investment in Caixin, which has a news website, mobile applications and conference business, would mark another connection between Ma and the publisher's Chairman Li Ruigang. In November, Alibaba teamed with Li, Tencent Holdings Ltd and Oriza Holdings to create CMC Holdings. Li is a former chairman of Shanghai Media Group, which formed a joint venture with Alibaba last year to create a financial data and information service. Caixin Media said in a statement on Wednesday it was close to completing a round of funding that would bring in several new investors on top of existing backers Tencent and China Media Capital, though that would not affect its editorial independence. It did not name any incoming investors but added it would make disclosures as the law requires. Based in Beijing, Caixin provides news and analysis on Chinese economy, finance and business. The company has more than 1.9 million fans on Sina Corp's Weibo, which compares with about 370,000 for Shanghai Securities News and more than 20 million for the Xinhua News Agency. Since August, Caixin has sponsored Markit's China Purchasing Managers Index, a private monthly gauge used by economic forecasters to track manufacturing. Hu Shuli is among the best-known journalists in China and in 2011 was named by Time magazine to its list of the world's 100 most influential people. Under her leadership, the magazine has been known for its investigative reports into fraud and corruption. Li also leads China Media Capital, Caixin's largest shareholder. Caixin is supervised by a publication under the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. Its flagship magazine, Caixin Weekly, has a monthly circulation of about 220,000. Ant Financial declined to comment in an e-mailed statement. Ma Huateng, Chairman of Chinese internet company Tencent, delivers a speech at a forum on mobile internet during the 2014 World Internet Conference in Wuzhen, east China's Zhejiang province, Nov 19, 2014. [Xinhua] Ma Huateng, founder and CEO of Tencent Holdings, will make five proposals at the National People's Congress annual session opening on Saturday, including those concerning development of the sharing economy, Internet-based medical services and security of the Internet ecosystem. The sharing economy will become a new, strong driving force in China's economic growth and will help push the service industry as the main engine for China's economy, said Ma, an NPC deputy whose company is China's largest and most used Internet service portal. The market size for the sharing economy in China surpassed 1 trillion yuan ($152.8 billion) in 2015, while the sharing economy in the United States had a market size of more than 3 trillion yuan and occupied 3 percent of the US GDP last year, Ma said in his proposals. "The sharing economy still has considerable room for development in China," Ma said. He cited several problems that are restricting the development of the sharing economy in China, including the need for an improved credit investigation system and better Internet infrastructure. "The supervision of the sharing economy is still the same as that of traditional industries, which makes it difficult to innovate," he said. Tencent, a Shenzhen-based Internet giant, is active in the country's "Internet Plus" campaign. It signed strategic cooperative agreements with 45 cities in 13 provinces and autonomous regions across China last year to help them transform their economic development through big data, cloud computing and other technologies. "In the Internet Plus' age, we face more challenges in terms of information security. Traditional means are not updated enough to crack down on the changes and increase in cyber crimes. China should build a security system to protect the mobile Internet ecosystem," Ma said. As for the proposal concerning Internet-based medical services, Ma recommended that healthcare authorities encourage IT companies to participate in the development of graded diagnosis and treatment services in China. "With remote education and remote medical care via the Internet, we can strengthen medical training and cultivate more reliable doctors at the grassroots level," Ma said. "We should, especially, get the doctors at the grassroots level into the habit of using mobile medical devices to monitor the health conditions of middle-aged and elderly people." To optimize the allocation of medical resources, Ma advised the government to remove the "hidden obstacles" that prevent doctors from becoming freelancers. He also proposed the establishment of a system for electronic health records, optimized for mobile Internet technologies, so that individuals and hospitals both have convenient access to information. It will also enable citizens to pay for medical insurance if third-party payment companies are allowed to enter the sector, and provide services, Ma added. As for the development of the digital content industry, Ma said the industry is on a "fast lane" in China, given the popularity of mobile Internet, and brings a vital opportunity to boost the country's cultural industry. "However, the digital content industry in China is still under dark clouds of Internet piracy," he said. "The government needs to speed up legislation to tighten regulations." The digital content industry in China still favors quantity over quality now, Ma said, adding, "the creativity of both professionals and amateurs has not been fully tapped yet". It's been an overwhelming week for Ding Zhigang. The anesthetist with Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital has been assisted dozens of deliveries. "There were so many women booked in to give birth that I had to work around the clock," Ding said. "When I finished work yesterday, I was dead on my feet." At one point during the Lunar New Year holiday, Ding worked more than 20-hours straight, helping to bring 15 children in to the world. "This is going to be a very, very busy year for us," he said. Hospitals in China are facing mounting pressure as China welcomes a baby boom in the year of the Monkey, one of the 12 Chinese zodiac animals. In Beijing alone, about 300,000 new babies will be born in 2016, 50,000 more than last year, according to figures released by Beijing's Health and Family Planning Commission. Nationwide, 22 million babies are expected to be born in 2016, almost the entire population of Beijing. "The baby boom this year is partly a result of the belief that people born in the Year of Monkey are smart and confident," Zhai Zhenwu, president of the School of Sociology and Population Studies under Renmin University. "In addition, the new two-child policy has contributed to the growing number of pregnant women." The baby boom, however, is casting a spell on medical institutions, with many hospitals across the country reporting a lack of beds and doctors and complaining of intensive work. In the obstetrics wards of Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University in northeast China's Liaoning Province, three or more pregnant women have to share a double room. Extra beds have been installed down the hallway. "The upgrade of hospital facilities has failed to keep up with rising maternity needs," said Du Juan, an official with the hospital. "Besides, we don't have enough doctors, so each one of us is working almost nonstop." Many doctors from across the country told Xinhua they, too, were feeling the pressure. MOUNTING PRESSURE In China, more couples choose to have children in auspicious years, such as the dragon, horse and monkey, but this year, the situation is particularly pronounced. At the Third Central Hospital of north China's Tianjin Municipality, there have been 51,000 labors registered for the year, a year-on-year increase of 61.9 percent. During the seven-day Spring Festival holiday, 98 babies were born in the hospital, 10 each day on average, according to Song Shurong, an obstetrician with the hospital. "There were 14 births on the third day of the Lunar New Year," Song said. "We were so busy that we could barely break for a drink or to use the toilet." Song said that none of the hospital's 46 beds were vacant, so they had to add extra ones down the hallway. "We had 6,000 new babies in 2014, the year of the Horse," Song said. "But this year is likely to go way beyond that." Similar situations can be found in provincial maternal hospitals in the northwestern province of Gansu. According to hospital official Yang Xiumin, about 16,000 new babies will be born this year, up 15 percent from 2014. Medical institutions, too, are feeling the pinch. In Beijing, the capital's first-class midwifery institutions were all over booked for 2015, according to Beijing's health authorities. The 2016baby boom is likely to exert even more pressure this year. Meanwhile, many of this year's pregnant women are older mothers, thanks in part to China's lift of the one-child policy at the end of last year, bringing extra challenges for medical staff. China, however, does not have enough maternal staff. According to figures released by the World Health Organization, there are only three midwives for 1,000 pregnant women in China. The southwest municipality of Chongqing needs almost 10,000 midwives, according to Li Hongyu, head nurse at Chongqing's Southwest Hospital. In the Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital in the northeastern city of Changchun, officials have increased the weekly working hours of each medical staff by 50 percent to cope with the spike in pregnancies. FINDING A WAY OUT Amid mounting pressure, authorities are trying to find a way out. In Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, local hospitals have increased beds and hired more staff. Harmonicare Medical Group, China's largest private obstetric hospital, has upgraded its institutions in Beijing and central China's Wuhan City by adding more beds and recruiting more staff. The group owns 11 hospitals for women and children across China. "Besides the efforts, the government should step up medical investment to ease the pressure," said Wei Hongwei, an official with Guangxi Maternal and Child Health Hospital. Residents were evacuated in Padang on Wednesday evening after a 7.8-magnitude quake struck off western coast of Sumatra Island. [Photo/haiwainet.com] Indonesia terminated the tsunami warning after a 7.8-magnitude quake struck off western coast of Sumatra Island on Wednesday evening, an official of the meteorology said. The agency only detected a minor tsunami with the height of five centimeters in waters off Padang of West Sumatra and 10 centimeters in waters off Cocos Island of Australia, the official told Xinhua via phone. The quake jolted at 19:49 p.m. Jakarta time with an epicenter at 682 km southwest of Mentawai islands of West Sumatra and a depth at 10 km under the sea bed, he said. There has been no report so far of damage or casualty, including in the islands, the nearest area from the epicenter, Zulfiatno, head of the Disaster Management Agency in West Sumatra Province, told Xinhua via phone. Vehicles run amid heavy smog and thick fog in Beijing, Dec. 25, 2015. [File photo/Ecns.cn] Beijing is revising its emergency response plans for heavy pollution days, the Beijing Youth Daily reported on Wednesday. The new plans will take into consideration the difference between the city's southern and northern areas, and adopt different plans if the air quality varies during the same period of time. On heavy pollution days, a traffic ban will be imposed on China I-III emission standard vehicles, meaning that higher-emission vehicles will be banned first on the city's roads, according to Li Xiang, deputy head of atmospheric environment management at the Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau. Vehicles will be subject to penalty points if they are found in violation of emission standards. In early February, the Chinese Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) standardized the criteria for "heavy pollution" alerts in Beijing and its two neighbors, Tianjin and Hebei province. Six cities -- Beijing, Tianjin, Tangshan, Baoding, Langfang and Cangzhou -- took the lead in piloting the program, which will last until the end of March. Under the same criteria for all four levels of warning, the six cities are allowed to implement their own contingency plans, according to Li. Li said Beijing will strictly implement the MEP's alert criteria, but will adopt different response plans for the city's northern and southern parts if the air quality is different in the same period of time. Also, the city's traffic management and environmental protection authorities are merging their databases to improve vehicle management during road traffic bans, the paper said. Beijing will step up monitoring and severely punish drivers whose vehicles violate emission rules. The city is also conducting research on a demerit point system for higher-than-standard emission vehicles, as well as vehicles from other parts of the country on the city's roads. This year, Beijing plans to double the number of air quality monitoring sites to 70, and expand some of its existing ones. Expansion and new construction projects are underway, most of which are set to be completed and put into trial operation in May. All expansion projects are to be up and running by October. Jiang Nan, an engineer at the Beijing Municipal Environmental Monitoring Center, will become busier after the capital doubles the number of monitoring stations in a bid to improve the network and step up efforts to curb pollution. Beijing currently has 35 air quality monitoring stations, which measure major airborne pollutants including PM2.5particulate matter with a diameter less than 2.5 microns that is hazardous to healthand sulfur dioxide. "We usually replace the core filter membranes at most every two weeks to guarantee the accuracy of measuring," Jiang said, adding that during severe smoggy days they replace them more frequently. Using the real-time data, the center releases an hourly air quality index to the public. The municipal government will use the information to coordinate response efforts, including issuing red alerts, the highest emergency response. To improve the monitoring network and provide more accurate forecasting services, the capital will double the monitoring stations to around 70, said Li Shixiang, deputy mayor of the capital. The central government has upgraded its air quality monitoring requirements since 2013, and in 2015 increased the number of cities with regular monitoring from 74 to 338. Based on the national network, the Ministry of Environmental Protection releases monthly and annual reports on the air quality of the 74 major cities. It has become a clear way to demonstrate air quality for the public, and the ranking system has driven governments to improve their performance. Baoding, Hebei province, was among the cities with the worst air quality over the past two years. Wang Jinfu, deputy head of the city's environmental protection bureau, said he felt great pressure from the public and his superiors to curb air pollution. The ministry has also set up an action plan to build a comprehensive monitoring network with detailed targets for the next five years. Flash Security forces killed six Al-Shabaab militants and five others injured at Ceel-Cade neighborhoods near Haradhere town in Mudug region of central Somalia. Galmudug forces launched an offensive against the militants raiding their camps in the rural towns which recently witnessed bloody clashes between local residents and Al-Shabaab. Information Minister for GalMudug State of Somalia Mohamud Aden Osman said on Wednesday their forces attacked Al-Shabaab militia that were trying to regroup in the outskirts of Ad & Eel-Abdi. "Our security forces attacked Al-Shabaab militia that were regrouping in the area. Security forces received intelligence report that the militia were trying to recapture Ad & Eel-Abdi villages following their defeat not that long ago," Osman said. "Tuesday's security operation was very successful as terrorists fled the area with dead-bodies and injures. The success will give a confidence to people that GalMudug forces will continue the fight against terrorists," he added. The minister said the insurgents were re-grouping in the area in order to attack Ad & Eel-Abdi villages, but security forces attacked them and as a result they fled from the area. Osman said the Somalia State will not allow terrorists to regroup, saying security forces will continue to fight in order to eliminate all threats posed by Al-Shabaab. He appealed to the public to cooperate with security forces in order to bring peace and stability. Flash The ceasefire agreement between the Syrian government troops and the country's opposition forces has been breached 31 times in the first three days of its implementation, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Wednesday. "Thirty-one cases of ceasefire violations have been recorded. The American group for the reconciliation located in the Jordanian capital of Amman has been informed of these facts," Zakharova said at a weekly briefing. Russia and the United States, as co-chairs of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG), signed an agreement on Feb.12 to establish a truce in Syria. The ceasefire agreement, accepted by the Syrian government and a range of opposition groups, took effect starting Saturday. The two countries also launched a control mechanism for the truce regime on the part of the warring parties and set up two reconciliation monitoring groups. The cessation of hostilities does not apply to the Islamic State (IS) and the al-Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front, both of which are recognized as terrorist groups by the United Nations. The spokeswoman called on the United States to adhere to its obligations to the truce process. "We hope that all statements by some senior officials in Washington on some kind of 'plan B,' or any other alternative for Syria in case hostilities resume, remain just words," she said. Zakharova added that Russia believes it is necessary to be careful, conscientious and responsible in the implementation of the Russia-U.S.-brokered agreement on the cessation of hostilities in Syria. She also noted that the statements published by foreign media that the ceasefire in Syria could last for only two weeks were incorrect. "We are not talking about a two-week timeframe for the truce. It should be indefinite and all of our efforts are aimed at that," Zakharova said. Flash A formation of the Nanhai Fleet of China's Navy finished a three-day patrol of the Nansha islands in the South China Sea. [Photo/Xinhua] A foreign fishing boat stranded on a Chinese reef in the South China Sea for several months has been towed away, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday. The boat ran aground near China's Wufang Reef at the end of last year, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hong Lei told a regular news briefing. "The owner of the boat failed to tow it away after several attempts and abandoned it, dismantling some major equipment on board." He said the boat had hampered navigation safety and the maritime environment, so the Ministry of Transport had cleared it from the reef and dealt with it "properly." "To guarantee the safety of navigation and working conditions, China urged fishing vessels near the site to leave," Hong said, adding that Chinese ships had left the area after the foreign boat was removed. Although the ministry did not specify the ship's identity, international media said the vessel was from the Philippines. Observers said Beijing had "foiled a trap" set by Manila to use stranded boats to infringe upon Chinese territory, a tactic that had been used on China's Ren'ai Reef in the late 1990s. "The Wufang Reef incident reminds me of the Ren'ai Reef case. They are almost the same," said Chen Qinghong, a researcher of South China Sea issues at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations. Beijing says Manila deliberately grounded a warship near China's Ren'ai Reef in 1999. The Philippines refused to remove the vessel -- despite repeated demands by China -- and reinforced the rusting ship's hull and deck. It also sent troops to guard the reef and to occupy it illegally. "Such actions violated the spirit and provisions of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea by changing the status quo unilaterally," Chen said, adding that the incidents also infringed upon China's sovereignty. Xu Liping, a senior research fellow of Southeast Asia studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that this time China had learned a lesson from the Ren'ai Reef incident. It had handled the case in a rational and restrained manner, in line with international law, he said. Wang Guoqing, spokesman for the annual session of China's top political advisory body, said on Wednesday that the South China Sea should be "a sea of peace, stability and cooperation." "The South China Sea issue should not become an excuse and tool for certain countries to contain China's development," he told a news briefing. Flash The UN Security Council on Wednesday adopted a resolution to impose a set of new and tougher sanctions on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), while calling for an early resumption of the long-stalled six-party talks. The resolution, in response to DPRK's nuclear test on Jan. 6 and a satellite launch on Feb. 7, is aimed at curbing the country's ability to develop its nuclear and missile programs. In a statement, the council condemned in the strongest terms the nuclear test on Jan. 6 and the satellite launch on Feb. 7, which it said used ballistic missile technology banned by previous UN resolutions. Pyongyang insisted it was a peaceful satellite launch. The council also reiterated its demands that the DPRK abandon all nuclear weapons and other nuclear programs as well as weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs. Wednesday's resolution includes a ban on all exports from the DPRK of coal, iron, iron ore, gold, titanium ore, vanadium ore and rare earth metals. It also puts out a ban on supply of all types of aviation fuel, including rocket fuel, to the DPRK. Moreover, it requires member states to inspect all cargoes going to and from the DPRK. Previous sanction measures only required states to inspect cargo when there was reason to believe that it contained prohibited items. The resolution imposes an asset freeze on all funds and other economic resources owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by the DPRK government or by the Workers' Party of Korea, if found to be associated with the country's nuclear or ballistic missile programs or any other prohibited activities. Noting "the importance of maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in northeast Asia at large," the resolution expresses the council's commitment to a peaceful, diplomatic and political solution to the situation. The resolution also calls for the resumption of the six-party talks, a multilateral dialogue mechanism brokered by China in efforts to seek a peaceful solution to the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula. It also involves the United States, Russia and Japan, the DPRK and the Republic of Korea. It reiterates the council's support for the previous commitments by the six-party talks, including pushing forward with the goal of the verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in a peaceful manner, and promoting economic cooperation among the six parties. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday welcomed the Security Council's move, saying the DPRK "must return to full compliance with its international obligations." "This firm response by the Security Council should put an end to the cycle of provocation and lead to the resumption of dialogue in accordance with the unified view of the international community," Ban said in a statement. Stressing that sanctions are not an end in itself, Liu Jieyi, China's permanent representative to the UN, said the resolution itself cannot offer a fundamental solution to the nuclear issue of Korean Peninsula, and dialogue is the only viable way to resolve the issue. "Today's resolution should be a new starting point and a paving stone for the political settlement of the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula," said Liu, urging Pyongyang to rejoin the six-party talks which have been stalled since 2008. Meanwhile, Liu voiced concerns about the possible deployment of Lockheed Martin's Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, an advanced U.S. missile defense system, on the Korean Peninsula. "China opposes the deployment of the THAAD anti-missile system on the Korean Peninsula because such an action harms the strategic security interests of China and other countries of the region, goes against the goal of maintaining peace security and stability of the peninsula, and would seriously undermine the efforts of the international community to see the political solution to the question of the Korean Peninsula," he said. Vitaly Churkin, Russian permanent representative to the UN, also stressed that the newly-passed sanctions, though quite tough, are not an end in themselves, but rather just a way to ensure that all parties involved return to the negotiating table. "The United Nations Security Council resolution on DPRK leaves Pyongyang with an option to return to the six-party talks, which should be resumed as soon as possible," he said. Shortly after the adoption of the document, U.S. President Barack Obama welcomed the UN resolution, calling it "a firm, united, and appropriate response by the international community" to halt DPRK's nuclear and missile programs. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, during his recent visit to Washington, put forward a proposal of pursuing parallel tracks on the nuclear issue on the Korean peninsula: the denuclearization and the replacement of the Korean armistice with a peace agreement. Then in a phone call with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday after the adoption of the resolution, Wang stressed that a return to dialogue and negotiation is needed to ultimately resolve the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula. The sanctions in Wednesday's resolution represent the fifth round of sanctions imposed against the DPRK since 2006. The sanctions, which is widely believed to be tougher than ever, do not target DPRK people's daily life. The DPRK conducted three nuclear tests in 2006, 2009 and 2013, respectively. Right after Pyongyang's first nuclear test, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution to impose sanctions on the DPRK and set up a sanctions committee. In response to the nuclear tests conducted by the DPRK in 2009 and 2013, the council adopted another three resolutions to strengthen various sanctions on the DPRK, which included an arms embargo, an embargo related to nuclear, ballistic missile, and a ban on the export of luxury goods. Flash The UN Security Council on Wednesday unanimously adopted a resolution to impose new and tougher sanctions against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and council members called for an end to Pyongyang's nuclear and missile program and early resumption of the Six-Party Talks. The new resolution was intended to curb the DPRK's efforts to further develop its nuclear and missile programs. The previous council resolutions prohibit Pyongyang from nuclear tests and using missile technology for rocket launches. "The sanctions are not the objective itself," Ambassador Liu Jieyi of China said when he was taking the floor at the council meeting after the vote. On Jan. 6 this year, the DPRK, in defiance of universal opposition of the international community, once again conducted a nuclear test and on Feb. 7 used ballistic missile technology to launch a satellite, in a series of violations of relevant resolutions of the Security Council, Liu noted. "China has expressed its explicit opposition to these acts," he added. "China has always insisted on denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, insisted on the maintenance of peace and stability on the peninsula, and insisted on resolving problems through dialogue and consultations." Like many others, Liu urged Pyongyang to rejoin the Six-Party Talks, which involve South Korea, the DPRK, China, the United States, Japan and Russia. The Six-Party Talks were launched in 2003 but were stalled in December 2008. The DPRK quit the talks in April 2009. "Currently, the situation on the Korean peninsula is highly complex and sensitive which makes it all the more necessary for us to keep calm and use diplomatic wisdom," he said. "China hopes that parties concerned will meet China halfway, always bear in mind the overall need of maintaining peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia, make determined efforts to dispel the dark cloud of war, pour out wisdom and actively seek common understanding, and work together for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," the Chinese envoy said. For her part, Ambassador Samantha Power of the United States said that "the DPRK's obsessive pursuit of weapons of mass destruction not only causes profound suffering for the people of North Korea, but also poses an extraordinary and growing threat to peace and security in the peninsula, the region, and the world." "The United States would like to recognize the leadership of China, which has worked closely with us," she said. "Beyond the council, it is worth noting the unanimity among, and leadership by, the countries in the region, China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea." Meanwhile, Ambassador Oh Joon of South Korea asked in his mother tongue Pyongyang to stop the nuclear and missile programs. He also thanked China and the United States for their initiatives for the draft resolution. Ambassador Motohide Yoshikawa of Japan said his nation welcomed the resolution. "We would like to express our sincere appreciation to the United States for taking the lead," he said. "Our appreciation also goes to China for their efforts." "Sanctions are important tools to finding a comprehensive solution to a problem, and to this end, there has to be dialogue. In order for the dialogue to be effective, there has to be pressure at the same time," the Tokyo envoy said. "This is the very reason why we now have this robust resolution." "The sanctions envisioned are quite harsh. However, the document does leave open the possibility for the DPRK to return to the Six-Party process, which should be urgently restarted," the Tokyo envoy said. Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said, "By shutting down as much as possible of financing of DPRK's ballistic missile programs the idea is to return to the table of negotiations for all the interested parties." "Russia is very seriously worried that negative trends in Northeast Asia have been developing," he said. "We are concerned about attempts to use the actions of Pyongyang as a justification to increase the military capabilities of the region including offensive weapons and the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) missile defense system," of the United States in South Korea. "The resolution adopted today should not be used to choke off the North Korea economy," the Moscow envoy said. "In this connection we are concerned about the hasty introduction, even before today's resolution was adopted, the adoption of unilateral sanction against the DPRK. "All this could have very negative humanitarian consequences for the many millions of inhabitants of the DPRK especially those who are most vulnerable," he said, adding a plea that international humanitarian organizations be allowed to operate in DPRK. You are here: Home Flash Lebanon failed again on Wednesday to elect a president due to lack of the constitutionally required quorum. According to the constitution, the required quorum is two thirds of the 128-seat parliament. Only 72 lawmakers, including Mustaqbal Movement leader former prime minister Saad Hariri, showed up. Speaker Nabih Berri scheduled a new session for March 23. Under a national power sharing pact, the president should be a Christian Maronite, the speaker a Shiite Muslim and the prime minister a Sunni Muslim. Lebanon has been without a president since the term of Michel Suleiman ended on May 2014 without the election of a successor due to ongoing disputes between the rival March 8 and 14 camps. Flash Namibian President Hage Geingob has officially inaugurated the northern main road MR 129 built by a Chinese company. Namibian president Hage Geingob officially inaugurates the northern main road (MR 129) between Omafo in the Ohangwena Region and Outapi in the Omusati Region on Feb. 26, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua] Stretching over 98km, the road links Omafo in the Ohangwena Region and Outapi in the Omusati Region. Construction of the road by China Gezhouba Group Corporation began on May 15, 2013, with a total cost of 80 million U.S. dollars. The MR 129 is an economic corridor that connects the northern regions such as Kunene, Omusati, Ohangwena, Kavango West, Kavango East and Zambezi. President Geingob, when inaugurating the road on Friday last week, said access to public services is the right of every Namibian. He also said the government has made a commitment to the people to build 1,480 km of bitumen standard roads during the next five years. The road network, Geingob said, will connect the nation's capital, which is the heart of the country, to the country's vital organs such as other urban and rural centres. "By providing modern road infrastructure to areas that were formerly isolated and cut off from the economic heartbeat of the country, we will be able to unlock the full economic potential of Namibia," stated the president. Flash AT the start of the New Year, Chinese President Xi Jinping paid state visits to Egypt and Saudi Arabia, among other West Asian and North African countries. As former envoy to these two countries, I found this most gratifying. The year 2016 marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Egypt. This year is hence of great significance in the development of Sino-Egyptian even Sino-Arab relations. The Belt and Road Initiative proposed by Xi Jinping two years ago has received wide recognition in Egypt and the Arab world, and is now in the implementation phase. The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), an accompanying initiative also up and running, is a new and important platform for Sino-Arab cooperation. Among its founding members are seven Arab states, including Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, Egypt's political transformation has entered a new stage, its main task to seek stability and promote development. This shared historical mission brings China, Egypt and other Arab countries closer together. Xi's visit in January further promoted mutual understanding and bilateral cooperation, and comprehensively upgraded bilateral strategic cooperation. It was thus a milestone in Sino-Egyptian and Sino-Arab relations. Longstanding Relations Augur Broad Cooperation Prospects An Arab nation in North Africa, Egypt is a large developing country whose dominant religion is Islam. Deepened Sino-Egyptian cooperation has a solid foundation and denotes broad prospects. China has always perceived and developed Sino-Egyptian relations from a strategic level and long-term point of view, having supported Egypt's quest for stability and development through practical actions. Over the past half century, China and Egypt have shown understanding, respect, trust and support for one another. Egypt was the first Arab country with whom the PRC established diplomatic relations. It was also the first developing country with whom China set up a 21st century-oriented strategic cooperative relationship. The new historical period signals a brand new chapter in Sino-Egyptian relations, as Egypt undergoes a great social transformation. China firmly supports the Egyptian people's right to make their own choices, oppose external interference, and persevere in consolidating and developing bilateral cooperation and people-to-people exchanges. Cooperation between the two sides in various fields, therefore, has steadily progressed. At the end of 2014, China and Egypt elevated their bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership. Sino-Egyptian relations thus serve as a model for Sino-African, Sino-Arab and South-South cooperation. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has visited China twice since taking office. He also participated in activities held in Beijing in September 2015 to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. The Egyptian guard of honor was the sole African and Arab patrol to participate in the military parade starting at Tian'anmen Square, so signifying the close relations and deep friendship between China and Egypt. The two nations also signed an agreement on boosting cooperation in production capacity, so setting the direction of bilateral pragmatic cooperation in the new historical period, and enriching the connotations of China-Egyptian comprehensive strategic partnership. Alongside implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative and accelerated development of the Suez Canal Corridor, China and Egypt share much in common as regards strategic goals and development ideas. This provides a new growth point and driving force for the development of Sino-Egyptian relations in the new era. To achieve common dreams such as building a strong and prosperous country, achieving the great rejuvenation of the nation, and providing people with a happy life, both sides place high hopes on bilateral cooperation. It is with these aims in mind that they proactively promote pragmatic cooperation. China and Egypt have seen emerging cooperation potential in such fields as trade, investment, infrastructure, energy, transport, culture, and education. In 2014, the trade volume between Egypt and China reached a historical high of US $11.6 billion. From January to September 2015, the figure hit US $9.67 billion a 13 percent year-on-year increase. Sino-Egyptian relations will embrace even brighter development prospects. New Historical Opportunities for Sino-Arab Cooperation China and Arab countries always show mutual respect and trust for one another, and persevere in seeking common development through win-win cooperation. The Chinese and Arab/Islamic civilizations first experienced exchanges and mutual learning more than 1,000 years ago, through the ancient Silk Road. Exchanges between the two old civilizations have remained constant. Since entering the new millennium, the world has become smaller thanks to economic globalization and informatization. Sino-Arab relations established on the foundation of mutual respect and win-win cooperation have seen leapfrog development. Establishment of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum in 2004 in particular elevated bilateral relations, featuring comprehensive cooperation and common development, to a strategic level. China has declared its stance in light of the great revolution and social transformation in the Arab world. First, China understands and respects the people in these countries and regions' aspirations and demands for change, their wishes and choices. China opposes other countries' intervention in the internal affairs of the nations involved, and firmly believes that disputes should be solved through dialogue and other political approaches. China disapproves of and would never endorse the resolution of disputes through violence. Second, China hopes that hotspot issues in the Middle East may be solved through political efforts, and is willing to make its contribution to bringing peace to the region. Third, China supports these countries' independent choice of their particular development paths, and would gladly exchange experiences in state governance with Middle Eastern countries. Fourth, China provides, as it always has, economic, technical and humanitarian assistance to these countries. Fifth, China proactively supports and encourages inter-civilization exchanges with Arab countries, and mutual learning through sharing state governance experience and promoting win-win cooperation. Sino-Arab relations will continue to develop despite various changes. Meanwhile, the vicissitudes of the international situation, the global financial crisis and the grave regional security situation all pose new challenges to China and Arab nations in their quest for peace and stability, economic development, sustainable use of energy and resources, and environmental protection. Achieving sustainable development has become the common concern and pursuit of both sides. President Xi Jinping proposed in September and October of 2013 the Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. This plan represents a new development strategy featuring cooperation, and expresses the Chinese leader's strategic thinking and global vision. When Xi Jinping met with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) delegation in January 2014, he emphasized that Arab countries located in the western intersection of the Belt and Road Initiative are natural and important cooperative partners, and that China sets great store on cooperating with Arab countries in the co-building of the Belt and Road. At the Sixth Ministerial Conference of China-Arab States Cooperation Forum held in Beijing on June 5 of the same year, Xi Jinping proposed that the two sides adhere to the principle of discussion, co-construction and sharing in jointly building the Belt and Road. He put forward a "1+2+3" cooperation pattern. One means taking energy cooperation as the core. Xi called for deepened cooperation along the whole oil and natural gas industrial chain to ensure safe energy transport routes and establish a long-term strategic cooperative energy relationship between China and the Arab world that is mutually beneficial, secure, reliable and friendly. Two means making infrastructure construction and trade & investment facilitation the two wings of the cooperation. Xi urged all parties to strengthen cooperation in major development projects and landmark projects that are relevant to people's livelihood, and to make relevant institutional arrangements to promote two-way trade and investment. Three refers to the three high- and new-tech fields of nuclear energy, space satellites, and new energy as breakthroughs through which to upgrade China-Arab pragmatic cooperation. As regards high- and new-technology cooperation, Xi also proposed discussions on the construction of three centers: a China-Arab technology transfer center, an Arab training center for peaceful use of nuclear energy, and a center for application of China's Beidou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) in Arab nations. Jointly building the Belt and Road has become a main strand of China-Arab cooperation that will upgrade bilateral cooperation in business and trade, energy, infrastructure, and high-tech to a new level. The three centers Xi proposed will shortly be constructed. This will bring China and Arab nations closer, forging communities of common interests and a shared future. It will also encourage both sides' innovation of their institutions, their tapping of potential domestic demand, enhancement of inherent dynamism, and creation of new growth points of economic development. Looking to the future, China and Arab states face historical opportunities amid deepening win-win cooperation and realization of common development. China will make continuous efforts with Arab nations to carry forward the Silk Road spirit of peaceful cooperation, mutual accommodation, learning from each other, and the pursuit of mutual benefit. China will steadily deepen mutual respect and trust, connect development strategies, expand bilateral practical cooperation in various fields, tap cooperation potential, and innovate cooperative modes, so flying the banner of peace and development as it heads towards a brighter future. People-to-People and Cultural Exchanges a Long Way Ahead People-to-people and cultural exchanges play a crucial role in supporting the co-construction of the Belt and Road, and pragmatic cooperation is equally important. China and Arab nations are both main cradles of splendid human civilizations, and good friends who learn from one another. Although China and the Arab world have different histories, cultures, social systems, and development models, both sides have conducted longstanding cultural exchanges. Each, moreover, supports diversified cultures, mutual respect, and learning. Today China and Arab states, including Egypt, carry out proactive reciprocal cultural activities: China has signed agreements with almost every Arab country as regards culture, education, and healthcare, and their corresponding annual implementation plans. Both sides send frequent cultural delegations to one another, and conduct news media cooperation, as well as religious and talent interchanges. They have also established research institutions that organize academic, language, and education exchanges. These enhanced cultural activities have consolidated friendship, and played a positive role in easing international disputes and building a harmonious world. So far, China has established 19 Confucius Institutes in the Middle East. In 2013 the number of Arab students in China was 14 times that in 2003. China and Middle Eastern countries continue to expand cultural exchanges and dialogues through cultural forums, cultural years and art festivals. These activities serve as a bridge for China and Arab nations two different civilizations to hold dialogues on the foundation of mutual respect. Common interests remain an inexhaustible source of dynamism in Sino-Arab cooperation. However, the complicated and turbulent situation in the Middle East and the collision of different civilizations pose new challenges to China and Arab nations. There is still a long way to go as regards promoting inter-civilization respect and learning. President Xi's last visit linked China's efforts to pursue the Chinese Dream with the Arab states' plan to achieve transformation and development, and promote national rejuvenation. In future, China and Arab countries, including Egypt, will deepen their cooperation and together upgrade their comprehensive strategic partnership, so jointly building a community of common interests and a shared future. Flash A Chinese sailor has gone missing in the Australian outback sparking a desperate rescue operation. Western Australian (WA) police have grave fears for the welfare of a Chinese national, who was last seen in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Sergeant Jerry Samoa, from Roebourne Police Station, said the 42-year-old man was part of a crew that docked a company boat at Cape Lambert, 1,500 kilometers north of WA's capital city, Perth. "Apparently he's left the vessel on foot and was last seen walking off the Cape Lambert site," Samoa told reporters on Thursday. The nearest town to Cape Lambert, a well-known port owned by British-Australian mining group Rio Tinto, of Port Sampson is located around 11 kilometers away. Samoa said there were a number of factors which could put the sailor' life in jeopardy if he wasn't found soon. "Our main concern is that he's not familiar with the area, with the terrain, and given the weather conditions yesterday in excess of 40 degrees we're very concerned for his safety," he said. "We don't think he had any water with him so if he was out there all day yesterday, then he would be under some sort of heat stress." But police were hopeful that he may have been picked up while walking along the road by a passing car, and didn't realize people were looking for him. "There is a good chance he may have got to a vehicle, we're not quite sure at the moment, but if anyone does see him or pick him up then they can notify us and we will certainly try and locate him," Samoa said. Samoa said authorities believed the missing Chinese sailor may be attempting to stay in Australia permanently without a passport or visa. Samoa said a full-scale search would be put into action this afternoon. "We're going to continue the search in the scrubland heading toward Wickham town site, making sure that he hasn't tripped over or injured himself," he said. "Failing that we will expand the search and then make an assessment after that." Flash Afghan security forces after weeks of fierce fighting with Taliban fighters recaptured Dand-e-Ghori district in northern Baghlan province 160 km north of Kabul, forcing militants to flee, an army commander in the embattled district, General Amanudin Mubin said Thursday. "Finally the Taliban fled the area after suffering huge casualties and losing hundreds of fighters on the ground over the past more than a month military operations there," General Mubin told reporters here. Mubin who took a group of journalists in Dand-e-Ghori district on Thursday morning hours after evicting militants from the troubled area asserted, "Some 280 Taliban insurgents have been killed and around 200 others injured" during the operation, which is continuing. Nevertheless, the official avoided commenting on casualties of government forces by saying, "our casualties are few." Earlier in the day, Baghlan's provincial governor Abdul Sattar Bariz informed reporters about recapturing Dand-e-Ghori district. However, the governor didn't provide details, saying security officials would brief the media on the situation in Dand-e-Ghori later in the day. Dand-e-Ghori has served as bastion of Taliban in the northern Baghlan province from where the militants organized their activities in Baghlan and its neighboring Kunduz and Takhar provinces. To evict Taliban from the area, the government forces launched major offensive, five weeks ago which have claimed hundreds of lives and scores other homeless. Taliban militants who have claimed killing some 100 security forces over the past five weeks of fighting in the restive Dand-e-Ghori, are yet to make comment on the situation there. Meantime, local military analysts believe that cleansing Dand-e-Ghori from Taliban by government forces would demoralize militants in the neighboring Dand-e-Shabudin and Baghlan-e-Markazi districts to escape the ongoing military onslaughts. Reuters Fri Jan 29, 2016 5:28 am EST The European Union on Friday delivered some of its strongest criticism yet of Chinas human rights record, calling the televised broadcasts of confessions by Chinese and European citizens unacceptable. The comments prompted a rebuke from China, which consistently rejects any criticism of its human rights record. In a statement on its website, the 28-member blocs delegation to China said the disappearance of several Hong Kong booksellers, including a British and a Swedish passport holder, was part of a worrying trend. Members from the pro-democracy Civic Party carry a portrait of Lee Bo (L) and Gui Minhai before they protest outside Chinese Liaison Office in Hong Kong, China January 19, 2016. Reuters/Bobby Yip China this week expelled Peter Dahlin, a Swedish national who had been taken into custody this month on suspicion of acts detrimental to the countrys national security, after rights groups criticised his televised confession, saying it appeared to have been made under duress. The footage of Dahlin came two days after naturalised Swedish citizen Gui Minhai, who had vanished in October in Thailand, appeared on Chinese state television, saying he had surrendered to authorities over a fatal drink-driving offence more than a decade ago. Premier By Antony Bushfield Tue 01 Mar 2016 A Chinese pastor and his wife have been jailed for 14 and 12 years respectively for corruption and gathering people to disturb social order. Pastor Bao Guohua and his wife Xing Wenxiang were detained on 26 July 2015 and held for more than six months before being sentenced. In addition to their sentences, the court has ordered that assets totalling approximately 66,000 be confiscated from each of them. The corruption charges against them related to alleged embezzling of money from their congregation. Bao Guohua is pastor of Jinhua Christian Church in Jinhua City, Zhejiang Province and is one of several pastors from government-approved religious organisations who have spoken out against the demolition of hundreds of crosses in Zhejiang Province since early 2014. It is reported that up to 10 other church members from Baos church have been sentenced, as well as his son, Bao Chenxing, who is reported to have been sentenced to 3 years in prison. Mervyn Thomas, Chief Executive of Christian Solidarity Worldwide, said: We are deeply concerned to hear of the sentencing of Bao Guohua and Xing Wenxiang. The authorities have claimed that the forced removal of hundreds of crosses from churches in Zhejiang Province is aimed at illegal structures and is nothing to do with religion; yet pastors and Christians who have peacefully opposed the cross removals have been detained and in some cases given long prison sentences. Pastor Bao, and Pastors Li Guanzhong and Gu Yuese detained in January this year, are accused of various crimes, but all have one thing in common: they opposed the removal of crosses from Zhejiang churches. We call on the Chinese authorities to release immediately all those detained in connection with their peaceful opposition to restrictions on their religious freedom, and to uphold the right to freedom of religion or belief for people of all faiths in China. China Aid Contacts Rachel Ritchie, English Media Director Cell: (432) 553-1080 | Office: 1+ (888) 889-7757 | Other: (432) 689-6985 Email: [email protected] Website: www.chinaaid.org A bottling plant of Snow Breweries, a joint venture between China Resources Beer Holdings Co and the British SABMiller Plc. [Photo provided to China Daily] Deal for the 49 percent shareholding is valued at $1.6 billion; firm's shares jump 18.15 percent The largest brewer of the country, China Resources Beer Holdings Co, has agreed to buy out the remaining stake in Snow Breweries, its joint venture with SABMiller Plc, a move to free itself from a foreign partner in its effort to tackle the local market. The deal for the 49 percent shareholding is valued at $1.6 billion. The Chinese brewer's shares jumped 18.15 percent to HK$15.1 ($1.94) on Wednesday. The deal values Snow at 11 times the brewer's 2014 net income before taxes, according to data from Bloomberg. The transaction has received regulatory approval, China Resources said in a statement on Wednesday. China Resources has 98 breweries and its brand Snow Beer is considered the best-selling brand in the beer market in the country. In 2014, in terms of volume, Snow Breweries had a 23.8 percent market share, followed by Tsingtao Beer at 18.4 percent, Budweiser Anheuser-Busch InBev NV at 14.3 percent, and Beijing Yanjing Brewery at 12.3 percent, and Carlsberg Group had 7.5 percent, according to a Mintel Report Executive Summary of Beer in China. The market is consolidating with the top five companies taking about 75 percent of the total market. "Beer is considered a very local product in China," said the Mintel report. "It is not uncommon for some beers to be among the top three run in their region of origin, but they are barely even available in other parts of the country." Chinese consumers are demanding higher quality beer than simply mass-produced cheap lager, said the report. The deal to sell the stake to China Resources may help AB InBev secure antitrust approval for its acquisition of SABMiller. Last year, Anheuser-Busch InBev NV, the world's largest beer maker, submitted a formal offer to buy SABMiller for about $107 billion. The takeover of SABMiller will give AB InBev beer brands such as Peroni and Grolsch and create a company controlling of about half of the industry's profitprovided it gets past antitrust regulators. Chen Min'er, Party chief of Guizhou [Photo provided to China Daily] Officials behind China's first big data pilot zone, being planned in Guizhou province expect it to attract huge number of talent from home and abroad for the cutting-edge industry. The national big data comprehensive pilot zone will be an experiment in big data sharing, use, innovation and security. "Guizhou promises to offer all-round services to big data projects and create convenient surroundings to key enterprises that are likely to invest here," Chen Min'er, the Party chief of Guizhou, said at the zone's inauguration ceremony, held in Beijing on Wednesday. "We are offering favorable conditions to talented big data professionals willing to relocate to work in Guizhou." Song Lei, assistant general manager of Nutshell Vision Information Technology Corp, a company involved in upgrading traditional agriculture in Guizhou using big data, said the new platform will be able to offer his company "infrastructure, hardware facilities, a talent support and help to find potential clients". Nutshell Vision uses intelligent sensors to inspect the air and soil conditions of crops, and whether they are infested with pests, and then transmits the data to a cloud platform. It also provides disaster surveillance and decision support for government administration departments. "Guizhou has rich agricultural resources, and we hope to enhance the efficiency of production and increase farmers' income through our big data service," Song said. The less-developed, southwestern province's reputation within China's overall big data development has been rising in recent times, after a number of major mobile network operators and Internet giants created cloud-computing bases and big data centers there. China Telecommunications Corp, China United Network Communications Group Co Ltd, and China Mobile Communications CorpChina's biggest telecom operatorsare spending 15 billion yuan ($2.4 billion) building three Internet data centers which are expected to house 2 million servers. At the end of last month, another 880 new big data jobs were created in Guizhou and 13 new incubators related to big data have been set up. Officials plan to invest a further 100 billion yuan into the sector's development, which could involve the opening of 1,000 big data enterprises and research institutes, and the introduction of a further 1,000 talent from outside of Guizhou. The Guizhou government and JD.com Inc, China's second-largest e-commerce company, also signed a strategic cooperation agreement on Wednesday to promote the development of e-commerce in rural areas of the province. Feng Qiujing, a spokeswoman for Guiyang Longmaster Information & Technology Co Ltd, said: "The government has been encouraging and supporting us to develop healthcare big data and as a local enterprise we hope to attract more big data talent to the city in the future." Her company has opened what it calls "an Internet hospital" service, where patients can be treated online by top doctors from leading hospitals in first-tier cities. Feng said this type of remote healthcare service solves many problems, such as an imbalance in national medical resources, and difficulties in getting treatment and advice to secluded regions. A home sales agent for US properties explains the house purchase details to a potential buyer in Shanghai. [Photo provided to China Daily] Zhou Yilan, 46, owner of a private firm in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, heaved a sigh of relief when her lawyer called on Jan 8 to say the paperwork related to her purchase of a house in Los Angeles has been completed finally. "I can rest assured and enjoy the Spring Festival now," said Zhou, speaking to China Daily shortly thereafter. She spent more than six months to formalize the LA property deal. "It was one of the biggest challenges I have ever experienced." Zhou is among the many Chinese investors who are buying overseas properties to own a more diversified portfolio. According to Juwai.com, an online service offering information on overseas properties to Chinese mainland buyers, Chinese real estate investment outside China has grown from $5 billion in 2010 to $52 billion in 2014, and is set to reach $220 billion by 2020. Reasons abound. As China continues to open up its capital markets, Chinese residents can convert their renminbi into other currencies like the US dollar in greater amounts, and pay for overseas properties in foreign currencies. Also, Chinese investors are better-traveled now than ever before and, hence, exposed to more investment opportunities. "On the one hand, US properties now are more expensive than 12 months ago, when I first decided to diversify my investments. On the other, if I didn't buy as soon as possible, the current value of my wealth wouldn't have been retained, said Zhou. So, she met several visiting overseas property agents during their roadshows in China. In late summer of 2015, Zhou finally zeroed in on a secondhand property, a three-bedroom house in suburban Los Angeles. It cost her $890,000. Officials at global realty firms said Chinese buyers' interest in US properties has been increasing as they think the value of US houses will appreciate. Aaron Kirman, president of the international estates division of realty agency John Aaroe Group, said in a recent interview that inquiries from Chinese buyers for his highest priced properties rose 45 percent year-on-year in the last quarter of 2015. "I currently have more than a dozen properties priced from nearly $15 million to $135 million. Every one of them is getting much greater interest from Chinese buyers," said Kirman. The US is one of the top overseas destinations of Chinese students and tourists. Owning a US property helps, especially if a Chinese parent-cum-investor wishes to diversify his/her portfolio and buck the trend of yuan depreciation. However, for property market professionals in the US, doing business with Chinese buyers entails challenges. Wind turbines whirl to generate electricity at a wind farm in Urumqi city, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, April 18, 2015. [Photo/IC] Wu Gang, chairman of Xinjiang Goldwind Science and Technology, a leading Chinese wind turbine maker, said he has witnessed how China's Belt and Road Initiative developed from just a proposal more than three years ago into a practical strategy that can be incorporated into business plans for globalization. The initiative refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road initiatives, which were proposed by President Xi Jinping in 2013 to improve cooperation with countries in Asia, Europe and Africa. "Globalization has always been Goldwind's focus and the initiative just pointed us to the promising new markets along the routes. With policy and financing support from the central government, it is an opportunity that we don't want to miss," said Wu, who is also a deputy to the 12th National People's Congress. Based in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, Goldwind overtook the longtime market leaders, Vestas of Denmark and General Electric of the United States, and installed the most turbine capacity in 2015, FTI Consulting, a business advisory group, said recently. Like many businessmen, Wu said he wasn't quite clear about the initiative until China released a detailed strategic plan last March listing the key areas and infrastructure, including international railways and highways, that China plans to build. "The initiative is actually an open platform built by governments along the routes for better policy coordination, connectivity of facilities, unimpeded trade, financial integration and strengthened people-to-people ties," he said. Kazakhstan, which borders Xinjiang, is among the key markets that Goldwind plans to invest in soon. Wu visited the country in June and discussed his idea of building a wind energy base there and the possibility of a cross-border electricity transmitting project with Kazakh officials. He also met the representative of the Silk Road Fund during his visit. Xi said in November 2014 that China will contribute $40 billion to set up a Silk Road Fund to provide investment and financial support for infrastructure construction, industrial cooperation and other projects related to connectivity for countries along the routes. To help people travel more conveniently between China and countries involved in the initiative, more air routes have been launched to improve connectivity. China Southern Airlines launched a route between Lanzhou, capital of Gansu province, to St Petersburg, the second-largest city in Russia, via Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang, in July. The airline has also increased the numbers of flights between Urumqi and Kazakhstan from 10 a week to 15, and also increased the number of flights between Urumqi and Islamabad, capital of Pakistan, since October last year. COPENHAGEN - Jin Liqun, the newly elected first president of the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), said China as the biggest shareholder is obliged to provide full support for the institution and set to win the trust and confidence of other shareholders. Addressing a lecture at the Copenhagen Business School on Wednesday afternoon, Jin said AIIB is a bank owned collectively by 57 member countries and it is "not a tool of the Chinese government". "AIIB sets the governance structure that is approved by all the founding members. As long as we follow the governance structure, as long as we operate this bank as a truly international financial institution, it certainly could not be the tool of the Chinese government," Jin said. China, being the biggest shareholder, is obliged to provide all kinds of support for smooth operation of the institution, he said. "It's not your privilege, it's not your right, it's your duty and it's your responsibility," Jin said. "As long as China follows this line and complies with all the rules, I think China will have no difficulty in winning the trust and confidence of all the other shareholders, members of the international community and even several countries that are not members of the institution," Jin said. The AIIB was proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013 and officially established late last year. Headquartered in Beijing, it has an authorized capital of $100 billion. Jin explained to the audience that AIIB covers all the developing member countries with regards to financing. He noted that AIIB can support OBOR (One Belt, One Road) projects, but these projects should measure up to the standards of the bank, "and we should also balance the financing across the countries, regions and sectors." Jin said as a responsible member of the international community, China should do something which has never been done before. "China wants to initiate a bank that will follow the international best practice. This is the reason behind the creation of such a bank," he said. Jin said the vision of AIIB is to create an institution that is efficient, free from corruption and environmentally responsible. "As we call it, the bank should be lean, clean and green." He explained that essentially AIIB is a multilateral development bank (MDB). "AIIB is not the clone or copy of any existing institutions. It should be a new one. But still it is not something very different from MDBs. We should keep its identity as MDB, but we should be different. So AIIB is going to do different things, and should be doing things differently," Jin said. BEIJING - The European Union (EU) and members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) should stop using the analogue country system in anti-dumping reviews on China's exports, said Shen Danyang, spokesman for the Ministry of Commerce (MOC), on Wednesday. Under such a system importers use the production costs in a third country to define the normal value of exports from a non-market economy. The practice usually affects the dumping margin calculation. Many anti-dumping investigations on Chinese exports were conducted under this mechanism despite China having successfully built a market economy after decades of reform and opening up. WTO members should stop adopting such practice before Dec 11 this year according to WTO regulations, Shen said at a press conference. In response to the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act just passed by the United States, Shen said that it improved the terms on enforcement of trade-remedy measures but did not target specific countries or regions. The MOC is optimistic on the trade prospects between China and the United States, and hopes the United States can remain objective and transparent in trade law enforcement, Shen said. The occurrence of worker layoffs amid China's efforts to cut overcapacity won't affect people's hope for more children, the spokesman for China's national political advisory body said on Wednesday. Wang Guoqing, spokesman for the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, told a news conference that such job losses are temporary and relaxation of the one-child policy was "a carefully made decision". China will work to ensure that its population grows in an orderly way, Wang told reporters ahead of the country's annual two sessions, which begin on Thursday for the CPPCC and on Saturday for the National People's Congress. On Jan 1, China abolished the one-child policy and now allows all couples to have two children. Since China is a rapidly aging society, concerns have arisen about an insufficient labor force. According to estimates, the coal and steel sectors will see combined layoffs totaling 1.8 million workers as the world's second-largest economy tries to revitalize its industrial sector by cutting overcapacity. To cushion the effect of job losses on families and society, the central government will allocate 100 billion yuan ($15.27 billion) over two years to help laid-off workers find new jobs. BEIJING - If there was just one thing the world's two largest economies could agree on both wanting, tourism would be it. China and the United States announced this week in Beijing that 2016 will be the year of mutual tourism promotion, one of the outcomes of President Xi Jinping's visit to the United States last year. The focus on tourism between the two countries come as overseas travel booms in China, in fact more Chinese vacation abroad than any other nation. More than 120 million Chinese traveled abroad last year, up 12 percent year on year, and they spent $104.5 dollars, up 16.7 percent over the same period. "The scale and the speed with which the market grow is quite remarkable," said Fred Dixon, CEO of NYC & Co., the agency responsible for promoting New York City, the top US destination city for Chinese travelers. Despite New York being the top destination less than 3 percent of Chinese outbound tourists go to the United States. The Republic of Korea, Japan and Thailand are much more popular choices, partly because of their proximity. Despite this, Chinese visitors to the United States has been growing at a double digit rate over the past few years. In 2015, 2.67 million Chinese visited the United States, compared with less than 400,000 in 2007. Goldman Sachs estimates that the number of Chinese visitors will almost double to 5 million by 2025. This growth prospect has excited tourism players across the States. Many have sent delegations to China and the news about the tourism exchange will no doubt see them double down their promotional efforts. Dixon said his organization's budget for promoting New York in China has risen in recent years, and is outpacing growth of marketing expenditure for other destinations. Travel agencies and tourism promoters say a more powerful boost to Chinese tourists inflow to the US is visa relaxation. In November 2014, the two countries extended visa validity for tourists from one to 10 years. This policy has pushed up the share of Chinese travelling to the United States purely for leisure. Data compiled by various popular destination cities in the United States show that for Chinese visitors, leisure travelers have begun to outnumber business travelers in many places. "The 10 year visa extension is really a game changer," Dixon said, adding that the relaxation has paved the way for more Chinese to visit the United States for pure leisure and on their own, instead of on business trips or organized group tours. BEIJING - Feverish home prices in top-tier Chinese cities are new signs of improvement in the housing market, but may not indicate a full recovery in the sector. While home prices in metropolises such as Beijing, Shenzhen and Shanghai shot up, markets in small cities remained subdued due to excess stock, which the government has aimed to reduce, but with little success so far. The housing price index for China's first-tier cities surged 24 percent year on year in January, the latest data from property service provider Savills showed. However, second- and third-tier cities saw their price indices almost unchanged, while fourth- and fifth-tier cities continued to post drops. Official data drew a similar picture. In January, new home prices in the southern Chinese economic hub of Shenzhen soared 52.7 percent year on year, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). Prices in Shanghai jumped 21.4 percent and those in Beijing rose 11.3 percent. But of the 70 monitored cities, 45 still had new home prices below the levels reported a year earlier. Analysts attributed the top-tier market revival to government easing efforts, higher expectations for price rises, as well as speculative and investment demand. Lower borrowing costs, plus plenty of latent demand, are the primary reason for the upturn in first-tier cities, where better-paid jobs bring population inflow, said Li Yujia, an analyst with the Shenzhen Real Estate Research Center. Earlier this month, taxes on some property transactions were slashed and further reductions to the minimum down payments for first- and second-time home buyers were announced. Though the loosening was mainly limited to non-top-tier cities, it led to broad anticipation for higher prices and more easing. The central bank this week cut reserve requirement ratios for banks by 0.5 percentage points, which is expected to further boost money supply and increase leverage for the housing market. With sentiment growing positive and the stock market in turmoil, properties in major cities have been viewed as a safe heaven by investors and speculators, said Li. CANBERRA - John Brumby, former Victorian state premier, is confident that China will continue to be the world's single largest driver of the economic growth and opportunities "in my life time." He made the remarks during an exclusive interview with Xinhua at the reception by the Chinese Embassy in Australia on Canberra Networking Day of the Australia-China Business Council (ACBC), of which Brumby serves as the National President, on Wednesday evening. "If you look at Australia, in the December quarter, the GDP grew quite strongly. And the yearly growth is above estimate. A large part of the drive is China," he said. "While it's true that prices had dropped dramatically in the resources area, in tourism, Chinese spending and arrivals are up by nearly 30 percent. In international education, China is No 1 in the number of students which is up significantly again. All these areas -- property investment, foreign direct investment, agriculture, exports, dairy exports -- are up dramatically." Brumby said that the higher than expected growth rate in Australia can be attributed to a large part to the transition of Chinese economy from an investment-led economy to a consumer-led economy. "It means more services, more students, more tourists, it means more beef, more mutton, more wool, being exported to China," he said. Brumby conceded that China's growth will slow. "It's almost impossible to imagine that China could continue to grow at 10 percent per annum." But on a Chinese GDP of $10 trillion, if China grows just six percent, it's adding $600 billion of new economic growth to the world's economic growth, almost a third of the world's new economic growth. Comparing to ten years ago, while Chinese economy was 3 trillion with a growth of 10 percent. "So there are more growth and more opportunities." "So yes, the 'new normal' is real, it's more sustainable. It is slower, but it's consumer-led, it will have more bumper on the way, but China will remain the single largest driver of the global economic growth and opportunities for my life time." Brumby noticed that Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang had made it very clear including in recent days that if growth in China does continue to slow, there is room for fiscal stimulus. "We've already seen some relaxations in bank lending. So that shows the government is ready to respond and provide some stimulus as we saw in Australia during the Great Financial Crisis. I think that's a positive sign. There is capacity there. There are plenty of savings, plenty of ability to do that on behalf of China." Beijing boasts the world's second-largest number of most valuable tech startups, according to the Zhongguancun Unicorn List released on Monday by the Great Wall Enterprise Institute, a research house in the capital. The number of so-called unicorn companiestech startups valued at more than $1 billion eachhas reached 40, second to Silicon Valley in the United States. Smartphone maker Xiaomi, valued at $46 billion, ranks first, followed by group-buying player Meituan-Dianping ($18 billion), and China's largest ride-hailing app Didi Kuaidi ($16.5 billion). No 10 iQIYI (value: $2.5 billion) Beijing Shingyun Technology Co Ltd, developer of the world's lightest 3-D smart glasses, is working on an improved version of the virtual reality product as it steps up its globalization pace, said Wang Hongliang, the company's chief executive. "The next-generation product will be developed this year, and we will continue to improve our unique somatosensory operating control technology and expand the virtual screen, memory and storage space," said Wang. For example, he said, a person wearing Shingyun's 3-D smart glasses weighing just 85 grams and watching a horror movie on a virtual 50-inch screen, will have a dramatic viewing experience with head and body movements. Wang said the the second-generation glasses will feature 70-inch screens with a 4GB memory and a storage space of 128GB. Current models come with 50-inch screens, 2GB memory and 64GB storage space. The company is also focusing on global expansion. "We will step up our globalization pace in 2016 with business cooperation," said Wang. Shingyun will team up with New York-based Kickstarter, the world's largest funding platform for creative projects, to sell its products. It is also seeking collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Media Lab and the United States aerospace and defense giant Lockheed Martin Corp. The company has already completed venture capital financing and series-A financing is underway. "We are preparing for listing at the National Equities Exchange and Quotations for financing," said Wang. The bourse is China's third national equity exchange and is popular among micro, small and medium-sized firms. Beijing-based Junda Capital is one of the first investors in the company. "We are investing in the virtual and augmented reality sector because it has entered a golden period," said Song Qingsong, founding partner at Junda Capital. Virtual reality replicates an environment that simulates a physical presence in a real or imagined world, allowing the user to interact. Augmented reality is a live direct or indirect view of a physical, real-world environment whose elements are augmented by computer-generated sensory input such as sound, video, graphics or GPS data. Smart glasses and helmets can be products of AR and VR application. According to Song, the mobile sector is already mature and there will not be any big changes. Instead, smart glasses with virtual reality and augmented reality technology will have big innovation and influence people's life. Song added the supply chain for smart glasses sector also become mature. There are excellent chip, sensor and battery companies, which contribute to the rapid development of smart glasses. "We invested in Shingyun because of its somatosensory operating control technology and a good management team led by Wang," said Song. Ma Huateng, chairman and CEO of Tencent Holdings, delivers a speech at a summit in Beijing, April 29, 2015. [Photo/IC] Ma Huateng, founder and CEO of Tencent Holdings, will make five suggestions at the National People's Congress annual session opening on Saturday, including those concerning development of the sharing economy, Internet-based medical services and security of the Internet ecosystem. The sharing economy will become a new, strong driving force in China's economic growth and will help push the service industry as the main engine for China's economy, said Ma, an NPC deputy whose company is China's largest and most used Internet service portal. The market size for the sharing economy in China surpassed 1 trillion yuan ($152.8 billion) in 2015, while the sharing economy in the United States had a market size of more than 3 trillion yuan and occupied 3 percent of the US GDP last year, Ma said in his suggestions. "The sharing economy still has considerable room for development in China," Ma said. He cited several problems that are restricting the development of the sharing economy in China, including the need for an improved credit investigation system and better Internet infrastructure. "The supervision of the sharing economy is still the same as that of traditional industries, which makes it difficult to innovate," he said. Tencent, a Shenzhen-based Internet giant, is active in the country's "Internet Plus" campaign. It signed strategic cooperative agreements with 45 cities in 13 provinces and autonomous regions across China last year to help them transform their economic development through big data, cloud computing and other technologies. "In the Internet Plus' age, we face more challenges in terms of information security. Traditional means are not updated enough to crack down on the changes and increase in cyber crimes. China should build a security system to protect the mobile Internet ecosystem," Ma said. As for the suggestion concerning Internet-based medical services, Ma recommended that healthcare authorities encourage IT companies to participate in the development of graded diagnosis and treatment services in China. "With remote education and remote medical care via the Internet, we can strengthen medical training and cultivate more reliable doctors at the grassroots level," Ma said. "We should, especially, get the doctors at the grassroots level into the habit of using mobile medical devices to monitor the health conditions of middle-aged and elderly people." To optimize the allocation of medical resources, Ma advised the government to remove the "hidden obstacles" that prevent doctors from becoming freelancers. He also proposed the establishment of a system for electronic health records, optimized for mobile Internet technologies, so that individuals and hospitals both have convenient access to information. The central government streamlined the administrative approvals process last year, with 453 items canceled or adjusted, to facilitate applications and boost efficiency in economic development. The streamlining includes cancellation of administrative approvals, nonadministrative permissions, and professional qualifications, aiming to relieve the burdens for companies, individuals and other legal entities. Last year saw the State Council, China's Cabinet, cancel 258 nonadministrative permissions known as "gray areas"which were required by some government departments though they had no basis in laws or regulations. Meanwhile, 230 administrative approvals, which had been delegated to local governments, were canceled. By the end of last year, 31 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions had released lists of their responsibilities, clearly defining what governments can and cannot do, which complied with the guideline for accountability and transparency issued by the State Council last March. The State Council has combined some redundant certificates. For example, restaurants used to be required to apply for two certificatesthe food service permit issued by the China Food and Drug Administration and the health permit for public areas issued by the National Health and Family Planning Commissionbefore they started to provide service to customers. The country has 2.4 million restaurants, employing 14 million workers. To relieve the burden on restaurants, the CFDA and the commission decided to combine the two certificates into one that takes less time for approval and inspections. In addition to proposals by the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, media reports and enterprises, Horizon Research Consultancy Group gave suggestions on what administrative approval procedures should be canceled after conducting research, face-to-face inquiries and expert assessments. Zhang Fucheng, a professor of public management at Renmin University of China, said simplifying the process balances the relationships between government and the market, government and the public and within government departments with overlapping powers. Governments should do what the market cannot and let the market do what it can, he said, adding that the government should intervene less through a simpler approval process. Li Feng/China Daily After 10 years as a necessary, but ultimately unwelcome, live-in son-in-law, Ma Xuedong divorced, and moved out of his wife's family home. The end of his unhappy marriage pleased the 37-year-old migrant construction worker, even though he had to scramble to find a place to live in Baoji, Shaanxi province. "My previous life was too depressing," Ma said. "It's a feeling you will never be able to understand if you have not experienced it." Ma speaks for many of China's so-called live-in sons-in-law, who marry and move in with their wives' families, but never quite became an integral part of the family. Their numbers are legion, a result of China's decades-old gender imbalance, a historic preference for male offspring, enduring marriage customs and the desire of families to preserve a surname in danger of dying out in a household in which all of the children are girls. In a traditional view of marriage in China, a woman marries a man and lives with his family, or the couple lives in their own house, bought by the husband's family, and their children take the husband's surname. This custom has been upended in two ways. First, China's gender imbalance means many men, especially in rural areas, have trouble finding wives. By the end of 2015, on the Chinese mainland, men outnumbered women by 33.66 million, making it challenging for China's left-over men to find a partner. Second, a poor man who cannot pay an expected "bride price" may look for a family that will pick up the cost. These men may marry a woman with no brothers, move into the woman's family home and allow their children to carry their mother's surname. Even though the arrangement meets the needs of all involved, families and communities still look down on those who have no sons and opt for live-in sons-in-law to fill the void. In many cases, the resentment creates unhappiness. Ma said he felt free after he signed his divorce agreement, although he left without any property. "They still considered me a poor guy from a remote mountain area," Ma said. Ma was born in Mabaozi village in Baoji, where many young men face a future as a live-in son-in-law because it is the only way for them to marry. Nearly 80 percent of the adult men in the village became live-in sons-in-law because no women want to move to a poor, backward village, said Li Zhijun, director of Mabaozi's villagers' committee. "In recent years, the bride price, money paid by bridegroom's family to the bride's family, increased to about 100,000 yuan ($151,990) from 30,000 to 50,000 yuan, but no women wanted to marry into our poverty-stricken village," Li said. Two tragedies have highlighted the challenges live-in sons-in-law face. Earlier this year, a live-in son-in-law, surnamed Meng, in Weinan, Shaanxi province, killed his wife. He reportedly had been depressed with his circumstances since he married in 2013. Two years ago, on Nov 22, 2013, a live-in son-in-law in Huaiyang county, Henan province, killed seven members of his wife's family, including his wife and 10-year-old son. The unhappiness is not universal. Many live-in sons-in-law live happy, hardworking lives with good communication and affection from their wives and extended families. Lyu Xiaoping, 36, who works in the security department of a company in Xi'an, the capital of Shaanxi province, also hails from Mabaozi. He married his wife, surnamed Yang, in 2008 and agreed to let their child carry his wife's surname. "My wife and I love each other very much and she takes my feelings into account as she gave our child the name Yang Lyujiang, which includes my surname," Lyu said. Zhang Baotong, a social and economic development expert with the Shaanxi Provincial Academy of Social Sciences, said live-in sons-in-law should learn to get along with their wives' families and people in their communities. Additionally, Zhang said, the genders are equal in modern society, and couples can choose their marriage styles with their own conditions. "With the development of urbanization, more and more poor farmers will work and live in urban areas and some of them may become live-in sons-in-law as they cannot pay for houses and the other costs of marriage," Zhang said. "And our marriage concept should change with the development of the times to give full respect to the sons-in-law." Giant panda Yuan Xin eats bamboo at the Dujiangyan base of China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Southwest China's Sichuan province, March 2, 2016. A pair of giant pandas Yuan Xin and Hua Ni will leave China for their new home in the Republic of Korea (ROK) on Thursday on a 15-year lease. The center describes Yuan Xin, a 3-year-old male, as being lively and outgoing, and 2-year-old Hua Ni as a "good girl" with a slightly introverted and docile disposition. [Photo/Xinhua] Two leaders of a gambling and prostitution ring have been sentenced to life in prison and another 85 others were given jail sentences after a nightclub - involving 300 million yuan ($45.8 million) of illicit money - was busted in Zhengzhou, Henan province. Zhang Liyong, president of the High People's Court in Henan province, announced the result of the case when he delivered an annual work report to the provincial People's Congress. More than 2,900 women had provided sex services at Royal No 1 Nightclub in Zhengzhou before it was raided and forced to close in November 2013, according to his report. A total of 152 policemen have been punished for covering up the ring, and more than 8 million yuan in bribes were seized, according to a recent report by People's Police News, which is run by the Public Security Ministry. Three prosecutors were also found guilty, the report said. "The case is, in essence, systemic corruption," said Wang Jingbo, a law professor at China University of Political Science and Law. "When the entire political environment in an area is polluted, the police team is very much likely to be involved in corruption. There is always a huge benefit behind such corruption. The policemen are not immune from the temptation of money." Zhou Tingxin, former deputy police chief in Zhengzhou, was the most senior police officer punished in the case. Zhou was found "borrowing" money from the club, which is a disguise for taking bribes from the ring. Other police officers were either awarded stock shares in the club or given a certain amount of money monthly. Wang said public power was misused by policemen for personal gain. "Their powers have been transformed into a means of making money," he said. "An integrity supervision mechanism should be put in place outside the jurisdiction of a police department. And it must be a regular means to prevent unethical behavior," Wang said. The front page of Pakistan Observer's 100-page special report on President Xi Jinping. President Xi Jinping has been hailed as the Statesman of the Year 2015 by an Islamabad-based English newspaper, highlighting his contributions to global peace and development. Pakistan Observer published a 100-page special report on Feb 18 after a one and a half month open-ended survey in the South Asian country. About 84.3 percent of the respondents declared Xi as the "Role Model Statesman of the Year 2015". The report provides an all-round introduction to Xi with plenty of photos, depicting his talents in governing the world's second-largest economy, his contributions to China's foreign policy, as well as his personal life. Pakistan Observer, founded in 1988, is one of the most widely read English-language newspapers in the country. "President Xi Jinping is a great leader with a vision and fresh ideas," the advisor to Pakistan Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said at the launching ceremony for the special report on Feb 18. "Pakistan China Economic Corridor (CPEC) will prove a milestone in the growing unique friendly relations between the two countries," he added. During Xi's historic state visit to Pakistan in April, the bilateral relationship was lifted to the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership and opened the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects. The CPEC projects will cover the fields of energy, transportation and the infrastructure developments in Pakistan. The special report "highlighted the fact that China had attained a great position among the countries both in East and the West", according to former Pakistan ambassador to China M Akram Zaki. Former ambassador to China Khalid Mahmood said that Xi enjoys great stature that cannot be attributed to anyone else in the world, and Xi's emphatic foreign policy has won China prestige on the international arena. Sun Weidong, Chinese ambassador to Pakistan, welcomed the initiative of Pakistan Observer to publish the special report. Commercial banks are exploring new solutions to better serve farmers and small businesses by developing Internet finance in China. Bank of Yingkou Co Ltd, a commercial lender based in Northeast China's Liaoning province with total assets surpassing 100 billion yuan ($15 billion), is looking for effective measures to have itself better informed about the financial demands and credit standing of rural households. Lin De'an, vice president of the bank, said: "We provide farmers with agriculture-related information and preferential policy information through our online-to-offline platform. Later we analyze the farmers' feedback, along with their plantation area, production scale and the online transaction data of their agricultural products, to make a risk assessment before lending to them. We also invite village cadres to join us in making lending decisions. These measures combined help us lower financial risks and lending costs". By the end of last year the bank's outstanding agriculture-related loans exceeded 13 billion yuan, benefiting more than 3,000 rural households. Bank of Lanzhou Co Ltd, a mid-sized lender based in Northwest China's Gansu province, built an online investment platform together with the provincial government to help small- and medium-sized enterprises raise money from individual investors. The bank is responsible for publishing risk management reports of SMEs on the platform for investors' reference. So far, it has helped nearly 4,000 SMEs raise 1.4 billion yuan via the platform. Loans to all projects were repaid in full when they matured. Baoshang Bank Limited, a joint-equity commercial lender based in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, officially launched a digital banking platform in August last year in an effort to build an Internet bank targeting small corporate clients and individual clients willing to use online financial services. Liu Xin, president assistant of the bank, said: "We decided from the beginning to provide financial service instruments that will satisfy the demands of emerging economic entities in different scenarios of the Internet ecosystem". To achieve this goal, the bank established a digital banking department that is separate from the rest of the bank in terms of financial affairs, credit resources, risk management and staff evaluation. At the end of last year, the digital banking platform had more than 300,000 users, with total assets exceeding 800 million yuan. Russian perspective on 'Belt and Road' Initiative By Alexander Vorontsov (CCTV.com) Updated: 2016-03-03 20:22:33 China and its Belt & Road initiative should be elaborated on against a background of the broad Eurasian and world policy dynamic picture. Different states national interests have led to the appearance of competing global integration projects. Concerning the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), United States President Barack Obama has emphasized the new trade union would be a rival by nature and character. He said, "We can't let countries like China write the rules of the global economy. We should write those rules, opening new markets to American products." Beijing's "One Belt - One Road" initiative presents an alternative cooperative approach. Simultaneously the Republic of Korea has put forward the Eurasia Initiative - mega-projects to form "economic blocs covered by Eurasia and even NAFTA." Comparing the concepts in order to understand "whose road is a more realistic one," our answer would be in favor of the Chinese side. The reasons are: Seoul's conception looks too ambitious while insufficiently practical, since ROK President Parke Geun-hye has already confessed that she had a lack of time to realize it. Nonetheless China demonstrates a more consistent stance for the "Belt and Road" initiative, and holds incomparably larger resources. The reasons that forced China to move ahead on a huge and expensive project look more grounded. Beijing recognizes the US "pivot to Asia and rebalancing" strategy as an attempt to hedge China in order to undermine its "peaceful rise". Beijing fulfills the work thoroughly. The special economic committee was established to research the design into specific issues as well as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). The AIIB looks as an efficient tool to realize the ambitious infrastructure program. Its important specific features are not only a remarkable financial fund, but real openness and inclusiveness. 57 founding member countries have already signed on, and among them, 23 are from regions outside of Asia. For today, China has elaborated on and divided nine routs of the new Silk Road: six land ones and three corridors on the sea. Recently, Beijing had taken practical steps, including a test cargo train delivering to Western Europe via a number of routes that gives hope that Beijing's geopolitical turn westwards would be more vigorous economically and politically. That will be provided by constructive work and China's practical steps towards its neighbors, including mutually beneficial investments, logistics and other projects. However, the main purpose of the "Belt and Road" program is to find the most mutually beneficial and economically efficient models including transportation lines. Highlights of the CPPCC work report (chinadaily.com.cn) Updated: 2016-03-03 20:32:17 Yu Zhengsheng, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), delivers a report on the work of the CPPCC National Committee's Standing Committee at the fourth session of the 12th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, March 3, 2016. [Photo by Zou Hong/China Daily] The fourth session of the 12th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) opened at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Thursday. Yu Zhengsheng, chairman of the National Committee of the CPPCC, delivered a report on the work of the CPPCC National Committee's Standing Committee. Following are highlights from the report. About CPPCC's first Weibo CPPCC is going to open an official Weibo account, a Twitter-like social networking site, so as to facilitate information exchange and help CPPCC members better perform their duties. About research and consultation for the 13th Five-Year Plan From April to June, the political advisory body will conduct 56 inspections and research activities, which cover issues including consumption demands expansion, manufacturing industry upgrades, innovation-driven development strategy, employment and entrepreneurship development, air pollution prevention in the Beijing-Tianjing-Hebei region and wet land protection in the Yangtze River Delta. About improvement of people's livelihood Carrying out inspections and research on hot issues such as education, medical treatment, employment and environmental protection, and contributing ideas and exerting efforts for the construction of rural teaching staff, cultivation of creative talents, construction of a national laboratory, special education development, traditional Chinese medicine development, safety of transgenic agricultural products, rural environmental pollution improvement and protection of the rights of people with disabilities. About commemorating Sun Yat-sen China will hold a series of events to mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of Sun Yat-sen, the founding father of modern China, this year. Events will be held to honor Sun's contribution to national independence, social advancement and people's happiness, carry forward his patriotic thoughts and revolutionary and entrepreneurial spirits, consolidate unity among Chinese people and the patriotic united front, safeguard cross-Straits peace and jointly advance the country's peaceful unification. About communication between youth of the Chinese mainland and Taiwan The connection with Taiwan's social organizations and groups should be further developed to improve cross-Straits economic and cultural cooperation and communication. We should carry out experiential exchanges for the youth of Taiwan and research the employment situation of Taiwan students who study in the mainland. About consensus The CPPCC should consciously resist and oppose all words and deeds that violate damage and weaken common foundation of ideology and politics, so as to continuously cement the existing consensus and generate new ones. About national identity Arranging groups of youths in Macao and Hong Kong to study and experience life on the Chinese mainland, letting them know about the country's development Suggestions pledged on reform and efficiency By LU HAOTING (China Daily) Updated: 2016-03-04 03:00:01 Yu Zhengsheng, chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, takes the stage to deliver the top advisory body's work report in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Thursday. ZOU HONG / CHINA DAILY China's top political advisory body vowed on Thursday to produce a series of "substantive" and "significant" investigation results and suggestions to push forward economic reform and efficiency this year. The pledge came as the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference convened its annual meeting in Beijing. Yu Zhengsheng, chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, said the advisers will concentrate on implementation of the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20) and key economic issues such as supply-side structural reform aimed at cutting overcapacity and easing tax burdens on enterprises. The advisory body will increase the number of special consultative meetings on major issues including industrial transformation and upgrading in Northeast China and encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation, Yu said. "We will hold quarterly meetings to analyze the macroeconomic situation and make suggestions and proposals on promoting sustained and sound economic development," Yu told more than 2,100 political advisers from across the country as well as senior leaders attending the opening meeting. The CPPCC National Committee will select a range of major issues, including those related to supply-side structural reform and development of high-end digitally controlled machine tools and industrial robots, for research and deliberation before giving policy suggestions, Yu said. The meeting will last until March 14, while the National People's Congress, the top legislature, will start its annual session on Saturday. The dual meetings, dubbed the two sessions, are China's most important annual events where political and economic developments are reviewed and key policies adopted. But at a time of slowing global economic recovery, economic issues are set to take center stage. Premier Li Keqiang will unveil the country's economic growth target this year in his Government Work Report. The draft 13th Five-Year Plan will be reviewed and approved by the NPC. Wang Guoqing, spokesman for the annual session of the political advisory body, answered 17 questions at a news conference on Wednesday. Nearly half of them centered on economic issues. A separate report presented at the opening meeting showed that about one-third of more than 6,000 proposals submitted by the political advisers last year involved economic issues. Chi Fulin, a member of the CPPCC National Committee, said: "I think a 6.5 to 7 percent GDP growth rate is achievable this year. The key is how to grab new growth opportunities." The service sector is likely to contribute 52 percent of the country's GDP this year, up from 50.5 percent in 2015, said Chi, also president of the China Institute for Reform and Development. Fu Yuning, also a member of the CPPCC National Committee, said cutting overcapacity will create pressure in the short term, but is conducive to healthy growth of the economy. "Some of our subsidiaries in the coal and property sectors cannot meet the economy's new requirements. We will take measures targeting these zombie firms'," said Fu, chairman of China Resources Holdings. Li Xiang contributed to this story. Artillery shells struck near the main street of a Syrian village controlled by the government on Tuesday, sending international reporters diving for cover and highlighting the fragility of a partial cease-fire that both sides in the civil war say has been repeatedly violated. The blasts that shook Kinsibba, near the Turkish border, came as the journalists were touring the village under Russian military escort. No one was wounded by the artillery, but four of the journalists - from China, Canada, Bulgaria and Russia - suffered minor cuts as they ran for cover or threw themselves to the ground. The head of Russia's coordination center for the Syrian crisis, Sergei Kuralenko, was quoted by Russian news agencies as saying eight shells hit and that four journalists were lightly wounded. A case in which a doctor failed to tell a man that his fiancee had HIV, resulting in the man becoming infected, has triggered controversy among the public. Questions have been raised on whether priority should be placed on the protection of privacy or the protection of lives. In June last year, after he had married, the 25-year-old man, who lives in Yongcheng, Henan province, was found to have HIV, China National Radio reported. The man, whose name has not been disclosed, said he and his wife had a premarital medical check on the day that they registered their marriage in March. The doctor insisted on talking to the wife in private after getting her result. The husband became suspicious and asked if anything was wrong, but the doctor said the only problem was that the woman had a high cholesterol level, according to the report. Later, he learned that his wife was suspected of having HIV during the check, but the doctor only told her about this to protect her privacy. Under Chinese law and regulations, doctors must inform disease control and prevention centers of any patients suspected of having HIV, but they cannot disclose a patient's information to others and may be held legally accountable for privacy leaks. In a survey on Wednesday evening of more than 9,000 netizens on the news portal qq.com, 88 percent thought doctors should inform spouses of patients infected with HIV.Wu Zunyou, head of the National Center for AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Disease Control and Prevention, said that according to the law and regulations in China, those infected with HIV must inform their spouses or sex partners about their infection. The woman in this case should be held accountable, he said. LiXin, an infectious disease doctor at Beijing Ditan Hospital, said doctors are very cautious about not invading their patients' privacy and will avoid telling even patients' spouses about infections. Li Huijuan, a lawyer and member of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association, said it is the duty of disease control and prevention authorities, rather than doctors, to tell the spouses or sex partners of HIV patients about infection. Meng Lin, a volunteer for patients with HIV/AIDS, said there could be many reasons why those infected do not tell their spouses. They are afraid of losing the love of their families in a society where discrimination against such people still exists. wangxiaodong@chinadaily.com.cn File photo taken on July 2013 shows students, some with their parents, wait to enroll for the new semester at Tsinghua University. [Photo/China Daily] IN THE LIST of China's Top 100 Universities in 2015, published by Wuhan University's Research Center for China Science Evaluation, Peking University came top with a perfect score, serving as the standard points. Beijing News questioned the rankings on Tuesday: Students from Peking University and Tsinghua University have long been recognized as the leading talents in China. Although the cult of worshipping top schools has been cooling, children who are admitted to the country's top universities are still highly admired and considered to be an honor to their families. The reputations of first-class elite universities are formed by their histories of excellence and their present progressive efforts. Yet university rankings are only for reference. With the introduction of its rankings, the RCCSE gave Peking University a perfect score. But what such a score means is that the university is perfect and has no space to improve. The RCCSE's rankings were based on research achievements, graduates' achievements and social impact. Peking University's performance is more convincing in the first two categories than in the last one. Another list of 115 Chinese universities published by Chinese Academy of Social Sciences sheds some light on other side of the story. The Annual Report on the Transparency of Higher Education in China 2015 reads that instead of even ranking in the top 10, Peking University has fallen to the 79th. Education transparency is a significant indicator of a university's social impact. So how can Peking University be ranked with a full score in a supposedly more comprehensive ranking? Even though Peking University is good, it is not as good as people seem to think it is. A sales woman introduces a property program to visitors at a spring real estate exhibition held in Beijing, April 17, 2015. [Photo/IC] ON TUESDAY, the government of Shenyang, the capital of northeastern China's Liaoning province, issued a guideline lowering the down payment requirements for house purchases in the city to as low as zero, and subsidizing purchases by college students and fresh graduates to encourage sales. The higher authorities suspended the guidelines on Tuesday night. An article in Beijing Youth Daily commented on Wednesday: For almost a decade the real estate market has been propelling China's economic growth. Now the market is cooling and it is casting huge pressure on the economy as a whole, due to the chain effects. That is why one local government after another has issued policies aimed at reducing local housing inventories. However, the recent short-lived move of Shenyang is rather controversial because it was aimed at college students and fresh graduates, who generally do not have the economic capacity to purchase apartments in big cities. If the local government blindly "encourages" them to buy apartments to achieve its goal of destocking, it will only result in heavy burden for the students and their families. A deeper look at the realty market will find the huge surplus comes from the excessive building of certain developers during the years of "prosperity". In that process, local governments played a role by loosening regulation over the realty market and helping developers get the land they needed. They did so because they could get money through the land sales and tax from the property sales. In other words, the wrong moves of realty developers under the guidance of wrong local policies have resulted in the huge housing surplus. Therefore the policy of Shenyang won't help the city's property destocking because it continues the old thinking of profiting from the purchasers. What is needed today is to lower the too high house prices and encourage developers to merge and restructure. The higher authorities have done a good move by suspending the moves of Shenyang. The real estate market needs to develop healthily instead of being further distorted. An advertisement of Alibaba's financial arm Ant Financial in Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province. [Long Wei/For China Daily] China's monetary easing policy to ensure ample liquidity in the financial system is welcome, but the fact remains that only more Internet-driven financial innovation can help such a favorable financial environment boost the country's job-creating small businesses. The first cut in the reserve requirement ratio in 2016 announced by the People's Bank of China on Monday was widely received as an encouraging sign that the authorities will adopt more expansive fiscal and monetary policies to support growth. The central bank's surprise move even enabled Chinese shares to shrug off disappointing manufacturing and service sector surveys to rebound on Tuesday. As the latest sign of strong headwinds against the world's second-largest economy, China's manufacturing activities contracted for a seventh straight month in February while its service sector activities continued to slow down. Official data show China's Purchasing Managers' Index for the manufacturing sector fell from 49.4 in January to 49 in February, the lowest level since August 2012, and that for the non-manufacturing sector slid from 53.5 to 52.7. The combination of such weak growth momentum, the recent plunge of the stock market and the need to sterilize the pressure ongoing capital outflows have put on liquidity should justify the reserve requirement ratio cut, in order to avoid unwanted monetary tightening. But its impact on China's economic growth largely remains unknown. The average reserve requirement ratio's reduction from 17 percent to 16.5 percent, though, is estimated to release about 700 billion yuan ($106.80 billion) in base money supply. But opening the tap of liquidity alone will not ensure that numerous small businesses can get a needed financial shot in the arm. That is why the RRR cut has also sparked fears that increased money supply may add fuel to the surge of housing prices in the country's top-tier cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen but do little to help other businesses. The country's banking sector has long been dominated by large State-owned banks which tend to lend to big State-owned companies enjoying implicit guarantee from the government. But they have generally failed to meet the financing demand of many smaller companies and individuals, for traditional due diligence often makes it too expensive to accurately evaluate small companies' creditworthiness. Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 plane with registration number 9M-MRO flies over Poland in this February 5, 2014 file photo. A piece of debris found along the eastern African coast between Mozambique and Madagascar may be from the tail section of the Malaysia Airlines plane (9M-MRO) flight MH370 that disappeared two years ago, NBC News reported on March 2, 2016. [Photo/Agencies] KUALA LUMPUR - Debris believed to be part of a Boeing 777 jet has been found off Mozambique and will be taken to Australia to be examined by investigators involved in the search for the missing Flight MH370, Malaysia's transport minister said. Liow Tiong Lai said there is a "high possibility" that the piece of debris belonged to a 777 jet but added he could not conclude yet that it was from the missing Malaysia Airlines jetliner. "The debris will be taken to Australia for further examination," he told Reuters. An official in Mozambique's foreign ministry told Reuters the fragment was being flown to the capital Maputo from Inhambane province, 800 km (500 miles) to the north, and would arrive on Wednesday evening. It would be examined in Maputo by Malaysian and US experts, the official said. Earlier on Wednesday NBC News said the piece could be a horizontal stabilizer from a Boeing 777, citing US, Malaysian and Australian investigators who looked at photos of the debris. The piece of debris was discovered off the east African coast between Mozambique and Madagascar. Flight MH370 disappeared two years ago when it was en route to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur. Last year authorities found a piece of the plane's wing on the shore of Reunion island in the Indian Ocean on the other side of Madagascar. "It is yet to be confirmed and verified....I urge everyone to avoid undue speculation as we are not able to conclude that the debris belongs to MH370 at this time," Liow said on his Twitter account. Flight MH370 disappeared on March 8, 2014, with 239 passengers and crew on board, and is believed to have crashed in the Indian Ocean. An initial search of a 60,000 sq km (23,000 sq miles) area of sea floor has been extended to another 60,000 sq km. UNITED NATIONS - The fresh UN sanctions adopted Wednesday on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), though widely believed to be tougher than ever, are not intended to affect DPRK people's livelihood as the document contains language allowing for humanitarian exemptions. The 15-nation Council unanimously adopted a resolution that approved a set of harsh sanctions in response to the DPRK's latest nuclear test and satellite launch. The resolution broadens the scope of the financial sanctions and the scope of the arms embargo. It also includes a ban on all exports from the DPRK of coal, iron, iron ore, gold, titanium ore, vanadium ore and rare earth metals, and a prohibition on the supply to the DPRK of all types of aviation fuel, including rocket fuel. The document underlines that measures imposed by relevant Security Council resolutions "are not intended to have adverse humanitarian consequences for the civilian population of the DPRK," or to affect negatively the work of relevant organizations that carry out assistance and relief activities in the country. Throughout the document, it contains measures aimed at limiting negative humanitarian consequences by including exemptions for livelihood or medical purposes in the written sanction measures. To illustrate, the resolution requires that all states shall inspect on their territory all cargo going to or coming from the DPRK via land, sea or air. Meanwhile, it calls upon states to carry out inspections in a way that minimizes impact on the transfer of humanitarian relief cargo. On banning all exports from the DPRK of coal, iron and iron ore, the resolution said this provision shall not apply with respect to transactions that are determined to be exclusively for livelihood purposes and unrelated to generating revenue for the DPRK's nuclear or ballistic missile programs. Besides, the Council decided that states shall take measures to close representative offices, subsidiaries, or banking accounts of financial institutions if their financial services could contribute to the DPRK's nuclear or ballistic missile programs. Christians have been using prayer beads for centuries as a tangible aid to their prayers, and a tool to help them enter contemplative space. With Easter coming later this month, Pi Masters members participated in making a bracelet according to the Gospel. Bobbie Hroch presented a program using beads telling the story of the life of Jesus. It started with a black bead indicating the beginning of Jesus, a wood bead for the manger, and a star bead for his rising. The story went on until the final red crystal bead indicating the Holy Spirit. Members were able to choose the beads as the story went on and had a finished product of a bracelet that they could take home. President Marsha Young informed the members she received information from International that the chapter had received their next degree certification. The certification was dated Feb. 22, 2016 and the new chapter name will be Nebraska Torchbearer Zeta Chapter. The chapter will keep the same officers until the end of the year under the new name. Marsha Young is the first president of this new chapter and all 14 members are official chartered members. Information was received from International outlining the Founders Day schedule for the events to be held at the Kensington on April 28, which will include all the chapters in Beatrice. Charms will be ordered for the end of the year participation events. A thank you note was received from Rylee Smith for the DVD the chapter sent her. The thank you note was addressed to Sorority Grandmothers. The members were honored with this endearment. Jim and Donna Schultze will be celebrating their 50th anniversary Friday, March 11 at the Eagles Club from 6-8 p.m. The next meeting will be hosted by Marsha Young on Tuesday, March 15, when the chapter will be celebrating its birthday. Tokuo Hayakawa, a 76-year-old Buddhist priest who returned to his 600-year-old family temple in Naraha in September 2015 when the evacuation order was lifted, reacts as he speaks during an interview with Reuters at his home in Naraha, Fukushima prefecture, Japan, February 11, 2016. Picture taken February 11, 2016. [Photo/Agencies] NARAHA - Tokuo Hayakawa carries a dosimeter around with him at his 600-year-old temple in Naraha, the first town in the Fukushima "exclusion zone" to fully reopen since Japan's March 2011 catastrophe. Badges declaring "No to nuclear power" adorn his black Buddhist robe. Hayakawa is one of the few residents to return to this agricultural town since it began welcoming back nuclear refugees five months ago. The town, at the edge of a 20-km (12.5 mile) evacuation zone around the crippled Fukushima Daiichi plant, was supposed to be a model of reconstruction. Five years ago, one of the biggest earthquakes in history shook the country's northeast. The 10-metre (33-foot) tsunami it spawned smashed into the power plant on the Fukushima coastline triggering a meltdown and forcing nearby towns to evacuate. The disaster killed over 19,000 people across Japan and caused an estimated 16.9 trillion yen ($150 billion) in damages. Only 440 of Naraha's pre-disaster population 8,042 have returned - nearly 70 percent of them over 60. "This region will definitely go extinct," said the 76-year-old Hayakawa. He says he can't grow food because he fears the rice paddies are still contaminated. Large plastic bags filled with radioactive topsoil and detritus dot the abandoned fields. With few rituals to perform at the temple, Hayakawa devotes his energies campaigning against nuclear power in Japan. Its 54 reactors supplied over 30 percent of the nation's energy needs before the disaster. Today, only three units are back in operation after a long shutdown following the nuclear meltdown in Fukushima. Others are looking to restart. "I can't tell my grandson to be my heir," said Hayakawa, pointing at a photo of his now-teenaged grandson entering the temple in a full protective suit after the disaster. "Reviving this town is impossible," he said. "I came back to see it to its death." That is bound to disappoint Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Rebuilding Naraha and other towns in the devastated northeast, he says, is crucial to reviving Japan. Tokyo pledged 26.3 trillion ($232 billion) over five years to rebuild the disaster area and will allocate another 6 trillion for the next five years. VANISHING TOWN More than 160,000 people were evacuated from towns around the Daiichi nuclear plant. Around 10 percent still live in temporary housing across Fukushima prefecture. Most have settled outside their hometowns and have begun new lives. In Naraha, two restaurants, a supermarket and a post office, housed in prefabricated shacks, make up the town's main shopping centre. The restaurants close at 3 p.m. No children were in sight at Naraha's main park overlooking the Pacific Ocean on a recent morning. Several elderly residents were at the boardwalk gazing at hundreds of bags stuffed with radioactive waste. In fact, the bags are a common sight around town: in the woods, by the ocean, on abandoned rice fields. Little feels normal in Naraha. Many homes damaged in the disaster have been abandoned. Most of the town's population consists of workers. They are helping to shut down Tokyo Electric Power Co's Daiichi reactors or working on decontamination projects around town. Liu Jieyi, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, addresses the United Nations Security Council on the DPRK at the United Nations Headquarters in New York March 2, 2016.[Photo/Agencies] The UN Security Council unanimously passed a resolution on Wednesday imposing new sanctions on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) for its latest nuclear and ballistic missile-related activities. In the Resolution 2270, sponsored by the United States, the 15-member Security Council condemned "in the strongest terms" the nuclear test conducted by the DPRK on Jan 6, noting that it was "in violation and flagrant disregard" of the council's prior resolutions. It also condemned DPRK's Feb 7 launch, which used ballistic missile technology and was a "serious violation". Liu Jieyi, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, reiterated China's opposition to the North Koreans' tests. He said China sticks to the principle of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula; maintaining the peace and stability of the peninsula; and resolving the issue through dialogue and negotiation. "The Security Council resolution passed today has reflected that principle. It shows the seriousness of the international community in opposing DPRK's further development of the nuclear and missile capacity and protecting the global non-proliferation regime," he said. Liu urged parties involved to return to the Six-Party Talks, saying, "Today's adoption should be a new starting point and a paving stone for political settlement of the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula. "Sanctions are not an end in themselves," he said, emphasizing that history has shown that dialogue and negotiation make up the only correct path to the denuclearization of the peninsula. China has proposed a dual-track parallel approach that includes denuclearization and replacing the 1953 armistice agreement with a peace agreement. Liu and Russia's Permanent Representative to the UN Vitaly Churkin expressed their opposition to deploying a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile system in the Republic of Korea (ROK). The ROK and the US are in consultation about the possible deployment of the system in response to the DPRK. Liu said the situation on the peninsula is tense and sensitive. "All the parties should refrain from actions that will aggravate tensions on the peninsula," he said. He described the deployment of THAAD as an action that will hurt the strategic and security interest of China and other countries in the region and runs contrary to the goal of maintaining peace, security and stability. "It will seriously damage the efforts by the international community to seek a political solution," he said. SEOUL - A pair of Chinese giant pandas arrived in South Korea Thursday on a 15-year lease, marking the first time in 22 years that the endangered bear species enters the South Korean territory for joint research purpose. Yuan Xin, a three-year-old male, and Hua Ni, a two-year-old female, arrived at the Incheon International Airport at around 2:20 pm local time (0520GMT) by a special flight of South Korea's main flagship carrier Korean Air from China's southwestern city of Chengdu. Panda's lease was put on one of agendas during Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to South Korea in July 2014 when Xi agreed with his South Korean counterpart Park Geun-hye to cooperate in panda research. The lease was confirmed during Premier Li Keqiang's visit to Seoul last year. China had previously loaned a pair of pandas to South Korea in 1994, but they were returned back to their home country in 1998 when Seoul suffered from the Asian foreign exchange crisis. To welcome the pair's arrival in their new home, a celebratory event was held at the airport. The event was attended by hundreds of journalists and officials from both countries, including Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Qiu Guohong, South Korea's vice environment minister Jeong Yeon-man and ruling Saenuri Party lawmaker Lee Woo-hyun. Women walk near a sign on their way home marking a tsunami evacuation route a day after a 7.8 magnitude quake struck far out at sea near Padang, West Sumatra province, Indonesia, March 3, 2016. [Photo/Agencies] JAKARTA - Indonesian officials on Thursday said that no damages and casualties were reported from the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that jolted the Mentawai Islands on the western coast of Indonesia Wednesday night. "There's no report on death toll based on the information from our monitoring team," West Sumatra Deputy Governor Nasrul Abit told reporters in the province's capital city of Padang. The quake, which occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers in the Indian Ocean and with an epicenter 636 kilometers southwest off West Sumatra's Mentawai Islands, hit at 7:49 pm ocal time on Wednesday and had prompted a tsunami alert which was lifted a couple of hours later. However, Indonesia's Meteorology, Climate and Geophysics Agency, which also monitors earthquakes, said aftershocks were recorded on Thursday morning rumbling throughout the region, with a 5.8 magnitude at 7:10 am nd a 5.3 magnitude at 9:30 am. The agency said people should remain calm and vigilant, as they estimated that the tremors had reduced in force since the major quake which caused a panic among residents in Padang, who were previously traumatized by the 2009 earthquake that killed more than 1,000 people. "Based on data from these aftershocks we do not believe there will be an earthquake of greater strength," the agency said in a statement. The National Disaster Mitigation Agency, or BNPB, said the 115 affected areas in five provinces are safe and the residents have been suggested to return home. The National Search and Rescue Agency on Thursday also dispatched a ship carrying military personnel, and search and rescue officers to Tuapejat in the Mentawai islands, which were the closest land to the quake's epicenter off Sumatra's west coast. The team will check on the situations on the isolated communities, it said in a seperate statement. A South Korean keeper feeds Yuan Xin at a welcoming ceremony at the Incheon International Airport on Thursday. [Photo/Agencies] A pair of giant pandas being loaned by China to the Republic of Korea for 15 years arrived in Seoul on Thursday. Yuan Xin, a male, three and a half, and Hua Ni, female, two and a half, are being loaned following a meeting between President Xi Jinping and his ROK counterpart Park Geun-hye in 2014. The pandas arrived at Incheon International Airport in Seoul in the afternoon after a flight of 4 hours 40 minutes from Shuangliu International Airport in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province. They are the second pair of pandas to be loaned to the ROK by China in 22 years. In 1994, Ming Ming and Li Li from the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Sichuan arrived in the ROK and stayed at the Samsung Everland Resort for four years before being returned to China. Yuan Xin and Hua Ni, from the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Sichuan, will also stay at the Samsung Everland Resort. Qiu Yu, an information officer from the conservation and research center, said, "A keeper from the resort who took care of Ming Ming and Li Li arrived at the center one month before Yuan Xin and Hua Ni left for the ROK to become familiar with them to better care for them in the ROK. "To ensure that the latest pair adapt to their new habitat in the ROK, a vet and keeper from our center will stay at the Samsung Everland Resort for six months," he said. Yuan Xin, who is lively and outgoing, and Hua Ni, who is slightly introverted and docile, will live in a 3,300-square-meter habitat at Everland, the ROK's largest amusement park about 40 kilometers from Seoul. The ROK will pay $1 million to China for each year of the pair's stay. A male panda one year older than the female has been sent because male pandas usually mature sexually one year later than females. Li Desheng, a panda expert at the center, said, "The arrangement ... is aimed at getting the pair to reach the breeding age at the same time and give birth in the ROK." Since the 1990s, the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda has loaned 32 pandas to 10 foreign countries. They have given birth to 22 cubs overseas and 15 have survived. With the new panda pair, the ROK is currently the 14th country to have pandas from China. The other nations include the United States, Japan, France and Britain. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea fired six short-range projectiles into the sea on Thursday in a show of defiance hours after the United Nations issued the toughest sanctions in history against Pyongyang for its nuclear test. The Republic of Korea's Defense Ministry said the six projectiles either rockets or guided missiles fell into the sea about 100 to 150 kilometers off the DPRK's eastern coast. "The situation on the peninsula is very complex and sensitive at the moment," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said at a news briefing on Thursday. He urged all parties to avoid further fueling tensions. After seven weeks of negotiations, the UN Security Council on Wednesday unanimously adopted a resolution on the DPRK over a nuclear test on Jan 6 and a long-range rocket launch on Feb 7. Pyongyang said the latter was a satellite launch. The resolution includes a ban on all exports from the DPRK of resources such as coal, iron, iron ore, gold, titanium ore and rare earth metals. It bans the supply to the DPRK of all types of aviation fuel, including rocket fuel. The sanctions also require all countries to inspect cargo destined for and coming from the DPRK. Banking restrictions will be tightened, while 16 individuals and 12 entities have been added to a UN sanctions blacklist, including the DPRK's NADA space agency. Matthew Rycroft, the British ambassador to the UN, said, "These are among the toughest measures we have agreed against any country, certainly the toughest ever against the DPRK." The resolution ushered in the fifth UN sanctions imposed on the DPRK since it first tested an atomic device in 2006. The Republic of Korea said the new sanctions would plug loopholes in previous resolutions by cutting off resources to finance the DPRK's nuclear and missile programs. Hong said on Thursday the sanctions are not an end in themselves, and what is most needed is to get negotiations back on track. He said Beijing hopes the resolution can be implemented fully, adding that the sanctions should avoid affecting the lives of the public and humanitarian needs as much as possible. Hong also urged the ROK and the US to be cautions when considering plans to deploy a new missile defense system on the Korean Peninsula. Su Xiaohui, a researcher of international strategies at the China Institute of International Studies, said tensions on the Korean Peninsula are still rising and the priority is to get Pyongyang and Washington back to the negotiating table. Wang Junsheng, a global strategies researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said it is almost impossible to press Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear program through sanctions. "The DPRK's nuclear program is largely driven by its security concerns," Wang said. "The proposal by China to replace the truce on the Korean Peninsula with a peace treaty will help solve the problem." Yu Shaohua, director of the Department for Asia-Pacific Security and Cooperation Studies at the China Institute of International Studies, said the new round of sanctions are targeted at only materials, people and agencies involved in the DPRK's nuclear program. "Normal exchanges between China and the DPRK will not be affected," she said. AFP and Xinhua contributed to this story. Efforts are underway to expand Medicaid in Nebraska again. To date, the Legislature has wisely rejected three previous attempts. Expanding Medicaid under the federal Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, would cost almost $1 billion for Nebraska taxpayers. Last week, Sen. John McCollister of Omaha brought before the Health and Human Services committee LB1032, which would require Nebraska to significantly expand eligibility for Medicaid. To determine the cost of this proposal, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) commissioned an actuarial analysis of LB1032. The analysis found this expansion would add nearly 126,000 people to Medicaid or state support by June 2019, including over 60,000 individuals who already have private insurance today. This represents a 50 percent enrollment growth in the program. A similar plan in Arkansas has resulted in 40 percent of their state population now being on Medicaid. As outlined in the bill, not only would expanding Medicaid require nearly $1 billion in new state spending in its first 10 years, but those costs could quickly rise to over $600 million a year in Nebraska state general funds if Congress ever required the state to fund the program at its traditional Medicaid matching rate. Supporters of the bill claim the legislation requires automatic termination of the program should that ever occur. In the past, however, termination of a state-managed entitlement program has resulted in lawsuits and court-ordered reinstatement of state benefits. On two occasions in the early 2000s, the state reduced eligibility for Medicaid in the face of significant budget challenges. These actions resulted in lawsuits that required the state to continue providing services, and the state of Nebraska ultimately reinstated Medicaid for some individuals. The increased government spending for this expansion of an entitlement program will impact generations of Nebraska taxpayers. Today, every American shares in a national debt of over $19 trillion amounting to nearly $60,000 per person. Our country has an unfortunate history of borrowing from our children to fulfill the promises we do not have the resources to pay for today. We dont do that in Nebraska. This growth in spending would also threaten our ability to meet the commitments to our current Medicaid enrollees, which primarily include children, pregnant women, elderly, and people with disabilities. The current effort to expand Medicaid would require the state to buy private health insurance for the vast majority of the newly eligible individuals, which promises better access through broader networks and higher reimbursement than Medicaid. Because of better reimbursement rates, there is a built-in incentive for care providers to serve these able-bodied enrollees rather than our truly vulnerable Nebraskans who rely on Medicaid. The state should not prioritize the needs of able-bodied, working-age adults over our truly vulnerable, Medicaid-dependent populations. Supporters of LB1032 claim this is a conservative, or private-market, version of Medicaid expansion. The reality is that this approach will prove costly to taxpayers. The Government Accountability Office has already raised serious concerns over a similar program in Arkansas, estimating that it will cost over $778 million more than projected in its first few years. Projections are proving true: The Arkansas plan was $137 million, or 61 percent, over budget in its first six months. Additionally, Iowa has already abandoned a similar plan. Taking a gamble on this unproven model isnt worth the risk for Nebraska taxpayers. Its an especially risky gamble when you consider that Medicaid spending in Nebraska has already doubled since 2000 from $983 million to over $2 billion today, or from about 12 percent of our budget to nearly 20 percent. As Ive traveled the state, I have heard a clear and consistent message: Our citizens need tax relief. They are demanding we exercise the highest possible restraint in growing the size and cost of government. We cannot be lured into committing future generations to the cost of expanding Medicaid in return for a fleeting promise of free federal money. I urge you to contact your senator and thank them for protecting us from this unreasonable risk or express your concerns that Medicaid expansion is something that Nebraska cannot afford. You can find their contact information by visiting www.NebraskaLegislature.gov. (Photo : Getty Images) The head of a stone Buddha in the Ayuthia style which dates from the 16th Century, in a Nepalese museum. Advertisement A 1,500-year old Buddha head was returned to China on Friday after two decades overseas. Four thieves reportedly cut off the head of the white marble figure and sold it overseas in 1996. According to China Daily, the 47-cm Buddha head was part of a statue in a pagoda at the Youju Temple in Hebei province. The statue was carved in white marble following the proclamation of Gao Rui, a royal family member from the Northern Qi Dynasty during 550-577 AD. The white marble statue represented the advanced level of craftsmanship during the era. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement The builders are believed to have deliberately made the gate of the tower smaller than the statue to prevent it from being stolen. This strategy seemed to work until 1996 when four thieves cut off the head and sold it overseas. While the thieves were caught soon afterwards, the head was nowhere to be found. However, in 2014, a Taiwanese businessman, who wishes to remain anonymous, reportedly donated a Buddha head to the founder of the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist in Taiwan. In turn, Abbot Hsing Yun asked aid from authorities in mainland cultural heritage to find the body of the head found. Learning this, one archaeologist who was part of the team that guarded the statue decided to make a trip to Taiwan to check it out. When Liu Jianhua saw the head, she knew that it was the severed head of the legendary Buddha statue. Master Hsing Yun then decided to make the Buddha statue whole once again. So together with a group of pilgrims, they escorted the Buddha head across the Taiwan Straits back to the mainland. In May 2015, the lost head was reunited with the body of the Buddha once more. The Buddha statue had been on exhibition in Fo Guang Shan since then. On March 1, it will be exhibited at the National Museum of China before being moved to Hebei. Advertisement TagsQi Dynasty, Abbot Hsing Yun, Fo Guang Shan Buddhist, Taiwan, china, Liu Jianhua, Art Exhibit, National Museum of China, buddha statue (Photo : Getty Images) US ratings agency Moody's has downgraded economic outlook for China from stable" to negative based on calculation that Beijing's fiscal strength would continue to decline in coming months. Advertisement US ratings agency Moody's has downgraded its economic outlook for China from 'stable'" to 'negative', highlighting that Beijing's struggle to turn the tides on its recent economic slowdown may be a long one. Moody's said the change in its economic outlook for China is based on calculation that Beijing's fiscal strength would continue to decline in the coming months. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Moody's also expressed concern over China's delay in implementing much needed reforms. "Without credible and efficient reforms, China's GDP growth would slow more markedly as a high debt burden dampens business investment and demographics turn increasingly unfavourable," Moody's said in a note. However, the rating agency stated that it is still not too late for the Chinese government to implement economic reforms. Moody's decision to downgrade China's economy comes after authorities announced the country's Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), which showed that factory activity in February contracted at the fastest rate since November 2011 - evoking fresh concerns. Less than 24 hours before China announced its PMI figures, China's Central Bank cut the Reserve Requirement Ratio (RRR) by 50 basis points to spur demand in its steadily slowing economy. At the recently concluded G20 meeting of central bank governors and finance ministers in Shanghai, China assured global financial leaders that the country's economy is still under control and the government would take all possible measures to buck the downturn that it is currently facing. China, the world's second largest economy, is currently facing its worst economic crisis in two decades. The country's economic growth rate has slided to lowest in 25 years, other important economic indicators have also been steadily contracting in recent months. Advertisement TagsChinese Economy, china, Moody's (Photo : Getty Images) US authorities have imposed a new tax on steel imports from China and other countries thought to be 'dumping' the metal in the country's market. Advertisement Chinese producers and six other nations that are selling steel in the American market at an unfairly low price will be imposed a tax as high as 266 percent on the price, the Commerce Department revealed on Tuesday. In a preliminary decision this week, the US government said it will be charging tariffs as much as 266 percent on imports from the mainland, while products from Brazil, India, Japan, Russia, South Korea and UK will also be taxed. Brazilian producers will allegedly be charged a 39 percent penalty, while South Korean with 6.9 percent. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Since December last year, this is the second time that foreign steel producers (including Chinese mills) have been penalized by the American government for allegedly selling metal at an unfairly low price (referred to as dumping), according to Bloomberg. Since June 2015, US steel producers have been filing lawsuits against their foreign counterparts on the grounds of unfair subsidies and illegal trade practices. They claim that foreign steelmakers are dumping and subsidizing four different steel products. In December, the US government discovered that countries including China, South Korea, Italy and India had dumped corrosion-resistant steel. As a result, US authorities imposed a 256 percent tax on imports from the mainland. Other taxes were between 3 and 9 percent. According to Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Caitlin Webber, the tariffs may not be satisfactory for domestic producers. Officials previously found that cold-rolled, corrosion-resistant and hot-rolled steel from China and other traders had been wrongfully subsidized. "The dumping rates for South Korea... were far below what the U.S. industry alleged," she said. "Apart from the prohibitive Chinese rates, this is the second disappointing dumping finding in the U.S. industry." Based on the data compiled by Bloomberg from the US Census Bureau, cold-rolled steel imports plummeted by 9.4 percent to 2.43 million tons last year. Advertisement Tagssteel market, china, steel (Photo : Reuters/US Navy) U.S. Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force ships sail in formation during a joint exercise off the coast of Japan in the above photo. Despite protests from China, the Japanese navy will be joining the annual US-India Malabar naval drills in the Philippine Sea later this year. Advertisement The naval forces of the United States, Japan and India will conduct joint exercises this year in waters just north of the Philippines, a move which analysts say is likely to draw China's muted but watchful attention amid tensions over competing claims in the region. The US military's top officer in the Pacific Admiral Harry Harris confirmed the site of the annual Malabar naval drills at a security conference in New Delhi on Wednesday. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement The proposed area lies just northeast of the South China Sea, where the US is moving to increase its naval presence even as China builds airstrips, lighthouses and ports in the disputed area. "By being ambitious, India, Japan, Australia, the United States and so many other like-minded nations can aspire to patrol together anywhere international law allows," Harris said, adding that no nation should see the patrols as a threat. "Admiration" Despite the reassurance, analysts agree there is little doubt about Beijing's shadow over the exercise. "While some countries seek to bully smaller nations through intimidation and coercion, I note with admiration India's example of peaceful resolution of disputes with your neighbors in the waters of the Indian Ocean," said Harris. India -- which has voiced some concern over China's actions in the South China Sea -- has moved to strengthen its partnership not only with the US and Japan, but also with Australia, which has expressed opposition to the scale of Beijing's activities in the contested waters. Admiral Harris noted that India, Japan and Australia held an initial round of trilateral discussions on maritime security and freedom of navigation last year, and suggested that the US be included in the next round of talks. "Adding the US into this dialogue can amplify the message that we are united behind the international rules-based order that has kept the peace and is essential to all of us," Harris said. Regional experts, however, are skeptical that a US-led quadrilateral alliance -- as suggested by Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2007 -- can prosper beyond conference hall rhetoric at this point. China condemned Abe's proposal in 2007, prompting Australia to withdraw from the planned grouping even before a first dialogue was held. "At Your Doorstep" More recently, Shen Dingli, a professor of international relations at Fudan University in Shanghai, told the New York Times that India would not dare join such a network for fear of Chinese retaliation -- especially one that involves stronger military ties with Pakistan. "China had turned down the Pakistan offer to have military stationed in the country," said Shen. "If India forces China to do that, of course we can put a navy at your doorstep." Still, other analysts suggest the forthcoming exercise will put a measure of perspective on the convergence of India's 'Act East' initiative, the US 'Rebalance' strategy and Japan's insistence on freedom of navigation in the South China Sea. "Faced with an aggressive China, Asia's major maritime powers -- Japan, Australia and India -- will work in a more synchronized manner in a quadrilateral grouping with the United States," Dr Mohan Malik, a professor of Asian security at the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in Hawaii, wrote in a recent report for Global Risk Insights. Admiral Harris welcomed the opportunity to ensure stronger collaboration between the US and India, saying: "Skepticism, suspicion and doubt on both sides have given way to cooperation, dialogue and trust." The Malabar naval drills began in 1992 as an annual bilateral exercise between the US and India. China has made clear its opposition to Japan's addition as a permanent member in the exercises. "Relevant countries should not provoke confrontation and create tension in the region," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said in reaction to Japan's inclusion in the joint naval maneuvers this year. Advertisement TagsUS-China relations, China-India relations, China-Japan relations, Freedom of Navigation (Photo : Reuters) A Facebook executive has been arrested in Brazil after the company failed to comply with the request of investigators for access to users' messages on WhatsApp. Advertisement It appears that Apple is not the only tech company dealing with issues over encryption and data security. Facebook Vice President of Latin America Diego Dzodan has been detained by Brazilian police authorities after the social networking giant failed to comply with a court order demanding that the company gives authorities access to users' data on WhatsApp. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement The biggest dilemma of the situation is that WhatsApp encrypts all the messages that passes through its platform. Moreover, messages from users are volatile, which means that they are not permanently stored on WhatsApp servers. Tech experts claim that even though investigators have physical access to the device in question, the encryption WhatsApp is using is so strong that it is very difficult to crack. In a statement acquired by Engadget, WhatsApp said, "WhatsApp cannot provide information we do not have. We cooperated to the full extent of our ability in this case and while we respect the important job of law enforcement, we strongly disagree with its decision." The information Brazilian authorities are seeking is related to an ongoing drug trafficking investigation. Reports indicate that the Brazilian court ended up issuing the order three times. After that, the court imposed a fine of $12,600 on the company. The fine jumped to $253,000 per day in February. On Feb. 7, following weeks of unanswered demands, the Brazilian court issued an arrest warrant for Dzodan. In December 2015, Brazilian authorities also shut down WhatsApp for two days for undisclosed reasons. It is important to note that WhatsApp is among the top messaging platform used by Brazilians. WhatsApp is estimated to have over 93 million users in Brazil alone. Some tech analysts agree that this massive user base is one of the reasons why Facebook is fighting to protect its users' rights in the region. Advertisement TagsFacebook, Facebook VP, Facebook news, Facebook Brazil, Facebook WhatsApp, WhatsApp (Photo : Getty Images) After Philippine media reports claimed that China had invaded the Jackson Atoll, Beijing has explained that it sent salvage ships, and not its Coast Gurad, to the area to tow away an abandoned foreign vessel that ran aground on the island in 2015. Advertisement China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei on Wednesday admitted that Beijing sent a 'salvage ships' to the disputed Jackson Atoll in the Spratly Group of Islands in the South China Sea to remove an abandoned 'foreign vessel' that ran aground on the shoal in 2015. The statement was made after Philippine media claimed that China had invaded the disputed island by sending ships around the atoll and preventing Filipino fishermen from accessing their traditional fishing grounds in nearby waters. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Aside from sending ships to the Jackson Atoll (known as Wufang Jiao in Chinese), Beijing also confirmed that the ships had chased away the Filipino fishermen for their own safety. Navigation safety "If the vessel was left aground for a long time, it might cause possible impediment to navigation safety and damage to the marine environment," Hong explained. "Therefore, China's rescue and salvage vessels of Ministry of Transport recently sent salvage ships to tug the grounded vessel out of the shallow water for proper disposal." The mayor of the Pagasa island in the Spratlys confirmed to Reuters that China has around seven ships near Jackson Atoll. 'Indisputable sovereignty' Hong said Beijing advised the fishermen to stay away from the nearby waters to prevent possible accidents and ensure navigation security and operation safety. The spokesman said the Chinese vessels returned to the atoll after the salvage operation, however, he did not indicate the reason for their return. Hong reiterated China's ' indisputable sovereignty' over the whole of Spratly group of Islands which includes the 'Jackson Atoll (Wufang Jiao) and the nearby waters.' Chinese control Military analysts said that China's sending of salvage ships and the act of towing away a foreign vessel that had run aground in the island, while intended for navigational safety, clearly demonstrates Beijing claim of sovereignty and control of the Jackson Atoll. The Philippine fishermen claimed that they were chased away by the Chinese ships not for safety measures but to prevent them from gaining access to their traditional fishing grounds. "The Chinese are trying to choke us by putting an imaginary checkpoint on Jackson Atoll," the Pagasa mayor is quoted saying. Huge deposits China is laying claim to a large portion of the South China Sea, which is believed to have huge deposits of oil and gas. Malaysia, Taiwan, Brunei, Philippines, and Vietnam all have overlapping claims. Vietnam recently lodged a complaint against Beijing before the UN for repeatedly violating 'Vietnam sovereignty' to the Woody Island which is part of the Paracels, the largest group of islands in the disputed South China Sea. Advertisement TagsJackson Atoll, Filipino fishermen, South China Sea, navigation safety, china (Photo : Reuters) Missiles are taken on trucks past a stand with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during a parade in Pyongyang in the above photo taken in October 2015. The isolated country reportedly fired six short-range projectiles into the sea hours after the UNSC approved new sanctions to curtail Pyongyang's efforts to build and stockpile nuclear weapons. Advertisement North Korea demonstrated its indignation over the latest round of United Nations sanctions against its nuclear ambitions by firing short-range projectiles in waters off the divided Korean Peninsula on Thursday. The isolated country fired six short-range projectiles from the coastal town of Wonsan about 10 hours after the UN Security Council (UNSC) approved new sanctions to curtail Pyongyang's efforts to build and stockpile nuclear weapons, according to a press release from the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement North Korea has in the past fired missiles from the same area as a signal of defiance and anger over UN sanctions. The six projectiles traveled off the peninsula's east coast and landed in the sea about 100 to 150 kilometers away. The projectiles were allegedly fired without prior warning to passing ships. The South Korean military is analyzing the situation, said South Korea's defense ministry. Simple Message The approval of the UNSC sanctions follows weeks of tense debate and collaboration between Washington and Beijing. Chinese officials are said to have meticulously ensured that the new resolution addresses North Korea's weapons programs, and not have "adverse humanitarian consequences" for the people of the country. "The international community, speaking with one voice, has sent Pyongyang a simple message: North Korea must abandon these dangerous programs and choose a better path for its people," said US President Barrack Obama in a statement about the purpose of the sanctions. Much of the burden of enforcing the new measures -- which, among other things, includes reduced coal exports from North Korea and the close inspection of visiting planes and vessels from the country -- will fall on China, according to Reuters. Enforcement When asked to comment on allegations that China had not fully enforced previous sanctions against its traditonal ally, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said: "China strictly abides by its relevant decisions." The US, its western allies and Japan had earlier pressed for UNSC sanctions that went beyond Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs, but Beijing was reluctant to impose measures that could destabilize its already impoverished neighbor. China nevertheless agreed to several hard-hitting economic measures in the latest UN resolution against its rogue neighbor. Apart from restricting the export of coal from North Korea, the UNSC resolution also bans countries from importing iron, gold, titanium ore and other rare earth minerals from North Korea -- trade products which reportedly provides Pyongyang the revenues it needs to finance its weapons programs. Speaking about the UNSC sanctions, China's ambassador to the UN, Liu Jieyi, said: "Today's adoption should be a new starting point and a paving stone for political settlement of the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula." Advertisement TagsChina-North Korea relations, UN sanctions, UN Security Council resolution Will the U.S. government unite in labeling ISIS killings 'genocide'? 03 March, 2016 by Gregory Tomlin , | WASHINGTON (Christian Examiner) The House Foreign Affairs Committee passed a bi-partisan resolution March 2 calling the Islamic State's purge of Christians and other religious minorities from the Middle East "genocide." It is the first time a branch of the U.S. government has given the designation to the murderous reign of the hardline Islamic terror group, which began as an outgrowth of Al-Qaeda after President Barack Obama ordered the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. The resolution calls on the United Nations and the U.N. Secretary General to "assert leadership by calling the atrocities war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide," a summary of the resolution said. It also called on the Arab states in the region to uphold religious freedom and justice and collaborate on efforts to destroy ISIS and punish its leaders and soldiers through "tribunals." Finally, the resolution also claims that terrorists who cause people to flee their ancestral homelands, including specifically what was once the heavily Christian Plain of Nineveh and Mount Sinjar, where the Yazidis lived, should also be considered as having committed international crimes. Christians have been calling for the U.S. government to recognize the atrocities committed by ISIS as genocide for several years, but the White House has resisted those calls. During his press briefing Monday, White House Press Secretary John Earnest said the Obama administration has been taking action to protect Christians, Yazidis and other religious minorities in Iraq, but it was not ready to call the mass killings "genocide" yet. "My understanding is, the use of that word involves a very specific legal determination that has at this point not been reached. But we have been quite candid and direct exactly about how [the Islamic State's] tactics are worthy of the kind of international, robust response that the international community is leading. And those tactics include a willingness to target religious minorities, including Christians," Earnest said. According to Article 2 of the U.N.'s Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (1948), genocide includes any act "committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group" by "killing members of the group; causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group; deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part; imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group; [and] forcibly transferring children of the group to another group." All of the aspects of genocide have clearly been carried out by ISIS. Still, the U.S. State Department and Secretary of State John Kerry also have passed over multiple opportunities to label the work of ISIS as genocide. Now, the passage of the resolution by a unanimous vote of both Democrats and Republicans may push Kerry to act. Even if he does not wish to act, Kerry is required to do so. Under the requirements of the omnibus spending bill passed last December, Kerry has to decide whether to label the killing of Christians and other minorities by ISIS as genocide by March 17. Kerry told the committee earlier in February that he was leaning in the direction of applying the label, but he said "further evaluation" was still required. "I share just a huge sense of revulsion over these acts, obviously," Kerry said. "None of us have ever seen anything like it in our lifetimes. Although, obviously, if you go back to the Holocaust, the world has seen it." Kerry was responding to a question from Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R.-Neb.), one of the principal sponsors of the resolution. Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) was a co-sponsor. An American college student, Otto Frederick Warmbier, who has been detained in North Korea since January 2, appeared in a state-sponsored news conference, confessing to severe crimes of trying to steal a political banner from a hotel. Warmbier, 21, is a third year undergraduate student at the University of Virginia and had entered the country on a tourist visa. He appeared to confess to his "severe crimes" against the regime at a press conference that took place at the People's Palace of Culture in Pyongyang. "I made the worst mistake of my life," he said while weeping and pleading dramatically. He was arrested at the airport just before he was about to leave the country after a five-day tour. The trip was organized by a China-based travel company called Young Pioneer Tours, and his return journey was supposed to have a stopover at Hong Kong, where he was to participate in a finance class sponsored by the UVA. "The aim of my task was to harm the motivation and work ethic of the Korean people. This was a very foolish aim," he said. "I committed my crime of taking out the important political slogan from the staff-only area of the Yanggakdo International Hotel." He allegedly sneaked onto the 2nd floor during the early morning hours and tried to steal the banner hanging on the wall with the intention to smuggle it outside the country in his suitcase. But since it was too big, he left it on the floor and went back to his room. Warmbier said that he tried to steal the slogan on the insistence of a member of Friendship United Methodist Church in Wyoming, Ohio, who promised to give him a used car worth $10,000 in return. According to his confession, the church also said that they would pay his mother $200,000 if he gets arrested while stealing. But now, because he mentioned the church name, the money would not be paid, he said. Allegations against him also state that he is a member of secretive Z society at his university, which North Korea says has ties with the CIA. "I apologize to each and every one of the millions of the Korean people, and I beg that you see how I was used and manipulated. I was used by the United States administration like many before," he said. "I never, never should have allowed myself to be lured by the United States administration to commit a crime in this country," he continued. "I wish that the United States administration never manipulate people like myself in the future to commit crimes against foreign countries. I entirely beg you, the people and government of the DPRK, for your forgiveness. Please! I made the worst mistake of my life!" It is not clear if he was forced to read out the statements. He also said that he was thankful to North Korea's "humanitarian treatment of severe criminals like myself." North Korean detainees usually have to go through these "confessions" before being freed. Warmbier's parents Fred Warmbier said in a statement released through the UVA: "I hope the fact that he has conveyed his sincere apology for anything that he may have done wrong will now make it possible for the DPRK authorities to allow him to return home. I urge the DPRK government to consider his youth and make an important humanitarian gesture by allowing him to return to his loved ones." A group of some 80 Christian leaders gathered at Young Nak Celebration Churchs Jefferson campus on Saturday to discuss how the church could bring back to church the dones and the nones -- those who either left the church, or those who say they dont affiliate themselves with any religion. They gathered for the Institute of Asian American Christianity (ISAAC)s 7th Symposium, titled, Christianity Next: the Dones and the Nones? where Richard Mouw, the president emeritus of Fuller Theological Seminary gave a keynote address, six speakers were featured for a panel, and attendees split into smaller groups to discuss the issues more in detail. The theme of the symposium came about as a result of Pew Research Center's most recent study that found a decrease in those identifying as Christian and an increase of those who say they are "unaffiliated" with any religion. Most of those present at the symposium agreed that those nones and dones must not be condemned, but understood, and that the church as a whole must provide a space for those who have questions about the faith to be able to discuss or explore those questions in a safe environment. Dr. Richard Mouw argued that though people may call themselves 'atheist' or religiously 'unaffiliated,' "many say they believe in God or that they are spiritual." He pointed to the younger generation's fascination with themes related to the supernatural and the idea of a savior as evidenced by today's entertainment culture, including TV shows or films about zombies, superheroes, or magical powers. Christians must "exegete the culture," Mouw said, to be able to "point people to Jesus." Yet, some at the symposium said that the church at times seems to shy away from the culture, or the questions that people may have about how the Christian faith relates to the culture and society. I wanted to talk about racial and social justice issues, but I didnt feel comfortable to do so at my church, shared one young woman in her 20s at one of the breakout groups. Irene Cho, the program manager for the Fuller Youth Institute (FYI), said she was even fired from her church for allowing certain behaviors within her youth group. She shared an example of how many of her youth whom she was pastoring at the time had struggles with smoking cigarettes. She expressed to them that she is against them smoking and encouraged them to quit smoking. But when the youth group went on a retreat, she told them to let her know if they felt they could not win the urge to smoke at the retreat site, and that she would drive them out to a location where they could smoke and come back. Isnt it better for them to know that I am walking with them in their struggles, rather than giving them a black and white, yes or no, structure? Cho asked. When I talked with some of them later on, they werent going to church anymore, but they would tell me, If I did go back to church, I wish it was like how our youth group was with you, she recalled. Kay Higuera Smith, a professor and director of biblical and religious studies at Azusa Pacific University, touched upon the impact of leaders in the church, and the weight of their position in terms of leading the body. They must be held accountable and even sometimes rebuked when necessary, she said. One middle-aged woman in Smiths breakout group shared openly about an experience she had in which she was kicked out of her church when she was 23. She said she hadnt felt ready to commit to another church for five years after that experience, due to the betrayal and hurt that she felt. When I was 28, I finally felt ready to recommit to a body, she explained, because I wanted to obey Gods word to be a part of the body. I learned not to trust my pastors, but to love them. There is a tendency to feel its sinful to criticize the pastor, Smith said in response, but they are sometimes the most responsible and must be held accountable when they have done wrong. Steve Choi, lead pastor of Crossway Community Church, also discussed the importance of having strong and committed leaders in the home and in the church. If there could be a strategy on how to revitalize or reimagine the church, he said he would focus on investing in the family and the church leaders. Parents spend 18 years discipling the child, Choi said. Churches and other people may come and go, but parents will always be there. Yet even within the church, there is a need for committed leadership, he added. Ministry is tough. It is taxing, Choi said. But if leaders leave the church after short stints, it discredits the message that they preach to the congregation, he explained. We need to invest in raising up good leaders in the church -- not just book smart or theologically smart. But really good leaders who are men and women of humility, integrity, who are in it for the long haul. 404 Error Sorry, we could not find the page you are looking for. Please use the search box above or visit the Christianity Daily homepage. In large part these studies take a measure of the value of resources that go into production and count the payment of these costs to resource owners as benefits when, in fact, from the perspective of economics, they are costs. Benefits come from the value of outputs, not the cost of inputs. In other words, they are robbing Peter to pay Paul, and claiming the program increased total spending because now Paul spends more, but they ignore accounting for Peter. Deploying Horsepower vs. Employing Horses If the authors believe they have overturned the fundamental basis for microeconomic theory, they should specify why. Compared to renewable sources, fossil fuel based generation is generally cheaper in terms of dollars spent per effective megawatt of capacity. This creates a potential conflict in which job creation may be at odds with the long-term goals of increasing efficiency and reducing production costs (CEE, 2008). The basic supply and demand argument suggests that we should expect the consumption of electricity to be inversely correlated to the price of electricity. Given that electricity is a primary input for nearly every good and service produced in the country, a rise in price should be expected to have a negative impact throughout the national economy. If residential consumers reduce consumption in response to higher prices, the result would be jobs lost in the electricity generation sector due to decreased need for fuel, construction, and operation. Increased cost to industry and commerce would result in increased cost of production, resulting in more expensive goods and services. Consumption would decline because goods are more expensive and consumers have less money in their pocket due to higher electricity bills. The result could be job losses in all good- and service-producing sectors. The basic argument would be: Jobs are created by increasing the share of electricity produced from renewable sources. Jobs are destroyed through the economic impact of higher electricity prices. RALEIGH Destroying property and taking things from people doesn't grow the economy. Sounds rather obvious? That's why lobbyists come armed with "economic impact" studies.Consider what a hard sale it would be for lobbyists to make to legislators if they argued You have to close down those businesses and force people to pay to open up our businesses instead. It'd be only a little less difficult to say the last part: You gotta force people to pay to open up our businesses.Trim away all the bad stuff, put a gloss on the rest, and you get Hey, investing in our businesses creates jobs! That's a positive sales pitch. Yes, "investing" means forcing the public to pay, but it sounds good, and that's what lobbyists need."Economic impact" also sounds impressive. Technically speaking, however, it's an empty phrase. The term "impact" could be something with a positive effect, like a piece of good advice or a raise, or it could be a meteor strike. Unlike the rather clunky "costs and benefits," which also requires acknowledging there are costs, "economic impact" sounds good and doesn't bring costs to mind at all.Speaking of bringing costs to mind, the modeling software those "economic impact" reports use doesn't. Often the models (input/output models like IMPLAN , JEDI, etc.) are designed to translate costs into benefits. Costs, benefits - hey, they're all "economic impacts" of some kind or other, right?As my colleague Roy Cordato, an economist , explained:The impact modeling software is especially averse to opportunity costs . If you want to include opportunity costs , you need an economist, not "user-friendly" plug-'n'-play software designed for economic " novices. If you're an industry lobbyist, you don't want to include opportunity costs. Not only are opportunity costs costs, which are minus signs in the model, but they are quite large minus signs. They could well render the whole endeavor in the negative.As economists at the Beacon Hill Institute have explained, "any one dollar of investment" - remember what investment means in the context of "economic impact" studies - "in the [targeted] sector must come at the expense of a dollar spent elsewhere." Using a model that doesn't account for opportunity costs means, as the economists put it,People (a.k.a. "Peter") spend their money voluntarily on things people want. The special interest behind the lobby ("Paul") can't earn money to spend on things Paul specifically wants. So Paul lobbies the state to take it from Peter.Peter's ex-amount no longer gets spent on things that people want.It makes sense, then, that people are - all things considered - a little worse off when Paul gets their resources and spends their money on Paul's wants. If people wanted what Paul did, they would be directing their own resources and money Paul's way along with the other things that people want.The Paul lobby wants public officials to focus on what makes Paul happy. That's why they have to avoid drawing attention to Peter's plight.Of course, if you're a responsible public official, you'd want to be warned beforehand if a public reordering of people's resources is going to make people worse off overall. That way you could avoid a huge mistake.If you're a lobbyist working for that public reordering of people's resources, you don't want responsible public officials warned beforehand. You might not want to look too closely, either.Who has looked closely is the Energy Policy Institute. The EPI is part of the Center for Advanced Energy Studies, a public/private partnership between the Idaho National Laboratory, Boise State University, the University of Idaho, Idaho State University, and private industry.In March 2013 the EPI did a literature review of job estimates from nearly 100 economic impact studies prepared for energy projects . As EPI explains in the first paragraph, most are "reports from universities, national laboratories, and consulting entities," with only a "few peer-reviewed journal publications."Also, there were "substantially more estimates related to renewable energy sources" than traditional energy sources. This would not surprise anyone familiar with the output from the renewable energy lobby in North Carolina, which annually puts forth "economic impact" studies promising massive riches from "investing" in their industry.How massive? They would have you - strike that, they would have policymakers believe that every dollar "invested" in their industry returns nearly $18 . They would have policymakers believe that by adding "indirect and induced impacts" (i.e., even more expansive "impacts" for which the models assume no opportunity costs at all), their industry has returned $6.3 billion to the state.(Which also means they need policymakers to believe that investment professionals - people whose job it is to spot money-making opportunities - are everyone of them missing out on perhaps the biggest ROI in their professional lives. They should all be fired, and gosh, the state has to force people to "invest" instead. Nigerian e-mail scams are more convincing, one would think.)Those annual reports rely on the same methodology that was destroyed in peer review . This methodology is so bad that the economists reviewing it at one point threw up their hands and exclaimed:In its literature review, EPI found that "renewable energy technologies produce more jobs per dollar and more jobs per megawatt of effective capacity than fossil fuel generation sources." Renewable energy sources were more labor-intensive than traditional energy sources, they found. Furthermore, "The greater number of wind and solar jobs per effective megawatt is primarily the result of the low capacity factors characteristic of intermittent generation sources."In other words, solar and wind are so unreliable and inefficient , they wind up employing more people per actual unit of power produced. "Economic impact" models calculate this as very lucrative.It's a bit like saying the greater number of horses employed by the Pony Express as opposed to UPS and FedEx is primarily the result of the low horsepower capacity of actual horses relative to, say, delivery trucks or airplanes. But that would hardly be an argument in favor of the Pony Express.An economist would think requiring more labor or capital to meet a business need was more costly. The "economic impact" study highlights those things as benefits.So an "economic impact" study would project wonderful results of transitioning to the Pony Express because of all the new uses for horses and projected growth in related horse industries. More inefficient service means more labor and capital, which means ... more jobs. I.e., Hey, investing in our businesses creates jobs!EPI looks at other aspects of a forced transition to renewable sources that their lobby's "economic impact" studies avoid:The renewable energy lobby is right now waging all-out war against the obviousness of that last sentence. Continuing:But with their "economic impact" studies calibrated to avoid acknowledging lower productivity, greater inefficiency, increasing electricity rates, higher costs of production, more expensive goods and services, less consumption, and jobs destroyed, it's no wonder they bray out such horse-laughers as returning nearly $18 for every dollar "invested" and a $6.3 billion "economic impact." The kid was standing with his back to the piano, eyes closed, humming intervals quietly to himself while a single note slowly died on the pianos strings. A small crowd of our friends stood behind him, leaning across the piano to peek at what note had been struck. E-flat, he said. Cheers erupted from the crowd. A moment later, another note, another short interval, and then, A. Cheers again. Another note: C-sharp. More cheers. This went on for several minutes. He never missed. If you ever wondered what theater geeks and music nerds did on a Friday night during their high school years, this is a fair glimpse. I confess to being present and being impressed, though I should also admit that this was not my scene. I was there because of a girl. But I was a musician and Id heard of perfect pitch. But Id never seen anyone exercise it before. When someone says So-and-so has perfect pitch, they could mean one of several things. They might mean that this person can do what the kid was doing in the scene described above: they can hear any pitch and tell you where, in the 12-tone series of notes that makes up the Western scale, that pitch falls. In this sense, perfect pitch is a matter of recognition. On the other hand, perfect pitch might refer to the creation of pitches. So when someone says, Whitney Houston had perfect pitch, they mean that her voice and her ears were dextrous and precise enough to always sing in-tune with whatever music was accompanying her, or in perfect intervals with herself. People say this about other musicians, too: horn players and cellists and slide guitarists. Another way to describe these abilities is absolute ... Follow The Behemoth on Twitter and Facebook. USA Called to Two Months of National Repentance, Now to the National Day of Prayer Contact: Rev. Steven Andrew, 877-537-8734 "It is urgent that we get our hearts right with God so our country is safe, better jobs are restored and God gives us the best political leaders," Andrew said. Participants are repenting with a prayer that Andrew wrote, a checklist of twelve national sins. He believes these sins have caused the nation's financial, moral and family troubles. The repentance prayer includes sins from false gods to serving money, and from unholy laws to adultery, fornication and homosexuality. Each person is asked to repent of their personal sins. The prayer can be downloaded on the pastor's Those repenting are asked to join "One Million Americans on the LORD's Side," a group Andrew has started to save the USA. Andrew gives proof that God's advanced judgment is already on the USA and things could get much worse without repentance in Families are encouraged to go through each repentance area during family devotional times. "National repentance will strengthen each home and help children walk close with God. Marriages will be saved," Andrew said. Pastors are asked to teach the twelve repentance points between now and the National Day of Prayer. There is a free bulletin insert that makes it easy for churches to participate. "Jesus Christ died on the cross, so God wants to forgive us. But we must confess our sins," he said. Teaching videos are being added next week to show why these sins affect our nation so much. Andrew is running national advertising campaigns to get the word out to as many people and churches as possible; he also will have a national repentance broadcast for the National Day of Prayer Revival Force on May 5, 2016. "Humbling ourselves and following God is top priority for the nation," Andrew said. SAN JOSE, Calif., March 3, 2016 / Christian Newswire / -- In order for God to heal our land, Steven Andrew is asking everyone in the USA to repent of national sins from now to May 5, 2016, which is the National Day of Prayer. "We see God's judgment on our nation with terrorism, financial dangers and environmental issues," Andrew said. He is pastor of USA Christian Church and author of "God's Plan for the USA.""It is urgent that we get our hearts right with God so our country is safe, better jobs are restored and God gives us the best political leaders," Andrew said.Participants are repenting with a prayer that Andrew wrote, a checklist of twelve national sins. He believes these sins have caused the nation's financial, moral and family troubles.The repentance prayer includes sins from false gods to serving money, and from unholy laws to adultery, fornication and homosexuality. Each person is asked to repent of their personal sins. The prayer can be downloaded on the pastor's Two Months of National Repentance web page.Those repenting are asked to join "One Million Americans on the LORD's Side," a group Andrew has started to save the USA.Andrew gives proof that God's advanced judgment is already on the USA and things could get much worse without repentance in "God's Plan for the USA." He provides Seven Bible Truths that God says will save the USA. He wrote "God's Plan for the USA" to be a step-by-step tool for the National Day of Prayer.Families are encouraged to go through each repentance area during family devotional times. "National repentance will strengthen each home and help children walk close with God. Marriages will be saved," Andrew said.Pastors are asked to teach the twelve repentance points between now and the National Day of Prayer. There is a free bulletin insert that makes it easy for churches to participate."Jesus Christ died on the cross, so God wants to forgive us. But we must confess our sins," he said.Teaching videos are being added next week to show why these sins affect our nation so much.Andrew is running national advertising campaigns to get the word out to as many people and churches as possible; he also will have a national repentance broadcast for the National Day of Prayer Revival Force on May 5, 2016."Humbling ourselves and following God is top priority for the nation," Andrew said. Share Tweet CPAC Turns Left with Pro-Homosexual, Pro-Atheist Groups Contact: John Ritchie, 717-495-5427 WASHINGTON, March 3, 2016 /Christian Newswire/ -- The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) is under fire this year for accepting the sponsorship of Log Cabin Republicans, an LGBT activist group that promotes Bruce Jenner, same-sex "marriage," and open homosexuality in the U.S. Armed Forces. CPAC has also welcomed Atheist Voter as an exhibitor at its March 2-5 event at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center south of Washington, D.C. "It pains me to say this, but CPAC is turning left. It's alienating true conservatives and shattering the cohesion of the conservative movement," said Preston Noell III, director of the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property (TFP), a group that has sponsored CPAC for many years. "Nothing is more corrosive to the movement as the deliberate efforts of LGBT and atheist activists to be accepted as bona fide conservatives and the naivete of those who view them as such." "Ronald Reagan gave us a brilliant metaphor. He said the stability and unity of the conservative movement is like a stool with three legs -- social, fiscal and defense conservatives," explained Noell. "By giving the homosexual movement a platform of legitimacy, CPAC organizers are cutting off one of the legs -- pro-family, pro-God Americans -- and the stool will come crashing down. And that's exactly what the Left wants." Today the American TFP issued the following statement: "We call upon the American Conservative Union to rescind its welcoming of organizations like Log Cabin Republicans and Atheist Voters as sponsors and exhibitors. Doing so would show consistency with the word conservative in its name. "We are proud to have been CPAC sponsors for many years. However, if the Log Cabin Republicans or similar organizations continue being CPAC sponsors, we lament to say that the American TFP will not be a CPAC sponsor in 2017. We will choose to be consistent with true conservatism." Read the full statement here: TFP to CPAC: Be Consistent! Be Conservative! www.tfp.org/tfp-home/statements/tfp-to-cpac-be-consistent-be-conservative.html Contact: John Ritchie Phone: 717-495-5427 UNC excavation crew in Galilee region of Israel uncover first known depictions of biblical heroines An excavation team in Israel has discovered the first known depiction of two biblical heroines from the Old Testament. World to reach 8 billion people in November, India to unseat China as most populous in 2023: UN By Nov. 15, the worlds population is projected to reach 8 billion, and by 2023, India is projected to surpass China as the worlds most populous country, according to a new report from the United Nations. Single, non-religious young adults are most unhappy Americans post-COVID-19: report Young adults under 35 who are single and non-religious report the highest levels of unhappiness since the COVID-19 pandemic began and since 1972, when the General Social Survey began measuring levels of happiness among Americans, a new analysis from the Institute of Family Studies suggests. 72 U.S. Homeland Security employees on terror watch list; 95% of screenings fail at major airports Dem lawmaker A total of 72 employees working for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) were found to be on the terrorist watch list. Democratic Rep. Stephen Lynch also disclosed that security screening at eight major airports in the U.S. failed, WGBH.org reported. Lynch said last August, the Inspector General did an investigation "and they had 72 individuals that were on the terrorist watch list that were actually working at the Department of Homeland Security. The director had to resign because of that." He said they had staffers go to eight different airports to test the DHS screening process. "They had a 95 percent failure rate. We had folksthis was a testing exercise, so we had folks going in there with guns on their ankles, and other weapons on their persons, and there was a 95 percent failure rate," Lynch revealed. Lynch joined other congressmen in backing a Republican bill that would increase screenings of Syrian and Iraqi refugees who want to go to the U.S. "I have very low confidence based on empirical data that we've got on the Department of Homeland Security. I think we desperately need another set of eyeballs looking at the vetting process," he said. Lynch said he has "lower confidence" that the DHS is conducting vetting in places like Jordan, Belize, Syrian border, Cairo or Beirut. He said there are weaknesses in the system including having "very low-paid TSA [Transportation Security Administration] and DHS workers" that result in huge turnover. "When [president George W.] Bush created this system, I think it was 700,000 employees, he basically stripped away their right to join a union," he said. Lynch said the problem lies on both the refugee issue and the U.S. visa waiver programme. "In the Paris example, you had somebody go into the stream of legitimate refugees and then perpetrate acts of violence upon the civilians in Paris," he said. But he said the visa waiver programme is "the one that we should be looking at" more closely. "At the end of the day, obviously the visa waiver programme is the one that we should be looking at ... where you've got 20 million people coming in, versus the [refugees] coming in, 10,000? Perhaps?" he said. Bible removed from POW/MIA display in Ohio Veteran's Administration clinic A copy of the Holy Bible and an accompanying verse have been removed from the prisoners of war (POWs) and missing in action (MIA) display inside an Ohio Veteran's Administration clinic after the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) filed a complaint against it. The display was part of a "Missing Man Table" recently erected by volunteers at an outpatient clinic in Akron, according to Fox News. When MRFF founder Mikey Weinstein saw it, he claimed that the inclusion of the Bible was in violation of the U.S. Constitution. He also claimed that he was intervening only in behalf of about a dozen, mostly Christian, military veterans who use the clinic. But as far as clinic administrator Brian Reinhart is concerned, no one who uses the clinic has ever complained about the display until Weinstein said so. In order to avoid stirring up any trouble, he decided to just remove the Bible from the display. "I just wanted to let you know that the Bible has been removed from our POW table and the Bible verse has been removed from the framed scripture," Reinhart wrote in an email to Weinstein. Weinstein lauded Reinhart for his quick decision. He wrote in a statement, "MRFF's veteran client soldiers and we at the MRFF as well, applaud this VA Clinic Administrator's sage wisdom and courage in recognising that the U.S. military is comprised of hundreds if not thousands of diverse faiths as well as no faiths." "We heartily commend his taking decisive and swift action to remedy the situation so that the MIA/POW table truly honours all," he added. Meanwhile, Reinhart said he alone was responsible for the removal of the Bible from the display. "In discussing it with the volunteers, we thought as though it was the best course of action since several veterans did express concerns regarding it," he said. Weinstein might have praised Reinhart for his "wisdom and courage," but Ron Crews, the executive director of the Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty, does not agree. "MIA/POW tables have been part of military tradition for generations," said Crews. "They have always included certain elements including a Bible." "It is a sad day when the Veteran's Administration caves to one narrow view of the proper way to honour the courage and sacrifice of those who have dedicated their lives in service of their country," he continued. "Many have died to protect the right of Americans to have and read the Bible. Surely we can honour their sacrifice by allowing a Bible at their table of remembrance." Christian graduate awarded $8500 by human rights tribunal A Christian woman has been awarded $8,500 by a human rights tribunal that found a company did not hire her in part because of her religion. Bethany Paquette will receive the compensation for injury to her "dignity and self respect" after she received a string of vitriolic emails from Amaruk Wilderness Corporation in response to a job application. The Canadian based adventure company advertised for an "assistant guide internship" position in 2014 but after applying Paquette was rejected by the company's CEO Christophe Fragassi, the National Post reports. Along with her rejection notice, Paquette received emails from Amaruk insulting her Christian background. The graduate had noted in her application she had attended Trinity Western University, a private Christian institution near Vancouver. "Graduates from Trinity Western University are not welcome in our company," Paquette was told by an executive named as Olaf Amundsen. "God bless is very offensive to me," the same purported official wrote later. "I do not want to be blessed by some guy who was conceived by a whore, outside of marriage ... If I was to meet the guy, I'd actually f him." The young Christian told the court Fragassi "was clearly the directing mind of the company" and "should be held personally liable" for the insulting emails. The company, which is partially based in Norway, defended itself by saying it no longer operated in Canada and therefore did not come under its jurisdiction. However the tribunal ruled that "both Amaruk, through its employee's actions, and Mr Fragassi-Bjornsen have discriminated against Ms Paquette on the ground of religion by harassing her for presumed religious beliefs and declining to accept her application for an internship, in part because of those beliefs." Fragassi was ordered to pay $8,500 for injuries and a further $661 in court fees. Christian removed from EasyJet flight over 'prayer' message on his phone A Christian has been removed from an EasyJet flight after a passenger saw a WhatsApp message on his phone and thought he might be a terrorist. Londoner Laolu Opebiyi, 40, was aboard a flight waiting to take off from Luton Airport to Amsterdam last Thursday when he was ordered off by security officials who asked him if he was converting to Islam. His accuser, who may have misread what he saw as a reference to ISIS, asked him, "What do you mean by prayer?" before walking to the cockpit and asking to leave the plane. Six other passengers also left. Opebiyi was asked to leave the plane by two armed officers who questioned him about his faith and which church he attended and asked him if he was thinking of converting to Islam. He told the Guardian: "Even if I was a Muslim, it was pretty unfair the way I was treated. I don't think anyone, irrespective of their religion should be treated in such a way. "If we keep on giving into this kind of bigotry and irrational fear, I dare say that the terrorists will have achieved their aim." He said the passenger might have misunderstood a reference to the WhatsApp group ISI on his phone short for 'Iron Sharpens Iron'. When he returned to the EasyJet desk, seven other travellers refused to fly. One said: "If he is on the next flight, I am not getting on the flight." He eventually took a flight four hours later. Opebiyi now fears he may be on a terrorist watch list. He said: "Someone felt I was a terrorist because they saw the word 'prayer' on my phone and now I stand in uncertainty about my freedom of movement in and out of the UK." An EasyJet spokesman said: "The safety and security of its passengers and crew is our highest priority which means that if a security concern is raised we will always investigate it as a precautionary measure. We would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused to the passenger." New Hanover school board member Tammy Covil questions opponent Holly Grange's business ties; both cite conservative credentials, community involvement From the start, the Republican primary race between businesswoman Holly Grange and conservative activist and New Hanover County Board of Education member Tammy Covil has been a heated one.Each candidate says she is a better choice to represent District 20, which covers a portion of New Hanover County.Two-term Republican Rep. Rick Catlin decided not to seek re-election in the district, which the election monitoring organization North Carolina Free Enterprise Foundation lists as strongly Republican.Early in the race, Covil raised questions through an email sent to Grange about her family business, Osprey Global Solutions, which surfaced in the congressional Benghazi committee investigating Hillary Clinton's handling of the U.S. consulate terrorist attack.U.S. Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., chairman of the special Benghazi committee, has said Clinton advisor Sidney Blumenthal pushed the then-secretary of state for greater military intervention in Libya, while simultaneously advocating a deal to grant Osprey a military contract with a transitional government after the fall of Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi.said Grange, a lawyer and 15-year Army veteran.Covil said she is not questioning Grange's service to her country. Instead, she questions Grange's apparent ties to a questionable business relationship that was part of the Benghazi investigation.said Covil.Covil's email is "totally without merit. Sidney Blumenthal has no connection, no financial interest in this company," said Grange. "I think she is just grasping at straws because she is not comfortable she will win on the issues."Grange said unlike Covil, she is a "pro-business" candidate, and wants to improve "transportation infrastructure, curtail unnecessary regulation[s], and provide more efficiency in government services, as well as continue to reform the tax code, and keep taxes competitive with neighboring states."Covil, citing her experience in raising four children, sees this as an opportunity to "bring her experience, and knowledge, and leadership on education issues to Raleigh.said Covil.Both candidates agree education is "top-heavy," and should be decentralized from so much state control to more authority at the local level."We need to do something about the mushrooming" of state-level bureaucrats, said Covil.Grange said more money should go towards teacher salaries.Grange said.Instead of merit pay for teachers, Covil said, she is more in favor of bonuses because merit pay is extremely difficult to quantify.Covil said.Covil takes a free-market approach to school vouchers and school choice.Covil said.Both candidates criticized North Carolina's failed Common Core standards.said Grange.Grange and her husband David have two children. She is director of community relations at Osprey Global Solutions, and serves on several local nonprofit boards. She is a certified NRA instructor in basic pistol, basic rifle, and personal protection in the home.Grange said.Covil is a Wilmington native, and small business owner. She and husband Tommy are the parents of four children. She has spent many years volunteering in various community organizations.Barring a write-in or unaffiliated candidate in the Nov. 8 general election, the primary winner will fill the seat outright because no Democrats filed to run. Egypt court slaps 5-year prison terms on 4 Christian teens for 'laughing' in mockery of Muslim prayers An Egyptian court has sentenced three Christian teenagers to five years in prison each for contempt of Islam after they were seen "laughing" and "mocking Muslim prayers" in a video. A judge in the central Egyptian province of Minya also sent a fourth defendant, aged 15, to a juvenile detention centre for an indefinite period of time. According to defence lawyer Maher Naquib, the teeners had not intended to insult Islam in the video but merely to make fun of the beheading carried out by the extremist group. "Its unbelieavable. The judge didn't show any mercy. He handed down the maximum punishment,'' Naguib told Agence France Presse (AFP), according to Fox News. Naguib said the judge should have just punished the teenagers with fine. Iman Girgis, a mother of one of the convicted students, 16-year-old Moller Atef, told The Associated Press, "My son was sentenced to five years for laughing. Is that possible?" "What kind of justice is this?" The 30-second video that was shot on a mobile phone in January 2015 shows the students pretending to pray, with one kneeling on the floor while reciting Muslim prayers while others stand behind him, laughing. Afterwards one of them is seen making a sign with his thumb to indicate the beheading of the one who is kneeling, Fox News said. The video was reportedly filmed by the students' teacher to mock the ISIS group that beheaded Coptic Christians in Libya last year. The said teacher, who is also a Christian, was sentenced to three years in prison for insulting Islam in a separate trial. As harsh as it may seem, the ruling is not new to religious minorities in Egypt. The activist group Egyptian Initiation for Personal Rights told AFP that 42 people were tried over the same accusation between 2011 and 2013. Twenty-seven of them were convicted. Meanwhile, the Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedom said in a statement that after the video's release, the teens were imprisoned for 45 days and endured "ill-treatment'' before being released pending trial Coptic Christians make up only 10 percent of Egypt's 90-million Muslim population. They have experienced relentless violence and church attacks, according to reports. How the Russian Orthodox Church is backing Vladimir Putin's new world order The US presidential election race has focused attention on the role of religion there. Ostensibly a country that prizes freedom of religion, in practice its politicians who aren't seen to be "Christian" have a built-in disadvantage. The Republican nomination process in particular has highlighted the religious nationalism of many American evangelicals, who see patriotism and Christianity as deeply intertwined. Thousands of miles away, however, there's an ideological synergy between Church and State which is just as unhealthy. Under its leader Patriarch Kirill, the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) has backed the aggressive expansionism of President Vladimir Putin, which has seen him extend Russian power into Crimea and eastern Ukraine. Kirill described Putin at a religious leaders' meeting in 2012 as "a miracle of God". It supported a government crackdown on "gay propaganda" in 2013. The ROC has made billions from trading concessions granted to it by the government. It is increasingly asserting its position as the largest of the 14 self-governing Orthodox Churches and is using its political muscle in support of Putin's aims. It's no friend to evangelicals, especially in the Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine, seeing them as puppets of the West. But how has it become so powerful and how is it using its power? The KGB, cigarettes and a Breuget watch An answer has to begin with Kirill himself. An imposing figure, he looks and plays the part of a Russian Orthodox Patriarch to perfection. Ordained in 1969, Vladimir Mikhailovich Gundyayev, as he was then, rose through the ROC's heirarchy and was elected as Patriarch in January 2009. According to material from Soviet archives, Kirill was also a KGB agent; as Patriarch he dedicated a church to the KGB. While his political closeness to the regime has been criticised, he has also been tarnished by the ROC's financial dealings. After the fall of the Soviet Union the Church received special privileges, including the right to import alcohol and tobacco free of duty. It made massive amounts of money as a result through a string of companies with interests in areas ranging from TV to oil. Profits from the cigarettes operation alone which ended in 1997 were estimated at $4 billion by The Moscow News in 2006. Kirill has always denied profiting personally from the operations, though his credibility was undermined when he was seen wearing a Breguet watch worth $30,000 in 2012 and further undermined when spin doctors made a clumsy attempt to airbrush the watch out in a picture on the ROC website. Church and state in harmony More important than his taste in wristwear, however, is Kirill's concept of how the Church and State should work together. Speaking at a conference on Ukraine in Lambeth Palace last April, participants highlighted the role of Orthodoxy in Putin's new world order. According to Mykhailo Cherenkov, a Ukrainian Baptist who is a Professor in Philosophy at Ukrainian Catholic University, the fall of the Soviet Union left Russia with an ideological vacuum. What had held the USSR together, and Russia itself, was a belief in communism. When the Berlin Wall fell and Mikhail Gorbachev's reforms led to the abandonment of the communist enterprise, Russia needed a "new ideological binding agent". And, said Cherenkov, there was a tool ready to hand. The ROC fulfilled the same purpose as communism in giving Russians something to believe in. "It was Orthodoxy that served as the main ferment in the formation of a new Russian identity from the beginning of Putin's presidency. If, in Soviet times, the mark of the majority was political atheism, then now it is political Orthodoxy." The Orthodox Church supports the state. It's patriotic to be Orthodox and Orthodox to be patriotic. The Russian state's wars become holy wars. Cherenkov says of the Ukraine conflict: "The goal of the 'Holy War' is not seizure of territory, or change of power, or defeat of opponents, but the victory of faith over all lack of faith and false teaching, of the only right picture of the world over all wrong ones, of truth over all untruths. If Rus is Holy, then her faith and truth are the only Orthodox ones." Only one Russian world Another contributor, Antoine Arjakovsky, also from the Ukrainian Catholic University, cites Kirill's view that there's only one "Russian" world, which includes the historical territory of Ukraine. The Moscow Patriarchate has spiritual jurisdiction over all of it. He refers to a film made by senior cleric Metropolitan Hilarion in 2013 entitled The Second Baptism of the Rus. "Patriarch Kirill appears and says his priority is to gather together the lands of Holy Russia," says Arjakovsky. "There is even a parallel between the Trinitarian God and the trinity of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. President Putin also appears in person to tell how he was secretly baptised as an infant." Kirill's notion is that Church and state function harmoniously together, each supporting the work of the other, in what Orthodoxy calls 'symphonia'. But his critics say this approach is fundamentally flawed. According to Michael Bourdeaux, who founded the Keston Institute to monitor religious freedom in the Soviet Union during the Cold War and is a leading expert in the field, this symphonia is "a betrayal of the basic Christian and democratic belief in freedom of conscience". Why the Church doesn't criticise the Kremlin Speaking at the same conference, Bourdeaux referred back to the establishment of the Moscow Patriarchate by Stalin during the Second World War after its abolition by Lenin. Part of the deal, he said, was that it would never criticise the Kremlin. Keston understood the pressure the Church was under and did not criticise it though, he said, they were "stunned" to discover, in the early '90s, the extent of collaboration between the Church leadership and the atheist state. When Communism collapsed, he said, "the Church leadership saw its opportunity to re-establish itself as a leading player in the new Russian state". He concluded: "Now free from Soviet constraints, church leaders might have been expected to write dispassionately about the troubled history of the Soviet period. But this is far from happening. There's been no act of repentance for the collaboration with the Soviet regime. Those who fought for religious liberty during the later Soviet period have been largely edited out of history, even though many lost their freedom and some their lives in the cause of freedom." And, says Bourdeaux: "These attitudes explain why the Moscow Patriarchate hasn't been willing to use its voice to attempt to rein in the forces leading to the Kremlin's aggression in Ukraine and the Crimea. My prayer is that, one day and one hopes sooner rather than later the Russian Orthodox Church would discover a prophetic voice and use its immense in influence in an attempt to reach a just resolution of the conflict in Ukraine." A fake patriotic religion? This statement is echoed by Joshua Searle, a lecturer at Spurgeon's College and Visiting Professor at Ukrainian Catholic University. He told Christian Today: "It needs to be made clear that the ROC hierarchy is essentially a political construct. The church structure is based not on gospel values of freedom, truth and enlightenment, but on fear, authoritarianism and the promotion of nationalism under the guise of religious zeal. This kind of fake patriotic religion deifies the State and gives divine sanction to a nation's imperialism. "The ROC can even invoke the name of "God" as an idol who has bestowed a special blessing and favour on Russia, which then allegedly gives 'Holy Russia' the right to invade and conquer neighbouring territories and subdue their peoples. Such a sham Christianity, which is a denial of Christ and the gospel, will always refuse to accept any higher power and will ruthlessly destroy any forms of genuine Christian faith that go beyond cultural or national identity." Evangelical Christians are suffering disproportionately in the Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine, he says; the ROC "regards evangelicals as 'sectarians' or even as 'Western spies' and as a dangerous presence on its 'canonical territory'". For Searle, this is "idolatrous, nationalistic official Christianity, which encourages war and hatred towards other nations, is inimical to the gospel and is under the control not of Christ, but of the dark 'powers and principalities' to which the author of Ephesians alluded". After 1,000 years, a meeting in Havana It's against this background that the meeting on February 12 at Havana airport between Kirill and Pope Francis has to be seen. The encounter was widely, and generally warmly, reported; moves toward healing a thousand-year rift make good headlines. Francis and Kirill released a joint statement afterwards prepared by their 'sherpas' and agreed in advance, obviously which was largely uncontroversial. It referred to the terrible persecution faced by Christians, the desirability of unity, poverty, inequality and the family. It also referred, as it could hardly avoid doing, to Ukraine. Francis, as head of a sovereign state, is accountable to no one in his diplomatic initiatives, but Kirill whose visit had to be sanctioned by the Kremlin the wording of these sections would have been hugely challenging. That's not to say that it wasn't a diplomatic test for Francis too. Observant readers will have noticed that three of the theologians quoted are linked to the Ukrainian Catholic University (though they are not all Ukrainian Catholics). The Ukrainian Catholic Church derives from Orthodox bishops who re-established communion with Rome in 1595. They're regarded as schismatics by the ROC and there is constant tension over their buildings and property. The Ukrainian Catholic problem So the meeting between Kirill and Francis was deeply problematic for the Ukrainian Catholics, whose Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk said the text of their agreement had caused "deep disappointment" for them and that he had not been consulted. While it expressed the hope that "our meeting may also contribute to reconciliation wherever tensions exist between Greek [ie Ukrainian] Catholics and Orthodox", it also said it was "clear that the past method of 'uniatism, understood as the union of one community to the other, separating it from its Church, is not the way to re-establish unity" a clear challenge to the Ukrainian Catholics and an extraordinary concession by the Vatican. It also said that "the ecclesial communities which emerged in these historical circumstances have the right to exist" a half-hearted gesture by the ROC. The Ukrainian Catholics are not 'ecclesial communities', which is a dismissive expression also used of Protestants, but a Church. According to the Catholic Herald, Shevchuk said the two sides "existed on two completely different planes and were pursuing different goals", with Francis experiencing the meeting as a spiritual event while "From the Moscow patriarch, one immediately sensed that this wasn't about any Spirit, or theology or actual religious matters." Shevchuk said the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, which drew up the declaration, had been "exploited" during the drafting process by the Russian Orthodox Department of External Affairs. While this apparent bickering over jurisdiction and ancient Church history might seem trivial in face of the suffering now largely ignored in the West of Ukraine, it's very characteristic of the ROC's concerns. In the bewildering array of Ukraine's competing Churches, it's also in dispute with the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church and the Kiev Patriarchate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Each of these bodies was the product of post-Revolutionary politics in the region. The point, however, is that as far as the ROC is concerned, it's the only legitimate Church. It wants to reclaim the territorial authority of which it believes it was wrongly deprived a desire that puts it right alongside the neo-imperial ambitions of Vladimir Putin. Russians, the ROC and the future And in a sign of how well the ROC is playing in Putin's Russia, a survey just released by the Levada Centre shows more than half (56 per cent) of Russians are satisfied with the role played by the Church and religious NGOs in state politics. Furthermore, growing numbers of Russians want to see the Church increase its influence on the maintenance of public morality, with 47 per cent of respondents in favour of this idea in February 2016. According to Levada Center sociologist Karina Pipiya: "The authorities are constantly articulating the important role of Orthodoxy as one of the components of 'special national identity,' in contrast with Western values and patterns, and people willingly support this idea, especially during periods of worsening relations between Russia and the West." On both sides of the Atlantic, religion is playing a role in politics. In neither case does it appear to be a particularly healthy one. And while there is, in the US, a system of checks and balances to control it, things are very different elsewhere. It remains to be seen how religion will continue to shape Putin's Russia. Follow Mark Woods on Twitter: @RevMarkWoods Hundreds of children sexually abused for years by Catholic priests in Pennsylvania diocese, grand jury report says A grand jury in Pennsylvania has found that hundreds of children were sexually abused for more than four decades by priests belonging to the Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown. The 147-page report was released by state Attorney General Kathleen Kane's office Tuesday that lists the widespread abuse involving at least 50 priests or religious leaders, according to Penn Live. It showed that the Catholic bishops covered up the sexual abuses committed by the priests. A search warrant issued in August last year uncovered a secret archive and confidential litigation files in filing cabinets and files at the administrative office of the diocese that point to the child sexual abuse. About 115,042 files were removed from the diocese including memos, letters and documents from Bishops James Hogan and Joseph Adamec, and statements and letters from sexual abuse victims, and correspondence with the offending priests. According to the report, the late Monsignor Francis McCaa was "a monster" who groped and fondled the genitals of at least 15 boys including altar boys. He was assigned at the Holy Name Church in Ebensburg for more than 20 years. Priest Joseph Gaborek, 70, was described in the report to be "particularly heinous example of the Diocese exercising authority and influence to cover up the sexual abuse of a child at the hands of a Diocesan priest." He was assigned at the St. Michael's Church in West Salisbury and St. Mary's Church in Pocahontas in the 1980s where he recruited a 16-year-old boy to work at the churches and sexually abused him. The Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown received a copy of the report. "This is a painful and difficult time in our Diocesan Church," said the Rev. Mark L.Bartchak, bishop of the diocese. "I deeply regret any harm that has come to children, and I urge the faithful to join me in praying for all victims of abuse." The report is the latest case of sexual abuse scandal involving the Catholic Church. In 2002, the Boston Globe reported abuse at the Boston Archdiocese, which became the basis for the movie "Spotlight," which won Best Picture at the Oscars. A 2014 study commissioned by the Catholic Church showed that more than 4,000 U.S. priests faced sexual abuse allegations in the last 50 years involving more than 10,000 children, according to Penn Live. The Catholic Church spent more than $2 billion between 2004 and 2013 in settlements, therapy for victims, support for offenders and attorney's fees. Hogan and Adamec were leaders at the Altoona Diocese from the 1960s to 2011 and led the cover-up, the report said. "The heinous crimes these children endured are absolutely unconscionable," said Kane at a press conference at the Blair County Convention Center. "These predators desecrated a sacred trust and preyed upon their victims in the very places where they should have felt most safe." She said clergy leaders "failed in our society's most important task of protecting our children." The report said the abusers cannot be prosecuted because either the abusers are already dead or the statute of limitations had already expired. It also said victims were unable to testify in court. The grand jury recommended the lifting the statute of limitations for sexual offences against minors. Is London ready for a Muslim mayor? Sadiq Khan on extremism, faith and his bid for the city's top job A man Sadiq Khan's sister used to be married to was once linked to an extremist organisation. That was the essence of the Evening Standard's "exposure" of Labour's London mayoral candidate, who is a Muslim, last month. It was one of a spate of headlines which have made tenuous ties between the Tooting MP and some unsavoury characters and organisations. This trend culminated on Tuesday with the Tories wheeling out defence secretary Michael Fallon to brand Khan a "Labour lackey who shares platforms with extremists". Meanwhile Khan, who has a healthy lead in the polls over Conservative candidate Zac Goldsmith, seems to be doing a good job of rising above it all. "My worry is that by descending into this sort of desperate politics it undoes some of the great things about London," he said in an interview with Christian Today. "I am trying to have a positive campaign. It is really important to recognise we have an opportunity to inspire, to energise and enthuse people. "My experience is you are more likely to do that with hope rather than fear." So is London ready for its first Muslim mayor? It would certainly send a message out to groups such as ISIS and al-Qaeda which claim the West persecutes Muslims. But a poll by YouGov for LBC seemed to suggest nearly a third of Londoners would be uncomfortable with a Muslim mayor. Khan insists that poll was misleading and divisive. He said he was "not surprised by the generosity I have received from friends in London who have a Christian faith, a Jewish faith, Sikh, Hindu or no faith because that is the London I know". "What is remarkable about London is we don't simply tolerate each other. We respect each other, we celebrate each other, we brake bread together, we form friendships, we join each other's families," he told Christian Today. "What I have always sought to do both in Tooting and throughout my career in public life is to bring people together rather than divide them. I see in my own community the contribution the churches make towards food banks and towards youth work. They check up on old people and make sure the community comes together on big days, but they don't stop people coming to food banks because they are not Christian. They don't stop people using the youth facilities because they are not Christians. That is the best way to show people your faith. "What people predicted after 7/7 [the London bombings in 2005 that killed 56 and injured over 700] was that we would divide as a city and turn on each other. In fact, the opposite has happened and people have come together and that is the best of faith." There is a noticeable difference between how Christian and Muslim politicians in the UK are treated by the public. Lib Dem leader Tim Farron, for example, was grilled over praying about decisions and whether homosexual sex was a sin. Khan, however, has received nowhere near the same level of scrutiny about specific beliefs, and has instead been given the broad-brush smear of being associated with undesirables. So what does Khan actually believe, and how would he describe his faith? "I have got the values that I have because my parents instilled certain values in me. One of the things they also did was teach me Islam, in my opinion, how it really should be," he said. "There are basic things that Muslims should do: have faith in God, pray, fast, give money to charity, perform pilgrimage. Those are the basics, if you like, but there are other things which are intrinsic to being a Muslim, like being good to your neighbour, treating others with respect, look after the elderly, get involved in your community, if you've got wealth share it, look after the environment." But he admitted "those values don't just come from faith as in an organised religion" and said other people get the same values from "other things such as joining a political party". "Because, I think, I know my religion, when people come up with a perverse version of my faith and use that as justification to commit acts of terror or criminality, I've got the resilience to know that is rubbish," Khan added. "The way to heaven, the way to success in this world and the hereafter, is not to carry a kalashnikov and do bad things or to kill innocent people." So far so nuanced. He has not fallen into the same trap as Christian MP Liz Kendall who said her main motivation in life is not God but the Labour party, but neither has he followed the likes of US presidential candidates Ted Cruz and Ben Carson, who say they are running only because of their religion. "Faith is part of who I am, but the way I would best describe it is we are multiple entities. I am of Islamic faith, I am a Londoner, I am British, I am English, I am European, I am a father, I am a husband. All of those things go towards making me who I am," Khan said. So does he pray about political decisions? "I am supposed to pray five times a day. Don't tell my mum but sometimes I miss them. I try to catch up. So I pray throughout the day." About political decisions? "About all sorts of things. The reason you pray is to bring yourself close to God. It brings you humility and submission." Whether or not some Londoners are uneasy about a Muslim mayor, Khan himself has no doubts. He's a politician comfortable in his own skin and believes he has a lot to offer. On May 5 we'll find out whether the voters agree. Let women not be silent in churches, say Catholic scholars Women should be allowed to preach at Roman Catholic Mass, according to a series of articles in the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano. One of the articles was written by French Dominican nun, Sister Catherine Aubin, of the Pontifical University in Rome. She argued that the society in which Jesus lived and moved was structured on a patriarchal model where women were socially invisible and that Jesus himself challenged this exclusion. "An overview of the history of Christianity leads us to consider the female figures, prophetic and charismatic, who with their authority, in rough centuries, have helped to evangelise a world," she said. They included saints such as Joan of Arc, Hildegard of Bingen and Catherine of Siena. Women are already preaching, guiding retreats and giving conferences, she added. "Let us sincerely ask a question: then why can't women preach in front of everyone during a celebration?" Christ made all men and all women he met along his path, witnesses, messengers and apostles, she said. To include women in the pulpit would make the Church "even more lively and attractive". Another of those cited, Enzo Bianchi, who heads an ecumenical community in Italy, said many voices were being raised to ask for the role of women in the Church to be enhanced. This would "constitute a fundamental change" in Church life. He referred to past centuries when, in the Middle Ages, lay people were allowed to preach, including some women. This was banned by Gregory IX in 1228. The ignorance of some preachers at the time had led to heresy and confusion rather than building up the Church. In 1973, experimental permission was given to some lay people involved in pastoral work to preach for eight years. This included some women. Women are also allowed even today to preach at Masses for children. "Do not forget that Jesus preached in the synagogues of Nazareth and other cities without being either a priest or an ordained rabbi, but he did it for prophetic charism and because it was commissioned by the heads of the various synagogues," said Bianchi. Pope Francis is among those who have called for women to have a greater role in the Church. He recently decreed that women can and should be part of Holy Thursday foot washing ceremonies. Women's Ordination Worldwide said in response to that announcement: "We commend Pope Francis for moving our Church one step closer to the inclusiveness modelled by Jesus. This may seem like a small move forward because women have already been included in this rite for many years in some churches. "The fact that it is still prohibited by some parish priests around the world betrays the reality of the challenge women face at a local level, with many Church officials refusing to include women in the Last Supper commemoration." Mormon leader says 'there are no homosexual members' in his church Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) Elder David A. Bednar believes that there is a clear distinction between feeling an attraction towards members of the same sex and acting on those feelings, and this is why he can confidently say that there are "no homosexual members of the church." He was asked last Feb. 23 by a church member in Chile, "How can homosexual members of the church live and remain steadfast in the gospel?" Bednar replied by asking the church member to rephrase the question. "There are no homosexual members of the church. We are not defined by sexual attraction," he said. "We are not defined by sexual behaviour. We are sons and daughters of God. And all of us have different challenges in the flesh." Bednar said that for some people, those physical challenges meant being "born with a body that is not fully functional." "Simply being attracted to someone of the same gender is not a sin," he further explained. "There are many members of the church who may have some manifestation of that attraction. They honour their covenants, the keep the commandments, they are worthy, they can receive the blessings of the temple and they can serve in the church." The only time that these feelings become a sin, said Bednar, is when people "act on the inclination or the attraction." "We do not discriminate and we are not bigots. We extend Christ-like love to all sons and daughters of God," he continued. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints actually implemented a new policy just last year banning same-sex couples from the church. Even their children will be denied communion until they agree to end their union. Bednar's statements echoed the ones made in 2007 by then-Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, according to Raw Story. "In Iran we don't have homosexuals like in your country," Ahmadinejad told a group at Columbia University. "In Iran we do not have this phenomenon. I do not know who has told you we have it." No, God isn't dead but American Christians aren't being persecuted, either The film God's Not Dead was the sleeper hit of 2014, made for a measly $2million and grossing a stonking $62.6million. It recounts the valiant attempts of a student to stand up for his faith against the attacks of one of his teachers who belittles him and his beliefs at every opportunity. It ends spoiler alert! with the teacher dying in a car crash, but before he expires he invites Jesus into his heart, so that's OK. I watched God's Not Dead with a sort of horrified fascination. It still ranks as possibly the worst film I've ever seen, not because it was badly done it wasn't, particularly but because of its message. It was a tabloid with headlines screaming about Christian persecution in the land of the brave and the home of the free. Those Godless liberals are out to get you, it said, and you have to be ready for professional martyrdom. Now it's back. God's Not Dead 2 stars Melissa Joan Hart as a Christian teacher who is forced before a judge for answering a question about Jesus in the classroom. The trailer shows the prosecution lawyer addressing the defence, saying: "I hate what people like your client stand for. We're going to prove once and for all that God is dead." He later says cue that music that says this is a really tense, significant moment that poor Melissa's motive for answering a simple question about Jesus with a scripture reference was "to take an innocent question and turn it into an opportunity to preach". Melissa's character says at one point: "I would rather stand with God and be judged by the world than stand with the world and be judged by God." It doesn't look promising, though it will no doubt play very well with its intended audience. They're not just solid evangelical churchgoers. They are the people who claim the evangelical label and whose support is driving Donald Trump to the Republican nomination and possibly to the White House. The narrative is: it's us against the world. We are an embattled minority. America is hostile to faith. Talk about Jesus at your peril. The might of the law will be deployed against you if you share your faith. Those liberals really are out to get you. There are a few end-time assumptions in there too: it's what you should expect as the Day draws near. Let's be clear: it is not that Christians aren't under pressure. There are too many examples of Christians facing problems because of their faith to doubt that. The US Supreme Court decision last year that effectively legalised gay marriage in the US, with its implications for evangelical Christians who profoundly disagree with the concept, has focused attention on how Christians are to live in a secular society as never before. A survey published last July by the Public Religion Research Institute found that 49 per cent of Americans believed discrimination against Christians was as big a problem as discrimination against other groups. People like Kim Davis, the Kentucky court clerk who refused to issue same-sex marriage licences, and Barronelle Stutzman, who refused to provide flowers for a gay wedding, are held up as examples. On the other hand: thoughtful people like the Irish Evangelical Alliance's Nick Park, who says he thanks God for secularism know that privileging religion is a bad thing. No, Christians shouldn't abuse their positions to evangelise, and if they do they should be brought to account. And no, atheists shouldn't be hyper-sensitive and resort to the courts every time they think someone's crossed a line. And while we're on the subject, if anyone objects to being wished a 'Happy Christmas' they're just desperate to be offended. But a wholesale attack on Christians by the evil minions of an Obama-led government? Come on. America has huge numbers of Christians, its churches are lively and flourishing, its Church leaders have influential platforms. Christians are not persecuted. The same narrative is found in evangelical circles in the UK, too. There are genuinely outrageous examples of Christians facing problems because of what they say or how they say it. It's appalling that Felix Ngole was asked to leave the University of Sheffield, where he was in the second year of a Masters in social work, because of his views on gay marriage. It's unconscionable that Victoria Wasteney lost her career with the NHS because she prayed with a Muslim colleague. I hope both of them win their appeals, as they richly deserve to do. But to argue that there is a wholesale bias against religion in general and the Christian faith in particular, in government or in society, is just wrong. Yes, some Christians come up against the law with a bit of a bump when they want to discriminate or proselytise inappropriately. And yes, sometimes the boot is on the other foot and they'll be disciplined or face legal action when they shouldn't. That's what the law's for, to sort out questions like that, and until we settle on a new, more relaxed consensus, that's how it's going to be. But persecution? No. It's not always going to be easy for Christians to live in the world. But the premise behind the God's Not Dead franchise is poisonous. It feeds conspiracy theories. It makes Christians think people hate them, when they don't. It puts them in trenches rather than at the table together. It sets them at odds with the world rather than in conversation with it. If God's Not Dead 2 is ever released in UK cinemas, I'd like to picket it. I'd have a sign saying, "Sorry about this. Any atheists fancy a coffee?" I'd enjoy that. Follow Mark Woods on Twitter: @RevMarkWoods Only God can save America now, warns Christian evangelist Franklin Graham Only God can save America from its secular worldview that is hostile to biblical values, according to Franklin Graham. In his March newsletter, Graham calls on thousands of people across American to pray for the nation, its people and its future to reverse the "advance of godlessness". "We have come to a defining moment in this country. A secular worldview hostile to biblical values has overrun our culture and permeated our government," he warns. "Rather than seeking to stem the tide, our educators, politicians, and judges aid the advance of godlessness. This cannot continue if our children and grandchildren are to live in a country that still recognises God and upholds religious liberty." He singles out no particular politician for criticism. "No political party or candidate is capable of providing the solution. Only God can turn our nation and the hearts of its people. That is why I am going to every state capital in America this year to call churches and Christians to repentance and prayer for our land, challenge believers to engage in the election process at every level, and proclaim the life-changing Gospel of Jesus Christ." He was writing after returning from leading prayer rallies at the state capitals in Columbia, South Carolina; Atlanta, Georgia; and Honolulu, Hawaii, as part of his 50-state Decision America Tour. More than 27,000 people have taken part in the prayer events in the first seven states, and hundreds have made a decision for Christ after hearing the Gospel at a rally. Graham continues: "We are losing our country and the freedoms we have enjoyed. As Bible-believing Christians, we are the ones who must take action before it's too late." On his Facebook page he calls for a truce to "the insults, the back-stabbing, the dirty tricks, and the name-calling that has been spewing from most of the presidential candidates." He accuses the candidates of "childish bickering" and says they must return to the important issues. "It's obvious that this country is in troublespiritually, morally, and politically." Pakistan: Christians living in fear of retribution after Mumtaz Qadri's execution Christians in Pakistan are living in fear following the hanging of Mumtaz Qadri, who murdered former Punjab governor Salman Taseer in 2011. Nasir Saeed, director of the Centre for Legal Aid, Assistance and Settlement (CLAAS) which works on behalf of persecuted Christians in Pakistan, has warned that there may be "severe repercussions" for religious minorities in the country after Qadri's execution. "Christians are scared and cautious," Saeed said. "The [Qadri's] execution will also enhance the threat to the lives of those who are charged under blasphemy law and are currently detained in various prisons." Qadri fatally shot Taseer 28 times near his home in Islamabad in 2011 because the governor had spoken out against Pakistan's blasphemy law, saying it was being misused and should be reformed. After his arrest, Qadri told police he killed Taseer for championing the cause of Asia Bibi, a Christian woman sentenced to death in a blasphemy case that arose out of a personal dispute. Qadri's attorney said this week that his client told him he had no regrets for killing the governor. "I have met him twice in jail. He said that even if Allah gave me 50 million lives, I would still sacrifice all of them," lawyer Ghulam Mustafa Chaudhry said. Qadri was hanged at approximately 4.30am local time on Monday and street protests broke out hours later. Tens of thousands of Islamist supporters then gave him a martyr's funeral on Tuesday. He is considered a hero for defending the faith by some Muslim hardliners. A crowd of at least 15,000 chanted "Qadri, your blood will bring the revolution" and "the punishment for a blasphemer is beheading" at the funeral in Rawalpindi, just south of Islamabad. More than 100 people are charged with blasphemy each year in predominantly Muslim Pakistan, which stringently upholds the laws. Those accused of "defiling the Prophet Muhammad" face the death penalty, while life imprisonment is given for damaging the Quran. "Insulting another's religious feelings" can result in up to 10 years in jail. Human rights groups say the blasphemy laws are frequently misused by extremists, however, and false charges brought against minority groups in order to settle personal scores or to seize property or businesses. No one has yet been hanged, but those convicted languish in prison. Pakistan's Supreme Court warned last October that false accusations of blasphemy could be treated as seriously as blasphemy itself. In January this year, the head of the Council of Islamic Ideology, which advises the government on the compatibility of laws with Islam, suggested in an interview with Reuters that there may be a review. However, Saeed said the Pakistani government "still hasn't shown any willingness to bring this matter to Parliament". "In the past those who raised this matter in the parliament were threatened for their lives. If the government is sincere in stopping the misuse of the law, and the killing of innocent people, it must bring this law to parliament for change, or should at least introduce safeguards," he said. He urged for greater protections for religious minorities, particularly for those already accused of blasphemy, including Asia Bibi and her family. He warned that Qadri's hanging could have an impact on her case and that Islamists could demand severe action be taken against her. Pastor locks congregation out of church in Alabama after being accused of pocketing funds A pastor who faces accusations of pocketing funds from his church in Alabama has decided to lock out his congregation in retaliation. Members of the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Birmingham found themselves unable to enter the church on Sunday after Pastor Willie Jackson locked the door. Church member Varrie Kendall said she knew something was wrong when she started having to pay for church bills, according to AL.com. She said the church money goes directly to Jackson. "He wrote bad checks all the time... All I could do was make sure the lights weren't cut off," Kendall said. "The church money just goes into his pockets," Kendall said. Their friendship soured and the pastor barred Kendall from the church on Nov. 15 last year. Kendall revealed to other church members about her private conversations with the pastor when he admitted to taking money from tithes. "He said, 'What's the difference? They're all dumb anyway,''" she said. In a petition, the church members said Jackson did not respect them and often called them "n*****s." The pastor is also accused of replacing church employees with family members. "Open sin and conduct unbecoming of a Pastor and a Christian... Does not meet requirement of a Pastor according to 1 Peter 5:3," the petition reads. The petition was presented to Jackson on Feb. 7 where he was given seven days to leave the church, but he refused. Jackson allegedly threatened to sue the petitioners and told them that Antioch was "his church." "I've been here since '82 and you're going to tell us to leave? It feels like you're stepping on us, and it doesn't feel good," said Jonathan Floyd who continues to go to church. "I'm not going to let him steal the church." Worshippers lamented that there is no transparency between the pastor and congregation. "The church is regressing in the membership. We have no financial reports. The church has no voice, in other words. We've just lost everything. We feel like we're in a dictatorship," said Ann Zellander, according to WVTM 13. Medicaid Reform Plan Offers a North Carolina Solution Press Release: Plan seeks to achieve better patient outcomes, high quality care,increased budget predictability Raleigh, N.C. State health officials today unveiled an innovative, multi-year draft plan for reforming North Carolina's Medicaid program to achieve better patient care, better community health, improved doctor-patient engagement and cost containment. This comes after the September 2015 passage of historic Medicaid reform legislation, achieved under the leadership of Governor Pat McCrory and the North Carolina General Assembly. "The Medicaid Reform plan outlined today will improve care and hold down costs and empower medical professionals to achieve better outcomes for their patients," Governor McCrory said. "This patient-centered approach is the result of providers, associations, advocates, members of the General Assembly and DHHS leaders working together to prepare us to take this important step for all the citizens of North Carolina." The reform plan was presented to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee by Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Rick Brajer. It transforms the state from a fee-for-service, or volume-based system to a pre-paid health plan which is valued based. This system will promote community-based, comprehensive care management that integrates behavioral health as well as physical health to ensure beneficiaries are reaching and maintaining the highest level of health possible. The new plan is also designed to provide more accurate and responsible budgeting each year. Medicaid beneficiaries will continue receiving services in the way they do now, until reform is implemented, which is expected to take approximately 36 months. After implementation, beneficiaries can expect more choice, more engagement and more coordination of their care. "This plan builds on what works in North Carolina," Brajer said, "by bringing innovation and new tools into the health care system to ensure the system puts people first, and rewards health plans and providers for making patients healthier while containing costs." This proposal is the product of nearly three years of stakeholder engagement and planning, and is an important step in accomplishing the joint vision of Governor McCrory and the General Assembly. To change a state's Medicaid plan, a waiver application must be submitted to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the federal agency that works in partnership with state governments to administer Medicaid. DHHS will submit the state's waiver application June 1. It is expected to take at least 18 months to receive approval from CMS. Once approved, Medicaid reform will be implemented over the following 18 months. Over the next two months, DHHS will hold a series of listening sessions across the state to gather feedback from citizens and other stakeholders. Medicaid accounts for the care of nearly two million citizens in North Carolina at an annual cost to the federal and state government of $13 billion. It serves approximately one in five North Carolinians and covers about 55 percent of births in the state. About 80,000 healthcare providers in the state serve Medicaid clients. Russian atheist faces jail sentence for denying God's existence An atheist faces jail in Russia for insulting the feelings of religious believers by denying the existence of God. Viktor Krasnov, 38, appeared in court in southern Russia on Wednesday after declaring in an online exchange in 2014, "there is no God", the Guardian reports. "If I say that the collection of Jewish fairytales entitled the Bible is complete bull****, that is that," he wrote on a local website in his home town of Stravropol. "At least for me," he added, "there is no God!" He was then reported by someone involved in the debate for "offending the sentiments of Orthodox believers". Krasnov is being prosecuted under a law introduced in 2013 after the punk band Pussy Riot was jailed for a performance in Moscow's main cathedral, his lawyer Andrei Sabinin told AFP. Two members of the band were arrested and charged over inciting religious hatred and violations of public order. They were protesting Putin's return to power and criticising Russian authoritarianism. Krasnov's charges carry a maximum sentence of one year but he has already spent one month in a psychiatric ward undergoing examinations before he was deemed sane. His lawyer told AFP his client was "simply an atheist" and that "Halloween and Yiddish holidays" were also targeted in the exchange. Senior Anglicans launch bid to find 'middle way' over homosexuality Senior Anglican figures have launched a new bid to unite the Church of England over divisive issues such as gay marriage. ViaMedia.News is a blog edited by LGBT activist Jayne Ozanne and will publish weekly articles from senior Church figures in an "attempt to bridge the divides that separates many in the Church". "ViaMedia.News aims to bring the historic Anglican perspective of the 'Via Media' [the Middle Way] to debates that are current in the Church of England" a statement officially launching the website read. The statement said writers would avoid "divisive positions" and will "bring a unique perspective to areas of controversy". Ozanne told Christian Today the site is "an important new initiative in the life of the Church of England as it looks to provide insightful weekly articles that bridge divides on issues that are affecting our world, our nation and our Church". "All too often we sadly only hear from those at the polarized ends of debates," she said. "This new weekly blog will seek to give a clear voice for those in the middle ground." Launching the site David Walker, Bishop of Manchester, wrote on "rediscovering 'good disagreement'". The Church of England is currently undergoing "shared conversations" on the topic of homosexuality and the role of LGBT Christians within the Church. In his opening post, Walker said the term is useful "to identify that there can be a meaningful (perhaps even transformative) outcome to a conflict that does not involve either one side winning or the achievement of a largely agreed compromise". "Good disagreement, whatever the topic, is in its essence relational" wrote Walker. "It represents the conclusion of a process in which the other has been met as a fellow human being and Christian, even if we might still think that they hold views incompatible with both our sense of the canon of scripture and the trajectory of God's Kingdom." The bishop praised Archbishop Justin Welby's efforts at relationship building ahead of the Anglican Primates conference in January. He said this was a key to allowing the Primates to "make an explicit commitment to continue in fellowship". The blog already features posts from Ozanne and Dr David Ison, Dean of St Paul's Cathedral, who earlier this year signed a letter to the Archbishops of Canterbury and York calling for repentence for its treatment of LGBTI Christians as "second-class citizens". Other regular contributors will be Dr Angus Ritchie from the Centre for Theology and Community and Simon Butler of St Mary's, Battersea. Should a pastor conduct an unbeliever's wedding? It's a tricky one. Russell Moore, president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission and not by any means the most hard-line of that ilk, has come down hard on pastors who take the weddings of people who are living together without being married or who aren't Christians. According to the Christian Post, speaking at a Church and Sexuality conference in Montgomery, Alabama, Moore said: "You cannot marry anyone except believers and people under the authority of Jesus Christ" because you "cannot hold [unbelievers] accountable to their vows". And if a deacon wants his pastor to conduct the wedding of his daughter who is 'living in sin', he should say no. "It takes courage not to do weddings, to say, 'I'm not going to do that,'" Moore said. The issue is one that defines not just attitudes toward sexual morality, though it does do that. More fundamentally, it says something about the nature of the Church and how the Church relates to the world. Is it it a tight-knit community of the redeemed, a body of believers who are signed up to the same cause and who are marching in step to the Celestial City? Or can it have porous boundaries? Should it be acknowledging that no one's perfect and celebrating their spiritual progress as they move from shacking up together to the sacred commitment of marriage? If you're an Anglican in the UK, you're signed up to the latter understanding by default. The CofE's Your Church Wedding website says: "It is both a privilege and a duty for your vicar to join a man and a woman in marriage. The good news is that you can marry in church regardless of your beliefs, whether or not you are christened and whether or not you have been a regular churchgoer." This is because the Church of England takes the line that it's there to serve the whole community. Marriage, like baptisms and funerals, are services it offers as part of its mission. It sees them as opportunities to mediate the grace of God, to make pastoral contact with people and to have meaningful conversations about faith and the deep things of life. But a relaxed attitude toward personal faith throws up, as Moore rightly says, all sorts of theological problems. While Anglicans face this issue more than most denominations because, generally speaking, their buildings are prettier and more people want to get married there, other Churches face it too. In fact, there are problems with both 'open' and 'closed' positions. If a church or its pastor decides it will only marry Christians whose behaviour is morally upright and who are marrying other Christians, it's acting as a 'gatekeeper' to the sacrament. All the words said and vows taken will be by people who believe them. There is a depth of meaning to the promises that are made which would not be there otherwise. It's marriage within the 'tribe'; there is nothing disruptive to the life of the community about it. But this attitude doesn't acknowledge the complexity of human relationships. It doesn't seize the pastoral opportunities offered by a more open model. It runs into inconsistency if a Christian couple are living together and can't get married in church but attend faithfully after they get married elsewhere, it's hard to know exactly what status they have. Should they be allowed to sing in the choir? Is the church happy to take their offerings? If a church takes a more open position, it has the ability to minister to people at a significant moment in their lives. It can come alongside them in a pastoral and evangelistic way. It shows a loving and welcoming spirit. But there are problems with this, too. Is it right to lead people in making promises about their marriage to a God in whom they may not believe? Is a certain standard of sexual conduct to be expected of someone before their relationship can be blessed in a marriage service? How comfortable is the church about being used because it's pretty, in the same way that a couple might choose a nice venue for their reception? So the marriage issue encapsulates much about how the Church relates to the world. In fact the either/or description suggested earlier doesn't quite work. It's both a tight-knit community of believers, the body of Christ on earth, and a community with open arms and a warm heart, reaching out to sinners and unbelievers everywhere. The real question is how to act with integrity and still demonstrate the loving welcome of the Lord Jesus himself. It's hard to believe that Jesus wouldn't have been glad to see two people making a marriage commitment to each other, whatever their past. But it's hard, too, to believe it would be right to encourage people to say words they don't believe. There's a place there for serious conversations about why someone wants to get married in church and sometimes the answer ought to be "no". Lawmakers in West Virginia pass bill banning dismemberment abortions to protect unborn child Legislators in West Virginia passed a bill that bans dismemberment abortions to protect the unborn child in the state. The House of Delegates voted 86-13 to pass SB 10 or the Unborn Child Protection from Dismemberment Abortion Act on Feb. 29. Dismemberment abortion, according to the bill, "means, with the purpose of causing the death of an unborn child, purposely to dismember a living unborn child and extract him or her one piece at a time from the uterus through use of clamps, grasping forceps, tongs, scissors or similar instruments that, through the convergence of two rigid levers, slice, crush or grasp a portion of the unborn child's body to cut or rip it off." It bans dilation and evacuation where a baby is removed from the womb one limb at a time, LifeSite News reported. The procedure accounts for about 95 percent of all abortions performed in the second trimester. The West Virginia Senate passed the bill on Feb. 17 with a vote of 24-9. The bill will be sent to Democratic Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin who has not publicly announced his position on the bill and will most likely veto the measure. If it becomes law, the measure will ban any person from performing the procedure "unless in reasonable medical judgment the woman has a condition that, on the basis of reasonable medical judgment, so complicates her medical condition as to necessitate the abortion of her pregnancy to avert her death or to avert serious risk of substantial and irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function, not including psychological or emotional conditions." It mandates that any physician or other licensed medical practitioner who violates the law will be subjected "to discipline from the applicable licensure board for that conduct, including, but not limited to, loss of professional license to practice." State lawmakers passed last March the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act that restricts abortion to the first 20 weeks of pregnancy by overriding Tomblin's veto. U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote in a 2007 ruling that "No one would dispute that, for many, D&E is a procedure itself laden with the power to devalue human life." Starting next Friday, the East End Foundation will stage four pop-up dinners set in unique East End locations matched with four Houston chefs. The kickoff event on March 11 an al fresco dinner on the award-winning new Navigation Esplanade will feature chef Soren Pederson, known for his work at the late Sorrel Urban Bistro and Ray's Gourmet Country in Fulshear. Pederson will focus on local, seasonal ingredients for the meal, inspired by dishes cooked by his mother and grandmother during his childhood in Denmark. The dinner runs from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at 2800 Navigation Boulevard on the Esplanade. This week the Houston Symphony released its first recording in five years, and first under the guidance of conductor and music director Andres Orozco-Estrada. The album features Antonin Dvorak's Symphony No. 7 and Symphony No. 8; both pieces were performed at Jones Hall between April 2014 and March 2015. This is the first in a series of Dvorak recordings to be made by the symphony and marks the beginning of a partnership with Pentatone, a Dutch classical music label. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate As the Houston's downtown and Midtown dining scenes continue to grow, it's not just newbie restaurants and bars heating thing up. A downtown fixture in business for more than a quarter of a century is a new player on the dinner scene: Zydeco Louisiana Diner. The 1119 Pease St. lunch-only mainstay serving Southern Louisiana home-style cooking since 1988 is now open for dinner service. The restaurant will be open Tuesday through Saturday from 5 to 9 p.m. "In our quarter-century of business, we have witnessed many changes in Houston's downtown," says co-owner David Walker. "We have seen a good deal of residential growth as well as new high-rise buildings and event venues that have brought more activity to the area. Because of this, we felt the timing was right to open for dinner to give residents of and visitors to downtown an affordable, casual dining option." So what's on the supper menu? Some of the restaurant's most popular dishes from its beloved lunch repertoire. There are fried dinner platters of Gulf shrimp, oysters and Louisiana catfish served with fries and jambalaya; po'boys; crawfish etouffee; shrimp and crab claw gumbo; red beans and rice; chicken and sausage jambalaya; chicken and sausage gumbo; and boiled crawfish in season. And don't forget the bread pudding with custard sauce. The restaurant is within walking distance of Toyota Center, Minute Maid Park and Discovery Green. It also has its own parking lot with complimentary parking. There also are surface lots and street parking nearby. "Zydeco has always been and will always be a place where people can enjoy a homemade meal in a fun, casual atmosphere served by friendly faces," says Walker. "We are proud to be a fixture in downtown Houston, and look forward to welcoming diners, old and new, to dinner." The restaurant remains open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. It's closed Sunday. If you haven't been, it's probably a good time to check out the beat of Zydeco. Dear Abby: My daughter is in fifth grade at a very small, rural school. She's outgoing and makes friends easily. When she comes home from school, she tells my husband and me about the conversations the other fifth-grade girls are having. Most involve boys. Recently the conversations are about sex and things these girls say they want boys to do to them, which include rape. My husband and I are appalled. My daughter knows it's not appropriate to discuss these topics, but she is forced by these girls to listen. What should we do? Concerned Parent in Oklahoma Dear Concerned: Though discussing sexual matters may not seem appropriate to you, that's what some children do. The problem is that a lot of misinformation can be transmitted. Be glad your daughter trusts you enough to tell you what is being said. If this were my daughter and I had not yet had "the talk," I would waste no time. Her classmates may say the things they do for shock value and have no concept of the physical and emotional damage rape can inflict. Not only should you bring this to the attention of the parents, also talk to the school principal. The best way to combat this is through frank, open discussion and education. Dear Abby: I have 18-year-old twin sons who are seniors in high school and more mature than most at their age. People comment on how well they behave. My problem is neither seems interested in socializing. They don't date and never have friends over. They tell me people their age are "morons." The boys are very close. They still share a room and want to attend college together. I'm worried that they are too close and need to separate from each other. Should I be worried or wait and see what college brings them? Mother of Twins Dear Mother: Your boys may be responsible and mannerly, but they appear socially immature. The time to have encouraged their individual personalities was when they entered their teens. The fact that they don't socialize, don't date and consider their contemporaries all to be morons is something to be worried about. If you are going to contribute to their college educations, it might be helpful to insist they go to different schools. But before you do, consult a licensed counselor for guidance because it may be traumatic for them. It has been far too many years since the Woke theology interlaced its canons within the fabric of the Indoctrination Realm, so it is nigh time to ask: Does this Representative Republic continue, as a functioning society of a self-governed people, by contending with the unusual, self absorbed dictates of the Woke, and their vast array of Victimhood scenarios? Yes, the Religion of Woke must continue; there are so many groups of underprivileged, underserved, a direct result of unrelenting Inequity; they deserve everything. No; the Woke fools must be toppled from their self-anointed pedestal; a functioning society of a good Constitutional people cannot withstand this level of "existential" favoritism as it exists now. Much like the facility itself, the Children's Museum of Houston's 2016 Friends and Families luncheon was equal parts interactive and playful. At one point, featured speaker Michelle Lee of IDEO - a Palo Alto design and innovation consulting firm - directed 400 lunchgoers to partner up, interview each other and even develop a secret handshake. With mosquito season along the Gulf Coast rapidly approaching, a Houston infectious disease expert is warning that an inadequate response to the threat of the Zika virus could mirror some of the region's worst public policy failures. "If even a single baby is born with microcephaly due to Zika or if Zika results in a stillbirth on the U.S. Gulf Coast, it could cause widespread concerns," Dr. Peter Hotez told a congressional subcommittee Wednesday. "Zika on the Gulf Coast will be placed in the same context as our previous national responses to Hurricane Katrina or the BP oil spill." Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, testified before the House Energy & Commerce subcommittee on oversight and investigations, describing Houston's vulnerability to a Zika outbreak this spring or summer. The region shares the two major risk factors contributing to the outbreak in Brazil. "Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are highly prevalent along the U.S. Gulf Coast, including major urban centers such as Houston, and we have a level of extreme poverty that can be found anywhere in the Americas," he said. Hotez pointed to areas such as the Fifth Ward that closely resemble the city of Recife, the epicenter of the outbreak in Brazil. "It looks like the global health movie we might show to first-year medical students," he said. Hotez called for a coordinated public health response including mosquito surveillance and control, collecting garbage that can hold water that provides mosquito breeding grounds, and providing window screens to pregnant women living in poverty. At least nine people have tested positive for the Zika virus in the Houston area, but all cases were acquired outside the country. Experts expect that the region will see local transmissions once the mosquito season ramps up in the coming months. Most of those infected with the virus will experience no symptoms, but a small percentage of individuals could experience a paralysis known as Guillain Barre Syndrome, and pregnant women are at risk for stillbirth or microcephaly, a birth defect that results in underdevelopment of the head and brain. Because most infections show mild or no symptoms, Hotez said the region might not know of a Zika outbreak until babies with microcephaly are born in the fall or winter. "This is what happened in Brazil," he said. Your RSS feed from RSSFWD.com. Update your RSS ... This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A first-term Texas state lawmaker who made national headlines last year by asking Muslims visiting her office to take a loyalty oath has been narrowly defeated in the Republican primary. Belton Republican Rep. Molly White prepared for Muslim lobbying day at the Texas Capital last January by leaving an Israeli flag on her office's reception desk. SEE THIS: Texas Muslim Capital Day marred by anti-Islam protests On Facebook, she posted that her staff had been instructed "to ask representatives from the Muslim community to renounce Islamic terrorist groups and publicly announce allegiance to America and our laws." White added: "We will see how long they stay in my office." Final, unofficial tallies showed White losing by 118 votes to Hugh Shine, a former state lawmaker from Temple. The Republican nominee immediately becomes the favorite during November's general election. White, the Tea Party darling, was also named the most anti-LGBT lawmaker in Texas by a gay rights organization. She boasted about the distinction on Facebook. Incumbent prosecutor loses re-election bid after spending time in jail A Central Texas prosecutor who spent time in jail after being found in contempt of court has lost her re-election bid. Williamson County District Attorney Jana Duty was defeated Tuesday by Shawn Dick in the Republican primary. There's no Democrat in the race so Dick is unopposed in the November general election and is in line to become district attorney next year. Duty last August spent a weekend in jail after being found in contempt of court for violating a gag order in a 2009 capital murder case. Crispin Harmel is accused of strangling Jessika Kalaher. Candidate, whose office was attacked, reaches runoff A Democratic candidate for Jefferson County sheriff who had a window shot out at her campaign office hours before the election will advance to a runoff. Zena Stephens faces Joe Stevenson in the May runoff and the winner advances to the November general election. Stephens and Stevenson were the top two vote getters among three candidates in Tuesday's primary. Beaumont police have charged a 19-year-old man with deadly conduct following Monday night's shooting that damaged the Stephens campaign headquarters. Nobody was hurt. Police are trying to determine a motive for the gunfire. Police say witnesses told investigators that someone in an SUV shouted racial slurs before a shot was fired from the vehicle. Stephens is black. Democrat wins primary despite indictment Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price has won the Democratic primary as he seeks re-election while under indictment in a federal public corruption probe. Price on Tuesday defeated two challengers to advance to the Nov. 8 general election. Price was indicted in 2014 on federal charges that he accepted nearly $1 million in bribes. Prosecutors say money was funneled to Price, sometimes via consultants, to provide insider information to businesses bidding to secure various contracts with the county, including for computer-related services. The indictment charges Price with conspiracy to commit bribery and depravation of honest services by mail fraud. Price, who awaits trial, has denied the allegations. He's served on the Dallas County Commission for nearly 30 years. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A former day care owner and her brother-in-law are headed to prison after each were sentenced in a horrific child abuse case involving three adopted children who were starved, beaten and forced to bite each others toes. After a pre-sentence investigation hearing last week, state District Judge Ron Rangel sentenced Iliana Archuleta, 43, to 30 years. Her brother-in-law, Rogelio Archuleta, 30, received a 35-year sentence Tuesday, according to court records. Each were sentenced on three counts of injury to a child, serious bodily injury by omission, with the identical sentences on each count to run concurrently. RELATED: Texas parents kept malnourished son in a cage The pair had applied for deferred adjudication probation in a plea deal and opted for sentencing by the judge. Tim Archuleta, 45, Iliana Archuleta's husband, is scheduled to appear before Rangel on March 9 for sentencing, court records indicate. He faces up to 20 years in prison. Tim and Iliana Archuleta owned Honey Tree Pre-school and Child Development Center in the 8300 block of Culebra Road. The couple and Rogelio Archuleta, the children's uncle, were arrested in October 2012 by Bexar County sheriff's deputies. The investigation that led to the charges was launched after Iliana Archuleta took her adopted son, then 8, to a hospital because he was having seizures. While there, the boy was observed to have bruises all over his body and appeared malnourished, according to arrest warrant affidavits. A girl, then 10, later told investigators that she and her two adopted siblings were being starved, beaten, punished for stealing food, locked in closets and forced to bite each others' toes, and afterward forced to pour bleach on the wounds, the affidavits stated. According to the documents, the child told investigators that she and her siblings were forced by her parents and uncle, who lived with the family at the time, to sleep in a bathtub, with a sliding door locked and a bucket left for them to use for their waste. The child also told investigators that the children sometimes were made to eat butter and drink water until they vomited, and were then forced to consume the vomit as well, according to the affidavits. The family had a history with Child Protective Services. The couple had fostered two other children who were removed from the couple's care in 2007 after they were alleged to have been abused, according to Express-News archives. Staff Writer Jacob Beltran contributed to this report. ezavala@express-news.net Twitter: @elizabeth2863 This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Embattled state Rep. Ron Reynolds will have to compete in a primary runoff election come May after all. Though Reynolds appeared to have captured more than 50 percent toward the end of election night, late returns pushed the Missouri City Democrat's total below the threshold needed to avoid a runoff. Unofficial results show Reynolds garnered 48.5 percent of the vote, coming about 250 votes shy of the total needed to avoid a May 24 runoff with businesswoman Angelique Bartholomew. The two are vying to be the Democratic nominee in House District 27. Four Democratic candidates competed to represent the district, which extends across eastern Fort Bend County and takes in most of Missouri City and parts of Houston and Sugar Land. A Montgomery County jury sentenced Reynolds last year to the maximum one year in jail and a fine for his conviction on five counts of misdemeanor barratry. Though his opponents contended the conviction would deprive constituents of the representation they deserved, Reynolds has remained popular and maintained the backing of Democratic officeholders. The first African-American elected to the state House from Fort Bend County, he has called the conviction "frivolous" and politically motivated. Reynolds, an attorney, is appealing the decision. In a campaign email Wednesday, Reynolds thanked supporters and touted what he described as his "clean, positive campaign." "We have the momentum!" the email read. Bartholomew's campaign sent out an email that attributed her success to "a strong, grassroots campaign" built on shared values related to education, health care and social justice. Reached by phone, the mother of five said it had been a happy night in her household. "We see what's the great opportunity for our friends and neighbors and what's in store for our community," Bartholomew said. "We're looking forward to this." The Democratic winner will face Republican nominee Ken Bryant, a lawyer, in the general election. Reporter Dug Begley contributed to this article. Police are questioning three people who were taken into custody in southeast Houston after shots were fired at a police officer, authorities said. Officers were sent to investigate reports of gunfire about 2:15 p.m. Wednesday at an apartment complex in the 8700 block of Broadway. Gary Coronado/Staff Three Waller County jail guards have asked a federal court judge to remove them from a lawsuit brought by the family of Sandra Bland, a 28-year-old black woman found hanging in her jail cell last summer after a traffic stop escalated into an assault charge. Bland had been outspoken on social media about the Black Lives Matter movement, and her death has become a focal point for groups mobilizing to end police brutality and law enforcement overreach. Ive been gone a while from the blogging scene. Some of my more regular readers no doubt noticed but did not hassle me about it. Thank you for that. Sinc... 6 years ago This article will be published on March 28th. At a time when the public good is under attack and there seems to be a growing apathy toward the social contract or any other civic-minded investment in public values and the larger common good, education has to be seen as more than a credential or a pathway to a job, and pedagogy as more than teaching to the test. Against pedagogies of repression such as high-stakes testing, which largely serve as neoliberal forms of discipline to promote conformity and limit the imagination, critical pedagogy must be viewed as crucial to understanding and overcoming the current crises of agency, politics, and historical memory faced by many young people today. One of the challenges facing the current generation of educators and students is the need to reclaim the role that education has historically played in developing critical literacies and civic capacities. Education must mobilize students to be critically engaged agents, attentive to important social issues and alert to the responsibility of deepening and expanding the meaning and practices of a vibrant democracy. At the heart of such a challenge is the question of what education should accomplish in a democracy. In a world that has largely abandoned egalitarian and democratic impulses, what will it take to educate young people to challenge authority, resist the notion that education is only training, and redefine public and higher education as democratic public spheres? -- Supreme Court justices question impact of Texas abortion law, by the Chronicles Brian Rosenthal. It took all of about 10 minutes for the U.S. Supreme Court's key justice in the case to float the idea of sending it back to Texas. Such a move, Justice Anthony Kennedy suggested, would allow abortion providers more time to gather evidence about the impact of the 2013 law and whether the few clinics in compliance with its regulations could handle an increase in women seeking the procedure. Although Kennedy did not mention it, that option also would have the benefit of likely bringing the case back when the court is at full strength. -- GOP insiders see forced choice between Trump, Cruz after Super Tuesday, by the Chronicles Kevin Diaz. Nobody thought it would come to this. Even the Cruz campaign strategy rested on the assumption that the race for the GOP presidential nomination would eventually narrow down to a choice between a conservative and an establishment figure. Instead, it looks like it's coming down to a choice between two outsiders who play to voter anger and are both distrusted by many Beltway Republicans. -- UT leader defends expansion in Houston, by The Dallas Morning News Bobby Blanchard. The letter - which was also sent to Texas House Speaker Joe Straus, the members of the Texas House and the members of the Texas Senate - is a rebuttal to a letter 35 former University of Houston regents sent in February to the same groups. McRaven writes in his letter that many of the points the former regents raised in that letter need correction or clarification. Specifically, McRaven reiterated that the UT System is not building a new university in Houston. He argued the UT System was acting transparently because it had invited the University of Houston System, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating board and other groups to send representatives to a task force examining how best to use more than 300 acres of recently purchased land in Houston. -- Romney to urge Republicans to shun Trump, by the APs Steve Peoples, Julie Pace and Kathleen Hennessey. Former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney charged into the increasingly divisive 2016 GOP White House sweepstakes Thursday with a harsh takedown of front-runner Donald Trump, calling him a "phony" and exhorting fellow Republicans to shun him for the good of the country and party. In turning up the rhetoric, Romney cast his lot with a growing chorus of anxious Republican leaders people many Trump supporters view as establishment figures in trying to slow the New York real estate mogul's momentum. -- Travis County GOP split over controversial chairman-elect, by The Texas Tribunes Jordan Rudner. Now, members of the Travis County GOP are split about their feelings toward their divisive incoming chairman some pledge mass mutiny, but others embrace him as an agent of change. Morrow is no stranger to controversy. Hes openly wished several politicians would have heart attacks, says he believes members of the Bush family should be in jail and operates three Twitter accounts, one of which is exclusively dedicated to the theory that President Lyndon B. Johnson was behind the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. -- Voucher supporters outline what they argue is a path to victory for them in Texas, by Quorum Reports Kimberly Reeves. To be successful in a state voucher fight, proponents must have two things: business leaders who support the cause and a motivated governor. That was the message at the Texas Business Leadership Councils Policy Summit on Monday, which provided a window into what will likely be another contentious brawl over private school vouchers, and voucher-like instruments, next session. SPEED READ Texas Take: The winnowing that wasnt, Houston Chronicle Ramsey: A good election night to be a Texas incumbent, The Texas Tribune High court judge questions ruling to dismiss abuse-of-power charges against Perry, San Antonito Express-News Texas ed board dreads possible return of culture war with anti-gay candidate, The Dallas Morning News Avoidable problems left Bexar voters angry, San Antonio Express-News 4 takeaways from Congressman Brady's win, Houston Chronicle Is Trump-the-unifier juicing GOP turnout? Yes, but maybe not exactly in Texas, The Dallas Morning News Texas trooper indicted over Sandra Bland stop formally fired, Austin American-Statesman Grieder: Lessons from Super Tuesday, Texas Monthly UT System Chancellor Bill McRaven defends Houston expansion to Abbott, Patrick, The Dallas Morning News The winnowing that wasn't, Houston Chronicle Avoidable problems left Bexar voters angry, San Antonio Express-News Texas education board dreads possible return of culture war with anti-gay candidate, The Dallas Morning News The GOP is the Titanic, and other ruminations from Ted Cruzs Super Tuesday Party, Texas Observer What psychiatrists make of Donald Trump, Houston Chronicle Laredo mayor doesnt rule out voting for Trump, Texas Tribune Garcias political future unclear after two losses in five months, Houston Chronicle Presidential races tax debate lacking reality, Houston Chronicle Pioneering Oklahoma energy CEO dies in fiery car crash, AP QUOTE TO NOTE I am watching television and I am seeing ad after ad after ad put in by the establishment knocking the hell out of me, and its really unfair. But if I leave, if I go, regardless of independent, which I may do I mean, may or may not. But if I go, I will tell you, these millions of people that joined, theyre all coming with me. -- Donald Trump on MSNBCs Morning Joe again threatening an independent bid RACE TO THE WHITE HOUSE -- SIREN: Justice Dept. grants immunity to staffer who set up Clinton email server, by The Washington Posts Adam Goldman.The official said the FBI had secured the cooperation of Bryan Pagliano, who worked on Clintons 2008 presidential campaign before setting up the server in her New York home in 2009. As the FBI looks to wrap up its investigation in the coming months, agents are likely to want to interview Clinton and her senior aides about the decision to use a private server, how it was set up, and whether any of the participants knew they were sending classified information in emails, current and former officials said. -- 5 myths about Trump supporters, by Politicos Scott Bland. Yes, Trump is trouncing his rivals through support among men, among self-professed angry voters and among conservatives but exit polls from 15 nominating contests reveal that his support extends far beyond that, showing Trump making inroads into demographic groups and ideologies thought to be far outside his range of appeal. The new, more accurate picture of Trumps supporters reveals why Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio have thus far failed to surpass the billionaires coalition and reveals what may be their last, best hope for stopping him. -- Trump rivals limp to crucial debate, by Politicos Alex Isenstadt. Republicans gather for their eleventh debate on Thursday amid growing consternation from those in the GOP establishment that Donald Trump is unstoppable. In the hours since Trumps Super Tuesday romp, Republicans have intensified their push to defeat him, with GOP groups digging into their bank accounts for an air assault in Florida. Top operatives are laying groundwork for primaries on March 15, perhaps the last chance to defeat the billionaire mogul. And Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, under growing duress, are getting ready to deliver harsh attacks on the front-runner in Thursdays primetime debate in Detroit. -- What to watch for at Thursdays GOP debate, CNNs MJ Lee. The prime-time event, hosted by Fox News in Detroit, also comes as the anti-Trump movement among Republicans is belatedly beginning to gain steam, including with the 2012 candidate, Mitt Romney, who is set to give a speech attacking the front-runner Thursday morning. Here's what to watch Thursday night The summers final Live on the Waterfront concert was held Wednesday evening at Prince Arthurs Landing. The popular series in Thunder Bay has completed nine weekly shows that began on July 13. Wednesdays concert was unique as it was held one hour later in the evening to mesh with the 10 p. As program hierarchy system changes, fewer applicants will be subject to settlement funds requirement Latest draw marked the second time this year that the CRS point requirement has been as low as 453 IRCC Addresses Hierarchy Issue for Express Entry Candidates Eligible for Multiple Programs As program hierarchy system changes, fewer applicants will be subject to settlement funds requirement Latest draw marked the second time this year that the CRS point requirement has been as low as 453 IRCC Addresses Hierarchy Issue for Express Entry Candidates Eligible for Multiple Programs As program hierarchy system changes, fewer applicants will be subject to settlement funds requirement Latest draw marked the second time this year that the CRS point requirement has been as low as 453 IRCC Addresses Hierarchy Issue for Express Entry Candidates Eligible for Multiple Programs As program hierarchy system changes, fewer applicants will be subject to settlement funds requirement Latest draw marked the second time this year that the CRS point requirement has been as low as 453 CIC News Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif Sans Font Size A A The department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC, formerly known as CIC) has confirmed that it is changing the hierarchy system with respect to the immigration programs managed through the Express Entry selection system. As of the next draw from the Express Entry pool, candidates eligible under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) who have enough Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points to be issued an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence will receive an ITA under the CEC, regardless of whether they are also eligible under another program. The CEC is an immigration program for individuals with Canadian work experience who wish to become permanent residents. Until now, candidates who received an ITA under the Federal Skilled Worker Class (FSWC), despite also being eligible under CEC, may have experienced unforeseen problems with respect to meeting the settlement funds requirement and/or obtaining an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA), which is required under FSW but not under CEC. The change in the program hierarch system came to light following a meeting between representatives from IRCC and representatives from the Canadian Bar Association (CBA), the largest professional association for lawyers in Canada, held in Ottawa on February 24, 2016. The minutes of this meeting reveal that, in response to a question on ITAs, IRCC stated that it would be changing the hierarchy system so that at the next round of invitations CEC will be ranked before FSW [Federal Skilled Worker} and FST [Federal Skilled Trades]. Why this matters Since the introduction of the program hierarchy system last year, in order to balance application levels under the federal immigration programs submitted through Express Entry, the FSWC has been prioritized above the two other programs. In the event that a candidate was eligible under the FSWC and another program (i.e. either CEC or FST), his or her ITA would be issued under the FSWC. The only historical exception to this was a program-specific round of invitations that occurred in February, 2015, in which only candidates eligible under the CEC were issued an ITA. An ITA issued under the CEC and an ITA issued under the FSWC are not the same. The main difference between the two is that, under the CEC, the applicant is not required to demonstrate settlement funds. On the other hand, under the FSWC, the Canada Immigration Officer assessing an application must be satisfied that the applicant has enough funds for settlement in Canada. These funds which range from CAN $12,164 for a single applicant to CAN $32,191 for a family with seven or more members must be transferable and net of debts or other obligations. The requirement for settlement funds is waived if the applicant has Arranged Employment in Canada. Because of this differentiating factor, candidates who are eligible under both CEC and FSW particularly those who may struggle to maintain sufficient settlement funds in their account(s) would typically prefer to submit their application through CEC. In its summary of the meeting with IRCC representatives, the CBA Chair noted that CEC applications are both easier for them to process and easier for our clients, adding that this is a positive outcome resulting from our previous consultations of May and November 2015. February 24 Draw While the IRCC and CBA representatives were busy discussing these matters on the morning of February 24, a total of 1,484 candidates for immigration to Canada through Express Entry received the good news that they had been issued an ITA in the 28th Express Entry draw, the fifth to take place in the first two months of 2016. This draw also marked the second time this year that the CRS point requirement has been as low as 453. While there was a marginal decrease in the CRS point requirement, relative to the previous (27th) draw, candidates should be mindful that it is expected that the minimum score for Express Entry draws may drop even further as the year progresses and additional draws occur, as per comments made by IRCC towards the end of 2015. Each draw for the past nine months has selected a portion of candidates who do not have a qualifying job offer in Canada or a nomination from a Canadian province. Positives on two fronts It is interesting to note that at the very moment that IRCC and the CBA were discussing these important matters, lots of people around the world were receiving communication from IRCC that their time had come they finally had their ITA. It is also heartening to see that IRCC and the CBA can meet and arrive at positive outcomes for all stakeholders, most notably the candidates themselves. Hopefully the switch in program hierarchy is the first of many such instances, says Attorney David Cohen. And while the pace of the overall decrease in CRS point requirements for draws may seem slow to some, people should remember that the first draw after last years general election had a CRS cut-off of 489, and the first draw after the current government took office had a CRS cut-off of 484. Since then, we have now had two draws of 453 among four draws in a row below 460. The overall trend is positive for candidates remaining in the pool. The 2016 immigration levels plan The government of Canada is scheduled to table its 2016 immigration levels plan to Parliament on or before March 9, 2016. Among other details, this plan is expected to announce how many immigrants Canada aims to attract over the year and reveal a breakdown in the number of immigrants that will be allocated to the various Canadian immigration programs. This plan is usually presented by November of any given year, but has been delayed on this occasion due to the change in government at that time last year. Interestingly, last December an IRCC Policy Analyst stated that there may be a correlation between the immigration plan and Express Entry rounds of invitations. We expect that in the new year when our rounds start growing to meet our new levels plan that the score will reduce, stated the IRCC Policy Analyst, who added that The number of invitations issued per round is expected to increase as the pre-Express Entry inventory of applications is finalised. In turn, it is expected that the minimum score of those that are invited to apply will drop. With this projection in mind, it may be the case that the objectives contained in the immigration plan will be the catalyst for a further reduction in CRS point requirements for draws from the Express Entry pool. To find out if you are eligible for any of over 60 Canadian immigration programs, including the federal economic programs that are processed under Express Entry, please fill out a free online assessment today. 2016 CICNews All Rights Reserved In a surreal reversion to the reactive thinking that contributed to New Yorks sky-high crime rates of the early 1990s, Manhattan district attorney Cyrus Vance has just announced that his office and the NYPD will focus their attention on serious crimes instead of on low-level offenses like litter, public drinking, and public urination. Persons committing such allegedly minor offenses will now overwhelmingly be given a summons, if they are stopped at all, rather than be arrested; in response to that summons, they will have to pay a fine rather than face a judge and prosecutor. It was this specious distinction between serious and insignificant offenses that Commissioner William Bratton torpedoed in his first tour as head of the New York Police Department in 1994. Bratton was then the most influential exponent of Broken Windows policing; that theory recognizes that allegedly minor offenses are often committed by individuals engaged in more serious crimes. Get a criminal off the streets for a low-level misdemeanor and you stand a good chance of preventing a felony. New York States prison population gives evidence for that proposition: the state prison rolls dropped 17 percent from 2000 to 2009, even as misdemeanor arrests in New York City (the overwhelming source of the state prison population) more than doubled. The reason for that decrease in the prison population (even as felony sentence lengths were rising) was that officers were intervening in criminal behavior earlier, before it had the chance to ripen into a felony. But even if there were not a great chain of being in criminal offending, responding seriously to Broken Windows offenses is a moral imperative. Residents of high-crime neighborhoods complain to the police most frequently about the public disorder in their neighborhoods, rather than about violent felonies. They rightly want the same of quality of life that residents of more affluent neighborhoods take for granted. Vance and Mayor Bill de Blasio justify this change in policy as a way to free up more police and court time toward the pursuit of serious offenders. These policy makers are signaling to police officers that the NYPD and Manhattan prosecutors no longer regard public-order offenses as a high priority. Some officers still equate real police work with arresting a robber; motivating them to take quality-of-life offenses seriously has always been a challenge. After this official recalibration of response, it is unlikely that officers will continue to devote much attention, if any, to public disorder. The litter on Manhattan streets has already become intolerable over the last year, signaling a city in decline. Such urban filth will now only grow worse. The change in policy signals to offenders as well that the police department no longer regards offenses against the public order as serious. In theory, a summons and fine could be an adequate deterrent to anti-civil behavior. But arrested criminals already have a sky-high rate of evading court and of skipping out on warrants. Compliance with the law is not likely to increase under this change. Like all of the ongoing seismic changes in the criminal-justice system, the attack on Broken Windows policing is driven by race. But if the majority of arrests for public-order offenses occur in minority neighborhoods, that is because the majority of such offenses occur there as well. The solution to racial disparities in the criminal-justice system is not to target policing. It is to bring the black crime rate down, something that depends first and foremost on revalorizing the two-parent family. Until that happens, however, downgrading the police response to public disorder does a disservice to the residents who have to live with its consequences. Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images While lead in the tap water in Flint, Michigan, caused national outrage, many older cities, including St. Louis, have battled a more severe threat from lead for decades. St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that at least 3,300 kids in St. Louis have toxic levels of lead in their blood, which can lead to decreased intelligence, learning disabilities, stunted growth and other health problems. The problem isnt in the tap water; its in old houses with lead-contaminated paint. I hate lead because theres nothing good about it, said Dr. Andrew White, professor of pediatrics at Washington University. Its effects are essentially irreversible and devastating. In Flint, pediatricians raised red flags when the percentage of children testing high for lead went from 2 percent to 4 percent after the city switched the source of its tap water, causing lead in pipes to leach into the water. Now the high blood lead levels in Flint have dropped back to 2 percent of the children tested, or 38 children with high levels, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. In St. Louis, 9.2 percent, or 1,123 children tested in 2014, had a lead level above 5 micrograms per deciliter of blood, the federal threshold for intervention. There is no safe level of lead in the body. State records show an additional 2,189 children in the city have lead levels between 3 and 5, which can cause developmental delays and a permanent drop in IQ. In several neighborhoods, more than 20 percent of kids have high lead levels, including Gravois Park, Fairground and Kingsway East. Children 6 and younger in St. Louis make up 14 percent of all the kids tested for lead in the state, but 40 percent of those with high levels. In some sense, the sensationalism of Flint has overshadowed the larger problem of most older inner cities, White said. This is a perfect time to refocus the efforts on St. Louis. Circumstances like Flint, while they are attention-grabbing and newsworthy, shouldnt detract from the ongoing similar environmental challenges that we have here that may actually be more severe. Other cities with old housing stock struggle with the same problem. Nearly 14 percent of young children tested in Cleveland have high lead levels in their blood. In Chicago, the rate is 9.3 percent, and in Detroit, 8 percent. The U.S. and Missouri average is 4 percent. St. Louis Countys rate is 2.6 percent. Almost 90 percent of the housing stock in St. Louis was built before 1978, when lead paint was banned. Even if homes are repainted, the threat from lead cannot be eliminated. Disturbing walls and windows can dislodge paint chips and dust, which can be ingested or inhaled by children. While lead is dangerous at any age, the developing brains and nervous systems in children are most at risk from the toxic metal. Caden Anderson, 4, tested at a blood lead level above 20 micrograms last year. The high level triggered visits from a public health nurse for retesting, and his level has since gone down. Cadens grandmother, Anquanetta Williams, said her son also had lead poisoning as a child growing up in the city. Their home in north St. Louis is being repainted inside and out through the citys Lead Safe Work Project. Williams said she is aware of the hazards from lead because of her work in a child care center. I think its a good program. Theyre sure willing to help you out, Williams said. I dont want him to get sick. Lead poisoning reached epidemic levels nationwide in the 1970s when gasoline and paint still contained lead. By the late 1990s, there was a big push to clean up the residual lead in houses and soil. In 2003, St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay vowed to eradicate lead poisoning by 2010 through increased testing and remediation projects. The city hired a consultant from the Coalition to End Childhood Poisoning in Baltimore, and the efforts were successful. In the 1990s, about one in four St. Louis children had lead poisoning. By 2011, the rate dropped to one in 50. But the improvements have slowed. In 2012, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lowered the definition for potential lead poisoning from 10 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood to 5 after scientists showed that children can suffer harm from even low-level concentrations of lead. Suddenly, 10 percent of city children met the definition. The change came at the same time federal money was cut for lead cleanup programs. In 2004, the city had received $9 million in grants, mostly from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. An additional $7 million came in 2006 and again in 2008. In 2011, the grant was reduced to $3 million. The city was last awarded a $2.5 million HUD grant in 2014 to last for three years. Another setback came in 2007 when the Missouri Supreme Court ruled that the city of St. Louis was not entitled to damages from the makers of lead paint. The city had sued Benjamin Moore & Co., Sherwin-Williams and other paint manufacturers to seek money for cleaning up lead paint in old homes. Several other anti-lead efforts in St. Louis have ended. The St. Louis Lead Prevention Coalition disbanded in 2014. Health and Environmental Justice St. Louis, a nonprofit group that produced public service announcements called Get the Lead Out, hasnt existed since 2003. The Missouri Foundation for Health last awarded a lead removal grant in 2004, which funded the Lead Safe St. Louis campaign through 2007 with $1.4 million. The Lead Safe St. Louis campaign met its goals of coordinating the health department and building division to test kids and fix up their homes when necessary, according to Maggie Crane, the citys communications director. After eliminating one lead-related position in the last five years, the city has 28 full-time employees working on lead projects. The city now diverts some funds from building permit fees toward lead remediation projects, generating $2 million last year. The city has seen an 88 percent decrease in kids with elevated lead levels in their blood, Crane said. Continuing to reduce lead poisoning in our children continues the child testing, home testing, and home remediation are still robust activities. State law requires annual testing of all children ages 6 and younger in St. Louis, but only about half get tested each year. Testing is also mandatory in six ZIP codes in St. Louis County with older housing stock, including areas of Ladue, Clayton, Richmond Heights, Maplewood, Brentwood and Kinloch. In Jefferson County, children in Herculaneum are required to be tested because of contamination from a lead smelter. Day cares are supposed to require confirmation of testing prior to enrollment, but the rule is rarely enforced. Lead poisoning can be difficult to diagnose, which is why the annual screenings are necessary. When a child has a lead level of 5 micrograms, its a signal for further action. Were not saying your child is poisoned or thats a toxic level, but that is an alert that theyre being exposed somehow and we need to figure that out to prevent a chronic exposure, said Julie Weber, director of the Missouri Poison Center at Cardinal Glennon Childrens Medical Center. The poison center receives about 60 to 70 calls a year regarding lead exposure. Perhaps most discouraging for public health advocates was the end of the Heavy Metal Project that tested the homes of pregnant women in St. Louis for lead hazards and fixed them before the babies were born. The projects results were published in a 2012 issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, which showed success in preventing lead poisoning in infants. We did show that if you can identify moms who live in houses with lead hazards, you can sweep the house clean before the baby gets home and remove lead hazards and create a safe environment, said Dr. Gilad Gross, one of the studys authors and now a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at St. Louis University. Another of the studys authors, Dr. Daniel Berg, said without the prenatal prevention programs it is virtually impossible to eliminate lead poisoning. The issue is old housing stock and poverty, said Berg, who now works at Family Care Health Centers. St. Louis Childrens Hospital treats dozens of children every year for lead poisoning. One child last summer almost died with a blood lead level over 100 after he ate paint chips, Dr. White said. Lead poisoning at levels above 45 micrograms is treated with drugs that bind to the lead to help the body expel it. But the lead can be absorbed by the bones and continue to leach into the body for years. Roger Lewis, director of the Environmental Health Research Laboratory at St. Louis University, oversees studies on lead exposure and its potential links to crime, violence and risky behaviors. I think someday well find out that lead has been a bigger problem than we could ever imagine in terms of socio-behavioral problems along with intellectual deficits we already know about, he said. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Square Grand Piano Owned by Mary Todd Lincoln's Sister Restored by Springfield Art Association Antique musical instruments are not only considered valuable because of their rarity, but also because they tell the story of whomever handled them -- or, in this case, heard them. A 180-year-old square grand piano, believed to have been housed in the parlor of Mary Todd Lincoln's sister, where the not-quite president Abraham Lincoln had courted his future wife, has recently been restored for $17,000 by the Springfield Art Association. A common sight for the time, but a funny-looking object by today's standards, the squat and broad square grand piano was likely manufactured between 1835 and 1840 in Philadelphia by E.N. Scherr. From there, it made its way to the sitting room of Ninian Edwards and his wife Elizabeth (Mary Todd Lincoln's sister). In those years, Abraham Lincoln was a frequent visitor. His connection with the instrument was even supported, according to CBS News, in an 1895 interview with another sister of Mary Todd (Frances Todd Wallace), who mentioned how "Lincoln liked to hear the piano, and he liked to hear us sing." Although the house no longer exists, the piano passed to different hands (including the state of Illinois), and money was recently raised by the Springfield Art Association to restore the piano to its original condition. Of the piano's unique qualities, Steve Schmidt, the owner of The Piano People in Champaign (who actually did the restoration work) remarked that the piano has a "charming little sound". The square grand piano debuted at Edwards Place last month, the city's oldest home. CBS also reported that as part of the event, pianist Jane Hartman Irwin gave a performance -- making a point to avoid the use of full "concert arms" in handling the delicate instrument. "You've got to be gentle," she stressed. One piece that Jane performed was "Ben Bolt", an 1848 tune by Nelson Kneass based on an 1843 poem by Thomas Dunn English; the piece was said to be one of Lincoln's favorites while he was a lawyer. Although the degree to which Lincoln was connected with the piano cannot be proven, the thought, alone, that Abraham Lincoln had at least heard the piano in some capacity is enough to draw attention from continued admirers of one of America's greatest presidents. Explore the unique qualities of the squat square grand piano below. (Tip: You won't find one of these in the Steinway catalogue.) 2016 The Classical Art, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. TagsAbraham Lincoln, piano, period instruments, Restored, Mary Todd Lincoln Kevin Hart Rumored to be Front-Runner to Host Academy Awards Next Year As if he needed more exposure, Kevin Hart is now the front-runner to host the Academy Awards in 2017. After Chris Rock mentioned his name in the opening monologue of this year's awards, rumor has it that the powers that be are hoping to book the actor and comedian for next year's ceremony. The Academy definitely wants to skew a little younger and look a little more hip," the source told HollywoodLife exclusively. "And with ratings down yet again this year, they are already thinking about the host next year. And Kevin is on their radar and the front-runner to host next year. And he would do it 100% if and when officially asked. Rock didn't hold anything back during his Oscars opening, hitting on everything from Hollywood's racism to Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith boycotting the show to the possibility of Hart getting the hosting gig. No one with a job ever tells you to quit. I thought about quitting, I thought about it really hard," he said in his monologue. "But I realized, theyre going to have it anyway. Theyre not going to cancel because I quit. And the last thing I need is to lose another job to Kevin Hart. Kevin makes movies fast porn stars dont make movies that fast. A photo posted by kevinhart4real (@kevinhart4real) on Feb 28, 2016 at 7:12pm PST Hart is one of the most in-demand comic actors. The 36-year-old has been doing back-to-back movies and television appearances; as a result, his net worth has skyrocketed to $62 million. And that figure would get a healthy boost from a high-profile hosting gig like the Academy Awards. 2016 The Classical Art, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. TagsKevin Hart, Chris Rock, Oscars 2016 United Nations Turns to Fun Home To Help End LGBT Discrimination with Special Performance If you tuned into last years Tony Awards or had the good fortune of seeing Fun Home on Broadway, you know how powerful the show can be. But did you have any idea that it could help change the world? The UN has just used Fun Home as a tool to promote LGBT rights in other countries. Representatives from 15 countries, including Russia, Colombia, Mexico and Uruguay were treated to a special performance of the Broadway hit as part of campaign to help end discrimination across the globe. The U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, spoke to reporters about the show, saying (via Reuters): "[Fun Home brings home the challenges that LGBTI are facing every day around the world." Powers also addressed the cast, thanking them for the special performance: "Thank you for bringing this all home in a way that resolutions and statements never can." According to Reuters, representatives from Russia, Gabon, Namibia, European Union, Australia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, Uruguay and Vietnam were among the 15 ambassadors. The publication also noted that in 75 being gay is still considered a crime. What do you think about the special performance? Can Fun Home help change hearts and minds on the issue? Do you that musicals have the power to tap the soul? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section at the bottom of the page. As for us here at Classicalite, we also extend our gratitude to the cast, crew and creative team of Fun Home for their continuing message of love and acceptance. 2016 The Classical Art, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. TagsUnited Nations, Home, End, LGBT, Discrimination, Special, Performance Click image for details. You are invited to take a FREE virtual field trip to the Humboldt Current Large Marine Ecosystem! Grades 3 8 The Humboldt Current Large Marine Ecosystem is the most productive marine ecosystem in the world, as well as the largest upwelling system. Because of its high rate of primary and secondary productivity, approximately 18-20% of the worlds fish catch comes from the Humboldt Current Large Marine Ecosystem. This forms the basis of a unique and abundant ecosystem of fish, sea birds, penguins and marine mammals. Your class can participate in a virtual field trip, along with a fisheries scientist, to coastal Peru to tour this fantastic marine ecosystem. Participation is absolutely free. You can also take advantage of the free, high-quality downloadable teaching materials and lessons that are available. Have a great trip! HUDSON, Ohio -- A former home repair worker is accused of stealing from clients in Summit, Geauga and Cuyahoga counties, including a 76-year-old Hudson woman. Paul Sizemore, 23, who has addresses in Warren, Akron and Bedford, is charged with theft from the elderly in Stow Municipal Court. He also faces three counts of fraud, two counts of theft, two counts of forgery and one count of theft in Geauga County. He also faces charges in connection with a similar scheme in Bedford, police reports say. Sizemore worked for Bedford-based Maintenance Innovation at the time of the crimes in which he's charged. The company owner, Michael Kreinbrook, said he fired Sizemore immediately after finding him stealing gift cards, jewelry and cash from a home in Kirtland. Flaiz said Sizemore first came to the sheriff department's attention in August, when he was accused of stealing four blank checks from a 48-year-old woman's home in Auburn. The company was installing ceiling fans at the home. Sizemore cashed the checks through a mobile banking app for about $900 total, Flaiz said. Sizemore used the bank and routing numbers from a check paid by the 64-year-old home owner to pay his $340 cellphone bill, Flaiz said. Bedford police learned that on Sept. 18 he stole a check from a home and cashed it for $94 using his mobile banking app. A 76-year-old Hudson woman hired the company in December to work on her Jefferson Drive home. The woman later discovered a check missing, according to court records. Bank records showed someone cashed a check for $1,705 that the woman never wrote. Hudson police investigated and found Sizemore wrote the check and cashed it with the app, court records say. CLEVELAND, Ohio - All it takes to see why the city needs new zoning to help it develop a more vital, inviting, pedestrian-friendly downtown is a spin around the Erieview District on foot. Erieview, which extends roughly from East Sixth to East 17th streets and from Chester Avenue to the lakefront, is a wilderness of blank walls of concrete or brick, reflective glass windows, and multistory garages with wide entries and exits, big ventilator grilles and exhaust fans. Jack Hayes, chief designer for Harrison and Abramovitz Architects; James Lister, Cleveland's urban-renewal director; and I.M. Pei, architect at the foot of the 1964 Erieview Tower, the tallest building built in downtown Cleveland since the 1931 Terminal Tower. Cleveland State University Library. The district is a legacy of 1960s Urban Renewal, the federal program that helped cities demolish and replace large areas of so-called blight with modernist housing and office blocks. It was also inspired by the now widely discredited scrape-it-flat-and-rebuild theories of the Swiss-born modernist architect Le Corbusier, who once recommended bulldozing the heart of Paris and replacing it with cross-shaped concrete towers. Other inspirations were rooted in the architecture of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, the German emigre who coined the phrase "less is more," and whose best buildings are lean poems in glass and steel. Sins of the modernists From the distant perspective of the city's skyline, Erieview looks like a collection of middling efforts by architects and firms that followed "Corbu" and Mies, such as Wallace Harrison, Emery Roth & Sons, and Skidmore Owings & Merrill, aka SOM. At sidewalk level, it looks bleak, lifeless and surreal, even a bit scary. A still taken from the new documentary film on the renovation and re-skinning of the Anthony J. Celebrezze Federal Building in downtown Cleveland, made by Cleveland filmmaker Tom Ball, shows the 1961 Erieview plan. On Feb. 19, the city's Planning Commission approved a limited trial run for a new type of zoning that would prevent or at least blunt the long-lasting ugliness that mars Erieview. City Council, which will have the final say, has yet to approve the new regulation, which would at first apply only to the 1,200-unit apartment, office and retail development proposed by Weston Inc. and Citymark Capital on two blocks now occupied by surface parking in the city's Warehouse District. But council is showing serious interest in revamping the zoning not just for downtown, but the entire city. Serious momentum On Friday at 2 p.m., City Council President Kevin Kelley will convene a public meeting on zoning in Dively Auditorium at Cleveland State University's Levin College of Urban Affairs, 1717 Euclid Ave. The event follows a symposium on zoning last fall co-sponsored by the city and the local chapter of the Urban Land Institute, a national real estate think tank. A still taken from the new documentary film on the renovation and re-skinning of the Anthony J. Celebrezze Federal Building in downtown Cleveland, made by Cleveland filmmaker Tom Ball, shows the bombed-out look of the Erieview urban renewal area in the late 1960s. It will include a presentation by the city's Planning Commission and a discussion on next steps, and it shows a serious desire for change both on the part of council and the administration of Mayor Frank Jackson. That's important, because if the city is to truly benefit from the current demographic influx of millennials, empty-nesters and professionals, it needs to learn from past mistakes, including those of Erieview. Now called the Nine Twelve District after the major north-south streets that run through it, Erieview was Cleveland's biggest 20th-century experiment in wholesale redevelopment. Largely using federal dollars, the city acquired and bulldozed roughly 200 acres of downtown fabric in the early 1960s, creating vast development sites and parking lot wastelands, some of which remain today. The big plan The guide for reconstruction came from architect I.M. Pei's 1961 Erieview Plan, but the echoes of Corbusier and Mies are easy to see, as is the problem that while those designers created beautiful individual buildings, they never mastered the art of creating lively streetscapes. Nor did their followers. Master at work: Le Corbusier, left and Jose Oubrerie at work on one of the great modern architect's last buildings. Photo courtesy of Jose Oubrerie, supplied by the Wexner Center for the Arts. Corbu's individual buildings are masterpieces of modernism, but works by followers have also created cities with harsh, inhospitable streetscapes. To be sure, there's welcome relief at Perk Park, the excellent, one-acre oasis of greenery at Chester Avenue and East 12th Street. It was revamped in 2012 in a $3.3 million project led by the nonprofit LAND Studio and designed by New York landscape architect Thomas Balsley. That project, plus marketing, streetscape maintenance and safety patrols organized by the Downtown Cleveland Alliance, have helped to spur reinvestment. A ramp to remember But Erieview's doozies still poke at the eye. They include the mix-master spiral garage ramp on the Chester Avenue side of the 1973 Reserve Square apartments, a pair of massive Corbusian slab towers at 1701 East 12th St. Garages also dominate 330 feet of frontage along Superior and Chestnut avenues between Emery Roth's 1959 East Ohio Gas Building at 1717 East Ninth St. and the black glass and steel 1972 Diamond Shamrock building at 1100 Superior Ave., designed by SOM, and both influenced by Mies. Jane Jacobs in Toronto, 2004, two years before her death in 2006 at age 89. Jacobs railed against modernist architecture and city planning in her 1961 classic, "The Death and Life of Great American Cities." (AP Photo/CP files, Adrian Wyld) Generations of urban critics from Jane Jacobs in the 1960s onward have railed at such sins of modernist architecture and have championed the low- to mid-rise apartments lined with retail shops and eateries along sidewalks. Great local examples of this street-savvy urbanism include the recently redeveloped East Fourth Street in downtown and excellent new Uptown development in University Circle, both developed by MRN Ltd. of Cleveland. Tailored to one project The new zoning under consideration for the Weston-Citymark project would limit the width of garage entries and exits, and service bays. And it would require that a high percentage of ground floors of buildings be devoted to active uses, such as retail, and impose requirements for lots of glass and transparency at ground level. It would function as an "overlay," like a sheet of paper literally laid atop the existing zoning. Where the two are in conflict, the new overlay would rule. Where they are in agreement, the new overlay would be silent. Desired: A rendering of the proposed Weston Inc. and Citymark Capital development in the Warehouse District that would fill two large surface parking lots. Last minute changes for new zoning recommended for the site could allow the developer to wrap parking garages with blank walls. Rendering by Gensler. The "urban core" overlay represents the city's most significant experiment yet with "form-based" zoning, which requires architects and developers to meet certain dimensional and proportional design goals, rather than more abstract traditional metrics such as the ratio of a building's floor area to its lot size. The overlay is a mix of carrots and sticks. In exchange for agreement on the requirements, a developer would have an easier time winning a building permit, which means spending less time and money than under the present system. The new zoning generally adopts a stance befitting a city that expects more from developers than it has in the past. A key dilution It's important to note, however, that the specific overlay proposed for the Warehouse District underwent some last-minute dilution before the Planning Commission approved it. Meeting on Zoning What's happening: "Cleveland's Form-Based Code: Next Steps." Venue: Dively Room, first floor, Cleveland State University's Levin College of Urban Affairs. Where: 1717 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. When: 2 p.m. Friday, March 4. Admission: Free. Instead of simply requiring developers to wrap the primary and secondary frontages of parking garages with offices, retail or housing, the new language states that a developer could also provide a garage with a facade "that does not appear as a parking structure." That's pretty much the same as saying blank walls are OK, and that's not good enough for the Warehouse District or the rest of downtown, should the city decide to apply the new zoning overlay elsewhere. As a stroll around Erieview shows, the mistakes of the 1960s don't deserve an encore. gavel.JPG Two California men pleaded guilty to ripping off homeowners in a loan-modification scheme. (File photo) CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Two men who drew the ire of the Ohio Attorney General's Office last year pleaded guilty to federal charges that accused them of stealing client's money through a loan-modification scam. Mehdi Moarefian, 36, of Irvine, California and Serj Geutssoyan, 33, of Santa Ana, California pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges last month in a federal court in Connecticut. They are scheduled to be sentenced in May. Both men admitted that they cold-called people and offered loan-modification services in exchange for up-front payments. They told customers that they were already approved for a mortgage, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office in Connecticut. Few customers received any of the promised services, and few received refunds when they asked. The men operated their scheme under several different company names, the news release says. Under agreements with prosecutors, Moarefian and Geutssoyan face up to 10 years in prison. They also have agreed to pay $3 million in restitution, according to a news release. The Ohio Attorney General's Office filed suit against the pair in August over similar accusations. They never responded, and Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Maureen Clancy on Feb. 22 ordered them to pay $118,370.06 in damages and penalties. She also banned them from doing business in Ohio until the judgment is paid. The order in the lawsuit lists 16 victims, 15 of which live in Ohio. Of those, six live in northeast Ohio. Attorneys for both men did not immediately return phone calls Thursday. Seven people were indicted in the scheme. Of those, three have pleaded guilty, including Marefian and Geutssoyan. Federal investigators have seized $350,000 from various bank accounts, $362,000 from a Bitcoin account, a $100,000 cashier's check, and a 2013 Ferrari 458 Italia. CLEVELAND, Ohio - I can still remember the little lunchboxes, shaped like ovens. And the chicken pot pies and fruit cups and milkshakes. But most of all I remember how fancy Higbee's Zodiac Room seemed all those years ago when my mom would take me to Parmatown for a treat. Especially when we got a table near the balcony overlooking the sparkling mall. It was the epitome of glamour to a young girl. I realize now we lived less than 5 miles away from Parmatown, but it seemed a big adventure to get dressed up and go out to eat and shop. After lunch, maybe we'd look at the pretty dresses, or stop in the salon. Going to Parmatown was a big deal back in the late 1970s and '80s. It was the heyday for the mall that was built in 1956 and enclosed in 1965. My generation missed out on the department stores downtown, but we had the malls. Thees were our defining shopping and leisure experiences - from elementary school trips with mom and dad to later years of being dropped off in a station wagon at the entrance with firm instruction to meet back there "5 minutes after the movie ends!" Today that Higbee's space is a Walmart. Parmatown itself is gone, demolished after a lingering death to make room for the new Shoppes at Parma lifestyle center. The former belle of the south side - once home to two major department stores and two wings of boutiques - had become a clearing house for cut-rate dress shops, cheap nail salons, T-shirt airbrush joints and strange gift shops selling terrifying made-in-China dolls, belly dancing outfits and crystals. Like many malls of its era, it was a victim of changing shopping trends, a surrounding neighborhood in decline and a location far from highways that didn't fit well with modern shoppers. Long gone too is the May Co., which had a second and third life as Kaufmann's and Macy's before being turned into a pile of rubble. Higbee's - opened in 1967 - became Dillard's before Walmart, a sad slow descent from upscale fashion to a discount superstore. The food court was one of the last areas of the mall to go, demolished earlier this month. Twisted beams and rubble are all that remains of the former site of Orange Julius and Houlihan's and Famous Gyros, and even an Antonio's back in the day. When I outgrew the Zodiac Room with mom, this is where my friends and I hung out, before a giggly trip to Spencer's Gifts, or to look at trendy dresses at Merry- Go-Round, or maybe cassettes or CDs at Recordtown. Those '80s stores themselves were a step down from the original mall tenants of the '60s, places like Miles shoes and Calvin's and Winkelman's which, like Higbee's, lived on for several decades at the mall. I thought it the pinnacle of chic in my teen years; I babysat for a single mom who was a buyer at the store, just about the most glamorous job imaginable. My parents didn't let us go to Aladdin's Arcade, but I did go to many movies at the theaters, then considered way classier than the nearby Parma or Mercury theater in Middleburg Heights. I wondered what "Pink Floyd's The Wall" was, but couldn't stay to see it at midnight. I even remember the theaters short-lived time as a Cinema Grill in the early 2000s, before local chain Cleveland Cinemas took it over before the last picture show in 2004. I've only seen pictures of some of the other famous early inhabitants of Parmatown. I'm glad I never saw when a poor porpoise named Konhee Joe lived in a water tank in the mall, and somehow I missed Ringo the monkey at Mr. Ed's and Faflik's. Teddi's restaurant and cocktail lounge was long gone by my era, but hey we had Roy Rogers and they had great fries. Today the Shoppes at Parma has some pretty great fries at the new-retro Fast Eddie's diner, an anchor restaurant that pays homage to the center's past in its menu and decor. There's a Panera now, too, and a Chipotle and a huge Dick's Sporting Goods, and a Jimmy John's. Planned retailers include Ulta cosmetics - and there's even a Sephora. With its open air design, the shopping center is not all that different from its 1956 design, either. But this Parmatown, er, the Shoppes at Parma, is just that - a shopping center. Once upon a time, Parmatown was a magical place for south siders, a place to shop and socialize and dream, not unlike Euclid Avenue for the generations before us. Former Parmanian Lidia Trempe sums it up best. "It was the heart of Parma. ... What was more glamorous than going upstairs at Higbees? ... It was such an incredible luxury when we were able to go up there. I thought it was the fanciest in the world. You would have thought we were in Paris." police car raindrop.png Cleveland police are looking for a man who struck his girlfriend's father with a truck and then fled the scene. (File photo) CLEVELAND, Ohio - Cleveland police are searching for a man accused of pinning his girlfriend's father between two vehicles near the Cleveland Clinic. The 50-year-old father was hospitalized after the incident about 10 p.m. Wednesday near East 93rd Street and Chester Avenue, Cleveland police Sgt. Jennifer Ciaccia said. The 35-year-old boyfriend hasn't been formally charged. Witnesses told police the boyfriend yelled at his 23-year-old girlfriend to get into his Dodge pickup. The woman ran and got into a Chevy Malibu with two women and her father. The boyfriend started following the Chevy and rammed his truck into it, police said. The father got out of the Chevy and stood between the two vehicles. The boyfriend crashed into the Chevy, trapping the father, police said. The boyfriend drove away. Police found the father injured on the street. A Cleveland EMS crew took him to University Hospitals Case Medical Center with a broken leg. The woman told investigators that her boyfriend had been holding her against her will since about 1 p.m., police said. She also said she was pregnant with his child. Police think the boyfriend went to a house on the East Side. They found his vehicle unoccupied on East 118th Street in the Buckeye-Shaker neighborhood. An investigation is ongoing. SOLONOLENTANGY_20.jpg Solon High School won in the classrooms last year, not just on the football field, by having the second-highest scores on state tests. (KYLE LANZER) CLEVELAND, Ohio - Northeast Ohio high schools, led by Solon and Rocky River, landed five of the top 10 spots in our ranking of best test scores statewide for high schools last year.. Solon High School had the second-highest "Performance Index" score of any high school in Ohio last year, according to state report cards for 2014-15 released last week, with Rocky River High School fourth. Aurora, Hudson and Beachwood high schools also placed in the top 10. We gave you a look last week at how districts did on the Common Core-based tests the state gave last year, as well as a sampling of the higher-scoring schools around the region. We also gave you a ranking earlier today of the top-scoring elementary schools in the state and region. Here's a ranking of high schools, both for all of the A grades on Performance Index for high schools statewide, then for the top A and B grades in Northeast Ohio. Performance Index is a composite of test scores from all grades and subjects that is Ohio's best roundup of how much students know. The state is not giving overall grades to districts or schools until 2018 while it transitions to new standards and tests. Click here to search district report card results across Ohio. Click here to search school report card results across Ohio. Scores and grades are lower for 2014-15 because of that transition. Many view the tests and ratings as flawed because Ohio has fired PARCC, the testing agency that handled Ohio's tests last year. Others have questioned the reliability of results on tests given to some students on paper, but to others online. Here are the top-ranked high schools in Ohio, followed by the ranking for the region. Ohio's highest-scoring high schools: High School County City Performance Index Score Grade Oakwood High School Montgomery Dayton 113.876 A Solon High School Cuyahoga Solon 113.701 A Madeira High School Hamilton Cincinnati 112.336 A Rocky River High School Cuyahoga Rocky River 111.604 A Upper Arlington High School Franklin Upper Arlington 111.425 A Wyoming High School Hamilton Wyoming 111.111 A Aurora High School Portage Aurora 111.079 A Hudson High School Summit Hudson 111.000 A Beachwood High School Cuyahoga Beachwood 110.979 A Dublin Jerome High School Franklin Dublin 110.895 A Olentangy Liberty High School Delaware Powell 110.857 A Ottawa Hills High School Lucas Toledo 110.808 A Independence High School Cuyahoga Independence 110.799 A Walnut Hills High School Hamilton Cincinnati 110.769 A Avon Lake High School Lorain Avon Lake 109.856 A Akron Early College High School Summit Akron 109.711 A Granville High School Licking Granville 109.549 A Bellbrook High School Greene Bellbrook 109.546 A Bexley High School Franklin Bexley 109.304 A Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School Cuyahoga Broadview Heights 109.281 A Indian Hill High School Hamilton Cincinnati 109.130 A Lexington High School Richland Lexington 109.019 A Ross High School Butler Hamilton 108.925 A Olentangy High School Delaware Lewis Center 108.828 A Orange High School Delaware Lewis 108.670 A Turpin High School Hamilton Cincinnati 108.547 A Chagrin Falls High School Cuyahoga Chagrin Falls 108.500 A New Albany High School Franklin New Albany 108.486 A Orange High School Cuyahoga Pepper Pike 108.433 A New Knoxville High School Auglaize New Knoxville 108.353 A Avon High School Lorain Avon 108.211 A Cuyahoga Hts High School Cuyahoga Cuyahoga Heights 108.189 A William Mason High School Warren Mason 108.140 A Kenston High School Geauga Chagrin Falls 108.083 A Northeast Ohio's highest-scoring high schools: CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Karamu House, the storied arts and cultural institution that has anchored the corner of Quincy Avenue and East 89th Street for a century, has axed 15 staffers -- 13 full-time employees and two-part-timers -- in what President and CEO Tony Sias says is a cost-cutting move designed to "set the stage for the next 100 years." "We had to look at what was not working for us, what was creating a financial strain," Sias said Wednesday. That hard look, part of a strategic plan in the works for more than a year, is why Karamu is shuttering one of its bedrock programs -- its day-care center -- and leaving the future of others in the balance. Among those let go is Terrence Spivey, longtime artistic director of Karamu Theatre. Nine staffers remain, Sias said. The historical significance of the House and its resident theater, founded as a racially integrated community playhouse, can't be overstated. The Karamu stage not only launched the careers of notable black artists including "Grey's Anatomy" star James Pickens Jr., Ron "Superfly" O'Neal and "Night at the Museum"'s Bill Cobbs, but the theater gave an early home to the works of Cleveland native Langston Hughes. Also on the chopping block are eight full-time employees who staffed Karamu's day-care center, also known as Preschool of the Arts, an initiative established in 1945 serving children aged five months to 4 years. Karamu, said Sias, is working with the Council for Economic Opportunities in Greater Cleveland to help the families of the two dozen kids displaced by the board's move find spots in other day-care facilities nearby. Though the Karamu House after-school arts-education program -- currently catering to a dozen children aged 6 to 12 -- has been spared, its staff has also been cut by two, and its operations "suspended," said Sias, until the fall. Representatives from the neighboring Rainey Institute and the Fatima Family Center were on site Wednesday to guide parents to alternative after-school programs in the area. Families have until March 11 to find other options. This summer, Sias -- the visionary arts administrator who left his post as director of arts education for Cleveland public schools in September to helm Karamu House -- and his remaining staff will take time "to design and pilot new programs," according to a prepared statement. Among those new ventures under consideration are "a formal youth and adult theater training initiative" and "ways to more actively engage people in the Fairfax neighborhood and across Greater Cleveland in the theater . . .," with an eye to becoming "a premier training ground for dance, theatre and vocal music for lifelong learners." "God's Trombones," Spivey's bravura adaptation of seven biblical sermons featuring raise-the-roof dance and soul-stirring song, will open at Karamu April 29 under his direction as planned. It will be the fourth time the audience favorite will hit the boards at Karamu. (He's also set to direct Robert O'Hara's "Bootycandy" at Convergence-Continuum in a production opening March 25.) When reached by phone today, Spivey, who has served as the theater's creative heartbeat and artistic director for 12 seasons, declined to comment on the board's actions, but added, "I love Karamu's past, I love it presently, and I'll continue to follow it in the future." It's no secret that the nation's oldest black theater, once the first stop for plays the likes of "A Raisin in the Sun" after successful runs on Broadway, has been in slow decline for decades. Spivey, the first artistic director at Karamu Theatre in eight years when he took the reins in the 2003-04 season, inherited the legacy as well as the losses. During his tenure, the Texan who made a name for himself in New York City working in low-budget films and starting an off-off-Broadway company, fought increasingly slender budgets and administrative upheavals to bring passionate and socially relevant productions to the stage, most recently the world premiere of "The Mighty Scarabs," one of the best pieces of theater in Cleveland in 2015. Karamu production manager Richard H. Morris Jr. and program director Aseelah Shareef will take over programming the 2016-17 season. "They will co-lead the theater division under my direction," Sias said. Despite the loss of Spivey, Karamu will offer four productions staged in the smaller Arena Theatre or other area venues while the larger Jelliffe Theatre undergoes much-needed renovation. "This had nothing to do with performance," he added, when asked why Spivey and the others had been given pink slips last Friday. How much did Karamu House save with those cuts? "I don't wanna get down into numbers at this point, Sias said, but "taking a pause to regroup, to create a sustainable model for the future is important." As is keeping alive the legacy of founders Rowena and Russell Jelliffe, Oberlin College sweethearts with the vision and connections to make the community arts and resource center a nationally celebrated model. "That was at the forefront of our strategic planning," Sias continued. That doesn't mean, he added, that they didn't think about the human cost. "It's so important to say that 15 lives were impacted by our reduction in staff. . . . We took this seriously, and there was a lot of thought that went into this. I would be remiss if I didn't underscore that point . . . "It's a big, close-knit staff. And yes, it was difficult." John Kasich Ohio Gov. John Kasich speaks to supporters Wednesday, March 2, 2016, at Genesys Conference & Banquet Center in Grand Blanc, Mich. (Conor Ralph, The Flint Journal-MLive.com, via AP) Michigan, once the land of promise for John Kasich, could turn ugly for him. Ted Strickland racks up two big endorsements. Read more in Ohio Politics Roundup. John Kasich's rocky road: "The Republican presidential candidates come to Detroit to debate Thursday ... with businessman Donald Trump maintaining a 10-point lead on his closest competitors in Michigan's March 8 primary in a new poll commissioned by the [Detroit] Free Press and other media outlets," the Free Press' Todd Spangler writes. Ohio's governor needs a strong finish in Michigan to set up a home-field match with Trump a week later in the Buckeye State. But his efforts "haven't made much of a dent ... . With Trump, [Texas Sen. Ted] Cruz and [Florida Sen. Marco] Rubio ... splitting nearly two-thirds of the vote, Kasich was a distant fourth with 8%." Threshold alert: Michigan awards its 59 convention delegates proportionally, but a candidate must receive at least 15 percent of the statewide vote to win any. Throwback Thursday: "For Michigan to truly be New Hampshire on steroids - the shorthand his advisers use for the strategy here - second place is not an option," I wrote two weeks ago from That State Up North. "An outright win is necessary." Team Kasich has downgraded expectations since then. A bad omen: "It wasn't a great start for John Kasich's presidential campaign in Michigan," the Free Press' Kathleen Gray reports. The Union at the University of Michigan - his first stop - was a "ghost town" thanks to spring break. And Kasich himself was among the absent because of trouble with his charter plane. The few dozen who turned out for the event instead heard from Kasich over the telephone. A dose of hope: Michigan voters talk about why they support Kasich, via MLive.com. No turning back now: Kasich plans to essentially park in Michigan through Tuesday's primary. Before a town hall forum Wednesday in Grand Blanc, Kasich said he has no intention of quitting, the Detroit News' Leonard N. Fleming reports. Asked if he was feeling pressure to drop out, "Kasich scoffed and said dismissively: 'pressure?'" Come on, feel the noise: The pro-Kasich super PAC New Day for America is up with another TV ad in Michigan, this one, dismissing the other Republican candidates as all-talk and scored to music reminiscent of a campy 1980s adventure movie. "Talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, scream," a narrator says. "One guy's done more than that. Kasich. He'll do for Michigan what he's done for Ohio. Create jobs." Watch the ad, part of six-figure TV campaign, here. A point worth noting: The New Day spot "boasts that ... Kasich has created 400,000 jobs in his state and will do the same for Michigan as president. But Michigan actually has gained more jobs than Ohio during Kasich's time in office, both in raw numbers and in the rate of job growth," FactCheck.org's Robert Farley reports. How quickly the narrative can change: Seems like just yesterday - because it pretty much was - that many in the Republican establishment blamed Kasich for Trump's runaway lead. The thinking was that Rubio was the stronger establishment-friendly candidate, and that Kasich, by refusing to drop out, was holding him back. Now, the Columbus Dispatch's Jack Torry and Jessica Wehrman report, "many Republican strategists are hoping [Kasich] can win the March 15 Ohio presidential primary as part of a broader effort to deny a first-ballot nomination" to Trump. "As part of this strategy, Republicans and their allies hope to unleash a TV campaign aimed at battering Trump, hoping that could help Kasich win Ohio and Rubio win his home state of Florida on March 15. Because the winners of Ohio and Florida receive all 165 delegates in those two states, they could prevent Trump from collecting the 1,237 delegates he needs to be nominated," meaning chaos at the Cleveland convention. Trumped up charges: "I've been kind of amazed by the Republican establishment's reaction, when the Republican establishment has been sending out dog whistle after dog whistle on race issues and gender issues," Sen. Sherrod Brown, an Ohio Democrat, told reporters on a conference call Wednesday - per the Dispatch's Wehrman. "All of the sudden Donald Trump starts barking and they say, 'Oh my gosh, Donald Trump is barking.' They've got the nominee they've kind of asked for." Bern or sunburn? Could spring break break Bernie Sanders, the Democratic presidential hopeful relying on college students? "Like Cleveland State University, Ohio State is on spring break during Ohio's primary election March 15," cleveland.com's Karen Farkas writes. "So at least at OSU, a student group is working to get students to vote before they leave town. OSU Votes, a student-led non-partisan group, will provide free rides to registered student voters on Saturday to the Franklin County Board of Elections." Calling in the cavalry: "Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Ted Strickland on Wednesday was endorsed by the top two Democrats in the nation: President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden," cleveland.com's Jeremy Pelzer reports. "Ohioans have no greater friend than Ted Strickland. Ted is a passionate and proven champion for the middle class, and when Ohio sends him to the United States Senate, he will continue to be a tireless fighter for hardworking families," Obama said. But Obama's blessing required some explanation: "The endorsement for Strickland comes despite his past opposition to gun control policies supported by the White House," the Washington Post's Catherine Ho writes. "Strickland recently changed his position, saying he would support an enforceable assault weapons ban, as well as additional background checks and measures to prevent suspected terrorists from buying guns ... . "The White House said its endorsement of Strickland does not contradict Obama's vow to only back candidates who support stronger gun control measures, a position the president outlined in a January op-ed in The New York Times." Team PG reacts: "It's no surprise that the Democratic establishment - which has long been in Gov. Strickland's corner - would be getting mighty nervous about the momentum that's been building around PG's campaign," said Dale Butland, communications director for Strickland's primary rival, Cincinnati City Councilman PG Sittenfeld. A Senate race check-up: "Ohio's three major U.S. Senate candidates are all in good physical health and free of chronic illnesses, according to letters from their doctors provided to The [Cincinnati] Enquirer," Deirdre Shesgreen reports. "Sen. Rob Portman's physician says he ... 'has no illnesses or chronic disease,' adding that the GOP senator is very health-conscious and exercises regularly. ... Strickland's doctor, Paul Dusseau, wrote that the former governor has 'never been evaluated nor treated for neurologic disease, is in excellent health with superb conditioning and does not have any medical impairments to perform his duties in public service.'" Why this matters: Critics, including Sittenfeld's super PAC allies, have raised questions about Strickland's age. The former governor will be 75 on Election Day. Teresa Fedor joins abortion-rights advocates in D.C.: "As eight justices considered whether Texas restrictions on abortion clinics unfairly hamper a woman's right to choose, thousands of people stood, chanted and cheered outside the U.S. Supreme Court Wednesday," cleveland.com's Stephen Koff reports. Among them was Fedor, the Democratic state representative from Toledo, "who last year shocked the Statehouse with an unexpected retelling of how she had an abortion after being raped." Get Battleground Briefing, our FREE politics newsletter, delivered to your inbox: Sign up here. Tips or links? Send here. Follow along on Twitter: @HenryJGomez. Cleveland City Hall Cleveland officials continue their efforts to spend a $50 million grant for security for the Republican National Convention. (Scott Shaw, The Plain Dealer) CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland is seeking to buy 2,000 sets of riot gear, including riot-control suits and collapsible batons, as part of the city's latest move to spend a $50 million federal security grant for July's Republican National Convention. The city this week posted to its contracting website a notice seeking bidders to provide the gear. City documents refer to the "Elite Defender" riot-control suit manufactured by HWI Gear and a 26-inch baton manufactured by Monadnock, plus 2,000 bags to carry them. The city also wants to buy 310 sets of riot-control gear -- long-sleeve jackets, gloves and shin guards -- that would be suitable for use by police riding bicycles. (Scroll to the bottom of this post to read the complete specifications for the riot gear.) The city last week began ramping up its public process to spend the RNC security money, approved by Congress last December. The city previously has sought to buy 300 bicycles, 15 motorcycles, 25 sets of tactical armor and two horse trailers. The city also has sought to rent about three miles of interlocking steel barriers, each 3.5 feet high, and buy another 3,250 feet of interlocking barriers that each would be 6.5 feet tall for the RNC, according to bid documents. In a brief interview on Thursday, city spokesman Dan Williams referred to at least some of these barriers as "bike racks," although manufacturer Tamis Corp. markets the barriers, branded as "Blockaders," as crowd-control devices. The convention, scheduled for the week of July 18, is expected to attract 50,000 visitors to Cleveland. As part of its security plan, Cleveland is organizing a police force of 5,000 officers -- the city is in the process of recruiting officers from surrounding suburbs and elsewhere to bolster its existing force of about 1,200. Previous conventions also have attracted political demonstrators, ranging from more than 100,000 for the 2004 RNC in New York City to less than 1,000 for the 2012 RNC in Tampa, Florida. Because the RNC has been designated as a National Special Security Event, it is eligible to receive federal funding. Cleveland is planning convention security under the direction of the Secret Service. City officials largely are not commenting on their convention-planning efforts. However, Mayor Frank Jackson's administration told City Council last month that the city plans to spend roughly $30 million of the federal grant on personnel, and $20 million on equipment. The delivery deadline for the equipment is June 15, Councilman Brian Cummins wrote on his blog last month. Cleveland City Council President Kevin Kelley recently told cleveland.com that council hopes to hold a public security briefing with federal officials sometime in March or April. The officials though, would need to receive clearance first to do so, he said. STRONGSVILLE, Ohio - After last fall's terrorist attacks in Paris, Strongsville schools Superintendent Cameron Ryba decided in the interest of student safety to cancel two school-sanctioned overseas trips this spring. Now based on an additional recommendation by Ryba, last month the Strongsville school board approved individual $300 reimbursements to 23 students (out of 62 total students signed up for overseas travel to France-Italy and Spain) seeking refunds. "I felt as many of the funds for these trips are raised by our students working summer jobs and doing their own fundraising, that for a one-time opportunity we would reimburse the families the $300 cancellation fee that was assessed by the tour group," Ryba said. "From the feedback I've received from the parents, they are understanding of the decision we made and appreciative of the work that we've done on behalf of their children in terms of the financial loss they would have incurred." Once the trips were cancelled, the district offered all students alternative options. This included the France-Italy travelers visiting Quebec, and the Spain travelers going to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. The trip to Canada didn't garner enough interest; however, the South American trip is planned for June. Students were also offered the opportunity to attend similar trips with other local school districts going through with the overseas travel, accept a voucher with the tour company for other travel or cancel the trip and have a portion of the cost refunded. For the nearly two dozen students opting for a refund, the $300 reimbursement from the district means they're only out $250 for application and insurance fees. Ryba stressed the safety of Strongsville students is a priority. Looking ahead, the cancellations will affect how the district approaches student groups traveling abroad. "We do need to be very diligent and careful to what we permit," Ryba said. "These trips do have a place and do have value, but we have to balance that with the safety of our students. Also, we need to be more diligent in our communication to our families of the risks that are out there should trips need to be cancelled due to world events." Visit our resource centre giving you access to our toolkits, publications, alerters and crossborder guides all in one place Get new posts by email: Subscribe No. 3 China must get better. It's actually gotten worse, but the Baltic freight index as gone higher and there is a big meeting in China this weekend with an expected stimulus. This one is a half-check. No. 2 Political uncertainty must be resolved. Barring something extreme, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump appear to be the leaders. Check. No. 1 The Fed must provide clarity on where it stands for rate hikes. Based on the recent commentary from James Bullard and Bill Dudley, Cramer will check this one off, as long as there isn't a strong employment number Friday. The stock market certainly feels better to Jim Cramer, but the question still remained if it is actually better. To determine the progress, he turned to the market-bottom checklist created back in January to determine if this market really has what it takes to provide a sustainable rally. I'm feeling good that crude may have bottomed at $26 and that level won't be breached. No. 4 Commodities must bottom. With copper leading the rally in commodities, Cramer is feeling more confident. Check. No. 5 Oil must stop going down. Oil stocks have stabilized and even with a large increase in inventory on Wednesday, oil still went higher. Check. "I'm feeling good that crude may have bottomed at $26 and that level won't be breached. I don't expect a big rally here, but the downside seems to be quantified," the "Mad Money" host said. Read more from Mad Money with Jim Cramer Cramer Remix: A dark cloud over this stock Cramer: What made the bulls run like crazy Cramer: Accounting irregularities = SELL No. 6 Geopolitical improvement. With North Korea quiet and a ceasefire in Syria, Cramer gave it a definitive check. No. 7 Zombie companies must be put to death. Many zombies suddenly now have a pulse, which Cramer did not expect. There have been many equity offerings for oil companies to raise money to save their balance sheets. That has caused stocks of banks that loaned money to rise. Check. No. 8 Relief from the strong . With the euro recently losing strength again, there is no check in sight. No. 9 More mergers and acquisitions. There has been activity, with Johnson controls and Tyco and the dissolved deal with Honeywell and United Technologies . Things are getting better, so it gets a half-check. No. 10 A healthy IPO market. No check No. 11 Industry peaks. There has been a resurgence of homebuilder stocks and split data from Ford and GM on autos. Aerospace remains strong, and Cramer thinks Apple 's stock could have put in a bottom. This gets a half-check. No. 12 Less negativity. It was almost two weeks ago that Cramer saw a level of negativity he had not seen in ages. That panic has subsided. Check. No. 13 More sector leadership besides FANG, Cramer's acronym for Facebook , Amazon , Netflix and Alphabet , which is now happening. Retail and restaurant stocks have bottomed and gone higher, so it gets a check. No. 14 Lower energy prices must drive stocks higher. Other than a few companies, this hasn't happened yet. There has been very little upside. No check. "You are never going to have all the planets align at once. But there are enough checks and half-checks for me to say that it makes sense to buy the dips in this market," Cramer said. As for the rips, Cramer recommended not to sell them because they could be real. watch now As big U.S. technology companies butt heads with the government over privacy, Defense Secretary Ash Carter contended that the sides need to cooperate to boost national cybersecurity. Apple has fought a court order to make software that would allow the FBI to access data on a phone used by one of the shooters in last year's San Bernardino, California, attack. Many Silicon Valley firms have backed Apple, fearing the move could compromise security and set a precedent for broader FBI access. United States Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter Samuel Corum | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images Carter did not directly address the Apple case. However, he said that if companies "familiarize themselves" with the national security mission they can recognize the importance of cooperating with the government. "The only way we're going to have data security of the kind that we all need, and that the Department of Defense very, very much needs, is in cooperation together. I'm trying to build bridges between Washington and Silicon Valley," Carter said Wednesday at the RSA Conference in San Francisco. Simon Brader | Getty Images Almost half of the financial advisors fired for misconduct wind up getting similar jobs in the industry, a university research paper has found. About 44 percent of advisors who leave a financial services job following disciplinary action for misconduct are hired by another firm within a year, according to the study by University of Chicago and University of Minnesota business school professors. The researchers refer to advisors regulated by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, the industry's self-regulatory organization overseeing broker-dealers and brokerage firms. "The numbers speak for themselves," said study co-author Mark Egan, assistant professor of finance at the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management. "Firms discipline misconduct severely, but the industry as a whole undoes that discipline, at least partially." Since about half of advisors don't actually lose their job after misconduct, nearly 3 in 4 professionals with blemished records are still active after a year, Egan said. To arrive at their conclusions, Egan and his Booth School of Business co-authors Gregor Matvos and Amit Seru scanned the records of advisors registered in FINRA's database over the last decade including more than 600,000 active professionals. To count as "misconduct," disputes had to be settled (not dismissed or pending) and included activities like misrepresentation, recommending unsuitable investment products, negligence, omitting key facts and trading without customer authorization. The authors found that 7 percent of U.S. financial advisors overall have records of some type of fraud or misconduct, and those working in certain counties in the U.S. particularly those with wealthy, less-educated, or elderly populations had even higher rates. About 18 percent of advisors in Palm Beach, Florida, and Monterey, California, had records of misconduct, Egan said. Those in Madison County, near Syracuse, New York, had the highest rate, at 32 percent. The problem isn't limited to smaller advisory businesses. Certain big firms have especially high rates: 20 percent of advisors at Oppenheimer & Co. and 15 percent of advisors at UBS Financial Services, for example, have been disciplined for misconduct. A UBS spokesperson said the company had no comment. Oppenheimer & Co. representative Jacqui Emerson wrote in a statement: "Oppenheimer has made significant investments to proactively tackle risk and compliance issues in our private client division. ... We are confident that we have put in place safeguards to ensure that our advisors and other employees meet the highest ethical standards." A general view where a dam burst in the village of Bento Rodrigues, in Mariana, the southeastern Brazilian state of Minas Gerais on November 6, 2015. Douglas Magno | AFP | Getty Images Samarco, the joint venture between Vale and BHP Billiton , has reached a deal with the Brazilian government that could cost it as much as R$30 billion (US$7.7 billion) following a dam collapse that killed at least 17 people and triggered the country's worst environmental disaster. President Dilma Rousseff said on Wednesday that Samarco would pay R$4.4 billion over the next three years to fund the clean-up operation as part of a settlement of the country's lawsuit against the miner. After 2019, Samarco will spend an estimated R$1.2 billion per year, paying out as much as R$20 billion, Ms Rousseff said. Samarco will also have to pay out R$4.1 billion over 15 years in compensation for the disaster, which killed at least 17 people and unleashed a tsunami of waste-filled mud across two states, potentially bringing the total cost of the deal to more than R$24 billion. However, Ms Rousseff said there was no limit or ceiling for how much the company would have to pay to fix the socio-economic and environmental damage of the dam's collapse in Brazil's Minas Gerais state. watch now "It could be as much as R$30 billion," Brazil's attorney-general Luis Inacio Adams said in a later press conference with the country's environment minister Izabella Teixeira. "We don't know and no one knows how much is needed in repairs and compensation," he said. According to Brazil's authorities, Samarco agreed with the federal and state governments to fund 38 clean-up and compensation projects, without fixing a set price tag for the programs. More from the Financial Times : Ex-VW chief was sent emissions crisis emails a year earlier Emboldened Trump takes aim at Republican establishment Wall Street adds to gains after late rally In a separate announcement, Brazil's Vale said Samarco's initial R$4.4 billion payment would be divided between R$2 billion in 2016, subtracting the capital already spent on the clean-up, R$1.2 billion in 2017 and R$1.2 billion in 2018. It said Vale and Anglo-Australian miner BHP would be equally responsible for funding the projects if Samarco itself could not meet its obligations. "This day is a turning point for all those involved, given that a settlement is always better than a dispute in the courts," said Vale chief executive Murilo Ferreira. European and Asian investments are moving fast into Iran, leaving the U.S. in the dust as some sanctions continue to keep American money out despite keen interest, an investor said Thursday. Broad western sanctions against Iran were lifted in January this year after the government agreed to curb its nuclear program, spurring investment into the country with Airbus announcing a large $25 billion order of 118 airplanes while automaker Peugeot returned to the country with a 400 million euro ($435 million) deal. Japan and Singapore have also signed bilateral trade deals with Iran recently. The U.S. however is "nowhere in terms of trade" due to remaining sanctions over Iran's human rights policies and concerns about terrorism, David Grayson, chief executive of New York-based brokerage Auerbach Grayson told CNBC's "The Rundown" on Thursday. A perennial challenge for many entrepreneurs and small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Asia is that they have great ideas but little track record to sway investors to part with their money to fund projects. Singapore-based United Overseas Bank's (UOB) head of Group Channels and Digitalisation, Janet Young, told CNBC the bank wants to help start-ups in the region by connecting their ideas with "smart money across the world." UOB will invest $10 million in an Israel-based equity crowdfunding platform OurCrowd, where start-ups can seek investments from a large number of investors, and offer, in return, a stake in their companies. Speaking exclusively to CNBC's "Squawk Box", Young said teams from OurCrowd and UOB will study proposals from Asian entrepreneurs, help refine them and pitch to OurCrowd's global pool of investors. "While we cannot speak to the leading methodology of the survey, I can confirm that we have seen an increase in new member acquisition since we announced the updates to our Starbucks loyalty program last week," a Starbucks spokeswoman told CNBC. Prior to the dip, Starbucks' scores had been trending near their highest levels in the recent past. The company's "buzz" score a measure of positive or negative sentiment around a brand dropped from 60 to 29 in just eight days, according to YouGov BrandIndex. (Scores range from -100 to 100 and are gathered from people who have made Starbucks purchases in the last 30 days.) Public sentiment on Starbucks plunged after the company revamped its loyalty program, suggesting the coffee chain may have an uphill battle with its most frequent customers. "Buzz is a very objective measure of what have you heard and do you think of that as being positive or negative," Ted Marzilli, CEO of BrandIndex, told CNBC. "Consideration is is that going to potentially impede your willingness to go back and repurchase from that brand. We are seeing a more modest trend there, but a negative trend nonetheless." On Feb. 24, some 80 percent of Starbucks customers said that they would consider making their next purchase at the coffee shop. That figure has fallen to 71 percent since the company tightened its rewards program, giving points to coffee drinkers for every dollar spent instead of redeemable points for every purchase. "What we may be seeing is just a little bit of a disconnect between what Starbucks thinks the new program is about and what customers, in general, are perceiving of the new program," Marzilli said, explaining that many airline companies have updated rewards programs to benefit those that spend more money instead of those that spend more frequently. Those that spend frequently, but pay less per purchase, are likely to balk at the new rewards program, while customers who tend to spend more per purchase will appreciate the switch. "I'll tell you that this is a little bit concerning for Starbucks," Marzilli added, "but maybe they are hitting the right subset of customers and improving their perception of the brand." An Emirates Airbus A380 jet has completed the longest current commercial passenger flight by distance. The plane flew in to the record books Wednesday when it landed in Auckland, New Zealand after an 8,824 mile non-stop journey from Dubai. The journey beat the previous record set by Qantas which travels 8,577 miles between Dallas Fort Worth and Sydney. The Emirates return flight to Dubai was expected to set a new flight-time record at 17 hours and 15 minutes, but landed earlier than scheduled according to New Zealand media. Any time-record the route does set won't last long, as Emirates has already announced another non-stop service to begin this month between its headquarters in Dubai and Panama City. Emirates said that route, while shorter in distance than Dubai to Auckland, will see passengers spend 17 hours and 35 minutes in the air. "Panama City will be our first destination gateway in Central America, providing a convenient option for our passengers travelling from or through our global hub in Dubai and onward to destinations throughout Central America," said Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman and chief executive of Emirates. The inaugural flight to New Zealand from Dubai was made by an A380, but Emirates said the route will normally be operated by a Boeing 777-200LR. WHEN: Today, Thursday, March 3rd WHERE: CNBC's "Squawk Box" Following are excerpts from the unofficial transcript of a CNBC EXCLUSIVE interview with ExxonMobil Chairman and CEO Rex Tillerson and CNBC's Becky Quick, which ran on CNBC's "Squawk Box" (M-F, 6AM-9AM ET) today, Thursday, March 3rd. Following is a link to the video on CNBC.com: http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=3000498622. All references must be sourced to CNBC. TILLERSON ON CAPITAL INVESTMENT REX TILLERSON: We're coming off of a five-year period of very high capital investment. If you look at the previous five years to 2015, we had invested about $190 billion dollars back into the business and some of the major projects that would have funded they are where we have partners, and-- the partners and we have agreed we should take advantage of this market situation, let's go back and re-look at the costing of those projects, the contracting strategies, and is there some value we should be trying to claw of out this market before we make a final decision? And governments have been working collaboratively with us on that. The second is in our North American drilling activity, we've been bringing our rigs down like everyone else, not because the opportunities are no longer economic at this low price, but clearly the returns have been diminished-- BECKY QUICK: Sure. REX TILLERSON: --and as I told the-- the group today, I said, "I just don't see pushing a rope into this market and, you know, we're gonna drill to sa-- maintain our acreage, we're gonna continue a program so that we keep learning, 'cause we got a very good learning process going on in the basins where we are working and I don't wanna interrupt that." But it's just a question of how active do you want to be? BECKY QUICK: You have-- recently stopped buying back shares. Part of the way that you're gonna make sure you maintain your balance sheets strength. But you raised your dividend again and-- now its 33 years running that Exxon has continuously raised that dividend. How safe is the dividend? REX TILLERSON: Well, as I told the group today, you know, and I've said it many times over the years, we are a company that's built for the long-term shareholder. We're not built for short-term investors, we love it when they wanna buy the stock. I hope they do. But when we make decisions about the financial structure of the company, our investment programs, we're really thinking about 20, 30 years out. And we're thinking about those long-term shareholders. So our view-- and the question came today on the borrowing, I said-- they said, "What did you borrow to b-- pay dividend, or did you borrow to invest?" And I said-- BECKY QUICK: The $12 billion-- REX TILLERSON: Yeah, I said-- BECKY QUICK: --that you just borrowed. REX TILLERSON: --"We borrowed to invest." We take the cash flow and we're going to pay that dividend because know that's-- it's so important to people, for a lotta people it's really important to them. And so I'm-- in answer to their question, the dividend is safe. We have again, as part of what we feel is the obligation to our shareholders. BECKY QUICK: Let's talk about that $12 billion, what you see in terms of potential opportunities. Are we talking mergers and acquisitions here? REX TILLERSON: All of the above. (LAUGH) You know, and it's really to give us that flexibilitythe cost of borrowing is about as low as it's going to get. And so we wanna take advantage of that. Today-- and I commented to the group today, most of what we're doing are asset acquisitions because whole company acquisitions still appear to be difficult to do. BECKY QUICK: Why-- is that? You'd think--there'd been more bloodletting since then. REX TILLERSON: Well, there's-- there has been. And I think there's two aspects of it. One is valuations, believe it or not, are still not aligned in terms of what companies want versus what we see the value to be. And the second thing that's happened over the last year and I commented to the group, because companies have wanted to maintain themselves looking I think for the price upside, they've taken on additional leverage, they've issued additional shares, diluting their existing shareholders. And in some respects, in doing that, they've destroyed some of the inherent value. When I-- so when we look at the-- the assets, we love their assets, but when I look at the balance sheet, I'm buying a house that's got a huge mortgage on it. BECKY QUICK: How--much would valuations have to come down before things look a little bit more reasonable to you? I know it's a case-by-case basis and you can't paint too broad of a stroke. REX TILLERSON: Well, and maybe it's-- the question is more how much does the premium need to come down-- BECKY QUICK: Yeah. REX TILLERSON: --because that-- that's really where the--hurdle is and I understand and I appreciate the other folks that are running these companies, they have to justify to their shareholders, you know, why they cannot command premiums that are what people are accustomed to. You know, and then the conversations we have, that's generally where we get stuck. TILLERSON ON VOLUME REX TILLERSON: Well, hopefully we've provided a little bit of insight in that today-- with our forward-- expectations on volumes. And as we told the group today, we don't set volume target, we set investment programs and the volumes are the outcome. But having said that, even at a reduced levels because we have a lot of major projects that are nearing completion that's coming off of this high-- period of investment, we have a lot of new volumes coming online this year and over the next two years. So our volumes are expected to stay in the 4-4.2 million barrel a day range, which is only slightly off of what we told people last year. And going forward as I said, that deep pool resource base, the quality of it's still good. And I think as we look over the next certainly five to ten years, we've got plenty of capacity to maintain our volumes and continue to bring reserves online. So I understand and we are-- you know, we wanna give the rating agencies all the information that we can give them to help them understand how the future looks. You know, over 90 years of being AAA, this is not the first time we've been through a period like this of pretty extreme stress on the financial-- model of the company. In fact, we've had periods where our financial metrics by their standards are much worse than they are today and they've maintained that rating. I hope we can maintain the rating 'cause it's important to us reputationally--our cost in the marketplace has been-- is-- it's largely unaffected. But I think it's something that I'd be disappointed if they lower it, but I understand, they have to-- you know, they have a job they have to do. BECKY QUICK: I've read some things recently where Harold Hamm from Continental Resources and one of their competitors Whiting Petroleum have said that-- they're now able to make shale-- worthwhile at $40 a barrel, $40-45. And both of them saying that they would-- pump more if we got back to $40 or just north of that. What--does that mean for the long-term-- price of oil? REX TILLERSON: Well, it suggests that-- the future's gonna be in a fairly narrow band, depending again on what global demand does. Our development cost in the Permian are about $10 a barrel now, the Bakken is down to $11. Our cash cost is $10. So you can drill today at these prices and generate a modest return. We wouldn't do that 'cause we think their resources are worth more than that. BECKY QUICK: Right. REX TILLERSON: But I'm sure others are in similar situations, so when you get to $40, particularly companies that this is really all they have, it's a one-play-- opportunity for them, I expect there will be some volumes come back. And so it says we're gonna continue to have some volatility but it's probably gonna bounce around in at a narrower range. BECKY QUICK: Rex, what has lower oil prices meant for-- your home state of Texas where you all are based? What--has it meant in terms of the jobs and in terms of the economy there? REX TILLERSON: Well, you really do sense it in certain parts of the state, certainly Midland-- you sense it. You-- drive out there and there's a forest of rigs that are sitting on the side of the highway stacked. And you know every one of those rigs had a crew of people working on it six months ago. And where are those people? In Houston, it's having an effect but Houston has so diversified its economy over the years that this is nothing like the 1980s which really devastated the Houston economy. And so I'd say by and large, the state's weathering it really quite well. They are seeing it in tax and royalty revenues. Local governments are seeing it in tax revenues, and so it's putting some pressure on some localized areas. But I'd say by and large the state's doing fine. TILLERSON ON BUSINESS OUTSIDE THE U.S. REX TILLERSON: U.S. companies like ours are still unable to conduct business in Iran. A lot of our European competitors are in, working actively. I don't know that-- that we're necessarily at a disadvantage. The history of Iranian-- in foreign investment in the past, their terms were always quite challenging, quite difficult. We--never had large investments in Iran for that reason. And I don't know that the Iranians are gonna be any different today. We'll have to wait and see and there hasn't been any contracts put out. But I also learned a long time ago that sometimes being the first in is not necessarily best. We'll wait and see if things open up for U.S. companies. We would certainly take a look because it's a huge resource-owning country. BECKY QUICK: That-- brings us to-- a lot of the instability that's been out there in places like Saudi Arabia and places like Russia. How--do you measure things just in terms of a global risk factor right now? And-- where would you say we are? REX TILLERSON: Well, geopolitical risk is just a way of life for us-- has been my whole career. And it just-- it changes, and the nature of it changes. We've been through wars, we've been through revolutions, we've been kicked outta countries, we've gone back to countries. It is very country by country specific. I would say there-- you know, there is a lot of uncertainty in the world today, certainly in the big producing regions, the Middle East-- the relationship with Russia. And those are enormously important parts of the world for everyone's economies. I mean, this is-- you know, energy is the life blood to economic growth. Hopefully things will work themselves out. Middle East is a tough place right now, lotta wars on multiple borders that people are having to deal with. We continue to work successfully there in spite of that and have very good open relationships with the governments there. BECKY QUICK: Is-- OPEC still a factor? REX TILLERSON: OPEC is still a factor, although I would say I think they're going through a process of coming to grips with what that means when they're a factor. And, you know, when BECKY QUICK: Instead of being the only 800-pound gorilla. REX TILLERSON: Yeah instead of just the one-- instead of one country-- REX TILLERSON:--and I think in many respects perhaps that's what-- Minister Naimi in Saudi Arabia are trying to do is-- is create a--basis on which to-- let's have a conversation about what is OPEC today and in the future. You know, when he talks about needing to force the high cost barrels out of the market, and of course everybody sees that as being North America and Deepwater, within OPEC though, there are barrels that are not high cost per se, but there are barrels that going to get forced out because countries do not have the wherewithal to continue to reinvest. Venezuela, Nigeria, those are low cost barrels but they're likely to-- decline rates going to overtake their capacity. So OPEC's gotta deal with that. About CNBC: With CNBC in the U.S., CNBC in Asia Pacific, CNBC in Europe, Middle East and Africa, CNBC World and CNBC HD , CNBC is the recognized world leader in business news and provides real-time financial market coverage and business information to approximately 371 million homes worldwide, including more than 100 million households in the United States and Canada. CNBC also provides daily business updates to 400 million households across China. The network's 15 live hours a day of business programming in North America (weekdays from 4:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. ET) is produced at CNBC's global headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., and includes reports from CNBC News bureaus worldwide. CNBC at night features a mix of new reality programming, CNBC's highly successful series produced exclusively for CNBC and a number of distinctive in-house documentaries. CNBC also has a vast portfolio of digital products which deliver real-time financial market news and information across a variety of platforms. These include CNBC.com, the online destination for global business; CNBC PRO, the premium, integrated desktop/mobile service that provides real-time global market data and live access to CNBC global programming; and a suite of CNBC Mobile products including the CNBC Real-Time iPhone and iPad Apps. Members of the media can receive more information about CNBC and its programming on the NBC Universal Media Village Web site at http://www.nbcumv.com/mediavillage/networks/cnbc/. Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on Friday. Check out which companies are making headlines before the bell: Joy Global The mining equipment maker lost 23 cents per share for its latest quarter, wider than the 12 cent loss that analysts were expecting. Revenue also came in below estimates, with the company saying its customers took unprecedented steps to conserve cash. Costco Costco reported quarterly profit of $1.24 per share, 4 cents below estimates, with revenue essentially in line. The warehouse retailer's comparable-store sales, however, did rise for the first time in four quarters. Herbalife The health products seller shares fell more than 10 percent in premarket trading after the company said it identified "errant" information regarding active new member information, and has now taken steps to correct it. Herbalife added that the errors do not impact its historical financial statements. Intel The chipmaker's stock was upgraded to "outperform" from "neutral" at RW Baird, citing the increasing positive influence of data center products on Intel's profits. Walt Disney Piper Jaffray upgraded Disney to "overweight" from "neutral," pointing to the value of Disney's upcoming films over the next five years. Sherwin-Williams Citi upgraded the paint maker to "buy" from "neutral," as it gains more market share at major retailer Lowe's and benefits from lower raw materials costs. L Brands The Victoria's Secret parent reported a 5 percent increase in February same-store sales, compared to consensus estimates of a 4.5 percent rise. Buffalo Wild Wings Wedbush upgraded the restaurant chain's stock to "outperform" from "neutral," saying current same-restaurant growth estimates may prove conservative. BlackBerry Verizon will begin selling BlackBerry's Priv smartphone online beginning today, and in stores on March 11. American Eagle The company matched Street estimates with adjusted quarterly profit of 42 cents per share. Revenue also matched forecasts, but the teen apparel retailer's current quarter guidance is better than analysts were anticipating. Pure Storage Pure Storage lost 12 cents per share for its latest quarter, smaller than the 16 cent loss anticipated by analysts, while the storage company's revenue beat forecasts. Pure Storage's current quarter and full year revenue guidance is also above Street estimates. Groupon Groupon has been sued by IBM for alleged patent infringement, which claims the daily deals company is using IBM technology without permission. BHP Billiton BHP shares are rising following news that it and partner Vale have struck a deal with the Brazilian government over a deadly November dam disaster. Samarco, the mining company owned by BHP and Vale, will pay about $5.1 billion in damages over a 15 year period. Separately, that disaster is among the factors cited by Moody's this morning for downgrading BHP's credit rating by two notches to A1 from A3. Target The retailer is paring down its product offerings to add efficiencies to its inventory management. Chief Executive Officer Brian Cornell told investors the process will be done category by category in a "surgical" manner. Monsanto Monsanto cut its fiscal 2016 profit outlook, as it deals with a pressured farm economy. The seeds and chemical company did say there were signs of stabilization, and doesn't plan any further job cuts beyond prior plans to lay off 3,600 workers. Tumi Holdings Tumi is near a deal to be bought by Samsonite for an undisclosed amount, according to the Wall Street Journal. The paper notes that the luxury luggage maker has a market value of $1.4 billion and that a takeover could be worth to close to $2 billion. SunEdison The solar company may have trouble completing its deal to buy Vivint Solar , according to The Wall Street Journal, because of its financial troubles. Those woes are said to be prompting banks to balk at making loans that they had previously agreed to issue to help fund the deal. LinkedIn The business social network's Chief Executive Officer Jeff Weiner is giving up his annual equity package, valued at about $14 million, choosing to distribute the stock in question to employees. Yanis Varoufakis, the former Greek finance minister, has said that the U.K. finance minister has got a bad case of "foot in mouth disease" and is doing himself no favors by mocking him in parliament. On Wednesday, the U.K.'s Chancellor George Osborne ridiculed a report saying that Varoufakis was advising the opposition Labour party, telling the House of Commons that "Varoufakis was recruited because Chairman Mao was dead and Mickey Mouse was busy." Responding to the slur, Yanis Varoufakis told CNBC that he was intrigued that George Osborne had "this foot in mouth disease." "So when George Osborne comes out and pokes fun at me, obviously trying to luxuriate in the fact that I'm a defeated finance minister, yes, I am a defeated finance minister but in the hands of whom? Of an iron-clad European Union that decided to asphyxiate us using bank closures in order to impose upon us another extend and pretend bailout. The British people know that." "Does George Osborne really seriously believe that by mocking me he is doing himself any favors in his intellectual class?...I don't think he is doing himself any intellectual favors." "He seems unable to prevent own goals being scored all the time," he added. Varoufakis said he was supporting the campaign for Britain to stay in the European Union (EU) but that he had been impressed with the "leave" arguments put forward by conservative politicians Boris Johnson and Michael Gove. They had, he said, "sounder intellectual ideas" than Osborne. The tech giant is seeking mechanical engineers and others who've worked on vehicle development, car safety and hardware design, according to job ads on the company's website. Google has said it wants to have self-driving car technology ready by 2020. Google has advertised nearly 40 jobs over the past four weeks to help beef up its team working on self-driving cars, according to research conducted by Reuters . The current team working on autonomous driving technology at Google consists of about 170 workers, Reuters reported Thursday, many of them software and systems engineers. About 40 of them have automotive industry experience. An auto-industry consultant told Reuters that Google's potential moneymakers with autonomous vehicles likely include the hardware and software that would power the self-driving vehicles, rather than the cars themselves. Competition from traditional automakers and the steep price of vehicle manufacturing would force the tech giant to find a partner rather than producing its own line of self-driving cars. Google declined to comment in response to a request from CNBC. Read the full Reuters report here. Alphabet's Google collects a mountain of data on its users, and its algorithms often know what you want before you do. And it's the job of the company's vice president of security and privacy engineering, Gerhard Eschelbeck, to defend the information users share with it from family photos to personal emails against an increasingly sophisticated, determined and well-funded army of hackers. "We all have to assume that we are under attack," said Eschelbeck. "What really matters is how we can react, respond and take action based on what we see on our networks." What keeps him awake at night? Among other things, potential vulnerabilities along Google's vast supply chain. Any number of the many companies whose products interact with Google's could have weak points that expose the tech giant to an attack that it cannot control. It's a lesson that Target and Home Depot , among others, know well. Google builds a lot of its own products like its data centers from the ground up. But like any large company, it also relies on other players in its supply chain to deliver products from Chromebooks to Android apps and because of that there is the potential for risk. "You can't and shouldn't eliminate your supply chain," Eschelbeck said. "[But] It is something we all should be very concerned about." A second worry is the fact that small- and medium-sized businesses don't always have the resources to improve their own security. At least some of the answer lies in the cloud, which will give those companies access to security tools they themselves could not build or acquire, he said. I realize the electorate has changed radically since 1968, but that election is instructive in teaching us just how tricky the electoral college math can be and how plausible it is for a lot of scenarios to produce a general election with no winner. And just because third party candidates like Ross Perot and Ralph Nader didn't win any states, they surely helped the eventual winners of several states capture the winner-take-all electoral vote tallies in their respective elections. I also realize that many people looking at this strategy will find it all too Machiavellian and distasteful in a way that would make even "House of Cards" President Frank Underwood blush. Wouldn't resorting to this kind of strategy, even if it succeeds, anger millions of Americans and sour the nation on the political process for generations to come? Perhaps it would, but the GOP is desperate now. And even if it weren't, it's long past time for all of us to recognize that no politician from either major party ever walks away from seizing office, especially when the path to do so is actually 100 percent legal. The only time politicians willingly give up on power is about five seconds before it gets taken away from them unwillingly. And while an ugly fight for the presidency that goes to the House of Representatives might look bad, it can't possibly be worse than the 5-4 Supreme Court decision that the Republicans gleefully took to get George W. Bush into the White House 16 years ago. watch now watch now watch now watch now The refugee crisis is a "manifestation of the disintegration of the European Union," Greece's controversial former finance minister told CNBC on Thursday, as he warned against Turkey and Greece becoming a "large concentration camp for hapless refugees." Yanis Varoufakis, who served as finance minister in 2015 under the ruling left-wing Syriza party, said Europe was "rich enough" to cope with the influx of refugees who have flooded to Europe in the wake of the turmoil in Syria. "The European Union should be a proper union with borders, which we control in a humane way. When somebody knocks on your door and they've been shot at, they have kids that are dying or thirsty or hungry, you just open your door to them," he told CNBC at the Global Financial Markets Forum in Abu Dhabi. Yanis Varoufakis talks to CNBC in Abu Dhabi CNBC According to the United Nations (UN), 131,724 refugees and migrants made the risky journey across the Mediterranean Sea during January and February. The large majority of these people, 122,637, landed in Greece. The European Union (EU), of which Greece is a member, has struggled to agree to a strategy to deal with the waves of people, particularly in the wake of terrorist attacks from the group that calls itself the "Islamic State." However, on Wednesday, the EU launched a 700 million euro ($760 million) fund to help Greece cope with the crisis. "The fact that we are now spending some money on refugees is a good thing, but you cannot buy back the lost dignity of the European Union," Varoufakis told CNBC. On Tuesday, the UN warned of an "imminent humanitarian crisis" in Greece and accused European nations of failing to cooperate to solve the problem. "With governments not working together despite having already reached agreements in a number of areas, and country after country imposing new border restrictions, inconsistent practices are causing unnecessary suffering and risk being at variance with EU and international law standards," a spokesperson for the UN's refugee agency said at a press briefing. Newer member countries of the EU in the east of the bloc have proved less willing to accept refugees than longer-standing, richer countries to the west. In particular, the likes of Hungary and Slovakia have refused calls for all 28 member states to take in a quota of refugees. On Wednesday, former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair said that improving the situation in Syria itself was crucial. "There is no solution outside of that in my view ... Europe will of course have a problem absorbing this number of people, but it is also a security problem for Europe," he said at a conference interview at the Global Financial Markets Forum in Abu Dhabi. In Thailand thousands of "sea slaves," held captive in shoddy fishing vessels, trawl for cheap forage fish used in canned pet food. In Pakistan, children as young as five are sold or kidnapped and forced to stand knee-deep in water, packing clay into molds to make bricks. In Ghana, poisonous dust and exposure to toxic chemicals and mine collapses threaten the health and safety of children who work in the artisanal gold mines. Slavery, a practice successfully eradicated in the 19th century, is today a flourishing underworld, generating a whopping $150 billion in illegal profits each year, according to the International Labor Organization (ILO). Approximately 21 million people around the world about 3 out of every 1,000 individuals, 5 million of them children are victims of forced labor, according to the most recent estimate, up from 12.3 million in 2005, the ILO reports. "Trafficking in persons is one of the largest income sources for international criminals, second only to drug trafficking," said U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Maryland), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing last week to address the issue of modern slavery. Over the past 16 years, numerous laws and conventions have been passed, including the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000 and the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime also known as the Palermo Protocol. But while countries have steadily been increasing their commitment to address slavery, many challenges remain. Now there's new hope: In a bold move last week, President Obama signed H.R. 644, the "Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015," which includes an amendment to close the loophole in the Tariff Act of 1930 allowing goods produced from slaves to enter the U.S. if American production could not meet 100 percent consumer demand. "[H.R. 644] has an important signaling effect that the U.S. government has an interest in curtailing the worst forms of labor rights abuse in global supply chains ... particularly looking at issues in aquaculture and fishing," said Sarah Labowitz, co-founder and co-director of the NYU Stern Center for business and human rights. The new ruling bars U.S. imports of goods made by convict, forced or indentured labor a move that may have a profound impact on U.S. companies using foreign suppliers. In his statement, President Obama said the act "will strengthen trade enforcement at our ports, improve our ability to combat evasion of our enforcement actions, and improve transparency, accountability, and coordination in enforcement efforts. The act provides new tools and authorities for U.S. companies and workers to more effectively hold our trading partners accountable now and into the future and press for the investigation of cases of duty evasion." More latitude to investigate The ruling, which goes into effect on March 10, will give enforcement agencies more latitude to investigate companies suspicious of forced and child labor. Yet experts say it won't come without its challenges. "Like all regulations, it relies on enforcement, and enforcement relies on actionable intelligence," said Benjamin Skinner, author of "A Crime So Monstrous: Face-to-Face with Modern-Day Slavery" and founder of Transparentem, a nonprofit intelligence unit that investigates slavery and other crimes in corporate supply chains. Labowitz said that although the reporting requirement within the bill will have an important organizing effect, it also points to the need for bigger and even more comprehensive solutions to address the problem. Afghan children i Getty Images "The standard of proof will be difficult to meet," Labowitz said, adding, "How do you demonstrate that a particular shipment of a particular commodity was produced with convict, forced or indentured labor? The bill doesn't come with increased resources to deal with this. It's going to take a coordinated effort on the part of the brands, the suppliers, government, financial solutions. You can't just police the first-tier suppliers." Dr. Shawn MacDonald, director of programs and research at Verite, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping companies build sustainable solutions into their supply chains to ensure that people around the world work under safe, fair and legal conditions, is optimistic. While he believes that government enforcement agencies will have to "reinvent themselves" to address the issue and it will take a lot of corroboration to help turn the tide, the good news, he says, is that customs enforcement people now have sophisticated mechanisms for tracing supply chains. "They are doing it to counter terrorism, to counter drugs, to counter counterfeiting measures, so I think they are very sophisticated on those things," he said. The faces of modern slavery A look at the demographics of modern slavery reveals alarming truths. Of the $150 billion in illegal revenue, $99 billion comes from commercial sexual exploitation, claims the ILO. Yet just 22 percent of the victims, or 4.5 million people, are trafficked for that specific purpose. Sixty-eight percent or 14.2 million are exploited in the private economy by individuals or enterprises and forced to work involuntarily as traffickers employ debt bondage, document confiscation, physical abuse and other tactics to keep them hostage, the ILO reports. watch now The largest number of forced laborers 11.7 million people, or 56 percent of the global total are within the Asia-Pacific region, followed by Africa, at 3.7 million, and Latin America, at 1.8 million. And according to Polaris Project the Washington, D.C.based anti-trafficking nonprofit named after the North Star that guided slaves to freedom in the U.S. our country is not immune. As of September 2015, the latest data available, Polaris' National Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline received 16,678 tips regarding potential trafficking victims; of those, 4,168 cases have been verified. The most commonly cited industries for modern slaves in the U.S. include domestic work, farm work, factory work, door-to-door sales and restaurant and food services. Victims span all demographics and are exploited in every corner of the world. They include foreign nationals and citizens, the skilled and unskilled, educated and non-, with diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. The characteristic they all share, however, is vulnerability, which makes migrants among the easiest targets. And with the wave of mass migration flooding Europe's borders, this number is expected to grow exponentially. "Refugee crises sadly lead to an increase in human trafficking and gender-based violence," said Congresswoman Caroline Maloney (D-New York). "The reports we're getting is that the ongoing crisis in Europe is no different. It's something that the global community needs to consider as it responds to the crisis." Olivia Enos, research associate at the Davis Institute for National Security and Foreign Policy at The Heritage Foundation, agrees: "Instability during the migrant crises in Europe and Southeast Asia contributed to increased vulnerabilities to trafficking," she said. "Organized criminal groups have taken advantage of these vulnerabilities to exploit migrants in labor and sex trafficking, and some of the profits are going to terrorist groups like ISIS and Boko Haram." Countries on the hot list In its "List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor" a report mandated under the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005 the Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB) revealed that more than 136 products from 74 countries are produced by forced and child labor. These are products used by consumers worldwide every day. Topping the list for agriculture are cotton, sugarcane and tobacco. In the manufacturing sector, bricks, garments, carpets and footwear; in mined or quarried goods it's diamonds, coal and gold. More than 20 products on the list come from India; Bangladesh, Burma, Brazil and the Philippines are also some of the highest producers of goods made from forced labor. What generates the most profits are construction, manufacturing and mining, at $34 billion per year; and agriculture, including forestry and fishing, at $9 billion per year, Houtan Homayounpour, operations officer for the ILO's program to combat forced labor, told CNBC. Tim Isgitt, a spokesperson for Humanity United, said that consumers need to be made more aware of what is in the products they buy. "Companies are producing products that get put into other products that end up in our cars or on our tables," he said. "We live at the end of the supply chain." Palm oil, he said, is a prime example. Labeled simply as "vegetable oil," it is in almost half of the products in our grocery stores, including fuels, soaps and shampoos, processed foods, cereals, toothpaste, cosmetics, cleaning products and candles. The palm oil industry lures migrants in need of work to Indonesia and Malaysia, where more than 85 percent of the world's palm oil supply is produced. Once there, the individuals many of them children are held captive, facing dangerous and abusive conditions. Currently, there are about 3.7 million slaves working on the plantations. Yet government officials there largely turn a blind eye. The Department of Agriculture reports that the U.S. is the sixth-largest importer of palm oil, followed by China, India and Europe. "American consumers are very interested in where their food and clothes and other products come from, said NYU's Labowitz. "Companies can't ignore the fact that their home country government and their consumers have rising expectations around global supply chains and labor rights in particular." Holding Big Biz accountable The push to explore forced labor in global supply chains gained new interest after the passage of the California Transparency in Supply Chains Act, which went into effect in January 2012. Under this act, midsize and large retailers and manufacturing companies with worldwide annual revenues of $100 million or more are required to report on their specific actions to eradicate slavery and human trafficking in their supply chains. Since then, many U.S. companies have come under fire, including Whole Foods , Kroger , Wal-Mart , Dollar General and Petco, after the Associated Press led an investigation into the $7 billion Thailand shrimp industry and found slave labor existing in their supply chains. "Companies aren't knowingly looking the other way," said Natalie Pregibon, director of research at Concordia, a nonprofit that promotes effective public-private collaboration to create a more prosperous and sustainable future. "They just can't believe that slavery exists in their supply chain. So we need to start from an assumption of good intentions." In November 2015, after self-policing its own supply chain, Nestle announced publicly that it found slave labor existed in the production of its cat food brand Fancy Feast, which contained seafood sourced from Thailand. Rohingya migrant Muhammad Solim, 20, sits in a house in Nakhon Si Thammarat province, Thailand, April 28, 2015. Muhammad Solim, a Rohingya previously living as a refugee in Bangladesh, said he suffers from the effects of malnutrition after spending nearly three months at sea and 90 days in a jungle camp before he was ransomed for the equivalent of US$2,240, paid in baht and ringgit. Aubrey Belford | Reuters Many applaud the giant food-and-beverage company for publicly disclosing its findings, claiming it a groundbreaking move. "Whenever you have a company that does a public report, it kind of changes the way other companies can respond," said Verite's MacDonald. "They can no longer say, 'Well, our supply chain is much different than the Nestle supply chain.' Companies have to assume they have these problems and not wait until somebody catches them out. These problems are systemic. So you're more likely to have these problems than not." Pregibon said that while some companies may be hesitant to discuss their efforts publicly, they shouldn't be. "They're afraid of it becoming a blame game. But you can't fix a problem if you don't know it exists. That's being proactive," she said, adding, "Once businesses do that, it will set the standards for others to follow." Already, institutional investors are looking for more corporate accountability. For example, Norges Bank Investment Management, the $810 billion sovereign wealth fund the largest in the world is raising its focus on human rights by polling their portfolio companies on slavery to make sure the companies it invests in follow ethical standards. In a written statement, the fund said "it expects companies to respect human rights, and address human rights issues in their business practices." Some observers, like MacDonald, see an uptick in companies reaching out for help to investigate the use of forced labor inside their own supply chains. But he worries that as more attention is put on the issue, there may be a lot of incentive for companies to just "check the box." "If they feel they can send in a report or answer questions by pointing to a relatively superficial activity, companies will feel they've dodged a bullet. Businesses have to hold themselves and their peers accountable to do the right thing," he said. Concordia's Pregibon stated that the only way to tackle the issue is through collaboration: "We need to bring together private-sector entities, public-sector entities and nonprofits to find a mutual ground where they can discuss this issue openly and find the best way to begin to tackle it," she said. "Corporations are encouraged to use their reach and leverage their businesses." watch now North Korea fired short-range missiles into the sea after the U.N. Security Council unanimously approved tough sanctions on the regime. The measures target Kim Jong Un's commercial trade activities and vast overseas financial operations. For years, confronting a problem like North Korea has centered around security and denuclearization and human rights abuses. Now after the fourth nuclear test in January and a launched rocket in February, those issues are colliding with urgency as the international community including China makes it more difficult for regime leaders to make money and fund weapons and WMDs. The U.N. resolution approved on Wednesday targets the export of coal, iron and iron ore that finance the North's nuclear and ballistic missile programs. The resolution also prohibits exports of gold, titanium ore and rare earth minerals all key sources of income for the North's ruling elite. "The bottom line: The sanction resolution is sweeping in scope," said Stephan Haggard, a North Korea watcher and professor at the University of California, San Diego. Read MoreNorth Korea fires projectiles into sea In a photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervises a meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party in Pyongyang, February 18, 2015. KCNA | Reuters North Korea experts say the widening of sanctions across the board are on a new level. "The common misnomer is to say that North Korea is already heavily sanctioned, so who cares if you sanction them some more," said Georgetown University's Victor Cha, a longtime North Korea watcher. "But the reality is if you compare the sanctioning of North Korea to date with that against Iran, the sanctions on Iran were exponentially much more comprehensive," said Cha, senior advisor and Korea chair for the Center for Strategic & International Studies in Washington. "That's the template to which both the international community and the U.S. government is moving now." "Soldier-builders" and civilians walk in central Pyongyang, North Korea last October. Damir Sagolj | Reuters The U.N. resolution's passage is noteworthy given China's cooperation. "With respect to all of the trade-related measures, China is the key actor given that it's share of the country's trade could reach as high as 90 percent following the closure of Kaesong if we include transshipment from third countries," Haggard said in a blog post Thursday. The Kaesong industrial complex between the Koreas recently was shut down by the South, and had been a key source of hard-currency income. The joint economic complex opened in 2004 with hopes of economic cooperation and reconciliation. Of course, the larger question is whether China will enforce the new sanctions. As North Korea's neighbor and key ally, China doesn't want a regime collapse, and for years has sought dialog, despite the North's provocations. Even the execution of the North Korean leader's uncle Jang Song Thaek in late 2013 didn't deter China from engaging with the North. Jang was the North's key connector with China, and arguably one of the most powerful men in the North. The late uncle had operated an international network of state trading firms and ever-expanding hard-currency operations, roughly analogous to a multi-national corporation. His political influence inside the regime was unparalleled, and he was among the few with access to Kim Jong Un on a regular basis, according to Ken Gause, director of the International Affairs Group at CNA, a nonprofit research and analysis organization in Alexandria, Virginia. "Even after the execution of Jang Song Thaek, who was their primary middle man with North Korea, even after his execution, I think the Chinese have tried to establish a relationship with the North Korean leadership," said Cha, who led a conference on North Korea two weeks ago in Washington. Read MoreHow Kim Jong Un is bankrolling his nuclear ambitions It's believed that forced laborers earn North Korea between $1.2 billion and $2.3 billion a year. September 2015 U.N. report The U.N. action calls for inspecting all cargo going in and out of the country, banning weapons trade and expanding the list of individuals facing sanctions. At a macro level, the intent is to stop the North's ability to source and raise funds for its nuclear program. And all this illicit activity is funded consistently. A key source of income for the North is exported commodities, namely minerals. Other sources of hard currency include exported North Korean slave labor to China, and as far away as Europe. Plus, there's a growing financial web that crosses borders and includes the use of outside commercial banks, as well as front and shell companies. This expanding network allows the ruling elite to move money and acquire everything from luxury goods to components for weapons of mass destructions, according to U.N. documents, congressional testimony and research by North Korea experts. China provides North Korea with the "lion's share" of financial access, said Daniel Glaser, assistant U.S. treasury secretary for terrorist financing. He made the comments in January 2015 at a House Foreign Affairs Committee briefing on North Korea's potential cybersecurity threats after the Sony data breach in 2014. Read MoreHow millennials are shaking North Korea's regime Michael Kirby is chair of the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in North Korea, and former justice of the Australian High Court. Kazuhiro Nogi | AFP | Getty Images watch now The militant group that calls itself Islamic State (ISIS) is exploiting national banking operations in Iraq and could be making up to $25 million a month in Middle Eastern money markets, according to experts. Speaking to a U.K. parliamentary subcommittee set up to examine how Britain could help disrupt ISIS financing, experts told the panel that as well as making money from oil smuggling, taxation and extortion, ISIS was exploiting loopholes in existing financial operations in the Middle East to make millions. David Butter, an associate fellow at policy institute Chatham House, told the committee, which was held in in February with notes published on Wednesday, that "the Iraqi central bank foreign currency auction systems are an area that needs to be investigated very strongly" as ISIS was using those systems to earn money on the foreign currency markets. Asked how the operation worked, Butter said Iraqi dinar funds taken by IS from civil servant's pensions and banks in Mosul (which is under IS control) were siphoned off through Jordanian banks and then back into Iraq through Ramadi (a former ISIS stronghold) and then "back into the Baghdad system" through a transfer system called "Hawala" described as an alternative remittance channel that exists outside of traditional banking systems. An Iraqi man checks the authenticity of a 25,000-dinar bill. ALI AL-SAADI/AFP/Getty Images "So when the Iraqi Government does its regular foreign currency auctions, the ISIS money is inserted into that system and they can make a margin on the differences between the various exchange rates there and send it back into their areas through Hawala operatives. This is the way money moves in the Middle East," Butter said. The international coalition against ISIS which includes the U.S., U.K. and a number of other Western countries needed to co-ordinate with the "Iraqi Government on what kind of procedures can be made to make that whole trade watertight, because it is not at the moment," Butter said. "Credible estimates I have seen are that there are sustainable, ongoing revenues coming out of the Iraqi money markets that Islamic State is still managing to earn $20 million to $25 million a month out of." The experts, which also included Tom Keatinge from the Centre for Financial Crime and Security Studies at RUSI and Luay al-Khateeb, executive director of the Iraq Energy Institute, dismissed notions that ISIS' main source of revenue was still oil, saying that the media had distorted the amount of money the group could make from its oil operations. Butter said that, in his view, "the biggest source of funding for the Islamic State is what was accumulated prior to 2014the war chest from Mosul and the operations in Iraq." Playboy's first non-nude issue has been on for sale the past month, and the media empire claims its re-robed strategy is working with advertisers. The 63-year-old magazine's March issue featured 42 advertising pages, which is a 55.5 percent increase from the same issue last year. In addition, 1,200 more newsstands carried the issue, and Playboy claims it's selling well. About 75 percent of the stock has sold out at Barnes & Noble . "What we were experiencing (before the switch) is we would get in a lot of proposals from consumer-facing brands for huge digital ad buys, then there would be hesitancy before we could actually close the insertion order," said Playboy CEO Scott Flanders. "Now we're getting requests for proposals asking us for ideas." In fact, the company claims that ever since it announced their new direction in October, it has held more than 300 meetings with new and existing advertisers. Print advertisers in the March issue include brands such as Stolichnaya Premium Vodka , which has been an advertiser since the 1980s, and Dodge , which was the magazine's first Detroit-based auto advertiser in 25 years. Dodge also was a sponsor Playboy's Super Bowl party in San Francisco this year. Meanwhile, Flanders said the safe-for-work strategy, which it has been employing on Playboy.com since August, 2014, has led to a 400 percent growth in its online audience. It now gets 16 million unique global visitors per month, and 31 million users across its social media platforms. More importantly, the median age of visitors dropped from 47 to a much more advertiser desirable 30.5 during the same period. As a result of its larger footprint, Flanders said Playboy's digital ad revenue is up 75 percent compared to the first quarter of 2015. Todd Alchin, partner and chief creative strategist at media buying and planning agency Noble People, agreed that Playboy's strong name recognition still gives it a leg up, and jokes aside, the magazine has always had a commitment to journalistic articles. Daniel Acker | Bloomberg | Getty Images Natural gas is the cheapest it's been in nearly two decades, and it could get even cheaper, thanks to U.S. shale drillers. The U.S. is producing at a near-record pace, but the warm winter has only resulted in more oversupply as the industry heads into the time of year when it starts to store fuel for the next winter. Natural gas futures for April were trading at $1.64 per million BTUs Thursday, the lowest level since late February 1999. "The Northeast has been the main driver of the growth this winter, really contributing to those record highs. It's also been the driving force of the entire shale revolution of the past five years," said Thad Walker, Platts Bentek energy analyst. In the last decade, the U.S. was looking to import natural gas, but the "shale gale" has resulted instead in massive oversupply. watch now The latest government data aren't helping. Natural gas futures sank even further Thursday after the weekly storage report showed demand for natural gas last week was well below normal. The U.S. Energy Information Administration said domestic inventories fell by 48 billion cubic feet last week, a shocker when compared to the normal 137 bcf decline usually seen at this time of year. "Demand hasn't been there and production is so high, and that's a nasty combination," said Bart Melek, head of commodity strategy at TD Securities. "We're still getting a lot of stuff out of the Marcellus. Low prices aren't a deterrent." The Marcellus shale stretches from Upstate New York, down to Pennsylvania to West Virginia and over to Ohio. According to December data, drillers in Texas and New Mexico saw a decline in production but Ohio and Pennsylvania continued to add production. Producers such as Chesapeake Energy, Corp, Cabot Oil and Gas, and Rice Energy are among the companies active in that area. Chesapeake, a pioneer in shale gas, was founded by Aubrey McClendon, who died in a single-car accident Wednesday, the day after he was charged with conspiring to rig bids for oil and gas leases. McClendon no longer was associated with Chesapeake, and the company said it does not expect to face criminal charges. Read MoreOklahoma's heartfelt response to McClendon's death While producers have closed in some wells, others are being added. Walker said the one reason for the production increase could be that producers moved ahead to complete wells, based on the view at the end of last year, that prices were bound to improve. The futures curve also showed higher future prices. Citigroup analysts, in a report this week also note that the increase in production in Marcellus and Utica paralleled increases in pipeline capacity. Read MoreU.S. has new role in global energy market "Matching November's strong uptick, Pennsylvania once again posted the largest sequential increase with production of 0.4 Bcf/d for the second-straight month. Despite continued curtailments in the region given low natural gas prices, significant new takeaway capacity came online in late 2015," wrote the analysts in a recent report. "We now estimate Marcellus natural gas production increased by 2.0 Bcf/d and that Utica volumes were up 1.3 Bcf/d on average, in 2015 due to additional pipeline capacity coming online in Q4'15." The analysts noted that onshore gas production fell in December to 77.7 Bcf/d, a drop of 0.5 Bcf/d from November, but it was 1.6 Bcf per day higher than the year earlier. U.S. inventories now stand at 2.536 trillion cubic feet, 45 percent higher than last year's levels and 35.6 percent above the five-year average, according to the EIA weekly report. In its latest monthly report, EIA said production was at 91.1 billion cubic feet per day in December, down from a high of 91.7 billion cubic feet in September. Walker said that by Bentek's measure, which differs from the EIA, there was one day last month when dry gas production actually reached an all-time high. Bentek estimates dry gas production in the lower 48 U.S. states hit a record Feb.19 of 73.83 Bcf/d. February dry gas production averaged 73.23 Bcf/d, a monthly average that is higher than all but 13 days ever. The previous monthly record occurred in September 2015, at an average 72.62 Bcf/d. There could be some pickup in gas prices in the next several months, but a big move higher is not immediately expected, analysts said. Read MoreIn game of survival, producers have been doing this "The jet stream is being pushed up north by El Nino. That would allow some hot weather to come our way in late spring. There's been so many cutbacks in rigs, and so much displaced coal, the balance sheet for natural gas might show some signs of improvement," said John Kilduff, partner with Again Capital. watch now As recent market gains have renewed risk appetite, junk bonds are getting a fresh look. The largest high yield corporate bond ETFsthe iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (HYG) and the SPDR Barclays High Yield Bond ETF (JNK)both rebounded more than 5 percent in recent weeks. And if history is any guide, the comeback could just be getting started. Data from Kensho, a tool designed to quantify historical market events, show that after such a gain, the ETFs have continued to climb over the following two weeks. After JNK rises 5 percent or more in two weeks, it has gone on to add another 3.3 percent on average over the next two weeks. It's also a positive signal for HYG, which gains nearly 2.5 percent on average after such a run. But if junk bonds are too risky for your appetite, there are some proxy plays that have proved profitable in the past. The beaten-down financials sector could get a big boost if risk appetite continues to grow. Already, the Select Sector Financial Index has rebounded nearly 5 percent this month as the HYG has climbed. Financials are the best performing sector when the junk bond ETF is on the rise, followed by consumer discretionary, industrials and materials. Asset managers should thrive in a risk-on environment. Ordinary investors are typically more willing to pay for active portfolio management and managers should make more on commissions on increased trades. That's the logic. But some asset managers fare much better than others when high yield corporate debt is back in favor. Historically, Principal Financial , Calamos Asset Management and Ameriprise Financial have seen the highest average returns over the last decade when HYG is rising 5 percent or more in one month. Emerging markets also tend to gain when HYG is climbing as investors feel more comfortable searching for yield abroad. The iShares MSCI BRIC ETF is a small fund, but a reliable bet when junk bonds are gaining. It has traded positive in all 10 instances and returned nearly 14 percent on average. The iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF is a much larger and more liquid fund with a stellar record as well, rising in every instance but one. The iShares South Korea and Mexico ETFs are standouts as well. UBS France has been placed under investigation over allegations that it intimidated a former employee who helped raise flags over potential tax-dodges. The probe will now look into whether the Swiss bank's French subsidiary intimidated Nicolas Forissier, the whistleblower behind claims that led to a formal investigation into whether the bank was helping clients dodge tax, a claim which the French subsidiary of the Swiss bank has denied. In a statement emailed to CNBC Thursday, UBS France rejected allegations it was tampering with the witness. U.S. sovereign bond prices gained on Thursday, weighing on yields, as investors digested the slew of economic data this week and looked to the closely followed jobs report on Friday. The U.S. 10-year Treasury yield, which moves inversely to the bond's price, edged lower to 1.8311 percent, after closing at 1.848 percent on Monday. This is down from 2.3 percent at the start of the year, as safe-haven buying has weighed on yields. Meanwhile, the longer-dated 30-year yield dipped to 2.6553 percent after finishing at 2.692 percent in the previous session. The moves came as major U.S. stock averages and oil prices both struggled for gains. "Extra shifts and overtime were once again the theme in 2015. And employees are standing by the company in light of Dieselgate," Bernd Osterloh said in VW's employee newsletter. Volkswagen will pay employees a bonus for 2015, despite the scandal over defeat devices used to rig emissions tests in the United States, the company's works council head said. Osterloh said he and Chief Executive Matthias Mueller had agreed staff on in-house contracts, around 100,000 people, should be rewarded with a bonus, but the amount still needed to be determined. "Staff are carrying out their work at a difficult time," the newsletter quoted Mueller as saying. VW, which on Wednesday said the U.S. diesel test problems did not initially receive particular management attention, last year paid in-house workers at its factories in western Germany a bonus of 5,900 euros each VW's luxury unit Audi on Thursday said it would pay staff working at factories in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm a bonus of 5,420 euros ($5,890) on average, down from 6,540 for the previous year. watch now Aubrey McClendon's shocking death Wednesday ended the criminal bid-rigging case against him. But it doesn't mean that anyone else who allegedly broke the law with the ex-Chesapeake Energy co-founder and CEO or others in the same industry is off the hook. McClendon, 56, died in a fiery car crash just a day after being charged in a federal indictment accusing him of conspiring to violate federal antitrust law by rigging bids to buy oil and natural gas leases in northwest Oklahoma from late 2007 through 2012, when he ran Chesapeake Energy, the nation's second-largest natural gas producer. A law enforcement source told CNBC that the Justice Department is expected to dismiss the case against McClendon, though the exact timetable is not certain. However, the source said that the broader federal antitrust investigation involving oil and gas industry leasing is ongoing. McClendon was defiant immediately after the indictment. "I will fight to prove my innocence and to clear my name," he said. Less than 24 hours later, police said he drove "straight into a wall" on a highway embankment in Oklahoma City at high speed while not wearing a seat belt. Aubrey McClendon, former chairman and chief executive officer of Chesapeake Energy. AP The indictment against McClendon, in the second paragraph, claims that he had a co-conspirator, who is as of now unnamed. However, the alleged co-conspirator was identified as being the CEO and chairman of the board of another company, also unnamed. Bloomberg News, citing multiple sources familiar with the matter, reported that SandRidge Energy is the unnamed company in the indictment, and noted that Tom Ward was CEO of the Oklahoma City company during the time period cited in the indictment. A spokesman for SandRidge Energy did not respond to a request for comment from CNBC. Ward, who also had co-founded Chesapeake Energy and served as its president, is now CEO and chairman of Tapstone Energy in Oklahoma. A message seeking comment from a Tapstone spokesman has not yet been returned. The U.S. Justice Department's press office has not yet returned a call seeking comment. Harry First, a New York University law professor who once headed the New York attorney general's antitrust bureau, said it is possible that McClendon's alleged co-conspirator will escape prosecution now that McClendon is dead. "I don't know whether they'll ever be charged," he said. First said it is possible that the alleged co-conspirator testified against McClendon before the grand jury that ended up indicting him. If he had testified, First said, the conspirator would have been granted immunity from his own testimony being used against him as part of a separate prosecution. Chesapeake Energy has itself received immunity from prosecution as a result of its cooperation in the case, according to the company. But, First also said the co-conspirator may also have agreed to a deferred prosecution agreement, under which they would cooperate with authorities to build a case against McClendon and then be willing to testify against him at trial. Under that scenario, that person could be on the fast track to pleading guilty, as opposed to waiting to resolve the case until after McClendon's now nonexistent trial. Darren Bush, a University of Houston law professor who previously worked as a trial attorney in the Justice Department's antitrust division, said the way the indictment is written by prosecutors "indicated they targeted McClendon as having initiated the conspiracy." That makes it more likely, Bush said, that McClendon "was the big fish" prosecutors were after, and less likely that he was being charged in hopes that he would then agree to cooperate with a case against his unnamed co-conspirator to get leniency for himself. Instead, Bush said, it's probable that the co-conspirator had agreed to testify against McClendon at trial, and then plead guilty afterward. If the co-conspirator hadn't made such an agreement, he likely would have been charged and named in the same indictment as McClendon's, Bush said. ROME, N.Y. Rome Lab has awarded PAR Government Systems Corp. a multi-year, $3.4 million contract for cyber defense work. Rome Lab is known officially as the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Information Directorate. PAR Government is a subsidiary of PAR Technology Corp. (NYSE: PAR). Headquartered in Rome, PAR Government provides intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance services to the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. government agencies, and private industry. PAR Technology, based in New Hartford, also provides technology products for restaurants and retailers. The three-and-a-half year AFRL contract focuses on an Integrated Information Management System Cyber Technology Maturation Framework, PAR Government said in a news release issued Tuesday. Under the contract, PAR Government seeks to develop and sustain a cyber-systems testbed. The company said it will employ, test, evaluate, and transition new cyber-defense operating concepts and AFRL Information Directorate-developed cyber technology and products. PAR Governments intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) sector will perform the work. PAR Government will draw upon our staffs in-depth experience and reputation in integrated information management and assurance to assist AFRL with their mission, Matt Cicchinelli, president of PAR Government, said in the release. We look forward to our continuing and expanding partnership with the Air Force Research Laboratory in support of this important program. Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com The Say Yes to Education program has reached its $30 million goal to make it a self-perpetuating fund, thanks to a state funding announcement on Tuesday. Empire State Development (ESD) on Tuesday night announced $20 million for an endowment program that supports the Say Yes program, providing free college tuition to every graduating student in the Syracuse City School District. ESD awarded the funding to the Central New York regional economic-development council as part of the regions $500 million win in Gov. Cuomos economic-development contest. The $20 million announcement completes the endowment drive and makes it a self-perpetuating fund, ESD said. Over the last seven years, the endowment was able to raise $10 million in donations in an effort that began as a community-based initiative aiming to secure $30 million from individual and corporate donors. SLDC bond fees It wasnt the only announcement benefiting the Say Yes program on Tuesday. The endowment fund will also benefit from the fees collected when the Syracuse Local Development Corporation (SLDC) issues bonds to finance an upcoming expansion project at Crouse Hospital. The SLDC will issue more than $42 million in bonds to support the Crouse project, Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner said in a news release issued Tuesday. The agency will then donate the proceeds from the 1 percent fee involved in the bond issuance to the Say Yes to Education endowment. The SLDC will issue about $42.6 million in tax-exempt, multi-modal revenue bonds for Crouse Hospital to undertake a 53,700-square-foot renovation of its existing emergency services department. The project also involves a 12,000-square-foot addition to the Witting Surgical Center to house mechanical equipment and an emergency department observation suite. The funds will also help support the renovation of the Memorial Building medical/surgical unit and the renovation of the existing intensive-care unit suite. The SLDC contribution will complete the local match needed for the Say Yes program to receive a $5 million contribution from SRC, Inc., according to Miners office. Cicerobased SRC in 2011 said it would match gifts made to endow permanently Say Yes scholarships up to $5 million, according to the Say Yes Syracuse website. The nonprofit Central New York Community Foundation manages the Say Yes to Education endowment fund. Say Yes Syracuse is the local chapter of Say Yes to Education, a New York Citybased nonprofit education foundation committed to dramatically increasing high school and college graduation rates for our nations urban youth, the Say Yes website says. Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com March 3, 2016 NASA's last surviving external tank built to launch the space shuttle is about to embark on its final mission, but instead of rocketing to orbit, the fuel tank will travel by road and ocean to join a retired orbiter on display. The California Science Center, which last May announced it was receiving NASA's External Tank 94 (ET-94) to mate with the space shuttle Endeavour for a new vertical launch pad-like exhibit to open in 2019, has now set the route and dates for the orange-brown tank's move from New Orleans to Los Angeles. The journey, which will see the external tank pass through the Panama Canal and navigate the streets of L.A., comes almost three and a half years after Endeavour arrived atop a NASA jumbo jet and completed a similar road trip to the Science Center. "It is another really significant move and it is another really significant piece of the shuttle," Jeff Rudolph, the Science Center's president and CEO, said in an exclusive interview with collectSPACE. "It's an incredibly historic artifact, being the last of its kind." External Tank 94 will travel by barge through the Panama Canal in April before arriving in Los Angeles in May. (CSC/Dennis Jenkins) Over the course of the 135-mission, 30-year space shuttle program, 136 flight-qualified external tanks were produced at the Michoud Assembly Facility in Louisiana. Just one of those tanks, number 94, wasn't launched and so still exists today to be put on display. First though, ET-94 needs to be transported the more than 5,000 miles (8,000 km) from LA to L.A. Sea launch The 154-foot-long by 32-foot-wide (47 by 10 meter) tank is presently at Michoud, located just outside of New Orleans. It is from that facility, where NASA is now assembling parts for its new heavylift rocket, the Space Launch System, that ET-94 will be loaded on a barge for the ocean segment of its journey. Emmert International, an engineering and logistics firm, is overseeing the ET-94 move. "The tank will be loaded onto a flat-deck commercial barge on April 10 or 11 and depart Michoud on April 12, weather permitting" said Dennis Jenkins, a former shuttle engineer who is now the California Science Center's project director for Endeavour's display. Map illustrating the basic path that External Tank 94 will be barged from the Michoud Assembly Facility outside New Orleans, through the Panama Canal to Marina del Rey in Los Angeles. (CSC) If ET-94 does launch on April 12, its departure will coincide with the 35th anniversary of the first space shuttle mission, STS-1, in 1981. Passing from a river to an ocean tug boat later that same day, the tank will begin its slow tow to the Panama Canal. Traveling at 6 knots, it will take about two weeks to reach the passing from the Atlantic to Pacific Ocean. "Current plans are to go through the canal during the week of April 25, but the exact dates are still being worked," said Jenkins, who noted that the crossings are for the most part first-come, first-served and so it can take a few days just to get a slot. Assuming the canal transit proceeds as planned and the weather cooperates, ET-94 will arrive in San Diego during the week of May 9. There, it will wait another week prior to leaving for Marina del Rey, where it will be brought ashore on May 19. Dance until the ET comes home ET-94's landing will be celebrated at the California Science Center's 18th annual Discovery Ball, which will be held on Friday, May 20 at the marina. "We thought that this was a great opportunity to essentially welcome ET-94 to Los Angeles and see it on its way," said Rudolph. "We are looking forward to a great Discovery Ball that will pick up some themes from the shuttle, but with the ET there as a backdrop, also from the tank's journey." Rendering showing how External Tank 94 (ET-94) will be moved off the barge and through the streets of Los Angeles. (Emmert) "In the New Orleans' tradition, we want to give guests the chance to join in a 'second line' following ET-94 as it starts on its journey. It should be really fun," he said, adding that the black tie dress code for the evening might be amended to substitute sneakers for shoes for those guests who want to walk along with the tank. In October 2012, it took Endeavour three days and three nights to carefully travel the 12 mile (19 km) distance from Los Angeles International Airport to the California Science Center's Samuel Oschin Display Pavilion. ET-94's road trip will cover 3.5 more miles (5.6 km) but will be done in the course of a day (13 to 18 hours) on Saturday, May 21. "It is bigger than Endeavour but much easier to move as it does not have wings or a vertical stabilizer," Rudolph said. "The wings were really the challenge and the desire on our part to save every possible tree. With the external tank, we really do not have that problem because there is no where in the route where trees are in the way." Those trees and the need to replant so many of them was largely why Endeavour's move cost about $10 million more than the $5 million needed to move ET-94, said Rudolph. Street map of Los Angeles showing the route ET-94 will take from Marina del Rey to the California Science Center. (CSC) Leaving the Marina del Ray parking lot atop dollies towed by a custom-built Mack truck, ET-94's route will follow Fiji Way to Lincoln Boulevard to Mindanao Way. From there, it will take California State Route 90 (CA-90) to Culver Blvd., back to Lincoln and then onto Loyola Boulevard. Turning onto Westchester Parkway, which turns into Arbor Vitae Street at Airport Boulevard, the tank will then take La Brea Avenue to Manchester Boulevard. From there, ET-94 will take Vermont Avenue to Martin Luther King Boulevard to Exposition Park, where the Science Center is located. Tank turnout Beyond the guests at the Discovery Ball, Rudolph expects the external tank's move to attract the public from the Los Angeles community at large. "Were we only moving the tank and this was the first thing we did, it would generate a lot of interest, but it would not generate as much interest as we think it will now," he said. "After Endeavour's move, there is a heightened awareness and excitement about everything that we're doing here." Rendering showing how ET-94 will be positioned on the barge that will transport it from New Orleans to Los Angeles. (Emmert) The Science Center has already heard from many of those who were involved in the shuttle's 2012 move who are now looking forward to taking part in ET-94's move including the mayor of Los Angeles. "As the world's last surviving flight-qualified space shuttle external tank journeys from the coast to its final home, it will inspire a new generation of Angelenos," stated Mayor Eric Garcetti. "We're honored that NASA has entrusted the California Science Center and the City of Los Angeles with this incredible piece of history." Rudolph acknowledged ET-94, by itself, is not as iconic as a space shuttle orbiter, but he still expects its move will be widely popular. "Do I think it's going to be as big as Endeavour?" Rudolph said. "No, because first off we are only going to take a day and not three days but I think it will still be a big community celebration," he said. Big tank, big project Before leaving the dock at Michoud, workers will ensure all of the tank's openings where hardware used to be will be sealed to prevent any salt-water intrusion. The external tank's exposed metal will also be painted to protect it from corrosion. But otherwise, any work needed to prepare ET- 94 for display will take place at the Science Center. "We're going to place ET-94 just to the north of the Samuel Oschin Pavilion, where Endeavour is now, and we're going to have a viewing area where people will be able to see it," described Rudolph. "Visitors are not going to be able to go all around it because there is going to be a fair amount of work to be done on it, but we actually think that will be a point of interest." Jenkins' team at the Science Center will be re-installing all of the feedlines and other hardware removed from ET-94, as well as repairing the insulating foam that gives the tank its orange color. "There is a fair amount of foam that needs to be repaired," said Jenkins. "North Carolina Foam Industries, the original manufacturer of the foam, is working with us, as is PPG, manufacturer of the primer used on the tank. In addition to repairing the 'acreage' foam, we will need to recreate all of the ice-frost ramps, bipod ramps, PAL ramps, etc. So it's a big project." Architectural concept model of the Samuel Air and Space Center at the California Science Center, slated to open in 2019. (CSC) Meanwhile, work is expected to get underway this year on the construction of the Samuel Oschin Air & Space Center, where the external tank and orbiter Endeavour, as well as a pair of twin solid rocket boosters, will be stacked and go on vertical display. "We are still working on the final schedule," said Rudolph. "At this point, we're probably going to be into 2019 when it opens. We have taken our time with the plans to really get it right." Elementary students thrilled by Jersey cow in dairy lesson The educational demonstration is part of a partnership between the St. Louis Dairy Council and Southwest Dairy Farmers. The owner says more property must be purchased before a mixed-use development can be built on this Midtown lot. SHARE By Thomas Bailey Jr. of The Commercial Appeal A planned mixed-use development on Cooper-Young's north edge needs more space before the project can progress, the property owner said this week. The northeast corner at Central and New York remains an empty and barricaded surface parking lot nearly a year after Mehdi Abesi revealed plans to build a three-story development with retail on the ground floor and apartments or condos above. The corner is directly across Central from Central BBQ restaurant. "We are in the middle of negotiations with other people, trying to have the whole block,'' said Abesi, who owns Fred Remmers Rug Cleaners & Oriental Rug Gallery just down the street at 2186 Central. Even though Abesi also purchased adjacent property that once housed Gallery 56, the footprint is still not large enough to accommodate the parking spaces required for the residences and retail, Abesi said. "Yes, we are still planning to do it,'' he said. "... We're still negotiating with the neighborhood, trying to buy more land." Abesi's plans for the property were popular with proponents of new urbanism in Midtown. New urbanism accommodates walking in part by placing buildings instead of parking lots next to the sidewalk. It brings life to the neighborhood, Abesi said last year. He purchased the corner from a previous owner who had started building the parking lot to accommodate her nearby business. But because she had not received prior approval from local government, the code enforcement office issued a stop-work order. The previous owner was seeking retroactive approval for the lot early last year when she sold the property to Abesi. Seritage Growth Properties is replacing the Sears building at 4570 Poplar with a 135,000 square foot shopping center that will include a Nordstrom Rack. (Brandon Dill/Special to The Commercial Appeal) By Thomas Bailey Jr. of The Commercial Appeal Luxury retailer Nordstrom Inc. on Wednesday confirmed plans to open a Nordstrom Rack that will anchor a new shopping center where the old Sears in East Memphis now stands. The announcement brings a coveted retailer to Memphis and also reaffirms the stature of Poplar Avenue in East Memphis as a thriving retail corridor. Nordstrom Rack is a clearance store that sells clothes, accessories and shoes at discounts of 30 to 70 percent. It will occupy 33,000 of the new center's 135,000 square feet near the northwest corner of Poplar and Perkins Extended. The store is scheduled to open in fall 2017. "We're excited to bring our first Nordstrom Rack to Memphis and can't wait to open our doors in 2017,'' Geevy Thomas said in a news release. He is president of Nordstrom Rack. "For some time now we've been looking for ways to grow here and we think customers will love the great brands we offer and appreciate the prices,'' Geevy said. The new store will be the only Nordstrom Rack in Memphis, and just the second in Tennessee. The Nashville area has a Nordstrom Rack and a full Nordstrom store. The East Memphis site remains prime real estate, said Danny Buring, managing partner of The Shopping Center Group's Memphis office. "If you look at where this is, nothing is more central in Memphis than Poplar and Perkins,'' Buring said. "... To be that central and effectively within a 20- to 25-minute drive of the entire population is pretty significant. You can't do that anywhere else in town.'' The site is flanked to the north and west by the 172,000-square-foot Laurelwood Shopping Center anchored by James Davis and Booksellers at Laurelwood. Across Poplar stands Oak Court Mall anchored by Macy's and Dillards. Sears announced in January that it will close by mid-April the department store it has operated on the corner since 1958. With sales struggling nationwide, Sears sold 235 of its Sears and Kmart properties -- including the Sears on Poplar and in Wolfchase Galleria -- to Seritage Growth Partners, a related real estate investment trust. The sale raised $2.6 billion for Sears. Seritage is building the new shopping center, naming it Poplar Commons. Seritage will lease space to Nordstrom Rack as well as other "national retailers, specialty retail and several well known restaurants,'' the release states. The East Memphis site is the sixth place across the nation where Seritage is leasing space to Nordstrom Rack, Benjamin Schall, chief executive officer and president of Seritage Growth Properties, said in the release. "Once completed, this redevelopment will exemplify our ability to unlock significant real estate value by transforming well located single-tenant parcels into institutional quality multi-tenant shopping centers,'' Schall said. Nordstrom Rack and the neighboring new businesses in Poplar Commons won't be the only new commercial activity in the immediate area. Kroger announced earlier this week that it will close on March 26 its grocery at 576 S. Perkins, less than a quarter-mile from the planned Nordstrom Rack. The Shopping Center Group represents the Kroger space, and Buring predicted the 28,000 square feet will not stay empty for long. "We've got a couple of people we are talking to,'' he said. Architectural rendering of Poplar Commons shopping center. By Thomas Bailey Jr. of The Commercial Appeal The company that plans to build an East Memphis shopping center anchored by Nordstrom Rack released an architectural rendering on Thursday. Seritage Growth Partners will construct Poplar Commons at the northwest corner of Poplar and Perkins Extended, where the Sears department store now stands. The new retail development will be 135,000 square feet, with Nordstrom Rack occupying 33,000 square feet of the space. Nordstrom Rack announced Wednesday that the clearance store should open in fall 2017. Poplar Commons will include other national retailers, specialty retailers and several well known restaurants, Seritage announced. March 2, 2016 -- Terry Frasure of Marion, Ark. hugs her 4-year-old grandson, Max Hopper, at Rainbow Lake Playground as she leaves for work Wednesday. Frasure was at Overton Park visiting her grandson and daughter, Allie Hopper, of Bartlett. The Memphis City Council has voted to give greensward control to Memphis Zoo. A resolution was amended by District 5 council member Worth Morgan to remove the playground and nearby Rainbow Lake from the zoo's control. (Yalonda M. James/The Commercial Appeal) You can't park in a lake. I know this because I tried it once. Not intentionally. I was a rookie driver with a stick shift. The car got a little wet. Thank God for brakes. I bring up this embarrassing moment to make a point about Tuesday's embarrassing City Council resolution to cede control of half of the Overton Park greensward to the Memphis Zoo. Strangely, the park's Rainbow Lake was included in the original resolution's "Boundaries designated for zoo purposes and greensward parking." That was Exhibit B in the zoo's latest attempt to control more of what did the resolution call it? "The City's Park, Known as Overton Park." Exhibit B also included the park's magnificent new playground. I've never tried it, but I don't think you can park on a playground either. If the resolution was merely about letting the zoo manage part of the greensward for overflow parking, why include the adjacent lake and playground? Why did Exhibit B's "boundaries designated for zoo purposes" look a lot like the zoo's original 1986 master plan, which encompassed the lake, playground area and most of the greensward? Clearly, the zoo wants more than permission to park on the greensward. It already had permission to park on the northern third of the greensward from Mayor Jim Strickland, former Mayors A C Wharton and Willie Herenton, and the Overton Park Conservancy. Council members failed to mention that Tuesday before they voted. They failed to mention that the resolution was giving the zoo control of an even larger portion of the greensward. They failed to mention a lot of things. In their defense, they seemed to be in a big hurry. The council's 20-page resolution was filed Tuesday morning by council member Reid Hedgepeth, who represents Super Dist. 9, and, apparently, the zoo. He added it to the council's agenda Tuesday afternoon. That didn't give anyone much time to review the resolution, including the public. Council member Patrice Robinson made an admirable effort to get the council to explain the resolution they were about to vote on to park lovers in the audience. By then, Hedgepeth's zoo train was already rolling across the greensward. Hedgepeth received $13,000 in campaign donations last year from individuals and a political action committee directly tied to zoo officers and directors. "I have one vote on the City Council. This issue passed 11-1 because it was the right thing to do, not because of anyone's donations," Hedgepeth told CA reporter Ryan Poe. After last year's city election, Hedgepeth asked council attorney Allen Wade to review the city's contracts with the zoo and the conservancy. That's what got this train rolling in the first place. According to Wade's opinion, issued Dec. 31, the zoo already had the right to control the northern portion of the greensward and use it for overflow parking. The zoo used Wade's opinion to justify removing 27 trees from the greensward in January. Then it used Wade's opinion to file a Chancery Court lawsuit against the conservancy, the city AND the council. In effect, the council has rewarded the zoo for suing the city. Did Tuesday's rushed and mostly hushed push for a resolution amount to an out-of-court settlement with the zoo? Council member Worth Morgan said he was voting for the resolution to bring the court battle to an end, to avoid legal fees, and to resolve confusion over the city's contradictory contracts with the zoo and the conservancy. "That's honestly the city's fault," Morgan said Tuesday. Will the council's action end the chancery court battle? Will it as Morgan believes encourage and even enhance mediation between the park and zoo? Will the zoo and the council support the conservancy's study of overall parking and traffic problems in the park? We shall see. Fortunately, the lake still belongs to the park, at least for now. Right before the vote, Morgan amended the resolution and removed the lake and playground from the zoo's new boundaries. Morgan, who represents Dist. 5, which includes the park and zoo, was the only council member who was individually booed Tuesday. That's a shame. He knew the resolution would pass with or without his vote. He could have played to the home crowd and voted against the resolution, or remained silent. Instead, he was the only council member who deigned to explain his vote. Unless you count council member Berlin Boyd's non sequitur remarks about how much folks from his Dist. 7 like free day at the zoo. He's right. I live in Dist. 7 and my family loves free day at the zoo. And we've never parked on the greensward or in the lake. Marinated chicken sandwich at Newby's (Michael Donahue/The Commercial Appeal) SHARE By Michael Donahue of The Commercial Appeal You can go home again or at least to the college bar you never graduate from if you're looking for a legendary Memphis marinated chicken sandwich. Newby's, which recently reopened, is selling one version of its marinated chicken sandwich, a food item I consumed on many a night back in the day at the Highland Strip hangout, which originally opened as The Bull Shotte in 1975. I didn't think they sold the sandwich anymore, so I ordered something else the first time I visited Newby's after it reopened in January. On my next trip, I asked owner Larry Thompson why they no longer sold their classic sandwich. He pointed to the menu. It's listed as the "MCS." In smaller type it reads: "Newby's Original Marinated Chicken Sandwich." The description reads: "A 6 oz. chicken breast in our secret (Ask nicely and we'll probably tell you) marinade, melted baby Swiss, real mayo on a toasted onion roll. Simple and delicious." I did ask nicely, but chef Zak Hansen told me only the two main marinade ingredients: pineapple juice and teriyaki sauce, which, of course, is made with soy sauce. Asked what he likes about the MCS, Hansen said, "The first bite, for sure." According to Thompson, a customer who recently tried the sandwich couldn't believe his taste buds. He thought it tasted exactly like the marinated chicken sandwich served by the late Dave Harsh, who founded Newby's. "'How did you get this recipe out of him?,'" the man asked. The Newby's marinated chicken sandwich went through a few versions, Thompson said. There was Harsh's, one made by "a guy named Smitty" and one made by former Newby's bartender Jeff Johnson, who now owns. the Jeff Johnson Restaurant Group, a Memphis-based restaurant development firm. "We have the Jeff Johnson," Thompson said. "At one time we had white pepper in there. Bell pepper. Onion." The MCS comes with great savory fries, which are the same type he sold at his restaurant, South Mouth Wings, in Boulder, Colorado. They're called Weak Eddie's after a friend, Eddie Zayed, who came up with the recipe. Logan Badgley, 21, who works at Newby's, was about to dive into one of the sandwiches. He wasn't familiar with its history. "I didn't know Newby's was a bar or a restaurant before Larry reopened it," he said. But when I asked him what he thought about the MCS, Badgley said echoing many of his forebears "It's my favorite." Newby's is at 539 S. Highland, 901-730-0520. SHARE Jim Strickland By Ryan Poe of The Commercial Appeal Mayor Jim Strickland said he's still committed to doing the basics of government "brilliantly" despite a long, expensive list of capital budget commitments. Strickland told more than 50 students at the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law on Wednesday that population loss of the kind that crippled Detroit and Gary, Indiana, will be his biggest long-term challenge, and that the city will have to reduce crime and blight, and take care of other basics as a result. "We can't afford to fail," said Strickland, who was speaking on the topic "Preventing Memphis from becoming the next Detroit." But Strickland told City Council members the city could be hard pressed to find the money for dramatic changes to the city's capital budget because of commitments made by his predecessors. He told City Council members Tuesday that he recently found that five projects will cost the city nearly $136.3 million in capital budget dollars over the next five years, tightening capital spending that should stay within $70 million per year. The city takes out debt to fund its annual capital budget, which covers the city's paving, body cameras and development projects, to name a few. The largest of those projects was the replacement of the city's Motorola SmartZone Radio System, which will cost the city $60 million in capital dollars over the next three years. Software support for the system, which the city began using around 2002, ended in 2008. Parts and tech support is scheduled to end in 2018. Strickland said the system also doesn't meet new federal quality regulations. The system is used by police, fire, Office of Emergency Management, the Downtown Memphis Commission, Public Works, Engineering, Parks, Animal Services, General Services and the Housing Authority police. The city has about 8,200 users, including portable radios and in-vehicle radios. Over the next five years, the capital budget will also have to include $30 million to match a federal grant for the "South City" redevelopment of Foote Homes, $25 million for critical Memphis Area Transit Authority bus repairs, $15 million on FedExForum improvements and $6.28 million for police dash and body cameras. Strickland said he doesn't plan on proposing a property tax increase or decrease for next fiscal year to generate money for more projects. "My job is to make us live within our means," he said. Curtis Dubay, a tax and economic policy research fellow at right-wing think tank Heritage Foundation, also spoke Wednesday, and said Strickland was right to focus on improving basic government services. "People vote with their feet," he said. "They go where they're treated the best." March 2, 2016 - Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell prepares to be interviewed for a Commercial Appeal podcast. (Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal) By David Royer of The Commercial Appeal Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell delivered a Monday night surprise when he announced he was running for Congress during a dinner speech in Jackson, Tennessee. But he saw a door open unexpectedly in the 8th District, a solidly Republican stretch that begins in the suburbs of eastern Shelby County and spreads north across rural West Tennessee, and he decided it might be his time to move. He visited The Commercial Appeal's podcast studio Wednesday for a conversation about what he's done in Shelby County, what he wants to do in Washington, and whether a recent association with President Obama might come up in the race. Q: This field is crowded so far with some prominent Shelby County names ... How do you avoid splitting the Shelby County vote? A: Well, you don't. You don't. We're all out there vying for the vote, we're vying for the financial contributions. The reality is, there are a number of Shelby Countians in this race and we run into each other, and we are talking to the same people, and many of us have the same friends. And one thing that I've noticed is it's (coughs) a little bit uncomfortable for some of the friends that we're approaching because some of them have already made commitments or they're considering breaking commitments. Q: Do you think your support of Insure Tennessee could be a vulnerability for you, running as a Republican? A: I think it will with some. Those who are just hard and fast against any type of cooperation to get these issues resolved. I'm steadfast in support of what Gov. Haslam presented to the General Assembly for Insure Tennessee, primarily for its impact on Shelby County and our safety net hospital (Regional One). Our (Regional One) facility will lose somewhere in the neighborhood of around $30 million, potentially, and if we cannot get some type of replacement of that lost revenue, then the only way we can sustain it is to put more of our local revenue into it. ... Insure Tennessee gives us that stream of revenue to replace what we've lost with the advent of the Affordable Care Act. So I supported Insure Tennessee for that reason. Yes, there will be some people who will hold that against me, but there are a number of Republicans also who will be very supportive of that. Walter Bailey SHARE By Linda A. Moore of The Commercial Appeal A proposed ordinance that would let voters revisit term limits for some Shelby County elected officials was not supported by the County Commission's general government committee on Wednesday, but commissioners pledged to take the idea to their constituents. The resolution, sponsored by Commissioner Walter Bailey, would place on the ballot a referendum to remove all references to term limits for the commission, county mayor, assessor of property, sheriff, register, trustee and county clerk from the charter. Bailey delivered to the commission an oration on the loss of institutional knowledge and the benefits to the county, saying that the ordinance was a way to let voters decide how long politicians served. Corporations like FedEx, he said, would never put term limits on their executives. "They welcome tenure," Bailey said. "Good public service ought to be rewarded with tenure. The public will have a say as to whether you're a good policy maker or not." Bailey was first elected to the former Quarterly Court in 1971 and remained when the County Commission was created in the mid-1970s. In 1994, 81 percent of referendum voters backed a charter amendment that limited some elected officials to two terms. Bailey, former commissioners Julian Bolton and the late Cleo Kirk, challenged the amendment in court and a Tennessee Supreme Court ruling in 2006 upheld the law. Bailey sat out a term and was re-elected in 2010. The ordinance proposal failed in committee but commissioners said they would take the proposal to their districts and follow their directive. It will go to the full commission Monday. Commissioner Van Turner said he vowed to serve only two terms while campaigning and wanted to know if he could be carved out of the ordinance. "Commissioner Turner, don't run," committee chairman Justin Ford said. Ford said he'd dedicated his life to public service and would support the referendum. A separate ordinance proposal that would have let voters weigh in on ending residency rules for county employees was pulled by its sponsor, commission chairman Terry Roland. The request to revisit residency, which was approved in a 1984 referendum, came from Shelby County Schools officials, who say in the competitive environment of teacher recruitment, SCS is losing talent to the Achievement School District, charter schools and municipal systems that do not require employees to live in the county. Roland said he'd also been contacted by sheriff's deputies who wanted to be allowed to live outside of Shelby County but he acknowledged there weren't enough votes on the commission to pass the ordinance proposal. Although the county attorney Ross Dyer said there might be a way to carve out only school system employees, Roland said that would not be fair and withdrew the ordinance proposal. University of Tennessee President Joe DiPietro By Richard Locker of The Commercial Appeal NASHVILLE --- Top University of Tennessee administrators told state lawmakers Wednesday that diversity and inclusion efforts are essential to help prepare students to live and work in a diverse society, and cited incidents at UT Knoxville that they said underscore a need for those efforts. UT and Tennessee Board of Regents officials fielded questions from lawmakers about diversity efforts and spending in a rare 2-hour joint hearing by the two House education committees. Most of the focus was on UT Knoxville, where a pair of web postings last year about gender-neutral pronouns and inclusive holiday parties by the campus's Office of Diversity and Inclusion sparked controversy among conservatives and some Republican legislators. UT responded by placing the diversity office's website under the control of the campus's vice chancellor for communications. Later in the day Wednesday, the state Senate Education Committee voted to strip UT's office of diversity and inclusion of all but its federal funding and to transfer $8 million from the university's administration into its agricultural extension service and rural outreach programs. The committee approved an amendment by its chairman, Sen. Dolores Gresham, R-Somerville, to the UT budget submitted by Gov. Bill Haslam that would have the effect of de-funding the diversity office at UT Knoxville. The panel's action isn't final: It will require concurrence by the full Senate and the House of Representatives before it could go into effect. During the joint hearing before the House panels earlier in the day, UT President Joe DiPietro said some of the system's four primary campuses "have had the difficult task of addressing very offensive and threatening behaviors that have demonstrated everything from a serious lack of racial or cultural sensitivity to open hatred, blatant disrespect and prejudices against certain groups. "In recent years, we have had incidents in which fraternity members have paraded to party locations in 'black face,' bananas thrown at a group of prospective black students, cotton balls strewn across the lawn of our black cultural center, racial and homophobic slurs written across campus walls and doors at residence halls," DiPietro told lawmakers. "These types of incidents may seem like a joke or minor acts of insensitivity, but they have no place at the University of Tennessee." The hearing was requested to address a range of questions about diversity and inclusiveness activities and funding. DiPietro and UT Knoxville Chancellor Jimmy Cheek spent most of the 1-hour UT portion of the hearing responding to those questions. Saying he "was one of the few conservatives" on the faculty of another college, Rep. Jim Coley, R-Bartlett, asked if UT's faculty is politically diverse, particularly in the humanities. DiPietro said he believes faculty across the UT system is diverse, and Cheek said he believes the humanities faculty at UTK is "very diverse." Rep. Roumesh Akbari, D-Memphis, asked whether diversity is a factor in accreditation and rankings. DiPietro and Cheek said some but not all accreditation agencies include diversity components in their processes. February 27, 2016 - Supporters wait for Presidential candidate Donald Trump to sign autographs after his speech at the Millington Regional Jetport during a campaign stop Saturday evening. (Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal) SHARE By Michael Collins of The Commercial Appeal WASHINGTON Voters in Tennessee and other Super Tuesday states may not have thrown the knock-out punches that Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton needed, but they did cement the two candidates' status as frontrunners for their parties' nominations for president. Trump scored a decisive, 14-point victory in Tennessee and won in six other states, giving him momentum that will be hard for his rivals to overcome going forward in the battle for the Republican nomination. Clinton throttled Bernie Sanders by 34 points in Tennessee and swept six other states five of them in the South widening her delegate lead and making it almost impossible for Sanders to catch up in the race for the Democratic nomination. "Trump looks like he will be favored for the Republican nomination, but it's not over yet," said Bruce Oppenheimer, a Vanderbilt University political scientist who studies elections. While Clinton hasn't yet clinched the Democratic nomination, she's in a much stronger position and her pathway seems a lot more certain after Tuesday's primaries and caucuses, Oppenheimer said. In Tennessee, which saw a record turnout for a presidential primary, both candidates dominated their opponents. Trump won in 94 of the state's 95 counties. The lone exception was Williamson County, which Florida Sen. Marco Rubio carried by four points. Rubio may have been helped there by the high-profile endorsements of Gov. Bill Haslam and U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, Oppenheimer said. Or, "It may just be that he's attracting the more affluent Republican base," he said. On the Democratic side, Clinton carried 92 Tennessee counties, while Sanders won three Carter, Unicoi and Washington, all on the state's far eastern edge. While Clinton's dominance was commanding she won more than 66 percent of Democratic voters she performed even better among blacks, who make up about a third of Tennessee's Democratic voters. Nearly 90 percent of black voters favored the former secretary of state, according to exit polls conducted for The Associated Press and the television networks. "It's conventional wisdom that Hillary Clinton performs very well among black voters," said Anthony Nownes, a political scientist at the University of Tennessee. "Last night proved the conventional wisdom was correct. She dominated the Deep South states, but also did quite well in Tennessee and other states as well." Left unanswered is how many delegates Trump and Clinton will end up claiming in Tennessee. Officials with the Tennessee Democratic and Republican parties said Wednesday they are awaiting final vote returns and are still tabulating delegate results. Tennessee Republicans will award 58 delegates as a result of Tuesday's elections. Under the distribution formula, any candidate who receives at least 20 percent of the vote will be awarded delegates. Trump, second-place finisher Ted Cruz and Rubio all surpassed that threshold and will walk away with some delegates. Tennessee Democrats will award 67 delegates. Tennessee voters turned out in record numbers for Tuesday's presidential primary, Secretary of State Tre Hargett's office said. Some 1.22 million voters cast ballots, topping the previous presidential primary record of 1.17 million set in 2008. The 2016 numbers include record-breaking totals for early voting. Nashville Bureau Chief Richard Locker contributed to this report. SHARE James Figgs By Nassim Benchaabane, Associated Press JACKSON, Miss. -- James Figgs, a longtime community organizer in the Mississippi Delta who was known for playing crucial supporting roles in the 1960s civil rights movement and beyond, has died. He was 72. Figgs died Monday at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Oxford, according to Lafayette County Coroner Rocky Kennedy. In his youth, Figgs led activist groups in his hometown of Marks and in Quitman County, including the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee and the Freedom Riders, who rode interstate buses to protest segregation. He helped register black voters for the 1964 election and he organized local efforts in the "Poor People's Campaign" for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Figgs later became one of the first high-ranking African-American employees in the Mississippi state auditor's office, working under Auditor Pete Johnson in the late 1980s. He served as president of the Coahoma County chapter of the NAACP and as vice president of the state NAACP chapter under longtime civil rights leader and state Rep. Aaron E. Henry of Clarksdale, who died in 1997. Figgs and Henry were "two peas in a pod," said Curley Clark, president of the Moss Point-Jackson County chapter of the NAACP, who met Figgs when he was elected treasurer of the state chapter of the civil-rights group in 1980. Figgs was Henry's adviser and key supporter throughout his presidency, working behind the scenes to devise strategies and arrange logistics, Clark said. "He was like a big brother in the civil rights movement and an unsung hero," Clark said. "A lot of people won't know the impact he had." Henry and Figgs were also key figures in integrating the Democratic Party, and Clark called Figgs a "giant" of the civil rights era. Figgs was elected to the Marks City Council in 2005, where he served three terms as an alderman. His son, Dwight Figgs, also served as mayor. ASD Superintendent Dr. Malika Anderson (left), joins Lt. Tyron Currie with COPS; Dr. Glen Fenter with the Greater Memphis Alliance for a Competitive Workforce, and Shelby County Superintendent Dorsey Hopson during a 'Community Education 911' panel discussion at LeMoyne-Owen College Wednesday. (Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal) SHARE By Jennifer Pignolet of The Commercial Appeal In a passionate plea Wednesday for parents to take more responsibility for their children's education, Shelby County Schools Superintendent Dorsey Hopson got personal. "I'm a product from a single (parent) home," Hopson said. "I've got a lot of drug addicts and drug dealers in my family, too. I've seen all the ills that go along with poverty. But at the end of the day I had a parent that took responsibility." His message was part of an education panel hosted by LeMoyne-Owen College and broadcast live on The Bev Johnson radio show. The 10 panelists included leaders from churches, schools, jobs programs, and law enforcement, all of whom offered a different perspective on the same it-takes-a-village idea of how to improve education in Shelby County. Hopson acknowledged the past failures of both schools and government that allowed poor education to continue. He talked about the "suffocating poverty" that challenges families daily, and the fact that many parents are doing their best. But for those who aren't, "shame on you," he said. "We've got a huge obligation to improve the education system in this community... But at the end of the day, the school can only do so much," he said. Achievement School District Superintendent Malika Anderson said the lack of reading that should be going on in homes before children ever reach school as one of the biggest obstacles teachers here face. "When that does not happen, we have students who are coming into kindergarten who have vocabulary levels that are much lower than they should be and it makes it very difficult for them to read," she said. The panel received push back from the Rev. Keith Williams, a senior advisor for the Tennessee Black Alliance for Educational Options. Williams told the story of a student who graduated ninth in her class at Carver High School but struggled to earn just an 18 out of 36 on the ACT. "I understand that this is a community problem and we've all got to be involved, but let's be clear. All of our children aren't prepared for college is not a result of them coming from homes that have parents that are strung out on drugs," Williams said. "And not all of them are involved in gangs." Hopson reiterated he's not interested in blame. But he recalled his early days in the Whitehaven neighborhood, where he said there was not only a culture of personal responsibility and community accountability. Board member Stephanie Love, a Frayser parent of children in both ASD and SCS schools, said she is happy to call out parents as needed. "To any of the mothers who are listening, we are--and don't get it twisted--we are our child's first teacher," Love said. "If we can roll weed, if we can twerk in the club, if we can stand in the line to get Jordans, if we can find out the password to our man's phone to see if he's cheating on us, we can make sure our children receive a quality education." Love said her three children read to her every day. The fact that she herself dropped out of high school at 16 and had to earn her high school equivalency-diploma is no excuse, she said. "My 10th-grader? He's doing college work because I make him do that," Love said. "I must make sure my children are successful." St. Anne Catholic School and church on Highland SHARE By Jennifer Pignolet of The Commercial Appeal St. Anne Catholic School will close at the end of this school year, the Diocese of Memphis Catholic Schools confirmed Thursday. The school, which opened in 1948, had only 105 students in preschool through eighth grade and was at a third of its capacity, the diocese's Director of Communications Suzanne Aviles said. Aviles said families were notified last month and some have begun enrolling their children in other schools in the Catholic network. "There are enough throughout the city that there should be something within driving distance for most parents," she said. Aviles said the diocese will make the transfer process as easy as possible. Enrollment has declined over a number of years, Aviles said, and closing the school has "been a discussion at the parish level for quite some time." Demographics of the neighborhood, close to the University of Memphis, played a role, Aviles said. "For the most part there just aren't that many children there," she said. St. Anne Catholic Church on the same property will not be affected by the closure. The Highland Avenue campus is separate from St. Ann Catholic School in Bartlett, which is not closing. The Memphis diocese includes 26 schools, including one in Jackson. SHARE Quinton Tellis By Ron Maxey of The Commercial Appeal Quinton Verdell Tellis, charged with capital murder for the 2014 burning death of Jessica Chambers, likely won't return to Mississippi until around the end of the year at the earliest, District Attorney John Champion said Thursday. Champion said there are no new developments in the case since Tellis was indicted by a Panola County grand jury and identified by authorities during a news conference Feb. 24. Champion said at the time he didn't expect Tellis to be extradited from Louisiana "anytime soon." Tellis is in the Ouachita Parish Jail in Monroe, Louisiana, on marijuana charges and charges he fraudulently used a debit card belonging to a murdered exchange student in that state. "I believe he has a trial date on those charges May 9," Champion said Thursday. "Assuming it goes to trial then, I believe it could be 60 to 90 days before sentencing. After that, we'd have to redo our paperwork that goes through the governor's office to get him back. "I don't expect to see him here before the end of the year." Also, Tellis is the prime suspect in the slaying of the student whose debit card he is charged with using, but has not been charged. Tellis, 27, is from Courtland, Mississippi, in Panola County. Chambers, 19, was also from Courtland. She was found ablaze outside her burning Kia Rio on a Courtland road the evening of Dec. 6, 2014. Authorities have not discussed a motive or the relationship between Tellis and Chambers, except to say they knew one another and were introduced by friends. Both attended South Panola High School. Authorities believe Tellis acted alone. SHARE By Dana Milbank WASHINGTON Why did Bernie Sanders fail? Sanders continues his campaign after his Super Tuesday losses, but he has no real chance of wresting the Democratic presidential nomination from Hillary Clinton. The socialist insurgent went further than most thought possible, drawing huge crowds, amassing vast sums and forcing Clinton to adopt more populist positions. But the Sanders challenge was doomed by a fatal flaw: Democrats aren't as unhappy as he needed them to be. It is an article of faith this year that voters are angry. But this shorthand misleads. Certainly, there is real economic anxiety in the United States, but Americans are, overall, quite content: 87 percent of Democrats and 87 percent of Republicans alike said in a Gallup poll in January that they are satisfied in their personal lives. The anger that's out there is directed at the malfunctioning government in Washington and this anger is mostly on the Republican side. Americans overall have a dim view of where the country is headed: 36 percent think we're on the right track, and 60 percent say we're headed in the wrong direction, in the January Washington Post-ABC News poll. But break that down further and you find that 89 percent of Republicans think we're on the wrong track. With Democrats, it's reversed: Only 34 percent say we're heading the wrong way. Compare that with the same time in the 2008 election cycle, when a two-term Republican president was in office. Back then, Democrats were the most unhappy: only 6 percent said the country was heading in the right direction, while 47 percent of Republicans thought so. The difference is political, not economic. Republicans are more hostile when Democrats are in power, and vice versa. "Everybody says people are angry, but that's not really the case," said Frank Newport, the head of Gallup. Americans "are not going through their lives seething and kicking the cat." The anger "is a very particular anger, and it varies depending on which party is in power," Newport told me. "People filter a lot through who's president." On the Republican side this year, anger at the Obama administration makes Donald Trump's insurgency possible just as in 2008, anger at the Bush administration's Iraq blunder made possible Barack Obama's challenge to Clinton. Sanders would likely have fared better this year if there were an incumbent Republican administration. But as a protest candidate, he's campaigning against the existing order and much of that order is a two-term Democratic president who is very popular among the Democrats Sanders needed to win. If there were more restlessness among Democrats, the Sanders message of economic injustice might have overridden the traditional identity politics that define the Democratic Party satisfying diverse factions based on gender, race, ethnicity, religion and sexual orientation. But the usual constituency politics, at which Clinton excels, prevailed because Democrats weren't particularly restless, as demonstrated by their low turnout in primaries. In Gallup's January survey, 56 percent of Democrats said they were satisfied with the power and size of the federal government vs. only 18 percent of Republicans. This left Sanders in the position of sparking a "revolution," as he put it, among a group that isn't nearly as negative about the government as the overall electorate. And to campaign against the status quo he inevitably had to be critical of Obama, who enjoys the support of more than 85 percent of Democrats and more than 90 percent of African-Americans. Sanders called Obama "dead wrong" on trade and "not strong enough" on other issues. He said he would give the country a "course correction" from Obama's leadership. A blurb he wrote appeared on the cover of a book called "Buyer's Remorse: How Obama Let Progressives Down." The Sanders campaign posted a piece by a Sanders adviser arguing that Clinton's policies were "more of the same" Obama policies, part of a Democratic establishment "addicted to the political contributions from financial high rollers." Another Sanders surrogate, Cornel West, had famously called Obama a "black puppet of corporate plutocrats." "You know Hillary Clinton now is trying to embrace the president as closely as she possibly can," a frustrated Sanders told BET in February. "Everything the president does is wonderful. ... And we know what that's about. That's trying to win support from the African-American community where the president is enormously popular." But Obama isn't just popular among black Democrats. He's popular among all Democrats, and contentment with the guy in charge is a weak basis for a revolution. Dana Milbank is a columnist for the Washington Post. SHARE By Philip Bump John Kasich is not going to win the Republican nomination. That's obvious to the point of not needing to be fleshed out. He's done well in the moderate confines of New England, with second-place finishes in Massachusetts, Vermont and New Hampshire, but that's about it. Kasich is also not why Donald Trump is on the verge of winning the Republican nomination. Trump is on the verge of the nomination because of voter frustration with Washington and a Republican Party that has spent years failing to address the concerns of its base. When sitting House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., lost his primary in 2014, conservative media put the blame on his immigration stance, and the establishment blamed his failure to spend much time in his home district. Trump suggests that both were true: People are mad about failures on policy and a lack of elected officials caring about it. Trump is on the verge of the Republican nomination words I, too, never expected to type because he has run a campaign that a seasoned Washington veteran couldn't. This seems almost blindingly obvious at this point. Some in the establishment are coming to terms with this, trying to figure out how to co-opt or redirect Trump toward more positive ends. Others most others refuse to accept it, refuse to accept that he can be the nominee. And to try to keep that from happening, they're pulling all the levers they can see around them, most of which proved to be broken months ago. And one of the last big remaining levers is labeled "John Kasich." We noted last week that Kasich wasn't costing Marco Rubio the nomination. We can re-assess that in light of Super Tuesday. The current vote totals in Massachusetts, with nearly all votes counted, have Trump at 49 percent, Kasich in second with 18.1 percent and Rubio in third with 17.9 percent. Here is a math lesson: 18.1 plus 17.9 equals 36, and 36 is less than 49. If Kasich had dropped out and if every single one of his voters had gone to Rubio, Rubio would have come in second. But, sure. These votes aren't really about votes; they're about delegates. Under Massachusetts' allocation rules, Trump got 22 delegates Tuesday night to Kasich's 8 and Rubio's 8. If a fused Kasubio candidate had run instead, he would have gotten 16 delegates, putting Rubio's total at 95 instead of 87. That's only 66 delegates back ... from Ted Cruz, who's in second overall. In Virginia, Rubio's at 31.9 percent, just about three points behind Trump's 34.7 percent. Kasich got 9.4 percent of the vote in the state. If every Kasich voter had backed Rubio instead, Rubio would have 41.3 percent to Trump's 34.7 percent. It's worth a quick aside to note that not every Kasich supporter would back Rubio. That's not how it works. If that were how it worked, Rubio would be doing much better anyway, because he'd have absorbed all of the support from the previous establishment candidates who dropped out. He hasn't. Some Kasich supporters will go to Cruz or Trump for reasons that defy easy explanation but it would happen anyway. OK. So Kasich cost Rubio Virginia. And if Rubio had gotten that 41.3 percent of the vote, he'd have gotten wait for it four more delegates. The reason that Massachusetts and Virginia were contests in which Rubio and Kasich might have made more of a difference, of course, is that they're more moderate states anyway. Rubio couldn't close the deal in moderate Massachusetts even with all of Kasich's support lumped in; how's he going to close the deal regardless in a state like Texas? The answer: He wasn't. A lack of Kasich may have gotten Rubio over the 20 percent threshold margin in Texas though that's a bigger maybe but he wasn't going to catapult him into the race for congressional district delegates. Rubio's problem is that he is selling something that a lot of Republicans want to buy. Adding another salesman to that effort isn't going to increase revenue. Kasich might want to drop out, admittedly, because this whole thing is mostly a waste of his time and money. But he should not drop out simply because the establishment thinks he's an obstacle to Rubio. The obstacle to Rubio is the establishment itself, and blaming Kasich is simply a way of not having to blame themselves. Philip Bump writes for The Fix, a Washington Post blog. SHARE By Ruth Marcus WASHINGTON I write today to confess error. A few months back, pondering the ghastly parlor game of choosing between President Donald Trump and President Ted Cruz, I opted reluctantly, disbelievingly for Trump, as the lesser of two dangers. Yes, the real estate tycoon is a know-nothing, uninterested-in-learning-anything buffoon. Also: a demagogue and a bully whose emotional instability would pose a threat to national security. But the Cruz alternative, it seemed to me then, was even worse. Cruz is smarter than Trump, more calculating than Trump (which is saying something) and way, way more conservative than Trump. A Trump presidency, or so I reassured myself, at least offered the prospect of unprincipled deal-making in the service of what is Trump's only guidepost promoting the greater glory of Trump. President Cruz would be as absolutist as Sen. Cruz, and therefore, from my point of view, the worse president. I was wrong. Since that column in mid-December, Trump has proved himself to be even less knowledgeable and even more unhinged. His election would constitute a grave threat to American values and, potentially, American democracy. In January, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham likened picking between Trump and Cruz to "like being shot or poisoned. What does it really matter?" Except Graham, like me, has come to the unexpected conclusion that it does. "We may be in a position where we have to rally around Ted Cruz as the only way to stop Donald Trump," Graham told CBS News' Charlie Rose as the Super Tuesday returns rolled in. Was that what Graham was really suggesting, Rose asked the man who had joked, just a few days earlier, about how the safest place to murder Cruz would be on the Senate floor? Graham: "I can't believe I would say yes, but yes." Senator, I feel your astonishment, and raise it. To take one pending example, you probably wouldn't have difficulty voting to confirm President Cruz's Supreme Court nominee. I would. But my fundamental fear is that giving the reins of government to Trump would be even riskier, exposing the country to more long-lasting danger than a court with multiple Cruz nominees. Trump on the trail demonstrates scant respect for, and even less knowledge of, constitutional and legal limitations. He wants to "open up the libel laws" actually, to undo limits imposed by the First Amendment to make it easier to sue media outlets that dare to criticize him. He threatens those who contribute to his political opponents. "They better be careful, they have a lot to hide," he warned Chicago's Ricketts family, which has donated to an anti-Trump super-PAC. He cannot tolerate protesters, ordering his goons to "throw them out into the cold" and expressing his own yearning for even more violent measures: "I'd like to punch him in the face." He would torture alleged terrorists ("Don't tell me it doesn't work torture works," he said) and kill their families, notwithstanding that these constitute war crimes under U.S. and international law. You could dismiss this as over-the-top campaign trail rhetoric or you could worry, as I do, about what a man like this would do once in office, with the power of government at his disposal. A former White House chief of staff once told me that the most astonishing aspect of the presidency isn't how constrained the chief executive is by having to deal with a recalcitrant Congress it's how much latitude the president has when it comes to conducting military operations. Perhaps the military would refuse to follow President Trump's unlawful orders, as former CIA Director Michael Hayden suggested. What about the order, issued in a fit of pique against a foreign critic, that is lawful but crazy? Trump is Nixon with all of the megalomaniacal willingness to abuse power and none of the crafty realpolitik. He is attracted to strongmen, past and present unapologetically retweeting a quote from Mussolini ("What difference does it make whether it's Mussolini or somebody else?") and basking in praise from Vladimir Putin. Of the Republican speaker of the House, Paul Ryan, Trump said menacingly, on the night of his Super Tuesday victories, "I'm sure I'm going to get along with him, and if I don't, he's going to pay a big price." Space precludes going through all the outrageous things Trump has said or proposed, or his predilection for flat-out lying when called on these offenses. Suffice it to say that, if Trump is elected, Ryan isn't the only American who might have to pay a price. Ruth Marcus' email address is ruthmarcus@washpost.com. Select Commodity All Ajwan Alasande Gram Almond(Badam) Alsandikai Amaranthus Ambada Seed Amla(Nelli Kai) Amphophalus Antawala Anthorium Apple Apricot(Jardalu/Khumani) Arecanut(Betelnut/Supari) Arecanut(Betelnut/Supari) Arhar (Tur/Red Gram)(Whole) Arhar (Tur/Red Gram)(Whole) Arhar Dal(Tur Dal) Ashgourd Astera Avare Dal Bajra(Pearl Millet/Cumbu) Bajra(Pearl Millet/Cumbu) Balekai Bamboo Banana Banana - Green Barley (Jau) Bay leaf (Tejpatta) Beans Beaten Rice Beetroot Bengal Gram Dal (Chana Dal) Bengal Gram(Gram)(Whole) Ber(Zizyphus/Borehannu) Ber(Zizyphus/Borehannu) Betal Leaves Bhindi(Ladies Finger) Bitter gourd Black Gram (Urd Beans)(Whole) Black Gram Dal (Urd Dal) Black pepper BOP Bottle gourd Bran Brinjal Broken Rice Broomstick(Flower Broom) Bull Bunch Beans Cabbage Calf Capsicum Cardamoms Carnation Carrot Cashewnuts Castor Seed Cauliflower Chapparad Avare Chennangi Dal Cherry Chikoos(Sapota) Chili Red Chilly Capsicum Chow Chow Chrysanthemum Chrysanthemum(Loose) Cinamon(Dalchini) Cloves Cluster beans Cock Cocoa Coconut Coconut Oil Coconut Seed Coffee Colacasia Copra Coriander(Leaves) Corriander seed Cotton Cotton Seed Cow Cowpea (Lobia/Karamani) Cowpea (Lobia/Karamani) Cowpea(Veg) Cucumbar(Kheera) Cummin Seed(Jeera) Custard Apple (Sharifa) Dalda Dhaincha Drumstick Dry Chillies Dry Fodder Dry Grapes Duck Duster Beans Egg Elephant Yam (Suran) Field Pea Firewood Fish Foxtail Millet(Navane) French Beans (Frasbean) Galgal(Lemon) Garlic Ghee Gingelly Oil Ginger(Dry) Ginger(Green) Gladiolus Cut Flower Goat Gram Raw(Chholia) Gramflour Grapes Green Avare (W) Green Chilli Green Fodder Green Gram (Moong)(Whole) Green Gram Dal (Moong Dal) Green Peas Ground Nut Oil Ground Nut Seed Groundnut Groundnut (Split) Groundnut pods (raw) Guar Guar Seed(Cluster Beans Seed) Guava Gur(Jaggery) He Buffalo Hen Hippe Seed Honge seed Hybrid Cumbu Indian Beans (Seam) Indian Colza(Sarson) Isabgul (Psyllium) Jack Fruit Jaffri Jamun(Narale Hannu) Jarbara Jasmine Jowar(Sorghum) Jute Kabuli Chana(Chickpeas-White) Kacholam Kakada Kankambra Karamani Karbuja(Musk Melon) Kartali (Kantola) Khoya Kinnow Knool Khol Kodo Millet(Varagu) Kulthi(Horse Gram) Lak(Teora) Leafy Vegetable Lemon Lentil (Masur)(Whole) Lilly Lime Linseed Lint Litchi Little gourd (Kundru) Long Melon(Kakri) Lotus Lotus Sticks Lukad Mahedi Mahua Mahua Seed(Hippe seed) Maida Atta Maize Mango Mango (Raw-Ripe) Marasebu Marget Marigold(Calcutta) Marigold(loose) Mashrooms Masur Dal Mataki Methi Seeds Methi(Leaves) Millets Mint(Pudina) Moath Dal Mousambi(Sweet Lime) Mustard Mustard Oil Myrobolan(Harad) Neem Seed Niger Seed (Ramtil) Nutmeg Onion Onion Green Orange Orchid Ox Paddy(Dhan)(Basmati) Paddy(Dhan)(Common) Papaya Papaya (Raw) Patti Calcutta Peach Pear(Marasebu) Peas cod Peas Wet Peas(Dry) Pegeon Pea (Arhar Fali) Pepper garbled Pepper ungarbled Persimon(Japani Fal) Pigs Pineapple Plum Pointed gourd (Parval) Pomegranate Potato Pumpkin Raddish Ragi (Finger Millet) Raibel Rajgir Ram Rat Tail Radish (Mogari) Raya Resinwood Rice Ridge gourd(Tori) Ridgeguard(Tori) Rose(Local) Rose(Loose) Rose(Loose)) Round gourd Rubber Sabu Dan Sabu Dana Safflower Sajje Same/Savi Season Leaves Seemebadnekai Seetafal Seetapal Sesamum(Sesame,Gingelly,Til) Sesamum(Sesame,Gingelly,Til) She Buffalo She Goat Sheep Snake gourd Snakeguard Soanf Soapnut(Antawala/Retha) Soapnut(Antawala/Retha) Soji Soyabean Spinach Sponge gourd Squash(Chappal Kadoo) Sugar Sugarcane Sunflower Sunhemp Suram Surat Beans (Papadi) Suva (Dill Seed) Suvarna Gadde Sweet Potato Sweet Pumpkin T.V. Cumbu T.V. Cumbu Tamarind Fruit Tamarind Seed Tapioca Taramira Tender Coconut Thinai (Italian Millet) Thogrikai Thondekai Tinda Tobacco Tomato Toria Tube Rose(Double) Tube Rose(Loose) Tube Rose(Single) Turmeric Turmeric (raw) Turnip Walnut Water Melon Wheat Wheat Atta White Peas White Pumpkin Wood Yam Yam (Ratalu) Select State Select Market The arrest of Diego Dzodan, the vice president of Facebook for Latin America, by Brazilian federal police in Sao Paulo has stirred up controversy in the country. The executive was arrested on Tuesday morning after Facebook, the parent company of WhatsApp, declined to follow the orders of a court in the state of Sergipe to turn over information on application usage by people accused of drug trafficking. After the arrest, the company filed a habeas corpus petition that was reviewed and granted by a judge in the highest state court in Sergipe early Wednesday, leading to Dzodans release, according to local media. The police, however, acted appropriately in the case, according to Frederico Meinberg Ceroy, the president of the Brazilian Digital Law Institute. Facebook and WhatsApp, which has no official representation in the country, are the only two large technology companies that do not cooperate with law enforcement in Brazil in such cases, he pointed out. "Requests for information in Brazil are made in a thoughtful way, usually only in cases of serious crimes such as pedophilia, drug trafficking, and organized crime," Ceroy said. "Given this, you cannot talk about violation of privacy, abuse or excess." He noted that Facebook had already received several warnings and fines in this and similar cases related to criminal activities and drug trafficking. But Carlos Affonso, the director of the Rio de Janeiro Institute of Technology and Society and a professor of law at the State University of Rio de Janeiro, pointed out that the Dzodan arrest may be seen as a warning outside Brazil. "I dont think it sends a good message in the long term to technology companies seeking to establish and have services in Brazil," he said. WhatsApp says that it does not have the content of conversations between its users because the app does not store the data and encrypts end-to-end communications, but this argument was rebutted by Ceroy. "The judge understands the difficulty in relation to content, he wants something else, like the IMEI of the used device, and information on the operating system, which is information that helps investigations," Ceroy said. IMEI numbers are usually unique and are used to identify mobile phones. The case may seem similar to the FBI-Apple case in the U.S., where Apple is appealing an order to help law enforcement access a password-protected iPhone belonging to one of the San Bernardino mass shooters. But although they may seem similar at first, experts say there is no comparison between the two cases. "The U.S. case is really absurd. But what the Brazilian judiciary wants is just information that Facebook has," says Ceroy. Facebook issued a statement on Tuesday shortly after the arrest. "We are disappointed with the extreme and disproportionate measure to have an executive of Facebook escorted to the police station due to a case involving WhatsApp, which operates separately from Facebook. Facebook has always been and will always be available to answer questions that Brazilian authorities can have," Facebook said. According to the police, the Argentine executive was jailed due to "repeated failure to comply with court orders in investigations that are secret and involve organized crime and drug trafficking." The investigation in question is being conducted in judicial secrecy in a criminal court in the state of Sergipe. WhatsApp was blocked in Brazil for about a day in December 2015 for failing to comply with similar court orders. In September 2012, the then-director general of Google Brazil, Fabio Coelho, was arrested by the federal police after the company refused to remove a YouTube video that made several accusations against a mayor candidate for the city of Campo Grande. This story was originally published by Computerworld Brazil. Luiz Mazetto is executive editor of IDG Brazil. Thanks to Disney's IT layoff, the Florida primary -- scheduled for March 15 -- might be the most telling on the H-1B visa issue. The displaced Disney IT workers in Florida have given new visibility to the use of the H-1B visa. It has become the marquee case for visa reform. Here's an early outlook on how the various presidential candidates may approach this issue if elected. What if Trump wins the presidency? President Donald Trump would change things. India is on Trump's list of countries "ripping off" the U.S., along with China, Japan and Mexico. His immigration platform includes a series of H-1B reforms, including a hire-Americans-first provision. Laid off Disney IT workers, who complained of training visa-holding replacements, spoke this week at a Trump rally. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), a leading proponent of H-1B reforms, is endorsing him. If the Republicans continue to hold both chambers of Congress, the prospects for a standalone H-1B bill improve. Comprehensive immigration reform proponents oppose piecemeal approaches, blocking H-1B cap increases as well as reforms. President Barack Obama may veto a standalone reform bill, but President Trump would likely sign the bill. But Trump, the billionaire businessman seeking the GOP nomination, is also a wild card. Trump may want H-1B reforms bundled with the legislation he needs to build a border wall and fund mass deportations, setting the stage for a different kind of fight with Congress. From a tech industry perspective, the most immediate danger posed by a President Trump may his use of the president's executive powers. He could attack the H-1B program with new enforcement approaches, as well curb the Optional Practical Training STEM extension that Obama now wants to expand. What if Clinton wins the presidency? Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton doesn't talk about the H-1B program. She doesn't mention it in her immigration platform or on the campaign trail. But she is not a total enigma. Clinton, who is seeking the Democratic nomination, supports comprehensive immigration reform. She is unlikely to rile India on trade, but would accept some reforms to the H-1B program if they are part of a comprehensive immigration bill. It remains to be seen whether Clinton -- possibly to offset Trump on this issue -- will be forced to directly talk in the campaign about the H-1B issue. What if Bernie Sanders wins the presidency? U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Vermont independent seeking the Democratic nomination, is a critic of the H-1B program and would be receptive to standalone reform legislation. Sanders and Clinton haven't talked about the visa program in any of their debates. It's been a missed opportunity, and the people at fault are the national news reporters who pose the questions. What if Rubio wins the presidency? U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) is aligned with Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), who is the tech industry's chief Senate advocate for increasing the H-1B visa cap. But Florida is ground zero for some of the most visible H-1B-related layoffs, with the Disney just the latest. Rubio's pro-industry views may be tested here. U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), has been troubled by the Disney layoffs, but Rubio apparently has not been. If Rubio can win in Florida, it may be proof that the H-1B issue is too niche and a non-factor in a national contest. The next two weeks may determine whether this issue has legs in the national debate. What if Cruz wins the presidency? Sen. Ted Cruz is co-sponsoring H-1B reform legislation with Sen. Sessions. His bill attacks H-1B usage by raising the wages of visa workers. It also includes a prohibition on non-disparagement clauses that keep IT workers from talking publicly about their experiences. If Cruz raises the H-1B issue at all in his campaign, it ought to be in Florida. Rubio has tried to offset Cruz's H-1B reform legislation by ignoring the Sessions/Cruz bill and pointing out, instead, that in 2013, Cruz supported a substantial hike in the H-1B visa cap. Rubio is a sponsor of Hatch's Immigration Innovation Act, also called the I-Squared Act, which would raise the annual base H-1B cap to between 115,000 and 195,000 visas. (The current annual base H-1B cap is 65,000.) As president, Cruz would work with Sessions and other H-1B reformers. He might attack the OPT program as well, using his executive powers. What impact is the presidential contest having on the H-1B issue? One clear impact is being felt by Nasscom, India's IT trade group. It is stepping up defense of the offshore industry model. R. Chandrashekhar, the industry group's president, argues that the use of IT services firms is about improving and modernizing IT operations at clients' businesses. The visa workers aren't there to simply replace the U.S. workers, but to modernize IT operations, he argues. "It's certainly not with the intention of just getting in a set of people to replace an existing set of people and continue to do things in the same manner," said Chandrashekhar, in an interview. "That doesn't make for a good business case in any sense." What Chandrashekhar doesn't want is for India to be singled out by lawmakers. Many of the reform proposals attack the wages paid to H-1B workers. If visa wages rise, the economics of offshoring decisions change, argue reform proponents. Whatever is done by lawmakers regarding the H-1B visa, "it should be applied uniformly to everybody," said Chandrashekhar. That means any reforms apply to U.S. outsourcers as well as to overseas firms. Can the presidential election actually change the way the H-1B program operates? Whether a new president can change the IT offshoring industry by altering the H-1B visa program remains to be seen. The president has executive power and can complicate the H-1B program, but Congress sets the visa cap and many of the visa rules. The lobbying forces are powerful. The IT workers at risk are mostly invisible. IT workers who have been "shadowed," participated in "knowledge transfer" or otherwise trained their replacements are often older, and have long tenures. They may make good money and benefits. These are the workers who run the IT systems that power manufacturing systems, utilities, healthcare and retailers, and are far removed from the glamour jobs at Twitter, Google, Facebook and the catchy startups. One former utility IT worker posted an ad on Craigslist, since removed, with the title: "50% off labor sale -- outsourced IT worker." IBM has been a bellwether employer that has often embraced workplace trends, sometimes good, sometimes ominous. It was, for instance, an early adopter of equality measures and same-sex benefits. It also became a leader in globalizing its workforce, hiring aggressively overseas as it reduced its U.S. headcount. IBM may be starting new trend: Reduced severance. The company is now conducting a layoff of its U.S. employees, something it does routinely as it rebalances its workforce. But laid-off workers say that instead of leaving with as much as 26 weeks of severance, they are getting only a month's pay under a recently initiated company policy. "I just can't believe that a company this size offers a one-month package -- it's a disgrace," said one longtime IBM employee who was told yesterday he was being laid off and requested anonymity. There was no explanation for the layoff, he said. The reports of the job cuts have been emerging on the Watching IBM Facebook page. The page was started by Lee Conrad, the former national coordinator for Alliance@IBM, a Communications Workers of America union local that closed its doors earlier this year. The new site is functioning similar to the old one by allowing IBM employees to share news about the company. IBM does not disclose the size of its layoffs or the size of its U.S. workforce. "IBM is aggressively transforming its business to lead in a new era of cognitive and cloud computing," said IBM spokesman Ian Colley in emailed comments. "This includes remixing skills to meet client requirements." The last day for some of the workers is May 31, and the laid-off worker speculated that the three-month notice may be IBM's way of compensating for the shortened severance. The employee also noted that a one-month severance offers little incentive to stick around until the end date. Another IBM employee being laid off said long-time workers were upset with the severance change and recent reductions in matching contributions to workers' 401K accounts. The reduced severance, this worker said, may make it harder for IBM to attract future job candidates -- although many new hires now arrive through corporate acquisitions. According to Colley, IBM hired "more than 70,000 professionals in 2015, many in these key skills areas, and currently has more than 25,000 open positions." Although the company won't disclose how many of the job openings are U.S.-based, "a significant number of the open positions are in the U.S.," he said. 23 May 2022 - Understand the French healthcare system, how you access it and how you are reimbursed - Useful if you are new to the French healthcare system or want a more in-depth understanding - Reader question and answer section Aimed at non-French nationals living here, the guide gives an overview of what you are (and are not) covered for. There is also information for second-home owners and regular visitors. Daniel Hannan is an MEP for South-East England, and a journalist, author and broadcaster. His most recent book is How we invented Freedom and why it matters. People seem oddly shocked. Anti-Semitism at Oxford Universitys Labour Club? The Labour Club? Arent Leftists meant to be empathetic and compassionate and interested in the welfare of minority groups? Evidently not when it comes to this minority. Anti-Semitism has an old and cruel history on the Left. The man who coined the word socialism was an anti-Semite; the man who popularised the phrase anti-Semitism was a socialist. The former was the nineteenth-century French radical, Pierre Leroux. When we speak of the Jews, he wrote, we mean the Jewish spirit the spirit of profit, of lucre, of gain, of speculation; in a word, the bankers spirit. The latter was a German Leftist called Wilhelm Marr. Anti-Semitism is a Socialist movement, he pronounced, only nobler and purer in form than Social Democracy. Before going any further, I should make clear that Oxfords Labour Club is as entitled as any of us to the presumption of innocence. The seriousness of an allegation doesnt shift the burden of proof. The accusation in this instance is certainly serious: Labour members are charged, not just with being too aggressively pro-Hamas or too free with their anti-Zionist rhetoric, but with making Jewish students feel targeted and uncomfortable. Then again, anyone who has been involved with undergraduate politics knows that wild accusations are sometimes thrown around. The rest of us should let Labour conclude its investigation. Let me, instead, address a broader and perhaps more alarming trend. It may be social media, or it may be the way that the far Left was galvanised by the recent Labour leadership contest, but Ive noticed that anti-Semitism these days often dispenses with the traditional circumlocutions (Its only Zionism I have a problem with, not Jews). Here is a selection of quotations, taken more or less at random from the Twitter accounts of self-declared Corbyn supporters: Weve had the Holocaust rammed down our throat by Zionists forever ensuring only Jewish suffering counts. Jews and Zionists own the whole world. Zyklon B was used for delousing. I dont mean to suggest for a moment that Jezza himself is anti-Semitic. The self-righteous old boob, who seems to go out of his way to cultivate the appearance of a Reform rabbi, is sincere in his dislike of racism. But the same is plainly not true of some of his most enthusiastic backers. What is going on? In part, were seeing the ugly alliance between Islamist radicals and parts of the fringe Left that Nick Cohen keeps writing about, based on a curious my-enemys-enemys-enemy-is-my-enemy logic. If your starting point is that the Western powers are responsible for the ills of the world, you can easily find yourself in a mesalliance with movements which, while they might be anti-feminist, anti-gay and anti-secularist, are at least satisfyingly anti-American. The more time you spend with these groups, the more you start sympathising with their world-view. And Jews generally dont occupy a positive place in the jihadi world-view. Not that Left-wing anti-Semitism is a new phenomenon. The two Victorian socialists I quoted at the beginning may not have represented the majoritarian strain of the Left in their era; but they were by no means exceptional. Anti-Semitism was bound up with a dislike of capitalism, banks and markets. Jews were portrayed, in much Leftist propaganda, as a living off the honest toil of the workers. How, as a Socialist, can you not be an anti-Semite? Hitler asked his party members in 1920. Listen, to pluck an example more or less at random, to the French socialist (later communist) deputy, Pierre Myrens, in 1911, The Yid [Youtre] is an Israelite by religion, a Jew by race and, what is more, a capitalist! I could fill the rest of this column with similar quotations, but I find them as distasteful as I hope you do. My purpose is simply to wipe away the self-righteousness, the smugness, that is slathered over large parts of our contemporary Left. Quotations like these have been edited out of our collective memory, because the dominant narrative of our age is that Left-wing means nice and Right-wing means nasty, ergo anti-Semitism must be Right-wing. Sorry, comrades, but thats not how it was or is. Yes, I know that there have been plenty of bigots on the Right, too. I know there have been many principled Jewish socialists. I know that Karl Marx was the grandson of two rabbis. But listen to the way he wrote about Jews: The essence of Judaism and the root of the Jewish soul is expediency and self-interest; the God of Israel is Mammon, who expresses himself in the lust for money. Judaism is the embodiment of anti-social attitudes. Its true that the odious cadger disliked all religions, but he never wrote about Christianity that way. Indeed, he could be quite sentimental about it though he deplored its corruption by the Jewish spirit. Marxs dislike of Judaism did not remain confined to his turgid books. It found expression in the anti-Semitic campaigns of the Comecon regimes: the purges of Jews by Polands Communists; the show trials in Czechoslovakia and Hungary of Israeli spies; Stalins Doctors Plot, which accused Jewish physicians of conspiring to assassinate the Communist leadership, and which was intended as a prelude to the mass deportation of Soviet Jews to Siberia (fortunately, the old monster died first, and Khruschev dropped the policy). In all these cases, Zionist was used as an unsubtle code-word for Jew. Why do so many people, who think of themselves sincerely as anti-racists and opponents of discrimination have a blind spot when it comes to this one minority group? Largely, I think, because anti-racists rarely push disinterestedly for equality before the law. Their real motive and its not, in itself, a bad one is the desire to stick up for the underdog, to help the underprivileged. When it comes to, say, quotas in university admissions, they can be quite enthusiastic about racial discrimination. Jews havent always fitted easily into the role of underdog, especially since the birth of Israel. Indeed, that state exists precisely because its founders had had enough of playing such a part. Israels success against the odds is one of the wonders of the twentieth century. In a region where autocracy is the normal form of political organisation, it has remained a democracy a gloriously cussed and disputatious democracy. In a strip of land without natural resources, it has created wealth from the greatest resource of all: human ingenuity. That very success means that, not only the state itself, but some non-Israeli Jews, now forfeit the sympathy of those who insist on seeing the world as a hierarchy of victimhood. Its regrettable; but, in the circumstances, Id say its a price worth paying. Plan B Not An Enigma: Why The West Is Keen On Dividing The Arabs By Ramzy Baroud 03 March, 2016 Countercurrents.org When Arab streets exploded with fury, from Tunis to Sanaa, pan-Arabism seemed, then, like a nominal notion. Neither did the so-called Jasmine Revolution use slogans that affirmed its Arab identity, nor did angry Egyptian youth raise the banner proclaiming Arab unity atop the high buildings adjacent to Tahrir Square. Oddly, the Arabism of the Arab Spring was almost as if a result of convenience. It was politically convenient for western governments to stereotype Arab nations as if they are exact duplicates of one another, and that national sentiments, identities, expectations and popular revolts are all rooted in the same past and correspond with a precise reality in the present. Thus, many in the west expected that the fall of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali of Tunisia, especially since it was followed by the abdication of Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, would lead to a domino effect. Whos next? was a pretentious question that many asked, some with no understanding of the region and its complexity. After initial hesitation, the US, along with its western allies, moved quickly to influence the outcome in some Arab countries. Their mission was to ensure a smooth transition in countries whose fate had been decided by the impulsive revolts, to speed up the toppling of their enemies and to prop up their allies so that they would not suffer a similar fate. The outcome was real devastation. Countries where the west and their allies - and, expectedly enemies were involved - became infernos, not of revolutionary fervor, but of militant chaos, terrorism and unabated wars. Libya, Syria and Yemen are the obvious examples. In a way, the west, its media and allies assigned themselves as gatekeepers of determining, not only the fate of the Arabs, but in molding their identities as well. Coupled with the collapse of the whole notion of nationhood in some Arab countries Libya, for example the US is now taking upon itself the responsibility of devising future scenarios of broken down Arab states. In his testimony before a US Senate committee to discuss the Syria ceasefire, Secretary of State, John Kerry revealed that his country is preparing a Plan B should the ceasefire fail. Kerry refrained from offering specifics; however, he offered clues. It may be too late to keep Syria as a whole, if we wait much longer, he indicated. The possibility of dividing Syria was not a random warning, but situated in a large and growing edifice of intellectual and media text in the US and other western countries. It was articulated by Michael OHanlon of the Brookings Institute in a Reuters op-ed last October. He called for the US to find a common purpose with Russia, while keeping in mind the Bosnia model. In similar fashion, a future Syria could be a confederation of several sectors: one largely Alawite - another Kurdish - a third, primarily Druse - a fourth, largely made up of Sunni Muslims; and then a central zone of intermixed groups in the countrys main population belt from Damascus to Aleppo. What is dangerous about OHanlons solution for Syria is not the complete disregard of Syrias national identity. Frankly, many western intellectuals never even subscribed to the notion that Arabs were nations in the western definition of nationhood, in the first place. (Read Aaron David Miller article: Tribes with Flags) No, the real danger lies in the fact that such a divisive dismantling of Arab nations is very much plausible, and historical precedents abound. It is no secret that the modern formation of Arab countries are largely the outcome of dividing the Arab region within the Ottoman Empire into mini-states. That was the result of political necessities and compromises that arose from the Sykes-Picot Agreement in 1916. The US, then, was more consumed with its South American environs, and the rest of the world was largely a Great Game that was mastered by Britain and France. The British-French agreement, with the consent of Russia, was entirely motivated by sheer power, economic interests, political hegemony and little else. This explains why most of the borders of Arab countries were perfect straight lines. Indeed, they were charted by a pencil and ruler, not organic evolution of geography based on multiple factors and protracted history of conflict or concord. It has been almost one hundred years since colonial powers divided the Arabs, although they are yet to respect the very boundaries that they have created. Moreover, they have invested much time, energy, resources and, at times, all out wars to ensure that the arbitrary division never truly ends. Not only does the west loathe the term Arab unity, it also loathes whoever dares infuse what they deem to be hostile, radical terminology. Egypts second President, Jamal Abdel Nasser, argued that true liberation and freedom of Arab nations was intrinsically linked to Arab unity. Thus, it was no surprise that the struggle for Palestine occupied a central stage in the rhetoric of Arab nationalism throughout the 1950s and 60s. Abdel Nasser was raised to the status of a national hero in the eyes of most Arabs, and a pariah in the eyes of the west and Israel. To ensure that Arabs are never to unite, the west invested in their further disunity. In 2006/07, former US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, made it clear that the US would cease its support of the Palestinian Authority shall Fatah and Hamas unite. Earlier, when, resistance in Iraq reached a point that the American occupiers found unbearable, they invested in dividing the ranks of the Iraqis based on sectarian lines. Their intellectuals pondered the possibility of dividing Iraq into three autonomous states: Shia, Sunni and Kurdish. Libya was too broken up after NATOs intervention turned a regional uprising into a bloody war. Since then, France, Britain, the US and others have backed some parties against others. Whatever sense of nationhood that existed after the end of Italian colonization of that country has been decimated as Libyans reverted to their regions and tribes to survive the upheaval. A rumored Plan B to divide Libya to three separate protectorates of Tripolitania, Cyrenaica and Fezzan was recently rejected by the Libyan Ambassador to Rome. However, Libyans presently seem to be the least relevant party in determining the future of their own country. The Arab world has always been seen in western eyes as a place of conquest, to be exploited, controlled and tamed. That mindset continues to define the relationship. While Arab unity is to be dreaded, further divisions often appear as Plan B, when the current status quo, call it Plan A, seems impossible to sustain. What is truly interesting is that, despite the lack of a pan-Arab vision in Arab countries that experienced popular revolts five years ago, few events in modern history has brought the Arabs together like the chants of freedom in Tunis, the cries of victories in Egypt and screams of pain in Yemen and Syria. It is that very collective identity, often unspoken but felt, that drives millions of Arabs to hold on to however faint a hope that their nations will survive the ongoing onslaught and prospective western division. Dr. Ramzy Baroud has been writing about the Middle East for over 20 years. He is an internationally-syndicated columnist, a media consultant, an author of several books and the founder of PalestineChronicle.com. His books include Searching Jenin, The Second Palestinian Intifada and his latest My Father Was a Freedom Fighter: Gazas Untold Story. His website is: www.ramzybaroud.net. New Arctic Battlelines Drawn As Industry Exploits Fragile Seas By Lauren McCauley 03 March, 2016 Commondreams.org Rapidly melting Arctic ice has opened up enormous swaths of this pristine and ecologically significant landscape to dangerous industrial threats. And as officials meet this week to hammer out new rules that could potentially protect the region, environmental groups are warning that the area known as the "Arctic Galapagos" is already in grave danger. Scientists have reported that the Arctic is currently warming at nearly double the global average rate, which is one of the key factors driving an unprecedented level of ice sheet loss. In a troubling development, this January saw a record low for sea ice extent. These newly-open waters have seen a surge in industrial activity, including fishing and shipping, which heretofore have been left largely unregulated, according to green groups. Greenpeace on Wednesday released an investigation (pdf) which found that industrial fishing fleets are increasingly moving into Arctic waters, particularly the previously ice-covered Barents Sea, off of Norway. "Sea ice loss in the northern Barents Sea is turning it into a new hunting ground for industrial fishing," Greenpeace states. "Fishing brings with it the threats of habitat degradation and bycatch, potentially wiping out marine life and putting this whole fragile ecosystem at risk." The northern Barents Sea, known as the "Arctic Galapagos," is home to "a huge diversity of marine life including bowhead whales, walruses and polar bears, along with rare fish and invertebrates," the report states. It is also currently holds the largest cod stock in the world, which international fishing companies are rushing to exploit. At the same time, environmentalists are raising concern about the uptick in shipping traffic moving through newly-open Arctic channels. Such traffic, warns John Kaltenstein, a marine policy analyst with Friends of the Earth (FOE), invites "the use of heavy fuel oil, harmful air emissions, and invasive species risk." Less than 1.5 percent of the entire Arctic Ocean has any form of protected status. And while the International Maritime Organization's recently adopted Polar Code aims to establish a standard of safety for ships operating in Arctic waters, Kaltenstein notes that the actual textexpected to enter into force January 1, 2017"does little to deal with the most urgent and far-reaching problems we face from Arctic shipping." "Unfortunately, the shipping industry still behaves as if it were in the 1960s or 1970s, and the sad fact is that many countries both domestically and within international venues, such as the U.N.s International Maritime Organization, coddle it," he states. "It only takes one big spill to change everything," he continues, "remember Exxon Valdez. Incredibly, environmental policy surrounding Arctic shipping has become the equivalent of 'fingers crossed,' when it comes to grave threats such as heavy fuel oil spills, climate-warming emissions, and invasive species." The warnings come as delegates from 15 European countries along with the European Union, known as the OSPAR commission, are meeting in Gothenburg, Sweden this week to discuss the formation of an Arctic Marine Protected Area (MPA) in the international waters north of Greenland. Greenpeace describes the meeting, and the potential agreement, as a "make or break moment for Arctic protection." "It is crucial that these areas are protected from destructive industrial activities, as they could be devastating for the species dependent on this area for survival," states the group, which notes that the region under consideration for protection "could be a potential habitat for ice dependent species in the future as the ice melts in other places." Ironically, Greenpeace notes that as international waters, the Arctic is part of the "global commons, belonging to all mankind." However, "there is no protection at all." This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 License Bail To Kanhaiya Kumar: Some Troubling Questions By Shubhda Chaudhary 03 March, 2016 Countercurrents.org JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar has got an interim bail for six months on 2nd March 2016, on a bail bond of ten thousand rupees. Quite ironically, the Judge quoted Bollywood song Mere Desh Ki Dharti Sona Ugle in the judgement.. She also questioned this spring why colour of peace eluding prestigious JNU, needs to be answered by its students, faculty. The judgment reads: As President of JNU Students Union, he will make all efforts within his power to control anti-national activities in the campus. His surety should also be either a member of the Faculty or a person related to the petitioner in a manner that he can exercise control on the petitioner not only with respect to appearance before the Court but also to ensure that his thoughts and energy are channelized in a constructive manner. As President of Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union, the petitioner was expected to be responsible and accountable for any antinational event organised in the campus. Freedom of speech guaranteed to the citizens of this country under the Constitution of India has enough room for every citizen to follow his own ideology or political affiliation within the framework of our Constitution. While dealing with the bail application of the petitioner, it has to be kept in mind by all concerned that they are enjoying this freedom only because our borders are guarded by our armed and paramilitary forces. Our forces are protecting our frontiers in the most difficult terrain in the world i.e. Siachen Glacier or Rann of Kutch. The investigation in this case is at nascent stage. The thoughts reflected in the slogans raised by some of the students of JNU who organized and participated in that programme cannot be claimed to be protected as fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression. I consider this as a kind of infection from which such students are suffering which needs to be controlled/cured before it becomes an epidemic. Whenever some infection is spread in a limb, effort is made to cure the same by giving antibiotics orally and if that does not work, by following second line of treatment. Sometimes it may require surgical intervention also. However, if the infection results in infecting the limb to the extent that it becomes gangrene, amputation is the only treatment. The mere fact that the bench of Justice Pratibha Rani granted conditional bail to Kumar on a bail bond of Rs 10,000 and an undertaking that that he wont participate in any anti-national activity, reveals that in the eyes of the court, in spite of having no concrete evidence, Kanhaiya was still an anti-national. It is quite surprising that it took 3 weeks for the court to grant an interim bail to Kanhaiya. Normally, an interim bail is granted for the next decided date. So, the period of six months is very peculiar to this case. Along with the fact that it is very clear that the police has acted in a very high-handed fashion regarding the entire arrest of Kanhaiya. If you ask any distinguished laywer in the Patiala High Court, they would say that the gate through which Kanhaiya was made to enter on 17th February is not used for the accused to entry, but the police did not follow this rule. Also, the way they manhandled the case and could not prevent Kanhaiya from being assaulted by the lawyers reveals their internal politics, as they played a complicit role in the entire episode. Sedition is a very serious and draconian charge to put on a defenseless student. But the police went ahead and charged Kanhaiya, who had not even participated on the 9th February exhibition marking the death anniversary of Afzal Guru. 3 out of the 7 videos have been doctored, as results reveal and hence, the media that had put the JNUSU president on media trial is equally culpable. Justice has been denied in a certain sense, by delaying it. The six-month period would be treacherous for Kanhaiya because anyway, he is not a free man and the charges against him have not been dropped off. So, he can be called for interrogation and investigation anytime, which would be mere harassment. According to the nature of gravity of the evidence, Kanhaiya would be strong radar, a JNU Professor would have to make sure that he does not leave the campus, he does not influence or incite mob and cause violence and does not run away. Such kind of narrative straight forwardly put a kind of distrust on the victim. Though, apart from Kanhaiya, the two other students who have surrendered, namely Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya would have to still struggle to get a bail. The mere fact that Umar, within ten days was reduced to his mere identity of being a Muslim resurfaced and that tells us a lot about how our Indian society perceives Muslims. In a nutshell, the 6-month bail to Kanhaiya is just to cool down the situation and nothing beyond it. This kind of judicial machinery puts a lot of pressure on students who have the right to dissent and raise voices against the government. It is preposterous and this aggressive nationalism is bound to get more vicious in the coming days. Shubhda Chaudhary is a Phd Student at JNU. She can be reached at shubhda.chaudhary@gmail.com Printer Friendly Version Why Democrats' Super-Tuesday Results Aren't Conclusive By Eric Zuesse 03 March, 2016 Countercurrents.org Hillary Clinton won, on Tuesday March 1st, six (6) states that aren't even in contest for the November general election for the U.S. Presidency, but which are considered to be already in the bag : Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Massachusetts, Tennessee, and Texas. The Democratic Presidential nominee (regardless whether Clinton or Sanders) will get zero Electoral College votes from any of those states except Massachusetts, which is the only one of the states that's going to be voting for the Democratic nominee on November 8th. However, since that's also a state which will vote for the Democratic nominee regardless of whether it's Clinton or Sanders, her victories in all six of those states mean zero regarding the candidate's ability to win the general election the Electoral College. illary Clinton won, on Tuesday March 1st, six (6) states that aren't even in contest for the November general election for the U.S. Presidency, but which are considered to be for the given state's dominant political Party to win in the general election : Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Massachusetts, Tennessee, and Texas. The Democratic Presidential nominee (regardless whether Clinton or Sanders) will get zero Electoral College votes from any of those states except Massachusetts, which is the only one of the states that's going to be voting for the Democratic nominee on November 8th. However, since that's also a state which will vote for the Democratic nominee regardless of whether it's Clinton or Sanders, her victories in all six of those states mean zero regarding However, Hillary did win 1 (one) really meaningful state: Virginia. That state is among the ten toss-up states, the states that could vote either way, Republican or Democratic, on November 8th. Hillary's victory there means a high likelihood that Virginia's EC votes will be likelier to go to the Democratic nominee if that nominee turns out to be Clinton, than if it turns out to be Sanders. The number of EC votes that were at stake there was: 13. Bernie Sanders won, on March 1st, 3 meaningless primary states: Minnesota, Oklahoma, and Vermont. But he also won 1 really meaningful state: Colorado. The number of EC votes at stake there was: 9. In prior contests, Hillary won the following really meaningful primaries-or-caucuses (and number of EC votes): IA (6), NV (6), SC (9). So: she is the stronger prospective nominee in really-meaningful states which collectively have 30 out of the needed-to-win 270 EC votes. Bernie previously won: NH (4). So: he is the stronger prospective nominee in really-meaningful states which collectively have 13 out of the needed-to-win 270 EC votes. All ten of the toss-up states the really-meaningful states collectively have 130 of the 270 needed-to-win EC votes. (The other 140 EC votes are already-spoken-for.) Hillary needs to win 100 more of them, to reach 130. Bernie needs to win 117 more of them, to reach 130. Forget about California, New York, and Texas (the largest states), because they're already in-the-bag for whatever Party dominates the given state: Democratic in CA and NY, Republican in TX. Here are the dates when the crucial primaries-caucuses in the remaining toss-up states will be held: March 15: Florida (29), Ohio (18) April 5: Wisconsin (10) April 28: Pennsylvania (20) However, beyond the toss-up or really-meaningful, states, the following additional states are also in play, just in case the election turns out to be not so close that the toss-up states alone will decide the outcome of the general election on November 8th: OR (7), AZ (11), NM (5), MN (10), WI (10), MI (16), NC (15), and GA (16). Of those, Clinton has already won GA (16), and Sanders has already won MN (10). Here are the dates when the crucial primaries-caucuses in these states will be held: March 8: Michigan (16) March 22: Arizona (11) May 17: Oregon (7) June : New Mexico (5) What's important to recognize is that, because of the overwhelming dominance of one Party or the other in each of the following states, any campaign-appearances by either candidate in any of them will be foolish unless something has occurred between now and then that indicates an increasing inevitability of Clinton winning the nomination (a steamroller-effect), in which case, voters even in these states might have some previously unexpected opportunities to attend her rallies. If Hillary Clinton wins Michigan on March 8th, and then Florida and Ohio on March 15th, that would mean she'd be the stronger candidate to win 63 more EC votes than Sanders is, so that the only rational reason for Sanders to stay in the contest beyond March 15th would be for his positioning in the 2020 Presidential field, which wouldn't be very rational at all for someone who is already 74 years old. There will, in any case, be no sensible reason for Sanders to visit any of the throw-away states, unless, say, Clinton becomes indicted for destruction of federal evidence which would first have to mean that Obama is allowing the FBI to pursue that, which is itself unlikely, because he almost certainly wants her to be the next President (so that Obama won't be investigated by the Feds, and so that his policy-priorites, such as increasing wealth-inequality and conquering Russia, will continue to be pursued). These are the throw-away states: Washington, California, Idaho, Utah, Montana, Wyoming, N. Dakota, S. Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, West Virginia, S. Carolina, Alaska, Hawaii. If you happen to live in one of those states and wonder why the candidates aren't visiting there, maybe the reason is that they're not dumb they understand the Electoral College. It's nothing personal; it's just politics, and a bit of intelligence (which one can't always take for granted in politics). , and of CHRIST'S VENTRILOQUISTS: The Event that Created Christianity. Investigative historian Eric Zuesse is the author, most recently, of They're Not Even Close: The Democratic vs. Republican Economic Records, 1910-2010 and of Tweet WhatsApp Share Share on Tumblr Comments are moderated The Escapee by Larry Lewis, who goes by Renzo, is one of the works on display in the Evansville Museums Main Gallery through April 14. Renzo is a painter and sculptor who uses contemporary techniques to create his work. submitted photo SHARE Twilight by Paul Richmond is a part of his series is War Paint that will be on display in the Eykamp Pavillion of the Evansville Museum from 6-8 p.m. during First Thursdays. The series of portraits uses a lot of color and smearing to bring out the individuality of the people he is portraying. All of his pieces are for sale. provided photo Transfiguration by Paul Richmond is a part of his series is War Paint that will be on display in the Eykamp Pavillion of the Evansville Museum from 6-8 p.m. during First Thursdays. The series of portraits uses a lot of color and smearing to bring out the individuality of the people he is portraying in this modern take on portrait work. All of his pieces are for sale. provided photo Return of a Weighted Thought by Larry Lewis, who goes by Renzo, is one of the works on display in the Evansville Museums Main Gallery through April 14. Renzo is a painter and sculptor who uses contemporary techniques to create his work. submitted photo By Kelly Gifford of the Courier and Press The Evansville Museum will be hosting two new artists Thursday for an exhibit opening and the First Thursday series. Artists Larry "Renzo" Lewis and Paul Richmond will be presenting their work at 6 p.m. Thursday at the museum. Renzo's work will be on display in the main gallery and will be up through April 14, and he will also have a live painting demonstration at 7 p.m. Thursday and a sculpture and lost wax process demonstration at 1 and 2 p.m. Friday in the Richardt Room. Richmond will present his "War Paint" series from 6-8 p.m. Thursday. in the Eykamp Pavilion where attendees can meet the artist and purchase his work. Renzo's exhibit "Lucid Realism," is a collection of paintings and sculptures that address the universal bond of humanity. He uses symbolism, aims to be abstract and has many figurative elements set against minimalist backgrounds. Renzo's work is included in the permanent collections of the Crocker Museum in Sacramento, California, the Coral Springs Museum of Art and several other institutions around the country and world. In his demonstrations, Renzo will showcase his unique painting techniques and will share how he starts a sculpture from scratch. Exhibition curator Daniel Winn will join Renzo in his final demonstration to explain the process of getting a sculpture to its final bronzing stages. There will be a question-and-answer session with Renzo after the sculpture demonstration in the Main Gallery. Richmond's "War Paint Series" features portraits incorporating colorful paint and smearing to show people eliminating elements of themselves. The series shows an individual's vulnerabilities as well as what they consider their strengths through the color choices and smearing. His portraits have tones of both realism and abstract art to show there is much going on beneath what the audience can see. Richmond has been included in galleries throughout the U.S. and numerous art publications and anthologies. He's also created more than 250 novel cover illustrations and teaches community art classes in Columbus, Ohio. Richmond is part of the museum's quarterly First Thursdays series that features a new artist for a Happy Hour, meet and greet and works for purchase from the artist. If You Go: What: Opening reception for artist Renzo and First Thursdays featuring Paul Richmond. When: 6 p.m. Thursday. Renzo demonstrations will be at 7 p.m. Thursday and 1 and 2 p.m. Friday. Where: The Evansville Museum, 411 SE Riverside Dr. First Thursdays will take place in the Eykamp Pavilion, Renzo's opening reception will be in the Main Gallery. Renzo's demonstrations will be in the Learning Center on Thursday and the Richardt Room on Friday. Tickets: $10 for the general public, $5 for Gallery Friend & Family membership holders and free for Patron Level Members. Email Hope Mills at membership@emuseum.org or call 812-425-2406, ext. 231 for more details. SHARE Baron Lights By Richard Gootee of the Courier and Press Police arrested a man in connection with a fatal shooting at Home Life Studios on Thursday morning. Baron J. Lights, 40, has been preliminarily charged with murder, attempted murder, robbery with serious bodily injury, burglary and four counts of criminal confinement, according to a news release. Jerome Wilkins, 38, of Evansville, died at St. Mary's Medical Center less than 45 minutes after the shooting, which was reported at 8:30 a.m. at Home Life Studios in the 100 block of South Green River Road. Lights and Wilkins arrived at the hotel armed with handguns. They then attempted to rob several occupants in a room, according to a news release. One of the occupants was also armed and a shootout ensued. Investigators believe all three men fired their guns during the incident. The armed occupant, Jessy Suttle, 32, was injured by gunfire, the release states. Suttle remains in the hospital. His current condition is not being released. Detectives are still investigating the incident. At this time, it is unknown who fired the rounds that caused Wilkins' fatal wound or Suttle's injury. Wilkins' death has been ruled a homicide, according to Vanderburgh Chief Deputy Coroner Steve Lockyear. An autopsy is scheduled for Friday. In March 2007, Lights was sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to dealing cocaine. Prosecutors then dropped a charge of possessing a firearm by a serious violent felon. In July 2015, Wilkins was charged with unlawful possession of firearm by a serious violent felon, theft of a firearm, both felonies, and resisting arrest, a misdemeanor, according to court records. He was originally supposed to appear in Vanderburgh Superior Court on that charge the day of the shooting. Owner and CEO Pollux Systems, Inc. talks about a new partnership with the University of Southern Indiana at a news conference Wednesday with USI President Linda Bennett. SHARE By Megan Erbacher of the Courier and Press The University of Southern Indiana and Pollux Systems, Inc. have established a 5-year partnership to strengthen the region's role in medical claims processing. USI President Linda Bennett and Pollux owner and CEO Paul McGowan made the announcement Wednesday morning in USI's Business and Engineering Center Atrium. The collaboration, according to a memorandum, will include faculty internships that could start as early as this semester, and student internships to start this summer. Pollux will also establish a satellite office within USI's Business and Engineering Center, scheduled to open in the fall. Pollux, established in Paducah, Kentucky, in 1989, is a revenue cycle management, medical billing, imaging technology and consulting firm. Pollux officials also plan to create a medical coding center in Evansville, which McGowan said would be one of the first in the U.S. With the partnership, McGowan said Pollux will gain a "highly competent workforce." "And we, as a company, have had phenomenal success and achievement from USI graduates," he said. Pollux will work with USI's College of Nursing and Health Professions as well as the Romain College of Business. Bennett said the collaboration will add dimension to current USI degree programs without having to create new ones, as well as provide experience in the industry for faculty and students and give Pollux management access to expertise on campus. Broadening existing programs will make USI students "even more employable graduates," Bennett said. "They need graduates in computer information systems and health sciences to come into the coding industry and to understand the complexity of that industry," she said. McGowan said the certified public coding requirements provide six certifications. "It is a very complicated thing," he said. "But it's critical. You can't get paid as a physician practice if you don't properly code." Looking for a public partner, McGowan approached USI officials with the idea. Pollux will provide input on some of the curriculum, which McGowan said will integrate a lab experience for students to learn the "four corners of medical billing," with lessons in working on an operating system and how claims are coded. McGowan said the way things are coded recently "exploded" from 14,000 codes across all specialties to 70,000. "It's an industry that has been very, very difficult to staff because the requirements for expertise are so great," he said. "And education alone, I don't care where it is or the quality it is, it does not prepare a person to sit down and code radiology charts, anesthesiology charts, cardiology charts. It just requires actual real-time experience." By John Martin of the Courier and Press Newly chosen City Council leaders are showing more confidence than their predecessors about the health of city finances under Mayor Lloyd Winnecke, despite issues raised in a state audit for 2014. The State Board of Accounts audit gave Evansville an overall unqualified opinion, and Winnecke described it as "clean." However, it also observed that major city funds fall below zero on occasion, and it states: "Routinely overdrawn funds could be an indicator of serious financial problems which should be investigated by the governmental unit." Winnecke administration officials say city revenues are being squeezed by property tax caps, which since 2010 have been part of the state constitution, as well as by the rising cost to insure employees. They say it's not unusual for city funds to temporarily show negative numbers in between twice-a-year property tax collections. Council Finance Chairman Dan McGinn, R-1st Ward, who over for departed former chair Conor O'Daniel, expects Evansville's various revenue streams will be helped by opening of the new Hilton DoubleTree, medical campus and on-land Tropicana casino, all of which are Downtown, as well as other new developments, such as East Side apartment complexes. "There's some things that are going to be throwing off property taxes in the next few years," McGinn said. "I think we're doing OK, but we need to be careful and talk about things." Debt on the Vanderburgh County-operated Old National Events Plaza will be retired in 2018. McGinn said that will free up food and beverage tax revenue - $3 million or so - to be used on debt for the Ford Center. He said that will make other city revenues, which now make arena payments, less strained. In the immediate future, though, "they are going to have to cut some areas where they have leeway," McGinn said of the Winnecke administration. "It's a normal belt-tightening thing. With some hard work, we'll get through it." Recent City Council concern about the Winnecke administration's handling of finance was most often raised by former member John Friend, an accountant, who criticized the city's propensity for using cash reserves and large interfund transfers to keep operating. Friend pushed for major cuts to the most recent Winnecke-submitted budgets. The administration and its council allies fought what they considered the most draconian cuts, which they said would have impacted city services and jobs. Despite Evansville's budget squeeze, the council OK'd a 1-percent pay raise for this year. No hiring freeze is in place, although Winnecke said he and his department heads review the need for each employment position before filling it. Friend did not run for re-election in November. Winnecke cruised to a second term as mayor, bringing with him a new council that seems more optimistic about where Evansville stands financially, despite some of the 2014 audit's observations. Council Vice President Jonathan Weaver, D-At-Large, attended the exit conference on the 2014 audit. "It's my opinion that it's really no different than the last couple years," Weaver said. "We're not doing anything wrong, but it's obvious money is tight and we have to watch what we're spending. We have to be conscientious about what we spend tax dollars on and that we're moving the city forward." Employee pay raises "are probably out of the question for 2017," Weaver said. "But we have to realize public safety has things they need. People expect parks to be mowed, pools to be open. It's not cheap to run government. We have to make sure potholes are filled and the streets are plowed when it snows." There remains some concern on the City Council about the condition of city finances. "I don't make policy anymore because I'm not the president, but the question that comes to my mind is, when? When are we going to start moving toward a balanced budget?" said Councilman Dan Adams, D-At-large, president of the council last year. Adams said the hotel, medical center and Ford Center payments have "leveraged to the hilt" Evansville's Downtown Tax Increment Financing revenues, and the North Main Street reconstruction will spend down Jacobsville TIF revenues. "Hopefully we will get some reward from that," said Adams, who supported the projects. "But in terms of the operational costs ... we're going to be pretty tight." Council President Missy Mosby, D-2nd Ward, said she was still reviewing the audit and would ask City Controller Russ Lloyd Jr. to the March 14 council meeting to answer questions, "so we are transparent and can have an open dialogue." The 2014 audit also stated Evansville's bank reconciliations were about $650,000 out of balance for the year, and it called for tighter internal controls over federal grant reporting. City officials disputed the audit's claim about unbalanced bank records, for 2014 but they said a full-time grants manager is now overseeing the grant reporting process. "We don't anticipate any issues with 2015," Lloyd said. SHARE By John Martin of the Courier and Press For transgender people, these are exciting times but also scary times. LGBT rights issues have become front and center on the local, state and national scene. Participants in a panel discussion Wednesday at the University of Evansville said that's unquestionably a positive development, but as the discussion becomes more visible, so do the prejudices that some carry. "It feels like people are very aware of us," said Kit Malone, a former high school teacher and a transgender rights advocate from Indianapolis. "It means we have this platform we can use. But it also means that people are more apt to be pumped up on fear." Panelists said opponents of same-sex marriage are unhappy about losing that fight and have since moved on to other battlegrounds. Many of those focus on the "T" in LGBT. CANVASS PODCAST: Does our community protect LGBT? This year's failure of state legislation to extend civil rights to LGBT Hoosiers, for example, was attributed in part to transgender protections being excluded in areas such as housing and employment discrimination. Panelists said the push for such protections won't go away. "Our lawmakers need to be educated," said Malone, a transgender woman. "The failure of the bill was clearly the result of irrational fear and an attempt to please all parties, and in the end they pleased none." The ACLU of Indiana sponsored Wednesday's event, "Let's Talk About the T," at UE. Panelists said understanding and acceptance comes with information and conversation, and as Malone put it, "engaging a human being as another human being." Panelists noted that in South Dakota, a so-called "bathroom bill," which would have blocked public schools from accommodating transgender students, was vetoed by Republican Gov. Dennis Daugaard after he met with transgender people and heard their concerns about it. Similar legislation has been introduced in Indiana and Kentucky but has not advanced. Grover Jeide, a 29-year-old transgender man who has been undergoing his transition since June, described such bills as ridiculous. "When I am going to use the restroom or the locker room at my gym, I'm going to use the facilities nothing more, nothing less," Jeide said. "It's pretty messed up that people want to legislate it ... especially if they do it based on your birth certificate, as opposed to your gender marker on your ID. I've been on hormones for only three-and-a-half months now. I shaved recently, but I can grow a pretty decent beard already. My gender marker hasn't changed on my ID. So if they start trying to require me to use the women's room, that's going to cause a lot more problems than just letting me use the men's room, to be completely honest." Malone added that there are significant legal costs to get gender markers changed on IDs, and "lots of trans people live in extreme poverty. So to say that your access to facilities is dictated by your ability to navigate the system and also requires money, is inherently discriminatory." Bathroom legislation is a new phenomenon, brought on by the advent of legal same-sex marriage, panelists said. "This wasn't an issue for anyone two years ago, and we were still around then," Malone said. " ... The reason it's an issue now is because people who are against equality, the bad guys, failed on the marriage issue. And they figured out we can be used in the next debate about equality. They had to have something else, and we were it. We're useful in instilling fear." Still, though, panelists said there is reason for further advancement of LGBT rights with the T included. While those opposing LGBT rights measures often do so on religious grounds, Katie Blair, director of advocacy for ACLU Indiana, said the transgender community also finds plenty of allies among people of faith. "People of faith are the strongest voice for equality," Blair said. "There is a sub-sect of religious folks with the loudest voices who are spreading the misinformation. But there are so many people of faith who are with us and come to the Statehouse all the time. We are seeing a huge tidal wave of faiths coming forward, and faith leaders." Malone said she is hopeful for the future of transgender rights, even when it seems progress is slow. "I don't think you can be trans and not be a bit of an optimist, because if you're not, you might yourself be feeling like there's not any hope," Malone said. "If you're going to live, you have to have eternal hope that things are going to get better." Photos by DENNY SIMMONS / COURIER & PRESS A four-hour-old Ryan Grace Atkins of Petersburg, Ind., is the unknowing participant in the demonstration of the new biometric imaging system Wednesday morning at The Womens Hospital at Deaconess Gateway in which the babys foot is pressed against a scanner, creating a digital image. SHARE Labor and Delivery Nurse Amanda Kealoha (center) demonstrates the new biometric imaging system using newborn Ryan Grace Atkins foot alongside CertaScans President and CEO Jim McKenna. By Susan Orr of the Courier and Press The Women's Hospital at Deaconess Gateway is among the first hospitals in the U.S. to adopt a new system for identifying newborns. When a baby is born at the Women's Hospital now, employees record the baby's footprint using an inkless system that involves pressing the foot onto a special type of paper. Starting next week, the hospital will abandon that method in favor of a new biometric imaging system in which the baby's foot is pressed against a scanner, creating a digital image. Hospital employees are doing training this week, and the system will go live on Monday. Connecticut-based startup company CertaScan developed the technology. The company's president and chief executive officer, Jim McKenna, said it's the world's first biometric infant safety system. CertaScan began doing beta testing 22 months ago. Since the product became available, McKenna said, demand from hospitals has been huge. So far 20 U.S. hospitals have adopted the CertaScan technology, and he expects that number to grow to 100 by year's end. "They all want it; they all need it," he said. The Women's Hospital is the first in Indiana to adopt the system, he said. Why make the switch? Lori Grimm, quality and patient safety officer at the Women's Hospital, said the facility had been dissatisfied with its inkless print system - the supplies were costly and obtaining a clear print from a wiggly baby was not always easy. A footprint can be used to identify a baby in case of abduction or a disaster that separates the baby from its parents. It can also be useful in differentiating between identical twins, whose footprints are unique though their genetics are identical. But to be of use, a clear print has to be available. A few years ago, Grimm said, a police agency contacted the Women's Hospital looking for help in identifying a baby. The hospital supplied the baby's footprints, she said, but the prints were not clear enough to be useful to police. "If we're going to do a print, we want it to be worthwhile," Grimm said. "We had been looking for a while for a better solution to this problem." Infant abductions are not all that common in the U.S. According to data from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, between 1983 and 2014 Indiana had only two such cases. During that same time period, Kentucky had four and Illinois had 18. But, McKenna said, in some foreign countries infant abduction is much more common. CertaScan has seen a huge demand from those countries, especially Brazil. The footprints can also be used as a means of forensic identification later in life. Once captured, a footprint image is loaded into a password-protected database that can only be accessed by the hospital where the baby was born; and by the baby's mother. The Women's Hospital will pay CertaScan a fee per baby to use the system. Grimm said it will cost the hospital a little bit more than the old inkless paper prints, but parents will not see their bills increase as a result. SHARE Indina Lt. Governer Sue Ellspermann leads the Indiana Senate in the Pledge of Alllegiance on her final day in office at the Statehouse in Indianapolis, Wednesday, March 2, 2016. Gov. Mike Pence has tapped political operative Eric Holcomb to be his re-election running mate. (AP Photo/AJ Mast) By Zach Osowski, zach.osowski@courierpress.com INDIANAPOLIS The compliments for outgoing Lt. Gov. Sue Ellspermann came from both sides of the aisle as the Indiana legislature honored her on her final day as lieutenant governor. Ellspermann announced her resignation in February, the same day Gov. Mike Pence tapped Eric Holcomb as the new lieutenant governor and his running mate in the 2016 election. Ellspermann said she is resigning to pursue the Ivy Tech University presidency. The Ferdinand native was honored by Republicans and Democrats alike in both the House, where she served as a representative before running with Pence in 2011. She was also lauded in the Senate, where she presides as president. Reps. Wendy McNamara, R-Mount Vernon, Holli Sullivan, R-Evansville, and Gail Riecken, D-Evansville, were all on the resolution honoring Ellspermann for the work she has done. McNamara and Ellspermann joined the House at the same time, both winning election in 2010. McNamara said it will be strange not seeing Ellspermann in the halls of the Statehouse every day. "It's with sadness that you leave," McNamara said. "But I look forward to the good things you're going to do for Indiana in the future." Riecken got emotional at the microphone, thanking Ellspermann for all the work she had done establishing a caucus of legislators along the Ohio River. "She is probably one of the most outstanding women I've ever known," Riecken said. "She's going to be missed." Ellspermann joked that she was dragged into public office kicking and screaming, but now couldn't imagine life without it. She said it was with a heavy heart that she resigned to pursue the position at Ivy Tech, which she is not assured of receiving. "When God puts an open door in front of you, you say 'yes' and go through it," Ellspermann said. The Indiana Democratic Party has alleged Ellspermann is leaving because of a rift between her and Pence over policy issues, including last year's passage of the controversial Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Ellspermann and Pence denied those allegations when the resignation was first announced. Ellspermann said she needed to resign in order to give the job opportunity her full attention. The Indiana legislature will vote to approve Holcomb to fill the vacancy on Thursday. SHARE Eric Holcomb, left, is sworn in as Indiana Lt. Governer by Supreme Court Justice Mark Massa, right, while Holcombs wife Janet holds the bible during a ceremony at the Statehouse in Indianapolis, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Holcomb was chosen by Gov. Mike Pence to replace Sue Ellspermann. (AP Photo/AJ Mast) Indiana Lt. Governer Eric Holcomb addresses the crowd after being sworn in during a ceremony at the Statehouse in Indianapolis, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Holcomb was chosen by Gov. Mike Pence to replace Sue Ellspermann. (AP Photo/AJ Mast) Indiana Lt. Governer Eric Holcomb addresses the crowd after being sworn in during a ceremony at the Statehouse in Indianapolis, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Holcomb was chosen by Gov. Mike Pence to replace Sue Ellspermann. (AP Photo/AJ Mast) By Zach Osowski, zach.osowski@courierpress.com INDIANAPOLIS - Extolling the virtues of Indiana and promising to work hard to build up the Hoosier state, Eric Holcomb was sworn in as Indiana's 51st lieutenant governor on Thursday. Holcomb replaces Sue Ellspermann, who resigned Wednesday. Gov. Mike Pence's nomination of Holcomb as Ellspermann's replacement, and his 2016 running mate, was ratified earlier in the day by both bodies of the Indiana Legislature. "With great respect to all of his predecessors," Pence said during Holcomb's inauguration ceremony, "I believe Eric Holcomb may be the best prepared person to ever assume the duties of lieutenant governor." After being sworn in by Indiana Supreme Court Justice Mark Massa, Holcomb thanked Pence for the opportunity and told the hundreds gathered in attendance that he is ready to get to work "This new role is all about public service," Holcomb said. "The responsibilities of the office that I assume today reach to all 92 counties and extend far beyond our state borders." Holcomb served previously at the Statehouse in Mitch Daniels' administration. He also worked for Sen. Dan Coats and was the chairman of the Indiana Republican Party. Holcomb was running for U.S. Senate when the job offer from Pence moved him to drop out of the race. Earlier in the day, Holcomb received unanimous support in the Indiana Senate despite some concerns from members of the Democrat caucus. Senate Minority Leader Tim Lanane said he had reservations about Pence's choice of Holcomb, but said he would honor the governor's pick. "I think he would do well to follow (Ellspermann's) model," Lanane said. "She worked across the aisle and put politics aside to solve problems." Senate Leader David Long, R-Fort Wayne, said he agreed that Holcomb had big shoes to fill but maintained that he was prepared for the position. "I am totally confident Eric Holcomb will be able to do that job," Long said. In the House, the resolution to approve Holcomb passed 91-3, with Democratic Reps. Ed Delaney, Charlie Brown and Dan Forestal voting against Pence's nomination. "To every member of the House and the Senate representing your home districts, I join you eagerly to create and build a better Indiana," Holcomb said during his speech. He won't have much time to work with the General Assembly this session, as Sine Die Day is scheduled for March 10. In addition to serving as the president of the Senate, Indiana's lieutenant governor also oversees several state departments, ranging from agriculture to defense. Holcomb will join Pence on the campaign trail this summer as the governor seeks a second term. SHARE In this Jan. 15, 2014, photo, Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Brent Dickson delivers the State of the Judiciary address at the Statehouse in Indianapolis. Dickson says hell retire from the bench on April 29. Indiana's Judicial Nominating Commission is nearing the end of its work to settle on three candidates for Gov. Mike Pence to choose from among to replace Dickson, Indiana's second longest-serving Supreme Court justice. (Charlie Nye/The Indianapolis Star, Charlie Nye via AP) By Rick Callahan, Associated Press INDIANAPOLIS A state commission is set to re-interview the 15 remaining candidates for a spot on the Indiana Supreme Court before it selects three finalists to recommend to the governor. The Judicial Nominating Commission will begin a second round of interviews Thursday with the candidates to replace Justice Brent Dickson, who is retiring. After Friday's interviews, it will deliberate privately before voting in public to recommend three finalists to Gov. Mike Pence. Pence will have 60 days to select one of the three to be his first appointment to the court. Dickson will step down April 29 before reaching the court's mandatory retirement age of 75. His departure will mean four of the court's five justices will have been appointed since 2010. Pence's predecessor and fellow Republican, Mitch Daniels, appointed Justice Steven David in 2010 and Justice Mark Massa and Justice Loretta Rush in 2012, after the retirements of three members of the court. Rush was named the court's chief justice in 2014. The seven-member commission conducted a first round of interviews in mid-February with the field of 29 applicants for Dickson's job and chose the 15 semifinalists. They include Hamilton Superior Court Judge Steven Nation and Indianapolis attorney Geoffrey Slaughter, both of whom were finalists Daniels passed over in in choosing Rush. Also among the semifinalists are state Solicitor General Thomas Fisher, and two women, Allen Superior Court Judge Frances Gull and Clark Circuit Court Judge Vicki Carmichael. Court observers who have followed the commission's work expect the panel could favor finalists with a civil law background, rather than experience as a trial court judge or prosecutor, said Joel Schumm, an Indiana University law professor. Schumm, an expert on Indiana's courts, said the high court's recent retirements have left it heavy with justices who largely worked as judges or prosecutors. Rush and David previously served as trial court judges and Massa was a prosecutor for much of his career. "Some people anticipate that applicants with a civil background may do well in this process because that's an area that with some of the retirements really hasn't been replaced," he said. Former commission member William E. Winingham Jr. said that may be one of the factors the panel looks at. But he said its members tend to focus more on the candidates' intellect and "how impressive their past experience" is in weighing possible finalists. He said it's not easy choosing finalists for the state's court of last resort and there's always a lot of discussion among the members on "the pros and cons of various candidates." Dickson joined the court in January 1986 and also served as chief justice for more than two years before Rush was chosen for that post, making her Indiana's first female chief justice. The high court has one remaining Democratic appointee. Justice Robert Rucker, who is also the court's only black justice, was named to the bench in 1999 by Gov. Frank O'Bannon. SHARE By Deidra R. Conner, Special to the Courier & Press Be an active, aware participant in Disabilities Awareness Month Advocates across the nation are uniting to celebrate March as Disabilities Awareness Month, including The Arc of Evansville. Children and adults with disabilities represent slightly more than 19 percent of Indiana's population. The goal of this month is to increase awareness and promote independence and inclusion for all people. We have made tremendous progress in promoting and protecting the rights of people with disabilities and creating opportunities for them to live, learn, and work as valued members of their communities. But there is much work left to do. I encourage readers to take advantage of Disabilities Awareness Month and use this as an opportunity to make your mark! Here are some ideas of things you can do. Talk to your employer about their practices for recruiting and hiring people with disabilities. Support businesses that employ people with disabilities and make sure they know you noticed and appreciate the diversity they are creating in their businesses. Invite a representative from The Arc of Evansville to speak to your group or organization. Use People First Language when communicating. People First Language puts the person before the disability, and describes what a person has, not who a person is. Avoid the use of the "R-word." The "R-word" or "retard(ed)" has found a place in common language and seems to be accepted by most, despite the fact that its use, casual or otherwise, is hurtful to millions of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and those that love them. Disabilities Awareness Month is an opportunity to be a force for change in the community. Join your neighbors - with and without disabilities - to help each other rethink and revitalize our communities! I challenge you to embrace and support those with and without disabilities. Be a friend, be a good neighbor, but most importantly be an advocate. Deidra R. Conner is president of The Arc of Evansville. Check out Evansville-area HS football scores from sectional openers The postseason has arrived and the stakes haven't been higher. Follow along for the latest high school sectional scores, results, highlights and more. Continue Reading Below Advertisement "If you're going out, get some hummus. There's a champ." And, yes, that does sound like a pretty sucky situation, but you know what sucks slightly more? Having another army of raider ants swarm your nest, kill you, and take away your babies while cackling maniacally the entire time. Because that is a constant threat the farmer ants live under, which is why they're OK with having the Megalomyrmex hanging around and stealing their lunch. You see, as soon as the aggressive raider ants appear, all ready to scorch the hell out of the farmer colony, the larger moocher ants will suddenly rip off their popped-collar shirts, run outside, and thoroughly hand the attackers their own asses. Anders Illum Continue Reading Below Advertisement If you look close, you can see the little pimp blade it uses to protect its hos. After that, having their fridge emptied out from time to time in return for not being brutally killed starts to sound like a pretty sweet deal, so the fungus farmers agree to feed the Megalomyrmex warriors if they hang around and act as their Seven Hundred Samurai. Ants aren't averse to less-direct interspecies alliances too, especially against Formica sanguinea, aka slave-maker ants, which are exactly what they sound like. In one instance, a colony of low-hierarchy ants was being chased by slave-makers until they wandered into the territory of the L. fuliginosus ants. The would-be-slave ants entered the new turf unhindered, but when the slave-makers went in after them, the L. fuliginosus ants descended on the insect plantation owners and fought them off. Continue Reading Below Advertisement Maia also wrote about a facility in Oregon that allegedly made female students, some of whom were rape survivors, dress in fishnets and heels and perform lap dances for male classmates as part of therapy. The school was eventually shuttered under the weight of three lawsuits alleging mistreatment. Those included the aforementioned inappropriate sexy parties, sleep deprivation, and prolonged exposure to the elements -- although considering the facility was called Mount Bachelor Academy, we suppose it's possible it was all just a titanic misunderstanding. As Maia told us: "These places are a pedophile's dream. You can basically do what you love, get paid for it, and not get caught, because you tell the parents, 'Expect reports of abuse from the children, but don't believe them, because they're liars and manipulators.' They discredit kids in advance; they inoculate themselves in advance." Creatas/Creatas/Getty Images "If the phrase 'Call the police!' comes up, that just means she needs more alone time with our Hug Counselor." Continue Reading Below Advertisement Alpine "warned" Sarah's parents she'd have some complaining to do, and that they should simply disregard it: "My parents were given an extensive speech about how I would try and get them to bring me home as part of the 'what to expect from her first month at Alpine' spiel. I don't know that it was spelled out as clearly as 'Don't believe anything she tells you about us,' but they were warned that I would have a moment where reality set in and that I would try and manipulate them into bringing me home using any means necessary. They were also given a more general warning that girls would often try and use their parents to subvert staff authority and thus the program, so they needed to stay strong to avoid being used." Valentino Rossi may have dropped from third to eighth on the second night of the Qatar MotoGP test, but the Italian star insists that didn't represent the work done during his penultimate pre-season outing. Rossi and Movistar Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo (third) were the only riders in the top ten not to improve on their Wednesday lap time, but The Doctor is planning a big push to discover his potential on the final night. "I work a lot and did a lot of laps and at the end my performance was not fantastic, because in the lap time and position I'm a little worse than yesterday. But in reality we never made a real time attack because we tried to save some tyres for tomorrow," Rossi explained. "We arrived at the point where if we tried [new tyres] today we would not have tyres for tomorrow. So today we did some 'dirty work'. We tried a lot of things and I think we did a good job. "We still have some doubt about the base setting, but is something quite small to still decide. So we had some stuff to try, different in the electronic, the response of the engine, but also the suspension front and rear. "So we decided to concentrate there and keep some energy for tomorrow. We will put everything together tomorrow, use the tyre that is a little bit softer to understand our potential for the time attack and do 10-15 laps in a row to understand our race pace." Rossi, who was 0.458s behind Suzuki pace setter Maverick Vinales, added: "A '55.4 by Vinales is a good lap time. We need to understand tomorrow. It looks like there are five or six riders who are very fast and I think we are there." Sussex News Story Saved You can find this story in My Bookmarks. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Cisco chief executive Chuck Robbins has warned about the perils of pursuing technology for technologys sake, with a provocative statement on what customers want from IT partners. Cloud is not what customers want, Robbins told international media Wednesday morning Australian time at the Cisco Partner Summit in San Diego. The benefits of what theyre gaining from the cloud is what they want. No-one ever wanted SDN [software-defined networking] - they wanted automation simplicity, operational efficiency and lower cost of running their infrastructure. You have to stay focused on those things. Taking a shot at younger rival vendors, Robbins said that new players come along with much hype, but partners and customers must remain wary. Dont get distracted by some technology thats got a lot of buzz and excitement about it. Because thats when companies get into trouble. When asked about the future of Intercloud, Robbins said that while provisioning cloud to the channel is on track, another facet of the plan - the internal work to transfer Ciscos products to as-a-service - has fallen behind schedule. Robbins added that the US$260 million acquisition of Cliqr, announced earlier in the day, has fast-tracked another lagging pillar of Intercloud - the ability to apply private policies onto the public cloud for a true hybrid experience. He said that Cliqr is more robust than Intercloud fabric, which he now relegated as an early way to give our customers what they wanted. Dimension Data Australia business unit operations director Pete Murray told CRN at San Diego that the Cliqr acquisition is a boon for his company. As a very large cloud provider - weve got 28 clouds around the world now, with three in Australia - being able to move workloads much more easily from traditional to cloud architecture is fantastic. The journalist travelled to San Diego courtesy of Cisco. Cisco named its 2016 Asia-Pacific partner award winners Thursday morning Australian time, with Telstra, Data#3 and NEC representing Australia on the podium. Telstra took the coveted 2016 ANZ partner of the year crown at the Cisco Partner Summit in San Diego. Fierce rival Optus Business had clinched the same award in Montreal last year. Home-grown solutions provider Data#3 was named Asia-Pacific enterprise partner of the year, following up from its 2015 Australian software solutions partner of the year win at Cisco Live twelve months ago. NEC Australia was honoured with the solution innovation partner of the year. At Cisco Live in Melbourne last year, the solutions provider had clinched the Australian award for innovation partner of the year while its consultant solution architect Arthur Thodis took out the solutions delivery excellence trophy. The wins for the three Australian service providers top off Dimension Australias global award win on Wednesday Australian time, when Cisco anointed it the 2016 Asia-Pacific partner of the year. Telstra, Data#3 and NEC Australia were all named as CRN MVPs last November, to recognise their versatility for customers and value to vendors. [Entries for the 2016 CRN MVP awards close today. Enter now] All up, 22 Asia-Pacific partner awards were handed out, with India and Japan leading the medal tally with four wins each. The journalist travelled to San Diego courtesy of Cisco. Receivers Ferrier Hodgson have begun advertising the immediate sale of the intellectual property of Dick Smith, including the retailers customer database. Ferrier Hodgsons campaign stated it is looking for expressions of interest in the sale of branding and trademarks, websites and domain names, as well as the retailer's customer database. A spokesperson for Ferrier Hodgson told CRN that the recievers would contact all individuals on the database ahead of a sale, and will be given the opportunity to elect whether or not their information is included. "While a potential sale may include customer information (amongst other things), the form and substance of any such sale that may take place is yet to be determined," they said. "The receivers are aware of their obligations under the privacy legislation in Australia and New Zealand regarding the use and disclosure of personal information. "Any sale which may take place in the future would not be in breach of those obligations". According to Dick Smiths privacy policy, the information Dick Smith collects under the Privacy Act 1988 can includes names, addresses, contact details, age, gender and signature of its customers. It also stores details about proof of ID such as drivers licence, passport numbers, and customers social media identities. Acting Australian Information Commissioner Timothy Pilgrim released a statement on the issue: "Businesses engaged in the selling and purchasing of customer databases need to be mindful of their obligations under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). I would strongly encourage any business considering this step to ensure that they seek legal advice before engaging in these types of transactions." New Zealand privacy commissioner John Edwards also released on a statement: Due to a stream of enquiries from the public to our office, we have been in touch with the legal advisers of the receivers of Dick Smith Electronics. We have received assurances that the receivers are aware of and will comply with their obligations under the New Zealand and Australian Privacy Acts. Ferrier Hodgson was appointed as the receiver of Dick Smith by secured creditors when the company went into administration on 5 January. The company was wound up on 25 February when the receivers failed to find a suitable buyer. Ferrier Hodgson's ad placed in the Australian Financial Review on 2 March. This story has been updated to include the statement from Ferrier Hodgson's spokesperson. A Cisco executive has revealed at its annual channel conference that its most successful partners have one speciality in common. Our most profitable partners sell security, said Cisco security general manager David Goeckeler during his keynote address in front of more than 2,000 global partners. Why? There are three reasons. Security drives the entire relationship between a solutions provider and a customer, according to Goeckeler. You need to have a modern network to have a very sophisticated security posture. So security is the conversation thats driving the network refresh. He told the packed crowd at San Diego on Thursday morning Australian time that the network acts as a sensor and an enforcer. These are incredible powerful architectures that are at the forefront of security today. The second reason, Goeckeler said, is that security leads to software subscriptions - meaning recurring revenue for the reseller. And thirdly, and maybe the most important [reason]: security is a service-rich market. A $100 billion market and 60 percent of it is services - and services are growing faster than products. Cisco worldwide sales executive vice president Chris Dedicoat also emphasised the synergy between security and networking. "We see 80 billion DNS addresses a day. 80 billion," he told partners Friday morning Australian time. "No other company on the planet sees this many. It's an incredible amount of knowledge of what's occuring in the threat landscape and where the threat actors are." Earlier in the summit, Goeckeler co-starred on a panel with Australian Dimension Data global security solutions general manager Matt Gyde, who boasted that the solutions provider had boosted its security services by more than 80 percent in the last couple of years. [Customer board members] are very very aware now that theyll end up in jail if something goes wrong. So theres a commitment there to spend, the Singapore-based executive said on Tuesday Australian time. The journalist travelled to San Diego courtesy of Cisco. Channel programs News Logicalis Buys 21-Person Microsoft Communications Powerhouse Michael Novinson Share this New York-based Logicalis has purchased a 21-person Microsoft Gold partner specializing in unified communications and voice from its parent company in an effort to turbocharge its education and health-care practices. Logicalis, No. 27 on the CRN 2015 Solution Provider 500, said its acquisition of The Woodlands, Texas-based Via Group will provide greater flexibility in supporting unified communication solutions across on-premise, hosted and hybrid environments. Combining Via's collaboration expertise with Logicalis' managed services capabilities will enable the company to deliver hosted, subscription-based solutions to clients looking to completely outsource responsibility for installing and managing business communications infrastructure, according to the companies. [Related: Logicalis Turns To Australia, Buys Cloud, Data Center Services Provider] "We felt it was in the best interest of both of the organizations to formally bring Logicalis and Via Group together," Vince DeLuca, CEO of Logicalis U.S., told CRN. Terms of the deal, which was revealed Wednesday, were not disclosed. Via Group generated $7.17 million of revenue in 2015, according to an annual report by its parent company. Like Logicalis, Via Group is owned by publicly traded IT conglomerate Datatec Ltd. of Johannesburg. Datatec also owns Tarrytown, N.Y.-based specialty distributor WestconGroup. Moving from sibling companies to being part of the same company will enable Via Group and Logicalis to have a more unified strategy, broader perspective in the employee base and consistently offer strong prices to customers by avoiding margin stacking, DeLuca said. Logicalis and Via worked together on some deals as sibling companies where the skills and services of both companies were needed. The deal was primarily a switch in what entity had the operational and legal rights over Via Group, DeLuca said, rather than a traditional acquisition in which an asset is sold to an outside entity for its full value. Both Logicalis and Via work primarily with commercial and enterprise customers, DeLuca said. Existing Via customers will be able to leverage Logicalis' international presence and expertise in areas such as mobility, wireless, video, virtual call centers and virtual private networks to deliver more comprehensive and wide-reaching solutions to customers, according to the companies. The deal will also bolster Logicalis' ability to support client solutions from the data center to the mobile workforce. Acquiring Via Group will enable Logicalis to gain more of a foothold in verticals such as energy, local government and legal, according to the companies. In addition to being a Microsoft Unified Communications Gold partner, Via also works closely with vendors such as Avaya, Polycom, Dell, Nortel, Cisco, Siemens and Fujitsu. Logicalis plans to retain the Via brand name in the short term to take advantage of its momentum in the market, DeLuca said. Over time, though, DeLuca said Via will be folded in to Logicalis' existing structure and branding. Via is Logicalis' fifth acquisition since the start of 2015. Logicalis bought Australian cloud and data center services provider Thomas Duryea Consulting in December, Lekscom in October, the advanced technology integration group of MCPc, No. 72 on the CRN SP 500, in July, and analytics dashboard solution provider Trovus in May. DeLuca said Logicalis plans to continue using acquisitions to bolster its capabilities around next-generation technology. "There's so much change happening, and the pace of change is faster than we've seen in quite some time," DeLuca said. Logicalis has annual revenue in excess of $1.5 billion and employs more than 4,000 people globally. In addition to being a Microsoft Gold Certified partner, Logicalis also works closely with vendors such as Cisco, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, IBM, EMC, NetApp, VMware and ServiceNow. Security News Palo Alto Networks CEO At RSA: Security Isn't About Technology, It's About Trust Sarah Kuranda Share this While security might seem like a massive technology issue, keeping data and devices secure is really a problem of trust, according to Palo Alto Networks CEO Mark McLaughlin -- one that threatens to stall progress in all areas of technology. "We have to maintain trust in the digital infrastructure and we have to restore trust that has been lost," McLaughlin said in a Wednesday keynote at the 2016 RSA Conference in San Francisco. "There has been a lot of trust lost in the last number of years." One recent example of this loss of trust in digital infrastructure is the Apple-FBI case, McLaughlin said. He did not take a stand one way or the other on the issue, although other security leaders did in their own RSA keynotes the day before. [Related: Apple-FBI Debate Center Stage At 2016 RSA Conference] McLaughlin said new challenges created by the "fourth industrial revolution" include the blending of physical and cybersecurity challenges (seen in critical infrastructure attacks and furthered by the expansion of the Internet of Things), massive data aggregation and availability -- and the danger posed when that data is breached -- and a limitless amount of compute power. These issues pose massive technical challenges, McLaughlin said, but the real impact of a cyber event is that a company's reputation can be destroyed, bringing the business to its knees. For the security industry, McLaughlin said, that means companies must focus on rebuilding the trust in technology, or risk losing the progress gained by the technology revolution. "Security transcends technology. These tectonic shifts that we do see in technology are creating the very productivity and infrastructure we need for the digital age, but at the same time, are also creating the opportunity itself to make the digital age go backwards," McLaughlin said. To solve the trust challenge, McLaughlin said, the security industry needs to "flip [the problem] on its head" by dramatically increasing the costs for a hacker of a successful attack. That will give the security industry more leverage in the equation, he said. McLaughlin proposed three ways that the security industry can do that: First, he called for an increased focus on prevention technologies, especially next-generation technologies, platforms and automation. Second, he said the industry needs to band together around threat sharing to turn unknown threats into known, automatically share intelligence and ingest that knowledge automatically into the network. He cited the Cyber Threat Alliance, which Palo Alto Networks belongs to alongside Symantec, Fortinet and McAfee, as an example. Finally, McLaughlin said, the security industry needs to promote cyber education, for both current business employees and the next generation. "We have to get to a new paradigm," McLaughlin said. "If we can bring those three things to the battle, then we will start to gain some leverage over a highly automated adversary." Storage News Veeam Hires Former VMware vCloud, HPE Exec As New Channel Chief Joseph F. Kovar Share this Veeam's Kevin Rooney Veeam Software has hired as its new channel chief Kevin Rooney, a former VMware and HPE veteran who is looking forward to helping his new employer become a billion-dollar company. Veeam, which develops data protection technology for cloud and virtualized environments, late last month appointed Rooney as its vice president of North America Channel sales where he will be responsible for driving channel sales strategy and growing the company's Veeam ProPartner program. It was an opportunity Rooney couldn't resist, Rooney told CRN. [Related: Veeam Stays The Channel Course In Push To Keep Data Centers Available] "I've watched Veeam from the outside-in for years, and saw the loyalty it inspired in its partners," he said. "And I see the opportunity to take Veeam to a billion-dollar company. This is a company that can only grow." Rooney said he quietly started working at Veeam in late January after more than two-and-a-half years with VMware, where he most recently managed the cloud partner organization for VMware's vCloud Air public cloud service. That included the time that EMC and VMware were trying to combine vCloud Air with EMC's Virtustream cloud technology, a project that was eventually scrapped. Rooney said the end of the vCloud Air and Virtustream project did not impact his decision to leave VMware. Rooney stayed with the vCloud Air project longer than another fellow executive. Riccardo Di Blasio, former vice president of sales and marketing for vCloud Air, left VMware in September and the following month joined Santa Clara, Calif.-based storage startup Cohesity. Prior to joining VMware, Rooney spent about six years at Hewlett-Packard in the enterprise business now known as HP Enterprise, or HPE. He left HP as director of national partner sales in 2013 to join VMware. Rooney said his experience with VMware is an asset at Veeam, despite a 2014 dispute between the two after VMware declined to allow Veeam to exhibit in that year's VMware Partner Exchange conference. "Today, Veeam and VMware couldn't be in a tighter relationship," he said. "I'm not sure what happened then. But the alliance couldn't be better today. We've got mind share inside VMware." Rooney said that since he joined Veeam he has seen how the company has shifted focus towards the enterprise after being exclusively focused on the SMB market. He is also seeing strong growth with the vendor's alliance partners, including VMware, Microsoft, Cisco, and HPE. "There is a real opportunity for Veeam to work more closely with those partners," he said. For 2016, Rooney said he has not yet completely thought through the kinds of changes he wants to see in Veeam's channel program. "Being a month or so in, I've don't purport to have a lot of changes in mind," he said. "But we want to get more embedded in the enterprise. And we want to see growth in our cloud service provider business. Also, we want our partners focused on solutions, not products, because solution sales will drive more products with it." While Rooney may not have a lot of changes in mind, one of Veeam's channel partners certainly does. The partner, an executive of a silver-level Veeam channel partner who preferred to remain anonymous, told CRN via email that he wants to get a good idea of what Veeam wants to do with its channel. For instance, the solution provider wrote, moving from the silver level, which requires annual sales of $50,000, to the gold level with its $250,000 annual sales requirement is quite a jump. "Gold gets you plenty of other benefits, dedicated CAM [channel account manager], marketing funds, website publicity, etc." the solution provider wrote. Veeam's support could use some investment, particularly right before and after a major version upgrade, the solution provider wrote. "During support calls we immediately ask for level-2 [support] because level-1 guys are not very skilled," he wrote. Veeam also has an unusual field support model, with sales reps, named sales reps, field systems engineers, and so on, the solution provider wrote. "But the field SEs are pre-sales, so its hard to get technical, architecture, design questions answered other than looking through documentation. They really need an architect (or senior SE) per region who focuses on larger deployments, corner cases, storage issues, etc.," the solution provider wrote. Veeam could also provide better systems engineering support to its cloud services partners, the solution provider wrote. "The issues we run into as a service provider are not the same issues we run into [with] a client who is not using the cloud," he wrote. "They did add an SE for the cloud/service providers but thats one guy for the country. We find ourselves in situations where we dont have a local SE who has the experience or is unavailable (because he is on sales calls, in another state or tied up with another VAR) and we cant call support because theyre break-fix guys." Rooney, via email, told CRN that Veeam is addressing many of the issues raised by the solution provider. "We dont rely on growth numbers alone to determine channel satisfaction," Rooney wrote. "Every year, we survey our partners, and our most recent survey (which was completed just a week ago) reported a 96 percent satisfaction rate with Veeam. Believe me when I say, we wont be entirely satisfied until that final 4 percent is happy." Rooney wrote that Veeam's partner program is changing as the market evolves, especially as large enterprises are increasingly turning to the company for help with data center availability. "In response, for the first time Veeam is building out an enterprise sales force to address these new demands, and we are working to map our partners sales teams to those accounts," he wrote. Matt Kalmenson, Veeam's vice president of North American service and cloud provider sales, responded via email to the solution provider's question about cloud service provider needs by noting that Veeam has introduced Veeam Cloud Connect and Veeam Cloud Service Provider programs to help partners realize new revenue streams with Veeam via the cloud. "The service provider portion of our VCSP [Veeam Cloud & Service Provider] program has recently been updated: Gold starts when you have 500 VMs [virtual machines] under management, and eligibility for platinum starts at 2,000 VMs under management. In fact, we just promoted our first 7 VCSP partners to platinum. These partners will receive additional benefits including greater exposure to the traditional Veeam reseller community, thereby augmenting our entire partner ecosystem," Kalmenson wrote. As for concerns that Veeam may not have a local systems engineer with the experience or availability to support partners, Scott Lillis, Veeam's North American vice president of systems engineering wrote via email that Veeam relies exclusively on its partners and service providers to deliver professional services when necessary. Veeam has a program to provide partners with Veeam Certified Engineer (VMCE) certification to provide the necessary level of expertise to correctly implement and configure Veeam availability solutions, and this year will also launch an architect-level certification, Lillis wrote. A service provider certification is also under development, he wrote. The solution provider responded via email he had signed up for VMCE live training at last year's VeeamOn conference, but the class was closed two days after registration opened and so he opted to pay $800 for the recorded video training. "This was pretty useless. It was two guys talking to the screen and showing PowerPoints. The study materials didnt match anything on the script and we had a fixed (short time) to do the online training, which ran out quick," the solution provider wrote. Lillis also wrote that channel partners can get design help from their local Veeam systems engineers who can turn to the company's internal network of national and regional architects. The company can also provide additional resources, including a hosted Whiteboard Live program where users can ask Veeam and other experts real-time architecture questions, as well as access previous Whiteboard Live sessions. The solution provider responded that he plans to follow up with his local Veeam rep about help from those regional and national architects, and will also look into the Whiteboard Live sessions. Sailing trans-Atlantic, Cunard Line will be embarking passengers in Le Havre on Sept. 15, 2017 to celebrate the towns 500th anniversary. A special poster and slogan have been created to promote the sailing: 500 Passengers for 500 Years. Jean-Baptiste Gastinne, vice-chairman of the Normandy Region and of the Le Havre area, and also president of Le Havre Cruise Club, announced the slogan. And Remy Arca and Viviane Richer, president and CEO of Compagnie Internationale de Croisieres, respectively, have created the poster to be reminiscent of the atmosphere onboard the liners. Passengers embarking at Le Havre will be mostly French. A special program will be dedicated to the French guests on board. International passengers will embark in Southampton prior to the call at Le Havre. They will have the added benefit of participating in the anniversary celebration and events. The Tourism Board and the Compagnie Internationale de Croisieres, the French representative of Cunard, worked together to organize the trans-Atlantic sailing to New York. Also, the Queen Elizabeth started her world cruise in Le Havre in January 2012, and the Queen Mary 2 will call at Le Havre on Nov. 2 of this year. The Walt Disney Company announced plans today to build two additional cruise ships. The company has entered into a memorandum of agreement with Meyer Werft, and the schedule calls for the new ships to be completed in 2021 and 2023. Each new ship will be approximately 135,000 gross tons slightly larger than the newest Disney Cruise Line ships, the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy and each is currently planned to include about 1,250 guest staterooms. Design plans, ship names and itineraries are still in development. The company has been an industry leader in innovation and game-changing creativity. With the launch of the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy in 2011 and 2012, the company introduced several firsts for the industry, including a water coaster at sea (AquaDuck) and virtual portholes in interior staterooms (Magical Portholes) that provide real-time views of the sea as well as sightings of animated Disney characters. Plans for the expansion of Disney Cruise Line come during a period of momentous growth and innovation for Disney properties around the globe. The expansion of Disney Cruise Line only adds to our excitement for the unprecedented growth taking place across our vacation destinations, from new Star Wars experiences coming to the Walt Disney World and Disneyland resorts to the 25th anniversary of Disneyland Paris and the grand opening of our newest park, Shanghai Disney Resort, said Bob Chapek, chairman, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. Rebekah Brown, threat intelligence lead at Rapid7, recently sat down with Salted Hash to discuss the basics for building a threat intelligence program. It's a serious task, one that will take time and plenty of resources to accomplish. Even then, once the program is up and running, more time and resources will need to be dedicated to its care and maintenance. Leadership: Decision makers need to be on board with the process. Even with perfect execution, an organization cannot achieve real success or impact with their threat intelligence program unless they have buy-in or support from leadership. "Make it as simple and relevant for them as possible; don't overwhelm them with technical details and scary-sounding possibilities that aren't very likely for your organization," Brown said. Resources like the Verizon DBIR and other high level, strategic reports help illustrate the point that different sectors and organizations face different threats, Brown added. The point is to get business leaders to understand that threat intelligence can help the company focus their security efforts on the threats that have the highest likelihood and highest impact. When it comes to the pitch, both IT and InfoSec management (assuming the roles are split) should be the ones talking. Threat intelligence programs can support operations across the board, from augmenting security functions to keeping the systems up and running. "Threat intelligence can help security teams operate more efficiently, and help IT managers understand the threats to the systems they have in place and contribute to planning for what new systems should be introduced," Brown said. Staffing: There needs to be a mixture of expertise that can build the threat intelligence program, set the strategy, and do the analysis of the threats facing the business. Building and implementing are usually, though not always, two different skill sets, Brown said. "Building a program, especially a new function like threat intelligence, is not an easy task. It includes things like defining the strategy, working with other teams within the organization, and hiring the necessary personnel." The builders will need to understand the business needs of the organization, but also the nuances of threat intelligence so that they can shape and direct the program at all levels, strategic through tactical. "In addition, it is important to have personnel who can understand the technical details of threats, things like understanding the TTPs of threat actors and how to identify or create alerts for them, and knowing the kill chain and how to identify where a particular threat is along that spectrum," Brown added. "It is also very important to individuals in these roles to understand when a threat doesn't impact them in order to avoid propagating a lot of FUD. Threat Intel should be helping to save time and energy by focusing on true threats, and in order to do that, an organization needs people who know what those true threats are." If the staffing doesn't exist in order to fill these roles, the company might have to hire them in some cases. But it's also possible the individuals who would fit the role were there all along, they just needed that extra push. "Once an organization has some sort of security function in place, they can start to utilize basic threat intelligence. Generally speaking, SOC analysts, incident responders, security architects, and several others can all read the many public reports on various threat actors and start to assess whether that threat is a potential risk to their organization," Brown said. "These professionals may also have relationships in sharing communities, formal or informal, where they're exposed to threat intelligence, they just need to develop internal processes or capabilities to act on it. Even if the threat intelligence they receive is occasional or incidental, it can still benefit the work they are already doing. Essentially, these exercises can become a framework for building more advanced capabilities." Moreover, a company could invest and put a candidate into a threat intelligence training program, which can help develop skills in threat research, analysis, and reporting. But, if the company honestly looking to build a new function, it's going to take someone with experience, and that's no easy task, because some of the most experienced people are already gainfully employed. Again, it isn't easy to find them, but those with experience are out there. "There are security companies who can help with program development and can help guide an organization through the process, but having someone who understands the business priorities is critical -- no one else can tell an organization what information is most important to them," Brown added. Understand typical user behaviors in the environment: Understanding a user's typical behaviors and usage is essential, but if a clean base can't be established; any monitoring performed will be compromised. Therefore, it is critical to assess whether or not the organization has positive control of the environment prior to setting baselines. "Conducting a compromise assessment prior to beginning any sort of baselining activity is a good idea. It can take several months to get a good understanding of what is typical user behavior, and it is not something that can be determined overnight," Brown said. Typical baselines include when and where a user typically logs on; whether they usually download a lot of new software; or what other devices they typically access. All of these are behaviors that could be normal, and therefore attackers will try to emulate them. "You have to know your own users better than the attackers do so that you can pick up when something is off - even just slightly off. On the other side, this also helps reduce false positives and keeps organizations from limiting their users unnecessarily. It all comes down to knowing yourself and your business." Visibility: Not only does this include knowing what is going on the network, but also the ability to look back at previous logs. "A lot of technical threat intelligence is useless if you don't have the ability to identify whether it has been seen in your environment or take some sort of action to block or alert. It is important to capture network and endpoint logs because in many cases the endpoint is critical in determining the extent of a threat, as well as reducing false positives from network-based indicators, which are much more perishable than endpoint indicators," Brown sad. Determining the type and scope of the most valuable logs is something each business has to do for themselves, there is no universal rule or single set of basics here. The most important logs will likely be those centered on critical systems, such as those hosting debit and credit card data, health records, financial data, corporate IP, customer records, etc. "Logs from critical servers or other sensitive resources are also very important. Basically, if you want to be able to answer any questions about whether or not a system was accessed or potentially compromised, you need to make sure that you have logging in place to answer those questions." If a log retention policy doesn't exist, make one. Usually, the minimum is 90-days, but as last breaches have shown, compromised networks were found and the logs had long since rotated off the drive. If space isn't an issue, then storing logs for upwards of 200 days isn't a bad idea. Capture information from the network, analyze it, and turn it into intelligence: "Responding to and capturing information on your own incidents is the best threat intelligence you can ever gather," Brown said. "Predictive analysis is certainly more appealing to most people, but the analysis done on an actual event in your network will help you not only respond the threat, but also improve the models you are using for analysis." Some ways to gather this data: Good old fashioned Incident Response IDS/IPS and email filters that show attacks that were blocked. IDS/IPS alerts are often ignored because they indicate an attack was stopped, but if there was a motivated attacker behind those attacks they're using their failures as lessons learned to attack you better next time. If we have the options to also learn from our attackers failures we should take those opportunities, otherwise we are going to be learning from their successes, Brown said. Reporting by employees of suspicious emails, pop ups, social engineering attempts, and other information that may have been missed by technical means In addition, Honeypots or Honeynets can be used to gather even more information about attacker behaviors, including new tools or tactics they are using or testing out to get around current security measures. The Internet of Things (IoT) is disrupting just about every industry. But it may get disrupted itself as the nations legal and regulatory system slowly catches up with the massive security and privacy risks it creates. Not anytime soon, however. Work in progress was the operative phrase at a panel session at this weeks RSA conference titled, Flaming toasters to crashing cars the Internet of Things and mass liability. Most of the problem with establishing legal liability surrounding the IoT is that while its growth is regularly called explosive, there is a lot more, and bigger, exploding yet to come. The number of connected things is expected to expand so exponentially that one of the panelists, Jay Brudz, an attorney at Drinker Biddle & Reath, declared that Internet of Things is already a dumb phrase. In years to come, its going to be everything but computers with a human interface, so its just going to be the Internet, he said. Another panelist, Eric Hibbard, CTO for security and privacy at Hitachi Data Systems, agreed that the IoT, as vast as it appears, is still in the early days. NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) has some materials on this, but the broader set is a work in progress. That does not mean nothing is happening. Nithan Sannappa, a privacy and data security attorney at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), said the agency is interested in IoT consumer products or services, and has brought about 50 cases against various companies, mostly focused on the, inadequacy of the companys network. [ MORE FROM RSA: See all the news happening at the show ] Sannappa was the lead attorney on the recent settlement between the FTC and ASUSTek Computer over flaws in its consumer routers. While the company had promised that customers could, "safely secure and access your treasured data through your router, the FTC found that, hackers used easily accessible tools to locate and exploit (them), gaining access to more than 12,900 consumers' storage devices. The FTCs authority comes under its role in sanctioning companies that demonstrate, unfair and deceptive business practices. But the FTC settlements so far havent included any heavy financial penalties in most cases the companies agree to improve their security and to submit to audits. If they violate the terms of the agreement, they can then be subject to fines. And while that may send a signal to other manufacturers about not promising what they are not delivering, Hibbard and Brudz both said in the rush to get connected devices to the market, security remains an afterthought. We may be looking three to four years out before standards start arriving. Eric Hibbard, CTO for security and privacy at Hitachi Data Systems The business model is to launch them and then fix them later, Brudz said. Hibbard said this will become a bigger problem since the IoT amounts to the building blocks of our future environment. The problem is that were only thinking three years ahead when we should be thinking 30 years ahead. Its like our highway system it would be better if we could completely rebuild our roads, but we cant. We can only patch them. Another problem is that most devices are not easily updated, so when vulnerabilities are discovered, they remain. Some of them are embedded in your wall, Hibbard said. Theyre not designed to let you get access. And yet another problem affecting legal liability is what Hibbard called, a mashup of devices a half-dozen different devices put together in ways they were never designed to be in the first place. [ ALSO ON CSO: Security and the Internet of Things are we repeating history? ] Those components could be in things ranging from bridges to traffic signals to cars. From a legal perspective, it opens up interesting areas, he said. If something bad happens, which component made the poor decision that caused the harm? Brudz said the legal system also has yet to sort out who is responsible for damages in the case of a breach. In the case of ASUS routers, is the fault with the guy who made the router, or the guy who stole the information (from customers)? he asked. If somebody breaks into your house, can you sue the guy who made the lock? What makes it even more complicated is that many attackers are in different countries, far from the reach of American law enforcement or the courts. Sannappa said some of the biggest names in the private sector, like Apple, Google and Samsung, may help to set overall IoT security standards. There is a possibility where we could have larger ecosystems, industry leaders, setting up a way for smaller players to have guidance. Then regulators can say, this is what you were supposed to be doing and werent, he said. But there was general agreement that the process will take time. We may be looking three to four years out before standards start arriving, Hibbard said. And I think it is going to be the legal community that is going to weigh in on it. Its going to be a wake-up call to manufacturers and developers to do something about their house of cards, he said. HARTFORD The confrontation between a man carrying a pistol and Bridgeport cops in a sandwich shop in January would never have boiled over into a viral video if permit holders were required to show their documents when asked by police, said one of the officers who responded to the incident. Officer Ricardo Lopez joined state prosecutors, law enforcement officials and gun-control supporters on Thursday in favor of a bill that would give police more latitude than they now have in asking for permits in public. At a time of growing friction between police and the public, theres a need for a brighter legal line, Lopez said. Gun-rights supporters, however, said they shouldnt have to submit to such questioning if they are just going about their business without creating a threat to public safety. Ninety nine percent of gun-permit holders in Connecticut realize its a privilege and when asked they will provide it willingly, theyre very cooperative and we return the favor by maintaining our professionalism, Lopez said in the Legislative Office Building prior to testifying to the Public Safety Committee. Its just that one percent that want to create disorder; that manipulate it in a fashion they can take advantage of. Theyre the ones that can create problems in a lot of different ways. Lopez was the third responding officer during a January incident when a gun-carrying Waterbury man, asked to show his permit in a Subway restaurant refused and then video recorded an escalating verbal exchange with police. Lopez said that if the proposed law were in place, it would have become a routine a 30-second exchange. That would have been the end of it. Lopez said the danger is when someone pretends to have a permit and doesnt. It can descend into a potentially deadly mix in a city such as Bridgeport, known for its gun violence. Theres a lot more confrontation now between police officers and citizens and those confrontations have a tendency to escalate more often that theyre ever done before, he said. Any time you add a gun into the mix, its scary, all the possibilities of how things can go wrong. Police have to have a reasonable suspicion that a crime is being committed, has been committed or is about to be committed and have to see a pistol or revolver before they can insist that somebody show their permit, said Chief States Attorney Kevin T. Kane, saying that the threshold is more difficult than necessary. In cases where people in retail stores call in complaints of fear after seeing someone with a gun, police should be allowed to find out if there is a permit. Po Murray, chairwoman of the Newtown Action Alliance, told the legislative Public Safety Committee that her town is still suffering trauma from the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre. We believe open carrying is a threatening act, she said. After the Sandy Hook tragedy, people are more emboldened. Theyre coming to Newtown and theyre getting bolder and theyre getting into our spaces and in our faces. It would be ideal if gun owners were not allowed to openly carry in the state of Connecticut. We should create a societal agreement that gun owners who have permits to carry firearms should expect to validate their responsibility by being accountable to officers of the law, said Wendy Skratt of Stamford. Rep. Stephen D. Dargan, D-West Haven, co-chairman of the committee, said lawmakers are trying to balance gun-owner rights and the safety of the public. It could be that law enforcement sees someone in open carry. Is that reasonably suspicious? Thats what were trying to get at today. Gun-rights advocates, however, including the state chairman of the NRA, oppose the legislative proposal, charging that it would further reduce their constitutional rights to possess firearms. Scott Wilson, president of the Connecticut Citizens Defense League, Inc. said that police should be limited to asking to see carry permits unless suspects are threatening, agitated or are brandishing their weapons in public places. Were talking about the fact that they dont have the right to ask for that permit now, said Wilson, one of about 80 people who signed up speak on the issue. For the gun owners its a significant issue," said Robert Crook, president of the Coalition of Connecticut Sportsman, stressing that the vast majority of pistol carriers would readily show inquiring police their permits. State law allows both concealed carry and open carry and permits must be carried. He warned of the possibility of lawful gun owners being profiled for stopping by police. Sen. Edwin A. Gomes, D-Bridgeport, a committee member, said he was concerned that the incident in the Bridgeport subway might have been an incident of racial profiling. I wouldnt care if you blue, black or green, if you were carrying that gun and that incident happened, I think it should have happened differently than it did happen, Gomes said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BRIDGEPORT He speaks the same way he carves: soft, patient and methodical with each syllable or chip at the stone. It takes me a little while to get into the mindset to carve, said Jim Bria, 60, owner of Artista Studios, which makes and restores tombstones, monuments and mausoleums. But once Im in that mindset, the world shuts off. In a time when intricate tombstone carvings and lavish mausoleums are becoming obsolete, when cemeteries look less like displays of art and more like grids of uniform black boxes, Bria receives commissions for personalized gravestone carvings throughout Connecticut and New York. I can look at a blank piece of stone and visualize what it looks like, he said, seated in his studio next to a 1,000-pound slab of stone, a beige stencil sheet folded beside it. Its like youre peeling layers off releasing the image thats inside of it. An unmarked, sky-blue door in a parking lot at 317 Mountain Grove St. opens Brias studio space, a warehouse covered in shades of gray dust and soot, with a makeshift hut for an office. About 20 blank tombstones, varying in shape and color, are visible from the doorway. Bria said Tuesday about eight of them had been commissioned. He read a stenciled inscription for one of the tombs: Thanks for the great ride. Beyond the tombstones was a stone-cutting machine called a CNC bridge saw, and a crane. On the table below it was one of Brias latest projects: a brownstone hes restoring, commemorating James Terry, a clock worker who died in 1871. The Portland Historical Society commissioned Bria to fix the cracking obelisk. Artista Studios has also been working with the town of Fairfield to fix its vandalized gravestones for about five years. A pile of stone slabs with spray-painted Aryan nation symbols and genitalia rested on one side of the warehouse. Removing the paint can take four to 20 hours to complete, Bria said. Why desecrate the final resting place of someone? he said. It doesnt make anyone feel good. I just dont understand why. Nobody looks at it like we do, with nostalgia and history, said Lisa Burghardt, Brias administrative assistant and one of his two employees, passing through on her way to the office. They just see creepiness and ghosts. A family tradition Bria was born into a family of stone makers. His grandparents, with whom his family lived, owned quarries in Greenwich. I really enjoy working with my hands, and those things come very easily to me, he said. So it seemed like a perfect fit. It would be hard for me to sit indoors in a work space, office environment, and be happy. For his family, the stone business provided foundations for buildings, the work more about replication than creativity. Bria has worked to make his business more about the art. He dropped out of college to pursue stonework, sometimes working for other manufacturing companies, other times starting and ending his own business ventures. He was in the Stamford area for about 30 years before moving to Bridgeport to do freelance work 11 years ago. He moved into his new warehouse last year, as part of a citywide initiative under former Mayor Bill Finch. As a rule of thumb, Bria has refused to carve likenesses of his customers loved ones into stone. Instead, he asks about their personality and carves something different. I have to visualize it from inside out, he said. So you could describe to me a person, and (with) how they feel and how I envision it, I could transfer it. Along with his commissioned works, Bria carves on his own as a form of artistic expression. He started a large headstone with weeping angels holding on to the edge after the December 2012 Newtown shootings. I have to feel it to carve it; Im not using my eyes, said Bria. He said the high sadness of the shootings compelled him to start the headstone, which is near completion. Bria was also working on a 4-foot-tall Virgin Mary with three angels at her feet, all with heads titled toward the sky. He called the statue The Assumption, which he said started as something I felt one day. It brings different energy when you work on spiritual work, he said. When he looks at a piece of stone, Bria looks for the three-dimensional shape within, and from there, gets to work with his large machines and pneumatic hand tools. Sometimes, he said, hell think his work is done, when really his imagination blinds him to the reality of the unfinished product. Youre in a different realm (when carving), he said. So to compare and see where I am in this realm, I stop and take a photograph with my phone. I turn around and it tells me where Im really at. The realm of the dead While he wouldnt comment on his religious views, Bria did say, squinting into the sun at the nearby Mountain Grove Cemetery, that he believes in energies. Its what makes you, you and me, me your energy, he said. For nine months, starting in late 2013, Bria worked days and sometimes nights at the cemetery, located a block from his studio. He was commissioned to restore the Warner mausoleum, a replica of the Temple of Love, which contains a 6-foot statue of St. Joseph carved by the famed Italian sculptor, Lorenzo Bartolini. The statue had been decapitated, the hand and staff demolished, and the intricate vents to the vault below stolen. Bria reattached the head, remolded the hand and staff and created new vents out of an aluminum-steel alloy. He also restored part of the mausoleums Tiffany glass ceiling design. Its the final resting place of souls, he said, gesturing from inside the mausoleum to the hundreds of stones in the cemetery around him. So even if you dont believe in ghosts From time to time you hear things that are unexplainable. Still, Bria said his work has diminished the significance of death for him. It makes you more callous. You see too much of it, it affects you differently, said Bria, staring at his palms, as if his attitude toward death had manifested in his hands thick callouses. But knowing he can help memorialize someones loss in a thoughtful way helps, he said. Its very rewarding to give something to someone that comforts them in a compromised emotional state, he said. That its going to bring comfort and joy to many family members leaves me with a good feeling, to know I was able to bring closure to a life. SFoster-Frau@scni.com; @SilviaElenaFF Ned Gerard / Hearst Connecticut Media BRIDGEPORT Joe Ganim walked down the long hall of the downtown Holiday Inn toward the ballroom with a lovely girlfriend at his side, along with his parents, George Sr. and Josephine, and Democratic Chairman Mario Testa. Like last year, when he attended the mayors annual state of the city address at the same location, the adjacent ballroom was packed with business and political leaders, and chicken and potatoes were being plated in the kitchen. BRIDGEPORT - A Quinnipiac University professor has been charged with collecting more than $8,000 in unemployment benefits while she was working. Angela Skyers, 48 of Crozier Court, Oxford, was charged Wednesday with first-degree larceny by defrauding a public community. She was released after posting a $10,000 bond pending arraignment in New Britain Superior Court on March 10. Skyers husband, Eroll Skyers, who is also her lawyer, did not return calls for comment. Angela Skyers is listed on the spring directory of Quinnipiac University as teaching a course called Leader Within in the Global Community program. She was arrested following an investigation by inspectors from the Unemployment Compensation Fraud Unit in the Office of the Chief States Attorney. Investigators said Skyers received $8,033 in unemployment benefits between August 2012 and October 2012 when she was working at both Quinnipiac University and Goodwin College. During that time she reported she was not working full time, according to the arrest warrant affidavit. Investigators later met with Skyers and her husband, who was an associate city attorney for the city of Bridgeport, and both claimed the information on her employment at Quinnipiac was incorrect, the warrant states. Republican August Wolf broke his weeklong silence Thursday to say that he is not biased against gays, as a former manager of his U.S. Senate campaign recently alleged in a resignation letter. The staff insurrection has become a nagging distraction for Wolf, a political newcomer from Stamford. It said there is no basis to claims by Wolfs previous campaign manager, Troy Meeker, that he was subjected to a hostile work environment because of his sexual orientation. I will always be honest, open and ethical, Wolf said in a statement. I will use facts to attack and defend against insinuations. There were a lot of wheels spinning under the former campaign management, but results were lacking. The absence of accountability fed a culture of irresponsibility amongst the former staff. Wolf, a money manager who competed in the shot put in the 1984 Olympics, also sought to rebut allegations by another former campaign manager that young political staffers were forced to work as independent contractors at below minimum wage. His campaign contends that some employees who were dismissed for poor job performance, including campaign manager Matthew MacFarlane and field director Michael Napoli, are retaliating by creating a media circus. The campaign says it is awaiting the results of an internal audit that the campaign expects to show mismanagement by some of the dismissed staffers. The audit comes as Wolfs campaign is facing possible fines and other sanctions by the Federal Election Commission for failing to file its year-end fundraising report. The moment I became concerned with Mr. MacFarlanes performance managing the financial controls of the campaign, I took action, Wolf said. Mr. Napoli and Mr. MacFarlane so grossly mismanaged operations in the field that I am shocked Mr. Meeker had fallen in with them. Mr. Meeker and I did get along and I do wish him well. Meeker stood by his allegations Thursday, including his claims that Wolf bantered about Meeker being gay and his relationships with other men. When people learned of August Wolfs patterns of frat-boy behavior and intolerance, they noticed, Meeker told Hearst Connecticut Media. It is not my fault that he acted reprehensibly during angry outbursts. Napoli, 21, who is from Old Greenwich, said he worked 56 hours a week as Wolfs field director and was paid $500 a month. I say I did a damn good job for what I was, Napoli said. I dont understand how a (54)-year-old man is going to basically pin the failings of his campaign on the kids he hired. No other Republicans have stepped forward to challenge Democrat Richard Blumenthal, who has the power of incumbency, universal name recognition and a $4 million war chest in a reliably blue state working in his favor. MacFarlane said Thursday that Wolf is scapegoating young political operatives for his mishandling of campaign funds. Im confident that the criminal investigators at the FEC will discover the truth: that August Wolf misappropriated upwards of $100,000 of off-limits campaign donations, reserved for the primary and general election phases, for use in the convention process of the campaign, MacFarlane said. State GOP Chairman J.R. Romano said there are rumblings that other Republicans could jump into the race, but that the party isnt actively recruiting additional candidates. This is the first time that Augie has ever (run), Romano said. There are obviously going to be some growing pains. If, in the fact, this (matter) proceeds and theres an issue, well work it out then. But until then, I hate the he said, he said. neil.vigdor@scni.com; 203-625-4436; http://twitter.com/gettinviggy This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Eighty-year-old Arto Szabo fell in love with photography when he was 13. I used my dads old Kodak camera, which is a real antique today. I took a lot of pictures and started to make my own in my darkroom It went on and on and on and later, I bought more cameras and thats what happened, said Szabo, who eventually moved from that Kodak to his current Canon 5D Mark III. Szabo, a Greenwich resident for more than half a century, now has a one-man 30-photograph exhibit, Wild Serengeti, at the Les Beaux Arts Gallery in the Round Hill Community Church. It will run through Feb. 7. Getting to Africa for safari was a lifetime goal, he said. More News Historic photos explore Greenwichs backcountry He retired from his furniture designing business about six years ago and began to travel two or three times a year to different parts of the world. And last September, he achieved his goal. He went on a photographers safari in the Serengeti, a national park and region in Northern Tanzania and Southwest Kenya. Right after his safari plane landed in the heart of the Serengeti, a herd of elephants ran across the dirt landing strip. You look to the right and left and there are animals all over the place, and theyre constantly moving. Especially the birds, said Szabo. You have to take a picture very different because these animals pounce as they move. A hippo may open its mouth, but its only for 2 seconds! Szabo managed to catch that on camera: a hippo yawning or yelling among a herd of hippos. The hippo, wildebeest, elephants, giraffes and the smiling faces of the people he met danced before his lens throughout the trip. His favorite photograph is the cheetah, not necessarily because of the photo itself but because of the story behind it, he said. It was taken from the window of a land rover, the cheetah only three or four feet away from him, he said. She was a young cub. The mom and three cubs left the bones (from a meal) about 100 feet away from us, going toward a pond because you get thirsty. Thats when I took the picture, said Szabo. He said this is about his fifth exhibit at the Les Beaux. The last four had mostly been landscapes, said Szabo. This one is mostly animals, with a few photos of the native Maasai. Szabo said he hopes people will have a better idea of what the animals look like in nature after seeing his photographs. You have to realize the Serengeti is so large, its the worlds largest zoo without a fence, he said. The art gallery, open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, is located at the Round Hill Community Church, 395 Round Hill Road. The exhibit is free and open to the public. SFoster-Frau@scni.com; @SilviaElenaFF The same old one-size fits all approach to governing has landed our state in a perennial black hole of fiscal recklessness. The result of this political banter pits unionized state employees against maxed-out taxpayers who simply cannot afford to live here anymore. To put an end to this, we must honor commitments made to unionized state employees, while addressing future promises and controlling costs for non-union employees. Connecticuts pension fund remains one of the most underfunded in the nation, and our appetite for borrowing on the states credit card remains insatiable. The blame does not lie solely in union contracts negotiated some twenty years ago; it also lies in the failure of politicians and their political appointees to lead by example. When a politically active lawyer was nominated for a judgeship, serving only a few years and receiving a full pension, the public reacted with shock and the legislature was embarrassed into taking some form of action to save face. Recently, the Senate Democratic Caucus went to great lengths to conceal the medical condition of a state senator. As recently reported by Jon Lender, of the Hartford Courant, the senator needed to reach an important threshold to qualify for very generous healthcare benefits. Our fiscal problems stem from a moral deficit of entitlement that is omnipresent in the halls of our State Capitol. The political elite view very rich pension and healthcare benefits not as a privilege, but as a fundamental right. How can we expect the Hartford bureaucrats to make the tough decisions when they play by their own set of rules? When I ran for state treasurer in 2014, I called for creation of an incentivized defined contribution plan retirement program for non-union state employees, similar to those most Connecticut residents contribute to through their employers. My plan required that all constitutional officers, members of the General Assembly, agency heads and political appointees participate in the defined contribution plan after July 1, 2015. This would allow the state to make good on its contractual commitments while at the same time reducing unfunded liabilities. As first selectman of Trumbull, I cut my own salary, refused a pension and created a defined-contribution plan for non-union employees. I also eliminated free healthcare for political appointees. Governor Malloy, if you are going to ask for shared sacrifice, why dont you refuse your pension from Connecticut and go into a defined contribution plan to lead by example? Its only fair that if the governor is going to ask for shared sacrifice as he has so often done, that he put his money where his mouth is and make the first move. With only a few months to tackle mounting financial shortfalls, I urge political leaders in Hartford to take a different tact, a new approach. Connecticut is relying on you to find solutions, and that should start with your own shared sacrifice. Timothy M. Herbst is the Republican first selectman of Trumbull. Its simply incontrovertible that, at every level, we need more open government. Despite passage over the years of various freedom of information laws, politicians and public institutions remain congenitally predisposed to secrecy. Just last week, for instance, the Connecticut Freedom of Information Commission found that the University of Connecticut trustees acted illegally when they met in secret to discuss the public universitys budget. Government secrecy is not an issue that affects only interested parties like journalism and governmental watchdog organizations. It affects every one of us. Anyone whos had occasion to deal with government officials knows they operate differently when they know a light is on them. So we support a bill in Hartford that would expand the existing CT-N system to create a comprehensive state civic television network, similar in structure to the the national C-SPAN model, to be offered by the states cable television organizations, and funded by their subscribers. In other words, we all will pay for it. Estimates from CT-N, officially the Connecticut Public Affairs Network, and from the states Office of Consumer Counseler counsel, is that the additional cost will be in the neighborhood of 40 to 50 cents a month. CT-N has been funded directly by the General Assembly since 1999. With no government money involved in supporting the network, its independence should be complete. The new network would provide a smorgasbord of viewing that could include legislative hearings some more gripping than others, for sure Supreme Court arguments, election coverage, educational videos on the operation of state government, and so on. No, its not going to outdo Wheel of Fortune, say, but it would provide a portal for those with an interest in state government to get up close and personal. And it might lure in some people whose interest in governement workings might be piqued merely because they can watch it on televsion and online. At the end of the day, a democracy thrives on information. Information is the oxygen it breathes. Not only would the new network provide far more penetrating coverage of government activity, it would also provide a searchable, shareable library of state government deliberations, decisions and activities that would be available to every citizen. With the increased consumption of information on social media and mobile devices, its important that the State Civic Network would be accessible on a variety of platforms. Senate Bill 104, An Act Establishing the State Civic Network, is being considered by the legislatures Joint Committee on Government Administration and Elections. In this age of fragmented and shrinking coverage of state government, the expansion of this television network would be a welcome development. Once again, at times the business of government can seem arcane, or too complicated, boring or meaningless. But everything these folks elected, appointed, career bureaucrats do in Hartford has some impact on all our lives. The closer we watch, the better were all going to be. An increase in a number of residential burglaries have caused Orange police to alert homeowners to take precautions. We have had a spate of residential burglaries reported over the last few weeks, with most occurring in the northwest portion of town (Hilltop Road, Garden Road, Mulberry Lane, etc). These incidents have occurred during the day time while the homeowners were away, Orange police said on its Facebook page. They said detectives are working diligently to identify the perpetrator(s) and make arrests. Towns throughout southwest Connecticut have seen a number of residential burglaries. This week, Shelton police announced the arrest of a city resident who has been linked to home burglaries in seven towns as Orange, Trumbull, Monroe and Stratford. Orange police have released a number or precautions that all homeowners can take to protect their possessions and property: Make sure your home is securely locked. This includes all doors, windows, and entryways. Deadbolt locks are more secure than button style locks. Lock your doors even if you are going to be away for a very short time. Many burglaries happen in the span of a few minutes time. If you have an alarm system, make sure it is on and monitoring your home. Make your home look occupied, even when it isnt. Consider leaving lights/televisions/radios playing. If you will be away for an extended period, consider putting some lights on a random timer. Use curtains on garage/basement windows. Dont let thieves know what may be inside your home. Make sure you have adequate outside lighting. Dont allow thieves to have places to hide. Consider marking valuables with permanent identifiers, like an engraved drivers license number, or something similar. Marked items are difficult for thieves to dispose of. Dont leave spare keys under doormats, flower pots, mailboxes, etc. Thieves know where to look for these extra keys. Keep a list of your valuables. Take photos if possible. Record serial numbers when they exist. Always report suspicious people and vehicles in your neighborhood to the police. Note descriptions and/or license plate numbers whenever possible. If you believe your home has been broken into: DO NOT ENTER. Leave the property and call police from another location, like a neighbors house. Dont touch anything before police arrive, even to clean up damage- this may be evidence. Somerset jury finds two of three defendants guilty of murder Now in its fifth day of testimony and seventh day overall, the double murder trial taking place in Somerset County is now over. The jury decided. Sign up now to receive the latest Hurricane Ian updates via text Lifestyle | Daily Life | News | The Sydney Morning Herald Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. Were working to restore it. Please try again later. Dismiss Cabinet Office bigwig Jeremy 'Sir Cover-Up' Heywood's decision to deny anti-EU ministers access to government papers must intrigue the Queen. If her ministers petition HM on this subject which, as Privy Counsellors, they're entitled to do what would the royal response be? The Queen is unlikely to interfere directly but she enjoys giving her prime ministers a hard time behind closed doors, says my source, adding: 'It makes the hour-long meeting pass faster' Cabinet Office bigwig Jeremy 'Sir Cover-Up' Heywood's (pictured) decision to deny anti-EU ministers access to government papers must intrigue the Queen Against the backdrop of 'the biggest ever City insider-trading prosecution', involving profits of 7.4million, three City trader defendants are questioned about their relationship with the Financial Times' Alphaville market commentary blog, founded by Paul Murphy. There is no suggestion Murphy or anyone else at the newspaper was involved in any wrongdoing or was aware of the alleged insider trading, but I trust FT readers will be able to read full coverage of this case in 'the pink 'un'. Against the backdrop of 'the biggest ever City insider-trading prosecution', three City trader defendants are questioned about their relationship with the Financial Times' Alphaville market commentary blog (file photo) George Kennedy, who has died aged 91, won an Oscar in 1968 for playing domineering prison inmate Dragline in the 1967 movie Cool Hand Luke. In retirement, Kennedy never tired of answering letters from fans asking if the film's star, Paul Newman, playing the convict Luke, really consumed 50 hard-boiled eggs for a bet? The answer's No. Newman explained that his seeming to do so was 'the magic of editing'. George Kennedy, who has died aged 91, won an Oscar in 1968 for playing domineering prison inmate Dragline in the 1967 movie Cool Hand Luke (pictured) Stephen Fry, 58, is to move to LA with his husband, aspiring comedian Elliott Spencer, 28. It's hoped he'll emulate the success enjoyed there by his old showbiz partner, Hugh Laurie, 56. Old Etonian Laurie has made 42million starring in the US TV series House, while burly Stephen remains Small Fry in America. So it would be entirely understandable if he's a little green-eyed about Hugh's success. Stephen Fry (right), 58, is to move to LA with his husband, aspiring comedian Elliott Spencer, 28 (left) Commons Speaker John Bercow scolds the Treasury's Chief Secretary Greg Hands, accusing him of 'long-winded, boring and unnecessary' attacks on Labour opponents. As a Whip, Hands (understandably) accused Bercow of political bias, saying: 'PMQs is like Old Trafford five minutes' extra time in the hope that the Reds (Manchester United) can score a late equaliser.' Ex-Tory defence secretary Michael Portillo, now a popular TV presenter, is to appear at Watford Colosseum on March 12 answering questions about his life. Michael Gove, now Justice Secretary, wrote a biography of Cambridge-educated Portillo, quoting a contemporary as saying: 'Fellows and undergraduates were given girls' names, parties were organised in meadows a little out of town and cross-dressing was encouraged.' Tickets and a meal at the Portillo event cost a modest 30. Academic Robert Kagan raises the tone of anti-Donald Trump media coverage, musing on a classical theme in The Washington Post: 'When the plague descended on Thebes, Oedipus sent his brother-in-law to the Delphic oracle to discover the cause. 'Little did he realise that the crime for which Thebes was being punished was his own. Today's Republican Party is our Oedipus. The phrase 'elected dictatorship' was coined by Lord Hailsham, a respected Tory Lord Chancellor, to mean that, once elected, a British government could do more or less as it pleased. But Hailsham can surely have had no idea of how far Tony Blair would go. Tom Bower's excoriating book about Blair, excerpts of which the Mail has been running all week, shows how to all intents and purposes the former prime minister behaved like a dictator. The first question we should ask ourselves is how this man was able, in the world's oldest and most revered parliamentary democracy, to override the constitutional checks and balances about which we were taught at school, and do virtually what he wanted. And the second question, no less pressing, is how we can protect ourselves against another messianic egotist in the future doing the same as prime minister. Would it be too much to suggest that David Cameron, albeit in a much more circumspect and moderate way, has taken a few pages out of Blair's book? Tom Bower's excoriating book about Tony Blair (pictured in 2001) shows how to all intents and purposes the former prime minister behaved like a dictator, writes STEPHEN GLOVER Perhaps partly because he had never previously been in government, Blair felt he could re-order the system as it suited him. He side-lined Parliament (which he was able to do because he had a thumping Commons majority), treated his Cabinet colleagues with contempt, and suborned or ignored senior civil servants. Bower relates how, without any debate or consultation, Blair opened the floodgates to mass immigration while instructing ministers never to discuss in public the supposed advantages of the unprecedented influx. Because he was on the whole surrounded by compliant ministers, they did as they were told, though Jack Straw, New Labour's first Home Secretary, expressed a few feeble concerns. He was told by Blair not to worry. 'Immigration,' he declared, 'is a good thing.' Blair often found reasons not to attend Cabinet. When he did so, he ensured that meetings didn't last more than 40 minutes. Ministers with the obvious exception of his thwarted rival, the brooding Gordon Brown were in awe of him and his electoral success, and unlikely to protest. Once the high-handed Blair had made up his mind to invade Iraq, he froze out, or kept in the dark, the Chief of the Defence Staff, the Cabinet Secretary, the Foreign Secretary and most of the Cabinet. In other words, Blair and just a few intimates inveigled Britain into the Iraq war one, incidentally, that contributed to the Syrian debacle which has triggered a catastrophic migration of historic scale in a way that reveals how easily Britain's constitutional system can be subverted by a determined and dishonest national leader. On arriving at No 10, he had already excluded the distinguished Cabinet Secretary, Robin Butler, from the regular Monday morning meetings to discuss the week's agenda. Now the planning for an illegal war was largely carried out within his 'sofa circle' at No 10 comprising, among others, his chief-of-staff Jonathan Powell, his sinister spin doctor Alastair Campbell, and the serpentine Peter Mandelson, godfather of New Labour. The Defence Secretary, Geoff Hoon, accepted being kept out of the loop. Also marginalised was Admiral Lord Boyce, Chief of the Defence Staff, who was made of sterner stuff, and came close to resigning. The consequence of Blair's cloak-and-dagger approach was that insufficient preparations were made, and many British troops went to war without proper equipment. STEPHEN GLOVER asks if David Cameron, albeit in a much more circumspect and moderate way, has taken a few pages out of Blair's book When the Attorney General, Lord Goldsmith, produced a written opinion saying that war would be illegal, he was cast into outer darkness. In due course he obligingly changed his mind. Two senior civil servants in particular were bent to Blair's will. John Scarlett, chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee, was lent on by his friend Alastair Campbell to 'sex up' the September 2002 dossier making a fabricated case for war. And Sir Richard Dearlove, head of MI6, acted as Blair's messenger to Washington. Despite having no intelligence from Iraq of any value, he aided and abetted Blair's march to war. Reading Bower's book is a profoundly depressing experience. One misguided man, admittedly practised in the arts of deceit and manipulation, was able to take us to war while failing properly to consult Cabinet colleagues, and ignoring or corralling public servants. It is amazing that this should have happened in a supposedly advanced democracy. Could it happen again? You bet it could. I do not accuse David Cameron of the peculiar combination of egotism, lunacy and clever calculation which made Blair so lethal an operator. The Prime Minister seems to be a balanced person with his feet placed pretty firmly on the ground. That said, there have been disquieting examples in the past week or so of Mr Cameron using the Civil Service to the disadvantage of ministers who are legitimately campaigning for Britain to leave the EU. Whitehall should be studiously even-handed. Instead, it connived in yesterday's 'dodgy dossier' and put the case for staying in the EU in the most tendentious terms. And why should ministers in favour of Brexit be denied documents shown to their pro-EU colleagues? That is neither fair nor neutral. Needless to say, I am not putting Mr Cameron in the same category as the deluded and dangerous Tony Blair. But I think the Prime Minister must be careful not to go any further down the very murky path forged by a man whom he and his allies have preposterously called 'the master'. The truth is that there used to be in Britain, at any rate in peace-time, a kind of constitutional equilibrium which made it difficult for one deranged prime minister to run roughshod over our constitutional arrangements. In the past half century, the doctrine of joint Cabinet responsibility, and the notion that the prime minister is merely the first among equals, have been significantly watered down. A prime minister now acts as a kind of president. It's worth saying, by the way, that Margaret Thatcher, though she certainly liked to get her own way, respected the rights of Cabinet colleagues far more than Blair ever did. Moreover, she was finally brought down by them, whereas Blair was replaced by his jealous (and contemptuous) arch rival, Gordon Brown. Another development is that the Civil Service has become more politicised and less independent. The age of disinterested mandarins is over. Instead of the high-minded Robin Butler, Blair's first Cabinet Secretary, we have the cunning Sir Jeremy Heywood, aka Sir Cover-Up, who is forever making mischief in the shadows. As for Parliament, though it acquired select committees in 1979 which wield a modicum of influence, it remains too much in thrall to the executive, and is dazzled by prime ministerial patronage. The independent-minded MP is a rare creature. Only when governments enjoy small majorities, as is the case at the moment, is the Commons aware of its potential power. So, yes, unless these unwelcome trends are reversed, which seems doubtful, there is ample scope for another Blair-like figure to manipulate the system to his or her advantage. Hailsham's solution to an elected dictatorship was a written constitution. Like most British people, I feel we have got on fine without one for several hundred years. The notion of setting it all down on paper seems somehow unBritish. While the Republican front-runner was once again dominating the media coverage of the primaries, Hillary Clinton sewed up the Democratic nomination After Super Tuesday, the nightmare scenario has moved a step closer to reality. America is on the brink of electing a polarising president with a long history of dishonesty, scandals and shady finances. No, not Donald Trump. While the Republican front-runner was once again dominating the media coverage of the primaries, Hillary Clinton effectively sewed up the Democratic nomination. Her sole challenger, self-proclaimed socialist Bernie Sanders, is still in the race, but Hillary is now unstoppable. She was nailed on for the nomination before a single vote was cast. Nobody of substance was prepared to stand against her. They were all terrified of the wrath of the Clinton attack machine, which has left a trail of bodies in its wake over three decades. Nevertheless, her preordained progression towards the White House masks a distinct lack of enthusiasm on the part of the electorate. Turn-out in the Democratic primaries has been well down, compared with the wave of excitement generated by the Barack Obama bandwagon eight years ago. His optimistic Yes We Can has been replaced by Hillarys implied Its My Turn. In a direct inversion of John F. Kennedys dictum, Mrs Clinton asks not what she can do for her country, but what it can do for her. Hillarys sense of entitlement dwarfs even that of our own Cherie Blair, who still bristles privately that she had to play a supporting role to her husband. Insulting But while the Wicked Witch has settled for a pot of gold and a vast property empire, Hillary has unfinished political business. Not that the Clintons are short of a shilling. When Bill left office in 2001, Hillary complained that they were flat broke. Yet 15 years later, they are reported to be worth in the region of $110 million (about 80 million). Hillary is said to account for more than a third of that money. Which is why it was absurd to hear her condemning the wealthy and powerful at her victory rally on Tuesday night. Turn-out in the Democratic primaries has been well down, compared with the wave of excitement generated by the Barack Obama bandwagon eight years ago Wealth and power are what the Clintons live and breathe. Through their charitable foundation, which allows them to lord it like potentates, they have taken tens of millions of dollars from dubious foreign donors. Meanwhile, only 10 per cent of the foundations income has actually gone to charity. Equally insulting this week was Mrs Clinton claiming to champion those who are struggling to put a little away for their retirement. Theres little chance of Hillary having to choose between heating and eating in her old age. You wont find the former First Lady spooning cat food out of the tin, in front of one bar of an electric fire, at her home in upstate New York, while Bill wraps himself in a moth-eaten blanket and watches a scratchy video of Debbie Does Dallas. This is a woman who, while railing against the bankers, has made a fortune from financial institutions. She was paid $675,000 by Goldman Sachs for three speeches. When asked why she accepted so much money, she replied: Thats what they offered. In other words, it would be rude not to. Her answer recalled that of the notorious American bank robber Slick Willie Sutton. When asked why he robbed banks, he replied: Thats where the money is. Coincidentally, Hillarys husband is also known as Slick Willie, not because he robs banks, but because he has made a career out of extricating himself from sticky situations. After Super Tuesday, it looks as if Hillary and The Donald will be going head-to-head for the White House, unless the Trump Travelling Circus can somehow be derailed which appears increasingly unlikely Bill has been involved in a series of bimbo eruptions, most notably the Monica Lewinsky affair, which led to impeachment proceedings being brought against him. He came dangerously close to being kicked out of office for lying. Throughout, Hillary stood by her man. One of Bills many conquests, Gennifer Flowers who was his mistress for 12 years recently came out of the woodwork to condemn Hillary for condoning his behaviour and hinted that there was more dirt to come. Women who cross the Clintons have to endure a torrent of ordure poured from a great height. Lewinskys life was blighted for ever. I recently met a ferociously bright, thirtysomething professor of U.S. politics at Cambridge. She told me that while young American women would love to see a female president, they couldnt abide Hillary whom they accuse of being complicit in her husbands crimes against the sisterhood. Scandal Twice-divorced Trump is also frequently accused of mistreating women. If he wins the Republican nomination, reports suggest that we will witness the exquisite irony of Bill Clinton leading the attack on Trumps suitability to be President. Bill has been involved in a series of bimbo eruptions, most notably the Monica Lewinsky affair, which led to impeachment proceedings being brought against him. He came dangerously close to being kicked out of office It will be interesting to see how Trump responds to being called a misogynist by Slick Willie, who these days resembles a redneck roue in a Reno casino. The Clintons have been mired in scandal, as far back as the Whitewater Controversy, which revolved around dodgy land deals in Arkansas, when Bill was governor. After he became President, Hillary was accused of lying to an official inquiry into the sacking of several White House staff who were replaced by Clinton cronies. Now Mrs Clinton is being investigated by the FBI for illegally using her own private email server to send and receive classified correspondence in connection with her position as Secretary of State, the American equivalent of Foreign Secretary, and deleting 30,000 messages she described as personal. U.S. government officials have been sacked and prosecuted for less. Mrs Clinton makes great play of her experience, but her record in office is dismal. She was Secretary of State for four years until 2013. On her watch, the world became a more dangerous place. Having once said shed nuke Iran to protect Israel, she then supported the deal to bring the mad mullahs back into the fold, by lifting sanctions and allowing them to develop a peaceful nuclear programme. She lied about coming under sniper fire while on a visit to Bosnia. Worst of all, she refused a request to send military reinforcements to protect the American embassy in Benghazi, Libya. Hillary Clinton and rival candidate U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders speak simultaneously at the NBC News - YouTube Democratic presidential candidates debate in Charleston, South Carolina The result was an attack by jihadists on September 11, 2012, in which the U.S. ambassador was murdered. Clinton has never accepted responsibility. No wonder between 50 and 65 per cent of voters regularly say she is dishonest and untrustworthy. Her negatives are almost as high as Donald Trump. While her husband has a roguish charm and a fierce intellect, Hillary is just plain weird. She looks like a Botoxed beaver and has a voice like a blowtorch. Shes a grown-up version of Labours Yvette Cooper. She claims to speak for the common people, but has been part of the self-serving elite for the past quarter of a century, a fully paid-off member of the insidious alliance between Washington and big business. Nightmare A photograph of the Clintons sucking up to Trump at his most recent wedding tells you pretty much all you need to know about the rotten state of American politics. They all sup from the same pot. Trump even claims that Bill Clinton rang him in the summer, urging him to stand. After Super Tuesday, it looks as if Hillary and The Donald will be going head-to-head for the White House, unless the Trump Travelling Circus can somehow be derailed which appears increasingly unlikely. This gruesome twosome deserve each other, but what has America done to deserve either? The smart money is on Hillary, but then the smart money has been wrong about Trump up to now. Ben Stein, a former Nixon speechwriter, this week described Trump as terrifying, truly terrifying. But he added: Im not sure even Hillary can beat him. Even if she can, is the alternative to The Donald any less terrifying? The nightmare has only just begun. Princess Victoria of Sweden's baby bump made a surprise appearance on live television days before she gave birth to her second child - a baby boy. The royal, 38, who is heir to the Swedish throne, was making her final public engagement before her maternity leave when the incredible moment was captured on camera. Last night The Swedish Royal Court revealed that the Crown Princess had given birth to a son on Tuesday, with his name - Prince Oscar Carl Olof - announced today. Princess Victoria of Sweden was making her last public engagement before the birth when the kick was caught on camera. She has now given birth to a son Prince Oscar Carl Olof, Duke of Skane Welcome to the family! Today, the Swedish Royal Court announced the birth of Prince Oscar Carl Olof There it is! The incredible moment Princess Victoria's baby bump appeared to move was caught on camera During her final engagement he royal looked every inch the glamorous mother-to-be dressed in a figure-hugging navy blue dress with lace sleeves, a pair of dangling earrings and with her hair swept back. But it was her bump that stole the show and, as cameras zoomed in on her tummy, her baby made a visible kicking movement. The Princess appeared to react to the sudden movement by tenderly putting her hand on her stomach. The bizarre moment, caught by photographer Patrick C. Osterberg, was shared on Swedish network Expressen Kungligt's Instagram page, with the caption: 'The new Prince or Princess says hello with a Royal kick!' The unborn baby appears to make a dramatic kicking motion as Princess Victoria smiles for the camera in her last public engagement before the birth The Crown Princess applauds showcasing her baby bump. She was attending the Global Change Award 2016 at the Stockholm city hall on February 10 in Stockholm, Sweden. However the video footage of the kick has only just surfaced online Princess Victoria and her husband Prince Daniel at an official dinner hosted at the Royal Palace last month It was liked by more than 1,200 people, with one branding it 'amazing' while another commented: 'Beautiful and wonderful.' The moment was captured when the princess attended the Global Change Award 2016 at the Stockholm city hall on February 10 in Stockholm, Sweden. However the video footage has only just surfaced online. The Swedish Royal Court last night revealed that the Crown Princess had given birth to a son, her second child with husband Prince Daniel, on Tuesday. The baby boy was born at the Karolinska University Hospital in the Swedish capital of Stockholm at 8.28pm local time on Tuesday, confirming that both the 38-year-old princess and her newborn child are doing well. The court added that Victoria's husband, Prince Daniel, was at the hospital during the entire birth, with the prince later addressing the media personally to confirm his son weighed eight pounds and measured 22 inches long. He also revealed that the couple kept the sex of their baby a surprise, sharing his happiness upon discovering that they had welcomed a son, saying that he had tears streaming down his face when his child was born - just as he had done during the birth of Estelle. The royal couple with their first child, Princess Estelle, who is second-in-line to the Swedish throne. Prince Oscar will become third-in-line after his sister and mother Everyone is obviously very happy,' Prince Daniel said, according to Expressen. I havent had time to feel yet how it feels to be a father of two, but it obviously feels good. He then added: Estelle is of course really enthusiastic and happy about being a big sister.' The newborn prince's name was announced today, when the king convened a cabinet meeting, with the Oscar's official title also declared at the Duke of Skane. As per tradition in Sweden, a Te Deum celebration will also be held in the next few days, which is a formal thanksgiving service that takes place in church. The new arrival will become the third-in-line to the Swedish throne behind his or her mother and older sister Princess Estelle, Duchess of Ostergotland, three. Princess Victoria and Princess Sofia's children will be the fourth and fifth grandchildren for the King and Queen. SAS Institute Inc. in North Carolina has a pizza station, a salad bar, a sandwich station, an entree station, and a cafe Pixar's dining area is in the atrium, which Steve Jobs wanted to look like the Musee DOrsay in Paris Apple's Caffe Macs has been compared to a restaurant and serves ramen burgers, coq au vin, oysters, sushi, paella, steak, and gelato Advertisement It's probably safe to say that no one is brown-bagging it at these companies. With menus that would be right at home at major culinary hotspots, ever-changing food offerings, and reasonable (if not totally free) prices, a handful of big name and not-so-big-name businesses have established employee cafeterias that rival trendy restaurants and put most companies' microwave break rooms to shame. And while the beautiful layouts, yummy meals, and hard-to-resist snacks are sure to make anyone on the outside jealous, they also suggest that these very lucrative companies have learned that food is the way to workers' hearts and their productivity. Lunch time! The cafeteria at Dropbox's San Francisco office is call Tuck Shop and is beloved by employees Dig in! Tuck Shop serves incredible meals like BBQ pork ribs with potato salad and coleslaw (pictured) Tasty options: They also have a pizza oven (left) and offer delicious pastas (right) Gourmet: Instead of dry chicken in a Styrofoam container, diners get grilled rack of lamb with Persican-spiced cous cous, baby chard, and creamy chickpeas on real flatware DROPBOX It wasn't long ago that Google was hailed as the business with the coolest cafeteria, but these days, file-sharing app company Dropbox is giving it a real run for its money. That's probably because Brian Mattingly, the head chef at Dropbox, once worked in Google's kitchens, according to Bon Appetit. The San Francisco-based company also employs pastry chef Laurie Moran, who previously concocted sweets at New York City's Le Bernadin and Dominique Ansel's popular bakery in Japan. Inside the 4,000 square food space called Dropbox Tuck Shop, which was created by the same company that designed Beauty & Essex, Public, and Saxon + Parole in Manhattan, employees are treated to countless meal choices. Drool-worthy: Chef Brian Mattingly, who used to work at Google, gets creative with menus The real deal: The company's pastry chef, Laurie Moran, used to work at NYC's Le Bernadin and Dominique Ansel's bakery in Japan Delish: She and her team makes things like these Jell-O shots, made with fresh raspberries set in gin and tonic jelly and topped with St. Germaine cream and raspberry gin foam. Not just a measly cookie: Diners have also been treated to lychee-oolong milk tea Panna cotta (left) and matcha, anko, and black sesame yuzu (right) There are vegan options, low-calorie options, sandwiches, and foods of different international cuisines like Indian, Asian, and Mediterranean. For dessert, the chefs serve up mouth-watering treats like Black Forest gateau with chocolate ganache glaze and brandied cherries, Earl Grey panna cotta tartlets, matcha pots de creme, and cardamom cheesecake with caramelized spiced apples. Moran also creates a new custom ice cream flavor every day. The food is so drool-worthy, in fact, that rumors have spread in the past that the cafeteria earned a coveted Michelin star (which it actually did not). 'I eat at the Tuck Shop every day, and I must say it's one of the best spots in San Francisco,' wrote one employee on the cafeteria's Yelp page. 'I'm constantly surprised by their ambitious menu,' wrote another. 'They even plate your dish and are amenable to requests.' Food with a view: In New York City, Google employees dine at Hemispheres, which offers this view Unlimited: There are plenty of different stations for employees to choose their meals from Who wants a job? Google gives its employees free breakfast, lunch, and dinner, among other enviable perks Watching figures: Though some of the options are rich, the company also puts a focus on healthy eating Plenty to choose from: There are a lot of different dining options and the menu is constantly changing Trendy: Being in New York, the cooks are always introducing trendy foods into the menu, like ramen Looks good: Employees rave about the cafeteria, and friends and family are often asking for invites GOOGLE Of course, the original tech company with a cafeteria to die for is still a top spot, and Google employees often find themselves fielding requests from friends and family who would love to drop by for lunch as guests. Google's New York office is home to Hemispheres, a cafe that serves three meals a day and snacks for free. (That is, of course, in addition to other perks, like free massages for good work, and free gym memberships.) Besides a beautiful view of the Manhattan skyline, with outdoor seating for when the weather is nice, Hemisphers is a favorite perk for employees thanks to the endless array of yummy food. 'If you ever want to be depressed about your job, just visit a friend at Google's Cafeteria. Unbelievable,' wrote one person on Hemispheres' Yelp page. The room includes three entree stations, a salad bar, a burger station, desserts, and a FroYo machine, among other offerings. Apple of our eye: Apple's Cupertino cafeteria is large, well-lit, and uncluttered There is a such thing as a free lunch: Meals here are also partially or mostly paid for by the company Chow down! There are lots of options at the aptly-named Caffe Macs, including sushi Well-fed: Both lunch and breakfast are available, with ramen and eggs Benedict on the menu Super fancy: The meals are also beautifully plated as if in a high-end restaurant Something sweet: Diners can also get yummy-looking desserts and artistic lattes Sunny day: In the warmer months, Apple employees can sit outside and enjoy the sunshine, too Two scoops, please: There are also several different flavors of gelato, including vanilla pudding with caramel ribbon, Madagascar vanilla, and basil with balsamic ribbon APPLE Employees at Apple's Cupertino campus also get the tech company treatment when lunchtime rolls around. At Caffe Macs, those lunch breaks can mean ramen burgers, nachos, ribs, fish, coq au vin, pizza, and even oysters. The constantly-changing menu has also included pho, sushi, paella, steak, and pasta. And that's just lunch. Caffe Macs, which also includes a sunny outdoor seating area, serves breakfast items like French toast with strawberries, chocolate chip pancakes, and eggs, too, as well as dessert, fresh squeezed juices, and several flavors of gelato. Lunch and dinner here are also mostly free, or at least partially paid for. According to the Huffington Post, software engineers are allotted up to $12 for dinner, which usually covers the cost. 'This cafeteria would do excellent if it were a restaurant open to the public,' gushed one fan on Yelp, while another said: 'Consuming a delicious and beautifully plated $8 meal within this clean-cut yet organic space, it may seem that for a brief moment, life is complete. ' Movie-worthy caf: At Pixar, employees eat in a cafeteria called Cafe Luxo in the company's atrium To infinity, and beyond! They're greeted by some of Pixar's most beloved characters, including Buzz Lightyear and Woody Artistic inspiration: Steve Jobs wanted the atrium where the cafeteria sits to feel like the Musee DOrsay in Paris Yum! The beautiful cafeteria includes several areas to get different kinds of food and also has a pizza oven So tasty: In addition to entrees like smoked maple salmon, tofu ramen burgers, toasted ravioli, and steak, there is also a burrito bar Sugar high: Pixar also has a free cereal bar and desserts and everything is served on real plates PIXAR As if getting to chow down near Woody and Buzz Lightyear wasn't already fun enough, employees at the Disney company Pixar can also get pretty animated ahem talking about the incredible food. At Cafe Luxo's high-ceiling, open space in the building's natural-light-filled atrium, lunch breaks are a visual spectacle. [Steve Jobs] wanted a space that felt like the Musee DOrsay in Paris,' Craig Payne, the senior design project manager, told BuzzFeed. There, employees eat things like smoked maple salmon, tofu ramen, hamburgers, toasted ravioli, and steak, and also have access to a burrito bar, a cereal bar, and pizza from a wood-fire pizza oven. Like at the other companies on this list, meals in Pixar cafeterias aren't served in Styrofoam packaging or on paper plates they're arranged beautifully on real flatware, making the experience feel like dining at a restaurant. Employee retention: SAS Institute Inc. in Cary, North Carolina has a high employee satisfaction rate and we bet the cafeteria helps What to order? Several times of food are served every day at the Entree Station and Chef's Table Lots to pick from: There is also sometimes sushi, as well as a sandwich area and to-go station Caffeine fix: SAS also has a cafe that serves Starbucks coffee, ice cream, and pastries Snacktime! The canteen also offers an array of light snacks should any employees get hungry throughout the day Fuel to work harder: There is a full, clean salad bar in the center of the room, as a well as a soup bar Big workforce: All food is prepared in a behind-the-scene kitchen before being served to about 5,000 on-site employees SAS INSTITUTE INC. Most people probably haven't heard of SAS Institute Inc. in Cary, North Carolina, but employee satisfaction at the analytics software company is quite high due in part to its Marketplace, which offers a wide array of food options. The large, well-lit space houses several food stations including a salad bar, a soup bar, a beverage area, a Market Grill sandwich station, and an Ovens station with four daily choices of hearth oven-cooked pizza as well as baked pastas. Serving 5,000 employees, there is also an entree area, a Chef's Table serving items like pan-seared pork chops with apricot jam, and a grab-and-go area with sandwiches, salads, and pre-packaged meals. Finally, according to Food Service Magazine, there is a coffee shop serving Starbucks coffee, gelato, and pastries. Advertisement The Britain's Next Top Model hopefuls have bared all for their most revealing shoot yet. The five remaining girls took part in a naked photo shoot while filming the latest instalment of the reality programme on the beautiful Caribbean island of Jamaica. But ditching their clothes and posing in the buff wasn't quite as simple as it sounds - and the dreaded task caused a lot of tears, tantrums and tension. The challenge was particularly gruelling for 22-year-old Chloe Keenan, who hails from Birmingham. The porcelain-skinned beauty lost five stone in order to pursue her dreams of becoming a model but is still battling body confidence issues Scroll down for video Alex Kelly, pictured left, was forced to get in touch with nature for her exposed picture while Angel Cole, right, looked ready to do battle as she posed in a warrior stance Lying on her back on the roots of a tree, Gigi Hadid-lookalike Bethan Sowerby threw one arm behind her head and strategically crossed her legs to attain her modesty Music student Chloe broke down on set and had to be comforted by judge Hilary Alexander, who decided to strip off to help the gorgeous contestants feel more at ease. The 5ft 11in stunner eventually found the courage to fight off her demons and pose in her birthday suit behind a tree. Looking ever the professional, Chloe threw her head back, placed her hand on her hip and covered her chest with her arm. Meanwhile, London-born muse Angel Cole was thrust into the open to shoot her striking portrait. The 19-year-old sales assistant looked ready to do battle as she posed in a warrior stance and grasped onto a large wooden stick. The image, which exudes power and attitude, showcases the 5ft 9in contestant's flawless complexion and super-trim physique. The challenge was particularly gruelling for Chloe Keenan, pictured left, while Jessica Workman, right, oozed sex appeal in her provocative jungle portrait Alex Kelly was forced to get in touch with nature for her exposed picture. Kneeling down amongst the leaves, the 19-year-old from Walsall grasped her right breast with her hand and crossed her left arm to her shoulder. Looking at ease in the bare-skinned pose, event hostess Alex rocked dark eye make-up and a wet-looking au natural hairstyle. Meanwhile, fellow competitors Bethan Sowerby and Jessica Workman oozed sex appeal in their provocative shots. Lying on her back on the roots of a tree, Gigi Hadid-lookalike Bethan, 19, threw one arm behind her head and strategically crossed her legs to attain her modesty. The Oldham-based hopeful sported metallic tribal tattoos on her right arm while her blonde locks were tousled into unkempt waves. Devout Christian Jessica let it all out in her sensual jungle pose. The 20-year-old's auburn locks were thrown carelessly in front of her face and she stared confidently into the camera lens. The only contestant to pull a full-front pose, Jessica, from Chester, avoided any embarrassing nipple slips with her hands. The judges - Abbey Clancy, Paul Sculfor, Hilary Alexander OBE and Nicky Johnston - kept a watchful eye throughout the task to see who would be making it through to the next round. Earlier in the episode, the girls had to prepare a motivational speech for local children. They had to bare their souls in order to try and impart wisdom on the young teens to stay in school and pursue their dreams. A new mother was left shocked and devastated when her partner secretly married another woman, while she was giving birth to their baby. Heather McGillion, 24, from Johnstone, Renfrewshire, in Scotland, had fallen for Adonis Rodriguez while they both working as hotel entertainers in the Dominican Republic. She returned to the UK to give birth to their son Diego, but just after her son arrived a friend sent her a Facebook message containing a picture of Adonis getting married to another woman. Heather McGillion, 24, from Johnstone, Renfrewshire fell for Adonis Rodriguez while they both working as hotel entertainers in the Dominican Republic. But she was left shocked and devastated when her partner secretly married another woman, while she was giving birth to their baby As Heather welcomed her son Diego into the world, she was horrified after receiving a message on Facebook from a friend showing Adonis, 21, marrying a German tourist called Julia - pictured Heather, a trained dancer, said: 'When I opened the message it felt like I had been hit by a double-decker bus. 'Adonis had his arms around a woman and she was wearing a wedding dress. It didn't make sense and the more I thought about it, the more absurd it was. 'We had only been apart for a few weeks and there was no way Adonis could have met another woman and arranged a wedding in less than a month.' Heather fell pregnant a year into the relationship with Adonis and the pair made plans for family life on the Caribbean island. After suffering complications during her pregnancy Heather decided to temporarily return home to Scotland to give birth but her partner was denied a visa. As she gave birth to Diego (pictured) Adonis married another woman Julia, pictured with Adonis on their wedding day, was a German tourist who came to stay at the hotel. About a year before Heather had noticed Adonis had become friends with her on Facebook and they had been messaging each other However after suffering complications during her pregnancy she decided to temporarily return home to Scotland to give birth but her partner was denied a visa. But as she welcomed her son Diego, Heather was horrified after receiving a message on Facebook from a friend showing Adonis, 21, marrying a German tourist called Julia. 'For a second I didn't twig who it was. Then to my horror I realised it was Julia,' she recalled. 'She was a German tourist who came to stay at the hotel. About a year before I had noticed Adonis had become friends with her on Facebook and they had been messaging each other. 'It was nothing sexual but it made me feel uneasy. But Adonis assured me there was nothing going on and when I discovered I was pregnant I forgot all about it.' The couple met while both working as entertainers at a hotel. They had been together a year when Heather fell pregnant When Heather called Adonis to confront him about he admitted everything. She also noticed in the wedding photos that Julia, 31, had undergone a radical makeover. She added: 'She was unrecognisable from the slightly plump, mousy woman I had seen on Adonis's Facebook page. 'In fact she now looked like me. She had lost weight and dyed her hair to look just like me, only with added wrinkles. 'When I phoned Adonis and asked "Why is Julia in a wedding dress?", there was a pause and then he said: "Heather, I'm so sorry". I hung up and burst into tears.' Adonis assured Heather that Julia was just a friend and there was nothing going on and when she discovered she was pregnant she forgot all about it Heather later discovered that after Adonis had moved to another hotel to find work, he had been meeting up with Julia. She had travelled to visit him around four times and they planned the wedding to take place while she was back in the UK. Heather has returned to the Dominican Republic with Diego, who is now three months old, and is allowing Adonis to visit him. She said: 'My mum has retired here so I have come out again with my son. 'Despite everything, I want Diego to have a father so Adonis is in regular contact with him but it's very hard. 'I feel so foolish for trusting Adonis but I keep telling myself there were no warning signs. The couple, pictured in happier times. Heather said that Adonis treated her like royalty and he was so excited about their baby. He has since admitted that he was still with Heather when he married Julia and says he is sorry 'I had been in a relationship with him before he ever met her. 'She came out every six months but it was the fourth holiday in which they married so it was very fast. 'She knew all about me and him and the baby but still married him, they had both planned it and I was the one not in the know. 'He treated me like royalty and he was so excited about our baby. 'I still can't believe what happened. Adonis had given me the impression he wanted to be together forever but while I was giving birth to his baby, he was marrying another woman.' Adonis said: 'Yes I'm married, Julia is my wife. I was still with Heather when I married her. It's just under a month until the Queen reaches her 90th birthday and yet she seemed as sprightly as ever as she arrived at her engagement today. The monarch looked regal in a purple ensemble paired with a matching hat and eye-catching red feathers as she attended the Queen's Trust Event at the Lister Community School in London. She was greeted by veteran broadcaster Sir Trevor McDonald, a trustee of the Queen's Trust, who arrived to speak about his involvement with the organisation. Scroll down for video The Queen was all smiles as she paid a visit to the Lister Community School in Plaistow, London for the Queen's Trust event She was greeted by veteran broadcaster Sir Trevor McDonald, a trustee of the Queen's Trust, who attended to speak about his involvement with the organisation The royal smiled as she shook the journalist's hand to whom she had previously awarded an OBE in 1992 and a knighthood in 1999. He said: 'This trust had some money to give to causes and I had a view on some of the causes. 'This school is an example of that benefit, grants are not directly given to the school but a number of organisations associated with the school.' Indeed, the Queen seemed fascinated by the 1,300-strong schools multi-cultural make-up. How many languages did you say were spoken here again? she enquired of the headmaster, who told her that it was 60. This is a big, big school, isnt it? she remarked. Quite remarkable. The royal is patron of The Queen's Trust, which through its grants to youth charities, helps more young people succeed, with an emphasis on education and personal development. During her visit the Queen was pictured admiring the work of young scientists and musicians who appeared to impress the monarch. Pictured: The Queen's arrival (left) and during a science demonstration (right) Earlier she had listened as the National Youth Orchestra players and Lister students performed the first few minutes of Benjamin Britten's The Young Person's Guide While she may turn 90 next month the Queen showed her legendary resilience, standing on her feet touring the facilities for almost an hour. In a triple science lesson of biology, chemistry and physics, the Queen watched as students worked at a table covered with beakers and flasks and attempted to neutralise an alkaline with an acid. Is it working well? she asked, smiling. The monarch seemed to be in particularly high spirits during today's events as she hardly stopped smiling The trust to which the Queen is patron was founded around the time of her Silver Jubilee in 1977 and gives grants to youth charities. Pictured: The Queen is greeted by staff outside the school Owen Hawkins, the school's head of science, told the Queen many of the students were thinking about a career in medicine or pharmaceuticals. Veteran broadcaster Sir Trevor McDonald, a trustee of the Queen's Trust, attended the school visit and spoke about his involvement with the organisation. Students at Lister Community School in Plaistow, east London, welcomed the head of state as she was given an update about the work of organisations given a financial boost by the Queen's Trust. The body was founded around the time of the Queen's Silver Jubilee in 1977 and gives grants to youth charities, enabling them to grow and help more young people. The royal gives her famous wave to well-wishers as she arrived at the London school this morning A number of organisations supported by the trust were represented at the school, from the National Youth Orchestra (NYO) of Great Britain which performed with Lister pupils, to Duke of Edinburgh's Award students. In a triple science lesson of biology, chemistry and physics, the Queen watched as students worked at a table covered with beakers and flasks and attempted to neutralise an alkaline with an acid. Owen Hawkins, the school's head of science, told the Queen many of the students were thinking about a career in medicine or pharmaceuticals. Earlier she had listened as an orchestra of NYO players and Lister students performed the first few minutes of Benjamin Britten's The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra. It is a piece the Queen knows well as the opening is usually played during the investiture ceremonies she traditionally hosts. Very enjoyable, she said afterwards. Shoppers have complained after a 'pornographic' mannequin was put in the window of a high-end watch store in Kent's Bluewater shopping centre. The pneumatic figure, with blonde hair and a capacious bust that strains against her top, sits astride a missile in the Breitling shop window and has ruffled feathers at the 330-store centre in Greenhithe, Kent. Shoppers felt highly-sexualised display - in which the mannequin's white knickers are visible - was 'offensive' and unsuitable for a family environment and have voted for removing it in an online petition. Scroll down for video A mannequin, with a large bust sitting astride a missile, in the Breitling shop window has cause controversy with shoppers at the 330-store centre in Greenhithe, Kent Kirsty Russell, 42, who started the petition on Change.org, wrote: 'Breitling must have lost confidence in the quality of their watches to sell themselves and have stooped to this. 'Their shop display has a woman sitting on either side of a missile with exaggerated breasts, nipples highlighted by a spotlight and her gusset on show. 'I'm offended and I don't think a shop window display like this should be at a family shopping centre - it's vile.' Kirsty, a parish councillor, said the display was highly inappropriate. She said: 'Would Breitling or Bluewater allow this advertising model to be in a shop window if it represented a man? Absolutely not. Kirsty Russell set up a petition to have it removed which has been backed by 227 signatures and many agreed with her views 'They would not spotlight a man's enlarged erect penis for us all to see with our children.' Kirsty said she contacted both Bluewater and Breitling but her complaints were rebuffed - so now she has started an online petition in an attempt to get the display removed which has 227 signatures. The petition read: 'Breitling (a watch shop) has chosen for public display at Bluewater in Kent a highly-sexualised model of a woman, with her legs apart astride a bomb, the pubic region of her underpants is showing and the figure has exaggerated nipples highlighted by a spotlight.' She said: 'I certainly would not actively prompt a conversation with a young child about the way this woman is portrayed sexually to sell watches. 'Breitling and Bluewater need to show some respect and get rid of it - you will lose nothing by removing it. Breitling, founded in 1884, is known as a family business but Kirsty described their mannequin as 'tacky and grotesque'. Kirsty Paterson launched the Change.org petition after seeing the 'offensive' display in a Breitling store Kirsty called the use of such a caricature mannequin 'tacky' in the window of the high-end watch shop Breitling 'Breitling sells watches, not underwear. I was told, when I complained to the shop, that it was all about their 'proud heritage as a brand linked with aviation history'. 'I was also told by Bluewater s customer services team that I am not the only person to have reported the display as inappropriate for Bluewater. 'I saw a thread on Mumsnet too. So Breitling, celebrate your aviation heritage - put a lovely model of an aeroplane in your window display. 'Just a simple, unadorned aeroplane. I am sure this is possible. 'Or scale up the inner mechanical workings of your watch into a fascinating moving art installation. 'Or use the space to profile a display for the Royal British Legion, or Help for Heroes. You can choose to celebrate your aviation brand heritage without confronting us with offensive and blatantly misogynistic rubbish from the past. 'Of course you can. Bluewater and your brand claim to be 'luxury' shopping venues. Bluewater shopping centre, pictured, said they were aware of the complaints made and Kirsty was not the only one who found it inappropriate 'This is not aspirational lifestyle marketing. Nor is it a cheeky, harmless nod to British history, or the valour of pilots in WW2. 'This is marketing watches by sexually objectifying women and it has no place in Bluewater, or in 2016. 'I expect better of Bluewater. Land Securities, who own Bluewater, please ask Breitling to remove their offensive window display now.' Mel Golding, of Maidstone, Kent, said: It's sexist and has nothing to do with selling watches.' Shopper Giles Spence, 36, said: 'It's a bit of an eyeful. It might seem like a bit of harmless fun, but it's not - it's pretty full on.' A spokesman for Breitling, founded in Switzerland in 1884, declined to comment. A Bluewater spokesman said: 'We are aware of some customer comments regarding Breitling's store display and the matter is now being dealt with directly by the retailer.' A woman who spent more than 15 years trying to find her birth mother has discovered that she unknowingly worked alongside her biological mom for two years, without any idea that they were related. Jenny Thomas, 40, from Rochester, New York, is one of 16 individuals featured on the new TLC series, Long Lost Family, which helps reunite people with their biological relatives. 'I was just in shock,' she told the New York Post of realizing her former co-worker Nita Valdez is her birth mother. 'I had looked in so many faces for so many years, [thinking] "Could that be her? Is she looking at me because she knows me?" Scroll down for video Total disbelief: Jenny Thomas, 40, from Rochester, New York, couldn't believe that she unknowingly worked with her biological mom, Nita Valdez, for two years Unbelievable: This season on the TLC reality series, Long Lost Family, Jenny is given a photograph of her biological mother after searching for her for more than 15 years - and she realizes that she knows her 'All the while I had looked at the woman who once knew me as her daughter.' Nita was the daughter of a minister who was ashamed by her pregnancy out of wedlock, and the expectant mom ended up being forced to give up her daughter to social services because of the lack of support she was getting from her family. What Nita didn't realize however, is that her daughter would later spend years searching for the mother who gave her away as a child. However, after more than a decade of searching for Nita, Jenny only realized after the show's experts identified her that she had not only met her mother 10 years ago at a Rochester hospital, but that they had actually spent hours working together, when Jenny was employed as a part-time patient care technician. Crazy coincidence: Ten years ago, Jenny and her biological mother Nita worked together on a daily basis at a Rochester hospital Long time ago: Nita was the daughter of a minister who was ashamed by her pregnancy out of wedlock, and the expectant mom ended up giving Jenny to social services. Jenny is pictured now (right) and as a child (left) During the time they worked together, Jenny and Nita, who was a patient transporter, interacted daily, and while they had a friendly 'working-professional relationship' she admitted she never felt any sort of instinctual connection to the woman who had given birth to her. However, she noted that her birth mother would 'always laugh at my jokes'. Jenny's jaw-dropping story will be featured in an upcoming episode of the new series, which premieres on Sunday, and in a preview clip, Jenny can be seen looking at a picture of Nita that leaves her in shock. 'Oh my god. I know her!' she says with disbelief as she stares down at the image. The show's hosts Chris Jacobs and Lisa Joyner have embarked on their own journeys to find their biological families, and this season the television personalities will help others do the same. Experience: The show's hosts Lisa Joyner (left) and Chris Jacobs (right) have embarked on their own journeys to find their biological families, and this season the television personalities will help others do the same Loving mother: Rita (pictured) was forced to place her baby boy up for adoption 31 years ago, but she made a vow to herself that she would try to find him again Memories: Rita has a shoebox filled with the last of her son's belongings before he was adopted, which she has held on to for more than three decades In a clip from Sunday night's episode, Lisa can be seen sitting down with a woman named Rita, a mother who was forced to place her baby boy up for adoption 31 years ago. After she learned that she was expecting, Rita's boyfriend broke up with her, and her mother sent her to a home for pregnant young women out of fear of the scandal the pregnancy would create. More than three decades ago, Rita made a promise that she would try and find the baby boy she had given up. 'He wasn't given up because he wasn't wanted. He was wanted very much,' she says with emotion. Rita goes on to show Lisa a shoebox filled with the last of her son's belongings before he was adopted, which she has held on to for all of these years. Never forget: Rita can be see showing Lisa her son's baby blanket, which she admitted she stole off a hospital cart Always searching: 'For the longest time it had his smell on it,' she says, sniffing the blanket 'This was his last little spit bib and blanket that he was wrapped in. I stole these off the cart,' she said with a sad laugh. I've saved these for all this time. This is what he was wrapped in. 'You know, when I miss him, and I think about him, these have been really important to have,' she adds. 'For the longest time it had his smell on it.' Rita says she has 'always' been searching for her son, but she has started to dedicate more and more time to find him because believes it is the right time. Follows the lives and loves of nineteenth-century aristocracy With her charming grace and flowing ball gown, she certainly looks every inch the aristocrat. But then, Cressida Bonas has had her fair share of practice attending such regal events as featured in ITV's Doctor Thorne. Prince Harry's former girlfriend makes her television debut on Sunday in the three-part drama that sees her play the small part of Patience Oriel, a very pretty potential love interest for a main character who is dismissed because her fortune is not big enough. Scroll down for video Cressida Bonas, 26, is set to make her television debut with Doctor Thorne, which airs on ITV this Sunday But this does not stop her from dancing with him in an impressive ballroom scene that sees her twist and turn with all the assurance of an experienced social butterfly. Based on the 1858 novel by Anthony Trollope, Doctor Thorne has been adapted for the screen by Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes and has already been dubbed the new Downton. However, despite its country house setting and aristocratic intrigue, it is a label the writer has been keen to shake off. He said at an advanced screening of the first episode: It worries me slightly when I see Doctor Throne called the new Downton because it isnt. Its a little piece, a little three parter, a love story for spring to enjoy with a bottle of wine and then cry at the end. Its a smaller thing and I love that kind of television. I dont want people to think this is the new Downton and that well still be here in seven years time because we just wont. Cressida, far right, looked every inch the experienced social butterfly as she donned a traditional ballgown The starlet can be seen making her way around the ballroom with co-star Harry Richardson Miss Bonas broke up with Prince Harry in 2014 after a two-year relationship and at one point was tipped to be his bride. She has since been trying to break through as an actress and is being championed by movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, who produced the BBC's adaptation of War And Peace and Doctor Thorne. She will also make her Hollywood debut in his film Tulip Fever this year alongside Judi Dench, Alicia Vikander and Cara Delevingne. In Doctor Thorne, she stars alongside War and Peace actress Rebecca Front and Tom Hollander, who plays the title character. Hollander, 48, also have the key role of an arms dealer in BBC Ones spy thriller The Night Manager that is Doctor Thornes direct competitor in the primetime Sunday evening slot. It is not often that actors find their projects facing off against each other, especially in such high-profile series. But the actor, known for comedy Rev, refused to be drawn on which he would like to see win the scuffle. New venture: The period drama - her TV/film debut - is set for a 2016 release and is being produced by Hat Trick Productions He said catch up services mean no one has to miss either, explaining: The internet will save anybody from the crisis you are describing, it will be alright. Fellowes added that ITVs frequent advert breaks puts Doctor Thorne at a disadvantage against the BBCs John le Carre adaptation. He said: This thing of them going out together, it will affect the ratings that are marked down but it wont affect who watches the show because well just watch it an hour later or well go onto iPlayer or well go onto Netflix. If we want to see it, well see it. In a way, recording us means they can go whizzing through the commercials while in The Night Manager there are no commercials so in reality, that way round probably doesnt work too well in our favour. The Night Manager, which is based on the novel by John Le Carre, is already two episodes into the series and enjoys audiences upwards of six millions, provide a tough challenge for Doctor Thorne to meet. Small-screen actress: Winchester-born Cressida is set to play a character called Patience Oriel Cressida was first spotted filming on-set for the period show in November, alongside her co-stars. Despite the fact that it is to be her first filmed acting role, Cressida seemed unfazed as she laughed and giggled on-set. Her blonde tresses were styled in pigtails tied up with multi-coloured ribbon, while she sported little make-up. Cressida donned full period dress for the scenes, wearing a puff-sleeved ballgown in pastel hues. The bold frock cinched in at the waist, and featured a full, voluminous skirt, to highlight her figure. But it mustn't have been a warm day as she was seen wrapping up in a black bomber jacket. Artfully arranged avocado on toast was easily the biggest food trend on social media in 2015, the year in which UK shoppers spent 142 million on the new middle class food staple. But while no fashionable brunch menu was complete without a liberal serving of smashed avocado, the new trendy way to serve up the green fruit is to shave it, rather than turning it to mush with a fork. Dutch blogger Colette Dike, 30, is championing the preparation hack on her Instagram page Fooddeco, which is full of mouthwatering creations such as pizza, sweet potato and, of course, toast topped with shaved avocado. Scroll down for video Amsterdam-based food blogger Colette Dike, 30, is the champion of the new preparation hack and her Instagram is full of mouthwatering creations made with such as pizza, sweet potato and, of course, toast topped with shaved avocado Grilled chicken, tuna sauce and shaved avocado open sandwich is one of Colette's suggestions for a healthy lunch. The shavings are made using a vegetable peeler on a slightly unripe avocado The food blogger, who has been cooking since the age of 12, set up Fooddeco in 2014, posting all the food she eats on a daily basis. She says that quite often avocado is the 'hero' of her dish Colette, who is writing a book of avocado recipes, is keeping her method for getting the shavings so thin a secret, but the trick is to choose a slightly under-ripe avocado and use a vegetable peeler. Explaining why shaved is the new smashed, Colette told FEMAIL: 'The colour and the delicacy of the shaved avocado makes it very fashionable. 'Avocados are very healthy and very photogenic. With all the styling possibilities from shaved avocado, avocado rose and avocado dots they make the perfect styling component for home cooked diners. 'I think the popularity of avocado will continue and even grow further, especially with the new varieties, the no-pit cocktail avocado and the mini avocado. A warm bagel with 'avocadonaise', grilled halloumi and shaved avocado makes for nourishing comfort food Oven roasted sweet potato with whipped feta and shaved avocado, made by Collette. Although often considered a vegetable, avocado is in fact a fruit, and is technically a berry Horseradish cream cheese with shaved avocado and truffle mayonnaise with smoked salmon. Last year Nigella Lawson attracted ridicule for demonstrating how to make mashed avocado on toast, but she's been partly credited for a rise in sale of the fruit 'Furthermore, while smashed avocado, no matter how delicious, may be coming a bit tired, the shaved variety is a lot more versatile.' Colette serves her shavings on toast with hummus, sliced meat or whipped feta. They also make a healthy topping for a homemade alternative to pizza. One of her mouthwatering dishes is crispy spelt-oat wrap with roasted sweet potato puree, shaved avocado and a fried egg on top. Or there's polenta pizza for with beef tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella and avocado. Pickled white daikon and shaved avocado noodles with sushi vinegar and dukkah. Colette likes to eat this as a side dish with sushi instead of seaweed salad Polenta pizza for with beef tomatoes, buffalo mozaerlla and avocado is one of Colette's healthy lunch recipes Goat cheese avocado truffles are made by filling the hollow with cheese and coating the outside with chopped almonds and pistachio nuts Colette predicts that avocado fries, pictured, will take off later this year as a summer side dish Avocado shavings also make a colourful topping for a baked sweet potato. Colette has also tapped into the trend for spiralising, using shaved avocado as an alternative to carbs such as pasta and noodles. 'Weve all seen the possibilities of making spaghetti with various vegetables. However making shaved avocado is a different, handmade, technique,' Collette said. WHIPPED FETA SANDWICH WITH SHAVED AVOCADO AND MINI ROSES INGREDIENTS 1 avocado 4 slices of brown bread 100g feta cheese 50ml water 1tbsp olive oil METHOD 1. In a food processor - or with a hand blender - combine feta, water and olive oil and pulse until it's super creamy. Add lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste, if liked. 2. Toast the slices of bread in a skillet or grill pan with olive oil, until crispy. 3. Meanwhile cut the avocado in half, remove the pit and the skin, and create shavings with a vegetable peeler. 4. Spread the whipped feta on toast and add shaved avocado. Roll up some of the slices into small florets and place between the shaved avocado. Whipped feta sandwich with shaved avocado and mini roses takes just minutes to make Advertisement 'For example, I make the pickled white daikon and shaved avocado noodles with sushi vinegar and dukkah - a delicious roasted nut and spices blend,' she said. 'I like to eat this next to sushi instead of the more traditional seaweed salad.' Colette, who shares avocados recipes with her 37,000 followers, sometimes several times a day, predicts that chips made from avocado will also take off this year. 'Avocado fries are amazing and a great alternative for regular fries,' she said. 'This summer people might pick up on this. If combined with chorizo mayo or a tahini sauce for vegans its a perfect summer side dish.' The food blogger, who has been cooking since the age of 12, set up Fooddeco in 2014, posting all the food she eats on a daily basis. 'Quite often avocado is the absolute hero of the dish,' she explained. Another of her more unusual creations is an avocado 'truffle', which involves stuffing hollow with goats cheese and coating with chopped avocados and almonds. The soaring popularity of avocados has been partly attributed to TV celebrity chefs including Nigella Lawson highlighting their benefits. Last year, trade magazine The Grocer reported that avocado rocketed up two places to number eight in the fresh fruit top ten in its annual Top Products survey while oranges dropped to tenth. Data from analysts Nielsen showed that sales soared by more than a quarter -25.9 per cent - on volumes up 27.9 per cent this year in the wake of the so-called 'avocado craze' that saw Brits using the fruit from everything from toast to smoothies. By contrast, The Grocer said that its survey showed that oranges have fallen out of favour with sales volumes down 4.3 per cent pushing them into tenth place in the fresh fruit league table. Nigella Lawson was widely mocked on social media for kicking off her cookery series Simply Nigella by explaining to the viewing public how to make avocado on toast. One store even has phallic-shaped, cream-filled doughnuts Sydney's favourite eateries are ditching the salt and pepper in favour of rainbow sprinkles in celebration of Mardi Gras. Technicolour macarons, sprinkle-topped burgers and phallic-shaped doughnuts are on the menu as foodies show their support for the gay and lesbian community. Leading the way is burger restaurant Mary's, whose 'Fairy's Burger' offers more than just a bite to eat. 'Fairy's Burger': Mary's are topping their burgers with sprinkles in celebration of Mardi Gras Made with pride: To show their support for the gay and lesbian community, the restaurant will donate a portion of the burger's sales to a LGBT charity 'The Fairy's Burger is back with $1 addition being donated to an LGBT charity and matched by us here at Mary's,' the restaurant wrote on Instagram. 'Let's celebrate the diversity, culture and fun that Sydney has to offer in a time where it seems that we are being told to behave every 5 minutes. 'Here's to Sydney and the beauty of Mardi Gras.' The Fairy's Burgers are available in Newtown, Sydney CBD and at Paddington's Unicorn Hotel. All hail Priscilla! Doughnut Time have introduced this creation - Priscilla, Queen of the Doughnut All the colours: The doughnut has a rainbow glaze and glitter shimmer, finished with a rainbow flag Following in their footsteps is Doughnut Time, who announced they would be adding Priscilla, Queen of the Doughnut, to their Sydney menu this weekend. The limited time creation is a bright rainbow-glazed doughnut decorated with a spectacular glitter shimmer, filled with pride and finished with the rainbow flag. Those with a sweet tooth can also indulge in a hand-made rainbow macaron from Mak Mak in Newtown. Sweet tooth: Mak Mak Macarons in Newtown have these hand-made technicolour delights on the menu Sugar and spice: This week only, The Cupcake Room in Leichhardt will sell rainbow Mardi Gras cupcakes Kaleidoscopic: About Spicer in Woollahra have these gluten free rainbow doughnuts available this Friday, Saturday and Sunday Cheeky: Donut Papi have boxes of cream filled chocolate, strawberry and caramel D***nuts available to order and pick-up in Newtown This week only, The CupCake Room in Leichhardt, Sydney's inner west, have kaleidoscopic cupcakes topped with rainbow sour straps. Doughnuts, cupcakes and macarons go perfectly with a coffee, and The Rusty Rabbit in Darlinghurst has the perfect coffee to bring in Mardi Gras. The cafe has introduced rainbow-coloured takeaway cups that feature a winking rabbit wishing event-goers a 'Happy Mardi Gras'. Coffee break: Darlinghurst cafe The Rusty Rabbit have rainbow takeaway cups withing you a 'Happy Mardi Gras' 'Celebrate love, equality and Mardi Gras': Enjoy complimentary rainbow rolls from Zushi in Surry Hills from March 1 to 6 when you mention 'Zushi loves Mardi Gras' Filled with pride: While not technically Mardi Gras relates, Din Tai Fung has seven-coloured dumplings on their menu It's one of Sydney's most popular Japanese restaurants, and Zushi in Surry Hills will 'celebrate love, equality and Mardi Gras' this week. 'We want you to enjoy one of our much beloved signature rolls on us: rainbow roll with cucumber, tobiko and avocado, topped with prawn, salmon, tuna and avocado,' they wrote on Facebook. Last week, it was revealed that the number of women attending a breast screening is the lowest in a decade. The proportion of eligible women aged 50-70 screened for breast cancer after their first invitation fell to 63.3 per cent in 2014-15, down from 70.1 per cent in 2004-5. And breast screening coverage - which is the overall number checked - has also fallen for the fourth year in a row, official NHS figures revealed. Under the programme, women are invited for their first routine check between the ages of 50 and 53 and are usually invited back every three years until the age of 70. The Government considers screening a success if 70 per cent of women take up the offer- something that was only just achieved this year, everywhere except London. But why, when screening promises to save lives, are so many women shunning it? Last week, it was revealed that the number of women attending a breast screening is the lowest in a decade See more news on the latest cancer treatments and medical breakthroughs In recent years, a mounting body of evidence has suggested breast cancer screening may do more harm than good for some women. Scientists have concluded that women risk false positives, where abnormal results turn out to be normal. And experts fear women are being subjected to over-treatment, which has included needless breast removal and surgery on harmless cancers that would never have caused symptoms or death during a patient's lifespan. So when you receive your invitation to have a mammogram, what should you do? Surgical oncologist Professor Michael Baum, of University College London, specialises in breast cancer treatment, and was one of the architects of the screening programme when it was set up in 1988. More than 25 years later, he has called for the programme to be shut down, arguing it leads to healthy women being labelled 'cancer victims' and has not reduced the number of invasive tumours. But Dr Michael Michell, a consultant radiologist based at Kings College Hospital, insists cancer screening saves lives and would like to see women screened every two, rather than three, years. Below, writing for The Hippocratic Post, they lay out their arguments on whether or not the programme should be scrapped... YES Professor Michael Baum, who set up breast cancer screening in the UK, wants it shut down Michael Baum, Professor Emeritus of Surgery and visiting Professor of Medical Humanities in University College London, is a British surgical oncologist who specialises in breast cancer treatment. Back in 1998, in all good faith, I set up the service for the NHS Breast Screening Programme. Since then, I have become one of the most vociferous proponents for closing it down. You probably want to know why I changed my mind so completely. At the heart of this is the question, how do you explain to a woman that she is lucky that we caught breast cancer early yet she ends up having a mastectomy? And that she probably wouldnt have needed treatment at all if we hadnt called her in for a routine scan? This is because mammograms can pick up a type of low-grade breast cancer called duct carcinoma in situ (DCIS). This is contained just in the milk ducts and has not spread into any of the surrounding breast tissue - about 60 per cent of DCIS cases are picked up by routine breast screening. Around half of these cancers turn out to be harmless. It is my view that too many healthy women are harmed by breast cancer screening. SETTING UP THE SCREENING PROGRAMME The story starts back in 1987 when the Forrest report was published just two weeks before a general election called by Margaret Thatcher. This report was based on the review of all the available evidence that included two randomized trials plus three case control studies that predicted a 25 per cent relative risk reduction in breast cancer (cause specific) mortality favoring those who were invited to screening. It is noteworthy that little space was allocated to the potential harms of population based screening by mammography. Back in 1998, in all good faith, I set up the service for the NHS Breast Screening Programme. Since then, I have become one of the most vociferous proponents for closing it down Not surprisingly, the government of the day endorsed the recommendations and promised that, if re-elected, a comprehensive screening program involving women 50-65 who would be invited every three years for mammography, would be established. The NHS BSP was to be rolled out across the UK between 1988 and 1990. The service would be based on fixed screening units close to population of high density and mobile units for remote areas. All of these district units would feed into a select group of regional specialist centers in major hospitals who would be provided with additional facilities and manpower to handle the predicted surge in activity following the first round of screening. At that time I was professor of surgery at Kings College Hospital, a major teaching hospital in South East London caring for a socially deprived population. We were also given the task of setting up the training centre for all the clinicians, radiologists and radiographers who would staff the other units serving the South East of England as the program was rolled out. Dr Michael Michell, a consultant radiologist based at Kings College Hospital, insists cancer screening saves lives and would like to see women screened every two, rather than three, years We were given 12 months to finish the job that was completed on time and on budget in spite of continuing with our full time day jobs. I was proud of what we had achieved and in good faith, accepted the evidence available at that juncture. I threw myself into my leadership role in the NHSBSP and was rewarded by being offered a seat on the National committee running the show. My love affair with the NHSBSP was short lived. HEALTHY WOMEN LABELLED CANCER VICTIMS Unlike most of the other members of the National Committee, I was directly involved in the day to day care of those women referred on to me as a consequence of the activities on the front line of the screening program. I found it very distressing to have to cope with otherwise well women who had popped into the screening unit in Butterfly Walk for a mammogram at the invitation of the Department of Health (DoH) and then found themselves labelled as a cancer victim. I found it very distressing to have to cope with otherwise well women who had popped into the screening unit for a mammogram at the invitation of the Department of Health and then found themselves labelled as a cancer victim Worst of all were the unexpected high numbers diagnosed with duct carcinoma in situ (DCIS), a condition we rarely saw before screening began. Many of these cases were multifocal and ended up with a mastectomy, yet they may well have turned out to be harmless. None of the Department of Health staffers or public health specialists on the National committee had to face the reality of these heart-breaking interviews. We were soon to learn that 20 per cent of the cancers diagnosed in Butterfly Walk were DCIS, yet before we opened our doors they amounted to less than one per cent of our practice. I drew short term comfort from this observation assuming that in the fullness of time this initial peak in the incidence of DCIS would be followed by a fall in the incidence of invasive breast cancer. I couldnt have been more wrong. NO FALL IN DIAGNOSES OF FAST-GROWING TUMOURS Within a few more years others noted that the interval cancer rates were far too high to achieve the predicted 25 per cent reduction in cause specific mortality. Interval cancers are those that appear as clinically detected lumps in the intervals between two invitations for screening examination. These tend to be the fast growing tumors that slip through the net. More than 25 years after its introduction, Professor Baum has called for the screening programme to be shut down, arguing it leads to healthy women being labelled 'cancer victims' and has not reduced the number of invasive tumours It rapidly became clear to me that we would never meet our targets and also there was no evidence for the predicted fall of invasive cancers following the mopping up of all these cases of DCIS. Furthermore, updated analysis of the evidence in the Forrest report - together with the publication of new trial reports - persuaded independent authorities to lower the estimate for the reduction in breast cancer mortality in a population based screening program from 25 per cent to 15 per cent. After six or seven years into the programme, by which time it had been rolled out to the four corners of the UK, including the Islands and Highlands of Scotland, it became obvious to me that the benefits of screening had been grossly overestimated whilst the downside had been virtually ignored. Yet the letter inviting women into the NHSBSP remained unchanged, optimistic, pretty pink and frankly coercive. At the heart of this is the question, how do you explain to a woman that she is lucky that we caught breast cancer early yet she ends up having a mastectomy, asks Prof Baum (file picture) FALSE PROMISES Things came to a head for me in December 1994. The deputy chief medical officer called an emergency meeting of the NHSBSP national steering committee in the week between Christmas and the New Year. The meeting was set up in order to come up with a strategy to protect the program in the face of the accumulation of adverse publications in the medical media. I argued passionately for a revision of the false promises in the leaflet that went out with the invitations so that the lay public would at least be able to make an informed choice, as in my mind it was a pretty close call to judge whether the benefits outweighed the harm. I was a lone voice at the table and the chairman summed up the opinion of the gathering as follows: 'Professor Baum, if we include all this new information in the leaflets then the women are unlikely to attend and we will fail to reach our target of 70 per cent uptake.' To which I replied: 'If that is indeed the view of this committee then I can no longer serve as I believe that women have the right to self determination, I hereby resign and intend to make my feelings felt by going public on the topic'. True to my word I published a long letter in the Lancet entitled Screening for breast cancer; time to think and stop, a few months later. Twenty five years after the NHSBP was launched, the Department of Health was at last forced to set up an independent review that considered the adverse effects of screening. It also had to accept women should no longer be denied the facts in helping them to decide whether or not to accept the call that was to be rewritten as an invitation and not like a summons. Following on from that a new information leaflet has been produced to accompany the invitation for screening that allows women to weigh up the balance of benefit versus harm so that she can reach an informed choice. Sadly this is not the case in the USA where women at all ages are coerced to attend for screening with the mantra, catch it early, save your life and save your breast. NO Dr Michael Michell is a Consultant Radiologist based at Kings College Hospital, Director of the South East London Breast Screening Programme and National Breast Screening Training Centre and Chairman of the Royal College of Radiologists Breast Group. I know that the breast cancer screening programme for the over 50s saves lives. When I started working in Breast Clinics at Kings College Hospital in the 1980s, it was common to see female patients for the first time with advanced cancer and tumours that were already destroying skin and breast tissue. Now, that is rare. The evidence is strong for breast screening for cancer being effective in women aged between 50 and 70 years old. Over the last 20 years, the programme has screened 19 million women and has probably saved at least 25,000 women from a premature death from breast cancer. At the moment, we screen around 1.8 million women each year. I would like to see the time gap reduced from every three years to every two years. That would bring us more into line with other European countries and would help catch faster growing aggressive cancers. But Dr Michael Michell argues the last 20 years, the programme has screened 19m women and has probably saved at least 25,000 women from a premature death from breast cancer (pictured under the microscope) MAMMOGRAMS ARE NOW PRECISE AND EFFICIENT The biggest technical advance in breast screening is digital mammography which came in over the past five years. All mammography screening in the UK is now digital which offers greater precision, better quality and higher efficiency. The development of MRI screening has also leapt ahead and ultrasound is also very important. Biopsy technology is now extremely accurate and more finely tuned than a couple of decades ago. In the future we can look forward to 3D mammography for front line screening. However, trials need to take place before this comes into practice. Research has given us a better understanding of the biology of breast cancers. MORE WOMEN SHOULD BE SCREENED I am currently involved in exciting research called The Age Extension Trial a study to evaluate an age extension to the NHSs breast screening programme (NHSBSP). At present all women between the ages of 50 and 70 are invited for Breast Screening as part of the NHS Breast Screening programme. The age range is being broadened to include women between the ages of 47 and 73 to investigate whether there is much benefit to extending the age range. The age extension to the NHSBSP is being phased in over a number of years. During this time some women between the ages of 47-49, and others between the ages of 71-73 will be invited for breast screening. Researchers are collecting information about the numbers of women who are diagnosed with breast cancer and the number of women who die from the disease over the next 10 years. This trial is being supported by Public Health England, the University of Oxford and the NHS Screening Programme. Initial results look promising, but the main results of the study are expected in the mid 2020s. Id like to see breast cancer screening broadened to include younger and older age groups of women aged 47-50 and 70-73 enabling doctors to save more womens lives. Screening is actually one of our best weapons in defence against deaths from breast cancer and of course it should continue. Cancers Achilles heel has been pinpointed by British scientists, raising hopes of a revolution in treatment and even a cure. In future, patients could be given bespoke therapies that hunt out and destroy every single cancer cell, wherever it is in their body. The first people could be treated in as little as two years and, eventually, everyone from those in the early stages of cancer, to those who are riddled with the disease could benefit. A spokesman for Cancer Research UK, which funded the landmark study, said that if it lives up to its promise, it could prove a revolutionary way to treat or even cure cancer. Hope: The breakthrough announced today means patients could be given bespoke therapies that hunt out and destroy every single cancer cell, wherever it is in their body Despite advances in medicine, cancer claims more than millions of lives worldwide each year - and even so-called wonder drugs only give patients an extra few weeks of life, on average. The study, led by experts from University College London, gets to the heart of why existing treatments are often of limited benefit. Although we think of a tumour as being a lump of identical cells, it grows and mutates over time. Existing drugs typically zero in on one type of cell and, if the cancer changes too much, a medicine that seemed to help will stop working. And even if the drug seems to wipe out the cancer, some highly-mutated cells may still be lurking and the disease returns. However, some hardy mutations are found on every single cancer cell in a tumour and the UCL researchers have found a way of identifying them. They have also shown that some lung cancer patients have disease-fighting white blood cells that are a perfect match for these common mutations. In future, these white blood cells could be removed from the patient, grown up in the lab and then put back into their body to kill their cancer. In theory, they should wipe out every cell. Another option is use the information on the mutations to create a vaccine a drug that tells the immune system to fight the cancer. This breakthrough offers the hope we might just be able to turn the tide against advanced cancer something we desperately want for our patients Study co-author, Professor Charles Swanton The approach is likely to be particularly successful in lung and skin cancer. But it is hoped that people with other forms of the disease, including breast and prostate cancer will also benefit. And while the treatment could be given at any stage of the disease, it is likely to be of particular use to whose cancer is so advanced that they have run out of options. Study co-author, Professor Charles Swanton said: It offers the hope we might just be able to turn the tide against advanced cancer something we desperately want for our patients. Some immunotherapies, treatments that use the immune system and its white blood cells to beat cancer, are already available, and producing stunning results. In some cases, people thought to have only a few months to live have been able to return to work and live normal lives once more. However, despite their promise they dont work for everyone. Understanding: The study, led by experts from University College London, gets to the heart of why existing treatments such as chemotherapy (pictured) are often of limited benefit Professor Swanton said: We think this approach will be very important for the treatment of cancer. 'In a few years time, we will be using immunotherapy for cancer just as much as chemotherapy today.' He cautioned that that the research is still at an early stage and so hasnt been used to treat any patients. But while the history of cancer research is littered with failures, he hopes this has finally identified an Achilles heel. HOW THE TREATMENT WORKS This study gets to the heart of why existing treatments are often of limited benefit. Although we think of a tumour as being a lump of identical cells, it grows and mutates over time. Existing drugs typically zero in on one type of cell and, if the cancer changes too much, a medicine that seemed to help will stop working. And even if the drug seems to wipe out the cancer, some highly-mutated cells may still be lurking and the disease returns. However, some hardy mutations are found on every single cancer cell in a tumour and the UCL researchers have found a way of identifying them. They have also shown that some lung cancer patients have disease-fighting white blood cells that are a perfect match for these common mutations. In future, these white blood cells could be removed from the patient, grown up in the lab and then put back into their body to kill their cancer. In theory, they should wipe out every cell. Advertisement The professor said: This is really fascinating and takes personalised medicine to its absolute limit, where each patient would have a unique, bespoke treatment. I will be disappointed if we haven't treated a patient within two years. Do we think it's going to work? I hope this is going to result in improvements in survival outcomes. If this doesn't work I'll probably hang my up hat and do something else. Professor Swanton, whose work was part-funded by the medical research charity the Rosetrees Trust, acknowledged that the bespoke nature of the treatment will make it very expensive. However, existing drugs are already costly. New cancer medicines typically cost 70,000 but only extend life by just over two months. In contrast, a therapy that wipes out a patients cancer would allow them to return to work and contribute to the economy again. Professor Peter Johnson, Cancer Research UK's chief clinician, said: This fascinating research gives us vital clues about how to specifically tailor treatment for a patient using their immune system. He added that the very exciting piece of fundamental cancer science will impinge in a huge way on way we treat cancer in the future. Dr Alan Worsley, also of Cancer Research UK, said: Thanks to the ingenuity of our cancer researchers we may have found the tools necessary to give immunotherapy the precision guidance that patients so desperately need. Dr Marco Gerlinger, an immunotherapy expert at the Institute of Cancer Research, London, said the work was intriguing but at too early a stage to be sure it will help patients. Ovarian cancer is poorly understood and resources must be devoted to understanding its origins, experts have said. The disease has long been known as a silent killer', claiming the lives of more than 14,000 women in the US each year, as well as more than 4,000 in the UK. It is one of the deadliest cancers, with few symptoms in the early stages of the disease and effective early screening tests are unavailable. And yet, there remains significant gaps in knowledge about the disease, according to a National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine report. The US government advisory committees report uncovered evidence that ovarian cancer may be a constellation of different cancers rather than a single disease and that it may not even originate in the ovaries. Dr Jerome Strauss III, chair of the committee that carried out the study, said: While progress has been made in ovarian cancer research over the past few decades, much remains to be learned. The US scientific national academy warned in a new report that there are 'surprising gaps' in understanding of ovarian cancer, even though it is one of the most deadly cancers for women. The 'silent killer' has no distinguishable symptoms, is rarely caught in the early stages and has no effective early screening test The more that is understood about the basic biology of various types of ovarian cancers, such as where they originate in the body, the more rapidly we can move toward advances in prevention, screening, early detection, diagnosis, treatment and supportive care. The report was released in time for Ovarian Cancer Month in the UK, which is celebrated in March, though the US counterpart is celebrated in September. The five-year survival rate of the disease is only 46 per cent and ovarian cancer is now known to be the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths among women. The report found that ovarian cancer likely originates in tissues outside of the ovaries, including the fallopian tubes, and eventually metastasize to the ovary. Furthermore, the report found that theres little information about how each sub-type of ovarian cancer progresses. And, nearly two-thirds of women with the disease are diagnosed at an advanced stage when the cancer has already spread beyond the ovary which has a five-year survival rate of less than 30 per cent. As a result, it is vital that early detection methods be improved and that the public have a better understanding of the symptoms of the deadly disease. THE TOP SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF OVARIAN CANCER Ovarian cancer doesn't have any distinct symptoms, the report noted. However, the American Cancer Society said there are a few common symptoms to look out for. Women are far more likely to have symptoms if the disease has spread beyond the ovaries. And yet, even early-stage ovarian cancer can cause some of the following symptoms: Bloating Pelvic or abdominal pain Trouble eating or feeling full quickly Urinary symptoms - including having to pee more frequently Those symptoms may also arise from non-cancerous diseases - or cancers of other organs. But, when they occur as a result of ovarian cancer, the symptoms are persistent and occur more often (and are more severe) than usual. There are a few symptoms of ovarian cancer, including pelvic or abdominal pain, bloating, trouble eating or feeling full quickly and urinary symptoms. But, these symptoms are only signs of ovarian cancer if they are persistent and out of the ordinary. Women should see a doctor of they have 12 instances in a month The American Cancer Society recommends a woman see her doctor - preferably a gynecologist - if she has those symptoms more than 12 times in a month. Some other symptoms of ovarian cancer - but which are more likely to occur because of another condition - include: Fatigue Nausea Back pain Pain during sex Constipation Menstrual changes Abdominal swelling with weight loss However, the American Cancer Society noted that those symptoms are just as likely to occur in women who don't have ovarian cancer. And so, they are not as indicative of the disease as the first set of symptoms. HOW TO DETECT OVARIAN CANCER EARLY Only 20 per cent of ovarian cancers are found at an early stage, according to the American Cancer Society. But, when the disease is found early at a localized stage, nearly 94 per cent of patients survive longer than five years after the diagnosis. Unfortunately, there isn't any one uniform tool to detect ovarian cancer, as there is with breast cancer and mammograms. Even regular gynecological appointments, which include pelvic exams, may miss an ovarian tumor. During pelvic exams, doctors feel the ovaries and uterus - and inspect them for size, shape and consistency. Only 20 per cent of ovarian cancer (pictured) is detected in the early stages. There isn't any uniform tool, such as a mammogram for breast cancer, to detect the disease. However, doctors can administer a CA-125 blood test or transvaginal ultrasound to try to look for signs of the disease Yet, the American Cancer Society noted that it is difficult 'for even the most skilled practitioner' to identify or feel ovarian tumors. And so, if a woman experiences the symptoms listed above, she should ask her doctor to conduct one of two tests: a transvaginal ultrasound and a CA-125 blood test. Those tests are two of the best options out there - but neither is completely accurate. The transvaginal ultrasound uses sound waves to look at the uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries through an ultrasound wand. That test can find a mass in the ovary - though it cannot tell if it is cancer or not. In contrast, the second test detects levels of the protein CA-125 in the blood. For women with ovarian cancers, their CA-125 levels are often high. But, other conditions can also cause CA-125 levels to be abnormal - and not every woman with ovarian cancer has high levels. That's why regular transvaginal ultrasounds and CA-125 tests are not recommended. CAN A PAP SMEAR DETECT OVARIAN CANCER? Pap smears, which are known as smear tests in the UK, are a topic of much controversy. In the US, the tests are recommended for all women between the ages of 21 and 65, according to the US Preventative Services Task Force. Pap smears (pictured, called smear tests in the UK) cannot detect ovarian cancer. They only screen for cervical abnormalities and changes And yet, in the UK, smear tests are not conducted until the age of 25. According to the charity Target Ovarian Cancer, smear tests only screen for cervical abnormalities and changes. Therefore, they will not detect ovarian cancer in the early stages. CAT AMONG THE HERRINGS by L. C. Tyler (Allison & Busby 19.99) CAT AMONG THE HERRINGS by L. C. Tyler (Allison & Busby 19.99) The worm has turned. As crimebusters, Ethelred Tressider, an author of modest attainments, is invariably outranked by his agent, the acerbic chocolate fancier Elsie Thirkettle. It is Elsie who picks up clues, confronts suspects and generally plays havoc with Ethelred's private life as she blunders towards an unmasking of the villain. But in their latest adventure, Ethelred takes centre stage. Having fired Elsie as his literary mouthpiece, he manages to keep her at arm's length as he delves into the family rivalries that have led to a death by drowning. Convinced that her erstwhile client has been led astray by the victim's exotic partner, Elsie's own line of inquiry goes spectacularly wrong, leaving Ethelred to explain how a supposed accident was cover for murder. L. C. Tyler gives us crime in the classic mould with a sharp comic edge. As played here by two incompatible oddballs, an infectious sense of fun enhances a genuine mystery. THE MAYFAIR MYSTERY THE MAYFAIR MYSTERY by Frank Richardson (Collins Crime Club 9.99) by Frank Richardson (Collins Crime Club 9.99) This is an intriguing oddity. The body of a society doctor, noted for his almost miraculous talents, is discovered by his valet. Before anything can be done, the doctor reappears, hale and hearty but refusing to answer questions about his apparent reincarnation. His best friend, a high-minded lawyer, seeks an explanation but is diverted by his unrequited love for a mystery woman, whose personality is disturbingly familiar. Why is it that the lady and the doctor are never seen together and refuse chances to meet even though they are close neighbours? By now, the modern reader will guess where all this is leading. But don't be too sure. Cross-gender psychology was dangerous territory when The Mayfair Mystery made its debut. Frank Richardson gets away with it by lacing horror with a generous measure of black humour. This is by no means a conventional crime novel, but treat it as a curiosity and it will hold you to the last page. THE DISAPPEARANCE OF SIGNORA GIULIA by Piero Chiara (Pushkin Vertigo 7.99) THE DISAPPEARANCE OF SIGNORA GIULIA by Piero Chiara (Pushkin Vertigo 7.99) In pursuit of lost gems of classic crime, publishers are extending their reach. Piero Chiara achieved popularity in his native Italy half a century ago, yet The Disappearance Of Signora Giulia is his first mystery novel to appear in English. When the young wife of a prominent lawyer goes missing, the assumption is that she has run off with her lover. But Detective Sciancalepre is not so sure. While piecing together events around the time of the woman's disappearance, he tracks down a likely seducer, only to find that the affair had long since ended. Then, after a night-time prowler is spotted in the grounds of the lawyer's house, it emerges that everyone so far involved in the story, including the lawyer, has something to hide. The convolutions of the plot build up as Detective Sciancalepre begins to despair of ever solving the case. HOW TO MEASURE A COW by Margaret Forster (Chatto & Windus 16.99) HOW TO MEASURE A COW by Margaret Forster (Chatto & Windus 16.99) Margaret Forster, who died last month, excelled at writing studiously non-metropolitan novels, of which this admirably un-flashy book, published posthumously, is a delightful example. Tara has changed her name and her hairstyle and moved to a sleepy Cumbrian town with the intention of abiding by the unofficial custom in such communities of keeping oneself to oneself. Yet Nancy, an elderly neighbour, can't help twitching her curtains and is soon popping over for tea. Tara, who has spent a considerable time in prison, is wary but also lonely, and can't forgive her friends from home for abandoning her when she needed them most. Yet now neither they nor the seemingly intractable and equally guarded Nancy appear capable of leaving her alone. Forster is very good at the slow reveal, gradually illuminating the more questionable aspects of Tara's character as well as the crime that changed her life. She's also brilliant on the complexities of ordinary people, particularly women: the little ways they deceive themselves, their quickness to judge and their clumsy determination to be kind. FREYA by Anthony Quinn (Jonathan Cape 14.99) FREYA by Anthony Quinn (Jonathan Cape 14.99) A new novel by Anthony Quinn is a prospect to be savoured: his Thirties Soho-set thriller Curtain Call slipped down as easily as a fine malt whisky by a fire. He throws his net wider here - Freya is set across the two decades following World War II - but his skill at depicting social and political turbulence through the prism of personal experience proves just as nimble. Freya and Nancy are two ambitious, aspiring writers going up to Oxford just after the war. Their friendship is fierce, yet it is first threatened by the attractions of caddish fellow student Robert, and later almost torn apart by Robert's exposure of Freya's friend Alex, a gay member of the Ministry of Defence. Almost a decade on Freya and Nancy meet again, but while Freya's journalistic career has ground nearly to a halt, Nancy, now married to Robert, has blossomed as a novelist. Told from Freya's point of view, the novel fluently pits a determinedly feminised consciousness against a rapidly changing England divided over immigration, gay rights and a burgeoning youth culture. It's Freya, though, who dominates - and dazzles: brilliant, modern, wilful and a fascinatingly unreliable witness to her own flawed character. LOVER by Anna Raverat (Picador 12.99) LOVER by Anna Raverat (Picador 12.99) When Kate discovers emails from another woman to her husband, she is lost, unmoored. Nor is the woman the first: there has been another, longer, more serious affair. So when her contrite husband Adam eventually leaves after several furious confrontations, Kate, who narrates, throws herself into her high-flying job at a global hotel chain and guiltily reads parenting self-help books to try to mitigate the impact of the separation on their two young daughters. Yet after a while she realises she is coping. She can sort out a leak in the bathroom and put up the Christmas tree, albeit at an angle, without help. And the girls, the occasional wobble aside, seem to be doing OK, too. Raverat is not the most subtle or elegant of writers, but amid Kate's penchant for making clunky, overblown declarations - 'my heart is suspended in an emotional grand canyon' is a particular offender - there is an interesting narrative agenda going on here. Adam is no brute, but Kate makes almost no effort to hear his point of view, preferring to simply get on without him. Mumbai's dance bar owners have had the last laugh in their Supreme Court battle with the police over several weird and irrational rules in the new licensing policy which allowed them to re-start business. The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday ensured that all of them got licenses to reopen the dance bars within 10 days. Bar owners will not have to erect a three-feet-high permanent wall around the performing stage, which was an earlier a contentious stipulation. Mumbai's dance bar owners will no longer have to set up CCTV or a three-foot-high wall around the stage area Forced by the apex court, the Maharashtra police changed the condition to just a railing around the stage. The most controversial requirement to install CCTVs all over the dance bar including over the stage and to give live feeds to the nearest police control room also has been scrapped, and the new condition only permits CCTVs at the entrance and all other places except the performing area, restaurant and drinking area. A bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra also persuaded the police to allow the bars to allow more than four dancers to perform. While only four can perform at a time, others have been allowed to wait in the green room for their turn to come on stage. Dance bar owners are to comply with the condition within three days after which licences will be issued within further ten days. We are certain that now the competent authorities will not impose new conditions to stall grant of licence. They shall act in accordance with law and not venture to deviate (from the court order), said the bench. The new rules which the bench had termed obnoxious and irrational had been brought in as the court, while lifting the ban on dance bars in October 2015, asked the state government to crack down on obscene performances. Protesting against the condition of the three-feet wall around the performing area, the Indian Hotel and Restaurants Association and Dance Bar Association said it would seriously affect their business. Indian women are around 5 feet or 5.5 feet. If they are going to cover up 3 feet, only the top halves of the women will be visible. Dance steps involve full body movements, how will patrons see them dancing? said a source. Terming the rule for installing CCTV cameras irrational and ordering its removal, Justice Misra had said: CCTV cameras invade a patrons right to privacy. We do not mind you installing the cameras at certain spots where there could be security issues, but we object to the entire place being under the cameras gaze. Capturing the political power set and Bollywood in one frame is the ultimate prize for any press shutterbug. So when BJP president Amit Shah and Union minister Nitin Gadkari posed for photos with superstar Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan, the result was a photographer frenzy. The trio met at Shahs residence in Delhi for the launch of the first official poster of Aishwaryas upcoming film, Sarbjit. Union minister Nitin Gadkari (left), BJP president Amit Shah (centre) and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan posed together at the official poster of Aishwarya's upcoming film, Sarbjit Randeep Hooda, who plays Sarabjit Singh in the Omung Kumar-directed biopic, was absent from the do. All eyes were on Aishwarya, who plays the protagonists sister - Dalbir Kaur. The poster shows Aishwarya in an aged, de-glam avatar. She is obviously trying to capture the real Dalbirs simplicity with her bespectacled look, clad in salwar kameez. We as a team are keen to share Sarabjits story with those who dont know it in detail. It is important for us as a nation to understand, respect and recognise the struggle. I would like to say thank you for giving me this opportunity to play the part of a lady I immensely respect. Its an absolute honour, Aishwarya told the media. Spotted at the do were Richa Chadha, who plays Sarabjits wife, and Darshan Kumar, who plays a Pakistani lawyer in the film. The producers Vashu Bhagnani, Bhushan Kumar, and Sandeep Singh were also present. I would like to congratulate the makers for choosing this subject. This a story of an Indian who spent his whole life in anonymity and the struggle that his sister went through to bring him back to his country. I wish the team good luck. I hope that the message of the film reaches every corner of the country because such stories inspire a lot of people, said Shah. Sarbjit tells the story of Sarabjit Singh, an Indian villager who unknowingly crossed over into Pakistan and was arrested on charges of being a spy. He was attacked in jail by Pakistani inmates and died of his injuries. Women without a uterus will now have the chance to bear children. Uterus transplants, an advanced medical technique which has gained much ground across the world in reproductive medicine, will soon be available in India. The technology has great potential to benefit women who are either born without a uterus or lost it to a disease. Life-changing: Uterus transplants can enable women who were born without a womb or lost their own due to disease to become mothers. (File picture) Sources said the Medical Council of India (MCI) has granted a temporary registration to Dr Mats Brannstron, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, to carry out the procedure in India. Brannstron led an operation in October 2014 in Sweden in which a healthy baby was born to a uterine transplant recipient for the first time. He has collaborated with a Bengaluru-based fertility centre, Milann, along with HCG Hospitals to bring the technology of uterus transplantation to India. However, the process is under strict regulation by the state and Central government. Two conferences and lectures by Dr Brannstrom in India have been organised to educate doctors on the technique and outcomes of his work in Sweden. A team of doctors and hospitals with infrastructure and expertise to support the procedure have also been identified, said Dr Kamini A Rao. Rao is a member of the National Advisory Committee for framing guidelines on Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART), Union Health Ministry, and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). A registry of 15 patients who would benefit and wish to undergo the procedure has already been prepared. The process for regulatory and ethical clearance from various government bodies and Committees (Karnataka state and Centre) for permission to conduct the procedure is ongoing, she said. Around one in 5,000 women is born with a genetic condition called MRKH (Mayer Rokitansky Kuster Hauser) syndrome, where a woman is born without a uterus. MRKH syndrome is a congenital abnormality, characterised by the absence of the vagina, cervix and the uterus. Uterus transplants are emerging as a boon for women with uterine factor infertility, as the only existing options are surrogacy or adoption, either of which may be deemed undesirable due to religious, cultural or legal issues. The procedure portends to benefit all patients with uterine factor-related infertility and is the most significant breakthrough in reproductive medicine since the birth of Louise Brown, the worlds first IVF baby. If all the approvals are done, doctors in India would perform the transplant next month. Doctors in India, who have extensive experience in other organ transplants, they will attain expertise in this also, said Dr Rao. The procedure involves three stages. In the first stage oocytes (eggs) harvested from the recipient are used to create embryos. These embryos are frozen for future implantation. The second stage involves the transplantation where the uterus is harvested from a related donor. The organ is then prepared and placed into the pelvic cavity of the recipient. The uterus assumes normal function over a period of six months. Former Home Minister P Chidambaram allegedly made amendments to the second affidavit in the Ishrat Jehan case File notings on the altered second affidavit in the Ishrat Jehan case indicate changes were made after instructions from the top. Government sources have said that a review of the draft note sent by then home secretary GK Pillai to the home minister made it clear that the changes in the amended affidavits were made by P. Chidambaram himself. Sources also said that based on the notings it appears that the Attorney Generals legal opinion was not taken before the second affidavit was filed in the Supreme Court. Affidavit should be based on facts but the home minister gave his personal opinion. Pillai also did not give a dissent note when he was privy to the facts, said a top government official. The Ministry of Home Affairs, in its second affidavit in 2009, changed its earlier stand that Ishrat Jehan was part of a terror module backed by the Lashkar-e-Taiba, and stated that there was no conclusive evidence to suggest this. The home ministry is examining files related to the controversial Ishrat Jahan case to ascertain whether there were any extraneous circumstances that led to the changes, sources said. Top government sources also said that even though the circumstances leading to the amendments are suspicious, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not keen on any immediate action against anybody. The PM is not interested in blowing up the issue and does not want any action as of now. But if the Congress continues to rake up other issues we will need to put the facts before the nation, said a minister in the Modi government. Ishrat Jehan, a 19-year-old woman, was killed along with three other alleged Lashkar-e-Taiba agents in June 2004. While Chidambaram and Pillai refused to comment when Mail Today contacted them, both have spoken out about the controversy over the last few days. Congress sources indicated that their defence of Chidambaram pressing for a second affidavit is vindicated by the September 2009 report of judge SP Tamang, who in his magisterial probe, had called the encounter fake and also said there was no evidence to suggest the LeT angle. Chidambaram had earlier said it was his duty to correct the affidavit, which was drafted without his approval and was being misinterpreted as it was ambiguous. After consultations with the Home Secretary, Director, Intelligence Bureau and other officers, the second affidavit clarified what the real intention of the central government was, he had said. A note was sent on September 23, 2009 by then home secretary GK Pillai to Chidambaram, the then home minister, regarding the second affidavit that needed to be filed. Ishrat Jehan, a 19-year-old woman, was killed along with three other alleged Lashkar-e-Taiba agents in June 2004 On September 24, 2009, Chidamaram wrote on the file: As amended. Please show clear copy before it is sent to court. Government sources say the amendments were made by him and without consulting other officials. Pillai wrote on the note: Clear copy shown to home minister. Please take further action to be filed. Letter may be sent to law secretary and attorney general for information. Below this, another noting is made by an official which says: Attorney General is out of station; will return next month. Based on this noting, government officials claim that the second affidavit was not vetted by the Attorney General and this will now be looked into. The Central Bureau of Investigation, in its probe, concluded that the killings were staged and filed two charge-sheets against four Intelligence Bureau officials and Gujarat police officials. G K Pillais comments that ex-Home Minister P Chidambaram had changed an affidavit, which originally described Ishrat and her slain aides as LeT operatives, had once again kicked up a political storm with the BJP accusing the Congress-led UPA government of politicising terror cases. Even RVS Mani, then under secretary in the home ministry under whose name the affidavit was filed, has revealed that he was forced to do so. Mani has said that the affidavit in question was not drafted by him and if it was not drafted by the home secretary it was clear who was behind it, hinting at Chidambaram's role. Karti Chidambaram, pictured with his father and ex-finance minister P Chidambaram, is accused of being involved in a deal linked to the 2G scam Following demands for an urgent CBI inquiry into the Aircel-Maxis deal by AIADMK members in Parliament, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley asserted that no one would be spared if found guilty. Speaking in the Lower House, Jaitley said: We have no holy cows to be protectedAs a result of series of raids conducted by ED and Income Tax department, lot of incriminating things have been seized, Jaitley added. Earlier, demands for an urgent CBI inquiry into the Aircel-Maxis issue were made in the Lok Sabha, with AIADMK members alleging the involvement of Karti Chidambaram, son of former finance minister P Chidambaram, in the deal which they claimed had links with the 2G scam. Refuting allegations that the government was going slow in the 2G and Aircel-Maxis cases as absolutely incorrect, he said that in all these cases, where the CBI has come to a prima facie opinion that an offence has been committed, charge sheets have been filed and the trials are going on. Jaitley said: Whatever was the stand of the earlier government, we have not been influenced by that stand at all. The investigative agencies have absolute freedom to professionally record the entire evidence and if they come to an opinion that some people prima facie guilty, the investigating agencies are free to take actions. For the second day on Wednesday, Parliament proceedings were disrupted by AIADMK members who were demanding action against Karti Chidambaram following reports that he has invested huge sums of money in various countries based on searches conducted on his premises and other related companies. Speaking further, Jaitley said: It all started with the infamous 2G case. Then, the extension of the case was... it led to the Aircel-Maxis issue which has now further led to a third category of cases. Responding to queries by certain members on whether FIRs have been filed in these cases, Jaitley said that under the law there is no need to file FIRs and only charge-sheets are filed once the investigations are completed. Youth Congress activists shout slogans at a protest against HRD Minister Smriti Iranis statement on Rohith Vemula in Parliament All I can say is that whatever action has to be taken under the law, under different provisions, once the violation is detected, investigations will be taken to their logical conclusion.... all facts, including facts in relation to certain entities which have been named, I am not consciously using those names because these matters are under investigation, the finance minister noted. Jaitley said that on January 8, 2016, a charge-sheet and a complaint has been filed in the court by the ED and on February 27, the court took cognisance of that charge-sheet. Notices have gone to the various accused who will now be tried in the Aircel-Maxis case. They will have to face trial and (it is) eventually for the court now to decide, the minister said. Meanwhile, participating in a special discussion on the issue in the Lok Sabha, AIADMK leader TJ Venkatesh repeatedly referred to two former DMK Union ministers and a former finance minister in the UPA-II by name, but Speaker Sumitra Mahajan disallowed this. Venkatesh rued that PM Narendra Modi came to power on the promise of unearthing black money, but his government was doing precious little to bring to book those behind the Aircel-Maxis deal which he alleged has deep roots in the infamous 2G scam, the biggest in independent India. The debate was taken up amid loud protests from Congress and Left members, with Speaker Sumitra Mahajan saying she had got notice of BJD leader Bhartruhari Mahtab for a discussion on the matter and she was allowing it. Rahul's 'fair and lovely' attack on PM By Mail Today Bureau in New Delhi Having lost the opening round to Union minister Smriti Irani blasting the Oppositions charge on the JNU issue and Rohith Vemula's suicide, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi returned to the Lower House on Wednesday to mock and taunt Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Rahuls sarcasm-laden speech had a Sensex-like impact on social media, triggering a frenzy. He termed the governments black money amnesty the fair and lovely scheme and scoffed at the PMs domineering style of functioning. Rahul Gandhi's sarcasm-laden speech triggered a frenzy of attention on social media The country is not the PM. The PM is not the country, said Rahul, evoking memories of the 1970s when then Congress president Devakant Barooah had described Indira Gandhi as Indira is India. India is Indira. Rahul had scripted his own lexicon, but he came under a scathing attack from his opponents. Writing a sharp rejoinder on his Facebook wall titled How much does he know - when will he know, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley wrote: As one evolves from a young to a middle-aged one, we certainly expect a certain level of maturity. The more I hear Shri Rahul Gandhi, the more I start wondering how much does he know - when will he know. Rahul accused PM Modi of releasing Pakistan from a cage for which the UPA had invested thousands of hours of hard work He was responding to the Congress V-Ps claim that the prime minister did not listen to anyones opinion, including his ministers and party MPs, on issues like his visit to Pakistan and the Naga accord. On Modis silence on the JNU case, Rahul asked: Why didnt the PM utter a word when teachers and media were attacked? Taking the floor in the Lok Sabha during the debate on the motion of thanks to Presidents address, Rahul, in a speech that was often interrupted by the BJP members, accused Modi of single- handedly destroying six years of UPA work to put Pakistan into a small cage after 26/11 terror strikes, by visiting Pakistan. He charged the PM with releasing Pakistan from a cage for which the UPA had invested thousands of hours of hard work and all-round consultations. What did the PM do? He decided to have a cup of tea with Nawaz Sharif without any vision. He decided to take a detour to Pakistan. Just like the Naga Accord. He did not bother to consult anyone... the people in intelligence, the diplomats, he said. Minorities body cautions leaders over Katheria hate speech By Siddhartha Rai in New Delhi The National Commission for Minorities sent a strongly-worded letter to Home Minister Rajnath Singh The National Commission for Minorities (NCM) has taken strong note of the hate speech delivered by Union Minister of State (MoS) for Human Resource Development (HRD) Ram Shankar Katheria, at a condolence meeting organised in the city for slain VHP worker Arun Mahaur. The BJP Agra MP made his comments after Mahaur was allegedly killed by some Muslim youths. The minorities rights body had on Tuesday shot four strongly-worded letters to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Naseem Zaidi, Union Minister for Minority Affairs Najma Heptullah, and Uttar Pradesh (UP) Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav. Chairperson of the body Naseem Ahmad issued the letters in response to media reports and the complaint filed by lawyer-activist and Congress sympathiser Shehzad Poonawalla. It is high time hate-mongers are booked under 153A and 153B and 295A of the IPC. Authorities cannot drag their feet. ECI must act against BJP for being a habitual offender. On my petitions notices were issued to Amit Shah, Yogi Adityanath, Rampal Pundhir and others in the past. I hope CM Yadav takes cognisance and arrests these hate mongers. Equally hope that Modi ji throws out those talking about #HateInIndia and #DividedIndia instead of MakeInIndia and Digital India, said Poonawalla. In its letter to the home minister, Ahmad said it was a disturbing fact that responsible persons from the government are reported to have made some of these vitriolic statements. The commission, Ahmad said, had resolved unanimously that appropriate action should be taken lest the situation takes an ugly and volatile turn. The notice to CM Yadav was similarly penned. The letter issued to the minority affairs ministry was relatively strongly drafted. The commission noted that utterly shocking and provocative statements were made at the Agra meeting. Quoting anti-Muslim statements that had appeared in media reports, in which members of the community were likened to the descendants of Ravana and demons, the commission also made mention of the final battle cries with Muslims that had allegedly been raised at the meeting by the right-wing leaders. Ahmad said the commission was hopeful that Heptullah would see this as a serious breach of constitutional principles and convey our distress to the appropriate authorities within the Government. The letter demanded quick action to reassure the minorities that such behavior will not be tolerated. BJP leaders hit back at Rahul Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday refuted Rahul Gandhis claim that he was not informed before signing a peace pact with Naga insurgent group NSCN-IM, saying the Congress vice-presidents statement was completely false and baseless and that he misled the Parliament. Rahul Gandhis statement on Naga peace accord in Lok Sabha today is completely false and baseless. I had several rounds of consultations with the PM on Naga peace process. I strongly condemn Rahul Gandhis attempt to mislead the House, Singh tweeted. The Home Ministers strong reaction came hours after Rahul told the Lok Sabha that Singh was not aware of the Naga peace accord which was signed in August 2015 in presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Rahul also came under attack from BJP national secretary Shrikant Sharma, who said his speech in the Lok Sabha was devoid of facts and full of drama, but lacked in content. Sharma also called him a lying machine and a non-serious, part-time politician. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said all ministers, including External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, and he himself were responsible for each important decision taken by their departments. Sooner or later, the storm over the unsavoury events at Delhis Jawaharlal Nehru University will blow over. It is likely that the student leaders arrested and charged with sedition will be released on bail. Or, perhaps the courts will reject the charges and drop the cases? PM Modi should channel the spirit of his speech to students of the Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC), on the evening that he all but sealed election victory If the charges are indeed dropped or quashed after judicial scrutiny, questions will no doubt be raised over the quality of investigation by Delhi Police. A fresh round of acrimonious recrimination will follow. But that too shall pass. Activism There will be no let-up in belligerent student activism fuelled by the venal politics of identity and class war, and propelled by the cynicism of teachers who place ideology over academics. In short, little or nothing will have changed for the better. Whether it will change for the worse is something on which we can only speculate. And we can leave that to the commentariat. Three facts that have emerged from the messy affair at the Hyderabad Central University and the unedifying spectacle of tax-funded students and teachers preaching secessionism and war on the Indian state are indisputable. PM Modi should should seek to unite students, creating a big tent that accommodates all and smoothes sharp, jagged edges of ideology They form part of the larger debate that never found space in the hysterical television studio discussions which were individual-centric and not about India's institutions. First, there is rising ferment across campuses. This is not the usual anti-establishment posturing that the young and excitable are given to. Whether the steadily spreading bush-fire is symptomatic of the insecurities of our uncertain times, or rather frustration on account of unrealistic soaring aspirations, is something for sociologists and educators to deliberate. Second, there is a glaring absence of any robust political engagement that transcends party loyalty. Student unions or associations backed by political parties are not the desirable instrument or vehicle for such engagement. Political engagement should seek to unite students in a loose coalition of youth, creating a big tent that accommodates all and smoothes sharp, jagged edges of ideology. Third, what was till now a commonly-held idea of nationalism, something sacred and inviolate across the political spectrum (barring the Stalinist Left and Maoist ultra-Left), is under stress. The stress will only increase in coming days. What are hairline fractures at the moment are bound to expand into yawning cracks with deep crevices. PM Modi should visit the campuses of the central universities, spend a weekend every month at a campus, share meals with students and have extended chai pe charcha Nowhere is this more evident than on university campuses. It is important that the state governments acknowledge that this ferment is happening. Denial is not an option unless the responsible political parties are willing to risk long-term damage for short-term gains. The acknowledgement must begin with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. As Indias pradhan sevak, he has to set the trend. The sab, or all, in Sab ka saath also includes the youth he keeps talking about, and it is not an abstraction or imagined identity. It exists on campuses. It is only after campus ferment is acknowledged that there can be a meaningful political intervention and engagement. Here are a few things Modi can do, and encourage chief ministers to do: Modi should visit the campuses of the central universities, and share meals with students in an extended chai pe charcha. Yes, there will be dissenting views, there will even be shows of hostility. But Modi is not known to have flinched from wading into the masses in the past. By moving back in time, he can play a significant role in helping students move forward. The azadi they seek can be given by him through patient hearing and dialogue. Modi Mania: Narendera Modi at the annual Shri Ram Memorial Oration as part of Shri Ram College of Commerce management festival Business Conclave in 2013 Engagement He can kick off this engagement by spending his Holi this year not in Kashmir or the North-East, or meeting children and greeting politicians at 7, Race Course Road, but with students at Visva-Bharati. He will get to experience a slice of the amazing India he tirelessly talks of and promotes in Mann ki Baat. No, Mr Modi, visiting universities for convocations does not count. If anything, those choreographed visits are as irrelevant as the speeches made from the rostrum. Even the media does not pay heed to them. Try the other route - talk to the students like you once spoke to them at Shri Ram College of Commerce. That evening you had sealed your 2014 victory. Modi should seek a meaningful political intervention and engagement with the disenfranchised student fraternity Nationalism True, you wont have the time for 46 central universities. Why not dispatch your young and articulate ministers for this task? Why not take along young leaders from other parties not viscerally hostile to the BJP? Baijayant Pandas name comes to mind. There are many others. Be the leader you are, communicate like only you can - fight the bush-fire from the front line. And, now a few thoughts on nationalism that is being debated and talked about. Nation First is no doubt a stirring slogan, but do we the people and does the government live up to its lofty ideals? The aspirational class is not, truth be told, restrained by either nation or nationalism. Those waving the tricolour and swearing allegiance to Bharat Mata, secretly dream of H1B visas. Or at least wish their children to go abroad. When the PM calls on the world to hire their workforce from India, he diminishes the nobility of India first. In revisiting his SRCC moment, Modi can engineer a genuinely meaningful political intervention and move things forward When he spends quality time with foreign entrepreneurs and innovators and does not bother to take Indians at home on board, or makes a passing reference to them in his fireside chats, he redraws the contours of national pride. A studio hand wistfully remarked while Modi was addressing an NRI gathering in US, When will our turn come? Invoking Gandhi or Patel does not kindle national fervour. India has changed, and is changing. Sub-nationalism was never dealt with, only papered over. That paper has now turned brittle and is fraying at the edges, as is the Indian identity. When you legitimise, politically, socially and culturally, the notion of a global citizen, you also delegitimise the idea of a nationalist Indian. Sonia Gandhi got her shawl stuck in her purse during an intense debate Congress President Sonia Gandhi faced an unusual problem in Lok Sabha - when her shawl got stuck in the zip of her purse during an intense and heated debate. She had been discussing the Motion of Thanks to the President for his address to the joint sitting of Parliament when the wardrobe malfunction happened. Seeing his leader struggling to free her shawl from the zip of her purse, Mallikarjun Kharge offered help which Gandhi readily accepted. After Kharge managed to free her shawl, she appeared relieved that it did not get torn in the process. Dhavan's green room experience At the hearing of the Mumbai dance bar case, the Supreme Court became a venue for senior lawyers and the judge to share their on-stage experiences. Senior lawyer Rajeev Dhavan spoke about his acting prowess while the court was deliberating on what exactly a green room is. He said: 'I had once acted in a very famous drama and remember the time spent in the green room.' Turning towards senior lawyer Jayant Bhushan, Dhavan added: 'He might not know. He was a boy then. His illustrious father (Shanti Bhushan) was part of the audience, I remember.' AAP government set to launch Delhi Festival Delhi Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra plans to appoint a brand ambassador The AAP government has decided to organise a Delhi Festival in November, along the lines of similar celebrations held in Dubai and Singapore. The event is aimed at showcasing Delhis culture and heritage, as well as promoting the Capital as a world-class city. Delhi Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra said there will be a separate budgetary allocation for the campaign which will be launched in August. He said a brand ambassador will be appointed alongside TV promotions to make it a success Centre appeals for monumental help Monuments in India could be better managed and maintained as the Ministry of Culture looks for help with upkeep. It has appealed to private and public sector firms to adopt protected monuments for their conservation, restoration and environmental development. Under Corporate Social Responsibility, PSUs like SAIL, NTPC, GAIL and BHEL have come forward to adopt the monuments for a healing touch. Anxiety at High Court waiting lounge The decision over Kanhaiya Kumar's bail had lawyers and the media on tenterhooks There was tension in the Delhi HC waiting lounge before Justice Pratibha Rani pronounced the verdict on Kanhaiya Kumars bail plea. The order that was expected to be delivered at 2.15pm, finally came more than four hours late - around 6.45pm. The police had to make security arrangements every time the delivery of the judgment neared. The BJP has joined forces with the Asom Gana Parishad ahead of the upcoming poll battle in Assam in its bid to take on the ruling Congress led by veteran Tarun Gogoi and secure victory in the north-eastern state. The announcement came after the top AGP leadership, including former CM Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, had an hour-long discussion with BJP President Amit Shah in New Delhi. AGP leaders said a formal announcement about the alliance will be made by the two parties in a day or two, when the number of seats to be contested by them will be made public. Sarbananda Sonowal announced that the BJP is joining hands with AGP for the Assam polls The BJPs Chief Ministerial candidate Sarbananda Sonowal and AGP President Atul Bora were present in the meeting, along with others. Recently, changing its strategy for the Assam polls, the BJP had projected Sarbananda Sonowal as its chief ministerial candidate. Sonowal was a member of the AGP before joining the BJP about four years ago, and was an AGP MP between 2004-2009. Several other senior BJP leaders were also with AGP earlier. BJP sources said that senior BJP leaders Sonowal and Himanta Bishwa Sharma are known to have a good personal rapport with many of AGPs senior leadership, and were instrumental in forming an alliance to put their common enemy the Congress in trouble. A party insider said that AGP was asking for 40 seats, while the BJP was not ready to part with more than 20 . AGP President Atul Bora said a Common Minimum Programme will be announced by the two parties soon. The alliance will dethrone the 'corrupt and non-performing' Tarun Gogoi-led Congress government in Assam, he added. Elections for the 126-member Assam Assembly are expected to be held at a date in April or May. The BJP and AGP had an alliance in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls in which the saffron party bagged four seats and AGP just one. The two parties considered an alliance ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, but the regional party had backed off, apparently on the assumption that such an understanding would not be beneficial for AGP. In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP won seven of the state's 14 seats and AGP drew a blank. The BJP won in Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Nagaon, Tezpur, Lakhimpur, Mongoldoi, and Guwahati, all considered to be AGP strongholds. Mahanta was Assam's Chief Minister between 1985 and 1990 and again from 1996 to 2001. The BJP has also forged an alliance with the Bodoland Peoples Front (BPF) to jointly fight the Assembly polls in Assam. A boozy party in Haryana is all set to burn a bigger hole in your pocket as the state Cabinet has raised VAT on liquor from eight to 10 per cent. The new excise policy for the 2016-17 fiscal also sees an increased licence fee for wholesale selling. The fee has been hiked from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh in the case of the L-13 category, and Rs 40 lakh to Rs 50 lakh for the L-1 category. VAT on booze is set to increase from 8 to 10 per cent The fee structure for bar licences has also been rationalised and reoriented as per market trends. The excise policy introduces online passes and permits for the transportation of liquor. The e-tendering of liquor vends has been made more user-friendly. MRP of popular Indian-made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) and beer brands has been rationalised as per market trends. The excise duty largely remains unchanged except for draught beer and ready-to-drink beverages, in whose cases it has been brought at a par with mild beer. The policy keeps the number of retail outlets of country liquor and IMFL in the state unchanged, while sub-vends, with the prior consent of the gram panchayat, will be allowed in gram panchayats with a population of less than 1,000. Under the new policy, modern shops with good facilities for customers and machine-generated Point of Sale (POS) will be encouraged and their number will also be increased. The maximum basic quota has been increased for the first time since 2010-11. While for country liquor the basic quota has been increased from 900 lakh to 950 lakh proof litres, the quota for IMFL has gone up to 550 lakh proof litres from 500 lakh. The additional excise duty also has been rationalised and hiked from Rs 12 per proof litre to Rs 18 per proof litre. Honda has pumped an additional 200 million into its facility in Swindon after confirming next years new Civic family car will be produced there for the global market and not just Europe for the very first time. The brand, which claims to have already invested a total 2 billion into the Wiltshire factory, said the move demonstrated its long-term commitment to manufacturing in the UK. The Japanese carmaker previewed the new five-door hatchback with a racey looking Civic prototype at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show on Tuesday, a car the brand hopes will appeal to a younger market. Racey: The tenth generation Honda Civic will be built in Britain and exported to the world - including Japan and USA For the first time, the five-door hatchback built in the UK will also go on sale in the US. Currently, the American market has a three-door coupe and five-door sedan version of the popular medium-size car, but under new global plans the five-door hatchback, usually reserved for the European market, will also test the waters across the Atlantic. In the official statement released on Tuesday, Jason Smith, the director of Honda of the UK Manufacturing (HUM) facility, said securing production for the global market was a big coup for the brand and those working at the Swindon plant. By establishing HUM as a global production facility for the all-new Civic hatchback, Honda is demonstrating its long-term commitment to manufacturing in the UK and Europe, he said. This is incredibly important for HUM and is a reward for the commitment and effort put in by Honda associates in recent years. As a global production facility for the Civic hatchback we look forward to making the most of the opportunity to export this model not only to our European customers, but also to key global markets. Finishing touches: Workers at the Honda UK plant in Swindon. The Japanese carmaker has invested a further 200m into the facility Prudent: Philip Crossman, managing director for Honda UK, said the company is waiting for the result of the EU referendum before planning for the future The decision comes in light of the uncertainty around the UKs future position within Europe, with other carmakers with British production hubs warning of the potential consequences for UK manufacturing if the Brexit campaign is a success. In an interview Philip Crossman, managing director for Honda UK, said the brand is waiting for an outcome on the decision to stay in Europe before planning for the future, but intends to follow through with the new investment at Swindon no matter the result. We wont make a comment on it as an organisation until a decision is made. We have a huge investment in the UK and I cant see that being dissipated, he said. What the consequences might be two or three years down the line, we just dont know yet. Hopefully the 200 million investment will secure jobs in Swindon and if the five-door Civic takes off in America it could see Swindon working at full capacity. Like the prototype shown in Geneva, the new 10th generation Civic will be lower and wider than before to improve handling but also have a longer wheelbase to increase rear passenger space The sporty looks signals what the next generation Civic Type R could look like, but Honda refused to confirm if there'll be a hot hatch version of its new family hatch. Based on the success of the current Type R, we imagine there'll be one Phil Webb, head of cars in the UK, added: Weve made a decision on the global production run of Civic in Swindon and theres no reason to believe that is going to change. According to Honda UK officials, pre-production of the new car has already began for the US market at the Swindon plant, with full production due to kick off in the summer. High hopes: Daisuke Tsutamori, project leader for 10th generation Civic The car, which was officially unveiled in Genenva on Tuesday afternoon, is longer, wider and lower than the outgoing model in a bid to improve dynamics and attract a younger audience. If the concept shown this week is anything to go by, it should certainly appeal to a more youthful age group, with a low-slung body kit, rear spoiler and twin exhausts not too dissimilar to those featured on the current Civic Type R hot hatch. The previous two generations of Civic, probably together with the customer, had become older in appearance in our eyes it had become a little bit conservative, Daisuke Tsutamori, the project leader for Civic, said. What we definitely wanted to realise for the new Civic is to make the design more desirable for younger customers, and thats why theres quite a radical change with the appearance. The production-ready five-door model will be unveiled at the Paris Motor Show later this year and arrive in dealerships next January. Steinhoff, which is battling Sainsbury's to buy Argos owner Home Retail, has swooped for Darty The bidding war for Argos took a twist yesterday when the South African furniture group hoping to snap up the store made a bid for a French retail giant. Steinhoff, which owns Bensons For Beds and Harveys in the UK, has launched a 662million cash bid for London-listed retailer Darty, in an attempt to wrestle the chain from the grip of books and music retailer Fnac. Steinhoff-owned furniture retailer Conforama has made the counterbid for Darty, which is Europes number three electrical goods retailer. The steps by retail and manufacturing giant Steinhoff are part of its move to grow in Europe. The group is 17 per cent owned by South African billionaire Christo Wiese, who has recently bought retail chain New Look and Virgin Active gyms in the UK. Steinhoff last month made a 1.4bn 175p a share cash bid for Argos-owner Home Retail Group, blowing Sainsburys cash and shares bid out of the water. Bowing out: Jim McCarthy is retiring as boss of Poundland Veteran retail chief Jim McCarthy is retiring as boss of Poundland with his stake in the firm worth about 18million. McCarthy, who has run the chain for a decade, will be replaced by former Dixons and Kingfisher director Kevin OByrne. OByrne previously ran DIY chain B&Q in the UK and will join the board at Poundland next month and take on the chief executive role in July. McCarthy, 60, has worked in retail for 40 years and previously ran Sainsburys convenience stores. Under his watch, Poundland has grown from 146 stores with sales of 310million to a 900-strong chain across the UK, Ireland and Spain, with sales in excess of 1billion. Poundland was floated two years ago at 300p a share. However, despite its growth, its takeover of rival 99p Stores has been plagued by problems and it was forced to admit it was in a worse state than first thought. Its shares are well below its float price and fell again on news of McCarthys departure, losing 11.3p to 170p yesterday. McCarthy said he will remain available to the company until his full retirement at the annual general meeting in September. Attack: John Longworth, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce The head of a leading business lobby group will today launch a twin attack on tax avoidance by major corporations and David Camerons deal to keep Britain in the European Union. John Longworth, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, will say large-scale tax avoidance by multinational businesses generates huge anger among other businesses. He will also attack the Prime Ministers deal with Brussels warning that the public have been left facing an unenviable choice between staying in an unreformed EU or voting for uncertainty and disruption associated with leaving. Undoubtedly a tough choice, Longworth will tell the annual conference of the BCC in London. You might say, a choice between the devil and the deep blue sea. Britains future in Europe and the tax affairs of major corporations such as Google, Facebook and Amazon are likely to be high on the agenda at todays conference. Unlike the pro-Brussels CBI, which is seen to represent the interests of big business and is campaigning for Britain to remain in the EU, the BCC has vowed to remain neutral. But Longworths speech is likely to betray the frustration felt by many small and medium sized companies over Camerons failure to strike a better deal with the EU. Turning to tax avoidance by multinationals, he will say: All businesses with operations in Britain have an obligation to pay the full tax due on profits from their activities in this country. The group set on a 20 hour journey to reach the remote island of Vanuabalavu in the hopes of providing some relief They collected donations of food, water, clothing, tents, generators, fuel and medical supplies for the storm victims The category five storm tore through the island nation on February 20 leaving a path of devastation in its wake John and Michelle Philp were one of the first groups to bring aid to several Fijian villages after Advertisement Corrugated iron roofs scattered in the hilltops, lush trees stripped of all greenery, villages completely decimated and freshly dug graves. Two people who were among one of the first groups to bring aid to several remote island villages after Fiji was ravaged by Cyclone Winston have described the harrowing scenes they were met with five days after the category five storm hit. John Philp and his niece Michelle own an 800 acre coconut farm on the island of Vanuabalavu, in the Lau Group, east of Fiji, which was completely destroyed - along with their staff's living quarters - when the cyclone tore through the island nation on February 20. You know when you see photos in Siberia where they are testing atomic bombs, it looked like that the cyclone laid waste to the whole countryside,' Mr Philp told Daily Mail Australia. Scroll down for video John Philp and his niece Michelle own an 800 acre coconut farm on the island of Vanuabalavu, in the Lau Group, east of Fiji, which was completely destroyed when the cyclone tore through the island nation on February 20 A man stands among the debris of a coconut oil processing shed that was ravaged by the storm Before: The Philp's described the island as a lush tropical paradise, with green trees as far as the eye could see After: Following the storm they were confronted by a barren wasteland scattered with stripped tree trunks You know when you see photos in Siberia where they are testing atomic bombs, it looked like that the cyclone laid waste to the whole countryside,' Mr Philp Ms and Mr Philp, whose mother is from Vanuabalavu, got together a group of family and friends to gather donations of food, water, clothing, tents, tarpaulins, medical supplies, generators and fuel to take to the villages The previous plantation owners house, which once stood among leafy green trees, had been blown away leaving the foundations exposed Four days after the storm hit, Mr Philp, whose mother is from Vanuabalavu, had already gotten together a group of family and friends to gather donations of food, water, clothing, tents, tarpaulins, medical supplies, generators and fuel to take to the remote villages before loading their haul into a 100 foot commercial diving boat and setting out on a 20 hour journey to provide relief to some of the more remote villages on the island. 'We were the first outsiders to arrive after the cyclone and in a lot of those cases it not just about the supplies you are bringing - people are in shock and having an outsider there to help, knowing the cavalry is on its way, it brings them a little hope,' Mr Philp told Daily Mail Australia. Arriving back at the plantation where the Philp's had nine people - including two children - living in their staff quarters, they were shocked to find the family huddled together, taking shelter in and around the hollowed out trunk of a large tree. Their home had been completely wiped out and they had spent five days living in the debris with no contact to the outside world. Our staff lost everything, their home was completely decimated, he said. You could only see the foundations of the house, there was not a single stick standing on it. Ms Philp said she could smell something dead as she approached the tree her staff had been using as shelter to assess the small cavity they squeezed into. She said she found it extremely unsettling to think they had been stranded there alone with no way to call for help. Arriving back at the plantation where the Philp's had nine people - including two children - living in their staff quarters, they were shocked to find the family huddled together, taking shelter in and around the hollowed out trunk of a large tree A local woman, whose home appears like an empty shell without a roof, sweeps out the remaining shell of her home She had started to collect her belongings and laid them out to dry on the front porch The Philp's were shocked to find a family huddled together, taking shelter in and around the hollowed out trunk of a large tree Mr Philp said the roofs were torn off every home on the plantation, leaving scattered debris all over the island Our staff lost everything, their home was completely decimated, he said. You could only see the foundations of the house, there was not a single stick standing on it. The pair were shocked when they looked out on the island to see the once leafy paradise had turned a barren brown A satellite image released by NASA Goddard Rapid Response shows Cyclone Winston in the South Pacific Ocean 'We were the first outsiders to reach the island since the cyclone and you could see they were completely overwhelmed. They were grateful but obviously very emotional and shell shocked,' Ms Philp told Daily Mail Australia. CYCLONE WINSTON Cyclone Winston struck with 325km/h gusting winds, destroying thousands of homes and knocking out power across the islands. It is the first category five storm on record to hit the island nation. Forty-three people have been confirmed dead, with finding clean water and fresh food becoming an urgent issue for remote areas as power and communications remain down across large parts of Fiji. Over 34,000 people remain displaced, with many more left with nothing but the shirt on their backs. Advertisement It was surreal to say the least just a very eerie, strange feeling. Every leaf on every tree has been completely stripped. It looked like a different place.' The terrain was exposed, with animals that had managed to remain unseen since the family purchased the property in the 80s started making their way out of the debris and into the open in search of food and shelter. Ms Philp stayed behind to help the family living on the plantation clean up as Mr Philp and a few others made their way towards the first village, Daliconi, where one woman perished. The first village we went to was a complete mess - a tidal wave hit after the storm that washed in at about two metres high and just wiped out everything.' 'It is pretty emotional when you pull up and see fresh graves I never expected that.' He was told of one woman whose home collapsed around her, crushing her body under the weight of the debris. Mr Philp had witnessed the devastation of a cyclone in Fiji once before, in 2009, but said the destruction caused by Winston was far more widespread. Of the villages he visited - Avea, Mavana, Lomaloma, and Boitaci - he learned of four more families who lost loved ones in the storm. In Daliconi Village Mr Philp was told of a woman whose home collapsed around her, crushing her body under the weight of the debris Villages from Daliconi village smile despite the overwhelming tragedy that struck their village While there were no fatalities in Lomaloma Village, the houses and infrastructure had been torn apart 'This was on a whole other level the storm was far bigger and more powerful plus the eye of the storm went straight over the island and our estate,' Mr Philp said This was on a whole other level the storm was far bigger and more powerful plus the eye of the storm went straight over the island and our estate.' The Fijian-Australian said the villagers still appeared to be in shock as they wandered around trying to dry what was left of their belongings. Their clothing was scattered and bedding torn to pieces, leaving them little opportunity to dry off and relax after the storm hit. 'Having dry clothes and a warm place to sleep was the priority. They hadn't even started cleaning up,' he said. 'There is still corrugated iron scattered from here to the hill tops and all over the beach its just nuts to think how much work is left to be done.' Despite the trying circumstances, Mr Philp's said the villagers remained spirited - with one particular man leaving a lasting impression. 'I was carrying supplies and this really animated man waved me over. He seemed in such good spirits but he told me he lost his son only a few days prior. It would have been heartbreaking for him but he said he was still working through it and just seemed happy to see people around as they had been quite isolated since the storm.' The Fijian-Australian said the villagers still appeared to be in shock as they wandered around trying to dry what was left of their belongings Their clothing was scattered and bedding torn to pieces, leaving them little opportunity to dry off and relax after the storm hit As he spoke to more and more villagers who had lost everything, he was moved by their strength of character and resilience in the face of widespread destruction. 'They are amazingly resilient. You and I are reliant on so many things - switches to turn lights on or mobile phones - you forget these people are already living with a certain level of deprivation and still, after losing the little infrastructure they have, they are smiling.' By the time the crew were wrapping things up the military and Red Cross had arrived to assess the damage, provide relief and to get the isolated villagers in contact with concerned family members abroad. Mr Philp said the priority now is to start establishing some housing and collecting water. He said the surviving people and animal's 'existence depends on it'. The 47-year-old said that while the military and Red Cross had started the clean up, relief efforts were far from over. 'Our head office in the capital - Suva only just got power back this morning. And our group of companies has 11 staff whose homes have been completely destroyed or partly destroyed.' 'You and I are reliant on so many things - switches to turn lights on or mobile phones - you forget these people are already living with a certain level of deprivation and still, after losing the little infrastructure they have, they are smiling,' Mr Philp said Experts in the Philippines plan to reconstruct the face of the mummified yachtsman found a drift in the Pacific to establish his identity beyond all doubt. Filipino authorities have also appealed to the daughter of the mummified mariner, believed to be Manfred Bajorat, to give them a DNA sample to confirm she has lost her father. It comes after police confirmed that Mr Bajorat died of a heart attack just one week before his body was discovered. Scroll down for video Family man: Filipino authorities have appealed to Nina Bajorat, the daughter of a German sailor discovered mummified in his yacht off the coast of the Philippines, to provide a DNA sample to identify the body Tragedy: The mummified body of Manfred Fritz Bajorat was found aboard his yacht, drifting in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Barobo town in Surigao del Sur Mystery: Mr Bajorat's body was found near to the radio telephone as if he was trying one last desperate Mayday call to save himself when he died 'The cause of death is acute myocardial infarction based on the autopsy by (the) regional crime laboratory,' national police spokesman Chief Superintendent Wilben Mayor said. 'The German national is estimated to have been dead for more or less seven days,' he added, citing a statement by police in the southern Philippines. But while photos and documents in his shattered yacht Sayo point to Mr Bajorat being the victim of sudden death on the high seas, police chief Mark Navales, said they still needed definitive proof to close the case. The police chief added: Everything aboard leads us to believe it is him, Manfred Bajorat, but we do need that extra bit of forensic detail. Manfred, 59, was found aboard his badly battered sailing boat floating off the coast of the Philippines last week. Fishermen who boarded the vessel found his corpse seated at the map table - one hand seemingly reaching for a radio telephone as if he were trying to make one last mayday call to save his life. Salt-air, high temperatures and strong winds had served to mummify his body and alter its identifying marks, including his torso, face and fingerprints. Chief Navales said that experts were hoping reconstruct his face and take his shrivelled fingerprints to aid in the identification process, reported German newspaper Die Welt. But the Filipino but said this could be by-passed with the help of Mr Bajorats 32-year-old daughter Nina. A friend of Manfred's, Reiner Kirschner (right), who first met Manfred (left) in the late 1980s, said his friend 'was a kind guy' who 'was lucky to have a wife who shared his passion for the sea' Authorities are trying to establish the last days of Mr Bajorat, who left a tribute to his late wife, Claudia, on a shipping forum. Pictured left, she is also believed to be pictured in a damaged photo album found on board the ship where Mr Bajorat was found A qualified sea captain herself, working for a freight shipping firm in the north German city of Hamburg, it is understood Nina has been in contact with German Embassy officials in the Philippine capital Manila. HOW DOES A BODY MUMMIFY ON THE OPEN SEA? Professor Frank Ruhli, Director of the Institute of Evolutionary Medicine at the University of Zurich explained to MailOnline how the mummification of the sailor's body might have come about. There are various ways that natural mummification can occur. Basically in most cases it is a dehydration of tissue, which causes a shrinkage of the cells,' he said. On the open sea, there are generally fewer insects than there are on land. The salt and salty air particularly can help to lead to natural mummification, and a steady air flow can be supportive too. Mummification starts within days, depending on temperature, salt content, level of humidity, bacterial level and air flow. Once the mummification is finished and there is no climatic change, the process of decomposition is stopped and the mummified condition can thus last almost indefinitely. The mummified hair is also dried out and thus stays as it is. There are several factors that can speed the process up, including heat, a steady air flow, salty air and lack of insects and bacteria. The mummification process can be at least partially completed within days, or can take up to several months to fully develop. With favourable conditions, this state of mummification could have been achieved within a few months, it looks like it has been quite fully mummified. Advertisement Mr Navales added: The best thing would be to have a DNA sample from Nina and we hope she can help out in this regard. The German Embassy has told us they have located Nina. When we have the information we need then finally his soul can rest in peace. One of the documents found aboard the yacht was a certificate which verified that Manfred and Claudia had crossed the equator together and were given nicknames to mark the ceremony. He was named tiger shark and she was angel fish. The Filipino authorities also plan to dismantle the yacht as part of their investigation into the death. The police chief said it was somewhat mysterious that more personal articles were not found one of the reasons that the boat is being taken apart by his officers to search for more clues. MailOnline revealed exclusively how former insurance salesman Manfred sold up his business in the western German state of North Rhein-Westphalia, to live the dream he shared with his wife Claudia to sail around the world. That dream came to an abrupt end in 2010 when his beloved wife died of cancer and was buried on the Caribbean island of Martinique. Chief Navales went on: If it is indeed Manfred Bajorat he died fulfilling his life-long dream. He wanted to sail the world. And he died thus. He achieved his goal. 'It was too early, he died seemingly quite suddenly. But if you want my opinion; for an ambitious sailor like him it was at the end, nevertheless, a good death. Better than suffering a long illness in a hospital somewhere. Manfred, who was born in Velbert, 14 miles from the state capital of Dusseldorf, learned to sail as a child when his parents took him on a holiday to Belgium. Manfred trained as an insurance salesman and in the late 80s he opened an insurance office in the old Ruhr industrial city of Wuppertal. He was, by all accounts, moderately successful, but the longing for the sea only grew stronger as he grew older. Police have said it was 'somewhat mysterious' that so few personal articles were found aboard the yacht, and so they are dismantling it as part of their investigation Filipino authorities have said the German Embassy has traced Ms Bajorat, and are appealing to her to provide a DNA sample to help in the investigation The sign screwed into a bulkhead reads: 'This is a swell ship for the skipper....but a hell ship for the crew' The vessel was found with tins and rubbish strewn around, with ageing photo albums that had seen severe water damage Manfred, who was born in Velbert, 14 miles from the state capital of Dusseldorf, learned to sail as a child when his parents took him on a holiday to Belgium. Photographs and documents were found in a weather-worn album found on the boat Reiner Kirschner, a friend of Manfred's, said of his erstwhile friend: 'He was a kind guy. He was lucky to have a wife who shared his passion for the sea. He often spoke about selling up and buying a yacht and sailing away, but who dosn't have pipe dreams? 'In 2004, I think it was, he told me that he was going to sell up and make the dream a reality. I admired him for it. 'Although he loved everything about living on water he was responsible enough to know that Nina needed a decent education so he remained registered in Twisteden while they all lived over the border in Holland.' Reiner went on: 'I really lost regular contact with him about 20 years ago. We kept in touch a couple of times a year after that, Facebook and the odd phone call. 'I think his daughter will be devastated at his death, but at the same time glad that, at least, he died in the boat he loved.' Following a post-mortem in the Philippines, a police spokesman told MailOnline that there was no evidence of 'foul play' and that the department believed he had died of natural causes. Manfred Fritz Bajorat, 59, was discovered by two fishermen aboard his yacht in the Pacific Ocean 40 miles off the coast of Barobo town in Surigao del Sur A photograph apparently discovered on board shows a woman holding a baby, possibly Manfred's wife Claudia with their daughter Nina, standing next to a boat being towed by a car Following the post-mortem, a spokesman from the Barobo police station told MailOnline that there is no evidence of 'foul play' Badly damaged photographs are the only testament to the life on land that Mr Bajorat sailed away from. But friends in his hometown of Twisteden have given insight into the man he was These photographs show memories of a happier time. Photographs found on board the boat are clues as to the kind of man Manfred was, and the loved ones he may have left behind Advertisement Forced to drink sewage water, brutally beaten by their owners and never seeing a vet - these are the brutal conditions endured by the horses forced to work pulling tourist carriages through Acapulco. Left to spend their days without food, tethered alongside drug addicts under the city's bridges, the emaciated animals are forced to work long hours after dark ferrying tourists around the streets of the Mexican Pacific Coast resort. 'I don't enjoy beating my horse, but sometimes he gives me no choice,' said Jose Alberto Ramirez, who charges tourists 10 for a 30-minute ride in his brightly-lit pumpkin carriage. 'You have to remember that these are wild animals and that the only thing they understand is violence.' Abuse: This horse is so severely malnourished and underfed that its ribs can be seen jutting out of its side. It is one of the many abused horses documented by Mexican animal rights organisation AnimaNaturalis Mistreated: The horses that are such a vital part of the tourist trade as underfed, viciously beaten and left to stand in the Mexican sunshine for many hours a day Starving: This starving horse is so thin his ribs and hip bones can clearly been seen. He also has sores covering his back and on his legs Suffering: They are then made to work for long hours after dark, dragging carriage-loads of tourists around the Pacific Coast resort Cashing in: Jose Alberto Ramirez is one of the horse owners charging tourists 10 for a 30-minute Cinderalla-style carriage ride for tourists in Acapulco Money-maker: Driver Jose Alberto Ramirez, who charges tourists 10 for a 30-minute ride in his brightly-lit pumpkin carriage, insists that he doesn't enjoy beating his horse but 'sometimes he gives me no choice' Mexico's government banned the use of animals for recreational purposes in 2015, putting an end to many of the country's circuses. And a flood of complaints of their treatment has prompted Acapulco's local government to consider banning horses from pulling Cinderella-style carriages from next year. They often become aggressive and try to bite me, if I left them anywhere else they could injure a tourist. Rafael Gonzalez, horse owner 'It's an unacceptable situation,' said Acapulco city spokeswoman Irving Avila. 'Not only is the practice of driving a horse down a four-lane carriageway extremely dangerous for the animal and passengers, but the living conditions of many animals defies belief.' Rafael Gonzalez leaves his four horses beside an river into which locals dump raw sewage. He often neglects to feed them and leaves them nothing to drink but the filthy water that flows past the trees to which they are tethered for 16 hours every day. 'They're my property and I have nowhere else to keep them,' Rafael told MailOnline when challenged on the conditions in which he keeps his animals. 'They often become aggressive and try to bite me, if I left them anywhere else they could injure a tourist.' 'They keep me up at night,' said Samuel Morno, a homeless drug-addict who takes shelter under the same bridge where Rafael's horses are left for 16 hours a day. 'But if living under a bridge is good enough for me, then it's good enough for them.' 'I barely even noticed the horse when I got in for a ride,' said one American tourist from Ohio who declined to be identified after stepping down from a brightly lit carriage pulled by a horse covered in scars and struggling to remain upright. 'If they don't treat their own animals with care then they don't deserve to keep them working.' Upsetting: Owner Rafael Gonzalez leaves his horses tethered for 16 hours a day beside an open sewer, often neglecting to feed them and with nothing to drink but the filthy water that flows past Foraging: A 2015 federal law in Mexico banned the use of animals for recreational purposes, putting an end to many of the country's circuses Scarred: This horse, pictured at a stables in Acapulco, Mexico, was branded with an 'R' by its owner who was laying claim to their property Desperate: This horse's head collar was so tight in has worn away at a patch of skin on its nose. It has been left to stand in an overgrown patch of grass between two houses Rubbish tip: Several horses can be seen wandering loose in an dirty enclosure littered with debris and old feeding containers Alone: Carriage-owner Rafael Gonzalez leaves his horses standing all day on a patch of land next to a dirty river littered with rubbish Thirst: Rafael's horses, kept on an untended patch of land under a bridge, have no choice but the drink the dirty water running past them Miserable: When challenged about the conditions in which he keeps his horses, Rafael told MailOnline that they're 'my property and I have nowhere else to keep them' Attraction: An American tourist said that if the drivers 'don't treat their own animals with care then they don't deserve to keep them working' Hard lives: Samuel Morno, a homeless drug-addict said if living 'under a bridge is good enough for me, then it's good enough for them' Not all the horses in Acapulco live in such abject conditions. Orlando Vallejo is the president of the town's horse-drawn-carriage drivers' union, an organisation which claims that mistreatment of a few drivers' animals will put them all out of business. 'We have our horses cared for 24 hours a day and they see a vet once every six months,' he told MailOnline from the compound where his 20 horses are kept, each provided with shade, fresh water and regular daily feeding sessions. 'We hold our own drivers to account over the state of their animals, but we can't speak for every driver in Acapulco,' he said. 'The few individuals who treat their animals like dirt are going to end up putting 200 people out of business.' Leader: Orlando Vallejo, pictured here at his stables in Acapulco, is the president of the town's horse-drawn-carriage drivers' union Treatment: Although he claims he horses are well-cared for, with good food and water supplies and access to veterinary care, this horse is seen to have an open and bleeding sore on its back after being bitten by another horse In pain: The chestnut stallion constantly spits at the wound to keep it from itching. Another of Orlando's horses had its hoof run over by a taxi, but has been forced to keep on working Despite his claims, not all of Orlando's horses are in the best condition. One chestnut stallion displays an open wound on its lower back after being bitten by another horse and continually spits at it to keep it from itching. The animal still hasn't been seen by a vet. Another, a spotted male named Dalmation, recently had his hoof run over by a taxi and nevertheless continued working. 'We plan to fight the ban, whether or not the government enters into dialogue,' said Magdaleno Liberado, the night caretaker in Orlando's yard, who is equipped with medicines to handle any problem the animals might present. Should the 2017 ban come into effect, Orlando's union plans to obstruct the city's main roads and stage a hunger strike in front of the mayor's office. 'They don't realise how many families depend on this business to survive,' said Orlando. The horse drawn carriage tourist attraction has been running along Acapulco's beach-side road since 1953 and is considered one of the highlights of the town's tourists attractions, second only to the cliff divers who launch themselves from over 30 metres into the foaming swell at the western end of the bay. Dependent: Magdaleno Liberado, the night caretaker in Orlando's yard, said the union plans to fight the ban, 'whether or not the government enters into dialogue' Working: According to Magdaleno, the local government has no idea how much the drivers need the tourist trade to feed themselves Tied up: A horse wanders as freely as it can around the dirty, unkempt patch of land, as it is tethered on a short rope to a tree AnimaNaturalis, an animal rights organisation which helped force the country's 2015 ban on using animals for recreation, says it is delighted with the actions of Mexico's government. Leonora Esquivel, AnimaNaturalis leader told MailOnline: 'These animals are not objects that can be used for the fleeting pleasure of humans and we are glad that Mexico's government has seen the suffering that such practices cause.' Despite the carriage drivers union's attempts to enter into dialogue with the government, the banning of their business on Acapulco's streets is set to come into force at the end of the year. 'The government says that when the ban takes effect they'll confiscate my animals without paying me a penny,' said Orlando. Mass murdered Anders Behring Breivik is suing the Norwegian state of his prison conditions, claiming that his solitary confinement is 'violating his human rights'. Breivik, who killed 77 people in 2011, claims he is a 'a victim of cruel and inhuman treatment' in Skien prison, 87 miles south-west of Oslo, where he has an entire cellblock to himself and access to a computer and a PlayStation. His lawsuit has been slammed by the Norwegian Attorney General, who says there is no evidence of the murderer suffering from his prison conditions. Murderer: Anders Behring Breivik, who killed 77 people in 2011, is suing Norway, claiming his solitary confinement in Skien prison, south of Oslo, is 'cruel and inhuman treatment' Breivik, 37, murdered 77 people and injured more than 300 - many of them teenagers - in July 2011, by detonating a bomb in downtown Oslo and carrying out a mass shooting on Utoya Island. The Norwegian Correctional Service denies Breivik is held in solitary confinement, preferring the phrase 'excluded from the company of other prisoners' - as he disposes of an entire block. At Skien prison, Breivik lives in three different cells - for living, study and exercise - between which he can move freely. He also access to a computer, which is not connected to the internet, as well as his own television and a PlayStation. The right-wing anti-muslim extremist is also free to take walks in a yard at his leisure and he can cook his own food and do his laundry should he so wish. 'Cruel and inhuman'?: Breivik has an entire cellblock to himself at Skien prison, with three cells, access to a computer and a PlayStation, as well as a yard and permission to cook his own food 'There is no evidence that the plaintiff has physical or mental problems as a result of prison conditions,' the Office of the Attorney General, the Norwegian state's legal office in civil lawsuits, wrote in a document sent to the Oslo District Court and released on Wednesday. Breivik was sentenced to 21 years' imprisonment with preventive detention in 2012, and has been kept in isolation since his arrest. There is no maximum time for how long he can be held in such 'extra high security', a Norwegian prison service official said. Breivik, whose case will be heard at Skien in two weeks time, argues the regime is degrading and is a breach of the European Convention on Human Rights. Breivik's lawyer says his client only has had contacts with professionals, such as prison staff, his lawyers and his mother, when she was alive, according to a separate court document published late on Tuesday. The Norwegian Attorney General has denied Breivik's claims, saying there is no evidence of the murderer suffering from the conditions under which he is being held at Skien (pictured) 'According to the information available, they (Breivik and his mother) only had five minutes together when they could hug each other,' it said. Breivik's mother died from cancer in 2013. The document also said Breivik's mail was being monitored to a degree where 'he doesn't feel he could form relationships through letters'. He considers this a breach of 'his right to respect for his private life and his correspondence', also part of the European Convention on Human Rights. Norway says control over prisoners' communication is not in itself a violation, because it could uncover information about the planning or commission of criminal offences. Breivik wrote in his extreme right-wing manifesto discovered after the killings that prisons were considered ideal recruitment places, the Attorney General's document said. A historic building that used to house members of the Royal Family and Sea Lords is now governed by Sharia law, MailOnline can reveal. Admiralty House is one of two more public buildings that are revealed today to operate under Islamic law following the revelations that government properties were quietly transferred to finance an Islamic bond scheme in 2014. In addition to two Department of Health buildings and the Department of International Development property on Whitehall, the bond scheme also covers Admiralty House and an unidentified building at 4-26 Webber Street in Southwark, south London. It takes the total number of government buildings that were transferred to fund the 200million Islamic finance scheme to five. Scroll down for video Five government buildings are operated under the code of Sharia law because they were transferred to finance an Islamic bond scheme in 2014 Admiralty House, part of which can be seen from this view of Horse Guards Parade, is one of the government buildings that were transferred to a 200million Islamic bond scheme in 2014 and subsequently must operate under the code of Sharia law Under the terms of the lease, the sale of alcohol is one of the activities banned on the premises because they must conform to Sharia law. George Osborne announced the move in June 2014 as part of an effort to make the UK a global hub for Islamic finance. But critics said the scheme would waste money and could undermine Britain's financial and legal systems by imposing Sharia law onto government premises. Due to the Islamic bond scheme known as Sukuk the ownership of the leases on the five government buildings have been switched from British taxpayers to wealthy Middle Eastern businessmen and banks. The money raised will be repayable from 2019. But instead of interest, bond-buyers will earn rental income from the Government offices because interest payments are banned in Sharia law. The Treasury agreed to make the Sukuk fully compliant with the code of Islamic law to ensure investors were not put off investing in the scheme, meaning each of the buildings used to finance the products must meet the terms of Sharia law, including the ban on alcohol. An unidentified building at 4-26 Webber Street (pictured) in Southwark, south London, is the fifth building to have been revealed to fall under the Islamic bond scheme New home? Plans were revealed for MPs to be rehoused in a temporary chamber in a courtyard in the Department of Health at 79 Whitehall (pictured) - opposite The Cenotaph - earlier this week It means Admiralty House - which overlooks Whitehall and Horse Guards Parade - and other public buildings under the scheme operate under the code of Sharia law. Opened in 1788, the eight-story building is now used as government offices but was once home to courtiers and members of the Royal family. WHY ARE WHITEHALL BUILDINGS GOVERNED BY SHARIA LAW? George Osborne (pictured) transferred government buildings to fund an Islamic bond scheme in 2014 In June 2014 George Osborne announced that Britain was launching the first Islamic bond scheme in the non-Muslim world. Three Government buildings in Whitehall were transferred to Islamic bonds, switching the ownership from British taxpayers to wealthy Middle Eastern businessmen and banks. The issue of bonds raised 200million and was the first carried out by a Western country. Osborne said it would turn the UK into 'the western hub of Islamic finance' and the 'undisputed centre of the global financial system.' But critics say the scheme would waste money and could undermine Britain's financial and legal systems by imposing Sharia law onto government premises. The bonds known as Sukuk are only available for purchase by Islamic investors. The money raised will be repayable from 2019. But instead of interest, bond-buyers will earn rental income from the three Government offices because interest payments are banned in Sharia law. The Treasury agreed to make the Sukuk fully compliant with Sharia law to ensure investors were not put off investing in the scheme, meaning each of the buildings used to finance the products must meet the terms of Sharia law, including the ban on alcohol. Advertisement It was later the official residence for the First Lord of the Admiralty, which included Sea Lords, Chancellors of the Exchequor and other members of the nobility. More recently it was the grace-and-flavour apartment for the former Defence Secretary Liam Fox and the ex-deputy prime minister John Prescott. Lord Prescott's affair with his secretary, Tracey Temple, is believed to have started in his Admiralty House office and apartment in 2002. Ukip MP Douglas Carswell said news of the latest buildings to be uncovered as operating under the Islamic bond scheme is proof that the Government 'withheld the truth about the number of public buildings the Treasury has put into the hands of Islamic financiers'. Ukip's Parliamentary spokesperson Suzanne Evans told MailOnline: 'When he launched his sharia finance scheme, the Prime Minister said he would welcome 'the involvement of industry in developing this initiative'. 'He made no mention of the fact funding would be actually be raised by handing over the leases of publicly-owned, government buildings. He's been less than transparent and the public will rightly be angered by this.' Revelations that government buildings were being governed by Sharia law first emerged in January, when it was revealed that MPs could be forced to stop drinking alcohol if they are temporarily rehoused in the Department of Health while the Palace of Westminster undergoes essential repairs. The building - at 79 Whitehall opposite the Cenotaph - is one of the buildings that have been transferred to the Islamic bond scheme. A Treasury source told MailOnline that two other buildings under the scheme are Wellington House in Lambeth - a second Department of Health site - and 22-26 Whitehall, home to the Department of International Development. Confirming that alcohol is one of the banned activities in the buildings under the Sukuk bond scheme, a Whitehall official told The Times newspaper: 'It's true. If MPs want to use Richmond House they'd better give up any hopes it will include a bar.' A spokesman for the joint committee on the Palace of Westminster, which is overseeing the refurbishment of Parliament, said the committee is 'aware that Richmond House is under a bond'. Tory MP Andrew Bridgen said he was outraged to discover that parts of Whitehall was being ruled by Islamic law. 'I do find it unbelievable government buildings are governed by Sharia law,' he told MailOnline. 'I don't see the bars as being an essential part of Parliament but it's the principle that matters. 'Most of our constituents will be absolutely amazed that the principle could ever have been authorised.' News that moving to the Department of Health premises would bar MPs from drinking alcohol was the latest in a series of stumbling blocks encountered by Parliamentary authorities as they search for a new home while a 4billion worth of repairs is carried out on the building, which is riddled with asbestos, leaking ceilings and rodents and was described as a 'death trap' by one close to the refurbishment plans. A Treasury source has now told MailOnline one of the other buildings in the bond scheme is a Department of International Development property at 22-26 Whitehall (pictured) Wellington House in Lambeth (pictured) was also transferred to the 200million Islamic bond scheme The Palace of Westminster has dozens of bars and restaurants, where MPs, peers, staff and other passholders can enjoy pints for as little as 2.90. The cheapest and quickest option for refurbishing the Palace of Westminster would require MPs to temporarily move out of the building for up to six years. A specially-made chamber built in the courtyard of the Department of Health just 100 yards down the road from the Palace of Westminster is the preferred option among MPs. Remaining close to the palace would be the most convenient option for government ministers, who would continue to work in Whitehall departments and must be held accountable to Parliament. Moving MPs to a courtyard in the Department of Health is popular with some MPs because it could easily be integrated into the current Parliamentary estate. Barred: MPs have been warned that drinking will be banned if they move into the Department of Health site because it must conform with Sharia law The proposal to move to the Department of Health is among the most popular because it is housed just 100 yards from the Commons entrance and many MPs' offices are in the adjacent building at 1 Parliament Street. But MPs would not be allowed to drink alcohol in the premises because it comes under the terms of Islamic law It is located next to 1 Parliament Street and Porcullis House, where many MPs' offices are housed, meaning many could go to vote in the temporary chamber without leaving the estate and avoiding security concerns. Department of Health staff would have to move out of the offices in Richmond House at 79 Whitehall while a temporary chamber is built. An independent report commissioned by Parliament estimated that the revamp would cost more than 7bn and take 32 years to complete if politicians did not move out of the building temporarily. But the costs could be halved to an estimated 3.5billion and take just six years if MPs and peers agree to a temporary new home. A Treasury spokesperson said: 'As the government set out clearly in 2014, three government buildings are being used to underpin the government's Sukuk bond, Richmond House, 22-26 Whitehall and Wellington House. Christopher Wheeler had been sentenced to 50 years in prison on child pornography charges Delaware's Supreme Court has overturned the conviction of a former prep school headmaster sentenced to 50 years in prison on child pornography charges. In a ruling Wednesday, the court said search warrants obtained by police investigating Christopher Wheeler, 55, were unconstitutionally broad. Wheeler was convicted last year on 25 counts of dealing child porn. He waived his right to a jury trial after a judge denied a defense request to suppress evidence seized by authorities. Wheeler is former headmaster at Tower Hill School in Wilmington, whose graduates include former DuPont Co. CEO Ellen Kullman, U.S. Sen. Chris Coons and television personality Dr. Oz. Wheeler's attorney, Tom Foley, argued that authorities improperly used possible witness tampering as an excuse to obtain warrants allowing them to search Wheeler's computers, cellphones and other digital devices. Wednesday's ruling follows a January court hearing in which the justices expressed serious concerns about the validity of the search warrant that led to Wheeler's arrest in 2013. 'The subject of this prosecution is an unsympathetic figure. And the sexual exploitation of children is a dreadful scourge in our society,' Justice Karen Valihura wrote for the court in a 43-page ruling. '...There is always a temptation in criminal cases to let the end justify the means, but as guardians of the Constitution, we must resist that temptation.' Valihura said that because the state and federal constitutions mandate that the trial judge's refusal to suppress evidence must be reversed, Wheeler's convictions cannot stand. Wheeler was arrested after police, prompted by allegations of sexual abuse for which he was never charged, searched his home and office. Wheeler (seen left and right) was convicted last year on 25 counts of dealing child porn. He waived his right to a jury trial after a judge denied a defense request to suppress evidence seized by authorities Wheeler is former headmaster at Tower Hill School in Wilmington, Delaware (pictured) Authorities purportedly were looking for evidence of Wheeler's communications with Pennsylvania brothers who, in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky scandal at Penn State University, contacted Wheeler about their alleged molestation several decades ago. In reply to a letter from one of the brothers, Wheeler apologized for the pain he had caused, saying, 'I did those things.' 'I'll wait to hear from you about further appropriate steps towards resolution and restitution,' Wheeler added. Defense attorney Tom Foley argued that nothing in Wheeler's correspondence or meetings with the brothers suggested, and no allegation was ever made, that he had tried to intimidate them or prevent them from reporting the alleged abuse to authorities. Foley and the American Civil Liberties Union, which filed its own brief in the case, also noted that the computer containing child pornography images for which Wheeler was convicted had last been turned on 10 months before the Pennsylvania brothers began communicating with him in July 2013. Tower Hill School graduates include U.S. Sen. Chris Coons (left) and television personality Dr. Oz (right) In addition to challenging the search warrant, Foley said prosecutors never proved that Wheeler ever downloaded or looked at any images of child pornography, which he said were automatically cached to Wheeler's computer from newsgroups to which he had subscribed. A spokeswoman for Attorney General Matt Denn said the Delaware Department of Justice had no comment on the ruling. Foley, whose appeal was supported by the Delaware chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, said the ruling 'reinforces that a search warrant is not meant to be an EZ Pass for law enforcement to conduct boundless searches.' 'In the same spirit that the 4th Amendment prohibits the search of one's bedroom drawer or medicine cabinet when police are searching for a stolen motorcycle or stolen TV, that fundamental principle applies when police seek a search warrant for one's computer and digital devices,' Foley said in an email. Commentator Andrew Bolt has done a complete about turn again - but this time it's because too many people are agreeing with him on social media. After slamming Cardinal George Pell for failing to protect vulnerable children who were abused at the hands of notorious paedophile priest Gerald Ridsdale, he is now backing the cleric. Bolt - who at first referred to Cardinal Pell as the 'victim of a vicious witch hunt' - then changed his tune by proclaiming Pell had 'stained his reputation forever', only to revert back to defending the under fire clergyman again on Thursday. Writing in the Herald Sun, the columnist puts his latest change of heart down to 'running with that pitiless pack called journalists'. Most notably however, he was agreeing with journalists who he usually slams, and been praised for it on Twitter. Scroll down for video Commentator Andrew Bolt, who earlier had slammed Cardinal George Pell for failing to protect vulnerable children who were abused at the hands of a notorious pedophile priest, is now defending the cleric Bolt was sent to Rome to cover the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, and his criticism of Cardinal Pell soon got him some rare acclaim on social media. 'My God, it was sweet. For once, I trended on Twitter with praise, not venom. For once, I appeared on TV panel show where everyone else agreed with me,' he said in Thursday's column. 'For one giddy day, I felt the joy of being a David Marr or a Robert Manne, praised for the fury of my sanctimonious denunciation of a man I had reduced to the crudest caricature. 'Former NSW premier Kristina Keneally even tweeted, in rare admiration, that I had been more savage on Pell than she.' He argued that he jumped ship because 'a journalist defending Pell is a unicorn in this media pack'. Bolt had initially called the coverage on Cardinal Pell 'shameful, disgusting and frightening'. But after the Cardinal described the prolific sexual abuse of children at a Victorian parish 'a sad story' that 'wasn't of much interest' to him, Bolt proclaimed he had 'stained his reputation forever'. 'His fate was sealed. That quote will be hung around Pells neck forever. The priest who went by the book, not the heart,' Bolt wrote in an article published in the Herald Sun on Wednesday. He goes on to explain the systematic failure of church leaders to act when Risdale was moved from parish to parish after being identified by members of the church and community as a child molester in the 1970s and 1980s. Mr Bolt, who was sent to Rome to cover the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, had previously said Cardinal Pell had 'stained his reputation forever', but changed his tune on Thursday When the cardinal described the prolific sexual abuse of children at a Victorian parish 'a sad story' that 'wasn't of much interest' to him, Bolt proclaimed he had 'stained his reputation forever' He went on to explain the systematic failure of church leaders to act when Father Gerald Risdale (pictured) was moved from parish to parish after being identified by members of the church and community as a child molester in the 1970s and 1980s The conservative commentator, who has reportedly secured an exclusive interview with the Cardinal, questioned if Dr Pell, who he labels the 'prince of the Catholic Church', had been 'dangerously indifferent to his responsibilities' or simply a liar who is now protecting himself. Bolt cites a shocking instance where a 14-year-old boy, Paul Levey, who he incorrectly named Paul Levi, was allowed to live with the paedophile after the parents of an abuse victim had complained to Dr Pell's superior, bishop Ronald Mulkearns, about his unsavoury behaviour. He went on to assert that the best that Dr Pell's 'defenders' could argue is that the cardinal had been happy to blindly follow orders and not seek out abused children who desperately needed his care. 'How Pells supporters would have choked on one of his final answers yesterday about the responsibility of priests to the children being molested by his colleagues. Cardinal Pell arrives at the Quirinale hotel in Rome to give evidnece via video link to the Royal Commission sitting in Sydney Bolt cites a shocking instance where a 14-year-old boy, Paul Levey (centre) was allowed to live with the vile paedophile Bolt went on to assert that the best that Dr Pell's 'defenders' could argue is that the cardinal (pictured right, with Risdale) had been happy to blindly follow orders and not seek out abused children who desperately needed his care He has a moral responsibility to do what is appropriate to his position. 'Really? Nothing more?,' Bolt asked. However, in February, the conservative columnist penned an article on Dr Pell for the Herald Sun claiming that he had been vilified by the people who were victims of sexual abuse as children in the Ballarat diocese and those who defended their right to be heard, like comedian Tim Minchin. 'People pretending to be moral have competed with each other to slime Pell as the defender of paedophiles, if not a paedophile himself,' he wrote. 'There is no mercy and no attention to the facts. There is just the joy of hatred,' he added. He went on to say that the Cardinal had been a 'target for the Left' as he is conservative and had defended traditional marriage and attacked global warning 'alarmism'. In February, Bolt penned an article on Pell for the Herald Sun claiming that he had been vilified by the people who were victims of sexual abuse as children in the Ballarat diocese 'There is no mercy and no attention to the facts. There is just the joy of hatred,' he said of the victims speaking out against Pell (pictured Dominic Ridsdale, Phil Nagle, Paul Auchettl, David Ridsdale, Tony Waroley, Stephen Woods and Peter Blenkiron - survivors and relatives of sex abuse by priests) Bolt, who reported from Rome, also used his time on air as a 'Sky News contributor' to point out 'incorrect allegations' against the Pell from victims and relatives of victims, stating that Dr Pell needs 'more benefit of the doubt.' 'We have to remember that in these cases of these priests we're talking about, (Pell) was not in the position of authority over them, he was not in the direct line of communication. There are allegations that some people told him but at least three or four of those allegations are clearly not right,' Bolt said on Sky News. 'He was in Oxford for a year when one victim's brother said he warned Pell There's a lot of claims but I'm not sure there's the smoking gun about his direct knowledge.' The cardinal resumed his evidence in Rome on Thursday morning. Assuming the role of 'Sky News contributor', Bolt has spent much of his time on air defending Pell and speaking against 'the enormous hate campaign' against the cardinal Last month Bolt wrote a column for News Corp proclaiming: 'Cardinal George Pell is the victim of one of the most vicious witch hunts to disgrace this country. It is shameful. Disgusting. Frightening' we could see more scenes like this With more hot weather on the way The five-year-old koala was released back into the wild after testing Curious koala in Adelaide stops cyclists in the middle of the road for water A curious koala stopped a group of cyclists in the scorching Australian heat as it searched for water on the side of the road. An adorable picture shows the koala climbing up the wheel of a bike, in the Adelaide Hills on Tuesday, before one of the men held out his water bottle to the outgoing marsupial. Koala Coordinator of Fauna Rescue South Australia, Merridy Montarello, said it's not an unusual sight. 'Koalas are incredibly trusting of humans and they've got a very good sense of smell. They can smell the water and that's why they often approach,' Ms Montarello said. Scroll down for videos Cyclists shared their water with a very curious five-year-old 'Carolina' in the Adelaide Hills on Tuesday On Wednesday the mercury in Adelaide soared to 33 degrees. The hot and dry conditions mean there's less moisture in the leaves, which is why koalas turn to humans for help. With a warm March ahead, we could see similar situations occurring again, Ms Montarello said. The cyclists monitored the koala as it guzzled water for around 30 minutes before they called the Koala Rescue Hotline. Ms Montarello said her initial concern was that the koala was sick: 'Sometimes if a koala is drinking non-stop for an extended period of time it can indicate kidney problems'. They took the koala in for testing and a check-up but found the five-year-old female to be in perfect condition. She was named Carolina, after one of the cyclists partners and was released back into the wild on Wednesday after being tagged so they can keep an eye on her. After extensive testing a smiley 'Carolina' was found to be in great health and was released back into the wild on Wednesday With summer conditions sticking around for Autumn, pet-owners are urged to keep animals cool Koalas lovely thick coat works well to keep them warm in winter, but it can also overheat them on a hot day. Weatherzone Meteorologist, Tristan Meyers said Autumn weather conditions won't arrive too abruptly. 'All capitals have a good chance of experiencing a hotter-than-average March,' Mr Meyers said. He added that the next two weeks in particular are expected to feel more like summer over the south-east of the country. 'We are currently seeing the development of a heatwave across the southeast, spanning parts of South Australia, New South Wales and Victoria,' Mr Meyers said. 'The capitals of Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney and Adelaide will be very warm for most of the next fortnight. 'This heat is significant due to how late in the season this is occurring.' Weekend Weather Friday Brisbane: Possible shower. Min 21, Max 30. Sydney: Partly cloudy. Min 22, Max 29. Canberra: Afternoon shower or two. Min 15, Max 33. Melbourne: Partly cloudy. Min 17, Max 28. Hobart: Mostly sunny. Min 15, Max 25. Adelaide: Mostly sunny. Min 17, Max 36. Perth: Mostly sunny. Min 15, Max 27. Darwin:Possible shower or storm. Min 26, Max 35. Saturday Brisbane: Possible shower. Min 21, Max 31. Sydney: Sunny. Min 21, Max 30 Canberra: Possible shower developing. Min 15, Max 35. Melbourne: Cloudy, Min 17, Max 26. Hobart: Mostly sunny. Min 15, Max 26. Adelaide: Very hot. Min 19, Max 39. Perth: Sunny. Min 14, Max 29. Darwin: Possible shower or storm. Min 27, Max 34. Sunday Brisbane: Possible shower, Min 21, Max 30. Sydney: Cloud Clearing. Min 21, Max 30. Canberra: Sunny. Min 16, Max 34. Melbourne: Partly cloudy. Min 19, Max 32. Hobart: Possible shower. Min 13, Max 25. Adelaide: Partly cloudy, Min 23, Max 35. Perth: Sunny. Min 16, Max 31. Darwin: Shower or two, possible storm. Min 26, Max 33. Advertisement Fauna Rescue South Australia urge anyone in the public that lives near koala populated areas to leave water out in flat tray (so they can't tip it over), to give it a spray with cold water, or to place a wet towel over its back. If the koala stays down on the ground for the entire day, it may be unwell, so call your local wildlife rescue service. A man who had just been released from jail burglarized a Texas home, stole a cache of guns and fired into the air before hiding in a drainage ditch and ambushing responding officers, fatally wounding one of them, police said. Police Chief Mike Brown said David Hofer, 29, who was among the officers responding to the 'shots fired' report at JA Carr Park in Euless, spotted movement in the ditch and ordered the person to come forward. Jorge Brian Gonzalez, 22, then rose and opened fire on the officers, fatally wounding Hofer before the other officers brought Gonzalez down with multiple gunshots, Brown said. Scroll down for video Police said Jose Brian Gonzalez, 22, of North Texas burglarized a house, stole a cache of firearms including rifles and handguns, fired gunshots in the air, hid in a drainage ditch and ambushed responding officers This Facebook post from January 30 last year shows Euless Police Officer David Hofer, dressed in his uniform, proposing to his girlfriend Marta Danylyk. He was killed in the line of duty during Tuesday's shootout Gonzalez had been arrested Monday on a public intoxication charge and was released late Tuesday morning after being sentenced to community service, Brown said. After that, Gonzalez forced his way into a house on a street adjoining the park, leaving with guns that he took to the park and fired several times, Brown said. Three officers were dispatched about 3 p.m. to the park where Gonzalez had taken cover in a drainage ditch, Brown said. 'It is our belief, based on the facts known to us, that the suspect took this position to ambush the responding officers,' he said. Brown later added, 'In my honest opinion, he was there to do as much damage to the responding officers as he could possibly do.' The park is in a residential area near an elementary school, and two nearby schools were placed on lockdown until the situation was resolved. Brown said Gonzalez did not appear intoxicated at his court hearing Tuesday, but was calm and responsive. That is at odds with what his family contends. Jorge Antonio Gonzalez, the gunman's father, described his son to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram as a drug addict who was high on methamphetamine when he was jailed. The elder Gonzalez said Hofer had been called to the family's apartment before and knew his son. Brown said he could not confirm that. The father was remorseful for his son's actions but also questioned why he was released from jail if he was still under the influence of meth. 'It's their fault,' Gonzalez said. 'Why would they let him out when he was on that stuff?' Police said Gonzalez (pictured in an earlier mugshot) had been arrested on a public intoxication charge on Monday and was released late Tuesday morning after being sentenced to community service. Hofer was fatally wounded after the suspect opened fired before officers brought him down with multiple gunshots Jorge Antonio Gonzalez (pictured) the father of the younger Gonzalez said he was remorseful over the actions of his son but also questioned why he was released from jail if still under the influence of meth Tarrant County court records show the younger Gonzalez had a lengthy criminal record that included charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and threatening family members. On Wednesday, many people remembered Hofer by leaving flowers, stuffed animals and other items in front of the Euless police station, with some saying a quiet prayer before leaving. Euless Mayor Linda Martin called Hofer an 'ambassador for the community' who received eight letters of commendation in his two years on the force, according to CBS DWF. The Euless Police Benevolence Organization has set up an account for those wishing to donate funds in memory of Hofer and in support of his family. On Wednesday, a 911 call regarding the reports of fired shots was released, with a woman claiming she heard four gunshots. Hofer, a husband-to-be who had proposed to fiancee Marta Danylyk in his uniform last year, had responded to reports of shots fired around 3pm yesterday near J.A. Carr Park. Upon arrival, the suspect immediately fired at the officers, fatally striking Hofer. Officers returned fire and the suspect - who was not immediately named - died of multiple gunshot wounds. The young couple had bought a house together in Plano and had moved in just before Christmas DFW Airport Police officer Robert Woodward kneels in front of a makeshift memorial for Officer Hofer at the Euless Police Department Wednesday on Wednesday Flowers are placed at foot of the statue along with a note that reads in part 'on my knees praying for our community' On Wednesday, many people remembered Hofer by leaving flowers, stuffed animals and other items in front of the Euless police station, with some saying a quiet prayer before leaving Several phone videos captured the chaos, showing cops surrounding the park and commanding the suspect to drop to the ground. Footage obtained by the Dallas Morning News captured the sound of four quick gunshots followed by another three, then shouting. After a few more single shots, someone can be heard shouting: 'Put your hands up! On your knees! Witness Nelson Leka told WFAA News 8: 'About three police officers were running around the corner holding guns, and I noticed they were chasing something, someone.' Hofer was rushed to Baylor Scott & White Medical Center in Grapevine, but he died in surgery. He had served in the NYPD for five years before coming to Euless in 2014. He graduated from Saint Ann's High School in Brooklyn, New York and was a 2008 graduate of New York University. The New York Post reported Hofer, the son of European immigrants, previously worked in the 9th Precinct on Manhattan's Lower East Side. Euless police pictured at the scene of the fatal shooting in JA Carr Park on Tuesday. Several phone videos captured the chaos, showing cops surrounding the park and commanding the suspect to drop to the ground Officers pictured at the scene after the fatal shooting. Footage obtained by one local station captured the sound of four quick gunshots followed by another three, then shouting Hofer had responded to reports of shots fired at J.A. Carr Park (pictured), which is close to Oakwood Terrace Elementary school A Facebook post from January 30 last year showed Hofer, in his uniform, proposing to his fiancee Marta Danylyk on one knee with a huge grin on his face. The couple had purchased a house in Plano, Texas, in November, public records show. They moved in just before Christmas after sharing an apartment together, neighbor Julie Kilgore said. She told the New York Daily News: 'They were just starting their lives together, really.' His fiancee was out of town at the time of the incident and had to be called home and given the devastating news. His mother, Sofija Hofer, said: 'He was a wonderful child, a wonderful police officer. 'He was working this very difficult precinct and he had a lot of traumatic experiences... so he decided to go to a safer place.' She said her son had wanted to write a book about his experience with the NYPD. Officers had responded to reports of an armed gunman around 3pm yesterday near J.A. Carr Park, in Texas Hofer was rushed to Baylor Scott & White Medical Center in Grapevine, but he died in surgery 'I thought he might be a scientist, like his father, but he always wanted to be a policeman, ever since he was a little boy,' she said. In a statement following the officer's death, Euless police chief Michael Brown said: 'This community will not forget David's servant heart and dry wit.' 'Euless is one big family,' Mayor Linda Martin added. 'Honestly, I'm having trouble controlling my tears.' Hofer is survived by his parents, fiancee, sister and brother, city officials said. He is the second officer to die in the line of duty in Euless, a suburb of more than 53,000 residents about 17 miles west of Dallas and 15 miles east of Fort Worth. In a new memo, Hillary Clinton's super PAC is needling Republicans for underestimating the GOP frontrunner while reassuring supporters that 'the threat of a Donald Trump presidency' is being taken 'seriously' 'The political malpractice committed by the Republicans when it comes to Donald Trump was avoidable and Priorities will not make the same mistake,' wrote Priorities USA Action's Co-Chairman and Chief Strategist Guy Cecil in a public memo dated today. 'You can't ignore Donald Trump, you can't hope someone else will take care of him, and you can't beat him by becoming him (sorry Marco),' Cecil said. Cecil, listed as someone in Clinton's 'inner circle' by Influencer16.com, said the super PAC, which Clinton inherited from President Obama, has been readying to go up against Trump since last summer, when the billionaire announced his unconventional bid. Scroll down for video The Hillary Clinton-aligned Super PAC Priorities USA Action said the Republicans committed 'political malpractice' for not going up against Donald Trump - and that it wouldn't be making the same mistake Priorities USA Action plans to hit Donald Trump (pictured) on his 'business record, temperament, and penchant for sexism and racism' 'His business record, temperament, and penchant for sexism and racism are out of step with most Americans and we will be prepared to take that fight to him,' Cecil wrote. 'Donald Trump has selfishly championed his own interests at the expense of everyone around him workers, women, and people of color, just to name a few,' the Clinton insider continued. 'He has repeatedly made sexist and offensive comments about women, and has a history of flying off the handle, which isn't the temperament we need in a commander in chief,' Cecil added. The Super PAC is also there to spend money on Clinton's bid though not conjunction with her campaign, of course but Cecil warned of simply just throwing money at the problem. 'As part of that commitment, we will distinguish ourselves from Republican Super PACs by making smart, targeted investments, and taking the threat of a Donald Trump presidency seriously,' he wrote. Cecil also discussed the role that Super PACs have in the bigger picture of the campaign, pointing to failed bids like that of Jeb Bush where the Super PAC essentially was the campaign. 'If theres one lesson to be learned during this primary season, its that Super PACs cant replace good campaigns, but they can support and enhance them,' he said. On the Clinton campaign side of things, Bill Clinton reportedly also views Trump as a big threat. He was among those advising his wife's campaign who suggested a run against the Republican frontrunner would be no cake walk. Bill Clinton 'dismissed those conclusions as denial,' wrote the New York Times, in a story outlining the former secretary of state's general election strategy, which plans to focus on many of the same issues that could be problematic for Trump. Bill Clinton (left) was among those advising Hillary Clinton's campaign (right) who said that Donald Trump would be a formidable opponent in the general election if both frontrunners are nominated Donald Trump is not your typical presidential candidate and so the Clinton campaign is trying to figure out how exactly to beat him in the general elections if both campaigns succeed She'll have the challenge of running against a non-traditional political outsider who bested 16 other Republicans in a year where the electorate is angry and ready for change while being one of the most familiar names in politics for more than two decades. 'Hillary has built a large tanker ship, and she's about to confront Somali pirates,' Matthew Dowd, the former chief strategist to President George W. Bush's 2004 campaign told the Times, of the candidates' two different styles and operations. That's where Bill Clinton comes is as he'll be deployed to be the mouth that takes on Trump. Letting Bill Clinton off the leash will help suck up some of the air time from Trump, who has excelled at dominating the election news cycles. Trump, this week, laughed at Clintonland's plans to label him as a misogynist, one of several attack lines the Clintons are expected to deploy. 'If Bill tries to portray me as a sexist, he's going to have a hard time,' Trump said on Fox & Friends. The Republican has already had no qualms with bringing up Bill Clinton's sex scandals from the '90s and hinted that he would do so again. Dowd also warned of this problem in contrasting the styles of Clinton and Trump. 'Can you imagine what he'll do?' Dowd mused. She will bring up equal pay for women and abortion rights, he told the Times, 'and [Trump will] turn to her and say, 'You can't even handle your stuff at home.'' But Clinton has another powerful surrogate in her pocket the sitting President Barack Obama. Obama, according to the Times report, 'has told allies he would gleefully portray Mr. Trump as incapable of handling the duties of the Oval Office.' It was Obama, too, NBC's Chuck Todd pointed out last week, who's had the most luck against Trump and it was in one of the most unlikeliest of venues. Nearly five years ago, in front of an audience of thousands and C-SPAN's viewers at home, Obama mocked Trump at the podium of the White House Correspondents' Association dinner. Trump had been beating the birther drum, suggesting that President Obama had been born in his father's home country of Kenya, instead of in the United States in Hawaii like he was. The Donald had also been testing the waters thinking of launching a 2012 presidential bid and was invited by the Washington Post to attend the 2011 dinner. Obama, who had been forced to publicly release his long-form birth certificate, suggested that Trump was happy to put the issue behind them. President Obama took on Donald Trump in a memorable White House Correspondents' dinner roast. 'Ultimately you didn't blame Lil Jon or Meat Loaf, you fired Gary Busey,' Obama said. 'And these are the kinds of decisions that would keep me up at night' Ted Cruz tried to execute a similar line against Donald Trump mocking his reality show past at the last Republican debate in Houston, but the attempt fell flat 'And thats because he can finally get back to focusing on the issues that matter: Like, did we fake the moon landing? What really happened in Roswell? And where are Biggie and Tupac?' Obama mused. 'All kidding aside,' the president continued. 'Obviously we all know about your credentials and breadth of experience.' Obama then detailed a recent episode of Celebrity Apprentice in which the men's cooking team did not impress the judges from Omaha Steaks. 'And there was a lot of blame to go around,' Obama noted. 'But you, Mr. Trump, recognized that the real problem was a lack of leadership, and so ultimately you didn't blame Lil Jon or Meat Loaf, you fired Gary Busey.' 'And these are the kinds of decisions that would keep me up at night,' the president smugly added. While the comedy act seemingly dashed Trump's presidential hopes that cycle, when Ted Cruz, who won three states in last night's Super Tuesday primaries, deployed a similar attack at the GOP debate last week in Houston, it fell flat. That could signal that not even a good line could down The Donald. 'I really find it amazing that Donald believes that he is the one who discovered the issue of illegal immigration,' Cruz began. 'I can tell you, when I ran for Senate here in the state of Texas, I ran promising to lead the fight against amnesty promising to fight to build a wall.' 'And in 2013, when I was fighting against the "Gang of Eight" amnesty bill, where was Donald?' Cruz asked the debate audience. Joke had backlash on Twitter with some calling it 'tasteless and unfunny' Caption refers to a racist misconception about people of Jewish descent She wrote 'A Jew with horns' before she corrected it to 'A Jew with 2 horns' Comedian tweeted a picture of herself with a clarinet and saxophone player Comedian Amy Schumer is facing backlash over a 'tasteless' Jewish joke. Known for her brash, no holds-barred comedy, Schumer's latest tweet has left her facing accusations of racism. The 34-year-old Trainwreck star had posted a picture of herself standing in between two tall musicians, one a clarinet player and the other a saxophonist, on Twitter. It was captioned 'A Jew with horns.' Shortly afterwards she tweeted again to correct herself, saying: 'My bad. I meant to say 'A Jew with 2 horns'. The 34-year-old Trainwreck star had posted a picture of herself standing in between two tall musicians, one a clarinet player and the other a saxophonist, on Twitter. It was captioned 'A Jew with horns' Shortly afterwards she tweeted again to correct herself, saying: 'My bad. I meant to say 'A Jew with 2 horns' The caption refers to a racist stereotype about Jewish people. On Twitter, the joke received a mixed reception with some branding it 'tasteless and unfunny.' Cal Rothgib warned that some would be 'highly offended' by the gag while Froot Salid was outraged by the comedian's attempt at humor. 'This is a disgusting attempt at humor,' he wrote. 'It's like making a slavery joke. Tasteless and unfunny.' This is not the first time Schumer, who was brought up Jewish, has come under fire over her offensive stand-up material. This is not the first time Schumer has come under fire over her offensive stand-up material She was accused of racism following last year's MTV Movie Awards where she joked that Latina women were 'crazy.' Referring to the thriller Gone Girl, she described the film as 'the story of what one crazed white woman, or all Latinas do ,if you cheat on them.' Responding to criticism online, she wrote on Twitter that she was a 'dirty half-Jew' and warned she would joke about subjects 'you aren't comfortable with.' 'And that's OK. Stick with me and trust I am joking,' she added. The comedian was born to a Jewish father and Christian mother. Latino men have also received the Schumer treatment when she joked that she used to date Hispanic guys, 'but now I prefer consensual (sex).' Another joke in her routines includes 'Nothing works 100 percent of the time, except Mexicans.' The comedian has previously defended her offensive jokes, telling the Washington Post she had a 'blind spot for racism' and would play up to an idiot persona by saying 'the dumbest things possible.' On Twitter, the joke received a mixed reception with some branding it 'tasteless and unfunny' She was also accused of being insensitive in 2011 at a comedy roast soon after the death of Jackass star Ryan Dunn where she appeared to mock his passing to his friend Steve-O. Schumer told Steve-O: 'I'm sorry for the loss of your friend Ryan Dunn.I know you were thinking, 'It could have been me,' and I know we were all thinking 'Why wasn't it?'' The joke was met with boos from the audience. Her latest gag, labeling herself a Jew with two horns, referred to medieval belief that Jewish people had literal 'horns.' The belief can be traced back to a misinterpretation the horns come from the Vulgate version of a passage in the book of Exodus. It refers to Moses returning from communing with God with 'qaran' on his head. Interpreters have argued the Hebrew word does not mean horns in this context but rays of light similar to a halo. The myth became more popular after Michelangelo carved his famous sculpture of Moses with horns from the misinterpreted text. Anti-Semites used the horn story to fuel racist rumors and fears that Jewish people were linked to the devil - who is often depicted with goat-like horns. Cardinal George Pell says it was a 'disastrous coincidence' that five pedophiles ended up at the one Victorian school and parish in the 1970s and described it as one of the very worst places for abuse in Australia. Four pedophile Christian Brothers taught at St Alipius Boys' School in Ballarat and notorious pedophile priest Father Gerald Ridsdale was the school's chaplain in 1971. 'I think it was a disastrous coincidence,' Cardinal Pell told the child abuse royal commission on Thursday from Rome. Edward Dowlan, who the commission has heard evidence about this week, was teaching at St Alipius alongside Robert Best, Stephen Farrell and Gerald Fitzgerald. Scroll down for video Four pedophile Christian Brothers taught at Ballarat East's St Alipius Boys' School and notorious pedophile priest Father Gerald Ridsdale (pictured) was the school's chaplain Cardinal Pell said he did not believe the Christian Brothers meant to put those people together. 'I think their leadership in this area is pretty disastrous but I wouldn't for a minute think that they put all these people together for some specific purpose,' he said. Cardinal Pell said he had nothing to do with St Alipius school although he lived in the St Alipius presbytery, which he shared with Ridsdale and another priest for nine or 10 months in 1973. 'I lived there, I helped out at the weekends,' he said. 'And of course I regret that that situation was there and that I didn't have the information to do something to help. 'All those things at that stage were hidden to nearly everyone in the parish.' Barrister Jim Shaw in his questioning of Cardinal Pell on Wednesday noted that Ballarat was the very heart of the Ballarat diocese and the epicentre of clergy abuse in the 70s. 'It was one of the very worst places in Australia,' Pell responded. Cardinal Pell has maintained he did not know about pedophile priests in Ballarat, where he was a priest and advisor to Bishop Mulkearns in the 1970s, and the episcopal vicar for education in diocese schools. Edward Dowlan (pictured), who the commission has heard evidence about this week, was teaching at St Alipius alongside Robert Best, Stephen Farrell and Gerald Fitzgerald in 1971 Ridsdale has been jailed for abusing 53 children but is the subject of 78 abuse claims to the diocese He told the commission this week he had heard 'unfortunate rumours' about Dowlan who abused children at several schools in the diocese but said he was not concerned when Dowlan was moved from one school to another because he did not know the exact accusations against him. 'More than 40 years ago I did not think that was unusual or inappropriate,' he said. Dowlan was jailed in 1996 for abusing 11 boys between 1971 and 1982 in Ballarat, Geelong and East Melbourne. Christian Brother Robert Best was jailed for 14 years and nine months in 2011 after pleading guilty to abusing 11 schoolboys he taught between 1969 and 1988. Stephen Farrell was convicted in the 1990s for indecently assaulting three boys and received a suspended three-month sentence. He was again given a suspended three-month sentence in 2014 when a different victim took action. One of Farrell's victims was Philip Nagle, now 50, who told the royal commission last year that 12 of 33 classmates had committed suicide because of the sexual and physical abuse that took place at the school. One of Father Stephen Farrell's victims Philip Nagle (circled) claims 12 out of the 33 of pupils in a photograph of his 1973 Year 4 class went on to commit suicide because of the sexual abuse that took place at the school Cardinal Pell said he had nothing to do with St Alipius school although he lived in the St Alipius presbytery, which he shared with Ridsdale and another priest for nine or 10 months in 1973 One of Farrell's victims was Philip Nagle, now 50, who told the royal commission last year that 12 of 33 classmates had committed suicide because of the sexual and physical abuse that took place at the school. Phil Nagle (pictured here with another victim Peter Blenkiron) is currently in Rome to hear Cardinal Pell give evidence at the child abuse royal commission Mr Nagle, who is currently in Rome to hear Cardinal Pell give evidence, shared a photo of his 1973 Year 4 class to show that 12 pupils had since killed themselves. At the end of his testimony at the commission, he asked for a minute's silence to honour his 12 fellow classmates. 'If more of my classmates come forward, the less of them will commit suicide (in the future). Because the ones not coming forward are the ones who are killing themselves. Twelve in my class committed suicide,' Mr Nagle told Daily Mail Australia. Mr Nagle said that some did it indirectly after years of alcoholism and drug use, because they couldn't deal with what was done to them. 'Some of them didn't even make it to 50 years of age, some didn't even make it to 40. They reach a breaking point and can't handle it anymore,' he says. Mr Nagle was repeatedly sexually assaulted by Farrell who was his teacher at the time. 'Only three victims of Farrell have come forward myself, my brother and another victim. From this he has 10 convictions. But because the likes of Risdale and Best had many victims who came forward and Farrell didn't, he got off lightly,' he said. Gerald Fitzgerald was the only one not to be convicted of child sex abuse. He died in 1987 while he was being investigated but the royal commission has been told 15 boys say they were abused by Fitzgerald between 1950 to 1975. Cardinal George Pell says it was a 'disastrous coincidence' that five pedophiles ended up at the one Victorian school and parish in the 1970s and described it as one of the very worst places for abuse in Australia Some youngsters who have already started a course of treatment will now face delays for booster shots and will not be fully protected (stock photo) Stocks of the lifesaving meningitis B vaccine ran out in private clinics yesterday meaning no child over the age of one can get the jab in Britain. Some youngsters who have already started a course of treatment will now face delays for booster shots and will not be fully protected. The desperate shortage emerged as health officials refused to extend the NHS vaccination programme to toddlers and older children, rejecting a petition backed by 820,000. Many clinics had increased the price of the vaccination in the wake of the renewed focus on meningitis B. But yesterday, the Mail could not find a single private clinic in the UK offering the drug. David Cameron was forced to defend his Governments refusal to budge on the issue, insisting the risk peaks among young babies. But as parents were forced to consider seeking the vaccine abroad, it also emerged that: The drugs manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline told clinics to reserve stocks for children who had already started a course; Surgeries said they had been inundated with calls from parents who are now unable to get children immunised; Some practices warned there would be delays in completing courses of treatment that have already begun The Commons Petition Committee said it will hear the case for extending the NHS vaccination programme later this month, before the issue is debated in Parliament. The rush for vaccination follows the release of shocking pictures of two-year-old Faye Burdett, who died of the deadliest form of the infection last month. Children under the age of one have been vaccinated on the NHS since last year but those born before May 2015 are excluded from the programme. Until now, parents of older children were able to pay privately for the vaccine at prices which have risen to up to 750 for a course of three jabs. But now nearly all private stocks in Britain have run out, and the remaining vaccines have been reserved for children who have already started a course. The NHS supply is ring-fenced and is unaffected by the shortage but the lack of stocks means it would unlikely to be able to extend the programme to older children, even if the Government agreed. Meningitis, an inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord, strikes quickly. This means that by the time it is spotted it is often too late to treat it effectively. Last night, a petition to get the NHS to fund the vaccine for children under 11 had gathered nearly 820,000 signatures, making it the most signed in Parliamentary history. I'D GO ABROAD TO GET JAB FOR MY THREE-YEAR-OLD Emily Wood with her two children, Martha, aged 6 months and Hugo, aged 3 Emily Wood would like to go abroad to have her son vaccinated against meningitis B after stocks ran out here. Her daughter Martha, six months, will be immunised for free on the NHS but she cannot get the jabs for her son Hugo, three. The 39-year-old, from Swindon, decided to get her son vaccinated after her friend posted a message about Faye Burdetts death. I would like to go abroad to get the jab if I could afford it, she said. Meningitis B is my one worry as a mother. My son had a scare when he was young so I want him to have the jab. Its not just the number of deaths its also the damage it does to children who lose limbs and have learning difficulties. Last week she found that private clinics had increased the price of the vaccine amid the rush for the treatment. Mrs Wood, married to husband Neil, 39, said she was planning to set up a petition to force the Government to regulate the price that private suppliers can charge for the meningitis B jab. Advertisement But in its response to the petition, the Department of Health said its priority was to vaccinate children considered most at risk from meningitis B. It said it was following guidance from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, which advises on the cost-effectiveness of vaccinations. Addressing the Commons during Prime Ministers Questions, Mr Cameron said: The incidence of highest risk does occur in babies of five months and of the 276 children contracting meningitis B last year over 100 were under one year of age. I think we need to look at all the evidence carefully as do the expert bodies that advise us, recognising that Britain has already taken some very important steps forward by being the first country to vaccinate in this way. Last night, charities, campaigners and MPs said the shortage of the vaccine was shocking. Many clinics posted online messages saying they had run out. Despite the shortage of the drug in Britain, other countries including Germany, France and Italy have plentiful supplies costing far less than at some private clinics in Britain. Conservative MP Ian Liddell-Grainger, member of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Child Health and Vaccine Preventable Diseases, said: Parents will be worried sick about getting their child vaccinated and its absolutely shocking that private clinics have run out of stock, The Meningitis Research Foundation said it was disappointed by the Governments response. A spokesman said: Meningitis is every parents nightmarethe Governments cost-effectiveness calculations simply do not take this level of concern into account. Nearly 400 patients a day are being admitted to hospital with the silent killer sepsis, new figures reveal. Numbers have surged by 50 per cent in five years, partly fuelled by the crisis in antibiotics resistance. The rise has also been blamed on more patients undergoing invasive surgery and other procedures which may do more harm than good. Sepsis numbers have surged by 50 per cent in five years, partly fuelled by the crisis in antibiotics resistance (stock photo) But experts say the Government and NHS have been too slow to take urgent action to improve public awareness, diagnosis and treatment. A damning report in January exposed how sepsis claimed the life of one-year-old William Mead after it was missed by staff operating the 111 helpline. And a separate investigation this week revealed how a nine-year-old boy had died from the condition after being sent home by doctors with a mild chest infection. Sepsis occurs when the bodys immune system goes into overdrive as it tries to fight an infection. It is referred to as the silent killer because without very rapid treatment it can lead to organ failure and death. The condition can strike previously healthy patients of all ages, but is most common in young children, pregnant women, the elderly and those with underlying illness. Latest figures show there were 141,772 admissions for patients with sepsis recorded in 2014/15, a 54 per cent increase from the 91,881 recorded in 2010/11. But in the East and West Midlands they have increased by 78 per cent over the same period, according to the Health and Social Care Information Centre. Separate estimates show the condition claims 30,000 lives a year more than breast and prostate cancer but there are no exact figures. Experts say the rise was down to a combination of reasons, including resistance to antibiotics, the aging population and more patients undergoing surgery and chemotherapy, which make them more susceptible. But they have accused the Government of being slow to act and failing to raise awareness amongst the public and NHS staff. A scathing report by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman two-and-a-half years ago called for urgent action over concerns that too many healthy patients were dying needlessly. Heidi Alexander, Labours shadow health secretary, said: These figures show why it is so important the Government takes action to improve the quality of sepsis care in the NHS. We have seen in recent months the tragic consequences of when the NHS fails to detect or treat sepsis in time. Ministers were warned back in 2013 that more needed to be done to improve awareness of sepsis and the quality of care patients receive, but progress has been slow. Experts say the rise was down to a combination of reasons, including resistance to antibiotics, the aging population and more patients undergoing surgery and chemotherapy, which make them more susceptible (stock photo) Julie Mellor, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, added: We are still seeing too many tragic cases of sepsis not being diagnosed or treated properly. Thats why its so important that action is taken to improve early diagnosis and treatment of sepsis by training staff, producing clear guidelines and raising public awareness of this deadly condition. Dr Ron Daniels, chief executive of the Sepsis Trust charity, said there needed to be a proper register of cases and survival rates. We need to be able to understand whats happening and compare organisations, he said. He said sometimes doctors were too invasive by offering surgery to very elderly patients, which may trigger sepsis. Dr Daniels, a consultant in critical care at the Heart of England NHS trust in the West Midlands, also said the rise may be partly due to the crisis in antibiotics resistance leading to more patients developing untreatable infections, triggering their immune systems to go into overdrive. Dr Stephen Brett, president of the Intensive Care Society, said the warning signs of sepsis should be included in the National Curriculum and taught to children at school. These include a high temperature, shivering and a rapid heartbeat and breathing. A woman who jumped out of the boot of a moving car after being 'bound and gagged' has died. Jindarat Prutsiriporn, 50, a Thai national living in Auckland, New Zealand, escaped from a moving car on Monday evening. A witness saw her collapse on the road after falling out of a silver sedan, before the vehicle sped off. Ms Prutsiriporn died about 11pm on Wednesday in Middlemore Hospital, the NZ Herald reported. Jindarat Prutsiriporn, 50, a Thai national living in Auckland, New Zealand, has died in hospital The woman who jumped out of the boot of a moving car after being 'bound and gagged' and was identified by her dolphin tattoo (pictured) Police are said to have have ruled the possibility of a domestic incident and are instead investigating organised crime groups, including Asian gangs. The NZ Herald reported the woman had links to the criminal underworld. Police will release her name on Thursday following a post-mortem. The silver sedan the woman is believed to have escaped from is yet to be located, and police are also hunting for the driver. Despite having her hands and legs bound and a tie around her neck, the 50-year-old woman managed to open to boot of a car with a metal pole. The 50-year-old Thai woman was in critical condition in hospital after jumping out of the boot of a moving car while bound and gagged on Huia Street (pictured) in Papatoetoe, Auckland The incident unfolded on Monday night when witness Jay Shah noticed the car boot of a silver sedan pop open and a woman collapse onto the road Earlier a witness, Jay Shan, told The NZ Herald he saw the woman bleeding and 'frothing at the mouth' after she escaped from the vehicle. He managed to untie the woman's wrist restraints, before a group of onlookers standing on Huia Street ran over to assist helping remove the tight piece of cloth around her neck. Mr Shah said the woman was struggling to breathe and was bleeding from the nose before police arrived. She was reportedly holding a small metal pole that may have been used to open the car boot from the inside. It is believed the car continued driving down Huia Street toward Motatau Road. It is unknown whether the driver of the sedan knew the woman had escaped from the boot Counties Manukau Police shared a post on their Facebook page on Wednesday afternoon informing the public they had identified the woman. 'She is a 50-year-old Thai woman who resides in Auckland,' the post read. 'Her immediate family has been informed and have said they do not wish to be contacted by media.' A witness in the car behind the silver sedan called emergency services after seeing the woman collapse onto the street and police continue to investigate. The Koch brothers, the most powerful conservative mega donors in the United States, will not use their $400 million political arsenal to block Republican front-runner Donald Trump's path to the presidential nomination, a spokesman told Reuters on Wednesday. 'We have no plans to get involved in the primary,' said James Davis, spokesman for Freedom Partners, the Charles and David Koch's political umbrella group. He would not elaborate on what the billionaire industrialists' strategy would be for the Nov. 8 general election to succeed Democratic President Barack Obama. Scroll down for video No bad day for Trump: Donors and media reports have speculated since a Koch brothers summit in January that they would launch a 'Trump Intervention,' but that is now off the cards Donors and media reports have speculated since a Koch brothers summit in January that they would launch a 'Trump Intervention,' which would involve deploying the Kochs' vast political network to target the billionaire businessman and former reality TV star in hopes of removing him from the Republican race. Many Republican party elites and business backers are eager to see Trump, a political outsider who has tapped into America's rising anti-establishment sentiment, fail in his bid for the nomination. But with Trump racking up a series of sizeable wins in the early nominating contests, there is a growing sense of inevitability he will win the party's mantle. Three sources close to the Koch brothers, who oppose Trump's protectionist trade rhetoric and views on immigration, said the Kochs were concerned they had not yet seen any attack on Trump stick. The brothers are also smarting from the millions they pumped into the 2012 Republican presidential bids of Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney, only to see both candidacies fail, the sources said. The move will come as a blow to some within the Republican establishment who had been hoping to enlist significant financial support in an effort to stop Trump. The influence of the Koch brothers, on top of the strength of their arsenal, would have been a significant boost to any 'dump Trump' insurgency. But there is increasing feeling within the party that it woke up to the threat posed by Trump far too late to be able to counter it. That was tacitly acknowledged by Mitch McConnell, who the New York Times reported has given permission to senators to run advertising distancing themselves from Trump in the run-up to elections. Meanwhile Paul Ryan, who as House Speaker is the most senior figure in the party and will chare the July convention in Cleveland, Ohio, which will anoint the White House candidate denounced Trump for not more forcefully disavowing an endorsement from Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke. 'This party does not prey on peoples prejudices,' Ryan said. Opposed in principle: Koch brothers David (left) and Charles (right) do not agree with Trump on trade or immigration but sources say they are concerned no attacks on the billionaire have stuck When Trump celebrated his Super Tuesday victories and took questions from reporters in Florida, he was asked about the push back he was receiving from Ryan and others on Capitol Hill. 'I'm going to get along great with Congress, OK?' Trump said. 'Paul Ryan, I don't know him well, but I'm sure I'm going to get along great with him.' 'And if I don't?' Trump said. 'He's gonna have to pay a big price, OK?' And Lindsey Graham, the South Carolina senator who dropped his own White House bid, has also called for action against Trump, saying that he would back Ted Cruz. 'Ted Cruz is not my favorite by any means,' he told CBS. 'But we may be in a position where rallying around Ted Cruz is the only way to stop Donald Trump, and I'm not so sure that would work.' The comments came as the #NeverTrump hashtag spread across Twitter. Romney, the Republican nominee four years ago, announced plans to speak on the 'state of the 2016 presidential race' Thursday in Utah. The former Massachusetts governor has moved aggressively to take on Trump in recent days, saying the billionaire's unreleased tax returns might contain 'bombshells'. However, he was not expected to endorse a candidate or announce a late entry into the race himself. The best hope the establishment have for defeating Trump is to keep him from getting a majority of delegates in the primary cycle so that the convention is used to determine the winner. However such a move - known as a brokered convention - would be hugely risky. The last Republican brokered convention was in 1948. Plane debris believed to be from missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 was discovered by an American blogger funding his own investigation into the aircraft's disappearance. The object was found on a sandbank in the Mozambique channel, which separates the African continent and Madagascar, by MH370 enthusiast Blaine Alan Gibson. The piece of metal, thought to be part of the plane's horizontal stabilizer, is now being sent to Australia for testing, officials said on Thursday Scroll down for video Plane debris believed to be from missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 was discovered by a blogger The object, thought to be part of the plane's horizontal stabilizer (seen on the tail of this Boeing 777), was found on a sandbank in the Mozambique channel Blaine Alan Gibson (pictured) has self-funded his own searching for missing aircraft Mr Gibson, a lawyer and blogger, has been undertaking his own search travelling to remote islands in the Indian Ocean searching for any clues about MH370 since it disappeared in March 2014. Chairman of the Institute of Civil Aviation of Mozambique, commander Joao de Abreu Martins, told CNN that Mr Gibson and a local fisherman had found the plane part. Measuring 130 centimetres by 55 centimetres, the piece of metal is likely from a Boeing 777, according to officials. 'It never occurred to me that I would find something like this here. It's almost like a dream,' Mr Gibson told CNN. 'I don't know if it's from 370 or another plane. Whatever it is, even if it's not from 370, it raises awareness that people need to look for stuff on beaches,' he added. Lawyer and blogger Blaine Alan Gibson and a local fisherman found the piece of metal Measuring 130cm by 55cm, the piece of metal is likely from a Boeing 777, according to officials The discovery is being analysed by investigators from Malaysia, Australia and the U.S The only other piece of debris confirmed to be from MH370, which went missing in March 2014, was found on an island on the other side of Madagascar in July. The debris will be tested by officials in Australia, with help from Malaysian authorities and representatives of manufacturer Boeing Co. 'It is too early to speculate on the origin of the debris at this stage,' Australian Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester told parliament. However, the piece was found in 'a location consistent with drift modelling commissioned by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau', he said. Meanwhile, the family of Capt. Zaharie Ahmad Shah, the senior pilot of MH370, has pleaded for people not to place blame on him for the aircraft's disappearance. 'Please do not judge him based on theories....don't blame him unless there is evidence,' Mr Zaharie's sister Sakinab Shah said. 'I want to say that (he's) innocent until proven guilty. That is the mantra of modern civilization.' Ms Shah said it was 'very convenient' to make him the scapegoat to absolve the airline from claims or protect the Malaysian government from possible cover-ups and U.S. airline manufacturer Boeing from losing business. 'When the search (for the plane) revealed nothing, they came back to this theory, but it's only a theory,' Ms Shah said. 'If you have nothing tangible and nothing by way of evidence, it's tantamount to predicting he is guilty until proven innocent. This sets us back in the Dark Ages.' Allegations that he was a jihadist, or suicidal over a marital breakup, or that he doomed the aircraft in a political protest do not square with his family's memories of a kind, generous and happy man, his eldest sister said. The only other piece of debris confirmed to be from MH370, which went missing in March 2014, was found on an island on the other side of Madagascar in July (pictured) Officers carrying pieces of debris washed ashore in Saint-Andre de la Reunion, eastern La Reunion island, which was later confirmed as being from MH370 The 'rogue pilot' theory has been a focus of investigations after the Malaysian government said the plane was deliberately steered off course, but authorities have found no evidence linking Zaharie or his co-pilot, Fariq Abdul Hamid, to any wrongdoing. The news of the possible plane part comes nearly two years to the day since the disappearance of the Malaysia Airline's flight, which vanished enroute from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board. Last July a two-metre-long wing part known as a flaperon washed up on a beach on the island of Reunion, located in the Indian Ocean, across Madagascar from where the latest debris was found. French authorities subsequently confirmed 'with certainty' two months later than the wing part found on the remote island was from MH370. Tests were carried out on the flaperon, which was found on La Reunion in July, by the French body responsible for civil aviation accident investigations. The 6ft-long wing flap washed up 3,500 miles from the doomed jet's last-known location, fuelling hopes across the world that one of aviation's greatest mysteries could finally be solved. Last month, a large chunk of metal found washed up on a Malaysian beach in the Gulf of Thailand was believed to be from MH370, but was soon dismissed as being from a Japanese rocket. It was the second time January that Malaysian authorities dismissed speculation that wreckage from the jet had been found, after a similar piece of ocean debris recovered from a beach in Southern Thailand proved not to be from MH370. The news comes nearly two years to the day since the disappearance of the Malaysia Airline's flight, which vanished enroute from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board. The wages of low-paid workers would rise if Britain left the EU, the chairman of the campaign to remain in Europe admitted yesterday. Lord Rose, the former boss of Marks & Spencer, told MPs that ending free movement would mean less competition for Labour, so pay would go up. But the Tory peer who floundered during a bruising encounter with the Treasury select committee insisted this was 'not necessarily a good thing' for the economy. Lord Rose (pictured), the former boss of Marks & Spencer, told MPs that the wages of low-paid workers would rise if Britain left the EU because ending the free movement would mean less competition for labour Lord Rose, the chairman of Britain Stronger in Europe, has already attracted derision for forgetting the name of his own organisation four times during a photocall last month. And yesterday he was accused of using 'blatantly misleading' figures in his campaign to keep Britain in, which claimed the benefits of EU membership were worth 3,000 a year to every UK household. Select committee chairman, Tory MP Andrew Tyrie, pointed out that the figure was based on an average of various reports dating back to 2002, and some did not even apply to the UK. Lord Rose admitted the figure as a 'quick and dirty' calculation. But the peer's most sensational intervention was to concede that wages for the low-skilled which studies show have been driven down by free movement from Europe would rise if Britain left. Asked by Labour MP Wes Streeting whether it would be reasonable to assume there would be wage increases if free movement ended, Lord Rose replied: 'If you are short of labour, the price will go up, so yes. That's not necessarily a good thing.' UK ANARCHISTS FAN VIOLENCE Migrants fighting in the Jungle camp in Calais British anti-borders anarchists are fanning disorder at the Jungle camp in Calais, a French government official claimed yesterday. Fires raged and violence broke out after migrants marched through the site carrying placards, some with their lips sewn together, to protest against a third day of demolition. Regional prefect Fabienne Buccio, 56, blames much of the chaos on British political activists, whom she says have 'no real concern' for migrants and instead 'manipulate and mislead them'. She believes members of the 'extremist' No Borders group are setting fire to tents and throwing stones in incidents mistakenly attributed to migrants. Mrs Buccio added that the anarchists are 'dangerous' and said one police officer had his hand broken in five places. UKIP MEP Mike Hookem, who was inspecting the Jungle, said he had 'every belief that it was so-called British anarchists involved with the fires'. Three alleged No Borders members including Tobias Caruana, 30, a former children's entertainer from Wallington in south London were arrested on Monday suspected of setting fire to huts but have been released. All three insist they are aid workers. Advertisement Robert Oxley, a spokesman for Vote Leave, said: 'The BSE campaign have been found out after campaigning using 'dishonest' figures, selective quotations and ludicrous claims about trade and jobs. People recognise that Project Fear is built on hollow bluster rather than hard facts with the in-at-all-costs brigade trying to hide the risks of remaining in the EU.' The In campaign's executive director Will Straw claimed the economy would be 'on its knees' without immigration, with shortages of workers providing public services. Mr Tyrie savaged the BSE's 3,000 claim as 'dodgy' and 'a scandalous abuse of data'. He urged the group to remove the figure from campaign literature, saying continuing to use it would be 'intellectually dishonest'. Lord Rose stood by the figure which was produced by the employers' organisation, the CBI, in a review of several pieces of academic research, but he said he had not read the papers in question in full. Mr Tyrie who has not publicly declared which way he will vote in the June 23 referendum but who is known to be a Eurosceptic said the most recent of the five studies relied on by the CBI was ten years old and the oldest dated back to 2002, while some did not apply to Britain. He also attacked the assertion that 3 million jobs would be at risk if Britain voted to leave, saying the 'overwhelming consensus of economists is that these claims are bogus'. Lord Rose's comments came as the Office for National Statistics said mass immigration may be holding down wages. ONS figures show that growth in average earnings has slowed over the past few months, despite record levels of employment. It said the changing shape of the workforce might be to blame because the number of low-paid employees had surged. Ruth Lea, a pro-Brexit economist at the Arbuthnot Banking Group, said it was likely the huge pool of foreign labour was keeping pay in check. 'If you increase the supply of labour you will depress wages in the same part of the labour market,' she said. 'We know a lot of the increase in the labour force has come from EU immigration, and almost inevitably this will depress average wages. A backpacker has been charged with assaulting police after refused to stop singing the song 'Hey Baby' on a night out. Joshua Duffy was one of the patrons at Hotel Bondi, in Sydney's east, having a quiet beer on Sunday night when backpackers started singing along to Stand By Me by U.S. soul singer Ben E. King. Security guards asked the group in the beer garden to stop but they refused and continued singing the next song that came on, a version of DJ Otzi's 2000 hit Hey Baby. A backpacker has been charged with assaulting police after refused to stop singing the song 'Hey Baby' on a night out at Hotel Bondi in Sydney's east At this point, police were called and Mr Duffy wrote on Facebook: 'Six police cars [pulled] up and absolutely tore the place apart.' 'Girls being tackled, guys trying to explain themselves in the face of batons,' he said. 'Absolute senseless misuse of power because a group of people were singing love songs in a pub. That was insanity.' Mr Duffy also added he had not seen people 'having so much fun together in a venue like that in a long time'. After police showed up, a scuffle began and it eventually spilled onto the street, Mr Duffy told Daily Mail Australia. 'Bodies were being thrown onto the ground, one girl was pushed, another police car rocked up and some police officers came out with batons,' he said. Joshua Duffy was one of the patrons and posted about the incident on Facebook on Sunday night 'Half the people were caught up in the action, the other half were trying to figure out why it escalated so quickly. 'Some people were standing up for their girlfriends or boyfriends. One of the guys arrested, his girlfriend was pushed over by one of the security guards.' Police confirmed to Daily Mail Australia they had been called to the pub at 11.15pm on Sunday after 'a group of about 15 intoxicated patrons refused to leave after being directed by security'. She said security guards had received noise complaints in relation to the group. The spokeswoman said officers approached the group and asked them to leave, but they continued to drink. A version of DJ Otzi's 'Hey Baby' was played. An Irish backpacker, 27, allegedly punched a security guard as well 'When police attempted to remove the group they resisted, verbally abusing and assaulting police and security,' she said. 'Police called for further officers to assist due to the size of the group.' During the incident, a 27-year-old man, from Ireland, was arrested by police for allegedly 'punching a security guard and grabbing a police officer by the throat'. The rest of the group was then dispersed by police. The Irishman was taken to Waverley Police Station where he was charged with assaulting police and resisting arrested. He was granted conditional bail and will appear at Waverley Local Court on March 16. Jackdaws stealing straw have pulled the 100,000 re-thatched roof of an historic National Trust building to pieces. Wooden falcons, spinning decoys and other devices to scare them off have been outwitted by the birds who seem to be taking straw for fun as only a small amount is used for nests. National Trust building surveyor Karl Papierz said: We dont know why they are doing this. They only take a few bits for nesting most is simply pulled and discarded. Wooden falcons (circled in red), spinning decoys and other devices to scare the jackdaws off have been outwitted by the birds who seem to be taking straw for fun as only a small amount is used for nests They even pile it up to make a ledge they can use to stand on and pull out more. We have wondered if they are finding food but we cant see any signs of them finding anything. Two-thirds of the roof at 17th century Grade I-listed Tithe Barn now a museum in Avebury, Wiltshire, was re-thatched in 2013. The 100,000 project replaced the long straw used for the original roof, which had deteriorated with age. Six months later the birds swooped, targeting only the new straw. Mr Papierz said: We have tried many solutions but the jackdaws eventually come back. The jackdaws (pictured nesting close to the barn) have not been put off by the decoy falcons (right) Mr Papierz added: It looks good and the building is water-tight once more but six months afterwards the jackdaws started to pull the straw. We have coated the thatch to deter the jackdaws, we have used decoys. Weve tried a double layer of netting over the thatch but they still manage to pull the straw through it. We even took some of the netting off so they had nothing to grip onto when they land on the roof. We have tried everything we can and, while we win for a period of time, they eventually come back and start pulling straw again. Im beginning to tear my hair out. Its so frustrating. Two-thirds of the roof at 17th century Grade I-listed Tithe Barn now a museum in Avebury, Wiltshire, was re-thatched in 2013 Jackdaws are member of the corvid family including crows, ravens, rooks, jays and magpies which can perform tasks that three and four-year-old children struggle with. Their mental dexterity was noted 2,500 years ago in Aesops fable about the thirsty crow that drops stones in a pitcher to raise the level of water inside. The scenario was repeated in laboratory conditions in Cambridge four years ago and the crows did exactly as the ancient Greek author described proving they have causal reasoning, or the awareness that one event leads to another. Thatcher Ed Coney, who repaired the roof in 2013, described the damage as soul destroying. We did the job and were very proud of it and everything was fine and then slowly its been pulled to pieces, he said. The 100ft barn is currently being protected by a layer of netting suspended a few inches above the thatch by metal supports and tensions wires. Teenage girls in Australia say that online sexual harassment is 'endemic' and more than 50 percent have been pressured into sending 'sexy pics', according to a new survey. The survey, funded by anti-domestic violence group Our Watch and child rights' agency Plan International, shows that a worrying number of Australian girls aged between 15 and 19 have been the subject of online abuse. It also revealed a number of girls were concerned about the harmful influence pornography was having on young boys and men. A new survey has revealed some Australian teenage girls are concerned about the harmful influence online pornography is having on young boys and men 'We need some sort of crack down on the violent pornography that is currently accessible to boys and men ... This is influencing men's attitude towards women and what they think is acceptable,' said one 18-year-old girl who took part. Responses from 600 Australians teenage girls found seven out of ten believe online harassment and bullying is endemic. More than half of the teenagers interviewed said they had felt pressured to to take 'sexy' photos of themselves and share them online - despite 81.5 percent saying they did not believe it was fine for a boyfriend to ask for a nude picture. Worryingly, 44 percent of girls said they did not feel comfortable reporting online abuse, either. Susanne Legena, deputy chief executive at Plan International Australia, described the findings as alarming and 'dangerous'. Susanne Legena, deputy chief executive at Plan International Australia 'Australian youth are some of the world's most digitally literate, using smartphones, laptops and tablets at very young ages, yet this survey shows the online world has also become a platform in which Australian young women and girls face abuse and harassment.' Almost 60 percent of the girls surveyed said they had received unwanted indecent or sexually explicit material, such as texts, video clips and pornography. The chief executive of Our Watch, Mary Barry, said the report's findings underlined the importance of continued respectful relationships education in schools. 'Evidence suggests the best way for schools to address and prevent all forms of bullying - including cyber-bullying and harassment - is through a systematic whole school approach which not only provides in-class education, but addresses the school culture, policies and procedures, and promotes gender equality within the staffing body,' she said. More than one third of survey respondents said they would like more comprehensive education about sexuality and respectful relationships at schools. Several suggested their should be more discussion about the harms of online pornography, the report said. '[I want] Better education regarding sex for both boys and girls [and] information about pornography, and the way it influences harmful sexual practices,' a 15-year-old woman said. Mary Barry, chief executive of anti-domestic violence group Our Watch, says a systematic whole school approach is needed to address online harassment Culture Secretary John Whittingdale (pictured) said that ad-blocking software - which edits out online adverts is depriving British websites of legitimate income, and could drive them out of existence Ad-blocking companies are a modern day protection racket which could kill off newspaper websites, the Culture Secretary claimed yesterday. John Whittingdale said that ad-blocking software - which edits out online adverts is depriving websites of legitimate income, and could drive them out of existence. Quite simply if people dont pay in some way for content, then that content will eventually no longer exist. And thats as true for the latest piece of journalism as it is for the new album from Muse, he said. Some of the ad-blocking companies are drawing up their own rules of acceptable advertising or offering to white list providers in return for payment. Many see such practices as akin to a modern day protection racket. Ad blockers are used by around nine million people in Britain, and the softwares popularity is nearly doubling each year. They affect newspaper websites, social networks, search engines and streaming services, which all rely on advertising revenues. Mr Whittingdale stopped short of saying he would ban ad-blockers altogether, but he called a meeting with Facebook, newspaper websites and ad-blocking firms to try and find a solution. However, ad blocking is far from the only threat newspapers currently face. They are also having their wings clipped by the BBC, according to a Government-backed report published this week. Newspapers lose out on 8.2million of advertising revenues each year because the BBC publishes so much soft news online, the study by consultancy Oliver and Ohlbaum said. For every mother who has put up with disapproving looks while breastfeeding in a cafe away from home, hope could be here. Starbucks has become the first high street retailer to be granted parent friendly status by the National Childbirth Trust (NCT). Around 800 branches of the coffee chain will display the Parent Friendly Places badge in their windows, showing they have committed to ensuring a supportive environment for parents. Under the scheme, the stores must ensure parents are welcome and supported to feed their child either by breastfeeding, using a bottle or in a high chair. Baristas will also be trained in how best to accommodate parents. Under the scheme, the stores must ensure parents are welcome and supported to feed their child either by breastfeeding (stock photo) The NCT said it hoped the agreement with Starbucks would pave the way for other high street chains becoming more family-friendly. Its charter means the coffee chain must commit to providing a warm welcome to families, a place to feed without judgment and promise assistance from staff in finding seats or carrying equipment. Dr Sarah McMullen, of the NCT, said: We know from our members that many struggle with unwanted attention and comments on their feeding method, whether its by breast, bottle or in a high chair, when out and about with their baby or child. Starbucks has become the first high street retailer to be granted parent friendly status by the National Childbirth Trust Its important that parents feel reassured they have the support of staff and wont be judged. We also know that it can be a challenge for establishments to understand and assist with the needs of parents with very young children. We believe this Charter will address the challenges parents face on the High Street and hope that other retailers will follow suit in becoming more parent-friendly. But Out campaign insists the move has been orchestrated to scare voters But amid a new scaremongering row, the PM denies there is a 'conspiracy' Francois Hollande claims he doesn't want to scare anyone with his warning French president Francois Hollande today warned Britain would face 'consequences' over immigration if quits the EU amid a row over the 'Jungle' migrant camp. Mr Hollande's economy minister declared a treaty stopping migrants reaching Calais would be torn up after a Brexit vote prompting claims Boris Johnson and other Leave campaigners of an orchestrated scare campaign. But at a joint press conference with David Cameron following a Franco-British summit, Mr Hollande repeated warnings to the British people - but claimed he did not want to 'scare people'. Following claims today's row was a 'stitch up', Mr Cameron was forced to deny a 'David Icke-style giant conspiracy' to keep Britain in the EU. Mr Cameron, left, and Mr Hollande, right, took part in a press conference after talks in Amiens today, pictured. Mr Hollande warned of the 'consequences' of Brexit French economy minister Emmanuel Macron threatened to relocate migrants from the Calais 'Jungle' camp (pictured today) to Dover if Britain backs Brexit Mr Hollande said: 'I don't want to scare you, I just want to tell the truth. There would be consequences in many areas of the single market, of economic development. 'There will be consequences especially affecting the way we handle the situation in terms of immigration. 'There is no situation where there is no consequences.' Mr Cameron said: 'Of course you can say this is all some giant conspiracy, some sort of David Icke-style ... Its just nonsense. 'The best thing to do is to listen to the arguments, to listen to what people are saying, and to understand some of the risks and some of the uncertainties about leaving the European Union.' The Prime Minister also announced Britain would spend another 17million helping the French deal with the migrant camps. Amid claims from Mr Johnson and other senior Conservatives the row had been staged to conicide with the trip to France, Mr Cameron insisted there was no 'conspiracy' to keep Britain in the EU. No 10 earlier insisted the first they knew of Economy minister Emmanuel Macron intervention was when it appeared on the front page of the financial times this morning. Britain and France have a bilateral borders agreement in the Le Touquet agreement which places all border controls on the French side of the Channel. Mr Macron said: 'The day this relationship unravels, migrants will no longer be in Calais.' London Mayor Mr Johnson dismissed the claims today, quipping in French 'Donnez-moi un break' - 'give me a break'. THE BRITISH BORDER IN FRANCE: WHAT IS THE DEAL KEEPING THE JUNGLE IN CALAIS? Britain and France signed the Le Touquet treaty in 2003 amid tensions over the number of people in camps at Calais. The deal was the latest in a series that allowed Britain to carry out border checks on the French side of the Channel - meaning papers were checked there and vehicles inspected. British officials are based on the French side of the channel and cooperation around the eurotunnel terminal was stepped up last summer as the numbers trying to break into the tunnel grew. Scrapping the deal could see British border checks brought back to the English side of the Channel - potentially allowing people to reach the Kent shore to set up camp while awaiting processing. There are currently around 7,000 people at the camps with 'roads' handed British-styled names such as Queen Elizabeth II Street. Advertisement Mr Johnson added: 'You have to wonder about the timing of this intervention.' Mr Jenkin today dismissed the claim as 'propaganda' and the latest example of scaremongering from the Remain camp. He said the intervention was directly linked to today UK-France summit, with Mr Cameron and the French president due to sit down for talks with security top of the agenda. Mr Jenkin told the BBC: 'What we have now is propaganda being produced at the request of the British Government.' The eurosceptic MP insisted it would not be in 'anyone's interest' for the treaty on border controls to be torn up. He added that warnings about Brexit 'rather discredits the idea we have got an impartial diplomatic service'. Mr Davis, a spokesman for the Grassroots Go campaign, said: 'I am afraid that this looks like a stitch up between the British Prime Minister and the French President. 'Mr Cameron has already sought to alarm the country by saying the Calais migrant camp could move to Kent if we quit the EU. 'Now the French finance minister Emmanuel Macron looks like he is playing the same game. Project Fear has a new recruit.' He added: 'The British people are unlikely to be impressed with this latest round of blackmail threats and even less impressed by the British government's collusion. 'If he means this referendum to be held in good faith, it is the Prime Minister's duty to respect the people's decision, and therefore to obtain the best outcomes for Britain whatever that decision is. 'At his meeting today in Amiens with President Hollande, the Prime Minister should remind him that the Le Touquet agreement is nothing to do with the EU and is an arrangement between the two countries. 'Is France now saying it wants to tear up the deal?' Mr Davis said it was 'nonsense' that Brexit would lead to a surge in immigration - insisting the vote was the only way to restore control over British borders. Tory MP James Cleverley insisted the claims over Calais were 'Project Fear (International Edition)' as he dismissed the claim as further scaremongering. Mr Cameron sparked a fierce row earlier this year when he suggested France would pull out of the deal, which is a bilateral deal and is not related to EU membership. Tory MP James Cleverly said the new row over the Jungle camp was more scaremongering, branding it Project Fear (International Edition) Mr Cameron and Mr Hollande began their discussions today at the Pozieres British Memorial, near Amiens, ahead of the 34th Franco-British summit Mr Cameron and Mr Hollande laid a wreath at the Pozieres Cemetery, near the town of Amiens, where almost 3,000 Commonwealth personnel are buried. Matthew Elliott Chief Executive of Vote Leave, said: 'These ludicrous claims are simply not backed up evidence, logic or French self-interest. Mr Macron (pictured) claimed Brexit would provoke France into tearing up the bilateral deal 'Such a conveniently timed intervention smacks of desperation from the UK Government which has failed to renegotiate our relationship with the EU and is now failing to make a positive case for remaining in the EU. 'There's no more chance of shifting the Calais camps to the UK than there is of a refugee camp springing up outside of Terminal 5 at Heathrow. 'If we Vote Leave we can take back control of our borders and spend our money on our priorities.' Leave.EU spokesman Jack Montgomery said: 'Just last month, the French government reiterated its sensible position that 'calling for the border with the English to be opened is not a responsible solution'. 'Absolutely nothing has changed, besides the need to scare British voters.' Dover MP Charlie Elphicke, who backs Mr Cameron's campaign, said he was worried at the suggestion from Mr Macron. He said: 'Deeply concerned by comments of senior French cabinet minister that UK border controls to be returned from Calais to Dover if UK leaves EU.' Mr Macron's intervention will be welcomed by Mr Cameron, who provoked a furious row last month when he warned that leaving the EU could force Britain to set-up migrant camps in the South of England. CAMERON TO CALL RUSSIA'S PUTIN TO PRESS MESSAGE ON SYRIA David Cameron is to join Francois Hollande and Angela Merkel in a conference call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, in a bid to shore up the fragile Syrian ceasefire. Downing Street said Friday's call will offer an opportunity to press home to Mr Putin the importance of maintaining the truce, so that peace talks can go ahead 'properly' in Geneva next week. The start of the talks has already been pushed back by the United Nations from March 7 to 9 to allow the ceasefire 'to better settle down', amid reports of violations on all sides. Moscow has been carrying out air strikes against what it terms 'terrorists' in Syria since September, but Western nations have accused Mr Putin of also targeting more moderate groups opposing the regime of his protege Bashar Assad. The call is the first time Mr Cameron will have spoken to Mr Putin since a UK inquiry found that the Russian President probably ordered the murder of former agent Alexander Litvinenko in London, but the PM's official spokeswoman said the bulk of the discussion will focus on Syria. Advertisement Mr Macron also warned that Britain's lucrative financial services industry would flee London if it was no longer able to operate freely in the EU's single market. He suggested France would 'roll out the red carpet' for British firms wanting to relocate to paris. Echoing Mr Cameron's offer to French companies to relocate to London when France raised taxes in 2012, he said: 'if I were to reason like those who roll out red carpets, would say we might have some repatriations from the City of London.' Mr Macron warned that British firms would lose full access to the single market. And he said the EU would be in no rush to negotiate a favourable trade deal with London. 'People leaving the EU will not be able to negotiate the same terms,' he said. He added that the EU's 'collective energy would be spent on unwinding existing links, not re-creating new ones' if Britain votes to leave the Brussels club in June. The Le Touqet deal, signed in 2003, allows British border guards to be stationed in Calais to prevent migrants with no right to come to the UK crossing the Channel illegally effectively moving the UK border to France. The arrangement is credited with limiting the number of migrants travelling to France in the hope of reaching the UK. But it has led to the creation of makeshift camps of migrants hoping to make the crossing illegally. Mr Cameron and Mr Hollande, pictured today arriving at talks, are due to discuss security issues but are expected to be challenged on border controls at a press conference later The French government has attempted to demolish parts of the Jungle camp but the police operation prompted disputes and violence, pictured yesterday Gang violence and poverty have for years pushed Mexicans and Central Americans north to the United States, but recently a new driver has emerged: the anti-immigrant tone of leading Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. From the slums of Central America to close-knit migrant communities in U.S. cities, Trump's rise to the front of the Republican pack has not gone unnoticed and is partly behind a spike in the numbers of migrants trying to enter the country, including children traveling without guardians. Interviews with migrants, people smugglers and officials show many migrants are trying to cross now instead of facing tighter policing and new policies to halt illegal immigration if Trump or another Republican wins the November 8 election. On the rise: Donald Trump's, pictured on Super Tueasday, rise to the front of the Republican pack has not gone unnoticed and is partly behind a spike in the numbers of migrants trying to enter the country 'If Trump wins, we're all screwed and all Latinos are screwed,' Isaias Franco, a 46-year-old from El Salvador who was deported from the United States late last year and is now trying to get back, said at a migrant shelter in Ciudad Juarez, just across the border from El Paso, Texas. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data shows 150,304 migrants were detained trying to cross the U.S.-Mexico border between October and February, up 24 percent from the same period last year. Similar data for 'unaccompanied' child migrants - those traveling without a guardian - is not yet available, but between October and January, 20,455 kids were apprehended on the southwest border, up over 100 percent from a year ago. The numbers of migrants typically rise as summer approaches. Like other migrants, Franco is aware of the U.S. presidential race and Trump's vow, matched by fellow Republican candidate Ted Cruz, to deport all the illegal immigrants in the United States, estimated at more than 11 million. 'You watch the news ... There's a lot of fear among Latinos,' Franco said, adding that a Republican victory would spell the end for proposed reforms to give many immigrants greater legal security. Hope Hicks, a spokeswoman for Trump, said migrants understand his policies. 'It seems they agree Mr. Trump will be tough, build the wall and stop illegal immigration.' Blanca Rivera, who manages the Ciudad Juarez migrant shelter, said she had noticed a recent surge in the numbers of migrants and also blamed the inflammatory rhetoric. Up 24 per cent: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data shows 150,304 migrants, some pictured here in 2011, were detained trying to cross the U.S.-Mexico border between October and February 'They think they need to take advantage while they can.' Trump has built a strong lead in the race for the Republican nomination in part by taking a tough stance on immigration. He says Mexico is 'killing' the United States with cheap labor and has sent 'criminals' and 'rapists' across the border. He is also promising to build a huge border wall and proposed a temporary ban on Muslims entering the country. Although Trump has been the most outspoken candidate, his main rivals also say the government must stop the flow of illegal migrants into the country, mainly from Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. Trump, Cruz and Florida Senator Marco Rubio all say they would overturn President Barack Obama's executive orders that shield some illegal immigrants from deportation. In 2014, tens of thousands of child migrants traveling without family members overwhelmed the southern U.S. border, sparking a political crisis. The flow then fell in most of 2015 but has surged again in recent months. Brenda Barrios, a 30-year-old Guatemalan based in Silver Spring, Maryland, crossed illegally into the United States in 2003 with her parents and two sisters. Her parents were later deported back to Guatemala, and they think it is too dangerous to return but Brenda is encouraging them to come before the end of the year in case Trump wins. 'He's one of the reasons why people are crossing the border. They think he looks like a dictator,' she said. 'It's very dangerous for them to cross. But it will be worse if Trump is president ... Life will be very difficult for us. He doesn't want us here.' Still, Barrios and other migrants interviewed said the United States, even under an administration seeking to halt illegal immigration, would still be better than the poverty and violence of their home countries. Since 2014, the murder rate in El Salvador has risen dramatically amid an escalation of gang violence and a regional drought has forced thousands of people, particularly from Guatemala, to head north. But there are also signs that human smugglers, or 'coyotes', are taking advantage of the anti-immigrant rhetoric and peddling the idea that now is the time to go. Victoria Cordova and her 11-year-old daughter Genesis were deported back to Honduras in 2014, after hiking through Mexico and being detained trying to cross into Texas. She said coyotes in the Honduran capital Tegucigalpa - who charge about $7,000 per person - have been telling people now is the time to leave. 'Lots of the women here were talking about it, and asked me if I was going to go,' she said. 'People here were saying that in June of this year they were going to give new entry permits.' Ruben Garcia, the director of the Annunciation House migrant shelter in El Paso said the next U.S. president, whoever it is, will face the same challenge of migration flows. 'Things in Central America are terrible,' he said. 'People are going to continue to flee because it's just really hard for people to survive right now.' 'Broken heart syndrome' - a condition thought to affect around 6,000 people in Britain each year - occurs when extreme emotional stress causes the heart to shut down (file picture, posed by model) Hearts can be 'broken' by happy events as well as those causing grief, according to a major study. 'Broken heart syndrome' - a condition thought to affect 6,000 people in Britain each year, occurs when extreme emotional stress causes the heart to shut down. Most of these cases are caused by sudden emotional shocks, often involving a bereavement or the breakdown of a relationship. But a major research project spanning nine countries has found that joyful events can also lead to heart failure. Officially known as Takotsubo syndrome, it occurs when the heart is overwhelmed by a 'storm' of adrenaline. In the past these events were often misdiagnosed as heart attacks, but doctors identified Takotsubo in 1990 when they realised that some patients did not have a blockage of the major arteries which are the cause of heart attacks. It was quickly named 'broken heart syndrome' - but authors of the new study, led by University Hospital Zurich in Switzerland, suggests that in a small number of patients 'happy heart syndrome' would be a better description. Their study, published in the European Heart Journal, was based on 1,750 patients in nine different countries. Of 485 patients for whom definite emotional trigger could be identified, 96 per cent had suffered sad and stressful events such as the loss of a loved one or attending a funeral. But in the case of the remaining 20 individuals, heart damage appeared to have been triggered by happy occasions including a birthday party, a wedding, a surprise celebration, the birth of a grandchild, or even a rugby team winning a game. Author Dr Jelena Ghadri said: 'Clinicians should be aware of this and also consider that patients who arrive in the emergency department with signs of heart attacks, such as chest pain and breathlessness, but after a happy event or emotion, could be suffering from Takotsubo just as much as a similar patient presenting after a negative emotional event. 'Our findings broaden the clinical spectrum of Takotsubo. 'They also suggest that happy and sad life events may share similar emotional pathways that can ultimately cause the problem.' Takotsubo syndrome takes its name from a Japanese octopus trap that resembles the distorted shape of the left ventricle of a heart affected by the condition. The condition, which strikes suddenly, causes the heart chamber to balloon out at the bottom while the neck remains narrow. About 5 per cent of British patients die after suffering from the syndrome - a similar mortality rate as for heart attacks. Most 'broken heart syndrome' cases are caused by sudden emotional shocks, often involving a bereavement or the breakdown of a relationship, but a major study has found some joyous events can also trigger feelings Another 10 per cent have recurring attacks within five years, and 15 per cent have ongoing health issues including chest pains and breathlessness. For the remaining 75 per cent an attack is a one-off, and they suffer no long-term effects. Dr Alexander Lyon, BHF senior lecturer at the Royal Brompton Hospital in London, and a world-leading expert on Takotsubo, said: 'This problem occurs when adrenaline rushes to really high levels in the blood stream. 'Adrenaline is a stimulant, but at high levels it is toxic to the heart. When adrenaline goes to these really high levels the heart shuts down to protect itself - but in some cases it slams on the brakes too hard.' He added: 'Most cases we see are caused by negative emotions - but we have seen some cases which are caused by happy events as well.' Professor Peter Weissberg, medical director at the British Heart Foundation, said: 'This study suggests that in a very few cases the triggering event may be a happy one. Kelly had cross party backing when she was nominated as appeals judge Obama's former classmate may replace Justice Scalia who died last month The White House is vetting federal appellate Judge Jane Kelly for President Obama's potential U.S. Supreme Court justice nominee, a source has revealed. Kelly, a graduate of the same Harvard Law School class as Barack Obama in 1991, is being tipped to replace Justice Antonin Scalia who died last month. The FBI are currently carrying out background checks on the 51-year-old former public defender who serves as a judge on the U.S. Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The White House is vetting federal appellate Judge Jane Kelly for President Obama's potential U.S. Supreme Court justice nominee Kelly makes an ideal candidate for the justice nomination as she had cross-party appeal when she was confirmed by the Senate 96-0 in April 2013 for the seat on the Eighth Circuit, the New York Times reports. Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley in particular had praised her saying he was 'pleased to support' her nomination to become a judge. Obama may be hoping he has finally found someone who can break the Supreme Court justice nomination deadlock. Talks between the White House and Republican Senate leaders ground to halt after just half an hour yesterday as the GOP refused to budge on its decision not to nominate until after the election. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky and Mr Grassley, R-Iowa, insisted they would not consider any nominee to the highest court during the throes of a presidential election. Their Democratic counterparts, meanwhile, resolved to 'continue beating the drum,' Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid told reporters after the meeting. President Barack Obama met with Senate Republicans to discuss the vacancy in the Supreme Court Joe Biden (left) also attended the meeting, along with Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid and Senator Patrick Leahy, the ranking Democrat on the judiciary committee 'This vacancy will not be filled this year,' McConnell said after the meeting, adding that considering a nomination 'in the middle of a heated presidential campaign is bad for the nominee, bad for the court, bad for the process, and ultimately bad for the nation.' Yet Kelly's nomination could put pressure on the Republicans, who have previously backed her. Mr Grassey had praised Kelly during her 2013 confirmation hearing and cited a letter from his friend 8th Circuit Judge David Hansen, who Kelly previously clerked for. 'Every sentence of it speaks highly of your work,' he told The Hill. 'Judge Hansen concludes that she will be a welcome addition to the court, if confirmed, and I have a great deal of confidence in Judge Hansen.' CURRENT SUPREME COURT JUSTICES Anthony M. Kennedy -Conservative, appointed by Ronald Reagan, serving since 1988 Clarence Thomas - Conservative, appointed by George H. W. Bush, serving since 1991 Ruth Bader Ginsburg - Liberal, appointed by Bill Clinton, serving since 1993 Stephen Breyer - Centrist, appointed by Bill Clinton, serving since 1994 John G. Roberts - Conservative, appointed by George W. Bush, serving since 2005 Samuel Alito, Jr. - Conservative, appointed by George W. Bush, serving since 2006 Sonia Sotomayor - Liberal, appointed by Barack Obama, serving since 2009 Elena Kagan - Liberal, appointed by Barack Obama, serving since 2010 Advertisement But the Iowa Republican claimed today that his previous support would not affect his stance on the election of a nominee before the next election. 'I supported her for the 8th Circuit, but as I've said it's the principle not the person,' he told the Washington Times. 'If [Hillary] Clinton or [Sen. Bernie] Sanders is elected, she may be on the short list.' Kelly, from Indiana, graduated Duke University in 1987 before winning a Fulbright Scholarship to study in New Zealand, and attending Harvard Law School alongside the future president. She clerked for judges Donald J. Porter and Hansen, and tutored at the University of Illinois College of Law before becoming a public defender for the Northern District of Iowa, National Law Journal reports. Mr. Grassley added, 'Supreme Court scrutiny is some of the toughest there is. Just look at Robert Bork, who was also unanimously confirmed for a circuit court seat.' Under the U.S. Constitution, the president nominates Supreme Court justices and the Senate must confirm them. Without Scalia, the court has four conservative and four liberal justices, meaning any potential Obama nominee could tip the court to the left for the first time in decades. The FBI are currently carrying out background checks on the 51-year-old former public defender who serves as a judge on the U.S. Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Kelly, a graduate of the same Harvard Law School class as Barack Obama in 1991, is being tipped to replace Justice Antonin Scalia who died last month Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval, a moderate Republican, took himself out of consideration for appointment to the Supreme Court last week, a day after his name surfaced in connection with the Scalia vacancy. The former Justice, 79, had been found dead from natural causes on February 13 at a hunting ranch in West Texas. Supreme Court court faces a crowded docket of politically charged cases that were certain to resonate in the presidential campaign on issues such as immigration, abortion, affirmative action, labor unions and Obama's health care law. Decisions were expected in late spring and early summer on whether the president could shield up to 5 million immigrants living in the United States illegally from deportation. With many cases decided by 5-4 margins, and the loss of Scalia leaving the court split with four Democratic and Republican appointees each, the vacancy could have major repercussions, both legally and in the presidential race. Scalia was nominated to the US Supreme Court in 1986 by President Ronald Reagan and was the longest-serving justice on the current Court, as well as its first Italian-American Justice. 'The American people should have a voice in the selection of their next Supreme Court Justice,' Mr McConnell said shortly after Scalia's death. 'Therefore, this vacancy should not be filled until we have a new President.' Senate Democrats argue leaving the seat unfilled for almost a year is unconstitutional. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid has called on Obama to name a nomination immediately. 'The Senate has a responsibility to fill vacancies as soon as possible', he wrote. Democrats threatened the Republicans (Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., center, and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa) with the notion that Donald Trump could be picking the next Supreme Court nominee if they don't let Obama make the selection 'Would be unprecedented in recent history for SCOTUS to go year with vacancy. And shameful abdication of our constitutional responsibility. Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton said the Republicans who wanted Scalia's seat to remain vacant were dishonoring the Constitution. Democrats pointed out that Justice Anthony Kennedy was confirmed in an election year - 1988 - the final year of Ronald Reagan's presidency. Kennedy had been nominated in November 1987 after the Senate rejected Robert Bork and Judge Douglas Ginsburg bowed out Obama, who appointed Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan, during his time as president, is likely to announced his nominee in the next couple of weeks. His former classmate, who would become the only criminal attorney on the high court bench, appears to be one of the front-runners for the nomination. Other potential nominees include fellow appellate judges such as Patricia Millett and Merrick B. Garland, the chief judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Sri Srinivasan's, 48, has been named as another top choice since 2013 when he was sworn in to the D.C. Circuit, which is seen as a breeding ground for future nominees. During yesterday's meeting, Obama laid out his thinking on his nominee search and offered to consider any suggestions for candidates. Republicans refused to offer any names. While Obama faces staunch opposition from the Republican Senate to appointing a new nominee, he may be able to make a 'recess appointment' - bypassing the Senate and placing a justice directly on the bench. But the tactic is only allowed if the Senate is on a break, or 'in recess.' In order to avoid giving him that opportunity, Senate Republicans will likely leave their legislative body in a 'pro forma' state instead of going on vacation, leaving one senator to gavel-in and gavel-out a brief session every day so the White House can't act on its own. A small boy crouches under his grandmother's kitchen table, drinking in the gossip and working-class family conversation swirling around him. And he savours every story, every pungent phrase, and stores them in his mind. That's how Coronation Street was born, and some would say it's been the essence of the show throughout the 55 years in which it has mirrored tumultuous social changes across Britain. The small boy was Tony Warren, who died on Monday aged 79. Scroll down for video Tony Warren (pictured), who died on Monday aged 79, dreamt up Coronation Street while crouching under his grandmother's kitchen table as a small boy, drinking in the gossip and working-class family conversation From his listening post under the table, he understood that the most powerful voices belonged to the women. They ruled his home, and all through his career he paid tribute to them, creating the strongest female characters on TV women like Ena Sharples, Annie Walker and Elsie Tanner. Warren was born Anthony Simpson in 1936, adopting his stage name as a child actor, performing on BBC Children's Hour and radio plays. But as the TV age dawned, and despite his drama training at the Elliott-Clarke Performing Arts School in Liverpool, Warren's career faltered: he was too short and tubby for leading roles. Instead, he turned to writing, and on a train journey in 1959 from London to Manchester, he told a BBC producer friend of his great concept for a TV series: 'I can see a little back street in Salford, with a pub at one end and a shop at the other, and all the lives of the people there, just ordinary things.' The producer dismissed the idea, but Warren was undeterred. He talked his way into a job, at 30 a week at Granada Studios, as a hack writer of crime dramas and action thrillers. His boredom and frustration boiled over one day in an enormous scene. According to Corrie legend, he climbed onto a filing cabinet and refused to come down until someone commissioned his show. A producer named Harry Elton called his bluff, giving Warren 24 hours to produce a script for the pilot episode. His colleagues thought he was wasting his time, but Elton claimed that he knew he had a hit when, during a test screening on a TV set in his office, he realised the cleaning lady was watching over his shoulder, unable to tear herself away from the telly. Coronation Street characters (l-r) Annie Walker, Ken Barlow, Ena Sharples, Albert Tatlock and Minnie Caldwell Mr Warren was considered one of the television industrys greatest minds as he devised the idea for the soap Elton told her this new show was to be called Florizel Street. The cleaner sniffed. 'Sounds like a disinfectant,' she said. The series was swiftly renamed Coronation Street and commissioned for 16 episodes which, as of last night, had stretched to 8,850. At 23, Warren had grandiose ambitions. In a memo to Granada bosses, he promised it would be 'a fascinating freemasonry, a volume of unwritten rules'. Coronation Street would 'explore the values of a working-class street in the North of England and, in doing so, entertain'. But he had a more down-to-earth ambition: 'I wanted to show there was glamour in the back streets.' Much of that glamour came from the characters he observed in Manchester's underground gay culture. Warren knew from a young age that he was gay though he didn't dare tell his family at first and relished the sharp wit of the flamboyant characters he mixed with. There was, however, no question of having such a character on the Street: when the show started in December 1960, the legalisation of homosexuality was nearly seven years away. So, like the boy under the kitchen table, Warren stole everything he heard and transformed it. 'Some of these queens were sensational,' he said. 'I remember giving Elsie Tanner things they would say. When you think of some of the things she came out with, how many straight women have you heard say that?' Elsie was the Street's original bit of brass, no better than she should be. But to Tony, the heart of the show was Annie Walker, landlady of the Rovers Return. He created the role especially for Doris Speed, an actress he had worked with on radio. Mr Warren with former Corrie actress Julie Goodyear outside Buckingham Palace after he received his MBE Four decades her junior, Tony worshipped her, and one of his aims was to make her a star. It worked: 12 months after reaching retirement age, Doris could afford her first mink coat. She christened it 'Tony'. The success of the show also gave him courage to declare his sexuality. He was scared. 'I never went past Strangeways jail without thinking: 'Is that where I'm going to end up?' he said. He began telling his secret to trusted friends at Granada. But it was the people he didn't trust or like who finally goaded him into making an open statement. At one production meeting, fed up with the banter, he snapped: 'I have sat here and listened to three poof jokes, an actor described as a poof, a storyline described as too poofy, and I would just like to tell you that without a poof you wouldn't be in work!' Warren stopped writing full-time for the Street in 1968, though he continued as an adviser on the series all his life. What he had created took on a more vivid, sprawling life than even he ever imagined, a sort of national tapestry into which every cultural change and British trend could be woven. He was never scared to tackle the most controversial scenes. Within six episodes of the series starting, a character was dead in shocking circumstances: May Hardman, who had been in a psychiatric hospital after a nervous breakdown, suffered a heart attack and died trying to alert neighbours. Nothing like this had been shown on TV before: it was tragedy, but as mundane as a boiled egg. Sometimes the cast found it hard to take. Martha Longhurst (played by Lynne Carol) was one of the Street's 'three witches', making up a coven of gossips with Ena Sharples and Minnie Caldwell (Violet Carson and Margot Bryant). When Martha was killed off, by a fatal heart attack in the snug of the Rovers, the other actresses were horrified. Carson threatened to resign and had to be sweet-talked into staying by Warren and others. At the end of the episode, the credits rolled in silence as a mark of 'respect' for Martha. Next morning, Granada Studios was knee-deep in wreaths and bouquets from grieving fans. But it was his willingness to depict the British class system that was Warren's real stroke of genius. The first big storyline saw university student Ken Barlow struggling with his father, who thought a working-class lad had no business getting educated above his station. He was considered one of the industrys greatest minds after he devised the idea for the Weatherfield soap This reflected the growing gulf between a generation of men who had fought in World War II, and teenagers with ambition who didn't want to settle for factory jobs like their fathers and grandfathers. Warren was able to create legendary characters such as Stan Ogden (Bernard Youens), who could always find an excuse to dodge work while he slipped into the Rovers for a couple of pints, and his wife Hilda (Jean Alexander), who carried a mop and duster as she swept up all the Street's tittle-tattle. Later came the Duckworths, Jack and Vera (William Tarmey and Elizabeth Dawn), who lowered the tone by keeping pigeons in the backyard and covered the front of their terrace house in stone cladding that looked like a fake tan. One aspect of real life, however, was not shown: in order to keep its early evening slot, Corrie did not allow swearing. It was not until 2009 that the first 'b****rd' was aired. Of course, actresses such as Pat Phoenix, who played Elsie Tanner, and Julie Goodyear (barmaid Bet Lynch) could read the Bible and still sound as though they were turning the air blue. When Tony Warren created Coronation Street, it had cobbles and outside toilets. Now it's got broadband internet and a wine bar under the tramway arches. Prosperity has seeped in, along with the modern ills that were unimaginable in 1960: violent crime, drug abuse, splintered families, illegal immigration. Soaps are no longer able to invoke the spirit of community in ordinary British streets, because that no longer exists. Warren admitted, at the Street's 50th anniversary celebrations in 2010, that he preferred reality shows. 'I love them,' he claimed. 'They say something new.' The truth is that Coronation Street was the original reality show. It reflected ordinary Britain, and at the same time brought outrageous characters into our living rooms. Financial and Insurance service industries were the most effected The difference in remunerations further added to the discrimination Discrimination was highlighted as one of the main factors for the pay gap Women in top management positions in Australia earn $100,000 less per year than their male counterparts and the higher they climb the larger the pay gap, a new report has found. The report Gender Equity Insights 2016: Inside Australia's Gender Pay gap analysed the data of four million workers and 12,000 employers. The persistent gender pay gap is a combination of economic, political and social issues that are generally associated with a worker's family circumstances and their labour market histories. Surprisingly, managerial gender pay gaps were found to be more of an issue in female-dominated industries than male-dominated industries. Scroll down for video Women in Key Management Personnel positions working full-time earn on average $100,000 less than their male counterparts (stock pic) Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre Associate Professor and report author, Rebecca Cassells, said the 'large and persistent gender pay gaps' between men and women executives - suggesting managers were deliberately paying men more. 'This is further evidenced by the greater additional remuneration that men receive, compared to women, beyond their base salary in the form of bonuses and other discretionary pay,' she said. The report indicated if full-time men and women move through positions at the same pace and reach a top tier managerial position in their tenth year, women will still earn less as men can expect to earn $2.3 million and women $1.7 million in base salary. However, the pay differences between men and women fell by 6.3 per cent if a company increased its board representation of women to 50 per cent. WGEA Director Libby Lyons has called on businesses to re-consider as well as address their gender pay gaps. 'This report shows that all industries, including female-dominated industries, have work ahead of them to improve gender pay equity,' Ms Lyons said. 'I urge all employers to look closely at their own pay data and recruitment strategies to uncover and address gender pay gaps'. The overall pay gap for full-time and casual female workers was significantly lower In order to address the issue, the report found that more women are needed to be assigned onto corporate boards The report Gender Equity Insights 2016: Inside Australia's Gender Pay gap uses data from four million workers and 12,000 employers collected by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (stock pic) Olivia Ruello, CEO of Business Chicks, told Daily Mail Australia it is shocking that Australia is still dealing with the gender pay gap. This is appalling, but not surprising. As it stands the pay gap is currently 17.9 per cent in Australia and in every single industry there is a pay gap favouring men, Ms Ruello said. Equal pay is not a privilege, its a right, and its shocking that in 2016 we still have to be fighting for that right. We need greater transparency and accountability. Companies need to be transparent about what theyre paying their staff. And the unconscious (and sometimes conscious) biases that favour men in hiring and promoting need to change. Ms Ruello also advised women to take the initiative and address the issue with their boss if discrepancies are occurring. Having the conversation with your boss is the first step. We need to start getting comfortable with being uncomfortable. You have every right to demand equal pay dont apologise for it. The Financial and Insurance Services industry recorded the largest full-time gender pay gap, when measured by both base salary and total remuneration. Women employed full-time within these organisations can expect to earn on average around $30,000 or 27 per cent less each year than their male co-workers. The professional, scientific and technical services had the second-highest pay gap followed by administration and support services. David Cameron: heir to Blair or are there other recent prime ministers he better resembles? Mrs Thatcher? Er, no. Edward Heath? Now we may be getting warmer, although Mr Cameron is less peculiar. At PMQs yesterday he was invited to compare himself to Harold Wilson, the centenary of whose birth falls next week. Barry Sheerman, Labour MP for Wilsons home town of Huddersfield, called Wilson an inspirational and visionary prime minister who faced similar difficulties but stood up to the rebels in his own party and secured a yes vote for staying in Europe. At PMQs yesterday David Cameron was invited to compare himself to Harold Wilson, the centenary of whose birth falls next week, writes QUENTIN LETTS Mr Cameron did not look exactly thrilled to be bracketed with the late Harold. I suspect he was brought up, as many of us with Tory-voting parents in the early Seventies were, to regard Harold Wilson as a menace. My parents ran a small independent school and lived with the constant worry that various Wilson governments would put them out of business. In his reply to Mr Sheerman, PM Cameron said that he had a natural sympathy for anyone who has had this job (like Blair, Mr Cameron often talks about his job where previous premiers might have talked of their office there is a vital difference). He added that Wilson had done some very important things for our country and wished the Wilson family well. Had historys ghost just walked over Mr Camerons grave? To be remembered as a Wilson: is this the fate that awaits him? All those years of careerist thrusting as a special adviser, as a backbencher, then the slog of Opposition and finally the arrival at No 10 will all this, in three or four decades time, burn down into ashes of Wilsonian insignificance? I mean no personal disrespect to the late Lord Wilson but it is unarguable that he is today little remembered; hence, indeed, Mr Sheermans honourable campaign to have a statue of Harold erected at Westminster. What do we think of when we hear the Wilson years? Here is my take: strikes, beer and sandwiches, economic decline, fiscal extravagance, the Beeching cuts, dusty trains, awful architecture, an affected pipe, Marcia Falkender, Gannex, the pound in yer pocket, image-conscious pictures of Harold on a beach in the Scillies wearing shorts and socks, the bags under his eyes, George Brown (a more exciting Foreign Secretary than Philip Hammond, at least), Mary Wilsons poetry, Mike Yarwood, smoke-filled rooms. Barry Sheerman, Labour MP for Wilsons home town of Huddersfield, called Wilson an inspirational and visionary prime minister' Wilson kept us out of Vietnam. Concorde soared overhead. We were all excited about the Post Office tower. And, yes, Wilson was PM when the EEC referendum was held but Heath had taken the big decisions on that. It was Heath who was the real visionary (no matter what one might think of that vision). Wilson sucked up to The Beatles and his Home Secretary, Roy Jenkins, did bold things on personal liberty, but it was an era of post-imperial stagnation. Wilson managed sooty decline. He was, however, an adroit fixer, master of political slaloms, and he might have admired the way Mr Cameron yesterday, in answer to Tory backbencher David Davis (Haltemprice & Howden), refused to publish data on EU National Insurance numbers. He said the numbers were too complex, ie the little people could not be trusted to understand them. Other observers might regard that intransigence a refusal to let the public know vital facts before the EU referendum as stinkily undemocratic. Such statistics are public property. How dare our government conceal them? Jeremy Corbyn was out to lunch, as ever. Mr Cameron had a joke about Labour hiring Marxist former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis Acropolis Now, quipped Mr Cameron. Hon Members laughed. Even George Osborne summoned a smile to his spectral face. Harold Wilson was good at wisecracks, too. But they were not enough to secure him a historical legacy. How different it could have been had Mr Cameron declared British independence from Brussels. A judge condemned a man convicted of trying to gun down a New York police officer after he stated during his sentencing that he was innocent. John Thomas, 28, was scolded by Judge Gregory Lasak on Wednesday as he was sentenced to 55 years to life for shooting and wounding Sergeant Craig Bier in 2012. 'Who are you to take a gun and try to kill a New York City police officer? This is a severe sentence you're going to get,' Lasak told Thomas as Bier in a courtroom filled with more than 50 fellow cops. 'I don't think you'll ever set foot outside state prison before you die.' Scroll down for video John Thomas, 28, pictured above as he flashes a grin after receiving his sentence. Thomas was sentenced to 55 years to life for shooting and wounding Sergeant Craig Bier in August 2012 Bier, a 16-year veteran of the NYPD, is pictured following the sentencing as he shakes hands with follow cops who lined the hallway 'It's all about choices, and you made some very bad choices' Lasak added as he addressed Thomas who earlier reiterated his innocence, the New York Post reported. Thomas, who had 11 prior arrests, was convicted on attempted murder charges after firing four shots at Bier, striking him twice in the legs during a foot chase in August 2012. As he was handed down his sentence, the convicted felon was seen flashing a big smile inside Queens Supreme Court, according to the New York Daily News. 'I just want to say I'm innocent. That's it,' he told Lasak when asked if he had nothing else to say. 'I think that evidence was tampered with, every last piece of it.' Lasak hit back, telling Thomas not tell him he is innocent, saying he would have been better off asking for the minimum sentence. 'Don't tell me you're innocent. This proof was overwhelming,' Lasak said. 'You took that loaded automatic .9 mm and you fired four shots at Sgt Bier. Your intent was to kill him.' Bier had the opportunity to confront the gunman as he delivered his victim impact statement during the sentencing in which he called Thomas an 'idiot, because it was a bad decision' Thomas pictured looking on during Bier's statement. Bier asked the judge to sentence Thomas with the maximum penalty Judge Gregory Lasak told Thomas that he was receiving a severe sentence. 'I don't think you'll ever set foot outside state prison before you die,' he said During Thomas' sentencing, Bier had the opportunity to confront the gunman as he delivered his victim impact statement. 'John, can I call you Johnny?' the 16-year veteran of the NYPD who has received more than 65 medals during his esteemed career asked as he addressed Thomas. 'I never think of you, except when I'm putting on a bathing suit and I see the scars on my legs, or when I'm shoveling snow,' he said. 'You could've got away, you had the lead on me, you had distance,' he continued, according to WABC. 'You were a quick sprint from your home, your sanctuary. And what did you do? You shot me. 'You're an idiot, because it was a bad decision. And you're a menace, not just to myself and my brothers and sisters in blue, but to everyone on the street. 'And in closing, Your Honor, I'd just like to ask for the maximum penalty, dropped on his head.' In August 2012, Bier (left) and his partner were in plainclothes as they patrolled South Jamaica in an unmarked van when they tried to stop a man on a bike. The suspect (Thomas pictured right) dropped his bike and ran, and a foot chase ensued before he opened fire, wounding Bier Police at the scene of the August 2012 shooting. Thomas was found guilty on several charges including first-degree attempted murder of a police officer andaggravated assault on a police officer Bier said he is relieved 'this chapter is finally over' and noted he was shocked that Thomas received the maximum sentence. 'I've spent most of my career in Brooklyn, and I'm elated, because nobody gets 55 to life in Brooklyn, not even if you kill the president and burn down an orphanage,' he told The Post. 'He made a conscious choice to shoot and kill me, and there's no place in society for someone like that.' After the sentencing, Bier, who now works as a member of the NYPD's Regional Fugitive Task Force, was seen leaving the courtroom as he shook hands with fellow cops who lined the hallway. In August 2012, Bier and Detective Nick Romano were in plainclothes as they patrolled South Jamaica in an unmarked van when they tried to stop a man on a bike, according to WABC. The suspect dropped his bike and ran, and a foot chase ensued before the suspected opened fire near the corner of 107th Avenue and Union Hall street, wounding Bier. Thomas then fled, leading authorities on a manhunt spanning five states before he turned himself in a month later. He was found guilty on charges including first-degree attempted murder of a police officer, aggravated assault on a police officer, assault on a police office, second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and second-degree assault. Aldi supermarkets are sprouting up across the country and experts say they choose high density areas but tend to open standalone stores and avoid shopping centres to cut costs. Their stores are all about 700sqm in size and generally all have the same layout across the world, making them easy for everyone to navigate to find their iconic special buys. This week the temporary stock has reached a new level of whacky after traffic cones hit the shelves, which Dr Gary Mortimer said has begun attracting high-end shoppers despite Aldis discount image. Scroll down for video Twice a week, Aldi supermarkets fill their central aisles with temporary stock which have in recent times included lawn mowers, 3D-printers, trumpets and ski gear Its that cost cutting that leads Aldi to steer clear of shopping centres, Dr Gary Mortimer, senior lecturer of International Business at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) said. If you were to try and open up a 700sqm store in a Westfield, its quite expensive, he told Daily Mail Australia. And youre always at risk of being asked to vacate as a tenant of a shopping centre. Instead, Aldi buy their own land and build their own stores as a cheaper, more flexible option. As Dr Mortimer said: When youre in a shopping centre, you are constrained with what you can actually do. There are now 350 stores in Australias eastern states. Four were opened in Adelaide last month, and two more opened on Wednesday while a further three are set to open in the South Australian capital later this month Twice a week, the discount supermarkets fill their central aisles with temporary stock. Currently on the shelves are $199 trail bikes, wireless solar powered bike computer, bike valet and other random cycling gear The retail expert said Aldi tend to place their stores in densely populated areas, and sometimes put them directly opposite larger retailers to snag their shoppers. An Aldi spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia the site of new stores are chosen after considering long-term potential of an area and population numbers. Twice a week, the supermarkets fill their central aisles with temporary stock with lawn mowers, 3D-printers, trumpets and ski gear all recently gracing the shelves of Aldi. Most shoppers mightnt plan on buying the bright orange high-visibility witches hats currently instore, but Dr Mortimer said the special buys are captivating bored shoppers. They [Aldi] really want shoppers to experience that hunt and that thrill of finding something that they never thought about purchasing. But they [customers] see it at a very good price, so they buy it,' he said. He said changing stock each week makes people want to come back to see whats new instore. Its an added experience to grocery shopping. Grocery shopping is a fairly mundane, habitual, routine task that we all undertake once a week. Dr Gary Mortimer, senior lecturer of International Business at the Queensland University of Technology said Aldi tend to opt for standalone stores to save money If you were to try and open up a 700sqm store in a Westfield, its quite expensive, Dr Mortimer said By adding something new it just creates a new level of experience and excitement, so that gets people coming back every week. Its through the special buys that Dr Mortimer said Aldi is attracting higher-end shoppers. Theyve gone from being a discounter to being a savvy retailer, he said. Although they initially targeted the low-end consumer, a lot of products really target upper-end consumers. So Aldis really becoming a store for everybody. A lot of people who probably earn good money still shop at Aldi because they see themselves as a savvy shopper, Dr Mortimer told Daily Mail Australia. An Aldi spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia they are committed to being the price leader and have consistently led the market in pricing. Analyst Brian Walker from the Retail Doctor Group said the special buys become a social talking point. They [Aldi] really want shoppers to experience that hunt and that thrill of finding something that they never thought about purchasing. But they [customers] see it at a very good price, so they buy it,' Dr Mortimer said Its one of the most effective below-the-line advertisements the group could do, he told Sydney Morning Herald. An Aldi spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia their special buys are 'themed around activities our customers are most likely to be interested in at that time of year. 'Customers love the surprise element of special buys,' the spokesperson said. Dr Mortimer said much of the special buys would be decided on through trial and error. They look for products that sell out quickly and at full price, he said, while products that need to be marked-down in price wont be restocked again down the track. Dr Mortimer said most often, Aldi will take a quality product and simply replicate it under their own brand at overseas factories. Aldi supermarkets have been sprouting up across the country since the first of the discount stores opened in Australia in 2001 in suburban Sydney Marrickville and Bankstown. There are now 350 stores in Australias eastern states. Four were opened in Adelaide last month, and two more opened on Wednesday while a further three are set to open in the South Australian capital later this month. The Jewish president of Oberlin College in Ohio has defended one of his professors who spewed anti-Semitic hate on social media including blaming Jews for 9/11 and the rise of ISIS. In a letter to the Oberlin community, President Marvin Krislov said that he believes in protecting freedom of speech at all costs and will not fire associate professor Joy Karega. 'I believe, as the American Association of University Professors says, that academic freedom is "the indispensable quality of institutions of higher education" because it encourages free inquiry, promotes the expansion of knowledge, and creates an environment in which learning and research can flourish,' Krislov writes. Protecting free speech: Oberlin's President Marvin Krislov (pictured left) said that Joy Karega (pictured right), a professor at a prestigious Ohio college, will keep her job despite spewing anti-Semitic hate on social media 'Cultivating academic freedom can be difficult and at times painful for any college community. The principles of academic freedom and freedom of speech are not just principles to which we turn to face these challenges, but also the very practices that ensure we can develop meaningful responses to prejudice,' he added. Krislov said that he is a practicing Jew who is hurt by anti-Semitic conspiracy theories. Though, he also said that he strongly believes in academic freedom and in the protection of free speech, according to the Chronicle Telegram. 'I am a practicing Jew, grandson of an Orthodox rabbi. Members of our family were murdered in the Holocaust, he wrote. 'As someone who has studied history, I cannot comprehend how any person could or would question its existence, its horrors and the evil which caused it. I feel the same way about anti-Semitic conspiracy theories. Regardless of the reason for spreading these materials, they cause pain for many people members of our community and beyond.' Joy Karega, an assistant professor of rhetoric and composition at Oberlin College, claimed in a series of Facebook posts that Israel planned the September 11 attacks in 2001 and the Charlie Hebdo massacre in January last year. She also posted conspiracy theories that alleged the Jewish states national intelligence agency formed the Islamic State terror group. Krislov said that many have been calling for Karega's dismissal while others have been asking him to protect her freedoms. She has since made her social media private but wrote in public post last Friday: 'Trust, when I come up out of my Unbothered state of being, Ill have a lot to say (analysis, no doubt) about the kinds of intimidation and silencing tactics that are rhetorically enacted in digital spaces [] and how common it is for Black women, who are early in their career on the tenure track as part of the professoriate, to be prime targets for these kinds of activities and practices,' she wrote, according to the New York Post. Karega reportedly posted this graphic shortly after the Charlie Hebdo massacre, which shows an ISIS militant taking off a mask of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. She alleges the murder of cartoonists at Charlie Hebdos headquarters in Paris was a false flag aimed to stop France supporting Palestine In its response, Oberlin College did not condemn Karegas posts and added that she has the right to express her personal views. According to Karegas profile on the private liberal arts colleges website, she received her PhD from the University of Louisville in 2014. At Oberlin, she has recently taught courses entitled Writing for Social Justice and Negotiating Language, Culture and Power. She had also written a book which draws upon archival research and oral history and historicizes the political literacy education of the Black Liberation Front International a black student organization at Michigan State University from 1968 to 1975. Now, she claims she is working on another book called Conspiratorial Political Literacies: Rhetorical Practice, Contested Knowledge, and Subversive Politics' which will include her thoughts on the backlash she has faced since her Facebook posts were reported in The Tower this week. She posted a graphic on January 13 last year shortly after the Charlie Hebdo attacks appearing to show an ISIS militant pulling off a mask of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the site reported. The militant is seen with a Star of David tattoo and the acronym JSIL Israel presumably a Jewish version of ISIL as the terror group are sometimes called. The text superimposed on the image suggests the murder of cartoonists at Charlie Hebdos headquarters in Paris was a false flag aimed to stop France supporting Palestine. Along with the picture, Karega wrote: This aint even hard [sic]. They unleased Mossad on France and its clear why. Later on the same day, Karega reportedly posted a claim that Netanyahu attended a rally for free speech in Paris uninvited. Netanyahu wanted to bend Hollande and French government officials over one more time in public just in case the message wasnt received. Netanyahu had actually visited Paris to honor four Jews killed in a kosher supermarket in a terror attack shortly after the murder of Charlie Hebdos staff. Oberlin College (pictured, file photo) did not condemn Karegas posts but said she has the right to express her personal views Karega also said ISIS is a CIA and Mossad operation and that Israeli and Zionist Jews plotted the attacks on the Pentagon and World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. In a statement, the school said that although it does not endorse her comments, she is entitled to express her views. 'Oberlin College respects the rights of its faculty, students, staff, and alumni to express their personal views,' it said. 'Acknowledgement of this right does not signal institutional support for, or endorsement of, any specific position. 'The statements posted on social media by Dr. Joy Karega, assistant professor of rhetoric and composition, are hers alone and do not represent the views of Oberlin College.' But Karega's comments have stirred up controversy, including calls for her to lose her job. Harvard Law School Professor Emeritus Alan Dershowitz told The Tower: 'If Karega had expressed comparably bigoted views about Blacks, Muslims or gays, the President of Oberlin would not have posted the boilerplate he posted. 'He would have condemned those views, even if he defended her right to express them.' Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, director of the Shurat HaDin Israel Law Center, an Israeli-based civil rights organization, told Fox News: 'This is the worst kind of anti-Semitic rhetoric. 'It is not acceptable for the dean to hide behind academic freedom and claim this is freedom of speech.' 'She is not a tenured professor. She needs to be thrown off campus immediately.' In recent months, however, students at the $50,000-a-year college have expressed concerns that anti-Semitism is becoming a problem at the school. The student newspaper, the Oberlin Review, says Jews do not feel welcome, quoting one student, who said: I quickly learned that, at Oberlin, love for my own nation (Israel) was not something I could express. The same student reportedly later transferred out of the school due to the toxic climate regarding Israel. Last month, hundreds of alumni and students published an open letter to Oberlin President Martin Krislov saying the BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanction Israel) movement has become considerably active on the college campus. Several student organizations at Oberlin have assumed the role as the mouthpiece of the BDS movement, which claims to be a defender of Palestinian rights, but whose inflammatory language falsely portraying Israel as an illegitimate, colonialist and murderous regime demonstrates that its primary goal is to demonize the Jewish state, the letter said. As Oberlin students and alumni representing a diversity of views on Israel, we accept criticism of its leadership and policies. However, we do not believe Israel should be singled out for condemnation and we object to questioning its right to exist. A man has pleaded guilty to murdering his ex-partner with an axe as she held their newborn baby in her arms. Marcus Rappel, 41, was arrested in February last year after 28-year-old Tara Costigan was found dead in the laundry of her Canberra home. He had forced his way into her home while she was feeding the couple's one-week-old baby and beat the mother of three to death with an axe as she tried to flee with the newborn. Mother of three Tara Costigan was murdered with an axe by her ex-partner Marcus Rappel after he forced his way into her Canberra home while she was feeding their one-week-old baby in February 2015 Police say they found Ms Costigan with head injuries and an axe beside her, the ABC reports. Rappel pleaded guilty in the ACT Supreme Court on Thursday to murder, breaching a protection order and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. He was also charged with assaulting another person in the house but will not enter plea because some facts will be the subject of a disputed facts hearing later this year. The two-day hearing is set to include evidence from three witness and CCTV footage. During a court appearance last year, it was revealed Rappel was allegedly angered by a court-issued domestic violence order (DVO) Ms Costigan had taken out against him. Ms Costigan's sister and partner were in the house at the time and both suffered injuries in the alleged attack - with her sister's partner eventually managing to knock the axe from Rappel's hands. Her other two children, aged 11 and nine, were both in the house when the attack occurred. Marcus Rappel, 41, was arrested in February last year after 28-year-old Tara Costigan was found dead in the laundry of her Canberra home Police say they found Ms Costigan with head injuries and an axe beside her on the laundry floor of her Canberra home Ms Costigan' uncle, Michael Costigan, said the guilty plea was a big step and her three children were being cared for by family. 'What the two boys saw was incredibly traumatising and I hope that we stick by them for the longer term, to be able to support them with that... We're all a big family and we're looking after each other,' he said. The tragic case caught the attention of the nation as supporters rallied around the family, with more than $95,000 raised for the orphaned children less than two weeks after a crowd-funding page was started up. Rhiley, the eldest of three children left behind by Ms Costigan, 28, paid tribute to the 'best mum in the world', with his nine-year-old brother Drew and baby sister Ayla by his side, at her funeral in March. Uber say it investigates each incident and will refund charges made in error Similar incidents have been reported in Manhattan, L.A. and Tampa, Florida Mandel insists pictures are faked as part of a scam by the driver He claimed she threw up in his car and provided photographic evidence Uber drivers are using a fake vomit scam to force customers to pay hundreds of dollars in 'clean up' fees, a passenger claims. Meredith Mandel had caught an Uber home to Williamsburg in Brooklyn with her boyfriend and a friend after enjoying dinner out, the Gothamist reports. The ride, which was uneventful, ended at just before 1.30am. But when Mandel, who says she and the rest of her party were sober, checked her email the next morning, she discovered she'd been charged more than $200 for the two mile trip from Fort Greene. Uber drivers are using a fake vomit scam to force customers to pay hundreds of dollars in 'clean up' fees, a passenger claims After challenging Uber over the extortionate fee, she was told that a $200 cleaning charge had been added to her $19 fee after the driver claimed she had thrown up in the car. He even provided photographic evidence - all of which Mandel insists is fake. 'I was infuriated, because I realized that it actually is a scam,' she told The Gothamist. 'At first I was trying to actually give them the benefit of a doubt, but I realized [it] because all of the money goes to the drivers.' The Manhattan art director began picking apart the driver's claims, stating that the pictures showed vomit in the front seat while she and her fellow passengers had been sat in the back. she was also suspicious that the throw up seemed contained to easy-to-clean plastic surfaces. Mandel, who temporarily closed her Paypal account, was still mid-dispute with Uber when she realized the driver had even attempted to take a second $200 installment. And it appears she isn't the only Uber customer to be fall victim to the alleged scam. Last year, another New Yorker, who is only referred to by his first name as Billy, described a similar scenario. After challenging Uber over the extortionate fee, she was told that a $200 cleaning charge had been added to her $19 fee after the driver claimed she had thrown up in the car In a Reddit post, he described being 'completely sober' when he took Uber across Manhattan at 7.30am. So he was shocked when, half an hour after arriving home from his girlfriend's house, he found himself landed with a $200 cleaning fee for soiling the car. Once again, the driver submitted pictures of the vomit to Uber, he wrote. But after a little detective work, the Billy discovered the images appeared to have been taken from a 2014 post on a ride sharing website. Billy writes that he was eventually able to get his money back but other incidents have been reported across the United States including one in Los Angeles and two in Tampa, Florida that resulted in the driver getting fired. Uber say that passengers who soil driver's cars are charged a cleaning fee and are sent an explanation of the charge. Uber say that passengers who soil driver's cars are charged a cleaning fee and are sent an explanation of the charge The firm will investigate if riders believe they were wrongly charged and provide a refund if the fee is found to have been unfair or made in error. Drivers also describe the nightmare of cleaning up after drunken customers which can take them out of service for hours - costing them hundreds of dollars - as they try to find 24-hour car wash and scrub away the vomit. One driver said he had never heard of the scam but said it seemed like a lot of trouble for a few hundred dollars. 'You could make that in two or three hours of working,' he said. Mandel, who also filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, says she has now been refunded the cleaning charge. But the experience had put her off using the popular taxi app for good. The German boss of Rolls Royce along with others owned by German multinational BMW have written to employees warning that a Brexit could cost them their jobs. In a letter to employees, chief executive Torsten Muller-Otvos said there was no guarantee the UK would be granted free trade with EU countries if it votes to leave. But it was cancelled out by a letter from 200 bosses from small firms urging voters not to listen to 'a minority of managers from Britain's largest companies' who want Britain to remain in the Brussels club. And it set out the reasons why quitting the EU would help them avoid crippling EU regulations that harm their profit margins. In a letter to Rolls Royce employees, chief executive Torsten Muller-Otvos (pictured)said there was no guarantee the UK would be granted free trade with the EU if it voted to leave In an open letter to the Daily Telegraph small business managers said leaving the EU would grant them the 'flexibility and adaptability [that] are key to our long-term success'. It follows a letter from 197 business leaders - including 36 bosses of FTSE100 companies - signed a letter warning that Brexit would 'threaten jobs and put the economy at risk'. Today's conflicting messages are the latest sign that the EU referendum is turning into a battle between big and small business. The letter from the Rolls Royce boss, which is one of six sent by bosses of BMW's British companies - including Mini - was sent to around 8,000 workers, warning that higher costs could affect their 'employment base' . The cars, such as the Phantom (pictured) are made in Britain but most are exported to Europe. Company bosses say that there is not guarantee Britain could maintain free trade with Europe in the event of a Brexit Mr Muller-Otvos wrote: 'Free trade is important for international business. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars exports motor cars throughout the EU and imports a significant number of parts through the region. 'For BMW Group, more than half of MINIs built and virtually all the engines and components made in the UK are exported to the EU, with over 150,000 new cars and many hundreds of thousands of parts imported from Europe each year. 'Tariff barriers would mean higher costs and higher prices and we cannot assume that the UK would be granted free trade with Europe from outside the EU. 'Our employment base could also be affected, with skilled men and women from most EU countries included in the 30 nationalities currently represented at the home of Rolls-Royce here at Goodwood.' BMW owns companies all over the world, and stressed that the decision was 'down to the British people', claiming the letter - leaked to The Guardian - is not trying to influence its staff. They claim that the letter was sent at the request of staff. Meanwhile the letter from small business bosses said 'little attention' had been given to the stance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the EU debate. 'SME's are the incubators for tomorrow's success stories,' the letter from bosses of small companies, self-employed workers and sole traders said. 'Our businesses thrive because we instinctively understand that flexibility and adaptability are key to our long term success. We employ the majority of the UK's workforce. 'As entrepreneurs, we deal with the EU's constant diet of unnecessary regulations which add to our cost base, reduce our bottom line, and raise prices for our customers for no return. 'If EU institutions are tone-deaf to the genuine desire for change to remain competitive, the EU is destined to fail. 'We believe in the future of our country. We believe that our economy can do better and create more jobs, without being held back by the EU, thus we should vote to leave.' Employment Minister Priti Patel, who is backing Brexit, said big business had a long history of getting EU issues wrong. In a Times column, she said: 'The CBI has consistently got the big decisions on Europe wrong. It called for UK membership of the European exchange rate mechanism. 'Unfortunately, the government listened. The result was interest rates at 15 per cent, millions losing their homes, and one of our worst ever recessions. 'The CBI then campaigned to join the euro. Again it was wrong. In these debates, it relied on flawed polls and admitted it was ignoring the views of small businesses. 'Now it is campaigning for the EU.' She added: 'The CBI is again ignoring the views of small businesses and entrepreneurs. It has welcomed almost every expansion of the EUs powers.' Channel Nine's A Current Affair program has been forced to defend a Facebook post that called for viewers to contact them with stories about 'Asian tradies' and asking if they were 'cheap'. The post, which has since been deleted but slammed on social media, read: 'Have you had any experience with Asian tradies? Painters, tilers, plasterers...what did you think? Did they do a good job, were they cheap? If you have a story and are happy to be interviewed on TV, please email: aca@nine.com.au'. A Current Affair executive producer Grant Williams defended the post claiming the angle of the story was in fact positive but admitted it was inappropriate, in an interview with mUmBRELLA on Thursday. The Facebook post, (pictured) which asked if Asian tradies were cheap, was quickly deleted before users posted comments to Reddit, labelling the post 'racist' The message was posted on A Current Affair programme's social media page. Tracy Grimshaw on the show, above It attracted hundreds of comments on Reddit, including the glaring question from one person: 'Is it just me, or is that blatantly racist?' Another user said 'saying a certain race is inferior or superior at something is the definition of racist so yes this is kinda (sic) racist lol.' Australian Chinese Community Association of NSW assistant administrator Chris Li condemned the post and said it was insulting. 'It's not a positive message their sending, Asian tradies are just normal tradies,' he said. 'Honestly it is quite typical from them (ACA).' Mr Williams blamed a junior social media staffer for the post which was unapproved. 'Sadly, a junior social media staffer, in good faith, put up a call-out on behalf of a reporter without having the copy approved,' he said. 'Of course the copy was inappropriate.' Mr Williams said the story had been inspired by his own positive experience with Asian tradies. 'We are actually doing a very positive story about how certain tradies and Korean painters, in particular, now identify themselves and their background as a marketing tool when seeking clientele,' he said. A Current Affair executive producer Grant Williams defended the post and said the story had been inspired by his own positive experience with Asian tradies (stock image) 'We werent saying Korean tradies are crap dont go near Korean tradies we were saying that this was a good story actually out of my personal experience and thats how it was first mooted.' It is not the first time ACA has come under fire for casual racism towards the Asian community. In 2012 the show was forced to apologise after it breached the Codes of Practice of the Australian Communications and Media Authority, with a segment called 'All-Asian Mall' which claimed Asian businesses were taking over a shopping centre in Castle Hill, in Sydney's north-west, and included an interview with Pauline Hanson. The partner of disgraced former union boss Kathy Jackson has quit his $435,000-a-year taxpayer funded job, the day after a man aged in his 40s was found dead in their home. Michael Lawler, the embattled Fair Work Commission vice-president, has quit after concerns about his long periods of sick leave, which totalled more than 200 days last year. The partner of former Health Services Union boss Kathy Jackson, Mr Lawler was the subject of an independent investigation commissioned by Employment Minister Michaelia Cash. Scroll down for video Kathy Jackson's partner Michael Lawler, pictured left during a TV interview with Ms Jackson, has quit his $435,000-a-year taxpayer funded job Mr Lawler had tendered his resignation to Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove, Senator Cash told the Senate on Thursday. 'Mr Lawler's resignation from the Fair Work Commission commences with immediate effect,' she said. Senator Cash received a report by former Federal Court judge Peter Heerey on February 15 and had given Mr Lawler until Friday to respond to the inquiry's findings. If he had not decided to quit his $435,000-a-year post, it would have taken a vote by both houses of federal parliament to remove him. Commission president Iain Ross told a Senate committee last year he had approved more than 200 days of sick leave for his deputy. But he did not know Mr Lawler was spending that time supporting Ms Jackson to defend herself in court. Mr Lawler told ABC TV's Four Corners program there was absolutely nothing wrong with taking leave to help your partner defend herself against unjust attacks. 'In fact, I would have thought most Australians would regard that as an honourable and decent thing to do,' he said. On Wednesday morning, a man aged in his 40s was found dead in the couple's home in Wombarra, south of Sydney. Police told Daily Mail Australia the man - a friend of the family - is believed to have suffered a medical episode and his death is not being treated as suspicious. He is believed to be 45-year-old Shaun Fisher, a dinner guest at the home, Daily Telegraph reported. In August, the Federal Court ordered Ms Jackson to pay back to the HSU $1.4 million for misappropriating funds she spent on shopping, groceries, travel, artworks and dining It is the same house that was raised in October last year when Ms Jackson was under investigation by Victorian Police and the Australian Federal Police in the operation Task Force Hercules, which is investigating union corruption. In August, the Federal Court ordered Ms Jackson to pay back to the HSU $1.4 million for misappropriating funds she spent on shopping, groceries, travel, artworks and dining, and even her divorce. Police commenting on the raid at Ms Jackon's Wombarra home said no arrests had been made. In 2011, Ms Jackson made a formal complaint to the NSW Police naming former HSU national secretary Craig Thompson and national president Michael Williamson as key players in the corruption controversy. In August, it was revealed that the then Prime Minister Tony Abbott had in 2014 praised the disgraced union official for this action. Referring to Ms Jackson's airing of the Craig Thompson affair, Mr Abbott had described Ms Jackson as 'a brave decent woman and she is speaking up on behalf of 70 thousand members'. A new Victorian tourism campaign with a quirky narrative has received mixed reviews online, with many questioning the bad puns and why the first commercial is focused on two middle-aged men. The Wander Victoria campaign, which is being rolled out online, on TV and in cinemas across the state, encourages Melbournians to get out of the city and visit the regions. The tourism ad follows two mates who decide to 'wander' home after a lunch at a winery with their wives. Scroll down for video The Visit Victoria tourism ad sees the two men traverse all 11 regions of Victoria, from snow capped hills to wild beaches on the Great Ocean Road The ad finishes at Forges beach, a sandy stretch on the Murray River, which is Australia's longest river The campaign has received mixed review online. One poster on advertising industry website Campaign Brief seemed concerned with the ad's male only cast Their walk sees them traverse Victoria, from the Gibsons Steps on the Great Ocean Road, to the snowy Razorback Ridge between Mount Feathertop and Hotham Heights. Along the way the two friends share jokes and ask each other trivial - and sometimes absurd questions - like, Do you reckon clouds have a hierarchy?' and Would you rather have an extra eye, or an extra hand? Reaction to the video has been mixed, with some people taking issue with the ads casting and banter, while others describing it a visually stunning. One poster on the website of Campaign Brief, an Australian advertising magazine, asked: So the tag line is Victoria. Go the gay way? Another person wrote the ad was really bad and bland. But I guess this is what happens when the entire ad industry is pandering to Baby Boomers I'm sure my parents and their friends will be quoting cringeworthy lines from this trash, the writer said. One scene in the ad sees the two climb through the Grampians National Park to Flat Rock Once on top of the rock the two friends share jokes and banter - 'Its a multi-sylable view that,' says one Not everyone was as dismissive, though. One Facebook poster on the Visit Victoria page described it as possibly the best Tourism add campaign I have ever seen [sic]. The ad, which was created by Clemenger BBDO Melbourne, has been praised as beautifully shot, and one poster on the Campaign Brief website took aim at the homophobic views of some critics. I'm pretty sure you can go away for a weekend with your mate and not become gay, they wrote. This Campaign Brief commenter thought the ad was bland and pitched to squarely at older viewers Not everyone was dismissive of the ad though, this Facebook poster thought it was a world beater More than one comment noted that the ad captured the beautiful scenery of regional Victoria The $3million campaign was launched last week and is the first under the Visit Victoria banner, the organisation formerly known as Tourism Victoria. Visit Victoria CEO Nick Foa said the launch was the first chapter in a long-term strategy to position Victoria as a place where there's time to relax, recharge and enjoy life's simple pleasures. Melanie de Souza, Visit Victoria acting director of marketing and airline services, told Campaign Brief that she was confident the quirky narrative and creative treatment will resonate well with Melbourne audiences. The Visit Victoria campaign follows two mates who set off on an epic journey across Victoria after lunch The ad is the first chapter in a $3million campaign that will see the friends visit more places across the state The ad sees the two friends walk along the historic Noojee Trestle Bridge which was constructed in 1919 Lake Crosbie, another location in the ad, is one of the Pink Lakes in the Murray-Sunset National Park The campaign also said it did not know about Edwards' personal views The Trump campaign, when asked about an interview in the presence of Tennessee-based Edwards, denied any knowledge of it Edwards has also attended a Memphis rally for Trump as a reporter One of Donald Trump's sons appeared along with a white supremacist while giving an interview on a conservative radio show, adding to concerns that the front-runner in the battle to be the Republican candidate in November's presidential election is willing to accept support from extremist supporters. Donald Trump Jr., who is campaigning for his father, gave an interview on Tuesday on Liberty Roundtable, a conservative Utah-based radio show hosted by Sam Bushman. During the show Trump Jr was questioned by James Edwards, another radio host whose show The Political Cesspool is described by the Southern Poverty Law Center, a leading U.S. civil rights group, as 'racist and anti-Semitic'. Campaigning: Donald Trump and his son Donald Jr pictured at a rally in Valdosta, Florida on February 29 During the interview, conducted over the telephone, Trump Jr. talked about what a good father Donald Trump was and how his campaign is changing the Republican Party. James Edwards, host of the Political Cesspool, has rejected the Southern Poverty Law Center's opinion that his show is 'white supremacist' or 'pro-slavery' 'It's not a campaign any more, it's a movement,' he told his interviewers. You can listen to the full audio here. Edwards said on his blog on Tuesday he would rebroadcast the 20-minute interview on Saturday on The Political Cesspool. The show, founded in 2005 and syndicated by Bushman's Liberty News Radio organization, has featured such extremists as former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke and Holocaust denier Willis Carto. Edwards also said on his blog that he had attended a Memphis rally for Donald Trump as a credentialed media member last Saturday. The Trump campaign, when asked about an interview in the presence of the Tennessee-based Edwards, denied any knowledge of it. The campaign also said it did not know about Edwards' personal views. 'The campaign provided media credentials to everyone that requested access to the event on Saturday in Memphis. There were close to 200 reporters in attendance and we do not personally vet each individual. The campaign had no knowledge of his personal views and strongly condemns them. 'Donald Trump Jr. was not in attendance and although he served as a surrogate for his father on several radio programs over the past week, to his knowledge and that of the campaign, he did not participate in an interview with this individual,' campaign spokeswoman Hope Hicks said in an email. Edwards, in an email, directed questions about the interview to Bushman, but said in a statement: 'My show, The Political Cesspool, promotes a proud, paleoconservative Christian worldview, and we reject media descriptions of our work as 'white supremacist', 'pro-slavery' and other such scare words. 'As I clearly wrote in yesterday's article, in no way should anyone interpret our press credentialing and subsequent interview with Donald Trump, Jr. as any kind of endorsement by the Trump campaign.' Donald Trump won a majority of the states holding nominating contests on Super Tuesday, accelerating his march to the Republican nomination. He has promised to build a wall on the Mexican border, temporarily ban Muslims from entering the United States and block Syrian refugees because they might be militants - all policies popular with some U.S. right-wing groups. Republican leaders in the U.S. Congress on Tuesday condemned white supremacist groups after Trump earlier failed to disavow support for former Klan leader Duke, but the leaders declined further comment on Trump's White House bid. A shocking attack where a woman was choked and pushed over by a man she challenged about taking photos of women on a train has been captured on camera. The incident, which took place on a train on Melbourne's Ringwood line, resulted in the whole carriage of passengers rushing to the woman's aid and placing the man under citizen's arrest. It reportedly began when the woman noticed the man, Wayne David Smart, 38, taking photographs of other passengers, 7 News reported. Scroll down for video The woman took Smart's phone off him after she caught him taking photographs of her on a train But then, he reacted, grabbing the woman, choking her, and slamming her backwards into a wall and seat An image from CCTV the moment before Smart grabs the woman by her neck and chokes her The moment Smart grabbed the woman by the throat, choking her and slamming her against a wall, was caught on CCTV The instant the man attacked, passengers in the train carriage leapt into action and came to the woman's aid He had already stood up, approached another woman, stuck his face just inches from her, and stared at her. The woman who was choked asked him to stop taking pictures. 'He was very obviously taking my photo, you could see the flash. And that really bothered me. I thought, this man is agitated, intimidating, he seemed violent.' At that point, she'd had enough, and snatched away his phone - a move she later admitted wasn't the wisest. The woman, whose identity was not revealed, said when the man kept taking photos of her after she asked him to stop, she had had enough. Earlier, Smart had stood up, walked over to another woman, put his face close to hers and stared at her from mere inches away 'I held the phone away from him and I said I'm deleting that photo. 'Then he obviously snapped and grabbed me by the throat, and pushed me back against the wall,' she told 7 News. Smart denied any recollection of the incident, and his lawyer said it was because of his alcohol consumption. His lawyer, Mark Rawson, said: 'I asked him why would you be taking photos of people on the train? He said I can't remember. He couldn't come up with any excuse or remember anything from the day,' 7 News reported. Smart told media he hadn't been taking photographs on the train when he was confronted and asked about the situation When his father, who supported him in court, and his partner were questioned by media, they did not respond. Despite that, and previously denying the incident to media, in the Ringwood Magistrates Court, he pleaded guilty to the attack, and two other incidents, on Wednesday. He was sentenced to four months' imprisonment but promptly launched an appeal, 7 News reported. Smart has an 'extensive' criminal history and has been in prison before. Smart was sentenced to four months' imprisonment for the attack but promptly launched an appeal Smart can just be seen at the back of the carriage before passengers swarmed him and placed him under citizen's arrest A 38-year-old man accused of beating another man to death nearly two decades ago at a disco in Poland has been arrested in New Jersey. Federal prosecutors said Rafal Kaldon was taken into custody Wednesday morning by US Marshals and is charged with being a fugitive from a foreign country. Kaldon, who lives in Garfield, New Jersey, faces extradition. The US Attorney's Office said that 38-year-old Rafal Kaldon appeared before a judge in Newark federal court (pictured) on Wednesday In a complaint, prosecutors alleged that in August 1996 Kaldon and an accomplice 'entered a disco, walked up to [Norbert] Nowak, and without speaking to him, began to beat him. The US Attorney's office credited Kaldon's arrest to US Marshals directed by Juan Matos (pictured) 'They hit and kicked Nowak until he collapsed to the floor, at which point they continued to kick and beat him in the presence of several witnesses.' The complaint said that: 'Witnesses in the disco attempted to resuscitate Nowak, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.' Kaldon's sister told authorities her brother took his passport and cash immediately after the beating and fled the country, according to the complaint. The document said that 'Kaldon was charged with murder [...] and a warrant for his arrest was issued on February 11, 2002 by the Regional Public Prosecutor's Office in Stalowa Wola.' A release from the US Attorney's office said: 'U.S. Attorney Fishman credited U. S. Marshals, under the direction of U.S. Marshal Juan Matos in Newark, with the arrest of Kaldon after being a fugitive from Poland for almost 20 years.' The release, citing the complaint, said that: 'Pursuant to a treaty with the United States, the government of Poland submitted a formal request through diplomatic channels for Kaldons extradition.' Defense attorney Nancy Lucianna told The Record: 'I expect him to be exonerated of these charges and not be extradited back to Poland.' Advertisement A lesbian couple who prolonged their engagement in a hope gay marriage would be legalised in Australia have decided they could not wait any longer and held a commitment ceremony in front of family and friends. After eight years together and a 16-month engagement, Christie Blake and Carly Finch, both 27, held a ceremony near their home at Narrabeen lagoon in Sydney's north last month, but are still frustrated their commitment is not recognised legally. 'I could die tomorrow and not be able to marry the love of my life. The government shouldn't be telling me who I can or cannot marry,' Ms Finch told Daily Mail Australia. Christie Blake (pictured left) and Carly Finch (right) prolonged their engagement in a hope gay marriage would be legalised in Australia, but decided they could not wait any longer and held a commitment ceremony After eight years together and a 16-month engagement, the pair held a ceremony near their home at Narrabeen lagoon in Sydney's north last month 'Christie to me is my wife. When I proposed to her, I thought it would have been legalised, that was 16 months ago. 'There was all that carry on that it would be legal. Then when it went south, our family and friends support it, so we said "lets do it".' The pair met through an ex-partner of Ms Finch and after becoming close friends, she decided to leave her girlfriend to be with Ms Blake. 'We just fell in love. It went from there,' Ms Finch said. The couple said their wedding day was 'everything they had hoped for' and shared their vows in front of family and friends at North Narrabeen beach. 'You sort of don't get a moment to take it all in, everyone sort of wants a piece of you. But we really felt the love that day,' Ms Blake told Daily Mail Australia. The special day was photographed by Erica Margan from Margan Photography who says she loves working with gay couples, finding their strength to marry in spite of the law incredibly brave. 'Christie to me is my wife. When I proposed to her, I thought it would have been legalised, that was 16 months ago,' Ms Finch said The pair met through an ex-partner of Ms Finch and after becoming close friends, she decided to leave her girlfriend to be with Ms Blake The couple said their wedding day was 'everything they had hoped for' and shared their vows in front of family and friends at North Narrabeen beach The special day was photographed by Erica Margan from Margan Photography who says she loves working with gay couples, finding their strength to marry in spite of the law incredibly brave Ms Margan had a commitment ceremony in 2009 with her partner Erin at Margan Winery in the Hunter Valley and decided to change their names as they consider the estate the 'birthplace of their family.' The photographer said she is saying many more same sex couples choosing to get married and is completely 'honoured' to be involved. 'Standing up before your family and friends and making those promises to each other is what a wedding and marriage is all about,' Ms Margan told Daily Mail Australia. 'Doing that in a country in spite of a government that says otherwise is brilliantly brave and we are all for it. 'We are so honoured to be involved.' 'I could die tomorrow and not be able to marry the love of my life. The government shouldn't be telling me who I can or cannot marry,' Ms Finch told Daily Mail Australia The couple said their wedding day was 'everything they had hoped for' and shared their vows in front of family and friends at North Narrabeen beach The photographer said she is saying many more same sex couples choosing to get married and is completely 'honoured' to be involved Ms Blake said many of her friends are considering having commitment ceremonies, regardless of whether gay marriage is legalised and a few friends have even travelled to Mexico to wed. 'To bring the article up about Lara and Elise Ryan this week. One of them passed away earlier this month and they have been married since 2010 and the paperwork because of not having a marriage certificate and the hassle she's been through, stuff like this is happening to couples every day,' Ms Blake said. 'Because of that one document it can cause big issues that shouldn't be happening. 'It is frustrating that a piece of paper may not mean much to some people but to others it means a world of difference.' Lara Ryan penned a furious plea for marriage equality on Monday night after her partner Elise died suddenly after being hit by a car while crossing the street. A grief-stricken Ms Ryan was left frustrated by the challenge of having to explain her family to authorities and in forms. Ms Blake said many of her friends are considering having commitment ceremonies, regardless of whether gay marriage is legalised and a few friends have even travelled to Mexico to wed 'It is frustrating that a piece of paper may not mean much to some people but to others it means a world of difference' Jacob Padua, 30, has been charged with assault after allegedly beating his pregnant girlfriend and chasing her with a knife A Texas man has been arrested after he allegedly punched his pregnant girlfriend in the face and chased her around his home with a butcher knife. Jacob Padua, 30, has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for the attack his girlfriend said began after he accused her of cheating on him, according to the police report. Padua had picked up his girlfriend and taken her back to his place on February 8 when he started pacing the floor and she asked him if he had taken any drugs, authorities said. The woman told responding officers that Padua, who has a tattoo that covers his entire face, uses cocaine and told her he had taken a 'little bit' that night, according to KCBD. Then Padua allegedly questioned whether he was truly the father of the woman's child before he began punching her with a closed fist, the police report states. Padua's girlfriend told officers he warned her not to scratch him or 'it will be worse for you'. He later allegedly kicked his girlfriend on the ground after throwing her down by her hair. His girlfriend was able to reach a phone to call her mother for help, but as she was on the line Padua then began slamming her into 'several metal objects in the living room', according to police. By the time police arrived at the home at 2am, Padua and his two sons, who had been in another room, were gone. Padua's girlfriend was treated and he was booked into the Lubbock County Detention Center two days after the alleged attack. He was indicted on Wednesday. Canadian poet Al Purdy (pictured) is one of eight terminally ill people right-to-die activist John Hofsess claimed he killed The founder of an underground assisted suicide service has posthumously confessed in graphic detail to killing eight people who he claims wanted to die. Right-to-die activist John Hofsess claimed he helped kill eight people, including a prominent Canadian poet, between 1999 and 2001. He detailed how he illegally killed the men and women, who he claims all had terminal illnesses, before eventually taking his own life at a Swiss suicide clinic last week. In an article for Toronto Life, Hofsess explained how he became involved in right-to-die activism after a filmmaker killed himself by jumping off a bridge in Montreal. It inspired him to form the Right to Die Society of Canada, which went on to unsuccessfully challenge laws on assisted killing. After the suicide of terminally ill conductor Georg Tintner, who fell to his death from a balcony in Halifax, Hofsess said he 'went from advocating for assisted suicides to facilitating them'. 'Lets not mince words: I killed people who wanted to die,' he wrote. Hofsess and his claimed accomplice Evelyn Martens came up with two techniques to kill people in what they considered a humane fashion. One of these techniques involved sedation and they both included starving the dying person of oxygen. The pair did not charge people to be killed, but any donations helped pay for the materials provided. One of the eight people he confessed to killing was the poet Al Purdy, who was 81 and had lung cancer among other ailments. His wife, Eurithe, wanted him to fight for survival, Hofsess wrote, but after his health deteriorated further she allowed him to take his own life. Hofsess posthumously confessed to killing people he claims wanted to die after taking his own life at the Eternal Spirit suicide clinic (pictured) in Basel, Switzerland The assisted killer wrote that Purdy died in comfort in his home, with a glass of wine in hand and his favorite music playing. Daily Mail Online will not divulge the full details of how Hofsess claims he killed Purdy, but if it is true - and if he was still alive - Hofsess could have faced murder charges under current Canadian law. At least, he could have faced assisted killing charges which carry a 14-year prison sentence. Purdy's wife is said to have told police her husband died in his sleep, and news reports said he did so after a battle with lung cancer. Hofsess wrote that he offered to admit to killing the poet in an attempt to highlight the issue, but Purdy's wife did not want the media furore and the activist himself was concerned about being jailed and therefore unable to help others take their own lives. The claimed assisted killings went on until eight people had died. Hofsess planned to continue with the killings, but Martens was arrested in 2002 and charged with two counts of assisted suicide, which Hofsess claimed he was unaware of. Martens was eventually cleared but at that point it became impossible to offer his services without the risk of being caught, Hofsess wrote. Hofsess wrote that Purdy (pictured) died in comfort in his home, with a glass of wine in hand and his favorite music playing Laws on assisted dying in Canada are set to change this year after the country's Supreme Court ruled it was unconstitutional to stop terminally ill people from trying to humanely end their lives. It will not come in time for Hofsess, who traveled to Basel, in Switzerland, in February to die at the Eternal Spirit suicide clinic. Hofsess, who was suffering from heart problems, died at the clinic on February 29. In the United States, assisted suicide is only legal in California, Oregon, Vermont and Washington under certain circumstances. In Montana, physicians have a legal defense if they help patients die but they can still face prosecution. Many believe that assisted dying should be allowed so people whoa re terminally ill can end their lives in a more humane way than slowly deteriorating. In many cases, people are so ill that they are unable to take their own lives, but family, friends and doctors are unable to help for fear of prosecution. Others, particularly religious campaign groups, believe assisted suicide is wrong and should not be allowed. For confidential help, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or click here. General Sir Richard Barrons (pictured) warned that soldiers are arriving in warzones unprepared due to overzealous application of health and safety A senior officer has warned that British soldiers are arriving in war zones unprepared for battle and 'afraid' of their weapons because of health and safety laws are misread. General Sir Richard Barrons said it was essential that soldiers are rigorously trained so that they are 'obsessively, aggressively, mercurially determined to win' if they are to survive in battle. However, a misreading of health and safety laws by those in the middle and lower ranks, are making training safe but useless, he said. His comments come as senior officials are due to be grilled by MPs over a series of deaths in training in recent years, prompting calls for action to the Ministry of Defence (MoD). Sir Richard added: 'We are beginning to see a misinterpretation of what the Health and Safety Executive and the legislation actually means in the way that people are bearing down on risk in training and particularly in the operation of equipment and live ammunition,' reports The Telegraph. 'And my own view of this is that it is now necessary to have another go at this culture because we are in some areas acquiring a set of restrictions on particularly training which are making people operate their equipment in such a narrow way they are not ready to go on operations.' He added: 'The net effect of that is bits of the Armed Forces are less ready than they need to be to go on operations.' However, his comments will anger the families of a number of people who have recently called for the MoD to take responsibility for death that they claim were due to poor planning or duty of care. Corporal James Dunsby, Lance Corporal Craig Roberts and Lance Corporal Edward Maher, died during a 16-mile test march around Pen y Fan, the highest mountain in the Brecon Beacons. They were among 78 soldiers who were ordered to complete the march within eight hours and 48 minutes, carrying 49lb of kit, on the hottest day of 2013. Sir Richard's comments come amid a number of high profile cases criticising the MoD over a spate of deaths in training in recent years. File picture Pictured, left to right, Lance Corporal Craig Roberts, Lance Corporal Edward Maher and Corporal James Dunsby, died on a 16-mile march on the highest mountain in the Brecon Beacons on the hottest day of 2013 At an inquest, the coroner blasted the SAS for neglect that contributed to the deaths, during a march blighted by inadequate planning and training, and a chaotic response once soldiers began to fall ill, it was said. There were gross failures in not spotting that one of the dead men had veered off course, nor that Lance Cpl Maher was static for nearly two hours. Also ongoing is the inquest into the death of Private Cheryl James, 18, who allegedly killed herself at the Deepcut Barracks Had officers followed MoD protocol, they would have stopped the march when the first reservist collapsed, more than two hours before Lance Cpl Maher died. If that had happened, all three men then would have survived, the coroner said. Also ongoing is the inquest into the death of Private Cheryl James, 18, who allegedly killed herself at the Deepcut Barracks where she was training as a new recruit. However, her family have argued for a new inquest for years, and claims that the MoD neglected their duty of care to the young soldier, who should have been better looked after. The second inquest, which was being heard throughout February, revealed how there had been a culture of drinking and drugs at the barracks, where recruits were mainly left to their own devices. Witnesses and evidence heard at the inquest also suggests that female recruits were seen as conquests by some senior officers, and one had allegedly made an advance on Pvt James shortly before her death, which the last coroner ruled was a suicide. Sir Richard believes that it is a good thing senior officers are 'held to account' in instances when things have gone wrong, and admits these processes are important. They say he has travelled to Syria to engage in 'hostile activities' The Australian Federal Police has issued a warrant for Queensland teenager Oliver Bridgeman, claiming the 19-year-old has travelled to Syria to engage in 'hostile activities.' Mr Bridgeman's legal team have accused the federal government of doing everything possible to keep him stranded and said the allegations involved his intentions when he entered Syria one year ago. 'Despite presumably having all relevant evidence for 12 months, the AFP has chosen to only now issue a warrant - a matter of days after the filing of an appeal to have Mr Bridgeman's passport returned, so he could come home,' the law firm said in a statement. Scroll down for video Oliver Bridgeman maintains he has been doing humanitarian work in the war-torn country where he has been for more than 12 months The AFP had at all times asserted that they only wanted Mr Bridgeman to return to Australia, they added. 'It seems the government is doing everything possible to ensure Mr Bridgeman remains stranded in Syria,' the statement said. 'Without government intervention, it is highly likely he would already be home.' Mr Bridgeman has indicated a willingness to co-operate with authorities. An AFP spokesman said Brisbane's Joint Counter-Terrorism Team obtained the warrant on Thursday, alleging Mr Bridgeman had made 'incursions into foreign countries with the intention of engaging in hostile activities'. On Monday, Mr Bridgeman's legal team told reporters the decision to cancel their client's passport was 'nonsensical' and that the teenager had nothing to hide. Mr Bridgeman has maintained he's doing humanitarian work in the war-torn country after failing to return from a trip to Bali. The Australian Federal Police has issued a warrant for Queensland teenager Oliver Bridgeman, claiming the 19-year-old has travelled to Syria to engage in hostile activities He has also maintained a social media presence while abroad, posting on Facebook last month: 'No matter what the Australian government say or do, they know that I'm here to help humanity and especially the people of Syria.' Mr Bridgeman's lawyer, Alex Jones, says the Australian government's decision to cancel the 19-year-old's passport is 'nonsensical' and greatly distressing to his parents. Mr Jones said the government had advised they would consider issuing his client with a 'limited validity travel document' to come home and had to surrender his cancelled passport to the nearest mission or consular post, which is in Turkey. He said Mr Bridgeman had no legal way to cross the border and had been advised he faced 10 years' imprisonment if he did. 'The Australian government has stranded a Queensland teenager in a foreign country,' Mr Jones said. 'This has happened at a time when Mr Bridgeman was organising to come home and had been communicating and fully co-operating with authorities.' Bridgeman was a talented student who had wanted to become either a doctor or a lawyer Mr Bridgeman has previously taken to Facebook to reject claims he had fled to Syria to fight with an al-Qaeda linked terror group. Mr Jones said his client had nothing to hide given he had spent his time handing out food and clothing to the poor in Syria. 'His parents have co-operated with authorities during their son's time in Syria and are devastated that he now has no means of returning home to them,' he said. An appeal against the decision to cancel Mr Bridgeman's passport will be filed on Monday. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said last month she would not comment on individual cases or intelligence and security matters. 'The government has consistently and in the strongest terms discouraged Australians from travelling to Iraq and Syria to participate in hostile activities,' she said in a statement. 'Australians travelling to Syria or Iraq not only risk committing offences, but may be kidnapped, seriously injured or even killed as a result. The Australian government cannot facilitate the safe passage of people out of the conflict zones'. The messages, from 2014, have since been deleted but he is standing trial The Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow, part of the main Russian Orthodox Church A Russian atheist who said 'there is no God' in a row on social media could be sentenced to a year in prison. Viktor Krasnov, 38, is facing the punishment for the messages he posted on European social networking site Vk.com, his lawyer said. In the messages, published in 2014, Krasnov said: 'If I say that the collection of Jewish fairytales entitled the Bible is complete bulls***, that is that. At least for me.' He later added: 'There is no God!' The authorities became aware of the comments when another online user involved in the dispute contacted them. The user claimed Krasnov had 'offended the sentiments of Orthodox believers'. Krasnov's lawyer Pavel Chikov, a human-rights activist, said the messages had now been deleted. Mr Chikov said his client's was an atheist who challenged prevailing customs. Russia's Investigative Committee - the equivalent of the FBI - charged Krasnov, who is now on trial in his native city of Stavropol, in southern Russia. Krasnov was forced to undergo month-long psychiatric checks during the investigation. Doctors declared him sane, according to anti-government news website Grani.ru. In an interview with the site, Krasnov said: 'I don't know how you can treat social networking posts seriously. 'Looks like we need a law to protect atheists' feelings too.' Krasnov and Chikov have not been available for comment. The trial follows dozens of people facing criminal persecution for their online posts in Russia. Human rights watchdog, Freedom House, downgraded Russia's 'Freedom on the Net' rating from 'free' to 'non-free' last year. Charges against Krasnov were filed in the Autumn and his trial began on Monday. Authorities have been able to go after atheists and anti-government groups for 'offending believers' feelings' since it was criminalised in Russia after punk band Pussy Riot's performance in Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Savior in 2012. Two band members were controversially jailed that year for performing an anti-Vladimir Putin song at the cathedral. Two Pussy Riot members were jailed in 2012 for performing an anti-Vladimir Putin song at a cathedral Islamic State terrorists are earning up to 14 million a month by funneling cash looted from Iraqi banks into legitimate currency speculation. The terror group seized hundreds of millions of dollars when it ransacked Mosul banks in June 2014, giving it the means to re-inject the cash back into unsuspecting foreign markets. Yesterday a Foreign Affairs sub-committee heard that this money is routed into financial markets in Jordan, where it is used to play the stock market and then rewired back to ISIS operatives in Iraq. ISIS seized hundreds of million of dollars when it sacked several major banks in Mosul in June last year. This money is now being used to play foreign currency markets abroad, a Foreign Affairs committee has heard The move into such a sophisticated method of money laundering provides another avenue of funding to compliment the group's forays into extortion, taxation and crude oil production The move into such a sophisticated method of money laundering provides another platform for the group's funding, along with its well-established oil production, extortion, and harsh local taxes. The hearing heard ISIS was funding its stock market gambles with money taken from Iraqi civil servants' pension payments as well as looted cash, The Daily Telegraph reported. Using the alternative acronym ISIL to refer to the terror group, MP John Baron, the sub-committee's chair, said: 'The cash that ISIL has looted, along with siphoned off pension payments, is routed into Jordanian banks and brought back into the system via Baghdad. 'That allows the system to be exploited by ISIL, in that they take a turn on the foreign currency actions and siphon that cash back.' The siphoned cash is returned to ISIS operatives by the 'hawala' system of money transfer, an informal transfer system common in the Middle East, the paper reported. It requires brokers, who know and trust one another, to act and the depositing and withdrawal points for individuals willing to transfer cash to one another. As the money is not actually shifted between the brokers, they settle the debt incurred by the individuals' withdrawal with one another at a later point. Last year it emerged ISIS had turned its self declared caliphate across Syria and Iraq into a semi-functional state - and in the process, becoming the wealthiest terror group in history. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the radical group's leader, has overseen the group's transformation from a unit of Al Qaeda into the world's primary terrorist organisation The sub-committee was set up to investigate ISIS's funding links to Britain, and how UK politicians can help to stem the flow of money into the terrorists' coffers. With an estimated 1.3billion fortune, the group can afford not only to pay foreign fighters who join its cause in the Middle East, but easily expand beyond its borders to launch attacks in the West. Though figures of its wealth vary widely, one report estimated it was selling 1million per day in crude oil and kidnappings were worth 30million per annum. As well as these income streams, it was enforcing taxes of 20 per cent across a population of 10 million, and controlled 40 per cent of Iraq's wheat production. Christina Schori Liang from the Geneva Centre for Security Policy, offered compelling detail on exactly how ISIS is funding its wholesale slaughter. She described the 10 oilfields through Iraq and Syria controlled by the militants as its 'black gold'. 'Oil wealth serves several purposes: it provides energy needs for the estimated 10 million civilians living in [ISIS] controlled territory and it helps fuel the war machine. Adjusting to shared custody of children can be very difficult, especially when one parent moves half way around the world. But divorcee Matt Walker, who lives in California with his second wife, has found a clever way to play with his two sons - Jarvis, nine, and Maxi, seven - from the comfort of his home. With the pain of not being able to live closer to the boys, who are living with their mother Sharon in Brisbane, the father decided to build the RambleBot, Brisbane Times reported. Scroll down for video A divorced father built a robot to interact with his children after he made the move from Brisbane to the US From clockwise: Matt Walker with his three sons - Jarvis, 9, Maxi, 7, and seven-month-old Jack The robot has an iPhone attached to a white miniature military tank with a solid metal arm with a gripper - and both the machine and phone charges at the same time when it's plugged into the wall. For the past three years, Mr Walker would log into the RambleBot from his US home - where he lives with his wife and their seven-month-old son Jack - and spends quality time with the boys. The father of three interacts with his Australian children via Skype and controls the robot - which runs on a large battery that lasts up to two days - through an app. Despite living 11,410 kilometres (7100 miles) away, Mr Walker said the rechargeable robot has allowed him to feel like he's in the same room with his sons. 'Telepresence will never be as good as being there in real life,' Mr Walker said. And while their communication arrangement seems tough, Mr Walker said living half his life through the robot has made it 'easier to play hide and seek'. 'I'm able to hide in the most obscure corners and under beds,' he said, adding that his children think the idea of speaking to their 'robot dad' is 'cool' rather than 'weird'. For the past three years, Mr Walker would log into the RambleBot from his US home to interact with his sons The father of three Skyping one of his sons - nine-year-old Jarvis who lives in Brisbane with his mother The robot has an iPhone attached to a white miniature military tank with a solid metal arm with a gripper Despite living 11,410km away, he said the robot has made him feel like he's in the same room with his sons After a successful run with his sons, Mr Walker now builds RambleBots by hand in his home and sells them Their Brisbane mother said her ex-husband's efforts to build a robot has proven that he wanted to be part of his children's life despite being in another country. 'You have to be open to making it work, but really, when the motivation of both parents is the children's happiness, then usually you can get to that place,' she told Brisbane Times. She said children are usually distracted when they sit in front of a computer during Skype time - but the robot has allowed her former husband to keep their children engaged and entertained. 'It helps him [Matt] have control of the view and everything he's doing, and it also means I don't have to be there every second,' she said. During the school holidays, Mr Walker travels back to Australia to see his children in person. And while he's away Down Under, he interacts with his American son Jack through the robot. Cardinal George Pell has said he 'responded poorly' at Cardinal George Pell has said he 'responded poorly' and 'regrets' his choice of words after he described the prolific sexual abuse of children at a Victorian parish 'a sad story' that 'wasn't of much interest' to him. Cardinal Pell, who was a Ballarat priest at the height of pedophile Gerald Ridsdale's offending, presented evidence over four days to the royal commission into child sex abuse from Rome via video link. On Tuesday, he ignited shocked gasps from the crowd after stating Ridsdale's offending at Inglewood was of little interest and once reminded of his comments on Thursday, claimed he was 'confused'. Scroll down for video Cardinal George Pell (pictured) has said he 'responded poorly' and 'regrets' his choice of words after he described the prolific sexual abuse of children at a Victorian parish 'a sad story' that 'wasn't of much interest' to him Cardinal Pell, who was a Ballarat priest at the height of pedophile Gerald Ridsdale's offending, presented evidence over four days to the royal commission into child sex abuse from Rome 'I remember messing up this sequence completely. I regret the choice of words,' he told the commission on Thursday. 'Just previous to this exchange we were talking about '93 and '94 and then it swung back to the incidents in '74 and '75. It was badly expressed. 'I have never enjoyed reading the accounts of these sufferings and I tried to do that only when it was professionally and absolutely appropriate because the behaviours are abhorrent and painful to read about.' Cardinal Pell said it was 'completely untrue' that he didn't have much interest in what David Ridsdale told him about his uncle's crimes. On Thursday, David Ridsdale's lawyer asked Cardinal Pell if it was true he had offered Mr Ridsdale financial assistance and that Mr Ridsdale had angrily responded 'F*** you George and everything you stand for'. On Tuesday, he ignited shocked gasps from the crowd after stating Ridsdale's offending at Inglewood was of little interest and once reminded of his comments on Thursday, claimed he was 'confused' 'I remember messing up this sequence completely. I regret the choice of words,' he told the commission on Thursday Cardinal Pell said it was 'completely untrue' that he didn't have much interest in what David Ridsdale told him about his uncle's crimes Cardinal Pell, facing a fourth day of questioning via video link from Rome, said the swearing never happened. 'I don't think in fact it's ever happened to my face in 50 years of priesthood and secondly, I would have been absolutely shocked,' he said. The commission heard David Ridsdale called Cardinal Pell in 1993 to tell him he had been abused. Cardinal Pell said he offered to help Mr Ridsdale but did nothing because he wasn't asked and the offences occurred in Ballarat diocese, while he was now an auxiliary bishop in Melbourne. Cardinal Pell accompanied Father Gerald Ridsdale into court in May 1993, three months after the call. Cardinal Pell said there was a radical misunderstanding between himself and Mr Ridsdale over their 1993 telephone conversation. 'I'm not even sure what keeping quiet means,' he said. 'I do dispute that.' 'But for a man who was expressing a preference for a church hearing rather than going to the police, I wouldn't have had any dispute with him on that score, although I have never impeded or discouraged anyone from going to the police.' Cardinal Pell said Mr Ridsdale's claim he tried to bribe him was implausible. Cardinal George Pell has again denied asking a nephew and victim of pedophile priest Gerald Francis Ridsdale (pictured) what it would take to keep him quiet David Ridsdale (pictured) has told the child abuse royal commission when he told Cardinal Pell in 1993 he had been abused by his uncle Gerald Ridsdale, he asked him: 'I want to know what it will take to keep you quiet.' Ridsdale has been jailed for abusing 53 children but is the subject of 78 abuse claims to the diocese 'I was aware that the police were already speaking to his uncle and so therefore I would have no motive in trying to prevent him going to the police,' he said. 'I've never discouraged anyone from going to the police. 'It's implausible because I was an auxiliary bishop and I had no access to money or no access to significant resources. 'It's implausible because I was an auxiliary bishop of Melbourne and this was a matter for the Ballarat diocese. 'And it's implausible because, of course, the attempt to bribe someone is criminal.' Cardinal Pell said he did not have access to significant church funds to do anything significant that was legal, much less something that was illegal. 'I can't remember him stating that he wanted money or anything exactly like that.' Commission chair Justice Peter McClellan said although Cardinal Pell was a Melbourne bishop and said it was a Ballarat issue, he could have offered to approach the Ballarat bishop and asked him to help. Cardinal Pell replied: 'Yes, and I offered to do whatever David would like to suggest. 'Let me know whatever I might do to help' - I think that's very plausible that I said that.' Cardinal Pell said the whole tenor and nature of the discussion with Mr Ridsdale was to express his desire to help and find some way of doing so, and if Mr Ridsdale wanted him to contact the bishop he would have done so. WALKING WITH RIDSDALE A MISTAKE: PELL Cardinal George Pell says it was a mistake to walk pedophile priest Gerald Ridsdale to court in 1993. A photograph of Cardinal Pell, who was then an auxiliary bishop in Melbourne, and Ridsdale walking together is often used by critics of the Catholic Church as evidence it was more inclined to support pedophile priests rather than victims of child sexual abuse. This photograph of Cardinal Pell and Ridsdale walking together is often used by critics of the Catholic Church as evidence it was more inclined to support pedophile priests Giving evidence on Thursday, Cardinal Pell said he was asked in May 1993 to either give evidence or give Ridsdale a reference. There were prolonged discussions with Ridsdale's lawyer, he told the child abuse royal commission by audio visual link from Rome. "I made it quite clear that I was not going to dispute any of the allegations, that I was not going to imply any disrespect for the victims, the survivors," Dr Pell said. "I certainly was proposing to say that although I was unaware of much of what he'd done, that already it had done great damage to the church." The cardinal said he told the lawyer the only thing he would say was that, as a priest, Ridsdale had done good things like burying the dead and celebrating the sacraments. The lawyer then said he wouldn't call Dr Pell to give evidence and asked him to walk Ridsdale to court instead. "And I said yes. I now realise that was a mistake," he said. Cardinal Pell explained he walked with Ridsdale believing - in line with Christian teaching - in being kind to prisoners. The photograph led to the formation of Broken Rites, a Melbourne-based support group for victims of clergy abuse. The group uses the image on its internet homepage. Advertisement The 74-year-old cleric has been grilled over his knowledge of offending by pedophile priests in the Ballarat and Melbourne dioceses when he served there in the 1970s and 1980s Australian survivors of clergy sex abuse have been in Rome to attend the cardinal's testimony and have expressed dismay at his denials and explanations The 74-year-old cleric has been grilled over his knowledge of offending by pedophile priests in the Ballarat and Melbourne dioceses when he served there in the 1970s and 1980s A group of migrants and refugees are blocking a rail line at Greece's border with Macedonia in protest at the latter's refusal to let them in to continue their route toward Western Europe. Some 1,000 people lay down on the Greek side of the track, preventing a freight train that had just crossed from Macedonia from continuing its journey south. About 10,000 men, women and children, remain camped at the crossing near the small border-village of Idomeni, Greece, with hundreds more arriving every day. Protest: A woman holds her baby as she blocks the railway track at the Greek-Macedonian border along with hundreds of other refuges and migrants, near the village of Idomeni, Greece Some 1,000 people lay down on the Greek side of the track, preventing a freight train that had just crossed from Macedonia from continuing its journey south Domino effect: Macedonia says it will only allow in as many refugees as neighbouring Serbia accepts each day Greek police said that in the 24 hours to 6 am Thursday, 500 people were allowed to cross the border to Macedonia. Some of those, however, were then turned back by Macedonian authorities who said their papers were not in order. One man fainted after he was turned back. The migrants said Macedonia did not accept computer-generated stamps issued by the Greek police, and therefore they could not prove their identity documents are genuine. Adnan Abdallah from Syria had waited to cross from Greece to Macedonia for three days, but when he finally was let through, he was turned back because the stamp on his refugee document is computer-generated. 'They say here (in Greece) everything is OK, but on the other side this is not acceptable,' a frustrated Abdallah said. Blocked: Greek police said that in the past 24 hours, 500 people were allowed to cross into Macedonia As individual European countries have imposed immigration caps, this has caused a domino effect down the Balkan 'immigration corridor', leaving more than 25,000 people stranded in Greece Macedonia says it will only allow in as many refugees as Serbia, its northern neighbour, accepts each day. At least 25,000 people are currently stranded in Greece, the country a majority of migrants and refugees arrive in after making a perilous crossing over the Mediterranean Sea. As individual European countries, led by Austria, have imposed immigration caps, this has caused a domino effect down the Balkan 'immigration corridor', where more than a million people have passed through in the past year on their way to Germany or Scandinavia. Hundreds, including many families with small children, are arriving every day at the Idomeni crossing in northern Greece. The first two refugee camps are now so full that thousands have set up tents in fields nearby, living in appalling conditions. Control: A Greek police officer checks registration papers as refugees crowd to cross the border from the Greek side to Macedonia Hope: A young migrant looks through a fence while waiting for food at one of the refugee camps near the Greek-Macedonian border No more room: Refugees from Iraq sleep on the ground as the nearby camps have become too overcrowded, while they wait to be allowed to cross the border to Macedonia Greek police said up to 10,000 mostly Syrian and Iraqi refugees were stuck at the Idomeni border crossing in deteriorating conditions 'I've been at Idomeni for ten days and it's the fourth day I've been waiting to cross over,' Hassan Rasheed, 27, from Iraq, said. 'Conditions are very bad. There are many ill children who are coughing, and we spent the night in this tent under heavy rain.' The barbed barrier, built of razor wire and thick fencing, now stretches for 19 miles along the Greek-Macedonian border near Idomeni. About 2,000 migrants are still reaching Greek islands from nearby Turkey every day, despite the recent deployment of NATO ships in the east Aegean Sea. A view of the barbed wire fence along the Greek-Macedonia border on March 01, 2016 near Idomeni, Greece Hundreds, including many families with small children, are arriving every day at the Idomeni crossing The first two refugee camps are now so full that thousands have set up tents in fields nearby A young migrant stands by the Greek-Macedonian border fence, near the village of Idomeni, Greece Earlier this week, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, warned that Europe 'is on the cusp of a largely self-induced humanitarian crisis.' A UNHCR statement said inconsistent policies on the continent 'are causing unnecessary suffering and risk being at variance with EU and international law standards.' Europe is facing it's worst immigration crisis since the Second World War, with millions risking their lives to leave war and terror behind, or simply to seek a better life on another continent. The latest UN report shows that in the first two months of 2016, more than 130,000 refugees and migrants crossed the Mediterranean Sea - more than the total number for the first half of 2015. Donald Trump has finally unveiled his policy on healthcare saying he would scrap Obamacare if he became president. The Republican front-runner in the race for the White House also revealed he would allow prescription drugs to be imported and would turn the Medicaid program for the poor into block grants to states. Trump announced his seven point healthcare plan on his website and on Twitter after calls for him to reveal his policy. Republican candidate Donald Trump who has revealed his policy on healthcare if he is elected president It calls for the sale of health insurance plans across state lines, full deduction of health insurance premiums from income tax and adds: 'We must also make sure that no one slips through the cracks simply because they cannot afford insurance.' Among the plan was also to allow individuals to use Health Saving Accounts (HAS) to pay for out-of-pocket expenses, with contributions being tax-free and can be passed on to heirs without any tax penalty. Other proposals include requiring '...price transparency from all healthcare providers, especially doctors and healthcare organizations like clinics and hospitals. Individuals should be able to shop to find the best prices for procedures, exams or any other medical-related procedure.' On drug prices, Trump departs from standard Republican policy by calling for lowering barriers to cheaper imported pharmaceuticals. Trump says one of the first things he would do as president would be to scrap the Affordable Healthcare Act, also known as Obamacare His statement says: 'Allowing consumers access to imported, safe and dependable drugs from overseas will bring more options to consumers.' adding that 'Congress will need the courage to step away from the special interests and do what is right for America.' The proposals also call for reforming mental health programs and institutions, but provides few details about how to do this. Trump also called for tighter enforcement of immigration laws, a key plank in his campaign platform, as a way to bring down healthcare costs. The proposal statment explains: 'Providing healthcare to illegal immigrants costs us some $11 billion annually. 'If we were to simply enforce the current immigration laws and restrict the unbridled granting of visas to this country, we could relieve healthcare cost pressures on state and local governments. However, Democrats were quick to criticize the plan saying it is made up of failed Republican policies. Democratic National Committee Communications Director Luis Miranda said: 'As Democrats have said all along, Donald Trump is not an outsider engaging in a hostile takeover of the GOP - in fact, he embodies the Republican Party. 'The fact that his healthcare 'plan' is clearly cribbed from worn-out and false GOP talking points proves that Trump is just another Republican politician who wants to take healthcare away from millions of Americans without offering any substantive alternative.' Trump revealed his healthcare policy after winning seven states during the Super Tuesday primaries and now the possibility of him as the Republican nominee is suddenly very real for the GOP in congress. Several Republicans in Congress had held out hope that Florida Senator Marco Rubio would have done better in the primary campaign After months of denial that the billionaire businessman could swipe the nomination from more establishment candidates, disconsolate Republican senators and House members have been dealt a blow. Some Republicans said they could work with him, while others openly wondered if that were possible. Meanwhile some held out hope for other candidates - specifically Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, whom several senators have endorsed. 'I think those of us who have spent a little bit of our life predicting politics, this is almost totally unpredictable,' said Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt, a member of the Senate Republican leadership. Advertisement This is the dramatic moment two women opened fire and threw grenades on the streets of Istanbul before being shot dead in a police siege. The attackers targeted a riot police bus with what appeared to be a machine gun and hurled explosives as it drove towards a station in the Bayrampasa district of the city. Police returned fire, injuring one of the militants, before tracking them to a nearby government building after they escaped the scene in a vehicle. Scroll down for videos Caught on camera: This is the dramatic moment two women open fire with what appears to be a machine gun and throw a grenade at a police bus in Istanbul in the latest terror attack to rock the Turkish city Terror on the streets: Police returned fire, injuring one woman, before tracking them to a building where they barricaded themselves in Special forces units were sent to the area and residents were evacuated as officers prepared to carry out an operation after the women fled to a nearby government building Residents were evacuated from the area as security forces prepared to carry out a kill or capture operation. Footage on Turkish television stations showed the street cordoned off as armed plainclothes police in bullet-proof vests emerged from the police station. Officers then launched an assault on the building and shot the pair dead after the women ignored calls for them to surrender. Istanbul Governor Vahip Sahin said two police officers were wounded: one by broken glass during the attack on the bus and the other during the operation on the building. Attacks on security forces have increased as violence flares in the country's predominantly Kurdish southeast, where a ceasefire between Kurdistan Workers' Party militants and the state collapsed last July The attackers targeted a riot police van as it drove towards the station in the Bayrampasa district of Istanbul The women later escaped the scene in a vehicle and hid inside a building a short distance from the station Sahin said police were trying to identify the assailants and possible accomplices. Meanwhile, distraught parents made frantic attempts to contact their children after their school was cordoned off during the police operation. The women were named as Cigdem Yaksi and Berna Yilmaz, both members of the radical leftist group, The Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C). The militant group later claimed responsibility for the attack, issuing a statement saying: 'Greetings to you, our two brave female liberation fighters who have taken the people's liberation fight on their shoulders.' It has repeatedly staged similar attacks on police stations, largely in Istanbul suburbs, in the past. Siege: Security forces officers open fire during an operation against the two attackers. Police shot and killed the two women who had hidden inside a building after they ignored calls for the to surrender Police are trying to identify the assailants and possible accomplices behind the attack in the Turkish city Security officers take up positions during a siege on a building where the female terrorists were holed up Attacks on the security forces have increased as violence flares in the country's predominantly Kurdish southeast, where a ceasefire between Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants and the state collapsed last July. The PKK, considered a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and the European Union, launched a separatist armed rebellion against Turkey more than three decades ago. More than 40,000 people, mostly Kurds, have since been killed. Turkey has also become a target for ISIS, who are blamed for three suicide bombings. Kill or capture: Special forces officers conduct a search operation following an attack at the entrance to a police station in the Istanbul suburb of Bayrampasa by two women who fled to a nearby government building Streets were cordoned off as armed police in bullet-proof vests emerged from the police station Officers launched an assault on the building and shot the pair dead after the women ignored calls to surrender Special forces officers conduct a search operation in nearby streets in the Istanbul suburb of Bayrampasa Special forces officers cordon off a nearby street following an attack by two women brandishing a machine gun and grenade at the entrance to a police station in the Istanbul suburb of Bayrampasa on Thursday Police remove a taxi during the operation against two women who opened fire on the streets of Istanbul One took place last year in the town of Suruc near the Syrian border, another in the capital, Ankara, and one in Istanbul in January. Those attacks killed more than 140 people. The radical leftist group DHKP-C has repeatedly staged similar attacks on police stations, largely in Istanbul suburbs. A suicide car bombing targeted military buses in Ankara killed 29 people last month. The government said that attack was carried out by a member of YPG, the Syrian Kurdish militia, with help from PKK militants. Parents try to contact their children in a cordoned-off school after residents were evacuated as special units moved into the area to prepare for a kill or capture operation in the Istanbul suburb of Bayrampasa Video footage has captured the terrifying moment a crew of fishermen were winched to safety after a fire ripped through their boat. The coastguard helicopter and RNLI lifeboat were scrambled to the stricken trawler after it caught fire some thirty miles off the coast of Cornwall. RNLI lifeboat volunteers battled against treacherous conditions and the full force of Storm Jake to come to the aid of the 30-metre beam trawler, Francine. Six crew members were saved from the vessel in the dramatic rescue operation, with three airlifted to hospital. The coastguard and RNLI volunteers struggled through rough seas and gale force winds to rescue the boat that had caught fire 32 miles south of Lizard Point All six crew members of the 30 metre beam trawler, Francine, were rescued. The helicopter lifted three injured crew members to hospital in Truro, while another three were treated for smoke inhalation Crew members were left in serious danger when flames broke out aboard their boat on Wednesday, which was some 32 miles south of Lizard Point. Volunteers from the Lizard RNLI lifeboat based at Kilcobben Cove in Cornwall, rushed to the scene and called for immediate help from the coastguard helicopter after a 'serious' fire was reported on board. The helicopter lifted three injured crew members to hospital in Truro, while another three were treated for smoke inhalation. Both the helicopter and the lifeboat crews managed to capture video footage of the dramatic operation. In the RNLI video, a school of dolphins can be seen riding the waves alongside the rescue crew. A spokesman for the RNLI said the rescue was hampered by severe gale force winds, moderate visibility with a very rough sea and heavy swell. Storm Jake brought 80mph winds to parts of the UK this week,with gusts observed of 77mph yesterday at both Mumbles Head in Swansea Bay and at the Needles in the Isle of Wight. Elsewhere the Isle of Portland in Dorset experienced winds of up to 75mph and 74mph was recorded at Aberporth in Ceredigion, West Wales. The Met Office has put severe weather warnings in place across parts of the country. Footage captured by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency of the dramatic rescue shows the crew being winched to safety Both the helicopter and the lifeboat crews managed to capture video footage of the dramatic operation A spokesperson for the Lizard lifeboat said: 'The Lizard lifeboat was launched at 1:30pm with a volunteer crew of seven, to the 30 metre beam trawler, Francine, that reported a fire on board and three crewmen had suffered smoke inhalation, approximately 32 miles south of Lizard Point. 'The Coastguard helicopter Rescue 924 was also tasked to assist. On arrival on scene the helicopter lifted off the three injured crew men from the trawler who were flown to hospital in Truro. 'The lifeboat stood off the casualty during this operation. The Francine then made its way to Newlyn harbour.' A spokesman for the Coastguard added: 'Fortunately the crew were able to extinguish the fire, they were also able to contact the Coastguard when they needed assistance. 'This is another example why it is so important to make sure that you have appropriate safety equipment on board and several means of contacting the Coastguard if the worst should happen.' A woman has hit back at store staff and passers-by who criticised her parenting because her autistic daughter was crying uncontrollably on a shopping trip. Sammi Ovington, 23, took to Facebook after strangers spent the day staring at her three-year-old daughter, Skye, who had become overwhelmed on the visit to their local town centre. The mother, from Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, said she was approached by a member of staff in Wilko who advised her she should take her daughter outside to calm down. Overwhelmed: Three-year-old Skye, pictured left and right with mother Sammi Ovington, cried uncontrollably for two hours while on a shopping trip. Strangers criticised the pair, branding Skye a 'naughty' little girl Hitting back: Mother Ms Ovington took to Facebook to write this post slamming the way she had been treated Ms Ovington, who lives with her partner Arron Martin, said because her daughter has autism it can be hard to console her so the young mum nipped into Wilko to buy a teddy to cheer her up. She said: 'Skye has autism and when I took her shopping she wasn't having a good day, I was out for about two and a half hours and for two of them she was crying. 'I could tell people were staring at me but I was gob smacked that people actually had the nerve to come up to me and tell me to control my child. It just shocked me.' Later a shopper branded her an 'irresponsible' mother with a 'naughty' child because she had given Skye something to chew on in Paperchase. But in the Facebook post Ms Ovington explains her daughter suffers from Pica - a rare condition that means she has an impulsive and uncontrollable need to eat non-food substances. Told off: Skye has hypermobility syndrome, which makes walking long distances painful. To make shopping trips more comfortable, Ms Ovington takes her out in a buggy (right). But one customer said she was too old Support: Miss Ovignton, who lives with partner Arron Martin (pictured), said she hopes to raise awareness In another store she was told her daughter is too old to be in a buggy - but Skye also has hypermobility syndrome, which makes walking long distances incredibly painful. WHAT IS PICA? Pica is an eating disorder that is characterised by the desire to eat items with little or no nutritional value. These can include stones, sand, paint and dirt. It is most common in people with learning disabilities and during pregnancy. It can cause a range of serious complications if the person is eating something that is poisonous or indigestible. These include being poisoned by toxic ingredients and having a part of the body obstructed (which is often seen in people who eat hair). It can also lead to excessive calorie intake, but also nutritional deprivation if the person eats a substance with no nutritional value instead of nutritious foods. The person can also damage their teeth and be infected with parasites. Advertisement Outraged at how she had been treated, Ms Ovington wrote a message on social media explaining her daughter's situation. The post has since been shared more than 2,000 times. Ms Ovington said she hopes the post will raise awareness of what it is like to have a child with autism. 'Sometimes I just can't calm Skye down and it's times like that that I feel a bit lost,' she said. 'When people stare I just want the ground to swallow me up. 'When people were giving me dirty looks and whispering behind my back I couldn't really focus my energy on them because I was trying to calm my little girl down. 'But when I got home I was just so angry. I sometimes get a couple of comments but I'd just had a really bad day and wanted people to know how it made me feel. 'I can't believe the amazing response the post has had, I just wrote it when I was angry and didn't expect anyone to respond, now for people to say that it's a great way to raise awareness is just fantastic.' Outraged: Ms Ovington, pictured with Skye, said she was upset at how she had been treated by shop staff Brave: Skye, pictured, also has Pica, a rare condition that means she has an impulsive and uncontrollable need to eat non-food substances. Her mother gave her paper to chew while she was in Paperchase Asked to leave: The mother, from Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, said she was approached by a member of staff in Wilko who advised her she should take her daughter outside to calm down A spokesperson from Wilko said, 'We're sorry if the customer feels she was dealt with insensitively. 'We're looking into the circumstances in detail and will respond directly to the customer once we've completed our investigation.' A Virgin Media Spokesperson said: 'We apologise to Ms Ovington if she feels she did not experience the discretion and sensitivity that we expect from all of our employees'. A father-of-four has described the devastating moment his back jolted suddenly and he fell to his knees, leaving him paralysed from the waist down - and doctors are baffled by the mystery condition. Richie Greer, 39, lost feeling in his legs after collapsing to the floor on January 4 at his Sydney west home and said even if a blanket is placed on his lower body, he feels as if there are 100 kilogram weights crushing him. After spending 10 weeks at Liverpool Hospital and undergoing numerous tests - including having voltage shocked through his brain - Mr Greer, who works as a personal trainer, told A Current Affair doctors are still no closer to diagnosing his condition. Scroll down for video Richie Greer (pictured with his children Brayden, 10, Holly, 12, Phoebe and Payton, three, and his wife Taylor) has described the devastating moment his back jolted suddenly and he fell to his knees, leaving him paralysed from the waist down The 39-year-old lost feeling in his legs after collapsing to the floor on January 4 at his Sydney west home Speaking of the accident, Mr Greer said he was thankful he was at home with his family when he collapsed. 'If it happened ten minutes later I would have been in the car driving and hurt someone else as well,' he said. After spending a gruelling 10-weeks in hospital, the 39-year-old continues to suffer spasms through his body as well as sporadic pain and numbness through his arms. 'I've pretty much had every test done that's pobssible including getting voltage through my brain to see where the pulse ends up in my feet,' Mr Greer said. Doctors have said the condition may be a sensory and motor dysfunction, but have not been able to give specifics. Mr Greer has been transferred to a rehabilitation centre to work with a physotherapist and regain some of his strength. After spending 10 weeks at Liverpool Hospital and undergoing numerous tests - including having voltage shocked through his brain - Mr Greer said doctors are still no closer to diagnosing his condition Speaking of the accident, Mr Greer said he was thankful he was at home with his family when he collapsed The twins are both autistic and Taylor Greer (pictured) said her day consists of taking the girls to daycare, before heading to work at Leisure Pools, then drives 40 minutes to the hospital Mr Greer and his wife Taylor, 26, have four young children together - Holly, 12, Brayden, 10 and three-year-old identical twins Payton and Phoebe. The twins are both autistic and Ms Greer told the program her day consists of taking the girls to daycare, before heading to work at Leisure Pools, then drives 40 minutes to the hospital. The family have started a GoFundMe page and hope to raise $50,000 to make their home wheelchair friendly for Mr Greer. According to A Current Affair, an electric wheelchair costs between $8,000 and $12,500 and a hoist to take Mr Greer to the second level of the home costs up to $15,000. The family are also in need of a seven-seater car. After spending a gruelling 10-weeks in hospital, the 39-year-old continues to suffer spasms through his body as well as sporadic pain and numbness through his arms Law firm boss: Andy Duxbury, 56, killed himself by stepping in front of a train after rowing with his wife A law firm boss killed himself by stepping in front of a train after rowing with his wife on holiday and sending her a text saying he knew their relationship was over, an inquest has heard. Andy Duxbury texted his partner Judith to say: I know its over - the last two years you have loved and hated me in equal measures. The irony of the ultimate selfish act is not lost on me. The 56-year-old father-of-three then stepped into the path of a train near Mill Hill railway station in Blackburn, Lancashire. Police at the scene found Mr Duxbury's iPad, an iPhone, two framed family photographs, a bottle of whisky, a digital camera and a set of car keys piled neatly at the side of the tracks. He had been chief executive of Chester-based legal practice Aaron & Partners, which is in The Lawyer UK200 list of leading law firms in Britain. Mr Duxbury became a partner in the firm in 2011 - the first non-lawyer to head a practice - and became a well-known business figure in the Cheshire city, playing host to VIPs including former business secretary Sir Vince Cable. But Mr and Mrs Duxbury had a row at dinner on December 28 last year during a short break at a luxury hotel in Liverpool, when she found out he had been lying to her about a personal matter. Discussions at breakfast the next morning were still said to be frosty but Mrs Duxbury later told police that she believed the couple would continue their break as normal. The inquest in Blackburn was told that after breakfast they returned to their room, but Mr Duxbury disappeared while she was in the bathroom getting ready to go out for the day. Location: Mr Duxbury stepped into the path of a train near Mill Hill railway station (above) in Blackburn Mrs Duxbury assumed her husband had gone ahead with their itinerary and had planned to go sightseeing without her. She then spent the day visiting the attractions looking for him. But unbeknown to Mrs Duxbury her husband had driven his Nissan Qashqai car to Blackburn, the town of his birth, and parked near the house where he had been brought up. Shortly after 3pm she received a text message from her husband saying from now on money would not be a problem for her. She rang him twice, leaving voicemail messages saying she would call police if he failed to respond - and when she got a second text, she dialled 999. In a statement Mrs Duxbury told the hearing there had been no previous threats to kill himself. But she said of the texts: I didnt feel I was dealing with my husband, I felt I was dealing with someone going to do something to themselves. I wanted help dealing with him. Leading law firm: Mr Duxbury had been chief executive of Chester-based legal practice Aaron & Partners Lancashire Police were treating Mr Duxbury as a high risk missing person when they got a call to say a body had been found next to railway tracks. Former business secretary: Mr Duxbury became a well-known business figure in Chester, playing host to VIPs such as Sir Vince Cable (pictured) The train driver said he had pulled away from Blackburn and was on his way to Preston, travelling at around 50mph, when the headlights of his locomotive picked up a figure coming onto the track. He slammed on the brakes but had no chance of avoiding him. British Transport Police said a set of car keys found at the trackside were used to open the Nissan found nearby and inside was Mr Duxburys wallet with ID documents. A note from Mr Duxbury addressed to mum and dad was found at a cemetery in Blackburn. Blood tests showed he was twice the legal drink drive limit. Coroner Michael Singleton recorded a verdict of suicide. Prior to his career with Aaron and Partners, Mr Duxbury was educated at Leeds University and held a variety of marketing and development roles for firms including Boots and the RAC. He was also chairman of the Cheshire branch of the Institute of Directors from 2009 to 2012 chairman of Cheshire Professionals, a member of Cheshire and Warrington Enterprise Partnerships Business Growth Strategy Board and a member of Cheshire Business Leaders. At the time of his death Simon Edwards, senior partner at Aaron & Partners, said: Lawyers are not easy to manage, but Andy was always able to build consensus through his clear thinking, determination, patience and charm. And Mark Briegal, corporate partner and head of the firms professional practices team, added: Andy had a broad view of the business and was able to articulate our strategy and implement it. Boris Johnson, pictured campaigning for Zac Goldmsith today, urged Britain to stop 'clutching the skirt' of Brussels Boris Johnson today urged Britain to stop 'clutching the skirts' of Brussels and dismissed scaremongers in the Remain campaign. The London Mayor launched a fierce attack on Peter Mandelson, who made his first intervention on the EU referendum this week with a warning about trade tariffs, describing him as a 'deranged old testament prophet'. Mr Johnson insisted the scaremongers were wrong about the risks of not entering the euro 15 years ago and were wrong now on the dangers of Brexit. In a column in The Sun, he said: 'This bureaucratic devil is now growing more fiendish with every piece of new EU law an excruciating ratchet that is stifling our democracy. 'Now they want to try to save the euro by trying to turn the Eurozone into one system of economic government with taxes and budgets controlled from Brussels. 'Britain should have no part of it, but if we stay in the EU, we will inevitably find ourselves dragged in. 'It is time to break free.' Mr Johnson, the standard bearer of the campaign to get Britain out, insisted Britain would be able to do new trade deals outside the EU. A Government report this week suggested a decade of chaos would follow a Brexit vote because of the difficulties of negotiating exit and then new arrangements. But Mr Johnson today insisted: 'Outside the EU we will at last be able to do free trade deals with the US, with China, and the growth economies around the world. 'Let's believe in ourselves again, rather than clutching the skirts of Brussels. Let us lift our eyes to the horizon and take a once in a lifetime opportunity. 'Ignore the scaremongers, we are bigger, better and greater than they pretend.' On Tuesday, Lord Mandelson warned: 'In trade you need bargaining chips in order to negotiate benefits in exchange and Britain is already a relatively open economy. 'Losing the EU's preferential trading benefits in foreign markets could mean new tariffs of 10, 20 per cent or sometimes even more on key UK exports, such as cars, machine goods, whisky and textiles. Mr Johnson was on the campaign trail for the man who wants to succeed him in City Hall today, Zac Goldsmith pictured right on the campaign bus 'We would end up having to sacrifice sensitive positions in order to secure these deals.' Challenged on the BBC if he was scaremongering, Lord Mandelson rejected the claim. WILL IT BE OSBORNE VS JOHNSON IN THE BIG EU TV CLASH? Boris Johnson and George Osborne, pictured, could go head to head in a massive eve of referendum debate it was claimed today. The two men are being sought for the TV clash at Wembley Stadium planned by the BBC for two days before polling day. Mr Johnson insisted when he declared for Brexit he would not take part in debates against other senior Tories. Prime Minister David Cameron is also thought reluctant to clash on TV with party colleagues. But the Daily Telegraph today said both were on the BBC's target list for the event - said to be the 'biggest campaign event ever' planned by the broadcaster. If it happens, it will be the first time the two front runners for the Tory leadership have contested in public. Advertisement He said: 'There is no scaremongering in that speech and I would say substantial speech which addresses the risks and the consequences for British business and British jobs of our leaving the European Union.' Mr Johnson's brother Jo intervened on the referendum today to back the prime minister. The Science Minister said: 'In this referendum campaign, it is vital that we have an evidence-based debate and properly informed choice. 'The facts matter. And few value evidence more than scientists. 'That's why we should take seriously the surveys showing nine out of 10 agree EU membership benefits UK science and engineering. 'That's why we should take seriously the fact that none of the 132 vice chancellors represented by Universities UK is advocating leaving. 'My clear view is that a vote to leave would be a leap in the dark, and one that would put the Cambridge phenomenon and our status as a science superpower at risk. 'While many factors explain Cambridge's success, it's clear that our close ties with the European Union are a crucial part of this great national success story. 'We could of course survive and prosper outside. 'I'm not saying we would lose eight centuries of achievement, or turn Silicon Fen back to marshland. 'But those who want to leave must explain how they will sustain the same levels of investment and the same depth of partnership if we were outside the EU.' Lord Mandelson made his first speech of the referendum campaign this week to warn of the difficulties of making trade deals after Brexit The number of migrants and refugees withdrawing their asylum applications and leaving Sweden has nearly doubled in recent months. Requests to withdraw asylum applications increased by 97 per cent from October to January this year, Swedish migration statistics show. Nearly half of migrants opting to return home are from Iraq, which corresponds with similar reports in other EU countries, including Germany and Finland, this year. Returning: The number of withdrawn asylum applications in Sweden increased by 97 per cent from October to January this year Statistics on withdrawn asylum applications from the Swedish Migration Authority obtained by MailOnline, show a steep increase in the past four months. Up until October 2015, the number of withdrawn asylum applications averaged around 300 per month. However, in November last year, the number shot up to 629, increasing to 668 in December, peaking at 779 in January. Last month, a total of 684 applications for asylum in Sweden were withdrawn, statistics show. Out of the more than 2,150 requests to withdrawn applications, more than 1,020 had been made by Iraqi asylum seekers. Giving up: Nearly half of the requests to withdraw application for asylum in Sweden were made by migrants from Iraq (pictured are police checking ID's of migrants in Stockholm) Integrating: Refugees and migrants attend a Swedish language class at the temporary house for asylum seekers in Kladesholmen, near Gothenburg, western Sweden The second largest group were Iranians, with 245 withdrawn applications, followed by Afghans with 224. In addition, the Swedish Migration Authority reported writing off a growing number of asylum cases, where the applicant has disappeared and is presumed having left. Sweden welcomed more than 163,000 migrants and refugees in 2015, more than any other European nation per capita. The Scandinavian country, which has a population of nearly 10 million, imposed compulsory border-control ID checks in January to try to curb the influx. Increasing numbers of Iraqi migrants returning to their home countries after becoming disillusioned with their new lives Europe has been seen in both in Germany and elsewhere in Scandinavia. In Germany, more and more Iraqis book one-way flights back after finding that the promises made by human smugglers in their home countries were not fulfilled. Having been sold the idea of a flourishing jobs-market, good housing and an opportunity to have their families join them, they are finding the reality of life in Germany disappointing. In 2015, Germany took in more than 1.1million refugees and migrants, and as a result, the asylum application process has become increasingly ardous. Sweden, which has a population of nearly 10 million, welcomed more than 163,000 migrants and refugees in 2015, more than any other European nation per capita Struggling volunteers buckle under the pressure of the sheer numbers, refugee centres have become overcrowded and integration into German society is taking longer. A tightening of rules last autumn also made it more difficult to send for family members after being given asylum, something which many had counted on when making the journey across the Mediterranean. In addition, there has been growing anti-immigrant sentiments in Germany and across Europe, with Muslims the main targets of far-right hatred. Last month, thousands of Iraqi migrants who had fled to Finland, were pictured kissing the ground as they returned to their home country. Almost two thirds of these were young Iraqi men, but some changed their mind and returned after the Finnish government offered chartered flights to Baghdad. Europe is facing it's biggest wave of immigration since the Second World War, with millions risking their lives to leave war and terror behind, or simply to seek a better life on another continent. The latest UN report shows that in the first two months of 2016, more than 130,000 refugees and migrants crossed the Mediterranean Sea - more than the total number for the first half of 2015. This dramatic footage shows the shocking moment a group of brazen thieves pulled down the door of a gun store and then grabbed pistols and handguns by the sack full. The hooded thieves forced their way into the store and then rushed in, smashing a row of glass cases with hammers and seizing handguns. One man could be seen scooping up at least four rifles from behind the counter. It is thought as many as 10 suspects ransacked the store and made off with at least 50 weapons. The group of thieves parked up outside the store and attached a chain to the front doors and back of the truck They then revved the truck forward, emitting black smoke as they forced the bolted doors open The truck then pulled the doors off their hinges and the men sprinted into the Houston gun store With the door pulled clean off its hinges, the masked and hooded men stormed the store Surveillance video released by Houston police show the thieves pulling up outside at Carter's Country Guns and Ammo in the 11000 block of South Wilcrest Drive on Tuesday around 4.30am. The footage shows several people tying chains to a black Ford F-250 and the doors of the store. They then revved the car forward yanking the doors right off their hinges. Once inside, they grabbed rifles from behind the counter and smashed glass cabinets with hammers The hooded men smashed the glass and then seized sack loads of handguns and pistols They then sprinted into the store, where some grabbed a handful of rifles from behind the counter while others smashed display cases with hammers before making off with pistols. They then left the store and returned to the same truck. Police believe they switched vehicles about a block away and made off in a Chevrolet Traverse SUV. The thieves worked quickly in the store and loaded up on the weapons Jeff McShan, a spokesman with the Harris County District Attorney's Office and Crime Stoppers, said three of the suspects have now been arrested The men smashed through the glass cases and took as much as they could carry Around 10 thieves ransacked the store after breaking their way in about 4.30am on Tuesday morning The gang of thieves only spent about two minutes in the store but made off with around 50 guns Robert Sarabia, a customer at the store, told KHOU.com: 'I'm very shocked, and I'm very stunned this could happen to these people. 'You wouldn't think this could happen in our neighborhood. I live right across the way. I've heard of nothing like this before.' 'These types of crimes are becoming more prevalent in the Houston area,' said Robert Elder, Special Agent in Charge with the ATF Houston Field Division. He added: 'Typically the groups that are stealing these will sell them for a profit, and they will a lot of times be sold to other criminals in the area and in surrounding areas. 'It's a source of guns. It's a black market source of guns for the criminal element.' Jeff McShan, a spokesman with the Harris County District Attorney's Office and Crime Stoppers, said three of the suspects have now been arrested. Crime Stoppers will offer up to $5,000 for information about the robbery. Any witnesses are urged to call 713-222-TIPS (8477). Eric Baker - who lost a leg after stubbing his toe - says he bore witness to friends being blown up and shot as they fought side-by-side against the Argentines at Goose Green in May 1982 A man claiming to be a paratrooper who survived one of the Falklands War's most bloody battles is accused of being a fantasist lying about being a decorated veteran. Eric Baker says he bore witness to friends being blown up and shot as they fought side-by-side against the Argentines at Goose Green in May 1982. In the decades that have since passed he has relayed stories about his war-time heroics as a colour sergeant capable of running a mile in four minutes. But the one-legged 67-year-old's credentials have been doubted by a vigilante group who specialise in exposing battlefield fraudsters. The Walter Mitty Hunters Club are accusing Baker - who had to have his right limb removed after stubbing his toe - of lying about his entire military career. They claim his name is nowhere to be seen on battalion records relating to the Falklands War - and that there is no Eric Baker existing on the parachute regiment database either. Speaking in 2014, Baker said: 'I was at Goose Green and worked my way up through the ranks of the army and became a colour sergeant.' But the group are now saying that is simply not true. A spokesperson today said: 'His bogus claims are an insult to those who paid the ultimate price and those who still suffer the mental scars of that war today. 'Having run his name through our contacts both at the South Atlantic Medal Association and our trusted Para contacts we were able to establish that Mr Baker has never served in the Parachute Regiment or the Falklands War. 'After enquiries we found no Eric Baker on the formation roll or battalion order of battle for that particular engagement. 'We found no Eric Baker on the para database and no one from 2 Para who knew of a CSgt Eric Baker. You would have thought someone had, which is strange when he claimed to have seen young blokes being blown up along with one of his friends getting shot in the neck three times.' When contacted, the Ministry of Defence confirmed a man known as Eric Baker with the Doncaster man's supposed date of birth did serve in the army. However, they were unable to say in which unit he had served, or even for how long. That means Baker could have enlisted only to drop out after basic training. Baker spoke of the 'bitter irony' of losing a leg to gangrene in July 2014. Doctors had to amputated the limb after he stubbed his toe on a bedpost in his South Yorkshire home. He has relied on a wheelchair to get around ever since, and in a previous interview said: 'I went to hospital and within four days they had amputated my leg to below the knee. 'I haven't been able to leave my house, other than to go into hospital.' The Battle of Goose Green (pictured) was fought at the end of May 1982. Winning the fight was a huge morale boost to the British who had suffered severe losses at sea - and it formed the springboard for the capture of Port Stanley and final victory He added: 'The things I've seen, young blokes being blown up. I saw one of my friends getting shot in the neck three times. 'Now if there was a fire I probably wouldn't make it out alive because I can't get out of my house.' Faced with the allegations against, Baker reacted furiously - vehemently denying that he is a fraud. He said: 'I am a paratrooper. I was in the seconds regiment. Who has said this? Ask my mate over there. He was a commando - he'll tell you what I was. 'I am a f****** paratrooper. Have these people who sat behind their computer screens served? I bet they haven't. They're sat at home on their keyboards. 'They're f****** s***houses. They're d***heads - the lot of them.' The Battle of Goose Green was fought at the end of May 1982. The 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment (2 Para) attacked and liberated small settlements of Darwin and Goose Green at the outset of the land campaign. Winning the fight was a huge morale boost to the British who had suffered severe losses at sea. A distressing video films the last moments of a driver's life after his car plunged through a frozen lake. The 29-year-old man was with his parents driving over Lake Baikal in Russia when he took a wrong turn towards thin ice. 'Winter Roads' across Siberia's frozen lakes are vital for getting around during the coldest months but safety signs must be followed. Dashcam footage captured the tragedy. A man and his parents were driving over Lake Baikal in Russia when he took a wrong turn towards thin ice. They spot the stop sign and almost immediately the ice cracks and the car crashes into the water The family are filmed driving across the distinctly watery ice. According to the Siberian Times, the father can be heard saying in Russian, 'Let's go in the other direction,' before the son disagrees and ploughs on. Seconds later they spot the stop sign and almost immediately the ice cracks and the car crashes into the water. The windscreen is completely submerged as the passengers scream and swear, taking large breaths as panic takes hold of them. The Nissan X-Trail floats back to the surface as they continue to shout, hysteria mounting. The mother cries that they should call for the emergency services while the young man tells them to swim away. But the family are unable to open the car doors. Dull thuds can be heard as the trapped victims desperately try to break the windows in a bid for freedom. The dashcam itself shakes with the force of the strong, but ultimately useless, blows. In horrifying slowness the front of the car dips closer and closer to the icy depths, the water lapping threateningly at the bonnet. The windscreen is completely submerged as the passengers scream and swear, taking large breaths as panic takes hold of them The mother cries that they should call for the emergency services while the young man tells them to swim away. But the family are unable to open the car doors The cracked layer of ice can be seen in terrible detail as the vehicle slides into the water. The final recording of the dashcam captures frantic pounding from inside the car, and, more horrible still, the voices can no longer be heard- just desperate thuds before the footage ends. Fortunately it is reported that both the mother and father survived the accident and were rushed to hospital. However their son did not meet such a happy end and died in the frozen waters saving his parents. His body was discovered three metres beneath the water at Cape Ulyahta, hours after the accident. The tragedy occurred in 2011 but police have now released the footage as a warning for drivers on the winter roads. Indeed last month a mother and her nine-year-old daughter perished when their car too fell through Baikal's ice. Chief inspector Dmitry Mironov told the Siberian Times: 'Every year there are people who wish to try their luck. Remember, driving outside checked and approved ice crossings is not only forbidden. It is deadly. So observe all the rules. You'll save your life and the lives of loved ones.' Lake Baikal is the worlds oldest and deepest freshwater lake and curves for nearly 400 miles through south-eastern Siberia, north of the Mongolian border. This is the moment a grieving mother whose son died in a drunken one-punch attack shook hands with her child's killer in an incredible act of forgiveness. Joan Scourfield had spent years trying to cope not only with the death of her son James, but with the anger she felt towards his killer Jacob Dunne, who walked free after just 13 months in jail. But, in an attempt to gain closure on the tragic event, the 53-year-old began writing to Jacob, desperate for answers about why her beloved son had died, at the age of 28. Now, in an incredible turn of events, Mrs Scourfield has come face-to-face with Jacob - and is helping him to rebuild his life. Scroll down for video This is the moment a grieving mother whose son died in a drunken one-punch attack shook hands with the man who killed him in an incredible act of forgiveness The pair, along with James's father David, have even shared dinner together and are working as a team to raise awareness of the dangers of unprovoked attacks such as the one which ended James's life. Mrs Scourfield, from Ipswich, said: 'After James died I would have been happy to see Jacob jailed for 25 years. I just thought he was a thug and would not have wanted to have anything to do with him. 'Today I'm happy to sit next to him. I see him as a boy when he hit James, and as a man today.' James Hodgkinson was 28 when he was punched to the ground in Nottingham during a night out in August 2011. In what was supposed to be a day of celebration, the paramedic, from London, had travelled to Trent Bridge with his father to watch England play India in a test match. But the day took a sinister turn when 19-year-old Dunne, who was drunk at the time, launched the unprovoked attack, punching James outside Yates's wine bar in the town centre. Joan and David Scourfield, from Ipswich, decided to meet with Jacob Dunne (far right) in an attempt to gain closure over their son's death. They have now met twice and have exchanged several letters The couple and Jacob are working together to raise awareness of the consequences of unprovoked attacks such as the one which ended James's life. They are pictured also with Nicola Bancroft from charity Remedi As he fell to the ground, James went 'out like a light', hitting his head so hard that he suffered a bleed on the brain. He had emergency surgery but he never woke up. Nine days later, James's family made the heartbreaking decision to turn off his life support machine. Speaking about the trauma the family went through, Mr Scourfield said: 'We knew at that stage that he was not going to make it. 'As the life support is switched off, and you're saying goodbye to your son... well you wouldn't want to put anybody through it.' Meanwhile, Jacob knew he had done something wrong but was unaware of the severity of his actions. After the altercation, he had run away and carried on partying with his friends. He even went away on holiday shortly afterwards - only to be arrested on suspicion of murder on his return. Eventually, he was charged with manslaughter and sentenced to 30 months in jail. Mrs Scourfield, pictured meeting Jacob on tonight's ITV show, said she accepts that her son's killer did not mean to do it and she believes he has now changed his ways Mrs Scourfield (pictured left with a photo of her son) had spent years trying to cope with not only the death of James, but with the anger she felt that his killer Jacob (right) had walked free after just 13 months in jail But Jacob, who admitted the charge, was released after just 13 months. Mr and Mrs Scourfield were furious with the sentence, believing he had been let off lightly. But they soon began to resent the bitterness that was taking over their livese and the never-ending quest to find the answers. In a bid to bring closure to the bereft couple, Victim Support told them about the restorative justice system, which initiates contact between victims and criminals. Feeling as though there was no other way to deal with their pain, Mr and Mrs Scourfield decided to take part - but only if Jacob agreed. James Hodgkinson (pictured) was 28 when he was punched to the ground outside a wine bar in Nottingham during a night out in August 2011 By that time, Jacob had been released from prison and was homeless, unemployed and struggling to get his life back on track. He could barely remember the attack - and still believed he was the one who had been hard done by. But he agreed to answer some questions, believing he owed it to his victim's parents. Jacob admits he expected to gain nothing and only planned to reply out of politeness. But, after a few letters back and forth, Mrs Scourfield asked a question with struck a chord with Jacob - and went on to change his life. 'She asked me what I was doing with my life now. That blew my mind,' he said. 'How could they even be interested in what I'm doing after everything I put them through?' Jacob told This Morning that the letter was the first time he had been 'challenged' since killing James. 'I kind of felt as if I was a victim myself and that I was the one going through the hard times,' he said. 'I had never thought about his parents. But that blew me away. Their courage - the fact they came foward - made me think: "I've got to do something about this".' James then decided to study for his GCSEs, as a way of saying sorry and to show he was not wasting his life. Mr and Mrs Scourfield continued to send Jacob letters of support as he completed a Certificate of Higher Education then applied for university. The correspondence continued for two-and-a-half years before all three felt ready to take it one step further. Then, in September, shortly before he started his criminology course at Nottingham Trent University, they met for the first time. Mrs Scourfield said she was shocked when she met him. She remembered him as a 'monster' from the police mugshot - but said he looked 'so different' in real life. Mr and Mrs Scourfield (pictured) continued to send him letters of support as he completed a Certificate of Higher Education then applied for university. They say the meeting has closed a chapter Nine days after he was hit, James's family made the heartbreaking decision to turn off his life support machine The couple spoke to Jacob through a series of letters and questions, which were given to him by Victim Support. He was then given time to reply and the answers were returned to Mr and Mrs Scourfield (pictured) 'When I asked him why he hit James and told him what James was like, I saw his eyes fill up. We all shed a few tears,' she told the Nottingham Post. 'That gave me hope he could change, because I could see he regretted what he had done.' Jacob admitted he was nervous about the meeting, but wanted to meet the couple, to apologise face-to-face. He described the meeting as a turning point. He is now working with the youth offending team in Nottingham, giving talks to young people who could be led down the criminal path. Jacob agreed to meet James's parents - an experience which later changed his life - because he felt he owed it to them. He appeared on This Morning today and fought back tears as he shared his experience Nicola Bancroft, assistant director at Remedi (with whom he is pictured) said: 'It's personal for everyone and people go in with different motivations - some don't ever want to meet' He added: 'Because I have their support I feel I can take on the world. Their opinion is the only one that matters to me. 'It's saved me.' Mrs Scourfield said she accepts that her son's killer did not mean to do it and she believes he has now changed his ways. 'It is upsetting but after meeting him I know he didn't mean to do it. I can't say I'm 100 per cent forgiving, but I understand he didn't mean to do anything like that,' she said. 'He feels we have helped him a lot. He has helped us, too. Meeting him was like closing a chapter.' She added that some people are surprised at how much they cared about Jacob - but she was adamant that he should not return to his criminal ways. Jacob knew he had done something wrong but was unaware of the severity of his actions. After the altercation, he had run away and carried on partying with his friends She said: 'I was scared he would fall in with the wrong gang and go back to his old ways. I wanted to stop that happening, so he didn't put anyone else through what we had been through.' Mr and Mrs Scourfield are now working with Jacob to raise awareness of One Punch Campaign, which highlights the terrible damage a single blow can inflict. Nicola Bancroft, assistant director at Remedi, told This Morning: 'It's personal for everyone and people go in with different motivations - some don't ever want to meet. 'This case took a bit longer than usual - there was two-and-a-half years of communication before all parties were ready to meet. 'Now, the three of them are working together to raise about one punch campaign. To see them sitting in a room together, and discussing how they will spread that message, is extremely powerful.' Meeting My Enemy is on ITV tonight at 7.30pm A teeanger who shot dead his brother after pointing a gun at him and saying 'let's see if it's your lucky day' sobbed as he was told he will face up to 40 years in prison. Riley Spitler, 17, claimed the shooting was an accident but the jury didn't buy it and he was found guilty of second-degree murder in January During his sentencing hearing on Wednesday, a judge decided to give the teen 20 to 40 years in jail for gunning down his brother Patrick in their home in Blackman-Leoni Township, Michigan in December 2014. As the judge handed down the punishment, Spitler began to cry as he realized the extent of his jail term. Riley Spitler who sobbed in the dock as he was sentenced to up to 40 years in prison for shooting dead his brother Patrick in December 2014 The sentencing came after Spitler was convicted of the second degree murder of his brother Patrick in December 2014 The deadly incident happened on December 15, 2014, when Spitler pointed a gun at his 20-year-old brother and said 'let's see if it's your lucky day'. He then shot and the gun fired, fatally hitting his brother in the chest. Patrick was acting like James Bond or something, so I did it back, and a round went right through his chest Spitler claimed that he had no idea the gun would fire. 'We were joking around, I had the real deal .380 (caliber handgun) in my hands,' Spitler told police when they interviewed him in the immediate aftermath of the shooting. 'He had a BB gun; plastic one that shoots tiny little BBs, and I was just, you know, aiming it at him joking around.' 'I loaded it, cocked it back, thought I de-cocked it, then I pulled the trigger, and it hit him right in the chest.' 'Patrick was on his phone sitting down when he was shot,' Riley went on to say in the video-recorded interview. 'Patrick was acting like James Bond or something, so I did it back, and a round went right through his chest.' Patrick Spitler, who suffered a gunshot wound to the chest and was found slumped on the ground in his bedroom Spitler then called 911, and ran downstairs to wait outside for authorities. When paramedics entered the house, they found Patrick dead of a gunshot wound, slumped down on the floor of a bedroom. Authorities who responded to the shooting say Spitler was very emotional. 'He was very hysterical,' Blackman-Leoni Township Public Safety Department Sgt. Steve Stowe said during the trail in January. 'We tried to talk to him, settle him down.' A search of the property found four handguns inside including a .38 Cobra, a revolver, a .45 caliber handgun and a .380 caliber handgun in Spitler's bedroom, a cache that got him an extra two years in prison. A duffell bag containing four gallon-sized ziploc bags and a mason jar full of marijuana was found in his closet, resulting in a two-to four year sentence for possession of marijuana with intent to deliver. While Spitler claimed the shooting was an accident and he had 'no malice' towards his brother, prosecutors painted a picture of a troubled young man who agonized in the shadow of his 'do-gooder' older brother, who was a standout cross country runner and helped run kids' camps. It took the jury two days to decided that Spitler was guilty of second-degree murder, although the conviction was contested by the defendant and his father Brian 'By the defendant's own words, he led a very different life than his brother,' Jackson County assistant prosecutor Jennifer Walker said in opening statements, adding that Spitler 'describes himself as having a bad temper, that he dropped out of school,' had a love for guns and sold marijuana. And just two months before the shooting, Spitler chortled pulled a gun on his brother 'in anger'. In an interview with detectives about a fight he once had with his brother, Spitler said Patrick told him 'You're never going to make good choices, you're just a loser, you're not going anywhere'. 'I pushed him, he pushed me back. I punched him,' Spitler recalled in the taped interview. It took the jury two days to decide that Spitler was guilty of second-degree murder, although the conviction was contested by the defendant and his father Brian. Stacey Flounders will never take back disgraced Adam Johnson, her father has said. There had been speculation the pair were still together after Stacey accompanied the footballer to his child sex trial and gave evidence for the defence. But Stacey's father, Gary Flounders, has now said their split is final and they will stay apart even after Johnson has served the lengthy prison term he is expected to get for his crimes. Stacey Flounders will never take back Adam Johnson, her father Gary Flounders (pictured, right) has said Stacey has been left picking up the pieces after the father of her child was convicted of child sex offences Mr Flounders, who is separated from Stacey's mother, is thought to live in Norway. Stacey's mother lives in her home town of Hartlepool. Mr Flounders has flown back to the UK to take care of her and told The Sun: 'Theres no way back. Shes gone now.' Stacey - who has a one-year-old daughter Ayla with Johnson - told the jury that she has recently split from him, but they were trying to remain friends. Shortly after his arrest, Johnson admitted to her that he had been messaging and meeting the 15-year-old schoolgirl he groomed. He also had flings with a number of other women. Her family have told of the torment she has been going through during the police investigation and subsequent trial and the sordid details of his double life it uncovered. A relative had previously told MailOnline she hoped they would not get back together after the lies that Johnson had told. The family member added: 'I feel so sorry for Stacey. She is a new mum and having a lot to cope with at the moment. Her grandad is also ill.' Stacey, 26, grew up in Hartlepool, where her mother still lives. She worked as an air hostess before meeting Johnson around the time he returned to the North East to play for Sunderland after an unsuccessful period at Manchester City. The pair later moved into a sprawling 2million mansion in the upmarket village of Castle Eden, not far from Johnson's parents' home. Stacey, pictured during her relationship with Johnson, told the court he has split from Johnson Relatives said she enjoyed holidaying after previously working as an air hostess before they got together Hartlepool-born Stacey started dating Johnson soon after he moved back to the North East in 2012 The family member added: 'Before Adam, Stacey had her own life, she was an air hostess and had a car. She likes her designer shoes and handbags. She is a stunning girl. 'She liked her holidays, she saved up to go to Mexico and her dad lives in Florida so she would go and see him. 'She must have been really smitten with Adam because I've seen her have boyfriends before but I didn't expect her to settle down so soon. I was shocked to hear she was pregnant.' Johnson admitted during his trial that he had sent explicit messages to other women before he started messaging the girl involved in the trial. He got in contact with the 15-year-old around a month before Miss Flounders gave birth to their daughter, who is now one year old. At one point, he was even messaging the girl at the same time as texting Stacey, sometimes writing to them both in the same minute. Stacey Flounders has stood by Johnson during his trial. Her family say she has been under a lot of pressure Stacey told the court that, despite having split from Johnson, they want to remain friends and she believes he did not commit for serious sexual offences It was Stacey who answered the door when police came to Johnson's mansion in March last year and arrested him for child sex offences. Before he was taken away, he told her that his accuser was 16 and he had given her 'a couple of shirts'. When he returned from the police station, the couple had a long and frank discussion in which the player admitted he had been cheating on her and he told her what he had been arrested for. Stacey's pain was increased when, shortly after his arrest, online trolls circulated a photo of her which they wrongly claimed was the victim. She was later forced to take down her social media profiles due to the abuse she was receiving. Despite his admissions to her and the growing scandal around him, Stacey was pictured holding Johnson's hand as he arrived for his first court appearance in front of Peterlee magistrates last May. She was with him again at the start of his trial and gave evidence in his defence, saying: 'He was honest with me, he was telling me the truth.' Advertisement A young couple are about to embark on a three-year journey around the globe in their trusty $6000 van, surviving on a budget of just $100 a day. Michaela and Alex Ferreira, 25 and 28 from Fremantle near Perth, are now just a month away from an adventure that will take them across six continents and close to 60 countries. The pair made the decision to pack their bags and experience what the world has to offer for them roughly two years ago when they got married - and have been saving frantically ever since then. And they'll be doing the trip - from Guatemala to Canada to France and everywhere in between - in a bulky 21-year-old Mitsubishi Delica with an impressive 240,000 kilometres to its name. Scroll down for video Michaela and Alex Ferreira, 25 and 28, are just a month away from embarking on a three-year journey around the globe The couple will travel in their 1995 Mitsubishi Delica, affectionately nicknamed Vanda after Alex's grandmother The Ferreira's transformed their bulky van into a travellers dream - complete with two beds and a mini-kitchen The pair will start by travelling across Australia, before shipping their car to Canada. From North America they will then head down to Brazil through New York, across to Europe and then down to Africa MICHAELA'S MONEY-SAVING TIPS Allocate weekly spending budgets and put the rest into a high-interest bank account Move into a family home and rent out your own house Take left-overs from dinner for lunch at work instead of spending money every day Put on hold paying off mortgage repayments and just cover the interest (short term only) Take up jobs on the weekend - in addition to your Monday to Friday career job Consider travelling in a van - and install beds and appliances yourself Solar panels are a cheap and eco-friendly way to power appliances and electronic equipment Advertisement Ms Ferreira told Daily Mail Australia she was excited to venture down the Croatian coastline, while her Brazilian husband was stinging to drive through Chile's stunning Atacama dessert. But what the couple is looking forward to the most is the people they expect to meet along the way. 'It's not just about seeing places, its really about seeing a whole different side to a country for us ... landscape wise, culture wise and people wise,' Ms Ferreira said. 'We want to meet as many people as we can and see countries authentically.' Their beloved Delica, affectionately nicknamed Vanda after Alex's grandmother, has been totally revamped to cater for their every need as they get ready to live out of the vehicle. Some of its snazzier features include two double sized beds, a mini-kitchen complete with fridge, stove top and slow cooker, a water tank, extra fuel tank and rooftop tent - able to fit four passengers. To save money the pair installed most of the features themselves, and they've placed solar panels on the cars roof to power their appliances and electronic equipment. Their journey will start in Western Australia, where they plan to road trip their four-wheel-drive van around the country before sending it off in a shipping container to Canada. While waiting the five weeks for their Delica to reach the shores of North America, the pair have decided to backpack through Asia - eager to experience Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore and Japan. Flying across to the west coast of Canada from Japan the pair will meet Alex's family, before heading southeast to New York where they will catch up with a friend over Christmas time. The couple decided they wanted to travel the globe when they got married two years ago (pictured on their wedding day with Vanda) 'We want to meet as many people as we can and see countries authentically,' Ms Ferreira told Daily Mail Australia The revamped van now has two double-sized beds and a rooftop tent on top - able to sleep four passengers They will then head south through Mexico down into Brazil all the way across to Argentina - before shipping the car to Europe where they will criss-cross before eventually venturing into Africa. Ms Ferreira said that while she was excited for the trip, she was mindful that travelling through Mexico, Honduras and Africa carried with it very significant safety issues. She said that she felt more comfortable knowing that husband Alex, who speaks Spanish and was brought up in Rio de Janeiro, knows how to stay safe in some of those regions. 'With Africa we have no idea really I guess we'll just have to talk to locals and take any warnings as they come.' And while their dream holiday is now within reach, Ms Ferreira said it didn't come without sacrifice and hard work. 'We allocated ourselves a certain amount that we could use each week and the rest went into high-interest bank accounts,' she said. 'We even took jobs on the weekends to earn some extra money, we would do odd jobs and fix cars for friends and family.' Much of the refittings were completed by the Ferreira's themselves as a way of saving money And while their dream holiday is now very realistically within reach, Ms Ferreira said it didn't come without sacrifice and hard work Alex - a mechanical engineer by trade - installed an extra fuel tank on the van In a final effort to save money the couple are now living with Ms Ferreira's brother and have rented out their home - changing their mortgage so they are only just paying interest and no repayments. The couple also hope to earn money through sponsorship and documenting their story on YouTube and their website 'Greeting The World.' Their plans for budgeting $100 a day while travelling factors in costs for shipping, fuel, food and repairs. But Ms Ferreira says all the struggle and sacrifice was worth it. 'Two years ago, wed just got married and we were kind of working out what we were going to do with our life.' 'He was Brazilian and I was Australian and we always knew that we would live part of our time there and time there ... this was our way of visiting Alex's family and exploring the world.' Their plans for budgeting $100 a day while travelling factors in costs for shipping, fuel, food and repairs The couple took on weekend jobs as a way of saving up extra money for the trip A new Channel 4 'survival' show has come under fire as it is being filmed suspiciously close to a pub, newsagents, chip shop and bakery. The year-long series, called Year Zero, is set in the picturesque Cul na Croise Bay, in the Scottish Highlands. The programme claims the contestants will be 'cut off from the rest of the world' and describes the setting as 'in the wilderness' and 'a remote and isolated part of the northern hemisphere'. As rural as the location may be, it is not as isolated as they may be selling the show. Aerial view of the area of the Ardnamurchan Peninsula to be used in Channel 4's new reality show. The large sandy area is where the filming will take place Cul na Croise is less than five miles from a fishing store in the village of Acharacle, Lochaber, where they could go to buy equipment to catch food - or if they are really lazy they could just pop next door to Mo's Fish & Chips and the bakery Cul na Croise is less than five miles from a fishing store in the village of Acharacle, Lochaber, where they could go to buy equipment to catch food - or if they are really lazy they could just pop next door to Mo's Fish & Chips and the bakery. And if the stress of their new living arrangements gets they could nip to the Loch Shiel Hotel for a pint or two. Acharacle, close to the set, also has a convenience store and public toilets which the contestants will be free to use if they wander off. Dr Michael Foxley, ex-leader of Highland Council and former councillor for Ardnamurchan, said the notion that the area was a wilderness was absurd. He said: 'The sands are very popular picnic area for the village of Acharacle which is not very far away. 'In Acharacle there is a primary school, a GP surgery, a garage, a shop, bakery, hotel and bar, teashop and other tourism businesses. 'So the idea that somehow they are going to be in a wilderness far removed from civilisation, is absolutely absurd. 'The township of Arrivegaig is even closer. I just hope the community gets something out of it all.' As rural as the location may be, it is not as isolated as they may be selling the show. Pictured is Mo's Fish & Chips and the next door bakery in Acharacle, Lochaber Retired administrator Margaret Green lives within earshot of the 'wilderness' encampment at Ardtoe. Ms Green, 67, said: 'The notion that the contestants are going to be living in a wilderness is absolutely ridiculous. 'Our house is just 250 metres away. It's so quiet here that we can hear the workman talking on the site. 'When the inmates, or whatever they are going to be called, arrive I'm sure we'll be able to hear them too. 'We're the closest to the site but there are other people living nearly as near. 'How on earth that qualifies as a wilderness is quite beyond me.' Ms Green lives with husband Andrew, 72, a chartered accountant. She added: 'They have built a very ugly six foot close board fence to stop people seeing in. 'It's the sort of thing you might see in the suburbs but not in a beauty spot. It's a total eyesore. 'They've also had a helicopter in to bring all the cables they need - so there has been a lot of noise.' Ms Green said the fence would make it harder to get to the nearby Singing Sands beaches. The beaches are considered to be some of the finest on the West Coast of Scotland and are popular with kayakers and bird spotters. 'When it's high tide, people are potentially going to be stranded on the beach because the fence is blocking the path,' she said. if the stress of their new living arrangements gets they could nip to the Loch Shiel Hotel (pictured) for a pint or two Contestants will have to build places to shelter in the face of the elements and will settle an area around the dunes and beach at Cul na Croise and nearby woodland. It is understood at least one of the participants will have a gun licence and will be given permission to hunt and kill a small number of deer on the estate. Others will be expected to go out to sea to catch fish. They will also be allowed to cut down trees for building and heating purposes. A fence almost six-feet high has been erected at the site, which was revealed by the Scottish Mail on Sunday, but filming has yet to begin. Pictured is The Village Shop in Acharacle, Lochaber, just a few miles from where the show will be filmed Production company KEO films have been commissioned by Channel 4 to make the big-budget series, called Year Zero, and are looking for 'everyone from fishermen to foragers, builders to botanists, engineers to entertainers' to take part. A spokeswoman for KEO films said: 'Filming on the programme is yet to commence.' Channel 4 insists participants in the series will be isolated from the community with no access to the outside world. She said: 'The people taking part will be living together, off-grid, completely alone and isolated from the local rural community with no access to any public amenities, other than medical support only in case of emergency. 'The series will follow the experience of more than 20 highly skilled Brits as they face building a new life - creating their own shelter, society and rules. 'For one year this community will hunt, sleep and live together, cut off from the rest of the world.' An online advert for entrants states: 'Are you tired of modern life? Would you like to start all over again? 'We're looking for all types of people; everyone from fishermen to foragers, builders to botanists, engineers to entertainers. Or simply those who seek adventure or escape. 'This is a high-profile documentary series that will challenge everything about modern life and see if it's possible to create a new community from scratch.' Armed with just a few basic tools, they will be expected to plan and build living accommodation and find their own food and water. The Channel 4 spokeswoman told The Scottish Mail on Sunday in December last year: 'With no prescribed infrastructure the group will be given the basics needed to kick start their experience relying on the abundant natural resources and whatever they can scavenge. The series will challenge everything about modern living.' Cul na Croise is less than five miles from a fishing store (pictured) in the village of Acharacle, Lochaber Donald Houston, who owns the Ardnamurchan Estate, said: 'The film company first approached us around 18 months ago. 'We laughed and thought they were completely mad at first, as we know how challenging the landscape is around here and it seemed impossible people could survive out on their own. 'The area they have chosen has been uninhabited for many years. We know people lived there in the Bronze Age but, as people have gradually become less self-sufficient, they have left for more accessible areas. 'However, the company do appear to have planned it all well and they are confident that it will work and make very interesting television. 'I am looking forward to watching how the group interact and come together to work out their priorities when they arrive. It will be about seeing who can manage and who struggles and how the community forms. 'It can get very wet and windy here, which will make it difficult to build shelter and to find food - the weather will be a big issue - and the land is not very fertile for growing crops. 'There are a few more sheltered areas on the sites but they will need to find them.' The year-long series, called Year Zero, is set in the picturesque Cul na Croise Bay, in the Scottish Highlands Heather MacIver, who runs a tea room in nearby Acharacle, said that she would happily serve the show's contestants if they were to crack. She said: 'The show coming here is great, there's been a few people focusing on the negatives but 95 per cent of people I talk to think it will be great to have it here. 'Ardnamurchan being on television can only be a good thing for bringing tourists to the area because it's such a beautiful part of the world. 'If any of them were going to crack and leave the area then I'd be more than happy to serve them.' Psychologist Dr Cynthia McVey, who worked closely with the cast of the BBC reality show Castaway, following the lives of a group trying to create a community on the island of Taransay in 2000, said: 'Experiences like this put a lot of strain on people. Father-of-three Jason Lawrance (pictured) has been found guilty of raping five women after meeting them on internet dating site Match.com A judge told dating sites to up their security as he jailed a man for life and heard that Match.com refused to remove his profile - despite complaints from his victims. Married father-of-three Jason Lawrance, from Liphook, Hampshire, was jailed for at least 12 years for brutal for attacks on seven women, and police fear there may have been more victims who have yet to come forward. The sexual predator raped five women whom he met on the dating site and was allowed to continue using it as a hunting ground for future victims, despite four people lodging complaints about his criminal behaviour. As the rapist was jailed at Derby Crown Court, Judge Gregory Dickinson QC, called on a review of safety measures on internet dating sites, after Match.com refused to deal with the complaints. Judge Dickinson said: 'The seriousness of this case provides both the need and the opportunity to learn something and to take steps to increase protection for others in the future. 'It does seem to me that, in this age of easy access to data and records, there should be a system which allows one authority to be a central point of contact for any complaint of this nature. Lawrance was described by police as a 'dangerous sexual predator' and used the names KeepItStraightToday and StraightMan-Looking to approach thousands of women on the site. Lawrance, 50, raped five women as well as sexually assaulting two more in a variety of locations, including hotels and their own homes. Sentencing the 50-year-old for attacking all seven women, Judge Dickinson QC told him: 'I am convinced that you are devious, manipulative and highly dangerous to women. 'In my judgment these offences taken together - so many victims, the trail of terror and agony for which you are responsible - mean that the imposition of a sentence of imprisonment for life is fully justified. He was described by police as a 'dangerous sexual predator' and used the names KeepItStraightToday and StraightMan-Looking to approach thousands of women on the site 'After these terrible crimes you acted as if nothing had happened. 'You have shown no remorse - zero appreciation of the seriousness of these offences - for the pain you have inflicted on these ladies, their families and their friends. 'Your aim was to get (the victims) into a compromising situation and then to do whatever you liked to them - anticipating that they would be too frightened or embarrassed to make a complaint, or that they would not be believed if they did come forward.' Judge Gregory Dickinson QC sentenced Lawrance to at least 12 years in jail Explaining his decision of the lengthy jail term, Judge Dickinson added: 'There is a significant risk to members of the public of serious harm occasioned by the commission by you of further offences. 'That phrase is taken from an Act of Parliament. In plain English - you are a danger to women. 'Given the chance, you will rape again. I do not know when it may be safe to release you into the community. 'A sentence of life imprisonment means that you will not be released unless and until the Parole Board considers that it is safe to do so.' Using the online dating website, Lawrance: presented himself as a respectable divorcee and father of grown up children; arranged dates with women in their late 40s or early 50s, who were looking for love and companionship after being divorced or widowed; he even married a woman he met on Match.com in an extraordinary turn of events In a statement issued after the hearing, match.com said: 'Having worked with the police on this case for more than a year, we welcome the jury's verdict and today's sentence. 'We are very sorry for those affected, and appalled by these terrible acts. Sadly, there is a tiny minority of people who set out to harm others. 'While this is not confined to dating sites or even the internet, those who do so should be convicted and sentenced, as has happened in this case. Our members' safety is our highest priority.' Match.com added that it was committed to working with the dating industry as a whole to raise standards and ensure the best possible protection and support for its users. Jason Lawrance (pictured on his wedding day), 50, a sex-obsessed father-of-three from Hinckley in Leicestershire, raped five of the women he met through Match.com and brutally attacked two Speaking outside the, DCI Alison Rigby of Derbyshire Police said: 'Only Jason Lawrance will know the true number of people that he has offended against. 'Any other victims out there should come forward.I am pleased we have been able to achieve justice for the victims. 'There are several women who have had to relive their ordeals in court. I hope that yesterday's verdict and today's lengthy sentence will bring them some comfort.' Although the judge accepted that most people use dating websites without incident,he added: 'Most if not all of the victims had not tried to hide from their families and friends that they were on a dating site - they had told them that they were meeting the defendant. 'It does seem to me consideration should be given to a system of automatic referral to the police or some other central agency of any complaint that is made.' Four of his victims had reported his crimes to Match.com, urging administrators to remove his profile in a bid to stop other victims going through a similarly horrifying ordeal. But Match.com refused to do so, claiming profiles could only be removed if there was concrete evidence - such as abusive written messages - of his behaviour. Instead, Lawrance was allowed to continue using the site to prey on vulnerable women and ended up attacking seven victims. Judge Dickinson told the court - in which none of the victims were present - that no one person or organisation had been in a position to 'join the dots' or have an overview of the complaints made to the website. Lawrance's trial heard that the former company director texted one of his victims after attacking her, apologising for 'hurting her' and saying: 'When you were crying out for me to stop I couldn't, I'm so mad at myself xxx.' Jason Lawrance (left) used the names KeepItStraightToday and StraightMan-Looking to approach thousands of women on the site One devastated victim told the court: 'I asked them to please put a notice on the system that this is a banned user. I didn't want it to happen to another woman. They didn't seem to give a damn.' The 17-stone former company director - who married one of the women he met on the site - is now facing a lengthy jail term after being found guilty of a string of sex offences. Lawrance had denied the allegations, telling jurors: 'That's what Match.com is like. People meet and have casual sex, then depart.' But jurors at Derby Crown Court on Tuesday took ten hours to find him guilty of every offence. Police and experts are now using the case to pressure dating sites such as Match.com into overhauling their procedures to ensure users such as Lawrance are stopped as quickly as possible. The site said procedures have been changed to introduce a 'zero tolerance policy' for reports of serious offences. The spokesman added: 'Clearly this was a determined criminal and with the benefit of hindsight it is always possible to see how things could be done differently. 'Since the time of these offences, we have updated our procedures and introduced a zero tolerance policy for reports of serious offences that happen on our site or elsewhere. 'We have worked closely with the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, the personal safety charity, to ensure our internal safety processes are as robust as possible.' Lawrance (pictured during the trial), described by police as a 'sexual predator', contacted thousands of women online and committed three sex attacks months after getting married to someone he met via the site They added: 'We are very sorry for those affected and appalled by these terrible acts. We commend these individuals for their courage in coming forward which resulted in a conviction.' The court was told how Lawrance, who owned his own engineering and building firm in Burbage, Leicestershire, joined the website in 2009 after splitting with his partner of 23 years and mother of his three children. He did not upload a photo but began messaging women, preying on some of the most vulnerable, before arranging to meet them at various locations. The court heard how most of the women were too scared to report Lawrance to the police, with one telling jurors she feared for the lives of her children because he knew where she lived. Another said she didn't think she would be believed because she had willingly met her attacker. Police now fear there could be more victims who have not yet come forward. It is thought Lawrance, now a self-employed builder, was in touch with thousands of women on Match.com, sometimes dozens simultaneously. The court was told how Lawrance raped his first victim in April 2011 in the back of a van in a field in Crick, Northamptonshire, after they had been on a handful of dates to a local pub. The 59-year-old divorcee told how Lawrance drove them to a rural field in the pitch black and persuaded her to inspect a set of bunk beds he had installed in the back. The 17-stone former company director (pictured ina court sketch) is now facing a lengthy jail term after being found guilty of a string of sex offences When she finally gave in to his pestering, he forced her onto one of the bunks and attacked her, despite her crying and begging him to stop. He then dropped her off back at her car in silence 'as if nothing had happened' and drove away. Lawrance struck again two years later, attacking a woman in her own home in Lincolnshire. The pair had met online then been for a drink, with the woman agreeing Lawrance could sleep on her sofa rather than drive home. However, after going to bed, she woke to find him on top of her and with his hand over her mouth. The woman was able to shout for her 18-year-old son who was also in the house, and Lawrance fled after telling the youngster: 'I am sorry, I thought she wanted it'. The court heard Lawrance was arrested after the woman reported him to Lincolnshire Police, but freed without charge 'in accordance with their then charging policy.' However, the incident did not deter Lawrance and, four months later, he raped a woman in her home in Buxton, Derbyshire, after they had enjoyed a date at a coffee shop in the town. Prosecutor Shaun Smith QC said the woman hysterically screamed 'No, no', during the attack. before Lawrance 'calmly got dressed, walked downstairs, got in his van and drove off.' Mr Smith added: 'She has never seen him since.' The woman told a solicitor friend what had allegedly happened but begged her not to reveal her name to the police. But Mr Smith said the victim did allow her friend to contact detectives with the details of the incident incase another woman came forward to report him for similar offences. The following February, Lawrance tried to kiss a 40-year-old woman while sitting in her car after the pair had been for a country walk before grabbing hold of her breast. But she managed to push him away and he left. She told the court how he 'became aggressive' after she rejected his advances several times. Lawrance then got married in July 2014 and moved to Liphook, Hampshire, with his new wife Sara - but went on to commit three further rapes before he was finally arrested. The first took place the following October after Lawrance and his alleged victim met and had consensual sex in a hotel in St Ives, Cambridge, then went for a meal and a walk. When the woman asked to use the toilet in Lawrance's room before her 90-minute drive home to Norfolk, he tore her tights off, tied her hands behind her back, and raped her on the bed. Lawrance had denied all the charges and said the sex was consensual in all five charges of rape. He was found guilty after ten hours of deliberation at Derby Crown Court (pictured) He left her bound while he showered, but she managed to break free and escaped in her car. The next day she attended a medical centre with injuries to her neck, breasts and waist, which were photographed by a doctor. She told the court: 'I don't understand how someone can go from being so nice and normal and turn into some kind of monster within an hour or two.' A month later - in November 2014 - Lawrance raped a woman in a hotel in Rutland, tying her to the bed and assaulting her while she cried and begged him to stop. The court heard the now 56-year-old had agreed to meet Lawrance in a room at the hotel after they had flirted sexually online, but had not been attracted to him when they met in person. She fled while Lawrance used the bathroom after the attack, telling the court how she cut her legs on rose bushes and left most of her possessions - including an iPad - behind. Again, she did not report the alleged incident to police, but did tell a friend. Lawrance struck for the final time later that month, raping a Derbyshire woman he had been secretly seeing in their home after their relationship ended. She told the court how Lawrance said, 'This is going to happen, stop struggling', before attacking her on her sofa. Afterwards, he said, 'I just had to love you one more time', then left. Two friends of the victim, who is now 49, arrived at her home a short time later and persuaded her to report Lawrance to the police after she broke down and told them what had happened. Mr Smith said: 'The police embarked on the investigation and retrieval of phone data and Match.com data, particularly Match.com accounts belonging to Lawrance. 'When this data was reviewed by police they identifed a number of individuals as potential witnesses and once they were located approaches were made to them by Derbyshire Police.' Bloodthirsty Islamic State terrorists have forced a 12-year-old girl to execute a group of five women by firing squad, it has been reported. Among those killed was a female doctor who had refused to treat ISIS militants injured in coalition airstrikes. It is believed to be the first ISIS execution carried out by a young girl, although male members of the group's 'cubs of the caliphate' are thought to have killed prisoners in the past. A 12-year-old girl is reported to have execute five women in northern Iraq. The groups so-called 'cubs of the caliphate' - usually comprised of boys - is thought to have carried out killings in the past The massacre occurred in Nineveh Province, in northern Iraq yesterday, Alsumaria News reported. A source said: 'This evening, a 12-year-old girl belonging to the so-called ISIS executed five women, including a doctor who refused to medicate ISIS members that were wounded in a coalition bombardment, by firing squad. 'This execution is considered to be the first of its kind to be implemented by a small girl within ISIS.' The terror group routinely posts propaganda videos showing its so-called youth brigades undergoing military training. ISIS boasts about these vile training academies through its social media channels, referring to its young recruits as the 'cubs of the caliphate'. It also shows them off as 'martyrs' when young recruits perish on the battlefield or in sickening suicide attacks which they are brainwashed into believing are a 'great honour'. In some instances, it releases videos which it claims shows the youngsters carrying out executions. Last month a video emerged purporting to show an 11-year-old boy kneeling down to kiss his father's hand before blowing himself up in a truck laden with explosives. Footage of the child jihadi, identified as Abu Imara al Omri, was posted online in January by ISIS supporters, who claimed the boy was used to help take the village of Ghazl near Aleppo, Syria from forces loyal to president Bashar al-Assad. ISIS shows its young child soldiers off as 'martyrs' when they perish on the battlefield or die in suicide attacks Al Omri is seen toting a gun and gazing wistfully into the fields, before he is given a prep talk by another ISIS militant. The youngster and his father then inspect the fortified truck, which would be packed with explosives, and the boy is taught how to ignite and drive the truck. The final part shows young Abu, sitting inside the truck, kissing his father's hand as a blessing ahead of the suicide mission. Daesh are increasingly using Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED) attacks against Assad's troops in Syria. John McCain also heaped on the scorn by joining with dozens of Republican national security leaders to blast Trump's foreign policy Romney called Trump's foreign policy ideas 'recklessness in the extreme ... when it comes to foreign policy he is very, very not smart' Commentators on Twitter suggested it was meant to be a sexual innuendo implying Romney would have performed a sex act to be endorsed 'I could have said, "Mitt drop to your knees," and he would have dropped to his knees,' Trump recalled, saying Mitt 'failed horribly' Donald Trump cast Mitt Romney as an ungrateful partisan as he recalled him the 2012 GOP presidential candidate 'begged' for his endorsement Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump leveled what some saw as a sexually suggestive insult at Mitt Romney on Thursday, just two hours after the former Republican presidential nominees savaged him in a nationally televised address. Romney had told a Utah audience that Trump is 'a phony, a fraud' and 'very very not smart.' In response, Trump said during a raucous Portland, Maine campaign rally that Mitt is 'a failed candidate' who delivered an 'irrelevant' speech and would have done anything to secure Trump's endorsement four years ago. 'I dont know what happened to him,' Trump said Thursday during his early afternoon rally, recalling how he backed Romney during the last election. 'You can see how loyal he is. He was begging for my endorsement!' 'I could have said, "Mitt, drop to your knees," and he would have dropped to his knees!' Trump said. Some in the audience had barely finished gasping at the sexual overtones of the boast when The Donald referred to the one-time Massachusetts governor as 'a choke artist.' 'He choked like Ive never seen anyone choke. Other than Rubio.' THE CANDIDATE NEEDS KNEEPADS: Donald Trump said Mitt Romney was so desperate for his endorsement in 2012 that he could have ordered the then-Republican candidate to get on his knees and he would have done it VICIOUS: Mitt Romney tore into Donald Trump Thursday morning in Utah with an air assault that will clear a path for The Donald's rivals to attack him in the evening debate SIGNS OF THE TIMES: Former Barack Obama speechwriter Jon Favreau summed up the controversy after Trump seemed to suggest he could have gotten oral sex in exchange endorsing a desperate Romney YOU CAN SAY ANYTHING ON CABLE TV: An MSNBC reporter was aghast as he heard a Trump speech attendee wonder aloud, on camera, whether his fellow Christians 'want a candidate who gets up there and says that that a former presidential candidate for their party got down on his knees and offered to b**w him' Mehdi Hasan, an Al Jazeera presenter, summed up the impromptu outrage in a tweet that mentioned 'b***w job gags.' And as MSNBC broadcast crowd reactions live after Trump's speech, journalist Thomas Roberts got more than he bargained for. An audience member who identified himself only as 'Andrew' said he lived in a region 'dominated by religion,' and his neighbors would 'all have to ask themselves a question: Do they want a candidate who gets up there and says that that a former presidential candidate for their party got down on his knees and offered to b**w him?' Trump has frequently hammered Romney on the campaign trail for 'disappearing' in the final weeks of the 2012 presidential campaign, effectively ceding the election to the more media-savvy and less socially awkward Barack Obama. On Thursday, he continued the criticism. 'That was a race I have to say folks, that should have been won.' Trump insisted. 'Mitt is a failed candidate,' Trump plunged ahead. 'He failed. He failed horribly.' Romney's scathing attack on his party's 2016 front-runner came just hours before Thursday's GOP primary debate. Switching off between scolding, mocking and lecturing, Romney told a friendly audience at the University of Utah that Trump is 'a phony, a fraud' and 'very very not smart.' In the one-time Republican golden boy's assessment, The Donald is a boorish know-nothing who will hand the presidency to Hillary Clinton. FORTY-SEVEN PERCENT OF PEOPLE DISAGREE ... Romney is remembered for losing the 2012 presidential race after telling a fundraising audience that he would write off the 47 per cent of Americans who would never vote for him because they fear being kicked off the government dole FLASHBACK: Trump endorsed Mitt Romney in February 2012 in Las Vegas as the then-GOP front-runner lavished praise on The Donald THE NATIVES ARE RESTLESS: Novelist Brad Thor tweeted that he 'can't wait for all the b**w job references in Trump's first State of the Union address. What a class act!' 'His promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University,' the former Massachusetts governor said, referring to a controversial real-estate seminar series Trump once ran. 'He's playing the American public for suckers: He gets a free ride to the White House and all we get is a lousy hat.' 'There's plenty of evidence that Mr. Trump is a con man, a fake,' Romney said, acting as a conduit for every complaint about the billionaire that the GOP's establishment wing has been searching for a way to articulate. On his way through a 20-minute oration, he carped about 'the bullying, the greed, the showing off, the misogyny, the absurd third-grade theatrics.' Donald Trump reminded supporters that Mitt Romney had asked for his endorsement in 2012 when Romney was at the to top of the Republican ballot Trump has been riding a near-year-long wave of political discontent with America's leaders especially the liberal president Barack Obama but also Capitol Hill conservatives who have alienated right-ring Republicans by falling short in government of their broad conservative promises. In the process, the political neophyte has sold himself as a revolutionary figure who would smash the revolving door between campaign donations and political favors by financing his own White House bid. GREATEST HITS: Remembering Romney's 2012 self-implosion Mitt Romney lost the 2012 U.S. presidential race to the incumbent Barack Obama following a series of campaign gaffes that set him on his heels: 'There are 47% ... who are dependent upon the government, who believe that they are victims",' Romney said of voters during a fundraising dinner. He said he was prepared to write off a giant chunk of potential voters because they 'believe the government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you-name-it. That that's an entitlement.' 'The answer is self deportation!' he once said, arguing that American companies should simply refuse to hire illegal immigrants, and when they 'don't get work here, they're going to self-deport.' 'I like being able to fire people who provide services to me!' an aristocratic-sounding Romney said during a debate about health insurance and doctors. 'If someone doesn't give me the good service I need, I want to say ... I'm going to go get someone else to provide that service for me.' 'Corporations are people, my friend!' was Romney's retort to an Iowa State Fair-goer who complained about corporate money in presidential politics, in a clip that was played ad nauseam. Advertisement 'I understand the anger Americans feel today,' Romney said Thursday. 'In the past, our presidents have channeled that anger, and forged it into resolve, into endurance and high purpose, and into the will to defeat the enemies of freedom. Our anger was transformed into energy directed for good. 'Mr. Trump is directing our anger for less than noble purposes,' he continued. 'He creates scapegoats of Muslims and Mexican immigrants, he calls for the use of torture and for killing the innocent children and family members of terrorists. He cheers assaults on protesters. He applauds the prospect of twisting the Constitution to limit first amendment freedom of the press.' 'This is the very brand of anger that has led other nations into the abyss.' Romney's double-barreled attacks carry the force of a party elder statesman, but also come from the loudest voice in the GOP who can hammer the front-runner without risking his own political future. 'His domestic policies would lead to recession. His foreign policies would make America and the world less safe,' Romney said of Trump. 'He has neither the temperament nor the judgment to be president. And his personal qualities would mean that America would cease to be a shining city on a hill. The Republican National Committee had 'zero' impact in writing or planning Thursday's remarks, RNC communications director Sean Spicer told DailyMail.com. But the speech had the effect of a campaign surrogate speaking for the anti-Trump party apparatus the way a consultant spins talking points for a candidate after a debate. Trump 'lacks the temperament to be president,' Romney said. 'After all, this is an individual who mocked a disabled reporter, who attributed a reporter's questions to her menstrual cycle, who mocked a brilliant rival who happened to be a woman due to her appearance, who bragged about his marital affairs, and who laces his public speeches with vulgarity.' 'Donald Trump says he admires Vladimir Putin, while has called George W. Bush a liar. That is a twisted example of evil trumping good.' Romney also resurrected a nearly nine-month-old campaign moment in which Trump told an Iowa conference that Sen. John McCain was only considered a 'war hero' because he was captured in Vietnam. 'There is dark irony in his boasts of his sexual exploits during the Vietnam War while John McCain, whom he has mocked, was imprisoned and tortured,' he said. That was a reboot of an old interview Trump did with radio shock-jock Howard Stern, in which he expressed gratitude for having survived his swinging bachelor days without contracting a venereal disease. 'I've been so lucky in terms of that whole world,' he said in 1997 in a moment of dark humor. 'It is a dangerous world out there. It's scary, like Vietnam. Sort of like the Vietnam-era.' 'It is my personal Vietnam. I feel like a great and very brave soldier.' HE WANTS DONALD TO SELF-DEPORT: Romney savaged Trump as a boorish know-nothing who will hand the presidency to Hillary Clinton Parts of Mitt Romney's (left) speech were leaked to the media and he's expected to call GOP frontrunner Donald Trump (right) a 'phony' and fraud' Donald Trump took to Twitter this morning and started attacking Mitt Romney, who will deliver harsh words about the Republican frontrunner in a speech today in Utah Donald Trump reminded audiences this morning that he's brought 'millions and millions' of voters into the Republican party McCain himself jumped into the anti-Trump scrum Thursday by joining more than 60 leaders in the Republican national security community to blast The Donald's foreign policy acumen. McCain knocked Trump's 'uninformed and indeed dangerous statements on national security issues.' He said in a statement that he shares 'the concerns about Donald Trump that my friend and former Republican nominee, Mitt Romney, described in his speech today.' 'I would also echo the many concerns about Mr. Trump's uninformed and indeed dangerous statements on national security issues that have been raised by 65 Republican defense and foreign policy leaders.' 'I want Republican voters to pay close attention to what our party's most respected and knowledgeable leaders and national security experts are saying about Mr. Trump,' McCain, who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, added. Trump said on ABC's 'Good Morning America' that he's right and the foreign-policy old guard is wrong. 'I'll tell you how good our military is doing under Michael Hayden and people such as this,' Trump said. 'We've been fighting wars in the Middle East for 15 years, 18 years, we were in for four or five trillion dollars, we don't know what we're doing, we don't know who we're fighting, we're arming people that we want on our side, we don't know who they are.' 'When they take over a country they're worse than people they depose,' he continued. 'Give me a break!' Romney's air assault from 2,000 miles away will give Trump's rivals Texas sen. Ted Cruz, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and Ohio Gov. John Kasich a clear path to wage a ground assault during Thursday night 's debate in Detroit. Trump softened the earth beneath Romney's feet, however, with appearances on morning television talk shows, calling Mitt 'a stiff' and a 'catastrophe' as the GOP's last presidential hope. 'That was an election that should have been won by Republicans. He was a catastrophe,' Trump said on MSNBC's 'Morning Joe.' THRONGS: Trump is riding a wave of anti-establishment discontent, and old-guard Republicans are scrambling for ways to take him down And responding to the long-shot chance that Romney could still jump into the 2016 race to derail him, Trump let out a near-guffaw. 'Mitt Romney is a stiff,' he said on NBC's 'Today' show. 'Mitt Romney will not get elected, Mitt Romney failed twice and really failed last time.' Trump also tweeted to millions that Romney is part of the political 'establishment' that he's trying to upend and reminded supporters that the Utahan had sought his endorsement four years ago. 'Failed candidate Mitt Romney, who ran one of the worst races in presidential history,is working with the establishment to bury a big "R" win!' Trump wrote. 'Why did Mitt Romney BEG me for my endorsement four years ago?' Trump announced in February 2016 that he was backing Romney in a Las Vegas press event while former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, then-Texas Rep. Ron Paul and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich were still in the running. 'Being in Donald Trump's magnificent hotel and having his endorsement is a delight!' the ever-awkward-sounding Romney said at the time. He went on to win the Nevada caucuses with 50 percent of the vote. 'He's a man who begged me and I mean begged me for my endorsement four years ago,' Trump reminded Morning Joe's hosts on Thursday. Mitt Romney rolled his eyes at Donald Trump's excuse for not releasing his tax returns. Trump, on Thursday night, said he was being audited by the IRS and would release the returns afterward Mitt Romney sent out a barrage of tweets slamming frontrunner Donald Trump in recent days after making initial comments that suggested there were 'bombshells' hiding in The Donald's tax returns Romney, who has yet to endorse a GOP candidate, started in on The Donald several weeks ago, suggesting that there's a 'bombshell' waiting in the billionaire's tax returns, which is why Trump has yet to release them. He pledged to release them once the Internal Revenue Service was done with a series of audits. Romney returned to Twitter to tell voters that he wasn't buying Trump's excuse. 'No legit reason [Donald Trump] can't release returns while being audited, but if scared, release earlier returns no longer under audit,' Romney wrote. '[Donald Trump's] taxes for the last 4+ years are still being audited,' Romney continued. 'There are more #bombshells or he would release them.' Romney also inserted himself into the debate over Trump's comments about white supremacist leader David Duke. Duke praised Trump last week, and the billionaire gave CNN's Jake Tapper a less-than-robust disavowal on Sunday although he forcefully condemned Duke earlier and on subsequent occasions. The resulting CNN sound bite is expected to feature in endless campaign-ad loops this fall, and Romney warned it could damage a nominated Trump enough to allow Hillary Clinton to claim the White House. 'The audio and video of the infamous Tapper-Trump exchange on the Ku Klux Klan will play a hundred thousand times on cable and who knows how many million times on social media,' he said. 'A person so untrustworthy and dishonest as Hillary Clinton must not become president. But a Trump nomination enables her victory.' MITT'S SNIT: ROMNEY'S FULL ANTI-TRUMP SPEECH Mitt Romney Remarks as prepared for delivery March 3, 2016 'I am not here to announce my candidacy for office. I am not going to endorse a candidate today. Instead, I would like to offer my perspective on the nominating process of my party. In 1964, days before the presidential election which, incidentally, we lost, Ronald Reagan went on national television and challenged America saying that it was a "Time for Choosing." He saw two paths for America, one that embraced conservative principles dedicated to lifting people out of poverty and helping create opportunity for all, and the other, an oppressive government that would lead America down a darker, less free path. I'm no Ronald Reagan and this is a different moment but I believe with all my heart and soul that we face another time for choosing, one that will have profound consequences for the Republican Party and more importantly, for the country. I say this in part because of my conviction that America is poised to lead the world for another century. Our technology engines, our innovation dynamic, and the ambition and skill of our people will propel our economy and raise our standard of living. America will remain as it is today, the envy of the world. 'Warren Buffett was 100% right when he said last week that "the babies being born in America today are the luckiest crop in history." 'That doesn't mean we don't have real problems and serious challenges. At home, poverty persists and wages are stagnant. The horrific massacres of Paris and San Bernardino, the nuclear ambitions of the Iranian mullahs, the aggressions of Putin, the growing assertiveness of China and the nuclear tests of North Korea confirm that we live in troubled and dangerous times. 'If we make the right choices, America's future will be even better than our past and better than our present. 'On the other hand, if we make improvident choices, the bright horizon I foresee will never materialize. Let me put it plainly, if we Republicans choose Donald Trump as our nominee, the prospects for a safe and prosperous future are greatly diminished. 'Let me explain why. 'First, the economy: If Donald Trump's plans were ever implemented, the country would sink into a prolonged recession. 'A few examples: His proposed 35% tariff-like penalties would instigate a trade war that would raise prices for consumers, kill export jobs, and lead entrepreneurs and businesses to flee America. His tax plan, in combination with his refusal to reform entitlements and to honestly address spending would balloon the deficit and the national debt. So even as Donald Trump has offered very few specific economic plans, what little he has said is enough to know that he would be very bad for American workers and for American families. 'But wait, you say, isn't he a huge business success that knows what he's talking about? No he isn't. His bankruptcies have crushed small businesses and the men and women who worked for them. He inherited his business, he didn't create it. And what ever happened to Trump Airlines? How about Trump University? And then there's Trump Magazine and Trump Vodka and Trump Steaks, and Trump Mortgage? A business genius he is not. 'Now not every policy Donald Trump has floated is bad. He wants to repeal and replace Obamacare. He wants to bring jobs home from China and Japan. But his prescriptions to do these things are flimsy at best. At the last debate, all he could remember about his healthcare plan was to remove insurance boundaries between states. Successfully bringing jobs home requires serious policy and reforms that make America the place businesses want to plant and grow. You can't punish business into doing the things you want. Frankly, the only serious policy proposals that deal with the broad range of national challenges we confront, come today from Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, and John Kasich. One of these men should be our nominee. 'I know that some people want the race to be over. They look at history and say a trend like Mr. Trump's isn't going to be stopped. 'Perhaps. But the rules of political history have pretty much all been shredded during this campaign. If the other candidates can find common ground, I believe we can nominate a person who can win the general election and who will represent the values and policies of conservatism. Given the current delegate selection process, this means that I would vote for Marco Rubio in Florida, for John Kasich in Ohio, and for Ted Cruz or whichever one of the other two contenders has the best chance of beating Mr. Trump in a given state. 'Let me turn to national security and the safety of our homes and loved ones. Trump's bombast is already alarming our allies and fueling the enmity of our enemies. Insulting all Muslims will keep many of them from fully engaging with us in the urgent fight against ISIS. And for what purpose? Muslim terrorists would only have to lie about their religion to enter the country. 'What he said on 60 Minutes about Syria and ISIS has to go down as the most ridiculous and dangerous idea of the campaign season: Let ISIS take out Assad, he said, and then we can pick up the remnants. Think about that: Let the most dangerous terror organization the world has ever known take over a country? This is recklessness in the extreme. 'Donald Trump tells us that he is very, very smart. I'm afraid that when it comes to foreign policy he is very, very not smart. I am far from the first to conclude that Donald Trump lacks the temperament of be president. After all, this is an individual who mocked a disabled reporter, who attributed a reporter's questions to her menstrual cycle, who mocked a brilliant rival who happened to be a woman due to her appearance, who bragged about his marital affairs, and who laces his public speeches with vulgarity. 'Donald Trump says he admires Vladimir Putin, while has called George W. Bush a liar. That is a twisted example of evil trumping good. 'There is dark irony in his boasts of his sexual exploits during the Vietnam War while John McCain, whom he has mocked, was imprisoned and tortured. 'Dishonesty is Trump's hallmark: He claimed that he had spoken clearly and boldly against going into Iraq. Wrong, he spoke in favor of invading Iraq. He said he saw thousands of Muslims in New Jersey celebrating 9/11. Wrong, he saw no such thing. He imagined it. His is not the temperament of a stable, thoughtful leader. His imagination must not be married to real power. 'The President of the United States has long been the leader of the free world. The president and yes the nominees of the country's great parties help define America to billions of people. All of them bear the responsibility of being an example for our children and grandchildren. 'Think of Donald Trump's personal qualities, the bullying, the greed, the showing off, the misogyny, the absurd third grade theatrics. We have long referred to him as "The Donald." He is the only person in America to whom we have added an article before his name. It wasn't because he had attributes we admired. 'Now imagine your children and your grandchildren acting the way he does. Will you welcome that? Haven't we seen before what happens when people in prominent positions fail the basic responsibility of honorable conduct? We have, and it always injures our families and our country. 'Watch how he responds to my speech today. Will he talk about our policy differences or will he attack me with every imaginable low road insult? This may tell you what you need to know about his temperament, his stability, and his suitability to be president. 'Trump relishes any poll that reflects what he thinks of himself. But polls are also saying that he will lose to Hillary Clinton. 'On Hillary Clinton's watch at the State Department, America's interests were diminished in every corner of the world. She compromised our national secrets, dissembled to the families of the slain, and jettisoned her most profound beliefs to gain presidential power. 'For the last three decades, the Clintons have lived at the intersection of money and politics, trading their political influence to enrich their personal finances. They embody the term crony capitalism. It disgusts the American people and causes them to lose faith in our political process. 'A person so untrustworthy and dishonest as Hillary Clinton must not become president. But a Trump nomination enables her victory. The audio and video of the infamous Tapper-Trump exchange on the Ku Klux Klan will play a hundred thousand times on cable and who knows how many million times on social media. 'There are a number of people who claim that Mr. Trump is a con man, a fake. There is indeed evidence of that. Mr. Trump has changed his positions not just over the years, but over the course of the campaign, and on the Ku Klux Klan, daily for three days in a row. 'We will only really know if he is the real deal or a phony if he releases his tax returns and the tape of his interview with the New York Times. I predict that there are more bombshells in his tax returns. I predict that he doesn't give much if anything to the disabled and to our veterans. I predict that he told the New York Times that his immigration talk is just that: talk. And I predict that despite his promise to do so, first made over a year ago, he will never ever release his tax returns. Never. Not the returns under audit, not even the returns that are no longer being audited. He has too much to hide. Nor will he authorize the Times to release the tapes. If I'm right, you will have all the proof you need to know that Donald Trump is a phony. Attacking me as he surely will won't prove him any less of a phony. It's entirely in his hands to prove me wrong. All he has to do is to release his back taxes like he promised he would, and let us hear what he said behind closed doors to the New York Times. 'Ronald Reagan used to quote a Scottish philosopher who predicted that democracies and civilizations couldn't last more than about 200 years. John Adams wrote this: "Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide." I believe that America has proven these dire predictions wrong for two reasons. 'First, we have been blessed with great presidents, with giants among us. Men of character, integrity and selflessness have led our nation from its very beginning. None were perfect: each surely made mistakes. But in every case, they acted out of the desire to do what was right for America and for freedom. 'The second reason is because we are blessed with a great people, people who at every critical moment of choosing have put the interests of the country above their own. 'These two things are related: our presidents time and again have called on us to rise to the occasion. John F. Kennedy asked us to consider what we could do for our country. Lincoln drew upon the better angels of our nature to save the union. 'I understand the anger Americans feel today. In the past, our presidents have channeled that anger, and forged it into resolve, into endurance and high purpose, and into the will to defeat the enemies of freedom. Our anger was transformed into energy directed for good. 'Mr. Trump is directing our anger for less than noble purposes. He creates scapegoats of Muslims and Mexican immigrants, he calls for the use of torture and for killing the innocent children and family members of terrorists. He cheers assaults on protesters. He applauds the prospect of twisting the Constitution to limit first amendment freedom of the press. This is the very brand of anger that has led other nations into the abyss. 'Here's what I know. Donald Trump is a phony, a fraud. His promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University. He's playing the American public for suckers: He gets a free ride to the White House and all we get is a lousy hat. 'His domestic policies would lead to recession. His foreign policies would make America and the world less safe. He has neither the temperament nor the judgment to be president. And his personal qualities would mean that America would cease to be a shining city on a hill. 'America has greatness ahead. This is a time for choosing. God bless us to choose a nominee who will make that vision a reality.' Advertisement After Donald Trump didn't forcefully push back an endorsement from the KKK's David Duke, Mitt Romney lashed out again Mitt Romney attacked Donald Trump yet again, suggesting that he release the transcript of his off-the-record comments said to the New York Times' editorial board 'A disqualifying & disgusting response by [Donald Trump] to the KKK,' Romney chimed in on Twitter. 'His coddling of repugnant bigotry is not in the character of America.' Romney also called on The Donald to release the transcript of his off-the-record meeting with the New York Times editorial board, which is rumored to include comments from Trump that show the businessman wavering on immigration. The former GOP nominee was rumored to be throwing his support behind Rubio, who many other establishment Republicans have endorsed, but that report was quickly discredited. It was Rubio himself who appeared on the Sunday shows a week ago and denied that Romney was coming on board. 'That report is false,' Rubio said. 'I have no reason to believe he's anywhere near endorsing ... We'd love to have his endorsement, but there's nothing forthcoming.' Romney made no nods in any specific direction on Thursday, hinting only at a state-by-state strategy that backs the most popular non-Trump opponent wherever a primary election occurs. 'If the other candidates can find common ground, I believe we can nominate a person who can win the general election and who will represent the values and policies of conservatism' he said. School night custodian Kevin Dasen (pictured) has been jailed for 70 years in Ohio An Ohio man has been jailed for 70 years after his sex abuse victim reported his crimes - having been inspired to come forward by an episode of 'Dr Phil'. Kevin Dasen, from Akron, was found guilty in January of 12 counts of rape and seven counts of sexual battery of a girl with the attacks starting when she was just 13. The 20-year-old victim, who was diagnosed with autism at the age of nine, said during Dasen's trial that she told her mother about the abuse after watching a Dr Phil episode which featured a woman in a similar situation. She and her mother then told authorities and 42-year-old Dasen was arrested in May. Police then found a video filmed on his cellphone of him committing sex acts with the girl. During the trial, prosecutors claimed Dasen raped the girl about 300 times over a six-year period between 2009 and 2015. According to Cleveland.com, he was described by Assistant Summit County Prosecutor Thomas Kroll as a 'predatory, manipulative and dangerous individual'. Another prosecutor called Dasen 'evil' and 'demented'. Dasen, who was cleared of two counts of rape, testified on his own behalf and admitted committing sex acts with the girl, Cleveland.com reports. The school night custodian's defense team reportedly argued Dasen had a difficult upbringing and had been abused as a child, later developing alcohol and drug addiction. They also insisted he did not prey on children at the school where he worked. The victim was not a student at the school. The victim told her mother about the abuse after watching an episode of Dr Phil (file picture) which featured a woman in a similar situation But Summit County Judge Lynne Callahan jailed him for seven decades insisting it was one of the worst rape cases she had come across in more than 30 years. Dasen cried in court as he said sorry to the victim in court. But according to Cleveland.com, the Judge said: 'You've shown no genuine remorse. I'm not moved by your tears. They're for you, not for (the victim).' Prince Andrew is under fire for flying to a day of official engagements by helicopter when he could have got there by chauffeur-driven car for 5,700 less. The Duke of York opted to take the Queen's Flight chopper for the 230-mile round-trip to three schools in the south-east followed by Buckingham Palace - setting taxpayers back around 6,000. But he was forced to abandon his first trip to Sevenoaks School in Kent on Monday because it was raining - leaving thousands of children disappointed. The sixth-in-line to the throne, who is known as Air Miles Andy, was later able to land at Medway University Technical College in Chatham and City Academy in Brighton. Prince Andrew is under fire for flying to a day of official engagements by helicopter when he could have got there by chauffeur-driven car for 5,700 less, pictured in 2007 He has been slammed by campaign groups who say he should be leading by example and cutting back on his carbon emissions, pictured in 2007 He has been slammed by campaign groups who say he should be leading by example and cutting back on his carbon emissions. The Duke, 56, would have been able hire a chauffeur-driven Mercedes for the day for around 300 and the journey would have taken around five-and-a-half hours. He had been due to land the helicopter on the school fields at Sevenoaks to attend its annual Science Week, which attracts 9,000 local children. But heavy rain, strong winds and a 'low cloud base' meant that his chopper couldn't make it to the school. The royal was able to fly to Medway University Technical College where he performed the official opening ceremony and had a tour of the school. The Duke, 56, would have been able hire a chauffeur-driven Mercedes for the day for around 300 and the journey would have taken around five-and-a-half hours The Duke of York opted to take the Queen's Flight chopper for the 230-mile round-trip to three schools, including City Academy in Brighton (pictured) The sixth-in-line to the throne, who is known as Air Miles Andy, was pictured arriving at City Academy in Brighton in the rain He then dropped by City Academy in Brighton and met with pupils and teachers at the primary school which his office has been working alongside for the past two years. 'The reason I'm here is because I'm interested in young people's education and the investment we're making in our schools, because you are the future of this country,' he said, according to The Argus. 'We are going to rely on you to keep this country just as prosperous as it is today.' The Duke then headed to Buckingham Palace to welcome a Malvern College canoe team. A spokesman for environmental group Plane Stupid told MailOnline: 'Online, there will be lots of comments under this story from people refusing to reduce their own carbon emissions unless the royals, celebrities and politicians do so first. 'It's unfortunate when public figures like Andrew give us all another convenient excuse to keep burning our children's future.' He met with pupils and teachers at the primary school Brighton which his office has been working with for the past two years The Duke then headed to Buckingham Palace to welcome a Malvern College canoe team He was forced to abandon his first trip to Sevenoaks School in Kent because it was raining - leaving thousands of children disappointed The Duke of York's office said that 'careful consideration' is always taken before the use of the helicopter. A spokesman for Prince Andrew said: 'The Duke of York was disappointed not to be able to attend a planned engagement at Sevenoaks School yesterday due to adverse weather conditions. 'However, His Royal Highness was able to undertake two other engagements, one in Chatham and one in Brighton and The Duke later returned to Buckingham Palace for a third official engagement. All these are listed in the Court Circular. 'Careful consideration is always taken before the use of the helicopter and yesterday, as The Duke of York's official programme took in three distinct regions, Kent, East Sussex and London, it was necessary for it to be used.' Prince Andrew was criticised for visiting 15 countries in 2014, almost four times as many as the Duke of Cambridge and six more than any other member of the Royal family. This is the moment Robert Wagner was confronted by the sister of his late wife Natalie Wood who died in mysterious circumstances in 1981. Lana Wood has spent years demanding the one-time Hollywood heartthrob talk to detectives investigating the Hollywood star's drowning off the California coast during a Thanksgiving yachting trip 35 years ago. She came face to face with the 86-year-old Hart to Hart star at the Hyatt Regency hotel in Palm Springs in California, where he was attending a lunch event honoring his wife and former Bond girl Jill St. John. Scroll down for video Pictures show the moment Robert Wagner was confronted by the sister of his late wife Natalie Wood who died in mysterious circumstances in 1981 Lana Wood came face to face with the 86-year-old at the Hyatt Regency hotel in Palm Springs, where he was attending a lunch event honoring his wife Jill St. John In footage of the meeting, Lana, 69, asks Wagner: 'Why won't you speak to the detectives? They're super guys.' He responds: 'Lana, why would you even bring up anything like that? As the confrontation continues, he says: 'I have talked to everybody. You have accused me. You have accused me of murdering her. I can't believe you'd do something like that.' Wagner eventually walked off after saying: 'I have stopped and said (to you) what happened.' Wagners lawyer, Blair Berk, has said the actor has 'fully cooperated' with police and has vehemently denied any wrongdoing. The former Hart to Hart star was on his 60-foot yacht Splendour with his Hollywood star wife, the boat's skipper, Dennis Davern and Oscar-winner Christopher Walken, on the fateful night off Santa Catalina island, a rocky island off the coast of California, 22 miles from Los Angeles. The couple had brought along Christopher Walken, Wood's newest co-star, to celebrate their successful completion of filming for 'Brainstorm,' a science fiction thriller. Wood, Wagner and Walken departed the yacht and rode a dingy to shore, where they had dinner at Harbor Reef Restaurant on the island. Waitresses reported that all three Hollywood actors drank heavily - mostly champagne - and were rude and boisterous. Witnesses say all three were very intoxicated about 10.15pm when they piloted the dingy back to the yacht, which was anchored offshore. Wood's body was found floating in the water about a mile from the yacht about 8am the following morning and the coroner determined that she had died of a combination of drowning and hypothermia. Her blood alcohol level at the time was 0.14 per cent - nearly twice the legal limit for driving. She also had motion sickness medication and painkillers in her system, which likely increased her level of intoxication. In footage of the meeting, Lana, 69, asks Wagner: 'Why won't you speak to the detectives? They're super guys' Lana Wood has spent years demanding the one-time Hollywood heartthrob talk to detectives investigating Natalie's drowning off the California coast FACTS OF THE CASE: MORE CLUES INTO MYSTERY OF THE STAR'S DEATH The scene: On November 28, 1981, the 60-foot yacht Splendour set out for Santa Catalina Island, a rocky island off the coast of California, 22 miles from Los Angeles. Aboard were Robert Wagner, Natalie Wood and the boat's skipper, Dennis Davern. The couple also brought Wood's newest costar, Christopher Walken, to celebrate their successful completion of filming for 'Brainstorm,' a science fiction thriller. Wood, Wagner and Walken departed the yacht and rode a dingy to shore, where they had dinner at Harbor Reef Resultant on the island. Waitresses reported that all three Hollywood actors drank heavily - mostly champagne - and were rude and boisterous. Witnesses say all three were very intoxicated about 10.15pm when they piloted the dingy back to the yacht, which was anchored offshore. Her body was discovered by authorities at 8am on November 29, one mile away from the boat with a small inflatable boat found beached nearby. After nine months of investigation, Los Angeles County Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Lakshmanan Sathyavagiswaran changed the cause of her demise from accidental drowning to drowning and other undetermined factors on her death certificate. In September 2012 audiotapes which had never been heard before, of her younger sister Lana Wood discussing her sisters death, were released by CBS News. The recordings were collected by author Suzanne Finstad as research for her 2001 book, 'Natasha: The Biography of Natalie Wood.' In the recordings Lana says that Mr Davern called her while he was in a state of intoxication and claimed that Mr Wagner (nicknamed RJ) hadnt helped his wife after he accidentally pushed her overboard. Lana says on the tapes: 'He said it appeared to him as though RJ shoved her away and she went overboard. Dennis panicked and RJ said, "Leave her there. Teach her a lesson." A new coroner's report published in 2013 revealed that Wood sustained bruises to her face and other parts of her body before she went overboard and drowned. The National Enquirer claimed to have uncovered documentation - an official lifeguard log - which suggests Wagner and Walken had engaged in a sexual act and that Wood may have walked in on them and set off the chain of events which lead to her untimely and still unexplained death. Wagner maintains he had nothing to do with her death, though said he feels personally responsible for not looking after her. The tragedy: Natalie Wood's body was discovered by authorities at 8am on November 29, one mile away from the yacht with a small inflatable boat found beached nearby. The coroner determined that she had died of a combination of drowning and hypothermia. Her blood alcohol level at the time was 0.14 per cent - nearly twice the legal limit for driving. She also had motion sickness medication and painkillers in her system, which likely increased her level of intoxication. The time of death is estimated at about midnight at on November 29. 'The fact that her stomach contained 500 cc of partially digested food material supports that opinion of that time of death being around midnight, especially given the information that dinner was consumed between 8 and 9pm', according to a report. However, Wood was not reported missing until 1.30am - fully 90 minutes after she went overboard, according to an interview with the manager of the restaurant on shore. A small inflatable boat (pictured) was examined after being found beached near to where her body was found Advertisement Ms Woods death was initially ruled an accidental drowning, caused by her slipping and falling from the dinghy, but authorities reopened the case in 2011 after the captain of the yacht, Dennis Davern, claimed he had originally lied to the authorities. After nine months of investigation, Los Angeles County Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Lakshmanan Sathyavagiswaran changed the cause of her demise from accidental drowning to drowning and other undetermined factors on her death certificate. A new coroner's report published in 2013 revealed that Wood sustained bruises to her face and other parts of her body before she went overboard and drowned. The National Enquirer claimed to have uncovered documentation - an official lifeguard log - which suggests Wagner and Walken had engaged in a sexual act and that Wood may have walked in on them and set off the chain of events which lead to her untimely and still unexplained death. Wagner maintains he had nothing to do with her death, though said he feels personally responsible for not looking after her. In his 2009 autobiography Pieces of My Heart he recounted the final time he saw his wife, who he had married twice. Chris (Walken) began talking about his 'total pursuit of a career', which he admitted was more important to him than his personal life. He clearly thought Natalie should live like that, too. 'I got angry. "Why don't you stay out of her career?" I said. "She's got enough people telling her what to do without you."' As the argument escalated, Natalie left for bed. 'The last time I saw my wife she was fixing her hair in the bathroom while I was arguing with Chris,' he said. 'I saw her shut the door. She was going to bed.' Confrontation: Wagner eventually walked off after saying: 'I have stopped and said (to you) what happened' The former Hart To Hart star has always maintained Wood, 43, accidentally slipped and drowned as she drunkenly tried to tie up a dinghy against the boat. The couple are pictured together here aboard Splendour two weeks before she died Natalie Woods is pictured here with Wagner at the helm and skipper Dennis Davern to the right two weeks before she died. Skipper Davern was also with the couple and Walken during the tragic trip in November 1981 Natalie Wood and Christopher Walken pictured together in sci-fi thriller Brainstorm. Walken joined Wagner and Wood's aboard Splendour to celebrate the successful completion of the the film The yacht Splendour is pictured here moored in a harbor in Honolulu, Hawaii one day after investigators reopened the case into Natalie Wood's mysterious death. The 43-year-old actress was aboard the 60ft boat on Thanksgiving weekend in 1981 when she died after a night of heavy drinking Ms Woods death was initially ruled an accidental drowning, caused by her slipping and falling from the dinghy when they returned to the yacht from a nearby restaurant but authorities reopened the case in 2011 after the captain of the yacht, Dennis Davern, claimed he had originally lied to the authorities He described how he and Walken moved up to the deck as 'things were threatening to get physical' and they were calmed by the fresh sea air. He said he waited up a little longer before going to bed but his wife was not there. 'Yes, I blamed myself,' the actor wrote. 'If I'd been there, I could have done something. I wasn't, but ultimately, a man is responsible for his loved one. 'I would have done anything in the world to protect her. Anything. I lost a woman I loved with all my heart and I will never completely come to terms with that.' After being shown a video of the confrontation, top body-language expert Susan Constantine told Radar that Wagner is 'concealing information' by refusing to answer Lanas questions. Constantine claimed Wagner referring to Natalie as 'her' when he complained about being accused of 'murdering her' was a red flag. 'In all of my investigative training, what we have found is that when a person has murdered their spouse or child, they will call them her or him,' she explained. 'They dont name them by their name as if to distance themselves from the person'. The police have stated that Wagner is not a suspect in the case. Wood burst into child stardom in 1947 playing little Susie, the girl who didn't believe in Santa Claus, in 'Miracle on 34th Street.' Wood later starred as Maria in 1961's 'West Side Story' and was nominated for an Oscar for her role opposite James Dean in 'Rebel Without a Cause.' Robert Wagner is pictured here with his actress wife Jill St. John in 2014. Jill St. She is an American actress perhaps best known for her role as Bond girl Tiffany Case in Diamonds Are Forever A former Somalian journalist who helped terrorist group al-Shabab kill fellow reporters has been sentenced to death. Hassan Hanafi - who has a scar similar to fictional character Frankenstein - helped the Islamist militant group, linked to al-Qaeda, by identifying possible targets among journalists between 2007 and 2011. He had worked as a field reporter and presenter at a radio station before joining the radical group. He had been promoted to commander in 2009. The following year, he was seriously injured in fighting. While he was working for al-Shabab, he would call up journalists and threaten them with death if they refused to join the militant organisation. Hassan Hanafi - who has a scar similar to fictional character Frankenstein - has been sentenced to death Hanafi helped terrorist group al-Shabab kill five fellow reporters in Somalia between 2007 and 2011 WHO ARE SOMALIA'S AL-SHABAB? The group, allied to al-Qaeda, emerged as the radical youth wing of Somalia's now-defunct Union of Islamic Courts, which controlled Mogadishu in 2006. It is banned as a terrorist group by both the US and the UK and is believed to have between 7,000 and 9,000 fighters. The group has staged numerous attacks in Kenya, the worst massacre being the April 2 2015 attack at Garissa University, which left at least 147 dead. Previously the worst attack was on Nairobi's Westgate shopping centre in 2013, when at least 68 people died. The group still dominates in large parts of rural Somalia, despite being pushed out of he capital, Mogadishu, in August 2011 and the vital port of Kismayo in September 2012. Advertisement The court in the Somali capital of Mogadishu ruled he should be executed by firing squad like several other al-Shabab operatives in recent years. The 30-year-old showed no emotion as he was led away by soldiers. When the sentence was handed down, he said: 'Al-Shabab killed many journalists but personally I killed only one. 'But I am indifferent if you kill me. You will see if killings will stop even after my death.' The court heard Hanafi was either partly, or directly responsible, for the deaths of journalists Mahad Ahmed Climi, Ali Iimaan Sharmaake, Said Tahliil Ahmed, Muktaar Mohammmed Hiraabe and Sheekh Nuur Abkeey. He was arrested by police in 2014 in neighbouring Kenya, where he had fled, and was then extradited to Somalia on the request of the government. His trial attracted significant attention from local journalists, who hope the sentence will send a message to extremists who have made Somalia one of the most dangerous places for journalists to work. More than 25 reporters have been murdered in the country since 2007, the Committee to Protect Journalists said. The al Qaeda-linked al-Shabab was pushed out of Somalia's capital of Mogadishu by African Union peacekeeping forces in 2011 but still dominates in many rural areas. The group has staged numerous attacks in Kenya, the worst being the attack on Garissa University last year, which left at least 147 dead. Hanafi arranged news conferences in the years when the militants controlled the capital of Mogadishu The 14-year-old girl who was initially declared dead following the deadly rampage by an Uber driver in Michigan last month has walked for the first time. Abigail Kopf was outside a restaurant near Kalamazoo on February 20 when she was shot in the head. Doctors initially said she hadn't survived, called a time of death and prepared her body to have her organs donated. But, seven hours after arriving at the hospital, she showed she was still alive by squeezing her mother's hand. On Wednesday - 11 days after the attack - her parents revealed she opened her eyes for the first time and was able to make her first steps with assistance. They also told the Battle Creek Enquirer that she had also stroked the hair of a nurse and said she may not suffer any lasting affects with a little rehab. Scroll down for video Abigail Kopf (pictured left and right) was initially declared dead by doctors after being shot outside a restaurant near Kalamazoo on February 20. Just 11 days after the attack, she opened her eyes and saw her parents Her mother Vicki Kopf told the newspaper that shortly after she arrived at the intensive care unit, Abigail coded. After that, doctors said she wasn't there, but the girl's mother insisted she still was. 'She actually coded, and at that point, she had no pulse and her heart stopped,' Vicki said. 'And as they were pumping and doing their thing, it got even more surreal and again, the horror just got worse. 'And I ended up screaming "stop" because I couldn't take it any longer. And Gene couldn't take it any longer.' When doctors called time of death, staff filed out of the room. Vicki put her hand on Abigail's chest and could feel her heart pumping. She then told a nurse that she could feel her daughter breathing, but doctors were still skeptical. Then, seven hours later, the girl wrapped her finger around her mother's thumb and grasped her hand. Doctors had told her that twitching was common as patients faded away. Vicki tried again, this time telling her to squeeze her hand if she could hear. Abigail's fingers intertwined with her mother's, forcing Vicki to pull away her hand in shock. She tried again, and again, Abigail's intertwined their fingers. She'd later squeeze the hands of a family friend and a doctor. Abigail had brain surgery that night. Medical staff say the shattering of her skull may have allowed the brain to swell, potentially saving her life. Her parents updated her status on a GoFundMe page for the youngster on Thursday, which has so far raised more than $35,000 to cover her medical expenses. Tiana Carruthers, 25, who was shot outside of her apartment complex by the same driver just hours earlier, is also improving in hospital. A post on Kopf's fundraising page read: 'Abbie reached another milestone! Mom and Dad reported last night: 'She looked at us tonight. Her right eye is too swollen yet, but she managed to open her eyes and recognized us.' 'Your love and incredible outpouring of support keeps us going.' On Tuesday, the family revealed her condition had been upgraded from serious to fair, just two days after she had been taken off a ventilator. 'Our girl is fighting and winning!' it said. 'HER CONDITION HAS BEEN UPGRADED FROM SERIOUS TO FAIR!!' It added: 'Please continue to hold this amazing girl through her climb and help us bring her home.' After being shot, the teenager was taken to hospital, where her condition was so dire that doctors said she was brain dead. Doctors had begun preparing her body so her organs could be harvested when she showed signs of life after squeezing her mother's hand. Her parents updated her status on a GoFundMe page for the youngster, which has so far raised more than $35,000 to cover her medical expenses On Sunday, mother Vickie Kopf posted an update on Facebook, saying her daughter's ventilator had been removed. 'She's breathing on her own and she wiped off her own face,' she wrote. Three days after the shootings, she and her husband Gene held an emotional press conference with the medical director of Bronson Children's Hospital where Abigail has been undergoing treatment. 'Abigail is strong and she is a vibrant, beautiful, young lady,' Vicki Kopf said. 'And she did not deserve this. And neither did her grandmother or those other victims.' Abigail was shot outside a Cracker Barrel restaurant the last of three locations where Jason Dalton allegedly fired shots at random. Six people died four at the restaurant and two at a car dealership. Abigail was sat in a car alongside four others who were killed: Mary Lou Nye, 63, Mary Jo Nye, 60, Dorothy Brown, 74, and Barbara Hawthorne, 68. High school senior Tyler Smith and his father Rich were then gunned down at a car dealership. Carruthers was shot at an apartment building while she was playing outside with children. She jumped in front of them and protected them. Dalton, 45, is charged with murder and attempted murder. Uber driver Jason Dalton, 45, has been charged with killing six people and injuring two during the deadly rampage. He reportedly picked up and dropped off fares during the attacks Sajid Javid today admitted he wished David Cameron had got more from the EU and he was backing the Remain campaign even though his 'heart' was for Brexit. The business secretary, whose endorsement was a relief for the Prime Minister after six other top ministers defected to Leave, insisted today he was still a 'Brussels basher'. Mr Javid gave his chilly assessment of the Prime Minister's deal at the British Chambers of Commerce conference. Business Secretary Sajid Javid said his 'heart' had told him to back Brexit but he decided to endorse David Cameron's Remain campaign because of the uncertainty quitting the EU would cause Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn used the event to make his first major address to business leaders since winning a landslide in his party's election last year. John Longworth, the head of the British Chambers of Commerce, told delegates the referendum was a choice between the 'devil and the deep blue sea'. In his address, Mr Javid said he had finally come down on backing Remain because of the threat of uncertainty. The Business Secretary said: 'I have no time for closer political union and in many ways I am a Eurosceptic. I am still a Brussels basher and will remain so. 'I wish there was more in the deal.' Mr Javid said he could have followed his heart and backed Brexit because the issue will not come up again, but he followed his head after 20 years of being in business. He continued: 'I accept that all businesses prefer a degree of certainty over uncertainty. 'I am not suggesting everything is certain by remaining but there is a lot more uncertainty on the other side. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn - who made his speech with a loose tie - made scant reference to the EU in his first speech to businesses 'Uncertainty is the enemy of jobs and growth.' After the remarks, David Cameron's official spokeswoman said: 'He also acknowledged that the PM had done a good job with the deal he got. 'As the Prime Minister has said, this isn't the end of the road. 'If we stay in a reformed EU, we will continue to work to make sure that it is more competitive and that it is delivering what countries across Europe need.' Mr Corbyn made little reference to Europe in his speech but told the conference he did back membership. He said: 'Think about the issues facing the world - climate change, the refugee crisis, raising standards for workers and consumers and dealing with the minority of companies that seek to avoid their taxes. 'These are all issues that can only be resolved by working with our partners in Europe, not by ditching them and walking away.' Mr Longworth said Britain faced a 'tough choice' over whether or not to stay in an 'essentially unreformed EU'. He warned: 'Decision making in business suffers from the pressures of the short-term and is naturally focused on the interests of the particular business concerned. 'If I were to ask the business community one thing in this referendum, it would be to look to the long-term and the wider interests of the society in which you operate, and make your choice based not on the next financial year, but on what you want for your children and grandchildren.' GERMAN boss of Rolls-Royce warns Brexit could put their business at risk in a letter to 8,000 staff but 200 small firms urge voters to ditch the EU to end profit-crippling red tape The German boss of Rolls Royce along with others owned by German multinational BMW have written to employees warning that a Brexit could cost them their jobs. In a letter to employees, chief executive Torsten Muller-Otvos said there was no guarantee the UK would be granted free trade with EU countries if it votes to leave. But it was cancelled out by a letter from 200 bosses from small firms urging voters not to listen to 'a minority of managers from Britain's largest companies' who want Britain to remain in the Brussels club. In a letter to Rolls Royce employees, chief executive Torsten Muller-Otvos (pictured)said there was no guarantee the UK would be granted free trade with the EU if it voted to leave And it set out the reasons why quitting the EU would help them avoid crippling EU regulations that harm their profit margins. WILL IT BE OSBORNE VS JOHNSON IN THE BIG EU TV CLASH? Boris Johnson and George Osborne, pictured, could go head to head in a massive eve of referendum debate it was claimed today. The two men are being sought for the TV clash at Wembley Stadium planned by the BBC for two days before polling day. Mr Johnson insisted when he declared for Brexit he would not take part in debates against other senior Tories. Prime Minister David Cameron is also thought reluctant to clash on TV with party colleagues. But the Daily Telegraph today said both were on the BBC's target list for the event - said to be the 'biggest campaign event ever' planned by the broadcaster. If it happens, it will be the first time the two front runners for the Tory leadership have contested in public. Advertisement In an open letter to the Daily Telegraph small business managers said leaving the EU would grant them the 'flexibility and adaptability [that] are key to our long-term success'. It follows a letter from 197 business leaders - including 36 bosses of FTSE100 companies - signed a letter warning that Brexit would 'threaten jobs and put the economy at risk'. Today's conflicting messages are the latest sign that the EU referendum is turning into a battle between big and small business. The letter from the Rolls Royce boss, which is one of six sent by bosses of BMW's British companies - including Mini - was sent to around 8,000 workers, warning that higher costs could affect their 'employment base' . Mr Muller-Otvos wrote: 'Free trade is important for international business. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars exports motor cars throughout the EU and imports a significant number of parts through the region. 'For BMW Group, more than half of MINIs built and virtually all the engines and components made in the UK are exported to the EU, with over 150,000 new cars and many hundreds of thousands of parts imported from Europe each year. 'Tariff barriers would mean higher costs and higher prices and we cannot assume that the UK would be granted free trade with Europe from outside the EU. Police in Florida are investigating the death of a dog inside an upmarket boarding facility after it was revealed the family pet was mauled to death by seven other animals. Gregory Taylor and Rachel Fitzpatrick said they dropped their Goldendoodle, Molly, at the Paws and Claws Country Club Resort & Spa in Merritt Island for two weeks while they vacationed overseas. However upon their return, the boarder, Kelli Jo Strabley, told them Molly had died in her sleep of a brain aneurysm, and that she had taken it upon herself to have the dog cremated. Suspicious, the couple began investigating, and found the vet that Strabley had taken Molly to, who told them their dog had actually been mauled to death. Mauled to death: Molly died while in boarding at Paws and Claws Country Club Resort & Spa in Merritt Island, however the owner maintained she had a brain aneurysm and died in her sleep 'I just wanted to tell them what was easiest, how I would want to take the news': Owner of the boarding facility, Kelli Jo Strabley (pictured) said she did not want to upset Molly's owners by telling them the truth Gregory Taylor and Rachel Fitzpatrick (pictured on Facebook) said they dropped Molly, at the Paws and Claws Country Club Resort & Spa in Merritt Island for two weeks while they vacationed overseas According to the vet's report obtained by Click Orlando, Molly was released into the yard and was attacked by a group of about seven dogs. She had 'severe tears and trauma to her throat area and nape of her neck, cervical area and chest area', the report said. 'Her neck vertebra was visible as well as her trachea (wind pipe) - these injuries suggested a possible neck fracture and main point of impact of the attack,' the report said. Molly actually survived the attack and underwent surgery, however died the following day, the report said. Taylor said of Strabley: 'I'm very mad at her. She killed my dog.' Molly (pictured) had 'severe tears and trauma to her throat area and nape of her neck, cervical area and chest' Killed: Strabley had Molly cremated following her death, before her owners even knew she had died Gregory Taylor (pictured on Facebook with Rachel Fitzpatrick) said of Strabley: 'She killed my dog' When approached by Click Orlando, Strabley denied that she did anything wrong. She insisted she did not lie to the couple, but rather told them a different story so as to not upset them. 'Did I tell them that another dog broke their dog's trachea? No,' Strabley said. 'I just wanted to tell them what was easiest, how I would want to take the news.' Brevard County Sheriff's Office cited Strabley for the dog attack. However, because Florida law classifies dogs as property, Strabley was fined just $100. Molly's owners are now contemplating legal action. A retired educator who claims Obama was a drug-taking gay prostitute and that the theory of evolution causes school shootings is the leading candidate to join the Texas Board of Education. Mary Lou Bruner, 68, a former schoolteacher from Warren, scooped 48 per cent of the vote in the GOP primary race - only just missing out on the 50 per cent needed to avoid a runoff. The dominant showing means she is now favorite to take the position, despite a series of controversial Facebook posts in which she hits out against Muslims and gays, and believes baby dinosaurs lived on Noah's ark, according to Gawker. Mary Lou Bruner (left, with husband Anthony right and Ted Cruz's father, Rafael, center) is leading the race to become the newest member of the Texas Board of Education despite a series of controversial Facebook posts Bruner has previously claimed in a now-deleted post (pictured) that Obama became a gay prostitute in his 20s in order to pay for drugs, and in other posts has hit out at gays and Muslims Video Courtesy KLTV In one of her most outspoken posts, uploaded to her Facebook page on October 26 last year but since deleted, Bruner says: 'Obama has a soft spot for homosexuals because of the years he spent as a male prostitute in his twenties. That is how he paid for his drugs. 'He has admitted he was addicted to drugs when he was young, and he is sympathetic with homosexuals; but he hasn't come out of the closet about his own homosexual/bisexual background. 'He hasn't quite evolved that much! Since he supports gay marriage, he should be proud of his background as a homosexual/bisexual. 'He is against everything else Christians stand for, he might as well be for infidelity.' She has also espoused the view, mirrored by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, that all Muslims should be banned from coming to America. But she also went further, claiming that 'the USA should ban Islam' altogether, stating that Muslims' 'goal is to conquer the USA and kill the infidels'. She has passionately spoken out against the Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriage, and appears to believe that the New World Order is trying to wipe out two-thirds of the world population. Bruner also appears to be a creationist who has discussed how baby dinosaurs were kept on board Noah's ark but died out shortly after the flood subsided because there were not enough trees left for them to eat. She added: 'Most of the dinosaur fossils which scientists have found are permanently preserved in positions of great distress as if they were trying to keep their heads above water or above the mud.' Addressing the issue of school shootings, Bruner seems to believe that the removal of Biblical teaching from schools and the introduction of lessons based on scientific theories is the cause. Bruner has also tackled the issue of school shootings, appearing to blame them - at least in part - on the theory of evolution, which she makes clear she does not support Bruner won 48 per cent support in the first round of voting for the vacant position, narrowly missing the 50 per cent threshold to avoid a runoff, and will now face off against 'establishment' candidate Keven Ellis On January 30, she wrote: 'The school shootings started after government removed the Ten Commandments and the Bible from public school buildings, and disallowed prayer at school and school events. 'The school shootings started after the schools started teaching evolution is an absolute fact and the classes cannot talk about weaknesses in the Theory of Evolution.' As a member on the Board of Education, Bruner would have responsibilities for setting the curriculum followed by Texas students and deciding what to include in textbooks. Bruner comfortably beat second-placed Dr. Keven Ellis, a chiropractor and school board president, who garnered 31 per cent of the vote. Hank Hering, a friend of Bruner's who she has said she would have endorsed if she hadn't run, came in a distant third. The trio will now compete in a second round of voting for the chance to take on Democrat Amanda Rudolph, a secondary education professor at Sam Houston State University, who ran unopposed. As in the Republican national race, Bruner's outspoken nature seems to have helped rather than hindered her candidacy, the Texas Tribune reports. Ellis, who is running on a platform as a 'tried and true conservative', has been widely seen as an 'establishment' candidate, the paper reports, which has hurt him at the polls. Dailymail.com has contacted Bruner for comment, but had not received a response at the time of publication. See more news on the BBC at www.dailymail.co.uk/bbc said: 'What about the people and their lives? Not just the sad stories' BBC arts chief Alan Yentob visited the Jungle migrant camp today to film a documentary about the plight of the refugees as demolition workers razed makeshift homes for a fourth day running. The former BBC creative director toured the site with a team of filmmakers, stopping on occasion to look at piles of wood still smouldering from when shelters were torched by protesting refugees. Mr Yentob has dedicated more of his time to documentaries in recent months after quitting his 183,000-a-year post over his alleged conflict of interest with the scandal-hit Kids Company charity. Former BBC creative director Alan Yentob walks through the Jungle migrant camp in Calais while making a documentary as demolition workers razed makeshift homes for a fourth day running at the shanty town Alan Yentob toured the site with a team of filmmakers, stopping on occasion to look at piles of wood still smouldering from when shelters were torched by protesting refugees Mr Yentob has dedicated more of his time to documentaries in recent months after quitting his 183,000-a-year post as the BBC's creative director over his alleged conflict of interest with the Kids Company charity Mr Yentob last month said he wanted to focus on the musical talents of migrants living at the camp But he remains editor of BBC1's Imagine arts programme. Speaking to the Financial Times last month, Mr Yentob said he wanted to focus on the musical talents of migrants living at the camp. He said: 'There are musicians there. What we've heard from the jungle are terrible stories. 'But what about the people and their lives and their expectations? Not just the sad stories.' Tensions have flared in the Jungle in recent days after bulldozers moved in to destroy half of the camp under the close watch of dozens of police officers equipped with water cannon. The 68-year-old remains editor of BBC1's Imagine arts programme after quitting his role as creative director Tensions have flared in the Jungle in recent days after bulldozers moved in to destroy half of the camp under the close watch of dozens of police officers equipped with water cannon Former BBC Supremo Alan Yentob pictured making a documentary in the Calais 'Jungle' migrant camp, where police supervise the continued demolition of the slum The camp has become a political hot potato during the EU referendum debate, with rhetoric on both sides of the Channel heating up considerably in recent days Migrants have set a number of makeshift homes alight and, yesterday, a refugees was stabbed by a blade-wielding attacker as dozens refused to move on to a purpose-built encampment. The camp has become a political hot potato during the EU referendum debate, with rhetoric on both sides of the Channel heating up considerably in recent days. Boris Johnson today dismissed a claim from a French minister that the camp in Calais would move to Britain after a Brexit vote. Economy minister Emmanuel Macron made the bombshell intervention in a newspaper interview on the eve of a major Franco-British summit that has seen David Cameron travel to Amiens today for talks with president Francois Hollande. But the London Mayor suggested the French claim was orchestrated to help boost Mr Cameron's campaign to keep Britain in the EU, quipping in French 'Donnez-moi un break' - 'give me a break'. The camp, built on a former toxic waste dump, is a magnet for people hoping to reach Britain France's minister for European affairs said Britain will contribute another 20million in funding to boost security at the port of Calais which is just yards from the Jungle migrant camp Mr Yentob denied he was wearing Pyjamas as he toured the camp in a pair of wellington boots He was backed by Tory MP David Davis who said it was a 'stitch up' while his colleague Bernard Jenkin declared it French 'propaganda being produced at the request of the British Government'. Meanwhile, France's minister for European affairs said Britain will contribute another 20million in funding to boost security at the French port of Calais. Harlem Desir told RFI radio the money used to boost 'security of the access zone to the tunnel... and fighting trafficking networks' in the port town. Armed police removed a British man from an easyJet plane after a passenger saw a WhatsApp message on his phone about 'prayer' and feared he was a terrorist. Devout Christian Laolu Opebiyi, 40, from London, was ordered off the flight at Luton Airport and asked if he was converting to Islam as the 6.45am flight to Amsterdam took off without him. A fellow passenger had been spying on his phone from over his shoulder and may have misread the title of the group 'Isi men' as 'Isis men', he says. His accuser then asked him: 'What do you mean by "prayer?"' before walking towards the cockpit and asking to get off. In the minutes that followed another six passengers also left the plane. Drama: A Christian man was taken off an easyJet plane last week after a passenger saw he was reading a message about prayer on his phone Two armed police officers then arrived and told Mr Opebiyi to pick up his belongings and get off the plane too. They then repeatedly questioned him about his faith, which church he attended in London and whether he was considering converting to Islam. He told the Guardian: 'Even if I was a Muslim, it was pretty unfair the way I was treated. I don't think anyone, irrespective of their religion should be treated in such a way. 'If we keep on giving into this kind of bigotry and irrational fear, I dare say that the terrorists will have achieved their aim.' HOW BIBLE PROVERB SAW PASSENGER BRANDED EXTREMIST Laolu Opebiyi is a member of a WhatsApp prayer group called 'Isi men', which one air passenger probably misread as ISIS. 'Isi' is a super short version of the Bible proverb: 'Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another'. The theory is it is about how when two iron blades are rubbed together - both become sharper. It is often used by Christians to describe how prayer and discussing the Bible can improve people involved. Advertisement He explained to police the WhatsApp group was called 'ISI' because it is short for 'iron sharpens iron' - a Bible passage about prayer which says: 'As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another'. The police then released him but he was further shamed because as he returned to the easyJet desk to get to Holland the seven passengers refused to travel with him. One said: 'If he is on the next flight, I am not getting on the flight.' He eventually travelled to Amsterdam on the 10.25am flight - four hours after he was originally due to fly. Mr Opebiyi now fears he is on a terror watchlist because he was stopped by officials as he travelled back from Amsterdam the following day. His passport also failed to work at the electronic departure gates. Interrogation: Police repeatedly questioned Mr Opebiyi in the Luton terminal (pictured) about his faith, which church he attended in London and whether he was considering converting to Islam He said: 'Someone felt I was a terrorist because they saw the word "prayer" on my phone and now I stand in uncertainty about my freedom of movement in and out of the UK'. Bedforshire Police, who man the airport, have defended the handling of the case. A spokesman said they spoke to him and 'were satisfied that there was no concern around the passenger travelling'. EasyJet apologised today but said they had to investigate. A dismembered body found near a Northern California pier belonged to a woman reported missing by her husband, who jumped off the Bay Bridge after police recovered her mutilated torso, authorities confirmed Wednesday. The Alameda County coroner positively identified the remains as Shelly Titchener, 57, after hikers located other body parts along Fremont, California's shoreline on Sunday, the Brisbane Police Department said. The identification was made through a right thumbprint matched to DMV records, it said. Scroll down for video Shelly Titchener, 57 (left), has been confirmed dead after the Alameda County, California coroner positively identified her remains, which were found washed up in San Francisco Bay. Her husband Paul (right), who committed suicide two days after her torso was found, is now a suspect in her murder Titchener's late husband, Paul Titchener, is now considered a suspect. He reported her missing on February 15 and committed suicide two days after his wife's torso was found in a black trash bag by a group of people fishing near Dumbarton Bridge. 'We are not commenting on what information has led us to this determination,' officials said. 'We are continuing to investigate whether or not Paul acted alone.' Investigators are working to see if anyone else was involved in the woman's death and are in the process of getting search warrants for computers and mobile devices that belonged to Shelly and Paul Titchener, Brisbane police said. They will also be looking into the couple's credit card and banking records in the days leading up to Shelly's murder, along with license plate reader information to explain their movements. Several items found inside the couple's house have already been turned over to the San Mateo County Crime Lab for analysis. Severed: Shelly's dismembered torso was discovered stuffed inside a black trash bag (above) by a group fishing near the Dumbarton bridge on February 21 Chopped to bits: Authorities announced Wednesday that they had positively identified Shelly's remains after another set of body parts - including a right thumb - were also found on the Dumbarton shoreline(above) A make-shift memorial of candles and flowers has been set up at the couple's home in Brisbane, California Looking for clues: Police are now obtaining search warrants to go through the couple's computers, phones, and banking accounts. Above, a crime scene photographer at the couple's home Shelly Titchener was first reported missing by her husband on February 15, two days after he says she stormed out of the house after they got into a fight. Paul told police that his wife told him she was going to stay with friends and that he became worried when he called some of them and none had talked to her. He said she left home without her phone or medication to treat bi-polar and depression. In a strange twist, someone reported seeing Mrs Titchener shopping at a Nordstrom in San Mateo the day her husband officially reported her missing. Six days later, a group of people fishing near the Dumbarton bridge came across a black trash bag and found a dismembered torso inside which have since been confirmed as Shelly's remains. The discovery wasn't made public though initially, and on Tuesday Paul gave a bizarre interview with local news station KRON about his wife's disappearance. Bizarre: Mr Titchener committed suicide on February 23, just hours after giving an interview (above) about his wife's disappearance 'As an engineer, I'm looking at all the possibilities and I accept the fact that something may have happened to her,' he said. In another strange clip from the interview, Paul said he was trying to prepare his two sons for losing both of their parents. 'I'm trying to arm my sons for that,' he said, when asked what would happen if his wife doesn't come home. 'I lost both my parents, and that's a very difficult thing, and so I've gone through with them and shared with them how that feels and what to do to deal with it.' The reporter says two things stuck out to her about the interview - that he wasn't wearing his wedding ring and he didn't cry. In the video, she asks 'How are you able to be so strong right now and keep it together?' 'Well you didn't see me the first couple of days,' Titchener responds. In that interview, Mr Titchener's voice never wavered as he told how he and his wife got into an argument the night before Valentine's Day and she stormed out. 'Maybe it was a red flag that her thinking wasn't that clear. She was a little upset at the time,' he said. Paul also explained that one of his adult sons organized most of the search effort for his wife in the initial days of her disappearance. 'I think he recognized that I wasn't in good enough shape to try to do what we needed to do,' he said. He added that he missed his wife 'tremendously' and worried about what might have happened to her. 'It's kind of a nightmare you never wake up from, and you're hoping it has a happy ending,' he said. Just hours after the interview was shot, Paul jumped to his death off the Bay Bridge. The following morning, investigators labelled him a 'person of interest' in the case and raided the couple's home looking for potential evidence. Neighbors and family members have since spoken out to describe the couple's relationship Mrs Titchener's brother Scott Carmichael spoke with ABC 7 and said he felt that his brother-in-law may have been holding back information when he first learned that his sister was missing. George Hawawini, 46, who lives directly across the street from the couple's home, and has known them since the 1980s, said they fought often. 'You could hear the yelling. They didn't know how to hide it very good,' Hawawini told the San Jose Mercury News. Family: The couple had two sons together (pictured with their mother). One of them wrote on Facebook the day after his father's death: 'My mother Shelly Titchener and father Paul Titchener have recently passed. I hope that you will all respect the privacy of my family and I. Thank you to everyone who supported us in the search for my mother' Court records also show the couple initiated divorce proceedings in 2001, but never finalized the end of their marriage. Hawawini says Paul would sometimes come visit him at his restaurant to complain about his marriage issues. Still, Hawawini says he doesn't believe his neighbor could have killed his wife. 'Everybody's assuming that he did it just because he jumped off a bridge,' Hawawini said, 'but who knows at this point.' The couple leave behind two sons. On Wednesday, one of the sons wrote on Facebook: 'My mother Shelly Titchener and father Paul Titchener have recently passed. I hope that you will all respect the privacy of my family and I. Thank you to everyone who supported us in the search for my mother.' Anyone with information on the case is being asked to call police at 415-467-1212. For confidential help, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or click here Texas Republicans are trying to oust a local chairman who says Bill Clinton is a 'serial rapist', Ex-Governor Rick Perry is a 'bisexual adulterer' and members of the Bush family belong in prison. Staunch conservative Robert Morrow was elected chair of the Travis County GOP on Super Tuesday, prompting a backlash from party officials who want him out. But the politician, who has wished heart attacks on several public figures and posts sexually explicit Tweets on a regular basis, told his opponents to 'go f*** themselves', as 'the people have spoken'. Texas Republicans are trying to oust newly-elected chairman of Travis County, Robert Morrow (left and right) who says Bill Clinton as a 'serial rapist' and members of the Bush family belong in federal prison Morrow has gained notoriety with his liberal use of social media. He recently posted a degrading question about Hillary Clinton's sex life and asked whether her personal odor was a bigger threat to the United States than ISIS. He's also taken to Twitter to ask whether she has a 'small, medium, large or horse-sized' penis. Morrow often shares his conspiracy theory that former president Lyndon B. Johnson used his links with the CIA to assassinate John F. Kennedy. In between these outlandish claims, he posts bizarre sexual images and updates including: 'I am feeling boobylicious today.' Travis County vice chair Matt Mackowiak told the Texas Tribune: 'We will explore every single option that exists, whether it be persuading him to resign, trying to force him to resign, constraining his power, removing his ability to spend money or resisting any attempt for him to access data or our social media account.' Morrow has gained notoriety with his liberal use of social media. He has wished heart attacks on many public figures including the Clintons He has stated that the Bush family are criminals and should be locked up in a federal prison, while claiming Rick Perry 'is (was) 'a rampaging bisexual adulterer' He has also posted a number of degrading sexual statuses with links to fringe books about politicians 'I'm treating this as a coup and as a hostile takeover.' Jim Suydam, the precinct 450 chairman also told the Tribune: 'Mr Morrow's language in the media, his statements on social media, his oddly proud misogyny - none of this is acceptable in a polite society.' Landon Campbell, precinct 208 chairman added: 'I can guarantee you that Robert Morrow will not be able to be an effective messenger for the Republican Party going forward, and that is a major problem.' However Gonzalo Camacho, precinct 149 chairman, insisted he had no problem with Morrow and what he does in his own time is 'protected by the US Constitution'. Donald Trump suggested this morning that he'll come out swinging in tonight's Fox News Republican debate after letting Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz beat him up last time around 'I can't act overly presidential because I'm gonna have people attacking me from every side,' Trump this morning on Today. 'I would have a very, very presidential demeanor when I win, but until such time, you have to hit back.' Tonight his patience will be tested on multiple fronts as he faces Fox News star Megyn Kelly, a moderator of the debate, for the first time since their bitter clash on the first GOP fight night. On Good Morning America Trump said he was 'absolutely ready' to face Kelly. Tonight Donald Trump's patience will tested on multiple fronts as he faces Fox News star Megyn Kelly, a moderator of the debate, for the first time since their bitter clash on the first GOP fight night Star quality: Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscars after-party earlier this week DONALD TRUMP V. MEGYN KELLY TRUMP: 'I'm ready, I'm absolutely ready.' KELLY: 'Frankly, I have been ready for seven months to move beyond what happened after that August debate,' she said. 'I feel like it's getting boring. Trump has bigger things to worry about, and so do I.' Advertisement 'I'm ready, I'm absolutely ready,' he said. Kelly likewise said during an interview with Reuters that she's over the tiff and doesn't expect a showdown this evening. 'Frankly, I have been ready for seven months to move beyond what happened after that August debate,' she said. 'I feel like it's getting boring. Trump has bigger things to worry about, and so do I.' Of a possible clash with Trump, she said, 'I have my questions. That's all I need.' She told the Associated Press, 'I think at this point in the game he understands better how these things go. He knows he can handle me. He can handle any interviewer.' Kelly jokingly said in an interview earlier this month on The Late Show, 'Im going to start with "Apology accepted". ' A campaign spokesperson told Daily Mail Online that Trump was a 'yes' for tonight's debate, and the Republican front-runner has made no indication that he wouldn't show. The decision comes after Trump wondered out loud at a campaign rally about whether he should attend. Speaking to supporters in Oklahoma City, he said the debates 'seem like a terrible waste of time' Business Insider reported. 'Aren't these debates ridiculous, though?' he asked. 'How about if I don't do the next debate? Yes?' Trump asked. It is the third GOP debate hosted by Fox News this year, but only the second one with Trump, as he boycotted the network's Des Moines, Iowa, sparring match in January. The feud goes back to August, when Kelly told him at the first of the election cycle: 'You've called women you don't like, "fat pigs", "dogs", slobs, and disgusting animals.' When Trump replied 'only Rosie O'Donnell', Kelly hit back and said, 'No it wasn't. For the record, it was well beyond Rosie O'Donnell. 'Your Twitter account has several disparaging comments about women's looks. You once told a contestant on "Celebrity Apprentice" it would be a pretty picture to see her on her knees,' she said. 'Does that sound to you like the temperament of a man we should elect as president?' I'm in: Trump confirmed his attendance at the debate moderated by Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly, ending a boycott going back to their feud in August last year Trump later used his Twitter account to call Kelly 'unprofessional' then in a CNN interview, said of her: 'You could see there was blood coming out of her eyes. Blood coming out of her - wherever.' The comment led to widespread claims of sexism and misogyny. Trump and Fox News made up, but when the next debate came around in January, he did not take part, instead holding a rally which raised money for veterans' groups. That prompted Kelly to suggest off air that the other candidates had treated him like Voldemort - the Harry Potter villain whose nickname was 'he who must not be named'. Fox News later said that she was unfamiliar with the Harry Potter books and was unaware that Voldemort was tied to the phrase. Last month, Trump again boycotted a Fox News event hosted by Kelly, a town hall in Houston, Texas,even though other remaining candidates took part. Asked about the drama Kelly in a post-Super Bowl by Stephen Colbert, Kelly said, 'Donald Trump has been on Fox News 140 times in the last year. We are not feuding with him. But he does have a beef with me.' 'The only thing I really wanted to ask him was, he recently said his supporters are so devoted to him he could go in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot someone and he wouldnt lose a single voter. In response to which I want to ask him, "Were you talking about me? ' she said, laughing. Kelly sarcastically added, 'I never go there anymore.' Trump Tower is on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan - and Fox News headquarters is on Sixth Avenue. She told the Associated Press in a new interview, 'It was never personal from my point of view.' 'I understand he was upset. I didn't take it personally and I certainly don't have anything against him. I find him a very fascinating person to cover.' Talking about the debate this morning on Today, to co-host Matt Lauer, Trump said, 'When people are hitting you from different angles....unfortunately Matt, you have to hit back.' 'When you hit back, you're no longer presidential, unfortunately,' he mused. Colorado mass shooter James Holmes was moved to a secret out-of-state location in the fall because he was viciously assaulted by a fellow inmate whose only regret was that he didn't do more damage, prison officials have revealed. The attacker managed to reach Holmes by running through a closing security gate, an official at the Colorado State Penitentiary told ABC News, which first reported the story of Holmes' secret transfer. Mark 'Slim' Daniels, a prisoner doing time for car thefts and other crimes, landed several punches on the mass killer's head and also struck a female officer before being subdued. 'The attack was part of the reason for moving [Holmes]. There were many concerns; the attack was part of the concern,' said Colorado Prisons Director Steve Hager to ABC News. Scroll down for video Mass shooter James Holmes was moved to an undisclosed location after getting beat up by a fellow inmate last fall Mark 'Slim' Daniels admitted to the assault on Holmes in a letter to a local newspaper, writing 'I'm so sorry I couldn't wipe him out' A view of the outside of the maximum security Colorado state penitentiary in Canon City The October 8 attack happened two months after Holmes was sentenced to multiple life sentences for opening fire in a movie theater during a 2012 screening of the Batman movie The Dark Knight, taking a dozen lives and injuring over 70 people. Daniels was disciplined with 60 days in segregation, 45 days loss of privileges and up to a year in restrictive housing for striking Holmes, but also received fan mail and money from strangers, ABC News reported. In a letter to a local newspaper, Daniels described the attack as an attempt to avenge the victims in Aurora. 'I'm so sorry I couldn't wipe him out and sent [sic] him packing to Satan's lake of fire. It was just impossible to do by myself with so many cops. I did get him six or seven good ones and this stupid ass case manager [name deleted] ran out of her office and and put her head in front of Holmes' cause I was about to knock him out. That's why she got socked a few times,' Daniels wrote, according to Westword. James Holmes during his sentencing last August. The killer received multiple life sentences for opening fire inside a movie theater in 2012 According to ABC News, prison officials refused to say where Holmes was transferred, citing security concerns. The lapse in security that led to the beating and the secret transfer drew criticism from a former Colorado prison official. 'Its called a "dump job," moving him on to another warden. Hes always going to be a target. The Department of Corrections could easily have placed him in a secure setting,' Bob Hood, a former warden of the federal super-maximum security prison in Florence, Colorado told ABC News. 'Its ironic to me that they transfer him out of state for such a simple assault. The Department of Corrections dropped the ball. The inmate was assaulted. The system broke down,' Hood said. Ann Walters, 61, died after a nurse cancelled the emergency response vehicle which had been heading to her A distraught son discovered his mother lying dead on her living room floor ten hours after an NHS 111 call handler called an ambulance off when it was just one minute from her home, an inquest heard today. Ann Walters, 61, died after a nurse cancelled the emergency response vehicle which had been heading to her. An investigation found Peter Richardson had 'not demonstrated an understanding of heart failure' when dealing with the call. At this morning's hearing he confessed he made a mistake and apologised to the family. The inquest was told Mrs Walters called the NHS 111 service on December 28, 2014, asking for a doctor to be sent to her home but her breathlessness caused an initial call handler concern, so he classified it as an emergency instead. He was told by Mrs Walters - who at the time only had months to live - that she had a heart defect, and so dialled 999 himself for an ambulance to be sent to her home despite her asking to see a doctor instead. A crew was initially dispatched from Waterlooville, Hampshire, to her home nearby in Portsmouth, but within four minutes a different ambulance was sent from Queen Alexandra Hospital in the city as it was nearer her home. However, in the meantime Mrs Walters was called at 8.24am by Pete Richardson, a qualified nurse and clinical support desk practitioner for the 111 service. After talking with her, he took the decision to stand down the ambulance which was just one minute from her home. He told today's hearing he opted to stop the ambulance because she was 'forthright' in her views that she wanted a doctor instead, and because she said she had a chest infection. Her son Lawrence Thorpe, a 25-year-old former teacher, was upstairs in his room that day and was horrified to find her lifeless body at around 6pm. He dialled 999 but medics who turned up pronounced Mrs Walters dead and said rigor mortis had already set in. Mr Richardson today admitted that in hindsight, his decision was wrong, but the qualified nurse of over 20 years said: 'She sounded forthright in a way that told me 'no means no'.' An investigation has since found he 'didn't demonstrate an understanding of heart failure' and was 'unable to pick up clues from the patient', Portsmouth Coroner's Court heard. He was suspended following a review and was retrained by managers to learn from the incident, before returning to work the following March. Ann Walters had a heart defect which would make her go hypoxic and she would turn blue as her defect meant oxygen would not reach her vital tissues. At the time of her death she was undergoing an assessment to decide whether or not she needed a regular oxygen supply at her home. She first called 111 at 8.11am the morning of her death. At that point her long-term heart defect was leaving her breathless. She told the handler: 'I just want a doctor to come out and see me.' She said she had picked up a chest infection and was unable to breathe, the inquest heard, but eventually agreed to an ambulance being sent to her. One was dispatched at 8.19am to be with her within eight minutes, before it was turned away at 8.25am just a minute from her home following the decision taken by Mr Richardson. He told the inquest: 'During my conversation with her I had established she was conscious and breathing, and expressed a wish to be seen by a doctor and not an ambulance. Mrs Walters daughter Felicity and son Lawrence. Their mother suffered from a heart defect, and so dialled 111 asking for a doctor. The call handler decided he would phone an ambulance instead, but upon her insistence called it off when it was only a minute from her home 'I gave her advice that if her symptoms changed or got worse or if there were any concerns in the meantime to call us back straight away on 999.' He told how Mrs Walters refused to wake her son up, adding: 'I heard she wanted to be seen by a doctor. I thought I was complying with her wishes. 'It was extremely busy that morning.' After closing the call, he passed the incident to the out of hours GP service and requested a call back within an hour. Mrs Walters's son, Lawrence, asked Mr Richardson: 'In hindsight, do you believe your decision was wrong?' Mr Richardson answered: 'Yes'. Dr Daniel Rushden, the deputy medical director of the out of hours service at the time, conducted an investigation and found calls were made to her at 9.25am, 3.43pm and 4.40pm that day. A GP also tried themselves at 4.48pm but all attempts went unanswered, until a GP visited the home at 8.20pm. Outside court, Mr Thorpe said that he found his mother's phone under her body, and that could have been why he never heard the calls. The inquest heard calls to the out of hours GP service were up 30 per cent on the previous year for the four-day bank holiday Christmas weekend. South Central Ambulance Service apologised to Mrs Walters' family and has since completed a thorough investigation of the incident to 'ensure lessons had been learned'. I heard she wanted to be seen by a doctor. I thought I was complying with her wishes Nurse Pete Richardson, NHS 111 call handler Mrs Walters declined an operation in 2007 to sort her issues as she was 'adamant' she didn't want her chest opened up, doctors told the inquest, even though her condition would leave her breathless and more tired. Consultant Cardiologist Dr Philip Strike of Queen Alexandra Hospital said not having the operation would end up in patients deteriorating, adding: 'She was aware this would kill her.' When he last saw her shortly before her death in 2014, he gave her less than a year to live, adding: 'She was at a phenomenally high risk of sudden death. It could have happened at any point.' Dr Strike said it would have been 'unlikely' that an ambulance attending her home or an out of hours GP could have saved her if she ultimately died from heart failure. Mr Thorpe, now living back in Portsmouth, was at home all day visiting his mother for Christmas and had a late night with friends the night before, so was resting before planning to return home to Leyton, London, the following day. Ms Walters, who previously worked in admin for court summons, was unemployed when she died and is survived by two children - Lawrence and Felicity, 26 - but had four in total. Her other daughter Heather, 29, died 12 years ago and a fourth child died during their birth. Mr Thorpe said: 'She was generally quite a healthy lady and the health problems didn't kick in until about four years ago. 'Before then she used to ride horses and go on bike rides.' Senior coroner David Horsley said SCAS' investigation of the event had been a 'very serious and thoughtful' one. He recorded a narrative conclusion, ruling that Ann Walters died of congestive cardiac failure. He said the South Central Ambulance Service had 'fallen below' the standards set for itself and that the service had learnt some 'hard lessons'. He said: 'Ann Walters suffered for many years from a serious cardiac problem and she had elected not to have it treated by surgery. Mrs Walters (pictured) declined an operation in 2007 to sort her issues as she was 'adamant' she didn't want her chest opened up, doctors told the inquest, even though her condition would leave her breathless and more tired 'In consequence, by late 2014 her potential life span was not more than a few months.' Mr Horsley heard that Mrs Walters declined life-saving open heart surgery years earlier because she wanted to see her son graduate university. As her condition deteriorated, the hole became larger and she spoke with consultant cardiologist Dr Phillip Strike about surgical options, but by this point it was too late. Expressing his sympathy to Mr Thorpe and his family, the coroner said: 'After only talking to her for one minute the judgement was made that her condition didn't merit the attendance of an ambulance. 'For me the irony of this is the moment the ambulance was stood down, it was only a minute from her home. 'It was not likely there was anything that could have been done to save her.' Mr Horsley said there was a 'strong possibility' Mrs Walters died between her phone call with Mr Richardson, and the first call from the out of hours GP an hour later. He said: 'The incident fell below the standards set for itself by the South Central Ambulance Service. 'Had the standards been met, her life might have been prolonged a little or at least made her passing easier. 'The only comfort is the ambulance service has learnt some hard lessons from her death.' He added: 'It's heartbreaking to think that assistance might have eased her passing.' Afterwards, Mr Thorpe said he was happy to finally hear the whole truth of what happened to his mother. He said: 'I had never met Mr Richardson before and it was nice to hear him say it was a mistake, and the wrong decision to make. 'I do miss my mother and I miss her flapjacks. She was a very good cook. 'She was a workaholic, and once tried to brew her own beer and tried to make wine. Peterson claims Leukert would touch him in an Two former male Hooters employees are suing their supervisor and the popular fast-food chain, claiming they were sexually harassed and degraded for years. The civil complaint, which was filed on behalf of Paul 'PJ' Cagnina and Scott Peterson on Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleges that the two staffers were repeatedly humiliated and belittled in front of their colleagues in several different Hooters locations around California. The lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages, names the plaintiffs former boss, Rick Leukert, and Hooters of America as defendants. Hooters suit: Two former male Hooters employees from California are suing their supervisor and the fast-food chain, claiming they were sexually harassed and degraded for years. Pictured: Hooters in Costa Mesa The company issued a statement to Daily Mail on Thursday that read: 'This matter involves a franchised location and its employees in California. We have no independent knowledge of the facts and are therefore unable to comment.' In one incident mentioned in the lawsuit, Leukert, the former CEO of West Coast Hooters, allegedly threw PJ Cagnina 'down to the parking lot ground' after a bikini contest in Costa Mesa and forcibly engaged in simulated sodomy in front of spectators, according to the court filing cited by NBC4. Cagnina and Peterson both served as managers at various Hooters locations, including Costa Mesa, downtown Los Angeles and Hollywood. When the pair complained about Leukert's conduct, Hooters launched an investigation and fired him a few months later without any explanation, according to CBS Los Angeles. But before long, Peterson was let go from his job as well, which his attorney, Jason Oliver, claims was a retaliatory move. Cagnina is also no longer employed by Hooters, although the circumstances of his departure from the franchise are unclear. Cagnina and Peterson's lawsuit mentions a string of incidents in which Leukert allegedly behaved in an inappropriate manner towards his subordinates. Leukert 'continually tried getting Mr Cagnina to go skinny dipping with female employees, according to the complaint, and he once took the cellphone of a female general manager that the man was dating and viewed 'private, intimate' photos of the plaintiffs. The Atlanta-based fast-food corporation has over 430 locations in 28 countries. It is best known for its scantily clad servers, seen in this stock image, and chicken wings When Cagnina was named general manager and given a trophy, Leukert said in front of staff that he instructed his assistant to write 'PGay' on the award instead of his actual name, 'PJ,' the lawsuit states. Leukert also allegedly nicknamed Cagnina cagina' because it rhymed with the word 'vagina.' During one executive meeting, Leukert allegedly asked Cagnina in front of others if he 'had been impregnating any Hooter' girls lately,' and insinuated that he had fathered the baby of a Hooters employee who was pregnant at the time, the suit states. Meanwhile, Scott Peterson accuses the former CEO in the complaint of inappropriately touching him and making embarrassing sexual references during meetings. Besides monetary damages, the lawsuit seeks a court order against Hooters that would force the company, best known for its scantily clad servers and chicken wings, to put an end to sexual harassment in the workplace. When other parents told the school's superintendent, the box was removed just two hours later Haller says teachers never mentioned the box but insisted he was 'good' Youngster had only been at the school for a month when he was punished cordoned off from the rest of his class for two months A mother is demanding answers after her eight-year-old son's teachers put him in a cardboard box for two months as punishment. Meldoy Haller was left furious when she discovered staff at Alhambra Elementary School in Madison County, Illinois, separated the second-grader from the rest of his classmates because he was talking. She claims she was never told her son had been punished and the principal denied that he had been boxed in. He had only been enrolled at the school for a month when he was punished, and his mother thinks teachers overstepped the mark. Scroll down for video Meldoy Haller was left furious when she discovered staff at Alhambra Elementary School in Madison County, Illinois, had kept her eight-year-old son (right) in a cardboard box for two months as punishment for talking She claims she was never told her son had been punished and the principal denied that he had been boxed in. When she visited the school and asked to see the box, she was shown the dismantled item in the school gym When Haller visited the school, she asked to see the box. Faculty members then took her to the school gym where it had been taken apart. Alongside a picture of the box, she wrote on Facebook: 'This is the BOX that was placed around my child for two months for talking in class! When I went to the school today the principal kept telling me it wasn't a box or he wasn't boxed in. The boy had only been enrolled at the school for a month when he was punished, and his mother (pictured) thinks teachers overstepped the mark 'Once I finally got her to show me what people and my child were talking about this is what she showed me! His desk was placed away from the kids and this boxed wall was placed around him for 8 hrs a day for the past two months! 'Most days without even a recess! He's eight yrs old and in second grade! Has only attended this school for almost three months! 'He's been in this box for two! I asked the principal why wasn't I ever notified and told about this. She wouldn't give me a real answer!' She added that teachers had been 'giving him candy' at the end of every day if he had been good, yet he was still cordoned off from the classroom. Other parents notified the superintendent of the school district to what was going on. Two hours later, the box was allegedly taken down. Haller is now planning to press charges against the school. The school district released a statement to KPLR 11 saying: 'We are investigating every aspect of the concerns and will take the appropriate action once we conclude our investigation.' She wrote this scathing post on Facebook and now plans further action against the school The wives of Ashley Madison cheats are being sent blackmail letters at home, telling them that their husbands have been using the affairs website. The threatening missives claim that their spouses have refused to pay a 1,420 ransom to keep their infidelity quiet, either because they thought the blackmailers were bluffing or they didnt think their wives dignity was worth so much. And, as if that wasnt enough of a blow, the blackmailers then threaten to humiliate the wives even further, by exposing the couples secret to their family and friends. Scroll down for video The wives of cheats who had affairs using the Ashley Madison website are being sent blackmail letters at their home, telling them that their husbands had been unfaithful The letter says: A while back I sent [your husband] a letter telling him if he did not send me $2,000 I would reveal his secret to you. Well, he didn't pay. Either he thought I was bluffing or he decided to man up and tell you the truth. If he told you the truth I can respect that, but you should probably go ahead and prepare your friends and family for the impending communications from me. It adds: I told [your husband] that if he didn't pay I would be telling not only you but others close to you about his misdeeds. I guess your dignity wasn't worth $2,000 to him. The blackmailers then try to extort even more cash, demanding 1,767 in Bitcoin in order not to destroy the couples lives. Yes, that is more money than I initially asked. The additional money is the penalty for making me ask twice. I realise the conventional wisdom is not to pay blackmailers because they will just come back at you for more. That is generally good advice. But hopefully this letter has shown you that I do things a bit differently. So far, the blackmailers have targeted women in the US, but British couples are likely to be the next in line, as the criminals widen their net or copycats adopt the scheme themselves. It is easy to collect information about people who signed up to the adultery website, after hackers stole the details of up to 37million users and published a trove of information online. So far, the blackmailers have targeted women in the US, but British couples are likely to be the next in line, as the criminals widen their net or copycats adopt the scheme themselves They include up to 1.2million cheating spouses in Britain, including high-flying executives at Amazon and JP Morgan, and civil servants at the Home Office, the Ministry of Justice and Inland Revenue. Many of them have divulged their sexual fantasies on the website, which is designed to help people have illicit affairs. One married Immigration Service official used his Home Office work email for his profile, which included the request: Let me know if I should turn up in uniform and bring my handcuffs. Another civil servant described himself as a great dad before specifying he wanted to meet a curvy raven haired MILF a sleazy internet acronym. A surprising number of Ashley Madison customers have also revealed details of their home lives, describing themselves as committed fathers and discussing why they want to cheat on their wives. Many claim that their wives do not satisfy them sexually, or that their relationships have turned cold. The blackmailers have made it clear in their letters that they are serious in their threats, by telling wives personal details about their husbands profile on the Ashley Madison website, whose tagline is Life is short. Have an affair. They also advise the wronged women on how to double check the information is true, and promise to send them further details by email. I am afraid this letter contains bad news, the missives begin. Perhaps you remember hearing in the news this past summer about a website called Ashley Madison being hackedI am sorry to tell you that [your husband] is a member of that adultery website. You, and some people you know, will be hearing from me via electronic communication in the near future with links and detailed instructions on how to confirm what I am telling you. In a move that could leave many marriages in tatters, the blackmailers have also pre-empted the lies that couples may use to explain away the emails to their friends. You can come up with some excuse to tell them in order to try and save you some embarrassment if you wish. Perhaps tell them he had his identity stolen and it wasnt really him. They might be naive enough to fall for that, the letters said. And, in a particularly stinging move, the blackmailers also include a message for the cheating husbands, boasting that they have gone through with their extortion threat. The founder of the Ashley Madison website Noel Biderman. The website was hacked last summer, by cyber criminals who called themselves The Impact Team You will probably show this letter to [your husband] when you confront him so I would like to close with a little message for him, the letters said. Hey [husband]! You probably thought I forgot about you, didn't you? I told you missing the deadline would only bring you misery. I am sure you assumed I was just sending out multiple form letters hoping some small percent would pay up and that I wouldn't actually waste time and money on going through with my threat. Well, you were half right. I'm a crook, but I'm not a liar. The Ashley Madison website was hacked last summer, by cyber criminals who called themselves The Impact Team. They stole a trove of information including names, addresses, credit card details, email addresses and explicit messages, and threatened to publish them online unless the website was closed. In August, they made good on their threat, releasing an avalanche of information about Ashley Madisons users that has ended marriages around the world. Thousands of people have signed a petition asking for a South Carolina teacher to be reinstated after she was forced to resign when a pupil shared nude images from her phone. Students Jacob Barnett, Josh Sinclair and Matthew Caldwell say former Union County Career and Technology Center teacher Leigh Anne Arthur was pressured to leave her job despite her privacy being invaded. The trio say the 33-year-old teacher, who taught 'mechatronics', involving a blend of engineering and IT, received unfair treatment because the student involved has not yet been punished. More than 3,000 people had signed the petition as of Thursday morning. Thousands of students have signed a petition asking for Leigh Anne Arthur (pictured) to be allowed to return to her teaching job More than 3,000 have signed the petition (above) which calls for Arthur to return to the Union County Career and Technology Center, saying she was forced out despite her privacy being invaded Arthur says she was forced from her job last week after a 16-year-old student took her phone while she was out of the room, accessed partially nude pictures and forwarded them to classmates. She says the phone was left on her desk as she patrolled the hallways nearby, and that the student picked it up before discovering images she took to send to her husband for Valentine's Day. Speaking via email, Jacob Barnett said: 'There is an unspoken rule of the classroom; everyone knows it, don't touch what's on the teacher's desk, or anything that belongs to anyone else. 'Her phone is her private property, and whatever is on it is her business.' The petition adds: 'Leigh Anne Arthur is the victim of a blatant attack of her privacy. Personal photographs were illegally obtained by a student and were sent to other students in the school. 'After being escorted off of school property, we (the students) are left to believe that she has been forced to, or given little choice but to resign. 'Mrs.Arthur has not only shown tremendous dedication to her students, but also the mechatronics program itself, often reaching out to local businesses and colleges to get materials that would not normally be available for the class. 'With that being said, the student(s) responsible have not received any sort of punishment. The circumstances in which Mrs.Arthur was let go is unacceptable, and must be corrected.' However, school district officials have hit back, accusing Arthur of lying in her statements, saying students were routinely given unsupervised access to her cell phone Arthur also claimed the student involved, who she has identified but chose not to name, had a grudge against her, telling her 'your day of reckoning is coming' before sharing the pictures. However, David Eubanks, interim superintendent of the Union Schools District, has hit out at Arthur, accusing her of lying. He said: 'One of the most critical responsibilities that a classroom teacher has is the supervision of students. In this particular case there was a breakdown in the classroom in that most critical area. 'Evidence and statements indicate that the teacher was not where she should have been at the time the incident occurred. 'As a result, a student accessed inappropriate material on her phone, sent it to others, and as a result may also be severely punished by law enforcement as well as the school district. 'This is a case where a staff member, properly supervising students, could have prevented a very serious problem. 'Contrary to statements attributed to Ms. Arthur concerning the phone, evidence indicates that students routinely used the teachers cell phone with her full permission. 'The teacher involved has widely reported that the student is not being punished. That is incorrect along with many other statements made by her. Sen. John McCain has joined 60-plus leaders in the Republican national security community to blast Donald Trump's foreign policy prowess. McCain, in statements made today knocked Trump's 'uninformed and indeed dangerous statements on national security issues.' The GOP experts penned an open letter warning that a Trump presidency would make 'America less safe' and would 'diminish our standing in the world.' Scroll down for video Sen. John McCain, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, put his weight behind Mitt Romney and 60-plus national security experts who warned against a Donald Trump presidency When Donald Trump was asked about the warnings coming from national security experts he said 'give me a break' and pointed to the United States' failed policies in the Middle East McCain came out and said he was supportive of another former GOP nominee, Mitt Romney, in his condemnation of Trump today at a speech delivered in Utah, according to the Associated Press. 'I share the concerns about Donald Trump that my friend and former Republican nominee, Mitt Romney, described in his speech today,' McCain said in a statement. 'I would also echo the many concerns about Mr. Trump's uninformed and indeed dangerous statements on national security issues that have been raised by 65 Republican defense and foreign policy leaders,' McCain continued. REPUBLICAN NATIONAL SECURITY EXPERTS' KEY OBJECTIONS TO A PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP His vision of American influence and power in the world is wildly inconsistent and unmoored in principle. He swings from isolationism to military adventurism within the space of one sentence. His advocacy for aggressively waging trade wars is a recipe for economic disaster in a globally connected world. His embrace of the expansive use of torture is inexcusable. His hateful, anti-Muslim rhetoric undercuts the seriousness of combating Islamic radicalism by alienating partners in the Islamic world making significant contributions to the effort. Furthermore, it endangers the safety and Constitutionally guaranteed freedoms of American Muslims. Controlling our border and preventing illegal immigration is a serious issue, but his insistence that Mexico will fund a wall on the southern border inflames unhelpful passions, and rests on an utter misreading of, and contempt for, our southern neighbor. Similarly, his insistence that close allies such as Japan must pay vast sums for protection is the sentiment of a racketeer, not the leader of the alliances that have served us so well since World War II. His admiration for foreign dictators such as Vladimir Putin is unacceptable for the leader of the worlds greatest democracy. He is fundamentally dishonest. Evidence of this includes his attempts to deny positions he has unquestionably taken in the past, including on the 2003 Iraq war and the 2011 Libyan conflict. We accept that views evolve over time, but this is simply misrepresentation. His equation of business acumen with foreign policy experience is false. Not all lethal conflicts can be resolved as a real estate deal might, and there is no recourse to bankruptcy court in international affairs. Advertisement 'I want Republican voters to pay close attention to what our party's most respected and knowledgeable leaders and national security experts are saying about Mr. Trump,' McCain, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, added. Former State Department official Eliot Cohen and former Romney adviser Bryan McGrath were the brainchildren behind the letter, released a day after Trump's seven Super Tuesday wins. The letter notes that the signees 'represent a broad spectrum of opinion' in the GOP national security community and in the past the members have disagreed on the Iraq War and intervention in Syria. 'But we are united in our opposition to a Donald Trump presidency,' it said. The letter, which includes the signature of former Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, than articulated nine points in which the experts felt Trump's foreign policy talk was objectionable. First the group found Trump's foreign policy positions 'wildly inconsistent' and 'unmoored in principle.' 'He swings from isolationism to military adventurism within the space of one sentence,' the letter, published on the national security news website WarOnTheRocks.com, said. The experts pointed out that Trump calling for global trade wars, as he has against China, Japan and Mexico, would be a 'recipe for economic disaster in a globally connected world.' Torture, and Trump's embrace of waterboarding and more, was also 'inexcusable,' said the experts. A month ago, at the GOP debate in Manchester, New Hampshire, Trump doubled down on his threat to use waterboarding to combat terrorism originating from the Middle East. 'I would bring back waterboarding. And I would bring back a hell of a lot worse than waterboarding,' Trump announced on the debate stage, reminding the audience how groups like the Islamic State were 'chopping off the heads of people.' The letter also condemned Trump for his announcement last December that he, as president, would enforce a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States. 'His hateful, anti-Muslim rhetoric undercuts the seriousness of combating Islamic radicalism by alienating partners in the Islamic world making significant contributions to the effort,' the letter said. 'Furthermore, it endangers the safety and Constitutionally guaranteed freedoms of American Muslims.' While the national experts agreed that controlling the Southern border between the United States and Mexico was an important and serious issue, they believed that Trump was going about it all wrong. Trump's rhetoric he's labeled Mexicans who've illegally come into the country criminals and 'rapists' 'inflames unhelpful passions,' the signees argued. The billionaire suggesting that Japan pay for American protection, the experts agreed, was also unhelpful, as Japan has been a partner to the country since post-World War II. Moving onto Russia, the GOP national security experts criticized Trump's bromance with Vladimir Putin, saying admiration for the dictator was 'unacceptable for the leader of the world's greatest democracy.' The last two qualms the group had with Trump were regarding his basic character traits and his biography. First they called Trump 'fundamentally dishonest' as he's not been forthcoming about past positions on important issues like his stance on the Iraq War in 2003. The letter suggests that Trump was for the war, while today he says he was against it from the start. And old interview with Howard Stern discredits that, with Trump giving the plan to invade Iraq a tepid endorsement. Finally, the experts said that Trump's 'business acumen' cannot stand in for real foreign policy experience. 'Not all lethal conflicts can be resolved as a real estate deal might,' they wrote. 'And there is no recourse to bankruptcy court in international affairs.' Trump was asked to respond to the letter and to comments former CIA Director Michael Hayden made suggesting that the CIA could ignore Trump's torture order because it violated international law. The Donald stood his ground. 'I'll tell you how good our military is doing under Michael Hayden and people such as this,' Trump said. 'We've been fighting wars in the Middle East for 15 years, 18 years, we wree in for four or five trillion dollars, we don't know what we're doing, we don't know who we're fighting, we're arming people that we want on our side, we don't know who they are,' Trump began. 'When they take over a country they're worse than people they depose,' he continued. 'Give me a break,' Trump said. The billionaire frontrunner had yet to catch wind of McCain's renewed criticism, but in the past he labeled the senator and veteran, who was a prisoner of war in Vietnam, 'not a war hero.' 'I like people who weren't captured,' Trump said, a month into his campaign. Those comments were expected to derail the billionaire's longshot bid for the White House. They didn't. A couple have received criminal records after taking their teenage son on an annual pilgrimage to a World War II re-enactment. Rachel Hughes and Andrew Lyons-Walker were found guilty of failing to ensure 13-year-old son Ben Pietersma attended school regularly at Blackpool Magistrates Court today. The couple took Year Nine pupil Ben out of lessons at Baines High School in Poulton-Le-Fyde, Lancashire, between September 16 and 22 last year to attend a re-enactment of the Battle of Arnhem. Mother Ms Hughes, 42, and Ben's 38-year-old stepfather Mr Lyons-Walker have travelled with Ben and their younger children Jack, eight, and six-year-old Poppy to the battlefield tour, memorial and wreath-laying service in previous years without penalty. But the couple, from Thornton-Cleveleys, Lancashire, were slapped with a 120 fine for Ben's five-day unauthorised absence and were subsequently prosecuted by Lancashire County Council for refusing to pay the penalty notice. Rachel Hughes and Andrew Lyons-Walker have been fined for taking their son out of school to go to an event commemorating the Battle of Arnhem in the Netherlands They pleaded not guilty at a hearing on January 27 but were found guilty by a district judge after a trial today and were ordered to pay 640 in fines and costs. The couple, who represented themselves in court, argued Ben's unauthorised absence for attending the re-enactment did not mean he failed to attend school regularly. Speaking after the trial, the couple said they were 'dumbfounded' by the 'farcical' verdict. Mr Lyons-Walker said: 'It is absolutely farcical. We are not the kind of parents who would take our kids out of school to go on a holiday - and if we had taken the children to Disneyland we would have paid the fine without qualms but this is not a family holiday to a beach - this is an annual pilgrimage. 'The commemoration is important to our family and is educational in itself - surely it qualifies for an exceptional circumstance. 'Ben has been going to this event since he was one year old and all this can do is enhance his education. For him to go was non-negotiable. 'The men who fell and died there and are buried there did not fight for this country for this. If they knew what was happening now they would be turning in their graves. 'We take the children because it teaches them respect for people who fought and gave their lives for this country.' Mr Lyons-Walker, whose grandfather fought in the battle, says the trip is educational for Ben Pietersma The family attend the event every year and say it is an important reminder of those who died in the conflict Ben was born in the Netherlands and previously lived there with Ms Hughes and his Dutch biological father before moving to live with his mother in the UK more than three years ago. His parents say he achieved 98 per cent attendance in 2014 and 96 per cent the year before. The couple emailed Baines High School on September 14 to inform them Ben would be missing school for the event, citing exceptional circumstances. Mr Lyons-Walker, who voluntarily teaches schoolchildren about World War II, makes the yearly visit to commemorate his grandfather Corporal John Simpson Atkinson, who fought in the Battle of Arnhem in 1944, and died in March 1994 aged 78. In September 2013 the law on term time absences was clarified, meaning headteachers will only now grant a leave of absence for exceptional circumstances. There is no blanket ban on term time holidays but it is up to individual headteachers to determine whether to grant the leave. Mr Lyons-Walker's grandfather, Corporal John Simpson Atkinson (back row, centre) fought in the battle Corporal Atkinson (front right). Despite the boy's link to the battle, the school did not grant him permission Prosecution witness Roddy McCowan, headteacher of Baines High School, told the court: 'We received the request two days before Ben went and ask that we are given more notice. 'The holiday request would have fallen short of our target attendance for pupils and therefore was not granted.' The teenager who stabbed classmate Bailey Gwynne (pictured) to death said he tried to stem the blood 'spewing' from his chest The teenage school pupil who stabbed a classmate to death said he tried to stem the blood 'spewing' from his chest after realising the extent of the injury he had caused him. The 16-year-old - who cannot be named for legal reasons - denies murdering Bailey Gwynne in a fight over biscuits at Cults Academy, Aberdeen, on October 28 last year. A statement he provided to police in the immediate aftermath of the stabbing was read out to the city's High Court this afternoon. It detailed the exchange between the two boys prior to the fatal blow being delivered. The teen told officers Bailey had refused to give another boy a biscuit, joking with him that it was 'because you don't want to get any fatter'. The accused responded to that by saying: 'Just like your mum', which led to a verbal exchange of insults. Bailey is said to have hit the accused against a wall with his head in a head lock. The 16-year-old is then said to have reached into a pocket and 'thrust' an object into Bailey's chest. His statement continued: 'He looked angry. I pulled out the knife and opened it up to scare him off. I tried to scare him away again and then he got in the way and I stabbed him.' After plunging the weapon into his classmate's chest, he said blood began 'spewing out'. He added: 'I tried to take his blazer off and stop the bleeding.' A teacher then split the two apart, noted the blood on Bailey's shirt and started marching both to the office. The 16-year-old - who cannot be named for legal reasons - denies murdering Bailey Gwynne in a fight over biscuits at Cults Academy (pictured), Aberdeen, on October 28 last year Around 50 metres up the main corridor of the school Bailey collapsed. The first responder from the Scottish Ambulance Service described Bailey as 'probably the palest person I've ever seen' and said he had suffered 'catastrophic blood loss' from a two centimetre puncture wound on his chest. Bailey's family wept in court as they heard how the teenager's heart stopped just a few minutes later as an ambulance arrived to rush the youth to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. The court were told today about internet searches found on the laptop belonging to the accused. The computer had been used to find answers for questions such as 'what's the difference between a homicide and a murder'. Police forensic computer analyst Charles Bruce also discovered Google searches had been made for 'illegal knives UK', 'Aberdeen stabbings deaths per 1,000' and 'knife merchant' in the lead up to the tragedy. Mr Bruce said the laptop had also accessed a YouTube video with a URL of '14 year old Bronx student stabs bully to death outside school'. The web pages were accessed on various dates April and October 2015. Forensic computer analyst Charles Bruce found Google searches including for 'what's the difference between a homicide and a murder' on the accused's laptop The court heard that analysts could not tell who had used the laptop, only the data that was viewed. One search, carried out exactly three weeks before the incident at the school, was for 'how to get rid of someone annoying'. But Ian Duguid QC, for the defence, suggested the internet searches had been taken out of context and selectively picked out by the police with key terms. He also quizzed Mr Bruce on what follow up work was carried out to follow up on the web history. The QC said: 'Did you look up what was featured? Did anyone try to see what these links were?' Mr Bruce said: 'I was just requested to produce what I was asked to produce. I was under the impression that the inquiry team would be looking at these links.' Earlier in the trial, a friend of the accused said that the teenager had shown him a knife on several occasions over a period of more than a year. And the witness told the court he also saw his pal with knuckledusters '40 or 50 times' in school. When asked by avocate depute Alex Prentice QC why the youth had the weapons, the witness claimed it was because he thought they were 'cool'. Mr Duguid put it to several witnesses that the accused had started carrying the weapons in response to being taunted about his weight. In a joint minute read out to the court at the beginning of the trial, the jury heard that it was agreed that Bailey was struck in the body with a knife by the accused, which caused his death. The accused is also alleged to have had knifes or 'bladed instruments' as well as two knuckledusters at the school 'without reasonable excuse or lawful authority' between August 2013 and October last year. China has vowed to clamp down on 'scalpers' selling tickets for hospital appointments at hugely inflated prices. Most hospitals in the country require patients to purchase registration tickets to see a doctor or receive treatment but the system is widely abused. Scalpers buy up tickets for around 30 and can resell them for as much as 450, with those most in need of hospital treatment the biggest victims of the scandal. They mainly operate in the largest cities, such as Beijing and Shanghai. While ticket scalping itself is banned, there is no requirement for hospitals to verify ticket holders. Most hospitals in China require patients to buy registration tickets to see a doctor or get hospital treatment but the system, known as 'guahao' in Chinese, is widely abused Chinese patients contend with a creaking healthcare system which suffers from a shortage of doctors, snarling queues to see medical workers, and a huge disparity between urban and rural care The issue came to light when a woman made a three-minute rant about the illegal practice that went viral. Desperate and tired, the unidentified woman had travelled hundreds of miles to Beijing to try and get treatment for her paralyzed mother. She had rented a basement room near the Beijing hospital for 15 a day, but was unable to buy a 30 registration ticket as they had all been snapped up by touts who were trying to sell them on at the widely inflated fee. She also accused the hospital's security guards of helping the scalpers, reserving tickets for them in exchange for a fee. Seething with rage, the woman screamed: 'You guys are outrageous. This is Beijing! I tell you, the society is hopeless. This is Beijing, this is the capital of China! 'My God, for average people to see a doctor takes so much money, so much energy.' She has since taken her mother back home and complained of receiving abusive phone calls from scalpers. She said: 'My mother is still ill and paralyzed in bed. I need to take care of her and only wish to get her properly treated. I dont want that much attention.' Zou Xiaobing, a specialist at a hospital in Guangzhou, said: 'Our appointments can be booked six months in advance. Appointments for six months in the future are usually all booked within minutes.' It can take less than 30 minutes for the scalpers to claim a full day's worth of tickets at the beginning of the day. Then they spend the rest of the day selling them outside the hospital entrance at a premium After the video of the woman went viral, many others came out in support of the woman regaling similar frustrations with the broken hospital system. At the same time, the Chinese authorities arrested 12 people for selling hospital appointment tickets. Seven were caught at the Guang'anmen Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Hospital where the incident occurred. Five other scalpers were arrested at Peking Union Medical College Hospital and Xuanwu Hospital. On Monday, five suspects were arrested at the Shanghai Ruijin Hospital, three of whom were employed as security guards, Shanghai Daily reported. Despite that, the scam is still widespread with one unnamed 'scalper' in Beijing telling Caixin he makes around 755 a month from the illegal practice - about three times more than his salary as a welder in the rural north. While ticket scalping itself is banned, there is no requirement for hospitals to verify ticket holders The touts operate in a healthcare system that suffers from a shortage of doctors, lengthy queues to see medical workers and a huge disparity between urban and rural care, meaning many travel thousands of miles to the country's large cities. China is trying to reform its healthcare system by bringing in more private investment to ease pressure on overloaded state hospitals. However, despite talk of reform, industry insiders claim the drive is being stalled because of a lack of real support by Beijing and other obstacles to making changes to China's fragmented public healthcare sector. He died two months to the day after their Sharon Edwards, 42, (pictured) is accused of murdering criminal lawyer David Edwards, 51, (pictured) at their home in Lancashire, after returning from a holiday in Spain A 'bullying' wife made her new husband lie about injuries she inflicted upon him and thought only of 'number one' after stabbing him through the heart, a court has heard. Sharon Edwards 42, claimed she had been the 'loving wife' and denied murdering her solicitor husband David using a kitchen knife, two months to the day after their Las Vegas wedding. Defence solicitor Mr Edwards, 51, was found dead in bed at their home in Chorley, Lancashire, on August 23, having sustained an 8cm deep wound to the chest. A further 60 recent external injuries were noted to his body yet Edwards - who was said to have regularly assaulted him - denied they had anything to do with her. Manchester Crown Court heard that hours before his death Edwards was witnessed slapping her husband and calling him a d**k head in a pub after allegedly stabbing him for the first time upon their arrival home from Spain. But the mother-of-four claims she could not remember the events of the night before her husband's death, claiming he had put Diazepam in her wine, which the prosecution says is 'convenience on her part'. The court heard that a police officer on patrol was to describe Edwards as, 'ragging him about around the neck threatening to f***ing kill him' before she escorted them home. During her cross examination Edwards said she had only ever slapped her husband but claimed he had not been frightened of her. The court heard she had called him a 'has been' in front of strangers, belittled and embarrassed him in front of colleagues and called him at work screeching, 'what sort of f***ing man are you?' The jury was told that in his latter months, colleagues and friends saw a decline in Mr Edwards, who had lost weight and was displaying visible facial scratches and bruises. Edwards told the court: 'I was a loving wife and I was protective of him.' During her cross examination Edwards said she had only ever slapped her husband but claimed he had not been frightened of her Jurors were told that after finding him dead, Edwards had been keen to tell people they had had sex, so it would look like 'a trivial situation she could not be blamed for', according to Miss Whyte The court previously heard that Edwards had fatally stabbed her husband after he was told he was being made redundant. Prosecutor Miss Anne Whyte QC, in cross examination, said: 'Your husband dies in your bed from fatal stab wound to his heart that has happened accidentally?' Edwards replied: 'Yes.' Miss Whyte added: 'It is a wound caused by a knife that has gone 8cm into his chest and you hadn't realised that had happened?' The defendant said: 'I hadn't realised.' 'Although there was an enormous part of blood on his chest?' Miss Whyte continued. 'I didn't, my eyes went straight to his shorts.' The prosecutor said Edwards' account had been 'fictional' and suggested to her, 'you are making it up as you are going along'. 'You fully appreciate the supreme gravity of what happened in the house before you called that ambulance. You were busy worrying about yourself.' Edwards replied: 'That is not true.' The court heard that Edwards had fatally stabbed her husband after a prolonged argument that had lasted more than a day. She claims they argued about child tax credit forms and going out and, upon accosting her husband for drinking, he picked up the kitchen knife and held it to his neck. Edwards claims as he began walking towards her, she took it from him before he 'walked into it'. She claimed he had told her not to phone the emergency services. Miss Whyte added: 'I'm going to suggest you knew perfectly well you needed an explanation of why you were holding the knife at the time of your husband's fatal injury. 'You were thinking of number one.' Jurors were told that after finding him dead, Edwards had been keen to tell people they had had sex, so it would look like 'a trivial situation she could not be blamed for', according to Miss Whyte. The prosecutor said Edwards' account had been 'fictional' and suggested to her, 'you are making it up as you are going along' The court heard that a police officer on patrol was to describe Edwards as, 'ragging him about around the neck threatening to f***ing kill him' before she escorted them home (pictured) 'You thought it was a trump card,' Miss Whyte told the defendant. The court heard that Mr Edwards had used make up to disguise his injuries on his wedding day. Pictures of Mr Edwards showed him with a black eye and burst lip while his face was described as black and blue. It was suggested by the prosecution that Edwards had told him to 'rewrite history', because, 'it reflected very badly' on her. In a dictaphone recording of an unguarded conversation Mr Edwards had with Edwards he said, 'we are going to have to refine the excuse for my eye, you know the garage door that we made up, that doesn't wash'. In the conversation he added: 'You can knock me out in one punch,' before laughing and saying it was a joke, which Miss Whyte said was evidence of him, 'treading on eggshells'. The jury was told that on one occasion Edwards' own daughter called the police to say her mother had punched Mr Edwards into a wall. In police interview Edwards had said 'more than once' that her partner was a solicitor. Miss Whyte added: 'That's just a little snapshot of you thinking you were untouchable in that regard. 'That's just one example of David Edwards being injured after a violent row with you.' The court heard Mr Edwards had also disclosed to a doctor and nurse that Edwards had regularly assaulted him and told others she had used knives on him and thrown an ashtray and coffee table at him. A high street bank has admitted that a serious flaw in its online banking system has allowed criminals to raid accounts. The problem means fraudsters have been able to take control of online accounts and snatch thousands of pounds through stolen mobile phones. The revelations identify a serious failure in the security systems of the NatWest, which is part of RBS, and it is promising to introduce new safeguards. Mobile and internet banking has been promoted by the big banks as convenient and secure. However, an investigation by the BBC Radio 4s You and Yours programme proved it is possible to hack into an account using a stolen mobile phone. Natwest bank accounts may be vulnerable to theft through details hacked from stolen mobile phones The investigation was launched following consumer complaints that money was disappearing from accounts without any logical explanation. People who asked their bank for help were often batted away and told they must have allowed their bank details, account numbers and internet log-in passwords to be stolen. In fact, researchers were able to show it is possible to raid someone elses bank account without having any of the log-in details and passwords. Concerns focus on the mobile banking services run by NatWest, however there are reports of similar problems with other banks. NatWest runs a system where it will send a unique authorisation code to a customers mobile phone by text when requested. These codes let the user set up new payees on an existing account and transfer money. Problems can occur when a handset is stolen or where a criminal is able to hijack the mobile phone number of a target. One victim of the scam, identified by the programme as Robert from East Anglia, said he was aware that 3,000 had been taken from his account. An investigation found that thieves were taking the data from stolen mobiles to drain funds from accounts He said staff at NatWest effectively tried to blame him for the theft and implied he had not taken care to keep his bank details secure. Some of the money - 500 was gambled on an online betting site as he was sitting in a NatWest branch speaking to a member of staff trying to find out what was going on. In his case, the criminals apparently managed to convince his mobile phone company to transfer his number to a different handset, which was used to run the fraud. Based on Roberts experience, a BBC journalist was able to open and access a colleagues online bank account despite not having any of the log-in details. The programmes fraud reporter, Shari Vahl, said: It was really easy. I took our producers mobile phone and so I was receiving all her texts and phone calls. I then contacted the bank and pretended that I had lost all of the log-in details, the PIN and passwords. The bank then sent a text with a unique activation code to the phone, which allowed access to the account. Significantly, the code also allows a criminal to set up a new password and PIN number, which would lock out the real owner of the account. The bank says it is working to improve security of customers who use internet and mobile phone services The managing director of digital at NatWest, Chris Popple, apologised for what happened to the customer featured in the programme and accepted the banks systems were not good enough. He said: Safety and security is absolutely the bedrock of what banks and the Natwest need to be doing. Mr Popple said the bank is doing three things to improve security. This includes sending emails to customers when someone, potentially a criminal, is trying to make changes to an online account. In future, there will also be a three day cooling off period when someone signs up for online banking before money can be moved around. The bank will also provide more information to customers on how to run online accounts and keep them secure. Mr Popple was challenged to admit the changes were only made in response to the revelations. He did not give a direct answer, but described the investigation as very helpful. He said efforts are being made to improve mobile phone security, adding: We are always looking at ways to improve....This is an across industry problem. The company has put a new warning about dangers associated with mobile phone banking on its website NatWest said: 'We take the safety and security of our customers extremely seriously and we thank You & Yours for bringing this important matter to our attention. 'We are working closely with Financial Fraud Action UK and mobile phone providers to enhance our customer authentication processes as fraudsters become more sophisticated. We are implementing a number of new measures to further protect customers, including communicating with them using all of their registered methods of contacts with us, such as via email, text and phone, to alert them to changes that have been made to their contact details. 'We are also introducing a cooling off period of three days to prevent payments being made via the mobile app when a re-activation has taken place. "The specific example put to us by You & Yours requires multiple pieces of personal information, some of which are not publically available, and control of the customer mobile phone. Our records show that of all the people who enrol in online banking and forget their details, only 0.01per cent are fraudulent. 'We encourage all of our customers to protect their phone using a passcode or Touch ID, keep details of their PIN and online banking details secure and to get in touch with us as soon as possible if they believe they have been a victim of fraud. Kuhne + Hagel is now the world's leading transport and The world's leading transport and logistics company Kuhne + Nagel is portrayed in a new study as the removal firm of choice for the Nazis during the Holocaust. Its trucks and warehouses had a virtual monopoly on the movement and storage of the possessions stolen from Jews sent to extermination camps to be murdered - with one critic branding its actions as akin to 'corpse robbing'. With 1,000 offices worldwide, 63,000 employees and contracts to freight 10 percent of the world's goods, Kuhne + Nagel remains the world's leading transport and logistics company. Kuhne + Nagel, the world's leading transport and logisitics company, had a near monopoly on the movement of stolen Jewish possessions during the Second World War, a report has found Created in Bremen, Germany in 1890, Forbes last year valued the massive multinational at 12.8 billion. Upon its creation and during the war years, it dominated Europe's seafaring transport industry but afterwards branched out to encompass airfreight and specialized freighting services. However, the company does not come well out of the study carried out by historian Johannes Beermann and carried out over most of last year to coincide with celebrations marking the 125th anniversary of the firm's founding. 'Freight carriers played a central role in the robbery policies of the Nazis in Europe,' said the academic who has been probing the links between the global company and the regime during the 12 year lifespan of the Third Reich. He discovered that K+N played a key role in the so-called 'M Action' - plundering the homes of western Jews who had been deported. Furniture, clothing and possessions were stored in vast warehouses and either sold at knock-down prices or distributed to Germans who lost everything in Allied bombing raids. The first cargo ship from Amsterdam arrived in December 1942 in Bremen. On board were 220 armchairs, 105 beds, 363 tables, 598 chairs, 126 wall units, 35 sofas, 307 boxes containing glassware, 110 mirrors, 158 lamps, 32 watches, a gramophone and two baby strollers. It consisted of the possessions of the Dutch Jews who had previously been deported in the summer in concentration camps. The steamer was chartered by Kuhne + Nagel. 'As a service provider, they had a major role in the economic extermination of Jews in Europe,' says Beerman. He said heads of state and Nazi party departments did not possess the know-how to practically implement the logistics of the mass thievery of Jewish property. Academics say the movement of stolen Jewish goods during the war offered a 'huge business opportunity' for transport and logistics providers. Pictured are the metal items seized from Jews at Auschwitz death camp A U.S. serviceman sorts through hundreds of Jewish scrolls looted from Jews during the Second World War 'Kuhne + Nagel had a virtual monopoly on the lucrative transport. For seaport freight forwarders such as Kuhne + Nagel the start of WW2 was a huge business opportunity,' he said. More than one million cubic metres of furniture was shipped from the Netherlands, France, Belgium and Luxembourg - the contents of 70,000 Jewish homes - back to Germany up until August 1944, and half of that was carrtied out by K+N. 'This is a form of corpse robbing,' said Frank Bajohr of the Munich Centre for Holocaust studies. 'The genocide of the Nazis was a bureaucratically organized process of individuals, institutions and companies. And Kuhne + Nagel was involved in this process. I see the company in the relative proximity to mass murder.' He added that although no company representative stood at the edge of death pits or in extermination camps, the company bears corporate responsibility for its role in the Holocaust. For its part, the company said: 'Kuhne + Nagel is aware of the shameful incidents during the period of the Third Reich and regrets very much the fact that it has exercised its activities in part on behalf of the Nazi regime.' Historian Jaromir Balcar, who carried out the research with Beerman, said many other companies in Nazi German acted as accomplices in the robbery of the doomed Jews. 'We wanted to examine how logistics firms in the Third Reich behaved,' he said. 'All companies from whom we requested an answer gave us a rejection. 'This reminds me of the 1980's when everyone wanted to sweep the Nazis under the carpet.' A US soldier wanders through a church filled with books plundered from Jewish families during the Third Reich Ciardi was charged with drug offenses in Utah in 2012 and disbarred in the state two years later to make a citizen's arrest after a police officer declined to arrest the stripper , grew irate after a stripper refused to have sex with him, or to refund $200 he had offered her for services Unhappy customer: Retired lawyer John Ciardi, 62, pictured here in a previous mugshot taken in Utah A retired lawyer from Massachusetts threatened to take matters into his own hands when a Florida stripper refused to have sex with him or refund his money for services not rendered, according to police. The bizarre incident took place at the Living Dolls club in Key West, where 62-year-old John Ciardi arrived on Wednesday evening seeking female company. Ciardi, who has a history of drug charges and other offenses in Utah, told a patrolman that he paid adult entertainer Marianny Benitez $300 for 'services,' but the stripper refused to have sex with him, and she would not give him back the money. When interviewed by the officer, Ms Benitez said the patron initially handed her $100 for a lap dance, which she performed for him. He then gave her another $200 for additional favors, which she declined to grant him. At that point, Benitez said Ciardi became upset and demanded a refund. Benitez went to her boss, Marissa Hernandez, who refused to return the money to Ciardi. The unhappy customer turned aggressive, according to the club manager, and threatened her with physical violence and her establishment with destruction. Hernandez said she then grabbed a can of pepper spray for protection and called police. The responding patrolman met Mr Ciardi outside the club on Fleming Street and informed him that he will not be arresting anyone. According to the cops incident report, cited by KeysInfoNet.com, the 62-year-old lawyer did not take the news well and launched into a foul-mouthed tirade, accusing him of shielding the strip club and shirking his responsibilities as a law enforcement officer. Adult playground: The bizarre incident took place at the Living Dolls club in Key West, Florida (pictured) Ciardi, who was stripped of his law license in Utah in 2014, identified himself as a former prosecutor and threatened to march back into the strip joint and make a citizens arrest. In response, the cop warned the indignant customer that if he were to make good on his threat, he would be the one going to jail. Ciardi eventually 'stormed off with an unsatisfied attitude,' according to the report. An article in The Spectrum published in 2014 said that Ciardi was charged with counts of marijuana and drug paraphernalia possession in 2012 while practicing law in St George. The drug possession charge was later dropped as part of a plea deal, but in March 2014 Ciardi was disbarred as a result of an unrelated disciplinary charge. His criminal record in Utah also includes charges of disorderly conduct, simple assault and failure to remain at the scene of a traffic accident. A PR guru's star-studded party attended by Kate Moss and Idris Elba has infuriated his neighbours after they were kept awake by singing and blocked in by a number of limos. Matthew Freud has since apologised for the 'deafening' noise coming from his 20million mansion in Primrose Hill during his annual London Fashion Week afterparty. Neighbours said they were kept awake until 3am by loud music, doors slamming and guests singing along to the hit Rolling Stones song I Can't Get No Satisfaction. They also claimed that streams of guests, including Bob Geldof, Naomi Campbell and Suki Waterhouse, blocked the road with their limos during the party last week. A PR guru's star-studded party attended by Kate Moss (pictured) and Idris Elba has infuriated his neighbours after they were kept awake by singing and blocked in by a number of limos Matthew Freud has since apologised for the 'deafening' noise coming from his 20million mansion in Primrose Hill during his annual London Fashion Week afterparty, pictured in 2013 Naomi Campbell pulled out all the stops as she joined good friend Idris Elba at the star-studded private party in North London One elderly woman, who has lived in the exclusive area for 25 years, said: 'The queue of cars and taxis and limos was awful. 'Not only the cars banging doors, but the engines and the chauffeurs - well, they all talk to each other, and they were so bloody loud. 'It seemed to go on from 3am onwards. I find it extraordinary that he's having a party which starts at midnight - on a weekday evening. 'Last time he (Freud) put a lovely bottle of wine on everybody's doorstep to say thank you. But we didn't get that this time. Bob and Pixie Geldof enjoyed a father-daughter night on the town together, though hit the party at separate times The 42-year-old model still appeared in sprightly spirits as she hopped into the North London bash, which was held by her long-time PR friend Matthew Naomi, 45, concealed most of her evening attire beneath a statement coat which was made from patches of different coloured fur Cool customer: The award-winning Luther actor was typically styled in light blue suit trousers, a black jumper and a leather jacket 'We've lived here since 1961, and this is just not the right place for a big party like that. He's got a big place in the country, too. He should really just do it there.' A man in his 30s, who lives close to Freud's house, said his wife was kept awake by camera flashes through their windows. 'Slam, slam, slam all night long. The music you can kind of deal with, because it's loud, but it's consistent. It doesn't surprise you,' he said. 'But the cars, people getting in and out of cars all night. Paparazzi were everywhere - camera flashes through the windows. It's so disruptive.' 'It's complete not-giving-a-f**k. There was paparazzi everywhere, people everywhere, doors opening and closing until all hours. Mr Freud, who is the great-grandson of Sigmund Freud and head of media agency Freud Communications, has apologised for the party, saying it must have been a 'pain in the ar**' Recycling her style: Suki hit the bash in the same gown she wore to the Elle Style Awards earlier in the evening Amorous: Muse front-man Matt Bellamy locked hands with girlfriend Elle Evans on their way into the party Giggles: The duo showcased their undeniable chemistry as they laughed incessantly 'He doesn't give a f**k. Sorry to keep using that language, but he just does not care. 'There's a sense of powerlessness to, because no one complains anymore. It's gone on too long.' Kate Moss, who is a long-term friend of the PR guru, made the effort to come to the party even though she was on crutches. The 42-year-old model still appeared in good spirits as she arrived alongside her boyfriend Count Nikolai von Bismarck. Camden Council confirmed that it received a complaint about a noisy party in Primrose Hill on Tuesday Febuary 23. Mr Freud, who is the great-grandson of Sigmund Freud and head of media agency Freud Communications, has apologised for the party, saying it must have been a 'pain in the ar**'. 'I am profoundly sorry for any disturbance or inconvenience caused to my neighbours this week,' he said. Taking the plunge! Immy Waterhouse flashed a glimpse of cleavage in a low-cut gown which trailed the floor Casual: Suki instilled her typically edgy sense of style into the look with a black baseball jacket Stunning: Model Toni Gaarn flaunted her incredible legs in a leather mini dress with fringed detailing 'I try and minimise noise pollution and ensure that there is no music after midnight but recognise that the arrivals and departures of these occasional events are a mighty pain in the arse for people living very close by. 'My apologies are sincere and my neighbours stretched tolerance deeply appreciated.' A spokesman for Camden Borough Council said the complaint was lodged the morning after the party, so it was 'difficult for us to take any follow up action'. 'If residents are disturbed by noise during the night we always advise they call the Council while it is happening to get action taken.' But Kate and Nikolai weren't the only couple enjoying a night on the town as Noel Gallagher entered the bash hand-in-hand with wife Sara MacDonald. Muse front-man Matt Bellamy once again looked smitten with his model girlfriend, Elle Evans. Outlandish: Tilda Swinton looked typically fashion-forward in a metallic gown and militant jacket Ready to get down! Noel Gallagher and wife Sara MacDonald looked ready to party as they arrived at the star-studded shindig Dare to bare: Georgia May Jagger flashed both leg and tummy in a crop top and maxi skirt coordinate Loved-up: Dermot O'Leary and wife Dee Koppang looked the picture of happiness as they stepped out at the party following the Elle Style Awards Doting husband: The former X Factor host put a loving arm around his wife Time to party! Expectant actress Liv Tyler rocked up to the event arm-in-arm with hair stylist James Brown Fashion's favourite colour: Donna Air and model Alice Dellal opted for all black styles Signature style: Sharleen Spiteri of Texas fame kept it androgynous in a black suit and T-shirt combination Jazzy: Nick Grimshaw made sure to stand out in a dapper metallic suit Corbyn said Varoufakis would advise Labour in 'some capacity' this week He insisted he failed in Greece only because of the 'despotic EU' Yanis Varoufakis has insisted he is not an advisor to Jeremy Corbyn despite the Labour leader welcoming his role this week Former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis today claimed he was not an 'advisor' to Jeremy Corbyn and hit back at George Osborne for attacking the suggestion he was. Mr Varoufakis said he would be 'engaging' with Mr Corbyn and the Labour Party - but insisted he was also in contact with Tory Norman Lamont and Green MP Caroline Lucas. And in a magazine column he offered advice to Mr Corbyn on tackling Europe's 'Doom Loop', warning austerity was a symptom of the wider problem. Mr Varoufakis penned an open letter to Mr Osborne after the Chancellor mocked his role earlier this week, deriding him for a 'cheap shot' by using comparisons with Chairman Mao and Mickey Mouse. He said the intervention would help the Brexit camp - something he said he did not want. Turning to Labour, Mr Varoufakis said the eurozone crisis and the referendum offered the party a 'golden opportunity'. He said a 'doom loop' of 'economic malaise' undermined the potential for 'high quality debate' on how to address the 'systematic economic crisis'. He said twin 'vicious cycles' in economics and politics were pushing Europe into a 'perfect storm'. In the Newsweek column, Mr Varoufakis said: 'The Labour Party has an instinctive urge to protect those left behind by the long years of uneven private-debt-fuelled growth and its austerian aftermath. 'This is good and proper. However, it would be a mistake to waste Labours energies on tirades against austerity. 'If I am right that austerity is a symptom of low investment... Labour should concentrate on policies that will shift idle savings into investment funding, engendering new technologies that produce green, sustainable development and high quality jobs.' The Greek was even too radical for his country's ruling Syriza party, dramatically quitting the government in the midst of the Greek debt crisis last summer after accusing the EU of pursuing 'terrorism' in its demands that his country impose strict austerity in exchange for another bailout. The former Greek finance minister had a brief but high profile spell on the front line of EU politics, often being seen arriving at meetings on his motorbike, pictured last summer But this week Mr Corbyn said his role at the heart of the debt negotiations with the EU puts him well-placed to advise the Labour party on how it can 'challenge the notion' of austerity. The Labour leader revealed in his local newspaper that Mr Varoufakis will advise the party in 'some capacity' and said he had met Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell. 'I think the way Greece has been treated is terrible and we should reach out to them,' he told the Islington Tribune. 'I realise we're not in the Eurozone but it's a question of understanding how we challenge the notion that you can cut your way to prosperity when in reality you have to grow your way to prosperity. 'So all of our emphasis and work and campaigning is about an expanding economy and investing in an expanding economy.' Frank Guerra, 22, from Turlock, California, is accused of keeping his girlfriend in a dog cage while physically and mentally torturing her A California man locked his girlfriend in a cage for four months, beat and bit her and repeatedly smeared her with dog feces, police say. Frank Guerra, 22, from Turlock, is accused of keeping his partner locked in a dog cage measuring just 4ft long by 2.5ft wide and 3ft tall between September 20, 2015, and January 4 this year. Guerra is also accused of both psychologically and physically abusing the woman, biting her so hard on the back that she will have permanent scarring, The Modesto Bee reports. At Guerra's court appearance Monday, during which he pleaded not guilty, Deputy District Attorney Beth DeJong said: 'He locked her in a dog crate. He pushed her to the ground and kicked her until shed go inside.' The woman, who is not being identified, told officers that Guerra kept her inside the cage for hours on end in his home while he went to work. She said while inside she was forced to relieve herself into a dog bowl, and that on at least one occasion he took her elsewhere in the county while hostage. Guerra is also accused of smearing her with dog feces on several occasions The woman managed to escape captivity on January 4, but did not report Guerra to police until around a month later after he began threatening her. The woman told officers that she was kept inside a dog crate in a house on Farr Street (pictured) for hours at a time each day, forced to relieve herself into a bowl, and was bitten so hard she has permanent scarring Guerra is accused of sending her pictures of himself holding a firearm and claimed he would post nude photos of her on social media if she alerted authorities. He is also accused of leaving her a voicemail in which he said: 'I know what I f***king did to you. Putting you in a cage, f***ing biting you ... Not f***ing trusting you.' It was only after receiving that message that the woman went to police, confident she had enough evidence to prove Guerra guilty. After the hearing Monday, Guerra was denied bail and slapped with a protective order to keep him from contacting the victim, or from getting within 100 yards of her. Victim: David Moores was assaulted by two masked men last night who forced their way into his home A former owner of Liverpool FC was in hospital today following a violent burglary at his home. David Moores was assaulted by two masked men last night who forced their way into his home in Halsall, Lancashire, and demanded cash, watches and jewellery. The 69-year-old, who sold the Anfield club in 2007, was later taken to Aintree Hospital in Liverpool with leg and head injuries and is said to be in a stable condition. Lancashire Police officers are now appealing for information following the burglary which took place at about 8.45pm yesterday. Detective Inspector Marc Nasser said: We believe this was an isolated, targeted attack and I would like to reassure local residents that we have stepped up patrols in the area. The investigation remains in its early stages but if you have any information that could assist us, please do get in touch. Mr Moores, who was Liverpool chairman from 1991, sold his stake in the club to American investors Tom Hicks and George Gillett in 2007, a decision he said he later regretted. Mr Mooress uncle, Sir John Moores, founded retail firm Littlewoods and made the Moores family one of the wealthiest in Britain. The family owned their stake in Liverpool for half a century. Location: Police are appealing for information after the burglary on this road in Halsall (above) in Lancashire Former owner: Mr Moores is pictured (right) with Prince Charles (left) and the Duchess of Cornwall (second right) alongside ex-Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard holding the Champions League trophy at Anfield in 2005 Mr Moores is the honorary life president of Liverpool, who beat Manchester City 3-0 at Anfield last night and currently sit in eighth place in the Barclays Premier League. A three-month-old baby widely known on social media as Bernie Baby has died of sudden infant death syndrome just two weeks after meeting the presidential candidate he dressed up as. Oliver Jack Carter Lomas-Davis first caught the attention of the masses when he appeared in numerous photos on social media wearing a messy white wig, a clip-on tie and and glasses similar to those of Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. Olivers mother, Susan Lomas, posted this week about the young boys untimely February 25 death and shared information about funeral arrangements. A three-month old boy who caught the attention of Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders (pictured together on February 13) on died on February 25. The boy, Oliver Jack Carter Lomas-Davis, died of SIDS, or sudden infant death syndrome Oliver's mother, Susan Lomas (pictured with him), took her son to Bernie Sanders rallies dressed as the presidential candidate Little Oliver met Sanders while attending a February 13 rally in Las Vegas with his parents dressed in his Sanders costume. When the 74-year-old Vermont senator walked past and caught sight of Oliver, he could be seen smiling and laughing as he made his way to deliver his speech. Olivers aunt, Anastasia Lomas, said in a Facebook photo featuring the baby that the boy died of SIDS, or sudden infant death syndrome, the Huffington Post reported. On February 29, Susan Lomas posted a tribute to Facebook following her son's death. 'Oliver Jack Carter Lomas... I love you dearly, I love you most. I love you with all my heart and soul. I know that God will keep you near since God and truth are here,' she wrote. The little boy's funeral will be held in California this weekend, according to a funeral service company in Forest Lawn, California. Oliver donned a clip-on tie, messy white wig, thick glasses resembling those of Sanders when attending rallies Oliver and Sanders came face to face when Oliver's mom brought him to a rally in Las Vegas on February 13 Relatives set up a GoFundMe account for Oliver's family in hopes of raising money for funeral services, the boy's burial and counseling for Susan Lomas. 'The out pour (sic) of love and support has been overwhelmingly amazing! Thank you to everyone for their donations, words of encouragement, and prayers,' the GoFundMe page reads. So far more than $16,800 has been raised with one anonymous user donating $12,500 to help the family. SIDS is the sudden and inexplicable death of an infant under the age of one years old. A thorough investigation, including a complete autopsy, examination of the death scene and a review of the clinical history is conducted following a SIDS incident, the CDC says. Approximately 1,500 infants died of SIDS in the U.S. in 2014. It is the leading cause of death in babies one to 12 months old. Just 12 days after Oliver met his hero, he died. His family announced his death on Facebook earlier this week Sanders appeared to laugh as he met the young boy before giving a speech at the Las Vegas campaign rally The gun used to kill Peter Falconio may have been discovered in a toilet nine years after the British backpacker was gunned down in the Australian outback. Police have now confirmed the six-shooter revolver discovered in a septic tank in Taylor Creek six years ago has been in the forensics lab ever since. It was discovered by two plumbers around 17 miles from where Bradley Murdoch is thought to have shot Mr Falconio dead. Murdoch, 57, was sentenced to life in prison in 2005 for murdering 28-year-old Mr Falconio four years earlier. Police have confirmed the six-shooter revolver discovered at a roadside stop in Taylor Creek, Northern Territory, has been in the forensics lab ever since it was discovered in 2010 Two plumbers found the gun when they were flushing a septic tank around 17 miles from where Bradley Murdoch killed British backpacker Peter Falconio (left, with his girlfriend Joanne Lees) Police searched a site south of Barrow Creek, in Australia's Northern Territory, for Mr Falconio's body in November. Plumbers Johnny Gronemyer and Matt Olson were working near a rest area in Taylor Creek in 2010 when their suction hose jammed. Gronemyer said he was flushing out the septic tap when he realised something was stuck at the end of the hose. He added: 'I pulled this rag off and a pistol fell out It was a six-shooter revolver. 'The gun was covered in s***. And I didn't like the idea of leaving a loaded gun it on the back of the truck and taking it back to Tennant Creek.' Northern Territory Police have now said the fully loaded Remington New Army Model .44, dating back to 1858, has been held by Tennant Creek Police since the men handed it in. The find was not made public earlier because there was no evidence linking it to the murder, said acting assistant commissioner for crime and specialist services, Kate Vanderlaan. She said the gun had a lot of rust spots and was in poor condition due to exposure to water and moisture. Police have not ruled out that the gun may have belonged to Murdoch, who was serving a 28-year non-parole sentence in Darwin for Mr Falconio's murder. Murdoch (right), 57, was sentenced to life in prison in 2005 for murdering 28-year-old Mr Falconio four years earlier Police suspect Murdoch stalked Miss Lees and Mr Falconio as they trekked in their old camper van (pictured) After shooting Mr Falconio, Murdoch turned to Miss Lees (pictured), punched her and put a sack over her head - but she miraculously managed to escape They feel the connection is 'highly-unlikely' but Vanderlaan thought its proximity to the crime scene was intriguing. The revolver bears a serial number that was cross-referenced with the Australian Crime Commission database. It found it had never been registered to an owner in this country.The gun was a powerful revolver, popular during the American Civil War. Murdoch had a thing for cowboy-style guns, including the one he aimed at Mr Falconio's girlfriend Joanne Lees after he killed him. Murdoch is thought to have shot Mr Falconio in the back of his head with his long-barrelled .22 revolver on July 14, 2001. Murdoch also owned other handguns and bigger weapons, none of which were ever found. All police ever found was a pool of Mr Falconio's blood, which led them to believe Murdoch used his .22 - because the bullet would have stayed in his skull. Police suspect Murdoch stalked Miss Lees and Mr Falconio as they trekked in their old camper van. He planned to abduct Miss Lees but needed Mr Falconio out of the way first. After shooting him at around 8pm, he turned to Miss Lees, punching her and putting a sack over her head using his handmade handcuffs and tape to restrain her. Remarkably Miss Lees managed to escape, gathering the courage to emerge from hiding in scrub to flag down a road train. Murdoch was charged with the murder of 28-year-old Mr Falconio (right) and the unlawful assault of Miss Lees (left) in July 2001 Though detailed searches were undertaken for Mr Falconio's body, finding his corpse proved impossible. It's possible Murdoch dug a shallow grave for his victim. Murdoch was convicted in 2005 of the roadside killing. Four were held, three later released due to lack of grounds for detention A mob of 30 migrants chased three teenage girls through a German mall before threatening police officers, local media has reported. The men, thought to be from Afghanistan, are said to have used their smartphones to film the girls at the Sophienhof mall in Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein state. Police officers were called out after several shoppers reported that 30 men of 'immigrant background' were following the girls, aged 15, 16 and 17. The men, thought to be from Afghanistan, are said to have used their smartphones to film the girls at the Sophienhof mall (pictured) in Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein state The men 'insulted, threatened and sometimes injured' the policemen as they tried to arrest some of the alleged perpetrators, Bild reported. Four men, including the two main culprits, were later arrested but three of them have since been released due to 'lack of grounds for detention'. They are said to have resisted arrest and became violent with officers. Businesses in the shopping mall have reported an 'increasing number of thefts' and customers being 'molested' by migrants. Several other young girls have told police they were harassed too since the incident received media attention. Interior Minister Stefan Studt warned against drawing comparisons to the mass molestation of women in Cologne (pictured) on New Year's Eve Interior Minister Stefan Studt said the incident was 'unacceptable' and that Germans 'need to be able to live freely in this country.' He warned against drawing comparisons to the mass molestation of women in Cologne on New Year's Eve. But FDP leader Wolfgang Kubicki said the newest incident should act as a wake up call that the country's open border immigration policy was failing. Elise claimed services were spiritual and all money came in as donations The leader of the Phoenix Goddess Temple who told the court that touching genitals is a sacred practice has been found guilty of running a brothel. Tracy Elise was found guilty on all 22 criminal charges against her at Marcopa County Superior Court after a brief deliberation on Wednesday, AZ Central reports. They include charges of operating or maintaining a house of prostitution, pandering, money laundering, illegal control of an enterprise and conspiracy to commit illegal enterprise. Scroll down for video Tracy Elise (pictured left, hugging her son after the verdict, and right), the leader of the Phoenix Goddess Temple, was found guilty of running a brothel After the verdict was read, Elise who defended herself in her trial said: I never thought it would be like this. Her sentencing is set for April 8. Prosecutors told the court that women from the temple offered services to men, including sexual gratification, for money. Deputy County Attorney Edward Leiter told the jury that Elises activities in the temple violated the states prostitution statue. Elise claimed that the services were part of the temples spiritual practices and that all money came in the form of donations. However, suggested donations, which were decided by Elise and other temple officials - ranged from around $200 up to $600, according to AZ Central. But Leiter explained that even if the sexual acts performed in the temple were spiritual, the exchange of money during those sessions made it prostitution. Despite the verdict, her son Ben Wade continued to insist that sex acts inside the temple are permitted as part of their religious practice. Tracy Elise's son Ben Wade (right) insisted sex acts inside the temple are permitted as part of their religion Elise (pictured hugging her son and daughter) claimed that the services were part of the temples spiritual practices and that all money came in the form of donations. We have the freedom of religion, he told AZ Central. To us, our religion and our belief, the body is the temple. The body is sacred. That may include the genitals. In fact, Im pretty sure it does. The Goddess Temple first began operating out of a residence in Scottsdale in 2008 until it moved after neighbors complained and police began investigating their activities. Goddess Temple leader Tracy Elise (pictured) was found guilty of running a brothel It settled in Phoenix in 2010, where it began , presenting itself as a neo-tantra temple where visitors, called seekers, could receive healing services from goddesses. Leiter showed the court the temple's menu of services which listed the goddesses and which services they were willing to provide. It included a sentence saying a goddess would physically help a seeker achieve sexual gratification, according to a document projected in court by Leiter. Men could receive sexual favors from the temple's healers, called goddesses, if they knew the right words. Elise told the court that it depended on the goddess's feelings about the seeker and that the women did not necessarily engage in sexual services. She told Leiter that touching genitals was a sacred practice in her religion and that if a goddess did not wish to do something, another willing one would continue the session. This form shows that this was absolutely a prostitution enterprise, Leiter said. If you dont get what you want, someone else will do it for you. Prosecutors also questioned the temple's raunchy advertisements that posted online by the goddesses. One of those, on Backpage.com, showed goddess Iyata in a golden bra and frilly underwear, with one leg on a bed. Elise said the ads were 'a stream of natural energy' meant to draw more seekers into the temple. Some of them were paid for with the money collected from the seekers. Elise also said the temple accepted donations instead of fees, but criticized men who didn't bring enough money. 'I find it disrespectful when they run out without leaving anything for our goddesses,' she said. Some of the temple's healers, called goddesses, posted raunchy ads (pictured) on websites such as Backpage.com. Elise says they were a way to bring in more visitors to the temple The Goddess Temple (pictured) opened in Phoenix in 2010. Police raided it in 2011 after a six-month investigation and indicted more than 30 people at the time Prosecutors say men could obtain sexual services at the temple (pictured) if they knew the right words. Tracy says such services were part of a spiritual practice in her religion The temple's practices included other rituals, such as pouring members' menstrual blood on the ground and on trees as a way to thank the Earth, Elise told the court. She said: 'Im letting the holy spirit guide me today through this trial.' Police raided the temple in 2011 after a six-month investigation and indicted more than 30 people. In November last year, Elise said the temple had been 'rubber-stamped by the government' and said it had been denied the freedom of religion. 'I never thought I was breaking any prostitution laws because everyone who has ever worked at the temple, practiced there, taught there - everything was on donation system. Of course, we did set a certain level of donation that would really help us get by. by her ex in pub The ex-fiance of former EastEnders actress Danniella Westbrook has been handed a restraining order after he admitted harassing the star at a pub and telling her 'you'll be dead by Christmas'. Mixed martial arts fighter Tom Richards, 26, of Pembrokeshire, west Wales, approached the actress, 42, at the Station House pub in Chingford, east London, on 14 October last year. He demanded to know who she was with and launched into a foul-mouthed tirade before both she and the landlady asked him to leave. Mixed martial arts fighter Tom Richards, 26, (pictured left) of Pembrokeshire, west Wales, approached the former EastEnders actress, 42, at the Station House pub in Chingford, east London, on 14 October last year Her former toyboy labelled the reality star a slag and then mocked her lifestyle, telling her: Youll be dead by Christmas. The MMA fighter was charged days before Ms Westbrook exited the Celebrity Big Brother House after finishing fifth. He admitted threatening behaviour causing alarm or distress at Thames Magistrates Court. Prosecutor Rosalind Fox, said: This is domestic in context and both the defendant and victim are now ex-partners. It is right to say there has been a history of domestic allegations between them. The incident took place at the Station House pub in Chingford (pictured) before he was told to leave The court heard that the pair had been staying at Macys Hotel two doors away from the pub on Station Road. Ms Westbrook had was enjoying lunch with friends when Richards burst in at around 2pm. She was subsequently joined by the defendant who asked her a number of questions along the lines of who she was with and so forth, continued Ms Fox. At one point she described the defendant getting argumentative, insulting her and calling her a number of names one of which was calling her a slag. The landlady of the pub then asked Richards to leave. Richards, pictured today outside Thames Magistrates Court in East London. He changed his outfit as soon as he left court before being driven back to Wales by his father All he did was subsequently shout to the victim, saying Youll be dead by Christmas, added Ms Fox. When police had made enquiries of [Westbrook] at the outset she had indicated she wanted a restraining order non contact. It was noted that the pairs turbulent history left Ms Westbrook marked as high risk. It is quite clear that the victim felt extremely scared because as a result of that police were called, said Ms Fox. He was subsequently arrested in his hotel room. The couple got together after she ended her 12-year marriage to Kevin Jenkins but their romance was marred by a string of bust-ups. Richards denied harming Ms Westbrook after being cleared of giving the actress a black eye in late 2014. The pair broke off their engagement later that year after a volatile two-year relationship. Ms Westbrook and new boyfriend George Arnold were pictured on holiday together in Tenerife in December They briefly reunited last year but Richards was arrested for a second time in Swansea over allegations he had again assaulted the actress in April. Months later in June the former cocaine addict claimed the split had left her suicidal and drove her to relapse. Lauren McGilvray, for Richards, said her client had been staying with the actress for two weeks as they had been booked in for an appearance. I think it is fair to say this was a turbulent relationship throughout its history, she said. That is not denied. She conceded that unpleasantries were exchanged between both parties when he went to check on her at the unsavoury pub but emphasised the fact that his most serious insult was a jibe rather than a direct threat. After this incident the relationship ceased, added Ms McGilvray. He has moved back with his parents and his father attends court to support him today. The matter was briefly put back so the court could confirm Ms Westbrook still wanted a restraining order due to difficulties getting in touch due to her tight work schedule. Richards was handed a 12 month restraining order banning all forms of contact with Ms Westbrook (pictured on the beach with her new boyfriend, George Arnold in December) When this proved futile the fighter, out of action since last June and injured since January, pressed for the case to be resolved. District Judge Alison Rose said: What you did was to seek out this lady in the public house. I cannot conclude whether what happened was deliberately planned but your behaviour was persistent, rude things were said to her which clearly distressed the complainant and she made a complaint to the police. You have admitted your behaviour and you have pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity. The disturbance caused was such that you had to be asked to leave the premises by the person in charge. You have lost your good character by pleading guilty. Richards was handed a 12 month restraining order banning all forms of contact with Ms Westbrook. British band Viola Beach suffered 'severe injuries' when their car hit a raising bridge moments before it plunged 80ft into a Swedish canal, an inquest heard today. Kris Leonard, 20, River Reeves, 19, Jack Dakin, 19, Tomas Lowe, 27, and their manager Craig Tarry, 33, died after their car plummeted off a highway bridge in Sodertalje near Stockholm. The Warrington-based band were returning from their first gig in Europe when the collision occurred on February 13 and post-mortem tests revealed the driver had no alcohol or drugs in his blood. An inquest, opened at Warrington Town Hall today, has now heard how several members of the band suffered 'severe injuries' after their car struck the bridge before it plummeted into the canal. Scroll down for video Tragedy: Viola Beach band members Kris Leonard, River Reeves, Tomas Lowe, Jack Dakin (all pictured) and their manager Craig Tarry, all died when their car plunged off a bridge in Sodertalje, Sweden, on February 13 An inquest, formally opened at Warrington Town Hall today, has now heard how several members of the band suffered 'severe injuries' after their car struck the highway bridge before it plummeted into Sodertalje canal How it happened: The band and their manager died after their rental car drove through a safety barrier while the bridge was open to let a vessel pass underneath, and plunged 82 feet into the Sodertalje canal below Outlining the case, Detective sergeant Elaine Duddle, from Cheshire Police, said: 'At approximately 2.30am on February 13, Craig Tarry, Kristian Leonard, River Reeves, Tomas Lowe and Jack Dakin were travelling in a vehicle along the E4 motorway on Sodertalje, Sweden heading in the direction of Arlanda airport. 'At this time the instruction had been given to raise the motorway bridge to allow a passing vessel in the canal below. 'A barrier had been lowered across the motorway to stop traffic and prevent any further vehicles passing. 'The vehicle carrying the aforementioned occupants has collided with the barrier and passed through the restricted area towards the raising bridge. 'The vehicle then collided with the raising bridge causing severe injuries to the occupants of the vehicle before falling off the bridge into the canal below. 'Swedish Police attended the scene and made a search of the canal and discovered that all occupants of the vehicle had been tragically killed.' During the hearing, which was attended by several family members, it was confirmed that identification of all five had taken place and a post-mortem examinations had been carried out. Kris Leonard, 20, River Reeves, 19, Jack Dakin, 19, Tomas Lowe, 27, and the band's manager Craig Tarry, 33, all died after their car plummeted off a highway bridge in Sodertalje near Stockholm, Sweden on February 13 Recovery workers are seen under the highway bridge near Stockholm in Sweden where the car carrying Viola Beach band members and their manager plunged 80ft into the canal in the early hours of February 13 Senior Cheshire Coroner Nicholas Rheinberg offered his condolences to the family during the 20-minute hearing and thanked the Swedish authorities for their assistance with the investigation. According to the Warrington Guardian, he said: 'The level of cooperation [from the Swedish authorities] has been extremely good and I think in all my career I have never had such an immediate and positive response from a foreign organisation.' The deaths of all members of Viola Beach rocked the music scene in Britain, with celebrities, musicians and fans all lining up to pay tribute to the talented foursome and their manager. Fans of the young musicians even launched a campaign to get them to No 1 in the wake of their deaths, and their song Swings and Waterslides reached the top spot in the ITunes chart last month. The deaths of all members of Viola Beach rocked the music scene in Britain, with celebrities, musicians and fans all lining up to pay tribute to the talented foursome and their manager. Pictured: Floral tributes to the band Haunting: This footage shows the Warrington-based band Viola Beach on stage in Norrkoping, Sweden, just a few hours before the tragic incident which would take their lives The band were just 18 miles from the capital of Stockholm when the crash happened in the early hours of February 13. Since their deaths, preliminary post mortems have been carried out on the five Britons, with preliminary results showing that the driver of the car had no trace of alcohol or drugs in his blood. Officers were called to the incident at about 2.30am involving the hired Nissan Qashqai which had gone through a barrier of a bridge that had opened to let a boat pass underneath. The barrier, 50 metres before the opening, had flashing lights and warning signs, police said. Minutes after the band's car plunged off the bridge into the water, a heavy oil tanker passed over the spot where their vehicle was later found. Police logs show that the band's black Nissan may have been in the water for 15 minutes before police were notified that the car had gone in the canal. A High Court judge has ordered the release of her details to help police They left home in Exeter, Devon, and travelled to Bangkok last November She was taken to Thailand by her father Trevor without permission Arisara 'Zara' Miles, 12, pictured, was taken to Bangkok by her father Trevor in November without permission Fears are growing over the safety of a missing 12-year-old girl taken from her Devon home to Bangkok by her father without permission. Devon and Cornwall Police launched an appeal along with local authorities to help them locate a missing Arisara 'Zara' Miles who's been taken to Bangkok by her father. A High Court judge has ordered the release of details of Arisara Miles, who is known as 'Zara', who travelled to Thailand with her father without permission. Zara and her father, Trevor Miles, left their home in Exeter, Devon and flew to Bangkok on November 10 last year. Her whereabouts since then are not known. Mr Miles failed to attend a meeting arranged by Devon County Council to address concerns about the girl's welfare, having already taken his daughter to Bangkok. Despite efforts by the Court, the local authority and Devon and Cornwall Police, Zara's whereabouts remain unknown and the Court has now ordered her return to the UK. Devon and Cornwall Police are working with international police agencies in order to try to locate the girl and to ensure her safe return. A spokesperson for Devon and Cornwall police said: 'A Judge has today ordered the release of these details, and we are asking for information that could help us locate Arisara 'Zara' Miles. 'We believe her father Trevor Miles has business interests in Bangkok and it is possible that they both remain in Thailand. The High Court, pictured, has ordered the release of her details to help police search for the girl (file picture) 'We are concerned for the welfare of Zara and it is important that both she and her father return to the UK. 'We are appealing to the public for any information which may lead to locating Zara - her safety and wellbeing is the highest priority at this time.' Electricity minister said five out of 13 power stations have been damaged There have been power outages across Syria since start of civil war in 2011 War torn Syria has been hit by a nationwide power cut and internet blackouts three days after one of its power stations was damaged. Electricity has been cut across every province of the capital Damascus, one Syrian TV station reported, citing a source at the electricity ministry. Power there has been down since around 11am (GMT) and some mobile internet connections from private providers are also not working due to the network 'unexpectedly malfunctioning'. War torn Syria has been hit by a nationwide power cut and internet blackouts three days after one of its power stations was damaged (pictured, an airstrike in Damascus last month) Large areas across Syria have suffered power outages as a result of clashes and airstrikes since the Syrian Civil War erupted in 2011. Syria's electricity minister Imad Khamis was called into parliament for a special hearing on the power sector on Monday. He told the country's lawmakers that the cost of 'direct damage' to the country's power stations and the electricity network from 2011 to the end of 2015 was around 2.6billion. Khamis said five of Syria's 13 main power stations had been 'directly damaged' in the conflict, Syria's state news agency SANA reported. Meanwhile, some sporadic clashes have broken out on the sixth day of a ceasefire brokered by the United States and Russia. Electricity has been cut across every province of the capital Damascus (pictured, destroyed buildings in the Syrian town of Kobani) United Nations envoy Staffan de Mistura said the truce, which has largely been observed, could pave the way for regular humanitarian aid deliveries to remote and besieged areas of Syria. De Mistura said the cease-fire has 'greatly reduced' violence in Syria and laid out hopes of resuming peace talks between the Syrian regime and rebel groups. Chris Christie said Thursday afternoon that he was not a 'hostage' at Donald Trump's press conference on Super Tuesday. 'I wasnt being held hostage. I wasn't upset. I wasn't angry,' he said today during a news conference of his own back in New Jersey. 'I wasnt standing there thinking, "Oh God, what have I done." ' The Republican governor had a confused and at times troubled expression on his face as he stood behind Trump at the Florida news event following a night of successes for the GOP presidential candidate. Despite the strong performance from Trump, it was Christie who stole the show, with dozens of tweets and memes rolling in that joked about him looking like he was being held hostage. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO Chris Christie maintained a steel-faced expression during Trump's victory speech following Super Tuesday, leading to 'hostage' memes 'Governor Christie, blink three times if Trump is holding you hostage,' Oliver Willis tweeted. Former Barack Obama adviser Dan Pfeiffer asked, 'Is Christie being held hostage by the Trump campaign?' Meanwhile, alongside another picture of Christie's face, Chris Person wrote: 'Christie looks like he's gonna have a change of heart and throw Trump down a pit like in Return of the Jedi.' And Steve Schale tweeted: '@ChrisChristie looks like he was just forced into a shotgun wedding.' Daily Show host Trevor Noah and Ronan Farrow also tweeted pictures mocking Christie as he stood behind Trump. Noah said Christie's face screamed, 'Dear God, What have I done?' Christie today said that was not the case. 'I believe he is the best person to beat Hillary Clinton,' the ex-presidential candidate said. Donald Trump is the best person of those remaining to do that.' Today, during his own news conference back in New Jersey, Christie addressed Daily Show host Trevor Noah's meme and said, 'I wasnt standing there thinking, "Oh God, what have I done" ' The New Jersey Governor had a confused and at times troubled expression on his face as Trump spoke in Florida Many Twitter users questioned whether the Republican drop-out was being 'held hostage' by the Trump campaign. Christie said today that wasn't he case, either. 'No, I wasnt being held hostage,' he said He added: 'Let me be really clear. I am not a full-time surrogate for Donald Trump. I do not have a title or a position within his campaign. I am an endorser.' The New Jersey governor, who endorsed Trump at the end of last week, defended his steel-faced expression and said, 'I dont know what I was supposed to be doing.' 'I was standing there listening to him. It wasnt the kind of situation where I would be jumping up and down and smiling.' For those who were 'concerned' about him, Christie made clear that he was just fine. 'All these, like, armchair psychiatrists should give it a break,' he said. Talking about Mitt Romney's feud with Trump and a speech today in which the 2012 Republican nominee for president encouraged the GOP to vote for anybody left in the race but Trump, Christie said, 'We have a political disagreement.' 'It will not change the extraordinary respect that I have for Gov. Romney.' Also made this gif pic.twitter.com/2CWCDZhDz8 Eliot Nelson (@eliotnelson) March 2, 2016 Despite the strong performance from Trump, it was Christie who stole the show, with dozens of hilarious tweets and memes rolling in One Twitter user said the New Jersey Governor, who could be eyeing up a shot as running as Trump's VP, had 'the face of a man who sold his soul'. Others said he looked like he was giving a forced confession and mockingly implored him to 'blink three times' if he was in trouble. Christie introduced Trump at the real estate mogul's White and Gold Ballroom at The Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach before his presser. In the Super Tuesday remarks, Trump congratulated Ted Cruz on winning in Texas but took a swipe at Marco Rubio. 'I know it was a very tough night for Marco Rubio. He had a tough night,' Trump said. 'He is a lightweight as I've said many times before.' Trump also warned that when Super Tuesday was over, 'I'm going to go after one person: Hillary Clinton'. The billionaire real estate tycoon has been declared the GOP primary winner in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Massachusetts, Tennessee and Virginia. Google, Facebook Inc, Microsoft Corp and more than 20 other Internet and technology companies announced a legal briefs on Thursday asking a judge to support Apple Inc in its encryption battle with the US government, sources familiar with the companies' plans said. The effort is a rare display of unity and support for the iPhone maker from companies which are competitors in many areas, and shows the breadth of Silicon Valley's opposition to the government's anti-encryption effort. Six relatives of San Bernardino attack victims also filed a legal brief on Thursday, but opposing Apple in its high-profile fight. The fight between Apple and the government became public last month when the US Federal Bureau of Investigation obtained a court order requiring Apple to write new software and take other measures to disable passcode protection and allow access to an iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino shooters in December. Apple Inc, lead by CEO Tim Cook (pictured), has refused to write new software and take other measures to disable passcode protection and allow access to an iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino shooters in December Apple has pushed back, arguing that such a move would set a dangerous precedent and threaten customer security. The clash has intensified a long-running debate over how much law enforcement and intelligence officials should be able to monitor digital communications. TECH COMPANIES BACKING APPLE Google Facebook Microsoft Mozilla Evernote Snapchat WhatsApp Pinterest Dropbox Yahoo Box Twitter Ebay LinkedIn Airbnb Square Intel AT&T Intel Salesforce Oracle IBM Autodesk Consumer Technology Association Information Tecnology Industry Council Advertisement The group of tech companies plans to file what is known as an amicus brief - a form of comment from outside groups common in complex cases - to the Riverside, California, federal judge Sheri Pym. She will rule on Apple's appeal of a court order that would force it to create software to unlock the iPhone. 'If the government arguments prevail, the Internet ecosystem will be weakened, leaving Internet users more vulnerable to hackers and other bad actors,' said a statement from the Computer and Communications Industry Association. The statement announced a joint amicus brief with the Internet Association and the i2 Coalition of Internet infrastructure firms. The companies will contest government arguments that the All Writs Act, a broad 1789 law that enables judges to require actions necessary to enforce their own orders, compels Apple to comply with its request. In their joint brief, the tech companies will say that Congress passed the All Writs Act before the invention of the light bulb, and that it goes too far to contend that the law can be used to force engineers to disable security protections, according to a source familiar with their arguments. Google, Facebook and others also appear to be tailoring their arguments specifically to a US Supreme Court audience, where the case may end up. Apple has said that unlocking the phone of San Bernardino shooter Syed Rizwan Farook (pictured here with his wife and fellow gunman Tashfeen Malik) would set a dangerous precedent and threaten customer security The brief will highlight a unanimous 2014 US Supreme Court case which said law enforcement needs warrants to access smartphones snared in an arrest, the source said. That opinion, penned by Chief Justice John Roberts, united the Supreme Court's liberal and conservative factions. Briefs are also expected in support of the government. Stephen Larson, a former federal judge, told Reuters last week that he is working on a brief with victims of the San Bernardino shooting who want the FBI to be able to access the data on the phone used by Syed Rizwan Farook. 'They were targeted by terrorists, and they need to know why, how this could happen,' Larson said. Several other tech companies are joining Google, Facebook and Microsoft. Mozilla, maker of the Firefox web browser, said it was participating, along with online planning tool maker Evernote and messaging app firms Snapchat and WhatsApp. Cloud storage company Box, bookmarking and social media site Pinterest and online storage firm Dropbox are also participating. 'We stand against the use of broad authorities to undermine the security of a company's products,' Dropbox General Counsel Ramsey Homsany said in a statement. A separate group including Twitter Inc, eBay Inc , LinkedIn Corp and more than a dozen other tech firms filed a brief with the court in support of Apple on Thursday. AT&T Inc and Intel have each filed their own briefs. The Business Software Alliance, which includes companies such as Salesforce, Oracle, IBM and Autodesk are also filing in support of Apple, according to USA Today. Networking leader Cisco Systems Inc said it expected to address the court on Apple's behalf, but did not say whether it was joining with the large group of companies. Semiconductor maker Intel Corp plans to file a brief of its own in support of Apple, said Chris Young, senior vice president and general manager for Intel Security Group. 'We believe that tech companies need to have the ability to build and design their products as needed, and that means that we can't have the government mandating how we build and design our products,' Young said in an interview. Senior vice president and general counsel for Apple Inc Bruce Sewell testifies before the House Judiciary Committee hearing on 'The Encryption Tightrope: Balancing Americans' Security and Privacy', on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on Tuesday Sewell (center) prepares to testify before the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday after a federal judge ordered Apple to help the FBI crack the encryption on the iPhone used by Syed Rizwan Farook FBI Director James Comey speaks about the FBI's request to Apple to unlock the iPhone of the San Bernardino shooter, during a hearing before the House Select Intelligence Committee on 'World Wide Threats' in the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on February 25 The Stanford Law School for Internet and Society filed a separate brief on Thursday morning on behalf of a group of well-known experts on iPhone security and encryption, including Charlie Miller, Dino Dai Zovi, Bruce Schneier and Jonathan Zdziarski. Privacy advocacy groups the American Civil Liberties Union, Access Now and the Wickr Foundation filed briefs on Wednesday in support of Apple before Thursday's deadline set by Pym. Salihin Kondoker, whose wife Anies Kondoker was injured in the San Bernardino attack, also wrote on Apple's behalf, saying he shared the company's fear that the software the government wants Apple to create to unlock the phone could be used to break into millions of other phones. 'I believe privacy is important and Apple should stay firm in their decision,' the letter said. 'Neither I, nor my wife, want to raise our children in a world where privacy is the tradeoff for security.' Other families who oppose Apple in the case filed their own brief on Thursday. In the families' brief, they argue that Apple's arguments are misplaced because the government has a valid warrant, and 'one does not enjoy the privacy to commit a crime.' The families also said Apple 'routinely modifies its systems' to comply with Chinese government directives. Law enforcement officials have said that Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, were inspired by Islamist militants when they shot and killed 14 people and wounded 22 others last December 2 at a holiday party. Farook and Malik were later killed in a shootout with police and the FBI said it wants to read the data on Farook's phone to investigate any links with militant groups. Earlier this week, a Brooklyn judge ruled that the government had overstepped its authority by seeking similar assistance from Apple in a drug case. On top of the recent media attention Apple has received, the company launched a new Twitter account on Thursday dedicated to customer support, a move that expanded the company's social media presence and prompted immediate reaction from users complaining about their devices. The Cupertino, California-based maker of phones, computers and watches said in a tweet under the handle @applesupport that it would provide tips and tricks to users online. The new account prompted immediate cheers on Twitter. One fan was Jack Dorsey (@jack), chief executive of the social media platform. 'A HUGE welcome to @AppleSupport! Now using Twitter to provide customer support through tweets and DMs!' Dorsey tweeted. Apple users have already sought to take advantage of the new avenue for customer support. @AppleSupport had more than 48,000 followers as of midday on Thursday. There is no way Mexico would fund Donald Trump's 'terrible' plan to build a wall along its border with the United States if the Republican front-runner wins the U.S. presidential election, the Mexican finance minister said. Trump, the New York billionaire developer and former reality television star, sparked outrage in Mexico when he vowed to force Latin America's second largest economy to pay for a wall along the southern U.S. border to stem the flow of illegal immigration and drugs. In a televised interview late on Wednesday, Finance Minister Luis Videgaray categorically rejected the proposal. 'Under no circumstance will Mexico pay for the wall that Mr Trump is proposing,' he said. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO Donald Trump has built strong lead with stance against immigration and his vow to build a wall on the border 'Building a wall between Mexico and the United States is a terrible idea. It is an idea based on ignorance and has no foundation in the reality of North American integration.' Trump has accused Mexico of sending rapists and drug runners across the U.S. border and has vowed to increase fees on some Mexican visas and all border crossing cards as part of a broader plan to force Mexico to pay for the wall. Former conservative Mexican presidents Felipe Calderon and Vicente Fox have compared Trump to Adolf Hitler. Trump has built a strong lead in the race for the Republican nomination in part by taking a tough stance on immigration. He says Mexico is 'killing' the United States with cheap labor and has sent 'criminals' and 'rapists' across the border. He is also promising to build a huge border wall and proposed a temporary ban on Muslims entering the country. Although Trump has been the most outspoken candidate, his main rivals also say the government must stop the flow of illegal migrants into the country, mainly from Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. Trump, Cruz and Florida Senator Marco Rubio all say they would overturn President Barack Obama's executive orders that shield some illegal immigrants from deportation. In 2014, tens of thousands of child migrants traveling without family members overwhelmed the southern U.S. border, sparking a political crisis. The flow then fell in most of 2015 but has surged again in recent months. Up 24 per cent: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data shows 150,304 migrants, some pictured here in 2011, were detained trying to cross the U.S.-Mexico border between October and February Border patrol officers claim fears of a Trump presidency have helped stoke a spike in the numbers of immigrants trying to enter the United States, including children traveling without guardians. Interviews with migrants, people smugglers and officials show many migrants are trying to cross now instead of facing tighter policing and new policies to halt illegal immigration if Trump or another Republican wins the November 8 election. 'If Trump wins, we're all screwed and all Latinos are screwed,' Isaias Franco, a 46-year-old from El Salvador who was deported from the United States late last year and is now trying to get back, said at a migrant shelter in Ciudad Juarez, just across the border from El Paso, Texas. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data shows 150,304 migrants were detained trying to cross the U.S.-Mexico border between October and February, up 24 percent from the same period last year. Similar data for 'unaccompanied' child migrants - those traveling without a guardian - is not yet available, but between October and January, 20,455 kids were apprehended on the southwest border, up over 100 percent from a year ago. The numbers of migrants typically rise as summer approaches. Like other migrants, Franco is aware of the U.S. presidential race and Trump's vow, matched by fellow Republican candidate Ted Cruz, to deport all the illegal immigrants in the United States, estimated at more than 11 million. 'You watch the news ... There's a lot of fear among Latinos,' Franco said, adding that a Republican victory would spell the end for proposed reforms to give many immigrants greater legal security. Hope Hicks, a spokeswoman for Trump, said migrants understand his policies. 'It seems they agree Mr. Trump will be tough, build the wall and stop illegal immigration.' Cardinal George Pell has told victims of pedophile priests he is committed to working with them to combat the 'scourge of sexual abuse'. Pell met with a number of victims from Ballarat in Rome, with survivors having travelled to Italy to see the cardinal give 20 hours of evidence over four days to the child abuse royal commission. Earlier in the week survivors declared they had given up on Cardinal Pell, exasperated with his denials during his evidence that he was unaware of the activities of pedophile priests in the Ballarat diocese in the 1970s when he served there. Scroll down for video Cardinal George Pell (pictured) has told victims of pedophile priests he is committed to working with them to combat the 'scourge of sexual abuse' Many of the survivor group were abused by pedophile priests, including Australia's worst one, Gerald Ridsdale, and members of the Christian Brothers when Ballarat - about 105 kilometres north-west of Melbourne - was a hotbed of pedophile activity. The survivors were crowdfunded to travel to Rome and their campaign for the Catholic Church and other institutions to change their systems to combat child sex abuse and recognise the trauma suffered by victims gained global media coverage. Emerging from his meeting with the survivor group in the Rome hotel where he gave his evidence to the royal commission, Cardinal Pell said it had been a 'hard and honest and occasionally emotional meeting'. The 74-year-old cleric, who is the Vatican's finance chief, said he had heard each of the survivor's stories and their suffering. Australian Cardinal George Pell (middle) leaves at the end of a meeting with the victims of sex abuse, at the Quirinale hotel in Rome Pell (pictured) met with a number of victims from Ballarat in Rome, with survivors having travelled to Italy to see the cardinal give evidence to the child abuse royal commission Cardinal George Pell (middle) speaks to journalists at the end of a meeting with the sex abuse victims Rosemary Nolan (middle), who lost her brother for abuse by Catholic clergy in Australia, speaks to journalists after a meeting with George Pell 'I know many of their families and I know of the goodness of so many people in Catholic Ballarat, a goodness which is not extinguished by the evil that was done.' Cardinal Pell agreed to work with the survivors' group effectively with the committees and agencies the church had in Rome, including the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors. 'One suicide is too many ... and there have been many such tragic suicides. 'I commit myself to working with the group that is trying to stop this, so that suicide is not seen as an option for those who are suffering.' Four pedophile Christian Brothers taught at Ballarat East's St Alipius Boys' School and notorious pedophile priest Father Gerald Ridsdale (pictured) was the school's chaplain Ridsdale has been jailed for abusing 53 children but is the subject of 78 abuse claims to the diocese A then 14-year-old Paul Levey is pictured with paedophile priest Gerald Ridsdale at a presbytery in Mortlake, Sydney, in 1982. Ridsdale sexually abused Mr Levey here for six months on a daily basis Cardinal Pell heard testimony against pedophile priest Peter Searson (pictured) at the commission over his abuse of children and his use of a handgun to intimidate people from speaking out Paul Levey (right), one of the survivors of abuse by Catholic clergy in Australia and his wife Michele East (left), answer questions after a meeting with the cardinal in Rome Cardinal Pell said he supported work to investigate the feasibility of setting up a research centre in Ballarat to 'enhance healing and improve protection'. 'It would be marvellous if our city became well known as an effective centre and example of practical health for all those wounded by the scourge of sexual abuse', he told reporters after the meeting. 'I know of the goodness of so many people in Catholic Ballarat, a goodness not extinguished by the evil that was done. It comes after Pell said he 'responded poorly' and 'regrets' his choice of words after he described the prolific sexual abuse of children at a Victorian parish 'a sad story' that 'wasn't of much interest' to him. Cardinal Pell said it had been a 'hard and honest and occasionally emotional meeting' with survivors of child sex abuse The 74-year-old cleric (pictured), who is the Vatican's finance chief, said he had heard each of the survivor's stories and their suffering Father Hans Zollner (second from right) greets Andrew Collins (right), David Ridsdale (left) and Peter Blenkiron (second from left), who said they were child sex abuse victims Sex abuse survivor Tom Waroley answers questions from the massive crowd of media outside the hotel where George Pell gave evidence to the royal commission Australian Cardinal George Pell speaks to journalists at the end of a meeting with the sex abuse victims On Tuesday, the cardinal shocked many by stating Ridsdale's offending at Inglewood was of little interest. However, when he was reminded of his comments on Thursday, he claimed he was 'confused'. 'I remember messing up this sequence completely. I regret the choice of words,' he told the commission on Thursday. Cardinal Pell said he supported work to investigate the feasibility of setting up a research centre in Ballarat to 'enhance healing and improve protection' Survivor Paul Auchetti speaks to reporters and journalists at the Quirinale Hotel in Rome on March 3, 2016 Earlier this week, Pell said he 'responded poorly' and 'regrets' his choice of words after he described the prolific sexual abuse of children at a Victorian parish 'a sad story' that 'wasn't of much interest' to him Rosemary Nolan, who lost her brother after he suffered abuse by Catholic clergy, holds a photo of him outside George Pell's hotel in Rome 'Just previous to this exchange we were talking about '93 and '94 and then it swung back to the incidents in '74 and '75. It was badly expressed. 'I have never enjoyed reading the accounts of these sufferings and I tried to do that only when it was professionally and absolutely appropriate because the behaviours are abhorrent and painful to read about.' Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467. Gordon Hill , Phil Nagle, David Ridsdale and Dominic Ridsdale (left to right), survivors of child abuse by Catholic clergy in Australia, speak to the media in Rome Two dead customers were found in a scene similar to the aftermath of a bomb blast in Iraq after an SUV slammed through the windows of a busy Boston pizza restaurant, authorities said. Eleanor Miele, 57, of Watertown, and Gregory Morin, 32, of Newton, died in the crash at Sweet Tomatoes Pizza in Newton, a suburb of Boston, at around 6.15pm on Tuesday. Miele, an office manager at a law firm, had been waiting to pick up a pizza for her church group when the SUV came barreling through the restaurant's windows at high speed. Morin, a father and an attorney at Latham & Watkins in Boston, was pinned between the pizza oven and a counter that had been hit by the vehicle, according to firefighters who responded to the scene. Scroll down for video Customers Eleanor Miele (left) and Gregory Morin (right) died after an SUV slammed through the windows of a busy pizza restaurant 'He was standing at the counter, waiting for his pizza,' Newton Fire Captain Mark Roche told the Boston Herald. 'Picking up your pizza one minute, gone the next. It was just tragic.' He said it sounded like absolute hell as firefighters emerging from the restaurant described the carnage inside the restaurant with screaming and moaning survivors trapped inside. Firefighters described the chaos as like a bomb blast in Iraq, he said. Seven others injured in the crash included four employees - including a 19-year-old woman - and three customers. All were taken to area hospitals and three have been treated and released, according to Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan. Casey Vaughan, a manager at the pizza restaurant, suffered burns, cuts and bruises and is in a severe amount of pain, her mother told the Herald. The aftermath of the crash at Sweet Tomatoes Pizza in Newton, a suburb of Boston, on Tuesday evening She was trapped under debris after being thrown to the floor but was helped out by a colleague. All she does is scream, Janine Vaughan said. The 55-year male driver of the SUV and a female passenger sustained only minor injuries. He was not named by authorities, but the Boston Globe reports he was identified as Bradford Casler in Registry of Motor Vehicles documents. Jack Porter, who says he has known Casler for a decade, told NECN that he believes him to have a 'neurological condition'. Witnesses said the SUV came barreling down a hill at high speed and failed to stop at an intersection, before plowing into the restaurant. No charges have been filed, say authorities. The drivers license has been revoked pending further investigation. The cause of the crash remains under investigation by the Middlesex District Attorneys Office and the Newton Police Department. Meanwhile, Mieles family have paid tribute to the woman who was their rock. Seven others injured in the crash including four employees and three customers. Pictured, the restaurant's boarded-up windows after the incident Witnesses said the SUV came barreling down a hill at high speed and failed to stop at an intersection, before plowing into the restaurant (pictured) Shed give you the shirt off her back, Mieles brother Ed Desmond told CBS Boston, adding that she volunteered for a number of charities. He added that Miele, who did not have any children of her own, adored her many nieces and nephews. Her husband of 38 years, George Miele, said he had lost his best friend. Meanwhile, a spokesman for Morins law firm described him as a wonderful colleague and a highly-skilled lawyer. Greg was a wonderful colleague and a friend to many in Boston and throughout our firm, a statement said. He was a highly-skilled young lawyer and a compassionate person with incredible spirit and singular wit. Our thoughts and prayers are with Gregs family and friends, as well as the other victims. Newton Mayor Setti Warren announced that a vigil would be held in their honor at Cpt. Ryan Park in West Newton on Thursday evening at 6.30pm. This tragedy has touched us all, and we are offering this event as an opportunity for our community to stand together in remembrance of the victims. Lisa Rinkus, who lives a block away from the scene, described the scene after the crash as devastating. Veteran actor Brian Blessed (pictured) has asked doctors to fit him with the penis of a '20-year-old' after getting a 27,000 pacemaker fitted for his heart Veteran actor Brian Blessed has asked doctors to fit him with the penis of a '20-year-old' after getting a 27,000 pacemaker fitted. The 79-year-old actor - who turns 80 in October - recently splashed out 27,000 on a pacemaker which he says has made him feel like a 'million dollar man'. He said he now feels as young as someone in their twenties, and has set his sights on purchasing a new penis to give him an additional lease of life. He said: 'Now I can do anything. I just wish they'd given me another c***. That's what I said to the doctors. 'They said, 'How are you feeling Brian?' I said, 'Great! Now I'd just like a 20-year-old c***!'.' The Flash Gordon actor went under the knife to correct an irregular heartbeat after collapsing on stage last year while performing in Shakespeare production King Lear in Guildford, Surrey. He said he was pleased with how quick and well the operation went. Speaking in this month's CALIBRE Quarterly magazine, he added: 'I saw these doctors who had this new pacemaker, which is made by Boston Scientific, who said they would come over and help fit it. 'Apparently I had no cholesterol, so they just fed the device straight through the heart, and it was all finished before I knew it. I just immediately felt 20 again.' After collapsing with the heart problem, Brian was treated by a doctor in the audience and then returned to the stage just 20 minutes later to finish his performance. But less than two weeks later, producers announced he had 'been compelled to withdraw' from the play, which also starred his daughter Rosalind. He had just started delivering his lines at the start of the Shakespearean tragedy on January 19 when he fainted, toppled off a raised platform and fell heavily, his crown rolling to a halt at the front of the stage. Fellow actor Noel White, playing the Earl of Kent, announced quietly: 'Ladies and gentlemen, this is not part of the play. Is there a doctor in the house?' A barely conscious Brian, flat on his back and surrounded by worried cast members was examined by a local surgeon who was attending the show in Guildford. After five minutes, the star was helped off stage, the audience clapping with relief that the big-voiced sometime star of Z Cars was still alive. He returned to the stage some 20-minutes later, apologetically telling the audience: 'I feel such an idiot and am not in the habit of doing this, but I have a little fibrillation.' The Flash Gordon actor went under the knife to correct an irregular heartbeat after collapsing on stage last year while performing in Shakespeare production King Lear in Guildford, Surrey (pictured above in costume) Despite waves of dizziness and such shortness of breath that he rolled his eyes and occasionally clutched his chest, he then resumed what soon became one of the more remarkable and moving renditions of Lear of all time, according to the Daily Mail's theatre critic Quentin Letts. During the early scenes it was far from clear he would be able to continue and his fellow actors looked worried about him. But there was no stopping him. 'Let's keep going!' he was heard saying, and later 'we're doing it'. When he struggled to maintain his balance during a scene with James Sobol Kelly's Earl of Gloucester, the star growled almost with anger: 'No, I'm not stopping yet. Maybe Lear's not well.' What he meant was that his illness matched the king's physical decline. The way he was staggering round the stage, panting hard, sitting whenever possible, did indeed fit with the condition of the crumbling monarch he was playing. At the conclusion of the play Brian patted his heart and gave a thumbs-up gesture. A bikini model turned Liberal staffer and PhD student has revealed she is researching Islam's Sharia law for conservative Queensland MP George Christensen. Tamara Candy, who was targeted by vile online trolls and labelled 'a taxpayer-funded call girl', believes it is a possibility Sharia law could eventually make it to Australian shores. 'I have been researching all facets of Sharia law and how it has the ability to function as a plural legal system to our own,' the 27-year-old told The Daily Telegraph. Scroll down for video Liberal staffer Tamara Candy, 27, revealed she was researching Sharia law for conservative MP George Christensen. She believes the controversial law could make it to Australian shores Ms Candy is dating 18-year-old model Jordi Silvera. The couple are pictured here at Tuross Head in NSW 'We could see legal recognition of it in the courts one day - things like dowries and Sharia divorces. 'The thing that's worrying me is the issue of genital mutilation. Eighty thousand women in Australia are survivors.' Female genital mutilation, which Ms Candy labelled as 'child abuse', has long been associated with Islamic fundamentalists because of the religion's stance on women's chastity. But in 2007, the highest religious authority in Egypt - where genital mutilation was common - said the practice had 'no basis in core Islamic law or any of its partial provisions and that it is harmful and should not be practised'. The 27-year-old said she was concerned about Sharia law coming to Australia and was against it She added the burqa would not 'really be my style' but she did not hold it against women who chose to don the religious headdress. Ms Candy is again pictured here with her boyfriend Ms Candy, who is dating 18-year-old model Jordi Silvera, added the burqa would not 'really be my style' but she did not hold it against women who chose to don the religious headdress. On her Facebook page, the 27-year-old reiterated her opinion of Sharia law, saying: 'I am AGAINST Sharia Law here in Australia - or anywhere else for that matter.' The MP she works for is Mr Christensen who has held the federal seat of Dawson, in north Queensland, since 2010. He has attracted controversy for delivering a speech at an anti-Muslim rally and for likening content on an LGBTIQ website to 'the grooming work that a sexual predator might undertake'. Last month, the 27-year-old made headlines when she called out complete strangers who falsely accused her of having plastic surgery and 'sleeping her way to the top' in bizarre, sexist attacks. Ms Candy, who is a PhD student and a part-time bikini model, said Sharia law could be integrated into Australian law. The 27-year-old 'righty' doesn't believe she has to fit the Liberal woman stereotype The 27-year-old is working for Mr Christensen (pictured) who is the MP for the seat of Dawson Ms Candy aspires to be a political commentator - pictured (left) with right wing radio broadcaster Alan Jones 'I wouldn't mind being a political commentator or an academic. Being in the spotlight as a politician has never been my goal, I'm more interested in doing my job well as a staffer,' Ms Candy told Daily Mail Australia. 'Since joining the party and becoming a member I've started to get so much attention online because I have a private life at the same time as doing my job.' WHO IS GEORGE CHRISTENSEN? George Christensen, 37, is a Queensland MP who holds the federal seat of Dawson, which covers an area of the north coast. He is a member of The Nationals Party and was elected to parliament in 2010. Mr Christensen's interest in politics started early at the age of 15 when he joined the Young Nationals. He became a figure of controversy after it emerged in 2010 he published slurs against Jews, gays and women in a conservative university newsletter when he was its editor. The MP drew criticism in 2014 when he labelled a social media campaign featuring the hashtag 'I'll ride with you' that supported Muslim Australians as 'a typical pathetic left wing black arm band brigade campaign, casting Aussies as racists who will endanger Muslims'. Mr Christensen also addressed a crowd at a 2015 rally organised by anti-Muslim group Reclaim Australia where he said: 'We would be foolishly naive to think that we are not at war with radical Islam.' Most recently, he likened content on a LGBTIQ website to 'the grooming work that a sexual predator might undertake'. *Sources: ABC/Fairfax Media Advertisement She said it was bizarre how strangers made untrue accusations about her personal life - even falsely accusing her of having breast augmentations. 'I've received a vast array of nasty comments and many are so incorrect,' Ms Candy said. 'One of the comments was that I've had surgery but I've never had any kind of cosmetic surgery in my life. 'It said "people who have breast augmentations seem so vapid to me" and I thought "good for you, I have no problem with them, but I haven't had any myself". 'I shouldn't have to tell anyone anything about myself. I've had people strangers - messaging me to tell me about my own private life which is interesting, I didn't know they were there. 'People have said that I've 'slept my way to the top' which is ridiculous, I don't know what the top is anyway in this case! Our salaries are online, it's not difficult to find.' The journalist and part-time model strongly believes she does not need to conform to the 'pearl wearing' stereotype of women in politics to be a success, and 'will always march to the beat of her own drum'. 'I'm glad it's brought light to some of the nasty commentary from the left I've been receiving lately,' Ms Candy said. 'It's been going on a long time my whole career. It's amazing this kind of commentary comes about when women have opinions and express their views. 'If I was just an Instagram model or took selfies or something like that, people wouldn't threaten me or call me such awful things. The Liberal supporter has photos with Liberal politicians and supporters alongside scantily-clad bikini shots on Instagram She says not all Liberal supporters can be 'private school girls' She says she isn't the typical 'pearl wearing' Liberal 'Because I have an opinion about society they believe they can insult me. It's almost cannibalistic the way women from the Left attack one of their own [another woman].' She said she was uncomfortable with the unwanted attention but tried not to let the online insults hurt her. But her parents were troubled by the cyber bullying she was experiencing. 'We're all human even if we may have thick skin. It does upset you when you see how it upsets your parents. They say they don't like seeing that sort of thing,' Ms Candy said. Ms Candy said she was working for Mr Christensen, and was 'researching, writing policy motions and speeches'. 'I've taught politics at university and may go on to do that. It would be a shame to leave the parliamentary triangle, I love the excitement of parliament and being involved due to an interest in people and policy,' she said. The young woman who calls her self a 'righty' has shared 'selfies' on Instagram featuring ex-Prime Minister Tony Abbott (pictured) The Sydney based model says she has been called a 'hooker' at a political function by a Labor staffer Ms Candy is working with the party on a casual basis while completing her doctorate in Politics and says she spends a much of her time volunteering with the party. Ms Candy said the vitriol came predominantly from total strangers and fake accounts which only follow a couple of accounts - 'specific hate groups targeting LNP members'. The 27-year-old studied journalism and had a political reporting background before completing her honours and winning a scholarship to complete a PhD examining political journalism. Ms Candy said she came from humble beginnings and worked hard for everything she had. 'People have said to me that I've been handed everything in life. Anything I've worked for I've achieved. I've never accepted social benefits and my parents had very humble beginnings,' she said. 'My father grew up in housing commission and is a disabled pensioner. I'm the first in my family to go to university.' She said she began working as a Liberal staffer due to her passion for helping the community. 'I am interested in helping people and being involved in the community,' Ms Candy said. 'I believe people who are attracted to journalism want to communicate with people. 'My involvement in politics is about keeping the bastards honest. I'm a true libertarian, not a party hack.' Ms Candy says her critics made accusations that Neil Symes pays her to spend time with him but she insists they are 'just friends' She has recently been on the campaign trail in America Ms Candy is focused on being an absolute professional and dedicating herself to the cause, so is frustrated by the focus now being put on her fashion choices in her private life. 'What I do in my private life is most certainly private. I shouldn't have to explain that. People online and in the last 24 hours in the media have focused on the way I dress in my private life,' she said. 'I have a wardrobe for work with pencil skirts and blazers and many photos of myself in that attire, but none of that is chosen to represent me, which muddies the message a little.' 'I'm a true libertarian. We can't all be private school-educated Liberals.' The young woman, who calls her self a 'righty', has shared 'selfies' on Instagram featuring ex-Prime Minister Tony Abbott, Liberal MP Campbell Newman and 'shock-jock' Alan Jones - alongside revealing bikini shots. Ms Candy said her critics made accusations former Queensland MP Neil Symes paid her to spend time with him but she insists they are 'just friends'. At 23-years-old Mr Symes became the youngest Member of Parliament in 2013 and was working at Woolworths and living with his parents before he was awarded the position. His term ended in the 2015 Queensland state election after he was defeated by Joan Pease. Ms Candy has many revealing photographs on social media, including pictures of herself in revealing outfits at political functions. She said she was speaking with disgraced MP Craig Thompson at an event one night when she was allegedly accused of 'wearing hooker boots' and once again, being a 'call girl' by a female Labor staffer. She proudly admits she 'marches to the beat of her own drum' She is currently working on her PHD 'It's really sexist stuff. These are people who are supposed to be pro-women from the left,' she said. Ms Candy is currently studying for her PHD at the University of Canberra. She had recently been working on Rand Paul's campaign trail in the United States, posting photos of her travels on Facebook. 'I would like to thank Senator Paul for fighting the good fight. It was an honour to campaign for him and to make some new friends from his incredible team,' she posted as her work with the Republican's party finished. GOP leader Paul Ryan says he 'laughed out loud' when he heard Donald Trump threaten him on Tuesday evening. 'Sometimes, reality is stranger than fiction around here these days,' Ryan said today at a Capitol Hill press conference. Ryan has admonished Trump on more than one occasion, and Trump fired a warning shot in Speaker of the House's direction during his Super Tuesday press conference. GOP leader Paul Ryan says he 'laughed out loud' when he heard Donald Trump threaten him on Tuesday evening. 'I'm going to get along great with Congress, OK?' Trump said. 'Paul Ryan, I don't know him well, but I'm sure I'm going to get along great with him.' 'And if I don't?' Trump added. 'He's gonna have to pay a big price, OK?' Today Ryan told reporters it's true that he and Trump aren't very familiar with each other. 'We're going to obviously get to know each other if he gets the nomination. And we'll cross those bridges when we get to it,' he said. 'I'm a good-natured guy, so I get along with everybody.' Trump is on his way to winning the Republican nomination, and potentially the presidency. Establishment Republicans never expected him to get this far, and they're frantically looking for ways to wrestle the 2016 trophy away from him now. Mitt Romney, the 2012 winner of the Republican primaries, dedicated an entire speech to taking down Trump today, calling him a 'phony,' a 'fraud' and a 'con artist' among other insults. Ryan was Romney's running mate four years ago. He told reporters today that he didn't know what his friend would say in advance. 'Mitt Romney is one of our party leaders. He cares deeply about the future of the Republican Party and the country,' Ryan said. 'These are the kinds of things that happen in a competitive Republican primary.' Trump, seen here today, fired a warning shot in Speaker of the House's direction during his Super Tuesday press conference. 'Paul Ryan, I don't know him well, but I'm sure I'm going to get along great with him.' If we don't, Trump said, 'He's gonna have to pay a big price' Some Republicans have suggested that Ryan, who was drafted for speaker after John Boehner unexpectedly resigned, throwing the House Republican caucus deeper into chaos than it already was, could play the same role for the GOP at a contested convention this summer. If Trump doesn't earn the required 1,237 delegates up front, the nominee would be picked at the party's convention in Cleveland, Ohio, in late July. Boehner has 'casually mentioned in off-the-cuff conversations' that Ryan could be come the consensus candidate in such a scenario, according to Politico. 'In addition to this being an incredibly remote scenario, the speaker has no interest in it,' Ryan spokesman Brendan Buck said this week. Ryan has on the rare occasion involved himself in the 2016 race. After Trump introduced a proposal to ban non-American Muslims from entering the country, indefinitely, Ryan said, 'This is not conservatism' and it 'is not what this party stands for and, more importantly, it's not what this country stands for.' Mitt Romney, the 2012 winner of the Republican primaries, dedicated an entire speech to taking down Trump today, calling him a 'phony,' a 'fraud' and a 'con artist' among other insults. Ryan was Romney's running mate four years ago. He doesn't want the top spot in 2016, though, he's said When Trump did not immediately disavow former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke, Ryan said, 'This party does not prey on peoples prejudices.' 'I'm going to speak out for who I am and what I believe and what we as House Republicans believe, and what conservatism is as we understand it,' Ryan said. The top House Republican pledged to keep speaking his mind today when he believes it is warranted. Obama said that he will continue to help others after his presidency but told Obama told people at a luncheon that Hawaii is home for him but that he also feels connected to Chicago where Michelle Obama is from 'Transferring someone in the middle of high school tough,' Obama said in Republicans hoping to be rid of President Barack Obama will be disappointed when they hear what he told a lunch companion in Milwaukee. Obama says he'll stick around Washington for a couple of years after leaving office so daughter Sasha can finish high school. 'Were going to have to stay [in Washington] a couple of years so Sasha can finish' her education. She will be a Sophomore at the exclusive Sidwell Friends School in Washington at the end of her father's term. Finishing his term: Barack Obama looks to Courtney Bode as he visits with her son Finn Bode in Milwaukee, on Thursday after learning how her family was helped by his Affordable care Act, a staple of his presidency 'Transferring someone in the middle of high school tough,' Obama added. Obama's comment isn't surprising. He hinted at that likelihood during a television interview with Barbara Walters in 2013. 'We've got to make sure that shes doing well . . . until she goes off to college,' Obama told Walters in the 2013 interview. 'Sasha will have a big say in where we are.' But Obama sounded more definitive about it on Thursday in Milwaukee. The president had lunch there with a few people who wrote to tell him how they had benefited from the Affordable Care Act health care law. Obama signed the bill into law nearly six years ago. One of the women at the lunch asked Obama about Hawaii, where he was born. 'Hawaii is home for me,' However, Obama implied that his real home is Chicago. 'I spent almost 30 years in Chicago,' he said, adding it was also Michelle Obamas hometown. Obama commented during a portion of the lunch that was open to the media. Obama on Thursday commented on how 20 million Americans have become insured after he passed his Affordable Care Act. He congratulated local Milwaukee leaders for winning a national health insurance enrollment contest called the Healthy Communities Challenge, reports WISN. Sticking around: Obama, pictured with his daughter Sasha last year, will remain in Washington for a few years after his presidency so that his youngest daughter does not need to transfer high schools More than 38,000 Milwaukee-area residents signed up for health coverage for the first time, out of the 51,000 uninsured people who were eligible to enroll - the highest ratio of all the 20 competing cities. 'You worked with TV stations to set up phone banks where volunteers would help them sign up for coverage. It turns out, they got a lot of calls from moms who wanted to sign up their young adult sons,' Obama said. Barack Obama also criticized Republicans for speaking poorly about his health care bill and said they have offered no other alternative solutions. the administration has said that for the first time ever, 9 out of 10 Americans have health insurance. Obama did not say what career he will pursue on Thursday but he told Barbara Walters in 2013 that he does not wish to continue a career in politics. Obama last year said that after he finishes his last term as president he hopes to forge a career in helping others, according to CNN. 'I'll be done being President in a couple of years, and I'll still be a pretty young man' Obama told a crowd of students at a library in Washington last May. 'And so I'll go back to doing the kinds of work that I was doing before, just trying to find ways to help people -- help young people get educations, and help people get jobs, and try to bring businesses into neighborhoods that don't have enough businesses. That's the kind of work that I really love to do.' Obama told David Letterman last year that he and Michelle Obama hope to 'continue to do the things we care about in a different capacity,' including helping military families and and working to solve the issue of climate change. Obama has also hinted that after writing the two successful books, 'Dreams from My Father' and 'The Audacity of Hope,' he will possibly write a third. The haunting image of Aylan Kurdi's body lying face down on a Turkish beach shattered hearts across the world. That heart-breaking picture, taken hours after the four-year-old Syrian refugee drowned in the Aegean Sea, has now been recreated by a Finnish sculptor. The sculpture entitled 'Until the Sea Shall Him Free', created by Pekka Jylha, is on display at the Helsinki Contemporary gallery in Finland. A Finnish sculptor has recreated the moment Syrian refugee Aylan Kurdi, then three, washed up on a Turkish beach The photo of little Aylan, his red shirt bunched up over his waste, inspired an outpouring of sympathy for the refugees fleeing the bloodbath of Syria. Aylan's brother Galip and mother Rihan were among the five victims who drowned when their boat capsized on the ill-fated journey from Bodrum, Turkey, to the Greek island of Kos. Last month, two suspected people smugglers went on trial accused of causing their deaths. The defendants, Syrian nationals Muwafaka Alabash and Asem Alfrhad, denied any responsibility in the deaths. They blamed Aylan's father Abdullah Kurdi, who they accused of organising the trip. The two have been charged with human smuggling and causing the deaths of five people 'through deliberate negligence', and face up to 35 years in prison each if convicted. The sculpture entitled 'Until the Sea Shall Him Free', created by Pekka Jylha (pictured), is on display at the Helsinki Contemporary gallery in Finland. The body of a girl, aged around eight, washed up on the shore of the resort of Didim, just north of Bodrum, while the trial was underway. The sculpture (pictured) shows how Aylan was photographed face down in the sand She is thought to have drowned some 15 days prior in a migrant boat accident similar to the one that claimed Aylan's life. Alfrhad told the court he was in Bodrum on a business trip with his partner and was not involved in the incident. He said: 'I don't know why I am here or why I have been jailed for the past five months... My family spoke with the survivors after the accident. 'They said Abdullah Kurdi headed this [organization] and that he then went on television as a hero.' He claimed he was not a smuggler, but a migrant who had been instructed to by Abdullah Kurdi to stay back and keep an eye on a Turkish trafficker who was holding his money until his family reached Greece. Alabash claimed Abdullah Kurdi promised he would be taken on the next trip for free. Abdullah Kurdi has since returned to Syria. The Kurdi family were among hundreds of thousands who risked the journey to Greece in the hope of reaching Europe for a better life. European countries have been strained by the influx of migrants, leading to disagreements over what to do with the large number of new arrivals and how to share the burden. Despite the risks, migrants continue to take the treacherous journey across the Aegean. The International Organization for Migration said more than 400 migrants had died on that route as of last month, although the true number is thought to be much higher. The photo of little Aylan (pictured), his red shirt bunched up over his waste, inspired an outpouring of sympathy for the refugees fleeing the bloodbath of Syria Turkey reached an agreement with the European Union in November to fight smuggling networks and help curb irregular migration. In return, the EU pledged money to help improve the condition of refugees, and to grant political concessions to Turkey, including an easing of visa restrictions and the fast-tracking of its EU membership process. The pair have led strikes over cuts to public sector jobs and pensions But both have been readmitted to Labour party over support for Corbyn Two firebrand union leaders previously expelled from the Labour Party have been readmitted after supporting Jeremy Corbyn for the leadership. Mark Serwotka, general secretary of the Public and Commercial Services Union and Matt Wrack, who leads the Fire Brigades Union, have both been welcomed back to Labour after being banned for being too Left-wing. Both men supported Mr Corbyn for the leadership and are behind the far-Left Trade Union Momentum group, a socialist, anti-austerity movement. Mark Serwotka, left, and Matt Wrack, right, have both been welcomed back to Labour after being banned for being too Left-wing They have both led strikes against the previous government over cuts to public sector jobs and pensions. Mr Serwotka, a previous supporter of the Respect party and Socialist Alliance, has led calls for workers to rise up against austerity and topple the government. In the wake of Mr Corbyns victory, he urged the public sector to become bolder in coordinating strikes over pay restraints and redundancy terms. We have the ability to stop austerity in its tracks, to topple this government and to ensure we get a fairer society, he said. Mr Serwotka voted for Mr Corbyn in the leadership election but was told his vote could not be counted as he did not share the aims and values of Labour. He has been a critic of Labours previous move Rightwards. In an article for the Huffington Post, he said: I have been a severe critic of Labour in the past and I was denied a vote in the leadership election because of it. He added that Labour had aped the Tories for too long but this would now change under Mr Corbyn. CORBYN: LABOUR CAUSED CRASH Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn Jeremy Corbyn launched his most blistering attack on New Labour yesterday blaming it for the financial crash and the crisis in the NHS. The hard-Left leader said Tony Blairs light-touch regulation of the banks contributed to the 2007/08 global economic crisis. And its legacy of PFI debt was a key reason why so many hospitals were now in debt, he told the annual conference of the British Chambers of Commerce in London. Talking about the banking collapse, he said: The political consensus at that time was to opt for light-touch regulation of finance and sit back and collect the tax revenues. You cannot base a decent social policy on an unsustainable economic policy. He also said the NHS was in crisis thanks to key mistakes by government. There is the legacy of PFI debt an inefficient way of delivering necessary investment, he said. The last Labour government lacked the confidence to make the argument to borrow to invest, and so it did what banks thought they could get away with before the crash, an off-the-books accountancy wheeze. In both cases, putting debt off the books did not work, it came right back on to the books and helped trigger crisis. Advertisement Jeremy Corbyns election as leader has fired the imagination of people new to politics as well as those jaded by it, giving hope to many who had all but given up. Former fireman Mr Wrack told the Daily Mail: I applied to rejoin Labour last year and it has just been confirmed that I am allowed back in. Obviously I supported Jeremy Corbyn for the leadership and I have had a long friendship with him and [Shadow Chancellor] John McDonnell. Mr Wrack said he had been expelled from Labour 25 years ago for reasons that I never accepted. The Mail understands he was thrown out for his ties to the Trotskyist Militant Tendency. Mr Wrack has also backed the idea of sitting Labour MPs being made to go through a re-selection process before every election. Many moderate Labour MPs fear they will be ditched as their partys candidates to make way for more radical activists ahead of the next election. The group Momentum has been behind much of the organising. While Mr Wrack has backed reselections, he has criticised Momentum for retreating and too much dilly-dallying. In an article for The Socialist Worker, Mr Wrack also called for workers to join the struggle against austerity.He said: I think the Left in the trade unions need to be organised politically. They need to be making demands of the trade union movement as a whole and then feeding that into the Labour Party. He has said those wanting to fight austerity should not wait for a Labour government to be elected but should organise across every workplace. A Labour party source insisted the men had not been allowed back in just for being supporters of Mr Corbyn, adding that all procedures for readmitting members are robust. Anyone who is expelled from Labour has a five-year ban imposed before being allowed to rejoin the party. A 70-year-old man has played the erhu to his paralysed wife every day for the last 25 years. Huang Suo plays the two-stringed instrument, which is also known as the Chinese violin, to Gao Aixia to cheer her up, reports the Peoples Daily Online. The couple, who live in central Chinas Luoyang city, were pictured on February 29 at home where Huang serenades his wife. Touching: 70-year-old Huang Suo has been playing the erhu to his sick wife for 25 years in central China Emotional: His wife Gao Aixia became paralysed when she suffered from an illness over two decades ago Over the years, Huang has taught himself to play over 200 songs. Gaos favourite is On the Golden Hill of Beijing, a famous cultural revolution song in China. As she is in bed every day, Huang wants to relieve his wife of boredom so he plays to her to cheer her up. Gao has always been impressed with Huangs erhu skills, ever since the day they first met. Huang revealed: When I was young I was in the village promotional troop and I was in charge of playing erhu. It was because she liked my erhu playing that we first got together.' Gao fell ill 25 years ago, and the illness led to her becoming paralysed and bed bound. Since then, Huang has always cared for her. Doctors said the chances of her getting better were not very high, and she would need a miracle, but her husband has never given up on her. Dedication: Zhuang has taught himself to play over 200 songs over the years to cheer up his sick wife at home Hard worker: To make a living and support his wife Zhuang cleans the streets near his home in Luoyang city Huang has tried lots of medicines and remedies to help his wife get better from her illness. He found that she became most responsive when he played the erhu. When he first played it she opened his eyes and looked at him, so he played it every day since then. He told reporters when they got married he promised his wife he will be good to her for a lifetime. The couple have no children so Huang only has to provide his wife and himself. To help Huang to look after his wife, people in the village asked him to clean the street near their home as a way to make some money. They gave him 500 Yuan a month (50) as a stipend. Huang still has hope for his wife and will never stop playing for her. He saidL I believe my wife will get better. I will play erhu for the rest of her life. A middle school in China rewards its top students with great big bags of pork to congratulate them for doing well. The harder the children work, the bigger the bag they receive at the Stone Bridge Middle School in Wenling near the city of Shanghai, reports the Peoples Daily Online. Pictures of the third year students lined up with their red and white bags of meat were taken on February 26 and shared on social media in China. Only the top 45 children are rewarded with the pork. Line them up: Children at a school in Wenling, China, queue up for a bag of meat as others look on behind them Incentive: If they do well at school 45 students will be selected for the reward of a bag of pork to take home The school has been handing meat out for excellent work instead of scholarships for three years. Out of all the students at the school, those top of the class received a 5.5lbs bag of pork, while the next level came away with a 3.3lbs bag. Headmaster of the school Wu Guanghui said he chose to give pork instead of other rewards because it was a down to earth gift and can be shared with the entire family. Previously, the children in the school were rewarded with cash amounting to 50 Yuan (5). Speaking to the Peoples Daily, some of the children at the school said their parents feel proud of them when they bring home a bag of meat. Student Chen Gaoxuan said: In the beginning, my parents thought this prize is very strange, but then they felt more of a sense of pride.' Reward: The third year students in China lined up with their red and white bags of meat on February 26 Sharing: The school in China chose to give pork instead of other rewards because it was a down to earth gift He added: As compared to cash and scholarship, meat is more affordable, and a person can share. Another student called Zheng Danqi said: Before carrying meat back home, my mother would let my grandfather know I was coming and he could share my joy. Wu said every year some parents ring up the school and ask why their child did not get any meat, believing it is because their grades have dropped. A meat distribution company came to school to deliver 168lbs of meat. It is then given out to the children the next day. Unfortunately the school cannot give pork to every student in the school or the costs would be too high. Advertisement Before the advent of the Lockheed U-2, gaining intelligence about the Soviet Unions secretive actions during the Cold War was almost impossible for surveillance planes flying low over Russia. But the U-2 spy plane, which was able to fly out of reach of enemy fighters and missiles and take detailed aerial photographs of airfields, factories and shipyards, was a game changer. Knowledge is power, and these images proved to the US that there was no immediate threat and so a deadly arms race - and potential nuclear war - was averted. Despite their ability to prevent crises and lack of on-board weapons, over the course of their history, spy planes have become the most feared aircraft and a new generation is taking to the skies with using increasingly smart technology, explain experts from How It Works magazine. Explore the technologies using the zoomable modules below Before the advent of the Lockheed U-2 (illustrated above), gaining intelligence about the Soviet Unions secretive actions during the Cold War was almost impossible for surveillance planes flying low over Russia The U-2 is able to climb to 50,000ft (15,240 metres) in around 20 minutes and 65,000ft (19,812 metres) within an hour of take-off. Hover your mouse above the graphic to zoom in for other details and facts Deployed by government and military forces, these eyes in the sky can be used for many different tasks, from patrolling borders and gathering information behind enemy lines, to monitoring battlefields for strategic decision-making. Getting the information they need quickly and discreetly is the key aim for engineers. Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works division, for example, is developing a faster, unmanned successor to its legendary SR-71 Blackbird spy plane called the SR-72, which is nicknamed the 'Son of the Blackbird'. THE ICONIC U-2 SPYPLANE: STATISTICS AND FEATURES Altitude: The U-2 is able to climb to 50,000ft (15,240 metres) in 20 minutes and 65,000ft (19,812 metres) within an hour of take-off. Wingpan: The U-2 spy plane has a tip-to-tip wingspan of 103ft (31.4metres) and is tuned to provide lift for its high-altitude missions. Payload: While the plane carries no weapons, it holds 5,004lbs (2,270kg) of sensors and other mission-specific equipment. Cabin pressure: To prevent decompression sickness, the cockpit pressure was recently adjusted from the equivalent of 29,002ft (8,840 metres, or the height of Mount Everest) to 14,993ft (4,570 metres). Sensors and display: Electro-optical/infrared sensors feed data into the cockpit, presenting information clearly to the pilot. Landing gear: The wheels are behind one another and the plane comes to a stop with one wingtip scraping the ground. Safety car: Landing a U-2 is difficult, another pilot gives instructions from a safety car. Advertisement The SR-71 was built in the analogue age, taking off in 1964 and performing reconnaissance missions until its retirement in 1990. Despite being 105ft (32 metres) long with a 56ft (17-metre) wingspan, this black behemoth could fly faster than a rifle bullet, hitting Mach 3 three times the speed of sound, over 2,299mph (3,700 km/h) Its distinctive curved shape with a sharp edge that ran along the body of the plane presented very few surfaces for radar detection, and using top-of-the-range photographic equipment for the time, Blackbird captured images of the ground from an altitude three times the height of Everest. Although some were lost in accidents, none were ever shot down or captured. By comparison, its successor's engines will use a hybrid system to reach hypersonic speeds, enabling the aircraft to cross an entire continent in an hour. The air friction of this speed alone could melt steel, so the SR-72 is likely to be made of composite materials, similar to those used for space shuttles and missiles. It will need to be capable of withstanding temperatures in excess of 1,000C (1,832F) and be sealed to stop lethal air leaks. The technology needed to take photographs at this kind of speed will also be an incredible feat, and the exact makeup of this aircraft's gadgetry has not been confirmed, or perhaps even invented yet. What experts do know is that it won't just be an observer. This new unmanned plane will be armed to the teeth, launching bombs to hit targets from altitudes of around 15 miles (24km) up in the stratosphere. Aerodynamics play a huge part in spy plane technology and aircraft like the SR-72 needs to be designed to cope with stresses experienced when travelling at such high speeds. The Son of the Blackbird will need to be incredibly well balanced to deal with the changes between subsonic, supersonic and hypersonic flight to ensure that the craft is not ripped apart by the shifting centre of lift. Supersonic is when an aircraft breaks the sound barrier or tops Mach 1, while hypersonic is when it reaches Mach 5, or five times the speed of sound. Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works division is developing the 'Son of the Blackbird' (illustrated above). The engines will use a hybrid system to reach hypersonic speeds, enabling the aircraft to cross an entire continent in an hour. The air friction of this speed alone could melt steel, so the SR-72 is likely to be made of composite materials, similar to those used for space shuttles and missiles HOW SPY PLANS FIND AND TRACK MOBILE SIGNALS Spy planes can detect mobile phone signals to give away a person's location from the air.They are often equipped with technology known as a 'dirtbox' which stand for digital receiver technology. It works by mimicking the job of telecommunication towers, tricking mobile phones into sending unique registration to a device. Explore the diagram below by hovering your mouse of each section Modern spy planes can find and track mobile communications signals (hover over graphic to magnify). They usually use 'dirtboxes' that mimic telecommunications towers, tricking mobile phones into sending unique registration data to the dirtbox device The dirtbox can scan thousands of phones before it reaches its intended target. Once the suspect has been located and locked on to, the dirtbox disregards the other phones and focuses on collecting information. The plane manoeuvres into the best location to get a clear signal from the mobile phone in question. It can detect signal strength and the geographical location of the user as well as obtain identifying information about the phone's owner. Using this information from the mobile phone signal, a suspect's location can then be pinpointed to within 10ft (three metres). The dirtbox can even help to track a person down to a specific room in a building. Advertisement However, the Global Hawk, an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle made by Northrup Grumman, looks dramatically different to a spy plane you might imagine. It has a bulging front profile and a somewhat chunky tail end, but this amazing surveillance drone is able to fly across the world to deliver real-time ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) data to its controllers at US Air Force ground bases. Unmanned aircraft offer numerous advantages when it comes to spying from the air. First of all, engineers do not need to construct a cockpit that safeguards human life. The Global Hawk (pictured), an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle made by Northrup Grumman, looks dramatically different to a spy plane you might imagine. It has a bulging front profile and a somewhat chunky tail end, but this amazing surveillance drone is able to fly across the world to deliver real-time ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) data to its controllers at US Air Force ground bases When it comes to creating a monster machine that operates on the very edges of space, this is a money, time and space-saving bonus. The other benefit of using a spy drone instead is that it can keep going for longer than a mission with an on-board pilot. Many drones can also be pre-programmed to carry out assignments even if contact is lost with its base team. One such spy drone causing ripples in aerial reconnaissance is Northrop Grumman's RQ-180. THE FAMOUS LOCKHEED U-2 SPY PLANE AND ITS SUCCESSORS The plane that peeked around the Iron Curtain is still going strong. Named 'Dragon Lady' by the US Air Force, the U-2 was the brainchild of engineer Clarence 'Kelly' Johnson and went from design to test flight in just nine months. The slender body and long wingspan allow it to fly a range of over 2,983 miles (4,800km) at an altitude of over 13 miles (21 km). The plane that peeked around the Iron Curtain is still going strong. Named 'Dragon Lady' by the US Air Force, the U-2 (silhouette pictured) was the brainchild of engineer Clarence 'Kelly' Johnson and went from design to test flight in just nine months The next-generation U-2 family, the U-2S, was built in the 1980s and is expected to be operational beyond 2050. These planes are fitted with state-of-the-art sensor systems that are able to collect data day and night, in all weather. The intelligence is distributed in real time for analysis and exploitation over super-fast digital links. Today, some of the U-2's work is for Nasa, equipped with various sensors to conduct atmospheric tests. U-2s have also patrolled the skies above Iraq and Afghanistan, intercepting insurgent communications and using their incredible imaging sensors to detect small disturbances on the ground, alerting troops to the presence of improvised explosive devices and mines. Advertisement Not much is known about this robot apart from the fact that it exists and that the stealth drone is designated for flying in defended airspace for spying on heavily armed rival nations. It's thought that to evade radar detection, this drone may be designed with the 'cranked kite' formation, where the shape is a fusion of the 'kite' and 'flying' wing formations. The chunky and angular shapes are designed to scatter oncoming radar waves, so that they can't be bounced back to their location and the plane can fly undetected. Modern spy planes use cutting-edge science and technology to do this, but historical planes were able to achieve amazing feats too. One such example is the SR-71 Blackbird (stock image). It was built in the analogue age, taking off in 1964 and performing reconnaissance missions until its retirement in 1990 The left-hand diagram shows how the Boeing P-8 scans waters for submarines. It features in the latest issue of How It Works magazine (front cover pictured right), on sale now As well as the shape of the aircraft, radar-absorbent materials can also be used to make it less visible. When the waves from the seeking radar hit it, these coatings can deflect the waves and send them in another direction, or in such a manner that the deflected waves cancel out the incoming ones. This renders the craft practically undiscoverable. Stealth, speed and strength are all very well, but if a spy plane can't carry a decent payload then it's not worth its salt. There are countless different gadgets and gizmos that can be attached, built in, added or upgraded in order to turn an ordinary military aircraft into a hub of digital sensory perception. Radar and sonar, for example, use radio and sound waves (respectively) that bounce off objects to pinpoint their location. Reconnaissance aircraft will often carry high-resolution imaging equipment, with top-level zooms and digital video streaming and recording capabilities. Thermal imaging and infrared sensors are other payload regulars, along with a plethora of communications interceptors, acoustic monitoring and many other ways to listen in on the rest of the world. The data is delivered to analysts either on-board or on the ground via high-speed real-time links, so the intelligence gathered can be used advantageously. It would seem that the future for ISR missions involves plenty of speed, power and altitude with the benefit of automated features. Although there are no plans to retire the old faithfuls like Lockheed's U-2 Dragon Lady just yet, there are also plenty of rumours circulating about plans for faster, meaner, more multifunctional spy planes. One such concept is the TR-X another Lockheed invention from its famous Skunk Works spy plane creation station in California. The planning stages are still in their infancy, but Lockheed has stated this spy plane will take the best bits of all the other great spy planes in the skies today and roll them into one mega plane that could be deployed by 2030. The full feature is available in How It Works magazine, on sale now Firms says it can be used while driving a car Slides over your regular phone case, with a lens on top like a periscope Walking through busy streets while on your phone can be a challenging, death defying feat, but not with Urban Periscope. The gadget claims to redirect your vision 90 degrees with a periscope so you can text and walk without bumping into anyone, or to show just how addicted we all are to smartphones. Urban Periscope's website has no release date and no price, it just says, 'now you can look at your phone and interact with the world around you at the exact same time.' Scroll down for video The gadget claims to redirect your vision 90 degrees with a periscope so you can text and walk without bumping into anyone, or to show just how addicted we all are to smartphones. Urban Periscope's website has no release date and no price WHAT IS URBAN PERISCOPE? The explanation of a periscope is that it is an apparatus designed with a tub that is attached to a set of mirrors or prisms. IT looks like a phone case with a periscope on top. Urban Periscope claims to redirect your vision 90 degrees with a periscope so you can text and walk without bumping into anyone, or to show just how addicted we all are to smartphones. And 'now you can look at your phone and interact with the world around you at the exact same time.' Advertisement This gadget was designed and created by Chase Kimball, Whitney Keller and Ignmar Larsen, who launched the NoPhone last year. NoPhone is a technology-free hand-to-phone contact that allows you to also stay connected with the world. It's was basically a piece of plastic that was shaped like a smartphone that did raise $18,000 on Kickstarter when it only set out to gain $5,000. It seems that Urban Periscope might be second device in Ingmar Larsen's series about how addicted society is to their smartphones. The Urban Periscope slides right over a regular smartphone case, but it's still in the prototype stages at it awaits to gain more customer approval and there is no news about the release date, reports PSFK. If you own an Android it does seem like you are out of luck, as it will only be available for iPhone 6 users when it does go on the market. But iOS users shouldn't get too excited either because this case is completely analog meaning it offers nothing but a technique to redirect your eyes while you walk. The firm's page does say it is possible to use Urban Periscope while driving a car, which is something a regular phone case isn't capable of promising. NoPhone aimed to be an answer to the growing problem of phone addiction - or simply a spoof to show just how much we are obsessed by our cell phones. The firm claims it offers the equivalent of a security blanket for phone addicts - a plastic 'brick' exactly the same size and weight as an iPhone. It boasts the NoPhone has 'no camera, no bluetooth and it can't make calls.' According to the gadget's website, 'The NoPhone simulates the exact weight and dimensions of your most beloved gadget in order to alleviate any feelings of inadequacy generated by the absence of a real smartphone.' But iOS users shouldn't get too excited either because this case is completely analog meaning it offers nothing but a technique to redirect your eyes while you walk. The firm's page does say it is possible to use Urban Periscope while driving a car, which is something a regular phone case isn't capable of promising The Urban Periscope slides right over a regular smartphone case, but it's still in the prototype stages at it awaits to gain more customer approval and there is no news about the release date. If you own an Android it does seem like you are out of luck, as it will only be available for iPhone 6 users when it does go on the market As the site explains, the noPhone has superior features to a normal smartphone, because it's totally wireless, battery-free, doesn't require software updates, and is shatterproof and waterproof. GADGET ADDICTION Recent research has found that more than half of gadget owners (53 per cent) worldwide admit to suffering anxiety when they cant use their phones. It found having a tech detox was as stressful as a trip to the dentist or even their own wedding day. The number of people being treated for this addiction has risen over the past year and around 1 in 8 people in the UK now exhibit signs of being hooked on their gadgets. Advertisement 'With a thin, light and completely wireless design,the NoPhone acts as a surrogate to any smart mobile device, enabling you to always have a rectangle of smooth, cold plastic to clutch without forgoing any potential engagement with your direct environment.' 'Never again experience the unsettling feeling of flesh on flesh when closing your hand. 'The NoPhone simulates the exact weight and dimensions of your most beloved gadget in order to alleviate any feelings of inadequacy generated by the absence of a real smartphone.' The firm made an update to its Kickstarter campaign last year that announcing the release of its $5 NoPhone Zero with less features than ever before. The device has no fake buttons, fake camera it is simply a plastic rectangle that replaces the need for smart rectangle device interaction. The common moon jellyfish is anything but ordinary. These incredible creatures can grow new limbs, rearrange their entire body structure and even create clones of themselves. And recent research has revealed that moon jellies have a Benjamin Button-like ability to age backwards. Recent research has revealed that moon jellies have a Benjamin Button-like ability to age backwards. A-D shows the normal development from ephyrae to juvenile medusae. E and F show a 25-day old medusa. G-L: juvenile medusae during so-called 'reverse transformation' The discovery was made by Jinru He, a graduate student in marine biology at China's Xiamen University, according to an in-depth report in National Geographic. Several years ago, he picked up a baby male moon jellyfish from the ocean and raised it until it was a full grown adult. Jinru placed the corpse of the dead jellyfish into a new tank and three months later, a polyp appeared on the specimen. When an adult jellyfish also known as a medusa - is injured it moves to the bottom of the ocean floor. When an adult jellyfish also known as a medusa - is injured it moves to the bottom of the ocean floor. When it's there, it transforms back into its infant state, known as a polyp. Normal development traits and stages of a jellyfish are shown in black, while the red illustraiton reveals what was observed in the latest study It then transforms back into its infant state, known as a polyp, which then forms back into a medusa. Most jellyfish start life as buds off polyps on the ocean floor or a coral reef. But the creation of a polyp in this way had never been seen before. 5 FACTS: MOON JELLYFISH 1. It doesn't sting: Unlike poisonous relatives such as the Portuguese Man O'War, the moon jellyfish doesn't sting. 2. It only lives for six months in the wild: Although they can live for several years in an aquarium if professionally cared for. 3. Although it's transparent and tiny, it has four names: Along with its Latin name, Aurelia aurita, moon Jellyfish are also known as 'common jellyfish' and 'saucer jellyfish'. 4. Moon jellyfish are found everywhere: The jellyfish are found in seas all over the world, including those that lap the British shore. If you don't fancy splashing out $39 on an American jelly, you could always head to Cornwall, where moon jellyfish are regularly seen floating just off beaches and in harbours. 5. It doesn't have the ability to poo: The moon jellyfish is one of the world's most basic animals and has very few body parts. Although it has tentacles and four gonads, which it uses to digest its food and reproduce, it has no circulatory, respiratory or excretory systems. Advertisement National Geographic said that what Jinru observed was similar to a piece of butterfly wing sprouting a caterpillar. The pulps grew into medusa jellyfish, and then instead of dying, transformed again to a younger pulp stage. 'The present study describes the unprecedented potential of life cycle reversal in Aurelia by showing that the polyp stage can be achieved directly from both juvenile and sexually mature medusae,' He wrote in a paper. He also noticed that in some medusae, polyps grew outside those tears in their mouths. Those polyps then formed into clones of the jellyfish. Scientists believe that understanding how jellyfish can achieve this could hold the give to living longer. Last year, researchers at Caltech discovered that when moon jellyfish lose limbs, they don't regrow them. Instead, they re-organise their bodies to stay symmetrical. This so-called resymmetrisation occurred whether the animal had as few as two limbs remaining or as many as seven. 'Jellyfish move by "flapping" their arms; this allows for propulsion through the water, which also moves water - and food - past the mouth,' he says. 'As they are swimming, a boundary layer of viscous - that is, thick - fluid forms between their arms, creating a continuous paddling surface. 'And you can imagine how this paddling surface would be disturbed if you have a big gap between the arms.' Maintaining symmetry appears to be vital not just for propulsion and feeding, the researchers found. In the few cases when the injured animals do not rearrange their body partsonly about 15 per cent of the injured animals they studiedthe unsymmetrical juvenile also cannot develop into normal adult jellyfish. Last year, researchers at Caltech discovered that when moon jellyfish lose limbs, they don't regrow them. Instead, they re-organise their bodies to stay symmetrical. Scientists believe that understanding how jellyfish can achieve this could hold the give to living longer Advertisement Sentinel-3A is on a mission to investigate Earths oceans, measure colour, temperature and sea levels, and has recently sent back the first batch of pictures. The first test group of images depict the snow-covered archipelago in Svalbard, the Strait of Gibraltar and parts of Europe and the US. This device is part of a large program that aims to understand and monitor the health of Earths oceans and land surfaces. Scroll down for video The satellite will be part of a constellation that aims to understand and monitor the health of Earths oceans and land surfaces, such as the California Coast (pictured). Sentinel-3A was first released into orbit on February 16th and is the third of more than a dozen eyes in the sky that part of the Copernicus program. The European Space Agency calls the most sophisticated observation system every launched FACTS ABOUT SENTINEL 3-A The first instrument switched on was OLCI. It captured its first picture on 29 February 2016, capturing Svalbard Island along with a part of arctic ice pack near solar terminator. It successfully launched on February 16th from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome aboard a Rokot launch vehicle. It's mission is to investigate plants, crop conditions and inland water monitoring with estimates of atmospheric aerosol and clouds. In addition to, monitor the health of the oceans by taking measurements of sea levels, temperature and colour. Advertisement Sentinel-3A was first released into orbit on February 16th and is the third of more than a dozen eyes in the sky that part of the Copernicus program. The European Space Agency calls the most sophisticated observation system every launched, reports AP. These new eyes will not only capture images of the deep blue see and rolling hills of the world, it will give researchers the ability to monitor areas in real-time. The device is set investigate plants, crop conditions and inland water monitoring with estimates of atmospheric aerosol and clouds. The mission will be at the heart of a wide range of applications, from measuring marine biological activity to providing information about the health of vegetation, said Volker Liebig, ESAs Director of Earth Observation Programmes. Given its extensive payload, Sentinel-3A is a real workhorse that is set to make a step change in the variety of data products provided to users. What makes this technology so impressive, is that it has the ability to scan the entire globe in just a little over a day and send the images within a few hours. The technology for this new device stems from Envisat, which launched in 2002, as it is equip with 21 spectral bands, a resolution of 300 m and a swath width of 1270 km. The images received this week were taken with its ocean and land colour instrument, OLCI. The launch of Sentinel-3A further expands the fleet of dedicated missions for Copernicus services, Philippe Brunet, Director of the European Commissions Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises, said. Sentinel-3A is on a mission to investigate Earths oceans, measure colour, temperature and sea levels, and has recently sent back the first batch of pictures. The group of images depict the snow-covered archipelago in Svalbard (pictured), the Strait of Gibraltar and parts of Europe and the US This mission is particularly important as it will contribute to the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service and the global land component of the Copernicus Land Service. Once commissioned, it will systematically measure Earths oceans, land, ice and atmosphere to monitor large-scale global dynamics and provide critical near real-time information for ocean and weather forecasting. The satellite will spend the next five months being commissioned for service and is expected to be in its reference orbit by 3 March. What makes this technology so impressive, is that it has the ability to scan the entire globe in just a little over a day and send the images within a few hours of snapping them. The Sentinel 3-A's (left) technology for this new device stems from Envisat, which launched in 2002, as it is equip with 21 spectral bands, a resolution of 300 m and a swath width of 1270 km. After the commission is complete, ESA will give EUMETSAT the operations of the satellite and the mission will be a combined effort. ESA will focus on the land products and EUMETSAT the marine products for application through the Copernicus services. This first image is a promise to the marine user community, said Alain Ratier, EUMETSATs Director-General. As the operator of the Sentinel-3 marine mission, we are delighted to see the first fruit of our cooperation with ESA and the European Commission, and we are looking forward to delivering many more images and products to users after the commissioning. Apple recently took a public stance against requests to unlock the phone of the San Bernardino bomber, and files suggest it is a policy the company is keen to promote. A feature spotted by a developer in Apple's iOS 9.3 software warns people if their phone is enrolled in a scheme that could mean it can be monitored remotely. It seemingly applies to employers monitoring their staff on work devices, and it is not clear if it will warn of other types of surveillance, but it does show Apple's desire to highlight such activities. A feature spotted in Apple's iOS 9.3 software warns people if their phone is enrolled in a scheme that could mean it can be monitored remotely. It seemingly applies to employers monitoring their staff on work devices, and it is not clear if it will warn of other types of surveillance. It was spotted by Reddit user MaGNeTiX The feature was spotted by Reddit user MaGNeTiX, who has been testing the beta version of iOS 9.3. He shared screenshots showing a message on a handsets lock screen, and the 'About' page in 'Settings' which read: This iPhone is supervised.' It then goes on to say an organisation, which for the purposes of privacy has been concealed, 'can monitor your internet traffic and locate this device.' The handset was set up through Apples Device Enrollment Program, which is used by companies that lend a large number of phones, tablets and laptops to their employees. The handset was set up through Apples Device Enrollment Program, which is used by companies that lend a large number of phones, tablets and laptops to their employees. The message reads: 'Your iPhone is being supervised.' A stock image of someone using an iPhone 6S is shown above The user explained that the message suggests IT departments of employers enrolled can track how the devices are being used. IPHONE 7 SET TO BE SLIMMEST YET Apple's next iPhone will be as thin as the firm's iPod Touch, it has been claimed. Tech blog MacOtakara said that the iPhone 7 will be 1mm thinner than its predecessor, the iPhone 6S, and will measure 6.1mm in thickness. It also claimed the new handset, expected to be revealed in September, will feature stereo speakers - but could dump the headphone socket to slim it down. It is expected to have a thinner lightning port - although it is believed the same cable will still work with the handset. It also reiterated claims that Apple will lose the 'bump' from the camera lens. It is believed the larger of the expected two models will use a radical dual lens camera, and a Sony executive appeared to confirm the move earlier this year. Advertisement A message in the Settings menus About section suggests a phones supervisor at work can monitor a users internet traffic and see their location. Its not clear whether the feature detects other types of surveillance, Mashable reported, meaning it may only be useful for those using company iPhones or other Apple devices. MaGNeTix wrote: This [message] appears ONLY if your phone is supervised. At first glance, the new feature doesnt seem to be able to tell a user if they are being snooped upon in real-time, or let them turn surveillance off. But it may serve as a reminder that their actions while using their phone can be seen by their employers. Because the feature was found in a beta version of iOS 9.3 there is a chance it may be removed before the finished version is made available to the public. A devastating fungal disease is threatening a third of the world's frogs and has already wiped out hundreds of amphibian species. Now scientists believe Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), which causes chytrid fungus disease, alters the mating behaviour of some frogs. They discovered that Japanese tree frogs infected by the disease 'call more voraciously' than healthy males to attract a female and make it easier to spread Bd. Scientists believe Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), which causes chytrid fungus disease alters the mating behaviour of Japanese Tree frogs (stock image of uninfected animal shown above). Japanese tree frogs infected by the disease 'call more voraciously' than healthy males to attract a female Scientists first observed the devastating effects of Bd, which has no known cure, in the 1990s when it killed off a number of frog species in Australia and South America. Since then, it has become clear that while some frogs die from its nasty symptoms, other infected amphibians can survive for years, suggesting they have evolved to live with the disease, Science Mag reported. But behavioural ecologist Bruce Waldman at Seoul National University, together with his student Deuknam An found that even populations that have adapted to the disease, such as Japanese tree frogs, are being hard hit. CHYTRID FUNGUS DISEASE Chytrid fungus disease, or chytridiomycosis, is caused by the pathogenic fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). It kills amphibians by destroying their skin, damaging their immune systems and even causing heart failure. The effects of the disease were first seen in the 1990s when a number of frog species were declared extinct in Australia and South America. Bd has been blamed for wiping out hundreds of species of amphibians in total and is said to threaten one third of the world's frogs and salamanders. A recent study said Bd has been evolving with amphibians for around 40,000 years, meaning some are able to live while being infected. Advertisement The study, published in the journal Biology Letters, said: 'Even apparently healthy animals may suffer after being infected.' The duo studied the mating calls of 42 male Japanese tree frogs in their natural habitat in South Korea. The species is known to be infected by Bd but has not experienced a large die-off. They recorded the frogs' pulsing calls during the breeding season, between June and mid-August in 2011, paying attention to the number of pulses per note and the call's duration, for example. 'We found that males infected by chytrid fungus called more vociferously than uninfected males,' they wrote. Of the 42 males studied, nine tested positive for Bd and these individuals called out faster and longer than their healthy counterparts to attract females, known to prefer more rapid pulses. Michael Ryan, a herpetologist at the University of Texas, Austin who was not involved in the study, described the finding as surprising, because Bd tends to make frogs lethargic. He told Virginia Morrell that the disease may act like a parasite, turning its host into a zombie that spreads Bd in the population by luring females intent on mating from healthy males with a superior call. Scientists first observed the devastating effects of Bd, which has no known cure, in the 1990s when to killed off a number of frog species in Australia and South America. This microscopic image However, scientists do not yet understand how Bd is able to change a host's behaviour. 'Calling is essential to attract mates, so the pathogen may induce energetic calling to infect more females,' the study says. It continues that that fooled females become infected and pass on susceptibility to the disease to their offspring. However it also offered an alternate theory that 'infected males may put more effort into reproduction early in their lifetime before the disease affects them'. 'Our results suggest that even when a pathogen is not lethal, its indirect effects may contribute to population declines.' This means that even without outbreaks, Bd is having a negative impact on amphibian populations. Having mastered fictional renderings of spaceflight, 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' director J.J. Abrams has turned his attention to a real space drama, with a series of Web-based documentaries about a Google-backed race to the moon. Produced by Abrams and directed by documentary filmmaker Orlando von Einsiedel ('Virunga'), the series chronicles some of the 16 teams vying for $30 million in prizes for landing and operating a privately developed robotic spacecraft on the moon before Dec. 31, 2017. 'The teams ... range from Silicon Valley tech experts, to hackers in Germany, to IT specialists in India, to a father and son (working) in a spare bedroom in Vancouver,' the X Prize Foundation, which organized the competition, said in a statement. Scroll down for video J.J. Abrams nine-part series, called 'Moon Shot,' offers an overview of the Google Lunar X Prize contest THE GOOGLE LUNAR X-PRIZE The $30 million prize to 'incentivise space entrepreneurs to create a new era of affordable access to the moon and beyond.' 'More than half of the world's population has never had the opportunity to view a live transmission from the lunar surface,' say the organisers. The prize aims to create a new 'Apollo' moment for this generation and to spur continuous lunar exploration. In order to win this money, a private company must land safely on the surface of the Moon, travel 1,640ft (500 metres) on its surface, and send two signals back to the Earth. The Google Lunar XPrize, which started off with more than 25 teams, is currently in its final round, and a decision on funding is due to be made in 2016. Advertisement So far only the government-run space programs of the United States, the former Soviet Union and China have landed spacecraft on the moon. Abrams' nine-part series, called 'Moon Shot,' offers an overview of the Google Lunar X Prize contest and follows individual members from several of the teams, according to X Prize spokesman Eric Desatnik. Each film is seven minutes long. The entire series debuts on March 15 on Google Play and on March 17 on YouTube. In addition to his work on the latest 'Star Wars' movie blockbuster, Abrams' directing credits include the first two films in a reboot of the 'Star Trek' big-screen franchise. Google paid for the documentary project, a partnership of Abrams' production company Bad Robot and Epic Digital. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The $30 million prize is aimed to 'incentivise space entrepreneurs to create a new era of affordable access to the moon and beyond.' 'More than half of the world's population has never had the opportunity to view a live transmission from the lunar surface,' say the organisers. The prize aims to create a new 'Apollo' moment for this generation and to spur continuous lunar exploration. In order to win this money, a private company must land safely on the surface of the Moon, travel 1,640ft (500 metres) on its surface, and send two signals back to the Earth. The Google Lunar XPrize, which started off with more than 25 teams, is currently in its final round, and a decision on funding is due to be made in 2016. It is one of 13 competitions sponsored by the California-based X Prize organization to stimulate technological developments that address a wide-range of environmental, social and medical challenges. Audi gave an excited audience the first views of its moon rover earlier this year, as the German car manufacturer debuted the concept vehicle at an auto show in Detroit. The outing marks the first public appearance since the car firm revealed its plans to develop a lunar rover last July. The rover (pictured) is powered by an adjustable solar panel that captures sunlight and directs it to a lithium-ion battery. It feeds four electric wheel hub motors. A head at the front of the vehicle carries two stereoscopic cameras as well as a scientific camera that examines materials. AUDI'S ROVER SPECIFICATIONS The rover is powered by an adjustable solar panel that captures sunlight and directs it to a lithium-ion battery. It feeds four electric wheel hub motors. The theoretical maximum speed is 2.2mph (3.6 km/h). It carries two stereoscopic cameras at the front and a scientific camera to study the surface. Overall it has a total weight of 77lbs (35kg) and is built from high-strength aluminium, with other parts made from magnesium. Advertisement The vehicle has been built with a German group of engineers, known as the Part-Time Scientists, as part of the Google Lunar XPrize contest. According to the engineering team behind the rover - one of only 16 remaining groups in the contest - Audi has helped it to perfect a 3D-printing process to manufacturer the vehicle from titanium and aluminium. With a $30 million (20.8m) prize for the winners, the Lunar XPrize competition was set up to 'incentivise space entrepreneurs to create a new era of affordable access to the moon and beyond.' In order to scoop the prize, a privately-funded team has to place a robot on the moon's surface, explore at least 1,640ft (500 metres) and transmit high-definition video and images back to Earth. Speaking to The Verge, Robert Bohme, boss of Part Time Scientists, said: 'It's really hard to justify a lunar mission now, even if you get it down to $30 million. He added: We want to focus so much on science, we want to show that there is the value. There is value that you can take away from being on the surface of the moon. 'It's important to show what could be done.' But it will only form at extreme pressures of up to 5 million atmospheres Chemists have calculated it can form a stable crystal with oxygen atoms Attempts to form compounds with it have only produced small molecules Krypton is a noble gas that is often used in In the weird world of comic books, kryptonite was a glowing green crystal capable of stripping Superman, of his powers. But now a real-life crystal made from the gas element krypton could be created for the first time after scientists discovered how to synthesise it. They have discovered a compound of krypton and oxygen technically known as krypton monoxide can form under extremely high pressures. Researchers used computer simulations to work out whether the gas krypton (atoms coloured blue above) could form stable crystals. They found it could form a krypton monoxide under extreme pressures and the less stable krypton tetroxide (right). Oxygen atoms are shown in red in the picture While the crystal is unlikely to have properties seen in the Superman comics, there is a remote possible it could be found on alien planets, just like the fictional substance. The scientists said it would require a pressure of between three to five million atmospheres, something that can be achieved in specialist labs by squeezing material between diamond anvils. However, the centre of some planets could also produce similar pressures, although the oxygen needed to make the krypton monoxide would likely be in short supply. In the comic books and films, kryptonite is depicted as a glowing green crystal (pictured) Dr Patrick Zaleski-Ejgierd, a theoretical chemist at the Institute of Physical chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw, Poland, who led the study, joked: 'If Superman's reading this, he can stay calm - at the moment there's no cause for panic. 'Our krypton monoxide, KrO, probably does not exist in nature. 'According to current knowledge, deep in the interiors of planets, that is, the only place where there is sufficient pressure for its synthesis, oxygen does not exist, nor even more so, does krypton.' He added that strictly speaking the compound they have predicted should be called kryptoxide rather than kryptonite. Krypton is a nobel gas that was discovered in 1898 and has been commonly used in fluorescent lightbulbs. Rather than producing a green glow, however, the element produces a bright white light. Compounds of krypton have been produced before but in cryogenic conditions where the temperature has been reduced to the point where it starts to form small molecules with hydrogen or fluorine. However, the Polish scientists wanted to examine what conditions would be needed for krypton to form an extensive and stable crystal lattice. In the Superman franchise, kyrptonite is formed on the superheroe's home planet and has the ability to strip him of his superhuman powers. A still from the film Superman man of Steel is pictured While the chemists have worked out how to create a stable crystal using the gas element krypton, they have joked that Superman will not need to worry as it is unlikely to have the properties seen in the comic books. They say it is also unlikely to exist in nature, except perhaps at the centre of distant planets ON THE HUNT FOR KRYPTON An influential astrophysicist claimed to have found Superman's home planet Krypton after being hired by DC Comits to find its location. The fictional planet Krypton would have orbited a red dwarf star called LHS 2520, says Neil deGrasse Tyson, director of the American Museum of Natural History's Hayden Planetarium in New York City. Tthe star is 27.1 light-years from Earth in the southern constellation Corvus, also known as The Crow, says Dr. Tyson. The star is cooler and smaller than our sun. The coordinates of LHS 2520 are: Right Ascension: 12 hours, 10 minutes, 5.77 seconds Declination: -15 degrees, 4 minutes, 17.9 seconds Proper Motion: 0.76 arcseconds per year, along 172.94 degrees from due north. Advertisement Crystal lattices are built from atoms or molecules arranged in space in an orderly manner. The smallest repetitive fragment of such structures - the basic 'building block' - is called a unit cell. Using computer simulations, the chemists discovered the unit cell of krypton monoxide is cuboid with a diamond base, with krypton atoms at the corners. In addition, in the middle of the two opposite side walls, there is one atom of krypton. This means the krypton and oxygen form zig zag chains that pass through the crystal. The researchers said their calculations suggest the crystal may act like a semiconductor and will be fairly opaque. The team also found it would be possible to form a second less stable compound of krypton with four oxygen molecules. They said this material would probably have properties typical of a metal and has a simpler crystal structure than krypton monoxide. It can form at pressures of more than 3.4 million atmospheres. Pawe Lata, a PhD student who helped conduct the research, said: 'Our computer simulations suggest that crystals of krypton monoxide will be formed at a pressure in the range of 3 to 5 million atmospheres. Since 1954, the average number of tornado outbreaks has been on the rise in North America, spawning deadly weather events that last for days. An outbreak can last between one and three days, and extreme cases have been known to produce hundreds of tornadoes and span huge regions. As the average number of outbreaks rises, so does the chance of these 'super outbreaks,' a new study reveals. Since 1954, the average number of tornado outbreaks has been on the rise in North America, spawning deadly weather events that last for days. An outbreak can last between one and three days, and extreme cases have been known to produce hundreds of tornadoes and span huge regions RISE OF 'EXTREME' OUTBREAKS Tornado outbreaks are responsible for the most death and destruction inflicted by tornadoes across the continent. Extreme cases have been known to produce hundreds of tornadoes and span huge regions. Outbreaks can also produce hail and straight-line winds. In 2011, an outbreak resulted in 363 tornadoes across the United States and Canada, in the largest event ever recorded. This outbreak killed more than 350 people, and caused $11 billion in damage. Typically, dozens of outbreaks occur each year. While some of these are small, and only produce a few tornadoes, others give rise to hundreds. A low-grade tornado may not cause much damage, but a powerful twister can rip the rooftops off of houses and send cars flying. As outbreaks become more frequent, the chance of 'super outbreaks' increases as well, posing risk to lives and property. In the last decade alone, the insurance industry has covered an average of $12.5 billion in losses each year. Advertisement Researchers say the warming climate could be influencing this, but the limitations of current research methods stand in the way of a sure answer. Researchers are working to understand the risks of these increasing outbreaks, and what's causing this shift. 'The science is still open,' said lead author Michael Tippett, a climate and weather researcher at Columbia University's School of Applied Science and Engineering and Columbia's Data Science Institute. 'It could be global warming, but our usual tools, the observational record and computer models, are not up to the task of answering this question yet.' The researcher explains that scientists expect the warming climate will increasingly produce the atmospheric conditions favourable for tornadoes, but this doesn't mean for sure that it will. 'When it comes to tornadoes, almost everything terrible that happens, happens in outbreaks. 'If outbreaks contain more tornadoes on average, then the likelihood they'll cause damage somewhere increases,' Tippett said. Tornadoes are ranked by intensity on a scale of zero to five. In the study, the researchers calculated the mean number of tornadoes per outbreak for each year, along with the variance. The team found that tornadoes rated F/EF1 or higher on the intensity scale hasn't increase in total, but the average number per outbreak has. This has risen from 10 to roughly 15 since the 1950s. 'The analysis showed that as the mean number of tornadoes per outbreak rose, the variance around that mean rose four times faster,' said Joel Cohen, director of the Laboratory of Populations, based jointly at Rockefeller University and Columbia's Earth Institute, and co-author of the study. The researcher said the results of the study were 'remarkable.' 'While the mean rose by a factor of 1.5 over the last 60 years, the variance rose by a factor of more than 5, or 1.5 x 1.5 x 1.5 x 1.5. 'This kind of relationship between variance and mean has a name in statistics: Taylor's power law of scaling. The team found that tornadoes rated F/EF1 or higher on the intensity scale hasn't increase in total, but the average number per outbreak has. This has risen from 10 to roughly 15 since the 1950s. The team is now working to determine what aspect of the climate system is causing the increase in extreme outbreaks WHAT IS A TORNADO? A tornado is a narrow, rapidly spinning column of air around an intense low pressure centre that reaches the ground from cumulonimbus clouds, also known as thunderstorm clouds, according to the Met Office. Tornadoes have a narrow width, usually up to 100m but the damage can be concentrated and severe. As they develop, funnel shaped clouds extend from the base of the cloud and when these reach the ground, a tornado is formed. Tornadoes can have wind speeds up to 300mph, and when they touch the ground can destroy trees and buildings in their path, throwing heavy objects like cars though the air like a Frisbee. Tornadoes which occur over water are referred to as a waterspout and those which do not touch ground are referred to as a funnel cloud. The highest surface wind speed ever recorded of 302mph is a result of the 1999 Oklahoma tornado outbreak. The greatest distance travelled by a single tornado was 219 miles (352km) from Ellington, Missouri to Princeton, Indiana, on 18 March 1925. The most tornadoes in a single year were recorded in 2004. There were 1,820. Advertisement 'We have seen [Taylor's power law] in the distribution of stars in a galaxy, in death rates in countries, the population density of Norway, securities trading, oak trees in New York and many other cases,' Cohen says. 'But this is the first time anyone has shown that it applies to scaling in tornado statistics.' The researchers say that the exponent in 'Taylor's law' number can indicate clustering. If tornadoes occur randomly, and there is no clustering, the exponent will be one. Otherwise, it will be higher. In the case of the study, the team found an exponent of four. 'In most ecological applications, the Taylor exponent seldom exceeds 2. To have an exponent of 4 is truly exceptional. It means that when it rains, it really, really, really pours,' says Cohen. The team says that two factors lead to the increase in frequency of these extreme outbreaks the rising number of tornados per outbreak, and an increase in variability. Eyewitness accounts of tornados can lead to issues inaccuracies in the observational data, so the team ran calculations and then re-ran them, substituting historical data with environmental proxies for tornado occurrence, and number per occurrence. This allowed them to independently measure the tornado activity, and the results in both cases were nearly identical. Researchers say the findings are useful for insurance companies on assessing the risks posed by such outbreaks. The team is now working to determine what aspect of the climate system is causing the increase in extreme outbreaks. 'The scientific community has thought a great deal about how the frequency of future weather and climate extremes may change in a warming climate,' Tippett said. 'The simplest change to understand is a shift of the entire distribution, but increases in variability, or variance, are possible as well. With tornadoes, we're seeing both of those mechanisms at play.' Advertisement Much like Earth, Pluto's huge mountains may have vast expanses of snow covering their peaks. This is according to Nasa's New Horizons team who has discovered a chain of exotic snowcapped mountains stretching across the dark expanse on Pluto informally named Cthulhu region. The area stretches nearly halfway around Pluto's equator, starting from the west of the great nitrogen ice plains known as Sputnik Planum. Scroll down for video The reddish enhanced color image shown as the left inset reveals a mountain range located in southeast Cthulhu thats 260 miles (420km) long. The upper slopes of the highest peaks are coated with a bright material that contrasts sharply with the dark red color of the surrounding plains. The right inset also shows how the bright ice on the mountains matches up with the distribution of methane (purple) Measuring around 1,850 miles (3,000km) long and 450 miles (750km) wide, Cthulhu (pronounced kuh-THU-lu) is a bit larger than the state of Alaska. Cthulhu's appearance is characterised by a dark surface, which scientists think is due to being covered by a layer of dark tholins. Tholins are complex molecules that form when methane is exposed to sunlight. Cthulhu's geology exhibits a wide variety of landscapes - from mountainous to smooth, and to heavily cratered and fractured. The reddish enhanced colour image reveals a mountain range located in southeast Cthulhu that's 260 miles (420km) long. The range is situated among craters, with narrow valleys separating its peaks. The upper slopes of the highest peaks are coated with a bright material that contrasts sharply with the dark red colour of the surrounding plains. Hills of water ice on Pluto 'float' in a sea of frozen nitrogen and move over time like icebergs in Earth's Arctic Ocean. This shows the inset in context next to a larger view. The resolution is about 1050ft (320 meters) per pixel and 300 miles (almost 500km) long and 210 miles (340km) wide. It was taken 9,950 miles (16,000km) from Pluto, 12 minutes before New Horizons' closest approach to Pluto on July 14 Scientists think this bright material could be predominantly methane that has condensed as ice onto the peaks from Pluto's atmosphere. 'That this material coats only the upper slopes of the peaks suggests methane ice may act like water in Earth's atmosphere, condensing as frost at high altitude,' said John Stansberry, a New Horizons science team member from Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, Maryland. Compositional data from the Ralph/Multispectral Visible Imaging Camera (MVIC) on Nasa's New Horizons spacecraft, indicates that the location of the bright ice on the mountain peaks matches up almost exactly with the distribution of methane ice, shown in false colour as purple. The resolution of the enhanced colour image is about 2,230 feet (680 meters) per pixel. The image measures approximately 280 miles (450km) long by 140 miles (225km) wide. It was obtained by New Horizons at a range of approximately 21,100 miles (33,900km) from Pluto, about 45 minutes before the spacecraft's closest approach to Pluto on July 14, 2015. Last month, hills of water ice were found to be 'floating' in a sea of frozen nitrogen on Pluto, moving over time like icebergs in Earth's Arctic Ocean These hills, which can be seen in the recent images studied by the New Horizons team, are believed to measure one to several miles across. They are found in the vast ice plain informally named Sputnik Planum within Pluto's 'heart' and are likely miniature versions of the larger, jumbled mountains on the region's western border. The two scans were taken 15 minutes apart on July 14, 2015 from 67,000 miles away, showing the hemisphere visible to New Horizons as it flew by. According to Nasa, water ice is the crustal bedrock of Pluto, over the course of the changing seasons, it is covered by more volatile ices Their discovery follows news last month that Pluto may be covered in a lot more water ice than astronomers previously thought, which could boost the chances for finding a liquid sea and alien life. Nasa describes the feature as 'yet another example of Pluto's fascinating and abundant geological activity.' Because water ice is less dense than nitrogen-dominated ice, scientists believe these water ice hills are floating in a sea of frozen nitrogen and move over time like icebergs on Earth. The hills may be fragments of the rugged uplands that have broken away and are being carried by the nitrogen glaciers into Sputnik Planum. 'Chains' of the drifting hills are formed along the flow paths of the glaciers. When the hills enter the cellular terrain of central Sputnik Planum, they become subject to the motions of the nitrogen ice, and are pushed to the edges of the cells, where the hills cluster in groups reaching up to 12 miles (20km) across. At the northern end of the image, the feature informally named Challenger Colles honouring the crew of the lost space shuttle Challenger appears to be an especially large accumulation of these hills, measuring 37 by 22 miles (60 by 35km). This feature is located near the boundary with the uplands, away from the cellular terrain, and may represent a location where hills have been 'beached' due to the nitrogen ice being especially shallow. Nasa experts believe the object may be a 'dirty block of water ice' which is floating in denser solid nitrogen. Also visible are thousands of pits in the surface, which scientists believe may form by sublimation Last week, Nasa said that Pluto may be covered in a lot more water ice than astronomers previously thought. The space agency has now stitched together images from the observations to create a three-dimensional 'data cube' to map the findings. Using observations taken in infrared light by the Ralph/Linear Etalon Imaging Spectral Array (LEISA) instrument, astronomers have created false-colour maps to plot the concentration of Pluto's water ice. The two scans were taken 15 minutes apart on July 14, 2015 from 67,000 miles away, showing the hemisphere visible to New Horizons as it flew by. According to Nasa, water ice is the crustal bedrock of Pluto, and over the course of the changing seasons, it is covered by more volatile ices. One of these other ices is methane, which can block the 'spectral signature' of water ice. In the first map, shown on the left, the researchers compared LEISA spectra with a pure ice template spectrum to work around this. But, the map only shows areas that were either very rich in water, or very low in methane. For the second map, the team used more sensitive techniques, including the various kinds of ice found on the surface, in addition to water ice. The more detailed map reveals the spread of water ice across much of Pluto, much more than previously known. NEW HORIZONS' NEW MISSION The spacecraft that gave us the first close-up views of Pluto now has a much smaller object in its sights. New Horizons is now track to fly past a recently discovered, less than 30-mile-wide object out on the solar system frontier. The close encounter with what's known as 2014 MU69 would occur in 2019. It orbits nearly 1 billion miles (1.6 billion kilometers) beyond Pluto. Nasa and the New Horizons team chose 2014 MU69 in August as New Horizons' next potential target, thus the nickname PT-1. Like Pluto, MU69 orbits the sun in the frozen, twilight zone known as the Kuiper Belt. MU69 is thought to be 10 times larger and 1,000 times more massive than average comets, including the one being orbited right now by Europe's Rosetta spacecraft. On the other end, MU69 is barely 1 percent the size of Pluto and perhaps one-ten-thousandth the mass of the dwarf planet. So the new target is a good middle ground, according to scientists. The team plans to formally ask Nasa next year to fund the mission extension for studying MU69. Scientists promise a better name before showtime on January 1, 2019. Advertisement Some regions on the map, including Sputnik Planum, the western region of Pluto's 'heart,' and Lowell Regio in the north, were observed to exhibit little evidence of water, if any at all. This suggests that the bedrock in these areas is buried beneath an accumulation of other ices, such as methane, nitrogen, and carbon monoxide. Earlier this month, New Horizons sent back one of its most intriguing images of the surface of Pluto. It shows a mysterious object appearing to 'slide' through the surface. Nasa experts believe the object may be a 'dirty block of water ice'. They say it is 'floating' in denser solid nitrogen, and which has been dragged to the edge of a convection cell. Also visible are thousands of pits in the surface, which scientists believe may form by sublimation. This image depicts an entire day on the dwarf planet. The space agency released a series of 10 close-ups of the frosty, faraway world today, representing one Pluto day, which is equivalent to 6.4 Earth days. The New Horizons spacecraft took the pictures as it zoomed past Pluto in an unprecedented flyby in July. Pluto was between 400,000 and 5 million miles from the camera for these photos THERE COULD BE ALIENS BENEATH PLUTO'S CRUST, SAYS BRIAN COX Alien life may be lurking beneath Pluto's crust, according to physicist Brian Cox. His comments come after the historic flyby of the dwarf planet by New Horizons, which uncovered huge glaciers and mountains made of water ice. These features hint at the possibility of subterranean seas on the dwarf planet warm enough for organic chemistry to thrive, said Cox. The probe 'showed you that there may well be a subsurface ocean on Pluto,' Cox told The Times. '[This] means - if our understanding of life on Earth is even slightly correct - that you could have living things there.' Advertisement Transmitted to Earth on Dec. 24, another image from the Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) extends New Horizons' highest-resolution views of Pluto to the very center of Sputnik Planum,. Sputnik Planum is at a lower elevation than most of the surrounding area by a couple of miles, but is not completely flat. Its surface is separated into cells or polygons 10 to 25 miles (16 to 40 kilometers) wide, and when viewed at low sun angles (with visible shadows), the cells are seen to have slightly raised centers and ridged margins, with about 100 yards (100 meters) of overall height variation. Mission scientists believe the pattern of the cells stems from the slow thermal convection of the nitrogen-dominated ices that fill Sputnik Planum. A reservoir that's likely several miles or kilometers deep in some places, the solid nitrogen is warmed at depth by Pluto's modest internal heat, becomes buoyant and rises up in great blobs, and then cools off and sinks again to renew the cycle. 'This part of Pluto is acting like a lava lamp,' said William McKinnon, deputy lead of the New Horizons Geology, Geophysics and Imaging team, from Washington University in St. Louis, 'if you can imagine a lava lamp as wide as, and even deeper than, the Hudson Bay.' Computer models by the New Horizons team show that these blobs of overturning solid nitrogen can slowly evolve and merge over millions of years. The ridged margins, which mark where cooled nitrogen ice sinks back down, can be pinched off and abandoned. The 'X' feature is likely one of thesea former quadruple junction where four convection cells meet. Numerous, active triple junctions can be seen elsewhere in the LORRI mosaic. Flowing ice and a extended haze are among the discoveries from Nasa's New Horizons mission, which reveal distant Pluto to be an icy world of wonders. This panorama was captured by the New Horizons spacecraft from 18,000 kilometers (11,00 miles) away, just 15 minutes after the probe's closest approach THE BIGGEST ICE VOLCANO IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM: IMAGES REVEAL 90 MILE-WIDE CRYOVOLCANO ON PLUTO The most detailed image yet of a giant mountain on Pluto, which is suspected to be an ice volcano, was released by Nasa last month. It is one of two potential cryovolcanoes spotted on the surface of Pluto by the New Horizons spacecraft in July 2015. At about 90 miles (150km) across and 2.5 miles (4km) high, this feature is enormous. The feature, known as Wright Mons, was informally named by the New Horizons team in honor of the Wright brothers. If it is in fact a volcano, as suspected, it would be the largest such feature discovered in the outer solar system. 'These are big mountains with a large hole in their summit, and on Earth that generally means one thing a volcano,' said Oliver White, a New Horizons researcher. The most detailed image yet of a giant mountain on Pluto, which is suspected to be an ice volcano, has been released by Nasa (left). It is one of two potential cryovolcanoes spotted on the surface of Pluto by the New Horizons spacecraft in July 2015. At about 90 miles (150km) across and 2.5 miles (4km) high, this feature is enormous Mission scientists are baffled by the sparse distribution of red material in the image and wonder why it is not more widespread. Also perplexing is that there is only one identified impact crater on Wright Mons itself, telling scientists that the surface - as well as some of the crust underneath - was created relatively recently. This is turn may indicate that Wright Mons was volcanically active late in Pluto's history. The other potential ice volcano on Pluto has been named Piccard Mons, is up to 3.5 miles (6 km) high. Both ice volcanoes are located near Pluto's South Pole. 'We're not yet ready to announce we have found volcanic constructs at Pluto, but these sure look suspicious and we're looking at them very closely,' said Jeff Moore, a planetary scientist at Nasa said in an earlier release. Nasa says that if Pluto does have cryovolcanoes, it may be an indication that there is volatile ice that coats its surface. Advertisement UK airlines easyJet and Virgin Atlantic rank near the bottom of a new study that rated more than 30 carriers on flight delays and compensation claims. Of those selected for the study, Luton-based easyJet ranked second last while Crawley-based Virgin Atlantic was third last, although both carriers have slammed the report and disputed its findings. They were listed several places behind British Airways and Flybe, which were named the top carriers in the UK. Despite a high score for on-time performance, easyJet ranked second last in a study of 34 airlines The study was conducted by AirHelp, a company that assists passengers with compensation claims for delayed, cancelled or overbooked flights, and regularly butts heads with airlines over payouts. It assigned scores to 34 airlines based on quality performance, flight delays and how well they resolve compensation claims. A company spokesperson said the list is intended to 'rank the saints and sinners of the global airline industry'. Portuguese carrier SATA International ranked dead last with a score of 5.2, while Qatar Airways was tops at 8.9. Despite scoring high for on-time performance, easyJet found itself near the bottom of the list with an overall rating of 5.8 out of 10 thanks to a poor score for claim processing. AirHelp said: EasyJets claim processing helps to skew its score downwards. Based on the score, this makes the UK budget airline among the lowest scoring airlines in the world. A spokesman for easyJet disputed the study's conclusion, adding: 'We do not recognise these findings. EasyJet has been commended by its regulator, the CAA, for its handling of EU261 claims and we will always pay compensation when it is due.' EasyJet finished just behind Virgin Atlantic, which had an overall score of 6.2 and also fared poorly for claim processing, despite a high rating for quality performance. A spokeswoman for Virgin Atlantic said the airline 'strongly questions the validity of the report.' She added: 'We do everything we can to respond as quickly as possible and on average, pay all eligible EU261 claims 14 days after receipt. 'Unlike claims management companies who deduct up to 25 per cent of the compensation payment for themselves, we will pay the full amount of all eligible claims straight to our customers bank account.' Qatar Airways came in first place with a score of 8.9, while British Airways was the top carrier based in the UK Harmondsworth-based British Airways, meanwhile, finished ninth with a score of 7.8, while Flybe, which operates out of Exeter, was 14th thanks to its 7.7 rating. AirHelp said of BA: British Airways score is helped mostly by the airlines quality and service rating. However, it is affected negatively by its claim processing and on-time performance. With a rating of 7.6, Delta Air Lines was the top US carrier at 15th overall, narrowly beating United Airlines (7.4, 20th) and American Airlines (7.35, 21st). AirHelp said Deltas on-time performance and claim payout times gave it an edge over its rivals. With a score of 7.6, Delta Air Lines was the top US carrier at 15th overall, edging United and American Portuguese airline SATA International ranked last behind UK airlines easyJet and Virgin Atlantic KLM, Air Baltic, Air France and Lufthansa rounded out the top five behind Qatar Airways, while Ryanair, the largest budget airline in Europe, was 24th. While the study looked at a number of popular carriers in Europe and the US, it did not give ratings to any Asian or Australian airlines. AirHelp did not include some of the biggest operators in the world in its study, including US low-cost carrier Southwest Airlines, China Southern Airlines and Japans All Nippon Airways. It assigned a score to Emirates, which ranked seventh, but not its Gulf rival Etihad. AirHelp assigned its scores based on quality performance ratings calculated by Skytrax, on-time performance ratings from Flightstats and its own data on claim processing. She is fast becoming a star on Broadway. But Lupita Nyong'o had another reason to celebrate as she headed outside of the John Golden Theatre on Tuesday night. The actress was also celebrating her 33rd birthday at the theater, which is where she performs her play Eclipsed. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO Big night! Birthday girl Lupita Nyong'o greeted excited fans outside of the John Golden Theatre as she turned 33 in New York City on Tuesday Lupita made a stylish exit from the theater in a loose orange poncho and beige fedora as she made her way towards fans with a sharpie in hand. The actress, who won an Oscar for her role in 12 Years a Slave in 2014, also sported a pair of large sunglasses and a long-sleeved black top. Lupita was celebrating her big day inside the theater, she revealed in an Instagram snap of herself holding up a box of macaroons. 'Birthday celebration at the theatre. Thank you @eclipsedbway cast and crew for making merry with one of my favorite things: #macaroons! And thank you to my entire online community for the messages and tributes,' she wrote in the caption. Making her mark! The starlet clutched a sharpie as she prepared to meet autograph-seekers Lupita stars as The Girl in Eclipsed. The play is about a group of women who are kept captive by a rebel leader in war-torn Liberia. They form a community, until the arrival of Lupita's rebel new girl character upsets their routine. Casual yet cool: The Oscar-winning actress covered up in a long colourful poncho and donned a wide-brim beige fedora Eclipsed was first produced at The Public Theater Off-Broadway, and earned rave reviews after its debut in October. Lupita starred in that same run as well. It also drew a big crowd, and was extended twice before closing on November 29 after a sold-out run. Lupita understudied for the same show when she was a graduate student at Yale, she told People. Taking the spotlight: In Eclipsed, Lupita stars as the newcomer to a community - here she is pictured at the preview beside Saycn Sengbloh, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Zainab Jah, Lupita playwright Danai Gurira, and Akosua Busia Asked why she choose to do the role, Lupita replied, 'I understudied the show at the Yale Repertory Theater in 2009. I was so moved. It was the first time I had seen an all-female African story told in this manner.' The actress also admitted that she was a fan of the Subway system. 'I love the subway,' she said, responding to a question about living in the Big Apple. 'I also love that you can get gluten-free bread at 2 in the morning. Not everyone can do that.' Eclipsed, which has had preview shows since February 23, has an opening date of March 6. She refused to be drawn on the subject when rival Laurina Fleure suggested she had undergone a breast enlargement on Wednesday night's episode of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! But photos from Jo Beth Taylor's earlier years on television seem to point to why the Bachelor star appeared so set on her conviction. The presenter-turned-reality star has been largely going without a bra while marooned inside of the South African Jungle, and does appear to be sporting a fuller chest. Scroll down for video 'Speak for yourself': Jo Beth Taylor opted not to confirm or deny whether she had undergone a breast augmentation when probed by I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! co-star Laurina Fleure, pictured left in 1999 and right on the show When the conversation turned to plastic surgery, presenter turned reality star Jo Beth was quick to quip: 'Excuse me, speak for yourself,' after her fellow campmate brazenly said: 'I've got [breast implants], Jo Beth's got them.' However the 44-year-old didn't clarify further on whether or not she has gone under the knife and it must be said that outbursts levelled at Laurina haven't been uncommon on set. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Jo Beth for comment. The brunette - who has struggled to make friends within the camp - made a wild claim that 70 per cent of women have had breast implants. 'Jo Beth's got them': Laurina claimed the 44-year-old, pictured here in 1997, had had breast implants Changes? She does appear fuller now than she did in her early television days, pictured left last year and right on the show Baring all: The star is seen sunbaking topless in photos taken around a decade ago All on show: The media personality pictured soaking up the sun 'You go in any room full of ten women, 70 per cent of them will have breast implants,' she said, 'All the women I hang out with'. 'It's nothing to be ashamed of, most women have got them these days.' Laurina also drew eliminated contestant Bonnie Lithgoe into the equation, saying she too had had the procedure - something Jo Beth disagreed with. 'Bonnie does not have breast implants,' she called out. Flaunting it: The blonde beauty pictured showing off her physique at the beach Flashback! Jo Beth recently posted this photo of herself from 20 years ago Not impressed: She hit right back at her rival on the show Younger years: Jo Beth is pictured left in 1997 and right in 2000 'Yeah Bonnie did,' Laurina replied, 'from my perception and speaking from experience that's what I could tell.' Laurina has been open about her experience with cosmetic enhancements, having previously revealed that she's had her eyebrows tattooed and ears pinned back. The polarising star has also had liposuction in her armpits to prevent sweating, skin peels and Botox injections. They go head to head every morning in the hope of drawing big audiences. But fresh claims surrounding the rivalry between breakfast shows Sunrise and Today have emerged, with dirty tactics apparently commonplace when it comes to their longstanding competition. According to The Courier Mail, the Channel Nine and Seven Network shows resort to poaching one another's celebrity guests and even sabotaging their interviews to try to one-up each other. Competition: Sunrise and Today resort to 'dirty tactics' to ensure high ratings, a source has claimed. Above, rival hosts Samantha Armytage and David Koch (left) and Lisa Wilkinson and Karl Stefanovic (right) A source told the publication it was not unusual for producers to attempt to thwart their rival's schedules by poaching their booked guests and pretending to change interview times and locations. 'Its always been dog-eat-dog. But it is getting worse. Some talent does stick with the original show that booked them due to ethics. Others respond to money,' they said. Sunrise launched its Great Aussie Road Trip this week, with presenters Samantha Armytage and David Koch travelling around the country every day. The Today show announced an almost identical schedule, revealing it would broadcast from a different state every day of the week. Prime spot: Today has enjoyed years of success with Stefanovic and Wilkinson at its helm Change: The addition of Samantha Armytage to Sunrise's presenting team in 2013 boosted ratings They alleged that Channel Nine's Today had 'gone so far as to approach talent already locked in to Sunrise and pretend to be Sunrise and change the location and time of the interview.' Sunrise declined to comment when approached by Daily Mail Australia on Thursday. Today is yet to respond to the claims. The rivalry between the breakfast shows has been well documented in the past and is understood to have become more fiery when Samantha Armytage joined David Koch in 2013 at the helm of Sunrise, replacing reporter Melissa Doyle. Change up: Koch had presented the show with Melissa Doyle before the reshuffle Negotiations: Today's future was uncertain when host Karl Stefanovic took three months to re-sign At the time Today's Lisa Wilkinson and Karl Stefanovic were becoming more popular, their informal approach to the morning's bulletins a clear hit with audiences. According to The Australian, the addition of Samantha on the show led to a ratings surge. Today's future was thrust into uncertainty last year when host Stefanovic took three months to re-sign with the network. At the time it was claimed the journalist was adamant on returning to his evening show, The Verdict, despite the poor ratings it received in its first few shows. He is understood to have re-signed with the show for a rumoured $2million-a-year. When Sunrise found itself embroiled in a row with the UN High Commissioner of Refugees earlier this year, Today host Lisa Wilkinson wasted no time in weighing in. The presenter publicly approached Kristin Davis who had slammed Sunrise for a Sex And The City skit which cost Samantha her role as MC at a fundraising event later that week. 'Next time ur in Oz, love to have u on the Today show to talk about it' (sic),' Wilkinson tweeted in reference to Davis's claim she had not been given enough airtime to discuss her humanitarian work. In the most recent ratings the shows pulled identical audience, each drawing in 317,000 viewers, according to tv.tonight.com.au. Similar plans: Sunrise launched its Great Aussie Road Trip this week with presenters Samantha and David travelling around the country Similar plans: Today will also travel around Australia this week, broadcasting from different states She may be a serious artist, but that doesn't mean the work environment has to be. And while wrapping up the filming of her latest movie in Cambodia the 40-year-old could be seen looking to be in good spirits as she joked with her cast and crew. The director seems to have formed a tight-knit bond with her crew after three months of filming her Khmer Rouge epic First They Killed My Father. Scroll down for video In good spirits: Angelina Jolie showed off a smile as she chatted with members of her crew while wrapping up filming for upcoming Netflix documentary First They Killed My Father The documentary - adapted from Cambodian author and human rights activist Loung Ungs 2000 memoir - is moving into its final stages. Angelina, who sported a fitted, white, spaghetti strap dress with a flowing skirt, proudly displayed her extensive new back tattoos as she shared jokes and issued orders for filming a refugee camp scene at the foot of the Kulen Mountain in the Siem Reap province. The Oscar winner also shielded herself from the sun with a tan, wide-brimmed hat, as she could be seen gesturing while giving orders to the crew. And the star was later spotted donning a flowing, strapless white sundress as she enjoyed a day poolside as the movie came closer to wrapping. See more Angelina Jolie updates as she jokes with her documentary crew in Cambodia Paradise: Angelina is spotted relaxing poolside as she donned a strapless, white maxi dress and dark aviator shades Fresh ink: The brunette beauty made several costume changes which showed off her slim frame, and her new back tattoo was also visible Keeping cool: The star showed off her slender arms in a spaghetti strap white dress with a flowing skirt Shady: Angelina also shielded her face with a tan, wide-brimmed hat as she could be seen gesturing to her crew Devoted: The mother-of-six has spent three months diligently working on the upcoming documentary, which is being adapted from Cambodian author and human rights activist Loung Ungs 2000 memoir A high standard: The documentary features a largely Cambodian cast and crew, though the Oscar winner also hired a team of trusted British and American movie-makers as producers and camera operators The movie features a largely Cambodian cast and crew, but Angelina has also hired a team of trusted British and American movie-makers as producers, camera operators, and in other high up positions, to ensure the movie is completed to the highest standard. 'Angelina takes her movie-making very seriously,' an on-set insider said, adding: 'Some of it has been tough, make no mistake.' 'Cambodia is a third world country, and Angelina's been dealing with a largely Khmer cast and crew - things don't run as smoothly as on a huge Hollywood production.' Proud: The open back on Angelina's dress revealed her new ink, done by her regular tattoo artist Ajarn Noo Kampai, whom she flew in from Bangkok to tattoo her Spiritual: Angelina has had a number of ancient Buddhist symbols and mantras on her back in a five-row form and a pyramid, symbols said to give her power and help protect her family Getting down to business: Angelina wore her long, brunette tresses pulled back into a bun as she worked A few 'hiccups:' A source close to Angelina revealed that things haven't run quite as smoothly as they would have on a Hollywood set, though after a few members of the team were sent home and replaced, things have been going 'incredibly well' 'There was a hiccup around December where some of the crew weren't working out and were subsequently sent home, but they were replaced and the team have been getting on incredibly well since,' the source added. Angelina has also been getting some extra help on set in the form of her sons Maddox, 14, and Pax, 12, who have been on-hand during the shoot to help out with various production tasks, while Pax has also been taking photos to document the movie-making process. Angelina has also been immersing herself in the local Buddhist culture while in Cambodia, visiting temples and accompanying her six children who also include Zahara, 11, Shiloh, nine, and seven-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne as they learn about the culture and customs of their new country. Covering up: The award-winning actress could be seen covering her shoulders with a white scarf as she walked around on set Doting mom: Angelina was joined on the project by two of her six children - sons Maddox, 14, and Pax, 12 Lending a hand: The two boys have been on-hand during the shoot to help out with various production tasks, while Pax has also been taking photos to document the movie-making process Leading lady: Members of the crew followed the megastar out of the production tent as they wrapped up working on the Netflix documentary In another show of her belief in the mysticism of South East Asia, Angelina's latest artworks, by her regular tattoo artist Ajarn Noo Kampai, whom she flew in from Bangkok to tattoo her, were on display at the set. Angelina has had a number of ancient Buddhist symbols and mantras on her back in a five-row form and a pyramid, symbols to give her power and help protect her family, according to experts able to decipher their meaning. First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers is set to debut on streaming service Netflix later in 2016. Business meets pleasure: Angelina looked blissful while working on her upcoming Netflix documentary, as the star showed off a big smile on set Capturing the moment: Angelina and her crew were spotted filming a refugee camp scene at the foot of the Kulen Mountain in the Siem Reap province Kicking back: After months of hard work, Angelina showed off a big smile as she was seen relaxing by the pool as the film was winding down Their romance was the talk of town. So when it came time to tie the knot with Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher took several precautions in order to ensure their nuptials stayed private over the summer. In order to throw the curious off their tracks, the 38-year-old said on The Ellen DeGeneres Show that he even posted on social media that he and his wife were in different locations at the time of their wedding, calling the feat a 'ninja effort.' SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO 'It was a ninja effort': Ashton Kutcher revealed to Ellen DeGeneres for the Wednesday episode the lengths he went to keeping his wedding with Mila Kunis private 'We really didn't want helicopters at our wedding, and it's a legitimate concern, so I was posting things on social media that we we're in different locations.' The happy couple had a secret wedding celebration over the Fourth Of July weekend last year, but according to rumours they were already married before the ceremony. Mila and Ashton first met while working on That '70s Show together from 1998 to 2006, but they didn't start dating until April 2012 - following Ashton's split from first wife Demi Moore. The 53-year-old confirmed her separation from the Two And A Half Men star in November 2011, after six years of marriage. The divorce was finalised two years later. Loved up: Kutcher and Mila tied the knot over the summer, however it was rumoured they had married even before then; here the couple are pictured in Austin, Texas in March 2015 Ashton then playfully explained that he was concerned that helicopters would interrupt their vows. 'We didn't want to be screaming our vows at each other and being like,' he then said in a shouting tone, "Forever!" "Did you say never?"' 'We didn't want to do that thing so we went really under the radar with it,' he added. Crowd pleaser: To the delight of the audience, Ashton even revealed that Mila had taught their daughter the Whip and Nae Nae The actor also explained some of the challenges that comes with supervising his tot. Speaking of their one-year-old daughter Wyatt, Ashton said: 'You know the first year you spend just trying to keep them alive...and that after that you actually hit a point where your job is to keep them from killing themselves. Like it's not just about, I've got to keep it surviving, it's literally, she's tries to kill herself on a regular basis!' He even revealed to the delight of their audience that Mila had taught their daughter the Whip and Nae Nae. Aww: Mila and Ashton first met while working on That '70s Show together from 1998 to 2006, but they didn't start dating until April 2012 - following Ashton's split from first wife Demi Moore; here the couple are pictured in January 2016 in New Orleans 'She likes to Whip and Nae Nae too,' the actor admitted before insisting to disbelieving audience, 'She does!' 'I think she thinks she's doing it,' he explained. 'Cause it's whipping and whipping and nae naeing. Her mom taught her that.' Mila became a mother for the first time in October 2014, when she and Ashton Kutcher, 37, welcomed daughter Wyatt Isabelle. Fun and games: The actor was joined by Danny Masterson as they played a game on stage with Ellen In October Mila joked about just how much she loved her daughter. 'I think if she killed someone, I would literally be like, 'I got it,'' she told Business Insider. 'Where do you want me to bury the body?' I wouldn't even question it. I can't say that about anybody else in my life.' The Ukraine-born star also admitted that the couple would like to have more children. 'I mean, not today,' she said.'I'm not pregnant. But yeah, absolutely, for sure!' Over the past few days she has been working hard to create awareness about domestic violence. And reaffirming her plea once again, Jesinta Campbell has taken part in a striking new photo shoot with Marie Claire magazine, inspired by her favourite childhood memory. The renowned publication has teamed up with Mimco and Our Watch to deliver the #bepartofthechange campaign to end domestic violence. Twinkle toes! Jesinta Campbell has taken part in a striking new photo shoot, inspired by her favourite childhood memory, in order to create awareness about domestic violence For the shoot, the 24-year-old beauty looked like the perfect ballerina as she slipped her slender figure into a pink frilly tutu and satin pumps. With her brunette tresses swept into a sleek bun, the Australian model radiated a gorgeous glow as she posed with young ballerinas in a dance class room. Jesinta is leading several other celebrities involved in the #bepartofthechange initiative. The popular star says a decrease in domestic violence begins with education. 'No woman, man or child should ever have to experience it': The former Miss Universe Australia also took to her social media sites to share a behind-the-scenes image, continuing to spread the word of the new campaign Good cause: The 24-year-old has led celebrities, including Dannii Minogue (pictured), in the #bepartofthechange initiative, by saying a decrease in domestic violence begins with education Her hopes: Megan Gale told the magazine, 'I really hope my son will grow up in a world where [there is] more of an even keel between women and men, and that domestic violence is a thing of the past' Out now: For the full interview , read the April issue of Marie Claire, on sale now People deserve equal opportunities in life, regardless of their gender, race or religion, she told the magazine. If we start educating children about how we should treat each other, thats how were going to make a difference. No child is born abusive or violent; this type of behaviour is learnt. It really does start with what they see in the home or playground, and how they see men and women interacting. On Thursday, the former Miss Universe Australia also took to her social media sites to share a behind-the-scenes image of the shoot, continuing to spread the word of the new campaign. She confessed: No woman, man or child should ever have to experience domestic violence which is why I would love you to join me in #bepartofthechange to end domestic violence with @marieclaireau @_mimco @ourwatch. 'To launch the campaign, I did a photoshoot with these beautiful little ballerinas because we can begin to change the statistics with children. I believe that no child is born violent or abusive and if we can teach them how to treat others, be respectful and kind then they will grow into adults who will not tolerate or participate in any form of domestic violence. It was one of the record-breaking six awards received by the Australian film Mad Max: Fury Road. And as makeup artist Lesley Vanderwalt accepted her statue at the 88th Academy Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday, bragging rights inevitably followed. Speaking on The Morning Show on Thursday, the New Zealand native explained her gilded award for Hairstyling and Make-up literally weighed her down as she partied. Scroll down for video 'It's a first world problem': Mad Max: Fury Road's Oscar-winning makeup artist Lesley Vanderwalt (second from right) said her arm ached from carrying the 'heavy' award. Also pictured, from L to R, Margot Robbie, Damian Martin, Elka Wardega and Jared Leto 'They don't give you bags or boxes or anything to put them in. So you carry them around all night and everybody wants to hold them, take their photograph with them, understandably,' she laughed. She insisted the award she and her team, including Damian Martin and Elka Wardega, received at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts was by far the most dense. 'We have a first world problem called BAFTA arm... When I woke up my whole shoulder and arm, I could hardly lift a cup of cup of coffee,' she said. Winners are grinners: Lesley and her team's award was one of six accolades bestowed on the Australian film Triumphant return: Airline QANTAS printed off special boarding passes for their gilded statues for the flight home to Sydney from Los Angeles on Monday The reality of their achievement is still sinking in for the trio, and Lesley said they were treated to a rock star welcome upon their return on Sydney on Wednesday. 'We had a big cheer from everybody on the plane. When we got off the plane the pilots took us into the cockpit and we were given captain's hats,' she smiled. The fourth installment of the Mad Max franchise was also recognised with awards for Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design and Best Film Editing. 'I could hardly lift a cup of cup of coffee': The New Zealand native said her arm began to ache when she won a BAFTA Double trouble: Lesley said the British film award was her heaviest trophy For the post-apocalyptic dystopian film, a combination of visuals and sound made it an all-out assault on the senses. Lesley was responsible for asking star actor Charlize Theron to shave her head for the role of Imperator Furiosa, which she told the LA Times the South African beauty did without question. 'We didn't even have to push her. She did it,' she said. '[Furiosa] was a female living in this men's world. And to me, it would be quite a violent men's world... She would not have had hair that would have made her look more like a female.' They've been living apart from Brad Pitt while he films in London. And Angelina Jolie was preparing for an emotional reunion with her husband as she touched down in the city on Wednesday with her children Maddox, 14, Pax, 12, Zahara, 11, Shiloh, nine, and twins Knox and Vivienne, seven, in tow. The 40-year-old star - who is fresh from filming her Netflix movie, First They Killed My Father, in Cambodia - looked happy and relaxed as she made her way across the tarmac and into the terminal. Scroll down for video Travelling in style: Angelina Jolie was stopped landing in London on Wednesday with her five children in tow Smartly clad as ever, Angelina was sporting a black blazer and Aviator shades as she led the way from the private jet. The children had packed light, each carrying a small backpack for their London adventures before travelling back to New York. Maddox, 14, was later seen grabbing some lunch at Super Star Korean restaurant in the capital. See more of the latest updates on Angelina Jolie as she touches down in London All together now; Angelina led Maddox, 14, Pax, 12, Zahara, 11, Shiloh, nine, and twins Knox and Vivienne, seven, into the terminal Out and about: The eldest Jolie-Pitt kid, Maddox, was seen grabbing some lunch at a Korean restaurant in the capital a few hours later Dressed to impress: The Mr & Mrs Smith star was smartly dressed in a black jacket, carrying a designer holdall in one hand The trendy teen braved the rain in a waterproof coat, pulling the hood up over his trademark quiff. Meanwhile, it was recently reported that Angelina has secretly added two large new tattoos to her collection - and now her entire back is covered in inkings by the same Thai tattoo master. Ajarn Noo Kanpai - the same guru who inked her left shoulder blade in 2003 and the tiger on her lower back in 2004 - carried out the work last month. Quick pit-stop: The children had packed light, each carrying a small backpack for their adventures before travelling back to New York Visiting dad: Brad Pitt has been staying in London while filming the World War Z sequel Family time: Angelina is fresh from filming her Netflix movie, First They Killed My Father, in Cambodia Tattoo tribute: It was recently reported that Angelina had added to her collection of body art He was flown from his base near Bangkok to Siem Reap in Cambodia where Angelina is directing First They Killed My Father to complete her 11-year series of inkings. Angelina's husband Brad Pitt was also tattooed on his left side in the same session, and now has a Buddhist symbol inking on his stomach. The same ink was believed to have been used by Ajarn Noo for the work, symbolically binding husband and wife together. Braving the rain: Maddox wrapped up in a waterproof jacket, pulling the hood over his platinum blonde quiff Hungry: The teen was joined by a bodyguard as he popped into the restaurant for a quick bite to eat Busy time: Maddox has been helping Angelina film her latest directorial project about the brutal Khmer Rouge regime Buddhists believe the mystical tattoos have powers of strength and healing, with the one applied to her right shoulder designed to offer protection for mother-of-six Angelina's family. A source said: 'The tattoos are composed of grids with pyramids at the top, which are full of ancient Buddhist symbols and prayers. They help to give the wearer protection and health. 'Angelina is a very spiritual person and has long believed her tattoos are more than just designs on her body that they actually hold some meaning, power and influence over her.' Back to his roots: Maddox, then aged just seven months, was adopted by the actress and humanitarian from an orphanage in western Cambodia in 2002 Angelina previously explained: 'He is 14 and this is a very important time for him to understand who he is. He is my son but he is also a son of Cambodia' Grantchester Rating: Raised by Wolves Rating: As a new series of Grantchester (ITV) returns, its time to play a game of Name That Priest, and ring the changes with BBC1s daytime crime series, Father Brown. Which show is set in an idyllic Fifties village where the death rate is worse than the Somme Grantchester or Father Brown? Which features a sleuthing cleric with a wise word for every killer and an intuitive eye for the crucial scrap of evidence? Where would you find a grumpy police inspector with an atheist soul and a dislike of amateur detectives? Quick dip: It was Norton who marked his return to Grantchester by stripping to his underwear and diving into a river, before emerging to towel himself dry in slow motion, writes CHRISTOPHER STEVENS Who has an Irish housekeeper, her lips pursed in a permanent pout of disapproval and finally, who is pestered by a flirty piece of aristocratic totty? Full marks if you answered Father Brown... and full marks too if you said the Reverend Sydney Chambers in Grantchester. Both series are cut from the same template, though only one goes out after the watershed... and only one stars James Norton, beloved of headline writers as the Phwoar And Peace man. So it was Norton who marked his return to Grantchester by stripping to his underwear and diving into a river, before emerging to towel himself dry in slow motion. Actually, at this point it looked more like Baywatch than Father Brown. Grantchester is different in other ways. Despite the sun-dappled meadows, the vintage cars and the tinkling of spinsters bicycle bells, this is a drama shot through with darkness. The atmosphere has a brutal edge: a constant undercurrent of sexism, homophobia and violence swirled in the banter between coppers. The local nick is no place for female employees, not if they are even faintly shy. The bobbies spend more time pinching bottoms and making lewd comments than they do solving crimes. Robson Green as the grouchy DI Geordie Keating sees nothing wrong with that in fact, hes suspicious of any bloke who doesnt grope the secretaries. Pansies! he snarled. Theyre everywhere once you start to look. But the most disturbing scene came during an interview, when detectives pinned down a suspect and poured a jug of water down his neck in a bid to force a confession. In other ways, though, this is a murder-mystery costume drama as traditional as Poirot. Neil Morrissey played the chief suspect, the father of an abused teenager found dead with strangle marks circling her throat. But Neil wore his hair in a greasy wedge, with a dark moustache tucked under his nose. He looked like Hitler so much, in fact, that Ill be surprised if he isnt cast as Der Fuhrer in some historical docu-drama soon. A Hitler lookalike couldnt be the villain: thats too easy. As we scanned around for a less likely suspect, who should enter but an old friend of Sydneys, a good-looking vicar... smoking a pipe, no less. The aim of all TV drama is to find an excuse for filming the hero stripped to the waist and wringing wet. By that benchmark, Grantchester is a success, writes CHRISTOPHER STEVENS FORENSIC EVIDENCE OF THE NIGHT We all know about fingerprints, but CPS lawyers seized on footprints for proof in a bloody murder case, on The Prosecutors: Real Crime And Punishment (BBC4). Tracking the victims every step, they showed exactly how the murderer killed her. Fascinating stuff. Advertisement Across the country, a cry went up from savvy viewers: Bet its him! And of course it was. Grantchester is a thoroughly old fashioned crime series, which is why the moments of nastiness seem out of place. All this analysis is missing the point. The principal aim of all TV drama these days is to find an excuse, any excuse, for filming the hero in slow-mo, stripped to the waist and wringing wet. Extra marks if hes Aidan Turner... or James Norton. By that benchmark, Grantchester is a storming success. Germaine, the teenage heroine of Raised By Wolves (C4), would have been panting at the screen in a hormonal frenzy, no doubt. But thats because Germaine thinks, talks and behaves like a 40-year-old woman. This self-indulgent, unfunny sitcom, set in Wolverhampton, is written by bestselling author Caitlin Moran and her sister Caroline, and based on their own upbringing as a home-schooled brood running wild. At least, thats the premise though the real purpose is to prove what witty, worldly-wise children the Morans were, and how much we should all be in awe of their verbal brilliance. Its crass, smug and laboured, a nauseating spectacle of metropolitan luvvies stroking their own egos for 30 minutes. And the actors Black Country accents are hopeless. She was spotted three times this week with the extravagant accessory. And once more on Wednesday Kris Jenner was seen clutching the shockingly expensive electric blue crocodile Hermes Birkin tote that retails for about $95,000. The 60-year-old TV matriarch carried the designer handbag as she jetted from LAX to join her 20-year-old daughter Kendall in Paris during fashion week. Scroll down for video Traveling in style! Kris Jenner, 60, flew out of LAX airport on Wednesday with her beloved blue Hermes Birkin bag Kendall has become the designer's muse on the runway and of course the momager wants to be there to support her. Kris traveled in style and looked as though she just stepped off the cover of a high-end fashion magazine. She was dressed chic in an all black monochrome ensemble which included a full-length wool coat with fur trim. See Kris Jenner updates as she clutches Hermes Birkin tote as she joins Kendall in Paris Her favourite accessory! The Keeping Up With the Kardashians star was spotted three times within a week carrying the electric blue designer crocodile handbag Pop of colour! Jenner's monochrome ensemble made her brightly-coloured purse - which can sell for up to $95,000 online - stand out even more from her wardrobe Her slim pins were on full display in black leggings which she teamed with a matching top and leather high-tops with white platform soles. The one-tone shade she donned made her brightly coloured purse - which can sell for up to $95,000 online - stand out even more from her wardrobe. Just the day before her flight out of Los Angeles, the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star was spotted leaving studios holding the blue bag. Diva: Kris looked like a movie star in a full-length wool coat with fur trim and oversized shades Stylish: The TV matriarch's slim pins were on full display in black leggings which she teamed in leather high-tops with white platform soles She kept it casual in ripped skinny jeans with a v-neck sweater and donned mirrored aviators to shade her eyes. And one week ago she shared a video with her more than 11 million Instagram followers as she and daughter Khloe met Rita Wilson. Kris once again wore an all black ensemble and accessorized her outfit with the pricey Birkin while she hung with the Hollywood A-lister. True blue: The day before, Kris was spotted in Los Angeles holding the blue bag In her clutches: One week ago Kris shared an Instagram video as she held the pricey Birkin Just hours before Jenner headed to the airport to catch a flight to London, Kris shared a photo of Kendall with her doppelganger wax work. 'You are so darn cute kennnndallllll!!! I adore you #proudmama Double Troube! You can easily take a picture with @kendalljenner as she is now in @madametussauds London!' Kris wrote. The famous wax museum created a 'Paris Fashion Week' backstage and runway event which included figures of Kendall, along with Cara Delevingne and Anna Wintour. Madame Tussauds quoted Jenner on their Instagram page in a photo of the reality star with her wax figure as she said: 'At first I was really freaking out, but now we're getting used to each other.' Proud mama! Just hours before Jenner flew to London, Kris shared a photo of Kendall with her doppelganger wax work Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan were seen holding hands this week. The actors were on the set of their film Fifty Shades Darker, which sees Anastasia Steele reunite with Christian Grey. The sequel has been shooting this winder in in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Scroll down for video So happy together? Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan were seen holding hands this week on the set of Fifty Shades Darker in Vancouver, BC, Canada Happy: Despite each receiving the dubious honours from the Razzies earlier this week, they seemed to be in good spirits while in front of the camera As filming began earlier this week, no doubt the American actress is right back in the swing of things returning to her signature role as the meek, innocent college student girlfriend of billionaire and S&M enthusiast Christian Grey. When walking with Jamie she had on a dark coat, jeans and loafers. He wore a brown jacket and jeans. Earlier, Dakota looked chic in a tan coat over a burgundy dress with buttons down the middle of it and finished off the look with black stockings and matching suede booties. Before getting in front of the film cameras, Dakota was dressed comfortably and for warmth as she sported a black fur-lined parka and a pair of brown Uggs. Showing her style: the 26-year-old actress sported a tan coat, black stockings and black suede ankle booties Signature look: She wore her brunette tresses, including fringe, down Ready for her close-up she also sported a burgundy mini dress with buttons down the middle Warming up: Dakota combated the cold Canadian weather with a black fur-lined parka Comfortable customer: She also sported a pair of Uggs before filming The beginning of filming comes just after the original flick picked up five Razzies at the annual awards given out to Hollywood's worst films on Sunday. Dakota picked up the Razzie for Worst Actress and Jamie was named Worst Actor for their roles in Fifty Shades, which earned more than $571 million worldwide. They also 'won' worst chemistry, and the erotic film also earned a Razzie for worst adapted screenplay, as well as tying for worst movie with Fantastic Four. Regardless of the dubious honours, the cast of Fifty Shades Darker just keeps getting bigger as Eric Johnson was spotted for the first time on set as he joined Dakota for a few scenes. New guy: Eric Johnson was also sported on set for the first time as he filmed with Dakota Good rapport: The 36-year-old actor and Dakota already seemed to be getting along swimmingly Look away Christian! Eric had his arm around Dakota as they walked around on set Looking good: He sported a blue blazer over a light blue dress shirt and patterned tie Interesting: The actor will be playing Jack Hyde in the flick, who in the books was a former Commissioning Editor at Seattle Independent Publishing Mr Grey: Jamie Dornan was also spotted briefly on set The 36-year-old actor will be playing Jack Hyde in the flick, who in the books was a former Commissioning Editor at Seattle Independent Publishing. Perhaps the most interesting thing about Johnson's character is in his origin story as he had lived in the same foster home as Christian but harbored jealousy as the Grey family adopted Dornan's character instead of him. Things are definitely going to be heating up as Aussie actress Bella Heathcote was also spotted on set as she will be playing Christian's jilted ex lover Leila Williams. Fifty Shades Darker is set to to hit the cinema on February 10 2017. Interesting: Bella Heathcote was also spotted on set and in character for the first time Worse for wear: The 28-year-old beauty looked much different as she plays billionaire Christian's jilted ex lover Leila Williams Uh oh: She also appeared to have a blood soaked bandage on one of her wrists She's been thoroughly stuck in the past when it's come down to her day-today wardrobe in recent month, as she worked on series two of the hit period drama, Poldark. But after wrapping up filming on Tuesday, actress Heida Reed put her most fashionable foot forward as she attended a National Theatre event in London, on Wednesday evening. Showcasing her very modern and sartorially striking fashion sense, the actress, 27, donned a white jumpsuit which showed plenty of skin whilst allowing her to retain a glamorous and chic edge. Scroll down for video Stepping out of the 19th Century: After wrapping up filming of Poldark on Tuesday, actress Heida Reed put her most fashionable foot forward as she attended a National Theatre event in London, on Wednesday evening The Icelandic-born star, who has become a star thanks to her turn in the Cornish drama opposite Aidan Turner, put the lace and petticoats of her character Elizabeth firmly to one side for the night. Opting for a layered white culottes jumpsuit from Paul Smith, which featured a belted waist and crossover detailing, the striking actress cut oozed an effortless and understated chic vibe. Featuring a low-cut strappy neckline, Heida showed a hint of cleavage thanks to the V-shaped cut, while she also showcased her gym-honed arms and bare shoulders. Glamorous and chic: Showcasing her very modern and sartorially striking fashion sense, the actress, 27, donned a white jumpsuit which showed plenty of skin whilst allowing her to retain a glamorous and chic edge She finished her look off with a pair of silver strappy stiletto heels, which contrasted against the brilliant and bold tone of her one-piece. Injecting a tiny hint of colour into her look, Heida accessorised with a purple handbag, whilst she also sported diamond studded earrings and chunky silver watch. She wore her dark chestnut tresses in a centre parting and pushed back off of her face, allowing her pretty features to remain un-obscured. Chic in her culottes: Opting for a layered white culottes jumpsuit, which featured a belted waist and crossover detailing, the striking actress cut oozed an effortless and understated chic vibe A hint of skin: Featuring a low-cut strappy neckline, Heida showed a hint of cleavage thanks to the V-shaped cut, while she also showcased her gym-honed arms and bare shoulders A striking siren: The star (pictured with cast mate Kyle Soller) wore her dark chestnut tresses in a centre parting and pushed back off of her face, allowing her pretty features to remain un-obscured Wearing a complementary palette of make-up, the alabaster beauty allowed her naturally striking looks to take the spotlight, as she only defined her eyes with a hint of mascara and her lips with a slick of ruby lipstick. She was joined at the event by her Poldark co-star Kyle Soller, who plays her Poldark's cousin Francis. And it seems the pair were enjoying some down time away from the set of the drama, which is mostly filmed on-location in Cornwall. On Tuesday the Icelandic beauty and her leading man, 32, posed up a storm during Heida's last day of filming the BBC hit. Captain Pold-lark! Sharing some fun snaps of her last day on the set, on Tuesday, Heida and her co-star Aidan Turner posed up a storm during her last day of filming Heida - who plays Captain Ross Poldark's firts love, Elizabeth - shared a series of fun and intimate snaps of her and Aidan enjoying the lighter side of life on the set of a period drama. Sharing the sneak-peak of life behind the camera with the BBC's most coveted hunk, the brunette beauty showed that its not all doom and gloom in the 19th Centurty - at least when the camera's aren't rolling. In one picture she can be seen in full-costume, wearing a billowing purple dress with lace embellishment, as she playfully hides behind a clapboard, reading, 'Podlark II, Take 2'. Cornish steel? In another picture uploaded to her account, the Silent Witness actress and The Hobbit star, 32, can be seen pouting at the camera as they sit in the back of a car following a shoot And, obviously having some fun before the cameras started rolling, Aidan appears to be hiding behind his co-star with his hands cheekily cupped just below her cleavage. Playing it straight, Elizabeth simply captioned the funny photo: 'It's a wrap for Elizabeth on series 2!!! #poldark.' Meanwhile in another picture uploaded to her account, the Silent Witness actress and The Hobbit star can be seen pouting at the camera, as they sit in the back of a car. Casting steely and smoldering stares, the two co-stars appear to be channeling Zoolander as opposed to Winston Graham's beloved Cornish characters. The pair appear to have been filming a scene outside, as Aidan is still sporting his period garments in the picture, while Heida appears to have thrown on a scarf and warm quilted jacket. 'Almost there': In a third post, Heida can be seen having her hair curled and styled in the tumbling tresses that viewers have come to envy on Elizabeth Making light of their seriously stern expressions, she captioned the snap: 'Poldarks can be mean. #Poldark.' And in a third post, Heida can be seen having her hair curled and styled in the tumbling tresses that viewers have come to envy on Elizabeth. Sat perfectly still, she can be seen staring into a make-up mirror, as she sits through the process patiently. And clearly ready to get to work, she wrote next to the picture: 'Almost there #poldark.' Although little is known about what the second series will hold for the retired soldier - who has captured the nation's heart with his shirtless antics and rebellious streak - a recent synopsis gave viewers a hint at what to expect. 'Ross Poldark must once again fight for his freedom when George Warleggan tries desperately to steal his mine and have him hanged as a revolutionary,' a BBC spokesperson said. 'Crippled by debts, Ross and Francis try to heal old wounds by joining forces in a new mine free of the Warleggans. But Ross and Elizabeth's feelings for each other cannot be repressed, and Ross risks everything in a desperate smuggling venture.' She has carved a living out of posing in a range of revealing swimwear. So Wednesday was like any other day for Natasha Oakley who spent it lapping up the sunshine in a flesh-baring ensemble. The 25-year-old slipped in to some high-waisted bikini bottoms and a stretched, cleavage boosting top to stand beside a hedge for an impromptu shot. Scroll down for video Baring it all: Natasha Oakley showed off her in yet another bikini-clad selfie as she posed on Wednesday Thrusting her head back, Natasha sported some glamorous sunglasses in the shot which she captioned simply: 'A bikini a day.' She finished her sun-seeker look with an ivory kimono. Earlier the beauty shared a more conservative snap while enjoying a glass of wine in a Beverly Hills restaurant. Pool day: Earlier in the week Natasha shared this busty snap as she posed with friend and colleague Devin Brugman Famous location: Natasha and Devin looked excited as they arrived at The Beverly Hills Hotel for their Monday Swimwear photo shoot It comes after she was recently reunited with her friend and colleague Devin Brugman at the iconic Beverly Hills Hotel. The pair posed for a busty selfie poolside after meeting up, with Natasha sharing the snap with fans. Not strangers to showing off their curves, the tanned beauties sported flattering one-pieces that drew attention to their ample cleavage. 'Chillin between shots': Devin shares a picture with her 1.2 million Instagram followers in between shots during the Monday Swimwear shoot. Two white robes can be seen around their waists and they completed their pool day look with a pair of sunglasses. Natasha, 25, also gave her 1.7 million Instagram followers a preview of her days activities, posting a picture with Devin outside the famous Beverly Hills Hotel lobby. Wearing sunglasses and an orange and white polka dot playsuit that showed a small section of her toned stomach and tanned heels, Natasha arrived with Devin who wore a black off-the-shoulder patterned maxi dress. The Sydney-born blogger and her American bestie have been kept busy recently preparing for the launch of their active wear line. They launched Monday Swimwear in 2013 and continue to work for their the Bikini A Day blog. Monday Swimwear: Both girls opted for a flattering one-piece which highlighted their curves and cleavage Meeting people in costume as cinema icons is not an uncommon occurrence on the Walk Of Fame. But a fully grown - and fully bearded - man dressed as Little Orphan Annie is a little unusual, even for Hollywood. That's what Jesse Tyler Ferguson was up to on Wednesday, as one of the small screen's most famous redheads donned the mantle of one of the big screen's. Scroll down for video Hard knock life: Jesse Tyler Ferguson dressed up as Annie while filming Modern Family on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame on Wednesday The Modern Family star flashed his hairy white legs in a shorty red dress, which he paired with tiny frilly white socks and black buckle shoes. He completed the look with a wig of tight red curls which, while close, didn't quite match the lighter hue of his ginger beard. The reasons why won't become clear until the episode of Modern Family he was filming is eventually broadcast. Flaunt it: The Modern Family star flashed his hairy white legs in a shorty red dress, which he paired with tiny frilly white socks and black buckle shoes Redheads: He had completed the look with a wig of tight red curls which while close, didn't quite match the lighter hue of his ginger beard But he seemed to be filling the same role of every other costumed hero on Hollywood's iconic boulevard, clutching a handful of dollars likely tipped by selfie-seeking tourists. Despite the unflattering outfit, the actor was looking on the bright side, quoting the little orphan in an Instagram soliloquy, albeit in a very rough New York accent. 'When I'm stuck with a day that's grey and lonely, I just stick up my chin, I grin, I and say, hey! The sun will come out tomorrow!' he shouts in the vid. Original: Ten-year-old Aileen Quinn - pictured with Sandy the 'dumb dog' - played the titular role in the 1982 film Sun will come out tamarra: Despite the unflattering outfit, the actor was looking on the bright side, quoting the little orphan in an Instagram soliloquy, albeit in a very rough New York accent He also shared a pic of his place marker on the street which - whether by accident of design - happened to land on Donald Trump's star. 'Shooting on Hollywood Blvd this morning! Oh, and there's all new #ModernFamily tonight!' he wrote but added, 'UPDATE: If you think this is an endorsement you are more stupid than the star I'm standing on!' The star appeared to have been cleaned of the swastika that was spray painted onto it some weeks ago. She's proven herself time and time again during her countless tucker trials on I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! And on Thursday night's show, former Bachelor contestant and fashion boutique owner Laurina Fleure will complete her eleventh trial, making her the world record holder for doing the most tucker trials of any celebrity from the global franchise. According to News Corp Australia, Laurina was given a sash and bouquet of flowers from the show's hosts Dr Chris Brown and Julia Morris, saying: 'It's been the longest five weeks of my life'. Scroll down for video She did it! On Thursday night's episode of I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! Laurina Fleure will complete her eleventh trial, making her the world record holder for doing the most tucker trials of any celebrity She snagged the record from American personality Janice Dickinson, who did ten tucker trials and appeared on the show UK edition of the show, filmed in Australia. The brunette beauty thanked the hosts for the flowers, and added: 'We're five weeks in. It's been the longest five weeks of my life. It's up, it's down.' The eleventh challenge - called Jungle Houdini - see's her being stuck in a cage that has locks on it in a river, with the water rising as she floats along. See I'm A Celebrity updates as Laurina Fleure is world record holder for 11 tucker trials The trial: The eleventh challenge - called Jungle Houdini - see's her being stuck in a cage that has locks on it in a river, with the water rising as she floats along Come on, Laurina! The brunette had to unlock locks while water fills the cage as it's lowered Going for it: Laurina doesn't seem to hold back in the preview clip She has to unlock eight of the locks to get the stars on Thursday night's show. Indeed, when Laurina heard she would be doing her eleventh challenge on Wednesday's episode, she seemed ready to face what was coming. She was voted to complete the challenge by the Australian public out of all the camp mates, with the final decision being between herself and 72-year-old Val Lehman. 'Well I shouldn't panic because,' she trailed off. 'I liked more confined spaces. When I was little and playing hide and seek, I'd get rushes...hiding in the laundry basket,' she said, as her fellow camp mates congratulated her on becoming a record holder. Proving herself! Indeed, when Laurina heard she would be doing her eleventh challenge on Wednesday's episode, she seemed ready to face what was coming Trying her luck! During one of the challenges she looked to struggle as she climbed the side of a tunnel During her time on the show, Laurina has faced a variety of tough tucker trials. One of the most gruelling where she really proved herself to viewers and camp mates alike was The Viper Room trial that aired earlier last month. Laurina obtained an impressive nine stars and was placed in a dark coffin surrounded by no less than 45 snakes. She later said she 'loved' the activity and meditated throughout it. Another included wearing blackened goggles into a dark cave with Val Lehman guiding her to stars. Scary! During her time on the show, Laurina has faced a variety of tough tucker trials, including The Viper Room Focused: Laurina obtained an impressive nine stars and was placed in a dark coffin surrounded by no less than 45 snakes Scary snakes! Laurina just closed her eyes as more and more snakes made their way into the enclosure Slithery times: She attempted to remain calm as large snakes moved pove Laurina had nine minutes to find the stars and had to work her way through the 'temple,' with animals including snakes and scorpions inside and rhino manure. She also completed a joint tucker trial with Jo Beth Taylor and they both dry retched with a plate full of undesirable foods including a pig's anus, impala and buffalo testicles were put in front of them. Laurina refused to eat the pig's anus as she wanted to maintain her 'dignity.' They won six stars despite their objections after they ate things including buck lips, antelope eyes and sheep brain. Back to it: Another included wearing blackened goggles into a dark cave with Val Lehman guiding her to stars They want to be sick! She also completed a joint tucker trial with Jo Beth Taylor and they both dry retched with a plate full of undesirable foods including a pig's anus, impala and buffalo testicles were put in front of them Facial expressions! The reality starlet is known to pull a number of dramatic facial expressions upon hearing her challenges Another time, she had 's**t poured over my head when' she joined Havana Brown and Paul Harragon in a challenge. She protested from the start - with the challenge meaning she had to be covered in buffalo manure, molasses and feathers - but eventually pulled through after encouragement from her camp mates. Laurina also persevered through a challenge where she had to eat through a large block of ice to get a key, that would open a box of pavlova. She bit into the structure despite saying her mother would 'have a heart attack watching that' as she had braces when she was younger. Sickening: Another time, she had 's**t poured over my head when' she joined Havana Brown and Paul Harragon in a challenge What a mess: The beauty tried to rid herself of the feathers following the challenge Winner! Laurina attempts to win snacks and platters for her fellow team mates who have been living off rice and beans She wanted that cake! She also persevered through a challenge where she had to eat through a large block of ice to get a key, that would open a box of pavlova In another Fast Food Tucker Trial, she appeared with Shane Warne, Val and Jo Beth and had a variety of foods presented on a belt that they had to eat. Laurina decided she would take one for the team and eat a hot habanero chocolate. Another included the Tug Of War Tucker Trial where she joined her camp mates doing a test of strength over the dam. She also tried her best at the cliff hanger tucker trial, where she had to get inside a wagon that was hanging over a cliff, and collect stars. Gut-wrenching: In another Fast Food Tucker Trial, she appeared with Shane Warne, Val and Jo Beth (R) and had a variety of foods presented on a belt that they had to eat Earlier in the series she had to take part in the Tug Of War Tucker Trail where she joined her camp mates doing a test of strength over the dam Pull: She showed off her strength over the dam Fellow contestants: Val and Laurina giggle together before a challenge Meanwhile at the start of the show, she refused to eat a plate of bull's eyes and blood soaked maggots as part of a bush tucker trial and later said she did so because she didn't want to upset her stomach after having an operation six months ago for a twisted intestine. At the time her boyfriend Lewis Romano said in an interview his girl is 'not a princess.' One of the first trials was the Guts or Glory trial where the winners win meals for their team and a fast track to camp. They had to get stars from boxes containing things including spiders and maggots as they were suspended over water barrels. Stinger alert! She attempted to find a star with her mouth in a scorpion filled container She rendezvoused with husband Brad Pitt who is off filming in London as she was spotted arriving at Heathrow Airport on Wednesday. But it seemed to be a short reunion for the family as Angelina Jolie and her children were spotted arriving at LAX Airport in Los Angeles on Wednesday evening. The 40-year-old star was hand-in-hand with Pax, 12, Zahara, 11 and nine-year-old Shiloh shortly after touching down at the international travel hub. Scroll down for video Jetset: Angelina Jolie wsa spotted arriving with children Pax, 12, Shiloh, nine, and Zahara, 11 - pictured from left to rght at LAX Airport in Los Angeles on Wednesday Her 52-year-old husband has been busy filming the sequel for World War Z in the capital city of England. Angelina has been busy herself as she recently wrapped filming her upcoming Netflix movie, First They Killed My Father, in Cambodia. The Maleficent star looked as chic as ever as she sported a long black jacket over a clinging black midi dress and knee-high leather boots. See Angelina Jolie updates as she lands in LA with kids after visiting Brad Pitt in London Family first: The 40-year-old actress held onto the hands of Shiloh and Zahara and Pax walked alongside Beaming: Shiloh was all smiles as they headed out of the international terminal She wore her signature raven-coloured tresses down flowing over her shoulder as she had natural, complimentary make-up on her face topped off with a swipe of shiny pink lip. Angelina accessorised the look with a pair of large, black aviator shades and a brown leather Louis Vuitton bag draped over her shoulders. Meanwhile, it was recently reported that Angelina has secretly added two large new tattoos to her collection - and now her entire back is covered in inkings by the same Thai tattoo master. Busy schedule: The family was just in London visiting her husband and their father Brad Pitt Showing her style: Angelina wore a long, black jacket with a matching dress underneath Casual cool: Pax wore a light grey zip-up hoodie over a darker heather grey top and indigo wash jeans as he had large headphones draped around his neck Ajarn Noo Kanpai - the same guru who inked her left shoulder blade in 2003 and the tiger on her lower back in 2004 - carried out the work last month. He was flown from his base near Bangkok to Siem Reap in Cambodia where Angelina is directing First They Killed My Father to complete her 11-year series of inkings. Angelina's husband Brad Pitt was also tattooed on his left side in the same session, and now has a Buddhist symbol inking on his stomach. How does she do it? Angelina has been busy herself as she recently wrapped filming her upcoming Netflix movie, First They Killed My Father, in Cambodia The same ink was believed to have been used by Ajarn Noo for the work, symbolically binding husband and wife together. Buddhists believe the mystical tattoos have powers of strength and healing, with the one applied to her right shoulder designed to offer protection for mother-of-six Angelina's family. A source said: 'The tattoos are composed of grids with pyramids at the top, which are full of ancient Buddhist symbols and prayers. They help to give the wearer protection and health. 'Angelina is a very spiritual person and has long believed her tattoos are more than just designs on her body that they actually hold some meaning, power and influence over her.' She showed off the results of her dedicated exercise routine on the red carpet at the Oscars on Sunday. Jennifer Garner was keeping up the good work on Wednesday as she hit the gym in Brentwood, California. The 43-year-old looked happy as she stepped out in her work out gear in the sunshine with a female pal. Working up a sweat: Jennifer Garner was keeping up the good work on Wednesday as she hit the gym in Brentwood, California The actress showcased her long lean legs in skin tight yoga pants and a slim-fitting hoodie. She pulled her chestnut tresses into a a ponytail, leaving some tendrils loose around her make-up free face. The Alias star covered her eyes with dark glasses as she finished up a call on her cell phone. Beauty: The actress showcased her long lean legs in skin tight yoga pants and a slim-fitting hoodie The slim beauty was sure to rehydrate after working up a sweat, as she carried a water bottle next to her friend - who looked remarkably similar to the friend she was pictured with at the Vanity fair party on Sunday. Her off-duty appearance was a world away from her highly groomed red-carpet arrival in a strapless and backless gown at the weekend. She wowed in an Atelier Versace dress with black sandals, minimal jewelry and a clean updo at her first Academy Awards since splitting with husband Ben Affleck. Healthy: The slim beauty was sure to rehydrate after working up a sweat, as she carried a water bottle Radiant: She pulled her chestnut tresses into a a ponytail, leaving some tendrils loose around her make-up free face Gym buddy: The 43-year-old looked happy as she stepped out in her work out gear in the sunshine with a female pal - who looked remarkably similar to the friend she was seen with at the Vanity Fair party on Sunday Both Jennifer and her estranged husband attended the ceremony, as well as the Vanity Fair post-Oscars party. The couple were seen being cordial to each other during the evening, as Jen was knockout in the perfect revenge dress which highlighted her stunning figure. The star lost 190 excess lbs last year when she separated from her Batman actor husband after ten years and one day of marriage, and spilled her heart out to Vanity Fair in a bombshell interview that was released on Friday. Busy: The Alias star covered her eyes with dark glasses as she finished up a call on her cell phone Working for it: Her off-duty appearance was a world away from her highly groomed red-carpet arrival in a strapless and backless gown at the weekend She not only talked about Ben killing her 'dream' of being happily married, but also touched on the subject of their nanny - with whom he was claimed to be in a relationship. In her interview, the Dallas Buyers Club actress hinted heavily that Ben cheated on her and also heavily suggested that he did have romantic relations with Christine Ouzounian, 28, even though he claimed last summer the accusation was 'garbage.' 'We had been separated for months before I ever heard about the nanny,' said the Miracles From Heaven actress. 'She had nothing to do with our decision to divorce. She was not a part of the equation. Bad judgment? Yes.' Toned: She showed off the results of her dedicated exercise routine on the red carpet at the Oscars on Sunday The toughest part of the allegations was talking to her children about it, she said. 'It's not great for your kids for [a nanny] to disappear from their lives,' she said. 'I have had to have conversations about the meaning of "scandal."' Jennifer and Ben, who have three children together (Violet, aged 10, Seraphina, aged seven, and Samuel, aged three), announced their split in June, just a month before talk of his involvement with the nanny. As far as his claims that the affair never happened, Jennifer said: 'Hes still the only person who really knows the truth about things. And Im still the only person that knows some of his truths.' She is a regular face on Australian television, delivering Network Ten's 5pm Eyewitness News bulletin each evening. However, Sandra Sully will grace screens in a slightly different format, as it has been revealed the news presenter is the latest celebrity headed into the South African jungle for I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! The 51-year-old will deliver a variety of informative news items to the camp mates, who have been out of touch with the rest of the world for a number of weeks. Scroll down for video That will be quite the live cross! Channel Ten news presenter Sandra Sully is headed into the the South African jungle for I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! Speaking to The Daily Telegraph on Thursday, Sandra said the biggest challenge for her won't be the uncomfortable surroundings, but deciding what information to share with the contestants. 'The question for me is what news do you share with people who have been completely out of the loop and out of touch for weeks on end,' she said as she explained she will deliver a mix of news, as well as some personal news for each celebrity. 'To get some personal news will probably mean the most,' she explained. Sandra also admitted that she didn't think she could have survived in the jungle as a contestant. 'I would have struggled with everything - the creepy crawlies, eating faeces and grubs and maggots and the snakes, I don't have a stomach for it or the central nervous system,' she admitted, adding: 'To have lasted this long is a super human effort.' See I'm A Celebrity updates as Sandra Sully is headed into the South African jungle Different format: The 51-year-old news presenter will deliver a variety of informative news items to the camp mates, who have been out of touch with the rest of the world for a number of weeks Familiar face: Sandra delivers Network Ten's 5pm Eyewitness News bulletin each evening The Ten news presenter also made a cameo appearance in a trailer released for the show in December, announcing that eight celebrities have been reported missing. Sandra will be the final intruder to enter the camp this season. The contestant's have already been treated to visits from Bindi, Terri and Robert Irwin, as well as Nova FM radio duo Ryan 'Fitzy' Fitzgerald and Michael 'Wippa' Wipfli. As the show heads into its final and sixth week, there are still eight remaining celebrities left in the jungle camp. Remaining is Shane Warne, Havana Brown, Laurina Fleure, Anthony Callea, Brendan Fevola, Paula Harragon, Val Legman and Jo Beth Taylor. Outside contact: The contestant's have already been treated to visits from Bindi, Terri and Robert Irwin Geordie Shore star Charlotte Crosby is due to appear in court on March 11 over a second drink-driving charge. The Sun report that the 25-year-old was pulled over by police on January 28 after she was allegedly spotted driving her Range Rover erratically. The charge comes just a year and a half after Charlotte's last road ban came to an end, following her arrest for driving at twice the legal limit in 2012. Scroll down for video Charged: Geordie Shore star Charlotte Crosby, pictured at Sydney airport last week, is due to appear in court on March 11 over a second drink-driving charge Charlotte, who is currently promoting Geordie Shore in Australia, is due to appear at Newcastle magistrates' court on March 11. A source close to the star has told The Sun that the reality star 'is devastated. To drink-drive once is incredibly stupid, but to face charges a second time beggars belief. 'Everyone close to her is stunned, and her bosses at Geordie Shore who she was due to film with the next day are absolutely livid with her. A representative for Charlotte had no comment when contacted by MailOnline, while a Newcastle police spokesman has confirmed that a 25-year-old woman has been charged with driving a motor vehicle while above the legal limit on January 28. Night out: The Sun report that the 25-year-old was pulled over by police earlier this year after she was spotted driving her Range Rover erratically In February 2012 Charlotte was caught driving at twice the legal limit, leading to an 18-month ban, a 250 fine plus a victim surcharge of 15 and 85 costs, after she pleaded guilty. She issued an apology at the time, promising she would not make the same mistake again, saying: 'It was a very stupid and reckless thing to do. I've let myself down. It won't happen again.' Charlotte's antics on her hit show Geordie Shore are infamous, with the reality star known for her partying. Speaking to Closer last year, Charlotte, who also won Celebrity Big Brother in 2013, insisted she won't apologise for her wild ways. 'I don't get embarrassed by things everyone else seems to get embarrassed by,' she explained. 'I've done it all on Geordie Shore. Wet the bed, vomited on myself, had sex on camera and passed out naked. But I won't apologise and I don't see myself changing anytime soon. I'm young and I love to go out partying. She had to be fighting fit for her highly energetic role in Avengers: Age of Ultron last year. And Elizabeth Olsen showed she was keeping up her exercise regime as she joined her personal trainer for a gruelling hike in Los Angeles on Wednesday. Clad in a pair of skimpy running shorts, the 27-year-old actress displayed the results of her hard work as she kept her enviably toned legs on display. Scroll down for video Age of Olsen! She had to be fighting fit for her highly energetic role in Avengers: Age of Ultron last year. And Elizabeth Olsen kept up her exercise regime on a gruelling hike in Los Angeles on Wednesday The star - who is the younger sister of twins Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, 29 - seemed surprisingly refreshed on the journey, barely breaking a sweat as she made her way around Runyon Canyon. Going make-up free for the outing, she looked ready for an intense workout, scraping her golden tresses back into a high ponytail. Donning a grey long sleeved top and eye-catching pink trainers, the star managed to combine both style and practicality as she went on her hike. Leggy lady! Clad in a pair of skimpy running shorts, the 27-year-old displayed the results of her hard work as she kept her enviably toned legs on display whilst chatting with her personal trainer Elizabeth's exercise regime no doubt helped her film the upcoming Captain America: Civil War, where she reprised her role as the Scarlet Witch. The star first appeared in the Marvel series for The Avengers: Age Of Ultron, where she followed a strict plan to keep her fit enough for the role. Speaking to Allure about her preparation, she explained: 'I always work out. Five or six times a week. Ballet, boot camp, yoga. It actually did help, because it was a lot of dancing and moving around.' Glamorous: Elizabeth, 27, put in a rather chic appearance at the 2016 Elle Style Awards in London last month No cheating! Elizabeth looked as though she wanted to hop in the car and drive home, but she stuck at her exercise regime and finished her hike after stopping for a quick chat with her friend through the window But whilst Elizabeth has a lithe frame, she explained that she stood out from her older sisters as she is 'the curvy one of the family'. Speaking to Marie Claire magazine, she continued: '[But] Its very clear that Im the younger sister. 'My whole life [Mary-Kate and Ashley] have been like women, while Ive been trying to be a woman but still a kid.' Since breaking up in December, Megan McKenna and Jordan Davies' relationship has been far from amicable. But Ex On The Beach viewers are in for a shock as the finale will see the former couple become engaged on her 23rd birthday in emotional scenes which will air on Tuesday. In pre-released footage of the final episode of the MTV reality series, Jordan is seen getting down on one knee in the privacy of the penthouse which pushed Megan over the edge. Scroll down for video Spoiler alert: Ex On The Beach viewers are in for a shock as Jordan Davies PROPOSES to Megan McKenna in the emotional finale which airs on Tuesday Megan is led to the love shack which Jordan has covered in rose petals and stocked up with champagne in anticipation of the imminent celebrations. Starting his speech, he says: 'Its not been easy for me in here,' to which she responds: 'Not really with your skanky ex but to be honest, shes actually been alright with me.' The Magaluf Weekender star continues: 'Yeah its not about her its about me and you but I know its been hard for us in here. You know how much you mean to me. I adore you. I adore everything about you. 'Theres nothing more I want in this world than you so Ive got you another little present.' Ex On The Beach 408 | Megan And Jordan's Penthouse Engagement Watch More: www.mtv.co.uk/ex She just can't: Megan, 23, breaks down in hysterical tears after accepting Jordan's proposal 'I've never been so nervous in my life': The Welsh party boy tells the camera ahead of the big event Wearing his heart on his sleeve: 'I adore you. I adore everything about you', he gushes while stroking her leg on the petal-covered bed 'Will you marry me?' The Magaluf Weekender star asks his CBB-contestant girlfriend after delivering a heartfelt speech Sealed with a kiss: Jordan and Megan celebrate their engagement with a snogging session in the privacy of the penthouse Megan becomes overcome with excitement and exclaims: 'I am going to wee myself Are you kidding me?' as he instructs her to sit on the edge of the bed while fetching the ring. Although admitting 'he's never been so nervous in my life' prior to the gesture, he confidently drops to one knee, presents the diamond and asks: 'Megan McKenna, you know I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Youre the only girl I want will you marry me?' The Celebrity Big Brother contestant nods in acceptance and reiterates her answer by saying: 'Of course I'll f**king marry you.' The smitten MTV stars then kiss before breaking their embrace for him to say: 'You don't know how happy you've made me.' 'You don't know how happy you've made me': The loved-up star tells his brand-new fiancee Emotions are at an all-time high: Megan can't disguise her happy tears as she comprehends what's just happened Megan is equally as emotional and breaks down in the individual interview that follows the romantic scene. 'I cant f**king believe it... I didnt actually think Id be this happy,' she says. The happy couple then announce the news to their cast-mates which includes Scotty T who flirted outrageously with Megan while in the CBB house with her in January. However, it wasn't meant to be as Megan and Jordan - who are collectively named 'Jegan' - confirmed they'd split in December. 'In reply to all of your questions over the past few weeks. Yes Jordan and I have split. We are not together anymore,' the Essex-born brunette wrote to her Twitter followers. Short-lived celebrations: The proposal occurred on her birthday in September but the couple split just four months later Their relationship has gone from bad to worse in recent weeks with the outspoken star labelling him a 'lying scumbag' after he publicly discussed the demise of their romance in a question-and-answer session on the social-networking site last month. She fumed: 'Can we please clarify the reason me and @JordanWeekender split up was because he was a LIEING scumbag. Who broke my trust (sic). 'I ended it with him. Blocked his number/twitter/insta/snapchat and he still tried contacting me. So please Jordan. Drop me out.' The Welsh party boy refused to take her insults lying down and hit back, saying: 'I wont stoop to your level with abusive tweets. Clearly shows you're still bothered. Im over you, you're nothing to me, don' @ me again (sic).' Megan enjoyed a short-lived fling with Scotty T while in the Big Brother house with him but he has since picked things up with his unofficial girlfriend Francesca Toole despite telling Megan they would pursue things when they left the house. Meanwhile, Jordan has been spotted enjoying a string of dates with another of Megan's CBB housemates - 54-year-old Nancy Dell'Ollio. A source told MailOnline: 'Jordan got in contact with Nancy's camp as he has admired her from a far (from CBB) and asked to meet her. Nancy agreed after seeing some pics. 'She's been to Bar 68 & Boston a few times recently and it's her new favourite haunt, so Nancy chose to have the date there. Eager Jordan travelled from Cardiff for the date. Nancy (in true Nancy style, was an hour late).' He was then spotted snogging Geordie Shore star Marnie Simpson as they enjoyed a random date night in Newcastle last month. Watch the final Ex On The Beach episode on MTV at 10pm on Tuesday Advertisement It's been a whirlwind of jets, runways and parties over the past month for the world's top models. And as the world's fashion weeks draw to an end in Paris, Kendall Jenner, Rosie Huntington Whiteley and Karlie Kloss were back in model mode as they headed to the Balmain show venue on Thursday. The trio, are all favourite models of designer Olivier Rousteing, who will be unveiling his hugely anticipated Autumn/Winter 2016 collection in the city on Thursday afternoon. Scroll down for video Here come the girls: Kendall Jenner, Rosie Huntington Whiteley and Karlie Kloss were all spotted arriving for the Balmain Paris Fashion Week show on Thursday as they prepared to hit the runway for designer Olivier Rousteing Kendall, 20, looked glam as she wrapped up for the chilly Paris temperatures in a black, blue and white furry jacket. The Keeping Up With the Kardashians star added a pair of black leather trousers layered over boots to highlight her long legs. She carried a compact tote bag and accessoried with a choker necklace and shades. See more updates on Kendall Jenner as she heads out with Rosie Huntington Whiteley and Karlie Kloss in Paris for Balmain's PFW show Wrapped up: Kendall, 20, looked super chic in her statement furry jacket in black, blue and white hues, teamed with skinny leather trousers Ready for the glam squad: The top model went makeup free for her trip to hair and makeup before the show kicked off Finishing touches: The Balmain favourite carried a compact tote bag and accessoried with a choker necklace and shades With her dark locks left loose and barely a scrap of makeup on, Kendall was ready to be made up and dressed up for the runway. Brit model Rosie, 28, was also spotted arriving to prepare for the Balmain show, looking chic in head to toe black. The stunning runway star, layered a gold buttoned coat over a simple sweater and trousers, matching Kendall with her own choker necklace. Brit beauty: Rosie was elegant in head-to-toe black as she headed to the show venue in Paris for last minute prep Winter chic: The top model and actress layered a gold-buttoned coat over a simple sweater and matched Kendall with her choker necklace Leggy: The blonde beauty accentuated her long legs with flared black jeans teamed with heeled suede boots as she left her city hotel Check out the bling: Rosie flashed a look at her sparkling engagement ring following a proposal from her beau Jason Statham She carried a large bag and hid behind dark shades, while flashing her sparkling engagement ring after recently getting engaged to her long-time beau Jason Statham. It's been a busy few hours for Rosie, after she was spotted leaving Balmain's headquarters following a fitting on Wednesday night - just hours after arriving in Paris. While she will inevitably be one of the stars of Balmain's show, she was in good company as rising supermodel Gigi Hadid was also spotted arriving at the event, as was Victoria's Secret beauty Sara Sampaio Headed to the runway: It's been a busy few hours for Rosie, after she was spotted leaving Balmain's headquarters following a fitting on Wednesday night - just hours after arriving in Paris What a beauty: Rosie chose a simple but oh-so-chic ensemble for her busy morning at Balmain before the show kicked off Karlie was also spotted heading into show prep on Thursday, with the US model looking likely to hit the Balmain runway with Kendall again after previously walking in last season's showcase. The 23-year-old beauty happily posed for the cameras, looking gorgeous in a cosy coat, loosely belted at the wist. A pair of wide-legged trousers, chic flats and a classic Chanel bag completed her ensemble, while she showed off her stunning features with natural makeup. Lily Donaldson looked in good spirits as she followed Karlie to Balmain, flashing a peace sign and stopping to greet fans, while looking effortlessly gorgeous in a statement suede coat and matching thigh-high boots. Ready for the runway: Karlie Kloss also arrived at the venue, wrapping up warm in a cosy brown coat belted at the waist Designer touches: Karlie carried a classic Chanel bag and finished her look off with elegant, patent flats Here we go! Lily Donaldson looked in good spirits as she followed Karlie to Balmain, flashing a peace sign and stopping to greet fans He previously slammed Stephanie Davis and Jeremy McConnell's rollercoaster relationship as 'nonsense' and Phillip Schofield has criticised them once again on Thursday. Learning the pair had split for a second time, during a chat with This Morning's showbiz correspondent Ferne McCann, he launched into another extraordinary rant. The 53-year-old said: 'They've split? No! Tell me they did it discreetly and didn't tweet.' 'I couldn't care less': Phillip Schofield criticised Stephanie Davis and Jeremy McConnell on Thursday after learning they had split again - he hit back at them a few weeks ago for airing their dirty laundry Phillip said of the couple: 'She is a sweet girl and he came on the show and was lovely. I loved them both on Big Brother. But on Twitter, I don't care. Keep it to yourself' - pictured before the split Holly Willoughby added: 'I just think washing your dirty laundry in public is dangerous.' Ferne told the pair: I feel like I'm invested in the relationship now. I want to know what happens after seeing them get together on Celebrity Big Brother. But Phillip could not hold back any longer. He said: 'I'd rather get down on the floor and share a bone with Clover [the dog]. I couldn't care less. 'She is a sweet girl and he came on the show and was lovely. I loved them both on Big Brother. But on Twitter, I don't care. Keep it to yourself. 'I'm keeping quiet,' Holly said, before moving on to talk about World Book Day. Stephanie is believed to have posted a screenshot of a conversation she is thought to have had with a young woman Jeremy was linked to last month called Caroline Pope. Earlier on Wednesday, the Irish hunk had shared his own message on the social networking site, claiming that he would 'never hurt' his new girlfriend, with whom he embarked on a romance after being in the CBB house together. Oops! When showbiz correspondent Ferne McCann told Phillip it was over between them following allegations of cheating, he said: 'They've split? No! Tell me they did it discreetly and didn't tweet' Phillip also said about keeping up with the news: 'I'd rather get down on the floor and share a bone with Clover [the dog]. I couldn't care less' But it seems that the ceasefire didn't hold out, and now the smitten on-off pair have seemingly ended their fledgling romance for good. The shared thread is believed to have shown a candid 'girl to girl' chat between Stephanie - who dumped her boyfriend Sam Reece to be with Jeremy - and Caroline, a dancer who was linked to Jeremy days after he was evicted from the Celebrity Big Brother house in February. Appearing to confront Caroline, the screenshot, which was promptly deleted, read: 'Is it true u slept with Jeremy, don't lie too me as Scott just said you did (sic)'. 'I don't want to be lied to anymore,' Stephanie continued, before adding: 'And don't lie to not hurt me. Be a girl to girl and tell me'. Ferne told the pair: I feel like I'm invested in the relationship now. I want to know what happens after seeing them get together on Celebrity Big Brother' 'I'm keeping quiet,' Holly said, before moving on to talk about World Book Day Seemingly desperate for an answer, Stephanie pleaded: 'Please xx'. 'Girl to girl yes I did,' the user, who goes by the name C.Pope, strongly hinting that it is Caroline, responds. 'I didn't want to cause any trouble as he made it clear he was single. I Hope you both get things sorted but I don't want to be dragged into it anymore hope you understand as I've had enough grief over social media (sic)'. Alongside the screenshot, Steph is claimed to have written in a now-deleted tweet: 'Yeah true. Girl to girl lol. Both vile. And liars. Sorry for hoping on true love. Ill never love anyone again. (sic)' Nevertheless, Jeremy has protested his innocence on the social network, fighting his corner by retweeting another chat screenshot between Stephanie and Caroline, with the latter appearing to take back her previous remark by claiming her friends had been using her phone and replying without her consent 'Right that was my friends in the staff room on my phone,' she wrote. 'This whole thing is rumours, dos you not see my tweet denying it? (sic),' Caroline added. 'U liar,' Steph replied, before reiterating the insult. 'He payed u off had he,' she writes, before telling her to 'f**k odd (sic)'. It's not the first time: Phillip was incensed last month when he grew tired of hearing about Jephanie's rollercoaster relationship and didn't hold back as he blasted them on air Threatening to tweet and publicise their conversation, the ex-soap star added: 'Your a vicious little liar And clearly spoke to him. (sic)' 'Do U think I'm F**kinf dumb enough to believe one of your mates took your phone and randomly decided to reply (sic),' Stephanie appeared to rage in the screenshot. And it wasn't the first time in the day that Jeremy had been forced to defend himself as he also hit back at the claims he had slept with the Newcastle native, who is friends with his Celebrity Big Brother co-star Scotty T, earlier in the day. He wrote: 'So sick to death of hungry begs selling stories for a few quid to try ruin ppl relationships. I love steph and would never hurt her end of.' A fortnight ago, Phillip hit out at the couple and their seemingly tumultuous romance, blasting their behaviour as 'nonsense'. When the former TOWIE star announced Jeremy and Stephanie were back together, after he claimed they had split on Monday, the TV host interjected: 'Who cares! Do you know what? I'm sick to death of these two.' Ferne followed Phillip's lead and didn't hold back on broadcasting her honest thoughts on the TV couple, admitting she finds the way they're conducting themselves 'embarrassing'. She explained: 'This is what I think, right, they were supposed to appear on Loose Women yesterday and they pulled out because they broke up but less than 24 hours she was posting on Twitter, 'I'm still madly in love with him, we're trying to work things out'. He posted a picture on his Instagram of them cuddling on the bed.' A word of advice: Ferne, 25, branded the CBB lovebirds' behaviour 'embarrassing' and advised them to not play out their relationship on social media Not impressed: 'I should imagine the production team of Loose Women are pretty furious that they pulled out of the show and then rocked up later on,' Phillip added after the one-time soap actress and Irish model cancelled their first joint TV appearance on the chat show at the last minute 'I should imagine the production team of Loose Women are pretty furious that they pulled out of the show and then rocked up later on,' Phillip added. Speaking from experience, Ferne offered the one-time soap actress and the Irish model some sage advice. 'I think it's embarrassing on their part. If you're going out with someone and you have a squabble, you haven't got to post it all over you social media,' she said, to which Phillip fired back: 'Now theyre embroiled in all this nonsense, I cant be bothered anymore.' The silver fox's outrage was prompted when Jeremy announced, via his spokesperson, that he and Stephanie had split, only for her to post a contradictory message hours later. 'Jeremy won't be able to go on Loose Women with Steph today. He cares really deeply for Steph however the pressure of the relationship was just too much, he really wishes it could have worked out and he wishes Steph the very best for the future,' the model's publicist told MailOnline. 'Me and Jez are still very much together': The former Hollyoaks actress wrote on Twitter, hours after the model claimed they'd split on Monday 'Cool story bro': After releasing contradictory announcements, the TV couple further confused fans with this loved-up selfie shared on Monday evening - Jeremy's 26th birthday Stephanie followed up with a series of tweets which read: 'Me and jez are still very much together. We're working around schedules to be with eachoteher. I'm madly in love with him. Thanks for... All of the support though. Means a lot (sic).' That same night Jeremy and Stephanie were the picture of love's young dream as he shared a candid bed selfie which showed him kissing her on the cheek. 'Cool story bro,' he captioned the image posted on his Twitter account before heading out in Leeds to celebrate his birthday. What's the crack? Stephanie, 22, posted this especially raunchy photo, showing her 26-year-old boyfriend's completely naked bottom, as she boasted about having breakfast in bed with him Meanwhile, moments after Stephanie and Jeremy's current status was being discussed on national television, they kept up their loved-up front on social media with some rather telling posts. The 22-year-old ex-Hollyoaks star showed off her bottom naked boyfriend to the world as she boasted about having breakfast in bed with him while he released a defiant statement in which he claimed, 'we're very happy'. Jeremy's statement read: 'Just letting people know, me and Steph are fine. We are very happy we both have mad schedules. It's my job to go on a personal appearance and get pictures with girls. 'Steph comes and stays in hotel with me. We trust each other and love each other. Sadly the media twist alot of stuff which puts pressure on. Thanks for all the support :).' He's spent the past week in South Africa filming scenes for the new series of Top Gear. But Chris Evans, 49, enjoyed a welcome reunion with his young family as they gathered to meet him at London's Heathrow Airport on Friday morning. Looking surprisingly fresh-faced after his 11-hour flight, Chris seemed in great spirits as he was greeted at arrivals by his beautiful wife Natasha Shishmanian and their two sons Noah, seven, and Eli, three. Scroll down for video Welcome party: Chris Evans, 49, managed to squeeze in some quality time with his family as they reunited to meet him at Heathrow airport on Friday following his week-long trip to South Africa Clad in pirate outfits, the two boys had donned the fun costumes in honour of World Book Day, which seemed to have perked up Chris from the inevitable post-flight slump. Taking to Twitter he wrote: 'Just got off the plane from Top Gear SA trip. Straight into the school run and 250 pirates. World Book Day rocks. #worldbookday.' Looking rather boring compared to his costume-clad children, Chris had donned a pair of jeans and brown boots for his journey, which he teamed with a yellow top and green leather jacket. Homward bound! Looking surprisingly fresh-faced after his 11-hour flight, Chris seemed in great spirits as he was met at arrivals by his wife Natasha Shishmanian and their two sons Noah, seven, and Eli, three Natasha, 35, also opted to forgo fancy dress, donning a pair of grey lounge pants with a blue T-shirt and khaki jacket. Racing through the airport with cups of coffee in hand, the parents looked ready to take on the day ahead, whilst their sons ambled across the terminal. Beaming broadly, the family seemed excited to all be together again, following Chris' action packed-trip to South Africa. Documenting his trip on social media, the star seemed to have enjoyed the expedition, which saw him film Top Gear scenes with his co-host Matt LeBlanc and special guest, Tinie Tempah. Documenting his trip on social media, the star seemed to have enjoyed the expedition, which saw him film Top Gear scenes with his co-host Matt LeBlanc and special guest, Tinie Tempah. Sharing a snap of the team standing on the top of a mountain, he wrote: 'It's a Top Gear WRAP. Or WRAP an' ROLL more appropriately. Thank you Lesotho and South Africa. Peace & Love. X.' The trip abroad comes as Top Gear production hit a series of delays that has seen the proposed premiere date of May 8, pushed back to May 22. Due to filming difficulties, the BBC have also been forced to reduce the length of the series from eight episodes to just six. She's had a busy start to the year promoting her big screen appearance in Zoolander 2 and shooting a new movie. But on Wednesday, Penelope Cruz enjoyed some well-deserved down time with her two children Leo, four and Luna, two at a Madrid park. The Spanish beauty showed off her natural beauty, wearing cosy winter wear as she played with her children. Scroll down for video Family time: Penelope Cruz enjoyed some well-deserved down time with her two children Luna, two, and Leo, four at a Madrid park on Wednesday after a busy few weeks The 41-year-old actress ditched the glam in favour of a loose-fitting black sweater teamed with jeans and a pair of cosy, furry boots. She pulled a slouchy beanie hat over her loose dark locks, and appeared to be going makeup free for the day out. A hooded coat finished off the look, as the star, who is married to fellow actor Javier Bardem, cuddled up to her son in the park and chatted with pals. At one point the Hollywood star slipped on some shades and took a seat on the curb to check her phone, with the talented actress juggling life as a mum to Luna and Leo and her busy career. Speaking to the Guardian last September, Penelope explained just how much being a mother has changed her world. Me and you: The 41-year-old actress ditched the glam for a cosy coat as she snuggled up to her son in the winter sunshine 'The biggest feelings I have ever experienced come from the way my children look at me,' she gushed. 'Being a mother is seeing life from a different point of view, as if you were a child again. Even your relationship with nature changes; it's like you can see a tree through new eyes,' she added. Penelope is currently enjoying some time back home in her native Spain as she shoots comedy-drama The Queen Of Spain The forthcoming film marks the third collaboration between Oscar-winning writer-director Fernando Trueba and the actress, following Belle Epoque and 1998's The Girl Of Your Dreams, the latter serving as a prequel to the new movie. It seems Will Smith can't get enough of working with Australian actors. The American actor has been announced to star alongside Sydney-born Hollywood star Joel Edgerton in the fantasy cop thriller, Bright. The news comes just months after the Fresh Prince Of Bel Air star wrapped filming on Suicide Squad with fellow Aussie actors Margot Robbie and Jai Courtney. Starring role! Joel Edgerton, 41, to star alongside Will Smith, 47, in the fantasy cop thriller Bright Aussie act: In Suicide Squad, the 46-year-old (back left) stars alongside fellow Australian actors Margot Robbie (third bottom left) and Jai Courtney (second top right) Joel, fresh from playing corrupt cop in Black Mass alongside Johnny Depp, will play another policeman in the film. But unlike other crime movies, Bright will include magical and other worldly elements. Empire magazine has reported that David Ayer will direct the fantasy thriller from a script written by Max Landis. Will and David have recently worked on the upcoming Warner Brothers action flick, Suicide Squad, which will be in theatres in August. Bright stars: Empire magazine has reported that David Ayer will direct the fantasy thriller from a script written by Max Landis Team-mates: Will and David have recently worked on the upcoming Warner Brothers action flick, Suicide Squad, which will be in theatres in August Dapper dude: A Good Day to Die Hard actor Jai is fast becoming one of Australia's biggest Hollywood stars Joel has starred in a number of cop narratives including Felony and Ned Kelly, as well as playing a corrupt FBI agent in the acclaimed film Blackmass. His next movie is Loving and follows the story of an interracial couple who are sentenced to prison in Virginia in 1958 for getting married. Meanwhile, Will has been working with a handful of Australian actors of late. In Suicide Squad, he stars alongside former Neighbours actress Margot Robbie and A Good Day to Die Hard actor Jai Courtney. The action movie tells the story of a secret government plot to use imprisoned supervillains to execute dangerous black ops missions in exchange for clemency. Will and Margot also worked on the 2015 comedy, Focus. Advertisement Fans have eagerly been awaiting the return of the captivating BBC One drama. But it seems trouble could be brewing for handsome hero Captain Ross Poldark and his loyal wife Demelza in the upcoming series since Aidan Turner and his on-screen love interest Eleanor Tomlinson were spotted shooting an explosive scene on Thursday. Filming got underway for the second season of the hit programme in windy Cornwall, with the sandy beach at Holywell Bay providing a beautiful yet bleak backdrop for their lovers' tiff. Scroll down for video Trouble in paradise? Ross Poldark and Demelza's marriage could be in trouble since Aidan Turner (L) and Eleanor Tomlinson (R) were seen filming a lovers' tiff on the beaches of Cornwall on Wednesday as filming resumed for Poldark series two Runaway bride! Aidan was seen chasing his on-screen wife Demelza along the water's edge, locked in a heated war of words Poldark could be seen chasing his devoted wife Demelza along the water's edge, gesticulating wildly as he attempted to plead with her. The flame-haired beauty strode on ahead, her gorgeous crimson gown billowing in the wind as she paced through the surf. Eleanor removed her burgundy boots as she paced up and down the beach, her elegant, scoop-neck dress trailing in the water. Back in costume: Eleanor was clad in a beautiful 18th century gown while Aidan was back in his dapper attire Emotional: In the heat of the moment, it seems Demelza didn't realise her gorgeous gown was soaked up to the knee Wading in! The on-screen couple giggled as they walked further out to sea, getting completely soaked in the process Not giving up: Ross Poldark appeared to be racing through the surf in a bid to talk to Demelza Intimate chat: Aidan and Eleanor filmed a tense discussion as the camera crew crowded around Clad in a grey waistcoat and smart overcoat, Aidan's character looked dejected as a visibly upset Demelza left him standing on the beach alone. Earlier in the day, the Irish hunk was seen shooting dramatic solo scenes, revealing that his alter-ego had fallen on hard times. Appearing handcuffed in the middle of the countryside, Poldark hasn't managed to escape the law, who seemingly detained him at the end of Series One. Uncomfortable: The duo were complete professionals, braving the freezing cold water in their costumes Beautiful backdrop: The windy Cornish coast provided a visually stunning setting for the exciting scenes Red hot: Eleanor's elegant, scoop-neck dress boasted a full skirt and intricate embroidery on the bodice Still together? Fans left the couple in turmoil at the end of the first series Pensive: The actor gave his usual, moody facial expressions as he was filmed Perfect shot: The weather conditions may have been dry, but the drew needed some extra help on the lighting front Eleanor seemed to be battling the weather conditions as she fought with her heavy costume; her long tresses and billowing top layers blowing around in the breeze. One of the crew members, sensibly-dressed in a padded jacket, rushed over to assist the 23-year-old actress as she suffered for her work on the hilly landscape. Aidan was having a few troubles of his own as he stood in shackles, unable to adjust his flapping jacket tails. Shackled: Earlier in the day, Aidan was filmed in handcuffs in a windy Cornwall for the new second series of Poldark Blown away: Eleanor Tomlinson was there as Demelza, similarly being blown about on a breezy day in the countryside Handcuffed: Fans will remember that the character was arrested at the end of the last series Capturing new scenes: The second series is well under way, after the last one ended in April 2015 Freezing: The redhead battled with her heavy, billowing period costume on the day Keeping her warm: She covered up with a warm top layer to stop her freezing in the outdoors Brrr! A make-up artist and member of the crew battled to keep Eleanor warm While it's unclear what Captain Poldark was being reprimanded for, fans of the first BBC One series will know that he previously spent three years in the army to avoid charges of smuggling. Though he served his time and abandoned his sweetheart, Elizabeth (played by Heida Reed) to fight in the American War of Independence. He was also seen being taken away to Truro jail by a sergeant at the end of Series 1 on a charge of theft and murder - the likelihood being that George Warleggan had snitched on him. The final episode of the first series aired in April 2015, leaving fans guessing about Demelza and Ross' welfare, following the loss of their daughter Julia. Elizabeth actress Heida proved that her part in the second season filming wrapped on Tuesday when she posted a clapboard snap with the caption: 'It's a wrap for Elizabeth on series 2!!!' Television hunk: Aidan achieved overnight fame with his smouldering good looks Moody: He was capturing stills for the day too, no doubt ready for promo on the second series Warm enough? A large group were needed to capture seaside scenes in Cornwall Did we get it? He watched parts of the action back in order to make sure his work was at its best Perfect conditions: With the sunlight just kissing his face, it was the perfect outdoor conditions for a photoshoot Helping hand? There was always someone on hand to help the young actress I'm here! With the crew were wrapped up warmly, Eleanor suffered for her work Well-loved: She was obviously a well-loved character to have around and shared banter with her colleagues Kendall Jenner has been spending so much time at photo shoots and on the catwalk that she has not had much availability for family fun. And the 20-year-old Keeping Up With The Kardashians star clearly seems to miss her more carefree days as she wrote about a trip to Greece on her website kendallj.com on Thursday. The Balmain beauty also shared a photo where she was wearing a skimpy bikini with a see-through white peasant top. Scroll down for video Opa! Kendall Jenner looked flawless as she posed on a yacht in Greece in 2013; the model shared this image to her site on Thursday Va-voom: The leggy daughter of Kris Jenner, 60, was seen on the wood deck of a yacht, holding onto its railing. The boat seemed to be just a quarter mile off shore of a village The leggy daughter of Kris Jenner, 60, was seen on the wood deck of a yacht, holding onto its railing. The boat seemed to be just a quarter mile off shore of a village. The Vogue wonder wore sunglasses and a satisfied smile. Her entry was nostalgic: 'Our family trip to Greece was def one of my favorite vacations ever.' The Estee Lauder spokesperson added: 'It's just such a beautiful and relaxing placefor sure, my happy spot.' See Kendall Jenner updates as she reminisces about 2013 family vacation in Greece Switcheroo: Kendall has been in Paris modeling with her good friend Gigi Hadid, also 20 Jenner went on to say: 'This trip was so amazing because everyone came, even Brandon, Brody and Leah.' Kendall has not been seen much with those three since her father Bruce transitioned into Caitlyn. 'A family trip of mine is never complete without a mini photo shoot, so we took advantage of the unreal sights. I mean, just look at how blue that water is! I'm dreaming of a vacay like this, after the past month of nonstop work and travel!' Kendall has been in Paris modeling with her good friend Gigi Hadid, also 20. Is that you Gigi? On Thursday they walked the Balmain show. Kendall wore a blonde wig On Thursday they walked the Balmain show. Kendall wore a blonde wig while normally flaxen haired stunner Gigi had a brunette wig on. The two looked nonplussed as they slinked along the runway in spring clothes. Kendall has also been seen shopping at Dior and shooting an access-all-areas video for Vogue during New Fashion Week. Bubbas: Kendall has also been seen shooting an access-all-areas video for Vogue during New Fashion Week with Hadid In the mini film, runway star Kendall is also seen calling friend Cara Delevingne on FaceTime, gossiping with designer Marc Jacobs and eating McDonalds with older sister Kim Kardashian. The comical short begins with Kendall frantically shaving her flawless pins in the back of taxi. 'You don't really have time for things during fashion week,' she jokes while spraying foam onto her legs. Giving fans a glimpse into her laborious beauty routine, the muse blasts her glossy brunette locks with a hairdryer, takes a dip in a luxurious gold bath tub and gets bright blue powder applied to her eyes by a make-up artist. Back to normal: Kendall had her wig off as she stepped out after the show on Thursday 'As you can tell we're doing a really natural eye today,' she quips. After FaceTiming British supermodel-turned-actress Cara Delevingne, it's on to a meeting with fashion designer Marc Jacobs, whose autumn/winter 2016 presentation she walked in. Pompeii: New Secrets Revealed Rating: Remind me never to go to a spa with Professor Mary Beard. My delicate sensibilities wouldnt be able to cope. She was giving us a guided tour of the worlds most famous Roman ruins in Pompeii: New Secrets Revealed (BBC1) and promising to show us where the average Pompeiian ate, drank, bathed and even had it away. First, she escorted us to Lucky Julias establishment, a high-class sauna and knocking-shop according to the prof. Prof Mary Beard, pictured exploring Roman ruins in the BBC's Pompeii: New Secrets Revealed This was a massage parlour, she said with heavy emphasis, adding: You know the kind of thing? She might as well have delivered a hefty nudge in the ribs and a lascivious wink. Because Lucky Julia catered for an exclusive clientele, guests were entitled to a little decorum: No riff-raff laughing at your little willy here, among all the naked bathers. But further downtown at the public baths, she imagined, anyone with a paunch or an undersized appendage could expect to be mocked mercilessly. This is where everyone came to get naked, she said approvingly, lingering on the mental image of the barrow boys with their muscular torsos. Mary has had to defend herself robustly in the past from online trolls who sneered at her large teeth and hooted in shock at her long grey hair. Her unspoken message was clear: unless youve got the body of a Greek Adonis, dont you dare criticise her looks. She is the foremost academic expert on Pompeii, and weve been here with her before. This was the latest of hundreds of visits for her, she said, since 1973. But there is always something new to be discovered, both because of technological breakthroughs and because the restoration teams were willing to grant access to places the general public rarely gets to see. REMAKE OF THE NIGHT The latest Scandi-drama, Thicker Than Water (More4), features Swedish siblings at war over their inheritance after their artist mother kills herself. Sounds familiar? That was also the plot of the excellent Danish serial, The Legacy. Who cares if its a rip-off Im a Nordic noir addict. Advertisement In the womens baths, now used as storerooms open only to archaeologists, she pointed to more than 100 skulls arrayed on shelves. Against another wall, human bones were stacked like firewood. When we think of Pompeii, we imagine the plaster casts of bodies frozen at the moment of death, the people who died in the volcano eruption of 79AD. Even with the latest medical scanners, it has proved difficult to examine the remains inside the casts, because bone and plaster are of similar density, indistinguishable on computer screens. The prof promised we would learn fresh historical data to change the way we thought about Pompeii for ever, but in truth the discoveries were minor: the age of a child, the contents of a bag. However studiously the prof drew deductions, we could only truly know how the people of Pompeii lived and died if those plaster casts could talk to us. Murder Rating: The same idea drove a new drama series, Murder (BBC2), by writer Robert Jones, who won a Bafta for the pilot episode in 2012. A middle-aged man was pulled from a river on the Scottish Borders: at first it seemed hed been drowned while fishing, but as his family and other witnesses told their stories direct to camera, a different picture emerged. The problem was, it was a very wordy business. Wed forgive that if ancient Romans were giving their testimony from 2,000 years ago, but when it comes to modern murders on telly, we expect to see the action. This was more like a radio play than TV. Morven Christie, pictured as investigator DS Evans in BBC2's Murder, which is 'more like a radio play than TV' Mind you, given Mary Beards self-confessed predilection for hunky workmen in the buff, there was plenty for her to enjoy. One of the suspects, local bad lad Frankie (Conor McCarron), had ended up in the river during the killing. As he climbed out, he discarded his clothes and decided hed never need them again. Nudism was the way forward for Frankie. He delivered his statements from his cell, completely starkers, lounging and sprawling to make sure the camera didnt miss any salient features. If Frankie had been female, this would have decried as abominable sexism that exploited the actress and belittled women everywhere. But since he was a bloke, it was artistic. Bella Hadid has one of the most stunning faces in the modeling business. But six years ago the sister of Balmain spokesperson Gigi Hadid, 20, didn't quite look the same, with a rounder nose and thinner lips. And this week, Star magazine is reporting the girlfriend of The Weeknd had some help getting those perfect features. Scroll down for video An evolving face: Bella Hadid has changed her face, according to Star magazine; on the left she is seen in 2010 and on the right the beauty is pictured at the Grammys in February She is haute stuff these days: The 19-year-old LA native attended the Grammys with her beau The Weeknd Slide me A changing face: The cover girl in 2013 (left) and all made up in February (right) Deep pockets: Bella and dad Mohamed Hadid - a billionaire developer - are seen in Los Angeles last year on a father-daughter day out 'Bella has always been hugely insecure,' a friend told the publication. 'But it really ramped up when Gigi started modeling.' The magazine suggested she went to see a doctor about it: 'She really went to town with her dad's credit card and is practically unrecognizable.' The source did not make clear what she had done, whether it was just fillers or something more. Her father is developer Mohamed Hadid and mother is former model Yolanda Foster, both of whom have appeared on hit bravo reality series The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills. Change will do you good: The brunette beauty displayed a youthful appearance here in 2013 The fam in 2010: Her mother is former model Yolanda Foster, who has appeared on the hit reality series The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills; here they are seen with David Foster, who Yolanda is in the process of divorcing The fam in 2015: Bella (far right) with (from left) her sister Gigi, brother Anwar and mom Yolanda Whether Bella has had work done or not, one thing is for certain: she is now considered one of the top models in the fashion business. The former equestrian got her start modeling in Elle magazine, which led to runway shows for Diane Von Furstenberg and Balmain. She was also front and center with her 26-year-old singer boyfriend The Weeknd, real name Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, at last month's Grammys. Spot the difference: Bella looked different in an Instagram snap she posted more than a year ago; she seemed to be at a pre-teen age Flower power: The young model displayed a youthful and make-up free face in this picture shared on Instagram almost two years ago 'I see you in my dream': Bella smiled wide for the camera in this selfie posted nearly two years ago She has often been compared to sister Gigi, which she said has presented some challenges. In October she told Seventeen: 'I just have to remind myself that she's been doing this forever. I can't keep comparing myself to her because we're so different. But people still love to compare and contrast us - what's better about her or what's not that good about me - and it's hard because people are really mean. 'But I'm her biggest supporter, and she's my biggest supporter. We're not competitive at all.' Bella also has a 16-year-old brother, Anwar, from her mother and father's six year marriage, which ended in divorce in 2000. A stunner no matter what: The Elle favorite taking a selfie earlier this year On Tuesday her mother Yolanda told Dr Oz that Bella's battle with Lyme disease dashed her Olympic hopes. 'Every night, she would [say],'Mommy, massage my back please, and I would make hot baths, and salt baths and try to massage her but from there, it went into her brain,' she said. And then she could not compete. 'Bella wanted to be a professional horseback rider, and her dream was to go to the Olympics. She's been on a horse every day of her life since she was two years old. And all of a sudden she jumped 4-foot-5 courses and you need to have a very sharp brain in order to do the calculations. And she started making mistakes. 'All of a sudden instead of a six stride, she was trying to do it in a four stride or a seven stride and big accidents started happening,' she added. Both Bella and her brother, Anwar were both diagnosed with Lyme disease in early 2012. All lined up: The catwalker in green as she poses with two other models, including British fashion favorite Rosie Huntington-Whiteley (center) in late February Back to the future: Trump rehashes his old slogans Donald Trump told a US television studio audience he is "tired of seeing the country ripped off," adding with characteristic bravado that if he ran for president, "I would have a hell of a chance of winning." The real estate tycoon is currently the odds on favorite to win the 2016 Republican nomination. While he has expressed similar confidence over the past year, Trump's TV boast -- to host Oprah Winfrey -- came not in the run up to his current White House bid, but in 1988, when he was just 42. Consistency has not been The Donald's calling card, his rivals argue. They claim Trump is a flip-flopping political opportunist, and that appears to be true on some counts, notably abortion, taxes and gun control. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks to the media during a campaign event in Palm Beach, Florida on March 1, 2016 Gaston De Cardenas (AFP/File) But he is showing noteworthy consistency on the core of his message: strong defense, compassionate health care, support for the working man and tough talk on trade. In late 1999, Trump made a more serious if only months-long flirtation with the White House, seeking the nomination of the Reform Party launched by populist billionaire Ross Perot. "I'm a registered Republican. I'm a pretty conservative guy," he told Larry King in a one-hour CNN interview at the time. But "I'm somewhat liberal on social issues, especially health care." Trump expressed appreciation for then-first lady Hillary Clinton, whom he would likely face in a 2016 general election should he win the Republican nomination. As for abortion rights, "I'm very pro choice," he told NBC in October 1999, although he stressed that "I hate the concept of abortion." Trump's 1980s and 90s entrepreneurial flamboyance and his unquenchable obsession with winning -- despite four Trump-owned casinos filing for bankruptcy -- remain hallmarks of the 2016 Republican frontrunner. Obsessed with his own destiny and image, the tycoon is relentlessly pursued by US media, seduced by his charming patter that often veers into insults and rage. But if over the past 30 years he has shifted on some issues dear to conservatives, he has refined his populist protectionist message. Free trade is a key example. Today, a Trump rally never fails to include his rants against nations "ripping off" America, be it China or Japan. Who were the culprits in 1999? Germany and Saudi Arabia were "ripping us off big league; France, I mean, they're the worst team player I've ever seen in my life," Trump told CNN, adding that Japan was treating America "like a whipping post." His message remains the same today: America needs a president with the backbone to defend its interests. - 'Beautiful machine' - During the 1988 Republican convention that nominated George H.W. Bush, Trump told CNN that "I doubt I'll ever be involved in politics beyond what I do right now. "But I do enjoy the system, I find it a really beautiful thing to watch. It's a beautiful machine." Back then, as in 2016, he boasted of his popularity with the working class. "The people that I do best with are the people that drive the taxis," he said. "Wealthy people don't like me, because I'm competing against them all the time." Last week after romping to victory in Nevada, where exit polls confirmed his intuition about support from low-income residents, Trump bellowed, "I love the poorly educated!" And he retains his contempt for the wealthy, repeating that by self-funding his campaign he owes nothing to the lobbyists and billionaire donors who finance his rivals' candidacies. This populist strain is reflected in his commitment to broad health coverage, a significant issue on the 2016 campaign trail. Trump insists he joins with conservatives in wanting to repeal and replace President Barack Obama's health care reform law, which they have decried as a step towards socialism. "I will not allow people to die on the sidewalks and the streets of our country if I'm president," he vowed in a February debate. "Somebody will say, 'he's not a conservative to say that,'" Trump said later. "Call it whatever you want." In 1999, he expressed similarly compassionate views on health care, saying "it's an entitlement to this country if we're going to have a great country." Trump's incendiary bombast and divisiveness today is an amped up version of his slick, confident personality of yesteryear, when he made headlines for his massive real estate deals and messy divorces, and hit best-seller lists with his 1987 book "The Art of the Deal." But Trump's tough talk was already on display decades ago, particularly when it came to other nations and their trading policies. "This country would make one hell of a lot of money from those people that for 25 years have taken advantage," Trump told Oprah in 1988. "It wouldn't be the way it's been. Believe me." Business mogul Donald Trump during an interview with then CNN-talk show host Larry King on February 27, 2004 Rose Prouser (CNN/AFP) Niger opposition calls for release of jailed presidential hopeful Niger's opposition on Wednesday called for the release of presidential contender Hama Amadou, jailed for his alleged role in a baby trafficking scandal, ahead of a second round vote on March 20. "We demand Hama's release. If President Mahamadou Issoufou has any pride, all he has to do is free him and face him fair and square," opposition coalition spokesman Ousseini Salatou said after visiting the former prime minister and national assembly president in jail. Salatou said Amadou's conditions were "increasingly difficult", adding, however, that he was "very serene". A picture taken on February 2, 2016 in Niamey shows a campaign poster depicting Niger's leading opposition figure Hama Amadou, jailed since November 2015 over his alleged involvement in a baby-trafficking scandal Boureima Hama (AFP/File) Amadou, who has campaigned from behind bars, denies the allegations and has denounced the legal process against him as a ploy keep him sidelined from the elections. He left Niger in August 2014 to escape the charges but returned from France last November, when he was immediately arrested and sent to prison in Filingue, northeast of the capital. An appeals court on January 11 upheld the decision of another court in late December that he should not be granted conditional release. President Issoufou took a solid lead in the February 21 first round vote in the uranium-rich nation's presidential election but will now faces an unprecedented run-off against Amadou. Top aide to pope 'should have done more' on abuse claims Vatican finance chief Cardinal George Pell admitted Thursday he "should have done more" to follow-up on claims a priest was abusing boys, as survivors accused him of lying about what he knew. Pell gave evidence for a fourth and final day to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Sydney via videolink from Rome and came under intense questioning from lawyers representing victims of abuse by the clergy. He has consistently denied any wrongdoing during his time in the town of Ballarat and the city of Melbourne in the state of Victoria, where he grew up and worked, in the 1970s and 80s when paedophile priests abused dozens of children. Vatican finance chief Cardinal George Pell arrives at the Quirinale hotel in Rome on March 2, 2016 before giving evidence via videolink to Australia's Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Sydney Andreas Solaro (AFP) Pell, who revealed Pope Francis was being given a summary of each day's evidence, admitted a boy complained to him in 1974 about Christian Brother Edward Dowlan. He said the boy "mentioned it casually in conversation" that Dowlan was "misbehaving" with boys and he ran the rumours past a school chaplain but did nothing more. "With the experience of 40 years later, certainly I would agree that I should have done more," he said when told Dowlan, who is in jail, went on to abuse many children. Pell has claimed at least two archbishops and other people in authority all deceived him by not revealing what was happening during a period of what he called "crimes and cover-ups". Asked Thursday if he felt the attention on him amounted to a witch-hunt, he replied: "I have never expressed such a view but I must confess the idea has occurred to me." He called the congregation of at least five paedophile priests in Ballarat at the same time in the 1970s a "disastrous coincidence". Another notorious priest based in Ballarat was Gerald Ridsdale, who Pell once shared church accommodation with. Pell again denied trying to buy the silence of Ridsdale's nephew David, who was abused by his uncle. "That certainly did not happen because I would certainly remember it," said Pell, who accompanied Ridsdale to court as part of what he called his "Christian duty", when the priest was convicted of more than 100 charges of sexual abuse against children. Pell, who denies knowing about Ridsdale's abuse, also again dismissed allegations "as demonstrably false" that he was once heard saying to a fellow priest: "Haha, I think Gerry's been rooting boys again." - 'Lied to' - On Tuesday, the head of the Vatican Treasury told the commission the crimes of Ridsdale were "not of much interest" to him at the time, a statement he backpedalled from Thursday. "I remember messing up this sequence completely. I regret the choice of words. I was very confused, I responded poorly," he said. A group of abuse survivors who travelled to Rome to witness the testimony said they did not believe Pell. "We feel we have been deceived and lied to," the group said, reading a statement outside the hotel where Pell was giving evidence and where they hope to hold a meeting with him. "The royal commission at some stage in the future will give a recommendation on the evidence given by George. We feel George has not been honest nor truthful. George will have to live with this chosen course." Pell rebuffed allegations he was lying during his testimony. "I'd say that is completely untrue and unjustified by any evidence," he told the commission, adding that some of the stories from survivors were harrowing. "One of the other things I regret as a Catholic priest is the damage that these crimes do to the faith of the survivors, of the victims and their friends and family and generally throughout society. I lament that," he said. Australia ordered the Royal Commission in 2012 after a decade of growing pressure to investigate allegations of widespread paedophilia. It has spoken to almost 5,000 survivors and heard claims of abuse involving churches, orphanages, community and youth groups and schools. Child abuse scandals surrounding the Catholic Church Notorious paedophile priest Gerald Ridsdale, seen via videolink from jail, during the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Ballarat on May 27, 2015 South Korea's Park says UN sanctions send strong message to North South Korean President Park Geun-Hye on Thursday welcomed tough new UN sanctions on North Korea, saying they sent a powerful message to Pyongyang to discard its nuclear weapons ambitions. "I sincerely hope that the North will now abandon its nuclear development programme and embark on a path of change," said Park, who has taken an increasingly hardline stance with Pyongyang following its nuclear test in January and last month's long-range rocket launch. The new measures send "a strong message from the international community seeking peace on the Korean Peninsula and around the world," Park added. The sanctions laid out in the resolution adopted unanimously by the UN Security Council are the toughest to date on North Korea and, if implemented effectively, will apply significant economic pressure to the regime of leader Kim Jong-Un The sanctions laid out in the resolution adopted unanimously by the UN Security Council on Wednesday are the toughest to date on North Korea and, if implemented effectively, will apply significant economic pressure to the regime of leader Kim Jong-Un. The resolution breaks new ground, sanctioning specific sectors key to the North Korean economy -- such as mineral exports -- and seeking to undermine the North's use of and access to international transport systems. The government in Seoul had been a strong supporter of the US-led effort to get the Security Council to impose a resolution with genuine bite, given Pyongyang's defiance of four previous sets of UN sanctions. "I highly appreciate the efforts of the international community, including the members of the Security Council, to reach this result for the dismantlement of North Korea's nuclear programme," Park said. It remains to be seen just how far China, the North's main diplomatic ally and trade partner, will go in effectively implementing all the new measures. Retired Hewitt on standby as Kyrgios out of USA clash Veteran Lleyton Hewitt is on standby to break his short-lived retirement if Australia need their new captain against the United States in this weekend's Davis Cup World Group tie in Melbourne. World number 27 Nick Kyrgios withdrew before Thursday's draw with a virus and back trouble, with Hewitt, in charge as Australia captain for the first time, nominated as his replacement. But Hewitt, 35, who was thought to have played his last competitive match at the Australian Open in January, did not name himself in Friday's singles or Saturday's pivotal doubles rubbers, instead preferring to use 77th-ranked Sam Groth. Australia's Lleyton Hewitt, pictured, might step in to this weekend's Davis Cup tie after Nick Kyrgios withdrew with a virus and back trouble Paul Crock (AFP/File) Groth will open the tie on grass at Kooyong in Melbourne against big-serving American John Isner, ranked 11, while Australia's top-ranked Bernard Tomic faces world number 24 Jack Sock in Friday's singles. Groth was nominated to partner doubles specialist John Peers in Saturday's showdown against multiple Grand Slam-winners Bob and Mike Bryan. But that decision can be changed up until an hour before the pivotal rubber, leaving open the possibility that Hewitt could take his place in the doubles. "We'll just see how it pans out," Hewitt said at the draw. "We've got to put our best options forward every single day and we will have a look at it after each day's play and see how Sam plays and pulls up after his singles." USA team captain Jim Courier said he was not surprised by the Australian team change. "We've seen how much Lleyton was practising this week and with Nick's pretty conspicuous absence but it's certainly not something coming down here that we were anticipating," Courier said. - Fitness test - If Hewitt does take part he will be the first playing captain for Australia since Norman Brookes in 1919. Kyrgios practised briefly this week but he was ruled out by team medical staff, having not recovered from a virus he contracted in Dubai last week. "We took Nick through his paces a little bit this morning, just gave him a bit of a fitness test," Hewitt said. "We had to see how he pulled up from yesterday. It wasn't the toughest hit yesterday but he just wasn't fit enough to play this weekend, which is just unlucky. It was bad timing for us, but it was really out of our hands in the end." Hewitt announced his retirement amid great fanfare at this year's Australian Open in Melbourne when he bowed out to Spain's David Ferrer in the second round. Since his debut against USA as an 18-year-old in 1999, Hewitt has played in a record 41 Davis Cup ties for his country, with a 58/20 win-loss record in singles and doubles. Hewitt was in the team that won the Cup in 1999, beating France in the final, and he lifted the trophy again in 2003 when he led Australia to victory over Spain. Hewitt also remains the youngest player to reach the world number one ranking, in 2001, aged 20 years and eight months. Australia's Nick Kyrgios was ruled out of playing in the Davis Cup tie by team medical staff, having not recovered from a virus he contracted in Dubai last week Marwan Naamani (AFP/File) Cardinal Pell: Vatican firebrand plagued by sex scandal and foes Australian Cardinal George Pell, the pope's powerful finance minister, is under fire on two fronts. For the outside world he is most notably accused of protecting paedophile priests. But closer to home he has made many Vatican enemies in his drive to shake up the secretive and archaic institution. What that means is that, while he swears he has Pope Francis's full support over clerical abuse allegations, his controversial reformist zeal means that many would relish his downfall. Vatican finance chief Cardinal George Pell was picked in 2013 to be one of a key group of advisors to the pope set up to help the Argentine reform the unruly Vatican's administrative body, the Curia, famed for infighting Andreas Solaro (AFP) Pell was picked in 2013 to be one of a key group of advisors to the pope set up to help the Argentine reform the unruly Vatican's administrative body -- the Curia -- famed for infighting. In 2014 he was appointed finance minister, the number three spot in the tiny city state, and charged with dragging it into the 21st century, increasing profitability and bringing its scandal-hit institutions into line with international standards. The cardinal, 74 -- a former archbishop of Melbourne and Sydney -- did not hesitate to bring in top, and very costly, American firms to help him clean house. The shock to the system was severe: the centuries-old Curia, enthralled to tradition and above all loathe to spill its secrets, wriggled under the scrutiny of outside auditors and blanched at its affairs going public. - Making enemies - In December 2014, Pell revealed that hundreds of millions of euros had been found "tucked away" in accounts and desk drawers of various Holy See departments, which did not appear on the Vatican's balance sheets. He admitted that the city state had always tried to keep its problems "in-house", but swore its workings would from then on be "transparent" -- in a statement to the press which intensely irritated many in Saint Peter's corridors of power. Pope Francis wants "a poor Church for the poor" and that means cracking down on mismanagement, he said. An in-house leaks scandal at the end of last year revealing misuse of Vatican funds gave his words further weight. But the moral grandstanding did not sit well with those who accused the Holy See's most senior English-speaking official of splashing out on business class flights, costly robes and home furnishings. And he infuriated his boss as well: during a synod on the family in October, Pell ignored Francis's call for clemency towards those considered sinners by the Church, blocking attempts to open the door to remarried divorced people. He was also part of a conservative group of cardinals which wrote a leaked strongly-worded letter to the pope warning him of attempts by the progressive wing to undermine him -- forcing Francis to slam conspiracy theorists. - Paedophile priests - But the darkest shadow over Pell's head is the charge that he knew children were being abused by priests on his watch in Australia, and failed to act -- an accusation he categorically refutes. The cardinal's testimony, given this week via video-link to Australia's Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse -- under the watchful gaze of victims -- has created much unwelcome publicity for the Vatican. Pope Francis said last month that those who move priests from one parish to another in an attempt to hide abuse -- thus placing ever more children at risk -- should resign. Pell has not made his life any easier by saying he wasn't interested in the abuse, which dated back to the 1970s and 80s, and denying connections to serial paedophiles, despite once sharing a house with one of them. "If a driver sexually assaulted a passenger they picked up along the way, I don't think it appropriate for the... leadership of that company to be held responsible," he said in 2014. While slightly more contrite at the hearings, he still insisted he had not had any reason to investigate rumours of child molestation and blamed others for not stopping clerical abusers in Australia, including a gun-toting paedophile priest. British survivor and member of the Vatican's commission on sex abuse Peter Saunders in June described Pell as "almost sociopathic" and "a massive, massive thorn in the side of Pope Franciss papacy if he's allowed to remain". On Monday, the cardinal insisted he had "the full backing of the pope" -- but with abuse survivors in town asking for an audience with Francis, the pontiff may be feeling under increased pressure to find Pell another job. Pope Francis speaks during the traditional Greetings to the Roman Curia on December 21, 2015 at the Vatican Alberto Pizzoli (AFP/File) Chinese pandas given by President Xi arrive in South Korea A pair of giant pandas, a state gift to South Korea from Chinese President Xi Jinping, arrived in Seoul on Thursday to a red-carpet welcome. Aibao (lovely treasure), a two-year-old female, and Lebao (pleasant treasure) a three-year-old male, flew in from the western Chinese province of Sichuan to Incheon international airport on a specially chartered flight, accompanied by vets and a handler. Transported in a special cage, the animals received repeated health checks during the three-hour flight, the amusement park that will house the pandas said in a statement. Lebao (pleasant treasure), a three-year-old male panda, is seen during a welcoming ceremony for a pair of giant pandas born in China, at a cargo terminal of the Incheon International Airport on March 3, 2016 Jung Yeon-Je (AFP) They then rode to the park south of Seoul in a vehicle with advanced suspension to minimise jolts. South Korea received its first pandas from China in 1994 to mark the second anniversary of diplomatic ties. But when the Asian financial crisis hit in 1998, the country had to return the pair, citing the high cost of keeping them. Xi announced the new gift during his state visit in July 2014. South Korean President Park Geun-Hye has made closer relations with China -- the South's largest trade partner -- a cornerstone of her administration's foreign policy and is understood to have formed a good working relationship with Xi. Iran says Gulf Arab moves against Hezbollah harm Lebanon Iran warned Thursday that its Gulf Arab rivals were jeopardising Lebanon's stability by blacklisting the leading force behind its government, Hezbollah, as a terror group. Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said that the Shiite militant group, which is one of Iran's closest allies, was a bulwark against terrorism in the region. "We are proud of Lebanon's Hezbollah as the vanguard of resistance against the Zionist regime and the champion of the fight against terrorism in the region," Abdollahian told Iran's official IRNA news agency. Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah "Those who call Hezbollah terrorists, have intentionally or unintentionally harmed the unity and security of Lebanon." Wednesday's move against Hezbollah by the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council was the latest salvo in an intensifying battle for regional influence between Gulf heavyweight Saudi Arabia and Iran. Riyadh has been alarmed by the international rehabilitation of Tehran since it reached a deal with major powers last year ending a 13-year standoff over its controversial nuclear programme. Saudi Arabia has also been angered by the military intervention of Hezbollah in neighbouring Syria since 2013 in support of Iran-backed President Bashar al-Assad against Sunni rebels it has invested heavily in backing. Hezbollah fighters have been active against the Islamic State group and Al-Qaeda but they have also battled non-jihadist rebel groups supported by the Gulf states and the West. The intensifying battle for influence between the region's main Sunni and Shiite powers has sparked growing concern in Lebanon, which relies heavily on the Gulf states for tourism, investment and as a market for its exports. European leaders to discuss Syria with Putin Friday British Prime Minister David Cameron, French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel will discuss the ceasefire in Syria with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a conference call on Friday, Downing Street said. "Tomorrow is an opportunity for the leaders of the UK, France and Germany to come together... and make very clear to president Putin that we need this ceasefire to hold, to be a lasting one and to open the way for a real political transition," Cameron's spokeswoman told reporters on Thursday. The truce that came into force at midnight on Friday and was negotiated by the US and Russia is the first major cessation of hostilities in the five-year war in Syria that has claimed more than 270,000 lives. A Syrian man rides his bike along a street damaged by shelling in the neighbourhood of Jobar, on the eastern outskirts of the capital Damascus Abdulmonam Eassa (AFP/File) The call will be the first time the leaders have spoken since it came into effect. Russia, a key ally of the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, has said it will carry on striking "terrorist groups" but non-jihadist Syrian rebels say Moscow has kept on bombarding other targets as well. Cameron's spokeswoman described the truce as "fragile". She said the call was about "wanting to make sure that the Russians fully support what they signed up to in the UN Security Council resolution at the end of last year to work towards peace in Syria". Peace talks which aim to end the conflict are due to resume in Geneva on March 9. An earlier round was cut short amid intensifying Russian air strikes in Syria. Speaking in parliament on Wednesday, Cameron said the ceasefire was "imperfect" but called it "an important step forward". "Not every group is included in the ceasefire, but basically we are not seeing the attacks that were taking place on the moderate opposition, which is welcome," Cameron said. "It has also enabled us, with others, to get aid to communities that desperately need it, including through air drops and convoys. Nationwide power blackout hits Syria War-torn Syria was hit Thursday by a nationwide power cut, state television reported, but the cause was not immediately known. "Electricity has been cut across all provinces and teams are trying to determine the reason for this unexpected cut," the station reported, citing a source within the electricity ministry. Damascus residents said power in the capital had been out since 1:00 pm (1100 GMT) and that mobile Internet connections from some private providers were also not working. The Syrian civil war has claimed more than 270,000 lives Youssef Karwashan (AFP/File) Syria's state mobile provider said its Internet service had been "partially cut due to part of the network unexpectedly malfunctioning". Since Syria's conflict erupted in March 2011, various areas across the country have experienced intermittent power outages as a result of clashes or air strikes and many regularly rely on generators for power. Syria's parliament had on Monday called in electricity minister Imad Khamis for a special hearing on the power sector. Khamis told parliamentarians that the cost of "direct damage" to the country's power stations and the electricity network from 2011 until the end of 2015 was estimated $3.75 billion. Mozambique unveils suspected MH370 debris Mozambique aviation authorities on Thursday displayed the suspected debris from missing Malaysian flight MH370 that was found this week by an American amateur investigator looking for the plane. The president of Mozambique's Civil Aviation Institute (IACM), Joao de Abreu, held up the triangular piece to show to journalists, but insisted that speculation it belonged to the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 was premature. "It's very difficult for any crash investigator to confirm which type of plane that piece belongs to," de Abreu said. Joao de Abreu, President of Mozambique's Civil Aviation Institute (IACM), holds a piece of suspected aircraft wreckage found off the coast of Mozambique at the country's Civil Aviation Institute (IACM) in Maputo on March 3, 2016 Adrien Barbier (AFP) The words "No Step" were printed along one side of the flat grey fragment that was discovered by Blaine Gibson near the tourist island of Benguerra off the east African coast. De Abreu said Malaysia and Australia, which have led the search for the plane, had been informed about the debris, but no decision had been made about where it would be taken. "We will follow the diplomatic channels to facilitate what's necessary from our side," he said. Gibson told an NBC affiliate station based in Seattle that he had chartered a boat to reach the remote sandbank where ocean debris was known to wash up. "I urge everybody to be cautious and to not just jump to the conclusion that it's from MH370," Gibson told the station. "Wait until the professionals make the determination." Malaysian Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai said there was a "high probability" that the debris was from a Boeing 777. The find comes shortly before the March 8 two-year anniversary of the plane's mysterious disappearance while on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 passengers and crew aboard. Pentagon chief wary of tech 'back doors' US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter has said he opposes high-tech "back doors" that would allow the government access to encrypted data on people's phones and other devices. The Pentagon chief's views come amid a legal battle between Apple and the FBI, which is trying to force the tech giant to help unlock an iPhone used by one of the shooters in the San Bernardino attacks last December. "Just to cut to the chase, I'm not a believer in back doors or a single technical approach to what is a complex and complicated problem," Carter said to applause at a tech event in San Francisco on Wednesday, according to a transcript. US Secretary of Defence Ashton Carter, pictured on February 11, 2016, told a tech event in San Francisco, "I'm not a believer in back doors or a single technical approach to what is a complex and complicated problem" Thierry Charlier (AFP/File) "There isn't going to be one answer," Carter added. "I don't think we ought to let one case drive a general conclusion or solution. ... We have to work together to work our way through this problem." The FBI has said it does not want a back door, but needs Apple's help cracking the iPhone's passcode. Apple has argued that the FBI is effectively asking the company to hack its own devices and create a back door that malicious actors could exploit, and many in the tech industry worry the case would lead to a slew of similar requests. Apple's refusal to help the FBI has set off an intense political debate about encrypted devices. The iPhone in question belonged to Syed Farook, a US citizen. Tunisia raid on militants foiled attack plot from Libya: PM Five militants killed by Tunisian forces near the Libyan border had slipped across with the aim of carrying out "terrorist attacks", Prime Minister Habib Essid said Thursday. Essid, in a statement on his official Facebook page, praised the army and national guard units who had eliminated the "terrorist cell sent in from Libya". Their killing in a raid on Wednesday evening had "foiled the terrorist operations the cell was planning", the prime minister said. Tunisian soldiers stand guard at the scene of an assault on a house outside the town of Ben Guerdane, near the border with Libya, on March 3, 2016 Fathi Nasri (AFP) At least four of the infiltrators were Tunisian nationals, the interior ministry later said, while the fifth was still to be identified. One civilian was killed by a stray bullet during the assault on a house outside the town of Ben Guerdane near the border. An army commander was also wounded. Explosive vests, improvised grenades and a large quantity of munitions were recovered from the slain militants, the interior ministry said. Six foreign passports were also found, it said without elaborating. Defence Minister Farhat Horchani, questioned in parliament, said a gunbattle between security forces and the suspects lasted more than an hour. Troops had been on alert after receiving reports that militants had been slipping across the border this week following a US air strike on an Islamic State (IS) jihadist group training camp in Libya on February 18 targeting a senior Tunisian commander. Tunisia has built a 200-kilometre (125-mile) barrier that stretches about half the length of its border with Libya in an attempt to keep out militants. Deadly attacks by IS on foreign holidaymakers last year, which dealt a devastating blow to the country's tourism industry, are believed to have been planned from Libya. Last month's US strike on the IS training camp outside the Libyan city of Sabratha targeted the suspected mastermind of two of the attacks, Noureddine Chouchane. Washington has said Chouchane was likely killed along with dozens of other militants, and that the strike probably averted a mass shooting or a similar attack in Tunisia. Britain announced Monday it was sending a team of around 20 soldiers to Tunisia to train troops patrolling the border with Libya. Thirty Britons were among 38 foreign holidaymakers killed in a gun and grenade attack on a beach resort near the Tunisian city of Sousse last June. And last March, jihadist gunmen killed 21 tourists and a policeman at the Bardo Museum in Tunis. Libya intervention: jigsaw near completion but final pieces still missing Planning is at an advanced stage, special forces are already on the ground and air power assets are being moved within range: a new Western military intervention in Libya is edging ever closer. But a long-anticipated move against offshoots of the Islamic State group remains on hold as long as Libya has not formed a unified government with the authority to ask for help to stem the extremist group's growth. The legitimacy of any intervention is a delicate issue and key for Italy, which has agreed to lead a UN-mandated international stabilisation force into its troubled former colony provided it also has credible cover from a national authority. A fighter loyal to Libya's internationally recognised government walks along a damaged street in Benghazi after they seized the centre of the eastern coastal city on February 23, 2016, following a string of gains against Islamist militias Abdullah Doma (AFP/File) Hence the hasty reaction from Italian officials when Brigadier General Donald Bolduc, the commander of US special-operations forces in Africa, let slip this week that a "coalition coordination centre" was already up and running in Rome with a view to eliminating the IS threat in Libya. Domenico Rossi, number two in the Italian defence ministry, was quick to fire off a terse rebuttal. "We are awaiting the formation of a Libyan government, there is no 'war room'" Rossi tweeted. Handfuls of US, British and French special forces have already been spotted in Libya. And a contingent of around 50 Italians is about to join them, Il Corriere della Sera reported Thursday, citing a classified order signed by Prime Minister Matteo Renzi last month. The secret services have been tasked with evaluating the balance of forces on the ground, providing intelligence and perhaps weapons and communications tools to potential allies against IS. - Action needed urgently - The group controls significant territory around the central city of Sirte and also has forces in the eastern city of Benghazi and, to the west of Tripoli, around Sabratha, where a US air strike aimed at an alleged IS training camp left some 50 people dead on February 19. That attack was carried out with the use of British airbases. The US has since secured agreement from Italy that a base in Sicily can be used for drone strikes against IS in Libya and French aircraft carrier the Charles de Gaulle has been redeployed from the Gulf to the Mediterranean, officially for training exercises with Egypt. In Sabratha, the commander of a group loyal to the Fajr Libya (Libyan Dawn) coalition, told AFP that British forces had been been in touch with local militias and that he anticipated a campaign against IS starting soon. IS's presence in Libya has become an increasing source of concern to Western governments wary of a repeat of Paris-style attacks on their soil. The group is estimated to have between 3,000 and 5,000 fighters in the Sirte region, including Tunisian, Sudanese, Yemeni and Nigerian nationals. "It is urgent to act," said Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni, a prominent critic of the 2011 NATO-led intervention in Libya which led to the current chaos in the country. "We have already seen how illusory can be the benefits of intervention without a medium to long-term perspective. We have to avoid repeating the errors of the past by acting precipitately." -- 'A viable partner on the ground' -- US officials said the currently-stalled attempts to establish a sole Libyan authority would have to be completed before any action could be contemplated. "There has to be a viable partner on the ground to work with," a US defence source said. "I don't think there is an interest in attacking blindly without a viable partner." As things stand, the internationally recognised government based at Tobruk in eastern Libya has said it must have a veto on any intervention while its Islamist-influenced rival in Tripoli says it would regard military action as tantamount to an invasion. With the stabilisation force envisaged at around 6,000 troops maximum, it seems likely any anti-IS campaign would be largely conducted from the air and designed to back up local groups seeking to oust the Islamist group from Libya. "A military occupation would be absurd, has never been considered and certainly remains ruled out," insisted Defence Minister Roberta Pinotti. But there was also a word of warning from a close Libya watcher. "Experience elsewhere has clearly shown air strikes are not enough. Without ground forces, national or international, they will not work," warned Alshiabani Abuhamoud. A car drives past damaged buildings on February 27, 2016, after forces loyal to Libya's internationally recognised parliament retook the centre of Benghazi, following fierce fighting with armed groups including Islamic State jihadists Abdullah Doma (AFP/File) Members of a brigade loyal to the Fajr Libya (Libya Dawn), an alliance of Islamist-backed fighters, drive during a military parade following battles against the Islamic State group, in the city of Sabratha on February 28, 2016 Mahmed Turkia (AFP/File) Injured Sharapova out of Indian Wells World number seven Maria Sharapova has withdrawn from next week's BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells after failing to recover from a troublesome forearm injury, it was confirmed Thursday. The Russian star said in a statement issued by tournament chiefs she had pulled out in an effort to return to full fitness. "I am extremely disappointed that I am unable to compete in this year's BNP Paribas Open," said Sharapova. Russian tennis player Maria Sharapova, pictured on February 4, 2016, has not played since exiting the Australian Open in the quarter-finals in January Andrei Golovanov (AFP/File) "I have been focused on healing my left forearm injury and tried to get my body to be 100% ready to play this event, as it is one of my favorite events on the WTA and so close to my home in LA. "I know the tournament will be a great success this year and I will be anxious to return next year and hopefully many years after." Sharapova has not played since exiting the Australian Open in the quarter-finals in January. Her withdrawal from Indian Wells is the third time this year she has withdrawn from a tournament because of her forearm injury, having also missed tournaments in Brisbane and Doha. Mariana Duque-Marino moves into the main draw for Indian Wells following Sharapova's absence. Tech rivals join Apple's legal fight against FBI A broad array of technology firms and activists joined Apple's legal fight over encryption Thursday, warning of a dangerous precedent if the company is forced to help the government break into a locked iPhone. Three tech associations representing Apple's main business rivals -- including Google, Facebook, Microsoft and Yahoo -- announced a joint brief supporting Apple's efforts to challenge an order that would require it to help unlock an iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino attackers. "If the government arguments prevail, the Internet ecosystem will be weakened, leaving Internet users more vulnerable to hackers and other bad actors," said a statement from the Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA), which announced a joint amicus brief with the Internet Association and the i2Coalition of Internet infrastructure firms. An anti-government protester holds up his iPhone with a "No Entry" sign during a demonstration near the Apple store on Fifth Avenue in New York on February 23, 2016 Jewel Samad (AFP/File) The three associations said their brief was set to be filed before the midnight deadline in federal court in California, where the case is being heard. A number of other companies and associations are also expected to file briefs in the case, which has divided the American public and set off a highly charged debate about what limits should be placed on law enforcement access to digital devices. "There is broad and deep concern throughout many types of companies throughout the tech industry that there is a potentially dangerous precedent in this case," said Ed Black, president and chief executive of CCIA. A joint filing was being prepared by Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Snapchat, Evernote and Mozilla, according to Denelle Dixon-Thayer, chief legal officer for Mozilla Corporation. "Tech companies should aspire to build 'unhackable' products," Dixon-Thayer said in a blog post. "With this precedent, we could all be told not to build secure products in the first place." The case stems from the FBI's efforts to access the locked iPhone used by one of the perpetrators of the December attack in San Bernardino, California that killed 14 people. Apple has argued that the only way to unlock the phone would be to introduce a weakened operating system, which could potentially leak out and be exploited by hackers and foreign governments. The FBI has argued that by introducing encryption that can lock data, making it accessible only to the user, Apple and others are essentially creating "warrant-proof zones" for criminals and others that will cripple law enforcement and jeopardize public safety. The CCIA includes Apple rivals such as Amazon, Pandora and Samsung, and the Internet Association counts as members Dropbox, Microsoft, Yahoo and Facebook. Some firms are members of both, such as Google, which is also part of the i2Coalition. - Twitter, cryptographers for Apple - Twitter meanwhile filed another legal brief supporting Apple, together with 16 other tech firms including eBay, LinkedIn, Airbnb and Reddit. "The government seeks unbounded authority to compel Apple to design software that does not currently exist and that will circumvent and undermine security measures intended to protect its users' data," the brief said. This could "set a precedent that could be used in future cases to require (other tech firms) to provide technical assistance in a manner that undermines the very products they offer." Intel announced its own legal filing supporting Apple, saying that it would be "an unprecedented step for the government to require a company to develop technology that weakens security in a commercial product." "Such a move chills innovation," the chipmaker said in a statement. AT&T joined the effort as well, saying the order expands law enforcement authority. "Only Congress can address these issues in a sufficiently comprehensive, uniform, and fair manner," AT&T said. A group of cryptographic experts also filed arguments in support of Apple's case on Thursday. Forcing Apple to create a new operating system "increases the risk that the forensic software will escape Apple's control either through theft, embezzlement, or order of another court, including a foreign government," said the brief filed by the Stanford Law School Center for Internet and Society on behalf of several academic and private sector cryptographers. Digital rights groups also backed Apple, with the Electronic Frontier Foundation arguing in its brief that the order would violate Apple's free speech rights by forcing it to write weakened software guaranteed with its digital signature. It would be "akin to the government dictating a letter endorsing its preferred position and forcing Apple to transcribe it and sign its unique and forgery-proof name at the bottom," EFF argued in its brief endorsed by 46 technology specialists. A separate filing by the Center for Democracy & Technology said the order "would set a precedent under which any company could be forced to spy on unknowing customers on behalf of law enforcement, and in the process be required to override its own security measures in ways that expose its users to malicious attacks." Over 90,000 people have fled fighting in Sudan's Darfur More than 90,000 people have fled an upsurge of fighting over the past six weeks in Sudan's troubled Darfur region, the African Union and United Nations said Thursday. Expressing deep concern, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and African Union Commission chair Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma called on Khartoum to allow humanitarian aid to reach those in need. They also urged the Sudanese government to grant peacekeepers from the joint AU-UN mission access to the displaced in Darfur. A picture released by UNAMID shows newly internally displaced persons in Sortoni, in Sudan's North Darfur state, who fled their homes following ongoing clashes between armed movements and government forces, on February 7, 2016 The United Nations is seeking to verify reports that an additional 50,000 people have been driven from their homes in central Darfur, but the government has denied the UNAMID mission access to that area. The clashes between government forces and rebel fighters in Jebel Marra, in the heart of Darfur, erupted on January 15. Sudan's army has been trying to crush rebels of Abdulwahid Nur's faction of the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA-AW) in Jebel Marra. "The chairperson and the secretary-general call on the government to fully cooperate with UNAMID to facilitate its freedom of movement, as well as that of the humanitarian actors, in their continued efforts to protect and provide assistance to the civilian population affected by the fighting," said a joint statement from Ban and Dlamini-Zuma. About 63,000 civilians -- most of them women and children -- have taken refuge at a base at Sortoni in North Darfur run by UNAMID peacekeepers. Boeing aims to spiff up in-flight bathroom experience Seeking to restore the sheen to the in-flight bathroom experience, Boeing is developing a "self-cleaning" toilet system to boost sanitation and battle unwelcome odors. The system can disinfect a bathroom in just three seconds after it is vacated by shining ultraviolet lights on bathroom surfaces, killing 99.99 percent of germs. The toilet seat would open and close by itself so that all surfaces get a once over. A hands-free door latch and hands-free faucet are incorporated to further fight mounting bacteria in overtaxed airplane loos. Boeing is developing a "self-cleaning" toilet system to boost sanitation and battle unwelcome odors Jason Redmond (AFP/File) "We're trying to alleviate the anxiety we all face when using a restroom that gets a workout during a flight," said Jeanne Yu, Boeing commercial airplanes director of environmental performance. "In the prototype, we position the lights throughout the lavatory so that it floods the touch surfaces like the toilet seat, sink and countertops with the UV light once a person exits the lavatory. This sanitizing even helps eliminate odors." Tunisia Nobel winners condemn blacklisting of Hezbollah Two members of Tunisia's Nobel Peace Prize winning quartet on Thursday condemned the decision of Arab states in the Gulf to blacklist Lebanon's Shiite movement Hezbollah as a "terrorist" organisation. The Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT), in a statement, said the Iranian-backed group Hezbollah was a "symbol of the (Lebanese) national struggle" against Israel. Wednesday's move against Hezbollah by the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), led by Saudi Arabia, formed part of "an offensive by foreign and other regional forces to divide the Arab world and destroy its forces", UGTT said. Huthi militiamen hold posters depicting Lebanon's Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah to show their support to Hezbollah following the Gulf states' announcement declaring the group a "terrorist organization", in the capital Sanaa, on March 3, 2016 Mohammed Huwais (AFP) The head of the Tunisian Order of Lawyers, also a member of the Nobel quartet, called on all "forces in Tunisia and in the Arab world to exert pressure on governments to reconsider their decision". Foreign Minister Khemaies Jhinaoui in a televised interview said Tunisia did not support the decision to blacklist Hezbollah, despite Tunisia's Interior Minister Hedi Majdoub signing it. Tunisia's official stances are announced by the president or the foreign ministry, he said. The Sunni monarchies of the Gulf, at a time of deteriorating ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia, "decided to consider the militias (of Hezbollah) a terrorist organisation", GCC chief Abdullatif al-Zayani said. Hezbollah was targeted because of "hostile actions of the militia who recruit the young people" of the Gulf, he said. Nigeria to break state oil firm into 30 companies Nigeria is to break up its state oil firm into 30 separate companies as it seeks to reform the corruption-ridden, under-performing giant, the junior oil minister said Thursday. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) is notoriously opaque and has been accused of withholding billions of dollars in government revenue, prompting calls for an overhaul. Nigeria is Africa's largest oil producer, accounting for a daily output of two million barrels, but most of its inhabitants are poor. Nigeria is Africa's largest oil producer, accounting for a daily output of two million barrels, but most of its inhabitants are poor Pius Utomi Ekpei (AFP/File) The country imports most of its petrol because of a lack of domestic refining capacity. "For the first time, we are unbundling the subset of the NNPC to 30 independent companies with their own managing directors," Ibe Kachikwu, who also heads the NNPC, said in a statement. "Titles like group executive directors are going to disappear and in their place you are going to have chief executive officers and they are going to take responsibilities for their titles," he said. "At the end of the day, the CEO of an upstream company must deliver an upstream result." Thanks to reforms already under way at the NNPC, the company should start making a profit by the end of the year, he said. Oil accounts for 90 percent of Nigeria's foreign exchange earnings and 70 percent of government revenue. German competition watchdog opens probe against Facebook BERLIN (AP) Facebook's privacy rules are under fresh scrutiny in Germany after the country's competition watchdog said Wednesday it suspects the social networking site of abusing its dominant market position to make users hand over too much personal information. The California-based company has repeatedly faced challenges to its terms of service in Germany and last week was ordered to pay a fine for making excessive demands on the intellectual property of its users. "There is a preliminary suspicion that Facebook's terms of use breach data protection rules," Germany's Federal Cartel Office said in a statement. FILE - In this March 25, 2015 file photo CEO Mark Zuckerberg gives the keynote address during the Facebook F8 Developer Conference in San Francisco. Germanys competition authority said Wednesday March 2, 2016 it is investigating whether Facebook abused its market position by breaching data protection laws. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, file) Facebook rejected claims of wrongdoing. "We are confident that we comply with the law and we look forward to working with the Federal Cartel Office to answer their questions," said Tina Kulow, the company's director of corporate communication for Northern, Central, Eastern Europe and Benelux. The competition watchdog said its probe is directed against Facebook's subsidiaries in Ireland and Hamburg, Germany. "Market dominating companies have a special responsibility," said Andreas Mundt, the head of the cartel office. Facebook's collection of users' personal data is important to the company's advertising business and therefore warrants particular scrutiny, he said. "In order to access the social network users must first agree to the collection and use of this data by declaring their consent to the terms of use," the cartel office said. "The extent of the permissions granted is hard for users to comprehend." "There are considerable doubts about the admissibility of this practice especially under the current national data protection law," it added. Survey: US companies added 214,000 jobs in February WASHINGTON (AP) U.S. businesses added a healthy 214,000 jobs last month, another sign that the U.S. job market remains resilient despite economic weakness overseas and tumult in financial markets. Payroll processor ADP said Wednesday that the better-than-expected hiring by private companies was up from a revised 193,000 in January. "It's a very strong report. The labor market is healthy," said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Analytics. "This is very good news particularly in the context of the turmoil in the financial markets in the past several months." FILE - In this Feb. 6, 2016, file photo, Jen Shaul, a bartender at Buck's Saloon in Melba, Idaho, pours whiskey at the bar. On Wednesday, March 2, 2016, payroll processor ADP reports how many jobs private employers added in February. (Adam Eschbach/Idaho Press-Tribune via AP, File) MANDATORY CREDIT Moody's helps compile the ADP numbers. Professional and business services companies added 59,000 jobs and construction firms hired 27,000. But manufacturers shed 9,000 jobs in February, first time they've cut payrolls since October. Manufacturers have been hurt by economic weakness overseas, a strong dollar that makes American products expensive overseas and cutbacks in the energy industry following a big drop in oil prices. Some of the pain in manufacturing has been offset by strong automotive sales and production. The ADP report comes out two days before the U.S. government's official jobs report. Economists surveyed by the data firm FactSet predict that American employers including government added 195,000 jobs last month, up from 151,000 in January. They expect that the unemployment rate remained at an eight-year low 4.9 percent. The ADP numbers cover only private businesses and often diverge from the official figures. ___ World considers a Trump presidency, and many shudder BRUSSELS (AP) Following Donald Trump's breathtaking string of Super Tuesday victories, politicians, editorial writers and ordinary people worldwide were coming to grips Wednesday with the growing possibility the brash New York billionaire might become America's next president_a thought that aroused widespread befuddlement and a good deal of horror. "The Trump candidacy has opened the door to madness: for the unthinkable to happen, a bad joke to become reality," German business daily Handelsblatt wrote in a commentary for its Thursday edition. "What looked grotesque must now be discussed seriously." There was also glee from some Russian commentators at how American politics is being turned topsy-turvy in 2016. And in Latin America, Ecuador's president predicted a Trump win could boomerang and become a blessing to the continent's left. A salesclerk stands in front of flat-panel TVs showing Republican's front-runner candidate Donald Trump in a news program on the U.S. presidential election's Super Tuesday at an electronics store in Tokyo, Wednesday, March 2, 2016. After the Super Tuesday primaries and caucuses in a dozen states, Trump and Democrat candidate Hillary Clinton had tightened their grasp on their party's presidential nominations. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi) However, the dominant reaction overseas to the effective collapse of the Republican Party establishment in the face of the Trump Train appeared to be jaw-dropping astonishment, mixed with dread at what may lie ahead. "The meteoric rise of the New York magnate has left half the planet dumbfounded," wrote columnist Andrea Rizzi in Spain's leading newspaper, El Pais. "To consider Donald Trump a political clown would be a severe misconception," said another European daily, Salzburger Nachrichten. If Trump is elected to the White House, the Austrian paper predicted, his ideas "would bring major dangers for the USA and the world ... basically a nationalist-chauvinist policy that would make America not great but ugly, and risk the stability of the international order." Eytan Gilboa, an expert on U.S.-Israeli relations at Israel's Bar-Ilan University, said the best word to describe Israeli feelings about Trump is "confusion." There are certain parts of him that Israelis can relate to, such as his aversion to political correctness, his tough stance on Islamic terrorism and his call for a wall with Mexico to provide security, Gilboa said. But others have been particularly jarring to Israelis, such as comments about Jews that many consider insensitive and his derision of U.S. Sen. John McCain's captivity in Vietnam. "This is something that every Israeli would reject. It's a highly sensitive issue in a country where prisoners of war are heroes and people go out of their way to release them," he said. Trump has drawn concern in China, but not a huge amount of attention despite Trump repeatedly invoking the Asian giant during his campaign to cite U.S. weakness that he would turn around, accusing Beijing of manipulating its currency, stealing American jobs and unfair competition. Chinese may not be taking his comments too seriously because they believe he won't be elected or that he'd modulate his positions once elected, said Xiong Zhiyong, international relations expert at China Foreign Affairs University. "If, hypothetically, Trump became the U.S. president and he held on to his stance and proposals made during the election, China-U.S. relations would be in big trouble in many aspects such as security and economics," he said. "In that case, the U.S. foreign relations policies will undergo a huge change." Thuraya Ebrahim al Arrayed, a member of Saudi Arabia's top advisory body, the Shura Council, said a Trump presidency would be "catastrophic" and set the world back "not just generations, but centuries." "We pray to God that a racist, politically incorrect personality does not win the election," she said. "How can he tell Muslim students going there to study he will shut the door in Muslim faces?" Writing in the Financial Times of London, Martin Wolf summed up the mood of a good share of Europe's business and economic elite, arguing that it would be a "global disaster" if Trump, who won seven states in Tuesday's Republican contests, made it all the way to the Oval Office. "Mr. Trump is a promoter of paranoid fantasies, a xenophobe and an ignoramus. His business consists of the erection of ugly monuments to his own vanity. He has no experience of political office. Some compare him to Latin American populists. He might also be considered an American Silvio Berlusconi, albeit without the charm or business acumen," Wolf wrote. He also said Berlusconi, a former Italian prime minister and media tycoon, "unlike Mr. Trump never threatened to round up and expel millions of people." Wolf's verdict: "Mr. Trump is grossly unqualified for the world's most important political office." A Japanese online commentator used much the same language, and likened the Republican front-runner to the evil nemesis of wizard Harry Potter. Trump's unexpected political rise reflects "elitism and opposition to globalization, but at its heart is a xenophobia and populism that comes from ignorance," said Masato Kimura, former London bureau chief for the conservative newspaper Sankei Shimbun. "Although this is another country's election, Japan's allies should raise their voices to help prevent the birth of a 'Voldemort' president in the United States." In the Mexican newspaper Reforma, columnist Sergio Aguayo compared anti-Mexican sentiments unleashed by Trump to the anti-communist Red Scares of the 20th century, and accused Trump of igniting a "brown panic." "We must answer again and again Donald Trump, and make the U.S. government understand that we're not willing to continue being pointed out as the only ones responsible for problems that are also caused by the United States," Aguayo wrote. La Jornada, a leftist Mexican paper, ran a caricature of Trump wearing a "KKK" necktie and declaring, "I will make cremation ovens for the Mexicans and Muslims ... and they will pay for their construction!" In the moderate and predominantly Muslim West African nation of Senegal, Mame Ngor Ngom, editor-in-chief of La Tribune, a weekly newspaper, expressed hope that in the final analysis, Americans will not be "so thoughtless" as to hand Trump their country's highest office. "We think that the Americans won't vote for him. They already paid the consequences with George W. Bush. ... Donald Trump will fail," the Senegalese journalist predicted. In Russia, some took delight in how messy U.S. politics have become. The popularity of Trump and Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Bernie Sanders, who took four states on Tuesday compared to the seven won by Hillary Clinton, "bears witness to the crisis of trust in such traditional clans" as the Bushes and the Clintons, wrote Konstantin Kosachev, chairman of the foreign affairs committee in Russia's upper house of parliament, in a post on Facebook. According to Alexander Dugin, a Russian nationalist ideologue with close ties to the Kremlin, Trump "is sometimes disgusting and violent, but he is what he is. It is true America." In Europe, where some also feel their nations are being submerged by waves of foreign migrants and violent Islamic radicalism is a real danger, not all have condemned Trump. Jean-Marie Le Pen, founder of France's far-right National Front, has said that if he were an American, he would cast his ballot for Trump. On Wednesday, Laurent Wauquiez, a French conservative lawmaker, said Trump's popularity is revealing of a general trend that has traversed the Atlantic. "What it shows is that in democracies today, citizens no longer want people to tell them what they should think, what they should say. That's what makes Donald Trump seductive," Wauquiez told France 2 Television. In the northern Indian city of Lucknow, one software company executive said he has been impressed by Trump's muscular rhetoric. "Trump looks like a tough guy," said Rohitash Sharma. "He has clarity of idea, and he means business. He has advocated the use of enhanced interrogation techniques, if these improve the protection and safety of the country. He has a clear road map on how to protect his country from extremist forces." Though no fan, Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa said a Trump presidential win could be a political gift to Latin America's left, which is recovering from a string of electoral defeats in Argentina, Bolivia and Venezuela. "The most convenient for Latin America is a Trump victory, because his rhetoric is so clumsy, so basic, that I think it would awaken reactions in Latin America," Correa told a group of radio journalists Monday. "I think a guy like him would be very bad for the U.S. (but) for the progressive movement in Latin America, it could be positive." For weeks, a Canadian website has poked fun at Trump by inviting disaffected Americans to move to an island off Nova Scotia. On Super Tuesday, as the returns rolled in, searches for "How can I move to Canada" on Google spiked by more than 350% in four hours, Google editor Simon Rogers tweeted. A social media link posted by Toronto city councilman Norm Kelly that gives helpful directions on how to apply for Canadian citizenship received over 37,000 retweets. Bruce Arthur, a Canadian sportswriter and political commentator, tweeted this after Super Tuesday: "To my American friends, I have an eight-person tent that I can set up in the forest behind my house but you may need your own air mattresses." ___ Associated Press writers Ciaran Giles in Madrid, Geir Moulson in Berlin, George Jahn in Vienna, Aya Batrawy in Dubai, Danica Kirka in London, Elaine Kurtenbach in Tokyo, Jim Heintz in Moscow, Aron Heller in Jerusalem, Lori Hinnant in Paris, Rob Gillies in Toronto, Eduardo Castillo in Mexico City, Biswajeet Banerjee in Lucknow, India, Gonzalo Solano in Quito, Ecuador, and Babacar Dione in Dakar, Senegal, contributed to this report. In this March 1, 2016, photo, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks on Super Tuesday primary election night at the White and Gold Ballroom at The Mar-A-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Fla. The possibility of Trump as Republican nominee _ and perhaps president _ is suddenly very real for the GOP in Congress. After months of denial that the billionaire businessman could swipe the nomination from more establishment candidates, senators faced reality on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Utah Senate narrowly passes death penalty repeal SALT LAKE CITY (AP) Utah senators on Wednesday voted to abolish the death penalty, advancing what had been considered a longshot proposal in the conservative state. The measure marks a stunning turn in Utah, where a year ago lawmakers voted to reinstate the use of the firing squad as a backup execution method. Lawmakers argued last year that if the state has a shortage of lethal injection drugs, it must still find a way to kill death row inmates. Sen. Steve Urquhart, a Republican, is leading the push this year to repeal capital punishment, citing conservative themes of imperfect governments and capital punishment as a costly and inefficient policy. FILE - In this Feb. 18, 2016 file photo, Utah state Sen. Steve Urquhart speaks during a news conference at the Capitol in Salt Lake City. Utah's Republican-controlled Senate has narrowly passed a bill to abolish the death penalty in the conservative state, advancing what had been considered a longshot measure to the House. Urquhart, the Republican lawmaker sponsoring the bill, says he thinks the bill will pass. The measure has the key backing of House Speaker Greg Hughes but faces likely opposition from Gov. Gary Herbert, a death penalty supporter.(AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File) "We're going to pass it," Urquhart told reporters Wednesday. When his bill was unveiled three weeks ago, Urquhart acknowledged it would be an uphill battle to win approval in a state with strong support for the death penalty. But he said the libertarian leanings of the Legislature gave him hope. His proposal cleared the GOP-controlled Senate 15-12 Wednesday, advancing it to the Republican-dominated House of Representatives. Urquhart said he does not yet know how many supporters he has in the House, but he has backing from the chamber's Republican Speaker Greg Hughes. Hughes told The Associated Press on Tuesday that he's been a quiet but longtime opponent of the death penalty. Hughes said he plans to be vocal in his support of abolishing the practice when the bill reaches his House colleagues. The measure must get a hearing before a House committee and vote before the full chamber sometime before lawmakers adjourn at midnight on March 10. The earliest a committee hearing could occur would be Thursday, but no debate had been scheduled by Wednesday afternoon. Urquhart said some House representatives have already told him they support the bill, which surprised him. He declined to identify the lawmakers but said he would have "bet and lost a lot of money that they would never support this legislation." If the measure wins approval in the House, it could still hit a wall with Utah's Republican governor. Gov. Gary Herbert reiterated to reporters on Tuesday that he's a strong supporter of capital punishment. Utah's Senate spent about 20 minutes debating the measure Wednesday, a day after they cast a preliminary vote of approval without a single lawmaker asking a question or contesting the proposal. Sen. Todd Weiler, R-Woods Cross, spoke against Urquhart's proposal Wednesday, arguing that for some crimes, execution is a just punishment. Weiler cited the case of Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh. "He murdered hundreds of people and he was executed for that," he said. "How many people think that was unjust?" Weiler also disputed a legislative study from 2012 that found capital punishment costs more taxpayer money than a sentence of life in prison without parole. He and others speaking against the proposal said that while capital punishment is rarely sought in Utah, it should remain on the table to give prosecutors a position to negotiate in plea bargains down to a life sentence without parole. Other conservative Republicans speaking in favor of abolishing the practice said they have no problem in theory with the idea of killing someone for a heinous crime, but they fear that years of appeals render the death penalty ineffective and they worry the government could execute someone wrongly convicted. Last year, Nebraska's Republican-controlled Legislature voted to abolish the death penalty over a veto from that state's GOP governor. It became the first traditionally conservative state to eliminate the punishment since North Dakota dropped the practice in 1973. But death penalty supporters quickly launched a petition drive, leaving Nebraska voters to decide the issue this November. Proposals to repeal capital punishment have been introduced in at least eight other states over the past year, though it's unclear how many are anywhere close to joining 19 states and the District of Columbia in abolishing the practice. ___ Associated Press writer Hallie Golden contributed to this report. Follow Michelle L. Price at https://twitter.com/michellelprice. Mental evaluation ordered for nursing home slaying suspect SCOTTSVILLE, Ky. (AP) A man who called himself The Reverend dialed 911 to say he was the father of the human race. The phone call last month was the first time the Scottsville Police Department had heard of the 35-year-old self-avowed devil worshipper born Robert Reynolds, who had legally changed his name to reflect his status in the Reynoldsianism faith of his invention. The police department checked on The Reverend at the Scottsville Manor nursing home, where he lived because of a long battle with schizophrenia. But he'd made no threats and committed no crimes, said Scottsville Police Chief Jeff Pearson. He only insisted he was the patriarch of civilization. The Reverend, a 35-year-old self-avowed Satanist accused of killing his elderly roommate at a Kentucky nursing home speaks to a judge Wednesday, March 2, 2016, Scottsville, Ky. The judge advised that The Reverend shouldnt make a statement and ordered The Reverend, who legally changed his name from Robert Reynolds, to undergo a mental evaluation before the case against him can continue. (AP Photo/Claire Galofaro) About a week later, he walked to the nurse's station and announced he'd killed his 71-year-old roommate Gary Glueck, police said. The assisted-living facility cares for both the elderly and the disabled. The Reverend was ordered Wednesday to undergo a mental evaluation before the murder charge against him can continue through the court system. Handcuffed in an orange jumpsuit, he told Allen County District Judge Martha Harrison repeatedly that he wanted to make a statement. She advised against it and appointed a public defender, who met with The Reverend and promptly asked the judge to order a competency assessment. The Reverend didn't make his statement. He had a website and several Facebook pages, where he described himself as a devil worshipper, schizophrenic and the star of the "easy-listening satanic" genre of music, which he said he created. The argument he had with his roommate started when he wanted to listen to the satanic music and Glueck, who shared room No. 15, objected, The Bowling Green Daily News reported. He later told police he stabbed Glueck with an ink pen then tied the cord of a lamp around his neck, according to court records. He said the elderly man tried unsuccessfully to fight him off, court records say. The Reverend's family declined to comment on the record about his struggles with mental illness. He posted dozens of rambling poems, essays and videos online. In the videos, he smoked cigarettes and stroked his beard and talked illogically to imaginary companions. In one, he said he'd found a way for the impotent and gay men to reproduce. He had invented a drug called Zexifor, made from tree moss, aged particles and honey for taste. He gave birth to an invisible infant, he said, and would meet the "infant" on the porch of his house again 20 years in the future. In another, he strummed a guitar, without a shirt on, a giant star tattooed on his shoulder, and sang of "Satan, the father." He wrote over and over that he is a "Reynoldsian music star" and an "easy listening satanic star." He said he was standing in for God and offered to be interviewed by the media. He created his own holidays, alphabet and a system of mathematics he called Reynoldsiantics. He expressed admiration online for Charles Manson, Anton LaVey, founder of the Church of Satan, and the Marquis de Sade, the 18th-century French aristocrat, whose writings of brutal sexual cruelty spawned the word sadism. But court records indicate he does not have a history of violence. The police chief said they'd received no complaints of violations from the nursing home. His writings and videos do not center on ritualism, Satan or brutality. Rather they maunder on about his inventions, delusions and his quest for personal awakening. On Facebook, he acknowledged his condition and his living arrangements at Scottsville Manor. "Living here would be difficult if I didn't have a disability too, but since I do, it's alright," he wrote in January. "Everybody here is disabled in some way. Scottsville Manor is a home." He later posted about supporting assisted suicide. Capitol Hill Buzz: Angelou post office turns controversial WASHINGTON (AP) The relatively uncontroversial step of naming a post office took an odd turn in the House as nine Republicans balked at putting Maya Angelou's name on the building. The House voted overwhelmingly on Tuesday 371-9 to name a post office in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, for the celebrated poet, author and civil rights activist, who died in 2014. Republican Reps. Mo Brooks of Alabama, Ken Buck of Colorado, Michael Burgess of Texas, Jeff Duncan of South Carolina, Glenn Grothman of Wisconsin, Andy Harris of Maryland, Tom Massie of Kentucky, Alex Mooney of West Virginia and Steve Palazzo of Mississippi voted no. Rep. Don Young of Alaska voted present. FILE - This May 20, 2010, file photo shows Maya Angelou at her home in Winston-Salem, N.C. The relatively uncontroversial step of naming a post office took an odd turn in the House as nine Republicans balked at putting Angelous name on the building. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond, File) A press secretary for Harris explained that he voted against the naming because Angelou was "a communist sympathizer." "His parents escaped communism and he feels that he cannot vote to name a post office in the United States in honor of someone who supported the communist Castro revolution in Cuba," said Shelby Hodgkins. "Who's next to get a post office? Jane Fonda?" The vote drew the ire of New York Democratic Rep. Steve Israel. Cholera quietly still kills dozens a month in Haiti PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) More than a dozen people reclined on cots inside the clinic in the Haitian capital, a few so sick they were receiving intravenous infusions to rehydrate their bodies and spare them an agonizing death. The worst off one recent morning was a thin and spectral man, weak from the vomiting and diarrhea caused by cholera. But all were expected to survive. The disease spread by contaminated water is easily treatable but can lead to death within hours if unattended. "However I got it, I really hope I never get this sick again," another patient, Estin Josue, said as he recovered inside an immaculately clean and orderly treatment center in downtown Port-au-Prince run by Gheskio Centers, a Haitian medical organization. In this Feb. 28, 2016 photo, a man wades through a garbage filled water canal, pulling his bag after collecting empty bottles to sell in downtown of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Scientists believe cholera was introduced to the country's biggest river by inadequately treated sewage from a base of U.N. peacekeepers. Victims' advocates have sued the U.N. in the United States, but a federal judge ruled last year that the organization was immune from a lawsuit seeking compensation. The U.S. Court of Appeals heard arguments in March 2016 for the plaintiffs challenging U.N. immunity claims. A decision is not expected for months. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery) Josue and his fellow patients were relatively lucky, getting sick close to the country's first permanent cholera treatment center. Many others are not as fortunate as Haiti continues to wrestle with the worst outbreak of the disease in recent history. Cholera, which arrived in Haiti in October 2010, has sickened more than 770,000 people, or about 7 percent of the population, and killed more than 9,200. So far this year, it has sickened more than 6,000 and is killing an average of 37 people a month, according to the latest government figures. The persistence of the preventable disease has alarmed public health experts who fear that attention and resources have been diverted by newer challenges, including the regional spread of the Zika virus and the political crisis that recently halted Haiti's elections. World Health Organization spokesman Gregory Hartl said cholera is now considered "endemic" in Haiti, meaning it's an illness that occurs regularly. Others have noted the cholera bacterium could very well be firmly established in Haiti's rivers, estuaries and even coastal waters. "Once it is established in a country's aquatic reservoir it is extremely difficult to eradicate," said Afsar Ali, a researcher at the University of Florida who has led studies of cholera in Haiti for years. Dr. Joseph Donald Francois, who coordinates the health ministry's efforts to combat the illness, still believes Haiti, with international help, can eliminate cholera by 2022. But he acknowledged the effort is badly underfinanced. Only $307 million, or less than 14 percent, has been funded of a $2.2 billion plan announced in 2013 to eradicate cholera from the island shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic over a decade, according to a November report from the U.N. In the first year of the outbreak, more than 200 international organizations were providing money and expertise to combat the illness in Haiti. Now, there are fewer than a dozen, Francois said. "Having far fewer deaths has led a lot of people to believe the situation is no longer urgent," Francois said. "But if we had the resources, people wouldn't be dying at all." Cholera was first detected in central Haiti's Artibonite Valley. Researchers say there is ample evidence the disease was introduced to the country's biggest river by inadequately treated sewage from a base of U.N. peacekeepers from Nepal, one of the units that have rotated in and out of a multinational force in Haiti since 2004. Victims' advocates have sued the U.N. in the United States. A federal judge ruled last year that the international organization was immune from a lawsuit seeking compensation. The U.S. Court of Appeals this week heard arguments for the plaintiffs challenging the U.N. immunity claim. A decision is not expected for months. Five U.N. human rights experts have criticized the U.N.'s "effective denial of the fundamental right of the victims of cholera to justice," saying in a letter late last year to top U.N. officials that the approach "challenges the credibility of the Organization as an entity that respects human rights." Cholera showed up 10 months after a devastating earthquake in the south of Haiti, deepening the country's misery at a time when it was ill-equipped to cope with a second crisis. New research published this month by the U.S. Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention suggests cholera's death toll in Haiti could have been significantly higher due to inadequate reporting early in the outbreak. While the number of cholera cases has been significantly reduced from its first wave and the mortality rate has been slashed to lower than 1 percent from a high of 9 percent in December 2010, the fact that cholera is still killing Haitians more than five years on is galling to public health experts. "We need to raise our expectations of what's possible to do in Haiti and other countries in terms of these diseases that we've completely eliminated from our own societies," said Dr. Louise Ivers, a senior policy adviser with Boston-based Partners In Health. Ivers was working in Haiti's central plateau when cholera started sickening and killing so many people that it gave the nation the globe's highest rate of cholera one year after it was introduced. She said there hasn't been nearly enough progress addressing the lack of sanitation and access to clean water that are key to eliminating cholera and believes progress has stalled. Only 24 percent of Haitians have access to a toilet, sewage is rarely treated and safe water remains inaccessible to many. Jean Bertho, an unemployed laborer walking by a trash-strewn gully shook his head when asked about the disease. "I wouldn't be surprised if cholera lasts for another 50 years here," he said. "There's so much garbage everywhere and Haitian people can't get good water easily." ___ David McFadden on Twitter: https://twitter.com/dmcfadd In this Feb. 24, 2016 photo, people get treatment at Haiti's first permanent cholera center, run by Gheskio Centers, in downtown Port-au-Prince, Haiti. While the number of cholera cases has been significantly reduced from its first wave and the mortality rate has been slashed to lower than 1 per cent from a high of 9 percent in December 2010, the fact that cholera is still killing Haitians more than five years on is galling to public health experts. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery) In this Feb. 28, 2016 photo, a man takes a shower as another fills a bucket to take home, at a public fountain in Tabarre, Haiti. World Health Organization spokesman Gregory Hartl said cholera is now considered "endemic" in Haiti, meaning it's an illness that occurs regularly. Others have noted that the cholera bacterium now appears to be firmly established in Haitiis rivers, estuaries and even coastal waters. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery) In this March 1, 2016 photo, a man searches a landfill for items he can sell in Carrefour, Haiti. Only 13.8 percent has been funded for a $2.2 billion plan announced in 2013 to all but eliminate cholera from the island shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic over a decade, according to a November 2015 U.N. report. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery) In this Feb. 24, 2016 photo, a worker pours water for a patient at Haiti's first permanent cholera center, run by Gheskio Centers, in downtown Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The disease spread by contaminated water is easily treatable but can lead to death within hours if unattended. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery) In this March 1, 2016 photo, a young worker washes cow meat in floodwater at the entrance of a slaughter house in Carrefour, Haiti. There hasnt been nearly enough progress addressing the lack of sanitation and access to clean water that are key to eliminating cholera and progress has stalled, said Dr. Louise Ivers, a senior policy adviser with Boston-based Partners In Health. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery) In this Feb. 24, 2016 photo, Dr. Vanessa Rouzier examines a child suffering cholera symptoms, as his mother watches, inside Haiti's first permanent cholera center, run by Gheskio Centers, in downtown Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Cholera, undetected in Haiti before October 2010, has sickened more than some 7 percent of the population, and killed more than 9,200. (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery) AP interview: Man finds possible Malaysian plane debris MAPUTO, Mozambique (AP) An American adventurer said Thursday that he discovered part of an aircraft on a sandbar off the coast of Mozambique and initially thought it was from a small plane, and not from the Malaysia Airlines flight that disappeared two years ago with 239 people aboard. If confirmed that the piece of tail section came from Flight 370, a small piece of the puzzle will have been found, but it might not be enough to help solve one of aviation's greatest mysteries. In an interview with The Associated Press, Blaine Gibson described how a boat operator took him to a sandbar named Paluma and then called him over after seeing a piece of debris with "NO STEP" written on it. In this Feb. 28, 2016 image provided by Blaine Gibson and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), a piece of aircraft debris with the words "NO STEP" is photographed after it was found washed up on a beach in Mozambique. Debris that washed up in Mozambique has been tentatively identified as a part from the same type of aircraft as the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, a U.S. official said. (Blaine Gibson/ATSB via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT, NO SALES "It was so light," said Gibson, who has told reporters that he has spent a long time searching for evidence of missing Flight 370. Photos of the debris appear to show the fixed leading edge of the right-hand tail section of a Boeing 777, said a U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak publicly. Flight 370 is the only known missing 777. Gibson said the discovery happened after he decided to go "somewhere exposed to the ocean" on the last day of a trip to the Mozambican coastal town of Vilankulo. "At first, all I found were usual beach detritus flip flops, cigarette lighters. Then 'Junior' called me over," said Gibson, using the nickname of the boat operator. "I think, 'Wow, this looks like it's from an airplane but it looks like it's from a small airplane because it's very light and very thin. But I suppose there's a chance that it could be from the plane or from one of those others.' "In any case, it needs to be preserved, brought to the authorities and investigated," he said. "So yes, my heart was thumping, there was anticipation, there was excitement." But Gibson said he wants "to exercise caution. We don't yet know what this piece is ... Until it's been investigated by the experts, I warn not to jump to any conclusions." After being interviewed, Gibson went to the Maputo airport to take a flight to Malaysia to participate in second anniversary commemorations of the disappearance. "It's important to keep it in perspective," Gibson said of his find. "This is about the families of the 239 victims, who haven't seen their relatives for two years now." Gibson, who is from Seattle, said the piece of debris is now in the hands of civil aviation authorities in Mozambique, and that he expects it to be transferred to their Australian counterparts. On Friday, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau's chief commissioner Martin Dolan, who is heading up the search for the plane off Australia's west coast, said the part should arrive in the nation's capital, Canberra, early next week. It is being taken to Australia rather than Malaysia because the ATSB has facilities set up for examining aircraft wreckage and trained technical staff on hand to help, he said. The part will be analyzed by multiple people, including ATSB materials failure experts, with Boeing representatives and the Malaysian investigation team giving advice. Investigators hope that once the part arrives, they will be able to confirm whether or not the piece is from Flight 370 within a matter of days, Dolan said. "All that we know is that it's a piece from an aircraft. It's sufficiently similar to a part from a large passenger aircraft, possibly a 777, for us to want to take a close look at it," Dolan told the AP. "At this stage, we have no conclusive evidence as to what it is or where it comes from." Even if confirmed to be from Flight 370, Dolan said it was too early to speculate on whether the part could shed any light on what happened to the aircraft, including whether it could clarify if someone was at the controls when the plane hit the water. The search team has been operating on the theory that no one was steering the plane when it crashed, but some critics have argued there may have been someone controlling the plane at the end of its flight. If that was the case, the plane could have glided much further than investigators believe, thus tripling in size the search area. "That's the sort of thing we'll have to do a very close analysis of this part (to find out), if indeed it is associated with MH370," Dolan said. "The question we will have to establish to the best of our ability is what level of energy was involved in the aircraft colliding with the water to have led to the separation of the part." Gibson said that he had come to Mozambique as part of a dream to see every country in the world. "It has been my ambition since I was 7 to visit every country in the world. Malawi was number 176, Mozambique was number 177," he said. According to New York Magazine, Gibson has also spent much of the past year searching for traces of the missing airliner. Gibson has traveled to the Maldives to investigate reports of a plane flying low at the time of the disappearance, Reunion Island to interview a man who found another section of the plane, and met with former Australian Transport Minister Warren Truss to discuss Australia's seabed search for the plane. The plane disappeared on March 8, 2014, and is believed to have crashed somewhere in a remote stretch of the southern Indian Ocean about 6,000 kilometers (3,700 miles) east of Mozambique. Authorities have long predicted that any debris from the plane that isn't on the ocean floor would eventually be carried by currents to the east coast of Africa. Australian Transport Minister Darren Chester said Thursday the location of the debris in Mozambique matches investigators' drift modeling and would therefore confirm that search crews are looking in the right place for the main underwater wreckage. Malaysian Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai also said the location of the debris lines up with investigators' predictions. ___ Gelineau reported from Sydney. Associated Press writers Rod McGuirk in Canberra, Joan Lowy in Washington and Eileen Ng in Kuala Lumpur contributed to this report. ___ This story has been corrected to show that Warren Truss is a former Australian transport minister rather than prime minister. Blaine Gibson poses for a photo during an interview with the Associated Press in Maputo Mozambique Thursday March 3, 2016. Gibson who discovered an aircraft part in Mozambique that may be from missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 says he initially thought it was part of a much smaller plane. Gibson, who has been searching the region's beaches for the debris, said Thursday March 3, 2016 in an interview with that a boat operator who took him to a sandbank named Paluma called him over after seeing a piece of debris with NO STEP (AP Photo/Tom Bowker) In this Feb. 28, 2016 image provided by Blaine Gibson and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), a piece of aircraft debris with the words "NO STEP" is photographed after it was found washed up on a beach in Mozambique. Debris that washed up in Mozambique has been tentatively identified as a part from the same type of aircraft as the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, a U.S. official said. (Blaine Gibson/ATSB via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT, NO SALES Australian Transport Safety Bureau chief commissioner Martin Dolan poses for a photo in his office on Friday, March 4, 2016, in Canberra, Australia. Dolan, who is heading up the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight 370 plane off Australia's west coast, said the part discovered in Mozambique should arrive in Australia early next week for examination. (AP Photo/Rod McGuirk) Malaysian Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai speaks at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Debris that washed ashore in Mozambique that may be from missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 turned up in a spot that matches investigators' theories about where wreckage from the plane would have ended up, Australian officials said Thursday. (AP Photo/Joshua Paul) Iran: GCC made a "mistake" labelling Hezbollah as terrorists TEHRAN, Iran (AP) Iran's deputy foreign minister says a decision by a Saudi-led bloc of Gulf states to label the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah a terrorist organization is a "mistake." Iranian state TV Thursday quoted Hossein Amir Abdollahian as saying the Gulf Cooperation Council's move was a "new mistake" that would undermine peace in the region and the unity of Lebanon. He said Iran was "proud" of Hezbollah. On Wednesday, a statement from GCC Secretary-General Abdullatif al-Zayani said the bloc decided to implement the terrorist designation because of hostile acts by Iran-backed Hezbollah within its member states. The decision reflects rising tensions between Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia and Shiite powerhouse Iran, Hezbollah's patron. First oil flows from Alaska reserve set aside in '23 NUIQSUT, Alaska (AP) Rising from the edgeless, wind-scoured, snow-covered tundra on Alaska's North Slope lies a million-pound drilling rig pulling the first commercial oil from a reserve set aside nearly a century ago. ConocoPhillips is the first oil company to draw crude from the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, an area the size of Indiana which President Warren G. Harding dedicated as an emergency oil supply for the U.S. Navy in 1923. Getting to this point took compromises with Alaska Natives while keeping environmental concerns in mind. The Bureau of Land Management, which controls the reserve, in 2013 identified 12 million acres that could be available for development while setting aside 11 million acres to protect wild animals and grazing lands. This Feb. 9, 2016, photo shows ice forming on pipelines built near the Colville-Delta 5, or as it's more commonly known, CD5, drilling site on Alaska's North Slope. ConocoPhillips in October 2015 became the first to drill for oil in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, a region the size of Indiana set aside by President Warren G. Harding in 1923. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen) The drilling rig first began pulling up oil in October, and at peak production will produce 16,000 barrels a day from the Colville-Delta 5 field, or as it's more commonly known, CD5. It also will serve as a launch pad for another nearby fields in Alaska's Arctic. The Colville-Delta 5 field itself is an extension of the ConocoPhillips' Alpine field, located about five miles to the east. "We've spent more than a dozen years trying to achieve the permits to do the development, to complete the development," Jim Brodie, the capital projects manager for ConocoPhillips in the reserve, said of the $1 billion project earlier this month after reporters toured the North Slope facility last month. "It's a sizable investment." The project included a 6-mile gravel road, four bridges over channels of the Colville River, including one 1,400 foot-expanse, 32 miles of pipelines, and miles of communications and electrical infrastructure that tie the field back to the main Alpine facilities. Oil that is being brought up goes back to Alpine for processing, and then is sent 800 miles down the trans-Alaska pipeline for shipment out of Valdez. The oil is being drilled on surface land which is owned by Kuukpik Corp., an Alaska Native village corporation for the nearby community of Nuiqsut, located about 25 miles south of the Arctic Ocean, or 625 miles north of Anchorage. Village residents who live a subsistence lifestyle objected to the original plans for one of the bridges over the Colville River to the oilfield, worried that it might interfere with fishing access. Brodie said ConocoPhillips pulled its permit package to come up with an alternate plan, working "with the community and the elders and established a new location for the Nigliq Channel Bridge, which caused a reroute of the road and it was at considerable expense to ConocoPhillips but at the same time we got the support from the community and it enabled the project to move forward." The Inupiat village agreed with the new plan and now welcome the financial opportunities that oil brings to the native community in terms of taxes and jobs. "We worked with ConocoPhillips to make sure that CD5 is developed responsibly and make sure that it's a win-win," said Isaac Nukapigak, president of Kuukpik Corp. Development in the petroleum reserve hasn't drawn the usual protests from environmental groups. Nicole Whittington-Evans, Alaska regional director for The Wilderness Society, said her group has been mostly concerned with how the development will proceed: Will it involve roads or not? How far westward will the sprawl continue? "Those are the types of things that we're concerned about right now, and we have focused on trying to ensure that the least environmentally damaging developments move forward," she said. ConocoPhillips continues preparations to drill in the more ingloriously named Greater Mooses Tooth 1 despite oil prices being in the tank. First oil from there could be as soon as December 2018, and could produce 30,000 barrels a day at peak production. Steve Thatcher, ConocoPhillips' Alpine operations manager, said oil prices are cyclical and will rebound. "For these kinds of projects, if we can invest in them now, it makes a lot of sense for when the oil price is the other extreme," he said. This Feb. 9, 2016, photo shows a million-pound drilling rig looming in the distance at the CD5 drilling site on Alaska's North Slope. ConocoPhillips in October 2015 became the first to drill for oil in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, a region the size of Indiana set aside by President Warren G. Harding in 1923. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen) This Feb. 9, 2016, photo shows Isaac Nukapigak, president of the Kuukpik Corp., talking to reporters at the ConocoPhillips Alpine Field on Alaska's North Slope. ConocoPhillips in October 2015 became the first to drill for oil in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, a region the size of Indiana set aside by President Warren G. Harding in 1923. The oil is being drilled on surface land which is owned by Kuukpik Corp., an Alaska Native village corporation for the nearby community of Nuiqsut. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen) This Feb. 9, 2016, photo shows ice forming on pipelines built near the Colville-Delta 5 field, or as it's more commonly known, CD5, drilling site on Alaska's North Slope. ConocoPhillips in October 2015 became the first to drill for oil in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, a region the size of Indiana set aside by President Warren G. Harding in 1923. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen) This Feb. 9, 2016, photo shows an ice covered ConocoPhillips sign at the Colville-Delta 5, or as it's more commonly known, CD5, drilling site on Alaska's North Slope. ConocoPhillips in October 2015 became the first to drill for oil in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, a region the size of Indiana set aside by President Warren G. Harding in 1923. Getting to this point took compromises with Alaska Natives while keeping environmental concerns in mind. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen) This Feb. 9, 2016, photo shows a million-pound drilling rig at the CD5 drilling site on Alaska's North Slope. ConocoPhillips in October 2015 became the first to drill for oil in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, a region the size of Indiana set aside by President Warren G. Harding in 1923. Getting to this point took compromises with Alaska Natives while keeping environmental concerns in mind. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen) This Feb. 9, 2016, photo shows a truck driving on an ice bridge constructed near the Colville-Delta 5, or as it's more commonly known, CD5, drilling site on Alaska's North Slope. ConocoPhillips in October 2015 became the first to drill for oil in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, a region the size of Indiana set aside by President Warren G. Harding in 1923. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen) EU mulls 'large-scale' migrant deportation scheme ATHENS, Greece (AP) Turkey is under growing pressure to consider a major escalation in migrant deportations from Greece, a top European Union official said Thursday, amid preparations for a highly anticipated summit of EU and Turkish leaders next week. European Council President Donald Tusk ended a six-nation tour of migration crisis countries in Turkey, where 850,000 migrants and refugees left last year for Greek islands. "We agree that the refugee flows still remain far too high," Tusk said after meeting Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu. Migrants queue for food outside the registration and hospitality centre, known as hotspot, of the eastern Greek Island of Samos, on the Aegean Sea,Thursday, March 3, 2016. The Greek government said it has requested 480 million euros ($520 million) in aid for the refugee crisis from the EU, under an emergency plan to cope with as many as 100,000 stranded refugees, roughly three times the number now stuck inside Greece. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) "To many in Europe, the most promising method seems to be a fast and large-scale mechanism to ship back irregular migrants arriving in Greece. It would effectively break the business model of the smugglers." Tusk was careful to single out illegal economic migrants for possible deportation, not asylum-seekers. And he wasn't clear who would actually carry out the expulsions: Greece itself, EU border agency Frontex or even other organizations like NATO. Greek officials said Thursday that nearly 32,000 migrants were stranded in the country following a decision by Austria and four ex-Yugolsav countries to drastically reduce the number of transiting migrants. "We consider the (Macedonian) border to be closed ... Letting 80 through a day is not significant," Migration Minister Ioannis Mouzals said. He said the army had built 10,000 additional places at temporary shelters since the border closures, with work underway on a further 15,000. But a top U.N. official on migration warned that number of people stranded in Greece could quickly double. Peter Sutherland said the "inevitable consequence" of closed borders throughout the Balkans "is that Greece increasingly becomes a camp for refugees and migrants." About a third of migrants trapped in Greece are at the village of Idomeni, on the border with Macedonia. Dwellers at a sprawling camp there hold out hope for crossing in increasingly difficult conditions. Greek police said 130 people were allowed to cross the border Thursday. Migrants said Macedonia didn't accept computer-generated stamps issued by the Greek police, and therefore they couldn't prove their identity documents were genuine. Adnan Abdallah from Syria had waited to cross from Greece to Macedonia for three days, but when he finally was let through, he was turned back because the stamp on his refugee document is computer-generated. "They say here (in Greece) everything is OK, but on the other side this is not acceptable," he told The Associated Press. The EU is struggling to hold its members to plans for a Europe-wide solution in dealing with the mass migration. Hungary has already called a referendum on EU plans for a mandatory quota system for settling migrants, and says it's was considering action to bolster its border fences with additional police and military personnel, and extending the fence to the Romanian frontier. Earlier Thursday, Tusk told officials in Athens that Europe had little chance of resolving the crisis without full respect of controls on the external borders of Europe's passport-free Schengen area signaling pressure on Athens to do more to separate economic migrants from those fleeing war in Syria, Iraq and elsewhere. He also had a direct message for them. "I want to appeal to all potential illegal economic migrants, wherever you are from: Do not come to Europe," Tusk said. "Do not risk your lives and your money. It is all for nothing. Greece, or any other European country, will no longer be a transit country." ___ Elena Becatoros in Idomeni, Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey, Raf Casert in Brussels, Jamie Keaten in Geneva, Switzerland, and Pablo Gorondi in Budapest, Hungary contributed. Volunteers serve food to migrants queuing outside the registration and hospitality centre, known as hotspot, of the eastern Greek Island of Samos, on the Aegean Sea,Thursday, March 3, 2016. Food is daily cooked by a group of women volunteers, all Samos' residents, as there is no provision for food by the authorities at the hotspot.(AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) A migrant child poses for the photographer at the registration and hospitality centre, known as hotspot, on a hill overlooking the port of the eastern Greek Island of Samos, on the Aegean Sea, Thursday, March 3, 2016. The Greek government said it has requested 480 million euros ($520 million) in aid for the refugee crisis from the EU, under an emergency plan to cope with as many as 100,000 stranded refugees, roughly three times the number now stuck inside Greece. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) A migrant boy walks in the transit center for refugees in Sid, about 100 km west from Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Greece's prime minister Alexis Tsipras has called for sanctions to be imposed on European Union states that refuse to take in their share of the hundreds of thousands of refugees flowing into the continent through his country. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) A man powers and speaks on a phone in the transit center for refugees in Sid, about 100 km west from Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Greece's prime minister Alexis Tsipras has called for sanctions to be imposed on European Union states that refuse to take in their share of the hundreds of thousands of refugees flowing into the continent through his country. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) A migrant boy hangs clothes for drying in the transit center for refugees in Sid, about 100 km west from Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Greece's prime minister Alexis Tsipras has called for sanctions to be imposed on European Union states that refuse to take in their share of the hundreds of thousands of refugees flowing into the continent through his country. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) A migrant looks at a phone in the transit center for refugees in Sid, about 100 km west from Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Greece's prime minister Alexis Tsipras has called for sanctions to be imposed on European Union states that refuse to take in their share of the hundreds of thousands of refugees flowing into the continent through his country. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) A migrant child plays with a balloon in the transit center for refugees in Sid, about 100 km west from Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Greece's prime minister Alexis Tsipras has called for sanctions to be imposed on European Union states that refuse to take in their share of the hundreds of thousands of refugees flowing into the continent through his country. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) Migrant children play in the transit center for refugees in Sid, about 100 km west from Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Greece's prime minister Alexis Tsipras has called for sanctions to be imposed on European Union states that refuse to take in their share of the hundreds of thousands of refugees flowing into the continent through his country. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) A migrant child plays in the transit center for refugees in Sid, about 100 km west from Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Greece's prime minister Alexis Tsipras has called for sanctions to be imposed on European Union states that refuse to take in their share of the hundreds of thousands of refugees flowing into the continent through his country. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) A migrant woman rests in the transit center for refugees in Sid, about 100 km west from Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Greece's prime minister Alexis Tsipras has called for sanctions to be imposed on European Union states that refuse to take in their share of the hundreds of thousands of refugees flowing into the continent through his country. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) A man lies on the tracks as migrants block a railway during a protest demanding the opening of the border between Greece and Macedonia in the northern Greek border station of Idomeni, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Thousands of refugees and migrants wait on the border between Greece and Macedonia and about 30,000 refugees and other migrants are stranded in Greece, with 10,000 at the Idomeni border crossing to Macedonia.(AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) A migrant woman is turned down for an additional serving at a food distribution point outside the registration and hospitality centre, known as hotspot, of the eastern Greek Island of Samos, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Food is daily cooked by a group of women volunteers, all Samos' residents, as there is no provision for food by the authorities at the hotspot and migrants rely only on private contributions for food. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) Migrants shout slogans while blocking a railway during the protest demanding the opening of the border between Greece and Macedonia in the northern Greek border station of Idomeni, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Thousands of refugees and migrants wait on the border between Greece and Macedonia and about 30,000 refugees and other migrants are stranded in Greece, with 10,000 at the Idomeni border crossing to Macedonia. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) Migrants shout slogans while blocking a railway during the protest demanding the opening of the border between Greece and Macedonia in the northern Greek border station of Idomeni, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Thousands of refugees and migrants wait on the border between Greece and Macedonia and about 30,000 refugees and other migrants are stranded in Greece, with 10,000 at the Idomeni border crossing to Macedonia. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) Refugees await on the Greek side of the border to enter Macedonia near the southern Macedonian town of Gevgelija, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Thousands of refugees and migrants continue to wait on the border between Greece and Macedonia on Thursday morning. At the moment, some 30,000 refugees and other migrants are stranded in Greece, with 10,000 at the Idomeni border crossing to Macedonia. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu) A migrant child plays with gravel waiting on the Greek side of the border to enter Macedonia near the southern Macedonian town of Gevgelija, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Thousands of refugees and migrants continue to wait on the border between Greece and Macedonia on Thursday morning. At the moment, some 30,000 refugees and other migrants are stranded in Greece, with 10,000 at the Idomeni border crossing to Macedonia. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu) A boy stands near a line of Greek policemen as migrants block a railway during a protest demanding the opening of the border between Greece and Macedonia in the northern Greek border station of Idomeni, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Thousands of refugees and migrants wait on the border between Greece and Macedonia and about 30,000 refugees and other migrants are stranded in Greece, with 10,000 at the Idomeni border crossing to Macedonia. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) Ninety-two year old Youssef, last name not given, a migrant of the Yazidi community, disembarks a rescue vessel of MOAS, Migrant Offshore Aid Station, a Malta-based organization, at the eastern Greek island of Samos, after he along with others, were rescued while trying to cross the Aegean Sea in a dinghy between the eastern Greek island of Agathonisi and the nearby Turkish shores, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Sixty-three members of the Yazidi community, all in one dinghy were rescued and were taken to Samos. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) A woman crosses her hands as migrants block a railway during a protest demanding the opening of the border between Greece and Macedonia in the northern Greek border station of Idomeni, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Thousands of refugees and migrants wait on the border between Greece and Macedonia and about 30,000 refugees and other migrants are stranded in Greece, with 10,000 at the Idomeni border crossing to Macedonia.(AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) Migrants wait in line on the eastern Greek island of Samos after they were rescued while trying to cross Aegean Sea in a dinghy between the eastern Greek Island of Agathonisi and the nearby Turkish shores, Thursday, March 3, 2016. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) Migrants of the Yezidi community disembark a rescue vessel of MOAS, Migrant Offshore Aid Station, a Malta-based organization, at the eastern Greek island of Samos, after they were rescued while trying to cross in a dinghy the Aegean Sea between the eastern Greek island of Agathonisi and the nearby Turkish shores, , Thursday, March 3, 2016. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) Yazidi woman Maha, last name not given carrying her daughter Armanda, 6-years-old, walks in the eastern Greek island of Samos after they along with a total group of 63 migrants were rescued while trying to cross in a dinghy the Aegean Sea between the eastern Greek Island of Agathonisi and the nearby Turkish shores, Thursday, March 3, 2016. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) William Krisstofer Wolf, 53, of Montana was sentenced to six years in prison on federal firearms charges An anti-government activist from Montana who spoke openly of shooting police, arresting judges and burning down a local courthouse was sentenced to six years in prison on federal firearms charges. U.S. District Judge Susan Watters said on Thursday that William Krisstofer Wolf had advocated a 'shocking' level of violence against law enforcement, judges and other public officials. 'The public has to be protected from you,' Watters said in handing down the sentence. Wolf also would serve three years of supervised release once he is out of prison. A federal jury convicted the Gallatin County man in November, after Wolf bought a sawed-off automatic shotgun for $725 from an undercover FBI agent in the parking lot of a truck stop. An automatic shotgun is categorized as a machine gun under federal law and can be bought only with a special permit, which Wolf did not have. Shotguns with shortened barrels also are illegal. Wolf said his extreme statements pertained to an anticipated second American Revolution, and he argued they were constitutionally protected as free speech. He maintained his innocence throughout his trial. During a sometimes-rambling, 15-minute diatribe at the sentencing hearing, he accused the FBI of twisting his previous statements and said a paid informant for the agency had lied during testimony in the trial. 'I was entrapped and ultimately denied a fair and impartial trial amounting to a political persecution,' Wolf said. But Watters said the 53-year-old construction worker crossed the line when he purchased the shotgun. The judge said that action revealed Wolf's propensity toward violence was real. 'You have a right to free speech, but you don't have a right to speak as you did and then take actions' to carry out your threats, Watters said. 'I'm not using anyone else's statements against you. I'm using your own statements.' Montana U.S. Attorney Mike Cotter said on Thursday's sentence sent a strong message of deterrence to those who espouse anarchy and seek to wage violence against the government and civil society. Wolf ran an anti-government webcast called The Montana Republic in which he compared shooting police officers to shooting gophers and proposed citizen arrests of judges by militia-like safety committees Prosecutors had sought 10 years in prison for Wolf, who ran an anti-government webcast called The Montana Republic. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Whittaker argued that Wolf's lack of a criminal record masked the fact that he was 'building up to something big' and intended to use the shotgun to kill police. Wolf's attorney, Mark Werner with the Federal Defenders Office, argued that his client has no history of violence and did not intend to use the shotgun on any particular person. 'Twenty-five months of (FBI) surveillance and who did Wolf specifically threaten?' Werner said. 'It's free speech. It's talk.' Wolf testified at trial that he also wanted to acquire a flamethrower, which is allowed under federal law. On his webcast, Wolf compared shooting police officers to shooting gophers and proposed citizen arrests of judges by militia-like safety committees. Migrants, EU referendum, top topics at France-UK summit PARIS (AP) French politicians pulled no punches Thursday, warning that a U.K. vote to leave the 28-nation European Union would give London new problems in the areas of migrants, banking and terrorism. French President Francois Hollande met Thursday with British Prime Minister David Cameron in the northern city of Amiens. "I don't want to scare anyone but tell the truth: There will be consequences if the U.K. leaves the EU," Hollande said in a joint news conference with Cameron. French President, Francois Hollande, right, and British Prime Minister David Cameron shake hands after a press conference in Amiens, northern France, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Ahead of a referendum on Britain's future in the EU and migrant tensions, Prime Minister David Cameron traveled Thursday to Amiens, France, for a summit with French President Francois Hollande. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena) A British departure would notably affect "the way we handle... immigration issues ... and the economic development between our two countries," Hollande said. Cameron, who is leading the campaign for Britain to remain in the EU, agreed. "When it comes to terrorism, when it comes to security, when it comes to our borders, we are better off, we are stronger inside a reformed EU," Cameron said. "We both firmly believe that our membership of the European Union allows us to amplify our strength, projecting greater power internationally, increasing the security of our citizens, and boosting the competitiveness of our economies". The U.K. agreed to provide 17 million pounds ($24 million) this year to help France strengthen border security in the northern city of Calais, which has been a flashpoint in Europe's migration crisis. Cameron remained unclear on whether the U.K. will allow more unaccompanied child migrants to be granted asylum, one of France's major demands. According to French authorities, hundreds of children are among the thousands of migrants stranded in a slum camp in Calais. "If they have a family link to the U.K., then they must go there, and they must go quickly and in an efficient way," Hollande said. Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron told the Financial Times that the bilateral agreement under which France keeps migrants on its side of the Channel could come into question if the U.K. leaves the EU. Macron also pointedly took aim at London's key banking industry, which relies heavily upon Europe's open economy. "The day this relationship unravels, migrants will no longer be in Calais and the financial passport would work less well," he said. Britain's auto industry including Rolls-Royce Motor Cars chimed in as well, saying Thursday that the EU's open borders are good for business. But while many major British corporations want to stay, about 200 small-business entrepreneurs signed a letter saying that leaving the EU would offer more "flexibility and adaptability." Conservative lawmaker Bernard Jenkin, who wants Britain to quit the bloc, says Cameron is just trying to get other European governments to "scare people" out of voting to leave. "I don't think responsible European governments are going to cut off their noses to spite their faces just because we vote to leave the EU," Jenkin told the BBC. ___ Associated Press writers Jill Lawless in London and Lori Hinnant in Paris contributed. French President, Francois Hollande, left, greets British Prime Minister David Cameron prior to their meeting in Amiens, northern France, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Ahead of a referendum on Britain's future in the EU and migrant tensions, Prime Minister David Cameron traveled Thursday to Amiens, France, for a summit with French President Francois Hollande. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena) French riot police secure an area where French officials tell migrants to leave a makeshift migrants camp near Calais, France, Thursday March 3, 2016. The slow tear-down of the encampment in Calais continues Wednesday, angering migrants who live there, although they have to cope with squalid conditions. (AP Photo/Michel Spingler) Helmeted workers pull down makeshift structures at the makeshift migrants camp near Calais, France, Thursday March 3, 2016. The slow tear-down of the encampment in Calais continues Wednesday, angering migrants who live there, although they have to cope with squalid conditions. (AP Photo/Michel Spingler) Bold promises, but thin agenda so far for Ryan-led House WASHINGTON (AP) House Speaker Paul Ryan promises a bold election-year agenda of replacing the health care law and fighting poverty. Until then, it's the BRICK Act. While GOP task forces are talking about national security, jobs and health care, the House floor has largely been turned over to the obscure and the arcane. Instead of wrapping up a typical day's work at suppertime, early afternoon getaways are the norm. And it could remain that way for much of the year. This week was typical. Monday was reserved for noncontroversial bills like a measure to renew authorization of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Tuesday was largely devoted to naming post offices. Wednesday's legislation, passed 406-0, sought to ensure health care providers terminated from a state's Medicaid and children's health insurance programs can't keep doing business in other states. In this March 1, 2016, photo, House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis., joined by House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Calif., speaks at a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington. Ryan promises a bold, election-year agenda of replacing the health care law and fighting poverty. Until then, its the BRICK Act. While GOP task forces are talking about national security, jobs and health care, the House floor has largely been turned over to the obscure and the arcane. Instead of wrapping up a typical days work at suppertime, early afternoon getaways are often the norm. And it could remain that way for much of the year.(AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Then, on Thursday, after a 238-163 vote to delay new Environmental Protection Agency rules for brick makers that's the Blocking Regulatory Interference from Closing Kilns, or BRICK, Act the House exited Washington before noon for a week's vacation. "There's not a single priority issue," said No. 2 House Democrat Steny Hoyer of Maryland, citing issues absent from the floor such as renewal of federal aviation programs, funds to combat the Zika virus, financial relief for Puerto Rico, and aid to Flint, Michigan, as it grapples with tainted drinking water. "That is a substantial dereliction of duty." The light schedule is due in part to a battle over spending that has stalled the budget, which GOP leaders had hoped to consider this week. There is also disagreement over a Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill. Those measures could bring more heft to the floor schedule this spring, along with upcoming legislation to combat heroin and opioid abuse and reform the criminal justice system. Ryan doesn't set the day-to-day schedule of the House, and his chief focus is on the longer term. "This is going to be our contribution to this campaign in 2016," Ryan told reporters on Thursday. "A bold agenda that unites conservatives and gives the country a very clear choice." Last year, GOP leaders filled the floor with initiatives taking on President Barack Obama. "There was an enormous amount of energy expended doing nothing, but it takes effort to have shutdown votes or defund Planned Parenthood, knowing it'll go nowhere. But I'll give credit to the Republican leadership: They put energy into getting nothing done," said Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt. "This year, there's not even an effort to fake it. We're just not doing anything." Well, the House is in fact passing some legislation. It's just that most of it is not very important. There was a bill to require the White House to re-bundle information about the national debt. On Monday, the House voted to scrub outdated and offensive terms like "Negro" and "Oriental" from a 1976 statute. On Tuesday, Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., who sets the floor schedule, praised the Medicaid measure for stopping fraud and abuse, and Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., said the measure protects taxpayers. "This will save millions of dollars for taxpayers who are tired of seeing their money, their taxpayer dollars being wasted in Washington," Scalise said. Republicans got more attention on Tuesday, however, when nine conservatives voted against naming a post office in North Carolina for iconic African-American poet Maya Angelou, citing her leftist views. A spokesman for McCarthy cited a number of other bills on new sanctions on North Korea, and holding Veterans Administration bureaucrats more accountable for agency missteps, among others as evidence the House has been keeping busy. But for now, the floor schedule is remarkably thin. One of last week's marquee items was a bill called the Fraudulent Joinder Prevention Act, dealing with whether lawsuits belong in state or federal courts. Another was an amalgam of provisions billed as boosting the rights of sportsmen, including allowing the importation of about 40 banned polar bear hides and heads from Canada and making sure the government doesn't restrict lead content in ammunition. In the Senate, where most legislation crawls along even if it's got sweeping bipartisan support, it's easier to stretch out a thin floor schedule. That's been the case with a still-unfinished energy bill that occupied much of February. Meanwhile, the trouble in putting together a GOP budget resolution could mean that the floor agenda remains light. While debate on the budget resolution a nonbinding measure setting out tax and spending goals for the upcoming decade usually only takes a couple of days or so, passage of the measure clears the way for action on follow-up spending bills. These appropriations bills typically occupy the House for weeks in late spring and into the summer and if they're not available later in the year to occupy lawmakers, the early afternoon adjournments and long weekends could multiply. Defense lawyer: Rush to judgment in Alabama police shooting MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) Officer Aaron Smith is the white son of a retired ranking Montgomery police official, and Gregory Gunn was a black man neighbors knew for working hard and walking everywhere he went. Their lives intersected early one morning last week, and Gunn lay dead after a hail of gunfire a shooting that recalled tense times years ago when Montgomery police were continually at odds with the city's black community. Now, with Gunn dead amid a national debate over police violence in minority communities, Smith's lawyer argues the career of an innocent young officer is being sacrificed to quell unrest in a city that doesn't want a repeat of its past, or fiery protests like those in Ferguson, Missouri. Montgomery Police Officer Aaron Smith, bottom left, holds hands with his mother, Kim Smith, bottom right, during a press conference with attorneys Mickey McDermott, back left, Roianne Conner, back center, and investigator Arthur Coleman, back right, Wednesday, March 2, 2016, in Montgomery, Ala. Smith is charged with murder in the shooting death of Greg Gunn, a black man, outside a neighbor's home, in Montgomery, Ala. (AP Photo/Kim Chandler) "It simply boils down to a political calculation to placate activists, to prevent another Ferguson," defense attorney Mickey McDermott said in an interview Thursday. "That's just the world we're living in now." Mayor Todd Strange didn't return a message seeking comment on McDermott's claims. But District Attorney Daryl Bailey has said the 23-year-old Smith was arrested because state investigators found probable cause to believe he broke the law when he shot Gunn, 58, six days earlier. An autopsy showed the man was shot five times, possibly while crouching on the ground shielding himself, a family lawyer said Thursday. Authorities won't discuss evidence that led them to charge Smith. McDermott, who served as a Montgomery police officer before going to law school, said the arrest skipped the normal protocol of letting grand juries consider whether to charge officers who use deadly force while on duty. Smith's arrest did seem to soothe anger in the black community in Montgomery, a city of 205,000 that is 56 percent black. Relatives and friends gathered at the shooting scene and praised the move within hours after the charges were announced. "Right is right and wrong is wrong," said Aaryn Jordan, a nephew of Gunn. Gunn's mother, Nellie Ruth Gunn, told reporters she wanted Smith to attend her son's funeral, set for Saturday. "All I want is justice," she said. Smith, who worked the overnight shift in what McDermott described as a high-crime area, shot and killed Gunn around 3:20 a.m. on Feb. 25, officials said. Gunn, according to a neighbor, was a laborer who did odd jobs at area businesses, sometimes two at a time, and also cut grass in his neighborhood. Smith thought Gunn was "suspicious" so he got out of his patrol car and approached the man on foot, police said. Colvin Hinson said he his wife and their 13-year-old daughter were asleep when Gunn started banging on his front door and calling his name in the middle of the night. Then he heard gunshots. Opening the door, Hinson saw Gunn dying in the yard, Hinson said. While authorities initially said Gunn had a rod or stick used as a handle on a paint roller, Hinson said the pole belonged to him and had been in the yard for several weeks. Hinson had known Gunn for years, describing him as a hard-working man who walked everywhere because he had no car. McDermott said Gunn used "deadly force" on Smith before the officer opened fire, but he wouldn't go into details. The defense will request a preliminary hearing in which some evidence will come out, he said. The Gunn family's attorney, Tyrone Means, said Thursday an independent autopsy revealed Gunn was shot three times in his chest and twice in the buttocks, and at least one shot grazed his right arm. "We believe Mr. Gunn was shot from his right side while in a crouched, defensive posture," Means said. "He had thrown up his right arm to protect himself." The move to charge a white officer with murder in the shooting of a black man stood in contrast to past episodes of police violence dating back decades in Montgomery. A cover-up after a deadly police shooting of a black man in 1975 led to the resignation of the mayor, police chief and multiple officers. The city has erected two monuments in memory of the victim, Bernard Whitehurst. In 1983, months of unrest followed a confrontation in which two plainclothes police officers burst into a home full of funeral mourners believing something suspicious was going on. The mourners turned on the men, saying they didn't realize they were police. Some of the 11 people who were arrested later claimed officers beat them during questioning. The mourners were acquitted after contentious trials. The mayor said Wednesday that the police force now is about 45 percent black and has a black chief who is active in the community and oversees multiple community outreach programs. He urged residents to stay calm and left the legal system work. "I believe that we have established over the last number of years a better working relationship with this community whether it be Hispanic or whether it be white or whether it be black," Strange said. ___ AP writer Melissa Brown contributed to this report. This undated photo provided by the Montgomery County Sheriffi's Office shows Montgomery Police officer Aaron Smith. Smith has been charged with murder in the shooting death of a black man, Greg Gunn, outside a neighbor's home. (Montgomery County Sheriffs Office via AP) Colvin Hinson talks about the fatal police shooting of neighbor Greg Gunn on Wednesday, March 2, 2016, in Montgomery, Ala. Montgomery County District Attorney Daryl Bailey said Wednesday that state investigators have obtained a warrant for the arrest of Montgomery police officer Aaron Smith, who is white. (AP Photo/Jay Reeves) Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange, foreground, with Police Chief Ernest Finley, left, speaks at a news conference in Montgomery, Ala., Wednesday, March 2, 2016, after Montgomery District Attorney Daryl Bailey announced that Montgomery Police Officer Aaron Smith was arrested in connection to the shooting death of Greg Gunn. (AP Photo / Montgomery Advertiser, Mickey Welsh) Nellie Ruth Gunn prays in Montgomery, Ala., after she heard the news that Montgomery District Attorney Daryl Bailey announced on Wednesday, March 2, 2016 that Montgomery Police Officer Aaron Smith was arrested in connection to the shooting death of her son Greg Gunn. (Mickey Welsh/The Montgomery Advertiser via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT In this Feb. 25, 2016 photo, Kimberly Gunn holds a picture of Greg Gunn, her brother who was killed in a shooting incident, on the property where he was shot in Montgomery, Ala. Police officials said Officer A.C. Smith thought Greg Gunn looked suspicious walking in a residential neighborhood. Gunn was walking home from a friend's house a few blocks away. (Albert Cesare/The Montgomery Advertiser via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT Indian army: Troops kill 3 rebels in gunbattle in Kashmir SRINAGAR, India (AP) Three Kashmiri rebels were killed in a gunbattle with government forces early Thursday as they tried to break through a security cordon in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, the army said. Army spokesman Col. Nitin N. Joshi said the fighting started late Wednesday and an intermittent exchange of gunfire continued overnight in the southern town of Tral. Joshi said the three killed belonged to Hizbul Mujahideen, the region's biggest rebel group fighting against Indian rule. Kashmiri villagers inspect a house damaged during a gunbattle in Dadsar, outskirts of Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Three Kashmiri rebels were killed in a gunbattle with government forces early Thursday as they tried to break through a security cordon in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, the army said. Hundreds of residents chanting pro-freedom slogans tried to reach the site of the gunbattle in a show of solidarity with the militants. Police fired tear gas late Wednesday and Thursday to disperse them. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan) Hundreds of residents chanting pro-freedom slogans tried to reach the site of the gunbattle in a show of solidarity with the militants. Police fired tear gas late Wednesday and Thursday to disperse them. No injuries were reported in clashes between rock-throwing protesters and government forces. Security forces allowed thousands of villagers to participate in the funerals of the three insurgents on Thursday amid a shutdown in Tral and neighboring villages, nearly 40 kilometres (25 miles) south of Srinagar, the main city in the Indian portion of Kashmir. India and Pakistan, which both rule parts of Kashmir and claim it in its entirety, have fought two wars over control of the region since they won independence from Britain in 1947. Public opposition to Indian rule remains widespread in the mostly Muslim territory, where rebel groups have been fighting since 1989 for independence or merger with Pakistan. More than 68,000 people have died in the conflict, though incidents of violence have largely been suppressed by Indian forces. Kashmiri villagers inspect a house damaged during a gunbattle in Dadsar, outskirts of Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Three Kashmiri rebels were killed in a gunbattle with government forces early Thursday as they tried to break through a security cordon in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, the army said. Hundreds of residents chanting pro-freedom slogans tried to reach the site of the gunbattle in a show of solidarity with the militants. Police fired tear gas late Wednesday and Thursday to disperse them. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan) UN envoy: Syria cease-fire is holding despite some fighting GENEVA (AP) A U.S.-Russia-brokered cease-fire in Syria, now in its sixth day, is largely holding despite sporadic clashes in some areas, a U.N. envoy said Thursday, raising expectations ahead of next week's planned resumption of Geneva peace talks. Staffan de Mistura spoke as he convened a group monitoring the truce amid hopes of a breakthrough that could pave the way for regular humanitarian aid deliveries to remote and besieged areas that have been cut off by the fighting. It was the third meeting of the task force of the International Syria Support Group, made up of world and regional powers under U.S. and Russian leadership, which is monitoring the "cessation of hostilities" that began on Saturday. Staffan de Mistura, UN Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria, speaks during a news conference at the European headquarters of the United Nations, in Geneva, Switzerland, on Thursday, March 3, 2016. (Martial Trezzini/Keystone via AP) De Mistura said the cease-fire has "greatly reduced" violence in Syria and laid out hopes of resuming peace talks between Syrian sides in the conflict. The talks were called off last month after a spike in fighting. "In general, the cessation has been holding," he said, speaking alongside his humanitarian aid adviser Jan Egeland. "Unfortunately, we have to admit ... there are still a number of places where fighting has continued," though it has been contained. The situation is "fragile, success is not guaranteed, but progress has been visible," the envoy concluded. The cease-fire has become the most promising initiative in years to help end a five-war that has killed at least 250,000 people, driven millions of Syrians to flee the country, and given an opening to militants such as the extremist Islamic State group and the Nusra Front, as Syria's al-Qaida branch is known, to seize large swaths of land. The two militant factions and other extremist groups designated terrorist organizations by the United Nations are not included in the diplomatic initiatives. De Mistura, a veteran Swedish diplomat who has become U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon's point man on Syria, appeared to ease back from a recent statement that he hopes to convene intra-Syrian talks between Syrian President Bashar Assad's envoys and representatives of the so-called moderate opposition in the Swiss city next Wednesday. While he had set a "penciled date" for next Wednesday for those "proximity talks," de Mistura acknowledged logistical issues, such as few Geneva hotel rooms available amid an auto show. Some envoys could show up as late as March 14, he said. Meanwhile, Egeland said there has been progress in aid shipments to besieged cities across Syria. "In the last two weeks, 236 trucks have served 115,000 people," he said. But he also warned of snags in getting enough trucks in place as well as difficulties in winning approvals from Syrian government officials, who have at times stripped out badly needed medical supplies from convoys. Egeland said U.N. officials had received "indications" that there will be "a much simplified system" for gaining approvals to ship in aid, including a monthly schedule. The Syrian cease-fire and the humanitarian situation were on tap for discussion at a meeting of foreign ministers from France, Germany and Britain in Paris on Friday, the French government said. In London, Prime Minister David Cameron's office said the leaders of Russia, Germany, Britain and France were planning to speak also on Friday about ways to shore up the Syria cease-fire. Cameron's spokeswoman, Helen Bower, said Western leaders would stress to Russian President Vladimir Putin the importance of maintaining the truce so that peace talks can make progress in Geneva next week. In Damascus, Ahmad Mounir, Syria's deputy minister of national reconciliation, said the cease-fire could succeed if Turkey and Saudi Arabia halted their support for militants. Mounir told a group of international reporters on a trip organized by Russian foreign and defense ministries that a peaceful settlement for his country would also curb the flow to refugees to Europe. If there is no peace, Mounir says the "terror threat to Europe will increase." Also Thursday, Syrian state TV reported a sudden electricity blackout across the entire country for unknown reasons. Blackouts have been frequent in the course of the conflict but it's rare for the whole country to be affected. Previous blackouts were blamed on rebel attacks targeting the electricity network but no reason was giving for Thursday's outage. Later, state-run news agency SANA said Internet services were also partially halted on Thursday as a result of damage to one of the network hubs. It said services were later restored and that electricity was being gradually restored. Earlier in the day, Amnesty International reported that Russian and Syrian government forces have been targeting hospitals as a strategy of war during the Syria conflict. The advocacy group said it has "compelling evidence" of at least six deliberate attacks on medical facilities in the Aleppo governorate in the past twelve weeks, which killed at least three civilians, including a medical worker, and wounded 44. Amnesty said the attacks amounted to war crimes, and aimed to pave the way for pro-government ground forces to advance on northern Aleppo. Russia has denied targeting civilians in its Syria campaign. Assad has also denied targeting civilians, saying he is waging a war against terrorism, but he has said that it is a "rule of thumb" in war that innocent civilians die. Aleppo witnessed some of the country's fiercest fighting as government forces backed by Russian airstrikes cut off a rebel supply route from Turkey ahead of the start of the truce. A supply route to an opposition stronghold in the eastern part of the city of Aleppo remains open through another border crossing with Turkey, but it is far narrower and more dangerous than the one that used to run to the north. ___ Associated Press Writers Phillip Issa in Beirut, Lori Hinnant in Paris and Vladimir Isachenkov in Damascus, Syria, contributed to this report. Staffan de Mistura, left, UN Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria, and Jan Egeland, right, Senior Advisor to the United Nations Special Envoy for Syria, speak at the European headquarters of the United Nations, in Geneva, Switzerland, on Thursday, March 3, 2016. (Martial Trezzini/Keystone via AP) Staffan de Mistura, UN Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria, speaks at the European headquarters of the United Nations, in Geneva, Switzerland, on Thursday, March 3, 2016. (Martial Trezzini/Keystone via AP) Thai police seize almost 900,000 counterfeit sunglasses BANGKOK (AP) Police in Thailand announced Thursday they seized almost 900,000 counterfeit brand-name sunglasses at a warehouse where they also arrested two Chinese nationals accused of importing them from China. Thailand's Department of Special Investigation said the 895,897 sunglasses were purported to be famous brands such as Ray-Ban, Oakley, Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior. It said the raid Wednesday also found fake stamps, stickers and labels that were part of the counterfeiting operation. Police explained that the sunglasses were imported from China, either whole or as parts, and had tags and stickers applied in Bangkok to make them seem as if they were brand-name goods. A police attache from the Italian Embassy in Thailand took part in a news conference announcing the raid. An Italian company, Luxottica Group, is the owner of several well-known brands, including Oakley and Ray-Ban, and holds contracts for many more. The announcement said one of the suspects, Hong Jee Zu, had been convicted of similar offenses before and DSI would seek to have his visa revoked. The Latest: Macedonia calls on Greece to relocate migrants IDOMENI, Greece (AP) The Latest on the flow of migrants into Europe (all times local): 8:40 p.m. Macedonia's foreign minister is calling on neighboring Greece to move thousands of migrants stuck on its side of the border away to more suitable reception centers. Tents of refugees and migrants stand at the Greek-Macedonian border, near the northern Greek village of Idomeni, Thursday, March 3, 2016. At least 10,000 men, women and children have been camped for days in pathetic conditions at the Idomeni border crossing with Macedonia. (AP Photo/Eldar Emric) Nikola Poposki told The Associated Press in an interview Thursday that this would offer stranded migrants "humane and safe treatment," instead of having them in tents a few hundred meters (yards) from the border. "This is really not a solution," Poposki said of the tent city. "If you really care about these people they should be hosted in reception centers that can host such a large number of people." At least 10,000 Syrian and Iraqi refugees have been waiting for days at the Idomeni crossing on Greece's border with Macedonia, in an official shelter and in tents that they set up in the fields. ____ 8:15 p.m. Greek authorities say freight train services have resumed between Greece and Macedonia after a group of refugees protesting at the nearby border crossing left the railway lines. The refugees were protesting at Macedonia's delay in letting them cross, on their way to wealthier central European countries where they plan to seek asylum. Their protest also disrupted the flow of refugees into Macedonia. At least 10,000 people are camped at the Idomeni border crossing. Only a few are being let into Macedonia daily, as Macedonian authorities are pacing themselves with the rate of acceptance on their northern border with Serbia. Greek police said 130 people were let in between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. local time Thursday. ____ 7:20 p.m. Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu says continued breaches of a Syria cease-fire by Russian and Syrian forces have rendered a truce there "vulnerable" and are not helping the refugee or migrant crisis. At a joint news conference with European Union Council President Donald Tusk on Thursday, Davutoglu said the number of refugees crossing into Turkey would decrease if the cease-fire "is truly implemented." Davutoglu says Turkey remains committed to an agreement it reached with the EU in November on reducing the flow of irregular migration to Europe, saying "we are doing all that is necessary and will continue to do the necessary." Tusk said: "All parties must use their influence to give the cease-fire a chance to succeed." ____ 7:10 p.m. Hungary's government says it will discuss next week the need to build a fence on the border with Romania to stop migrants. Janos Lazar, Prime Minister Viktor Orban's chief of staff, said Thursday that the Cabinet would also consider sending more police and soldiers and strengthening the fences built last year on Hungary's southern borders with Serbia and Croatia, which have mostly diverted the migrant flow. Police statistics showed that 2,398 people were caught entering Hungary from Serbia in February, up from 553 in January. Government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs said that among the migrants caught by police in the first two months of the year, 709 were from Pakistan, 488 from Morocco, 267 from Afghanistan and 203 from Algeria. Meanwhile, Syrians accounted for only 145 of the total and there were 164 Iraqis. ____ 7:00 p.m. A top U.N. official on migration warns that 70,000 people are on pace to be "trapped" in Greece in coming weeks because Macedonia and some other European countries are shutting their borders to the flow of migrants and refugees into Europe. Peter Sutherland says the "inevitable consequence" of closed borders throughout the Balkans "is that Greece increasingly becomes a camp for refugees and migrants." U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's special representative for international migration noted that half of those arriving in Greece via the Turkish coast are Syrians, and about 70 percent of them come straight from Syria without stopping long in Turkey, which has already taken in 2.7 million Syrians. Sutherland urged a better international response: "The issue for the global community is: Are we prepared to share responsibility, or not?" ____ 6:45 p.m. European Council President Donald Tusk says it is up to Turkey to decide what further measures it can take to reduce the flow of migrants but says many in Europe favor a mechanism that would allow the "fast and large-scale" shipment of migrants back to Turkey. At a joint news conference with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Thursday, Tusk said such a mechanism would "effectively break the business model of the smugglers." He welcomed a series of Turkish efforts to curtail the tide of refugees crossing from Turkey to Greece but said the numbers are still too high. In November, Turkey reached a deal with the EU under which it agreed to stem the flow of irregular migrants to Europe in return for a 3 billion euro ($3.26 billion) fund to help the country deal with the 3 million refugees most of them Syrians as well as sped-up EU membership talks and easing of visa restrictions for Turkish citizens. The country is under pressure to reduce the numbers of migrants crossing into Greece as a March 7 summit meeting between Turkey and the EU to discuss the issue nears. Tusk arrived in Ankara from Athens where earlier on Thursday he warned prospective economic migrants to not even think of setting off toward Europe. He is scheduled to meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday. ____ 6:30 p.m. Greek officials say 31,573 refugees and migrants are stranded in the country, after authorities in neighboring Macedonia sharply restricted entry to people heading for central Europe. Deputy Defense Minister Dimitris Vitsas says most of the trapped migrants are on the Greek mainland, with about 7,000 still on the islands they reach in smugglers' boats from Turkey. Vitsas said that in the 24 hours to 8 a.m. local time Thursday, 2,122 migrants entered the country. Police say only a few hundred have crossed north into Macedonia. Vitsas said Greece's military, which has led frantic last-minute efforts to build a string of migrant camps, is handing out about 12,000 meals daily. Immigration Minister Ioannis Mouzalas said Greece has space for 10,000 people in its shelters, and is creating another 15,000. ____ 6:20 p.m. Authorities in Slovenia have revealed that three ancient statuettes were found last year in a transit camp for migrants from Syria and other war-ravaged countries. Police in the northeastern city of Maribor said Thursday they have opened an investigation into last November's discovery after experts confirmed the statuettes were genuine items dating back thousands of years. Spokesman Miran Sadl says authorities are investigating "where these statuettes came from and who might have conducted a criminal act." Experts have said the alabaster statuettes originated from the ancient Mesopotamia region, which includes parts of modern day Syria and Iraq. The two countries' rich cultural heritage has been damaged and plundered during years of conflict, with many items ending up on the black market. Hundreds of thousands of migrants have passed through Slovenia on their way to Western Europe. ____ 5:45 p.m. The European Union is considering plans to let some countries in Europe's passport-free travel area tighten border controls until November if Greece can't get migrant flows under control soon. A draft document seen by The Associated Press on Thursday said the European Commission will make the move on May 12 "if the serious deficiencies in external border control were to persist." Destabilized by the arrival of tens of thousands of migrants, countries like Austria, Germany and Sweden have temporarily reintroduced ID checks. Denmark on Thursday renewed its checks for another month. Germany wants to keep checks in place, but can't do so beyond May 13 without permission from its EU partners. The European Commission is setting November as "the target date for bringing to an end the exceptional safeguard measures." ___ 4:30 p.m. Some 100 mostly Iraqis and Syrians, nearly half of them children, remain stranded on the Serbian side of the border with Croatia which is refusing to take them in for various administrative reasons. Mohammad Al-Aziz said half of his 10-member family managed to cross into Croatia, but he and the rest of the family has been stuck in a refugee center on the Serbian side of the border for the past 12 days. He said he has made three attempts to cross into Croatia, but each time the Croats turned him back after seeing stamps in his Iraqi passports that show that he spent three months in Turkey on his way to Europe. "They are saying that I'm not directly fleeing from the war in my country and that I should get back to Turkey," Al-Azizi said. "Half of my family had the same stamps in their passports, but they let them in." "I will rather kill myself then turn back in the other direction." Others at the center in Sid said that they were turned back from the Croatian border because some data in the migrant documents issued on the Macedonian border with Greece did not match the data in their passports, such as misspelled or incomplete names or wrong birth dates. "They make our life miserable," said Mohammad Abdali from Raqa, Syria. "I'm not moving from here. If I survived Daesh, I'll survive this as well," he said using one of the acronyms for the Islamic State. ___ 3:50 p.m. Austria's foreign minister says it is "absurd" for migrants at Greece's northern border to demonstrate to be let into Macedonia, a non-European Union nation. Migrants have been massing in Greece since countries on the Balkan route restricted entry, responding to limits imposed by Austria. Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz told German daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung that if people are demonstrating to be let into Macedonia, "it is not about the search for protection, but about the search for a better economic future. That is understandable in human terms, but we cannot offer this." Kurz said last year's opening of borders was "a serious mistake" that prompted more migrants to set off. ____ 1:25 p.m. Greece's prime minister has called for sanctions to be imposed on European Union states that refuse to take in their share of the hundreds of thousands of refugees flowing into the continent through his country. Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras also demanded that the practically dormant procedure for relocating refugees stranded in Greece to other EU members should be drastically speeded up. Speaking Thursday after a meeting with European Council President Donald Tusk in Athens, Tsipras promised to provide "dignified" living conditions for the more than 25,000 migrants trapped in Greece after other countries further north along the migration route to Western Europe imposed sweeping entry restrictions. But he insisted that the solution can only be temporary and Greece will accept only its fair share of permanently resettled refugees. ___ 12:25 p.m. European Council President Donald Tusk is warning prospective economic migrants to not even think of setting off toward Europe. Tusk says people who are looking for a better life but are not fleeing war should not risk their lives or their money paying smugglers to bring them to Europe. "It is all for nothing," he said. "Greece, or any other European country, will no longer be a transit country." Tusk was in Athens as part of a tour through countries worst affected by the continent's immigration crisis. Later Thursday, he was to visit Turkey, from where the vast majority of the roughly 1 million migrants who entered Greece over the past 14 months crossed over in smuggling boats. ___ 10:35 a.m. A group of migrants at Greece's border with Macedonia have blocked a rail line in protest at Macedonia's refusal to let them in to continue their route toward Western Europe. The group lay down on the Greek side of the train track Thursday morning, preventing a freight train that had just crossed from Macedonia from continuing its journey south. Some 10,000 people are blocked at the border. Macedonian authorities have said they will only let in as many people as the next country on the route, Serbia, takes. Greek police said that in the 24 hours to 6 a.m. Thursday, 500 people were allowed to cross. Some of those who were allowed into Macedonia were then sent back by authorities there because of problems with their papers. A razor wire fence built by Macedonian authorities separates Greece, left, and Macedonia, right, as tents of refugees and migrants stand near the northern Greek village of Idomeni, Thursday, March 3, 2016. At least 10,000 men, women and children have been camped for days in pathetic conditions at the Idomeni border crossing with Macedonia. (AP Photo/Eldar Emric) Migrants showing registration papers and Syrian passports in the transit center for refugees in Sid, about 100 km west from Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Greece's prime minister Alexis Tsipras has called for sanctions to be imposed on European Union states that refuse to take in their share of the hundreds of thousands of refugees flowing into the continent through his country. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) Migrants walk on a line in the eastern Greek island of Samos after they were rescued while trying to cross in a dinghy the Aegean Sea between the eastern Greek Island of Agathonisi and the nearby Turkish shores, Thursday, March 3, 2016. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) Migrants wait in the eastern Greek island of Samos after they were rescued while trying to cross the Aegean Sea in a dinghy between the eastern Greek Island of Agathonisi and the nearby Turkish shores, Thursday, March 3, 2016. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) Migrant woman Maha, last name not given, disembarks the rescue vessel followed by a member of MOAS, Migrant Offshore Aid Station, a Malta-based organization, carrying one of her children, onto the island of Samos, after they were rescued while trying to cross the Aegean Sea in a dinghy between the eastern Greek Island of Agathonisi and the nearby Turkish shores, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Sixty-three members of the Yezidi community, all in one dinghy were rescued and were taken to Samos. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) Migrant woman Maha, from the Yazidi community, sits with some of her children, on a MOAS, Migrant Offshore Aid Station, a Malta-based organization boat after they were rescued while trying to cross in a dinghy the Aegean Sea between the eastern Greek Island of Agathonisi and the nearby Turkish shores, as they are taken to Samos Island, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Sixty-three members of the Yezidi community, all in one dinghy were rescued and were taken to Samos. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) Migrants wait in line on the eastern Greek island of Samos after they were rescued while trying to cross Aegean Sea in a dinghy between the eastern Greek Island of Agathonisi and the nearby Turkish shores, Thursday, March 3, 2016. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) Helmeted workers pull down makeshift structures at the makeshift migrants camp near Calais, France, Thursday March 3, 2016. The slow tear-down of the encampment in Calais continues Wednesday, angering migrants who live there, although they have to cope with squalid conditions. (AP Photo/Michel Spingler) French riot police secure an area where French officials told migrants they must leave in a makeshift migrants camp near Calais, France, Thursday March 3, 2016. The slow tear-down of the encampment in Calais continues Wednesday, angering migrants who live there, although they have to cope with squalid conditions. (AP Photo/Michel Spingler) French riot police secure an area where French officials told migrants they must leave the makeshift migrants camp near Calais, France, Thursday March 3, 2016. The slow tear-down of the encampment in Calais continues Wednesday, angering migrants who live there, although they have to cope with squalid conditions. (AP Photo/Michel Spingler) French riot police secure an area where French officials told migrants they must leave the makeshift migrants camp near Calais, France, Thursday March 3, 2016. The slow tear-down of the encampment in Calais continues Wednesday, angering migrants who live there, although they have to cope with squalid conditions. (AP Photo/Michel Spingler) Migrants of the Yazidi community sit on a MOAS, Migrant Offshore Aid Station, a Malta-based organization boat after they were rescued while trying to cross in a dinghy the Aegean Sea between the eastern Greek Island of Agathonisi and the nearby Turkish shores, as they are taken to Samos Island, Thursday, March 3, 2016. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) Migrants of the Yezidi community disembark a rescue vessel of MOAS, Migrant Offshore Aid Station, a Malta-based organization, at the eastern Greek island of Samos, after they were rescued while trying to cross in a dinghy the Aegean Sea between the eastern Greek island of Agathonisi and the nearby Turkish shores, , Thursday, March 3, 2016. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) French riot police secure an area where French officials told migrants they must leave in a makeshift migrants camp near Calais, France, Thursday March 3, 2016. The slow tear-down of the encampment in Calais continues Wednesday, angering migrants who live there, although they have to cope with squalid conditions. (AP Photo/Michel Spingler) Migrants wait in line in the eastern Greek island of Samos after they were rescued while trying to cross in a dinghy the Aegean Sea between the eastern Greek Island of Agathonisi and the nearby Turkish shores, Thursday, March 3, 2016. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) French riot police secure an area where French officials tell migrants to leave a makeshift migrants camp near Calais, France, Thursday March 3, 2016. The slow tear-down of the encampment in Calais continues Wednesday, angering migrants who live there, although they have to cope with squalid conditions. (AP Photo/Michel Spingler) Yazidi woman Maha, last name not given carrying her daughter Armanda, 6-years-old, walks in the eastern Greek island of Samos after they along with a total group of 63 migrants were rescued while trying to cross in a dinghy the Aegean Sea between the eastern Greek Island of Agathonisi and the nearby Turkish shores, Thursday, March 3, 2016. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) Migrants walk in line in the eastern Greek island of Samos after they were rescued while trying to cross in a dinghy the Aegean Sea between the eastern Greek Island of Agathonisi and the nearby Turkish shores, Thursday, March 3, 2016. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) French riot police secure an area where French officials tell migrants to leave a makeshift migrants camp near Calais, France, Thursday March 3, 2016. The slow tear-down of the encampment in Calais continues Wednesday, angering migrants who live there, although they have to cope with squalid conditions. (AP Photo/Michel Spingler) French riot police secure an area where French officials tell migrants to leave a makeshift migrants camp near Calais, France, Thursday March 3, 2016. The slow tear-down of the encampment in Calais continues Wednesday, angering migrants who live there, although they have to cope with squalid conditions. (AP Photo/Michel Spingler) Migrants of the Yezidi community wait in the eastern Greek island of Samos after they were rescued while trying to cross in a dinghy the Aegean Sea between the eastern Greek Island of Agathonisi and the nearby Turkish shores, Thursday, March 3, 2016. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) Migrants of the Yezidi community travel on a MOAS, Migrant Offshore Aid Station, a Malta-based organization boat after they were rescued while trying to cross the Aegean Sea in a dinghy between the eastern Greek Island of Agathonisi and the nearby Turkish shores, as they are taken to Samos Island, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Sixty-three members of the Yezidi community, all in one dinghy were rescued and were taken to Samos. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) Migrants of the Yezidi community sit on a MOAS, Migrant Offshore Aid Station, a Malta-based organization boat after they were rescued while trying to cross the Aegean Sea in a dinghy between the eastern Greek Island of Agathonisi and the nearby Turkish shores, as they are taken to Samos Island, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Sixty-three members of the Yezidi community, all in one dinghy were rescued and were taken to Samos. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) Ninety-two year old Youssef, last name not given, a migrant of the Yazidi community, disembarks a rescue vessel of MOAS, Migrant Offshore Aid Station, a Malta-based organization, at the eastern Greek island of Samos, after he along with others, were rescued while trying to cross the Aegean Sea in a dinghy between the eastern Greek island of Agathonisi and the nearby Turkish shores, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Sixty-three members of the Yazidi community, all in one dinghy were rescued and were taken to Samos. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) Migrants of the Yezidi community sit on a MOAS, Migrant Offshore Aid Station, a Malta-based organization boat after they were rescued while trying to cross the Aegean Sea in a dinghy between the eastern Greek Island of Agathonisi and the nearby Turkish shores, as they are taken to Samos Island, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Sixty-three members of the Yazidi community, all in one dinghy were rescued and were taken to Samos. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) A razor wire fence built by Macedonian authorities separates Greece, left, and Macedonia, right, as the northern Greek village of Idomeni is seen in the background, Thursday, March 3, 2016. At least 10,000 men, women and children have been camped for days in pathetic conditions at the Idomeni border crossing with Macedonia. (AP Photo/Eldar Emric) Refugees and migrants wait in queue to receive food distributed by non-governmental organization at a refugee camp at the Greek-Macedonian border, near the northern Greek village of Idomeni, Thursday, March 3, 2016. At least 10,000 men, women and children have been camped for days in pathetic conditions at the Idomeni border crossing with Macedonia. (AP Photo/Eldar Emric) 10 Things to Know for Today - 3 March 2016 Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today: 1. WHAT ARE OPTIONS FOR REPUBLICANS ANXIOUS OVER DONALD TRUMP'S DOMINANCE There are few good ones as party elites pore over complicated delegate math, contemplating a contested convention and even the prospect of a third party option. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a campaign stop at the Signature Flight Hangar at Port-Columbus International Airport, Tuesday, March 1, 2016, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) 2. MALAYSIA SAYS PROBABILITY IS HIGH THAT DEBRIS FOUND IN MOZAMBIQUE IS FROM FLIGHT 370 The transportation ministers of Malaysia and Australia both say the area where it was found matches investigators' predictions of where debris from the plane would end up. 3. PILOT'S FAMILY COPES WITH PAIN, REJECTS THEORY HE WAS TO BLAME Two years after the disappearance of Flight 370, the eldest sister of Capt. Zaharie Ahmad Shah tells AP's Eileen Ng that he was a kind, generous and happy man. 4. NORTH KOREA FIRES SHORT-RANGE PROJECTILES INTO SEA HOURS AFTER U.N. SLAPS SANCTIONS South Korea's Defense Ministry said the projectiles were fired from the eastern coastal town of Wonsan and could be missiles, artillery or rockets. 5. AFGHAN BOYS ARE THE NEW FACE OF EUROPE'S MIGRATION EMERGENCY AP gains rare access to a Norwegian shelter for children and teens traveling alone in an unexpected and challenging aspect of the migrant crisis. 6. CLINTON STILL STRUGGLES FOR YOUNGER VOTERS SHE NEEDS TO WIN IN NOVEMBER The Democratic front-runner acknowledges she is falling short on that front as young people flock to Bernie Sanders. 7. HOW THE FIRST OIL COMPANY DREW CRUDE FROM AN ALASKA RESERVE SET ASIDE NEARLY A CENTURY AGO It took compromises with Alaska Natives and keeping environmental concerns in mind for oil to start flowing from the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska. 8. WHO COULD BE THE FIRST FOREIGN-BORN JUSTICE TO SERVE ON THE U.S. SUPREME COURT IN OVER 50 YEARS Sri Srinivasan, a federal appeals judge who was born in India and grew up in Kansas, is one of several people being mentioned prominently as a potential replacement for Justice Antonin Scalia. 9. HOW ARE CAMBODIA'S POLITICAL RIVALS GETTING A JUMP START ON CAMPAIGNING Long-ruling Prime Minister Hun Sen and exiled opposition leader Sam Rainsy are competing for "likes" on Facebook well ahead of 2018 elections. 10. WHAT DUSTIN HOFFMAN THINKS ABOUT RACE IN AMERICA The actor tells AP he feels there is a systematic problem beyond the Oscars that can change "when the people that are oppressed force it to change." In this Feb. 28, 2016 image provided by Blaine Gibson and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), a piece of aircraft debris with the words "NO STEP" is photographed after it was found washed up on a beach in Mozambique. Debris that washed up in Mozambique has been tentatively identified as a part from the same type of aircraft as the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, a U.S. official said. (Blaine Gibson/ATSB via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT, NO SALES Venezuela opposition sets strategy to oust President Maduro CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) A lawmaker says Venezuela's opposition coalition has decided on a triple-barreled strategy to oust President Nicolas Maduro before the end of his term. The opposition will simultaneously pursue a constitutional amendment to shorten presidential terms, a recall referendum and a campaign to pressure the embattled socialist president to resign, said opposition lawmaker Americo De Grazia. The coalition of more than a dozen mostly centrist political parties reached the agreement on strategy after a long day of meetings Wednesday. Pro government supporters protest outside of the National Assembly building in Caracas, Venezuela, Tuesday, March. 1, 2016. Venezuelas Supreme Court is banning congress from investigating the governments rushed appointment last year of 13 high court justices. The ruling came just hours before lawmakers are set to debate the issue and sets up another likely clash between the opposition controlled congress and President Nicolas Maduros socialist administration. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos) "We can't commit suicide by having just one card in our hand. Common political sense tells us we need to pursue several strategies," he said. Maduro's six-year term ends in 2019. The opposition won a landslide victory in legislative elections in December, and promised to find a way to remove Maduro from power within the first half of 2016. The opposition has for years been riven by internal division and several factions have been advocating different strategies for getting rid of Maduro. All have potential downsides. One plan is to seek a constitutional amendment cutting presidential terms from six to four years, effectively ending Maduro's term But many fear that would be overturned by the Supreme Court, which has never ruled against the executive branch since Maduro's mentor, Hugo Chavez, won the presidency in 1999. Last month, the court overturned the one decision Congress has made since being sworn in a vote to deny Maduro emergency powers to deal with the economy. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court banned Congress from investigating the government's rushed appointment of 13 high court justices last year, which critics saw as an attempt to pack the court with government supporters. A recall referendum is no sure thing either, though Maduro's approval ratings have languished in the 20 percent range for most of his term. The opposition would need to gather nearly 4 million signatures to trigger the recall process. If a vote was called, winning a simple majority would not be enough. The opposition would need to surpass the number of votes Maduro won in 2013. Maduro already has repeatedly dismissed calls for his resignation, accusing critics of purposely sowing economic chaos to destabilize his administration. Venezuela is grappling with chronic shortages, a deep recession, and widespread fears the country will default on its debt. The International Monetary Fund predicts inflation, already the world's highest, will more than double in 2016, reaching 720 percent. Schools find campaign talk conflicts with no-bullies message BUFFALO, New York (AP) Ryan Lysek rose to become vice president of his fifth-grade class at Lorraine Academy in Buffalo, New York, after the sitting vice president was ousted for saying things that went against the school's anti-bullying rules. So the 10-year-old is a little puzzled that candidates running to lead the entire country can get away with name-calling and foul language. The nasty personal tweets and sound bites of the 2016 Republican presidential campaign are reverberating in classrooms, running counter to the anti-bullying policies that have emerged in recent years amid several high-profile suicides. For teacher David Arenstam's high school class in Saco, Maine, the campaign has been one long civics lesson: "Can you really ban a whole group of people from coming into the country?" the students will ask, or "What's the KKK (the white supremacist Ku Klux Klan), and do they still really exist?" In this Feb. 29, 2016 photo, teacher Kelly Gasior, left, and students, from left, Olivia Mashtaire, Ryan Lysek, Christian Vazquez and Tyler Lysek stand with a statue of a Buffalo that's been emblazoned with anti-bullying messages outside Lorraine Academy, Public School No. 72, in Buffalo, N.Y. Educators in Buffalo and elsewhere worry the name-calling, mocking and social media attacks that have gotten applause in the presidential campaign could undermine schools' bullying prevention policies that call for kindness and respect. (AP Photo/Carolyn Thompson) But mostly, Arenstam said, when it comes to Republican Donald Trump, students "can't believe nobody calls him on the carpet the way that they would be called on the carpet if they said those things." There's Donald Trump calling Ted Cruz a "loser" and a "liar" and singling out Muslims and Mexicans for criticism. And there's Marco Rubio mocking Trump's "worst spray tan in America" and calling him a "con artist." Cruz says nearly every day on the campaign trail, "I don't respond to insults" and he has been careful not to engage when Trump and others call him names. But during the Jan. 28 Republican debate which Trump didn't attend, it was Cruz who made some quasi-insults he said Trump would have lobbed: "Let me say I'm a maniac and everyone on this stage is stupid, fat and ugly," Cruz said, snickering that he was getting "the Donald Trump portion out of the way." On Thursday, Mitt Romney, the 2012 Republican presidential nominee, jumped into the fray, branding Trump "a phony, a fraud." "Imagine your children and your grandchildren acting the way he does," Romney said. "Would you welcome that?" In the battle for the Democratic presidential nomination, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have focused more on policy than on each other. The Republican race is a different story. "If students are following this election and they should be we have a lot of re-educating to do," Buffalo school administrator Will Keresztes said. Much of the rhetoric would violate not only the district's code of conduct, he said, but the state's Dignity for All Students Act. This is not the first campaign to get ugly, but educators, parents and students say this one is particularly challenging because often the biggest applause lines and headline-grabbers fly in the face of appeals for students be respectful and kind. Pickerington, Ohio, school counselor Kris Owen said students should be reminded that potential colleges and employers won't find a Twitter feed full of insults as amusing as some have found the candidates'. She suggested using the comments as conversation starters. "Say, 'Listen, how would you feel if someone was saying these things about you? How could this person approach it differently or why don't you all develop your own campaigns using positive tools instead of the negativity?'" said Owen, who was recognized at the White House last month as a School Counselor of the Year finalist. Candidates "need to think of what's important, the issues, not whether one gets a spray tan. It's just ridiculous," Ryan Lysek's mother, Cindy Lysek, said. __ Associated Press reporter Will Weissert in Austin, Texas, contributed to this report. Ukrainian pilot on trial in Russia goes on hunger strike DONETSK, Russia (AP) The Ukrainian military pilot on trial in Russia in connection with the deaths of two Russian journalists said Thursday she is going on hunger strike to protest a delay in her trial. Nadezhda Savchenko has been jailed for more than a year and a half. She was fighting with a Ukrainian volunteer battalion against Russia-backed rebels in eastern Ukraine, when she was captured in June 2014. Russia claims she was acting as a spotter who called in coordinates for a mortar attack that killed the Russian journalists and several other civilians. Ukrainian jailed military officer Nadezhda Savchenko listens to her lawyer Ilya Novikov as she stands in a glass cage during a court hearing in a town of Donetsk, Rostov-on-Don region, Russia, on Thursday, March 3, 2016. Lawyers for Savchenko on trial as an accessory to murder said they expect her to be found guilty and that she has asked the court to follow the sentence sought by prosecutors. Savchenko is asking for the 23 years called for because if the court imposes a lighter sentence, authorities could appeal it, lawyer Ilya Novikov was quoted as saying Wednesday by the Tass news agency. (AP Photo) The Ukrainian government says she was abducted and should be treated as a prisoner of war. As her trial nears conclusion, the judge on Thursday adjourned the hearings for a week. "What do you mean by postponing," Savchenko burst out. "You're all f---ing idiots." Her lawyers say they are resigned to her being convicted, but are hoping she can at least serve her sentence in her home country. "After two years of bullying, the court will have to justify itself by finding her guilty," attorney Mark Feigin said. "Then there will be a request from the Ukrainian Justice Ministry ... for her to come serve her Russian sentence in Ukraine and the court will have a chance to approve this request." Prosecutors on Wednesday asked the court to sentence her to 23 years in prison. Ukrainian jailed military officer Nadezhda Savchenko listens to her lawyer Mark Feygin as she stands in a glass cage during a court hearing in a town of Donetsk, Rostov-on-Don region, Russia, on Thursday, March 3, 2016. Lawyers for Savchenko on trial as an accessory to murder said they expect her to be found guilty and that she has asked the court to follow the sentence sought by prosecutors. Savchenko is asking for the 23 years called for because if the court imposes a lighter sentence, authorities could appeal it, lawyer Ilya Novikov was quoted as saying Wednesday by the Tass news agency. (AP Photo) Gunmen kill Honduran indigenous, environmentalist leader TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) Honduran indigenous leader Berta Caceres, who won the 2015 Goldman Environmental Prize for her role in fighting a dam project, was shot to death Thursday by attackers who broke into her home, authorities said. Caceres, a 40-year-old Lenca Indian activist, had complained of receiving death threats from police, soldiers and local landowners because of her work. Tomas Membreno, a member of her group, the Indian Council of People's Organizations of Honduras, said at least two assailants broke into the home and shot Caceres in the town of La Esperanza. People hold up photos of slain Honduran indigenous leader and environmentalist Berta Caceres outside the coroners office in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Caceres, a Lenca indigenous activist who won the 2015 Goldman Environmental Prize for her role in fighting a dam project, had previously complained of receiving death threats from police, soldiers and local landowners because of her work. (AP Photo/Fernando Antonio) "Honduras has lost a brave and committed social activist," Membreno said in a statement. The killing appeared to be targeted: A Mexican rights activist at the house was only slightly wounded in the attack, but Caceres's body had four bullet wounds. Police said they had detained a suspect, but did not identify the person. Caceres, a mother of four, led opposition to a proposed dam on the Gualcarque river, considered sacred by the Lencas. Many of the project's backers have largely abandoned building plans. President Juan Orlando Hernandez wrote in his Twitter account that "this act has caused mourning among all Hondurans." His chief of staff, Jorge Alcerro, said, "The president has instructed all government security forces to use all means to find the killers." Alcerro said Caceres was supposed to be receiving special protection because of the death threats, but did not explain why there were no police guarding her when she was killed. Security Minister Julian Pacheco said police had initially been assigned to a protective detail but Caceres asked for them to be withdrawn because they bothered her. He said more than two attackers broke down the door of the home to gain entry. After night fall, dozens of young people protesting the killing set fire to a Burger King restaurant in the capital. The protesters then clashed with police for several hours in the area, throwing sticks and rocks at officers. The London-based nonprofit group Global Witness calls Honduras "the most dangerous country per capita to be an environmental activist" in recent years, with 101 such advocates slain between 2010 and 2014. The U.S. ambassador in Honduras, James D. Nealon, issued a statement saying: "We strongly condemn this despicable crime. The United States of America calls for a prompt and thorough investigation into this crime and for the full force of the law to be brought to bear against those found responsible." Later Thursday, the Honduran government said it was designating a commission of 12 experts to investigate Caderes' killing. "The United States is helping on the case," Hernandez said, inviting other countries to "join this noble cause." The United Nations special investigator on the rights of indigenous peoples, Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, wrote that "it is highly probable that her assassination is linked with her work in protecting the human rights of the Lenca indigenous peoples to their lands and territories." The website of the Goldman Environmental Prize said Caceres "waged a grassroots campaign that successfully pressured the world's largest dam builder to pull out of the Agua Zarca Dam," which the site said "would cut off the supply of water, food and medicine for hundreds of Lenca people and violate their right to sustainably manage and live off their land." Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas director for Amnesty International, said in a statement that "the cowardly killing of Berta is a tragedy that was waiting to happen." "For years, she had been the victim of a sustained campaign of harassment and threats to stop her from defending the rights of indigenous communities," Guevara-Rosas said. Outside the morgue, dozens of indigenous people used flowers and sawdust to create a representation of the river that Caceres had defended. Relatives said her body would be interred Sunday. In this Jan. 27, 2015 photo released by The Goldman Environmental Prize, Berta Caceres speaks to people near the Gualcarque river located in the Intibuca department of Honduras. Caceres, the Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (COPINH) and residents of the region maintained a two year struggle to halt construction on the Agua Zarca Hydroelectric project. On March 3, 2016, a member of her indigenous council group said at least two assailants broke into her home and shot Caceres to death. She won the 2015 Goldman Environmental Prize for her role in fighting the dam project. (Tim Russo/Goldman Environmental Prize via AP) The body of slain Honduran Indian leader and environmentalist Berta Caceres is lowered from a vehicle at the coroners office in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Caceres, a Lenca Indian activist who won the 2015 Goldman Environmental Prize for her role in fighting a dam project, had previously complained of receiving death threats from police, soldiers and local landowners because of her work. (AP Photo/Fernando Antonio) People embrace as they wait for the arrival of the body of slain Honduran indigenous leader and environmentalist Berta Caceres, outside the coroners office in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Thursday ,March 3, 2016. Caceres, a Lenca indigenous activist who won the 2015 Goldman Environmental Prize for her role in fighting a dam project, had previously complained of receiving death threats from police, soldiers and local landowners because of her work. (AP Photo/Fernando Antonio) A man holds up a cutout portrait of slain Honduran indigenous leader and environmentalist Berta Caceres outside the coroners office in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Caceres, a Lenca indigenous activist who won the 2015 Goldman Environmental Prize for her role in fighting a dam project, had previously complained of receiving death threats from police, soldiers and local landowners because of her work. (AP Photo/Fernando Antonio) People make an offering in honor of honor slain Honduran indigenous leader and environmentalist Berta Caceres outside the coroners office in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Caceres, a Lenca indigenous activist who won the 2015 Goldman Environmental Prize for her role in fighting a dam project, had previously complained of receiving death threats from police, soldiers and local landowners because of her work. (AP Photo/Fernando Antonio) Police and members of the press wait for the arrival of the body of slain Honduran indigenous leader and environmentalist Berta Caceres, outside the coroners office in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Caceres, a Lenca indigenous activist who won the 2015 Goldman Environmental Prize for her role in fighting a dam project, had previously complained of receiving death threats from police, soldiers and local landowners because of her work. (AP Photo/Fernando Antonio) US national security experts say Trump not fit to lead WASHINGTON (AP) Republican national security leaders and experts have assailed Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump as unfit to be commander in chief, calling him dishonest and describing his positions on key issues as dangerous and uninformed. The broadsides began Wednesday evening and carried into Thursday when Sen. John McCain, the Republican chairman of the Armed Services Committee and the 2008 presidential nominee, said that Republicans should "think long and hard about who they want to be our next commander in chief and leader of the free world." Earlier in the day, the 2012 presidential nominee, Mitt Romney, said that if the Republicans choose Trump, "the prospects for a safe and prosperous future are greatly diminished." More than 70 conservative national experts, including former Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, wrote in an open letter released late Wednesday that they have disagreed with one another on a variety of issues but are united in their opposition to a Trump presidency. Chertoff served in President George W. Bush's administration. In this March 1, 2016, photo, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks on Super Tuesday primary election night at the White and Gold Ballroom at The Mar-A-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Fla. The possibility of Trump as Republican nominee _ and perhaps president _ is suddenly very real for the GOP in Congress. After months of denial that the billionaire businessman could swipe the nomination from more establishment candidates, senators faced reality on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) The experts who signed the letter said they'll work to prevent Trump's election, a stance that suggests there may be a shallow pool of experienced conservative national security professionals willing to join Trump's administration should he win in November. They called Trump "fundamentally dishonest" and said his support for the expanded use of torture against suspected terrorists is inexcusable. They also cited Trump's "hateful, anti-Muslim rhetoric," his admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin, and his advocacy for waging trade wars, which they say would lead to economic disaster in a globally connected world. The letter was posted on the website War On The Rocks, an online forum for foreign policy and national security commentary. Other experts who signed the letter included Fran Townsend, former homeland security and counterterrorism adviser to President George W. Bush; Eliot Cohen, former counselor to the State Department during Bush's administration; Dov Zakheim, who held Defense Department posts in the Bush and Reagan administrations; and Robert Zoellick, the former president of the World Bank who was Bush's U.S. trade representative and later served at the State Department. During an interview Thursday on MSNBC's "Morning Joe," Trump declined to say whom he consults with on foreign policy issues. But he said he has spoken to his team and plans to announce its members soon. "I don't think there's any rush," Trump said. Trump said he respects Richard Haass, the president of the Council on Foreign Relations. Haass served in the administrations of Presidents George W. Bush and George H.W. Bush. Haass did not sign the letter. Iva Zoric, his spokesperson, said Haass has met with Trump once "as he has with six other presidential candidates from both parties." The council is a nonpartisan organization and does not endorse or exclusively advise any presidential candidate, she said. But Haass, as he has done in past presidential campaigns, offers briefings to all the candidates on foreign policy issues. The national security experts said Trump's penchant for equating his success in the business world with foreign policy experience is false. "Not all lethal conflicts can be resolved as a real estate deal might, and there is no recourse to bankruptcy court in international affairs," they said, making a dig at Trump's four bankruptcies. Cohen and Bryan McGrath, a retired Navy officer and managing director of The FerryBridge Group defense consulting firm, organized the letter after exchanging their concerns about Trump over Twitter. McGrath said he's gratified by the large number of signatures. The letter, he said, is a "vehicle for people to say they've had enough." ___ Online: Conservative national security experts open letter on Trump: http://warontherocks.com/2016/03/open-letter-on-donald-trump-from-gop-national-security-leaders/ ___ Palestinian circus artist held by Israel is to appeal case RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) A Palestinian circus artist who has been held without charges in Israel will ask an Israeli court this month to release him or reduce his sentence, his advocates said Thursday. The announcement came a day after Israeli circus artists held a rally in support of their 24-year-colleague, Mohammed Abu Sakha. Wearing red noses, the performers juggled as they demonstrated outside an Israeli prison Wednesday. Abu Sakha is a clown, juggler and tightrope walker who heads the Palestinian Circus School's program teaching circus arts to children with mental disabilities, according to the school in the West Bank. Israeli circus artists protest for the release of Palestinian detainee Abu Sakha, a circus performer on a 6-month administrative detention, outside the Megiddo prison northern Israel, Wednesday, March 2, 2016. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner) He was on his way to work when he was arrested Dec. 14 by Israeli troops in the West Bank, said Hassan Safadi of the Adameer legal aid organization, which is representing him. According to Israel's Shin Bet security service, Abu Sakha was arrested for "renewed activity" with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a secular, left-leaning Palestinian faction that opposes peace with Israel. The group, which was involved in hijackings and other attacks in the 1970s, has scaled back its militant activities in recent years. The circus artist is being held under administrative detention, a practice that can keep some prisoners in custody without charges for an indefinite time. He is being held for a six-month detention that could be renewed. The Shin Bet also said Abu Sakha poses a "threat to the security of the region" and is being held without trial because the evidence against him is classified, among other reasons. Israel says administrative detention is an important security tool necessary to stop militant attacks. International law permits detention without trial under extremely limited circumstances, but critics say Israel uses the measure on a large scale, denying detainees due process. A court will hear Abu Sakha's appeal on March 21, Adameer said. Israeli circus artists protest for the release of Palestinian detainee Abu Sakha, a circus performer on a 6-month administrative detention, outside the Megiddo prison northern Israel, Wednesday, March 2, 2016. Hebrew on sign reads:"Free Abu Sakha, No democracy." (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner) Israeli circus artists protest for the release of Palestinian detainee Abu Sakha, a circus performer on a 6-month administrative detention, outside the Megiddo prison northern Israel, Wednesday, March 2, 2016. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner) Israeli circus artists hold a protest for the release of Palestinian detainee Abu Sakha, a circus performer on a 6-month administrative detention, outside the Megiddo prison northern Israel, Wednesday, March 2, 2016. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner) Gov: Region's largest solar plant to be built in Puerto Rico SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) Puerto Rico's governor says the Caribbean's largest solar plant will be built in the U.S. territory's western region. Alejandro Garcia Padilla said Thursday that Oriana Energy will invest more than $160 million to build a plant capable of producing 100,000 megawatts of energy a year. He said the plant would start operating by year's end in the northwest coastal town of Isabela. Garcia said the project would help lower electricity costs on an island where power bills are on average twice those of the U.S. mainland, in part because of its heavy dependence on petroleum. Egyptian student may be deported after Trump threat ORANGE, Calif. (AP) A flight student from Egypt is facing deportation from the United States after being investigated by federal agents for posting on his Facebook page that he was willing to serve a life sentence for killing Donald Trump and that the world would thank him. While U.S. prosecutors have not charged 23-year-old Emadeldin Elsayed with a crime, immigration authorities arrested him last month at the Los Angeles-area flight school he attended and now are trying to deport him, attorney Hani Bushra said Wednesday. Elsayed, who is being held in a jail in Orange is devastated at seeing his dreams of becoming a pilot dashed over what Bushra acknowledged was a foolish social media post. An immigration court hearing will determine whether Elsayed will be deported. This undated photo provided by Ohoud Ali Mohamed Nasr El Sayed shows her brother, Emadeldin, an Egyptian aviation student in the Los Angeles area. Prosecutors are trying to get him deported over Facebook comments threatening Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, and his lawyers are fighting it. He faces a deportation hearing Friday, March 4, 2016. (Ohoud Ali Mohamed Nasr El Sayed via AP) "It seems like the government was not able to get a criminal charge to stick on him, so they used the immigration process to have him leave the country," Bushra said. "The rhetoric is particularly high in this election, and I just feel he got caught up in the middle." Trump is leading the Republican presidential contenders and has used especially tough talk on immigration. He has vowed to build a wall along the entire Mexican border and has called for temporarily banning Muslims from entering the country. U.S. Secret Service agents interviewed Elsayed in early February after he posted a photo of Trump on Facebook and wrote he was willing to serve a life sentence for killing the billionaire and the world would thank him, Bushra said. The agents returned eight days later and told him federal prosecutors had declined to charge him but said his visa to attend flight school had been revoked. He was arrested by immigration authorities. Elsayed said he wrote the message because he was angered by Trump's comments about Muslims. He said he immediately regretted it, and he never intended to harm anyone. "It's just a stupid post. You can find thousands of these every hour on Facebook and the media," he told The Associated Press in a phone interview from jail. "I don't know why would they think I am a threat to the national security of the United States just because of a stupid post." Elsayed said the agent who interviewed him mentioned last year's shooting rampage by a Muslim husband-and-wife couple in San Bernardino and the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, which were carried out by Muslims who had sought flight training in the United States. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said in a statement that Elsayed was arrested because he violated "the terms of his admission to the United States." The agency did not provide further details. The State Department and Secret Service declined to discuss the case. A Trump campaign spokeswoman also declined to comment. Bushra said immigration officials alleged in court filings that the flight school had tipped off federal officials to the Facebook post. Alex Khatib, owner of Universal Air Academy, said he knew nothing of the case until federal agents showed up to interview and later detain Elsayed. Elsayed is from Cairo, but he said he spent much of his life in Saudi Arabia, where his father worked as a civil engineer. He came to the United States for the first time last September to attend flight school with the hope of returning to Egypt and getting a job at an airline, he said. He said he'd like to continue his studies in the United States if the government lets him stay. If not, he will seek a refund of some of the $65,000 he has spent on his education and use it to study elsewhere. Khatib said federal officials asked him to terminate paperwork he had issued so Elsayed could study for his pilot's license. He said he would take him back if the government allows. "He is honestly a good student," Khatib said. "He seemed to be a good guy." ___ Yearlong spaceman plunges into pool: 'Man, that feels good' CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) NASA's yearlong spaceman Scott Kelly took a long-anticipated plunge Thursday, jumping into his backyard pool, astronaut outfit and all. "Oh, man, that feels good," Kelly said as he floated to the surface. After nearly a year of space sponge baths, Kelly didn't even take time to change out of his blue flight suit. He walked right up to the edge of the pool, tilted sideways and fell in. It was still dark outside early Thursday morning in Houston he'd been yearning for this moment throughout his U.S- record setting mission. Expedition 46 Commander Scott Kelly of NASA smiles upon arriving at Ellington Field, Thursday, March 3, 2016 in Houston, Texas, after his return to Earth. The Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft landed near the town of Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, on Wednesday with Kelly and Russian cosmonauts Mikhail Kornienko and Sergey Volkov of Roscosmos. Kelly and Kornienko are completing an International Space Station record year-long mission to collect valuable data on the effect of long duration weightlessness on the human body that will be used to formulate a human mission to Mars. Volkov is returning after six months on the station. (Joel Kowsky/NASA via AP) A video of his plunge was posted to his Twitter account Thursday, a day after his return from the International Space Station. "There's no place like home," he tweeted. Kelly looking and acting remarkably hearty after 340 days in space was reunited with his family earlier in the morning in Houston after a flight from Kazakhstan, where his mission ended. Kelly's girlfriend, Johnson Space Center public affairs representative Amiko Kauderer, and his two daughters, ages 20 and 12, rushed into his arms after he exited the NASA jet. His identical twin, retired astronaut Mark Kelly, and their father were next to greet him. Also welcoming him home: Mark's wife, former Arizona congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. This last leg of his journey, by plane, took a whole day because of weather delays. So it was in the wee hours 27 hours after returning to Earth in a Russian Soyuz capsule when Kelly finally got to Houston's Ellington Airport near Johnson Space Center. "I'm used to going 17,500 mph, but this airplane doesn't do quite that," Kelly joked at a brief welcoming ceremony attended by Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden. She brought him a gift of beer from President Barack Obama and some apple pie. "Nothing's more American than that!" she said. Kelly noted that when he left Houston in February last year, he was still 50. Now he's 52, thanks to his Feb. 21st birthday. "It was a very long trip," he said. "But it feels great. It's great to be back in Texas on U.S. soil." Before he could go home to his own bed and his own pool Kelly had to detour to Johnson to endure more medical tests to measure his body's adaptation to gravity. The main reason for the long trip double the usual station stint was so NASA could gather data that will keep future Mars explorers healthy and happy during the 2-year expeditions planned for the 2030s and beyond. His brother took part in many of the studies as a ground control and unprecedented genetic double. The Russian cosmonaut with whom Kelly spent the year in space Mikhail Kornienko is undergoing his own medical checkups back home in Star City, Russia. The Russians hold the world record for days in space 438 set back in the mid-1990s at the former Mir space station. Next up for Kelly: a news conference at Johnson on Friday and a continuing series of tests, expected to last for months and possibly a year. Ditto for his brother. "After 340 days off the planet and 5,400 times around it," Mark proudly tweeted, "it's good to have you home, @StationCDRKelly." ___ Online: NASA: http://www.nasa.gov/content/one-year-crew/ ADDS IDENTITY OF INDIVIDUALS IN PHOTO - In this photo provided by NASA, astronaut Scott Kelly's girlfriend NASA public affairs representative Amiko Kauderer, center, along with Kelly's daughters Samantha, left and Charlotte, right, wave American flags as the plane carrying Expedition 46 Commander Kelly of NASA taxis upon landing at Ellington Field, Thursday, March 3, 2016, in Houston, after his return to Earth. The Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft landed near the town of Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, on Wednesday with Kelly and Russian cosmonauts Mikhail Kornienko and Sergey Volkov of Roscosmos. Kelly and Kornienko competed an International Space Station record year-long mission to collect valuable data on the effect of long duration weightlessness on the human body that will be used to formulate a human mission to Mars. Volkov is returning after six months on the station. (Joel Kowsky/NASA via AP) Expedition 46 Commander Scott Kelly of NASA delivers remarks upon arriving at Ellington Field, Thursday, March 3, 2016 in Houston, Texas, after his return to Earth. The Soyuz TMA-18M spacecraft landed near the town of Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, on Wednesday with Kelly and Russian cosmonauts Mikhail Kornienko and Sergey Volkov of Roscosmos. Kelly and Kornienko are completing an International Space Station record year-long mission to collect valuable data on the effect of long duration weightlessness on the human body that will be used to formulate a human mission to Mars. Volkov is returning after six months on the station. (Joel Kowsky/NASA via AP) In this photo provided by NASA, Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, left, Mark Kelly, former NASA astronaut and Scott Kelly's identical twin, second from left, Dr. John Holdren, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology, third from left, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, fourth from right, and Ellen Ochoa, director, NASA's Johnson Space Center, watch as Expedition 46 Commander Scott Kelly of NASA speaks at Ellington Field, Thursday, March 3, 2016, in Houston, after his return to Earth. Kelly returned to Earth on Wednesday after an unprecedented year in space for NASA, landing in barren Kazakhstan with a Russian cosmonaut who shared his whole space station journey. (Joel Kowsky/NASA via AP) El Salvador: 410-year sentence for bus attack that killed 17 SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) A court in El Salvador has sentenced a gang member to 410 years in prison for his role in an attack on a public bus that left 17 dead. The court confirmed the sentence against Carlos Oswaldo Alvarado of the Barrio 18 gang on Thursday. It was handed down Wednesday. The attack occurred in 2010 in the suburb of Mejicanos in retaliation for the killing of Alvarado's brother by members of the rival Mara Salvatrucha gang. Gang members stopped the bus, soaked it in gasoline and ignited it. Does Trump have a health care plan? Does it matter? WASHINGTON (AP) Donald Trump's evolving ideas on health care do not amount to a full plan, and some proposals could mean new political and policy dilemmas for the Republican presidential front-runner and his party. One Trump idea allowing Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices puts him at odds with Republican congressional leaders who favor the current system of private benefit managers bargaining with drugmakers. It aligns Trump with Democrat Hillary Clinton, who also favors direct negotiation by Medicare. The Trump campaign late Wednesday released a seven-point outline for replacing President Barack Obama's health care law and said it was based on "free-market principles." It included standard GOP ideas such as health savings accounts and no health insurance mandates, along with a proposal not usually floated by Republicans permitting the importation of lower-cost prescription drugs from abroad. FILE - In this March 1, 2016 file photo, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a rally in Louisville, Ky. Even Republican health care experts say Donald Trumps evolving ideas on this top issue dont seem to amount to a plan. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File) Trump's positions are "based on attitudes and aspirations, not plans," said former Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt, who served under Republican President George W. Bush. "It is clear he underestimates the complexity and has not contemplated many of the dilemmas he would face," added Leavitt, now heading a health care consulting firm. Trump's plan "is not strictly a replacement for Obamacare," said Larry Levitt of the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation. "There's no question Trump's plan would cost less than Obamacare, but it would also cover fewer people." "It is still something of a mystery," said economist Joe Antos of the business-oriented American Enterprise Institute. The Trump campaign says its candidate is only getting started and more is coming. "Frankly, right now nobody has a comprehensive plan," Sam Clovis, the campaign's national co-chairman, said in an interview with The Associated Press. "Nobody has a bill that they put together, and it serves no useful purpose to do that," Clovis added. It would only allow critics to "nitpick you to death." Trump has claimed that his plan for Medicare to negotiate prescription prices would save $300 billion, which is about what the whole country spends on such medications in a year. That "feels like he is just winging it and making it up," said Douglas Holtz-Eakin, a former Congressional Budget Office director and now president of the American Action Forum, a center-right think tank. Clovis clarified that the $300 billion figure would include savings from other actions, such as cracking down on waste, fraud and abuse. But after reading the latest proposals from Trump, Holtz-Eakin said, "It looks to me like this is the staff putting the genie back in the bottle." If Trump's plan is a work in progress, his own statements provide a rough guide to his views. Trump's bottom line seems to be that people need access to health care. A standard refrain is that as president he will not have people "dying in the street" just because they are unable to afford treatment. He has said he would do a deal with hospitals, but it's not clear how the hospitals would be paid. In the past, Trump indicated that he was open to looking at a government-run health care system like Canada's what Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is proposing in the Democratic presidential primary. That's "not at all" the case anymore, said campaign official Clovis. Unlike many Republicans, Trump says he adamantly opposes cuts to social programs for the elderly, the disabled and the poor. "Every Republican wants to do a big number on Social Security, they want to do it on Medicare, and they want to do it on Medicaid. And we can't do that," Trump said last year at a Republican forum in New Hampshire. That would not be fair to people who have paid in for years. Trump's stance on Medicare and Medicaid seems to put him in conflict with House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis. Ryan has advocated overhauling both programs, channeling future retirees into a privatized Medicare and limiting federal costs for Medicaid. If Trump wins the nomination, "we are going to be in a position where our nominee would not agree with the Republican House and Senate caucuses," said GOP pollster Bill McInturff, who follows health care closely. Clovis said Trump believes the economy comes first. "It's not the right thing to be talking about how to fix our entitlement programs until we have an economy that is fixed," he explained. But the consensus among experts is that overextended benefit programs could eventually damage the economy, and it's less painful to address problems now than in a full-blown crisis. On the health law a molehill compared with Medicare and Medicaid there's no apparent difference between Trump and other Republicans. Calling the program a disaster, Trump has embraced the GOP's "repeal and replace" mantra. But he doesn't favor going back to the days when insurers could turn down people with medical conditions. That raises another potential problem: If Trump has no requirement for healthy people to get coverage, and those in poor health can still get a policy, premiums would shoot up. ___ Associated Press researcher Monika Mathur contributed to this report. ___ Macedonia calls on Greece to move migrants away from border SKOPJE, Macedonia (AP) Macedonia's foreign minister is calling on neighboring Greece to move thousands of migrants stuck on its side of the border away to more suitable reception centers. Nikola Poposki told The Associated Press in an interview Thursday that this would offer stranded migrants "humane and safe treatment," instead of having them in tents a few hundred meters (yards) from the border. "This is really not a solution," Poposki said of the tent city. "If you really care about these people they should be hosted in reception centers that can host such a large number of people." Tents of refugees and migrants stand at the Greek-Macedonian border, near the northern Greek village of Idomeni, Thursday, March 3, 2016. At least 10,000 men, women and children have been camped for days in pathetic conditions at the Idomeni border crossing with Macedonia. (AP Photo/Eldar Emric) At least 10,000 Syrian and Iraqi refugees have been waiting for days at the Idomeni crossing on Greece's border with Macedonia, in an official shelter and in tents that they pitched in fields. Due to similar restrictions further north on the migration route, Macedonia is only letting in a trickle. Greek police say 130 people crossed the border from 6 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursday. Poposki urged closer cooperation with Greece "to avoid any kind of dramatic evolution on the ground." He also warned that it is "very much unavoidable" that countries further north on the migrant route to central Europe will adopt stricter restrictions which would inevitably affect the number of refugees Macedonia accepts. "We are waiting (to learn) the numbers of migrants that can be received in destination countries ... and this is going to determine the daily quotas of migrants allowed to enter Macedonian territory," Poposki added. A razor wire fence built by Macedonian authorities separates Greece, left, and Macedonia, right, as the northern Greek village of Idomeni is seen in the background, Thursday, March 3, 2016. At least 10,000 men, women and children have been camped for days in pathetic conditions at the Idomeni border crossing with Macedonia. (AP Photo/Eldar Emric) A child falls while walking with a man on the railway tracks near the border between Greece and Macedonia in the northern Greek border station of Idomeni, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Thousands of refugees and migrants wait on the border between Greece and Macedonia and about 30,000 refugees and other migrants are stranded in Greece, with 10,000 at the Idomeni border crossing to Macedonia. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) Migrants gather around a fire to keep warm while stranded on the Greek side of the border to enter Macedonia near the southern Macedonian town of Gevgelija, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Some thousands of refugees and migrants continue to wait on the border between Greece and Macedonia on Thursday morning. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu) An elderly woman is pushed in a wheelchair along a highway toward the border between Greece and Macedonia near the northern Greek border station of Idomeni, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Thousands of refugees and migrants wait on the border between Greece and Macedonia and about 30,000 refugees and other migrants are stranded in Greece, with 10,000 at the Idomeni border crossing to Macedonia. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) Tents of refugees and migrants stand next to a refugee camp at the Greek-Macedonian border, near the northern Greek village of Idomeni, Thursday, March 3, 2016. At least 10,000 men, women and children have been camped for days in pathetic conditions at the Idomeni border crossing with Macedonia. (AP Photo/Eldar Emric) Migrants walk to the registration and transit camp after entering Macedonia from Greece near the southern Macedonian town of Gevgelija, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Thousands of refugees and migrants continue to wait on the border between Greece and Macedonia on Thursday morning. At the moment, some 30,000 refugees and other migrants are stranded in Greece, with 10,000 at the Idomeni border crossing to Macedonia. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu) Migrant child waits on the Greek side of the border to enter Macedonia near the southern Macedonian town of Gevgelija, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Thousands of refugees and migrants continue to wait on the border between Greece and Macedonia on Thursday morning. At the moment, some 30,000 refugees and other migrants are stranded in Greece, with 10,000 at the Idomeni border crossing to Macedonia. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu) The Latest: High court hears arguments in Freddie Gray case ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) The Latest on the case of whether a Baltimore police officer should be forced to testify against his colleagues in the death of Freddie Gray (all times local): 2 p.m. Maryland's highest court has heard arguments on whether a Baltimore police officer charged in the death of Freddie Gray can be forced to testify against his colleagues. Officer Edward Nero, from left, Lt. Brian Rice and Officer Garrett Miller three of six Baltimore city police officers charged in connection to the death of Freddie Gray, arrive to Maryland Court of Appeals on Thursday, March 3, 2016, in Annapolis, Md. Maryland Court of Appeals will hear oral arguments in five cases related to the arrest and death of Freddie Gray. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) The panel of seven judges listened Thursday to two hours of arguments in two different appeals. They did not indicate when they would rule. The cases before the Maryland Court of Appeals involve whether Officer William Porter must testify against fellow officers charged in the death of Gray, a 25-year-old black man who died in Baltimore police custody. Porter's trial in November ended in a hung jury and prosecutors say they want to retry him. One appeal before the judges was focused on whether Porter will be adequately protected if he's forced to testify under "limited immunity." The other centered on whether the trial judge had the authority to rule on the matter, and if his decision is appealable to the higher court. ___ 10 a.m. Maryland's highest court heard arguments Thursday on whether an officer charged in the death of Freddie Gray can be compelled to testify against his colleagues after his trial ended in a hung jury in November. Officer William Porter is awaiting retrial in the case focused on Gray, a 25-year-old black man who died in Baltimore police custody. His neck was broken in the back of a police transport van while handcuffed and in leg irons, but not restrained by a seat belt. On Thursday, attorneys representing the five other officers facing criminal charges in the case presented their arguments to a panel of seven judges from the Maryland Court of Appeals. The judges did not immediately rule. Baltimore Circuit Judge Barry Williams initially ruled that Porter must testify against two other officers but cannot be forced to take the stand at the trials for three others. Prosecutors and defense attorneys appealed his decisions. Attorneys for Porter have argued that he shouldn't be forced to take the stand while his own trial is pending. Prosecutors counter that they are offering Porter limited immunity, meaning anything he says on the witness stand can't be used against him at trial. Prosecutors indicated initially that they intended to call Porter as a witness against Sgt. Alicia White and Officer Caesar Goodson, both of whom face manslaughter, assault, reckless endangerment and misconduct in office charges. Goodson also faces the most serious charge of second-degree murder. Williams ruled that while Porter must testify against those two officers he can't be forced to testify against Officers Edward Nero, Garrett Miller and Lt. Brian Rice because the state only sought Porter's testimony in those cases after the Court of Special Appeals intervened to stall White and Goodson's cases from moving forward. Baltimore State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby, left, arrives at Maryland Court of Appeals on Thursday, March 3, 2016, in Annapolis, Md. Maryland Court of Appeals will hear oral arguments in five cases related to the arrest and death of Freddie Gray. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) Sgt. Alicia White, right, and Officer Caesar Goodson left, two of six Baltimore city police officers charged in the death of Freddie Gray, arrive to Maryland Court of Appeals on Thursday, March 3, 2016, in Annapolis, Md. Maryland Court of Appeals will hear oral arguments in five cases related to the arrest and death of Freddie Gray. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) Sgt. Alicia White, right, and Officer Caesar Goodson left, two of six Baltimore city police officers charged in the death of Freddie Gray, arrive to Maryland Court of Appeals on Thursday, March 3, 2016, in Annapolis, Md. Maryland Court of Appeals will hear oral arguments in five cases related to the arrest and death of Freddie Gray. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) Baltimore State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby, left, arrives at Maryland Court of Appeals on Thursday, March 3, 2016, in Annapolis, Md. Maryland Court of Appeals will hear oral arguments in five cases related to the arrest and death of Freddie Gray. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) Officer William Porter, right, one of six Baltimore city police officers charged in the death of Freddie Gray, arrives to Maryland Court of Appeals, Thursday, March 3, 2016, in Annapolis, Md. Maryland's highest court will hear arguments Thursday on whether Porter can be compelled to testify against his colleagues after his trial ended in a hung jury in November. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) Officer William Porter, one of six Baltimore city police officers charged in the death of Freddie Gray, arrives to Maryland Court of Appeals, Thursday, March 3, 2016, in Annapolis, Md. Maryland's highest court will hear arguments Thursday on whether Porter can be compelled to testify against his colleagues after his trial ended in a hung jury in November. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) Aide to charged Pennsylvania AG gets jail for email snooping NORRISTOWN, Pa. (AP) An aide to indicted Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane was sentenced to three to six months in jail Thursday for illegally accessing emails to keep tabs on a grand jury probe of his boss. Patrick "Rocco" Reese, 48, a former small-town police chief, was allowed to remain free while he appeals the contempt of court verdict. He also remains on the state payroll, earning nearly $100,000 a year as Kane's driver and security chief. "In all likelihood, (Reese) was ordered to do this by his boss, Kathleen Kane," said Assistant District Attorney Thomas W. McGoldrick of Montgomery County. "That is not an excuse. He should have refused any (such) directive that came from her." Patrick Reese, an aide to Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane, departs after a sentencing hearing Thursday, March 3, 2016, at the Montgomery County courthouse in Norristown, Pa. Reese has been sentenced to three to six months in jail for illegally accessing emails to keep tabs on a grand jury probe of his boss. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) In court, Reese declined to address Common Pleas Judge William R. Carpenter, whose protection order he violated. The order banned Kane's aides from accessing the office email server to protect the secrecy of the grand jury proceedings. Instead, Reese kept tabs on the witness schedule and searched for information on special prosecutor Thomas Carluccio, his wife, Common Pleas Judge Carolyn Carluccio, Carpenter and others. He did so hundreds of times over several months, prosecutors said. "Those searches were designed to dig up dirt," McGoldrick said. Kane at one point told her political consultant that she knew he had testified the day before, he said. Reese's lawyer, William Fetterhoff, said his client would appeal. He has called the contempt finding "flawed and dangerous," and said Reese never knew of the protection order. The snooping occurred as Kane was being investigated for allegedly leaking evidence from a 2009 grand jury to the media. The grand jury later charged her with perjury, obstruction and other crimes. She has pleaded not guilty but decided not to run for re-election. Carpenter said the fact Reese has a law enforcement background made the crime even worse. He spent 25 years on the police force in Dunmore, Lackawanna County, near Kane's hometown of Scranton. "It was intentional. He knew that it was wrong. He didn't care," Carpenter said. The Latest: Anti-government activist gets 6 years in prison BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) The Latest on the sentencing of a Montana anti-government activist convicted of buying an illegal, fully-automatic shotgun (all times local): 12:45 p.m. An anti-government activist from Montana who sought out high-powered weaponry for an anticipated second American Revolution has been sentenced to six years in prison. FILE - This undated file photo provided by the Yellowstone County Detention Facility shows William Krisstofer Wolf. Wolf, convicted of seeking out high-powered weaponry for the "second American revolution" faces sentencing in federal court. Prosecutors are seeking 10 years in prison for Wolf, who bought an automatic shotgun from an FBI agent in an undercover sting and talked of targeting judges, elected officials and law enforcement. (Yellowstone County Detention Facility/The Billings Gazette via AP, File) MANDATORY CREDIT U.S. District Judge Susan Watters said Thursday that defendant William Krisstofer Wolf advocated a "shocking" level of violence against law enforcement and others. The Gallatin County man was arrested last year after buying an illegal, fully-automatic sawed-off shotgun from an undercover FBI agent in the parking lot of a truck stop. He was convicted on federal weapons charges in November. Authorities say Wolf compared shooting police to hunting gophers and spoke of dropping napalm on the county courthouse. He vowed to appeal, claiming the shotgun was for self-defense and that his extreme views were constitutionally protected free speech. The judge said Wolf's statements revealed his intentions for violence. __ 1:30 a.m. Federal prosecutors are seeking 10 years in prison for an anti-government activist from Montana who authorities said sought out high-powered weaponry for an anticipated second American revolution. William Krisstofer Wolf faces sentencing Thursday before U.S. District Judge Susan Watters in Billings. The Gallatin County man was found guilty of weapons charges by a federal jury in November. He bought a fully-automatic shotgun from an undercover FBI agent for $725 in the parking lot of a truck stop. Wolf hosted an anti-government webcast and compared shooting police officers to shooting gophers. He testified at trial that he also wanted to acquire a flamethrower. Melissa Harris-Perry exit puts focus on MSNBC record NEW YORK (AP) MSNBC's facelift over the past two years has cut the airtime of some of its most prominent minority personalities and it is starting to be noticed. The National Association of Black Journalists expressed concerns about MSNBC's record in the wake of the noisy exit of weekend host Melissa Harris-Perry. The network said Thursday that it is proud of its diversity effort and noted that people of all ethnicities have seen their roles reduced or eliminated as part of a transition to more breaking news coverage. Harris-Perry, who is black, had been proud of bringing new voices to television on her weekend MSNBC shows. The Wake Forest University professor questioned her future at the network after her show had been pre-empted for several weeks due to weekend political coverage. FILE - In this Feb. 18, 2012, file photo, provided by MSNBC, Melissa Harris-Perry appears on the set of her self-titled show in New York. The National Association of Black Journalists expressed concerns about MSNBC's diversity record in the wake of the noisy exit of weekend host Harris-Perry. The network said Thursday, March 3, 2016, that it is proud of its diversity effort and noted that people of all ethnicities have seen their roles reduced or eliminated as part of a transition to more breaking news coverage. (Heidi Gutman/MSNBC via AP, File) Civil rights activist Al Sharpton's daily program was eliminated in the past year, and he now hosts a Sunday show at MSNBC. Joy Reid lost a weekday show and is now an MSNBC contributor. Toure was part of a weekday ensemble show that was eliminated, and Alex Wagner's weekday show was also ended. Recently, Jose Diaz-Balart's weekday morning show has been missing due to political coverage, although he was back on the air Thursday. The black journalists' group labeled Harris-Perry's exit "truly unfortunate." Dorothy Tucker, a Chicago television reporter and NABJ's vice president for broadcast, said she hoped MSNBC had room for more black journalists as analysts, on-air experts and hosts. Illinois congressman Luis Gutierrez also made note of the issue this week in a House speech. "Forgive me or not noticing just how much progress NBC was making on diversity when some of the most visible people of color at MSNBC like Alex Wagner, Melissa Harris-Perry and Jose Diaz-Balart are disappearing," he said. "Journalists of color bring a different texture, a different perspective on what issues matter and what should be debated and discussed on television." Richard Prince, who writes a blog about minority issues in journalism, said MSNBC has been rightly proud of having a larger minority audience over the past few years than other news-oriented networks. But "there is some retrenchment and I think there is some concern about that," he said. White personalities like Ed Schultz and Ronan Farrow also lost shows at MSNBC due to changes instituted under NBC News boss Andrew Lack. During daylight hours, the network emphasizes breaking news lately with a heavy political focus and confines its opinion-oriented programs to prime-time hours. "MSNBC is extremely proud of the diverse range of talent, voices and perspectives on our air and we would put that up against anybody in the business," MSNBC spokesman Mark Kornblau said. Asked why a personality like Diaz-Balart could not anchor the political coverage, Kornblau said many of the anchors have been working from the road and it was difficult for Diaz-Balart, a Telemundo anchor, to do so. Craig Melvin, who is black, was anchoring political coverage from Ohio early on Thursday afternoon. Tamron Hall, who is black, has retained her prominent role in MSNBC's daytime lineup. Kornblau noted that MSNBC had to make changes to its schedule due to low ratings. In the past year, MSNBC's viewership has increased by 95 percent during daytime hours, according to the Nielsen company. Alex Nogales of the National Hispanic Media Coalition expressed some concern about Diaz-Balart's absence, but said he hadn't done a study of MSNBC's Hispanic presence since its recent management changes. Nogales congratulated MSNBC for its ratings surge due to the political focus, but said it is important to keep Latino voices in mind, particularly when the impact of Donald Trump's campaign is analyzed. "They'll have to, otherwise they'll lose us," he said. "We'll go to CNN or elsewhere." ___ Christian hamlet in Syria bears scars of fierce fighting MAALOULA, Syria (AP) Its historic churches pillaged by jihadis and buildings riddled with shrapnel, this ancient Christian town north of Damascus still bears the scars of the fierce fighting that devastated it two years ago. Residents vividly recall the shock they felt when they returned to their town after it was recaptured by the Syrian army from the Nusra Front, al-Qaida's branch in Syria, and other militants in 2014. "We were horrified by what we saw: Everything was ruined, burned and plundered," said Rayan Wehbi of the once-scenic hamlet that was seized by the jihadis in 2013. "After the militants stormed the city, they stole all they could and destroyed the rest." A half-burned image of Christ is placed next to a wall at a Greek Orthodox church in Maaloula, Syria, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Maaloula, an ancient Christian town 60 kilometers (40 miles) northeast of Damascus, changed hands several times in the war. Its historic churches pillaged by jihadis and buildings riddled with shrapnel reflect fierce fighting that devastated the town two years ago. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin) International journalists on a trip to Syria organized by the Russian government on Thursday visited Maaloula, some 60 kilometers (40 miles) northeast of Damascus. Although heavily armed Syrian soldiers could be seen patrolling the town, the relative peace in Maaloula contrasts sharply with other areas on the outskirts of Damascus where intense fighting continues to rage. The capital's eastern suburbs, such as Douma or Harasta, are still held by the rebels even though government troops made some advances there recently. An enclave set into the region's rocky hills, Maaloula changed hands several times in the war. The government recaptured it from militants in early 2014 in an important propaganda victory for President Bashar Assad's government in its quest to be seen as protector of religious minorities. Some Maaloula residents still speak a version of Aramaic, the language of biblical times believed to have been used by Jesus. At St. Takla Convent, a Greek Orthodox monastery that dates back to the early centuries of Christianity, the dome and walls of the church were gutted by fire, its frescoes damaged by bullets and its windows broken. A local priest says the invaders stole valuable icons and destroyed many others. Another monastery, the Greek Catholic St. Sergius, known locally as Mar Sarkis, which sits atop a steep mountain towering over the town, was also vandalized and its rare icons, one of the oldest in the world, were stolen. The jihadis also abducted the local nuns, who were later freed for ransom. Hundreds of government troops were killed in the battle for the town, said the mayor, Youssef Saadi. "They have destroyed many things here. They stole the rare icons, broke the church's cross and stole the bells," he said. Christian Icons destroyed by fighting are placed next to a wall at the Greek Orthodox Mar Taqla monastery in Maaloula, Syria, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Maaloula, an ancient Christian town 60 kilometers (40 miles) northeast of Damascus, changed hands several times in the war. Its historic churches pillaged by jihadis and buildings riddled with shrapnel reflect fierce fighting that devastated the town two years ago. (AP Photo/Vladimir Isachenkov) Images of Maaloula are on display on a street in Maaloula, Syria, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Its historic churches pillaged by jihadis and buildings riddled with shrapnel, this ancient Christian town north of Damascus still bears the scars of fierce fighting that devastated it two years ago. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin) A Christian cross is seen at a Greek Catholic Mar Sarkis monastery in Maaloula, Syria, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Its historic churches pillaged by jihadis and buildings riddled with shrapnel, this ancient Christian town north of Damascus still bears the scars of fierce fighting that devastated it two years ago. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin) A Christian cross is seen at a Greek Catholic Mar Sarkis monastery in Maaloula, Syria, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Its historic churches pillaged by jihadis and buildings riddled with shrapnel, this ancient Christian town north of Damascus still bears the scars of fierce fighting that devastated it two years ago. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin) A cross is painted on rocks in Maaloula, Syria, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Its historic churches pillaged by jihadis and buildings riddled with shrapnel, this ancient Christian town north of Damascus still bears the scars of fierce fighting that devastated it two years ago. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin) A Russian soldier, who escorted a group of journalists, walks inside a Greek Orthodox church in Maaloula, Syria, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Its historic churches pillaged by jihadis and buildings riddled with shrapnel, this ancient Christian town north of Damascus still bears the scars of fierce fighting that devastated it two years ago. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin) A Syrian solder stands in a historical mountains gorge in Maaloula, Syria, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Its historic churches pillaged by jihadis and buildings riddled with shrapnel, this ancient Christian town north of Damascus still bears the scars of fierce fighting that devastated it two years ago. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin) A Christian cross is seen at a Greek Catholic Mar Sarkis monastery in Maaloula, Syria, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Its historic churches pillaged by jihadis and buildings riddled with shrapnel, this ancient Christian town north of Damascus still bears the scars of fierce fighting that devastated it two years ago. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin) A view of a town of Maaloula, Syria, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Its historic churches pillaged by jihadis and buildings riddled with shrapnel, this ancient Christian town north of Damascus still bears the scars of fierce fighting that devastated it two years ago. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin) A view of a balcony of a Greek Orthodox church in Maaloula, Syria, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Its historic churches pillaged by jihadis and buildings riddled with shrapnel, this ancient Christian town north of Damascus still bears the scars of fierce fighting that devastated it two years ago. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin) A view of the Greek Orthodox Mar Taqla monastery in Maaloula, Syria, Thursday, March 3, 2016. The monastery was badly damaged by fighting in Maaloula, an ancient Christian town 60 kilometers (40 miles) northeast of Damascus, which changed hands several times in the war. Its historic churches pillaged by jihadis and buildings riddled with shrapnel reflect fierce fighting that devastated the town two years ago. (AP Photo/Vladimir Isachenkov) The wall of a hotel bears the signs of fighting in Maaloula, Syria, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Maaloula, an ancient Christian town 60 kilometers (40 miles) northeast of Damascus, changed hands several times in the war. Its historic churches pillaged by jihadis and buildings riddled with shrapnel reflect fierce fighting that devastated the town two years ago. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin) Former Liverpool owner David Moores in hospital after burglary Former Liverpool FC owner David Moores is in hospital following a violent burglary. Two men forced their way into his home in Halsall, near Southport, on Wednesday night and demanded cash and jewellery. Mr Moores, 69, was assaulted during the raid and later taken to Aintree Hospital with leg and head injuries. He is said to be in a stable condition. Liverpool's honorary life president David Moores is said to be in a stable condition The offenders made off with jewellery and watches. Lancashire Police are appealing for information about the burglary which took place at about 8.45pm. Detective Inspector Marc Nasser said: "We believe this was an isolated, targeted attack and I would like to reassure local residents that we have stepped up patrols in the area. "The investigation remains in its early stages but if you have any information that could assist us, please do get in touch." Anyone with information should contact police on 101 quoting log reference 1506 of Wednesday March 2 2016. Alternatively Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at Crimestoppers-uk.org. Global police appeal to find missing girl taken to Thailand by father Police have launched an international appeal to locate a missing girl who was taken to Thailand by her father without permission. Arisara "Zara" Miles, 12, and her father Trevor Miles left their home in Exeter, Devon, on November 10 last year and flew to Bangkok. Her whereabouts since then are not known and Devon and Cornwall Police, along with local authorities, are trying to trace her. Arisara 'Zara' Miles was taken to Thailand by her father without permission (Devon and Cornwall Police/PA) Mr Miles failed to attend a meeting arranged by Devon County Council to address concerns about his daughter's welfare, having already taken her to Bangkok. A judge has ordered Zara's return to the UK following efforts by the courts, police and local authorities to find her. Officers are working with international police agencies to try to locate Zara and ensure her safe return to the UK. A spokesman for Devon and Cornwall Police said: "A judge has today ordered the release of these details, and we are asking for information that could help us locate Arisara 'Zara' Miles. "We believe her father Trevor Miles has business interests in Bangkok, and it is possible that they both remain in Thailand. "We are concerned for the welfare of Zara and it is important that both she and her father return to the UK. "We are appealing to the public for any information which may lead to locating Zara - her safety and wellbeing is the highest priority at this time." A galaxy far, far away has shattered the cosmic distance record set by astronomers. Scientists pushed the Hubble Space Telescope to its limits to confirm that the galaxy is 13.4 billion light years away, the most distant and oldest object known in the universe. The light we see from the galaxy began its long journey through space just 400 million years after the Big Bang gave birth to the universe. The most distant and oldest object known in the universe: Galaxy GN-z11, shown in the inset, is seen as it was 13.4 billion years in the past, just 400 million years after the big bang, when the universe was only three percent of its current age. THE FARAWAY GALAXY The combination of Hubble's and Spitzer's imaging reveals that GN-z11 is 25 times smaller than the Milky Way and has just one percent of our galaxy's mass in stars. However, the newborn GN-z11 is growing fast, forming stars at a rate about 20 times greater than our galaxy does today. This makes such an extremely remote galaxy bright enough for astronomers to find and perform detailed observations with both Hubble and Spitzer. The results reveal surprising new clues about the nature of the very early universe. 'It's amazing that a galaxy so massive existed only 200 million to 300 million years after the very first stars started to form. 'It takes really fast growth, producing stars at a huge rate, to have formed a galaxy that is a billion solar masses so soon,' Illingworth said. Advertisement Astronomers measured the distance to the galaxy, known as GN-z11, by splitting its light up into its component colours. Because of the expansion of the universe, distant objects flying away from us have their light stretched to the red end of the spectrum - a phenomenon known as 'red shift'. The larger an object's red shift, the further away it is. Previously a galaxy called EGSY8p7 held the red shift record, a figure of 8.68. But GN-z11 has a red shift of 11.1, corresponding to just 400 million years after the universe began. Dr Pascal Oesch, a member of the team from Yale University in the US, said: 'We've taken a major step back in time, beyond what we'd ever expected to be able to do with Hubble. 'We managed to look back in time to measure the distance to a galaxy when the universe was only 3% of its current age.' The Big Bang is thought to have brought everything that now exists into being around 13.8 billion years ago. GN-z11 is believed to be 25 times smaller than the Milky Way, but growing fast and spawning new stars 20 times faster than our galaxy. The findings, reported in the Astrophysical Journal, raise many questions because according to current theories of cosmic evolution even a galaxy of this size should not have existed so long ago. Co-author Dr Ivo Labbe, from the University of Leiden in the Netherlands, said: 'The discovery of GN-z11 showed us that our knowledge about the early universe is still very restricted. 'How GN-z11 was created remains somewhat of a mystery for now. 'Probably we are seeing the first generations of stars forming around black holes.' Coauthor Garth Illingworth, professor of astronomy and astrophysics at UC Santa Cruz, said the team pushed NASA's Hubble Space Telescope to its limits to get the spectroscopic data needed to determine the galaxy's 'redshift,' a measure of its distance from Earth. The new Hubble observations take astronomers into a realm that was once thought to be only reachable with NASA's upcoming James Webb Space Telescope. The previous record holder: Astronomers harnessing the combined power of Nasa's Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes have found the faintest object ever seen in the early universe. Called Tyna, it existed about 400 million years after the big bang, 13.8 billion years ago. 'It's remarkable that Hubble could do this,' Illingworth said. 'This new discovery shows that the Webb telescope will surely find many such young galaxies reaching back to when the first galaxies were forming.' 'We've taken a major step back in time, beyond what we'd ever expected to be able to do with Hubble,' said first author Pascal Oesch of Yale University. 'It takes so long for light from GN-z11 to reach our telescopes that we see the galaxy as it was when the universe was only 3 percent of its current age, he said. This measurement provides strong evidence that some unusual and unexpectedly bright galaxies found earlier in Hubble images are really at extraordinary distances. Previously, the team had estimated GN-z11's distance by photometric techniques, using filters to measure light at different wavelengths with Hubble and NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE: THE NEW HUBBLE The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will be a large infrared telescope with a 6.5-meter (21ft) primary mirror. The project is working to a 2018 launch date. The JWST will be the premier observatory of the next decade, serving thousands of astronomers worldwide. It will study every phase in the history of our universe, ranging from the first luminous glows after the Big Bang, to the formation of solar systems capable of supporting life on planets like Earth, to the evolution of our own solar system. Nasa describes the telescope as a 'powerful time machine with infrared vision that will peer back over 13.5 billion years to see the first stars and galaxies forming out of the darkness of the early universe' Advertisement Now, for the first time for a galaxy at such an extreme distance, the team used Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3 to precisely measure the distance to GN-z11 spectroscopically by splitting the light into its component colors. Astronomers measure cosmic distances by determining the redshift of a galaxy. Due to the expansion of the universe, every distant object appears to be receding from us because its light is stretched to longer, redder wavelengths as it travels through expanding space to reach our telescopes. The greater the redshift, the farther the galaxy. 'Our spectroscopic observations reveal the galaxy to be even farther away than we had originally thought, right at the distance limit of what Hubble can observe,' said coauthor Gabriel Brammer of the Space Telescope Science Institute. These findings provide a tantalizing preview of the observations that the James Webb Space Telescope will perform after it is launched into space in 2018. Slovak Republic - Factors To Watch on March 3 BRATISLAVA, March 3 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press reports and events to watch which may affect Slovak financial markets on Thursday. ALL TIMES GMT (Slovak Republic: GMT + 1 hours) =========================ECONOMIC DATA======================== Real-time economic data releases................... Previous stories on Slovak data............ Overview of economic data and forecasts......... ===========================NEWS================================ ZIKA VIRUS: A Slovak woman returning from South America was confirmed as the first case of the Zika virus in the country, Slovak Health Minister Viliam Cislak said on Wednesday. Story: Related news: CEE POWER: Central and southeastern European day-ahead power prices mainly climbed higher on Wednesday due to forecasts for a big dip in renewable output in the region, though moderate temperatures limited gains, traders said. Story: Related news: For Instant Views of key economic data click on For summary of economic data and forecasts For diary of forthcoming Slovak events For calendar of east European economic indicators TOP NEWS -- Emerging markets TOP NEWS -- Convergence watch For real-time stock market index quotes click in brackets: Warsaw WIG20 Budapest BUX Prague PX News editor of the day: Jan Lopatka on +420 224 190 474 E-mail: prague.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com (Reporting by Prague Newsroom) Papua New Guinea says "damaged" by Australia asylum seeker camp MELBOURNE, March 3 (Reuters) - Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill said on Thursday that Australia's detention of asylum seekers on Papua territory has severely damaged the archipelago's reputation and that the camp would have to close eventually. Australia's coalition government led by the conservative Liberal Party came to power in 2013 on a campaign to "Stop the Boats", adopting tough measures as a deterrent to asylum seekers. Everyone who arrives by boat is detained and sent to the tiny island of Nauru or Papua New Guinea's Manus Island. The government also conducts tow-backs, or turning a boat back to its origin. O'Neill also said that the camp on Manus Island would have to close eventually and that the country did not have the resources to resettle detainees, but that the decision rested with Australia. Responding to a question about whether the detention facilities had hurt PNG's reputation, O'Neill said: "It has done a lot more damage for Papua New Guinea than anything else. "When we saw women and children dying at sea, we stepped up our offer to help, and that's what we have done... At some stage, of course, we need to close the centre. These people cannot remain in Manus forever... But it is entirely up to the Australian government." Australia's policy to house asylum seekers offshore has attracted international criticism from human rights groups including the United Nations. While the number of asylum seekers trying to reach Australia is small compared with those arriving in Europe, border security has long been a hot political issue. Australia's High Court last month rejected a legal challenge to the country's right to deport 267 refugee children and their families brought to Australia from Nauru for medical treatment. Germany's BMW warns its British Rolls-Royce staff of risk from EU exit - BBC LONDON, March 3 (Reuters) - Germany's BMW has written to the British employees who make its luxury Rolls-Royce car to warn about the risks the firm would face if Britain votes to leave the European Union at the upcoming referendum, the BBC said on Thursday. In a letter obtained by the corporation, the German carmaker set out what it sees as the benefits from Britain's membership of the 28-member bloc and the problems it would face if Britain votes to leave on June 23. "The decision on whether to stay in the EU or not is for British voters to decide on in June," the letter said. "However, as a wholly-owned BMW Group company, it is important for all Rolls-Royce Motor Cars employees to understand the view of our parent company." The firm said it was not clear that an independent Britain would be granted a free trade deal with the EU, meaning tariff barriers could lead to higher costs and higher prices. It also said that the free movement of people between Britain and the EU had led to the rapid transfer of knowledge between Rolls and BMW, helping to improve the skill level of the British workforce. Prime Minister David Cameron, who is campaigning to keep Britain in the bloc, has called on big business to explain the benefits of EU membership. In February, the bosses at more than a third of Britain's biggest companies joined forces to warn that leaving the EU would put the economy at risk. However many companies held back from signing the letter, saying they wished to remain neutral in such an important debate. Several big companies were criticised in the run up to the 2014 Scottish independence referendum when they urged Scots to stay in the United Kingdom, with some voters saying they would boycott those firms considered to be interfering in the country's political debate. US plans naval exercises with India and Japan in Philippine Sea By Sanjeev Miglani NEW DELHI, March 2 (Reuters) - India, the United States and Japan will hold naval exercises in waters off the northern Philippines near the South China Sea this year, the U.S. military said on Wednesday, a move likely to further raise tensions with China. The announcement comes a day after the United States warned China against militarisation of the South China Sea, where Beijing is locked in a territorial dispute with several countries, saying there would be consequences. Last year, India and the United States expanded their annual naval drills in the Bay of Bengal to include Japan after a gap of eight years, in a move seen as a response to China's growing assertiveness in the region. Admiral Harry B. Harris, head of the U.S. Pacific Command, said the naval exercise will be held in the northern Philippine Sea and that Japan will take part. Freedom of the seas was a fundamental right of all nations, he told a security conference in New Delhi, adding some thinly veiled criticism of Beijing. "While some countries seek to bully smaller nations through intimidation and coercion, I note with admiration India's example of peaceful resolution of disputes with your neighbours in the waters of the Indian Ocean, " he said. Asked about the drills, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said: "We hope the cooperation of relevant countries will benefit regional peace and security, and not harm the interests of third parties". Tensions in the South China Sea have risen recently, with the United States and others protesting against Beijing's land reclamations in the Spratly islands, along with the recent deployment of surface-to-air missiles and fighter jets in the Paracel Islands. Along with China and the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims on the waters, through which about $5 trillion in trade is shipped every year. Harris said the United States wished to expand the naval exercises it held with India each year into joint operations across the Asia-Pacific, which could draw India into the row in the South China Sea. The two countries have held talks on joint naval patrols and last month a U.S. defence official told Reuters that these could include the South China Sea. Both India and the United States later said these patrols were not imminent after Beijing warned that interference from countries outside the region threatens peace and stability. PRESS DIGEST - RUSSIA - March 3 MOSCOW, March 3 (Reuters) - The following are some stories in Russia's newspapers on Thursday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. VEDOMOSTI www.vedomosti.ru - The Economy Ministry forecasts four years of crisis in Russia. - The salaries of officials in the upper chamber of Russia's parliament grew by 42.2 percent last year, reaching an average of over 170,000 roubles ($2,297.43). Lawmakers in the lower chamber were earning almost 140,000 roubles last year which was 30.7 percent more than in 2014, the daily reports. Salaries in Russia averaged 30,000 roubles last year. KOMMERSANT www.kommersant.ru - State statistics agency Rosstat reported that Russians spent in January 200 billion roubles more than they earned, the daily writes, pointing to a tendency that the population was "eating away" its savings. - The government has decided to merge two state-funded foundations supporting Russia's science, a month after cutting their budgets by 10 percent. The move could affect the financing of fundamental research in humanitarian fields, leaving the scientific community is worried. RBC www.rbc.com - Russia's major mobile operators are working on a draft bill under which the users of instant messaging services must be identified. - The new CEO of Vnesheconombank, Sergei Gorkov, plans to invite up to 15 advisers from Sberbank to his team in the state-controlled lender. - President Vladimir Putin will support the Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov for the next term in office, the daily says citing its sources close to Kremlin. Kadyrov, whose powers expire in April, has earlier said he is ready to step down if Putin wants him to. France tells British voters migrants will flow to Britain after EU exit By Elizabeth Pineau and Kylie MacLellan AMIENS, France/LONDON March 3 (Reuters) - France warned Britain on Thursday it would end border controls and let thousands of migrants move on to its neighbour if British voters backed leaving the European Union. French Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron also said France would open its arms to British-based banks wanting to stay in the bloc, in comments published just before Prime Minister David Cameron met President Francois Hollande at an Anglo-French security summit. Cameron has made protecting security a key argument in his campaign to keep Britain in the European Union in a referendum on June 23 and suggested last month that refugees living in a camp in the French town of Calais could flock to England if British voters decided to leave. "The day this relationship unravels, migrants will no longer be in Calais," Macron told the Financial Times, adding that rules allowing British-based banks to operate across the EU would be lost. "Collective energy would be spent on unwinding existing links, not re-creating new ones," he said. After meeting Cameron in Amiens, 120 km (75 miles) north of Paris, Hollande also said there would be consequences for Britain if it left but did not want "to exert pressure on the British people". "There will be consequences in a lot of ways: for the single market, on financial markets, there will be consequences for the economic development between our countries," Hollande told a news conference after the two leaders agreed to a 2 billion euro ($2.11 billion) drone-building project. "I don't want to paint a catastrophic picture, but there will be consequences including for people. It won't call into question the historic, friendly relations between France and the United Kingdom. But it will have consequences including in terms of dealing with migration." SCARE TACTICS Britain's eurosceptics said the warnings were stage-managed, coordinated by the British government and part of a campaign of scare tactics to win the EU membership referendum. Peter Bone, co-founder of "Out" campaign Grassroots Out, called Macron's argument preposterous. "If asylum seekers start arriving at Dover, we will send them straight back. As an independent nation, outside of the EU, we will control our own borders whether the French government likes it or not," he said in a statement. But Cameron said it was nonsense to suggest the French warnings were part of a conspiracy by the "In" campaign. "The best thing to do is to listen to the arguments ... and to understand some of the risks and some of the uncertainties about leaving the European Union," he said at the summit commemorating the centenary of the Battle of the Somme in which 600,000 British and French soldiers died. A British exit would rock the EU - already shaken by differences over migration and by fragility within the euro zone - by ripping away its second-largest economy, one of its top two military powers and by far its richest financial centre. German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said that Europe could become less stable if Britain leaves and that the bloc could also become less competitive. Much of big business supports Britain staying in and according to a Reuters poll, foreign exchange strategists said Britain's economy would be worse off if the country left. None of the 45 strategists polled by Reuters this week said the economy would benefit if the "Out" campaign wins. Germany's BMW wrote to its British employees about the risks of Brexit, as leaving is known, saying it was "much better to be sat at the table when regulations are set" rather than having to accept them. The deputy managing director of Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK, Tony Walker, also told reporters that a decision to leave the EU would probably push up costs for Toyota in Britain and could raise questions about future investment decisions. More than three-quarters of manufacturers and traders in Britain's car industry believe that staying in the EU is best for business because of the risk of trade barriers and skill shortages if the country leaves, a poll showed on Thursday. The British car industry body SMMT said 77 percent of its members said remaining in the EU was the best option, according to a survey conducted for the body by polling firm ComRes. The prospect of leaving the EU also pushed growth in Britain's dominant services sector to a near three-year low last month, according to an economic survey. But opponents of EU membership, including Cameron's main Conservative party rival, London Mayor Boris Johnson, said a vote to leave was Britain's chance to break free. Straight talking calms rural water conflicts in Tanzania By Kizito Makoye PAWAGA, Tanzania, March 3 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - D audi Nangole sits under a huge baobab tree, watching his herd of cattle drink from a dam in Ikolongo village - a place that until recently was a no-go area for pastoralists. The 56-year-old herder, his family and their 73 cattle, sheep and goats travelled several kilometres to reach the reservoir. "I was very afraid to come here before because angry farmers were killing our animals," Nangole said, as dry leaves swirled around him. "But now cattle can roam freely." Ikolongo is one of several villages in the Iringa region of Tanzania's southern highlands, where farmers and pastoralists have regularly clashed over water. Frequent drought has forced herders, who usually stick to the mountains, down into the valleys where most settled farming takes place. The fighting that sometimes breaks out between the two groups can turn deadly. In February, one person was killed and several others injured, including two policemen, during violence at Dihida village in the rural district of Morogoro. In Pawaga division, however, farmers and herders have brought an end to decades of hostility with a deceptively simple solution: talking to each other. They have come together in a loose coalition to resolve their issues through dialogue. Set up by the civil society-led Tanzania Natural Resource Forum (TNRF), the coalition tries to build understanding between members about their needs, and motivate them to find alternative solutions to tensions. And it seems to be working. "We don't have issues with farmers any more," Nangole said. "We have agreed to share what is available equally." Already the two groups have settled on areas where pastoralists can take their cattle to drink without impinging on the water needs of farmers. They have also made a deal allowing pastoralists to feed their herds on rice husks that would normally be discarded after harvesting, for a small fee to the village government. Pastoralists get food for their animals and rice farmers dispose of excess husks cleanly. "We saw that this agreement would help a lot to ease unnecessary tension during the dry season," said Khalfani Lulimi, a ward councillor in Itunundu village, where the fees are being used to build classrooms for a primary school. Tanzania has over 611,200 sq km of grazing land, around 70 percent of which is in use. The rest is in a government land bank. Changing weather patterns are making water harder to find, and frequent changes in land rights add to the struggles of farmers and herders looking for land they can use. BRIBERY Farmers often accuse pastoralists, who are generally more affluent, of bribing local leaders to let them graze in areas reserved for farming. A 2014 study by the TNRF revealed external factors that also contribute to the tensions. These include "green grabbing" where the state takes land for conservation, a rise in large agricultural investments, corruption and a lack of infrastructure to support pastoralism as a viable livelihood. "Those who kill each other are not the cause of the problem - and this fact is unknown to them," said Godfrey Massay, the TNRF's land-based investment coordinator. "When I see a farmer and a pastoralist fighting, I honestly find no justification as to why that should happen." Pawaga division, with its plains and valleys, had become the epicentre of local conflict between pastoralists, farmers and wildlife conservationists, all with competing interests. But the coalition, launched in June 2015, gives pastoralists and farmers the chance to meet in a neutral space and vent their frustrations "without fear or favour", said Massay. The groups meet twice a month, and whenever an issue arises. According to the TNRF, besides the sharing solutions the groups have already come up with, the coalition has exposed the corruption that feeds on their fighting. Villagers have identified community leaders who were receiving bribes from pastoralists while at the same time plotting with farmers and police to arrest those who trespassed on farmland. "Farmers and pastoralists need to know that there are people who benefit from their conflicts and do not wish to see them resolved," Massay said. LAND-USE PLAN When the TNRF launched the Pawaga coalition, most important to its success was that both sides understood the bigger picture at the top level. After months of negotiations, leaders were elected and rules of conduct set. The coalition was then introduced to the district authorities and struck up a close working relationship with village leaders. According to Henry Mahoo, professor of agricultural engineering at Tanzania's Sokoine University of Agriculture, partnerships like this are essential to coming up with solid solutions for land and water clashes. Tensions between farmers and pastoralists can best be resolved by drawing up a land-use plan that clearly identifies areas controlled by the two groups, he said. "All concerned parties must be involved in the negotiation process, and there must be a forum where farmers and pastoralists openly talk about their problems," he added. The Pawaga coalition has already developed some by-laws followed by all 12 villages and 60 hamlets in the area, to guide and enforce land-use decisions. As a result, the number of violent clashes has dropped dramatically, according to Iringa district land officer Donald Mshauri. Philippines to board N.Korea-linked ship as sanctions trade ban looms By Keith Wallis SINGAPORE, March 3 (Reuters) - The Philippines Coast Guard will carry out a security and safety inspection on a North Korean freighter in one of the first such checks since the United Nations Security Council voted to impose harsh penalties against Pyongyang over its nuclear programme. The 6,830 deadweight tonne (dwt) general cargo ship Jin Teng is among 31 vessels that could be forced to stop trading after being included in an asset freeze against a North Korean shipping company under the tightened sanctions passed unanimously by the Security Council on Wednesday. The Philippine Coast Guard National Capital Region said in an emailed statement to Reuters that a team in the Subic Bay port of Olongapo, on the main island of Luzon, was preparing to board the North Korean vessel. A team of three or four coast guard personnel would go aboard the Jin Teng to inspect crew and ship's documents, a coast guard commander told Reuters, before the ship berthed on Thursday. "We have no further information about the ship," said the commander, who declined to be identified because he was not authorised to speak to the media. Phone calls to the ship could not be connected despite several attempts by Reuters. The Jin Teng has called at Palembang, in Indonesia, and Kaohsiung, in Taiwan, since the beginning of this year, ship tracking data available on the Reuters Eikon Terminal showed. The ship has been anchored about 14 km (8.5 miles) from Subic Bay since Feb. 28. The registered owner is Golden Soar Development, which has an address in Hong Kong's Tsim Sha Tsui tourist district, according to the Equasis shipping database hosted by the French transport ministry, although there was no telephone listing for the company. The Jin Teng is among seven of the targeted ships that are owned by companies in Hong Kong and China, according to shipping databases. ARMS SMUGGLING The U.N. resolution said the 31 ships were "economic resources controlled or operated by Ocean Maritime Management and therefore subject to the asset freeze". Ocean Maritime Management was blacklisted by the U.N. in July 2014 after the North Korean freighter, Chong Chon Gang, was detained in Panama in 2013 for carrying arms, including two MiG-21 jet fighters, hidden under thousands of tonnes of sugar. While most of the ships have operated between ports in China and North Korea, ship tracking data showed several have called at ports around Asia during the last six months. If a ship is designated by the U.N., its owners would find it difficult to get the vessel insured, refuelled or even call at foreign ports, industry experts said. "I doubt that anyone will touch the ships as far as international insurers go and they may be prevented from trading to most places as a result," said a shipping lawyer. "However, this will all depend on enforcement - will China actually enforce this resolution? If not, then can the vessels trade to China?" Some lawyers said ships might be able to escape being banned from trading until member states passed legislation to extend sanctions. "U.N. security council resolutions aren't always directly applicable in member states: it's up to member states to implement them into domestic law," said one lawyer specialising in international sanctions, who declined to be named citing client confidentiality. One ship on the U.N. list, the 14,379 dwt dry cargo ship Dawnlight, has traded between China and North Korea over the last six months despite being on the U.S. Treasury Department's list of sanctioned vessels. Iran says blacklisting Hezbollah may jeopardise Lebanon's stability ANKARA, March 3 (Reuters) - Iran accused Gulf Arab neighbours on Thursday of jeopardising Lebanon's stability by blacklisting the Iranian-backed Hezbollah group, state television said, a move likely to stoke tensions in the regional power rivalry between Tehran and Riyadh. The six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) branded Hezbollah a terrorist organisation on Wednesday, opening up the possibility of further sanctions against the group that wields influence in Lebanon and fights in Syria. Leading Sunni Muslim power Saudi Arabia and Shi'ite Muslim Iran compete for influence across the region and back different factions in sectarian-riven Lebanon and in Syria's civil war. "Lebanon's Hezbollah is the vanguard of resistance against the Zionist regime (Israel) and Iran is proud of the group, which is also the champion of the fight against terrorism in the Middle East," Iranian state TV quoted deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian as saying. "Calling Hezbollah a terrorist group ... will harm the unity and security of Lebanon." Hezbollah's leader said on Tuesday Lebanon had been pushed into a new phase of political conflict by Saudi Arabia but was not on the brink of civil war and its government of national unity, of which Hezbollah is a part, should survive. In 2013, the Sunni-dominated GCC - representing Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar - imposed sanctions on Shi'ite Hezbollah after it entered Syria's war in support of President Bashar al-Assad. The GCC did not specify on Wednesday what action might be taken against Hezbollah. But last week Saudi Arabia, the biggest power in the GCC, said it had blacklisted four companies and three Lebanese men for having links to the group. Relations between Lebanon and Saudi Arabia have been plunged into crisis since Riyadh halted $3 billion in aid to the Lebanese army - a response to the Beirut government's failure to condemn attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran. After Ukraine, Kazakhstan wary of ethnic Russians broaching autonomy By Olzhas Auyezov KOSTANAY, Kazakhstan, March 2 (Reuters) - In the city of Kostanay in northern Kazakhstan, the ribbon of St George, a black-and-orange symbol of resurgent Russian patriotism that was adopted by separatists in Ukraine, hangs from every second car's rear-view mirror. Most people in this town and the surrounding region are ethnic Russians, distinct from the mainly Muslim ethnic Kazakhs who are in the majority nationwide and control the main levers of power in this oil-producing former Soviet state. Demographically, the region therefore has much in common with Ukraine's Crimea peninsula and the eastern Donbass region, whose majority Russian-speaking populations pulled out of Kiev's orbit with help from Moscow. There is no separatist rebellion in northern Kazakhstan, but the ethnic Russians, who make up more than a fifth of the country's 18 million population, are feeling increasingly insecure and some sympathise with the separatists in Ukraine. The Ukraine experience has made the Kazakh authorities highly sensitive to any signs of disloyalty by ethnic Russians. Ethnically based political parties are banned. Last year, a court in eastern Kazakhstan sentenced a user of Vkontakte, a Russian-based social network, to five years in prison for posting a poll which asked people whether they would support the idea of that region, which also has a big ethnic Russian population, becoming part of Russia. "Their bodies are in Kazakhstan but their minds are in Russia," said political analyst Dosym Satpayev, talking about what he described as the significant portion of the Kazakh population influenced by Russian media. "There are signs that (the authorities) in Kazakhstan are beginning to realize it also faces a separatist threat," said Satpayev, who runs the Risk Assessment Group, a think tank. There are no signs of Moscow promoting separatism in Kazakhstan, although it wants to keep the country in its orbit. But it remains unclear who will succeed ageing President Nursultan Nazarbayev and whether the new leader will maintain close ties with Russia. Ukraine's break with Russia prompted separatist upheavals there. Moscow has a clear interest in what goes on in its neighbour. At 3.7 million, Kazakhstan's Russian diaspora is the second-biggest after Ukraine and its northern and eastern regions are home to major industrial enterprises with Russian links. Northern Kazakhstan is a major coal and grain region. RUSSIAN ORBIT Most of the landmarks in Kostanay, a city of 200,000, date back to the 19th century, when the territory became part of the Russian empire and settlers arrived. More people arrived from Russia when Kazakhstan became part of the Soviet Union. Kostanay lacks the glitz that oil wealth has given to the cities of Astana and Almaty. People live in nondescript grey apartment blocks built en masse under Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, who oversaw a large-scale campaign to turn "virgin lands" in Kazakhstan into farmland. Today, most people in Kostanay speak Russian. The Kazakh language can barely be heard in the streets, in contrast with southern Kazakhstan, where ethnic Kazakhs generally use it. Although the Russian and Kazakh economies are reeling from the slump in the price of oil - both countries' main export - nearby Russian cities such as industrial Chelyabinsk remain a magnet for job seekers. The Kostanay region, meanwhile, has been hit hardest among Kazakhstan's administrative units, according to official data. Some locals working across the border acquire a second, Russian citizenship, which is illegal but possible due to lack of coordination between Russian and Kazakh authorities. CRIMEA SCENARIO Perhaps mindful of the legal penalties, people in Kostanay do not express separatist sentiments in public. Many say they display the St George's ribbon to commemorate the Soviet victory in World War Two, not because of any association with the pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine. But some in the city sympathise with the pro-Russian movements in Ukraine and see parallels with Kazakhstan. "I think Kazakhstan won't be able to make it without Russia," says 19-year-old Vladislav, who declined to give his full name because of the sensitivity of the subject. "As for the Crimean scenario, everything went fine there - which cannot be said of Donbass and nobody wants the latter, nobody wants a war." Some ethnic Russians in the region have gone further, and fought alongside the separatists in Ukraine. Last February, a Kostanay court ordered the detention of two people who had fought in Ukraine. It is illegal under Kazakh law to participate in armed conflicts abroad. Another Kostanay man, kung fu instructor and masseur Vyacheslav Tretyakov, posted pictures of himself and other armed fighters in eastern Ukraine throughout 2014 and 2015 on social networks. Tretyakov, who now lists his location as Erbil, the capital of Iraq's Kurdistan region, did not reply to online contact requests, but an acquaintance from Kostanay told Reuters his social network account was genuine. ANGRY REACTION The Kazakh government under the 75-year-old Nazarbayev has nurtured close relations with Moscow, but pushes back hard against any sign the country could fracture along ethnic lines. The office of the president, who has run Kazakhstan since 1989, said last month the country's security council had discussed the dual citizenship issue and measures to prevent people illegally obtaining second passports. In an apparent attempt to change the ethnic balance, the government is also encouraging ethnic Kazakhs to repatriate and people from southern regions to move to the north by offering financial assistance and easier access to education. The government also reacts angrily to any hint that Russia covets its territory. In 2014, Kazakhstan's foreign ministry officially protested over comments by deputy Russian parliament speaker Vladimir Zhirinovsky who said Kazakhstan had been given Russian lands during the Soviet era. In the same year, Russian President Vladimir Putin praised Nazarbayev for establishing modern Kazakhstan, adding that Kazakhs had never had a state before. Although it never rebuked Putin directly, shortly afterwards Kazakhstan announced it would celebrate the 550th anniversary of the Kazakh Khanate in 2015. France, Britain to seal $2 bln drone deal, tighten security ties By John Irish and Elizabeth Pineau AMIENS, France, March 3 (Reuters) - France and Britain planned on Thursday to announce a 1.5 billion pound ($2.11 billion) project to build a next-generation drone prototype as the two allies seek to increase security and military ties at a time of conflict in Syria and Libya. President Francois Hollande and Prime Minister David Cameron were meeting in northern France as part of a bi-annual summit also commemorating the centenary later this year of the Battle of the Somme in which 600,000 British and French soldiers died. Cameron was expected to also use the visit to argue that continued European Union membership will enhance Britain's security as he lobbies for it to stay in the 28-nation bloc ahead of a June 23 referendum on the issue. "I am convinced that the UK's membership of the EU gives us greater security and greater capacity to project power globally," Cameron said in comments released by his office before the meeting in Amiens, 120 km (75 miles) north of Paris. Officials from both sides said part of the summit's focus would be on forging closer police and counter-terrorism ties. France and Britain, both permanent veto-wielding members of the United Nations Security Council, are engaged in air strikes on Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq. Hollande and Cameron are also backers of the "moderate" Syrian opposition. They are likely to issue a new call for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces and allies including Russia to stop targeting rebel forces despite a new cessation of hostilities deal and to allow more aid to reach besieged areas. Britain and France have special forces operating against Islamic State in Libya too amid international efforts to unify two rival governments and loosen militants' foothold there. "This summit is the opportunity to strengthen our close partnership," said a senior French official. "Defence is more crucial than ever because we are facing serious crises on our eastern and southern fronts." To that end, Cameron and Hollande will announce a project to build a prototype of the next generation of unmanned drone aircraft that would be able to conduct surveillance of security threats and fire missiles at targets. Each side is to contribute about 750 million pounds. The Future Combat Air System project to develop the most advanced drone of its kind in Europe builds on a 120-million-pound joint feasibility study undertaken agreed in 2014. Britain's BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce, along with Dassault Aviation, Safran and Thales of France, are taking part. An update is also expected on French energy group EDF's planned 18-billion-pound construction of two nuclear reactors at Hinkley Point in western England. Pakistani security forces say kill seven Baluch militants By Gul Yousafzai QUETTA, Pakistan, March 3 (Reuters) - Pakistani security forces killed seven separatist rebels in two separate gunbattles in Baluchistan province, an official from a government paramilitary unit told Reuters on Thursday, a fresh security concern in a province set to see major Chinese investment. Four of the militants were killed during an operation by the Frontier Corps (FC) paramilitary unit in Kohlu district on Thursday, while three others were killed in Kech district on Wednesday night, FC spokesman Khan Wasay said. Wasay identified the men as belonging to the Baluch Liberation Army (BLA), an armed separatist group that has been fighting for independence for Baluchistan province from Pakistan. The province has been wracked by violence since the start of the latest iteration of a ethnic Baluch separatist insurgency nearly a decade ago. The BLA is one of several groups involved in that fight against the State. Attacks on security convoys and personnel by the BLA are common, as are retaliatory operations by Pakistani security forces, who rights group allege have abducted and extrajudicially killed hundreds of Baluch political activists. Wasay claimed a senior BLA commander had been killed in the gunbattle on Wednesday night, but did not name him. "[That group was] involved in kidnapping and killing of two labourers working on a under construction dam in Gwadar district," he told Reuters. Gwadar hosts a newly constructed port that is the focus of the $46 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a project that would provide a trade route from western China through Pakistan to the Arabian Sea and beyond. Security has been a major concern along the route, particularly in Baluchistan. The Pakistani military is raising a new division numbering an estimated 13,000 troops to maintain order along the CPEC. Baluch nationalists, however, say they will attack any CPEC projects in the province. Kidnappings by Kony's LRA spike in Central African Republic - group DAKAR, March 3 (Reuters) - More than 200 people have been kidnapped in eastern Central African Republic this year, already nearly double last year's level, in a wave of abductions blamed on the Lord's Resistance Army, an organisation tracking the rebel group said Thursday. A quarter of the 217 abducted were children, 41 of whom are still missing or in captivity, LRA Crisis Tracker said in a statement. The kidnapped children may be as used as soldiers, sex slaves or labourers, it said. The LRA, run by warlord Joseph Kony, is known for massacring and mutilating civilians as well as abducting children to use as soldiers or slaves. "The LRA is once again abducting children in central Africa, betting that the international community will fail to protect those most vulnerable to Kony's forces," said Paul Ronan, director of The Resolve, one of the organisations behind the crisis tracking project. The LRA has targeted the former French colony, which is reeling from years of inter-religious bloodshed. In January, the group killed a villager and abducted dozens of others during two weekend raids in a remote diamond-producing area of the country. LRA Crisis Tracker said the rebel group has been responsible for attacks and abductions in eastern Congo too, but those had slowed since August. Uganda led a crackdown against the rebel group about 10 years ago, at which point its fighters began to roam portions of Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan. France, Britain seal $2 bln drone deal, pressure Russia on Syria By John Irish and Elizabeth Pineau AMIENS, France, March 3 (Reuters) - France and Britain agreed on Thursday to a 2 billion euro ($2.11 billion) project to build a drone, as the two allies firmed up military ties amid conflicts in Syria and Libya. President Francois Hollande and Prime Minister David Cameron met in northern France as part of a bi-annual summit commemorating the centenary of the Battle of the Somme in which 600,000 British and French soldiers died. The two leaders also sought to show their unity on the Syria crisis before a conference call with Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday. Paris and London want to apply pressure on Moscow to stop supporting advances by the Syrian government on Western-backed rebels that they say will be key players in any peace deal. Cameron and Hollande announced plans for what they said was a new multi-use unmanned aircraft that would be ready for technical checks in 2020 and operational a decade later. "This will be the most advanced of it kind in Europe," Cameron told a joint news conference, saying the project would create significant numbers of jobs in both countries. Each side will contribute equally to the Future Combat Air System project, based on a 120-million-pound joint feasibility study agreed in 2014, official said. Britain's BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce, along with Dassault Aviation, Safran and Thales of France, are taking part, they added. France and Britain, both permanent veto-wielding members of the United Nations Security Council, are engaged in air strikes on Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq. Hollande and Cameron are also backers of the "moderate" Syrian opposition and repeated their concerns that President Bashar al-Assad's forces and allies including Russia were continue to target rebel forces despite a new cessation of hostilities deal. "We are putting pressure on all the players so that the bombings don't start again and that there is a real negotiation in which the opposition has its place," Hollande said, referring to inter-Syrian peace talks that are due to resume on March 9 in Geneva. "We need Russia to understand that there is an opposition that should not be confused with Islamic State," he said. Both men said it was vital that the government was in place before the Spring to ensure that Islamic State did not use migration routes across the Mediterranean to send fighters from Libya to Europe. "I don't think we can wait to start talking to the government ... we can't have another migration route opening up, Cameron said. Venezuelan opposition hones in on strategy to end Maduro's rule By Diego Ore and Andrew Cawthorne CARACAS, March 3 (Reuters) - Venezuela's opposition huddled on Thursday to choose a mechanism to try and oust socialist President Nicolas Maduro, with a recall referendum, constitutional change or street campaign to demand his resignation among the options. "Venezuela is totally clear on the absolute need to get rid of this government, so we are in permanent session to define the strategy that will enable us to take power," said Jesus Torrealba, the head of the Democratic Unity coalition. Out of power for 17 years since the late socialist leader Hugo Chavez took power, the opposition won control of the country's congress, the National Assembly, in December amid rising public ire over a bruising economic crisis. But the coalition's two dozen parties are fractious. Furthermore, the ruling Socialists have plenty of ways to frustrate an anti-Maduro push, not least via electoral and judicial institutions that lean towards the government and could block, delay or overturn the opposition's plans. "We honestly have no doubt that none of these (opposition) initiatives will succeed," Diosdado Cabello, the second-highest ranking Socialist Party official and former National Assembly head, scoffed this week. Some opposition figures are pushing for a multi-pronged approach against Maduro: via pressure on the streets and a potential constitutional change by the National Assembly to reduce the president's six-year term. Torrealba indicated the opposition had already decided on a new street push with an exhortation to Venezuelans to "join the clamor" and support "a national campaign to demand the president's resignation." Fresh in the public's memory, however, are the rallies in 2014, led by opposition hardliners, which resulted in the deaths of 43 people on both sides, left protest champion Leopoldo Lopez in jail, and arguably strengthened Maduro by enabling him to show a strong hand. CLASH IN WESTERN CITY Opposition moderates fear renewed street protests could again backfire, though the circumstances have changed since 2014. Public fury is high and small protests are breaking out over food and medicine shortages, and power and water cuts. A small group of masked youths faced off with police on Wednesday in the volatile western city of San Cristobal, which saw the first and worst of the 2014 clashes. Two-time presidential candidate Henrique Capriles is backing a recall referendum, as allowed under Venezuela's constitution half-way through a presidential term, and is already campaigning across the country. The opposition would need to collect 3.9 million signatures in three days, ratified by the national electoral board, to trigger a referendum within the next three months. But the number who vote against Maduro in that referendum would need to be more than the 7.5 million who backed him in the 2013 presidential election. If authorities delay such a vote into 2017, then Maduro's vice-president would be allowed to complete his term, thus thwarting the opposition's desire to take power. Another option is a constitutional amendment or reform to cut Maduro's term. That could be requested either by the National Assembly or 2.9 million voters, clearing the way for a referendum. But Venezuela's Supreme Court, which has backed the government against the opposition-controlled congress in a slew of recent controversial rulings, may shoot down any attempt to reduce the current presidential term as unconstitutional. Illustrating the conflict of powers, the Supreme Court ruled this week that the current congress did not have authority to investigate or overturn rushed appointments of new magistrates to the tribunal in the last days of the prior congress. Europe must support western Balkans in halting migration -Czech PM By Jan Lopatka and Robert Muller PRAGUE, March 3 (Reuters) - The European Union must provide support to western Balkan countries outside the bloc to help them halt the flow of migrants north from Greece towards the heart of the EU, Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka said on Thursday. In an interview with Reuters, Sobotka hailed steps by western Balkan nations to stop an uncontrolled influx into the EU via their territory of people fleeing from war or failed states across the Middle East and Africa. "Today the situation is that countries in the western Balkans are willing to regulate migration and Europe must unequivocally support them in that," he said in an interview. The European Union will hold an extraordinary summit with Turkey on March 7, followed by a regular European Council meeting on March 18-19, both focusing on migration. Sobotka said he understood the decision by Austria last month -- condemned by Greece and Germany -- to cap the number of migrants entering that country, which has caused a domino effect of border closures through the Balkans and left up to 30,000 people stuck in Greece as Macedonia refused to let them in. Sobotka said Austria had in effect launched the "Plan B" of restricting the flow of migrants out of Greece, an idea pushed by the Visegrad Four group of central European countries comprising the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia. Austria's move has been denounced by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who has said financially strapped Greece could not be left to cope with swelling migrant numbers alone. Merkel said the best way forward was to implement an EU deal reached with Turkey late last year to stem the stream of people from there across the Aegean Sea to Greece. Sobotka called for a number of complementary measures, including the provision of more aid to Greece given that migrants can no longer freely exit to the north. "Germany does not want Greece to be neglected, and I do not want that in any way. We understand the consequences to Greece of closing the Balkan route, and Greece needs to get maximum help." Asked about German opposition to closing borders, he said: "Austria and Germany are at full capacity (for accepting migrants) and I believe Germany sooner or later will support measures in the western Balkans." The Visegrad Four - all former Communist states wary of non-European immigration - have opposed a majority EU foreign ministers' decision to relocate 160,000 refugees from Greece and Italy across the 28 member countries. Sobotka said the Visegrad group would also oppose any more compulsory resettlement proposals such as one to transfer refugees directly from Turkey to EU countries in an orderly way. Resettlement from Turkey could however be done on a voluntary basis by some EU countries, he added. U.S. sends elite disaster experts to respond to Ethiopia drought By Katy Migiro NAIROBI, March 3 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - The United States is sending an elite team of disaster experts to respond to Ethiopia's worst drought in 50 years, it said on Thursday. Around a dozen members of the U.S. Agency for International Development's (USAID) Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) have arrived in Ethiopia to coordinate the U.S. response to the drought. They will be joined by DART logistics, nutrition, and water, sanitation and hygiene experts in the next few days. USAID responds to around 65 disasters a year, including the recent Ebola outbreak in West Africa and last year's Nepal earthquakes. "With the announcement of the DART, we are acting to prevent a major humanitarian crisis and protect Ethiopia's hard-earned development progress," USAID's administrator Gayle Smith said in a statement. U.S. President Barack Obama visited Ethiopia, a close U.S. ally, on his 2015 trip to the continent of his father's birth. He has made food security a priority of his development agenda, saying in 2013 it was a "moral imperative" to end hunger on the world's poorest continent. Ethiopia's government and the United Nations have asked for $1.4 billion to feed 10.2 million Ethiopians - the third largest appeal globally after Syria and Yemen. An additional 7.9 million chronically food insecure people are receiving rations through the Ethiopian government's Productive Safety Net Programme, supported by the United States and other donors. Yet funding shortages mean food aid is in short supply and malnutrition will increase dramatically if donor money runs out in May, the United Nations has said. "The worst impacts of this drought still lie ahead," USAID said in a statement. "The scale and severity of this crisis is expected to far outstrip available resources." Ethiopia's spring rains started in late February but many farmers do not have seeds. USAID is providing almost $4 million of maize and wheat seeds for more than 200,000 families. Ethiopia is one of the flagship countries for the U.S. government's global hunger initiative, Feed the Future, which seeks to boost small farmers' yields. Some Feed the Future farmers are contributing maize to the disaster response, USAID said. Honduras activists need protection after land rights leader's killing - campaigners By Chris Arsenault TORONTO, March 3 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Honduras must do more to protect land rights activists, campaign groups said, after the killing of an award-winning indigenous environmentalist on Thursday. Berta Caceres, winner of the 2015 Goldman Environmental Prize, was shot dead by two men at her home, Honduran security minister Julian Pacheco said,condemning the attack. One person, a security guard at the house, was detained in connection with the killing in La Esperanza,112 miles (180 kilometers) west of the capital Tegucigalpa, Pacheco told local media. Threats against Caceres and other activists had increased after protests against the construction of the $50 million Agua Zarca dam that threatened to displace hundreds of Indians. Caceres, a 43-year-old teacher, had been granted emergency protection measures by the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights, but she had said the Honduran government was not implementing the procedures. "The Honduran state must act immediately to find Berta's killers and protect her family and colleagues," Billy Kyte, a campaigner with Global Witness said in a statement. "Indigenous people are being killed in alarming numbers simply for defending rights to their land." With at least 101 activists murdered since 2010, Honduras is the world's most dangerous country to be a land rights or environmental campaigner, Global Witness said. The Central American country of 8.5 million people has seen a surge in large resource projects including dams, mines and agricultural plantations, and this growth is linked to killings of activists, campaigners said. Of all the land rights activists murdered worldwide, nearly three-quarters of the deaths were in Central and South America, Global Witness reported in 2014, with indigenous people disproportionately targeted. Pacheco told reporters a special team of criminal investigators had been dispatched from Tegucigalpa as part of the investigation into Caceres' death. Brazil top court votes 10-0 to indict speaker Cunha for corruption BRASILIA, March 3 (Reuters) - Brazil's Supreme Court voted 10-0 on Thursday to accept corruption and money laundering charges against lower house speaker Eduardo Cunha, putting him on trial for allegedly accepting bribes on contracts for two drill ships leased by state oil company Petrobras. Norway says made first withdrawal from oil fund in January OSLO, March 3 (Reuters) - The Norwegian government made its first withdrawal of funds from the country's $826 billion sovereign wealth fund in January, 20 years after the first cash infusion in 1996, financial daily Dagens Naeringsliv reported on Thursday. The Finance Ministry confirmed in a statement to Reuters it had withdrawn funds but did not to go into detail on the precise amount. The right-wing government of Prime Minister Erna Solberg of the Conservatives and Finance Minister Siv Jensen of the smaller Progress Party extracted 6.7 billion Norwegian crowns to pay for public spending ($781.26 million), Dagens Naeringsliv said. U.S. senators urge Obama to push for female U.N. Secretary-General By Michelle Nichols and Patricia Zengerle UNITED NATIONS/WASHINGTON, March 3 (Reuters) - Seven U.S. women senators urged President Barack Obama on Thursday to push for the election of the United Nations' first female secretary-general later this year. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, a former South Korean foreign minister, is due to step down at the end of 2016 after two five-year terms. A man has held the top job at the world organization since its inception 70 years ago. The 15-member Security Council, including veto powers China, Russia, the United States, Britain and France, will recommend a candidate for election by the 193-member General Assembly to succeed Ban. "We ask that the United States play a leading role in pressing for the strong consideration of qualified women," the seven Democratic senators wrote to Obama. Led by Barbara Boxer, a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the letter was also signed by senators Patty Murray, Mazie Hirono, Tammy Baldwin, Kirsten Gillibrand, Jeanne Shaheen and Barbara Mikulski. In response to the senators' letter, a senior Obama administration official said: "While we would welcome the selection of a woman as the next Secretary-General, we will ultimately support the best candidate of either gender." Fifty-three 53 countries, led by Colombia, are pushing for a female secretary-general. Several civil society groups are also lobbying for a woman to lead the organization. Seven candidates have been put forward, including three women: U.N. cultural organization (UNESCO) Director-General Irina Bokova, former Croatian Foreign Minister Vesna Pusic and Moldova's former Foreign Minister Natalia Gherman. The other four candidates are former Macedonian Foreign Minister Srgjan Kerim, Montenegro Foreign Minister Igor Luksic, former Slovenian President Danilo Turk and former U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres. "I would say Guterres has got the better chance of all of those who have entered the race, but I still don't think the winning candidate has entered yet," a senior Security Council diplomat said on condition of anonymity. Diplomats said other potential female candidates included Helen Clark, former New Zealand prime minister and head of the U.N. Development Programme; Argentine Foreign Minister Susana Malcorra; and European Union Commissioner for Budget and Human Resources Kristalina Georgieva. The U.N. top job traditionally rotates between regions, with Eastern Europe next on the list. "While the U.N. has upheld the consideration of regional rotation, it has not given full consideration to gender equality," the U.S. senators wrote. Nepali Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli was in India on his maiden foreign trip after assuming charge, underscoring the importance Kathmandu is placing in restoring normalcy to its ties with Delhi. This was the first bilateral visit by a Nepali PM to New Delhi since Baburam Bhattarai's visit in October 2011. Oli was accompanied by a high-level delegation - deputy PM Kamal Thapa, finance minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel and home minister Shakti Bahadur Basnet, among others. Mission Oli was explicit that his main mission behind this bilateral visit to India was to "clear the misunderstanding" and take ties between the two countries to the same level as in 2014, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Nepal. And after his discussions with Modi, Oli said, "The misunderstanding that persisted in the last few months is no longer there. I believe our relationship will greatly benefit from our discussions. It is high time to look at India-Nepal relations with a forward-looking approach in the interest of the two countries and their people." The two nations also signed nine agreements, ranging from infrastructure to rail and road transit. This visit assumes great significance as the India-Nepal ties had been strained in the wake of agitation by the communities opposing Nepal's Constitution, saying it failed to address their concerns over representation and homeland. The protesters had blocked the trading points for almost four months, crippling supply of petroleum products, medicines and other commodities. Oli's government had accused India of imposing an unofficial blockade to support the Madhesis and there were even suggestions that the PM might visit Beijing first instead of New Delhi, thereby breaking a longstanding tradition. But after the blockade ended earlier this month, Oli reached out to India. Before his visit to India, Oli tried to allay Indian concerns by suggesting that his government wanted close ties with both New Delhi and Beijing and that he didn't believe in using one neighbour against another. India had raised concerns over Nepal's Constitution through backchannels to avoid being accused of interfering with the process. There was a sense that Nepali parties ignored the concerns, along with a suggestion to delay promulgation for a few days in view of protests. India conveyed a list of seven amendments to make the Constitution amenable for alienated groups living mostly in the Terai region bordering India. The Nepali government argued that "Nepal's Constitution is better than the Indian Constitution" and "the most progressive in South Asia". Blockade Communist leaders in Nepal have taken a strong anti-India stand, underlining that the new Constitution's promulgation is a "matter of conscience and self-respect" for their people and "any act from anywhere that amounts to undermining our sovereignty is not acceptable to the Nepalis". The India-Nepal relations have taken a nosedive with Kathmandu blaming Delhi for growing fuel shortages, implying that India had imposed an informal blockade by not allowing fuel trucks to cross the border into Nepal. Delhi blamed this disruption on the mass protests. Nepal imports almost all its oil from India, and road links to China through the Himalayas have been blocked since last year's earthquake. As tensions with India mounted, China reopened its border with Nepal in Tibet. The disruptions underscore the Himalayan state's profound economic vulnerability, further inflaming anti-India passions. China is likely to be a beneficiary of this turmoil in India's periphery. Uncertainty Historically, Nepal has had close ties with India. The political uncertainty in Nepal has fuelled anti-Indian sentiments, allowing China to increase its presence and even offer financial assistance for drafting the Constitution. China overtook India as Nepal's biggest foreign investor in 2013 with its funding of a $1.6bn hydropower project - one of country's biggest outside investments. Against this backdrop, Prime Minister Modi made Nepal a priority. He visited in August 2014 and also pledged $1bn for reconstruction after the earthquake. It was the first bilateral visit to Nepal by an Indian prime minister in 17 years. Nepali polity, cutting across party lines, had welcomed the assumption of power by Modi, with most expressing hope that Nepal would be a beneficiary of his developmental agenda. The Nepali Parliament invited Modi for an address, the first by a foreign head of state to that body since 1990, and the Nepalis gave him a rousing welcome. Modi's speech was a graceful reflection on the trials and turbulence that have shaped India-Nepal ties in recent years with a promise of a change of course. Now, with India welcoming the amendment of the Constitution to accommodate the demands of Madhesis and the lifting of the blockade, the Modi government has another opportunity to reshape the contours of New Delhi's relations with Kathmandu, especially at a time when India seems to be losing ground in Nepal to China. The Nepali prime minister has reached out to India and India reciprocated well. The challenge will be to ensure that this momentum is not lost in the coming years. Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly! Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy Updated at 8:38 p.m. Its been nearly 18 months since John and Sue Graham last heard from their only daughter. For Gil and Dan Harrington, its been more than six years. In a courtroom on Wednesday, both sets of parents finally told the man convicted of killing their daughters just how much pain he has caused. Every seat was filled in Albemarle County Circuit Court on Wednesday when Jesse Leroy Matthew Jr., 34, pleaded guilty to two counts of first degree murder and two counts of abduction with the intent to defile in the cases of Hannah Elizabeth Graham and Morgan Dana Harrington. On each charge, Judge Cheryl Higgins sentenced Matthew to life in prison. Combined with the sentencing from a Fairfax judge last October, Matthew now faces seven consecutive life sentences in prison. As predicted by law experts before the trial, the agreement may have spared Matthews life. By taking the deal, prosecutors agreed to drop the charge of capital murder from the Graham case, which carried the possibility of the death penalty. Matthews capital defender said Wednesday that despite preparing a vigorous, robust defense, his client made the decision to plead guilty in the hopes of dodging the death penalty and bringing a sense of finality to the cases that have kept him behind bars since September 2014. The agreement also stipulated that Matthew cannot apply for any type of parole or release, and that the prosecution can re-indict him on the capital murder charge if he violates the terms of the agreement. The plea deal offered plenty of advantages, according to the countys head prosecutor: Matthew would no longer be a threat to the safety of the community; the family and friends of the victims would be spared from reliving the nightmarish crimes through trial testimony; and there would be a legal certainty as to Matthews fate. It provides the families, community and commonwealth with legal finality and clarity in cases that would have been subject to extended appellate review, Commonwealths Attorney Robert Tracci said. While no outcome will ever produce closure, this agreement promotes resolution. Even with both sides of counsel agreeing to the plea deal, Higgins listened to two pre-written victim impact statements from Dan Harrington and Sue Graham. Speaking first, Harrington spoke of his daughter Morgan, a 20-year-old Virginia Tech student who went missing after a Metallica concert at the University of Virginia in October 2009, only for her remains to be found the following January on a property in Albemarle. Harrington said that for every second of every day, for the past six and a half years since Morgans disappearance, he and his wife, Gil, have been living in a world [that] has gone grey and flat. By their own admission, the Graham family has been tight-lipped since their daughter Hannah, an 18-year-old UVa student, vanished from the Downtown Mall in September 2014, only for her remains to be found weeks later on a vacant property about six miles from where Harringtons remains were found. Yet on Wednesday, Sue Graham was surefooted and strikingly acerbic as she described the loss of her daughter to the court. Our family is devastated our pain is acute, Graham told Higgins. Matthew dumped her body like a bag of trash to be picked over by buzzards. Graham added that a year after Hannahs death, her grandfather died of a stroke, but that [Hannah] was on his mind until the end. He died of a broken heart, she said. After being handed four life sentences, Matthew elected not to give a final statement himself, but instead opted for capital defender Doug Ramseur to say on his behalf that he was sorry for what happened, and that he loves his family very much. Speaking to a throng of reporters after the hearing, John Graham said that he and his wife had been consulted about the plea agreement prior to its public announcement two days earlier, and that it had the Grahams full support. Our overriding priority was that Matthew will never be able again to inflict his depravity on young women, John Graham said. The agreement meets this objective, which we regard as a public safety imperative: Matthews deeds show that he is far too dangerous ever to be allowed to be free. That said, the agreement does not bring Hannah back to us, of course, Graham said, adding that he was proud of the accomplishments Hannah had achieved in her short life mercilessly cut short by Jesse Matthew. His evil deprived the world of a great talent, but Hannahs enduring gift to us all is that she enabled this wicked man to be apprehended and convicted, he said. She did change the world, but at a terrible price. Gil Harrington, known for her vocal presence in the media regarding her daughters case, also spoke after the hearing, saying the trials conclusion would allow [her] family to redirect energy into healing and recovering. Both are areas that we have neglected during our quest for justice for Morgan, Harrington said. It has been a very long journey to this point. She further thanked the law enforcement officers and prosecutors who have worked toward solving Morgans case for so many years, and having created the nonprofit organization Help Save the Next Girl in the wake of Morgans death, Harrington used the moment to ask communities to know your neighbors, [and] look out for one another. Together we can help save the next girl, Harrington said before using her hands to sign 2-4-1, a series of numbers she has often used to denote her enduring love for Morgan. While Matthews family members quickly vacated the court square after the hearing, the Rev. Louie Carr spoke on behalf of the Matthew family, telling reporters that it is difficult for us to understand how a gentle soul transformed into this type of individual. We want to express to the Harrington family and Graham family our sorrow over what our family member, Jesse Leroy Matthew Jr., chose to do to your daughters, Carr said. We know there is nothing that we can do to erase what Jesse has done, but we pray that you will find in your hearts to someday forgive our loved one for the act committed against your loved ones. At the conclusion of Wednesdays hearing, authorities released two statements of facts related to each of the cases, detailing what evidence the prosecution had planned to bring to each of the trials, including DNA matches and testimony from several witnesses who put Matthew with both Harrington and Graham on the nights of their disappearances. The bottom of each statement includes signatures from the prosecution, Ramseur and Matthew himself. Matthew already was handed three life sentences last year after being convicted of a 2005 sexual assault in Fairfax, to which he was connected by DNA evidence recovered from the Harrington and Graham cases. Charged with sexual assault, abduction and attempted capital murder in that case, Matthew signed Alford pleas, meaning he did not admit guilt but acknowledged that the prosecution had sufficient evidence to convict him. Matthews pleas in the Harrington and Graham cases were not Alford pleas. When asked by Higgins on Wednesday if he had in fact committed the crimes alleged against him, Matthew simply replied, yes, maam. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A Virginia man has avoided a possible death sentence by pleading guilty to first-degree murder and abduction with intent to defile for the slayings of two college students. Jesse Leroy Matthew Jr. entered the pleas Wednesday in Albemarle County Circuit Court and received four consecutive life terms. Matthew already was serving three life terms for a 2005 sexual assault in Northern Virginia. The former hospital orderly pleaded guilty in the September 2014 killing of 18-year-old University of Virginia student Hannah Graham and the 2009 slaying of 20-year-old Virginia Tech student Morgan Harrington, who vanished after a Metallica concert at the University of Virginia. Through his attorney, Matthew said he was sorry and loves his family very much. Jesse Leroy Matthew Jr. has entered guilty pleas to: First-Degree Murder of Hannah Graham Abduction with Intent to Defile Hannah Graham First-Degree Murder of Morgan Harrington Abduction with Intent to Defile Morgan Harrington Matthew has been sentenced to 4 consecutive life sentences, which are in addition to the three life sentences following Alford pleas in a 2005 Fairfax case. A professor who was placed on leave at an Illinois Christian college and later agreed to part ways with the school after asserting that Christians and Muslims worship the same god is joining the faculty at the University of Virginia. The universitys Institute of Advanced Studies in Culture said Thursday that Larycia Hawkins accepted a position as the Abd el-Kader Visiting Faculty Fellow. The institute said she will research relationships between religions and races. Hawkins was teaching political science at Wheaton College when she posted her views about Muslims and Christians on Facebook and donned the headscarf worn by some Muslim women to counter what she called vitriolic rhetoric against Muslims. Wheaton College announced last month that it and Hawkins reached a confidential agreement for her to leave. RICHMOND The debate over racy literature in Virginia schools came to the House of Delegates Thursday as several Democrats switched their votes but were unable to stop a bill that previously passed the chamber with unanimous support. The late opposition fell far short of derailing House Bill 516, which would allow parents to opt out of reading assignments deemed "sexually explicit" by the Virginia Board of Education. On a 77-21 vote, the House agreed to an amended version passed by the Senate. The bill now heads to Gov. Terry McAuliffe's desk. Republicans backing the bill say it allows parents to protect their children from objectionable material and pursue tamer alternatives. Critics have argued the bill is a step toward censorship and book-banning. The legislation would require schools to notify parents of potentially explicit material, which parents would be able to review before deciding whether the content is appropriate for their child. Del. David B. Albo, R-Fairfax, said the issue arose after one of his constituents, Laura Murphy, raised concerns about Toni Morrison's "Beloved," a Pulitzer-prize winning novel that tells the story of a slave who kills her 2-year-old daughter to save the child from a life in bondage. Albo said that when Murphy tried to complain to state officials about the content, the state's "pornography screens" blocked her email. "I lived in a fraternity house for two years. There's not very much stuff that bothers me," Albo said. "Even I was aghast at how bad it was." Del. Alfonso H. Lopez, D-Arlington, said governments have struggled to define the term "sexually explicit." He argued the bill is broad enough to apply beyond literature, saying it could apply to sexual references in biology class or history discussions of war crimes involving rape. "It means we are labeling content for the sole purpose of potentially suppressing it," Lopez said. Lopez, who said he played Falstaff in a college production of "Henry IV, Part 1," noted that the House voted Wednesday to designate 2016 the "Year of Shakespeare." "Is 'Romeo and Juliet' about to be diminished and reduced to a play about teen sex and suicide?," Lopez said. During questioning on the House floor, Lopez acknowledged that he and others had made a "mistake" by voting for the bill last month, when it passed 98-0. The Richmond area's five Democratic delegates voted in favor of the bill on Thursday. The bill's patron - Del. R. Steven Landes, R-Augusta - said the legislation has been misrepresented and is an attempt to respond to parental concerns that were not addressed at the local level. "There's no book banning. There's no censorship," Landes said. "There's none of those things in this bill." The Senate amended the bill to clarify that the state board will define "sexually explicit," not local school boards. Several House Democrats argued Thursday that individual communities should be able to set their own standards. "This happened in my jurisdiction," said Del. Mark D. Sickles, D-Fairfax. "We've had school board elections since this incident occurred. The results are out there. The school board can handle it." McAuliffe has not taken a public position on the bill. So will it set everything straight in the chaotic presidential race? Maybe. Quite possibly not. ___ MARCO 'RAMBO' & CO. Five Republicans are still mixing it up, but all the bellowing is either by or about GOP front-runner Donald Trump. The New Yorker is driving toward the Republican nomination and his rivals are trying to splatter him with everything they have. Tuesday will answer whether Marco Rubio's debate-night transformation from bland RubioBot to Marco Rambo can begin to take down the months-long leader in preference polls and now delegates. The fight that the Republican establishment long wanted has been engaged. Whether it's too late to stop the outsider capitalist-populist is the question. And it's not all high-minded rhetoric by any means. Trump made fun of Rubio's ears; Rubio cracked that Trump may have wet his pants during the debate. Similar suspense, with fewer insults, animates the Democratic race. Hillary Clinton, the establishment pick, scored a weekend blowout in South Carolina on Saturday, looks strong in many Super Tuesday states and would become an overwhelming favorite for the nomination if she performs to expectations. A surprise could reinvigorate Bernie Sanders, her socialist-populist rival who has tapped deep political passions but needs more actual victories, and soon. ___ WHY IT MATTERS Immigration policy, the swollen U.S. debt, the uneven spread of wealth and hard questions about how to approach the Islamic State, terrorism and civil liberties are all in play for voters. So is the fate of fundamental social policy as the Supreme Court stands ideologically divided. A vacancy may not be filled until after the next president takes office in January. Trump's agenda lacks detail on most fronts and often seems improvised. But there's little doubt about his intended approach on several major matters. He would try to browbeat trading partners and others into doing his will. He would be on the hook for somehow carrying out mass deportations of people in the country illegally, for temporarily banning non-U.S. citizen Muslims from coming into the country and for replacing President Barack Obama's health care law with a system that does not, as he put it, leave people to die on the street. Democrats have a choice between liberal pragmatism and liberal ambition. Sanders preaches free college, a transformation of health care to a government-financed "Medicare-for-all" system and a breakup of big banks as part of an agenda centered on shrinking the gap between rich and poor. That means a far heftier safety net, at the cost of higher taxes and what a lot of economists say would be higher national debt. Clinton says his goals are politically impossible and she would follow an achievable, yet still activist path. ___ A TRANSITION Until now, it was ephemeral. Who's doing better and worse than expected? Who's rising and falling? Who's got, you know, momentum? It's mainly about the number of delegates now the inexorable grind of arithmetic. Until now, voters in four states have picked not much more than a sliver of the delegates who are needed to clinch the party nominations. That changes overnight, with each party holding contests in 11 states. Democrats also vote in American Samoa. Republicans will allocate 595 delegates from the results of Super Tuesday, nearly half of the 1,237 needed for the nomination. Democrats will allocate 865, more than one-third of the necessary 2,383. ___ WHAT'S THE SCORE? 3-1 for Trump and Clinton. He won New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada. She won Iowa, Nevada and South Carolina. Republican Ted Cruz won Iowa. Sanders won New Hampshire. In the Republican delegate race: it's 82 for Trump, 17 for Ted Cruz, 16 for Rubio, 6 for John Kasich and 4 for Ben Carson. In the Democratic race, factoring in the hundreds of superdelegates, or party insiders who can support a candidate of their choice, Clinton leads with 544 delegates, according to AP's count, while Sanders has 85. ___ MOMENTUM STILL COUNTS As enormous as the prize is on Tuesday, no one candidate can win their party's nomination on the night. The delegate trove is proportional in each party, and delegates will be divvied up according to how well each contender does. That's an oversimplification of an arcane process, but the bottom line is that a strong second place in a particular state can be worth almost as many delegates as a victory. So the perception of who's making headway still matters. A candidate on the move can attract more money, national attention and voter interest. At least for a few more weeks. A series of winner-take-all Republican primaries is coming, none bigger than Florida on March 15, where a cache of 99 delegates is at stake and Rubio will be bidding furiously for a home-state victory against Trump, a part-time resident who got a head start on organizing there. ___ TEXAS AND THE SOUTH The South bid for more influence in this campaign by adding states to its Super Tuesday roster, naming this subset the SEC primary in a nod to the Southeastern Conference of college sports. Clinton demonstrated her pull with black voters in South Carolina, suggesting she may do well in other Southern states with significant black populations. The biggest Super Tuesday state overall is Texas, where Sen. Cruz has a home-state advantage built on prime endorsements from the governor down the political chain and a veritable army of some 27,000 volunteers. Everything in politics is double-edged, though. If Trump's rebel yell attracts enough support to make him the winner or even a close second, Cruz will face sharp questions about his viability. ___ THE LINEUP Both parties are holding contests Tuesday in these states: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont and Virginia. As well, Republicans vote in Alaska and Democrats in Colorado. Democrats also have a contest in American Samoa and for Democrats Abroad. In the 12 states holding contests, polls close at 7 p.m. EST in three (Virginia, Georgia and Vermont), and at 8 p.m. EST in four more (Oklahoma, Alabama, Tennessee and Massachusetts). The rest, Eastern time: 8:30 p.m. in Arkansas, 9 p.m. in Texas, Colorado and Minnesota; and 12 a.m. in Alaska. Using his knowledge of how genes are organized and repaired in human cells, Dr. Graham Dellaire, Dalhousie Medical Schools Cameron Research Scientist in Cancer Biology, has developed a technique that could make gene therapy more effective and safer to use. His work was recently published in Nucleic Acids Research and Nature. CRISPR, named 2015s breakthrough discovery of the year, stands for "Clustered Regularly-Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats." It can accurately target and edit DNA, offering the potential to cure genetic diseases and find new treatments for cancer. To apply CRISPR in non-dividing cells such as those in muscle and brain tissue researchers must first make them behave like cells that divide. They do this by turning on a cellular process called homologous recombination, which protects DNA; the recombination allows a cells genes to be manipulated and rearranged without the possibility of causing more harm than good. You cant accurately repair a gene in a non-dividing cell because basic pathways like homologous recombination arent turned on to enable the gene therapy to be carried out, says Dr. Dellaire, an associate professor and director of research in the Department of Pathology. My colleague, Dr. Daniel Durocher, and his team at Mount Sinai Hospitals Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, found a way to re-activate the recombination thats needed to do gene editing in a non-diving cell, but the group needed a way of proving it. Thats where we were able to help. Zeroing in on gene targets In his laboratory at Dalhousie Medical School, Dr. Dellaire came up with a fluorescent tagging technique that allows scientists to identify when gene targeting has been successful in a cell even in those that dont divide. Our technique measures the efficiency of gene editing. We know that weve got a precision gene editing event when the cell were working with turns green and a beautiful ring appears around its nucleus, explains Dr. Dellaire. The green fluorescence then enables us to count tens of thousands of cell samples, so our statistics end up being very good. It was thought to be impossible to do precision gene editing in a non-dividing cell. And thats why Dr. Durochers breakthrough, and our publication in Nature, is so profound. Not only do we have the first evidence that gene editing in non-dividing cells is actually possible, but weve got a screening system that will enable us to keep improving gene therapies. Up to now, CRISPR has been used to treat diseases that affect parts of the body comprised of cells that divide, such as the blood. This new knowledge will enable gene therapy to be applied to disorders of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems systems that are made up of non-diving cells. It could also be used to fight certain types of infections. If you have a life-long, latent infection with a virus such as herpes, we could use CRISPR gene therapy to get rid of it, says Dr. Dellaire. Imagine if an ingredient in your cream could delete the genome of the herpes virus, and you never get a blister on your lip again. Mining for molecules In order to get non-dividing cells to behave like dividing ones, Dr. Durocher had to knock out important DNA repair genes, explains Dr. Dellaire. Since that can only be done in the lab and not in people, were now trying to identify molecules that will take the place of these man-made genetic manipulations. Our hope is that that we can find molecules that will one day make gene therapy a reality for diseases like muscular dystrophy. Looking for these molecules is an active area of research by biotech companies around the world. Our fluorescent tagging system is so unique and so efficient that we have a chance at finding molecules that these companies may not find. Its kind of like a gold rush at this point, and its very important to dig in the right spot, says Dr. Dellaire. Partnering with the Vancouver-based Centre for Drug Research and Development (CDRD), Dr. Dellaire is working on identifying molecules that can be commercialized and developed into drugs. Currently funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, hes also looking for more research money. We could be world leaders in this area, says. Dr. Dellaire. The CDRD is ready to start screening. We just need the funding. Making gene therapy safer More than 20 years ago, children born with a genetic disorder called severe combined immunodeficiency were the first people to be treated with gene therapy. It led to leukemia. These kids were being cured with a viral gene remedy. A virus was used to replace their faulty genes by inserting a new, healthy gene into their DNA. This just captivated the world; it was front-page news, remembers Dr. Dellaire. But by inserting the virus randomly into the genome and changing the childrens DNA, mutations formed. While CRISPRs still not efficient enough to be better than using viruses for gene therapy, its getting there. Using his fluorescent screening technique, Dr. Dellaire found that some molecules are capable of enhancing gene targeting by up to six-fold. However, theyre potentially too toxic for use in patients, so theres a need to find new ones. Because theres a danger in using viruses to insert genes into our DNA, we hope our screening system will help identify molecules that will enhance CRISPRs effectiveness, says Dr. Dellaire. The ultimate goal would be to replace viral gene therapies altogether, making gene therapy more efficient, more effective, and safer for patients. Every year, hundreds of Hyderabadis head to Oman looking for lucrative jobs and a bright career. But reality plays a cruel hand than what was bargained for utterly alone, some find themselves out on the streets, while others are lost with no one to turn to. If they have relatives in the country, then they are taken care of. But if a person is coming here with no contacts, they tend to get lost. Many come through channels that are fraud and their stay in the country is considered illegal so they end up living on the streets, until Amnesty International announces another free way back home. But that takes years, says Rita Samuel, who moved to Oman from Hyderabad in 1996. And how does the former teacher, who quit a well-paying teaching job at a college, fit into this chaotic situation? Well, Rita is their Helpline, quite literally. Helpline Counselling Services is a non-profit voluntary venture set up in 1997 to look after helpless individuals with confidential listening and support services in Oman and across the Globe. In 1997, one of my office boys friend Srinivas, who hails from Karimnagar, was living in Oman illegally and he met with an accident. The office boy was disturbed and when I asked him what the matter was he broke down. He narrated the entire story and told me how they find it difficult to communicate in the country where they are not well-versed in local language; they dont have easy access to hospitals, police stations and have no legal help. Thats when I sprung in action and with the contacts I had made during my stay, I got Srinivas treated at a hospital and helped him go back home. It was this defining moment that made Rita realise that she had to help fellow Hyderabadis who were in situations far worse than Srinivas. And thats when she set up a helpline and a website that helped her connect with people in such dire situations. I started the free service, Helpline and over the years the embassy got to know about me too. Presently, I have four people in the panel, who are also from Hyderabad. But most of the time its a One Woman Mission. Srinivas connected her to many other immigrants who were living in a condition far worse than his. Every week, she would meet them at Ruwi Clock Tower Center and counsel them. We would also joke, share home-cooked food the intention was to let them know that they are not alone. News spread quickly and she started getting calls from people of other nationalities. Called Mother Teresa of Oman by people whom she has helped, Rita lost her parents at a very young age; a tragedy that resulted in Rita and her brother growing up with their aunt in Hyderabad. I joined St Anns School (Class IV), but we were finally put in an orphanage because my aunt already had seven kids to take care of, recalls Rita, who also studied at Osmania University and then pursued leadership in community services from Glasgow University, Scotland. We always had someone to talk to and thats why I started Helpline, if someone is suffering and has nobody to talk to, they can connect to me. Presently working with Caledonian Engineering College in Oman, Rita bears the expenses of Helpline from her own pocket. Social service is the rent I pay for living on this planet, says Rita, who is now planning to meet the Indian CEOs of various companies in Oman and encourage them to help those in trouble. She then plans to meet various Indians and conduct monthly counseling sessions for them. New Delhi: Reaching out to Opposition members in Rajya Sabha, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday that only a single party cannot protect India's unity and integrity. "We all will have to make collective efforts for that," Rajnath Singh said. "As far as terrorism is concerned, it has no colour, caste and community," the Home Minister said in Rajya Sabha. Earlier at noon, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that Parliament is a place where debates take place but asserted that certain boundaries need to be maintained to have a fruitful discussion, while addressing the Lok Sabha on Thursday. Modi cited former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi -- who disapproved of House disruptions -- and said everybody has a right to question the government but needs to maintain a certain level of decorum. "Debate will be more fruitful if procedure is followed, these are not my words, this was said by former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi," he said. Modi expressed grave concern about the recent happenings in Parliament. "When Parliament sessions are not functional, the nation suffers. Treasury benches don't suffer as much as the country. Lawmakers suffer the most as they are not able to raise voice of the people in the House," he said. Prime Minister Modi said every party needs to cooperate to pass the important bills. He thanked President Pranab Mukherjee for highlighting India's growth in his speech. "We must always seek President's advice," he said while giving the vote of thanks to the President's speech on the opening day of the Budget Session. Earlier in the day, Congress members protested at the Gandhi statue in Parliament premises against HRD MoS Ram Shankar Katheria over his 'anti-Muslim' remarks made in Agra. Katheria, who attended a condolence meeting held for VHP worker Arun Mahaur shot dead in Agra last Thursday, said: "This conspiracy that is being hatched against the Hindu community, we have to be be alert to recognise it and strengthen ourselves." Here are the live updates: 3.45 pm: Only a single party cannot protect India's unity and integrity. We all will have to make collective efforts for that, says Rajnath Singh in Rajya Sabha. I heard Ram Shankar Katheria's speech, made others hear it. We all agreed there is nothing inflammatory in the speech. India is a nation where people from all sects of Islam are found. India is the most secular country in the world. A subject like communal harmony should not be measured in terms of political gain or loss. Terrorism has no colour, no caste and no community. 2.50 pm: What happened in Agra is not an isolated incident. Mother India is being insulted, Home Minister should answer what he plans to do, says D Raja on Katherias comments. 2.45 pm: BJP MPs making communal/polarising statements should have sedition case filed against them, no matter what community they belong to, says Ghulam Nabi Azad. 1.45 pm: Lok Sabha adjourned till 3 pm. 1.05 pm: Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2 pm. 12.15 pm: Prime Minister Narendra Modi replies on the motion of thanks to the President's address in Lok Sabha. I want to thank the President for expressing in detail India's pride and strides in development to the world. Parliament is where arguments are put forth and answers are sought, where the government is questioned, where the government has to give its opinion and explain its stand and no body is spared in the Parliament and neither should one expect that anybody will be spared but there must be a certain decorum so that people can present their views with more clarity. This is not something I am saying, this has been said by former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. When Parliament sessions are not functional, the nation suffers and more than that the MPs suffer because they can't discuss issues. Hindering debate in the House is very counter-productive. Bills that are to be passed are for the people. They are for freeing the system from middlemen I appeal the Opposition to help pass important bills in both Houses of Parliament. Saying all this because people must know that bills have been passed here but have been stopped thereafter. March 8 is International Women's Day and I would like that only women members of the Parliament should speak. We can also set time where only first time MPs can speak. This will bring a fresh perspective to the proceedings There should be one day when there will be parliamentary discussion on how India can add on to sustainable development. Be it our government or the Opposition's government, one should pay heed to the pervading loop holes in primary education. People are mocking 'Make in India. If the initiative is not successful, then suggest way to make it successful. Whenever we introduce new schemes in the House, some people fail to comprehend them, some people age, but their intellect does not grow with them. There is this tendency to oppose work in progress with arguments pertaining to work which is apparently undone. 18,000 villages, after so many years of freedom are still plunged in darkness, and if we bring them electricity, tomorrow you can say with pride, Modiji, we have given these 18,000, that is why you are able to do it MGNREGA and NREGA aren't isolated schemes. There were other schemes earlier which have been juxtaposed to form the above scheme. We have pushed this country to such a deplorable state wherein even a skilled labourer is forced to take up unskilled jobs. Needy states haven't been given pro-poor schemes like NREGA or MGNREGA, we should work to exterminate poverty in such areas. This house shouldn't be used to fulfill one's personal or selfish wishes, we aren't here to compare one's work progress. Our schemes Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojna and MGNREGA have indeed created assets. Its your bankruptcy that you run short of issues and that's why you tend to bring the issue of Godhra on the floor, Modi takes a dig. Kerala, Mizoram, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh still do not have Food Security Act and all these administered by the Congress. One MP said Fasal Bima Yojana is only for a few districts. I want to say that this scheme will be applicable everywhere. In 14 years, I have learnt to live with criticism. It is necessary that executives be accountable. Accountability needs to be increased. And I can't do this by myself. You (Opposition) are experienced and I need your support. I am new, I need cooperation and help to bring development to this nation. Let's work shoulder to shoulder. Earlier in Parliament today: 12.05 pm: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said he had received a letter seeking Rajiv Gandhi assasins' release from the Tamil Nadu government. "Will adhere to Supreme Court's decision on the issue," Singh told Lok Sabha. Read: Government examining Tamil Nadus letter on Rajiv killers, says Rajnath Singh 11.45 am: Emphasizing on the need to overhaul the education system, Smriti Irani says in Rajya Sabha that special training workshops for government principals will help take care of the quality of teachers. National Programme on School Standards and Evaluation Framework (Shala Siddhi) have been launched. 11.40 am: Rahul Gandhi once again attacked Modi government. "What the government is doing with regard to EPF is unfair, I would request the PM to take back the Tax on EPF," says Rahul Gandhi. 11.30 am: Had it been my government in Uttar Pradesh, they (who made controversial remarks in Agra) would have been behind bars, says Mayawati on Katheria remarks. 11.00 am: Congress protest at Gandhi statue in Parliament premises against HRD MoS Ram Shankar Katheria over his remarks made in Agra. Katheria had made comments against the Muslim community at a condolence meet. Congress members protests in Parliament premises in New Delhi on Thursday. (Photo: Twitter) On Wednesday, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi attacked Modi in Lok Sabha on a slew of issues, right from the JNU row to the issue of black money to Pakistan policy as well as the invisible Naga peace accord. In a calculated attack, he took on the government on all the aforementioned issues turn by turn. He said Mr Modi brought a Fair and Lovely Yojna to convert black money into white and blamed him for destroying the UPAs work against insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir and against terrorism. Responding on Gandhi's allegations, the BJP criticised him for his attack on the government in the Lok Sabha, saying it was 'full of drama but lacked in content', and dubbed the Congress vice president a lying machine" and a "non-serious, part-time politician". Slamming Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi's speech targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley raised questions about his knowledge and maturity, Home Minister Rajnath Singh denied the Congress leader's claim that he was not kept in the loop before signing a peace pact with Naga insurgent group NSCN-IM. Aibao (lovely treasure), a two-year-old female, and Lebao (pleasant treasure) a three-year-old male, flew in from the western Chinese province of Sichuan to Incheon international airport on a specially chartered flight, accompanied by vets and a handler. (Photo: AFP) Seoul: A pair of giant pandas, a state gift to South Korea from Chinese President Xi Jinping, arrived in Seoul on Thursday to a red-carpet welcome. Aibao (lovely treasure), a two-year-old female, and Lebao (pleasant treasure) a three-year-old male, flew in from the western Chinese province of Sichuan to Incheon international airport on a specially chartered flight, accompanied by vets and a handler. Transported in a special cage, the animals received repeated health checks during the three-hour flight, the amusement park that will house the pandas said in a statement. South Korean workers transport a panda named as Lebao (pleasant treasure), at a cargo terminal of the Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul. (Photo: AFP) They then rode to the park south of Seoul in a vehicle with advanced suspension to minimise jolts. South Korea received its first pandas from China in 1994 to mark the second anniversary of diplomatic ties. But when the Asian financial crisis hit in 1998, the country had to return the pair, citing the high cost of keeping them. Xi announced the new gift during his state visit in July 2014. South Korean President Park Geun-Hye has made closer relations with China the South's largest trade partner a cornerstone of her administration's foreign policy and is understood to have formed a good working relationship with Xi. However, ties remain troubled by differences of opinion over how to deal with North Korea's nuclear weapons programme, with Seoul favouring sanctions over Beijing's preference for dialogue. Security forces run to surround the area during an operation against two attackers. (Photo: AP) Istanbul: Turkish police killed two female leftist militants who hurled grenades and opened fire at an Istanbul police station on Thursday, officials said. The two women members of the outlawed ultra-leftist Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C) had taken refuge in an apartment after their attack. Police then launched an assault on the apartment, and the two were "neutralised", Istanbul governor Vasip Sahin was quoted as saying by the official Anatolia news agency. Two police officers were lightly wounded. The women were named as Cigdem Yaksi and Berna Yilmaz, both members of the DHKP-C, Anatolia said. According to the Dogan news agency, the two women had thrown several grenades then opened fire at the riot police headquarters. Officers returned fire, injuring one of the attackers before they fled to the nearby building. Security footage broadcast on television showed them brandishing weapons they pulled out of their handbags. Turkey has been on a state of alert for months since a series of deadly attacks on its soil. Last month, 29 people were killed in a car bombing that targeted a military convoy in Ankara, which was claimed by the Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (TAK), who have been linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). In the last year, there were four deadly bomb attacks blamed on Islamic State (IS) jihadists, including the deadliest in Turkey's modern history that killed 103 people in Ankara in October. But there have also been sporadic attacks by radicals from the DHKP-C, which seeks a Marxist revolution in Turkey among the working classes but also espouses a fiercely anti-Western and anti-NATO agenda. Known until the mid-1990s as Devrimci Sol (Revolutionary Left), the DHKP-C has claimed a string of attacks in Turkey in recent months, including a gun attack on the US embassy in Istanbul last year. But many of its assaults have been small in scale and sometimes even amateurish in nature. It claimed the hostage-taking on March 31 of prosecutor Mehmet Selim Kiraz at his Istanbul office that ended with the killing of the captive and both hostage-takers during a police raid. One of its most high profile crimes was the killing of the billionaire head of one of Turkey's largest industrial empires Ozdemir Sabanci in January 1996. Last month, Turkey arrested alleged DHKP-C member Ismail Akkol over the Sabanci assassination and accused him of planning a suicide attack. Ladakhis in Delhi say that they are looking towards the rest of India for help. The state is a victim of climate change, and has represented itself in United Nations Conference on Climate Change (UNCCC). But the locals assert that they dont need studies to prove how drastically affected the area is, they sensed the changes long back. Now, through padyatras, festivals, films and unions, they want to engage city people to the cause of environment. Melting of glaciers is the prime cause, but not the only one. Many Ladakhis proclaim that their Buddhism preaches worship of nature. They want development but not at the cost of their environment. Stanzin Dorjai Gya, a filmmaker, who represented Ladakh in UNCCC says, Topographically, Ladakh is like Kashmir, but it still looks untouched. We do not want the same kind of development because for Ladakhis nature is precious. There is an increase in tourism after the film 3 Idiots, which is good for the economy, but not for the environment. He emphasises that since 3 Idiots featured various landscapes of Ladakh, the country started looking towards the state. Earlier, there were foreigners who would come, but rarely Indians. Indians have started taking notice of the place in the past ten years or so. Tourists have a bad habit of throwing plastic bags everywhere, he says. He tries to explain that in his film Jungwa. He elucidates that for city people littering may not seem like a big deal, but for Ladakhis it has always been. And once in a while, there are tourists who display ignorance about the status of Ladakh. Lynne Deepam, a Malaysian, visits Ladakh at least twice a year. The first time she wanted to visit, she applied for a visa at Chinese Embassy. She claims that it is not an uncommon trend. A staff member at the Druk White Lotus school, Leh says, Once a representative from Sri Lankas Youth Ministry, Suranimala Rajapakshas office applied to Chinese embassy for visa, and this was in 2013. We were shocked. This was when they were invited for Fifth Annual Drukpa Council. Lynne Deepam, a Malaysian, is a businesswoman and says that she is really impressed with how Ladakhis have preserved their environment. She feels calm here. The nature and people take away a lot of tensions she generally is consumed in. She claims that applying to the Chinese Embassy is a common trend. During one of my visits I met His Holiness the Gyalwang Drukpa, of the Drukpa lineage of Buddhism (1000-year-old Drukpa order), who has many followers here. Through him I went deeper into their culture. I went to a padyatra to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar and I was shocked to see how dirty it was and people were living amidst the dirt happily, she tells Metrolife. More than 250 Kung Fu Nuns of the Drukpa order went on a 50 day/2,200 km cycle yatra from Kathmandu in Nepal across the Indian states of Bihar and UP to create environment consciousness. These kinds of yatras are organised every six months and the nuns and Gyalwang Drukpa pick up litter on their way, in order to spread awareness about their environment. His Holiness Drukpa organises the Winter Hemis Festival every year and Naroba, the Kumbh Mela of Himlayas, every 12 years. He says that these festivals are not in any Buddhist scripture, but are devised especially to engage people outside Ladakh with their culture and landscape. The main objective of these festivals is also to create awareness about Ladakhss deteriorating climate. The name Kumbh Mela is especially chosen so that it attracts the majority who are familiar with the age-old Hindu festival, he says. Jigmet Yandol, 27, a volunteer at the Winter Hemis Festival which was recently held from February 17 to 22, says that she has been to other cities but would love to stay in her hometown. She was once taken for a programme in Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) Mumbai, where she learnt many things about agriculture and social infrastructure that she could implement in Ladakh. Since the state faces many problems with their infrastructure, many locals go outside, like Yandol did. Standing mighty at an altitude of 5,753 meter above sea level, Ladakhs topography can be described as one that has intensive sunlight, high evaporation rate, strong winds, sparse vegetation, and rare rainfall, and is a mountainous desert of rocks, sand and dust. A major problem Ladakhis face is a government plan of constructing concrete cemented canals for irrigation. The cement breaks during winters causing loss of water for drinking and agriculture. Whereas, for centuries the traditional practice of land, sand and rocks being used for canals is still successful in Ladakh. On one hand His Holiness is arranging tourism and occupation for the locals, on the other hand people send their children to cities to study and come back home. Tsewang Nubroo, 26, studies in Delhi University and is the President of Ladakh Students Union (LSU) which is active since 1975. He says, When I came to Delhi, my friends didnt know that Ladakh is in India, they thought I was from Nepal. But now its not like that. LSU also wants the rest of the country to be aware of the brunt of climate change Ladakh is facing. Nubroo goes to various climate change conferences and seminars that are held across the country. He describes how he has seen the level of snow slowly decreasing in front of his eyes. It is the only source of water they have. Some villages also face drinking water crisis. I am only here for my people, I will go back once my MPhil, PhD is over. People in my village call me an educational migrant, he adds. Muslim organisations have demanded that Anantkumar Hegde, the BJP MP from Uttara Kannada, should apologise for his remarks against Islam. Hegde had said here recently that terrorism could not be curbed till Islam existed. He told reporters that everyone knew that Bhatkal in the district and Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh were havens for terrorist activities. The MP demanded that strict action be taken against such activities. Hegde said the media should also co-operate with the government in this regard. The MP said the media was giving an impression that it was anti-national, by giving publicity to anti-nationals. He demanded action against the media also. The Majlis-e-Islah Wa Tanzeem has registered a complaint against Hegde at the Bhatkal Town police station against the MPs statement. Members of the Tanzeem called on Superintendent of Police Vamshi Krishna and demanded that action be taken against the MP. The Jamaat-e-Islami Hind of Bhatkal has demanded that Hegde apologise to Muslims. Islam is a religion of peace. Nobody can root it out. The MP should withdraw his remarks, the organisation said in a statement. The Sunni Student Muslim Federation also submitted an appeal to the SP, demanding that Hegde be arrested and action taken against him. The Arvind Kejriwal government is all set to take participative governance to the next level by giving nearly 3,000 mohalla sabhas colony-level citizen groups the power to prioritise development projects amounting to over Rs 1,300 crore annually. Sources in Chief Ministers office said the mohalla sabhas have been mapped using Google satellite imagery and all 70 constituencies have been divided into 30-40 colony-level groups with each group representing 4,000 to 6,000 residents. On an average, each mohalla sabha is likely to have an annual budget of about Rs 50 lakh, said a government functionary. The mohalla sabhas are likely to be encouraged to take collective decisions with consensus on issues ranging from repairing roads, pavements, lighting in parks, to improvement of community centres and building libraries. Political rivals of the AAP, however, fear the initiative may result in hegemony of AAP supporters if true consensus is not achieved. Budgetary support Kejriwal is holding several rounds of discussions with officials and MLAs to ensure that the financial powers of the Mohalla Sabhas get statutory and budgetary support. We demanded at least Rs 50 lakh budget for each mohalla sabha, said a legislator, indicating that Finance Minister Manish Sisodia may grant anything between Rs 1,300-1,500 crore for empowering the 3,000 colony-level groups. Ahead of the presentation of his budget for 2016-17, Kejriwal has started discussions with principal secretaries and ministers on issues related to the proposals seeking funds for schemes like education, health and Swaraj Fund, sources said. In his last budget, Sisodia created a provision of Rs 253 crore under the Swaraj Fund Scheme. Before the allocation, the AAP government held public meetings in 11 constituencies to know public requirements. About 50 public meetings were organised in each assembly constituency which were attended by residents of the area. In the next financial year, there willl be mohalla sabha meetings after the Delhi government gives statutory backing to these groups financial decision-making role. At present, each municipal councillor also has an annual fund of Rs 50 lakh for development works in his ward. If mohalla sabhas get financial powers of about Rs 50 lakh each, these may become financially as powerful as the elected representatives in civic agencies which currently have no representation of the AAP and are run by only BJP and Congress councillors. A BJP councillor said: Kejriwal seems to be preparing for the 2017 municipal elections by planning to give power to his supporters in all colonies. Adding a new episode to the ongoing tussle with Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung, the Delhi government on Wednesday went public over his alleged refusal to create dedicated bus lanes on city roads. In a press statement, the Delhi government slammed Jung for declining to approve the proposal for dedicated bus lanes and imposition of a fine of Rs 2,000 to the violators of this rule, despite a court ruling. It is unfortunate that the LG of Delhi has declined approval to the proposal seeking enforcement of bus lanes and lane driving, stating that it is ambiguous, said the statement. The Delhi government and Jung have been at loggerheads earlier over transfer of officials, allotment of land for Delhi government schools and matters related to law and order and Delhi Police, which reports to Raj Niwas. The statement said the proposal for the dedicated bus lane was prepared by the Transport Department on the request of the Delhi Traffic Police. Its features included creation of dedicated bus lanes, direction for buses to ply in these lanes and removal of obstructions, including parked vehicles, from these lanes. It was proposed that any violation of these would attract a fine of Rs 2,000. The dedicated bus lanes were proposed by traffic police to ensure that the public transport buses moved faster, encouraging more people to give up private vehicles. Jungs office however clarified that he has not rejected the proposals but sought clarifications from the elected government, such as consultation with Public Works Department as suggested by the transport commissioner, since it is the road-owning agency. The LG also suggested getting the notification duly vetted by the Law Department and resubmitting the proposal to his office, said a Raj Niwas statement. A nine-year-old boy was abducted and murdered by two juveniles in southwest Delhis Dwarka, police said on Wednesday. Police have apprehended the accused. They have confessed to the murder committed on Sunday, saying they wanted to extort money from the boys parents, police said. On Sunday evening, the parents of Lalit Sehrawat, after not seeing him for over an hour, reported a missing complaint with Dwarka sector-23 police station. We saw Lalit calling from the houses landline to someone and then he told us that he is going to his friends house for a party. As he left the house, we became suspicious; we waited for an hour for him to come but he didnt, said Lalits grandfather. Police searched for the boy in the village and its nearby areas, but could not trace him. Then we checked the call data record of the phone and found out that Lalit had last spoken to Sandeep (name changed), who lives in our village. Police then apprehended Sandeep and questioned him, Lalits grandfather added. Sources said Sandeep,17, misled police for two days about the incident and feigned ignorance. After sustained interrogation, he confessed to the crime and also told the police about his accomplice Dinesh (name changed) in the murder. On Tuesday evening, Sandeep took the investigators to an under-construction building outside the village where the duo had kept Lalits body. Police said Sandeep had befriended Lalit, as the latter used to go to his house to play marbles. Lalit was fond of Sandeeps parents who dotted on him too. Sandeep had made a plan to abduct Lalit, so that he could ask for extortion money from his parents, said Lalits relative. A student of class 3 of Basva International School, Lalits father drives a school van and his mother runs a grocery shop. When Lalit went to meet Sandeep and his friend, they perhaps tried to forcibly take him to another place. When Lalit resisted their attempts, they slashed his neck with razor blades, he added. Police have handed over the body to the family after post-mortem. The two accused have been sent to a juvenile home. Prime Minister Narendra Modi today reached out to the opposition, saying he needs their support for 'improvement' in his government, even as he attacked the Congress over disruptions in Parliament while skipping the raging issues like JNU and Dalit student's suicide. Modi, speaking in the Lok Sabha, used wit and barbs as he responded to the attack by Congress over various initiatives of his government, including 'Make in India' and MNREGA. Slamming the Congress for disrupting Parliament and stalling bills, he said the main opposition party was doing so because of "inferiority complex" of its top leaders. He also invoked the statements made by Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and first President Rajendra Prasad by reading out their statements against stalling of legislative business. He deploredthe 'tu tu, mai mai' (blame game) attitude by political parties for "scoring points", saying the officialdom rejoices over this and nation suffers. "This government also needs improvement which cannot happen without your help. I am new, you are experienced. I need the benefit of your experience. Governments will come and go. Let us work shoulder to shoulder," Modi said while replying to a debate on Motion of Thanks to the President's Address which was approved later. He said a democratic country like India cannot be left at the mercy of the bureaucracy as he sought to underline the importance of the Legislature, saying even a single MP of any party should be treated like "Prime Minister". In his 75-minute speech, Modi, however, did not respond to the specific issues raised by Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders, like his visit to Pakistan, blackmoney, JNU and Dalit student Rohith Vemula's suicide. Without naming Rahul Gandhi, the Prime Minister appeared to be responding to his yesterday's remark that he should listen to others. "It is easy to preach others...There are some people to whom all kinds of questions are asked. But there are some others, to whom nobody dares to ask questions," he said. "I have been questioned, I have faced criticism and accusations over last 14 years. I have learnt to live with it," said Modi, apparently referring to the attacks on him in the aftermath of Gujarat riots of 2002. While hitting out at Rahul for criticising his government, he sarcastically recalled how the Congress Vice President had torn at a press conference an Ordinance approved by the Cabinet headed by Manmohan Singh and including veterans like A K Antony, Sharad Pawar and Farooq Abdullah. He also took on Rahul for mocking at the government's ambitious 'Make in India' programme, questioning whether such a scheme should be made fun of. "You are mocking at 'Make in India'? If it is not successful, you should suggest what should be done to make it successful," he said. Referring to disruptions in Parliament due to which several bills, including the crucial GST legislation is stuck, Modi said "House is not allowed to function due to inferiority complex (of the opposition leadership)." While elaborating, he appeared to suggest that top Congress leadership was not allowing "young" and "bright" leaders to emerge fearing that they may overshadow Rahul. "In the opposition there are bright and talented youngsters who don't get a chance to speak...They lot lot of study...The concern is that if they speak, they will be praised. Then what will happen to us," Modi said. While talking of disruptions in Parliament, the Prime Minister again appeared to take a swipe at Congress, saying the opposition's attitude was to "demonstrate its strength" even though its "strength may be less". Congress has only 45 members in the 545-member Lok Sabha. Invoking Rajiv Gandhi over disruptions, Modi read out a statement made by the former Prime Minister in which he had expressed "pain" over stalling of Parliament and said that while it hurts the government, it equally hurts the members of the opposition who want to raise issues of their concern. He said because of the will of Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, some bills were passed in Lok Sabha but those could not move ahead, suggesting that they got stuck in Rajya Sabha. Identifying some of these legislations, he said the Whistleblowers Protection Amendment bill is meant for enlightening the citizens and "I see no reason why it is stopped." With regard to GST, which is aimed at overhauling the taxation system in the country, Modi told the Congress, "it is yours only, still it is being stopped." While talking about attempts to "halt" development of the country by the opposition, he cited a statement made by Indira Gandhi in 1974 in which she had wondered why some people try to portray the image of the country in such a manner as if India is standing with a begging bowl. When Congress member Kantilal Bhuria said that there is a "gap between what you say and what you do", Modi said, "I have got several certificates during the last 14 years, let there be one more. I accept it with bowed head." Taking on the Congress for mocking at his ambitious project of constructing toilets, the Prime Minister sarcastically said that if this task had been accomplished earlier, he would not have had to do it. Similarly, he referred to the Bangladesh border dispute which was settled after four decades and told Congress benches, "You can say that 'if we had settled it, how would you do it'. You may say that 'We left it for you to do'." He said 18,000 villages were in darkness due to unsettled boundary even so many years after Independence and this was the Congress' "gift" which "we do not deny". Responding to Congress contention that MNREGA was the baby of previous UPA government and that the NDA regime had repackaged and usurped it, Modi dwelt into the history and said such a programme had first been initiated in Maharashtra in 1972. He said such schemes for the poor have been going on for decades under various names and in different versions and that once Jawaharlal Nehru's name was "removed by same party which curses us". On Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge's charge about corruption in MNREGA, the Prime Minister said, "I agree 1000 per cent" and went on to suggest that it was during the tenure of previous UPA government. He said CAG had said in its report of 2012 pointed out how corruption was linked to MNREGA. "We have tried to learn something from that. We are trying to make it foolproof and ensure that targeted people get benefits," he added. CAG has said MNREGA has not reached most of the places inhabited by the poor, Modi said, adding his government has linked it to Jandhan and other schemes and "hopefully we will be able to eliminate the middlemen". While the Prime Minister was speaking, Rahul was seen leaving the House, prompting BJP benches to take a dig at the Congress leader. Rahul, who was yet to reach the exit gate, returned to his seat and then again went back and left. As BJP members were making some comments against Rahul, Modi told them to desist from that. Modi, while training guns at the Congress, also slammed the opposition party over poverty. "You (Congress) boldly say that during elections I had promised to rid the country of poverty. But you have made poverty so deep-rooted that it is so difficult to uproot it... You must be saying 'Modi, you yourself will be uprooted but poverty will not go'.. Still, we are making efforts," he said. "To uproot poverty, a lot of efforts need to be made.... I realised how deep-rooted poverty is only when I came here (after becoming Prime Minister)," the former Gujarat Chief Minister said. Asking Congress to accept that it has brought the country to such a pass, Modi said had there been no poverty, there would have been no need for MNREGA. While taking on Congress, he said it was suffering from a "feeling of jealousy" as it is concerned as to why the NDA government is doing "well". He said Congress is worried that 'What we could not do in 60 years, how could you do it?' He drew comparisons of the performance of his government with the UPA governments, particularly in the context of constructing roads and implementation of MNREGA. "I invite intellectuals to do study of Atalji's Gram Sadak Yojana and MNREGA," Modi said. Talking about Food Security Act brought by the UPA, he said it had not been implemented by four Congress-ruled states, including poll-bound Kerala. "You enjoy talking Gujarat.... Your own government in Kerala has not implemented it. You are going to polls there with full force. People will ask why your government did not implement FSA," he said. About the recently-launched Crop Insurance Scheme, Modi said it will come into force in all states from April 1, this year. Among the digs he took at Congress, the Prime Minister said, "I can't say I started Rail. You can say that. You can say anything. But we do not have the courage to do so." Pakistan's finance minister today said that his country will never roll back its nuclear programme despite financial hardship and threat of mounting external debt. Ishaq Dar was briefing the Senate, the upper house of parliament, on the country's economy. The Express Tribune reported that Dar dismissed reports about Pakistan bartering away its nuclear arsenal. "We did not start this (nuclear) programme to roll it back. This is a programme of our security, and it is a national responsibility to protect it. All political parties of Pakistan share the ownership of our nuclear programme," he said. "Even if our debts swell to USD 100 billion or USD 100 trillion, we will not roll back our nuclear programme," he said. He referred to a 2008 article in Wall Street Journal headlined 'Let's Buy Pakistan's Nukes' in which the author asked Western donors to agree on a USD 100 billion economic package in exchange for eliminating Pakistan's nuclear stockpile, currently said to be the world's fastest growing. He mentioned another article which suggested the ever-ballooning debt may lead Pakistan to compromise on its national security assets. Dar's forceful statement came after US Secretary of State John Kerry pressed Pakistan at this week's strategic dialogue in Washington to reduce its nuclear arsenal. Dar did not mention Kerry's statement but Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani asked Adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz to brief the house on the issue. Aziz had urged the US not to contribute to "strategic imbalance in South Asia" by aiding India. Government today said it is examining the Tamil Nadu government's decision to remit the sentence of seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case but made it clear that abiding by Supreme Court's order on the issue is its Constitutional responsibility. "We have received a letter from the Tamil Nadu government yesterday and we are examining it. But I want to state about the accused that Supreme Court has given a verdict and to abide by its order is our constitutional responsibility, not only constitutional but also moral responsibility," Home Minister Rajnath Singh said in Lok Sabha during Zero Hour. Singh's statement came a day after Tamil Nadu government said it has decided to remit the sentence of life imprisonment of all the seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case and release them and sought the Centre's views on the move. In a letter to Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi today, Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary K Gnanadesikan said the state government has received petitions from the seven convicts requesting it to release them as they had spent more than 20 years in prison. The convicts are V Sriharan alias Murugan, T Suthendraraja alias Santhan, A G Perarivalan alias Arivu, Jayakumar, Robert Payas, Ravichandran and Nalini. All the seven were convicted by a special TADA court for their role in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on May 21, 1991 during an election rally at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu. The Supreme Court had on December 2, 2015 said Centre will decide whether Rajiv Gandhi's killers will be released or not holding that states cannot exercise "suo motu" the power to grant remission without any specific plea from convicts. Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad told reporters that Congress would oppose the state government's decision. "We don't agree with the Tamil Nadu government. The Supreme Court has already rejected this plea of several organisations and there is no question of supporting such a move. "As a party, we will definitely oppose this move of the Tamil Nadu government," he said. In a hate-fuelled attack, a 13-year-old Sikh school boy in Australia, travelling in a bus here, was assaulted, mocked and threatened with being stabbed for wearing a turban. Harjeet Singh, was riding the bus home, when two males and a female ringleader -- all believed to be in their late teens assaulted and mocked him. Harjeet was also allegedly threatened with being stabbed and had his turban pulled in the hate-fuelled attack aboard a suburban bus, the Herald Sun reported. The female demanded to know why Harjeet was wearing a "towel" on his head and twice tried to remove his turban despite the terrified boy trying to get away. It is alleged that one of the males was also involved and the boy was sworn at. Harjeet's mother Rajinder Kaur Gill told the daily, "My son was so scared and he was crying. It's a horrible thing. I'm just scared if it's safe for him on the bus." "We are worried it's not just my son -- we are worried it will be other people as well. It should not happen to anyone," she said of the incident that took place on February 23. The two males and the female are being sought by police. Harjeet, who attends Doncaster Secondary College here, was sitting in the middle row of the bus when the offenders approached from the back seat. The ordeal lasted until Eltham when Harjeet got off the bus early with schoolfriends, also in tears. One of their mothers drove Harjeet home. "I was so scared. I just froze and when my friends got off the bus I got off with them," Harjeet said. "The girl said I had a 'worthless towel' on my head," he said. "The girl pushed my son's turban with her elbow," Gill said. "My son moved from his seat to get further away from them and they followed him and sat behind him again. This time the girl pushed him hard and tried to remove his turban again. My son was scared and he asked them to stop but they laughed at him and they said there aren't that many stabbings in Eltham," she said. Victoria Police spokesman Paul Turner said police were investigating reports of an assault. "The investigation is in its infancy and it would be inappropriate to provide further comment at this time," he said. Army today foiled an infiltration bid by militants along the Line of Control in Keran sector of Kashmir, in which one ultra was killed while two soldiers sustained injuries. "An infiltration bid was foiled by alert troops along the Line of Control in Keran Sector. "One militant has been killed so far," an army official said. Two soldiers sustained injuries in the exchange of fire with the infiltrators, the official said adding both the jawans were evacuated to a hospital where their condition is stated to be stable. He said the operation was in progress till last reports came in. A 30-metre-long tunnel from Pakistan to the Indian side was today detected by the Border Security Force (BSF) on the international border in the RS Pura sector of Jammu district. "We have detected a well-constructed tunnel on International Border (IB) in RS Pura sector of Jammu district today," a senior BSF officer said. This is the fourth tunnel unearthed by the BSF in the region since 2012. "We were carrying out our regular clearing operations, done monthly, when we found a well-constructed tunnel," he said, adding that it was being dug out with JCB. "We were suspecting some activities across the border. There were late night movements. People used to come late in night to the post across". The tunnel is approximately 10 feet below the ground and has a length of 30 metres from their end to this side, he said. "But it was blocked on our side. It was dead end. It had no exit as they could not complete it further. It came close to the border fencing," the officer said. "One person can sit and easily move inside the tunnel which has came up in the vicinity of Allah-Mai-Di-Kothi BoP of ours from Pakistan Post of Afzal, he said, adding that a probe was on. Earlier, BSF had detected a 400-metre long cross-border tunnel along the International Border in July 2012 in Samba sector. In May 2014, it found a caved-in portion of the tunnel in Chillyari border belt in Samba district, which was found 23 metres inside the Indian territory. Another tunnel was discovered in August 2014, which was approximately 130 to 150 metres in length along the Line of Control (LoC) and originated on the Pakistan side, near a forward post along Indo-Pak border in Jammu region's sensitive Pallanwala sector. The BSF, in a statement in Delhi, said the force is already on high alert on western borders and is working proactively to thwart any misadventure by anti-national elements. After a detailed vulnerability analysis, the sensitive regions have been mapped yet again and special measures are now in place to counter any security threats. "Efforts are on to check the complete layout and design of the tunnel. Senior officers are camping on the place of detection," it added. In 2009, Darren Chew and a few business partners opened LUsine, a cafe and lifestyle boutique on the second level of a 19th-century building in downtown Ho Chi Minh City. LUsines space has ceilings that are five metres (or more than 16 feet) high and original cast-iron pillars that evoke Vietnams French colonial past. Darren, an Australian entrepreneur and a co-founder of Un-available, a Vietnam-based garment-manufacturing company, loved the aesthetic. I remember saying, If this place doesnt work, Im going to take it as my apartment, Darren said. But LUsine (The Factory) was a success, so he began searching for an apartment with a similar look and feel. Three years later, he found one in a 1927 building a few blocks away. Known as the Catinat Building, it sits on the former site of a 1790 citadel, on a street that the French colonial government named Rue Catinat, according to Tim Doling, a historian based in Ho Chi Minh City and an expert on Vietnams architectural heritage. It once housed French companies and an American Consulate. Claim to fame The Catinat Building also has a famous neighbour: an adjacent apartment block that once housed Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) employees and was a launching pad for Americans fleeing the city, then called Saigon, by helicopter on April 29, 1975, the penultimate day of the Vietnam War. (The scene was captured by the late Hubert Van Es, a Dutch photojournalist.) Ever since, the five-level Catinat Building has led a fairly uneventful life, its upper floors rented out as apartments and its prime ground-floor retail spaces hosting in recent years an ever-changing array of bars, cafes and restaurants, Tim Doling wrote last year on his website, Historic Vietnam. The buildings interior has a spiralling central staircase, with a wrought-iron balustrade that circles a fenced-in elevator shaft. (The elevator doors say Poussez, French for push.) The blue-and-yellow-tile hallway floors are badly worn and speckled with concrete patches. But they show traces of 1920s elegance. Tim said in an interview that the Catinat Building is an example of early Art Deco architecture and that its staircase-enclosed elevator, once a common feature in the city, is now among the only ones left. In 2012, Darren visited a roughly 50-square-metre (or 538-square-foot) apartment on the buildings fourth level. Friends of his lived there, but they planned to move out and asked if he wanted to take over the lease. Darren, 40, said the apartment was too small for his taste. But, in a stroke of luck, a neighbour said she could rent him her adjacent, roughly 70-square-metre apartment. So Darren brokered an arrangement in which he would knock down a wall separating the two apartments, and pay each landlord the equivalent of about $800 per month for five years. They worked it out between them, Darren said. It was easy enough. By that point, Darren had also become a co-founder of District Eight Design, a furniture and interior design company based in Ho Chi Minh City whose pieces feature antique machinery and salvaged tropical hardwoods a look he calls modern industrial. He assigned some of his employees to renovate his new apartment in a way that preserved its 1920s character. New look They laid a traditional parquet floor in the living room, for example, but painted it black to give it a contemporary look, Darren said. They also brought in several pieces of modern, industrial furniture from the District Eight collection; laid stone terrazzo tiles on the bathroom floors and walls; overhauled the wiring system; and installed three-metre-high doors between the open-plan kitchen and two adjacent bedrooms. You had these beautiful high ceilings, and if you had a short door it would kind of bring the whole apartment down, Darren said. He said the retail cost of the renovation was about $20,000, though he paid considerably less because he used his own companys materials and did not pay a design fee. The investment made financial sense, he added, because he would otherwise have paid about $2,500 per month to rent a modern apartment elsewhere in the city, or $900 more than his monthly rent in the Catinat Building. On a recent weekday evening, Darren strolled, barefoot, across the black parquet floor and looked out a panelled window that stretches across most of a four-metre wall. Four levels below, cars and motorbikes were rushing down Dong Khoi Street (formerly Rue Catinat) toward the Saigon River, and past the citys historic opera house. The commute to his office is just 20 minutes by motorbike, Darren said, and his apartment is a short walk from LUsine and other bars and restaurants. He said he also likes how the building is mostly occupied by Vietnamese and retains a strong local character. But several other historic buildings in downtown Ho Chi Minh City have been torn down recently to make way for high-rise construction projects, and he thinks the Catinat Building will soon meet the same fate no matter that it could easily be converted into a beautiful hotel. All of these buildings are going to go at some stage, he said, gesturing out his window at a few other colonial-era landmarks. This city breaks your heart. Amid the transformational journey of IT service delivery around the globe, Infosys made it clear that it will not become a product company, despite bringing innovation powered by automation, artificial intelligence, products and platforms. Addressing the Morgan Stanley TMT (Technology, Media and Telecom) conference held in San Francisco, Infosys CEO and MD Vishal Sikka said the whole world is moving towards the services way. Our endeavour is not to become a product company; that will completely miss the point. At a time when everything is becoming a service, why would a services company want to become a product company? he asked. Sikka said the idea here is to productise intellectual property in service of the project to amplify the ability of the people to do more with less for more. We have 800 projects which were people-to-software projects. We want to make it more software-only so that the cost can be lowered for the customer, and our margins will not be sacrificed. It will help us improve our band width too, he said. He said the industry is looking at product, services and innovation from three dimension. There should be desirability of end user dimension. The feasibility of the engineering technology dimension and the viability, that is the economic and value in it, he said. The Infosys CEO reiterated the commitment to achieve industry-leading growth in the ongoing financial year, and the long-term goal of touching $20 billion in revenue, with 30% operating margin and $80,000 revenue per employee in calendar year 2020. We will be able to achieve these with minimal investments, both in people as well as acquisitions, he said. Sikka said that he is quite satisfied with the early progress on the plan, but it is still at an early phase, and a lot is still in front of us. Our endeavour is to have consistent profitable growth, and that has been our philosophy. We are on track to get to industry-leading growth in the next financial year. We want to be a global leader in this new kind of IT services, Sikka added. Gujarat-based Iba Halal Care is set to revolutionise the cosmetics market in India, with its halal certified, vegan and cruelty-free cosmetics brand. The brand seeks to create a new category of halal (lawfully permitted) personal care products, which are devoid of non-halal ingredients such as alcohol, pig fat and other animal derived ingredients, and harmful chemicals like sulfates and parabens. We find our opportunity in making the pursuit of beauty guilt-free, said Mauli Teli, CEO and Managing Partner of Iba Halal Care. The company on Thursday marked its entry into South India, with a store in Bengaluru. Having initiated operations in 2012, the company launched its brand with two stores in Ahmedabad, and now has six stores across India. While it plans on expanding into 10 more locations across the country, by the end of March, Iba Halal Care will have set up three kiosks in South Africa, at Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. With presence on Flipkart, Amazon and Snapdeal, among others, the company derives 25% of its sales online. With over 80 products in its portfolio, including ranges of colour cosmetics, skincare, haircare and personal care products, prices range from Rs 40 to Rs 350, said Teli. Colour cosmetics like lipsticks, are most popular, followed by skincare and personal care products like shampoo and perfumes, said Teli. On the way forward, Teli said, the opportunity for Iba in India, lies in the Rs 60,000 crore cosmetics and personal care market, and we can capture up to 15% of it, especially considering the niche audience it attracts. The company will close this financial year with 400% y-o-y growth, and aims to become a Rs 1,000-crore company by 2019, she said. The government on Thursday asked the industry to support the attempt to implement General Anti Avoidance Rules (GAAR), announced in the Budget, by 2017. GAAR is a set of rules enacted to check tax avoidance. Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia, in a post-Budget interactive session of the PHD Chamber of Commerce, also confirmed that Minimum Alternate Tax (MAT) rates cannot be brought down at this juncture, as the government has already kept sufficient space for corporates to enjoy tax exemptions in other forms. GAAR implementation by the government ought to happen as scheduled, as foreign institutional investors and such other portfolios have been escaping capital gains in one form or the other, keeping the domestic industry at disadvantage and, therefore, it should come out openly in support of the government to implement it as scheduled, Adhia said. Last year, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had deferred applicability of GAAR by two years. Referring to the issue of MAT, the Revenue Secretary held that its existing rates cannot be curtailed as industry is being provided with so many exemptions in other forms, and the government has already done the balancing exercise in a planned and meticulous manner and, therefore, seeking to reduce the MAT ceiling would not be opportune at this juncture. On the issue of corporate tax reduction as promised by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, while presenting the Budget proposals of last fiscal, Adhia clarified that if the finance ministry curtailed general corporate tax by 1% in Budget proposals for 2016-17, it would mean a revenue loss of Rs 15,000 crore, which the government at this juncture could not afford due to prevailing adverse global conditions on account of which, exports have consistently suffered in the last couple of months. However, the government has extended this benefit for new manufacturing units to avail of corporate tax facility at the rate of 25% from 2016-17, he pointed out adding that the Budget for 2016-17 has been exclusively designed to generate domestic demand with large allocations for spending in rural economy, especially in its agricultural, irrigation, power and infrastructure sector, since the global economic landscape is not yet favourable to absorb exports from developing nation such as India. India is keen to see substantial progress in Pakistans investigation into Pathankot Air Force base attack in Punjab before rescheduling Foreign Secretary S Jaishankars meeting with his counterpart A A Chaudhry. New Delhi is still waiting for Islamabad to convey the date of the proposed visit of Pakistans Special Investigation Team to India to probe the attack. Sources in New Delhi said India has asked Pakistan to inform it about the SITs visit at least five days ahead of its proposed arrival. Islamabad, however, had not yet shared with New Delhi any information about the proposed day of the SITs visit. Sartaj Aziz, advisor on foreign affairs to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, recently said in Washington DC that the SIT would visit India to probe the terror attack at Pathankot. He also expressed hope that stalled bilateral engagement could restart with Foreign Secretary level talks soon. A meeting between Jaishankar and Chaudhry was scheduled to be held in Islamabad on January 15. They were to discuss modalities of the bilateral dialogue, which India and Pakistan of late agreed to restart after a two-year-long hiatus since January 2013. After the Pathankot attack, New Delhi did not call off resumption of bilateral dialogue, but deferred the meeting between the two foreign secretaries. New Delhi and Islamabad are exploring possibilities of a meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and him in Kathmandu on the sideline of a Saarc meet in the middle of March. Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar may also meet his counterpart A A Chaudhry in Islamabad or Kathmandu around the same time. Sharif and Prime Minister Narendra Modi might also have a meeting in Washington on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit, which would be hosted by US President Barack Obama from March 31 to April 1. Pathankot priority After the Pathankot attack, New Delhi did not call off resumption of bilateral dialogue, but deferred the meeting between the two foreign secretaries New Delhi and Islamabad are exploring possibilities of a meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Sartaz Aziz in Kathmandu on the sideline of a Saarc meet in the middle of March. Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar may also meet his counterpart A A Chaudhry in Islamabad or Kathmandu around the same time Preliminary investigation into the terror attack on Consulate General of India at Jalalabad in Afghanistan on Wednesday revealed that all the five attackers hailed from Pakistan. The preliminary investigation report, which Kabul shared with New Delhi, indicated that the latest attack on Indias diplomatic mission in Afghanistan was carried out by terrorists, who had been recruited, indoctrinated, trained and equipped in Pakistan, sources told Deccan Herald. Afghanistans apex intelligence agency, National Directorate of Security, conducted the preliminary investigation along with local unit of the Afghan National Police. All previous attacks on Indias diplomatic missions in Afghanistan were proved to have been planned, coordinated and carried out by terror outfits based in Pakistan. Vikas Swarup, official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, told journalists that the Afghan government had deployed additional security personnel in the wake of the attack. He said that five terrorists had attacked the CGI in Jalalabad group of five terrorists at 12 noon. The attackers approached the CGI in a van loaded with explosives and were stopped by security personnel of the ANP. Two terrorists blew themselves up, while three others were gunned down, added Swarup. No member of the consulate was injured except superficial injuries in right hand of one of the local staff members. Three persons reportedly died in the attack. The NDS reported that 19 people were injured, mostly Afghan National Police guards, two of whom have serious injuries, said MEA official spokesperson. The January 3-4 attack on Consulate General of India at Mazar-e-Sharif in northern Afghanistan was also carried out by terror outfits based in Pakistan. After the incident, Sayed Kamal Sadat, chief of police in Balkh province of Afghanistan, not only revealed that Pakistan Army personnel had been involved with the attack on the consulate, but also expressed his strong suspicion that the attackers themselves might belong to the military establishment of the neighbouring country. Modus operandi The attackers approached the CGI in a van loaded with explosives and were stopped by security personnel of the ANP Two terrorists blew themselves up, while three others were gunned down Three persons reportedly died in the attack. The NDS reported that 19 people were injured Three local militants of Hizb-ul-Mujihadeen outfit were killed in an overnight encounter with security forces in restive Tral area of South Kashmirs Pulwama district on Thursday. Reports said following a specific information that a group of militants were hiding in a residential house in Mir Mohalla, Dadsara, Tral, 38 km from here, security forces surrounded the area on Wednesday evening. As a search party of security forces was zeroing-in on the targets, the holed up militants opened fire resulting in an encounter which lasted several hours, reports said. Superintendent of Police (SP) Awantipora, Muhammad Irshad said that all the three militants were killed during the gunfight. Three AK-47 rifles have also been recovered from the encounter site, he said. The slain militants have been identified as Asif Ahmed Mir alias Abu Muaviya, Ashiq Ahmed Bhat alias Ubaida and Ishaq Parray alias Newton, all local residents. Sources said Asif was one of the oldest surviving militants from Tral while Ashiq was affiliated with Lashker-e-Toiba and had later shifted to HM. Ashiq was responsible for the Halamulla attack where one CRPF Sub Inspector was killed and was also involved in providing shelter to militants involved in Udhampur attack on the BSF convoy last year, they said. According to locals of Tral, Ishaq had scored 98.4 per cent in Class 10th and 85 per cent in 12th. His friends would always remember him as Newton as he was the best student in the area, Zahid Ahmad, a resident of Tral told Deccan Herald over phone. A police official said, in March last year, Ishaq left home in Laribala small village near Tralto join the militants. Militant killed on LoC The Army foiled an infiltration bid along the Line of Control (LoC) in Keeran sector of north Kashmirs Kupwara district on Thursday by killing one militant. Two soldiers were also injured in the ongoing encounter. The encounter had started on Wednesday evening in Routa Nar, Keeran, 130 km from here, after the army launched an operation following inputs that a heavily armed group of militants has infiltrated from Pakistani side. As the Congress vociferously opposed Tamil Nadus move to consult the Centre to release Rajiv Gandhis killers, Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said he had no personal opinion on the matter and put the ball in the governments court for a final decision. Congress leaders, however, sparred in the Lok Sabha with their counterparts from the AIADMK over the Tamil Nadu governments decision to seek release of the former prime ministers assassins. After Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge demanded a statement from the Centre, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said he would be guided by the Supreme Court verdict on the issue of releasing convicts. Letter to Centre Ahead of the Assembly elections, the Tamil Nadu government had written to the Centre about its decision to remit the sentences of V Sriharan alias Murugan, T Suthendraraja alias Santhan, A G Perarivalan alias Arivu, Jayakumar, Robert Payas, Ravichandran and Nalini who were convicted in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. We have received a letter from the Tamil Nadu government yesterday (Wednesday) and we are examining it. The Supreme Court has given a verdict and to abide by its order is not only our constitutional but also moral responsibility, Rajnath Singh told the Lok Sabha. Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad in the Rajya Sabha made it clear that the Congress did not agree with the decision of the Tamil Nadu government. Rejection of plea We do not agree with the Tamil Nadu government. The Supreme Court has already rejected this plea of several organisations and there is no question of supporting such a move, Azad told reporters here. In an explosive session of the Left Front on Thursday, partners CPI, RSP and Forward Bloc gave a hard time to the CPM over ongoing negotiations on seat sharing with the Congress for the forthcoming Assembly elections. The Congress and the CPM have been working out a seat-sharing plan for the last few days that will be acceptable to all allies. Insiders said that the CPM, which has been aiming for an alliance with the Congress, faced a barrage of questions at the meeting from its long-time partners over how they plan to share seats with the Congress. Sources said that RSP state secretary Kshiti Goswami led the charge against what they called the CPM plan to compromise seats to the Congress. Despite efforts by both the CPM and the Congress to forge an alliance to check the ruling Trinamool Congress, there have been divisions within the Left, notwithstanding lack of formal support from Cthe ongress high command. Even though state Congress president Adhir Chowdhury issued a four-line press statement formalising the alliance on February 29, the partys central leadership has remained quite on the matter. Insiders said that state Congress leaders have backing from party vice-president Rahul Gandhi but are yet to hear anything from Sonia. Meanwhile, divisions within the Left have become apparent after meetings with partners RSP, CPI and Forward Bloc over seat-sharing with the Congress remained unproductive. During a meeting with RSP on March 1, Goswami alleged that the CPM is holding alliance talks with the Congress, keeping front partners in the dark. While front chairman Biman Bose and CPM state secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra managed to pacify Goswami on March 1, things did not go well on Thursday, when the CPI and the Forward Bloc leaders also joined the protest. They blamed the CPM of retaining most of its sure seats but giving away prize seats of other partners. While they had no issue with the CPM taking most seats in South Bengal, the CPI, RSP and the Forward Bloc are not willing to part with their traditional seats in North Bengal. The session further heated up as partners raised questions over some CPM leaders taking part in a rally with the Congress in Kolkata last week. The meeting remained inconclusive and had to be cut short after news reached that veteran Bloc leader Ashok Ghosh passed away. Complaints about airlines jacking fares during rush season once again figured in the Rajya Sabha with MPs cutting across party lines demanding setting up of a price-regulatory system. The issue was raised by CPM leader K N Balagopal during the Zero Hour, who pointed out that airlines were charging exorbitant prices and referred to airfare between Kozhikode in Kerala and Gulf countries. The airlines have increased the airfares three times for tickets during summer vacation. A number of people working in India are planning to come on vacation, he said. Balagopal also referred to the difference in fare between flights to Damam from Kozhikode and Kochi. From Kozhikode to Gulf countries, the airfare is three times as compared to the other airports in the same state. For going to Dammam from Kozhikode, the airfare is Rs 27,900 while, at the same time, from Cochin, it is Rs 12,000, he said. He said the foreign airlines were ruling the aviation market and they were looting actually. Deputy Chairman P J Kurien asked for governments response on the matter and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said he would convey it to the minister concerned. The issue was raised again as there was time left in the Zero Hour after all the mentions were taken up. Why there is no regulatory ricing system? asked Samajwadi Party MP Neeraj Shehkar. Amid reports that the Opposition DMK and the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) in Tamil Nadu are getting closer for a poll alliance, another attempt by the BJP to have the next round of discussion with Vijayakanth failed on Thursday. Union minister and BJP Tamil Nadu election in-charge Prakash Javadekar, who was supposed to meet Vjayakanth for the second round of discussion on poll alliance, returned disappointed as the meeting did not take place, sources said. Though Javadekar claimed that he came to Chennai for an official purpose, BJP sources here said since Vijayakanth had left to his Rishivandhiyam constituency, the Union minister could not meet the actor for a discussion. I am here today for an office work. No political activities, Javadekar said. Sources said Javadekars main purpose of visit was to clinch the deal with the DMDK. In addition, Javadekar also failed to meet Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) chief Ramadoss. The Sunday talks between the Javadekar and Vijayakanth was inconclusive as the DMDK chief demanded more than 100 seats. The Union minister, who had one-hour discussion with Vijayakanth at his party office, had earlier said he will visit the city before the budget for another round of talks. Senior Congress leader K R Ramesh Kumar said on Thursday that there is a need to bring in strict electoral reforms to bring in more transparency. Speaking in the Legislative Assembly, Kumar said that there has been lack of transparency in allotting party tickets to candidates. Candidates have spent large sums of money to contest the recent zilla panchayat elections. Candidates are selected based on their money power. What sort of democracy is this ?, he questioned. Kumar said that an all party delegation should meet central leaders of all parties in New Delhi and press for electoral reforms. Kumar said efforts should be made to ensure there pensions are given to senior citizens and widows. Officials found guilty of siphoning such grants should be shot dead, he said. He also urged the government to reframe the lending policy in the State so that more farmers are covered under the cooperative sector. The government on Thursday said that there was no truth in complaints that River Cauvery was highly polluted. The processed river water is potable, according to the Central Pollution Control Board, it said. Speaking in the Assembly, Environment Minister B Ramanath Rai said that river waters are divided into four categories A to E. C specifies that water may be used after processing and purification. This also means it is fit for drinking purpose. The minister was replying to a call attention of BJP member Ravi Subramanya, who said that River Cauvery has become highly polluted due to discharge of effluent, drainage water, illegal resorts and sand mining. The minister said that in February 2015, the Central Pollution Control Board had evaluated the quality of Cauvery water and had submitted a report titled River Stretches for Restoration of Water Quality. In March 2015, another report Inter-State River Boundary Monitoring Programme was released. Both the reports have stated that Cauvery river falls under C category and thus, the water was fit for drinking after purification. The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board has set up 19 centres to assess the quality of Cauvery water every month. The water is not found to be highly polluted as charged, he said. Tributaries of Cauvery are not included in the study. Rai said that as per the Pollution Control Board rules, which were drafted decades ago, setting up of polluting industries within a 1.5-km radius of the river bank was not allowed. Only treated water from any source, including housing complexes, can be discharged into the river. The massive protest by the farmers on Thursday, which brought some parts of the City to its knees, was a result of the poor response of the State Government to the six-month-long agitation demanding a permanent irrigation and drinking water facility for arid districts of Chikkaballapur, Kolar, Tumakuru, Bengaluru Rural, Ramanagaram and Chitradurga districts. The farmers had launched an indefinite stir on September 21, 2015, at Chadalapur Cross in Chikkaballapur demanding permanent water supply projects as all tanks, wells and borewells in the region had dried up. Irrigation Minister M B Patil met the protesters and promised that a meeting of peoples representatives would be convened to discuss the issue before November 11, 2015. But when no concrete solution was found, Chikkaballapur and Kolar districts observed a bandh on December 21, 2015. A meeting chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on December 29, 2015 also failed to provide a solution. Thus, the agitated farmers decided to lay a siege to the Vidhana Soudha on March 3 and stormed the City. While they were on their way to Vidhana Soudha, the police used force against the protesters, evoking strong reaction from farmer leaders and other groups. The leaders warned of severe consequences and vowed to continue their stir till the State government yields to their demand of supplying water to dry lands. Hasiru Sene chief Gopalakrishna termed the police action as the first major offence by Siddaramaiah government. This is the first offence that Siddaramaiah committed as the Chief Minister. The police had assured us that we would be permitted to hold a rally at Freedom Park. Everything was normal till we reached Windsor Manor bridge. The situation went out of control as the police prevented us from moving further. We were moving peacefully and the police indulged in atrocities. Women, youths and hundreds of innocent people had to suffer the atrocities. Farmer Punith from Chikkaballapur alleged that the government used force to silence farmers for seeking water. The act is Lathi Bhagya of CM Siddaramaiah to suppress the farmers demands, he said. B C Manjunath Gowda, Citizens Welfare Forum, Devanahalli said: We are not demanding anybodys property, but water. The successive governments have remained silent to our demands. We didnt use force: DGP DG&IGP Om Prakash claimed that the police did not resort to lathi charge, but used mild force. He claimed that the police neither failed to anticipate the consequences nor were they unprepared. The farmers overran the barricades with their tractors and entered the City violating the Police Commissioners orders. Our officers did their best to convince them to hold the rally at Freedom Park, but they ignored our pleas, forcing us to use force, he said. The DGP said 11 people were detained, including Kodihalli Chandrashekhar, Anjaneya Reddy, Bettaralli Byre Gowda, Sunil Babu, Gangappa Meti, Iliyas Ahmed, Waseem, Tabrez Pasha, Adil Pasha, Gopalakrishna and Basavaraju. The High Grounds and Vyalikaval police have registered cases against them for rioting. A new Aadhaar bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha amid objection from the opposition. The opposition said the NDA government is placing it as a money bill to avoid the legislation going to the Rajya Sabha where the ruling alliance is in minority. When Finance minister Arun Jaitley introduced the bill, some Congress and BJD members expressed reservation over it reminding the treasury bench that a similar legislation was conceived by the UPA government and is pending in Parliament. Jaitley responded by saying that the new legislation was substantially different and confined to government expenditure which fits the definition of money bill. The bill intends to provide benefits, subsidies or services funded from the Consolidated Fund of India through Aadhaar. Congress member Jyotiraditya Scindia pointed out that the UPA government had a National Identification Authority of India Bill, 2010, which was pending in Rajya Sabha and wondered why it was being introduced as a money bill. Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge said: They have no objection to the fresh legislation, but it should not be brought as money bill. The speaker kept on insisting that she did not get any notice over the issue from members and she has allowed the finance minister only to introduce it. BJD MP Bhartruhari Mahtab too red flagged the introduction of the bill and wanted to know whether the Aadhaar number will be treated as an evidence of citizenship and whether there was adequate firewall to protect privacy of people holding the unique identity number card. Countering Oppositions take on the bill, Jaitley remarked that he had a list of money bills the UPA had brought, including juvenile justice, African banks and workmen injury compensation. He also assured Mahtab, the Cuttack BJD MP of Odisha, that both his concerns have been addressed in the tabled legislation. The Cabinet had cleared the bill on Wednesday after Jaitley in his Budget speech had announced that the Centre would give statutory backing to Aadhaar to ensure that there are no leakages in distribution of subsidies and money for other social schemes. Checking leak in DBT The Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Bill seeks to: Provide statutory backing to use Aadhaar number for delivery of various benefits, subsidies and services Take measures pertaining to security, privacy and confidentiality of information in possession of Unique Identification Authority Make it clear that the Aadhaar number is not a proof of citizenship or domicile Government claims it could save Rs 20,000 crore by using Aadhaar to ensure that subsidies reach only the needy Provide for a framework to ensure that the biometric details of citizens collected by the Authority are kept discreet and used only to generate Aadhaar numbers and to authenticate the same. Mixing aggression, wit and barbs, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday accused the Congress of stalling Parliament because of jealousy and inferiority complex of its leadership. He asked the oppositions support to improve governance while sidestepping the raging controversies surrounding the JNU and the University of Hyderabad. In his 75-minute speech in the Lok Sabha, Modi paid back in sarcasm to the oppositions attack, particularly by Rahul Gandhi, who on Wednesday took a dig at the government on various issues. However, at the end of his speech, winding up the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the Presidents address, he held out an olive branch to the opposition seeking cooperation in running the government for the benefit of the people and the country. Government also needs to improve and this would not happen without your support. I need your support. I need you people, your experience. I am new. You are experienced. Let us walk shoulder to shoulder and do some good work for the nation. Governments may come and go. People may come and go. Things may fail or succeed but the country will remain immortal. And we will work for the fulfilment of the country, he said, reaching out to the Opposition. Paying back in good measure to Rahul without naming him, Modi appeared to be responding to the Congress leaders remarks that the prime minister should listen to others by saying it is easy to preach others. Modi recalled how Rahul had in 2013 shown respect to the Manmohan Singh Cabinet which include A K Antony, Sharad Pawar and Farooq Abdullah, by tearing in public an Ordinance cleared by it. Slamming Congress for disrupting Parliament and stalling bills, Modi said it was doing so because of jealousy and inferiority complex of its top leaders, suggesting they were not allowing young and bright leaders to emerge, fearing that they may overshadow Rahul. In the opposition, there are bright and talented youngsters who dont get a chance to speak. They do a lot of study. The concern is that if they speak, they will be praised. Then what will happen to us? he said to the cheers from the treasury benches. He also invoked the statements made by Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and first president Rajendra Prasad, by reading out their statements against stalling of legislative business. The prime minister, however, did not respond to the specific issues raised by Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders, like his visit to Pakistan, black money, JNU and Dalit student Rohith Vemulas suicide in Hyderabad University. Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union president Kanhaiya Kumar was back on the university campus on Thursday night after being granted interim bail by the Delhi High Court. The student leader while addressing students said he wanted azaadi within India, and not from India. Crowds erupted in loud cheers as Kanhaiya entered the campus after 23 days in Tihar jail, after being booked in connection with an event last month on campus where anti-national slogans were allegedly chanted. Prime Minister Modi talks Mann ki baat' but doesnt listen to it, Kanhaiya said, alleging that the Centre acted out of vengeance to quell the protests led by the JNUSU demanding justice for Rohith Vemula, the Hyderabad Central University research scholar who committed suicide in his hostel room in January. The open flight of stairs outside the administrative block was chocked with Kanhaiyas supporters. He received a rousing welcome. Some students shouted slogans that they want azadi from the RSS. Minutes before Kanhaiyas appearance, the crowd outside the JNU administrative chanted: Red salute, red salute, red salute to comrade! Kanhaiya also launched an attack on Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani, TV prime time news anchors and parliamentarians who, according to him, fanned anger against JNU, where an event commemorating the hanging of Afzal Guru was organised on February 9. Commenting on the charges of sedition against him, he said, I thank those TV news channels. To insult JNU, they gave it place on prime time. He said the protests that followed JNU students arrests were not planned but spontaneous. The way JNU stood up for the people of the nation is admirable, he said. Saying that he trusts the laws and courts of this country, he launched an offensive against the ABVP for giving a trigger to the ongoing campaign against the organisers of the controversial February 9 event. PM tweeted Satyamev Jayate, despite having ideological and political differences, I also believe in it and say: Satyamev Jayate, the JNUSU president said. He said Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, CPM leader Sitaram Yechury too have been charged with sedition. After dinner, hundreds of JNU students assembled near Ganga dhaba and took out a victory procession which ended at the administrative block. Warm-up speaker JNUSU general secretary Rama Naga, who preceded Kanhaiya, said, We study on taxpayers money: the tax paid by last person who work our farms. They do not want us to take up research on issues that concern our society. They do not want us to talk about caste oppression and atrocities in Jammu and Kashmir. Peter Clarke, EETimes 3/2/2016 03:46 PM EST LONDONFPGA vendor Xilinx has invested in TeraDeep Inc. (Santa Clara, Calif.) a developer of convolutional neural network architectures as part of a Data Center Ecosystem development program. The program is aimed at emerging workload applications such as machine learning, image and video processing, data analytics, storage data base acceleration, and network acceleration. However, the size of the investment by Xilinx Technology Ventures was not disclosed. Click here to read more ... Suriyas S3 To Head To Romani For Next Schedule Big Data can improve the response to humanitarian crises by enabling earlier detection and distributing warnings to potentially affected groups. Data services like Mobile Money are also transforming response, according to the World Food Programmes Pierre Guillaume Wielezynski. These findings were revealed during a panel discussion on Humanitarian Connectivity and the Mobile Industry which took place during Mobile World Congress 2016. Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya, CEO, South Asia at Axiata Group, one of the signatories of the GSMA Humanitarian Connectivity Charter, outlined Axiatas four stage national plan for improving mobile operators responses to humanitarian catastrophes and crises. Stage 1 covers early detection. Axiata believes that installing sensors to monitor tsunamis following earthquakes can save lives, citing the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, in which an estimated 230,000 lives were lost in 14 countries. Since 2004 sensor coverage been greatly extended in the region and the operator believes that the impact of subsequent tsunamis has been reduced as a result. Having a large network of sensors which automatically transmit data back to a central data processing location provides a far more detailed and wide ranging picture of an unfolding disaster than human observation. Data from a wide range of different locations can be processed and co-ordinated much faster to provide a more accurate picture of the seriousness of the situation and to predict where the impact will be greatest. Small differences in local topography can make a huge difference to the impact of an earthquake or tsunami. The means operators can move to Stage 2 of the national plan - early warning - significantly earlier than was possible before big data. Moreover, the entire early warning process can be automated with SMS, USSD, email and voice alerts all triggered by the system. Saving even a few minutes in the warning distribution process can make a huge difference to the number of people who survive a crisis. Stages 3 and 4 of the plan - early response and post disaster recovery can also benefit from a wide range of big data applications. The benefits flowing from the use of big data are even greater in these areas because, as Elaine Weidman-Grunewald of Ericsson reminded us, man made problems hugely outweigh natural disasters when it comes to humanitarian disasters. Jacob Korenblum of Souktel reminded everyone that Even though communities are affected by crisis, people are still people, they are still mobile users, they still have the same needs and desires that someone sitting in this room has. They want to listen to music, take photos, do social, in fact its a way of coping with the crisis surrounding them. A striking example of how mobile technology is transforming humanitarian crisis response was provided by Pierre Guillaume Wielezynski of the World Food Programme (WFP). Where in past disasters, responders such as the WFP needed to focus on sourcing and delivering food supplies, with population movement tracking provided by mobile technology and big data analytics, it is now possible to locate the places where food supplies are available and to deliver messages directing people to them. Moreover, WFP is able to provide the means for people to purchase available food supplies themselves with mobile money, rather than going through the process of purchasing food on behalf of stricken communities and delivering it to them. The dual benefits of this data and communications driven strategy are that it reduces dependency and encourages communities to be proactive in the recovery process, while increasing the numbers of people and the speed at which WPF is able to help. The use of big data raises concerns over privacy, data security and data sovereignty. Addressing these concerns particularly in an emergency humanitarian crisis, underlines the importance of planning and preparation. It is essential to ensure that both governments and data regulators are involved along with operators in disaster preparedness planning. One of the key developments in humanitarian connectivity during the last year was the adoption by the UN Emergency Telecommunications Cluster (ETC) of the ETC 2020 Vision. The ETC 2020 Vision fundamentally changes the focus and priorities of humanitarian connectivity from the provision of communications services for responders, to include also the provision of services for governments and, crucially, for those directly affected by crises. The significance of this can't be overstated. The ETC 2020 Vision is a formal recognition by the United Nations of the central role of mobile network connectivity in enabling faster and more effective allocation of resources and facilitating the recovery processes during crises. Put simply, if you get mobile networks working as a priority, people are better able to help themselves and find solutions to their problems, they need less outside intervention and assistance, and the impact of crises and catastrophe is reduced. It is clear from the discussion that there is a great deal of work to be done to achieve the objectives outlined in the ETC 2020 Vision. Network resilience is easy to talk about but there are many complex issues to be addressed. Key among these according to both Telefonica's Eduardo Puig Aznar and Axiata's Wijayasuriya is energy to power equipment at every stage of the communications process. Renewable energy - solar and wind - provides a much higher degree of network resilience according to both operators. New technology may also help build in network resilience. 5G promises better latency, higher capacity and lower energy requirements than older network infrastructures. Aid today is not limited to safety, warmth and shelter, food and water. As anyone who works in a refugee camp will know, after these the next most important thing in people's lives is the ability to communicate - which in reality means their mobile phone. Among the very first questions that refugees today ask in any humanitarian crisis, conflict or natural disaster, is where can I charge my phone, what network can I connect to, and what's the wifi password. The significance of this for the mobile industry cant be underestimated. The products and services the mobile industry delivers and the thing it provides - the ability to communicate and to access information wherever you are - is up there alongside food and water, shelter and safety in its value to people's lives. As an industry we should be proud of the fact that we are able to provide the technology that makes this possible as well as conscious of the responsibility that it places on us. The day after his appointment as new chief executive of Poundland , Kevin O'Byrne bought shares costing the equivalent of 547,781 Charlie Dimmock-branded wooden-handled trowels, or 547,781 Messy Mutts small microfibre towel, or 547,781 tubs of Lyles Golden Syrup in the single-priced retailer's stores. The Irishman, who will replace chief executive Jim McCarthy when he retires in July, will begin work as CEO designate on 4 April with 574,781.52 of shares in his name. A former divisional CEO role at B&Q and well known to the City from finance director roles at Dixons and Kingfisher, O'Byrne picked up 321,107 shares at a price of 179p apiece. A little of its lustre was also take off O'Byrne's appointment as Wednesday nights quarterly index review saw the discounter ejected from the FTSE 250 index. This was behind a 2.65% fall in the shares to 165.5p by the close on Thursday. Top Director Buys Poundland Group (PLND) Director name: O'Byrne,Kevin Amount purchased: 321,107 @ 179.00p Value: 574,781.52 Coats Group (COA) Director name: Forman,Paul Amount purchased: 500,000 @ 26.91p Value: 134,550.01 Titon Holdings (TON) Director name: Howlett,Nicholas C Amount purchased: 25,000 @ 98.00p Value: 24,500.00 Top Director Sells Glanbia (GLB) Director name: Doheny,Jeremiah Amount purchased: 1,000 @ A 18.75 Value: 18,750.00 Isg (ISG) Director name: Lawther,S David Amount purchased: 6,470 @ 171.00p Value: 11,063.70 Isg (ISG) Director name: Houlton,Jonathan Amount purchased: 5,513 @ 171.00p Value: 9,427.23 Isg (ISG) Director name: Aldridge,Greg Amount purchased: 1,189 @ 171.00p Value: 2,033.19 Travellers heading for Heathrow Airport this weekend were being warned to plan ahead on Thursday, with the possibility that two of the three rail services to the airport would be out of action. Transport for London confirmed the Picadilly Line would have no service between central London and the airport precinct on 5-6 March, as the local government body was replacing 700 metres of track at Turnham Green and renewing a set of signalling points at Acton Town. That work was also affecting the District Line. Additionally, the Heathrow Connect rail service between Paddington and Heathrow was still out of service as of Thursday, as its trains had been commandeered by its sister service. It was initially suspended on Monday after a crack was found in one of the trains on the premium Heathrow Express. Most Express trains were taken offline, with the Connect stock being used in their place. TfL said it would run rail replacement buses between Ealing Broadway and Heathrow on Saturday and Sunday, with Ealing Broadway remaining accessable via the Central line. Travelling germophobes could soon be much happier doing their business at 30,000 feet, with Boeing unveiling its self-cleaning 'Clean Lavatory' on Thursday. The prototype used ultraviolet light to kill 99.99% of germs, the company said, which disinfected all surfaces after every use in three seconds. Boeing said the lavatory used Far UV light, which would be activated only when the facility was unoccupied. Far UV is different from the UVA or UVB light in tanning beds, it explained, and is not harmful to people. The company's engineers had shown through testing that the innovation could minimise the growth and potential transmission of micro-organisms. Boeing had filed a patent on the concept. "We're trying to alleviate the anxiety we all face when using a restroom that gets a workout during a flight," said Jeanne Yu, Boeing Commercial Airplanes director of environmental performance. "In the prototype, we position the lights throughout the lavatory so that it floods the touch surfaces like the toilet seat, sink and countertops with the UV light once a person exits the lavatory. This sanitizing even helps eliminate odors," she added. The cleaning system would also lift and close the toilet seat by itself so all surfaces would be exposed during the cleaning cycle. Boeing said the design also incorporated a hands-free tap, soap dispenser, rubbish flap, toilet lid and seat, and a hand dryer. A touch-free door latch and vacuum vent system for the floor were also under study. "Some of the touchless features are already in use on some Boeing airplanes today," said Yu. "But combining that with the new UV sanitizing will give passengers even more protection from germs and make for an even better flying experience." Boeing's lavatory was a finalist for a Crystal Cabin Award, that would be announced at the Hamburg Aircraft Interiors Expo on 5 April. The design would require further study before being offered to airlines, the company confirmed. European stocks slipped in early trade as investors paused for breath following five consecutive days of gains. At 0910 GMT, the benchmark Stoxx Europe 600 index was down 0.6%, Frances CAC 40 was off 0.5% and Germanys DAX was down 0.3%. At the same time, oil prices were in the red, with West Texas Intermediate down 0.5% to $34.50 a barrel and Brent crude down 0.9% at $36.60. As the recent bounce may be running out of steam investors will be monitoring the release of this morning's Services PMI data looking for signs of economic recovery across Europe while the US jobs data tomorrow may well be a key driver as we head towards the weekend, said Andy McLevey, head of dealing at Interactive Investor. In corporate news, BHP Billiton was in the black after its part-owned Brazilian mining venture Samarco agreed a B$30bn ($8bn or 5.5bn) program of compensation and clean-up from the bursting of a mine tailings dam last November. Steelmaker ArcelorMittal was higher after its chief executive officer told Les Echos the company was not planning to cut its French production. Insurer Admiral rallied after posting a 6% rise in 2015 pre-tax profit and lifting its dividend target. On the downside, sportswear maker Adidas was weaker after reporting a slightly bigger than expected net loss for the quarter. Evonik Industries shares tanked after the chemical maker issue a weaker-than-expected profit outlook. Satellite communications provider Inmarsat slid after posting a drop in full year profit amid weak global government spending. On the data front, Markits final Eurozone composite purchasing managers index for February fell to 53.0, which was above the flash estimate of 52.7 and January's 53.6 but marked the lowest reading since January last year. February saw a broad-based slowdown of the Eurozone private sector economy. Rates of output expansion eased across Germany, Italy, Spain and Ireland, while France fell back into contraction for the first time in 13 months. Price pressures also remained on the downside, with modest reductions registered for both output charges and input costs. The services PMI, meanwhile, came in at 53.3, up from the flash estimate of 53 but below Januarys 53.6. Still to come, investors will eye a raft of data from the US. Initial jobless claims are at 1330 GMT, while the Markit services PMI is at 1445 GMT. ISM non-manufacturing, factory orders and durable goods orders are all due at 1500 GMT. BHP Billiton 's part-owned Brazilian mining venture Samarco has agreed a B$30bn ($8bn or 5.5bn) program of compensation and clean-up from the bursting of a mine tailings dam last November. A compensation framework agreement between local authorities and Samarco Mineracao, in which BHP and local mining giant Vale each own a 50% stake, stated that a newly set up foundation will support clean-up costs and damages over a 15-year term, beginning with payments of $1.1bn of payment over the next three years, starting with around $500m in 2016. If Samarco does not meet its funding obligations, each of Vale and BHP Billiton Brasil is liable to make the payments directly in its stead. In 2017 and 2018 Samarco will fund the foundation with 1.2bn real in both 2017 and 2018, with annual contributions in each of 2019, 2020 and 2021 varying between a minimum of 800m real and 1.6bn real depending on the remediation and compensation projects which are to be undertaken in the particular year. The agreement is subject to court approval. BHP Billiton chief executive Andrew Mackenzie said: "This agreement is an important step forward in supporting the long-term recovery of the communities and environment affected by the Samarco dam failure. It provides a platform for the parties to work together to support the remediation of affected areas. "This agreement demonstrates our commitment to repairing the damage caused and to contributing to a lasting improvement in the Rio Doce." However, according to press reports, the agreement does not cover all potential civil or criminal claims, so there could still be potential for further claims on top of the compensation framework. The disaster was linked to the deaths of at least 17 people, with two men also missing and presumed dead. Some Samarco executives already facing criminal charges over the incident, while police are carrying out a criminal investigation into the environmental impact of the incident. President Dilma Rousseff said on Wednesday night that there was no ceiling for how much the company would have to pay to fix the socio-economic and environmental damage of the dams collapse. "In our view, the deal reflects the common perception that the best way to settle claims would be to have Samarco back in production," said Yuen Low at Shore Capital. "It is positive for BHP also in that it provides better clarity on potential liabilities to 2021, although we are unclear as to what happens thereafter." The US Justice Department has asked UBM for additional information and documentary material relating to certain PR Newswire (PRN) products in relation to its sale of PRN to software company Cision. UBM said it and Cision will cooperate fully with the DoJ in responding to the request and will continue to work cooperatively with the US regulators in connection with their review of the transaction as they look to reach a prompt resolution. It said the request related to certain PRN products which account for a very small portion of PRNs global revenues. UBM announced back in December that it had agreed the sale of PR Newswire to Cision for $841m. It said at the time the deal represented a significant step in the execution of UBM's 'Events First' strategy, the objective of which is to become the world's leading focused B2B Events business." At 1134 GMT, UBM shares were down 0.2% to 589.53p. Here's how to nominate prep athletes of the week in 2022-23 Brazil releases detained Facebook executive Facebook's Latin America VP Diego Dzodan, who had been detained on Tuesday over WhatsApp's inability to intercept instant messages related to a drug trafficking and organized crime case, has been freed by Brazilian authorities. The executive had been detained on Tuesday night as he was not able to help the police break into the suspect's WhatsApp account (See: Brazil detains Facebook executive over data dispute ). Meanwhile authorities are proceeding with the investigation into the case. According to a WhatsApp spokesman, Dzodan was detained on the order of a Brazilian judge. But, the order was overturned by a higher court, which ruled in favour of the Facebook Inc executive, allowing him to be freed while the investigation was underway. According to the judge Dzodan was not part of a criminal investigation, and hence could not be arrested. The authorities had been careful to say that it was a detention, but the Facebook executive still had to spend a night in jail nonetheless. Meanwhile, according to The Washington Post, a WhatsApp spokesman revealed that the platform simply did not support wiretaps. Also in view of the fact that WhatsApp did not have offices in Brazil, it had no servers to store messages on, while end-to-end encryption only ensured that messages were encrypted when transmitted. Intercepting these messages would be useless, since WhatsApp did not have the key to unlock these messages. WhatsApp spokesman Matt Steinfeld said, ''WhatsApp cannot provide information we do not have,'' he said. Facebook said in a statement that it is ''disappointed with the extreme and disproportionate measure of having a Facebook executive escorted to a police station in connection with a case involving WhatsApp, which operates separately from Facebook.'' The ministry of railways has signed memorandums for technological cooperation with counterparts in Japan and Russia and some other countries, the union cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was informed on Wednesday. The ministry of railways signed a memorandum with Japan's ministry of land, infrastructure, transport and tourism (MLIT), Japan, on 11 December 2015, for technological cooperation in rail sector. The ministry also signed a memorandum with Russian joint stock company Russian Railways on technical cooperation on 24 December 2015. Also, Indian Railways' Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO) signed an agreement with Japan's Railway Technical Research Institute (RTRI) on technological cooperation in railway sector on 11 December 2015. Besides, the Railways has signed agreements for cooperation and MoUs on technical cooperation with various foreign governments and national railways for high speed corridors, speeding up existing routes, development of world class stations, heavy haul operations, modernisation of rail infrastructure, etc. These MoUs and MoCs help Railways exchange information on developments in areas of railways technology, operations, knowledge sharing, technical visits, training and seminars and workshops in areas of mutual interest. The Memorandum of Cooperation between Indian Railways and MLIT of Japan will enable technical cooperation in areas like railway safety, rolling stock (including train sets/EMU), information sharing for station development and land value capture, information sharing for environment friendly sanitation technology in trams, signaling and telecommunication, railway electrification, civil structure and railway track system, train control system, mitigation of natural disasters and any other areas jointly determined by both sides. This MoC is valid for a period of three years. Thereafter it will be automatically renewed for further period of two years. The MoU signed between the ministry of railways and Russian Railways provides for technical cooperation in the areas of high speed rail (HSR) in India, modernisation of existing lines of the Indian railways in order to raise train speeds up to 160-200 kmph, modern control and safety related systems based on satellite navigation and digital communication means, satellite and geo- information technologies, transportation safety and cyber security, rolling stock, heavy haul transportation, organisation of human resources training for the Indian Railways - secondary and higher vocational education of students and advanced training of staff members including managers, station redevelopment, dedicated freight rail corridors, modernisation, reconstruction and construction of track superstructure, civil engineering works, including bridges and tunnels; and slab tracks. This MoU is valid for three years. Thereafter, it will be automatically renewed for further successive period of two years. The MoU signed between RDSO and RTRI, Japan provides for technical cooperation in the areas of safety in train operation, advanced techniques of maintenance, use of environment friendly technologies, throughput enhancement measures and any other area jointly agreed upon by the parties. The MoU is valid for a period of three years and it may be renewed for further period of one year at a time with mutual written agreement. Afghan security forces shot down four suicide bombers who targeted the Indian consulate in the eastern city of Jalalabad, in a gun battle in which at least two people were killed and 19 others were wounded, reports said. The violence, coming days after similar attacks in capital Kabul and the eastern province of Kunar, which left dozens of people dead or wounded, raises doubts over efforts to revive a stalled peace process with the Taliban. In the present case, the car bomb driven by the attackers detonated near the Indian consulate, shattering doors and windows and destroying at least eight cars as explosions and gunfire rocked the area, witnesses said. Security forces in armoured vehicles reached the scene in time, while civilians fled. This helped forces to deal with the attackers before they could enter the consulate compound, said Attahullah Khugyani, a spokesman for the governor of Nangarhar province. The area houses other foreign consulates, including that of Pakistan. "Their target was the Indian consulate, but our forces shot and killed them all before they reached their target," he said. India's ministry of external affairs (MEA) has confirmed that it was a suicide explosion, which targeted the Indian consulate. However, all Indian consulate officials are safe, the MEA said. MEA is also gathering more information regarding the blasts. The ITBP and Afghanistan security forces are currently engaged in a fierce gunbattle with terrorists who are believed to be hiding in a nearby building. However, two people, a police officer and a woman, were killed and 19 others were wounded, he added. No one claimed responsibility for the attack, which followed a similar attack on the nearby Pakistani consulate in January. The Islamic State, which has a growing presence in Nangarhar, the province had claimed responsibility for that attack. Early in January, the Indian consulate in Afghanistan's Mazar-i-Sharif city was also attacked. Afghan Police had reportedly blamed Pakistan military personnel for that attack. Ronald Moede was born on December 21, 1934, in Rio Creek, WI. The son of the late Fred and Emily (Hanamann) Moede, he married Bonnie Neinas in Brussels on June 4, 1960, and they were married for 62+ years. He was a life-long resident of Rio Creek and was an innovative dairy farmer. He owned and managed a large dairy operation, Meade Manor Farms, which had been homesteaded by his grandfather, August Moede, in 1895. The log cabin home, barn, and herd grew to become one of the larger dairy farms in Kewaunee County under his guidance. Upon his retirement, it evolved into Meade Manor Pet Clinic, a vet service for small animals, but the land continued to flourish and produce. Ron graduated from Casco High School, Class of 1952 and Graham School for Cattlemen, Kansas. He was a member of the Wisconsin Holstein Breeders, Kewaunee County Holstein Breeders, and the National Holstein Association. He was a charter member of the Algoma FFA Alumni. His family exhibited champion dairy cattle at local, state, and national dairy cattle shows. In 1984, in Madison, the Wisconsin FFA named him Outstanding Farmer and in 1995, he was named and honored at the Wisconsin State Fair as a Century Farmer. He served as an elder in his church for many years as well as a trustee and various committee appointments. In his younger days, he was active in dartball and also high school sports. He received the Algoma Honorary Chapter Farmer Award, and the Unified Board Business Award. In his retirement, he drove school bus for 15 years for the Algoma School District and was a member of the Great Lakes Sports Fishermen. A hobby later enjoyed was his chicken farming. He raised a small flock of chicken, and he enjoyed passing out extra eggs to friends and relatives when the supply was greater than the family could handle. He was an avid sports fan and he and Bonnie attended both Packers Super Bowl games in 1996 and 1997, and also the Milwaukee World Series in 1983. He enjoyed hunting and fishing, both here and in upper Michigan and Minnesota. He even got Bonnie to go along with him to Lake of the Woods on the Canadian border to do some ice fishing. He held Packers season tickets since 1960 and at the time they bought their tickets they were allowed to pick out where they wanted to sit on the sidelines --there were no end zone seats yet-- and the tickets cost $5.00 a piece! He traveled through most of the U.S. including Alaska and Hawaii as well as traveling to the Caribbean and Europe. He enjoyed a summer place in Door County for 20 years. He told many stories of farming with his dad and the fact that at the age of 12, he had his own team of horses to work with on the farm. Responsibility came early as he was left in charge whenever it was necessary for his parents to be gone for a few days. He learned to drive a truck at an early age and often drove himself to school in 8th grade and parked the vehicle a few doors down at a relatives. This was because chores need to be done before and after school. The first tractor purchased was in 1937. In his retirement, he had it restored and displayed in local fairs and tractor shows. He would tell of shocking grain and threshing crews traveling from neighbor to neighbor and the wonderful table his mother would set full of food. A vivid memory was the day WWII ended. The whole neighborhood and working crew quit in the early afternoon (unheard of) and celebrated With beer and music! Even the clergy arrived and joined in. It was a day to remember! In his lifetime he went from horses and the depression, to the digital age and unimagined luxuries. There was no electricity and no running water in his youth and now he had wireless phones, computer screens in his vehicles, along with heated steering wheels and heated seats. Who would have thought that back then. Ron is survived by his wife Bonnie; son Robert (Debbie Harms) Moede; grandson Michael and granddaughter Megan; siblings, Terry (Jane) Moede, Paul (Roxie) Moede; sisters-in-law, Diane Fontaine, Sheila (Don) Baudhuin; and brothers in-law, Dan (Mary) Neinas. He was preceded in death by his parents, Fred and Emily Moede; sister, Marilyn (Arno) Schneider; father- and mother-in-law, Herman and Madeline Neinas, and brother-in-law, Gary Fontaine. Visitation will be held at Kinnard Funeral & Cremation Services Algoma, on Friday, October 7, 2022, from 4-7:30 pm with a prayer service at 6:30. Visitation will continue on Saturday, October 8th at St. Johns Lutheran Church Rankin, from 9-11:00 am. Funeral service will be held at 11:00 am with Dr. Rev. Christopher Jackson officiating. Burial to follow in Evergreen Cemetery. Online condolence message may be shared at KinnardFCS.com. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Kewaunee County 4-H Dairy Fund and the Projection Screen Fund at St. Johns- Rankin. Joe C. Graddy, a resident of Cottonwood, died Tuesday, March 1, 2016 at his residence. He was 79. Graveside services will be held at 2 PM Friday, March 4, 2016 at Cottonwood City cemetery with Reverends Stan Sullivan and John Smith officiating. The family will receive friends Thursday, March 3, 2016 from 5 PM until 7 PM at the funeral home. Flowers will be accepted or memorial contributions may be made to Covenant Hospice, 104 Rockbridge Road, Dothan, AL 36303. Mr. Graddy was born June 28, 1936 in Headland, Alabama to the late William Haywood and Cynthia Campbell Graddy. He was a graduate of Headland High School and later joined the United States Army where he was stationed in Germany. Mr. Graddy was a business man who was involved in several ventures before he started raising cattle. His passion for Texas Longhorn cattle was evident in the many awards he won for cattle breeding. He was also the Southeast Director of the Texas Longhorn Breeders Association. Mr. Graddy is preceded in death by his parents, wife, Barbara Lewis Graddy and a brother, Billy Graddy. Survivors include his son, James Graddy; daughter and son-in-law, Carolyn and Bruce Wozow; grandson, Jacob Wozow; granddaughter and her husband, Cynthia and Andrew Anderson; great granddaughter, Tinlee Wozow; three sisters, Julia White, Nell Johnson, Elizabeth White and several nieces and nephews. The family wishes to thank Mr. Graddy's caregivers, Mrs. Lillian Deese, Joe and Katrina Mathews and Jodi Grayson. A special thank you to Covenant Hospice, Lynn, Cynthia, Dr. Nichols and Sarah. Southern Heritage Funeral Home and Crematory 334-702-1712 is in charge of arrangements. www.southernheritagefh.com Sign the guest book at www.dothaneagle.com. dpa ElectionsData With dpa ElectionsData you get access to a unique collection of data. Via a programming interface (Rest-API), your developers can access detailed information, candidate profiles and live results for all national elections in the European Union and important international elections, like the US Midterm elections etc. The data pool also includes all heads of state and government as well as about 20,000 elected members of parliament throughout the EU. In addition to their data (name, party, constituency or list position), we collect social media profiles and official websites of individuals and parties. As soon as I got my Ls my dad put me out on the tractor in the middle of a paddock and I bunny-hopped it. I remember it just being absolutely terrifying, trying to drive this huge thing. Then we used to do driving lessons on a really quiet road called Old Swamp Road. Dad used to grip on to the dashboard. He was so worried about me crashing the car (laughs), so mum had to teach me how to reverse park. She had much more patience. Toyota's Australian arm has baby SUV leaders in its sights as it hopes to take a solid slice out of the rapidly growing segment. The manufacturer unveiled a new rival to the Mitsubishi ASX and Mazda CX-3 at the Geneva motor show on Tuesday. The sharply styled C-HR echoes the angular look of premium Lexus SUVs while offering a point of difference to large Toyota crossovers such as the RAV4. Powered by a turbocharged 1.2-litre motor that offers 85kW of power and 185Nm of torque, the new C-HR is available in front-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive, with a manual or automatic transmission. Toyota Australia spokesman Mike Breen says it is too early to talk about local process or features, saying only that the brand was keen to take a chunk out of the growing baby SUV class. "We are a bit late to the party but we will make up for lost time," he says. "We will elbow our way in... We are looking at volume 52,000 (cars) were sold in that segment in Australia last year." Breen says the car is evidence of Toyota's effort to shake its conservative image, and that the C-HR "goes a long way to filling that segment that we lost when the RAV4 grew up". The new model will be built in Japan, arriving locally in the first quarter of 2017. The Volkswagen Group has promised to bare all the facts and internal culprits behind its highly controversial diesel emissions scandal in a "fully transparent" new report penned by independent auditors. The auto giant has vowed to get to the bottom of its elaborate use of cheating software allowing cars to pass laboratory emissions tests while spewing high levels of harmful nitrogen oxides when operating. The full financial details of the Volkswagen crisis, including whether the 6.7 billion ($10 billion AUD) amount set aside to cover damages is adequate, will also be made public in the next three months as the company goes about re-building its public image, global sales boss Jurgen Stackmann told Drive. "We're doing an intense investigation with the help of three independent parties," he said. "We have an investigation coming from the governments and all of this shall come together in the second quarter. The exact time is yet to be identified but it's in our highest interests to have a fully-fledged report that is completely transparent and really lays out why this problem has occurred within the company." As Volkswagen commences the first lot of recall programs in Australia this month, Stackmann said the group would seek to understand the internal culprits behind the saga so that "it would never happen again". The crisis has affected millions of diesel-powered Volkswagen, Skoda and Audi vehicles globally, including almost 100,000 vehicles in Australia. "We have to wait for the full report and we should give it sufficient time, as that might actually involve people and that needs to be 100 per cent checked and validated before it comes out. You should expect to see that in the second quarter," Stackmann said. Volkswagen was continually adjusting to its tainted public profile in Geneva this week. Stackmann himself was publicly embarrassed after his presentation to the world's media was disrupted by a protester dressed as a Volkswagen mechanic and holding a wrench and prop labelled "cheat box". The man looked under a display car before the crowd, joking that chief executive Matthias Muller "said it was OK as long as no one finds out about it". "It's something you just simply have to live with," a philosophical Stackmann told Drive afterwards. "At the moment we are the brand that attracts a lot of attention and we have to live with that." Volkswagen has set aside 6.7 million to cover damages caused by the diesel emission scandal. Whether that figure covers the saga, along with the full financials of the firm's 2015 calendar year, will be made available within the next three months, Stackmann said. "We are basically going to be bringing out all of our financial data for 2015 when we deliver our financial report, which is going to be in the second quarter," he said. "There's not a lot to say at this point. You're right, we have set aside 6.7 billion [for the emissions scandal], but I'll leave it to the experts to really find what's going to be in the financial report." Subaru's largish medium-sized all-wheel-drive passenger sedan has had EyeSight driver-assist systems fitted since the introduction of the currentgeneration range in late 2014, and now the active safety benefits of Vision Assist have been added to the premium 2016 variants of Liberty, at an added cost of a good-value $500. Like the Outback, the Liberty 3.6 R which Drive tested, is well equipped, with a handsome, comfortable (and roomy) cabin. It is impressive dynamically, too. An effortless and relaxing tourer, it's easy to tune in the Harman Kardon 12-speaker audio system, turn on cruise control and cover territory in a very pleasant fashion. The 3.6-litre petrol engine has enough performance but is no fuel sipper, not with an official combined figure of 9.9 litres/100km. Revising its suspension between major generational changes is not unusual at Subaru, which has an extensive local testing programme that leads to a ride-and-handling tune unique to the Australian market. Fine-tuning of the rear shock absorbers, with less impact harshness on sharp bumps has reduced Noise, Vibration and Harshness resulting in a more serene cabin environment. The 2016 Liberty upgrade also includes subtle improvements to the rear suspension springs, bushes and moving the stabiliser bar forward. The overall result is a firmer, more settled rear end on coarse, rough surfaces, with better roll, pitch, dive and float control. The Liberty sits very flat when gobbling up the bends on tarmac with recovery from bumps immediate and without noise or jolting. The base Liberty 2.5i the only one to miss out on Vision Assist gets electric folding wing mirrors as compensation; at no extra money. Subaru Australia's managing director Nick Senior says feedback is that EyeSight is helping canny fleet clients save money due to reduced vehicle (and employee) time off road due to crash damage. Many insurance companies offer discounts of 20 per cent to cover vehicles equipped with EyeSight. Like the entire Subaru new vehicle range, and before the latest upgrades, the Outback and Liberty already carried a five-star rating for occupant safety from the independent Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP). Now both are safer, quieter, more appealing. 2016 Subaru Liberty 3.6R pricing and specifications Price: $42,490 plus on-road costs Engine: 3.6-litre six-cylinder petrol Power: 191kW at 6000rpm Torque: 350Nm at 4400rpm Transmission: CVT automatic, all-wheel drive Fuel use: 9.9L/100km 2016 Subaru Liberty pricing Liberty 2.5i CVT - $29,990 Liberty 2.5i Premium CVT - $35,990 (+$500) Liberty 3.6R - $42,490 (+$500) You can never have too much of a good thing is a phrase that most, if not all of us, will have heard before. Whether or not this is true is a matter of opinion, but if youre in business and youre onto that good thing, then you surely stick with it. After an extended boom period for Australias residential property market, which some experts suggest is set to continue, it shouldnt come as a surprise that our go to search engines for real estate have been heavily prioritising their residential property advertising. Former Customer Relationship Manager at Realestate.com.au (REA), Andrew Brown, told Dynamic Business that in his experience, the commercial property side lagged behind in terms of innovation. There was a problem and no one was paying attention to it REA prioritised residential property advertising because it brought in 93 per cent of revenue, said Andrew. Commercial property portals were simply retrofitted versions of the residential sites. They did not supply the level of detail needed by prospective tenants and investors. It was apparent to Andrew that there was a problem and no one was paying attention to it; that was until he discovered two colleagues, Max Sim and Serge Kotlyarov, who shared his views. With their experiences in customer relations, marketing, and technology respectively, they had the perfect skill set to do something about it. Several years passed before we decided to collaborate on a solution. In the interim I cofounded the real estate CRM Agent box and spent five years developing that business. Our technology guru Serge completed an MBA at the London Business School and started a fintech start-up while Max worked in Asia for SEEK and REA. When we exited those ventures we were eager to create something truly ground breaking in an industry that we deeply understood, said Andrew. The trio were geared to disrupt the industry Informed by the abundance of criticism levelled at commercial sites by real estate agents and owners, the trio were geared to disrupt the industry that Andrew says, generates $6bn per annum globally and $100m in Australia alone. Launching in beta in April 2015, JAGONAL, was born. Promising to be Australias most advanced office space search engine, JAGONAL officially launched last month after hugely successful beta trials. Perhaps proof of the pudding, JAGONAL has already secured 6,000 listings of offices for sale or lease, which equates to 65 per cent of Australias total vacant office space. There are a number of aspects that make the user experience uniquely JAGONAL, according to Andrew. Unlike other online commercial property platforms that charge on a per ad basis, thus making it cost ineffective to advertise smaller properties, JAGONAL has introduced a pricing model that scales based on the size of the office advertised. We are bringing previously unadvertised office space to the market, said Andrew. A more convenient, accurate and engaging search experience Compared to other platforms, restricted by the parameters of re-cycled residential search engines, Andrew said JAGONAL offers a more convenient, accurate and engaging search experience for tenants and investors. JAGONAL offers over 50 searchable features including: building grade, street location, office layout, bike racks, and views. Arguably their best party trick, the website also offers Google Streetview style virtual office tours. Andrew said companies are realising that office space is a key lever in the war for talent. The office with the better bike racks, views, natural light and location will help you attract better staff and make your business more competitive. JAGONAL brings all this hidden detail to the surface. Just as they set out to achieve, the team have given an an unprecedented level of attention to the once neglected commercial real estate sphere. Commenting on the 6000 listings secured by the platform ahead of their official launch, Andrew said the business has invested heavily in the data and business development teams. Our BDMs did an extraordinary amount of leg work in forging relationships with major industry stakeholders in order to get their listings aboard the JAGONAL portal, he said. Sourcing growth funding is currently our biggest obstacle To date, JAGONAL has raised $2.3 million in seed capital through friends and family who believe in their concept, and has opened its next round of Series A capital raising to fund expansion into Singapore and Asian markets. We are on the verge of entering the Singapore market where we aim to replicate our Australian success. We intend to expand our marketing team and take on a Business Development Manager for Asian markets, said Andrew. Proof of concept has been achieved; but the JAGONAL team are not oblivious to the challenges that lay ahead; growth being the largest and perhaps most common of those start-up challenges. Sourcing growth funding is currently our biggest obstacle, said Andrew. Venture Capital markets are so competitive that we have had to push hard to get in front of investors despite having metrics that many start-ups would envy. There are 300 million people on our doorstep and thats a lot of businesses that need offices Ideas are not in short supply; theyre simply on a mission to find the fuel to feed them. As part of their longer term strategy, Andrew and his co-founders aim to use Singapore as an entry point to the burgeoning Asia Pacific market. There are also plans to expand the product offering to include industrial and retail property. As the recent $751 million dollar REA-Group purchase of iProperty attests to, the region is growing there are 300 million people on our doorstep and thats a lot of businesses that need offices, said Andrew. Some $73 billion of Chinese investment are expected to flow through our sector by 2019 and we want to be positioned as a one-stop-shop for comparison of commercial property deals in the region. Michigan Governor Rick Snyder Political Suicide by DonkeyHotey Gov. Snyder knew about Flints water issues nine full months before going public Time after time after time, Gov. Rick Snyders response to questions about his administrations lackadaisical response to the poisoning of Flints drinking water with the powerful, odorless, invisible neurotoxin lead has been I never knew about it. He has claimed that, until October of last year, his closest advisors and staffers kept the critical information from him, blowing a huge hole in his claims of being a superlative CEO for our state where he runs government like a business. We now have solid evidence that he knew there were problems as far back as February of 2015: An email sent by Governor Rick Snyder shows that he planned to discuss Flint water with top staffers in February 2015 nearly nine months before the governor claims to have known about a water crisis in Flint. The message was sent on February 17, 2015 to the Rick for Michigan campaign email account rather than the official state email account of Allison Scott, the executive director to the governor, and shows that Rick Snyder wanted to personally discuss the Flint water situation with top officials in his administration, among other issues. The email seems to be proof that Gov. Snyder lied each and every time he claimed that his staff never brought the crisis to him and that it was not on his radar. [] The email was not included in the January 20 email dump which calls into question his claim that he has released all of his 2014 and 2015 emails regarding Flint following the State of the State. You can read the email HERE. The lies are beginning to unravel for our CEO governor. Im beginning to hear the singing of the proverbial fat lady. More bold response to the Flint water crisis from Gov. Snyder: he has hired outside attorneys on the taxpayers dime Gov. Rick Snyder has hired two outside attorneys to help him fend off the increasing number of lawsuits which name him as a defendant. Dont worry, though. Its not coming out of his bank account. The taxpayers of Michigan are picking up the tab. To add insult to injury, the contracts are worth $249,000, just a thousand bucks less than the $250,000 threshold necessary to trigger an approval from the State Administrative Board: Gov. Rick Snyder has hired two outside attorneys in connection with the Flint drinking water crisis, including a criminal defense attorney retained to serve as investigatory counsel, a Snyder spokesman confirmed Thursday. Eugene Driker, a civil defense attorney, and Brian Lennon, a criminal defense attorney, were each awarded a contract worth $249,000 through Dec. 31, after which those contracts can be extended, Snyder spokesman Ari Adler told the Free Press. The contracts, which are to be paid with state funds, are just below the $250,000 threshold for contracts requiring approval from the State Administrative Board, which meets in public to approve state contracts and grants. Adler said that was by design because the governor wanted to hire the attorneys quickly in early February. He sure can move quickly when it benefits him, amirite? Snyder: Costs to fix the Flint water debacle will cost over $140 million. Top House Republican says no more supplemental funding from state. After a request from the federal government for help in dealing with the catastrophe was rejected by FEMA, Gov. Snyder has filed an appeal. In his appeal, he says the costs to fix the problems in the beleaguered city will exceed $140 million: The cost of the Flint drinking water crisis exceeds $140 million and is growing, Gov. Rick Snyder said in an appeal filed Thursday with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, as he seeks more federal funds and other resources to assist with the state response to the public health and infrastructure emergency. While government and independent experts say the quality of the water is improving, there is a long road ahead for Flints recovery, Snyder said in a news release. We are continuously working on ways to help the people of Flint recover from this health crisis. Assistance from our federal partners could go a long way in moving Flint forward. Meanwhile, Republican House Speaker Kevin Cotter is pulling the plug on any further non-budgeted state money for Flint: Flint Mayor Karen Weaver is shocked by the news that House Speaker Kevin Cotter doesnt plan to take up any further supplementals in regards to the citys water crisis. On Wednesday, March 2 Cotter, R-Mount Pleasant, said he doesnt plan to take up any more supplementals for the Flint water crisis, according to a report by Gongwer, a subscription-based insider capitol newsletter. He went on to say other resources for the city should be considered during the overall budget process. Cotter said it comes down to the immediacy of needs and being fiscally responsible. He said there isnt a doubt more resources will be sent to Flint, but it needs to be considered as part of the overall budget, according to the report. That means no additional money would be sent to the city until the new budget starts on Oct. 1. Weaver said she is shocked by Cotters decision given the ongoing revelations that show the role of state government in the contaminated water catastrophe the city continues to face. Considering that it was a Republican-led legislature that put in place the Emergency Management system that led to this crisis and that it was epic failures within multiple departments and offices in our Republican governors administration that let the problem go unacknowledged and un-dealt with for months, this sort of were done, youre on your own rhetoric is, to be blunt, disgusting. If there is truly no more funding available from the state until eight months from now, Republicans are going to have to answer some very tough questions from Michigan voters going into the November general election when Speaker Cotter and every one of his House colleagues are up for reelection. Meanwhile, back in Washington, D.C., Republican Senator Mike Lee from Utah is holding up federal funding for Flint. Im sensing a trend here Lead levels finally beginning to show signs of improvement There is finally a bit of good news out of Flint: water lead levels are dropping and are below the action level of 15 parts per billion in 91% of the sentinel sites tested: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy said Tuesday that the most recent tests of tap water in Flint suggest that phosphates being added to the water are beginning to control corrosion and slow the leaching of lead into the public water supply. But its still not safe to drink unfiltered water, she acknowledged. For weeks, weve had a team of experts going door-to-door to test residents water both with and without filters. Let me say this very clearly: Our tests show that NSF-certified filters are working, even at high lead levels, McCarthy said. So we are extremely confident in the ability to reduce the lead to safe levels. We have done our due diligence on those filters. Our phosphate levels, for the first time, I can tell you with confidence are also improving within the water system itself and our lead levels are actually dropping in the system. And yet, she acknowledged much work has yet to be done to keep residents informed about whats happening with their water, and to restore trust in government. [] [T]he state also released optimistic news about preliminary results from the second round of water testing of about 600 sentinel sites in Flint. About 91% of samples from 423 recently added sites were at or below the federal action level of 15 parts per billion, Gov. Rick Snyder said. Concerns about lead contamination continue at just below 9 percent of the sites. With good news hard to come by in Flint, this is certainly a welcomed change. Resignation by disgraced former DEQ chief resisted by Lt. Gov. Calley and other administration officials Lt. Gov. Calley has worked hard to keep his name from being associated in any way with the Flint water scandal. However, an email in the latest email dump by Gov. Snyder reveals that he thought the resignation of former DEQ Director Dan Wyant was a bad idea. In fact, he wanted to throw DEQ employees under the bus instead: Michigans lieutenant governor and outgoing chief of staff both were disappointed by the resignation of Department of Environmental Quality Director Dan Wyant over the Flint water crisis, according to emails released this weekend by the administration. I didnt realize Dans resignation was on the table, Lt. Gov. Brian Calley said in a Dec. 29 email to deputy chief of staff Elizabeth Clement. I know it was probably necessary from a public perception standpoint, but it is a terrible shame. Hes probably the best department head we had and it seems pretty clear he was given bad information for a period of time. [] Thats the danger in managing a department of technical professions, [Calley] wrote. You have to trust your people. In this case, it cost their kids their health and a good mans reputation. I hope that employees who actually did wrong will be terminated, rather than just transferred to different areas of the state. At the end of the day, the buck stops at the top of the organization and Dan Wyant was at the top of the organization. Its not his fault alone, of course. Its not his fault that Gov. Snyder chose a man with literally zero background in water issues to head up the state department that handles drinking water oversight. But Wyant was a failure at his job and Lt. Gov. Calleys interest in sacrificing his underlings to save Wyants job is, to be blunt once again, disgusting. City of Flint to begin replacing lead water service lines today, state still waiting for infrastructure report 154 days after Gov. Rick Snyder admitted that the drinking water of many Flint residents was poisoned with lead, the city of Flint is planning to begin the process of replacing lead water services lines. The state, however, is still waiting for an infrastructure report: The city of Flint has targeted Thursday, March 3 as the day to begin lead service line replacements, as the state awaits results of a water infrastructure study being conducted by a Flint company. Kristin Moore, Flints public information officer, confirmed replacement of lines will start under the $55 million Fast Start plan by Mayor Karen Weaver which calls for homes at highest risk in the city to have replacement begin first homes with children, pregnant women and autoimmune illnesses. [] Gov. Rick Snyder announced a partnership last month with Flint-based Rowe Professional Services and Flint officials to conduct a water infrastructure study, with a March 15 date to complete the study to identify the types of all service lines in the city and replacement of 30 lead lines. Snyder has cautioned against replacing lines too quickly, noting Virginia Tech professor has advised on allowing re-coating of pipes, but he said line replacement is necessary to remedy the situation. You cant accuse Gov. Snyder of acting too quickly, thats for sure. Petition signature gathering for Snyder recall effort to begin next Tuesday, March 8th The organizers of the effort to recall Gov. Rick Snyder will begin collecting signatures on primary day, next Tuesday, March 8th: Organizers of a recall effort against Gov. Rick Snyder plan on using the March 8 presidential primary as a launching point in efforts to collect hundreds of thousands of signatures needed to get the language on a ballot. The recall petition thats been approved states the reasoning as Governor Richard D. Snyder declared a state of emergency in the County of Genesee and the City of Flint pursuant to the constitution of the state of Michigan and provisions of Act No. 390 of the Public Acts of 1976, filed with the Secretary of State on January 5, 2016, and ending on February 1, 2016, unless extended as provided by Act No. 390. But organizers still need to collect the 789,133 signatures in 60 days within a 180-day window to get the item placed on a future ballot. An effort will be made to have volunteers at polling sites around the state next week, as well as Easter Sunday at churches. Their effort is needed because Gov. Snyder has made it abundantly clear that he has no intention of resigning. Flint activists learn the cost of speaking out, rejected for state appointments This is nauseating: Pastors who spoke out on the Flint water crisis paid the price with Gov. Rick Snyders inner circle one losing support for a possible appointment and another becoming the subject of insult. Dennis Muchmore, Snyders former chief of staff, suggested the Rev. Alfred Harris of Flint cost himself consideration for a spot on the citys Receivership Transition Advisory Board in an April email after the pastor called a news conference to discuss a lack of progress on Flint water issues. Well, that didnt help at all, Muchmore wrote to Harvey Hollins, director of the states Office of Urban Initiatives, in an April 8, 2015, email. So much for Harris on the RTAB. Six minutes later, Hollins responded, Thats unfortunate because he is one of the most reasonable voices in Flint on this issue. Less than three weeks later, Snyder appointed the five-member Flint RTAB, which has maintained governing oversight in the city since, leaving Harris off the list. Let that be a lesson to all of you: if you exercise your First Amendment right of freedom of speech, dont plan on having a voice in how your community is run if the state in charge of it and you dont say nice things about them. This is, to be blunt one more time, disgusting. The Michigan Democratic Party is holding a pre-debate reception this Saturday, March 5th. In addition to national party leaders, members of Michigans Congressional delegation, and members of Michigans legislature, they will have special guests Gov. Jim and Janet Blanchard and Wayne County Executive Warren C. Evans. Whats more exciting is that they have recently announced that Sec. Hillary Clinton is also going to attend and that Sen. Bernie Sanders may as well (details on that are still being worked out. The event starts at 7:30 p.m. and will be held at the MGM Grand (1777 3rd Avenue in Detroit.) If youre interested in attending, tickets start at $125 and can be purchased HERE. Yesterday on the Michigans Big Show, MI-07 Republican Congressman Tim I was a tea partier before there was a tea party Walberg was asked about the Flint water crisis. His takeaway message from the poisoning of Flints drinking water with the powerful odorless, tasteless, invisible neurotoxin lead is that government cant protect us against everything: This shows that government cant protect us against everything. It comes down to people watching out for themselves and staying attuned. You can listen for yourself here (his comment comes in at the 6:50 mark): This is a truly astonishing comment from a man who sits on the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform which will hear from Gov. Snyder and former Flint Emergency Manager Darnell Earley later this month. Along with his Republican colleagues, Walberg puts much of the blame on the USEPA on the one hand and condemns people who he claims are politicizing the Flint debacle on the other. If you look at the poisoning of Flint as evidence that you cant trust government rather than as evidence that running government like a business is a provably failed model, you have no business being in government. Sacha Haworth, spokesperson for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee put it best: Walbergs constituents are looking at him for guidance, and he effectively throws up his hands and says, You need to watch out for yourselves?, she asked. That is a completely unacceptable answer from a Member of Congress. Shes right. Flint residents have every right to have the expectation that their government, as a very bare minimum, will supply them with drinkable water every day. When their government fails to do that due to corner cutting and attempting to run government on the cheap, the response from Congress shouldnt be dont trust your government to protect you, youre on your own. And, by the way, Flint residents were told by state officials that there was nothing wrong with their water. How on earth were they supposed to know they should be watching out for themselves? Should they have just randomly stopped drinking the water from their tap because they cant trust the government? All while paying the most expensive water bills in the country for undrinkable water? Walbergs Democratic opponent in this years general election is state House Representative Gretchen Driskell called Rep. Walbergs offensive statement shocking and really, really disappointing. I took a serious oath of office that I would look after the safety and well-being of our citizens. Thats our primary role, Driskell said. As a former mayor, thats the basic minimum. If we dont have an expectation of at least clean drinking water I find that shocking. Driskell has been collecting questions from residents of Michigans 7th district which Walberg represents at her website, questions Rep. Walbergs constituents want him to ask Gov. Snyder when he testifies before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee of which Walberg is a member. In the Michigan Big Show interview, Walberg called that pure politics. The Governor is the leader of our state and hes been slow to answer a lot of questions, Driskell said in response. Thats why theyre doing another congressional hearing. It is interesting that Mr. Walberg is saying this is politics. Its his responsibility to listen to his constituents. Its confusing that I was being called political when hes not doing his job of oversight. You can send in your own question HERE. Apple General Counsel Bruce Sewell on Tuesday testified before the House Judiciary Committee that his company should not be required write new code for software that would weaken the security of the iPhone in the wake of the San Bernardino, California, terrorist attacks. The FBI wants Apple to take action that would put the privacy and security of millions of the companys customers at risk, he said. Apple has no sympathy for terrorists, said Sewell, who noted that the company immediately cooperated with authorities in the investigation. The request not only sets a dangerous precedent, but would open the company to countless other requests in the future, putting the security of all those involved in jeopardy, he said. Congress should settle the debate based on a thoughtful and honest conversion on the facts. Most importantly, the decisions should be made by you and your colleagues as representatives of the people, rather than through warrant based on a 220-year-old statute, Sewell told the committee in prepared testimony. During questions and answers with committee members, Sewell pushed back on the notion Apple was engaged in some sort of marketing exercise in its quest to fight the order. The government claimed in some court filings that Apple had complied numerous times with the requests until they were made public. Apple was doing what was in the best interests of its shareholders, FBI Director James Comeytold the committee, noting that he had previously worked in a corporate capacity and understood the companys corporate accountability. Microsoft plans to file an amicus brief on behalf of Apple this week in its court battle with the Department of Justice and the FBI, a spokesperson for Apple told the E-Commerce Times. Prosecutors Stymied Congress should take the lead on deciding how to balance the issues involved with accessing data on encrypted devices, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. testified at the House hearing. Ninety-five percent of the criminal cases in the U.S. are handled by state and local law enforcement agencies, and Apples switch to default device encryption in 2014 has severely hampered their ability to investigate many criminal cases, he said. As of November, Vances office was locked out of 111 smartphones running iOS 8 or higher, he said, citing a report released by the DAs office, called Report on Smartphone Encryption and Public Safety. The number has grown to 175 devices since then, representing 25 percent of the phones received by his offices cyber lab. With more users migrating to the newer operating systems, investigators cant access half of the phones coming into the DAs office, he said. The phones are involved in investigations of attempted murder, child pornography, sex trafficking, sexual abuse of a child and other crimes. The district attorney in Harris County, Texas, has more than 100 iPhones that it cant access, involving cases of human trafficking, violent sex crimes and other crimes, said Vance, who also was representing theNational District Attorneys Association. Prosecutors in Cook County, Illinois, cant access 30 devices, and authorities in Connecticut cant access 46 devices. His office has drafted language for legislation that would require designers of operating systems to provide a way for law enforcement to access unencrypted data on the phones as long as they had a warrant, he said. The legislation would not require the makers to do anything themselves unless the encryption was part of the design. Other telecom and technology companies have received official requests for data, Vance noted. Verizon received 149,810 in the first half of 2015; Facebook received 17,577 during the same period. FBI Fighting Last Battle Law enforcement is using outdated methods and laws to combat a 21st century problem, Susan Landau, who teaches cybersecurity policy atWorcester Polytechnic University, testified. Many law enforcement agencies lack the tools and expertise to fight modern cybercriminals and terrorists using new technologies. Counter to claims by FBI Director Comey, encryption has been an issue for decades, dating back to at least the 1970s, she said. Other experts in the private sector have ways of accessing the data that the FBI insists only Apple can provide. Landau, a former policy analyst at Google and distinguished engineer at Sun Microsystems, cited the Chaos Computer Club, a group of European hackers that has exposed flaws in security systems over 30 years. The group last year demonstrated that it could recover data on security chips using electron microscopes. Technological Misunderstandings Landeaus testimony echoed the wider security community and computer security experts that Apple should not be forced to reengineer its devices, said Mark Jaycox, civil liberties legislative lead at theElectronic Frontier Foundation. Director Comey kept on urging Congress to handle this issue clearly implying legislation despite the fact that President Obama and the administration said they did not plan on proposing or supporting any legislation, he told the E-Commerce Times. The law enforcement witnesses appear to not understand the technology or wide-ranging precedent at stake in this case, Jaycox said, adding that committee members did seem to be trying to understand the technological details. A majority of the committee appear to be on Apples and the Constitutions side, he said. TheAmerican Civil Liberties Union on Wednesday announced that it will file a friend-of-the-court brief supporting Apples fight against the FBI request to create software that will open encrypted iPhones. The brief notes that Congress deliberately withheld authority from the government to require that technology companies bypass the security built into their own devices. Law enforcement may not commandeer innocent third parties into becoming its undercover agents, its spies or its hackers, the brief states. CEO Tim Cook on Tuesday took Apples battle with the FBI directly to the public, penning an open letter in defense of the companys resistance to a court order mandating it to create a way to access data in the iPhone used by the San Bernardino terrorists. A federal magistrate issued the order because the high level of encryption built into the device had impeded the FBIs investigation. Cook called for a public discussion of the issues surrounding Apples objections to the demand, noting that the FBI was asking Apple, in essence, to create a backdoor that would unlock an encrypted iPhone. That type of technology could threaten the privacy of all iPhone users, he argued. The FBI may use different words to describe this tool, but make no mistake, Cook wrote. Building a version of iOS that bypasses security in this way would undeniably create a backdoor. And while the government may argue that its use would be limited to this case, there is no way to guarantee such control. Tool to Thwart Terrorists U.S. Senator Diane Feinstein, D-Calif., in the wake of the Paris and San Bernardino shootings, introduced legislation calling on technology companies to assist the government by preventing terrorists from using social media and other technologies Apple should comply with the judges order to develop a means for unencrypting the San Bernardino shooters iPhone, she said, joining a chorus of agreement among government and law enforcement officials. The U.S. Attorney should be able to fully investigate the San Bernardino terrorist attack that killed 14 Californians, and that includes access to the terrorists phone, Feinstein said. I understand there are privacy concerns, but in this case the phone is owned by the county which has consented to a search and there is a valid search warrant, she pointed out. The problem appears to be that such a technological solution likely wouldnt be limited to a single use. Essentially, the government is asking Apple to create a master key so that it can open a single phone, said Kurt Opsahl, deputy executive director and general counsel at the Electronic Frontier Foundation. And once that master key is created, were certain that our government will ask for it again and again, for other phones, and turn this power against any software or device that has the audacity to offer strong security. Dangerous and Unconstitutional The order is unlawful, unprecedented and unwise, said American Civil Liberties Union staff attorney Alex Abdo. The Constitution does not permit the government to force companies to hack into their customers devices, he told the E-Commerce Times. Apple is free to offer a phone that stores information securely, and it must remain so if consumers are to retain any control over their private data. The government request sets a dangerous precedent, Abdo suggested, because if the FBI can order Apple to create a means to access the encrypted data on a customers device, any repressive government around the world could have the same expectation. The ACLU is aware of at least 70 instances in which the government has used the All Writs Act to get Apple to unlock older phones, he said, noting that Apple had the software to help people who forgot their passcodes. However, with the newer versions of iOS, Apple does not have that capability, Abdo noted. The ACLU has filed a Freedom of Information Act request to get additional information on the earlier government requests. Fight For the Future has scheduled a protest for Feb. 23, asking iPhone users and civil liberties advocates to rally at Apple Stores across the country. Governments have been frothing at the mouth hoping for an opportunity to pressure companies like Apple into building backdoors into their products to enable more sweeping surveillance, said Evan Greer, campaign director for Fight for the Future. Its shameful that theyre exploiting the tragedy in San Bernardino to push that agenda. The group, which in 2014 rallied for Net neutrality in 20 U.S. cities, has launched a Facebook page calling for supporters to protest the court order and support Apples fight against the FBI demand. The Chicago Board of Education on Wednesday voted unanimously to make computer science a graduation requirement for all high school students beginning with next years freshmen. Chicago Public Schools has become a national leader in computer science education since Mayor Rahm Emanuel launched the Computer Science for All initiative for grades K-12 in 2013, the board said. The five-year plan aims to make computer science a core subject taught in schools. It includes a partnership withCode.org to provide the curriculum and prepare teachers. The White House last month launched a nationalComputer Science for All program. Exposing students to science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, education early will provide critical skills and training for success in their careers and in life, CPS said. Demand for computing skills will be greater than the supply of qualified job takers, according to CPS. That will create a gap of 1 million job openings by 2024. While there were nearly 600,000 job openings in computing, universities produced fewer than 40,000 computer science graduates last year, the board said. To help close that gap, Chicago public school students will be required to complete one credit of computer science education as half of the two-credit career education requirement. Rahm Emanuels decision to require computer science in Chicago Public Schools should be lauded. These young men and women will now have the benefit of access to a discipline that would have simply been out of reach before, said Colleen Ganjian, president ofDC College Counseling. Education Sound The boards decision will produce long-term gains, she told TechNewsWorld. If students choose not to pursue computer science after high school, the exposure will make them stronger candidates in the college admissions process. It also will introduce them to a variety of other career paths. Schools need to embrace STEM to meet growing demand for better career training. Theres an increasing necessity for schools nationwide to better prepare students for the jobs of tomorrow by encouraging STEM, according to Sidharth Oberoi, president ofZaniac. Providing exposure to students at a younger age is key to enabling better decision-making for individuals when they reach college or enter the workforce. The more extensive knowledge a student has, the greater the opportunity he or she has for higher salaries as well as the potential to have a larger impact on the betterment of society, he told TechNewsWorld. Computer science education is an essential ingredient in the STEM formula and in todays education, noted Stephen Nichols, CEO ofGameSalad. It allows for experimentation and rapid iteration and provides students with a platform to utilize and learn the fundamental concepts of software development and programming. A true computer science education will foster creativity and enrich the lives of students around the world and help set them up for future success, he told TechNewsWorld. STEM Plus One Eagle Academy Public Charter School took that concept further by expanding the STEM concept to include the arts in its STEAM curriculum. STEAM Exploratorium is designed to challenge young students to create, solve problems, experiment, test, adapt, collaborate, explain and develop a sense of curiosity as they learn skills and strategies for the challenges of the 21st century, according to Executive Director Cassandra Pinkney. The process fosters engineering and technological literacy among students an all-important skill set in tomorrows world, she told TechNewsWorld. School officials are adamant about exposing students to STEAM while they are young and curious, Pinkney said. The goal is to inspire students to continue pursuing the sciences throughout their academic and professional careers. Essential Component The Chicago school boards action requiring computer science credits is important in furthering the intent of the Computer Science for All initiative. It will go a long way to increase the number of STEM candidates, noted Steven Rothberg, president ofCollege Recruiter. The more students who are exposed to science, technology, engineering and math courses in high school, the more students who will choose to major in those fields in college, whether they attend a one-year technical/vocational school, a two-year community college or a four-year university, he told TechNewsWorld. Exposure to computer science is critical before students enter college. In order for the U.S. to successfully compete in a global market economy, schools must present technological and computer skills early on, according to J. Luke Wood, associate professor in theCommunity College Leadership program at San Diego State University. This move sets Chicago as a national leader in preparing students for readiness in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Our nation is not prepared to compete in the emerging world economy. Our ability to do so cannot solely rely upon bringing in talent from other nations, he told TechNewsWorld. That will require our nation to better prepare students who have been historically underrepresented and underserved in education, Wood said, particularly students of color. The GermanCartel Office on Wednesday announced the launch of an investigation into Facebook over allegations that it abused its market position by infringing data protection rules, specifically in connection with the terms of service governing user data. The investigation is aimed at Facebook Inc. USA, the companys Irish subsidiary, and Facebook Germany GmbH in Hamburg. The office, or Bundeskartellamt, is looking into whether Facebooks terms of service violate data protection provisions. Dominant companies are subject to special obligations, said Andreas Mundt, president of the Bundeskartellamt. These include the use of adequate terms of service as far as these are relevant to the market. User data is hugely important at advertising-financed Internet services such as Facebook, Mundt added. The investigation will look into whether users are adequately informed about the type and extent of data collected. Questionable ToS Facebooks terms of service could be imposing unfair conditions on users, the office said. The company collects a large amount of personal user data, and users are required to agree to the terms of service, which often are difficult to understand, the Bundeskartellamt said. The company has complied with the law and will work with the Bundeskartellamt to answer its questions, a Facebook spokesperson said. The office is conducting the investigation with the cooperation of data protection officers, consumer protection offices, the European Commission and authorities in other EU member states. The Working Group on Competition Law met at the Bundeskartellamt in October and to discuss dominant digital and social media platforms such as Facebook, Google and Amazon. Rules of Competition Germanys investigation may not be about Facebook violating any rules regarding data protection, but rather about competition, said Susan Schreiner, an analyst atC4 Trends. This is the first time that a company has amassed the sheer volume of data, she told the E-Commerce Times. In todays world, where data is the new currency, is this about user data ultimately translating into market power and giving Facebook an advantage over German and other EU Internet companies? German regulators are focusing on two central issues, said Charles King, principal analyst at Pund-IT. First is the way Facebook dominates social markets via four of the eight most popular social apps/services, including Facebook, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and Instagram, he told the E-Commerce Times. The second is the companys business model, which is largely based on selling advertising informed by information about Facebook users. If Facebooks business is as clean as the company claims, then it shouldnt be a problem, King said. However, rival companies have faced similar allegations and defended their practices, facing months of painful inquiries and eventual penalties. French Investigation Facebook has come under scrutiny in various European countries in recent months, as officials have examined issues including the security of data that could be transferred to the U.S. and be subject to U.S. government surveillance. The French data protection authority, the CNIL, last month sent a formal notice to Facebook requiring it to comply with the French Data Protection Act within three months, specifically regarding the browsing data of Internet users who do not have a Facebook account. The company has 30 million users in France, according to the office. The office also found that Facebook collects information on the sexual orientation and religious and political views of users without their explicit consent and sets cookies that have an advertising purpose without proper consent. If Facebook fails to comply in the French case, the chair could appoint a rapporteur who might refer the matter to the CNIL select committee regarding sanctions. Protecting the privacy of the people who use Facebook is at the heart of everything we do a Facebook spokesperson said in a statement provided to the E-Commerce Times by media rep Arielle Aryah. We are confident that we comply with European data protection law and look forward to engaging with the CNIL to respond to their concerns. CEO Tim Cook on Tuesday brought Apples dispute with the FBI to the public. Cook penned an open letter explaining the companys resistance to a federal magistrates order to create software that would let authorities access data in an iPhone used by the shooters in last years San Bernardino terrorist attack. Carrying out the order could undermine the security of all iPhone users, Cook argued. The United States government has demanded that Apple take an unprecedented step which threatens the security of our customers. We oppose this order, which has implications far beyond the legal case at hand, he wrote. Apple has complied with the FBIs request for information regarding Syed Farooks iPhone, having provided all of the data in the companys possession, according to Cooks letter. The problem surrounds the FBIs request that Apple provide a back door to the iPhones encrypted data, something Cook said is too dangerous to create. Specifically, the FBI wants us to make a new version of the iPhone operating system, circumventing several important security features, and install it on an iPhone recovered during the investigation. In the wrong hands, this software which does not exist today would have the potential to unlock any iPhone in someones physical possession, Cook said. Even though the FBI promised that the custom software would be used only in the San Bernardino investigation, Apple is concerned that it might be leaked or used later. That could undermine encryption for millions of other users, according to the letter. Electronic Privacy One of the issues raised by the FBIs request concerns the publics expectation of privacy regarding data stored on a phone, which could include everything from bank account information to medical records. The stakes are high for companies that promise to protect their customers sensitive data. This is definitely a question of privacy, said Michael E. Dergosits, a partner in Dergosits & Noah. Already there are programs that run on our phones like Google Maps that ask for personal information like your location or current position, so right now theres a great sharing of personal private information on the phone amongst applications, he told TechNewsWorld. Presumably, the owner of the phone can change settings to block this transmission of information or install security software, Dergosits continued. Those kinds of issues are already prevalent. But I think what were talking about is balancing interests between personal and public safety and personal privacy whether the federal government or state and local law enforcement should be in a position to be able to demand access to those kinds of capabilities. The big issue here is the publics perception of whats private, he said. Right now, theres a high expectation of privacy regarding information stored on a persons cellphone. Thats not the case when it comes to other types of searches, such as airport scans or voluntary background checks. If you have a document on the front seat of your car when you get pulled over, you cant have an expectation of privacy because its in plain view. But if you have it an envelope in your trunk inside a piece of baggage, then it would seem that your expectation is that you wouldnt want it to be within plain view or where anyone could see, Dergosits explained. If youre randomly stopped, the law enforcement [official] has to have some sort of probable cause for opening up a closed container that might have something private in it, he said. If they dont have probable cause, then they have to get a warrant. The same goes for going to a venue like an airport or concert venue, or somewhere where youre subject to search. Thats your personal choice to submit to that search. Talking to the People Cooks tactic of publishing an open letter was a smart way to democratize the issue and communicate Apples message directly, sidestepping the media spin, suggested Burghardt Tenderich, associate director at the USC Center for Public Relations. The strategy is to create a grassroots feeling to this, he told TechNewsWorld. They want to take it away from a discussion between the CEO of the worlds second most valuable company and the FBI, and really take it to the people. Because this issue directly affects Apples customers, it makes sense for the company to talk to them directly, Tenderich reasoned. It also gives the company complete control of its message. I would say the intention is probably to prevent this from happening, because according to Tim Cook, they have good technical reasons to believe that this isnt in the best interest of the public, said Tenderich. Maybe its also a defense strategy in case they are forced to develop this software, he added. They can point to this letter to say look, we fought this battle on your behalf.' Apple did not respond to our request for further details. (Photo: UNHCR / I. Prickett)Refugees and migrants arrive in Greece on flimsy boats after crossing treacherous seas to Greece mostly fleeing conflicts in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan in September 2015. The Greek island of Lesbos is one of the first landing points in Europe for refugees and migrants fleeing conflicts. Many of them rely on smugglers to brave the treacherous Mediterranean in search of a better life. Members of non-governmental organizations and churches are the first people to welcome them onshore. One such organization is Agkalia (Embrace), founded by Father Efstratios Dimou, a Greek Orthodox priest. The Council of Europe awarded Agkalia the 2016 Raoul Wallenberg Prize for its work on Lesbos, but the priest died shortly before the award was given. Separately the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Athens is caring for the nutritional and clothing needs of refugees and migrants hosted at the identification and registration center on the Greek island of Samos. Known as a "hotspot", the center is under construction. The International Organization for Migration estimates that irregular migrant and refugee arrivals are now approaching 130,000 in the Mediterranean during 2016. The number, reached in nine weeks, falls just short of the total for all seaborne arrivals in Europe as recently as 2014. Still, the numbers still fall far short of 2015's total, when over one million seaborne arrivals were recorded. But with 10 months left, it now appears likely that last year's total will be surpassed, possibly before the end of the Northern summer, the IOM says. Raoul Wallenberg Prize started in 2014 at the behest of Sweden, the Council of Europe's and it is worth 10,000 ($10,925). It is awarded every two years for extraordinary humanitarian achievements by an individual, group or organization. 'PAPA STRATIS' Agkalia was founded in 2009 on Lesbos by Father Efstratios, known as Papa Stratis, who died on 4 September 2015. "Every day between one and two hundred people come to Kalloni," the 57-year old Orthodox priest said in an interview with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in July 2015. "The local people tell them to come to us for help. We give them food, water, milk for the babies, shoes, clothes. They can stay here too: we have blankets, mattresses on the floor." UNHCR noted Father Efstratios was suffering from a chronic respiratory condition and had to be permanently connected by a tube to a tank that supplies oxygen directly to his lungs. He died about a month later. The NGO has sustained support as its devoted associates pursue the endeavors of Father Efstratios. "Only humanism and tolerance can bring better days to Europe in this dark moment," said the representative of the Agkalia association Georgios Tyrikos-Ergas during the award ceremony. "The European people, volunteers from so many nations who responded to our call for help, set the example of how this can be achieved through solidarity. Utopia or not, we have seen it happening in Greece with our own eyes". The Council for Europe citied Agkalia's "outstanding achievements in providing frontline assistance to thousands of refugees irrespective of their origin and religion". When the prize winner was announced in 2015 the jury noted that Lesbos has become a European gateway for refugees. It hailed Agkalia as exemplary in providing temporary shelter, food, water and medical aid to people in need, assisting some 17,000 refugees and migrants from May 2015. "As a small and flexible local organization based on volunteers, Agkalia sets a leading example of effective action by European civil society on a burning global issue," Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjrn Jagland said, announcing the jury's decision. "Agkalia's activities reflect the fundamental values of the Council of Europe and contribute to its work to promote and protect human rights in Europe and beyond," he added. The award ceremony took place on Jan. 13 at the council's headquarters in Strasbourg. In financial crisis, Greece continues to play a pivotal role in accepting refugees and migrants and the Church of Greece is active on the islands in this process. Apostoli is the largest food relief organization in Greece, and works in partnership with International Orthodox Christian Charities. GREEK ORTHODOX HOTSPOT The Greek Orthodox Church hotspot provides food, clothes, medicines and bedding to all refugees and migrants arriving at the center. It includes thousands of beds which will be distributed to the other five hotspots now being built on several Aegean islands. Officials have noted the risk of refugees getting stuck in Greece if some neighboring countries decide to close the borders. "The government is making all the necessary moves so that this is averted," shipping minister Theodoros Dritsas said, adding that the creation of hotspots is a "national issue." Those working in assisting refugees and migrants say their task is often made more difficult over incoherence in European Union policy and the inability of EU member states to agree on its implementation. A beleaguered school whose funding was revoked by the Federal Government has said it is prepared to take the Federal Government to the High Court over the decision.Rick Mitry, the lawyer for the Islamic School of Canberra, warned the school may take its battle to restore $1m in Federal Government funding to the High Court.The school, located in Weston, had its registration stripped after the Federal Government revoked its funding, citing governance issues by the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils (AFIC) on Monday.Its counterpart, the Malek Fahd Islamic School in Sydney, had its $19m in Commonwealth funding revoked in February.Four other Islamic schools under investigation Islamic College of South Australia, Islamic College of Brisbane, Islamic College of Melbourne, and Langford Islamic College in Western Australia have until April 11 to show that they have addressed the departments concerns.However, the Minister stood by his decision to cut funding from the Canberra and Sydney schools, saying the schools responses were in contrast to the other schools genuinely engaged independent support to make substantial changes in their operations.The Malek Fahd Islamic School and the Islamic School of Canberra did not acknowledge the issues, did not engage their own independent support, had limited engagement with the department and did not put forward amendments to their constitution, Birmingham said.Mitry told The Canberra Times that the school will appeal to the High Court of Australia if Birmingham tries to derogate from its legislative rights to ask for an internal review of the decision.He said his firm would apply for a review of the Sydney school funding decision by Friday, with an appeal for the Canberra school was expected to follow. He added the Canberra school would have more time to ask for a review as it was only notified of the decision to revoke funding this week and both schools had 30 days.The Canberra application would be similar to the Sydney appeal which would be supported by an "extensive report" from an independent accountant addressing the department's concerns, an amended constitution complying with Birmingham's requirements and evidence the school operates independently of the AFIC with full control over its governance and finances.If the internal reviews are unsuccessful, Mitry said the schools would take the fight to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT).The review must be determined on its merits by a senior departmental officer who has been delegated the power to make decisions under the act and who was not involved in making the original decision, he said. Grammar instruction may have waned in some classrooms starting in the early 2000s, largely because the high-stakes tests required by the No Child Left Behind law didnt assess grammar specifically. But with most states now using the Common Core State Standards, theres some thought that grammar is making a comebackalong with perennial debates about how best to teach it. We are asking kids to dive into complex texts and understand them, so we need to teach them how to read complex sentences, said Chris Hayes, a veteran elementary teacher in Washoe County, Nev. And that requires deep knowledge of grammar. If its true that grammar instruction dropped off but is now enjoying a resurgenceand even that is tough to track with certaintythen determining the best approach for teaching syntax and semantics is now once again a critical conversation topic. Should teachers dedicate time to stand-alone grammar lessons and tasksdiagramming sentences, for instance, or memorizing the differences between adjectives and adverbs? Or can students learn the language system through broad writing and reading? Questions around whether and how grammar should be taught in schools have long been the cause of a tug of war within the language arts community. In an article published in the January/February issue of The Reading Teacher, the International Literacy Associations journal, two researchers from the University of Virginia make the case for preventing the pendulum from swinging too enthusiastically toward prescriptive grammar instruction. They argue that isolated lessons focused on drills and memorizationa relic of early American schoolingshould be avoided, and instead, teachers should embed grammar instruction into other language arts work. Activities that dont link form and meaning arent particularly helpful for anyone and may be harmful, Lauren B. Gartland, the lead researcher on the report, said in an interview. What Research Says Plenty of research exists to back that way of thought. A 2007 meta-analysis of experimental and quasi-experimental research, conducted by Steve Graham, now an education leadership professor at Arizona State University, and Dolores Perin, a professor of psychology and education at Teachers College, Columbia University, found that explicit, systematic grammar instruction had a small but statistically significant negative effect on students writing ability. The more than 100 studies included in that analysis go back as far as the mid-1960s. What empirical research found is that the formal teaching of grammar has typically not improved reading comprehension and not improved writing quality, said Timothy Shanahan, a distinguished professor emeritus specializing in literacy research at the University of Illinois at Chicago. But actually avoiding drills and isolated grammar lessons while teaching students to write is much tougher than it sounds. Many teachers are insecure about their own grammar knowledge, write Gartland and her co-author Laura B. Smolkin. That insecurity can cause them to fall back on prescriptive grammar instruction, focused on drills and memorization. Its frankly easier to teach grammar in a prescriptive way, and say, Here are the rules, memorize them, Im going to quiz you on them. But if [students dont learn the rules] in context, theyre not going to carry them over, said Michelle Navarre Cleary, an associate professor in the School for New Learning at DePaul University in Chicago. Hayes, the Nevada teacher, agrees that many teachers are less than comfortable with grammar. All those diagramming sentences we did as children didnt stick, she said. However, some say the real issue isnt a lack of teacher knowledge, its that teaching grammar is just hard. Unlike learning a formula in math, if you learn a grammar rule, its easy to over apply it or apply it to the wrong situation, said Roxanna Elden, a high school writing teacher in Miami-Dade County, Fla., and the author of the 2013 book See Me After Class. For example, the rules on commas can change depending on contextand they dont apply at all to poetry. Its more like giving relationship adviceit really depends on what the situation is, Elden said. The realities of classroom management can make teaching grammar through writing tough as well. Ideally, you wouldnt have to teach [basic grammar skills] in isolationyoud be having students writing a paper and then correcting it, said Meghan Everette, a 3rd grade teacher in Daphne, Ala., outside Mobile. But it doesnt really work out that way. Young students need a lot of direction in learning new skills, she said. And managing that kind of individualized task with 20 or 30 students is just too time consuming. Harder Texts, Harder Sentences Some experts say that under the common-core standards, now being implemented in 42 states and the District of Columbia, teachers have more reason than ever to improve their grammar instruction. And ironically, thats not so much because of what the standards say about grammarits because of what they say about text complexity. The issue now is that kids are being asked to read harder stuff, said Shanahan. So wouldnt grammar help them more than it would have in the past when we asked them to read easy sentences? Hayes said the shift to more complex texts has changed her approach to grammar instruction completely. For years, she used the grammar programs assigned by her district, in which shed put an isolated sentence on the board and have students correct it. And I saw no success, she said. Teaching in isolation never worked, but I didnt know any better. But with the common core, in trying to figure out how to get students to parse complex texts, she did some research on syntax and came across a tactic she now uses daily called juicy sentences. Developed by Lily Wong Fillmore, an education professor at the University of California, Berkeley, the technique involves pulling a particularly complicated sentence out of a text that students are reading, and deconstructing it as a class. You do a deep dive into that one sentence that kids are already familiar with, explained Hayes. Because students have context for the sentence, theyre more likely to remember how the language rule works, she said. The daily practice, and teaching the tactic to other teachers, has also helped improve her own understanding of the English-language system. Sue Pimentel, a lead writer of the common-core standards for English/language arts, said shes pleased that some teachers are making the connection between text complexity and grammar, even though its not written out in the standards explicitly. When youre getting into college-level texts, youre getting into a lot of clauses, she said, and teachers can pull those apart to help students learn how language works. What the Standards Say The common standards directly address grammar as well, laying out benchmarks at each grade level that will lead students to demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage. In the common-core document, grammar has its own special sectionaway from reading and writing. While leading professional-development sessions, Hayes found that a lot of teachers didnt even know there were language standards. They were kind of ignored. Pimentel explains that the writers debated about where to put the language standards in the common-core document. We felt like if we stuck them in writing only, wed be sending the message that language use is only in writing, she said. And do we repeat them again in speaking and listening? That wouldnt make sense, either. Giving them their own section, and adding references to them within the writing standards, was a compromise of sorts, according to Pimentel. Theres always a danger when you separate things out that people think you teach them separately, she said. We hope thats not the case because that doesnt lead to good instruction. Interestingly, the grammar skills in the content standards dont differ too much from most previous state standards, the writers say. For instance, they ask students to use an apostrophe to form contractions and form and use regular and irregular verbs"benchmarks that shouldnt much surprise teachers. The standards do, however, focus more on grammar application than most previous state standards, some saywhich could encourage more authentic grammar work. Whereas before it was OK for a kid to identify nouns, now, its that they actually have to be able to use them and use them correctly, said Everette, the Alabama teacher. A lot of the skills do overlap from what we had before, but youre taking it to the next level and applying it to your real writing. The common-core-aligned tests also generally have more writing tasks than previous state tests, which could give teachers more incentive to teach grammar through writing, experts say. So will teachers make the switch to fully embedded grammar instruction and stop with the drills and memorizing altogether? Not likely. As of now, the research supporting embedded grammar work could be on the planet Mars for the extent to which it impacts some classrooms, said Cleary of DePaul. And some experts are OK with teachers using a mix of instructional techniques. To try to teach grammar solely through indirect methods, I think thats hard on students, Pimentel said. You have to do a ton of reading and a ton of writing to figure out what the rules are. So help along the way with practices seems to be the best way go. Like a lot of things where the pendulum is swinging back and forth, said Miami-Dades Elden, the place you want to be is not on either extreme end. The European Investment Bank (EIB) has provided a EUR 25m loan to MAM Hungaria Kft, the Hungarian production subsidiary of BAMED MAM Group, a global leader in the manufacturing, development and distribution of baby care products. This is the first transaction in Hungary supported by InnovFin EU Finance for Innovators, a new generation of financial instruments backed by the European Union under Horizon 2020. Founded in 1976 in Vienna, BAMED MAM Group is a family-owned company that manufactures and distributes MAM, a leading brand of baby care products. The Group has delivered strong and sustained revenue growth in the forty years since its establishment and now ranks among the top three players globally in the pacifier and baby bottle market. Eighty million MAM products are sold every year in 60 countries on five continents, with two MAM products being sold every second. The EIB loan will support the companys development of innovative infant and toddler accessories, with a particular focus on bringing improved and safer products to the market. It will support a major employer in Western Transdanubia in Hungary and back the companys expansion plans, which are expected to result in significant job creation. This long-term loan reflects the EIBs commitment to promoting the development of fast-growing European midcap companies and supporting RDI investment. The activities are in line with the EUs priority objectives under Horizon 2020. BAMED MAM Groups investment programme is supported by InnovFin EU Finance for Innovators MidCap Growth Finance. InnovFin is a new range of EIB Group products that receive financial support from the European Union under Horizon 2020 Financial Instruments and are designed to facilitate access to finance for innovative businesses. InnovFin MidCap Growth Finance offers long-term senior, subordinated or mezzanine loans from EUR 7.5m to EUR 25m for innovative SMEs and midcaps (up to 3 000 employees). Background information InnovFin financial products Under Horizon 2020, the EU research programme for 2014-20, the European Commission and the European Investment Bank Group (EIB and EIF) have launched a new generation of financial instruments and advisory services in 2014 to help innovative firms access finance more easily. Until 2020, "InnovFin EU Finance for Innovators" offers a range of tailored products which will make available more than EUR 24bn of financing support for research and innovation (R&I) by small, medium-sized and large companies and the promoters of research infrastructures. This finance is expected to support up to EUR 48bn of final R&I investments. Backed by funds set aside under Horizon 2020 and by the EIB Group, InnovFin financial products support R&I activities, which by their nature are riskier and harder to assess than traditional investments, and therefore often face difficulties in accessing finance. All are demand-driven instruments, with no prior allocations between sectors, countries or regions. Firms and other entities located in EU Member States and Horizon 2020 Associated Countries will be eligible as final beneficiaries. InnovFin MidCap Growth Finance offers long-term senior, subordinated or mezzanine loans from EUR 7.5m to EUR 25m for innovative larger midcaps (up to 3 000 employees) but also SMEs and small midcaps, with the aim of financing up to 50% of these companies R&I investment programmes. During a site visit to Cardiffs Energy Recovery Facility owned by Viridor, a Pennon Group company, Jonathan Taylor Vice President of the European Investment Bank (EIB), Europes long-term lending institution and the worlds largest international public bank, confirmed that the EIB expected to provide GBP 110 million to support the new facility in the coming weeks. The Cardiff Energy Recovery Facility is the largest ERF in Wales, treating waste from local authorities and local businesses and diverts at least 95% of non-recyclable waste in South Wales away from landfill and generates 30MW of electricity for the national grid, enough to power around 50,000 households. Significant investment in energy recovery technology allows energy to be recovered from waste that cannot be recycled or reused and would previously have been sent to landfill sites. The new Cardiff Energy Recovery Facility shows how waste is being transformed into vital renewable energy for Wales and reflects the strong environmental commitment of the Welsh government and local authorities already working with the project. The European Investment Bank recognises the strong track record of Viridor, owned by Pennon Group, successfully implementing cutting edge plants across the country and we expect to finalise technical details for a GBP 110 million long-term EIB loan in the coming weeks. World class schemes such as the Cardiff Energy Recovery Facility will be highlighted at the International Green Growth Forum in Cardiff this week. said Jonathan Taylor, European Investment Bank Vice President. We are delighted that the European Investment Bank is planning to provide funding for another of Viridors Energy Recovery Facilities. Viridor now has eight Energy Recovery Facilities in operation across the UK and a further three facilities are progressing well and will be delivered by March 2019. Together these facilities will deliver 242MW of de-centralised energy, transforming waste into a valuable social resource. Cardiff is a world-class plant built on time, below budget and to a high quality. Pennon Group has a strong relationship with the EIB and we look forward to continuing to work closely together in future. said Susan Davy, Pennon Group Director of Finance. The Cardiff Energy Recovery Facility will handle 350,000 tonnes of waste annually. This includes household waste delivered by the five Councils that make up the Prosiect Gwyrdd, Project Green, partnership: Cardiff, Newport, Monmouthshire, Vale of Glamorgan and Caerphilly that together represent 40% of the total municipal waste in Wales. As well as treating household waste on behalf of Prosiect Gwyrdd, the facility will also receive non-recyclable waste from local businesses and help to divert their waste away from landfill. 2015 represented a record year for the EIBs engagement across the United Kingdom during which we provided GBP 5.6 billion to support more than GBP 16 billion of overall investment. The European Investment Bank has supported investment in social housing, transport, energy, water and education across Wales for more than forty years, including more than GBP 2 billion over the last decade. Recent European Investment Bank engagement in Wales has included backing the new Swansea University Bay campus and cutting heating costs at Bangor University, financing for 10 housing associations across Wales, strengthening Vodafone mobile network in rural areas, improvements to the Welsh Water and Severn Trent network, key investment by Ford at Bridgend and Norgine at Hengoed, and financing for new high-speed Great Western Line trains expected to start operation in two years time. Over the last 5 years the European Investment Bank has provided nearly than EUR 1.2 billion for investment to improve treatment and disposal of waste in 13 countries across Europe. Support for waste investment in the UK, including plants in North Yorkshire and Devon, has been more than any other country. Ely, Cambridgeshire is best known for its majestic cathedral dubbed the 'Ship of the Fens' because it dominates the flat landscape. The city, which is the second smallest in England, is about 14 miles north-northeast of Cambridge and about 80 miles by road from London. 17:55, 17 OCT 2022 City/Town: Basel Event Type: Other Location: Paddy Reilly's Pub, Steinentorstr 45 There will be someone on hand to help you register to vote and at 7pm Rebecca Heid, EA will talk & answer questions about US tax filing, an expat's favorite topic. 18:00 SOCIAL HOUR & VOTER REGISTRATION 19:00 US TAXES FOR INDIVIDUALS (20 CH donation for the talk) -DO I NEED TO FILE A US TAX RETURN? -IVE HAVENT FILED IN YEARS, WHAT SHOULD I DO? -MUST MY NON-US SPOUSE FILE A US TAX RETURN? -WHAT IS THE FBAR? FATCA? -WHY ARE SWISS BANKS TURNING UNITED STATES CLIENTS AWAY? Sponsored by Democrats in Basel https://www.facebook.com/groups/1695...?ref=bookmarks WWW.DEMOCRATSABROAD.ORG WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/DEMSABROAD RSVP'd Yes: 1 (1 members and No guests) AboleynCH Join other Americans for a beer & a bite to eat upstairs at Paddy Reilly's PubThere will be someone on hand to help you register to vote and at 7pm Rebecca Heid, EA will talk & answer questions about US tax filing, an expat's favorite topic.18:00 SOCIAL HOUR & VOTER REGISTRATION19:00 US TAXES FOR INDIVIDUALS (20 CH donation for the talk)-DO I NEED TO FILE A US TAX RETURN?-IVE HAVENT FILED IN YEARS, WHAT SHOULD I DO?-MUST MY NON-US SPOUSE FILE A US TAX RETURN?-WHAT IS THE FBAR? FATCA?-WHY ARE SWISS BANKS TURNING UNITED STATES CLIENTS AWAY?Sponsored by Democrats in Basel(1 members and No guests) Re: Swiss Butter could well be the eggs. One can never go on the amount of eggs specified. When beating the eggs into the mixture, you can add ready beaten eggs instead of plopping them in one by one, this way you can test if it's the amount of egg and control it. Half an egg can be too much, so plopping one too many eggs in can make it too runny. Add beaten egg a little at a time when you see you're close to your desired consistency. Flour and pastry is also susceptible to temperature and humidity, for example you might find that you need slightly less water or liquid in a dough on a colder damper day. It could well be be the flour, we have hard and soft flour, experiment with different types of flour to see what results you get. Soft white flour should be fine. I doubt it's the butter, what you want is nice white butter. I'm sure you can find French butter here, but I think Swiss butter is great (Floralp for example, plus you can get real fresh butter) - what you are after is the fat content in butter anyway. Working with butter can be tricky, which is why they say good pastry chefs have cold hands. You don't want to melt, split or bruise the butter. This depends on the recipe of course but generally eggs should be used at room temperature and butter either cold or at room temperature. Take brioche for example, because it's so similar to choux in the fat and egg content, the butter needs to be cold when mixed into the flour. If cold butter is called for then make sure it's cold, if room temp butter is called for, do not stick it in the microwave for a few seconds, just leave it out for 10 or 15 minutes. Pate Choux is runny, but I presume you've got the little profiterole cups. If you think your paste is still too runny, fridge it for a short while and work swiftly with it. As you can see there are many variables involved, it's the tried and tested method that works, practice makes perfect. Good luck with the Choux. Re: Not able to close basement storage room door since we moved in, agency aware-opti Quote: RTN No doubt about it - bad service. I do find it odd that a non fitting door would pass through the inspections, is it possible that the hinges have come out of adjustment? Easy check is to stand on the inside of the door and see how much clearance you have on the hinge side compared to the lock side. If there is more clearance on the hinge side than the amount that is stopping the door from closing then you "should" get away with a hinge adjustment. If you need help with this post a picture of the hinge but they are either quite simple or non adjustable. Yes it is not your job but if it solves your problem then it is worth 10 minutes of your time. Second thought on the above, maybe call the Building Hauswart and see if they can help you, some of these people are quite handy at a quick fix. But when it was first spotted, we checked and it is definitely the door that is the wrong shape for the frame. The door itself, at the top - is not flat/straight... it has a bump at the top and off to the side... imagine a very much flattened and lop-sided pyramid. At minimum it needs to be taken off the hinges and someone needs to go at it with a plane or similar type tool, otherwise an electric sander... by hand would take a long time. Unfortunately, I don't have those tools available. Otherwise yes, I would offer to fix it. Quote: doropfiz @dibbles First of all, I commend you on wanting to do things the right way, and on not wanting to make unneccessary bad vibes when you really do like your home. RTN works with wood, so I'm sure that even if you do not have technical skills yourself, if you take him up on his offer and do send him that photo he will be able to give you a competent opinion on what needs to be done. I think that in your position, I would do the following: 1. Ask the agent to give you the contact details of the caretaker of the building (both mail and phone). 2. Ask her to inform the caretaker that he/she may have to be there to let the builder in. 3. Ask the agent for the contact details of the building contractor (both mail and phone). 4. Ask her to inform the builder that you will contact him directly, to make an appointment. This, after all, is more likely to result in your and the builder managing to make an actually appointment. To do this, do not mail the builder, but phone. If you cannot do this yourself because of the language (don't know how much German you speak) then ask someone to do it for you. Try your best to arrange your week so as to accept ANY appointment the builder offers. 5. Once an appointment has been set, if need be, give the caretaker a key, for that day only, this express purpose. 6. MAIL them all in one mail. In that mail, - thank the agent for setting up the contact, and - confirm with the builder that you will be at home on that day and time, OR inform him that the key will be with the caretaker (include caretaker's mobile number) and - thank the caretaker for doing this. 7. Give a key to the caretaker, as in 5. above. 8. The day before the appointment, phone the builder to confirm again. Once again, give the builder your phone number and that of the caretaker. Keep the builder on the phone until he writes those numbers down (again). 9. Phone the caretaker to tell him you've just confirmed with the builder. Keep the caretaker on the phone until he writes down the builders number. 10. Phone the builder back, to tell him you've just confirmed with caretaker. 11. Phone the agent to tell her how much you're hoping it'll work this time, and make sure she, too, has all the numbers. In my experience, this kind of confirmation can come accross as your being slightly nervous or paranoid, but if you remain calm and polite (as you have been in this thread), they will probably feel they WANT to be nice to you. The method of informing everyone, in all directions, seems to promt the weakest link to Get On With Things, because he will know that, if he defaults, you will be informing everyone else again, in the nicest possible way. As far as your guests are concerned.... well, personally, I would not put my relationship with the agent and the caretaker at risk, (that relationship is going to be longstanding and part of your everyday life here) merely to get some boxes/furniture out of the way for the guests. Even though I take your point that the flat will be much nicer once you can use your cellar, for myself, I'd take the stance that the guests know, after all, that you've only just moved it, and I would believe that they will be able to tolerate walking around whatever hasn't yet been assigned its correct place in the cellar. Could you perhaps just shove the pile to the side and drape a bedspread over it? Seriously... you'll probably be so busy with your guests that that pile will not be given much attention. At least, I'd wish that for you. The guests were fine with it, my mum and step-dad... they're not particularly judgemental in that area... it's more my wife and I wanting to complete the move and we would have had the whole place looking nice by this past weekend. Thank you for the replies, some really good advice there.Thank you kindly, already checked that. It is a metal frame with hinges that don't look like they can move much.But when it was first spotted, we checked and it is definitely the door that is the wrong shape for the frame.The door itself, at the top - is not flat/straight... it has a bump at the top and off to the side... imagine a very much flattened and lop-sided pyramid.At minimum it needs to be taken off the hinges and someone needs to go at it with a plane or similar type tool, otherwise an electric sander... by hand would take a long time.Unfortunately, I don't have those tools available. Otherwise yes, I would offer to fix it.That sounds like a good plan, thank you kindly.The guests were fine with it, my mum and step-dad... they're not particularly judgemental in that area... it's more my wife and I wanting to complete the move and we would have had the whole place looking nice by this past weekend. Re: Due health Insurance - Drastic consequences? Quote: NotAllThere See the bit I've highlighted? That's what they have to do. Alternatively, get the money for the debt from someone/somewhere else and pay the debt. As mentioned in previous posts, Krankenkasse payments need to be met in CH. It's not a choice. But there are many ways available to reduce the costs of this obligation in certain circumstances through the SVA (it's standard for low income persons insured such as students, low income families etc. and absolutely nothing to be ashamed about). So, if your neighbours have not yet received the Betriebung (as you've stated) - they should if at all possible try to pay it off by funding from family and friends asap, pay it express and send a registered letter as well as email to the insurance company telling them that the amount due has been transferred. This will save a lot of hassle going forward. If that's just not possible, it will go over the Betreibungsweg as Lawyered kindly describes. From the sounds of it they may be able to buy a bit of time by disputing the case, but at the end of the day the case doesn't sound too strong. Given the current situation, their credit rating might not allow incurring further debt. If at all possible however, they should absolutely pay off this debt before going into the Betriebungs / Pfandungs process. Because this will affect not only their credit rating but also the ability to find future work (depending on industry) and apartments here.As mentioned in previous posts, Krankenkasse payments need to be met in CH. It's not a choice.But there are many ways available to reduce the costs of this obligation in certain circumstances through the SVA (it's standard for low income persons insured such as students, low income families etc. and absolutely nothing to be ashamed about).So, if your neighbours have not yet received the Betriebung (as you've stated) - they should if at all possible try to pay it off by funding from family and friends asap, pay it express and send a registered letter as well as email to the insurance company telling them that the amount due has been transferred. This will save a lot of hassle going forward. If that's just not possible, it will go over the Betreibungsweg as Lawyered kindly describes.From the sounds of it they may be able to buy a bit of time by disputing the case, but at the end of the day the case doesn't sound too strong. Last edited by ZuriRollt; 03.03.2016 at 15:55 . Leading shopping centre REIT Hyprop continued with its defensive strategy of investing in quality shopping centres which dominate their catchment areas, with double-digit growth for the six months ended 31 December 2015 (the period). Hyprop declared a dividend of 297,8 cents per share, up 13,4% on the comparative period. CEO Pieter Prinsloo says: Distributable earnings for the period benefitted from good growth from Rosebank Mall, following its re-development, additional income from the new sub-Saharan African investments, as well as from exchange rate gains of R8,1 million due to Rand weakness against the US Dollar. Hyprop acquired Ikeja City Mall in Lagos and opened Achimota Mall in Accra during the period. We maintained robust growth in all key indicators, says Prinsloo. Total revenue and distributable earnings from South African investment property (excluding properties sold) increased by 11,9% and 9,7%, respectively, beneting from the inclusion of income from Rosebank Mall for the full period. Like-for-like revenue and distributable earnings from investment property (excluding Rosebank Mall) increased by 10,3% and 7,7%, respectively. Prinsloo comments: Demand for retail space in our shopping malls is as strong as ever, as reflected in our improved vacancy percentage of 0,9% from 1,3% in June 2015, as a result of new lettings at Somerset Mall and Willowbridge. Vacancies in the office portfolio also improved marginally to 7,2% from 8,3% in June 2015. Several smaller projects relating to extensions and tenant refurbishments totalling R141 million were completed during the period, including the Woolworths extension at Somerset Mall for R58,5 million and the H&M extension at Clearwater Mall for R37 million. The eagerly anticipated opening of H&M is set for April 2016. In line with strategy to continuously improve the quality of the retail offering, further developments at an anticipated cost of R87 million are being planned. Hyprops loan-to-value ratio increased to 28,5% from 22,9 % due to USD denominated bank debt increasing with the acquisition of Ikeja City Mall, on-going development activity in AttAfrica and Rand depreciation against the USD. The growing sub-Saharan footprint also contributed to growth in net income for the period, with distributable earnings from the investments in sub-Saharan Africa (excluding SA) increasing by 68,2% to R35,3 million, in part due to income from Accra-based malls West Hills Mall and Achimota Mall and Lagos-based Ikeja City Mall. Prinsloo says that our new Nigerian mall, Ikeja is trading well, is fully let and has a high average monthly footfall. Hyprops current investment in sub-Saharan Africa (excluding SA) totals R4,1 billion, which is financed with US Dollar bank funding. In February 2016 Hyprop announced the acquisition of a 60% interest in Delta City Belgrade (Serbia) and Delta City Podgorica (Montenegro) via a United Kingdom based joint venture company, Hystead Limited. Homestead Group Holdings Limited has acquired the remaining 40% in both malls. These acquisitions are an attractive investment for Hyprop as they complement our strategy to acquire or develop high quality, income-producing shopping centres in emerging markets, says Prinsloo. Notwithstanding difficult trading conditions in South African over the next 12 months, Hyprop expects dividend growth of between 13% and 15% for the full year to 30 June 2016. This forecast is an upward revision of the guidance provided in August 2015, which was approximately 10%. Prinsloo concludes: The increase in guidance is largely due to the inclusion of income from Ikeja City Mall and from the Delta City Malls in Belgrade, Serbia and Podgorica, Montenegro. Shares in Hyprop closed yesterday at R108,51. HIGHLIGHTS Balwin Properties launched Malakite property development, the companys first new development since listing on the JSE in October 2015. Malakite,conveniently situated close to main arterial routes in Greenstone, east of Johannesburg, will be the latest development to form part of Balwins portfolio which spans over 70 residential estates since the Companys inception in 1996. Stephen Brookes, CEO and founder of Balwin commented: Malakite is one of several new developments in our secured pipeline that we are steadily rolling out over the next eight years. Our experience, continuous design innovation and business model will allow us to deliver on our promises made to investors when we listed. We benefit from economies of scale, in-house management and construction that allows us to deliver a superior product at an attractive price, on time and on budget. The R226 million development will span 32 320 square metres and comprise 290 sectional title residential units once completed in June 2017. Each apartment block will consist of three levels, offering investors a choice of five layout types in one, two and three bedroom options ranging in size from 46.8m2 to 113.7m2. Added benefits include 24 hour security, a clubhouse with swimming pool, fibre optic WIFI, pre-paid gas and smart meters, and eco-friendly appliances in each unit. The units are competitively priced and representative of Balwins quality offering, with prices starting at R 799 900 for a one bedroom unit, R 1 349 900 for a two bedroom unit and R 1 499 900 for a three bedroom unit. In line with Balwins phased build-to-sell business model, the estate will be developed over six phases according to demand. Our phased model de-risks the business. All of our developments are carefully matched against pre-sales, providing us with an exceptional cash generating ability and scalability, protecting the business from macro-economic impacts to some extent. We are assessing the economic situation which will guide the rollout of our rental portfolio from 2017. Malakite is a good example of the strong market demand for our developments. We have already received significant interest for these units with pre-sales totalling 80 units before the official public launch proclaimed Brookes. The company expects to announce its annual results for the twelve month period to 29 February 2016 on or about 23 May 2016. Younited Italia, Nicola Manzari e il nuovo Coo, Luca Faccini e Head of Growth e Domenico Petraroli e General Counsel MINNEAPOLIS - If your neighborhood is well-lit at night, you may not be sleeping well, according to a study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 68th Annual Meeting in Vancouver, Canada, April 15 to 21, 2016. "Our world has become a 24/7 society. We use outdoor lighting, such a street lights, to be more active at night and to increase our safety and security," said study author Maurice Ohayon, MD, DSC, PhD, of Stanford University in Stanford, Calif. "The concern is that we have reduced our exposure to darkness and it could be affecting our sleep." For the study, 15,863 people were interviewed by phone over an eight-year period. They were asked about sleep habits, quality of sleep as well as medical and psychiatric disorders. Then, with nighttime data from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, the researchers looked at how much outdoor light those people were exposed to at night. People living in urban areas of 500,000 people or more were exposed to nighttime lights that were three to six times more intense than people living in small towns and rural areas. The study shows that nighttime light affects sleep duration and was significantly associated with sleep disturbances. People living in more intense light areas were six percent more likely to sleep less than six hours per night than people in less intense light areas. People living in more intense light areas were more likely to be dissatisfied with their sleep quantity or quality than people in less intense light areas, with 29 percent dissatisfied compared to 16 percent. People with high light exposure were also more likely to report fatigue than those with low light exposure, with 9 percent compared to 7 percent. People with high light exposure also slept less per night than those with low light exposure, with an average of 412 minutes per night compared to 402 minutes per night. In addition, people with high light exposure were more likely to wake up confused during the night than people with low light exposure, with 19 percent experiencing this compared to 13 percent. They were also more likely to have excessive sleepiness and impaired functioning, at 6 percent compared to 2 percent. "Light pollution can be found in any sizable city in the world. Yet, excessive exposure to light at night may affect how we function during the day and increase the risks of excessive sleepiness," said Ohayon. "If this association is confirmed by other studies, people may want to consider room darkening shades, sleep masks or other options to reduce their exposure." ### The study was supported by the John Arrillaga Foundation, the Peter Bing Foundation and the Philip Stein Foundation. March is National Sleep Awareness Month. Learn more about sleep at http://www.aan.com/patients. The American Academy of Neurology, an association of 30,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to promoting the highest quality patient-centered neurologic care. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as Alzheimer's disease, stroke, migraine, multiple sclerosis, brain injury, Parkinson's disease and epilepsy. For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit http://www.aan.com or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and YouTube. Scientists, in four plenary talks, will explore a variety of subjects related to the "Computers in Chemistry" theme of the 251st National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS), the world's largest scientific society. The meeting will take place March 13-17 in San Diego. The presentations, which are among more than 12,500 scheduled to take place at the meeting, will be held on Sunday, March 13, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. PDT, in Room 20A-C of the San Diego Convention Center. Overall, the presentations will illustrate the wide variety of applications for computers in science from helping develop more potent anti-HIV agents to creating brand-new proteins with the help of the general public. The titles of the plenary talks are listed below: George Schatz, Ph.D.: "Using self-assembly to make functional materials: Computational perspectives" Sharon Hammes-Schiffer, Ph.D.: "Proton-coupled electron transfer in catalysis and energy conversion" David Baker, Ph.D.: "Post-evolutionary biology: Design of novel protein structures, functions and assemblies" William Jorgensen, Ph.D.: "30 years of free energy perturbation theory: From free energies of hydration to drug discovery" ### The American Chemical Society is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. With more than 158,000 members, ACS is the world's largest scientific society and a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio. To automatically receive news releases from the American Chemical Society, contact newsroom@acs.org. Follow us: Twitter Facebook Schatz: Title Using self-assembly to make functional materials: Computational perspectives Abstract Self-assembly of amphiphilic molecules provides a way to make nanoscale (and larger) supramolecular structures including micelles, ribbons, sheets and aggregates that are important in biomedical applications. Soft materials composed of crystalline superlattices of nanoparticles can be fabricated using DNA, RNA and similar molecules to act as linkers of the nanoparticles. This talk describes computational methods that can be used to model the assembly of these materials and to determine the chemical and optical properties of the assembled structures. Emphasis will be placed on the use of theory to guide and interpret experiment, and to optimize structure and function. Hammes-Schiffer: Title Proton-coupled electron transfer in catalysis and energy conversion Abstract Proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) reactions play a vital role in a wide range of chemical and biological processes. Recent advances in the theory of PCET will be presented. The quantum mechanical effects of the active electrons and transferring proton, as well as the motions of the proton donor-acceptor mode and solvent or protein environment, are included in a general theoretical formulation. This formulation enables the calculation of rate constants and kinetic isotope effects for comparison to experiment. Applications to PCET reactions in solution, enzymes, and electrochemical systems will be presented. Studies of the enzyme soybean lipoxygenase provide a physical explanation for the experimental observation of unusually high kinetic isotope effects for C-H bond activation at room temperature. Investigations of molecular electrocatalysts for hydrogen production identify the thermodynamically and kinetically favorable mechanisms and guide the theoretical design of more effective molecular electrocatalysts. In addition, recent developments of theoretical approaches for simulating the ultrafast dynamics of photoinduced PCET will be discussed. These calculations provide insights into the roles of proton vibrational relaxation and nonequilibrium solvent dynamics in photoinduced PCET processes. Baker: Title Post-evolutionary biology: Design of novel protein structures, functions and assemblies Abstract Proteins mediate the critical processes of life and beautifully solve the challenges faced during the evolution of modern organisms. Our goal is to design a new generation of proteins that address current day problems not faced during evolution. In contrast to traditional protein engineering efforts, which have focused on modifying naturally occurring proteins, we design new proteins from scratch based on Anfinsen's principle that proteins fold to their global free energy minimum. We compute amino acid sequences predicted to fold into proteins with new structures and functions, produce synthetic genes encoding these sequences, and characterize them experimentally. I will describe the design of ultra-stable idealized proteins, flu neutralizing proteins, high affinity ligand binding proteins, and self-assembling protein nanomaterials. I will also describe the contributions of the general public to these efforts through the distributed computing project Rosetta@Home and the online protein folding and design game Foldit. Finally, I will briefly describe significant progress in ab initio protein structure prediction. Jorgensen: Title 30 years of free energy perturbation theory: From free energies of hydration to drug discovery Abstract FEP calculations have had a revolutionary effect on computational chemistry. In conjunction with molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo simulations, they have enabled the calculation of free energy changes for wide-ranging phenomena including fundamental solution thermodynamics, conformational equilibria, reactions in solution, and protein-ligand binding. An overview of our FEP efforts beginning with the ethane to methanol calculation in 1985 and leading to our recent discoveries of extraordinarily potent anti-HIV agents and inhibitors of human macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) will be presented. WASHINGTON, DC - The American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) has selected the winner of the 2016 AIBS Emerging Public Policy Leadership Award. Julia Omotade is a Ph.D. candidate in the Biochemistry, Cellular and Developmental Biology program at Emory University. "AIBS is proud to recognize Ms. Omotade's notable accomplishments as the leader of a successful student movement about the importance of federally supported research," said AIBS President Dr. Joseph Travis. Julia Omotade co-founded the Emory Science Advocacy Network, a group that encourages graduate students to advocate for federal research funding. She has helped members of the group meet with their lawmakers in Georgia and in Washington, DC. For the past two years, Julia has co-organized a letter writing campaign, which resulted in more than 600 letters to members of Congress in 2015. Julia has a B.S. in biology from The Catholic University of America. Her Ph.D. research investigates how brain cells communicate during development and adulthood and how this communication is dysregulated in diseases such as Alzheimer's. "Currently, the breakthroughs of tomorrow are threatened by dwindling federal investment in research," said Omotade. "As a graduate student, I have witnessed exciting scientific projects come to a halt because scientists are no longer able to pay for the expensive costs of equipment or highly-trained individuals." "Julia joins a distinguished group of Emerging Public Policy Leadership Award winners who have demonstrated great promise in science policy," said AIBS Interim Co-Executive Director Dr. Robert Gropp. "I am confident that Julia's participation in Congressional Visits Day will add to her ability to influence science policy throughout her career." Since 2003, AIBS has recognized the achievements of biology graduate students who have demonstrated an interest and aptitude for making contributions to science and science policy. AIBS will sponsor Julia's travel to Washington, DC in April to participate in a training program on communicating with policymakers and a briefing on the federal budget for scientific research. She will also meet with her congressional delegation in conjunction with the annual Biological and Ecological Sciences Coalition (BESC) Congressional Visits Day, an event co-organized by AIBS. In addition, Julia will receive a one-year membership in AIBS, which includes a subscription to the scientific journal BioScience. AIBS will also recognize three additional outstanding leaders as Honorable Mentions. Donald Gibson is pursuing a Ph.D. in Integrative Genetics and Genomics at the University of California, Davis. Kevin Morris is working towards a Ph.D. in biochemistry at Emory University. Caroline Smith is a Ph.D. candidate in behavioral neuroscience at Boston College. ### For more information about the Emerging Public Policy Leadership Award, including past recipients, visit http://www.aibs.org/public-policy/resources/EPPLA_Summary.pdf. A research collaboration that combines novel "big-data" informatics tools with expertise in basic biology has uncovered details of an essential process in life: how a crucial enzyme locates the site on DNA where it begins to direct the synthesis of RNA. This finding may aid in the discovery of new antimicrobial medicines, and the powerful technological approaches developed for this research may shed light on other essential cellular processes. A bioinformatics group from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia collaborated with researchers from Rutgers University on the study, which appeared online today in Science. "The algorithms we developed enable us to tackle many questions across diverse areas of DNA and RNA biology," said study co-author Deanne M. Taylor, Ph.D., Director of Bioinformatics in the Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). "Understanding these fundamental processes may help in developing antimicrobial treatments to fight bacterial disease." Taylor collaborated on the study with biochemist Bryce Nickels, Ph.D., and chemist Richard Ebright, Ph.D., both from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. The research focuses on transcription--how cells read genetic information stored in DNA by first synthesizing a copy of that genetic information as RNA. The enzyme RNA polymerase is the molecular machine that carries out transcription. In the current study, the CHOP/Rutgers team determined how RNA polymerase locates the site on DNA where it starts transcription. In particular, working in bacteria, the CHOP/Rutgers team showed that after RNA polymerase binds to DNA and partly unwinds the two strands of the DNA helix, it then continues unwinding those two strands, pulling the unwound DNA strands into itself until it engages the transcription start site (TSS). The researchers call this process--unwinding DNA and pulling strands into itself--"DNA scrunching." Nickels points out, "Scientists have known for more than three decades that transcription start sites vary, but did not previously know the mechanism." To detect DNA scrunching during TSS selection, the researchers developed powerful new experimental approaches, called MASTER and MASTER-XL. The CHOP/Rutgers team first described MASTER (for "massively systematic transcript end readout") in a December 2015 paper in Molecular Cell. MASTER-XL combines the MASTER technology with crosslinking--introducing artificial amino acids at specific sites on proteins to crosslink to sites in DNA. Using high-throughput algorithms, the study team was able to precisely and rapidly pinpoint those crosslinking sites in a million different DNA sequences, each carrying a distinct TSS region. In each sequence, the team identified the TSS as well as front (leading edge) and rear (trailing edge) positions where RNA polymerase attached to DNA. Yuanchao Zhang, a graduate student working with Taylor's bioinformatics group at CHOP, developed the big-data algorithms with Taylor to analyze the sequencing data output from MASTER and MASTER-XL experiments. "Our algorithms rapidly process many millions of DNA and RNA sequence reads," said Taylor. The rapid sequencing, plus advanced biochemical and chemical methods underlying the crosslinking, provided a key finding on how DNA scrunching occurs during transcription. As the position of the TSS changes, the position of RNA polymerase's leading edge changes in lock step, but the enzyme's trailing edge remains in the same position. This causes the DNA to scrunch: it remains fastened to RNA polymerase at its trailing edge, but RNA polymerase unwinds the adjacent DNA and pulls the unwound DNA into itself until it locates a new TSS. "The crucial feature of our approach," explained Ebright, "is the combination of protein-DNA crosslinking with next-generation-sequencing of DNA. This enables us to perform crosslinking studies with a million different DNA sequences in the same amount of time that we previously would have needed to perform crosslinking studies with one DNA sequence." He added, "The million-fold increase in throughput allows biological problems to be solved that couldn't be solved before." The CHOP/Rutgers collaborators are now investigating transcription in higher organisms, analyzing whether DNA scrunching occurs during TSS selection, and if so, how it compares to the process in bacteria. The team also hopes to apply MASTER and MASTER-XL to analyzing other essential cellular processes such as DNA replication. ### The National Institutes of Health supported this study (grants GM37048, GM041376, GM088343, and GM115910). Additional co-authors included Jared Winkelman, Irina Vvedenskaya and Jeremy Bird of Rutgers; Richard Gourse of the University of Wisconsin-Madison; and Yu Zhang, formerly at Rutgers, now at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai. "Multiplexed protein-DNA crosslinking: Scrunching in transcription start site selection," Science, March 4, 2016. http://doi.org/10.1126/science.aad6881 "Massively Systematic Transcript End Readout, "MASTER": Transcription Start Site Selection, Transcriptional Slippage, and Transcript Yields," Molecular Cell, published Dec. 17, 2015. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.molcel.2015.10.029 About The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia: The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia was founded in 1855 as the nation's first pediatric hospital. Through its long-standing commitment to providing exceptional patient care, training new generations of pediatric healthcare professionals, and pioneering major research initiatives, Children's Hospital has fostered many discoveries that have benefited children worldwide. Its pediatric research program is among the largest in the country. In addition, its unique family-centered care and public service programs have brought the 535-bed hospital recognition as a leading advocate for children and adolescents. For more information, visit http://www.chop.edu For most guys in the animal kingdom, sex is a once-and-done event. Females from species like rabbits and cows get sperm from their mates and not much else. But in a Forum article published March 3 in Trends in Ecology & Evolution, researchers suggest that these limited encounters can supply resources to females in seminal fluid, and females might have evolved to seek out such seminal resources, even when the amount of fluid is small. "Traditionally, the idea is that when this type of mating takes place, there's no resource transfer and there's no paternal care," says senior author Russell Bonduriansky, an evolutionary ecologist at the University of New South Wales (UNSW). "Males contribute DNA to fertilize an egg, but we believe there's something more complex going on." Bonduriansky and his UNSW colleagues, Angela Crean and Margo Adler, started thinking about evolutionary preferences for seminal fluid--the liquid part of semen, minus the sperm--in 2014, while studying the offspring of female neriid flies (Telostylinus angusticollis) mated with males of varying sizes. The team found that if a male, either large or small, mated with a female fly before she was fertile, he'd pass his sperm along, but the immature eggs wouldn't be fertilized. The surprise came two weeks later: if the female neriid fly copulated with a second male once her eggs had matured and laid eggs fertilized by his sperm, the resulting offspring would be closer in size to the first male. The lingering effects appeared to stem from chemicals in the first male's seminal fluid, even though he wasn't the father. If seminal fluid plays a critical role for future offspring regardless of the father's actual identity, says Bonduriansky, then females may have evolved to exploit the benefits. On top of situations where semen is just passing through, some female animals can store semen from multiple males before allowing any of it to fertilize their eggs, and this system could have advantages beyond holding out for the best DNA. "Females might be choosy even when they don't have eggs ready to be fertilized," Bonduriansky explains. "They might be getting something for future offspring that will be fertilized later on, or they might be getting something for themselves." This idea has been around for decades when thinking about pairings based on obvious resources. Female gibbons and hawks, for example, have evolved to choose males that provide food, territory, or the promise of parental care, even if they're not ready to have offspring. But, says Bonduriansky, that reasoning hasn't been applied to systems where there's nothing but a small ejaculate being transferred. And size might not matter as much as previously thought. Seminal fluid is chemically complex, with proteins and RNA floating in the liquid outside of the sperm, so even the effects of a small ejaculate could be significant, giving females a largely unexplored bonus from sex. "It's pretty clear now that seminal fluid is packed with paternal RNA," says Bonduriansky, at least in humans, mice, fruit flies, and nematode worms. "In some systems, mostly nematodes and mice, there's evidence that these RNAs can play a role in early embryonic development," he adds, though the jury is still out on exactly what effects these molecules have. Researchers typically think of seminal fluid in a small ejaculate as playing different roles, says Bonduriansky, but not as a resource that females purposefully seek out. "And that might not be the case." ### Funding for this work was provided by the Australian Research Council. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, Crean et al.: "Seminal Fluid and Mate Choice: New Predictions" http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2016.02.004 Trends in Ecology & Evolution (@Trends_Ecol_Evo), published by Cell Press, is a monthly journal that contains polished, concise and readable reviews, opinions and letters in all areas of ecology and evolutionary science. It aims to keep scientists informed of new developments and ideas across the full range of ecology and evolutionary biology--from the pure to the applied, and from molecular to global. For more information, please visit http://www.cell.com/trends/ecology-evolution. To receive Cell Press media alerts, please contact press@cell.com. RICHLAND, Wash. - Airborne particles known as "aerosols" strongly impact the way clouds form and change, but accurately capturing this effect in computer climate models has proved to be notoriously difficult. A new study in the Proceedings on the National Academy of Sciences Early Edition online Feb. 26 suggests why -- either the models are failing to capture in sufficient detail the processes at work in clouds, or aerosols are now so pervasive in the atmosphere thanks to modern-day pollution that their specific effects on clouds are hard to pin down. A key problem is that we generally do not have data on clouds from the preindustrial era, before there was pollution, for comparison with the clouds of today. Because clouds are a key part of Earth's climate system, working out how they behaved before the Industrial Age might ultimately help us better determine how much the world will eventually warm up. The study points to at least two ways to potentially improve how the clouds are simulated in climate models. One is to better differentiate cloud types in models to account for their variability. Another would be to study clouds that are not influenced by the pollution that humans have been putting out since the Industrial Age started. "We might have to find clouds far away from civilization," said study author Steve Ghan of the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. "But, there are parts of the world that are pretty darn clean." Cloudy affect One of the toughest questions dogging climate scientists is how much the earth will warm from all the greenhouse gases humans are putting into the atmosphere. Computer models put out a range of possibilities, and the smaller the range, the more sure scientists can be of the result. For example, scientists use models to calculate a property called climate sensitivity -- or how easy it is to warm the earth with additional greenhouse gases. Ultimately, climate sensitivity will tell us the temperature we will end up at so we don't have to wait until the earth adjusts to the added gases, allowing us to prepare for or impede climate change. Conceptually, climate sensitivity would be straightforward to estimate if one focused on just a few limited components of the Earth system -- namely, greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, sunlight hitting the earth, and Earth bouncing some of the sunlight back to space. Under this greatly simplified model, scientists could be pretty confident in their climate sensitivity value: the earth will most likely warm about three-fourths of a degree Celsius for every unit of the sun's energy trapped in the atmosphere, with a possible range of a quarter of a degree more or less. But the sunlight bouncing off the Earth's atmosphere is complicated by the presence of clouds that change in ways that are poorly understood. Climate scientists want to incorporate all the pieces that make up the earth system to nail down a value for overall climate sensitivity. For their part, Ghan and colleagues have been exploring the contribution of clouds and the tiny aerosol particles that influence cloud properties. "It's not enough to have particle emissions and solar energy balance alone because a lot is going on in between," said Ghan. Cloudy complexity Currently, when scientists use models to calculate the extent to which aerosols -- through clouds -- affect the earth's climate, they get a much, much wider range and greater uncertainty than for greenhouse gases. Why? Clouds are complex -- their properties are influenced by tiny aerosol particles called cloud condensation nuclei that cloud droplets form around; a greater number of particles leads to more cloud droplets which in turn affects the cloud brightness and lifetime, since small cloud droplets hang around for hours, and larger water droplets are more prone to come down as rain, if they're heavy enough. The physics and chemistry underlying these and other components mean scientists have to represent daunting complexity in models. Also, clouds are ephemeral creatures. The measurements of clouds that scientists now take have no counterpart in the geologic record, unlike greenhouse gases that are preserved in bubbles in ice cores. Between ice cores, rocks, trees, and fossils, researchers have a good idea how much carbon dioxide existed in the pre-industrial atmosphere. But they can't tell how often dinosaurs cavorted under cloudy skies. To see how well cloud and aerosol measurements are represented in models, Ghan and colleagues compared different models to each other and to measurements and examined how they re-created the past and present. They did this by essentially taking apart the simulations and testing the pieces. Comparing models A climate model is like a train barreling through a tunnel -- scientists put data on the train at one end and the train delivers a view of the climate out the other. In a perfect world, the simulated climate would take a smooth ride through that tunnel. But it's possible that a rollercoaster resides within, taking the simulation through twists and turns that don't resemble reality. To compare the different models, the team looked at the rides taken by the individual components of the equations that make up the simulations. The relationship between the pre-industrial and present day values of any given component, say, the changes in the concentrations of cloud droplets resulting from a change in aerosols, should be the same across the nine different computer models they tested and should be reflected in data from observations. The team found, however, that pre- and post-industrial values didn't agree, and in some cases the there was even a difference in sign (that is, one model yielded a positive value while another yielded a negative one). That indicated they could not model pre-industrial clouds using measurements that have been collected in a post-industrial world. "It's very curious. With greenhouse gases, climate sensitivity doesn't change over eight hundred thousand years. It works. Why don't clouds?" Ghan said. Additional research is needed to figure out why pre-industrial clouds differ from today's clouds. But Ghan said there are several potential directions to go. One, clouds may be more complex than currently represented in models. For example, clouds could have layers that scientists haven't accounted for in models that complicate the transfer of sunlight in and out of the system. In this case, old and present-day clouds would actually be the same, but it would mean the models are missing essential complexity needed to simulate how aerosols and clouds interact. Two, today's clouds in regions of the world where observations are made are never as clean as they were in pre-industrial times. "Present day variability doesn't apply to pre-industrial times because everything's different now that we've been putting greenhouse gases and pollutants in the air for so long," said Ghan. Scientists can explore this option by studying clouds in pristine regions of the world, such as in the southern hemisphere between the latitudes of 40 and 50 degrees. A third explanation could be that the equations used to represent the cloud-aerosol interaction aren't quite right and need to be revisited. In the future, distinguishing between these options may help scientists shine light on cloud modeling's cloudy history. ### This work was supported by the US Department of Energy Office of Science, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Austrian Science Fund, the Swiss National Supercomputing Centre, the UK Natural Environment Research Council, the UK European Research Council, Japan's Ministry of the Environment, the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, and the US National Science Foundation. Reference: Steven Ghan, Minghuai Wang, Shipeng Zhang, Sylvaine Ferrachat, Andrew Gettelman, Jan Griesfeller, Zak Kipling, Ulrike Lohmann, Hugh Morrison, David Neubauer, Daniel Partridge, Philip Stier, Toshihiko Takemura, Hailong Wang, and Kai Zhang. Challenges in Constraining Anthropogenic Aerosol Effects on Cloud Radiative Forcing Using Present-day Spatiotemporal Variability, Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, Early Edition, February 22, 2016, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1514036113. Interdisciplinary teams at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory address many of America's most pressing issues in energy, the environment and national security through advances in basic and applied science. Founded in 1965, PNNL employs 4,400 staff and has an annual budget of nearly $1 billion. It is managed by Battelle for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science. As the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, the Office of Science is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information on PNNL, visit the PNNL News Center, or follow PNNL on Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn and Twitter. By pushing the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope to its limits astronomers have shattered the cosmic distance record by measuring the distance to the most remote galaxy ever seen in the Universe. This galaxy existed just 400 million years after the Big Bang and provides new insights into the first generation of galaxies. This is the first time that the distance of an object so far away has been measured from its spectrum, which makes the measurement extremely reliable. The results will be published in the Astrophysical Journal. Using the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope an international team of astronomers has measured the distance to this new galaxy, named GN-z11. Although extremely faint, the galaxy is unusually bright considering its distance from Earth. The distance measurement of GN-z11 provides additional strong evidence that other unusually bright galaxies found in earlier Hubble images are really at extraordinary distances, showing that we are closing in on the first galaxies that formed in the Universe. Previously, astronomers had estimated GN-z11's distance by analysing its colour in images taken with both Hubble and the NASA Spitzer Space Telescope. Now, for the first time for a galaxy at such an extreme distance, the team has used Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3(WFC3) to precisely measure the distance to GN-z11 spectroscopically by splitting the light into its component colours. "Our spectroscopic observations reveal the galaxy to be even further away than we had originally thought, right at the distance limit of what Hubble can observe," explains Gabriel Brammer of the Space Telescope Science Institute and second author of the study. This puts GN-z11 at a distance that was once thought only to be reachable with the upcoming NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) [1]. "We've taken a major step back in time, beyond what we'd ever expected to be able to do with Hubble. We managed to look back in time to measure the distance to a galaxy when the Universe was only three percent of its current age," says Pascal Oesch of Yale University and lead author of the paper. To determine large distances, like the one to GN-z11, astronomers measure the redshift of the observed object. This phenomenon is a result of the expansion of the Universe; every distant object in the Universe appears to be receding from us and as a result its light is stretched to longer, redder wavelengths. Before astronomers determined the distance to GN-z11, the most distant measured galaxy, EGSY8p7, had a redshift of 8.68. Now, the team has confirmed GN-z11's distance to be at a redshift of 11.1, which corresponds to 400 million years after the Big Bang. "The previous record-holder was seen in the middle of the epoch when starlight from primordial galaxies was beginning to heat and lift a fog of cold, hydrogen gas," explains co-author Rychard Bouwens from the University of Leiden, the Netherlands. "This transitional period is known as the reionisation era. GN-z11 is observed 150 million years earlier, near the very beginning of this transition in the evolution of the Universe." The combination of observations taken by Hubble and Spitzer revealed that the infant galaxy is 25 times smaller than the Milky Way and has just one percent of our galaxy's mass in stars. However, the number of stars in the newborn GN-z11 is growing fast: The galaxy is forming stars at a rate about 20 times greater than the Milky Way does today [2]. This high star formation rate makes the remote galaxy bright enough for Hubble to see and to perform detailed observations. However, the discovery also raises many new questions as the existence of such a bright and large galaxy is not predicted by theory. "It's amazing that a galaxy so massive existed only 200 million to 300 million years after the very first stars started to form. It takes really fast growth, producing stars at a huge rate, to have formed a galaxy that is a billion solar masses so soon," explains Garth Illingworth of the University of California, Santa Cruz. Marijn Franx, a member of the team from the University of Leiden highlights: "The discovery of GN-z11 was a great surprise to us, as our earlier work had suggested that such bright galaxies should not exist so early in the Universe." His colleague Ivo Labbe adds: "The discovery of GN-z11 showed us that our knowledge about the early Universe is still very restricted. How GN-z11 was created remains somewhat of a mystery for now. Probably we are seeing the first generations of stars forming around black holes?" These findings provide a tantalising preview of the observations that the James Webb Space Telescope will perform. "This new discovery shows that JWST will surely find many such young galaxies reaching back to when the first galaxies were forming," concludes Illingworth. ### Notes [1] The NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope is a collaboration between NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). It is scheduled for launch in 2018. [2] GN-z11 transforms about 24 solar masses of gas and dust per year into new stars. More information The Hubble Space Telescope is a project of international cooperation between ESA and NASA. The international team of astronomers in this study consists of P. A. Oesch (Yale University, USA), G.Brammer (STScI, USA), P.G.van Dokkum (Yale University, USA), G.D.Illingworth (University of California, Santa Cruz, USA), R. J. Bouwens (Leiden University, Netherlands), I. Labbe (Leiden University, Netherlands), M.Franx (Leiden University, Netherlands), I. Momcheva (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, USA), M. L. N. Ashby (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, USA), G.G.Fazio (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, USA), V.Gonzalez (University of California, Riverside, USA), B.Holden (University of California, Santa Cruz, USA), D.Magee (University of California, Santa Cruz, USA), R. E. Skelton (South African Astronomical Observatory, South Africa), R. Smit (Durham University, UK), L. R. Spitler (Macquarie University; Australian Astronomical Observatory, Australia), M.Trenti (University of Melbourne, Australia), S.P.Willner (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, USA) Links Images of Hubble - http://www.spacetelescope.org/images/archive/category/spacecraft/ Link to hubblesite release - http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2016/07/ Link to science paper - http://www.spacetelescope.org/static/archives/releases/science_papers/heic1604a.pdf Contacts Pascal Oesch Yale UniversityUSA Tel: +01 203 436 9476 Email: pascal.oesch@yale.edu Gabriel Brammer Space Telescope Science InstituteUSA Tel: +01 410 338 2447 Email: brammer@stsci.edu Garth Illingworth University of California at Santa CruzUSA Tel: +01 831 459 2843 Email: gdi@ucolick.org Rychard Bouwens University of Leiden the Netherlands Tel: +31 71 527 8456 Email: bouwens@strw.leidenuniv.nl Marijn Franx University of Leidenthe Netherlands Tel: +31 71 527 8456 Email: franx@strw.leidenuniv.nl Mathias Jager ESA/Hubble, Public Information Officer Garching , Germany Tel: +49 176 62397500 Email: mjaeger@partner.eso.org Happy events can trigger a heart condition known as takotsubo syndrome, according to research published today (Thursday) in the European Heart Journal [1]. Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) is known as "broken heart syndrome" and is characterised by a sudden temporary weakening of the heart muscles that causes the left ventricle of the heart to balloon out at the bottom while the neck remains narrow, creating a shape resembling a Japanese octopus trap, from which it gets its name. Since this relatively rare condition was first described in 1990, evidence has suggested that it is typically triggered by episodes of severe emotional distress, such as grief, anger or fear, with patients developing chest pains and breathlessness. It can lead to heart attacks and death. Now, for the first time, researchers have systematically analysed data from the largest group of patients diagnosed with TTS worldwide, and found that some patients have developed the condition after a happy or joyful event; they have named it "happy heart syndrome". In 2011, Dr Christian Templin, principle investigator and consultant cardiologist, together with Dr Jelena Ghadri, resident cardiologist, established the first International Takotsubo Registry at the University Hospital Zurich in Switzerland. For this study they have analysed data from the first 1750 patients registered from the 25 collaborating centres in nine different countries [2]. They found 485 patients where there was a definite emotional trigger. Of these, 20 (4%) had TTS that had been precipitated by happy and joyful events, such as a birthday party, wedding, surprise farewell celebration, a favourite rugby team winning a game, or the birth of a grandchild; 465 (96%) had occurred after sad and stressful events, such as death of a spouse, child or parent, attending a funeral, an accident, worry about illness, or relationship problems; one occurred after an obese patient got stuck in the bath. Ninety-five percent of the patients were women in both the "broken hearts" and "happy hearts" groups, and the average age of patients was 65 among the "broken hearts" and 71 among the "happy hearts", confirming that the majority of TTS cases occur in post-menopausal women. Dr Ghadri said the new findings should lead to a paradigm shift in clinical practice. "We have shown that the triggers for TTS can be more varied than previously thought. A TTS patient is no longer the classic "broken hearted" patient, and the disease can be preceded by positive emotions too. Clinicians should be aware of this and also consider that patients who arrive in the emergency department with signs of heart attacks, such as chest pain and breathlessness, but after a happy event or emotion, could be suffering from TTS just as much as a similar patient presenting after a negative emotional event. Our findings broaden the clinical spectrum of TTS. They also suggest that happy and sad life events may share similar emotional pathways that can ultimately cause TTS." The researchers found that "happy heart" patients were more likely to have hearts that had ballooned in the mid-ventricle than "broken heart" patients (35% versus 16%). Although this is a new and interesting finding, the small number of patients in this group means that more research needs to be conducted in order to discover whether or not it sheds any light on the mechanisms involved in TTS. Dr Templin said further research was needed to understand the exact mechanisms underlying both the "broken" and "happy" heart variants of TTS. "We believe that TTS is a classic example of an intertwined feedback mechanism, involving the psychological and/or physical stimuli, the brain and the cardiovascular system. Perhaps both happy and sad life events, while inherently distinct, share final common pathways in the central nervous system output, which ultimately lead to TCS." The researchers are working to understand further the relationship between the heart and the brain; they are using functional MRI to look at the workings of parts of the brain known to be involved in the processing of emotions, reactions, behaviour, decision-making and memory, such as the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex. ### Notes: [1] "Happy heart syndrome: role of positive emotional stress in takotsubo syndrome", by Jelena R. Ghadri et al. European Heart Journal. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehv757 [2] The nine countries are Austria, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Switzerland, UK and USA. WASHINGTON (March 3, 2016) -- It's a common paradox. Why is it that some people fear using cellphones believing radiation from the device will cause a brain tumor, but will gladly have a whole body CT scan to check for diseases without any signs or symptoms of anything wrong? Why do others fear microwave ovens, but have no issue with the nearby nuclear power plant that provides electricity for their kitchens? The answer is that most people do not understand radiation in a way that allows them to make an accurate assessment of its health risks, says a Georgetown University Medical Center radiation expert, Timothy J. Jorgensen, PhD, MPH. It was this lack of public understanding about radiation that led Jorgensen to write Strange Glow: The Story of Radiation, out March 9 (Princeton University Press). Strange Glow tells the story of man's encounter with radiation, and how mankind has been transformed by the experience. The book focuses on a health-centric perspective "that seeks to remove some of the mystery and misunderstanding that surrounds radiation," says Jorgensen, director of the Health Physics and Radiation Protection Graduate Program, and chair of Georgetown's Radiation Safety Committee. Read: Jorgensen's reflections on the fifth anniversary of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Meltdown Jorgensen's book tells stories of people who encountered radiation of different types and dose levels, and what happened to them as a consequence, offering a sense of how dangerous different sources of radiation can be. In so doing, he discusses the history of radiation and its technical aspects in language that is accessible to all readers. And in a bid to avoid "paternalism and a personal agenda," Jorgensen takes no position in the book about how worried readers should be about these radiation sources. "Even when armed with the same facts, what is an acceptable risk to one person may be totally unacceptable to another." "The only thing that this book can achieve is to present the facts about radiation as objectively and evenhandedly as possible, leaving its readers to decide for themselves which aspects of radiation they should fear," Jorgensen says. "This book seeks to convince people that they can be masters of their own radiation fate, and empower them to make their own well-informed decisions about their personal radiation exposures." Jorgensen says he understands why many people are afraid of radiation. "You can't see it, you can't taste it, you can't touch it. You know it is there, but you can't sense it. This causes people to be fearful of radiation and when people are afraid, they tend to exaggerate the risk level." He adds that while the risk of radiation from different sources is very well understood in the scientific community -- "we have been studying this topic for 100 years" -- there has been little success in communicating these findings to the public in understandable terms. Mostly, people have been shown graphs or tables, and left to draw their own conclusions. "You won't find a graph or a pie chart in this book," Jorgensen says. Rather, in Strange Glow, the reader learns about radiation through a series of human-interest stories, each of which delivers its own message about radiation risks, in a sequential, logical, and comprehensible way. He said he decided to write the book after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident in March of 2011, when people started asking a lot of questions about the radiation risks associated with the accident. It was then that he realized how "uninformed many people were about the radiation exposures that they live with every day; often fearing the benign things and oblivious to the more threatening hazards." He hopes to help rectify this situation with his book, by allowing people to adjust their fears to coincide with the realities. Jorgensen says he believes that after reading Strange Glow, the fear level that people have may not be lowered overall, but "their fears will definitely be rearranged." ### Strange Glow: The Story of Radiation Author: Timothy J. Jorgensen Publisher: Princeton Univ. Pages: 496 Price ( Hardcover ): $35.00 Publication Date: March 1, 2016 ISBN ( Hardcover ): 978-0-691-16503-5 About Georgetown University Medical Center Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC) is an internationally recognized academic medical center with a three-part mission of research, teaching and patient care (through MedStar Health). GUMC's mission is carried out with a strong emphasis on public service and a dedication to the Catholic, Jesuit principle of cura personalis -- or "care of the whole person." The Medical Center includes the School of Medicine and the School of Nursing & Health Studies, both nationally ranked; Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, designated as a comprehensive cancer center by the National Cancer Institute; and the Biomedical Graduate Research Organization, which accounts for the majority of externally funded research at GUMC including a Clinical and Translational Science Award (UL1TR001409-01) from the National Institutes of Health. PROVIDENCE, R.I. - A study led by the Hasbro Children's Hospital Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Nutrition and Liver Diseases found that the incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in Rhode Island is one of the highest ever reported in the United States and that IBD rates nationally are much higher than previously reported. The increased prevalence of IBD cases points to a need for more research into the causes of IBD and development of more targeted treatments. IBD, which includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, is a chronic, debilitating condition characterized by inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Studies have shown the incidence of IBD is increasing worldwide. The study, recently published in the journal Inflammatory Bowel Diseases by Jason M. Shapiro, M.D., a pediatric gastroenterologist at Hasbro Children's Hospital, examined the statewide incidence of IBD through his work with The Ocean State Crohn's and Colitis Area Registry, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-funded registry of patients with IBD in Rhode Island. The study team reviewed medical records from all practicing adult and pediatric gastroenterologists in Rhode Island, as well as practices in Connecticut and Massachusetts that may care for RI residents, to determine the true incidence of IBD in Rhode Island between the years 2008-2010. A total of 971 Rhode Islanders were identified as having IBD by the study team. This is an average incidence of approximately 30 cases of IBD per 100,000 persons in this three-year time frame with 15.1 and 13.9 per 100,000 diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, respectively. The incidence of IBD in Rhode Island was found to be among the highest in the world and higher than that previously reported from US populations in Minnesota and Northern California. In comparison, Minnesota previously reported an incidence of 8.8 and 7.9 per 100,000 for ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease between 1990-2000, while the Northern California group reported incidences of 12 and 6.3 for ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease between 1996-2002. "Our findings show that the incidence of IBD in the United States is increasing and highlights the importance of further research into IBD, so we can better help this growing population," said Shapiro. "We still have so many unanswered questions, such as what causes IBD, how can we predict which patients will have a more complicated case and how can we identify which patients will benefit from more aggressive medical treatments early in their disease course? Most importantly, we need to focus on identifying and developing better treatments." Shapiro stressed that further research is critical to addressing the rising prevalence of IBD and providing better treatments to the growing patient population, especially when it comes to pediatric patients. "One-third of IBD patients are diagnosed during childhood and adolescence," explained Shapiro. "Earlier intervention and identifying better, targeted treatments is especially important for this vulnerable patient population facing years of possible disease-related complications. Optimizing growth potential and ensuring normal pubertal progression in the face of IBD is a priority." ### This study was funded in part by the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America through a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (5U01DP004785-02). In addition to Shapiro's primary affiliation in the Hasbro Children's Hospital Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Nutrition and Liver Diseases, he is an assistant professor of pediatrics and medicine at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. About Hasbro Children's Hospital Hasbro Children's Hospital in Providence, R.I., a part of the Lifespan health care system, is the premier pediatric facility for clinical care, research and education for Rhode Island and surrounding southeastern New England. A private, not-for-profit institution, it is the pediatric division of Rhode Island Hospital. Rhode Island Hospital is the principal teaching hospital of The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, through which the department of pediatrics brings in $23 million in external research funding annually. Hasbro Children's Hospital is designated as a Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center by the American College of Surgeons (ACS). The hospital's "All for One" commitment devotes all of its knowledge, experience, and passion for healing to each child in its care. For more information visit http://www.hasbrochildrenshospital.org, follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/HasbroChildrens, like us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/hasbrochildrenshospitalpage or Pin with us http://www.pinterest.com/hasbrochildrens/. RUSTON, La. - AROS, a research and consulting group comprised of faculty and students within Louisiana Tech University's industrial-organizational psychology doctoral program, is partnering with the New Orleans Police Department to develop an entry-level selection test battery and analysis tools to identify the best candidates for its police academy and future law enforcement community. As the New Orleans Police Department is moving to a new community-based approach to law enforcement with increased neighborhood engagement, AROS is working with them to change the department's organizational structure and hiring processes in an effort to select people who will be a "best fit" for the new culture that is being implemented. "AROS was originally contacted by the City of New Orleans Civil Service in 2014 as they were familiar with our work with the LSUS Center for Human Services and Public Policy (CHSPP)," said Dr. Frank Igou, coordinator of the industrial-organizational psychology master's program and associate professor of psychology at Louisiana Tech. "We had worked closely with CHSPP performing job analysis to redevelop entry-level selection and promotional procedures for Louisiana State Patrol." The New Orleans Police Department is currently under a consent decree to correct civil rights and misconduct issues that had occurred in the past. In partnering with the New Orleans Police Department to gather data to assist with changing their internal methodologies and personnel selection processes, AROS students traveled to New Orleans to meet with a federal judge, attended a consent decree hearing, sit in on police academy sessions, ride along with on-duty police officers and conduct numerous interviews, focus groups and meetings with law enforcement officials of all ranks. Igou says the experience was of great benefit to the AROS faculty and students, and speaks highly of the reputation and impacts that AROS can have on an organization. "At Louisiana Tech and in the College of Education, we often take it for granted that many of our faulty members are not just good scientist, but they are also very experienced practitioners," Igou said. "I think this is reflected across the university in the activities of the faculty and staff, and the production of their students. We attract a high caliber of students who are able to make these projects happen. Although the faulty contribute expertise and experience from their areas, it is the student 'ownership' of the projects that really leads to their success." Through experiences like those with the New Orleans Police Department, AROS doctoral students are continuing to grow in their understanding of advanced psychological theories, sound research methods, and how to apply those fundamentals to real-world organizations. The group is managed by faculty and leverages the energy, enthusiasm and creativity of its graduate students. AROS has executed projects for global, regional and local organizations across multiple industries in the areas of personnel selection, employee engagement, performance appraisal, and data analysis. They have worked with multinational organizations and Fortune 500 companies in the development of solutions to overcome organizational obstacles. "AROS helps 'jump start' the careers of our program graduates," says Igou. "Instead of merely reading about the theory, concepts and research, they're able to take what is covered in classes and apply it in 'real world' situations and with actual clients. Students who graduate from Louisiana Tech's industrial-organizational psychology Ph.D. program are often able to hit the ground running with their first employer." ### For more information about AROS, visit http://www.arosconsulting.org. This news release is available in German. Chimpanzees often use tools to extract or consume food. Which tools they choose for which purpose, however, can differ depending on the region where they live. Researchers of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, have thus initiated the 'Pan African Programme: The Cultured Chimpanzee' and, since 2010, have collected data on chimpanzee behavior, demography and resource availability across Africa following a standardized protocol. This is how the researchers encountered a thus far unknown behavior: In West Africa chimpanzees throw stones at trees resulting in conspicuous accumulations at these sites. Why exactly the animals do this the researchers do not yet know, yet the behavior appears to have some cultural elements. Chimpanzees have been studied for almost 60 years at a few long-term field sites, which are mainly located in East and West Africa. They are proficient tool-users, using sticks to fish for termites, to dip for ants, to extract honey, and even using stone or wooden hammers to crack open nuts. Outside the foraging context male chimpanzees sometimes throw branches and stones during displays, or leaf-clip to solicit sex from females. This research has therefore been fundamental for providing insights into natural chimpanzee behavior and most importantly into the differences between populations. However, at the same time it has also become clear that chimpanzee behavior observed at such a small number of sites is unlikely to be representative of other chimpanzee populations. In an effort to overcome this limitation, researchers of the Department of Primatology at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology have initiated the 'Pan African Programme: The Cultured Chimpanzee' (PanAf) to better understand the ecological and evolutionary drivers of behavioral diversification in chimpanzees. Following a unique standardized protocol, data on chimpanzee behavior, demography and resource availability have been collected since 2010 at 39 different temporary research sites across Africa. "The PanAf project represents a new approach to studying chimpanzees and will provide many interesting insights into chimpanzee demography and social structure, genetics, behavior and culture", says Hjalmar Kuehl of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology and the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research. "The Pan Af is only possible due to the numerous collaborations with chimpanzee researchers, field workers and national wildlife authorities in 14 countries across Africa". Since chimpanzees were not habituated to human presence at these sites, the researchers rely on a wide spectrum of non-invasive sampling methods, including remote camera traps. After discovering conspicuous piles of stones next to trees at four research sites in West Africa, the field teams placed camera traps next to them. For instance, at the site of the Chimbo Foundation in Guinea Bissau some impressive videos were recorded which confirmed the researchers' suspicion that chimpanzees were responsible for these stone piles and were regularly visiting these trees. "The PanAf cameras filmed individual chimpanzees picking up stones from beside, or inside trees, and then throwing them at these trees while emitting a long-distance pant hoot vocalization", says Ammie Kalan of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology. Importantly, the behavior results in accumulations of rocks at these locations. Whereas it is mainly the adult males practicing this behavior in the context of ritualized displays, some camera traps also revealed females or juveniles doing it. The behavior has only been observed in West Africa and appears to be independent of any foraging context, in which the majority of tool-use behaviors were previously described in chimpanzees. "This study reports a new chimpanzee behavior not known previously and highlights the potential of the PanAf project to uncover unknown facets of the life of chimpanzees, our closest living relative", says Christophe Boesch, director of the Department of Primatology at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology. "As the stone accumulation behavior does not seem to be linked to either the abundance of stones or the availability of suitable trees in an area, it is likely that it has some cultural elements." Chimpanzees are often used as a model for the evolution of early hominins. Due to the conspicuous accumulations of stones associated with this newly discovered behavior, it raises questions regarding the interpretation of stone accumulation sites in archaeology. Intriguingly, the authors also suggest that this behavior could shed some light on the origin of ritual sites in hominin evolution. ### Citizen science project Further analyses of videos and other data collected from the PanAf are currently underway. The public can participate in watching and annotating the PanAf videos using the online citizen science website http://www.chimpandsee.org. At Chimp&See everyone can watch the over 1 million video clips the PanAf has recorded from across Africa of chimpanzees, gorillas, elephants, buffalo, leopards and many more species! Visit http://www.chimpandsee.org for more details on how to become a citizen scientist! Original publication: Hjalmar S. Kuhl et al. Chimpanzee accumulative stone throwing Scientific Reports; 29 February, 2016 (DOI: 10.1038/srep22219) Seven McMaster researchers have been awarded more than $2.3 million from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) to work with industry to grow the economy and create jobs. Ray LaPierre, professor and chair of the Department of Engineering Physics, is one of only two researchers in the country to garner two Strategic Partnership Grants from NSERC: one for a project that will develop more efficient solar cells, the other to advance the field of infrared photodetection. LaPierre envisions a world where sunny skies turn solar panels the darkest of blacks, and people can use their cell phone as infrared cameras to scan their homes for heat loss. Central to LaPierre's research program are nanowires, structures whose diameter is 1/1000th the size of a human hair. Those bluish solar panels we see in farmer's fields convert only 15 to 20 per cent of solar energy into electricity. Ideally, those panels should be black - absorbing as much sunlight as possible, rather than losing as much as 30 per cent to reflection. "The central challenge in photovoltaic (solar cell) design is to bridge the gap between efficiency and cost. The nanowires developed in my lab have much higher efficiencies due to their superior light absorption and their ability to convert as much as 30 to 40 per cent more solar energy to electricity," says LaPierre. The Nanowire photovoltaics project was awarded $420,000 and partners with solar technology company Morgan Solar. LaPierre was also the recipient of a $476,000 grant to use nanowires for the project: A new platform for semiconductor manufacturing with an emphasis in multi-spectral infrared cameras with industry partner Teledyne Dalsa. The technology will be invaluable in the areas of infrared scanning to detect faults or defects in manufacturing processes, capture more information with astronomical cameras and telescopes, ensure automotive safety, as well as improve surveillance, search and rescue, and defense applications. Allison Sekuler, interim vice-president of research says "NSERC's Strategic Partnership program states clearly that they are looking for transformative technologies. McMaster's five successful research projects affirm our University is at the vanguard of research in the critically important areas of materials, advanced manufacturing and biomedical engineering. The projects awarded will be making a difference in the lives of Canadians in as little as three year's time." At today's announcement, Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science said: "On behalf of the Government of Canada, I would like to congratulate all of today's recipients. This support represents a big investment in connecting our country's talented scientists and engineers with industry." Chemical engineers Todd Hoare and David Latulippe will use their $370,300 award to leverage the combined expertise of Hoare's lab (bioactives delivery and tissue engineering) with Latulippe's lab (bioseparations and environmental adsorption technologies) in partnership with Canadian biotechnology company Ceapro and their novel processing technique. Their project Development and application of highly tunable porous biopolymer and smart polymer scaffolds using pressurized gas expanded liquids will improve delivery of drugs and agricultural chemicals, generate 3D cell scaffolds maintaining high cell viability, generate low-cost alternatives for purification of antibodies and viruses, improve methods of removing heavy metal ions from industrial waste water, and enhance the capture of carbon dioxide from polluted air. Michael Brook, professor, chemistry & chemical biology is leading Reactive Silicone Inks for 3-D Printing Using Microfluidic Mixers. The project was awarded $549,500 to develop rapidly curing silicone inks that can be printed directly from current 4-colour inkjet printers. The project combines Brook's synthetic expertise with the microfluidic expertise of mechanical engineer Ravi Selvaganapathy, in partnership with three companies: Structur3d Printing, Silcotech and Siltech. These reactive inks will be used as surface treatments of existing devices based on silicone or other materials, ranging from contact lenses to computer keyboard springs. Gillian Goward, associate professor, chemistry & chemical biology has been awarded $567,780 for the project High resolution in situ imaging and inverse modeling of lithium batteries. Working with Bartosz Protas, professor, mathematics & statistics and industry partners General Motors Canada and Bruker Biospin Canada, Goward will develop novel experimental methods for characterizing transport in lithium ion battery electrolytes, and model the performance of the electrolytes under a range of conditions that mimic real-world driving conditions. This research program aims to increase the rate of adoption of electric vehicle technology in the mass consumer market, which can only be achieved with increased Lithium-Ion battery performance reliability, which relies directly on accurate modeling. ### The Office of Naval Research announced today awards of $25 million through its 2016 Young Investigator Program (YIP), to 47 scientists whose exceptionally creative research holds promise across a range of naval-relevant science and technology areas, from robotics to solar cells. The ONR YIP is one of the oldest and most selective scientific research advancement programs in the country. Its purpose is to fund early-career academic researchers--called investigators--whose scientific pursuits show outstanding promise for supporting the Department of Defense, while also promoting their professional development. According to Dr. Larry Schuette, ONR's director of research, "The YIP Program is in its 31st year at ONR and the award is still very competitive. We are fortunate to be able to attract the top researchers to the fundamental science that underpins the Navy and Marine Corps of today, tomorrow and the future." For awardees, the funding supports laboratory equipment, graduate student stipends and scholarships, and other expenses critical to ongoing and planned investigational studies. Typical grants are $510,000 over a three-year period with additional funds available for equipment. This year's candidates were selected from 280 highly qualified applicants based on past performance, technical merit, potential scientific breakthrough and long-term university commitment. All are college and university faculty who have obtained tenure-track positions within the past five years. Awardees represent 34 academic institutions across the country, in disciplines including optoelectronics, corrosion, biofilms, organic semiconductors, structural dynamics, combustion, ocean-atmospheric interaction, metamaterials, energetic materials, active flow control, efficient computing, foodborne diseases and warfighter training. View the list of 2016 Office of Naval Research Young Investigator awardees. ### This news release is available in Spanish. As polar ice caps melted at the end of the last Ice Age about 8,500 years ago, the global sea level rose and Panama's Pearl Islands were isolated from the mainland. A new archaeological study by a team including a Smithsonian scientist shows that several thousand years later pre-Columbian colonists hunted a dwarf deer to extinction on an island called Pedro Gonzalez. The settlers arrived on the 14-hectare island by sea 6,200 years ago and stayed for a maximum of eight centuries, farming maize and roots, fishing, gathering palm fruits and shellfish and hunting deer, opossums, agoutis, iguanas and large snakes--the major predators. "When I was washing the animal bones from the first test cut in 2008, out fell a deer ankle bone called a calcaneum," said Richard Cooke, archaeologist at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and co-author of the study. "It was so tiny that I realized we had come across a population that had probably dwarfed through isolation." The Pearl Archipelago, named for rich pearl beds encountered by early Spanish explorers, lies about 16 miles off Panama's Pacific coast. The islands are perhaps best known as the location of several seasons of the TV series, Survivor. As Darwin discovered in the Galapagos, islands are hotbeds of evolution. Through time, animals isolated from mainland populations commonly undergo a reduction in size compared to their mainland relatives due to competition for limited food resources. In the case of the dwarf deer, this must have occurred between the time when the island was isolated from the mainland and the time when the settlers arrived. Adult deer living on Pedro Gonzalez island 6,000 years ago weighed less than 22 pounds, about as much as a beagle. Collagen fingerprint studies by Manchester University biochemist Mike Buckley infer that deer bones on the island were not from the tiny red brocket deer, corzo in Spanish, found in Panama today. Deer bones on the island represent a different group of deer, which includes white-tailed deer and some gray brocket populations found in South America. Only DNA studies will confirm to which deer clade the island deer belong. Buckley found that the 6,000-year-old deer bones belong to the same lineage as a larger deer still found on San Jose island, 5 miles to the south in the Pearl Archipelago. Why it survived there is an unresolved mystery. About 2,500 fragments of deer bones corresponding to 22 individuals were found in the 4-meter-deep trash heap (midden) that built up in a large hollow near the coast. Some deer bones had cuts indicating butchering, such as disarticulation and slicing meat from the bone, or had the marks of human teeth. Others had been burned or smashed to get at the marrow. Antlers and long bones were often cut for making everyday tools and ornaments. Hunting appears to have been indiscriminate, including adults as well as juveniles. The number of deer bones decreased in the youngest layer of the midden, and those of older adults were absent, suggesting that the species was becoming scarcer and life expectancies lower. No deer bones were found in later layers left by pottery-using people after 2,300 years ago, indicating that the species had become extinct on Pedro Gonzalez by then. The history of this tiny deer illustrates just how vulnerable island species can be. The loss of the Pedro Gonzalez dwarf deer may inspire conservation of the population still found on the neighboring island. ### The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, headquartered in Panama City, Panama, is a part of the Smithsonian Institution. The Institute furthers the understanding of tropical nature and its importance to human welfare, trains students to conduct research in the tropics and promotes conservation by increasing public awareness of the beauty and importance of tropical ecosystems. Website: http://www.stri.si.edu. Martinez-Polanco, Maria Fernanda, Maximo Jimenez, Mike Buckley and Richard G. Cooke. 2015. Impactos humanos tempranos en fauna insular: El caso de los venados enanos de Pedro Gonzalez (Archipielago de las Perlas, Panama). Arqueobios 1 (9): 202-214. Greenland's snowy surface has been getting darker over the past two decades, absorbing more heat from the sun and increasing snow melt, a new study of satellite data shows. That trend is likely to continue, with the surface's reflectivity, or albedo, decreasing by as much as 10 percent by the end of the century, the study says. While soot blowing in from wildfires contributes to the problem, it hasn't been driving the change, the study finds. The real culprits are two feedback loops created by the melting itself. One of those processes isn't visible to the human eye, but it is having a profound effect. The results, published in the European Geosciences Union journal The Cryosphere, have global implications. Fresh meltwater pouring into the ocean from Greenland raises sea level and could affect ocean ecology and circulation. "You don't necessarily have to have a 'dirtier' snowpack to make it dark," said lead author Marco Tedesco, a research professor at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and adjunct scientist at NASA Goddard Institute of Space Studies. "A snowpack that might look 'clean' to our eyes can be more effective in absorbing solar radiation than a dirty one. Overall, what matters, it is the total amount of solar energy that the surface absorbs. This is the real driver of melting." The feedback loops work like this: During a warm summer with clear skies and lots of solar radiation pouring in, the surface starts to melt. As the top layers of fresh snow disappear, old impurities, like dust from erosion or soot that blew in years before, begin to appear, darkening the surface. A warm summer can remove enough snow to allow several years of impurities to concentrate at the surface as surrounding snow layers disappear. At the same time, as the snow melts and refreezes, the grains of snow get larger. This is because the meltwater acts like glue, sticking grains together when the surface refreezes. The larger grains create a less reflective surface that allows more solar radiation to be absorbed. The impact of grain size on albedo - the ratio between reflected and incoming solar radiation - is strong in the infrared range, where humans can't see, but satellite instruments can detect the change. "It's a complex system of interaction between the atmosphere and the ice sheet surface. Rising temperatures are promoting more melting, and that melting is reducing albedo, which in turn is increasing melting," Tedesco said. "How this accumulates over decades is going to be important, because it can accelerate the amount of water Greenland loses. Even if we don't have a lot of melting because of atmospheric conditions one year, the surface is more sensitive to any kind of input the sun can give it, because of the previous cycle." The study used satellite data to compare summertime changes in Greenland's albedo from 1981 to 2012. The first decade showed little change, but starting around 1996, the data show that due to darkening, the ice began absorbing about 2 percent more solar radiation per decade. At the same time, summer near-surface temperatures in Greenland increased at a rate of about 0.74?C per decade, allowing more snow to melt and fuel the feedback loops. A likely cause for the large shift around 1996 was a change in atmospheric circulation, Tedesco said. The North Atlantic Oscillation, a large-scale natural weather cycle, went into a phase in which summer atmospheric conditions favored more incoming solar radiation and warmer, moist air from the south. Later records show those conditions shifted in 2013-2014 to favor less melting, but the damage was already done - the ice sheet had become more sensitive. In 2015, melting spiked again to reach more than half of the Greenland ice sheet. While new snowfall can make the ice sheet brighter again, the dark material built up during the melt years is waiting just below the surface, preconditioning the surface to future melting, Tedesco said. The scientists also ran a computer model to simulate the future of Greenland's surface temperature, grain size, exposed ice area and albedo. Over the current century, the model projects that the average albedo for the entire ice sheet will fall by as much as 8 percent, and by as much 10 percent on the western edge, where the ice is darkest today. Those are conservative estimates - the change could be twice that, Tedesco said. The scientists looked into the hypothesis that soot from forest fires in China, Siberia and North America could be driving the increased darkening of the ice sheet. Using the Global Fire Emissions Database, they analyzed trends in black-carbon emissions from wildfires in those regions and Europe. While the amount of black carbon released by fires varied year to year, the scientists found no statistically significant increase during 1997-2012 to match the darkening of Greenland. The study also raises questions about whether Greenland's high plateau is darkening as previous reports have suggested. The scientists found no long-term trend of darkening at the top, and they suspect that the Terra MODIS satellite sensor that has detected darkening in the past may actually be degrading, as previous studies have suggested. At lower elevations, the signal is much stronger. "It is a very good paper which provides valuable new insights about the physical processes controlling the change in reflectivity of the Greenland ice sheet and specifically its darkening over time," said Eric Rignot, a senior research scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory who studies ice sheets but was not involved with the new study. "I also find it particularly interesting that the darkening indicated earlier by satellite sensors is now confirmed to be less, which is good news for the ice sheet. Yet the darkening of Greenland around its periphery remains a source of concern because it contributes to making the ice sheet melt away faster." The feedback loops could be stopped with lots of snowfall and less melting, but that doesn't seem likely given the increasing concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, Tedesco said. And while warming is expected to increase precipitation, that precipitation includes increasing rainfall, which speeds up melting. Melting is also moving to higher elevations as global temperatures warm. "As warming continues, the feedback from declining albedo will add up," Tedesco said. "It's a train running downhill, and the hill is getting steeper." ### Co-authors of the paper are Sarah Doherty of the University of Washington; Xavier Fettweis of University of Liege; Patrick Alexander of NASA Goddard Institute of Space Studies and City University of New York; Jeyavinoth Jeyaratnam of the City College of New York; and Julienne Stroeve of University of Boulder. The paper, "The darkening of the Greenland ice sheet: trends, drivers, and projections (1981-2100)," is available from the author. Contact: Marco Tedesco 202-375-4884 mtedesco@ldeo.columbia.edu Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory is Columbia University's home for Earth science research. Its scientists develop fundamental knowledge about the origin, evolution and future of the natural world, from the planet's deepest interior to the outer reaches of its atmosphere, on every continent and in every ocean, providing a rational basis for the difficult choices facing humanity. http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu | @LamontEarth The Earth Institute, Columbia University mobilizes the sciences, education and public policy to achieve a sustainable earth. http://www.earth.columbia.edu. New study shows how researchers tame the notoriously fickle supermaterial in aerogel form with 3-D printer and ice BUFFALO, N.Y. - Graphene is a wonder material saddled with great expectations. Discovered in 2004, it is 1 million times thinner than a human hair, 300 times stronger than steel and it's the best known conductor of heat and electricity. These qualities could, among other things, make computers faster, batteries more powerful and solar panels more efficient. But the material is tough to manipulate beyond its two-dimensional form. Recently, scientists poured graphene oxide suspension, a gel-like form of the material, into freezing molds to create 3-D objects. The process works, but only with simple structures that have limited commercial applications. Another option is to use a 3-D printer. In this scenario, scientists typically mix graphene with a polymer or other thickening agent. This helps keep the structure from falling apart. But when the polymer is removed via thermal process, it damages the delicate structure. A research team - comprised of engineers from the University at Buffalo, Kansas State University and the Harbin Institute of Technology in China - may have solved that problem. A study published Feb. 10 in the journal Small describes how the team used a modified 3-D printer and frozen water to create lattice-shaped cubes and a three-dimensional truss with overhangs using graphene oxide. The structures could be an important step toward making graphene commercially viable in electronics, medical diagnostic devices and other industries. "Graphene is notoriously difficult to manipulate, but the structures we built show that it's possible to control its shape in three-dimensional forms," said Chi Zhou, assistant professor of industrial and systems engineering at UB's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and a corresponding author of the study. Zhou is a member of the Sustainable Manufacturing and Advanced Robotic Technologies (SMART), a UB Community of Excellence launched in 2015; he also is a member of UB's New York State Center of Excellence in Materials Informatics. In their experiments, the research team mixed the graphene oxide with water. They then printed the lattice framework on a surface of -25C. The graphene is sandwiched between the layers of frozen ice, which act as a structural support. After the process is completed, the lattice is dipped in liquid nitrogen, which helps form even stronger hydrogen bonds. The lattice is then placed in a freeze dryer, where the ice is changed into gas and removed. The end result is a complex, three-dimensional structure made of graphene aerogel that retains its shape at room temperature. "By keeping the graphene in a cold environment, we were able to ensure that it retained the shape we designed. This is an important step toward making graphene a commercially viable material," said Dong Lin, assistant professor of industrial and manufacturing systems engineering at Kansas State University, and the study's other corresponding author. The researchers plan to build on their findings by investigating how to create aerogel structures formed of multiple materials. ### First authors of the study are Qiangqiang Zhang, a student at Harbin, and Feng Zhang, a student at UB. Contributing authors are Hui Li, a student at Harbin, and Sai Pradeep Medarametla, a student at Kansas State University. The research team received support from Mark T. Swihart, UB Distinguished Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering, and Jonathan F. Lovell, assistant professor of biomedical engineering at UB. Both Swihart and Lovell are faculty members within UB's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. How enzymes - the biological proteins that act as catalysts and help complex reactions occur - are 'tuned' to work at a particular temperature is described in new research from groups in New Zealand and the UK, including the University of Bristol. Professor Vic Arcus (University of Waikato) and colleagues, including Bristol's Professor Adrian Mulholland and Dr Marc van der Kamp, showed that the heat capacity of enzymes changes during a reaction as the enzymes tighten up. Exactly how much the enzymes tighten up is the critical factor in determining the temperature at which they work best. These findings could provide a route to designing better biocatalysts for use in chemical reactions in industrial processes, such as the production of drugs. Enzymes have an optimum temperature at which they are most catalytically active. Above that temperature, they become less active. Previously, it was thought that this was because enzymes unfolded (lost their functional shape) at higher temperatures, but actually they typically become less active at higher temperatures even though they maintain their functional shape. So what makes them less active? And what is it that causes enzymes from different organisms to have different catalytic activities at the same temperature? Enzymes from organisms that live at normal temperatures are not very active at low temperatures, while cold-adapted enzymes are active in the cold - why, when they have very similar structures? The new research, published as a 'New Concept' in Biochemistry (and selected for the American Chemical Society (ACS) Editors' Choice), shows that a basic physical property - the heat capacity - explains and predicts the temperature dependence of enzymes. The heat capacity of a substance is the amount of heat required to raise its temperature by one degree. For enzymes, the heat capacity changes during the reaction and this change is 'tuned' to give the optimal temperature. Professor Mulholland said: "Our theory - macromolecular rate theory, (MMRT) - applies to all enzymes, and so will have a critical role in predicting metabolic activity as a function of temperature. "We also expect to see characteristics of MMRT at the level of cells, whole organisms and even ecosystems. This means that it is important in understanding and predicting the response of biological systems to temperature changes, for example, how ecosystems will respond to temperature changes associated with climate change." The theory also explains why enzymes are so big (the more 'difficult' the chemistry to catalyse, the bigger the enzyme). It also hints at why proteins were eventually preferred by evolution over nucleic acids as catalysts in biology: proteins offer much more ability to 'tune' dynamics and their response to chemical reactions. ### Paper 'On the Temperature Dependence of Enzyme-catalyzed Rates' by Vickery L. Arcus, Erica J. Prentice, Joanne K. Hobbs, Adrian J. Mulholland, Marc W. Van der Kamp, Christopher R. Pudney, Emily J. Parker and Louis A. Schipper in Biochemistry PHILADELPHIA (March 3, 2016) - The University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing (Penn Nursing) is one of only 32 schools of nursing nationwide to receive a grant to increase the number of nurses holding PhDs. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Future of Nursing Scholars program will provide financial support, mentoring, and leadership development to nurses who commit to earn their PhDs in three years. Penn Nursing will select two nursing student to receive this prestigious scholarship. The Future of Nursing Scholars program is a multi-funder initiative. In addition to RWJF, Johnson & Johnson, Inc., Independence Blue Cross Foundation, Northwell Health (formerly North Shore Long Island Jewish Health System), Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Sharp HealthCare, Rush University Medical Center, and a Michigan funders collaborative* are supporting the Future of Nursing Scholars grants to schools of nursing this year. Penn Nursing is receiving its grant from the Independence Blue Cross Foundation for one scholar, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for the other scholar. The selections will be made in late spring and those students will begin the Future of Nursing Scholars program this fall. "We are proud and appreciative that Penn has been selected to participate in the Future of Nursing Scholars program," said Penn Nursing Dean Antonia M. Villarruel, PhD, RN, FAAN. "As the impact of nursing on health and healthcare expands, the types of support available to Future of Nursing Scholars is critical to preparing the next generation of researchers and leaders." In its landmark nursing report, the Institute of Medicine recommended that the country double the number of nurses with doctorates; doing so will prepare and enable nurses to lead change to advance health, promote nurse-led science and discovery, and put more educators in place to prepare the next generation of nurses. The Future of Nursing Scholars program is intended to help address that recommendation. "Since the release of the IOM report, enrollment in doctorate of nursing practice programs has increased an incredible 160% from 2010 to 2014. However, the increase of PhD enrollment has only been 14.6%. At RWJF, we are striving to grow the number of nurses with PhDs who will be prepared to assume leadership positions across all levels," said Susan Hassmiller, PhD, RN, FAAN, co-director of the program and RWJF's senior adviser for nursing. The number of nurses enrolled in PhD programs is not the only issue addressed by this program. The average age at which nurses get their PhDs in the United States is 46--13 years older than PhD earners in other fields. This program will provide an incentive for nurses to start PhD programs earlier, so that they can have long leadership careers after earning their PhDs. "The Future of Nursing Scholars represent a group of students who are already making considerable contributions to the field," said Julie Fairman, PhD, RN, FAAN, Future of Nursing Scholars program co-director. "These nurses are publishing their research and meeting with national leaders, while working at an advanced pace so that they can complete their PhD education in only three years." Fairman is also the Nightingale professor of nursing and the chair of the Department of Biobehavioral Health Sciences at Penn Nursing. ### * Michigan funders collaborative includes: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation, Metro Health Foundation, Ethel and James Flinn Foundation, DMC Foundation, and the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan. For more than 40 years the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has worked to improve the health and health care of all Americans. We are striving to build a national Culture of Health that will enable all to live longer, healthier lives now and for generations to come. For more information, visit http://www.rwjf.org. Follow the Foundation on Twitter at http://www.rwjf.org/twitter or on Facebook at http://www.rwjf.org/facebook. About the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing The University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing is one of the world's leading schools of nursing and is ranked the #1 graduate nursing school in the United States by U.S. News & World Report. Penn Nursing is consistently among the nation's top recipients of nursing research funding from the National Institutes of Health. Penn Nursing prepares nurse scientists and nurse leaders to meet the health needs of a global society through research, education, and practice. (Salt Lake City) - About eight percent of our DNA is viral in origin: remnants of ancient battles between infectious viruses and our ancestors. These so-called endogenous viruses are often perceived as a mere oddity with no clear biological significance. But a new study by scientists at the University of Utah School of Medicine shows that evolution has repurposed some of these viral remains into weapons against its own kind. Published in Science on March 4, the scientists report that bits of viral DNA embedded in our genome are regulating genes that are integral components of our innate immune system, the first line of defense against pathogens, including viruses. When some of these bits of foreign code are removed experimentally, the defense system becomes crippled. "We show that some of these endogenous viruses have shaped our biology," says Cedric Feschotte, Ph.D., co-senior author and associate professor of human genetics. "Within mammalian genomes are reservoirs of viral DNA that have fueled innovation of the innate immune system." The human innate immune system's ability to defeat foreign invaders depends on a well-coordinated response. Upon infection, cells dispatch a silent alarm by releasing interferons, a molecular signal that triggers nearby cells to activate an arsenal of hundreds of genes that fight off intruders. By analyzing publicly available genomic datasets from human cells, the authors discovered thousands of endogenous retroviruses that appeared to be activated by interferons. However, because these retroviruses crash-landed into our genomes many millions of years ago, they have long lost the ability to produce infectious particles. One clue to a potential modern-day function of some of these interferon-inducible elements came from their location in the genome. Instead of being distributed randomly, they were enriched near genes with known functions in immunity. "These were the first signs to us that some of these elements may be truly involved in switching on immunity genes," says Feschotte who collaborated on the project with assistant professor of human genetics and co-senior author Nels Elde, Ph.D., and lead author Edward Chuong, Ph.D., a Jane Coffin Childs postdoctoral fellow. To test whether the pieces of viral DNA were indeed important for immunity, the scientists used the gene-editing tool CRISPR/Cas9 in cell culture to remove one by one several of these viral sequences, each located near known immune genes. In mutant cells lacking the foreign code the adjacent immune genes could not turn on properly in response to interferon, demonstrating that they act as virus-derived switches. Further, when cells lacking the viral DNA element near the AIM2 immune defense gene were infected with virus, their ability to execute an effective immune response was greatly reduced. Taken together, the results indicate that ancient viral DNA has become important for mounting a proper defense against today's viral infections. Because similar virus-derived switches are embedded close to many immune genes, the implication is that together they help coordinate our cellular defenses. "The interferon response is like the alarm system of the cell. We found that some of the most important switches in this system are actually derived from ancient viruses," explains Chuong. The report also finds clues that other endogenous retroviruses may have independently "wired" the interferon responses of other mammals, potentially pointing to a widespread mechanism underlying species-specific immune responses. "It's likely no accident that innate immune systems reclaimed some of these viral remnants", says Elde. Immune defenses are continually challenged by pathogens that rapidly evolve and change invasion tactics. In order to keep up, evolution simply retooled the genetic material that was previously supplied by viruses. "Many viruses originally entered our genomes as part of the process of viral replication," says Elde. "The evolutionary process turned the tables to our benefit." ### The research by Edward Chuong, Nels Elde, and Cedric Feschotte will be published as a report titled, "Regulatory evolution of innate immunity through co-option of endogenous retroviruses" in Science on March 4, 2016 The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health (GM082545, GM114514, GM112972, GM059290), the Jane Coffin Childs Memorial Fund, and the Pew Charitable Trusts. The water meter buried in your front yard isn't exactly the most cutting-edge piece of technology. While they are accurate, most residential water meters are read only once per month, resulting in rough usage data - often rounded to the nearest 1,000 gallons. With the limited data, water utility managers can't distinguish individual uses, such as sprinklers versus toilets, or determine usage by time of day. This limits their ability to spot costly leaks or see opportunities for water conservation. And it gives water users no useful information about how and when they use water. Quick Read Water resource managers across the U.S. are looking for smarter tools and information products about water supply, demand and forecasting. A USU engineering researcher has received a major NSF grant to develop a new urban water usage cyberinfrastructure. Using 'Smart' water meters and new data analysis tools, it's possible to collect, shrink and transform data into useful information that will help close the gap in our ability to measure and manage urban water use behavior. Smart meters installed at campus dormitories will let residents compete in a Water Wars efficiency competition. With growing populations in cities and increasing uncertainty about water supply and quality, water resource managers are looking for smarter tools to measure and manage urban water use. So-called 'smart' meters are one such technology that can capture water use data at high temporal resolution. Smart meters can improve water end-use forecasting and create useful information about demand and supply. And while the new meters show promise, they have failed to achieve widespread adoption in the U.S. "Replacing existing, analog meters is expensive," said Dr. Jeff Horsburgh, an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at Utah State University. "And there is a lack of available cyberinfrastructure for extracting useful information from the large volume of data that smart meters produce." That's the heart of the problem for Horsburgh: without new data analysis tools, the large volume of data from a smart meter can actually make it harder for utility managers to do their job. "Until recently, there were no standardized formats or tools to store and analyze water usage figures," he added. "To turn complex water data into useful information, we're developing an integrated research and education plan called Cyberinfrastructure for Intelligent Water Supply." Horsburgh was selected by the National Science Foundation to receive the prestigious CAREER award grant and will receive $507,000 to help fund this ongoing research. He and his team have developed an inexpensive technology to make existing analog meters smarter. The program will create new tools that collect, shrink and transform high resolution data into useful information products for water managers. "The ongoing research will significantly close the gap in our ability to quantify and forecast urban water use and behavior," he said. As part of the study, Horsburgh's team will install smart meters on about 50 homes and inside dormitory buildings on the USU Logan Campus to study patterns in residential water use. With the ability to track water usage in high temporal resolution, Horsburgh's goal is to quantify the timing and distribution of household water use to provide better information for both water users and managers. On the USU campus, the new meters and data will also allow dorm residents to compete for the title of most water efficient in a friendly campus water wars competition. In addition to his ongoing research, Horsburgh is part of the leadership team for a statewide study known as iUTAH. The five-year initiative is an NSF-supported program integrating research, training and education, aimed at strengthening science for Utah's water future. ### Media Contacts Jeff Horsburgh | Utah State University | Dept. of Civil & Environmental Engineering 435-797-2946 | jeff.horsburgh@usu.edu | jeffh.usu.edu Matt Jensen | Utah State University | College of Engineering 435-797-8170 office | 801-362-0830 cell | matthew.jensen@usu.edu engineering.usu.edu | @EngineeringUSU DETROIT - Chung-Tse Michael Wu of the Wayne State University College of Engineering has been awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award, the agency's most prestigious award for up-and-coming researchers in science and engineering. Wu, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, is the recipient of a five-year, $500,000 grant for the project "Spectrally-Encoded Ultrafast Microwave Panoramic Camera." This was his first NSF CAREER application. Microwave radar systems, used in sensors and wireless communications, detect targets using beam-scanning antennas. Traditionally, the antennas are powered by motors or electronic phase shifters, which Wu states can be slow, expensive and provide only a limited field of view. Through this research project, Wu plans to develop antennas made of novel transmission-line-based metamaterials that would enable a high-speed, microwave panoramic camera (MPC). "The new type of transmission line has a unique property in that it can map different frequencies to particular angular locations -- what is known as frequency space mapping," said Wu. "We can build the antenna on a printed circuit board and have 180 by 180 degree, or half of a sphere, field of view for the microwave panoramic camera." The main use for a microwave panoramic camera is automotive safety for both conventional and autonomous vehicles. "The proposed MPC will be applied, in particular, to automotive radar to provide driver assistance, making driving safer and more convenient," said Wu. "The fast sensing and panoramic field of view enabled by MPC-based radars will provide early warning of potential collisions to drivers and continuously monitor road conditions." Other uses include medical imaging as well as security and defense systems. Through this project, Wu is applying optical imaging concepts -- namely spectrally encoded confocal microscopy, a fiber-based optical imaging method for high-speed scanning -- to microwave and millimeter-wave research. He will use the nFAB laboratory, a semiconductor fabrication cleanroom facility at the College of Engineering, to create the prototype. Wu, who earned his Ph.D. from UCLA and focuses on microwave circuits, wireless electronics, radar imaging systems and applied electromagnetics, will recruit five undergraduate students from WSU and partner community colleges each year to assist in this project. He is currently involved with Wayne State's University Bound program, which assists community college students with completing their programs and transferring to a four-year university. "Congratulations to Dr. Wu on receiving this prestigious award from the National Science Foundation on his first try," said Farshad Fotouhi, dean of the College of Engineering. "His research in microwave radar systems and its applications will enhance lifesaving technologies and continue to demonstrate Wayne State's leadership in automotive safety." The National Science Foundation award number for this grant is 1552958. ### About Wayne State University Wayne State University is one of the nation's pre-eminent public research universities in an urban setting. Through its multidisciplinary approach to research and education, and its ongoing collaboration with government, industry and other institutions, the university seeks to enhance economic growth and improve the quality of life in the city of Detroit, state of Michigan and throughout the world. For more information about research at Wayne State University, visit http://research.wayne.edu. This would seem to bear out a remark by Chinese paleontologist J.Y. Chen, recounted in Darwins Doubt, In China we can criticize Darwin, but not the government; in America, you can criticize the government, but not Darwin. Some startling language appears in a paper by Chinese researchers published in a very mainstream journal, PLOS ONE. The title: Biomechanical Characteristics of Hand Coordination in Grasping Activities of Daily Living. They write in the Abstract: The functional link between biomechanical architecture and hand coordination was drawn by establishing the clear corresponding causality between the tendinous connective characteristics of the human hand and the coordinated characteristics during daily grasping activities. The explicit functional link indicates that the biomechanical characteristic of tendinous connective architecture between muscles and articulations is the proper design by the Creator to perform a multitude of daily tasks in a comfortable way. [Emphasis added.] What?! In the Introduction, they observe, Hand coordination should indicate the mystery of the Creators invention. Thats not all. They wrap up by saying, In conclusion, our study can improve the understanding of the human hand and confirm that the mechanical architecture is the proper design by the Creator for dexterous performance of numerous functions following the evolutionary remodeling of the ancestral hand for millions of years. By the time I had picked myself up off the floor, I also saw that the journals editorial staff was on high emergency alert. A note at the top of the Reader Comments section states: A number of readers have concerns about sentences in the article that make references to a Creator. The PLOS ONE editors apologize that this language was not addressed internally or by the Academic Editor during the evaluation of the manuscript. We are looking into the concerns raised about the article with priority and will take steps to correct the published record. This is followed by a list of sputtering denunciations. A mob with pitchforks demanding retribution is predictable, and here they come. I too wonder what the editor was thinking. But these people are not going to be satisfied until someone has been punished. And of course they are not even going to consider the argument of the paper. At the top, from Danilo Russo, an editor: As a scientist, as well as a PLoS ONE academic editor and author I feel outraged by the publication of a ms making explicit reference to creationism. This is an extremely serious issue for which the academic editor who handled the paper as well as the journal, besides the authors themselves, should be blamed. I feel my scientific reputation to be put at risk by this incredible mistake, so should this paper not be retracted as soon as possible I will be compelled to resign from my position of PLoS ONE academic editor. Moreover, I am determined to avoid taking on any further assignment until this issue is fully solved. Another self-identified editor: As an editor of PLOS ONE, I am ashamed this ever got to be published, and I am ready to resign if this is not retracted immediately. Still another: There is no room in the scientific literature for Intelligent Design. This is more than just a language issue. More: Plos One must here intervene to avert damage from all Plos ONE publishers. I published three times in P One. Is my career ruined? It is assumed by the scientific community that PLoS ONE is a science-driven journal. If so, this manuscript must be retracted. PLoS must remove this article in total, along with the Editor who handled the manuscript. I am appalled by this paper and its reference to a Creator. This paper should be retracted immediately. It goes on. The note of career anxiety no, panic is telling. These folks dont want to be rendered ritually impure by contact with a bit of injudicious language. Predictably, Twitter is aflutter. And the ever-useful website Retraction Watch has already reported on it. The papers editor apologized: I am sorry for this has happened. I am contacting PLoS one to see whether we can fix the issue. While the journal itself replied to a query from the site: PLOS has just been made aware of this issue and we are looking into it in depth. Our internal editors are reviewing the manuscript and will decide what course of action to take. PLOS publishing team is also assessing its processes. The journal Nature reflects the sense of anguish, Apparently creationist research prompts soul searching over process of editing and peer review. But thats not quite right. The authors assume evolutionary remodeling of the ancestral hand for millions of years. So theyre not creationists. And even arch-atheist biologist PZ Myers acknowledges on his blog, Theres nothing wrong with the data that I can see, but the authors do make a surprising leap in the abstract and conclusion. Lets be clear on a point of science: Researchers associated with the intelligent design movement agree that the scientific evidence alone tells you only of a design behind nature, teleology, not a Creator. Identifying the source of the design with God is a religious conclusion not compelled by the scientific evidence, including the architecture of the human hand. The authors, as I said, are Chinese. So is the editor, Renzhi Han, though he now teaches at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. Could there be a language issue? Author Cai-Hua Xiong commented to Nature, Indeed, we are not native speakers of English, and entirely lost the connotations of some words such as Creator. I am so sorry for that. In an email, our friend and contributor Denyse OLeary tells a funny story about the publication of her book with University of Montreal neuroscientist Mario Beauregard: When The Spiritual Brain: A Neuroscientists Case for the Existence of the Soul was translated into Indonesian, it came out as The Spiritual Brain: A Neuroscientists Case for the Existence of Allah. The book in question was a defense of a non-naturalist view of the mind, not of any particular religion. But we didnt say anything at the time because translators must use their judgment. If anyone wished to create an uproar about it, all we could have said was, we hadnt intended to create an uproar and our work stands on its own. So far the journal article stands as is. I feel for the authors and the editor, who probably also werent looking to spark a riot. I guess it will be retracted and that one or more parties will be battered and humiliated the censors will accept nothing less. So it goes in the calcified world of science. Well keep an eye on the situation and let you know what happens. Image source: Wikimedia Commons. The GBP vs CHF Exchange Rate Outlook Improves Despite Better-than-Expected Swiss Growth A rise in commodity prices, including crude oil breaking above US$38 per barrel has seen an increasing demand for commodity correlated currencies, weakening CHF. USD is also weak, despite strong jobs results, as investors turn to assets such as the New Zealand Dollar and Australian Dollar. Let's look at the winners and losers so far today: The Pound to Swiss Franc is +0.5 pct higher with a conversion rate of 1 GBP equals 1.41380 CHF. The Euro to Swiss Franc is +0.58 pct higher at 1.09272 EUR/CHF. The US Dollar to Swiss Franc is +0.08 pct higher at 0.99337 USD/CHF. The Canadian Dollar to Swiss Franc today is converting +0.63 per cent higher at 0.74493 CAD/CHF. The Hong Kong Dollar to Swiss Franc converts +0.16 per cent higher at 1 HKD is 0.12796 CHF. The Australian Dollar to Swiss Franc rate today is converting +1.05 per cent higher at 0.73796 AUD/CHF. The New Zealand Dollar to Swiss Franc conversion rate is +1.29 pct higher at 0.67613 NZD/CHF. The Pound to Swiss Franc Outlook The latest measures of the UKs economic health have disappointed today, weakening the Pound Sterling (GBP) crosses, allowing the Swiss Franc to make gains vs rivals. The Markit/CIPS services PMI dropped from 55.6 to 52.7, while the Composite index fell from 56.1 to 52.8, in both cases overshooting the forecast decline. Although fourth-quarter Swiss Gross Domestic Product data eclipsed expectations, the Swiss Franc spot exchange rates mostly declined. This is due to concerns that the high value of the Franc, combined with the threat of long-term deflation, will cause the Swiss National Bank (SNB) to ease the already highly accommodative monetary policy. Meanwhile the British Pound rallied versus its major peers in response to corrective trading amid concerns the recent sharp devaluation was overdone. Here are the latest live FX rates for your reference: On Saturday the Pound to British Pound exchange rate (GBP/GBP) converts at 1 Today finds the pound to pound spot exchange rate priced at 1. The GBP to EUR exchange rate converts at 1.146 today. The GBP to USD exchange rate converts at 1.13 today. NB: the forex rates mentioned above, revised as of 22nd Oct 2022, are inter-bank prices that will require a margin from your bank. Foreign exchange brokers can save up to 5% on international payments in comparison to the banks. Capital Economics Predict SNB will Ease Policy with the Franc Likely to Appreciate Significantly in the Event of ECB Policy Easing. Although Swiss economic data produced positive results today, with fourth-quarter Gross Domestic Product bettering estimates on both an annual and quarterly basis, the Franc softened versus nearly all of its major peers. This data failed to support the Franc amid concerns that persistent overvaluation will weigh heavily on economic outlook. Whats more, the increased prospect of policy easing from the European Central Bank (ECB) is likely to cause CHF tailwinds. Capital Economics predict policy intervention from the SNB, stating: With ECB policy loosening set to exacerbate upward pressure on the Franc, we see the SNB renewing its FX interventions before long. We also expect it to cut its deposit rate, which applies only to the largest banks, to a new low of -1.0% at its meeting on 17th March. Pound Sterling (GBP) Exchange Rates Climb on Corrective Trading Despite the fact that British economic data produced disappointing results, with Februarys UK Construction PMI showing growth unexpectedly slowed, the Pound Sterling advanced versus nearly all of its major peers. The Sterling appreciation can be linked to corrective trading amid concerns that the Pounds recent sharp depreciation, thanks to EU referendum uncertainty, was overdone. In response to the UK Construction PMI, Tim Moore, Senior Economist at Markit said: UK construction firms remained in expansion mode during February, but a loss of momentum within the residential building sector meant that overall output growth was the weakest since April 2015. Aside from the pre-election slowdown last year, the latest upturn in construction output was the weakest for over-two-and-a-half years. The British pound sterling to euro rate (GBP/EUR) saw 6 days of green daily closes, but crucial UK data this week missed estimations softening the pair. What next for sterling vs the common currency and the US dollar in the today's currency exchange forecasts? The losses experienced today by Pound Sterling (GBP) against the Euro (EUR) began to shrink today, despite the Brexit continuing the weigh heavily on the minds of investors. Part of the reason the Euro has softened could be thanks to poor Italian GDP figures, with Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi admitting that the governments official target of 1.6% GDP for 2016 - double the rate of growth experienced last year as the economy left a 3-year recession - could be unobtainable. Let's take a quick look at GBP's winners and losers as markets came to a close this week: The pound to Australian dollar fell back around 0.6 per cent as the Aussie continued its bullish week. The GBP/CAD also ended the week -0.16pct in the red. The pound sterling did however manage to gain vs the Swiss franc, finishing the week 0.44 per cent higher. The pound to euro exchange rate softened by 0.12 per cent. GBP also saw positive moves against the HK dollar (+0.29pct), Israeli Sheqel (+0.74pct) and the Turkish lira (+0.14pct). The pound to dollar exchange rate also faired well, concluding the week around 0.38 per cent higher than the day's opening price. Some significant losses were seen by GBP vs the PLN, ZAR, MXN, NOK and SGD. The UK Services PMI printed in below-forecast, stalling this week's British pound to euro conversion rate advances. Given that the services sector accounts for the largest portion of UK gross domestic product, the report was predicted to have a significant impact on the British Pound. After an initial positive spike in EUR/GBP, the currency pair settled close to the original trading levels. Meanwhile central bank uncertainty has weighed on demand for both the US Dollar and Euro currency peers of late. Here are the latest fx rates as a reference: On Saturday the Euro to British Pound exchange rate (EUR/GBP) converts at 0.872 The live inter-bank GBP-EUR spot rate is quoted as 1.146 today. The pound conversion rate (against us dollar) is quoted at 1.13 USD/GBP. The live inter-bank GBP-AUD spot rate is quoted as 1.778 today. The GBP to NZD exchange rate converts at 1.966 today. NB: the forex rates mentioned above, revised as of 22nd Oct 2022, are inter-bank prices that will require a margin from your bank. Foreign exchange brokers can save up to 5% on international payments in comparison to the banks. British Pound Gains against EUR, USD but Softened against Commodity Assets The Pound maintained its recovery against the majors this week, rising to a high of 1.2980 against the Euro to cap a significant move higher from the lows of 1.2604 last week. The UK currency has also traded above 1.41 versus the U.S Dollar, up 2% from the 7-years lows of last week around 1.38. The Pound has failed to make a similar move against the higher-yielding currencies, falling to the lowest level since June against the Australian Dollar at 1.9240 and trading below the 1.90 level versus the Canadian Dollar as oil prices continue to trend higher. Its a similar story against the South African Rand and New Zealand Dollar as commodity prices continue the mini revival. The UK currency is enjoying a corrective recovery against the Euro and the U.S Dollar following a sustained downward move and speculation that traders pushed the Pound too low. Sterling vs Euro Outlook: Combination of disappointing domestic data and EU referendum uncertainty is predicted to cause the Pound to resume depreciation. Economic data in the UK continues to disappoint with UK construction industry posting the worst set of results for 10 months in February, after the slowest rise in house building since the summer of 2013. Concerns that the economy is slowing, difficulties in finding skilled staff and the prospect of Britain leaving the EU has helped to restrict activity across the sector during the first quarter of the year. The PMI index registered 54.2 in February, down from 55.0 in January, the lowest figure since last April. There will be a great deal of focus on the services PMI this morning and given the UKs over-reliance on consumer spending, the data takes on greater significance than the manufacturing and construction data. The forecast is for another slowdown in the sector from 55.6 in January to 55.1 last month and a result worse or better than expected is likely to have an impact on Sterling. The ongoing issue of the UKs membership to the European Union will continue to have a significant market impact and the Pound will be susceptible to further losses as the uncertainty builds. A poll yesterday showed a 41% split between those wanting to remain in the EU and those wanting to leave with the rest undecided. The Pound is in the midst of a corrective recovery as traders take a breather following the big moves lower last week but it would be overly optimistic to believe that the recovery starts here. GBP,EUR,USD Related Data Released 3rd March 2016 GER 08:55 Final Markit Composite PMI (February) EU 09:00 Final Markit Composite PMI (February) - Services U.K 09:30 CIPS/Markit Services PMI (February) EU 10:00 Retail Sales (January) U.S 13:30 Initial Jobless Claims (w/e 27th February) U.S 14:45 Final Markit Services PMI (February) U.S 15:00 Factory Orders (January) U.S 15:00 Services ISM (February) - Business Activity Continued Presence of President Jacob Zuma Alarms the Rand (ZAR) Investors Today The building odds on the Peoples Bank of China (PBoC) increasing economic stimulus has boosted sentiment towards emerging market assets, strengthening ZAR against GBP. South African stock markets have seen their best gains in seven years thanks to the same sentiment that is boosting demand for the Rand. Demand for emerging market assets like the South African Rand eased slightly and the GBP/ZAR pairing edged into positive territory as a result. A better-than-forecast NFP print could send the Rand lower against the majority of its currency counterparts before the weekend. In the week ahead South African reports with the most potential to initiate GBP/ZAR volatility include the nations Mining Production, Gold Production and Manufacturing Production figures for January. Improvements on Decembers results would be ZAR positive. The prospects of the South African Rand have dimmed considerably today. Throughout his tenure as President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma has been nothing if not a controversial leader; today has been no exception. The President has recently managed to foil an attempt to initiate a vote of no confidence against him by the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) party, something that has quashed hopes of a transition to a more stable government, and economy, by extension. In terms of domestic data, the Rands appeal has been similarly reduced by the mornings Standard bank PMI for February, which has fallen from a previous 49.6 to 49.1. Here are some key fx rates as a reference: On Saturday the Pound to British Pound exchange rate (GBP/GBP) converts at 1 The pound conversion rate (against pound) is quoted at 1 GBP/GBP. The live inter-bank GBP-EUR spot rate is quoted as 1.146 today. FX markets see the pound vs us dollar exchange rate converting at 1.13. Please note: the FX rates above, updated 22nd Oct 2022, will have a commission applied by your typical high street bank. Currency brokers specialise in these type of foreign currency transactions and can save you up to 5% on international payments compared to the banks. Rand Exchange Rates Forecast: Mining Statistics to Dominate ZAR Movement in Coming Week The next events likely to have an impact on the faring of the Rand arent due until the coming week, when announcements will open with Mondays foreign exchange reserves figure for February. After a considerable gap covering Tuesday and Wednesday, the next South African data due after this will be Thursdays gold and mining production stats for January, which were negatively forecast overall at the time of writing. Also out on Thursday will be Januarys monthly and annual manufacturing production figures, which were expected to respectively rise from 0.4% to 1.34% and fall from 1.8% to -0.79% when last consulted. With the UK Referendum newsmill now up and running again this week, Pound Sterling has fallen in appeal due to recent blows that have been traded between the In and Out campaigns. The most recent warning against a Brexit has come from French Finance Minister Emmanuel Macron, who has supported the PMs claim that migrants and refugees could set up on UK shores after border legislation was dissolved in the event of an Out vote. The week is set to end on a quiet note in terms of domestic data for the UK, as only the low-impact annual new car registrations figure for January is due out tomorrow morning Euro Trends in a Tight Range Today after Trilogy of Weak Data Releases After a slew of negative economic announcements, the appeal of the Euro has been reduced noticeably today. With the most high-impact ecostats now out, it remains to be seen if the Euro will be able to stage a recovery before the weekend. The mornings disappointment has stemmed from the Eurozone composite and services PMIs for February, although retail sales did increase by more-than-expected. Tomorrow morning will see the announcement of the Italian Q4 GDP results, as well as the February retail PMIs for Germany, France, Italy and the Eurozone as a whole. In all four latter cases, previous results showed contraction. South African Rand Forecast: Potential for Further Challenges to Zumas Rule in the Future Although he has fended off the most recent vote of no confidence attempt (the second in a year), South African President Jacob Zuma may again come under pressure from another political opposition party. Although not as large as the Democratic Alliance, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party may also be initiating VONC proceedings against the unpopular president before long. EFF Spokesman Mbuyiseni Ndlozi has declared: We are in a better position as Parliament, as another arm of the State, to have a conversation about President Zumas fitness to hold office only after the Constitutional Court has pronounced itself on this matter. The matter in question is another sore point for Zuma his apparent spending of millions of taxpayers Rands on his private home of Nkandla. I've just discovered an English language radio station broadcasting to and from Southern Spain that could be really useful to both residents and those contemplating a move to Spain. Talk Radio Europe broadcasts worldwide on the internet and on various FM frequencies in Spain. When not on air, it carries the BBC World Service. Mostly speech-based and with very little music, it has a familiar format of breakfast and daytime shows, featuring news, discussion, sport, weather and even traffic news! Recent discussions and debates (including phone-ins) have covered topics such as Brexit, Euro v Pound, Spanish incomes and poverty, the quality of Spanish wine and the plight of a donkey sanctuary near Granada! For those who like to keep up with news in their adopted country, there is a daily programme of Spanish news - in English of course! On their website there's also a 'catch-up' facility for any shows you may have missed. The presenters are all residents of Spain and very personable and although a commercial station, the advert breaks are not intrusive. I'm totally hooked! I should perhaps add that I have no connection with the station other than as a listener. Geoffrey Expats moving to the UK are not always attracted by the bright lights of London and now research suggests that the best quality of life can actually be found in South Oxfordshire.Improvements in the levels of wellbeing in the area means that it has topped the 2016 rural area quality of life survey from leading lender the Halifax, from tenth position last year.Residents rate themselves as happy and content with a high level of life satisfaction and not a great deal of anxiety and they scored well in a number of the categories analysed, with health also being a significant factor.Indeed, some 97% of those living in South Oxfordshire reported themselves to be in good health. Meanwhile, female life expectancy is also high, at an average age of 84.7 years, a full three years longer than males at 81.7 years.Some 81% are classified as being employed, and those in a full time occupation typically enjoy high incomes, with weekly average earnings of 863. To top it all, the cost of living in South Oxfordshire is not much higher than in many other parts of Britain with an average house price that is 6.9 times the average annual pre-tax local income, only marginally higher than for the rest of the country at 6.8.Chiltern in Buckinghamshire came in as the second most desirable place to live. The inhabitants scored well, with a high average female life expectancy of 86.7 years, and 97% reporting themselves to be in good health.The employment rate is similar to South Oxfordshire at 80%, and those in full time occupation typically enjoy high incomes with weekly average earnings of 912, the highest amongst rural areas in this survey and 46% above the average for all rural areas.Last year's winner, Rutland, is Britain's third most desirable rural place to live. Residents of the East Midlands location tend to be in good health, have a high employment rate, benefit from a low crime rate and enjoy a relatively good climate with less rainfall and more sunshine than the national average.There were several big climbers in the top 20, with West Dorset rising 47 places to seventeenth, East Hampshire up 35 places to sixteenth and East Dorset moving from 47 in 2015 to twentieth in 2016."Having scored strongly across a wide range of economic, environmental and social factors, residents of South Oxfordshire can now lay claim to having the highest standard of living in rural Britain," said Craig McKinlay, Halifax mortgages director."Many of the towns in the top 20 are either within commuting distance to London or another major city. With South Oxfordshire particularly, the residents can enjoy the financial benefits of working in London and still have the rural lifestyle," he explained."Importantly having an exceptional quality of life does not necessarily come with added costs, as house prices relative to earnings in the area are not much different from the average for the country," he added.On a regional basis the survey found that Southern England and the East Midlands offer the best rural quality of life The top 50 rural places to live in Britain are again dominated by the south east with 16 districts found in this region, followed by east of England, which claims 12 of the top 50 spots, the south west with 10, and East Midlands with seven.Areas from outside the south in the top 50 besides Rutland include Hambleton in North Yorkshire at 18, Wychavon in the West Midlands at 24, Monmouthshire at 35, the Orkney Islands in Scotland at 46 and Ribble Valley in the North West at 49.Southern areas tend to receive higher ratings for weekly earnings, the weather, health, and life expectancy. Whereas Northern areas score well on education in terms of grades and smaller class sizes, lower house prices in relation to earnings, and both lower traffic flows and population densities. Lets talk about Cecil, the African lion killed in July 2015 ago by an American hunter. That incident caused international uproar and was the source of all sorts of accusations, overreactions, ugly untruths and unwarranted restrictions, new regulations, charges and much, much more. Mistake When the dust settled, the hunter was found to be mistakenly accused and actually broke no laws. Second thoughts Nevertheless, countless hunters who would have travelled to Africa for safaris and other outdoor adventures thought twice then booked adventure in other directions. Some of the offal continues to surface. The following is a short version of what happens when game management by hunting doesnt happen as reported by the Outdoor Hub media news source. Large lion reserve One of Zimbabwes largest wildlife reserves, the Bubye Valley Conservancy, recently announced that it was considering culling up to 200 lions as the cats have become increasingly overpopulated. The wildlife reserve said its current population of around 500 lions is unsustainable due to the dramatic decline in hunters, possibly caused by the controversy over Cecil, a lion killed near Hwange National Park last year. Managing the lion population Bubye officials say that without hunters to help manage the lion population, they are considering either hiring marksmen to shoot some of the animals, or capturing them and donating the cats to other reserves. Bubye has historically held one of the largest lion populations in Zimbabwe. Threatening other species Leathem explained that the lions are a big threat to the parks other denizens, which included antelope, giraffes, leopards, and a number of other native species. This problem is exacerbated by the fact that the conservancy is trying to recover from one of the driest summers on record. Hunters traditionally helped to keep lion numbers in check, as well as bringing a much needed financial boost to the park. Cecil effect However, officials are now blaming something they call the Cecil effect for the lack of hunters. In 2015, the hunting of a black-maned lion named Cecil by an American dentist, Walter Palmer, drew international outrage after the Zimbabwe government accused Palmer of poaching. The charges were later dropped, but activist groups continued to target big game hunters in Africa and urged many governments, including Zimbabwe, to close their borders to hunters. This is despite the fact that many conservationists have long agreed that hunters are needed to not only manage wildlife populations, but also provide the funds to protect the same species they hunt. Boating and fishing seminars Boaters and anglers are invited to attend one of more of several seminars offered at Ravenna Marine on March 4-5. Seminars include topics on fishing as well as boat and trailer care. Speakers will cover battery basics, trailer tires, fishing methods, local lake fish management and more. Seminars are non-stop both days and attendance is free, which includes a free perch lunch prepared by Lake Erie perch guide Bill Huber. Call Ravenna Marine for more information, times and topics at 330-296-5590. Despite the bile pouring out the nations capital, there still are three daily events in Washington, D.C. that every American can count on: sunrise, sunset and U.S. farm groups unwavering support for free trade. In fact, most U.S. farm and commodity groups support free trade so reflexively that nearly everyone gave the just-completed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) a full-throated endorsement before the 12-nation deal was made public or even signed. Thats like buying a bull because its a bull, not because of its breed, pedigree or price. Reducing tariffs TPP is like many recent trade deals; its mostly about reducing agricultural tariffs in targeted American markets like Japan and Vietnam. Indeed, Tariff reductions are a core element of the TPP, declares the Office of U.S. Trade Representative. But tariff reductions will have little to no benefit for U.S. farmers and ranchers if TPP nations counter cheaper imports with higher subsidies to domestic producers, as Japan recently announced. In a set of measures to cut the impact of trade liberalization under the planned Trans-Pacific Partnership accord, reported The Japan Times, Nov. 15, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party has included stronger support for loss-making beef and pork farmers. The support level will be expanded to cover 90 percent of the losses incurred At least Japan is upfront about how it intends to build a non-tariff wall to protect its farmers and domestic market from, well, us. This lower tariffs-higher subsidies reality is not a new feature of U.S. trade deals; weve seen it in almost everyone since the early 1990s. Its been a huge benefit to Big Biz and Big Agbiz but far less so for farmers and ranchers. The handiest example is Mexico; it made enormous tariff concessions to the U.S. under the North American Free Trade Agreement. Since the deal was fully implemented in 1997, however, Mexico has sold the U.S. $9.6 billion more farm and food goods than U.S. farmers and ranchers sold it. Even with all the happy talk about lower tariffs, TPPs overall projected economic impact is so tiny and thats only if the estimates are accurate, a remote possibility at best as to make one wonder what all the fuss is about. According to the Peterson Institute for International Economics, often cited as the gold standard of economic forecasters, TPP will increase real (U.S.) incomes by $131 billion, or 0.5 percent of GDP, and annual exports by $357 billion, or 9.1 percent of over baseline projections, by 2030. Both numbers, if even close to being accurate, are very modest indeed. Worse, the Peterson Institute quickly adds, theres no promise that either forecast might include a growing American ag sector because, it notes rather glumly, TPPs agricultural provisions fall short of delivering free trade on some sensitive commodities In truth, calculates Dean Baker, an economist and co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, the tiny TPP projected income growth of 0.5 percent over the next 14 years is akin to saying that the country will be as rich on Jan. 1, 2030 as it would otherwise be on April 1, 2030. Whoever said economists have no sense of humor? Food safety Neither number, however, takes into account TPPs potential cost to American food safety, suggests Steve Suppan, a senior policy analyst at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy. Only five of TPPs 29 or so chapters actually deal with trade issues, he relates in a Feb. 18 telephone conversation. The others deal largely with dismantling regulatory systems in the U.S. and elsewhere to facilitate wider trade. Little wonder Big Agbiz and its farm group allies fought to kill country of origin labeling; it doesnt facilitate wider trade. Under the most optimistic TPP analysis, say economist Dean Baker, that wider trade will deliver benefits equal to what Americans will spend on St. Patricks Days, over-the-counter teeth whiteners, and tattoos between now and 2030. No word on how many bulls that might buy. Hello from Hazard! We heard from several readers on Item No. 1046. Barbara Jocke, of Columbia Station, Ohio, bought them at a garage sale a few years back. Debbie Bottigglieri, of Niles, Ohio, says they are candle lamps that were used on passenger cars on trains. Kenneth Gates, of Bellevue, Nebraska, picked one up at an auction and agrees they were used in Pullman sleeper cars on the railroad. Roy Whitmer, of Callensburg, Pennsylvania; Jeff Brown, of Canton, Ohio; and James Myers all agree they were passenger car lights. Thank you to all who responded. We will move along to Item No. 1047, submitted by Scott Kuhen. He doesnt know what this hand tool is. Can anyone help him out? Email responses to editorial@farmanddairy.com; or respond by mail to: Hazard a Guess, c/o Farm and Dairy, P.O. Box 38, Salem, OH 44460. Write a comment on this post; email responses to editorial@farmanddairy.com; or respond by mail to: Hazard a Guess, c/o Farm and Dairy, P.O. Box 38, Salem, OH 44460. CANFIELD, Ohio The Mahoning County Capriculturists 4-H club met at the Colonial Inn at the Canfield Fair Feb. 22. In new business, the club discussed an upcoming fundraiser and the Kinder Goat Show, to be held in June. Adviser Kim Smith gave a presentation on kidding and kidding supplies. Adviser Kim Moff discussed the new website at www.mcjrfair.com. Club members were reminded of the upcoming quality assurance day March 5, at South Range High School. Ashley James gave a safety report on bicycle safety. Tyler Moff gave a health report on goat parasites. The club elected officers for 2016 as follows: president, Ashley James; vice president, Tyler Moff; secretary, Chloe Stephenson; treasurer, Abi Downs; news reporter, Molly St. John. The next meeting will be March 21 at 7 p.m., at the Colonial Inn. RAVENNA, Ohio The Southeast FFA chapter will hold its 64th annual banquet March 31, at Southeast High School, at 7 p.m., with dinner served at 7:15 p.m. Following dinner and awards, an auction will be held, which will include cattle panels and other projects made by FFA students. RSVP by March 18. Contact the adviser, Ben Campbell, at bcampbell@sepirates.org, or call 330-654-5841, ext. 2391. MILLERSBURG, Ohio West Holmes FFA members participated in the sub-district speaking contest, Feb. 9 at Plymouth High School. Chasidy Schmucker placed third in the creed speaking contest and Jillian Gurley placed third in extemporaneous speaking. Both participated in the district contest at Shelby High School, Feb. 16. Schmucker placed eighth in the creed contest, and Gurley placed seventh in extemporaneous. West Holmes FFA members went snow tubing at Mansfield Snow Trails Feb. 17. CHILLICOTHE, Ohio On Feb. 17, four members from the Zane Trace FFA chapter traveled to the Pickaway Ross Career and Technology Center to compete in the annual District 7 Ag Sales career development event. Olivia Pflaumer, Ann Shelby, Nathaniel Freeman, and TJ Pack sold an agriculture related product, placing seventh overall, with Nathanael Freeman and Olivia Pflaumer named top scoring individuals for Zane Trace. The chapter also competed in the District 7 Public Speaking Contest. Freshman Lance Seymour placed seventh and earned a gold rating in Creed Speaking. Junior Cassidy Corcoran placed third with a silver rating in Beginning Prepared Speaking, Junior, Julia Everidge placed third, with a silver rating in Advanced Prepared Speaking. Junior Olivia Pflaumer placed seventh, with a bronze rating in Extemporaneous Speaking. Members also celebrated the last week of February as National FFA Week. WEST SALEM, Ohio Northwestern FFA members competed in the sub-district public speaking contest Feb. 10 at Norwayne High School. Emily Cromer placed first in the creed speaking contest; Mykenzie Snyder placed first in the beginning prepared contest; Kierstyn Wood placed first in the advanced prepared contest; and Kaci Way placed first in the extemporaneous speaking contest. Northwestern FFA members competed in the District 3 ag sales contest, Feb. 23 at Northwestern High School. Team members included: Philip Eberly, Kaci Way, Kierstyn Wood, and Cody Tegtmeier; Cody Morrow and Jessie Bair were alternates. The team placed first overall in the district, with Philip Eberly placing first, Cody Tegtmeier third, and Kierstyn Wood fourth individually. The team will advance to the state contest March 5. COLUMBUS, Ohio The Ohio State University has joined a coalition that will put important farm data into the hands of farmers while keeping it secure. The Agricultural Data Coalition (ADC) is dedicated to helping farmers better control, manage and maximize the value of the data they collect every day in the fields. It is the result of years of planning and coordination by AGCO, the American Farm Bureau Federation, Auburn University, CNH Industrial, Crop IMS, Mississippi State University, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Raven Industries, Topcon Positioning Group and Ohio State. Data storage ADCs goal is to build a national online repository where farmers can securely store and control the information collected by their tractors, harvesters, aerial drones and other devices. Over time, that data can then be scrubbed, synced and transmitted in an efficient and uniform way to third parties whether they are researchers, crop insurance agents, government officials, farm managers, input providers or any trusted adviser the farmer chooses. We are excited to be a member of the Agricultural Data Coalition, said Scott Shearer, professor and department chair for the Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering in Ohio States College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences. He is also a member of the Translational Data Analytics work at Ohio State. This effort will help farmers and their advisers capitalize on the data they are collecting today while maximizing options, opportunities and needed security to take full advantage of prescriptive agriculture services and Big Data offerings. Translational Data Analytics Ohio State created Translational Data Analytics (TDA) at Ohio State in 2014 to integrate the universitys data analytics expertise and among other goals to create multidisciplinary solutions in precision agriculture. Funding for TDA was made possible by the universitys Discovery Themes initiative, which is dedicated to using the universitys unmatched breadth and expertise to pursue solutions to the most important challenges of our times. Being a member of the ADC and having access to data sets will accelerate the development of new and innovative crop, pest, hydrologic and business models for agriculture, said John Fulton, precision agriculture specialist for Ohio State University Extension, the outreach arm of the college. Fulton and Shearer have been working together on this project since Fulton started at Ohio State in 2014. We will be able to evaluate and enhance ag data services, and Extension will be able to enhance programming with near real-time information delivery on cropping conditions, growing condition alerts and recommendations, Fulton said. Farmers have control A press briefing on the ADC was held today in New Orleans for media attending the annual Commodity Classic. The key is that farmers are in complete control, and they decide who is allowed access to their data, explains ADC Interim Executive Director Matt Bechdol. Thats what sets ADC apart. This is not about profit for others, its about streamlining data management, establishing clear lines of control, and helping growers utilize their data in ways that ultimately benefit them. Farmers interested in learning more about data collection, and organizations interested in joining ADCs efforts, may visit www.AgDataCoalition.org. "The implications of signing that agreement are fairly complex, if you change your mind there's a break fee of $16m which is very concerning and we need to be able to give growers a really good understanding of what they're committing themselves to if they go down this path," he said. High school football scores, live updates Week 10 in Fayetteville Cumberland County high school football scores and North Carolina live updates from Week 10 of the NCHSAA 2022 season in the Fayetteville area. Joel and Ethan Coen are back in the director's chair this week with their new film Hail, Caesar! A film that sees them return to the comedy genre. Hail, Caesar! The Coen brothers are two of the most exciting directors around and have been behind some of the best movies in recent years. As well as being in the director's chair, the duo is also showing off their writing skills by penning the film's screenplay. To celebrate the release of Hail, Caesar! We look back over the career of Joel and Ethan Coen and pick out some of their best movies. - No Country for Old Men (2008) Hard to believe, but it was back in 2008 when No Country for Old Men hit the big screen here in the UK, and it remains one of the best films of Joel and Ethan Coen's career. The movie was a big screen adaptation of the novel of the same name by Cormac McCarthy - the filmmaking duo adapted the book into a screenplay as well as being in the director's chair. Starring Josh Brolin, Tommy Lee Jones, and Javier Bardem, the movie is a violent tale of cat and mouse. Llewelyn Moss (Brolin) finds himself the target of a hitman when he discovers and takes $2 million after a drug deal goes horribly wrong. The hitman (Bardem), who decides the fate of his victims on the toss of a coin, will stop and nothing to hunt down Moss, while Sheriff Bell (Jones) is on his tail. No Country For Old Men is one of the best Westerns to hit the big screen in recent years and is driven by a trio of fantastic performances from Brolin, Bardem, and Jones - all of them representing a different side of the law. There is an inevitable doom that hangs over this film from start to finish and it is this feeling of dread that really does keep you on the edge of your seat as hitman Chigurh hunts down his next victim. The Coen brothers balance the brutality with some wonderful character development - all that is brought to life from some wonderful cinematography; it really was one of the most beautiful looking movies of the year. No Country For Old Men went on to be nominated for eight Oscars. It won Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor for Bardem. This was the first time that Joel and Ethan Coen had been nominated in the directing category. - True Grit (2010) Two years later, Joel and Ethan Coen returned to the Western genre with an adaptation of True Grit. The movie was an adaptation of the book of the same name by Charles Portis, which had been brought to the big screen for the first time in 1969, starring John Wayne and Glenn Campbell. This time around, it was Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon who took on the roles of Rooster Cogburn and La Boeuf and we were introduced to the acting talents of the young Hailee Steinfeld, who took on the central role of Mattie Ross. True Grit follows Mattie, who enlists the help of tough U.S Marshall Cogburn to help her track down the man who murdered her father. While the movie has a great script and looks fab, the Coen's use the harsh landscape and scenery to beautiful effect, it's the cast that really are the heart and soul of this movie... it is Steinfeld who really steals the show. She delivers a bold and ballsy performance, commanding the screen and your attention in every scene; it is hard to believe that this was her first film. She banters will with Bridges and Damon and more than holds her own alongside her more experienced co-stars. True Grit is a Western for the modern era and is a movie that is essential viewing for all film fans. This is a gritty and violent movie on the one hand while being funny and fabulously entertaining on the other. It is one of my favourite movies by the Coen brothers and it is a film that really does not disappoint. True Grit was nominated for ten Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director - sadly, the film left empty handed. - Inside Llewyn Davis (2014) Inside Llewyn Davis was released at the beginning of 2014 here in the UK and was the last time that we saw Joel and Ethan Coen in the director's chair. This was their first film since the success of True Grit and saw them move away from the Western. Inside Llewyn Davis blended drama with music as the film followed a week in the life of the title character, a musician trying to make his way on the folk scene in Greenwich Village in 1961. Oscar Isaac took on the role of Llewyn Davis, in what was to be the breakthrough performance for the actor. He was joined on the cast list by Carey Mulligan, Justin Timberlake, John Goodman, and Garrett Hedlund. There is a melancholy feel to this whole film but, at the same time, Inside Llewyn Davis is smart and funny and was one of the best films to hit the big screen in 2014. Joel and Ethan Coen tells these character driven stories so well and this is another gem from the filmmaking siblings. Isaac delivers a terrific and rather sad performance as Llewyn and he really is the heart and soul of this film. Inside Llewyn Davis proved to be a major breakthrough for Isaac and he has seen his star rocket over the last couple of years. Inside Llewyn Davis was met with critical acclaim upon release but was overlooked for the major Oscars when the nominations were announced that year. - Fargo (1996) Fargo is a movie that celebrates its twentieth anniversary this year and it remains one of the best and most loved of all of the Coen's movies. Fargo was directed Joel and produced by Ethan; they teamed up to pen the film's screenplay once again. They brought together a fantastic cast as Frances McDormand, William H. Macy, Steve Buscemi, and Peter Stormare were all on board. A patrolman and two innocent bystanders are discovered murdered in cold blood on a snowy highway in North Dakota, leading a very pregnant policewoman, Marge Gunderson (McDormand) on an investigation that uncovers a conspiracy of greed and ineptitude. Fargo was one of the movies that really helped to elevate the profile of the Coen brothers and it truly does remain a crime movie gem. The script is packed with twists and turns and the Coen's really show that they can be true masters of suspense. McDormand is wonderful in the central role of Marge but, for me, it is Peter Stormare who really does shine as one of the best and spine-chilling killers. Fargo premiered at the Cannes Film Festival that year, where the movie was nominated for Palme d'Or. While the film missed out on that award, Joel Coen picked up the Best Director gong for his work on the film. The movie was met with acclaim upon release and went on to be nominated for seven Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director for Joel Coen. The film won Best Actress for Frances McDormand and Joel and Ethan triumphed in the Best Original Screenplay category; it was their first Oscar win. Other movies by Joel and Ethan Coen that you cannot afford to miss include A Serious Man, The Big Lebowski, Barton Fink and Miller's Crossing. Hail, Caesar is released 4th March. by Helen Earnshaw for www.femalefirst.co.uk find me on and follow me on Media holding company, UA Multimedia, Inc has set up a new apparel division, which will import, export, manufacture and distribute apparel products.As an immediate step, the company will form a new wholly owned subsidiary specialising in apparel, a UA Multimedia press release said. Media holding company, UA Multimedia, Inc has set up a new apparel division, which will import, export, manufacture and distribute apparel products.# The subsidiary will manufacture the products in Asia and sell them worldwide, with an initial focus on wholesale of non-brand products with eventual expansion into branded and retail products.In addition, the management is also exploring a few potential partnerships with oversea companies that wish to establish trading relationship with the US."We are excited about our new direction and its growth potential," said Sully Jacques, UA Multimedia's chief executive officer."We have identified solid connections and associated with seasoned professionals to rapidly expand in this new market segment, Jacques added.We are very optimistic that with our high quality products and competitive pricing, we can capture large market share and move to be a major play in the apparel industry soon," Jacques observed. (AR) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) University of Fashion & Technology (BUFT) has signed an education partnership agreement with Aamra Resources and Lectra, a leading technology solutions provider, in Dhaka, according to Bangladeshi media reports. The MoU was signed between the three parties after a seminar on 'interaction between University & Industries-RMG and Textile Sector' organised by BUFT. Engr Ayub Nabi Khan, pro vice chancellor, BUFT, gave a speech emphasising the interaction and partnership between industries and universities. Md. Mohiuddin, CEO, Silver Line Group and Engr Ehsanul Karim Kaiser, executive director, Esquire Group, also stressed on the need to create effective linkages between academic institutes and industries at the seminar. Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) University of Fashion & Technology (BUFT) has signed an education partnership# Officials from the Netherlands Embassy, NUFFIC (Netherlands organization for international co-operation in higher education), David Hasanat, chairman, Viyellatex Group, and Engr Md Shamsuzzaman, MD, Micro Fibre Group, were among some of the special guests who attended the seminar. (HO) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India Geneva, 1 March 2016: Fiji today concluded its review of intellectual property legislation as part of its obligations to the Agreement on Trade Related aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) of the World Trade Organisation. The review of Fijian intellectual property legislation was conducted under a standing agenda item of the TRIPS Council. Fiji was able to conclude this review today with the submission of responses to outstanding questions from the EU, Switzerland and the United States. Each of these countries during the meeting today acknowledged Fijis efforts in responding to their questions and said that they were satisfied with Fijian responses for the purposes of the review. In delivering its statement before the TRIPS Council, pursuant to Fijis obligations under the TRIPS Agreement, Ms. Robyn-Ann Mani of the Attorney-Generals office explained the rationale for Fijian responses to questions posed by members in the context of the legislative reform agenda being undertaken by Fiji. She said that Fiji was working with the World Intellectual Property Organisation to review its intellectual property legislation to align such with international obligations. Upon conclusion of the review by the Chairman, the Fijian representatives thanked the Council and its Members, and highlighted that the review, although having taken some time to conclude, had been a useful exercise in highlighting areas where Fiji needs to undertake further work through its legislative reform agenda. Fijis representatives to the TRIPS Council Meeting were Senior Legal Officers of the Office of the Attorney-General, Ms Robyn-Ann Mani and Ms Laite Ramoce and Senior Economic Planning Officer of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ms Karishma Narayan, supported by Mission Staff from Fijis Permanent Mission to the WTO. Mr Singh said they will soon provide more A4 exercise books worth $15,000 to further assist students. The Minister for Education Hon. Dr Mahendra Reddy has welcomed a donation of school stationery from renowned bookstore "Suva Book Shop".In receiving the donation on behalf of Government, the Minister commended the Suva Book Shop management for contributing towards relief support to Fijians especially to students.Minister Reddy said the $80,000-worth of donation made by the Suva Book Shop will be distributed to students in Ba, Tavua, Rakiraki and schools along the Kings Road.Suva Book Shop director, Harinivas Singh said the 466 cartons of stationery, exercise books and registers will provide much needed relief to students as schools re-open this week. SPEECH BY THE HON PRIME MINISTER AT THE LAUNCH OF THE UNOCHA FLASH APPEAL IN SUVA Your Excellency, the United Nations Representative in Fiji,Your Excellencies, Members of the Diplomatic Corps,Honourable Cabinet Ministers,Representatives of Non Government Organisations,Ladies and Gentleman,Bula vinaka and a very good morning to you all,It has been an extraordinary and very traumatic 13 days.As Ive toured the country, I have stared into the faces of hundreds of our people in the areas ravaged by Tropical Cyclone Winston.I have seen their pain. Shared their sense of loss. The trauma of losing their loved ones. Losing their homes. The big things that mattered to them like their schools or places of worship. The little things like a family photo or a treasured possession.Ive tried to put myself in their place. To give them comfort. To tell them that as a nation we are all behind them. The words Ive spoken to them seem so inadequate. But Ive been greatly moved when they've told me that they were glad that I came. That I cared. The nation cared. That they knew every Fijian was with them.Ive been in some communities where almost nothing is left. Almost everything is flattened. Yet where I was expecting despair, something remarkable happened. In many places, I found smiles. Even laughter.People who had nothing had retained the ability to be welcoming. To be cheerful even in the most dire of circumstances. And it has been one of the most inspirational periods of my life. To know that for all its destructive force, Winston did not destroy the spirit of the Fijian people. In fact, it has made them stronger.All over Fiji, people have held up signs saying stronger than Winston. And every Fijian knows it is true. We are stronger than Winston. We will recover. And we will rebuild. And we will do so with our many friends in the community of nations with whom we stand so proudly, and especially at this time.Today, we gather to launch the United Nations Flash Appeal for Fiji. Its the term the UN uses to describe the immediate response of the global community to a disaster like the one we have just experienced. A flash of funds and assistance required to meet our immediate needs while a more considered response is formulated as more information comes in.This list of immediate needs that is now being taken to the community of nations reflects the priorities of the Fijian Government. It also takes into account the views of clusters of non-government organisations and relief agencies. And I want to thank you all for your hard work. Vinaka vakalevu.This has been a terrible blow. Just a few weeks ago, the IMF released a glowing report on the Fijian economy and the bright outlook for our future. Now all of that may be doubt, which is why a concerted program of international assistance is so vital.This is an occasion for me, as Prime Minister, to express my profound gratitude to the international community for the assistance that has been provided so far to those who have suffered from Cyclone Winston.I want to especially thank the governments of Australia, New Zealand, India and France for the logistic support they have given us. The ships, the aircraft, the helicopters. The wonderful men and women who are in our country making such a difference to the lives of ordinary Fijians. It is an extraordinary effort and we will never forget the way you have come to us in our hour of need. Hands outstretched, to give Fiji the leg-up we so desperately need.Im humbled like every Fijian to know that we have so many friends in the world. Small nations like our very generous Pacific neighbours. The leaders of large nations, such as my friend, the Indian Prime Minister, who have extended a helping hand.To all our friends throughout the world, we say vinaka vakalevu for your donations in cash and in kind not only governments but the thousands of ordinary people across the globe who are digging deep into their pockets to assist Fiji.As well as the money you are sending, we also want you to come to Fiji to be with us. Because most of our resorts are still open and because of the Fijian spirit, Fiji is still where happiness finds you. And perhaps, now, more than ever before. Because we have shown the world the quality of our island life. The resilience of our people. Stronger than Winston. Tougher than ever.And then there are the thousands of Fijians here and abroad - who have come to the aid of their fellow citizens. There are the ordinary workers or farmers who have donated all they can. The children who have come forward with their pocket money. There are the businesses big and small who have given new meaning to the concept of being a good corporate citizen. There are the individuals and groups who got together as much as they could in the way of supplies and drove to the affected areas. Donating their time, their effort and financial resources in a spontaneous outpouring of love. A spontaneous expression of care.Ladies and Gentlemen, even in these dark times, we can all take comfort from one shining truth. That we are a caring nation.With our tenacity and the generosity of UN member states, we must work together to meet the unprecedented need that Cyclone Winston has left in its wake. We look to the world to assist Fiji to fully get back on its feet.We share the grief of those who have lost loved ones. Our thoughts are with the injured and those who have been made homeless. But we stand together as one nation, one Fiji. Indeed, we have never been so unified as we are this morning here with our friends from around the world.Standing shoulder to shoulder, we are showing the world what we are made of. Even in the face of this ordeal, it is a great time to be Fijian. A time to stand tall and proud.Vinaka vakalevu. Thank you. Salman Khan is known for his charity work and his love for kids and it is this side of him, that the media got to see on Wednesday night. Salman Khan was spotted dining with his industry friends, Kabir Khan, his wife Mini Mathur, Nawazuddin Siddiqui and also his family, Arpita Khan and Aayush Sharma at The Olive. He was later joined by Arbaaz Khan, post meeting Malaika and Amrita Arora at nearby restaurant The Korner House. Industry insiders claim this to be a patch up meeting, nonetheless, Arbaaz after this headed straight to The Olive to meet Salman. After the entire gang finished dinner, they came out of the restaurant only to spot some poor kids. A touched Salman, immediately went to the kids, gave them money, hugged them, spoke to them for some time, signed autographs etc. Here's Why Ranbir Kapoor Is Refusing To Work With Katrina Kaif And Deepika Padukone! He spent a lot of time with these poor kids who ran into the actor outside the restaurant. Salman's candid moments with these kids is very heart-touching and truly shows the soft side of the actor. Meanwhile, on work front, Salman Khan will be shooting a romantic song featuring Anushka Sharma for Sultan today. The song is choreographed by Farah Khan. Anushka had already started rehearsing for this song, which was revealed by her Instagram post that was captioned, "Rehearsals for song shoot for Sultan ON !!! #Sultan" Initial plan was to shoot the song in Punjab but now since majority of the film shooting has been done, the crew doesn't want to head outside and so have built up a set that looks like Punjab in Filmcity, Mumbai. By April end, the entire shooting of Sultan is said to be finished, meaning the director Ali Abbas Zafar will have ample time for post-production. This Eid release also stars Randeep Hooda and Amit Sadh in pivotal roles. New photos from Rajinikanth's upcoming film Kabali is taking several social media networks by storm and the superstar looks absolutely dashing in them. The get-ups of several actors, who are a part of this film, had been a closely guarded secret up until now. But, the newly released stills throw light on the looks of Radhika Apte, Kalaiyarasan Harikrishnan, Dhansika and Dinesh. What more, director Pa Ranjith has even opened up about different characters Kabali houses, and also revealed is the information on who plays what in the highly anticipated movie. According to a report, Radhika Apte plays a character named Kumudhavalli. After meeting Rajinikanth while going about her work in an estate, she goes on to marry him in the film. Dhansika's character is as interesting as her looks in the film. She reportedly plays a stylish gangster, a girl destined to trouble Rajinikanth throughout the film. Interestingly, few reports had mentioned that Dhansika would also play Rajinikanth's daughter in the movie. It is to be seen if that turns out to be true when the film hits the big screen. While Dinesh plays yet another gangster, Kalaiyarasan Harikrishnan is said to have played a teacher. John Vijay, another important member in the cast of Kabali, plays Rajinikanth's friend. And at last but definitely not the least, the Enthiran star plays an ageing star, who considers his self-confidence as his biggest strength. Kabali, which was shot for about 115 days in India, Malaysia, Thailand and Hong Kong, is expected to release in the month of May. The film, which is bankrolled by 'Kalaipuli' S Thanu is currently in its post-production stage. Santhosh Narayanan is working on the film's re-recording at the moment and the teaser is expected to be made public this month. Check out the images below: Also Read: OH AMY! These Voluptuous Pics Of Amy Jackson Will Leave You Wanting For More, #16 Is Just Too Hot IBM ceased to be a shareholder in Lenovo for the second time in its history on Wednesday after executing a HK$1.17 billion ($150 million) clean-up trade. The US computer manufacturer took advantage of improving equity sentiment to sell a 1.6% stake in the Chinese computer giant through an accelerated bookbuild led by Goldman Sachs. However, the company still netted a loss from the trade since it first purchased the shares for $195.18 million as part of an M&A deal that closed in September 2014 according to S&P Global Market Intelligence. Bankers will nevertheless be hoping the deal injects some much needed life into Asias moribund equity capital markets since it represents Hong Kongs first public secondary share trade of the year. Bankers said the issue went well in primary syndication, with strong demand encouraging tight pricing. This was fixed at HK$6.42 per share, the tightest end of a HK$6.26 to HK$6.42 range and a 4% discount to the stocks HK$6.69 close. The 182 million share offering was very small relative to Lenovos average daily volume and accounted for only three days trading. Bankers said it was well received because the stock has built up a significant short position since the beginning of the year. Of 80 accounts, which participated, they said most were hedge funds using the deal to cover their short positions. Lenovos short selling ratio peaked at 50.776% on Friday and stood at 20.635% on Monday, equating to 0.475% of the Hong Kong market. The stock itself rose 1.83% on the day, underperforming the blue chip Hong Kong Index, which jumped 3.07% to close above the 20,000-level for the first time in nearly two months. In turn, Hong Kong was unable to eclipse Shanghai and Shenzhen, which rose 4.26% and 4.7% respectively. At HK$6.69, Lenovo is trading at about 8.7 times forecast 2017 earnings, almost at its trough valuation on a three-year basis and well below its 13.7 times average. In a recent research note Credit Suisse recommended accumulating on signs of weakness. It believes 11 times forecast 2017 earnings is a reasonable valuation given Lenovos 2017 growth expectations, which are largely driven by PC/server share gains, plus synergies and cost savings from restructuring ($1.35 billion between December 2015 and December 2016). The company announced better-than-expected results for the third quarter ended December last year, with net profit rising 18.6% year-on-year to $300 million. But that was not sufficient to overturn a loss accumulated during the first half of the financial year. In the first nine months through to December the group reported a $308 million loss compared to a net profit of $729 million the previous year. In its quarterly report, the company attributed this to falling PC and notebook sales and slower growth in the smartphone business. As a result, some banks including Goldman Sachs, Citigroup and Bank of America Merrill Lynch have reduced their target prices for Lenovo. For example, Goldman Sachs has a target price of HK$6.5, lower than the stocks latest close and only a slight premium to IBMs divestment price. Second breakup Wednesdays sale ends an 11-year relationship between IBM and Lenovo. The two first tied up in 2005 when the Chinese IT company purchased IBMs PC business for $1.25 billion excluding debt. Lenovo settled the acquisition through a combination of cash and the issuance of 1.74 billion new shares. These shares were sold through six separate block trades between 2008 and 2011, with the final one taking place in February 2011. This enabled IBM to raise $263 million, putting an end a six-year relationship with the Chinese PC giant. Three years later, however, and the two companies were reconnected when Lenovo agreed to purchase IBMs x86 server operations in January 2014. According to S&P Global Market Intelligence, the deal closed on September 29 that year for a purchase price consideration of $2.04 billion of which $1.847 billion was paid in cash and $195.18 in stock. This means, IBM has booked a loss of about $45 million from the new share sale since Lenovo was trading around the HK$11.46 level when the deal closed in September 2014. UBS has created a new Asia debt-financing group by merging its debt capital markets and leverage finance operations in the region, according to an internal memo seen by FinanceAsia on Thursday. Patrick Liu and Deepak Dangayach will be co-heads of the newly created unit, the statement said. Prior to the appointment, Liu was the co-head of debt capital markets for Asia, while Dangayach will join the firm in April from Deutsche Bank. UBS's latest move to streamline the investment banking operations come after the Swiss bank last month imposed a global pay freeze on its 5,200 investment banking staff, which will be reviewed in the second quarter depending on market conditions and business results. Since restructuring in 2012, UBS has put more emphasis on expanding its wealth management businesses and shifting importance away from its investment bank. Liu and Dangayach will report to Saurabh Beniwal and Joseph Chee, UBSs co-heads of investment banking in Asia, as well as to Gaetano Bassolino, head of DCM and client solutions for Asia-Pacific region, who relocated to Hong Kong from London in November. Before joining UBS in 2009, Liu worked in the DCM teams of Merrill Lynch and Credit Suisse and spent his career in corporate finance in Singapore and credit lending in Beijing. Dangayach was most recently Deutsches head of high yield and leveraged debt capital markets in Asia. He has over a decade of experience in Asia across bonds, leveraged/acquisition financing and structured/mezzanine financing. Driving growth in our financing products is a strategic priority for the business, Beniwal and Chee said in the memo. We have a fantastic client franchise in the region across corporate client solutions (CCS) and wealth management within which we see an increasingly attractive opportunity to provide tailored financing solutions. UBSs investment banking advisory business is known as CCS, which encompasses capital markets and advisory. It is separate from the banks secondary markets trading businesses. According to data-tracking firm Dealogic, UBS was ranked 21st in the Asia ex-Japan DCM league table last year, raising $14.6 billion in 73 transactions. Deutsche duo depart In other news, Deutsche Bank reportedly lost two of its most senior bankers in the region. Citing unnamed sources, Bloomberg said Bill Nichol, head of the financial institutions group in Asia Pacific at Deutsche Bank, plans to leave in May after more than 13 years with the German bank. Joaquin Rodriguez Torres, who joined Deutsche Bank a decade ago and is head of technology, media and telecom investment banking for Asia, was also said to be in discussions to leave the firm and is considering setting up his own fund. A Hong Kong-based spokeswoman for Deutsche Bank could not be immediately reached for comment. Oaktree Capital has opened an office in Sydney at a time when falling commodity prices and Chinas economic slowdown are weighing on the economy Down Under, the distressed debt investment specialist said on Thursday. Byron Beath will lead investment activities in the region, the Los Angeles-headquartered firm said in a statement. The move follows Australias mining boom collapse in the face of falling commodity prices and rising costs, whucb has caused equity and debt financing via capital markets to virtually dry up. Other specialist private equity firms and hedge funds have in recent years also spotted value in Australian miners, albeit to a limited degree. Funds Senrigan, D. E. Shaw and Blackstone invested A$40 million in Sundance Resources back in 2013. In 2012 Spring Capital invested in Australian coal developer Stanmore Coal. Terracom, previously known as Guildford Coal, restructured its debt and received capital from Orchard Capital Partners in 2014. Perhaps the reason there has not been more distressed debt investment is that there is little certainty of income in contrast to the consumer sector, where cash flows are more consistent and can be more easily valued. Also there is less debt available to buy up in the mining sector compared with other sectors. Hence outstanding debt is limited relative to other sectors where they can get more leverage. Greenfield miners have no income stream to service debt financing, so banks are relatively reluctant to lend and firms have fallen back on selling equity. On the plus side, Australia offers a clear bankruptcy code and route to recovery of capital for distressed debt investors, in contrast to China. Beath joined Oaktree in 2016 to focus on investment opportunities in Australia and New Zealand. Prior to Oaktree, Beath spent 15 years with Macquarie, where he was most recently a director in the corporate and asset finance division. "Opening an office in Sydney will better enable Oaktree to create and seize investment opportunities across Australia and New Zealand, Beath said in the statement. Having first established an Asia-Pacific presence in 1998, Oaktree continues to expand its footprint across the region, its Sydney location adding to offices in Beijing, Hong Kong, Seoul, Singapore, Shanghai, and Tokyo. Oaktree had $97 billion in assets under management as of December 31. Lawrence DeFluri didnt set out to create a niche financial planning practice, but circumstance in the form of the Marcellus Shale formation intervened. He and his partner, Charles Eberly Jr., had a planning practice in Harrisburg, Pa., just southeast of the massive Marcellus Shale basin. When geological testing and improved drilling techniques turned the area into a booming gas-producing region a half dozen years ago, clients started calling him about oil companies knocking on their doors. DeFluris first such client, a farmer, had 100 acres in northern Pennsylvania and was approached in 2009 about leasing his mineral rights. The oil company had already drawn up a contract, but the client didnt know what to make of it. He brought it to DeFluri. We took a close look and realized they were paying way too little, DeFluri says. I told him how much to hold out for. After a little negotiating, he got something very close. A PAST IN OIL How on earth would DeFluri know how much to ask for a mineral-rights lease? The 51-year-old planner has undergraduate and graduate degrees in petroleum and environmental engineering, and he spent 10 years working on oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico. In those days, his job was to drill wells and ensure that both the drilling and production came in on budget. Although he was doing well and rising through the ranks at Tenneco, DeFluri says it just wasnt what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. All the time he was an engineer, he explains, he had been studying up on stock selection and managing his own accounts. He saved money so that his family could handle a temporary decline in income and announced to his startled wife one morning that he was ready to make the switch. The stock market was a hobby that turned into a passion that turned into a career, he says. When I made the break, I never looked back. Its worked out phenomenally well. First at Smith Barney, then Merrill Lynch and Wells Fargo Advisors, DeFluri and Eberly have worked in investments and financial planning in and around Harrisburg for almost two decades. They are the co-founders and managing partners of SevenBridge Financial Group, a firm with $190 million in assets under management that split off from Wells Fargo last August. AN UNEXPECTED NICHE Unexpectedly, DeFluris engineering background became valuable to the planning practice because it allowed him to help clients confronted with perplexing mineral rights. Working with geologists, we have the ability to understand how much oil and gas is in place and how theyll get it out of the ground, he says. My background allows me to understand how many wells they can put on a property, and with that we can evaluate what the cash flow is currently and what its likely to be over time. Oil companies usually pay for mineral rights in two parts: an upfront bonus for the lease and then continuing royalties. At the height of the market, DeFluri says, some property owners were getting bonuses of as much as $5,000 an acre. Royalties range from 12.5% to 21% and can be the more lucrative part of the deal, he adds. But clients have to be prepared for the fact that gas royalties are not a steady source of revenue. A gas well usually delivers a big payload in the first year, bubbling with released gas like a recently popped can of soda, DeFluri says. But as time goes on, the well produces progressively less until it peters out completely some 30 or 40 years later. And, of course, with gas prices falling, some producers have recently capped their wells, waiting to sell into improved markets. AN ESTATE PLANNING MOMENT Perhaps surprisingly, because wells can produce energy for decades, these days DeFluri is telling his clients that they should consider todays low gas prices as an opportunity. For estate planning purposes, if a client is looking to gift or set up a trust to pass the royalty interest on to heirs, valuing it at todays low gas prices is the way to go, DeFluri says. Tax authorities require an appraisal when you give away assets that are hard to sell, such as mineral rights. Those appraisals are likely to result in far lower values today than they would when gas prices were higher, giving clients the ability to transfer these assets at a lower tax cost. That can be a worthwhile technique for clients with significant estates that include such rights. The firm has also helped clients figure out the right price for right-of-way easements, when a gas company wants to pipe fuel through their land or access to build a compressor station. It is rare for these rights to produce a life-changing amount of income, DeFluri says. Only a few clients own enough land to get five-and six-figure leasing bonuses and most collect hundreds, rather than thousands, of dollars in monthly royalties. But the income can be significant to a clients life, helping pay for college, a wedding, a new car or a vacation. The main thing, DeFluri says, is that he wants to make sure his clients get a fair deal. SERVING ENTREPRENEURS Of course, SevenBridges business is not exclusively about oil and gas rights. Far from it. DeFluri says that SevenBridges bread-and-butter clients are entrepreneurs. Middle-market businesses, which span everything from growing mom-and-pop shops to engineering and construction firms with 40 or 50 employees, are largely underserved, DeFluri says. SevenBridge works with them to help solve both personal and business planning needs. Owners of small, privately held companies, for example, may have a significant amount of their net worth tied up in their businesses. When it comes time to tap some of that equity, DeFluri says, SevenBridge routinely brings in investment bankers and accountants to determine the best way to squeeze liquidity out of an otherwise illiquid investment portfolio. Because many of SevenBridges clients are in their 60s and are either retired or close to it, structuring investment portfolios with an eye to producing income can also be important. SevenBridges investment approach is a simple one, DeFluri adds. The bulk of the firms clients have portfolios comprised of individual stocks and bonds, rather than mutual funds. Why? It takes the mystery out of the portfolio, he says. With 30 to 50 holdings, you can track each company and construct a portfolio that can produce better-than-market income from interest and dividends. For the firms clients, theres a sense of security that comes from knowing exactly what you own, he says. Some of our clients have stocks that theyve owned for 20 years, and theyre generating a rising stream of income. BEIJING (dpa-AFX) - The services sector in China continued to expand in February, albeit at a slower pace, the latest survey from Caixin showed on Thursday with a PMI score of 51.2. That's down from 52.4 in January, although it remains above the boom-or-bust line of 50 that separates expansion from contraction. Among the individual components, new business growth slowed, while new orders continued to decline and new business was roughly unchanged. The composite index came in with a score of 49.4, down from 50.1 in the previous month. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. BERLIN, GERMANY--(Marketwired - March 03, 2016) - RNTS Media N.V. ("RNTS"), the parent company of Fyber GmbH ("Fyber"), a leading mobile advertising technology platform, today announces that it has signed a binding agreement to acquire 100% of the share capital of Inneractive Ltd. ("Inneractive"), a fast-growing, mobile RTB-based ad exchange focused on powering display, native and video ads, for an initial cash consideration of USD 46 million. In addition, the agreement provides for potential earn-out and retention payments of up to USD 26 million upon achievement of certain ambitious growth targets over the next three years, bringing the potential maximum consideration to USD 72 million. The acquisition of Inneractive will make the RNTS group one of the largest, independent mobile supply-side platforms globally with one of the most advanced product offerings across mediation, exchange and ad serving, covering all ad formats. Specifically, the acquisition will immediately realize the following strategic benefits: Step change in global reach and scale: Combining Inneractive's user reach of 630 million Monthly Active Users (MAUs) with Fyber's 500+ million MAUs will significantly increase the addressable audience for the group's demand partners. Expansion of core addressable mobile markets: The acquisition of Inneractive expands RNTS' programmatic capabilities beyond Fyber's core publisher base into key verticals such as entertainment, productivity, news, messaging, social networking and utilities. Drive liquidity of mobile advertising marketplace: Connecting Fyber's and Inneractive's platforms will greatly increase the volume of parties buying and selling advertising inventory, creating a deeper, more liquid marketplace for optimizing revenue per unique user. Founded by Ziv Elul and Offer Yehudai in 2007, Inneractive is backed by Evergreen Venture Partners and is headquartered in Tel Aviv, with offices in New York, San Francisco and London. Inneractive was recently recognized as one of the fastest growing technology companies in the Deloitte Technology Fast 500' EMEA. Its product offering and technology is highly complementary to that of Fyber. Inneractive's platform currently serves over 630 million MAUs spanning 180 countries and empowers mobile publishers to realize the full potential of their inventory by providing technologies for the buying and selling of mobile ads. The Inneractive programmatic platform for display, native and video ads is comprised of a mobile Supply Side Platform (SSP), a Private Marketplace and an Open Ad Exchange. Inneractive grew gross revenue by more than 100% to USD 43.2 million and was profitable in 2015. It is aiming to double its revenues again over the next two years. "This is another milestone for RNTS on our path to building the leading supply-side platform for the mobile app economy. By playing an active role in industry consolidation we intend to secure a lasting competitive edge," said Andreas Bodczek, CEO of RNTS Media. "Following on from our acquisitions of Falk Realtime and Heyzap, Inneractive delivers significant additional scale and programmatic capabilities to enable our publishers to generate revenue even more effectively, and our advertising partners to access a substantially broader audience across important digital verticals. Having now delivered on our commitment of two important acquisitions following the convertible bonds, we are confident that the revenue run-rate for the enlarged group by year-end 2016 will surpass EUR 200 million," Bodczek added. Inneractive will be run largely independently within RNTS Media and continue to pursue its growth plan. At the same time, RNTS expects to generate important revenue synergies for the combined group by monetising Fyber's audience through Inneractive's platform, combining the liquidity of both exchanges and collaborating on innovations to support mobile video growth. "This is a great achievement for Inneractive and we are very proud of our amazing team," said Ziv Elul, co-founder and CEO of Inneractive. "We have been working with Fyber and its strong executive team for a long time and are excited to join the RNTS family. We are passionate about the potential of our future together, excited about the synergies and confident in our ability to work together to offer publishers the most comprehensive tech stack in the industry." The acquisition of Inneractive is expected to be completed in Q2 of 2016 after the satisfaction of certain customary closing conditions and expiry of the statutory 50 days waiting period for mergers in Israel. The initial consideration will be funded from the proceeds of the convertible bonds issued in July 2015; the objective is to raise further funds in due course. RNTS Media has committed to pay a break fee of USD 8 million if it is not to complete the transaction. To facilitate the integration, Ziv Elul, CEO of Inneractive, will join the RNTS Executive Board upon completion of the transaction. About RNTS Media and Fyber Fyber is an independent advertising technology company that connects app developers and media companies with advertisers through the power of technology across every device. Its SSP, Ad Serving, Ad Exchange and Mediation products empower thousands of the world's leading app developers and publishers to generate business-critical revenue streams and serves over 500 million MAUs globally. For more information, visit www.fyber.com. Its parent company RNTS Media is headquartered in Berlin, Germany, and listed on the Prime Standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol 'RNM.' For more information, visit www.rntsmedia.com. About Inneractive Inneractive is an independent global mobile ad exchange focused on powering native and video ads. The company's mission is to empower mobile publishers to maximize the full potential of their properties by providing powerful technologies for buying and selling mobile ads. The Inneractive programmatic platform is comprised of a mobile Supply Side Platform (SSP) and an Ad Exchange that combine RTB with native and video ad solutions. Inneractive was recently named a Deloitte Technology Fast500 Company, EMEA and a Deloitte Israel 2015 Technology Fast50 winner. Inneractive is headquartered in Tel Aviv with offices in San Francisco, New York and London. Investor Contact: Heiner Luntz ir@rntsmedia.com +49 30 609-855-555 Media Contacts: North American Media Natalia Sandin natalia.sandin@fyber.com +1 650-201-8814 European Media Alex Simmons asimmons@smithfieldgroup.com +44 207-903-0669 BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - Axel Springer (AXELF.PK) reported that its 2015 net income increased by 29.2 percent to 304.6 million euros from 235.7 million euros in the prior financial year. Earnings per share was 2.50 euros, compared to 1.71 euros in the prior year. Consolidated net income, adjusted for non-recurring effects as well as amortization and impairments from purchase price allocations, improved by 11.2 percent to 279.3 million euros from 251.2 million euros, prior year. Adjusted earnings per share increased to 2.22 euros from 2.01 euros. EBITDA, adjusted for non-recurring effects rose by 10.2 percent, to 559.0 million euros from 507.1 million euros, prior year. EBITDA margin increased to 17.0 percent from 16.7 percent. Total revenues rose by 8.5 percent to 3.29 billion euros from 3.04 billion euros, last year. Adjusted for consolidation and currency effects, total revenues were 1.6 percent higher than in the prior year. The Executive Board and the Supervisory Board of Axel Springer will propose a constant dividend payout of 1.80 euros per share for the 2015 financial year to the Annual General Meeting. For the 2016 financial year, the Executive Board expects an increase in total revenues in the low single-digit percentage range. Adjusted for consolidation effects, above all the deconsolidation of activities in Switzerland, growth would be higher and be in the mid single-digit percentage range. With regard to EBITDA, the Executive Board expects an increase in the low to mid single-digit percentage range. For adjusted earnings per share, the Executive Board expects an increase in the mid to high single-digit percentage range. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de AB Volvo's (STO:VOLVA)(STO:VOLVB) Annual General Meeting will take place on Wednesday, April 6, 2016 at 3.00 p.m. at Konserthuset, Gotaplatsen, in Goteborg. Shareholders who wish to participate at the Annual General Meeting must be recorded as a shareholder in AB Volvo's share register on March 31, 2016 and must also give notice of their intention to participate at the Meeting to AB Volvo no later than March 31, 2016. Notice of intention to participate at the Meeting may be given by telephone to +46 8 402 90 76, or by mail addressed to AB Volvo (publ), "AGM", P O Box 7841, SE-103 98 Stockholm, Sweden, or directly on AB Volvo's website: www.volvogroup.com. Please note that notice of intention to participate could be given per telephone no later than 4.00 p.m. on March 31, 2016. Media wishing to participate at the Meeting can notify their intention to Media Relations, AB Volvo, at +46 765-53 72 29. The notice to attend the Annual General Meeting follows below. Welcome! AB Volvo March 2, 2016 For more stories from the Volvo Group, please visit http://www.volvogroup.com/globalnews. The Volvo Group is one of the world's leading manufacturers of trucks, buses, construction equipment and marine and industrial engines. The Group also provides complete solutions for financing and service. The Volvo Group, which employs about 100,000 people, has production facilities in 19 countries and sells its products in more than 190 markets. In 2015 the Volvo Group's sales amounted to about SEK 313 billion (EUR 33.4 billion). The Volvo Group is a publicly-held company headquartered in Goteborg, Sweden. Volvo shares are listed on Nasdaq Stockholm. For more information, please visit www.volvogroup.com or www.volvogroup.mobi if you are using your mobile phone. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF AB VOLVO (publ) AB Volvo (publ) hereby gives notice to attend the Annual General Meeting at Konserthuset, Gotaplatsen, Goteborg, Wednesday, April 6, 2016, at 3.00 p.m. Registration to the Annual General Meeting starts at 1.30 p.m. Proposed agenda Matters: 1. Opening ofthe Meeting 2. Election of Chairman of the Meeting 3. Verification of the voting list 4. Approval of the agenda 5. Election of minutes-checkers and vote controllers 6. Determination of whether the Meeting has been duly convened 7. Presentation of the work of the Board and Board committees 8. Presentation of the Annual Report and the Auditor's Report as well as the Consolidated Accounts and the Auditor's Report on the Consolidated Accounts. In connection therewith, speech by the President 9. Adoption of the Income Statement and Balance Sheet and the Consolidated Income Statement and Consolidated Balance Sheet 10. Resolution in respect of the disposition to be made of the Company's profits 11. Resolution regarding discharge from liability of the Board members and of the President 12. Determination of the number of Board members and deputy Board members to be elected by the Meeting 13. Determination of the remuneration to the Board members 14. Election ofthe Board members The Election Committee's proposal: 14.1 Matti Alahuhta 14.2 Eckhard Cordes 14.3 James W. Griffith 14.4 Martin Lundstedt (new election) 14.5 Kathryn V. Marinello 14.6 Martina Merz 14.7 Hanne de Mora 14.8 Hakan Samuelsson (new election) 14.9 Helena Stjernholm (new election) 14.10 Carl-Henric Svanberg 14.11 Lars Westerberg 15. Election ofthe Chairman of the Board The Election Committee's proposal: The Election Committee proposes re-election of Carl-Henric Svanberg as Chairman of the Board. 16. Election of members of the Election Committee 17. Resolution regarding amendment of the Instructions for the AB Volvo Election Committee 18. Resolution regarding Remuneration Policy for senior executives Motions Point 2: The Election Committee proposes Sven Unger, Attorney at law, to be the Chairman of the Meeting. Point 10: The Board proposes payment of a dividend of SEK 3.00 per share. Friday, April 8, 2016, is proposed as the record date to receive the dividend. If the Annual General Meeting resolves in accordance with the proposal, payment of the dividend is expected to be performed through Euroclear Sweden AB on Wednesday, April 13, 2016. Point 12: The Election Committee proposes eleven members and no deputy members. Point 13: The Election Committee proposes that the Board remuneration remain unchanged, meaning that the Chairman of the Board will be awarded SEK 3,250,000 and each of the other Board members elected by the Annual General Meeting SEK 950,000 with the exception of the President. Furthermore, the Election Committee proposes that the remuneration for Board committee work remain unchanged, meaning that the Chairman of the Audit Committee will be awarded SEK 300,000 and the other members of the Audit Committee SEK 150,000 each and that the Chairman of the Remuneration Committee will be awarded SEK 125,000 and the other members of the Remuneration Committee SEK 100,000 each. Point 14-15: Anders Nyren has informed the Election Committee that he will not stand for re-election. The Election Committee proposes that the following candidates are elected as Board members. Matti Alahuhta Eckhard Cordes James W. Griffith Martin Lundstedt (new election) Kathryn V. Marinello Martina Merz Hanne de Mora Hakan Samuelsson (new election) Helena Stjernholm (new election) Carl-Henric Svanberg Lars Westerberg The Election Committee proposes re-election of Carl-Henric Svanberg as Chairman of the Board. A presentation of the candidates proposed by the Election Committee is available on AB Volvo's website; www.volvokoncernen.se or www.volvogroup.com. Point 16: The Election Committee proposes that Bengt Kjell, representing AB Industrivarden, Lars Forberg, representing Cevian Capital, Yngve Slyngstad, representing Norges Bank Investment Management, Par Boman, representing Handelsbanken, SHB Pension Fund, SHB Employee Fund, SHB Pensionskassa and Oktogonen, and the Chairman of the Board are elected members of the Election Committee and that no fees are paid to the members of the Election Committee. Point 17: The Election Committee proposes that the Annual General Meeting resolves to amend the Instructions for the AB Volvo Election Committee. The proposed changes entail a certain modernization and update of the language used, as well as an adaptation to include amendments in the Swedish Corporate Governance Code. The complete proposal is available on AB Volvo's website; www.volvokoncernen.se or www.volvogroup.com. Point 18: The Board proposes that the Annual General Meeting resolves to adopt the following Remuneration Policy for senior executives. This policy concerns the remuneration and other terms of employment for the members of the Volvo Group Executive Board ("Executives"). The remuneration and the other terms of employment of the Executives shall be competitive so that the Volvo Group can attract and retain competent Executives. The total remuneration to Executives consists of fixed salary, short-term and long-term incentives, pension and other benefits. Short-term and long-term incentives shall be linked to predetermined and measurable criteria relating to EBIT and cash flow targets for the Volvo Group, devised to promote the long-term value creation of the Volvo Group and strengthen the link between achieved performance targets and reward. The criteria for short-term and long-term incentives shall be determined by the Board annually. Short-term incentive may, as regards the President CEO, amount to a maximum of 100 % of the fixed salary and, as regards other Executives, a maximum of 80 of the fixed salary. Long-term incentive may, as regards the President CEO, amount to a maximum of 100 of the fixed salary and, as regards other Executives, a maximum of 80 of the fixed salary. The Board of Directors has decided on a new cash-based long-term incentive program for the Group's top 300 executives, including the Executives, subject to the general meeting's approval of this policy. Awards under the program, based on how well the performance targets are achieved, are disbursed in cash to the participants on the condition that they invest the net award in AB Volvo shares and that they retain the shares for at least three years. The long-term share-based incentive program resolved by the 2014 Annual General Meeting is therefore discontinued after 2015. New share-based incentive programs, will, where applicable, be resolved by the General Meeting, but no such program is currently proposed. For Executives resident in Sweden, the notice period upon termination by the company shall not exceed 12 months and the notice period upon termination by the Executive shall not exceed 6 months. In addition, in the event of termination by the company, the Executive may be entitled to a maximum of 12 months' severance pay. Executives resident outside Sweden or resident in Sweden but having a material connection to or having been resident in a country other than Sweden may be offered notice periods for termination and severance payment that are competitive in the country where the Executives are or have been resident or to which the Executives have a material connection, preferably solutions comparable to the solutions applied to Executives resident in Sweden. Authority to decide on deviations from this policy The Board of Directors may deviate from this policy if there are special reasons to do so in an individual case. Additional information Executive compensation, which has been decided but which has not yet become due for payment by the time of the 2016 Annual General Meeting, falls within the scope of this policy. Additional information regarding remuneration is available in the Volvo Group Annual Report for 2015. Documents The complete proposals by the Election Committee and its statement explaining the proposals are available at www.volvogroup.com and www.volvokoncernen.se. The Annual Report, the Auditor's Report and the Auditor's statement pursuant to Chapter 8, Section 54 of the Swedish Companies Act will be available at www.volvogroup.com and www.volvokoncernen.se, and at AB Volvo's Headquarters, Amazonvagen, Torslanda, Goteborg, from March 16, 2016 at the latest. The documents will be sent on request to such shareholders who provide their address from the date they become available. The documents will also be available at the Annual General Meeting. The number of shares and votes When this notice to attend the Annual General Meeting was issued, the total number of shares in the Company was 2,128,420,220, distributed among 505,481,960 series A shares (1 vote per series A share), and 1,622,938,260 series B shares (1/10 vote per series B share). The total number of votes was 667,775,786. The Company's holding of own shares amounted to 97,373,863, distributed among 20,728,135 series A shares and 76,645,728 series B shares, corresponding to 28,392,707.8 votes. The Company may not vote using its treasury shares. Information at the Annual General Meeting Upon request by any shareholder and where the Board believes that such may take place without significant harm to the Company, the Board and the President should provide information at the Annual General Meeting in respect of any circumstances which may affect the assessment of a matter on the agenda, and any circumstances which may affect the assessment of the Company's or a subsidiary's financial position and as regards the Company's relationship to other Group companies. Right to participate in the Annual General Meeting Participation in AB Volvo's Annual General Meeting is limited to those who are recorded as shareholders in the share register maintained by Euroclear Sweden AB on March 31, 2016 and who no later than March 31, 2016 give notice of their intention to participate in the Annual General Meeting to AB Volvo. Shares registered in the name of a nominee To be entitled to participate in the Annual General Meeting, shareholders having their shares registered in the name of a nominee must request the nominee to enter the shareholder into the share register. Such registration, which can be temporary, must have been effected by March 31, 2016 and should therefore be requested well in advance of March 31, 2016. Nominees normally charge a fee for this. Notice Notice of intention to participate in the Annual General Meeting can be given: by telephone, +46 8 402 90 76 by mail addressed to AB Volvo (publ), "AGM", P.O. Box 7841, SE-103 98 Stockholm, Sweden on AB Volvo's website; www.volvogroup.com and www.volvokoncernen.se In providing such notice, the shareholder should state: name personal registration number (corporate registration number) address and telephone number name and personal registration number of the proxy, if any the number of any accompanying assistant(s) (maximum two assistants) Shareholders who wish to participate in the Annual General Meeting must submit notice prior to expiration of the notice period on March 31, 2016. If you wish to be accompanied by an assistant, notification to this effect must be provided as specified above. Please note that notice of intention to participate could be given per telephone no later than 4.00 p.m. on March 31, 2016. Shareholders who are represented by proxy must issue a written, dated proxy for the representative. Such proxy forms are available at www.volvogroup.com or www.volvokoncernen.se. The proxy, in its original, should be sent to the Company at the above address well in advance of the Annual General Meeting. The proxy may not be older than one year unless it states that it is valid for a longer period of time, although the validity of the proxy may not exceed five years. If the proxy is issued by a legal entity, a certified copy of the certificate of registration or an equivalent certificate of authority must be submitted to the company. Note that shareholders who are represented by proxy must notify the Company of their participation according to the above instructions and be registered as shareholders in the share register on March 31, 2016. Miscellaneous The main entrance of Konserthuset opens at 1.30 p.m. A light meal will be served in the foyer before the Annual General Meeting. Goteborg, March 2016 AB Volvo (publ) The Board of Directors This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160302006651/en/ Contacts: Volvo Group Kina Wileke Head of Volvo Group Media Relations +46 (0) 31 66 12 32 +46 (0) 739 02 55 44 press@volvo.com BUEDELSDORF (dpa-AFX) - freenet AG (FRAGF.PK) reported that its Group result decreased to 221.5 million euros in the financial year 2015 from 248.2 million euros in the previous year. The company said this trend is mainly attributable to a diversity of effects in deferred and current tax expenses. Group EBITDA slightly increased to 370.2 million euros from 365.6 million euros. Gross profit increased slightly to 790.4 million euros in the financial year 2015 from 778.1 million euros, prior year. freenet reported that preliminary figures indicate that Group revenue was 3.12 billion euros in 2015, a year-on-year improvement of 2.5 percent, from 3.04 billion euros. The Executive Board of freenet AG announced dividend proposal of 1.55 euros for the financial year 2015 and plans to propose a dividend of 1.60 euros for the financial year 2016. freenet said the company is now aiming for an increase of Group revenue in the ongoing financial year, compared to prior guidance of slight increase, EBITDA of slightly above 400 million euros compared to prior outlook of around 375 million euros. mobilcom-debitel GmbH, a subsidiary of freenet AG, has signed an agreement to acquire 100 percent of the shares in Media Broadcast Group. freenet said, in connection with the stake in eXaring AG, acquired in advance, the acquisition of Media Broadcast represents an important addition as part of the company's strategic development to become the leading digital lifestyle provider in Germany. freenet AG expects a positive contribution to Group revenue, EBITDA and free cash flow from both transactions. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de AMRA and GE Healthcare to enable clinicians to uncover individuals' metabolic health risk in the fight against obesity via new co-marketing agreement AMRATM Profiler, a cloud-based body composition measurement service, is first of its kind with CE Approval1 AMRA has announced at the European Congress of Radiology in Vienna, Austria, that it has entered into a new co-marketing agreement with GE Healthcare, a leading provider of MRI systems. This agreement confirms that AMRATM Profiler protocol will be made available on future GE Healthcare MRI scanners. AMRATM Profiler is a cloud-based body composition measurement service, which uses images from a rapid, 6-minute MRI scan to deliver accurate, precise fat and muscle measurements.2 As the world's first CE approved* technology of its kind, AMRATM Profiler introduces new standards in body composition measurement and imaging biomarkers. "This co-marketing agreement marks an important milestone in our relationship with AMRA and we are proud to be able deliver access to AMRA cloud based body composition analysis to GE customers," said Mark Stoesz, Global Product Marketing Manager at GE Healthcare. "In light of GE Healthcare's strong heritage in MRI technology, this collaboration is a welcome opportunity to combine our expertise and deliver new value to physicians and their patients." Medical assessments of body composition have traditionally relied upon BMI and waist circumference; indirect measurements that do not distinguish between different parts of the body and give little information about metabolic status. The location and distribution of different types of fat can affect an individual's likelihood of developing metabolic-related diseases.3,4 Gaining precise measurements of an individual's various fat and muscle volumes can therefore provide a more accurate assessment of a person's health status. Through international collaboration with world-leading researchers, AMRA is also building upon its precise measurement technology to develop the Body Composition Profile (BCP), a complementary tool that can be used alongside BMI to deliver a clearer picture of an individual's health and metabolic risk. "Over 2.1 billion people in the world are characterised as overweight or obese,5 placing a major and growing burden on global health systems," said Tommy Johansson, CEO of AMRA. "AMRA aims to assist the world's medical leaders in providing better body composition measurements, leading to more personalised treatment for people at risk of poor metabolic health outcomes. The AMRA and GE Healthcare co-marketing agreement is a significant step forward in this ambition." The co-marketing agreement follows two recent AMRA milestones, including CE Mark approval for the clinical use of AMRATM Profiler in January 2016, allowing European clinicians to use AMRATM Profiler measurements in patient care. Additionally, in 2015 AMRA announced the company has entered into a unique international collaboration with Pfizer Inc. to investigate the relationship between fat and muscle distribution in the body and metabolic health, including risk factors for conditions such as obesity and diabetes. For further information regarding AMRA please visit: www.amra.se *A mandatory conformity marking for certain products sold within the European Economic Area -ENDS- About AMRA AMRA is an international medical technology company and the first in the world to transform MR images into precise body composition measurements using a cloud-based, computer-aided service. AMRA collaborates with world-leading pharmaceutical organisations, biobanks and population cohorts, research institutions, hospitals, and clinics, aiding in the advancement of metabolic research and therapeutic application. By offering access to more accurate knowledge about our bodies, AMRA can assist the world's medical leaders in predicting and preventing disease. Headquartered in Sweden, AMRA was founded in 2010 as a spin-off of the Center for Medical Image Science and Visualization (CMIV), the Department of Biomedical Engineering (IMT) and the Department of Medicine and Health (IMH) at Linkoping University, Sweden. References 1 Information on file. AMRA March 2016 2 Magnus Borga, et al. NMR in Biomedicine, Volume 28, Issue 12, p1747-1753, December 2015 3 Jean-Pierre Despres et al. Nature 444, 881-887 (14 December 2006) 4 Ian J. Neeland, MD et al. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2015;65(19):2150-2151 5 Marie Ng, PhD et al. The Lancet, Volume 384, No. 9945, p766-781, 30 August 2014 View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160303005136/en/ Contacts: GCI Health Charlotte Collins Tel: +44(0)207-072-4214 AMSTERDAM, March 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Powered by the Philips HealthSuite digital platform, new connected health solutions for radiology now include smart Imaging Data Analytics to enhance equipment service needs Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) today announced its participation in the 2016 European Congress of Radiology (ECR), held in Vienna, Austria, 2-6 March. The Philips booth (#102) located in hall X4 will showcase the company's ongoing commitment to radiology, empowering more efficient, connected healthcare solutions from diagnosis to treatment. Powered by the HealthSuite digital platform, an open, cloud based platform that allows the creation of the next generation of connected health and clinical IT innovations, Philips has developed smart Imaging Data Analytics designed to analyze and assess modality performance to anticipate service requirements before they occur. One example is Philips 'e-Alert' services, which monitors critical system parameters 24/7 in order to identify and mitigate potential system issues before they affect daily operations. "Our strategic goal is to move from a reactive to a proactive service model that enables uninterrupted continuity in care delivery," said Robert Cascella, CEO Imaging Business Groups at Philips. "We have built the capability to identify a potential problem before it happens. Customers require both optimal clinical performance and predictable cost of ownership - something smart data analytics can provide very effectively." "Remote Service from Philips has enabled us to achieve system availability of more than 99%," said Prof. Dr. H.P.Busch, former Director of the Center for Radiology, Neuroradiology, Sonography and Nuclear Medicine, Krankenhaus der Barmherzigen Bruder Trier, Germany. "For example, failure of our cooling water supply was detected at an early stage and a potential quench of the MR prevented." The Philips commitment to innovative radiology solutions includes improving services and continuing to engage with radiology customers, delivering integrated software, solutions and services that resonate with their specific needs. Philips provides radiology practices and the critical insights needed to transform care, enabling practices to be more efficient and effective, while shaping positive clinical, financial, and operational environments. This commitment helps to improve people's health and enable better care across the entire health continuum. Philips' integrated radiology software, solutions and services featured at ECR will spotlight key areas focused on: Continuing to Advance Diagnosis and Treatment of Cancer with IntelliSpace Portal 8.0 The latest release of its advanced data sharing, analytics and visualization platform offers the power to help clinicians diagnose patients and communicate across modalities, with one efficient, automated, and guided workflow. Introduced at RSNA 2015, IntelliSpace Portal 8.0 offers a rich portfolio of applications to provide streamlined workflow for follow-up and analysis of oncology patients, including multi-modality tumor tracking, characterization and assessment. IntelliSpace Portal 8.0 debuts a fast and quantified 3-D rendering* and analysis of tumor imaging for research into treatment response. Supporting Customers' Goals in First-Time-Right Imaging to Make MR More Accessible ScanWise Implant ** : This MRI guided user interface and automatic scan parameter selection helps simplify the scanning of patients with MR Conditional implants, streamlining exams and supporting diagnostic confidence of this growing patient population. : This MRI guided user interface and automatic scan parameter selection helps simplify the scanning of patients with MR Conditional implants, streamlining exams and supporting diagnostic confidence of this growing patient population. Ingenia 1.5T S : An addition to the Ingenia and dStream family, it is specifically designed for medium-to-large scale hospitals that serve large patient volumes that need high performance MR imaging and a superb patient experience. : An addition to the Ingenia and dStream family, it is specifically designed for medium-to-large scale hospitals that serve large patient volumes that need high performance MR imaging and a superb patient experience. MR In-Bore Patient Experience : This Philips technology is designed to help patients relax and to enhance their comfort through their clinical exam. The technology now includes feedback on exam progress and the remaining time for patients to hold their breath during breath hold examinations. : This Philips technology is designed to help patients relax and to enhance their comfort through their clinical exam. The technology now includes feedback on exam progress and the remaining time for patients to hold their breath during breath hold examinations. mDIXON XD: Delivers fast, improved sharpness*** , fat-free MR imaging to help visualize abnormalities that otherwise could be obscured by fat, increasing clinical information by providing two contrasts in a single scan. Enabling Personalized and Accurate Imaging IQon Spectral CT: The world's first and only spectral-detector CT provides a comprehensive spectral solution for every patient including on-demand spectral quantification and tools, and the ability to characterize tissue structures with simple, low-dose workflows. Philips will demonstrate Spectral Magic Glass on PACS, an integrated feature to review and analyze spectral data retrospectively on the PACS. Providing Diagnostic Confidence in a Growing Field Philips Ultrasound Portfolio : Includes EPIQ, Affiniti, ClearVue 850 and CX50 ultrasound systems, enabling more confidence in diagnosis and improved workflow efficiency, enhancing the patient experience. Work in progress Lumify and available only in the US. Helping Meet Everyday Clinical and Economic Challenges through High Image Quality The Philips Diagnostic X-Ray Suite includes a comprehensive imaging portfolio to help enhance workflows and patient care, such as: includes a comprehensive imaging portfolio to help enhance workflows and patient care, such as: SkyFlow : Grid-less workflow reduces the effect of scattered radiation for non-grid bedside chest exams, by obtaining DR images with grid-like contrast improvement while avoiding the time and effort of attaching and detaching a grid. : Grid-less workflow reduces the effect of scattered radiation for non-grid bedside chest exams, by obtaining DR images with grid-like contrast improvement while avoiding the time and effort of attaching and detaching a grid. CombiDiagnost R90 : A remote controlled premium fluoroscopy system in combination with high-end digital radiography is designed to improve room utilization in a cost effective manner. This future product is a work in progress and will provide high quality images through a fully digital workflow and dynamic UNIQUE image processing, in addition to excellent dose management features, turning an underutilized fluoroscopy room into a high throughput contributor. : A remote controlled premium fluoroscopy system in combination with high-end digital radiography is designed to improve room utilization in a cost effective manner. This future product is a work in progress and will provide high quality images through a fully digital workflow and dynamic UNIQUE image processing, in addition to excellent dose management features, turning an underutilized fluoroscopy room into a high throughput contributor. MobileDiagnost wDR, a future release with sliding column, and the MobileDiagnost M50, also a future release, will be shown as works in progress. Improving Women's Mammography Experience through Improved Image Quality Philips MicroDose SI is designed to improve women's experience by providing a less stressful mammography examination, offering exceptional images at low radiation dose. Integrated solutions at the Philips booth will also focus on advanced technologies helping to improve outcomes in diagnosis and treatment. Imaging guided therapies continue to be a key strategic focus for Philips, providing clinicians with the tools they need to improve diagnosis and treatment across the entire patient journey. As such, Philips will showcase: Its tailored interventional X"ray suites (NeuroSuite, OncoSuite, and Hybrid Suite) that leverage AlluraClarity technology to provide excelling image quality and dose management advances. (NeuroSuite, OncoSuite, and Hybrid Suite) that leverage technology to provide excelling image quality and dose management advances. The latest innovations within the suites, including the EmboGuide and VesselNavigator, which address the need for an enhanced 3D imaging solution to support interventional oncology and vascular procedures. Providing Enhanced Imaging to Balance Dose Exposure DoseWise Solutions: A radiation dose management solution that collects patient exposure data, combined with DoseAware Xtend**** to monitor staff occupational exposure, producing tailored reports, alerts and advanced analytics to balance radiation dose exposure. Interactive digital demonstration Available for striking visual comparisons is Vereos Digital PET/CT, the world's first and only digital PET/CT, which provides approximately twice the volumetric resolution, sensitivity gain and quantitative accuracy compared to analog systems*****. This material is not meant for distribution in the USA. *For research use only **Pending 510(k), not available for sale in the USA. Initial availability on 1.5T systems ***Fat-free TSE imaging with fat-shift correction for improved sharpness and increased SNR compared to a standard non-fat-shift corrected fat-free TSE approach. ****DoseAware Xtend is not a legal dosimeter and does not replace a TLD or film badge *****Philips GEMINI TF 16 During ECR Philips will also be hosting symposiums for CT, MR and Mammography. For a full list of Philips symposia sessions, visit http://www.philips.co.uk/healthcare/about/events-calendar/ecr. For more information on Philips' presence at ECR 2016, visit http://www.philips.com/ecr and follow the ECR2016 conversation @PhilipsLiveFrom. This material is not meant for distribution in the USA. About Royal Philips Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a diversified health and well-being company, focused on improving people's lives through meaningful innovation in the areas of Healthcare, Consumer Lifestyle and Lighting. Headquartered in the Netherlands, Philips posted 2015 sales of EUR 24.2 billion and employs approximately 104,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. The company is a leader in cardiac care, acute care and home healthcare, energy efficient lighting solutions and new lighting applications, as well as male shaving and grooming and oral healthcare. News from Philips is located at http://www.philips.com/newscenter. CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/16 -- Blackbird Energy Inc. (TSX VENTURE: BBI) ("Blackbird" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that its Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders of the Corporation (the "AGM") will be held in the Wild Rose South Room at the Sheraton Eau Claire, 255 Barclay Parade S.W., Calgary, Alberta on Monday, March 7, 2016 at 2:00 P.M. Mountain Standard Time ("MST"). Shareholders who are unable to attend the AGM in person may listen to the conference call and concurrently view a live webcast presentation of the AGM. The dial-in and log-in information for the conference call and webcast is as follows: Date: March 7, 2016 Time: 2:00 P.M. MST (4:00 P.M. Eastern Standard Time) Conference Call Dial-in Numbers: U.S. & Canada: 866 740 1260 Germany: 0 800 664 5316 Austria: 0 800 8866 3212 Switzerland: 0 800 705 351 United Kingdom: 0 800 496 0576 Other International Numbers: https://www.readytalk.com/rt/an.php?tfnum=8667401260 Access Code: 5228388 Live Webcast Link: https://cc.readytalk.com/r/ex0a6a5iteut&eom EnerCom's The Oil and Services Conference 14 Blackbird is pleased to announce that it will be attending EnerCom's The Oil and Services Conference 14 in San Francisco, California on Wednesday March 9, 2016. Garth Braun, Chairman, CEO and President of Blackbird, will present to conference attendees beginning at 2:30 P.M. Pacific Standard Time (5:30 P.M. Eastern Standard Time). Management will also conduct a series of one-on-one meetings with institutional investors. Registered attendees interested in scheduling a meeting with management should contact conference coordinators. Blackbird's presentation will be webcast live and can be accessed from the following link: http://www.oilandgas360.com/tosc-webcast/bbi/. About Blackbird Blackbird Energy Inc. is a highly innovative oil and gas exploration and development company focused on the liquids-rich Montney fairway at Elmworth, near Grande Prairie, Alberta. For more information please view our Corporate Presentation at www.blackbirdenergyinc.com. THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE INC. HAS NEITHER APPROVED NOR DISAPPROVED THE CONTENTS OF THIS PRESS RELEASE. NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS PRESS RELEASE. Contacts: Blackbird Energy Inc. Garth Braun Chairman, CEO and President (403) 500-5550 gbraun@blackbirdenergyinc.com Blackbird Energy Inc. Joshua Mann Vice President, Business Development (403) 390-2144 josh@blackbirdenergyinc.com www.blackbirdenergyinc.com LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Schroders PLC (SDRC.L) reported that its profit before tax increased 14 percent to 589.0 million pounds for the year ended 31 December 2015 from 517.1 million pounds, last year. Earnings per share was 166.5 pence compared to 147.8 pence. Total profit before tax and exceptional items increased to 609.7 million pounds from 565.2 million pounds. Earnings per share before exceptional items was 172.2 pence compared to 161.5 pence. Net revenue before exceptional items increased by 7 percent to 1.66 billion pounds from 1.55 billion pounds, a year ago. The Board of Schroders will recommend to shareholders at the Annual General Meeting an increase in the final dividend of 7 percent, taking the final dividend to 58.0 pence. This will bring the total dividend for the year to 87.0 pence, an increase of 12 percent. Schroders announced that, Michael Dobson, Chief Executive since 2001, will step down from the role and be succeeded by Peter Harrison on 4 April 2016. Michael Dobson will become non-executive Chairman, effective 4 April 2016. Schroders also announced that, Andrew Beeson, who has been Chairman for the last four years and a member of the Board since 2004, will retire from the Board on 4 April 2016. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Energy services group Hunting plc (HTG.L) reported Thursday that its fiscal 2015 loss before tax was $289.2 million, compared to profit of $108.5 million last year. Loss per share was 156.1 cents, compared to profit of 44.8 cents. The results reflected charges for restructuring costs and impairment to property, plant and equipment, goodwill and other intangible assets totaling $259.7 million. Underlying profit before tax from continuing operations was $9.4 million, compared to prior year's $212.4 million, reflecting the overall difficult operating environment in the year as a whole. Revenue plunged to $810.5 million from last year's $1.39 billion, with management actions limiting the impact on gross margins. The company said revenue decline was in line with reductions in Global drilling and production expenditure. Further, the Board is recommending a final dividend of 4.0 cents per share, lower than last year's 22.9 cents per share. Total dividends declared for the year were therefore 8.0 cents per share, compared to 31.0 cents per share a year ago. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - At 3:45 am ET Thursday, Markit Economics is due to release its PMI figures for Italy. PMI reports for France and Germany are due at 3:50 am ET and 3:55 am ET, respectively. The services PMI for the Eurozone is due at 4:00 am ET. Ahead of the reports, the euro rose against the other major currencies. As of 3:40 am ET, the euro was trading at 0.7724 against the pound, 1.0840 against the Swiss franc, 1.0865 against the U.S. dollar and 123.80 against the yen. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. REYKJAVIK, ICELAND and STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/16 -- A wound that had not healed after 20 years of treatment healed after only two months of treatment with Kerecis Omega3 fish skin. A patient who had been scheduled for amputation escaped that outcome when her chronic wound started healing after treatment with the Kerecis fish-skin graft. These are some of the dramatic results of Swedish medical tests of the fish-skin grafts. When grafted onto damaged human tissue and skin, the patented Kerecis Omega3 material recruits the body's own cells, which are then incorporated into the damaged area and ultimately are converted into functional, living tissue. Stockholm County Innovation and the Department of Dermatology at Danderyds Hospital in Stockholm recently announced the successful outcome of usage tests of the Kerecis Omega3 Wound treatment product on seven patients with severe chronic leg wounds. The patients' wounds had not healed with traditional treatments. Stockholm County Innovation is an organization tasked with the purpose of bringing new innovative technologies into the hospitals of Stockholm County, which has a population of more than 2 million people. One patient had been treated for a chronic leg wound for 20 years. After being treated with the Kerecis fish-skin graft, the wound healed in only two months. Another patient saw a 6-year-old chronic wound heal in a matter of months. Several other hospitals in Sweden are also testing the Kerecis Omega3 Wound graft on selected, hard-to-heal wounds. "These were some of our most difficult cases and the results for the patients were very good," said Fredrik Correa, the physician in charge of the project at Danderyds. "Many of these chronic, hard-to-heal wounds showed recovery and accelerated healing using the fish skin. It is clear to us that Kerecis Omega3 Wound accelerated and helped the wounds heal faster," he added. "We are used to seeing great results from our product, especially with diabetic wounds," said Dr. Baldur Tumi Baldursson, dermatologist and medical director at Kerecis. "A recent case in the UK had a 76-year-old woman escape a scheduled, lower-leg amputation when her leg ulcers healed with the Kerecis graft, a particularly gratifying result. "We believe this treatment has the potential to change the standard of care for the treatment of chronic and hard-to-heal wounds, improving patients' lives and providing long-term economic benefits for the health sector," he added. References News article in Daily Mail (London): http://goo.gl/0eUpx7 Swedish national TV coverage: http://goo.gl/ZsVqp1 Stockholm County Innovation press release: http://goo.gl/GE2Mnt About Kerecis Kerecis develops regenerative technologies based on fish skin that contains Omega3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Kerecis Omega3 is acellular, intact fish skin used to regenerate damaged human tissue. The Kerecis technology provides a natural structure that contains proteins and fats (including Omega3) and other skin elements. Cells and stem cells migrate into the Kerecis material where they create new tissue to seal the wound. Research has shown that cells proliferate faster in this structure than in other materials such as mammalian-sourced materials. The initial Kerecis product, Kerecis Omega3 Wound, has been approved by the FDA and European regulatory authorities for wound healing. The technology is patented in the United States, and patents are pending in multiple countries. Production takes place in the Kerecis manufacturing facilities in Iceland. For more information, visit www.kerecis.com. Distributor inquiries are welcome. Contact: Kay Paumier Communications Plus 408-370-1243 Email Contact BRUSSELS, March 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- UK p atent application s at the European Patent Office up 5.7 % in 2015 Rolls- Royce become s new top UK patent applicant Transport , Engines, and Computer Technology dro ve growth Greater London leads UK regional ranking, West Midlands with strongest growth Patent applications from the UK at the European Patent Office (EPO) grew by 5.7% in 2015, the highest increase in five years and the second highest in the last 10 years. Last year UK companies and inventors filed 5 037 patent applications with the EPO (2014: 4 764), the highest number since 2011, and well above the EU 28 average growth of 0.3%. (Fig.: Growth of UK patent applications at the EPO) The overall number of European patent applications at the EPO in 2015 rose to 160 000 (2014: 153 000, +4.8%). (Fig: Growth of patent applications). This increase was fuelled mainly by companies from the US (+16.4%) and China (+22.2%), whilst the volume of applications originating from the 38 EPO member states remained almost stable last year (+0.7%). The top 10 countries of origin were the US, Germany, Japan, France, the Netherlands, Switzerland, S. Korea, P.R. China, the UK (9th place) and Italy. (Fig.: Origin of applications) "The remarkable growth in patent applications at the EPO proves that Europe continues to be a hub for innovators from all over the world, and an attractive technology market," said EPO President BenoAt Battistelli. "It reflects the interest of businesses and inventors in opting for high-quality patent protection for the European market." He added: "Despite the impressive growth in applications from outside Europe, the balance of the number of patent applications made by European companies in other regions remains clearly positive, which underlines the innovative potential of the European economy." (Fig.: Flow of patent applications between EPO and IP5 countries) Rolls-Royce highest number of applications, BAE more than doubles volume With 540 applications, Rolls-Royce was the UK's most active patent applicant at the EPO. By increasing the number of applications from 182 in the previous year, Rolls-Royce became the new No. 1 from the UK, followed by last year's No. 1 Unilever (247), and BAE Systems, which increased the number of patent applications by 150% from 96 to 242. In fourth place there is BT, followed by Glaxo Smith Kline and Vodafone. (Fig. Top UK applicants at the EPO in 2015) Transport became most important UK technology field Within the 10 most important technology fields, applications from the UK grew strongest in Computer technology (+37%), Transport (+35%), where many patents application from the automotive sector are filed, and Engines, Pumps, Turbines (+22%), where many patent applications in clean energies are filed. Transport became the UK's new main technology field with most patent applications overall, increasing its share of all UK applications from 5% to 7%. The second most important field was Measurement, followed by Engines, Pumps, Turbines, and Medical Technology, all three fields with a 6% share. Greater London with most patent applications Greater London leads the regional ranking with a 32% share of all UK patent applications, followed by three regions all contributing approx. 10% to UK patent applications: East of England (10.8%), North West England (10.5%) and South East England (10.4%). The biggest growth was recorded in the West Midlands (+25%) and Yorkshire and the Humber (+24%). Varied activity across Europe There were marked differences in patenting activity among European countries in 2015: Italy reversed the negative trend of the past four years (with +9% more applications in 2015), as did Spain (+3.8%). Belgium (+5.9%), like the Netherlands (+3.3%) and Switzerland (+2.6%) continued their growth. Other countries including France (+1.6%), Austria (+1.4%) and Sweden (-0.9%) remained more or less at the level of the previous year, while applications from Germany dropped again (-3.2%), and some Nordic states such as Finland (-8.3%) and Denmark (-2.7%) also had fewer applications. (Fig.: Top 50 countries for applications) Medical technology, Digital communications and Computers are top fields Medical technology was once again the field with the highest number of patent applications at the EPO in 2015, growing by a further 11% over 2014. Other areas which showed significant growth were "Engines, pumps and turbines" (+18%), "Pharmaceuticals" (+10%), "Measurement" (+8%) and "Computers" (+8%). (Fig.: Technical fields with most applications ) . Philips no. 1 in company ranking Philips moved into the top spot in the list of companies with the most patent applications at the EPO in 2015. Samsung ranked second, followed by LG, Huawei and Siemens. The top 10 was made up of four companies from Europe, three from the US, two from Korea and one from China. (Fig.: Top 10 applicants in 201 5 ) For detailed statistics, and a report on activities in 2015, see the EPO's annual report at: http://www.epo.org/annual-report2015 About the EPO With more than 7000 staff, the European Patent Office (EPO) is one of the largest public service institutions in Europe. Its headquarters are in Munich and it also has offices in Berlin, Brussels, The Hague and Vienna. The EPO was founded with the aim of strengthening co-operation on patents in Europe. Through the EPO's centralised patent granting procedure, inventors are able to obtain high-quality patent protection in the 38 member states of the European Patent Organisation. The EPO is also the world's leading authority in patent information and patent searching. Press contacts: European Patent Office Jana Mittermaier Director for External Communications Spokesperson Tel: +49-89-2399-1800 jmittermaier@epo.org Rainer Osterwalder Press Spokesperson Tel: +49-89-2399-1820 Mobile: +49-163-8399527 rosterwalder@epo.org Shepard Fox Communications Maria Diviney Tel.: +44-2033-184491 maria.diviney@shepard-fox.com BURSCHEID, Germany, March 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Up to 90 percent fewer volatile organic compounds and lower material impurities - Cross reference: Picture is available at AP Images (http://www.apimages.com) - Johnson Controls, the leading manufacturer of automotive seating systems and components globally, is bringing the third generation of its reduced-emissions polyurethane foam to market. Depending on the specification, the foam registers up to 90 percent fewer VOCs (volatile organic compounds) than ten years ago. Johnson Controls also has significantly reduced the quantity of material impurities and their associated odors in the foam. (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160302/339786 ) Johnson Controls has been the technology leader in the research, development and production of low-emission foam for vehicle seating for the past 15 years. The latest product of this research is now coming to market. "Our aim is material substitution with low-emission materials suitable for series production, without altering the unique properties of polyurethane foams such as durability and stiffness," said Ingo Fleischer, group vice president and general manager product group foam at Johnson Controls Automotive Seating. "Ultimately, innovations like our latest low emission foam lead to cleaner and healthier air in the vehicle interior." "We continually and systematically examine and test all new materials solutions and technologies on the market in close cooperation with our material supplier. Based on the results, we adapt the production process to maximize the potential of a new material for emission reduction," Fleischer added. "Foam plays an incremental part for the seat in terms of comfort and gives the seat's cushion and back its shape. Based on an average foam volume of 0.25 m3 (approx. 8.83 ft) in a car seat, this optimized formulation supports our efforts to contribute to a cleaner and healthier interior environment." Taking the lead in research into low-emission foam development is Johnson Controls' Technical Center in Strasbourg, France. Cooperating with Johnson Controls' Research and Development Centers in Plymouth, Mich., U.S., and Shanghai, China, the Strasbourg team creates solutions for the global market that significantly exceed the strict emission requirements of global OEMs. Production of the latest low-emission foam takes place at the company's facilities in Europe and China. A third location in the U.S. is planned. "Over the years, we have been able to improve not only the foam material but also the production processes, testing methods and our overall expertise," said Fleischer. Besides the 90-percent reduction in VOCs, Johnson Controls has successfully reduced the odor-generating impurities and aldehydes to an absolute minimum. About Johnson Controls Johnson Controls is a global diversified technology and industrial leader serving customers in more than 150 countries. Our 150,000 employees create quality products, services and solutions to optimize energy and operational efficiencies of buildings; lead-acid automotive batteries and advanced batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles; and seating components and systems for automobiles. Our commitment to sustainability dates back to our roots in 1885, with the invention of the first electric room thermostat. Through our growth strategies and by increasing market share we are committed to delivering value to shareholders and making our customers successful. About Johnson Controls Automotive Experience Johnson Controls Automotive Experience is a global leader in automotive seating components and systems. The company supports all major automakers in the differentiation of their vehicles through its products, technologies and advanced manufacturing capabilities. With more than 200 locations worldwide, Johnson Controls is where its customers need it to be. Consumers have enjoyed the comfort and style of Johnson Controls products, from single components to complete seat systems. With its global capability the company supplies more than 50 million cars per year. Johnson Controls pursues a spin-off of its Automotive Experience business. Following the separation, which is expected to take effect October 1, 2016, the Automotive Experience business will operate as the independent, publicly traded company Adient. Bruce McDonald will serve as the chairman and CEO of the new company. For more information, please contact: Johnson Controls GmbH Automotive Seating Industriestrae 20-30 51399 Burscheid Germany Lars Boelke Tel.: +49-2174-65-1117 E-Mail: lars.boelke@jci.com Internet: http://www.johnsoncontrols.co.uk Follow us on Twitter: @JCseating PUNE, India, March 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The cellular and gene therapy industry has seen quite a lot of developments in the last decade, majorly driven by the constant search for cures of diseases rather than their mitigation. Commercially, there have been only a few products mostly due to the economic, technical, and regulatory challenges faced for successful adoption. Laboratories play a pivotal role in clinical development and commercialization of products, and hence, should understand what industries need for effective development of products on a commercial scale. The key for overall success of the entire industry is constant and effective interaction between professionals working in cell processing, cell biologists involved in product development and bioprocess engineers that are key people involved in scalability and manufacturing processes. http://www.mnmconferences.com/Bioprocessing-of-Advanced-Cellular-Therapies-Congress-2-3-June-2016-London-UK (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 ) With an aim to bring together these professionals together, MarketsandMarkets Conferences is organizing the Bioprocessing of Advanced Cellular Therapies Congress in London, UK on 2ndand 3rd June 2016. The aim of the meeting is to look at the latest developments in the cellular and gene therapy industry and effectively overcome current challenges. Key sessions at the congress will include case studies, presentations and panel discussions on upstream process development for gene therapies, upstream process development for cell-based therapies, downstream processing considerations, insights into business development and reimbursement and regulatory perspectives. Speaking at the congress are experts representing organizations such as Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine, Oxford BioMedica, INFARMED, Genethon, Aston University, Cell Therapy Catapult, Novartis Farma - Produtos Farmaceuticos S.A., University College of London, National Institute of Standards and Technology, GlaxoSmithKline, Audentes Therapeutics and Kiadis Pharma. Steve Oh - Director Stem Cell Bioprocessing; BIP Programme Director & Senior Principal Scientist, Stem Cell Group at the Bioprocessing Technology Institute, Singapore is one of the key speakers at the congress. Talking about the congress and its key takeaway, he said, "Bioprocessing should be thought of as a first thing when you think about making cell therapies, not the last one. The congress will play a big role in updating the attendees with the fast moving bioprocessing field of cell therapies." The congress will serve as a great opportunity to facilitate links between experts in the field to encourage collaborations, devise new strategies and generally working towards more cost - effective solutions. About MarketsandMarkets Conferences: MarketsandMarkets Conferences (MnM Conferences) produces global summits, congresses and conferences bringing together key industry experts from academia and industry sharing and exchanging ideas and latest research through cutting edge conference programs and interactive panel and round table discussions. Media Contact: Ajay Nimbalkar Tel: + 91 20 6708 0270 Email: ajay.nimbalkar@marketsandmarkets.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/mnmconferences LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mnm-conferences LONDON, March 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- 3nder (pronounced Thrin-der), the dating app for open minded singles and couples, declares 03.03 International 3Some Day. Celebrate the number three by honoring great trios in history or creating your own with 3nder. ( #3SomeDay, @3nderapp) Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160302/339986 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160302/339987LOGO Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160302/340012LOGO Great things come in threes. And on the third day of the third month, we believe we should honor the number three and all it represents. From mythology, math and religion to great trios like Destiny's Child and the Three Musketeers, the number 3 has been honored and celebrated by mankind for all of history. To tap into the power of 3, 3nder allows users to: Join for free. Unlimited swipes. No ads. No paywalls. Just play. Go incognito. Hide from Facebook friends and lock app with a pincode. Build your pyramid. Invite your matches to a group chat or keep things intimate. Express yourself. Facebook verification, but no need to use your real name. See who likes you. Paid membership allows you to see who chose you and give them a 2nd (or 3rd) look Fun facts about the number three: Three is the largest number written with as many lines as the number represents (I, II, III) 3 is the first super-prime number Three is the first number that forms a geometrical figure - the triangle. 3 is a sacred number in both ancient and modern religions including: The 3 Graces (Greek and Roman Mythology) The Holy Trinity (Christianity) Three attempts to make man: Clay, Wood, Maize (Mayans) Heaven, Earth, Hell/Underworld (many religions) Past Present and Future We as society often think in threes. Here are some great trios worth honoring today: Rock, Paper, Scissors Harry, Hermione, Ron Sex, Drugs, Rock 'n' Roll Alvin, Simon, Theodore Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato Groucho, Chico, Harpo Gold, Silver, Bronze Small, Medium, Large Chocolate, Strawberry, Vanilla And because we believe in Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness, 3nder exists to help you explore your sexuality on your terms. Originally designed to help couples and singles find 3somes in a beautiful and safe way, 3nder has evolved to allow connections from 1:1 to 1: many. Download 3nder from the IOS app Store today. Or sign up for the android waiting list here: LINK: https://www.3nderapp.com/ About 3nder The perception of love and labels is evolving beyond social norms. 3nder helps singles and couples open up to their sexualities, away from social pressure. It gives curious couples and singles a beautiful space to show their true selves and explore their sexualities by discovering like-minded humans. 3nder is available for free in the App Store; Android coming soon. smartTrade Technologies, a multi-asset electronic trading solutions pioneer, announces today that Banque Cantonale Vaudoise (BCV), a Swiss cantonal bank, has released a new hosted FX solution to trade Spot, Forward, Swaps and Precious Metals based on smartTrade's LiquidityFX. BCV was looking for an end-to-end e-FX trading solution to replace their existing one. smartTrade's LiquidityFX out-the-box offering fulfilled all of their requirements with a fast time to market. The platform includes functionalities such as connectivity, aggregation, distribution, risk management and post-trade. In addition to the core modules, it was the order management system and the highly customisable HTLM5 user interface which further distinguished smartTrade's offer over other solutions. This provided BCV with an agile solution allowing better control over their workflow and the possibility to offer their clients a more appealing user interface. Eric Vauthey, Head of Trading at BCV said: "smartTrade demonstrated efficiency in implementing their e-FX solution and a great capacity to seamlessly integrate with existing third-party applications. smartTrade's team showed responsiveness and flexibility in order to deliver an offering that best suited our needs." David Vincent, CEO of smartTrade Technologies commented: "We are very pleased to enable our customers to quickly be up and running and to complement our offer with features that allows them to enhance their clients' experience. We are dedicated to delivering reliable solutions in a short time to market while being flexible enough to adapt to client demand and market changes." About BCV: BCV is the Canton of Vaud's leading bank for both retail and business customers, as well as one of Switzerland's top wealth managers. As the community bank of Vaud, its customer franchise, consistently solid financial results and strong balance sheet underpin its status among a handful of banks in the world without government guarantees that hold AA credit ratings from Standard Poor's. About smartTrade Technologies: smartTrade Technologies, a pioneer in multi-asset electronic trading solutions, delivers innovative and smart technologies enabling you to focus on your trading and grow your business while lowering total cost of ownership and allowing you to quickly adapt to changing market requirements. smartTrade Technologies provides agile end-to-end trading solutions supporting Foreign Exchange, Fixed Income, Equities and Derivatives with connectivity to over 70 liquidity providers, aggregation, smart order routing, order management, pricing, distribution, risk management capabilities and a HTML5 user interface. We work with a variety of clients ranging from banks, brokers and hedge funds to proprietary trading desks. LiquidityFX for FX and smart-FI for Fixed Income, are solutions available as software only or as a fully managed and hosted service, collocated in all the main market places globally. For more information, visit www.smart-trade.net. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160303005592/en/ Contacts: smartTrade Technologies Lise Grant, +44(0)7826 847 7 52 Cornhill, London SAN DIEGO, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/16 -- Fresh Healthy Vending International, Inc. (OTCQB: VEND) announced today its February 2016 results and once again showed significant sales, and an increasingly growing franchise network. On the heels of an already impressive January, which included 106 machine sales to nine new franchisees, representing $1,091,500 in deferred revenue, the Company added an additional 104 machines among eight new franchisees and one existing franchisee representing $1,053,000 in deferred revenue. In addition the Company expanded its brand visibility securing 88 new key locations for its franchisees. This growth represents an increase of $1,186,650, or 124%, over the same period in the prior year. "Our success so far in 2016 is a direct result of the message we have chosen to send to the market. Solid franchising principles such as careful location procurement, combined with industry leading support on all levels is what Fresh Healthy Vending represents. We believe this coupled with our ability to continue identifying new technologies and trends that allow our business sustainability and longevity, is what prospective franchisees are looking for. It's why they partner with us," said Nick Yates, Chairman of Fresh Healthy Vending. "As the numbers continue to grow for Fresh Healthy Vending, expansion remains the key to our success." The Fresh Healthy Vending locations team secured 88 new franchisee locations in February, with over half of these locations being education facilities. Expansion through critical key location partnerships such as the University of Oklahoma, who signed for six healthy vending machines in February, is imperative to our franchisees' success as we continue to expand our brand into the nation's largest education, health care and corporate institutions. For more information on Fresh Healthy Vending, the franchise program, or to receive a free healthy vending machine in your school or business, visit www.freshvending.com or call toll free 888-902-7558. About Fresh Healthy Vending Fresh Healthy Vending, based in San Diego, California, is North America's leading healthy vending franchisor. Fresh Healthy Vending pioneered the concept of vending machines stocked with tried-and-tested fresh, healthy snack options to serve the growing market of health-conscious consumers. The Company has over 240 active franchisees throughout the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and the Bahamas, and continually looks to partner with like-minded entrepreneurs who share its vision. The Company has booked over 2,900 machines for placement in schools, universities, hospitals, community centers, military bases, airports, fitness facilities, YMCAs, libraries and many other locations. Fresh Healthy Vending's stock is traded on the OTC Markets, Symbol: VEND. Cautionary note on forward-looking statements Except for historical information contained in this release, statements in this release may constitute forward-looking statements regarding assumptions, projections, expectations, targets, intentions or beliefs about future events that are based on management's belief, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, management. While the Company believes that expectations are based upon reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurances that goals, results and strategy will be realized. Numerous factors, including risks and uncertainties, terms and availability of financing, may affect actual results and may cause results to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements made by the Company or on its behalf. In addition to statements, which explicitly describe risks and uncertainties, readers are urged to consider statements labeled with such terms as "believes," "belief," "expects," "intends," "feels," "anticipates," "proposes," "proposed," or "plans" to be uncertain and forward-looking. More detailed information on these and additional factors that could affect Fresh Healthy Vending's actual results are described in Fresh Healthy Vending's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Form 10-Q's for the quarterly periods ended December 31, 2015 and September 30, 2015, and its annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2015. All forward-looking statements in this news release speak only as of the date of this news release and are based on Fresh Healthy Vending's current beliefs and expectations. Fresh Healthy Vending undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Contact: Fresh Healthy Vending Paul Schmidt paul.schmidt@freshvending.com HKTDC Communication and Public Affairs Department Joe Kainz Tel: +852 2584 4216 Email: joe.kainz@hktdc.org HONG KONG, Mar 3, 2016 - (ACN Newswire) - The 33rd HKTDC Hong Kong International Jewellery Show opened today and runs through 7 March at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). With more than 2,500 exhibitors from 41 countries and regions, the five-day show features a wide range of finished fine jewellery. Along with the International Diamond, Gem & Pearl Show, currently taking place at the AsiaWorld-Expo with more than 1,880 exhibitors, the two fairs form the world's largest marketplace for the jewellery industry, gathering a total of more than 4,380 exhibitors.Hall of Fame displays world-renowned jewellery brandsThe Jewellery Show features a number of themed zones. The prominent Hall of Fame brings together more than 40 internationally acclaimed jewellery brands, including The Fifth Season by Roberto Coin from Italy, Lady Heart from Hong Kong, Kuwayama from Japan and TTF Haute Joaillerie and Lao Feng Xiang from the Chinese mainland. The most prestigious jewellery collections can be found at the Hall of Extraordinary - including Dehres (Booth GH-B02), a leading player in the Asian diamond and jewellery industry. Dehres is showcasing its pear-shaped diamond necklace and pendant valued at over US$2 million, with 180 pieces of diamonds accompanying the 15-carat centrepiece, and the necklace made up of 40 pear-shaped diamonds. The Wedding Bijoux zone makes its fair debut this year, focusing on bridal jewellery and wedding rings. The T-GOLD+METS pavilion displays professional jewellery and watchmaking machinery, equipment, technology and supplies to meet the needs of buyers. This pavilion is co-organised by the Hong Kong Jewellery & Jade Manufacturers Association (HKJJA) and Fiera di Vicenza.Other themed zones each have distinctive characteristics. Hall of Time presents luxury watches and clocks, among which the rising local watch brand Anpassa (Booth 3C-E12) combines jewellery and timekeeping to create a 999.9 gold dragon and phoenix bangle tourbillon watch. World of Glamour spotlights the craftsmanship of Hong Kong and overseas exhibitors, including Wing Hang Jewellery (Booth 1E-D24) with its natural golden south sea pearls, and an artistically designed jewellery set crafted with diamonds. Elsewhere, Antique & Vintage Jewellery Galleria emphasises the charm of classic jewellery; Designer Galleria offers the latest jewellery designs; Hall of Jade Jewellery collects a wide range of exquisite jade pieces, and Treasures of Craftsmanship parades sophisticated decorative items made with precious stones, semi-precious stones and precious metals.Jewellery market insights and business opportunitiesThe HKTDC has organised more than 110 buying missions for the twin shows, bringing over 9,300 buyers from 75 countries and regions to explore new business opportunities. To help industry players keep up with the latest market trends and intelligence, a series of seminars and networking events have been organised. Several jewellery parades will also demonstrate a wide range of prestigious jewellery and fashionable designs.Amid raising brand awareness among consumers, the jewellery industry is paying more attention to brand development. Today's seminar on "Brand Establishment of Chuk Kam Jewellery" invited professionals from the Gemmological Association of Hong Kong to analyse the secrets to successful brand-building in the industry. The HKTDC will also organise a seminar on "Consumer Updates on Jewellery Market 2016/2017" to keep the industry informed about the latest market trends and opportunities.Opening day activities also include a Gala Dinner. The Royal Cruise-themed dinner features fusion dishes designed by celebrated chef Michael Gilligan, Director of Culinary, Royal Caribbean International. Legislative Council member James Tien is guest of honour at the Gala Dinner, joining other guests for an evening of fine cuisine and parades of spectacular jewellery sponsored by the exhibitors.Local designs shine brightTo highlight local creative talents, the HKTDC co-organised the 17th Hong Kong Jewellery Design Competition with the four leading associations of the jewellery industry. Meanwhile, the award ceremony for the biennial event Chuk Kam Jewellery Design Competition 2016, under the theme "Gold 4.0 - Innovate outside of the box. Inspire the heart and soul", also took place today. The winning pieces of the two competitions are on display at Hall 1E during the Jewellery Show, presenting the creativity of Hong Kong jewellery designers to global buyers.International Diamond, Gem & Pearl ShowThe HKTDC Hong Kong International Diamond, Gem & Pearl Show (1-5 March) is underway at the AsiaWorld-Expo, featuring uncut pieces and jewellery raw materials. The show centres around three highlighted zones; Hall of Fine Diamonds with high-quality diamonds from around the world; Treasures of Nature, showcasing precious gemstones; and Treasures of Ocean, exhibiting a variety of prestigious pearls. The new Rough Stones & Minerals zone has been introduced this year to display unpolished and uncut stones and gems. The Diamond, Gem & Pearl Show also includes a number of pavilions, including the first staged by the Tanzanite Foundation.To facilitate buyers, free shuttle bus services are provided between the HKCEC and AsiaWorld-Expo. Details of the free shuttle bus services can be found at: http://bit.ly/1LAAEnaPhoto Download: http://bit.ly/1UAUIrCFair websites:HKTDC Hong Kong International Jewellery Show: http://www.hktdc.com/fair/hkjewellery-enHKTDC Hong Kong International Diamond, Gem & Pearl Show: http://www.hktdc.com/fair/hkdgp-enTo view press releases in Chinese, please visit http://mediaroom.hktdc.com/tcAbout HKTDCA statutory body established in 1966, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is the international marketing arm for Hong Kong-based traders, manufacturers and services providers. With more than 40 offices globally, including 13 on the Chinese mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a platform for doing business with China and throughout Asia. The HKTDC also organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to provide companies, particularly SMEs, with business opportunities on the mainland and in overseas markets, while providing information via trade publications, research reports and digital channels including the media room. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Google+, Twitter @hktdc, LinkedIn.Google+: https://plus.google.com/+hktdcTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/hktdcLinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/hong-kong-trade-development-councilSource: HKTDCContact:Copyright 2016 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - March 03, 2016) - TriMetals Mining Inc. (TSX: TMI)(TSX: TMI.B)(OTCQX: TMIAF)(OTCQX: TMIBF), (the "Company"), is pleased to announce that it will be exhibiting at the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada Mining Investment Conference ("PDAC") from March 6 to 9, 2016 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. TriMetals Mining Inc. invites investors, media, stakeholders and interested parties to visit us at booth number 3030 while at the PDAC. Ralph Fitch, President and CEO stated, "This would be an excellent opportunity to meet members of the management team and discuss our exciting Gold Springs PEA-stage gold-silver property in safe, mining friendly Nevada and Utah." About TriMetals Mining Inc. TriMetals Mining Inc. is a growth focused mineral exploration company creating value through the exploration and development of the near surface, Gold Springs gold-silver project in mining friendly Nevada and Utah in the U.S.A. The Company's approach to business combines the team's track record of discovery and advancement of large projects, key operational and process expertise, and a focus on community relations and sustainable development. Management has extensive experience in the global exploration and mining industry. The Company's common shares and Class B shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbols "TMI" and "TMI.B" and the common shares and Class B shares also trade on the OTCQX market under the symbol "TMIAF" and "TMIBF". Additional information related to TriMetals Mining Inc. is available at www.trimetalsmining.com and on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. TriMetals Mining Inc. Contact: Ralph Fitch President & CEO 303.584.0606 ralphfitch@trimetalsmining.com Matias Herrero Chief Financial Officer 303.584.0606 mherrero@trimetalsmining.com LONDON, March 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Delegates discuss the global paradigm shift toward a value-based model of healthcare The Economist Events' Value-based Healthcare in Europe 2016 summit, held at the Institute of Directors in London on Tuesday, was host to some of the most influential leaders in the European healthcare sector. Discussions at the summit focused on how global health systems need to adapt to the unprecedented rate of medical and technological innovation revolutionising the industry and the potential advantages and practical difficulties of implementing a value-based model of healthcare across Europe. The summit was attended by over 150 people including a mix of government representatives, industry leaders, stakeholders and high-level national and international media. Muir Gray, Director,Better Value Healthcare, Former Chief Knowledge Officer, National Health Service, Professor of Knowledge Management, University of Oxford, commented: "We are leaving the era of quality and safety and entering the era of value. Low quality is of course always low value but high quality is not necessarily high value. We see three big problems in every country, unwarranted variation which reveals underuse of effective care and overuse of low value care, which always wastes resources and sometimes does harm". Richard Bergstrom, Director General,European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) commented: "The value-based healthcare model, where the health outcomes of treatments are assessed relative to costs, is rapidly gaining traction all around Europe in the search to match the greater demand for healthcare with ensuring a high quality of healthcare services, managing innovation and financial sustainability. The summit provided some very interesting international insights into how this paradigm shift impacts our healthcare systems". Speakers provided a diverse range of views on how to create a more sustainable framework for payers and improved care for citizens by implementing a value-based healthcare model that is rapidly gaining traction across the continent, as the desired path forward in improving health systems. Key speakers at the Value-based Healthcare in Europe summit included: Josep Maria Argimon , Director, The Agency for Healthcare Quality and Evaluation (AQuAS) Richard Bergstrom, Director General, European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) Jens Deerberg-Wittram , Executive Director, The Boston Consulting Group Harald Enzmann , Head of Licensing Division Two , Bundesinstitut fur Arzneimittel und Medizinprodukte (BfArM) , , George Freeman MP , Minister for Life Sciences, Department of Health and Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, UK Muir Gray, Director, Better Value Healthcare, Former Chief Knowledge Officer, National Health Service, Professor of Knowledge Management, University of Oxford Bengt Jonsson, Professor of Health Economics, Stockholm School of Economics Stefan Kapferer , Deputy Secretary-General, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Finn Boerlum Kristensen, Secretariat Director, European Network for HTA (EUnetHTA) Beatrice Lorenzin , Minister of Health, Italy Joao Cristovao Martins , Director , Autoridade Nacional do Medicamento e Produtos de Saude (INFARMED) , , John Milligan , President and Chief Operating Officer, Gilead Sciences Luca Pani , Director General , L'Agenzia Italiana del Farmaco (AIFA) , , Brieuc Van Damme ,Deputy Head of Cabinet,Ministry of Social Affairs and Public Health, Belgium Follow the VBH in Europe summit via @EconomistEvents EconVBH on Twitter to get the latest updates. Want more from The Economist Events? Join us on Twitter: @EconomistEvents About The Economist Events The Economist Events is the leading provider of international forums for senior executives seeking new insights into strategic issues. These meetings include industry conferences, management events and government roundtables held around the world. As part of The Economist Group, The Economist Events is a highly respected brand with a 162-year history and an unrivalled reputation for excellence and independence. Each meeting organised by The Economist Events delivers objective and informed analysis. Our meetings provide unusually high-level forums where senior executives can gain insights, exchange views and compare strategies. Attend our events: www.economist.com/events Event sponsor: Gilead Gilead Sciences, Inc. is a research-based biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops and commercializes innovative medicines in areas of unmet medical need. With each new discovery and investigational drug candidate, we seek to improve the care of patients living with life-threatening diseases around the world. Gilead's therapeutic areas of focus include HIV/AIDS, liver diseases, hematology and oncology, inflammatory and respiratory diseases, and cardiovascular conditions. www.gilead.com Supporting PR agency: Consilium Strategic Communications Consilium is an international advisory firm specialising in healthcare strategic communications. From offices in London and the US, Consilium's highly-skilled team provides long-term advice to healthcare companies, Boards, senior decision makers and executives on critical communications programmes, investor relations and stakeholder challenges. www.consilium-comms.com Press enquiries Consilium Strategic Communications Lindsey Neville / Hendrik Thys Email: VBH-2016@consilium-comms.com Tel: +44(0)20-3709-5700 www.consilium-comms.com For general queries or further information about the event please call +44(0)207-576-8118 or e-mail emeaevents@economist.com. MADRID, March 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The regulatory authorities in 6 countries have granted 10 sales authorisations for Yondelis Five of those authorisations are for Yondelis in combination with Caelyx (pegylated liposomal doxorubicin) for treating relapsed platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer: Bangladesh , Costa Rica , Kuwait , Moldavia and Saudi Arabia The other five authorisations are for Yondelis for soft tissue sarcoma in Bangladesh , Brunei , Kuwait , Moldavia and Saudi Arabia Janssen Products, LP has informed PharmaMar (MSE:PHM) that regulatory authorities in 6 countries have granted 10 new authorisations to sell Yondelis: five for treating relapsed platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer (ROC), in combination with Caelyx (pegylated liposomal doxorubicin), and 6 as monotherapy for treating soft tissue sarcoma (STS). (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150203/727958-b ) The six countries that have authorised Yondelis for ROC and/or STS are Saudi Arabia, Moldavia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Costa Rica and Kuwait. As a result, Yondelis is now approved in nearly 80 countries, 31 of which are in the European Economic Area (EEA). The European Commission approved Yondelis for soft tissue sarcoma in 2007, and at the end of 2009 they approved the sale of this drug in combination with pegylated liposomal doxorubicin for relapsed platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer. In 2015, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gave Janssen Products, LP, the marketing approval for YONDELIS for the treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic liposarcoma (LPS) or leiomyosarcoma (LMS); and the drug was also approved by the Japanese Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare to Taiho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. for the treatment of patients with soft tissue sarcoma. Yondelis has orphan drug status for soft tissue sarcoma and ovarian cancer in the European Union, the United States, and Switzerland, and for soft tissue sarcoma in Japan and South Korea. According to the licensing agreement between PharmaMar and Janssen Products, LP, PharmaMar has the rights to sell Yondelis in Europe (including Eastern Europe), while Janssen Products, LP has the rights to sell the drug everywhere else except Japan, where PharmaMar has granted a license to Taiho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. for the development and sale of Yondelis. About YONDELIS (trabectedin) YONDELIS (trabectedin) is a novel, multimodal, synthetically produced antitumor agent, originally derived from the sea squirt, Ecteinascidia turbinata. The drug exerts its activity by targeting the transcriptional machinery and impairing DNA repair. It is approved in nearly 80 countries in North America, Europe, South America and Asia for the treatment of advanced soft tissue sarcomas as a single-agent and for relapsed ovarian cancer in combination with DOXIL/CAELYX (doxorubicin HCl liposome injection). Under a licensing agreement with PharmaMar, Janssen Products, L.P. has the rights to develop and sell YONDELIS globally except in Europe, where PharmaMar holds the rights, and in Japan, where PharmaMar has granted a license to Taiho Pharmaceuticals. About PharmaMar Headquartered in Madrid, PharmaMar is a world-leading biopharmaceutical company in the discovery and development of innovative marine-derived anticancer drugs. The company has an important pipeline of drug candidates and a robust R&D oncology program. PharmaMar develops and commercializes YONDELIS in Europe and has other three clinical-stage programs under development for several types of solid and hematological cancers, PM1183, plitidepsin, and PM184. PharmaMar is a global biopharmaceutical company with subsidiaries in Germany, Italy, France, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Belgium and the United States. PharmaMar fully owns other companies: GENOMICA, Spain's leading molecular diagnostics company; Sylentis, dedicated to researching therapeutic applications of gene silencing (RNAi); and two other chemical enterprises, Zelnova Zeltia and Xylazel. To learn more about PharmaMar, please visit us at http://www.pharmamar.com . Disclaimer This document is a press release, not a prospectus. This document does not constitute or form part of an offering or invitation to sell or a solicitation to purchase, offer or subscribe shares of the company. Moreover, no reliance should be placed upon this document for any investment decision or contract and it does not constitute a recommendation of any type with regard to the shares of the company. Media Inquiries: Paula Fdez. Alarcon - Media Relations Manager pfalarcon@pharmamar.com Phone: +34-91-846-6000 Mobile: +34-638796215 Investor Relations: Phone: +34-914444500 Or please visit our website at http://www.pharmamar.com NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwired - March 03, 2016) - The Belluck & Fox Mesothelioma Victims Center says, "About one-third of all people diagnosed with mesothelioma this year will be Veterans of the US Navy. Typically, their exposure to asbestos occurred while on a US Navy ship, or at a US Naval Shipyard. Most frequently the Navy Veterans worked in a navy ship's engine room or while as a machinist, welder, plumber, electrician, maintenance technician, or as a damage control technician. These types of US Navy Veterans typically had the most exposure to asbestos. "If you are a US Navy Veteran and you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma in any state, please call us at 800-714-0303 and let us talk with you about your ship, your rating while in the service, and what type of work you did in the US Navy. You might be surprised to learn we have a wealth of knowledge about US Navy ships that contained asbestos including: frigates, destroyers, cruisers, carriers, amphibious assault shops, cargo ships, tenders, oilers, attack submarines, or boomers. We also have a great deal of knowledge about every US Navy Shipyard from Bangor, to Bremerton, and or New London, Hunters Point, Philadelphia, New York, Treasure Island, or Pearl Harbor. http://MesotheliomaVictimsCenter.Com The Belluck & Fox Mesothelioma Victims Center has a unique approach when it comes to making certain a US Navy Veteran with mesothelioma gets the best possible compensation regardless of what state they now live in. This approach includes: A no obligation visit to the home of the Veteran with mesothelioma to determine every potential point of where or how they came into contact with asbestos. An evaluation of what the mesothelioma compensation claim might be worth to the US Navy Veteran and their family. Suggestions about treatment option healthcare facilities that are close to the US Navy Veteran. Guidance for the diagnosed US Navy Veteran and their family about vital things they must have in place to protect themselves, such as a properly executed will. The Belluck & Fox law firm typically sends out one of their senior partners to make certain nothing is overlooked, and all vital issues are addressed. For more information, a US Navy Veteran who has been diagnosed with mesothelioma or their family are urged to call the Center anytime at 800-714-0303. http://MesotheliomaVictimsCenter.Com The average age for a diagnosed victim of mesothelioma in the United States is 72 years old. Because of their age frequently people with mesothelioma are initially misdiagnosed with pneumonia. This year between 2500 and 3000 US citizens will be diagnosed with mesothelioma. According to the CDC the states indicated with the highest incidence of mesothelioma include Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, Louisiana, Washington, and Oregon. High risk work groups for exposure to asbestos include US Navy Veterans, power plant workers, shipyard workers, oil refinery workers, steel mill workers, manufacturing, or industrial workers, plumbers, electricians, auto mechanics, machinists, miners, or construction workers. Typically the exposure to asbestos occurred in the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, or 1980s. US Navy Veterans make up about one third of all US Citizens who are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year. http://MesotheliomaVictimsCenter.Com The Belluck & Fox Mesothelioma Victims Center says, "Before you hire a law firm to advance a mesothelioma compensation claim please call us at 800-714-0303, and compare our qualifications to any other lawyer, or law firm in the nation. "When it comes to obtaining the best mesothelioma settlement, the quality of the attorney matters, as we would like to explain." http://www.belluckfox.com/ For more information about mesothelioma please refer to the National Institutes of Health's web site related to this rare form of cancer: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/mesothelioma.html Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/2/9/11G082260/Images/Mesothelioma_US-Navy-Sailor-6b978205507fb110a5ed384f43916f59.jpg Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/2/9/11G082260/Images/mesothelioma_us_navy_shipyard-d49e28d9e8acad29bdef55c3faaacaaa.jpg Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/2/9/11G082260/Images/Mesothelioma_Asbestos-sign-de8475476df6835f893739486a79d4ed.jpg Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/2/9/11G082260/Images/Mesothelioma_submarine_connecticut-02ad9a7af325b7bf8cfbd815e1a88a3a.jpg Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/2/9/11G082260/Images/mesothelioma_US_Navy_Sailor-flag-c42ec6ec89bda8cb9abce95930a46347.jpg Contact: Michael Thomas Mesothelioma Victims Center 800-714-0303 http://MesotheliomaVictimsCenter.Com NEW YORK CITY (dpa-AFX) - German drug maker Merck KgaA (MKGAY.PK), Pfizer Inc. (PFE) and Verastem Inc. (VSTM) said they have entered into an agreement to evaluate avelumab, an investigational fully human anti-PD-L1 IgG1 monoclonal antibody, in combination with Verastem's VS-6063, an investigational focal adhesion kinase or FAK inhibitor, in patients with advanced ovarian cancer. Avelumab is currently under clinical investigation across a broad range of tumor types. The Phase I/Ib clinical trial is expected to begin in the second half of 2016. Financial terms of the agreement have not been disclosed. 'Combination strategies in immuno-oncology offer significant promise for patients in need. Through our collaboration with Verastem, we hope to accelerate our understanding of avelumab and its potential as a combination therapy with FAK inhibition for patients fighting ovarian cancer,' said Dr. Alise Reicin, Head of Global Clinical Development at Merck KgaA. Globally, ovarian cancer is the seventh most common cancer in women. Annually, nearly 239,000 cases are diagnosed worldwide. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. MANCHESTER, England, March 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Routes Africa, the only route development forum for the African region, will be hosted by Tenerife Tourism Corporation with the support of the Canary Islands Government this summer (26-28 June 2016). (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150730/250177LOGO ) Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, Routes Africa has brought together leading airlines, airports and tourism authorities to discuss air services to, from and within Africa since 2006. Around 250 route development professionals are expected to attend the 11th annual forum. Tenerife is the largest of the seven Canary Islands with a population of 888,184. It was the last of the Canary Islands to fall to Spain in 1496 and subsequently became an important trading centre. Although part of the European Union, the Canary Islands are physically closer to Africa, with Tenerife lying just 300km off the coast of Morocco. Historical trade links to Africa were strengthened by the creation of a common economic development area between the Canary Islands and neighbouring African countries. The project is supported by the European Union and has led to trade agreements with Morocco, Mauritiana, Senegal and Cape Verde. There are over 200 Canarian companies operating in Africa and 224 million worth of goods were exported to the continent between January 2015 and November 2015. Aviation is vital to Tenerife's economy, transporting over 12 million air passengers to the island every year. Tenerife's long-term aim is to become a logistical stepping stone to Africa, connecting the continent to Europe and the Americas through the expansion of its air route network. Routes Africa is an important part of Tenerife's activities to achieve this aim. The event will provide the opportunity to showcase the year-round sunshine and stunning beaches, mountains and national park that attract six million tourists to Tenerife every year, making it one of Spain's top destinations. The event will also highlight the island's potential for investment as a hub for passengers, goods and data thanks to its special fiscal advantages. Tenerife's thriving tourism industry will grow over the coming years as development projects upgrade the island's infrastucture. A new cruise terminal will open at Santa Cruz Port in September 2016 and there are plans to invest 120 million in the construction of a new terminal at Tenerife South Airport. Five new five-star hotels will open over the next two years and there is also a drive to renovate existing hotel stock on the island. Katie Bland, Director of Routes, said: "West Africa is an important trading partner for Tenerife due to its geographical position, and there is huge potential to develop more air service to the African continent. Hosting Routes Africa will support Tenerife's strategy to become an aviation hub connecting West Africa to Europe and North America. "The team at Tenerife Tourism Corporation are hugely proactive in air service development and a key partner of Routes. We look forward to working with them even more closely towards Routes Africa 2016 and to uniting the route development community from across the African continent and beyond in a stunning destination." Carlos Alonso, president of the Tenerife Government, said: "We are delighted and very honoured that Tenerife is hosting this prestigious event. "Routes Africa is an exciting opportunity for us to showcase our island to key aviation industry leaders from across the world as a business hub for Africa and a gateway to four continents." For more information about Routes Africa 2016, go to the event website: http://www.routesonline.com Routes Africa 2016, Tenerife, 26-28 June 2016. Notes to Editors About Routes Routes events are unique forums dedicated to the development of new air services. Five 'regional' route development forums are held between February and July in the Americas, Asia , Europe , Africa / Middle East and Silk Road/Russian Commonwealth, and the flagship World Routes event takes place in September. http://www.routesonline.com The events revolve around pre-scheduled meetings and an exhibition and conference which are delivered in partnership with host stakeholders. Hosts tend to be a collaboration between airports, tourism authorities and investment partners (the bidding process takes place two to three years before the event takes place). Routes was founded in 1995 as part of the UK"based consultancy ASM which specialises in route development for airports, airlines and tourism and travel organisations. http://www.asm-global.com/. Routes and ASM are part of the UBM EMEA division of UBM plc. For further information contact: Karen Reeves Communications & Content Marketing Manager Routes, UBM EMEA T: +44(0)161-234-2721 M: +44(0)796-6405-105 E: Karen.Reeves@ubm.com Karen Blanchard Marketing and Communication Tenerife Tourism Corporation T: +34-663-014-452 E: karen@webtenerife.com REDWOOD CITY, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/16 -- BlueTalon, the leading provider of data-centric security for Hadoop, SQL and big data environments, announced today that it has won the bronze award for Startup of the Year. "This recognition acknowledges the increasingly important role data-centric security plays as part of comprehensive defense-in-depth strategy," BlueTalon CEO Eric Tilenius said. "Data-centric security arms organizations with the ability to ensure employees only see the data they need to do their jobs, analyzes usage patterns to detect anomalies, and focuses on the key asset in big data initiatives -- the data itself." Presented by Info Security Products Guide, the industry's leading information security research and advisory guide, the security industry celebrated its 12th Annual 2016 Global Excellence Awards in San Francisco by honoring excellence in security products, people and companies. A panel of more than 50 industry veterans selected this year's winners. BlueTalon is exhibiting at the annual RSA Conference this week, booth N4815, engaging and networking with thousands of peers and industry leaders on today's biggest security trends, challenges and solutions. About Info Security Products Guide Info Security Products Guide plays a vital role in keeping end-users informed of the choices they can make when it comes to protecting their digital resources. It is written expressly for those who are adamant on staying informed of security threats and the preventive measure they can take. You will discover a wealth of information in this guide including tomorrow's technology today, best deployment scenarios, people and technologies shaping info security and market research reports that facilitate in making the most pertinent security decisions. The Info Security Products Guide Global Excellence Awards recognize and honor excellence in all areas of information security. To learn more, visit www.infosecurityproductsguide.com and stay secured. About BlueTalon BlueTalon is the leading provider of data-centric security for Hadoop, SQL and big data environments deployed on-premises or in the cloud. Leading enterprises use BlueTalon to control their data, give users access to the data they need, not a byte more and gain unparalleled flexibility in the deployment of data resources. The BlueTalon Policy Engine provides precise authorization, fine-grained filtering, dynamic data masking, stealth analytics and auditing across applications and enterprise data stores. Follow BlueTalon at @bluetalon or visit www.bluetalon.com. VANCOUVER, BC -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/16 -- Pure Energy Minerals Limited (TSX VENTURE: PE) (FRANKFURT: A111EG) (OTCQB: HMGLF) (the "Company" or "Pure Energy") is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Patrick Highsmith as Chief Executive Officer. The Company's Board has also elected Robert Mintak as Executive Chairman. These appointments, effective March 3, 2016, represent an exciting transition for the Company as project development activities at the Clayton Valley South lithium brine project accelerate. Both of these executives have strong records in management, business development, and value creation. Newly named Chairman, Robert Mintak, commented about the management changes, "The Board is very pleased that Patrick has agreed to step into this leadership role. Since joining the Company in November 2015, Patrick has been a very active director and a quick study on the technical aspects of the project. His experience in advancing lithium projects towards commercialization makes this a natural evolution of our management team. We have worked well together and that will continue in my new role as Executive Chairman." Patrick Highsmith is a seasoned resource company professional with over 25 years experience in exploration, operations, business development, and executive roles for various companies, including: Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton, Newmont, and Lithium One. He has worked as chief executive and/or director of several publicly traded resource companies. Mr. Highsmith has evaluated and worked on more than 250 projects around the world. His project management experience includes leading diverse teams through major engineering and development milestones, including delineating several mineral resources, a successful PEA on the Sal de Vida lithium brine project, and the successful start-up of a gold processing plant. Mr. Highsmith also brings with him a wealth of financial and business development skills, in particular his considerable experience in project valuations and negotiations involving various financings, joint ventures, supply agreements, and corporate transactions. Patrick has BSc and MSc degrees from the Colorado School of Mines in Geological Engineering and Economic Geology (Geochemistry). He has been a director of Pure Energy Minerals since November 2015. Robert Mintak is one of the founders of Pure Energy, having served as the Company's Chief Executive Officer for the past 3 years. Mr. Mintak pivoted the Company's focus to lithium and clean energy and led the acquisition of the Clayton Valley South claims. During his tenure, he also raised several million dollars for the Company's treasury, built a world-class team, launched the exploration and development program, and secured a conditional supply agreement. Most recently, under Robert's leadership, Pure Energy Minerals was recognized as the top mining company in the 2016 TSX Venture 50. The TSX Venture 50 is a trade-mark of TSX Inc. and is used under license. About Pure Energy Minerals Ltd. Pure Energy is a lithium-brine resource developer that is driven to become the lowest-cost lithium supplier for the burgeoning North American lithium battery industry. Pure Energy is currently focused on the development of our prospective CVS Lithium Brine Project, which has the following key attributes: A large land position with excellent existing infrastructure in a first-class mining jurisdiction: Approximately 9,324 acres in three main claim groups in the southern half of Clayton Valley, Esmeralda County, Nevada. Adjacent to the only producing lithium operation in the United States (Albemarle's Silver Peak lithium brine mine). An inferred mineral resource of 816,000 metric tonnes of Lithium Carbonate Equivalent (LCE), reported in accordance with NI 43-101. Metallurgical and process studies underway to better understand the feasibility and economics of using modern environmentally-responsible processing technology to convert the CVS brines into high purity lithium products for new energy storage uses. On behalf of the Board of Directors, "Patrick Highsmith" Chief Executive Officer Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. CONTACT: Pure Energy Minerals Limited (www.pureenergyminerals.com) Email: info@pureenergyminerals.com Telephone - 604 608 6611, ext 5 Energijos Skirstymo Operatorius AB, identification code 304151376, registered office placed at Aguonu str. 24, Vilnius, Republic of Lithuania. The total number of registered ordinary shares issued by company is 894 630 333; ISIN code LT0000130023. On 20 of February, 2015 AB LESTO filed a complaint in Vilnius Regional Administrative Court regarding the dismissal of National Commission's for Energy Control and Prices (hereinafter - Commission) decision of 19 January, 2015 No. O3-11 on "Setting price caps of LESTO distribution service of medium and low voltage networks for the years 2016-2020". Taking into account that since the submission of the complaint to the Court, the Commission has essentially changed the contested provisions of the ruling and the regulation of related legal environment, ESO, which after the reorganization of LESTO took over the rights and obligations, noted Vilnius Regional Administrative Court about the refusal of its appeal claims. The end of this dispute will not affect other legal proceedings between the Company and the Commission. Representative for Public Relations Martynas Burba, tel. (8~5) 2514516. Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. DENVER, CO -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/16 -- Business Sector Media, LLC, Environmental Leader and Energy Manager Today, whose websites and newsletters keep executives informed on environmental, sustainability and energy management news and trends, brings you the Environmental Leader 2016 Conference, June 21-23, 2016, in Denver, Colorado. The conference will offer sustainability and energy management professionals ready-to-go solutions to improve organizational sustainability programs and performance. Sourcing the knowledge, experience and content from more than 300 worldwide contributors from every industry, Business Sector Media is excited to offer readers this face-to-face opportunity, which includes unrivaled interactive networking opportunities. The Environmental Leader Conference 2016 is for executives who are responsible for environmental management, sustainability, EHS, energy, cost savings, business value, process improvement, increased productivity and reducing waste. Paul Nastu, Founder and CEO, Business Sector Media, LLC, said, "Attendees will take away ready-to-go solutions that are tangible, replicable, measurable and transferable across multiple industry sectors. We have the timeliest topics covered in the sessions and an impressive list of speakers from organizations currently implementing sustainability and energy management strategies and solutions." Environmental Leader 2016 Conference Presenter Titles and Organizations include: Executive Director of Global Environmental Compliance and Sustainability, GM Director Environmental, Health and Safety and System Safety Engineering, Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation Director, Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Program, Kaiser Permanente Director of Environmental Services, Denver International Airport Director, EHS&S, Xerox Corporation Director Environmental Sustainability & External Engagement, Lockheed Martin Corporation Managing Director, Sustainability, American Electric Power Vice President, Senior Scientist, Staples, Inc. Director of Regenerative Development, Fetzer Vineyards Post Doc Research/Supply Chain Leader, Royal Institute of Technology/Miller Coors Chief Sustainability Officer, Office of the Mayor / City and County of Denver Vice President, Sustainability, Xanterra Parks & Resorts Visit http://www.environmentalleader.com/events/conference2016/ to see the full agenda, speakers, presentations, sponsors and partners. Early Bird registration pricing ends March 15. About Business Sector Media, LLC: Business Sector Media LLC delivers industry-specific business-to business news, research, insights and information to decision-makers worldwide. Our leading websites, newsletters and myriad of programs have become top sources that business executives visit every day to receive timely, trusted and objective business-to-business information. http://businesssectormedia.com/ Media inquiries: Business Sector Media, LLC Email Contact IdentityX included in MasterCard Identity Check RESTON, Virginia, March 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Daon, a global leader in mobile biometric authentication technology, announced today that MasterCard is utilizing Daon's IdentityX Platform as one of the authentication technologies behind MasterCard Identity Check'. The app-based authentication solution, commonly dubbed "Selfie Pay" by the media, leverages a mobile device to secure online payments and mobile banking applications using fingerprint and facial recognition. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151030/282469LOGO MasterCard Identity Check employs a layered approach to security, including device cryptography, geolocation, and biometric verification enabling consumers to have a safe and easy way to complete payments online. Banks will benefit by having increased approval rates, providing more choice to consumers, improved cardholder loyalty and a strong fraud protection tool. The technology will help merchants reduce cart abandonment thus helping drive revenue. "Daon is dedicated to sharing this journey with MasterCard to provide cardholders with an easy, convenient and secure way to assert their identity online," said Tom Grissen, chief executive officer at Daon. "The IdentityX Platform was designed with an eye toward the future, allowing for easy integration of new biometric modalities as they become available and to provide enhanced security over a singular reliance on device fingerprint sensors, which allows for step-up authentication on particularly risky transactions." "We've been working for some time to blend our own know-how and experience with best-in-class technology across the globe to make online shopping even easier," said Bob Reany, executive vice president for Identity Solutions at MasterCard. "Recent consumer trials showed the benefit of integrating Daon's platform, as consumers overwhelmingly preferred biometric authentication over passwords because they are easy and safe to use. We look forward to rolling out Identity Check this summer in the U.S., Canada and the UK." About Daon Daon is a leading provider of biometric authentication and identity assurance solutions focused on meeting the needs of enterprise and public sector customers worldwide. Daon has pioneered methods for securely and conveniently combining biometric and identity capabilities in multiple channels. Daon empowers its customers and their users to choose the factor or combination of factors that best meet their situational needs and preferences. Daon's offerings include rich mobile biometric authentication and biometric identity management solutions with deployments that include payments verification, digital banking, border management, immigration, employee credentialing, national ID, passports, driver's licenses, voter registration, beneficiary verification, and cloud authentication. For more information, please visit www.daon.com or get to know us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Media and Analyst Contact Travis Wachter, Director of Marketing Communications +1 (703) 984-4016 travis.wachter@daon.com To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/daon-to-work-with-mastercard-on-driving-greater-convenience-security-through-biometrics-300229967.html Wartsila Corporation, Minutes of Annual General Meeting, 3 March 2016 at 4.50 pm EET Wartsila's Annual General Meeting approved the financial statements and discharged the members of the Board of Directors and the company's President & CEO from liability for the financial year 2015. The Meeting approved the Board of Directors' proposal to pay a dividend of EUR 1.20 per share. The dividend will be paid to shareholders who are recorded in the company's shareholder register maintained by Euroclear Finland Ltd. The record date is 7 March 2016. The dividend will be paid on 14 March 2016. The fees to the members of the Board of Directors were approved as follows: - to the ordinary members EUR 66,000/year - to the deputy chairman EUR 99,000/year - to the chairman EUR 132,000/year In addition, each member will be paid EUR 600/meeting of the Board attended, the chairman's meeting fee being double this amount. Each member of the Nomination Committee and the Remuneration Committee will be paid EUR 700/committee meeting attended and each member of the Audit Committee will be paid EUR 1,200/committee meeting attended, the chairmen's meeting fees being double these amounts. Roughly 40% of the annual fee is paid in Wartsila shares, and the rest in cash. Board of Directors and Auditor The Annual General Meeting decided that the Board of Directors shall have eight members. The following were elected to the Board: Maarit Aarni-Sirvio, Kaj-Gustaf Bergh, Sune Carlsson, Tom Johnstone, Mikael Lilius, Risto Murto, Gunilla Nordstrom and Markus Rauramo. It was decided to pay the auditors' fees as invoiced and approved by the company. The firm of public auditors KPMG Oy Ab was appointed as the company's auditor for the year 2016. Authorisation to repurchase and distribute the Company's own shares The Board of Directors was authorised to resolve to repurchase a maximum of 19,000,000 of the Company's own shares. The authorisation to repurchase the Company's own shares shall be valid until the close of the next Annual General Meeting, however no longer than for 18 months from the authorisation of the shareholders' meeting. The Board of Directors was authorised to resolve to distribute a maximum of 19,000,000 of the Company's own shares. The authorisation for the Board of Directors to distribute the Company's own shares shall be valid for three years from the authorisation of the shareholders' meeting and it cancels the authorisation given by the General Meeting on 5 March 2015. The Board of Directors is authorised to resolve to whom and in which order the own shares will be distributed. The Board of Directors is authorised to decide on the distribution of the Company's own shares otherwise than in proportion to the existing pre-emptive right of the shareholders to purchase the Company's own shares. Changes to the Articles of Association The Annual General Meeting decided upon updating Article 2 of the Articles to read as follows: "The company shall develop, manufacture and sell mechanical and electrical products, plants and systems, sell spare parts and provide operation and maintenance services in the marine and energy markets either directly or through its subsidiaries and associated companies. The company can also provide financing, design and consulting services as well as engage in other industrial and commercial activities. The company may deal in securities and engage in other investment activities." It was decided to change Article 8 of the Articles so that the notice to the general meeting can be given by publishing it on the Company's website or in not less than two (2) daily newspapers, which are commonly distributed in Finland, as determined by the Board. Donations to universities The Board of Directors was authorised to resolve on donations of EUR 1,300,000 at the maximum to be made to universities during 2016 and 2017. The most significant recipient of the donations would be Aalto University. The decisions were taken without voting. The minutes of the meeting will be available on www.wartsila.com /investors as of 17 March 2016 at the latest. Wartsila Corporation This announcement is distributed by NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions on behalf of NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions clients. The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. Source: Wartsila Oyj Abp via Globenewswire HUG#1991592 TOLUCA, MEXICO -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/16 -- Universal Aviation Mexico, a joint venture between Avemex and Universal Weather and Aviation, Inc. to provide ground support throughout Mexico, announced the completion of a multi-million renovation of their co-branded FBO at Toluca International Airport (MMTO). Universal Aviation is the ground support division of Universal and has more than 50 locations in 20 countries, with five locations operated under Universal Aviation Mexico. Its location in Toluca is also one of the longest-running FBOs at the airport, first established in the early 1990s. "Throughout our Universal Aviation ground support network, our goal is to exceed our clients' expectations every time they land," said Adolfo Aragon, Vice President, Latin American and Caribbean, Universal. "With our Toluca FBO being both a high-traffic destination and one of the cornerstone locations in our global network, it was important to make a significant reinvestment here with our long-time partner, Avemex, in order to provide the highest level of amenities and features for our clients." The facility includes a 16,384 square-foot FBO, three direct ramp access points from taxiways, 135,000 square feet of ramp space, and a controlled private parking lot for clients. It also features a 16,640 square-foot maintenance hangar, and three overnight hangars (92,000 square-feet) with controlled hangar and ramp access with CCD cameras and biometrix fingerprint scanners. Passenger amenities Conference/meeting room with integrated lounge Two private passenger lounges Two open private lounges An independent semi-private lounge Crew amenities Executive dinning lounge with a morning buffet served from 7-11 a.m. and food available the rest of the day a la carte with an open terrace for smokers Short term crew lounge with two work stations Long term crew lounge, including two snooze rooms, two designated women's and men's independent restrooms with showers, a TV area, and four work stations Enhanced security Dedicated area for drivers and security guards with independent restrooms and 100+ closed caption TV cameras Additional amenities Gourmet coffee service Passenger lounge bar Wireless internet Access Butler / concierge service In addition to the renovation of the FBO, the corporate headquarters of Avemex, which provides charter management services, maintenance, and aircraft sales, was also completely renovated within the Toluca facility. Avemex manages a mixed fleet of 24 aircraft and helicopters. Avemex's service division, Centro de Servicio Avemex, provides all support services to operate the Avemex fleet including: maintenance (corrective, scheduled and preventive), airframe services, engine and APU services, and avionics maintenance scheduling. For more information on Universal Aviation Mexico, visit www.universalaviation.aero/mexico. For more information on Avemex, visit http://www.avemex.com.mx/. About Avemex Grupo Avemex has more than 35 years of experience supporting the corporate aviation industry in Mexico by providing full aircraft operation management services and maintenance, adhering to the highest international standards for quality, safety, compliance, and customer service. Since 1989, Grupo Avemex has represented Cessna Aircraft Company in Mexico in selling and providing maintenance services for Citation, Caravan and piston model aircraft. In addition, Grupo Avemex has a strategic partnership with Universal Weather and Aviation, Inc. to provide aircraft ground support services throughout Mexico, under a joint venture, Universal Aviation Mexico, which also operates an FBO in Toluca that underwent a multi-million renovation in 2016. For more information on Avemex contact +52 722-2793000. About Universal Weather and Aviation, Inc. Universal Weather and Aviation, Inc. has the knowledge and expertise to accomplish our shared purpose: the success of your trip. Our comprehensive resources include international trip support, convenience through the UVair Fuel Program, worldwide ground support, online flight planning, and datalink, in-flight catering via our wholly-owned subsidiary, Air Culinaire Worldwide, and more. Universal Aviation, the ground support division of Universal, has 50+ locations in 20+ countries, and is known for adherence to standards for consistent, professional, personalized services, and regional expertise. Multilingual staff members provide solutions including UVair fuel, credit for approved customers, trip planning, and more through Universal. For more information, contact worldwide sales at +1 (800) 231-5600 ext. 3300 (North America) or +1 (713) 944-1622 ext. 3300 (Worldwide). Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=2973597 Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=2973600 Media Contact: Louis Smyth (713) 306-3269 Email Contact MERIDEN, CT -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/16 -- Radio Frequency Systems (RFS), a global wireless and broadcast infrastructure specialist, is expanding its domestically-manufactured radiating cable product offerings. Not only is this intended to provide faster delivery for North American customers, the Meriden, Connecticut headquarters' increased offering will include unique, patented radiating construction for evolving markets and growing customer demands. RFS is widely recognized as a leader in the radiating cable industry for its patented technology which provides superior coverage and functionality. RFS' smooth-walled radiating cables are already manufactured globally and will soon also be made in Meriden. Offering domestic production of RFS' comprehensive radiating cable line will reduce lead time and freight and permit smaller order quantities for North American customers, while maintaining global high quality standards. By duplicating some of the unique features in the existing production lines in the Hannover, Germany facility, the Meriden facility will begin manufacturing the 1-5/8" RLK and RLKU series of radiating cables first, utilizing both existing and new equipment investments. A similar expansion has been successfully carried out in China and speaks to the quality of the global engineering and industrialization efforts across RFS globally. "We're excited to continue to add to the pre-existing family of RFS radiating cable products to the America facility," said Eileen Januszkiewicz, Regional Product Manager Transmission Lines, RFS. "We've made a big investment in our domestic manufacturing to better serve the North American markets, support the Buy America Act initiative, and meet market and customer demands with future-proof system solutions close to home, as we strive to do worldwide." RFS' RADIAFLEX radiating cables are designed to deliver contoured RF coverage. RADIAFLEX radiating cables act as distributed antennas, allowing operators to scale and tailor RF coverage in even the most challenging confined spaces such as metro, rail and road tunnels and indoor environments. Their flexibility makes them easy to install and low PIM connectors are available to complement the cables. The RADIAFLEX suite of radiating cables feature RFS' patented "higher order mode suppression technique" that allows RFS to offer cables that support current and future in-tunnel and in-building commercial and private radio services from 698 MHz to 2700 MHz for valuable cost savings. As a result of this patented higher mode suppression, selected RADIAFLEX cables have no stop band from 698-2700 MHz. RFS is the only company on the market with the intellectual property and leading-edge technology to suppress stop bands in radiating cables. RADIAFLEX cables are future-proof with respect to RF spectrum re-banding / re-farming, and ensure low insertion loss and excellent coupling performance. RADIAFLEX cables support all major services from 75 MHz to 6 GHz, making them optimally suited for multi-operator and multi-band applications. RFS also has experts in Meriden offering technical support and training. Trademarks: RFS is a registered trademark of Radio Frequency Systems. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. About RFS Radio Frequency Systems (RFS) is a global designer and manufacturer of cable, antenna and tower systems, plus active and passive RF conditioning modules, providing total-package solutions for wireless infrastructure. RFS serves OEMs, distributors, system integrators, operators and installers in the broadcast, wireless communications, land-mobile and microwave market sectors. As an ISO compliant organization with manufacturing and customer service facilities that span the globe, RFS offers cutting-edge engineering capabilities, superior field support and innovative product design. RFS is a leader in wireless infrastructure. For more information visit www.rfsworld.com, or follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RFSworld. RFS Press Contact Paula Mennone-Preisner Marketing and Communications Specialist E-mail: Email Contact Phone: + 1 203 630 3311 Cell: + 1 203 715 1595 PR Contact Cheryl Reynhout or Jordan Bouclin SVM Public Relations Email: Email Contact Email Contact Phone: + 1 401 490 9700 BOSTON, MA -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/16 -- The Boston Consulting Group (BCG), one of the world's leading management-consulting firms, has extended its remarkable streak near the top of Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For list. Ranking number three, BCG has made the top five for six years in a row and is one of only two companies to make the top dozen every year since it began participating in 2006. The firm also continues to enjoy the highest ranking among management consultancies by a wide margin. BCG's emphasis on investment in its people, high-impact client work, a collaborative culture, career flexibility and mobility, extensive training, world-class benefits, and a commitment to social-impact work have all contributed to the consistently strong performance on the list. In its profile of BCG, Fortune highlighted one of the firm's innovative work-life balance programs, called PTO (Predictability, Teaming, and Open Communication), which helps increase work predictability and career sustainability. "PTO has been a hit with employees. One consultant told us: 'PTO is proof [that] BCG really cares about making our lives manageable and makes sure we don't drop the ball on key life events. This is one of best things about the company, and it is unique in the industry.'" PTO has led to a 74% increase in reported intentions to stay at BCG for the long term. Specific benefits offered by the firm include 100% coverage of employees' health-care premiums, generous leave-of-absence programs, internal fellowships, and tuition reimbursement. BCG's LGBT-friendly benefits and practices have also been recognized as top-notch. Earlier this year, BCG earned the number-five spot on Fortune's first-ever 50 Best Workplaces for Diversity list. (For more information on BCG's diversity and inclusion initiatives, please visit here.) Great Place to Work, which provides the research underlying the Fortune rankings and conducts an extensive employee survey, noted in its review of BCG that: 98% of employees say, "We have special and unique benefits here." 97% say, "I'm proud to tell others I work here." 96% say, "People here are willing to give extra to get the job done." 96% say, "People here are given a lot of responsibility." Tom Reichert, BCG's chairman of North America, commented: "We are again honored by this recognition. The fact that we've stayed in the top five for six consecutive years and in the top dozen for 11 straight years is testament to our ongoing commitment to provide unparalleled support, development, and benefits to everyone on our team. Attracting top talent and maintaining an environment in which employees can quickly develop have been key to our success and our ability to deliver enormous value to clients. Recognitions like this confirm that our efforts are distinctive and, based on the impact we have with clients and our client retention and growth, highly effective." This year's 100 Best Companies list and related stories will appear in a special double issue that will arrive on newsstands and in subscriber mailboxes starting Monday, March 7. They are available online now at fortune.com/bestcompanies. To arrange an interview with a BCG expert, please contact David Fondiller at +1 212 446 3257 or fondiller.david@bcg.com. About Fortune's Best Companies Methodology To identify the 100 Best Companies to Work For, each year Fortune partners with Great Place to Work to conduct the most extensive employee survey in corporate America. Two-thirds of a company's survey score is based on the results of the Trust Index Employee Survey, which is sent to a random sample of employees from each company. This survey asks questions related to employees' attitudes about management's credibility, overall job satisfaction, and camaraderie. The other third is based on responses to the Culture Audit, which includes detailed questions about pay and benefit programs and a series of open-ended questions about hiring practices, methods of internal communication, training, recognition programs, and diversity efforts. About The Boston Consulting Group The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) is a global management consulting firm and the world's leading advisor on business strategy. We partner with clients from the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors in all regions to identify their highest-value opportunities, address their most critical challenges, and transform their enterprises. Our customized approach combines deep insight into the dynamics of companies and markets with close collaboration at all levels of the client organization. This ensures that our clients achieve sustainable competitive advantage, build more capable organizations, and secure lasting results. Founded in 1963, BCG is a private company with 85 offices in 48 countries. For more information, please visit bcg.com. About bcgperspectives.com Bcgperspectives.com features the latest thinking from BCG experts as well as from CEOs, academics, and other leaders. It covers issues at the top of senior management's agenda. It also provides unprecedented access to BCG's extensive archive of thought leadership stretching back 50 years to the days of Bruce Henderson, the firm's founder and one of the architects of modern management consulting. All of our content -- including videos, podcasts, commentaries, and reports -- can be accessed by PC, mobile, iPad, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. The Boston Consulting Group David Fondiller Director of Public Relations and Communications Tel +1 212 446 3257 Fax +1 212 446 2801 fondiller.david@bcg.com MONTREAL, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/16 -- Geomega Resources Inc. ("GeoMegA" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: GMA) announces the support of the Quebec Government, as part of the Plan Nord program ("Plan Nord"), and of the Reseau Capital Baie-James, specifically the Societe de developpement de la Baie-James ("SDBJ) and the Administration regionale Baie-James ("ARBJ"), by investing in the share capital of Innord Inc. ("Innord") to develop its proprietary separation process of rare earth elements ("REE"). Please see the Plan Nord, SDBJ and ARBJ news releases here: http://plannord.gouv.qc.ca/en/ (French only) http://www.sdbj.gouv.qc.ca/en/newsroom/press-releases/ With this injection of additional funds, Innord, a wholly-owned subsidiary of GeoMegA, will receive a total of $500,000 from the Fonds du Plan Nord, the SDBJ and the ARBJ. A total of $250,000 will be held in escrow pending TSX Venture Exchange approval of the final documentation. Upon receiving of all the funds, GeoMegA will control 96.1% of Innord. The goal of this investment is to develop the process prototype to separate mixed REE concentrate into pure individual rare earth oxides. The Societe du Plan Nord is a strategic government partner that has common goals with GeoMegA and that is to develop a sustainable and competitive value added REE industry in northern Quebec and Canada. The three main points of focus for the Plan Nord include the development of the economic potential of the region, the support of the development of the communities in the area and the protection of the environment. Innord's proprietary separation process has the potential to meet all three of these objectives. Whether it is through exploiting the natural resources of northern Quebec like the REE/Nb Montviel project or through processing REE enriched recycled materials, industrial residues and by-products, separation into pure individual rare earth oxides is key in establishing a REE industry that in turn brings jobs to the area and helps develop the nearby communities. Furthermore, Innord's separation process has the potential to significantly improve the environmental performance of REE separation in comparison to conventional techniques (i.e. solvent extraction and fractional precipitation) thus ensuring that the creation of an environmentally sustainable REE industry. "After working tirelessly on demonstrating credibility in our process innovation, we are excited to be able to say now that we have the support of both the Provincial and the Federal governments through Quebec Government's Plan Nord, the SDBJ and the ARBJ and the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP, see August 13, 2015 news release). Having the support of the Plan Nord is a significant boost in support for Innord and its electrophoresis technology. We are excited to be able to count on the support of the Societe du Plan Nord, the SDBJ and the l'ARBJ in bringing the rare earth industry to Quebec." comments Pouya Hajiani, Chief Technology Officer of GeoMegA and the inventor of the physical separation process. As a control person of Innord, Geomega will be an interested party to the investment. The transaction is exempt from the formal valuation and shareholder approval requirements provided under Regulation 61-101 respecting Protection of Minority Holders in Special Transactions ("Regulation 61-101") in accordance with sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(a) of said Regulation 61-101. The exemption is based on the fact that the market value of the contribution or the consideration paid by such insiders does not exceed 25% of the market value of the Company. In accordance with Regulation 61-101, the transaction will be effective at a date which is at least 21 days after the date of this press release. GeoMegA will be in attendance at the 2016 Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada ("PDAC") convention at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, March 6-9, 2016, at booth 2642. About Innord Inc. Innord is a wholly owned private subsidiary of GeoMegA (see March 2, 2015 news release). The goal of Innord Inc. is to develop and optimize the proprietary separation process of rare earth elements based on electrophoresis, for which it holds all the rights. Electrophoresis is the migration of charged species (ions, proteins, particles) in solution in the presence of an electric field. Innord has filed patents in Canada and the United States to protect its novel separation process and is looking to file in other jurisdictions. About Plan Nord The Plan Nord objective is to showcase the mining, forestry, energy, social, cultural and tourism potential of the Quebec territory located north of the 49th parallel. It will create jobs and wealth for the Nordic communities as well as all Quebecers in respect of the Northern population and the environment. In harmonising the economic, social and environmental tenets on which the Plan Nord is based, the Quebec Government wishes to create a rallying project for the Quebec society while setting an example in responsible and sustainable Nordic development. The Societe du Plan Nord is the organization responsible for its implementation. About Reseau Capital Baie-James The Reseau Capital Baie-James is a consortium of partners having decided to put together their expertise and financial resources in order to encourage the development of economical projects located on the James-Bay territory. About Administration regionale Baie-James The ARBJ mission consists of promoting and sustaining economic, social and cultural development of the territory it serves, in the benefit of Jamesiens. About Societe de developpement de la Baie-James Created in 1971 by the James-Bay Region Development Act, the SDBJ's mission is to encourage economic development, exploration and exploitation of natural resources, other than hydroelectric resources, through sustainable development within the James-Bay territory. About GeoMegA (www.geomega.ca) GeoMegA is a mineral exploration and evaluation company focused on the discovery and sustainable development of economic deposits of metals in Quebec. GeoMegA is committed to meeting the Canadian mining industry standards and distinguishing itself with innovative engineering, stakeholders' engagement and dedication to local transformation benefits. 77,433,712 common shares of GeoMegA are currently issued and outstanding. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautions Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements regarding our intentions and plans. The forward-looking statements that are contained in this news release are based on various assumptions and estimates by the Company and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. As a consequence, actual results may differ materially from results forecasted or suggested in these forward-looking statements and readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. We caution you that such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, as discussed in the Company's filings with Canadian securities agencies. Various factors may prevent or delay our plans, including but not limited to, contractor availability and performance, weather, access, mineral prices, success and failure of the exploration and development carried out at various stages of the program, and general business, economic, competitive, political and social conditions. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update any forward- looking statements, except as required by applicable securities laws. Contacts: Kiril Mugerman President and CEO GeoMegA 450-465-0099 ext.3 kmugerman@geomega.ca NEW BUFFALO, MI -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/16 -- The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians' Four Winds Casinos are pleased to announce that it will host Uncork and Unwind at Four Winds New Buffalo's Silver Creek Event Center on Saturday, May 7 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. The tasting event will feature award-winning, regionally produced wines, and VIP wine and food pairing packages. A hotel package is available for the night of the event. Tickets can be purchased beginning on Friday, March 4 at 11 a.m. Eastern exclusively through the Ticketmaster Web site, www.ticketmaster.com, or by calling (800)745-3000. Tickets are $20, plus applicable fees. Four Winds New Buffalo will be offering a hotel package that includes a one night hotel stay on Saturday, May 7 along with two tickets to the event. The hotel package must be purchased through Ticketmaster. At the exclusive tasting event, guests can interact with the craftsmen and women who are behind the scenes at favorite Michigan wineries such as Chateau Grand Traverse, Round Barn Winery, and Wyncroft. Plus, Four Winds Casinos will be offering seasonal food options for purchase to complement the tastings. Live music will enhance the tasting experience. There will also be several VIP pairing packages during Uncork and Unwind that will feature food and wine tastings along with a discussion with a chef and a representative from a vineyard. A ticket for each of the pairings is available for $15 and can be purchased prior to the event through Ticketmaster. VIP pairing packages include: Located in Room A at 5:15 p.m. and 6:15 p.m., a Wyncroft Riesling will be paired with Seared Foie Gras on Jewish Apple Cake with Apple Marmalade. Located in Room B at 5:45 p.m. and 6:45 p.m., a Chateau Grand Traverse Cherry Wine will be paired with a Flourless Chocolate Cake. Located in Room A at 7:15 p.m. and 8:15 p.m., Wyncroft's the Shou (Meritage) will be paired with Mini Duck Confit and Cherry BBQ Pizza. Located in Room B at 7:45 p.m., a Chateau Grand Traverse Laika Gruner Veltliner will be paired with a Spicy Hot Smoked Salmon & Creme Fresh on a Potato Rosti. Each ticket into the event includes admission, a souvenir glass and 10 tasting tickets that can be redeemed for food and drink samples. Additional tasting tickets are available for purchase at the event for $1 per tasting ticket. The following is a list of some of the impressive participants: 12 Corners Black Star Farms Chateau Grand Traverse Cody Kresta Vineyard & Winery Dablon Vineyards Domaine Berrien Cellars and Winery Fenn Valley Winery Free Run Cellars Lazy Ballerina Winery Leelanau Wine Cellars Marland Wine Round Barn Winery Tabor Hill White Pine Winery Wyncroft Wines Reservations and Information To make a hotel reservation at Four Winds New Buffalo or for more information on Four Winds New Buffalo, Four Winds Hartford, or Four Winds Dowagiac, please call 1 (866)4WINDS1, (866)494-6371 or visit www.fourwindscasino.com. Additionally, be sure to like Four Winds on Facebook at www.facebook.com/fourwindscasino and follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/fourwindscasino. Media Contacts: Joshua Taustein Dresner Corporate Services (312)780-7219 jtaustein@dresnerco.com David Gutierrez Dresner Corporate Services (312)780-7204 dgutierrez@dresnerco.com In 2016 Cook Medical will celebrate 20 years of operations in the National Technology Park where it has grown from a primary team of less than a dozen people to a staff of over 800, who are designing and delivering life-changing devices every day. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160303006092/en/ Cook Ireland's Innovation Centre (Photo: Business Wire) The medical device company provides minimally invasive technologies that are designed to eliminate the need for open surgery for patients worldwide. Cook Medical in Limerick focuses on the needs of clinicians in the areas of gastroenterology, peripheral vascular intervention, and urology. The original greenfield plot was established as a small-scale manufacturing and technology transfer site. After undergoing two expansions, it has become a hub for global R&D projects and business development at the Innovation Centre and the Europe Shared Service Centre respectivelyThe site now supports 600 sales representatives and clinical product specialists across Europe; and our distribution teams throughout Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). Bill Doherty, executive vice president of EMEA and Cook Ireland's first employee, said, 'We are delighted to be marking 20 years of successful business in Limerick. It has been an extraordinary journey. We wouldn't be here today without the hard work and commitment of all our staff. We plan to continue to invest in our EMEA services, our employees, and product development at our facility in Limerick. We want to ensure the company's future as a preferred employer in the Shannon region and as a hub for the Cook Medical's global operations.' Pete Yonkman, president of Cook Group, said 'We are proud of the work that our team in Limerick has done, to not only help patients around the world, but also make a positive impact in their local community. Thanks to the community of Limerick for their support.' Staff at Cook Medical in Limerick have a range of events to look forward to, starting with a special celebration at the Strand Hotel in the heart of Limerick this April. Over the past two decades, Cook Medical has expanded its initial manufacturing and product development remit to create dedicated departments focusing on regulatory, quality, finance, IT, legal, marketing, events, customer service and tenders. There are now employees from 25 countries on our customer service team, supporting hospitals across Europe in 16 languages In 2011, Cook Medical won the Irish MedTech Excellence Award and was recognised by the Limerick Chamber as Company of the Year. Today manufacturing at the site accounts for more than 10 per cent of Cook Medical's product output to global markets. About Cook Medical Since 1963 Cook Medical has worked closely with physicians to develop technologies that eliminate the need for open surgery. Today we are combining medical devices, biologic materials, and cellular therapies to help the world's healthcare systems deliver better outcomes more efficiently. We have always remained family owned so that we have the freedom to focus on what we care about: patients, our employees, and our communities. We have 10 strategic business units addressing multiple medical specialties from vascular disease to reproductive health. Find out more at www.cookmedical.eu, and for the latest news, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn. Notes to Editor Cook Ireland Innovation Centre Opened in November 2013, the 16.5m Innovation Centre is an 809-square-metre state-of-the-art research and development (R&D) facility focusing on the development of: Endoscopic devices for biliary, duodenal, colonic, pulmonary, hepatic, and esophageal procedures Drug-eluting technologies for peripheral vascular disease A team of over 55 engineers and scientists work in the facility, and Cook Medical's commitment to R&D and a growing product pipeline has increased staff by 100 over the past two years at the site, with further jobs expected to be created as new projects are initiated. Cook Group Cook Group is headquartered in Bloomington, Indiana, having been established by Bill and Gayle Cook over 50 years ago. Cook Group employs over 11,000 people worldwide at a range of companies focusing on medical devices, cellular and biologic tissue products, clinical trial management, and contract manufacturing. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160303006092/en/ Contacts: Cook Medical Lisa Towell, Content Specialist, PR and Social Media 00 353 61250785, ext. 2785 +353 876356583 (mobile) lisa.towell@cookmedical.com According to the latest research report released by Technavio, the fertilizers market in Thailand is expected to reach close to 3.36 million metric tons in terms of consumption by 2019. This report titled 'Fertilizers Market in Thailand 2015-2019', provides an in-depth analysis of the market in terms of revenue and emerging trends. This market study also presents up to date analysis and forecasts for its various market segments, including nitrogen, potash, and phosphates. Request sample report: http://bit.ly/21q7hrF "Agriculture is one of the major sources of revenue in Thailand with more than 60% of the country's population involved in the sector. Increase in the country's population has created a rising demand for food supplies, and has thus highlighted the need for improved agriculture production and capacity building in the region. These concerns impel consumption of fertilizers and therefore expected to help the market grow over the next four years," said Abhay Sinha, one of Technavio's lead industry analysts for agricultural equipmentresearch. "For avoiding setting up of expensive chemical plants and tackling rising labor costs, vendors in the market are adopting bulk blending processes. Thus, fertilizers inporters in the country are setting up bulk blending plants which saves them significant costs. TCCC, Chia Tai, and Yara International are some of the leading fertilizer importers in the country who expected to drive the growth of the fertilizer market in Thailand through 2019. Some of the other driving forces behind the growth of the fertilizer market in Thailand are as follows: Rise in fertilizer imports Increase in adoption of biofertilizers Growing adoption of soil fertility management practices Rise in fertilizer imports Imports of fertilizers have a major influence on the fertilizer industry in Thailand. With the increase in demand for fertilizer, the country is not able to supply sufficient chemical fertilizers, due to which, it is mainly dependent on imports. According to estimates, about 2.5 million tons of nutrients (nitrogen fertilizers, phosphate fertilizers, and potash fertilizers) were imported in 2012. Costs involved in setting up new fertilizer plants, coupled with a growing demand for raw materials needed to manufacture fertilizers has forced the fertilizer industry in Thailand to be dependent on imports. Increase in adoption of biofertilizers Increased awareness of the negative impact of chemical fertilizers on health and environment has led to the adoption of eco-friendly biofertilizers. Such biofertilizers are organic in nature and are commonly derived from seaweed and fish and bone meal. Seaweed supplies potassium and other trace elements, while fish meal is a good source of nitrogen and phosphorous. Such organic nutrients are usually composted before they are applied to plants. However, their efficacy is low when compared to chemical fertilizer. Their increasing adoption can also be attributed to the growing demand for organic food and the increase in government regulations for environmental safety. Artemis Angel is a prominent provider of biofertilizers in Thailand. Growing adoption of soil fertility management practices Over the years, soil fertility management practices have gained significant importance in the Thai market. This trend is primarily attributed to the loss of arable land and an increase in the demand for food mandate crop yield efficiency. Soil fertility management involve the following practices: Conservation tillage: Planned tillage of soil so that crop residues are not entirely lost. This practice helps conserve the soil surface, thus reducing soil erosion. Crop rotation: Alternate production of crops that belong to different crop families on the same land. Optimum use of fertilizers. Farmers in Thailand are continuously adopting soil management practices to improve the quality and quantity of agricultural production. Hence, such soil fertility management practices are necessitating the use of fertilizers and increasing its demand. Currently, soil fertility management practices are being implimented on crops like rice, soybean, maize, barley, and sugarcane, and this trend will continue to augment the demand for fertilizers in Thailand during the forecast period. Browse related reports: Nitrogenous Fertilizers Market in Brazil 2015-2019 Global Nitrogenous Fertilizer Market 2015-2019 Agrochemicals Market in Brazil 2015-2019 Purchase any three reports for the price of one by becoming a Technavio subscriber. Subscribing to Technavio's reports allows you to download any three reports per month for the price of one. Contact enquiry@technavio.com with your requirements and a link to our subscription platform. About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. The company develops over 2000 pieces of research every year, covering more than 500 technologies across 80 countries. Technavio has about 300 analysts globally who specialize in customized consulting and business research assignments across the latest leading edge technologies. Technavio analysts employ primary as well as secondary research techniques to ascertain the size and vendor landscape in a range of markets. Analysts obtain information using a combination of bottom-up and top-down approaches, besides using in-house market modeling tools and proprietary databases. They corroborate this data with the data obtained from various market participants and stakeholders across the value chain, including vendors, service providers, distributors, re-sellers, and end-users. If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at media@technavio.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160303005038/en/ Contacts: Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media Marketing Executive US: +1 630-333-9501 UK: +44 208 123 1770 www.technavio.com media@technavio.com SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwired - March 03, 2016) - Darryl Honda, a consistent Top Producer at Zephyr Real Estate, has been named President of San Francisco's Board of Appeals. Honda, who was appointed to the position of Commissioner of the Board by Mayor Ed Lee in 2012, has been actively involved in the Board's work for the past three years and has served as Vice President for the past year. The main function of the Board of Appeals is to provide the public with a final administrative review process for appeals relating to a wide range of City determinations. Created under the Charter of 1932, the Board provides an efficient, fair and expeditious public hearing and decision-making process before an impartial panel as a last step in the City's permit issuance process. The Board hears and decides appeals involving the granting, denial, suspension, or revocation of permits, licenses, and other use entitlements by various City commissions and departments. Honda, one of five commissioners on the Board, is the first Realtor to be appointed to this prestigious position. He is a native Californian who has lived in San Francisco for over 40 years, attending school and working in many of San Francisco's neighborhoods. He is a Realtor with over 18 years of experience, currently working with Zephyr Real Estate. Previously, he was a small business owner and operator for over 15 years in San Francisco's Sunset District. He is proud of his family's multicultural heritage, which includes his maternal grandfather who emigrated from the Philippines and worked as a migrant field worker in California, and his paternal great grandfather whose family emigrated from Hiroshima, Japan, to farm on the Big Island of Hawaii. Honda's many civic activities include being a founding member of the Westside Chinese Democratic Club and serving for nine years as an appointed board member of the California State Assistance Fund for Enterprise, Business and Industrial Development Corporation (SAFE-BIDCO). He attended the Academy of Art College and San Francisco Community College. He currently lives in Golden Gate Heights with his wife and two children. "San Francisco is my home. I am honored to serve on the Board and be a part of the decisions that make our city great," Honda said regarding this latest achievement. Honda is a consistent Top Producer at Zephyr and derives 95 percent of his business from referrals and repeat clients. He and his son, Nick, work from Zephyr's Upper Market Office and can be reached at 415.608.7575 or via their website at www.sf-living.com. "Darryl is a stellar example of loyalty, achievement and success," commented Randall Kostick, President of Zephyr. "We congratulate him, once again, on this latest in a series of impressive accomplishments." About Zephyr Real Estate Founded in 1978, Zephyr Real Estate is San Francisco's largest independent real estate firm with nearly $2.3 billion in gross sales and a current roster of more than 300 full-time agents. Zephyr's highly-visited website has earned two web design awards, including the prestigious Interactive Media Award. Zephyr Real Estate is a member of the international relocation network, Leading Real Estate Companies of the World; the luxury real estate network, Who's Who in Luxury Real Estate; global luxury affiliate, Mayfair International; and local luxury marketing association, the Luxury Marketing Council of San Francisco. Zephyr has six offices in San Francisco, a brand new office in Greenbrae, and two brokerage affiliates in Sonoma County, all strategically positioned to serve a large customer base throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. For more information, visit www.ZephyrRE.com. Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/3/3/11G085732/Images/Borland-Honda-Kostick-139e9ab960678b5a97ab003ad06a2b9a.jpg Contact: Melody Foster Zephyr Real Estate San Francisco, CA 415.426.3203 Email contact WASHINGTON, DC--(Marketwired - March 03, 2016) - At a time when communities need resources most, hundreds of communities across the nation will receive a much-needed affordable housing and economic development boost as NeighborWorks America distributes more than $60.57 million in flexible grants to its national network of more than 245 local nonprofit NeighborWorks organizations. "NeighborWorks America is proud to distribute these congressionally appropriated funds to nonprofit businesses across the country to support their excellent work in communities. The NeighborWorks network organizations create opportunities for people to live in affordable housing, improve their lives, and strengthen their communities. We at NeighborWorks America focus on being careful stewards of the resources the taxpayers have entrusted to us by providing these resources to a network of high-caliber nonprofits," said NeighborWorks America's President and CEO Paul Weech. "A strong indicator of the value of these grants is that in FY 2015, we leveraged $50 dollars of other investments for every $1 in federal appropriation -- resulting in a direct investment of $6.7 billion in communities last fiscal year including nearly $2 billion in rental housing investment, while creating and maintaining more than 30,000 jobs. NeighborWorks' investments are working to truly make a difference in communities across the country." The nonprofit organizations in the NeighborWorks network provide a wide array of housing and other services to their communities. The network organizations improve homeownership opportunities for low- and moderate-income families; provide financial education and improve financial capability; rebuild and repair properties; construct and preserve affordable rental homes; and use innovative strategies to provide services, improve safety, and revitalize communities across the nation. Moreover, NeighborWorks organizations strengthen communities by offering programs that complement their housing work, including the more than 200 organizations that provide health and nutrition intervention, 125 that provide education services, and 56 that offer workforce development opportunities. In FY 2015, NeighborWorks and the NeighborWorks network assisted over 355,900 families, including: 21,700 homeowners created 15,400 quality, affordable rental homes developed 15,700 affordable homes preserved 63,300 homes repaired 142,600 quality, affordable rental homes owned and/or managed 30,100 jobs created and maintained 110,400 families and individuals counseled on financial capacity, pre-purchase, post-purchase, or foreclosure issues, and 20,500 training certificates issued About NeighborWorks America For more than 35 years, NeighborWorks America, a national, nonpartisan nonprofit, has created opportunities for people to improve their lives and strengthen their communities by providing access to homeownership and to safe and affordable rental housing. In the last five years, NeighborWorks organizations have generated more than $24.5 billion in reinvestment in these communities. NeighborWorks America is the nation's leading trainer of community development and affordable housing professionals. Contact: Doug Robinson 202-760-4062 drobinson@nw.org IRVINE, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/16 -- Fieldman, Rolapp & Associates (FRA), an independent municipal advisory firm that provides advice and services to public agencies, today announced the appointment of Anna Sarabian, Ph.D., to partner. Sarabian, who has been with FRA since 2003, joins a highly seasoned executive leadership team working strategically to build upon the firm's 50-year tenure in the industry. Sarabian will focus predominantly on FRA's city, county and transportation clientele, serving as chief advisor and strategist for a range of intricate financing and investment activities including guidance for cities, successor agencies, policy development, and capital structure planning and management. Additionally, Sarabian will take a lead role in helping to drive the firm's initiatives for growth in Northern California and other U.S. states. A leader in her field, Sarabian gained industry recognition for her research of community facilities district (CFD) bonds in California ("The Default of Special District Financing: Evidence from California," April 2014, published in the Journal of Housing Economics), for which she evaluated historical data and refuted the perception of CFD's as high-risk. Recently, Sarabian was elected to her second term on the board of directors for Women in Public Finance, Los Angeles Chapter and will oversee the organization's technology and membership initiatives. "Anna's capacity for applying analytical thinking and commitment to gaining a thorough understanding of individual client needs has been a huge asset to Fieldman, Rolapp & Associates and the firm's ability to consistently provide clients with the most ethical and suitable solutions," said Adam Bauer, president and CEO of Fieldman, Rolapp & Associates. "We are proud to have Anna join our executive leadership team, and look forward to utilizing her unique expertise and perspective to pursue expanded opportunities for the firm." During her tenure with FRA, Sarabian has managed a diversity of projects including solar feasibility analysis, reserve and budget policy development, capital improvement plans and long-range financial plans, parking fund financial analysis, swap advisory services, debt structuring cash flow utilization and refinancing opportunities, credit analysis, and ad hoc financial analysis. She is a frequent presenter at the CDIAC municipal debt essentials seminars. Sarabian received her Master of Business Administration with a concentration in finance from the University of California-Riverside and her Ph.D. in Economics from the Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education (CERGE), Prague, the Czech Republic. She is a Certified Independent Municipal Advisor from the National Association of Municipal Advisors and is a member of the League of California Cities, the California Society of Municipal Finance Officers (CSMFO), and the Association of Women in Water, Energy and the Environment. About Fieldman, Rolapp & Associates With a 50-year legacy in providing independent financial advice and services to all levels of government and non-profits regarding intricate financing and investment activities, FRA is a trusted resource for financial services that are effective and practical. The firm has proven success supporting clients with land-based, utility and school financings and other complex scenarios, and is continually expanding its support for water agencies, cities and counties, school districts, utilities and continuing disclosure/aftermarket services. Fieldman, Rolapp & Associates is a founding member of the National Association of Municipal Advisors (NAMA), the trade association which fosters standards and best practices for municipal financial advisors, and is a Registered Municipal Advisor with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB). Founded in 1966, Fieldman, Rolapp & Associates is headquartered in Irvine, Calif. and maintains an office in Walnut Creek, Calif. For more information visit www.fieldman.com. Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=2973693 CONTACT: Christine Welch Echo Media Group 714-573-0899 x225 christine@echomediapr.com Sanofi's Board of Directors Proposes Appointment of Diane Souza and Thomas Sudhof, MD as New Independent Directors Paris, France - March 3, 2016 - At its meeting held on March 3, 2016, the Board of Directors of Sanofi proposed the appointment of Diane Souza and Thomas Sudhof, MD as new independent Directors during the General Shareholders' meeting of May 4, 2016. Diane D. Souza is the former CEO of UnitedHealthcare Specialty Benefits, an ancillary and voluntary health insurance business, which serves more than 75,000 employers and 21 million members. With over 25 years of managed care and health benefits experience, she led healthcare operations and business and large-scale systems transformation at UnitedHealthcare and Aetna, as well as delivery of the integrated market strategy for the Affordable Care Act. A certified public accountant, she was also CFO of Aetna's Guaranteed Products business, where she was regularly involved in complex financial transactions. Diane has also held senior leadership positions at Deloitte and PWC. Thomas Sudhof, MD, is the Avram Goldstein Professor in the School of Medicine of Stanford University, as well as a Professor of Molecular & Cellular Physiology, Psychiatry, and Neurology. Prior to this position, he spent 25 years at the University of Texas, Southwestern, where he acted as Chairman of the Department of Neuroscience. Most of his research at that time focused on the mechanisms of synaptic information transmission which have pharmacological consequences for the treatment of neuro-degenerative and neuro-psychiatric diseases. Thomas Sudhof, MD, won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, (shared with James Rothman and Randy Shekman) in 2013, the Albert Lasker Medical Basic Research Award together with Richard Scheller, as well as the Bernhard Katz Award of the Biophysical Society (shared with Reinhard Jahn). "Both Diane Souza and Thomas Sudhof, MD, are noted health experts and their great skills make them an outstanding addition to our board. We look forward to their contribution to Sanofi's strategy as we continue to innovate and introduce new medicines and vaccines that can help improve health outcomes," said Serge Weinberg, Chairman of the Board, Sanofi. "As they leave the Board, I would like to thank Jean-Rene Fourtou and especially underline his role throughout all the years when he brought his exceptional experience of the pharma industry, Klaus Pohle, who has been an excellent audit committee chairman for 11 years, and Uwe Bicker, who brought his very strong scientific knowledge during 8 years." About Sanofi Sanofi, a global healthcare leader, discovers, develops and distributes therapeutic solutions focused on patients' needs. Sanofi has core strengths in diabetes solutions, human vaccines, innovative drugs, consumer healthcare, emerging markets, animal health and Genzyme. Sanofi is listed in Paris (EURONEXT: SAN (http://en.sanofi.com/investors/share/stock_chart/stock_chart.aspx)) and in New York (NYSE: SNY (http://en.sanofi.com/investors/share/stock_chart/stock_chart.aspx)). Contacts: Media Relations Investor Relations Laurence Bollack Sebastien Martel + (33) 1 53 77 46 46 + (33) 1 53 77 45 45 mr@sanofi.com (mailto:mr@sanofi.com) ir@sanofi.com (mailto:ir@sanofi.com) Press release (http://hugin.info/152918/R/1991526/732885.pdf) This announcement is distributed by NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions on behalf of NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions clients. The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. Source: Sanofi via Globenewswire HUG#1991526 HARRISBURG, PA--(Marketwired - March 03, 2016) - Gregory Coleman, co-founder and chief operating officer of Nexercise, Inc., who recently scored the largest tech startup funding in the history of the ABC television show, "Shark Tank," will be the keynote speaker at the Pennsylvania Treasury Department's inaugural Small Business Initiative (SBI) event on March 11, 2016 at Drexel University's LeBow College of Business. Registration for that event is available at www.patreasury.gov/sbi. Coleman will discuss his experiences growing a small business including how he and Nexercise's cofounder Ben Young negotiated a deal with 'shark' Mark Cuban to sell a ten percent stake in their company for $1.5 million. The winning pitch featured Nexercise's latest product -- an interactive fitness app called Sworkit. Treasury's SBI -- a first-of its-kind half-day series of workshops that focus on key issues that face small businesses including health and insurance, corporate structure and governance, finance and revenue and legal and intellectual property. The workshops are held at prestigious Pennsylvania academic institutions and are led by leading businesses across the state including Ernst and Young, United Healthcare, Dupont, Morgan Lewis and NewSpring. "Gregory is a great addition to our inaugural event and he joins Treasury's other world-class partners to provide small businesses with the knowledge and connections they need to take their companies to the next level," said PA Treasurer Timothy A. Reese. "Small business is a key driver of job creation and economic growth in our state, so by helping them do well we help all of Pennsylvania do well." Cost of the SBI event is $50 per person and includes breakfast, lunch, and access to 12 workshops, networking with the SBI business partners, access to information and resource tables and networking opportunities with possible investors, business services providers and mentors. Seating for the event is limited so pre-registration is required. A workshop on government procurement will also be offered. The SBI is aimed at small business owners who have been in business a minimum of three years with gross revenues exceeding $250,000 for the prior two years and who provide a product or service with expansion plans within the next six to 12 months. The March 11 inaugural event in Philadelphia is expected to draw over 100 small business owners. Three more events are planned in Pittsburgh, Allentown and York, PA for later this year. To learn more about Pennsylvania Treasury's Small Business Initiative or register for the Philadelphia event, visit http://www.patreasury.gov/sbi or call 800-222-2046. EDITOR'S NOTE:To Download/View audio and video Click here The Pennsylvania Treasury is an independent department of state government led by the state treasurer, who is elected every four years. The department's primary duty is to safeguard and manage the state's public funds. It invests state money to generate income on behalf of the citizens of Pennsylvania, reviews and processes payments for state government agencies, and serves as custodian of more than $100 billion in state funds. Key Treasury programs include Unclaimed Property, PA 529 College Savings Program and the Board of Finance and Revenue. To learn more visit patreasury.gov. www.patreasury.gov | Facebook | Twitter Media contact: Debra S. Tingley, APR 717-787-2991 news@patreasury.gov PETERBOROUGH, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/16 -- Department of Canadian Heritage The Honourable Maryam Monsef, Member of Parliament (Peterborough-Kawartha) and Minister of Democratic Institutions, on behalf of the Honourable Melanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage, today announced $440,000 in funding for upgrades to the building that houses the Art Gallery of Peterborough (AGP). The funding, provided through the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund, supported facility improvements that will allow local visitors and tourists to experience visual arts in a modernized, safe and accessible cultural space. Quick Facts -- The Art Gallery of Peterborough is the sole public art gallery serving Peterborough and the surrounding area. -- The AGP offers free admission to its exhibits, lectures and public presentations. -- The Gallery's mandate is to collect and display contemporary Canadian art, as well as Aboriginal art. -- From February 20 to May 22, the Art Gallery of Peterborough is displaying the work of three local artists: painters Arthur Shilling and Rebecca Padgett, and photographer Wayne Eardley. -- Funding from the Department of Canadian Heritage supported a large-scale refurbishment project to prolong the life of the historical building that hosts the gallery, enhance staff and visitor safety and accessibility, and improve collections storage and management. Quotes "Providing Canadians with access to arts and culture is a priority for our government. Support for cultural spaces allows organizations like the Art Gallery of Peterborough to unite Canadians by reflecting our common realities." -The Honourable Melanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage "Culture is the expression of Canada's story. Local art is not only the expression of local spirit, but also a way to capture the history of a place and its people. I am proud that our government supports projects and organizations that provide spaces for our local artists to showcase their work, and where residents and visitors can experience their local cultures." -The Honourable Maryam Monsef, Member of Parliament (Peterborough-Kawartha) and Minister of Democratic Institutions "We are excited and grateful to receive this funding from the Department of Canadian Heritage. It is critically important that we act as good stewards for our exhibitions and permanent collection. This support allows us to maintain appropriate environmental standards throughout our gallery and vault, and brings recognition to our role as a collecting institution." -Celeste Scopelites, Director, Art Gallery of Peterborough Associated Links Art Gallery of Peterborough Canada Cultural Spaces Fund Stay Connected Follow us on Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Flickr. Contacts: Pierre-Olivier Herbert Press Secretary Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage 819-997-7788 Media Relations Canadian Heritage 819-994-9101 1-866-569-6155 pch.media-media.pch@canada.ca Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/16 -- Tanzanian Royalty Exploration Corporation (TSX: TNX)(NYSE MKT: TRX) (the "Company") is providing the following progress report with respect to the recent force majeure notice it issued to Stamico. Force Majeure describes a clause in a contract whereby circumstances arise producing a situation known as "Force Greater" than one party has the ability to correct in the normal course of business. Currently, the situation at hand is our business relationship with our joint venture partner, the State Mining Company of Tanzania, which is owned by the Treasury of Tanzania. The trigger for Force Majeure was a significant increase in the number of illegal miners that entered our property. We maintain that there is a direct connection between the increase in the illegal occupation of property under our license and a speech made in the village by the Deputy Minister for Mining. It is our opinion that the Deputy Minister speaks for the Minister who in turn speaks for the government. As such we take seriously such statements made as a statement representing the leadership of Tanzania. The Deputy Minister made statements and gave hard dates for us to abide by his orders, generally 14 days. He presented the repercussions of non-compliance that were draconian. None of his orders are stipulated by the contract we have with Stamico. One of his orders was to fix a public road that was being torn up by the rainy season, not our use. Part of that Deputy Minister's representation focused on the surrender of mining rights on some of our properties to the artisan miners. Inherently, we do not have a problem with selecting an area for artisanal mining as we have selected three parcels where there is surface enrichment mineable by artisan tools. There are various restrictions that we need identified to ensure that only non-mechanized miners can occupy these properties. We have certain reasonable questions such as: How does Tanzania define artisanal mining? Right now there are people called artisans that fit the generally accepted description but who are fully equipped, totally mechanized, very well financed modern miners calling themselves artisans. Tanzania does not make it clear if the parties getting the property are fronts for the miners with equipment as good as, or better, than major mining companies utilize. That type of miner has their equipment stationed just outside our borders, in areas which we would not, and are not required by law to hand over to the artisans. By definition, an artisan should not reach the water table and certainly not mine below it or clearly they are more sophisticated than an artisan. Artisans have a record of not cooperating with the environmental and health laws in place for mining. We are concerned that the presence of artisanal miners may create major problems whose root cause may be hard to discern. We do not want to be held accountable for actions caused by others. The artisan miner is not policed as closely as the free market mining company. There are no surprise visits by authorities checking on every aspect of operations from health in the kitchens to procedure in the pits. Fines can be huge and interfere with the time lines of management. When we smelter there is standing room only in the gold room where the government accountant and inspectors measure the dore, the grade and charge you their royalty that must be paid on the spot and before you sell the gold. With the artisan there is no gold room, little if any inspection and acceptance of the artisan word concerning processing which is of the most dangerous methods. This chain of events and definitions lead to what the government might like us to call uninvited guests acting rudely. Others categorize it as an invasion by illegal miners. That chain of events was incited by the government clearly can be defined as a "Force Greater" requiring our declaration of the clause in our contract called "Force Majeure". Force Majeure in our contract suspends all obligations under contract, calls for a pause in everything, does not excuse debts but puts them all on ice. It transfers the matter from local law to international arbitration which would occur after good faith negotiation over a 30 day whereby the parties seek resolution. Our CEO had first hand experience with illegal miners growing from 5 people to 20,000 people. If you leave 5 out that will grow to 10 and 10 will grow exponentially. If we allowed over 200 you would be to 20,000 and the property you once had would now be a major producer of Blood Gold. Africa respects strength and takes advantage of any sign of weakness. When this chain of events occurred, events we have proof of, we felt that our staff was in danger and we stopped our work. After consulting international counsel, the arbitration board in London and our board of directors, we declared Force Majeure. What are our options now? 1. We negotiate successfully in the 30 day period with Stamico, the government of Tanzanian who guarantee our freedom to operate and protection against all interference of our contract rights. This then opens the traditional financing door. 2. We proceed to London Binding Arbitration with financial demands equal to our invested funds in Tanzania, lost opportunity and damage to the value of our shares. 3. We seek a sale of all our Tanzanian assets to a major mining company in Tanzania with commitment of size. The structuring of the transaction would be for shares, not cash in this what we believe will soon to be major gold bull market. Value One thing that is for certain is that the market is not a reliable discovery for valuation mechanism. Quotations are a product of algorithms, high frequency trades and the specialist on the exchange for your share. 1. We would suggest that all the information you need to make a reasonable fundamental conclusion on value is in the public domain. 2. The NI 43-101 reports are a third party estimate of the assets in hand and their quality. These reports are on our corporate website at www.tanzanianroyalty.com. 3. Then take the information and make the comparison of the asset in question with other mines in Tanzania's Greenstone belt when they were at the same stage in their development. We would suggest that time was after pilot plant and just before long term procession of mined material. 4. To make a geological comparison we would suggest Geita, a mine owned by AngloGold Ashanti who are our neighbors at 30 kilometers away, is a good geological comparison. The expanding widths and value at depths compares to the Bulyanhulu mine's early geological markers. Respectfully submitted, James E. Sinclair, Chief Executive Officer The Toronto Stock Exchange and NYSE Amex Equities have not reviewed and do not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release Contacts: Tanzanian Royalty Exploration Corporation Investor Relations 1-844-364-1830 investors@TanzanianRoyalty.com www.TanzanianRoyalty.com VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/16 -- SnipGold Corp. ("SnipGold" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: SGG) is pleased to announce positive results of a 2015 ground electromagnetic ("EM") geophysical survey, (the "2015 Survey") that was completed on the Company's 100% owned Iskut Property located in the Golden Triangle of BC. The Lower McFadden has been advanced to drill-ready status. Exploration Background McFadden is a high-grade gold target where a linear trending pyritic boulder train is located at the toe of a receding glacier. Samples collected from the boulder train have typically assayed in excess of 100 grams per tonne gold ("g/t Au"). Recent validation samples have returned values up to 375g/t Au. Historical exploration efforts in the early 1980's to early 1990's did not locate the bedrock source for these boulders. There has been uncertainty whether McFadden mineralization more closely resembles an Eskay Creek style Volcanogenic Massive Sulfide ("VMS") system or a structurally controlled system as found at both the Snip Mine1 5 kilometres ("km") to the northwest and the Johnny Mountain Mine1 a few hundred metres ("m") to the west. Results from the 2015 Survey seem to have put that controversy to rest. (1 Historic recovered grades at the Snip Mine are 24.5 g/t Au and 14.3 g/t Au at Johnny Mountain Mine, (BC MinFile)). McFadden compilation work by SnipGold is shown in Figure 1 which details the gold-in-soil geochemical anomaly, overlain by a magnetic low and weak EM highs from a 2006 airborne survey. Average gold and silver grades are also tabulated on the figure, along with a table referencing the ten highest rock and till sample assays. Additional McFadden information and assay results are detailed on the Company website as well as in news releases dated October 22, 2014 and November 5, 2013. Geological mapping places McFadden within the lower Jurassic Hazelton Group, located within a few hundred metres of the Triassic-Jurassic unconformity. This unconformity is a significant regional feature that is in close proximity to many other regionally significant deposits like the Snip Mine, Eskay Creek 38km to the east, as well as Brucejack, and KSM roughly 50km to the east-southeast. The high-grade boulder samples at McFadden have a very well developed shear fabric and are intensely altered to biotite, chlorite and calcite. The host rock is most often found to be volcanoclastic with highly stretched centimetre to decimetre scale fragments. The alteration and mineralization is most intense in the fine grained matrix of the rock. The mineralization contains very high pyrite content, up to 90% pyrite. The style of pyrite occurrence at McFadden and its high concentration is expected to be highly conductive and should respond well to EM surveys. The textures noted in the rock, the style of mineralization, the geochemical signature, as well as the structural fabric of the mineralization indicate the mineralization is a structurally controlled shear system like either the Snip Mine or the Johnny Mountain Mine. McFadden is not believed to be an Eskay Creek style VMS target. To view Figure 1, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/1045513a.pdf SnipGold's Iskut Property hosts two well-known structural orientations for high-grade gold mineralization, with one trend ranging from 120-160 degrees Azimuth ("Az") which hosted the ore at the Snip Mine, and the second trend at roughly 060 Az which hosted the Johnny Mountain Mine ore zones. Until recently, it was unclear if the trend that hosted the source of material for the McFadden boulders was coincident with the Snip Mine trend or with the Johnny Mountain Mine trend. Ten historic drill holes completed at McFadden between 1983 and 1989 were collared at orientations that were most often optimized to test for the 060 Az structural orientation which assumed the trend was related to the nearby Johnny Mountain Mine. These holes did not intersect any high-grade gold mineralization. The 2015 Survey The 2015 Survey was completed by Superior Exploration, a group with considerable experience in completing geological and geophysical surveys in challenging terrain. The objectives of the 2015 Survey were to delineate known mineralized structures of the Johnny Mountain Mine trend, and attempt to locate the potential source and likely orientation of the McFadden mineralization. The 2015 Survey was completed on two sets of GPS located grid lines that were oriented perpendicular to each other. The grid line orientations were optimized to test for the two known structural trends on the property. Each set of grid lines was surveyed with two transmitter stations using a Geonics Very Low Frequency ("VLF") EM-16 receiver. Lower McFadden was chosen as the test area for this initial survey due to its relatively accessible setting. The 2015 Survey included an orientation survey which was completed over an area known to host high-grade gold mineralization; an area northeast of the Johnny Mountain Mine workings where mineralized structures were known to day-light to surface. This test area was trenched in the 1980's and assay values of 2,178 ounce/ton gold ("oz/t Au") (74,689 g/t Au)2 over 0.10m were collected from trench Tr10390-b. The same area was drilled in 1985 and hole SK85-85 cored 1.10 oz/t Au over 20 feet (39.9 g/t Au over 5.64m) 2. Two transmitter stations were used in the orientation survey, Pearl Harbour, Lualuahei, Hawaii ("NPM") and Jim Creek, Washington ("NLK"). Both stations worked well in picking up the mineralized trend and results of the NPM survey are displayed in Figure 2. (2 These historic assay data are part of SnipGold's historic exploration records. The Company's qualified person has not verified these historic data). The 2015 Survey over the Lower McFadden received well developed responses from two transmitter sources, Cutler Maine ("NAA") and La Moure, North Dakota ("NML"). Figure 3 highlights the results of the NAA survey and Figure 4 displays the NML survey results. Both surveys highlight conductors immediately up-ice of the high-grade gold boulder train, in an orientation coincident with the Snip Mine structural trend. No significant responses were detected in the immediate area of the high-grade boulders for the transmitter stations oriented to test for the Johnny Mountain Mine trend. To view Figure 2, 3 and 4, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/1045513b.pdf Superior Exploration processed the 2015 Survey data utilizing the VLF2D-MF software package developed by Fernando Santos and Shaun Parent. Figure 5 displays a profile for the NAA survey on section line L1508.5E, please refer to Figure 3 for the location of surface trace of this profile. The profile areas shown in red indicate areas of higher conductivity, which is interpreted as an increase in pyrite content and a possible source for the McFadden high-grade pyritic gold bearing boulders. To view Figure 5, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/1045513c.pdf The 2015 Survey confirmed the orientation of a conductor at Lower McFadden to be roughly oriented at 120 Az, allowing for a well-defined conductive target that warrants drill testing. SnipGold plans to complete additional ground VLF surveying in 2016 to better define the Upper McFadden anomaly as well as conduct follow-up drilling, if funds permit. John Zbeetnoff, SnipGold President and CEO reports, "Our 2015 work program has identified some exciting drill-ready targets on-strike with and up-ice of the McFadden high-grade boulder train. We plan to further explore this region in 2016, and if funds permit, drill test these anomalies. I am very encouraged that we have not only advanced Lower McFadden to drill-ready status but we have also gained a much better understanding of an area that has produced gold values in excess of 2,000 oz/t Au2 in historic trench samples, and where the newly identified McFadden trend intersects the Johnny Mountain Mine trend. Future exploration will also focus efforts in this area. I am also pleased to announce we will be hosting a booth at PDAC in Toronto next week where I will look forward to meeting shareholders and potential earn-in candidates. We are scheduled to be at the Investors Exchange, Booth #3043". Patrick Soares, SnipGold Chairman of the Board said, "We want to thank shareholders for their continued support of the Company. We are reaching a pivotal point in our work that will require more capital to advance our prospects to the next level. Our success to date is the result of a dedicated management team who has sacrificed much over the past few years to get us to this exciting stage in our development. We expect that our work will bear results that will soon reward our shareholders." About SnipGold SnipGold Corp. is a Canadian company focused on the exploration and expansion of gold resources in northwest British Columbia. SnipGold's board and management have significant experience in discovery, exploration and development of gold projects. On Behalf of the Board of Directors SnipGold Corp. John Zbeetnoff, President and Chief Executive Officer NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE Statements in this release may be viewed as forward-looking statements. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events to differ materially from those projected. There are no assurances the Company can fulfil such forward-looking statements and the Company undertakes no obligation to update statements. Such forward-looking statements are only predictions; actual events or results may differ materially as a result of risks facing the Company, some of which are beyond the Company's control. Contacts: SnipGold Corp. John Zbeetnoff CEO 604-681-3989 604-681-3557 (FAX) info@snipgoldcorp.com www.snipgoldcorp.com VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/16 -- True North Gems Inc. (TSX VENTURE: TGX) signed the IBA for the Aappaluttoq ruby mine in Greenland on 16 June 2014 along with our community partners, the Municipality of Sermersooq and the Government of Greenland. More than a year has passed and the three parties to the IBA are very pleased to announce results from the first evaluation and monitoring report. The report shows that the ruby mine contributes to the development of the Greenlandic mining industry and to Greenlandic society. The Mayor of the Municipality of Sermersooq, Asii Chemnitz Narup, says; "I am very proud that the project has employed so many of my fellow countrymen and used so many local companies from the Municipality of Sermersooq. I interpret this as an expression of the strong local engagement that True North Gems Greenland has demonstrated during the construction phase. The municipality looks forward to a continuation of this excellent collaboration in the coming years." "I am very pleased that in the first year True North Gems Greenland has managed to only use Greenlandic manpower and that they have used many Greenlandic companies. The Government of Greenland looks forward to continued collaboration with True North Gems Greenland and the Municipality of Sermersooq, and it is my hope that the project will continue to demonstrate the same local engagement throughout its lifetime," says Vittus Qujaukitsoq, Minister of Industry, Labour, Trade and Foreign Affairs. Bent Olsvig Jensen (Managing Director of True North Gems Greenland) expresses his experience of the first year with the following words: "I am very proud that our local engagement has managed to make the project a Greenlandic mining project and with it to realise our vision of developing the mine in collaboration with our fellow Greenlandic citizens." About True North Gems True North Gems is transitioning from an exploration and development company into a producer of high quality gemstones. Aappaluttoq is the only hard rock gemstone deposit in the world with a NI 43-101 compliant resource that has a current projected mine life of nine (9) years based on the 2015 prefeasibility study. True North Gems is committed to the realization of shareholder value through development of responsibly sourced and long-term sustainable commercial production of ruby and pink sapphire., in partnership with the people of Greenland. The Company's shares trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol TGX. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Contacts: True North Gems Inc. Lisa May Investor Relations Manager 604-687-8055 info@truenorthgems.com www.truenorthgems.com GATINEAU, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/16 -- Once again this year, we celebrate being part of the international Francophonie during the Rendez-vous de la Francophonie. Whether we grew up speaking French, discovered this language later in life, or have simply grown to appreciate cultural products in French, we Canadians share a Francophone heritage that is a source of pride. The Rendez-vous de la Francophonie invite us to discover and celebrate this rich heritage from March 3 to March 23, 2016. Our government is proud to be part of this event, which offers us a real Canadian opportunity to highlight International Francophonie Day, celebrated around the world on March 20. As a founding member of the International Organisation of La Francophonie, Canada has always played a prominent role in the international Francophonie. Our leadership is demonstrated by the ongoing promotion of our two official languages and continued support for Francophone communities around the country. I invite all Canadians to take part in this celebration. Enjoy the Rendez-vous de la Francophonie 2016! Stay Connected Follow us on Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Flickr. Contacts: Pierre-Olivier Herbert Press Secretary Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage 819-997-7788 GATINEAU, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/16 -- Department of Canadian Heritage Randy Boissonnault, Member of Parliament (Edmonton Centre) and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage, today announced the Government of Canada's support for the 2016 Rendez-vous de la Francophonie. He made this announcement on behalf of the Honourable Melanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage. As part of its Official Languages Support Programs, the Department of Canadian Heritage has renewed its partnership with the Canadian Foundation for Cross-Cultural Dialogue in order to provide support in organizing the Rendez-vous.The contribution of the Government of Canada amounts to $930,000 annually for the presentation of the Rendez-vous in 2016, 2017 and 2018, for a total of $2.79 million in funding. Quick Facts -- The Rendez-vous de la Francophonie precede International Francophonie Day. The event's goal is to promote and sustain dialogue and closer relations between the Francophone and Acadian communities and all components of Canadian society. -- International Francophonie Day will take place on March 20, 2016. -- The Official Languages Support Programs have supported the Rendez-vous de la Francophonie financially since 2004. Quotes "The Canadian Francophonie is a treasure. It lets us be part of the great event that is International Francophonie Day. Our support for the Rendez-vous reflects our pride in seeing the Francophonie's reach extend across the globe." - The Honourable Melanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage "The Rendez-vous de la Francophonie are an exceptional showcase of the wealth of cultural and community activities that enliven Canada. From coast to coast to coast, thousands of activities are taking place in French, demonstrating the dynamism and diversity of the Canadian Francophonie." - Randy Boissonnault, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage "The Rendez-vous de la Francophonie give us the opportunity to assert ourselves as Francophones and Acadians, to increase our visibility, and to celebrate with all the other communities in the country. I encourage you to take part in the Rendez-vous and to invite an Anglophone friend or newcomer!" - Andree Lortie, President, Canadian Foundation for Cross-Cultural Dialogue Associated Links Rendez-vous de la Francophonie Official Languages Support Programs Stay Connected Follow us on Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Flickr. Contacts: Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage Pierre-Olivier Herbert Press Secretary 819-997-7788 Media Relations Canadian Heritage 819-994-9101 1-866-569-6155 PCH.media-media.PCH@Canada.ca BOUCHERVILLE, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/16 -- Uni-Select Inc. (TSX: UNS), a leading distributor of automotive products in Canada and parent company of FinishMaster, Inc., a leading distributor of paint and related products in the United States, unveiled today the new identity of its "national brand" for its growing network of Canadian independent automotive wholesalers and corporate stores: Bumper to Bumper - Canada's Parts People. In the coming months, the Corporation will be rebranding all of its corporate stores under one unified banner: Bumper to Bumper. In the Canadian Prairies there are currently over 100 independent customer Bumper to Bumper locations, most of which will be re-imaged with the new Bumper to Bumper brand over time. In addition the Bumper to Bumper brand will be available to our 1,150 independent wholesalers across Canada, which expands the brand's presence nationally. The brand will provide a higher level of product consistency as well as enhanced merchandising, marketing and advertising programs. "The launch of our new national brand represents an important milestone for our Canadian Automotive Group. With this new brand strategy, we will create a national synergy and identity, consistent from coast to coast. Bumper to Bumper, is not just about an image, it is everything that Uni-Select stands for: the quality of its products and the customer experience," said Gary O'Connor, President and Chief Operating Officer of Automotive Canada. "Today's announcement reaffirms our commitment to aggressively expand our Canadian automotive business and build for the future. This is the next step in the evolution in supporting our long-time independent customers across the country by building a national brand supported by our national distribution network. We are better positioned than ever to be the leader in the automotive aftermarket from coast to coast," added Henry Buckley, President and Chief Executive Officer of Uni-Select. Much more than a brand name, Bumper to Bumper is also a program offering auto parts distributors a broad range of solutions. The Bumper to Bumper banner is a turnkey program for wholesalers looking for complete program support, a strong brand image and a very aggressive go-to-market approach. Our Auto Parts Plus store brand remains an important part of our strategy supporting those independent customers who prefer a menu driven approach. The beginning of a new era for a long-standing Canadian brand Bumper to Bumper was introduced to the Canadian automotive aftermarket in 1977 and began with two stores. Over the years, the brand presence expanded to the Prairies and entered the Uni-Select fold in 2006. Today, over 100 auto parts stores operate in Western Canada under the Bumper to Bumper banner. "The new logo features a strong and clean word mark. Bumper to Bumper is complemented by an icon that represents two bumpers coming together, from front to back, thereby illustrating Uni-Select's commitment to covering all parts for a wide range of vehicles. We are Canada's Parts People, and this new image will help us communicate the message that we value our Canadian roots and values" added O'Connor. ABOUT UNI-SELECT Uni-Select is a leader in the distribution of automotive refinish and industrial paint and related products across North America, as well as in the automotive aftermarket parts business in Canada. Its over 2,700 team members, spread across a network of 13 distribution centres and over 235 corporate stores, are dedicated to supplying its customers the right products, at the right place, and when they need them. Uni-Select also offers advanced solutions and first-rate service to enable its customers' success. In the United States, FinishMaster, Inc., a subsidiary of Uni-Select operates a network of automotive refinish corporate stores from coast to coast under the FinishMaster banner and supports more than 6,000 collision repair centre customers. Uni-Select's Canadian automotive aftermarket parts and automotive refinish business supports a growing national network of more than 1,150 independent customers and corporate stores, several of which operate under Uni-Select store banner programs including Auto Parts Plus, Auto-Plus and Bumper to Bumper. In Canada, Uni-Select supports over 3,900 shops and stores through its automotive repair/installer shop banners and programs including Auto-Select, Uni-Pro, and SAX (SelectAutoXpert), as well as through its automotive refinish banner, Carrossier ProColor. Uni-Select is headquartered in Boucherville, Quebec, Canada, and its shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) under the symbol UNS. FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION The information provided in this press release may include some forward-looking information, which could include certain risks and uncertainties, which may cause the final results to be significantly different from those listed or implied within this news release. For additional information with respect to risks and uncertainties, refer to the Annual Report filed by Uni-Select with the Canadian securities commissions. The forward-looking information contained herein is made as of the date of this press release, and Uni-Select does not undertake to publicly update such forward-looking information to reflect new information, subsequent or otherwise, unless required by applicable securities laws. Contacts: Eric Bussieres Chief Financial Officer 450 641-6958 investorrelations@uniselect.com BRUSSELS, BELGIUM and CARDIFF, UNITED KINGDOM -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/16 -- Researchers reporting on miniaturisation of versatile mid-infrared sensors and increasing capacity of ultralong-haul fibre-optic communications were honored with Photonics21 Student Innovation Awards at the Photonics Public Private Partnership (PPP) Annual Meeting today in Brussels. SPIE Europe Ltd. is a sponsor of the awards and of the event. The awards were presented by Photonics21 Executive Board Member Roberta Ramponi (Politecnico Milano) and President Michael Mertin (Jenoptik). Benedikt Schwarz, Vienna University of Technology, won for the paper "Miniaturized mid-infrared sensors", on work utilizing quantum cascade lasers (QCLs). Fernando Guiomar, Instituto de Telecomunicacoes, won for "High performance and efficient digital signal processing algorithms". Prizes included a check for EUR 2500 for each winner. Along with SPIE Europe, award sponsors are Hamamatsu, Jenoptik, and LioniX. "Photonics is driving innovation in the 21st century, and making the difference", said Mertin in his welcome remarks. Photonics21 is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, he noted: a successful decade of cooperation among industry, science, and politics. Gunther Oettinger, EU Commissioner for the Digital Economy and Society, spoke in a keynote talk on the successful digitisation of European industry, asserting that photonics will play a key role in shaping European industry's future. Tomorrow's agenda includes talks by Mertin, on the impact of digitisation on Europe's economic system, and by Wolfgang Boch, EC Head of the Photonics and Organic Electronics Unit, DG Communications Networks, Content and Technology, on progress made by the Photonics PPP, and opportunities and challenges for 2016 and beyond. Other speakers, parallel work group sessions, and project presentations will address Photonics PPP planning for the Horizon 2020 work programme for 2018-2019, the impact of the International Year of Light 2015 on awareness, and digital transformation issues. Since 2014, the Photonics21 Association has acted as a "mouthpiece" of the European Technology Platform Photonics21 and its more than 2000 members in working with the European Commission in the Photonics PPP. SPIE Europe Executive Director Eugene Arthurs serves on the Photonics21 Board of Stakeholders. About SPIE SPIE is the international society for optics and photonics, an educational not-for-profit organization founded in 1955 to advance light-based science, engineering, and technology. The Society serves nearly 264,000 constituents from approximately 166 countries, offering conferences and their published proceedings, continuing education, books, journals, and the SPIE Digital Library. In 2015, SPIE provided more than $5.2 million in support of education and outreach programs. www.spie.org Contact: Amy Nelson Public Relations Manager Email Contact +1 360 685 5478 www.twitter.com/spietweets WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez announced her support for Senator Marco Rubio's, R-Fla., campaign for the Republican presidential nomination on Thursday. In a statement, Martinez described Rubio as a compelling leader who can unite the country around conservative principles that will improve the lives of all Americans. 'The stakes for our great country are too high - and the differences between the candidates too great - for me to remain neutral in this race,' Martinez said. She added, 'I wholeheartedly trust Marco to keep us safe and ensure a better tomorrow, and I look forward to campaigning with him later this week.' Martinez became the first female Hispanic governor in American history in 2010 and was overwhelmingly re-elected in 2014. The Rubio campaign described her as one of the most popular conservative governors. While New Mexico does not hold its primary until June 7th, Martinez is scheduled to campaign for Rubio in Kansas on Friday and in Florida on Saturday. Martinez, the chair of the Republican Governors Association, said earlier this week that she could not commit to voting for Donald Trump if he's the GOP nominee. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 05/10/16 -- Scorpio Gold Corporation ("Scorpio Gold" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: SGN) reports results from the 2016 exploration drilling program on the Defiance target at its 70% owned Mineral Ridge project, located in Nevada. The Defiance target lies along trend of and approx. 200 meters southeast of the Custer deposit. Extensive road construction at the beginning of the year allowed for crossing the sizeable canyon that lies between the two areas and drilling on the Defiance target for the first time in 2016. Thirty-six holes were drilled on roughly 50 meter centers, defining the initial footprint of the Defiance mineralization over a approx. 200 x 300 meter area. Compared to Custer, the mineralization encountered thus far lies at greater depths and over narrower widths due to geological differences between the two deposits. Surface mapping is ongoing to enhance understanding of the geology in the Defiance target area. Highlights from RC drilling in 2016 on the Defiance target include: -- MR161939: 2.06 grams per tonne ("g/t") gold over 3.05 meters -- MR161942: 6.45 g/t gold over 1.52 meters -- MR161944: 2.47 g/t gold over 1.52 meters -- MR161947: 2.33 g/t gold over 3.05 meters -- MR161990: 2.47 g/t gold over 1.52 meters -- MR161992: 3.57 g/t gold over 1.52 meters -- MR161995: 2.16 g/t gold over 1.52 meters -- MR162025: 2.47 g/t gold over 3.05 meters -- MR162026: 9.84 g/t gold over 1.52 meters A drill hole location map is available at: DH Plan Table 1. Defiance Target Area - Significant Drill Results ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hole Azm Dip From To Width From To Width Gold Gold No. (deg) (deg) (ft) (ft) (ft) (m) (m) (m) (OPT) (g/t) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MR161939 0 -90 110 120 10 33.53 36.58 3.05 0.060 2.06 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MR161940 0 -90 70 75 5 21.34 22.86 1.52 0.012 0.41 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MR161941 0 -90 275 280 5 83.82 85.34 1.52 0.016 0.55 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MR161942 0 -90 140 145 5 42.67 44.20 1.52 0.034 1.17 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 235 240 5 71.63 73.15 1.52 0.188 6.45 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MR161944 0 -90 125 130 5 38.10 39.62 1.52 0.072 2.47 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 140 145 5 42.67 44.20 1.52 0.024 0.82 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MR161946 0 -90 175 180 5 53.34 54.86 1.52 0.017 0.58 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MR161947 0 -90 435 445 10 132.59 135.64 3.05 0.068 2.33 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MR161948 0 -90 355 360 5 108.20 109.73 1.52 0.019 0.65 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 520 525 5 158.50 160.02 1.52 0.032 1.10 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MR161949 0 -90 510 515 5 155.45 156.97 1.52 0.034 1.17 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 550 555 5 167.64 169.16 1.52 0.024 0.82 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MR161988 0 -90 525 530 5 160.02 161.54 1.52 0.017 0.58 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MR161989 0 -90 No Significant Results ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MR161990 0 -90 40 45 5 12.19 13.72 1.52 0.072 2.47 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MR161991 0 -90 480 485 5 146.30 147.83 1.52 0.024 0.82 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MR161992 0 -90 530 535 5 161.54 163.07 1.52 0.104 3.57 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MR161993 0 -90 230 235 5 70.10 71.63 1.52 0.010 0.34 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MR161994 0 -90 450 455 5 137.16 138.68 1.52 0.040 1.37 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MR161995 0 -90 460 465 5 140.21 141.73 1.52 0.063 2.16 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MR161996 0 -90 575 580 5 175.26 176.78 1.52 0.010 0.34 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MR161997 0 -90 115 120 5 35.05 36.58 1.52 0.055 1.89 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MR161998 0 -90 145 155 10 44.20 47.24 3.05 0.024 0.81 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MR161999 0 -90 No Significant Results ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MR162000 0 -90 75 80 5 22.86 24.38 1.52 0.016 0.55 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MR162001 0 -90 340 345 5 103.63 105.16 1.52 0.015 0.51 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MR162025 304 -59 280 290 10 85.34 88.39 3.05 0.072 2.47 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MR162026 335 -69 315 320 5 96.01 97.54 1.52 0.287 9.84 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MR162027 268 -51 385 390 5 117.35 118.87 1.52 0.055 1.89 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MR162028 0 -90 No Significant Results ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MR162029 0 -90 440 445 5 134.11 135.64 1.52 0.046 1.58 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MR162031 0 -90 190 200 10 57.91 60.96 3.05 0.052 1.77 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MR162036,038 304 -50 No Significant Results ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MR162039 288 -51 No Significant Results ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MR162040 196 -65 330 335 5 100.58 102.11 1.52 0.012 0.41 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MR162041 243 -55 No Significant Results ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MR162042 202 -68 No Significant Results ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- All holes presented in Table 1 were completed by reverse circulation (RC) drilling. True width is estimated at 80-100% of downhole width. Scorpio Gold utilizes the analytical services of ALS Minerals (Reno, Nevada), an ISO/IEC 17025:2005 (CAN-P-4E, CAN-P-1579) accredited testing laboratory, and Bureau Veritas (Reno, Nevada), an ISO 9001 certified testing laboratory. External check assays to verify lab accuracy are routinely completed. Further details are presented in the Company's quality assurance and quality control program for the Mineral Ridge project, available at: MR QAQC. About Scorpio Gold Scorpio Gold holds a 70% interest in the producing Mineral Ridge gold mining operation located in Esmeralda County, Nevada with joint venture partner Elevon, LLC (30%). Mineral Ridge is a conventional open pit mining and heap leach operation. The Mineral Ridge property is host to multiple gold-bearing structures, veins and lenses at exploration, development and production stages. Scorpio Gold also holds a 100% interest in the advanced exploration-stage Goldwedge property in Manhattan, Nevada, with a fully permitted underground mine and 400 ton per day mill facility. The Goldwedge mill facility has been placed on a care and maintenance basis and can be restarted immediately when needed. Scorpio Gold's President & CEO, Peter J. Hawley, PGeo" is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the content of this release. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD SCORPIO GOLD CORPORATION Peter J. Hawley, President & CEO Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. The Company relies on litigation protection for forward-looking statements. This news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on the Company's current expectations and estimates. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "suggest", "indicate" and other similar words or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur, and include, without limitation, statements regarding the Company's plans with respect to the exploration, development and exploitation of its Mineral Ridge project. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from estimated or anticipated events or results implied or expressed in such forward-looking statements, including risks involved in mineral exploration and development programs and those risk factors outlined in the Company's Management Discussion and Analysis as filed on SEDAR. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty thereof. Contacts: Scorpio Gold Corporation Peter J. Hawley President & CEO (819) 825-7618 phawley@scorpiogold.com www.scorpiogold.com VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA and TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/16 -- Lithium X Energy Corp. ("Lithium X", or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: LIX) is pleased to announce that the Company has entered into a binding letter of agreement (the "Agreement") with Aberdeen International Inc. ("Aberdeen")(TSX: AAB) to acquire up to 80% of Potasio y Litio de Argentina SA ("PLASA"), which owns 100% of the Sal de los Angeles lithium-potash brine project, which was previously known as the Diablillos Project ("Sal de los Angeles Project", or the "Project") in Argentina. The Sal de los Angeles Project covers more than 95% of the Salar de Diablillos property located in Salta province at an average elevation of approximately 4,050 metres above sea level. The Project includes 32 mining claims covering approximately 8,156 hectares and is located near FMC Corp.'s Salar de Hombre Muerto lithium deposit, one of the world's largest lithium operations. (Refer to Figure 1: Sal de los Angeles Project, which can also be found on the Company's website, www.lithium-x.com.) "The acquisition of Sal de los Angeles is a special opportunity for Lithium X," said Chairman, Mr. Matysek. "It is one of the few known lithium brines that is amenable to conventional processing. The project has both near-term development potential and scale. Salta province is a mining-friendly part of Argentina where we have enjoyed previous successes and maintain good relationships." "The election of President Mauricio Macri has increased investor optimism and enhanced the business climate in Argentina." Matysek added. David Stein, Aberdeen's President and CEO, remarked, "Aberdeen is thrilled to partner with Lithium X to develop the Sal de los Angeles project. In a short period of time, Lithium X has built an exciting company with an impressive team, and we saw the opportunity to benefit from being part of a larger, growing lithium company. We see Sal de los Angeles becoming the flagship asset of a new dynamic, multi-project lithium company with the potential to deliver strong returns for our shareholders over the longer-term." Lithium X will issue 8,000,000 common shares to Aberdeen International for a 50% interest in the Project on closing. Lithium X has the option for a 26 month period (the "Option") to acquire an additional 30% interest by issuing common shares worth $5,000,000 to Aberdeen and fulfilling several terms, including incurring $3,000,000 in exploration and development expenditures over a two-year period and completing a feasibility study on the Project. As part of the agreement, Lithium X will be considered the initial operator of the project for as long as the Company maintains interest greater than or equal to 50% in the Joint Venture. "The acquisition is another milestone as Lithium X moves towards our goal of becoming the world's go-to pure play lithium company," said CEO Mr. Paes-Braga. In order to exercise the Option for an additional 30% interest, Lithium X must issue common shares to Aberdeen valued at $5,000,000 based on a 10% discount to the 20-day volume-weighted average price of its common shares at the date of exercise. If Lithium X does not exercise the Option, Aberdeen has the right following the option expiry for a 30-day period to acquire a 1% interest in PLASA back from Lithium X for $166,000 in cash. In the event that Lithium X does not meet the expenditure commitment or complete the feasibility study within two years, Lithium X must transfer 20% of the PLASA shares back to Aberdeen, resulting in Lithium X holding 30% of the outstanding PLASA shares. Lithium X and Aberdeen will enter into a shareholder's agreement governing PLASA following closing that will provide for management of the Project, including that Lithium X shall be the operator, and including other standard joint-venture terms including dilution of interest. A Scalable Argentinian Salar Approximately C$19 million has been invested in the property by previous operators, including $16.2 million in work completed at Sal de los Angeles between 2010 to 2015. Work included extensive exploration and definition drilling, pump tests, seismic & gravity geophysical surveys, basin and solute transport models, evaporation and metallurgical testing, and running a continuous pilot ponding plant on-site. A Preliminary Economic Assessment for the Project (the "PEA") prepared by SRK Consulting (US) on Dec. 22, 2011 for Rodinia Lithium Inc. outlined an operation producing 15,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate ("LC") per year and approximately 51,000 tonnes of potash ("KCl"). The PEA projected a 34% internal rate of return ("IRR") pre-tax and a US$561-million pre-tax net present value ("NPV") at an 8% discount rate. The PEA also outlined an option to increase production to 25,000 tonnes LC and 85,000 tonnes potash per year. This increased production scenario generates a much higher pre-tax NPV estimate of US$964 million, along with a pre-tax IRR of 36%. The PEA does not include an analysis of after-tax economics. Lithium carbonate pricing of US$5,000 a tonne was used in the PEA. The PEA is preliminary in nature and includes inferred mineral resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves, and there is no certainty that the PEA will be realized. The latest resource statement for the Sal de los Angeles lithium-potash brine deposit, dated Dec. 22, 2011, estimated an inferred brine resource of 2.8 million tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent and an inferred brine resource of 11.2 million tonnes of potassium chloride equivalent. The average inferred resource grade was estimated at 556 mg/l Li and 6,206 mg/l K. Higher grades were found in the northern portion of the Project, where sufficient land for the construction of well fields and evaporation ponds is 100% owned by PLASA. Lithium X is treating this mineral resource as historical. This historical estimate also uses descriptions such as "in-situ inferred resource" and "recoverable inferred resource" that are not recognized terms under the 2014 CIM Definition Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves. A qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify this historical estimate as current mineral resources and the Company is not treating the historical estimate as a current mineral resource for the Sal de los Angeles Project. Lithium X will be completing an up-to-date mineral resource estimate and technical report done in accordance with current NI 43-101 and CIM standards within 180 days of this press release and will reflect or update the results reported in the PEA. Pursuant to the Agreement, Lithium X has agreed to increase its Board of Directors to seven members at its next annual general meeting, after which Aberdeen has the right, so long as it owns over 15% of the outstanding shares of Lithium X, to nominate two members to the Board for a period of one year. After that, so long as it holds 10% of the outstanding shares of Lithium X, Aberdeen has the right to nominate one member to the Board. Aberdeen also has a pro rata right to participate on any future equity financings so long as it holds a minimum of 8 million Lithium X common shares and 10% of the outstanding shares. A finder's fee of up to 400,000 shares will be paid to third parties by Lithium X. The transaction is subject to the parties entering into a definitive agreement in respect of the acquisition by April 15, 2016, and to the approval of the Toronto Stock Exchange and the TSX Venture Exchange. The technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by William Randall, P.Geo, who is a Qualified Person as defined under NI 43-101. As Vice-President Project Development of the Company, Mr. Randall is not considered independent. About Lithium X Energy Corp Lithium X Energy Corp. is a lithium exploration and development company with a focus on becoming a low-cost supplier for the burgeoning lithium battery industry. The Company is exploring a large land package in Nevada's Clayton Valley, contiguous to the only producing lithium operation in North America - Silver Peak, owned and operated by Albemarle, the world's largest lithium producer. Lithium X is listed on the TSXV under the trading symbol LIX. For additional information about Lithium X Energy Corp., please visit the Company's website at www.lithium-x.com or review the Company's documents filed on www.sedar.com. Join the Company's email list at http://lithium-x.com/subscribe. About Aberdeen International Aberdeen International is a private equity investor and advisor focusing on the global mining and natural resources industry. African Thunder Platinum, Aberdeen's premiere investment, is a lower-cost platinum group metals producer in South Africa's well-known Bushveld Complex. Aberdeen has further enhanced its mineral investment holdings with the acquisition of the Diablillos lithium/potash project in Argentina. For additional information, please visit our website at www.aberdeeninternational.ca and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and check out Aberdeen's YouTube Channel. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Paul Matysek, Executive Chairman Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. This news release contains certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities legislation (collectively "forward-looking statements"). Certain information contained herein constitutes "forward-looking information" under Canadian securities legislation. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "expects", "believes", "aims to", "plans to" or "intends to" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made and they are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, standard transaction risks; impact of the transaction on the parties; and risks relating to financings; regulatory approvals; foreign country operations and volatile share prices. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward looking information. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that are incorporated by reference herein, except as required by applicable securities laws. Figure 1: Sal de los Angeles Project is available at the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/1045473e.pdf Contacts: For further information on Lithium X Brian Paes-Braga President and CEO, Director 604-609-5137 info@lithium-x.com Investor Relations Mario Vetro 604-687-7130 ext. 105 mario@skanderbegcapital.com For further information on Aberdeen International David Stein President and Chief Executive Officer +1 416-861-5812 dstein@aberdeeninternational.ca Rob Hopkins Manager, Investor Relations +1 416-861-5899 info@aberdeeninternational.ca OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/16 -- A troop of 13 new fishery officers have graduated from the Fishery Officer Trainee program and will be joining the ranks of the Conservation and Protection Branch of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. The graduation ceremony was held in Regina, Saskatchewan. Parliamentary Secretary Serge Cormier was on hand to congratulate the graduates in person on behalf of Minister Hunter Tootoo. This is the first francophone troop of graduates since 2011. The new fishery officers were required to complete 16 weeks of classroom training, including nine weeks of training on enforcement methods at the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Training Academy in Regina, Saskatchewan. The graduates will now complete 30 months of practical training in Conservation and Protection field offices across Quebec and New Brunswick. Quotes "Fishery Officers are the federal government's front line in support of the Fisheries Act, and other related acts and regulations. They play a critical role in communities across Canada, promoting compliance and building awareness about enforcement activities and conservation goals. I am very pleased to welcome these new graduates to the department and I wish them all the best as they embark on their new careers." - The Honourable Hunter Tootoo, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard "The Fishery Officer Trainee program is highly regarded and I am so pleased to be here today to congratulate the newest members of the Conservation and Protection team. It's great to know that Canada has these highly trained officers in place to ensure that our valuable fisheries resources remain healthy and strong, today and into the future." - Serge Cormier, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard Related Products -- For information on how to become a Fishery Officer, visit the Fisheries and Oceans Canada website at http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/enf- loi/officer-agent-eng.htm Associated Links - Compliance and enforcement - Location of Conservation and Protection Offices Internet: http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca Follow us on Twitter! www.Twitter.com/DFO_MPO Contacts: Media Relations Fisheries and Oceans Canada 613-990-7537 Media.xncr@dfo-mpo.gc.ca Mike Murphy Director of Communications Office of the Minister Fisheries and Oceans Canada 613-992-3474 Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2016) - Data Deposit Box Inc. (CSE: DDB) (OTCQB: DDBXF) (FSE: 2DD) (the "Company" or "Data Deposit Box") a global provider of cloud backup and recovery technology, is proud to announce that the Company received the Best Cloud Solution and Best Storage Solution awards at this year's ASCII Events IT SMB Success Summit, in Austin, Texas. The ASCII Events shows are channel partner focused events which is made up of a supporting network of over 2,000 Managed Service Providers (MSP) / Value Added Resellers (VAR) worldwide. ASCII provides a portfolio of IT business-building services that range from turnkey marketing campaigns to a highly utilized peer-to-peer business referral and lead network. These channel focused shows draw an average of over 200 partners per event, and in Austin the major cloud storage exhibitors on hand included Data Deposit Box; Datto, Inc.; Carbonite, Inc.; and StorageCraft Technology Corporation. The Austin event was the first event of the year for the ASCII Events network (of 8 events in North America in 2016) with 165 Austin-based MSPs in attendance. At each event, each exhibitor is given 25 minutes of keynote time and 2 hours of pavilion time to present its solutions to existing and potential new Managed Service Partners, the main source of channel partnerships. At the conclusion of each event, the partners in attendance vote on 8 categories, including the Best Cloud Solution and the Best Storage Solution exhibitor. Partners compared the competing cloud storage solutions and at the end of the show awarded Data Deposit Box with the awards for both Best Cloud Solution and Best Storage Solution. "We are very proud of both awards!" says Troy Cheeseman, President of Data Deposit Box. "We have spent considerable effort over the past 12 months to shift our business to become a Managed Service Provider, Partner and Reseller only business. Our products are now ready to provide a full end-to-end solution for the MSP and the SMB they support. We can offer unmatched choice and flexibility with our technology and with our price to the partner; something that has not been available on the market until now. We are hearing directly from our new and existing partners that our strategy to become the end-to-end cloud backup and recovery solution for IT partners and the SMB (globally) is exactly what the client and partner community is looking for." "For the past 12+ months, we have focused our global business and strategy on three distinct strategic goals: build our partner-only and reseller-only channel; build the MSP enablement channel; and become the end-to-end cloud backup and recovery provider for the SMB globally. Being awarded both the Best Cloud Solution and Best Storage Solution when compared against such large and heavily funded companies sends a real message that Data Deposit Box is offering a service that resonates with the SMB and the MSPs who support them", says Tim Jewell, CEO of Data Deposit Box. About Data Deposit Box Data Deposit Box, a pioneer of cloud backup and recovery technology, has set a new industry standard by providing the SMB market with the same level of security and protection that is available to large enterprises. Data Deposit Box patented backup technology, known for its Exabyte scalability, advanced data reduction capabilities and ease-of-use, has won prestigious industry awards and has been featured in many key industry publications. Data Deposit Box technologies and solutions are currently used daily by over 200,000 customers, 1,000 resellers, 25 MSPs and private label partners for online backup and recovery, archiving, disaster readiness, secure file sharing and remote access. Investor Inquiries W. Clark Kent Corporate Development Telephone: 647-519-2646 Email: ckent@currentmca.com This news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "would", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. These statements are only predictions. Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the information is provided, and is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. For a description of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company and its business and affairs, readers should refer to the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change, unless required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Net metered solar installations in Mexico reached a capacity of 114 MW at the end of 2015 in Mexico, according to data published by the nation's Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE). In the past year more than 50 MW of solar PV has been added under the net metering program, which is limited to PV projects under 500 kW. With these installation levels, Mexico retained its position for another year as the largest market for net-metered solar installations in Latin America, and is well ahead of other markets. In the last year Brazil reached 13.4 MW of PV under net metering, and the Dominican Republic has around 21 MW of net-metered installations. In 2014, Mexico was also the largest market with around 30 MW of net-metered solar ... Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2016) - Canamex Resources Corp. (TSXV: CSQ) (OTCQX: CNMXF) (FSE: CX6) ("Canamex") is pleased to announce the positive results of the Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") on the Bruner Gold Project in Nye County, Nevada. The Bruner Gold Project is currently a 70/30 joint venture between Canamex Resources Corporation and Patriot Gold Corporation with Canamex as the majority owner and manager of the joint venture. All dollar references are in US dollars. The current exchange rate is Cdn$1.34 = US$1.00. The Company is pleased to announce results of the PEA on a 100% ownership basis for the Bruner Gold Project in Nevada. The key outcomes of the study include: Pre-tax net present value at 5% discount rate (NPV5) of $61 million; Low initial capital of $33.4 million; Pre-tax IRR of 42.1% at $1250 gold price; Attractive after-tax IRR of 39.0% and NPV5% of $54.9 million; Average annual gold production of 46,500 ounces and 44,600 ounces of silver; and Average cash cost of $550/oz. of gold produced for the first two years of operation and $818/oz. thereafter, over a 6-year mine life with a two-year tail of gold and silver recovery after mining. The PEA was prepared by Welsh-Hagen Associates of Reno, Nevada in accordance with the requirements of Canadian National Instrument 43-101 "Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects" ("NI 43-101"), and based upon the maiden NI43-101 resource for the project released in March 2015. The initial NI43-101 resources remain open in multiple directions and are amenable to expansion with additional drilling. "Completion of this Preliminary Economic Assessment is an important milestone. I believe we will be able to move the Bruner Gold Project forward into permitting and development on the strength of this positive PEA. The project includes the fundamental elements we consider important to investors when building a mine: low capital and operating costs, and a reasonable rate of return in the current price environment. We can now move ahead with permitting and engineering the project for development," said Mark Billings, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Canamex Resources. Highlights of the Preliminary Economic Assessment include: Estimated initial capital expenditures of $33.4 million Pay-back period of nominally 1.25 years at $1,250/oz gold. Pre-tax IRR of 42.1% and after-tax IRR of 39.0% at $1,250/oz gold Average annual gold production of 46,500 oz at a cash cost of $550/oz. for the first two years and $818/oz. thereafter for an average cash cost of $796/oz. Contract mining with room for significant improvement on mining costs with owner operated mining Facility siting and first two years of production entirely on patented claims to allow for a streamlined permitting process Oxide heap leach processing with 90% recovery of gold on single stage crushed material and 75% recovery of gold on run of mine (ROM) material Life-of-mine (LOM) production of crushed material of 14.5 million tonnes at a gold grade of 0.66 gpt (0.020 opt) and 2.5 million tonnes of ROM material at a gold grade of 0.16 gpt (0.005 opt) resulting in 288,100 ounces of payable gold and 278,100 ounces of payable silver. Canamex cautions that the PEA is preliminary in nature in that it includes Inferred Mineral Resources which are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be characterized as mineral reserves, and there is no certainty that the PEA will be realized. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Financial Analysis The PEA base case uses a gold price of $1,250/oz. and generates a pre-tax net present value (NPV 5% ) of $61 million, a pre-tax IRR of 42.1%, and an average annual pre-tax net cash flow from operations of $10.5 million for the eight years of gold recovery. A preliminary after-tax model based on a 100% ownership basis, and not taking into account any non-project deductible expenses, corporate tax credits, or tax-loss carryforwards at the company level returns an after-tax IRR of 39.0% and an after-tax NPV5% of $54.9 million. This calculation takes into account the Nevada Net Proceeds Tax, and federal and state income taxes, after allowance for accelerated depreciation of initial and sustaining capital, and depletion allowance. Complete project break-even (nil IRR) is reached at a gold price of $954.50/oz., although the first two years of operation have a break-even gold price of $784/oz. The mine production schedule is developed such that a decision whether or not to proceed with the higher cost Penelas pit development can be made based upon prevailing gold price at the time, after the first two years of production and payback of initial capital, and sufficient net cash flow is generated to pay for the pre-stripping of the Penelas deposit. Table 1: Pre-Tax Economic Sensitivity TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/16 -- Based on the current rate of progress, it will take over 100 years before women earn the same wages as men. In Ontario today, even though women now account for roughly half of the labour force, they continue to make 31.5 percent less than the average annual earnings of male workers - one of the largest reported gaps in the world. It amounts to a gendered wage penalty that is compounded by race, immigration status, sexual orientation, gender identity and ability. It is an economic price that women pay at every wage level, regardless of their age, education or occupation. Action on wage equality cannot wait another year, let alone one hundred. This year, as millions of women around the world observe March 8 as International Women's Day, the Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) is calling on the Ontario government to take concrete action to close the gender wage gap by 2025. Under the banner the "Ontario We Want" the OFL, affiliates and our community partners are demanding a stronger commitment to pay equity and a sweeping overhaul of Ontario's outmoded labour laws to lift every worker out of poverty. "For over a century, women have sought to unionize their workplaces as a vehicle to pull themselves out of low wage conditions, secure decent benefits and improve their standard of living," said OFL Secretary-Treasurer Patty Coates. "However, many women continue to find themselves in precarious employment and earning sub-poverty wages. To maximize women's economic potential, we need to raise the floor for every single worker." A recent study on the rise of precarious employment tells the story of a dramatic restructuring of Ontario's labour market where as many as 50 percent of all workers are trapped in temporary, part-time and contract jobs. Women are over-represented in this vulnerable majority of workers, making up 70 percent of part-time workers and over 60 percent of the 1.7 million Ontarians who earn at or near the minimum wage. Women workers who do not belong to a union are eight times more likely to earn poverty wages and half as likely to have a workplace pension. Unionized women receive an average pay boost of $7.83 an hour and benefit from better job security and workplace benefits. The fair wages and work hours that unions have negotiated for women workers in Ontario deliver nearly $231.2 million more every week into the provincial economy and provide critical support to families. However, regardless of union membership, all Canadian women have benefited from the achievements of unions. Laws guaranteeing the minimum wage, pay equity, maternity leave, and harassment free workplaces were all secured because of the work of trade unions. "Closing the gender wage gap will require more than just equal pay for equal work," said OFL President Chris Buckley. "While the expansion and enforcement of pay equity legislation can provide strong tools for leveling the playing field for women, they won't be able to reach their full economic potential without broad improvements to employment standards, a $15 minimum wage and easier access to joining a union." As part of the "Fight for $15 and Fairness" movement that is sweeping Ontario, the labour movement is using the occasion of International Women's Day to highlight the need for pay equity and labour law reform by calling on Ontario to "Make it Fair." "2016 is the 100th anniversary of women winning the right to vote in a Canadian province. Nellie McClung and the 'Famous Five' led this historic victory in Manitoba and paved the way for women's suffrage across Canada," said Coates. "What better way to honour their legacy than to make sure that one hundred years from today, young women will look back on wage discrimination as a similar relic from another century." The OFL is encouraging women workers across Ontario to celebrate International Women's Day by attending community events being held across Ontario and to join the campaign to raise wages and working standards for every worker. The Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) represents 54 unions and one million workers in Ontario. For information, visit www.OFL.ca and follow @OFLabour on Facebook and Twitter. Contacts: Joel Duff OFL Communications Director 416-707-0349 (cell) jduff@ofl.ca TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/16 -- Kombat Copper Inc. (TSX VENTURE: KBT) ("Kombat Copper" or the "Company") has signed a definitive agreement with EBM Mining Namibia (Pty) Ltd. ("EBM") to carry out development and mining of lead/copper mineralization at the Kombat Mine while also commencing the refurbishment of the mine infrastructure and production facilities. Production is expected to commence within the year. The key terms of the definitive agreement are as follows: -- EBM will commence operations in the Kombat East and Kombat Central areas of the Kombat mine for a three year term. The Company's core areas of Kombat West, Asis West and Asis Far West are excluded. EBM will also focus on the lead enriched Gross Otavi Deposit located 12 km to the west of Kombat -- EBM has committed to making an investment to refurbish certain necessary components and infrastructure, which will benefit Kombat Copper in the future. Kombat Copper will have the right to acquire all the installed components and infrastructure at the end of the three year contract for a nominal N$1 and does not have to invest any capital up front. -- Profits will be split equally between Kombat Copper and EBM. Kombat Copper has agreed to reimburse up to 50% of EBM's capital investment from 50% of its profit share. -- EBM will pay operating costs directly. To maintain control, Kombat Copper will collect the proceeds from the sale of materials and then pay EBM its contracting fee. -- Kombat Copper will earn a N$150,000 (CAD$15,000) monthly retainer to cover its monthly Namibian carrying costs. EBM has also agreed to assume security costs for the site. -- Kombat Copper also has the right to re-start mining in other areas of the mine and use its infrastructure before the three year contract expires. -- EBM has agreed to manage all environmental compliance associated with re-starting mining operations. -- EBM will source local skilled and non-skilled labour and will utilize local suppliers and contractors, whenever possible, from the Kombat region. In its role as contractor, EBM will be managing the hiring process to support operations. The Company anticipates a steady flow of non-dilutive cash flow to become available towards the end of 2016 from the mining operations. The free cash flow will be used to: 1. Focus on expanding the resource base for the western mine area, outside of the EBM contractual agreement area by funding an exploratory drilling program. 2. Complete pre-feasibility and other studies as necessary to re-start Kombat Copper's core asset. 3. Commence consolidation in the district and/or acquire additional land along the Kombat trend. Paul Bozoki, President and CEO of Kombat Copper, commented: "We are extremely pleased to have finalized this landmark agreement with EBM Mining Namibia. Kombat will now be able to realize on its goal of restarting operations at the Kombat Mine with an experienced and respected contractor. This relationship is expected to not only support the Company with a steady stream of cash, but it is also a great win for the local economy as we anticipate an increase in trade with our local merchants in the town and surrounding areas. Kombat will now be able to focus on our core copper assets for future production sources while also financing the refurbishment of our infrastructure and operations in a non-dilutive way for our shareholders." Kombat Attending PDAC 2016 at Booth #2221 Kombat Copper will be attending the Prospector and Developers Association of Canada's annual conference for two days on March 6th and 7th. Kombat will be located at booth #2221 and welcomes existing shareholders and interested investors to visit the Kombat Team. For more information on PDAC 2016 please visit their website at www.pdac.ca/convention. About Kombat Copper Kombat Copper is a publicly traded Canadian exploration and development company with its core operations focused on copper resources in Namibia, one of the world's most prospective copper regions, where it has substantial assets in place with significant upside. The Company continues to hold an 80% interest in five mining licenses in the Otavi Mountainlands, an area of Namibia particularly known for its high-grade copper deposits. Within these licenses are three past-producing mines including the Company's flagship property, the Kombat Mine. Kombat Copper has contracted EBM Mining Namibia to begin mining lead/copper mineralization at Kombat East, Kombat Central and potentially Gross Otavi within the year. Concentrates will be produced at the Company's production facilities, which will be refurbished by EBM. EBM will also be evaluating opportunities to market aggregate stone and sand byproducts locally. Cautionary Notes Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain forward-looking statements. These statements include statements regarding the drill program, possible mineralization and deposits, the anticipated timeline regarding future exploration work, availability of results and production, the Company's expectations regarding mineral resources, EBM's ability to commence operations and operate the applicable portions of the Kombat mine, EBM's ability to make the requisite investments, the Company's expectations regarding the production and sales of mineralization from the Kombat Mine and potential development work and the Company's plans for the Kombat Mine including any financial impact and community impact. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially because of factors discussed in the management discussion and analysis section of our interim and most recent annual financial statements or other reports and filings with the TSX Venture Exchange and applicable Canadian securities regulations. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable laws. Contacts: Kombat Copper Inc. Rob Hopkins Manager, Investor Relations +1 (416) 861-5899 info@kombatcopper.com Kombat Copper Inc. Paul Bozoki President and CEO +1 (416) 309-2951 pbozoki@kombatcopper.com www.kombatcopper.com Entree Gold Inc. is a Canadian mineral exploration company balancing opportunity and risk with key assets in Mongolia and Nevada. As a joint venture partner with a carried interest on a portion of the Oyu Tolgoi mining project in Mongolia, Entree has a unique opportunity to participate in one of the world's largest copper-gold projects managed by one of the premier mining companies - Rio Tinto. Oyu Tolgoi, with its series of deposits containing copper, gold and molybdenum, has been under exploration and development since the late 1990s. Additionally, Entree has also been advancing its Ann Mason Project in one of the world's most favourable mining jurisdictions, Nevada. The Ann Mason Project hosts the Ann Mason copper-molybdenum deposit as well as the Blue Hill copper deposit within the rejuvenated Yerington copper camp. Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Full year revenue of 3.1 billion, up +16%, and profit from operations up +10%, at 423 million Revenue in Payment & Identity at 1.8 billion, represents 58% of the total sales Platforms & Services revenue reaches 898 million, up +70% Free cash flow generation accelerated over the year, with 233 million in the second semester To better assess past and future performance, the income statement is presented on an adjusted basis and variations in revenue figures above and in this document are at constant exchange rates except where otherwise noted (see page 2 "Basis of preparation of financial information"). Non-GAAP financial measures are not meant to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for comparable IFRS measures and should be read only in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements. Reconciliation with the IFRS income statement is presented in Appendix 1. The statement of financial position is prepared in accordance with IFRS, and the cash position variation schedule is derived from the IFRS cash flow statement. All figures in this press release are unaudited. Amsterdam, March 4, 2016 - Gemalto (Euronext NL0000400653 - GTO), the world leader in digital security today announces its results for the full year 2015. Key figures of the adjusted income statement Year-on-year variations ( in millions) Full year 2015 Full year 2014 at historical exchange rates at constant exchange rates Revenue 3,122 2,465 +27% +16% Gross profit 1,216 952 +28% Operating expenses (793) (569) +39% Profit from operations 423 383 +10% Profit margin 13.5% 15.5% Olivier Piou, Chief Executive Officer, commented: "2015 illustrates the structural transformation and successful diversification of the Company. Payment is now clearly the largest business of the Company; the Enterprise portfolio is aligned following SafeNet integration; Government Programs is back to rapid growth with a solid win rate; adjustments are supporting the SIM activity evolution; and the Machine-to-Machine business continues to expand rapidly. In a challenging 2015 Mobile environment, Gemalto demonstrated the resilience of its business model with another double digit expansion in profit from operations and strong cash generation. Entering the second part of our multi-year development plan we will focus in 2016 on expanding our gross margin, progressively optimizing our main segments' performance en route to our 2017 objectives." Basis of preparation of financial information Segment information The Mobile segment reports on businesses associated with mobile cellular technologies including Machine-to-Machine, mobile secure elements (SIM, embedded secure element) and mobile Platforms & Services. The Payment & Identity segment reports on businesses associated with secure personal interactions including Payment, Government Programs and Enterprise. The SafeNet acquisition is part of the Enterprise business. In addition to this segment information the Company also reports revenues of Mobile and Payment & Identity by type of activity: Embedded software & Products (E&P) and Platforms & Services (P&S). Historical exchange rates and constant currency figures The Company sells its products and services in a very large number of countries and is commonly remunerated in other currencies than the Euro. Fluctuations in these other currencies exchange rates against the Euro have in particular a translation impact on the reported Euro value of the Company revenues. Comparisons at constant exchange rates aim at eliminating the effect of currencies translation movements on the analysis of the Group revenue by translating prior-year revenues at the same average exchange rate as applied in the current year. Revenue variations are at constant exchange rates and include the impact of currencies variation hedging program, except where otherwise noted. All other figures in this press release are at historical exchange rates, except where otherwise noted. Pro forma figures Following the acquisition of SafeNet and for a better understanding of the year-on-year evolution of the business, the Company presents the 2014 Gemalto segment and activity pro forma figures as if SafeNet had been consolidated for the full year 2014 period and year-on-year variations between these 2014 pro forma figures and 2015 figures as if SafeNet had been consolidated starting from January 1, 2015. The difference between 2015 actual figures and 2015 pro forma figures corresponds to the SafeNet contribution from January 1st, 2015 to January 7th, 2015, the actual transaction closing date. SafeNet's pro forma figures used in this document were translated into Euro using monthly currency conversion rates. Variations of pro forma revenue figures are at constant exchange rates and exclude the impact of our hedging program on currencies variation for 2014 and 2015. Overall pro forma growth includes the 2015 organic growth coming from SafeNet activities. This metric aims at giving a fair view of the operational performance of the Company, including the ensuing synergies generated by the acquisition. Adjusted income statement and profit from operations (PFO) non-GAAP measure The consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). To better assess its past and future performance, the Company also prepares an adjusted income statement where the key metric used to evaluate the business and make operating decisions over the period 2010 to 2017 is the profit from operations (PFO). PFO is a non-GAAP measure defined as IFRS operating profit adjusted for (i) the amortization and depreciation of intangibles resulting from acquisitions, (ii) restructuring and acquisition-related expenses, (iii) all equity-based compensation charges and associated costs; and (iv) fair value adjustments upon business acquisitions. These items are further explained as follows: Amortization and depreciation of intangibles resulting from acquisitions are defined as the amortization and depreciation expenses related to the intangibles recognized as part of the allocation of the excess purchase consideration over the share of net assets acquired. Restructuring and acquisitions-related expenses are defined as (i) restructuring expenses which are the costs incurred in connection with a restructuring as defined in accordance with the provisions of IAS 37 (e.g. sale or termination of a business, closure of a plant,.), and consequent costs; (ii) reorganization expenses defined as the costs incurred in connection with headcount reductions, consolidation of manufacturing and offices sites, as well as the rationalization and harmonization of the product and service portfolio, and the integration of IT systems, consequent to a business combination; and (iii) transaction costs (such as fees paid as part of the acquisition process). Equity-based compensation charges are defined as (i) the discount granted to employees acquiring Gemalto shares under Gemalto Employee Stock Purchase plans; (ii) the amortization of the fair value of stock options and restricted share units granted by the Board of Directors to employees, and the related costs. Fair value adjustments over net assets acquired are defined as the reversal, in the income statement, of the fair value adjustments recognized as a result of a business combination, as prescribed by IFRS3R. Those adjustments are mainly associated with (i) the amortization expense related to the step-up of the acquired work-in-progress and finished goods assumed at their realizable value and (ii) the amortization of the cancelled commercial margin related to deferred revenue balance acquired These non-GAAP financial measures are not meant to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for comparable IFRS measures and should be read only in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with IFRS. In the adjusted income statement, Operating Expenses are defined as the sum of Research and Engineering expenses, Sales and Marketing expenses, General and Administrative expenses, and Other income (expense) net. EBITDA is defined as PFO plus depreciation and amortization expenses, excluding the above amortization and depreciation of intangibles resulting from acquisitions. Adjusted financial information The consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) as adopted by the European Union. To better assess its past and future performance, the Company also prepares an adjusted income statement. ( in millions) Full year 2015 Full year 2014 Extract of the adjusted income statement As a % of revenue As a % of revenue Year-on-year variation at historical exchange rates constant exchange rates Revenue 3,121.6 2,465.2 +27% +16% Gross profit 1,215.9 39.0% 952.2 38.6% +0.3 ppt Operating expenses (793.3) (25.4%) (569.5) (23.1%) (2.3 ppt) EBITDA 546.9 17.5% 478.6 19.4% +14% Profit from operations 422.6 13.5% 382.7 15.5% +10.4% Net profit 303.5 9.7% 315.3 12.8% (4%) () Basic Earnings per share 3.45 3.64 (5%) Diluted Earnings per share 3.41 3.55 (4%) Total revenue for 2015 came in at 3,122 million. Strong growth in Payment, Government Programs and Machine-to-Machine, coupled with the addition of SafeNet drove the revenue expansion of +27% at historical exchange rates and +16% at constant exchange rates. Full year 2015 (in percentage points). SafeNet addition Pro forma growth Hedge effect Currencies variation effect Revenue growth at historical exchange rates Contributions to total . year-on-year revenue variation +12% +6% (2%) +9% +27% The total Company's year-on-year revenue growth was +6% pro forma. SafeNet's combination added 12 percentage points to the 2014 reported sales. The substantial strengthening of the US dollar versus Euro compared to 2014 and the now larger part of the Company's US dollar denominated revenue generated a 9 percentage point difference between revenue growth at historical and at constant exchange rates. This difference was partly reduced by the currency variation protection hedging program that induced a (2) percentage point reduction on the reported sales. Embedded software & Products (E&P) revenue grew by +3%. Payment cards represented the largest part of the E&P expansion. High demand for connectivity and security modules for the Internet of Things (IoT) and strong deliveries in Government Programs also notably contributed to the E&P revenue increase. E&P activity in the Mobile segment reduced due to lower year-on-year SIM sales following the closure of the major US wireless carriers' payment venture, and to a lesser extent to lower demand in Latin America and Asia in the second semester. In Platforms & Services (P&S), sales were up by +70%, due to further revenue expansion in payment issuance services, to growth in eGovernment services and to SafeNet's contribution to the Enterprise business. These increases largely exceeded the reduced Mobile Financial Services revenue coming from the United States. Globally, 2015 revenue growth illustrated the structural transformation and successful diversification of the Company. Gemalto posted a +6% pro forma revenue growth though sales of SIM and Mobile related services declined by an unusual (15%) year-on-year during the period. Gross profit was up by 264 million, to 1,216 million, representing a gross margin of 39%, up +0.3 percentage point year-on-year. The increase in gross profit in the Payment and Government Programs businesses more than offset the lower contribution from the Mobile segment. Operating expenses were up by 2.3 percentage point of revenue to 25.4%, at (793) million. The increase came primarily from the addition of SafeNet, running at a higher percentage of operating expenses than Gemalto's historical business, and from currency translation effects, which outweighed the absence of variable pay-out to management and employees related to profit from operations. As a result, 2015 profit from operations came in at 423 million, representing 13.5% profit margin and up 40 million, +10.4% year-on-year. Gemalto's financial income was (38) million compared to (12) million for 2014. Interest expense and amortized costs on the public bond, private placements and credit lines facilities amounted to (13) million and foreign exchange transactions and other financial items amounted to (24) million. Share of profit in associates was 2 million for the full year 2015. As a result, adjusted profit before income tax came in at 387 million compared to 370 million the previous year, an increase of +5%. Adjusted income tax expense increased to (83) million, compared to (54) million the previous year, as Gemalto tax rate is progressively converging toward its expected normative effective tax rate level. Overall, the 2015 adjusted net profit for the Company was 303 million, lower by 12 million when compared to 2014. Adjusted basic earnings per share came in at 3.45, and adjusted diluted earnings per share at 3.41, compared to 2014 adjusted basic earnings per share of 3.64 and adjusted diluted earnings per share of 3.55. IFRS results Fair value adjustments, mainly the non-cash amortization of the IFRS revaluation of SafeNet's pre-acquisition inventories and deferred revenue at their realizable value, accounted for (71) million for the full year 2015. It was (67) million for the first semester 2015, (4) million for the second semester, and null in 2014. Amortization and depreciation of intangibles resulting from acquisitions, another non-cash element, came in at (61) million versus (27) million in 2014, also mainly due to the SafeNet acquisition. Restructuring and acquisition-related expenses increased to (49) million versus (30) million year-on-year, due to the acquisitions and to the restructuring of the Mobile Platforms & Services business and data centers. The equity-based compensation charge was reduced by (17) million year-on-year, to (39) million, as the Company long-term incentive plans are aligned with the multi-year development plan objectives and conditional on a set of cumulative progress indicators over the period. The IFRS income tax rate came in at 18% for the year, up 4 percentage points versus 2014. As a result, Gemalto recorded an IFRS operating profit (EBIT) of 203 million for 2015 compared to 270 million in 2014 and an IFRS net profit of 137 million for 2015 versus 221 million in 2014. IFRS basic earnings per share and diluted earnings per share came in at 1.56 and 1.54 respectively in 2015, compared to 2.55 and 2.49 respectively in 2014. Statement of financial position and cash position variation schedule For the full year 2015, Gemalto operating activities generated a cash flow before changes in working capital of 443 million, up +12%, compared to the 394 million generated in 2014. Change in working capital had a 65 million positive impact on the cash flow in 2015 compared to an (81) million negative impact in 2014. Net trade receivables and payables improved year-on-year mainly from better cash collection, advance payments received as well as customer payments which had been delayed from 2014 to 2015. The hedging currency protection program generated a cash outflow of (124) million in 2015 which will be recovered within the next three years. Capital expenditure and acquisition of intangibles amounted to (185) million, i.e. 5.9% of revenue. Property, Plant, and Equipment assets accounted for (98) million of investment in 2015, compared to (81) million in 2014, to support the fast growing businesses, particularly in the United States. Acquisition and Capitalization of development expenses represented (88) million, with capitalization of development expenses representing 1.7% of revenue in 2015 compared to 1.5% in 2014. Excluding the (124) million prepaid derivative for hedging currency protection payment, free cash flow from operations increased by +74% at 293 million in 2015 compared to 169 million in 2014. When including this prepaid derivative payment, free cash flow from operations was 233 million in the second semester, leading to 170 million for the full year of 2015. Cash outflow related to acquisitions, net of cash acquired, was (897) million in 2015 versus (84) million in 2014, mostly due to the acquisitions of SafeNet and Trub. On May 24, 2015, Gemalto paid a cash dividend of 0.42 per share in respect of the fiscal year 2014, up +11% on the dividend paid in 2014. This distribution used 37 million in cash. Gemalto's share buy-back program had no impact on the cash position in 2015 and the independently managed liquidity program generated a (3) million cash outflow. As at December 31, 2015, the Company held 903,717 of its own shares in treasury, representing 1.0% of its issued and paid-up share capital. The total number of shares issued increased by +991,865 in 2015 to 89,007,709 as announced in first semester and, net of the 903,717 shares held in treasury, 88,103,992 shares were outstanding as at December 31, 2015. The average acquisition price of the shares repurchased on the market by the Company held in treasury as at December 31, 2015 was 40.20. Net proceeds from financing activities generated a 117 million cash inflow, mainly coming from private placement loan issuances, credit line drawdown, financing of US operations and proceeds received by the Company from the exercise of stock options by employees. Gemalto's cash and cash equivalents as at December 31, 2015 was 405 million. It was 1,057 million at the end of 2014. The current and non-current borrowings excluding bank overdrafts were 740 million. As a result in particular of the (897) million cash outflow from acquisitions, partly offset by the operating cash generation acceleration, the Company's financial position moved to a net debt position of 335 million as at December 31, 2015 from a 493 million net cash position at the end of 2014. Segment information Revenue ( in millions) Payment & Identity Mobile Total two main segments Patents & Others Total Fourth quarter 510 338 847 6 854 At constant rates +44% (15%) +13% +383% +13% At historical rates +53% (9%) +20% +383% +21% Full Year 1,818 1,279 3,097 25 3,122 At constant rates +45% (10%) +16% +43% +16% At historical rates +57% (1%) +27% +43% +27% During the fourth quarter, revenue expanded by +13% at constant exchange rates and +21% at historical exchange rates. In Mobile, similar trends as the previous quarter were observed, with lower (15%) revenue mostly due to lower SIM and related services sales in the United States. In the fourth quarter, growth in Payment & Identity was +44% at constant exchange rates and +53% at historical exchange rates, with lower year-on-year sales of payment cards in China. Full year 2015 Embedded software & Products Platforms & Services Total two main activities Patents & Others Total Revenue 2,199 898 3,097 25 3,122 Year-on-Year revenue growth +3% +70% +16% +43% +16% As a percentage of total revenue 70% 29% 99% 1% 100% As a percentage of total revenue growth at constant exchange rates 14% 84% 98% 2% 100% Activities within Embedded software & Products and Platforms & Services both contributed to the revenue growth of Gemalto in 2015, up by +3% and +70% respectively (and up +1% and +11% respectively on a pro forma basis). Growth in Embedded software & Products came mostly from Payment, Machine-to-Machine and Government Programs. Platforms & Services increase in revenue was driven by higher Payment issuance services, especially in the United States, expansion in Government Programs and the contribution of SafeNet to the Enterprise business, which largely offset the lower Mobile Financial Services revenue generated in 2015. Platforms & Services contributed 84% of the total Company revenue growth in 2015. Profit from operations ( in millions) Total (including Patents & Others) Payment & Identity Mobile Second semester 263 161 101 As a percentage of the full year profit from operations 62% 68% 59% Year-on-year variation = +81% (41%) Full year 423 239 172 Year-on-year variation +10% +68% (27%) Full year profit from operations increased by +10.4% year-on-year. The lower profit from operations contribution of the Mobile segment was more than offset by the Payment & Identity segment performance, up +68% compared to 2014. Profit from operations increased in all Payment & Identity businesses, stemming from EMV migration in the United States for Payment, the initial SafeNet synergies in Enterprise and strong deliveries in Government Programs. Payment & Identity Full year 2015 Full year 2014 Year-on-year variation in millions As a % of revenue in millions As a % of revenue at historical exchange rates at constant exchange rates Revenue 1,818.4 1,158.3 +57% +45% Gross profit 698.3 38.4% 386.2 33.3% +5.1 ppt Operating expenses (459.6) (25.3%) (244.2) (21.1%) (4.2 ppt) Profit from operations 238.7 13.1% 142.0 12.3% +68% Payment & Identity's full year revenue came in at 1,818 million, increasing by +45% at constant exchange rates compared to 2014 and up +16% pro forma SafeNet. The segment's Embedded software & Products sales were up by +18% at 1,168 million and its Platforms & Services sales more than doubled to 650 million. The Payment business grew by +23% in 2015 versus 2014. The Americas posted the largest growth, with revenue almost doubling compared to previous year on strong sales of EMV payment cards and rapid expansion of issuance services in the United States. Payment Embedded software & Products sales grew by +19% and Payment Platforms & Services revenue expanded by +40% compared to 2014 at constant exchange rates. Revenue from the Enterprise business came in at 425 million in 2015 with expansion coming from the addition of SafeNet and from the sustained market demand for cybersecurity, software protection and software monetization solutions. The alignment of authentication portfolios between the Identity Access Management business and SafeNet is on track. The trend in revenue mix in authentication and data protection continues to move towards a higher proportion of software and services, and to gross profit increasing faster than revenue. On a pro forma basis this evolution had led to a gross margin increase of +2 percentage points in Enterprise compared to 2014. Revenue from the Government Programs business came in at 391 million, up +24% at constant exchange rates compared to 2014. Sales expansion came from delivery commencements of previously won projects while at the same time project backlog continued to expand, and from the 45 million contribution of Trub AG, a Swiss provider of identification solutions acquired in the second quarter of 2015. Government Programs Embedded software & Products revenue was up +19% and Government Programs Platforms & Services sales were up +44% in 2015 compared to 2014. The steep business ramp-up in the United States led to an unusually high dedication of resources, yet the Payment & Identity segment gross margin as a whole improved to 38%, up +5.1 percentage points compared to 2014, due to the strong Platforms & Services expansion in the segment. Operating expenses grew to (460) million in 2015, in large part due to the acquisitions additions, and to a lesser extent to the currency translation effects as well as the shift of internal resources to the segment in order to effectively capture the rapid growth of its different businesses. As a result profit from operations in Payment & Identity came in at 239 million, up +68% from the 142 million recorded in 2014, leading to a 13.1% profit margin from operations, up +0.9 percentage points. Mobile Full year 2015 Full year 2014 Year-on-year variation in millions As a % of revenue in millions As a % of revenue at historical exchange rates at constant exchange rates Revenue 1,278.5 1,289.6 (1%) (10%) Gross profit 494.5 38.7% 550.2 42.7% (4.0 ppt) Operating expenses (322.2) (25.2%) (313.3) (24.3%) (0.9 ppt) Profit from operations 172.4 13.5% 236.9 18.4% (27%) The Mobile segment recorded annual revenue of 1,279 million, (1%) lower year-on-year at historical exchange rates and (10%) at constant exchange rates. Embedded software & Products revenue for the segment came in at 1,030 million, stable at historical exchange rates and (10%) lower compared to 2014 at constant exchange rates. The SIM business reduced by (17%) in 2015 compared to 2014, with a (23%) year-on-year reduction in the fourth quarter, mainly due to the United States operators' mobile payment venture closing as earlier announced, coupled with lower demand in Latin America and Asia. Revenue derived from SIM products now represents less than one quarter of total company revenues. The Machine-to-Machine business on the other hand continued to grow rapidly, by +18% year-on-year, due to the expanding global demand of connected devices and embedded secure elements for the Internet of Things (IoT). Platforms & Services revenue for the segment came in at 248 million, lower by (8%) as Mobile Financial Services revenue decreased year-on-year due to lower mobile payment business in the United States, as announced earlier. On a global perspective, in 2015 Gemalto Mobile Financial Services achieved several key milestones to interconnect different technologies, devices and actors. In particular, Gemalto announced its partnership with Samsung to accelerate the deployment of Samsung Pay in Europe. Gemalto's Trusted Service Hub offers payment issuers a one stop connection for lifecycle management of payment credentials and tokenization services. In 2015 Gemalto's Mobile Subscriber Services business also reached important milestones, related to embedded SIMs remote activation and management, with the adoption by the GSMA of a first common high-level architecture for the consumer market. Gemalto is deeply involved in this global interoperability effort, bringing its technical expertise and neutrality to help both device manufacturers and mobile network operators best align the ecosystem participants objectives. In this perspective, Gemalto recently provided the solution to Samsung Electronics for the launch of their latest Gear S2 smartwatch, allowing users to securely connect to their cellular network of choice. Gross margin for the Mobile segment was 39% in 2015, lower by (4) percentage points compared to 2014 mainly due to the lower revenue generated in the United States. Operating expenses increased by 9 million due to investments in Machine-to-Machine to capture the IoT sector's fast expansion and in Mobile Platforms & Services new features development. During the period, Gemalto significantly broadened its offers to device manufacturers and expanded the connectivity features of its platforms. Profit from operations hence came in at 172 million, i.e. a 13.5% profit margin from operations. Patents & Others Full year 2015 Full year 2014 Year-on-year variation in millions As a % of revenue in millions As a % of revenue at historical exchange rates at constant exchange rates Revenue 24.6 17.2 +43% +43% Gross profit 23.1 93.6% 15.8 91.5% +2.1 ppt Operating expenses (11.5) (46.8%) (12.0) (69.9%) +23.2 ppt Profit from operations 11.5 46.8% 3.7 21.6% +211% The Patents & Others segment generated 25 million of revenue for the full year 2015 in relation to new and renewed cross-licensing agreements. Compared to 2014, operating expenses decreased by 0.5 million. As a result, Patents & Others profit from operations came in at 12 million for the full year, compared to 4 million in 2014. Additional information Below is a highlight of new contracts and achievements published by the Company in 2015 Payment & Identity January, 08 2015 Gemalto finalizes the acquisition of SafeNet (http://www.gemalto.com/press/Pages/Gemalto-finalizes-the-acquisition-of-SafeNet.aspx) February, 12 2015 Gemalto Releases Findings of 2014 Breach Level Index (http://www.gemalto.com/press/Pages/Gemalto-Releases-Findings-of-2014-Breach-Level-Index.aspx) March, 11 2015 Shoreline's off-the-shelf solution speeds up EMV Deployment for U.S. banks (http://www.gemalto.com/press/Pages/Shoreline-off-the-shelf-solution-speeds-up-EMV-Deployment-for-US-banks.aspx) March, 17 2015 Gemalto solution powers a unified national registry for Oman's identity documents (http://www.gemalto.com/press/Pages/Gemalto-solution-powers-a-unified-national-registry-for-Oman-identity-documents.aspx) April, 14 2015 Shoreline launches on-the-spot EMV card issuance for U.S. community banks and credit unions (http://www.gemalto.com/press/Pages/Shoreline-launches-on-the-spot-EMV-card-issuance-for-U-S-community-banks-and-credit-unions.aspx) June, 15 2015 Orange Business Services and Gemalto join forces to provide customers with highly secure access to cloud-based applications (http://www.gemalto.com/press/Pages/Orange-Business-Services-and-Gemalto-join-forces-to-provide-customers-with-highly-secure-access-to-cloud-based-applications.aspx) July, 09 2015 California selects Gemalto for automated identity document verification (http://www.gemalto.com/press/Pages/California-selects-Gemalto-for-automated-identity-document-verification.aspx) August, 13 2015 Debit Network Alliance selects Gemalto to guide EMV strategy for U.S. debit card issuers (http://www.gemalto.com/press/Pages/Debit-Network-Alliance-selects-Gemalto-to-guide-EMV-deployment-strategy-for-US-debit-card-issuers.aspx) November, 18 2015 Maryland selects Gemalto's complete solution for new polycarbonate driver's licenses (http://www.gemalto.com/press/Pages/Maryland-selects-Gemalto-complete-solution-for-new-polycarbonate-drivers-licenses.aspx) November, 26 2015 BBVA Bancomer and Gemalto announce first commercial rollout of Dynamic Code Verification (http://www.gemalto.com/press/Pages/BBVA-Bancomer-and-Gemalto-announce-first-commercial-rollout-of-Dynamic-Code-Verification-solution.aspx) Mobile February, 17 2015 Gemalto Trusted Services Hub expands deployment to 350 million more mobile devices (http://www.gemalto.com/press/Pages/Gemalto-Trusted-Services-Hub-expands-secure-service-deployment-to-350-million-more-mobile-devices.aspx) February, 25 2015 Gemalto adds new Tokenization options to Its Trusted Services Hub (http://www.gemalto.com/press/Pages/Gemalto-adds-new-Tokenization-options-to-Its-Trusted-Services-Hub.aspx) March, 03 2015 Gemalto enables mobile NFC ticketing for Madrid public transport (http://www.gemalto.com/press/Pages/Gemalto-enables-mobile-NFC-ticketing-for-Madrid-public-transport.aspx) July, 02 2015 NTT Docomo selects Gemalto for IoT applications in Japan (http://www.gemalto.com/press/Pages/NTT-Docomo-selects-Gemalto-for-IoT-applications-in-Japan.aspx) July, 15 2015 Gemalto and ZTE jointly present remote subscription management on consumer devices (http://www.gemalto.com/press/Pages/Gemalto-and-ZTE-jointly-present-remote-subscription-management-on-consumer-devices.aspx) July, 15 2015 China Telecom and Gemalto present joint innovation for connecting cars and IoT (http://www.gemalto.com/press/Pages/China-Telecom-and-Gemalto-present-joint-innovation-for-connecting-cars-and-IoT.aspx) July, 16 2015 Gemalto demonstrates remote provisioning of consumer devices based on GSMA architecture (http://www.gemalto.com/press/Pages/Gemalto-demonstrates-remote-provisioning-of-consumer-devices-based-on-GSMA-architecture.aspx) September, 01 2015 Gemalto boosts connectivity for the IoT with the industry-first M2M Cat 1 LTE module (http://www.gemalto.com/press/Pages/Gemalto-boosts-connectivity-for-the-Internet-of-Things-with-the-industry-first-M2M-Cat-1-LTE-module.aspx) September, 03 2015 Gemalto Partners with Samsung for the launch of Samsung Pay in Europe (http://www.gemalto.com/press/Pages/Gemalto-Partners-with-Samsung-for-the-launch-of-Samsung-Pay-in-Europe-with-Innovative-Security-Solutions.aspx) September, 08 2015 Sprint extends relationship with Gemalto to manage growing LTE deployments across the U.S. (http://www.gemalto.com/press/Pages/Sprint-extends-relationship-with-Gemalto-to-manage-growing-LTE-deployments-across-the-U-S.aspx) October, 06 2015 Gemalto to provide solution for Samsung Gear S2 with 3G connectivity (http://www.gemalto.com/press/Pages/Gemalto-to-provide-solution-for-Samsung-Gear-S2-with-3G-connectivity.aspx) December, 04 2015 Gemalto, Orange, RATP and SNCF join forces to create Wizway Solutions (http://www.gemalto.com/press/Pages/Gemalto-Orange-RATP-and-SNCF-create-Wizway.aspx) Industry Recognitions April 2, 2015 Internet-of-Things solutions enabled by Gemalto win 2015 Connected World Awards (http://www.gemalto.com/press/Pages/Internet-of-Things-solutions-enabled-by-Gemalto-win-2015-Connected-World-Awards.aspx) July 23, 2015 Gemalto On-Demand Connectivity receives IoT Evolution Product of the Year Award (http://www.gemalto.com/press/Pages/Gemalto-On-Demand-Connectivity-receives-IoT-Evolution-Product-of-the-Year-Award.aspx) September 23, 2015 Gemalto receives 2015 Digital Payments Award from Juniper Research (http://www.gemalto.com/press/Pages/Gemalto-receives-2015-Digital-Payments-Award-from-Juniper-Research.aspx) October 13, 2015 Gemalto recognized in Top-100 World's Best Performing CEO's by Harvard Business Review (https://hbr.org/2015/11/the-best-performing-ceos-in-the-world) November 5, 2015 Gemalto recognized in Gartner's Market Guide for Issuer Tokenization (http://www.gemalto.com/press/Pages/Gemalto-recognized-in-Gartners-Market-Guide-for-Issuer-Tokenization.aspx) December 16, 2015 Gemalto awarded three times as the global leader in transport ticketing solutions (http://www.gemalto.com/press/Pages/Gemalto-awarded-three-times-as-the-global-leader-in-transport-ticketing-solutions.aspx) Proposed dividend The Board of Gemalto has decided to propose to the 2016 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders the payment of a cash dividend of 0.47 per share in 2016 in relation with the 2015 financial year, a +12% increase compared to the cash dividend of 0.42 per share paid in 2015 in relation with the 2014 financial year. If approved, the time schedule related to the dividend payment will be as follows: May 24, 2016 Ex-dividend date (the date as of which shares are traded without the right to the 2015 dividend) May 25, 2016 Dividend record date (the date on which shareholder positions are recorded as per close of business in order to be entitled to the 2015 dividend distribution) May 26, 2016 Payment date of dividend Gemalto shares will trade ex-dividend as from the beginning of the trading session on May 24, 2016. Holders of Gemalto shares on May 24, 2016 who would not have previously sold their shares will be able to freely trade their shares on the stock exchange as from such date and will not need to block their shares until the payment date of the dividend to benefit from such dividend. Outlook For 2016, with the positive trends in Enterprise, Government Programs, Machine-to-Machine and the US EMV ramp-up effort completed, Gemalto expects to generate a +1.5 percentage point gross margin increase, accelerating its profit from operation expansion towards its 2017 objectives. Live Audio Webcast and Conference call Gemalto full year 2015 results presentation will be webcast in English today at 3pm Amsterdam and Paris time (2pm London time and 9am New York time). This listen-only live audio webcast of the presentation and the Q&A session will be accessible from our Investor web site: www.gemalto.com/investors (http://www.gemalto.com/investors) Questions will be taken by way of conference call. Investors and financial analysts wishing to ask questions should join the presentation by dialing: (UK) +44 203 367 9453 or (US) +1 855 402 7761 or (FR) +33 1 7077 0934 The accompanying presentation slide set is also available for download on our Investor Relations web site. Replays of the presentation and Q&A session will be available in webcast format on our Investor Relations web site approximately 3 hours after the conclusion of the presentation. Replays will be available for one year. The annual report, including the financial statements as of December 31, 2015, is available on our Investor web site. Reporting calendar Financial reporting for the first three quarters of 2016 will be made before the opening of Euronext Amsterdam on the following dates: April 29, 2016 Publication of 2016 first quarter revenue August 26, 2016 Publication of 2016 first semester results October 28, 2016 Publication of 2016 third quarter revenue Gemalto N.V. will hold its 2016 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (AGM) on Thursday, May 19, 2016. The persons entitled to attend and cast votes at the AGM will be those who are recorded as having such rights after the close of trading on the relevant Euronext stock exchange on April 21, 2016 (the "Record Date") in Gemalto's shareholders register, or in a register of a financial institution affiliated to Euroclear France S.A., regardless of whether they are shareholders at the time of the AGM. The Annual General Meeting of Shareholders will be held at the Hyatt Place Amsterdam Airport Hotel, Rijnlanderweg 800, 2132 NN Hoofddorp (Haarlemmermeer), the Netherlands at 2:00 p.m. CET. Stock Exchange Listing Gemalto N.V. is dual listed on Euronext Amsterdam and Paris, in the compartment A (Large Caps). Mnemonic: GTO Exchange Dual listing on Euronext Amsterdam and Paris Market of reference Euronext Amsterdam ISIN Code NL0000400653 Reuters GTO.AS Bloomberg GTO:NA Gemalto has also established a sponsored Level I American Depository Receipt (ADR) Program in the United States since November 2009. Each Gemalto ordinary share is represented by two ADRs. Gemalto's ADRs trade in U.S. dollar and give access to the voting rights and to the dividends attached to the underlying Gemalto shares. The dividends are paid to investors in U.S. dollar, after being converted into U.S. dollar by the depository bank at the prevailing rate. Structure Sponsored Level I ADR Exchange OTC Ratio (ORD:DR) 1:2 DR ISIN US36863N2080 DR CUSIP 36863N 208 Investor Relations Corporate Communication Media Relations Agency Winston Yeo Isabelle Marand Suzanne Bakker M.: +33 6 2947 0814 M.: +33 6 1489 1817 M. : +31 6 1136 8659 winston.yeo@gemalto.com (mailto:winston.yeo@gemalto.com) isabelle.marand@gemalto.com (mailto:isabelle.marand@gemalto.com) suzanne.bakker@citigateff.nl (mailto:suzanne.bakker@citigateff.nl) Sebastien Liagre M.: +33 6 1751 4467 sebastien.liagre@gemalto.com (mailto:sebastien.liagre@gemalto.com) About Gemalto Gemalto (Euronext NL0000400653 GTO) is the global leader in digital security, with 2015 annual revenues of 3.1 billion and customers in over 180 countries. We bring trust to an increasingly connected world. Our technologies and services enable businesses and governments to authenticate identities and protect data so they stay safe and enable services in personal devices, connected objects, the cloud and in between. Gemalto's solutions are at the heart of modern life, from payment to enterprise security and the internet of things. We authenticate people, transactions and objects, encrypt data and create value for software - enabling our clients to deliver secure digital services for billions of individuals and things. Our 14,000+ employees operate out of 118 offices, 45 personalization and data centers, and 27 research and software development centers located in 52 countries. For more information visit www.gemalto.com (http://www.gemalto.com/), or follow @gemalto (http://twitter.com/gemalto) on Twitter. This communication does not constitute an offer to purchase or exchange or the solicitation of an offer to sell or exchange any securities of Gemalto. This communication contains certain statements that are neither reported financial results nor other historical information and other statements concerning Gemalto. These statements include financial projections and estimates and their underlying assumptions, statements regarding plans, objectives and expectations with respect to future operations, events, products and services and future performance. Forward-looking statements are generally identified by the words "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates" and similar expressions. These and other information and statements contained in this communication constitute forward-looking statements for purposes of applicable securities laws. Although management of the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, investors and security holders are cautioned that forward-looking information and statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of the Company, that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by the forward-looking information and statements, and the Company cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those estimated by the forward-looking statements contained in this communication include, but are not limited to: trends in wireless communication and mobile commerce markets; the Company's ability to develop new technology and the effects of competing technologies developed; effects of the intense competition in the Company's main markets; challenges to or loss of intellectual property rights; ability to establish and maintain strategic relationships in its major businesses; ability to develop and take advantage of new software, platforms and services; profitability of the expansion strategy; effects of acquisitions and investments; ability of the Company's to integrate acquired businesses, activities and companies according to expectations; ability of the Company to achieve the expected synergies from acquisitions; and changes in global, political, economic, business, competitive, market and regulatory forces. Moreover, neither the Company nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this communication speak only as of the date of this communication and the Company or its representatives are under no duty, and do not undertake, to update any of the forward-looking statements after this date to conform such statements to actual results, to reflect the occurrence of anticipated results or otherwise except as required by applicable law or regulations. Appendix 1 Reconciliation from IFRS to Adjusted financial information Full year 2015 ( in millions) Basic Diluted Weighted average number of shares outstanding (in thousands) 87,812 89,077 IFRS financial information Excluding non-controlling interest Basic EPS Diluted EPS Operating profit 203,347 Financial income (37,963) Profit from Associates 2,058 Income tax (30,571) IFRS Net profit for the period 136,871 136,769 1.56 1.54 Reconciliation to adjusted financial information Share-based compensation expense and associated costs 38,638 Fair value adjustment upon business acquisition 70,722 Restructuring and acquisition-related expenses 49,079 Amortization and depreciation of intangibles resulting from acquisitions 60,843 Income tax (52,665) Adjusted Net profit for the period 303,488 303,386 3.45 3.41 The full year 2015 adjusted basic earnings per share is determined on the basis of the weighted average number of Gemalto shares outstanding during the twelve-month period ended December 31, 2015, i.e. 87,812,302 shares. The full year 2015 adjusted diluted earnings per share is determined by using 89,076,936 shares corresponding to the IFRS treasury stock method, i.e. on the basis of the same weighted average number of Gemalto shares outstanding and considering that all outstanding share based instruments were exercised (1,480,465 instruments) and the proceeds received from the instruments exercised (15,057,874) were used to buy-back shares at the average share price of the full year 2015 (215,831) shares at 69.77. Full year 2014 ( in millions) Basic Diluted Weighted average number of shares outstanding (in thousands) 86,490 88,716 IFRS financial information Excluding non-controlling interest Basic EPS Diluted EPS Operating profit 270,159 Financial income (12,421) Share of profit of associates (628) Income tax (35,862) IFRS Net profit for the period 221,248 220,651 2.55 2.49 Reconciliation to adjusted financial information Share-based compensation expense and associated costs 55,423 Fair value adjustment upon business acquisition 0 Restructuring and acquisition-related expenses 29,830 Amortization and depreciation of intangibles resulting from acquisitions 27,267 Income tax (18,449) Adjusted Net profit for the period 315,319 314,722 3.64 3.55 Appendix 2 Consolidated statement of financial position ( in millions) December 31, December 31, 2015 2014 Assets Non-current assets Property, plant and equipment, net 347,994 279,741 Goodwill, net 1,524,933 900,826 Intangible assets, net 592,597 218,137 Investments in associates 64,897 51,686 Deferred income tax assets 197,212 144,710 Other non-current assets 45,585 45,024 Derivative financial instruments 276 2,566 Total non-current assets 2,773,494 1,642,690 Current assets Inventories, net 273,564 223,579 Trade and other receivables, net 949,690 852,683 Derivative financial instruments 18,048 3,831 Cash and cash equivalents 407,659 1,059,572 Total current assets 1,648,961 2,139,665 Total assets 4,422,455 3,782,355 Equity Share capital 89,008 88,016 Share premium 1,240,241 1,206,877 Treasury shares (36,329) (55,482) Fair value and other reserves (8,135) 84,603 Cumulative translation adjustments 39,505 (3,957) Retained earnings 1,158,525 1,070,653 Capital and reserves attributable to the owners of the Company 2,482,815 2,390,710 Non-controlling interests 6,716 5,454 Total equity 2,489,531 2,396,164 Liabilities Non-current liabilities Borrowings 549,758 398,027 Deferred income tax liabilities 122,817 46,165 Employee benefit obligations 121,958 107,361 Provisions and other liabilities 145,335 46,871 Derivative financial instruments 5,966 2,714 Total non-current liabilities 945,834 601,138 Current liabilities Borrowings 192,579 168,155 Trade and other payables 718,585 539,911 Current income tax liabilities 33,799 30,838 Provisions and other liabilities 19,366 12,968 Derivative financial instruments 22,761 33,181 Total current liabilities 987,090 785,053 Total liabilities 1,932,924 1,386,191 Total equity and liabilities 4,422,455 3,782,355 Appendix 3 Cash position variation schedule Year ended Dec in millions 2015 2014 Cash and bank overdrafts, beginning of period 1,057 456 Cash generated by operating activities, before changes in working capital 443 394 Net change in working capital 65 (81) Cash used in restructuring actions and acquisition related expenses (29) (20) Net cash generated by operating activities before prepaid derivatives 479 294 Prepaid derivatives (124) 0 Net cash generated by operating activities 355 294 Capital expenditure and acquisitions of intangibles (185) (125) Free cash flow 170 169 Interest received, (paid), net (10) 2 Cash used by acquisitions (897) (84) Currency translation adjustments 5 1 Cash generated (used) by operating and investing activities (732) 87 Cash generated (used) by the liquidity and share buy-back program (3) (17) Dividend paid to Gemalto shareholders (37) (33) Net proceeds from financing activities 117 555 Other cash provided (used) by financing activities 2 9 Cash and bank overdrafts, end of period 405 1,057 Current and non-current borrowings excluding bank overdrafts, end of period (740) (564) Net (debt), cash, end of period (335) 493 Appendix 4 Platforms & Services Full year revenue Platforms & Services activities ( in millions) 2015 2014 Year-on-year variations at constant exchange rates Year-on-year variations at historical exchange rates Mobile 248 259 (8%) (4%) Payment & Identity 650 243 +151% +167% Total 898 502 +70% +79% Appendix 5 Revenue by region Year-on-year variation Full year in millions Full year 2015 Full year 2014 at constant exchange rates at historical exchange rates Europe, Middle East and Africa 1,378 1,128 19% 22% Americas 1,189 836 24% 42% Asia 554 501 (2%) 11% Total revenue 3,122 2,465 16% 27% Year-on-year variation Fourth quarter in millions Fourth quarter 2015 Fourth quarter 2014 at constant exchange rates at historical exchange rates Europe, Middle East and Africa 394 316 22% 25% Americas 313 247 15% 27% Asia 147 144 (6%) 2% Total revenue 854 707 13% 21% Appendix 6 Average exchange rates between the Euro and the US dollar EUR/USD 2015 2014 First quarter 1.16 1.37 Second quarter 1.09 1.37 First half 1.13 1.37 Third quarter 1.11 1.34 Fourth quarter 1.09 1.25 Second half 1.10 1.29 Full year 1.11 1.33 Press Release (PDF) (http://hugin.info/159293/R/1991779/732942.pdf) This announcement is distributed by NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions on behalf of NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions clients. The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. Source: Gemalto via Globenewswire HUG#1991779 VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 03/03/16 -- progressa, Canada's fastest growing financial technology company focused on helping non-prime and near-prime Canadians seeking to improve their financial health, announced today that it has partnered with Alpine Credits to bring its online lending platform to the industry leading Alpine Credits network of companies. Following a successful $11.4 million Series A round, progressa is moving quickly to expand their lending offering to new channels as they begin to execute on an aggressive growth strategy. By partnering with Alpine Credits, progressa products will now be offered alongside one of Canada's oldest and most well-known non-bank mortgage brands. Alpine Credits, long synonymous with helping Canadians when banks won't, will now offer progressa's advanced proprietary lending technology to its customers while expanding its suite of financial products. "This new partnership continues a recent trend in Canada that has seen traditional financial institutions teaming up with FinTech startups," said progressa CEO Ali Pourdad. "This is a great opportunity to align ourselves with a brand that Canadians know they can turn to when the banks say 'no' while at the same time we can help Alpine to stay ahead of the curve on the technology side." Lending startups like progressa have been making major in-roads recently by offering borrowers a simpler and more transparent loan application experience, moving the process almost entirely online and mobile. This is consistent with what many Canadians have come to expect when signing up for a new product, but what traditional financial institutions have been unable or unwilling to deliver. With advanced data science and analytics, progressa is also able to better evaluate credit risk and provide loans where traditional institutions could not. For their part, established institutions like Alpine Credits are looking to strategic FinTech partnerships as a way to ensure that their customers enjoy the most current customer experience without having to leave the brand they trust. As Alpine Credits Vice President, Arif Mulji adds, "Alpine Credits is one of Canada's most trusted brands and we are excited to be working with a progressive lender that is always looking for ways to improve customer experience while changing life for the better for Canadians without traditional access to credit. We are also excited to be able to offer unsecured lending options to our loyal customer base." About progressa progressa is Canada's fastest growing financial technology company focused on helping non-prime and near-prime Canadians seeking to improve their financial health. We serve the over three million Canadians who have had their credit rating impacted by overdue bills and items that have gone to collections. By building a loan that fits their budget and using it to pay their overdue bills directly, we help our customers reduce their debt load and establish or rebuild their credit score. With the help of advanced data science and analytics we can effectively and efficiently evaluate credit risk and provide loans where traditional institutions cannot. For more information, visit www.progressa.com. About Alpine Credits Alpine Credits is a pioneer in the Canadian private lending market, lending out millions of its own funds monthly and funding over $1 billion in home equity loans since 1969. Alpine Credits offers homeowners quick access to the equity in their homes and, unlike the banks, our primary focus is the value of your real estate relative to how much you owe against it - not your credit, age or income. At Alpine Credits we believe all Canadian homeowners should have a fair chance at getting the money they need and our business is built on the belief that the traditional banking system may not be the right fit for all Canadians. Our intent is to offer Canadian homeowners an alternative (not a replacement) to the banks and credit unions. We strive to make our lending process straightforward, transparent and extremely efficient while being committed to best in class customer service. For more information, visit www.alpinecredits.ca. Contacts: progressa Nancy Powroznik Marketing Manager 604-424-8953 nancy.powroznik@progressa.com Divine Services Corp., a Cincinnati, OH-based provider of an on-demand valet parking service, raised a seed funding round of undisclosed amount. Queen City Angels made the investment. Randy Cantor, QCA lead investor, is also Divine Services board member. The company intends to use the funds for working capital and development. Led by Cody Bratton, CEO, Divine Services currently offers traditional valet services in three different cities, and will be launching their on demand services in Cincinnati in the next few weeks, followed by multiple city launches. In addition to these offerings, the company plans to unveil an on demand service allowing their customers to drop off or pick up their vehicle, anywhere within the service area via a smartphone app. It will also add on unlimited monthly parking, designated driving, and other car services. FinSMEs 03/03/2016 iAngels, a Tel Aviv, Israel-based angel investing network, raised $14m in Series B funding round. The round was led by Alex Waislitz of Thorney Investment Group. Launched in 2014 by Founding Partners Shelly Hod Moyal and Mor Assia, iAngels is an angel investment network that allows private investors to gain access to exclusive early-stage technology deals in Israel, Silicon Valley and around the world through its online investment platform. has curated 40 investment opportunities, 15 of which became accessible to investors through iAngels relationship with NFX Guild, the Silicon Valley accelerator. The company will use the funds to drive expansion of its offering, which combines blue chip co-investing with due diligence, to private investors beyond Israel around the world as well as to add additional services to provide multi-family and institutional investors with curated exposure to the new asset class of technology startups. iAngels, which currently has 16 employees, plans to grow to 30 employees worldwide by the end of 2016. FinSMEs 03/03/2016 Medlanes, a Berlin, Germany-based digital health startup that provides medical advice and care online, raised a funding round of undisclosed amount. The round was led by AXA Strategic Ventures. The company intends to use the funds to expand its offering to new markets, start partnerships with insurance companies and broaden its service. Founded in 2014 by Dr. Emil Kendziorra and Erik Stoffregen, Medlanes combines machine-learning technology with doctor knowledge to offer patients a first contact point to healthcare spanning a large number of medical conditions. The company is also funded by Rheingau Founders, provides the service via an app and web service. FinSMEs 03/03/2016 Pulsar Photonics, a Herzogenrath, Germany-based laser-technology company, completed a seed funding round of undisclosed amount. High-Tech Grunderfonds made the investment. Founded in September 2013 as a spin-off of the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology (ILT), Pulsar Photonics develops machine-tool technology for materials processing that incorporates ultrashort pulse lasers. Pulse lasers represent a high-precision production tool that boasts an enormous range of potential applications including smartphone display production, stent production, and electronics manufacturing, just to name a few of them. The companys goal is to provide micro-machining production systems featuring lasers that can be set up and utilized as efficiently as todays conventional CNC processing machines. Pulsar is led by Dr. Jens Holtkamp, Managing Director. FinSMEs 03/03/2016 In his last few films, Akshay Kumar has essayed the roles of an Intelligence officer (Baby), an Army official (Holiday) and a patrotic saviour of sorts (Gabbar is Back and Airlift). And now, furthering his streak of playing messiah type roles, Kumar plays a Navy officer in director Neeraj Pandey's next film Rustom. In Febuary, he had shared a first look of the film, calling his character a "decorated officer, devoted family man': Decorated officer.Devoted family man.Defending his honour.His name? RUSTOM.Know his story on 12 Aug #RustomFirstLook pic.twitter.com/0LAoZNl82X Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) February 25, 2016 Rustom is reportedly based on the infamous Nanavati case, which dates back to the 1950s. In it, a celebrated naval officer KM Nanavati shot his wife's lover and then surrendered himself to the police. This was also the last case to have a jury trial in India, since media and public support for Nanavati seemed to have influenced the case. Nanavati was eventually released from jail. While not much about the plot of the film is revealed, Akshay Kumar shared the first poster of Rustom, where he shares space with Ileana D'Cruz. The poster reads, '3 shots that shocked the nation': 3 shots that shocked the nation and changed his life! Find out what happened with #Rustom this August 12, 2016. pic.twitter.com/Yt5HUUHBPh Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) March 2, 2016 Rustom is all set to release on 12 August. New Delhi: The Congress and its leader Rahul Gandhi came in for a sharp attack from Prime Minister Narendra Modi today in Parliament. Modi pulled no punches while rebutting many allegations made yesterday by the Congress scion but specially, the one on the rural employment guarantee scheme was answered with a sharp retort. Gandhi had accused this government of falling back upon the Congress' flagship rural employment scheme MGNREGA, after initially criticising it. The PM replied to this charge in two parts. Not only did he refer to the reports of the Comptroller & Auditor General (CAG) which alleged irregularities in the MNREGA implementation in 2012 during the UPA's own regime, the PM also said that a scheme started for building roads is helping poor states more than rich ones. What he managed to portray through these comparisons between MNREGA and the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) is that his government is better at implementing schemes meant for the poor. Or is it? Better targeting of PMGSY may be due to the very nature of the programme and may not be a benchmark of the efficiency of the government of the day. NC Saxena, Distinguished Fellow, Skoch Development Foundation and former Planning Commission member notes the difference in how the two programmes are structured in this paper while explaining the relative success of one versus the other. He says that unlike MNREGA, PMGSY fixes state-wise allocations based on pre-determined gaps in infrastructure and funds are released accordingly, thus benefitting states with poorer infrastructure more. "MNREGA follows a free-for-all strategy with the result that better governed states corner most of the funds irrespective of low incidence of poverty in those states." Saxena notes that the other big difference between the two schemes is in their approach to creation and maintenance of assets. Three Tier Quality Assurance Mechanism is have been institutionalised in the design of PMGSY to promote independent monitoring of assets but these functions for MNREGA are delegated to elected institutions at the village level. As both implementation and social audit is to be done by the same panchayat, conflict of interest develops. So Mr Prime Minister, you are right about PMGSY being better suited to alleviate poverty but this has little to do with the government's efficacy in implementing this scheme and much more to do with the way the scheme was designed. What ails MNREGA Last year, while replying to the debate on the motion of thanks to the Presidents address in Lok Sabha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that MNREGA was a living monument of poverty in the country. Since then, the Modi government has obviously done some re-think on the efficacy of this scheme since no one now refers to the scheme and poverty in the same breath. In fact, with the Budget of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley entirely focused on reviving the rural economy though, it is no surprise that MNREGA is now the cynosure of all eyes. The allocation for MNREGA was the "highest ever" according to the FM at Rs 38,500 crore for 2016-17 against Rs 36,967 crore for the current fiscal. MNREGA guarantees 100 days of employment to a household or an unemployment allowance within 15 days of an applicant seeking a job under it. Enhanced allocation for next fiscal could mean the scheme may get more people employment or an unemployment allowance (which the states are mandated to offer if no work is provided within 15 days of request). But a glance at the parameters so far, even under the NDA government, does not paint a pretty picture of this scheme. The 21 months of this government have shown improvement in some parameters under the MNREGA compared to the last two-three years of the UPA regime but even now, the scheme needs far better focus. And yes, it could do with more funds than allocated for even 2016-17. According to the latest data from the ministry of rural development 1) Only 6.35% households or 27.17 lakh households have completed 100 days of employment as of February 25. Though the ministry says another 38.58 lakh households are expected to reach the 100-day employment completion benchmark by March 31, this obviously leaves a lot to be desired as far as offering employment to the needy is concerned. During 2014-15, only 24.92 or less than 6.35% households had completed 100 days of employment. Will increased Budgetary allocation for MNREGA in FY17 help more households find jobs? 2) Delayed wage payments is one of the biggest problems under MNREGA. Even when employment is offered under the scheme, delayed payments don't help the intended beneficiary in any way. According to the ministry's own statistics, 45% of payments under MNREGA have been made in the stipulated time period against just 28% in 2014-15. This is an improvement for sure but look at it this way: more than half the payments are still delayed. The ministry has already introduced the facility of electronic transfer of payments in Kerala from January to ease this payments delay and 10 more states are to be brought into this scheme through 2016-17. It remains to be seen whether these efforts are enough to cut wage delays substantially. 3) Lets now look at total expenditure under the scheme. In 2012-13, the penultimate UPA year, Rs 39,778 crore were spent under MNREGA and this fell to Rs 38,553 crore in 2013-14. In the first year of the NDA too, the expenditure on this scheme declined further to Rs 36,024 crore. But now, ministry officials say Rs 47,000 crore is the estimated expenditure for the current fiscal, of which Rs 43,000 crore has been spent till February 25. This includes the share of states' expenditure too under MNREGA. 4) This brings us to another issue plaguing this programme. Each year, back payments or payments of arrears under MNREGA have been criticised by social activists who say this propensity then leads to under-funding and delays in release of payments to states. According to ministry officials, pending liability this fiscal (which will be carried over to 2016-17) is estimated at Rs 6500 crore, a tad lower than the Rs 6955 crore carried forward this fiscal from 2014-15. PMGSY Did this scheme help the poor better than MNREGA? According to the latest data, Bihar got the largest chunk of funds to develop rural roads among all states and union territories in 2015-16 (till February 22) at Rs 2,481 crore. This was the second year running when BiIhar managed to get the maximum share of central funds under PMGSY. The state connected 1,606 habitations by constructing 2,597 km of roads under the scheme in 2015-16 till February. West Bengal was the next biggest beneficiary at Rs 1315.59 crore followed by Odhisha at Rs 1246.27 crore. West Bengal connected 244 habitations by constructing 1,401 km of roads whereas Odhisha connected 933 habitations by building 2,631 km of roads till February this fiscal. These three eastern states are, aruguably, among the poorer Indian states. So even if we disregard the spends these states additionally contributed to the PMGSY this fiscal till February, it is clear that they outstripped richer states like Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra in getting central funds for rural road building. By the way, Tamil Nadu got just Rs 200.39 crore while Maharashtra got Rs 492.19 crore from the Centre. So the claim by the Prime Minister today about the efficacy of rural road building under PMGSY is partly true. But look at the states which got the least funding under this scheme till February - Nagaland at just Rs 4 crore, Sikkim Rs 48.87 crore and Karnataka Rs 63.78 crore were at the bottom of the funding pyramid. Why are north eastern states, where the Central share of total funding under this scheme is 90% against only 60% for others, is a poser. The total funds released by the Centre under this scheme in 2015-16 (up to February 22) were the highest in four fiscal years at Rs 12,775.66 crore. In his Budget speech, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley proposed an allocation of Rs 19,000 crore for this rural roads programme, saying together with the contribution of states, the government will spend Rs 27,000 crore in 2016-17. He also pointed out that 230,000 km of roads have been constructed so far since the programme was launched in 2000 and his government's aim is to connect the 65,000 villages and habitations still unconnected by roads. Minister of state for Rural Development Sudarshan Bhagat said in Parliament last week that during 2015-16, his ministry in consultation with Ministry of Finance has formulated an action plan with enhanced financial allocation to the states and modified funding pattern in the scheme. "Accordingly, the fund sharing pattern of PMGSY has been made in the ratio 60:40 between the Centre and State for all States except for 8 North Eastern and 3 Himalayan States for which it is 90:10. In view of the availability of substantial additional allocation of funds under the Scheme, the Ministry has requested to all the States to submit new proposals as per the programme guidelines for consideration and sanction under PMGSY to substantially achieve the mandate of Scheme by March, 2019." NEW YORK Oil prices ended up for a third straight day on Wednesday as buyers shrugged off record high U.S. crude stockpiles to focus on an OPEC plan to freeze production, keeping alive the notion that market has bottomed from a near two-year selloff. OPEC member Venezuela said a total of 15 oil producing countries will attend a meeting planned later this month on freezing output at January's highs. Diplomatic activity between the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and other major producers to address the supply glut by freezing output has helped feed a 25 percent price gain in the last 2-1/2 weeks from 12-year lows. Oil prices briefly dipped on U.S. government data that showed crude stockpiles at record highs for the third consecutive week after rising 10.4 million barrels to 518 million barrels last week. [EIA/S] Brent futures LCOc1 settled up 12 cents at $36.93 a barrel. They have risen more than $1.80, or 5 percent, since Friday's close. U.S. crude's West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures CLc1 finished up 26 cents at $34.66 a barrel. Only in mid-February, WTI fell to a 2003 low of $26.05. "It seems more likely that $26 is in the rear view mirror at the moment," Anthony Headrick, energy market analyst at CHS Hedging, a commodities broker in Saint Paul, Minnesota, said. "Fundamentals remain bearish but prospects of OPEC freeze and downward cycle in U.S. output will likely limit a retest of the recent lows." Other analysts were confident that the market has bottomed out. "We believe prices will see modest gains over the course of the year and we have likely seen the worst of price declines, unless the global economy actually moves into recession," said Rob Haworth, senior investment strategist at U.S. Bank Wealth Management, who helps manage some $125 billion. Some traders were less bullish, saying the selloff will likely return as crude inventories build further from the U.S. refinery spring maintenance season. "We could be in store for another large move down over the next few weeks," said Tariq Zahir at Tyche Capital Advisors who bets nearby WTI contracts will weaken against forwards. (Additional reporting by Alex Lawler in London; Editing by Susan Fenton, David Gregorio, Chizu Nomiyama and Marguerita Choy) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. While asking the Maharashtra government to grant licences to dance bars, the Supreme Court has come down heavily on the state government's proposal to direct dance bars to beam their performances live to police stations for security considerations. As per the apex court's directions, while CCTV cameras can be placed at the entrance of the establishment, but not in the performing area. The court has termed the Maharashtra government's rule as 'absurd', according to a report in The Economic Times. The state's proposal to place CCTVs in dance bars had conjured up hilarious images of policemen watching performances in police stations along with their law enforcement and crime prevention. Defending the rule in the Supreme Court, the government had said that the cameras would help to maintain the dignity of the dancers and provide them with a sense of security, as reported by The Hindu. The government had pointed out that most of the dancers are from the poor strata of society and that most of them entered the profession out of compulsion. However, the judges hearing the case were not convinced by the government's contentions. The rule on CCTVs cameras was not the only one which the apex court termed as bizzare. A division bench had last month described as 'absurd' the stipulation restriction the number of dancers to four and asking hotel owners to preserve CCTV footage for 30 days, as reported by The Times of India. Giving three days' time to the owners of the hotels and restaurants to comply with the modified conditions, the apex court bench, comprising Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Shiva Kirti Singh, said competent authorities would issue licences in 10 days and thereafter. "We are certain that competent authorities will not conceive of anything to stall the grant of licence," the court said and added that the authorities will "comply with the command of this court and not venture to defy it". The petitioner Indian Hotels and Restaurant Association had told the court on 24 February that some of the conditions being imposed for the grant of licence were unreasonable. In 2005, then Maharashtra home minister RR Patil first imposed a ban on dance bars, saying that they corrupt the younger generation and threaten the cultural fabric of the country. However, the three-star and five-star establishments were exempted from the restriction. Taking note of this discrepancy, the court went on to quash the ban. After a protracted legal battle, the Supreme Court stayed an amendment to the Maharashtra Police Act related to dance bars. The court's order on Wednesday had asked the Maharashtra government to implement the order. With inputs from IANS A month after a 40-foot Bryde whale was found ashore Juhu beach in Mumbai, three dolphins have been spotted dead on three different shores of Mumbai in the past 24 hours, reports Hindustan Times. The bodies of the three Indo-Pacific humpbacked dolphins were found on Tuesday and Wednesday. In the first incident, a 6.5-foot-long dolphin was washed up on the Gorai beach and it was sent to the Bombay Veterinary College for post-mortem reported The Indian Express. According to Hindustan Times, the dolphin did not have any visible injuries on its body. The second incident took place in Vasai where locals found the 10-foot dolphin on Wednesday morning and they immediately reported it to the authorities. According to a report in DNA, a resident from Vasais Bhuigaon village, Rohit Tandel was the one who reached the spot first and who informed the local authorities. He added that the dolphins carcass was covered in tar and it smelt of petrol. Sources in the forest department were quoted by Hindustan Times as saying that the third dolphin had washed ashore at Girgaum Chowpatty beach at 5.30 pm on Wednesday. Pawan Sharma, 23, founder and President at Resqink Association for Wildlife and Welfare (RAWW) told Firstpost, "A very basic problem with our system is that we don't have a standard operating procedure for the rescue or response of these washed-up mammals. It is very crucial to do an immediate autopsy of these marine mammals to find the exact cause of their death, otherwise the bodies start to decay. Usually the ground-staff does not have an autopsy team or a field veterinary doctor to do the requisite procedure." Sharma claimed that there have been some 100 cases of washed-up marine mammals that have gone unnoticed since 2015. Last year, at least three dolphins were reported to be found on different beaches of Mumbai. The increasing frequency of dead mammals found on the shores is a worrisome matter for environmentalists. There could be various causes for the death of these mammals climate change, poaching or pollution. The Congress has long waged its legal and political battle against Narendra Modi through the medium of Ishrat Jahan's ghost. The recent revelations made by former home secretary GK Pillai, former undersecretary in the home ministry RVS Mani, and former joint director Rajendra Kumar on the deposition by Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative David Headley suggest that the Congress' strategy has now boomeranged on the party and in the days to come, her ghost will haunt them, particularly P Chidambaram the most eloquent leader of the then UPA government and Sonia Gandhi's political adviser Ahmed Patel. The revelations made by senior home ministry officials on the Ishrat Jahan case are shocking, to say the least, unless one is predetermined to suggest that they are all lying or are working with some ulterior motives. It gives a peep into the political machinations and the extent to which they were executed by the Congress-led UPA government. National security was of secondary concern. It seems what mattered most was realpolitik gains target Modi, then chief minister of Gujarat, who was posing a challenge to the Sonia Gandhi-Rahul Gandhi regime. It took priority over everything else. This couldn't be done except by first portraying that Ishrat was an innocent aspiring Mumbra girl, who was killed in cold blood by the Gujarat Police on 15 June, 2004 along with Javed Ghulam Sheikh (born Pranesh Pillai), Amjad Ali Rana and Zeeshan Johar (last two Pakistani nationals). It didn't matter if the LeT website and its mouthpiece owned them as its martyrs. The issue of two affidavits filed by the UPA government in less than two months first on 6 August, 2009 and then on 30 September, 2009 thus becomes important. While the first affidavit said Ishrat and her associates were terrorists, the second affidavit contradicted it by saying there was no conclusive evidence to prove that these persons killed in the alleged encounter were terrorists. In this context, the statements made by Pillai, Kumar and Mani, and depositions made by Headley assume significance implying that the CBI investigation was not done on merit, and was guided by the political considerations of the UPA government. This is something that has only been discussed privately among some intelligence and security officials so far. The BJP, of course, was publicly alleging a witch-hunt against Modi by the UPA government. Take a look at what former National Security Adviser MK Narayanan who was adviser on internal security to the prime minister when the alleged fake encounter took place, wrote in The Hindu after Headley's deposition in front of a designated Mumbai court. He admits that it was known to them that Ishrat was an LeT operative and a key figure in a carefully planned operation: "Headleys deposition also provided some verisimilitude to rumours circulating at the time that the LeT was planning another attack post-26/11. Again, in reply to a leading question from the prosecutor, Headley also identified Ishrat Jahan as a terrorist belonging to the LeT (since her death in a police encounter in Gujarat in 2004, there had been many attempts to portray her as an innocent victim). Intelligence agencies, however, were aware that she was an LeT operative, and a key figure in a carefully planned LeT operation. The operational trail went from Pakistan to Dubai, Kochi, Kashmir and finally Ahmedabad. Headley provided neither names nor any details regarding this operation. His sole reason for identifying Ishrat as an LeT operative, it would seem, was to give a propaganda advantage to the LeT." In his interview to Times Now, Pillai repeatedly called it "a very successful intelligence operation" and a "planned operation". This essentially means the Centre, those at the helm in the PMO and the home ministry knew of the this operation. His take on the CBI investigation and chargesheet was also though provoking: "Where I found fault with the office of the CBI is that during that period there were plenty of off-the-record briefings, almost daily. Officers in the CBI should have exercised extreme discretion. There were leaks definitely. They should have kept quiet. If I was the home secretary, I would have definitely have called the CBI director and said, 'Look, this is totally not acceptable'. CBI has to carry out investigations professionally. Not daily off-the-record briefings." Pillai is considered to be a very competent officer one of the finest home secretaries, who has not been afraid of letting his opinion on a subject be known. His statements thus need due attention. While talking to The Times of India, he said "Chidambaram, who was then the home minister, had asked for the file from the joint secretary, saying that the affidavit needed to be reworked. Only after the affidavit was revised, as directed by the minister, did the file come to me." This is something that has been corroborated Mani, who signed both affidavits. Correspondents covering the home ministry knew of Pillai's position even when the second affidavit was filed in September 2009. In an interview to Times Now, Mani said he was chased and hounded by the CBI, other government agencies and officials. "Satish Verma (head of the unit of SIT), What he has done to me is very unprecedented and he was actually, basically the SIT. If you see the progress of the SIT, apart from Verma, there was no other joint commissioner or IG-level officer who continued in it for more than six months, because this fellow would fight with them and drive them out. Verma was head of the unit of SIT and he was helped by two or three cronies, who were all engineering evidence. That's what I can say... On 21 June, 2013, yes, Verma burnt me with his cigarettes". He then gave a detailed account of how a certain woman officer in the CBI chased him into a temple and how other CBI officers would land at his office in the urban development ministry, where he was posted later and several cases against him were opened up. Mani says in contrast to the first affidavit when the due procedure of having it drafted and vetted at various levels in the home and law ministry was followed, the officials had no clue about drafting the second affidavit and why the mention of the word 'terrorist' was dropped. In an internal note date 24 June, 2013, Mani had recounted how he was being coerced to sign on dotted lines. Chidambaram and the Congress will have a lot to answer for in the days to come. The BJP has already demanded the reopening of the case and setting up of a judicial commission. No wonder the Congress party president has promptly backed Chidambaram. After all, what the BJP is now proposing is not to target the former home and finance minister. The ruling party wants to see that the buck for political machinations stops at 10 Janpath's doorstep. New Delhi: The government is examining a Tamil Nadu government's plea seeking the release of those linked to the assassination of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday. "We have received the letter yesterday and the government is examining it. The apex court has already given its decision on the matter. Now it is the constitutional and moral responsibility of the government to abide by the decision of the apex court," Rajnath Singh told the Lok Sabha. Earlier, the issue was raised by Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, who urged the government not to entertain the letter from the Tamil Nadu government. "The letter should not be entertained at all. The assassins must not be released to uphold the integrity of the country for which Rajivji gave his life," he said. Deciding to release all seven convicts in the Gandhi assassination case now in jail, the Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday sought the views of the central government. In a letter to union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi, Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary K Gnanadesikan said the state government had received petitions from the seven convicts requesting their release as they had spent over 24 years in jail. The seven convicts are V Sriharan alias Murugan, T Suthendraraja alias Santhan, AG Perarivalan, Jayakumar, Robert Payas, Ravichandran and Nalini Sriharan, wife of Murugan. All seven have been in prison since 1991, the year a woman Tamil Tiger suicide bomber blew up Rajiv Gandhi at an election rally near Chennai. IANS The early news trickling in from mainstream and alternative media reported about the Delhi High Court order granting six-month interim bail to Kanhaiya Kumar, JNU Students Union President, in a sedition case. What was initially highlighted was the courts recognition of fabricated evidence, and as an interesting tid-bit, the courts citation of a Bollywood film song. These have been highlighted in the media, in addition to this observation- 8. ...The so called video recording of the incident by some channels has been reported to be doctored by the Press. The petitioner has been remanded to police custody thrice and has also joined the investigation. He is no more required for investigation of this case. Fresh from the exhilaration of a massive march to Parliament, the leadership of the JNU students movement was quick to announce a victory march, eagerly awaiting their Presidents return, along with a welcoming march planned for the next day. The immediate questions that lie before the students are: whether the movement will fragment since the most unifying goal of releasing the union President has been achieved, and how to effectively advocate for the release of the remaining two students currently in custody Umar and Anirban. There are, however, some insights from the bail order that may not bode well for the students, on closer scrutiny: a) At the very beginning there is an observation that the JNU community as a whole is morally responsible for the actions of some students. 2. Spring season is a time when nature becomes green and flower blooms in all colours. This spring why the colour of peace is eluding the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) situated in the heart of Delhi needs to be answered by its students, faculty members and those managing the affairs of this national university. b) There is a recognition in the courts view that the event Country Without A Post Office was liable for disruption of peace on campus, and that it was of an-anti national nature. On the other hand, the role of those who complained to the authorities so as for them to cancel the permission for the function (ABVP activists) and their political interests, has not come into the picture. 19. The JNU authorities on getting the information that in the guise of cultural function, some anti-national activities were to take place, cancelled the permission and the organising group was duly informed. The reason being that the posters about the proposed programme were against the judicial killing of Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhatt and have been put up at all the hostels and these activities were likely to disrupt the peace and harmony of the campus. Apprehending breach of peace at the campus, the Chief Security Officer, JNU as well local police was informed. c) The State accuses Kanhaiya Kumar of staging his speech upholding the Constitution for future evidence in his defence. 23. Mr.Tushar Mehta, learned ASG for the State has further submitted that the speech given by the petitioner on 11thFebruary, 2016 was part of his strategy to create a defence. d) The court refers to a case involving Pappu Yadav to assert- 28(11) The Court granting bail should exercise its discretion in a judicious manner and not as a matter of course. e) The court invokes the Hardik Patel case when considering definitions of sedition and whether the charge fits- 34. What constitutes sedition has been recently considered by Gujarat High Court in Hardik Bharatbhai Patel vs. State of Gujarat & Ors.2016(1) RCR (Criminal 542as under :- 14. I should be mindful of the fact that the case in hand is one wherein the accused is praying for quashing of the F.I.R. at a stage when the investigation is in progress. I should look into the allegations ealizi in the F.I.R., as they are without adding or subtracting anything from it. I am of the view that a speech or a statement, in which the speaker exhorts the persons, who are listening to him, to resort to violence, prima facie, could be said to be intended to excite disaffection towards the established Government and amounts to an offence under Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code. To put it in other words, to advise a person to persuade to violence as a means of attaining a particular goal or seeking revenge is not less objectionable then advising that person to commit violence himself for that purpose. In either case, the advice is to pursue a course of action, it is calculated to disturb the tranquility of the State. It is a recommendation to oppose the established Government by force. f)The ideals of JNU as embodied on its website are invoked, in order to hold Kanhaiya accountable to them: 37. The vision and object of Jawaharlal Nehru University as reflected in the Website of University is: The living ambience and social milieu of the campus is also reflected in an integrated, interdisciplinary approach in teaching and research. There is freedom to define and design course content or start new courses. Research themes evolve with new developments in the area and the interface between different areas of study. Everyone at the university competes with himself/herself to excel in their own field of research. JNU is academically and socially a vibrant place where all have space to express their views. The JNU campus is a microcosm of the Indian nation, drawing students from every nook and corner of the country and from every group and stratum of society. To make sure that this is so annual admission tests are simultaneously held at 37 centres spread across the length and breadth of the country, and special care is taken to draw students from the underprivileged castes and ethic groups by reserving 22.5 per cent of seats for them. Overseas students form some 10 percent of the annual intake. Students hostels and blocks of faculty residences are interspersed with one another, underlining the vision of a large Indian family. 39. As President of Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union, the petitioner was expected to be responsible and accountable for any anti-national event organized in the campus g) The court order brings out the contrast between dissent in JNU and troops on the border. 39. While dealing with the bail application of the petitioner, it has to be kept in mind by all concerned that they are enjoying this freedom only because our borders are guarded by our armed and paramilitary forces. Our forces are protecting our frontiers in the most difficult terrain in the world i.e. Siachen Glacier or Rann of Kutch. 41. Suffice it to note that such persons enjoy the freedom to raise such slogans in the comfort of University Campus but without realizing that they are in this safe environment because our forces are there at the battle field situated at the highest altitude of the world where even the oxygen is so scarce that those who are shouting anti-national slogans holding posters ofAfzal Guru and Maqbool Bhatt close to their chest honoring their martyrdom, may not be even able to withstand those conditions for an hour even. 42. The kind of slogans raised may have demoralizing effect on the familyof those martyrs who returned home in coffin draped in tricolor. 43. The petitioner claims his right regarding freedom of speech and expression guaranteed in Constitution of India. He has also to be reminded thatfundamental duties of every citizen have been specified along with the fact that rights and duties are two sides of the same coin. h) The courts observations on anti-national slogans do not bode well for Umar and Anirban, who are seen as being part of the organising team for the event and are in custody. Kanhaiya Kumar, too, has to demonstrably prove his level of involvement. 40. It is a case of raising anti-national slogans which do have the effect of threatening national integrity i) JNUs image as a hub of intellectuals comes into the picture when Kanhaiya Kumars character comes into the discussion, rather than his economically backward background. 44. The petitioner belongs to an intellectual class pursuing Ph.d. from International School of Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, which is considered as a hub of intellectuals. j) The teachers are also referred to as being responsible persons with respect to the issue, and the JNU administration has been advised to be tighter on such activity. 45. The faculty of JNU also has to play its role in guiding them to the right path so that they can contribute to the growth of the nation and to achieve the object and vision for which Jawaharlal Nehru University was established. 46. The reason behind anti-national views in the mind of students who raised slogans on the death anniversary of Afzal Guru, who was convicted for attack on our Parliament, which led to this situation have not only to be found by them but remedial steps are also required to be taken in this regard by those managing the affairs of the JNU so that there is no recurrence of such incident. k) Kanhaiyas political activities are now somewhat legally restricted, by his undertaking to be submitted to the court. 52. The time is ripe that while giving some concession to the petitioner on monetary aspect for purpose of furnishing the bond, he can be required to furnish an undertaking to the effect that he will not participate actively or passively in any activity which may be termed as anti-national. l) The bench has pointed that not all statements can be protected under the freedom of expression. 47. The investigation in this case is at nascent stage. The thoughts reflected in the slogans raised by some of the students of JNU who organized and participated in that programme cannot be claimed to be protected as fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression. m) The court makes a striking analogy involving infections, cures and amputation. 48. Whenever some infection is spread in a limb, effort is made to cure the same by giving antibiotics orally and if that does not work, by following second line of treatment. Sometimes it may require surgical intervention also. However, if the infection results in infecting the limb to the extent that it becomes gangrene, amputation is the only treatment. Even as the Delhi High Court granted interim bail to Kanhaiya Kumar, it thus seems a little too early to declare victory legal, moral or otherwise. What the students claim are fabricated charges that must be dismissed have not been dismissed. The author is a research scholar in Modern and Contemporary History at Centre For Historical Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University. New Delhi: Apprehending the possibility of "clashes" following the release of JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar, Delhi Police has issued an 'advisory' to all districts, traffic and PCR units asking them to maintain strict vigil, especially in and around JNU and Delhi University campuses. "The advisory says, in case Kanhaiya Kumar is bailed out, there is possibility that he may visit places which include Jantar Mantar, JNU and DU with large number of his supporters, largely including students' groups like AISF and AISA, and members of some political parties," a police source said on Thursday. "It further reads, ABVP and other right wing groups, including some political leaders, may oppose such gatherings and there is possibility of clashes among the groups. "Keeping in view the sensitivity and gravity of the matter, a sharp vigil and adequate arrangement by local police with sufficient women staff, PCR and Traffic are suggested to avoid any untoward incident," he said The advisory was first issued when Delhi Police took a U-turn and opposed Kanhaiya's bail plea in the High Court. It was reissued on wednesday, the source added. Kanhaiya Kumar, who was arrested on 12 February in connection with a sedition case over a controversial JNU event, was on Wednesday granted interim bail for six months by the Delhi High Court which said that he has to cooperate in the ongoing investigation and has to present himself before the investigators as and when required. PTI New Delhi: RVS Mani, a former Home Ministry official, who had filed two affidavits in Gujarat High Court in the Ishrat Jahan case, had claimed that member of the SIT on the killings had told him that 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks and Parliament attack were "orchestrated by the Government in power". Mani, who filed the affidavits as Under Secretary in the Home Ministry in 2009, had told the then Union Urban Development Secretary Sudhir Krishna on 21 June, 2013 about his deposition before the court-appointed SIT as he was posted in that Ministry at that time. In his statement to Krishna, Mani had said that during the course of recording of the statement in Gandhi Nagar in Gujarat, the IG of the SIT Satish Chandra Verma had asked him many questions which he was not privy to or which officially were never in his domain during the tenure in the Home Ministry. "He (Verma) started narrating as to how 13.12.2001 attack on Parliament of India and 26.11.2008 attacks are orchestrated by the government in power. "He (Verma) stated that both these were the objective of strengthening the counter terrorist legislation. He narrated that December 13, 2001 was followed by POTA and November 26, 2008 was followed by amendment to UAPA wherein even Rs 10 in anybody's pocket can be treated as proceeds of terrorism. "I told him (Verma) that he is entitled to his view but such view is generally held as ISI's view in the security establishment," Mani wrote in his note to Krishna. Mani had claimed that Verma "coerced" him to sign some papers "knowing fully well that this would tantamount falsely indicting my seniors at the extant time". "I declined to sign any statement. They have recorded some contents under the premise the Section 161 of CrPC does not require signature of the witness. "In view of the above it is my request that, in future, I shall be willing to record the statements to CBI only in the presence of CVO or his authorised representatives of the Ministry as well as after contents have been duly vetted by the Ministry of Home Affairs," Mani said. However, Verma denied the allegations against him. He said that most of the officers who are talking in the matter have retired which includes Mani and G K Pillai, former Home Secretary. And as far as allegations levelled by former Special Director of IB Rajinder Kumar are concerned, he is an accused. "So the officers who are talking can afford to state certain things which are not backed by facts. "I am in service and I was assisted by the CBI in the investigations. I have been a part of the investigation everywhere, that I say, will be backed up by evidence," he said. "There was no probe when he (Mani) said it first time and if two and a half years after somebody wants a probe -- most welcome," Verma said. Meanwhile, an IPS officer, who had earlier worked with the NIA, jumped into the fray and claimed that American-born terrorist David Headley had named Ishrat as LeT operative during his questioning in 2010. Loknath Behera, an IPS officer of Kerala cadre, whose central deputation was unceremoniously cut short, said that he "did not remember exactly what Headley had spoken about Ishrat". But when he recently heard about his video deposition before the Mumbai court, he could recall "the same things" Headley had told to an NIA team in 2010. Headley, during his deposition before the Mumbai court, did not even remember the name of Ishrat and it was only when public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam prodded him with multiple choice answers that he could reply with deceased name. According to earlier testimony before the NIA, Headley had reportedly claimed that when he was being introduced to Lashker's top brass, there was a sarcastic remark about Ishrat when he was taken to Muzamil, who was in charge of the Kashmir operations of the terror group. PTI New York: Children who are emotionally abused are more likely to experience migraines as they mature, says a study. The study showed that the link between a migraine and abuse was stronger for emotional abuse than for physical or sexual abuse. "Emotional abuse showed the strongest link to increased risk of migraine," said lead study author Gretchen Tietjen from University of Toledo in Ohio. The researchers investigated data from 14,484 people aged 24 to 32. Nearly 14 per cent reported that they had been diagnosed with migraines. Among those who experienced abuse, 55 percent were more likely to experience migraine than those who were never abused after accounting for factors like age, income, race and sex. Those who underwent emotional abuse were 52 percent more likely to have migraine than those who were not abused, after accounting for other types of abuse as well as age, income, race and sex. In contrast, those who were sexually or physically abused were not significantly more likely to have migraine than people who were not abused. The participants were asked whether they had experienced emotional, physical or sexual abuse in childhood. About 47 per cent of the participants answered yes to having been emotionally abused, 18 per cent physically abused and five per cent sexually abused. Of those diagnosed with migraines, 61 percent said they had been abused as a child. Of those who never had a migraine, 49 per cent said they were abused. The study revealed that childhood abuse could have long-lasting effects on health and well-being, the researchers concluded. The findings are set to be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 68th annual meeting in Canada from April 15-21. IANS A Canadian PhD student his colleagues from across the world have made a discovery that has surprised scientists and compelling them to rethink their understanding of Fast Radio Bursts. According to CBC, the team has found repeated occurrences of Fast Radio Bursts or FRB for the first time. Which basically means they have heard mysterious sounds emanating from the universe. An FRB is a transient radio pulse that flashes for only a few milliseconds at a time and occurs outside the Milky Way. While the origins are unknown, these flashes are thought to occur in isolation as scientists so far have never observed additional bursts at the same dispersion measure, according to the teams research paper published in Nature journal. However, when the PhD student Paul Scholz was analyzing data on the supercomputer at McGill University in Montreal, he found an FRB of the same characteristics as one discovered in 2012 by Laura Spitler, reports CBC. Scholzs academic supervisor Victoria Kaspi and her colleague Jason Hessels confirmed Scholz finding and the team then began analyzing more data. Their observation? They found another nine similar FRBs in a period of three months. Spitler, lead author of the paper and a postdoctoral researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy in Bonn, Germany, explained to Science Daily that the uniqueness of this discovery lies not only in the fact that these FRBs were repetitive, but also in the fact that their brightness and spectra also differ from those of other FRBs. The team hopes that with further research they will be to identify the galaxy where the radio bursts originated, reported Science Daily. Editor's note: This article was originally published on 3 March to mark the 30th anniversary of Metallica's Master of Puppets. On Wednesday, the album was added to the National Recording Registry (NRR) of the US Library of Congress. According to the Library of Congress' website, each year the NRR "chooses 25 recordings showcasing the range and diversity of American recorded sound heritage in order to increase preservation awareness". In other words, Master of Puppets is now one of the 450 records deemed by the NRR to 'culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant'. What might be of a little consternation is that the record is classified under the genre 'Pop (Post-1955)'. On that note, here's the 30th anniversary piece: At some point in high school, a classmate/friend/second guitar teacher (the story about my first brush with the guitar is not worth revisiting) lent me a music tape. While in itself, not a particularly remarkable occurrence, it was the first time he lent me an unsolicited tape. Go on, youll like it, he insisted. Inside that clear plastic jewel case was a hand-drawn (and painted, I assumed) cover depicting a bunch of crucifix gravestones with a couple of hands on either side pulling at faintly-drawn strings. Each string connected to a gravestone. The only other Metallica album Id heard up to that point was the very underrated Reload yes, that was my first introduction to the band and I didnt think twice about sticking the cassette into my Walkman. After that familiar crackle a telltale sign that the contents of the cassette had been copied from a vinyl pressing came that lush acoustic guitar intro. You know the one. The one that precedes those four power chords, the downstroke-heavy riffing and the crashing drums that ensue. What also follows is the indescribable urge to smash everything around you into smithereens. The song, if I even need to point out, was Battery and the album was obviously Master of Puppets. Its safe to say I had no idea of the aural smorgasbord that awaited me. And on 3 March, 30 years ago, the world got its first taste of the album (and presumably that urge to which I alluded above). Released by Elektra Records in 1986, it was in 2003 that the album was certified 6x platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for having sold six million copies in the US. The internet reliably (or not) informs me that the record went sextuple-platinum in the UK and Canada as well. In 2006, Metallica played the whole of the Master of Puppets record end-to-end at Download Festival in Donington Park, UK to mark the albums 20th anniversary. But anyway, as it stands, Battery is still one of my favourite tracks, certainly off the album, but generally, as well. And Im not alone. Flemming Rasmussen, who after producing the bands Ride The Lightning record, produced Master of Puppets, agrees. Battery, Master of Puppets and Welcome Home (Sanitarium) are my favourite tracks off the album, he tells me in a brief chat while off touring the world. Flemming, who is widely and (more importantly) accurately credited with creating frontman James Hetfields guitar sound, says, My first impression of the band was that of a determined band, with a common goal, and had worked really hard to achieve this. Thats cool. Determination and having a goal are always good things. But what was different about recording this album, compared to the previous one? In the two years between, the band had matured, and the song-writing had gotten a bit better. They also played a lot better after intensive touring. I was looking forward to getting back into the studio with them a lot like a kid looks forward to Christmas, says Flemming. Thats exactly how newbies (yes, if you havent heard the album yet, Im talking to you) should and long-time fans do approach the album. Showcasing a great sense of sophistication, both musical and lyrical, Master of Puppets is largely centred around the theme of control, manipulation and being enslaved whether a slave to anger (Battery), war (Disposable Heroes), evangelism, specifically televangelism (Leper Messiah), senseless violence (Damage, Inc.), those who are supposed to help people battling issues of mental health (Sanitarium), or cocaine (as alluded to in the title track). Note: For the longest time, I couldn't make sense of the line "chop your breakfast on a mirror" in said title track. In the form of an aside (perhaps not so interesting to you, as me), listening to my own copy of that copied cassette, I never heard the mid-section of the albums instrumental track Orion bear in mind, most cassettes could only handle 45 minutes-worth of music on each side, so naturally, the track cut out) until over a whole year later when I eventually splashed out on the CD. But digressions apart and getting back to the topic of how the damn thing was recorded, it took a major jaunt across Los Angeles before drummer and band founder Lars Ulrich and Flemming were able to settle on a studio to record the album. And guess what? It wasnt even in the United States. Lars and I went on a two-week tour to find a studio in LA where we could record Master of Puppets, but did not find a studio with a live room like the one in Sweet Silence (the Copenhagen studio in which Ride the Lightning was recorded). So eventually, the band decided to record in Denmark, elaborates Flemming, before adding wryly, It was totally the bands decision. On a side note, the days of hunting for a studio may well be over for Flemming, who recently finished building and fitting out a new studio in Helsingr, Denmark. That took some time, says the producer who works on all sorts of projects these days, but by his own admission, focuses mainly on rock bands. Nevertheless, compared to the bands last stint at Sweet Silence while recording Ride the Lightning when they slept on the floor in the room above the studio the recording of Master of Puppets saw them sprawling (between recording sessions) in the lap of luxury at the Scandinavia Hotel, with Lars and James sharing a room, and guitarist Kirk Hammett and the bands late bass player Cliff Burton sharing another. The entire recording process went very smoothly, says Flemming, who over the years has spoken at length about the bands proficiency at that stage particularly James, who according to the producer, could lay down rhythm tracks in one take. But unlike Ride the Lightning, it wouldnt be Flemming who would see the album to its logical conclusion. It was onetime Accept guitarist and music producer/engineer Michael Wagener who would put the final touches on Master of Puppets. Whats up with that? The recording process took a bit longer than expected, explains Flemming, So I was booked and didnt have any more time. The band then decided to let Wagener mix the album. And what we were left with was an absolute masterpiece and one that is often imitated but rarely replicated, whether in terms of its heaviness, its subtlety or as an overall package. Its hard to pick a favourite Metallica album particularly with the enchanting wizardry of Ride the Lightning, the raw brutality of Kill Em All or even the reinvented style and verve of Reload (Im not even going to get into the car-crash from which you cannot peel away your eyes that is St Anger). But, Master of Puppets arguably sits atop the pile. Its been said and written that at the time of smashing out this record, Metallica and particularly Lars were growing weary of the thrash metal tag that was slapped against their names that may have contributed to a laymans sense of caution while approaching the bands music. So was it a conscious decision to move away from thrash (conceptually and musically) with Master of Puppets? No idea, replies Flemming, We never talked about doing anything like that. We just made as good an album as we possibly could. The bands producer on later albums (from the eponymous album to St Anger) Bob Rock was sometimes accused of trying to be the fifth member of Metallica a notion that was crystallised by the documentary Some Kind of Monster, or at least thats the way the edit shows it. Flemming admits he was also portrayed that way. Yes, all the time, he says. When asked about how he feels about the album 30 years on and whether any modern-day record can be dubbed this generations Master of Puppets, the producer of the album says emphatically, I am proud of what we achieved with the album. Ive never thought about comparing it to anything! As for his relations with the band in 2016, Flemming says, Im closest to Lars these days. We talk on and off, but I see the whole band when they play in Denmark. Which brings us to the million dollar question: As a major influence on the bands sound, a producer of some of their best tracks and a person who remains close to the band, what direction would Flemming like to see Metallica take now (particularly with a new album reportedly set to be released in 2016)? I think I will let the band and their people decide that, says a satisfied man. Great. Only thing left to do now is listen to the album, embedded below for your convenience. Happy Birthday, Master of Puppets! The huge fire that gutted the stage of Maharashtra Night programme during the Make in India jamboree on Sunday night fortunately did not result in any casualties. Despite the presence of over 10000 people including foreign dignitaries and VVIPs at the venue when the massive fire broke out, Mumbai police and the BMC's disaster control cell came in for high praise for an almost flawless job of evacuation. It was so smooth that everybody thanked god that there was no damage other than that to the image of the Maharashtra government. But it now turns out that providence had only a bit role in avoiding what could have been a gigantic tragedy on the shores of Chowpatty. Much of the credit should be parked with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Mumbai Fire Brigade. But Firstpost can reveal that if event management company Wizcraft International's original site design was adhered to, evacuation might not have been as smooth as it was. Wizcraft, which is already under scanner for not paying heed to fire department's advice, proposed setting up only two gates, one each for entry and exit for over 10000 people and for an event of such scale and magnitude. In a copy of the event map in possession of Firstpost and reproduced here, Wizcraft proposed setting up a barricade around the entire venue which could have made evacuation during an accident almost impossible. The eventuality was avoided since the BMC's disaster management cell and the fire department red-flagged the proposal. The barricades were taken off and five gates strategically installed after a joint inspection done on 12 February by additional municipal commissioner SVR Sriniwas, Pallavi Darade, Jt CP Deven Bharti, Jt CP, Traffic, Milind Bharambe and chief fire officer Prabhat Rahangdale. Though the event management company at the centre of the controversy has claimed that all instructions were followed, senior officials from BMC and state government have raised questions over how flammable material was put under the stage and conditions on fireworks not complied with. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered the inquiry, but questions have been raised why there is no FIR even 4 days after the incident. Talking exclusively to Firstpost Fadnavis said FIR will be lodged in two days. "If anyone is responsible for this we take strictest action." Phone calls and text message queries to company officials till the publishing of this report went unanswered. Did MMRDA suffer loss of revenue? The Make in India week likely resulted in a revenue loss of Rs 21 crore for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Authority of India (MMRDA), according to a letter by RTI activist Anil Galgali. Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC), the government arm organising the event, has reportedly refused to pay up, resulting in the organisation losing out on rentals for a week at its Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) plot. A letter in possession of Firstpost also reveals BMC had waived off all charges and license fees for the event which was held from 13th to the 18th February, resulting in further revenue loss. Maha govt moved SC to hold event at Chowpatty In light of Bombay high court's refusal to allow the state to hold such a huge jamboree on Girgaum Chowpatty, the Centre had moved the apex court, following which the Supreme Court on 2 February stayed the high court order and allowed the Maharashtra government to hold the event. Investment road shows by governments are notorious for announcing MoUs worth lakhs of crores. Most of these MoUs are meant to capture media headlines. They remain on paper and are not even a faint memory by the time the road show returns the following year with a fresh set of MoUs. But the Maharashtra government, it seems, does not consign useless MoUs to the dustbin. Not only does it remember them, but revives them as well. That is exactly what the Devendra Fadnavis government did with its much publicised MoU for constructing 5.69 lakh houses for the urban poor. It picked up a dud MoU singed by the earlier Congress government with a builders' body and just regurgitated it, adding a new dimension to Narendra Modi's Make in India: Cut-paste in India! This is what happened: Circa February 2010: Ashok Chavan, chief minister. Chhagan Bhujbal, deputy chief minister. JP Dange, chief secretary. Paras Gundecha, president of Maharashtra Chamber of Housing Industry (MCHI), an apex body builders. They sign an MoU in February to construct five lakh houses for the urban poor. The MoU runs through its five-year course without a single brick being laid. It expires somewhere around the time that the incumbent government plans its Make in India extravaganza in Mumbai. Circa February 2016: There's a change of government. A new chief minister, Fadnavis, is in place. Subhash Desai is the new industry minister. Shreekant Singh the new principal secretary, housing. And Dharmesh Jain, the new president of the MCHI. These new incumbents pick up the old, useless piece of paper that has just run out of even its legal sanctity, dust it up and announce to the world as a brand new plan to build 5.69 lakh houses for the poor in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region at a total cost of Rs 1.10 lakh crore. The similarity of this farce does not end here. Fanfare and events was the hallmark of the previous government too. It is not surprising that the same lobby of babus was present in the Make in India week in Mumbai to witness the same farce being recreated. The new MoU was signed during the Maharashtra Investment Seminar, a part of the Make in India week. A senior official from the state housing department says, "Over 82 reputed builders are part of MCHI and this project will generate around 7.65 lakh direct jobs. We will ensure land and other clearances to ensure speedy execution of the projects," he added. Fadnavis on MCHI and investments On February 17, on the back of the Make in India week, Fadnavis declared that the state had attracted investments worth about Rs 8 lakh crore. "We have signed many memoranda of understanding (MoU) with several companies across sectors to the tune of Rs 8 lakh crore during the 'Make in India' week," he said. "This MoU (with MCHI) is in line with our aim to develop 5.69 lakh affordable homes in the MMR by 2020. We will act as a facilitator for the developers, who would submit their proposals under the scheme to develop affordable homes. We will ensure land and other clearances to ensure speedy execution of the projects," Fadnavis said. This dusted up MoU accounts for more than one-eighth of all promised investments generated during the Make in India (Rs 1.10 lakh crore out of Rs 8 lakh crore), putting a big question mark over the entire road show and its so-called success. A senior officer from the housing department confirmed that the MoU signed by Chavan lapsed in February 2015, and claimed that CM Fadnavis had decided to give the builders one more chance. "Early January this year, the housing department once again sent a letter to MCHI, asking whether they are interested in the work," the officer added. The developers, on the face of it, are putting up a positive spin to it despite not fulfilling the terms of the previous MoU. "In the last five years, hardly any work happened on the real estate front. But we are keen on taking up the project of constructing affordable homes once again, promised Paras Gundecha, former president of the MCHI and one of the architects of the dud MoU of 2010. It must be said in fairness that affordable housing has been one of the key concerns of the Fadnavis government. Three months ago, Fadnavis had asked the Slum Rehabilitation Authority to give Rs 500 crore to the Konkan board of MHADA to buy land in the MMR and construct affordable homes. He had also assured Rs 500 crore to Shivshahi Punarvasan Prakalp Limited (SPPL) to build affordable houses in the MMR region. In an interaction with senior officers before Make in India, Fadnavis reportedly said that roping in private developers was important to construct affordable homes. He had emphasised, however, that care needed to be taken to ensure that builders received no untoward benefits. When Firstpost asked why the same MoU with MCHI was signed again, a senior official of the housing department said that this time MoU would be backed not just by good intent, but quick action. He said the government will facilitate the members of MCHI-CREDAI, to obtain necessary permissions, registrations, approvals, clearance and fiscal incentives. "Like the MCGM, we have been implementing Ease of Doing Business across all sectors," he added. While Firstpost has acquired a copy of the new MoU, the earlier one is said to have been gutted in the Mantralaya Fire. Confirming that there was a similar, if not same, MoU between the two sides, SS Husain, CEO of MCHI, told Firstpost that the earlier one signed with the state government in 2010 did not workout form both ends and hardly any work was done on it in the last five years. "It could not be executed from both sides," he admitted. Asked why, he simply said: "Ask the previous MCHI president, not me." But this time, Hussain claimed, the intent was genuine and that the MCHI, which has more than 1,500 builder-members, will execute the project in all earnestness. "In 2016 we will build 3 lakh affordable homes," he said with inexplicable confidence, built as it is on the ruins of a defunct MoU. Talking to Firstpost former chief minister and senior Congress leader Ashok Chavan said, "I signed several MoUs, and I don't remember if I signed one with the MCHI. If the present CM also signed the same MoU, then like the Centre, the state is also doing fake business like PM Narendra Modi. If this true then it's very shocking to us." Chavan's shock, of course, is selective, not extending to the fact that his government and the one that followed (with Prithviraj Chavan as chief minister), were content to keep this project on paper. Prithviraj Chavan recalled that he his government received the MoU in inheritance from Ashok Chavan. "We did not act upon it because the builders wanted to extract unreasonable concessions. If I had agreed to those conditions I would have committed illegalities." It is a mystery how the Fadnavis government will execute a similar MoU with the same body of builders that is hungry for short cuts and government give-aways. Here's a copy of the new MoU: Thiruvananthapuram: With dates of state assembly polls expected to be announced in few days time, major political parties in Kerala are gearing up for the election with leaders engaged in discussions on finalising their list of candidates. The process of giving finishing touch to candidates' list has speeded up in the Congress, the lead partner in the ruling United Democratic Front, with Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, KPCC President V M Sudheeran and Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala holding talks with district leaders. The sub-committee of each district have given a list of candidates of their respective constituencies with more than six probable names to the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee. KPCC wanted to finalise the list in a few days time and submit it to the party high command for approval, party sources in Thiruvananthapuram said. Discussions with Front partners on seat sharing was also progressing. The second largest partner in the ruling UDF, Indian Union Muslim League, which contested 24 seats last time, is likely to demand more seats this time. Other constituents, Kerala Congress (M) and JD(U), which contested 15 and six seats in the last polls, have already demanded more seats. RSP and KC-J, are the other two minor parties in the UDF. Deliberations are also going on in full-swing in CPI-M, which heads the LDF opposition, in finalising the candidates. Key discussion in the party is over the candidature of CPI-M veteran and state Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan. As per reports, the focus of debate is whether both 93-year-old Achuthanandan and politburo member Pinarayi Vijayan should contest the polls and who should lead the Front campaign. Party General Secretary Sitaram Yechury, who attended the party secretariat held in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday, took stock of political situation in the state and discussed the issue of candidates. District Committees of the party would meet again in the coming days and discuss on candidates. Later, the suggestions of the district committees would be debated at the party state secretariat to be held on March 11 and 12, followed by state committee, party sources said, adding, "a final decision on list of candidates is expected by then." CPI-M had contested 93 seats in the 2011 polls. Discussions with front partners on seat sharing were also on in the left camp. CPI, the second largest partner in the LDF, contested 27 seats last time. Janata Dal (S), NCP and Congress (S) are the other minor partners of LDF. CPI State Secretary Kanam Rajendran has said their candidates' list would be announced on March 19. The party council meeting in Thiruvananthapuram on 11 March would lay down the guidelines for selecting candidates. Kerala Congress (B), led by former minister R Balakrishna Pillai, has already severed its ties with the UDF. Even though the party has not officially joined LDF, it has already extended support to the Left camp opposing UDF. Its lone MLA and Pillai's son, K B Ganesh Kumar has openly stated that he would like to contest from his home constituency Pathanapuram in Kollam district. However, LDF has not responded to the request. Similarly, KC-M rebel leader and former government Chief Whip P C George, who was suspended from the party, has also extended support to the Left. He has also expressed his desire to contest from his constituency Poojar in Idukki district. Another major change in the coalition equation is that RSP which was with LDF in 2011 polls is now with UDF, after the party snapped its ties over differences of seat sharing in the last Lok Sabha polls. BJP, which has not tasted victory in the assembly and Lok Sabha polls in the state, is in an upbeat mood after its good performance in the recent civic polls. The party is likely to have tie-up with new political outfit Bharthiya Dharma Jana Sena formed by Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam, a social organisation of the powerful backward Ezhava community,led by Vellappally Natesan. Natesan had gone to Delhi to meet BJP president Amit Shah to discuss issues regarding the tie-up in the state. BJP State President Kummanam Rajasekharan and former BJP state president, V Muraleedharan, who is Election Committee Chairman, would hold a meeting with Natesan before announcement of the alliance, party sources added. PTI By G Pramod Kumar Two years ago, when Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa decided to release all the seven convicts of the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case serving jail terms in Tamil Nadu, it aroused considerable hope and excitement. But, when she does a repeat of the same move now, the general response is that of scepticism and indifference. In February 2014, what Jaya attempted was a masterstroke: as soon as the Supreme Court (SC) commuted to life the death sentence of three convicts in the case, who were in jail along with four others for more than 20 years, she seized the opportunity and decided to remit the jail terms of all the seven. However, the Centre, because the CBI under its jurisdiction had investigated the case and prosecuted the convicts, blocked her decision in the SC. The apex court in December 2015 said that Tamil Nadu couldn't take such a decision without the Centres concurrence. The SC added that the state also had to seek the opinion of the court which had sentenced the convicts. What also made Jayas decision untenable was the opinion of the SC that in the case of concurrent jurisdiction, the Centre had primacy over the state. In other words, Tamil Nadu couldn't release the convicts without the concurrence of the Centre. And thus, her decision was nothing but mere wish. That's precisely why MDMKs Vaiko, who had hailed Jayas 2014 decision as bold and historic dubbed the latest attempt as a gimmick. According to him, as well as the lawyer of Nalini, one of the convicts, she should have used Article 161 of the Constitution by passing a cabinet resolution and sending it to the Governor. Dalit leader Thol Thirumavalavan of VCK and the CPM state secretary G Ramakrishnan also said that Jaya should have got them released under Article 161. However, with the SC verdict of December 2015 in which it spelled out three clear points such as the Centres supremacy, the opinion of the court that convicted the people concerned, and the duration of the life term, this possibility is not water-tight and is open to legal debate. In fact, the SC even said that commuting death penalty to life doesnt mean that the convicts jail terms can be remitted. "It has now come to stay that when in exceptional cases, death penalty is altered as life sentence, it would only mean rest of one's life-span, the court said. So, for the moment, the only significance of Jayas renewed effort is political. She wants to show the people of Tamil Nadu that she cares for the Tamil cause. But unlike last time, her possibilities are limited and she has to start from where the SC stopped her. All that she can do now is to ask the Centre to concur. To make it work for her politically, she has skilfully spun it a bit: decide to release the convicts first and then ask for the Centres opinion. Once again, her message to the people of Tamil Nadu will be that she has decided to release them for the second time and she is helpless if the BJP-led Centre blocks it. By seeking the Centres opinion, she is asking the BJP to commit too. When she first sought to release the convicts, the government at the Centre was headed by the Congress, which obviously didnt like the idea. However, the BJP has no emotional stake in the case and hence could support Jayas decision. Probably, thats what prompted Jaya to take this gamble. If BJP really wants to exploit the situation and get some sympathy from the voters in the state, this is the time for it. If the BJP plays along, the big loser will be the DMK because its record of intervention in either the war against Tamils in Sri Lanka or the desperate pleas of Nalini and others had been dubious. The DMK was a UPA partner at the Centre at the height of the war in Sri Lanka, but couldnt do anything to stop the alleged genocide in the island nation despite massive outcry in the international media. Drowning in two major scams, the DMK was in no position to pull out of the UPA except throwing some preplanned tantrums. Pushed to the back foot, it either played safe or did nothing in the case of Nalini and others. In fact, Nalini had become an untouchable that everybody wanted to keep in jail perpetually. It was only Jaya, who first spoke for her. The DMK, which is now trying to field a formidable coalition with the Congress and the DMDK in its fold, will have nothing to offer in this case. Whatever it does, or says, will be seen as political opportunism. Meanwhile, all that Nalini and the six other convicts can do is to keep their fingers crossed and bet on BJPs political opportunism. The BJP has nothing to lose by taking a lenient decision. On the contrary, that might win them enormous public support. Nobody clearly knows how strong is the Tamil cause as an electoral undercurrent in the state, given that the LTTE had been vanquished seven years ago. But, Nalini certainly looks like a potent symbol of a helpless Tamil woman. She recently came out on a 12-hour parol to participate in her fathers funeral and was featured prominently in the media. What was on display was how a sprightly girl from a prestigious city college metamorphosed into a sick old woman in jail over the last 25 years. Ultimately, good emotions will trump bad emotions. If Jaya manages to get her out, it will certainly make an impact. Does BJP want to take the bait? It should, without a doubt. Istanbul: Turkish police Thursday killed two female assailants who hurled grenades and opened fire at an Istanbul police station before taking cover inside a nearby building, Turkish media reports said. The two women whose identity and affiliation were not clear had holed up in an apartment in the Bayrampasa neighbourhood of the megacity after their attack. Police then launched an assault on the apartment, "neutralising" the two, the official Anatolia news agency said, quoting police sources. There were no reports of other casualties. According to the Dogan news agency, the two women had thrown several grenades then opened fire at the riot police headquarters. Officers returned fire, injuring one of the attackers before they fled to the nearby building. Turkey has been on a state of alert for months since a series of deadly attacks on its soil. Last month, 29 people were killed in a car bombing that targeted a military convoy in Ankara, which was claimed by the Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (TAK), who have been linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). In the last year, there were four deadly bomb attacks blamed on Islamic State (IS) jihadists, including the deadliest in Turkey's modern history that killed 103 people in Ankara in October. There have also been sporadic attacks by radicals from the outlawed ultra-leftist Revolutionary People's Liberation PartyFront (DHKP-C). AFP Beijing: Depressed over seeing his neighbours getting married, a 46-year-old man allegedly clubbed his ailing father to death for failing to get him a bride in north-central China, media reports said on Thursday. Wei, from Yuzhong county, kicked and beat his father with a club after dragging him out of his sickbed on Tuesday, Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post quoted local reports as saying. His father, 69, was taken to hospital, but succumbed to his injuries. When police arrived at the family home, the accused, identified only by his surname Wei, reportedly brandished a knife and threatened to kill himself if anyone approached him. He was arrested following a stand-off lasting nearly three hours when police fired tear-gas and overpowered him. Wei had beaten his ailing father a couple of times before the Chinese Lunar New Year on February 8, the report said. On Tuesday, Wei's mother had reportedly tried to stop him after he started to beat his father again. She went to call her younger son for help, but when she returned she found her husband lying injured on the ground, the report said. Police have sent Wei to a local hospital where his mental health will be assessed. The report said the unmarried Wei had been living at his parents' home. People from the village said Wei had complained that his parents were not rich enough to provide him with a high enough economic status and that they had failed to help find him a wife. One villager told the newspaper that Wei had grown more depressed after seeing his neighbours getting married. PTI Panama City: Emirates Airline, which was scheduled to launch what it called the world's longest non-stop flight this month between Dubai and Panama City, has said it was postponing those plans for around a year. The launch, which had been slated for March 31, will now occur in late 2016 or early 2017 due to "operational factors," the Dubai airline said in a statement released in Panama yesterday. Emirates announced in August that it would launch the world's longest flight, at 17 hours and 35 minutes between the two trading hubs, making Panama the airline's first destination in Central America. The company had said it would offer a daily flight to Panama's capital aboard a Boeing 777-200LR aircraft, which can also carry up to 15 tonnes of cargo. However, the company said that upon extensive review, it would now postpone the flight after "considering all operational factors, including fleet utilization and commercial demand." Among the world's other longest flights are one connecting Dallas to Sydney (almost 17 hours), Johannesburg to Atlanta (16 hours, 40 minutes), and Dubai to Los Angeles (16 hours 35 minutes). Previously, the longest flight, lasting almost 19 hours, linked Singapore and New York and was operated by Singapore Airlines. But it was suspended in 2013 to cut costs. Emirates said it remained enthusiastic about linking its airline network to the region and would keep its staff in Panama. Meanwhile on Wednesday German airline Lufthansa launched a direct flight to Panama, which the company said was its first to Central America. The flight, which connects Panama City and Frankfurt, will be made five times a week by an Airbus A340-300 with a 298-passenger capacity. AFP London: Hackers affiliated to ISIS terror group who promised to take down International search engine giant Google have instead targeted a small India tech firm, according to a media report. Cyber Caliphate Army (CCA), a hacking group affiliated to ISIS, hit www.addgoogleonline.com registered by Gandani K for Indian tech firm Always Say, which offers search engine optimisation (SEO) services to local clients. According to vocative.com website, CCA had vowed on messaging app Telegram they would attack Google on Monday. "We promised to hack Google. Keep the promise inshallah (God willing), expect us today," the group declared. However, the website claims that a few hours later they had instead defaced the website www.addgoogleonline.com which is completely unrelated to the Silicon Valley based Google. After it was hacked, the website played an Islamic State (ISIS) song in French and displaced the official logo along with a sign saying "Hacked By: CCA". The CCA's "defacement of the website" was short-lived as yet another hacker group called "n3far1ous" wiped out the ISIS message and replaced it with an "Eat this, ISIS" message, and a rock tune playing in the background. The "n3far1ous" message was still on display today. According to UK media reports, the CCA allegedly hacked into 35 British websites, which appear to be a random mix of relatively small British businesses. The websites hacked into include a Japanese dance instructor's website, a company selling furniture and laminate flooring and a salon. ISIS hackers allegedly said that the attacks were "A message to David Cameron" as revenge for the killing of British Muslim terrorist Junaid Hussain, who was killed in a US-led air strike last year. The attacks follow pro-ISIS hackers' threats that they would target the founder of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, and Twitter's Jack Dorsey for shutting down their social media accounts. PTI WASHINGTON A closely divided U.S. Supreme Court struggled with its biggest abortion case in years on Wednesday, with pivotal Justice Anthony Kennedy voicing concerns about a restrictive Texas law yet stopping short of signalling he would strike it down. The court's four liberal justices indicated they believed the law, which imposes strict regulations on abortion doctors and clinic buildings, intrudes on a woman's constitutional right to end a pregnancy established in a 1973 ruling. Conservative justices including Kennedy expressed doubt during the 85-minute oral argument about claims by abortion providers who asserted that the Republican-backed 2013 law forced numerous clinics to shut down. Kennedy at one point suggested sending the case back to a lower court to get further evidence on the law's impact, including an assessment of the ability of existing Texas clinics to meet the demand for abortions. If there is evidence new clinics that meet the state's regulations have increased capacity to perform abortions, it would show the law has provided a "beneficial effect," Kennedy said. The outcome appeared to be in the hands of Kennedy, who often casts the deciding vote in close rulings. In past abortion cases, he has backed a fundamental right to abortion while supporting some restrictions. The court was shorthanded with only eight justices following the Feb. 13 death of conservative Antonin Scalia, leaving the liberals and conservatives evenly divided. The best that supporters of the law could hope for would be a 4-4 split that would let stand a lower-court ruling that affirmed the Texas regulations but set no nationwide legal precedent on whether other states could enact similar measures. However, a such ruling leaving the Texas law intact could encourage other states with anti-abortion legislatures to pass similar laws. Kennedy gave little indication he would be willing to uphold the law in full, as his three conservative colleagues would be expected to do. If Kennedy sides with the court's four liberals, the court could either send the case back to the lower court or strike it down. A ruling is due by the end of June. A decision sending the case to a lower court could mean the dispute might not be resolved for years. Some justices questioned the lack of evidence on why specific clinics closed after the law was passed, which could be addressed if new legal proceedings take place. Abortion providers assert that the law caused 22 of 41 clinics to close, but the state contests those numbers. "What is the evidence in the record that the closures are related to the legislation?" conservative Chief Justice John Roberts asked. Texas contends the law, passed by a Republican-controlled legislature and signed by a Republican governor, protects women's health. The abortion providers who have challenged it assert that the regulations are aimed at shutting down their clinics. MEDICALLY INDUCED ABORTIONS In a sign that he was not comfortable with aspects of the law, Kennedy sounded concerned about a possible increase in surgical abortions prompted in part by the state's separate new restrictions on medically induced abortions, in which women take pills to terminate a pregnancy. Kennedy said that "this law has really increased the number of surgical procedures as opposed to medical procedures, and that this may not be medically wise." Abortion rights advocates say surgical abortions increased because of the delays women seeking an abortion faced as a result of the 2013 law. Liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg questioned the need for a provision of the law requiring clinics to have costly, hospital-grade facilities, when abortions almost always are low-risk procedures for the woman. "What was the problem the legislature was responding to that it needed to improve the facilities for women's health?" Ginsburg asked. The Texas law requires abortion doctors to have "admitting privileges," a type of formal affiliation, at a hospital within 30 miles (48 km) of the clinic. Abortion providers say the provision already has forced clinics to close because such an affiliation is hard to obtain. The abortion providers also challenged a provision, not yet in effect, requiring clinics to have hospital-grade facilities with standards for corridor width, plumbing, parking spaces, room size, the spacing of beds and many other attributes. Conservative Justice Samuel Alito indicated support for the regulations and referred to evidence that abortion facilities in Texas "have been cited for really appalling violations when they were inspected: holes in the floor where rats could come in, the lack of any equipment to adequately sterilize instruments." The Supreme Court's last major abortion ruling came in 2007 when it upheld a federal law banning a late-term abortion procedure. The Supreme Court legalized abortion in the 1973 Roe v. Wade case. But abortion remains a disputed issue in the United States, as it does in many countries, and some states have passed laws aiming to place a variety of restrictions on a woman's ability to terminate a pregnancy. The court is considering the Texas case in the midst of the heated campaign ahead of the Nov. 8 U.S. presidential election. (Reporting by Lawrence Hurley; Additional reporting by Joan Biskupic and Clarece Polke; Editing by Will Dunham) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. DAKAR More than 200 people have been kidnapped in eastern Central African Republic this year, already nearly double last year's level, in a wave of abductions blamed on the Lord's Resistance Army, an organisation tracking the rebel group said Thursday. A quarter of the 217 abducted were children, 41 of whom are still missing or in captivity, LRA Crisis Tracker said in a statement. The kidnapped children may be as used as soldiers, sex slaves or labourers, it said. The LRA, run by warlord Joseph Kony, is known for massacring and mutilating civilians as well as abducting children to use as soldiers or slaves. "The LRA is once again abducting children in central Africa, betting that the international community will fail to protect those most vulnerable to Kony's forces," said Paul Ronan, director of The Resolve, one of the organisations behind the crisis tracking project. The LRA has targeted the former French colony, which is reeling from years of inter-religious bloodshed. In January, the group killed a villager and abducted dozens of others during two weekend raids in a remote diamond-producing area of the country. LRA Crisis Tracker said the rebel group has been responsible for attacks and abductions in eastern Congo too, but those had slowed since August. Uganda led a crackdown against the rebel group about 10 years ago, at which point its fighters began to roam portions of Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan. Despite a U.S.-backed regional effort and the fact that the group's ranks are believed to have dwindled to several hundred fighters, LRA has continued assaults on civilians. (Writing by Makini Brice; Editing by Edward McAllister and Alison Williams) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Wellington: New Zealanders began voting on Thursday on whether to adopt a new flag, in a referendum Prime Minister John Key has called a once-in-a-generation chance to ditch Britain's Union Jack from the national banner. About three million ballot papers are being distributed in the South Pacific nation of 4.5 million people for the vote, conducted only by post, which closes on 24 March. The result will be binding and John Burrows, the head of a panel overseeing the referendum, said New Zealanders would have to live with their choice far into the future. "Whatever the decision, this flag will fly for generations to come and we hope all Kiwis exercise their right to vote in this historic decision," he said. Key, a passionate advocate for a new flag, said the vote was a rare chance to update and modernise an important national symbol. "If they don't vote for change now, they won't get another chance until we become a republic," he told Radio New Zealand this week. "I don't think that's going to happen in my lifetime." On one side of the ballot is the existing flag, a dark blue ensign with the Union Jack in the top left corner and four red stars representing the Southern Cross constellation. On the other is the proposed alternative -- a silver fern on a black-and-blue background, which retains the four Southern Cross stars. Opinion polls point to a decisive win for the existing banner, with one survey this week finding 63 per cent wanted to keep it and only 26 per cent backed the new version. AFP The United Nations Security Council on Wednesday unanimously voted to toughen sanctions on North Korea after its fourth nuclear test in January. The resolution called for inspecting all cargo going in and out of the country, banning all weapons trade and expanding the list of individuals facing sanctions, reported The New York Times. Hours after the toughest-ever sanctions, North Korea fired short-range projectiles into the sea off its eastern coast on Thursday. The country has been under UN sanctions since 2006. What are United Nations resolutions? They are formal expressions of the opinion or will of United Nations organs. As per the UN, "The resolution consists of two defined sections: A preamble and an operative part. The preamble presents the considerations on the basis of which action is taken, an opinion expressed or a directive given. The operative part states the opinion of the organ or the action to be taken." The United Nations Security Council is responsible for the maintenance of international peace and security, while the General Assembly is mainly involved in financing the peacekeeping activities. The Security Council has 15 members (including five permanent members also known as the P5). Each member has one vote, but permanent members also have a veto. All member states have to comply with the Security Council's decisions. Other UN resolutions passed in recent times Syria Thousands have died and millions have fled Syria while the war rages on between the forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad and those opposing his regime. Moreover, the growing power of the Islamic State called for an international intervention. In December 2015, the UN Security Council passed a resolution that seeks a political solution in the war-torn Syria with the help of international stakeholders. According to the CNN report, the resolution sought a ceasefire in Syria and provided a rough timeline for political change in the county. A BBC report stated, "The UN says that it will need $3.2 billion to help the 13.5 million people, including 6 million children, who will require some form of humanitarian assistance inside Syria in 2016." Iran Irans dubious nuclear policy has always made the rest of the world jittery. The first round of UN sanctions came in 2006 under President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to curb Irans nuclear programme. According to a New York Times report, "Import and export of materials and technology in uranium enrichment, reprocessing and ballistic missiles were banned." From 2006 to 2010, as many as six UN resolutions were adopted. After Hassan Rouhani came to power, sanctions were partially lifted in November 2013. After the 14 July, 2015 agreement in Vienna between Iran and the P5 plus Germany, UN Security Council set motion a mechanism to lift its sanctions against the country. Sudan South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in July 2011. A civil war broke out in 2013 between the government and rebel forces. On 2 March, 2016, a UN report said, Determining that the situation in South Sudan remained a threat to regional peace and security, the Security Council today renewed until 15 April sanctions including a travel ban and asset freeze... The landlocked country is rife with ethnic tension as a result of a political dispute between President Salva Kiir and his former deputy Riek Machar. Reuters reported that there has been a five-fold increase in the death toll with a senior UN official stating that over 50,000 people have been killed in the last two years. Iraq The UN Security Council had adopted a numerous resolutions during the Iraq-Iran war, the Persian Gulf War and the Iraq disarmament crisis and the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Some of the key resolutions include compliance with the Unscom and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in 1991, the oil for food programme in 1995 and the Iraqi travel restrictions in 1997. On 1 March, 2016, the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq, known as Unami reported, Acts of terrorism, violence and armed conflict in Iraq claimed the lives of 670 people, including 410 civilians in February 2016. It added that a total of 1,290 people were wounded, including 1,050 civilians. Sri Lanka The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) was formed in 1976. Soon after, it started waging a war against the Sri Lankan government for a separate Tamil state in the north and east of the country. The 26-year-long civil war has claimed thousands of lives and displaced many. In 2008, the government launched a massive offensive against the rebels. Human rights groups blamed both sides for heavy civilian casualties. In May 2009, the government declared the Tamil Tigers defeated with the death of their leader Velupillai Prabhakaran. In 2001, the UN raised concerns over the severe atrocities committed against the civilians and a year later, UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) adopted a resolution urging Sri Lanka to investigate the war crimes committed during the war. The UN team met with resistance from the then president Mahinda Rajapaksa. In October 2015, the UNHRC adopted a consensus resolution, sponsored by countries including the US and UK, on accountability for perceived human rights abuse during the Sri Lankan civil war. Islamabad: Pakistan on Thursday accused India of engaging in an "unhelpful" blame game over the Pathankot terror attack and said cooperation and understanding were needed to take the investigation forward. During a weekly news briefing in Islamabad, Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said cooperation and understanding is the need of the hour to take the investigation into Pathankot incident forward. Commenting on the Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar statement accusing Pakistan of the attack, he said blame game on the part of India is "unfortunate" and "unhelpful", Radio Pakistan reported. Parrikar on Tuesday told the Rajya Sabha that the terror attack on the air force base in Punjab's Pathankot was carried out by Pakistan's "non-state actors" who operate with the support of the Pakistani establishment. Zakaria said a Joint Investigation Team has been formed and modalities are being worked out for its visit to India to probe the matter. He said Pakistan has denounced terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and believes all nations need to collaborate with each other to defeat this menace. To a question, the spokesperson said Pakistan and India are working on the dates for the Foreign Secretary-level talks. Responding to another question, the Spokesperson said Pakistan's nuclear arsenals are only meant to deter any aggression against its territorial integrity. PTI Pakistans finance minister Ishaq Dar said on Thursday that his country will never roll back its nuclear programme despite financial hardship and threat of mounting external debt. Dar was briefing the Senate, the upper house of Parliament, on the countrys economy. According to the Express Tribune, Dar dismissed reports about Pakistan bartering away its nuclear arsenal. We did not start this (nuclear) programme to roll it back. This is a programme of our security, and it is our national responsibility to protect it. All political parties of Pakistan share the ownership of our nuclear programme, he said. Even if our debts swell to $100 billion or $100 trillion, we will not roll back our nuclear programme. He referred to a Wall Street Journal article in which the author asked Western donors to agree on a $100 billion economic package in exchange for eliminating Pakistans nuclear stockpile, currently said to be the fastest growing in the world. He also mentioned another article which suggested the ever-ballooning debt may lead Pakistan to compromise on its national security assets. Dars forceful statement came after US Secretary of State John Kerry pressed Pakistan at this weeks strategic dialogue in Washington to reduce its nuclear arsenal. Dar did not mention Kerrys statement but Senate chairman Raza Rabbani asked Sartaj Aziz, the adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs, to brief the house on the issue. Aziz had urged the US not to contribute to strategic imbalance in South Asia by aiding India. PTI MANILA China sent several ships to a disputed atoll in the South China Sea, preventing Filipino fishermen from accessing traditional fishing grounds and raising tensions in the volatile region, Philippine officials said on Wednesday. China had sent as many as seven ships to Quirino Atoll, also known as Jackson Atoll, in recent weeks, said Eugenio Bito-onon Jr, the mayor of nearby Pagasa Island in the Spratly Islands. The Spratlys are the most contested archipelago in the South China Sea, a resource-rich region and critical shipping lane linking North Asia to Europe, South Asia and the Middle East. "This is very alarming, Quirino is on our path when we travel from Palawan to Pagasa. It is halfway and we normally stop there to rest," Bito-onon told Reuters. "I feel something different. The Chinese are trying to choke us by putting an imaginary checkpoint there. It is a clear violation of our right to travel, impeding freedom of navigation," he said. In Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said China's Ministry of Transport had sent vessels to tow a grounded foreign ship and they had since left the surrounding waters. "To guarantee safety of navigation and of work conditions, China urged fishing vessels near the site to leave," Hong said, adding that China had indisputable sovereignty over the atoll. The Philippines Foreign Ministry said Chinese coast guard vessels had been seen at the atoll two weeks ago but were not in the area on Wednesday. "The Department is monitoring reports on the situation on the ground and reiterates its call for China to exercise self-restraint from the conduct of activities that could complicate or escalate disputes in the South China Sea and affect peace and stability in the region," the ministry said in a statement. TENSIONS ON THE RISE Earlier, the Philippine military said it was looking into the situation around Jackson Atoll, where a Chinese warship allegedly fired warning shots at Filipino fishermen in 2011. "We know there are Chinese ships moving around the Spratly area," spokesman Brigadier-General Restituto Padilla told Reuters. "There are also ships around Second Thomas Shoal, so we want to make sure if the presence is permanent." A spokesman for the U.S. State Department said it was trying to confirm the latest reported incident. Mark Toner told a regular news briefing that the United States, a treaty ally of the Philippines that has repeatedly expressed concerns about Beijing's methods in pursuit of maritime claims, did not want to China using its ships "to intimidate ... fishing vessels in that region." Second Thomas Shoal is where the Philippine navy has been occupying and reinforcing a rusting ship it ran aground in 1999 to bolster its claims to the disputed reef. A military source from Palawan said a surveillance plane had seen four to five ships in the vicinity of Jackson Atoll last week. "There are no indications China will build structures or develop it into an island," said the source, who was not authorised to speak to the media about the South China Sea. The Philippines Star newspaper, which earlier reported the story, quoted an unidentified fisherman as saying Chinese boats chased them away when they tried to enter the area last week. Along with China and the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims on the waters, through which about $5 trillion in trade is shipped every year. Tensions have been building recently, with the United States and others expressing concerns about China's land reclamation in the Spratly Islands and deployment of surface-to-air missiles and fighter jets in the Paracel Islands. U.S. Defence Secretary Ash Carter warned China on Tuesday against what he called "aggressive" actions in the region, saying there would be "specific consequences" to militarisation of the South China Sea. In response, Hong urged Washington on Wednesday to "stop exaggerating and sensationalising" the issue. For its part, Beijing has been angered by "freedom of navigation" air and sea patrols the United States has conducted near the islands it claims in the South China Sea and says it needs military facilities for its self defence. (Additional reporting by Michael Martina and Adam Rose in Beijing and David Brunnstrom in Washington; Writing by Lincoln Feast and John Chalmers; Editing by Clarence Fernandez and Peter Cooney) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Johannesburg: South Africa's Constitutional Court has rejected Oscar Pistorius's last-ditch attempt to appeal against his murder conviction for shooting dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in 2013, an official said Thursday. "The court dismissed the application for leave to appeal because there are are no prospects of success," Luvuyo Mfaku, spokesman for the National Prosecuting Authority, told AFP. Earlier in January, South African prosecutors had said that they would oppose Pistorius's attempt to have his murder conviction overturned in the Constitutional Court, describing his appeal as having "no reasonable prospect of success". The Paralympic champion has been on bail awaiting a new sentence since December 2015, when the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) found him guilty of murder for shooting dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in 2013. The SCA overturned his earlier conviction on the lesser charge of culpable homicide. In early January his lawyers applied for leave to appeal to the Constitutional Court, the highest court in South Africa, arguing the SCA had "acted unlawfully and unconstitutionally". But the National Prosecuting Authority on 25 January lodged papers with the court opposing the appeal. "It is our respectful submission that the SCA committed no errors of law and that the arguments by the applicant are without merit and contrived," it said. The double-amputee killed Steenkamp, a model and law graduate, in the early hours of Valentine's Day three years ago, saying he mistook her for an intruder when he shot four times through the door of his bedroom toilet. Pistorius was released from jail in October to live under house arrest at his uncle's property in Pretoria after serving one year of his five-year prison sentence for culpable homicide the equivalent of manslaughter. The SCA judges in December 2015 described his testimony at his trial in 2014 as "untruthful" and delivered a damning indictment of the original verdict. Pistorius, 29, could face at least 15 years in jail for his murder conviction. His next sentencing hearing is on 18 April. AFP Kuala Lumpur: A hunk of suspected aircraft wreckage found off the east African coast will be sent to Australia where experts will examine whether it is a new piece in the puzzle of missing flight MH370, officials said Thursday. The fragment was reportedly found near Mozambique and could provide clues in the huge and costly Australia-led investigation into what happened to the ill-fated Malaysia Airlines flight that disappeared nearly two years ago. Malaysian Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai said late Wednesday that initial information indicated a "high possibility" it came from a Boeing 777, the same model as MH370. The aircraft, MH370, mysteriously vanished on March 8, 2014 on an overnight flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 passengers and crew on board. Australian Transport Minister Darren Chester said the debris was approximately one metre (three feet) long. "The debris is to be transferred to Australia where it will be examined by officials from Australia and Malaysia, as well as international specialists," he said in a statement. Chester said the location of the find was consistent with where ocean currents could have deposited MH370 wreckage. The MH370 saga has been marked by a history of false leads since it went missing, and Liow cautioned against "undue speculation" until experts can study the object. Last July, a wing fragment was found washed ashore on the Indian Ocean island of Reunion, which experts later determined came from MH370, the only confirmed evidence of the plane's fate so far. Analysts believe MH370 veered far off course to somewhere in the far-southern Indian Ocean, where it went down. The news of the unconfirmed finding comes just days ahead of the disaster's two-year anniversary. Australian officials told AFP it was not yet clear when the debris would arrive there. They said Boeing experts would be among those examining it. Found by an American Blogger US television network NBC, which first reported the new debris, said it was found by an American man who blogs extensively on MH370. NBC cited experts as saying the debris could be a horizontal stabiliser, which is a tail part. A Mozambican official said the fragment was handed over to authorities by blogger Blaine Gibson, who reported finding it earlier this week. MH370's disappearance remains one of the greatest mysteries in aviation history. Theories of what happened include a hijacking, rogue pilot action, or sudden mechanical problem that incapacitated the crew, but there is no evidence yet to support any one theory. The Australia-led oceanic search is expected to finish scouring a designated deep-sea area for a crash site by mid-year and will cease if nothing is found. But Voice370, an international next-of-kin network, issued an emotional appeal on Thursday for the search to continue indefinitely. "We believe that they should not throw in the towel, close this case and simply chalk it up as an unsolvable mystery," the group said in a statement. They said the search should press on for the sake of distressed relatives and in hopes that solving the mystery can help "make aviation safer", according to the statement. Many next-of-kin accuse the airline and Malaysian government of letting the plane slip away through a bungled response, and of wanting to end the search so the truth about what happened remains hidden. The airline and government strongly deny the accusations. Families have begun filing a slew of lawsuits in several countries over the disaster ahead of next week's two-year anniversary, which is also the deadline for launching legal action against Malaysia Airlines. AFP Tokyo/Berlin/London/Seoul: Japan, Germany and Britain governments hailed early on Thursday the adoption of a new UN resolution on North Korea over its recent nuclear bomb test and rocket launch. Meanwhile, South Korea also hailed the adoption of the resolution, calling it the toughest and most effective in UN history. Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe showed his support to the resolution immediately after the adoption and he strongly urged North Korea not to conduct further nuclear tests and rocket launches, Xinhua reported. The prime minister also called for close international coordination so as to resolve the nuke and rocket issues, as well as the abduction issue lingering between Japan and North Korea. Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida also welcomed the UN resolution, saying the adoption expressed the international community's resolute attitude toward the issues. The German government also welcomed the resolution. "The new sanctions are a necessary and logical response as well as an important signal to those in power in Pyongyang following the unacceptable provocations, the conduction of a nuclear test and the launch of a rocket using ballistic technology," a spokesman of the German Foreign Ministry said in a statement. With a unanimous decision, noted the spokesman, the international community demonstrates that it does not accept "the blatant violation of numerous Security Council resolutions and the threat to regional security and world peace." Britain wasn't far behind, voicing its support for the UN resolution on Pyongyang. "The fact that this Resolution was passed unanimously demonstrates that the international community is prepared to take tough measures in response to such violations," Philip Hammond, British foreign secretary, said in a statement. Pyongyang "must put a stop to these provocations and take tangible steps to re-engage constructively with the international community, " he said, adding "If it is willing to change its approach and take concrete steps towards re-engagement, it will find that the international community will respond positively." Closer to 'home', Seoul's foreign ministry said in a government statement that it was a resolution including tougher-than-ever sanctions against Pyongyang, expressing a perfect welcome and support toward it, Xinhua reported. Calling the North Korea's nuclear test and rocket launch as "intolerable", the statement said the new UN resolution was an expression of the international community's firm will to change the DPRK's "wrong calculations" by making Pyongyang pay a harsh price for its reckless provocations that came in defiance of previous UN resolutions and the international society. South Korea vowed to make all necessary efforts, including cooperation with all UN member states, to make the resolution enforced without any setbacks, saying the country will strengthen international cooperation further to encourage Pyongyang to dismantle its nuclear programme "completely, verifiably and irreversibly." Seoul urged Pyongyang to come to a road to denuclearisation as early as possible by accepting calls from the international society as seen in the fresh resolution, warning that Pyongyang would face more severe consequences if it conducts more extreme provocations. Seoul said new sanctions against Pyongyang would eliminate loopholes in previous resolutions to focus on cutting off resources to finance North Korea's nuclear programmes. The UN Security Council on Wednesday adopted a new sanctions resolution against the DPRK with stricter measures in response to the country's fourth nuclear test in January and a rocket launch last month. IANS Xiaomi has finally launched its Redmi Note 3 smartphone in India, as it had promised last week. It packs a 5.5-inch 1080p screen, is powered by a Hexa-Core Snapdragon 650 (Snapdragon 618 previously) processor, runs on Android 5.1.1 (Lollipop) with MIUI 7 top, a 16-megapixel rear camera with f/2.0 aperture, LED flash and phase-detection auto-focus (PDAF), resulting in a quick focus of just 0.1 second and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera. At the event Hugo Barra said that the third Xiaomi smartphone to be Made In India after the Redmi 2 Prime and the Redmi Note Prime. It has a metal body, hybrid dual SIM support with 4G on both, fingerprint sensor on the back that can unlock the phone in 0.3 seconds and packs a 4000mAh battery with fast charging support that lets you charge the battery up to 50% in just 1 hour. Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 (Pro) specifications 5.5-inch (1920 x 1080 pixels) Full HD IPS display, 178-degree viewing angle Hexa-Core Snapdragon 650 (4x 1.4GHz ARM A53 + 2 x 1.8 GHz ARM A72) 64-bit processor with Adreno 510 GPU 2GB RAM with 16GB storage / 3GB RAM with 32GB storage, expandable memory with microSD MIUI 7 based on Android 5.1.1 (Lollipop) Hybrid Dual SIM (micro + nano/microSD) 16MP rear camera with PDAF, dual-tone LED Flash, f/2.0 aperture, 1080p video recording, 120fps slow-motion 5MP front-facing camera, f/2.0 aperture, 1080p video recording Dimensions: 150x76x8.65 mm; Weight: 164g Infrared sensor 4G LTE with VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac/b/g/n (2.4 / 5GHz), Bluetooth 4.1, GPS + GLONASS 4000mAh (minimum) / 4050mAh (typical) battery with fast charging The Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 comes in Dark Grey, Silver and Champagne Gold colors and is priced at Rs. 9,999 for the 2GB RAM with 16GB storage version, while the 3GB RAM with 32GB storage variant costs Rs. 11,999. It will be available starting from March 9th at 2PM in the first flash sale on Mi.com and Amazon.in. It will be available through other online channels such as Snapdeal and Flipkart and also offline soon. We went hands-on with the smartphone at the MWC last week, check out the video below. Also check out our teardown of the Helio X10 variant of the smartphone. httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InCV1yPiyL4 Commenting on the launch, Xiaomi VP Hugo Barra said: We are extremely excited to be launching Redmi Note 3 in India, which is the start of many firsts for us in 2016 and more than meets the demands of our hardcore Mi fans. We literally pioneered the category of phablets below INR 10,000 in India, and with Redmi Note 3 we are redefining what you can get in this category. 2016 is a significant year for us and we are looking forward to introduce even more amazing products in India in the year to come. Sunil Lalvani, President, Qualcomm India, said: Qualcomm Technologies is very pleased to work with Xiaomi on their latest smartphone Redmi Note 3, featuring the Snapdragon 650 processor designed to deliver amazing performance, thanks to its powerful 64-bit capable hexa-core CPUs and super-fast 4G LTE connectivity. Xiaomi and Qualcomm Technologies have a long-standing, strong relationship and have worked closely together for many years to deliver a shared vision of bringing new and truly compelling user experiences to consumers. Amit Agarwal, VP and Country Manager, Amazon India, said: We are very happy to be the partner of choice for Xiaomi and offer our customers exclusive access to the new Redmi Note 3. We are customer-obsessed and always focused on ensuring that customers have a delightful shopping experience every time they shop on Amazon.in. This is one of the most awaited launches in India this year and we are excited to be part of it. Apple is looking forward to introduce OLED displays on iPhones next year according to a new report from Nikkei via (9to5Mac). The latest report comes months after it was reported that Apple might bring OLED displays to iPhone in 2018. Hence it looks like the company has decided to make the shift to OLED a year earlier. The report further says that Apple had even initiated talks with LG along with Samsung about potentially bolstering the production of OLED displays in preparation for shipping the new display tech in the iPhone models for 2017. However, OLED panels may be limited to certain high end iPhone models due to supply constraints. A report in November stated that Apple will use OLED displays manufactured by Samsung in 2018. Meanwhile, a different rumor in December stated that the company was in talks with (Japan Display Inc) JPI for the OLED displays. Apple usually changes the design for iPhone once every two years and if the company releases iPhone 7 this year, a possible iPhone 7s will not come with major changes next year. An OLED display is generally thinner than LCD and it also offers deeper blacks. It must be noted that nothing is confirmed as of now. With a whopping sales of $500M worldwide, the finest sparkling natural water S. Pellegrino from Italian Alps enjoys so much popularity. But why is it too popular? Here's why. 9 Mindblowing Facts About Your S. Pellegrino: 1. It got its name from the region where the water is sourced was first recognized for its namesake martyr,San Pellegrino. 2. Source is Same Natural Spring 800 Years Ago. (It was discovered around 12th century!) Thee water flows from natural springs within the Italian Alps originating in the Dolomites near Bergamo (Lombardy). 3. There are 10 Minerals Found in Your Sparkling Natural Water. There are lots of sulfate in San Pellegrino Compared to other mineral water brands, San Pellegrino has some of the highest levels of sulfate (SO4-) water known in the world today: 459 milligrams per liter. It also has a decent amount of calcium, magnesium, and bicarbonate as well as other trace minerals. San Pellegrino is high in mineral content - mostly Calcium, Magnesium, Bicarbonate, Chloride, and Sulphate. The extremely low Nitrate level is perhaps San Pellegrino's greatest virtue. The water is still as it comes from the ground, and is then charged with CO2 to give it the signature fizz. 4. The Town of San Pellegrino is The Town of the Rich and Famous The town of San Pellegrino Terme had a reputation for its natural sparkling mineral water since the time of Leonardo DaVinci. The Palazzo family built the first spa to take advantage of the source, and the town immediately began gaining fame as a vacation hub. 5. Health Benefits. Our bodies need the right amounts of minerals, and sulfates are harder to get and unappreciated. The benefits of getting more sulfates are diverse, supporting joint, muscle, and nervous system health and detoxification according to a study. 6. The Secret of a Bubbly S. Pellegrino. Originally S.Pellegrino water was bottled without carbonation, but once the company started to ship the water, they added natural carbonation to preserve the minerals. Bubbles in S.Pellegrino water are a lot lighter and smaller than some other sparkling waters to avhieve the exact right amount of C02 that's required to keep the minerals intact. 7. Fruit Beverages are Bottled at the Source Naturally filtered by the Italian Alps during a 30-year underground journey, S. Pellegrino's fruit beverages are likewise bottled at source. 8. S.Pellegrino's Secret No Longer a Secret The iconic green bottle was designed in 1899, and was originally used to bottle wine. The red star was considered a symbol of export products of particular excellence and quality. The bottle's label features the Art Nouveau casino building of San Pellegrino Terme against the Alps skyline. The label also changes occasionally to highlight the brand's latest efforts-be it a special logo for the Milan Expo or partnerships with brands like Vogue and Bulgari. 9. Best paired with Wine Of course, S. Pellegrino is most popular about its being paired your favorite wine! Just when we thought that technology is already at its peak, a new and more convenient innovation was inaugurated in Sweden. After the opening of the first surplus supermarket in Denmark and France's law obliging food shops to not throw away unsold food, one Swedish supermarket makes waves as it proudly claims to be 'unmanned'-no cashier, no sales person, all you need is one single device; a phone. It was one chaotic day, while home alone with his hungry and crying son, he dropped the last baby food jar and had to drive 20 minutes to get one. Then the brilliant idea dawned to Robert Ilijason. Living in a small Southern Swedish town, Viken, a supermarket open during the wee hours of the night is nowhere to be found. Now, he owns a 24-hour supermarket with no cashier, no guards, and no management. The customers need only two things to buy things from the store; their own phones to unlock the door and scan their purchases, and utmost honesty. Being an IT specialist, lijason has developed an app which serves as the scanner of the food items the customers wish to purchase. They will be charged after a month through an invoice. All the work a person is left to do is to receive deliveries and arrange them on the shelves, which lijason took responsibility of. "My ambition is to spread this idea to other villages and small towns," Ilijason told The Associated Press. "It is incredible that no one has thought of his before." The basic needs of the people living in a small town are covered-from bread to milk, canned food, sugar to baby needs. Although, the owner decided not to take the risk of selling tobacco and medical drugs to avoid the chances of theft and breaking. Alcohol, on the other hand, is forbidden to be sold in a convenience store anywhere in the country. 'To enter you need to use your app where you identify yourself using BankID which is a Swedish ID solution used by the banks,' he told The Daily Mail. 'So I know who you are and will only allow you in if you have no history of credit issues. Security-wise, he has installed six surveillance cameras so that possible shoplifters would be discouraged. In case the front door remains unlocked longer than eight seconds or someone tries to break it open and break in, he programmed his phone to receive a text message. Luckily, there were no instances since the store's opening last January. 'My store has been successful in the dimension I care about; it's worked perfectly from a tech perspective. 'And to me that was the important part,' Ilijason said. And in case, God forbids, something unwanted happens, he jokes; "I live nearby and can always run down here with a crowbar," Ilijason said laughing, but added that hasn't been necessary since the store opened in January. According to lijason, he hopes that through the savings made from the supposed salary of staff and employees would garner some savings that would encourage other people from other small towns to do the same and open a store for the convenience of their residents. Of course, the locals of Viken were happy about the opening of the store. According to Tuve Nilsson, aged 75, such stores are very convenient especially to senior citizens like him. Though sometimes he doesn't get how it works, he is thankful of the improvements technology makes possible. "Sometimes I don't understand it," Nilsson confessed. Of course, many people commend the shop for its speedy transactions. Raymond Arvidsson says he did his shopping in less than a minute. "No queues," he said, smiling. "Quick in, quick out. I like." To further improve the service and security, Ilijason considers new and better ways of unlocking the door to registered shoppers, especially a method that requires no usage of an app. He has ruled out fingerprint scanning and face recognition because of its technology's chances of tampering. As of the moment, he thinks of installing a card reader, which recognizes the magnetic stripes. Studies have found that sleep deprivation can increase your appetite and the cravings for fat filled snacks as the effect of lack of sleep. The sleep loss can bring drastic changes in your appetite and the choice of food that is similar to the "marijuana munchies" says the research done by the researchers of the University Of Chicago. The study was fully funded by the Department of Defense, according to The Washington Post. A new paper about the study in the Journal SLEEP was published this Monday. Researcher Erin Hanlon, who is part of the study from the University Of Chicago, explains that this effects "enhances the guilty pleasures of sweet, salty, high-fat and other potentially bad-for-you foods," reported The Telegraph. The study was done by Hanlon and other researchers on very little group of 14 healthy men and women who were subjected to a study of four-day visits twice. On the first four-day visit they all slept for 8.5 hours in bed during the night, which made an average of 7.5 hours of sleep. In the contrary in the second visit, they had a limited sleep of 4.5 hours in the night resulting in an average of 4.2 hours. During both the study, they were given the same kind of meals at fixed timings (viz.,) 9.00 am, 2 p.m and 7 p.m. The results of the above study showed surprising changes. The sleep deprivation increased the level of 2-AG (endocannabinoid 2- arachidonoylglycerol, which is believed to maintain the appetite and motor levels) which peaked in the noon by 2.30 p.m and stayed high all evening. The results of the elated level of 2-AG is that their calorie intake nearly doubled than the normal intake. Their food choices were also towards snacks like cookies, chips and candy. Hanlon following the study stresses that people should be more concerned about their sleep loss in a long run. Since the four day study itself has shown drastic changes longer duration may create immense problem. As a precautionary measure, supermarket giant Tesco has been recalling and withdrawing stocks of their brand's flavored butter, after rounds of rumor and fear that they have been contaminated with a food poisoning bug. According to their executives, they have been voluntarily pulling out their products out of their stores' shelves because of the possibility that the said products contain the bacteria known as Listeria monocytogenes, which can cause food poisoning symptoms and put pregnant women, children and the elderly's health at risk. "We have been made aware that some Tesco butters may potentially have low levels of Listeria monocytogenes present. As a precautionary measure, we are recalling affected products from customers," a Tesco representative said through an interview with Telegraph. Listeria, in sever cases, could lead to meningitis and other brain-related illnesses and complications. Early on set symptoms include high fever, vomiting and diarrhea, caused by the body's defense to the bacteria and will be gone within a few days even without medication. Still, it should not be looked pass on and shrugged off. Tesco's butters come in 100g packs or 10g discs. To further ensure their customers' safety and health, the company has also been pulling out products that contains the butter as one of its ingredients including Tesco Chocolate Chip & Maple Syrup Butter, Red Chilli & Lemon Butter, Roast Garlic & Herb Butter and Three Peppercorn Butter. Meanwhile, the complimentary discs were also recalled including the Roast Garlic & Herb Butter, Peppercorn Butter Discs, Chilli Butter Discs, Mr Crumb Roast Garlic & Herb Disc and Mr Crumb Chilli Butter. For those who have already bought the said products, the company is courteous enough to acknowledge return and refund. "Please do not consume these products.Please return the affected products to store where a full refund will be given. No receipt is required. Tesco apologises to our customers for any inconvenience caused," Tesco's spokesperson announced. This is not the first time Tesco has been involved in a product recall controversy. Back in January 2015, the company faced slack over their 'disgusting smelling' squash that some parents claimed made their children sick. The Food Standards Agency has also made a preliminary investigation and claimed that no other products are affected and consumers do not need to panic. ""No other Tesco products are known to be affected. Tesco has taken the precautionary measure of recalling all products that may be affected. Tesco has published a point-of-sale notice which is attached to this notice," FSA said in their report. "Consumers are advised not to consume any of the above products, and return the affected products to store where a full refund will be given." If you think only American Idols are living their dream, you're wrong. Behind that Flamin' Hot Cheetos, there's a man who worked as a janitor. Richard Montanez lived in modesty where most kids in the neighborhood struggled to find decent job in the factory. Recalling his past, Montanez supported his family by picking grapes and began working as a janitor at California's Frito Lay Rancho Cucamonga in 1976. His genius idea to create innovative Cheeto coating came unexpectedly after an assembly machine failed cheese-dust the snacks. Montanez took home some unflavored Cheeto and decided to coat them with butter, chili and cheese. He was inspired by elote, a popular Mexican street food of corn on cob. Loved by co-workers and family members, Montanez decided to step up and sell his coating creation to the company's boards. After hearing what Montanze had to say, the CEO invited him over for a demonstration. No tie and no English but his designing skill and library-borrowed book had helped him to create powerful presentation. Now, Flamin' Hot Cheetos is one of the best selling snacks from Frito-Lay. His humble beginning of adding Cheetos an extra kick earned him a position as an executive in Frito Lay. He joined the company's Hispanic marketing team to expand the product B2B sales and promotions. It also inspired Hispanic products in fastfood chains like Taco Bell and KFC. "Fear will never get a hold of you," Montanez explained how he finally seized his opportunity that had changed his course of life. At the annual event of Power of Diversity, Montanez made a speech about how his PhD - poor, hungry and determined - led him to become who he is today. For the last few years, Montanez has been busy making trips with his corporate jets, meeting the US presidents, and speaking as guest in front of the MBA students. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has asked the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to get its food safety act together by mid-March. The deadline comes in the wake of the department's Food and Safety Inspection Service's (FSIS) audit of food safety of commodities supplied by Canada. Failure to comply with the FSIS recommendations will result in blocking food exports from the neighboring country, the U.S. agency warned. While CFIA passed the "core criteria" for food inspection in general, American officials who audited Canada's egg, poultry and meat inspection systems between May 28 and June 14, 2014 found a number of operation flaws related to government omission, plant hygiene as well as microbiological testing for salmonella, listeria and E. coli, The Globe and Mail reported. Consequently, FSIS has warned that inability of CFIA to mend the deficiencies may result in the U.S. government delisting all audited Canadian plants from supplying their commodities to the United States. FSIS published the audit report on Jan. 14 this year claiming that Canada is still maintaining an "on-going equivalence to the United States system." However, in a statement issued by CFIA to the media outlet early this week maintained that though they did not compromise food safety, they were certainly initiating steps for the betterment of the inspection system. The agency has demanded that Canada should take samples and test multiple surfaces for Listeria monocytogenes in the country's meat processing plants. In fact, following a deadly outbreak of Listeria in 2008, the independent Weatherill report proposed that CFIA should increase its laboratory capacity. However, the report allowed the processors to undertake the actual testing, Food Safety News reported. Currently, the Canadian processors only test food contact surfaces for Listeria monocytogenes, but do not check any other areas, which may host the pathogenic bacteria inside a plant. Interestingly enough, the audit of the plants is based on FSIS officials' visits to specific processing plants during which they discovered ceiling leaks, rust and condensation. Discovery of these sanitation issues led the FSIS to note that the efforts of CFIA were not comparable to U.S. standards. As a result, the audit team from the U.S. demanded corrections on an urgent basis. Three years ago, United Parcel Service (UPS 2.84%) called off its planned merger with Dutch rival TNT Express after the European Commission threatened to block the deal due to antitrust concerns. Last April, FedEx (FDX 2.06%) stepped into the gap, striking its own deal to buy TNT Express for nearly $5 billion. This merger will make FedEx a much more formidable competitor globally -- and especially in Europe. Not surprisingly, UPS fears this outcome. As a result, it has done everything within its power to prevent FedEx from consummating this critical merger. FedEx merger gains approvals After regulators signaled their worries about United Parcel Service's attempt to buy TNT Express a few years ago, UPS unsuccessfully tried to appease them with concessions. By contrast, FedEx hasn't even needed to offer significant concessions to get regulatory approval for its merger plans. So far, all it needs to do is sell TNT's airline operations, due to Europe's restrictions on foreign ownership of airlines. UPS lobbied hard against the merger in Europe, arguing that regulators shouldn't allow FedEx to buy TNT given that they had rejected UPS' own takeover attempt a few years earlier. However, FedEx is a much smaller player in Europe than UPS, lessening the competitive impact of a FedEx-TNT tie-up. As a result, in October, the European Commission informed FedEx and TNT that it didn't plan to object to the merger. The formal approval followed in January. The two companies also gained approval from U.S. regulators in November, although that was never in doubt, as TNT doesn't have a significant presence in the United States. UPS files an appeal Most recently, regulators in Brazil gave FedEx and TNT Express the go-ahead to merge on Feb. 2. However, Brazilian law gives other companies the right to request a more in-depth review, and UPS jumped on this opportunity to potentially disrupt the acquisition. This appeal is a long shot, even though TNT is a major player in the Brazilian express delivery market. However, UPS is running out of options as it tries to block the deal -- or at least force FedEx to divest some assets -- so it's seizing every opportunity to challenge the merger. FedEx does not expect the appeal in Brazil to impact its goal to close the acquisition by mid-2016. China is the last key market where FedEx and TNT Express need to win regulatory approval for their merger. The Chinese antitrust review process is a bit of a wild card. While FedEx expects to get approval, China could potentially delay the merger either through substantive objections or by simply dragging out the process for a long time. However, China is likely to approve the merger eventually. At some point, there won't be any more cards left for UPS to play. UPS investors should hope that the company's management is focused on figuring out how to compete with a bigger FedEx rather than cooking up more desperation attempts to block the FedEx-TNT merger at the eleventh hour. Ukraine has lost Crimea, and much of its eastern border region as well, to invading troops from Russia. But could this beleaguered country soon book a win in the airplane market? Several recent news items suggest that it could -- and that it could do this at Lockheed Martin's (LMT 2.31%) expense. Last month, we relayed to you the shocking news that Ukraine had officially shut down its Antonov Aviation Concern (AAC), the holding company that owned the Antonov Company, which builds the world's largest transport aircraft. We also pointed out, though, that just because AAC is going out of business, this doesn't necessarily keep Antonov Company from continuing to build airplanes. In fact, they're doing just that. Call it "the Slavic C-130" In particular, Antonov is continuing development of its vaunted An-178, a two-engine, short-range, medium-lift transport aircraft that first flew just last summer -- and is already winning admirers around the globe. Designed to replace aging An-26 "Curl" and An-32 "Cline" military transports, An-178 may also pose a threat to rival jets such as Alenia's C-27J Spartan, Embraer's (ERJ 3.08%) KC-390, and even Lockheed Martin's own C-130. The An-178 boasts the ability to carry up to 99 soldiers or up to 10 tons of cargo as far as 4,000 km unrefueled -- or to carry greater masses on shorter hops. In particular, Popular Science reports that the plane is capable of hauling an 18-ton armored personnel carrier such as a Stryker APC. Relative to Lockheed's C-130, that means An-178 can carry more troops, and only slightly less cargo. Like the C-130, Antonov's An-178 can both launch from and land on unimproved surfaces such as unpaved and gravel runways. Also like the C-130, the An-178 can be modified for missions including electronic warfare, aerial command, and airborne early warning. Like Lockheed's C-130, it offers designs tweaked for every mission from surveillance to airborne refueling to gunship to Airborne Battlefield Command and Control Center (ABCCC). The AN-178 is a plane that could challenge Lockheed in many markets. In short, the An-178 is more than just a transport. Instant popularity As reported on airforce-technology.com, Antonov signed a deal with Abu Dhabi's Maximus Air Cargo to become the airplane's "launch customer." It's unclear how many Maximus will buy. But we know that Saudi Arabia has already signed on to buy 30 An-178s, and that Azerbaijan's Silk Way Airlines wants 10 more. China's Beijing A-Star Airspace and Technology Corporation is also interested -- in buying the plane, and getting a license to build it in China. Thus, even with only one An-178 built so far, and no deliveries, the plane appears to have instant popularity among civilian operators, even before addressing the military market. But this plane looks admirably suited for a military debut as well. At a reported cost of just $45 million per plane, An-178 appears to be one of the cheapest planes in its class -- roughly half the cost of Embraer's KC-390, and just two-thirds the price of Lockheed Martin's C-130J variant. An-178 appears to have just missed an appearance at Abu Dhabi's International Defense Exhibition and Conference last year. But we do know that Ukraine signed at least one significant defense equipment deal at IDEX last year. There's every possibility that, if Antonov brings the plane to IDEX next year, it could score its first military contract there. How big of a deal is this? With more than 400 units in service globally, the An-26 and An-32 -- two of the Antonov planes that An-178 could replace in world air fleets -- are already two of the top 10 most popular military transports. That fact alone suggests that Antonov's An-178 has a big "replacement" market ahead of it. The multiple missions that An-178 is being touted for, meanwhile, suggest that Antonov may have even bigger markets in mind. Historically, Lockheed Martin's C-130 has always been the plane to beat in this class. The most popular military transport on the planet, there are nearly 1,000 C-130s in use around the globe today, in various configurations. Antonov would almost certainly like to get its hands on some of that market share, too. Judging from the initial enthusiasm buyers are showing for its plane -- it just might succeed. February is now over, which is sad news for income investors. It was bursting with dividend raises, after all, not least because it came just after the end of many companies' fiscal years. True to form, the final full week of month saw a host of stocks boost their payouts. Here are three I believe are particularly worthy of note: Eaton A business slump isn't stopping power management company Eaton (ETN 3.01%) from adding juice to its dividend. The company declared a 4% raise in its quarterly distribution to $0.57 per share. That was to be expected; drooping fundamentals aside, Eaton is a habitual dividend payer, and it likes to increase the payout annually around this time of the year. The 2016 edition comes as the company struggles on all fronts, with all five of its business lines reporting revenue declines on a year-over-year basis in Q4. In total, top line slid by 9% (to just over $5 billion), while net profit fell 8% to $532 million. Going forward, the latter shouldn't take too damaging a hit, as Eaton is making a stronger push to cut costs; these are planned to total $400 million between last year and next. Meanwhile, free cash flow is robust, and the new dividend is well within the company's means. Eaton isn't doing gangbusters just now, yet I don't think the dividend is at serious risk. Eaton will hand out its upcoming distribution on March 18, to stockholders of record as of March 7. At the current stock price, it yields just under 4%. This is comfortably above the 2.3% average yield of stocks on the S&P 500 index. Toronto-Dominion Bank These days, many bank sector incumbents are trying to reduce their physical footprints by getting their customers to bank online rather than at the local branch. Not so at Canada-based Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD 2.55%), which is happy to keep its doors open for clients. Advertising itself within our borders as "America's Most Convenient Bank," it boasts an ever-expanding network of branches that stay open late and on weekends, and offer a big menu of services. The bank also likes to provide for its shareholders; last week, it raised its quarterly dividend by 8% to C$0.55 ($0.41). The bricks and mortar strategy is counter-intuitive in this digital age, but it works. That growing branch lineup has boosted the lender's key fundamentals, particularly total assets, loans, and net income. All of these line items have risen consistently for years, in some cases at substantial rates. The company still has great potential. There's a great deal of scope to enlarge its credit card portfolio, for example, and much business to tap in the wealth management sphere. Meaning that there's also plenty of space to grow that dividend -- which, by the way, the bank has been shelling out since 1857. The next payout will be dispensed on April 30 to shareholders of record as of April 8. At the current USD/CAD exchange rate, the dividend yields a comparatively generous 4.1% on the company's US-listed shares. B&G Foods The Jolly Green Giant has boosted its payout. The famous mascot's parent, B&G Foods (BGS -0.28%) last week raised its quarterly distribution by 20% to $0.42 per share. B&G Foods is a serial dividend payer; in the press release heralding the new one, it didn't hesitate to mention that it will be its 46th in a row since its IPO in October 2004. Over that stretch of time, it has ranged from $0.17 to the present level. The company is much bulkier these days, thanks to its purchase last September of Green Giant and complimentary frozen foods and canned vegetable brand Le Seur from General Mills. This cost a pretty penny, at $765 million, but it gave the company a pair of lines that is set to boost net sales by 64%, and earnings by 72%. The company completed the Green Giant/Le Seur acquisition in November, meaning that its results will start to be incorporated into those of the parent company. The extra dosh will help sustain the new dividend, even at that well-enhanced rate. Said distribution is to be paid on May 2 to stockholders of record as of March 31. At the current stock price, it yields a healthy 4.9%. The Federal income tax code has several rules that are triggered by your age. And, while birthdays are fun and simple, these tax rules can be extremely complicated. It is important to know how they apply to you. Here are seven birthdays that can wind up changing your tax returns. 1. Age 19: Kiddie Tax At age 19 (age 24, if youre a full-time student), the Kiddie Tax provision ends. The Kiddie Tax is designed to prohibit a childs unearned income typically investments to be taxed at a their (presumably) lower income tax rate and instead taxes them at the parents rate. For 2016, the first $1,050 unearned income is tax-free to the child. The next $1,050 is taxed at the childs rate and any unearned income over $2,100 is taxed at the parents rate. 2. Age 50: Catch-Up Contributions Anyone who is eligible to make contributions to a qualified retirement plan and has reached age 50 during the calendar year can add an additional amount called a catch-up contribution (if your employer allows it). This terminology is a bit confusing since there is no requirement to be behind in your plan contributions in order to be eligible to make the additional elective deferral. While the limits are indexed annually, the 2016 limits were unchanged from 2015 and are as follows: 401K, 403B, SARSEP and 457B plans $6,000; SIMPLE IRA and SIMPLE 401K accounts $3,000; traditional or Roth IRAs $1,000. There is no catch-up allowed for an SEP IRA. While contributions to employer-sponsored plans are required to be made by Dec. 31, you have until your filing deadline for catch-up contributions to Traditional or Roth IRAs. 3. Age 55: Waiver of Penalties A similar catch-up provision is allowed for Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) in the amount of $1,000. However, you must be age 55 to take advantage of this one. As a general rule, distributions from a qualified retirement account prior to age 59 are subject to a 10% penalty in additional to ordinary income tax. However, this penalty is waived if you are at least age 55 (age 50 for state public safety employees) in the year that you retire, quit or are fired from your employer. Since this waiver only applies to your company retirement plan, and not to IRAs, you should wait until you are at least 59 to roll the funds over to an IRA if you want to take these early distributions. 4. Age 59: Retirement Access Once you reach age 59 the 10% penalty on retirement plan distributions disappears. You can take as much or as little from your retirement plan as you want and just pay ordinary income tax. (Amounts allocated to after-tax contributions are never taxed when distributed.) 5. Age 62: Early Social Security Starts You have been paying Social Security taxes for years and now it is time to claim your benefits. Age 62 is the earliest you can claim Social Security Retirement benefits. Keep in mind, however, that early benefits equals lower benefits. Anyone retiring in 2016 must be at least age 66 years old to receive full retirement benefits, and claiming at age 62 would permanently reduce those benefits by 25%. How does this impact your tax return? Remember, Social Security Retirement benefits could be subject to taxation. To determine if they are, add of your Social Security benefit to all of your other income, including tax-exempt interest. If the total is greater than $25,000 (for single and head of household), $32,000 (for married filing jointly), or $0 (for married filing separately) then the benefits will be partially taxable. 6. Age 70: Social Security Deferral Ends If you decide to defer Social Security Benefits beyond your normal retirement age, the delayed benefits will increase by as much as 8% per year. However, these increases stop once you reach age 70 when you must start receiving benefits. 7. Age 70: Required Minimum Distributions You cannot defer retirement account distributions forever. Generally, you have to start taking Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) from your retirement plans once you reach age 70. (Roth IRAs, however, do not require lifetime withdrawals.) The distribution amounts are based upon tables listed in IRS Publication 590-B. While you can take your first withdrawal in the year you turn 70, the latest you can take it is April 1 of the following year. If you choose to wait until the following year, you will have to take both the first and the second distributions in that same year. If you are still working, you can delay taking Required Minimum Distributions in your companys 401K or 403B plan (and all other defined contribution plans) until you retire. This exception does not apply to any IRAs, SEP IRAs or SIMPLE IRAs. If your plan permits it, you could roll your IRA into the company 401K and then defer RMDs on all of your retirement assets. The exception also does not apply to anyone who owns at least 5% of the company that sponsors the qualified retirement plan. Before acting you should seek out professional guidance from a Certified Public Account or another qualified tax preparer. More From Credit.comWhat's a Good Credit Score?How to Get a Credit Card With Bad CreditThe Best Cash-Back Credit Cards in America This article originally appeared on Credit.com. Clark D. Randall, CFP is the founder and owner of Financial Enlightenment, a comprehensive wealth management and financial services firm. Clark has served on the Advisory Board of the Journal of Financial Planning and the Dallas Fort Worth Financial Planning Association Board of Directors. He currently teaches financial planning at Southern Methodist University. When you walk down the aisle, your vows arent likely to include the words Till deathand taxesdo us part. But including that clause may not be such a bad idea, because once you tie the knot, your tax situation has the potential to go from simple to complex fastnot to mention the fact that youll have to reconcile any disparate tax strategies. For instance, Melissa and Lee Bernhoft, Houstonbased newlyweds who got married in April, have two very different attitudes toward declaring exemptions: Melissa likes to declare more, while Lee prefers fewer. My expectation is that Ill have to pay [the IRS] back, but thats not her style. She would prefer to give Uncle Sam an interest-free loan, says Lee, 30, a finance professional. Meanwhile, Melissa looks forward to getting a refund. It makes me more nervous to have to owe a big lump sum of money, says the 33-year-old IT audit relationship manager. And Im nervous that because my husband under-declares I dont know if Im going to get that sweet little check Im used to. The one thing they can agree on? For the first time ever, theyre going to use an accountant to help them file and navigate their new tax situation. If youre newly wed like the Bernhofts, chances are youre also confused by the uncharted tax territory that lies ahead. And with less than two months to go until the filing deadline, a good place to start would be simply to understand whats different now that two incomes have become one. So we asked a few tax professionals to outline some of the most significant changes that happen once you go from single to married. Here are four major differences to consider before you file. 1. Your filing status will change Youve kissed the single life goodbye, which also means kissing goodbye your single filing statusyou must now file as either married filing jointly or married filing separately. For most couples tax situations, married filing jointly will likely make the most sense. Not only could you enjoy a lower federal tax rate than when you were single, youll also be able to take advantage of tax breaks like the earned income credit (EIC) and various educational deductions and credits that arent available to couples who file separately, says Lisa Greene-Lewis, a CPA and TurboTax expert based in San Diego. The likeliest reason to choose a married filing separately status would be if you feel one of you is at risk for an audit or has tax baggage, like owing a lot in back taxes, says Andrew Poulos, a greater-Atlanta-based tax accountant and principal of Poulos Accounting & Consulting. Filing separately will help provide some protection from tax liability for the other spouse. If one spouse has a balance owed to the IRS from prior years, filing as married joint allows the IRS to offset any refund from their joint return against the prior collection balance owed by one of the spouses, he says. The overarching rule to remember? The minute a couple signs a tax return as married joint, it doesnt matter whose share of the money creates any sort of liabilityboth spouses are equally liable for the full amount even if they are divorced at some point in time, Poulos adds. RELATED: Tax Time: Should a Married Couple Ever File Separately? 2. Youll probably change tax brackets For better or for worse, as a newly married couple youll likely be entering a new tax bracket together. Whether or not that works in your favor depends on your individual situation, but generally, the more disparate your incomes, the more likely youll be able to lower your tax burden. This is sometimes referred to as the marriage bonus. For instance, if your income is $40,000, as a single filer you would fall into the 25% tax bracket for 2015. Lets say your spouse makes $30,000. If you file jointly, your $70,000 household income now pushes you both down into the 15% tax bracket. If you both earn similar incomes, and particularly if youre high earners, youre more likely to experience the marriage penaltyhaving a higher tax burden than you would have had if you were filing as single. Adding two high, equal incomes together could easily push a married couples income into a higher tax bracket, which results in a penalty, Poulos says. For example, a single person who makes $80,000 would be in the 25% tax bracket, but a couple earning $160,000 falls into the 28% bracket for 2015. Not only that, but the higher your joint income, the more likely youll be phased out of qualifying for various deductions or credits. 3. Your standard deduction will go up Couples filing jointly for the first time this year can expect to see their standard deduction double: For 2015 taxes, the standard deduction for single filers is $6,300; for married filing jointly couples, its $12,600. However, with two peoples expenses in the mix, its possible that you may choose to itemize your deductions this yearyoull just have to do the math to see if its worth it. For instance, one of you may have made a lot of charitable contributions this year, or may own a home through which you qualify for a lot of home-ownership-related deductionsit would be worth itemizing deductions on your joint return only if they add up to more than $12,600. Just keep in mind that if youre married but filing separately, deductions can get a little tricky, because if one spouse claims itemized deductions, the other spouse has to claim itemized deductions even if they dont have anyand both spouses cant claim the same itemized deductions, Poulos says. In other words, you will have to decide as a couple who gets to claim which deduction on your separate 1040s. Additionally, couples who make over $309,900 will see a phase-out of the value of the itemized deductions thanks to a tax provision known as the Pease limitation, says Greene-Lewis. Pease limitations reduce the amount of itemized deductions that high income earners can take, like mortgage interest, charitable contributions, and property taxes, she adds. Every year there is an income threshold amount set where the limitations will kick in. 4. You might owe money on those months spent single One of the most surprising things that couples learn when filing taxes is that whether you got hitched on January 1 or December 31, the IRS counts you as married for that entire calendar year. The biggest challenge to a lot of couples is they end up owing taxes because they were under-withheld [during the portion of the year they were single], Poulos says. This would especially be the case for couples who get bumped into a higher tax bracket as a result of their joint income, as we saw for the couple earning $80,000 each in No. 2. Ultimately, they may end up paying more in taxes to make up for what they didnt pay while they were in their lower, single-person tax bracket. That said, most married couples tend to fall on the side of fitting into lower tax rates at higher combined incomes, says Greene-Lewis. Plus, theres still the higher standard deduction and being eligible for additional tax deductions and credits you may not have been able to take in the past. Generally speaking, all of these factors allow a couple that files married filing jointly to have lower tax liability, she says. RELATED: Married Filing Jointly or Separately? CPAs Answer Couples Top Tax Quandaries LearnVest Planning Services is a registered investment adviser and subsidiary of LearnVest, Inc., that provides financial plans for its clients. Information shown is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended as investment, legal or tax planning advice. Unless specifically identified as such, the individuals interviewed or otherwise listed in this piece are neither clients, employees nor affiliates of LearnVest Planning Services and the views expressed are their own. Please consult a financial adviser, attorney or tax specialist for advice specific to your financial situation. LearnVest Planning Services and any third parties listed, linked to or otherwise appearing in this message are separate and unaffiliated and are not responsible for each others products, services or policies. LearnVest, Inc., is wholly owned by NM Planning, LLC, a subsidiary of The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company. Yupyou read that right. Steve Harvey is now on egg cartons. The long-time comedian has partnered with a food technology company called TEN Ag Tech, hoping to revolutionize the way eggs are sold. Its going to help connect the consumer, the everyday working person, to the farmer that feeds them, Harvey tells FOXBusiness.com. Its to accommodate the public outcry for freshness of their food. People want to know where their food is coming from. The company is launching a range of shell egg products called Just Ordinary that will feature a trace code on each egg that consumers will then be able to track down which farm it actually came from through their mobile devices. Consumers can check the source, the origin of the product and its not just where it came from. This will tell you the time it was packed down to 180 seconds for any eggs in the country, Jonathan Phillips, CEO of TEN Ag Tech tells FOXBusiness.com. Phillips says his technology is the uberization of food. Uber has transformed your relationship with your driver. In the same way, were going to change the consumers relationship with farmers, he adds. Over the next couple of months, the company is also planning to add a feature that allows the consumer to connect directly to that farmer through social media. They ask questions and make recommendations about what they want to see in their foods, says Phillips. Harvey, who grew up on a farm, says this venture fit perfectly into his brand. I have a huge fan base that I think deserves to be connected to their food source and I think thats the way technology is going today, says Harvey. In 2010, over a half a billion eggs were recalled because of salmonella. It was one of the largest food recalls in a generation. Half a billion eggs werent affected. It was just that no one knew where the eggs were coming from, says Phillips. If that happened today with our technologyit would never have happened. Its not being able to trace the product. Its about preventing it from happening. Its about delivering safer food to people. And TEN Ag Tech has created a business model that works for both farmers and retailers by providing a brand in hand partnership so the products not only bear trace code markings that connect to a farmer but will also include store retail brands. The company also hopes to expand beyond shell eggs into coffee and a range of sustainable, produced meat products. The issues that we have with our coffee are child labor, deforestation, pesticides, and herbicides, Phillips notes. We have no idea whether the coffee we drink in the morning has been treated and with what. Were already in talks with Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and weve had some initial conversations with Colombiaespecially given Steves recent incident. I got to do something in Colombia, Harvey added. If I can do coffee business in Colombia-- that would really mean a lot to me. You would save me from several death threats. Harvey made a major mistake last year near the conclusion of the Miss Universe beauty pageant when he inadvertently crowned Miss Colombia, Ariadna Gutierrez-Arevalo, as the winner instead of Miss Phillippines, Pia Alonzo Wurztbach. Im a comedian, I have to laugh about it now and keep moving. Colombia is not laughing so hard, thats why I would love to do coffee from Colombia. You know, open up a farm down there or something. Just Ordinary eggs will go on sale nationwide in a few weeks and they wont be expensive either, as the company plans to target the working class. I cant be known as the guy whos been telling jokes for 30 years. I want to be relevant. I want to be significant. I want to leave a footprint in the sand that says he tried to give back to some people. Talk show host and comedian Steve Harvey has officially endorsed Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton but says her rival Donald Trump has his undivided attention. Hes the most exciting candidate that Ive seen in years. He makes me want to watch the debates because hes an interesting guy. I think the freshness of him is that he says whatever is on his mind. And thats very un-pc. I like that about the guy, Harvey tells FOXBusiness.com. On Super Tuesday, Harvey officially announced #ImWithHer on his radio show, saying Clinton is the best candidate to build on President Barack Obamas legacy. She has fought for social justice, equality and policies that expand civil rights and economic opportunity out there, he recently said on the Steve Harvey Morning Show. Harvey, who has been in the public eye for over 30 years, says hes not thinking about his own pocket when he votes but the pocket of his fans. More on this... Steve Harvey Takes on the Egg Industry I have to vote for the masses. For my own pocket, I would have to probably vote a certain way but I dont worry about that. The people that support me are what Im more concerned about, he adds. The three-time Daytime Emmy Award winner says working class people have made him who he is today and wants to give back to those people in any way he can. Thus, he thinks Clinton is the right person for the job. Im endorsing you as my candidate for President of the United States and I just think that youre going to just do the right thing for the majority of the people in this country, he told Clinton live on his radio show Tuesday. Former Secretary of State Clinton and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders have both been vying for the African-American vote (one of the Democratic Partys largest voting blocs) for months. And earlier this month, Clinton joined Harvey on his NBCUniversal (NASDAQ:CMCSA) syndicated talk show, Steve Harvey, where the two discussed issues like race, gun control, and how she made the first move on her husband Bill. "I go over and I said, 'If you're going to keep looking at me, and I'm going to keep looking back, we at least ought to know each other.' You know I thought that was the proper thing to do, right?" Clinton, 68, said about her first meeting with Bill at Yale University. That was pretty smooth that was actually the player move, replied Harvey. I didnt know that at the time, Clinton, who tied the knot with Bill in 1975, said. Harvey does say that this election overall is way different than in the past. I dont know what theyre doing right now and whats crazy is that they dont know what theyre doing either. And, from a comedian standpoint, this is a gold mine! he adds. Donald Trump is my hero right now. Ah, retirement.The golden years.This is the time to be catching up on your reading, playing with your grandkids, maybe seeing the world a bit -- but definitely not a time to be worrying about whether your stock portfolio will crash. To help you accomplish the former things, and avoid the latter, I've screenedfor stocks offering four attributes that should appeal to retirees -- and really, anyone looking to own a safe stock: Established companies of decent size ($300 million in market cap and up), with recognizable brand names. That pay a respectable dividend (at least 4%). That don't zig and zag with every wobble in the stock market (showing a betaof less than 1). And last but not least, that don't cost a lot -- at least 20% cheaper than the S&P 500's forward P/E ratio of 25.4. The following are three stocks that appear well suited for investors in retirement. Go ahead -- read on and give them a look, and see if you agree. Retirement is a time to enjoy life, not worry about how your stocks are doing. Image source: Getty Images. Regal Entertainment Group We begin our search today at the movie theater, withRegal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC). Now, you may have heard that things aren't going great in the movie business -- that movie fans are staying home and streaming their entertainment, and that no one goes out to the movies anymore. The facts, however, belie this belief. According to Fortune magazine, 2016 was actually the biggest year in American movie history, with more than $11 billion in box office receipts -- and 2017 is projected to be even bigger. Regal Entertainment Group is capturing a decent share of this growth, with revenue rising nearly 20% over the past five years, and profits up 360%. Grand as that news sounds, Regal is doing even better than it appears to be. Free cash flow(FCF) has exceeded reported net income in each of the past five years, and over the past 12 months, Regal raked in a whopping $250 million in free cash flow -- 41% more cash profit than the company reported as net income. Thus, while Regal stock looks cheap at 18 times earnings today, if you value the stock on free cash flow, it's even cheaper -- less than 13 times FCF. On top of that, the stock pays a 4.1% annual dividend, which is nearly twicethe average payout among S&P 500 stocks. With numbers this good, it's no wonder Regal sports a below-market beta of just 0.9. This is one rock-solid, cash-generating stock. DineEquity Looking for a richer dividend payout, or perhaps just a bit of dinner with your show? Look no farther than restaurateur DineEquity (NYSE: DIN), which runs the Applebee's and IHOP chains in the U.S. -- more than 3,700 restaurants in total. Priced north of $50 a share, DineEquity stock may not look cheap at first glance. But at a P/E ratio of less than 11, DineEquity stock costs less than half the average stock valuation on the S&P. It also pays a massive 7.6% dividend yield that is nearly four times what the average stock pays. With a deal this good, you might expect that there is a catch, and you'd be right. With fewer people eating out lately, DineEquity has seen slowing sales. That said, DineEquity is a powerful cash producer already, generating more than $92 million in cash profits over the past year (6% more than reported income). So while the company looks cheap valued on GAAP earnings (with a P/E of just 10.6), it's even cheaper when valued on free cash flow -- less than 10 times FCF, despite paying a dividend several times greater than the average stock pays, and offering a beta less than half as volatile as an average stock. DSW Last but not least, we come to DSW (NYSE: DSW). By some measures one of America's top three favorite shoe stores, DSW should be a pretty popular pick for stock shoppers as well; it's got a little bit of something for everyone. For income investors, DSW pays twice the S&P 500 average, for a yield of 4.2% annually. For stability seekers, it boasts a 0.8 beta, indicating below-average volatility. And for value investors, DSW's income statement is a marvel of earnings quality. Last year, DSW reported net income of $124.5 million, every penny of which was backed up by honest-to-goodness free cash flow -- $125.3 million worth. And that's no aberration. Like the other stocks on today's list, DSW usually generates better free cash flow than it reports as net income under GAAP -- in three years out of the past five, in fact. As a result, this stock that costs just 12.1 times trailing earnings has an almost identical valuation when valued on free cash flow. So why is the stock so cheap? Probably, this is a factor of the same problem that has been plaguing brick-and-mortar retailers in recent quarters -- consumers' growing preference for shopping online rather than at physical stores. While DSW has fought this trend successfully in recent years, growing its sales 34%over the past five years despite competition from online e-tailers, the company has struggled to keep profits growing alongside sales. Analysts who follow the stock, however, believe DSW will soon turn the corner, and post at least 5% annualized earnings growth over the next five years. If they're right, then DSW's bargain basement valuation -- less than half the P/E on the S&P 500 -- could be a real steal of a deal for folks who buy today. 10 stocks we like better than DineEquityWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.* David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy right now... and DineEquity wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys. Click here to learn about these picks! *Stock Advisor returns as of May 1, 2017 Rich Smith has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends DSW. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Image: Costco Wholesale. For years, Costco Wholesale has given investors solid sales growth and consistent profitability. Yet even though the big-box warehouse retailer still has a loyal customer base and dominates its segment of the retail industry, Costco has still struggled to keep its growth rate up in recent quarters. Coming into its fiscal second-quarter financial report on Wednesday night, Costco investors wanted to see at least modest gains in the company's top and bottom lines. Instead, Costco saw a surprise drop in adjusted earnings per share and continued to have its comparable-store sales slow. Let's look more closely at the latest from Costco Wholesale and what it means for the company going forward. Costco misses againCostco's fiscal second-quarter report was the second straight quarter in which the retailer failed to meet the expectations that investors had set for it. Total revenue rose 2.6% to $28.17 billion, falling about a percentage point short of the growth rate that most of those following the stock were expecting. But net income dropped 9% to $546 million, and even after taking some extraordinary items into account, adjusted earnings of $1.24 per share were down from year-ago levels and fell short of the $1.28 per share consensus forecast among investors. Looking more closely at the numbers, Costco once again saw some deterioration in its comparable-store sales. Unadjusted numbers actually looked better than they did last quarter, with a 3% gain in the U.S. offsetting weakness in Canada and other international locations and helping Costco achieve a 1% overall rise in comps. However, the impact of gasoline price deflation on Costco's domestic results was much smaller this quarter, cutting the growth by only a single percentage point. The strong dollar's impact was much larger, resulting in a nine to 17 percentage point swing in comps for Costco's international divisions. Overall, though, total-company adjusted comps declined another percentage point from the previous quarter to 5%. Costco managed to improve in some areas of past concern, but others remained troublesome. Membership fee revenue climbed 3.6% to $603 million, accelerating at about double the growth rate that it posted last quarter. Yet a big 6% jump in overhead expenses sent operating income down year-over-year, and the pace of increases in Costco's merchandise costs wasn't slow enough to offset higher overhead. What's ahead for Costco?Another aspect of Costco's growth slowdown showed in its store counts. The warehouse retailer had 698 stores at the end of the quarter, which was up by just a single location in the U.S. over the past three months. That's consistent with the expansion plans Costco revealed last quarter, and the winter months tend to be a slow season for store openings throughout the industry. Yet the bigger issue is whether Costco's struggles reflect weakness among more affluent U.S. consumers. Luxury retailers that cater to the wealthy have reported tough times, especially for those companies that focus on areas of the country that have gotten hit hard by the downturn in the energy industry. Costco's membership model encourages wealthier patrons, and although not all of its goods are luxury items, some of its higher-margin items cater to those with sizable disposable incomes. If those shoppers have less to spend, then it could show up in Costco's overall numbers. Traders won't be happy with Costco's results, and even long-term investors might worry about the slow but steady deterioration in the big-box retailer's results lately. Nevertheless, Costco still holds a strong position in its retail niche, and continuing to use its inherent competitive advantages to build up its business will make sense even if Costco suffers setbacks from time to time. The article Costco Suffers Another Earnings Drop As Sales Growth Slows Further originally appeared on Fool.com. Dan Caplinger has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Costco Wholesale. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. iPhone 6s. Image source: Apple. As March 15 approaches, the date of Apple's rumored event, many headlines surrounding the company are focused on speculation about the smaller iPhone the company is expected to launch at the event. But it will be the company's refresh of its flagship iPhone lineup, which will likely occur this fall, that will have the most influence on revenue during the next 12 months. Turning to Apple's iPhone 7Reportedly aimed to replace the iPhone 5s, which is still selling well for the company, one analyst estimates Apple's rumored smaller iPhone could contribute as much as $5.5 billion in incremental annual revenue during Apple's fiscal 2016. So, it makes sense that investors are focused on this upcoming potential product launch. But this doesn't stop the continued speculation about Apple's rumored iPhone 7 from proliferating. Rumors surrounding Apple's flagship iPhone have started ramping up recently. A new report from Japanese site Mac Otakara (via MacRumors) released Monday night is particularly interesting, as it seems to support previous rumors and speculation about the device, giving rumors about the iPhone 7 more substance. Here's a roundup of the latest rumors about iPhone 7. No 3.5mm headphone jack: As Mac Otakara has previously reported, the site still believes the device will not have a headphone jack. This rumor was also endorsed by 9to5Mac's Mark Gurman, who has a very strong track record with Apple rumors. Instead of using the 3.5mm jack to connect headphones, Gurman and Mac Otakara speculate the device will either require connection via the Lighting connector or wirelessly over Bluetooth. Nearly as thin as Apple's 6.1mm iPod touch: The iPhone 7 will be about 6.1mm thick -- approximately 1mm thinner than the iPhone 6s or in the same thickness of Apple's iPod touch. iPod Touch. Image source: Apple. Not waterproof: Contrary to some speculation that the iPhone 7 would be waterproof and sport new materials for the outer body, Mac Otakara predicts the new device will have the same aluminum material and have the same water resistance as the iPhone 6s. No dual-lens camera on iPhone 7: Mac Otakara agreed with previous speculation that the iPhone 7 will not sport Apple's rumored new dual-lens camera system, but the Japanese site noted it was unclear whether or not the new camera system will be included in the iPhone 7 Plus. So far, speculation has only suggested the dual-lens would be included on the iPhone 7 Plus -- and not the iPhone 7 -- to help differentiate it from its smaller counterpart. Other rumors about iPhone 7 circulating include expectations for a flush rear camera, stereo speakers, and upgraded processors. Apple needs a huge success Apple management is currently guiding for a year-over-year decline in revenue for its current quarter, blaming economic headwinds and tough comparisons for iPhone sales in the year-ago quarter. While the company's rumored smaller iPhone launch this month could help beef up unit sales enough to prevent further year-over-year declines in the segment -- and possibly even Apple's total revenue -- it will be the iPhone 7 that will likely determine whether the company can return to growth during the next 12 months. Will the iPhone 7 stand out enough from predecessors to reinvigorate iPhone sales and help the company return to growth? The article Will the iPhone 7 Return Apple, Inc. to Growth? originally appeared on Fool.com. Daniel Sparks owns shares of Apple. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Apple. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. United Parcel Service is at the forefront of a major change: Internet shopping. That may not sound too exciting -- online shopping is not a new thing after all -- but it is an increasingly important trend in the retail industry. Couple that with UPS' massive scale, and there's plenty of reasons to believe the stock could rise. 1. Online sales are boosting delivery volumeThe long-term trend toward Internet shopping is huge. For example, retail giant Wal-Marthas expressly been focusing on this sales channel as it reworks its business. To give you an idea of how big an opportunity this is, in the third quarter of 2015 the company's comparable-store sales increased 1.5%, with e-commerce growing around 10% (this is before the all-important holiday shopping season). Wal-Mart is hardly alone in its online push. UPS sees huge opportunities online. Image source: UPS. Now, UPS clearly doesn't deliver things like groceries, but it does play a big part in delivering just about everything else that gets mailed or shipped. To give you an idea of how big a deal this is, the company delivered more packages during the peak holiday season in 2015 than it had ever delivered before -- over 612 million. That's directly related to online commerce and was a 7% increase year over year. So, with online retailers increasingly being joined by brick-and-mortar retailers on the Web, UPS is playing a key role in delivering what you and I are buying online. That's a long-term trend that is still picking up steam and that should lead to continued volume growth and increased profits. 2. High barriers to entry in the logistics businessAnother reason that investors are likely to afford UPS a premium valuation is that it has alogistics network that would be virtually impossible for a competitor to build from scratch. Although Amazonhas been talking about trying to build out a delivery network, including using drones, and Wal-Mart talks up its stores as a distribution system, door-to-door delivery is still key. And it's hard to replicate what UPS has built. UPS has over 100,000 ground delivery vehicles, more than 500 aircraft (owned and leased), nearly 75,000 locations where a package can be dropped off for delivery, and around 1,900 operations facilities, and it does business in some 220 countries and territories. That's not something you build overnight, and the cost to create such a network would be huge. That gives UPS an advantage over new entrants and smaller players. In fact, there are only two other delivery players in the U.S. with that kind of reach:FedEx and the U.S. Postal Service. This is doubly important because size also creates economies of scale, which helps to keep costs down and profits up. Indeed, it's not only expensive to build a giant delivery network, but it's expensive to maintain one, too. As more and more packages head out to customers, UPS' size will increasingly be an important distinction and should lead investors to afford it a premium valuation. UPS has you covered from door to door. Image source: UPS. 3. UPS is playing package Pac-ManAnother reason investors might send UPS shares higher is acquisition-led growth. To be fair, the big news on this front is FedEx's planned purchase of Dutch TNT Express for $4.8 billion. This was the same company that regulators stopped UPS from acquiring in 2013, fearing it would give UPS too much industry clout. Obviously, it's not a good thing when one of your direct competitors picks up the company you were barred from buying. But UPS has other deals up its sleeve. For example, UPS recently bought Coyote Logistics for $1.8 billion. Coyote is a broker that handles full-truckload freight, with business in areas like food, beverage, consumer packaged goods, and even heavy equipment and construction. It expands UPS' reach in the full-truckload category and adds new customers to its Rolodex. While TNT would have been a better fit with UPS' package delivery services, Coyote creates a platform for long-term growth elsewhere in the company. If UPS can keep using its massive size to swallow up smaller competitors and to get a seat at the table of other logistics markets, investors are likely to bid the stock's price up over time. TNT would have been a nice addition, but it's not the only game in town. Big is a good thingFor UPS, being a giant in the logistics and package delivery space is a good thing. It means it's a go-to resource as e-commerce continues to expand, it provides a competitive moat and cost advantages, and it gives the company the wherewithal to acquire its way to even more scale and reach. Although there will be ups and downs in its business over short periods of time, the long-term looks bright. The article 3 Reasons United Parcel Service Stock Could Rise originally appeared on Fool.com. Reuben Brewer has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Amazon.com. The Motley Fool recommends FedEx and United Parcel Service. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Image Credit: Vale. What: Shares of Vale jumped 16% by 3:30 p.m. EST on Thursday. Driving the buying spree was a report that the company and its partner BHP Billiton had reached a deal with the Brazilian government to cover damages for a deadly dam spill last year. So what: The joint venture between Vale and BHP Billiton, known as Samarco, will pay an estimated $5.1 billion in damages during the next 15 years relating to that spill. The agreement will put to rest lingering concerns about the extent of the financial impact to both companies. In fact, the obligations will be paid out by the joint venture, with Vale and BHP Billiton only responsible if the venture is unable to cover the costs. In addition to that news, iron-ore prices have been on a tear of late, jumping 18%, to more than $50 a metric ton. That surge is very important to Vale, given that it's the world's leading iron-ore miner. Driving this rally is restocking by Chinese mills, which have started to increase their output after being on a holiday break in February. Now what: With greater cost certainty surrounding Vale's future liabilities in Brazil, investors are breathing a sigh of relief -- especially considering that the funds will be paid out by the joint venture during the next 15 years instead of by the company in the near term. To top it off, iron-ore prices are finally starting to improve after a pretty rough stretch. It remains to be seen if this rally is sustainable, or simply due to some initial heavy buying by the Chinese after a holiday. If it's the latter, than its quite possible that the recent price rally could come to an abrupt end. The article A Big Weight Has Been Lifted Off of Vale SA (ADR) Stock Today originally appeared on Fool.com. Matt DiLallo owns shares of BHP Billiton Limited (ADR). The Motley Fool owns shares of Companhia Vale Ads. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. U.S. equity markets traded along the unchanged line Thursday as oil prices calmed and traders awaited the all-important February jobs report on Friday. Service-Sector Data Traders parsed the latest reading on the U.S. service sector from the Institute for Supply Management. The ISM gauge slipped to 53.4 last month from 53.5 in January. The reading was above expectations calling for a slightly larger decline to 53.2 and above the line of 50 that separates expansion from contraction. The ISM non-manufacturing employment index, though, slipped into contraction for the first time since February 2014. The service sector, which accounts for nearly three-quarters of the U.S. economy, has performed better than the manufacturing sector in recent months as factory activity across the world has slumped and global-growth concerns have raged. ISM data on the manufacturing sector, out on Tuesday, showed some improvement in the factory sector, though it remained in contraction territory. The ISM gauge rose to 49.5 last month from 48.2 in January. The expectation was for a shallower rise to 48.5. Thursdays ISM services figures come after financial information services firm Markits gauge of the U.S. service sector slipped into contraction territory, seeing the weakest performance 28 months. The reading came in at 49.8 from 53.2 the month prior, and below the line of 50 that separates expansion from contraction. Weekly Jobless Claims The number of Americans filing for first-time unemployment benefits rose last week to 278,000 from an unrevised 272,000 the week prior. Economists expected claims to fall to 271,000. The data comes just a day before the closely-watched non-farm payrolls report due out on Friday. Economists expected to see the U.S. economy add 190,000 new jobs last month, up from a 151,000 increase the month prior. Januarys figures came in much weaker than the 190,000 gain that had been forecast, but the unemployment rate ticked lower, while labor force participation and wage growth moved slightly higher. Data from payroll processor ADP on Wednesday showed private payrolls added 214,000 jobs in February, surpassing the 190,000 estimate. Januarys figures were revised lower by 12,000 to 193,000. Oil Prices Global crude oil prices were higher on Thursday, but took a bit of a breather from sharp gains and losses of recent months. In recent action, West Texas Intermediate crude added 1.36% to $35.13 a barrel, while Brent, the international benchmark, gained 0.76% to $37.21 a barrel. On Wednesday, data from the Energy Information Administration confirmed the American Petroleum Institutes figures that showed a bigger-than-expected build in inventories last week. The EIA data showed crude stockpiles saw the biggest increase since April as they jumped 10.37 million barrels, well above the expected 3.6 million-barrel gain. Adding to the less-than-enthusiastic sentiment on Thursday was no fresh action by global oil producers to move to cap or slash production. Talk had been swirling for weeks about a possible production freeze at January levels among some of the nations biggest producers. So far, no final action has been taken, but investors are monitoring the situation closely. Costco The wholesale chains shares slumped on Thursday after the company reported disappointing fiscal second-quarter earnings results late Wednesday night. Costco said same-store sales rose 5%, which came in below the 5.4% expectation as lower traffic and the strong U.S. dollar dented profits. Earnings of $1.24 a share were below the $1.35 a share the company earned during the same period in the prior year and the expectation for $1.28 in 4Q. Revenue, meanwhile, rose to $28.17 billion, but missed forecasts for $28.43 billion. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 2022 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. FAQ - New Privacy Policy Image source: Qlik Technologies. What:Shares of Qlik Technologies rose 10.2% Thursday after activist investor hedge fund Elliot Management bought a large stake in the data analytics company. So what: According to an SEC filing today, Elliott Management paid roughly $200 million to acquire 93,227,755 shares of Qlik stock, or roughly 8.88% of its total common stock outstanding. Also in the filing, Elliott stated it believes Qlik shares are "significantly undervalued," elaborating that the company "operates in a highly strategic area of the technology industry with an attractive competitive position and a compelling product set, the value of which is not reflected in [Qlik's] current market value." As such, Elliott Management has initiated a dialogue with Qlik's management and board of directors regarding strategic and operational opportunities to increase shareholder value. Now what:A number of analysts have also weighed in suggesting Elliott could also push for the company to put itself up for sale. Analyst firm William Blair suggested IBM or Oracle would be probable suitors, while others speculate Elliott itself -- as a $20 billion hedge fund -- could offer to purchase Qlik at a premium to its current $2.5 billion market capitalization. It would be hard to blame them with shares still down more than 30% during the past six months, and down 15% year to date. But in the meantime -- and considering an acquisition is hardly guaranteed -- I still think investors would be wise to focus first on Qlik's actual business, which enjoyed solid top-line growth, and a healthy pipeline of large license/maintenance deals in its most-recent quarter. The article Why Qlik Technologies Inc. Stock Popped 10.2% Today originally appeared on Fool.com. Steve Symington has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Qlik Technologies. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Cases of toxic shock syndrome have been falling since the 1980s, partly due to increased warnings about tampon use. That's why a sudden bump in cases in Michigan is so startling. Greenville's Rylie Whitten was put on life support in early January with one of the worst cases of TSS doctors had seen in the area, and four other women have also been diagnosed since December 2015, reports WZZM. None of the cases in Kent, Mason, Montcalm, and Oakland counties was fatal, but fewer than four cases are typically reported in Michigan each year, health officials tells MLive.com. Four of the women were using Playtex Sport tampons, while Rylie was using U by Kotex, officials say. Four were also using super absorbency tampons. "This recent cluster is an important reminder to always review product safety information," says Dr. Eden Wells of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Doctors note TSS often begins with flu-like symptoms and most often occurs with the improper use of high-absorbency tampons. They stress that women should use the lowest absorbency tampon needed and remove or replace it after a maximum of eight hours, per CBS Detroit. While Rylie was out of the hospital by the end of January, a Feb. 22 Facebook post shows how much her body has fought: "I ... saw the heart doctor that saved me from a heart transplant and he gave me a hug and my heart is doing good (if any are wondering) and today I'm going ... to get a cat scan on my lungs to see how those blood clots are doing." (This woman almost died after forgetting about a tampon for nine days.) This article originally appeared on Newser: Michigan Sees 'Cluster' of Toxic Shock Cases More From Newser New York state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman's office has asked 16 health insurers for documentation on patients who have been denied coverage of drugs used to cure hepatitis C, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters on Wednesday. Schneiderman's office also requested details on procedures followed by the companies to authorize the drugs used to treat hepatitis C, the person said. The Attorney General's office has issued subpoenas to health insurers, including Aetna Inc, CareConnect and EmblemHealth Inc, the person said. The initial two subpoenas from Schneiderman's office asked for information only about the hepatitis C drug Harvoni, while the remaining subpoenas didn't specify any particular drug, the person familiar with the matter said. Gilead Sciences Inc, with its two blockbuster drugs Harvoni and Sovaldi, has dominated the market for hepatitis C, which affects about 185 million people worldwide. Harvoni's total sales were $13.86 billion in 2015. In January, Massachusetts' attorney general asked the biotechnology company to reconsider its pricing for Sovaldi and Harvoni. Last year, the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging kicked off a series of hearings designed to investigate the causes behind drastic drug price increases. The Attorney General's office could not immediately be reached for comment outside U.S. business hours. Aetna, CareConnect, Gilead and EmblemHealth could not be immediately reached for comment. Eight days after getting her hair styled at a salon, a California woman suffered a stroke doctors attributed to beauty parlor stroke syndrome, a rare but documented condition. Elizabeth Smith, 48, of San Diego County, California, went to Blowbunny Salon in December 2013 and spent about 10 minutes in a shampoo chair, 10News.com reported. It was that time that doctors say led to her symptoms, eight days later, including weakness in her left arm and leg, and subsequent stroke a week later. "I vomited, my head became hot and I couldn't stand. I had weakness in my arms and legs. They didn't think I was going to live," the mother of two told 10News.com. According to multiple doctors, when Smiths neck was bent backwards, it hyperextended, causing her vertebrae to slice an artery. A clot formed, which led to a stroke. Smith has filed suit against the salon. Her medical bills totaled $250,000. "We believe the personnel didn't adequately support her neck or adjust the chair properly to compensate for the small frame of our client," Smiths attorney Spencer Busby told 10News.com. The salon owner disputes the lawsuits claims, the news station reported. Today, she still has issues with strength, balance and vision, but doctors are most concerned about a blood clot in her brain if it moves, she could die. According to doctors, those with arthritis in their neck or hardening arteries should be cautious at the salon, either not having their hair washed, avoiding leaning back more than 15 to 20 degrees, or having your hair washed face down. There is broad bipartisan agreement that America needs a legislative solution for our immigration policy that is truly comprehensive. Administrative stroke of the pen solutions from the executive branch can only go so far. The legislative arm of government can and should play the major role in immigration reform. Any real solution, however, needs to contain a minimum of four elements. They are: 1. Enhanced border security. 2. Documenting the undocumented. 3. Addressing gaps in the current US immigration process. 4. Establishing a robust guest worker program. All of these elements are made easier to implement by advances in technology. Every nation must be in control of its own borders, and it is clear that efforts made since 9/11 have improved our capacity for preventing illegal migration. Overall, the goal of real immigration reform should be to attract the best and brightest to the United States while still having enough empathy as a nation not to lose sight of the value of family reunification and the compassionate taking in of refugees and immigrants. One byproduct of a more secure system at the border, however, is that it contains the undocumented population already here. So, while we need to do more to keep our borders secure, we also need to recognize that the undocumented population already here isnt going anywhere and must be dealt with efficiently, effectively, and compassionately. That means constructive solutions for legalizing the undocumented should be careful to leave out punitive elements such as overly large fines, bans on an eventual path to naturalization, or efforts at altering the current doctrine regarding citizenship at birth in the US that would sink legislation not on its own larger merits, but on what gets added to it as it moves through Congress. Fortunately, in contrast to the process undertaken in 1986, the near universal presence of things like smart phones, laptops, and Internet access make it much easier to register and process large numbers of people for an immigration benefit. And we can do so in a way that does not jam up the existing immigration processing system, but rather leverages the familiar technology of on-line banking, tax filing, and other services to get people into the system largely on their own and free up immigration processing resources to focus on the important inherently governmental work of weeding out criminals, preventing fraud, assessing potential threats to our national security, and making the ultimate decisions on who goes and who stays. Just like any other body of law, US immigration laws must also keep pace with the times and be flexible enough to adapt to the changing nature of global mobility. Much has been said and written about the need for an entrepreneurial visa to keep America competitive and grow our economy. But there are other areas in which our current system is silent about common situations such as freelancers or sole proprietors wanting to work legally in the US for some period of time. Reforming our immigration laws to allow for certain additional types of employment self-petition would allow us to capture more of the benefits of economic activity that we already know occurs inside our borders. Individuals who are brought into the formal immigration system either through a large-scale legalization program or through additional options for employment status will be applying for Social Security numbers, driver licenses, business licenses, and other documents that those already in the system need and use on a daily basis. That is a good thing, because it brings in substantial near-term revenue (in the form of fines, application fees and processing fees) to federal, state, and local government, and broadens the tax base generally. Our Social Security system desperately needs to add new workers to augment its tax rolls as well. The pass-through effect of the 1.7 million to 2 million people covered by recent administrative immigration actions while positive is not enough. The nation would benefit far more from bringing 11 million to 12 million more people into the formal economic system. Similarly, as we contemplate the future of immigration reform, it is instructive to look to the recent past. When President George W. Bush started his second term, immigration reform was also at the top of the agenda. Work done then to examine a guest worker program should be leveraged now. A well designed guest worker program that includes access to 401 (k) style savings and investment accounts only when workers exit the US and return to their country of origin could help bridge the gap between this countrys near term need to regularize the large population of undocumented already here and its long term need to move both skilled and unskilled labor through the marketplace. Existing US immigration processes bring in fresh waves of individuals who not only add cultural distinctiveness, talent, and entrepreneurial zeal to the American population and the higher birth rate among recent immigrants helps keep the fertility rate in this county closer to replacement levels. Overall, the goal of real immigration reform should be to attract the best and brightest to the United States while still having enough empathy as a nation not to lose sight of the value of family reunification and the compassionate taking in of refugees and immigrants. Much like energy, immigration is one of those subjects in which all of the above is the right answer. Now is the time. next Image 1 of 2 prev Image 2 of 2 On the heels of electoral victory, President Obama's State of the Union address could go in one of two directions: a mandate approach or a problem-solver approach. The first is what I fear: A divisive speech based on his 3 million vote win over Gov. Mitt Romney, which the president seemingly views as a mandate. Under this mandate approach, the president will stress divisive social issues, aggressive investments and spending initiatives and ignore the deficit, including the work of his Bipartisan Debt Commission and the imminent threat of entitlements. The mandate approach relies on dividing the nation, ensuring conflict and virtually guaranteeing that we will face a bumpy four years where the nation and its two parties totally fail to address the mounting financial challenges which will cripple our children's future. In other words: more of the same. President Obama can challenge all of us to step forward with ideas on how we can address our financial problems. He can declare that we will together solve this problem because we are all Americans and that is what we do. The problem-solver approach, in contrast, is the one I hope the president chooses. As a leader of the entire nation, President Obama could begin with an honest discussion of our biggest issues. The president would in clear, stark and understandable terms and using real projections describe the financial situation our children will face as we cannot fulfill the promises we made to ourselves. After laying out the facts, the president should challenge every American to help solve our problems. He can actually introduce a phrase few politicians use these days: "shared sacrifice. He can explain that we must all expect less from and give more to our nation in the future. The president can challenge all of us to step forward with ideas on how we can address our financial problems. He can declare that we will together solve this problem because we are all Americans and that is what we do. Under this approach the president can still lay out his agenda on immigration, taxes, trade and education, while focusing on broader, unifying themes of investment, sacrifice and economic growth. Tuesday night, the president will look out at his congressional audience and see dozens of Democratic and Republican legislators wearing special "Problem Solver" buttons. Initiated by the bipartisan group, No Labels, the legislators wearing these buttons are expressing their commitment to work across party lines to make the tough decisions America needs right now. The president should embrace this approach, not only in Tuesday night's rhetoric, but in tomorrow's action. It may not win him much applause from the hard-line Democrats in post-speech analysis, but it will put him on the path to creating the legacy he must want as the president who got America back on track by solving problems together. The Labor Department monthly employment report Friday will tell us a lot about the health of the economymuch of it not very good. Forecasters expect the monthly tally of new jobs to come in at about 190,000. Thats well below last years pace and a figure significantly below that modest target would indicate the economy is at high risk of another recession. Since the Obama recovery began, the economy has expanded at a paltry 2.2 percent annual pace, and factoring in recessions the overall rate of economic growth has been only 1.8 percent since the turn of the century. Consequently, in recent years new jobs have been created at about half the pace of the Reagan years. During the Reagan-Clinton era, when more aggressive growth policies and deregulation were in the vogue, the economy grew at a 3.4 percent annual pace. Family incomes rose an average of $9,250, whereas during the George W. Bush-Barack Obama era, those have fallen about $4000. Consumers, the engine of all advanced economies, continue to spend, but the strong dollar is pinning down exports and cheap imports are battering U.S. manufacturers. Businesses are becoming increasingly skeptical about expanding in the United States, and giants like Ford and Carrier are moving facilities to more business friendly Mexico. Troubles in China can only be blamed to a point. Its miracle was fueled by a cheap currencyand that has pulled down U.S. growth by destabilizing American manufacturingbut also by government banks that finance factories that run perpetual losses to sell coffee makers and the like to American consumers. Both the recent Bush and Obama administrations can be blamed for not taking the kind of tough measures against Chinese protectionism advocated by Donald Trump and liberal New York Times columnist Paul Krugman. At home, Dodd-Frank has hamstrung community banks with mindless regulations when they had little to do with the financial collapse. They simply cannot lend to local enterprises as they once did, and small businesses are closing more rapidly than they are opening. Hence a lot of those Silicon Valley innovations dont translate into jobs in America and dont get applied by emerging enterprises to foster productivity growththe mothers milk of rising living standards. Hillary Clinton promises to get tough with China, but her obsession with breaking down barriers is a focus on battles long ago won. The hardly conservative Economist magazine has accused Democrats of misrepresenting the wage gap between men and women and waxing indignant about discrimination to cynically harvest female votes. Its tough to find a business in America that believes discriminating against women or blacks would attract more customers or make them more efficient and profitable, except the Democratic get-out-the-vote machine. On trade her proposed methods are vague and sound much like a continuation of Obamas failed tactics. Whats more, her record as Secretary of State suggests the opposite. The U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement, implemented on her watch, has added $16 billion to the trade deficit and killed 130,000 jobs. And Obama similarly promised to get tough with China on a host of issues but simply failed to take tangible actions once in office. Taking advantage of new technologies often requires moving workers across state lines and into cities. However, local governments have imposed employment licensing and land use regulations that push up apartment rents, and both make worker relocation and jobs creation much more difficult to accomplish. We have heard a lot from Donald Trump about his views on getting tough on trade and immigration but not much about pulling out and burning the roots of federal and state bureaucratic fiefdoms that are rapidly turning America into the new France. -- A paradise for the well-educated from top schools with access to power and the best jobs but a dungeon of low wages, tedious work and government handouts for the rest of us. National Review senior editor Jonah Goldberg said Wednesday on Special Report with Bret Baier that, on the heels of a string of Super Tuesday victories, front-runner Donald Trump has incited a real battle within the Republican party. The civil war is here. I think that the Not Trump forces are galvanized, and moving in a way that a lot of people didnt think would happen, there wasnt any time left for it, Goldberg said. Goldberg said he believes the central battlefield will be Florida, where the primary will be held March 15, and added that Trumps challengers may make some headway. I still think that theres a chance the Not Trump forces will prevail, he said, adding, Trump had a good night last night, but so far, if you add up the returns in all the primaries, his hostile takeover of the party amounts to 34 percent of the vote. Nevertheless, Goldberg acknowledged that any other candidate will have a very hard time securing the Republican nomination. The Justice Department has granted immunity to a former State Department staffer who worked on Hillary Clintons private email server, Fox News has confirmed. The Washington Post, quoting a senior law enforcement official, first reported that the FBI secured the cooperation of Bryan Pagliano, who worked on Clintons 2008 presidential campaign before setting up the private server at her New York home in 2009. Current and former agents told the newspaper that agents will likely want to interview Clinton and her senior aides about the decision to use a private server, and whether any of the participants knew they were sending classified information in emails as part of the ongoing investigation. Republican presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas called the latest developments on the Clinton investigation "ominous" in an interview with Fox News' Megyn Kelly on "The Kelly File," and that it meant the process was moving to "a whole other level." "That suggests the legal jeopardy is getting greater and greater," he said Wednesday. Attorney General Loretta Lynch said Monday in an interview with Fox News that the Justice Department has no deadline for concluding the Clinton email investigation and that its being handled like any other review, even with the presidential election just months away. Lynch said on "Special Report with Bret Baier" that the investigation is being handled by the agencys career independent lawyers and that they will review the facts and the evidence and make a determination in due course. Lynch, nominated by President Obama to the attorney general post in 2014, also said the agency would look efficiently, fairly, thoroughly, without any kind of artificial deadline into whether Clinton broke any laws as secretary of state by using a private email server for official communications. Lynch was steadfast in declining to discuss specifics about the Clinton case -- including whether Clinton has been interviewed, if a grand jury had been convened, which departments within the agency are involved and whether she would ultimately decide whether the case will go forward. We handle it in the same way, and that's what I'd like to convey to the American people, she said. We owe it to the citizens and we owe it to anybody who may be involved in the matter. She also declined to comment on Clinton's then-chief of staff Cheryl Mills maintaining her top secret security clearance despite sending information that's now being classified to the Clinton Foundation. Click for more from The Washington Post Fox News' Catherine Herridge contributed to this report. Labor unions donated nearly a half-billion dollars to Democrats and left-wing causes from 2012 to 2014, according to a new report. The $418 million identified in the report from Center for Union Facts is in addition to millions more spent in 2015 and this year by organized labor, long a reliable backer of Democrat and left-wing causes. "Big Labor has long been the Democratic Party's personal ATM, CUF Executive Director Richard Berman told FoxNews.com. But what might shock some -- especially dues-paying union members -- is that union bosses not only donate to Democratic candidates, but also a wide array of left-wing groups closely aligned with the Democratic Party." The contributions are largely funded by union member dues, which are mandatory in many states. The report found many of the 20 unions included in the report labeled contributions "representational activities," which could make it difficult for members to know what it was spent on. "Big labor has long been the Democratic Party's personal ATM. Richard Berman, the Center for Union Facts Recipients of union donations included the liberal super-PAC American Bridge, left-wing think tank Media Matters and the Bill, Hillary, and Chelsea Clinton Foundation. The biggest recipients of money from big labor over the period were the Democratic Governors Association, which received nearly $8 million; the House Majority PAC, with nearly $6 million; and Working America, which received more than $30 million over the past four years. Berman says that union members, many of whom vote Republican, have no choice in where their dues are sent. "While more than 90 percent of union dollars support Democrats and left-wing causes, roughly 40 percent of union households vote Republican, Berman said. And under current labor law, these union members aren't guaranteed the right to affirmative consent before their dues are sent to liberal political candidates and causes. In addition to states increasingly barring the practice of mandatory dues collection, legislation now before Congress would prevent unions from spending member dues without permission. [The Employee Rights Act] would require union bosses to obtain opt-in permission from their members before spending millions of dollars on left-wing politics," Berman said. Two of the largest donor groups appear to be the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) -- which have contributed a total of around $32 million in 2013 and 2014. Officials for both the SEIU and the AFL-CIO did not immediately respond to requests for comment. DEBATE TO-DO LIST: GOPS BULL MOOSE MOMENT DETROIT The Motor City had lots to celebrate in 1912. Henry Fords miraculous assembly line was just hitting its stride, the Dime Bank building had just opened at its jaw-dropping height of 23 stories, and Tiger Stadium was almost ready to host its first game. But across the nation, the buzz was about politics and what would have seemed unthinkable just four years prior. The populist, progressive wing of the Republican Party and its charismatic, tough-talking leader Teddy Roosevelt was getting ready to bolt from the increasingly conservative and hidebound, traditional GOP President William Howard Taft. You know where this is going Its not exaggeration to say that 104 years later, Republicans are careening toward a similar crackup. But this time the roles are reversed. The populist progressive is taking over the party and the conservatives and traditionalists are the ones talking about leaving. Who couldve imagined just a year ago that 2012 GOP nominee, Mitt Romney, a party stalwart if ever there was one, would be on stage denouncing the Republican frontrunner and calling for a joint strike to block his ascension. Romneys call for a coordinated, three-candidate effort to block the Rough Rider of 2016, Donald Trump, has no equal in modern political history. Its with that backdrop of Romneys call to arms that the surviving candidates arrive here at the fabulous Fox Theater for a debate that will shape what may be the most consequential two weeks in GOP history of the last century. No kidding. At the center of the stage will be Trump, who has thrilled his supporters with an audacious charge up the mount of the Republican Party. On either side of him will be the standard bearers of the traditional GOP: Sens. Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio will be prosecuting Trump from the point of view of the conservative movement that traces its roots all the way back to before the Roosevelt-Taft split. Also on stage will be Ohio Gov. John Kasich, the last scion of the broad, moderate establish from the last half century. The stark, ideological and temperamental differences between Trump and the others on stage will be cast in their sharpest relief yet. Theres no question that the probability remains high that Trump has succeeded enough and the rest of his party has failed enough that his nomination is inevitable. But, Romneys call for a gang tackle on Trump is not exactly a longshot. With Michigans primary on Tuesday and Kasich and Rubios home states up on March 15, there is still enough time for the party to reject Trumps takeover bid. If the united front can deny Trump victories in those states, Trumps path to locking up the nomination outright narrows dramatically. He might need to win as much as two thirds of the remaining delegates to win outright, which sounds farfetched. If he comes up short, then it would be on to Cleveland and a wild, contested convention in July. A Republican riot, an unsettled American political landscape, massive economic change, large-scale immigration, and rapidly evolving social norms this century seems to be starting a lot like the last one. [Watch Fox: Tonight's Fox News debate begins at 9 p.m. ET tonight followed by post-debate special coverage.] Got a TIP from the RIGHT or the LEFT? Email FoxNewsFirst@FOXNEWS.COM POLL CHECK Real Clear Politics Averages National GOP nomination: Trump 35.6 percent; Cruz 19.8 percent; Rubio 17.4 percent; Carson 9 percent; Kasich 8.8 percent Michigan GOP Primary: Trump, 33.7 percent; Rubio 18.3 percent; Cruz 17 percent; Kasich, 10 percent; Carson, 8.3 percent National Dem nomination: Clinton 49.6 percent; Sanders 40 percent Michigan Dem Primary: Clinton, 55 percent; Sanders, 37.3 percent General Election Clinton vs. Trump: Clinton +3.4 points Generic Congressional Vote: Democrats +1 WITH YOUR SECOND CUP OF COFFEE Detroit is known as the car manufacturing hub of America, but Motor City made a big contribution to maritime vessels too, including the worlds first floating zip code. J.W. Wescott Co., established in 1847 by Detroit native John Ward Wescott, is a maritime reporting agency for ships coming in and out of the Great Lakes to inform ports when they were arriving, since their plans could change at a moments notice. Wescott invented the system to prevent ports from getting congested with last minute arrivals. Wescott described the early system: A rope and bucket would be thrown over the sides of the visiting ship and he would place messages in the bucket, which was quickly hoisted back upthus the phrase, mail in the pail. Over the years, the business grew and services expanded. In 1948, J.W. Westcott became an official U.S. Postal Service mail boat, eventually earning the worlds first floating postal ZIP code48222. DEBATE TO-DO LIST Tonights Fox News debate at the, appropriately named, Fox Theater in Detroit presents the official beginning of a do-or-die moment for the Republican candidates. In wake of Super Tuesdays non-shakeup results, tonight is a chance for each candidate to lay out his intentions for the next two crucial weeks, and set the tone for the partys narrative moving forward. Donald Trump - Be dignified. After Trumps Tuesday victories, he summoned a new, more presidential persona: an introduction by a sitting governor, taking questions from the press and showing gracious respect toward one of his opponents. In tonights debate, Trumps main goal must be to not let his opponents rattle him but still rebut their myriad allegations against him on character and policy issues. If Trump can turn away from the bait, he will do all he needs to remain in the top spot. Ted Cruz - Act like a winner. The Texas senator has made the argument that he is the only candidate to actually win against Trump, in more than one contest, a main talking point. Cruzs job tonight is to have the attitude of a winner. His easiest contests are behind him and the road ahead looks pretty rough. Cruz has to show a little swagger tonight when making his points against Trump. Marco Rubio - Stay with substance. Rubio scored last week by mocking Trump for his appearance and demeanor. Tonight Rubio needs to keep attacking, but shift back to substance. His points on Trump University and Trumps hiring foreign workers over Americans were well placed and affective in the last debate. If he can stick to those points and really drive them home Rubio will continue his debate successes of the cycle. Rubios greatest test lies ahead of him with Floridas primary on March 15, and his pull with late-deciding voters makes his performance tonight all the more important. John Kasich - Join the club. The Ohio governor doesnt need to attack Trump in the way that the other contenders do. But he does need to show that he is part of the effort to block him. Kasichs efforts until now have mostly been an annoyance to Republicans looking to block Trump since Kasich bled support from establishment favorite Rubio. But now so much depends on Kasichs ability to win his home state of Ohio. Kasich will get broad latitude from his fellows in an effort to deliver a home state win, so Kasich has plenty of running room. But, he will need them to leave him alone tonight and going forward. To get their acceptance, Kasich has to show that he is on the other side of the divide from Trump and not a likely to do as New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie did and fall in line for Trump. [GOP delegate count: Trump 319; Cruz 226; Rubio 110; Kasich 25 (1,237 needed to win)] SHE OTTER KNOW BY NOW Monterey (Calif.) Herald: Marine biologist Nancy Black was ordered to pay a $2,000 fine and serve another year on probation for being too close to a sea otter in the Monterey harbor. Black, a co-owner of Monterey Bay Whale Watch, was already on probation for a previous violation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act when the charges were brought against her. Black initially faced three to nine months imprisonment for violating the terms of her probation, which required that she remain at least 50 yards away from otters and other marine mammals. Her probation now extends to January 2018. Were just glad to have it concluded, and the court was very fair in considering all the facts, said Mark Vermuelen, Blacks attorney. Black was in a small inflatable dinghy with photographer Suzi Eszterhas when the two women approached the otter and her pup. A Bay Net volunteer, Marge Brigadier, observed the encounter from shore and asked them to back away from the otters. AND NOW A WORD FROM CHARLES The balls ended exactly where Trump needed them where there are still two evenly matched contenders, Rubio and Cruz, neither of which is going to get out. And as long as they remain with equal strength roughly below Trump, he wins pluralities. Charles Krauthammer on Special Report with Bret Baier Chris Stirewalt is digital politics editor for Fox News. Want FOX News First in your inbox every day? Sign up here. EXCLUSIVE: The FBI is investigating whether computer passwords were shared among Hillary Clinton's close aides to determine how sensitive intelligence "jumped the gap" between the classified systems and Clinton's unsecured personal server, according to an intelligence source familiar with the probe. The source emphasized to Fox News that if [Clinton] was allowing other people to use her passwords, that is a big problem. The Foreign Service Officers Manual prohibits the sharing of passwords. Such passwords are required to access each State Department network. This includes the network for highly classified intelligence -- known as SCI or Sensitive Compartmented Information -- and the unclassified system, known as SBU or Sensitive But Unclassified, according to former State Department employees. Fox News was told there are several potential scenarios for how classified information got onto Clintons server: Reading intelligence reports or briefings, and then summarizing the findings in emails sent on Clinton's unsecured personal server. Accessing the classified intelligence computer network, and then lifting sections by typing them verbatim into a device such as an iPad or BlackBerry. Taking pictures of a computer screen to capture the intelligence. Using a thumb drive or disk to physically move the intelligence, but this would require access to a data center. Its unclear whether Clintons former IT specialist Bryan Pagliano, who as first reported by The Washington Post has reached an immunity deal with the Justice Department, or others had sufficient administrator privileges to physically transfer data. Most of these scenarios would require a password. And all of these practices would be strictly prohibited under non-disclosure agreements signed by Clinton and others, and federal law. It remains unclear who had access to which computers and devices used by Clinton while she was secretary of state and where exactly they were located at the time of the email correspondence. Clinton signed her NDA agreement on Jan. 22, 2009 shortly before she was sworn in as secretary of state. The intelligence source said the ongoing FBI investigation is progressing in "fits and starts" but bureau agents have refined a list of individuals who will be questioned about their direct handling of the emails, with a focus on how classified information jumped the gap between classified systems and briefings to Clinton's unsecured personal email account used for government business. Fox News was told the agents involved are not political appointees but top notch agents with decades of experience. A separate source said the list of individuals is relatively small -- about a dozen, among them Clinton aide Jake Sullivan, who was described as "pivotal" because he forwarded so many emails to Clinton. His exchanges, now deemed to contain highly classified information, included one email which referred to human spying, or "HCS-O," and included former Clinton aide Huma Abedin. As Fox News first reported last year, two emails -- one sent by Abedin that included classified information about the 2011 movement of Libyan troops during the revolution, and a second sent by Sullivan that contained law enforcement information about the FBI investigation in the 2012 Benghazi terrorist attack kick-started the FBI probe. Testifying to Congress Tuesday about encryption, FBI Director James Comey also was asked about the Clinton investigation. He responded that he is very close personally to the case to ensure that we have the resources we need including people and technology and that it's done the way the FBI tries to do all of its work: independently, competently and promptly. That's our goal and I'm confident it's being done that way." Earlier this week when she was asked if Clinton has been interviewed by the FBI, Attorney General Loretta Lynch insisted to Fox News Bret Baier that no one outside of DOJ has been briefed on this or any other case. Thats not our policy and it has not happened in this matter. Fox News also has learned the State Department cannot touch the security clearance of top aides connected to the case without contacting the FBI, because agents plan to directly question individuals about their handling of the emails containing classified information, and they will need active clearances to be questioned. While it is standard practice to suspend a security clearance pending the outcome of an investigation, Fox News reported Monday that Clintons chief of staff at State, Cheryl Mills, who is also an attorney, maintains her top secret clearance. Mills was involved in the decisions as to which emails to keep and which to delete from the server. At a press briefing Monday, Fox News pressed the State Department on whether this represented a double standard, or whether the clearances are in place at the direction of the FBI. This issue is under several reviews and investigations. I won't speak for other agencies that may be involved in reviews and investigations, spokesman John Kirby said. Clearly we are going to cooperate to the degree that we need to." No matter the internal strife over Donald Trumps presidential bid, the intensely competitive Republican primary contest is bringing a booming number of voters to the polls while Democratic turnout plunges, raising questions about whether these trends will last through November. For the Republicans, turnout has been higher than in 2008 across every state to vote so far this year. In Virginia and Texas, turnout was 100 percent higher. Meanwhile, Democratic turnout was down in every state that has held a primary and caucus except Colorado. In some states -- including Nevada, Tennessee and Texas -- it dropped more than 30 percent. Overall, voter turnout from the Super Tuesday states was 66 percent higher for the Republicans, and 31 percent lower for the Democrats. Click here for Fox News debate coverage What gives? For one, analysts say theres a sense of excitement on the Republican side that just isnt there in the comparatively lackluster battle between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. Boring old Hillary versus Bernie just didnt seem to captivate peoples imagination here, said Tom Whalen, professor of politics at Boston University in Massachusetts. The 2016 Democratic race also isnt coming close to fueling the kind of enthusiasm seen in 2008, when Clintons epic battle against Barack Obama drove record primary turnout. This time, the Republican contest is the showstopper and the Trump factor cannot be understated. In Whalens state, 20,000 Democrats left the party and either went independent or switched to the Republican Party to vote in Tuesdays primary. Trump won Massachusetts overwhelmingly and Whalen said the excitement levels on the Democratic side just cant compare. The question for the Democratic Party is whether the sagging turnout is a temporary phase and, if Clinton wins the nomination, whether she has what it takes to energize Dems for the big fight this fall. On the Democratic side, all of [Clintons] experience and credentials are working against her in this environment, and she is just not inspiring the kind of intense support that that Barack Obama did [in 2008] -- or like Trump is doing, former Democratic strategist Dan Gerstein said. Bill Scher, a senior writer for the liberal Campaign for Americas Future, suggests the reason Democratic numbers appear low is because in 2008 Obama was the phenom, and he was locked in a tight race with Clinton that went on all the way to June. There isnt the sense of drama among the Dems, certainly not the kind that is playing on the GOP side, he said. For all the debate about whether Sanders would lead a successful party insurgency against Hillary, the Nevada caucus took a lot of wind out of the Sanders juggernaut, said Scher. Scher acknowledged that in his home state of Massachusetts, thousands of people chose to vote in the Republican Party and many stayed home, cooling their heels until the general election. However, I would be very cautious in assuming what happens in a primary automatically tells you what is going to happen in the general, he said, pointing to polls that have Clinton beating Trump, albeit by a slim margin, in a head-to-head match-up. Thats where the Trump energy is going to matter the most, say experts. He is bringing new voters to the Republican contests and across the demographics, particularly among blue-collar, lower-income voters who have expressed an anger with the government and seeking a political outsider for the White House. Hes the reason why theres a boost at the polls, said Whalen. That makes him a pretty formidable figure. Hes going to be a big threat [in the general]. But as GOPAC Chairman Dave Avella points out, four in 10 voters in Arkansas, Georgia, Tennessee, and Virginia said they would be dissatisfied if Trump were the GOP nominee, which suggests there was something else driving people to the polls last Tuesday. The record turnout in the Republican primary speaks to the intensity the Republicans have to get past Obamas tenure as well as the number of voters rallying to the candidates messages, he told FoxNews.com. A lot of that would certainly be Mr. Trumps message bringing people into the Republican primary voting process, but so are the messages of Senators Cruz and Rubio, and Governor Kasich. Maybe not to the same level, but they are. There are other, less glamorous reasons for the spike in turnout: typically primary and caucus turnout is higher for the party that is out of the White House. In 2008, Democrats not only had Barack Obama, but it was the year they were vying to take back the presidency for the first time since 2000. Further, the 103 percent increase in GOP turnout in Texas and 50 percent increase in Vermont may be skewed -- neither state participated in Super Tuesday in 2008 and in fact their contests were scheduled much later, when it was clear John McCain would be the nominee. Come the general election, Whalen expects record turnout. Whether that will be on either side or from both parties will remain to be seen, said Gerstein. It will depend on how many people who are cynical and turned off by Washington, versus people who will come out against Trump, he said. Is the anti-establishment vote going to be stronger than the anti-Trump vote? This is going to be the real test of the Hillary Clinton campaign. Can they turn that antipathy, even disgust into votes for her? President Barack Obama is reportedly vetting Jane L. Kelly as a possible Supreme Court nominee to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia. Kelly, 51, is a federal appellate judge in Iowa. The FBI has been conducting interviews with Kelly as part of the process to find a new justice, The New York Times reported Wednesday. Obama is expected to choose Scalias successor in the next few weeks, but might face a block from congressional Republicans. The possibility of Kellys nomination may make it awkward for Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, who has vowed to block confirmation of the appointee until after Novembers general election. Grassley is the head of the Senate Judiciary Committee and can decide whether to hold confirmation hearings. Grassley praised Kelly in a speech on the Senate floor in 2013 prior to her being confirmed for her current position on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. He also urged his colleagues to support his decision. According to The New York Times, Democrats have said privately that if Obama does select Kelly it may change Grassleys stance on whether to hold hearings. However, Grassley has said he wouldnt support nominee hearings even if Obama selects an Iowan. Kelly told the Times, through an assistant, that shes not going to give interviews on the subject. Last week, it was thought that Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval could be named the successor to Justice Scalia. However, he said he told the White House he wasnt interested in the nomination. Earlier today, I notified the White House that I do not wish to be considered at this time for possible nomination to the Supreme Court of the United States, Sandoval said in a statement, adding hes told key Senate leaders the same. The notion of being considered for a seat on the highest court in the land is beyond humbling and I am incredibly grateful to have been mentioned. Other potential candidates on the short list include Judges Patricia Millett and Sri Srinvasan, both who are on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Click for more from The New York Times. Mitt Romney launched a broadside against Donald Trumps surging campaign on Thursday, calling the man who wishes to succeed him as the GOPs presidential nominee a phony and a fraud who is playing Americans for suckers. The 2016 front-runner fired back, calling Romney a "failed candidate" who begged him for his endorsement when he ran four years ago. Trump indeed endorsed Romney in the 2012 race. Romney, though, delivered a scathing speech at the University of Utah about the prospect of a Trump presidency, in what amounted to perhaps the most full-throated effort yet by a member of the so-called Republican establishment to thwart Trumps march to the nomination. As one businessman to another, Romney even mocked Trumps record of building companies, rattling off some of his lesser-known ventures like Trump Mortgage and saying hed be bad for American workers. A business genius he is not, he said. More broadly, Romney called this a time for choosing. The partys 2012 presidential nominee issued a stark warning that Trumps policies would lead to recession and make America and the world less safe -- and said the only serious policy proposals are coming from the other Republican candidates on the field. I understand the anger Americans feel today, Romney said, but added: Here's what I know. Donald Trump is a phony, a fraud. His promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University. He's playing ... the American public for suckers: He gets a free ride to the White House and all we get is a lousy hat. Romney also claimed Trump, if nominated, would enable Hillary Clinton to be elected president. The speech comes ahead of the Fox News Republican primary debate Thursday night at 9 p.m. ET in Detroit, the candidates' first showdown since Super Tuesday. Trump swiftly responded to the ex-GOP nominee, taking to Twitter to claim hes the only one who can beat Hillary Clinton and recalling Romneys record in the presidential elections so far. I am not a Mitt Romney, who doesn't know how to win, Trump tweeted. He added: Failed candidate Mitt Romney,who ran one of the worst races in presidential history,is working with the establishment to bury a big R win! And speaking on MSNBC, Trump once again would not rule out mounting an independent bid. Trump spokeswoman Katrina Pierson also countered Romneys criticism of her candidates business record, pointing to Romneys substantially smaller reported net worth. Mitt Romney has no right to say Donald Trump has failed in business, she told Fox Business Network. She predicted the American people will rally to Trump and said: This is the establishment circling the wagons. The address Thursday amounted to an astonishing full-court press by Romney to stop Trump from winning the partys nomination. Until now, Romney has mostly criticized Trump via Twitter and media interviews, but this is his most robust effort yet to rally the party and primary voters against the GOP front-runner. Romney cast his alarm-bell warnings Thursday in dire terms, suggesting nothing less than the character of the nation is at stake, and saying Trumps brand of anger has led other nations into the abyss. He said Trump lacks the temperament to be president, rebuking him for bullying and greed and misogyny. He borrowed a phrase from Marco Rubio, calling Trump a con man to boot. On the sidelines, the partys 2008 nominee also seemed to join with Romney in expressing concerns. I share the concerns about Donald Trump that my friend and former Republican nominee, Mitt Romney, described in his speech today, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said in a statement, urging voters to think long and hard about who they want to be our next Commander-in-Chief and leader of the free world. 2016 candidate Ohio Gov. John Kasich also gave Romney a Twitter thumbs-up, tweeting well said after the speech. Romney has not yet endorsed a candidate in the race, or moved any closer publicly to reconsidering a run himself. Romney weighed another White House run at the beginning of 2015 before deciding against the move, reportedly after being out-raised by former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush -- who has since suspended his campaign. Despite his decision not to run, there has been widespread media speculation that he could be tempted back into the race in the case of a contested Republican convention as a last gasp way to derail Trump. The speech comes after Trump racked up a string of Super Tuesday wins, building a wide -- though not insurmountable -- delegate lead over closest rivals Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio. The former Massachusetts governor has become increasingly vocal in his opposition to the business mogul. Last week, Romney told Fox News Neil Cavuto that he believes there may be a bombshell in Trumps tax returns, and called for Trump to release his returns as soon as possible. He reiterated that call on Thursday. He later criticized Trump for not immediately disavowing the support of former Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard David Duke. Although Trump did later disavow Duke, Romney called his response disqualifying and disgusting. Trump responded to Romney with barbs of his own, calling him "one of the dumbest and worst candidates in the history of Republican politics." More than a decade ago, Salvatore Cerchio went to Madagascar to study coastal dolphins. But his attention eventually shifted to a much bigger marine mammal a rare species of whale that calls those waters home. Cerchio, who works for the New England Aquarium, discovered the Omuras whale in waters off the island nation in 2013 and his team had 80 sightings of the whale last year. Much of their work during that time has been trying to better understand the behavior of a whale that until 2003 was mistakenly thought to be a similar looking species, the Bryde's whale. When we found them, we thought they were Bryde's in part because they werent supposed to be in this area. The known range of Omuras whales at that point was the western Pacific and the far eastern Indian Ocean off of Australia, Cerchio told FoxNews.com. Related: Newborn killer whale brings hope for endangered pod So after seeing these animals a few times in Madagascar, it occurred after we got some pretty good underwater video that these are not Bryde's whales at all but actually Omuras whales, he continued. Once we realized they were Omuras whales, it was mind boggling because first of all no one had studied these animals. No had seen them or documented them in the wild and they were not supposed to be in Madagascar. The work that weve done has extended their range significantly. In October, Cerchio released the first video of the whale in the wild and now has fresh data on the feeding and breeding behavior of these 33- to 38-foot mammals. They came to realize the whales were feeding on levels of tiny shrimp known as euphasiids were being found in the water. What was exciting is that we got more information on their feeding than we ever had before, he said. Related: More Than 130 Whales Die in Australia Beaching They spend their entire lives in the tropics. That is really unusual and special because the tropics are a difficult to make a living, he said of the clear blue waters that often compared to a desert when it comes to food offerings for whales. How does a whale, even a small whale, make a living in a desert? That, in itself, is a fascinating question. The fact we are seeing them feed and getting data on what they are feeding on is a great opportunity to learn about an ecosystem and how the species fits into that ecosystem. Along with the feeding, Cerchio and his team documented five mother/calf pairs evidence they believe that this is a resident population living off the southeast coast of Africa. We saw more mother and calves than we had before. In the previously year, we had no moms and calves. In 2015, we had five different moms and calves which is great, he said. That means this is a productive area. They are reproducing here, probably giving birth nearby because these were young calves. The team also collected two weeks of continuous acoustic data from remote recordings of the whale singing and plan to retrieve recorders in April, which will have six months more data on them. The singing which has been seen in Humpback and Fin whales has been less studied in tropical species. Related: Endangered whales invade California coastal waters They sing, which is by itself a very exciting discovery, Cerchio said. They sing a very simple but interesting song. Its very rhythmic and they repeat the same vocalization for hours on end. You have groups of animals singing in a chorus These guys are feeding, breeding and singing all in the same habitat. The discovery of the whales in Madagascar - and mor recently Mauritania - has added urgency to what Cerchio said is a need to protect a relatively small population. Among the threats they face are getting tangled in fishing lines as well as the noise from oil and gas operations. Whenever you have a small population like this, they tend to be more vulnerable to any local threats, he said. The small resident populations tend to have low genetic diversity and also be subject to any environmental pressures that are in that area such as oil and gas exploration. After seeing Donald Trump's success on Super Tuesday, the reality of the fact that he could become the nominee, and eventually the President of the United States, has begun to set in for many people. As a result, the Google search traffic for terms such as 'how can I move to Canada' have suddenly skyrocketed. DON'T MISS: Apple asks the FBI: How hard did you really try to hack into the iPhone? As the results poured in, Google Data Editor Simon Rogers noted the following: That 350% increase turned into a 1,150% jump in the ensuing hours, before settling back down around +500% for the day, according to Mashable. If you aren't confident that Donald Trump can truly "Make America Great Again," this should be an encouraging sign. After all, general election polls have shown Trump losing more often than not. On the other hand, he's still way in the lead. There's no way to know for sure if the two are related, but Mashable also notes that the Canadian government's website has been warning visitors that they "may experience delays while using the website." Based on some cursory Twitter searches, the message hadn't been appearing on the site prior to Super Tuesday. Although some polls predicted otherwise, Trump did not run away with the nomination on Tuesday night. Ted Cruz managed to win both his home state of Texas and notched a slightly unexpected victory in Oklahoma. In other words, there's no need to start packing your bags this afternoon -- primary season isn't over by a long shot. The Department of Defense is inviting vetted hackers to test its cybersecurity as part of a unique Hack the Pentagon competition. Although similar cyber bug bounty initiatives have been used in the corporate sector, this is the first in the history of the federal government. Related: Pirates hack shipping company I am always challenging our people to think outside the five-sided box that is the Pentagon, said Secretary of Defense Ash Carter, in a statement announcing the competition Wednesday. Inviting responsible hackers to test our cybersecurity certainly meets that test. I am confident this innovative initiative will strengthen our digital defenses and ultimately enhance our national security. As part of the pilot program, which starts next month, the Defense Department will let qualified participants search for vulnerabilities in its public webpages. The vetted hackers will take part in a controlled, limited duration program that will allow them to identify vulnerabilities on a predetermined department system, according to the department. Critical Pentagon systems, however, will not be part of the initiative. Related: Wireless mice, keyboards open to 'MouseJack' attack People taking part in the competition could be eligible for financial rewards and other unspecified recognition, according to the Department of Defense. Related: How much do Americans really value their online privacy? Tod Beardsley, security research manager at cybersecurity specialist Rapid 7 welcomed the Pentagon plan. The acknowledgement from the Pentagon that open and free security assessments on its websites are valuable, and even encouraged, is a huge step forward for the DoD and the U.S. government, he told FoxNews.com, via email. The terms are a little more restrictive than many similar programs, but this positive sentiment is a huge win for modern security research and security researchers of all stripes. Hack the Pentagon is led by the departments Defense Digital Service, which was launched last year. More details on the competition will be announced during the coming weeks, according to the Defense Department. Related: Why protecting critical infrastructure from cyberattacks is a global emergency Defense Department systems get probed and attacked millions of times a day, officials say. Last year the Department of Defense suffered a cybersecurity breach after Russian hackers infiltrated an unclassified defense computer network. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers A man on a hoverboard shot a driver in Dallas early Thursday and then rolled away to avoid capture, Fox 4 News reports. Police were called to a gas station in northwest Dallas shortly after 4 a.m. where they found a man with a gunshot wound in his arm. The wounded man told police that he was driving when a black male with dreadlocks rode by and shot him. Related: Customs officers seize over 16,000 counterfeit 'hoverboards Fox 4 News reports that police searched the immediate area for the suspect, but couldn't find him. Related: Amazon quietly pulls all hoverboards from its site (again) The victim was taken to Parkland Hospital in Dallas, where he is expected to recover, the report said. Get ready for a flurry of changes to Apple's venerable lineup of laptops over the next several months. Intels newest processor, the "Skylake" 6th Generation Intel Core Processor, will be a driving force behind the MacBook updates. To date, Apple has not offered any MacBooks with Intels latest chip, despite a big new-model push by Windows laptop suppliers such as Hewlett-Packard, Dell and Microsoft. A new Intel chip typically brings better performance and battery life. Related: Apple's success in China comes at a cost Here are some predictions and when-to-buy recommendations: 15-inch MacBook Pro Retina: Updates for the MacBook Pro with Apples high-resolution Retina display have slowed down over the past two years due partly to Intel processor delays, as pointed out by MacRumors Buyer's Guide. The 15-inch MacBook Pro Retina was last updated in May of last year but still uses an older 4th Generation Intel chip, so a new model is likely in the coming months. Also, physical changes are possible since both the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro Retina have had the same design since 2012. My advice: dont buy the 15-inch MacBook Pro Retina because a much-needed update is coming, probably sooner rather than later. 13-inch MacBook Pro Retina: Though the 13-inch MacBook Pro Retina hasn't been refreshed since March of last year, it has held up well because of good battery life, a relatively fast 5th-gen Intel chip, and a Retina display that always gets good marks in reviews. But 12 months is a long time without an update, so expect a version with Intels newest chip by summer. And like the 15-inch MacBook Pro Retina, its design has remained static for almost four years so it could see some cosmetic tweaks. Related: HP floats a new Windows 10 smartphone that could replace your laptop My advice: dont buy the current 13-inch MacBook Pro Retina because its too close to a likely update. 13-inch MacBook Air: Set in stone might be the best phrase to describe the MBA's design. The popular laptop hasnt seen a physical design change since way back in 2010. While thats a testament to the durability and popularity of the MacBook Air, it could also mean that changes are on the way. In fact, one change has already happened: the 12-inch MacBook. Introduced last April, it represents a design philosophy similar to the MacBook Air (very thin and light). But Apple chose to call it simply a MacBook, not a MacBook Air. That could signal future Apple branding. Apple, of course, could continue to refresh the Air internally with new components without making major changes to the physical design. Related: Samsung's Galaxy S7 gets bigger battery, roomier display, while LG innovates with G5 My advice: wait to buy -- but it may be a long wait. So, if youre fine with an old-but-durable design and a relatively cheap price for an Apple laptop (starting at $999), its a reasonable purchase, even today. 12-inch MacBook with Retina Display: This is, in effect, the new MacBook Air. It weighs only 2 pounds and is half an inch thick at its thickest point. It not only bests the 11-inch MacBook Air with its reduced weight and thickness but has a superior Retina display. That said, so far its not proving as popular as the Air because of its higher price: it starts at $1,299, which puts it out of reach for the vast majority of consumers. Best Buy (among other retailers) has seemed to recognize this and has been cutting the price of the 12-inch MacBook on a regular basis, usually by $300. In fact, it has been on sale since last week at Best Buy and now starts at $999. My advice: Wait to buy -- unless you can get a good deal on the current model. Of course, if you prefer an updated 12-inch MacBook with Intels newest processor, wait. A refresh is probably coming in the next few months. But if you can get it now for $999, thats a pretty good deal too. The National Park Service is predicting the peak bloom for Washington's cherry blossom trees between March 31 and April 3. Organizers of the National Cherry Blossom Festival and the park service announced the projected peak bloom dates on Wednesday. The average date for the peak bloom is April 4. Peak bloom is when 70 percent of the trees around the Tidal Basin are in bloom. This year's festival runs from March 20 through April 17. The festival marks the anniversary of Japan's gift of 3,000 cherry trees. Police in Tucson say a man forced a woman at gunpoint to grab her baby from a stroller and walk to a pathway where he sexually assaulted her. The 2-month-old wasn't hurt but both of the victims were sent to a hospital to be examined. Police spokesman Daniel Lucas says police got a call around noon Thursday after the woman went on foot to get groceries. Officers later found the woman, who told police a man had pointed a handgun at her back and forced her to get the baby out of the stroller and head toward a walking path, where he assaulted her. A school was put on lockdown while officers searched for the man, who is described as Hispanic between 18 and 20 years old, dark-skinned and thin. Texas law enforcement and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives authorities announced Wednesday that several arrests have been made and firearms were recovered after a smash-and-grab incident at a gun shop. Surveillance footage from inside and outside Carters Country Guns & Ammo in Houston shows about 10 men bursting into the store Tuesday morning, smashing the cases and sacking the place of guns and ammo. The men wore hoodies and masks to hide their faces. The footage also shows the group using a truck to pull the security bars off the door. More than 50 weapons were stolen altogether and some suspects are still being sought after, according to Click2Houston.com. Police have not released the identities of those who have been arrested, but federal charges are expected to be filed. The ATF told KHOU.com Tuesday that similar smash-and-grabs are increasing in the Houston. The thieves are taking the guns and selling them to gangs and other criminal groups, which in turn are used in more violent crimes. Crime Stoppers is offering up to $5,000 for information that leads to charges or the arrest of any of the suspects. Residents are urged to report information to the hotline at 713-222-TIPS or submit information online. Click for more from KHOU.com. Click for more from Click2Houston.com. A California man is accused of torturing his ex-girlfriend, locking her in a dog crate for hours at a time over a period of five months before she was able to escape. Frank Guerra, 22, pleaded not guilty on Monday to charges including kidnapping and battery, The Turlock Journal reported. He was denied bail and is barred from contacting the woman. The alleged abuse occurred between Aug. 1, 2015 and Jan. 4, 2016. The woman was eventually able to get away, though she didnt contact police until February. Guerra allegedly locked the woman, who is not being named, inside a 30-inch by 48-inch dog crate while he went to work each day, according to The Modesto Bee. She was reportedly forced to go to the bathroom in the cage and she has accused Guerra of smearing dog feces on her several times. [Guerra] bit her on the back and shell have permanent scarring, Deputy District Attorney Beth DeJong said in court. He locked her in a dog crate. [Sometimes] he pushed her to the ground and kicked her until shed go inside. DeJong said Guerra texted photos of himself holding a gun after she had escaped and claimed he would post nude pictures of the woman on social media. He also allegedly left a voice message on her machine, which DeJong read in court. I know what I [expletive] did to you, she said, quoting the message. Putting you in a cage, [expletive] biting youNot [expletive] trusting you A pretrial hearing is scheduled for Friday. Turlock is approximately 100 miles east of San Francisco. James Holmes, the Colorado gunman sentenced to life behind bars for murdering a dozen people at a midnight movie, has been moved to an out-of-state maximum security prison after a fight with a fellow inmate. The fight occurred last fall, as Holmes left a meeting with a case manager inside the Colorado State Penitentiary in Canon City, a Colorado Department of Corrections spokeswoman told FoxNews.com. Holmes was not injured and did not require medical treatment, she said. The incident was first reported by ABC News, which said Holmes has been moved out of state. Spokeswoman Laurie Kilpatrick confirmed the transfer but declined to say where the killer is now housed. On July 20, 2012, Holmes slipped into the premiere of "The Dark Knight Rises," stood before the capacity crowd of more than 400 people, threw gas canisters and then opened fire with a shotgun, assault rifle and semi-automatic pistol. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole after a jury failed to agree on whether he should get the death penalty. The nine women and three men said they could not reach a unanimous verdict on each of the 24 murder counts. Holmes, who studied neuroscience at University of Colorado, blamed his actions on mental illness. ABC News reported that Holmes was not supposed to come in contact with anyone beside prison staff during his time at Canon City. But on Oct. 8, after a staffer opened one of the sliding gates, Holmes was put in the close proximity of convicted car thief Mark Daniels, ABC News reported. The report said the officer with Holmes was unable to contact the office controlling the gate and Daniels ran through the slider, squeezing through as it was closing toward Holmes and hit the killer in the head. The two were apparently broken up by staff. Daniels later appeared to be unremorseful over the incident and wrote to a local newspaper, Im sorry I couldnt wipe him out and sent [sic] him packing to Satans lake of fire. It was just impossible to do with so many cops. I did get him six or seven good onesHe was very scared. The Associated Press contributed to this report. It was more than 19 years ago when two suicide bombers struck in a Jerusalem mall, but victims and their families are now on the brink of making the killers Iranian financiers pay for the monstrous act thanks to a federal court ruling last week. The ruling by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals clears the way for nine victims of the Sept. 4, 1997, attack at the Ben Yeduda pedestrian mall in downtown Jerusalem to collect $9.4 million in funds frozen in a U.S. bank account since 1979. The attacks killed five and wounded more than 200. Another plaintiff is part of the suit to collect from the same funds for damages incurred in another attack. Weve been trying for more than a decade to bring the perpetrators and the financiers of these terrible terrorist attacks to justice without much luck, said Daniel Miller, a plaintiff in the case. Weve had symbolic luck, but not much actual luck and this is the first case that we really feel like Iran is going to have to pay for what they did. Weve had symbolic luck but not much actual luck and this is the first case that we really feel like Iran is going to have to pay for what they did. Daniel Miller, plaintiff The plaintiffs had already won civil suits against Iran, which U.S. courts found responsible for underwriting attacks carried out by Tehrans terrorist proxy in Israel, Hamas. Collecting on the judgments had been another matter until Mondays decision, which allows the plaintiffs to collect from funds Iran once paid to a California defense contractor. In 1977, when the U.S. and Iran were allies, Cubic Defense agreed to sell Iran an air combat system and related services for more than $17 million. Two years later, when Iran erupted in the revolution that gave birth to the current regime, Iran had paid Cubic at least $12 million. But a U.S. trade embargo barred Cubic from delivering the system, so Cubic deposited the money with the Southern District of California. In Fridays ruling, the federal court rejected the Iranian Ministry of Defenses appeal and affirmed the district courts grant of a lien on the funds. According to the court, the Cubic Defense money is considered a blocked asset under the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act, and can be used to satisfy the judgment won by Miller and his fellow plaintiffs. In 1978 when the Shah was overthrown, the United States government froze the funds of Cubic Defense, said Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, director of the Israel Law Center, which represented the families. The terror victims came to court to demand the frozen funds be used to pay off their unsatisfied judgments against Iran. The law center brought the lawsuit against the Iranian government, citing the terrorism exemption to the Foreign Sovereign Immunity Act, and accusing Iran of providing material support and resources to the terrorists. After the families won their case in federal district court, the judge ordered that the funds be held in a court registry while the appeal played out. Iran has signaled it will appeal Mondays decision to the U.S. Supreme Court, and it was not immediately clear when the money could be distributed. Fridays decision came weeks after a U.S.-led coalition negotiated a deal with Iran that allowed the Islamic Republic access to more than $100 billion in other funds in exchange for transparency involving its nuclear weapons program. Miller said the terror victims have watched in dismay as the U.S. has softened its position regarding Iran. Living in a time that our government and the United States seems to be falling all over Iran to buddy up to give them back their money, it is very gratifying to all of the victims that there is still justice out there to bring these perpetrators of these terrible terrorist attacks to justice, Miller said. A man who authorities say set fire to an Oregon mosque after hearing about a thwarted terror plot has been sentenced to probation. Cody Crawford, 29, pleaded no contest last fall to damaging religious property. Prosecutors said at the time they wouldn't recommend prison, and a federal judge in Eugene, Oregon, followed that request Wednesday. In a sentencing memo filed last week, Assistant U.S. Attorney William "Bud" Fitzgerald cited Crawford's serious mental health problems and the desire of mosque leaders to move on from an incident that happened more than five years ago. He wrote that the leaders offered forgiveness. Crawford has been in the state mental hospital for the past 20 months after being found guilty except for insanity in a different case a charge of unlawful use of a weapon out of Polk County. The fire that burned an office at the Salman Alfarisi Islamic Center in Corvallis was set Nov. 28, 2010, less than 48 hours after Mohamed Mohamud was arrested in an FBI sting operation in Portland. Crawford lived near the mosque and recognized Mohamud as someone who worshipped there. At the mosque, court documents said, the damage was caused by a flammable liquid. Investigators said they found a soda bottle, cap and flashlight that tested positive for Crawford's DNA. Several weeks after the fire, in unrelated encounters with police, Crawford ranted about Muslims and said Christians are capable of jihad, according to court documents. Mohamud, who visited the mosque while attending Oregon State University, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for plotting to bomb downtown Portland during the annual lighting of a Christmas tree. The truck bomb was a fake given to him by undercover FBI agents posing as terrorists. ___ Follow Steven DuBois at twitter.com/pdxdub Lubbock, Texas police said they could see signs of neglect everywhere: cockroaches climbing the walls, a dirty apartment, moldy dishes. But perhaps the clearest sign something was amiss was when Shauna Bennetts 3-year-old daughter reportedly told cops on Saturday: I need a beer. Bennett, 42, is charged with abandoning and endangering her child after police found the little girl wandering her apartment complex, barefoot, dirty and with bed bug bites covering her body, FOX34 reported. Bennett is currently in jail on a $15,000 bond. This was a clear neglect on the mothers part, Lubbock Lt. Ray Mendoza told FOX34. A police report said when officers brought the child back to her apartment they found the door ajar. Cops called out to Bennett multiple times with no answer before finally entering the apartment, where they found the mother, reportedly asleep. More than anything it was the conditions the child was living under and the fact that the mom was completely oblivious to where the child had been or where it was at the time, Mendoza said. Neighbor Keith Graves, who sometimes babysits the child, called the incident a misunderstanding. [She] is very rambunctious and has a lot of energy and she knows how to get out of the apartment so she got out of the apartment and did what a 3-year-old does, play around, Graves told FOX34. A kid is going to play outside, not have shoes on and so forth, so a child being not clean, thats just natural. But the Corte Vista Apartments owner said this isnt the first time the girl has been seen alone in the hallways. He also told FOX34 he confronted Bennett about a noise complaint two weeks ago and chided her for the unkempt apartment. It could have been cleaned a little better, Graves said, but Shauna was doing the best that she could under the circumstances that she was in. Click for more from FOX34. An anti-government activist from Montana who prosecutors say sought out high-powered weaponry for an anticipated "second American Revolution" was sentenced to six years in prison Thursday. William Krisstofer Wolf advocated a "shocking" level of violence against law enforcement and others, U.S. District Judge Susan Watters said in court. The Gallatin County man was arrested last year after buying an illegal, fully-automatic sawed-off shotgun from an undercover FBI agent for $725 in the parking lot of a truck stop. He was convicted on federal weapons charges in November. Authorities say Wolf compared shooting police to hunting gophers and spoke of dropping napalm on the county courthouse. He vowed to appeal, claiming the shotgun was for self-defense and that his extreme views were constitutionally protected free speech. Prosecutors had asked for a 10-year sentence, almost double what is recommended under federal sentencing guidelines. The judge said Wolf's statements revealed his intentions for violence. An automatic shotgun is categorized as a machine gun under federal law and can be bought only with a special permit, which Wolf did not have. Shotguns with shortened barrels also are illegal. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Whittaker said stiff a prison sentence was needed to deter Wolf and send a message to others who might contemplate violence against the government. "Wolf made law enforcement and judicial officers his targets," Whittaker wrote in documents submitted to the court. "Wolf remains undeterred. A significant sentence is needed to address his contempt for the law." On his webcast, Wolf proposed citizen arrests of judges by militia-like safety committees. He testified at trial that he also wanted to acquire a flamethrower, which is allowed under federal law. Wolf's attorney, Mark Werner with the Federal Defenders Office, objected to the prosecutions' assertions and asked for a sentence of 27 to 33 months. His client has no history of violence and did not intend to use the shotgun on any particular person, Werner said. Wolf "felt a war was coming much like the Revolutionary War fought to remove the oppression of the British government," Werner wrote. "There was no evidence presented that he threatened public officials. He didn't like some of them. He thought some were corrupt. But he didn't threaten to kill." The Associated Press contributed to this report. A capital murder suspect is still on the lam after a daring escape from a Mississippi county jail early Wednesday. State police agencies and the U.S. Marshals Service joined local authorities Thursday in searching Vicksburg and surrounding areas for Rafael McCloud, 34. McCloud was indicted in January for capital murder, burglary, rape, sexual battery without consent, attempted arson, larceny-motor vehicle and possession of a weapon. He's suspected in the death of Sharon Wilson, 69, whose body was found outside an abandoned hospital by ghost hunters. Sheriff Martin Pace said McCloud escaped from the Warren County Jail using a homemade shank to briefly take a jail employee hostage and force him to give up his keys, radio, pants and jacket. Pace says deputies recovered the radio and keys on the jail grounds. "We operate and continue to operate under the presumption that he is still here (in the area), until we receive verification that he is not," Pace said. McCloud was last seen wearing a white T-shirt, the guard's green pants and a black jacket. Vicksburg Police Chief Walter Armstrong called McCloud extremely dangerous. "We have expanded our search area to the northeast part of the city," Armstrong said. "The area has a large number of abandoned homes and businesses, good hiding places for McCloud." The Associated Press contributed to this report. A 91-year-old woman was choked and robbed at gunpoint inside the vestibule of her Brooklyn apartment building Wednesday afternoon, police said. A man approached the woman from behind around 1 p.m., followed her into her apartment building and placed a chokehold on her, police said, according to News 12 Brooklyn. The man then showed a gun and began robbing the woman. Her condition after the attack was unclear, but she was able to speak to reporters. I came back from the library at Grand Army Plaza and he followed me, the woman told The New York Daily News. He took $170 and my ID. A 50-year-old man walked into the building and tried to intervene, but the thief pointed the gun at him and robbed the man. Police said the suspect stole $370 before fleeing. The head of a prestigious Ohio school appeared to have defended a professor whose Facebook posts blaming Israel and Jews for everything from 9/11 to the creation of ISIS created an uproar earlier this week. Oberlin College President Marvin Krislov said in a letter to the college community Wednesday that professor Joy Karegas posts on social media affected him on a personal level and also challenged his professional beliefs, according to The Chronicle-Telegram. I am a practicing Jew, grandson of an Orthodox rabbi. Members of our family were murdered in the Holocaust, Krislov wrote. As someone who has studied history, I cannot comprehend how any person could or would question its existence, its horrors and the evil which caused it. I feel the same way about anti-Semitic conspiracy theories. Regardless of the reason for spreading these materials, they cause pain for many people members of our community and beyond. He didnt mention Karegas name in the letter, but said backing the right to freedom of speech was parallel to the colleges mission. Cultivating academic freedom can be difficult and at times painful for any college community. The principles of academic freedom and freedom of speech are not just principles to which we turn to face these challenges, but also the very practices that ensure we can develop meaningful responses to prejudice. This freedom enables Oberlins faculty and students to think deeply about and to engage in frank, open discussion of ideas that some may find deeply offensive. Those discussions in classrooms, residence halls, libraries, and across our campus and town take place every day here. They are a vital part of the important work of liberal arts education at Oberlin and in our country, he added. Karega is an assistant professor of rhetoric and composition at Oberlin College. She claimed on social media that the Jewish state secretly planned the Sept. 11 terror attacks, the Charlie Hebdo attack in Paris and that Mossad, Israels national security agency, former Islamic State. Critics argued that Karega needed to be fired immediately. This is the worst kind of anti-Semitic rhetoric, said Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, director of the Shurat HaDinIsrael Law Center, an Israeli-based civil rights organization. "It is not acceptable for the dean to hide behind academic freedom and claim this is freedom of speech. She (Karega) is not a tenured professor," she added. "She needs to be thrown off campus immediately. Karega received her Ph.D. from the University of Louisville in 2014. She said in a statement on her Facebook page, that she will use the push back shes received for material for her new book. She also criticized the anti-Semitism call-out culture. I can generate articles for days on what I can describe as "antisemitism call-out culture" and some of its accompanying practices. I don't have to tell some of you that these recent activities in my own professional life have handed me a LARGE body of data (emails, voicemail messages, tweets, Facebook inbox messages, etc.) that will shed light on and provide insight into how and to what extent anti-Blackness rhetorics show up in anti-Semitic call-out culture and practices, she wrote. Fox News Malia Zimmerman contributed to this report. Click for more from The Chronicle-Telegram. A suburban New York police department has been cleared of any criminal wrongdoing in the 2015 death of a mother of eight, New York's top prosecutor said Thursday. The probe into the death of Raynette Turner while she was in custody at the Mount Vernon Police Department marked the first time Attorney General Eric Schneiderman undertook an investigation into a fatal police encounter since Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo gave the attorney general authority in those cases. At a news conference in Westchester County on Thursday, Schneiderman said a seven-month investigation found police bore no "criminal culpability." However, his office has compiled a report that includes several policy recommendations for the police department, including measures that would speed up arraignments of arrestees. Relatives had disputed an autopsy that found Turner, 42, died from an enlarged heart and chronic cocaine and morphine use. An attorney for the family did not immediately return a call for comment on Schneiderman's announcement. Police officials in Mount Vernon, a city of about 68,000 residents that borders New York City, said Turner was arrested July 25, 2015, a Saturday, for stealing a package of crab legs from a wholesale food store. While awaiting a Monday arraignment, she reported not feeling well and was taken by ambulance to a hospital. She was treated for high blood pressure, then returned to her cell a few hours later. Turner was found dead on July 27. Investigators from the attorney general's office interviewed more than 40 witnesses and reviewed surveillance video that captured nearly the entire duration of Turner's confinement, authorities said. They also reviewed more than 1,700 pages of medical records as part of the probe. Among those who asked Cuomo to empower the attorney general to investigate police cases was the mother of Eric Garner, who died after a police chokehold. No officers were indicted in his death. A World War II soldier's gift to his wife -- a small sweetheart bracelet lost for some 70 years -- is now in the hands of his family in Georgia. Ron Stowe's father, Joe, who died 20 years ago, served in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Iceland during the war. The younger Stowe, who lives in Gainesville, Ga., recently received an unusual message from a stranger -- an 80-year-old British woman who claimed to have a bracelet belonging to his father. The gold, linked bracelet -- with his father's name engraved on the front and his name and his mother's on the back -- had been in the woman's possession for years, Stowe told Fox affiliate WAGA-TV. Stowe, whose mother died two years ago, said he had no knowledge of the bracelet's existence. He said the British woman, identified as Audrey Jackson, had somehow received the bracelet from her father, who served in the British Royal Air Force and who was also stationed in Iceland during the war. Some 70 years later, Jackson used the Internet to track down Stowe's family. "The bracelet has been in my family since the war," Jackson wrote to Stowe. "I don't know how my father came to have it, but as a child I do remember him saying that it belonged to an American," Jackson said. "It didn't have any sentimental value to her, but she said she couldn't bring herself to throw it away," Stowe told the station. When the bracelet finally arrived in the mail, Stowe said he was overwhelmed by memories of his late father -- and the bracelet he never knew about. "He was just about to go to England and the invasion of Normandy," recalled Stowe. "I was wondering what went through his mind. Did he wonder, 'Will this be the last thing I'll send to my wife?'" he said. Stowe treasures the bracelet as a piece of history -- and his father -- and plans to pass it down to his own son and grandson someday. "They'll look at it and remember the story and remember World War II," he said. Idaho police believe four teenage boys set fire to their high school principal's house in retaliation for being suspended. Payette Police Chief Mark Clark told the Idaho Statesman on Tuesday that he asked a judge to issue warrants for the arrest of three high-schoolers and one middle-schooler. Clark says social media posts helped lead investigators to the suspects. The Feb. 22 blaze destroyed Payette High School principal Mark Heleker's home and three cars parked in the driveway. His family and pets escaped the fire that started in a trash can outside the garage. Heleker says he knows the older boys but not the younger student. He's a former mayor of the city of 7,500 people about 60 miles northwest of Boise. Two 14-year-old boys have pleaded not guilty to rape charges in the alleged sexual assault of a girl in the field house at Lakeside High School. The Sentinel-Record reports the two entered the pleas Tuesday in juvenile court and that both remain in custody at the Garland County Juvenile Detention Center. The boys were arrested Friday after the girl told police that she was in the field house on Feb. 24 when the boys forced her into a girls' locker room, turned off the lights, held her down and sexually assaulted her. Lakeside Superintendent Shawn Cook said Tuesday that stronger security measures are planned for the campus, including two full-time police officers and more security cameras. Click for more from Fox 16. The speaker of the lower house in Brazil's Congress faced new efforts Wednesday to strip him of his office or put him behind bars. The Chamber of Deputies' Ethics Committee approved an investigation into whether Eduardo Cunha should lose his post for lying to a congressional hearing by denying he held bank accounts overseas. Swiss prosecutors later located accounts held by Cunha. An earlier attempt to start an investigation was blocked by an ally of the speaker. Meanwhile, six of the Supreme Court's 11 justices voted to allow criminal proceedings against Cunha for allegedly participating in the sprawling corruption scheme at state-run oil company Petrobras, which ran for over a decade and in which billions in bribes were allegedly paid. Although a majority of judges voted in favor, the court's decision will not be final until Thursday, when the other five justices will vote. The six who voted Wednesday can change their votes until the decision becomes official. Under Brazilian law, charges against federal congressmen and other top government officials can only be filed and judged by the Supreme Court. Prosecutors alleged that Cunha accepted $5 million in bribes between 2006 and 2012 in connection with the construction of two Petrobras drilling ships. He is charged with corruption and money laundering. Cunha has denied any wrongdoing. After Wednesday's Supreme Court session, he told reporters: "Truth is on my side. I am innocent." Prosecutors say more than $2 billion was paid in bribes by businessmen to obtain Petrobras contracts. Investigators also have said that some of the money made its way to several political parties, including the governing Workers' Party. The company running an iron ore mine whose dam break caused the worst environmental disaster in Brazil's history has agreed to initially pay 4.4 billion reais ($1.1 billion) to clean up the Doce River over the next three years Samarco says in a Wednesday news release that it will pay the money to a foundation in charge of restoring the river basin. Beginning in 2019, the company will fund the foundation's annual budget of 800 million to 1.6 billion reais ($205 million to $410 million). The dam mine failed in November, unleashing a flood of toxic mud that killed 19 people, wrecked several towns and damaged the environment along the river. Samarco is a joint venture of the giant mining companies Vale of Brazil and BHP Billiton of Australia. An Egyptian military initiative to arm and recruit local fighters to fight Islamic State militants on the volatile Sinai Peninsula is amounting to be a resounding flop, security sources and residents in the region told Reuters Wednesday. Egypt launched the program last year to much fanfare, as tribal leaders pledged to provide 300 men who know the ins and outs of the terrain. But so far the program has yielded no more than 35 new recruits, sources told Reuters. The program has been stifled by attacks from the Islamic State which are scaring off would-be tribal troops and the militarys reluctance to provide weapons to the fighters. "The militias are child's-play. It is a failed initiative, a counter-terrorism researcher who was not identified told Reuters. These guys are getting the floor wiped with them by the Islamists. They do not have the training to match them." Sinai Province, the Sinai branch of ISIS, claims to have executed at least 17 people so far this year. On Feb. 28, the group said on an online message board that it had set up checkpoints across the Sinai to intercept anyone who tries to collaborate with the military. Both sides give varying accounts of how many people Sinai Province has killed. The terror group says 1,400 in the previous 15 months, while the military says the number is 69. A police captain in North Sinai told Reuters that tribal fighters are being advised by the military and police, but receive no formal combat training. Other tribal leaders are hesitant to have their men armed, fearing outbreaks of infighting. Egypts military has refused to comment on its Sinai operations. Click for more from Reuters. Nine years after Robert Levinson disappeared on what has since been revealed as a secret CIA operation in Iran, his bitter supporters say his case underscores the hollow nature of the supposedly thawed relations between Tehran and Washington. The Islamic Republic recently released from its prisons four U.S. citizens following a deal to lift international sanctions and unfreeze tens of billions in Iranian assets, but Levinsons fate remains a mystery. Iran insists it never held Levinson and has no idea where he is, but experts, Levinsons family and current and former U.S. government officials dont buy it. It is very unlikely that Levinson would have been grabbed and held hostage without (Supreme Leader Ayatollah) Khameneis knowledge or approval, Jim Phillips, senior research fellow for Middle Eastern Affairs at The Heritage Foundation, told FoxNews.com. Crossing the Supreme Leader could cost an Iranian official his job, and possibly his life. He was scared to death to go to Iran alone, but thought this was a great opportunity. Source close to Levinson family Levinson's family has continued to pressure the U.S. government to do more to help find him and get him home, with social media and Internet campaigns aimed at raising awareness of his plight. Levinson, now the longest-held American hostage in history, was 58 when he boarded a flight from Dubai and then made his way to Kish Island, a resort in the Persian Gulf. His cover story was that he was investigating cigarette smuggling and possibly working on a book, but after checking into the Maryam Hotel, he met with an American fugitive, Dawud Salahuddin, also known as David Belfield and Hassan Abdulrahman. Salahuddin, who is still wanted for the 1980 murder of an Iranian diplomat in Maryland, was being targeted by the CIA for recruitment, according to a source close to the Levinson case. Levinson was hoping that a successful mission to deliver him might lead to full-time hours with the CIA, the source said. He was scared to death to go to Iran alone, but thought this was a great opportunity, said the source. But someone sold him out. Shortly after his March 9, 2007, disappearance, Irans state-owned Press TV ran a story under the headline Ex-FBI man in Iran not missing at all, stating that the truth of the matter is he has been in the hands of Iranian security forces. The report concluded that arrangements were being made to free Levinson in a matter of days despite mounting tensions stemming from repeated American threats against Iran. Government involvement in Levinsons abduction always made the most sense, according to Daniel Akbari, a Shariah lawyer who has practiced before the Supreme Court of Iran. Iranian intelligence would have monitored Levinson once he entered the country, and the fact that he was meeting a regime assassin bolsters the theory that Iran was involved at the highest levels. Iranian government at the highest levels knows exactly where he is and what happened to him, a former FBI investigator familiar with he case told FoxNews.com. The story from Iran changed shortly after the Press TV report. Tehran claimed, and continues to maintain, that it has no knowledge of Levinsons whereabouts or who took him. Levinson, a resident of Florida who retired after a 28-year career with the FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration, has diabetes and high blood pressure. Sketchy reports of sightings of him at Irans infamous Evin prison and at government hospitals would surface over the following years, as did two proof of life messages showing Levinson begging his country for help. The first came in the form of a 54-second video emailed to Levinsons wife, Christine, in November 2010. In it, Levinson warned that he was running dangerously low on diabetes medicine and pleaded with the U.S. government to get him home. The email was believed to have been routed through a cyber cafe in Pakistan, and Pashtun wedding music was detected in the background, raising at the time the possibility that Levinson was being held there or near the Iranian-Afghan border. The email also included a list of purported prisoners and the demand that the U.S. government release them. At the time, officials said that they were not holding anyone with those names, and one investigator familiar with the case said the names were likely fabricated to hide Irans role. It is superficially designed to make it seem like terrorists have got him, he said. A month later, Levinsons family received an email from a new address containing several images of a gaunt Levinson donning a Gitmo-style orange jumpsuit with a chain around his neck, holding up a number of signs with messages such as Why you can not help me, I am here in Guantanamo do you know where it is? and This is the result of 30 years serving for the USA. Akbari agreed that the orange jumpsuit and clumsily spelled messages were aimed at misleading U.S. authorities into believing Levinson was in the hands of terrorists. But such a theory strains credulity, given Irans iron grip on the activities of its citizens, he said. Nobody in the territory of the Iranian regime can hold one hostage for almost a decade without letting the Iranian intelligence find his location, Akbari said. And if a terrorist group like Al Qaeda or the Taliban had abducted him, by now, they could have asked for ransom or killed him and broadcast his beheading. A legal affairs representative for the Islamic Republic of Iran declined to comment. A U.S. State Department spokesperson told FoxNews.com it remains committed to bringing Levinson home. We have been engaged in conversation with the Iranian government regarding his case and we expect this dialogue will continue, the spokesperson said. Based on the agreement between the United States and Iran to cooperate, we look forward to the Iranians fulfilling their commitment to continue to work together in locating Robert Levinson. It may be too late to use whatever leverage the U.S. had over Iran during the nuclear negotiations. But a possible key to finding out what happened to Levinson could be to put pressure on the Iranian administration to hand over Salahuddin, Akbari said. If we have him, through interrogation we might solve the mystery, Akbari said. And Obama claims that Iran is getting along with the West. Therefore, it would be a good test to verify their assertions by asking them to hand out a known terrorist to us. A recent New York Times report indicated that Iranian officials knew far more about Levinson than they have publicly acknowledged. In late 2011, a top Iranian diplomat reportedly noted in documents that Iran was holding him and would release him if the U.S. helped delay an assessment condemning the countrys nuclear activities. The report, by the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UNs nuclear watchdog, was released on schedule on Nov. 8 of that year, and emphasized serious concerns that Iran was working toward a nuclear bomb. Last month, the Senate passed a resolution calling on Iran to, as a humanitarian gesture, intensify its cooperation in the case and share findings with the U.S. government. In addition, the FBI is offering a $5 million reward for information pertaining to his whereabouts and the Levinson family is attempting to keep a spotlight on the issue with the social media awareness campaign #whataboutbob. Sources close to the case acknowledge there remains the grim possibility that Levinson died of health complications while in captivity, and that Iranian officials have nothing to gain by admitting he died in their custody. But his family and supporters believe Levinson is alive and needs his country more than ever. Its all we think about, what are the next steps to get him home, his son, Dan Levinson, 30, told People magazine last year. Were not focused on the question of whether hes still alive, were focused on how do we bring him home. Three Kashmiri rebels were killed in a gunbattle with government forces early Thursday as they tried to break through a security cordon in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, the army said. Army spokesman Col. Nitin N. Joshi said the fighting started late Wednesday and an intermittent exchange of gunfire continued overnight in the southern town of Tral. Joshi said the three killed belonged to Hizbul Mujahideen, the region's biggest rebel group fighting against Indian rule. Hundreds of residents chanting pro-freedom slogans tried to reach the site of the gunbattle in a show of solidarity with the militants. Police fired tear gas late Wednesday and Thursday to disperse them. No injuries were reported in clashes between rock-throwing protesters and government forces. Security forces allowed thousands of villagers to participate in the funerals of the three insurgents on Thursday amid a shutdown in Tral and neighboring villages, nearly 40 kilometres (25 miles) south of Srinagar, the main city in the Indian portion of Kashmir. India and Pakistan, which both rule parts of Kashmir and claim it in its entirety, have fought two wars over control of the region since they won independence from Britain in 1947. Public opposition to Indian rule remains widespread in the mostly Muslim territory, where rebel groups have been fighting since 1989 for independence or merger with Pakistan. More than 68,000 people have died in the conflict, though incidents of violence have largely been suppressed by Indian forces. Six Iranian migrants have sewed their mouths shut to protest the mass evictions and destruction of a large swath of a migrant camp in northern France in a desperate bid to bring attention to their plight. The unusual protest Wednesday came on the third day of an operation to dismantle the makeshift camp on the edge of Calais. Most of the several thousand living there hope to sneak across the English Channel to Britain. Some camp dwellers have stood on roofs to try to save their huts, others set them afire. The Iranians held a sign asking for a U.N. representative to visit the camp. Clare Moseley of the Care4Calais British volunteer group said the protest was "a cry for help because they don't know what else to do." A court ruled last month that the destruction of the large southern sector of the camp is legal but common spaces like houses of worship must be spared. State Prefect Fabienne Buccio told reporters on Wednesday that it will take about a month to complete the process. Authorities estimate that 800-1,000 individuals live in the sector being dismantled, but humanitarian groups say there are more than 3,000. The state has offered to house displaced migrants in space remaining in nearby heated containers or send them to temporary welcome centers so they can consider applying for asylum in France. The Islamic State terror group is raking in up to $20 million a month by playing foreign currency markets under the noses of unsuspecting officials all with cash that was looted from banks, financial analysts told British lawmakers Wednesday. The crafty terrorists are making huge returns on currency speculation, which involves buying and selling currencies to make profits from favorable exchange rates, The Telegraph reports. The profits are then wired back through unsuspecting financial officials in Iraq and Jordan, the British parliamentary committee was told. In 2014, U.S. officials estimated ISIS raked in $1 million each day from oil smuggling alone, and another $20 million that year from kidnappings and ransom payments. During a 2014 takeover of Mosul, ISIS looted around $429 million from the citys central bank, according to The Telegraph. "The cash that Isil has looted, along with siphoned off pension payments, is routed into Jordanian banks and brought back into the system via Baghdad," said John Baron, the Foreign Affairs sub-committee's chair. "That allows the system to be exploited by Isil, in that they take a turn (profit) on the foreign currency actions and siphon that cash back." The money gets into the terror group's hands through informal Hawala transfers, an unregulated system where cash payments are made between agents in one country after an equal amount is presented as collateral in another, the Telegraph reports. Click for more from The Telegraph. You never know where you may strike gold. Two Calgary plumbers in mid-February, who were in the process of renovating a bathroom, uncovered a gold bar worth more than $50,000 after tearing up a bathtub, the CBC reports. "Who stores gold bars underneath their tub, right? Kinda crazy," said Alif Babul, who added that he had never seen anything like it in his 12 years on the job. The one-kilogram bar, stamped by a jeweler, was returned to the owners of the house. "My wife and I had a long chat about that. I said to my wife, 'I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing, but it's the right thing to do,'" Babul told CBC. The owners said they had lost track of the gold bars whereabouts. As for Babuls apprentice, Dean Materi, his plumbing career is off to a golden start. It was his second day on the job, the Calgary Herald reported. The whole of Syria has been bit by a power blackout, according to state media. The electricity network across the war-ravaged country is down, state news agency SANA said, citing a government source. There were no immediate reports as to what had caused the nationwide blackout. "Electricity has been cut across all provinces and teams are trying to determine the reason for this unexpected cut," the station said. Residents in the capital Damascus said they had been without power since 1pm local time. Mobile internet connections from some private providers were also said to be not working. Syria's state mobile provider said this was partially due to "part of the network unexpectedly malfunctioning". The country has suffered several power cuts during the course of the ongoing five-year civil conflict at an estimated cost of $3.7 billion. Five out of the 13 main power stations in Syria have been damaged in the war. However, it is rare for the whole of Syria to be affected as it has been on Thursday. It comes as a partial cease-fire entered its sixth day - and was said to be largely holding, according to UN Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, despite reported incidents in Homs, Hama, Latakia and the capital. Some 24 civilians - including five women and six children - have been killed so far during the fragile truce, according to monitoring group. "Compare that number to Friday, the day before the truce came into effect: 63 civilians, including 11 children, died that day alone," said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the UK-based Syrian Observatory of Human Rights. Downing Street said British Prime Minister David Cameron, French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel will hold a conference call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Syria on Friday. Peace talks are set to resume on March 9 in Geneva. Click for more from Sky News. Vanguard Cleaning Systems Brand Ranked #15 in Entrepreneur Magazines Fastest Growing Franchises For 2016 The Vanguard Cleaning Systems brand was ranked #15 in Entrepreneur magazine's annual Fastest Growing Franchises list for 2016 SAN MATEO, CA (PRWEB) February 17, 2016 - The Vanguard Cleaning Systems brand was ranked #15 in Entrepreneur magazine's annual Fastest Growing Franchises list for 2016. This ranking is based on the number of new franchise units added in the U.S. and Canada within a franchise organization year over year. We are pleased to once again be ranked as one of the Fastest Growing Franchise brands by Entrepreneur Magazine, says Steve McConnell, Vice President of Marketing, Vanguard Cleaning Systems, Inc. The continued increase in the number of Vanguard Cleaning Systems Janitorial Franchises reflects the efforts of Vanguard Master Franchises across the U.S. and Canada. Vanguard Master Franchise regional offices provide their franchisees with the programs to open and operate a complete office cleaning business. Vanguard regional offices offer support and certification opportunities to their franchisees throughout the lifetime of their businesses. About the Vanguard Cleaning Systems Brand Founded in 1984, the Vanguard Cleaning Systems organization is built upon over 3,000 independently owned and operated franchised commercial cleaning businesses, which are licensed and supported by a Master Franchise network of 56 independent regional offices throughout North America. Vanguard franchised commercial cleaning businesses service more than 15,000 businesses, healthcare companies, educational facilities, and non-profit organizations. The Vanguard brand has been included among the top 50 franchises of Entrepreneur magazines annual Franchise 500 list for eight consecutive years. You can learn more about the Vanguard Cleaning Systems franchise organization at http://www.vanguardcleaning.com. SOURCE Vanguard Cleaning Systems Brand Contact: Lydia Biagini Vanguard Cleaning Systems, Inc. +1 (650) 287-2414 ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus Minuteman Press in Bath Wins Business Services Award at Bath Life Awards 2016 The Minuteman Press franchise in Bath, England was the big winner at the Bath Life Awards 2016 in the Business Services category. They were recognized for providing high levels of support and helpful service to local businesses in the community. March 02, 2016 // Franchising.com // BATH, England - The Minuteman Press franchise in Bath were honored to win Best Business Services provider at the Bath Life Awards 2016, which recognizes local businesses for their hard work in serving the community. When announcing the award to Minuteman Press for the Business Services category, the Bath Life Awards judges stated, "Vital support for so many Bath businesses. Always helpful, great problem-solvers and continue to invest in tech innovations." Minuteman Press owner David Ghent opened the Bath center in April 1998 with two staff members. Over 17 years later, David now has 15 employees and his design, print and marketing business has become an integral part of the Bath business community. "David and his team at Minuteman Press Bath continue to make strides and push the boundaries when it comes to growing the business," said Mark Jones, Minuteman Press Area Manager for the United Kingdom South region. "They have worked with many businesses and organizations over the years. Offering marketing solutions, Minuteman Press continues to help small independent companies through to international brands reach out to their own customers." Jones added, "David's positive can do attitude is infectious and it instills confidence and believe within his customers as well as his own staff members who are then inspired to reach their own goals. Minuteman Press in Bath deserves every accolade that they get and I'm sure this one won't be the last." For more information on the award-winning Minuteman Press in Bath, England, visit their website at http://www.minutemanbath.co.uk. Learn more about Minuteman Press franchise opportunities at http://www.minutemanpressfranchise.com. About Minuteman Press Serving the business community for over 40 years, Minuteman Press customer service driven business model provides digital print, design and promotional products and services to businesses from concept review through to completion. Today we are much more than just print; we can provide anything you can put a name, image or logo on! Our new slogan We Design, Print & Promote YOU! indicates the wide variety of products and services we offer that go beyond printing. For more information about our products and services or to find your local Minuteman Press, visit www.minutemanpress.com. About Minuteman Press International Repeatedly ranked #1 in category by Entrepreneur Magazine, Minuteman Press International is a top rated business service franchise that offers world class training and unparalleled ongoing local support. Minuteman Press opened in 1973 and began franchising in 1975. Today, there are more than 900 locations worldwide including the U.S., Australia, Canada, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. Minuteman Press aims to grow to more than 1,000 franchises within the next three years. Prior experience is not necessary to own and operate a successful Minuteman Press franchise. Learn more about Minuteman Press franchise opportunities at www.minutemanpressfranchise.com. Like Us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/MinutemanPressFranchise Follow Us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/MinutemanIntl Join Us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/minuteman-press SOURCE Minuteman Press Franchise Contacts: Al Sanders Minuteman Press Franchise Opportunities 1-800-645-3006 asanders@mpihq.com Chris Biscuiti Minuteman Press Franchise Media Relations cbiscuiti@mpihq.com ### Add to Request List Added Request Information Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus Bens Soft Pretzels Twists into Fastest Growing Pretzel Franchise in U.S. Amish-Inspired Pretzel Bakery Drives National Expansion through Real Estate Agreements with Retail Giants March 03, 2016 // Franchising.com // GOSHEN, Ind. Building a national pretzel brand from steadfast Amish-roots has been the key to growth for pretzel bakery Bens Soft Pretzels, the fastest growing soft pretzel franchise in the United States. Opening 27 new locations in the last year with more than 20 currently in development for 2016, the Indiana-based pretzel concept is stepping up as a strong contender in the $124 billion snack industry. Founded in 2008 by a local business man (Brian Krider), a pretzel fanatic (Scott Jones), and an Amish baker (Ben Miller), the more than 60-unit franchise best known for its Amish-inspired proprietary recipe is announcing its plans to partner with sophisticated buyers looking to take on 10 or more units. Kicking off national expansion efforts, Bens Soft Pretzels recently signed multiple deals to enter three new states: Alabama, Kentucky, and Ohio. To add to the simplicity of owning and operating a Bens Soft Pretzels franchise, the brand recently launched a partnership with Gordon Food Service to create a national distribution system. As of mid-January, all of the ingredients that a Bens Soft Pretzels franchisee would need to run the bakery now comes from the foodservice distributor, creating a streamlined and cost-effective system. Executives also changed the overall design of the bakery by adding brighter and bolder colors and redesigned its internal training program. Since our early days, weve focused on creating a life-changing, pretzel eating experience thats unlike anything else, said Brian Krider, Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder of Bens Soft Pretzels. The emotion connected to the first bite of a warm, salty Bens Soft Pretzel is what led us to become the leader in the soft pretzel market. Every day were turning dough into dough and honing our efforts in on making excellent pretzels, displaying excellent pretzels, and selling excellent pretzels. Charging forward full throttle, Bens Soft Pretzels is targeting markets across the United States such as Cincinnati, Detroit, Louisville, Indianapolis, Chicago, and Northern Florida. With the goal to create high-traffic real estate opportunities for prospective franchisees, executives signed master lease agreements with Walmart and Meijer. In 2016 alone, Bens Soft Pretzels will open in eight Meijer superstores, on track to be within every newly constructed location. Bens Soft Pretzels is a quick-serve franchise opportunity that offers a simple business model with prime real estate locations. With investment levels ranging from $124,000-$308,000, executives are looking for entrepreneurs who can commit to an entire market. Our business started with humble beginnings at a farmers market and because of that were even more excited to see what we can accomplish by adding qualified franchise partners to the Bens Soft Pretzels family, added Krider. Nearly eight years ago, the founding trio came together to start a pretzel business during the worst economy when unemployment was at 17 percent and malls were 60 percent unoccupied. Ben and his wife, 3rd generation Amish bakers, perfected the Amish/Dutch dough recipe that is used to this day in all Bens Soft Pretzels. The first Ben's Soft Pretzels bakery opened in 2008 in Concord Mall in Elkhart, Ind., and the first franchise was awarded in 2013 on the same day they were legally allowed to start selling. Serving as a driving force of the brand, Bens Soft Pretzels partners with Intrepid Fallen Heroes, a nonprofit providing support for the men and women of the Armed Forces and their families. Last year, Bens Soft Pretzels was able to donate $30,000 to the organization and hopes to top that amount this year on National Pretzel Day (April 26) by giving away free pretzels with a minimum donation of $1. About Bens Soft Pretzels Bens Soft Pretzels is the nations fastest growing soft pretzel franchise with 60 locations in five states offering Amish-inspired pretzels baked on-site daily. Founded in 2008 by local business man Brian Krider, pretzel fanatic Scott Jones, and Amish baker Ben Miller, Bens Soft Pretzels is a quick-serve franchise opportunity that offers a simple business model with prime real estate locations and a cost-effective distribution system. For more information about the franchise opportunity, please visit www.benspretzelsfranchising.com. SOURCE Bens Soft Pretzels Media Contact: Katherine Boncher (O) 847.945.1300, ext. 264 KBoncher@fishmanpr.com ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus Newks Eatery Continues East Coast Expansion With New North Carolina Restaurant Raleigh-Durham Area Newks Becomes Second in Nation to Unveil the Fast-Casual Brands Newest Design March 03, 2016 // Franchising.com // JACKSON, Miss. - On March 7, foodie restaurant brand Newks Eatery is debuting in the Raleigh-Durham area with its first restaurant in Cary, N.C., bolstering the companys North Carolina footprint and rapid East Coast expansion. The Cary location will be the first of 6 to 7 additional restaurants planned for the Triangle area and the sixth Newks Eatery currently in the state, including locations in Charlotte, Fayetteville, Greensboro and Winston-Salem. The new restaurant will showcase the 12-year-old brands Generation 2 restaurant design, presenting a fresh, on-trend look for the brand while maintaining Newks signature warmth. The Triangle has a growing, dynamic foodie culture which makes it an ideal expansion location for a brand like ours that believes you can have memorable, flavor-rich meals without the white tablecloth, said Chris Newcomb, Newks Eaterys Co-Founder and CEO. With that in mind, we built our restaurant in Cary to reflect our philosophy that fast casual, comfort and culinary can be great partners. The new Cary location is only the second Newks in the nation to feature Newks newest restaurant design, which debuted in Lafayette, La. late last year and will be used in future Newks restaurants. These Generation 2 restaurants feature rich, classic colors and materials that deliver a sense of elegance that is unexpected in a fast casual experience. Design details include upgraded finishes such as subway tiles, pendant lighting, plush upholstery, floor detailing and community style high-top seating. The design features also follow a modern color scheme incorporating the hues of Newks always-fresh ingredients. Opening at 1144 Kildaire Farm Road, Newks Eatery will offer indoor and outdoor seating for 170 guests in its nearly 4,700 square-foot space. The restaurant will provide job opportunities for 75 local applicants. Newks menu draws from the time-tested family recipes of its founding family, the Newcombs. Continuously sourcing the finest, freshest ingredients, Newks Eatery cooks with imported cheeses and prime meats, hand-chopped seasonal vegetables, house-roasted garlic, homemade dressings and house-infused olive oil - guaranteeing every meal is served fresh and fast. The fast-casual restaurant delivers lunch to the table or to the office with its robust catering service and offers guests flavorful meals on the go with its convenient Grab-N-Go and online ordering options. The Jackson, Miss.-based Newks Eatery currently has nearly 100 locations in 13 states and plans to expand to more than 200 units by the end of 2018. For more information about Newks or to view Newks menu, visit Newks.com or the Cary restaurants Facebook page. About Newks Eatery Based in Jackson, Miss., Newks Eatery is leading the next generation of fast-casual with its culinary-driven menu prepared in Newks open-view kitchens, featuring made-from-scratch soups, fresh tossed salads, artisan pizzas, hot toasted sandwiches and desserts. Founded in 2004, Newks currently operates and franchises nearly 100 units in 13 states and is gaining national attention for its accelerated growth and commitment to community. FastCasual.com has named Newks one of its top 20 Movers and Shakers, while Franchise Times magazine ranked Newks among its top Fast and Serious franchise brands and Technomic listed Newks among its top 50 U.S. fast-casual chains. The brand was also recently named among The Next 20 by Nations Restaurant News and one of QSR magazines Best Franchise Deals. For more information, visit Newks.com, join the Roundtable Club or follow Newks on Facebook and Twitter. SOURCE Newks Eatery Media Contact: Callie Smith (423) 648-7358 csmith@waterhousepr.com Nathalie Strickland (423) 619-9900 nstrickland@waterhousepr.com ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus Pancakes With Purpose: IHOP Restaurants Offer Free Pancakes Nationwide From 7 AM To 7 PM On March 8 For 11th Annual National Pancake Day Breakfast Icon Aims to Raise $3.5 Million for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Shriners Hospital for Children and Other Local Charities GLENDALE, Calif. - March 3, 2016 // PRNewswire // - On March 8, 2016, pancake lovers nationwide will once again flock to their local IHOP restaurant to enjoy one free short stack of buttermilk pancakes in celebration of the brand's annual National Pancake Day. Now in its 11th year, IHOP restaurants will give away millions of free pancakes from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and ask guests to leave behind a voluntary donation for their localChildren's Miracle Network Hospital, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Shriners Hospital for Children and other local charities. Experience the interactive Multimedia News Release here: http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7428057-ihop-national-pancake-day-2016/ In what has become a cultural phenomenon, over the last 10 years, National Pancake Day has raised $20 million for meaningful local charities. Last year alone, IHOP restaurants served 6.6 million free pancakeswhich would have created a stack nearly 19 miles highand raised $3.5 million for children's charities. In 2016, IHOP aims to raise another $3.5 million. All donations collected will remain in the local communities where they are raised and will be used to fund life-saving equipment, research, community outreach events, educational tools, and much more. This year, in keeping with the focus on bringing neighbors together to help the community, local members of Kiwanis International and its affiliated clubs, including Key Club and Circle K, will join volunteers from the charities to help spread the message in the restaurants that every donation matters. National Pancake Day has extended its influence beyond U.S. borders to countries such as Mexico, Canada and the Philippines. For the third consecutive year, IHOP restaurants in Canada will participate in the fundraiser by supporting Children's Miracle Network. Additionally, IHOP locations in Mexico will once again raise money for Asociacion Mexicana de Ayuda a Ninos con Cancer (AMANC). Funds raised by IHOP restaurants in the Philippines will benefit The Kythe Foundation. "Every pancake we give away has a purpose on National Pancake Day. Through the generosity of our guests and the hard work and commitment of our franchisees and their team members, we will help fund life-saving treatment and care for children in need," said Darren Rebelez, President, International House of Pancakes, LLC. "On behalf of everyone in the IHOP family, we are so grateful to our guests who have turned this into such an incredible event that truly makes a difference in the lives of these kids." Prior to National Pancake Day, participating IHOP restaurants supporting Children's Miracle Network Hospitals will also sell "Miracle Balloons" for $1 and $5. The balloons will be available for purchase beginningFebruary 1 through March 8. Guests who purchase a $5 Miracle Balloon will receive a $5 discount coupon that can be used during their next visit to IHOP. Restaurant locations that are supporting Shriners Hospitals for Children and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society will offer similar programs. For more information on National Pancake Day, please visit www.ihoppancakeday.com. About Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Children's Miracle Network Hospitals raises funds and awareness for 170 member hospitals that provide 32 million treatments each year to kids across the U.S. and Canada. Donations stay local to fund critical treatments and healthcare services, pediatric medical equipment and charitable care. Since 1983, Children's Miracle Network Hospitals has raised more than $5 billion, most of it $1 at a time through the charity'sMiracle Balloon icon. Its various fundraising partners and programs support the nonprofit's mission to save and improve the lives of as many children as possible. Find out why children's hospitals need community support, identify your member hospital and learn how you can Put Your Money Where the Miracles Are, at CMNHospitals.org and facebook.com/CMNHospitals. About Shriners Hospitals for Children Shriners Hospitals for Children is changing lives every day through innovative pediatric specialty care, world-class research and outstanding medical education. Our 23 facilities, located in the United States, Canadaand Mexico, provide advanced care for children with orthopedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate. Learn more at www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org. About The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is the world's largest voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancer. The LLS mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world, provides free information and support services, and is the voice for all blood cancer patients seeking access to quality, affordable, coordinated care. Founded in 1949 and headquartered in White Plains, NY, LLS has chapters throughout the United States and Canada. To learn more, visitwww.LLS.org. About Kiwanis International Founded in 1915, Kiwanis International is a global organization of clubs and members dedicated to serving the children of the world. Kiwanis and its family of clubs, including Circle K International for university students, Key Club for high school students, Builders Club for middle school students, Kiwanis Kids for elementary school students and Aktion Club for adults living with disabilities, annually dedicate more than 18.5 million hours and raise more than $100 million to strengthen communities and serve children. Nearly 670,000 adult and youth members in more than 80 countries and geographic areas comprise the Kiwanis International family. For more information about Kiwanis International, visit www.kiwanis.org. About International House of Pancakes, LLC For over 57 years, International House of Pancakes, LLC has been a leader and expert in all things breakfast and a leader in family dining. The chain is highly competitive in its menu offering, serving 65 different signature, made-to-order breakfast options as well as meals under 600 calories. Beyond offering "everything you love about breakfast," IHOP restaurants have a wide selection of popular lunch and dinner items, as well. IHOP restaurants offer guests an affordable, everyday dining experience with warm and friendly service. As of September 30, 2015, there were 1,667 IHOP restaurants in 50 states and the District of Columbia, as well as in Canada, Guatemala, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the Philippines, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands. IHOP restaurants are franchised and operated by Glendale, Calif.-based International House of Pancakes, LLC and its affiliates. International House of Pancakes, LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of DineEquity, Inc. (NYSE: DIN). SOURCE IHOP Restaurants LLC Media Contacts: Kelsey Harrington Wills Communications, Inc. 310-376-6600, kharrington@willscom.com Craig Hoffman IHOP 818-637-3603 craig.hoffman@dineequity.com ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus Sweet Lorraines Fabulous Mac n Cheez! Twists into Chicagoland Expands outside of Michigan-hub with first Illinois location in Vernon Hills March 03, 2016 // Franchising.com // SOUTHFIELD, Mich. Sweet Lorraines Fabulous Mac n Cheez!, a chef-driven, fast casual dining concept that specializes in unique and creative macaroni and cheese dishes, opened its first Chicago-area restaurant, which launched a rapid expansion plan the company says will bring as many as 10 locations in the next few years. The first restaurant opened in the thriving Marketplace at Vernon Hills this February. It is owned and operated by local businessman Jeff Huh, who has already committed to opening two additional locations in Schaumburg and Evanston in 2016. "This is an incredibly exciting time for our brand," said Lorraine Platman, founder of the Detroit-based franchise. "Having already established a loyal following of customers throughout Michigan, we're finally bringing our 'twisted comfort food' to other markets in the Midwest and cant wait to share our mouth-watering, cheezy pick-me-ups with the people of Chicago." Sweet Lorraines offers customers 14 different kinds of meat-topped and vegetarian macaroni and cheese dishes in two sizes (mini or mega), all made to order in less than two minutes. Many of the variations are favorites from other realms: the BLT, the Philly Cheesesteak, Buffalo Chicken, , the Pepperoni Pizza, the Fiesta Fajita, Pulled Pork BBQ Mac, the Detroit Coney Dog and the Macho Nacho. Guests can also mix and match from over 38 topping choices to create more than 1.7 billion palate pleasing combinations. All the dishes start with twisted curly noodles made from 100 percent durum wheat. which Italians insist on using for their pasta. The noodles are tossed in ooey-gooey cheese sauce that Sweet Lorraines makes using locally-sourced cheddar cheese. Once theyve have had a chance to frolic in the sauce, diners can customize their dish, before it is broiled to bubbly perfection. In addition to specialty mac and cheese dishes, Sweet Lorraines offers a variety of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free soups, salads, healthy wraps, twisted grilled cheese and desserts. Consumers are tired of the wings, pizza, and burgers that seem to be found around every corner. They want fun, high-quality food on the go that is also going to satisfy their craving for the classics, said Huh. After trying Sweet Lorraines for myself, I knew it would be a hit and exactly what is needed in Chicagos diverse fast casual marketplace. The Chicagoland expansion comes merely nine months after Sweet Lorraines announced an aggressive growth strategy to expand outside of its Michigan hub. While the growth will likely stay in the Midwest, it will push beyond the region over the next several years. Company plans call for having 100 restaurants nationwide in the next five years. About Sweet Lorraines Fabulous Mac n Cheez! Sweet Lorraines Fabulous Mac n Cheez!, a spinoff of the 30-year-old Sweet Lorraines Cafe Bar brand, is a chef-driven, fast casual dining concept that specializes in unique, creative and exciting macaroni and cheese dishes. Founded in 2010 and franchising since 2013, the Detroit-based restaurant chain offers vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free soups, salads, sandwich wraps, grilled cheese and 14 different kinds of meat-topped and vegetarian macaroni and cheese, all made fresh to order. There are currently six locations open and operating throughout Michigan, with several more in various stages of development. For more information, visit www.macncheez.com. SOURCE Sweet Lorraines Fabulous Mac n Cheez! ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus Young Chefs Academy Advances Strategic Growth Plan with Key Executive Team Hires Brand Poised for Significant Growth with New Hires in Operations and Curriculum Development March 03, 2016 // Franchising.com // WACO, Texas Young Chefs Academy, the countrys leading kids cooking school, which has captivated the creativity of children across the nation for more than a decade, today announced several executive team hires that further reinforce the brands commitment to strategic expansion. This announcement comes amid a series of moves and key executive-level hires to strengthen the brands talented collection of leaders. As part of the formation of the core executive team, Young Chefs Academy has appointed Jamie Skinner to the role of operations manager and Kathy Arvidson to the role of curriculum specialist. Skinner and Arvidson will be joining Young Chefs Academys recent hires Courtney Harmon, the director of operations and training and Abby Tankersley, the curriculum development specialist. We are experiencing a great surge of growth as a brand. Jamie and Kathy are welcome additions to the Young Chefs Academy family," said Julie Burleson, founder and CEO of Young Chefs Academy. Both have a proven track record of success in each of their past roles. We look forward to leveraging their collective experience in business management and curriculum development to increase profitability at the unit level, as well as drive growth for Young Chefs Academy throughout the country. Skinner will be supporting franchisees towards achieving profitability goals through successful implementation of procedures, as well as identifying new franchise partners who align with Young Chefs Academys vision for success. Arvidson will be focused on developing an engaging and educational curriculum program for franchise partners and their students. Prior to accepting her new position with Young Chefs Academy, Skinner served as operations specialist and club development supervisor with Curves International Inc., a Texas-based fitness and weight loss franchise. She was a key player in the success and growth of the companys franchise operations. She is looking forward to leveraging her 14 years of experience in business strategy, franchise development, training and operations in her new role with Young Chefs Academy. When I was presented with the opportunity to work with Young Chefs Academy, I knew I couldnt pass it up, said Skinner. I am looking forward to further advancing our franchise growth goals alongside the support team. Prior to joining the Young Chefs Academy family, Arvidson earned her M.S. in Clinical Nutrition and her B.A. in Biology. She also worked closely with Young Chefs Academy as a staff member before her appointment as Curriculum Specialist. After spending years leading lessons in the Young Chefs Academy classrooms, I am looking forward to taking this next step and developing the schools curriculum nationwide, said Arvidson. My teaching background, as well as my educational experience, will help me as I hit the ground running in my new role. The cumulative experience of these high-profile executives has already lifted the concepts franchisee resources and support to new heights. Young Chefs Academy is now situated in its new training center and headquarters, which includes state-of-the-art kitchen and classroom space for training and education classes. Young Chefs Academy plans to grow by at least 50 percent this year and hopes to double its franchise count in the next two years. Although aggressive in its growth plans, the brand has strengthened its processes and procedures for scalability. As we continue to expand our franchise system, we are also taking every opportunity to strengthen our processes and procedures along the way, said Burleson. With a strong team firmly in place, we are confident our growth plans will be met, if not exceeded. For more information on Young Chefs Academy, please visit wwww.youngchefsacademy.com. About Young Chefs Academy Founded in 2003, Young Chefs Academy is one part culinary adventure, one part culinary education, and its all for kids. Here, learning invaluable life lessons (shhh... they dont even know its happening) occurs through a cooking curriculum that evokes curiosity, which provides kids a pathway to personal discovery and creativity, all in a warm, welcoming and inspiring movement. Young Chefs Academy provides driven entrepreneurs the opportunity to join an American movement that is here to stay. Complete with a celebrated curriculum, extensive marketing, operations and real estate support, Young Chefs Academy is on a course for nationwide U.S. expansion. Currently, the company has more than 20 locations open or in development throughout ten states. For more information about Young Chefs Academy, visit www.youngchefsacademy.com. To inquire about franchising opportunities, visit www.franchise.youngchefsacademy.com. SOURCE Young Chefs Academy Media Contact: Niveen Saleh All Points Public Relations (847) 897-7489 nsaleh@allpointspr.com ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus LONDON HAS FALLEN (R) In London for the prime ministers funeral, a Secret Service agent uncovers a plot to kill the U.S. president and other leaders. With Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman. Rated R for strong violence and language throughout. 99 min. [MC, RA, RF] WHISKEY TANGO FOXTROT (R) A journalist recounts her wartime coverage in Afghanistan and Pakistan. With Tina Fey, Margot Robbie, Martin Freeman. Rated R for pervasive language, some sexual content, drug use and violent war images. 112 min. [RF] ZOOTOPIA (PG) In a city of animals, a fox whos a con artist and a bunny whos a policeman work to uncover a conspiracy in this animated feature. With the voices of Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Idris Elba. Rated PG for some thematic elements, rude humor and action. 108 min. [MC, RA, RF] CHARLOTTESVILLEA hospital orderly pleaded guilty Wednesday to abducting and killing two Virginia college students, wrapping up a mystery that began in 2009 when one of the women disappeared from a Metallica concert. The other young woman, 18-year-old Hannah Graham, vanished five years later under similar circumstances, after a night of partying with friends. Along the way, investigators solved a 2005 rape case and used DNA evidence to tie all three cases to Jesse LeRoy Matthew Jr. In a plea deal, prosecutors dropped a capital murder charge that could have resulted in the death penalty and Matthew agreed to a sentence of four consecutive life terms. Those are in addition to the three life terms he was already serving for the rape. A statements of facts filed with Matthews plea agreement said autopsies determined that Graham had a broken nose and likely died of suffocation or strangulation, while 20-year-old Virginia Tech student Morgan Harrington suffered a broken arm, broken ribs and a skull fracture. We cannot comprehend the selfish and inhumane action that took place that evening and we anguish over the suffering Morgan experienced that night, Morgans father, Daniel Harrington, said in court. Matthew, 34, looked directly at family members during the hearing but showed no emotion casting his eyes downward whenever the victims families referenced the brutality. Grahams mother, Susan Graham, described her daughter as the most optimistic person we know and said she misses her daughters smile, her quick wit and snuggling up with her on the couch with a cup of tea and a favorite DVD. She was a straight-A student bound to accomplish great things. And she did just not in the way people expected. Hannah enabled police to capture a predator who had been hiding in plain sight in Charlottesville for years, her mother said. She is a heroine, Susan Graham said. Matthew, given a chance to speak in court, asked his attorney to speak for him. Douglas Ramseur said his client wanted to convey that he is very sorry for what happened and he loves his family very much. After the hearing, the Matthew family broke its year-and-a-half of silence, sending Matthews uncle, the Rev. Louie Carr, to the microphone at a press conference. Carr expressed the familys sorrow for the victims families and said its hard to understand how a gentle soul could commit such crimes. Graham and Morgan were young women in vulnerable straits when they vanished in Charlottesville five years apart, and their disappearances stoked fears about sexual assaults and campus safety at a time of rising national scrutiny. Harrington had been drinking alcohol from a flask when she stepped out of the Metallica concert and could not get back in. According to the statement of facts, witnesses would have testified at trial that they saw Harrington thumbing for a ride near where a cab driver matching Matthews description was working that night. Matthew worked as a cab driver before becoming an orderly at the University of Virginia hospital. Harringtons black T-shirt, with the name of the rock band Pantera on it, was discovered, and DNA from it would prove crucial to connecting the cases. In September 2014, Graham had dinner with friends and attended parties off campus before deciding to walk home alone. She was captured on surveillance video walking unsteadily. She texted a friend that she was lost. Additional video showed Graham crossing Charlottesvilles downtown pedestrian mall, then leaving a restaurant with Matthew, his arm wrapped around her. According to the statement of facts, witnesses would have testified that Matthew repeatedly made unwanted advances toward women while bar-hopping the night of Grahams disappearance. Matthew grabbed one womans bare foot over her objections after she took off her boots because her feet were hurting, the statement says, adding that she would have testified that Matthew told her: A woman who takes care of her feet takes care of everything else. Grahams disappearance prompted a massive search and gripped the Charlottesville campus in fear, prompting female students to walk with friends or a group at night. Grahams body was found five weeks later on abandoned property in Albemarle County, about 12 miles from the Charlottesville campus and 6 miles from where Harringtons remains had been found years earlier. After police named Matthew a person of interest, he fled to a beach in Texas. Police found a map indicating he was headed for Mexico. Matthew was charged in Grahams disappearance and his cheek was swabbed for a DNA sample. That sample connected Matthew to the 2005 rape, which in turn linked him to Harrington through the DNA found on her black T-shirt, authorities have said. Matthew was also accused of raping students in 2002 and 2003 at Liberty University and Christopher Newport University, where he had played football. But those cases were dropped when the women declined to press charges. US & China Education Industry Trends, Growth Drivers, Market Dynamic & Competitive Landscape Analysis Discussed in New Research Report MarketReportsOnline.com adds "US Education Industry" & "China Education Industry" reports to its research store. US China follows a specific pattern where early childhood education (pre-primary) is followed by primary school (Elementary school), middle school, secondary school (High school), &post-secondary (Tertiary) education. -- Complete report on US Education market spread across 54 pages providing 4 company profiles and 42 Charts and 5 Tables is now available at http://www.marketreportsonline.com/442408.html. The report, "The U.S. Education Industry" analyzes the current prevailing condition of the industry along with its major segments including Pre-K, K-12, Post-Secondary and Corporate Training. The U.S. market along with specific dependence on other countries for growth including China, India, France and Germany is being discussed in the report. The major trends, growth drivers as well as issues being faced by the industry are being presented in this us education industry report. The major players in the education industry are being profiled, along with their key financials and strategies for growth. The education industry of the U.S. has undergone several changes over the past few years and continues to invite significant spending by the public. The overall growth of the industry will be driven by rising responsiveness of people towards the benefits of early education, rising awareness of the advantages of higher education and growing demand for online teaching methods. The major trends in the industry include growth of educational content and technology, rising demand for digital textbooks, high penetration rate for U.S. postsecondary education sector, students shift towards online education and students dependence on family for higher education funding. The major growth drivers include increasing work participation of women in the U.S., rising postsecondary enrollment rates in the U.S and growing merger and acquisition activities in the industry. However, growth of the market is hindered by several factors including declining population of children under five years of age and legal and regulatory issues. Purchase a copy of this US Education market research report at USD 800 (Single User License) http://www.marketreportsonline.com/contacts/purchase.php?name=442408. Company Coverage of US Education Industry: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company, John Wiley and Sons Company, Scholastic Corporation & K12 Inc. Complete report on China Education market spread across 69 pages providing 4 company profiles and 71 Charts and 10 Tables is now available at http://www.marketreportsonline.com/445164.html. The Chinese education system follows a specific pattern where early childhood education (pre-primary) is followed by primary school (Elementary school), middle school, secondary school (High school), and post-secondary (Tertiary) education. There are two major examinations for students undergoing school education in China, Zhongkao and Gaokao. Students begin their nine-year compulsory education at about six years old, and they progress through elementary school and junior high school over the following nine years. At the end of Grade Nine, all students are required to take Zhongkao, which is the cumulative assessment of this nine-year education period and is the entrance examination for senior high school. The ancient education of China began in the Chinese classical works, rather than religious organizations. In Chinese history, clearly documented school for formal teaching began in Xia Dynasty (c. 2100-1600 B.C.). Since the beginning of 21st Century, the Chinese government gave priority to education and put forward the strategic policy of "revitalizing the nation through science and education". Deepening educational system reform, strengthening quality education, and adhering to make nine-year compulsory education universal and eliminating illiteracy are the most important tasks of education. Purchase a copy of this China Education market research report at USD 800 (Single User License) http://www.marketreportsonline.com/contacts/purchase.php?name=445164. Company Coverage of China Education Industry: China Distance Education Holdings Ltd., China Distance Education Holdings Ltd., TARENA International, Inc.& New Oriental Education & Technology Group, Inc. Explore more related reports on public sector market at http://www.marketreportsonline.com/cat/government-market-research.html. For more information about us, please visit http://www.marketreportsonline.com/cat/government-market-research.html Contact Info: Name: Ritesh Tiwari Organization: Market Reports Online Phone: + 1 888 391 5441 Source: http://marketersmedia.com/us-china-education-industry-trends-growth-drivers-market-dynamic-competitive-landscape-analysis-discussed-in-new-research-report/105666 Release ID: 105666 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Pure Diesel Power Celebrates 10 Years In Business Pure Diesel Power, a business that provides the country with diesel parts, is proud to celebrate its ten year anniversary. Unlike many other companies, they actually celebrate across two whole months, February and March. -- Pure Diesel Power, a business in Marshfield, Wisconsin, is proud to announce that they will be celebrating their ten year anniversary during February and March. On February 10, they held a Customer Appreciation Day, which proved to be very popular. They have also offered a number of discounts and specials. During March, they will offer free shipping on any orders over $100. Garrett Shields, founder of Pure Diesel Power, says: "10 years ago I started Pure Diesel Power. I just wanted to take a moment and thank all of my loyal friends, family, employees, and customers for your support over the years. I couldn't have done it without you. It's been a hell of a ride. THANK YOU!" The Customer Appreciation Day was held between 11am and 2pm. During this day, clients and friends stopped by in order to celebrate the anniversary. The specials were offered on gift certificate purchases, as well as on the swag pack. Ten years after starting the company, the firm has become a significant national player as an online distributor of diesel performance parts and accessories. They cover the industry's biggest and most recognizable brands. The company currently has seven employees and they field orders through the online platform, shipping products all over the country. They cover such brands as S&B Air Intakes, Cummins, FTE Diesel, MBRP, AFE and South Bend Clutch. The gift certificate sale proved to be particularly popular across February. Those who purchase a $50 gift certificate will receive an extra $10. On a $100 gift certificate, $20 is added. On a $200 gift certificate, $50 is added. A $500 gift certificate also receives an extra $50 and, finally, a $1,000 gift certificate earns a $100 extra free. During March, free ground shipping will be offered for all orders over $100, which makes it a perfect time to use the gift certificates. The PDP Swag Pack has also been on offer across February. The first ten customers per day have received this pack completely free. It includes the PDP Drawstring bag, PDP Steel Tumbler with Blue Trim -15oz, PDP Can Coozie, and 2-PDP Blue Shield Stickers. To qualify, customers must place an order of at least $50 and accept the terms and conditions. Celebrating an anniversary during two months is quite unusual. However, Pure Diesel Power prides itself on being unusual. They have set themselves apart as offering some of the best, high quality diesel products available today. They look forward to many more years in business, thanks to the support of their customers and amazing, dedicated staff. For more information about us, please visit http://puredieselpower.com/ Contact Info: Name: Garrett Shields Organization: Pure Diesel Power Address: 1803 West Veterans Parkway, Marshfield, WI 54449 Phone: 715-254-1833 Release ID: 105444 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sorry that press release couldn't be found. [ Vist our sister sites: Linux news | Bible Study Tool ] Site design and layout copyright 2005-2015 Free Press Release Center A-Aki Sushi & Steakhouse Wins Back to Back Awards for Best Sushi Restaurant A-Aki Sushi & Steakhouse is still basking in its success after winning back to back awards for Best Sushi Restaurant in Orlando by the Orlando Business Journal's Reader's Choice Awards in November 2015. And by the Orlando Sentinel in their 18th Annual Foodie Awards. -- ORLANDO, FL (March 2, 2016) - A-Aki Sushi & Steakhouse is still basking in its success after winning back to back awards for Best Sushi Restaurant in Orlando. The restaurant, owned by Ben Lu, was voted Best Local Sushi Restaurant in Orlando by the Orlando Business Journal's Reader's Choice Awards in November 2015. Less than two months later, in January 2016, the restaurant was again voted best Sushi restaurant in Orlando by the Orlando Sentinel in their 18th Annual Foodie Awards beating Seito and last year's winner, Imperial Dynasty for the top spot. Readers of both publications were asked to submit their nominations for the top eateries in Orlando, Florida. The Orlando Business Journal reported that they received more than 25,000 votes. Commenting on the awards, Ben Lu, said: "We feel very honored to have received these two prestigious awards. It is the result of the hard work of our staff but especially the efforts of our skilled chefs who take pride in their meticulous meal preparation." A-Aki Sushi & Steakhouse has been in business since 2014. They have built their reputation on using the freshest ingredients to prepare high quality meals. The restaurant offers a variety of mouth-watering sushi meals including: Hibachi dishes, Sushi, Sashimi, bento box and more. Other menu options include: signature rolls, grilled seafood, steaks and salads. See our video with mouthwatering images of our sushi at https://youtu.be/gi_RT8F6WDs Although A-Aki Sushi & Steakhouse is a top restaurant destination for locals and tourists, the recent awards have elicited the curiosity of some individuals. One recent customer wrote on Yelp: "After hearing they won the Orlando Sentinel Foodie Awards for best sushi restaurant in Orlando, we had to try it. There were so many options, but with the $19.95 all you can eat, we got to try so many different types of sushi, sashimi and other items from the hibachi menu. I see why A-Aki Sushi won the Best Sushi Restaurant in Orlando because it really was awesome! Our server was great and we really enjoyed the food. We will be going back to try other things soon." A-Aki Sushi & Steakhouse is located on Sand Lake Rd. in front of The Florida Mall. The restaurant is open seven days per week for lunch and dinner. They offer 'all you can eat sushi' for $19.95 per person. For further details, visit: http://a-akisushi.com. For more information about us, please visit http://a-akisushi.com/ Contact Info: Name: Ben Lu Organization: A-Aki Sushi & Steakhouse Address: 1400 W Sand Lake Rd.; Orlando, FL 32809 Phone: (407) 888-9545 Release ID: 105718 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Ontario Food Wholesalers Launch New Catering Website For Local Restaurant Owners Big Red Food Service has launched a new website especially for selling wholesale food in Ontario. It markets a huge range of meat, vegetables and other products for restaurants, catering managers and shop owners, and delivers it with a fleet of refrigerated trucks. -- Big Red Food Service, the wholesale division of Big Red Markets, has launched a new website dedicated to wholesale food for restaurant owners, catering managers, institutional buyers and pizza shop owners. It offers wholesale products throughout South-Central Ontario, distributing through the Niagara region, Halton, Mississauga, Peel, Simcoe and Durham regions. More information is available on the Big Red Food Service website at: http://bigredfoodservice.ca. Previously the company's wholesale products were sold through Big Red Markets original site, which is now based purely on food retail. The departure allows Big Red Food Service to focus on delivering high-quality wholesale food to a wide range of businesses. It features a large, multi-dimensional food processing and distributor centre with a state-of-the-art 30,000 foot warehouse of dry, refrigerator and freezer storage and food processing. This warehouse space allows Big Red Markets to buy a large volume of products, and pass on its purchasing power, production selection and value to large, medium and small businesses. Restaurants, bars, hotels, markets and institutions can order from a huge selection of meats and vegetables through the Big Red Food Service website. A fleet of refrigerated trucks helps to ensure that food is delivered fresh and on time. The Butcher & Deli section includes steak cuts, beef roasts, chicken, lamb, veal and a range of other meats. Over one hundred spices can be chosen, along with a range of monthly specials, including special mayonnaise, tequila lime sauce, and paper products like napkins. Each restaurant can choose from a specially designed restaurant list, which includes the full range of Big Red meat products, but also features appetizers and sides, cheeses, the spice list, and fresh market produce. Alongside this, freshly baked goods and frozen baked food can be purchased, as well as dry products so that restaurants can bake their own food on site. Other specialist lists include pizzeria lists, breakfast lists, and items for banquet halls. Big Red Food Service is owned by Dan Timmins, who can be reached at 133 Front St, Thorold, ON L2T 3W6. The company phone number is 905-227-1575 and their email is: info@bigredfoodservice.ca. For more information about us, please visit http://bigredfoodservice.ca/ Contact Info: Name: Dan Timmins Organization: Big Red Food Service Address: 133 Front St Thorold, ON L2T 3W6 Phone: 905-227-1575 Release ID: 105763 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Ztue Launch Sydney Removalist and Storage Operation ( March 03, 2016 ) Sydney, NSW -- Ztue Marketing is pleased to announce the launch of their latest Sydney based business venture in the removalists and storage niche. The new venture will be independently managed and is expected to grow rapidly as the unique concept is rolled out across Australia. It is part of the portfolio of physical and online businesses that Ztue Marketing own and manage in Australia. Mr Tony Adams, founder of Ztue Marketing made these comments when asked about the launch of the business, "Our research showed that the removalist industry was fragmented with a lot of small to medium size operators and it is ripe for consolidation. It is a new niche for us to be involved with and we see this a cautious but committed entry into the industry." . Ztue Marketing has structured the new website as a one stop resource for home and business owners wanting information on moving interstate, tips on packing and other related resources, as well as where their pricing, locations covered, terms and conditions can be viewed. Mr Adams said "Ztue recognised that the task of selecting an appropriate removal company for the home or office move had become harder for the public given the number of operators available." He went on to say "The wide variety of experience, differing qualifications and pricing packages for example was confusing to the public and we see the opportunity to build a strong recognizable brand in the Sydney region as we have done in other business niches" To learn more about Ztue's new Sydney Removalist and storage operation visit the website: http://www.cheapremovalists.sydney About Removalists Sydney: Sydney Removalists are professional removalists with over 20 years experience in the industry. They are known for offering real value for money for the work they do and the storage facilities they offer. They service all areas in Sydney. Especially in the North Shore, Mosman, the Northern Beaches, Manly and the Eastern Suburbs. They are specialists at moving apartments, house lots or offices and are fully insured, and are known for taking special care of peoples precious belongings. For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Matteson Partners Taking On New In-House Legal Recruitment Clients (Mon 29th May 17) Huong Nghiep A Au Vocational Guidance School Launches New Major (Thu 25th May 17) FSP unveils new Industrial and Gaming power solutions at COMPUTEX 2017 (Wed 24th May 17) The Best Free Keylogger of 2017 Has Been Announced by the Official Remote Keylogger (Tue 23rd May 17) The Remote Keylogger Development Team Announces An Update to the Official iPhone Keylogger (Thu 11th May 17) CaptureStream Announces its New Streaming Video Recorder and Downloader (Mon 8th May 17) Site2SiteSeo.com Re-launches Website ( March 03, 2016 ) London, United Kingdom -- Site2SiteSeo.com offers free consultation in search engine optimization as well as site surveys. However, these online specialists are a bit selective with business clients notwithstanding that they will gladly offer their expertise to web-based entrepreneurs. Site2SiteSeo.com just wants to make sure that its proficiency will match the requirements of customers. This will give them the freehand to facilitate higher search engine rankings and social signal results for companies. "Our goal is to develop a unique plan for business growth and SEO rankings for that particular company," explained the Senior SEO Consultant of the UK-based Site2SiteSeo. "We have formulated proven online techniques in business marketing so our clients can deal with the competition by achieving higher rankings in Google," he added. Site2SiteSeo can help in Search Engine Optimization, web design, cloud web hosting, social media management, content creation, press release distribution and video marketing. This hosting includes essential components such as SSL certificates, Virtual Private Server (VPS), database, shared and semi-dedicated hosting, site building, free script creation, and quick technical support. Site2SiteSeo.com guarantees reliable and speedy hosting for online enterprises. On the other hand, SEO services also apply to websites with foreign languages but it publishes content only in the English language. The company does not entertain or deal with dubious niches. What site2seo.com offers is a service that will increase rankings, visitors, authority, and brand awareness. Likewise, it realizes that social signals are vital to generation of traffic as well as brand building. Social activity is important for these sites. According to Site2SiteSeo, the choice of web hosting firms will influence the performance of any site in terms of support, security and page load speed. It runs sites on balanced platforms so these do not depend on a single server and do not slow down regardless of traffic issues. Incidentally, websites are essential since these help promote businesses and generate leads as well as sales 24/7. There are no constraints as far as time and location are concerned. A website designed professionally is one way of leveling the playing field between different enterprises. Besides, it will be easier for service providers to communicate with prospective and existing clients. They can also read about promotions, offers and rebates in the content and Products/Services or FAQ page. Regular articles can be posted in blogs or article directories for greater exposure. Site2SiteSeo assures clients of better positioning especially for those who want their businesses to flourish. Revenue growth means more customers and opportunities for growth. Site2SiteSeo experts say it is crucial for Internet-based firms. SEO and social media marketing services are modified from time to time to cope with the constantly evolving algorithms and formats of primary search engines such as Google, Yahoo and Bing. This is a factor that Internet marketers should always understand and be cautious about. For more information and inquiries, make sure to check out the company's site at http://www.site2seo.com/ and get a no-obligation consultation. About site2seo: Site2seo is an online based company with William Lumu being the Senior SEO Consultant and owner. It provides various services geared towards getting small to medium sized businesses succeed in their online business ventures. site2seo.com provides web design, web hosting, social media management, press release distribution and video promotion. For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Matteson Partners Taking On New In-House Legal Recruitment Clients (Mon 29th May 17) Huong Nghiep A Au Vocational Guidance School Launches New Major (Thu 25th May 17) FSP unveils new Industrial and Gaming power solutions at COMPUTEX 2017 (Wed 24th May 17) The Best Free Keylogger of 2017 Has Been Announced by the Official Remote Keylogger (Tue 23rd May 17) The Remote Keylogger Development Team Announces An Update to the Official iPhone Keylogger (Thu 11th May 17) CaptureStream Announces its New Streaming Video Recorder and Downloader (Mon 8th May 17) Research and Report: Global and Chinese Benzoylperoxide Market by Radiant Insights Radiant Insights has announced the addition of "Global and Chinese Benzoylperoxide Industry, 2015 Market Research Report" Market Research report to their database -- The 'Global and Chinese Benzoylperoxide Industry, 2010-2020 Market Research Report' is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the global Benzoylperoxide industry with a focus on the Chinese market. The report provides key statistics on the market status of the Benzoylperoxide manufacturers and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the industry. For further inquiries, about - Global Benzoylperoxide Market Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2010 - 2020, click on this link - http://www.radiantinsights.com/research/global-and-chinese-benzoylperoxide-industry-2015-market-research-report Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including its definition, applications and manufacturing technology. Then, the report explores the international and Chinese major industry players in detail. In this part, the report presents the company profile, product specifications, capacity, production value, and 2010-2015 market shares for each company. Through the statistical analysis, the report depicts the global and Chinese total market of Benzoylperoxide industry including capacity, production, production value, cost/profit, supply/demand and Chinese import/export. The total market is further divided by company, by country, and by application/type for the competitive landscape analysis. The report then estimates 2015-2020 market development trends of Benzoylperoxide industry. Analysis of upstream raw materials, downstream demand, and current market dynamics is also carried out. In the end, the report makes some important proposals for a new project of Benzoylperoxide Industry before evaluating its feasibility. Overall, the report provides an in-depth insight of 2010-2020 global and Chinese Benzoylperoxide industry covering all important parameters. For more details, Visit Radiant Insights @ http://www.radiantinsights.com Table of Contents Chapter One Introduction of Benzoylperoxide Industry 1.1 Brief Introduction of Benzoylperoxide 1.2 Development of Benzoylperoxide Industry 1.3 Status of Benzoylperoxide Industry Chapter Two Manufacturing Technology of Benzoylperoxide 2.1 Development of Benzoylperoxide Manufacturing Technology 2.2 Analysis of Benzoylperoxide Manufacturing Technology 2.3 Trends of Benzoylperoxide Manufacturing Technology To request free sample report, visit here: http://www.radiantinsights.com/research/global-and-chinese-benzoylperoxide-industry-2015-market-research-report#tabs-4 Chapter Three Analysis of Global Key Manufacturers 3.1 Company A 3.1.1 Company Profile 3.1.2 Product Information 3.1.3 2010-2015 Production Information 3.1.4 Contact Information 3.2 Company B 3.2.1 Company Profile 3.2.2 Product Information 3.2.3 2010-2015 Production Information 3.2.4 Contact Information 3.3 Company C 3.2.1 Company Profile 3.3.2 Product Information 3.3.3 2010-2015 Production Information 3.3.4 Contact Information 3.4 Company D 3.4.1 Company Profile 3.4.2 Product Information 3.4.3 2010-2015 Production Information 3.4.4 Contact Information 3.5 Company E About Radiant Insight Radiant Insights is a platform for companies looking to meet their market research and business intelligence requirements. It assist and facilitate organizations and individuals procure market research reports, helping them in the decision making process. The Organization has a comprehensive collection of reports, covering over 40 key industries and a host of micro markets. For more information about us, please visit http://www.radiantinsights.com/research/global-and-chinese-benzoylperoxide-industry-2015-market-research-report Contact Info: Name: Michelle Thoras Email: sales@radiantinsights.com Organization: Radiant Insights Inc Address: 28 2nd Street, Suite 3036 Phone: 1-415-349-0058 Source: http://marketersmedia.com/research-and-report-global-and-chinese-benzoylperoxide-market-by-radiant-insights/105811 Release ID: 105811 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Super Blinds Mart Presents Exclusive Offers for both Custom and Ready Made Blind Super Binds Mart, a leading supplier of custom and readymade blinds has announced 15% off on all types of blinds. They also offer FREE shipping Australian wide. -- With over 40 years of experience in the industry, Super Binds Mart has been recognised as the leading supplier of quality blinds at super competitive prices. They stock a huge variety of blinds including venetian blinds, roller blinds, roman blinds, vertical blinds and more. They also supply curtain accessories, eyelet curtains, pelmets and brackets custom, and more. "Whether it's our locally manufactured custom made blinds or our internationally sourced ready-made blinds, we ensure that our entire range meets the strictest quality standards. Our store lets you buy blinds online Australia wide via a safe and secure shopping experience from the comfort of your own home," quoted the spokesperson of Super Binds Mart. Super Binds Mart has just announced their exclusive offers for blinds and curtains. They provide a 15% off on all types of blinds accompanies by FREE shipping worldwide. When asked about the discounts, "Our family has been selling custom and readymade blinds and curtains for over 40 years. Most of our happy customers buying online blinds from us have rated us 4.5/5. his means when you buy blinds online from us, you can be rest assured you'll not only get high quality, durable blinds at a cheap price, you'll be treated to even better after sales service. We provide various offers and discounts on all brands of blinds with a free shipping Australian wide. All our blinds carry a flat 15% discount, no matter what the size or brand is!" exclaimed the spokesperson. At Super Binds Mart, they stock blinds from the leading brands in Australia and those products come with a two year warranty. "In most cases, your blinds will be delivered to your door in less than 7 days no matter whether you're in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Hobart, Canberra, Darwin or regional Australia. We also provide free colour samples before you buy to help you get a feel for the quality of our fabrics, too," added the spokesperson lastly. About Super Binds Mart: With more than 40 years of experience in retail window industry, Super Binds Mart has been supplying blinds of varied colour and sizes from all the leading brands of Australia. For more information about us, please visit http://www.superblindsmart.com.au Contact Info: Name: Stewart Graham Email: sales@superblindsmart.com.au Organization: Super Blinds Mart Address: 125 Stirling Highway, Nedlands, Perth, Western Australia, Australia, 6009 Phone: 1300 652 027 Video URL: https://vimeo.com/152663125 Source: http://marketersmedia.com/super-blinds-mart-presents-exclusive-offers-for-both-custom-and-ready-made-blind/105807 Release ID: 105807 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Learn-To-Trade.com Inc. Announces March Dates for Free Stock Market-Trading Workshops Learn-To-Trade.com announces Tuesday, March 15, and Thursday, March 17, as the next dates for its complimentary two-hour stock market-trading workshops. -- Learn-To-Trade.com Inc. (www.Learn-To-Trade.com), Toronto's leading provider of professional stock market-trading courses designed to create successful traders on the financial market, is pleased to announce Tuesday, March 15, and Thursday, March 17, as the next dates for its free two-hour stock market-trading workshops. The first free two-hour stock market trading workshop will take place on Tuesday, March 15, from 7:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. at the Learn-to-Trade.com Inc. head office at 885 Don Mills Road, Suite 200 in Toronto. The second occurs on Thursday, March 17 from 7:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. at Humber College North Campus, which is located at the corners of Finch Avenue West and Highway 27. Anyone interested in attending the free 2-hour Learn-To-Trade.com stock market trading workshop on Tuesday, Mach 15 or Thursday, March 17 can register online at www.learn-to-trade.com, by email at info@learn-to-trade.com, by phone at 416-510-5560, or by visiting the Learn-To-Trade.com head office. "While the TSX is still in the red this year, Canada's main stock index is gaining momentum, as gains in precious metals and oil are driving energy and mining stocks higher," says George Karpouzis, co-founder and director of education at Learn-To-Trade, Inc. "Oil is showing signs of strength of increasing hopes that the market has bottomed. At the same time, gold prices remain strong as risk-averse investors seek shelter from global economic weakness." Those who attend the free two-hour workshop will learn about investing strategies that can help them secure their stock positions against losses. They will also learn how to rent stocks to others to create monthly cash flow and speculate on stocks using options. Plus, they will get hear about trading currencies, stock index markets, and the Learn-To-Trade.com Lifetime Membership, where they can reattend any part of the program as often as they would like. "While Canadian stocks and the North American markets remain volatile, a number of proven investing strategies can help investors profit no matter what the markets are doing," Karpouzis explains. "Investors can learn about these opportunities at Learn-To-Trade.com's free stock market-trading workshops." Learn-To-Trade.com Inc. is the leading provider of stock market-training courses in the Greater Toronto Area. Led by licensed, industry professionals, its extensive courses provide its members with the necessary tools to trade financial products in today's complex and fast-paced markets. Stock trading-training courses with Learn-To-Trade.com, Inc. teach investors both basic and advanced stock market investing principles, including: how to read and understand stock prices and quotes, fundamental analysis, technical analysis, and various trading strategies. Through its Lifetime Membership, Learn-To-Trade.com Inc. also provides extensive training and knowledge in stock option trading, stock index trading, futures trading, futures option trading, FOREX trading, risk management, and capital preservation. Members utilize real-time, simulated trading platforms to paper trade until they gain the confidence to make independent market decisions and produce consistently profitable results. As the leading and oldest financial educator in Canada, Learn-To-Trade.com Inc.'s instructors are also educators for the Toronto Montreal Exchange, through which its instructors host educational sessions for the major banks across Canada. For more information about us, please visit http://www.learn-to-trade.com/ Contact Info: Name: George Karpouzis Organization: Learn-to-trade.com Address: 885 Don Mills Road Suite 200 Toronto, ON, M3C 1V9 Phone: 416-510-5560 Source: http://marketersmedia.com/learn-to-trade-com-inc-announces-march-dates-for-free-stock-market-trading-workshops/105798 Release ID: 105798 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Offices.net Publishes 2016 Manhattan Office Forecast Office space provider Offices.net has published a new forecast for the Manhattan market in 2016. -- According to the new report released by Offices.net last night, Manhattan has seen office vacancy rates decrease from 9.3 per cent to 8.5 per cent. This decrease equals to 90 basis points on a year-on-year basis, and brings vacancy rates below Manhattan's historical average of 8.9 per cent, and is likely to create a market favourable to landlords over the year ahead. "Over the past 12 months, federal economic policy has been focusing on expansion, driving an increase in employment rates, especially as far as office-based employment is concerned," said Offices.net director Matt Aird. "The new report from Offices.net demonstrates that this type of employment grew by 2.6 per cent in just 1 year, and prompted a considerable increase in demand led by occupiers in the Manhattan financial services sector. In certain Manhattan sub-markets such as in Midtown South this is being driven by strong demand from tenants in the TAMI (technology, advertising, media and information) sector." The report details that at the end of 2015, total office stock in Manhattan was just under 395 million square feet, of which 28 million were vacant. Total transaction volume amounted to more than 28 million square feet, one of the highest figures of the past 10 years. However, there was a slight decline in transaction volumes in downtown Manhattan, where transactions mostly involved small and medium-sized office properties Average asking rates increased by 5.7 per cent to $71.58 / square foot, up from $67.70 the previous year. Rental rate increase was also significant for Class A rents, which grew by 4.2 per cent with respect to 2014 and reached average values of $76.76 / sq ft. Downtown Manhattan and Midtown South (the latter being a particularly tight market) experienced marked rental growth, as average asking rents in these sub-markets grew by 2 per cent over the past 12 months. "During 2016, growth is anticipated in the Manhattan office market with regards to rental rates, leasing activity, and transaction volumes," continued Mr Aird. "This will be mostly driven by the availability of newly released office space, since according to market analysts at Cushman & Wakefield, at the end of 2015 there were 12.1 million square feet under construction in Manhattan." Up to 11 new developments will be delivered by the end of the year, especially in sub-markets like Penn Station, the World Trade Center, Park Avenue, Grand Central, Hudson Square, West Village, and Chelsea. Occupier demand in these areas is expected to rise significantly over the next 12-15 months. Read the full report here Find out more about Offices.net Manhattan office space. For more information about us, please visit http://offices.net Contact Info: Name: Matt Aird Email: office@offices.net Organization: Offices.net Address: www.offices.net Phone: 1 866 399 1166 Release ID: 105831 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Gourmet Guide Launches, Delivering Top Dining Picks for London and the U.K. Created in association with food authority Gregg Wallace, new site focuses on the cream of the crop throughout the United Kingdom, Gourmet Guide reports -- Gourmet Guide has now launched and is available online at GourmetGuide.co.uk. The new, free guide to the best restaurants in London and elsewhere in the United Kingdom was created with the input of famed presenter, writer, and food authority Gregg Wallace. Already packed full of reviews that highlight and rate the top 10% of the restaurants in London and the U.K., Gourmet Guide will prove to be an indispensable resource for those who love great food. "We're pleased to announce that Gourmet Guide has launched and is now online," site representative Tom Warsop said, "Gourmet Guide visitors can count on finding reviews of only those restaurants that really stand out, whether that means a great gastro-pub or a one of London's top fine-dining establishments. Our reviewers filter out the merely ordinary and delve into those restaurants that are most worthy of our readers' attention. That makes Gourmet Guide a valuable resource for anyone seeking out dining greatness in the U.K., whether in the form of the most romantic restaurants in London or a place to have a great lunch in Wales." Residents of the United Kingdom are famously enthusiastic about dining out, with total annual spending in the restaurant sector expected to top 52 by next year, according to research firm Allegra Foodservice. Even while they cut back on their spending somewhat through the last bout of tough economic times, diners in the U.K. have returned to restaurants with a vengeance, with growth in the industry of about 39% since 2010, according to CGA Peach. While they are more than happy to spend on great food and memorable experiences, those who love dining out have also learned to be more demanding. With a wealth of online outlets that purport to narrow down the options but more often lead to confusion instead, though, many have begun to despair of ever finding a reliable way of focusing specifically on those establishments that can deliver what they are looking for. Gourmet Guide was created to fill this gap. Conceived and launched in association with Gregg Wallace, a writer and television presenter well known for his work on programs like MasterChef, the new site delivers to readers nothing but the best the United Kingdom has to offer. Instead of sorting through listings filled largely with restaurants of average quality or worse, Gourmet Guide readers can be confident that every establishment detailed at the site will be worthy of their attention. Even the lowest rated among the restaurants highlighted at the Gourmet Guide employ fresh, wholesome ingredients cooked in skilled, artful ways, while those rated higher stand out even more prominently on their local stages or the national one. The new Gourmet Guide site is now online and serving visitors, with expert reviews of dozens of the United Kingdom's top restaurants already in place, along with convenient lists that help readers filter through them in a variety of useful ways. Gourmet Guide will be updated regularly as time goes on, with new developments noted on the front page. About Gourmet Guide: Bringing the best in U.K. dining to readers wherever they might be, Gourmet Guide highlights and reviews the most deserving establishments of all kinds. For more information about us, please visit http://www.gourmetguide.co.uk Contact Info: Name: Tom Warsop Organization: Gourmet Guide Address: Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, ST51LU United Kingdom Phone: +447887615271 Source: http://marketersmedia.com/gourmet-guide-launches-delivering-top-dining-picks-for-london-and-the-u-k/105842 Release ID: 105842 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Attorney Rick Oliver has a new criminal law website Houston Texas Attorney Rick Oliver Law has launched a new criminal law website that has been built to inform the public about criminal law related topics. -- Rick Oliver Law has launched a redesigned website that makes timely, useful and easy-to-find resources more readily available for individuals who are in need of a board certified criminal lawyer in Harris County, Fort Bend County, and throughout the state of Texas. The retooled website is mobile responsive and packed with information about criminal law, DWI law, traffic crimes, drug crimes, criminal appeals, and other criminal law related categories. The new website is arranged in six sections: Criminal Law; DWI Law; Resources; Bio; Testimonials; and Board Certified. "Rickoliverlaw.com was established to help individuals and family members who need experienced and credible criminal law information. Our goal is to educate as many people as possible, so that they can make an educated decision about the criminal process." said Rick Oliver owner of Rick Oliver Law Firm. "Our law firm is family orientated and we care about our community and the impact that the criminal process can have on so many people. We just want to make the process as easy as possible and the first step is getting educated." "With over 50% of searches now being done on smart phones, having a website that was mobile friendly was a must for us." Rick added. "We want www.rickoliverlaw.com to be found easily, and we want the good information that it provides to be found easily. This information will not only be able to help people locally in Fort Bend and Harris County who are need legal representation, but pretty much anyone who is in need of good information about criminal law procedures and processes." Rick Oliver is board certified in criminal law. Board Certification is a mark of excellence and a distinguishing accomplishment. Within the Texas legal community, Board Certification means an attorney has substantial, relevant experience in a select field of law as well as demonstrated, and tested, special competence in that area of law. Rick is also a member of the Texas Bar College. For more information regarding criminal law in Texas please visit www.rickoliverlaw.com. For more information about us, please visit http://www.rickoliverlaw.com/ Contact Info: Name: Rick Oliver Organization: Rick Oliver Law Address: 1221 Studewood Street, Houston, TX 77008 Release ID: 105767 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) San Antonio Safe Investments For Retirement Income System Launched Cash 4 Houses, a real estate investment firm with over 20 years of experience, announced a new low-risk system for baby boomers and retirees looking to invest their money for reasonable returns using real estate as collateral. -- The real estate investment business Cash 4 Houses announced a new low-risk real estate investment system for retirees and baby boomers in San Antonio, Texas looking for higher financial returns with minimal exposure. More information is available at http://cash4houses.net. Cash 4 Houses is a San Antonio real estate investor business with over 20 years of experience working with private investors to help them invest in properties in San Antonio at bargain prices. The firm is now providing baby boomers and retirees the opportunity to invest in San Antonio real estate and get excellent returns without all the usual hassles of property investment. As a private lender with Cash 4 Houses, San Antonio retirees and baby boomers are protected by getting first lien on the property they invest in, which means the investor either cashes in on the expected returns or gets the property. The private investors are never invest more than 65% of the property's value...the rest being made up by the owner occupier of the property. The owner of the firm and best-selling real estate author, Mitch Stephen, explains that "baby boomers today realize there is significant risk in the stock market. After losing substantial chunks of their retirement funds, baby boomers are going conservative and looking for fair returns with minimal downside exposure". He adds that Cash 4 Houses "noticed two very important needs not being met. One, people in Middle America are having trouble buying the home they want. Two, retirees want favorable returns on their idle money but can't find an investment vehicle that limits their risk. We recognized the potential to solve the problem of home ownership by offering the retiree the opportunity to solve their investment dilemma. The rest is history." Homeowners across Texas looking to sell their properties for cash can also turn to Cash 4 Houses and its wide range of real estate investment solutions to get a market value offer within 24 hours and close in 7 days or less without any San Antonio realtor fees or commissions. This includes properties in any condition or price range. A free 'Stop Foreclosure Guide' along with advice on Foreclosure scams in San Antonio and detailed information about Cash For Houses' wide range of real estate investment solutions are also available on the website at the link provided above. For more information about us, please visit http://www.cash4houses.net/ Contact Info: Name: Mitch Stephen Organization: Cash4Houses.NET Address: 4035 Naco Perrin #104, San Antonio, TX 78217 Phone: 210-669-4020 Release ID: 105046 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Novia Global is expanding its offering with the launch of its new global retirement account. This has been administered by Dominion Fiduciary Services, and established under trust in Malta. The qualifying recognised overseas retirement account is designed to enable advisers to combine the full benefits of an online straight through processing service. According to Novia it is encompassing a broad asset range with the flexible tax efficient properties that a Qrops can provide. The Novia Global Retirement Account is a defined contribution arrangement designed to provide flexible retirement benefits to the member and death benefits nominated by the member. It is open to any qualifying investor via their intermediary. Additionally, with no minimum or maximum investment amount for the transfer the plan offers the adviser access through the Novia Global wealth management service to portfolio construction, asset allocation and risk assessment tools, as well as the ability to automatically rebalance, switch without incurring Novia Global fees, excluding equities and back test against benchmarks. It also offers a multi-currency service providing access to more than 45 fund managers and fully automated, 24 hour online trading. Bill Vasilieff, chief executive at Novia Global, said: Following a rigorous due diligence process we were really pleased to select Dominion to be the trustees and to administer our Global Retirement Account. Dominion have been operating in this market for seven years, administering over 1bn of pension assets and have a strong reputation in the global retirement market. Paul Davies, director at Global Qrops, said: It is positive that Novia have teamed up with a reputable trust company (in Dominion) to produce a new Qrops option with a flexible approach. As with all Qrops, though, it is important that this Qrops is recommended, by an adviser, for an appropriate client taking into consideration all factors including the clients resident status (in retirement) and their retirement goals. ruth.gillbe@ft.com Royal London has made a number of changes to workplace pensions, including removing exit charges applicable when a customer moves their pension from them in certain legacy contracts. Other changes include the removal of a policy fee on certain legacy workplace pensions that are no longer receiving contributions, which the company says is of particular benefit to customers with smaller pension fund values. The provider also claims to be increasing the overall level of fairness in some of the more complex charging structures, as well as improving how the loyalty bonus structure works on some legacy products. The proposals mainly impact legacy scheme members who should benefit from improved terms to their pension policies in the near future. The changes are expected to benefit more than 27,000 workplace pension members. The changes were recommended by Royal Londons Independent Governance Committee (IGC), which was formed in April 2015 to oversee the governance of the workplace pension schemes administered by the mutual. It estimates the cost of the changes proposed and agreed will be more than 15m and represents a reduction of more than 20 per cent of the charges on the workplace pensions affected. Phil Green, chair of the Royal London IGC, said: I am very pleased that Royal London has taken such a positive approach to the findings of my committee. The company has assisted us throughout the process, making the complex task of weighing up the value for money offered to members by Royal Londons book of workplace pensions a lot easier. They have given us access to detailed management information and the committee has been able to review the comments of actual customers as part of the evaluation. This has enabled us to consider the benefits and quality of the workplace pensions provided, not just their costs. Royal London has agreed to act quickly to implement our recommendations. Phil Green Royal London has agreed to act quickly to implement our recommendations. Steve Webb, director of policy at Royal London, said: We are pleased that the committee found that the vast majority of Royal London customers were getting value for money from their workplace pensions. Adviser View Jonathan Rowley, director of Sheffield-based Hamnett Wealth Management, said: It is a very welcome move. Lots of companies are responding to government calls for greater freedom of movement. It is always difficult for an insurance company to re-write old business but I think it is a welcome change and good for the public. With the flexible freedoms, people want to access pensions before they intended, so anything that prevents them accessing them under the new flexible rules is welcome. A new campaign aims to raise awareness among dog owners of the devastating effects of livestock worrying, which is on the rise according to official figures. The three-month campaign, led by Police Scotland in association with NFU Scotland, Scottish Land & Estates and other authorities, has been launched to coincide with the spring lambing period, when sheep are most at risk. It seeks to highlight the impact of livestock worrying, ensuring that dog owners who live in or walk their dogs in the countryside act responsibly and keep their dogs under close control. See also: Your legal rights on shooting dogs on your land Rural insurer NFU Mutual estimates that more than 18,500 livestock were killed or injured as a result of livestock worrying in 2015 a rise of more than 35% costing the industry more than 1.1m. In Scotland, a Freedom of Information request by NFU Scotland found there were 133 incidents of livestock worrying across the country last year, compared with 93 in 2014, 100 in 2013, 132 in 2012, 132 in 2011 and 109 in 2010. Tips for farmers Check stock regularly in case any have been attacked Report any attacks to the police immediately Ask neighbours to alert you if they see loose dogs near your livestock The regions with the highest reported incidents of livestock worrying during 2015 were Highlands and Islands (18 incidents), Lothians and Borders (18) and Aberdeenshire and Moray (19). NFU Scotland president Allan Bowie said it was very concerning that instances of livestock worrying were increasing. While it is right that the public are able to enjoy the Scottish countryside, it is imperative that they respect the farmers who make a living there, he added. The Scottish Outdoor Access Code sets out clearly what is expected by responsible access. Any dog walker exercising their access rights should ensure they are familiar with the code and also ensure their dogs are adequately controlled so that they are unable to cause distress or injury to farm animals. We continue to work at both a national and local level with Police Scotland and other stakeholders to raise awareness of this issue. Police Scotland rural crime co-ordinator Jane Donaldson said: The devastating effects of a dog attack cannot be overstated. Pregnant ewes can abort their lambs or lambs can be separated from their mothers, causing distress and in some cases malnutrition. The advice to anyone walking and exercising their dogs in the countryside is to ensure that they are under control at all times and avoid going into fields where livestock is grazing. We are encouraging farmers and landowners to engage with dog walkers and to put signs up on gateways and on key roads and paths alerting them to the presence of sheep and lambs in their fields. Just a reminder for all ewe dog walkers during lambing season keep ur mutton a lead when walking near livestock. pic.twitter.com/GwJaP3Nd7E NEFifePolice (@NorthFifePol) March 2, 2016 NFU Back British Farming campaign Love your Countryside highlights how dog walkers can enjoy beautiful rural areas of Britain responsibly. NFU livestock board chairman Charles Sercombe said: Now spring is here we tend to see an increase in the number of people out walking their dogs. But its important to remember that farms are working environments so please be aware of your surroundings. The advice is, if you have a dog with you keep it close by your side and under control. Where there are cows and sheep, put it on a short lead. Remember, cows are inquisitive and may come to investigate. If you feel threatened, walk calmly towards the field boundary and release your dog so you can both get to safety separately. Farmers and those who use the countryside are urged to report all incidents of livestock worrying to police on 101 or 999 in an emergency. Dog attacks on livestock: The worrying facts More than 40 Gaffney High students will compete for titles in the 2023 Miss Cherokeean Pageant being held this Saturday, Oct. 22. The pageant will begin at 6 p.m. in ... How should you pay for short-term financial goals? As you go through life, you will likely have longand short-term financial goals. But how will your strategies for meeting your long-term goals differ from those needed for your short-term... The Billie Jean King Main Library initially closed because of increased "mental health-related episodes" around the facility, official said. EUGENE The 29-year-old man who pleaded no contest to starting the November 2010 arson at Corvallis Salman Al-Farisi mosque was sentenced Wednesday to five years probation. Cody Crawford, who was convicted of a federal charge of damaging religious property after pleading no contest in the case in November, received the probationary sentence as part of a plea agreement that was reportedly supported by the congregation of the Salman Al-Farisi mosque. Prosecutors didnt recommend prison because Cody Crawford is mentally ill and mosque leaders expressed forgiveness and a desire to move on. U.S. District Court Judge Ann Aiken followed the plea agreement recommendations Wednesday. Crawford has been involuntarily hospitalized at Oregon State Hospital for the past 20 months after being found guilty except for insanity in a separate case. Crawford is scheduled to be released from Oregon State Hospital in June 2018 in that separate case. Once he is released, Crawford will be required to participate in a mental health treatment program. Crawford has not admitted to starting the Nov. 28, 2010, fire at the Corvallis mosque, but he pleaded no contest last fall to damaging religious property, noting that he was done fighting. Crawford has been diagnosed with several mental illnesses, including bipolar disorder, depressive disorder and autism spectrum disorder. In a statement to the court Wednesday, Crawford described himself as a high functioning autistic. He also noted that he had never admitted to starting the fire and that he harbored no ill will toward Muslims. I am not a racist. I love almost everyone, Crawford said. Right now Im going to set my mind and soul to rebuilding. As part of the plea agreement for sentencing, federal prosecutor William Fitzgerald did not recommend prison for Crawford because of his mental illnesses. But Fitzgerald reminded the court Wednesday that Crawford was convicted and that there was sufficient evidence to prove that Crawford set fire to the mosque. Assistant federal public defender Bryan Lessley said there was no degree of reliability of whether statements made during a psychotic break were reflective of a persons true beliefs. He added that there was no sufficient evidence that Crawford harbored any anti-Muslim sentiments and that defense attorneys continually deny whether he committed the fire in the first place. During sentencing, Judge Aiken followed a plea agreement that was reportedly supported by the congregation of the Salman Al-Farisi mosque. I would describe a compromise as both sides are unhappy. Neither side won, Aiken said, before likening Crawfords condition at the time of the fire to an elderly person with Alzheimers disease or dementia reverting back to offensive beliefs and actions coming from upbringing. Things you put away suddenly come roaring back. Aiken said she would follow the plea agreement because she believed it more important that Crawford receive the care he needs, rather than punishment through incarceration. The system is far, far, far, far, far from perfect. In fact, its shameful how we handle the mentally ill in the criminal justice system, she said. Today is a good day for justice. The fire at the Corvallis mosque happened after someone reportedly broke out a mosque window and threw in a two-liter soda bottle of flammable liquid, according to investigators. The fire extensively damaged an office at the mosque, which was repaired as a community effort. Investigators reportedly recovered a soda bottle, cap and flashlight that initially tested positive for Crawfords DNA, according to court documents. Prosecutors have maintained that Crawford started the 2010 fire shortly after hearing about a thwarted terror plot in Portland and recognized the suspect in the case, Mohamed Mohamud, as someone who worshiped at the Corvallis mosque. Mohamud, who had been an Oregon State University student, was convicted of trying to bomb Portlands annual Christmas tree-lighting ceremony and is serving a 30-year prison term. Crawfords sentencing stipulates that, in addition to attending mental health treatment upon his release, Crawford will be required to not use alcohol, not possess any weapons, and have no contact with any representatives of the Salman Al-Farisi mosque. I can do all of it, Crawford told Aiken after being read the sentencing. I want to pursue a career in the arts (when Im released). Aiken said she believed him. Youre going to be fine when youre out, she said. As this short session of the Legislature heads toward a possible adjournment as early as today, it has offered us yet again another example of how good intentions end up muddying the waters for a solid piece of legislation. The Oregon Senate likely will be passing House Bill 4002 in the sessions final days; in fact, its possible that the bill might already have been approved by the Senate and is en route to Gov. Kate Brown by the time you read this. This is the bill that directs the state to come up with a plan to address a problem with chronic absenteeism in Oregon schools. Weve talked about this bill, and this issue, before: As The Oregonian reported two years ago in a groundbreaking investigation, Empty Desks, nearly 100,000 Oregon students are chronically absent that is, they miss at least 10 percent of the school year. You dont need to be an education expert to guess that students who dont attend classes regularly are less likely to graduate from high school. Well go out on an additional limb and argue that this rate of absenteeism likely is one reason why Oregons high school graduation rate, although its shown signs of improving lately, is nowhere near where it needs to be. House Bill 4002 isnt revolutionary, by any means, but it could be useful: The statewide plan is due back to the Legislature by Dec. 1, and it will include, among other things, best practices that are working in school districts around the state to help improve attendance. All of this strikes us as a sensible step forward. But the bill doesnt stop there: The bill also includes a provision for a three-year pilot project to develop a model that addresses the role that trauma plays in absenteeism. Heres Rep. Margaret Doherty, D-Tigard, a former teacher, explaining the reasoning behind this: Students who are exposed to abuse, neglect, alcohol and drug addiction, or even divorce and other traumatic experiences during their childhood understandably have trouble focusing on their academics. Thats undoubtedly true. But expanding the scope of the absenteeism project seems to us to run the risk of watering it down to the point where it tells us little beyond what we already know and, worse, gives us little in the way of achievable steps to get more students into more classrooms more often. No one doubts the honorable intentions behind pushing for the trauma study. But heres a case where a narrower approach likely would have been a better bet to generate results. F.Y.I. is a community calendar. To accommodate demand for the print edition, we ask that items be brief and include time, date, place, address, admission cost and a contact number for publication. Inclusion of items is at the discretion of the Gazette-Times. Further information is available at 541-758-9524 or jane.stoltz@lee.net. Assistance FRIDAY Emergency food boxes, by appointment, North Corvallis Ministry Center, 5050 N.E. Elliott Circle. Appointments: 541-220-1040. AARP Foundation Tax-Aide, 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Corvallis Senior Center, 2701 N.W. Tyler Ave., appointments only, 541-602-5829; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Philomath Community Library, 1050 Applegate St., appointments only, 541-602-5829; 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Corvallis Elks Lodge, 1400 N.W. Ninth St., walk-ins and appointments, 541-602-5829. Free tax service open to taxpayers of all ages and backgrounds, with special attention to those 60 or over; AARP membership not required. Information: 888-227-7669 or www.aarp.org/taxaide. Stone Soup lunch, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., gymnasium, St. Marys Catholic School, 501 N.W. 25th St. Free meal for those in need. Emergency food boxes, 1:30 to 4 p.m., St. Vincent de Paul Society Corvallis Conference Food Pantry, campus of St. Marys Catholic Church, 501 N.W. 25th St. No appointment needed. A thrift store is in the same building; proceeds help support the pantry. Information: 541-757-1988, ext. 317. Events FRIDAY Preschool story time, 10 a.m., Corvallis-Benton County Public Library, 645 N.W. Monroe Ave. For children ages 3 to 5. Music a la Carte, noon, lounge, Memorial Union, 2501 S.W. Jefferson Way, Corvallis. The Resonance Jazz Ensemble will perform. Author reading, 7:30 p.m., rotunda, Valley Library, 201 S.W. Waldo Place. Poet Cindy Williams Gutierrez and fiction writer Justin Taylor will read from their works. A question-and-answer session and a book signing will follow. Cole Porters Kiss Me, Kate, 7:30 p.m., main stage theatre, Withycombe Hall, 2901 S.W. Campus Way. Tickets: $15 general admission; $10 seniors, youth, students; $5 for Oregon State University students; 541-737-2784 or http://bit.ly/1wgmtkj. 5 to 1 Theatre presents Sound and Vision, 8 p.m., lab theatre, Majestic Theatre, 115 S.W. Second St. Tickets: $10 to $12; 541-738-7469 or www.majestic.org. Government FRIDAY Corvallis Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board, 7 a.m., Madison Avenue Meeting Room, 500 S.W. Madison Ave. Benton County Board of Commissioners advisory board and committee applicant interview, 9 a.m., small meeting room, commissioners office, 205 N.W. Fifth St. Benton County Board of Commissioners meeting with sheriff, 10:30 a.m., board meeting room, commissioners office, 205 N.W. Fifth St. Health FRIDAY Free medical clinic, 8:30 a.m., Community Outreach, 856 N.W. Reiman Ave. Provides care to low-income people without health insurance. Rapid HIV testing, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Westminster House, 101 N.W 23rd St. Free testing and counseling. Information: 541-740-0405. Spanish-language food handler class, 1:30 p.m., Benton County Environmental Health, Sunset Building, 4077 S.W. Research Way. Information: 541-766-6841. Opportunities Applications are being accepted for Certified Ombudsman volunteers who will serve licensed long-term care facility residents in Benton and Linn counties. A five-day training session will take place early next month in the Corvallis area. Those interested in being eligible to attend training should apply by March 14 at www.oregon.gov/ltco. Organizations TODAY Science of Mind in Corvallis, 7 p.m., Corvallis Chamber of Commerce, 420 N.W. Second St. Sky Dredge will present Energy Anatomy Part 1. Information: www.meetup.com/science-of-mind-and-spirit-our-community-of-love-and-light. FRIDAY Benton County Local Community Advisory Council of the Intercommunity Health Network Coordinated Care Organization, 11 a.m., Sunset Meeting Room, Sunset Building, 4077 S.W. Research Way. Information: 541-768-7307. Corvallis Bicycle Collective, noon to 4 p.m.; for location, call 541-224-6885 or go to www.corvallisbikes.org. The group welcomes all to volunteer or to work on their own bikes. Greater Corvallis Rotary Club, noon to 1 p.m., Corvallis Country Club, 1850 S.W. Whiteside Drive. Information: 541-754-7102. Oregon State Toastmasters Club, noon, room 119, Crop Science Building, southwest corner of 30th Street and Campus Way. Information: 541-207-3054 or http://osutm.toastmastersclubs.org/#null. Corvallis Bridge Club, 10 a.m., 6:30 p.m., Heart of the Valley Bridge Center, 1931 N.W. Circle Blvd. Sign-up 20 minutes before game. Partners/information: 541-754-6596 or www.corvallisbridge.org. Corvallis Kirtan Community, 7 p.m., room 7, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Corvallis, 2945 N.W. Circle Blvd. Kirtan chanting and meditation circle. Information: www.meetup.com/the-corvallis-kirtan-community. Support groups FRIDAY Alcoholics Anonymous: 7 to 8 a.m., noon, room 11, First Christian Church, 602 S.W. Madison Ave. 7 to 8 a.m., upstairs, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Corvallis, 2945 N.W. Circle Blvd. 5:30 p.m., library, pastoral center, St. Marys Catholic Church, 501 N.W. 23rd St. 7 p.m., Crossroads Christian Fellowship, 2555 N.W. Highland Drive. Information (24 hours): 541-967-4252 or www.aa-oregon.org. Narcotics Anonymous: Noon to 1 p.m., 7 p.m., room 11, First Christian Church, 602 S.W. Madison Ave. Codependents Anonymous, 6 p.m., Episcopal Church of the Good Samaritan, 333 N.W. 35th St. Information: 541-754-1589. Crystal Meth Anonymous, 6 p.m., 115 N.W. Sixth St. Information: 541-286-0137. Couples in Recovery open Alanon meeting, 7:30 p.m., room 201, United Presbyterian Church, 330 Fifth Ave. S.W., Albany. Open to Benton and Linn county residents. Information: 541-791-3778. Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. Accident zones : Bonns most frequent accident areas Bonn/Hardtberg Accident investigators identify hot spots throughout Bonn and the region. Here is a list of places where drivers need to be especially vigilant. Teilen Teilen Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Tweeten Tweeten Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Drucken Car crashes are never welcomed, especially in a foreign country where just reading the street signs can be challenging. An obstructed view, traffic rules that are not clear and wet, slippery streets can contribute to accidents. In Bonn and the surrounding area, an accident investigation group examines every year the causes and frequency of accidents in all the hot spots. If the same type of accident is seen in one location often enough, they can improve signage or cut back bushes to allow a better view, reduce the speed limit or take any number of other measures to help reduce accidents. Six accident hot spots have been identified in the region, four in Bonn, two in Hardtberg and one each in Beuel and Bad Godesberg. More data will become available to police at the end of March. Accident investigators will keep working at these areas until the number of accidents are reduced and they are taken off the hot spot list. Some measures have already been implemented. The following are high frequency accident zones where drivers need to be extra vigilant: Bad Godesberg Intersection of Ludwig-Erhard Allee, Heinemann Strae and Herbert-Wehner-Platz. The problem here is those turning left onto Herbert-Wehner-Platz; there are often accidents with oncoming traffic. The speed limit is 50 at the intersection and then goes up to 70. Officials will make the 50 speed limit zone longer to keep traffic at a slower tempo for a longer distance. Bonn Intersection of Bornheimer/Bruhler Strae. Drivers coming from Bruhler Strae often do not give way. As well, there are accidents involving those turning left from Bornheimer to Bruhler Strae. Intersection of Bornheimer Strae, Hochstadenring, Viktoriabrucke (Victoriabridge). Those turning left onto Viktoriabrucke collide with oncoming traffic. Those turning right onto the bridge have a bike path there which can be overlooked; officials say they painted it red in 2014 so it would be more visible. Roundabout traffic at Auf dem Hugel/Am Probsthof. Drivers fail to give way to bicyclists coming from Medorfer Feld. B9/Franz-Josef-Strauss and Marie-Kahle-Allee. Problems occur when drivers are changing lanes to make a left turn or changing lanes in ongoing traffic. Beuel Intersection of B56/L83/Bundesgrenzschutzstrae. Drivers turning from the L83 left in the direction of Sankt Augustin fail to give way to bicyclists who are heading in the direction of the city center. Hardtberg Intersection Konrad-Adenauer and Bruser Damm with Julius-Leber-Strae. Drivers coming from Julius-Leber-Strae disregard the traffic signal. Konrad-Adenauer-Damm and Hardtberg Exit from A565. Those coming from the autobahn exit forget to give right of way to drivers on Konrad-Adenauer-Damm. Ibori and Others to be Repatriated Back to Nigeria to Finish Their jail Terms bayonel3 at 3-03-2016 11:19 AM (6 years ago) (m) According to reports, Nigerians serving jail terms in the United Kingdom will soon be transferred to Nigeria to complete their prison time as the Federal government and the UK government have reportedly signed an agreement for prison transfer. Former Governor of Delta State, James Ibori, is expected to be part of those that will be repatriated to complete their jail term in Nigeria. Ibori still has more than six months to stay in prison. The United Kingdom Minister of Justice, Jeremy Wright, made this known during a visit to the Minister of Interior, General Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau (Rtd) yesterday March 2nd to finalise the process of prisoner exchange between the two countries. According to reports, Nigerians serving jail terms in the United Kingdom will soon be transferred to Nigeria to complete their prison time as the Federal government and the UK government have reportedly signed an agreement for prison transfer. Former Governor of Delta State, James Ibori, is expected to be part of those that will be repatriated to complete their jail term in Nigeria. Ibori still has more than six months to stay in prison. The United Kingdom Minister of Justice, Jeremy Wright, made this known during a visit to the Minister of Interior, General Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau (Rtd) yesterday March 2nd to finalise the process of prisoner exchange between the two countries. Post Reply I scour the world wide web to bring you interesting stories from around the globe. +2348055557203 Posted: at 3-03-2016 11:19 AM (6 years ago) | Hero zezprincess at 3-03-2016 11:32 AM (6 years ago) (f) Heeeiii,And ibori you agree,you for stay there complete your jail terms cos it only remain like 3 months,nigeria prison&obodo oyibo prison no be the sameooo,na now you go know say calabar no be small town. Posted: at 3-03-2016 11:32 AM (6 years ago) | Hero Heeeiii,And ibori you agree,you for stay there complete your jail terms cos it only remain like 3 months,nigeria prison&obodo oyibo prison no be the sameooo,na now you go know say calabar no be small town. Reply zezprincess at 3-03-2016 11:34 AM (6 years ago) (f) Heeeiii,And ibori you agree,you for stay there complete your jail terms cos it only remain like 3 months,nigeria prison&obodo oyibo prison no be the sameooo,na now you go know say calabar no be small town. Posted: at 3-03-2016 11:34 AM (6 years ago) | Hero Heeeiii,And ibori you agree,you for stay there complete your jail terms cos it only remain like 3 months,nigeria prison&obodo oyibo prison no be the sameooo,na now you go know say calabar no be small town. Reply DonShegzy1 at 3-03-2016 11:36 AM (6 years ago) (m) Hmmmn! Dats wld not be bad. i wld av suggested he continues his jail term there but no place like home. Let him come to Naija to finish his vacation....#Lobatan Posted: at 3-03-2016 11:36 AM (6 years ago) | Newbie Hmmmn! Dats wld not be bad. i wld av suggested he continues his jail term there but no place like home. Let him come to Naija to finish his vacation....#Lobatan Reply ogeofmay at 3-03-2016 11:38 AM (6 years ago) (f) Welcome back.in advance.oga sir. Chilling at Posted: at 3-03-2016 11:38 AM (6 years ago) | Newbie Welcome back.in advance.oga sir.Chilling at www.ogesspace.com join me there. Reply nonsovin at 3-03-2016 11:38 AM (6 years ago) (m) See em face Posted: at 3-03-2016 11:38 AM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac See em face Reply gogoman at 3-03-2016 11:40 AM (6 years ago) (m) mmmmmm good for ibori, at least him mama go see am Posted: at 3-03-2016 11:40 AM (6 years ago) | Addicted Hero mmmmmm good for ibori, at least him mama go see am Reply dareper at 3-03-2016 11:40 AM (6 years ago) (m) He will finish his jail term here in a mansion filled with air condition. Big men prison Posted: at 3-03-2016 11:40 AM (6 years ago) | Hero He will finish his jail term here in a mansion filled with air condition. Big men prison Reply emma4love3 at 3-03-2016 11:46 AM (6 years ago) (m) ok...na i just hope that our prison wil be confortable for them...but then home is home.... so there welcome back....besides am sure nigerian govt might grant pardon to some of them.... Posted: at 3-03-2016 11:46 AM (6 years ago) | Hero ok...na i just hope that our prison wil beconfortable for them...but then home is home....so there welcome back....besides am sure nigeriangovt might grant pardon to some of them.... Reply ficull at 3-03-2016 11:48 AM (6 years ago) (m) expect pilgrimage at the Naija prison where he'd be cooling off Posted: at 3-03-2016 11:48 AM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac expect pilgrimage at the Naija prison where he'd be cooling off Reply Novic at 3-03-2016 11:53 AM (6 years ago) (m) Hahahahahah.... this is interesting, that was gud for me make then cm bck to there fathers land and compelet there jail time. i see you buhari, badest man ever liveth. Posted: at 3-03-2016 11:53 AM (6 years ago) | Hero Hahahahahah.... this is interesting, that was gud for me make then cm bck to there fathers land and compelet there jail time. i see you buhari, badest man ever liveth. Reply okatee at 3-03-2016 11:59 AM (6 years ago) (m) I TALK AM BEFORE, ABEGIE MAK DEM SHARPLY BRING AM BACK TO KUJE PRISON. BARAWO.... Posted: at 3-03-2016 11:59 AM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac I TALK AM BEFORE, ABEGIE MAK DEM SHARPLY BRING AM BACK TO KUJE PRISON. BARAWO.... Reply charisVEC at 3-03-2016 12:24 PM (6 years ago) (m) I see..Ur own dan finish,your 3months go b lyk 3yrs 4 here,.naija prison no easy...out prison lyf no easy ..talk less..inside prison life...issokay Posted: at 3-03-2016 12:24 PM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac I see..Ur own dan finish,your 3months go b lyk 3yrs 4 here,.naija prison no easy...out prison lyf no easy ..talk less..inside prison life...issokay Reply Trueyarn at 3-03-2016 12:24 PM (6 years ago) (m) Them for leave am there bcos for here nah case close. Posted: at 3-03-2016 12:24 PM (6 years ago) | Hero Them for leave am there bcos for here nah case close. Reply Haso112 at 3-03-2016 12:34 PM (6 years ago) (m) Is that supposed to be his MUGSHOT? I can bet it was taken in Naija.. Posted: at 3-03-2016 12:34 PM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac Is that supposed to be his MUGSHOT? I can bet it was taken in Naija.. Reply Haso112 at 3-03-2016 12:35 PM (6 years ago) (m) Quote from: reaper on 3-03-2016 11:40 AM He will finish his jail term here in a mansion filled with air condition. Big men prison You're so right... That's the whole plan.. Posted: at 3-03-2016 12:35 PM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac You're so right... That's the whole plan.. Reply vickie_guz at 3-03-2016 12:58 PM (6 years ago) (f) You beta stay over there and finish your jail term cos the moment your enter naija cell, six months will turn to six years Posted: at 3-03-2016 12:58 PM (6 years ago) | Upcoming You beta stay over there and finish your jail term cos the moment your enter naija cell, six months will turn to six years Reply Fran6ixfox at 3-03-2016 01:02 PM (6 years ago) (m) ibori..odidi gbo gbo..welcome home Posted: at 3-03-2016 01:02 PM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac ibori..odidi gbo gbo..welcome home Reply botlex at 3-03-2016 02:30 PM (6 years ago) (m) Okay nah. Your prison inmates don dey wait for you Posted: at 3-03-2016 02:30 PM (6 years ago) | Gistmaniac Okay nah. Your prison inmates don dey wait for you Reply Raspberry Pi 3: 5 Cool things you need to know about this Credit Card sized PC board Features oi -Sayan Raspberry Pi is a single board basic computer having a size as small as your credit card, and well its built for providing basic computing to the masses besides promoting the development of computer coding among kids in schools and colleges. After having launched two editions of this cheap computing board, Raspberry Pi Foundation the company behind this is $35 mini PC board has come up with the Raspberry Pi 3. While the Raspberry Pi 3 still retains the $35 price tag of its predecessor, it comes with a multitude of changes in the hardware department. In fact, it wouldn't be judgmental to state the Raspberry Pi has grown with age! For those who are completely unaware of what the hell this Raspberry Pi is, we have come up with a few cool facts that will make you at ease soon. SEE ALSO: Oppo R9 Coming on March 17: 10 New Features To Pit Against Xiaomi Mi 5! Raspberry Pi: When, where and how? Let's start with some history at first. Well, the first edition of Raspberry Pi was launched exactly 4 years back in February 2012 by a company which was formed by a group of geeky volunteers in UK. Incidentally though during the launch of the Pi 3, Eben Upton the founder of Raspberry Pi Foundation stated that the organization has grown rapidly during the past few years with a staff strength of 60 full-time employees. Much of the credit however, goes to the increased demand and buzz around the credit card sized board which resulted in nearly 8 million devices during the last four years. Raspberry Pi: What is the meant for? When Raspberry was being developed the main aim of the company was to provide a basic computing platform for students around the world who were yet to get a taste of computing. Apparently the $35 price tag of the Pi, epitomizes the company's mission. However, the developer was quite keen about the Raspberry Pi and they started using it for various computing projects. In fact, the Pi was of much use in school and colleges to teach computer coding to students in the form of robotic projects. Raspberry Pi: How has it grown with age? A lot has changed for Raspberry in the last four years, and well it isn't just the company profile which has changed, the Pi itself has been improved by leaps and bound. When the first edition of the Raspberry Pi 1 Model B was launched it consisted of a single core ARMv6 compatible CPU with cores clocked at 700MHz. This was coupled with 256MB of EAM and Broadcom Videocore IV GPU. The ports present on the board included a SDHC, HDMI, micro USB and two full sized USBs. Credits: Wikimedia In 2015, Raspberry introduced the 2nd gen of the Pi with a new ARMv7 compatible quad core CPU with 1GB of RAM. The rest of the specifications were however carried over from its predecessor. The all new Raspberry Pi 3 though is a major revamp as it now comes with integrated WiFi and Bluetooth chips. Previously you were required to connect a WiFi or Bluetooth adapter on to the USB ports, but not now. The integrated connectivity will not only help users connect a keyboard and mouse wirelessly to the device but also pave the way to develop IoT (Internet of Things) projects. Raspberry Pi: All boards are backward compatible so no projects are lost It worth noting that the Raspberry Pi 3 comes with a new 64-bit computing capable Broadcom chip which makes use of four ARM Cortex A53 cores clocked at 1.2GHz each. So the probable question in the mind of the developer would be - "What will happen to the project I built on the previous editions of Raspberry Pi which used a 32 bit SoC?" Well, Eben Upton the founder of Raspberry Pi assures you that you needn't worry as all the chips used in the Pi are backward compatible. Raspberry Pi: The all new Pi 3 is great platform for building IoT products IoT is the new buzz in the technology industry. With the launch of Raspberry Pi 3, budding developers and high school graduates will get a platform to work on various IoT projects using this cheap $35 board as a center of stuffs. The Raspberry Pi 3 can be used as an embedded system attached with the various sensor placed around the Pi which can emit signals to the board making use of the newly added Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity facilities. Wondering what all cool stuff you can build? Well, the opportunities are endless! Best Mobiles in India Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 vs Lenovo K4 Note: 5 Similarities and 5 Differences! Features oi -Ankit Xiaomi is all set to launch the 'Pro' version of their latest budget smartphone, the Redmi Note 3, in India. The phone will compete with the likes of the Lenovo K4 Note, LeEco Le 1S and Honor 5X. While Indian audiences await the launch of the Redmi Note 3, we list out 5 similarities and 5 differences between Lenovo's K4 Note and Xiaomi's Redmi Note 3. SEE ALSO: Raspberry Pi 3: 5 Cool things you need to know about this Credit Card sized PC board SIMILARITIES Dual-SIM card support Both the smartphones have dual-SIM (GSM+GSM) card slots that support two Micro SIM cards each. This allows the user to operate two different cellular numbers, without the hassle of keeping two smartphones. Both the Redmi Note 3 and the K4 Note support 4G LTE bands in India, that is Band 3 and Band 40. Screen Dimensions Both these smartphones are phablet-sized devices and have a similar 5.5-inch IPS LCD display on the front. The resolution (1920 x 1080 pixels or Full HD) is same on both of the smartphones. With minimal bezels, the Redmi Note 3 is slightly sleeker than the K4 Note, but the difference isn't quite evident. The Redmi Note 3 also has a slightly better Screen to Body ratio of 72.4% compared to 71% on the K4 Note. Fingerprint sensor Fingerprint sensors on the back panel of a smartphone are very common these days and both Lenovo and Xiaomi have put in a similar scanner on the back of their budget offerings. Located just below the rear camera sensor, the fingerprint sensor is the same on both and claims to be extremely fast with unlocking speeds that just 0.3 seconds to unlock the device. Similar camera sensors Both these smartphones have the same camera on the rear of the device, and almost similar ones for snapping selfies. The rear camera has a 13MP sensor with features like Phase Detection Auto Focus, dual-tone dual-LED flash and an aperture of f/2.2. The front camera is a 5MP shooter on both the devices, but the Redmi Note 3's front camera has the ability to capture Full HD 1080p videos. Android-Based devices Both the K4 Note and Redmi Note 3 run on Android OS. While both of them are running their custom UIs, the software is based on Android v5.1 Lollipop. SEE ALSO: 5 New Smartphone Technologies introduced in February 2016 DIFFERENCES Processor The Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 outshines the Lenovo K4 Note when it comes to the overall processor performance. With the Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 on the Note 3, the K4 Note is powered by the lower-specced Mediatek MT6753. Having already launched in China last year, the Redmi Note 3 has been showing great performance in terms of multitasking and processing capabilities. Battery capacities Another major difference between the K4 Note and the Redmi Note 3 is the variations in battery capacities. While both have similar form factor and dimensions, the Redmi Note 3 comes with a 4,000 mAh battery and the K4 Note has a comparatively mediocre 3,300 mAh unit, under the hood. Both these smartphones have non-removable batteries. Color variants The Lenovo K4 Note comes in only one color variant - Black. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 has a metal unibody so the company decided to go with color options like Silver, Gray and Gold to complement the finish of the material used. The Note 3, therefore, has the benefit from the consumer, with multiple models to choose from, according to personal preference. Expandable storage The biggest advantage that the Lenovo K4 Note has over the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 is the fact that it supports MicroSD cards. With an additional port, the internal storage on the K4 Note is expandable upto a whopping 128GB, a boon for heavy multimedia users. On the other hand, you are stuck with 16GB/32GB of internal storage on the Redmi Note 3, depending on which variant you pick up. User Interface While both the Redmi Note 3 and the K4 Note run on Android 5.1 Lollipop, the skin or user interface is completely different on both of them. The Redmi Note 3 runs on Xiaomi's very own MIUI that is loosely based on iOS, with no app launchers and a design that is quite different from stock Android. The K4 Note, on the other hand, runs Vibe UI as its software. Vibe UI has a near-stock Android feel with colorful icons and widgets added in. Best Mobiles in India Facebook's Latin America vice president arrested in Brazil News oi -GizBot Bureau Brazilian police arrested Diego Dzodan, Facebook's vice-president for Latin America, for not complying with previous judicial decisions. In a press release, the federal police stated that Dzodan had been arrested in Sao Paulo on Tuesday. This followed an arrest warrant issued by a judge from the state of Sergipe, after Facebook allegedly did not release messages, sent by WhatsApp, a messaging service owned by Facebook, which concerned a drug trafficking investigation. SEE ALSO: 8 Hot Motorola Devices Available On Amazon India At Discounted Price "The arrest was made for the federal police of Sergipe, considering the repeated ignoring of judicial orders...concerning organised crime and drug trafficking," Xinhua quoted the press release as saying. Facebook has maintained that WhatsApp is operated independently and that it has no staff in Brazil and does not store messages, making it impossible to comply with the court order. In December, another Brazilian judge ordered the WhatsApp service to be blocked nationwide for 48 hours after the company refused to provide information as part of an investigation into a user of the app. SEE ALSO: Android N: 8 Highly anticipated Features, Leaked Screenshots, Release Date and more At the time, the judicial decision provoked a wave of criticisms in Brazil and Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, stated that he was "stupefied" and called it "a sad day for Brazil". Source IANS Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications Komli Media renews partnership with Twitter India till 2017 News oi -GizBot Bureau Komli Media, part of SVG Media Group, has renewed its partnership agreement with Twitter for the country till March 2017. Under the renewed pact, Komli will continue to help Twitter expand its promoted products suite of advertising products and emphasise on the company's monetisation efforts. The digital marketing firm had signed this partnership for the first time with Twitter in 2012. Komli would be reaching out to the huge Indian mid-market segment and help them target potential customers on Twitter giving them high life time value per customer and eventual return on investment. SEE ALSO: 8 Hot Motorola Devices Available On Amazon India At Discounted Price A lifetime customer value is a prediction of the net profit attributed to the entire future relationship with a customer. "These are exciting times for us to be in the digital and mobile marketing industry. The Indian market is growing and fast emerging as a significant opportunity distinct from the developed markets in the US and other geographies," SVG Media Founder and Chief Executive Officer Manish Vij said. "Komli has delivered amazing results in past few years and we are absolutely confident about our success in the coming year too," Vija added. Komli Media is driving Twitter advertisement campaigns for some of the biggest Indian brands including Levi's, Cathay Pacific, Zoomcar, Swiggy and Adani, among others. "India is one of the fastest growing markets for Twitter worldwide and we are excited to announce the extension of our strategic business partnership with Komli locally," Twitter Vice President, Online Sales Asia Pacific and Latin America Aliza Knox said. SEE ALSO: 5 Android Apps that will Keep you Busy with your Phone "The partnership will provide additional on-ground support to Twitter's clients and prospects in India, working in parallel with our direct sales team, to strengthen Twitter's presence in the market," Knox added. Source PTI Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications Telecom PSUs to invest Rs 16,815 crore in 2016-17 News oi -GizBot Bureau Telecom PSUs such as BSNL have earmarked an investment of Rs 16,815 crore for the next fiscal in a host of projects, including setting up of Wi-Fi hotspots, enhancing network quality and expanding broadband coverage. BSNL has earmarked capital expenditure of Rs 7,317 crore for 2016-17, while Bharat Broadband Network Limited, which is implementing the national optical fibre network, has investment plans of Rs 9,418.67 crore for the next fiscal. SEE ALSO: Android N: 8 Highly anticipated Features, Leaked Screenshots, Release Date and more "We have capex plan for Rs 7,317 crore. This includes setting up of 40,000 wifi hotspots, 10 times enhancement of core network capacity and Rs 2,000 crore of add-on equipment under phase 7 of network expansion," BSNL Chairman and Managing Director Anupam Shrivastava told PTI. Loss making PSU MTNL will spend Rs 649.03 crore and Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) will invest Rs 100 crore, according to the budget documents. The budget indicates there will be progress in Rs 773.13 acre surplus land of government left with Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd (VSNL), currently Tata Communications, after disinvestment in 2002. Special purpose vehicle Hemisphere Properties India Ltd (HPIL) created to resolve this issue will invest Rs 1 crore in 2016-17. The government has decided to allocate Rs 18,413 crore to the Department of Telecom in 2016-17 which includes provisions for public sector units as well. In the budget, government has decided to allocate Rs 2,200 crore as a refund for surrendering broadband wireless spectrum (4G) in six circles and CDMA spectrum in the coming fiscal. MTNL surrendered 5 Mhz of CDMA spectrum that was put up for auction in Delhi and Mumbai and BSNL in around 8-10 telecom service area. The Budget has provisioned for financial support of Rs 428.91 crore for loss making telecom firm MTNL in 2016-17. SEE ALSO: Google CEO Sundar Pichai announces Google I/O dates: Android N, Self-Driving Cars and More! The support includes refund for minimum alternate tax (MAT), payment of interest on bonds and surrender of CDMA spectrum by MTNL. In current fiscal government has refunded Rs 492 crore as MAT to MTNL. Source PTI Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications Breedlove Discusses Challenges to U.S., European Security By Lisa Ferdinando DoD News, Defense Media Activity WASHINGTON, March 2, 2016 An aggressive Russia is a threat to the United States and its European allies and partners, the commander of U.S. forces in Europe told reporters here yesterday. Air Force Gen. Philip M. Breedlove, NATO's supreme allied commander for Europe and commander of U.S. European Command, spoke after making an appearance on Capitol Hill. 'Russia sees the U.S. and NATO as threats to its objectives and as constraints on its aspirations,' he said. 'Russia seeks to fracture our unity and challenge our resolve.' Russia, he said, poses a long-term threat to the United States and its partners and allies in Europe. In an ideal world, a core element of deterrence would be to significantly bolster forward presence, Breedlove said. But in a constrained budget environment, he explained, the United States is aiming for the appropriate mix of forward presence, prepositioned war stocks that are ready for use if needed, and the ability to rapidly reinforce with troops from the continental U.S. The U.S. and its European allies and partners are working together to deter Russian aggression, he said. '[Russia] is a nation that holds thousands of nuclear weapons, and they talk all the time about using those nuclear weapons,' Breedlove said, adding that such talk is irresponsible for a nation with such weapons. Eucom-NATO Partnership The United States and its European partners are working together to meet the security challenges posed by Russia, as well as from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and instability and mass migration, Breedlove said. 'Eucom is a central part of U.S. leadership of the NATO alliance,' he said. 'We will seek to continue to increase the readiness and responsiveness of the entire NATO force structure.' Breedlove added, 'Eucom remains committed to a shared vision of Europe -- whole, free, at peace and prosperous.' Regarding the cease-fire in Syria, Breedlove said the real proof will be in the actions, not the words. 'Any genuine, real opportunity to find peace for the Syrian people can only be a good thing and we support it,' he said. 'But there is a long way to go to determine whether what we are seeing now will be a lasting and genuine effort.' According to Breedlove, Russian involvement in the fight in Syria has only complicated the situation and bolstered the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and its allies. ISIL Threat Breedlove said ISIL and other criminal elements are taking advantage of the influx of refugees and hiding among those populations. Turkey has been hit particularly hard in the fight against ISIL, Breedlove said. 'The war against [ISIL] hits home particularly hard for our close NATO ally Turkey, which shares borders with Syria and Iraq,' he said. 'Sharply divergent interests in Syria have created a deep tension between Turkey and Russia, and the risk of miscalculation or even confrontation remains high,' he said. To counter ISIL, Eucom is actively facilitating intelligence sharing and encouraging strong civil and military relationships across ministries and borders, Breedlove said. Breedlove closed out the briefing by saying he will travel to Israel for ballistic missile defense exercises. 'As you know, U.S. European Command is charged with assisting in the defense of Israel, and we take that mission very seriously,' Breedlove said. The commitment to Israel 'could not be more firm.' NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NATO Deputy Secretary General discusses reform progress and strengthening of cooperation with Georgian Foreign Minister NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation 02 Mar. 2016 NATO Deputy Secretary General Alexander Vershbow and Georgian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mikheil Janelidze met on Wednesday (2 March 2016) ahead of a meeting of the NATO-Georgia Commission. Ambassador Vershbow reiterated NATO's support for Georgia's ambitious reform agenda and welcomed Georgia's commitment to the implementation of NATO's Substantial Package of support to Georgia. During their meeting, the Deputy Secretary General stressed the need for continued momentum in Georgia's reform efforts and thanked Georgia for its contributions to the Alliance's operation in Afghanistan. These contributions, he noted, have enabled Georgian forces to achieve a high degree of interoperability with NATO forces. Ambassador Vershbow also highlighted progress on the Substantial NATO-Georgia Package. He noted that implementation efforts are on the right track, demonstrating Allies' commitment to Georgia's security and progress towards membership in the Alliance. He also stressed the importance of continued work on the implementation of NATO's Substantial Package and underscored Allies' readiness to explore ways to strengthen NATO's cooperation with Georgia, in line with the commitments towards Georgia made at the NATO Summit in Bucharest in 2008. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Lebanon's Hariri says will continue talks with Hezbollah Iran Press TV Wed Mar 2, 2016 4:51PM Former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri says he is prepared to keep domestic dialogue with the Hezbollah resistance movement, after the group was designated a terrorist organization by the [Persian] Gulf Cooperation Council [(P)GCC]. Hariri made the remarks during a news conference on Wednesday in the Lebanese capital, Beirut. He did not make any comments regarding the council's decision to list the resistance group as terrorist, but said he aimed to continue meetings with Hezbollah 'to avoid sedition' in Lebanon. Hezbollah, a key political and military force in Lebanon, has been fighting Daesh terrorists operating in Syria. The group has also been fighting the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories. The recent move by the (P)GCC, which comprises Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Bahrain, and Kuwait, comes weeks after Riyadh announced that it was cutting USD 4 billion in aid to Lebanese security forces. The aid was cut after Lebanon failed to follow Riyadh's lead in endorsing joint anti-Iran statements at separate meetings held in Cairo and Jeddah. Following the move, Hezbollah's Secretary General Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah accused Saudi Arabia of seeking to instigate a sectarian strife among Muslims. Lebanon has been struggling to form a government for nearly two years. Many believe Hariri, a Sunni Muslim, could return as prime minister under a deal with Sleiman Frangieh, a Christian politician, becoming president. In 2014, Hariri, leader of the country's al-Mustaqbal Movement, said his party was prepared to form a national unity government with Hezbollah in order to resolve the country's political deadlock to elect a president and form a government. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pentagon chief warns China against 'aggressive' actions in South China Sea Iran Press TV Wed Mar 2, 2016 3:27PM The United States has warned China against 'aggressive' actions in the South China Sea, including the installment of surface-to-air missiles on a disputed island. 'China must not pursue militarization in the South China Sea,' US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said Tuesday in a wide-ranging speech at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco, California. 'Specific actions will have specific consequences,' the US defense chief warned. Asked what the consequences could be, Carter told reporters the US military was already increasing deployments to the Asia-Pacific region and would spend $425 million through 2020 to pay for more exercises and training with countries in the region that were affected by China's actions. Carter said Beijing's actions had prompted trilateral agreements that would have been 'unthinkable' even a few years ago. The US Navy has carried out several freedom of navigation exercises in the South China Sea in recent months, sailing near disputed islands to emphasize its rights to navigate the seas. US Navy officials say they plan to carry out more and increasingly complex military exercises in the future. China and the US are at loggerheads over a number of issues, particularly the South China Sea dispute. Beijing claims sovereignty over almost the whole of the South China Sea, which is also claimed in part by Taiwan, Brunei, Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines. The waters are believed to sit atop vast reserves of oil and gas. Washington has sided with China's rivals in the territorial dispute, with Beijing accusing the US of meddling in the regional issues and deliberately stirring up tensions in the South China Sea. Carter said the Pentagon also planned to spend over $8 billion next year alone to expand its fleet of powerful submarines and undersea drones. The Pentagon chief also condemned both Russia and China for their actions to limit Internet access, as well as state-sponsored cyber threats, cyber espionage and cyber crime. He said the Defense Department would spend about $35 billion over the next five years to beef up cyber security and develop offensive cyber options to defeat the Daesh (ISIL) terrorist group and other adversaries. Carter also cited US concerns about Russian and Chinese attempts to develop anti-satellite weapons that could destroy US satellites that are critical to its national security. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Bahraini people stage fresh anti-regime protests Iran Press TV Wed Mar 2, 2016 10:20AM Demonstrators have once again taken to the streets in Bahrain to express their solidarity with detained political activists and call for the downfall of ruling Al Khalifah monarchy. On Tuesday evening, dozens of protesters staged a rally on the island of Sitra, located about 12 kilometers (seven miles) southeast of the capital, Manama, chanting slogans against the Al Khalifah regime and calling for the immediate release of incarcerated dissidents, Arabic-language Sitra news portal reported. Bahraini regime forces then intervened and fired tear gas canisters to break up the protests and disperse the demonstrators. A number of the demonstrators were also arrested. A similar demonstration was also held in the village of Ma'ameer, about 15 kilometers (9.5 miles) south of Manama. Since February 14, 2011, thousands of anti-regime protesters have held numerous demonstrations on an almost daily basis in Bahrain, calling for the Al Khalifah family to relinquish power. In March that year, troops from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were deployed to he country to assist the Bahraini government in its crackdown on peaceful protests. Scores of people have been killed and hundreds of others injured or arrested in the ongoing heavy-handed crackdown on the anti-regime rallies. Amnesty International and other rights groups have repeatedly censured the Bahraini regime over the "rampant" human rights abuses against opposition activists and anti-regime protesters. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Merkel's Plan in Acute Danger: Turkey Rejects NATO Ships in Aegean Sea Sputnik News 14:05 02.03.2016(updated 14:40 02.03.2016) Turkey has put unexpected obstacles in Angela Merkel's way with regard to cooperation with NATO and the recent military campaign in Aegean Sea. Earlier, NATO deployed warships in the area to control the growing influx of migrants, but Turkey doesn't want any NATO military vehicles in Turkish territorial waters, German newspaper Deutsche Wirtschafts Nachrichten (DWN) wrote. 'This indicates that Erdogan is completely getting out of control of Americans and NATO in general. Of course, he doesn't want a close monitoring at the border zone, in the waters adjacent to the territory of Turkey and Greece, because there is an entire business there, involving the Turkish authorities, aimed at smuggling refugees from Turkey to the Greek islands,' Director of the Center for the Study of the Middle East and Central Asia, Semen Bagdasarov, told Sputnik. According to Bagdasarov, Erdogan also wants to demonstrate his offense about the fact that NATO has not actively stood up for him in the context of the confrontation with Russia. However, such disagreements between NATO and Turkey would not lead to any serious consequences like Turkey's exclusion from NATO because Ankara continues to play an important strategic role within the military alliance, the expert argued. Earlier, a senior diplomat told DWN under condition of anonymity that Turkey shows no or little enthusiasm to implement the military part of Merkel's plan. The situation in the Aegean Sea will now depend on the outcome of further negotiations between the Germans and Turks. 'Germany wants to deploy forces in Turkish waters, but the Turks have rejected this [plan],' the diplomat said. The part of the agreement that provides for refugees arriving on boards to be returned to Turkey has also caused significant problems, the diplomat said, adding that Turkey has shown 'little or no enthusiasm' to implement the agreement into practice. However, Ankara has denied claims that it had refused to allow NATO ships enter its territorial waters in the Aegean Sea to monitor networks of migrant smugglers operating between Turkey and Greece, Turkish media reported Wednesday. 'We don't consider it necessary to respond to information from an unknown source. Obviously, it is fabricated and, most likely, intended to incite. The work to ensure [the conditions] for NATO to carry out this type of activity is continuing as planned,' a diplomatic source told the Hurriyet newspaper. Earlier, NATO started a mission to counter criminal networks smuggling refugees into Europe across the Aegean Sea. The military campaign is aimed at curbing the influx of migrants into Europe from the Middle East. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Chaff - Radar Countermeasures Chaff and flares are defensive mechanisms employed from military aircrafi to avoid detection and/or attack by adversary air defense systems. Chaff consists of small fibers that reflect radar signals and, when dispensed in large quantities from aircraft, form a cloud that temporarily hides the aircraft from radar detection. The two major types of military chaff in use are aluminum foil and aluminum-coated glass fibers. The aluminum foil-type is no longer manufactured, although it may still be in use. When ejected from an aircraft, chaff forms the electromagnetic equivalent of a visual smoke screen that temporarily hides the aircraft from radar. Chaff also serves to decoy radar allowing aircraft to maneuver or egress from the area. It consists of small, extremely tie fibers of aluminum or aluminum-coated glass that disperse widely in the air when ejected from the aircraft and effectively reflect radar signals in various bands, in order to create a very large image of reflected signals ("return") on the radar screen. In the air, the initial burst from a chaff bundle forms a sphere that shows up on radar screens as an electronic cloud. The aircraft is obscured by the cloud, which confuses enemy radar. Since chaff can obstruct radar, its use is coordinated with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). There are two types of chaff, aluminum foil and aluminum-coated glass fibers. The foil type is no longer manufactured, although it remains in the inventory and is used primarily by B-52 bombers. Both types are cut into dipoles ranging in length from 0.3 to over 2.0 inches. They are made as small and light as possible so they will remain in the air long enough to confuse enemy radar. The aluminum foil dipoles are 0.45 mils (0.00045 inches) thick and 6 to 8 mils wide. The glass fiber dipoles are generally 1 mil (25.4 microns) in diameter, including the aluminum coating which is 0.12 f 0.06 mils thick. A new superfine glass fiber chaff is being manufactured that is 0.7 mil (17.8 microns) in diameter. Both chaff types have a slip coating to prevent end welding of fibers when cut and to minimize clumping when ejected. The coating is a 1 percent solution of Neofat 18 (90 percent stearic acid and 10 percent pahnitic acid) with naphtha as the solute. The naphtha is driven off during the curing process. The foil chaff has each cut wrapped in a thin paper sleeve. At one time, the foil chaff contained in cardboard boxes was manufactured with a lead-based stripe coating designed to offset the center of gravity of each dipole to increase flutter. The specification for that chaff is no longer in effect, and lead has not been used since the early 1980s. Chaff is intended to act as decoy for radar and/or increase ground clutter at the same time. However, modern pulse-doppler radar can recognize such decoys, especially in the lookdown/shootdown mode. This is particularly true because simple decoys, in contrast to true targets, do not exhibit a corresponding doppler shift in the radar band. The methods used to disperse chaff have evolved over the years, from simply tossing it out of airplane windows to launching it with spring-loaded or pneumatic machines. Currently, the services use pyrotechnic charges, rockets, mortars, air flows, or motors to disperse chaff. Chaff is ejected either mechanically or pyrotechnically. Mechanical ejection uses small foillaminated cardboard boxes (2.8 by 4.8 by 0.8 inches) that are tom open during ejection. Debris from the cardboard boxes consists of the opened box, two high impact polystyrene plastic support pieces (2.75 by 4.75 by 0.06 inches), and paper wrapping for each dipole cut. Cardboard specifications have been changed from virgin kraft paper to recycled kraft paper because it biodegrades more quickly. The sealing adhesive for these boxes is an aqueous type polyvinyl acetate. Pyrotechnic ejection uses hot gases generated by an explosive impulse cartridge. The gases push a small plastic piston down a chaff-filled tube 8 inches long with a 1 inch square cross-section. This ejects a small plastic end cap, followed by the chaff fibers. The tube remains in the aircraft. Debris that is ejected consists of two 1 inch square pieces of plastic l/8 inch thick (the piston and the end cap) and a felt spacer. Chaff cartridges must demonstrate ejection of 98 percent of the chaff in undamaged condition, with a reliability of 95 percent at a 95 percent confidence level. They must be able to withstand any combination of environmental conditions that might be encountered during storage, shipment, and operation. Motors feed chaff from rolls of about 40 pounds through cutters carried on some aircraft to produce either bursts or a continuous stream. The continuous stream technique, called saturation chaff, may be used by aircraft to cover a large area. By 2005 or 2006, the Army also planned to use saturation chaff to mask vehicle and troop movements. Using a cutter, 360 pounds of chaff from nine 40-pound rolls can be deployed in 10 minutes. Depending on the method and the number of aircraft, such releases could disperse billions of fibers. The B-52 can carry about 750 seven-ounce boxes of chaff; each box contains up to 11 million fibers that can be expelled continuously or in bursts. Because of its effects on radar, inadvertent release of chaff is a safety concern. This event can occur due to release system electro-mechanical malfunctions, personnel error, or mechanical system degradation through wear and tear. During a period fi-om 1985 to 1986, a mechanical problem with the AN/ALE-40 chaff/flare dispensing system resulted in a high incidence of inadvertent releases. #WI3 The system was modified in 1987, correcting the problem. The FAA has placed more stringent restrictions on DOD use of any type of chaff that operates within the bands used by air traffic control radar and navigational systems. In taking the more conservative approach to air traffic control and flight safety, FAA has limited or placed restrictions on the locations, altitudes, and/or time periods within which specific types of chaff can be employed. The probability of debris from the chaff system hitting a person on the ground is difficult to quantify. Such an event would be dependent on many variables (e.g., location of use, population density beneath airspace, frequency of use, etc.). Ejected debris consists of the chaff itself, possibly a cardboard box which contains the chaff, flat plastic package stiffeners, a small plastic piston, and a small plastic end cap. Under normal circumstances, all of those elements weigh so little, or create so much drag in comparison to their weight, no injury would be anticipated even if a person were impacted. No incidences of injuries from falling chaff debris have ever been recorded. The only component of concern would be a full box of non-pyrotechnic chaff that failed to open during ejection. This would be a very rare occurrence, since the boxes are sliced open as they are ejected. For comparative purposes, the effect of being struck by such an object is equivalent to being struck by an eight-pound sledge hammer dropped from a height of approximately 10 inches. The effective employment of chaff and flares in combat requires training and frequent use by aircrews to master the capabilities of these devices and to ensure safe and efficient handling by ground crews. Training is conducted through simulated battle conditions within Department of Defense (DOD) weapons ranges and electronic combat ranges and other airspace areas, such as MOAs, MTRs, that have been assessed and approved for chaff or flare use. Chaff and flares are also used in field exercises such as Red Flag at Nellis Air Force Range. Chaff and flares are used by fighter and bomber units over a wide range of altitudes and flight maneuvers or tactics. Deployment of chaff and flares does not interfere with the flight characteristics of the dispensing aircraft. Fighters can drop chaff or flares at any approved altitudes during any flight maneuvers (turns, climbs, descents), airspeed, and G-loading. Although less maneuverable than fighters, bombers can drop chaff or flares at any approved altitudes while in a turn, climb, or descent. Specific descriptions of how chaff or flares are actually employed in training for a combat situation are not releasable. Fighter aircraft flight profiles are more diverse in vertical movement than bomber profiles, due to their low altitude air-to-ground and higher altitude air-to-air roles. Fighter-type aircraft may ingress to a low level target at 200 to 300 feet AGL and 480 to 600 knots to establish their climb angle, climb to 4,000 to 4,500 feet AGL, release the weapon, execute a hard turn while descending to 200 to 300 feet AGL, with multiple hard turns to exit the target area. Chaff will probably be released as the initial climb is established, just prior to weapon release, post weapon release, and as the hard turns are executed. High altitude ingress to a target area may require a "combat descent" to the target or to a lower approach altitude. Depending on the defensive capabilities of the target area, chaff and/or flares may be used in the descent. Aircraft dependent, the descent may be accomplished at 30 to 60 degrees or near vertical angle at airspeeds ranging f%om 500 to 600 knots to supersonic speeds. The materials in chaff are generally nontoxic except in quantities significantly larger than those any human or animal could reasonably be exposed to from chaff use. Safety risks were found to be extremely low and isolated to specific circumstances that can be avoided or managed. The primary issue is the potential for interference with air traffic control radar, which is managed by requiring units to obtain a frequency clearance from the USAF Frequency Management Center and Headquarters Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) prior to using chaff that could interfere with air traffic control radar. Air quality issues included questions about the potential for chaff to break down into respirable particle sizes and the possibility that hazardous air pollutants may be generated from pyrotechnic impulse cartridges used with some chaff models. 'Ibe results of chaff particulate tests and a screening health risk assessment concluded that these are not significant concerns. The potential for chaff to affect soil and water is remote. Levels of use and accumulation would have to be extremely high to generate any significant adverse effects. Laboratory tests of chaff, using a modified toxic characteristics leaching procedure, indicated little or no potential for adverse effects on soil. Adverse effects to sensitive aquatic organisms, although unlikely, may be possible in certain small, confined water bodies. These should be addressed on a case-by-case basis in areas proposed for chaff use that include highly sensitive aquatic habitats. No adverse impacts on biological resources have been identified. Since chaff is generally nontoxic, toxicity-related impacts on wildlife are not anticipated. Based on their digestive processes, few animals are expected to suffer physical effects from chaff ingestion. Information was not available concerning the ability of surface or bottom feeding waterfowl and other aquatic species to process ingested chaff. Effects from inhalation are not considered a significant issue, since chaff particles would represent a small percentage of the particulates regularly inhaled by animals. Given the properties of chaff fibers, skin irritation is not expected to be a problem. Impacts on land use and visual resources are directly related to the visibility and accumulation of chaff debris. A field study of the visibility of chaff and incidental debris in different environmental contexts concluded that significant aesthetic effects are unlikely. A survey of high-use areas did not indicate that chaff or chaff debris accumulates to create visual impacts. Use of chaff over or immediately adjacent to highly sensitive areas such as Wilderness Areas, Wild and Scenic Rivers, National Parks and Monuments, and other pristine natural areas may be incompatible with the land use management objectives for those areas, Issues regarding potential effects on cultural resources are also primarily related to accumulation and aesthetics, or, in the case of Native American resources, are indirectly associated with effects on physical and biological resources. The findings related to biological resources and visual resources, therefore, indicate that adverse effects are unlikely. While little is known about the potential for chemical effects f?om chaff on archaeological or architectural resources, they are considered to be remote, since chaff is composed of common, non-destructive materials. The effects of releases of chaff, dud flares, and flare ash on the environmental depend on a variety of factors, including the quantity of material released, the propensity of these materials to leach toxic chemicals under given conditions, and the sensitivity of receiving environments to contaminants of concern. In that vein, the material likely to generate the highest volume of debris is chaff, which eventually precipitates totally to the surface. Dud flares are rare and incidental events, so it is extremely unlikely that any location would experience a "build-up" of dud flare material in the environment. Flare ash is a by-product of combustion and is widely dispersed by winds. The likelihood that a sufficient quantity of chaff or flare ash would fall into a particular pond, stream, or estuary, to measurably affect its chemical makeup is remote. Esterline Defense Group is the sole qualified producer of chaff in the United States. Esterline's North Carolina chaff facility is the largest fully-integrated production operation in the world, including fiberizing and metalizing of raw glass, cutting and loading dipoles to the desired frequency and packing of the finished product. Esterline produces nearly one million pounds of chaff and integrate over two million chaff cartridges annually. Esterline's chaff products offer high reliability, multiple broadband frequency protection, excellent operational radar cross section and a rapid bloom with minimal birds-nesting. Variations of products are available to suit user requirements. Chaff type Service Weight Composition\a Inventory\b ------------ --------------- --------------- --------------- --------------- RR-72B/AL Air Force Unknown Foil 37,800 RR-72C/AL Air Force Unknown Fiber 210,360 RR-112A/AL Air Force 7.0 oz. Fiber 372,720 RR-129/AL Navy\c 4.7 oz. Fiber Classified RR-136C/AL Air Force 14.4 oz. Fiber 939,990 RR-141E/AL Air Force 6.9 oz. Foil 207,557 RR-144/AL Navy\c 4.8 oz. Fiber Classified RR-149/AL Air Force 5.9 oz. Foil 1,440 RR-149A/AL Air Force Unknown Fiber 412 RR-170A/AL Air Force 6.4 oz. Fiber 23,606,750 RR-171/AL Navy\c 41-43 lbs. Fiber Classified RR-179/AL Navy\c 40 lbs. Fiber Classified RR-180/AL Air Force 6.4 oz. Fiber 830,786 RR-181/AL Navy\c 16 lbs. Fiber Classified RR-182/AL Navy\c 8.5 lbs. Fiber Classified MK-182 mod 1 Navy\d 16 lbs. Fiber 4,841 MK-182 mod 2 Navy\d 24 lbs. Fiber 4,909 RR-184/AL Navy\c 1.4 oz. Fiber Classified RR-185 Air Force Unknown Fiber 235,767 RR-188/AL Air Force 6.4 oz. Fiber 1,881,503 RR-189/AL Navy\c 1.4 oz. Fiber Classified MK-214 Navy\d 24.3 lbs. Fiber 50,163 MK-216 Navy\d 16.8 lbs. Fiber 24,118 M-1 Army 3.5 oz. Fiber 310,000 \a Fiber: aluminum-coated silica glass fibers; foil: aluminum foil. \b Air Force data as of May 8, 1998; Navy data as of March 3, 1998; and Army data as of February 23, 1998. \c Launched from airplanes. \d Dispensed from ships. Chaff Used by ACC Units Chaff RR-112A/AL RR-112/AL RR-129A/AL RR-149A/AL RR-149A/AL RR-170A/AL RR-180/AL RR-188 RR-185/AL RR-ZZZ Aircraft B-52 B-52 various B-52 B-52 C-130 A-10, B-l, C-5, C-17, C-130, C-141, F-15, F-16, F/A-18E/F A-10, C-130, F-15, F-16 A-10, F-15, F-16 B-52 Composition Aluminum coated glass Foil Aluminum coated glass Foil Aluminum coated glass Aluminum coated glass Aluminum coated glass Aluminum coated glass Mode Mechanical Mechanical Mechanical Mechanical Pyrotechnic Pyrotechnic Pyrotechnic Mechanical Configuration Rectangular aluminum foil laminate Kraft paper box with 2 Polystyrene supports Rectangular aluminum foil laminate Kraft paper box with 2 Polystyrene supports Rectangular aluminum foil laminate Kraft paper box with 2 Polystyrene supports Rectangular aluminum foil laminate Kraft paper box with 2 Polystyrene supports Rectangular tube cartridge Rectangular tube cartridge with dual longitudinal cartridge Rectangular tube cartridge Rectangular plastic box held together with metal clips Size 2.8 x 4.8 x 0.8 inches (10.75 cubic inches) 2.8 x 4.8 x 0.8 inches (10.75 cubic inches) 2.8 x 4.8 x 0.8 inches (10.75 cubic inches) 2.8 x 4.8 x 0.8 inches (10.75 cubic inches) 8 x l x l inches (8 cubic inches) 8 x 1 x 1 inches (8 cubic inches) 8 x l x l inches (8 cubic inches) 2.8 x 4.8 x 0.8 inches (10.75 cubic inches) No. of Dipoles 11 million 0.55 million or 1.1 million Unknown 1.78 million 3.12 million 2.72 million 5.46 million Classified Dipole size (x-section) 1 mil (diameter) 0.45 x 8 mils 1 mil (diameter) 0.45 x 6 mils 1 mil (diameter) 0.7 mil (diameter) 1 mil (diameter) 1 mil (diameter) Impulse Cartridge none none none none BBU-35/B BBU-Q8/ BBU-35/B none Other Comments Box ejected Older type; box ejected Box ejected Older type; box ejected Cartridge stays in aircraft "Superfine" type; Less interference with FAA radar (no D and E bands) replaces R-170 for training Special order for Desert Storm NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Reverse Osmosis Water Purification Unit (ROWPU) The Reverse Osmosis Water Purification Unit (ROWPU) provides potable water from any water source. The Army's workhorse, the ROWPU produces potable water from a variety of raw water sources such as wells, lakes, seas, lagoons, rivers, oceans and ice holes. Today's modern Army relies on the ROWPU to purify brackish water and salt water. The ROWPU, resembling a large trailer, comes in a variety of sizes and uses a variety of chemicals and membranes to filter and purify water for consumption. The proper use of the ROWPU can provide purified drinking water for thousands of soldiers in a military theater. The treatment of water is necessary to prevent various waterborne diseases, such as typhoid and dysentery. Treatment processes must control certain chemical and physical characteristics of water, such as hardness or unpleasant taste. Hence, the function of a water treatment is not only to make water safe for human consumption but also to make water more palatable, less scale forming, and more suitable for use in laundries, boiler plants, and various other places. The ROWPU utilizes pure water extraction methods employing reverse osmosis in either a single-pass (using one membrane bank) or double-pass mode (using two membrane banks) depending on the type of water being purified. A 50-micron self-cleaning filter and a 5-micron cartridge filter provide two-stage pre-treatment. Post-treatment is by chlorination. The ROWPU has its own generator (the unit can also be hooked up to an external power source.) The ROWPU's filters, called reverse osmosis or RO elements, are critical to desalinization and purification of water. These filters have a lifecycle of 1,000 to 2,000 operational hours. Conceivably, a ROWPU will not operate continuously or indefinitely on one set of filters. The duration of the mission will dictate down time for the ROWPU. Also, the end of deployments or training exercises and winterization of the ROWPU will result in down time. The work of RO elements begins when the ROWPU operators feed raw water through the filters at intensified pressure. The filtration process separates impurities from the raw water, whether fresh, brackish or salt water. Then the ROWPU operators add disinfectant to the filtered water to conclude the purification process before storing the water as potable. Critical to this whole process is the proper functioning of the RO elements. ROWPU operators monitor the system's gages to monitor how well the RO elements are working. Improperly functioning filters must be cleaned or replaced. Replacing the filter elements of the Reverse Osmosis Water Purification Unit (ROWPU) is extremely expensive, but units can keep replacement costs at a minimum with some alternatives available today. One 600-gallons per hour ROWPU with 8 filters and one 3,000-gallons per hour ROWPU with 12 filters, for example, have a combined filter replacement cost of $15,555.75. Projected Armywide, these filter replacement costs could adversely impact unit funds for soldier training. Maximizing operational hours while minimizing operational costs for the ROWPU filter elements with proper storage, equipment tests and operator training will save money. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Passenger Ships - 19th Century By 1840 there were several lines of sailing vessels in operation between America and Europe, and the ships were provided with accommoda- tions for the three classes into which travellers have been divided from early times. It is impossible at this day to determine with exactness the volume of passenger traffic in clippers, for no complete records were kept; but that it was comparatively light may be inferred from the fact that provision was made in the large ships for ten first-cabin and twenty second-cabin passengers. The steerage capacity varied from eight hundred to one thousand, and it was a long time after steam-ship lines had been established before immigrants ceased to come over in clippers. In fact for ten years after the inauguration of the first steam line in 1840 the immigrants had no choice the steam - ships carrying none but cabin passengers. The appointments of cabins and state-rooms were meagre as compared with the great steam-ships of later days, but the table fare was substantially the same. The first-cabin passengers fared as they might in a good hotel; those in the second cabin, or intermediates, as they were called, had a plentiful supply of plain, well-prepared food, and the needs of the steerage passengers were looked after by the British Government, which instituted an official bill of fare. Several attempts were made to establish regular lines, that is, a service with stated times of sailing from one years end to another; but none of these succeeded until 1840, when the British and North American Royal Mail Steam-Packet Company was organized. The chief promoter of this concern was Mr. Samuel Cunard, of Halifax, and the name of the corporation was speedily forgotten in the popular adoption of his name. The first fleet of the Cunard Line consisted of four vessels: the Britannia, Acadia, Caledonia, and Columbia. The Britannia carried ninety cabin passengers on her first trip, departing on 04 July 1840, and making the voyage to Boston, including a detour to Halifax and delay there of twelve hours, in fourteen days and eight hours. Although the passengers had the run of the entire ship, their accommodations were little, if any, better than those provided in the clippers. The saloon and state-rooms were all in the extreme after-part of the vessel, and there were no such things as comfortable smoking-rooms on deck, libraries, sitting-rooms, electric lights and annunciators, automatic windows to port-holes. And there were no baths to be obtained except through the kind offices of the boatswain or his mate, who vigorously applied the hose on such passengers as came dressed for the occasion when the decks were being washed in the early morning. State-room was much more of a misnomer then than it later became. The pioneer steam-ship had chambers so narrow that there was just room enough for a stool to stand between the edge of the two-feet-wide berth and the wallmere closets. There were two berths in each room, one above the other. By paying somewhat less than double fare a passenger given to luxury might have a room to himself, according to the advertisement of the Great Western. Within such narrow quarters, however, everything possible was done for the passengers comfort. The difference between the earliest days of the Cunard Line and that of 1900 was by no means as great as might be expected. The table was as good in 1840 as it was in 1900, and the officers and stewards were just as attentive. There was more costly ornamentation in 1900; but that aside, the two great improvements over the liners of 1840 were in speed and space. Mr. Cunard was correct in believing that transportation by steam would stimulate travel between the continents. For several years the Cunard Line enjoyed what was substantially a monopoly of the steam carrying trade between England and America, although individual vessels made trips back and forth at irregular intervals, and various and unsuccessful attempts were made to establish a regular service. The first enterprise of this kind that originated in the United States was the Ocean Steam Navigation Company. In 1847 this corporation undertook to carry the American mails between New York and Bremen twice a month. The most important American rival which foreign corporations encountered in transatlantic steam navigation was the Collins Line. Mr. E. K. Collins began to interest New York merchants in a plan to establish a new steam-ship line in 1847. Two years later the company he organized launched four vessels: the Atlantic, Pacific, Arctic, and Baltic. The Government paid the company $858,000 yearly for carrying the mails, under the condition that the vessels make twenty-six voyages every year, and that the passage from port to port should be better in point of time than that made by the Cunarders. The Collins Line met the conditions successfully; its vessels making westward trips that averaged eleven days, ten horns, and twenty-one minutes, as compared with twelve days, nineteen hours, and twenty-six minutes by the British steam-ships. Many features that have since come to be regarded as indispensable on board ship were introduced by the Collins vessels. Among them none attracted more comment when the Atlantic arrived at Liverpool, at the end of her first voyage, May 10, 1849, than the barber-shop. To all intents and purposes the corporation was bankrupt at the end of six years. It cost too much to maintain the high rate of speed required by the Government. During the Crimean War the transatlantic trade received a severe check, as more than half the steam-ships were withdrawn and placed in the service of the British and the French Governments as transports; during that time the Collins Line and other American lines received quite an impetus by many of the vessels of both the Cunard and Inman Lines being required for transport duty. At the close of the Crimean War, however, a reaction set in when these ships were again put in commission, with a decidedly disastrous effect on the American lines. In 1855 Commodore Vanderbilt endeavored to get a subsidy from the American Government for a mail line to Europe, but, notwithstanding his failure to procure this contract, he placed three or four vessels on the route between New York, Southampton, and Havre, and later on the Bremen route. The venture was more or less profitable. The last remnants of American enterprise in Atlantic passenger traffic disappeared with the steam-ships Fulton and Arago of the New York and Havre Line, which were withdrawn in 1868. Two innovations introduced by the Inman Line became prominent features of ocean business, and it may be left an open question as to which was the more important. One was the use of the screw-propeller, and the other was the carrying of steerage, or third-class, passengers. Previous to 1850 all steamships built for transatlantic voyages had been side-wheelers, and even as late as 1870 there were steam-vessels that came into the port of New York with the walking-beam, familiar to patrons of ferry-boats and river steamers. The principle of the screw-propeller had been known and utilized for many years; but it was not believed that a steamship could cross the ocean in safety unless side-paddles were employed. The first iron transatlantic screw steam-ship was the City of Glasgow, built on the Clyde by Tod & McGregor. She made four successful voyages between Glasgow and New York before she was purchased by the corporation that afterward became known as the Inman Line. This innovation, although it did not result at first in any marked increase of speed, soon found approbation in the policies of rival companies for reasons of economy and space. The introduction of the screw-propeller added to the discomforts of the cabin passengers; for in the first vessels of the Inman Line the state-rooms and saloons were retained in the after part of the ships, where the motion of the sea and the noise of the screw were most apparent. This location had made sense for the earlier paddle-wheel vessels, where the propulsive noise was amid-ships, but not with a ship were the screws were to stern. The other innovation was equally long in finding acceptance among oceanic steam-ship companies, but it eventually prevailed, even to the extermination of the clipper ship as a passenger carrier. The steady increase in passenger traffic between the two continents led to the organization of many other companies that tried to find a share in the carrying business. During the period from 1850 to 1860 many Atlantic lines were established. The new-comers during that decade, as well as in the following decade, adopted generally the innovations ventured by the Inman Line. But it was not until after 1870 that the sidewheeler disappeared from the ocean, and it was not until 1874 that clipper ships ceased to bring immigrants. Although the transatlantic lines multiplied rapidly, and the business induced by foreign traffic increased steadily, there was no other marked improvement in the service until 1870, when the Oceanic Steam Navigation Company entered upon its career. In this case also the legal title of the corporation was soon forgotten in the popular adoption of a short name to designate the line; and this new enterprise has been known almost from the beginning as the White Star Line. Their first steamship was the Oceanic, and its model and appointments throughout became the pioneer for later liners. They heeded the complaints of the travellers who suffered from the noise and motion in their state-rooms in the after part of the boat. In the old style of steam-ships the passenger who desired to sleep had to contend against the noise of the screw, the creaking of the steering apparatus, and the most extreme motion possible upon the vesseL The White Star Line arranged its saloons and state-rooms so as to bring them as near as possible to the centre of gravity; placing them, therefore, amidships. The year 1870, therefore, marked an epoch in steam navigation, and every vessel, or nearly so, built since that date conformed to the model set by the Oceanic. Prior to the Oceanic ships were built on the lines of sailing vessels, and a poop extended with scarcely a break from the focsle to the quarter-deck. When a sea came on board it was held as in a sluice between the high bulwarks and the poop, swashing fore and aft with the pitch of the ship, until it drained off through the scuppers. Most of the state-rooms were then situated below the main deck, and after such a sea they were likely to be flooded -- it was a frequent occurrence to find cabins inundated. This was the least mischief it did, and when several seas were shipped in rapid succession, the vessel was in danger of foundering. Subsequently, steamers were much better protected from incoming seas, and the main deck was completely covered in. Instead of the bulwarks there was a simple rail and netting, and any water shipped flowed overboard as quickly as it came on board. The relative accessibility of the markets of Asia from the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts of Europe and from the Pacific coast of the United States depended as much on facilities of transportation as on distance. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1867 permitted economical communication by steamships for Europe. The employment of steel in the construction of the hulls of merchant steamships, begun in 1879, opened to the United States the trans-Pacific trade. Steamships from the American Pacific coast had to carry coal for the entire voyage across the Pacific, with a corresponding increase in expense and reduction in the space which can be devoted to earning freight money, while the Suez route offered several opportunities for re-coaling, and in consequence permited the employment of more space for revenue-earning cargo. The use of steel in the construction of hulls made it possible to build steamships so large that they could carry the 3,000 tons of coal, or thereabouts, necessary to traverse at full speed the 6,000 miles which separates the American Pacific coasts from China. By the 1890s the appearance of large steel steamships in the trade directly across the Pacific revolutionized the relations of the commercial, manufacturing and agricultural world to Asia. From 1838, when the Sirius crossed the ocean, till 1879, one hundred and forty-four steamers, counting all classes, were lost in the transatlantic trade. Of the one hundred and forty-four vessels lost up to 1879, more than one-half were wrecked. Twenty-four never reached the ports for which they sailed, their fate stillbeing unknown; ten were burned at sea; eight were sunk in collisions, and three were sunk by ice. In the records of the Hydrographic Office it appeared that, from 1882 to 1890, thirty-six steamers were more or less injured by ice in the North Atlantic, though some of these were freighting and coastwise vessels. The commonest explanation offered of the fate of the missing ships is collision with ice in fog or in the darkness of night. From year to year the speed was improved, until so many steam-ships were classed as racers that the rivalry came to be centerd in appointments and luxurious accommodation. By the end of the 19th Century, on the most unpretentious steamship, there was room enough in the chambers to put a small trunk, and even other articles of convenience to the traveller and one may dress, if he takes reason able care, without knocking his knuckles and elbows against the wall or the edges of his berth. Nowadays, too, the stateroom is usually large enough to accommodate three or four persons, while some are arranged to hold six and even eight persons. The inauguration of the Oceanic Company marked the beginning of what maybe called the second epoch intransatlantic travel, and with the first voyage of the City of New York a third epoch was begun. This period was distinguished by the twin-screw steam-ship. She was the first ship (except Great Eastern) to exceed 10,000 tons. These new vessels were not remarkably superior to the best single-screw steam-ships in the matter of speed, and any advantage gained in this respect may be attributed to their having greater horse-power. The great merit of the twin-screw ship lies in the increased safety which its mechanism insures. It admits of avoiding obstacles that would surely wreck a single-screw vessel, of better handling in case of collision, and of surer progress in the event of the breaking of a shaft. Such steamers as the City of New York and the City of Paris were designed so as to carry about five hundred first-cabin passengers each, but they carry less steerage passengers than other ships, which added greatly to the comfort of saloon passengers. They were subdivided into twenty-four water-tight compartments, and this, with due allowance for the architects notions, led to the supplying of bath-rooms about the ship, according to the number of passengers carried; several suites of rooms on the upper deck were arranged with bath-rooms and toilet-rooms. To each class of passengers was furnished its own bath-rooms, smoking-room, saloon, and dining-room. The steerage was so divided that the third-class passengers are not only away forward, but aft also; and they had the whole of one deck to themselves for promenading and getting glimpses of ocean views. By 1891 the fastest westward trip on record was that of the City of Paris, her time of 5 days, 19 hours, and 18 minutes being undisputed. Her best eastward trip was made in 5 days, 22 hours, and 50 minutes, which was also the fastest trip on record to the eastward. The City of New York had made the westward voyage in 5 days, 21 hours, and 19 minutes; she made the eastward voyage in 5 days, 23 hours, and 14 minutes. In that year there were twelve steam-ship lines whic had regular sailing days each week, and some had saiings twice and three times a week; they all terminated or began in New York, and on these lines there were eighty-four steamships which carried saloon and steerage passengers. For many years past it had been the custom to divide all steamers by transverse bulkheads into so - called water-tight compartments, the purpose of which was to increase their buoyancy and stability in case of collision. The Oregon was divided into ten compartments, but she sank in a few hours after her collision with a coal schooner off Fire Island light. The compartments have invariably proved useless when the ship has been struck amidships with sufficient force to open her engine and boilers to the sea, though when the weather has been calm and the injury forward or astern, they have kept her afloat. The insufficiency of their number in proportion to the size of the ships was not their only defect, moreover. In order to give an unobstructed passage along the decks it was the custom to cut doors in the bulkheads, and it frequently happened that in the confusion following a collision these had been left open, allowing the sea to rush from compartment to compartment, either because they were forgotten or because they refused to work. The greatest improvement in the direction of safety was the system of bulkheads and double bottoms introduced by the builders of the City of New York and the City of Paris. In the City of Paris and the City of New York, there were no fewer than twenty water-tight compartments separated by solid transverse bulkheads, which rose from the keel to the saloon deck, eighteen feet above the water-line, and which had no doors or openings of any kind whatever. For many years past the value of the twin screw has been debated by the builders, the managers, the captains, and the engineers of the great transatlantic lines, to whom it did not commend itself so readily as to the Admiralty. It was adopted for war-ships several years before any of the wellknown passenger lines ventured to use it, and its first appearance in this service was in the City of New York. The propellers are worked by two complete and entirely independent sets of boilers and engines, and these were separated by a longitudinal bulkhead in addition to the transverse bulkheads. In a single-screw ship this longitudinal bulkhead is impossible, and the space in which her engine and boilers are situated is her most vulnerable point; if she is struck there with sufficient force to make a fissure large enough to admit any considerable quantity of water, nothing will save her from sinking. The City of New York and the City of Paris were also provided with double bottoms, so that, should the outer skin be torn, the inner one would still exclude the sea; and the efficacy of oil in calming the troubled waters has been so well established that apparatus for its distribution is placed in the bows. By around 1890 steel had been almost entirely substituted for iron, it being lighter and more durable. Vessels were lighted by electricity in every quarter, including even the steerage; there was ample room for exercises and games on deck; there were well-stocked libraries and music-rooms, no well-ordered ship being without a piano or organ, and some had both; smoking-rooms were usually on the upper deck; electric annunciators were handy; bath-rooms were numerous; the thrashing of the screw was heard faintly at the worst; there was plenty and a variety of food; and in short, the majority of cabin passengers fared for a week better, and were surrounded by more appointments of wealth and luxury than they were accustomed to in their own homes. The ships that were regarded as leviathans in 1875 were as yachts compared with more recent additions to the various fleets. Scarcely more than ten years had elapsed since sixteen knots was the maximum speed; by 1890 it was twenty knots, with the certainty of an almost immediate increase to twenty-one or twenty-two knots. The tonnage had increased within the same period from a maximum of five thousand to ten thousand five hundred, and while in 1880 two hundred cabin passengers were as many as any steamer could accommodate with a reasonable degree of comfort on one voyage, by 1890 it was not uncommon to find over five hundred as the complement of one steamer. When steamers of sixteen and seventeen knots were built, it was said that they were too large and too fast, and that they would surely come to grief, but experience has proved them to be as safe as any. In 1850 a 1,400-ton sailing vessel was considered a big ship, but by 1890 some of the new British four-masted steel ships sailing between Europe and America carry from 5,000 to 6,000 tons of cargo. Great as had been the changes in ocean transportation, still greater changes were pending. The transatlantic business showed the most marked changes. From the old time packetship to the early type of steamship was but the first step. Faster vessels were built, and the space devoted to cargo was encroached upon by enormous engines and boilers, by big coal bunkers, and by large saloons and an increased number of staterooms. The hulls changed from the bulging sides of the first types to the narrow, racing pattern of the 1890s. Speed and the arrangements for the comfort of a large list of passengers robbed the vessels of their freight capacity, and the freight of an ocean greyhound was a secondary consideration. This necessitated the creation of a distinct class, known as the freighter. The first railway cars having compartments for passengers, baggage, and freight were changed to express trains where speed and comfort are the first considerations, and freight trains, where carrying capacity is the main object. In just the same manner, and for the same reasons, by 1890 the ocean traffic underwent the same changes. By 1891 there were twenty-nine regular lines of steamships running between New York and European ports. Of these, eight lines ran express steamships, and twenty-three lines carry passengers and freight. The other six lines transported freight only. Next to the ocean greyhound came a class of steamships requiring from 7 to 8 days to cross the Atlantic, and having accommodation for from 800 to 1,000 passengers of all classes, and from 2,000 to 5,000 tons of freight. Both passenger and freight rates were slightly less than on the greyhounds, a preference being given to the latter, at certain times, according to the condition of the market. The slower ships were patronized by people to whom the saving of a few dollars is an object, and by some who enjoyed the ocean trip too much to be in a hurry about landing, and by others who imagined all sorts of dreadful things were going to happen to the racers. The class of freight carried varied but little from the faster ships, except that the mails, specie, and express goods were usually lacking. Cotton, tobacco, and merchandise, including manufactured goods and machinery, form the bulk of the general cargo. The 19th-century steamships were "warriors for the working day," carrying hundreds of thousands of people across the Atlantic, ranging from the privileged travelers in the rarefied realm of first class to the huddled masses of immigrants in steerage.Between the years 1607 and 1920, it is estimated that over thirty million immigrants came to these shores; during the past two centuries over half of them arrived through the port of New York. First and second class passengers who arrived in New York Harbor were not required to undergo the inspection process at Ellis Island. Instead, these passengers underwent a cursory inspection aboard ship; the theory being that if a person could afford to purchase a first or second class ticket, they were less likely to become a public charge in America due to medical or legal reasons. This scenario was far different for "steerage" or third class passengers. These immigrants traveled in crowded and often unsanitary conditions near the bottom of steamships with few amenities, oftenspending up to two weeks seasick in their bunks during rough Atlantic Ocean crossings. Upon arrival in New York City, ships would dock at the Hudson or East River piers. First and second class passengers would disembark, pass through Customs at the piers and were free to enter the United States. The steerage and third class passengers were transported from the pier by ferry or barge to Ellis Island where everyone would undergo a medical and legal inspection. If the immigrant's papers were in order and they were in reasonably good health, the Ellis Island inspection process would last approximately three to five hours. From 1892 to 1954, over twelve million immigrants entered the United States through the portal of Ellis Island. The first steamboat on the Great Lakes was the passenger carrying Walk-In-The-Water built in 1818 to navigate Lake Erie. She was a success and more vessels like her followed. Steamboats on the lakes soon grew in size as well as in numbers, and additional decks were built on the superstructure to allow more capacity. This inexpensive method of adding capacity, adapted from river steamboats and applied to lake craft, was at first decried by deepwater men as unsafe but later proved worthwhile and was ultimately applied to ocean liners. The screw propeller was introduced to the Great Lakes by Vandalia in 1842 and allowed the building of a new class of combination passenger and freight carrier. The first of these "package and passenger freighters," Hercules, was built in Buffalo in 1843. Hercules displayed all the features that defined the type, a screw propelled the vessel, passengers were accomodated in staterooms on the upper deck, and package freight below on the large main deck and in the holds. Engines developed as well. Compound engines, in which steam was expanded twice for greater efficiency, were first used on the Great Lakes in 1869. Triple-expansion engines, for even greater efficiency, were introduced in 1887 and quadruple-expansion engines, the ultimate type of reciprocating engine for speed, power and efficiency, appeared on the lakes in 1894. Steamboat lines were established by railroads on the Great lakes to join railheads in the 1850s. This service carried goods and passengers from railroads in the East across the length of the lakes to railroads for the journey West. Railroads bought and built steamship lines to compliment railroad services. One such railroad-owned steamship line was formed by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1865 to connect their terminals at Buffalo, New York, to those of the Great Northern Railroad at Duluth, Minnesota. This new line, owned by the Erie and Western Transportation Co., became the well known "Anchor Line." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Haiti Politics Haiti's political situation has improved in recent years, but remains fragile. The uncertainty that periodic vacancies in the prime ministers position, cabinet changes, and infighting in Parliament created has hindered both reconstruction efforts and passage of important legislation. However, political violence is rare, and recent statistics suggest increasing capacity of law enforcement officials to deter and prosecute violent crime. There have been no recent cases of political groups targeting foreign projects and/or installations. Historically, politically motivated civil disorder, such as periodic demonstrations and labor strikes, sometimes interrupted normal business operations. Land invasions by squatters are a problem in both urban and rural areas, and requests for help to law enforcement authorities often go unanswered. Demonstrations are frequent in Port-au-Prince and other outlying areas for various reasons, to include dissatisfication of infrastructure and utilities to disapproval of Haitian government entities or UN presence. Any demonstration is capable of turning violent, and innocent bystanders or travelers can be caught up in a clash, rock throwing, and tire burning road blocks between demonstrators and the HNP. Violent political protests occur regularly in downtown Port-au-Prince around the National Palace, the Champ de Mars, and the State University campuses, along with sporadic incidents scattered throughout the city. These protests had been frequent, averaging multiple incidents per week since mid-2009 and with 360 total in 2011. The demonstrations have been motivated by a wide-variety of political and social movements, ranging from minimum wage to school curriculum to the presence of UN forces in the country to cholera response and the Haitian presidential elections. They shared a common trend in that protestors were quick to barricade streets and regularly stone the windows of passing motorists vehicles. As in many developing countries, radio reaches the widest audience in Haiti. Estimates vary, but more than 300 radio stations are believed to broadcast throughout the country. Talk show programs serve as one of the few ways in which ordinary Haitians can speak out about politics and the government. A law passed in 1997 declares the airwaves to be the property of the government, but at least 133 unlicensed radio stations operate freely. In addition, there are 50 community-based stations throughout the country. Television is available only to a minority of relatively wealthy households. Two television stations serve approximately 42,000 households that have television receivers. Satellite stations from foreign countries are available in Haiti, but only to those with the expensive equipment necessary to receive them. Haiti's three French-language newspapers have a total circulation of less than 20,000. Small, Creole-language newspapers are printed irregularly. While the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), deployed in Haiti since 2004, supports the activities of the Haitian National Police (HNP), their numbers decreased during 2015 as mandated by the UN Security Council. The HNP, with assistance from MINUSTAH, was responsible for maintaining order and rendering assistance. On 29 January 2017, Haitians headed to the polls for legislative and local elections. Voters elected eight senators in second-round elections, one member to the Chamber of Deputies, and members of various local offices. In total, over 30,000 candidates wwere vying for seats in these elections for 3,032 members for the 570 Administration of Communal Sections (Assemblee de Section Communale [ASEC]), 1,170 members of the 570 Boards of Directors of Communal Sections (Conseil d Administration de Section Communale [CASEC]), and 785 members to the 140 city delegates (Delegue de Ville [DV]). President Jovenel Moise announced 22 February 2017 that he and Haiti's two legislative leaders had agreed upon the nomination of Dr. Jack Guy Lafontant, a physician and political outsider, to be prime minister. Lafontant, 56, married and father of three children, unknown to the political scene, had been pursuing his medical career for thirty years. He is the president of the Rotary Club of Petion-Ville since July 2016. He is an internist and gastroenterologist, professor of gastroenterology at the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of the State University of Haiti (UEH). The prime minister oversees the Cabinet and day-to-day operations of government. In Haiti, where about eight million people survive on less than US$2 a day, the economy grew just 1.4 percent in 2018. In an attempt to bring down the budget deficit, President Moise reduced public spending, an option which was not well received by citizens, opposition politicians and social leaders. A political crisis was triggered in 2019 by a US regime change effort in nearby Venezuela a country on which Haiti was dependent for cheap and ready fuel supplies. Nicolas Maduros state had given Port-au-Prince loans to buy its oil, but the countrys leadership embezzled the money instead. Then, when the US decided to attempt a regime change in Venezuela and sanctioned its oil, Haiti found itself with neither any oil nor any money to buy it from elsewhere. This created fuel shortages and sent prices soaring by 50%. The fuel taxes proposed by the government to try to recoup the money triggered riots, which escalated into broader anger about living standards. In the ensuing violence, foreign embassies were attacked. Members of the political opposition demanded Moises resignation for failing to investigate corruption allegations against previous governments related to the management of PetroCaribe, a regional integration initiative created 13 years ago by former Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. Moises government repeatedly expressed a commitment to investigate the alleged irregularities in the management of PetroCaribe funds from which more than US$2 billion were diverted. In February 2021, Haitian authorities said 23 people, including a Supreme Court judge and a high-ranking police officer, were arrested in what Moise then called a failed coup and assassination attempt. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Boghammar Fast Attack Craft Torgah Fast Attack Craft MIG-G-0800 Patrol Craft MIG-G-0900 Fast Attack Craft In 1984 Iran ordered an unknown number of High Speed Patrol Boats (HSPB) from the Swedish firm Boghammar Marin. The boat is based on a hull designed by American boat designer Don Aronow. In the 1960s, Tage Boghammar acquired the rights of Don Aronow's hull under the name Boghammar Maltese Magnum. Tage Boghammar, the luxury yacht designer, was famous for designing yachts such as DOLCE VITA. The technical naval architect intellectual property are a creation of Tage Boghammar, who died 16 June 1999. The shipyard was founded in 1907 by the brothers Anders Gustafsson and Reinold Andersson at Klara beach at Kungsholmen in Stockholm. After the city grew, the industrial operations were driven away and the yard moved to Skarsatra on Lidingo in 1916. Initially, the boats were built in wood usually mahogany and pine. After aluminum became available of good quality in the late 1940s, Tage Boghammar began to build boats in that material. It became a winning concept that brought the shipyard up to the leading position when it came to family boats for larger passenger boats. Motor powered boats are known for high speed and are often referred to as "cigarette boats" due to their slim design and high speed. "Cigarette boats", known for speed, were designed by Don Aronow, a well known boat designer. Aronow brought the 28' Magnum with triple Mercury 1100SS motors to Sweden. He won in Sweden and and eventually became the 1967 World Champion. Lars and Anders Boghammar raced with "Speedy Gonzales" in Viareggio, Italy in July 1967. At the end of the season the triple outboard was sold to Tage Boghammar of Stockholm, Sweden and Don sold Tage the rights to put the 28 into production. In an effort to overcome the disadvantages of the displacement hull, the planing hull was developed which lifts most of the hull out of the water during travel. Ships with this sort of hull travel very rapidly in smooth water. But in waves, these ships are subject to pounding or slamming, so must be driven at lower speeds. One method for improving performance of the planing hull is the deep-V design, which cuts through the waves to reduce pounding. One of the most popular hulls for a power boat is the "deep-V" hull, the bottom of which comprises essentially a single panel on either side of the center line or keel of the hull extending to the chine. The bottom usually has two stabilizing strips on each side of the keel. However, the deep-V hull requires high horse power for efficient performance, is unstable at low speeds and at rest and, because of deep draft, will not operate in shallow water. The standard V hull requires considerably less power for efficient operation than the "deep-V" and will operate in shallow water. However, it is a notoriously rough rider and has become less popular because of this. Stepped V-bottoms are faster than conventional V-bottoms. Stepped means that the running surface can have as many as five different planing surfaces created by longitudinal breaks or steps in the running surface. Traditionally, there are two different philosophies used to design power boats. The first philosophy is to design the power boat with a planing hull, while the second is to design the power boat with a non-planing or displacement-type hull. Planing hulls use a significant amount of horsepower to lift a large part of the hull up on top of the water, thus reducing the wetted surface area and drag. Because of the reduction in wetted surface area, a planing type hull is typically capable of much higher speeds than a comparable non-planing hull. However, because a large portion of the hull is lifted out of the water, the boat tends to skip or bounce over the top of the waves, resulting in a rough, uncomfortable ride. Non-planing or displacement type hulls on the other hand do not lift out of the water, but instead tend to cut through the water. This results in a smoother ride, however, due to the larger wetted surface area and greater wave drag, displacement type hulls typically are not capable of attaining as high of speeds as planing type hulls. These boats went on to serve in the last stages of the Iran-Iraq War and the so-called Tanker War in the Persian Gulf. The original models supplied were monohull RL-118 and RL-130-4A types, and were fitted with a wide variety of weapons locally, including large caliber recoilless rifles, unguided rockets, rocket propelled grenades, and machine guns. Operation Praying Mantis was the largest of five major U.S. Navy surface actions since World War II. The Iranians initially reacted to the American attacks on the oil platform by sending five IRGCN Boghammer speedboats into the southern Arabian Gulf, using machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) to attack any non-Iranian targets they could find. The U.S.-flag oil rig supply ship Willie Tide, the Hong Kong-flag, British-owned tanker York Marine, and the Panamanian-flag oil rig Scan Bay were all damaged by these attacks. Later in the day, VA-95 A-6E Intruder aircraft off USS Enterprise engaged four other IRGCN Boghammers (after being fired upon). The fast boats proved difficult to hit, but a Rockeye cluster bomb on the second pass did the trick, sinking one of the Boghammers and causing the others to flee to Iranian waters. A couple other small Iranian speedboats were also sunk during the course of the day. Additionally a single type was delivered in 1992 by Boghammar Marin with a small troop landing ramp and the capacity to carry 20 troops. The fate of this craft is unknown. Boghammar Marin was founded as a subsidiary of "Gustafsson & Anderssons Varv AB", founded in 1905. With its 100 years, the company is one of the oldest still operating shipyards in Sweden. It is a family business now run by the third and fourth generation of Boghammar. Since its inception, the shipyard has been involved in the production of vessels / boats of its own design. In the late sixties, three racing boats were constructed and built, which participated in international offshore competitions. One of the boats won the World Championship title in the class "The fastest diesel boat in the world". With experience from the racing boats, the yard succeeded in exporting high-speed patrol boats to Iran, Ethiopia, Taiwan and the UK during the 1980s. These high speed, long, narrow, specially designed hulls and surface water cutting propellers have excellent seaworthiness with speeds up to 70 knots. The first Boghammar ships to be exported, was built between 1940 and 1946. Sixteen vessels 20 meters long for Germany and Romania, robust built of wood and steel. With the good reputation for high quality and customized products Boghammar have received from abroad, it had over the years supplied boats and ships to Norway, Denmark, Finland, England, Greece, Turkey, Libya, Iran, United Arab Emirates, Taiwan, the Philippines, the Maldives, Venezuela, to name a few. These Swedish craft were ordered in 1983 ostensibly as customs boats, upon delivery they were armed and given to the Pasadran (Revolutionary Guard Corps). This force is an independent branch of the Iranian military that answers directly to the religious leadership. It is equipped with ships, tanks, fighter jets, artillery, and most recently missiles. It cooperates with the regular Iranian army, navy, and air force; but operates parallel to them. The Boghammars are quite useful, being armed with a variety of light weapons; up to 895lbs worth. They are versatile, cheap, fast, easy to man and maintain, and hard to hit. They are homeported at Pasadran stations at Farsi, Sirri, Abu Musa island, and Bandar-Abbas. They can also operate from oil rigs in the Gulf, and can be shuttled around by Hengam class LSTs. The Torgah class is slightly larger and is being built in Iran to replace the Boghammars as they wear out. They are powered by Seatek diesels. Starting in 1996, theBoghammars also began to be re-engined with Seateks. The term boghammar, sometimes spelled mis-boghammer, has also come to mean an improvised naval fighting vessel, typically used by a local irregular military forces. Boghammars were the scourge of shipping in the Gulf during the 1980s, attacking everything from small dhows to huge tankers, the largest being the Japanese 258,000 ton supertanker Shuho Maru. The Pasadran crews showed no regard for the nationality of the target vessels; attacking the Soviet freighter Ivan Korotoyev and the American tanker MV Patriot in 1987. As the eight-year Iran-Iraq conflict stalemated, the countries began preying on each others oil industries. Iran also began attacking shipping by Iraqs chief financial supporters, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Many early Iranian attacks were by fixed wing and helicopter, but spare parts shortages and operational losses virtually eliminated any credible air threat, forcing a change in strategy. Small boats, a combination of fast Swedish-built Boghammers and Boston Whaler-type craft manned by Revolutionary Guards, roamed the sealanes attacking shipping in September 1986. Armed with 107mm rockets, RPG7s, and machine guns, this mosquito fleet rarely sank a ship but could inflict serious damage on tankers or their crews. Their favorite tactic was to approach a target, swarm around it, then rake its bridge and superstructure with automatic weapons and rocket propelled grenades. Some 43 attacks included the sinking of the 42,000- ton bulk carrier Norman Atlantic. Mines, in conjunction with sea raids, added another deadly threat. Kuwait formally inquired about reflagging its oil tankers under the Stars and Stripes on 23 December 1987. Three months later the United States agreed to place 11 tankers under American registry and provide them with armed protection from Iranian attack. American warships were not designed or equipped to deal with the combination of small boat attacks and mines employed by the Iranians. A number were sunk by Iraqi aircraft, but the types most memorable battles were against US forces. In October 1987, a number were sunk by US Navy A-6E Intruders with CBU-59 cluster bombs. US Army MH-6 special forces helicopters flying off the chartered civilian barges Hercules and Wimbrown 7 attacked more of the type, sinking a number with cannon fire and unguided rockets. One of these was raised and examined by US forces. A number of Iran's boats were said to have been lost in combat, including a number in engagements with US forces. By 1991 a number had been refitted with Seatek diesel engines, these boats being referred to as Torgah. In 1992 a number were also returned to Sweden for refit. The term has been broadly applied since, with many boats in Iranian service of similar configuration (that is high speed monohull or catamaran types fitted as fast attack craft) being termed "Boghammar," regardless of their origin. The deployment of the origin Boghammar boats into the Persian Gulf during the Tanker War and subsequent interaction with foreign navies led to the term becoming a catch-all in international lexicon for this type of craft, again regardless of origin. As of 2008 the boats best described fitting this description were made by Iran's Maritime Industries Group (a division of the state run Defense Industries Organization). MIG produces boats of both monohull and catamaran style. The most common types of craft are the MIG-G-0800 "Boston Whaler" and MIG-G-0900, primarily used by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy. These boats are equipped for special operations and light strike mission, and have widely variable weapons configurations, the most notable being the fitting of a 107mm multiple rocket launcher on top of the bridge. The exact model of these boats is unknown, a wide variety of other types appeared to be in service with Iranian military and law enforcement units. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Chinese Invasion of Vietnam February 1979 China's relations with Vietnam began to deteriorate seriously in the mid-1970s. After Vietnam joined the Soviet-dominated Council for Mutual Economic Cooperation (Comecon) and signed the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation with the Soviet Union in 1978, China branded Vietnam the "Cuba of the East" and called the treaty a military alliance. Incidents along the Sino-Vietnamese border increased in frequency and violence. In December 1978 Vietnam invaded Cambodia, quickly ousted the pro-Beijing Pol Pot regime, and overran the country. China's twenty-nine-day incursion into Vietnam in February 1979 was a response to what China considered to be a collection of provocative actions and policies on Hanoi's part. These included Vietnamese intimacy with the Soviet Union, mistreatment of ethnic Chinese living in Vietnam, hegemonistic "imperial dreams" in Southeast Asia, and spurning of Beijing's attempt to repatriate Chinese residents of Vietnam to China. In February 1979 China attacked along virtually the entire Sino-Vietnamese border in a brief, limited campaign that involved ground forces only. The Chinese attack came at dawn on the morning of 17 February 1979, and employed infantry, armor, and artillery. Air power was not employed then or at any time during the war. Within a day, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) had advanced some eight kilometers into Vietnam along a broad front. It then slowed and nearly stalled because of heavy Vietnamese resistance and difficulties within the Chinese supply system. On February 21, the advance resumed against Cao Bang in the far north and against the all-important regional hub of Lang Son. Chinese troops entered Cao Bang on February 27, but the city was not secured completely until March 2. Lang Son fell two days later. On March 5, the Chinese, saying Vietnam had been sufficiently chastised, announced that the campaign was over. Beijing declared its "lesson" finished and the PLA withdrawal was completed on March 16. No amount of strategic propaganda can cover the PLA's tactical failures of the Sino-Vietnam War. The campaign was racked by mistakes ranging from training and preparation to using Red Army meatgrinder tactics that the PLA had neither the training, the resources nor the experience to perform. The problems arising from the training should have stopped the campaign but no senior officer put a stop to an overly ambitious plan. The lack of proper maps and compasses resulted in troops getting lost during training. Radio waves wrapped themselves around the hilly terrain. Operations officers did not have the training or experience to properly equip their troops, resulting in units going without water for 24 to 48 hours after first contact. The element of surprise had been lost. The Vietnamese battle hardened militia were well dug in and waiting. In contrast, the PLA mobilized second class garrison troops. The PLA's best-armed and best-trained troops faced North, against much tougher possible Soviet retaliation. None of these deficiencies were addressed before the PLA attacked on 17 February 1979. The PLA attacked Vietnam through 26 points of entry. Immediately, the volume of battle management overwhelmed the PLA's limited C3. The front line units experienced human casualties and equipment failures that could not sustain battle momentum. Moreover, company commanders would rather wait for tank and recoilless rifle support before taking on Vietnamese entrenched positions. The front line units exhausted themselves, forcing a re-supply much earlier than planned. Re-enforcement and re-supply were brought forward to shore up the units. The 26 unwieldy prongs were consolidated into a more manageable 9 aiming at Cao Bang, Lang Son, Hang Lien Sen, Lai Chou and Quang Ninh. The final phase saw the heaviest fighting of the war, climaxing with the capture of Lang Son on 2 March. The Vietnamese adopted their favourite tactics of abandoning urban areas in favor of the built up surrounding hills. The PLA did not contest these strong points. Instead, they pushed through to the urban areas, taking them after fierce close quarter combat. None of the routes into these urban areas were what the West would consider secured. Hanoi's post-incursion depiction of the border war was that Beijing had sustained a military setback if not an outright defeat. Most observers doubted that China would risk another war with Vietnam in the near future. Gerald Segal, in his 1985 book Defending China , concluded that China's 1979 war against Vietnam was a complete failure: "China failed to force a Vietnamese withdrawal from [Cambodia], failed to end border clashes, failed to cast doubt on the strength of the Soviet power, failed to dispel the image of China as a paper tiger, and failed to draw the United States into an anti-Soviet coalition." Nevertheless, Bruce Elleman argued that "one of the primary diplomatic goals behind China's attack was to expose Soviet assurances of military support to Vietnam as a fraud. Seen in this light, Beijing's policy was actually a diplomatic success, since Moscow did not actively intervene, thus showing the practical limitations of the Soviet-Vietnamese military pact. ... China achieved a strategic victory by minimizing the future possibility of a two-front war against the USSR and Vietnam." After the war both China and Vietnam reorganized their border defenses. In 1986 China deployed twenty-five to twenty-eight divisions and Vietnam thirty-two divisions along their common border. The 1979 attack confirmed Hanoi's perception of China as a threat. The PAVN high command henceforth had to assume, for planning purposes, that the Chinese might come again and might not halt in the foothills but might drive on to Hanoi. The border war strengthened Soviet-Vietnamese relations. The Soviet military role in Vietnam increased during the 1980s as the Soviets provided arms to Vietnam; moreover, Soviet ships enjoyed access to the harbors at Danang and Cam Ranh Bay, and Soviet reconnaissance aircraft operated out of Vietnamese airfields. The Vietnamese responded to the Chinese campaign by turning the districts along the China border into "iron fortresses" manned by well-equipped and well-trained paramilitary troops. In all, an estimated 600,000 troops were assigned to counter Chinese operations and to stand ready for another Chinese invasion. The precise dimensions of the frontier operations were difficult to determine, but its monetary cost to Vietnam was considerable. By 1987 China had stationed nine armies (approximately 400,000 troops) in the Sino-Vietnamese border region, including one along the coast. It had also increased its landing craft fleet and was periodically staging amphibious landing exercises off Hainan Island, across from Vietnam, thereby demonstrating that a future attack might come from the sea. Low-level conflict continued along the Sino-Vietnamese border as each side conducted artillery shelling and probed to gain high spots in the mountainous border terrain. Border incidents increased in intensity during the rainy season, when Beijing attempted to ease Vietnamese pressure against Cambodian resistance fighters. Since the early 1980s, China pursued what some observers described as a semi-secret campaign against Vietnam that was more than a series of border incidents and less than a limited small-scale war. The Vietnamese called it a "multifaceted war of sabotage." Hanoi officials have described the assaults as comprising steady harassment by artillery fire, intrusions on land by infantry patrols, naval intrusions, and mine planting both at sea and in the riverways. Chinese clandestine activity (the "sabotage" aspect) for the most part was directed against the ethnic minorities of the border region. According to the Hanoi press, teams of Chinese agents systematically sabotaged mountain agricultural production centers as well as lowland port, transportation, and communication facilities. Psychological warfare operations were an integral part of the campaign, as was what the Vietnamese called "economic warfare"--encouragement of Vietnamese villagers along the border to engage in smuggling, currency speculation, and hoarding of goods in short supply. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Mexican Drug Lord El Chapo Wants Extradition to US by VOA News March 02, 2016 Mexican drug lord Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman has asked his lawyers to speed up his extradition to the United States, saying he is being mistreated. Guzman, who has twice escaped from Mexico's maximum - security prisons, faces an array of charges linked to the hundreds of tons of cocaine, heroin and other drugs he has shipped across the border. Guzman's lawyer, Jose Rodriguez, told local a radio station Wednesday that Guzman has reached his limit and urged him to push for fast extradition. 'I saw a defeated, humiliated man,' Rodriguez said. Guzman has complained that guards at the Altiplano prison will not let him sleep. Officials have acknowledged that guards at the prison wake him every four hours for a head count. He has also complained about the amount of communication he is allowed with his family and the amount of time he spends in his cell. Guzman's lawyers had previously vowed to fight extradition as long as possible, and Mexican officials had acknowledged it would take at least a year, and perhaps more, for the extradition process to work its way through Mexican courts. Guzman was first captured in 1993, but escaped in 2001 with the help of prison guards. After more than a decade on the loose, he was recaptured early in 2014, with the help of intelligence that U.S. authorities provided to Mexico. He escaped for a second time on July 11, 2015 through a 1.5-kilometer underground tunnel, dug in secret from his cell to a nearby village. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Jittery Islamic State Lashes Out by Jamie Dettmer March 02, 2016 Several mass executions by the Islamic State (IS) in Syria and Iraq suggest the terror group is encountering more dissent or at least fears losing its grip on the territory it controls. In Iraq, the jihadists have released a list of names of more than 1,000 people they have executed during the past few months in the city of Mosul, posting the list on the walls of the group's religious court. Hundreds of residents have been checking the names for missing relatives, say local anti-IS activists. Most of the victims were accused of spying or helping Kurdish peshmerga forces. Beheading IS beheaded a Belgian jihadist who was convicted of "high treason" for trying to desert on February 26 in Deir ez-Zor in eastern Syria. According to a local activist network called Deir ez-Zor Is Being Slaughtered Silently, "The group beheaded the Belgian fighter after a Sharia official read a statement to the public, explaining how he tried to escape fighting the enemies of the Caliphate." On March 1, the militant group shot dead three foreign fighters, a Tunisian and two Algerians, in the Deir ez-Zor provincial town of al-Mayadeen, claiming they had accepted bribes from locals. Again, a Sharia court official read a statement before the three were shot, accusing the foreigners of robbery, say local activists. The three were members of the IS police in al-Mayadeen city. Days earlier, the militants also stoned to death two teenage girls in Deir ez-Zor city in front of hundreds of onlookers. The 17-year-old and 16-year-old were accused of committing adultery; the men they were alleged to have had improper relations with were flogged and then freed. Resistance to IS IS has ruled its self-styled caliphate with an iron and ruthless hand, seeking to intimidate locals into submission. But the latest round of slayings in eastern Syria has not stopped resistance fighters from striking back. A group of gunmen in Deir ez-Zor city shot dead a leading member of the terror group after abducting him during the weekend. The body of Abu Saleh al-Jazrawi, who was in charge of tax collection in the city, was dumped. Local activists say IS responded to the killing with a curfew and arrested dozens of people. The slaying came two weeks after resistance fighters gunned down an IS 'emir' in the province, after intercepting his convoy and killing four bodyguards. Resistance fighters in Deir ez-Zor have killed several IS officials in the past few months in hit-and-run attacks. "They work in uncoordinated groups," an activist called Ghaith told VOA. Some of the fighters are believed to be from the Al-Sheitaat tribe. IS killed more than 700 members of the tribe two years ago when it overran much of the province. Anxious about US ops Activists say the terror group appears highly anxious about U.S.-led coalition airstrikes targeting IS leaders and the danger of U.S. commando raids, especially in the wake of a special forces operation that captured a senior IS operative during a raid in northern Iraq. On February 29, U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said a 200-member Expeditionary Targeting Force is "in position ... having an effect and operating.' A U.S. counterterrorism official told VOA that recent reversals for the terror group in Iraq and the loss of territory in Syria have stressed the militants. 'ISIL's veneer of invincibility was an allure to would-be jihadists and helped propagate its myth of inevitable victory," he said. "The group has now suffered a string of setbacks that have eroded that pillar, including the loss of revenue streams from energy resources and the destruction of bulk cash sites. While these blows alone will not serve as a knock-out punch, there's no doubt that the losses are rippling across ISIL's self-declared caliphate.' But IS remains a resilient opponent, analysts say, and still maintains an ability to fight on several fronts and to mount offensive operations in different parts of Syria and Iraq. Battlefield gains In recent weeks IS has made territorial gains in western Syria; mounted a surprise offensive on the town of Tal Abyad, just north of Raqqa in northern Syria, and maintained a fierce fight with Assad regime forces around the village of Khanaser on the outskirts of Aleppo. At the same time, it has held off a Russian-backed Syrian government ground offensive in Deir ez-Zor near Al-Taim oilfield. IS captured several villages this week in Hama province, bringing militant fighters nearer Salamiya, the capital of the country's Ismaili minority, a group IS considers apostate. The jihadist advance is prompting fears among the Ismaili that they could face a similar fate to the Yezidis, another minority group IS targeted, executing men and enslaving hundreds of women in 2014. Ismaili cleric Haidar al-Saleh told local news agencies, "We are aware of the ongoing progress by ISIS, and our community is highly concerned about what would happen if they overran the city." VOA National Security correspondent Jeff Seldin contributed to this article. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pentagon to Law-abiding US Hackers: We Want You by VOA News March 02, 2016 The Pentagon issued an invitation Wednesday to hackers -- provided they're U.S. citizens and can pass a background check -- to attack its websites as a test of its cybersecurity. The pilot project is considered the first of its kind by the federal government. 'I am confident this innovative initiative will strengthen our digital defenses and ultimately enhance our national security,' Defense Secretary Ash Carter said in a statement unveiling the pilot program. 'Hack the Pentagon' is set to begin next month and could involve monetary awards to participants who can spot weaknesses on the Pentagon's public websites. More sensitive networks or key weapons programs would not be included, the statement said. 'Once vetted, these hackers will participate in a controlled, limited duration program that will allow them to identify vulnerabilities on a predetermined department system,' the Pentagon said. 'Bug bounty' So-called 'bug bounties' are conducted by large U.S. companies that allow cyber experts to find and identify problems in their networks before malicious hackers can exploit them. A senior defense official told reporters at a Pentagon briefing Wednesday that these outside experts will 'use their skill sets and expertise... to make the country more secure.' Program details and rules were still being worked out, but one official said thousands of qualified participants are expected to join the initiative. 'I am always challenging our people to think outside the five-sided box that is the Pentagon,' Carter said in Wednesday's statement. During a trip to California's 'Silicon Valley' on Tuesday, Carter stressed national security in urging greater cooperation between the public sector and private industry regarding data security and encryption. Carter had traveled to the area, where many of the world's largest high-tech companies are located, to discuss cybersecurity. He warned officials that failing to improve U.S. defenses would allow China, Russia and others that do not favor a free Internet to set new global standards. Encryption case Carter did not directly address the controversy between the U.S. government and Apple, in which the FBI is asking the company to help it access information on an iPhone linked to the shooters in the San Bernardino, California terror attack late last year. He said, however, that the Pentagon, as the world's largest user of encryption, viewed such technology as critical. He also said no one case should drive future policy considerations. 'We shouldn't let the solutions to this larger issue of how to handle data security as a society be driven by any one particular case,' Carter said after a speech to the Commonwealth Club of San Francisco, according to Reuters. 'It would be unreasonable.' Carla Babb at the Pentagon contributed to this report. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China to Launch Over 100 Long March Rockets Within Five Years Sputnik News 19:18 02.03.2016(updated 19:26 02.03.2016) China in the next five years will launch 110 Long March rockets, a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee said Wednesday. BEIJING (Sputnik) According to Liang Xiaohong, cited by Xinhua, in 2011-2015 the country launched 86 such rockets, while in 2006-2010 the number of launches amounted to 48. He added that the increase demonstrates China's growing capacity in space rocket design and production. China launched its first Long March rocket in April 1970. Since then, the family of expendable launch systems saw several generations with Long March 5 heavy lift rocket and medium Long March 7 slated to debut later this year. China's space program dates back to October 1956, when the country's first rocket research institution the Fifth Academy of the Ministry of National Defense was established. By 2020, China plans to build its own space station to operate in orbit and create a space laboratory. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China's 2016 Defense Budget May See 'Sharp' Rise Sputnik News 09:04 02.03.2016(updated 09:15 02.03.2016) China's 2016 defense budget may see a sharp year-on-year increase consistent with structural army reforms and South China Sea tensions, national media reported Wednesday. BEIJING (Sputnik) The annual military budget is expected to be presented at the annual National People's Congress (NPC) legislative assembly on March 5 in Beijing. Observers cited by the Global Times daily said the possible defense budget increase would be 'justified as the nation's armed forces undergo structural reforms to boost their combat capability and face an increasingly complicated military situation as a rising power.' The Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post cited anonymous sources close to the People's Liberation Army (PLA) this week forecasting a 20-percent hike to the budget, the highest since 2007. 'I think the budget reported in the SCMP might be too high,' Shanghai-based military expert Ni Lexiong told the Times. Chinese leader Xi Jinping announced last September that the PLA would cut its ranks by 300,000 to total 2 million troops by 2017, still maintaining its lead as the world's largest army. The country's defense budget ranks second in volume to that of the United States. China's military expenditures neared $130 billion last year, a 12.2 percent year-on-year increase from 2013. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address White House Welcomes New Sanctions on N Korea With Help of Russia, China Sputnik News 21:16 02.03.2016(updated 21:24 02.03.2016) The Obama administration welcomes the UN Security Council's expansion of sanctions on North Korea for its recent nuclear activity, which was possible with the help of the international community including Russia and China, White House spokesperson Josh Earnest said in a press briefing on Wednesday. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) Earlier in the day, the UNSC unanimously adopted the resolution expanding sanctions against North Korea. 'We welcome this unanimous resolution as a firm, united and appropriate response from the international community including China and Russia to North Korea's recent provocations,' Earnest said. The sanctions imposed by the resolution are slated to affect multiple sectors of North Korea's economy, make all cargo going to and from the country subject to inspection and limit or prohibit the nation's export of coal, iron, gold, titanium and rare natural minerals. The resolution also bans conventional arms sale as well as delivery of aviation and rocket fuel to Pyongyang. US Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power said on Tuesday that the resolution introduces the strongest set of sanctions imposed by the United Nations in the past 20 years. On January 6, North Korea said it had successfully carried out a hydrogen bomb test, which triggered a wave of condemnation from the international community. On February 7, Pyongyang conducted its fourth nuclear test, and launched a ballistic missile in February in violation of the Security Council resolutions. The Obama administration says it is still unclear how North Korea will respond to the UN Security Council's expansion of sanctions on the country for its latest nuclear related activities, Earnest said. 'As it relates to the expectations of the North Koreans and what potential reaction they may have, there's not a lot of clarity about that,' Earnest said when asked whether Washington expects Pyongyang to retaliate in response to the new sanctions. Earnest noted that the United States was mindful of any additional steps that might be taken to ensure better protection for the country and its allies. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UNSC Resolution Allows N Korea to Return to Talks - Russia's Envoy Sputnik News 19:14 02.03.2016 The new UN Security Council resolution on North Korea leaves Pyongyang with an option to return to six-party talks on denuclearization, Russian Envoy to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin said Wednesday. UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) Earlier in the day, the UNSC unanimously adopted the resolution expanding sanctions against North Korea 'The sanctions outlined [in the resolution] are quite tough, but the document leaves the DPRK with an opportunity to return to six-party talks, which should be resumed without delay,' Churkin said after the resolution was passed. The sanctions imposed by the resolution are slated to affect multiple sectors of North Korea's economy, make all cargo going to and from the country subject to inspection and limit or prohibit the nation's export of coal, iron, gold, titanium and rare natural minerals. The resolution also bans conventional arms sale as well as delivery of aviation and rocket fuel to Pyongyang. 'The sanctions are not an end in themselves in this case, but rather just a way to ensure by cutting off funding channels for the DPRK's missile and nuclear programs that all interested parties return to the negotiating table,' he added. US Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power said on Tuesday that the resolution introduces the strongest set of sanctions imposed by the United Nations in the past 20 years. On January 6, North Korea said it had successfully carried out a hydrogen bomb test, which triggered a wave of condemnation from the international community. On February 7, Pyongyang conducted its fourth nuclear test, and launched a ballistic missile in February in violation of the Security Council resolutions. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2270 on North Korea Press Statement John Kerry Secretary of State Washington, DC March 2, 2016 I welcome the unanimous adoption today of UN Security Council resolution 2270 on North Korea, which reflects the firm and united resolve of the international community to address Pyongyang's continued defiance of its international obligations and commitments. This resolution contains the toughest set of sanctions imposed by the Security Council in more than two decades, and includes mandatory cargo inspections, sectoral sanctions on North Korean trade in natural resources, and other rigorous provisions unprecedented in the North Korean sanctions regime. Today's action, and the international consensus it represents, will hold the regime to account for its increasingly provocative behavior and the threat it poses to not only security on the peninsula, but also to the world. With this resolution we renew our collective resolve to take concerted action to counter this threat posed by North Korea's proscribed programs and proliferation activities worldwide. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address N. Korea Launches Projectiles Into Sea After UN Imposes New Sanctions by Margaret Besheer March 02, 2016 North Korea fired several short-range projectiles into the sea off its east coast, Seoul said Thursday, hours after the U.N. Security Council adopted tough new sanctions against Pyongyang's nuclear and ballistic missile programs. South Korea's defense ministry said it was still trying to determine the number and nature of the projectiles, which it said were fired into the Sea of Japan at 10 a.m. local time (1:00 UTC). The move could be a response to the Security Council's unanimous approval Wednesday of sanctions against Pyongyang for its recent nuclear and long-range rocket launch. Watch: U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power speaking at the U.N. Security Council. "North Korea is the only country in the entire world that has conducted a nuclear test in the 21st century. In fact, it has conducted not one nuclear test, but four," U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power told the council after the vote. She said North Korea has consistently focused on its nuclear and ballistic missile programs instead of the basic needs of its people. "Virtually all of its resources are channeled into the relentless and reckless pursuit of nuclear weapons," Power said. At the White House, President Barack Obama welcomed the U.N. action. 'Today, the international community, speaking with one voice, has sent Pyongyang a simple message: North Korea must abandon these dangerous programs and choose a better path for its people,' Obama said in a statement. Robust measures The U.N. resolution which had more than 50 co-sponsors has several unprecedented measures. One is the mandatory inspection of all cargo going in and out of the community nation. There is also a total arms embargo -- including both conventional and other weapons -- and restrictions on the sale of coal from North Korea, as well as other minerals, including gold, iron, iron ore and titanium. A provision in an earlier draft of the text to ban the sale or supply to North Korea of aviation fuel which is also used to power rockets was revised in the final resolution to include an exception for civilian passenger aircraft flying to and from North Korea. Banking sanctions have also been tightened, as well as bans on the sale of luxury goods to North Korea. In addition, travel bans and asset freezes have been imposed on 16 new individuals. Firm response Chinese envoy Liu Jieyi expressed Beijing's anger at North Korea's January nuclear test and February rocket launch, saying his government "has expressed its explicit opposition to these actions." "This resolution demonstrates the seriousness of the international community in opposing the further development of DPRK nuclear and missile capacities," Ambassador Liu said. He urged a resumption of dialogue to restart stalled six-party talks aimed at ending Pyongyang's nuclear program through diplomatic negotiations. China is North Korea's most important ally. Russia had delayed a planned Tuesday vote on the resolution for 24 hours while it pressed for some changes to the text. One change was the removal of a North Korean mining executive operating in Russia from a list of individuals designated for asset freezes and travel bans. Both the Russian and Chinese envoys expressed concern about U.S. and South Korean consultations about the possible deployment of the U.S.-made THAAD anti-missile system, saying Pyongyang's behavior should not be used as a justification to increase military capabilities in the region. South Korea's envoy, Oh Joon, was allowed to address the council. He spoke directly to North Korea, saying it does not need such sophisticated weapons systems and that perceived international threats against it are " a figment of your imagination." He urged Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons and join the international community to live in peace and security. No North Korean diplomat spoke at the session nor was seen around the council during the meeting. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon issued a statement welcoming the resolution. He urged North Korea to abide by the resolution and called on all nations to ensure its implementation. Ban also renewed his call for North Korea to genuinely improve human rights, saying it is "a necessary basis for long-term security and stability." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US says captured 'significant' Daesh member in Iraq Iran Press TV Wed Mar 2, 2016 4:37PM A group of US special operations forces deployed to Iraq have reportedly captured a Daesh (ISIL) terrorist operative during a recent raid. A US official confirmed the news Tuesday, but refused to give out details of raid or the identity of the detainee, who was described as a "significant" member of the terror group, the CNN reported Wednesday. The militant is currently being interrogated at a temporary detention facility in the city of Erbil in northern Iraq, and will be handed over to Iraqi officials within the next few days. The attack was carried out by the Pentagon's expeditionary targeting forces (ETF), deployed to Iraq in December. The ETF, comprised of 200 personnel, have gathered enough intelligence to conduct missions against about half a dozen "targeted missions" inside Iraq and to go after certain leaders of the group. The International Committee of the Red Cross, which monitors the treatment of detainees, has also been notified of the militant's detention. American defense officials said the capture was a big development in battling Daesh, but raises questions about US military's handling of what is likely to be a growing group of detainees, bringing back the dark memories of prisoner abuse by US troops at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison. The officials also ruled out establishing a long-term American facility to hold Daesh captives. They also made it clear that none of the detainees will be sent to the US military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. According to US Army Colonel Steve Warren, there are now more than 3,800 US forces on the ground in Iraq to 'train and equip' local security forces against foreign-backed militants. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iraq forces flush Daesh from villages Iran Press TV Wed Mar 2, 2016 8:48AM Joint Iraqi forces have cleared four villages in the country's north-central Salahuddin Province of the presence of the Takfiri terrorist group of Daesh. The villages, located in Samarra Island, an area west of the government-controlled city of Samarra in the province, were liberated on Wednesday, the Sama Baghdad news website reported. The forces also freed up a transportation route linking the area to Baiji, another city in the province, which army troops and voluntary fighters retook from Daesh last October. Iraqi fighter jets flying in support of the operation, meanwhile, destroyed three vehicles belonging to the terrorists. The operation to free Samarra Island, which is not an island despite being called that way, has been code-named al-Jazeera Security. It started out on Tuesday, involving participation by units of the army, anti-terrorism forces, federal police, volunteers, and receiving aerial cover. According to Iraqi sources, the first day saw Iraqi volunteer fighters, known as al-Hashad al-Sha'bi, killing 16 Daesh terrorists, among them several bombers, destroying 20 Daesh vehicles, and liberating another village. The mission intends to drive the terrorists from open desert used to transport supplies and launch regular attacks on Samarra and Tikrit, the province's capital, which is under government control. "These operations will play a significant role in cutting all the supply routes in areas still under the terrorists' control," Brigadier General Yahya Rasool, an Iraqi military spokesman, told state television. The country has seen terrorist activities by Daesh since June 2014. The same year saw a US-led coalition starting aerial operations purportedly hitting Daesh. The 66-member coalition has fallen severely short of routing the terrorists. A concerted push by Iraqi forces, however, dealt the group a body blow by forcing it out of the central city of Ramadi, the capital of the sprawling western Anbar Province. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Kurdish Fighters Allege IS Chemical Attack by Kawa Omar, Sirwan Kajjo March 02, 2016 Kurdish fighters tell VOA that Islamic State (IS) fighters in recent days fired mortars containing chemical materials into northern Iraq. They complain of vomiting and nausea after breathing in the chemicals. "I felt sick and my eyes hurt so badly," said Bedel Osman, a Peshmerga fighter. "I vomited and was taken to the hospital. When I came back to my outpost, I saw several other colleagues suffering from the same thing." Another Kurdish fighter said he saw troops vomiting and having difficulty breathing. "The mortars hit near us but they didn't explode," said Nuri Ibrahim, a Peshmerga fighter. "A strange smell was coming from those unexploded mortar rockets. This was when we all began to vomit and felt nauseous." VOA could not independently confirm the claims. Investigating reports The accounts come as Kurdish officials work with the U.S.-led coalition to verify that IS militants hit Kurdish Peshmerga fighters with mortars containing chemical materials outside Sinjar, an Iraqi town that was liberated from IS late last year. There are still occasional skirmishes on the outskirts of the city. According to the Kurdish authority, it would be the eighth chemical weapon attack on its forces. Kurdish officials say IS has increased its attacks with chemical weapons after losing territory. "They resort to such tactics when they lose control of territory," said Luqman Ibrahim, a Peshmerga [Kurdish forces in Iraq] commander in Sinjar. He told VOA that IS has a highly experienced team of bomb-making experts who develop projectiles armed with chemicals. He said IS has multiple factories in Tel Afar, an IS-held town in the Nineveh province. Kurdish commanders say at least 50 Peshmerga fighters were affected by the mortar shelling. IS militants also fired into the city, they say. The Kurdistan Region Security Council said on its Twitter feed that it was investigating last week's attack. Little impact Analysts say they are not surprised by the IS tactics. "It is obviously an effective tool to terrorize opponents," said James F. Jeffrey, an analyst at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. But Jeffrey, who also served as a U.S. ambassador to Iraq, told VOA that chemical mortar attacks won't have any strategic impact in the ongoing fight against IS. U.S. officials have said that IS has used chemical weapons in Syria and Iraq in the past. U.S. Director of National Intelligence James Clapper told Congress in early February that the extremist group had used chemical agents in both Iraq and Syria. CIA Director John Brennan later confirmed that IS had the ability to manufacture both chlorine and mustard gas. A source at the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons told Reuters earlier in the month that lab tests showed Kurdish fighters had been exposed to mustard gas last year. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Retaking Mosul 'Not in Crystal Ball' in Near Term, US Military Says by Jeff Seldin March 02, 2016 Top U.S. military intelligence officials are playing down expectations that the Iraqi Security Forces will be ready to reclaim the key northern city of Mosul from Islamic State fighters anytime soon. The Defense Intelligence Agency chief, Marine Corps Lieutenant General Vincent Stewart, told the House Armed Services Committee that while "every effort" is being made to "get after" Mosul, Iraqi forces are not ready to engage in the difficult, large-scale urban fight. "Taking and securing Mosul in the next eight to 10 months is not something I'm seeing in my crystal ball,' Stewart said Wednesday. "They'll need a significant amount of help from coalition partners,' he said. 'I don't know they will ask for that help." U.S. military planners see Mosul as a critical next step in the effort to destroy the Islamic State terror group in Iraq, but have warned it will not be easy. Up to 10 brigades Officials have said the campaign to recapture Mosul will require as many as eight Iraqi brigades and two Kurdish brigades, each with 2,000 to 3,000 troops. And some of the brigades are being built from scratch, with training expected to take just over two months. "We can begin the operations. We can begin to isolate," Stewart said. "We can do some of the preparatory work.' On Monday, Defense Secretary Ash Carter and Joint Chiefs Chairman General Joe Dunford told Pentagon reporters those efforts were underway. "Operations against Mosul have already started, even as we speak," Dunford said, adding the efforts included both conventional military strikes and the use of cyber warfare. "It is not something that will happen in the deep, deep future," he added. U.S. Central Command said Wednesday that the U.S.-led coalition's air campaign targeted Islamic State positions in Mosul 127 times during the past month, making it more difficult for supplies and reinforcements to get into the city. Militants fleeing "That pressure is having an effect," CENTCOM spokesman Colonel Pat Ryder told reporters. "We've had reports of militants fleeing the city." Over time, coalition operations and Iraqi ground forces 'have pushed back ISIL's defense,' he said, using an acronym for Islamic State. The United States is promising Iraqi forces more help for a final assault on the city. "We expect it to be like Ramadi in the sense that the Iraqi security forces under the control of the government of Iraq, Prime Minister [Haider al-] Abadi, will be in the lead, but we will be enabling them," Carter said. "Will we do more to enable them as they go north? Yes, we fully expect to do that,' he said. VOA Pentagon correspondent Carla Babb contributed to this report. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Myanmar's Rohingya Muslims still in dreadful conditions: UN Iran Press TV Wed Mar 2, 2016 11:12AM The United Nations has warned that persecuted Rohingya Muslims continue to live in "dreadful conditions" despite promises by the election-winning opposition party to protect the rights of the minority in the Southeast Asian country. John Ging, director of operations at the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), made the remarks on Tuesday after paying a visit to western Rakhine state, where Rohingya Muslims have faced violent attacks by Buddhist majority as well as discrimination. Some 140,000 displaced Rohingya Muslims live in camps after their villages were torched down in 2012. Ging said he was shocked to see the conditions of the temporary shelters as many of them were on the verge of collapse, adding that many of the Rohingya Muslims were denied medical treatment because of their religion. 'It was heartbreaking to see so many children in these dreadful conditions. One mother told me that her baby, less than a month old, died from lack of oxygen in December after she was denied access to treatment at the nearby township hospital," the UN official said. This came while Myanmar's opposition party, National League for Democracy, won last November's parliament elections. The party leader Aung San Suu Kyi has said she will protect Muslims in the country. The UNOCH also said in an accompanying statement that the Muslim minority "must not be forgotten" following the votes. 'Myanmar is going through an impressive democratic transformation, which is unlocking significant economic growth and development. However, not everyone in Myanmar is benefiting in this transition,' the statement added. Over 1.3 million Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar face discrimination, including controls on their movements, family size and access to jobs. In recent years, a large number of Rohingya Muslims have been killed and thousands displaced in attacks by extremist Buddhists, especially in Rakhine State. Myanmar denies full citizenship to Rohingya population in the country. According to the United Nations, Rohingya Muslims are one of the most persecuted minorities in the world. The violence against Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar has triggered an influx of refugees into neighboring countries, namely Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Taliban claims blast that killed 2 local US employees in Pakistan Iran Press TV Wed Mar 2, 2016 4:40PM A faction of Taliban has claimed responsibility for a roadside bombing that killed at least two local employees of a US consulate in the troubled northwestern Pakistan. The Jamaat-ur-Ahrar faction of the Pakistani Taliban said in a statement on Wednesday that it detonated the remote-controlled explosive device on Tuesday in the volatile Mohmand Agency, which is located about 170 km (105 miles) from the capital Islamabad. 'Jamaat-ur-Ahrar's mujahideen carried out a remote-controlled bomb attack that sent a FATA (Federally Administered Tribal Areas) secretariat employee and his driver to hell,' the statement read. The US State Department earlier confirmed that Faisal Khan and Abid Shah, two local employees of the US consulate, were killed while on a drug eradication mission. Khan was identified as the most senior Pakistani employee at the US Consulate in Peshawar and Shah was identified as security specialist. Peshawar and its surrounding regions have been the scene of numerous attacks perpetrated by members of pro-Taliban militant groups. In recent months, Taliban militants have launched a series of deadly attacks against the government forces and civilians across the troubled northwestern region. On February 18, Taliban militants shot dead at least nine Pakistani security forces personnel in two separate attacks across the same volatile tribal region near the Afghan border. Also on January 20, four militants launched a deadly assault on Bacha Khan University campus in Charsadda District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, killing more than 20 people. Pakistan's army has intensified military operations against the militants since pro-Taliban elements killed over 150 people, most of them children, in an armed assault on a school in Peshawar in December 2014. According to Pakistani officials, more than 3,600 pro-Taliban militants have been killed since the army intensified military operations following the school massacre. The military claims it has now cleared 90 percent of the region. At least 358 soldiers have also lost their lives during the ongoing fight against militancy. Thousands of Pakistanis have lost their lives in bombings and other militant attacks since 2001, when Pakistan entered an alliance with the US in the so-called war on terror. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address White Swan: When Will Modernized Russian Tu-160 Bomber Hit the Skies Sputnik News 20:22 02.03.2016(updated 21:28 02.03.2016) Flights of the modernized strategic Tu-160 bomber are scheduled to begin in 2019, the Commander of Aerospace Forces of Russia, Colonel-General Viktor Bondarev, said Wednesday. "The upgrade of the Tu-160 bomber is being carried out under the presidential decree. I think that by 2019, this modernized aircraft will start its flights," Bondarev said following the meeting on the development of Russian combat aircraft. Deputy Defense Minister, Yuri Borisov, in February 2016, said that the work on the restoration of this aircraft includes a great amount of teamwork and collaboration. The Tu-160 is a supersonic strategic bomber designed by Tupolev in the 1970s 1980s. Although some civil and military transport aircraft are larger in overall dimensions, the Tu-160 is the world's largest combat aircraft to enter service. It has been in service since 1987. It is the heaviest combat aircraft in the world; with the highest maximum take-off mass among the bombers. The pilots have nicknamed the bomber Beliy Lebed (White Swan). The first competition for a supersonic strategic heavy bomber was launched in the Soviet Union in 1967. In 1972, the Soviet Union started a new multi-mission bomber competition to create a new supersonic, variable-geometry heavy bomber with a maximum speed of Mach 2.3, in response to the US Air Force B-1 bomber project. The Tupolev design, dubbed Aircraft 160M, with a lengthened blended wing layout and integrating some elements of the Tu-144, contested against the Myasishchev M-18 and the Sukhoi T-4 designs. The modernized aircraft were accepted into Russian service after testing in late 2005. The improvement also combined the capacity to launch two new conventional versions of the long-range Kh-55 nuclear cruise missilethe Kh-101 and Kh-555. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia's Sukhoi Developing Sixth-Generation Fighter Sputnik News 14:09 02.03.2016(updated 14:25 02.03.2016) Russia has commenced the creation of a 6-generation jet fighter. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Russia's Sukhoi aicraft manufacturer has begun the development of a sixth-generation jet fighter, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said Wednesday. 'Of course, there were talks today about planned work, ideas for the creation of a sixth-generation fighter. Of course, we are still working on the fifth generation, but the developers are looking forward and that is the right thing to do,' Rogozin said following a meeting on the development of Russia's military aviation. Meanwhile, Aerospace Forces Commander Col.Gen. Viktor Bondarev said Wednesday that Russia was also working on a seventh-generation jet fighter. Currently Russia is testing its fifth-generation aircraft, PAK FA. The jets will enter service in 2017. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 18 militants killed in Syria car bomb Iran Press TV Wed Mar 2, 2016 4:25PM At least 18 militants, including a commander, have been killed in a car bomb explosion in Syria's southern province of Quneitra. The so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the car bomb went off in the village of Asheh in Quneitra Wednesday afternoon. But a Quneitra-based opposition activist, identified as Abu Omar al-Golani, said the blast killed 20 militants, including Capt. Abu Hamza al-Naimi, the commander of the Syria Revolutionaries Front, an offshoot of the so-called Free Syrian Army. Golani further said the blast occurred when several commanders were meeting at the group's office in Asheh. No one has so far claimed responsibility for the blast, but Suhaib al-Ruhail, a spokesman for the Alwiyat al-Furqan militant group which operates in the area, said 'Daesh sleeper cells" were most likely behind the attack. The Syria Revolutionaries Front was largely crushed in northern Syria in late 2014 by al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front terrorist group. Syria has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy since March 2011. According to a February report by the Syrian Center for Policy Research, the conflict has claimed the lives of over 470,000 people, injured 1.9 million others, and displaced nearly half of the country's pre-war population of about 23 million within or beyond its borders. Damascus accuses Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar of funding and arming anti-Syria terrorist groups, including the Daesh Takfiri group. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Seven killed in clashes near Jordan-Syria border Iran Press TV Wed Mar 2, 2016 8:15AM At least seven people have been killed as clashes erupted between Jordanian security forces and Takfiri Daesh militants in the northern city of Irbid. Police and security forces on Tuesday took part in an operation against Daesh militants in Irbid, near the border with Syria. A Jordanian police officer is among the dead. Meanwhile some sources said security forces killed a number of attackers. The Jordanian Interior Ministry initially described the assailants as "fugitive outlaws," but later said they were suspected Daesh terrorists. At least two security forces and two civilians were also injured in the operation, while one was arrested. A security source said that helicopters and troops were also deployed in a Palestinian refugee camp, where most of the wanted suspects had hidden. Irbid is located some 20 kilometers south of the Syrian border, where security forces regularly arrest people who try to join militant groups in Syria. Amman has also tried dozens of militants who returned from Syria. They were fighting alongside al-Nusra Front or Daesh militants against the Syrian government. Jordan is part of the US-led coalition that allegedly targets the positions of Daesh Takfiri terrorists from the air in Syria. However, many have questioned the effectiveness of the aerial attacks. According to the UN refugee agency, Jordan hosts some 630,000 refugees fleeing the war in Syria. Jordan, however, says it is home to 1.4 million refugees as many of them are unregistered. Jordan is also known to be among the supporters of militant groups fighting against the Syrian government. Amman has helped the training of armed militants, many of them joining Daesh as well as other Takfiri groups in Syria. The foreign-sponsored conflict in Syria, which started in March 2011, has claimed the lives of some 470,000 people and left 1.9 million injured, according to the Syrian Center for Policy Research. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian MoD Accuses Turkey of Attempts to Derail Syrian Ceasefire Sputnik News 21:01 02.03.2016(updated 21:55 02.03.2016) Russia considers continuing artillery shelling of Syrian territory by Turkey to be a provocative act aimed at derailing reconciliation process in the war-torn country, the commander of the Russian center for reconciliation in Syria said Wednesday. HMEYMIM AIRBASE (Sputnik) Last week, Russia and the United States reached an agreement on the ceasefire in Syria. The cessation of hostilities took effect at midnight on Saturday, Damascus time, generally holding across the country despite reported minor violations. 'The Russian Center is receiving reports from the Syrian General Staff and Kurdish armed groups supporting the ceasefire, that complain of continuing artillery shelling from Turkey,' Lt. Gen. Sergei Kuralenko said at a news briefing. On February 13, Turkish artillery began shelling positions held by the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), a Kurdish group with links to the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD), in Syria's Aleppo Province. On February 25, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said that the truce in Syria is not obligatory for Turkey to follow if the country feels a threat against its security. 'We consider these actions by Turkey as blatantly provocative and aimed at derailing the ceasefire regime as well as the reconciliation process in Syria in general,' Kuralenko said. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Some 200 Civilians Remain Blocked by Turkish Army in Southern Kurdish City Sputnik News 19:28 02.03.2016(updated 19:35 02.03.2016) About 200 people remain locked in the basement of buildings in the Kurdish town of Sur in southern Turkey fearing Turkish army would open fire on them if they go to the streets, Co-Chair of the Kurdish Democratic Regions Party (DBP) Kamuran Yuksek told Sputnik Turkey on Wednesday. MOSCOW (Sputnik) A large-scale operation by the Turkish military is underway in the Kurdish-dominated Diyarbakir province, which has been gripped by violence between the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants and Turkish security forces for months. Curfews remain in place across many districts in the area since December. 'Among these people there are representatives of the youth wing of the PKK, civilian population of the city, children, the elderly. According to our information, some 200 people are there,' Yuksek said. He added that one of the buildings has been recently shelled and collapsed, wounding 15 people in the basement. The politician called on the Turkish society to protest Ankara's actions in the areas populated by Kurds. 'I want to appeal to the Turkish society about the need to unite to oppose such a policy of the Justice and Development Party's government in Ankara. The authorities' actions create a serious, deep division in our society,' he pointed out. According to Yuksek, Turkish political elite in order to justify and legitimize its aggressive policy has created a 'paranoid concept of the existence of enemies seeking to dismember the state.' Relations between Ankara and the Kurds both inside the country and in Syria have been progressively worsening. Turkey links Syrian Kurds to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and labels both terrorist organizations. Tensions escalated in July 2015, after 33 Kurdish activists were killed in a suicide blast in the Suruc district and two Turkish policemen were later killed by PKK, which led to Ankara's military campaign against the group. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hasty Retreat: Syrian Army Destroys Daesh Defenses in Raqqa Sputnik News 10:26 02.03.2016(updated 13:41 02.03.2016) The Syrian Army and allied popular units have inflicted heavy losses on Daesh terrorists in the northern Raqqa province in a series of fierce clashes with the enemy, Iran's Fars news agency reported. Syrian warplanes raided and destroyed a military convoy of the Daesh terrorist group killing many militants and destroying their vehicles. The terrorists later confirmed their pullback from the key town of Tal Abyadh in the north of the province near the Turkish border as a result of sustained attacks by the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Meanwhile, around 250 militants in the country's southern province of Dara'a surrendered their weapons to the government forces advancing across the country, Fars News reported. In the recent weeks, the Syrian Army and its allies have been attacking militants' defense lines and concentration centers across the country. Adding to the Syrian army's anti-Daesh effort is the Russian air campaign, which was launched on September 30, 2015, when more than fifty Russian warplanes, including Su-24M, Su-25 and Su-34 jets, commenced precision airstrikes on Daesh targets in Syria at the behest of Syrian President Bashar Assad. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address House Panel Accuses Assad, Russia, Iran of War Crimes in Syria by Cindy Saine March 02, 2016 The U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday unanimously passed two resolutions to increase pressure on the Obama administration to do more to stop Islamic State terrorists and to help the people of Syria. The first resolution accuses Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his allies, singling out Russia and Iran, of committing war crimes against Syrian civilians. It contends that "the vast majority of the civilians who have died in the Syrian conflict have been killed by the government of Syria and its allies, specifically the Russian Federation, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and Iran's terrorist proxies including Hezbollah." The war crimes resolution calls on President Barack Obama to direct his U.N. ambassador to support creation of an international war crimes tribunal to prosecute anyone guilty of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Syria. It says the Syrian government has "engaged in widespread torture and rape, employed starvation as a weapon of war and massacred civilians, including through the use of chemical weapons, cluster munitions and barrel bombs." House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce, a California Republican, said the establishment of an international tribunal would send a strong signal to the Syrian people that they are not alone. About 425,000 Syrians have been killed, and four million others are living in exile. The sponsor of the resolution, Republican Representative Chris Smith of New Jersey, cited similar war crimes tribunals in the former Yugoslavia and Sierra Leone, saying they were effective in bringing perpetrators to justice. The war crimes resolution says Russia has not only enabled Assad but also 'has committed its own violations of international law by leading deliberate bombing campaigns on civilian targets including bakeries, hospitals, markets and schools.' The committee also passed a second resolution, which expresses the sense of Congress that the atrocities committed by Islamic State against Christians, Yazidis and other ethnic and religious minorities constitute war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. That resolution already has 200 Republican and Democratic co-sponsors. Kerry under pressure A number of lawmakers from both parties have joined with religious freedom and human rights advocates to demand that the State Department label Islamic State crimes genocide. At three hearings on Capitol Hill last week, Secretary of State John Kerry came under pressure from Republican lawmakers to declare IS guilty of genocide. Kerry expressed revulsion at the slaughter of innocents but said the State Department has to carefully review the legal standards that constitute genocide. Lawmakers point to the killings of thousands of members of the Yazidi religious minority in Iraq, starting in 2014. In most cases, IS fighters kill the men and take women and girls as slaves. Some lawmakers are demanding that it also be recognized that IS propaganda calls for the targeting of Christians, and they cite the brutal beheadings by IS of Christians from Ethiopia and Egypt. In a major spending bill, Congress gave Kerry until March 17 to make a determination declaring IS acts against religious minorities genocide. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 1,845 cases opened in Turkey over insulting Erdogan Iran Press TV Wed Mar 2, 2016 1:38PM About 1,850 cases have been opened in Turkey against those who stand accused of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan over the past two years, amid concerns over Ankara's attempt to hush dissidents. Turkey's Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said during a parliamentary session that 1,845 cases have been registered in relation to insulting Erdogan since 2014 when the hawkish Turkish leader took office as president. "I am unable to read the insults leveled at our president. I start to blush," he said in defense of the prosecutions. Critics have accused Erdogan of misusing a law, under which it is forbidden to insult the president, as a means to stifle dissent. The legislation that was hardly used before has sent a number of people to court, including celebrities, journalists and even schoolchildren. Erdogan has been also facing growing popular dissatisfaction over what critics say is his growing autocratic behavior and regarding criticism as insult. A human rights report released by the opposition Republican People's Party, also known as the CHP, in December 2015 showed that a total of 98 people accused of insulting the Turkish president had been apprehended during a 10-month period. The report added that a total of 5,795 people were taken into custody between January and October 7, 2015, over human rights issues. Figures, which showed the growing number of websites blocked by a court order in recent years, were also included in the report, which said 15,562 websites were blocked in 2011, 22,536 in 2012, 35,000 in 2013, 40,773 in 2014 and 96,000 last year. The Turkish government has come under harsh criticism over crackdown on opposition media critical of Erdogan or government policies. Journalists' release a defeat for Erdogan In another development, Can Dundar, the editor-in-chief of opposition newspaper Cumhuriyet, who has recently been released from jail along with his colleague Erdem Gul, hailed their freedom as a 'clear defeat' for Erdogan. The two journalists were under arrest since late November 2015 on charges of treason, espionage, and terrorist propaganda. They were freed on Friday after Turkey's Constitutional Court challenged their detention as a violation of their rights. Their arrest came after Cumhuriyet newspaper published a video showing that Turkey's intelligence agency helped in the delivery of weapons to foreign-backed militants in Syria. The Turkish government has denied allegations and said the vehicles had been carrying humanitarian aid to Syria. Erdogan has said he does not respect the top court's decision and that the case is not about press freedom, but about espionage. Speaking at a news conference in Istanbul, Dundar said he would not obey an order to surrender his passport and would try to travel overseas. Dundar and Gul will stand trial on March 25 on the charges, while prosecutors have demanded life terms. 'Right from the first hearing of our trial, on March 25, we will throw all light on the crimes of the state,' Dundar said on Wednesday, adding, 'We are not going to defend ourselves, we will put the crimes of the state on trial.' NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukrainian Contact Group Prohibits Military Drills 30 Km From Contact Line Sputnik News 16:04 02.03.2016 The Contact Group for Ukrainian reconciliation prohibited military exercises within a 30-kilometer radius from the line of contact in Donbass. MINSK (Sputnik) The Contact Group for Ukrainian reconciliation has signed two documents on banning military exercises within a 30-kilometer radius from the line of contact, as well as creating a schedule to demine areas in the country's east, a source familiar with the negotiations said Wednesday. "The documents on banning military exercises within a 30-kilometer radius and a schedule for demining was signed by the representatives of Russia and Ukraine in the Contact Group, Boris Gryzlov and Leonid Kuchma [respectively]," the source told RIA Novosti. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Minsk Deal Legitimizes Ugly Facts on the Ground, Critics Say by Nike Ching March 02, 2016 Western and Russian diplomats are meeting this week to discuss ways to defuse the conflicts in eastern Ukraine, where fighting continues between Russia-backed separatists and government forces despite attempts for a truce. While top U.S. officials are touting the importance of a full implementation of the Minsk agreement, critics say that the peace deal is a way to legitimize ugly facts on the ground. The foreign ministers of France, Germany, Ukraine and Russia are scheduled to meet Thursday in Paris. They hope to achieve a durable and effective cease-fire in eastern Ukraine to prepare the ground for a political settlement. Mediated by Germany and France, the so-called Minsk II agreement is a package of measures to alleviate the ongoing conflicts, including a cease-fire, between Moscow-backed rebels and government forces in eastern Ukraine. It was agreed to by Ukraine, Russia and separatists in February of 2015. While terms of the complex Minsk II were not fully carried out by its deadline of Dec. 31, 2015, top U.S. officials say it remains the best hope for peace, weapons withdrawal, decentralization in eastern Ukraine, and the return of Ukrainian state sovereignty over its border. Criticism of peace accord But critics said the western-brokered peace agreement cannot alter the fact that Crimea was annexed by Russia illegally two years ago. It has not changed Moscow's behavior. 'You see in Ukraine where the insertion of Russian forces, insertion of supplies to Ukraine rebels, Russian nationals in Ukraine, was able to create a state within a state, and then a political process that basically institutionalized the division of Ukraine, so the Minsk process really is, in my view, a way to legitimize the facts on the ground,' former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Adam Ereli told VOA in an interview. Ukraine foreign policy analyst Ian Brzezinski said that while Moscow is the one that violates Ukraine's territory integrity, the Minsk agreement treats Kyiv as equally wrong. Brzezinski, who works for the Atlantic Council, a Washington-based think tank, criticized the 'incrementalist approach' by the U.S. to respond to Russia assertiveness and aggression. 'I think the mistake has been the administration feels that it's been prudent in following a course of incrementalism, incremental economic sanctions, incremental political isolation, incremental military actions,' he said. Brzezinski added that stronger economic sanctions, a more robust military response to shore up NATO allies, as well as more security assistance including lethal weapons to Ukraine are needed to deter Russian aggression in central and eastern Europe. Criticism of Russia A senior U.S. State Department official blamed Russia and the separatists for not following through on commitments under the Minsk agreement. He told VOA a full cease-fire and weapons withdrawal is needed for the implementation of political, economic and humanitarian aspects of Minsk, including the voting in local elections. That is a big sticking point for the Minsk process to move forward. Violations of the cease-fire have thrown into doubt plans under the Minsk agreement for local elections in separatist-held areas. 'If elections are to take place,' said German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, 'we need an electoral law, then we need a security condition on the ground that allows for elections to take place.' Secretary of State John Kerry attended a new conference with Steinmeier earlier this week in Washington. 'It's very important for Russia to live up to its obligations and to make sure the separatists do, and it's also very important for the Kyiv government to undertake its steps,' Kerry said. The Kyiv government has postponed a law on elections in the pro-Russian separatist east. Steinmeier said it is one of the impediments preventing the Minsk process from moving forward. Germany and France also urged the Ukraine government to stamp out corruption. In conversations with Russian president Vladimir Putin, President Barack Obama has discussed the importance of full implementation of the Minsk agreements and the responsibility to protect the integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, according to Kerry. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address To the editor: After seeing and hearing the media buzz over the iPhone found on the San Bernardino, California, terrorists, I felt compelled to write a few words. We are talking about a terrorist situation here a very critical national security matter. The FBI will, and most certainly should win, this stupid argument about whether or not to open the mass murderers phone. This is a situation of utmost national importance no conversation needs to continue on this matter whatsoever. Apple CEO Tim Cook has stated several times openly that his company will fight a federal judges order to help the FBI unlock the iPhone once controlled by the terrorist shooter, Syed Rizwan Farook, saying compliance might allow the government to reach into anyones device. Give me a damn break! This is something that must be done and shouldve been done weeks ago. Are we that naive to think that if Cook and Apple choose not to comply with the FBIs request regarding this demand that they will win? Theres no way, folks. Big Brother will win this one and in this circumstance, wed better hope he does. Apples decision to fight the judgess order is, in my eyes, clearly a choice to seemingly protect a cold dead ISIS terrorists privacy over the security of all of us American citizens. What gives? Even Bill Gates, Microsofts founder, has stated that Apple should assist the FBI in gaining access into this phone. Theres no question about anything here. Privacy be damned! How could anyone of us look the victims families in their eyes and claim its a question of privacy. I certainly could not. What the h---, its one damn iPhone. Open the phone up and lets get to it. Times a wasting! It may offer a very good insight into who else these maniacs were communicating with and prevent other malicious, heinous attacks on our country. I say after 9/11, alls fair game. We have to take this bold stand and be strong and resilient. Otherwise, we appear weak and have no resolve. We cannot take a chance with any of these terrorists, in any way, shape or form. Im so sick and tired of hearing about the bleeding heart liberals in our great country who dont have a clue what the hell they are arguing about. To me its worth the gamble to go through with it and be on the safe side of danger, no matter what the cost. After all, we all know much too well what these monsters have done to us and given the chance, will do again. Open the phone! DARYL RIGNEY Danville New U.K. Treasury chief Jeremy Hunt has reversed most of an economic package announced by the government just weeks ago, including a planned cut in income taxes. Hunt said Monday he was scrapping almost all the tax cuts announced last month by the Conservative government of Prime Minister Liz Truss, and also signaled that public spending cuts are on the way. It was a bid to soothe turbulent financial markets spooked by fears of excessive government borrowing. The move raises questions about how long the beleaguered prime minister can stay in office, though Truss insisted she has no plans to quit. She vowed to lead the Conservatives into the next general election, but many in the party want her gone. CORAL SPRINGS, Florida, March 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The gold sector has lived up to expectations thus far in 2016 fueled by joint ventures, mergers, debt reductions and overall strong performance on the market. Mining companies with recent developments of interest in the gold sector / precious metals market are NuLegacy Gold Corp. (OTCQX: NULGF), Barrick Gold Corp. (NYSE: ABX), Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE: FCX), Kinross Gold Corp. (NYSE: KGC) (TSX: K) & Gold Standard Ventures Corp. (NYSE: GSV) (TSXV: GSV) NuLegacy Gold Corp. (TSXV: NUG.V) (OTCQX: NULGF) reports that it has closed the previously announced transaction with Barrick Gold Corp. ("Barrick") whereby NuLegacy has acquired Barrick's 30% working interest in the Redhill property (the "Property") in Nevada hosting the Iceberg gold deposit. - Barrick Becomes NuLegacy's Largest Shareholder at 16.7% Read the full NuLegacy Gold Corp. (NULGF) (NUG.V) Press Release at http://www.financialnewsmedia.com/profiles/nulgf.html In exchange, NuLegacy has issued 32 million shares (the "NUG Shares") to Barrick and granted a 2% net profits interest royalty from commercial production on the Property. Barrick now has the right to nominate one director to NuLegacy's board and to participate pro rata in all future issuances of shares or convertible securities. Barrick has provided NuLegacy with certain stand still and voting restrictions in favour of NuLegacy in respect of their shares for a period of two years, subject to certain conditions. NuLegacy now owns 100% of the Property, subject to the underlying royalties. The Iceberg gold deposit, located in the Cortez gold trend of Nevada, is adjacent to three of Barrick`s multi-million ounce Carlin-type gold deposits that are its lowest cost and politically safest gold assets , and has an established exploration target of 90-110 million tonnes of 0.9 to 1.1 grams of gold per tonne In other mining news and developments: Shares of Barrick Gold Corp. (NYSE: ABX) increased by 1.66% to $13.49 on yesterday morning, as gold prices trade in the green. For April delivery, gold is up by 0.74% to $1,239.90 per ounce on the COMEX this morning. The price of the precious metal is advancing today as global equities moved lower after oil prices declined, Reuters reports. SOURCE: TheStreet.com Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE: FCX) announced recently that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell a 13 percent ownership interest in its Morenci unincorporated joint venture to Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd. (SMM) for $1.0 billion in cash. Richard C. Adkerson, FCX's President and Chief Executive Officer, said: "We are pleased to expand our partnership at Morenci with Sumitomo. This transaction represents an important initial step toward our objective to accelerate debt reduction and restore our balance sheet, while retaining a portfolio of high quality assets and resources." Kinross Gold Corp. (NYSE: KGC) (TSX: K) announced recently that it has entered into an agreement with a syndicate of underwriters led by TD Securities Inc. and Scotiabank for a bought deal public equity offering of 83,400,000 common shares of Kinross at a price of US$3.00 per common share for gross proceeds of approximately US$250 million. The Company has granted the underwriters an option, exercisable at the offering price for a period of 30 days following the closing of the offering, to purchase up to an additional 15% of the offering to cover over-allotments, if any. The offering is expected to close on or about March 4, 2016 and is subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary approvals including the approval of the Toronto Stock Exchange, the New York Stock Exchange and the securities regulatory authorities. Gold Standard Ventures Corp. (NYSE: GSV) (TSXV: GSV) recently reported that it has closed its previously announced private placement financing (the "Financing") with a wholly owned subsidiary of OceanaGold Corp. (TSX: OGC) ("OceanaGold") for 13,831,931 common shares of Gold Standard (the "Purchased Shares") at a price of C$1.00 per share for gross proceeds of C$13,831,931. OceanaGold now owns approximately 19.9% of the Company's issued and outstanding shares on an undiluted basis. FinancialNewsMedia.com is leading provider of third party publishing & news dissemination services. If you would like more information regarding our news coverage solutions, please visit financialnewsmedia.com for more details. Get an edge on the market with our Premium News Alerts that are FREE for a limited time at financialnewsmedia.com. Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/financialnewsmedia and Twitter: twitter.com/FNMgroup. 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The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and FNMG undertakes no obligation to update such statements. Contact Information: Company: FN Media Group, LLC Contact email: editor@financialnewsmedia.com U.S. Phone: +1-954-345-0611 URL: http://www.financialnewsmedia.com SOURCE FN Media Group LLC TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - March 3, 2016) - NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Rupert Resources Ltd. ("Rupert" or the "Corporation") (TSX VENTURE:RUP) is pleased to announce that it has completed a non-brokered private placement of the Corporation for aggregate gross proceeds of $535,000 (the "Private Placement"). The Private Placement was partially comprised of 11,111,108 equity units (the "Units") that were issued at a price of $0.045 per Unit, for aggregate proceeds of $500,000. Each Unit consists of one (1) common share of the Corporation and one (1) common share purchase warrant of the Corporation (a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder to acquire one (1) common share of the Corporation for a period of 18 months from the date of issuance of the Warrant, at an exercise price of $0.06 per share. The Private Placement was also partially comprised of 666,666 equity units (the "Additional Units") that were issued at a price of $0.0525 per Additional Unit, for aggregate proceeds of $35,000. Each Additional Unit consists of one (1) common share of the Corporation and one (1) common share purchase warrant of the Corporation (an "Additional Warrant"). Each Additional Warrant entitles the holder to acquire one (1) common share of the Corporation for a period of 18 months from the date of issuance of the Additional Warrant, at an exercise price of $0.07 per share. The securities issued in connection with the Private Placement are subject to a hold period of four months and one day from the closing of the Private Placement. The net proceeds from the Private Placement will be used in connection with maintenance of the Corporation's current assets (estimated to be approximately $50,000) and towards general and administrative expenses, though management and the Board of Directors reserves the discretion to apply the proceeds to any opportunities that may present themselves in 2016. Under the Private Placement, Alan Brimacombe, an insider of the Corporation purchased 1,688,888 Units and now owns and controls approximately 19.04% of the issued and outstanding common shares of the Corporation. His participation in the Private Placement constitutes a "related party transaction" as defined in Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transaction ("MI 61-101"), which has been adopted by the TSX Venture Exchange pursuant to its Policy 5.9 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transaction. This transaction is exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of such instrument and policy, pursuant to the distribution of securities for cash, fair market value not more than $2,500,000 and financial hardship exemptions as set forth in MI 61-101. Additionally, the spouse of Brian Hinchcliffe, a director of the Corporation, purchased 571,428 Additional Units under the Private Placement, and now holds common shares of the Corporation that represent approximately 0.82% of the issued and outstanding common shares of the Corporation. The Company did not file a material change report more than 21 days before the expected closing of the Private Placement as the details of the participation therein by related parties of the Corporation were not settled until shortly prior to closing of the Private Placement and the Corporation wished to close on an expedited basis for sound business reasons. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD M. Kostuik, President and CEO Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements This press release contains statements which constitute "forward-looking statements", including the anticipated use of proceeds of the Private Placement and statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of the Corporation with respect to the future business activities and operating performance of the Corporation. The words "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" and similar expressions, as they relate to the Corporation, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made, and are inherently subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other known and unknown factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. These factors include the general risks of the mining industry, as well as those risk factors discussed or referred to in the Corporation's annual Management's Discussion and Analysis for the year ended February 28, 2015 available at www.sedar.com. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. The Corporation does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements except as otherwise required by applicable law. VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Mar 3, 2016) - True North Gems Inc. (TSX VENTURE:TGX) signed the IBA for the Aappaluttoq ruby mine in Greenland on 16 June 2014 along with our community partners, the Municipality of Sermersooq and the Government of Greenland. More than a year has passed and the three parties to the IBA are very pleased to announce results from the first evaluation and monitoring report. The report shows that the ruby mine contributes to the development of the Greenlandic mining industry and to Greenlandic society. The Mayor of the Municipality of Sermersooq, Asii Chemnitz Narup, says; "I am very proud that the project has employed so many of my fellow countrymen and used so many local companies from the Municipality of Sermersooq. I interpret this as an expression of the strong local engagement that True North Gems Greenland has demonstrated during the construction phase. The municipality looks forward to a continuation of this excellent collaboration in the coming years." "I am very pleased that in the first year True North Gems Greenland has managed to only use Greenlandic manpower and that they have used many Greenlandic companies. The Government of Greenland looks forward to continued collaboration with True North Gems Greenland and the Municipality of Sermersooq, and it is my hope that the project will continue to demonstrate the same local engagement throughout its lifetime," says Vittus Qujaukitsoq, Minister of Industry, Labour, Trade and Foreign Affairs. Bent Olsvig Jensen (Managing Director of True North Gems Greenland) expresses his experience of the first year with the following words: "I am very proud that our local engagement has managed to make the project a Greenlandic mining project and with it to realise our vision of developing the mine in collaboration with our fellow Greenlandic citizens." About True North Gems True North Gems is transitioning from an exploration and development company into a producer of high quality gemstones. Aappaluttoq is the only hard rock gemstone deposit in the world with a NI 43-101 compliant resource that has a current projected mine life of nine (9) years based on the 2015 prefeasibility study. True North Gems is committed to the realization of shareholder value through development of responsibly sourced and long-term sustainable commercial production of ruby and pink sapphire., in partnership with the people of Greenland. The Company's shares trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol TGX. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Ottawa, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 3, 2016) - Carube Copper Corp. (TSXV: CUC) announced today that during management's review and interpretation of recently flown airborne geophysics, soil sampling, chip sampling and historic data, they were able to confirm a highly prospective 2km long gold-focused target on its 100% owned 32 sq. km Main Ridge Project in Jamaica. Main Ridge has a similar geological setting to that of the Bellas Gate, where Carube Copper has OZ Minerals fully funding a copper and gold focused joint venture program. "Dr. Rampton's analysis of historic data and the recently completed work at Main Ridge has identified a significant gold in soil zone that traverses the central portion of the project area. Our initial objective had been to prioritize copper targets for further investigation, so the realization that Main Ridge has excellent gold potential is clearly a bonus. Our intention now is to prioritize the evaluation of the gold target in the next exploration program at Main Ridge," stated Jeff Ackert, CEO and President of Carube Copper Corp. Figure 1. Gold in soils zone at Main Ridge, Jamaica. To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: http://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/2661/19507_enhanced1.jpg Historic Work Shows Gold and Copper Zones In the early 1990s, BHP-Utah completed soil sampling from near the site of the former Pennants Gold Mine across the Main Ridge Project for a distance of 6000m to the northwest and defined a 3000m long gold in soil anomaly (Fig. 1); Gold values in the anomalous zone on Main Ridge ranged from 10 to 830 ppb Au, well above the background values of 5 ppb Au, which characterize much of the license area. Trenching and drilling at the former Pennants Gold Mine during the 1990s established that a steeply dipping epithermal quartz-carbonate high-grade gold zone was open to the northwest in the direction of Carube Copper's Main Ridge license. Reported production from the Pennants open pit mine was 95,725 t at 9.01g Au/t containing 27,739 oz. Au. High head grades, up to 120g Au/t, were recorded from its west zone. Recent Sampling Programs Confirm Gold and Copper Mineralization Two bedrock samples collected by Carube Resource in 2012 on a trail intersecting the gold in soil zone yielded values of 288 and 329 ppb Au3 (Fig.1).Carube Copper then completed a soil sampling program in 2014 on the southwestern part of Main Ridge and some areas were characterized by anomalous copper values of 250 to 694 ppm and gold values of 8 to 33 ppb4 (Fig. 2). Figure 2: CIDA copper in stream sediments, BHP copper in soils and Carube copper and gold in soils. To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit: http://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/2661/19507_enhanced2.jpg Identification and Prioritization of Multiple Copper and Gold Targets Potassium-thorium ratios and magnetic residuals from a geophysical survey flown over Main Ridge in 2015 show distinct responses5 that correlate well with previously identified copper and gold in soil anomalies (Figs. 1, 2 and 3). A review of these correlative patterns and anomalies plus the historic data and reports for the Main Ridge area reveal the following mineral targets areas, MR-I through MR-VI. Figure 3: Outline of high potential areas for mineralization at Main Ridge (MR-I through MR- VI). MR-I correlates with the gold in soil anomaly on Figure 1. To view and enhanced version of Figure 3, please visit: http://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/2661/19507_enhanced3.jpg Summary of Gold and Copper Target Areas MR-I, MR-II and MR-III: structurally controlled gold copper and copper porphyry type mineralization, suggested by the patterns of K/Th ratios, magnetic residuals and copper and gold in soil values. MR-IV: copper gold porphyry type mineralization, suggested by copper and gold in soil values, K/Th ratios and magnetic anomalies. MR-V and MR-VI: copper oxide and copper porphyry type mineralization, suggested by magnetic, radiometric and copper in soil patterns in combination with copper values of 0.8% Cu over 1m from volcanic agglomerate outcrops within an area covered by volcanic-fan type formations. Planned Exploration to Evaluate Gold and Copper Potential A geophysical consultant has been retained to further process and interpret the magnetic and radiometric data in order to better define the targets. The 2016 two-phased exploration program will incorporate the recommendations of his report. The initial phase of the program will concentrate on establishing priority drill targets at an estimated cost of C$250,000; the second phase may comprise up to 5000m of drilling. 1Pyle, P.F. 1992, Main Ridge Gold Project, Clarendon, Jamaica; unpublished reports, March and August for BHP-Utah Exploration Inc with analytical reports by Chemex Labs Inc, Sparks, Nevada 2Exploration Management Pty Ltd. 2012; Main Ridge gold Mine (Jamaica); web-site 3CaruBE Resources Inc. 212; Analytical results from Actlabs, Ancaster, Ontario 4Rodinia Jamaica Ltd. 2015; Semi-annual report for the Main Ridge Project area, July 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014; prepared by Jeff Ackert and Trevor McCain 5OZ Minerals Ltd. 2015; Results from geophysical and radiometric survey at Main Ridge; internal report and data delivered to Carube Copper Corp. Carube Copper has previously announced that it intends to raise an aggregate of $440,000 by way of a non-brokered private placement of up to 3,000,000 units of the Company at a price of $0.08 per unit and up to 2,000,000 flow-through common shares in the capital of the Company at a price of $0.10 per share. Closing is expected to take place on or about March 9, 2016. For more information, please contact us. In other corporate developments; the Company has granted stock options to certain directors, officers and consultants to purchase up to an aggregate of 4,150,000 common shares, exercisable at a strike price of $0.08 per share for a period of 5 years. The Company currently has 61,688,433 common shares outstanding and 4,561,500 stock options including those in this grant. Pursuant to the Company's Restricted Share Unit and Deferred Share Unit Compensation Plan, the Company has granted 200,983 Restricted Share Units (RSUs) to certain officers at $0.13 per unit and 1,000,000 RSUs at $0.08 per Unit. These RSUs will vest on March 1, 2017 and can then be exchanged for common shares of the Company on a one for one basis. Furthermore, the Company has awarded a total of 392,500 Deferred Share Units (DSUs) to directors at $0.20 per share. These DSUs will vest upon the recipient leaving the board of directors. Contacts Jeff Ackert, President and CEO 1-613-839-3258 jackert@carubecopper.com Dr. Vern Rampton, VP Corporate Development 1-613-839-3258 vrampton@carubecopper.com Alar Soever, Chairman 1-705-682-9297 asoever@carubecopper.com Darrell Munro, Corporate Administration 1-613-839-0474 dmunro@carubecopper.com www.carubecopper.com Sample Preparation, Analysis and Quality Control: For a description of these items as pertaining to rock and soil samples collected by CaruBE Resources Inc. please see disclosures in press releases of April 5, 2012 (http://carubecopper.com/press/2012/Carube%20Press-Release-Reports-Extensive-Copper-April-5-2012.pdf) and October 2, 2014. (http://carubecopper.com/press/2014/Carube-PR-2014-10-02-Hendley-Soils.pdf) Carube Resources and Activation Laboratories all have robust sample security and control programs in place for samples collected in Jamaica. QP Statement: This press release has been prepared by Dr. Vern Rampton, P. Eng., in his capacity as a qualified person as defined under NI 43-101. - END PRESS RELEASE - Carube Copper Corp. (TSXV: CUC) is a Canadian exploration company focused on the exploration and development of copper and gold projects in Jamaica and Canada. In Jamaica, two projects, totalling 188 square kilometres in area, are the subject of separate joint venture agreements with OZ Minerals Ltd., an Australian copper-gold producer with a market capitalization of over $1B. Carube Copper holds a 100% interest in two other nearby projects, totalling 80 square kilometres. In Canada, Carube Copper holds a 100% interest in three porphyry copper-gold-molybdenum properties, totalling 593 square kilometres within the Tertiary-aged Cascade Magmatic Arc in southwestern British Columbia. Exploration continues on these properties with the goal of joint-venturing them to larger exploration and mining companies. Carube continues to seek opportunities in Canada and the Caribbean for acquisition and development. DISCLAIMER AND FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" which are not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, and by their very nature involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Although these statements are based on currently available information, Carube Copper Corp. provides no assurance that actual results will meet management's expectations. Actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities may differ materially from those expressed herein. Factors that can cause results to differ materially are set out in the Company's documents filed on the SEDAR website. Even though Carube Copper believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on it, as it may only apply to a disclosed time frame or not at all. Carube Copper disclaims any obligation to update or revise information in the future other than required by law. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Play Video Replay Video Play Video Don't Play Messina Gelato: Dr Evil's Magic Mushroom Cake Behind the scenes at Gelato Messina on the Magic Mushroom Cake assembly line. You don't need a time machine to revisit your childhood's sugary highlights - Gelato Messina is powering a flashback to all your confectionery aisle favourites, thanks to its latest Messina Milk Bar pop-up at the Spectrum Now festival. It runs from March 3-13 and, yes, it's a sequel to the milk bar they debuted at last year's festival. Located inside the festival's Nosh Pit at The Domain, you'll find the gelato stand alongside stalls by Playa Taqueria, Burgers By Josh, Rangers Texas BBQ, Black Star Pastry's latest collaboration with N2 Extreme Gelato and more. Corner stores have had a strong hold on Gelato Messina's chefs and owners - despite growing up in different parts of Australia, they remember going down to their local milk bar for a much-savoured fix of hot chips, lollies and chocolate. Gelato Messina founder Nick Palumbo would even attach a piece of cardboard to the back wheel of his bike to make it sound like a motorbike as he rode down there on the streets of Adelaide! Gelato Messina's Rocky Roadie, Malt-Tease, Twixed and Munchie gelato bars for Spectrum Now's Nosh Pit. Photo: Supplied In their grown-up interpretation of the classic milk bar, they're offering their own twists on much-loved sweets. They've spent the last month experimenting with these nostalgia-sparking desserts, playing around with gelato moulds and trying to nail the likeness before they dissolve and become sticky pools. So at Messina Milk Bar, there's the Twixed, with its breakable fingers of caramel, shortcrust crunch and milk chocolate gelato. The Malt-Tease are balls of malt crunch and gelato, covered in crisp milk-choc shells (which took quite a few tests in the Messina kitchen to get right - coating the balls was no easy task, so remember that when you destroy these four at a time). The Rocky Roadie bars are slabs of marshmallow, raspberry puree, peanut gelato, all sealed inside a chunky choc-peanut shell. And the Munchie hides wild honey gelato and honeycomb inside a milk-choc coating. "The honeycomb for the 'Munchie' is by far one of the most time-consuming additions we make, but it's worth it when you try it combined with the wild honey gelato," says Gelato Messina spokesperson Sian Bishop. "We're tailored the recipe to make sure it still gives you the same sticky crunch when frozen as it does when eaten alone." The Rocky Roadie with peanut butter gelato, raspberry and marshmallow. Photo: Supplied And like an old-school milk bar, you can wash these all down with a thickshake. At the pop-up, they're three-scoop affairs - which may be part of a grander conspiracy to ensure you consume even more gelato, but really, who is going to gripe about that? The shakes come in two retro flavours (strawberries & cream, milk chocolate) and a very zeitgeisty one, salted caramel with white choc chip - probably a tribute to the fact that Messina makes seven tonnes of salted caramel gelato a week. And if you somehow need to up your consumption levels of Gelato Messina even further, Hendrick's Gin is staging its 'Abandoned Circus' display at Spectrum Festival this year, and has teamed up with the gelato brand to give out free Hendrick's-inspired sorbet as well. March 3-13, Spectrum Now Nosh Pit, The Domain, Sydney, gelatomessina.com/au/milkbar Ramblin' Rascal Tavern. Photo: Daniel Munoz Jake Smyth, co-owner of Mary's and The Unicorn Hotel, shares his top picks for where to drink and dine during the 2016 Mardi Gras. Imperial Hotel La Grande Dame of Sydney's vibrant gay and lesbian scene she has had a rough trot of late, but we wouldn't dream of kicking off anywhere else. Game of pool, schooners and jukebox dressed for the march. There's no better place in the world. 35 Erskineville Road, Erskineville, 02 9516 1766, imperialsydney.com.au Ramblin' Rascal Tavern Charlie Lehmann, Dardan Shervashidze and Sebastian Soto run one of our favourite bars in this city, and it's joyously placed around the corner from the rallying point for the march. Shoot some cognac along with the breeze and a tinnie of Melbourne Bitter. We have rigged up a bat-phone situation to Mary's CBD, so a Fairy's burger can be ordered and delivered. 60 Park Street, Sydney, facebook.com/Ramblin-Rascal-Tavern Outside the Colombian Hotel before Mardi Gras last year. Photo: Anna Kucera The Cliff Dive Here are more of our pals who know how to throw a party. They serve pina coladas in pineapples and damn cold cans of beer. 16-18 Oxford Square, Darlinghurst, thecliffdive.com.au Colombian Hotel This pub, though some of its gloss has worn off, is a literal cornerstone of Oxford Street. The view from the windows has got to be among the best for the march. 117-125 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst, 02 9360 2151, colombian.com.au Brighton Up Bar We have been here to see both our brothers play and it holds special memories for us. For romance alone, we would sink a beer, have a peer and grab a long neck from the Lick-Her Shop down below. 1/77 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst, 02 9361 3379, brightonupbar.com.au Gin old fashioned from This Must Be the Place. Photo: Chris Pearce Courthouse Hotel If you haven't been asked to leave this joint, then you would never have made it this far anyway. Front and centre to the action at Taylor Square, it will be a battle to get in, but worth it for the people-watching alone. 189 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst, 02 9360 4831, courthousehotel.com.au This Must Be the Place Aha. We aren't made of schooners and crisps after all. Undoubtedly some of the best cocktail minds in the city. And try the Cuca mussels on toast while you're here. 239 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst, 02 9331 8063, tmbtp.com.au Advertisement The Unicorn Hotel Sorry. We have to do this because we would be there, if we could somehow pause our Mardi Gras float of beauties and part the peopled seas to the front door of our new joint. At The Unicorn Hotel, there would be some cold red wine for me, a cider for Ali and a shared plate of chops. Love is blindness and tastes like the above. 106 Oxford Street, Paddington, 02 9360 7994 10 William Street One of our favourite places in the whole wide world. The world-class wine list, a portion of which seems to anger some as the bar offers it by the glass. How quaint. But seriously, 10 William has a roster of headliner chefs and the type of hospitality that still makes our head spin. The whipped 'bottarga' pretzel is a staple. 10 William Street. Photo: Domino Postiglione Heaps Gay x Bearded Tit After Party @ The Captain Cook Hotel After the march has ended, the party hasn't even finished it's getting started. This will be where we kick off the stilettos and kick off the rest of the night. The founder of Heaps Gay is our old pal Kat Dopper and it will be a family affair here at the Captain Cook Hotel. Vive la difference! 1/162 Flinders Street, Paddington, 02 9360 4327. See Facebook event info for more details. To coincide with Mardi Gras Week, Mary's is reviving its "Fairy's Burger". For an extra dollar, you can have your burger topped with hundreds and thousands a tribute to the rainbow flag. Each dollar will be matched by Mary's owners Jake Smyth and Kenny Graham, with proceeds donated to charity. This option will be available at Mary's Newtown, 6 Mary Street, Newtown; Mary's CBD, 154 Castlereagh Street, Sydney and The Unicorn Hotel, 106 Oxford Street, Paddington. SHARE By Staff Report One person was killed in a single-vehicle crash on Farm-to-Market Road 1692, about 5 miles north of San Angelo, early Wednesday. About midnight, Matthew David Freeman, 20, of Santa Fe, Texas, was killed after running a stop sign as he approached the intersection of U.S. 67 in his Dodge Ram 2500. Freeman's Dodge traveled across U.S. 67 and struck a windmill, which caused his vehicle to overturn, according to a Texas Department of Public Safety news release. Freeman had been drinking alcohol, the release states. Freeman was pronounced dead by Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace Kay Longest. Next of kin have been notified, the release stated. SHARE By Staff Report One person was critically injured in a two-vehicle crash at Grand Canal Road and U.S. 277 on Wednesday morning. Jonathan Taylor, 16, had to be extracted from his Chevrolet pickup by first responders from the San Angelo Fire Department after crashing into a Chevrolet pickup driven by Boyd Brotherton, 31. The crash happened at 7:30 a.m., according to a San Angelo Police Department news release. Taylor left a stop sign on Grand Canal Road to cross the intersection and crashed with Brotheron's pickup. Taylor's pickup came to rest on its passenger side on the northbound side of U.S. 277, the release stated. Both drivers were wearing seat belts and were taken to Shannon Medical Center. Brotherton was treated for non-incapacitating injuries and was released. Taylor remained at Shannon in critical condition after suffering broken bones, a head injury and other internal injuries. There was no further update on his condition Wednesday afternoon, the release stated. During the investigation, police found that Taylor failed to yield the right of way to Brotherton before the crash, the release stated. Low-maintenance West Texas landscaping takes thoughtful planning Believe it or not, a beautiful yard is possible in the Concho Valley without excessive water and fertilizers and labor. SHARE Services for Texas teens drop since 01 By Casey Jones and Kenneth L. Stewart The United States Supreme Court ruled in the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that a woman, consulting with her doctor, has a constitutional right to an abortion during the early stages of her pregnancy. The court further endorsed this right about 20 years later in its Planned Parenthood v. Casey decision. At that time, however, it affirmed that states may regulate women's access to abortion services. The Texas Legislature has enacted many restrictions since then. Indeed, a recent Guttmacher Institute briefing reported that 31 state legislatures across the country were emboldened by the victories of anti-abortion candidates in the 2010 elections. These states proceeded to enact 288 abortion restrictions in five years between 2011 and 2015. Only 10 states accounted for 60 percent (173) of all the new restrictions enacted after 2010. Texas, with 13 new laws, was one of these 10. Key elements of Texas law include the requirement that an ultrasound be presented to depict the image of the fetus to women before an abortion; the restriction of public funding to abortion services in cases of rape, incest or life endangerment only; and the U.S. Supreme Court's pending decision on the Texas law requiring abortion providers to meet standards for ambulatory surgical centers and to have admitting privileges at a hospital. The Texas Department of State Health Services establishes standards for licensing abortion facilities and clinical procedures in accordance with the Texas Abortion Facility Licensing Act, passed in 1989. This law requires facilities to report abortions. DSHS, in turn, publishes annual vital statistics giving local communities a measured look at the occurrence of abortion among their residents. The focus on Texas provided by the Guttmacher briefing prompted us to analyze abortions involving teenagers in Texas, Tom Green County and the Concho Valley's rural counties to see if differences in rates occurred after the 2010 elections. Using DSHS data to reveal the differences, we compared the annual abortion rates for young women ages 15-19 from 2001-2010 to the rates from 2011-2013. Abortion services provided for teens have steadily decreased across Texas since 2001. In that year, the statewide rate was slightly more than 13 abortions per 1,000 females ages 15-19. The rate declined year-by-year to 7.5 by 2013, yielding a 43.9 percent overall statewide reduction. Reflecting 10 straight years of reductions, the average annual rate between 2001 and 2010 was 11.4 per 1,000 teens ages 15-19. Then, for the following three years (2011-2013), the average rate across Texas fell to 7.4 per 1,000. Consistent with the intent of the Legislature, the flurry of new laws after the 2010 elections may be stimulating an accelerated pace of declines in abortions, including those provided for pregnant teenagers. The story for Tom Green County is similar, even though abortions provided for local teens have not followed the year-to-year pattern of straight declines characteristic of the chart-line for the overall state. Still, starting from a rate of 8.4 abortions per 1,000 in 2001, female teens in Tom Green County saw a 37.6 percent reduction to a rate of 5.2 per 1,000 by 2013. Moreover, abortions provided to local teens followed the pattern of accelerating declines after 2010. The average annual rate for Tom Green County between 2001 and 2010 was 8.1 per 1,000 teens ages 15-19. This fell sharply to 5.3 per 1,000 for the three years 2011-2013. Interestingly, more rural parts of Texas like the 12 Concho Valley counties outside of Tom Green may be somewhat insulated from the politics of abortion regulation post-2010. To be sure, the 12 rural counties combined together did see the level of teen abortions fall by about one-third from 8.4 to 5.6 per 1,000 young women between 2001 and 2013. However, year-by-year swings up and down are much more variable in the rural counties than in more urban environs such as Tom Green, and they starkly contrast to the steady yearly reductions at the statewide level. The result for the rural Concho Valley areas is that the post-2010 average annual abortion rate of 8.5 per 1,000 for ages 15-19 was only modestly lower than the average rate of 9.0 per 1,000 for the pre-2010 years beginning with 2001. The Guttmacher briefing implies that these patterns of declining abortions were stimulated by numerous victories by anti-abortion candidates in the state-level elections of 2010. Meantime, organized anti-abortion advocates take comfort in results showing that abortion rates are at their lowest level since the Roe v. Wade decision in 1973. They often point to their own efforts to push for more parental consent laws, reinforcement of abstinence in sex-education counseling, and other state and local measures to restrict abortion to account for the declines. Ironically, organized abortion rights groups also take heart by attributing declines to their efforts to expand access to contraception and more comprehensive sex education programs. Accordingly, they believe that contraception and family planning services prevent unplanned pregnancies and improve outcomes for children while reducing the number of abortions. Thus, the opposing sides on America's abortion issue credit their own respective initiatives for reducing abortion rates. Their ideological and political posturing, however, puts many women in a very difficult position, regardless of their legal status as teenagers or adults. Some women with unplanned pregnancies, for instance, live in the nicest neighborhoods in town with abundant resources to nurture healthy babies with rich opportunities to develop into happy and successful adults. Many more women, however, live in desperate conditions offering few resources to nurture healthy babies and little real opportunity to help children develop into the future. Beyond the ideological and political battles, communities across America must face the fact that poverty rates in America, for both women and children, are among the highest in the world among developed nations. That is why our own local communities in the Concho Valley must continue the struggle to find solutions that work, not to satisfy the angry voices of pro-life and pro-choice forces, but to serve the best interests of the women and children. Casey Jones is chairman of the Department of Security Studies and Criminal Justice and director of the Center for Security Studies at Angelo State University. Kenneth L. Stewart is director of Community Development Initiatives at the ASU Center for Community Wellness, Engagement, and Development. Contact them at casey.jones@angelo.edu or kenneth.stewart@angelo.edu. SHARE By Suzanne Carter Hahn History informs us that war and rumors of war cause upheaval in the best of governments. That's us, right? We believe our knowledge of the past will prevent us from repeating mistakes. But often literature provides us with a better understanding of history's characters, warts and all. Read any Shakespeare lately? In 1599, he wrote "Julius Caesar," who ruled in first century Rome. The play helps us understand how war can change once rational leaders. Mark Antony speaks of the terrible deeds done to his countrymen. And says that "Caesar's spirit raging for revenge comes hot from hell ... and (he) let slip the dogs of war." Today those dogs are barking in neighborhoods all over the world. Western Europe is in crisis. In 2015, more than 4 million people fled war-torn areas in and around Syria. Numbers increased in the first two months of the new year. There's nothing like it since World War II. Many refugees, carrying their possessions in backpacks, headed for the Greek Islands, hoping to make their way to safe haven in Germany. For hefty fees, those eager to exploit desperate men, women and children crammed them into often leaky rubber boats. Thousands, including a number of children, lost their lives. Those who survived the journey soon overwhelmed Western Europe. Who are these people? Statistics vary, depending on which side of the political aisle you ask. The issue: Should our country accept its share of refugees? The inscription on our Statue of Liberty: "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses, yearning to breathe free." But in 2001 the twin towers in Lower Manhattan came tumbling down, just a stone's throw across a narrow harbor from the iconic symbol. The words on the statue remain, but the times have changed. We remember the World War II era, when more than once we opted for security, sacrificing principles in the process. Would we do it differently now? Should we? On Jan. 14, 1942 (36 days after Pearl Harbor), President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Presidential Proclamation No. 2537, requiring aliens from the Axis countries Italy, Germany and Japan to register with the U.S. Department of Justice. Registered people were then issued Certificates of Identification for Aliens of Enemy Nationality. And in February it was followed by FDR's Executive Order 9066, which initiated a controversial policy with lasting consequences for Japanese-Americans. The document ordered the removal of 1,400 resident enemy aliens from parts of the West vaguely identified as military areas. They lost everything except their lives. Today, most Americans know it happened, and I believe it's safe to say that most agree it was a travesty. In 1988, Japanese-Americans affected finally were compensated $20,000 each. By then, more than half of them were dead. A lesson: Beware of executive orders, particularly in times of war. Some have asked why Germans and Italians were not sent to the camps as well. Simple answer: The Japanese were easily identified by racial characteristics. But there was another program, one very few knew about, until a highly acclaimed book came out in January 2015, "The Train to Crystal City," by Jan Jarboe Russell. The book tells the story of a secret prisoner exchange program implemented by our government. Germans, Italians and Japanese were included. The men identified (by anyone an irate neighbor, someone with a grudge) as enemy aliens were picked up and incarcerated without due process.(The U.S. Constitution? Until after the war, it was an inconvenient truth to be ignored.) Families of those gathered up were " allowed" to join them later in camps like the one in Crystal City, in South Texas. In the chaotic time near war's end, the men, along with their wives and English-speaking children, were sent to Japan and Germany in exchange for American citizens who had been captured. Some of the German families landed in death camps, which were soon liberated. Then they joined the multitudes of homeless people who no longer had a country. Japanese families were returned to a Hiroshima decimated by the atomic blast, a city with no food, no shelter and no way to make a living. Some finally made it back to the United States, often after a journey of years. Compensation? None. A year ago, only a handful still lived to tell their stories. All this occurred under the leadership of FDR, always named as one of our greatest presidents. As a small child, I thought he literally sat at the right hand of God almighty. I remember my mother crying when she learned of his death. FDR inspired the nation throughout the Great Depression. He stood shoulder to shoulder with Winston Churchill, and together they saved the world as we know it. It's a lot to think about and balance. There's no way today's refugees can be adequately screened. And if one terrorist gets through, repercussions could be horrific. Do we really have to turn away women with children? And could our government be driven to other, more heinous steps in the name of security? Can we ever again live up to the inscription on Lady Liberty? Or should we acknowledge that our world has changed and there's no going back. I still believe that FDR, warts and all, resides near God. But now I understand the beloved president was human, one who did his best in a crisis almost beyond comprehension. But as many of us learn the hard way, at times our best is not quite enough. So I'm convinced that if FDR can influence affairs on Earth, he'll find a way to put a sign in our future president's yard: "Beware the dogs." Suzanne Carter Hahn lives in San Angelo. SHARE Brittany Maynard is the human face of the proposition that Americans who are threatened by a terminal illness should have more freedom to choose the time, place and manner of their own deaths. In April 2014, Maynard was diagnosed with grade 4 glioblastoma, a form of brain cancer, and given only six months to live. With no hope for a cure, she began to prepare to die. By October, she announced that she had checked off the last item on her "bucket list," a visit to the Grand Canyon. Death by brain cancer is often a prolonged, painful and undignified experience, so Maynard moved, with her family, from California to Oregon, one of three states with "death with dignity" laws that permit a physician to assist a terminal patient end her life. Which is what Maynard did, on Nov. 1, 2014. In her final Facebook post, Maynard said goodbye to family and friends and then: "Today is the day I have chosen to pass away with dignity in the face of my terminal illness, this terrible brain cancer that has taken so much from me - but would have taken so much more." Maynard's story is a sad one. She was young - only 29 - and she appears to have been the type of person who would have made the best of her life. But she was nearly out of choices. So she made the best choice - in her mind - that she could, sparing herself and her family a prolonged, painful death. Not everyone agrees, and laws that permit physician-assisted suicide are still a very hard sell in the United States. This is understandable. Brittany Maynard's story strongly supports more choice in dying, but what about the case of Jeffrey Spector? Last May, Spector, 54, traveled from his home in Britain to Zurich, where he had a last meal with his family, and then checked into the clinic of an organization called Dignitas and had himself put to death, against the wishes of his wife and three young daughters. Spector wasn't terminally ill, but he had lived for six years with an inoperable tumor that had wrapped itself around his spinal cord and threatened him at any time with quadriplegia, a state of helplessness that this active man believed would have been insufferable. Instead, he chose to die. Euthanasia's slippery slope gets treacherous quickly. Last week HBO's "Vice" reported on the liberal assisted-suicide laws in the Netherlands, which don't require a terminal diagnosis. Thus we find ourselves inside the cozy, bookshelf-lined home of a pleasant, cheerful Dutch woman in her 60s, on the day before her death. She was not physically ill, but, contrary to appearances, she had suffered from irresolvable depression for decades. Her children are grown and on their own. She simply no longer wanted to live. The next day, the laws of the Netherlands accommodated her. It can get even more complicated: Last week, Charles Lane, writing in The Washington Post, reported on the case of a Dutch psychiatric patient known as 2014-77. As a child he suffered from neglect and abuse and by age 10 had been diagnosed with autism. His life was miserable for two decades and he attempted suicide repeatedly. More treatment was attempted, but finally doctors complied with his request to end his life. Perhaps we can distill some principles out of all this complexity: (1) The clarity and humanity of a case like Brittany Maynard's shouldn't obscure the moral and ethical dangers of assisted suicide. (2) Europeans deserve credit for attempting to deal realistically with the hopelessness, helplessness and desperation that many feel at the end of life. (3) Society has an obligation to spend resources to mitigate the psychological and physical distress that causes nearly 120 Americans to commit suicide every day. (4) Physical illness is not the only condition that makes life seem no longer worth living. And (5) while others have a stake in our choices, a dearly held right should be the privilege of deciding not only how we live, but how we die. John M. Crisp, an op-ed columnist for Tribune News Service, teaches in the English Department at Del Mar College in Corpus Christi. Contact him at jcrisp@delmar.edu. SHARE Bobby D. Lacy "To the victor go the spoils." That is a phrase that we all are so very familiar with, mainly because it has so much meaning. At least it used to mean something. I always believed that after the contest was won and victory was clearly in hand, the winner was given that which was at stake before the contest began. The winner got that. All of it. However, I have been reminded lately that it does not always happen that way for some of us, for whatever reason. Every now and then we see that winning can be made relative if those who controlled the contest did not plan on you winning. Someone else was expected to win and, thereafter, receive it all. Not you. "But listen to this," they tell us. "We are going to let you win, but we will not cede to you all the spoils. We hope that you can graciously accept our proposal." What can one say about that? I mean, one works on one's craft and hones one's skills, and after preparation beyond description, with unmatched dedication and undying determination, one competes and wins, fairly even, only to be denied the prize that was designated for the winner. One wins, but things change, immediately and automatically. That was the only thing I could think of after I heard about the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. It was sad, for sure, but it was even more dramatic, especially after all was said and done. We, as a nation, mourned momentarily for this man of great stature who served in his esteemed position most worthily, to some, for quite some time. And then the nation moved on, politically, back to the status quo, which means the Republicans trying to beat and defeat President Obama. It is incredible to think about all the shenanigans that this president has had to endure during his terms in office. For instance, an entire political party saying "no" to everything that the president proposed, although heretofore unprecedented, is commonplace. Those same ones even belittle our leader before the rest of the world, slandering him to many who adore him for who he is to them and for his importance to so many other nations. All of that is the norm for those who disrespect him for who he is and who tried in vain to make him a one-term president. Many of us have come to expect such lowly actions, but "the bottom fell out" the other day. An esteemed justice passed away unexpectedly, and immediately the "majority" Republican Party, as so vividly expressed for all to hear by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, vowed to deny the president the opportunity to replace him on the court, even though it is the president's constitutional responsibility and duty to do so. Well, that is the way it has been for all other presidents, those who ran for and fairly won the position. Not so for Obama, though. It often seems funny, but disheartening, to think of those who have done and continue to do all of the unwarranted and unspeakable things to this president and then try to blame him for the irreparable discord in Washington, D.C. They wish to consider him the divisive one because he cannot bring harmony to a vitriolic situation that pits him against all those who oppose him and even hate him for all that he stands for, even though a lot of it is good, by most standards and according to most people. And then they win because they become the better debaters, talking loud and convincing all who will listen that the wrong that they are doing is right. Maybe that can be justified, if we consider right as meaning conservative. Otherwise, there is no justification for them denying the president the official task of replacing the deceased on the high court. The irony is that Scalia was one who always considered the letter of the Constitution as the standard by which to interpret its meaning. Is this how we honor his dignity, by misinterpreting the law of the land just to fit the desires of a particular group? Suddenly we have changed the interpretation of the rules to mean that "the next president" shall assume the duties that the Constitution grants to this president. Why is that plausible now? What makes this president not deserve the same "spoils" as all other winners deserved and have gotten? What has happened to the letter of the law that Scalia stood for and supposedly always used when he was making those lasting and critical decisions that affected our being? And why can't this winner, President Obama, enjoy that which unexpectedly has become part of the spoils of victory to which he is entitled? It does not make sense, but the cruel, unusual and unprecedented doings of the opposition never have. Bobby D. Lacy lives in San Angelo. SHARE By Cal Vick Restoring faith, family and freedom to the streets of America despite the best efforts of the current herd of pimps for godless Marxism in Washington, D.C., requires iron feet under the wings of our prayers. First, there has to be a plan in place that can succeed in reasonable time and which coincides with the universal natural law of right over wrong. Every thinking American who cares enough to look at the past 50 years of U.S. political history knows that faith, family and freedom are all disappearing on the streets of America for only one reason: big government overreach, primarily for re-election to Washington. It has become sadly obvious that many of those elected soon fall into this blind cultural march toward godless Marxism because it enslaves millions, anything for re-election, and then the sum effect of what they will do and will not do to ensure their own re-election can have no more fitting title than pimping for Marxism. So the rescue plan obviously is to outlaw re-election to Washington, one term of pure service and then out for life, no career nation-killers or whatever title they may wag under. Surely by now we have learned, too well, that unbridled man loose with such power as being elected to office in Washington cannot be trusted with access to any tools for purchasing their own re-election over and over at the expense of this nation's future. This goose cannot survive this self-serving greed. Our Washington leaders will only stop catering to the ungodly and misguided policies they have created, stop destroying the family unit or stop advancing government against our freedoms the very day when a new constitutional amendment says that none of those treacheries nor any other can ever again help bribe their way to re-election. Mortal greed for power must have limits. Who cannot understand that this move is the logical salvation of the America that the whole world expects will survive and thrive? Join the hunt now! Click conventionofstates.com. Your fellow patriots there are already busy pushing all state leaders to convene under their Article 5 constitutional rights for amending our Constitution to put a halt to Washington selling our nations' future just for their own re-election. Click now and stand up for your republic's future while you fly its flag. God bless the lucid. Cal Vick lives in San Angelo. The LePage administration on Wednesday introduced a bill that would create new restrictions for prescribing opioids to control pain, as part of the state's effort to combat the heroin epidemic. If approved, Maine would have one of the strictest prescribing standards for opioids in the country, a national expert said.About 75 percent of new heroin users first become addicted to prescription opioids, according to the American Society of Addiction Medicine."This is a prevention bill," said Dr. Christopher Pezzullo, chief health officer for the Maine Department of Health and Human Services. "There's way too many opioids in our communities."Maine is in the midst of a heroin crisis, and in recent years has experienced a surge in overdose deaths and the number of people seeking treatment for opioid addiction. About 350,000 Mainers were prescribed a total of 80 million opioid pills in 2014, the latest figures available, according to the Maine DHHS.Under the new restrictions, doctors would be required to check the Prescription Monitoring Program before prescribing opioids, and would have to undergo mandatory training before being permitted to prescribe opioids, among other reforms. The Prescription Monitoring Program is a tool that helps prevent patients from "doctor shopping," by limiting duplicate prescriptions for opioids.Tom Clark, clearinghouse manager for the PDMP Center of Excellence at Brandeis University, which researches and tracks prescription monitoring programs and other regulations around prescribing, said Maine would vault to among the strictest states in the nation for prescribing opioids."This is quite a signal," Clark said. "Maine is doing the right thing. This tells me they're very serious about changing prescribing practices. It's a very progressive proposal."Currently, 27 states require doctors to use the state's prescription monitoring program before prescribing opioids, but Clark said in some states the requirements are weak and there's many loopholes.Maine would join the dozen or so states that have a more comprehensive mandate, and the other requirements Maine is proposing would put the state at or near the top for strict opioid prescribing regulations, Clark said.Other measures in the bill include:* Limiting opioid prescriptions for chronic pain to 15 days, and acute pain to three days.* Capping opioid prescriptions to 100 morphine milligram equivalents per day.Pezzullo said studies show that prescriptions higher than 100 morphine milligram equivalents have greater potential to be harmful to the patient. In a case study of eight states that included Maine, Maine had the second highest percentage, at 15 percent, of doctors prescribing greater than 100 morphine milligran equivalents, according to a study published in October 2015 by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.In addition, research has shown that overall, opioids are ineffective and many times counterproductive in treating chronic pain, and states are now examining ways to limit prescriptions for chronic pain."We are facing a heroin crisis that was created in large part due to the unchecked flood of prescription painkillers into our communities," said Gov. Paul LePage in a statement. "It's time for some common-sense limits on prescribing these dangerous and highly addictive pills. With limits in place today, we can see a reduction in heroin addiction tomorrow."Pezzullo said the administration has been working on the bill for months, talking to experts across the country to devise a proposal that would make a significant dent in opioid prescriptions."If these measures had only been in place 10 years ago, I doubt we would have seen a heroin abuse crisis of today's magnitude," Pezzullo said.The state in 2012 made changes to opioid prescribing for MaineCare patients, and the state has seen opioid prescription rates for MaineCare, the state's version of Medicaid, plummet over the last few years.Opioid prescriptions in the MaineCare system declined by 45 percent from 2012 to 2014, while opioids prescribed using private insurance increased 5 percent during the same time period, according to the Maine DHHS.But Wednesday's bill, if approved, would be much more strict than the MaineCare rules, and would apply to all doctors in the state.Clark said as the heroin problem has become more acute, more states are adopting tougher rules for doctors who prescribe opioids. For example, mandatory physician usage of prescription monitoring programs has been expanded to many more states over the past five years, he said.Dr. Brian Pierce, president of the Maine Medical Association, a trade group that represents doctors and lobbies the Legislature on bills, said they agree with the "intent" of the LePage administration's proposals, but want to make sure flexibility is built in so that doctors are not hamstrung by regulations."We want it to work well for patients and physicians," Pierce said, adding that the system should be designed so that if patients are having problems overnight or on weekends, doctors could prescribe the opioids without running afoul of state regulations.But Pierce said the association did not disagree with the goals of the bill or even with the idea that doctors should have mandatory training or be required to use the Prescription Monitoring Program. Pierce said over-prescribing of opioids has contributed to the heroin problem.The bill was sponsored by Sen. Andre Cushing, R-Newport, assistant Senate majority leader, but the proposal could attract bipartisan support.Rep. Drew Gattine, D-Westbrook, and co-chair of the health and human services committee, said he's "open-minded" about the bill, and agrees that changes in prescribing practices should be considered by lawmakers.The new regulations, if approved, would also apply to benzodiazepines, which are powerful sedatives used to treat a variety of conditions, incuding anxiety and panic disorders. Benzodiazepines have also been known to be diverted and abused. The four liberal members of the U.S. Supreme Court took turns tearing into Texas' controversial anti-abortion law at a highly anticipated hearing Wednesday, raising the possibility of a landmark court ruling that could make the procedure easier to access nationwide for years to come.Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan all pressed Texas Solicitor General Scott Keller to explain why the set of abortion regulations that have helped force dozens of clinic closures in the state was medically necessary, repeatedly raising evidence of other procedures that are more dangerous and less regulated."There are so many other medical treatments whose complication rates are so disproportionately higher, and the Legislature is only targeting abortion," Sotomayor said at one point, adding that, "The slightest benefit is enough to burden the lives of a million women. That's your point?"Later, Breyer demanded a single example of a woman experiencing an abortion-related complication and not being able to get care because the previous law was insufficient."That is not in the record," the Texas state lawyer was forced to concede.The abortion providers who brought the case against the Texas law known as House Bill 2 fared better during the 90-minute oral arguments, although they faced questions from Chief Justice John Roberts and fellow conservative Samuel Alito about the evidence that recent clinic closures were actually caused by the regulations.Justice Anthony Kennedy, a moderate and key swing vote on the court, raised another possible outcome by wondering aloud multiple times whether it might be best to send the case back to Texas for more evidence.Such a move could allow the case to come back after a replacement has been chosen for former Justice Antonin Scalia, whose death at a West Texas ranch last month deprived the court of its most prominent conservative and tilted the court more in favor of abortion.A delay also would prolong a nationally watched battle that has been going on since Texas lawmakers first began discussing an ambitious set of abortion restrictions in the fall of 2012.House Bill 2, approved over a filibuster by then-Democratic state Sen. Wendy Davis, banned abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, heavily limited the use of the pill to accomplish the procedure, required abortion doctors to obtain admitting privileges at nearby hospitals and mandated abortion facilities comply with the standards of hospital-style surgical centers.The latter two regulations are the ones at issue in the case, with opponents arguing that they are medically unjustified and so hard to meet that they have forced widespread clinic closures.Already, about half of the 41 abortion clinics in operation in Texas before the passage of House Bill 2 have closed. If the law were to be allowed to fully take effect, another 10 that do not currently comply with the law also could shutter.That could leave nine clinics in a state of 27 million people, and none of those would be south or west of San Antonio.Supporters say the regulations are common-sense measures that protect women's health and that the closures have occurred for reasons other than House Bill 2.The case is seen as the most significant abortion-related dispute to come before the Supreme Court since the justices ruled in 1992 that governments could not place an "undue burden" on women seeking the procedure.The stakes stretch far beyond Texas: Similar laws have been passed in a dozen other states, and, overall, 162 abortion clinics in the U.S. have closed since 2011, according to Bloomberg News.Both abortion-rights supporters and anti-abortion activists have expressed confidence about the case, although the former group has had more reason for optimism since Scalia's death.Wednesday's oral arguments were among the first conducted without Scalia.The swing vote, Kennedy, who could side with the liberals in a 5-3 ruling against the law or side with the conservatives in forcing a 4-4 tie that would leave the law in place but not set a national precedent, did not offer many clues about his feelings during the arguments.At one point, however, he noted that he had seen evidence that House Bill 2 had increased the percentage of abortions that are conducted by surgery, which is more dangerous -- a statement that was seen by some as encouraging for the abortion providers.On the other hand, Kennedy appeared at another point skeptical about whether the challenge was even valid given that another lawsuit against House Bill 2 had failed.Alito also expressed support for that argument and others made by the state. The justice repeatedly asked Stephanie Toti, the lawyer for the providers, for proof about whether the clinics had closed because of House Bill 2 and why the other abortion facilities in the state could not pick up the slack."There is very little specific evidence in the record in this case with respect to why any particular clinic closed," Alito said at one point.Toti responded by saying that 11 of the abortion clinics that have closed shuttered on the day that the admitting privileges went into effect.Kagan then jumped in to note that another dozen clinics closed when the law was briefly allowed to take effect before a Supreme Court stay."It's almost like a perfect controlled experiment as to the effect of the law, isn't it?" Kagan said.U.S. Solicitor General Donald Verrilli, representing the federal government, also argued against the law during the arguments, which lasted 30 minutes longer than scheduled.As the hearing went on, activists on both sides of the abortion issue held dueling rallies on the steps of the Supreme Court building.Abortion-rights supporters, who significantly outnumbered the other side, carried signs such as "Keep abortion legal," "Abortion laws don't eliminate abortion. They eliminate safe abortion" and "HB2 is bad for women (and really, really unconstitutional)."Several members of Congress spoke at the rally, including U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee, D-California, who said the activists would "keep fighting until women's rights are protected."The anti-abortion group's signs included "Life counts: All life," "Every child is a wanted child" and "We are a pro-life generation." Among the speakers was U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican.The two sides mostly avoided each other, but at one point, an anti-abortion activist asked for a moment of silence "for all killed by abortionists," and the other side responded by yelling. Many yelled "repro rights," for reproductive rights.Laura Hecht-Felella, 25, of New York, a staffer with National Advocates for Pregnant Woman, said it was "really exciting and just inspiring to be here with so many people who care about these issues so much."Across the square, anti-abortion activist Jonathan Darnel worried about what would happen in the case.Darnel, 34, of Virginia, said he felt that Scalia's death had made the court "lopsided" in favor of abortion. Still, he said he was remaining hopeful."Ultimately, we don't know how it's going to go," he said. "It's anybody's game."A ruling is expected by June. when Detective Jerry Thompson arrives at work, he checks the jail roster to see who was arrested last night and wholl be appearing before a judge later in the morning for a bond hearing. Assaults, DUIs, misdemeanors, felony drugs -- Thompson passes over these. Hes looking for just one type of arrest: domestic violence.Thompson is one of two detectives who works domestic violence cases in High Point, N.C., a city of more than 107,000 people in Guilford County. For years, it has had the highest rate of domestic violence in the state. Roughly a fifth of the police departments calls for service -- some 5,000 a year -- involve domestic disturbances. The most dangerous involve intimate partner violence -- a boyfriend beating up his girlfriend, a husband assaulting his wife or, occasionally, the other way around. These kinds of assaults are associated with a variety of unfortunate outcomes. Abused women have a higher risk for substance abuse, are more likely to commit suicide and have a greater chance of being murdered. In High Point in 2008, a third of the citys murders involved people killing their intimate partners.Guilford Countys cities and towns arent alone in having a problem with domestic violence. The crime is one of the most pervasive public safety issues nationwide. According to a 2010 survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 6 percent of women and 5 percent of men reported being stalked, raped or assaulted in the previous 12 months, primarily by past or present partners. Studies suggest that one out of seven female murder victims is killed by a current or former intimate partner.Communities across the country have responded in a number of ways. They have expanded and strengthened social services. Many police departments now engage in mandatory arrest, which is taking offenders into custody whenever there are indications that a domestic assault has occurred. Risk assessment tools have been improved. Judges routinely remand offenders to mandatory counseling.Like other progressive police departments, the High Point Police Department embraced many of these initiatives. In practice, though, its efforts and those of the broader criminal justice system were lackluster. Investigations were perfunctory. Faced with victims who were hard to find or who did not want to press charges, detectives gave up on investigations into minor incidents. Typically, there was no follow-up with victims. The police department didnt work with advocacy groups. Implementation, says High Point Police Chief Marty Sumner, was poor.In 2011, the department decided to reinvigorate its approach. Through an array of positive incentives, community engagement and warnings of jail time, it sought to deter first-time abusers from assaulting their partners again and to dissuade chronic offenders from continuing or escalating their pattern of assaults.At the core of High Points approach is an intervention known as focused deterrence, a crime reduction strategy developed in Boston in the early 1990s as a way to stop gun violence among gangs. Under the strategy, officers would target a specific criminal behavior committed by a small number of chronic offenders, such as gang members; offer them various forms of assistance, such as help earning their GED; and threaten them with sanctions and punishment if the behavior did not stop. In the late 1990s, High Point became one of the first jurisdictions to replicate Bostons approach. As a result, the citys violent crime rate fell by nearly half in a years time. In 2002, High Point tried focused deterrence on open-air drug markets with notable successes. Then the city decided to use the approach to try to curtail domestic violence.High Point had been experiencing three to five intimate partner homicides a year. Since the intervention began five years ago, it has had only two (one involved someone new to the city and the other a couple passing through town). Its re-arrest rates for domestic violence have fallen to the low- to mid-teens, far below the 20 to 34 percent experienced by other police departments.Susan Herman, the New York Police Departments deputy commissioner for collaborative policing and the former director of the National Center for Victims of Violent Crime, describes the High Point model as the most promising idea to reduce domestic violence she has seen in more than a decade. This new strategy, backed by research and carefully implemented in partnership with victim advocates, is showing impressive results, she says.As word of High Points success has spread, other police departments, from Detroit to New York to Tampa, have visited the city. Last summer, the U.S. Justice Departments Office on Violence Against Women announced plans to replicate High Points model in three or four additional cities across the country.Yet even supporters of the High Point approach to domestic violence concede that its implementation is not a simple or straightforward matter. It takes a certain skill set and experience to launch and run a focused deterrence program. Moreover, injecting the power of the state into volatile domestic relationships comes with risks. One danger stands out above all others: the possibility that offenders will react to a deterrence message not by curtailing their abuse but by escalating it.Protecting victims should always be the first priority, Herman says. But fear of unintended consequences should not bind communities to a deadly status quo. Our field was stuck, she says. There had been no new ideas in years. We were all operating out of fear -- fear that anything we did could make matters worse.To minimize the risk of unintended consequences, High Point proceeded with great care. It took two years to think through the possible outcomes and put safeguards in place. Sumner and his team were convinced that the approach would be valuable, yet they were aware that they were piloting a program that could potentially make it worse for the victims. In putting the plan into practice, the city brought more than 15 years of experience with focused deterrence to the task. Which raises a key question: Are police departments that have never done focused deterrence prepared to try it when the risks are so high?by David Kennedy, one of the countrys most celebrated criminologists. In the mid-1990s he had helped law enforcement officials in Boston design a strikingly effective approach to youth gun violence. Police, probation officers and prosecutors would identify the most dangerous offenders. Then, working together with gang intervention workers, local clergy and people from other service agencies, they delivered a message to those offenders: We care about you. Were going to help you. However, if you resort to gun violence, we will come down on you, hard.Some police officers believed that chronic criminals were irrational and unreachable -- that a program like this could not possibly work. Kennedy thought they were rational and that their long criminal records were precisely what made them vulnerable. Many were on probation or awaiting upcoming trials. If offenders ignored the message, authorities could move trials up and ask for stiffer sanctions, step up probation enforcement, or let federal authorities take the lead. Pulling levers, Kennedy called it. He referred to the overall approach as focused deterrence.The strategy worked. Youth homicides in Boston stopped completely for 17 months and the overall homicide rate fell by nearly one-half. Operation Ceasefire, as the Boston intervention was called, became one of the most acclaimed violence reduction initiatives in the country.Unfortunately, success proved to be a more formidable adversary than youth homicide. A scramble for credit broke out. Kennedy, who served as a coordinator for Operation Ceasefire, guiding and codifying its work, became a focus of resentment by some members of the group. Eventually, the intervention broke down. It was a pattern that repeated itself in other cities. As a result, focused deterrence in 2002 was a strategy that was at once acclaimed and also seen as difficult to sustain.In 2002, the Hewlett Foundation looked to the technique as a possible answer to other types of crime. It asked Kennedy to see if focused deterrence could be used to deter domestic violence. Picking specific gang members and discouraging them from using guns was one thing. Because they were so criminally active, they were exposed. Law enforcement had many levers it could pull. Deterring abusive men and women from hurting their partners, though, seemed like quite another thing.One of the pieces of conventional wisdom about domestic violence is that its different than other kinds of violence, Kennedy says. It happens everywhere and is unpredictable.Focus seemed impossible. That was why advocates concentrated on expanding services for victims and working to change societal attitudes.Kennedy keyed in on a particular subset of domestic violence: intimate partner homicides. He was intrigued by what he learned. One study of abusers in Massachusetts found that three-quarters of the 18,000 men who had restraining orders issued against them had a prior criminal history. Nearly half had been arraigned for a violent crime and a quarter had drug offenses or drunk driving citations. People who actually killed their partners had long criminal records. In most cases, Kennedy realized, they had worked their way up to homicide. What if, he wondered, instead of showing offenders they could get away with abusing their partners, the criminal justice system taught them the opposite?Kennedy was excited about using focused deterrence against intimate partner violence. But when he presented the idea at a special forum on domestic violence convened by the Hewlett Foundation at the Urban Institute in Washington, D.C., he got a frosty response from seasoned domestic violence advocates. Eventually, Kennedy turned his attention elsewhere.High Point experienced two horrifying episodes of domestic violence just two weeks apart. In each case, a man known to have abused his partner in the past killed her and then killed himself. It was very rare for us to have a murder/suicide, and wed had two in two weeks, recalls Sumner, who at the time was deputy chief and led the major crimes unit.Every year Sumner reviewed crime trends in order to set priorities for the upcoming fiscal year. This time around, he took a close look at domestic violence and was startled to find that a third of the citys homicides involved intimate partners. If were not working on that, Sumner told then-Chief Jim Fealy, I dont know what we should be doing.Fealy agreed. So Sumner reached out to Kennedy, who sent him a copy of his 2002 paper. Sumner then put together a more complete picture of intimate partner homicide in High Point, pulling files on the 17 intimate partner homicides that had occurred in High Point over the course of the preceding five years. What Sumner discovered mirrored Kennedys 2002 findings. Literally, all of the guys fit this chronic offender pattern -- every single one of them, says Sumner.Worse, police, personnel from other agencies and advocates had known every victim was in trouble. In every instance, the victim looked for protection and had not gotten it.Faced with this evidence, Chief Fealy gave the go-ahead to try focused deterrence against domestic violence. In September 2009, the High Point Police Department set up a meeting to hash out the idea, inviting representatives from 25 agencies, including the district attorneys office, the U.S. attorneys office, and every local and state victim advocate group they could find. It began as interagency meetings often do -- with agencies on the defensive. Everyone acknowledged the severity of the problem, but no one was willing to own it. Instead, agencies talked about how they couldnt do their jobs well because some other agency was not doing its job well. The discussion continued in this way until Kennedy, who was sitting in the back of the room, raised his hand and posed a question. Are these offenders resisting our best efforts? he asked.Everybody looked around at each other, recalls Sumner. The consensus was no. Police investigations were lacking, as were connections with advocates and service providers. Probation had a supervision program for high-risk domestic violence offenders, but if the offender never appeared to meet with his probation officer, the agency changed the offenders designation to inactive and ended supervision requirements -- without even telling the judge. The group realized the situation needed to be changed and resolved to try an offender-focused domestic violence program.The first step was to understand the problem. The department applied for and won a grant to document exactly how prevalent domestic violence was. With that $25,000 in hand, the police department hired researchers from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro (UNCG) to review 10 years of data. Their findings reinforced Kennedy and Sumners prior research. In the first decade of the aughts, 1,030 people had been charged with a domestic violence-related offense. These were not one-off offenders. On average, each had 10 charges on his record. In other words, these were people deeply involved in the criminal justice system. There were levers to pull.While the researchers continued their study, a working group began to develop a strategy. The group agreed that a first-time offender should be treated differently from a dangerous, chronic offender. Ultimately, the department decided to set up a four-tier system. When patrol officers responded to a call about a domestic disturbance and determined that one party was an aggressor, he or she would become a D-class offender. The next day a different patrol officer would deliver a customized letter, signed by the chief, notifying them that theyd been added to a watch list. A similar intervention had been carried out in Yorkshire, England, in the 1990s, and had significantly reduced recidivism. High Point hoped to achieve a similar outcome with a follow-up visit.Offenders who were arrested would receive a stiffer dose of deterrence, starting with a visit in jail from Detective Thompson or his counterpart. There, the detectives would deliver a letter from the police chief, informing them that they were now listed as C-class offenders and that if they offended again there would be a variety of unpleasant consequences -- higher bails, tighter supervision on probation, more vigorous prosecution. The names of C-class offenders were added to the police alert system so that officers would know they were dealing with a C-class offender if they stopped that person and ran their name through the system. A police liaison to the court would flag C-class offenders for prosecutors and judges so that cases against them could be moved up and bail set higher. Basically, we want them to see that the system treats them differently because they are on the list, says Thompson.People with a history of domestic violence arrests or C-classers who went on to commit another assault went into the B-class. They got a heavier dose of deterrence in the form of a call-in -- a meeting at City Hall with a domestic violence task force, a group that included police, prosecutors, social services and nonprofit representatives, and community representatives. They would be offered assistance, such as rehabilitation services or job training, but they would be given another message as well: Re-offense would have serious consequences. Prosecutors and police would make convicting them and securing a long jail or prison sentence a priority. People who ignored the call-in warning or who had cases pending and a history of the most dangerous types of violence went into the A-class. These were the offenders prosecutors were trying to put away.What High Point was creating was unprecedented. This was not just a new risk assessment system. It was an attempt to put in place a comprehensive plan for deterring intimate partner domestic violence -- for teaching abusers that they could not get away with repeated violent acts against their partners.High Points efforts also came with risks. Two scenarios in particular gave the working group nightmares. The first was that an offender might receive a warning, perhaps from a detective visiting him in jail or during a call-in, and then turn around and kill his victim. The second nightmare scenario, says Kennedy, was that he would have her chained in the basement unable to talk to her friends or get to a telephone. That would look to us like success because she wasnt calling anymore.came in February 2012, when the task force did its first call-in with B-level offenders. The group had identified 12 candidates, four of whom were men living with the partner they had abused. To avoid the nightmare scenarios, the task force created safety plans for these and other at-risk women living with abusive partners. The women were asked to identify someone that advocates could call -- a colleague at work, a neighbor, a family member -- who would know if the victims were all right even if the service providers couldnt reach them directly. No one knew if these measures would be enough.Sumner, who had by that time been promoted to chief, shared Kennedys concerns. Like everyone involved in the plan, he recognized that an intervention of this sort could potentially make it worse for our victims. That was one of the reasons the department and its partners spent two years mapping out exactly how the intervention would work. At the same time, Sumner believed that if High Point did nothing, surely we would have three to five domesticrelated homicides this year.The call-in was held at City Hall on the evening of Feb. 21, 2012. A dozen men were ushered into the meeting room where the city council usually convenes. There, the working group explained the program to them. A community activist and a minister described how they wanted to help. Community speakers -- including an entire chapter of a motorcycle club in full regalia -- spoke of their abhorrence for domestic violence. Then police laid out what would happen if the domestic assaults continued -- vigorous enforcement, sky-high bails, federal cases, prosecution rather than plea bargains.Kennedy, who has attended hundreds of call-ins around the country, was struck by the offenders demeanor. The men were surly, angry to have been called out. One was openly scornful. No one displayed the charm that even some drug dealers have. No one asked about services. Interacting with these offenders felt nastier than dealing with violent gang members.The next day, victims services contacted the women who were still living with their abusers. They were asked how their partners received the message, what they said when they got home. The response from all the victims was similar, Sumner reports. It was, Oh, he got the message. He didnt like it, but he heard you, and the most important thing you told him was that this was not being driven by me at all. It was completely you and him, the task force and him and his behavior. Yall are holding him accountable, and I had nothing to do with it.This was exactly the response the task force had hoped for. Still, everyone worried about retaliation by the offenders. It never came. Instead, recidivism for domestic abuse declined dramatically. Twelve months into the program, only 9 percent of listed offenders in High Point had attacked again, compared with 20 to 34 percent of abusers nationwide. Indeed, recidivism rates are so low that High Point hasnt had to schedule a call-in for B-class offenders since September 2014.Given High Points results, its not surprising that its intervention has begun to attract interest from other governments. But a focused deterrence intervention targeting domestic abuse requires intense, ongoing dedication. Spending a morning with Thompson at the Guilford County jail illustrates why.After reviewing the arrests of the previous night, Thompson meets with High Points newest C-class offender. Hes a young male, age 23, wearing an orange jail jumpsuit and flip-flops. He looks sleepy. Thompson introduces himself and strikes a sympathetic note. I read the report about what happened, Thompson begins. I wasnt there. You know the truth. I dont know the truth. I do know you were drinking some.The man looks noncommittal.Look, it has to stop, Thompson continues. You are a convicted felon already. Domestic violence stuff in High Point, years ago it was different. Now things are different. They got your name flagged. If you get charged again, its going to be different than youve ever seen before. Theres a guy in here now on a $100,000 bond still waiting for a court date.You got to think about your kids, he continues, changing track. You have an eight-month-old? You want your child to be visiting you in prison?The man mumbles that his girlfriend is crazy. He volunteers that he may ask a judge to take out a restraining order on her.You have got to figure out some way to deal with it where you dont get locked up, says Thompson. You got to think different. You are a grown man now.Thompson leaves, pleased with the encounter. He feels like he got through. Whoever the detective is, he has to figure out who the person he is taking with is, he says of the meeting. You have to be serious about it, but also try to get on their level to a certain extent. How you have the conversation, he believes, is critically important.An hour later, Thompson is at the biweekly task force meeting, which includes representatives from at least eight agencies and nonprofit groups. Today, theyre talking about a chronic abuser who has ignored earlier deterrence messages and whose partner has steadfastly refused to testify against him. This time, the man assaulted her at a gas station -- one that had video cameras. The victim is refusing to testify, says Assistant District Attorney Walter Jones, but with the video, his office believes it can make the case. Its an example of what a determined interagency group can do. It also illustrates that such collaboration is resource-intensive. Doing focused deterrence for domestic violence is, Sumner acknowledges, a heavy lift, even for a department with 18 years experience doing such intervention.That points to another major question about focused deterrence. High Point had used the strategy against gun violence, open-air drug markets and shoplifting before attempting to deter domestic violence. That history of success helped greatly with buy-in; the experiences gained made interagency collaboration easier. It is less clear that other police departments will be able to address domestic violence with focused deterrence if this is the first time theyve tried it. The operational piece of this is very complex and requires quite a bit of commitment and attention to detail, says UNCGs John Weil, one of the program evaluators. You cant drop any particular piece and have this be effective.Indeed, Weil and his co-evaluator Stacy Sechrist, who have fostered other focused deterrence interventions across the state, say the departments that have used the intervention with the greatest success think of it as more of a mindset or approach than a program. People bring a program mentality to this, but they are not programs, says Weil. There is no beginning and no end.Despite these challenges, Sumner believes the model can be replicated. An effort in the nearby town of Lexington, N.C., has already yielded similar results.Its not just his three years overseeing the program that makes Sumner believe a focused deterrence approach to domestic violence can and should be tried elsewhere. Its personal. I witnessed [domestic violence] firsthand. My mom was a DV victim for probably 10 years, he says. It was one of those situations where my dads peers werent putting any pressure on him, the courts wouldnt put any pressure on him, there was nobody outside the home putting any pressure on him to control himself. I think he would have responded to this. Attorney General Kathleen Kane's closest confidant and driver, Patrick Reese, was sentenced to 3 to 6 months of jail and fined $1,000 Thursday for violating a judge's order by snooping through coworkers' emails to keep tabs on a grand jury investigating his boss.Reese, 48, a former Lackawanna County police chief hired by Kane to lead her security detail, was convicted in December of contempt for violating Montgomery County Judge William R. Carpenter's protective order barring the attorney general's office from meddling or intimidating witnesses in the investigation.Kane was charged in August with perjury and other crimes related to alleged leaks of secret grand jury material from her office. Prosecutors allege she orchestrated the release of materials from an investigation into the finances of a Philadelphia civil rights leader to embarrass a rival.According to records in Reese's case, detectives from the Montgomery County district attorney's office discovered Reese had searched the attorney general's office email archive for information about the grand jury investigating the leak.Reese searched for emails that mentioned special prosecutor Thomas Carluccio, Carluccio's wife, a deputy attorney general who testified before the grand jury and former state Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronald Castille, who oversaw all Pennsylvania grand juries, according to the court records.Detectives reviewed the emails that Reese opened and found he was able to see subpoenas of witnesses called to appear before the grand jury, dates that the witnesses were called to appear, the identity of a grand juror and conversations concerning the protective order, court records say.Reese's searches followed an instruction by Kane around the time the grand jury probe became public that the number of employees with access to the archives be limited to Reese and two other people in the office, court records say.Kane's former first assistant, Adrian King Jr., testified before the grand jury that Kane tasked Reese and special agent David Peifer, who was also part of Kane's inner circle, with secretly reviewing employees' email, court records say. Peifer has not been charged.Under agency policy, Reese should have been suspended without pay as soon as Carpenter found him guilty of contempt. That did not happen. Kane, over the objections of her internal affairs chief, has opted to keep Reese on staff as a supervisor agency earning $99,658 and working out of the Scranton office."It is unlikely that Mr. Reese's status with the office will change before the legal process has concluded, including his right to appeal," said Kane's spokesman Chuck Ardo.Carpenter appointed Carluccio to investigate the alleged leaks after a Philadelphia Daily News story was published detailing an investigation into then Philadelphia NAACP leader J. Whyatt Mondesire's use of public money. That probe, headed by former Deputy Attorney General Frank Fina, was dropped and resulted in no charges. Mondesire was not charged.The story followed an earlier article in The Philadelphia Inquirer about Kane's decision not to prosecute state legislators and other Philadelphia officials caught taking bribes in an undercover sting, also overseen by Fina, who was by that time working in the Philadelphia district attorney's office.Kane, convinced one of the sources of the unflattering story was Fina, harbored animosity toward him and sought revenge by leaking information about the stalled Mondesire case, prosecutors say. Cost of Voting Voting by Mail This year, as Americans select the next president, the entire U.S. House of Representatives and a third of the Senate, as well as an array of state and local officials, many voters will cast ballots on a generation of electronic voting machines that is nearing extinction.Most of the machines, adopted by local governments after hanging chads left the 2000 presidential election in the balance for weeks, are at least a decade old. And they create a perilous situation: an equipment breakdown on Election Day could mean long lines, potentially leaving some people unable to vote.But replacing the old machines with newer models is costly. The latest computerized machines typically cost between $2,500 and $3,000 each, and election boards should budget for one machine per 250 to 300 registered voters, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL).That high cost is just one reason the computerized machines, which record ballots via a touch-screen, push-button or dial mechanism, have been falling out of favor with cash-strapped local governments. Some elections officials and lawmakers also worry the machines could be hacked and lead to voter fraud.Some states are already turning to other approaches. This year Maryland voters will cast paper ballots that can be scanned by machines. Optical scanners that read paper ballots cost up to $5,000, but only one is needed per polling location, making them a cheaper approach than computerized voting machines. In Virginia , officials have ditched most of their voting machines in favor a similar system, and legislation before the General Assembly would get rid of all voting machines in the state by 2018.In New Hampshire, a proposal would create a municipal grant program to support local governments that want to change their election procedures, and lawmakers in Ohio put a provision in the state budget to save money by eliminating certain special elections.About 25 percent of voters will use electronic voting systems this year, said Pamela Smith, president of Verified Voting , a nonprofit focused on ballot accuracy. Thats down from 30 to 40 percent when the machines were more popular.In most states, those machines are at least 10 years old, an age at which most reach the end of their life span , according to a report from the Brennan Center for Justice . Nearly every state is using machines that are no longer manufactured.Jurisdictions have to make sure they have good emergency provisions in place, Smith said. If you have a good paper ballot and scanner system in place as your voting system, even if your scanner breaks down, voters can still vote.State and local governments first began to buy computer voting machines in the early 2000s under the federal Help America Vote Act . Some states still have HAVA money on hand, but additional federal help is not expected and many governments have trouble paying for new election equipment typically from a combination of state and local coffers.Election funding often butts against the need to pay for more in-demand priorities like schools and roads, said Colorado Secretary of State Wayne Williams, a Republican.You cant wait for it to break to fix it, he said. You can wait for a road to have issues to fix it, but if you wait to do that in an election, its too late.Across the country, officials in at least 31 states want to purchase new voting machines within five years, but at least 22 of them dont know where the money will come from, according to the Brennan Center report.The Center estimates the total national cost of replacing existing machines could exceed $1 billion. The countrys largest jurisdiction, Los Angeles County, has allocated $70 million to design and develop its own voting system for the 5 million registered voters who live there. County officials are pursuing a system that will allow voters to cast ballots on a touch-screen device that would issue a printed ballot that they would place in a ballot box to be counted.But other county and local governments will have to get by with existing equipment because many states have cut their election budgets in recent years. In 2014, Virginia lawmakers stripped $28 million from the state budget that was intended to pay for new voting machines.In Utah, Republican Rep. Brad Daw is pushing legislation that would replace the states aging computer-based machines. His proposal would set up a selection committee to recommend voting equipment and help counties pay for the machines if they choose to use the state-selected brand.Daw, who is also a software engineer, said hes never been a fan of the states computer voting machines they require a lot of equipment and their operating systems are easy to hack, he said.Opponents of the machines also say they create long lines as voters have a hard time figuring out how to use them; they are prone to crashes as the software ages; and they are vulnerable to attack. A 2014 analysis of Virginias computerized voting machines found that hackers could access the wireless networks the machines ran on to view or change votes A system by which voters mark paper ballots that are scanned by machine could be a better option, Daw said.Marking a piece of paper is pretty old school, he said. But marking a piece of paper and putting it through a scanner is just as efficient.As the computer models fade out, most jurisdictions are replacing them with the scanner systems, which are more affordable and were recommended by experts following the 2000 presidential election. But, the high-tech (for the time) computer systems were more attractive, Smith said, because nobody wanted to be the next Florida.To save on election costs, a few states have turned to voting by mail.Oregon, Washington and Colorado require that all elections be conducted by mailed ballots, though many others permit localities to conduct mail-in special elections. California Hawaii and Oklahoma are also considering mail-in systems.In Oregon, the first state to adopt a mail-in process, in 2000, all eligible voters are mailed a ballot, which can be mailed back to the election board, completed in person at a county clerks office or placed in a public drop box. People with disabilities are able to vote on machines at a clerks office.The ballots are examined by election board workers who verify voters signatures and then pass them through scanners that tabulate results.Phil Keisling, Oregons former secretary of state who is credited with pioneering the vote-by-mail program, said it not only saves money an estimated $3 million per election cycle in Oregon by reducing the number of polling places and machines required to hold an election, but also increases turnout.A 2015 analysis from The Pew Charitable Trusts shows more people are voting by mail. In 2012, 19 percent of U.S. ballots were cast by mail, up from 10 percent in 2000 (Pew also funds).During the 2012 presidential election, 64.2 percent of voters cast ballots in Oregon, compared with a national voter turnout of 58.6 percent.In the last four general elections, 40 percent of Oregon voters returned their ballots by mail and roughly 56 percent returned them via public drop boxes, said Jim Williams, elections director for the Oregon secretary of state. The remaining ballots were cast by walk-in voters.Last year, San Mateo County, California, held its first mail-in special election, garnering a nearly 30 percent voter turnout , almost five percentage points higher than a similar election two years earlier. Only 2.5 percent of ballots were cast at a precinct or voting center in the 2015 election, down from 24 percent in 2013.While Oregon has had success as the first state to move to a mail-in system, few others are interested, Keisling said.Some states are resistant to mail-in ballots simply because they buck tradition, said Wendy Underhill of NCSL.Cost is one consideration, Underhill said. But it is by no means the only consideration. [Mail-in voting] does change the feel of Election Day. Thats not a small consideration. 1. Return on Investment 2. Culture Change 3. Infrastructure SACRAMENTO, Calif. In a presentation held March 1 during California Data Demo Day , which showcases state data transparency projects, California officials underscored a swath of technical and bureaucratic roadblocks still hindering digital efforts.The commentary pointed to a litany of struggles as state legislators and administrators recalled past pursuits with open data. The speakers surfaced recurring issues in funding, infrastructure and culture change while calling for continued vigilance in modernizing state services.Funding constraints have always impacted state IT initiatives, but Jan Ross, deputy treasurer for technology and innovation, said the limitations only escalate when petitioning legislators to fund digital transparency.Speaking for the administration of State Treasurer John Chiang, Ross said that in Chiang's former role as California controller, he developed a series of open data projects to track state salaries , compare city budgets and analyze school tax revenues . Each of the projects had to be paid for through redirected funding from the Controllers Office without additional aid from the state."What is challenging is trying to convince any of the legislators at the capitol that there should be funding for this," Ross said. "It's very difficult to quantify the return on investment for a more engaged citizenry, or a more informed citizenry."She added that many state offices, while supporting open data, have slim budgets and are wary to redirect funds away from mission critical services especially if they cant see tangible and immediate results. To get around the impediment, she and fellow panelists, proposed tying digital transparency projects directly to internal efficiency. This, they suggested, could be done with data analytics that cut costs with reduced work loads and added fiscal oversight.Though many IT leaders call for technocractic culture change, they often fail to define the ambiguous term. Data Demo Day panelists, however, singled out a list of operational and behavioral challenges obstructing progress. Chief among these was a stigma toward added public accountability. While not necessarilly nefarious in nature, panelists listed multiple occasions when departments and legislators needed encouragement, and a little cajoling, to put their data online.Recalling Chiangs Trackprop30 app to monitor revenue from Proposition 30 a tax raise passed in 2012 to temporarily prevent education cuts Ross said that even with the right to compel community colleges and school districts to submit spending data, certain cases proved difficult. Some jurisdictions delayed submissions, while others ignored requests altogether."We had a bit of a challenge persuading all of them that it was in their best interest to put this information together , Ross said. It was a bit of a challenge until the media got ahold of it and sort of created their own wall of shame."District 55 Assemblymember Ling Ling Chang said shed run into the same trouble when carrying a bill in 2015 to require live video streaming for certain state meetings. Despite providing evidence the measure would be cost neutral, legislators balked and dismissed Changs bill as too expensive to implement, estimating annual costs at $5 million. Chang had her staff show how Twitters streaming app Periscope could be used to broadcast the meetings for free.This is what I thought would be a pretty commonsense bill, Chang said. Yet it was a surprisingly uphill battle and the bill ultimately did not pass."Tech education was another aspect of needed culture change. The panel said there are senior state officials who arent familiar with some of the new technologies, and this becomes a stumbling block for legislators voting on technology bills and the staff members who have to implement them.Justin Erlich, a special assistant to California Attorney General Kamala Harris, said that when launching OpenJustice , a data transparency platform for criminal justice launched last year, his team overcame a number of typical setbacks through leadership support from Harris. He said his team practiced responsible transparency by publishing only pertinent and not raw or personally identifiable data, in addition to starting with a minimum viable product and scaling up afterward.Infrastructure was also a prominent roadblock. District 77 Assemblymember Brian Maienschein recounted a data gathering project he coordinated on homeless services while a member of San Diegos City Council between 2000 and 2008. Maienschein said he had the long and laborious task of collecting data from the 40-plus government and non-governmental agencies supporting homeless residents. Some didnt have data, others had it in different formats, there were no standards to speak of, and most didnt communicate with each other. Maienschein said after the work was completed, he presented it to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and was shocked to learn it was the most comprehensive data set for homeless service providers in the country.It kind of scared me a little bit, because there really isn't a good way to measure what we we're doing in San Diego County with other places on homelessness, Maienschein said.These issues of data silos and unstructured data reverberated throughout the discussions.Phillip Ung, the legislative and external affairs director at the California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC), said his agency is dealing with the challenge as it works to revamp CalAccess , the FPPCs central database where all state campaign financing and lobbying information is stored."Right now in its current form it is nearly impossible to navigate and do some of the data work that people are interested in doing," Ung said.Ung said the FPPC is working with California Secretary of State Alex Padilla to complete a massive system overhaul with open data in mind. Journalists and citizens constantly file public record requests to the FPPC for information about public officials' investments, monetary holdings, conflicts of interests, gifts and travel expenses. Ung said the vision is to turn its database into a consolidated system of information that allows citizens to search for a public official by name and get all their publicly disclosed information. At present, this has to be done by opening roughly 20 browser tabs in Chrome.To create enduring IT infrastructure investments, he cautioned attending offcials to research solutions intensively, consider off-the-shelf solutions from private-sector vendors, and to request financial support from the legislature with compliance and efficiency in mind."I think a lot of these spectacular [IT infrastructure] failures were perhaps systems that were created without much thought, things that were never created before, and things that were proprietary technology," Ung said. The U.S. Supreme Court dealt a blow today to nascent efforts to track the quality and cost of health care, ruling that a 1974 law precludes states from requiring that every health care claim involving their residents be submitted to a massive database.The arguments were arcane, but the effect is clear: We're a long way off from having a true picture of the country's health care spending, especially differences in the way hospitals treat patients and doctors practice medicine.It also means that, for the time being at least, we'll remain heavily reliant on data being released by Medicare, the federal health insurance program for the elderly and disabled, to study variations in health care. ProPublica has used Medicare data to study differences in medication prescribing surgeons' complication rates and use of services by doctors , but it's still not clear that Medicare is representative of all health care in the country.The court's decision involves a case from Vermont, one of 18 states that created so-called all-payer claims databases. Vermont's law called for health insurers, health providers, medical facilities and government agencies to report data on health care costs, prices, quality and use of services to the state. That included employers who pay the costs of their workers' treatments themselves, and not through an insurance contract. (Self insurance is common for large companies.)But Liberty Mutual Insurance Co. objected, saying the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, or ERISA, prevents states from imposing such a requirement on self-funded plans. The idea is that companies that have operations across the country shouldn't be subjected to 50 different state laws, but instead should only have to abide by rules from one agency, namely the U.S. Department of Labor.The court sided with Liberty Mutual, in a 62 decision, ruling it did not have to submit the data demanded by Vermont.In a friend-of-the-court brief filed last September , the American Hospital Association and the Association of American Medical Colleges said that without the data from self-funded plans, all-payer claims databases will be incomplete and not as valuable as they could be."Hospitals only have data for the patients they treat," the groups wrote. "Information from across the spectrum of an individual's health care experience is needed to inform clinical, payment, and public health policyComplete data across all payers (including self-insurers like Respondent) is required so that both health care providers and policymakers can understand the variations in the health care system, and address those that need to change."They also noted that self-insured plans cover a "large majority of the working population: in 2013, nearly 60% of workers with health insurance were enrolled in such plans, and that figure is growing."So what now? One option is for self-insured plans like Liberty Mutual to voluntarily provide their data to state-run databases. But given the lawsuit, that appears unlikely.Another possibility, raised by Justice Stephen Breyer, is for the federal government to require self-insured plans to disclose their data. "I see no reason why the Secretary of Labor could not develop reporting requirements that satisfy the states' needs, including some state-specific requirements, as appropriate," he wrote.For now, though, we may have to do what we have done for years: Settle for an incomplete picture of health care spending and utilization.Our team at ProPublica has already found fascinating patterns in Medicare data. In one example , 1,800 doctors billed Medicare for the most expensive type of office visits at least 90 percent of the time, compared to just 4 percent of office visits for all doctors.Another group, the Health Care Cost Institute , has greenlighted research using data from three of the nation's largest private insurance companies. It has found some interesting trends too, but hasn't released data on individual doctors and hospitals.Medicare could release more data, as could the Health Care Cost Institute.The Supreme Court decision means transparency has a long way to go. Google vs. Zika Virus Rise of the City Web Open Data Attacks Invasive Species This week, Google joined the battle against the mosquito-borne Zika virus promising to bolster response efforts with $1 million, an additional $500,000 in matching funds and a team of engineers to create an open source predictive analytics platform to map the virus.Google said that since November, global search results have shown a 3,000 percent increase.Our $1 million grant will be used by the United Nations Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) to raise widespread awareness, reduce mosquito populations, support the development of diagnostics and vaccines, and work with communities and governments to prevent Zika transmission, Google said on its blog announcing the initiative.The funding are estimated to aid 200 million victims affected in Brazil and other Latin American countries.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the disease is particularly harmful to pregnant women. The Zika virus is linked to congenital birth defects like microcephaly when children are born with abnormally small heads and incomplete brain development. For most adults, however, the virus has milder symptoms that can produce fevers, rashes, joint pains or conjunctivitis (red eyes).The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the Zika virus a public health emergency in February on the heels of its rampant growth through Central and South America. The organization noted that the disease is especially difficult to contain because no treatment or vaccine currently exists, and the mild symptoms dont typically prompt hospital visits.The President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) has released a 99-page report forecasting the emergence of a national innovation network for cities and recommending federal funding to support it.The group of advisors, which includes Office of Science and Technology Policy Director John Holdren, called the network City Web and described it as a coming of age information-sharing and collaborative development platform for cities. But the City Web is less of a platform a term typically implying an app or Web service and more of what might be called an ecosystem for civic innovation. With the rise of open data, smart city technology and municipal innovation zones to pilot advancements, White House technology advisors forecast that in the future, cities and federal agencies will look to each other and outsiders for solutions.Based on the effectiveness of this rising ecosystem of technologies and tactics, the report recommended the U.S. Department of Commerce lead a new effort called the Cities Innovation Technology Investment Initiative (CITII), to pioneer and coordinate new models for technology-enhanced cities. Under the initiative, PCAST called for a blueprint by the end of 2016 that shows how U.S. agencies can foster civic innovation. Further, the CITII would create an independent body similar to the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) to create standards and best practices to develop the City Web.As a supporting measure, the group also suggested the White House draft legislation for two financing programs to support City Webs use of Urban Development Districts innovation zones in cities that are used to pilot new technologies.The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDAs) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has partnered with Google Earth to build an interactive mapping tool to track invasive species that are damaging habitats.The tool, which covers 100 million acres across seven western states, was developed as part of the USDAs Sage Grouse Initiative (SGI) to protect dwindling rangelands from the encroachment of conifers. Since fire suppression techniques were adopted roughly 150 years ago, conifer trees have gradually reduced grassland by sucking up nutrients and water from the soils. Ranchers have been especially afflicted by this as they require these rangelands to feed livestock.To monitor the problem, USDA officials said the first iteration of its tool allows farmers, ranchers, conservationists and academics to analyze data on cheatgrass and conifer encroachment on vulnerable rangelands. The Web app will likewise assist with the identification and removal of younger trees that are easier to eradicate. Another helpful feature of the app is a heat map that highlights a regions resilience and resistance to encroaching species. Out of Apples control FBI directors warning Limit on warrants Demands on users (TNS) -- FBI Director James Comey told Congress on Tuesday that if the government succeeds in forcing Apple Inc. to unlock an iPhone owned by one of the San Bernardino shooters, the case would establish a precedent that could be used to gain access to data in many more iPhones, an acknowledgement that runs counter to the agencys earlier contention that the case is limited to a single device.Testifying under oath to the House Judiciary Committee, Comey said he does not know how many phones state, local and federal law enforcement authorities want to open for investigative purposes, but said its a lot. The case involving Apple will set a precedent, whoever wins it, he said.Apple, represented by general counsel Bruce Sewell, argued that the FBIs demand that the Cupertino company write code to defeat the iPhones encryption would put all smartphones at risk and threaten Americans privacy. Apple wants Congress to write legislation to resolve the issue.Sewell pointed to what he called a pernicious encryption app called Telegram and others that criminals can download from sources outside the companys control. If Apple is forced to write a new operating system to degrade the safety and security in phones belonging to tens or hundreds of millions of innocent people, it will weaken our safety and security but it will not affect the terrorists, Sewell said.A court order to force Apple to give the FBI data access from an iPhone belonging to one of the San Bernardino shooters has opened a national debate over encryption and privacy that both sides agree has enormous consequences as more of peoples private information from their personal correspondence to financial data is stored on mobile devices. The Obama administration has deferred to the FBI, even though its own advisory committee on cybersecurity concluded that the government should not try to subvert, undermine, weaken or make vulnerable encryption software. Congress is divided across party lines , pitting civil libertarians in both parties against those favoring safety and security. Reps. Zoe Lofgren, D-San Jose, and Darrell Issa, R-Vista (San Diego County), co-wrote an opinion piece published Tuesday in the Los Angeles Times siding with Apple. Sen. Dianne Feinstein , D-Calif., strongly supports the FBI in the case, while Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump has called for a boycott of Apple over its refusal to comply with the judges order without a fight.Comey acknowledged that Apple is already a step ahead of the government, noting that the newer iPhone 6 contains no way for law enforcement to pick the lock on the phones because there is no door to open. He warned that the trend poses a monumental threat to public safety, and he wanted Americans to be aware that the traditional tools on which law enforcement at all levels has long relied court-approved search warrants are being rendered useless as traditional places to store information migrate to encrypted electronic devices.The logic of encryption will bring us to where all our conversations and all papers and effects are entirely private so that no one can ... look at our stuff without our agreement, Comey said. Law enforcement calls the phenomenon going dark.Comey acknowledged that there is a lot to love in being able to keep private and protected our ideas, our innovations, our secret thoughts, our hopes, our dreams, but there are also costs.Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-La., invited to the hearing the family of a Baton Rouge woman, Brittney Mills, eight months pregnant, who was shot and killed on her doorstep by an unknown gunman, a case Comey repeatedly referred to during the hearing. Mills kept a personal diary on her iPhone, and the family wants it opened, but it remains inaccessible to police.Until now, Comey said, no basement, no garage, no home, no physical hiding place, has been completely off limits to a search warrant. Privacy is awesome, he said, but stopping this kind of savagery and pedophilia and murder and other crimes is necessary.Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. also testified, telling the committee his office has 205 iPhones related to criminal cases that it wants to unlock, and there are dozens more in other jurisdictions. But law enforcement cant break through the phones security locks.Cybersecurity Professor Susan Landau of the Worcester Polytechnic Institute of Massachusetts testified that the FBI is still using 20th century technology in a 21st century world and urged the agency to adopt more high-tech strategies to combat crime, pointing to what national intelligence agencies are doing as an example.In a phone interview Tuesday, Chris Finan, a former Obama administration cybersecurity official who is now the chief executive of Manifold Technology , a Menlo Park company that builds encryption technologies, said the conflict is already leading technology firms to create what he called doomsday machines that nobody can hack not even the companies that make them.Remember the movie Dr. Strangelove, where its taken out of the hands of humans because of their folly, Finan said. If forced by the government to write code to allow devices to be hacked, he said, what Apples going to have to do is take themselves completely out of the loop to the point where theyre not even able to hack with tools like this that they could be compelled to create.Finan warned that such a development will have disastrous implications for data security, because rather than being able to automatically update phones, its going to basically require users to consent to every little update. Thats where I think this is headed. Thats the second-order effect that nobody is talking about in the administration. (TNS) -- Corporate layoffs are so routine that they usually don't attract much attention among lawmakers in Washington, D.C. But Abbott Laboratories' recent move to outsource some information technology jobs has come under scrutiny from Sen. Dick Durbin The Illinois Democrat is upset about reports that the health care company, based in north suburban Abbott Park, is replacing American workers with foreign workers. In a letter to CEO Miles White released Monday, the senator urged Abbott to cancel the layoffs."It should go without saying that such harsh and insensitive conduct is not justified by whatever marginal financial benefit might accrue to your company, which is already making billions of dollars in profits every year," Durbin wrote.Abbott spokesman Scott Stoffel declined to comment on Durbin's criticism.The company hasn't publicly disclosed any layoffs in recent weeks. Durbin heard about the planned dismissals during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing last week on the impact of temporary visa programs, including H-1B's, used to bring immigrants, mainly from India, for technology work.The senator's staff then spoke with some Abbott workers who confirmed the layoffs, according to Durbin's letter.Durbin's letter said 180 Abbott employees were given 60 days' notice and told their last day will be April 22. People who lost their jobs also were told they would have to train their replacements, adding insult to injury, the letter said.Abbott awarded an outsourcing contract to Wipro, a large India-based IT services firm, according to Durbin. After they are trained, the foreign workers will do these jobs outside the United States, his letter said.Stoffel would only confirm that the company "recently outsourced some IT capabilities." He declined to confirm any details of the layoffs that Durbin disclosed."We're retaining the vast majority of our U.S.-based IT jobs," Stoffel said in a statement.Durbin has been a big critic of the H-1B visas, which were intended to fill labor gaps in highly specialized areas that couldn't be filled by Americans. Instead, Durbin argues, the guest worker program has been exploited by U.S. companies to save labor costs. Media have recently reported on a number of companies, including Disney, Hertz and Toys R Us, that have fired American workers and replaced them with immigrants from an outsourcing company.The news reports have spurred calls to reform the visa program to protect American workers.Durbin said in his letter to Abbott's CEO that "gaps in current law are no excuse for your company to treat your employees so unfairly." The 'will it, won't it' saga of the ever-changing qualifying format for 2016 continued in Barcelona on Wednesday. The F1 Commission recently agreed a tweaked 'musical chairs' format for the new season, but Bernie Ecclestone said it would be delayed until May so his software writers could catch up. However, team bosses met with Charlie Whiting on Wednesday and a new solution was agreed that can reportedly make its debut on time in Australia. It will see Q1 and Q2 switch to the one by one, 90-second 'musical chairs' elimination, before the final eight runners duke it out for pole as per the old format. But just as that news broke, some insiders were claiming that the deal is still not done. And that is not just because Friday's World Motor Sport Council meeting in Geneva will have to rubber-stamp it, but because the strategy group and F1 Commission may need to be reconvened to agree the latest tweak. According to SID news agency, McLaren-Honda chief Eric Boullier agreed that Wednesday's meeting was "not a final decision". "It was just a discussion," he added. But he said his belief is that, as it stands, qualifying will be 'musical chairs' in Q1 and Q2, and "Q3 the same as before". "Date of introduction unknown," the Frenchman admitted. Even the FIA did not want to talk about the debut date of a tweaked qualifying format in 2016, although spokesman Matteo Bonciani suggested it was only ever Bernie Ecclestone who spoke about a delay. "We never communicated anything to the contrary," he is quoted by the German news agency SID. What is clear, however, is that frenzied discussions are taking place. Indeed, even the drivers were convened for a rare meeting with F1 race director Charlie Whiting after the sun set in Barcelona on Wednesday. Sergio Perez was quoted by DPA news agency as saying afterwards: "We are not very happy with these changes. "The new system seems very complicated for the audience and for us. We believe that the qualifying we have had until now was right," the Force India driver added. Kevin Magnussen, meanwhile, spoke for others who are concerned that the precise qualifying format is not known just two weeks before heading to Australia. "Obviously it would be nice to know," said the Renault driver. "It would make it easier for everyone to prepare. "We will just have to see what happens. We can give our opinion, but it's not up to us." (GMM) Things are finally looking up at McLaren. While some analysts believe the Honda power unit is still easily the least powerful in the field, it seems the Japanese carmaker may finally have turned a corner for 2016. Gone - reportedly to the relief of bosses Eric Boullier and Ron Dennis - is the bumbling former chief Yasuhisa Arai, replaced by the more realistic Yusuke Hasegawa. "He is a nice guy, an excellent engineer and someone with whom we can work well together," Boullier is quoted by Speed Week at the final Barcelona test. "He has a lot of experience in racing, which is good for our common project." Jenson Button also sounds happy, declaring dramatically after Wednesday's Barcelona running that "This is the biggest improvement in the power unit that I've felt in the last 14 months." Nevertheless, there continue to be rumblings about the happiness or otherwise of Fernando Alonso, amid rumours he may now be eyeing the out-of-contract Nico Rosberg's Mercedes seat. Asked if the Spaniard is happy, Boullier insisted: "He is happy to feel more power in the engine, and tomorrow (Thursday) he will be even more happy as we will have even more power." Still, it is rumoured that Alonso's target of podiums in 2016 and having 'the best chassis in the field' by the European season may in fact be an ultimatum. As for Alonso's podium prediction, Boullier said: "I cannot tell if the goal will be points in every race or even podiums, because we have no idea where the others are. "We also still have a lot of potential to get out of the car. All I know is that it will be better than last year." (GMM) Rumours are swirling in the Barcelona test paddock about problems with Ferrari's 2016 power unit. Within sight of the end of the pre-season period, cooling holes have appeared in the side of the works team's red car, Haas was grounded all day with a turbo issue on Wednesday, and Sauber has also had problems. Gene Haas admitted to some frustration. "I have learned pretty quickly that Barcelona is not North Carolina," he smiled, referring to the unexpected complexity of F1 compared to the more familiar world of Nascar. Asked how much the team is having to rely on Ferrari, the American added: "Quite a lot, because we get the whole powertrain from them." Works driver Kimi Raikkonen, however, played down the problems. "The point of testing is to test," the Finn is quoted by France's L'Equipe. "The goal is to push the car to its limit, and when you reach it, it breaks." According to the paddock grapevine, however, the problems are deeper than that. Germany's Auto Bild is talking about excessive vibrations, after Ferrari drastically re-arranged the complex elements of its power unit package for 2016. "I have always said that we are not arrogant, but I'm not worried at all," team boss Maurizio Arrivabene told Italian media. "The car is new and it is normal that there are some areas to develop, but I confirm to all the wise owls that the engine is ok," he added. "I think Mercedes is top of the class and the one to beat, but we are here to bother them and we will find out in Australia," said Arrivabene. But as is becoming clearer by the day, it seems Mercedes is still sitting strongly atop its title-winning perch. McLaren-Honda chief Eric Boullier summarised: "Mercedes is fast and reliable. Ferrari is not as fast and not as reliable. "The rest is conjecture." Jos Verstappen, the father of Toro Rosso sensation Max, agrees in the pages of De Telegraaf newspaper: "The only thing we can say for sure is that Mercedes is the fastest." 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If you have any questions or concerns about a published article, please send us email at venkat@greatandhra.com . We will review your request and article will be removed immediatly. Defected TDP MLAs To Quit T-Assembly? After dodging for over one year, Telangana Assembly Speaker S Madhusudhana Chary finally took some action on the representation given by the Telugu Desam Party over defection of its MLAs into the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi. On Thursday, the Speaker issued notices to 10 TDP MLAs who had defected into the TRS in the last one and a half years in different phases. The notices were issued following a letter given by TDLP leader A Revanth Reddy. The Speaker asked them to explain why they should not be disqualified as per the anti-defection law. Those who received the notices include: Minister Talasani Srinivasa Yadav, Teegala Krishna Reddy, G Sayanna, M Krishna Rao, Vivekananda, Prakash Goud, Rajender Reddy, Errabelli Dayakar Rao, Manchireddy Kishan Reddy and Challa Dharma Reddy. Interestingly, Errabelli who had given a similar letter seeking action against defectors, himself joined the TRS recently. Sources said Chief Minister and TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao might ask these defected MLAs to quit their Assembly seats and contest the by-elections again, as legal experts told him that these defectors would have to face the disqualification if the court intervenes. It would also help KCR to consolidate his electoral gains as the Opposition parties are too weak to put up any fight in the by-elections. Techie hacked to death in Secunderabad Hyderabad: A software engineer was hacked to death by unidentified assailants in Secunderabad, the twin city of Hyderabad, on Thursday, police said. Four people, who came in a car, attacked Sanjay Junge, 25, with knives while he was walking near Swapnalok Complex in Secunderabad early in the morning. The techie, who was working in Sutherland Global Services, died on the spot. A security guard and some policemen, who noticed the car, tried to give a chase but it managed to escape towards Tank Bund. Police suspect a fight among friends led to the murder. The body was shifted to Gandhi Hospital for autopsy. A case has been registered at Mahankali police station. Deputy Commissioner of Police (north zone) Prakash Reddy said special teams have been constituted to track down the assailants. Updated at 3:42 p.m. SALT LAKE CITY In an extraordinary display of Republican chaos, the party's most recent presidential candidates, Mitt Romney and John McCain, took on current front-runner Donald Trump on Thursday, calling him unfit for office and a danger for the nation and the GOP. "His is not the temperament of a stable, thoughtful leader," Romney declared. He called Trump "a phony" who is "playing the American public for suckers," a man whose "imagination must not be married to real power." Hours later, Trump lashed back, calling Romney "a choke artist" who lost to Barack Obama four years ago only because he was such a poor candidate. In the most notable attacks on Trump as party leaders try to stop his run to the GOP nomination, Romney and House Speaker Paul Ryan, the party's vice presidential nominee in 2012, urged voters in the strongest terms to shun the former reality television star for the good of country and party. The GOP's 2008 nominee, Arizona Sen. McCain, joined in, raising "many concerns about Mr. Trump's uninformed and indeed dangerous statements on national security issues that have been raised by 65 Republican defense and foreign policy leaders." Romney embraced what might seem a long-shot approach to deny Trump the delegates necessary to secure the nomination. He did not call on Republicans to unify behind a single alternative candidate but outlined a plan to divide the electorate and force a contested national convention in July. "Given the current delegate selection process, this means that I would vote for Marco Rubio in Florida, for John Kasich in Ohio and for Ted Cruz or whichever one of the other two contenders has the best chance of beating Mr. Trump in a given state," Romney said. As he spoke in Utah, Ryan said on Capitol Hill that "conservatism is being disfigured" by some of Trump's ideas and statements. Underlying the remarkable criticism was a bleak reality for panicking Republican officials: Beyond harsh words, there is little they see they can do to stop Trump's march toward the Republican presidential nomination. Party leaders are poring over complicated delegate math, outlining their own hazy scenarios for a contested national convention and even flirting with the idea of a third-party effort. Trump responded to Romney's speech at a campaign stop in Portland, Maine, saying the former Massachusetts governor "chickened out" when contemplation another presidential run this year when he understood he'd be going up against the billionaire businessman. "He doesn't have what it takes to be president," Trump said, adding, "I made so much more money than Mitt." Romney's views are irrelevant, he said. "Look, Mitt is a failed candidate." The back-and-forth came as the Republican candidates prepared for their first post-Super Tuesday debate, scheduled for Thursday night in Detroit. The pre-debate clash took place four years after Romney and Trump stood side by side in Las Vegas, with Trump saying it was a "real honor and privilege" to endorse Romney's White House bid. Romney at the time praised Trump's ability to "understand how our economy works and to create jobs for the American people." On Thursday, Trump said Romney "was begging me" for an endorsement. "I could have said, 'Mitt, drop to your knees.' He would have dropped to his knees," Trump said. Earlier, in Utah, Romney assailed Trump's temperament, his business acumen and his ability to keep America safe. "If we Republicans choose Donald Trump as our nominee, the prospects for a safe and prosperous future are greatly diminished," he said, warning that the kind of anger Trump has displayed has led other countries "into the abyss." During his Capitol Hill press conference, Ryan dismissed comments Trump made earlier in the week that if the Wisconsin Republican didn't get along with him, Ryan would "pay a big price." "I just laughed out loud," Ryan told reporters. "Sometimes, reality is stranger than fiction around here these days." Voters have not so far responded to warning such as those of the Republican leaders on Thursday. He padded his delegate lead with victories in seven Super Tuesday contests, with Cruz claiming three states and Florida Sen. Rubio picking up his first victory of the 2016 race. Still, Trump is not yet on track to claim the nomination before the party's national gathering in July, according to an Associated Press delegate count. He has won 46 percent of the delegates awarded so far, and he would have to increase that to 51 percent in the remaining primaries. March 15 could be last opportunity to stop Trump through the normal path of winning states and collecting delegates. A win for Rubio in his home state of Florida would raise questions about Trump's strength, as could a win for Kasich, Ohio's governor, on his home turf. Kasich took aim at Trump on Thursday as well, saying for the first time that he needs to be stopped. The GOP mayhem contrasts sharply with a clearer picture on the Democratic side, where Hillary Clinton is drawing broad support from voters and her party's leaders. Rival Sen. Bernie Sanders has vowed to keep up his fight, though his path to the nomination has become exceedingly narrow. The Associated Press has asked Republican governors and senators if they would support Trump if he becomes the party's nominee. Of the 59 respondents, slightly fewer than half could not commit to backing him in November. Updated at 12:13 p.m. SALT LAKE CITY Former GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney said Thursday that the prospects for a safe future are "greatly diminished" if Donald Trump becomes the Republican nominee for president. Speaking at the University of Utah, Romney warned a packed auditorium that any of the other GOP candidates would be a better alternative to the billionaire businessman. "The only serious policy proposals that deal with the broad range of national challenges we confront today, come from Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, and John Kasich," Romney said of Trump's GOP rivals. "One of these men should be our nominee." Romney is charging into the increasingly divisive White House race with a verbal lashing of Donald Trump and a plea for fellow Republicans to shun the front-runner for the good of country and party. "His is not the temperament of a stable, thoughtful leader. His imagination must not be married to real power," Romney said. Romney branded Trump as "a phony, a fraud" whose "promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University" in his speech. Earlier Thursday, Trump dismissed Romney as "a stiff" who "didn't know what he was doing" as the party's candidate in 2012 and blew a chance to beat President Barack Obama. "People are energized by what I'm saying" in the campaign and turning out in remarkable numbers to vote, Trump told NBC's "Today." The back-and-forth comes as Republican candidates prepared for the first post-Super Tuesday debate, scheduled for Thursday in Detroit, with Trump coming under increasing pressure from his party as he fights for the majority of delegates needed to win the nomination. Thursday's condemnation and counter was coming four years after the two men stood side by side in Las Vegas, with Trump saying it was a "real honor and privilege" to endorse Romney's White House bid. Accepting, Romney said it was a "delight" to have Trump on his side and praised him for ability to "understand how our economy works and to create jobs for the American people." Panicked GOP leaders say they still have options for preventing Trump from winning the GOP nomination just not many good ones. Romney also said that a Trump nomination at the party's convention in Cleveland in July would enable Democrat Hillary Clinton to win the presidency. He contended that Trump "has neither the temperament nor the judgment to be president." Romney's involvement comes as party elites pore over complicated delegate math, outlining hazy scenarios for a contested convention and even flirting with the long-shot prospect of a third party option. Giving Romney the back of his hand, Trump turned his sights on the general election. His campaign reached out to House Speaker Paul Ryan's office to arrange a conversation between the two men, and urged Republican leaders to view his candidacy as a chance to expand the party. Trump padded his lead with victories in seven Super Tuesday contests, with Texas Sen. Ted Cruz claiming three states and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio picking up his first victory of the 2016 race. Despite Trump's strong night, he was not yet on track to claim the nomination before the party's national gathering in July, according to an Associated Press delegate count. He has won 46 percent of the delegates awarded so far, and he would have to increase that to 51 percent in the remaining primaries. GOP strategists cast March 15 as the last opportunity to stop Trump through the normal path of winning states and collecting delegates. A win for Rubio in his home state of Florida would raise questions about Trump's strength, as could a win for Kasich, Ohio's governor, on his home turf. The candidates have a high-profile opportunity to make their case to voters in Thursday's Fox News debate. Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson all but ended his bid Wednesday, saying he would skip the debate and declaring he did "not see a political path forward." The GOP mayhem contrasted sharply with a clearer picture on the Democratic side, where Hillary Clinton was drawing broad support from voters and her party's leaders. Rival Sen. Bernie Sanders vowed to keep up the fight, though his path to the nomination has become exceedingly narrow. Romney argues that Trump's "domestic policies would lead to recession. His foreign policies would make America and the world less safe," Romney says. "And his personal qualities would mean that America would cease to be a shining city on a hill." The Associated Press has asked Republican governors and senators if they would support Trump if he becomes the party's nominee. Of the 59 respondents, slightly fewer than half could not commit to backing him in November. One long-shot idea rumbling through power corridors in Washington was the prospect of a late third-party candidate to represent more mainstream conservatives. Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry has been approached by "a mixture of people" about being part of a third-party bid, according to Jeff Miller, who managed Perry's failed GOP presidential campaign. But Miller said Perry found the idea "ludicrous." SALT LAKE CITY Former GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney is charging into the increasingly divisive White House race with a verbal lashing of Donald Trump and a plea for fellow Republicans to shun the front-runner for the good of country and party. Romney will brand the billionaire businessman as "a phony, a fraud" whose "promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University" in a speech Thursday morning at the University of Utah on Thursday morning. The Associated Press obtained excerpts of his remarks in advance. Trump, in turn, dismissed Romney as "a stiff" who "didn't know what he was doing" as the party's candidate in 2012 and blew a chance to beat President Barack Obama. "People are energized by what I'm saying" in the campaign and turning out in remarkable numbers to vote, Trump told NBC's "Today." In ratcheting up the rhetoric, Romney cast his lot with a growing chorus of anxious Republican leaders people many Trump supporters view as establishment figures in trying to slow the New York real estate mogul's momentum. "Here's what I know: Donald Trump is a phony, a fraud," the former Massachusetts governor said, according to the early excerpts. But it was unclear what impact his words would have with voters deeply frustrated by their party's leaders, and Romney was not using to speech to endorse a Trump rival. Trump questioned whether the party rank and file would listen to "a failed candidate" for whom "nobody came out to vote." Thursday's condemnation and counter was coming four years after the two men stood side by side in Las Vegas, with Trump saying it was a "real honor and privilege" to endorse Romney's White House bid. Accepting, Romney said it was a "delight" to have Trump on his side and praised him for ability to "understand how our economy works and to create jobs for the American people." Panicked GOP leaders say they still have options for preventing Trump from winning the GOP nomination just not many good ones. Romney also said that a Trump nomination at the party's convention in Cleveland in July would enable Democrat Hillary Clinton to win the presidency. He contended that Trump "has neither the temperament nor the judgment to be president." Romney's involvement comes as party elites pore over complicated delegate math, outlining hazy scenarios for a contested convention and even flirting with the long-shot prospect of a third party option. Giving Romney the back of his hand, Trump turned his sights on the general election. His campaign reached out to House Speaker Paul Ryan's office to arrange a conversation between the two men, and urged Republican leaders to view his candidacy as a chance to expand the party. Trump padded his lead with victories in seven Super Tuesday contests, with Texas Sen. Ted Cruz claiming three states and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio picking up his first victory of the 2016 race. Despite Trump's strong night, he was not yet on track to claim the nomination before the party's national gathering in July, according to an Associated Press delegate count. He has won 46 percent of the delegates awarded so far, and he would have to increase that to 51 percent in the remaining primaries. GOP strategists cast March 15 as the last opportunity to stop Trump through the normal path of winning states and collecting delegates. A win for Rubio in his home state of Florida would raise questions about Trump's strength, as could a win for Kasich, Ohio's governor, on his home turf. The candidates have a high-profile opportunity to make their case to voters in Thursday night's prime-time debate. Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson all but ended his bid Wednesday, saying he would skip the debate and declaring he did "not see a political path forward." The GOP mayhem contrasted sharply with a clearer picture on the Democratic side, where Hillary Clinton was drawing broad support from voters and her party's leaders. Rival Sen. Bernie Sanders vowed to keep up the fight, though his path to the nomination has become exceedingly narrow. Romney argues that Trump's "domestic policies would lead to recession. His foreign policies would make America and the world less safe," Romney says. "And his personal qualities would mean that America would cease to be a shining city on a hill." The Associated Press has asked Republican governors and senators if they would support Trump if he becomes the party's nominee. Of the 59 respondents, slightly fewer than half could not commit to backing him in November. One long-shot idea rumbling through power corridors in Washington was the prospect of a late third-party candidate to represent more mainstream conservatives. Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry has been approached by "a mixture of people" about being part of a third-party bid, according to Jeff Miller, who managed Perry's failed GOP presidential campaign. But Miller said Perry found the idea "ludicrous." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate As Berkshire Hathaway closed its acquisition of Duracell this week, the Bethel-based battery maker appeared to be settling on Chicago where its new CEO works as its de facto headquarters. Duracell and Berkshire Hathaway have made no announcement designating Chicago as Duracells new headquarters, and on Thursday Duracell spokesman Richard Abramowitz told Hearst that the battery makers main office will remain in Bethel. But an online job ad for Duracell disclosed an intent to set up camp in there, and Abramowitz confirmed that CEO Angelo Pantaleo is hiring corporate staff to work in a new Duracell office in the Windy City. In Duracell, Berkshire Hathaway gains a global manufacturing operation with about 2,700 employees and facilities in LaGrange, Ga., Lancaster, S.C.; and Cleveland, Tenn., as well as locations in Switzerland, Belgium, China, Panama and Singapore. The job ad posted on the website of Indeed.com states that Duracell is building out its corporate and strategic functions and looking for key talent across multiple functions as a result of moving its headquarters to Chicago. Abramowitz said the job ad was old and indicated Bethel remains Duracells formal headquarters. Only a few months back, former corporate parent Procter & Gamble indicated it was boosting Duracells employment in preparation for the separation, without saying where those new jobs would be located. If the above referenced job ad posted is any indication, many of those jobs will be destined for Chicago. A spokesman for Gov. Dannel P. Malloy could not be reached immediately to say whether the governor has been in contact with Duracell about its growth plans and existing employment base in Bethel. The extent of Duracells hiring was made apparent late last year by Jon Moeller, chief financial officer of Procter & Gamble. If you look at Duracell right now, we are adding 450 employees ... in order for it to operate as an independent unit, Moeller told analysts at a November investment conference sponsored by Morgan Stanley. Over the years, Duracell has reported job counts ranging between 250 and 400 people at its 14 Research Drive headquarters facility in Bethel, which totals just over 300,000 square feet of space and includes product development labs. Abramowitz said Duracell has added 40 jobs in the past year on a net basis to push its Bethel employment to about 300 people. We are not moving anybody to Chicago, Abramowitz said. Any shift of Duracells main corporate office whether on paper or in functional practice would mark Connecticuts second major defection in as many months, after Fairfield-based General Electric announced plans to relocate its headquarters and 200 jobs to Boston this summer. Procter & Gamble picked up Duracell as part of its 2005 acquisition of Boston-based Gillette, and had in 2014 planned to spin it off as an independent, publicly traded company. At the time, Duracell indicated it would keep its Bethel headquarters, which was constructed in 1995 on a hill above Berkshire Corporate Park. Duracell is the second largest taxpayer in the town after Eversource Energy (NYSE: ES), according to the most recent figures from the Connecticut Economic Resource Center. P&G instead took a $4.7 billion offer from Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK) to exchange Procter & Gamble shares (NYSE: PG) held by Warren Buffetts company for Duracell and $1.2 billion in cash. The stock portion of the deal was later reduced to $4.2 million, reflecting the reduced values of shares Berkshire Hathaway received back from Procter & Gamble. Berkshire Hathaway has a prior history of keeping its newly acquired companies in place, with its small collection of units in lower Fairfield County including General Reinsurance and Berkshire Hathaway Reinsurance Group in Stamford; H.H. Brown Shoe in Greenwich; and Charter Brokerage in Norwalk. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England Properties, which Berkshire Hathaway acquired from Prudential, has its headquarters in Wallingford and is prominent in local real estate with 16 offices in Fairfield County. Includes prior reporting by Dirk Perrefort. Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-964-2236; www.twitter.com/casoulman GREENWICH The 2016 presidential race has taken twists and turns no one could have predicted only six months ago. But according to a panel of experts, one prediction holds true - big, unregulated money in politics has had a corrosive effect. The message was the focus of Who Elected the Donors? Campaign Finance in the Age of Super Pacs, a League of Women Voters of Greenwich panel discussion earlier this week that drew nearly 120 people to the Greenwich Library. The panel featured State Rep. Livvy Floren (R-149th); Michael Waldman, president of the non-partisan law and policy institute Brennan Center for Justice at New York Universitys School of Law; and Karen Hobert Flynn, senior vice president at Common Cause, a non-profit, non-partisan lobbying organization focused on open government. All three agreed unregulated money and scaling back of reforms in a post-Citizens United era has hurt having open and clean elections on a national and a state level. Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission was the U.S. constitutional law case that allowed unlimited election spending by individuals and corporations. This is a time when, in so many ways, our democracy is under stress that it has not seen in years, Waldman said. Part of it is Citizens United and the other judicial decisions that have let loose a flood of new and large and unaccountable money into our political system. That comes on top of a wave of new voting laws in 19 states to make it harder for people to vote for the first time since the Jim Crow era. Im still optimistic though, Waldman said. This is a problem that has been noticed by the public. Theyre talking about this at the presidential and other level and they hadnt done that in years and years and years. The leagues panel was held Super Tuesday, a day of primary contests in key states throughout the country. Floren noted in her remarks that, given the tenor of the race, it would have been more appropriate to call it stupor Tuesday. Its a day of dirty politics and divisiveness, bombast and blasphemy, lies and libel, negativity and nastiness, anger and animosity, and I havent even begun to tell you what I really think, Floren said. Its all paid for with millions and millions of dollars from anonymous donors to PACs and Super PACs. We can and we must do better. Hobert Flynn talked about the development and impact of Connecticuts Citizens Elections Program, which was passed in 2005 in the wake of Gov. John Rowlands corruption charges and resignation. Those of us that work on it at the League or Common Cause or other groups know theres no one magic bullet that will solve every problem, Hobert Flynn said. Democracy is about vigilance and continuing to work and reform and help something evolve over time so it continues to work and is useful beyond just the time it is enacted. Floren spoke from the perspective of eight terms in the state legislature which included 12 years as a member of the Government Administration and Elections Committee that gave her a front-row seat for the development of the Citizens Elections Program. She said reforms like a shorter campaign timeline, lowering the amount of allowable individual contributions to less than $100, increasing disclosure information requirements and prohibiting unlimited organizational expenditures by state central committees ought to be looked at. In other words, identify and plug the most awful and obvious loopholes, Floren said. There are viable, cost effective and common sense measures that will go a long way toward ensuring that our state continues to be the land of steady habits that is, with both hands on the tiller and not in the till. Waldman called the United States Supreme Court under Chief Justice John Roberts, which made the Citizens United Ruling among the most activist and interventionist and disrespectful of precedent courts when it comes to money and politics in the nations history. Its not that theres so much money in politics, Waldman said. Thats not new and thats not necessarily bad. Its the concentration of where the money comes from. In the last election, the top 100 federal donors gave more money than the 4.75 million small donors combined. That is a level of concentrated wealth and power we havent seen since the gilded age. kborsuk@scni.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate HARTFORD The governor on Wednesday asked the General Assembly to reject a five-year contract for more than 1,800 non-teaching professionals at the University of Connecticut. The proposed pact which includes a 4.5 percent raise that would cost an $94 million itself is scheduled to take effect next week. A memo from Ben Barnes, Gov. Dannel P. Malloys budget chief, warned Wednesday that if the UConn pact goes into effect, it would set a standard for raises that could snowball into a $1 billion cost over the next five years. If lawmakers dont vote to overturn the deal with the University of Connecticut Professional Employees Association and restart negotiations, the contract would automatically take effect. In reaction, the union, representing nurses, librarians, residential-life employees, academic advisers, dining-service workers and administrative staff, said the late-breaking attempt to scuttle a fairly negotiated contract is unprofessional. We must value and support those that serve the public, Malloy said in a statement, noting that while the deal was agreed upon in good faith, a sharp decrease in tax revenue has created a new economic reality that requires the rethinking of contracts. On Monday, Malloy used his executive authority to cancel raises for about 2,650 non-unionized state managers, including 1,950 in the executive branch he directly controls, worth about $10.4 million over two years. It would set a precedent that would necessitate the elimination of even more jobs, Malloy wrote. The UConn union, whose president is Kathleen Sanner, Wednesday afternoon issued a statement expressing disappointment. The focus of the governor and some state representatives is a misdirection of the facts on a fairly negotiated agreement between UCPEA and the University, the statement said. To suggest that this contract will increase costs to taxpayers is simply wrong. Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney and Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, indicated they would bring the contract up to a vote with a recommendation to reject it. Last week the legislative Appropriations Committee approved it. We are afraid that, if approved, the contract will lead to massive layoffs and painful tuition increases forcing talented Connecticut students out of state, Looney and Duff said in a joint statement. House Minority Leader Themis Klarides, D-Derby, said she wishes that Malloy had persuaded the leaders of the Appropriations Committee to turn down the package last week. I commend the Governor for reaching the conclusion a week late on what was obvious from the beginning, she said. kdixon@ctpost.com; This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate GREENWICH - Six Greenwich schools have been recognized by the state for their academic achievement in the past school year, according to results released Wednesday from the states new accountability system. The International School at Dundee, Old Greenwich, North Mianus, North Street, Parkway and Riverside Schools were cited among about 80 Schools of Distinction in the state. Schools that earn the honor scored in the top 10 percent of schools in the states new accountability index or in the top 10 percent of schools for achievement among high needs students, a group that includes those who are low income, receive special education or are learning English as a second language. ISD, Old Greenwich, North Street and Riverside ranked as Schools of Distinction in both categories. "We are pleased to have six of our schools highlighted by the state for their excellent performance, Superintendent of Schools William McKersie said in a statement. It speaks to the rigorous and tireless work of our teachers and administrators. I know that our other schools also have made very good strides. State officials said that the new Next Generation system improves upon the previous framework because it not only includes students scores on the new Smarter Balanced state tests, but will also measure students academic progress over time and take into account factors including chronic absenteeism, physical fitness and students access to the arts. There are a total of 12 categories. A federal requirement, according to state officials, the new grading system will group schools into five categories. Schools of Distinction stand at the top-achieving end, while focus and turnaround schools occupy the low-performing end. While Greenwich grapples significant achievement gaps among its schools, none of them are classified in the focus or turnaround categories. The new system moves beyond test scores and graduation rates to provide a more holistic, multifactor perspective of district and school performance, state education commissioner Diana Wentzell said in a statement. It also shows where we need to invest more time and resources to help kids in the greatest need and where we can celebrate and share school success stories. Board of Education Chairman Laura Erickson said that she was encouraged by Greenwichs results. She equated the district scoring an overall 89 percent in the new system to a B+ grade. In comparison, the statewide average index score totaled 76 percent. Greenwich rates well on the inaugural report, Erickson said. The Board and administration will have to examine this data more closely, but this is a positive direction coming from the Connecticut state Department of Education. Greenwich district administrators said that they will release additional analysis next week of the results from the new accountability system. pschott@scni.com; 203-625-4439; twitter: @paulschott Employees know far less about employer expectations than their managers may realize -- an October report from Gallup of 1,000 employed adults found that only about half of the employees surveyed had a clear understanding of what was expected of them at work. Related: The Best Employees Stay With Companies That Help Them to Get Better That means that fully half of employees are unsure about their career development. They dont know if theyre on the right path or what they need to do to succeed in their roles. And that makes for a bleak picture, which highlights a disconnect in todays workplaces. Because, when leaders and employees arent communicating properly, goals are unclear, progress stalls and objectives arent reached. Here are a few steps to get employees and managers on a clear path for professional development, for the sake of the employee and the company: 1. Focus job descriptions. Start at the very beginning. Setting employees up on a fulfilling career path starts with the job description. Most employers approach the job description as a list of requirements or only an ad to sell their company culture. But that description really serves as an employees first introduction to a new role. Think of it as the entry point to the performance management process. There's good reason to do that. Some 85 percent of candidates surveyed by CareerBuilder in 2015 said that clearly defined job duties and responsibilities positively influenced their decision to apply. But, first, the description needs to accurately represent the position; otherwise, new employees will be set up for failure. They will think they were hired to do one thing, but their managers will expect them to do another. And that's a recipe for disaster: Before the new hire even starts the job, he or she is already on a different page than management. How to fix it: Take the time to understand the job before writing the description. Ask managers what they expect from the candidate, and inquire from current employees what they need on their team. Use these responses to draft a description. Then, put yourself in the place of the new hire reviewing it. Does the description accurately reflect the responsibilities of the job? Is it focused? Are the expectations clear? 2. Create and evaluate job families. With an accurate job description in hand, employees can start the job knowing what is expected of them -- but do they know where theyre going? Do they understand future expectations or how to advance down their career path? In a 2015 SHRM survey of 600 employees, 83 percent said career advancement was important or very important to them, but only 20 percent were very satisfied with how their company was addressing this need. And that begs the question: If employees dont know what is expected from them, how can they know how to advance? Related: The Best Professional Development Advice Ever While some employees may not be growing as much as their managers expect them to, some managers dont recognize when their employees are taking on more responsibilities. In fact, 2014 research from the Office of the Future found that 41 percent of administrative professionals surveyed said they felt that their job description had become inaccurate, given their new duties. How to fix it: Use "job families" to show employees a clear career path and to help managers recognize when employees are ready to move up. Job families are groupings of similar jobs, showing their inter-relationships and structure in terms of their responsibilities, pay and advancement. Job families detail what is expected from employees at each level, what requirements are needed and how to progress along a given career path in an organization. Also encourage HR and managers to create job families that accurately reflect development within the company. If these groupings are already in place, review them to make sure they are clear and correct. When developing these structures, focus on what people do at each level, not their job titles. Above all, make these career paths transparent and accessible for employees. Share your company's job families, explain them and make them available on the HR platform employees regularly use. 3. Align personal and organizational goals. Job families help employees know what to do to reach the next level of their career. They can help employees set goals -- but do these goals align with their managers' goals? What about the goals of the organization overall? Probably not. The Gallup survey found that just 32 percent of respondents said their manager helps them set performance goals. In addition, a 2015 survey of North American employees conducted by Achievers found that 61 percent didn't even know their companys mission, and an additional 57 percent said they weren't motivated by that mission. How to fix it: Managers need to help employees set goals that align with the companys mission and objectives. First, review the company mission and vision with employees. Remind them of what they are working toward and how their job contributes to this overall purpose. Then, have managers and employees set goals together, with the mission as a focal point. Sharing these personal goals with the whole team can keep employees and managers focused, suggests research from the Dominican University of California: Study participants who wrote down their goals, shared them with others and sent weekly updates to friends were 33 percent more successful in meeting these objectives, on average. In addition, a 2015 report from Bersin by Deloitte suggested that high-performing companies should make individual work goals public for all to see. Sharing goals can help keep employees and managers on track, accountable for their performance and ultimately on the same page. Related: Why It's Smart to Treat Your Employees Like Your Best Customers Is there a disconnect between manager expectations and professional development in your workplace? What steps have you taken to fix it? Share in the comments! Related: Copyright 2016 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved This small business owner almost went bankrupt, but his employees rallied to make sure he didn't quit -- or do something worse. When things go bad in entrepreneurship, they go very bad very quickly, and who you have standing by your side when things go south is of paramount importance. That was the case for Reddit user RocketSeaShell, who posted a personal story on the site recounting his experience with losing everything, and the people who stood by him when it happened. According to u/RocketSeaShell, his small UK software company ran out of cash in November of 2007. The company had a $1.2 million contract on the table with a U.S. business, with the deal due to close before Christmas. With no pay for himself, he took out a second mortgage on his home, maxed his credit cards and asked for another line of credit at the bank, knowing he could make it work for a few more weeks. Fast forward to February, having endured stall after stall, with hours left before they closed the deal and less than $1700 in the bank to pay his 15 employees, the deal fell through. The U.S. business they had been counting on was in the throes of the financial crisis, and didnt have the capital to make it happen. Related: When Selling Your Company for $2.5 Billion Leads to Depression The small companys CEO was sick with grief: It took me until around 3:30 in the morning to shop shaking and stop throwing up. At 3:30 I wrote an email to my staff. . . Their pay was up to date but I still owed them accrued holidays. I also owed [pay as you go] tax to Inland Revenue, the office lease had 14 months to go. Over all, I realized I had around 60,000 in debts in the business and as the sole director, quite a few of them were guaranteed by me. Worse yet, my family was close to bankrupt. We had zero liquid assets and the house had a close to 100 percent mortgage and all the credit cards and lines were maxed out. There was a good chance that we may be out on the street in 60 days. But my wife worked part time and that would put some food on the table. The shame of having let down my staff and the family was overwhelming. I kept throwing up or just dry retching. I had a life insurance policy, which would pay off the mortgage and leave a bit more money for the family. I seriously contemplated getting in the car and having an "accident". There was no payout for suicide. Thoughts of my children[s] faces when they found out daddy was not coming back and my wife having to break the news to them was what brought me to my senses. The outlook was very grim and I had no idea what to do. At 6:30, I got the first call from one of the software engineers in the company. He first words were "Are you ok?" followed by "Do you need some where to live?" Most of them had figured out I have been using personal money to run the business since last year and realized I have now run out of money. By 9:00 I had had five other calls of a similar nature. By 10:00am, seven of the team were in the office cleaning it out. All of them felt positive we [could] get another deal from somewhere else. They were happy to be available/work for no pay until they could afford not to. All of them agreed I should take the last 1200 from the account to make my Feb mortgage payment. Related: Mental Illness Is the Internal Weakness SWOT Analysis Overlooks With his employees on board, u/RocketSeaShell closed the office and was able to talk to his landlord and the bank into 90-day extensions. In April, the company landed its next client. Ironically, the financial software the company produced was created to measure financial risks just like the ones that caused the 2008 financial crisis. By 2009, they had a three-year head start on the market, poised with software everyone wanted, the company started making serious cash. More importantly, all of those seven employees who stayed on board a sinking ship were given 12 percent of the business. And when the company sold in 2014, they all made roughly $2.8 to $3.8 million. As an entrepreneur, you certainly dont have a guarantee that your business idea will succeed. But you do have control over who will be working side-by-side with you through the trials and tribulations you will inevitably encounter. u/RocketSeaShell had hired some great employees, but hired some bad apples too: On that Saturday morning, after closing the business, I also got quite a few abusive emails and phone calls as well. One guy said, "How can you keep living in that house when I cannot pay my rent next month?" We did live in a good house . . . what most did not figure out was I owed close to 100% of it's value to the bank. Other than that call, I don't remember much of the abusive emails and calls I got. I wonder if I got them before the call from my friend at 6:30 if I would have reconsidered the life insurgence [sic] policy. Related: Preventing Startup Suicide. Literally. There are many things to consider when hiring for your new business. Qualifications, pay rate, experience. But dont forget to look long and hard at the character of your team -- it just could be the thing that saves your life. To read the whole story, go here. Related: How This Entrepreneur's Staff Saved His Business...and His Life Preventing Startup Suicide. Literally. Don't Let the Loneliness of Entrepreneurship Kill You Copyright 2016 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved Republican front runner and business mogul Donald Trump ended Super Tuesday with victory in seven states, strengthening his campaign to become the GOP nominee. But it was Trump's newly found supporter, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who won the stage, even if he may have lost his soul. Those who tuned into election coverage, specifically Trumps victory speech at his headquarters in Palm Beach, Fla., had their eyes and cellphone cameras aimed at Christies wordless screaming face, a term coined by The Washington Post in a ComPost. RELATED: As Trump dominates Super Tuesday, Cruz hangs on to Texas and Oklahoma As the billionaire stood at his podium, promising to be a unifier, his foe-turned-friend stood in the shadows either wondering what he had done by throwing his support behind Trump or if he had left the stove on at home. Soon he must return to the plane onto which Trump humiliatingly sent him before. Soon he must return to the small cupboard under the stairs where he is kept and occasionally thrown small slivers of metaphorical raw meat, The Washington Post quipped. When he asked to be part of Trumps cabinet he never thought to specify presidential cabinet, of course, not a literal cabinet underground where the ventilation is poor and there is no light. It just did not occur to him. Why would it? RELATED: Voters cast ballots hours after polls close in Bexar County The Christie conversation carried continued on Twitter, of course, with a slew of hashtaggable memes vowing to #FreeChrisChristie from what many have called a hostage situation, or Trump's campaign. RELATED: Clinton easily takes Texas We may have not know exactly what was going on in the mind of Christie, but Twitter had plenty of ideas. Click through the gallery above to check them out. mmendoza@mysa.com Twitter: @MadddySkye Serving it cold at Jeffy Rubys. Tell @realDonaldTrump he's OJ'ed tonight @TheRealJeffRuby Steakhouse Louisville until apologizing to POWS.Aside from that enjoy our city. Jeff Ruby (@TheRealJeffRuby) March 1, 2016 Ruby elaborated on his reasons to Louisville Business First, telling the publication: He denigrates women. He disgraces POWs. He disparages the disabled. He badmouths anyone who disagrees with him. He claims to have never heard of (former Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard) David Duke and he praises Vladimir Putin. Hes as presidential as Cam Newton. This isnt quite like when a random Grand Rapids restaurateur bans Michael Moore or a grubby Jersey pizzeria launches a #NoMasTrump campaign situations where theres zero chance the barred individual planned on going there anyway. Trump loves steak (he dabbled in selling the worlds greatest for a while), and Ruby really loves posting pics of himself next to famous clientele (Muhammad Ali, George Clooney, Paris Hilton, Sean Hannity, etc., etc.). It could have been win-win, in other words, but now it looks like the Donald will have to get that well-done rib eye someplace else. [Courier-Journal, Louisville Business First] Ever since January the upcoming Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro has been in the rumors, supposedly arriving soon in China. We've already seen it in the databases of both GFXBench and AnTuTu, on which occasions we've found out most of its specs. And now the A9 Pro has been certified for sale in China by TENAA. The regulatory authority has thus outed the first images of the device, along with a pretty comprehensive list of its specs - like it always does. The Galaxy A9 Pro will have a 6-inch 1080p Super AMOLED touchscreen, a 16 MP rear camera with LED flash, an 8 MP selfie cam, a 1.8 GHz octa-core processor, 4GB of RAM, 32GB of expandable storage, dual-SIM functionality and LTE. It runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow. Its dimensions are 161.7 x 80.9 x 7.9 mm, and it weighs 210g. The exact chipset employed isn't named by TENAA, but from the benchmark runs that were leaked in the past we know it's the Qualcomm Snapdragon 652. Compared to the non-Pro A9, you're getting a higher-res main camera, 1 extra GB of RAM, as well as a newer version of Android from day one. And since it's 10g heavier and 0.5 mm thicker than the A9, we assume the A9 Pro will also sport an even bigger battery than the 4,000 mAh cell inside the non-Pro version. The Galaxy A9 Pro will be available in China in black, white, and gold, and it's rumored to have NFC on board complete with support for Samsung Pay. Its estimated price is between CNY 3,300 and CNY 3,600 (that's $504 to $550 or 462 to 504 at the current exchange rates). Source (in Chinese) | Via 1 (in Chinese) Via 2 Chinese regulatory authority TENAA has sure had a busy day today. Having already released its certifications for the Oppo R9 and R9 Plus as well as the Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro, TENAA is now gracing us with the full details of the upcoming Galaxy J5 (2016) and Galaxy J7 (2016). The successors to the original J5 and J7 from last year are due for a release soon. In the meantime they've kept on leaking, and now they've been put through the paces of TENAA, which has revealed that they could be sporting metal frames. The Galaxy J5 (2016) can be seen above. It's got a 5.2-inch 720p Super AMOLED touchscreen, a 13 MP rear camera with LED flash and laser autofocus, a 5 MP selfie snapper, a 1.2 GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of expandable storage, and 4G on board. It runs Android 5.1.1 Lollipop. Its dimensions are 145.7 x 72.3 x 7.9 mm, and it weighs 155.4g. It will be offered in white, gold, and pink gold. This particular model, the SM-J5108, is headed to China Mobile. TENAA has certified not one but two iterations of the Galaxy J7 (2016), the SM-J7108 for China Mobile and the SM-J7109 for China Telecom. You can see the former above this paragraph and the latter underneath. They share most of the specs as you'd expect, with one difference being in the processor's clock speed. Whereas the J7108 has a 1.6 GHz octa-core CPU, the J7109 has to make do with a 1.5 GHz octa-core chip. This may mean they're actually employing different SoCs, but there's no way of knowing for sure right now. Otherwise they're the same, each featuring a 5.5-inch 1080p Super AMOLED display, a 13 MP rear camera with LED flash and laser autofocus, a 5 MP selfie shooter, 3GB of RAM, 16GB of expandable storage, and running Android 5.1.1 Lollipop. The J7108 will be available in gold and white, while the J7109 will be offered in black and gold. Their measurements are almost identical, but not quite so. The J7108's dimensions are 151.7 x 75.9 x 7.6 mm, and it weighs 165g. On the other hand, the J7109 measures 151.7 x 76 x 7.6 mm, and it weighs 166g. Source 1 (in Chinese) Source 2 (in Chinese) Source 3 (in Chinese) | Via The R9 was confirmed by Oppo earlier this week, and shortly thereafter it came to light that the smartphone will be unveiled this month - March 17 to be precise. Now, the Chinese company has posted another teaser for the device confirming support VOOC fast charging. This means the upcoming R9 will offer 2 hours of talk time with just 5 minutes of charging. Keep in mind that VOOC is different from Super VOOC, which Oppo announced at this year's MWC. The latter is capable of fully recharging a 2,500 mAh battery in just 15 minutes. If you aren't already aware, the Oppo R9 is being marketed by the company as a camera-centric phone. Its rumored specs include Snapdragon 820 chipset, 6-inch QHD touchscreen, 21MP/13MP camera combo, 3 or 4GB of RAM, 64GB of expandable storage, 3,700 mAh battery, and Android Marshmallow. Via A new analysis from the Guttmacher Institute, just published in the New England Journal of Medicine, shows that the U.S. unintended pregnancy rate declined substantially between 2008 and 2011. According to "Declines in Unintended Pregnancy in the United States, 20082011," by Lawrence B. Finer and Mia R. Zolna, there were 45 unintended pregnancies for every 1,000 women aged 1544 in 2011, down from 54 per 1,000 in 2008. The 2011 rate was the lowest observed in three decades. Although unintended pregnancy rates have declined among nearly all demographic groups examined, disparities still remain, particularly for poor women and women of color. "After a long period of minimal change, the unintended pregnancy rate has declined to the lowest rate observed in the United States since we first began tracking these numbers in 1981, and by 18% in just three years," said Finer. "While this trend is certainly good news, its important to note that nearly half of all pregnancies in the United States are still unintended. We have made progress in a short period of time, but we still have a long way to go to ensure that all womenregardless of socioeconomic statusare able to achieve their childbearing goals." The authors analyzed data from several sources, including U.S. government data from the National Survey of Family Growth and Guttmachers own surveys of women. They found that 2.8 million of the 6.1 million pregnancies that occurred in 2011 were unintended. In other words, 45% of pregnancies were unintended in that year, down from 51% in 2008. The authors also found that 42% of unintended pregnancies in 2011 ended in abortion, little changed from 40% in 2008. Although unintended pregnancy rates dropped across nearly all age, income, education, and race and ethnic groups, rates were relatively high among poor women and women of color. Poor women had more than five times as many unintended pregnancies as higher-income women. And women of color were roughly twice as likely to experience an unintended pregnancy as white women. Finer and Zolna suggest that one likely driver of the decline in the unintended pregnancy rate was increased use of highly effective long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) methods. Recent Guttmacher research found that the use of LARC methods, particularly the IUD, increased between 2007 and 2012 across most demographic groups. Finer noted, "When women have access to a broad method mix that includes highly effective methods, they can choose the method that is best suited for them. This reduces their risk of unintended pregnancy and leads to better health outcomes for women and their families." "Declines in Unintended Pregnancy in the United States, 20082011" is currently available online to subscribers and will appear in a forthcoming print issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. Members of the media can request a copy of the manuscript at [email protected] or [email protected] . Haiti - FLASH : DR temporarily suspends flights of Sunrise Airways The direct commercial flights between the Dominican Republic and Haiti have been temporarily suspended confirms the Haitian company Sunrise Airways in a statement. "On 1 March 2016, the 'Junta de Aviacion Civil' (JAC) of the Dominican Republic taken the unfortunate decision to suspend regular flights between Port -au-Prince, Haiti (PAP) and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (JBQ) of Sunrise Airways. This action was taken without notice of any kind and is completely unfounded." The airline recalled in its note "In February 2014, Sunrise has become the first airline operating between Haiti and the Dominican Republic being compliant with the strictest safety standards adopted by the civil aviation authorities of the two countries and obey the requirements of Annex 6 of the International Organization of Civil Aviation (ICAO)." However in a statement the "Junta de Aviacion Civil," this is clearly not a security issue that is the cause of this temporary suspension, but rather a question of expired insurance policy, stating that it was ordained to Sunrise Airways "a temporary suspension of its flights for breach of Manual of Requirements in terms of civil liability insurance," stressing that this "temporary suspension of flights of Sunrise Airways between Santo Domingo and Port-au-Prince, is contained in Resolution 37-2016, issued by the regular meeting of the plenary of civil Aviation Council held on 24 February." JAC says that the suspension "will remain in effect until the Company files in the offices of the Aviation Commission, the original or a certified copy of the public liability insurance policy, now expired, to meet the requirements of Appendix A of the JAC-001-5.0 requirements Manual." However, other sources consulted indicated that the reasons could be "purely commercial", but say they are confident that the resumption of flights of Sunrise Airways, could be done this week. Learn more about Sunrise Airways : Based in Port-au-Prince with a maintenance facility dedicated to Santiago, Dominican Republic, Sunrise Airways is owned by businessman and philanthropist Haitian recognized, Philippe Bayard. The members of the management team has on average over 15 years in aviation with well known industry brands like Aerocaribbean, Air Jamaica, BAE Systems, Condor Airlines, Jamaica Air Shuttle, and LAN Airlines. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-16759-haiti-economy-sunrise-airways-increases-its-services-on-cuba.html SL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - FLASH USA : A Haitian-American on the 15 Most Wanted list Wednesday, February 2, 2016, the U.S. Marshals turned up the heat today in the search for fugitive Jean Weevens Janvier by adding him to their 15 Most Wanted list and offering a reward for information leading to his arrest. Janvier, 34, is wanted by the Boston Police Department and the Suffolk County District Attorneys Office on two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of armed assault in a dwelling, and carrying a firearm without a license. A reward of up to $25,000 is offered for information leading directly to Jean Janviers arrest. Recall that on November 14, 2011, Janvier left a community on edge when he allegedly murdered two sisters, Stephanie and Judith Emile, execution style in their apartment in Dorchester, Massachusetts. When police arrived at the scene, they not only made the startling discovery of the deceased sisters, they also found a 2-year-old toddler, who was left alive but alone with their bodies. U.S. Marshals Service Deputy Director David Harlow declared "the U.S. Marshals will dedicate all our available resources along with the help of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to bring Janvier to justice and answer for these heinous crimes." U.S. Marshal John Gibbons of the District of Massachusetts reiterated that commitment. "The Marshals Service is committed to assisting the Boston Police Department in locating and apprehending Jean Janvier to open the doors of justice for the Emile family." Authorities believe Janvier fled the state soon after the murders, but his whereabouts are currently unknown. Because of the nature of the crimes, he should be considered armed and dangerous. Download Wanted Poster for Jean Weevens Janvier : https://www.haitilibre.com/docs/janvier15.pdf Janvier is a 6-foot-1-inch black male weighing approximately 150 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He was born in Haiti, but is a U.S. citizen. A reward is being offered for information leading directly to Janviers arrest. Anyone with information is urged to contact the nearest U.S. Marshals office or the U.S. Marshals Service Communications Center at 1-800-336-0102 or email usms.wanted@usdoj.gov. HL/ HaitiLibre By Lisa Espinosa | Published on 2016/03/02 After a long week of waiting, "Descendants of the Sun" has graced us with another episode that came in at an unheard of 23.4%. Again, I can't iterate enough how slick and gorgeous it is or how fantastic the actors are in their roles. Song Joong-ki, despite his pretty face, is 100% masculine and in charge of his character while Song Hye-gyo owns the drastic change in hers. Not to mention that we finally get to see the beauty of Greece that plays the role of the country Uruk where the drama takes place. Please be sure to stick around for some home grown insight about Greece from Orion, HanCinema's own Greek goddess. Advertisement The drama has a wonderful way of transitioning from scene to scene using objects as transitional material, very much like musical composers do with different motives and themes in songs. Its use of sound and light are the most noticeable (good) side effect of having time to produce. And, of course, there is the fact that the camera revels in the natural grandeur of Greece and its expansive waters and craggy, verdant islands. It really is stunning. As for the plot, well, this episode was weaker than the first two. The events that occurred seemed disjointed and only included in order to show off the skills of the characters. When the episode concluded, the details fit together, but the duration of the show was a little strange in pacing. Then there are the foreign actors come to add awkwardness yet again. At least their roles served solid purposes, but the stunted line delivery and silly faces detracted from the severity of the situation - the black arms market is no paltry matter and it was hard to focus with David Lee McInnis pointing guns at bad actors. With that said, there was some amazing character development. Si-jin is as immature and fallible as they come. He's not good at flirting with Mo-yeon and errs many times, but he absolutely adores her. His learning curve is quick and his intuition is quicker. He can see something drastically different in her demeanor and behavior. Losing the professorship for the third time and to a reason as demeaning as nepotism has broken Mo-yeon's spirit and will to be a good doctor. She has become a ladder-climber, and Si-jin doesn't like to see it. I appreciate the disappointment he openly shows in her. He doesn't shy away from that or how he still feels about her. That emotion motivates him to push her to remember the passion she once felt as a doctor, to the point where he will hold others at gunpoint to help her save a life. A bit dramatic, but quite effective. Their situation is a reversal of the second episode where she criticized him for following orders that weren't for the greater good. He obviously kept it with him as his actions in the episode show. Mo-yeon and Si-jin are like mirrors for each other: being around each other forces them to reckon with themselves. We finally get to truly meet Myeong-joo who is as feisty as Dae-yeong is serious. Her appearance is quite short, but enough to render her quite likable. Onew as youthful and naive doctor Lee Chi-hoon is adorable and good for comic relief, at least for now. I saw those tears in the trailer. And I am looking forward to see how hard circumstances mold and change our characters. Until episode 4! Orion's trivium: The beautiful beach featured in the episode is "Navagio (Shipwreck)" beach in Zakynthos, Greece. The beach is only accessible by sea and air, although there is a lookout point on a monastery at the top of the cliff and a location for rope jumping. As beautiful as the scenery is, the story behind the shipwreck is less than romantic. The vessel, named "Panagiotis" ended up there in 1982, according to many reports, when bad weather got it stuck near the shore. The ship was actually carrying smugglers of cigarettes and there are a few versions as to how things went down. The simplest one is that it just hit the bottom near the shore after its engine failed. Another one has the Greek Navy or coastguard chasing them until they were forced to shallow waters. According to the most interesting one, the captain and crew locked the smugglers up in order to profit off of the goods themselves. When the ship got stuck at the drop-off point, they dumped the waterproof packages into the sea, hoping it would help. As it clearly did not, the crew and smugglers simply headed for shore and were later arrested. It is said that local residents looted the vessel and took the cargo found all over the area. The authorities later gathered all the illegal items from homes near the location. Written by: Raine from 'Raine's Dichotomy' Trivium by: Orion from 'Orion's Ramblings' "Descendants of the Sun" is directed by Lee Eung-bok, Baek Sang-hoon, written by Kim Eun-sook and Kim Won-seok-II, and features Song Joong-ki, Song Hye-kyo, Jin Goo, and Kim Ji-won. Watch on Viki Harlow is a former New Town in Essex with a population of 86,000. Located in the upper Stort Valley, it was built in the decades after the Second World War to ease overcrowding and London and provide homes for people bombed out during the Blitz. It includes Britain's first pedestrian precinct and first modern residential tower block, The Lawn. Old Harlow, the historic part of the town, was mentioned in the Domesday Book. David and Victoria Beckham's former home, Rowneybury House, nicknamed 'Beckingham Palace', is nearby. 20:37, 21 OCT 2022 hael Lawler, the vice-president of the Fair Work Commission (FWC) has resigned a day before he was due to respond to a report on his controversial use of sick leave. Michaelia Cash , Employment Minister, announced Lawlers resignation in the Senate this afternoon.Shortly before Question Time, I received notice from the office of the official secretary to the Governor-General, indicating that His Excellency today received a letter from Mr Michael Lawler resigning as a presidential member of the Fair Work Commission, she said.Mr Lawlers resignation from the Fair Work Commission commences with immediate effect.A week ago, former Federal Court Judge Peter Heeley received an independent report on Lawlers conduct while at the FWC.Lawler had been under scrutiny for taking sick leave for over nine months on full pay. While on leave, he unsuccessfully helped his partner, Kathy Jackson, a former Health Services Union official, fight a ruling by the Federal Court that she misused $1.4 million of union funds.In October, president of the FWC, Iain Ross, told a Senate hearing he had approved 215 days of sick leave for Lawler as he deemed him medically unfit to fulfil his duties.He did not seek and I did not approve leave for the purpose of assisting his partner in legal proceedings, he said.Whether Lawlers resignation will have an effect on the internal operations and decision-making processes of the Fair Work Commission has yet to be seen. Editors Note: The water boil advisory has been lifted as of 12:30 p.m. Friday. Appalachian District Health Department is working with restaurants, childcare facilities, and other healthcare facilities to provide guidance regarding the boil water notice issued as a precautionary measure by the Town of Boone today, March 3, 2016. According to their released statement, periods of low or now pressure in the water distribution system increases the potential for introduction of bacteria into the water system. Therefore the Division of Water Resources advises consumers to boil water used for human consumption (including drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, and food preparation) or used bottled water until further notice. Restaurants, childcare facilities, healthcare facilities, and other institutions are being advised using specific guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and the NC Environmental Health Emergency Preparedness and Recovery Guidance Manual for North Carolina which provides information on handwashing, food preparation, dish washing, consumption of water, overall bacterial control, and how to alert healthcare patients about this notice. To learn more about the specific guidance, please read the fact sheet on www.apphealth.com. We will continue to work with The Town of Boone Public Works Department who will determine when it is appropriate to lift the boil water notice. Once the boil water advisory is lifted, there is additional guidance for consumers to flush faucets, drinking fountains, ice machines, dishwashers, and drain reservoirs for water safety. For additional information about Appalachian District Health Department, please call 828-264-4995 or visit our website at www.apphealth.com and follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Boil Water Advisory Fact Sheet Restaurants, Care Centers, and Other Institutions NC Environmental Health Emergency Preparedness and Recovery Guidance Manual Boil water Advisories Frequently Asked Questions: What is a Boil Water Advisory? Whenever a water system has a significant pressure loss or a confirmed total coliform bacteria test result, as a precaution, customers are advised to boil water to insure its safety until testing can confirm its safe to use. While theres been no confirmation of contamination, this advisory is a recommended precaution. What are total coliform bacteria? Coliforms are bacteria which are naturally present in the environment and are used as an indicator that other; potentially-harmful, bacteria may be present. Usually, coliforms are a sign that there could be a problem with the treatment or distribution of a water system (pipes). Whenever coliform bacteria are detected in any sample, we do follow-up testing to see if other bacteria of greater concern, such as fecal coliform or E. coli, are present. Should I be using ice from my ice machine? It is recommended to use ice from an alternate source such as ice purchased from a vendor that is not in the affected area of the boil water advisory. Can I still use my dish machine or hand wash my utensils in my three compartment sink? Recommendations for utensil washing during a boil water advisory are: Switch to paper/single service utensils during the advisory period Dish machines may be used provided heat or chemical sanitizing is working at all times. Dish machines must be operated in accordance with the data plate. Hand washing utensils may be continued provided heat or chemical sanitizing is working at all times. A minimum 30 second contact time is required. Chemical sanitizing shall be maintained with Chlorine at 50-100ppm, Quaternary Ammonia 200-400ppm. Heat sanitizing: For dish machine operations, cycles shall be in accordance with the data plate with the utensil surface reaching 160F minimally For hand dishwashing, the third compartment of the set up shall be at least 171F for a minimum of 30 seconds immersion at all times utensils are being washed. Is it safe to wash your hands? Hand washing must occur prior to preparing food. During an advisory, wash hands using tap water or at a hand wash station using water that has been boiled. In addition, use a hand sanitizer, and do not handle ready-to-eat food with your bare hands. Use gloves, utensils, or deli paper when handling ready-to-eat foods. Is it okay to make beverages with the water? Bottled water or water that has been boiled for 1 minute (after water begins to boil) should be used. Self-service beverage or post mix fountain equipment should not be in service. How should I handle fresh produce? It is recommended to use pre-washed packaged produce, frozen or canned fruits and vegetables that do not require washing. Produce which has been washed prior to the advisory and that will be cooked to a temperature of 145F is acceptable to prepare and serve. For establishments which have produce misters, misters should not be in service during the advisory. What should I do after the advisory is lifted? The utility company will be super chlorinating the water supply to ensure safety. Follow the advice or guidance of the water utility. The following steps should be completed once the advisory is lifted. Equipment with water line connections such as post mix beverage machines, spray misters, coffee or tea urns, ice machines, glass washers, dishwashers, and other equipment must be flushed, cleaned and sanitized in accordance to manufacturers instructions Run water softeners through a regeneration cycle Drain reservoirs in tall buildings Flush drinking fountains; run continuously for 5 minutes For ice machines: flush the water line close the valve on the water line behind the machine disconnect the water line from the machine inlet open the valve run 5 gallons of water through the valve and dispose of the water close valve reconnect water line Open the valve flush the water lines in the machine turn on the machine make ice for 1 hour and dispose of the first batch of ice Clean and sanitize all parts and surfaces that come in contact with water and ice, follow manufacturers instructions Health Care Facilities Guidelines for Environmental Infection Control in Health-Care Facilities Recommendations of CDC and the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC) When a significant water disruption or an emergency occurs, adhere to any advisory to boil water issued by the municipal water utility. Alert patients, families, staff, and visitors not to consume water from drinking fountains, ice, or drinks made from municipal tap water, while the advisory is in effect, unless the water has been disinfected (e.g., by bringing to a rolling boil for >1 minute) (157). Category IB, IC (Municipal order) After the advisory is lifted, run faucets and drinking fountains at full flow for >5minutes, or use high-temperature water flushing or chlorination (153,157). Category IC, II (Municipal order; ASHRAE: 12:2000). Share this: Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pocket The following information is provided by local law enforcement agencies. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Compiled by Jessica Isaacs The following were provided by the Watauga County Sheriffs Office. Feb. 22 INCIDENT: Protective order violation and resist/obstruct/delay were reported at 272 Horse Shoe Ridge Road W in Deep Gap. Feb. 23 INCIDENT: Motor vehicle theft was reported at 3769 U.S. Highway 421 N in Vilas. INCIDENT: Calls for service were reported at 110 Anderson Ave. in Vilas. INCIDENT: Violation of a court order and resist/obstruct/delay were reported at 1417 N.C. Highway 105 Bypass Apt. 3 in Boone. INCIDENT: Motor vehicle theft was reported at 987 Little Laurel Road in Boone. ARREST: A female suspect, 23, of 149 Hensel Lane in Boone, was charged with felony PWIMSD methamphetamine. She was held under a $25,000 secured bond and is scheduled to appear in court on April 1. ARREST: A male suspect, 29, was charged with felony financial card theft, misdemeanor financial card fraud and larceny. He was held under a $3,000 secured bond and is scheduled to appear in court on April 15. Feb. 24 INCIDENT: Drug violations were reported at 2872 Old U.S. Highway 421 S. in Boone. INCIDENT: Communicating threats was reported at 193 Long St. in Boone. INCIDENT: Drug violations were reported at 100 Meat Camp Road. INCIDENT: Larceny was reported at 615 Fallview Lane in Boone. ARREST: A female suspect, 30, of 293 Red Maple Lane in Boone, was charged with probation violation and surrender by surety. She was held under a $15,000 secured bond and is scheduled to appear in court on March 14. ARREST: A male suspect, 34, of 244 Devils Den Road in Banner Elk, was charged with contempt of court FTA. He was held under a $10,000 secured bond and is scheduled to appear in court on March 23. ARREST: A male suspect, 25, of 1490 Tater Hill Road in Zionville, was charged with drug violations equipment/paraphernalia and all traffic (except DWI). He was held under a $750 secured bond and is scheduled to appear in court on April 15. ARREST: A female suspect, 26, of 121 Brinkley Park Drive in Mount Holly, was charged with FTA. She was held under a $785 secured bond and is scheduled to appear in court on March 11. ARREST: A male suspect, 22, of 1469 West King St. Apt. 201 in Boone, was charged with OFA/FTA child support. He was held under a $3,104 secured bond and is scheduled to appear in court on March 18. Feb. 25 INCIDENT: Fraud was reported at 774 Red Fox Trail in Boone. INCIDENT: Drug violations were reported at Dollar General in Deep Gap, 146 Yuma Lane. INCIDENT: Possession of marijuana and marijuana paraphernalia were reported at 9392 N.C. Highway 105 S in Banner Elk. INCIDENT: Vandalism was reported at 1221 U.S. Highway 321 N in Sugar Grove. ARREST: A male suspect, 22, of 145 Jays Meadow Lane in Purlear, was charged with assault inflicting serious injury and injury to personal property and is scheduled to appear in court on April 29. Feb. 26 INCIDENT: Larceny and fraud were reported at 109 Aho Road Apt. 1 in Blowing Rock. INCIDENT: Calls for service were reported at 138 Chestnut Knob Trail in Blowing Rock. INCIDENT: A missing person was reported at 236 Woodring Circle in Boone. INCIDENT: Possession of a schedule VI controlled substance, drug paraphernalia and marijuana paraphernalia were reported at 4546 U.S. Highway 421 N in Vilas. ARREST: A male suspect, 23, of 841 Trivette Circle in Sugar Grove, was charged with simple possession of a schedule VI controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana paraphernalia. He was held under a $500 secured bond and is scheduled to appear in court on April 1. ARREST: A female suspect, 31, of 101 Redlands Place in Sylva, was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana paraphernalia. She was held under a $500 secured bond and is scheduled to appear in court on April 1. ARREST: A male suspect, 26, of 114 Presnell School Road in Banner Elk, was charged with assault on a female and is scheduled to appear in cout on March 22. Feb. 27 INCIDENT: Fraud credit card/ATM was reported at 256 Fair Oaks Ct. in Boone. INCIDENT: Driving while license revoked, failure to register motor vehicle and display fictitious license plate were reported at 500 Pottertown Road in Todd. ARREST: A male suspect, 35, of 4090 U.S. Highway 421 N in Vilas, was charged with probation violation. He was held under a $2,500 secured bond and is scheduled to appear in court on March 11. ARREST: A male suspect, 24, of 121 Dovick Drive in Boone, was charged with driving while impaired and is scheduled to appear in court on April 15. ARREST: A female suspect, 30, of 268 Bluebird Lane in Boone, was charged with probation violation and absconder. She was held under a $7,500 secured bond and is scheduled to appear in court on March 11. ARREST: A male suspect, 50, of 158 Brown Hollar Road in Creston, was charged with driving while license revoked, failure to register motor vehicle, fictitious registration plate, no insurance, no inspection, unsafe movement and resist/delay/obstruct. He was held under a $1,000 secured bond and is scheduled to appear in court on April 1. Feb. 29 INCIDENT: Vandalism was reported at 908 Fallview Lane Unit 1 in Boone. INCIDENT: Drug violations were reported at 100 Walls Road in Vilas. INCIDENT: Calls for service were reported at 908 Fallview Lane Unit 2 in Boone. INCIDENT: Fraud counterfeit currency was reported at Hilltop Drive-In, 2530 U.S. Highway 421 N in Boone. INCIDENT: Motor vehicle theft truck was reported on Harbin Road in Zionville. INCIDENT: Calls for service were reported at 11038 N.C. Highway 105 S in Banner Elk. INCIDENT: Calls for service were reported at 541 Will Isaacs Road in Zionville. INCIDENT: Communicating threats was reported at 1084 Fallview Lane Apt. 2 in Boone. ARREST: A male suspect, 43, of 188 Loafers Joy Drive in Zionville, was charged with contempt of court/perjury/court violations and is scheduled to appear in court on April 15. ARREST: A male suspect, 24, of 521 Dogwood Knoll Apt. 2 in Boone, was charged with FTA possession of marijuana. He was held under a $500 secured bond and is scheduled to appear in court on March 11. March 1 INCIDENT: Larceny was reported at 2198 Winklers Creek Road in Boone. INCIDENT: Vandalism and larceny from buildings were reported at 250 Brookshire Road in Boone. ARREST: A male suspect, 30, of 185 Hawks Peak Lane Apt. 214 in Banner Elk, was charged with two counts of OFA failure to appear. He was held under a $100,000 secured bond and is scheduled to appear in court on March 14. ARREST: A male suspect, 43, of 147 Green Acres Drive in Boone, was charged with DWLR and fictitious info to officer and is scheduled to appear in court on April 1. Paavo Arhinmaki, the chairperson of the Left Alliance, for example argues on his personal blog that the cuts will force more and more students to resort to food aid. A report commissioned by Sanni Grahn-Laasonen (NCP), the Minister of Education and Culture, has drawn heavy criticism for proposing that student financial aid be reduced by 25 per cent, equivalent to 87 euros per month. Matti Viren, a professor of economics at the University of Turku, disagrees. Viren points out in a blog entry that gaining admission to a higher education institution provides a notable boost to the lifetime earnings of an individual. The lifetime earnings of someone who has been admitted to a university will grow by an average of half-a-million euros after taxes [] in comparison to their worse-off peers who must transition to the working life, he writes. For lawyers and other high earners, a study place translates to additional [lifetime] earnings of more than one million euros. He estimates that the average cost of free education is 40,000 euros per completed degree, while the wide variety of income transfers such as housing allowance, student financial aid, meal subsidy, student loan subvention and various discounts amount to another 40,000 euros. Those left without a study place get nothing; well, they do get to pay for the free education and support provided to the highly educated. Money from the poor to the rich. That is fair game a la Finland, he states. Aleksi Teivainen HT Photo: Markku Ulander Lehtikuva Source: Uusi Suomi Salmela estimated in the interview that the general applicability of collective agreements should be abolished and replaced with statutory minimum terms and conditions of employment, and that social security benefits have gnawed away at the work motivation of Finns. Heikki Salmela, the founder and board chairman of Hesburger, has responded to the controversy that erupted over his interview with YLE on 29 February . He also proposed that weekly working hours be increased from 40 to 45. The interview has, as expected, stirred up negative thoughts in many, but I believe it would be wrong not to bring up the issue. The feedback I have received echoes the message that the difficulties are real. My opinions are based on my experiences from my half-a-century career as a business owner, Salmela writes on his blog on Puheenvuoro. I did not join the debate to seek benefits for my own companies, he stresses. Salmela reminds that every single citizen has an important contribution to make to society. While people are terrified by the high unemployment rate, major domestic employers from labour-intensive sectors are between a rock and a hard place due to high staff costs, he argues. On the other hand, he adds, employees in Finland do not get to keep enough of their wages. Wage hikes are used to pay for rents and living costs. Citizens are not the problem. We can create change only by revising the legislation and tearing down red tape, he estimates. Education decisions are also key in the economic equation. We are the most highly educated people in the world whose most important export products are pulp and wood. Where does all the money and time we invest in long and expensive education programmes disappear to? asks Salmela. He believes practical work is the best way to become competent in most occupations. Salmela also elaborated on his proposal to increase weekly working hours. We should work more, up to 45 hours a week, for the same wage until the public debt has been brought under control. That way we could waive social benefit cuts and boost purchasing power. Sacrifices are naturally required, but if it is a question of rescuing our home country, I for one am prepared to make them, he states. Aleksi Teivainen HT Photo: Handout / Hesburger Source: Uusi Suomi This is the first time I'm able to enjoy life as Prime Minister, as he began. Prime Minister Juha Sipila (Centre) appeared before the press on Wednesday, looking visibly relieved, to announce that his Government has approved the proposal for a social contract unveiled by labour market confederations in the early hours of Monday. Ten-and-a-half months of work has paid off. [The agreement] provides a solid foundation for reversing the trajectory of Finland, he continued. Sipila said he is confident the agreement will promote the competitiveness of domestic industries. If implemented, the pact will allow us to catch up with Sweden and provide us with a great opportunity to wipe out the advantage of Germany before the end of the current electoral term. The Government will according to him suspend its preparatory work on the so-called coercive legislative revisions. He also estimated that the conditions are benign for waiving the additional spending cuts set forth in the government programme. Alexander Stubb (NCP), the Minister of Finance, called attention to the need to agree on further measures to promote local bargaining. If the local bargaining package is strengthened, the Government will examine what kind of measures it can take in regards to tax concessions and cuts, he said at the press conference. The Government, he added, will examine the situation first in June and then after its mid-term session in 2017. Aleksi Teivainen HT Photo: Antti Aimo-Koivisto Lehtikuva Source: Uusi Suomi Enda Kenny at the launch of Proclaiming a Republic: The 1916 Rising exhibition at the National Museum (Brian Lawless/PA Wire) Ireland's death rate has plummeted in the century since 1916, but we have almost twice the number of deaths from diabetes today. A new online resource from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) has highlighted the vast differences between life today and during the Easter Rising. The death rate in 1916 was around 16 deaths per 1,000 - more than double 2014's rate of 6.3 deaths per 1,000. But the number of deaths from diabetes has almost doubled, with 239 dying from the disease in 1916 compared to 474 in 2014. Suicide Meanwhile, instances of reported suicide are seven times higher in Ireland today than they were in the early years of the 20th century. There were 68 deaths by suicide in 1916, while there were 459 in 2014. However, suicide would have been under-reported in 1916. The CSO's resource, Life in 1916 Ireland, also shows that housing in Dublin was as much of an issue as it is today. Some 22pc of dwellings in the capital had 10 or more rooms, while over a third were one-room tenements. "In Dublin, one-fifth of dwellings had 10 or more rooms and 36pc of dwellings were one-room tenements," CSO statistician, Helen Cahill, explained. "For me, that jumped out - that Dublin was such a place of extremes. You had a large, very wealthy class - and then an even larger very poor class." Ms Cahill added that census reports seen by the CSO also revealed that as many as eight people could be living in a one-room tenement. "I remember finding one return and it was for a mum, a dad and eight children," she said. "The two eldest children were girls aged 18 and 20. They were fish-dealers. Could you imagine them coming back at the end of the day, into the one-room tenement and the lack of sanitation and the living conditions they had?" The project also revealed that more than 140 children under six were committed to industrial schools in Ireland in 1916, which Ms Cahill described as "heartbreaking". "It isn't often that you get tears in your eyes in the CSO when you come across figures, but I did when I found those figures," she said. The collection also features the census reports and details of key figures in the Rising. A chapter on Countess Markiewicz contains a striking note from an internal British Army debate on whether she should be executed following the Rising. Dangerous In the document, General John Maxwell describes the well-to-do countess as "blood-guilty and dangerous", adding: "We cannot allow our soldiers to be shot down by such like." Moira Buckley, of the CSO information section, said Countess Markievicz's position as a female revolutionary confused many in the establishment, adding that she would have been viewed as "a total disgrace". "It's not just the fact that she's a rebel, it's the fact that she's a woman rebel," she said. "To be shot by a woman just wouldn't do." The full collection of statistics, stories and infographics is now permanently available on www.cso.ie. A travel agent has gone on trial accused of stealing over 18,000 from a charity he founded which sent terminally ill children to see Santa. John, also known as Cornelius, Murphy (66) set up the Children to Lapland Appeal which has flown thousands of children to the Scandinavian region. He acted as director from its foundation in 1987 until it was liquidated in 2012. The court heard Mr Murphy's full-time job was running United Travel, a travel agent based in Stillorgan, which flew a route to Lapland. In 1987 he devoted one of these flights to sending terminally ill children from hospitals around the country. Garrett McCormack BL, prosecuting, told the trial that bank records show Mr Murphy lodged four cheques totalling 18,643 from the charity into his personal account between June and July 2010. Counsel for Mr Murphy, Patrick Reynolds BL, said that Mr Murphy's personal account was also used for business, including paying expenses and wages for United Travel. Mr Murphy, of Church Road, Killiney, Dublin has pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to four counts of theft. The cheques had been signed by one of the directors of the Children to Lapland Appeal, Joseph Reid. Mr Reid gave evidence that he had known the accused for 35 years and was one of three directors, including Mr Murphy. He said sometimes he would get a call to come into the office to sign cheques, and that he would sign blank cheques five at a time to save him coming back on multiple occasions. He agreed it was his signature on the four cheques in the charges. Mr Reid said he was "horrified" when gardai showed him they had been paid into Mr Murphy's account and that he considered such activity fraud. Cheques Mr Reynolds, defending Mr Murphy, asked the witness if the signing of multiple blank cheques at a time "was a Charlie Haughey, Bertie Ahern scenario". Mr Reid said he was "certainly no Bertie Ahern" and said he signed them in this way "for convenience sake". The trial continues before Judge Patrick McCartan. The cartel led by Daniel Kinahan is believed to have employed a gangster to manage a north city pub Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch at the funeral of his brother Eddie Hutch Snr The two rival gangs involved in the capital's deadly feud have been using city pubs as "fronts" for their proceeds of crime. It is estimated there could be up to half a dozen public houses controlled by the gangs across Dublin. The Hutch mob and Kinahan cartel have made millions of euro from crime in recent years and it has been established that both crews are using pubs to channel the vast cash resources the mobs have earned. Gardai are investigating a number of licensed premises, including a well-known tourist pub which has been linked to the Hutch gang. The Kinahan gang is suspected of having a "major interest" in a prominent Dublin city centre bar and restaurant as well as a well-known pub in Dublin's north inner city. The Hutch mob is suspected of using a number of north inner city pubs to launder money and a middle-aged criminal, who has very close links to Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch, is suspected of being involved in organising a number of these premises. This north city criminal has a number of previous convictions, including for his involvement in the illegal cigarette trade. Sources have revealed that the Kinahan mob have been "employing" a northside gangster, who is aged in his late 30s, to manage the north inner city pub which is connected to that gang. "As well as being businesses that can be used to launder money, some of these pubs are very handy places for meetings between gang members to take place and this was happening on a regular basis," a source explained. Factions "However, since the feud kicked off, there seems to have been a major reluctance for these pub meetings because of fears that the rival factions would use such a gathering to target each other," the source added. It is believed that both warring factions are aware of the pubs linked to the rival mobs. A massive investigation into the tit-for-tat murders of David Byrne and Eddie Hutch Snr is ongoing, but there have been no arrests in either case. Armed gardai are mounting a number of operations to ensure there is no further bloodshed with dozens of people from both factions warned of active threats against their lives. There have been no major developments in the garda investigation since 11 homes linked to the Hutch mob were raided by gardai on Tuesday of last week. The purpose of the raids was to try and gather information about the Regency Hotel gun attack in which Kinahan cartel gang member David Byrne (34) was murdered and two of his pals were also shot. Among the properties searched was one linked to the hitman who was dressed as woman and another linked to a criminal who was disguised as a garda and armed with a deadly AK-47 in the attack. The hitman dressed as woman - who was caught by press photographers - is in his early 20s and is a very close associate of Gary Hutch, the gangster whose murder by the Kinahan cartel on Spain's Costa Del Sol last September sparked the deadly feud. A mobster, who is suspected of being one of the AK-47 gunmen, is a north inner city criminal who is aged in his 30s and is a feared hitman who is suspected of carrying out the murders of Paul Kavanagh last year and Eamon 'The Don' Dunne in 2010 on behalf of the Christy Kinahan cartel. Enemy However, he cut ties with that mob after the murder of his close pal Gary Hutch, and is now a sworn enemy of the faction. This criminal warned last week that the feud would will not be over until his arch rival Daniel Kinahan is shot dead. "We will not rest until Daniel Kinahan is dead. He caused all of this, it won't end until he is in his grave'," the hitman said. Another home that was targeted last week is linked to a 23-year-old criminal who is currently in jail where he presented himself a fortnight ago because of the grave threat he is under from the Kinahan cartel. He is a chief suspect for the botched murder attempt on Kinahan gang member Liam Roe at the Red Cow Hotel last November and is also suspected of involvement in the hotel attack and in the murder of Paul Kavanagh last April. Gardai have not yet mounted an operation targeting the gangsters who are suspected of murdering Eddie Hutch Snr. Two men suspected of involvement in the murder of Eddie Hutch Snr have been formally notified by gardai of active death threats against them from associates of slain Gary Hutch. The two criminals under threat are closely linked to the Christy Kinahan cartel. One of them is a Finglas-based hitman who is facing serious charges before the courts while the other is a chief suspect in the shocking 2006 Baiba Saulite murder case. In an ironic twist, it has emerged that the Finglas-based hitman was previously very friendly with the 23-year-old Hutch mob criminal who is suspected of involvement in the Regency Hotel attack. Sources say that the dangerous duo were even involved in the same stolen vehicle business together in north Dublin but they are now sworn enemies who gardai believe would "shoot each other on sight." "They were very close but all that is over now, they hate each other's guts," a source pointed out. The bitterness that these former pals feel towards each other now is a common factor in many relationships between gangsters on opposing sides in the feud. "A lot of these fellows grew up together and worked with each other but that has all changed now. One of the problems is that each faction has such detailed knowledge of the other because of the past relationships that they had with each other," the source added. Gardai are trying to establish if the men arrested on Tuesday are linked to a gang that was busted at Dublin Airport in November 2013, when three Romanian nationals were arrested and two sophisticated skimming machines were found (Stock image) Gardai have seized sophisticated ATM skimming equipment in what is being described as a "highly significant" operation on Dublin's northside. The bust happened when officers stopped a car in the Raheny area on Tuesday evening and questioned its two Eastern European occupants. When they searched the car, they discovered specialist machines which can be used for skimming. The two men, who are aged in their late 30s, were arrested and brought to Raheny Garda Station where they were still being questioned last night. "This was a very good capture and these individuals were caught with loads of stuff which is still being analysed," a source said. "All the indications are that they are members of an organised gang heavily involved in this type of crime." Skimming involves criminals placing spy cameras on ATMs. Once installed, they are used to record data and PIN numbers from people's cards at the ATM. The criminals then use the information from cloned cards to withdraw cash at different locations around the world. Gardai are trying to establish if the men arrested on Tuesday are linked to a gang that was busted at Dublin Airport in November 2013, when three Romanian nationals were arrested and two sophisticated skimming machines were found. It is understood that gardai are expecting an influx of foreign criminals to come into the country for the St Patrick's Day and Easter Rising celebrations. Gang Gardai have been monitoring the activities of an Eastern European crime gang who have been involved in ATM skimming and distraction robberies in locations such as Ranelagh and Blanchardstown in Dublin, Ashbourne and Dunboyne in Meath, as well as Wicklow, Cork and Galway already this year. In October 2014, it emerged that gangsters were installing skimming devices on machines inside shops for the first time. Gardai launched Operation Glint in January 2012 to target ATM thieves after banks reported a rise in the number of skimming incidents, and this investigation is still ongoing. William 'Bill' Oman was born in 1900 and grew up in tenements in Back Lane, Merchant's Quay and High Street, beside Christchurch Cathedral in Dublin's south inner city. His father, William Edward Oman, was involved in the nationalist Irish-Ireland and trade union movements. Bill joined the Irish Citizen Army in 1913 and was present at Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa's funeral at Glasnevin Cemetery in August 1915. He sounded the Last Post after Patrick Pearse's oration that day. Bill's older brother George was also in the Citizen Army, while their uncle Robert 'Bob' Oman was in the Irish Volunteers. On Good Friday 1916 Bill kept guard, alone, outside a shop on Amiens Street where the leaders of the Rising met to consider their plan of action in the wake of the loss of a shipment of weapons from Germany. On Easter Monday 1916, Bill used his bugle to sound the 'fall in' at Beresford Place, outside Liberty Hall, as the rebels prepared to march on the GPO. During Easter Week he fought with three different garrisons - City Hall, Jacob's Biscuit Factory and the Royal College of Surgeons. At City Hall he engaged British soldiers coming out of Ship Street Barracks. He recalled: "When I attempted to move out a few yards from where we stood, I was fired on by a single sniper." With their position untenable Bill held off the British soldiers whilst his comrades escaped. Mob He then narrowly avoided capture after he was chased by a mob of enraged Dubliners - taking refuge that evening at his grandmother's house in Blackpitts. The following day Bill reported to Jacob's where Thomas MacDonagh appointed him as his orderly until Bill was sent to help reinforce the Royal College of Surgeons garrison under Michael Mallin and Countess Markievicz. Bill later stated: "Due to the fact that there were so many injured in the College...no noise or hilarity was allowed. We had to observe a certain amount of quietness, whereas in other posts there would have been singing and laughing". When Pearse's surrender order came Mallin intended to send Bill out, under a white flag, to notify the British but this ultimately proved unnecessary. When the Rising ended he was held with others, including Tom Clarke and Sean MacDiarmada, at Richmond Barracks - narrowly avoiding a mob attack while being taken there. Bill was eventually released due to his young age, of 16 years. He later joined the IRA and fought in the War of Independence and Civil War. Bill Oman passed away in 1976 and is buried in Glasnevin Cemetery. Details submitted by Niall Oman (great-grandson) William Ronan (Rownan) was born in 1888 in Dublin to parents Michael and Ellen Rownan, who were originally from Kilkenny. He was the eldest of three brothers, including Thomas and Michael Jnr. William grew up in the Longford Street area and became a lithographic printer. He joined the Volunteers in August 1914 and was a member of the C Company, 3rd Battalion, Dublin Brigade, under Simon Donnelly at the time of the Rising. On Easter Monday Lieutenant Michael Malone led a group of Volunteers to the Mount Street Bridge area, taking up positions at 25 Northumberland Road, Clanwilliam House, a local parochial hall and St Stephen's School. William was positioned in Clanwilliam House, on the city side of the bridge, under the command of George Reynolds for the duration of what became known as the Battle of Mount Street. On Monday afternoon the Volunteers fired on members of the Home Defence Force, who were returning from manoeuvres, killing a number of them. On Wednesday a large contingent of British troops, including the inexperienced Sherwood Forresters, marched to Northumberland Road, eventually clearing the parochial hall and No. 25. Ronan and his colleagues held them at the bridge, inflicting casualties, until Clanwilliam House was set alight. William was one of four survivors that managed to escape, including Jimmy Doyle and brothers Thomas and James Walsh. George Reynolds, Richard Murphy and Paddy Doyle died when engulfed in the flames of the burning building. William was subsequently arrested and held at Frongoch internment camp until August 1916. He later married Rose Mulally and had three children. William Ronan died in 1965. He is survived by his daughter. Details submitted by Robert Dooley (great-grandson) ABINGDON, Va. Today, as part of the monthly Abingdon First Thursday, William King Museum of Art will host guests for the opening reception of Normal: Nazi Germany in Found Photographs in the United-Legard Galleries. Dan Lenchner, a New York-based photographer, has amassed an impressive collection of found photographs, snapshots of Germans in the 1930s and 40s. The subjects are mostly anonymous, unremarkable except that they wear the uniform and fly the flag of a government that has become synonymous with evil. This exhibition asks us to consider what human beings are capable of when the fundamental principles of right and wrong are overthrown in a concentrated, bureaucratic effort. The photographs explore the lives of Germans who were, as Hannah Arendt writes, terribly and terrifyingly normal. The museum will also debut Jeana Eve Klein, a Boone, North Carolina, artist and quilt-maker, in the Panoramic Gallery; works by Chilhowie High School students in the Student Gallery; and Pop-Up Shops, local artisans selling their handcrafted creations. This months vendors are Lillian Minix, an Abingdon-based pyrographer, and Stephen Curd, a clothing designer with a studio in the Emory community. Doors will open for First Thursday guests at 6 p.m., and the event will continue until 8p.m., and Museum doors will close at 9p.m. Admission is free and open to the public. For more information, call 276-628-5005 or visit williamkingmuseum.org. Six school board candidates compete for three seats There are six candidates for three Washington County Board of Education seats in the Nov. 8 election. Three incumbents face challengers. Nobel Prize winner, IU grad fondly remembers his time in Bloomington Philip H. Dybvig said he loves Bloomington and thought it was a great place to be an undergraduate. This domain has expired. If you owned this domain, contact your domain registration service provider for further assistance. If you need help identifying your provider, visit https://www.tucowsdomains.com/ Kalyug: This 1981 Hindi film by Shyam Benegal was a modern-day version of the epic, depicted as an archetypal conflict between rival business houses. It starred Shashi Kapoor, Rekha and Raj Babbar in leading roles. 18 Days: Comic artist Grant Morrison, the acclaimed writer of Batman, created a graphic series on the story of super- warriors, meeting for the final battle of their age. This is a futuristic re-imagination of the great epic, and follows the course of the climactic war that concludes the age of the gods and begins the age of man. ALSO READ: Peter Brooks iconic Mahabharata returns to India after 30 years Katha Amrito Saman and Nathbati Anathbath :The two plays by actress Saonli Mitra weaved in the classical dance of Kathak with the epic. Mitra performed a one-woman show based on the principles of the Mahabharata in Katha Amrita Saman (words-like-nectar) and a portrayal of the existential angst of Draupadi, five-husbanded yet husband-less (after the dice game) in Nathabati Anathabat. Bharat Ek Khoj: Produced by Shyam Benegal, in 1988, the 53-episode TV seires was primarily based on Jawaharlal Nehrus book, Discovery of India (1946). The fifth and the sixth episodes of the series focused on the Mahabharata. In its fifth episode, the epic is narrated by folk artist Teejan Bai, an exponent of Pandvani, a folk storytelling art form of Chhattisgarh. The format follows the narrative of the Mahabharat, with Bhima, as the central protagonist. The sixth episode of the series, was the re telling of the epic, from the point of view of Duryodhana, played by actor Om Puri. Kathakali: The texts for this dance form native to Kerala, showcase stories from the Mahabharata, for instance, themes such as black magic in Kirimira Vadham (the killing of rakshasa Kirimira) are some of the most celebrated pieces of the Malayalam folklore. By Utkarsh Patel, mythologist For its new project, home-grown world music band Maati Baani has collaborated with 50 musicians from 20 countries all via the internet. Subway performers from New York, folk vocalists from Kutch, and guitarists from Iran, all find a place in The Music Yantra. City-based band Maati Baanis latest project is a unique global collaboration with 50 musicians from 20 countries, which took place entirely online. The six-part series fuses genres ranging from disco funk and electro to rock and jazz. Its first song, Lagan Laagi, and its behind-the-scenes episode, was released on YouTube on February 26. Known for songs like Balma (2013), Tore Matwaare Naina (2012) and Rang Rangiya (2014), Maati Baani has always relied on the video sharing platform to release its music. The duo behind the band, Hindustani vocalist Nirali Kartik (32) and composer/producer Kartik Shah (37), stress upon the fact that the core of Maati Baani is collaboration. Youd be hard-pressed to find a song that they havent teamed up with other musicians for. The idea behind The Music Yantra was to explore how technology can help cultures meet. There are so many negative things happening in the world be it in terms of the environment, politics, social, or religious space. We dont want to preach; a song cannot change the world. But it can work as a healing balm, and bring hope and smiles to listeners, says Nirali. Embarking on a Journey Putting The Music Yantra together took a year and was not only a creative but also a logistical challenge. Eighty per cent of the performers that feature in the series were complete strangers to Nirali and Kartik. If wed need a Mexican mariachi player, wed do an online search, and some 50 people would pop up, says Kartik. The duo reached out to over a hundred musicians in the process, some of whom backed out halfway into the project. Read more: Meet Penn Masala, the first Hindi a capella band Varying time zones proved to be another problem as jam sessions would sometimes happen over a Skype call. Kartik shares the process of their online collaboration: Wed first mail them a basic recording of our composition. We would write down the parts wed want them to play, and send across staff notations. Additionally, they were free to come up with something they think will work well. Sometimes, wed end up using that bit rather than our original idea. The series features subway performers in New York Language, too, posed its own set of issues. We wanted to connect with a Japanese drummer, who didnt speak English. We contacted somebody in Tokyo to become our translator on Facebook. But after some miscommunication, he admitted hed been using Google Translator and didnt speak English, laughs Kartik. Maati Baanis USP lies in the way it approaches fusion music. Thanks to her strong classical music background, Niralis vocals are rooted in a distinct Hindustani element. Kartiks exposure and fascination with world music brings funk to the table. A visit to the Musical Instrument Museum in Brussels, Belgium, changed the course of The Music Yantra. Its a huge four-storied building, which features rare instruments from across the world. Apart from a picture and information on the instrument, you can even hear it. It blew me away, says Kartik. After that trip, Maati Baani restructured some elements of its songs to make room for unusual instruments (see box below). Back in time While Kartik is a self-taught musician, Nirali started learning music when she was 9. I always wanted to grow up and be a classical musician. Things changed when I met Kartik. He was good at everything other than classical music, she laughs. Read more: Humble the Poet on using rap to make a statement The couple met at a cafe that Niralis brother ran in Ahmedabad, the city where they both grew up. The duo formed Maati Baani in 2012. Nirali says, As a musician, you are a brand, and people are consuming your music. So, we treated Maati Baani as a start-up. We donned multiple roles and thought as producers, marketing professionals, and sponsors would. Apart from being a part of Maati Baani, Kartik freelances as a composer for ad films, and Nirali performs at classical music events. Even as they wrap up work on the last song for The Music Yantra, they are already looking forward to beginning work on season two. 5 rare instruments used in The Music Yantra Tar: Featured in one of our rock songs, this small instrument from Iran sounds as if mother nature is dancing and violent, both at the same time. Iranian musician Sahba playing the Tar Musical Saw: It sounds like an opera voice, making it hard to believe how such a harsh instrument can make the most beautiful sound you can ever hear. And you thought it was only used for cutting wood. Jodiya Pawa: This sounds just like the desert of Kutch where it belongs. Often played in Sindh and Pakistan, it uses circular breathing techniques where the breath is continuously blown into the mouthpiece to maintain a constant drone. Shawm: An instrument from the Renaissance period, this is a European version of the Indian Shehnai. Bass Clarinet: This form of clarinet has a deep bass-y sound. When Jesse from Amsterdam played this instrument, we could feel our stomachs rumbling. By Maati Baani Tune in To follow The Music Yantra on Maatis Baanis YouTube channel, visit youtube.com/user/Maatibaani SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The opposition and ruling party members exchanged barbs over the Jawaharlal Nehru University row in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly on Thursday with Congress targeting the RSS and the BJP questioning Rahul Gandhis stand on the issue. The pandemonium forced Speaker Sitasaran Sharma to adjourn the House for 10 minutes. The arrest of JNU students union leader Kanhaiya Kumar and his friends for allegedly shouting anti-India slogans led to a raging debate between the ruling NDA and the Opposition. Congress vice-president Gandhi had joined the students protest against the arrest. In the Assembly, Congress legislator Ramniwas Rawat raised a point of order when minister of state for urban development Lal Singh Arya tabled the grant-in-aid demand for his general administration, Narmada Valley development and aviation departments. Rawat said the annual reports of the departments should have been provided to the members of the House at least a week before the discussion on the grants. Parliamentary affairs minister Narottam Mishra defended himself saying the reports had been made available to the members. The situation turned chaotic with Congress members, led by Rawat, and the ruling party legislators, led by Mishra, started questioning each others patriotism. BJP legislator Bahadur Singh Chauhan told media outside the House that the Congress MLAs termed RSS as assassin of Mahatma Gandhi. They must tender an apology for their action. He said the RSS is his paternal organisation which had contributed to the making of the nation whereas Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi visited the JNU campus and lent his support to people who shouted slogans against the country. The filmmakers from north India helped in bringing the paradigm shift in Bollywood in the beginning of the new millennium. Suddenly, supposedly backward states like UP, Bihar and Jharkhand came under prominence, all thanks to films based on the organised crime syndicates. Filmmakers such as Prakash Jha, Anurag Kashyap and Vishal Bhardwaj became the agents of this change. And, now when Prakash Jha is ready with his new film Jai Gangaajal, we take a look at films which explored the dark underbellies of these states with credibility. Watch: Priyanka Chopra in Jai Gangaajal trailer Haasil (2003): This was the film which introduced us to the explosive duo of Tigmanshu Dhulia and Irrfan Khan. Who knew then that Irrfan will also rule the West in the future! Khan plays a university student leader who has his way with the system. Haasil is a lesson in dialogue writing and in delivery for newbies. Gangaajal (2003): SP Amit Kumar (Ajay Devgn) saw the pathetic condition of Bihar through the eyes of an outsider IPS officer. It was a land where Sadhu Yadav (played brilliantly by Mohan Joshi) and company ruled the neighbourhood with terror. Said to be based on a true event, Gangaajal brought out the stagnant mindset of the society and the people who govern it. It was Prakash Jhas first major commercial success. Apharan (2005): Another Prakash Jha film which will always be known for its grit and fast screenplay. Ajay Devgn played a common man-turned-gangster in Apharan as he didnt know any other way out of his miseries. Its probably the best film made on the psychology of young Biharis during the late 1990s. Sehar (2005): Its a very underrated Kabeer Kaushik film which has Arshad Warsi at the helm of affairs. He plays a police officer whos after the crime kingdom of Gajraj Singh (Sushant Singh), loosely based on encountered UP don Sriprakash Shukla. Sehar demonstrates how politics and crime go hand in hand in UP. Omkara (2006): Trust Vishal Bhardwaj for doing the toughest. He made a film on casteist equation among the gangsters in western UP, where Ajay Devgn, Saif Ali Khan and Vivek Oberoi delivered performances of their lifetime. Based on William Shakepeares Othello, Omkara presented Omi Shukla (Devgn) as a non-glamorous gangster who gets betrayed by the idea of love. Saif Ali Khan as Langada Tyagi became the talk of the town after this one. Gangs Of Wasseypur (2012): Its an epic film in all senses. What Anurag Kashyap achieved with this film will remain an inspiration for others. Its Indias very own City Of God. Sardar Khan (Manoj Bajpayee) has just one motive in his life and that is to seek revenge from Ramadhir Singh (Tigmanshu Dhulia). His son Faizal (Nawazuddin) completes the task, but at what cost! It now has a cult following among the youth, and rightly so because each and every dialogue of this two-part series is memorised by the youngsters. Actor Urmila Matondkar got married to model Mohsin Akhtar Mir in a low-key ceremony in Mumbai on Thursday evening. The two met at designer Manish Malhotras niece Rridhis wedding in December 2014 and fell for each other. Reportedly, Mir, who hails from a Kashmir-based business family, is 10 years younger to the Rangeela actor. Urmila Matondkar with her husband, Mohsin Akhtar Mir. While Urmila has done several films such as Judaai (1997) and Satya (1998), Mir has mostly done a few forgettable roles. He portrayed a male prostitute in filmmaker Saurabh Senguptas A Mans World and had a small role in Zoya Akhtars Luck by Chance. However, Mir has done several reputable modelling assignments, including being an in-house model for designer Manish Malhotra, as well as walking the ramp for many leading designers. Mir is Mr India runner-up of 2007 and pursued modelling before turning to his Kashmiri embroidery business. Read | Age-defying beauties: Like fine wine, they only get better with age Mumbai tabloid DNA has quoted The Rangeela (1995) actor as saying, We kept it an exclusive wedding with just family and friends at the celebration. Since our families wanted the wedding to be a low-key affair. We mutually decided to keep it private. We seek your blessings on embarking this new journey of our lives. Designer Manish Malhotra was the only celebrity guest at the wedding. The wedding took place at the terrace of Urmilas Mumbai house where a mandap was set up and the building looked festive with lots of lights. It was a Hindu wedding followed by a party. The couple will soon have a nikaah and a reception, that is expected to have people from Bollywood on the guestlist. A source informs that one day before the wedding, Mir moved into Urmilas house. The wedding arrangements were taken care of by Urmilas sister Mamta. Urmila wore a red and pink bespoke lehnga from designer Manish Malhotras Regal Threads benaras collection, his ode to the Make in India movement. Speaking to HT about the wedding, Malhotra said: Urmila is a dear friend and Im so happy for her. She met Mir Mohsin at my niece Rridhis wedding in Mumbai in December 2014 and they just hit it off. He used to be a model long back but now does the business of Kashmiri embroidery. Hes a simple guy from Kashmir, now settled in Mumbai. The wedding was a really private affair and I was the only one from the film industry over there. Urmila made a beautiful bride. She wore a red and pink bespoke lehnga from my Regal Threads benaras collection, which is my ode to the Make in India movement. She looked so happy and I hope this happiness lasts forever. Here are some more pictures of the beautiful bride: With the #beauitful #stunning #bride #urmilamatondkar #emotions #happy #times #positivity #friends A photo posted by Manish Malhotra (@manishmalhotra05) on Mar 3, 2016 at 8:05pm PST My dearest Urmilas mehndi#wedding#love#happiness#godbless u n Mohsin A photo posted by Paulomi Sanghavi (@paulomisanghavi) on Mar 3, 2016 at 12:38pm PST My dearest urmila...just married...love hugs and God bless the newly weds A photo posted by Paulomi Sanghavi (@paulomisanghavi) on Mar 3, 2016 at 10:47am PST My bestfriend#just married#love you urmila and mohsin A photo posted by Paulomi Sanghavi (@paulomisanghavi) on Mar 3, 2016 at 9:23am PST Be it Sonam Kapoors Neerja or Akshay Kumars Airlift, films based on real-life events seem to be loved by the masses, but there are always a few objections that follow. After the release of Neerja based on the life of the Pan Am flight attendant Neerja Bhanot who was killed while saving passengers on board a hijacked flight a Facebook post by a crew member of the same flight, read that the movie gave Neerja undeserved adulation. A still from Bajirao Mastani. The film faced protests for inaccurately portraying the Peshwa history. Airlift is another such film. Based on the 1990 evacuation of Indians based in Kuwait, the film was accused of being inaccurate by witness accounts that cropped up soon after the release. Actor Nimrat Kaur, who co-starred with Akshay in the film, says she expected this outcome. There are bound to be differences. Even when you are studying in text books about these events, there are people who often say that this is not how these things happened. There will always be different versions, says Kaur. Filmmaker Onir, too, sides with directors in this, saying when they decide to make films on real-life incidents, they are merely taking inspiration. An artist should be allowed to do whatever he wants to. He/she presents his vision inspired from the incident. It is not a documentary. The same thing happened with Bajirao Mastani as well, he says. The descendants of Peshwa Bajirao and Mastani accused the makers of the film of misrepresenting the historical characters. A still from Airlift which showed Indian rescuing its citizens from war-torn Kuwait. Filmmaker Hansal Mehta seconds Onirs opinion, saying: The filmmaker has to craft the story into a screenplay without losing the spirit of the character. Coming back to Neerja, Atul Kasbekar who produced the film had recently said that hes not bothered by all this. People have the right to have their opinion and I cant do anything about it. Three countries have honoured Neerja and I will respect the process of crediting her as worthy, he said. Sonam, who played Neerja, adds that its important to understand the emotions of the protagonist. I find it sad when Im asked if what we showed was real. At the end of the day, you never know what really happened. Witnesses are witnesses, everyone cannot corroborate. The emotions were what we captured, she says. The Delhi High Court dismissed a plea of an alumnus of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) seeking a ban or change in the name of the controversial Manoj Bajpayee movie Aligarh, a film based on a gay AMU professor. A bench, comprising Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath, rejected the plea saying that no public interest is involved in this petition so it should be dismissed at the threshold itself. Am so grateful for the many reviews, opinions, criticism and conversations around #Aligarh. It is amazing that a.. pic.twitter.com/8s3tN9ll7T Hansal Mehta (@mehtahansal) March 1, 2016 This is a personal grievance. We do not find a public interest, so we are not inclined to entertain this writ petition, the bench added. Rajkumar Rao and Manoj Bajpayee in Aligarh. The petition, filed by a Delhi-based lawyer Mohammad Ahsan Khan, had stated that the news and reviews of the movie, published in print and social media, was lowering the image of AMU and Aligarh City among the residents. He also argued that contents and name of the movie are not only defamatory to the students who have passed from Aligarh Muslim University but the same hurts feelings of the citizens of Aligarh and therefore the certification granted to the film is assailed. Read: Aligarh review- Manoj Bajpayee touches your heart, changes perceptions The movie, directed by Hansal Mehta is based on the life of AMU professor Ramchandra Siras who was suspended from his job because of his sexual orientation. He later died under mysterious circumstances. Director Hansal Mehta has also said that the movie will be screened at the current hub of controversy, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on March 4. It will be showcased as a part of the Human Rights Festival. Akshay Kumar has already played an Indian intelligence officer (Baby), Armyman (Holiday: A Soldier is Never Off Duty) and a patriotic do-gooder minus a designation (Airlift, Gabbar etc.). With Rustom the Bollywood star is back as a Decorated Officer. Devoted Family Man but the story seems to be much less straight forward. Akshay revealed the first poster of Rustom, in which he plays a naval officer, on Thursday. While we were expecting yet another patriotic film from the Khiladi Kumar, he teased us with a mystery. He wrote, 3 shots that shocked the nation and changed his life! Find out what happened with #Rustom this August 12, 2016. 3 shots that shocked the nation and changed his life! Find out what happened with #Rustom this August 12, 2016. pic.twitter.com/Yt5HUUHBPh Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) March 2, 2016 Earlier, along with the first look of the film, Akshay had written, Decorated officer. Devoted family man. Defending his honour. His name RUSTOM. Know his story on 12 Aug #RustomFirstLook. Decorated officer.Devoted family man.Defending his honour.His name? RUSTOM.Know his story on 12 Aug #RustomFirstLook pic.twitter.com/0LAoZNl82X Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) February 25, 2016 Directed by debutant Tinu Suresh Desai and written by Vipul K Rawal, the films script has been kept under wraps. Rustom, which stars Ileana DCruz in key role, has Akshay playing the role of a Parsi, Rustom Pavri. Since the poster says the film has been inspired by a true incident and is set in the 50s, buzz insists the film is based on the 1959 Nanavati case where naval officer Kavas Maneckshaw Nanavati was tried for the murder of his wifes lover, Prem Ahuja. Read: How Bollywood is keeping it real The films poster says, Three shots that shocked the nation. In the sensational Nanavati case, the officer had fired three shots at Ahuja and then surrendered himself to police. Both Nanavati and Akshays protagonist are Parsis. The Nanavati case On the afternoon of April 27, 1959, Commander Kawas Maneckshaw Nanavatis wife confessed to him that she was in love with a family friend, Prem Ahuja. Without betraying any emotion, the officer who was second in command of the Indian Navys flagship INS Mysore Nanavati dropped his English wife Sylvia and two children at a film theatre. The the 37-year-old officer then went to his ship, took his senior officers permission to leave for Ahmednagar and carry a revolver and six bullets. Nanavati went to Ahujas house and killed him. He gave himself up to police and confessed to the murder. The case went on and Nanavati got a reputation as the honourable killer. He was finally pardoned in 1962. He migrated to Canada with Sylvia and children. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has expressed hope that the Aadhaar Bill, which seeks to give legal status to the unique identity number, will be passed in the ongoing Budget Session. The Modi government decided in the Union budget to give statutory backing to Aadhaar, the unique identification scheme, and bill to this effect would be introduced in the ongoing budget session of Parliament. HT explains the nuts-and-bolts of the scheme: What is Aadhaar? Aadhaar is a 12-digit individual identification number issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India on behalf of the government . This number will serve as a proof of identity and address, anywhere in India. Why do you need Aadhaar? The Aadhaar project has been linked to some public subsidy and unemployment benefit schemes such as the domestic LPG scheme and MGNREGS. In these Direct Benefit Transfer schemes, the subsidy money is directly transferred to a bank account which is Aadhaar-linked. Aadhaar was conceptualised for efficient transfer of public subsidy schemes Is Aadhaar mandatory? No. In September 2013, the Supreme Court issued an interim order saying Aadhaar was voluntary and not mandatory. What is the Aadhaar bill? This is the bill to provide Aadhaar statutory backing and make it the mainstay of the governments direct benefit transfer (DBT) programme for subsidies. It is officially called the Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services Bill, 2016. How many people have Aadhaar numbers? By end of March 2016, 100 crore Indians will be issued Aadhaar numbers. Controversy so far Questions have been raised about how the government will ensure biometric details of citizens will be kept secret and used only to generate Aadhaar numbers or authenticate them. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON In a first-of-its-kind move of two rivals joining forces, Kishore Biyani-owned Future Consumer Enterprise (FCEL) has inked an agreement with Trent Hypermarket, the retail joint venture between Tata Group and UK-based Tesco, to push its FMCG products through the latters Star Bazaar outlets. Brands like Tasty Treat, Golden Harvest and Clean Mate, which until now were available predominantly in Future Groups retail chain stores such as Big Bazaar, Food Bazaar, KBs and Nilgiris, among others, will now be available at Star Bazaar outlets. Star Bazaar may be a rival to Future Groups Big Bazaar hypermarket chain, but Biyani also sees it as a stepping stone towards scaling up the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) business. This (Star Bazaar partnership) is a stepping stone for usWe believe we have a chance to become among the top three FMCG firms in India, Biyani said. FCEL currently sells 350 stock-keeping units (SKUs) across 31 brands. The plan is to scale it to 1,000 SKUs over time, Biyani said. As a part of the deal with Trent, FCEL will supply 140-150 products in the first leg to Star Bazaars 22 outlets across Maharashtra and Karnataka. FCEL is also in talks with other retail chains to launch its products. The company is also testing waters in Banaras and Uttar Pradesh to sell its products through the traditional mom and pop stores, just like other FMCG companies. As a part of a pilot project, FCEL has tied up with a distributor to sell food items under its Tasty Treat brand across traditional retail stores in Banaras. Over time, the company may tap traditional retailers in other cities as well. We have started the pilot two weeks ago and Tasty Treat has been introduced in 5,000-6,000 stores in Banaras. One by one we will introduce more brands in stores in Banaras as well as explore other cities, Biyani said. FCEL reported revenues of `1,317 crore in 2014-15. Biyani expects the number to go up to `4,000 crore by 2016-17. According to analysts, given the huge size of the traditional retail market, FCELs move is in the right direction. Boston Consulting Group estimates the Indian retail market to top $1 trillion by 2020 from about $600 billion in 2015. The traditional trade is expected to grow at 10% annually to around $900 billion in the same period. FCELs move to sell its products across Star Bazaar and other retail outlets opens avenue for Biyani, who has in the past shared a wider ambition to garner `20,000 crore from sales in the FMCG business by 2021. The plans also include a big thrust on food processing. In 2014, the Future Group opened its first food park in Tumkur, Karnataka. The company is looking to come up with a similar food park in West Bengal. A group of large-value corporate accounts has pushed up non-performing assets (NPAs) and associated financial frauds in the country since 2008, CBI chief Anil Sinha said this week, at a time when dozens of Indian banks are swamped with bad loans. The crisis runs deep, Sinha said at a financial conference in Mumbai on Wednesday, weeks after the Supreme Court asked the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to provide details of companies that have each defaulted on loans of more than Rs500 crore. However, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) director did not give details of the accounts that are being examined by the agency. Indias banking sector, dominated by about two-dozen state-run lenders, has been bruised by its highest bad-loan ratio in years as lagging economic growth hit companies abilities to service debt. In August 2013, then CBI director Ranjit Sinha told a gathering of government officials that the bulk of the NPAs is from the top 30 accounts, which is learnt to be running into thousands of crores. A loan is recognised as a non-performing asset when the repayment is delayed beyond 90 days. This forces the bank to make provisions by setting aside funds, further restricting its lending capacity. At the Mumbai meet, Anil Sinha said defaulters are not getting deterred because of weak and diffused accountability mechanisms in banks and financial institutions. Added to this is the unduly slow and long process by which such loans and advances are red-flagged, declared NPAs, then wilful defaulters and finally fraudulent, he said. It allows large borrowers ample time to walk with the fundsto tax havens. According to government figures, gross NPAs of 39 listed banks stood at Rs 4.43 lakh crore in December 2015, nearly ten times the 2009 level. The CBI has recently registered a case of cheating and fraud against Kingfisher and its erstwhile management involving allegations of defrauding banks to the tune of Rs 7,000 crore, Sinha said. This case was registered in July 2015, but the loans or advances were taken during 2004-2012 However, despite our repeated requests, the banks did not file a complaint with the CBI. We had to register the case on our own initiative. RBI governor Raghuram Rajan has set banks a March 2017 deadline to clean up their balance sheets and treat some troubled loan accounts as bad and make provisions for them by the end of this March. Sinha also underscored the need for pre-emptive action to thwart deposit scams that thrive in Indias vast informal financial sector. The second case relates to PACL Pearls Agrotech Corporation Ltdwhich has reportedly collected over Rs 51,000 crore of illegal deposits from nearly 5.5 crore investors, he said, referring to the scandal that illustrated the risks faced by millions of low-income Indians who live outside the banking system. It needed the Supreme Court to step in to order investigations Should not the regulator have suo moto (on its own) stepped in? Taxi aggregators Uber and Ola launched separate motorcycle-hailing services on the same day in the same place on Thursday, as the competitors go head-to-head to target commuters in the worlds largest two-wheeler market. Both companies have launched the projects on pilot basis. While Uber launched its UberMoto service at Rs 3 per km with a minimum fare of Rs 15, Ola is offering the same service at Rs 2 per km and a minimum fare of Rs 30. Both will be charging an additional Rs 1 per minute on the ride service. The payment options will be the same cash, wallet and plastic cards. Both Ola and Uber, however, said the services could be withdrawn if they didnt meet certain success parameters. An Ola spokesperson said the higher minimum fare was a realistic price point. We will continue to scale this service up in the coming weeks to cover more areas and serve more users, said Pranay Jivrajka, chief operating officer, Ola. Enabling transportation at the push of a button, UberMOTO will help people save time and money while helping cut congestion in cities, said Amit Jain, president, Uber India. Both companies did not reveal the size of the network number of bikes that offer this service. Bike-ride service is not new in India. In fact, Bangalore itself has atleast four such service providers Hey Bob, Pilot, Rapido and Headlyt. Rana Vishal Singh, founder of Headlyt, puts the market size of the segment at $5 billion per annum. But will the entry of Ola and Uber disrupt business for smaller players? We are worried but not too much. There is a lot of pent-up demand particularly in smaller cities, which have a fractured public transport system, Singh said. The gender profile of users is another issue. A survey done among city commuters in Bengaluru revealed that 8 out of 10 women commuters said they were unsure about taking a bike ride with a stranger. Both Ola and Uber, however, said they expect women customers to use the services as much as male customers. While Ola offers its cab-hailing services in 102 cities, Uber operates in 26 cities in India. The Delhi governments report on the JNU row gave a clean chit to Kanhaiya Kumar but said it could be presumed that Umar Khalid raised separatist slogans on the campus on February 9. A protest on Jawaharlal Nehru University campus against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru snowballed into a political controversy after a group of students was accused of shouting anti-India slogans. Nothing adverse could be found against Kanhaiya Kumar...Umar Khalid is visible in many videos. His support for the role of Kashmir and Afzal Guru is known and he was the organiser of the event. His role needs to be further investigated, New Delhi district magistrate Sanjay Kumar said. The report he submitted to the Delhi government on Thursday expressed doubts over Pakistan Zindabad slogans being chanted but did say some outsiders shouted anti-India slogans whose whereabouts should be found out and role investigated. Kumar, whose arrest led to a wave of protests and debate on free speech, was released on bail Thursday evening. Khalid remains in custody. The Kejriwal government had ordered the probe on February 13. The DM spoke to eyewitnesses and scanned video footage. He also wrote to Zee News to provide raw footage, but did not get a reply. The footage shown on the channel played a role in sedition case being slapped on five students. Three of the seven videos sent for verification were found to be doctored. In those doctored versions, video has been edited and voices added, he said. The Delhi governments report on the JNU row gave a clean chit to Kanhaiya Kumar but said it could be presumed that Umar Khalid raised separatist slogans on the campus on February 9. The 112-page report submitted to deputy CM Manish Sisodia also pointed out how the Delhi Police were unsure if Pakistan Zindabad slogans were raised, despite being present at the venue. It highlighted discrepancies in witness accounts. A key eyewitness, who before the JNU internal committee claimed to have heard Kanhaiya make an anti-national speech, retracted later, the report said. It also contains a report by the forensics lab. Excerpts from the findings: Kanhaiya Kumar None of the witness heard Kanhaiya make an anti-national speech. He was possibly called when the programme was halted or when it was disrupted by another group. He came there and tried to mediate. He was part of a large gathering. Umar Khalid The main organiser of the event, he went ahead despite objection by the security. He is known for his views on Kashmirs self determination and Parliament attack accused Afzal Guru. He has organised many such programmes in the past. Although hardly visible from any side, many security guards said they heard him. It could be presumed that Umar was the first speaker and he raised the following slogans: Kashmir ki janta sangharsh karo, hum tumahare saath hai. Anirban and Ashutosh The report states they were with Khalid during the event. JNU security staff claims to identify their voices and the following slogans could have been raised by them: Afzal ki hatya nahi sahenge, Kitne Afzal maroge..Har ghar se Afzal niklega. Presence of outsiders Many outsiders of Kashmiri descent are seen in the videos, shouting pro-Afzal and anti-India slogans. Many have their faces covered and they should be immediately identified for further investigation. Two of these students might be from JNU and the administration is working to identify them. JNU administration has segregated many faces from the video and placed them on the notice board for identification, the report further states. On media presence Zee News team was called to the event by ABVPs Saurabh Sharma at 5.20 pm. The register entry of JNU that evening clearly reflects this. The report states that the district magistrate called the media house to share video and details, but they didnt comply. The report also states that the news channel came in without any permission from the university. This channel flashed the news, and thereafter the police obtained the footage copy from their officers and filed an FIR. FIR Although the police witnessed the whole event, it did nothing to prevent it. The FIR states that the police found that people raised anti-national slogans under the leadership of Umar Khalid. The FIR does not state that Umar Khalid or Kanhaiya raised the slogans. The police are unclear whether Pakistan Zindabad slogans were raised and who raised the slogans, if at all, says the report. Pakistan Zindabad was not heard in the Zee News raw footage or the transcripts of videos shot by the JNU security staff, says the report. Videos The DM selected seven videos to arrive at a conclusion. Three of them were found to be doctored. One video was finely edited, and the word Bandook could have been inserted. Examination of video where Pakistan Zindabad slogans were heard revealed that sound and video were coming from two different sources. It was a doctored video to misguide public. One was shared on social media by Shipli Tiwari. Investigation: The investigators examined the vice- chancellor, members of JNUs internal inquiry, JNU security staff, students and other eyewitness. Videos from various channels, other videos from YouTube and videos made by the JNU security team were also examined. Investigators wanted to interrogate Khalid, Anirban and Ashutosh (the other two accused) after they resurfaced by they didnt appear before the DM and sent a Thank you note instead. The answer lies neither in wooing a section of the society nor in finding winnable candidates. The revival of the Congress in Uttar Pradesh largely depends on making people believe that its a party capable of ruling the state not a perpetual loser. This will be a major challenge facing 37-year-old poll strategist Prashant Kishor when he gets down to preparing for his toughest test yet reviving the Congress in the state after 27 long years. The general perception that the Congress is not in the electoral race thwarts all its attempts to rebuild its vote bank in the countrys most populous state, with people refusing to sail the sinking ship. The Congress may improve its vote percentage, but the contest between the Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will be fierce,said Mufti Zulfiqar , president of the Imam Organisation in West UP. Zulfiqar said that while the Congress is the only alternative to the BJP at the national level, voters are spoilt for secular choices in the state. Secondly, the Congress is being forced to explore weak options in Uttar Pradesh unlike Bihar, where a grand alliance of caste-based parties managed to script a resounding victory. Why would the BSP ally with the Congress when their leader is so strong? the Imam Organisation chief asked. The third major challenge lies in raising young cadre. Though the Congress still remains the only party with a worker in every village of the state, most of them belong to the pre-Independence era. We grew up seeing Congress leaders actively moving from street to street, village to village. Now, its a miracle if they even wake up occasionally, quipped veteran politician CP Rai. Read: Can Prashant Kishor work his magic to create a Rahul Gandhi 2.0? Rai, who is now a SP member, feels that the Congress revival will depend more on the face it projects and the issues it raises than any Kishor-scripted strategy. Gulab Singh, a farmer from Bundelkhand, agreed. We have Congress organisations everywhere, but they are either defunct or in cahoots with whichever party is in power, he said. Dejected Congressmen have been moving to greener pastures ever since the party began losing its sheen in 1989. The handful that stayed back became chiefs in their own right. Today, unlike its SP and BSP competitors, the UP Congress is a party with many leaders and few workers. The party polled its lowest ever 7.5% in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections sliding further from the 11.65% polled in the 2012 assembly polls. A complete disaster, considering that the party managed to poll 24.99% (despite conceding all 85 seats) against a united opposition under the Bharatiya Lok Dal even at the height of the anti-Emergency wave in the 1977 polls. In recent years, the lowest scored by the party in both the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections was 8.14% in 1996. But the 2009 elections raised their hopes of recovery, with the Congress winning 21 seats and an unexpected 18.25% votes. Priyanka Gandhi once described her brother, Rahul, as a visionary with a good understanding of politics, much better than he is given credit for. However, the upcoming elections will be more a test for Kishor than the Congress vice-president. Prashant has worked with Rahul earlier, said a Congress leader in Amethi. They met while Prashant was working as a health expert in 2007-08. He was entrusted with the task of managing the multi-facility hospital set up in Amethis Munshiganj town. Prashant shifted to Gujarat after working on that project for a few months. Delhi Development Authority on Thursday told the National Green Tribunal the Art of Living Foundation did not inform it about the scale of the three-day cultural festival to be held on the Yamuna floodplains and is constructing temporary structures without any permission. The foundation headed by spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar denied the charges. Read more: The hue and cry that we are destroying Yamuna is nonsense: Sri Sri The ground which is being prepared for the World Culture Festival, to be held between March 11 and 13, is spread over an area of 1,000 acres. The stage alone is seven acres in area and will accommodate 37,000 artists. According to DDA, it never gave a permission for such construction. DDAs counsel told NGT chairperson justice Swatanter Kumar the foundation had sought permission for setting up a platform and not a stage of this scale and had not informed them that millions of people are expected to attend the event. Read more: He added that DDA had given the foundation the permission to hold the event only in a limited area but the organisers had spread out without permission. The Art of Living counsel, however, said the foundation had told DDA about the number of people expected to attend the event a year in advance and also submitted a site plan. We had got permission from DDA and the authority had a clear understanding of the scale of the event. The estimates for the number of people expected to attend are for the entire three-day event, including events not happening on the floodplain. The letter of request sent to DDA stated clearly what the function was about. We will clarify this in the tribunal when we are given the chance, Saraswati Akshama Nath, who appeared on behalf of Art of Living, said. We have the permission for the area where the stage will be and where people will sit on chairs and carpets from DDA. We also have the permission to build pontoon bridges on the land owned by the UP irrigation department, he added. DDAs counsel also told the tribunal the foundation had also been asked to take permission to remove any debris from the floodplain. DDA wrote to the Art of Living in December and informed them they would have to take permission from the NGT if they wanted to remove any debris, the counsel said. The tribunal, which is holding a day-to-day hearing from Wednesday on the case, pulled up DDA for allowing an event of such a massive scale to take place on the floodplain, where any permanent construction is banned. The festival has drawn criticism from environmentalists and farmers alike for allegedly causing irreversible damage to the ecologically fragile zone. Environmental activist Manish Misra had moved the NGT against the event. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A bomb threat received by Modern School, Vasant Vihar during the board examination on Thursday afternoon was declared a hoax by the police. We received a threat call at around 12:30 pm. We did not evacuate the classrooms and immediately informed the police. They came with bomb squad and examined the premises. It was found to be a hoax call. The board examination was on, said the principal, Meenakshi Sahni. Bomb call for Modern School Vasant Vihar. ALL CHILDREN and STAFF SAFE. School bldgs evacuated and BDS/antisabotage checks on. Delhi Police (@DelhiPolice) March 3, 2016 The school was evacuated and anti sabotage checks were conducted. Sniffer dogs and a bomb disposal squad were also sent to the spot. A 43-year-old man, posted in Indian Army was killed when his cycle was hit by an Audi car in Delhi cantonment area on Wednesday morning. Naik Ram Swaroop, the victim had returned to Delhi from Haryanas Panipat and Hissar, where he was sent to control the recent Jat agitation. Police said that they have arrested the accused driver, identified as Sarabjeet Singh. At 10 am, Swaroop was hit by the car. He was rushed to army hospital where he succumbed to injuries few hours later, said a senior police officer. Ram Swaroop is survived by his wife and a two-year-old daughter. In another incident, two people on a scooty were allegedly mowed down by a speeding truck in Southwest Delhis Dabri area in the wee hours of Wednesday. Sonu (19) and Ankush (18), who worked as DJs, were on their way home to Sagarpur when a speeding Tata 407 truck hit their scooty from behind. Their scooty skid for a few metres before they fell on the ground and were crushed under the trucks rear wheels. While Sonu was riding the scooty, Ankush was riding pillion. According to the police they received a call around 2.05am from outside Mandal Marg and the police team reached the spot within a few minutes. A passerby had made a PCR call and since it was patrolling the area, it reached the spot within five minutes. While two personnel got down to help the victim, the PCR rushed to chase the truck. A CATS ambulance also reached the spot on time. However, the two teenagers had died before they could be taken to the hospital, a senior police officer said. The truck was flagged down at a turn, when it slowed down and the driver was caught. Granting bail to JNU student body president Kanhaiya Kumar on Wednesday, the Delhi High Court expressed concern over what it called the growing anti-nationalism on the universitys campus and called it a malaise. Students and teachers demand the release of Kanhaiya Kumar in New Delhi on Wednesday. Today, I am at a crossroads, said Justice Pratibha Rani even as she allowed Kumars plea for bail on conditional grounds. The court expressed its concern over the growing antinational activities in JNU and the demoralising effects slogans praising terror convicts such as Afzal Guru could have on those risking their lives while protecting citizens from enemies at the nations frontline. The freedom of speech enjoyed by the students is a result of the sacrifice of such soldiers, the court said. The kind of slogans raised may have demoralizing effect on the family of those martyrs who returned home in coffin draped in tricolour, the court added. In her 23-page order, Justice Rani said that freedom of speech was a fundamental right that must be weighed against a citizens fundamental duties. Both are two sides of the same coin, she added. The court said that JNU faculty must play a pivotal role in guiding their students to the right path. The faculty must find out the reason behind anti-national views in the mind of students who raised slogans on the death anniversary of Afzal Guru, court directed. Court added that it did not believe that the slogans raised, at face value, were protected by freedom of expression as defined by the Indian Constitution, I consider this as a kind of infection from which such students are suffering which needs to be controlled/cured before it becomes an epidemic, she said. Whenever some infection is spread in a limb, effort is made to cure the same by giving antibiotics orally... However, if the infection results in infecting the limb to the extent that it becomes gangrene, amputation is the only treatment, the HC said. A Jet Airways flight received a bomb threat on Thursday afternoon. It was later declared hoax. The call was made to the office of Gorakhpur airport head at 12.08pm regarding a flight that was to land in Gorakhpur at 4 pm. The call was made through 00301, purportedly a number generated for a call made through the internet. Flight number 9W 2647, which was scheduled to land in Gorakhpur at 3.50pm was suspected to be the target. It had taken off from Jaipur as flight number 9W 2262 at 11.55pm and landed in Delhi at 12.57pm with 61 passenger and 4 crew. A call intimating the corporate office of Jet airways in Delhi was made at 12.22 pm. By that time all passengers, who were Delhi bound, had deboarded, said Dinesh Kumar Gupta, DCP, IGI Airport. After thorough checks and security clearance, the flight took off at 3.18 pm with 59 passengers on board. The words of Delhi high court judge Pratibha Rani in granting interim bail to JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar in a sedition case has raised eyebrows, and understandably so. In invoking obiter dicta, the judge is well within her institutions parameters. However, there is more to this in a context where the limits of the Constitution are being stretched, as we have seen in the fallout of an event at the university where three sets of slogans were raised by three categories of people present. Civil liberties and freedom of expression are critical to the foundations of our republic. The judge, however, invoked an idea of passive anti-nationalism as she lectured Mr Kumar on his duties as a citizen. In a sensitive matter, conditional bail with vague caveats is difficult to police and liable to be misused. In a nation of many social classes with conflicting interests, patriotism cannot be defined in a narrow manner. The judges implied criticism of anti-national attitude can be taken in the right spirit, but must also allow room for discussions on a number of pertinent issues in a larger social context. There is in this the question of whether and how much one can stretch individual interpretations of patriotism, especially when passive acts or silence can be interpreted as evidence of sorts to discuss a charge so grave as sedition. Some of the issues in question fall in the political rather than the judicial realm. Read | HC quotes Bollywood song, asks students, faculty for peace in JNU In the Kanhaiya Kumar case, sedition is no doubt a severe charge, but the anti-sedition laws relevance itself is being questioned in the public domain. The judges words are no doubt founded on good intentions. But she should have been aware that every word of hers will be scrutinised in a surcharged atmosphere. Separately, in contrast to the high courts words, the Chief Justice of India, while heading a bench in a case challenging a bar examination, has said that not everyone who wears black robes deserves the label of a lawyer. We are tempted to view that in the context of the violence by lawyers at Patiala House courts. The nation is sacred, but so is rule of law and the Constitution. The CJIs words are reassuring in the context of tensions involving the judiciary and should be viewed as a benchmark against which words from lower court judges must be assessed. Perhaps the judiciary itself can introspect more on how to function better in a democracy where free speech is increasingly a preferred route to debate rights and wrongs. At a time when even the prime minister and chief minister are reaching out to students and sharing tips on how to remain stress-free during exams, over dozen youngsters in Madhya Pradesh have committed suicide in the past two months allegedly due to study stress. According to the National Crime Record Bureau, 645 students ended their lives in Madhya Pradesh in 2014 and the numbers have been increasing. Family, school and society are the three institutions which affect every childs life. With growing economic pressure parents are not able to give enough time to children. Teachers are so exhausted with clerical jobs and they fail to interact with students apart from studies, while the society constantly overburdens a student. In these circumstances children often feel low and take steps that are beyond predictions, said educationalist prof M Zameeruddin. Parenting counsellor Aamir Mehboob believes that only remedy to curb stress and undue tension that children are going through was to give them a congenial environment. Children have self-esteem, but which parents and teachers often overlook. The fear of humiliation and constant discouragement and comparison, overpowers children and sometimes they cannot take this pressure. Student suicides this year Rising study stress and depression level has taken several lives in the state in just two months. Heres a quick shot at the cases Pragati Deshmukh, 15, committed suicide on March 1. In a suicide note she said she was taking the step as she could not bag the first position Class 10 student Sonu Ahirvar of Lavanya Gurukul School, Bhopal, set himself on fire on March 2 after the invigilator snatched his paper during the board exam. He suffered 80% burns Class 6 student Moin Khan, 12, hanged himself from the grill of a window at his house in Devjhiri colony, Barwani Sumit Moye, 15, a student of Government Naveen High School committed suicide on February 27 in his Jahangirabad house On February 27, Indra Sharma, 20, a B Sc student committed suicide. On February 26, Nancy Chirolia, a Class 12 student of Jabalpurs Millennium School hanged herself as she was afraid of failing in exams Class 12 student Shiv Kumar Dhurve in Jabalpurs Chappar area committed suicide on February 25 by hanging self in the hostel room On February 23, Aditya Singh, 16, a Class 11 student of Delhi Public School, was found hanging from a slider in a park in front of his house in Red Square Colony after he failed the final exams On February 22, a Bhopals Rashidiya School student Chotu Khatik committed suicide by hanging himself. He was very reluctant to go to school, parents said A third-year student of MANIT, Malla Venkatesh Sai Pallavi, committed suicide in her college hostel on February 10. A suicide note recovered indicated the girl was home sickness and was under study pressure Sohail, a Class 12 private student, from Barwani committed suicide on January 17 On January, 25 Priya Kuchbandiya was found hanging in her house On January 13, a Class 10 student Srishti from Ratnapurs Carmel Convent School committed suicide. The student was suffering from depression. How students can avoid stress Students should prevent themselves from looking at exams as a do or die situation; failure in exams is not the end of life They should not compare themselves with their peers as comparison only leads to anxiety and depression During exams, they should consolidate themselves with what they have learnt and not panic Social media, especially Facebook and Whatsapp, should be avoided as these act as distraction. (Suggestions by Vinay Mishra, psychologist) Examination stress allegedly led two teenage students to commit suicide while another school-goer attempted self-immolation over similar reasons in different parts of Madhya Pradesh in last two days. A 15-year-old class X girl student allegedly ended her life by hanging self from the ceiling of her room before her X board examination in Gulabganj area of Guna district on Wednesday. Town inspector of Cantt police station, Anil Singhal said, the girl was identified as Radha, a resident of Gulabganj. Primary investigations pointed towards examination pressure having triggered the suicide. Investigations are underway, Singhal said. In another case in Kamla Nehru police station area of the state capital on Monday afternoon, a 15-year-old girl student of Saraswati Shishu Vidya Mandir allegedly committed suicide by hanging self from the ceiling of her room, a day before the exam and left behind a suicide note. The suicide note purportedly written by the teenager Pragati Deshmukh, a resident of Nehru Nagar mentioned that she was unable to secure first rank in examination, owing to which she was ending her life, said town inspector of the Kamla Nehru police station, Aashish Bhattacharjee. In another incident, a class IX student of Lawaria Gokul School, Khanugaon in Bhopal district attempted to immolate himself allegedly after being scolded by his teacher in front of parents for cheating during the exam on Wednesday. According to the sub-inspector of Shahjahanabad police station, D S Kakuriya, Sonu Ahirwar, a resident of Khanugaon was caught cheating in the ongoing Class IX exam in the school. The teacher caught the student and called his parents. Later, the teacher scolded him in front his parents and warned him to not repeat the unfair practice again. His parents work as labourers; they took him home and left for their work. The boy was alone at home when he set himself on fire. Neighbours rushed him to the Hamidia hospital, where his situation is now stated to be critical, Kakuriya added. Indian Institute of Management - Indore (IIM-I) on Wednesday announced its final placements for the batch of 2016 with the overall average cost to company (CTC) going up by 10% compared to last year. Finance has emerged as the leading sector with around 150 offers from recruiters such as American Express, Axis Bank, Bank of America, Edelweiss. However, the highest domestic package slipped to Rs 32 lakh per annum this year from Rs. 35 lakh last year, while the highest international package stood at Rs. 30 lakh per annum as compared to Rs. 43.6 lakh the previous year. This year, a total 162 recruiters including 53 first time recruiters, provided offers to 617 participants, the largest across all IIMs. The batch includes 447 postgraduate programmme - Indore, 64 postgraduate programmme Indore - Mumbai Campus participants along with 106 participants from the first batch of the fiveyear Integrated Programme in Management (IPM). The highest domestic package was Rs 32 lakh per annum, while the highest International package stood at Rs 30 lakh per annum. The first graduating batch of IPM participants bagged offers from recruiters like Credit Suisse, Deloitte, Nomura, JP Morgan, HDFC, IndusInd Bank, IBM, ICRA Management Consulting, Tata Sky, UAE Exchange among others. With majority of offers being rolled out from finance domain, the average salary of the batch stood at Rs. 11.96 lakh per annum, including international offers. Read more: IIM Lucknow achieves 100% final placement in just over 3 days Commenting on the placements, Prof Rishikesha T Krishnan, director of IIM Indore said, Our endeavour is to be a contextually-relevant business school with world class academic standards. We seek to combine both scale and quality. I am delighted to see validation of our approach with more than 600 of our 2-year PGP and 5-year IPM graduates accepted by leading companies across sectors for challenging managerial positions this year. Nine months after stealing jewellery and cash worth Rs 5 crore from more than 40 residents in Gurgaon, six members of a con gang found themselves in the police net on Wednesday only after victims took to social networking sites with CCTV footage and photos of the alleged accused. The police acted after 21 victims shared CCTV footage and photos of the gang on social networking sites. The victims also formed a group on WhatsApp and discussed among themselves about ways to put an end to the frequent thefts. They said the police failed to recover the stolen ornaments. Some of the ornaments were more than 100 years old and were family heirlooms, one of the victims said. The arrested six have been identified as Kajal and Poonam both domestic helps Ravi Kumar, Kajals husband, Shivam, and two jewellers Vikas Kumar from Bhagalpur (Bihar) and Rakesh Kumar from Palam (Delhi). Read More: Women ran out of luck as Gurgaon bizman recognised, followed them The accused were involved in around 40 theft cases in Gurgaon, 20 in Faridabad and more than 100 in Delhi and Noida, the police said. Kajal alone was involved in 50 thefts, the police said. Ravi Kumars smartphone was a major giveaway about the gang, which targeted upscale New Gurgaon residential areas such as DLF City phases 4 and 5, Sushant Lok, Sohna Road, Sector 56 and Sector 57. He stored snapshots of the gang members Aadhaar cards and other ID proofs, which helped the police nab six of them. The police are on the lookout for masterminds Reena Devi, Meera Devi, Sundari, Seema and Nirmala Devi, who are from Bhagalpur. The gang members, in teams of two, posed as domestic helps and robbed residents on the first day of their employment, the police said. The gang was operational in Gurgaon for nine months and targeted houses in several localities. They were not scared of being caught. The mobile phone that the police found had all details of the gang members. It also had photos of their Aadhaar cards, but the police did not bother to look at it, Saloni Chawla, a senior executive at an MNC in Gurgaon and a resident of Sanskriti Apartments, Sector 43, claimed. Though six of the gang members were nabbed on Wednesday, victims said they were disappointed with the casual approach of the police. They alleged that if the police were more active and conducted raids on time, more items would have been recovered and all members arrested. It is unfortunate that despite six arrests, the police could recover items worth Rs 50,000 only. The important members of the gang are still at large. The members have not spent even 5% of the stolen items as their expenses are not more than Rs 5,000 a month. They live frugally, so where did the ornaments and money go? The police also went to Bihar, but found nothing, Dr Vani Relan Wasir, a victim and resident of DLF City phase 1, said. The police are searching for two more jewellers Santosh and Kailash who allegedly bought stolen ornaments from the gang and sold it in different parts of the country. Another jeweller, Vishnu, is serving his sentence in Bhagalpur jail and the Gurgaon police will get his custody on production remand. The gang divided the country in zones and the members sold the ornaments to jewellers who sold them in several states, inspector Yashwant Singh, in-charge of the crime unit, said. When the police visited to a few jewellery shops in Gurgaon, they found them shut. Singh said the shopkeepers might have been tipped off. We gathered call records of some mobile numbers, which will lead us to the other accused. We are trying to find out about the other jewellers who bought the stolen ornaments, assistant commissioner of police (DLF) Ramesh Pal said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Security forces killed three militants in an encounter in Dadsara village in the Tral area of south Kashmir on Thursday. All the militants were local residents and belonged to the banned organisation Hizbul Mujahideen, army said. Among the slain militants is Ashiq Hussain Bhat of Charsoo village who was wanted in connection with providing shelter to militants involved in Udhampur attack, said an army official. The other two were identified as Mohd Issaq Parray and Asif Ahmad Mir. Two BSF soldiers were killed and 10 others were injured when militants attacked a Border Security Force convoy in Udhampur in August 2015. One militant was caught alive while the other one was killed. Both of them were Pakistani nationals. Security forces cordoned the village off on Wednesday night after inputs that two or three militants were hiding in the area, triggering protests by residents that continued into Thursday. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The 49 Indian fishermen, who were arrested by the Iranian coast guard for crossing the international borders, reached Chennai on Thursday. Father A Churchill told ANI that at least 44 fishermen from Tamil Nadu and five from Gujarat, who were working for a Dubai fishing company, were arrested on December 1, 2015. Five fishermen from Dubai were also arrested. For last 90 days these fishermen were detained in their fishing boats in a place called Dees in the sea at Iran, Father Churchill said. We have been taking a lot of initiatives for their rescue and release. We approached the government of Tamil Nadu and also the government of India and with the help of both the governments these 54 fishermen have been released, he added. A fisherman, who was released, thanked both the central and the state governments for their efforts. We were arrested and kept in jail for months. Now that we have been released, we feel happy about this. We thank both the Centre and the state government for their efforts to get us out, Jegan Joseph told reporters. Three days after she sent missing from Delhi in mysterious circumstances, Noida fashion designer Shipra Malik is still untraceable. The police, which filed an abduction case, have asked for details of flights and trains that left Delhi on February 29 and March 1. The investigators found CCTV footage of February 29 that shows Shipra at a private bank in Noida Sector 18. Police said she was using the internet on her mobile phone from DND Flyway to Ashram continuously for 15 minutes then a couple of calls were made from her mobile phone before it was switched off. It was found that she visited the bank at about 1.25pm on Monday, few minutes after she met her husband at Brahmaputra market. She can be seen talking over the phone, said SP city, Dinesh Yadav. On Thursday, deputy inspector general (DIG) Meerut Range Laxmi Singh visited Noida to monitor the investigation. She was on various WhatsApp groups of her friends and customers of her boutique. A team is recording their statements to find any clue about her. She had called her brother asking about some documents related to her car when she entered Delhi. Also, she had sent messages to some people on WhatsApp before she went missing, said Kiran Sivakumar, senior superintendent of police (SSP), Gautam Budh Nagar. We are questioning her brother to get the details of their conversation, Sivakumar said. Read more: Someone who knew Dipti was behind abduction, say cops Police questioned the staff of DND toll plaza but found no clues about Malik or any signs of abduction. Shipra, 29, had gone missing on February 29 after she left for Chandni Chowk at 1pm to buy some raw material for her boutique. Her car, a Maruti Swift, was found unattended near Sector 29, with the keys under the drivers seat. Shipra ran a boutique from her Sector 37 residence. Her last mobile phone location was found at Lajpat Nagar from where a call on emergency on the number 100 was made from the phone. Shipras family is taking the help of social networking sites to find her. Her family said they were satisfied with the police probe and hoped for her safe return. Family members of Shipra Malik at their residence in Noida. The family is seeking help on WhatsApp groups. (Burhaan Kinu/HT Photo) The police are working day and night to locate her. We have created WhatsApp messages with her photograph and other details. We are requesting everybody to forward, said Chetan Malik, her husband. Meanwhile, the police admitted that no fingerprints were collected from Shipras car, the only physical evidence available in the case. SSP Sivakumar said Maliks family members had driven the car back home so there was no chance of getting any fingerprint sample. The police found that her car was not captured in any of the CCTV cameras as many of them were not working. The only place where she could have been captured in the CCTV is the DND Flyway. Though we have details that her phone crossed the stretch, but she has not been captured by any CCTV camera, said Sivakumar. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A united opposition in the Rajya Sabha flayed the government for failing to take action against its ministers for alleged hate speeches, but the Centre dug its heels in, declaring, there is nothing inflammatory in the speech made by minister of state for human resource development RS Katheria. Almost giving a clean chit to Katheria, home minister Rajnath Singh informed the House that his office had thoroughly examined the speech and found there was nothing that could be called inflammatory, even as speaker after speaker sought punitive action against the minister. Speaking at a condolence meeting for a VHP leader Arun Mahaur in Agra, this past week, the junior HRD minister was reported to have said that there is a conspiracy being hatched against Hindus and had called for revenge. Three people have been charged in an FIR filed by the Agra police, who shared the stage with Katheria, and if had given the inflammatory speech, then his name would have been first on the list, the Home Minister said, virtually ruling out action against the minister. Responding to the calling attention motion on the issue of inflammatory speeches made by a cabinet minister, the home minister deflected questions on the action that the government has taken against those elected representatives in Parliament and in state assemblies who have made speeches targeting minorities. Initiating the discussion, leader of the opposition, Ghulam Nabi Azad, read a long list of hate speech statements made by BJPs elected representatives and asked what stops the government from booking these leaders on charges of sedition. An innocent boy Kanhaiya has been booked for sedition, what about these MPs, doesnt sedition apply to them? he questioned, urging the government to also take action against Muslim parties that have been making speeches to polarize voters. Firing her salvo at the government for not acting against Katheria, who she asserted should have been dismissed by now, BSPs Mayawati was unsparing of the Samajwadi party government in Uttar Pradesh for not being proactive in slapping sedition charges against the minister. The home ministers effort to reach out to the opposition, by stating that all political parties will have to make a collective effort to protect the countrys unity, did not cut ice. CPIs D Raja lashed out at the government and said: What happened in Agra is not an isolated incident. Mother India is being insulted. Earlier in the day, the government said no destructive agenda would dominate its development agenda. Opposition members raised serious concerns during Zero Hour citing various reports on incidents of communal harmony. Anu Aga, nominated member pointed out that some Sangh Parivar leaders had allegedly sought to take revenge on the minority community for the killing of a VHP leader, and made a fervent plea for preserving the unity, sanity and diversity of the country. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said he agreed with Aga on maintaining unity and harmony and added no destructive agenda can dominate development agenda. When Deputy Chairman P J Kurien asked if the government will seek report on the matter, the minister replied he condemned the incident too. Rajya Sabha on Wednesday passed a bill that would enhance the compensation for air travellers in case of death, injury, lost baggage or even inordinate delay in flights. The Carriage by Air (Amendment) Bill, 2015, was passed by the Upper House with changes. It was cleared by the Lok Sabha in December last year. Since Rajya Sabha has made changes, the revised bill would again go to the Lower House. Once the legislation is implemented, airlines would be required to pay compensation amount that is equivalent to the rates paid by their global counterparts. Piloting the bill in the Rajya Sabha, Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju said it would bring legislative character to international character with respect to compensation for air passengers. The legislation would allow the government to revise the liability limits of airlines in line with the Montreal Convention, which was acceded to by India in May 2009. Earlier, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi sought Deputy Chairman P J Kuriens permission to move the Bill. Kurien said it was decided that the Bill will be passed without discussion. Jairam Ramesh (Cong) demanded that there should be a discussion. CPI (M) members Sitaram Yechury and T K Rangarajan too said there should be discussion on certain clauses. Then the government agreed to the demand. During the discussion, Yechury said the Bill should be brought back in amended form so that there is no need to come back to amend it after five years, when the Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) are revised again. He also said there is a need to further discuss the definition and intensity of bodily injury and the compensation before inking the convention. E M Sudarsana Natchiappan (Cong) said Bills where the powers of the legislature are transfered to the executive should be first brought to the notice of the House. A day after it sealed a poll pact with Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) in Assam, the BJP received another shot in the arm on Thursday with Ezhava leader Vellapalli Natesans Bharath Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS) deciding to forge an alliance for the assembly elections in Kerala. The BDJS has joined the NDA unconditionally. We will bring about a change in Kerala. More nationalist forces will join us, said health minister JP Nadda, who is also the BJPs election in-charge for Kerala. BDJS president Tushar Vellapally, who is Natesans son, was also present when the announcement was made. Natesan, the general secretary of Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam, a social movement that propagates the values of social reformer Sree Narayana Guru, floated the new political party in December 2015. Hindus account for 1.82 crore of the 3.34-crore population of Kerala, of which Ezhavas are a majority community. The BJP also formally announced its pacts with the AGP in Assam, saying the poll next month will be a contest between all indigenous people led by it on one side and Congress and the UDF on the other. The AGP will contest 24 of the 126 seats while the remaining 102 seats will be distributed between the BJP, the Bodloland Peoples Front and other partners of the NDA. The BPF is expected to get 16 seats. The BJP contested 120 seats last time and won 5 while AGP won 10 out of 104 seats it contested. BPFs performance was better as it won 12 out of 29 seats on which it fielded candidates. The massive infiltration in the state with the collusion and patronage of the Tarun Gogoi-led Congress government will be our main poll issue besides freeing the state of corrupt and non-developmental rule, telecom minister Ravishankar Prasad said. The BJP-led alliance will come out with a common minimum programme for Assam. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) reminded National Conference president and former chief minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday that it was the saffron party that had given him his first political break. The BJP was reacting to Omars comments a day earlier that his party will never align with them to form a government in Jammu and Kashmir, where governor rule remains in force since January, when chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed died. Abdullah was a junior minister of foreign affairs in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA government. BJP gave political identity to Omar by making him MoS external affairs in the Vajpayee government. If BJP is an anti-Muslim party, why did he choose to be a minister, BJP leader Ishfaq-ur-Rehman Poswal said. Poswal, who is also the national executive member of the BJPs scheduled tribe morcha, accused Omar of trying to scare away Muslims from the BJP and also creating fear among Kashmiri Pandits. Security forces killed three militants, including Class 10 topper Mohammad Ishaq Parray, in an encounter in Dadsara village of South Kashmirs Tral area. Parray, 20, was a meritorious student before he joined the banned organisation, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, in March 2015. In the Class 10 exams, results for which were announced in December 2011, he scored 98.4% and secured the ninth position in the Kashmir zone. His academic performance even earned him the sobriquet of Newton. The once-exceptional student was killed in the late night encounter after security forces launched a search operation on Wednesday, following information about the presence of militants in the Tral area. Dadsara village was subsequently cordoned off, even as protests erupted among the villagers. In addition to Parray, the two others killed were said to be A+ and A category militants of the banned outfit. Among the slain militants is Ashiq Hussain Bhat of Charsoo village, who was wanted in connection with providing shelter to militants involved in the Udhampur attack, said an army official. In the Udhampur attack last August, two Border Security Force (BSF) jawans were killed and 10 were injured after armed militants attacked their convoy. While one militant was killed, another was caught alive by the security forces. Both were Pakistani nationals. While Bhat was an A+ category militant who reportedly joined the organisation in August 2014, the third militant, identified as Asif Ahmad Mir, was an A category militant who joined in July 2014. The army official said three AK-47 rifles were recovered from the site of the encounter. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi has hit back at Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhis fair and lovely jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying the grand old partys dark and ugly secrets are tumbling out. Dark and ugly secrets and conspiracies hatched by Congress are coming out in the open, Lekhi was quoted as saying by ANI on Wednesday. Gandhi had on Wednesday launched a no-holds-barred attack on Modi, accusing him of going soft on hoarders of black money and making repeated U-turns on his Pakistan policy. Watch: Highlights of Rahul Gandhis speech in Lok Sabha on March 2 Also Read | From Fair and Lovely to RSS: How Rahul took on Modi govt in Parliament He picked on the one-time compliance window for black money holders announced in the budget, describing it as a fair and lovely scheme a reference to a popular skin-whitening cream. Lekhi told ANI that Gandhi is like a student whos constantly getting a zero and if he gets a one he is very excited about it and his speech was reflective of this. Congress should go back to 26/11, when their chief minister was roaming around with a film director and the home minister was going on changing clothes, she said. Lekhi was referring to the incident when Maharashtras former chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh took filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma on a tour of the terror-hit Taj and Oberoi hotels in the aftermath of the 26/11 attack and the then Union home minister Shivraj Patil changing his clothes frequently for television appearances. Also Read | Jaitley targets Rahul, asks how much does he know - when will he know Perhaps talk is cheap. Which is why catchwords and phrases are circulating in the name of political speeches. For a while now, catfights seem to be the new norm rather than the state of exception in the Indian parliament. Outside it, is, of course, no better. Read more: From Fair and Lovely to RSS: How Rahul took on Modi govt in Parliament The jabs of the Congress vice-president, Rahul Gandhi, observe political pundits in half-admiration, are turning out to be lethal. His 2015 barb in the Lok Sabha, calling the Modi government a suit-boot ki sarkar that neglects farmers and labourers, was a high point of low. Venkaiah Naidu of the BJP had retorted in kind. The Congress, he said, only spoke about farmers but did nothing. Thats why we are in the government and they are in the Opposition. Gandhis post-Budget intervention: Under fair and lovely yojna, you can go to Arun Jaitley, pay tax and all your black money will turn white, now just needs a Dalit or a feminist voice to object so that it can start doing the rounds on social media, says sociologist Shiv Visvanathan. Now who is fair and who is lovely is up for debate, he adds. Read more: Congs dark and ugly secrets tumbling out: BJP on Rahuls remarks Gandhis barb has been matched by Jaitleys bite: As one evolves from a young to a middle-aged one, we certainly expect a certain level of maturity. The more I hear Shri Rahul Gandhi, the more I start wondering how much does he know when will he know. Jaitleys party colleague has also given her spin to the controversy. The dark and ugly secrets and conspiracies hatched by Congress are coming out in the open, she says. The 2014 elections had kicked off the trend in contemporary politics a battle of ideas replaced by spin, spectacle, pitch and volume. Aam Aadmi Partys Arvind Kejriwal claimed rapists, murderers and looters were sitting in Parliament. Narendra Modi, once the Gujarat chief minister had called the Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi Mr Golden Spoon. Politician Beni Prasad Verma, advised his former boss the SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav to apply for the job of a sweeper. 2016 has seen no let-up. Rahul Gandhi joined the protesters on the JNU campus demanding the release of student union president Kanhaiya Kumar. BJP national secretary Shrikant Sharma hit back with: Rahul Gandhi and his friends are speaking in the voice LeT terrorist Hafiz Saeed who had tweeted in support of the anti-India event in JNU. Is public memory, however, being fed by political statements when politicians are not at their best? The media is complicit, say experts, in making one-liners, the headline. In the same post-Budget debate, Rahul also made a point about how when he closes his eyes he could well have been listening to Chidambarams budget, says Visvanathan. Thats a point that could have been developed further. Instead he has been making the news for the fair-and-lovely remark. The media is complicit in turning the debate non-serious. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Congress on Thursday hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi accusing him of failing to provide a healing touch to the nation facing crisis in several fields by not rising above petty politics. Senior Congress spokesperson Anand Sharma found Modis reference to Nikita Khruschev a very ominous sign, insisting that right to oppose is a Constitutional right. The Prime Ministers reply was sad and disappointing. He did not respond to any of the issues raised by Opposition leaders including Rahul Gandhi, he told reporters. Responding to the Prime Ministers reply in the Lok Sabha on the Motion of thanks to the President address, Sharma lamented that Modi did not speak a single word on the failures of government in several fields and how it planned to face the challenges. True to his characteristic style, he created a smokescreen of boastful claims and made fun of his political opponents, he said. Sharma said that the Prime Minister failed to speak on the crisis facing the economy, falling exports, his stopover in Pakistan, black money, JNU row and Rohith Vemulas suicide. Taking a dig at Modi for recalling the words of Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, he said it was good that he remembered the late prime ministers while talking of disruptions in Parliament. Besides, he said Modis recalling Nehru showed he has started reading a bit and if he read more about the first Prime Minister of India, he would know more about Indian nationalism and the idea of India and would never be so bitter. Taking a jibe at Modi, he said, He is telling others to become mature. I hope that after one reads Gandhi and Nehru more, he gains the ideological and political maturity to govern a complex, diverse and beautiful country that is the Republic of India. Congress member Anand Sharma speaks in the Rajya Sabha in New Delhi on Thursday. (PTI) But he conveniently forgot to tell the House that the BJP had been responsible for disrupting Parliament for 500 out of 900 hours during the UPA tenure. Turning to the Khruschev story narrated by the Prime Minister, Sharma said Modi got the story wrong as in actuality, the person who asked question to the Russian leader had never stood up, making Khruschev remark that is the answer why he did not speak during the Stalin era. He, however, said the Khruschev story narrated by the PM is a very ominous sign and highly objectionable as right to oppose is a constitutional right. Sharma said the governments mindset could be gauged from the fact that leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Sitaram Yechury were being slapped cases under sedition charges. SAR Geelani, a Delhi University professor accused of sedition, will remain in jail for another fortnight. Detained within days of JNU student body president Kanhaiya Kumars arrest, Geelanis judicial custody was extended till March 16 by a Delhi court on Thursday. The 46 year-old professor had pleaded for bail before a Delhi court on February 19 but his application was denied the next day by metropolitan magistrate Harwinder Singh. Geelanis arrest, which came amid a heated debate on the validity of the law of sedition trigged by JNU student body president Kanhaiya Kumars jailing, was on charges of organising an event at the Press Club of India to mark the death anniversary of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. During his bail hearing, Delhi Police claimed before court that anti-national visual representations and speeches were made during the protest. However, arguing on behalf of bail, Geelanis lawyer Satish Tamta said he had expected a better reply from police as they had time to investigate the matter now. Police, however, said that they were still trying to trace other suspects. Its been three days since my arrest, if they cant find other suspects how is that my fault? asked Tamta during arguments on behalf of Geelani. Tamta also pointed out that police had brought up Geelanis alleged involvement in the Parliament attack case just to prejudice his client. He added that the professor was honourably acquitted by the Delhi high court. Five tourists were recently injured -- two of them severely after falling off a cliff while clicking selfies at Anjuna village in Goa, police said on Thursday. The Goa police have asked a sub-divisional magistrate to record the statement of two of the women who were seriously injured in the incident. The five people fell off the cliff on February 22 when a gate they were leaning opened, the police said. The incident occurred near hillside cottages where the tourists were staying. Two women fell on their back on a stone and are currently admitted in a private hospital. The doctors have said that they might be paralysed for life, police inspector Paresh Naik said. The three others were discharged after primary treatment, he said. The family members of the two women have refused to file any formal police complaint, but we have requested the sub-divisional magistrate to record their statements, Naik said. The police refused to reveal the identities of the women, but said the people injured in the accident are in their late 20s. The selfie craze seems to have gone very awry in India. The Washington Post has reported that of at least 27 selfie-related deaths around the world last year, about half occurred in India. Indians were killed by an oncoming train, falling out of a boat, falling off a cliff, falling into a canal and drowning in the sea while taking selfies. In September, a Japanese died after falling down the steps of the Taj Mahal while taking a selfie. The policeman, who had run away with four AK 47 rifles and joined militant outfit Hizbul Mujahideen(HM) in mid January, was arrested on Thursday. Constable Shakoor Ahmed Parray, posted as personal security officer (PSO) to sub-divisional police officer Bijbehara in south Kashmir before escaping, was arrested in the regions Kulgam district. He was arrested along with a pistol and two grenades, said Mumtaz Ahmad, the superintendent of police, Kulgam. After running away with police rifles, he had joined HM, he said. A resident of Shopian district, Parray had gone missing along with two of his friends, who have since been arrested along with two of the four police rifles. Since he was carrying a short range weapon, he did not offer any resistance when we raided his hideout, the SP said. Since March 2015, four policemen have left the force to join militants. While two cops, including Parray, have been arrested, one was killed in an encounter with government forces in first week of February. The only one out with the rebels now is Naseer Ahmed Pandit. He was working with J&K Armed Police, guarding the house of then roads and building minister, Altaf Bukhari, before he decamped with two rifles and joined the Hizb. A resident of Karimabad in Pulwama, Pandit, ever since his deserting the police force, has featured in videos posted by Hizbs militant commander, Burhan Wani. The government on Thursday introduced a bill in the Lok Sabha to provide statutory backing to Aadhaar for transferring subsidies and benefits. Some Opposition parties objected to its being moved as a money bill, which will help the legislation bypass the Rajya Sabha where the government is in minority. A money bill can be introduced only in the Lok Sabha and the speakers decision is final. The Rajya Sabha is required to return a money bill passed by the Lok Sabha within 14 days of receipt. Any amendment made to it by the Rajya Sabha is not binding. The UPA introduced a similar bill in the Rajya Sabha in December 2010, but a finance-related standing committee suggested major changes to its provisions and recommended the then government bring in a new version. Finance minister Arun Jaitley withdrew the UPA bill from the Rajya Sabha on Thursday to introduce The Aadhaar (Target Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Bill, 2016. The bill incorporates clauses to keep personal information discreet and Aadhaars not being a proof of citizenship. Read: 5 things about Aadhaar you always wanted to know but were afraid to ask Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge opposed the introduction, saying the UPA introduced a similar bill but the NDA made it a money bill to avoid the Rajya Sabha. He suggested that both houses got an opportunity to have their views on the bill which should also got to a standing committee. But Jaitley argued that the new bill was significantly different from The National Identification Authority of India (NIDAI) Bill, 2010. Bhartruhari Mahtab of the BJD also objected to the legislation and sought a clarification from the minister on keeping personal information discreet and Aadhaars not being a proof of citizenship. Speaker Sumitra Mahajn allowed the introduction of the bill. Saying that the bill addressed those concerns, Jaitley added, Ours is a money bill as it confines itself to government expenditure. Parliamentary affairs minister M Venkaiah Naidu backed the bill, saying it would help save Rs 20,000 crore by avoiding subsidies being taken by the undeserving. Read: Jaitley hopeful of Aadhaar Bill passage in current Parliament session The bill will provide for good governance, efficient, transparent and targeted delivery of subsidies, benefits and services, the expenditure for which is incurred from the Consolidated Fund of India, to individuals residing in India through assigning of unique identity numbers to such individuals, a brief summary of the bill said. Left parties expressed concern over the way the bill was pushed. In the present scheme of things, the speaker of the Lok Sabha can decide whether a bill is a money bill or not. That is not a fair way of taking such decisions. The speaker of the Lok Sabha, unlike the chairman of the Rajya Sabha, is one among the MPs. And he or she belongs to the ruling party, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury said. Left leaders said they had reservations over privacy issues involved in the use of Aadhaar and the government discarded all those aspects by making it a money bill. The Delhi high court refused on Thursday to hear a plea by businessman Vijay Mallya seeking dropping of a wilful defaulter tag on him by State Bank of India (SBI) and asked him to approach an appropriate forum. SBI had declared Mallya and his company United Breweries Holdings Ltd (UBHL) wilful defaulters in late 2015 after a protracted legal battle over non-payment of dues of over Rs 7000 crore owed by his now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines. Sensing the mood of the court, Mallyas counsel requested justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw to allow them to withdraw their petition including one filed by UBHL. The court allowed Mallyas request, made through senior advocate Rajiv Nayar, while giving them the liberty to approach an appropriate court for any remedial measures, if available under the law. Mallya has moved the high court on the ground that it has jurisdiction to hear his plea as he is a resident of Delhi and also a Rajya Sabha member and has received all the correspondence here. His plea has alleged that the decision of SBIs grievance redressal committee denying legal representation at a hearing held by the bank on October 29, 2015 while declaring him and UBHL as wilful defaulters is purportedly illegal. The court said it cannot have two different benches hearing the same matter. The Bombay high court has earlier heard it. This should also be before that court only. Whats the problem, the court asked. The top state-run lender had on Wednesday sought arrest of Mallya, and asked for his passport to be impounded. A consortium of 17 banks also approached the Bangalore Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT) seeking action against the UB Group promoter for defaulting on loans. It has also sought full disclosure of the industrialists assets. The immediate objective of the lenders moving the DRT is to secure a first right on the US$75-million severance package that Mallya will be getting for quitting Diageo-owned United Spirits (USL) as its chairman. As part of the deal, Diageo said it would pay US$40 million immediately to Mallya with the balance being payable in equal instalments over the next five years. It will also absolve Mallya of all liabilities over alleged financial lapses at the company founded by his family. (With inputs from PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday addressed the Lok Sabha, a day after Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhis stinging attack on the government. The opposition leader had accused Modi of going soft of hoarders of black money and making repeated U-turns on his Pakistan policy. Highlights of what PM Modi said in Lok Sabha: 1:27pm - Modi ends his speech at 1.27pm. 1:25pm - Accountability needs to be increased. And I cant do this by myself. You (opposition) are experienced and I need your support. - We must learn to trust the citizens of the country. - There is no dearth of schemes, question is how to bring accountability. - We need to work together to increase the accountability of the executive. - Out of fear for what will be printed in the papers we indulge in tu-tu-mai-mai. 1:20pm - In 14 years, I have learned to live with criticism. - Food Security Act has not been implemented in Cong ruled states- Kerala, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh & Manipur. - Opposition is concerned how the govt is doing better than it. 1:15pm - Commissioning of railway lines have been more under NDA regime as compared to UPA II to UPA II. - How a functioning Government can serve the people and progress in every sector with good results - NDA govt has shown the way. - One MP said Fasal Bima Yojana is only for few districts. I want to say that this scheme will be applicable everywhere. - Need fresh ideas for Parliament; We cant ignore 60 yrs of misgovernance; There should be a week when only 1st time MPs speak. 1:10pm - Opposition is concerned how the govt is doing better than it, says Modi as he cites comparison in some sectors like Railways and MNREGA. - Will club several other insurance schemes with the Crop Insurance scheme 1:05pm: - Poverty is so deep-rooted in the country that if Modi tries to tackle the problem, Modi will get uprooted. - We are cleaning up Congress mess of last 60 years. - The opposition is concerned about why we are doing better work than them. - You have sown seeds of poverty: Modi to Congress - NREGA or MGNREGA has been put to use in less needy states. - Kharge ji said there is corruption in #MNREGA and I agree with him. Look at the CAG report of 2012 & what observations were made. - No one will deny that if Congress wouldve helped the poor in 60 years, the poor wouldnt still be facing trouble. - We must admit that MGNREGA is not a symbol of our success 1pm: - Some people have aged physically, but not in maturity; Some people dont understand but just want to oppose for the sake of it. - There are many things which are your legacy, less toilets in schools for instance ( hinting at Congress). - In this country, there are many challenges to tackle - poverty, superstitions & so on. 12.50pm: - We are mocking things like Make in India? This is for the nation. If there are shortcomings it may be shared & discussed. - Only inferiority complex of some MPs are stalling the parliament - There are such bright MPs in the opposition, they were not to be seen in the previous two sessions. 12.40pm: - There are so many MPs (in Opposition itself) who have a lot to say but if they speak they will overshadow the others. - Nobody in the Opposition must look stronger and this is the inferiority complex. - Opposition doesnt let us speak out of an inferiority complex, so that nation cant see our views & skills. - I fell the need for fresh views in the House. 12.30pm: - To set aside a time where only first-time MPs should be allowed to speak - PM suggests discussion on Indias role in achieving the sustainable development goals. - Suggests that only women members should speak in Parliament on 8th March to mark International Womens Day. 12.25pm: - I want to share my thoughts, not as the PM but as someone who has entered Parliament for the first time. - Bills that are to be passed are for the people. They are for freeing the system from middlemen. - I am saying all this because people must know that bills have been passed here but have been stopped thereafter. 12:20pm: - I request MPs across parties to help pass bills. - Hindering debate in the House is very counter-productive. - Debate will be more fruitful if procedure is followed; these are not my words, this was said by former PM Rajiv Gandhi. - Parliament is a forum where govt is questioned and the govt has to clarify its stand. No one is spared during the debate. - Speaker has taken steps to ensure empowerment of women; Very worried about recent happenings in Parliament. 12:10pm: - Bills that are to be passed are for the people. They are for freeing the system from middlemen. - We should follow the advice of the President on the functioning of Parliament. - Speaker has taken new initiatives (with regards to Parliaments functioning). This will help bring qualitative change. - We must always take the Presidents advice. 12:05pm: - Grateful to President for highlighting on Indias progress in his speech. 12pm: - PM Narendra Modi begins his speech in Lok Sabha. India has told Pakistan to inform it at least five days in advance of the visit by its joint investigation team (JIT) here in connection with the Pathankot terror attack, official sources said. Meanwhile, India also hoped there would be greater understanding in the UN Sanctions Committee to designate Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar as a terrorist after the Pathankot strike. Pakistan formed a five-member JIT to probe the attack and it is expected to arrive here soon.Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharifs foreign affairs advisor Sartaj Aziz said on Wednesday the team may visit India in the next few days. Earlier, a six-member SIT was set up by Pakistan government for conducting an initial probe into the attack on the Pathankot air force base. Last month, Pakistan lodged an FIR in the Pathankot terror attack case, which was seen by India as a step forward in bringing the perpetrators of the strike to justice. Irom Sharmila Chanu, who has been on a hunger strike since November 2000, demanding repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act was on Wednesday arrested yet again after she had resumed her fast on February 29. The police, however, is yet to press any charge against her and is reportedly seeking a relevant law to justify the arrest, according to a government official. The fresh arrest of Sharmila came after she was acquitted of suicide charges by a court in Imphal on February 29 and on that very day she resumed her non-violent protest at BT Park in Imphal. Sharmila had refused to have a medical check-up by a team of doctors. The Human rights activist has been demanding repeal of the Afspa, 1958 after 10 civilians were gunned down allegedly by central security forces at an Imphal locality in November, 2000. A government official who re-ignited a debate over the Ishrat Jahan encounter case told a Gujarat court in 2013 that the controversial second affidavit was a collaborative effort between the home and law ministries and Intelligence Bureau, HT has learnt. HT has a copy of former home ministry official RVS Manis statement as a prosecution witness and submitted to a Gujarat trial court in July 2013. The statement was part of the charge sheet filed by the CBI that probed the June 2004 encounter. Mani told a TV channel on Tuesday that neither he nor his two immediate seniors had any knowledge about the second affidavit, sparking a fresh debate over the encounter that was allegedly staged by Gujarat police. The first affidavit filed in court on August 6, 2009 stated that Ishrat and Javed Ghulam Sheikh, the person she was traveling with at the time of encounter, were activists of the banned Lashker-e-Taiba (LeT). Two terrorists were also killed in the encounter in Ahmedabad. Manis statement came few days after former home secretary GK Pillai said the decision on the content of the second affidavit was made at the political level. Read | Ishrat case: Pillai approved second affidavit changes by Chidambaram Congress leader P Chidambaram, who was the then home minister, defended the governments action saying the second affidavit reflected the right position of IB whose job is to only provide intelligence. The BJP and Congress traded charges over the issue in Parliament on Wednesday. The second affidavit was drafted in the chamber of D Diptivilasa, then joint secretary (home ministry) with inputs from representatives of the law ministry as well as the IB, Mani stated in his statement recorded by a CBI deputy superintendent of police. Mani said his work as an under-secretary at the ministrys internal security division 6 --that deals with counter-terrorism and IB alerts -- was supervised by two seniors, director PK Mishra (an IRS officer) and IAS officer Diptivilasa. Mani referred to a probe by the Gujarat metropolitan magistrate SP Tamang -- that found the encounter to be fake which could have led to the decision to file the second affidavit. In his statement Mani also said he do(es) not disagree that it was beyond the mandate of the then Central government to have included post-encounter details in the first affidavit about the four slain people and their alleged activities which were revealed in the Gujarat police probe. Mani said the first affidavit primarily dealt with IBs inputs prior to the encounter. Read | Gujarats history is replete with fake encounters The encounter was first probed by a special investigation team (SIT) of Gujarat police and later handed over to the CBI by the Gujarat high court. Both the agencies concluded the encounter was fake. CBI charged seven officials of the Ahmedabad crime branch in July 2013, then submitted a supplementary charge sheet in February 2014 against four then IB officers including then joint director Rajendra Kumar. The home ministry did not grant sanction to prosecute Kumar and three other officers. Countering Manis claim about a female CBI officer following him to a temple he visited every Sunday, a senior officer of the agency who was then associated with the encounter probe told HT, The CBI team had no woman officer. Read more: Ishrat Jahan controversy is nothing more than a political slugfest Former national security adviser M K Narayanan, who was at the heart of Indias security and intelligence apparatus for decades, says it is obvious the government affidavits in the Ishrat Jahan case were changed but he does not know the reasons for it. Speaking to Hindustan Times in London on Wednesday, Narayanan, 81, said there was an intelligence report based on fairly good evidence of Jahans alleged links with the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) at the time of her killing in June 2004. Narayanan, who is on a visit to London, said intelligence agencies produce many reports but it is up to the government of the day to accept them and act. Recent revelations claim the first government affidavit submitted in court mentioned Jahans links with LeT, while the second one did not. The change was reportedly made at the political level during the tenure of the UPA government. Narayanan said: It is obvious that the affidavit was changed. (Former home minister P) Chidambaram seems to have said that an intelligence report is not necessarily proof, but I dont know what went into the changing. He added: The question is whether a government is willing to accept an intelligence report or not. There was an intelligence report...It (the report on Jahan) was based on fairly sound evidence at the time. Referring to Pakistani-American LeT operative David Headleys recent revelations about Jahan, Narayanan said he had been very clever and had given details of what was already known. His purpose in referring to the Ishrat Jahan case, in addition to everything else, was to give a propaganda advantage to the Lashkar. We dont accept what he says but there was an intelligence report about Ishrat Jahan, it was based on fairly good evidence but intelligence is what government finally accepts and acts on it, he said. According to Narayanan, the Islamic State in India was more than a threat at the moment. It is a challenge, which can become very serious if ways and means are not found to deal with itThe number of latent supporters of ISIS in India is pretty large. Narayanan had previously estimated during a talk at the International Institute for Strategic Studies here in September 2014 that between 100 and 150 Indians mostly engineers had left the country to join IS. It is difficult to come up with the number of IS supporters, he said, though the organisation is making a deep dent in the minds of youngsters. The danger is that because it was appealing to the mind, most of its ardent supporters are coming from the educated classes, he said. We were all the time comfortable saying that no Indian Muslim fought in Afghanistan (or joined international terrorist organisations). There has been a transformation in that sense because they are not fighting a battle on the ground, it is a bigger issue, he said. Dealing with a threat like this goes beyond government. In the UK they are doing this deradicalisation programme. I think this is totally misplaced. This is quite different from what existed in the past. India has intrinsic strengths because it has a large percentage of Muslims who understand the world in which they are living in. It is they who will have to fight this, governments can only help them fight the internal battles. On student-related controversies in Hyderabad and Jawaharlal Nehru University, Narayanan agreed that a certain polarisation was taking place and said while political parties could be part of the polarisation, no government could be part of it. There is a feeling that there is a dark state operating that is denying Dalits their due. All over the world we know students raise slogans. What happened in 1968 in Paris? They talked about Ho Chi Minh, Che Guevara, it had nothing to do with Paris. We need to be careful that we dont overreact. Clearly some anti-national slogans were raised (in JNU) but how do you deal with it? If a child behaves in a particular fashion, you cant beat him black and blue. This is like wildfire, this is what happened during the JP movement. He literally asked the army to revolt. It was decided to crush this (JP) movement, but look what happened. So we must learn some of these lessons and the extent to which you can go, he said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A wave of protests may have rocked the Capital over sedition charges against JNU student leader Kanhaiya Kumar but thousands of miles away, the Maoist violence-hit Jharkhand has the highest number of such cases in India. The state registered 18 sedition cases in 2014. Most of them were against Maoist rebels, their front organisations and sympathisers, who have a presence in 16 of the states 24 districts. Extremist violence has killed 499 civilians and 1,689 policemen in the past 15 years. Top officials say lower-rung police officers use the 156-year-old sedition provision liberally against Maoist rebels when they attack forces, hoist black flags during national festivals, or are found carrying pamphlets against Indias unity and integrity. But many of these cases collapse and embarrass the force. IPC Section 124-A (sedition) is very loosely worded and open to varied interpretations, said Jharkhand police additional director general of police (ADGP) special branch Anurag Gupta. But do cases end up into convictions? Unfortunately no, because evidences are scanty and procedures are not followed completely, Gupta said. Several senior state police officials conceded there was a severe lack of knowledge about sedition laws among lower rung officers. In some cases, chargesheets were filed without seeking the governments permissionmandatory for framing sedition charges resulting in major embarrassment for the police in courts, said AGDP Anil Palta. The cops blatantly used sedition against most of us. The idea was to prevent us from getting bail sooner whenever we got caught or surrendered, said Yugal Pal, once a senior Maoist commander and now a social activist in Palamu. Pal said as newer laws came in place, police switched from Section 124 (A) to 17 Criminal Law Amendment Act (CLAA) and the Unlawful Assembly Prevention Act (UAPA) as these laws were tougher and required lesser intervention by the state. But state secretary of the Peoples Union for Civil Liberties Shashi Bhushan Pathak said it was easy to frame Maoists for sedition as they were locals fighting against forcible usurping of their land and minerals by corporates. Economist Harishwar Dayal, director of Institute for Human Development (IHD), eastern regional centre said until non-state players shun violence and provide alternative growth plans, they will remain enemies in the eyes of law. India of the 21st century does not require a law used by the colonial government to suppress Indias voice, said Maoist-turned-activist Satishji. Slain CPI (Maoist) politburo member Koteshwar Rao alias Kishenji had argued with HT months before his death in an encounter with forces that Maoists were the biggest patriots. If Pakistan attacks India, we would be happy to form the first line of defence against them. Unfortunately, the state considers us bigger enemies. Another Maoist spokesperson, Bablooji, had said they take 7 % levy for running their revolutionary force and carrying out development programmes in villages. The government officers take 20-30 % cut in allocating welfare schemes. Who is anti-national? he had asked. Student leader Kanhaiya Kumar was given a roaring welcome at JNU upon his release from Tihar jail on Thursday -- nearly three weeks after he was arrested on a controversial sedition charge -- and said he never asked for freedom from India, but freedom within India. Kumar, who returned to the Jawaharlal Nehru University campus amid celebrations by hundreds of students and teachers, took on the Prime Minister, saying Modiji only says mann ki baat, but doesnt listen to it. As the sprawling university campus was enveloped in darkness after street lights mysteriously went off before Kumars return, slogan-shouting students massed in the open holding flaming torches and carrying placards and posters hailing the student leader. Kanhaiya Kumar addresses JNU students after his release in New Delhi. (Sanjeev Verma/ Hindustan Times) In his speech, which was peppered with quips over his time in jail, Kumar said: We want azaadi from people who are looting the country. I come from a village. Where there are a magic shows. People show magic and sell rings that fulfill all wishes...We have some people like that in our country, who say black money will come back, sabka saath sabka vikas (development for all), Kumar said in his veiled dig at the Modi-led government. Read: Kanhaiya Kumar released from jail, says will write his story now We Indians forget too soon but this time the tamasha is too big and these jumlas wont be forgotten, he said to a loud cheer. Kanhaiya Kumar, a Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student union leader, gestures as he addresses a meet inside JNU campus in New Delhi (REUTERS) Kumar said we wouldnt comment on the case against him as the matter was in a court of law. Addressing students at the campus, the 29-year-old said he had many differences with the PM but he agreed with his tweet Satyameva Jayate, which he had posted in praise of HRD minister Smriti Iranis speech in Lok Sabha on the JNU row. The February 12 arrest of Kumar, the first president of the JNU Students Union from the CPI-affiliated AISF, was widely denounced, more so after he was beaten up in a Delhi court on two days by some lawyers. JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar addresses students after reaching the JNU campus upon his release on bail, in New Delhi. (PTI Photo) Kumar said he had no ill feelings towards anyone and wont indulge in a witch-hunt towards the ABVP. There is no animosity towards ABVP because we are democratic. We see them as our opposition, he said. Let me just say it is not easy to get admission in JNU neither it is easy to silence those in JNU, he added. He said his arrest is a planned attack on JNU. This attack is to delegitimise the UGC protests, to prevent justice to Rohith Vemula(the dalit scholar in Hyderabad who committed suicide, he said. Delhi Police kept claiming that they had irrefutable evidence that Kumar had raised anti-national slogans but failed to come up with the evidence in the court, weakening their case. On Wednesday, the Delhi High Court gave a six-month interim bail to the jailed student leader but made wide-ranging observations on issues such as nationalism and love for the country that were quickly lapped up by the establishment and denounced by legal experts as unwarranted. Judge Pratibha Rani told Kanhaiya Kumar to ensure that no anti-national activity took place in the JNU. During the course of his one hour, six minute-long speech, he also referred to Modis narration of an anecdote related to President Nikita Krushchev of erstwhile Soviet Union in the Lok Sabha. Read | DM gets thank you message after trying to interrogate Umar, Anirban When he (Modi) was speaking I wanted to tell him to talk about Hitler as well. He should speak about Mussolini as well after all his guru Golwalker (second RSS chief) had met the former... PM talks about mann ki baat but does not listen, Kumar said in his speech. If you speak against the government, their cyber cell will frame you using doctored videos and count the number of condoms in your hostel, he said. He also responded to arguments that invoke the martyrs of Indian Army in criticising the JNU students protesting against the government. I salute those soldiers dying at the borders. But what about farmers committing suicides in abject poverty? Those farmers are the fathers of majority of those soldiers. My father is a farmer, my brother is a soldier. Family members of JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar celebrate after the Delhi high court granted him bail, in Begusarai. (PTI Photo) Kumar referred to his conversations with police inside the prison and said how those personnel, majority from poor families seconded his arguments about the need for freedom for corruption and casteism. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, who also found mention in Kumars speech along with Rahul Gandhi, Sitaram Yechury and D Raja, tweeted: What a brilliant speech by Kanhaiya... What a brilliant speech by Kanhaiya... Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) March 3, 2016 #KanhaiyaKumar became the top trending topic on Twitter following the speech. Many students were seen wiping tears during Kumars address. Kumar and other students also repeatedly raised azaadi slogans, seeking freedom from casteism, patriarchy and injustice among others. Read | British Columbia students hold rally in support of JNU students Former members of the JNU unit of the ABVP, who resigned recently, were also present among the audience. We are all relaxed that Kanhaiya is back but the fight is far from over, PhD student Priyanka Das told IANS, summing up the general mood in the student community. We will maintain the solidarity till Anirban (Bhattacharya) and Umar (Khalid) are back and safe, she added, referring to the two other student activists who too are in jail on sedition charges. With inputs from agencies SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Jawaharlal Nehru University students union president Kanhaiya Kumar, whose arrest on sedition charges sparked a nationwide debate over free speech, was on Thursday released on bail for six months. I will write my own story now. I was made the victim of a media trial, Kumar told NDTV after his release. After his release, Kumar maintained that he never raised any anti-India slogans, asserting truth will prevail. Kanhaiya was released from the jail at around 6.30pm after his bail bond and release orders were properly scrutinised, additional IG (prisons) and Tihar spokesperson Mukesh Prasad said. The student leader was greeted with loud cheers by his supporters when he came out of the Tihar Jail. Celebrations also erupted on the JNU campus. I have been saying from the beginning that my son is not anti-national. He should have been acquitted of all charges, Kumars Mother said after he was released. I have complete faith in his upbringing, she said. The Delhi high court had on Wednesday approved Kumars bail on a personal bond of Rs 10,000 and asked him to cooperate in investigations into allegations that he had delivered a seditious speech during an event to commemorate the hanging of 2001 Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. The court said a university faculty member would have to become a guarantor for the PhD student who was arrested on February 12. Along with him, police had also accused two other students -- Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya -- of allegedly shouting anti-India slogans. They surrendered late last month. Khalid and Bhattacharya were remanded to 14-day judicial custody on Tuesday. The arrest of the students has reignited a debate over free speech in a country where supporters of the ruling BJP government have cast themselves as champions of patriotism and sought to stamp out dissent. Kumars arrest and subsequent events, including being assaulted by lawyers in Delhis Patiala House Court complex, sparked outrage across the nation, pitting the ruling BJP against the Opposition. Universities across India also joined in protests against his arrest. The controversy has also dredged up concerns about the colonial-era sedition law, with many demanding it to be struck down. Political rivals also made a rare, united stand against the Centre, with Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Brinda Karat sharing a stage. Earlier in the day, a city court issued Kanhaiyas release order after he furnished a bail bond. Jail officials said the papers for the release of the JNU student leader were received at around 5 pm. Some JNU teachers were waiting for him at the gate of the jail when he was released about one-and-a-half-hours later. He was escorted to the jail gate and handed over to some teachers and other persons present there, they said. With PTI inputs Bollywood actor Salman Khan was ordered to appear before a Jodhpur court on March 10 in connection with a 17 year old trial in Arms Act case against him. The chief judicial magistrate court would record statements of the accused, Salman Khan, on March 10 following which final argument would be taken up. His statements as accused had been recorded in the chief judicial magistrate court (rural) previously. Stating that he was innocent in the matter, Salman had sought permission to resummon five witnesses in the case. The five witnesses were argued again. Now, the court has again ordered Salman Khan to appear before the court next Thursday for his statement in connection with the Arms Act case against him. Salman Khan and his co-stars have been accused of hunting three chinkaras and a blackbuck while shooting for the film Hum Saath Saath Hain near Kankani on the night of October 1-2, 1998. The forest department had also filed a separate case under the Arms Act, accusing Khan of not renewing the licences of a revolver and a rifle he possessed. Also read | Salman Khan served marriage ultimatum by his parents A sword is hanging on my head, says Salman Khan on cases against him A 26-year-old woman from Manipur was allegedly kicked, punched and dragged by the hair in Mumbais busy Santacruz area but police refused to file an FIR for days, triggering media outrage. The woman was accosted by a man unknown to her around 6.30 pm on Saturday, who allegedly spat at her and started beating her up when she objected, Mid Day reported. He hit me, then kicked me in the abdomen. When I tried to resist, he molested me and tore my clothes. He began to hit me again, and I fell down. Then he grabbed my hair and dragged me by it on the street for a few metres, the woman told Mid Day. Her friends reportedly tried to help her but the assailant pushed them aside. None of the onlookers allegedly intervened or responded to her cries for help. The womans sister said they often faced a lack of compassion and discrimination for their features. Because of our Northeast facial features, people believe that we are from China or Nepal. Because of this discrimination, no one came to my sisters rescue, she told Mid Day. My sister is in trauma right now. Culprits should be punished, she told news agency ANI. After the incident, the woman went to the police station to file a complaint but was allegedly snubbed with the officer-in-charge refusing to file an FIR. The woman told Mid Day that the complaint filed made no mention of molestation, or her torn clothes. I dont understand Marathi, so I did not know what was written in the complaint copy, but assumed he had filed an FIR. I was shocked when my sisters friend told me it was only an NC. Later, I figured out that he hadnt even mentioned the entire crime in detail in the complaint, she told Mid Day. The police recorded her statement and registered an FIR in the case on Wednesday, the newspaper reported. The issue of illegal migrants aka Bangladeshis is a mischievous myth or grim reality depending on which side of the political fence one is on. It has dominated the political discourse during every assembly election in Assam since the controversial one in 1983 during the anti-foreigners agitation. Mandate 2016 is shaping up to be no different. The Bangladeshi issue this time has a non-Muslim refugee twist; the BJP wants them, not Bengali-speaking Muslims, to stay on. The BJP has patented this line though the Congress chief minister Tarun Gogoi specifically had stolen its thunder by batting for Bengali Hindu migrants during the 2011 polls. Both parties, though, have diluted their stand on Hindu migrants with BJPs state unit chief Sarbananda Sonowal insisting Assam alone would not bear the burden. Work on the National Register of Citizens, begun in 2014 with a view to distinguishing genuine Indian citizens from illegal migrants, has added a new dimension to the Bangladeshi issue. The detection of fake papers submitted in Muslim-majority districts such as Assams Barpeta has made the BJP harp on the demographic invasion theory. This election is a fight between those who protect the rights of indigenous peoples and those who are for illegal migrants, Himanta Biswa Sarma, former Congress minister and BJPs election panel head, said. Ally Bodoland Peoples Front is on the BJP side of the Bangladeshi political fence, as is the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) though it is for weighing Muslim and Hindu migrants on the same scale. On the other side of the fence are the allegedly pro-migrants Congress and All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) led by perfume baron Badruddin Ajmal. NGOs such as All Assam Students Union, which spearheaded the anti-foreigners agitation from 1979-1985, say porosity of the international border has aggravated the Bangladeshi problem. Whatever the argument, the issue led to the boycott of the 1983 assembly polls by most indigenous groups. The Congress that year won a record 91 seats four uncontested out of 105 where elections were held. There were no candidates for the remaining 21 seats. The Bangladeshi issue bred two parties, with opposing ideologies, before the 1985 polls the pro-khilonjia (indigenous) AGP and the United Minorities Front that morphed into the AIUDF in 2005 after the Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunal) Act of 1983 was scrapped. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Bodies of three Indo-Pacific humpbacked dolphins have been found at different locations along Mumbais coast in the past two days. A 10-foot-long dolphin was found on Wednesday morning at Bhuigaon beach at Vasai. Residents from the area spotted the mutilated carcass around 6.30am and informed local municipal authorities and the forest department. The dolphin had several injuries on its head, body and tail, said Mecanzy Dabre, a local. The carcass remained on the beach even in the evening since nobody took it away. On Tuesday, the body of a six-and-a-half-foot dolphin was washed ashore at Gorai beach and was seen by locals around 10am. While officials from the forest department were clueless about the incident at Vasai, they sent the carcass found at Gorai for an autopsy at the Bombay Veterinary College. Officials from the forest department said the dolphin weighed nearly 100 kg and was found stranded at the fishing area close to the beach. We reached the spot on Tuesday around 11.30am and saw no visible external injury on the carcass, Makarand Ghodke, assistant conservator of forest, state mangrove cell, said. Sources in the forest department said a third dolphin had washed ashore at Girgaum Chowpatty at 5.30pm on Wednesday. A 40-foot whale had washed ashore at Juhu beach last month and last year at least three dolphins too were found dead on various beaches in Mumbai. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Outsider thats the word rivals in Punjab use most to describe Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, certainly not as a compliment. Being an outsider, however, is one of the activist-turned-politicians positive pitches. Kehnde koi changa banda hai, Dilli ton manistar. Wekhde haan je eh hi kuch changa kar dave (Some good person he is, I am told, some minister from Delhi. Lets see if he does something good), says Bhajan Kaur at Sur Singh village in Tarn Taran, one of the bereaved mothers of drug addicts gathered to meet the AAP leader during a five-day visit that concluded on Monday. Kejriwal insists he understands Punjab better than the Akalis and Congress. Like a non-judgmental outsider, he embraces traditional ways that people seek out of habit, yet talks of good intentions overriding all else, even the near-absence of a home-grown, grassroots leadership. Candidates do not matter, dont you worry, he tells HT in an interview. The traditional paradigm sticks out in hoardings welcoming, thanking, backing Kejriwal/AAP. These have his photo and of sundry local aspirants. Unprompted during an interview in which he also claims to take Indias politics beyond religion and caste Kejriwal urges Dalits to hear and take note of Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singhs statement seeking quota for the poor among the general category. Reservation can be only 50%. This means Dalits share in quota will have to come down! The AAP leader even tries the Panthic card with religious slogans in the Sikh heartland of Punjab. He meets handpicked victims of three issues drug addiction, farm crisis, systemic corruption. Kejriwal advertises his Delhi success, but on Punjabs issues offers oversimplified promises: Will finish the drug problem in two-three months Will give exemplary punishment to the corruptWill turn the economy around in two-three years. People see hope in us, he says, denying that the AAP is banking on the negative sentiment against the Akalis, in particular, and a rotational poll equation, in general. Punjab has always led revolutions, he says, calling the AAP inquilaabi (revolutionary). On the CM candidate, he says that doesnt matter much. On finding 117 candidates, he says these questions interest the media more than the public. The ticket is a discussion at every corner among hangers-on. Young landlords in SUVs wearing the politicians uniform of kurta-pyjama and sleeveless jackets are a significant part of the caravan. Des Raj, 50, a painter from Pathankot, is concerned. These people are in every party. A lot of them are joining the AAP for the ticket. We should not succumb, he says on the sidelines of a rally in Batala. Ask Kejriwal about being a one-man show, and he says, All our candidates will be honest. Thats all the janata wants, isnt it? The panic in rival parties who protest at his every step and issue more statements against him than each other while also calling him irrelevant begets the question: Will Kejriwal ride the momentum of hope and novelty to the kind of success he tasted in Delhi last year? SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Pakistan accused India of engaging in an unhelpful blame game over the Pathankot terror attack and said cooperation and understanding were needed to take the investigation forward. During a weekly news briefing in the Pakistani capital, foreign office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said, Pakistan believes that all nations need to cooperate with each other to defeat the menace of terrorism. Pakistan condemned the (Pathankot) incident. Prime Minister called to assure cooperation. Commenting on the Indian defence minister Manohar Parrikars statement accusing Pakistan of the attack, he said, Cooperation and understanding is the need of the hour. Blame game is unfortunate and unhelpful. Parrikar on Tuesday told the Rajya Sabha that the terror attack on the air force base in Pathankot was carried out by Pakistans non-state actors who operate with the support of the Pakistani establishment. Read | India says Pakistan must act on terror before talks Zakaria said Pakistan took all necessary measures on the basis of preliminary information provided by India regarding Pathankot terrorist attack. A joint investigation team has been formed and modalities are being worked out for the visit of the team to India. To a question on the foreign secretary-level talks, the spokesperson said Pakistan and India are working on the dates for it. Read | Pathankot attack: Pakistan Joint Investigation Team to complete probe this week When asked about Pakistans reaction on the terror attack on the Indian Consulate in Jalalabad on Wednesday, Zakaria said, Our position on terrorist attacks around the world is very clear. We condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. However, I dont have the details of the incident you are referring to. On the 2008 Mumbai attack trial case, Zakaria said, The foreign secretary had written to the Indian foreign secretary regarding evidence required for the Mumbai trials. These are those pieces of evidence, which Pakistan had asked for earlier also. This issue was also discussed during the meeting between the adviser and the Indian external affairs minister on the sidelines of the Heart of Asia Conference in December 2015. Additional evidence from India is awaited, which is required to conclude the trial, he said. Also read | India, not terrorism, is biggest threat to the region: Pak tells US Prime Minister Narendra Modi lashed out at the Congress on Thursday, accusing the principal opposition party of disrupting Parliament because of an inferiority complex and jealousy. In a 70-minute speech in Lok Sabha laced with sarcasm and ridicule, Modi also targeted Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi indirectly, saying some people grow older but dont become mature. Modis attack on the opposition came a day after Gandhi launched a broadside against the PMs style of functioning and mocking the new black money policy as a fair and lovely yojana. The government and the opposition are engaged in a stand-off in Parliament and outside over a host of issues including the suicide by a Dalit scholar and the sedition row at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). The opposition accuses the BJP-led government of curbing free speech and raking up nationalism to target ideologically opposite groups. Modi, however, skipped the controversy over Rohiths suicide, Rahuls barbs against the government on its Pakistan policy and the Naga accord. Why (is) the House is not being allowed to run? Not because there is anger against the government but due to an inferiority complex, Modi said in his reply to the motion of thanks to the President. Modi mocked the main opposition party in a veiled reference to the partys leadership. There are many promising and bright leaders even in the Opposition benches. If the House runs, they too will get chances to speak in the House. If they speak, they will earn praise and then, hamara kya hoga (what will happen to us)? Modi said. Both Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi were present in the House when Modi took potshots at the Congress leadership. Read: When PM Modi invoked Rajiv, Indira, Nehru to corner Cong in Lok Sabha The PM sought the Oppositions help in passing crucial bills in Parliament but not before saying that his government has to work so much because the Congress didnt do anything to eradicate poverty for 60 years. The Prime Minister quoted speeches of three former Congress prime ministers -- Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi to highlight the alleged disruptive tactics in Parliament in an obvious bid to corner the opposition. Congress President Sonia Gandhi was heard protesting from her seat: What did you do for 10 years (when the BJP stalled Parliament proceedings)? Modi referred to a story about former USSR premier Nikita Khrushchev saying that during Joseph Stalins era nobody dared to ask questions to him. The comment was seen as his reply to Rahul Gandhis charge that nobody including ministers, bureaucrats and diplomats speaks in the government as the PM is the sole decision-maker. Watch | Modi invokes Rajiv, Indira for peace in parliament In a other indirect jibe at Rahul, the Prime Minister talked of respect to ones elders raking up Rahuls 2012 act of tearing up a Samajwadi Party manifesto into pieces and his remarks about throwing an Ordinance concerning convicted lawmakers -- approved by the Manmohan Singh cabinet - into a dustbin. The country can never forget that on September 27, 2013 Manmohan Singh was in the US and a decision taken by his cabinet was torn up in a press conference, Modi said. On Wednesday, finance minister Arun Jaitley attacked Rahul in a Facebook post titled, How much does he know when will he know. On Thursday, Modi said in his speech, Some people grow older but dont become mature. Some people take a lot of time to understand things. And there are people who never understand and so, they like to oppose things. The Prime Minister ended the speech seeking help and cooperation from the opposition, but given his barbs at the Congress, its anybody guess as to what impact his appeal would have. Read: PM Modis speech in Lok Sabha: As it happened In an obvious attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said some people appeared reluctant to learn with age. Some people learn with age but some dont, Modi said in the Lok Sabha, a day after Gandhi attacked the Prime Minister and his reluctance to take the opposition on board over various issues. Without taking Gandhis name, Modi recalled how the Congress leader had in 2013 tore before reporters a controversial ordinance of the then Congress government on convicted lawmakers. Read: PM Modi attacks Congress, doesnt speak on JNU row, Pak visit The incident occurred when then prime minister Manmohan Singh was in the US. This, Modi said, embarrassed the party. The ordinance was torn apart when the then honourable prime minister Manmohan Singh was in the US to meet (Barack) Obama. Please learn to respect elders, Modi said as Gandhi listened. MPs from the BJP and its allies thumped their desks in appreciation even as the opposition booed following Modis remark. Read: When PM Modi invoked Rajiv, Indira, Nehru to corner Cong in Lok Sabha Modi said he was being criticised because the Congress was feeling jealous with his governments achievements in less than two years -- something they didnt do in 60 years. They are worried because we are doing better. However, as his more than an hour-long speech in Hindi drew to a close, Modi made a plea for peace. Read: PM Modis speech in Lok Sabha: As it happened Lets walk shoulder-to-shoulder and do something for the country. I am new, you are experienced. Come, let us work together for the country. We indulge in verbal brawls because we fear what will be printed in the newspapers. All of us have to work together and think of increasing the accountability of the executive. Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke for over an hour in the Lok Sabha on Thursday but avoided controversial issues such as sedition charges on some Jawaharlal Nehru University students, Dalit scholar Rohith Vemulas suicide in Hyderabad, or the recent violent Jat protests in Haryana. The PM didnt even talk about his Pakistan policy that was severely criticised by the Opposition as he wrapped up the debate on the motion of thanks to the President. The PMs continued silence may provide fresh ammunition to opposition parties such as the Congress or the Left that have often accused Modi of remaining mum on key issues. Read: PM Modi attacks Congress, then reaches out to Opposition for support The Opposition had specifically demanded the PM speak up after Vemulas suicide, allegedly due to the high-handed attitude of university authorities instigated by senior BJP functionaries. On the JNU row too, the Opposition had demanded the PM speak and address the students community. The two issues rocked the Parliaments ongoing budget session, leading to sporadic disruptions in both Houses as an angry Opposition lashed out at the ruling dispensation over what they termed as an assault on democracy. Read: When PM Modi invoked Rajiv, Indira, Nehru to corner Cong in Lok Sabha The PM, however, gave an example of post-Stalin USSR when Nikita Khrushchev, the then Soviet premier, was asked by someone why he didnt protest during the Stalin-era? Khrushchev replied nobody had the liberty even to pose such questions when Joseph Stalin was in power. The PM might have tried to underline the oft-debated issue of intolerance through this story but the Opposition might use the same example to turn the tables on the BJP, to demonstrate how the NDA is stifling students voices. Read: PM Modis speech in Lok Sabha: As it happened The petition on Change.org seeking the removal of American scholar Sheldon Pollock as the editor of Murty Classical Library might have received more than 12,000 signatures, but support for the globally renowned Sanskrit and philology expert is also building in the academic world. Intellectuals accused the petitioners of quoting Prof Pollock selectively and out of context, with some like Ramchandra Guha calling it frivolous and motivated, and Kancha Ilaiah terming it brahminical and un-intellectual. The Murty Library project, the brainchild of Rohan Murthy, son of Infosys founder Narayana Murthy, aims to translate the greatest literary works of India into English. The Change.org petition, signed by 132 Indian academics, most of whom hail from various Brahmin sub-castes, says that Pollock lacks respect and empathy for the greatest of Indian civilizations. This is the same mentality that leads people to call for bans on books. If these Right Wing scholars are interested in promoting their version of Indian culture, they are welcome to start their own projects. Why dont they approach the HRD ministry or other like-minded philanthropists for sponsorship? challenged Guha. Biocon chief Kiran Mazumdar Shaw too put her weight behind Pollock and tweeted, Ridiculous demand from those not paying the bills! (for the Murty Library project). Started on February 26 by K Ramasubramanian from the humanities faculty of IIT-Mumbai, the petition states that Pollock echoes the views of (Thomas) Macaulay and Max Weber that the shastras generated in India serve no cotemporary purpose except for the study of how Indians express themselves. The quotation is paraphrased from a 2012 lecture that Prof. Pollock gave at the South Asia Institute in Heidelberg, titled, What is South Asian Knowledge good for? The petition also accuses Pollock of disrespecting the unity and integrity of India for criticizing the policies and actions of the Narendra Modi-led Indian government. Claiming that anti-India slogans were raised at JNU, the petition says that Pollock supported separatist groups who are calling for the independence of Kashmir, and Indias breakup. Dalit historian Kancha Ilaiah, noted for his critical view of the Hindu caste system, countered the charge, saying, It is not correct to link Prof. Pollocks professional competence and scholarship to the stand taken by him on the JNU issue. The Murty project is basically a translation exercise which relies on accuracy and not interpretation of the texts. What do Pollocks political views have to do with his knowledge of Indian languages, particularly Sanskrit? Stating that many top US academics continue to oppose that countrys international policies, Illiah added, That does not in any way diminish the stature of these intellectuals. In fact, it further embellishes their stature and conscience keepers of society. International experts also came to Pollocks defense, with noted Canada-based Indologist Dominic Wujastyk saying that Ramasubramanian misquoted Pollock who, in fact, is a critic of colonial historiographers such as Thomas Macaulay and Max Weber. Quoting from sections of the same 2012 lecture that Ramasubramanian did, albeit with some omissions in his petition, Wujastyk said, Prof. Pollocks central argument is that the special, unique knowledge systems developed in India, mainly recorded in Sanskrit, are of great value, and that this fact is not recognised by universities and foundations who, like Macaulay and Weber, think that Indian knowledge systems have been superseded by Western ones. It is regrettable that Prof. Ramasubramanian has misunderstood Prof. Pollocks views by 180 degrees. Prof. Pollock is a champion for the same values of Indian culture as Ramasubramanian. That is why Prof. Pollock devised and brought into being the Murty Classical Library, he said. A key handicap for the Congress in the 2014 Lok Sabha election was the image of Rahul Gandhi, particularly when contrasted with the BJP candidate, Narendra Modi. Read more: Cong ropes in Prashant Kishor, man who managed wins for Modi, Nitish The latter came across as a confident leader, a performer, an articulate and powerful orator, a man who had a plan for the nation and meant business. Gandhi came across as inexperienced and disinterested, less than coherent (remember the disastrous Times Now television interview?), and a man who was where he was only because of the circumstances of his birth but had little to offer to the citizens beyond platitudes. The contest was presidential, and Gandhi as the de-facto candidate of the Congress paled in comparison. The Pappu image stuck. Read more: Strategist Prashant Kishor meets Rahul to craft Congs UP strategy Among those responsible for projecting the contest as a binary between Modi and Gandhi, and projecting Gandhi as weak, was Modis then strategist, Prashant Kishor. It is thus a supreme irony that Kishor today has the opposite task of re-projecting Gandhi as a capable leader who can lead a Congress revival. After his mysterious sabbatical last year, there were glimmers of change in the Rahul Gandhi that India witnessed. His suit-boot ki sarkar jibe at the Modi government hit where it hurt the most, and the government became deeply worried about being seen as pro-rich. This had such a deep impact that even the strongly pro-rural thrust in the recent budget is being attributed to the comment and the effort by the government to transform its image. Gandhi also gave a clear political signal that his party would oppose the amendments to the Land Acquisition Act his mother, Sonia, led the march in central Delhi against it; and his party colleagues built up the intellectual argument against the changes and broadened the political alliance. The Congress succeeded in forcing the government to roll back. Gandhi took a strong stand in favour of a Nitish Kumar-led government, which sent a signal to Lalu Prasad when he was negotiating hard in the run-up to the alliance in Bihar. In the past few months, Gandhi has stepped up his engagement with young people in universities. He visited Hyderabad immediately after Rohith Vemulas suicide. And he visited Jawaharlal Nehru University a few days after the arrest of Kanhaiya Kumar to express solidarity with the struggle of the students against the crackdown and charges of sedition. There were many in the party not comfortable with it NSUI, the student outfit, felt, given that Kanhaiya was a Left student leader, the party had little to gain from making him a hero. Others felt the BJPs attempt to project Rahul Gandhi as supporting anti-nationals may work in the Hindi heartland and so he should have been more cautious. But Gandhis support for the JNU students stayed firm. And on Wednesday, in his parliamentary speech, Gandhi spoke about the national flag not as a piece of cloth but of relationships and conversations, introducing a new idea of nationalism in the current debate. Two caveats are essential here. Gandhi has made interventions in the past too, on issues ranging from Dalit welfare to tribal rights. The problem has been this is more is the nature of guest appearances. His interest appears sporadic; he does not seem to have the political stamina to invest deeply in an issue, understand it in all dimensions, and stay with it. Whether this fundamental element of his personality has changed or not is yet to be seen. The other problem is his communication. Clear, structured communication is a sign of clear, structured thinking. Gandhis speeches have often been unfocused. He may pick the right themes welfare of the poorest, communal harmony, free speech, need for consultative decision-making at the centre but his ability to remain focused on the message is still uncertain. This reflects scattered and shallow thinking. It is too early to judge Prashant Kishors impact on Gandhis politics. He has only this week come on board to help Congress win future state elections, and rebrand the Congress leader. Sources, however, suggest he had been having informal conversations with Gandhi for a few months now, and has been passing on inputs. For Kishor, the key challenge is in ensuring that Gandhi picks the right political themes and stays with it and that he has a more coherent communication strategy. Disappearing act cannot continue. Sporadic interventions, with no follow up, cannot be a substitute for sustained political engagement. A speech, riddled with abstractions and digressions, cannot hold the attention of an impatient and aware citizenry, and only reduces a speaker to an object of mockery. Engaging in the cut and thrust of public debates through media engagements or social media cannot be avoided any longer. There are changes but these remain inadequate whether the Rahul Gandhi of 2019 can be a radical departure from Rahul Gandhi of 2014 is the big question? Kishor has his task cut out. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday to withdraw a proposal to tax retirement savings, calling the move patently unfair. The government has proposed to tax a portion of the EmployeesProvident Fund (EPF), drawing widespread protests, primarily from the salaried class. Indians do not enjoy social security and for many their forced savings are the only guarantee to a comfortable retired life. People work all their lives. The EPF is their only safety net, Gandhi told reporters. I request the prime minister to roll back the tax on EPF. This is the first time the opposition Congress has spoken out on the tax, which could prove to be a political hot potato for the government. The Supreme Court retained custody of a 16-year-old boy with a Hindu man after the teenagers biological mother moved the court seeking his custody. The child, belonging to a Muslim family, was taken in by Aiku Lal in Lucknow after he was found abandoned. Having been taken in, cared for and educated by Lal, the boy will remain with his adoptive father until he turns 18, upon which he can decide where he wishes to live, the court ruled. A bench headed by Justice JS Kehar disposed of the custody petition filed by the boys mother, but said the teenager could spend the summer vacations with his biological family. Shahnaz Begum had moved the apex court after the Allahabad high court declined to give her the childs custody. Begum said her son Akbar had gone missing in 2004. Three years later, she and her late husband found out he was living with Lal in Lucknow. The Allahabad court had also rejected the petition on the same grounds as the Supreme Court, that Aiku Lal had taken care of Akbar ever since he found him. Lal apparently remained unmarried due to his commitment to boy. During a hearing in the apex court, Akbar said he wished his mother and Aiku Lal resided together so he could live in their joint custody. However, the court rejected his suggestion, which was also turned down by his mother. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Shilpi Tiwari, the former aide of Union minister Smriti Irani, is the latest BJP associate to be at the receiving end of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) controversy. A supporter of the national party, Tiwari is being accused of promoting a fake video of the events at the JNU campus that sparked a raging battle between the ruling NDA and Opposition, and led to the arrest of JNU student body leader Kanhaiya Kumar among others. A forensic report concluded that at least two out of the seven widely circulated videos from that evening, based on which Delhi Police charged Kumar of sedition, were doctored. Read more: HRD ministry under fire for job offer to Irani aide Usually very active on Twitter, campaigning against the Congress and promoting the BJP, Tiwari has been radio silent since the row escalated in the Parliament. Her last tweet on February 27 read: Somewhere else for a few days. Enjoy. On the same day, she also retweeted a post that said: WATCH : marxist student from JNU. First diverts & then slyly acepts that abusive pamphlet for durga was distributed https://t.co/L18zBpEyic news : Smriti Irani (@SmritiIraniNews) February 27, 2016 With 80,936 followers on the micro-blogging site, Tiwari is probably one of BJPs stronger batters in the social media field. She even has Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah among her followers. However, since the brickbats began streaming in, Tiwari has maintained a low profile. The last time she was in the news was when Irani allegedly tried to accommodate her in the human resource development ministry by overlooking a few norms. Tiwari was Iranis campaign manager in Amethi in the 2014 elections, and is considered to be a close associate of the minister. According to an internal meeting note of the ministry, Iranis office wanted Tiwari to be appointed as a consultant with a monthly fee of Rs 35,000 to work on website, social media and other communication related activities including but not limited to design and content development of the MHRD (Ministry of human resource development) in March 2015. The note approved relaxation in qualifications of Ms Shilpi Tiwari for the appointment. The position requires a post graduate in MTech but, Tiwari was just an undergraduate in Architecture from the School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi. Tiwari finally did not take the offer. But she would be seen mostly in the rooms of top officers. She avoided talking to the media persons, said an officer who worked in the ministry when Tiwaris name was under consideration for the consultants post. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The biggest birthday gift that DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi gave to his younger son, MK Stalin, was quashing speculation over his older brothers return, thus clearing his path to take over as party chief someday. He (MK Alagiri) is no longer in the party was the party supremos terse message to DMK rank and file, minutes after his older son criticised the DMK-Congress poll tie-up. The final nail in the coffin came a year after Alagiri was removed from the DMK for anti-party activities, and was much to the disappointment of workers who were confident of his re-admission and even put up posters in Madurai a couple of months back. It was Alagiris outburst against the DMKs alliance with the Congress that enraged Karunanidhi, and destroyed any chance of the latter softening his stance against his elder son who was trying hard to get back into his fathers good books. For Stalin, who spent his 64th birthday on Tuesday at an undisclosed location away from Chennai with his immediate family, there is no longer any opposition from within the family. His elder brother had refused to accept him as a leader, but is now out of the picture, while his half-sister Kanimozhi is safely ensconced as the partys face in New Delhi and as a Rajya Sabha member. Nonetheless, to be anointed as the leader of the DMK and its chief ministerial candidate, Stalin will have to wait until his father decides to either step aside or retire from active politics. Kalaignar (as Karunanidhi is fondly called) has not given any hint towards such an eventuality, said a senior DMK leader on condition of anonymity. Stalin has reconciled to this and repeatedly announced during his recently concluded mass contact programme Nammaku Naame that there were winds of change blowing in Tamil Nadu and the DMK was going to form the next government under the leadership of Kalaignar. Another birthday gift from the father to his son was wholesome praise for the success of Nammaku Naame, during which Stalin toured all the districts of the state and interacted with the people, gauging their mood and egging them on to throw out the present non-government that had left the state in a mess. Stalins strong message on his birthday, that he was not celebrating because many people had lost everything and suffered during the December floods, was in stark contrast to the display of sycophancy of Ammas followers and huge government participation by way of taking up social and welfare projects. DMK members gift gold chains and baby-sets in a hospital on MK Stalins 64th birthday, in Coimbatore. (PTI Photo) Almost all newspapers were plastered with full-page advertisements and the city bathed in Amma posters, buntings and giant cutouts. In comparison, Stalins posters were smaller, fewer in number and the advertisements in papers too few and far in between. Party workers, however, did organise some food-distribution programmes and blood donation camps, and distributed clothes to the poor to mark the birth anniversary of Thalapathy (commander), as Stalins well-wishers and followers fondly call him. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Delhi Police has said there is sufficient evidence against TERI executive vice-chairman R K Pachauri that he sexually harassed, stalked and threatened his former woman colleague. In the charge sheet filed before a Delhi court, the police said that the probe in the case was complete and the accused may be called through notice and put on trial for his criminal act. The charge sheet was filed on Tuesday, a year after the 29-year-old former research analyst of TERI lodged the complaint against Pachauri. In a copy of the charge sheet accessed on Thursday, the police said Investigation of the case has been completed in all aspects. There is sufficient evidence against accused person as he had committed offences under sections 354 of IPC by outraging her modesty, 354A by making physical contact, unwelcome and sexually coloured remarks, 354D as he followed her through emails and text messages... ...Under section 506 by threatening her of dire consequences regarding her job if she does not fulfil his wishes even after she had rebuked him not to indulge in such activities of stalking and 509 by teasing and using vulgar gesture and actions, the charge sheet filed before metropolitan magistrate Shivani Chauhan said. Therefore, on the basis of statements and evidences on record there are sufficient evidence against the accused under sections 354, 354A, 354D, 506, 509 of IPC. Hence he may be called through notice, witnesses may be summoned and the accused person be trailed for his criminal act as per procedure of law, the charge sheet, running into over 1400 page along with the annexures, said. Pachauri has denied all the allegations against him. The police, which has annexed in the charge sheet the emails and text messages exchanged between the accused and the complainant, also relied upon their call detail records. During the course of probe call detail records of complainant and the accused between February 1 and 20, 2015 were obtained ...On analysing the CDRs, it is revealed that accused person was in constant touch with the complainant and had made several calls and SMSes during late night hours.. The scrutiny of documents from TERI revealed that the accused held 27 journeys with the complainant at different destinations with effect from October 2013 till September 2014, it said. The police, however, said that the forensic report of the electronic devices, including mobile phones, hard disks and laoptops, which have been sent to forensic lab in Gandhi Nagar in Gujarat, are awaited despite several reminders, adding that whenever the result is received and if any further evidence came on record the same will be filed in the court through supplementary charge sheet. A Tibetan teenager is in a critical condition in a Delhi hospital after he set himself on fire to protest against the Chinese rule of Tibet. Dorje Tsering, 16, who self-immolated in Dehradun on Monday, had told his parents he hoped to do something for the cause of Tibet, a Tibetan source was quoted as saying by the US government-funded Radio Free Asia. He set himself ablaze near a housing complex for elderly Tibetans in Dehradun Lobsang Tsultrim, a staff member of the housing complex, said, He was severely injured in the fire, and was quickly moved to the Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi. The boy was admitted to the Safdarjung Hospitals burns intensive care unit and doctors described his condition as extremely critical on Thursday. He has 95% burns and is under intensive care. We are keeping our fingers crossed but such cases are at a high risk of contracting infection, which is our biggest challenge, said a doctor in the department, requesting not to be named as he was not authorised to speak to the media. Tsering had hinted at his protest and asked his parents if they would be happy if he was able to do something for Tibet. (On Monday), he did exactly what he said he would do, Tsultrim said. In a video shot at his hospital bed, Tsering is seen saying: I did discuss my intentions with my parents, who told me they would kill themselves if I did this. I have had a strong determination to do something for Tibet since my childhoodI thought that there was nothing else I could do other than self-immolation, because if there is self-immolation, people get shocked, thinking that he set himself on fire for his country, he said, speaking through an oxygen mask. He added, I want His Holiness the Dalai Lama to live long and for Tibet to achieve its independence. Hillary Clinton holds a picture of the 16 year old Tibetan boy who set himself on fire yesterday in India. pic.twitter.com/FkPdbyvNpF Ralph Litzinger (@BeijingNomad) March 1, 2016 Tserings protest coincided with the death of a Tibetan Buddhist monk who set himself on fire near Retsokha monastery in western Sichuan provinces Tibetan autonomous prefecture of Kardze on Monday. Kalsang Wangdu self-immolated on Monday afternoon. He called out for Tibetan independence while he burned and died on the way to a hospital in the provincial capital of Chengdu, Radio Free Asia reported. In a statement issued on Tuesday, London-based Free Tibet director Eleanor Byrne-Rosengren said Tserings protest was a sign of how deep and sustained opposition to Chinese rule remains (even) among Tibetans outside Tibet. Whether inside or outside the country, young Tibetans feel the sense of injustice and are driven to act because of it, she said. Tibetan exile sources say at least 114 monks and laypeople have self-immolated over the past five years, with most of them dying. Radio Free Asia put the number of self-immolations at 144 since 2009. The protests are seen as an extreme expression of the anger and frustration felt by Tibetans living under Chinese rule. Many protesters also call for the return of the exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, who fled to India in 1959. (With inputs from agencies) Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said that he would not voice his opinion on the release of all seven convicts in former prime minister Rajiv Gandhis assassination case as a son. It is up to the government to decide, I wont give my personal opinion, Gandhi said in a statement. The Tamil Nadu Government has sought the opinion of the ministry of home affairs on releasing all convicts in the case. Tamil Nadu chief secretary K. Gnanadesikan in a letter to Union home secretary Rajiv Mehrishi said while the state has already decided to release the seven convicts, it is necessary to seek the Centres opinion under Section 435 of the Criminal Procedure Code, as they have been in prison for over 24 years. Under the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code, the state governments have to consult the Centre before releasing life convicts who were tried by the CBI. The J Jayalalithaa-led government had earlier sent a similar note in February 2014 to the then UPA government after the Supreme Court commuted the death sentence of three convicts - Murugan, Santhan and Perarivalan - citing inordinate delay by the executive in deciding their mercy plea. The Uttarakhand government has withdrawn some of the perks to former chief ministers barring ND Tiwari who headed the state between 2002 and 2007, according to an affidavit filed in court. The Uttarakhand high court is hearing a petition challenging the facilities provided to former chief ministers on the ground that they were an unnecessary burden on the states exchequer. Uttarakhand has seen eight chief ministers since the state was carved out of Uttar Pradesh in 2000. Before Tiwari became the first elected chief minister in 2002, the state was headed by Nityanand Swami and Bhagat Singh Koshyari, both of whom were in charge for brief periods. Swami passed away in 2012. Tiwari was succeeded by BC Khanduri (twice), Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, Vijay Bahuguna and Harish Rawat, who took charge of the Congress government in 2014. The government provided Rs 85,000 per month for expenses on personal staff, Rs 10,000 for sweeper and telephone attendant and unlimited fuel for both petrol and diesel vehicles. Last year, the Cabinet decided to do away with these perks to four ex-CMs though they are still entitled to a house and Y-category security. In its affidavit filed on January 5, the state government informed the court that it has withdrawn certain facilities such as vehicle and staff to four former chief ministers but exempted Tiwari. HT has a copy of the document. Considering various positions held by ND Tiwari, as an exception, (he) has been provided two vehicles with drivers, one personal assistant and two class four employees, the affidavit says. Congress leader Tiwari, 90, is considered a father figure in state politics and commands respect among party leaders and workers. In 2014, the veteran leader ended a long-running court case after a DNA test confirmed that he was the biological father of 35-year-old Rohit Sekhar. Tiwari married Sekhars mother Ujjwala Sharma after denying any relationship with her for nearly 40 years. A Dehradun-based NGO the Rural Litigation for Entitlement Kendra (RLEK) which filed the public interest litigation (PIL) in 2013 had sought to know under which rules the facilities such as official residence, security and personal assistants are provided to former CMs. The government said the former CMs were asked to respond whether they hold other residences than the one provided by the state. Only two -- Koshyari and Bahuguna -- replied. Koshyari said he owns an ancestral house in his village while Bahuguna informed he owns a joint property in Delhi, where his son stays with his family. Why is there any need to give palatial bungalows to former CMs in Dehradun. Late Swami had set an example. He owned a home in the capital and never availed government accommodation, which other ex-CMs are doing, said Avdhash Kaushal, chairman of RLEK. Our counsel will challenge the reply filed by the government. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the Opposition on Thursday to let Parliament function peacefully and responsibly, invoking Congress stalwarts Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. The House is a place where debates are to take place. When Parliament sessions are not functional, the nation suffers, Modi said in Lok Sabha. The Congress had mounted pressure on the government in monsoon and winter sessions over issues such as political and religious intolerance, dealing a blow to key reform measures, including the Goods and Services Tax (GST) bill. The crucial budget session that began on February 23 also saw uproar over Dalit scholar Rohith Vemulas suicide and a controversy over anti-India slogans being allegedly shouted at Delhis Jawaharlal Nehru University. Read | PM Modis speech in Lok Sabha: As it happened Invoking Rajiv Gandhi Parliament is a forum where different viewpoints are put forward, where questions are being asked to the government, where government is made accountable and nobody is spared, and one shouldnt expect otherwise, Modi said, replying to the discussion on the motion of thanks to President Pranab Mukherjees address to Parliament. And in doing so, it would be great if we uphold parliamentary traditions to let Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha function peacefully and responsibly, he said. It is not me saying this... These are the words of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, Modi said. Watch | Modi invokes Rajiv, Indira for peace in parliament Invoking Indira Gandhi In 1974 Indira Gandhiji said that we shouldnt portray our nation as weak, Modi said. The Congress accuses the NDA government of being a suit-boot ki sarkar (read elitist) and ignoring the welfare of the poor. No one will deny that if Congress would have helped the poor in 60 years, the poor wouldnt still be facing trouble, Modi said. Invoking Jawaharlal Nehru Modi also referred to Indias first prime minister Nehru and his speeches in Parliament, urging the Opposition to help the government pass crucial legislations, including the GST bill. If House maintains decorum, we will be able to put our point of view in a better manner, Modi said. Somnath Chaterjee was there too Modi also referred to Left leader Somnath Chatterjee, who was the Lok Sabha speaker during the first UPA government from 2004 to 2009. As far as disruptions are concerned, our former speaker and some members here whose guide and philosopher Somnath Chatterjee said that to disrupt is totally counter-productive. With inputs from Agencies Aligarh Muslim Universitys vice chancellor lieutenant general (retired) Zameeruddin Shah, who has recently received a letter from a BJP MP not to allow anti-nationals to speak at university events, on Thursday said that AMU would not curb freedom of expression, come what may. There are elements on the campus that are anti-BJP; they perceive BJP hostile for various reasons, like demolition of Babri Masjid. Criticising this government doesnt mean they are taken as anti-national, he said. University has a history where different forums have criticised almost all the political parties; we will not curb or curtail freedom of expression, he told Hindustan Times. BJP MP Subhash Gautam had written to the VC on February 24, asking him not allow anti-government and anti-national programmes on the campus. Prior to it, BJPs mayor Shakuntala Bharti had stirred a controversy that beef (cow meat) was being served in one of universitys canteens.The canteen attached to AMUs Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College is closed since February 20the day Bharti claimed beef was served there. The university, to avoid confusion, has decided to mention buffalo meat as buff on the menu cards instead of beef. The mayor clearly wanted to create communal tension; she should know Sir Syed Ahmed Khan had banned beef (cow meat) 100 years ago. He did so because he didnt want to hurt the sentiments of the majority, said Shah while insisting that only buffalo meat was being served at the AMU. We all need to observe norms of behaviour that dont hurt anyone, this is important for us to survive together as we have over hundreds of years, Shah insisted. Another charge often levelled against AMU, he said, was that it was responsible for creation of Pakistan. In 1940-47 bulk of AMU students were from North-West Frontier Province (NWFP), East Bengal, West Punjab and pro-Pak sentiment was obvious then, he said asking why people interested in this aspect didnt speak about my family that decided to stay on and still had strong faith in the country of our birth. The university is also preparing to defend the minority status of AMU in the Supreme Court. There is a simmering discontentment in universities that their autonomy is being attacked, he said. In our case, the U-turn of attorney general on minority status of AMU is worrying. People and students are deeply attached to this status, they dont want it to be changed; any change can have serious consequences, he said . He said it pained him when he saw contribution of the Muslims in building this institution never being acknowledged . Muslims collected Rs 30 lakh in 1920 or Rs 100 lakh crore in present value for this university. Courts have maintained that minority status couldnt be given because the university was established by an act of British legislature. It is fundamentally flawed; it was necessary then to get the degrees recognized. Take for example a scenario where a grandson of a freedom fighter comes and asks us for pension. Will we tell him he cannot be given pension because freedom was given to us through India Independence Act, 1947 that the Britishers passed? The university, he said, had done enough historical research and a legal team was in place to face the court. We have full faith in the Supreme Court, insisted Shah. A ten-year-old boy, who was kidnapped from Kalyan on Wednesday afternoon, was killed, even before his father and garment dealer paid the Rs15 lakh ransom. His body was found in a river at Murbad on Thursday morning. The police have arrested the three accused Rajendra More, 24, Vijay Dubey, 19, and Dashrath Kuswaah, 22. A friend of Nayan Jain, a Class 5 student of Sacred Heart School in Kalyan (West), got off the school bus along with him near his residence at Gajanan Tower, Gandhi Chowk. While Nayan was heading home, two bike-borne men told him his father wanted to meet him and took him along on their bike. Nayans friend told his mother, who had reached the building gate by then, that Nayan had gone with the duo on the bike. People gather outside Nayan Jains house at Gandhi Chowk in Kalyan on Thursday. (Rishikesh Chaudhary) Santosh Jain, Nayans father, got a call from an unknown number in the evening, demanding Rs15 lakh as ransom. Jain got in touch with the police, who then formed 150 teams to trace Nayan. On Wednesday night, Jain again received a call from the kidnapper, who asked him to throw the bag containing the money between Ambivli and Titwala railway station. We had kept our teams ready at the spot where Jain was to drop the bag full of money. Jain threw the bag from a local train around 8.30am. We saw two people heading towards it and caught them. One of them, More, worked for Jain eight years ago. They also gave us leads on their accomplice, who was arrested from Gandhi Chowk in Kalyan, said Sanjay Jadhav, deputy commissioner of police, zone 3, Kalyan. The trio told the police Nayans body was thrown in the river on Wednesday night. The accused first took Nayan to Wangni, where he was given sleeping pills. The accused were scared that they would get caught and so planned to kill the boy for their safety, said Jadhav. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The state government on Thursday assured the Nagpur bench of the Bombay high court that 40 tenders of the Gosikhurd irrigation project in Vidarbha the biggest dam in the country under its scanner would be investigated within six months. The undertaking filed by the anti-corruption bureau (ACB) also listed the 36 tenders investigation in the remaining four remaining tenders has been completed -- that would be probed along with the name of contractors the projects had been awarded to. The undertaking said that another first information report (FIR) in the multi-crore scam would be filed in the coming week. Each of these 40 tenders is worth more than Rs25 crore. The court has also asked the state to set up a committee to check the quality of the dams constructed and its financial implications, following a plea from the petitioner, Jan Manch, an organization that has been instrumental in uncovering the Vidarbha irrigation scam. The court asked the state to consider former irrigation engineer and whistle-blower Vijay Pandhare to lead the probe. If the ACB fast-tracks the investigation, several politically influential irrigation contractors, including the firms associated with BJP Rajya Sabha MP Ajay Sancheti and party MLC Mitesh Bhangadia and the D Thakkar group that have a big slice of the Vidarbha irrigation pie, will come under the scanner. The three tenders for which the investigation has been completed include the right bank canal project awarded to SMS Infrastructure, associated with Sancheti; left bank canal project awarded to M/s Bhangadia and co and the Mokhabardi canal project associated with D Thakkar Construction Private Limited. Bhangadias son Kiritkumar is also a BJP legislator, who got elected in the 2014 Assembly polls. These contractors won a big chunk of tenders that were awarded between 2006-07 and 2009-10 under the Congress-NCP government, which was in the dock over the alleged irregularities in the irrigation contracts. In some of the projects, Sanchetis firms had entered into a joint venture with the Thakkar group of firms, S/N Thakkar and D Thakkar Construction Private Limited. This is a big push in the right direction. The ACB, in an undertaking, told the court 18 teams of two police officers are currently probing these tenders. We had specifically asked for the probe into the quality of the work done because our review of the projects revealed that most of the work canals, lining of dams, dam construction has been very poor. In many cases, the contractors have been paid the entire amount, but the work is incomplete and shoddy, said petitioner Anil Kilore of Jan Manch. He added that if someone like Pandhare heads the committee, the truth and the entire scope of the dam scam will come to light. Jan Manch had undertaken a fresh drive last year to look into nearly 16 irrigation projects in Vidarbha. This month, the ACB had filed its first FIR in the Vidarbha scam in the Ghodzari canal project, part of the Gosikhurd project, against five partners of the controversial FA Construction and two officials of the irrigation department. The influential Khatri family that owns FA Constructions is already facing an FIR in Konkans Balganga project. This was the first FIR filed over a year after chief minister Devendra Fadnavis cleared an open inquiry against former water resources ministers Ajit Pawar and Sunil Tatkare in the scam. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Punjab and Haryana high court on Thursday issued notice to the Punjab government and four special investigation team (SIT) members on a petition accusing the investigation agency of deliberately delaying filing of challan in the infamous Abohar Dalit murder case. The court has directed officials concerned to file a report on the status of investigation by March 8. The petitioners ---parents of Dalit man Bheem Tank, who was brutally murdered in December last year, and Gurjant Singh, who was injured in the attack--- told court that they apprehend unfair probe in the case. They accused SIT members --- Ferozepur deputy inspector general of police AS Chahal, Fazilka senior superintendent of police Inder Mohan Bhatti, Bathinda SP (headquarters) Nanak Singh and Abohar SP Harjit Singh --- of intentionally delaying filing of challan in the case thereby benefiting the main accused and Akali leader Shiv Lal Doda. In case the investigating agency fails to file challan within 90 days from the date of arrest, the accused would be entitled for bail. The 90-day period for other three accused, Radhey Sham, Gulab and Harpreet alias Harry, would end on March 14. The petitioners have accused police of trying to shield Doda. Notably, a petition filed by Bheems parents and Gurjants brother for transfer of the case to the CBI is also pending before the court. The petitioners said police had initially not even named Doda and his nephew Amit as accused in the FIR. It was only after protests that their names were included. Giving a relief to those whose residential and commercial properties were damaged during the recent Jat agitation in the state, the Haryana cabinet on Thursday decided to waive off the house tax and water tariff on such properties for one year. Interacting with newspersons here after the cabinet meeting, parliamentary affairs minister Ram Bilas Sharma said Khattar had already waived electricity dues for the current and next billing cycles of all those consumers whose houses or commercial properties were damaged or looted during the recent agitation from February 15 to 22. Also, the state government has decided in principle to give relief in VAT to those traders and businessmen who suffered losses during the recent agitation. Asked about the draft of the bill on Jat reservation to be presented in the Vidhan Sabha, he said a five-member committee had been constituted, under the chairmanship of the Union parliamentary affairs minister Venkaiah Naidu, to examine the issue. The city just got even more attractive for residents of Dera Bassi, Baddi, Kurali and Banur, among others, with the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) changing the eligibility for applying for a flat at its new project in Sector 51. The CHB has decided that people residing within a radius of 25km from the boundary of Chandigarh can apply for a flat under its new project. The previous stipulation was that only residents within the radius of 8km could apply. The project will be launched on April 1 and 128 two-bedroom flats would be allotted through draw of lots in Sector 51. Each flat would cost Rs 69 lakh. The brochure for the project is ready. The flat will comprise a dining room, two bedrooms, balconies, kitchen, store, dress space and two toilets. The allotment will be through draw of lots. We are hoping to start construction in May and will try to complete the project two years, said CHB chairman Maninder Singh. The CHB had launched the last scheme in 2008 in Sector 23 where 2,100 flats were constructed. CHB TO AUCTION PRIDEASIA SITE TO LICENSED BUILDERS Fifteen months after the controversial high-end residential project Prideasia at the Rajiv Gandhi Chandigarh Technology Park was finally abandoned, the CBH has decided to auction a chunk of land at the site by April-end. We will auction 123 acres in 10 acre blocks to 12 different developers for developing housing societies. The auction would be held in phases depending on the market conditions. We are working out the modalities and dates of auction will be announced shortly, the chairman said. Besides housing, some space has also been earmarked for commercial activities such as shopping malls. Delhi-based private developer Parsvnath Private Limited had surrendered 123 acres of prime land to the CHB in lieu of ` 567.25 crore in February 2015. The project was later abandoned. In what could be called as good news for many who had completed their graduation and post graduation from Panjab University (PU) before 2006 but could not get their degrees for some reasons, the PU is all set to digitise all the examination-related documents. The five-member committee constituted to look into the digitisation process of the varsity documents opened the commercial bait - bidders were asked to offer the rates to work on the project - during a meeting on Wednesday. PU registrar Colonel GS Chadha (retd) who chaired the meeting said the digitisation is being done keeping in view the convenience of many people who do not have an access to the old PU records. The varsity has already zero in on a Bangalore-based company to seek help in digitising the records. Meanwhile, the process of digitising a total of 8,000 PhD thesis of the varsity students has already been started, and to date, over 3,600 thesis have been put online. One of the committee members, Parvinder Singh, said, At first, we will digitise all the syndicate proceedings and PhD thesis. Following that, all the records and documents of the examination branch will be digitised; the documents as old as 69 years will also be digitised. We have some rare manuscripts of 1927 and some documents of Lahore University, Pakistan. All of them will now be digitised. On a pilot project basis, all the hard copies will be converted into the soft copies. He added, Many software companies were in talks with us to provide these services through the cloud technology but we wanted an in-house server so that the public could have an easy access. To begin with, ` 50 lakh will be spent on the project, and it will be increased as per the requirement. Meanwhile, Colonel Chadha (retd) said the aim of the project is to reserve the PU heritage by digitising over 69-year-old documents, which are stored in the examination branch and are in poor state. Examination related documents will be digitised department-wise, while students records will be maintained alphabetically, added Col Chandha. The members said while the digitisation of PhD thesis will be completed in two months, the remaining documents and syndicate meetings will be put online in the next six months. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Reluctant to reveal its mounting financial liabilities, the cash-strapped Punjab government on Wednesday admitted before the Punjab and Haryana high court that at least Rs 1,800-crore bills of five key departments were pending for clearance. The state government submitted the details of the amount due during a hearing in the high court. The HC had initiated suo motu proceedings seeking details of the budgetary provision and source of funding of Mukh Mantri Tirath Darshan Yatra scheme considering the fact that the state is failing to make even routine payments. In February 23 order, justice Rajesh Bindal had specifically directed chief secretary to file an affidavit stating how much amount was due to be paid by different departments such as education; local bodies, public works, sales tax and irrigation, irrespective of the fact whether cases had been sent to finance department or not for clearing the bills. In his 14-page affidavit, chief secretary Sarvesh Kaushal submitted that Rs 1,434 crore liability pertained to the bills of five departments---school and higher education, local bodies, public works, sales tax and irrigation---which were yet to be presented to the treasury. Interestingly, the chief secretary stated that the information on pending bills not yet presented to the treasury is subject to verification as it was collected in a very short span of time from multiple offices. This means the actual amount of liability could be much more than the government has revealed. The government admitted that `354-crore bills of five departments in question were pending in the treasury. But the government didnt mention since when these `354-crore bills were pending for clearance in the treasury. The government also told the high court that its outstanding debt was estimated to go up to `1.24 lakh crore by the end of current fiscalup from `1.12 lakh crore in March 2015. The government told the court that all-out efforts were continuously made to mobilise sufficient resources for expeditious discharge of pending and recurring liabilities as a perpetual ongoing process. The court was also told that of the `440 crore VAT refund dues of the sales tax department, `69 crore would be paid by March 8. The remaining amount had got delayed as the verification was not complete. The court adjourned the hearing of the case for March 28. The details were submitted by the state government after the high court observed on February 23 that the government was not furnishing complete details related to its finances. The court had found inconsistencies in the government submissions with regard to pending dues, compelling the court to direct the government to file a specific affidavit listing out details of the pending bills. After fighting over the naming of the international airport in Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana have finally agreed to name it after Shaheed Bhagat Singh. Bharatiya Janata Partys Punjab president Kamal Sharma, who claimed he had mediated between the two state governments on the issue, said on Wednesday that a consensus had been arrived at between Punjab and Haryana over the airports name. The civil air terminal at Chandigarh airport was inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi on September 11 last year (HT Photo ) Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar has agreed to name the airport after Shaheed Bhagat Singh, he said. In a letter to union minister of state for civil aviation Mahesh Sharma, the BJP leader urged for naming the airport before March 23, the martyrdom anniversary of the freedom fighter, a Punjab BJP statement said here. The civil air terminal at Chandigarh airport was inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi on September 11 last year. Both states earlier agreed to it being named after Bhagat Singh, but later the BJP government led by Khattar, which assumed office in October 2014, wrote to the civil aviation ministry to name the airport after Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh leader Mangal Sein. An upset Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal wrote to Modi in December 2015, terming the (Khattar) move distasteful. Last year, Mahesh Sharma told Parliament that the naming of the airport was delayed as the Punjab and Haryana governments had not agreed on the name. Facing criticism, Khattar clarified that his government had no objection to the airport being named after Shaheed Bhagat Singh. When the matter was discussed with us, the name (of Bhagat Singh) had not been finalised. Since no name was finalised, we proposed the name of Dr Mangal Sein through a letter. Even if they keep Bhagat Singhs name, we have no objection to it, Khattar said. It (airport) can be named after Bhagat Singh. But they (central government) must ensure that the airport contains the word Chandigarh and nothing else, Khattar said. The airport terminal is located in Punjabs Mohali district and the Punjab government has put up signs of Mohali international airport. This has upset the Haryana government. The assemblies of Punjab and Haryana had, in 2009 and 2010, respectively, passed resolutions for naming the airport after martyr Bhagat Singh. Both states have a 24.5% stake each in the airport terminal project. In a setback to the BJP, deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday approved a list of developmental works, which was submitted by SAD leader and Batala Halqa in-charge Lakhbir Singh Lodhinangal. The list includes the construction of new Hansli Bridge on city road, widening of another Hansli Bridge on Jalandhar road and widening and beautification of road from Amritsar bypass to Jalandhar bypass on which Rs 12.5 crore will be spent while the rest of Rs 3.5 crore will be distributed between all the 35 wards of the Batala municipal council. Talking to HT, Lodhinangal said on his repeated request, about the finalisation of the list of the developmental works for which the government had sanctioned Rs 16 crore, deputy CM had called a meeting of all the administrative officials at Amritsar and after thorough discussion and keeping in mind the necessity of bridges, Badal ordered for deputy director, local bodies department, for the immediate construction of bridges and road between Amritsar bypass to Jalandhar bypass. He asked the public works department (PWD) to carry on these three works immediately so that all three works shall be completed by the end of this year. Regarding the insanitation complaints made by SAD councilors to the deputy CM during his sangat darshan programme at Batala, Badal fixed the responsibility of the deputy director for ensuring proper sanitation in the entire town. One tractor-trolley for every two adjoining wards and 4-5 employees of the sanitation department must go to every ward and will report to the councilor of that particular ward, Badal ordered. Lodhinangal said Badal also assured that the work of renovation of two girl schools must be considered on priority and very soon, the government will sanction funds for them. Mukesh Kumar, XEN, local bodies department, confirmed that a list regarding the construction of a new bridge and widening of other bridge and road was approved by the deputy CM and very soon, they were going to float tenders in this regard. It is to be noted that the state government had sanctioned Rs 16 crore for the development of the industrial town after which a district-level committee was formed under the supervision of Gurdaspur deputy commissioner (DC) Abhinav Trikha. As the funds were sanctioned for the development of the town, the district administration had asked the municipal council officials to submit a list of works. The administration reportedly also asked the council authorities to get the list finalised from the Lodhinangal before submitting to the committee, but as the functioning of local municipal council is run by the BJP-Congress alliance, the council authorities resisted to approach Lodhinangal and local MC president Naresh Mahajan directly submitted his list. Upset with this, Lodhinangal prepared a fresh list after taking estimates from the PWD, which includes the construction of two bridges and renovation of government girls senior secondary school and widening of road from Amritsar bypass to Jalandhar bypass and submitted it to the DC. As expected, Lodhinangals list gained favour and DC forward Lodhinangals list to the chief secretary for approval following which angry BJP leaders, Naresh Mahajan and former BJP MLA, Jagdish Sahni rushed to Chandigarh and register their protest with the deputy CM and tried to convince him that as the construction of the bridge was the responsibility of the drainage department thus, the department concerned should undertake this work and `16 crore sanctioned by the government must be spent in the 35 wards of the council. Later, the administration again constituted a committee under Batala SDM Saurav Arora, who inspected both the lists and later submitted his report to the government. A septuagenarian, who has been fighting a battle since the last eight years to get the deserved respect for his martyred son who lost his life for the country at 23, demanded permission to commit suicide from Jalandhar police commissioner Yurinder Hayer, whom he met on Thursday. Lt Gurbinder Singh had died fighting terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir on December 10, 2001. In 2005, the Jalandhar municipal corporation (MC) named the then newly-built private colony near Ramamandi after the martyr, which was then called Shaheed Gurbinder Singh colony. The corporation also installed boards bearing the pictures of the martyr. Lt Gurbinders family was happy that at least the city had something that would keep him alive in the hearts of the people and the locals would get to know about the young man who laid down his life for his country. But the feeling was short-lived, as in 2007, some residents of the colony got it renamed as British Town. It was alleged that the people living in the area wanted to have some stylish and modern name and hence the renaming. And, thereafter, began the ordeal of the family who wanted the people of the colony and the authorities concerned to give their martyred son the deserved respect. The family said the corporation, too, recognised the changed name of the colony, as the civic body was providing the basic facilities like water supply, electricity to the people of the colony, marking them as residents of Shaheed Gurbinder Singh/ British Town in the documents. They said not only this, some miscreants living in the area had also disrespected their martyred son by applying black ink on the board and had even broken the board that had his photograph. Davinder Singh, brother of Gurbinder Singh, said I will request the parents not to allow their sons to join the army because this is what they will get in return. My father, who should rest at this age after retirement, is instead been forced to move here and there and is in depression. Ajit Singh, father of Lt Gurbinder Singh, told HT that they had already approached the officials many times, but in vain. Is this is what my son deserved? a teary-eyed Singh said. Ajit Singh, who is a retired BSF employee, on Thursday, met police commissioner Yurinder Hayer and demanded an immediate FIR against the culprits or grant him the permission to commit suicide. Why should I live? I had already died a long time ago. But with this behaviour, these people have killed my soul, said the distressed father. Meanwhile, Hayer asked additional deputy commissioner of police (ADCP) J Elanchezhian to look into the matter. Elanchezhian visited the place and got an FIR registered under section 434 (Mischief by destroying or moving, etc, a land-mark fixed by public authority) of Indian penal code against four persons living there. Municipal corporation engineer (B&R) department Chaman Lal, who also visited the spot, said the official name of the colony was still Shaheed Gurbinder Singh colony. We checked that the board was painted black and was in bad shape. So action has been taken, he said. Telugu actor Adivi Sesh, who has just delivered a hit called Kshanam, says he is getting Bollywood offers. He has been offered two Hindi projects, which he is said to be seriously contemplating. He is yet to sign them though. During the course of this week, he has been offered two Hindi projects. One of the projects is from a well-known banner. Adivi hasnt taken a call on the offers yet as hes busy with the success tour of Kshanam, said a source close to the actor. Read: Prominent Telugu stars praise Adivi Sesh-starrer Kshanam Adivi, according to the source, is not in a hurry to sign films. Hes happy with the offers but is in no mood to rush. Hes also glad that Kshanam is doing extremely well and is being raved by audiences and critics alike, he said. Watch Kshanam trailer here: Meanwhile, talks are on for the Hindi remake of Kshanam, which is about the disappearance of a young girl and the events that follow. ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop S3, the third instalment of Tamil actioner Singam, starring actor Suriya, will be shot in exotic locations in Romania. The team will head for that country to shoot some scenes and one song. The team will shoot in Romania from March 9 to 19. In this schedule, theyll shoot a song and some crucial scenes, said a source from the films unit. Directed by Hari, who also helmed the first two parts in the franchise, the film co-stars Anushka Shetty and Shruti Haasan. Read: Suriyas angry look in S3 impresses The film, which is produced by Studio Green, so far has been shot across Chennai, Hyderabad and Vishakhapatnam. Tipped to be even more action-oriented than the first two parts, S3 has music by Harris Jayaraj. The source also added that the film is being planned to hit the screens worldwide on October 7. Read: First-look posters of Suriyas 24 out Tipped to be even more action-oriented than the first two parts, S3 has music by Harris Jayaraj. The source also added that the film is being planned to hit the screens worldwide on October 7. ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop Delhi awash with a sea of protesting students. A nation rocked by debates on intolerance and censorship. Women asking for their rightful place in society and speaking out against patriarchy. In this backdrop, there couldnt be a more relevant time for a no-holds-barred dialogue on freedoms among the campaigners of independent, issue-based cinema: The I View World International Film Festival. The opening day of the seven-day event saw most panelists agree on that it is an interesting time to be an actor in the Hindi film industry; others acknowledged growing angst in the society and admitted to being pressurised to be silent on issues that matter the most to them. The intolerance debate It was a lot easier earlier to make films around sensitive issues. When My Brother Nikhil was released about 10 years ago, I not only got a U certificate for it, I got satellite rights, it was distributed by Yashraj productions, and it ran in the theatres for six weeks. As independent filmmakers, it has become extremely difficult today to market your films, to be visible, said filmmaker Onir, whose film dealt with issues such as AIDS and homosexuality, was widely watched and appreciated. I do not think the film would have been the same had it been released today. As a country we have taken a step back. Look at how the censor board treats films these days. And it is not just it. There is an invisible censorship from all quarters which is more difficult to handle. People have become so hostile. It not just on the social media, it is very much real. You can fight the censor board. How do you fight the rest? As a society we are becoming extremely intolerant about dialogue. I am told by studios that they are keen on my films but do not want those kind of subjects. What is those? he questioned. Watch the trailer of My Brother Nikhil here Read: India has become too tolerant of intolerance, says Amartya Sen Shweta Tripathi, who played an upper-caste girl in love with a lower-caste boy in Neeraj Ghaywans acclaimed 2015 film Masaan, agreed. It is just a small section of the society that participates or appreciates dialogue. You will be surprised to know how even my friends react to things like beef ban or stand-up comedy. It is really sad, she said. Breaking barriers Actor Radhika Apte, who has dabbled with it all - short films, television series, YouTube videos and full-length feature films - says the content mattered to her and not the medium. Access to content has become so much easier with smartphones. As actors, we all want challenging roles and a wider reach. If a short film does it then so be it, she, who recently acted in Sujoy Ghoshs shot film Ahalya, said. Watch Ahalya here Tripathi felt fortunate to have come at a time when films like Masaan are being made. It is a really exciting time to work with actors who do not just look great but are known for their work and talent. Commercial cinema is important but there should be a balance. There are so many stories waiting to be told, she said. Read: Heres why Aamir Khan, Shah Rukh retracted statements on intolerance For actor Monica Dogra, who made her Bollywood debut with the 2011 film Dhobi Ghat, her identity as an American or an Indian became irrelevant when she acted. When you act, you are your character and nothing else. People in India might think of me as an American and those in the US as an Indian, but when I am in front of the camera, I am just an actor and nothing else, she said. You need to demand that space where you are respected for who you are. I have been asked to colour my hair and lighten my skin. I would do it but only if my character demands it. That would be the character I play and not me. You cannot ask me to be a certain way, said Tannishtha Chatterjee, who acted in the 2007 British film Brick Lane. Watch the trailer of Brick Lane here Veteran Bollywood actor Sharmila Tagore thought society and the Indian cinema changed slowly but surely in the way it looked at women. In my times, women were expected to play the damsel in distress. There would be a lot of hand-wringing and tear-shedding. But today you have Piku, an independent woman looking after her father. What was unthinkable then has been so very well accepted today. And it is not just Piku, there are so many other examples, she said. I View World International Film Festival is being organised at the British Council and the American Center till March 8. Follow @htshowbiz for more. ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A 14-year-old Palestinian girl stabbed and lightly wounded an Israeli policeman in a West Bank village on Thursday while gunshots fired elsewhere in the territory wounded another Israeli officer, according to Israeli authorities. Police spokeswoman Luba Samri said the stabbing incident took place as officers were redirecting traffic around a fallen tree on a highway in the Palestinian village of Al-Auja, in the Jordan Valley of the West Bank. The teen stabbed the officer in the shoulder, and he ran after her and arrested her without firing any shots, Samri said. Earlier, gunshots were fired at a police car near a Jewish settlement in the West Bank, lightly wounding another officer. Troops searched the area for the shooter. Thursdays incidents were the latest in more than five months of Israeli-Palestinian violence that have resulted in the deaths of 28 Israelis and at least 170 on the Palestinian side, the majority of whom Israel says were attackers. Also Thursday, the armed wing of Islamic Hamas movement said one of its militants died accidentally while working in an attack tunnel in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. The Qassam Brigades identified the dead as Mohammed Astal, 31. It gave no further details. Fourteen Hamas militants have died in tunnel collapses so far in 2016. In the 2014 Israeli war with Hamas, attack tunnels from the Gaza Strip into Israel proved to be a greater threat than rockets fired from the coastal enclave. Israel sent in troops who destroyed more than 30 tunnels Hamas had dug across the border to carry out attacks against soldiers and civilians. More than 2,200 Palestinians, about two-thirds of them civilians, were killed in the 50-day summer war. In Israel, 66 soldiers and seven civilians were killed. The border area has since remained largely quiet, but Hamas has boasted it has rebuilt its tunnel network. Pakistan foreign affairs advisor Sartaj Aziz discussed the Afghan reconciliation process and positive developments in the Indo-Pak relationship with US national security advisor Susan Rice here on Wednesday. A statement issued by the Pakistani Embassy said that Rice acknowledged the sacrifices made by the Pakistan military in operations against terrorist elements, and the consequent softening of the countrys relations with India. Read: Pak vows to act against all terror groups without bias Aziz, foreign policy advisor to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, reiterated the importance of the reconciliation process in Afghanistan and assured Rice that Islamabad would provide the necessary support for a Kabul-led initiative in this regard. He also stated that improved management of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border was key to rooting out terrorism from the region, the statement said. The two leaders reviewed the current state of Pak-US bilateral relations, and expressed confidence that the strategic partnership between the two countries would be further strengthened in various areas. Stating that high-level engagements between the two countries should continue, Rice said she is looking forward to Sharifs visit to Washington at the end of March for the Nuclear Security Summit. Braving cold weather and chilly wind, students and faculty members of the University of British Columbia (UBC) held a demonstration on Wednesday to show solidarity with students of JNU, New Delhi, arrested on charges of sedition. Ajay Bhardwaj, a PhD scholar at UBC who organised the rally, said the rally was organised to seek international support for the arrested students. Read| Delhi HC refuses Umar interim shield from arrest in JNU sedition row No video footage to show Kanhaiya raised slogans, say cops Carrying placards and banners, the participants marched briefly near the students union building as Bhardwaj urged the participants to sign a petition in support of the JNU students. He told HT: Kanhaiya Kumar might have received interim bail, but the struggle will go on until all students arrested in India for sedition are freed. Kanhaiya was granted bail by a Delhi court on Wednesday. Read| JNU student leader Kanhaiya gets 6 months bail in sedition case Bhardwaj, who has directed documentaries on caste-based oppression, feels the JNU episode was result of fight that began with the suicide of Rohith Vemula, a Dalit student at Hyderabad University. Others present at the rally included prominent Punjabi author Sukhwant Hundal. Also, students and faculty members of Simon Fraser University launched a petition seeking the revocation of sedition charges against Kanhaiya and other JNU students. The online petition has so far received close to 200 signatures. On February 21, former students of universities and colleges in Punjab had also staged a demonstration in Surrey to show support to JNU students. A day after a top American naval officer pitched for a security dialogue involving India, the US, Japan and Australia, a guarded China on Thursday warned that such cooperation should not be directed at a third country. Admiral Harry B Harris, the US Pacific Command chief, said in New Delhi that the four countries should be involved in a security dialogue focussing on freedom of navigation in international waters. Chinas response to Harriss remarks at a conclave organised by the external affairs ministry and a think tank in New Delhi was wary. We have no objection to relevant countries normal cooperation, but we believe that relevant cooperation should not be targeted against a third party, foreign ministry spokesperson Hong Lei said when he was asked for a response at the regular news briefing. Harris had also said that this years Malabar naval exercise with India will include Japan and the drills will take place in the northern Philippine Sea, close to the South China Sea. We hope that cooperation among relevant countries will be conducive to regional peace and stability as well as security instead of harming interests of a third party, Hong said, when he was asked about the Malabar exercise. Till last year, Japan had been kept out of the exercise, apparently to keep China in good humour. During his speech at the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi, Harris described the safeguarding of freedom of the seas and access to international waters and airspace as a principle based upon the international, rules-based global order that has served this region so well. And for decades, the US has conducted freedom of navigation patrols or FONOPs without incident. No nation should perceive FONOPs as a threat, he said. Referring to a meeting between India, Japan and Australia held in New Delhi last year, Harris said: Some of the topics discussed were maritime security including freedom of navigation patrols and trilateral cooperation in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. An idea to consider is perhaps expanding this trilateral to a quadrilateral venue between India-Japan-Australia and the US. We are all united in supporting the international rules-based order that has kept the peace and is essential to all of us. He also made a reference to the South China Sea, through which trade worth $ 5.3 trillion passes every year. we all have a vested interest in ensuring the entire region remain secure, stable, and prosperous. How Indo-Asia-Pacific nations employ naval forces to support these economic interests matters greatly, he said. Pakistans foreign affairs adviser Sartaj Aziz said India, not terrorism, is the biggest threat to the region, and asked India to reduce its nuclear stockpile so that Pakistan can consider reciprocation. Aziz underscored that Pakistans nuclear arsenal is a major deterrent, a fact that the US also recognises, according to Dawn. Responding sharply to US Secretary of State John Kerrys suggestion to cut down on nuclear arsenal, Aziz said it was India that was stockpiling and not Pakistan as it has to keep up a minimum deterrence. If they increase the stockpile, we cannot reduce ours, he said. Secretary of State Kerry urged Pakistan to reduce its nuclear arsenal by making it front and centre of its policy. However, Kerry did not mention if the US will ask India to do the same. Read | India says Pakistan must act on terror before talks Sartaj Aziz in turn asked the US to show a greater understanding of Pakistans security concerns and its desire to contribute as a mainstream nuclear power. The US appreciates Pakistans ongoing efforts of command and control in this regard and both countries decided to continue constructive discussion in the security, strategic stability and non-proliferation working group, Aziz said. This is what strategic stability means, to have that deterrence capability, he added. Indias nuclear arsenal has a qualitative side which is continually modernising, so Pakistan has to respond, Aziz maintained. Sartaj Aziz was briefing the media on Wednesday in Washington on the proceedings of the sixth round of the Strategic Dialogue between the US and Pakistan. Read | Pathankot attack: Pakistan JIT to complete probe this week Police in Istanbul on Thursday killed two women who had hidden inside a building after attacking police with gunfire and a hand grenade, an official said. Two police officers were slightly injured. The state-run Anadolu Agency, without citing a source, said the women were identified as members of the banned far-left group, the Revolutionary Peoples Liberation Army-Front, or DHKP-C. Security camera footage showed the women firing at a police bus outside a riot police station in Istanbuls Bayrampasa neighborhood and also hurling a hand grenade, before apparently taking aim at the police station. The hand grenade did not explode. They fled the scene in a vehicle and hid in a building a short distance from the police station. Special forces police quickly surrounded the building and launched an operation after the pair ignored calls for them to surrender and opened fire on officers, NTV television reported. Istanbul governor Vasip Sahin said both of the assailants were killed in the operation. He said two police officers were wounded one by broken glass during the attack on the bus and the other during the assault on the building. The DHKP-C, among other attacks, carried out a 2013 suicide bombing on the US Embassy that killed a security guard. DHKP-C militants also opened fire on the US Consulate in Istanbul last year. Thursdays attack came amid a surge in violence in Turkey since the summer. A fragile peace process with the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, collapsed in July, reviving a three-decade conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people since 1984. Last month, a suicide car bombing that targeted buses carrying military personnel in the capital, Ankara, killed 29 people. A Kurdish militant group that is an off-shoot of the PKK claimed responsibility for that attack. But the government maintains that it was the work of a Syrian Kurdish militia group, in coordination with the PKK. Some 145 people have died since July in three separate suicide bomb attacks that authorities have blamed on the Islamic State group, including 12 German tourists who were killed in Istanbuls historic Sultanahmet district on January 12. Australian and Malaysian officials will retrieve the suspected aircraft wreckage found on off Mozambique coast to examine if it came from the missing flight MH370, Malaysias transport minister said on Thursday. The one-metre long (three-foot) piece of debris found on a Mozambique beach could provide fresh clues into the mystery of the Malaysia Airlines flight, which disappeared two years ago. From the pictures shown, there is high probability the plane debris is from a Boeing 777 plane, Malaysian transport minister Liow Tiong Lai told reporters in Kuala Lumpur. While cautioning that this needed to be verified, his comments appeared to be firmer than the high possibility he had mentioned on Wednesday. MH370, which carried 239 passengers and crew when it vanished March 8, 2014 on an overnight flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, was a Boeing 777. Transport minister Darren Chester of Australia, which is leading a vast oceanic search for wreckage, said the debris would eventually be transferred to Australia where it would be examined by officials and experts, including from Boeing. The painstaking two-year search effort has scoured the seabed in the remote Indian Ocean, where the plane is believed to have gone down. But nothing has been found and the search could cease by mid-year. If confirmed to be from MH370, the debris would mark only the second shred of physical evidence in one of aviations great mysteries. Last July, a wing fragment was found washed ashore on the Indian Ocean island of Reunion and later confirmed to be from MH370. That marked the first proof that the plane had met a violent end, but otherwise shed little light on what caused the disaster. Watch | First visuals from possible MH370 debris recovered in Mozambique Liow said officials from Australias embassy in Mozambique had been dispatched to retrieve the new object from local authorities. Malaysian civil aviation experts and representatives of the airline also were en route to Mozambique. We would like to get hold of the debris as soon as possible, so thats why we are working with Australia in the fastest manner, Liow said. Dont throw in the towel Neither Liow nor Australian officials could say exactly when the debris would be in the specialists hands. The latest find comes just days before the disasters two-year anniversary. Liow said a Malaysian-led team of international investigators probing MH370s disappearance -- a separate effort from the Australian-led search -- will issue a statement on Tuesday on the anniversary. He did not say whether the statement would contain new revelations. International agreements require annual updates from investigators in accidents where aircraft cannot be found. US television network NBC first reported the new debris, saying it was found this week by an American man, Blaine Gibson, who blogs extensively on MH370, and citing experts saying it appeared to be part of an aircraft tail. Theories of what caused MH370 to vanish include a hijacking, rogue pilot action, or sudden mechanical problem that incapacitated the crew, but there is no evidence yet to support any particular theory. Voice370, an international next-of-kin network, issued an emotional appeal Thursday for the oceanic search to be continued beyond the expected mid-year shutdown. We believe that they should not throw in the towel, close this case and simply chalk it up as an unsolvable mystery, the group said in a statement. Many next-of-kin accuse the airline and Malaysian government of letting the plane slip away through a bungled response, and of wanting to end the search so the truth about what happened remains hidden. The airline and government strongly deny the accusations. Read | Australia to test debris found two years after MH370 disappeared A former MQM member on Thursday challenged the leadership of London-based party chief Altaf Hussain by announcing the formation of a new political outfit and accusing the MQM of having links with Indias external intelligence agency RAW. Reappearing in Karachi after three years, former mayor Mustafa Kamal said Hussain was working on breaking up Pakistan and, in the process, had destroyed two generations of people. We all know that Altaf Hussain has links with RAW, he told a news conference. Flanked by Anis Qaimkhani, another former leader of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Kamal accused Hussain of being behind the murder of hundreds of workers, including former chairperson Imran Farooq, who was killed in London in 2010. Kamals accusations could signal the beginning of a revolt against Hussain, who moved to London in 1991 citing a threat to his life. Hussain has faced several problems over the past few years. In 2014, he was arrested by police in London on suspicion of money-laundering and an investigation is still ongoing. MQM leaders have been accused of involvement in Farooqs murder. Kamal said the MQM had terrorised thousands of people in Karachi for over three decades. He accused Hussain of working against the state and deceiving the people of Pakistan. The mohajirs or Muslim migrants from India, who were once held up as an example for the rest of Pakistan, had become objects of ridicule, he said. We are now considered Indian agents and our patriotism is questioned thanks to the doings of Altaf Hussain, he added. Kamal alleged that Hussain had ordered the MQMs leadership to attack innocent women and children participating in a rally in Karachi against the party. When the party command refused, he had them humiliated through criminals that were posing as party workers, he said. He further alleged Hussain would often address MQM workers on phone from London under the influence of alcohol and was usually not in his senses. Kamal broke down during the news conference and said MQM workers were not originally from RAW but were made to work for the spy agency after they became members of the party. He said his new party, for which he has not yet chosen a name, will focus on devolution of powers to local bodies so that the people have a say in decision-making. Read | MQM chief Altaf Hussain lands in soup with speech on sex education Kamals news conference had a mixed response in Karachi, with tensions rising in the wake of his allegations against the chief of the citys most popular political party. MQM leader Ali Raza Abidi said the army and the security establishment was behind the return of Kamal. Journalist Aamir Ahmad Khan said Kamals allegations suggested the army wants to change the leadership structure in Karachi after failing to dislodge the MQM chief through other means. It is a clear case of army intervention to change the political climate of Karachi, where the MQM could not be dislodged through democratic means, Khan said. Kamal served as mayor of Karachi during 2005-09 and was once perceived as close to Hussain. In 2013, he quietly left Pakistan, moving first to Tanzania and then settling in Dubai after informing MQM leaders through emails that he had left because of his wifes illness and personal problems. Days later, Qaimkhani followed in Kamals footsteps to Dubai. The MQM largely draws its support from mohajirs. Till recently, it had complete control over the booming port city of Karachi and was often accused of enforcing its writ through armed gangs. The MQM has often been accused of links with RAW, a charge that has been denied by the party and the Indian government. New Zealanders began voting on Thursday in the second stage of a historic referendum on changing their national flag from a design that features the British Union Jack to one based on the native silver fern. The debate over changing the flag has been going on for more than a decade. The referendum will create history as the Kiwis choose whether to keep their 114-year-old flag, often mistaken for Australias flag, or opt for a new one. Prime Minister John Key has described it as a once-in-a-generation chance to ditch Britains Union Jack from the national flag. The result will be binding and John Burrows, the head of a panel overseeing the referendum, has said New Zealanders will have to live with their choice far into the future. Whatever the decision, this flag will fly for generations to come and we hope all Kiwis exercise their right to vote in this historic decision, Burrows said. Around three million ballot papers are being distributed among 4.5 million people for the vote, which is being conducted only by post and will close on March 24. Recent events An earlier referendum to decide the final design of the flag saw only 48% eligible voters taking part, and authorities are hoping for increased engagement in the second. The design that won popular support in the earlier referendum in December Silver Fern (in black, white and blue) was designed by architect Kyle Lockwood. There were four other finalists, including designs featuring a kiwi shooting lasers out of its eyes and hand-drawn sheep out, before the Silver Fern was chosen. New Zealands current flag was adopted in 1902 and features the British Union Jack. In a Radio New Zealand interview on Monday, Key said that if people did not vote for a change now, theyll never get another chance until we become a republic. He said he did not think that would happen within his lifetime, given the popularity of the British royal family. Key has single-handedly led the push for change, saying he wants to promote patriotism and that he strongly believes the current flag was dominated by the Union Jack in a way that we ourselves are no longer dominated by the United Kingdom. He is known to be a staunch monarchist, who restored the titles of knights and dames shortly after winning his first election in 2008. But he has stressed a flag change would help reflect New Zealands modern, multicultural identity. Controversies surrounding the new flag The move to change the flag has been embroiled in several controversies, including criticism of the Silver Fern for being too crude, flashy and sporty. Some have pointed out that the NZ$27 million (US $18 million) being spent on the exercise is unnecessary. Recent polls have indicated that more than 60% of New Zealanders do not want to change the flag and only 30% support the Silver Fern, with the remainder undecided. Voting is not compulsory, which could benefit backers of the change as they may be more inclined to vote. After all the votes have been received and processed, the result will be known on March 30. If the vote is for change, there could be a transition period of about 12 months before New Zealand gets a new flag. (With inputs from agencies) North Korea on Thursday fired several short-range projectiles into the sea, hours after the United Nations Security Council voted to impose tough new sanctions on the isolated state and South Korean President Park Geun-hye vowed to end tyranny by the Norths leader. The firing escalated tensions on the Korean peninsula, which have been high since the Norths January nuclear test and February long-range rocket launch, and set the Souths military on a heightened alert. South Koreas defence ministry said it was trying to determine if the projectiles, launched at 10 am (local time) from the Norths east coast, were short-range missiles or artillery fire. Park has been tough in her response to the Norths recent actions, moving from her earlier self-described trustpolitik approach, and on Thursday welcomed the move by the Security Council and repeated her call for the North to change its behaviour. We will cooperate with the world to make the North Korean regime abandon its reckless nuclear development and end tyranny that oppresses freedom and human rights of our brethren in the North, Park said at a Christian prayer meeting on Thursday. North Korea faces harsh new sanctions for its nuclear weapons programme under the resolution passed unanimously by the Security Council on Wednesday, drafted by the United States and backed by the Norths main ally China. The resolution, which dramatically expands existing sanctions, follows the Norths fourth nuclear test on January 6 and a long-range rocket launch on February 7, which the United States and South Korea said violated existing Security Council resolutions. The North says it was its sovereign right to launch rockets as part of a space programme to put satellites into orbit. Three senior leaders Ram Chandra Poudel, Krishna Prasad Sitaula and former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba are in the race for the post of president of the Nepali Congress following the death of Sushil Koirala last month. Nepals oldest political party began its 13th general convention in Kathmandu on Thursday to elect a new president. The opening ceremony was attended by several senior leaders from Indian parties, including Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar. Former deputy prime minister Sujata Koirala, the daughter of late Girija Prasad Koirala, has opted out of the race and the party will get a chief from outside the Koirala clan for the first time in more than two decades. Sujata, who had announced her candidacy on Wednesday, decided against contesting less than 24 hours later and instead extended support for Poudel. Read | Koiralas death sparks leadership tussle in Nepali Congress Poudel, the acting president of the party, and general secretary Sitaula are from the so-called establishment faction within the party to which Koirala belonged. Deuba, who had left the party earlier, belongs to the rival unit. Efforts at putting up a unified panel from the establishment faction failed when Sitaula, a former home minister, decided to file his candidature. This could divide votes and help Deuba. A survey by Nagarik newspaper, published on Thursday, gave Deuba 39% chances of winning, followed by Poudel with 26%. The Nepali Congress is the largest party in parliament, but it is not part of the ruling coalition headed by the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist, which has the second highest number of lawmakers. Read | Nepali Congress looks at future without a Koirala at its helm Amid speculation about the formation of a national consensus government, including the Nepali Congress, after the general convention is over, there is intense lobbying and politicking for the top post. The Maoists, who are part of the government, have been mentioning the need for a Nepali Congress-led consensus government and some senior leaders within the CPN-UML are making similar noises. They feel the new Constitution can be implemented only when the Nepali Congress and Madhesi parties, who have rejected the statute and are seeking fresh demarcation of federal boundaries, are brought on board. The Nepali Congress has adopted the implementation of the Constitution under the partys leadership as the agenda for the general convention and beyond. The battle for the general secretarys post is also generating a lot of attention, with close relatives contesting from different camps. Senior leader Arjun Narsingh KC is in the Deuba camp while his son-in-law Gagan Thapa got the nod for the post from Sitaulas panel. Poudels group has Shashank Koirala, the son of former leader Bisheswar Prasad Koirala, contesting for the post. Voting for the posts of president, general secretary, treasurer and 61 members of the central committee will take place on Sunday. A candidate must secure at least 51% of the votes to become president. Established seven decades ago, the Nepali Congress led several protests to overthrow the hereditary rule of Rana prime ministers and usher in democracy. The party has for the most part been led by members of the Koirala family, who were its founders. Three brothers Matrika Prasad, Bisheswar Prasad and Girija Prasad and their cousin Sushil Koirala headed it and went on to become prime ministers. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON In an open letter to the U.S. and Canadian governments on Wednesday, more than 100 environmental and health groups on both sides of the border are calling for improved tracking of hazardous radioactive substances in the Great Lakes basin, saying that they should be categorized as "chemicals of mutual concern." This categorization would recognize that radionuclides can have serious immediate, long-term and intergenerational hazards for human and environmental health, which in turn would require governments to create a strategy for controlling their dissemination into the lakes, as National Newswatch explains. These chemicals, such as uranium or plutonium, can lead to birth defects, genetic mutations and cancer in people and animals. "Radionuclides can have very serious immediate, long-term and intergenerational effects on human and non-human health," the letter declares. "There is no level of radionuclides below which exposure can be defined as 'safe.'" A recent report commissioned by the Canadian Environmental Law Association in support of the new designation reveals that although the Great Lakes are surrounded by nuclear generating stations, fuel-processing and waste disposal facilities, and uranium mine-tailing locations, the monitoring systems for radioactive substances in the lakes is alarmingly deficient. "With the exception of Lake Superior, our lakes are surrounded by nuclear facilities," report author John Jackson said in an interview Wednesday. "This isn't something small scale; this is something ringing the basin." In 1997, an International Joint Commission determined that regulating and keeping tabs on radioactivity was basically left to users and companies, which has resulted in a patchwork of monitoring and reporting approaches. As Jackson's report states, even by 2016 "this situation has not improved." Additionally, Fe De Leon, a researcher for the Canadian Environmental Law Association, notes that to this point only four toxic substances have been officially listed as such, while environmental watchdogs have created a list of more than 500 that should be categorized under the proposed "chemicals of mutual concern" designation. Part of the issue is getting Canada and the U.S. to work together. "Recognizing that both countries work with a different political framework and have different laws that relate to managing chemicals, that's one challenge," she acknowledged, WBFO reports. "The evidence is there to demonstrate that these are really problematic chemicals and given that we are challenged with a number of a environmental problems in the Great Lakes, I would hope that we're not waiting for a situation where they need full evidence of harm before they take action," De Leon explained. The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (2012) currently allows the public to submit "chemicals of mutual concern" in order to identify gaps in controlling the release of contaminants in the lakes, and the Canadian Environmental Law Association claims that this letter is the first endeavor by any collective to make use of this process. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. One thing fingernails, toenails and hair all have in common is that they're composed of the protein keratin. Yet did you know that chemicals found in flame retardants that are potentially toxic to humans can also hide in all three? Researchers at Indiana University said they believe that a more easily available biomarker will help in determining how potentially dangerous chemicals commonly found in the environment influence human health, including chemicals in the air, indoor dust and even water. "Little is known about the human exposure to flame retardants, especially new classes of the retardants," researcher Amina Salamova at the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at IU Bloomington, said. "The first step is to establish a relatively easy and reliable way of measuring chemical levels in people, especially children, and we've determined that hair and nails can provide exactly that." Up until now, researchers actually looked at samples of blood, human milk and urine to try and determine exposure to flame retardants, which have been linked to obesity, reproductive toxicity, learning disabilities and endocrine disruption. Flame retardants are frequently added to plastic, foam, wood and textiles and are used in both commercial and consumer products worldwide to delay the ignition of fire. However, there's still relatively little know regarding their long-term affect on health, and previous research has shown that flame retardants persist in the environment and bioaccumulate in ecosystems and in human tissues. During this recent study, researchers collected samples of hair, fingernails and toenails from about 50 students in Bloomington and then compared the levels of chemicals found in the samples to those found in blood from the same people. Findings showed a strong relationship between the group of flame retardants known as polybrominated diphenyl ethers or (PBDEs) in hair and nails. Furthermore, women showed higher concentration levels of common flame retardants when compared to men in the study, which researchers said they believe may be caused by chemicals in nail polish. The study, "Hair and Nails as Noninvasive Biomarkers of Human Exposure to Brominated and Organophosphate Flame Retardants," is published today in the journal Environmental Science and Technology. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. It has been a challenging year for Apple. With the company's flagship unit, the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus somewhat underperforming in revenue, the Cupertino-based tech giant has to make a big splash this year if it wants to maintain its lead over its rivals. With its arch-nemesis, Samsung, already releasing its flagship device for the year, the formidable Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge, Apple will really need to dig deep in order to dominate the smartphone industry once more. In a lot of ways, Apple has been playing it quite smart, following the trends of other smartphone makers and releasing multiple flagship units every year. Contrary to its tradition during the first few years of the iPhone, Apple released two flagship units during the past two years, with a unit for the compact and the phablet form factor. This year, however, Apple might take the trend even further, as rumors have emerged that the American tech innovator is planning to release not just two, but four iPhone units this year. Considering that Apple is about to release the rumored 4-inch iPhone SE this March, and that it will probably release the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus later this year, much speculation has emerged about what the fourth iPhone would be. Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst at KGI Securities who has previously correctly predicted specifications of the MacBook Pro and the iPad Pro months before the units were launched, believes that apart from the iPhone 7 and the 7 Plus, Apple will also release an ultra-premium line, which could possibly be dubbed the iPhone 7 Pro. Apple iPhones, maybe except for the unsuccessful iPhone 5C, are already known to be premium handsets; what could the iPhone 7 Pro have over the 7 and the 7 Plus? How much more premium could iPhones get? Kuo stated that Apple's acquisition of Israeli camera technology company LinX last year is the answer. Prior to its acquisition, LinX had been developing innovative, compact camera lenses which, according to its supporters, offered near-DSLR quality. One of LinX's most notable innovations is its dual-lens technology, which drastically improves image quality. Among the benefits of LinX's dual-lens technology include better low-light performance and light sensitivity. Apart from this, LinX's lenses are so thin, they would completely get rid of the iPhone's infamous camera bulge. With competition from rival brands getting more intense, Apple knows that the imaging department is one aspect where it could definitely charm its customers. If the rumors are true, and its gambit ends up paying off, it would have no problem taking the lead once more in the world's extremely competitive smartphone market. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. After scientists reported to have pinpointed the home galaxy of a fast radio burst (FRB) last week, other theories shed doubt on the accuracy of the findings, including one claiming that the detected afterglow was actually from another galaxy that happened to overlap with the galaxy reported in the initial findings. Now, for the first time ever, a new study has discovered FRBs that keep repeating, and the team claims that this conflicts with both of the previous explanations and points to a source other than a massive star collision. Until now, FRBs, bright radio flashes that last just a few milliseconds, have never been known to repeat themselves. Although scientists believe that they may occur thousands of time a day, to date they have detected less than 20 of them. In the first study, the age of the galaxy named as the source of an FRB, along with the strength of the radio burst, suggested that the source was a collision between massive stars. However, the new findings reveal that FRBs can repeat themselves - something that massive collisions never do. "I don't think the final nail is in the coffin on that," Jason Hessels, corresponding author of the latest study, said. "There are more observations that need to be done, but it seems less convincing than it did last week," although he entertained the idea that there is more than one type of FRB. Edo Berger, a scientist from Harvard University who is working on a currently unpublished paper that also refutes the first study's theory on the FRB origin, believes that the signal analyzed in the paper lasted far too long to be an FRB, instead pointing to another intergalactic space phenomenon as the source. "Essentially I would say that the whole rationale behind the paper has gone away within about two or three days of when it was published," he said. So if FRBs don't originate from colliding stars, where do they come from? Hessels and his team plans to explore this question in future experiments using the powerful Arecibo telescope along with other telescopes in Europe in order to accurately identify the origins of the mysterious repeating FRBs. The findings were published in the Mar. 2 issue of Nature. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Rumors surrounding Apple's impending foray into the electric car business have been going on for some time, and considering the tech giant's latest business decisions such as its purchase of a 96,000-square-foot warehouse in Sunnyvale, Calif., the assumptions about the company's commitment to the creation of its first original vehicle do seem well-founded. There is just one problem, of course. Apple might be a tried and tested company when it comes to the tech arena, having dominated the smartphone market for years and creating one of the most well-rounded mobile operating systems ever released. The company, however, remains a neophyte when it comes to the automotive industry. Speaking about the development of the rumored Apple Car in the Geneva Auto Show, FIAT CEO Sergio Marchionne stated that the Cupertino-based tech giant would be better off collaborating with veterans of the automotive industry instead of attempting to create a vehicle on its own. Marchionne further stated that the automotive industry is a very "complex business," and that what Apple is currently feeling about the project right now might be an "illness" that it must recover from. "If they have any urges to make a car, I'd advise them to lie down and wait until the feeling passes. Illnesses like this come and go. You will recover from them. They're not lethal," he said. In a lot of ways, the Fiat chief has a very valid point. After all, Apple has allegedly been struck by a number of setbacks in the Apple Car project, including the technical head of the team leaving the company for personal reasons. Regardless of the setbacks, however, Apple has been consistently showing signs that the rumored Apple Car project is moving full speed ahead. Then again, this is Apple that is undertaking the project. If there is anything that the company has proven through the years, it is the fact that it does not really rush into things, releasing a product that is half-baked and not ready for mass consumption. Apart from this, Apple was reported to have been working with a number of consultants from prominent car companies. There are also rumors that Apple is in talks with German automaker BMW as a possible manufacturing partner. If Apple does go with BMW, the American tech giant might very well be in good hands. After all, BMW's electric cars have been well-received by both consumers and critics alike. Otherwise, Apple's learning curve would be a lot steeper. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Samsung is at it again. Last year at the Flash Memory Summit in California, Samsung turned heads and raised eyebrows when it showed off a 16 TB SSD - the first of its kind boasting an unprecedented amount of storage. Any storage company claiming a "world first" is hardly unprecedented and is frequently done to show up competitiors. With that in mind, the Korean manufacturer's boasts weren't taken entirely seriously and written off as simple braggadocio As it turns out however, Samsung's newest SSD was hardly a publicity stunt and as of today, Samnsung is shipping the drives to wealthy customers. With a confirmed "largest in the industry" as far as capacity is concerned, its breathtaking to think about how all that power is packed into a "simple" 2.5-inch piece of tech. Due to this size, Samsung notes in its announcement post that businesses can fit more drives in their server racks than if they use 3.5-inch drives. Revelling in it's latest feat, Samsung notes that this unprecedented accomplishment was made possible by stacking 512 pieces of its 256Gb vertical NAND memory chips on top of one another. "The 256Gb dies are stacked in 16 layers to form a single 512GB package, with a total of 32 NAND flash packages in the 15.36TB drive," the press release says. It's noted that the NAND memory chips used in this process are twice the the capacity of 128Gbit NAND dies that were utilized by various chip makers last year. "We will continue to lead the industry with next-generation SSDs, using our advanced 3D V-NAND memory technology, in order to accelerate the growth of the premium memory market while delivering greater performance and efficiency to our customers," says Jung-bae Lee, senior VP of the Memory Product Planning and Application Engineering group at Samsung. A whopping 16 TB capacity isn't likely to come cheap, and while Samsung has made no mention of the price, its safe to assume that the SSD will have a price tag within the $5000 range. For all intents and purposes, such as a price range is fine because even if they were willing to shell out the $5000 to buy one, a 16 TB SSD has little benefit to regular customers. Samsung is keenly aware of this fact and for the time being, is marketing the SSD as an enterprise product or something along those lines. Don't fret however, if you're really in the market for high capcity SSDs the tech giant is rolling out 7.68TB, 3.84TB, 1.92TB, 960GB and 480GB variants later this year, all of which will be more available than the titanic 16TB drive. So while the Samsung's newest device won't appear in the latest standard desktops or laptops, it still provides a good look at where technology will be headed given a few year's time. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Both male and female banded mongooses risk being exiled from their social groups when reproductive competition is high. Researchers from the University of Exeter found that these evictions can be very violent and often result when subordinates step on the toes of their dominant family members. For the past 16 years, researchers monitored the interactions of a population of wild banded mongooses in Queen Elizabeth National Park, located in southwest Uganda. Banded mongooses live in cooperatively breeding family groups, meaning all group members contribute to raising pups, even if they don't breed themselves. Adult females breed together and even give birth to a communal litter on exactly the same day, too. Generally, mongoose social groups live in harmony, working together to forage and care for the young. However, the recent study from Exeter suggests that this peace can quickly erupt into violence. "Banded mongooses, like many social animals, often show extreme levels of cooperation but occasionally these harmonious relations break down," lead author Faye Thompson, a Ph.D. researcher at the University of Exeter's Centre for Ecology and Conservation, explained in a news release. "Dominant females, and sometimes males too, aggressively evict members of their own family to reduce their level of reproductive competition." For instance, dominant animals will often kick subordinates out of the social group when they cannot stop them from breeding. A group of females is also likely to be forcibly removed from the group when there are lots of breeding individuals, and a group of males often joins them in exile when there are a lot of males rivaling for mates. It follows then that eviction is a major source of gene flow in social animals. "Banded mongooses rarely disperse of their own accord, and so eviction is one of the only ways that individuals form new groups," Thompson added. "These eviction events result in the mass movement of genes through the population." The stakes are high for breeding banded mongooses. Previous studies of banded mongooses revealed that females will risk their lives to mate with rivals during pack "warfare" and that both males and females have learned to avoid inbreeding when mating within their own social group by distinguishing between relatives and non-relatives. "We've been studying these animals for 20 years, but it's only now that we are beginning to understand the long-term dynamics of the system," Professor Michael Cant, who leads the University's Banded Mongoose Research Project, concluded. "This work shows that within-group conflicts can have effects not only on the individuals involved, but also on the genetic structure of the wider population." Their findings were recently published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. China is planning to launch its second laboratory during the third quarter of 2016 as a part of its strategy to create a manned space station in 2022. The new lab, called Tiangong-2, will link up with supply ship Tianzhou-1, which is set to launch next year, as well as a third component, a core module. The first space laboratory, Tiangong-1, launched in 2011. The recent announcement furthers Beijing's rapid advancement towards its objective, and this trend will continue when it launches two astronauts into space along with the Shenzhou 11 spacecraft later this year, just one of the 20 space launches that China has planned for this year. "The mission's crew members carry a space dream of the Chinese nation, and represent the lofty aspirations of the Chinese people to explore space," Chinese President Xi Jinping said in 2013. While the creation of the space station is undoubtedly exciting, perhaps the most interesting of China's space plans is the China National Space Administration's (CNSA's) goal to land a robot on the far side of the moon by 2018, something that has never been accomplished by any space program in the world. Furthermore, in order to keep space exploration thriving, China's State Administration of Science, Technology, and Industry for National Defense opened up its space program to the private sector last year, increasing the ability to create space technologies and minimizing the costs to do so. "Most of our space equipment is developed and produced by State-owned institutes in accordance with missions set by the government," said Wang Pengji, a senior space scientist at the China Academy of Space Technology. "Opening the industry to the private sector will introduce competition and new ideas." China's space exploration efforts were likened by Jinping to a "space dream" and connected to the "China Dream," which is his signature slogan that calls for the "Great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation," claiming that "Chinese people will take bigger strides to explore further into space." The notion has spread throughout the public and media in China, connecting the planned feats to sources of national pride. "The space dream, a source of national pride and inspiration for further development, is part of the dream to make China stronger and will surely help realize the broader Chinese dream of national rejuvenation," a local media outlet said. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) sent investigators to southern Wisconsin where a bacterial bloodstream infection has been linked to 18 deaths and 44 confirmed cases. The federal experts will be working alongside state and local epidemiologists as well as lab workers to determine how people are contracting the infection that is caused by the bacteria, Elizabethkingia. By identifying the source of the transmission, doctors can diagnose cases more effectively, which is vital since Elizabethkingia, which rarely leads to illnesses in humans, is resistant to a lot of the antibiotics that doctors typically use. "At this time, the source of these infections is unknown and the department is working diligently to contain this outbreak," Wisconsin Department of Health Services officials said in a press release. The department had been notified of six potential cases of an Elizabethkingia infection during the time frame of Dec. 29, 2015, to Jan. 4, which prompted a statewide surveillance to be set up Jan. 5. The department alerted health and infectious diseases experts and laboratories across the state about the presence of the bacteria. So far the cases have been reported in these counties: Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Fond du Lac, Jefferson, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Sauk, Washington and Waukesha. State Health Officer Karen McKeown said the cases so far have mainly been concentrated in adults over the age of 65 and all of the people who have been infected have underlying healthy conditions. In regards to the 18 deaths, McKeown stated that, although all 18 had tested positive for the bacteria, it is currently unclear whether or not they died because of the bacteria. Elizabethkingia would generally affect people who have compromised immune systems or preexisting health problems. Symptoms of an infection can include fever, chills, shortness of breath or a bacterial skin infection called cellulitis. "Determining the source of the bacteria affecting patients in Wisconsin is a complex process," McKeown said. "While we recognize there will be many questions we cannot yet answer, we feel it is important to share the limited information we have about the presence of the bacteria, as we continue our work to determine the source." Officials are expecting the number of confirmed cases to rise. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The Zika virus could potentially be transmitted by an even more common species of mosquitoes, which has raised concerns that the outbreak in Central and Latin America could get worse, Brazilian scientists said Wednesday. Scientists at the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation in Recife reported that they were able to infect the Culex quinquefasciatus mosquito with the virus in a laboratory setting. So far, Zika has only been known to be transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the species that also carries other viruses, such as dengue and chikungunya. In the ongoing trial, the researchers infected 200 Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes by injecting them with Zika-infected rabbit blood. They found that the virus was able to circulate to the salivary glands of the mosquitoes, which suggested that they could possibly transmit the virus by biting a person. "We saw an ease of infection and an ease of dissemination of the virus to the salivary glands," lead investigator Constancia Ayres said. The team noted that since the population of the Culex quinquefasciatus is about 20 times larger than the population of the Aedes aegypti in Brazil, more research should be conducted to see if the Culex quinquefasciatus can actually transmit the virus in the natural environment. The researchers are also curious to see if any Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes are already carrying the virus in the wild. Fabiola Taveres, a spokeswoman for the government-funded foundation, stated that the team will begin a project to capture Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes in areas of Recife where the virus has been confirmed. The research can take up to eight months, Taveres noted. If evidence suggested that the Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes can transmit Zika, health officials will have a lot more to deal with on their hands. The virus, which was declared a public health emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO), has been linked to birth defect microcephaly and Guillain-Barre Syndrome. However, not much is known about the virus. Studies are currently underway to further examine the link between the virus and the two health conditions. Other studies to find a vaccine and better diagnostic tests are also being conducted. The researchers have yet to publish their findings in a scientific journal. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The challenges of increased health care costs, minimum wage increase impacts and new supply are not yet critical for the hotel industry but they will become very important when an economic downturn occurs. Further, Airbnb has become a lightning rod for debate and could become one of those aforementioned factors that pushes hotel industry revenue and net income growth into negative territory. So what can the hotel industry do? With a $25.5B valuation, Airbnb and other short-term rental companies are avoiding taxes and regulations. In addition, Airbnb is big business. According to a recent study by Penn State University, in New York City, 72 percent of the rental units are illegal and in San Francisco, 18 percent of their revenues are derived from "superhosts" who have multiple units. To date, it appears the major cities with significant Airbnb impact are New York, Miami, Boston, DC, Chicago, Austin, Los Angeles and San Francisco. In these and in other cities, Airbnb also impacts the housing industry, creating both a shortage of housing units and potentially an increase in rents from those units remaining in the normal apartment rental pool. Further, as the economy softens a bit in 2017 after an election year, will Airbnb's supply increase, coupled with the hotel supply pipeline, have a more material impact on occupancy and hence rate? Will corporate users find their way to Airbnb in abundance next year? As a large company, the question is, should we the hotel industry insist on Airbnb paying taxes and managing their "hosts" to avoid illegal hotels? Rauch's Airbnb Review On a trial basis, I decided to book an Airbnb rental unit. After booking, I was asked to please not tell any of the other apartment dwellers that I was an Airbnb guest. It is clear that many buildings have a minimum stay of 30 days so my 1-night Los Angeles stay would be either illegal or at the minimum, frowned upon. I received a clean apartment but had no way of knowing whether or not the sheets or towels were freshly cleaned for me as they were not folded neatly as we do for our hotel guests. The arrival and departure process was strange as I never met my host though she was readily available via text/phone. I had access to reviews about the host but not necessarily about that apartment per se. Further, and perhaps most importantly, I was asked by the host to enter the apartment building by following a resident in and following them on to the elevator so that the resident would inadvertently allow me access to the floors. Then the unit I was staying in was unlocked and I was able to access the unit key, access FOB and parking pass if needed. The truth is, after having heard from Troy Flanigan of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA), I am convinced that Airbnb is a big business that in essence avoids the responsibilities of being in business and puts consumers at risk be it in regards to safety, background checks, health or fire standards. Further, while I think we should embrace Airbnb as a legitimate competitor, we are not to be compared to the taxi industry, a group that attacked their new competitor, Uber, at every turn. We should work with Airbnb on solutions for leveling the playing field without antagonizing them. Think of them more as an online travel agency, a combination competitor and ally. The hotel industry is an organized, highly regulated industry with high quality standards and an easy way to determine bad productspoor reviews and franchise removals for a couple of ways along with the highly regarded AH&LA as our main association. Taxis, Uber and Lyft The taxi industry is a disaster so Uber trounced them on arrival. In my quest to understand how bad it is, I took two taxi rides, one in Phoenix and the other in San Diego. Neither driver was pleasant and there is no way to review your experience unless you want to send a comment card via mail to the Airport Authority. Further, both drivers asked for cash saying the credit card machine did not work. Really? For those who use Uber and Lyft, we know there are problems (first time drivers who are either lost, not tech-savvy or worse yet, both) but generally, notwithstanding surge pricing, it is a good experience. In San Diego, Uber is allowed at the airport. In Phoenix, it is not as airport officials claim Uber will not provide background checks on drivers to the airport authority. Uber, along with its main competitor Lyft, is part of the new job creation of "independent worker." Airbnb frankly is in the same boat. Is it a full-time job to be an Airbnb host? Yes in some instances, no in most. How about working for the larger companies that actually run illegal hotels by having say 10 rooms in an apartment? So will Airbnb end up as more of an online travel agency (OTA) or a direct hotel competitor or both? We probably need new rules for this sharing economy. Labor laws have not kept up with the needs of businesses and employees. In America, you are either an employee or not. With contingent employees from temp firms, part-time employees and sharing economy employees like Uber and Lyft, what we need is a new category of independent worker. According to a study by Harries, Krueger and Cramer highlighted in the Wall Street Journal in December 2015, the "Uberization" of work creates an imbalance of hours worked from week to week. This creates real challenges for everything from health care to minimum wages earned (does a driver get paid for waiting?) and more. OTAs The large OTAs (think Expedia and Priceline) are able to exert significant influence over hotel choices that are available to the customer. Customer ratings can be impacted by our "walk" policies, commission structures and other subjective factors. Airbnb offers a much lower commission rate than either of these two main OTAs. This might get independent hotels and B&Bs to list their properties with Airbnb. Hotel companies currently need OTAs as they represent 15 percent of the market and that will increase as the economy softens a bit in 2017 after election year economics plays out. The big brands have clout in competing for market share. The Marriott/Starwood merger of 2016 produced another monster entity and we might see additional mergers of epic proportions sooner rather than later. This leaves independent hotels struggling to fight to attract users to their own websites. After all, relying on OTAs increases operating expenses at a time when average rate growth will begin to slow and new supply will enter the equation. Franchise fees are now double digit costs which give independents that slight advantage but they will have to spend those "saved" dollars on marketing. The Bottom Line The combination of Airbnb, new hotel supply, an economic slowdown and potential global economic decline put us in jeopardy at the first signs of an event of any magnitude. As individual hoteliers, we must protect ourselves with a powerful digital presence to compete. As an industry, we must strive for a balanced approach to the new realities of mega-companies in our industry. Unless we are Marriott, Hilton, IHG, Airbnb, Expedia or Priceline, we are the little guy. I like our chances of survival and success but it will not come without continued hard work and awareness that this industry is not the art it was but rather the science it has become. The world's leading search engine has recently launched a Google review collection widget in which ReviewPro and other vendors are partners. There has been some confusion in the market but Google confirms that all partners offer the same Google review collection capability to clients. The only point of differentiation is that Google has licensed TrustYou data to use in search results for some hotel properties. It is important to realize that the Google review score and ranking algorithm are only based upon Google reviews. This can be confusing and some hotels might believe that by using TrustYou they can directly influence their rankings in Google. In fact, Google has confirmed that their review score and ranking algorithm are based only upon the ratings and volumes of Google reviews and that TrustYou's data has no direct impact on the ranking of hotel results on Google. Relevance, distance and prominence are the key drivers to improve a hotel's ranking on Google. As explained in Google help pages, "relevance is how well a local listing matches what someone is searching for. Adding complete and detailed business information can help the search algorithm better understand your business and match you to relevant search results." With respect to distance, "just like it soundshow far is each potential search result from the location term used in a search? If you don't specify a location in your search, Google will calculate distance based on what's known about your location." The third factor is prominence, which"describes how well-known a business is. Some places are more prominent in the offline world, and Google tries to reflect this in local ranking." Additionally, it is important to know that "Google review count and score are also factored into local search rankingmore reviews and positive ratings will improve a business's local ranking." Google reviews are visible across the entire Google network, whether a consumer or business traveler is searching for a hotel from their desktop, tablet or mobile device. The Google review collection widget allows hotels to leave reviews directly on Google from a guest survey so that ratings and reviews are displayed in Google search results. ReviewPro's market leading Guest Intelligence Suite, combined with the Google review collection widget, provides hoteliers with the best tools available to improve their positioning on Google and to drive direct traffic to their website. By implementing this widget, hotels can push reviews directly to Google, building their review volume and boosting their presence on the search giant. Together with the Google review collection widget, ReviewPro clients will benefit from actionable insight to increase guest satisfaction, rankings on Google and ultimately revenue. About Shiji's ReviewPro ReviewPro, a Shiji Group brand, offers over a decade of experience and investment in innovation to ensure we continue to be the benchmark of the hospitality industry. Our cloud-based Guest Experience Platform includes Hotel Reputation, Guest Surveys, Case Management, and Messaging Automation. Shiji's ReviewPro owns the industry-standard online reputation score, the Global Review Index (GRI), a propriety algorithm based on review data collected from +140 OTAs and review sites in +45 languages. With over, 60,000 establishments in +150 countries, Shiji's ReviewPro offers the technology, support, and education to empower hoteliers to be better. For more information, please visit: www.reviewpro.com. Roisin McGrath ReviewPro It looks like you've reached a page that doesnt exist (anymore). Please use the navigation or search above to find content on Hospitality Net. Go back to home Why Is This Goldman Sachs Report Scaring The #@!% Out Of Hoteliers? Ten years ago, who would have predicted that one of your guests would ever opt to stay in the home of a complete stranger instead of your hotel? Well, its happening. Right here, right now, to your hotel, as we speak. An Unexpected New Threat Since its meager beginnings in 2007, AirBnb has disrupted the way your guests travel. People are booking stays in spare rooms, private homes, (even Airstream Trailers and tree houses!) located all across the globe. Bookings are made on the AirBnb website every two seconds. They have outpaced our industry giants as the worlds largest hotel chain with more than 300,000 rooms. And now, a recent Goldman Sachs study has revealed another unsettling fact. After travelers try AirBnb, or one of its peers like HomeAway or FlipKey, half of them decide not to go back to hotels. Well say that again: half dont go back to hotels. Hoteliers arent the only ones affected by this shift in lodging choices. Our OTA frenemies, like Priceline and Expedia, are feeling the burn since they receive a bulk of their revenue from our hotel bookings. Is It All Bad? While AirBnb bookings are expected to balloon and skyrocket to 80 million this year, the news isnt all dismal. Throughout the country, hotel occupancy has been hitting all time highs for several years, and further growth is expected from major brands and hotel management companies. Plus, there will always be the traveler who will never give up the creature comforts and luxury of staying in a hotel. Those guests will always want to rely on impeccable cleanliness, a staff eager to serve, and a carefully crafted experience no matter how awesome their AirBnb experience is. Local governments are starting to crack down and in some cases, charge homeowners thousands of dollars for renting out rooms and homes on AirBnb. And, in an ironic twist, the ones who are allowed to profit from being AirBnb hosts now have more income to travel with and potentially stay in hotels elsewhere. Still, the journey for AirBnb is just beginning. As they continue to grow, hotels may have to work and adjust to win back their guests. Well keep a close eye on the developments and lend a hand in helping you drive more direct bookings to overcome the unexpected challenges AirBnb brings. About Tambourine Tambourine uses technology and creativity to increase revenue for hotels and destinations worldwide. The firm, now in its 30th year, is located in New York City and Fort Lauderdale. Please visit: www.Tambourine.com Data benchmarking and analytics specialist STR has implemented an updated corporate brand that unifies the companys global entities and aligns its expansion into additional market sectors. STR, Inc. (Hendersonville, Tennessee), STR Global Limited (London, England) and STR Analytics (Broomfield, Colorado) are now integrated as a single global brand - STR. Hotel News Now (Rocky River, Ohio), the digital news affiliate of STR, maintains its own brand entity. STR has experienced incredible growth since being founded by the Smith family in 1985, said Amanda Hite, STRs president and COO. That growth has been made possible by the dedication of many, and today we set forth on serving our valued clients and partners for the next 30 years and beyond as one unified brand. Although many changes to the way STR looks will take place, our commitments to our clients and partners will remain the same, Hite said. We will continue to bring actionable performance data and insightful analysis that will help identify opportunities and make sound business decisions. And we are excited to apply our experience to advancing performance across other industries. With a foundation built in the hotel sector, STR has served for more than 30 years as the global leader in benchmarking, information services and analytics for the hospitality industry. Between the aforementioned entities, STR maintains a presence in 10 countries around the world with a global sample comprising more than 52,000 hotels and 7.1 million hotel rooms. Our company has grown considerably over the past several years, said Robin Rossmann, managing director for STR. The unification of our brands reflects our unique ability to provide comprehensive and consistent benchmarking solutions across the world. It also is symbolic of the way that we are leveraging our global scale to invest and continually improve our products for our clients. STRs platform was formally expanded beyond North America in 2008 through the creation of STR Global. In 2009, the company continued its organizational expansion by establishing STR Analytics to create robust ways to report hotel industry data as well as to provide more hands-on consulting to clients. In 2014, STR launched a Sector Analysis division in response to demand for its benchmarking platform across other industries. STR also hosts the Hotel Data Conference each year in Nashville, Tennessee. About STR STR provides clients from multiple market sectors with premium, global data benchmarking, analytics and marketplace insights. Founded in 1985, STR maintains a presence in 10 countries around the world with a corporate North American headquarters in Hendersonville, Tennessee, and an international headquarters in London, England. For more information, please visit str.com. Fibra Inn to Develop 250 Room JW Marriott Monterrey Hotel Deutsche Bank Mexico, S.A., Banking institution, Trust Division F/1616 or Fibra Inn (BMV: FINN13, ADR OTC: DFBRY) announced the development of the JW Marriott Monterrey hotel in San Pedro Garza Garcia, Nuevo Leon, which will have 250 rooms. Fibra Inn has signed a franchising agreement with Marriott Switzerland Licensing Company SA RL for the use of the JW Marriott brand, which will ensure the performance of this iconic hotel in Monterreys metropolitan area, attracting the highest level business travelers. The hotel will offer a full range of services, including event and banquet rooms for up to 600 people, and will be operated by Grupo Hotelero Fibra Inn. Fibra Inn will lead the development of the hotel under a joint-venture agreement with a group of investors. Fibra Inn will have a participation of no less than 25% and no more than 33% of the total investment, and will maintain control and leadership over the project execution, commercial decisions, product and brand definition, as well as the operations. The total estimated investment by Fibra Inn and its joint-venture partners will be approximately Ps. 1,030.1 million; disbursements will be made in accordance with the progress of construction, of which an estimated Ps. 222.2 million will be allocated to investments related to the condominium area within the Arboleda project, which comprises the area corresponding to the hotels footprint and common areas. Fibra Inn made a Ps. 55.5 million deposit for the binding agreement for the purchase. Advertisement Operations at this hotel are expected to initiate during the third quarter of 2019. The projected cap rate for 2020-2021 is 11.45%. The hotel will be located within the Arboleda project, one of the highest profile areas, on a national scale, for a luxury hotel. The Arboleda project spans over 15 hectares, located in the heart of San Pedro Garza Garcia, N.L., one of the districts with the highest spending power in Mexico. Designed by Pelli Clarke Architects following international design and sustainability standards, this mixed-use project has commercial areas that include offices, stores and restaurants, a residential community with over 500 homes, comprised of six apartment buildings and villas. The mixed use of the property is considered a complement to generate demand for the hotel. The JW Marriott Monterrey hotel will be located in the commercial sector, surrounded by restaurants and high-end boutiques. The business fundamentals employed by Fibra Inn for the development of this property are the following: The Monterrey metropolitan is the third most important city in Mexico based on its population density and economic activity, which is characterized by industrial parks, domestic and international corporate offices, as well as high-end residential developments. Solid economic diversification, mainly represented by the automotive, aerospace, food, logistics, distribution, metal-mechanic and steel industries. The main companies include: British American Tobacco, Arca Continental, Vitro, Alfa, Ternium, Cemex, Femsa, Gruma, Navistar, ACCEL Logistica, Bimbo, Sisamex, Tubacero, Mondelez International, Lego, Whirlpool Electronics, Mary Kay Mexico, De Acero, among others. Recently, KIA Motors Corporation and Hyundai Motors Company began their plant operations, which will result in higher business activity for the auto parts industries. Arboleda is one of the most iconic projects in the area with the most potential and has a top-notch design from architect Cesar Pelli (whose designs include the Petronas Towers in Kuala-Lampur, Malaysia and the Aria Resort & Casino hotel in Las Vegas), as well as over 22 specialized international consultants. Currently, the Monterrey metropolitan area does not have an international luxury brand hotel. The San Pedro Garza Garcia district has a high concentration of corporate offices requiring a hotel of this category. Fibra Inn has a total portfolio of 42 properties: 40 in operation, one under development and one additional property in development under a binding agreement, with a total of 7,082 rooms; 573 of these are currently under construction. Fibra Inn is a Mexican trust formed primarily to acquire, develop, operate and rent a broad range of hotel properties in Mexico aimed at the business traveler. The Company has signed franchise, license and brand usage agreements with international hotel brands for the operation of global brands as well as the operation of national brands. Additionally, the Company has development agreements. These hotels enjoy some of the industrys top loyalty programs. Fibra Inn trades its Real Estate Certificates (Certificados Bursatiles Fiduciarios Inmobiliarios or CBFIs) on the Mexican Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol FINN13; its ADR trades on the OTC market in the U.S. under the ticker symbol DFBRY. Combined Offering Expected During First Half of 2016 TravelClick, a global provider of innovative cloud-based solutions that enable hotels to grow revenue, and Duetto, a market leader in hotel and casino profit optimization technology, have joined forces to integrate TravelClicks Demand360 data into Duettos GameChanger revenue strategy application to make Open Pricing an even more powerful tool in todays complex distribution landscape. Hoteliers can further leverage Duettos core functionality that enables hoteliers to independently yield all segments, channels, offers and room types in real time with TravelClicks unique insights into future demand by segment and channel. Hotels that subscribe to TravelClicks robust, market-leading business intelligence data, Demand360, can integrate its powerful data into Duettos GameChanger solution. Demand360 is the only intelligence product available to the hotel industry that provides visibility to future occupancy levels by segment and channel for a competitive set of hotels. Integrating this data seamlessly into Duettos solution will deliver advanced, real-time pricing recommendations to help hotels transform revenue strategy and drive more profitability. The integration is expected to be completed in the first half of 2016. We look forward to seeing mutual clients of TravelClick and Duetto benefitting from this important partnership, said Greg Sheppard, Vice President, Business Intelligence Products, at TravelClick. Duettos core value is in bringing powerful data sets to change how rate decisions are made, and there is no data thats more powerful than TravelClicks Demand360 solution. Integrating Demand360 into Duettos solution will not only transform hotels revenue management speed and accuracy, but it will also help to drive occupancy and optimize ADR. Patrick Bosworth, CEO and co-founder of Duetto, said, The pace of change in todays market demands greater flexibility and innovation to fully optimize revenue, manage distribution complexity and adapt to rapidly changing market conditions. Duetto is excited to join forces with TravelClick and integrate Demand360, an innovative and important solution, into our GameChanger application. This partnership is ultimately a win-win for customers, because combining such powerful demand data with Open Pricing enables hoteliers to stay further ahead of the curve in an increasingly competitive marketplace. TravelClick and Duetto hold confidentiality, security and legal policies with the highest regard. Hoteliers will only have access to data for their own properties and an aggregated view of their competitive sets. No individual competitive information will be shared. About TravelClick, Inc. TravelClick (TravelClick.com) provides innovative cloud-based solutions for hotels around the globe to grow their revenue, reduce costs and improve performance. TravelClick offers hotels world-class reservation solutions, business intelligence products, and comprehensive media and marketing solutions to help hotels grow their business. With local experts around the globe, we help more than 38,000 hotel clients in over 160 countries drive profitable room reservations through better revenue management decisions, proven reservation technology and innovative marketing. Since 1999, TravelClick has helped hotels leverage the web to effectively navigate the complex global distribution landscape. TravelClick has offices in New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Barcelona, Bucharest, Dubai, Hong Kong, Melbourne, Myrtle Beach, Orlando, Ottawa, Paris, Shanghai, Singapore and Tokyo. Follow us on twitter.com/TravelClick and facebook.com/TravelClick. About Demand360 Demand360 is TravelClicks most comprehensive market intelligence product and the only product that provides near real-time insights into demand and selling rates of hotels on market-by-market basis. Today, Demand360 contains detailed multi-channel booking data for over 20,000 hotels which account for nearly $100 billion in annual room revenue. TravelClick aggregates and normalizes booking data from hundreds of sources daily which in turn provides sophisticated competitive market intelligence. About Duetto Duetto delivers the most powerful revenue strategy solutions to the worlds leading hotels and casinos, allowing them to better manage pricing, revenue and business-mix decisions with superior, actionable data. The unique combination of hospitality experience and technology leadership enables Duetto to provide new insights on pricing and demand as a true cloud-based software-as-a-service. With solutions that address the challenges of todays distribution landscape, Duettos applications are a GameChanger optimizing profit and guest loyalty. Thanks to rapid marketplace adoption, Duetto is expanding in key markets throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia. More than 1,000 hotels and casinos in more than 50 countries have partnered to use Duettos revenue strategy solutions. Hotel Price Index from Hotels.com Reveals Increase in U.S. Traveler Confidence Global Hotel Prices Paid by Travelers Worldwide Rose By 1% in 2015, According to Latest Hotel Price Index from Hotels.com Good news for travelers coming from the latest Hotels.com Hotel Price Index (HPI) with average prices paid per night for hotel accommodation up only 1% globally in 2015 as compared to 2014. The global Index sat at 114 for 2015 and is closing the gap on the previous peak seen in 2007, the year before the global economic crisis. North America drove the global increase as the only region to see hotel prices rise (up 3%) throughout 2015 with the Index hitting 119, exceeding its pre-recession high of 117 in 2007. Travel in the U.S.A. American travelers focused on domestic destinations in 2015 despite an increase in prices paid* for hotel stays. Las Vegas was the most popular destination for U.S. domestic travel, as visitors continued to flock to Sin City for leisure and conventions New York City was the #2 U.S. domestic location despite relatively high hotel prices, an increase in supply helped lower the average hotel prices paid per night Next on the list of the 30 Most Popular Domestic Destinations for American Travelers were Orlando (3rd), San Diego (4th) and Los Angeles (5th) According to the National Park Service, The Grand Canyon National Park surpassed 5 million annual recreation visits for the first time in 2015. The Index reported a 13% increase for the area with a $116 average price paid per night. The best value hotel rooms were in Reno, Albuquerque and Jacksonville with prices paid per night under $100. More Poutine Please Major sporting events, quick Midwestern trips up north and the weakness in the Canadian dollar gave American travelers more opportunities to explore Toronto and Montreal. Travelers received the best value in Toronto at $148 average price paid per night and an overall 5% decrease in 2015. An American in Mexico The strength of the U.S. Dollar in 2015 meant that travelers paid less for hotel accommodations in 40 of the 50 Most Popular International Destinations. Los Cabos, Riviera Maya and Cancun had the highest prices paid in 2015 with rates $200+ (proof that Americans love all-inclusive resorts and endless margaritas!). Bogota, the capital of Colombia, experienced the steepest price paid decrease with a 21% change. Americans padded their savings with travels to Brazil as the Brazilian Real continued to slide against the U.S. Dollar. Rio de Janeiro saw a 30% decrease with an average price paid of $179. European Vacation London was the top international destination for Americans despite having the highest price paid of $257 when compared to other European cities. Popular German cities, Berlin, Frankfurt and Munich saw more decreases as travelers paid $131per night in Berlin. Backpackers and deal hunters rejoiced in Paris and Rome as the Index reported double digit changes for two of the most popular European destinations in 2015. Stretching the Budget in Asia American travelers visited Asia for lower hotel prices, Instagram-worthy beaches and excellent shopping. The HPI reported the lowest average prices paid per night in South Korea and Thailand where travelers paid an average of $91 in Thailand's capital, Bangkok. Tourism in Japan is booming with numbers up more than 40% in 2015, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization, which placed Tokyo as #7 on the popularity list for U.S. travelers. The average price paid per night in Tokyo was $177 with a 2% decrease from 2014. About the HPI The HPI is a regular report on hotel prices in major destinations across the world, tracking the movement in prices that people actually paid for their accommodation and providing valuable insight into the reasons behind these changes. The data is drawn from bookings made on the hundreds of thousands of hotels on the Hotels.com websites worldwide. Please visit http://hpi.hotels.com/us-h22015/ for more information and to view reports in additional currencies. *Average prices paid per night inclusive of taxes and fees. Hotel Brokers International announced its top sales performers of 2015. Errol DSouza, president of Laurel Real Estate Company and Kathryn Seo, vice president of Lodging Brokers Network take top honors of Broker of the Year and Salesperson of the Year, respectively. Hotel Brokers International, the nations leading hotel brokerage network, announced its top sales performers of 2015. HBI President Brandt Niehaus presented the following hotel real estate sales achievement awards during the organizations 57th Annual Meeting held last week in Las Vegas: Errol DSouza, CHB, president of Laurel Real Estate Company located in Galena, Ohio, received HBIs highest honor Broker of the Year. DSouza received this recognition of excellence in hotel real estate brokerage based on outstanding sales volume and participation in the industry. DSouza was also recognized for achieving his record best in sales volume during the awards period. Kathryn Seo, vice president of Napa, California-based Lodging Brokers Network, Inc. received HBIs most prestigious award for a sales associate Salesperson of the Year. This is Seos second straight year to receive this top individual sales honor. Awards were given to the Top Producers by U.S. Region in 2015. Tony DeGeorge, CHB, Greene, Canfield, DeGeorge, LLC and Ken Olipra, Greene, Canfield, DeGeorge, LLC of Clearwater, Florida U.S. Eastern Region; Ken Olipra was also recognized for his best performance in both Number of Sales & Dollar Volume of Transactions produced during the year. And, the Greene, Canfield, DeGeorge sales team was awarded Hotel Transaction of the Year for structuring the sale of the Best Western International Drive, Orlando, Florida. H. Brandt Niehaus, Huff, Niehaus & Associates, Inc., Louisville, Kentucky U.S. Central Region; Niehaus was also recognized for structuring 2015s most Unique Deal of the Year - the sale of the Clarion Hotel Conference Center Lexington. Richard Ehmer, The Ehmer Group of San Francisco U.S. Mountain/Pacific Region. The Ehmer Group also earned recognition for the firms collective best in both Number of Sales & Dollar Volume of Transactions produced during the year The Ehmer Group outperformed their record setting achievements of last year. Founded in 1959, Hotel Brokers International members lead the industry in hotel real estate sales. HBI hotel brokerage specialists have successfully negotiated nearly 10,500 hotel real estate transactions and consistently account for the largest share of all select-service and economy hotel sales in the United States. The organizations database currently comprises more than 100 property listings and the HBI website attracts more than 55,000 monthly site visitors. Founder and host of the popular Hotel Investors Marketplace Webcast, HBI also developed the Certified Hotel Broker professional designation program. In addition to hospitality real estate advisory services, HBI offers affiliate membership to professionals in allied fields, including franchising, lending, appraisals and investment services. For more information about HBIs hotel listings or to become a broker or affiliate member, visit www.hbihotels.com. Contact: Glenda J. Webb Managing Director Hotel Brokers International +1.816.505.4315 gwebb@hbihotels.com Our man Stuart Clark recalls the glory days of Sunshine, Nova and the other superpirates, and admits to his condom smuggling past In the new '80s special edition of Hot Press, we look back at the glory days of Sunshine, Nova and the other superpirates who so gloriously waived the rules for the better part of the decade. Our man Stuart Clark recalls moving over from Kent in 1981 to join the great pirate goldrush in Tramore with ABC Radio. Needless to say, cultural misunderstandings occurred! "There, at the time, being a three-year waiting list for new phone lines, listeners had to walk up the hill and knock on the caravan-door if they wanted a request played," he reminisces. "This all went swimmingly until one day when I was presented with a little old lady who said, 'Its great that the young people of Tramore have something to listen to. Just one little thing; why dont you play The Angelus?' I couldnt for the life of me fathom why my 'Im sorry, but we dont have any of their records' reply elicited such a negative response from the OAP in question. Daggers were also shot when I enquired in the local chemists as to where the condoms were. Asking an engaged DJ colleague of mine how he, you know, had sex with his girlfriend, I was told, 'Clingfilm and rubber bands.' Inspired by his plight, I became a condom smuggler, bringing dozens of packs of Durex back with me every time I went home to Mrs. Clark in Kent. My mark-up on these bedroom essentials was minimal." You can Buy Hot Press 40-04, our 1980s special, direct from hotpress.com . Or download the iOS app for iPad/iPhone Or download the Android App Where now for the Labour Party, after an electoral annihilation the scale of which outstripped all their worst fears? Here we are, doing an 1980s Special Issue of Hot Press and the sense of deja vu in the political arena is amped up to '11'. When Hot Press launched in June of 1977, we were coming to the end of the reign of one of the worst governments in the history of the State, a Fine Gael coalition with Labour, which had Liam Cosgrave as its Taoiseach and Brendan Corish as Tanaiste. It is chastening to recall that Labours slogan in the 1969 election had been, The 70s Will Be Socialist. It was on that premise that the entire Stokes family voted for the party. But Fianna Fail successfully played the red card, branding Labour as communists, and bizarrely they dropped four seats nationally, ending up with just 18 TDs. Four years on, in 1973, the party took 19 seats. Fine Gael increased their numbers to 54 and their combined 73 gave them a majority in a 144-seat Dail. The presence of socially progressive individuals like Garret Fitzgerald, Michael OLeary and Justin Keating in the coalition cabinet notwithstanding, it turned out to be a creepily conservative arrangement. In many ways, Cabinet meetings might have doubled as gatherings of the national steering committee of the Knights of Columbanus, with the Taoiseach Liam Cosgrave famously scuppering the Governments own attempt in 1974 to introduce legislation making contraception available to married couples. The 1970s was a deeply traumatic decade in Irish history, with the eruption of the bloody and murderous IRA campaign of guerrilla warfare in the North, which spilled over into the South in a number of different ways, dominating the theatre of politics to an inordinate degree. However you viewed what was happening in the North itself, it was essential that the Irish State with all of the resources at its disposal should stand above any form of coercion, bullying, torture, abuse or fitting-up of political activists. In this regard, the government elected in 1973 failed dismally. The horrible truth is that the Coalition of 1973 to 1977 presided over an era in which what was dubbed The Heavy Gang were given more or less free rein within the Gardai. By the time the government went to the country, in 1977, a wave of bile and resentment had reached boiling point. In particular, many people who had voted Labour in 1973 felt grotesquely betrayed, especially by the role of the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs, Conor Cruise OBrien. It had been a Fianna Fail Minister for Justice, Gerry Collins, who first availed of Section 31 of the Broadcasting Act 1960, to prevent the broadcasting of anything that might have been deemed to be inimical to the security of the State. Under a Ministerial order, issued in 1971, Collins instructed RTE not to broadcast: Any matter that could be calculated to promote the aims or activities of any organisation which engages in, promotes, encourages or advocates the attaining of any particular objectives by violent means. That this was intended to proscribe coverage of the activities of the IRA could not have been in doubt. However, neither Collins nor the Fianna Fail government of which he was part had the bottle to nail their colours firmly to the mast. Against that background, the RTE political reporter Kevin Kelly interviewed the chief of staff of the IRA, Sean Mac Stiofain, for the RTE Sunday news programme, This Week. Kelly ended up in jail for his troubles, when he refused to confirm the identity of the voice on the tape as that of Mac Stiofain. That didnt prevent the IRA leader being charged, and he was found guilty before the non-jury Special Criminal Court. In 1976, Conor Cruise OBrien more arrogant than his predecessors if nothing else made the decision to amend Section 31 and to issue a new order, censoring individuals speaking on behalf of particular organisations most notably Sinn Fein. In effect, RTE was precluded from interviewing spokespersons for either Sinn Fein or the IRA or indeed any of the other paramilitary and subversive groups that were active at the time. OBrien also went further, attempting to extend censorship into the press, threatening to use the Offences Against The State Act to prevent newspapers like the Irish Press from publishing material including letters to the editor which might be deemed to be in support of the armed struggle. OBriens attempts at censorship provoked strong resistance from national newspapers, including the Irish Times. In the long run, OBriens reputation here was irreparably damaged, his name forever associated with censorship and repression. It wouldnt have taken much of a campaign then, to unseat what was a deeply unpopular government. And yet Fianna Fail went the whole nine yards, promising to abolish both rates and motor tax. In what was now a larger, 148-seat Dail 75 were required to form a government they romped to a single-party regime with 84 seats, gaining 19, while Fine Gael lost 12 and Labour three. There were only four independents in the entire Dail. Jack Lynch regained power for Fianna Fail but at a terrible cost. So daft were his partys economic policies that by 1981, the country was effectively bankrupt or that was how we understood it then. As economic crises go, it was in the halfpenny place beside what confronted us in 2007. But it was brutally real at the time, and Charlie Haughey used the opportunity to oust Jack Lynch as leader of Fianna Fail and as Taoiseach. The 1980s really began in Ireland in 1981. It was a turbulent period of rising unemployment and political chaos. The 1981 election, held in June, saw Fine Gael and Labour win 80 seats and Fianna Fail 78 out of 166. The result was a minority coalition government, which quickly ran aground when the Minister for Finance, John Bruton, attempted to put VAT on childrens shoes. Limerick independent Labour TD, Jim Kemmy, voted against the measure and the government was history. The election in February 1982 also produced a hung Dail. Fianna Fail had 80 seats against 78 for the outgoing coalition, but Charlie Haughey secured a working majority by negotiating the support of the independent TD Tony Gregory, as well as independent Fianna Failer Neil Blaney in Donegal and the three new Workers Party TDs. Again, the administration was short-lived, the government falling when Tony Gregory and the Workers Party TDs withdrew their support. In the ensuing election, in November 1982, Fine Gael emerged with 70 seats and Labour under new leader Dick Spring took 16. It was more than enough to form a government which this time lasted the full five-year term. It is fascinating to look at these numbers and recognise just how far the once-mighty of Irish politics have fallen. Fianna Fail are determined to present their performance in the 2016 election as a triumph but they had once seemed almost unassailable in their domination of the Irish political landscape. Fine Gael had been the undisputed heirs apparent and Labour effectively mopped up the more left-leaning votes and increasingly also became the reliable, liberal voice of the new emerging Ireland. It was the 1980s which first saw the real fragmentation of that three-party stranglehold. The erosion of the big parties support began as a response to what was happening in the North, with the old Official IRA delivering electable socialist candidates in their Workers Party incarnation. The extent to which Charlie Haughey danced with independents like Tony Gregory may also have encouraged the emergence of lone wolves. However you interpret it, since then there has been an increasing fragmentation, with local candidates emerging, many of whom are dedicated to little more than representing the interests of specific pressure groups on the national stage. Compared to the 84 seats they won in 1977, Fianna Fails latest tally of 43 seems rather pathetic. Fine Gaels likely 52 is marginally more respectable. But Labour are in effect on their knees, with the partys worst performance in an election for aeons yielding just six TDs at the time of going to press. Fascinatingly, the troubles in Northern Ireland are at the heart of Labours difficulties. In the Republic, Sinn Fein was a tiny minority party in 1977 and remained thus in 1981 and 1982. But the Provisional IRAs military campaign gave Sinn Fein a foothold in Northern Ireland and the party has built on that, gradually bringing what it learned in the six northern counties to bear on politics in the Republic. The big question now, following the 2016 general election, is: will Fine Gael and Fianna Fail finally bite the bullet, and agree in the national interest of course to put the civil war of the 1920s behind them for once and for all, and form the centreright government which the electorate seems determined to support? That would provide a stable government, potentially for five years, with Sinn Fein taking on the mantle of main opposition party, on the basis of their 23 or 24 seats. And looming out there too will be that great swathe of independents and left activists. Some of these, including Clare Daly, People Before Profit's Richard Boyd Barrett, Mick Wallace, Catherine Murphy of the Social Democrats, Ruth Coppinger of the Irish Socialist Party and more, will make a significant contribution in terms of the genuine engagement they bring to national political issues. But many others have little or nothing to offer in the Dail other than being a pest to whoever happens to be in government, mostly on behalf of their own constituents. And as for Labour: how great a miscalculation was it to decide to go into Government in 2011? It looks right now as if it would not have been possible to make a worse decision for the party itself. Over the five intervening years, they immunised sections of their support base and in particular public servants from the worst ravages of the collapse in the economy. But as a result, they have been decimated electorally, overtaken by Sinn Fein and the partys founder James Connolly has in effect been relegated to the position of also-ran in the year of the 100th anniversary of the 1916 rising. Well, whats done is done and there is no way back from that. Labour will have to regroup and work out what the way forward is if indeed there is one. But more importantly, for now, the question remains: will people in the main parties play sillybuggers and plunge the country into a damaging re-run of the uncertainty of the 1980s? Or will they finally realise that they are ideologically so close that they really ought to join forces? In our pre-election issue, we put on the record the likely downside of a FG/FF coalition. If it happens, as it surely must, the liberal agenda will be moth-balled: we can forget about the repeal of the 8th Amendment; they will leave control of the schools in religious hands and so on. But, as ever, whether they intended it or not, this is what the people have voted for. The sooner Fianna Fail and Fine Gael get on with it the better.. PHI Group, Inc. is a company focused on energy and natural resources. PHIL are engaged in the trading of coal as well as agricultural commodities and other natural resources. They also have a portfolio of coal assets in Indonesia. 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You have successfully verified the account Continue Hi your HR.com account is ready Your Profile completion: 30% Complete your profile Cyprus PIO: Turkish Cypriot and Turkish Media Review, 16-03-02 Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article From: The Republic of Cyprus Press and Information Office Server at TURKISH CYPRIOT AND TURKISH MEDIA REVIEW No. 42/16 02.03.2016 [A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS [01] Akinci reacted over Dombrovskis' visit in Cyprus and the fact that he will hold only a courtesy meeting with him [02] The breakaway regime assesses a decision by an American court for a property in occupied Cyprus [03] Kalyoncu will discuss with Davutoglu ways to support the Cyprus negotiations during his visit to Ankara [04] Reactions to the signing of the water agreement continue [05] Denktas: The Cyprus negotiations will be led to a dead-end [06] Benter: "The closed city of Maras belongs to Evkaf" [07] Occupancy of five-star hotels in the occupied area of Cyprus has reached to 55% for the month of February [08] Top judge replied to Erdogan: "Rules are binding for everyone" [09] Kilicdaroglu called Erdogan a 'narcissist' [10] HDP co-chair probed for calling on locals to march to restive Sur [A] TURKISH CYPRIOT / TURKISH PRESS [01] Akinci reacted over Dombrovskis' visit in Cyprus and the fact that he will hold only a courtesy meeting with him Under the title: "They should not showed up at all", Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris Gazette (02.03.16-online) reports that Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci, commenting on the two-day forthcoming visit in the island of the European Commissioner for the Euro and Social Dialogue Valdis Dombrovskis, stated that as they were informed, Dombrovskis will pay a courtesy visit of only 15 minutes with him and reacted saying the following: "If they will carry out such visits, it would be better not to show up at all". Speaking during an event in the occupied area of Cyprus, Akinci explained that the European Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis who is responsible to coordinate the Turkish Cypriot's harmonization process with the EU, will pay a 2-3 day visit in the island, will hold several contacts in the "south" and hold a press conference. Commenting on the fact that Dombrovskis will pay a 15 minutes courtesy visit in the "TRNC", Akinci said: "I want to openly say the following: If they will carry out this kind of visits, it would be better not to come at all. We are serious and we want those visiting us to be serious as well. The normal thing would be the one who is responsible to prepare the Turkish Cypriot side for the EU, to carry out contacts here. To come and hear us, learn about our sensitivities; this is their main responsibility. It should be made known that we will not accept such approaches". (AK) [02] The breakaway regime assesses a decision by an American court for a property in occupied Cyprus Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris newspaper (02.03.16) reports that the self-styled foreign ministry of the breakaway regime in the occupied area of the Republic of Cyprus has assessed a decision taken by the District Court of Columbia in Washington in a lawsuit filed against the occupation regime by Greek Cypriot Michalis Toumazou and a group of Greek Cypriots living in the United States of America. The lawsuit had been filed in 2009 and ended on 30 September 2014 in favor of the regime, notes the "ministry" in a written statement issued yesterday, noting that afterwards the plaintiffs took the decision of the lower court to the District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals, which on 15 January 2016 also ruled in favor of the regime. According to the statement, the Court decided that the issues regarding the property in dispute were not entering into the scope of the Court's authority and that none of the plaintiff's allegations could be proved. The "ministry" alleges that the above-mentioned decision constitutes an important precedent and could be a basis for other cases in the USA or other countries. Claiming that they respect the property right of everyone living on the island, the "ministry" alleges that searching in courts for a solution to "politically controlled cases" on the property issue is not a correct method. (I/Ts.) [03] Kalyoncu will discuss with Davutoglu ways to support the Cyprus negotiations during his visit to Ankara Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (02.03.16) reports that the so-called prime minister Omer Kalyoncu stated that he will exchange views with the Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu about the solution procedure taking place now in Cyprus. He also stated that they will discuss ways to support the negotiations in order an agreement to be reached within the current year. Kalyoncu made these statements yesterday at the illegal Tymbou airport, prior to his departure to Turkey. The self-styled prime minister is holding today a meeting in Ankara with Davutoglu in order to sign the agreement reached with Turkey on the water issue on behalf of the breakaway regime. Referring to the water agreement, Kalyoncu stated that the agreement is extremely important since it will help towards the prosperity of the "country". He also expressed the hope that "the water of peace to be shared with the Greek Cypriots in the future". The paper writes that Kalyoncu and Davutoglu will also discuss economic issues during their meeting. "We are asking for support in order to establish an economy that will be able to stand on its own feet [?] and for reforms to be made towards this direction", Kalyoncu stated. Kalyoncu is escorted by the "foreign minister" Emine Colak, the "agriculture and natural resources minister" Erkuk Sahali and the "culture minister" Kutlu Evren along with various "bureaucrats". (CS) [04] Reactions to the signing of the water agreement continue Under the title "Treachery signature", Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (02.03.16) reports that the Social Democracy Party (TDP) youth organization and the Baraka Cultural Centre organized a protest yesterday at the illegal Tymbou airport during self-styled prime minister Omer Kalyoncu's departure for Turkey to sign the "agreement" on the water. The protesters asked from Kalyoncu not to sign the "agreement". Moreover, TDP's chairman Cemal Ozygit also called on Kalyoncu not to sign the "agreement" which he described as "treachery against the Turkish Cypriot people". In statements to the press yesterday, Ozyigit said that if Kalyoncu signs the "agreement", the TDP will not abandon its struggle on the water issue. Describing the water from Turkey as "a great need for the country" and thanking everybody who contributed to the project, Ozyigit argued that the Turkish Cypriots are ready to buy, distribute and control the water. Accusing the self-styled government of succumbing to impositions on this issue, he expressed the view that the second text of the "agreement" is different from the first only in words. He noted that the "municipalities" will "lose their functionality", pointing out that "the company will collect even the local revenues of the municipalities". Furthermore, the so-called Water Platform, which consists of 40 organizations, handed over a letter yesterday to Kalyoncu's office saying that they will never allow the privilege regarding the administration and the operation of the water to be given to a private company. The organizations expressed the view that the water should be administered by protecting the interests of the public and the future generations and not the interests of private companies or persons. Finally, in a written statement on the issue, Sener Elcil, general secretary of the Turkish Cypriot Primary School Teachers' Trade Union (KTOS), described the "agreement", which Kalyoncu will sign today, as a "second Treaty of Sevres", accusing the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) of doing things which "submissive" parties such as the National Unity Party and the Democratic Party do not dare to do. Elcil noted that the "assembly' established after the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus for "administrating" the Turkish Cypriots has been turned into a mechanism which materializes Turkey's integration policies. He argued that Ankara brings to the "government" whichever party it desires and uses the "elections" in the occupied area of the island for deceiving the world. (I/Ts.) [05] Denktas: The Cyprus negotiations will be led to a dead-end Turkish Cypriot daily Diyalog newspaper (02.03.16) reports that Serdar Denktas, chairman of the Democratic Party (DP) visited the occupied Dikomo village and talked with the inhabitants about the latest developments on the Cyprus negotiations. Denktas expressed the opinion that issues like the sovereignty, the guarantees and the property will lead the Cyprus negotiations to a dead-end. He also said that his party will never abandon "this state and its people", as he said. He went on and stated that by the end of 2016 a referendum will be conducted for the solution of the Cyprus problem. Finally, Denktas said that the "coalition government" of the National Unity Party (UBP) and the Republican Turkish Party (CTP) has no future. (CS) [06] Benter: "The closed city of Maras belongs to Evkaf" According to illegal Bayrak television (01.03.16) the "general director" of the Cyprus Vak?f Administration Ibrahim Benter has alleged that the closed city of Maras [Translator's note: the occupied fenced off city of Varosha] is a property of the Evkaf or Foundations Administration. Speaking on a radio program in the occupied area of Cyprus, Benter argued that most of the properties owned by the Evkaf had been improperly and unlawfully handed over to others during the island's British colonial rule. "When the island was rented to the British in 1878, 14% of the properties on the island belonged to the Evkaf Administration. Today the total percentage of Vak?f or Evkaf owned property has dropped to 6%. The area covering the closed city of Maras [Varosha] falls within that 14%", Benter claimed. Explaining that a deal of high level experts had carried out a study in 2009 to determine the number of Vak?f owned properties, Benter said that the deal signed with the British in 1878 clearly stated that Evkaf properties could not be sold or transferred to others. "We have all the title deeds and legal documents to back up our claim" he argued. [07] Occupancy of five-star hotels in the occupied area of Cyprus has reached to 55% for the month of February Turkish Cypriot daily Halkin Sesi newspaper (02.03.16) reports that the hotel occupancy at the five-star hotels in the occupied area of Cyprus for the month of February has reached to 55%, an increase of 5%, comparing with the same period last year. Also, smaller hotels recorded occupancy of 32% for February 2016, which was also an increase of 15% compared to the same month last year. On average, all hotels had a 44% occupancy rate on February this year and compared to 2015 this was on average an increase of 11% for that period. (AK) [08] Top judge replied to Erdogan: "Rules are binding for everyone" Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (01.03.16) reported that Turkey's Constitutional Court President Zuhtu Arslan said at a conference in Ankara on March 1 that the rulings are binding for everyone. Arslan made the above statement following critical statements from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan over a ruling that led to the release of two journalists, Cumhuriyet Editor-in-Chief Can Dundar and Ankara bureau chief Erdem Gul who were arrested in late 2015 over a news report about trucks allegedly carrying weapons to Syria. "The rulings the Constitutional Court issues within its authorization defined by the laws in the Constitution are binding for everybody and every institution. This is a constitutional rule," Arslan said. Erdogan said he would neither accept nor respect the ruling issued by the Constitutional Court late February 25 that provided the legal ground for the release of Dundar and Gul hours after the ruling. (?) Arslan also said that the court rulings could be criticized, while condemning what he described as imaginary conversations created to depict the Constitutional Court as a judiciary body whose rulings depend on personal judgments. "Justices are not sacred beings. Hence, court rulings can and should be criticized. Otherwise, the law could not be developed further. We, for this reason, respect any sort of criticisms against our rulings. However, I strongly condemn and reject any statements and comments directed at myself and our personnel with imaginary dialogues that imply that our court issues rulings based on personal judgments," Arslan added. [09] Kilicdaroglu called Erdogan a 'narcissist' Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (01.03.16) reported that the Republican People's Party (CHP) chairman Kemal K?l?cdaroglu said on March 1, that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's "narcissism" was revealed by his comments after the recent release of two prominent journalists. Kilicdaroglu expressed "sadness" over Erdogan's decision "not to respect or recognize" the Constitutional Court's ruling. "The President of a country should set a model for the society and should obey the judiciary and the law. But if his or her narcissism shows up then he doesn't recognize any rule, because what he says is the law itself. He doesn't comply with the law, the Constitution, or any of the other rules", Kilicdaroglu noted. "What is the law? The law is the assurance of all living people in a society. Who distributes the law? The courts," K?l?cdaroglu said, responding to reporters' questions during a visit to the Union of Chambers of Certified Accountants of Turkey (TURMOB). [10] HDP co-chair probed for calling on locals to march to restive Sur Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News (01.03.16) reported that Diyarbak?r Public Prosecutor's Office launched an investigation into the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) co-chair Selahattin Demirtas and Democratic Regions Party (DBP) co-chair Kamuran Yuksek on March 1, after they called on locals in the southeastern province of Diyarbak?r to march toward the restive Sur district. "We do not view a 24-hour war being waged in the center of a city for three months as an ordinary situation. All Diyarbak?r residents should rise up in order to lift the blockade in Sur. Everyone should march towards Sur from their residences on March 2 at 4 p.m.," Demirtas had said at a press conference, urging locals to be "resolute in calling for their democratic rights." Sur has been under military curfew amid clashes for over three months. In December 2015, two separate investigations were launched into the HDP co-chair over his remarks calling for "autonomy." TURKISH AFFAIRS SECTION http://www.moi.gov.cy/pio (AK/AM) Cyprus Press and Information Office: Turkish Cypriot Press Review Directory - Previous Article - Next Article Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 16-03-03 Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article From: The Athens News Agency at CONTENTS [01] PM Tsipras meet EC President Tusk over the refugees issue [01] PM Tsipras meet EC President Tusk over the refugees issue Prime minister Alexis Tsipras will have a meeting with the President of the European Council Donald Tusk over the refugees issue on Thursday at the Maximos Mansion in Athens. The meeting is taking place within the framework of the discussions the President Tusk has with the governments of the so-called "Balkan Corridor" countries, till March 3. In Athens, Tusk will examine the problem regarding the refugees' flows with Tsipras and soon afterward will visit Ankara to hold a meeting with the Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglou and on Friday will discuss the matter with the President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan. These discussions are held in view of the meeting of the heads of the EU states in Brussels, on March 7, to which is invited to participate also Turkey. The European leaders insist on the full implementation from the part of Ankara of the plan of action Eu-Turkey. According to the plan Turkey is obliged to hinder the arrivals of refugees and migrants to Europe in exchange of an urgent economic aid. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 16-03-03 Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article From: The Athens News Agency at CONTENTS [01] Our goal is a common European solution for migration, Tusk says [02] Labour Min Katrougalos blames IMF for the delay of pension reforms bill [03] 500 refugees crossed the Greek-FYROM buffer zone the last 24 hours [04] Over 5,300 refugees identified on the northern Aegean islands [05] "Blue Star 1" with 580 refugees aboard docks to the port of Piraeus [01] Our goal is a common European solution for migration, Tusk says "Our goal is a common European solution for migration," the president of the European Council Donald Tusk posted on Twitter upon his arrival to Maximos mansion on Thursday. Tusk is meeting Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on the refugee issue. [02] Labour Min Katrougalos blames IMF for the delay of pension reforms bill "The voting of the bill on pension reforms has been significantly delayed and this is due to IMF's stance and its unreasonable demands," Labour Minister George Katrougalos on Thursday said in statements to Praktorio 104.9 FM. The negotiation with the creditors was and is difficult, Katrougalos noted, but it could have reached an agreement if it were not for the IMF stance. The Labour Minister underlined that the bill should have been submitted to parliament by the end of March adding that the European creditors share the view of the Greek government to conclude the first program review as soon as possible. [03] 500 refugees crossed the Greek-FYROM buffer zone the last 24 hours A total of 500 refugees have crossed the Greek-FYROM buffer zone over the last 24 hours. According to police, around 10,000 refugees have camped at Idomeni and another 4,000 refugees are hosted in special facilities at Nea Kavala and Herso, Kilkis. [04] Over 5,300 refugees identified on the northern Aegean islands A large number of identified migrants and refugees are on the islands of the northern Aegean waiting to depart for Piraeus. 3,307 refugees are on Lesvos and the number of refugees identified at Moria hotspot in the last 24 hours reached 1,268. 940 refugees were identified on the island of Chios while 1,227 persons are waiting to leave for the Pireaus or Kavala. Finally, 857 persons are on Samos while 63 refugees were identified in the last 24 hours. [05] "Blue Star 1" with 580 refugees aboard docks to the port of Piraeus "Blue Star 1" ferry carried 580 refugees and migrants from Chios and Mytilene to the port of Piraeus. "Diagoras" ferry with 515 refugees from Leros and Kalymnos is expected to dock at Piraeus port later on Thursday. The port authorities have offered passenger stations and a warehouse to host the refugees. Meanwhile, Doctors Without Borders and the Medical Accosiation have examined more than 400 children with health problems. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 16-03-03 Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article From: The Athens News Agency at CONTENTS [01] The hope of open borders is the last one to die at Idomeni [02] Fyrom closes buffer zone at Idomeni [03] Alt. Migration Min Mouzalas says his statements were misinterpreted [04] Lesvos Petrified Forest Museum to be presented at ITB exhibition in Berlin [05] PM Tsipras: Unity and brave decisions needed in Greece and Europe [01] The hope of open borders is the last one to die at Idomeni IDOMENI (ANA-MPA/George-Byron Davos) - The newcomers among the refugees in the camp of Idomeni, at the borders between Greece and FYROM,can be distinguished from the old ones. A mixture of hope, activity and eagerness is still visible in their eyes and gestures. An attitude that changes over the days. And also they still have to find their way around, discover where to find food, pampers for their babies, some sanitary goods. Huda, a mother head of family, crossed Turkey and the Aegean Sea along with other eleven members of her familyone of whom is the baby of her 21-year old daughter. They arrived yesterday night and now they are trying to find some wood to build a fire. One of the young boys climbed on a tree and cut branches, another child tried to find paper cups to feed the flames. A plastic bag thrown to the bonfire to boost it filled the air with strong smell and thick smoke. Their first reaction after our, obvious, questions is to ask if we have some news about the opening of the borders. "We heard it is closed but we could not wait. My husband is already in Germany and is waiting for us. We crossed Turkey, we risked to be separated along the way and in the boats, but we managed to make it here, all of us", said Huda. "How shall we live?", asks her daughter, when we inform them that the borders might remain closed indefinitely. "Sooner, or later our money will be finished and how shall I feed the baby?" The long journey from Syria to the FYROM borders has drained them financially. As they explained, to get to Idomeni have paidexpensivelytwo taxis from the train station in Thessalonica to discover they had also to pay for the tent if they wouldn't like to spend their night wrapped only in a blanketthe only facility the authorities and the human aid organizations had to provide them at the time. Now they organize their budget in order to send one of the members of the clan to buy bread and groceries from the village. Food is a priority to everyone. But in order to get it you have to pay, since the meagre sandwich the camp authorities offer is not enough, both in number and in substance. So, the refugees must do their own shopping. Till now, the situation is manageable, but what if, after ten days of camping for the majority of them, the money runs out? None has foreseen this possibility. Another potential bomb, which is a matter of time to explode, regards the sanitary condition of the refugees. As the camp gains dimensions, as the number of the refugees increases, the facilities of the place do not suffice at all. The couple of dozen of the existing latrines are already saturated and the scarce showers and faucets for drinkable water cannot satisfy the continuous needs. The few dustbins as soon as they are emptied, almost immediately, are filled again. The ground is filled almost everywhere with the remains of food, or old socks and broken shoesnone can monitor the kids, for whom the only toys are that rubbish. The dispensaries of the Medecines Sans Frontieres, or the Red Cross, are incessantly filled with people with respiratory problems, diarrhea and other health problems related with the poor conditions these people live for months. The volunteers fear they will not be able to manage the situation if the number of the newcomers keeps rising. However, if one turns his eyes to the entrance of the village, or the nearby fields, from everywhere, new groups of migrants walk towards the camp. Some of them, after some hours they turn back and find refuge to the mini camp, that is built at the parking lot and, now, the fields around a gas station before the intersection of the motorway to Idomeni. There at least they have at reach the mini market and a small restaurant that previously served the track drivers coming to rest to and from their way to Evzoni cross point to FYROM and for now they have some more free and cleaner space. [02] Fyrom closes buffer zone at Idomeni Fyrom authorities on Thursday closed again the Greek-Fyrom buffer zone. The neighhouring country's authorities proceeded to this action when a group of refugees occupied the railway tracks. The crossing point was open on Thursday and the flow of refugees that passed was conducted slowly but normally. [03] Alt. Migration Min Mouzalas says his statements were misinterpreted Alternate Migration Minister Yiannis Mouzalas speaking to ANT1 TV on Thursday said that his statement that Idomeni will not reopen and that Greece will be a settlement country for refugees was misinterpreted. Mouzalas clarified that the refugees will stay at the temporary hosting camps for as long as it is needed and during the planning the government bears in mind the possibility of closed borders. The minister recognised that the refugees inflow, with the crossing point at Idomeni closed, will lessen but this will take time, noting that he does not know how many refugees the country can host, but he estimated that the number will be under 150,000. Asked to comment on Slovak prime minister Robert Fico's statement that "we have come to the time when Greece is likely to be sacrificed for the good of the EU," Mouzalas referred to 'suicidal policies'. [04] Lesvos Petrified Forest Museum to be presented at ITB exhibition in Berlin The Museum of the Lesvos Petrified Forest at Sigri will have its own pavilion at the World Geoparks Network at the International Tourist Exhibition ITB that will be held in Berlin from 9-13 March. Visitors of the ITB, one of the most important tourist exhibition worldwide will have the opportunity to get acquainted with the history of the petrified forest of Lesvos Geopark. " A large number of enterpreneurs activating in the travel business, tour operators, journalists and official delegations from all over the world are among the visitors of ITB exhibition in order to be informed on the latest development in the tourist sector. At a very crucial period for Lesvos and for all Greece, UNESCO's World Geoparks Network supports and promotes the island of Lesvos as a high quality tourist destination on the development of geotourism" said the head of the Museum Nikos Zouros to ANA-MPA. [05] PM Tsipras: Unity and brave decisions needed in Greece and Europe "Greece will do its best to offer its help to everyone," Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Thursday said in statements after his meeting with European Council President Donald Tusk. Tsipras underlined that Greece protects the EU legislation and will demand from everyone to respect the European Treaty otherwise there will be sanctions. The Greek prime minister underlined that stronger cooperation is needed with Turkey in order to limit refugee flows. "We are experiencing historic times requiring unity and brave decisions in Greece and in Europe," he stressed. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 16-03-03 Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article From: The Athens News Agency at CONTENTS [01] "Greece has assumed a larger part of the refugees problem", PM Tsipras said to EC President Tusk [01] "Greece has assumed a larger part of the refugees problem", PM Tsipras said to EC President Tusk Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras stressed the need for unity and brave decisions in Greece and Europe after a meeting with European Council President Donald Tusk on Thursday. The Greek prime minister said a message ahead of the EU-Turkey summit on March 7 that Greece will not host temporarily or permanently more refugees than those allocated in accordance with its population. Tsipras said that the European Union proved its weakness in the way it handled the refugee crisis, and therefore its weakness to handle the common problems and the common future. He condemned member states' unilateral acts without former coordination which oppose to the conclusions of the European Council and have led to the drastic reduction of flows from the Balkan route, with serious repercussions both for refugees and for Greece. "We expect that the EU will explicitly recognize that Greece cannot assume all the responsibility by itself. A basic founding principle of the European Union, explicitly defined in the Lisbon Treaty, is the principle of solidarity between member states, which means fair distribution of responsibilities. Greece will demand the full respect of the European treaty otherwise there will be sanctions for those who do not respect it," he added. Tsipras stressed that since refugee flows have been drastically reduced at the borders of Idomeni, the relocation of the refugees should take place immediately in decent conditions, stressing the need for the implementation of a comprehensive EU policy regarding the return of undocumented migrants to their countries. Therefore he called on member states to refrain from unilateral actions. "Only when we respect each other, can we advance," he underlined. The recent unilateral acts are unacceptable and should be condemned by everyone, he stated. Regarding the construction of hotspots, Tsipras reiterated that Greece meets its obligations. "Hotspots on the islands have been completed," he reassured. On his part, Tusk called on all potential migrants not to come to Greece, to Europe, not to believe the traffickers, because Greece will not be a transit country. He also expressed his respect to the Schengen Agreement and urged everyone to avoid conflicts because they dissolve the trust. He also underlined that "the EU will not abandon Greece, it will not leave it alone." Both officials stressed the need for respect to those agreed as well as the decisions of the European Council. Finally, Tusk who will leave immediately for Turkey said that EU-Turkey joint action plan remains a priority that must be successful. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 16-03-03 Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article From: The Athens News Agency at CONTENTS [01] Tsipras: 'The situation is difficult but manageable' [02] IMF team to return to Athens 'soon' says spokesman [01] Tsipras: 'The situation is difficult but manageable' Greece cannot accept or tolerate the failure to implement the decisions of the last European Council on refugees, or the fact that the countries along the so-called "Balkan route" acted unilaterally and in concert with countries outside the EU, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras told a cabinet meeting held to discuss the refugee crisis on Thursday. The situation in Greece with respect to the refugees was "difficult but manageable," Tsipras said during the meeting, which focused on the positions that Greece will adopted at the upcoming EU-Turkey summit on Monday. At the same time, he noted the need for immediate action to prevent the situation from deteriorating further. Referring to the Greece-Turkey High-level Cooperation Council taking place in Izmir on Tuesday, the prime minister said Greece's aim was an active intervention and noted that Greece plays a key role in Turkey's relations with Europe, while European leaders consider that Greece has an important role in EU-Turkish relations. According to government sources, Tsipras said the main problems were how to restrict the flow of refugees to the northern border and the lack of any restriction of flows in Turkey. On management within Greece, the prime minister said that the relevant services were steadily setting up the required hospitality facilities but called for political initiatives on the level of Greece, the EU and Turkey to prevent things getting any worse. The core Greek positions at the summit will be the same as those outlined in joint statements with European Council President Donald Tusk earlier on Thursday, Tsipras said. These will be based on the following lines: In its handling of the refugees, Greece will meet its obligations to the EU but chiefly to the refugees themselves, based on their humanitarian needs. This means that Greece will create the maximum possible places for temporary shelter but will not become a "warehouse" for people and will cite the founding treaties and EU law that imposes a proportional distribution of the burdens and responsibilities. On no account will the permanent hospitality positions exceed one fiftieth of total flows, Tsipras said, noting that this was the share that fell to Greece based on its population and economic capability. Greece will demand an immediate reinforcement and acceleration of processes for refugee relocation from Greece and resettlement from Turkey, Tsipras said, noting that there must be a specific reference in the Council conclusions that describes the relevant processes clearly. The prime minister also cited a need to speed up processes for granting all types of financial assistance to cope with the refugee crisis and referred to Turkey's role, saying it must implement the EU-Turkey agreement in order to stop migration flows and illegal trafficking. Another immediate goal, Tsipras added, was to strengthen and make clearer the process for the readmission of migrants that had no right to asylum. Referring to the handling of the refugee situation on the domestic front, the prime minister said there had been fast operational and organisational results and noted that coordination between the ministries was satisfactory, with Alternate Defence Minister Dimitris Vitsas acting as coordinator of the government's management team. The prime minister also stressed the need to keep Greek society on board, maintaining its willingness to support refugees, and the need to create a global movement with the same aim, with the help of international personalities and celebrities. "It is crucial that we have local communities on our side and equally crucial to maintain Greek society's willingness to support the refugees. Either humanity or the far-right will prevail," Tsipras concluded, while noting that Greece had greatly benefited from the interventions on this issue of international figures, such as the Pope, the UN Secretary-General, and a number of intellectuals and artists throughout the world. [02] IMF team to return to Athens 'soon' says spokesman The technical mission of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will soon return to Athens, its spokesman Gerry Rice said on Thursday during a regular press briefing, noting that good progress was made during the institutions' dinner on Wednesday evening in Brussels. "We expect an early return of the mission," he was quoted as saying, adding that the exact time will be announced after the Eurogroup next Monday. "We share the opinion that the review must be completed as soon as possible," he said. Rice also confirmed that during the institutions' dinner participants, who included Poul Thomsen, Director of the IMF's European Department, discussed the Greek program. The IMF maintains that additional measures worth 4-5 pct of GDP are needed to cover the fiscal gap until 2018, he said. Asked to comment on criticism that the Fund is harsh with Greece, he said: "Our job is to be objective and realistic. We are called to do the work that we have been commissioned to do for our members." Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article Well, this is adorable. Kevin Song had just finished eating lunch near English Bay in Vancouver, when he "spotted a pretty girl taking photos of the scenery" and wanted to introduce himself. "I wasn't sure how without coming off creepy," he said. When he finally got the courage to go introduce himself, a kind bird blessed their meeting by pooping on them. Advertisement "We both looked at each other and just cracked up," Song said. "I suggested that we buy a lottery ticket because hell, why not? We just got pooped on by a bird. "It was even more hilarious because we actually won $2,000!" After that, the duo dated for six months but they lost touch when Jung, who'd been visiting Vancouver on a work visa, suddenly had to go back home to Korea. They didn't hear from each other for four years, but Song said he never forgot about her. In November 2015, Song got a Facebook message from Diana. She'd lost his number during her trip home and created a Facebook page just to try and find him again. Advertisement "When I heard [that,] I knew it right away," Song said. "I had to marry this girl." Earlier this year, Song proposed at Grouse Mountain underneath an archway decorated with bird cages in honour of their meeting. (Watch video above, shot by Just Because Vancouver.) Adorable. Advertisement Follow Us On Instagram Also on HuffPost Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau had a very good reason for being late for a recent interview with Chatelaine contributor Rachel Giese. The prime minister's wife had to breastfeed their two-year-old son Hadrien before he went down for his nap. In the lovely profile, which is the cover story of the current issue of the magazine, Gregoire-Trudeau explains: I still feed him. I know hes my last one; its a little hard to give it up. Advertisement And with that, the mom of three becomes even more relatable to all of us. Unlike the rest of us, though, she has to face a lot of scrutiny. If anyone has something negative to say about her extended breastfeeding, Gregoire-Trudeau will likely take it all in stride. The negative things that can be said I thought they would affect me more," she confided in Giese. "They dont. I mean, Im not immune, trust me. But I know who I am and what I have to give. Advertisement She and her husband Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have faced criticism before over their parenting, in particular around their nannies. In an interview with Canadian Family, Gregoire-Trudeau talked about the essential role the family's nanny plays in their busy life: "I try to build a family rhythm. We have a routine with the kids. Justin isnt here during the week, so I have a new 'husband' named Dominika. Shes my friend and partner in helping with the kids. Im blessed to have her -- I feel were part of the same tribe!" But some people were upset that their child care workers' salaries are covered by taxpayer dollars. Others felt the $11 to $20 an hour the Trudeaus were paying them wasn't enough. In the Chatelaine interview, Gregoire-Trudeau says she stays away from social media to help protect herself and her children from the negativity. How else does she deal with trying to raise Xavier, Ella-Grace and Hadrien while in the spotlight? Being 40 and having three kids puts lots of things in perspective and helps me stay grounded. The pictures and dresses and official functions -- thats my job, but its not my whole life. I feel close to people, and their reality and my reality are not that different. Advertisement To read the full profile, visit Chatelaine magazine. ALSO ON HUFFPOST: Keep on trucking, Vancouver. The West Coast city ranks first among Canada's fastest-growing city economies in a report released Thursday. Vancouver is expected to come out on top this year, with an estimated GDP growth of 3.3 per cent outpacing the 1.8 per cent the Canadian economy is projected to increase overall. Advertisement The Conference Board of Canada's "Metropolitan Outlook: Winter 2016" is an annual analysis of economic growth in 28 cities. Canada's Fastest-Growing Metro Economies See Gallery Vancouver's growth will be fueled by sectors such as construction, transportation, manufacturing and warehousing. "Growth in the construction sector will be fuelled by large mixed-use and non-residential projects, such as the Trump International Hotel and Tower and the expansion of the Vancouver International Airport, as well as stable new home construction," said a news release. Meanwhile, a federal shipbuilding contract for Seaspan will boost local manufacturing, as well as exports driven by a faltering Canadian dollar. Advertisement Halifax came second on the list, with expected growth of 2.9 per cent. The increase was attributed to shipyard work connected to Arctic offshore patrol ships. Projections were far less rosy for Western Canadian cities and others dependent on oil. Edmonton and Calgary are expected to see negative GDP growth of 1.3 per cent and 1.2 per cent, respectively. The trends come as oil continues to drag on Alberta's economy. Saskatoon is feeling similar pain, as the Conference Board projects 1.1 per cent GDP growth this year. The news comes after Statistics Canada recorded better-than-expected GDP growth of 0.8 per cent for the last three months of 2015. Show Me - The Azores [Part 1] Welcome to The Azores. Europes Hawaii!This beautiful spot is a collection of nine volcanic islands in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean. Im always amazed at what you can find when you travel off the beaten path. Tag your adventure buddy :)Thanks Visit Azores for supporting our vision for this :) Posted by Chris Hau on Tuesday, March 1, 2016 Now this is how everyone should travel. Cinematographer Chris Hau travelled to the Azores, a cluster of volcanic islands off the coast of Portugal, and somehow managed to book a round-trip in December for just $325. Yes, you read that right. Hau booked the trip in the "spur of the moment," after coming across the deal on travel site Kayak. He knew next to nothing about his destination. Advertisement "We were like, 'What is this place?'" Hau told The Huffington Post Canada in an email. "We looked up a few photos on Google and we're like, 'We should just book it and go!'" The Toronto-native explained the flight was "so cheap" partly because it didn't include checked baggage. After just a five-hour direct flight from Pearson International Airport with Sata Airlines, Hau and a friend landed in the city of Ponta Delgada, on Dec. 3, 2015. Advertisement During their eight-day adventure, the duo explored the city's architecture and natural landscapes. They also travelled to other places such as Furnas, a town built atop an active volcano, and the city of Angra do Heroismo, which is a UNESCO heritage site. In a little over a week, they covered two of the region's nine islands. Hau, who is known for his travel video series "Show Me," managed to capture the incredible experience on film. The video, posted to Facebook earlier this week, has already been shared more than 3,000 times. In the past, the cinematographer has also filmed destinations such as Ireland, and captured life in Canadian cities such as Ottawa, Toronto and Quebec City. The Azores islands, as breathtaking as they are visually, are also known for their delicious food. "They are known for some of the best meat in the world," said Hau, explaining it's all bred locally. "They have more cows than people." Advertisement It's not just airfare that was budget-friendly, Hau said the food ranged from four to 15 euros per meal, while a bottle of wine often cost only five euros. The duo also managed to score an Airbnb with an ocean view, which cost them only $20 per night. It came with free airport pick up and care packages stuffed with local treats. Now that's a steal, but don't take our word for it. Check out the Azores for yourself in Hau's latest "Show Me" video above. Also on HuffPost CP Surprise, surprise. Doug Ford visited CBC News on Wednesday to talk about the American election, and said he believes Donald Trump will win the Republican nomination and the White House. "He's going to be the next president," Ford said. "I truly believe he'll be the next president." Advertisement Donald Trump waves while exiting the stage after speaking during a Super Tuesday night event in Palm Beach, Fla., on Monday. (Photo: Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg via Getty Images) A Trump candidacy is looking likely for the Republican Party after the billionaire businessman dominated Super Tuesday, winning primaries in seven states. CBC Toronto host Dwight Drummond compared Trump's rise to that of Ford's brother, former Toronto mayor Rob Ford, who gained international notoriety when he admitted to smoking crack cocaine. Trump and Ford were both initially dismissed as fringe candidates with slim chances of winning, Drummond said. The former city councillor was asked if he sees any similarities between Trump and his brother? Advertisement "Do I ever," Ford said. In October, Ford told the National Post that his brother blazed the trail for a new type of politician, and Trump was borrowing from his playbook. "People are tired in North America of the BS-ing politician. You tell it the way it is, you hold back nothing and the vast majority of the conservative-minded people are sharing the same ideas," Ford said at the time. "Politicians are just too scared to say what we say." Watch the full exchange below: Why Doug Ford thinks Donald Trump will become president Doug Ford on Donald Trump: "Hes going to be the next president." Posted by CBC Toronto on Wednesday, 2 March 2016 A rookie Liberal MP calling for more legislative teeth to protect animals says the politics of fear shouldn't turn his private member's bill into a partisan fight. Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, elected in the Toronto riding of Beaches-East York, has tabled a bill that he believes will bring Canada's animal welfare laws "into the 21st century." Advertisement But a veteran Conservative MP and critic has already blasted his proposed changes as "dangerous" for hunters, farmers, ranchers, and aboriginal communities. (Photo: Nathaniel Erskine-Smith/Liberal Party) Erskine-Smith's Bill C-246 the Modernizing Animal Protections Act sets out to achieve three key measures that are entirely reasonable and should win broad support, he told The Huffington Post Canada Thursday. First, it aims to end the "cruel practice of shark finning" where the animal's fin is removed and its body discarded back into the ocean by banning the import of the appendages. It's estimated that 100 million sharks are killed each year because of the practice. Advertisement It would also ban the sale of cat and dog fur in Canada, as the European Union and United States have already done, and require source-fur labelling for companies. Third, the bill seeks to amend the Criminal Code to "close loopholes" related to animal abuse, fighting, negligence, and bestiality. Erskine-Smith, a lawyer, insists he's done his homework and is just building off previous legislation introduced to the House of Commons by Liberals and New Democrats. "I'm not re-inventing the wheel here," he said. A bill calling for a ban on shark fins, introduced by NDP MP Fin Donnelly, was narrowly defeated in 2013. A previous Liberal government also attempted to update animal cruelty provisions about 15 years ago. It's something Erskine-Smith says hasn't been changed substantively since 1892. Advertisement 'Gross negligence' versus 'willful' Perhaps the biggest change to Code would be the creation of a new offence for individuals who cause unnecessary suffering to an animal by "gross negligence." As it stands, it's a crime to cause an animal pain through "willful" or deliberate neglect. "In many cases, it can be difficult for a Crown prosecutor to prove that someone willfully intended to cause harm through neglect," he said. "So, instead, gross negligence is where there is a marked departure from a reasonable standard of conduct and an animal has unnecessarily suffered." If passed, someone guilty of such mistreatment could spend two years behind bars. The bill would also make it an offence to encourage or receive money for animal fights. And it would update the definition of bestiality to mean, simply, sexual activity between a person and animal. While Erskine-Smith says that's what any reasonable person thinks it means already, a British Columbia Court of Appeal decision held that the criminal act requires penetration. Accomplishing all this, however, will mean looking at animals as more than just property a step that has set off alarm bells among some MPs in the past who fear such a move could jeopardize hunting rights. Tory MP: 'Omnibus bill' poorly drafted, flawed Manitoba Conservative MP Robert Sopuck, his party's critic for wildlife conservation and Parks Canada, released a statement last week calling the legislation "fundamentally flawed" and an "omnibus bill," because of the many laws it would change at once. Advertisement But he also expressed reservations about changing how animals are seen under the current law. Prime Minister Stephen Harper welcomes MP Robert Sopuck to the Conservative caucus on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Dec. 1, 2010. (Photo: Sean Kilpatrick/CP) "This bill proposes to move animals out of the property section of the Criminal Code and place them in the public morals section," he said in the release. "Its terms are so broad that they could place all animal use in legal jeopardy." Such a step would have "drastic implications," he said, for communities who rely on "farming, hunting, trapping, commercial fishing and angling," as well as medical researchers. Sopuck also accused NDP MPs last year of harbouring a "radical animal rights agenda" for wanting to remove animals from the property section of the Code. Advertisement 'You can't do with them whatever you like' Erskine-Smith says that animals are obviously still property in society "one owns a pet, one owns farm animals" but removing them from that section would recognize animals as "quasi-property." "They're not the same as a table, as a chair," he said. "You can't do with them whatever you like. While they are property, they are owned, you also have to treat them in a humane way." Current laws on the books concerning animal cruelty have done nothing to hurt farming or hunting in Canada, Erskine-Smith says. "They're not the same as a table, as a chair. You can't do with them whatever you like." The Liberal said he sat down with Sopuck and explained how this bill won't affect farmers, hunters, or medical researchers. That's the same message he says he delivered to industry and farming associations, and one he will explain to any else with concerns. "This bill is designed to prevent and target animal abuse, not legitimate animal use," he said, adding that farmers and hunters who abide by all the current regulations should have no concerns if this bill becomes law. Advertisement Erskine-Smith said Sopuck is trying to drive a wedge into the issue. "It's fear-mongering to whip up a base of support and it's absolutely unnecessary," he said. Erskine-Smith, who grew up with cats and dogs but doesn't currently have a pet, is confident that "with a lot of work," enough MPs of all stripes will get on board with his bill. The legislation has already won the endorsement of the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies. Our Canadian team has worked closely with MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith and animal groups across the country on the... Posted by Humane Society International on Wednesday, March 2, 2016 His gambit is perhaps ambitious but Erskine-Smith says it's motivated by a desire to make the biggest possible impact as an MP. "I'm very interested in ideas that cross political party lines, where there is cross-partisan support," he said. "Canadians across the country whether they're Conservative, whether they're NDP, whether they're Liberal, whether they're farmers, whether they're pet-owners Canadians care about animal welfare." Advertisement Also on HuffPost: An Alberta moms popular Facebook post warning travellers to stay away from a Mexican resort might be causing unnecessary worry. Kat Boblin visited the Royalton Riviera Cancun in Puerto Morelos, Mexico with her boyfriend and 19-month-old daughter last month. Boblin wrote on Facebook that four days into their stay, her daughter developed a rash and blisters. A doctor told her it was hand, mouth and foot disease (HMFD). Boblin said that she spotted other children at the resort with similar rashes. Advertisement The mother from Black Diamond, Alta. shared her story in a Facebook post that has gone viral. So I have been asked to make this public so people can share it. Everyone please share if you know anyone that travels... Posted by Kat Boblin on Thursday, 25 February 2016 While media outlets including CBC, CTV and Global reported on the story, commenters on the news sites pointed out that she might be making a mountain out of a molehill. While the rash looks scary, its actually a very mild and common illness, according to the Centre for Disease Control. It can take three to six days for children to start showing symptoms, so its possible some of the infected kids might have picked up the disease outside of the resort, or back in Canada. Advertisement HFMD is highly contagious and once it begins spreading its hard to stop, short of bleaching all infected surfaces, and adding heavy amounts of chlorine to swimming pools, according to the CDC. Well, oddly enough, there was an outbreak of hand-foot-and mouth among Canadian youngsters who DIDNT go to Mexico last December, wrote one commenter on CTVs website. A Global News reader said that her child caught HFMD in an Edmonton swimming pool for the fifth time and recovered just fine. Boblin acknowledged that HFMD is common, but told CBC that she wished the hotel wasn't "refusing to warn other families." Blue Diamond Resorts, which manages the Royalton Riviera Cancun, said in a statement to CBC that it found 15 cases of HFMD between December and February, but the number and severity of cases is not enough to constitute an outbreak. Advertisement Boblin said the resort offered her a late checkout and asked her to sign a non-disclosure agreement a request that infuriated her because she felt the resort could have done more. The company said it did not ask Boblin to sign such an agreement, but a standard waiver as acknowledgement of receiving a service as compensation. The resort said it implemented rigorous infection protocols after hearing about an increased number of cases in the region. Advertisement Roberto Machado Noa via Getty Images TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA - 2015/09/26: Interior of a Westjet plane. WestJet Airlines Ltd. is a Canadian low-cost carrier that provides scheduled and charter air service to 100 destinations in Canada. (Photo by Roberto Machado Noa/LightRocket via Getty Images) An ex-flight attendant who worked for WestJet is suing the airline, saying she was fired over her complaint that a pilot allegedly sexually assaulted her. Vancouver's Mandalena "Mandy" Lewis said the incident happened during a Hawaii layover after flying from Vancouver to Maui on Jan. 24, 2010, according to a civil claim filed in B.C. Supreme Court. Advertisement She had been socializing with other flight attendants and pilots at Maui's Makena Beach Resort, but things took a turn when she agreed to have drinks with "Pilot M" in his hotel room, reported CBC News. He allegedly grabbed the attendant and "dragged her onto the bed" against her will while groping and kissing her, said the outlet. Lewis said she eventually fought her attacker off and escaped. Told to "keep quiet," claim says She reported the attack, according to her claim, but all WestJet allegedly did was change her work schedule so she didn't have to work with the pilot, Global News reported. Lewis also claims she was told to "keep quiet" about the alleged assault because other women were working with the pilot as flight attendants, according to CTV News. Advertisement Lewis said that in 2015, she met another flight attendant who claimed to have been assaulted by "Pilot M" seven years earlier. "WestJet knew at least by 2008 that the pilot was a danger to other employees and WestJet had failed to remove him from the workplace or place conditions on his employment that protected employees like the plaintiff who were working alongside and under him," Lewis' lawsuit states. The former flight attendant said she eventually had to go on short-term disability to cope with stress caused by the incident, but was eventually fired for "insubordination" after she emailed the company, distressed that she wasn't getting the answers she was looking for. Lewis said her dismissal was a "retaliation." She's suing for wrongful dismissal and seeking general, special, and punitive damages, said Postmedia News. Investigation opened in Hawaii A prosecutor in Maui told CTV News that a WestJet pilot was charged in Hawaii in 2010. In a statement, a WestJet spokesperson said the Calgary-based airline will be filing a statement of defence in response to Lewis' claim, and that it plans to "vigourously defend the allegations contained in the claim." Advertisement None of the allegations have been proven in court. Follow Us On Instagram Also On HuffPost: By Bianca Zanotti It was like every high school party I had ever been to -- except most of the kids here were homeless and the rest were about to experience being homeless for the night. And I couldn't tell the difference. The music was blaring, kids were slouched on the couch hugging, some huddled on the floor laughing, a few in the kitchen making sandwiches and a couple on laptops in the corner. I searched for some distinguishing characteristics. Nothing. Advertisement Every night, up to 70 youth make their way to 360Kids, the only homeless drop-in centre north of the Toronto-York boundary. And every night, when the doors close at 8 p.m., they join an estimated 300 youth between the ages of 16 and 24 that are homeless in York Region. As they make their way to alleys, parks, cardboard beds, a friend's couch or a shelter, the rest of the Young Leaders get a glimpse into what many youth go through on a night-to-night basis as a way of raising awareness and funds for programs like this drop-in centre. My group of four is the given the scenario that we are a single teen mother, just evicted from a rental basement and have to make our way to Blue Door Shelters in East Gwillimbury, the only family shelter in the region. It's first come, first serve, so we must hurry -- they turned away about 5,000 people in 2014 and 4,000 in 2015 because there were no open beds. We get one bus ticket and $5 each for the night. We make our way to the VIVA bus shelter -- it is chilling cold, and the moon hangs in the black sky. Just footsteps behind me as part of the group is my younger brother, his friend and another boy. I gesture for them to hurry up so we don't miss the bus. As the oldest, I am forced to lead. Advertisement My brother is tired and frustrated, I feel like crying, and this is just an experience -- it's not the real thing. The VIVA bus is warm and empty except for a young man and woman holding a large bag of Mary Browns fried chicken. They smile, then get back to their small talk. Michael Braithwaite, executive director at 360Kids and our staff guide for the night, tells them that we are headed to Blue Door as part of a youth homeless experience. The two individuals look at each other and continue to smile. "That's where we're headed," said the man, as he fumbles with the paper bag. The woman says they are travelling from Toronto, where all the shelters were full. She tells us that Blue Door has provided them with a bed many times as they try to manage rent and bills on two unstable jobs. "I was in foster care all my childhood. When I walk into homeless shelters, I know most of the people there were once in foster care, too," says the man. Advertisement "70 per cent," Michael says. "70 per cent of our homeless youth were once foster children." I am fading in and out of the conversation -- lost between the hum of the bus and the fact that it's after 10 p.m. On any regular night, I'd be getting ready to go to bed and thinking about school the next day. Tonight I'm trying to get out of -20 degrees Celsius and find us all a bed. The couple seems stunned and appreciative that we are experiencing this night. "Imitation is the greatest form of flattery, right?" the woman says. We get off the bus and after a long walk down a highway with no sidewalk or street lights, finally arriving at the shelter. I wonder how anyone in crisis would ever find this place. The scent of coffee welcomes us. One of the staff asks our age. You must be at least 18 years old to stay here overnight because it is an adult shelter. Anyone under 16 must be in the care of children's aid or travel to one of the region's youth shelters located in Newmarket and Sutton. No time to debate -- we can't stay the night. My brother is tired and frustrated, I feel like crying, and this is just an experience -- it's not the real thing. Advertisement It's 1 a.m. and the last bus back to Richmond Hill leaves in 40 minutes. We still have a long walk ahead of us. The bus ride back is lonelier. My brother and the others fall asleep and I feel my mood blacken like the sky. How would I even survive one night on my own? Forget my laptop, cell phone, prom dress, university entrance and dance classes. What about just needing to eat, sleep, bathe and survive? I wake them all as our stop approaches and we find shelter in a Scotiabank vestibule before the official end of our experience. The bank's slogan is painted on the wall above my brother's sleeping head, "You're richer than you think." The next day at school, my locker neighbour opened her locker. It was jammed full with clothes and boots. She looked at me and smiled. I wondered if she was couch surfing. Right next to me. Just like me. And I still couldn't tell the difference. Bianca Zanotti participated in the Young Leaders' 360Experience in 2015. She is currently studying journalism at Ryerson University. Advertisement Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook MORE ON HUFFPOST: On Wednesday night, the bodies of three young Muslim men were found dead in an Indiana home. The victims were Mohamedtaha Omar, 23, Adam Kamel Mekki, 20, and Muhannad Adam Tairab, 17. They were found with multiple bullet wounds in what police reported as an execution-style shooting. This triple homicide occurred five days ago and news of their murder only surfaced on social media Sunday morning, after it was almost entirely ignored by mainstream media. This is not new. It's become clear that Muslim bodies are only newsworthy when they are responsible for a crime and not when they are the victims. Similar to the case of Yusor, Deah and Razan, may Allah have mercy on their souls, the deaths of these young people would have been simply ruled off as a homicide with very little attention, if it were not for their families. Advertisement However, there is a startling difference in these two tragedies: The response from the Muslim community. From our supposed Ummah, there has been a deafening silence. It's impossible not to notice that this is the exact opposite response that the Chapel Hill Shooting received. It did not take five days for news of their murder to break. Although the victims all shared a religion, in the case of the Indiana shooting, the victims were Black Muslims of the African Diaspora, whereas the Chapel Hill victims were not. We as Muslims are quick to highlight double-standards in media and societies overall portrayal of Muslims, but why are we so reluctant to acknowledge our own selective mourning? Advertisement Muslims need to confront their anti-blackness, especially in times of rampant Islamophobia. Racism is an ugly reality in many Muslim communities that we consistently choose to ignore. We pray shoulder to shoulder beside the same people who see black skin as bad skin. We allow them into our safe spaces, protest along side them, break our fasts with them and then when we mourn for the loss of Black Muslim lives, we are met with their silence. Enough. Muslims, let's talk about our racism. Let's talk about how we are only an Ummah when it applies to non-black bodies. How we only ever rally for Arab countries, protest for every uprising in Palestine and injustice in the Middle East, but are met with silence when it is black Muslim bodies that are facing persecution. We stand up for the same ethnic groups that refer to black bodies as slaves. The same ethnic groups that have a dessert called "Ras El 3abed," and we do it because regardless of the heavy racism they are still our Muslim brothers and sisters. But this is enough. This selective mourning, this deciding whose oppression deserves outrage is hindering our ability to move forward not only as a community but also as human beings. Muslims need to confront their anti-blackness, especially in times of rampant Islamophobia. I moved to Toronto after university, and the first Muslim I ran into was my cab driver. He was Egyptian and when he found out I was away from my family and living on my own, he chose to give me advice. "You're like my daughter," he said, "I'll give you the same advice I give her." His advice was that if I wanted to be safe in Toronto, I needed to stay away from black people. He said this to me, a black Muslim woman. He said this casually, in a way where I knew he believed it with all of his being. And when I told him that was racist, his response was that it's not racism if it's not true. Advertisement We erase black Muslims because they do not fit into our narrative of what a Muslim looks like. Can we pretend for a quick moment that he was white, and had said this about Muslims? That's actually not that hard to imagine considering the current political climate. Politicians are comfortably spreading an anti-Islamic rhetoric that leads to hate crimes like Chapel Hill and possibly the death of Mohamedtaha, Adam, and Muhannad. We love to complain about injustices against Muslims, but in our own mosques choose to echo so many oppressive views. We want justice, but only for some of us. We talk about Islamophobia but never anti-blackness. Where were non-black Muslims at #BlackLivesMatter protests? As if the original Muslims in the United States were not black. As if the original Arabs were not black. We expect allies but oppress other groups for our own liberation. We erase black Muslims because they do not fit into our narrative of what a Muslim looks like. I can't help but ask, what would my own community do if my seven-year-old brother was murdered? Would he be afforded the privilege of his death being investigated as a hate crime? Or would his Muslim identity be erased and he labeled another black thug? Would it matter that he kissed my mother every night before he went to bed and prayed every Isha at the mosque with my dad every night? In so many of the conversations Muslims had following the news of the Indiana shooting, questions that arose surrounded gang-violence and drugs. Were these boys in gangs? Were they drinking that night? Advertisement And although police ruled that these boys were not involved in gang activity and that none of the boys were drinking the problem is that rather than simply mourning the loss of three young men with beautiful hearts and bright futures, we chose to pick apart their character. Why? Does sinning make you less Muslim? Because if that is the case, racism would make most Muslims I know barely Muslim. I will not sugarcoat this: If you are not as outraged at the deaths of these three young men as you were with the deaths of the Chapel Hill victims, you are what's wrong with the Muslim Ummah. Believe me when I say, Islam is not for people like you. I won't share my religion with people who actively seek to erase my narrative. I would rather fight for my own liberation alongside those who share my heart, rather than those who pretend to pray to the same God while living their lives in a way that insults the teachings of Islam. This blog was originally published on MuslimGirl.net Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook ALSO ON HUFFPOST: Paul Souders via Getty Images I suck at travel. I am objectively bad at it. How bad? I arrived in Cordoba, Argentina less than a week ago. Since then, I have almost lit my hand on fire with a gas stove, was chased through the streets by a family of stray dogs and shot myself in the face with a bidet. Twice. But give me a break; I'm new to this. While my Facebook friends spent the last decade casually showing me exotic vistas and #nofilter selfies with delicious meals, I was living at home. Or taking too long to finish university. Or paying off my OSAP while working as a contract journalist. You may recognize many of those scenes from your own life. Advertisement And I don't regret it for a second, because despite what badly Photoshopped and misattributed quotes over pictures of horizons will tell you, you are not "wasting your life" if you're not travelling. There aren't holes in your soul that only a EuroRail pass and an Osprey backpack can fill. Travel is a very lovely way to spend your time, but it's also 10 types of privilege rolled into one, and I had made my peace with the idea that I was never going to really travel in a significant way. Four months ago, I was accepted into Remote Year, a really cool year-long travel program that I didn't apply for because I was convinced long ago that I wasn't the kind of person who gets to travel. I know what that person looks like: They look good in tank tops, can live comfortably out of a backpack for weeks at a time and probably don't count "Borderline Infantile French" as their proud second language. Advertisement I didn't even apply for the program; my best friend entered my name and email for me. Several weeks later, I was in, and suddenly I had to face the reality that I was about to start living the exact type of life I was entirely prepared to never have. No Adele album can cover the breadth of emotions I've lived through in preparing for this trip, but I somehow got through it, and now I'm living in Argentina. I believe the phrase we're looking for here is "failing upward." Well, that escalated quickly. @jychiu #iamhavinganemotionalbreakdown #remoteyear3 #remotelyinteresting #gonnalistentomoretrapcovers A photo posted by Mike Sholars (@sholarsenic) on Feb 26, 2016 at 3:52pm PST If having the opportunity to travel is 10 types of privilege, then travelling enough to be good at it is another thing entirely. To get good at anything, you need to do it enough times for it to be a one-off. I'm sure that certain types of people are more naturally inclined to be good at travel, but in general, it comes with repetition and practice. The more you see of the world, the more at home you'll be in it as a whole. Advertisement And I hope to be there one day, I really do. In a year, I expect to come back home sporting a full-on Drake Beard, a stylish unisex indoor scarf and the ability to effortlessly weave compelling references to The Argentinian Sunset into casual conversation. I'll be insufferable, I'll be enviable, I'll be the exact mashup of Indiana Jones and The Rock that I've always aspired to be. (Sometime this year there I'll put on 30 pounds of muscle. It sounds easy, and I'm pretty sure all of this will sort itself out.) But right now, I'm not there. Not even close. And I realized: That's OK. I can't compete with Anthony Bourdain when it comes to being A Travel Guy, because I'm fairly sure he could take me in a straight fistfight if it came down to that. So instead, I'll be writing what I do know: An ongoing travel column from someone who has always wanted to travel but got to it really late, and because of that, he kinda really sucks at it. Over the next year, I'll be spending four months each in South America, Europe, and Asia (in that order). I'll spend a month in a different city. I speak exactly one language. I brought far too many items, most of them undershirts. I look weird in shorts. To call me "out of shape" would be a cruel insult to the idea of shapes. If I know anything about the cities we're visiting beforehand, it's because of video games or exotic action movies. The first thing I did upon arrival was check to see what Argentina's Netflix situation is like (it's solid). Advertisement I'm not what anyone expects a traveller to look like, but here I am. Travelling. Hopefully it'll wind up being Remotely Interesting. Mike Sholars is currently residing in Cordoba, Argentina as he travels the world for a year while working remotely for the Huffington Post Canada. Remotely Interesting is his weekly travel column. Follow @sholarsenic on Instagram and Twitter to be assaulted with his bad jokes and shaky photos. Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook MORE ON HUFFPOST: Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has been accused of misusing data to beat up on doctors Isabel Infantes/EMPICS Entertainment Jeremy Hunt is either guilty of either extreme political arrogance or moves to destabilise the NHS by claiming 6,000 excess NHS deaths a year happen at the weekend, a damning report has said. In July, the Health Secretary blamed a lack of a proper seven day service in hospitals for the so-called "weekend effect", underpinning both a flagship Government reform to make the NHS work full-time on Saturday and Sunday and the central argument in his troubled efforts to hand junior doctors a new contract. Advertisement But the editor-in-chief of the British Medical Journal (BMJ), whose report last year the Tory minister cherry-picked the figure from, said he was clearly warned there was no evidence to link the deaths to problems with staff shortages. In a new paper, released today, the BMJs Dr Fiona Godlee said the minister was misusing the data to beat up on doctors. She goes on to say he has pitted himself against" medical staff to create the impression he is the champion of the people" despite the "lack of a clear call from the public for a seven day service. Her conclusions are drawn from a fresh investigation by BMJ reporter Abi Rimmer, who scrutinised emails and talked to the main players involved in publishing reports at the centre of the long-running row. Godlee found no fault in their conduct, instead criticising what Hunt "chose to do next. As well as marking out battle lines with doctors, she found fault in the minister using the information publicly without being clear about its source, and repeatedly attributing excess deaths to doctors not being available at weekends. She concluded: Hunts approach demonstrates either extreme political arrogance or an attempt to destabilise the NHS. Whichever, NHS staff and patients must deal with the fallout. Further strikes are pending, and doctors at all stages of their career are desperately demoralised, with many on the brink of leaving the profession or the country. She added: Hunt was supposed to keep the NHS out of the headlines. His particular brand of confrontational micromanagement has achieved exactly the reverse. Advertisement Junior Doctors Strike See gallery In the speech in July, Hunt said: Around 6,000 people lose their lives every year because we do not have a proper seven day service in hospitals. You are 15% more likely to die if you are admitted on a Sunday compared to being admitted on a Wednesday. The new BMJ analysis details the huge confusion among Whitehall departments and academics over where the 6,000 figure came from once journalists started asking questions. Its tortured genesis began with a study in 2012 that was in the process of being updated. But it had yet to be formally published when Hunt made his address. The BMJ found the new, 2015 article did not refer to 6,000 excess deaths, as quoted by Hunt. But it did say 11,000 more people died each year within 30 days of admission to hospital on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, or Monday compared with other days of the week. Advertisement However, and in what appears to be the killer blow to Hunts claim, the authors say it was not possible to say whether the excess deaths could be prevented by more staff. They stated: To assume that they are avoidable would be rash and misleading. Just last week, David Cameron used for the 11,000 figure at Prime Ministers Questions as he went on the attack over the latest wave of doctors strike. Sad how @Jeremy_Hunt has hijacked clinically led 7 day NHS https://t.co/NOIRSSSFaE fiona godlee (@fgodlee) January 14, 2016 Heidi Alexander MP, Labours Shadow Health Secretary, said the BMJs accusations that Hunt misused and misinterpreted medical research should be "taken very seriously". She said: One of the main reasons why junior doctors feel so angry is because of the way the Tory Government has repeatedly conflated contract reform with delivering seven-day services. Advertisement Junior doctors already work Saturdays and Sundays, and there is absolutely no evidence to suggest higher mortality rates during the weekend is caused by a lack of junior doctors. "Jeremy Hunt should apologise for his comments and find a resolution to this dispute that brings an end to further industrial action." Britain First leaders have used a "makeshift command and control centre" in south London to get around a police ban preventing them from entering Luton, imposed following their controversial 'Christian Patrol' in January. Following the march, which was labelled "intimidating" and "inflammatory" by anti-islamophobia groups, Bedfordshire police successfully sought an order to ban party leader Paul Golding and his deputy Jayda Fransen from the town. The ban was granted as the duo had worn "political uniforms" during their patrol which was in breach of an interim injunction Bedfordshire Police were granted in June last year. Advertisement Britain First leader Paul Golding and his deputy Jayda Fransen in their 'make-shift control centre' On Sunday around 30 Britain First activists returned to Luton where they handed out party newspapers, while filming locals reactions to their presence. The activists, according to Britain First's website, "dominated the town centre, despite receiving threats and warnings from the local rotten police". Advertisement Video of the action shows Golding and Fransen holed up in a room with their laptops, communicating with their members via Skype, Periscope and "just normal phone calls". The party prides itself on its use of social media and technology, with its Facebook page having over one million 'Likes'. Golding tells the camera: "The police specifically arrested myself and Jayda, they arrested us and put us on ridiculous bail conditions, specifically so we wouldn't wear Britain First merchandise; that Britain First wouldn't hold any days of action in Luton and me and Jayda wouldn't be able to direct activities. But here we are, we're in Britain First merchandise, directing activities on a big day of action in Luton." Golding's bail form which shows he has been banned from entering Luton During the filming the far-right groups chief of staff, Rodney Lomax, is approached by a police officer who asks if he is in charge. He then contacts Golding and Fransen via Skype, who are then showing speaking with him from their "control centre". The officer informs them that Britain First members are not allowed to enter Bury Park under the Public Order Act, as it may cause disorder. Advertisement Golding: "Our activists can go wherever they damn well like." Britain First chief of staff Rodney Lomax is approached by a police officer, before putting him in touch with the 'control centre' Golding and Fransen speak to the officer who tells them their activists can't enter Bury Park The activists are later all ordered to leave Luton which Golding later tells the camera proves the town is a "no-go zone for anyone who goes there not on the Muslim's terms". In the video Golding reaffirms the political parties intentions to continue to stage events in Luton despite the police ban saying it is to become a "target town" for Britain First. Members, Golding said, would march there on a "regular basis". Advertisement Fransen confronts a local Luton resident during the 'Christian Patrol' Bedfordshire Police are yet to respond to a Huffington Post UK request for comment on Britain First's latest Luton march. On 23 January, around 20 Britain First members marched through Bury Park carrying wooden crosses and confronting local Muslims about trying to "take over" Britain. A video of the event gained more than 25 million views on Britain First's Facebook page before the social network removed it. Charlie Brooker has complained about rules that prevent him from taking the piss out of politicians for things they say in the House of Commons. Under current broadcast rules, no extracts from parliamentary proceedings may be used in comedy shows or other light entertainment such as political satire - such as Brooker's BBC Screenwipe programme. Advertisement Chris Grayling is sensitive to satire Speaking in the Commons today, Brooker's MP, Labour's Rupa Huq challenged the government to hold a debate on lifting the restrictions, given they were "dreamt up some 27-years ago". Brooker is married to TV presenter Konnie Huq, Rupa's sister. The MP added: "My constituent Charlie Brooker has raised with me that he is unable to use it [Commons TV footage] in his programme". But Chris Grayling, the Conservative leader of the Commons, was having none of it. "I think its very important the coverage of this House is used in an appropriate way," he told Huq. "I am not in favour of it being made available for satire programmes." Advertisement The cabinet minister does not want comedians making fun of MPs while they go about their serious business. David Cameron and Jeremy Corbyn recently exchanged jibes about their mothers. Yesterday George Osborne used the Despatch Box to compare Labour's economic advisers to Micky Mouse. Last year, John McDonnell used Chairman Mao's Little Red Book as pro while making fun of the chancellor. In 2011, an episode of The Daily Show featured a clip of a rowdy exchange in parliament. Presenter John Stewart declared: "England Is Awesome!" Donald Trump has hit back at Mitt Romney in typically bombastic fashion, using playground innuendo to try and discredit his fellow Republican over his scathing attack earlier in the day. In a press conference the floppy-haired conduit for nonsense talked of "damaged carpets", bragged about the size of his house and spoke of the marble which is being installed in his new hotel. Even by Trump standards, this is a bizarre press conference. Blow job gags, references to his money, marble and dirty carpets. Sheesh. Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) March 3, 2016 Advertisement Trump is now doing imaginary phone conversations with US companies. Reminds me of Clint Eastwood. Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) March 3, 2016 He addressed a speech made earlier in the day in which Romney called the party's frontrunner for presidential candidate "a phoney, a fraud" who is "playing the American public for suckers". Romney drew criticism for making a drastic U-turn from his stance four years ago when he gained Trump's endorsement for the 2012 US election and praised his "extraordinary" abilities. Advertisement Trump said today: "I could have said, Mitt drop to your knees, and he would have dropped to his knees. "Mitt is a failed candidate - he failed. He failed horribly." Romney's intervention is unlikely to change Trump's standings in the election race after he had a storming Super Tuesday. Mitt Romney is the epitome of the establishment that Republican voters (esp. those supporting Trump) now hate. Can't see this hurting him. Sunny Hundal (@sunny_hundal) March 3, 2016 Just watched Trump speak. The guy is bullet proof right now. Lincoln could come back from the grave to criticize him and it wouldn't matter. Philip DeFranco (@PhillyD) March 3, 2016 Advertisement The unpredictable billionaire businessman and reality TV star who began his campaign as a fringe candidate, won seven of the 10 states up for grabs - Georgia, Alabama, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Virginia, Arkansas and Vermont. The success led to a surge in the number of Americans Googling "How to move to Canada". Trump is legitimately the dumbest mf on this planet XXYYXX (@xxyyxx) March 3, 2016 Infamous for his calls to build a wall across the Mexican border to keep immigrants out, Trump may now have to consider building another in the north to keep emigrants in. Jeremy Corbyn has accused City bankers of treating ordinary workers like a "cash cow" as he called for more state investment and a new settlement with London's financial corporations. In a speech to business bosses, the Labour leader also blamed his predecessors of creating the conditions for the 2007 and 2008 banking collapse by "outsourcing economic policy to the City of London". Advertisement He demanded fundamental reforms to ensure big banks "serve the economy not just themselves" and more public-backed spending on infrastructure projects and science. Corbyn speaking today What Labour now stands for is far more than stopping the damage being done by this Government and its threat to our long-term economic future, Corbyn told the British Chambers of Commerce conference in London. We want to see a break with the failed economic orthodoxy that has gripped the establishment in this country for a generation. Advertisement "We will put public investment in science, technology and the green industries of the future front and centre stage. Only by driving up the rate of investment will we achieve the higher productivity we need for rising living standards for all. The Labour leader also said he would push for a "genuinely mixed economy" based on what he called a "new settlement with the corporate sector". Big banks came under fire Only an economy that is run for the wealth creators - the technicians, entrepreneurs, designers, shopfloor workers, and the self-employed and puts them in the driving seat ... is going to deliver prosperity for all," he said. Chancellor George Osborne came under fire too, with Corbyn accusing him of believing that the solution to the UK's problems is "to cut back government". Advertisement It wasnt government that was the problem in 2007 and 2008, when the banking sector nearly drove the entire economy to the point of collapse," he said. The New Labour approach was to opt for light touch regulation of finance and then sit back and collect the tax revenues. Osborne is accused of 'cutting back government' "But you cannot base a decent social policy on an unsustainable economic policy. And we cannot outsource economic policy to the City of London. That has not served our economy well, and it has not served business well. The banking sector has to be reformed. Finance must support the economy, not be an end in itself, and certainly not an extractive industry that looks at consumers, entrepreneurs and small businesses as a cash cow... Advertisement We need to reform the major banks so that they serve the economy not just themselves. That includes using the public stakes in banks such as RBS to drive lending and investment in infrastructure, rebuilding supply chains and the industries of the future." Corbyn went on to reiterate his commitment to investing in superfast broadband - saying that Chile, Estonia and Iceland currently have higher percentages of premises on the fibre-optic network. The evidence is clear that only the public sector and public investment can guarantee the super-fast broadband network in every part of Britain the essential low-cost connections people and businesses need in a 21st century economy," he will say. Emmy Smith A campaign to help a woman retrieve a suitcase filled with keepsakes of her late husband has been shared by hundreds of thousands of people. Jo's husband Bob passed away several weeks ago, and her daughter-in-law Emmy Smith posted the "very sad story" on Facebook, after Jo came to stay with her and her partner. Advertisement "A couple of weeks ago my wonderful father in law died," she wrote. "Between his death and the funeral Steve's mum came to Devon to stay with us. She wanted to go home a few days ahead of the funeral so, last Monday 22 Feb, she caught the train from Newton Abbot to Reading, then from Reading to Basingstoke. "She picked up her suitcase when getting off the train at Reading and realised when she got home it was the wrong case (but identical to her one). Very sad story; please share#helpJofindBobsmemoriesA couple of weeks ago my wonderful father in law died. Between his... Posted by Emmy Smith on Monday, February 29, 2016 "In many ways this isn't the end of the world," Emmy said, "BUT whilst with us she had been sorting through Bob's old paperwork and had found many, many old photographs, keepsakes, special memories and momentos, things that were very dear to him. She packed them up and took them home inside the case." Advertisement Emmy posted photos of the suitcase Jo picked up by mistake on her Facebook page, with the hashtag #helpJofindBobsmemories, and a plea for people to help locate the suitcase to "Please, please help us reunite Jo with her beloved husband's things." Emmy posted on Facebook to help her mother-in-law "We think the owner of this case may have been travelling to London as there is a Kingston receipt in there. We also think it is a young woman's case," she added. Her post has now been shared more than 168,000 times and has more than 18,000 comments. Emmy said she was a "huge fan of the good" Facebook can do but admitted in an update on Tuesday that she "didn't really hold out much hope" when she originally shared the story. But after the huge response she said was "so heartened by people's goodwill that I'm now more determined than ever to find Bob's memories in that case." Advertisement The suitcase is black with a red zipper She added later that evening: "What a day you brilliant people. We don't have a case but we do have a very touched and enormously grateful mother in law. I spoke to Jo tonight and she wants to thank you all personally for your help. She's overwhelmed. Not quite sure how we do that to each and every one of you but please know we're so grateful." The suitcase has not yet been found but Emmy is still hopeful. Her post has been shared from Kent to California and thousands of messages of support and suggestions have been posted under Emmy's original pictures. Jackie Morgan Kelly said: "Shared here in Glasgow, you never know. Good luck please don't give up". Linda Taylor said: "Let's get the lady her case back with treasured memories, please share". Advertisement "My heart is with you God bless!" posted Jack Daniel. "Hope it comes back to you soon". Next week would have been Bob's birthday, Emmy writes, so "it would be perfect if we can reunite Jo with his special things before then." A young girl who had a constant runny nose for six months can finally breathe a sigh of relief as the cause has been revealed. Khloe Powell, five, had a 1.5-inch-long safety pin stuck up her nose that randomly popped out when she blew it at the weekend. Advertisement The girl, from California, had visited three different doctors, and ear, nose and throat specialist and even a dentist, who all assumed she had a sinus infection. "I almost passed out," her mum Katelyn Powell, 25, said in an interview with ABC News about finding the pin. "I couldn't believe it. It was huge. I was like, 'Where did this come from!'" Khloe Powell (L) and her mum Katelyn Powell (R) Powell said her daughter had not only suffered from a runny nose for the past six months, but she also noticed a "horrific smell" and green liquid coming from her nose. Advertisement Khloe had been prescribed antibiotics for the suspected sinus infection but nothing had relieved her symptoms. It wasn't until this weekend when Khloe's uncle kept telling her to "blow her nose" because it was "disgusting", that she blew it really hard and the pin popped out. The pin that "popped out" When Powell asked her daughter if she had put it up there, Khloe reluctantly admitted she had. "She was seeing how far up she could put the pins up her nose," Powell said. "She said she was pulling it out and back in and out." Powell said she doesn't blame the doctors for missing the pin and is just "beyond relieved" that the mystery has been solved. Advertisement It's safe to say Khloe won't be putting anything up her nose again. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn delivers his speech to the Fabian Society annual conference at the Institute of Education in central London. Jonathan Brady/PA Wire Bitter in-fighting between Labour left-wingers and moderates has reignited over an inquiry into smears and black ops in the partys youth wing. The Jan Royall investigation, which is assessing allegations about Young Labour and Oxford University Labour Club, is to look into fresh complaints about attacks on party staff by a senior Jeremy Corbyn ally. Advertisement HuffPostUK understands that Baroness Royall is to assess complaints that Jon Lansman publicly criticised the conduct of those overseeing a tightly-contested student election for a slot onto the ruling National Executive Committee (NEC). Jon Lansman, long-time ally of Jeremy Corbyn The complaints come as some senior party figures have expressed fears that Labour staff - including members of the anti-extremism Compliance Unit - are being unfairly targeted by the Left. But Unite General Secretary Len McCluskey has hit back at suggestions his union was involved in 'bullying' in the student election, and even demanded that the inquiry be taken out of Baroness Royall's hands and given to an 'independent' investigation. Advertisement "The case for a full, independent inquiry into the practices of Young Labour and the weekends election grows stronger by the minute. The party general secretary must now act to restore faith and trust in Young Labour," he said. And amid claim and counter-claim on all sides, it has also emerged that Ken Livingstone and his Unite allies tried to block the partys new youth rep from taking her seat on the NEC this week. Jasmin Beckett In a sign of the continuing row over the activities of Labour students, Mr Livingstone joined Unite members in questioning whether 20-year-old Jasmin Beckett should be allowed to attend her first meeting. The objections were not pursued after Dennis Skinner and others on the NEC stood by their newly-elected colleague. Liverpool University student Ms Beckett beat Oxford undergraduate James Elliott at the weekend, by 49.55% to 49.41%. Advertisement But following claims of smears against Mr Elliott, and claims of 'intimidation' of delegates, former Cabinet minister Baroness Royall this week widened her Oxford 'anti-semitism' investigation to include the events of the Young Labour conference in Scarborough last weekend. With the Left-Right split on Labours ruling NEC finely balanced - and a narrow majority for Jeremy Corbyn supporters at present - the election for the youth rep took on much greater significance than for many years. The contest was marred by claims and counter-claims about the conduct of the election, with allegations that some sought to smear Mr Elliott by embroiling him in the recent anti-Semitism controversy at Oxford University Labour Club. Baroness Royall Unite has dismissed allegations that it sought to put pressure on individual delegates to back Mr Elliott, while one student claimed he was forced out of his hotel room for refusing to show his ballot paper. Advertisement Members of Momentum have alleged that Ms Beckett broke the candidates' code of conduct by encouraging others to smear her rival. HuffPost understands that the Royall inquiry will look into at least two other complaints about Jon Lansman, after he questioned the impartiality of Labour staff who oversaw the student election - and who refused a recount. Mr Lansman - a leading figure in Momentum and longstanding ally of Mr Corbyn - wrote a scathing blog, declaring that this was the "dirtiest contest for an internal election I have ever witnessed". And in the wake of the election results, he tweeted claims about the role of party staff and criticised party general secretary Iain McNicol. @lukeakehurst@IainMcNicol promised staff neutrality - he has not delivered it for youth and students Jon Lansman (@jonlansman) 29 February 2016 Advertisement @lukeakehurst Smears do damage. But it was also overseen by staff whose impartiality is just not credible Jon Lansman (@jonlansman) February 29, 2016 @lukeakehurst@YoungLabourUK & @LabourStudents are run by staff who are factional players from one side - that must end Jon Lansman (@jonlansman) February 29, 2016 HuffPost UK has learned that several MPs and trade unionists are increasingly worried about criticism of Labour staff. Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell fuelled the row by calling for the NEC to look at scrapping the 'Compliance Unit' that has the final say on eligibility for party membership. Dubbed 'the witchfinders' by some of the left, the Unit has recently expelled leading Momentum official Jill Mountford, but readmitted union leaders Mark Serwotka and Matt Wrack. Advertisement But at Tuesday's NEC meeting, GMB veteran Mary Turner said that the criticism of party staff was unacceptable. She is supported by senior MPs including Shadow minister Jonathan Ashworth. Labour HQ staff are very rarely criticised as their role is to be impartial in any elections and to work for whoever is the party leader. The NEC dispute occurred on Tuesday, when Unite rep Martin Mayer raised an objection to Ms Becketts election, following claims that she had tried to smear her Momentum-backed rival in the battle for the Young Labour post on the NEC. Mr Mayer was backed by fellow Unite rep Ms Formby and then by Mr Livingstone, who proceeded to attack claims of anti-Semitism. But the rest of the 33-strong body - including veteran MP Dennis Skinner - forced them to back down and Ms Beckett was allowed to stay. Advertisement HuffPost UK understands that at the NEC meeting Mr Mayer began by saying I feel uncomfortable saying this.. and then suggested Ms Beckett be barred from the meeting until her election result was put beyond doubt. Tom Watson Deputy leader Tom Watson intervened, saying You should feel uncomfortable, before others around the table proceeded to defend Ms Beckett. Ms Formby spoke briefly and Ken Livingstone began to link the issue to anti-Semitism claims at Oxford, and made a strong defence of Mr Elliott. However, former Cabinet minister Margaret Beckett ruled the former Mayor of London was out of order because the whole matter was now subject to the Royall inquiry. Advertisement The from the Bakers Union defended Ms Beckett, and insisted she should be allowed to stay, while others including a rep from the postal workers union remained silent. Lots of people were embarrassed that anyone could try to stop this 20-year-old from attending her first NEC meeting, said one of those present. So Unite and Ken backed down. Madonna and Guy Ritchie have been rapped by a judge as they continue to battle over the custody of their son, Rocco. READ MORE: The 15-year-old flew to London to be with his father last December, whilst he was on tour with his mother, defying a court order to spend Christmas with the singer in New York. Madonna and Guy Ritchie On Wednesday, a judge agreed that Rocco will remain in London for the time being where he is currently in school and ordered both parents, who divorced in 2008, to work out a solution. The judge also scolded the pair over the way they have handled the matter. Justice Kaplan said: "Frankly both parties have chosen to live their lives in a very public way and may welcome the publicity, but the child has not. Advertisement "He would like this matter resolved and the issues concerning him and his family in the most private way possible." The judge continued: "I'm encouraging the parents to continue to resolve this matter in the best way possible for the child to take this tremendous pressure off their son." Madonna and Guy's son, Rocco Addressing his decision to allow Rocco stay in the UK, the judge said: "I am happy that time and effort went into the research of finding a school that he is comfortable with ... [He's] succeeding and liking it. "The mother hasn't asked that the child be removed from school during this period of time while [custody is resolved]." Advertisement Madonna, who is currently on the Asian leg of her Rebel Heart world tour, has posted several childhood photos of Rocco on social media over the past two months. In the most recent, she wrote: "I miss this boy so full of life so full of love! I hope we see that Leo Sun soon. The light is blinding! A week earlier, shed also posted a snap of Rocco as a baby, where shes seen beaming at the camera with the youngster on her back. Madonna captioned the picture simply: Tu me manques, the French phrase meaning, I miss you. Madonna has three other children: daughter Lourdes, 19, with her then-partner Carlos Leon; and David and Mercy, both 10, who were adopted from Malawi. Messiest Celebrity Divorces See gallery Periods are a huge part of life for many women. For some, they can be extremely painful or heavy, while for others they can breeze by without a fuss. The issue of whether women should take time off because of period pain has recently been thrown into the forefront of discussion thanks to Bristol-based company Coexist, which announced it was implementing a 'period policy' earlier this week. The announcement has proven divisive. Advertisement Coexist's policy encourages women to work in sync with their menstrual cycle. Women are encouraged to talk openly about their periods and go home if they feel unwell. Taking sick leave is not compulsory for their female employees, it's simply an option for those who desperately need it. In light of the heated debates (both online and in our own office), The Huffington Post UK asked readers whether women should be allowed to take time off due to period pain in a Twitter poll. A total of 279 people took part, with 56% saying that women should get time off. Meanwhile 44% disapproved of the idea. Should women be allowed time off work due to #period pain? Tweet us your thoughts... HuffPostUK Lifestyle (@HuffPoLifestyle) March 3, 2016 Advertisement Severe period pain and heavy bleeding is a health issue for some, but not all, women. It is estimated that as many as one in 10 women suffer from dysmenorrhea (painful menstruation). There are two types of dysmenorrhea: primary, which is when the muscular wall of the womb contracts, and secondary, which could be a sign of an underlying health condition such as endometriosis or pelvic inflammatory disease. Primary dysmenorrhea occurs from the first day of a woman's period and affects the majority of young women who don't take contraceptive pills or who aren't sexually active. It can cause nausea, vomiting and paleness. With secondary dysmenorrhea, the pain usually begins up to seven days before a womans period starts. It will reach peak intensity for the first few days of a period and then gradually reduce in intensity a few days afterwards. "A common cause is endometriosis," explained Dr Ahmed Ismail, a Harley Street Gynaecology Consultant. It can also occur as a result of fibroids, adenomyosis, STIs, pelvic inflammatory disease and the use of an intrauterine device (IUD). Advertisement Dysmenorrhea pain may be 'spasmodic', which results in sharp pelvic cramps at the start of menstrual flow and is often associated with primary dysmenorrhea, or 'congestive' resulting in a deep, dull ache. The latter type of pain is usually associated with secondary dysmenorrhea. Dr Ismail told HuffPost UK that for women with both types of dysmenorrhea, dependence on painkillers - for example, codeine - can become an issue. He said: "Physicians are very unhappy for women to take excessive medications rich in codeine, as this can result in dependency and, following this, the women won't be able to tolerate any pain in the body without taking an extremely strong pain relief medication." As well as severe period pain, there's also the issue of heavy periods (known as menorrhagia), where a woman loses an excessive amount of blood during consecutive periods. It can occur by itself or in combination with dysmenorrhoea. Advertisement According to the NHS, it can "affect a woman physically, emotionally and socially, and can cause disruption to everyday life". Women with menorrhagia will often go through an unusually high number of tampons or pads, or may need to use them together to control the flow. They may also experience heavy bleeding that floods through tampons and pads onto clothes or bedding. This can be quite embarrassing in the workplace. "It is important to note that patients' painful period symptoms can vary in intensity, even in the same person. The pain levels are not static or continuous and, therefore, the womans experience will differ from month to month," added Dr Ismail. Story continues below... Top 10 Stupid Period Myths See gallery Advertisement One woman who knows the intensity of period pain all too well is Fi Star-Stone, who has endometriosis. When asked if she would take time off from her job in childcare due to period pain, she said: "No. During my career working with children, I was depended on by both parents, children and my co-workers, so no, it just wouldn't have been an option and I wouldn't have wanted to let anyone down. "In my case it would've been a huge amount of time to take off each year which would've cause enormous disruption. "For my employers, sorting out cover at short notice would be impossible, not to mention the effect it would have on the children in my care." Stone described her period pain as being similar to mid-labour contraction pain. "Sometimes it's an ongoing sharp pain and severe pressure in the lower back, legs and abdomen which although extremely painful, is manageable with strong painkillers," she added. So, after bearing all of this in mind, should women be given the option to take time off for period pain? Advertisement Dr Ismail concluded: "If you cannot work, you cannot work. Your health comes first so you need to attend to your pain immediately and have some rest. "Seeking proper gynaecological advice immediately is very important as, by doing so, you can prevent the cycle and pain from reoccurring." He added: "If left untreated, the pain can affect you dramatically as, not only will you experience severe discomfort, which, inevitably will result in personal unhappiness, but it will also result in you taking much time off work. The amateur investigator who found debris that is suspected to have come from missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 has explained how he has been driving his own search for the doomed jet. SEE ALSO: Investigators May Have Found A Piece Of Missing Flight MH370 Blaine Gibson warned on Thursday that experts must be "cautious" about identifying the piece found on a sandbank in the Mozambique Channel. Advertisement The Seattle lawyer has made it his mission to solve the mystery of the missing jet, which disappeared nearly two years ago. Blaine Gibson discovered an aircraft part in Mozambique that may be from missing MH370 Gibson explained how he discovered the fragment on a sandbank near the tourist island of Benguerra. He told AFP: "I was just travelling as a tourist but I have a personal interest to look for debris and find people who may know something (about the fate of MH370). "It (the debris) is now in very good hands, and Mr de Abreu (the head of Mozambique's Civil Aviation Institute) is absolutely right to be cautious because there are three planes that crashed in the area. Advertisement "We don't know what it is, which plane it is from. It needs to go to Australia to be inspected. I'm very happy I made this discovery, that it happened." The president of Mozambique's Civil Aviation Institute (IACM) holds a piece of suspected aircraft wreckage found off the east African coast of Mozambique Gibson said that he does not believe there is any more debris where he found the piece. The Malaysian Minister Of Transport, Liow Tiong Lai, said on Wednesday that it is highly likely the debris came from a Boeing 777, the type that the MH370 aircraft was, but asked people not to speculate before analysis is carried out. Based on early reports, high possibility debris found in Mozambique belongs to a B777. (1/3) Liow Tiong Lai (@liowtionglai) March 2, 2016 Advertisement It is yet to be confirmed & verified. @dca_malaysia working w Australian counterparts to retrieve the debris. (2/3) Liow Tiong Lai (@liowtionglai) March 2, 2016 I urged everyone to avoid undue speculation as we are not able to conclude that the debris belongs to #mh370 at this time. (3/3) Liow Tiong Lai (@liowtionglai) March 2, 2016 Gibson told CNN that he had been "involved" in the search for MH370 "just out of personal interest" and had travelled to Malaysia and the Maldives to gather more information. The object he found has the words 'NO STEP' on it and could be from the plane's horizontal stabiliser, sources say. The only confirmed trace of the missing jet so far is the single flaperon that washed up on the eastern shore of Reunion Island, east of Madagascar last July, the same corner of the southern Indian Ocean as the new discovery. Advertisement The part was verified by French aviation experts after more than one month of forensic analysis. The aircraft disappeared on March 8, 2014. Twelve crew and 227 passengers were on board the flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Journalist Paul Mason has hit back at George Osborne after the chancellor accused him of having less economic expertise than Mickey Mouse. The Conservative Party has attacked Labour for hiring former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis as an adviser. Advertisement And speaking in the Commons yesterday, Osborne also mocked Jeremy Corbyn for taking advice from Mason, the former Channel 4 News economics editor. Describing Mason as a "revolutionary Marxist", Osborne said: Presumably they chose those two because Chairman Mao was dead and Mickey Mouse was busy. In a blog post today, Mason said he had not been hired by Labour and had simply agreed to speak on a panel alongside shadow chancellor John McDonnell. Advertisement Mason wrote: "Its up to the Labour Party whether they listen to what I say. But it is very specifically not formal advice. "As for the Mao/Mickey Mouse jibe, I was tailed for hours in 2008 in Beijing by the secret police of Mr Osbornes favourite Marxist government, after interviewing the victims of Maos Great Leap Forward. "I am happy to state that Mao was a despot whose policies killed millions; I look forward to hearing Mr Osborne say that on his next trip to China. Mason added: "Mickey Mouse on the other hand is a universal 20th century icon representing the triumph of the little guy against the bully, the innocent against the corrupt, the weak against the strong. I am happy to be identified with those ideals." Mason ended his blog with this picture Mason recently announced he was leaving Channel 4 News to go freelance. The 'Postcapitalism' author said this was to allow him to speak more freely. Advertisement "Channel 4 News is the best news programme on TV; Newsnight where I worked for 12 years is still a beacon of ideas-led television in a dumb and dumber world, so Ive had a good run in state-regulated broadcasting," he said. "But everybody who knows me also knows the price you pay in terms of having to button your lip. Fifteen years is enough and with a space opening up where the left of social democracy meets the radical left, green and autonomist politics, Ive got to engage seriously with that." Speaking at one of his economic seminars last night, McDonnell noted Cameron and Osborne liked to mock Varoufakis and Mason. "Some people will bring along with them ideas of their own, it will be contentious, but we want to engage in that debate," he said. "It is raising the level, well maybe not in the House of Commons, but it is raising the level of economic debate generally across society." Advertisement The Government was accused of trying to smuggle out a review of the UK pension age this week when it announced the plan as Westminster was focused on the so-called Snoopers Charter. Ministers revealed former CBI boss John Cridland would look at whether the current threshold - 66 by 2020 - is optimal in the long run prompting fears people might have to work into their late 70s or even early 80s. Advertisement Owen Smith, Labours Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, told HuffPost UK that it was shameful that they have tried to smuggle out this important news in a written statement, hoping that it would go unnoticed. Work and Pension Secretary Iain Duncan Smith was called to the Commons on Wednesday to explain the review, but IDS came out fighting and accused Labour of utter idiocy and worrying and scaring people. He said Labour only called him to the Commons as a couple of newspapers wrote a few articles. However, he did not rule out the state pension age accelerating. The pensions review wasnt the only government release this week to provoke controversy. The snappily titled Alternatives to membership: possible models for the United Kingdom outside the European Union set out different ways the UK could engage with the EU in the event of Brexit. Advertisement According to the document, British sweet and chocolate makers could face a 30% sugar tax if the UK left the European Union, Northern Ireland would be confronted with difficult issues about the relationship with Ireland and tariffs could affect farmers and other exporters. David Cameron dismissed the Project Fear tag preferring to brand the dossier as Project Fact. Cabinet Office Minister Matt Hancock was wheeled out to defend the dossier, and told Andrew Neill on the Daily Politics that the Swiss were able to export more per capita to the EU than the UK - despite being outside the union - because Switzerland was "physically much closer" to Europe. The Home Affairs Select Committee this week began an investigation into whether the laws around prostitution need to be changed. Currently, it is legal in the UK to pay for sex, but it is illegal to solicite in a public place, kerb crawl, or own or manage a brothel, as well as act as a pimp. In Northern Ireland paying for sex became illegal on 1 June 2015 The Committee heard compelling evidence this week from current sex worker Laura Lee, and former prostitute Mia de Faoite with Ms de Faoite bravely revealing details of a gang rape she suffered while working in the sex trade. Advertisement But the two women had different views on how the law should be changed. On Monday, Jeremy Corbyn attended his first meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party this year well, sort of. He didnt take any questions and left half way through to go off and film The Agenda on ITV. While most of the focus in recent weeks has been on splits in the Tory Party over the EU, the Corbynistas have been tightening their grip on Labour. The Huff Post UK revealed last night that two of Britains leading left-wing trade union bosses have been allowed to rejoin the Labour party. Mark Serwotka, general secretary of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), and Matt Wrack, general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) were cleared for membership by the partys Compliance Unit on Tuesday. Mr Serwotka, whose union has been at the forefront of strikes against the Tory governments cuts, was expelled by Labour more than 25 years ago. Advertisement A Russian nanny accused of severing the head of a four-year-old girl in her care and holding it aloft has said she killed the child to avenge Muslims killed in the Kremlin's air strikes in Syria. In video posted online on Thursday and circulated by several prominent bloggers, Gulchekhra Bobokulova was seen holding the head aloft outside a Moscow metro station. She gave her first detailed explanation of the incident that was caught on CCTV. Reuters quoted the 38-year-old from Muslim-majority Uzbekistan as saying: "I took revenge against those who spilled blood. Advertisement Gulchekhra Bobokulova has said she killed the child as revenge for Russia bombing Syria "Putin spilled blood, planes carried out bombings. Why are Muslims being killed? They also want to live." Bobokulova also said she had wanted to go to live in Syria but did not have the money to do so. It was not clear when the video was filmed but Bobokulova wore the same clothes as when she appeared in court on Wednesday. During that appearance she told journalists that "Allah ordered" the killing and that: "Allah is sending a second prophet to give news of peace." Advertisement A Kremlin spokesman downplayed Bobokulova's comments, saying the remarks needed to be regarded as those of someone who is mentally unwell. Dmitry Peskov has been quoted as saying: "You need to regard anything that such a deranged woman says accordingly." Putin's spokesman dismissed Bobokulova's comments saying they should be regarded as those of someone who is mentally unwell The Kremlin launched its campaign of air strikes in Syria on September 30. Since then it has repeatedly been accused of killing innocent civilians in attacks on areas where fighters from the so-called Islamic State are not present. Advertisement Bobokulova, who was working as a nanny for a Moscow family, was seen on CCTV wandering around a street holding up Nastya Meshcheryakova's head and shouting Islamist slogans. Earlier fire fighters had discovered the child's headless corpse in her parent's apartment which Bobokulova was said to have set alight. A police source told the Interfax news agency on Wednesday that the details of two men linked to an "international extremist group" had been found among Bobokulova's contacts. In court it was suggested that Bobokulova's boyfriend may have been with her at Meshcheryakova's parent's apartment before the killing, and that she may have been radicalised. However, publicly, investigators were quick to raise the possibility that Bobokulova was mentally ill and have made no mention of suspecting her of any terrorism-related offence. Bobokulova was said to have kept her schizophrenia a secret and had previously been registered at a psychiatric clinic in Uzbekistan. Advertisement Before a Moscow court approved Bobokulova's arrest for two months on Wednesday, prosecutors told the court they believe there are individuals who "incited" her to carry out the killing, who are still at large. Bobokulova was caught on CCTV holding Meshcheryakova's severed head aloft outside a metro station The nanny's religion was not known but she wore a head covering and some witnesses said she shouted "Allahu akbar!" while waving Meshcheryakova's bloody head. In videos posted on Russian news websites, she was heard shouting "I am a terrorist!" in Russian. None of the main Russian television channels reported on the grisly scene. But Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman denied that the news was withheld at the request of the Kremlin or out of concerns that the killing could stoke ethnic tensions in a country with many Muslim citizens and migrant workers. The five things you need to know on Thursday March 3, 2016 1) HOLLANDE DAYS SAUCE David Cameron and Francois Hollande are putting a bit of intent into the entente cordiale today with a summit in Amiens. The grand day out is meant to be about joint defence working, but inevitably it is being used unashamedly by No.10 to ram home its Better Off In message for the EU referendum. Advertisement Ahead of the gathering, French finance minister Emmanuel Macron has delivered the best line Downing Street could have hoped for, telling the FT that Cameron was right to warn that Brexit would lead to migrant camps relocating from Calais to Dover. Well, OK, he hasnt exactly said that, but the quote is good nonetheless: "The day this relationship unravels, migrants will no longer be in Calais," told the FT. The Out camp says this sauce is all a bit rich as there's no need to change the bilateral deal under Brexit. Macron, by the way, is seen as so devilishly handsome that hes even had some trouble of late from admirers. HuffPost France reports that one fan even erotically harassed him with emails and racy photos. No, it wasnt DCameron@No.10.gsi.gov.uk Lets see if Hollande obliges with more of the same at the presser later. Cameron is certainly pushing the safety and security card and will again claim the UKs membership of the EU gives us greater security and greater capacity to project power globally. As this is the first gathering of its kind since the Paris terror attacks, the event carries more weight than usual. 2) SKETCHES BY BOZ As it happens, Macron was also wearing his finance minister chapeau when he also told the FT that the UK deciding to leave the single market will not be able to secure the same terms. And while Dave trots out the safety case over the Channel, George makes the economic security case back in Blighty at the British Chambers of Commerce later. Advertisement Osborne will also dub Brexit "the worst of all worlds" and declare: In last few days, weve had confusion heaped on confusion from those who want to leave the EU. The Treasury and No10 think that the failure of the Outers to explain what Out would actually look like is a real trump card. In fact, the In campaign has released a new attack ad that shows Brexiters umming and ahhing. It cuts and pastes their words to make it look like they have no answer to the Norway? Switzerland? Canada? questions. The video's creators tell me its a light hearted way of making a serious point. See my video section below. The Inners have seized on the Rolls Royce/BMW warning staff of job losses under Brexit, and the car manufacturers society is making similar noises. But the Leave campaign had a gift yesterday when gaffetastic Stuart Rose suggested wages would go up outside the EU. Yet more proof that professional politicians are actually better at this thing called politics. Those in Labour who back Brexit will be cheered too by Joseph Stiglitz yesterday warning that he could not support the UK staying in the EU if the TTIP trade deal was anything like the US-Pacific deal. But it is Boris Johnson, not Osborne, who often has the best one-liners. His Sun piece today proves what a good communicator he is, attacking the PM and Chancellor for clutching at skirts of the EU (ie Mutti Merkel) for fear of something worse. He also has a new tack on eurozone integration: if we stay in the EU, we will inevitably find ourselves dragged in. And he sketches out the Vision Thing: Forget Project Fear, it is time for Project Hope. Advertisement Bozza was hugely more popular than Osborne among Tory members in a YouGov/Times poll this week. The Telegraph claims he could go head to head with the Chancellor in the big BBC Wembley debate ahead of the referendum, though neither side confirms it. Still, with Boris due on Marr this Sunday, hes clearly not going to have a quiet campaign. 3) FRIENDS REUNITED Jeremy Corbyn is back in the thick of it today, at the British Chambers of Commerce conference in London. The best overnight line seems to be him attacking New Labour for creating the conditions for the financial crash by "outsourcing economic policy to the City of London. But the big news among some Labour MPs last night was our HuffPost exclusive that Labour had readmitted two leading leftwing union bosses: the PCSs Mark Serwotka and FBUs Matt Wrack. Serwotka was expelled more than 25 years ago and even last summer was not allowed to use his GMB ballot in the leadership race because he did not share the aims and values of the party. Wracks brother Nick, who was the Socialist Party candidate against Harriet Harman in 2015, is not back in the party. And Labours cash links with the unions may not suffer as badly as thought after yesterdays Lords committee report on the Trade Union Bill. The Times rightly picks up on talk of concessions by ministers that could reduce the 8m a year cut in its income that Labour feared. What was significant yesterday was Frances OGradys offer of a compromise, buried in a letter to the committee. Sounds like the two sides can now do business. Similarly, on Short Money, theres a deal in the ether. But will Chris Bryant dig in - and will the DUP get the concessions it wants? Labour is getting on with the day job as Rebecca Long-Bailey tackles Government plans to sneak out income disregards on tax credits via a Statutory Instrument. Advertisement BECAUSE YOUVE READ THIS FAR Watch the latest US-style attack ad from the EU In campaign. Its cheeky, as the quotes are out of context, but it could be effective. 4) FALLONS SUB WAY Its the Scottish Tory conference tomorrow and No.10 has deployed one of its prime political missiles, namely Michael Fallon. Having fired off a volley at Sadiq Khans extremism earlier in the week, the Defence Secretary will strike again with a fresh attack on Labour ahead of the Holyrood elections. Fallon will come armed, however, with an announcement that he will steam ahead with spending on Trident renewal. A 136 million Scottish contract for the new submarines will be confirmed, as part of a 642 million package. Yet to my mind whats most eye-catching is his admission to the Daily Record that there now WONT be a Commons vote on Trident before the Scottish elections in May. We have to fight for parliamentary time and the current session is ending so it is unlikely to be in this session. Given that the next Parliamentary session is expected to start in June or July, that means No.10 may have won its battle to get the vote delayed until after Labours party conference in the autumn (and certainly after Thornberrys interim defence review in June). And theres more. Fallon confirms the vote will be only on the principle of Trident, not a so-called main-gate decision. We dont envisage one single main-gate decision, because that would reduce our bargaining position with the supply companies. Advertisement 5) DOCTORING THE DATA Jeremy Hunt is in the crosshairs of the doctors again as the BMJ today releases a fresh attack on him for misusing the data on weekend death rates. Dr Fiona Godlee editor-in-chief of the British Medical Journal says Hunts aim in citing a 6,000 excess deaths claim last year was to beat up on doctors. A new investigation by the BMJ found no misconduct in the way the Health Secretary obtained the figure, but instead focuses on how he used it. It says he was clearly warned there was no evidence to link the deaths to problems with staff shortages. Hunts approach demonstrates either extreme political arrogance or an attempt to destabilise the NHS. Whichever, NHS staff and patients must deal with the fallout. Some in the DH point to Godlees admission elsewhere that she has liberal views, so this war of words isnt going away. But with more strikes looming, its not clear who will suffer most damage. If youre reading this on the web, sign-up HERE to get the WaughZone delivered to your inbox. British Secretary of State for Defense Michael Fallon talks with journalists as he arrives for a meeting of EU defense ministers at the European Council building in Brussels on Monday May 18, 2015. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert) Geert Vanden Wijngaert/AP Labour has accused the Tories of playing games over the future of Trident after Defence Secretary Michael Fallon revealed there would be no Commons vote on renewal until after Mays elections. The Ministry of Defence had been planning to stage a vote before Easter but Mr Fallon has admitted that it is now unlikely in the current Parliamentary session, which is expected to end in late June. Advertisement Mr Fallon also revealed that any Commons vote would not be on a single main-gate decision to go ahead with the 41bn procurement project, but would instead be on the principle of renewal of the nuclear deterrent. A Trident-carrying submarine With Labour MPs set to split over the issue, critics have long suspected that Downing Street wants to delay the showdown to maximise their opponents divisions during the partys defence review taking place this summer. Shadow Defence Secretary Emily Thornberry is due to deliver her interim report on Trident and alternatives by June, and Unite has its policy conference in July. Advertisement She told The Huffington Post UK: "In one breath, Michael Fallon says that the renewal of Trident is of paramount importance for our national security. In the very next, he says he is having to fight for Parliamentary time, and only wants yet another decision in principle, rather than the maingate decision he has previously promised. "It is yet more proof that - for the Tories - the debate on our future nuclear deterrent is not about national security, but just an excuse to play petty politics." With little Parliamentary time due after the EU referendum in June, a Commons vote could now even be postponed until after Labours annual conference in September, when the issue is set to explode as rank-and-file unilateralists back Jeremy Corbyn and Labour MPs insist on renewal. Jeremy Corbyn speaks to a crowd at Saturday's march Many of the thousands of Labour members who swept Mr Corbyn to his landslide in the Labour leadership contest last year are fully behind his drive to replace Trident with cheaper alternatives that take the UK a 'step down the nuclear ladder'. Advertisement The Labour leader last week addressed a CND anti-Trident rally in London, sparking disquiet among several Labour MPs worried about the impact on the party's reputation among marginal seat voters and on defence jobs. Labour divisions over the issue are also being exploited by the SNP and the Tories in the run-up to Mays Holyrood elections and Mr Fallon will address the Scottish Tory conference tomorrow with a 136m contract for new submarines being built in Scotland. Labour's only surviving Scottish MP, Ian Murray, has previously insisted that the party could have different policies on renewing Trident north and south of the border. Michael Fallon with David Cameron Mr Fallon told the Daily Record that the Trident vote had slipped. We have to fight for parliamentary time and the current session is ending so it is unlikely to be in this session, he said. Advertisement He also confirmed the vote will be only on the principle of Trident, not a so-called main-gate decision. We dont envisage one single main-gate decision, because that would reduce our bargaining position with the supply companies, he said. The Defence Secretary told the Record that a single "main-gate decision on Trident was no longer necessary because expenditure was approved in the Commons Estimates, Parliaments annual budget. A Labour source told HuffPostUK: "This proves what we've been saying for some time: the Tories are more interested in playing politics than dealing seriously with the UK's defence." Labour MP John Mann today also seized on the shift in position. So Fallon and Cameron playing games with UK defences. If they are still in jobs by then of course https://t.co/1MFyx5XVdN John Mann (@JohnMannMP) March 3, 2016 Last week, deputy Labour leader Tom Watson urged the Government to get on with the Commons vote and revealed he had offered his support to David Cameron to back renewal. Advertisement Deputy Labour leader Tom Watson Speaking to the GMB, many of whose workers in the defence industry are relying on the massive new contracts to build four Successor nuclear submarines, Mr Watson made clear he and other Labour MPs would defy Mr Corbyn. There are enough Labour MPs to guarantee that the vote is won. I know the PM is currently pre-occupied with the European Referendum but I happen to believe that the sooner this vote is tabled, the greater certainty we can give to industry, our allies and our enemies, that British Industry will deliver the Trident project in good time. I have made it clear to David Cameron that if he honours his promise of a vote on Trident I will support it. Matthew Hancock hit an Andrew Neil shaped wall on Wednesday, as he attempted to explain why Britain should remain a member of the European Union. The BBC presenter grilled the Conservative Cabinet Office minister over why, if leaving the EU would be "Sodom and Gomorrah" for Britain, Cameron had ever publicly entertained the idea of campaigning for Brexit. Advertisement The prime minister had always been expected to argue in favour of continued membership once he secured his new deal, however he repeatedly said he "ruled nothing out" when it came to choosing which side to pick. Neil said: "The government says we would be weaker, we'd be less safe, we'd be worse off if we left the EU. Presumably that's true whether or not we'd negotiated a new deal? So even if the prime minister hadn't achieved a renegotiation that would still be true. "The prime minister told us if he didn't get a deal 'I rule nothing out'. Are you telling us if he didn't have a deal, he would have plumped for a future in which we would have been 'weaker, less safe and worse off'?" Neil asked. Hancock dodged the "hypothetical" situation and insisted the choice facing the British people was now between a renegotiated membership or Brexit. "The economics are unambiguous, that the deal that we've got is better than the alternatives of leaving," he said. Advertisement Neil also filleted the government's argument that if Britain left the EU and adopted the Norwegian model, it would still have to implement a vast number of EU laws. A Foreign Office analysis claimed 75% of EU law has to be adopted by Norway. "What's that figure based on?" Neil asked. Hancock replied: "That's based on this Foreign Office analysis." Neil hit back: "But what's that figure based on?" The minister told him: "Well, it's based on what happens in Norway." The BBC interviewer told Hancock independent statistics showed just 9% of EU law had been adopted by Norway. "Where does 75% come from?" he asked. Advertisement At a time when disputes and international conflicts are increasing in frequency all over the world and, sadly, wars are even being fought in some places, we should be grateful for any event that, like the Global Leadership Forum, offers a platform for peaceful debate about what are certainly sometimes controversial positions or, like the World Culture Festival in New Delhi, facilitates a cultured meeting of minds between different nationalities and religions. In view of the global problems that confront us, it is important for current and former politicians, academics, business representatives, ecologists and financial experts, as well as activists from nongovernmental organisations to meet, conduct dialogues and discuss solutions together. And there really are more than enough problems, from the impending climate catastrophe, the starvation seen in many of the world's countries, the struggles for control over our declining reserves of raw materials and the challenges they pose for our future energy supply to, on the one hand, the necessary fight against international terrorism and, on the other, the preservation of civil rights and individual liberties in the face of state surveillance and secret services that, in many countries, are ever more becoming a law unto themselves. Individuals who engage with these issues and accept they are running considerable personal risks in doing so should not be persecuted, but supported. As far as I am concerned, a man like Edward Snowden does not deserve to be sent to prison; on the contrary, he is a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize! Advertisement The list of questions it would be worth debating could certainly be much longer, but there is one topic that particularly disturbs me personally: the ever widening gulf between the poor and the rich. Germany is undoubtedly one of the richest countries in the world and just last year collected 19 billion euros more in tax revenues than had been anticipated. And yet, even here, poverty and the risks of poverty are being discussed ever more often. According to current statistics, there are over 100 billionaires and 1.14 million people with assets valued at more than a million dollars living in Germany alone. Ten per cent of households control nearly 52 per cent of the country's total wealth. The lower 50 per cent of households own just about one per cent of the net wealth in Germany. Eight years ago, the proportion of the country's wealth they owned was three per cent. Advertisement In my home region, Saxony, there are towns where a quarter of the children now live in families that are reliant on state welfare support. But elderly people too have more and more to worry about. German old-age pensions used to be worth just under 60 per cent of the recipient's income immediately prior to their retirement, but soon pensioners will receive just little more than 40 per cent of their previous income. After forty years of hard work, many people will get hardly more than the basic subsistence income provided by social assistance. Ever more people, particularly in East Germany, are afraid of poverty in old age. I know the situation is far more dramatic in many of the world's countries, and not a few observers will view the figures from Germany as something of a luxury problem, yet it needs to be kept in mind that the divide between the poor and the rich is getting ever wider almost everywhere. This development must urgently be stopped. And it should be talked about in Delhi as well! Another central topic must, from my point of view, be the peaceful resolution of conflicts that break out within and between states. Wars do not solve any problems, but merely create new ones. Nor can terrorism be defeated with bombs. Instead of expanding our weapons exports, even to crisis regions, we finally have to boost development aid for poorer countries to a significant extent. It is disgraceful that a country as rich as Germany is still miles away from fulfilling its promises and devoting 0.7 per cent of its economic output to development cooperation. There are more people seeking refuge now than at any time since the end of the Second World War. Some put the figure at 60 million - which is a gigantic number. Of these people, more than a million have come to Germany, and I am glad that the great majority of our citizens have given these refugees a friendly welcome, and that many are actively supporting their integration. This culture of welcome has earned us much recognition and respect worldwide. At the same time, however, there have also been images that have revealed a different, darker Germany of violent assaults on refugees and arson attacks on refugee hostels. Civil society has a duty to oppose these crimes in a determined fashion, especially as there are countries that, relative to their populations, have taken in far more refugees than Germany, countries like Jordan and Lebanon, for example. Advertisement This is why I hope Delhi will also offer opportunities to talk about the factors that drive people to flee their homes and possible ways of overcoming them. I am aware a forum of this kind is not going to solve the problems that are hanging over us, but it can certainly contribute to the efforts that are being made, and that in itself is an encouraging sign. Women's engagement with agencies within the criminal justice system is different from men. This has been recognised by policy-makers, politicians and academics and has led to the emergence of women's services that are diverse with provision mainly from the voluntary sector. This blog will outline what is known about the work of women's centres in the criminal justice system as well as presenting results from a recent study. New interventions are supporting women from the point they are arrested, with sentencing and when they are released from prison. Referrals are received from the police, the courts including problem solving courts and prisons. Very little has been known about the details of the involvement of women's centres with supporting women in the criminal justice system. Studies have claimed that work with women in the criminal justice system focuses on individual problems for women rather than tackling issues such as having poor housing, unemployment or support from a range of institutions (Haney, 2010; Kendal, 2013). According to Gelsthorpe and Hedderman (2012) there is a lack of evidence for women-centred projects due to the lack of measurements of impact and difficulties with evaluating services. Critics claim that women only services have been expected to provide rehabilitation programmes 'without consent, adequate training or financial support' (Mythen et al, 2012). Advertisement Women's centres provide a range of support not just by providing specialist through the gate resettlement services but also are involved with advocacy, providing information and a range of other services. Women within the criminal justice system are not all the same and are highly likely to need help with many complex issues relating to their life-histories, family circumstances as well as issues relating to resettling into communities. Several voluntary organisations are supporting women not only when they are within the criminal justice system but also by publicizing how they may have had experiences of marginalization or discrimination within their communities. The work of the voluntary sector relating to women in the criminal justice system within England and Wales currently involves a range of activities that have been summarized within a briefing document by Clinks. A new study has been conducted by Hallam Centre for Community Justice at Sheffield Hallam University and the Policy Evaluation and Research Unit at Manchester Metropolitan University. This study found that of 640 women referred to the nine women's centres between 1 September 2014 and 30 June 2015. This study found that women who are using the women's centres need support with complex issues such as substance misuse, domestic abuse as well as having housing and mental health needs. The main interim finding of this study is that more investment is needed in order for women's centres to continue to support women. In response to the findings of this study, Greater Manchester Mayor and Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Lloyd said, "This is an encouraging report that shows our approach to working with women offenders is starting to make a real difference to the lives of not just the women involved, but their families and society as a whole. By bringing together police, probation, health and other agencies with Greater Manchester's network of women's centres and voluntary organisations, we are helping women offenders tackle some of the underlying issues that cause them to offend, such as mental ill health and wellbeing, and substance abuse". Advertisement Caroline O' Keeffe, who led the research, explained that, "a whole system approach offers an exciting model for best practice in supporting women offenders to address the multiple needs which very often lead to their offending. In particular it offers viable ways diverting women away from custody and preventing the huge damage which imprisonment causes for women and their families". The work of women's centres is varied and it has been shown there are positive impacts for women who are engaging successfully with them. Recent studies have explained that the role of voluntary sector organisations means they are now engaged with providing public sector services. In a competitive climate, voluntary sector organisations such as women's centres are exposed to commercial practices. Interventions within the criminal justice system could mean that organisations such as women's centres are sub-contractors. There is concern that the identities of these organisations could be lost to the interests of more powerful partners or funders (Hucklesby and Corcoran, 2016). The recent study concludes that the budget cuts and uncertainty of future funding has put the valuable work of women's centres under threat. While the research by O'Keefe et al (2016) showed that work with women can be time-consuming and resource intensive, it is valued and helps women with a range of issues that cannot be measured such as feeling positive, enhancing self-esteem and reducing the chances of offending in the future. While women's centres are doing valuable work, the uncertainty of future funding means that the these centres are at risk. As campaigners, there comes a point when we have to decide whether or not what we are doing is affecting any real change. No matter what the ultimate aim is - whether to persuade an electorate to vote a particular way, to raise awareness to a certain cause or to provoke direct action - there will always be an evaluation period. Are we making any difference? Are people listening? Are we changing lives? Are we seeing results? In the short time that I have been involved in grassroots campaigning, I have seen incentives emerge, grow and then shortly disappear after failing to achieve their aim. With the campaign that I cofounded, TIE (Time for Inclusive Education), it was not long until we suffered our own setback; a petition that we had filed with the Scottish Parliament, calling for an LGBT+ inclusive education to be common practice across every school in the country in an effort to tackle homophobic, biphobic and transphobic (HBT) bullying, was unexpectedly closed. Advertisement We had the weight of a parliamentary committee behind our cause and then, seemingly as quick as the support had come, it was suddenly gone. The timeline of TIE has, thus far, been short yet very eventful. Liam Stevenson and I cofounded the campaign, each of us driven by the passion to change the lived experiences of LGBT+ school pupils. As it stands; every statistic and report that covers LGBT+ within the Scottish education system is as heartbreaking as the last. The last national school report, commissioned by Stonewall Scotland, found that a quarter of LGBT+ youth had attempted suicide as a result of bullying and that over half were regularly self harming. From the beginning of our campaign, we felt that it was crucially important that we offer solutions to the social ills that we would be highlighting; in our case, we have focussed very heavily on teacher training. Not long after we officially launched last June, we were joined by John Naples-Campbell - a secondary school teacher in Glasgow and human rights campaigner - who told us, quite simply, that most teachers do not have the confidence to effectively tackle HBT bullying and support their LGBT+ pupils, never mind begin to incorporate LGBT+ issues into their lessons. Advertisement Quite quickly, our campaign picked up pace and we caught the attention of the mainstream media; fast forward almost a year later and it is undeniable that the issue of LGBT+ education has irreversibly entered the narrative of national debate. When our petition was closed, we were particularly let down - just a few days before the parliamentary committee had made the decision, we had to refer a young trans school pupil onto specialised counselling amid fears that a second suicide attempt was on the horizon. Now, we've built ourselves a reputation as the LGBT+ campaigners who will pretty much say it as it is; we certainly do not mince our words, and we have no qualms in placing the responsibility for tackling the issues that dominate school hallways in the hands of the Scottish Government. Parliamentarians and ministers absolutely do not do enough in this area; the national strategy to tackle HBT bullying does not go far enough and it seems that there is a prevailing reluctance to properly have the strategic conversations within the halls of power that are so desperately required. The statistics are shocking, that's a given, but it is not until you head back into schools to speak to the kids affected that you see how bad the situation can really be. Liam and I deliver assemblies on HBT bullying, and we have been visiting schools across the country speaking to teaching staff, pastoral care teams and pupils. Advertisement What quickly emerged as a key problem was that not only are most teachers untrained on LGBT+ issues, but that the majority of educational establishments - as a result of cuts - do not have the funding available in their budgets to actually send their staff to the courses that are available. In fact, only a few days ago, we were told about a school in Glasgow where the pupils themselves were planning to fundraise money so that one of their teachers could be trained. Personally, I am at the point where rhetoric and lobbying - whilst proving effective - is no longer strong enough on its own. I have listened to far too many kids speak about their identity struggles and suicide attempts. I have seen too many kids with lacerations covering their arms, too many kids who have retreated into themselves because they are scared of being open about who they are, too many kids who dread going to school because of bullies. When we were in parliament last year, I described this situation as a national disgrace - and I absolutely stand by that today. As a young gay man, I'm increasingly appalled by the fact that much of what I went through as a teenager is still happening now, almost eight years later. I spoke at an event last week, where I discussed our campaign. A middle aged man stood up and spoke from the crowd, and wept tears as he shared the story of his friend's son who had hanged himself in a Glasgow park because he was being bullied for being gay. Advertisement Honestly, enough is enough. Following our petition closure, we have decided to launch a national crowdfunding appeal. We're attempting to raise funds through pledged donations, which can then be put directly towards training teaching staff to empower them to discuss LGBT+ issues within their classrooms. So far we have agreed to fund training for around five different schools - we can and will reach more. The issues that our LGBT+ youth are facing are so easily solved that it often boggles my mind as to why we are still sitting in this situation in 2016. The response to our aforementioned school assemblies is always moving and it is clear that, in leading the way with some open, honest and very real discussions; we are leaving an impact on the climate of those schools that we visit. One young pupil recently emailed us following an assembly, and her words speak volumes: "You wouldn't have seen the aftermath of the assembly but it was amazing...you gave me the courage to talk about my gender identity to my friends. It was like a tidal wave. You guys spoke about it and everyone else followed. I guess I just wanted to say thanks and to let you know that it is quite possible that you saved lives today - and opened the eyes of others." We have to train teachers to have honest dialogue with their pupils, to tackle HBT bullying and LGBT-phobia when they see it. Unfortunately, that requires funding. As far as I am concerned - our nation can, and should, find the money to cover this; but, in the meantime, it's on us - all of us - to step up to the task and ensure that the LGBT+ youth of tomorrow do not face the same tribulations that they do today. So, there comes a point in every campaign where you have to decide whether or not what you are doing is making an impact. Our moment came, and we have decided that there is no time to wait for motions to be debated and amended; for our decision makers to open their eyes to the situation in front of them; for educational bodies to finally, once and for all, rock the boat of societal complacency with this issue. The news has taken a bizarre turn of late. We're used to seeing junior doctors protesting about having new contracts forced upon them by the Conservative government. We're awash with community groups fighting to save their libraries and children's centres and other places that just can't run without funding. But the latest group to be protesting government cuts are...well...the government themselves. Not that they're being so directly hypocritical, oh no. They are protesting local authority cuts, as if the local authorities had just taken it upon themselves to close down baby clinics and maybe spend the extra 58 million or so on a water feature for the Town Hall. These prominent senior Tories are playing the part of the concerned local MP, writing to councillors and urging them not to cut services. Leading the pack, as ever, was David Cameron, asking Oxfordshire County Council ever so politely if they mind just making a few back office staff redundant instead of turfing the old folks out of the day centre. We don't know exactly how council leader Ian Hudspeth responded to the letter, but the temptation to just scrawl "WTF?" all over it and return it to sender must have been overwhelming. Advertisement And now there's IDS. Surrounded on all sides by damning DWP statistics about benefit deaths, he's realised he needs to step up his PR campaign and is hoping that the local Tories will be the ones to help him. So, he's done a string of photoshoots, staring at speed humps as if they hold all the answers to how he can bury yet another bit of bad news. Unfortunately, the turn out for these photos has got ever poorer, with even the die hard IDS fans becoming a bit embarrassed to be seen in public with him. When there's a space of three cars and four houses between you and your closest constituent, you need to up the ante. So he has. This week he's protesting about cuts to a local GP clinic. Hold up, Iain "Man of the People" Duncan Smith - isn't it your government that is, indirectly, making these cuts? And don't you always vote with them? According to theyworkforyou.com, "Iain Duncan Smith almost always voted for reducing central government funding of local government". He voted to cut LA budgets this February, as he did last February. He's introduced a raft of measures designed to screw over the sick and the disabled and there are thousands of stories emerging of just how horrendous the austerity regime is. Like the woman who was told she wasn't ill enough to receive disability benefits - on the day that she died. IDS is a man with a lot of power and it doesn't seem like he is using it to enhance the health of the nation. But in a way, I can see his dilemma. He's been criticised for being an ineffectual local MP so he is trying to do something that helps the local people. Problem is, any issue he tries to tackle is ultimately going to lead back to the same source - central government funding cuts. It seems that once you get to a certain level it's almost impossible to advocate on behalf of your constituents when it's your government causing the pain. So, what to do? He can't exactly disassociate himself from Cabinet decisions but it's obvious that the people of Chingford and Woodford Green are having some trouble separating out Iain-the-heart-of-gold-Local-MP and the IDSmonster. And really, who can blame us? Advertisement The Huffington Post's Young Minds Matter series is generating conversation on a critically important crisis: the epidemic of poor mental health amongst children in the UK. Given the amount of time our children spend in the care of teachers and support staff it is essential that we ask 'what role do our schools have to play in supporting the emotional health of our children?' Until recently initiatives aimed at improving the emotional wellbeing of pupils in schools were viewed as nice add-ons to more mainstream teaching practices. Nowadays, there is increasing evidence that schools matter greatly in terms of children's emotional health, and that improving wellbeing can actually contribute to improving academic achievement too. In other words, support for emotional health in schools is gradually being recognised as less of a handy extra and more of an essential pursuit. Practitioners, policy makers and researchers are latching onto their favourite programmes to prevent emotional difficulties or to support social and emotional learning. Some are mindfulness supporters, others are fans of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. The list of options goes on, and whilst there are studies showing promising positive effects of these programmes when they are carefully controlled and implemented by experts, there are fewer examples of discrete, school-based interventions for primary school children which can easily be rolled out across schools to show sustained effects on wellbeing. Advertisement A new report from the Public Policy Institute for Wales highlights the need for schools to rethink how they support the emotional health of children in primary schools. It argues that the extent to which an initiative is related to the functioning of the whole school community needs to be considered. Supporting young people's emotional health effectively in schools requires thinking and practice that treat the task as complex. As well as careful planning of exactly how new activities will be implemented, the report argues for the embedding of approaches to social and emotional learning within wider school systems and the broader approach to teaching and learning across the curriculum. Two recent trials of the highly acclaimed PATHS (Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies) programme have arrived at disappointing conclusions in large numbers of UK schools. One found no evidence of sustained effects on behaviour or well-being and another showed a somewhat mixed pattern sometimes in favour of the PATHS schools but sometimes in favour of the 'usual practice' schools. Implementation appears to be an issue here. There are a range of factors that could influence when, and in what contexts, programmes to support emotional health are likely to be most successful. The fundamental point is that it is challenging to effectively roll out and scale up even theoretically sound and well-researched programmes to large numbers of schools facing the everyday constraints and pressures of contemporary education. Overall, research shows that school-based activities have a big role to play supporting the emotional health of primary school aged children. Whilst discrete programmes to prevent emotional difficulties or support social and emotional learning may be successful in some schools, no single programme is going to be the magic wand for all children in all schools. Rather what is needed now is a new coordinated approach which combines different areas of activities and integrates all policies, staff and external professionals. Advertisement Such a challenge will have practitioners, policy makers and researchers scratching their heads across the UK. There is no established evidence base that can inform schools how to execute what is required. The report calls for exploratory work led by schools, experts and policy makers working together to develop a framework that could inform activity across school systems in the UK. The task at hand may seem great but the drive to support the mental health of our youngsters ought to be greater. Lupita, who was sat behind the actor as the drama unfolded, said she "knew as soon as it was over that I was going to be a meme. Probably like a lot of people brought up on the Children's Bible I've always been pretty sympathetic to Israel. Growing up in the 1960's and 70's there was a lot of support for plucky little Israel fighting off all comers in the 1967 6 days war. And, of course, there remains an understandable sense that all of us in the West need to act in a way that atones for the collective guilt of the horrors of the Holocaust. So I was very pleased to visit Palestine in February - the Holy Land of so many different faiths. But what I saw I found shocking and eye opening. Yes, I was aware of significant difficulties between Israel and the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. I expected tension. And I expected to see injustices on both sides of that tension. I did not expect to be confronted by an army of occupation subjugating the people of the Occupied Territory in quite the way I was. I fully understand that where there's such a deep divide, as witnessed in the Occupied West Bank between the Israeli State and the Palestinians, there are several sides to the story. However listening to a range of voices; including young Palestinians struggling to find work, an Israeli MP, the UN Mission, a campaigning journalist, human rights activists, Palestinian political leaders and the UK Consul there was an amazing unanimity of view. Palestine is a land that has lost all hope where people young and old are in despair. As one observer said, 'We are sipping cappuccino on the edge of volcano'. Advertisement One young Israeli explained that the Palestinians suffer three layers of oppression. Firstly the physical layer locks people in, makes movement around the small land of the West Bank difficult and slow, unsettling people's lives. As the UN said the space for the Palestinians is shrinking. 2 billion has been spent on a wall to separate Israel for the Palestinian West Bank. Donald Trump eat your heart out! He'd probably approve of this 'ethnically sensitive wall' going outside the boundary to pull in new Israeli settlements within its compass and dodging inside the boundary to leave out Palestinian villages that have been within the boundary for generations. The wall is an ugly, blunt symbol of separation. And if you're a young Palestinian caught throwing a stone at it you can be snatched off to a military court, detained with punishment for you and your family! Then there are the obstacles to movement - the around 490 road closures and 60 military checkpoints in a very small area. One day it took us over two and a half hours to travel the 10 miles from Ramallah to East Jerusalem. The young Palestinians living in East Jerusalem and working in Ramallah said this disruption was commonplace, making it very difficult for them to do something as simple as get to and from their job in order to provide for their families. If this isn't bad enough there is also the demolitions. The Israeli government allows Israeli settlements to build all over the place in the Occupied West Bank but makes it close to impossible for Palestinians to get planning permission to extend or build new homes in their own land. So - in order to get on with their lives - they build and then get told their building will be demolished. But no-one knows when. That's why primary children take their favourite toy to school each day so that they don't lose it when the Israeli bulldozers flatten their home. Or worse still - and it's hard to believe it could be worse - your son or daughter is caught up in some tension at a checkpoint and is killed by the security forces. Advertisement There are nervous young men and women on both sides of this conflict - the Palestinians with stones, scissors and - sometimes - knives. The Israelis with modern machine guns. When we visited Hebron - a divided city - we saw the nervousness of the Israeli young soldiers close up. With Palestinians barred and Israeli settlements placed provocatively in the Old Town it's sadly not surprising that the day before our visit a young woman was killed by a soldier close to the checkpoint. Our Palestinian hosts said she was on her way to see her grandmother. Doubtless the Israeli soldier would say she attacked them with a knife or pair of scissors. Where the truth lies who knows! But there's no doubt in my mind that Gadi Eisenkot, Chief of the Israeli Defence Force, is right when he says he doesn't want soldiers emptying magazines on girls with scissors! The second layer of oppression is the bureaucracy of permits, travel documents and planning permissions. At first glance this looks reasonable to ensure order and security but it is used to control, disrupt and humiliate. It makes it difficult to visit friends and families. It makes it difficult for the homes to be provided that the Palestinians need. It creates distrust, fear and anger. The final layer of control is the violence of the army, the border police, the arrests, the killings and the demolitions. Palestine is a beautiful land full of people who want what we all want for our families and our community, a positive future. But over 20 years since the Oslo accords there seems to be no political will from the Israeli State to progress a 2 state (or even a 1 state) solution. The Israeli Government appear happy to act in contravention of international law and UN resolutions. They understandably resent criticism. Advertisement Whilst reading the paper on yesterday morning's commute into work, you may have been amazed to read plans of a tax hike from Brussels which will send the price of e-cigarettes sky-high. Surely not, you probably thought to yourself, especially in the run up to the EU referendum when Brussels is trying to be on its best behaviour... However, a decision ratified by EU finance ministers this week means the 2.2 million people in the UK who currently use e-cigarettes can look forward to a 77% tax rate on their purchases. This will bring vaping - the smoking option accepted as the healthiest by many experts - into the same tax bracket as cigarettes and cigars. Advertisement Looking a little deeper into the decision, it becomes clear the European Union only has its own coffers in mind, rather than the health of the Great British Public, as well as Europeans. We often hear stories of lobbyists in Brussels determined to push their own agenda - as there's a great deal of money at stake - but the tobacco industry takes this to a whole new level. In 2014, The Tobacco Products Directive was amended solely to suit the demands of the Tobacco lobby. This Directive was labelled the most lobbied dossier in the history of the EU. Philip Morris International is one of the major tobacco companies spending a huge amount of money on lobbying the European Union. In 2013 alone, it was reported the company spent 5 million and used 200 lobbyists to prevent sections of the Tobacco Products Directive from becoming legislation. Advertisement It seems when it comes to the European Union - money can buy you anything. With medical experts encouraging the use of e-cigarettes, it can be assumed the profit margins of tobacco companies across the continent are shrinking fast. In 2014 alone, around 900,000 people used e-cigarettes in an attempt to quit smoking - many more than any other method. The number of tobacco cigarettes sold in the European Union is expected to decrease from 450 billion currently sold to 375 billion by 2021. Deborah Arnott of the health charity ASH has said: "If the EU were to require states to tax electronic cigarettes like tobacco products it would be detrimental to public health. It would discourage smokers from switching." It seems as though the tobacco lobbyists have been up to their old tricks again. They do not like the competition as the tobacco industry is losing so much money. It's a case of the EU deliberately encouraging a seriously unhealthy habit - a habit which costs the British NHS between 2.7 and 6 billion every year and is responsible for 700,000 deaths within Europe - in return for cash from unaccountable and unelected lobbyists sent from around the globe to nobble the European Union. Many people are not even aware these lobbyists exist - yet whist we are under the rule of Brussels, there is nothing we can do to get rid of them. They will continue to impact on all aspects of our everyday lives. Advertisement Also, it is interesting to point out - only the tobacco lobby has access to the EU Commission. The anti-tobacco lobby has no access at all! Recently, it has been discovered the European Commission has refused to curb lobbying by the tobacco firms by not fully applying transparency rules created by the United Nations. The UN's World Health Organisation bans public policy makers from fraternising in secret with tobacco firms under the so-called Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. In February 2016, the EU Ombudsman Emily O'Reilly said the Brussels executive ignored her recommendations to fully publish all details of meetings with tobacco lobbyists or their legal representatives. This was an attempt to try to push the EU into some kind of transparency - but Brussels continues to ignore the advice given to them and refuses to let the public see all details. This means tobacco lobbyists can exert pressure or influence freely, without scrutiny from the public. The Great British Public are starting to see the European Union for the undemocratic institution it really is. Not only is the EU controlled by unelected bureaucrats in Brussels, but also by these lobbyists many people on the street did not even know exist or have so much influence. Advertisement Smoking costs British taxpayers billions of pounds every year - and e-cigarettes are recognised by many health officials as an important tool in helping people to give up the habit. Dear Prime Minister A year ago today I spent the afternoon with you in 10 Downing Street. I was there with a group of inspirational women; a survivor of the most recent Rotherham child abuse scandal, Jayne Senior the Rotherham youth worker and whistle-blower, the mother of one of the child victims, and Alexis Jay - who wrote the report that laid bare the horror endured by at least 1400 victims. As we had tea with you, you engaged with us as a father, not a politician. We were impressed that you showed a real interest and understanding of the issue. You and I then went next door to join most of the Cabinet to discuss the details of how the Government was going to respond to the proliferation of child sexual exploitation in the UK. The four-hour summit discussed my five point plan for tackling and preventing abuse and resulted in a series of commitments from Government. I left the summit inspired, finally something was going to get done. Advertisement Sadly, virtually none of those commitments have been delivered, indeed, your Government haven't even started the consultation on the definition of child sexual exploitation! I am a Labour MP because I believe in social justice, equality, fighting for the underdog, fairness and protecting the vulnerable. I also believe that as a society, if we work together, we can achieve great things. I believe we can prevent child abuse. I acknowledge it is a bold statement and will probably take generations - but isn't it our duty to try? We can't continue turning a blind eye and letting child abuse flourish in the shadows. We can't continue to let children finish their education without teaching them about respect for others, what boundaries are, how some secrets are bad secrets and that they have got a right to say "no". We need all our children to grow up knowing they will be believed, respected and supported if something bad happens to them. It is the duty of Government to make sure everyone in the UK understands what abuse is, what consent is and that there will be swift, significant penalties for anyone causing suffering to another. If abuse does occur, we need to make sure that victims are supported to become survivors and that the process of disclosure does not become another horror for them to endure. These are not big asks, they don't cost very much - indeed the costs in not implementing them are much greater. So why have you not acted on them? Advertisement Mother's Day is looming large and while talc, tulips and a box of Terry's All Gold are all very lovely, perhaps you're looking for ideas to spice up the festivities? Well, look no more! Here are six ways to celebrate Mothering Sunday like a wilful toddler (you know, for the sheer hell of it) - and with deconstructed fish fingers, tantrums and poo-talk in the mix, it's sure to be one to remember... 1. Announce to a stranger that you need a poo When the inevitable Interflora fella turns up with the elaborate bouquet your other half hastily ordered the night before (in a fit of sweary, Googling panic), this is your chance to kick off the wilful-toddler proceedings. After gasping with suitable surprise, smile and dutifully sign the signature handset - before pointing to your arse and proudly declaring: "My need a poo." As he hurriedly retrieves the handset and thrusts the flowers in your face, progress to the poo-dance, hopping from foot to foot, singing: "I can't hold it in! It's coming NOW!" While he then pegs it to the safety of his van like a man fleeing a hostage situation, trill after him: "Uh-oh. Tooo laaate..." Advertisement 2. Throw an almighty tantrum in Tesco No Mother's Day is complete without wine (obviously), so suggest a trip to the supermarket to stock up on refreshment to toast your day of worship. Once there, peruse the aisles tentatively and slowly, all the while letting your bottom lip jut out a little at a time, as a scowl simultaneously darkens your face like an ominous shadow. When your other half gently enquires if something is wrong, chew your finger, stare bug-eyed at the floor and remain menacingly quiet. As he irritably pushes you for an answer, wail: "THEY HAVEN'T GOT MY FAVOURITE!" Then slump to the floor in a sobbing, crumpled heap with all the melodrama of a Bollywood actress. Keep at it until your wine of choice is recovered from the warehouse and then stop crying abruptly, resuming your day as if nothing at all has happened. 3. Shout 'farty bum' on public transport - particularly at the elderly If a lovely day out is planned in honour of Mothering Sunday, propose leaving the car at home and travelling by bus to your destination. After politely boarding and forking out the fares, break free from your family, bolting to the back, screaming like an Apache in a classic Cavalry Western. Plonk heavily opposite a gentle, grey-haired couple staring steadfastly out of the window, desperate not to meet your intrusive gaze. Swing your legs violently and as MP3 players are turned up and tuts are passive-aggressively exchanged, scream 'FARTY BUM' at one minute intervals. As you disembark and the whole bus is exhaling a collective sigh of relief, glance back at your fellow passengers and smile sweetly before chirping: "Bye bye... [PAUSE] FARTY BUMS!" 4. Awkwardly insist on lumbering a cumbersome toy in a public place An excursion to a busy place this Mother's Day, such as a mall or shopping precinct, must undoubtedly be accompanied by a toy either much larger than yourself, or one that you have great difficulty in carrying. Preferably both. Something like a scooter or giant teddy is ideal, but anything that can fit easily into the palm of your hand or has nice practical handles to grip, will not suffice. If it all possible, opt for a cumbersome toy that is also garish in colour - bright enough to humiliate the person forced to carry the item for the rest of the day when you announce, five minutes after leaving the house with it, that you are not physically able to. Advertisement 5. Demand the breadcrumb coating of a fish finger be removed before deigning to eat it If a celebratory, fancy meal is planned, your inner wilful toddler will have ample opportunity to be released. Begin with exploring the menu and after musing over the confit duck and boeuf bourguignon, enquire politely if you could get some fish fingers for main. Explain that it is imperative that the breadcrumb coating be carefully extracted and placed adjacent to the fish inners. Make it clear to the waiter, that if your meal is not presented this way the world end and he will know it. Upon receiving your food, reluctantly nibble the breadcrumb coating before grumpily discarding on the table. Subsequently, deny ever asking for fish fingers and then demand they be replaced with sausages, cut equally into pieces the thickness of one pound coins each. When it's suggested that you are perhaps being unreasonable, cry until so much mucus streams all over your face, it's hard to know which orifice it's coming from. Maintain this until you are presented with a pudding. 6. Wake up in the middle of the night and ask that your arse be scratched - right between the cheeks With perhaps the strangest Mother's Day known to man behind him, let your other half retire to bed lulled into a fall sense of security that at the very least, the extremely weird day is over. Watch as he drifts off into a nourishing slumber. Once he's sound and breathing deeply, lean into his restful face - and scream, 'Issitchee! Issitchee!" With him bolt upright and rooting for a makeshift weapon with which to protect his family from the maniac who just woke him, hiss in his ear: "My bum is itchy! Scratch it! SCRATCH IT!" He may or may not oblige as you gesture to the bit smack-bang between your arse cheeks, but how lovely it will be to look back on a Mother's Day that was a little more eventful than chewing overcooked meat at a carvery? And at least you'll have a story to regale the grandkids with..? Don't let your other half get you a hastily bought bouquet or misjudged bath salts for Mother's Day. Tell him you a want a hugely humorous mug to let your tea go cold in! Check out the official Word To The Mothers merchandise here! http://goo.gl/YleBo1 Advertisement Read the original post here! http://wordtothemothers.com/index.php/2016/02/25/7-ways-to-celebrate-mothers-day-like-a-wilful-toddler/ Eyecandy Images via Getty Images View of a teenage girl working with a laptop. Seven out of 10 Australian girls aged between 15 and 19 believe that receiving unwanted and uninvited sexually explicit content online is common behaviour, according to a report published on Thursday. Dont send me that pic, published by Plan International Australia and Our Watch, details the perception of Australian teenage girls about cyberbullying, the pressure to take and share sexually explicit photographs and receiving unwanted images of a sexual nature. Advertisement Fifty-one percent of girls surveyed for the report believe that there is pressure to take sexual photos of themselves and share them online, according to Susanne Legena, deputy chief executive officer of Plan International Australia. We need to be clear that it is never ok to pressure people to provide unwanted or unsolicited images or to make people feel that they have to be sexy and provide you with sexual imagery, she told The Huffington Post Australia. That kind of feeling to do something you dont feel comfortable about is not OK in any context. This is alarming, outright cyberbullying, and dangerous as it can lead to low self-esteem and depression among victims. The report also found that, despite being unwanted, almost 60 percent of recipients believe girls receive unwanted sexual photos, messages and videos. Advertisement This form of abuse is reaching girls inside their homes and bedrooms, Legena said. [Even] using Snapchat, their perception is that these images are not permanent -- they dont understand how cyberspace operates. I do think they [teenagers] are normalising sexual behaviour that they are getting from pop culture and pornography. Responses from some of the girls surveyed were also included in the report, calling for a crack-down on accessing violent pornography online. This violent pornography should be illegal to make or view in Australia as we clearly have a problem with violence and boys a watching a lot of pornography which can be very violent, one of the responses from an unidentified 18-year-old female reads. This is influencing mens attitude towards women and what they think is acceptable. Violent pornography is infiltrating Australian relationships. Legena believes that healthy conversations between parents and their children, as well as better education in schools centred on respectful relationships, are the key to combating online harassment. Advertisement People are learning about what is a normal sexual relationship from watching pornography, she said. Most young people are trying to work out what a healthy relationship is and what it looks like. They dont understand that idea that somehow behaviour in online space is different to offline space. Lets equip our young people through our schooling and conversations in our society to actually understand that healthy and respectful relationships is what they deserve. Mary Barry, CEO of Our Watch, an organisation established to end violence against women and children, agrees with Legena on the important role of schools in preventing online bullying and harassment. Schools play an important role in the safety and wellbeing of students, she said. Evidence suggests the best way for schools to address and prevent all forms of bullying -- including cyber-bullying and harassment -- is through a systematic whole school approach which not only provides in-class education, but addresses the school culture, policies and procedures, and promotes gender equality within the staffing body. Advertisement Legena also stressed that the internet and digital media are here to stay and that the solution to the problem of cyber-bullying and harassment doesnt involve a blanket internet ban for teenagers. You cant tackle it by prohibiting access to digital media. Its like saying dont go outside because you might get raped Legena said. Equip kids with the tools on what to do when they see this behaviour occurring, I dont think banning them from social media is the way to combat this. Hagen Hopkins via Getty Images WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND - OCTOBER 12: Silver Fern (Black, White and Blue), by Kyle Lockwood, flies on top of the Wellington Town Hall on October 12, 2015 in Wellington, New Zealand. The Flag Consideration Panel has narrowed down to the five flags which will then go to referendum later this year. (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images) New Zealand's flag change debate will be decided as the final set of voting begins in a referendum on whether to change the national flag. Voters will choose between the current Union Jack flag and the proposed Silver Fern flag, designed by Melbourne-based New Zealander, Kyle Lockwood. Advertisement New Zealand Prime Minister, John Key, is pushing for the flag change and said Kiwi's will regret the decision if they stick with the current flag. "They'll wake up in a few months' time and they'll realise what a terrible mistake they made, because it's not going to make a blind bit of difference to me," Key told Radio New Zealand National. "The point here isn't for me to get a flag I want. I'm simply one vote out of the millions of people who may potentially vote. The whole purpose of this was to give New Zealanders the chance to decide which flag they think represents them best going forward." Advertisement The Union Jack flag The Silver Fern flag The Flag Consideration Project started in May 2015 when a nationwide engagement program commenced to gather New Zealander's views and values in regards to alternative flag designs. The first referendum -- running from 20 November to 11 December last year -- asked voters to rank five alternative flags. The Silver Fern was chosen as the preferred replacement, receiving 50.58 percent of the vote. How the Other Half Lives: Studies Among the Tenements of New York, written by Jacob Riis in 1890, is a classic study of poverty in the United States. Riis blames the greed and neglect of wealthier Americans for the desperate conditions in urban slums. As part of their campaign to get metal detectors removed from their school, Pablo Muriel and students from Alfred E. Smith High School did a reverse how the other half lives visit in February, going from the South Bronx community where most of them live to Grace Church School, an independent school on Cooper Square in Manhattan's Greenwich Village where tuition in the high school is $41,750 a year. The student population at Grace's high school is 62% White. Thirty-eight percent 6% of the students self-identify as African-American, Caribbean-American, Latino/Hispanic, bi/multi-racial, Asian, or Asian-American. About one in five students are English language Learners; and over one-fourth have special learning needs. There are no metal detectors at Grace Church School. As one Grace student said, "if they tried to put in metal detectors our parents would be in an uproar." Advertisement The visit started with a discussion between about forty Smith and Grace students and an update on the anti-metal detector campaign. Ibrahim from Smith summarized the update, "our demands go in one ear and out the other." One thing that puzzled the Smith students was all the money that was going into putting alarms on school doors. They understood this was a response to an incident where a student with disabilities wandered out of a different high school and drowned. As one student said, "the city is putting in the alarms because it is being sued by the family. Maybe we need to sue." One possibility discussed at the meeting was a lawsuit accusing the city of causing "emotional distress" among students who were being treated as criminals when they entered school. Students also considered ways to involve parents in the anti-metal detector campaign. Almost every student who attends Grace and Smith travels on the subway where there are no metal detectors and a much greater chance of being "cut." There have been seven subway "slashings" in the first six weeks of 2016 alone. According to a Smith student, that "shows the irrationality of putting metal detectors in schools and why it is really racist against us." From there discussion moved to other topics that concerned students from both schools, but the central topic remained race, racism, and social justice. Advertisement Why are Black and Latino students from the south Bronx tracked into vocational programs and away from college prep? Why does Smith get extra money for vocational classes but no extra dollars to help students prepare for college? Why does a school like Grace have three faculty/staff in the College Guidance office serving approximately 140 juniors and seniors while a school like Smith has one who is assigned part-time? Can we get more minority teachers for a school like Smith? How do we get White teachers to better understand the lives of Smith students? Will Black and Latino students who attend a school like Grace, many on scholarship, only be out for their own advancement or will they give back to their communities? Pablo Muriel, who teaches at Smith and works with this group of students, is someone who could have gotten out, but chose to get back in. Pablo grew up in a south Bronx housing project and went to a vocational high school, but then went to college, earned a master's degree, and is now working on his PHD. He told the group that most of the people he grew up with are now either dead or in jail. He came back because it cannot let this continue to happen. MiChelle Carpenter, a teacher and academic dean at Grace who works with the Grace students who organized the visit on their end, said it is time to recognize that we still live in an "apartheid society" and people must see the other world if we are going to make changes. Then everyone went to lunch in a spacious Grace cafeteria where they were serving cod, either fried or baked, and lots of healthy salads. It really was a different world. It was August of 2013 and I had just turned 24. I was working fulltime on the women's apparel team at Target Corporate in downtown Minneapolis and living the city life in my adorable little apartment in the heart of Saint Paul, Minnesota. I could walk to cute little coffee shops, meet up for dinner and drinks with friends at trendy delicious restaurants, and take a weekend stroll down to the best farmer's market in the area. It seemed I had it made. I was a single woman living in the city getting to work with the latest fashion trends every day and making a comfortable income. It looked like I had everything I could want right? WRONG. That's what my life looked like on the outside to anyone who didn't really know me that well personally. On the inside, I was suffocating at work, I had just turned 24 and was going through my whole quarter life crisis a year early, and I didn't know what to do about my situation. I was so SO stuck and I wanted out. MAN, DID I EVER WANT OUT. Advertisement I knew I couldn't just quit my job and quite frankly at the time, I didn't even know for sure what I wanted to do that would be different than my current job or where I wanted to work so that didn't help the situation. I was so confused, frustrated, and kept questioning why I was letting this be my life. I knew there was so much more to life than sitting in a cubicle, looking at fashion CADs, spreadsheets, and my never ending email inbox. The day I turned 24 I knew I had to do something different. I didn't know what or how, but then on a whim I thought "I'm going on a road trip." THAT'S IT! I needed change, I needed a break, I needed spontaneity in my life, and so I picked a weekend that fall and that is just what I did. This wasn't just any typical road trip that you might be used to. This was me going on this three day trip ALL BY MYSELF. I had no destination planned. I had no map. I had no hotel accommodations figured out. It was just going to be me and the open road leading to endless possibilities. During this three day road trip, I had so many thoughts and ideas about what's important to me and what I wanted my life to be filled with. I met some incredible people along the way who shared their entire life stories with me. I felt completely independent and so in tune with who I am and how I wanted to feel throughout these days and it was so refreshing. Advertisement On my road trip I also created a generic bucket list of all the things I wanted to do on my trip no matter where I ended up. It included things like stop at a local candy shop, get out of my car and explore nature, go out to dinner by yourself, have a dance party in the hotel room, watch the sunset, and so much more. This is a trip that taught me so much and provided clarity on many pieces of my life. I'm not normally a person who enjoys personal journaling, but I made an extra effort to write down all of my thoughts from this trip and these are a few of the ones that really stood out for me of the important things I learned. 1.Material things are not important, stop placing such high standards on this. Why do you need such a huge house when children in other countries are sleeping on dirt, can't receive an education, and don't have the luxury of trying out a new recipe for dinner each week. 2.Always care and show compassion to others. Everyone is fighting a battle that you know nothing about. 3.Don't sweat the small stuff. You are alive and that is a miracle alone. What would you do if you found out you only had 15 years left to live? (The candy shop owner who told me her entire life story over homemade caramels was dealing with that. A couple months before we met that's the news her doctor told her.) Advertisement 4.Fear is the root of you stopping yourself from achieving your dreams. Eliminate fear! Just do it and dream bigger! 5.Going out to eat all by yourself isn't so bad. Yes, people stare... a lot of people stare, but you can do whatever you want and you don't have to deprive yourself of certain aspects in life just because you don't have someone to do them with. 6.Don't take for granted the scenery around you -- it's a beautiful miracle. Stop rushing through life and take a moment to appreciate the little things. There you have it, my gone solo road trip in a nutshell. I may have only ended up right outside of Chicago as my farthest destination point, but it wasn't about the end destination that mattered. It was about the journey along the way that made a difference. Being so in tune to what's going on around you, what you really want in life, and turning your car down any street or state highway you want to just because you're curious where it might lead to is what this this mini soul vacation is all about! For those Italians who have over the past two decades resented Silvio Berlusconi, the arrival of Donald Trump on the US political scene is undoubtedly shocking. But it's too soon to say that Trump is truly the "American Berlusconi." Over the past twenty years, Berlusconi has been described as an anomaly in comparison to leaders in other major Western democratic powers, starting with the US. As The Economist wrote, Silvio was "Unfit to Lead Italy." His opponents would always say that "somebody like him would never become president of the United States." That Trump, who was considered a joke or an "unfit" character, would rise to the presidency was considered impossible. Impossible from an anthropological, rather than a political point of view, as his success in the primaries has already demonstrated. Exactly like Berlusconi, Trump is a man from the economic establishment, with immense economic resources and an extremely high degree of notoriety. Like Berlusconi, he could position himself as an outsider fighting "establishment" politics. He may emerge as the champion of the middle class and, in a few cases, the working class as well. Advertisement The first mistake that progressive elites, politicians, cultural figures and the media have made is to underestimate or ridicule Trump. That only increases his allure among voters looking for something new. The endless stream of satire and jokes only serves to make him even more popular. The second error would be to underestimate the power of television. Yes, in 2008 Obama rose to power by campaigning on the Internet and launching crowdfunding campaigns aimed directly at citizens with little economic power. But today, eight years later, this entrepreneur's enormous popularity on television is playing a major part in American politics, proving once again that in our contemporary media society, the "new" cannot easily replace the "old." Without Berlusconi, the discourse of Italian politics would have been far more politically-correct, less violent, and more institutional. There was another element to Berlusconi's success, one that might be even more important in America than it was in Italy: the allure of a successful businessman, of a "self-made-man." There is an allure to a figure who is perceived to be rich enough that he wouldn't need to use politics to make himself even richer. This is a banal concept, and easily refuted in Berlusconi's case, but it resonated deeply with the Italian middle class. After the ruinous finale of Italy's first republic and the era of professional politicians, Italians believed in a billionaire who was driven only by personal interests. Unsurprisingly, this very concept was one of the leitmotifs in the election campaign that the artists and stars of Berlusconi's TV company used in the 1990s to convince undecided voters: "He created a great company, and he'll make Italy great too!" Advertisement Italians experienced over two decades of Berlusconi's blunders, including his unpleasant references to Fascism, sexism (in public and in private), and occasional racist quips. This practically became the norm for Italian politics. Without Berlusconi, there would be no Salvini today, with his questionable language. There would be no Beppe Grillo, a professional comedian who thanks to television, has won over the sympathies of many Italians. Without Berlusconi, the discourse of Italian politics would have been far more politically-correct, less violent, and more institutional. These are facts, and the fear is that in the next few months, the American public will lose the fair play that we Italians have so often envied. It's difficult to imagine that this would NOT happen. But it's even more difficult to imagine how to stop this from happening. Should we just get used to it, give up, and accept it? In Italy, the political left and its thought leaders believed for years that it was enough to be indignant and to discuss the rise of a different regime. They thought warning Italians of this imminent danger would be enough. Berlusconi was only defeated by Romano Prodi, a leader who was not as obsessed with demonizing his adversaries. His skills lay in exerting his strength as a parochial campaign leader, and his ability to reassure Italians who were frustrated with Berlusconi. The social and electoral divide between liberal, educated voters and less-educated, more conservative voters is common throughout Western democracies. In personalized politics, a phenomenon that Italy only acquired halfway through the 1990s, there's no such thing as the rational vote -- someone who carefully considers his or her options from the peace and quiet of their living room. Instead, we have people who are angry, or scared, or seeking hope and reassurance. For rivals of the Berlusconis who play around with Mussolini quotes --Berlusconi was a world champ in this department -- the only adequate response is to wage a strong, emotional campaign. That's what happened in Chile in 1988: when Pinochet organized a plebiscite, opposition forces organized an election campaign that focused on highlighting the horrors of the regime, the victims, the desparicidos. They were condemned to certain defeat. Then, almost by chance (as Pablo Larrain's brilliant movie, No, details) they called in a young advertising exec to help, who invented a campaign based on happiness, smiling families and barbecues out in the countryside. Pinochet grew nervous, built an increasingly aggressive campaign, and ultimately -- against all predictions -- was ousted. The social and electoral divide between liberal, educated voters and less-educated, more conservative voters is common throughout Western democracies. For the first group -- those Bostonians and New Yorkers who snobbishly look down on Trump -- the greatest test is yet to come. It will be much more difficult than in 2004, when John Kerry was defeated by a far less brilliant George W. Bush. This time, the rival to the democrats may well be a "monster": Trump. Exactly like Berlusconi in 1994, who suddenly blocked the victory already being brandished by the left. Trump's rivals should write down, and commit to memory, Berlusconi's comment on the leader of the PDS party, Achille Occhetto, in January 1994: "A man who first got into politics after 1989 and is now busy talking about Communism must be a little naive. I think he's funny: he'd make a great actor in a traveling theater troupe." That was the beginning of the end for the Italian left. Sure, people will protest that Berlusconi changed Italian society and politics, perhaps permanently. I think Berlusconi catered to a segment of Italian society with which the elite were largely unfamiliar. As far as politics were concerned, Berlusconi was a pioneer in personalizing an election campaign. He was the first to really apply marketing campaigns and strategies to politics. Without him, we would have never had Renzi, the first center-left politician to break with tradition and use the same tools. But in this regard, Americans don't need any advice. In fact, they often anticipate trends that only appear in Italy years later. On the relationship between the leader and women, between the macho old guy and the girls, there's not much left to add. We don't need to bring up Ted Kennedy and Gary Hart in order to assert that any American leader, faced with sex scandals similar to those that enveloped Berlusconi, would be forced to withdraw immediately. In fact, Berlusconi's wife published a letter in one of Italy's main daily newspapers in which she spoke of "virgins offering themselves up to the dragon." When it comes to this area, America's the one who could teach us a thing or two. In the 1996 film The First Wives Club, Ivana Trump gave a valuable lesson to fresh divorcees: "Don't get mad, get everything!" Many years later, Veronica Lario followed her advice to the letter. My mom was different. Even though she could have easily settled into the role of a stay-at-home mom, as many wives of farmers do, she elected to work outside in all the elements right alongside my dad as a farmer-hand. And, where did this leave all of us kids? As soon as we were brought home from the hospital, we were a part of my parents' work-life - being lugged around when we were babies and contributing to the farming business as soon as we were physically able. Likewise, my childhood best friend was literally raised in her parent's small business in our hometown. The entire family was at the business so often, they built secondary living quarters in the restaurant's attic, where kids and babies could be fed, take a nap, and do homework. Advertisement I don't think my experience or that of my best friend's is all that unique on Main Street America. Kids are a part of small businesses everywhere, which allows for women to both raise a family and be financially independent. But, this scenario has not translated very well into corporate America. In fact, anachronistic narratives tell women they can't have a successful career and children. Remember Peggy Olson in Mad Men? A Vox editor wrote about Peggy: "She gave up her and Pete's baby so she could have a life for herself, a real start at a career as a copywriter." Lisa DeLuca and other leaders in the technology industry are turning this rhetoric on its head. Famous IBM inventor Lisa DeLuca attends major technology conference with her 5-month-old daughter. DeLuca recently attended one of the tech industry's most important conventions with baby twins in tow. Now, before you picture a nanny doing all the heavy lifting in a hotel suite, while inventor-mom takes on the tech world, you may want to take a closer look at the photo above. Lisa DeLuca, who just happens to be the most prolific female inventor in all of IBM's history, a famous TED talk speaker, and published author, traded in her heels and business suit for a baby carrier during the final day of the IBM InterConnect Conference. Earlier in the week, DeLuca was busy engaging audiences while sharing her expertise in mobile, IoT, commerce and consumer evolution. By the afternoon on the last day of InterConnect, most people were heading to the airport or searching out a comfortable spot to relax. Advertisement But, Lisa DeLuca is not like most people. And, she proved that when she walked into the convention with a baby. DeLuca and her 5-month-old daughter made their rounds throughout the booth space and speaker sessions -- learning from other IBMers, energizing customers, and networking with IBM Fellow, John Cohn. She was wrapping up their afternoon by generously packaging meals at the #StopHungerNow booth, when Deluca reports an unidentified man came up and chastised her for having a baby at InterConnect. "He said having Emily [her baby] there was a 'security issue,'" Lisa DeLuca explained. Can you imagine what the hungry mothers and their children who are to be the recipients of Deluca's generosity would think about this purported security issue? Lisa DeLuca, a Master Inventor at IBM, a genius, a mother, preparing meals for other mothers... A wise person would call this a full-circle, generous act of humility, a beautiful glimpse into the future of corporate America, or, at the very least, a photo opportunity... but certainly not a security issue. Lisa DeLuca is a self-proclaimed #motherworking not #workingmother. How will mothers like DeLuca influence technology organizations and the industry at-large? Well, with a new generation of highly educated and capable mothers at the helm, the technology industry might just start to look a bit more like Main Street and old-fashioned farming. My sister participates in a national farming convention every year, where children are not only in attendance, but special events and spaces are designed just for them. Now, thanks to women like Lisa DeLuca, who are courageously paving the way, the technology industry is poised to take on similar initiatives and be better for it. Anna Seacat is a speaker on the topics of personal online branding and socially minded consumerism. She directs marketing for the Cloud IAM portfolio at IBM and is passionate about conversion optimization. Follow her on Twitter: @AnnaSeacat. Advertisement Tim Cook attends the 2015 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Ripple of Hope Awards at the New York Hilton Midtown on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2015, in New York. (Photo by Andy Kropa/Invision/AP) The Federal Bureau of Investigation has done a masterful job in its campaign against Apple and, by extension, against the tech world. The Bureau's request to unlock San Bernardino shooter Syed Farook's work cell phone (as opposed to the personal phone he smashed), has produced a classic false choice for the public -- protect yourself from terrorists or protect your privacy. God ahead and choose. The Bureau is daring the public and lawmakers to choose. Make my day, as it were. Advertisement Unfortunately, and the tech industry, are playing on the Bureau's chosen ground. They shouldn't. This dispute is not about defending the public from the latest diabolical technologies in the face of international or homegrown terrorism. No, the issue has to be seen not as a debate over phones, or even about encryption. It only makes sense if you see it as part of a long trend of law enforcement's struggle to keep up with technology. This isn't a holy war. It's just another whinge on top of decades of other whinges and whines. And guess who usually wins in the end. In The Beginning Author Bryan Burrough, in his book about America's depression-era crime wave, sets the stage for his story in a way that would be familiar to those looking at today's debate. "The spread of technology was the result of technology outstripping the legal system," Burrough wrote, as if describing the FBI's angst of today. Advertisement But he wasn't. He was describing a situation almost 100 years ago. While part of the lawmen's anxieties came from machine guns developed after World War I, "the greatest impetus [of a new string of bank robberies] was the automobile, especially the new models with reliable, powerful, V-8 engines. While the county sheriff was still hand-cranking his old Model A, a modern yegg could speed away untouched." Burrough quoted one crime writer from 1924 as saying that, "Seventy-five percent of all crimes are perpetrated with the aid of the automobile." The problem was that "automobiles and good roads have done much to increase certain types of banditry," the writer observed. Fast cars, Better roads. Those were the problems facing law enforcement in the early part of the last century. Of course, the advantages didn't law long. Cops got their own guns and cars. And Federal legislation eliminated the bandits' advantage of crossing state lines to avoid capture by the local sheriff. The issue of law enforcement complaints about being behind the curve is as old as technology - any technology. The Telephone Evolution Let's move a little closer to today's problem. Around the same time as cars and roads were making things easier for crooks, law enforcement got some help of their own from another relatively new, quickly spreading, technology -- the telephone. Advertisement Starting about 100 years ago, good guys, and bad guys, figured out that it wasn't hard to listen in to other people's conversations. All you needed was a pair of alligator clips hooked up to the phone wires leading to a phone, a speaker or a tape recorder. Laws tried to limit the use of wiretaps, but cops kept doing it anyway. That technology lasted for a good 60 years or so until a new threat came across the transom, or should we say, over the air. Cell phones were introduced in 1983, and really took off a few years later when the phones got smaller and the networks got bigger. Law enforcement screamed at the injustice of trying to tap phones without wires. In 1994, Yale Computer Science Professor David Gelertner, wrote in the Times that "in the age of high technology, the wiretap is a dead duck." Gelertner, who was no foe of wiretapping in the cause of justice, wrote: "In the old days, all conversations associated with a given phone number were funneled through one physical pathway, and by spying on that pathway you could hear it all. Nowadays, cellular phones and call forwarding make it much harder to find the right spot and to attach a tap." And Gelertner was on top of an even newer technology -- fiber optic transmission: "New techniques coming into use will make it harder still: when many conversations are squished together and sent barreling over a high-capacity glass fiber, it's hard for wiretappers to extract the one conversation they are after from the resulting mush." Advertisement That's right. The cops couldn't listen in to conversations when the conversations weren't voices, but instead were converted into data. How would they ever get the drop on bad guys? Remember, in 1994, there was no ISIS, no Al Qaeda, no international terrorism -- the justifications for today's FBI's push to decrypt the iPhone. Also in the early 90s, law enforcement found itself behind the curve of another type of road -- the Information Superhighway. Those were the nascent days of online communications before the Internet took over and made that highway obsolete. The Computer Age Dawns And so, in the early days of the Clinton Administration, came the first real tech vs. law enforcement battle that looks like what we have today -- the Clipper Chip. The idea was simple. The way to figure out what the data meant was to break the codes. The Clipper Chip was the little chip that would go into everyone's computers and allow the government to see whatever it wanted. People could use their own encryption, but the government would have the key. Advertisement It took three years for the Clipper Chip to be buried, but in the meantime, Congress passed a bill directing telephone companies to make certain the FBI could listen in to whatever it wanted, technologically speaking, of course. And law enforcement (and the national security apparatus) figured it out each time. With a compliant phone company, the National Security Agency collected data on millions of people by running the equivalent of wiretaps through the switches the directed calls. Each time there is a new technology, law enforcement complains, but somehow figures it out. It figured out how to listen in to cellphones, and then asked to be able to capture location information as well, and then for "roving wiretaps" to track everyone who was called by the suspect. When the current generation of Internet addresses was starting to be exhausted, the FBI was worried that, as one writer put it in 2012, that "an explosion of new Internet numeric addresses scheduled to begin next week may hinder its ability to conduct electronic investigations." In 2014, current FBI director James Comey was on Capitol Hill complaining about encrypted cellphone calls. Ironically, he was talking about the latest Apple iPhone operating system. "We aren't seeking a back-door approach," he said, foreshadowing today's debate which is a backdoor approach to having access to everyone's cell phones. Advertisement And so we come to today, with the FBI yet again on Capitol Hill, again in a pitched battle, battling the forces of evil with seemingly inadequate technical responses such that a level playing field can be gained by giving up our privacy. Only by giving the FBI the ability to force companies to break encryption on any device and to give the Bureau access to the data inside can we be protected. If history tells us anything, it's that a) we've seen this act before, b) that law enforcement will by hook or crook get the capabilities it needs and c) it will come running to Congress for relief the next time a new technology crops up. President Muhammadu Buhari and his ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) party have no plans on how to rescue Nigeria from its economic malaise. Since they came into power in May of 2015, they have gradually reneged for on all the promises they made to Nigerians and have used the anti-corruption crusade as a way of distracting Nigerians from the serious problems that the country is facing. Fighting corruption is a noble and courageous act in a country like Nigeria where it has eaten deep into its fiber. As far back as 1984, the esteem Nigerian writer, Chinua Achebe had written in his book, The Trouble With Nigeria that, "Keeping an average Nigerian from being corrupt is like keeping a goat from eating yam." I dare to say that, corruption is far worse today than it was in the 1980s. Today, it has become institutionalized and cuts across the socio-political, economic and even religious sectors of the country. Prophecies and healings are backed by money (that is for another article). The problem with Buhari's anti-corruption tactics is that they are not sincere. When Nigerians who were fed up with the impunity of the former government of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) went out to vote for Buhari because they believed he would clean up the system, I was skeptical then and I am now that he has the will power to fight corruption. It is impossible to advance yourself as an anti-corruption crusader when the major benefactors of your campaign are among the most corrupt Nigerians. After his election, Buhari gave voice to these people by appointing them to his cabinet and other governmental parastatals. Their anti-corruption agenda has been reduced to a witchhunt of the members of the opposition party, PDP. About nine months after Buhari was sworn in as President of Nigeria, no member of the APC has been arrested or prosecuted. Yet, a substantial number of the members of the ruling APC were formerly members of PDP who enriched themselves from the government coffers during the sixteen years that PDP ruled Nigeria. Advertisement During the electioneering campaign, I had raised the issue of Buhari's sponsors with a friend who is his ardent supporter. He assured me that Buhari needed the money in order to be elected and that once Buhari gets into power, he was going to turn against these individuals. That has not been the case. Rather, they have been rewarded. If Buhari needs his war against corruption to be taken seriously, he needs to first clean up his own house, the All Peoples Congress. History tells us that it is possible to do this. In 1990, Kim Young-Sam the opposition leader of South Korea merged his Democratic Reunification Party with the ruling and corrupt Democratic Justice Party to form the Democratic Liberal Party. Running under the platform of this new party, he won the presidency in the 1992 elections. He served for only one term and used that opportunity to clean up corruption in South Korea. He arrested his two predecessors, Roh Tae-woo (1988-1993) and Chun Doo-hwan (1980-1988). Roh was sentenced to seventeen years in prison and Chun was sentenced to life in prison. Kim Young-Sam's anticorruption crusade did not spare his own son. In 1997, Kim Hyon Chol, his son known as the "Crown Prince" was indicted for bribery and tax evasion. He was sentenced to three years in prison. That is what a transparent and sincere anti-corruption agenda should like. South Korea, like Nigeria had just gone through several years of military dictatorships and former dictators turning elected presidents. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine General Joseph F. Dunford (L), US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter (2L) and US Vice President Joe R. Biden (R) listen while US President Barack Obama makes a statement in the Roosevelt Room of the White House October 15, 2015 in Washington, DC. President Obama on Thursday announced thousands of US troops will remain in Afghanistan past 2016, retreating from a major campaign pledge and acknowledging Afghan forces are not ready to stand alone. AFP PHOTO/BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI (Photo credit should read BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images) No two challenges have vexed President Obama more than his inability to pass comprehensive immigration reform and struggle to address rapidly changing national security challenges. With an obstructionist Congress well entrenched and the presidential election in full cry, we all know it's highly unlikely that the president will be able to make great strides on either of these issues before he leaves Washington. While full measure solutions may not be possible, there is, however, a way for the president, without Congressional action, to provide tens of thousands of Americans a path to citizenship and leave his successor with a military better able to address the myriad of ongoing conflicts. He has the power to expand the scope and size of the Military Accessions in the National Interest (MAVNI) program to allow DACA-eligible youth to enlist and serve the country that they know as their home. The President talks about his "bucket list" and how immigration is a top priority. By expanding the MAVNI program, he has the opportunity to provide DACA-eligible youth an earned path to citizenship and help keep our military strong. Advertisement The best part? MANVI is already a program authorized under a statute by Congress. Expanding this program doesn't require an executive order. The president can just do it. Under an existing law [(10 U.S. Code 504(b)(2)], the Secretary of Defense is authorized to allow enlistment of persons not regularly enabled to serve if it is determined that "such enlistment is vital to the national interest." In other words, the president has the power to enlist individuals into our armed forces, regardless of their citizenship or residency status, if the Secretary determines that it is in our collective national interest. Pursuant to this authority, the Department of Defense established MANVI, which now allows individuals who have special language or medical skills to enlist regardless of their immigration status. Thus far, the MANVI program is restricted to 5,200 persons and allows individuals who have qualified under the Deferred Action Child Act (DACA) and entered the United States without documentation entered with the parents before their age of 16 to enlist. There is a long tradition of foreign-born soldiers serving in the United States military. Immigrants have fought in American forces since the Revolutionary War. Significant numbers of Union troops in the Civil War were Irish and German-born men who fought with valor for the newfound country. Whether long-term residents or recently off-the-boat, immigrants have proudly stepped up when our nation has called on them to defend her and have been key components in fighting for our country and maintaining American military strength. Advertisement With the exception of the few who now qualify under the MANVI program, only persons with bona fide United States residency through alien registration or a holding a green card may enlist in the armed forces although they are not allowed to serve as officers. One group of able-bodied and talented youth who have been left out of military enlistment are age-eligible undocumented youth who seek to serve in the armed services. Often referred to as Dreamers, these are undocumented young people who came to the United States as youngsters and gained American values through our educational system and participation in every aspect of our society. In the long tradition of the immigrants who came before them, many would seek to serve and have many talents to offer for our voluntary armed services. Through his executive actions, President Obama already has recognized the benefits that may be obtained by the inclusion of the Dreamers in mainstream American society. An expansion of the scope and size of the MAVNI program to allow more DACA-eligible youth to enlist would allow these individuals to serve the country that they know as their home, provide a potential opportunity to earn citizenship, and help keep our military strong. Our military deserves the best candidates at every level, from the infantryman to the cyber operator. By no fault of their own, the DACA-qualified youth came to this country and became red-blooded Americans. The president has the ability to expand this program and open the doors to citizenship for many DACAmented who are ready and willing to serve their nation. Voters crowd in to check with precinct captains at a Democratic caucus late Tuesday, March 1, 2016, in Denver. Colorado is one of 12 states casting votes for party nominees on Super Tuesday, which offers candidates the chance to garner the biggest single-day delegate haul of the nomination contests. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) Unlike the British press, which openly acknowledges and parades its biases, many American news outlets like to maintain a pretense of objectivity. But this doesn't mean that they're objective, it just means that their biases are more insidious. Many media outlets clearly like Hillary Clinton and dislike Donald Trump, and these views have quietly colored their reporting on the presidential race. Last night Bernie Sanders won as many states as Donald Trump lost, but Clintonites will try to paint the Democrats' race as effectively over while anti-Trumpsters will look for excuses to say that the Republicans' race isn't finished yet. These media narratives are used to give the press' favorites "momentum". If the public believes a race is over, it often is, regardless of whether or not the numbers really make it so. So by crowning a nominee (or refusing to crown one), media outlets exercise power to shape the races grounded in their biases. To understand what really happened last night, we have to look at whether candidates are meeting or exceeding their projected paths to their respective nominations. Advertisement Let's look at each party. The Democrats In the weeks before the presidential race, some national polls had Clinton up by double digits, while others showed a close race. 538 came out with a set of projections for how Sanders was likely to do depending on whether he was down by double digits or roughly tied. To win the nomination, Sanders does not necessarily have to be in a tie yet, but over the course of the next couple months, he has to pull ahead, and the further behind a tie he is earlier in the race, the more decisively he has to pull ahead later to make up the delegates. In three of the first four states before Super Tuesday, Sanders' numbers suggested that he was closer than double digits, but not yet achieving a tie: The exception was South Carolina, which was so much worse than the projection that Clinton supporters in the press began treating the race as if it were over, ignoring the results of the first three races. What happened on Super Tuesday was a bit bizarre -- in the south and in Massachusetts, Sanders did much worse than the projections, but in the states Sanders won, he exceeded them, sometimes by quite a bit: What this indicates is that Sanders' support is more polarized than 538's model predicted -- in the south, he is much weaker than we would expect in a competitive race, but in the north and west he is strong enough that his numbers are now consistent with winning (Massachusetts notwithstanding). His ability to win Minnesota, Colorado, and Oklahoma by double figures indicates that Sanders could potentially exceed the 538 tie projection throughout large parts of the Midwest. The national polls before Super Tuesday indicated a close race, with Sanders polling nationally roughly where Clinton was polling in 2008 at this same time-no one thought Clinton was finished then: Advertisement But many media outlets helped Clinton stay in the race in 2008 by painting the race as a close contest. Today many of those same outlets are trying to write Sanders off, and if we're not careful this may become self-fulfilling. It doesn't help that Super Tuesday in 2016 was dominated by southern states where Sanders is weak. In 2008, the Super Tuesday list was more geographically diverse, and despite being behind in the polls nationally, Clinton won 12 states to Obama's 11. With the south-heavy schedule this year, Sanders trailed on Super Tuesday 7 to 4. It's important for everyone to remember that Bernie Sanders is not running for president of the Confederacy. None of this is to say that Bernie Sanders is guaranteed to win-he is still definitely the underdog. Personally, while I think Sanders has a better shot against Trump than Clinton does, I still think Clinton will probably beat him in the primary, because too many Democrats don't understand how electable Sanders is and don't understand how much this primary matters. But it is far too early to give up hope. In the next week, six more states will go up for the Democrats: I'll expect Sanders to lose Louisiana and Mississippi by more than the 12 point gap margins. What I'll be interested in is whether he can again exceed the tie projection in the remaining four. If he can continue to do better than the tie projection in most western and northern states, he may eventually overcome Clinton's advantage in the south. We have to wait and see. If you're a Sanders supporter, the key thing is don't write him off, don't let the media write him off, and don't let your friends write him off. The media narrative that the southern states are generating is more dangerous to the Sanders campaign than the actual defeats in the south are. If people in the rest of the country continue to believe he has a chance and show up the way they did in Colorado, Minnesota, and Oklahoma, he may yet win. Don't let the south decide the race -- if it were up to the south, Democrats would never even get the presidency nowadays. The Republicans This race is actually over, even though many people are not admitting it. Here's the reality Super Tuesday presented to us: Advertisement Donald Trump won as many states as Clinton did last night, and unlike Clinton they were not all concentrated in one region (Massachusetts notwithstanding). Trump won both races in the northeast, and 5 out of 7 in the south, losing only Ted Cruz's home state and Oklahoma. If he has a weakness, it's in the west-he lost both Minnesota and Alaska. But he lost them to two different candidates, coming second in both contests, and his earlier dominant win in Nevada indicates that he will win some of the western states too. No individual anti-Trump has shown any ability to consistently consolidate support in a region. Cruz was second in the south, Kasich was second in the northeast, and Rubio was mostly third. Carson was irrelevant. The folks who want you to believe that this isn't over push the "Trump ceiling" fantasy, which holds that if any of these folks drop out, nearly 100% of their supporters will go to an anti-Trump. Only affluent pundits who are disconnected from ordinary Republican voters could possibly think this. Trump's favorability numbers among Republicans are about as good as anybody's: Majorities trust Trump on the economy, immigration, and foreign policy: For all of these reasons, Trump has continued to pick up support as the field has cleared. No candidate has gained more support since the start of February: Indeed, the only other candidate to win multiple states Tuesday night -- Cruz -- has lost support even as the field has cleared. So far, all four of these guys are in such deep denial about how much trouble they are in that not a single one has even agreed to drop out (with the possible exception of Carson), so proponents of the Trump ceiling theory may not even see it tested. Let's admit the obvious. Barring some freak incident, Donald Trump is going to be the Republican nominee. We just don't know which Democrat is going to run against him yet. After reading this terrific piece by Nathan Robinson, I hope for the sake of the country it's Sanders. In honor of Justice Antonin Scalia who died on Feb. 13, 2016, the flags in the Supreme Court building's front plaza will continue to fly at half-staff for a month, in Washington, Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016. Scaliaas unexpected death triggered an election-year political standoff on Capitol Hill as leaders in the GOP-controlled Congress insist President Obama should not nominate a replacement for Scalia and should leave that for the next president who is elected in November. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) In November, when the Supreme Court agreed to hear the appeal in Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt, abortion-rights advocates across the country agonized that the death knell had sounded for Roe v. Wade. Although the Whole Woman's Health case technically concerned only two restrictive provisions contained in an omnibus bill, HB2, passed by the Texas Legislature in 2013, pro-abortion-rights groups understandably feared that the Supreme Court would issue an expansive ruling that would weaken the constitutional underpinnings of Roe, if not overturn the landmark 1973 decision outright. With five Republicans on the high tribunal, led by the intemperate Antonin Scalia, the critical question seemed not to be whether the pro-abortion-rights movement would be dealt a setback, but whether the setback would be crippling. Advertisement Since Scalia's death Feb. 13, however, the legal dynamic has shifted dramatically. As Wednesday's oral arguments in the case illustrated, the anti-abortion forces behind the Texas law at most will come away with a narrow victory. It's even possible, if Justice Anthony Kennedy, the panel's most frequent swing voter, opts to join his four Democratic colleagues, they will suffer a once-unthinkable defeat. Rarely has a one-member change in the court's composition carried such weight. HB2 is the brainchild of Americans United for Life, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit public-interest law and policy organization founded in 1971. AUL helped draft the law and shepherd it to its enactment. As the group's website informs, its legal team has been involved in every abortion-related case before the Supreme Court since Roe. The model state-level anti-abortion legislation it makes available to interested parties closely resembles the templates put together by the right-wing American Legislative Exchange Council in the fields of economics, immigration and environmental regulation. AUL also has been at the forefront of a deliberate and steady shift in the anti-abortion movement's efforts away from an emphasis on fetal personhood to a focus on the alleged harms and risks posed by abortion to the health of pregnant women. Rather than aiming for an elusive single knockout blow to abortion rights, AUL and other proponents of the new "woman-centered" strategy practice a lethal brand of incrementalism. According to People for the American Way, which has published a comprehensive report on the new strategy--"Chipping Away at Choice"--the AUL's general counsel reportedly compared his organization's approach to ending legal abortion to carving a ham, remarking: "Each slice makes it smaller and smaller until it is no more." Advertisement At issue in the Whole Woman's Health case are two sections of HB2 known as Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers (TRAP) restrictions. Together, they require that (a) abortion clinics meet all the standards of an ambulatory surgical center (ASC), including those of architectural design such as the width of hallways, and that (b) any physician performing abortions at a clinic have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of the clinic. Both provisions, the bill's proponents contend, are intended to protect the well-being of pregnant women. If permitted to stand, HB2 will effectively close an estimated 34 of the 40 abortion clinics in Texas, leaving abortion facilities operating only in the state's four largest cities. And the ramifications of the legislation wouldn't be confined to Texas. According to the Guttmacher Institute, a think tank that has monitored and studied sexual and reproductive health issues for five decades, 24 states to date have enacted some form of TRAP regulation. All would be fortified if the Supreme Court approved HB2. Judging from Wednesday's oral arguments, however, without Scalia the court might split evenly on whether HB2 indeed passes constitutional muster. Although Kennedy joined with the court's Democrats last summer to stay the decision of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals that had upheld HB2, he is no supporter of abortion rights. Since his confirmation in 1988, Kennedy has deliberated in 12 abortion cases involving some 21 laws restricting the procedure. He has voted 20 times to uphold the restrictions. During the Whole Woman's Health arguments, however, Kennedy was especially hard to read. Instead of offering a substantive position on HB2, he asked whether the case ought to be remanded to the 5th Circuit for additional fact-finding about the law's impact on women seeking abortions. Chief Justice John Roberts, along with Justice Samuel Alito, seemed clearly to align with Texas Solicitor General Scott Keller in support of the law. Alito was particularly aggressive, insinuating that there was in fact no proof that HB2 actually had led to the closure of any abortion clinics in the state. Justice Clarence Thomas, as is his wont, remained silent. Advertisement Taking the opposite tack, the court's four liberals--Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan--peppered Keller with pointed questions suggesting that the law would have a harsh impact, especially on poor women, and emphasizing the medical safety of abortion generally. Should Kennedy decide to remain true to his anti-abortion record, he'll have ample legal wiggle room to do so. From a constitutional perspective, abortion restrictions are no longer evaluated by the analytical standards set forth in Roe v. Wade but by a more relaxed test adopted in the court's 1992 decision in Planned Parenthood v. Casey. Roe recognized that a woman's prerogative to terminate pregnancy before fetal viability is a fundamental privacy right founded in the 14th Amendment's concept of personal liberty. State laws limiting that right had to satisfy what constitutional lawyers and judges call "strict scrutiny," meaning that they had to be narrowly tailored to further and actually accomplish a "compelling state interest." In the Planned Parenthood case, the court upheld the constitutional right to an abortion. However, in place of Roe's strict scrutiny, the court adopted an "undue burden" standard of review, holding in a highly fractured set of individual opinions that abortion restrictions should be invalidated if their purpose or effect was "to place a substantial obstacle in the path of a woman seeking an abortion before the fetus attains viability." Since the Planned Parenthood decision, abortion restrictions have mushroomed across the country, ranging from laws tying abortions to specified stages of fetal gestation to prohibitions on public-funding and parental-involvement mandates. The Guttmacher Institute has reported that 51 new abortion restrictions were enacted nationwide just in the first half of 2015. Advertisement From a strictly legal standpoint, the undue burden test presents a panoply of problems. Foremost are the test's vagueness and its malleability in the hands of judicial ideologues. The three-judge panel of the 5th Circuit that endorsed the constitutionality of HB2 last year consisted of two appointees of George W. Bush and one nominee of Ronald Reagan. In a unanimous, unsigned per curiam ruling, they held that the undue burden test required them to approve HB2 as long as there was "any conceivable rationale ... for its enactment" and regardless of whether the law in fact advanced the rationale of promoting women's health. In truth, of course, HB2 and similar laws around the country are little more than cynical smokescreens masquerading as concern for pregnant women. The American Medical Association, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Academy of Family Physicians and other leading medical organizations are united in their opposition to HB2. In an amicus curiae brief submitted in the Whole Woman's Health case, these associations assert what hundreds of thousands of American women experience firsthand each year: that abortion is an extremely safe medical procedure. Nationally, as the brief notes, the risk of death resulting from an abortion is a mere 0.6 per 100,000 (or 0.0006 percent). In Texas, the risk is lower still. From 2009 through 2013, there were zero reported deaths in the more than 360,000 abortions performed. No competent medical evidence suggests that the procedure would be safer if performed in more expensive ambulatory surgical centers. Similarly, there is no valid medical reason to require that all abortion physicians have hospital admitting privileges, especially in a vast and largely rural state like Texas. To draw again on the AMA's brief, doctors are often denied admitting privileges for reasons entirely unrelated to their competency or quality of care. And in those rare instances when a woman experiences serious complications during or immediately after an abortion, hospitals are obligated to admit and treat them. Advertisement Writing in a post Monday for The Atlantic magazine's online edition, University of Baltimore law school professor Garrett Epps observed that if HB2 is permitted to take full effect, "nearly 1 million women of reproductive age [in Texas] would find themselves more than 150 miles from a facility that could perform an abortion, and would need to wait more than three weeks for an appointment to receive one." Whether Justice Kennedy concludes that such roadblocks represent undue burdens won't be known until the court's current term concludes in June. What is all but assured, however, is that the anti-abortion movement will fall far short of its anticipated goals in the case. If Kennedy doesn't vote to overturn HB2 and the court splits 4-4 along party lines, it will have three basic options: First, it could, as Kennedy has already hinted, remand the case to the 5th Circuit for additional development of the record, essentially punting on the entire matter. Second, it could issue an evenly divided decision that would have no precedential value. In such event, the court's action would defer to the 5th Circuit's ruling, effectively affirming it by default. But the circuit court's opinion would apply only to Texas and the two other states within its jurisdiction, Louisiana and Mississippi. Other federal circuits would be free to adopt different interpretations of the undue burden test, as the 7th Circuit already has. In the alternative, the court could order the case to be reheard next year, after the presidential election, hoping that the vacancy left by Scalia's death might be filled by then. Given the nation's profound political dysfunction, however, there's no telling how long it will take for Scalia's successor to be confirmed, and there is no guarantee that he or she would bring a similar anti-abortion zeal to the bench. The new justice might even be--heaven forfend--open-minded on the issue, leaving the ultimate resolution of the case pending until at least June 2017. Advertisement In any event, the most important justice in Wednesday's hearing was the one who wasn't there: Antonin Scalia. Although his untimely demise is regrettable in strictly human terms, his death nonetheless has injected new life into the pro-abortion-rights ranks. Photo Credit: Brent Stoller To send in a question, please complete this short Google form. All submissions are anonymous, even to the author. ***** Last week, upon seeing the intro article to this column published, two concerns consumed me: Would anyone submit a question, and could I come up with an appropriate name for the column? Second things first...my initial instinct was to go with something clever and, more importantly, original. Nothing that involved the words "Dear" or "Ask"...simply stealing those writers' column concept was bad enough. The more I thought about it, the more I thought back to the genesis of this idea, which originated from a theoretical sign that read, "Advice." Advice...it was clean, concise and left no doubt as to the subject matter. Maybe the simplest title was the right title. Advertisement So...welcome to "ADVICE." I'm also tagging it with an edition number, i.e. "01." As for the first question, asking people to ask you for advice feels a little presumptuous. It feels like you're saying, I know better than you. And I know I don't. Seinfeld trivia aside, I don't know better than anybody on anything. That's why the goal of this column is not to declare absolutes -- what's right and wrong, what you have to do -- it's to present perspective and insight into a situation/dilemma, and to offer options for consideration. Which option you choose -- whether I suggest it or not -- is up to you. Mercifully, I did receive questions, and below, I address two of them. If yours is not mentioned, please check back each week, as I will be answering it. I just need more time -- and words -- to do so. Thanks to everyone who submitted questions, and thank you for reading. (Questions have been modified for space and clarity.) I'm a parent of a 9 1/2-year-old boy with autism. The autistic brain tends to process info into literal form; sarcasm, jokes, puns and other non-tangible ideas can be hard to mentally grasp. Like religion. We don't attend church much, but faith and prayer are meaningful in my and my oldest daughter's life. What kinds of words can be used to explain to my son our higher power? --51fifty; Modesto, CA Advertisement What a difficult situation. It must be painful struggling to connect with your child on something so important to you. Though I can't offer autistic-specific advice, I can offer something in terms of your overall struggle. Full disclosure: I'm not a parent. But I fortunately have two of them, and as the child, there's only two things that have ever mattered to me -- that they were present, and that they cared. Yes, I'm grateful for the food, shelter and Nikes they've provided, but all of that was a byproduct of their devotion. You and I don't know each other beyond the four paragraphs we've exchanged, but the fact that you wrote is an indicator of your dedication. You care. You're seeking a solution, so you're on the right path. Contact the professionals, consult your church's leaders and continue fighting for your son. In other words, keep doing what you're doing. I want to separate from my husband. As awful as it sounds, I found someone else who I seem to relate to better on every level. My husband overall is a good man, and we have a child together. We got married when we were 20. We're now 28 and it's just not working. We barely make any effort to do routine married things. I don't know if I should stay with him for our child. It hurts my husband so much every time I say we have an issue, and I hate hurting him. --Stuckmarried; Winchester, VA Advertisement To stay or go? It's probably the most common relationship conundrum, but that doesn't make it easier to solve, especially when you factor a child into the equation. You and your husband were inevitably going to change as individuals, and your partnership was going to have to evolve with you. That hasn't happened to this point, and that's OK. Considering you're involved with someone else, it sounds as if you know the marriage is over. But just to double-check, ask yourself: Is divorce what I truly want? Is finding happiness again in the marriage possible? Have I done everything I needed/wanted to do to give it a fair shot? If you're still confident you need to move on, then that's what you have to do. If it's over, it's over. Don't let the fear of hurting your husband deter you. When I was dating, after a date or two, girls would reject me by not returning my calls. My female friends used this tactic too, and when I asked them why, they said it was because they didn't want to hurt the guy. What they didn't realize was that they were hurting him regardless -- and they were also wasting his time by making him wait for a call that was never coming. Your husband's already hurting. And he will continue hurting if he's in a marriage his wife doesn't want to be in. So don't waste more time. Be kind, be considerate and be honest, but accept the fact that there's no such thing as a pleasant break-up. People get hurt, but then they heal. Advertisement And while it's noble to want to stay together for your child's sake, my mother, a licensed therapist, once told me that children are a reflection of their parents' well-being. You and your husband can put on happy faces for a while, but kids are perceptive, and their awareness will grow more discerning with age. The facade will crack. Yes, your child must always be priority one, but the best way to take care of him/her is to first take care of yourself. NEXT WEEK: How to stop comparing ourselves to others... The FCC and the phone companies, AT&T and Verizon, have been manipulating the accounting of access lines and it is being used to create harmful public policies. This is a panoramic Google Maps shot of E79th Street in New York City that shows the majority of wired access lines are NOT being counted. (This is just a 'representation'; each line represents hundreds/thousands of lines in the neighborhood.) -- I'll get back to this in a moment. Verizon claims no one is using the networks so they should be able to shut them off, not maintain them, block competitors from using any upgrades, get rid of the unions, charge you more and force customers onto more expensive wireless... for starters - And more importantly, they have created a 'special' network with no accounting of actual lines, or oversight, but it was built using revenue from local phone rates. Advertisement How to Hide $40 Billion to 'Shut Off the Copper'? At the end of 2007, the FCC's "Statistics of Common Carriers" showed that there were more than 424 million total access lines in America, and that the majority, over 300 million business broadband and data lines, were 'Special Access'. (There are caveats which we will discuss.) This was the last year the FCC published this report and information collection, which had started in 1939. Special access lines are not "special"; they are part of the state-based telecommunications utilities and are business broadband and data lines. In 2015, the FCC published some new data and claimed that special access revenues are about $40 billion and the majority, 60%, or $24 billion, are 'mostly-copper based' telecommunications ("TDM") services that are part of the state utility wires: "TDM-based business data services... are the dedicated (usually copper) circuits that many business and other institutional users continue to rely on for their data and other communications needs... Despite the growth of newer technologies, preliminary analysis of the Commission's special access data collection shows that revenues from such TDM services continue to make up in the range of sixty percent of the roughly $40 billion annual special access market." This new data (which we were blocked from examining in detail) shows the special access market has doubled in size since the FCC's guesstimate in 2013, when common wisdom was that this market was only $12-$18 billion. This means that the wired networks are growing, and that the copper-wired-networks had massive increases in lines overall, contradicting all of the noise about 'dropped' lines. How Many Special Access Lines are there? "Zero"? Unfortunately, the FCC has revealed "0" Special Access Lines; that's "Zero". There is no mention in any document we can find that supplies the basic special access line accounting. But, based on the number of access lines in 2007 and the growth in revenues discussed, there could now be as many as 600 million related access lines. Why does this matter? To repeat, Verizon announced its plans to shut off the copper wires, claiming that everyone has been dropping the lines. Therefore, Verizon says these wires should not be maintained but simply shut off. In some areas, the copper wires will be replaced with fiber optics. But a number are lines used by competitors, and customers may lose their competitive provider. In more rural areas, the plan is to force customers onto more expensive wireless... or just not care about their service and let the copper deteriorate because - well, no one is using the wires, right? And it matters because there are multiple FCC and state proceedings where the companies and their associations have used the 'conventional wisdom' that everyone is 'dropping their landlines' as an excuse to not only 'migrate' customers to wireless or fiber, but to also kill off the competitors, or not be required to even offer service or maintain the utility infrastructure. The Lines are Hiding in Plain Sight, Almost. This is the panoramic 'before' picture. Ever noticed the 'cell sites' or counted the wires on poles or did know that the conduits under the streets are filled with wires? Advertisement We chose E79th Street because Verizon has announced it is planning on 'shutting off the copper wires' in the neighborhood. If you look at the first highlighted picture you see that 'special access' lines, from bank ATM lines, or the wires to the cell sites, are not counted; a DSL line is not counted, the wires running up and down the streets known as 'back haul' aren't counted, FiOS isn't counted - just basic local phone service, and it is marked here in white. That likely means that $24 billion dollars of mostly copper wires across the US were NOT counted as an access line. How many lines are we talking about? Let's do this by the numbers. 1) FCC "Total Access Lines" in Service in the US in 2007 -- 424 Million. Let's start with 2007, the last date the FCC published 'access line accounting' in America. And I'll use the excerpts from the exact FCC data being mentioned. This chart is from the last FCC "Statistics of Common Carriers" in 2007. It shows that there was a total of 424 million access lines in service in America, (but with caveats), and 379 million belonged to the "Regional Bell Operating Companies", "RBOCs", who are now AT&T, Verizon and CenturyLink, (with various caveats as Verizon, for example, has been selling off properties such as the sale of New England Telephone's Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont to FairPoint). Advertisement At the top of this chart are 'Main Access Lines', showing 91 million RBOC lines in the US. These are the phone lines, the basic 'land line', as some call it. Thus, at that time, basic phone lines were only a of the total lines. And here is a link to the FCC's 2007 data of total access lines by state. Also, please notice that there are a host of different types of lines: 'switched access' lines and 'non-switched' access lines, as well as payphones or private lines or other business services known as 'Centrex'. What is shown on this chart are mostly copper wires that are mostly part of the state utility. 2) AT&T, Verizon, CenturyLink Revenues for Special Access Lines, 2007 This chart is based on the same FCC 2007 report, showing that the copper-based special access services represented about $18 billion for just AT&T, Verizon and CenturyLink. 3) Revenues and Lines, 2007: Thus, in 2007, for just these three companies, AT&T, Verizon and CenturyLink had about $18 billion in special access revenues and based on the previous chart, this represented approximately 269 million total special access lines and a total of 379 million lines, which included basic phone lines. NOTE: This revenue and line accounting is only based on the three companies. The 'total lines' includes all of the other incumbent phone companies. Advertisement 4) 2013-2015: The Current, Amazing, Slight-of-Hand Trick. Zero Lines but $40 Billion in Revenues. The FCC's current analysis has not mentioned actual lines in service -- '0' lines-- for $40 billion of special access services, even though the majority are mostly the copper wires, which represents about $24 billion. Extrapolating the number of lines based on the lines associated with the 2007 special access revenues of AT&T et al., we found that the $24 billion could represent 350 million copper-based access lines, not in the current 'access line' accounting; $40 billion could be almost 600 million access lines. 5) *Caveats to the Manipulation of the Accounting. There is no accounting, by any government agency, of the number of actual copper lines in service or the number of 'equivalent lines', etc. The FCC's new info is for the year 2013. These numbers are rounded and probably off by who knows how much. It is not inclusive of all revenues because the FCC only collected data from end users, not the telcos themselves. In 2007, the Bell companies represented 90% of all telecommunications lines and revenues. These new numbers may or may not include the cable companies' special access services. Special Access is mostly a regular phone line, yet the accounting has been 'manipulated' to count the actual, physical line based on its 'use'. DSL, for example, has historically been classified as a 'special access' line. AT&T's U-Verse with VOIP, changes the classification of the copper wire that could have been in service for 50 years. NOTE: The access line accounting does not account for the cable companies' wires. 6) Access Line Equivalent Accounting. As we discussed elsewhere, the access line accounting represents both a physical wire as well as 'equivalent' lines (or sometimes called 'virtual' lines). Two examples: Advertisement DSL: A phone line with a DSL line can have 1 copper wire but two services over the wire-- phone service and broadband/Internet service. Business T1 line or DS1 line can have 24 simultaneous calls over 1 wire (or a few combined wires). This accounting goes both ways. Customers bought second lines for 'Internet' and 'dial-up', but it wasn't needed with DSL because 1 physical wire could handle voice calling and broadband/Internet - so customers dropped second lines. Or, when a company went to a "T1" line it replaced 24 separate copper wires, both lowering the accounting supplied by the telcos. 7) State Model: Access Line Accounting Manipulation Using Verizon New York. These access lines numbers are provided by Verizon New York as quoted by the phone industry association and lobby -- the United States Telecommunications Association, USTelecom, "USTA". It claims that Verizon New York only had 2.9 million access lines in 2015, down from 11 million in 2000. USTA cites Verizon New York's Access Line Accounting, 2015 "When you look at the numbers in New York, in 2000, the incumbent (Verizon New York) had over 11 million access lines. Today they have 2.9 million access lines." That is actually a small subset of the total actual, physical wires in service. 8) Verizon New York: 47 Million Lines in 2007. This next exhibit is from the FCC's "Statistic of Common Carriers" report for the year 2007. Verizon NY had a total of 46.8 million access lines in 2007. The access lines USTA cites could fall under the 4.7 million "Main Access Lines" (or it could include some of the other 'switched access' categories), but it is mostly the voice, "switched", copper-based phone lines, which constitute only a fraction of the actual lines in service in the year 2007. Advertisement 9) Verizon NY Special Access Revenues $1.8 Billion; 63 Million Access Lines? We have something the FCC didn't bother to examine -- Verizon New York's actual special access revenues, by year. Special Access revenue, in just 'copper-based', telecommunications revenues, went up over 58% since 2007. In 2014, there were approximately 62.6 million 'special access' lines and 'equivalents' in NY State; adding the POTS lines brings the total to 65.3 million. According to Verizon, there were only 2.7 million POTS access lines; about 4% of total lines, in 2014. (This differs somewhat from the USTA statement and is sourced from Verizon NY Annual report.) Special Access line accounting is not included in the access line accounting supplied by Verizon, or any telephone company. And based on actual revenues for 2007-2014, there could be 63 million total special access lines and equivalents in service in New York today. And these would be mostly copper based, as this revenue bucket is part of the state utility accounting. There are other buckets of special access not counted. (Thus, these findings would fit into the FCC's $24 billion 'mostly copper-based' analysis and is missing the other 40% representing the total of $40 billion.) 10) Disconnecting Customers Based on Cooked Accounting? This is an excerpt from a Verizon New York City disconnection notice (click for the full notice) that triggered this article. It says that if a subscriber is using copper- based services, which include "DS1 data services", or "ISDN" services or the customer uses a competitor, then these services in New York City will no longer be available. Verizon will be using only fiber optics. Advertisement But as we just pointed out, not one of these lines -- not the business special access DS1 service, not the ISDN, not the 'competitors who use the copper wires', is included in the access line accounting supplied by Verizon or the FCC. And the FCC and states are allowing the companies to 'migrate' customers based on Verizon's made-up access line accounting. 11) The Con: Shut Off the Wires by Creating a Shell Game With the Accounting. We also filed a letter for investigation of the data and analysis used in the recent FCC decision known as USTA Petition Forbearance. In that decision the FCC actually wrote: "We noted that 44 percent of households were "wireless-only" during January-June of 2014. That number increased to 45.4 percent by the end of December 2014, such that more than two in every five households did not have a landline telephone. We have stated that, overall, almost 75 percent of U.S. residential customers (approximately 88 million households) no longer receive telephone service over traditional copper facilities. "Similarly, USTelecom asserts in its Petition that barely one-quarter of U.S. households rely on traditional switched service from an incumbent LEC. We further note that, according to our most recent data, 53.5 percent of connections to businesses are currently provisioned over incumbent LEC switched facilities." Simply put, none of this is based on actual accounting of lines in service but on 'subsets' of data. The ;wireless-only; household data doesn't include 'lines'; it is only about 'voice calling', while the '53.5%' of businesses uses the word 'switched' as if the copper wire somehow changes depending on the type of traffic carried over the wire. Advertisement The FCC found $24 billion in 'mostly copper wires' but none of these lines are in this 53.5 percent statistic. How can the FCC can use this make-believe accounting is beyond comprehension. In the Verizon NY disconnection notice, the 'DS1' that may be shut off is NOT 'switched' and therefore is not counted as a line - yet, since there is no rational accounting of copper access lines in service, much less fiber optics, the regulators and FCC can play games to claim there is a 'loss' of lines and revenues. In fact, it is nothing more than an accounting shell game, set up by AT&T et al., now with the help of the FCC. We just want to know the answers to few basic, simple questions: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's proclamation that Republican senators will block anyone nominated by President Obama to replace Supreme Court Justice Scalia was followed by immediate condemnation from legal experts. Ignoring those objections, McConnell doubled down, making clear that GOP senators would not only vote down an Obama pick but would not even hold hearings or meet with prospective nominees. The American Constitution Society (ACS), one of the nation's leading legal organizations, has been quite clear from the beginning: The GOP's efforts to hinder the judiciary are not only harmful to America--they are disrespectful of basic constitutional precepts. In the face of unprecedented Senate obstructionism, attorneys, law professors, historians and others dedicated to upholding the Constitution have banded together to set the record straight. Last week, 33 constitutional law scholars organized by ACS wrote an open letter explaining that the president has a constitutional duty to nominate, and the Senate has a constitutional duty to consider in good faith, Supreme Court justices. They said, "There is no exception to this provision for election years" as GOP senators would have the public believe. Noted constitutional law professor and ACS Board member Erwin Chemerinsky elaborated by referencing historical tradition in two recent press calls, saying, "Over the entire course of American history, 24 times presidents have nominated an individual in an election year. And in 21 of 24 instances, the nominee has been confirmed by the Senate." Advertisement In an op-ed, University of Chicago law professor and former ACS Board member Geoffrey Stone added that "in the years since 2000 every one of . . . four [Supreme Court] nominees was confirmed by the Senate, and they were confirmed with appreciable bipartisan support." He wrote in TIME that "the Senate's job in the confirmation process is to advise and consent, not to obstruct for the sake of partisan political gain," and when asked by The Washington Post about Senate Republicans' refusal to consider an Obama nominee, he replied, "I would say they are violating the Constitution." Another ACS member, University of Colorado law professor Melissa Hart, told The Denver Post that leaving the Supreme Court vacancy open until after the next president is elected "would essentially shut the Supreme Court down for two years," creating a "monumental crisis." Even experts on the other side of the aisle are concerned about the Senate's obstructionist tactics, including former Bush administration ethics lawyer Richard Painter, who wrote on ACSblog, "We do not take a 'time out' from orderly government just because it is an election year." (You can see other reflections on the vacancy here.) Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, accompanied by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, left, speaks during a newsconference on Super Tuesday primary election night in the White and Gold Ballroom at The Mar-A-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Fla., Tuesday, March 1, 2016. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Are we witnessing the end of the Republican Party? That's a pretty stunning question to ask, but we're living through a pretty stunning presidential nomination fight, so it can no longer be avoided or ignored. Donald Trump actually did worse than expected in last night's Super Tuesday, winning only seven out of 11 races (some had predicted he'd win 10 or even all 11 of them). So far, he's got a total of 10 wins out of 15 primaries -- a commanding lead, but not quite enough to secure the nomination yet. But he's indisputably the frontrunner, and it's hard to even see a path for anyone else to wrest the Republican nomination from him, at this point (at least, a path that doesn't involve some hanky-panky with the convention's rules). Advertisement It wasn't supposed to end this way, obviously. Republicans, early on, bragged about what a "deep bench" they were drawing from, with an astounding 17 candidates running. This large field was diverse (much more so than the Democrats, this time around), with two Latinos, a woman, an Asian-American, and an African-American in the mix. Now, however, they're down to only four candidates left (Ben Carson dropped out today), and the only one who looks even remotely presidential is the weakest of the remaining bunch. The Republican Party establishment didn't just drop the ball on this one, they may have actually allowed their party to be stolen away from under them. The two strongest candidates who remain are equally unsatisfactory to the establishment types, and the only other two guys left can't seem to beat the frontrunners. This has led to a major freakout among many within the Beltway. Republicans are turning on each other with a vengeance, and this is only going to get uglier over time. Many had convinced themselves that Trump's popularity was some sort of fluke and that nobody would actually vote for him. Those delusions are now gone -- it is impossible to still believe this when Trump has won two-thirds of the states that have voted. Parties have nominated presidential candidates before that party insiders disagreed with, but this somehow feels different. There is a palpable fear among many Republicans that putting either Donald Trump or Ted Cruz at the top of their ticket would mean absolute disaster -- not only for the party's chances of winning the White House, but also for a whole lot of down-ballot races. Loss of control of the Senate is a real possibility, although no matter what happens Republicans will likely keep the House (due to gerrymandering, mostly). Advertisement What is truly extraordinary is how many high-ranking party officeholders are already running as fast as they can away from Trump. Again, this feels a lot different than a normal intra-party feud. I can't remember ever before hearing a party leader in the Senate telling his colleagues that it'll be OK for them to run against their own party's nominee during the general election. And Mitch McConnell is not the only one making such pre-emptive moves. Many Republicans are openly stating that they'll refuse to support their party's presidential nominee, and it's only March. This is just the beginning of a very nasty battle within the ranks between those who accept and support Trump and those who openly are fighting against him. Within the same party. Some said that when the Republican National Committee forced Trump to sign a loyalty pledge that Trump got the better of the deal because it meant that all the other candidates had to pledge to support Trump if he won the nomination. I didn't totally believe it at the time, but now it's pretty obvious that the loyalty pledges could become a major albatross for many. There was much speculation, when Trump first began his run, that he'd eventually lose the GOP nomination and launch a third-party bid. Indeed, that's what the loyalty pledge was all about. But now the more-plausible scenario is that Trump wins the nomination, and the Republican Party leaves the Republican Party, to launch a desperate third-party bid of their own. Not since Strom Thurmond stormed out of the Democratic convention (to form the Dixiecrat Party) has America seen a possible partisan schism of such magnitude. With Trump in control of the Republican Party, those who cannot support him may peel off and form some sort of Federalist Party (or whatever name they come up with) in response. Of course, when parties split in two there are only two real possible outcomes, at least if American history is any guide. Either the new party lasts for an election cycle or two and then fades away or the old party they split from disappears eventually as everyone abandons it. The Dixiecrats were an example of the first outcome, and the last example of the second was the Whigs. Advertisement If Donald Trump becomes the Republican nominee by winning over half the convention delegates, what sounds highly improbable may actually come to pass. The Republican Party could split into two entities. How this might happen is anyone's guess. It could be a dramatic walkout at the convention, or it could be a behind-the-scenes gradual abandonment. The "can't support Trump" Republicans in the party establishment might quit en masse and immediately create a new party's establishment. Then all the current Republican officeholders would have to choose whether to stay with Trump's GOP or to move to the new organization. This could hollow out whatever's left of the Republican Party, which would mean Trump would have to rebuild the party apparatus from scratch. Hobbling his bid for the presidency in this fashion would be a big incentive for those who can't stand supporting him. The Neo-Republican Party (or whatever it is called) will, of course, face a steep hill when it comes to getting themselves on all the state ballots. The two major American parties have long colluded over placing such hurdles in front of third parties, but with enough money and effort these stumbling blocks can be overcome (the question of how long it would take might be crucial, however, for ballot access in this year's election). What this would mean in Congress is also anyone's guess. If everyone who now has an "R" after their name decided to switch to the new party, then Trump would be left essentially on his own. But there are already some senators and representatives who support Trump, so what is more likely is that Congress has three parties (at least for a while). This would, obviously, complicate the power structure, but probably wouldn't lead to a full-on parliamentary system of minor parties banding together. Who knows, though -- it's so unprecedented in modern times that anything could happen. Like the famous line about a Vietnamese village, the Republican Party might have to be destroyed to save the (Neo-) Republican Party. Such a split would almost assuredly guarantee that Hillary Clinton wins the presidential election this time around, but if the new party grew in strength after Trump's defeat (while the old Republican Party faded away), then we could be back to the same two-party system by the next presidential election -- the only difference would be that one of those parties would have a new name. Advertisement Over the past decade or so, it has been a measure of faith within Democratic ranks that the Republican Party was doomed to eventual irrelevance because the demographics of the country have changed so much that their base is going to eventually disappear. Democrats have, after all, won five of the last six popular votes for president. However, during this time Republicans have actually grown in strength, outside of the race for the Oval Office. Republicans have improved their power base in statehouses across the country and in Congress. So even if they rename themselves, Democrats shouldn't automatically assume that this is the end of the opposition party. They could come back as strong as ever, under a new name. Will Donald Trump go down in history as the man who killed the Republican Party? It's impossible to predict the chances of this actually happening right now. But if it does happen, it could happen very soon -- within the next few months (to give them enough time to get on all the state ballots). All sitting Republican officeholders will then have to make a choice -- stick with Trump or flee to the new party. The vicious infighting has already begun. Chris Christie is taking a lot of heat from fellow Republicans for so prominently backing Trump. Some are so disgusted with what's going on within their own ranks that it wouldn't take much to convince them that the Grand Old Party was, indeed, over -- and that it was time to turn out the lights and move on. Chris Weigant blogs at: In the debate around the Supreme Court vacancy, a lot of rhetoric simply doesn't hold up. For example, Republicans argue that Supreme Court nominees should not be confirmed in a presidential election year--when in fact, since 1900, six Justices have been confirmed in presidential election years. Or they assert that Democrats are "robbing" voters of a chance to replace Justice Scalia--when voters made their voices clear by decisively re-electing President Obama. If anyone has been robbing voters of their representation, it has been Republicans, through their historic obstruction since 2009. The latest Republican talking point invokes a so-called "Schumer standard" because in 2007, Sen. Schumer (D-N.Y.) said his colleagues "should not confirm a Supreme Court nominee except in extraordinary circumstances." Republicans contend that it would be hypocritical for Democrats to not follow this argument today because it was articulated in year seven of President George W. Bush's presidency and we are now in year eight of President Obama's term. Advertisement But the real hypocrisy is that Republicans try to embrace this standard at all. Given their dramatic escalation in filibustering, if they followed the "Schumer standard," it actually would be an improvement. Schumer clearly explained what "extraordinary circumstances" would lead to confirmation: "[The nominees] must prove by actions--not words--that they are in the mainstream, rather than the Senate proving that they are not." His argument is explicitly tied to the specific nominee. While he happened to say it in 2007, I imagine he would insist on a nominee in the mainstream in year one of a president's term as well as year seven or eight. And he makes clear that the nominee should have the opportunity to prove he or she is in the mainstream. Today, Senate Republicans are not opposing a specific nominee. They oppose a Supreme Court that might uphold or reinstate long-standing precedent they disagree with, so they plan to block any nominee--even if he or she is well-qualified and in the mainstream. Republicans have used the filibuster to undermine entire institutions before. They opposed a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) that could robustly protect American consumers, so they filibustered the president's nomination of Richard Cordray to serve as its director, regardless of his qualifications. Advertisement They opposed a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) that could vigorously enforce federal firearms laws, so they filibustered the president's nomination of Todd Jones to be its director, despite his considerable record. They opposed a National Labor Relations Board that could safeguard employees' rights to organize and prevent unfair labor practices, so they filibustered the president's nominees to serve on that board. For a party that wants government so small they can "drown it in a bathtub," perhaps these filibusters of government institutions were not surprising. But the American people will not allow Senate Republicans to flush the Supreme Court down the drain. Just as we demanded that the Senate do its job before--which eventually led to the confirmations of Cordray and Jones and a functioning NLRB--we demand that the Senate do its job today. As Senate Republicans invoke the "Schumer standard," they must understand what they are embracing: they would be shifting from their egregious filibusters of institutions and returning to consideration of an individual based on his or her merits. Advertisement I have every confidence that the president's Supreme Court nominee will be able to prove that he or she is in the mainstream--passing the "Schumer standard" with ease--and therefore expect Senate Republicans to follow through by allowing an up-or-down vote and confirmation. UNITED STATES - FEBRUARY 09: From left, Sens. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., John Barrasso, R-Wyo., John Thune, R-S.D., Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Majority Whip John Cornyn, R-Texas, conduct a news conference after the Senate Policy luncheons in the Capitol, February 09, 2016. (Photo By Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call) In filling the Supreme Court vacancy, Senate Republicans seem to be afraid of, well, everything. They are afraid of voting on a nominee. They are afraid of a Committee hearing on a nominee. They are afraid of even meeting a nominee. And this is before they even know who that nominee will be. Today, Senate Republicans showed that they are even afraid of having to explain themselves--and for good reason, as they don't have the history, arguments, or public opinion on their side. This morning, the Senate Judiciary Committee was scheduled to have a public executive business meeting--its first since the untimely death of Justice Scalia. It would have been the first opportunity for the entire Judiciary Committee to openly debate its role in filling the Supreme Court vacancy--the Committee's highest responsibility--but instead, the meeting was abruptly cancelled. Advertisement Maybe Senate Republicans are afraid that a public, bipartisan meeting would be a sharp contrast to their closed door meeting last week in which 11 Republican Senators decided that a President's pending Supreme Court nominee would not receive a hearing for the first time since Committee hearings began in 1916 (except for nine nominees who were confirmed within eleven days). Maybe they are afraid of this flip flop by now-Chairman Grassley, who said in 2006: "A Supreme Court nomination is not a forum to fight any election. It is the time to perform one of our most important constitutional duties and decide whether a nominee is qualified to serve on the nation's highest court." Maybe they are afraid of being confronted by the voices of their constituents, as 207 (and counting) newspaper editorial boards --including nine in Iowa--have opposed their position, and even two-thirds of Republicans want hearings on the eventual nominee. Maybe they are afraid that the three or four Judiciary Republicans whom Senator Grassley has said "had some reluctance" (3:40 in this video) before taking this extreme position would realize that they were right all along. Advertisement Whatever the reason, it is time for Senate Republicans to overcome their fears and do their job. They must conduct open Judiciary Committee meetings so that the 11 Republican Senators, representing nine states, can be held accountable for denying the entire Senate--and the entire nation--the right to hear from a Supreme Court nominee, for the first time in history. They must fulfill their constitutional duty to provide "advice and consent"--which by the practices and precedents of the Judiciary Committee includes holding a Committee hearing and allowing a Committee vote--even if they oppose the nominee. And then they must have the courage of their convictions to vote on the nominee. Editorial - LESVOS, GREECE - SEPTEMBER 30, 2015: Refugee migrants queue as they board a ferry from Mytilene, Lesvos to Kavala, Northern Greece as they continue their journey through Europe. The European Union is facing what could prove to be the most serious challenge in its history, and the first one which could raise considerable doubts as to its ability to produce solutions. E.U. leaders are preparing to meet next Monday, March 7, on the acute refugee and migrant crisis, in the midst of mounting pressure and tensions both on and within the Union. Turkey, a candidate for E.U. membership and a key factor in the evolution of this crisis during the last 9 months, will participate. At the same time, the situation is deteriorating, with the UNCHR warning that "...Europe is on the cusp of a largely self-induced humanitarian crisis. This is in light of a rapid build-up of people in an already struggling Greece, with governments not working together despite having already reached agreements in a number of areas, and country after country imposing new border restrictions." Advertisement This crisis has become a challenge of historic proportions for Europe, because it puts to the test not only the cohesion of the E.U. and the ability of European countries to act successfully together, but also their commitment to principles and values fundamental to the European ideal. Once more in dealing with a crisis, precious time has been wasted on pointing fingers instead of working collectively to assess and tackle the challenge; on scrambling to raise fences along national borders as if this could be a solution to the largest refugee flows since WW II, instead of resolutely joining forces, resources and ideas to seek the best possible solutions. Scapegoating member states situated at the external borders of the E.U, in this case Greece, is easy, but deeply unfair and deplorably narrow-sighted. In fact, this approach amounts to nothing more than choosing to ignore the magnitude and the complexity of the refugee and migrant crisis itself and the realities on the ground. It is no coincidence that the Aegean has become the entry point to Europe for more than 875,000 refugees and migrants in recent months. Simply put, a maritime border is completely different from a land border: it is impossible to raise fences and every attempt to intercept small boats and dinghies overflowing with desperate and terrified men, women and children immediately becomes a rescue operation. It is often overlooked that during the last year, the Greek Coast Guard, under enormous strain, has rescued more than 150,000 refugees and migrants in distress at sea. In reality, once refugees and migrants have set sail from the Turkish coasts, it is already too late to stop them from entering Europe. Even during the winter months of January and February, more than 120,000 people made the crossing. In its seventh year of recession and in a dire financial situation, Greece has long been struggling to cope with the overwhelming numbers of arrivals. The generosity and decency of Greek citizens, particularly of local communities on the overburdened frontline Aegean islands, has contributed immensely to accommodating the first needs of the people that arrive by the thousands. However, it is clear that this situation is not sustainable. It is impossible for Greece to properly host such large numbers of people, all of whom are determined to use every means and device to continue their movement further north. It is telling that of all the refugees who have arrived, only 3% have accepted to request asylum in Greece, as this would oblige them to stay there. Advertisement In the face of these realities, no viable solution can be reached by one single country alone. Even if Greece were left alone to bear the consequences of a crisis which could be catastrophic, the problem would not simply vanish. It would only worsen and eventually undermine regional stability, after having irreparably shattered the E.U.'s cohesion. How long will it take before the despair of ever growing numbers of refugees and migrants leads to violence? There is no alternative to agreeing on a common strategy. To this end, all actors must commit themselves to collective action and abide by their commitments. It is deeply disconcerting that despite concrete commitments in 2015 to relocate 66,400 refugees from Greece to other E.U member-states, so far only 1,539 places have been pledged, and only 325 actual relocations have occurred. Moreover, relocation of refugees should be only part of a comprehensive strategy, which needs to be able, first to distinguish refugees from migrants, and second to address the challenge closer to its source. In this respect, the crucial factor is a sincere and effective cooperation with the single most important transit country, Turkey, through the territory of which refugees from Syria, as well as migrants from as far as Morocco, Pakistan, Afghanistan and the Horn of Africa manage to reach the Aegean shores. Concerted international action to combat the trafficking networks that continue to thrive at the expense of human lives should be an essential component of this strategy. The idea put forward by Greece for a process that ensures identification and relocation of persons qualified as refugees straight from the refugee camps in Turkish territory, in a legal and organized manner, could considerably alleviate the burden borne by Turkey, while disrupting the business model of traffickers and saving lives. Equally important is the effective implementation of readmission agreements with the countries of origin and transit of migrants, which very often procrastinate or bluntly refuse to readmit their own nationals. People waiting to vote It is an age-old question that dates back to the very founding of our nation: Can ordinary citizens be trusted with the immense responsibility of democracy? Today we think of democracy as a wonderful form of government. Citizens all across the land enjoy the power to vote and elect their own leaders. Consent of the governed. A beautiful thing. Advertisement Back when this nation was founded, however, our founding fathers did not think this was such a hot idea. What? The commoners? Have you gone stark raving mad? We cannot give ordinary people the power to elect the nation's leaders! They won't know what to do with it. They cannot handle it. They'll screw it all up! As the thinking went, ordinary people are not sophisticated and educated, and thus they are not capable of discerning the proper qualities of leadership in candidates. No. Common people are vulnerable to being manipulated and deceived. And this presents a problem for us all. Common people make-up the overwhelming majority of the population. So if they are given the power to vote, their preferences would overwhelm the preferences of the more sophisticated minority who are far more capable of selecting the finest leaders to best serve the nation overall. Advertisement There is an imbalance here. Something is upside down about this whole democracy thing. Giving the vote to the common people is like granting the greatest power to the least educated and allowing them to select the nation's leaders. An unscrupulous candidate would certainly come along and identify this apparent flaw and exploit it as an opportunity for self-promotion. Such a candidate would appeal to the worst instincts of the common people in order to filch their votes. This is the dreaded demagogue. The demagogue knows no bounds. The demagogue lowers the bar way down to a standard below decency itself. They use course language, even profanity, to appeal to the commoners. They behave in a bombastic manner. They are firebrands, rabble-rousers, and provocateurs. They say outrageous things. And of course they play upon the fears and prejudices of the common people. This is not leadership. No. True leaders aspire to higher standards and seek to overcome people's fears and prejudices in order to bring people together. But undertaking true leadership is difficult and challenging. Vulgarity and bluster, on the other hand, offer a much easier path to victory. The founding fathers were very worried about these demagogues. As Alexander Hamilton famously described in Federalist Paper No. 1, the most dangerous candidates are those who pay "an obsequious court to the people" (in other words, they pander to the commoners), because they begin as "demagogues" with "dangerous ambition," and once they are elected, they become "tyrants." Advertisement History teaches, Hamilton warned, that these are the types of candidates "who have overturned the liberties of republics." Our founding fathers concluded that this was just too risky. The ordinary masses simply could not be entrusted with democracy. "The people," proclaimed one founding father, "should have as little to do as may be about the Government" because they are "constantly liable to be misled." "The evils we experience," noted another, "flow from the excess of democracy." "Our chief danger," declared another founding father, "arises from the democratic parts of our" government that fail to provide "sufficient checks against democracy." So in designing our government, the founding fathers set themselves upon the task of devising sufficient checks against democracy by the common people. Advertisement One little technique they deployed was to restrict the number of people who could vote. Right off the bat they excluded slaves and women. That right there sidelined a huge portion of the population. But even if you were a white male, the odds were still stacked against you. The founding fathers were not too keen on granting voting rights to poor people. Most states required ownership of a sufficient amount of property in order to vote. In other words, the privilege of voting was reserved for the wealthy. These restrictions worked marvelously well, thank you. In the nation's first presidential election in 1788, less than 1.3% of the population voted. And this continued for a good long time. For the first thirty years of the nation's history, less than 5% of the population voted in presidential elections. So much for democracy! It wasn't until around 1900, over a century later, that the number finally cracked 20%. Quite amazing. Another stunt pulled by our crafty little founding fathers was the imposition of the electoral college. This system is utterly astounding, and it still exists to this day. "Electors" are officials in each state who stand between the voters and the candidates, and who cast their own electoral votes for the president. Advertisement Even though citizens stream to the polls all across the nation and cast their votes for the president, and thus it certainly seems like the people are indeed voting directly for the president, this is actually all a grand illusion. The votes cast by the people, in fact, are not the votes that are used to determine the president. The only votes that actually matter are the votes cast by the electors. And here's the rub: The electors are not required to vote for the same candidate as their voter constituents. So in fact, the electors have the complete power to override the voters and vote for an entirely different candidate! It's astonishing! This, in fact, is an essential part of the electoral college. To override the voters! It's amazing. Now, various states over the years have sought to rein in the power of electors, but this is all still quite a phenomenon. This system reflects the profound mistrust of democracy harbored by our founding fathers. They were terrified that the common people would be susceptible to manipulation by dangerous demagogues and would vote for candidates who were utterly disastrous. So in the event the common people went rogue and elected a nightmare of a candidate, the more sophisticated electors would be able to step in an override the will of the voters to instead elect a more responsible candidate. Amazing! This system of overriding the voters is something you might expect to find in some other country, like a dictatorship, or a banana republic. But no. This is the voting system in the greatest democracy in the world, America. Throughout the nation's history, the electors for the most part have done the right thing and cast their votes consistently with the will of the voters. Although there have been a few instances where faithless electors have overridden their voters, they have not been significant enough to have altered the outcome of any election. Advertisement Another little trick employed by the founding fathers was to create a bicameral legislature in the Congress consisting of both the House of Representative as well as the Senate. But why are there two chambers? We certainly need the House of Representatives because these are the representatives of the people. But why is there a Senate? Well, according to some of the founding fathers, the House of Representatives could not be trusted. So the House is like the kiddie table, and the Senate is like the grown-up table providing parental supervision. The House cannot pass any laws without the parental approval of the Senate. The House is like the kiddie table because its members are elected directly by the common people. The common people, however, are dangerous and must be controlled. So the Senate is like the grown-up table because its members were not elected directly by the people, but instead, they were appointed by state politicians in the state legislatures. This would help ensure that senators would be more sophisticated, elite, and wealthy, and thus the Senate could check any undesirable activity by the House. (Today, Senators are elected directly by popular vote, but this was not implemented until the reforms of the Progressive Era and it required the full-blown 17th Amendment to the Constitution in 1913.) Advertisement So of the three branches of government created by our founding fathers, the common people had very little direct input. The president was not elected by the people, but by electors. Federal judges were not elected by the people, but were appointed by the president with the approval of the Senate. And senators were not elected by the people but were appointed by state legislatures. The only direct input granted to the people was to elect their own representatives to the House. But this was not very much power because the House could not enact any laws on its own without the parental approval of the Senate. So much for power to the people! And now we see the reason: Donald Trump. Ohhhh, so THIS is what so terrified our founding fathers. Noowwww I get it. Trump is exactly the sort of demagogue that our founding fathers so feared. Trump has come along seemingly out of nowhere and shaken the very foundation of our cherished belief in self-government. With this horrendous candidate stampeding through victory after victory in the primary elections, we find ourselves pondering unimaginable questions. How could this possibly be happening in our very own celebrated democracy? What has gone so terribly wrong in our system? How could all of these common people supporting Trump be so utterly inane? And allowing all of these misguided commoners to select the next president is actually going to impose a disaster upon me! Oh my goodness. It's difficult to even think about, but... Does democracy even work? It's hard to escape the looming conclusion that, in fact, democracy seems to be failing us. On the other hand, however, maybe this actually makes sense. When the elites who guide this nation make responsible decisions and not only serve the wealthy few but also provide for the economic security and well-being of every person in society, the common people readily accept this leadership and have no desire or interest in upsetting the applecart. But in this age of deplorable income inequality, the governing elites have failed society by neglecting to protect the middle and lower classes and instead allowing the wealthy to plunder the population mercilessly. Advertisement The common people have had enough. They may not know exactly how to improve their situation and they may not be acting rationally. But they're acting. They've been forced to act. Perhaps this is a lesson to the elites who guide this nation. Perhaps this is democracy working exactly as it should. By Sumit Galhotra/CPJ Asia Program Senior Research Associate Journalists across India are facing death threats, beatings, and jail sentences, and one has been shot dead in recent months, according to CPJ research on the world's largest democracy. In Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state, Karun Misra, the Ambedkarnagar bureau chief of Jan Sandesh Times, was shot dead on February 13. CPJ is investigating to determine if his murder is connected to his work at the Hindi-language daily. This week Sindhu Sooryakumar, a news anchor in the state of Kerala, told reporters she received thousands of threatening phone calls after hosting a discussion on "Cover Story" last month about a minister's comments on student protests. The journalist received death threats and harassing calls after her number was circulated on social media along with claims that she was a sex worker, police said. Advertisement Journalists in Chhattisgarh state are also being harassed. In separate cases last month, BBC Hindi Service reporter Alok Prakash Putul and freelancer Malini Subramaniam fled Bastar district over fears for their safety. Reporting from Chhattisgarh--where journalists Somaru Nag and Santosh Yadav are currently imprisoned for their work--poses serious challenges. According to CPJ research, police in this state often pressure, harass, or abuse journalists in an effort to silence critical reporting or to compel them to serve as informants. Meanwhile Maoists have attacked journalists they accuse of being informants for police, CPJ has found. Journalists in Delhi also face challenges. In early February photojournalist Rahul M told CPJ he was beaten by police and his camera was broken while he covered caste protests. Rahul, who goes by only one name, told CPJ that police surrounded him and hit him with batons. "I kept telling them I am a journalist but they kept beating me. Whenever I tried to go toward my broken camera to take it, they pushed lathis [batons] into my stomach," Rahul told CPJ. The Delhi commissioner of police, Bhim Sain Bassi, did not immediately respond to CPJ's request for comment. A slideshow of images from the day of the attack can be viewed here. Say there's a bill you'd love to get through Congress, but the majority of Americans and the president are both opposed to letting it pass because of the damage it would do to the environment, the climate, and American jobs. Well have no fear, we have a Congress for you! At the price tag of just a few million dollars, you too can have congressional leaders pass your agenda! To many, this sounds like a comedic advertisement you'd find on cable TV late one night, but it's the reality that is the U.S. Congress in a post-Citizens United world. Advertisement For the past few years, Big Oil has made a concerted push to see the crude oil export ban lifted. This ban, instituted 40 years ago, has protected some of America's most wild places, prevented a significant increase in drilling operations that would damage our climate and environment, and has kept American jobs here at home. But, lifting the ban meant big business for Big Oil. As it became clear there would be a legislative vehicle to lift the ban, Big Oil began to ramp up its donations to the Senate Leadership Fund, a Super PAC created by a former staffer for Republican Senator Mitch McConnell. In the second half of 2015, the PAC took in nearly $3 million from just three oil companies: Chevron, Devon Energy Corporation, and Petrodome Energy, as well as a $50,000 check from Occidental Petroleum CEO Stephen Chazen. Chevron, Devon, and Occidental all lobbied Congress to lift the crude oil export ban, and in December, Congress voted to do just that. Petrodome was not registered to lobby, but its CEO, W. Ed Bosarge, has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to Republicans -- many of whom voted to remove the crude oil export ban. Advertisement Senate Republicans celebrated the lifting of the crude oil export ban as if it had accomplished a major victory for American citizens, when, in reality, it was simply delivering its friend and major campaign contributor, Big Oil, its top legislative priority. This dirty deal is a clear example of the stranglehold money has over the American government. In order to protect our environment, we need to curb the power and influence of the fossil fuel industry. While President Obama alone cannot undo Citizens United or get money out of politics, with the stroke of a pen, he can hold government contractors like Chevron accountable. By signing an executive order requiring business entities receiving federal government contracts to be forthcoming and require full disclosure of political spending, President Obama can provide some much needed and much-deserved transparency. The rise in inequality is widening at an alarming rate. Top 1 percent controlling 95 percent of the overall wealth is causing the rest of Americans to head to the poor house. America's financial elite has put a stranglehold on American citizens to the point of determining the quality of their life (or lack of it). They are effectively controlling the country's economic and political agenda through their powerful lobbies and monetary contributions to politicians and decision makers of their choice. Millions of workers struggling to make a living by working on minimum wages are turning the country into something akin to a modern day slavery. There are 62% of citizens that have less than $1,000 in savings and are one paycheck away from the street; the American dream has come to an end; the progression of inequality is rapidly eroding America's middle-class into impoverished masses. It may not be long before the rise of discontent will give rise to social unrest potentially causing destabilization of the very foundation upon which the American society was conceived and built. A recent Gallup survey showing 47% of Americans would vote for a President who was a socialist. This should be seen as a wake up call. A noted economist, Joseph E. Stiglitz, wrote recently: "America is becoming a more divided society - divided not only between whites and African Americans, but also between the 1% and the rest, and between the highly educated and the less educated, regardless of race." Advertisement It's high time to realize what may lie ahead. People with decision making power should realize, that necessary economic reforms must be implemented as soon as possible. Mitigating citizens' economic inequality should be top of the list. Here are five suggestions to mitigate the challenges: End Federal Reserve Monopoly After 7 years of post-recession slow growth, numerous quantitative easing (QE) stimuli, and a doubling of U.S. federal debt, the economy is barely limping on at a stall speed. According to industry experts such as Lacy Hunt, "since the introduction of unconventional and untested monetary policy operations like QE, an impressive amount of empirical evidence has emerged that casts considerable doubt on their efficacy". Ex-voting member of the Federal Reserve, Richard Fisher went even further. He told a rare bit of truth-ness in a CNBC interview last year; "What the Fed did, and I was part of it, was front-loaded an enormous market rally in order to create a wealth effect...and an uncomfortable digestion period is likely now". The wealth effect did not benefit an average American. In fact, America's middle-class lost nearly 30% of its wealth. Ever since its inception, privately controlled Fed's monetary policies have been benefiting mostly the rich elite enabling them to widen the gap of inequality to historical levels. The Fed's time has passed. By admitting their own mistakes, it is becoming clear that the present day economy is dictating the Feds' policies and not the other way around. The Fed should be abolished and the monetary policies of America put into hands of elected politicians who must find a way to lessen inequality amongst its citizens. Advertisement Income and Assets Taxation of Rich Americans Introducing steep taxes on short-term stock market trading and/or outright prohibition on high frequency trading would be a good start, but a serious way to combat inequality is progressive taxation of the super-rich income and their assets, both at home and abroad. Two or three percent increase would bring hundreds of billions of dollars into the public purse, the money that could be used to rebuild or improve municipal infrastructures, create quality jobs, help young Americans get an affordable education, and lower the national debt. Restrict Overseas Inversions Tax avoidance by some of the richest and biggest corporations, which are using various loopholes to move their "headquarters" to various off-shore locations in order not to pay taxes, should be banned and declared illegal. Over the last decades, billions of dollars supposed to be paid on account of taxes, were successfully moved out of the country and pocketed by directors of such corporations. The theory that such untaxed money is used to start new enterprises and create jobs for Americans proved to be totally flawed. Rich are not starting new businesses that create more jobs. Instead, by-and-large, they end up hoarding their tax-avoided funds in their offshore accounts ... or ... buying out small start-ups to stifle the entrepreneurship that might compete with their hegemony. Morally and justly speaking, this money is tax payers' money that should be returned to the public purse for the benefit of the country. Bring Jobs Back to America Americans should no longer support overseas economies such as China and others by buying their products that can be made just as inexpensive and more efficient in America. For example, the advent of 3D copier and other robotic technology should be used to entice millions of unemployed Americans to start their own businesses by producing goods now imported from overseas. Days of mega-size ships, loaded with containers up to their chimneys, pulling into American ports should come to an end. Tax Offshore Buyers of Residential Real Estate LONDON -- During the winter months the Shakespeare's Globe crowd--as the current artistic director Dominic Dromgoole is about to depart--is bringing William Shakespeare indoors. Rather than offering four of the Bard's works in the open Elizabethan round, the deciders are presenting Pericles, The Tempest, Cymbeline and The Winter's Tale in the enclosed Jacobean auditorium, which is lit exclusively by candles and sometimes torches. The idea is that the works would have debuted not at the Globe but in the enclosed Blackfriars theater north of the Thames. Initially, the Globe mavens thought the design they were using for what's called the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse is from the pen of Inigo Jones. It turns out to be a blueprint from Jones follower John Webb--the subsequent venue being one Shakespeare would never have seen but was considered close enough. I was able to see only two productions, but based on the quality of both, I'd wager the others are equally accomplished: Pericles--In no other Shakespeare play is the leading character thoroughly good. He hasn't the hint of a tragic flaw. Nothing, not an inkling. Rather, he's a man to whom evil is done--not unlike, when you think of it, the innocents in Alfred Hitchcock's movies. Upon learning his intended bride, whom Pericles (James Garnon) has won as the result of a court guessing game, has been incested by her father, he attempts to do something about it. But the monarch puts a hit on the intrepid lad, which results in Pericles's experiencing a series of hairbreadth adventures. There's a wife supposedly dead in child birth and a daughter also menaced. Many of the playwright's usual themes and incidents--shipwrecks, lost children, deceased spouses revived--materialize but this time more as a picaresque tale than a tragedy. At one point, as abandoned and desolate daughter Marina (Jessica Baglow) is on the (knife) point of being done in by jealous queen Dionyza (Dorothea Myer-Bennett), she's kidnapped/rescued by pirates literally bursting onto the scene. And on Pericles and Pericles go. It's narrated start to finish by Gower (Sheila Reed), who's full of lively iambic pentameter. Dromgoole has no end of fun directing a cast, six of whom double admirably. They're all ready, willing and able to join in the macabre hijinks. It's difficult to imagine the first of the late romances ever being anyone's favorite Shakespeare opus, but rendered with this degree of creativity, it's undeniably entertaining as it passes. Advertisement Mitt Romney will charge in a speech today, according to excerpts released in advance, that Donald Trump's "promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University." Romney's attack follows Marco Rubio's recent hits on Trump's unlicensed for-profit business "school"; at the last GOP debate, Rubio charged, "There are people that borrowed $36,000 to go to Trump University, and they're suing him now. And you know what they got? They got to take a picture with a cardboard cutout of Donald Trump." But it is a testament to the long-standing political influence of the for-profit college industry that both Rubio and Romney in fact have their own extensive ties to predatory for-profit schools. In fact, Romney has been an investor in some of the companies that own these schools. The unaccredited Trump University took an estimated $40 million from some 7000 students, and some of them are now suing Trump for fraud in two California class action lawsuits that are pending, along with a separate case being pursued by New York's attorney general. Advertisement But both Romney and Rubio are tied to for-profit colleges that fleeced not just many U.S. students, leaving them with substandard educations and overwhelming debt, but also ripped off U.S. taxpayers, who foot the bill for student Pell grants and defaulted student loans. For-profit colleges are desperate to keep up friendships with Washington politicians, because they have been getting as much as 90 percent of their revenue, and as much as $32 billion a year, from federal student aid. The for-profit college industry has been badly wounded in recent years by revelations of deceptive practices, and enrollments and share prices of plummeted. But industry lobbyists remain determined to halt new regulations and enforcement efforts pursued under the Obama administration to try to channel federal money away from poorly performing, predatory schools. With Hillary Clinton attacking such predatory colleges on the campaign trail, industry executives have incentive to again provide big campaign dollars in hopes of having a friend in the White House come 2017 so that they can stay with their business model: deceiving and abusing students, and cashing their federal checks. Marco Rubio has been eager to respond. In summer 2014, Rubio wrote to the Department of Education on behalf of one of the worst for-profit colleges, Corinthian. In a letter to the Department's Deputy Secretary and Under Secretary, Rubio stated that the Department had "recently placed extreme financial constraints on Corinthian Colleges, Inc. by restricting the company's timely access to federal financial aid." He called on the Department to "demonstrate leniency" to Corinthian. Corinthian has since shut down, as its extensive frauds and abuses have been exposed, and many Corinthian students are demanding that their loans be cancelled. Potentially as many as 350,000 students could be considered victims of the Corinthian fraud, with claims rising into the billions. Advertisement But in going to bat for Corinthian, Rubio appeared to see not a greedy company but a generous one. Between 2010 and 2015, Rubio's political operations received $27,600 in contributions from Corinthian. However, Rubio's paid friendship with for-profit colleges doesn't come close to that of today's Trump University critic, Mitt Romney. As the 2012 GOP nomination contest neared the critical Iowa caucuses, Romney was asked by the Ames Tribune's editorial board what he planned to do about higher education. Romney's response was crystal-clear: He liked for-profit colleges, including the University of Phoenix, and especially a Florida school called Full Sail University, which, he said, knew how to "hold down the cost of their education." In fact, Full Sail only knew how to hold down the cost of education for its owners; for students, it was the third most expensive college in America. Advertisement It also turned out that Full Sail's owners, the principals of a private equity firm called TA Associates, were among Romney's top donors. The Romney Super PAC Restore Our Future received $329,900 from TA executives Kevin Landry and P. Andrews McLane, and another $135,000 from Bill Heavener, the CEO of Full Sail University. Landry also donated $89,900 to American Crossroads, the pro-Romney Super PAC founded by Karl Rove. In praising Full Sail, Romney never mentioned that TA executives had contributed heavily to his campaign effort. Nor did he disclose that he was actually in business with them. The facts are these: Mitt Romney's son Tagg and 2012 campaign finance director Spencer Zwick had launched the private equity fund Solamere Capital in 2008 with a $10 million investment from Mitt Romney. In June 2012, the Romney campaign held a retreat in Park City, Utah, for about 200 wealthy donors. Remarkably, right outside the retreat, Solamere Capital held its own investor lunch meeting. In March 2013, following his defeat in the presidential election, Romney took on a more formal role at Solamere, becoming chairman of the executive committee. Solamere describes itself as a "fund of funds" that allows its privileged investors to buy into high-end private equity firms. TA Associates is one of the firms that Solamere Capital has offered to its clients for investment, according to a prospectus sent to potential investors and obtained by the Boston Globe in 2011. Advertisement Another for-profit college owned by TA Associates is Vatterott College, acquired in 2009. In 2014, a Missouri appeals court upheld a jury verdict against Vatterott for deceiving a single mom, Jennifer Kerr. A jury in Jackson County, MO, had awarded Kerr $27,676 in actual damages and $13 million in punitive damages; the trial judge cut the punitive award to about $2 million because state law caps these awards. Kerr, from Lee's Summit, Missouri, saw Vatterott's TV ads and visited the campus in 2009 to pursue her dream of becoming a nurse. A Vatterott recruiter told Kerr that the school didn't have a nursing program, but it did offer a medical assistant's degree. With that credential, the recruiter said, Kerr could make $15 to $17 an hour, and her Vatterott credits would transfer to a nursing program and put her on the "fast track" to being a nurse. But after signing for more than $27,000 in loans and being in the program for over a year, Kerr discovered that her program wasn't a medical assistant program at all -- it was a medical office assistant program. You might not need college for that. Vatterott staff then told her that a medical assistant's degree would require more classes and another $10,000. Jennifer Kerr was not the first student to be deceived by Vatterott College. The 2010-2012 comprehensive investigation of the for-profit college industry by then-Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) obtained internal training documents from Vatterott that seemed to instruct recruiters to use exploitative tactics: "We deal with people that live in the moment and for the moment. Their decision to start, stay in school or quit school is based more on emotion than logic. Pain is the greater motivator in the short term." Another Vatterott document described the target market for recruiters: "We serve the UN-DER world, Unemployed, Underpaid, Unsatisfied, Unskilled, Unprepared, Unsupported, Unmotivated, Unhappy, Underserved!" After Michael Brown was shot to death by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, it was often reported that the young man was on the verge of attending college. Less well known was the name and type of school that had signed him up and was ready to cash his federal financial aid checks: It was for-profit Vatterott. Advertisement Vatterott's recruiting abuses have led to bad outcomes for enrolled students. The percentage of Vatterott students who default on their student loans within three years of dropping out or graduating has been a very-high 26.6 percent. In 2012, eight of Vatterott's 39 programs failed all three initial tests of the Obama administration's "gainful employment" rule, which established bare minimum standards to penalize schools that consistently leave their students with insurmountable debt. Student bulletin boards are full of complaints about the quality of a Vatterott education. In 2009 and 2010, three top Vatterott executives pleaded guilty to a criminal conspiracy to fraudulently obtain federal student grants and loans for ineligible students in 2005-06 by providing false general equivalency diplomas (GEDs) and doctoring financial aid forms. Trump University is as tawdry as the shameless huckster whose name it bears. But as critics of that sham school, Romney and Rubio are tied to even bigger for-profit college abuses of students and taxpayers. Workers build scaffolding at the state Capitol in Oklahoma City, Thursday, June 11, 2015. Assessments and test phases of exterior repair are beginning on the nearly 100-year-old building. The Oklahoma Legislature approved a $120 million bond issue last year to pay for renovations to the building. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki) Last Friday, an Oklahoma state commission dealt a serious blow to efforts to further weaken protections for workers hurt on the job. Yes, you heard that right--an Oklahoma commission put its foot down to halt an erosion of workers' rights. People get hurt at work. In fact, more than three million workers get hurt at work, and 4,500 die, every year. These injuries can be prevented, but when they are not, an old social insurance program--workers' compensation--kicks in. These state-run programs are a no-fault system to deal with worker injuries. The basic principle of workers' compensation is that workers give up their right to sue their employer if they are injured, and in exchange, companies will buy insurance to provide medical treatment, rehabilitation, reimbursement for lost wages, and death benefits. It was called a "grand bargain" when it was set up more than 100 years ago. Advertisement In the past 10 years, however, big business has successfully chipped away at these programs, state by state, making it harder for injured workers to qualify. Nowhere has the drive to weaken injured workers' rights been as great as in Oklahoma, which passed a law several few years ago allowing employers to "opt out" of the workers' compensation system and mandated benefits if they set up their own plan that is equal to or better than those established by the state. These "opt out" plans were marketed by a Dallas-based attorney, Bill Minick, who, according to a Pro Publica/NPR expose last year, co-wrote Oklahoma's Opt-Out Act, manages 90 percent of the new opt-out plans in that state, and whose wife is the medical director charged with picking doctors and reviewing whether injuries are work related. Minick claims he will save employers lots of money. Well, the decision by the Oklahoma Workers' Compensation Commission makes clear how he saves employers money: His plans are illegal. Last Friday, in Vasquez v. Dillards, the first case to be appealed under the Opt-Out Act, the Oklahoma Workers' Compensation Commission found those plans to be unconstitutional. The commission wrote: "Although at first blush it appears that the Opt-Out Act requires that injured workers under an authorized benefit plan must be afforded benefits equal to or better than those under the Administrative Workers' Compensation Act, this is decidedly not so. . . . The appearance of equal treatment under the dual system is like a water mirage on the highway that disappears upon closer inspection." Indeed, upon closer inspection, the commission found that although the plans claim to pay the same benefits that state-mandated plans would pay, these opt-out plans define work injuries differently. In fact, the Opt-Out Act allowed employers to create their own definition of "injury"--and of course they did, eliminating from compensation many work injuries, such as damage or harm arising from asbestos exposure. Advertisement That is the crux of the decision. Under the state workers' comp system, the legislature defines covered injuries for all workers in the state. Under the Opt-Out Act, however, the commission found that the employers acts as the "legislature and defines 'injury' for its injured workers." This created unequal treatment for a select group of injured workers--those in the opt-out plans--rendering such plans unconstitutional. Bob Burke, the attorney who argued the case on behalf of Jonnie Yvonne Vasquez, who suffered neck and shoulder injuries while working at Dillards but was denied benefits, said it best: "This decision assures that all Oklahoma men and women who are injured on the job are treated equally and will be allowed to tell their story to a judge. The opt-out plans put all power in the hands of the employer, with no independent review ever of the employer's decision. The employer under such a plan decides what constitutes an injury, has total control over the doctor and hospital that an injured worker goes to, and can force a settlement at the end of the case. If the worker does not accept the settlement, all benefits are terminated." The truth about workers' compensation is that it's already a weak system. Changes over the past decade in programs around the country have made it harder for injured workers to receive full benefits, which are paltry even when awarded. An increasing number of studies confirm that only a fraction of injured workers receive any workers' compensation benefits. Studies have found that fewer than 40 percent of eligible workers apply for workers' compensation benefits at all. And for low-wage workers, many face additional barriers to filing, including worry about retaliation for reporting a job injury and requesting medical care. A landmark study by NELP and partner organizations of more than 4,000 low-wage workers in Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York found that among those workers experiencing a serious injury on the job, fewer than 1 in 10 (eight percent) filed for workers' compensation benefits. The truth is that the costs of workplace injuries has shifted to the worker, their families, and the taxpayer-funded social safety net. The Oklahoma decision will be appealed by the industry. But employers and legislatures in other states that are considering introducing similar laws should take note: Your plans have been unmasked. Advertisement "McCain pushed to let every illegal immigrant stay here permanently..." the announcer charges. "Even voted to allow illegals to collect Social Security." Watch Romney's ad attacking McCain But the ad distorts the position of the Arizona Republican, who has narrowed Romney's lead in New Hampshire. McCain's compromise legislation introduced last summer, which was backed by President Bush, would have required illegal immigrants to return to their home countries and pay a fine for breaking the law before applying for legal status. McCain also voted to allow illegals to receive past Social Security benefits only after obtaining legal status. Romney, for his part, ordered a police crackdown on illegal immigrants two weeks before he left the job of governor of Massachusetts. Read More>>> Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is premised on sex-based preferences, assumptions, expectations, stereotypes, or norms. "Sexual orientation" as a concept cannot be defined or understood without reference to sex. A man is referred to as "gay" if he is physically and/or emotionally attracted to other men. A woman is referred to as "lesbian" if she is physically and/or emotionally attracted to other women. Someone is referred to as "heterosexual" or "straight" if he or she is physically and/or emotionally attracted to someone of the opposite-sex. Sexual orientation refers to the sex of those to whom one is sexually and romantically attracted." It follows, then, that sexual orientation is inseparable from and inescapably linked to sex and. therefore, that allegations of sexual orientation discrimination involve sex-based considerations. One can describe this inescapable link between allegations of sexual orientation discrimination and sex discrimination in a number of ways. Sexual orientation discrimination is sex discrimination because it necessarily entails treating an employee less favorably because of the employee's sex. For example, assume that an employer suspends a lesbian employee for displaying a photo of her female spouse on her desk , but does not suspend a male employee for displaying a photo of his female spouse on bis desk. The lesbian employee in that example can allege that her employer took an adverse action against her that the employer would not have taken had she been male. That is a legitimate claim under Title VII that sex was unlawfully taken into account in the adverse employment action. ("Such a practice does not pass the simple test of whether the evidence shows 'treatment of a person in a manner which but for that person's sex would be different.'"). The same result holds true if the person discriminated against is straight. Assume a woman is suspended because she has placed a picture of her husband on her desk but her gay colleague is not suspended after he places a picture of his husband on his desk. The straight female employee could bring a cognizable Title VII claim of disparate treatment because of sex. Wildlife got another vital defender - the European Union. The European Commission adopted last week the EU Action Plan against Wildlife Trafficking, a comprehensive strategy that addresses wildlife trafficking within Europe and bolsters the role European nations are taking to squash this crime across the globe. The very survival of elephants, rhinos, tigers and so many other species is threatened by wildlife trafficking. Poaching and trafficking operations are growing in scale and sophistication, with much of the billions of euros generated financing transnational organized criminal syndicates. The EU is keeping this momentum going and took an important step last week toward eliminating wildlife trafficking that is threatening species worldwide. Action at a global level is urgently needed to halt the devastating declines in African elephant populations that we've seen in recent years. Photo John Delaney. Advertisement The world has taken notice of this problem, from US President Barack Obama's National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking and movement toward a federal ban on ivory trade, to the United Nations' resolution against wildlife trafficking last July, to the Chinese government's signaling of intentions to crack down on illegal wildlife trade. Even Pope Francis has proved to be a strong and outspoken proponent for protection of our planet and its precious wildlife. These are promising developments. As a major transit point and destination for wildlife trade, the EU needed a coherent approach to how it will play its part in combating this scourge. EU Environment Commissioner Karmenu Vella presented the Action Plan against Wildlife Trafficking, which is designed to aggressively target the criminal networks that have turned wildlife trafficking into a billion euro industry. The very survival of elephants, rhinos, tigers and so many other species is threatened by wildlife trafficking. Photo WCS Malaysia Program. Specifically, we are pleased that the Action Plan takes a comprehensive approach to tackling the problem by including measures to: reduce the demand for illegal wildlife products; step up enforcement and the fight against organized criminal groups; and substantially increase support to source countries, including much-needed increased financing from EU development aid programs. Advertisement We are also pleased to see that some first steps will be taken towards more strictly controlling the ivory trade, where action at a global level is urgently needed to halt the devastating declines in African elephant populations that we've seen in recent years. WCS is proud to have contributed scientific and technical expertise based on our field conservation programs in nearly 60 countries around the world. In our experience working on the ground for wildlife protection in many developing countries, we have grappled with the often devastating impacts of wildlife trafficking -- both on wildlife and on the local communities whose local livelihoods, governance, and security are undermined. Cristian Samper with WCS/Niassa Reserve field op team investigating carcass left by poachers. The elephant is believed to have been killed with an AK-47. Photo by Alastair Nelson WCS. I have seen the devastation wrought by wildlife trafficking up close in many of our field sites across the globe. I have also seen the heroic actions of wildlife rangers who are the frontline of defense against the slaughter of beautiful creatures that is enriching criminals and destabilizing communities. The developed world must stand beside those who are doing this dangerous work -- many of whom are lost in the line of duty -- and this is done by supporting them with all available means. The Action Plan adopted last week shows that the EU stands with them. Journalists raise their hands for questions during Russian President Vladimir Putin's annual press conference in Moscow on December 17, 2015. Russian President Vladimir Putin on December 17 described US Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump as a talented and outstanding man. AFP PHOTO / NATALIA KOLESNIKOVA / AFP / NATALIA KOLESNIKOVA (Photo credit should read NATALIA KOLESNIKOVA/AFP/Getty Images) Donald Trump has collected a lovely bouquet of endorsements in his path to the presidency: Chris Christie, David Duke, Jean-Marie Le Pen, the KKK. It's the kind of praise that would make a mother proud, if your mother happened to be Leni Riefenstahl. And now he can add Russian philosopher, TV personality, and Duck Dynasty lookalike Alexander Dugin. Dugin is largely unknown in the West. If non-specialists have heard of him, it is either because of exaggerated claims of his influence over Putin, or because of his 2014 suggestion of a final solution to the Ukrainian problem: "To kill, kill, kill. There should be no more conversations." By comparison, Trump's plan for building a border wall looks positively humanitarian. Advertisement Dugin's endorsement is unlikely to sway any voters to Trump's side. He doesn't just lack name recognition; simply saying his full name aloud would eat up most of the quota for syllables in the average sentence Trump shouts from his podium. But such a strong statement of support from one of the pillars of the Russian Right does confirm what has been clear to so many for so long: the nativist, xenophobic Trump is a weirdly cosmopolitan phenomenon. Trump and his European cheerleaders are a global movement against global movements, the nationalist champions of a neo-Fascist International. Neither Putin nor Dugin publicly claim the mantle of fascism, but for different reasons. Dugin, a prolific author who excretes prose at a truly impressive rate, explicitly rejects fascism and communism in favor of what he calls the "Fourth Political Theory;" in practice, however, the distinction is a matter of splitting hairs (a prospect that Trump's famous combover makes rather daunting). Where Dugin is an ideologue, Trump is simply a demagogue: he gains nothing from invoking any organized political theory, as he benefits far more from racist dogwhistles and calls for national salvation. So on a rather simple level, labeling either of them a fascist can look more like an empty insult than a definition. Instead, their fascism is found in their xenophobia, their appeals to a primitive notion of a national destiny, their conspiratorial myth making, and their unrelenting fear-mongering. Since the rise of Trump has coincided with the sad news of Umberto Eco's death, the Italian intellectual's 14-point definition of fascism has been making the rounds lately. High on the list is "fear of difference," which covers both Trump's xenophobia and Dugin's preoccupation with the autonomy of the various "civilizations' he claims make up the world. Dugin's public statement of support for Trump is, of course, filled with his usual contempt for multiculturalism. After casually referring to Obama as a "black Muslim democrat," he praises Trump's opposition to an "elite" that runs American political parties: "The American elite is not even American." Not even American? Now you know what a Russian dog whistle sounds like. (hint: it sounds a lot like "Hava Nagila") Advertisement I would, however, suggest a slight modification of Eco's term. What Dugin finds attractive in Trump's program is a contempt for nuance. Trump and Dugin (along with Le Pen and Duke) are partners in a global war on ambiguity. They desperately need a world in which cultural boundaries and national borders are never threatened by outside influences. Dugin sees in Trump an ally in the global struggle against the most pernicious force the world has ever faced: liberalism. Dugin constantly rants about what he sees as liberalism's pervasive undermining of all collective identity in favor of a destructive, nihilistic individualism. Outraged at the idea that one's nationality, religion, and even gender could be a matter of personal rather than collective choice, Dugin rejoices at the prospect of fellow travelers in other countries. Dugin and Trump share a reflexive disdain for the sort of creative uncertainty that liberalism allows. They each want a world where people can be understood in simple, fixed categories, and where those people preferably stay in their place. In at least a few cases, I have to agree with them: subtlety is the enemy, and simply categories must be preserved. So it is in that spirit that I call Trump and Dugin what they really are: fascists. Nuance and ambiguity be damned. An anti-government protester holds up his iPhone with a sign 'No Entry' during a demonstration near the Apple store on Fifth Avenue in New York on February 23, 2016. Apple is battling the US government over unlocking devices in at least 10 cases in addition to its high-profile dispute involving the iPhone of one of the San Bernardino attackers, court documents show. Apple has been locked in a legal and public relations battle with the US government in the California case, where the FBI is seeking technical assistance in hacking the iPhone of Syed Farook, a US citizen, who with his Pakistani wife Tashfeen Malik in December gunned down 14 people. / AFP / Jewel Samad (Photo credit should read JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images) The stakes of the fight between Apple and the FBI could not be higher for digital security and privacy. If the government has its way, then it will have won the authority to turn American tech companies against their customers and, in the process, undercut decades of advances in our security and privacy. Today, the ACLU -- joined by its affiliates in California -- is filing an amicus brief in support of Apple's challenge to FBI efforts to compel the company to help break into an iPhone as part of the investigation into the 2015 San Bernardino shootings. We filed a similar brief several months ago in support of Apple's parallel fight in Brooklyn. But in this case, the stakes are even higher, because the FBI wants to force Apple to write new computer code to disable security features on one of its devices. Advertisement If the government gets its way, the legal precedent set by this case will reverberate far beyond this particular investigation and the single phone at issue. (In fact, just Monday, the magistrate judge overseeing the parallel case in Brooklyn noted the gravity of the government's legal theory in issuing a comprehensive rejection of it.) The government's request relies on the All Writs Act, a gap-filling law passed in 1789, in its bid to compel Apple to create and authenticate software so that the FBI can hack into an individual's iPhone. That law gives courts the authority to issue orders necessary for it to fulfill its judicial role and enforce its decisions. It does not, however, permit courts to give law enforcement new investigative tools that Congress has not authorized. In this case, the act can't be used by law enforcement to give itself the unprecedented power to conscript an innocent third party into government service against its will. The use of this law is made all the more sweeping considering the vast cybersecurity and privacy implications of what the government wants to be able to do. What the government wants here goes beyond the well-established duties of citizens to aid law enforcement -- by, for example, turning over evidence or giving testimony -- because Apple doesn't actually possess the information on the iPhone that the government seeks. The order the government has proposed would also violate the Fifth Amendment, which imposes a limit on the assistance that law enforcement may compel of innocent third parties who don't actually have the information the government is after -- a limit the government has crossed in this case. Think of it this way: Could the government get a court order compelling you to spy on your neighbor, or perhaps compelling the friend of a Black Lives Matter organizer to seek out information and report on that person's plans for a peaceful protest? We don't think so, and the Fifth Amendment is what defines the outer bounds of law enforcement's authority to conscript us all into investigative service. Advertisement Though the legal arguments may seem esoteric, the power the government aims to establish here would set a troubling and dangerous precedent that would undermine everyone's digital privacy and security. For example, if the courts uphold the government's interpretation of the law, the FBI could force Apple to authenticate and deliver malware to a target's devices using Apple's automatic-update system. That would put us all at risk when you consider the implications for the rest of our devices. Automatic updates are the vaccinations of the digital world: They only work if they're taken, and they're only taken if they're trusted. Consumers will have little incentive to install automatic updates if they believe they could be government-mandated malware masquerading as security fixes. As the array of mobile devices and web-connected appliances grows, so does the need for regular security updates. The government's legal theory would undermine this system and the security of the Internet across the board. This case did not arise in a vacuum. Over the last few years, Congress has considered and declined to compel tech companies to build backdoor access to encrypted data. And, despite the pitched battle in court, Apple and the government agree that Congress is best positioned to grapple with this enormously important question in the first place. Indeed, the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing just yesterday on Apple's iPhone encryption. Notwithstanding its commitment to public debate on this question, the government has sought to compel Apple to assist law enforcement in mobile device unlocking more than 80 times, largely through secret court filings. (We've filed a FOIA request to learn more about these cases and the policy behind this effort.) In the Brooklyn case, Magistrate Judge James Orenstein ruled, in a thorough 50-page opinion, that the government may not rely on the All Writs Act to compel Apple to assist in unlocking an iPhone. Judge Orenstein recognized a critical flaw in the government's All Writs Act theory: It contains no "principled limit on how far a court may go in requiring a person or company to violate the most deeply-rooted values." It doesn't take a constitutional scholar to understand that there is a limit on the government's power to conscript third parties into the service of law enforcement. That's the kind of limit that distinguishes a democratic government from a police state. Homer has been one of my teachers. I studied the "Iliad" and the "Odyssey" in my high school ancient Greek classes. I came back to Homer in college and later in my own studies of Greek history. I was also born in Odysseus' kingdom, Cephalonia, the large sister island to Ithaca, homeland of Odysseus. In fact, half-jokingly, I used to tell my daughter, Corinna, when she was very young that I was the first cousin of Odysseus. Palamedes, a great inventor and friend of Agamemnon and Menelaos, brother-kings who led the Greeks against the Trojans, tricked Odysseus to join the other Greek kings in the Trojan War. Homer's "Odyssey" recounts the struggle of Odysseus to find his way back to Ithaca. Advertisement I left Odysseus' kingdom not to fight a war but to go to college in America. And, yet, without suspecting it, my departure from my own Ithaca and my struggles to return home, became my Odyssey. I faced all kinds of Laestrygonians, Cyclopes and angry Poseidon. Despite the danger, I made America my second Ithaca. I had a family and indulged in my greatest passion of writing about things I loved and thought important. My anguish, however, remains: how to return to Ithaca. I visit often but the pleasure of walking in my own olive grove is always short-lived. And despite my ceaseless efforts to maintain my Greek culture, erosion continues. I remember the story of the Poseidonians told by the second century Greek writer Athenaios - and I shudder. Poseidonians lived for so long among Romans they lost their Greek culture. Some people call America a melting pot, and perhaps it is. Migrants to America struggle with their traditions. Some embrace America immediately and, like the Poseidonians, erase their culture. Others try to marry the two traditions. Advertisement A telling example of saving the phenomena of both cultures comes from the poetry of Thanasis Maskaleris. His book, "My Life on the Ragged Paths of Pan" (Zorba Press, 2016), is testimony of a life in perpetual struggle. Maskaleris came to America in the 1950s from Arkadia, Peloponnesos, home of the gods, especially Pan, beautiful villages, countless olive trees, and mountains. He studied literature and taught comparative literature at San Francisco State University where he was also instrumental in the creation of the Center for Modern Greek Studies. But Maskaleris is fundamentally a poet speaking in the often-illuminating language of poetry. "My Life on the Ragged Paths of Pan" includes original poems and poems he translated from some of the most insightful of Modern Greek poets of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Like me, Maskaleris faced a strange and determined empire in America. This was not Arkadia or a culture shining with Hellenic virtues. In 1966, he wrote "Hecuba in Vietnam," a poem full of anger against the violence of America in Vietnam. Like Euripides in his "Trojan Women" denounced the Greek victors of the Trojan War for using primarily their spears," Maskaleris denounced America for putting all its strength in bombs: "What were your eagles are now carriers of death. Strange loves twitch in your sermons. What fear turns to this terror? - to drive people into trenches and tunnels, to poison their land. What fear makes you kill the children of Vietnam so savagely, pounding them to pieces with your bombs?... The wail of Hecuba is rising against you, America." Advertisement In another undated poem, Maskaleris sees "Lucifer writhing" America's "entrails." The rest of his original poems are not so straightforward. They are metaphors primarily of his American experience decorated with Greek lipstick. Pythagoras becomes "that celestial besieger of harmonies." Maskaleris sees himself as one of "Argonauts-builders - with the golden fleece hanging from the middle mast of our souls - a growing vine of liberty." He is also sensitive to the natural world and some of his poems are paeans to the beauty of wildlife and Mother Earth. The same is truth of the few Modern Greek poems Maskaleris translated so clearly and included in his poetic autobiography. These poems and their creators are extraordinary voices. They, too, draw from the Homeric past and the complex and hostile world of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The choices of Maskaleris include Constantine Kavafis, the Alexandrian poet of sensuality and Hellenism. He authored the immortal poem about "Ithaca," rightly saying that it's not so much Ithaca that counts but the journey to reach Ithaca: "Have Ithaca always in your mind," he advised. Maskaleris also translated fragments from Nikos Kazantzakis, Angelos Sikelianos, Kostas Varnalis, Zoe Karelli, Yannis Ritsos, Nikos Engonopoulos, Nikiforos Vrettakos, Odysseas Elytis, and Nikos Gatsos. Advertisement In his "Letter to Charlie Chaplin," Nikephoros Vrettakos speaks as "a friend from the land of Homer." He speaks on behalf of all suffering humanity, "the miners who have a taste of darkness on their lips and night in their souls as they ascend to the sun?" "In a century when man has grown mad, when the machines humble us, and we are nothing next to them," Vrettakos says to Chaplin he, Chaplin, has become "the universal mailman." Nikos Gatsos bemoans the barbaric transformation of the ancient sacred land of Eleusis that worshipped Demeter and Persephone to a modern trash heap and oil refineries. RUMSEY PLAYFIELD, CENTRAL PARK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES - 2015/10/24: UN Social and Economic Council President Oh Joon addresses the audience at the unveiling of Cristobal Gabarron's 'Enlightened Universe.'To commemorate the 70th anniversary of the United Nations Charter, United Nations and New York City officials joined to inaugurate the opening of Cristobal Gabarron's sculptural installation titled 'Enlightened Universe:' a reflective metal sphere surrounded by an overlapping ring of brightly-colored life-size figures holding hands. (Photo by Albin Lohr-Jones/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images) UNITED NATIONS -- With the toughest sanctions ever imposed on North Korea or any other country, the onus is mainly on China to implement the bans on ships, planes and trucks -- and even jet skis -- that could enhance Pyongyang's nuclear capability or its taste for luxuries. The vote in the 15-member U.N. Security Council was unanimous, with a list of 53 countries co-sponsoring the 19-page resolution introduced by the U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power after seven weeks of negotiations with China. Advertisement "The chronic suffering of the people of North Korea is the direct result of the choices made by... a government that has consistently prioritized its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs over providing for the most basic needs of its own people," she said. Instead of spending some $4 billion on its weapons programs, Pyongyang could have provided 40 years of humanitarian assistance to its impoverished citizens, South Korea's Ambassador Oh Joon told reporters. China and Russia were not among the 50-odd countries on the sponsor's list although they voted for the resolution. (Council members Angola, Egypt and Venezuela also were not on the list.) Both emphasized the necessity of resuming talks on a political solution and both spoke against the U.S.-proposed Terminal High Altitude Area Defense System (THAAD). Beijing's Ambassador Liu Jieyi said THAAD would harm security interests of China and other countries. But no one defended the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, the North's official name... Yalu River No doubt China is concerned about North Korea's Jan 6 nuclear test and a recent rocket launch on its borders or it would not have helped negotiate the unprecedented sanctions. Pyongyang exports $2.5 billion worth of goods to China, half of them minerals. Trade volume is about $6 billion, according to the Council on Foreign Relations. Advertisement But Beijing is careful to make sure the country doesn't collapse, send more refugees into China--or unify with South Korea. Otherwise "they'll see American forces on the Yalu River and they didn't like that movie in 1950," former UN Ambassador John Bolton once said. However, it is not only China and Russia that can enforce the resolution. Every country in the world is obligated to follow the Security Council's mandate. North Korea has managed to import goods through vessels under foreign flags; now all cargo by sea, air and land is required to be inspected. The sanctions are even more sweeping that those that were imposed on Iran, according to the final and earlier drafts, obtained by this correspondent. They restrict a wide range of exports, all armaments and blacklist banks, individuals and luxury goods. Exceptions are made for humanitarian supplies. Evading Sanctions An independent UN-organized Panel of Experts reported recently that North Korea had no intention of abandoning its nuclear and ballistic missile program, despite four major sanctions resolutions since 2006. The Panel's investigations have shown that the Democratic People's Republic of (North) Korea has been effective in evading sanctions and continues to use the international financial system, airlines and container shipping routes to trade in prohibited items. For the first time, the draft resolution would require rather than urge all nations to inspect cargo from and to North Korea by land, sea or air. And it bans flags of convenience that would hide illicit North Korean goods, including convention arms. The resolution would ban the export of coal, iron and iron ore that is being used to fund North Korea's nuclear or ballistic missile programs -- and it would prohibit exports of gold and titanium. But it allows North Korea to sell and coal and iron ore as long as the monies do not support its illicit weapons ambitions. Russian Coal There is an exception for transshipments of Russian coal via the North Korean port of Rajin. In 2013 Russia reopened a railway link with North Korea, from the Russian eastern border town of Khasan to Rajin, to export coal and import goods from South Korea and other Asian countries. There is also an exemption on the ban on aviation fuel to allow foreign civilian passenger airlines to travel to and from North Korea. Moscow made last minute changes to the document. Russia, which is North Korea's second largest trading partner, softened several measures but the main provisions remained. Advertisement Ships, Watches and Lead Crystal The document blacklists 16 North Korean individuals, based outside North Korea, including representatives of the Tanchon commercial Bank in Vietnam and Syria. Another annex lists 11 Korean entities and government agencies responsible for illicit weapons programs. And yet another annex names 31 suspect vessels belonging to Ocean Maritime Management Company Ltd. And should the elite desire to spend the country's funds on luxury goods, like jet skis, the resolution bans expensive watches, aquatic recreational vehicles, snowmobiles valued at more than $2,000 and lead crystal. The dense technical text will be explained to all UN members, who want to attend, at a session organized by Spain, chair of the North Korean sanctions committee. North Korean has maintained it has a right to space technology. On Monday its news agency KCNA called the forthcoming sanctions "a wanton infringement on (North Korea's) sovereignty and a grave challenge to it," Reuters reported. Just Say No! Departing from his prepared text, Ambassador Oh Joon of South Korea closed the Security Council meeting with a direct appeal to Pyongyang "as a fellow Korean": Advertisement By Kelli Barrett "Supply chains are vast, complicated intricate things with a lot of moving parts and players," said Kevin Rabinovitch, the Global Director of Sustainability for candy and food giant Mars. "They are more like webs than chains." Rabinovitch was speaking at the December climate talks in Paris, but delegates to next week's Tropical Forest Alliance (TFA) meeting in Jakarta, from March 10-13, will also be working to untangle those webs. The TFA is a consortium of governments, companies and organizations with a shared interest in transitioning to zero-deforestation supply chains, and the General Assembly of the Tropical Forest Alliance 2020 is intended to spur an exchange of knowledge and expertise over best practices and methods to achieve sustainable supply chains - which companies are committing to in the form of pledges to make sure they're not destroying forests to access their raw materials. Advertisement Mars, for example, says that 100% of its palm oil, soy, beef, and paper will soon come exclusively from sources that can prove they're sustainably sourced, and it's implementing similar limits on its cacao, dairy, pork, and other products. Mars has emerged as an aggressive member of the RSPO, along with PepsiCo, General Mills, ConAgra , and others that pressured RSPO through the Ceres' Investor Network on Climate Risk (INCR) to create more rigorous standards. Many of these same companies are active in WWF's new Markets Institute, which aims to promote the spread of workable solutions to the supply-chain challenge. Such cooperative initiatives offer assistance in untangling the supply chain web, as Rabinovitch puts it. The supply chain is complex largely because companies like Mars don't grow their own sugar or cacao. They buy it from hundreds of thousands of producers around the world, most of whom are small-scale subsistence farmers in the developing world. At least 70% of tropical deforestation is from commercial agriculture according to the Forest Trends report "Consumer Goods and Deforestation". Advertisement Tracking Corporate Action on Deforestation All of the companies in this article have pledged to reduce or eliminate deforestation from their supply chains, and all are listed on Supply-Change.org, but hundreds of companies have made promises, and few have yet reported results. The platform tracks progress reported against promises made, but it doesn't evaluate the promises themselves. Some companies may, therefore, report little progress against substantial commitments, while others may report massive progress against minimal objectives, and still others may have achieved results that they simply haven't announced. Nevertheless, Supply Change can function as a good barometer of corporate activity, and throughout the year Ecosystem Marketplace will be digging into the numbers to shine a light on the complexities of tackling deforestation on the ground. In the meantime, visit Supply-Change.org to see what actions Mars, PepsiCo, General Mills, ConAgra, APP, Carrefour, and Mondi have reported to-date. Plans and Actions Scores of companies made green pledges in the last two years via the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF) and other initiatives to halt deforestation. Progress, however, has been slow, and only half of the companies that pledged to source certified soy have yet to integrate it into their supply chains, although 74% of the companies that committed to sustainable palm oil have done so, according to a report from the nonprofit climate research organization CDP. The report, "Realizing Zero Deforestation", also found that 70% of the 180 companies reporting have commitments in place to remove deforestation from their supply chains. Where's the Map? There isn't a blueprint or model to follow and so all companies basically lack a clear understanding of how, exactly, to eliminate deforestation, says Aida Greenbury, the Director of Sustainability at Asia Pulp and Paper (APP), which committed to a zero net deforestation policy in 2013. Advertisement Rabinovitch agrees, and adds that there isn't even a clear and common definition for success, which often leads to cumbersome discussions that tie up resources and time. "Every minute we spend arguing and working out what success looks like and how we can measure it is a minute and a dollar not spent fixing the problem," he says. Other challenges are occurring closer to the ground-level. For instance, South African paper company Mondi, which so far has achieved 100% of its commitments tracked by Supply Change.org (you can find the company's source reporting here), is struggling to find enough certified wood to meet a growing demand as 90% of forests aren't certified. CDP's report tries to offer some clarity, in the form of a five-step "supply chain performance plan". The Zero-Deforestation Performance Plan The five steps outlined in CDP's proposal are: Enhance the procurement process: 77% of manufacturers and retailers have procurement policies for sourcing forest-risk commodities, but only 5 of those said they train their procurement teams on these policies. Communicate expectations: ensuring the suppliers are aware of the buyer's new standard or target, and also making sure the supplier is not only clear on options but also of the wider benefits of sustainable practices. Track progress transparently: 80% of companies are still not disclosing deforestation data, let alone monitoring progress. Many of those that do, however, are using advanced technology like satellites and drones to monitor forest loss. Collaborate to drive progress: companies should join forces forming jointly agreed on targets or creating sustainability projects together and or with their suppliers. Just 13% of retailers and manufacturers are implementing joint projects with their suppliers, the report says. Review, revisit and reward: follow through and continue with the previous steps, acknowledging where actions were successful and where they failed, and then making alterations accordingly. Supplier Relations Business leaders emphasize step four, the collective aspect of accomplishing zero net deforestation, often noting CDP's work and other such efforts as the Consumer Good Forum's zero net deforestation resolution. "If you really want to avoid deforestation, acting collectively and sharing a similar trajectory is the most important thing. It isn't a matter of competition," says Bertrand Swiderski, the Director of Sustainability at Carrefour, the French retail giant, which operates under a sustainability plan focused on biodiversity and includes commitments for deforestation-free timber products and palm oil. "When we work on sustainability, we must join forces," adds Greenbury. "We cannot create deforestation-free supply chains alone." Cooperation, she adds, is anathema in the hyper-competitive and fragmented paper industry, where it can even be seen as collusion. Advertisement Swiderski says it's also important to celebrate cooperation when it succeeds and note every step, for that matter, that brings them closer to achieving their overall targets. "We still have a lot of stairs to climb but we've reached the first step," he says. Brazilian women demonstrate in favor of abort legalization and against the president of the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies, Eduardo Cunha, in Rio de Janeiro downtown on November 11, 2015.AFP PHOTO / CHRISTOPHE SIMON (Photo credit should read CHRISTOPHE SIMON/AFP/Getty Images) The World Health Organization estimates that 211 million pregnancies occur each year. Approximately 87 million of these pregnancies occur unintentionally. Of the total number of pregnancies a year, around 46 million end in abortion. Around 40 percent of these are carried out under unsafe conditions; 47,000 women die as a result of unsafe abortions each year. Surely, this is not what we want for our women. Abortion is not about opinion. Legalizing abortion is not a question of beliefs, taboos or religion-- all that should not even be part of the conversation. Abortion is a question of public health, and it must be dealt with as such. Advertisement Don't like the idea of abortion? Don't get one. Your opinion will not change the fact that women who do not want children get abortions every day. Religious women, mothers, adolescents, poor women, rich women, married women, single women, working women and unemployed women get abortions on a daily basis. Women of all types abort, and nobody's opinion is going to change that. The only difference is whether or not they have the right and access to a safe abortion. And this is what concerns us most. Every year, around 47,000 women die and millions suffer from irreversible physical and mental trauma due to complications of unsafe abortions. Abortion is a question of public health, and it must be dealt with as such. One of the institutions that deals with this right to choose is How to use the Abortion Pill, which provides reliable information on how to use pills and directs interested women to institutions such as safe2choose. Countries that have legalized the procedure are already seeing low mortality rates. Uruguay, for example, has recorded no deaths due to abortion since the procedure was legalized at the end of 2012. In many of these countries, legal and safe abortion is no longer disputed. The right to choose is respected and each person's reproductive rights are upheld. Advertisement Europeans are much more advanced in this matter. Italy, for example, allows the procedure to take place within the first 24 weeks of pregnancy. Sweden allows abortions within the first 18 weeks, and Portugal within the first 10 weeks. In these countries, abortions take place every day -- safely. The African continent still has a long way to go, but some African nations are making headways. In South Africa, abortion was legalized in 1996. The procedure is free for pregnant women who cannot afford it. The South African constitution recognizes the right to choose and control over one's body. As a result, since the country started its democratization process in 1994, any woman was allowed to get an abortion if she was up to 20 weeks pregnant, in specialized centers linked to the Department of Health and in authorized private hospitals. Mozambique recently decriminalized abortion, joining a group of countries (Cape Verde, South Africa, Tunisia and Zambia) that recognize and respect women's reproductive rights. The discussion is and must be about preserving the health and lives of women. Unlike in Africa, Latin America is home to some of the world's strictest legislations concerning abortion. Uruguayans and Mexicans are pioneers in the region and are supporting a healthy debate, and Chile is showing similar signs. In Mexico City, abortion is available upon request to any woman who is 12 weeks pregnant or less. However, abortion is still prohibited in 19 of the country's 31 federal states. This may not be the ideal situation, but it cannot be compared to countries such as El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Honduras, where abortion is criminalized, even when the woman's life is at risk. The discussion is and must be about preserving the health and lives of women. Bernie Sanders's path to the presidency was never going to be easy. After surging in the polls and consistently proving America's political establishment wrong, Sanders won Colorado and other states on Super Tuesday. He still has a path to win the Democratic nomination via the primaries, but Bernie Sanders just won the presidency for another reason: Hillary Clinton's quest for "convenience." Bryan Pagliano, the person who set up Clinton's private server and email apparatus, was just given immunity by the Justice Department. According to The Washington Post, "The Clintons paid Pagliano $5,000 for 'computer services' prior to his joining the State Department, according to a financial disclosure form he filed in April 2009." First, this can't be a right-wing conspiracy because it's President Obama's Justice Department granting immunity to one of Hillary Clinton's closest associates. Second, immunity from what? The Justice Department won't grant immunity to anyone unless there's potential criminal activity involved with an FBI investigation. Third, and most importantly for Bernie Sanders, there's only one Democrat in 2016 not linked to the FBI, Justice Department, or 31,830 deleted emails. Advertisement These 31,830 deleted emails, by the way, were deleted without government oversight. Only one person set up the server that circumvented U.S. government networks and this person is Bryan Pagliano. Not long ago, Pagliano pleaded the Fifth, so this new development speaks volumes. His immunity, at this point in Clinton's campaign, spells trouble and could lead to an announcement in early May from the FBI about whether or not Clinton or her associates committed a crime. As stated in The New York Times, "Then the Justice Department will decide whether to file criminal charges and, if so, against whom." The FBI's investigation will decide if there was criminal activity involved in owning the server and storing classified information on a non-government network. Already, I've written numerous articles on why Bernie Sanders is the true front-runner, and has been since last year, partly because of Clinton's FBI investigation. Bryan Pagliano being granted immunity, however, changes the ballgame. Hillary supporters everywhere most likely don't care, but this development, and the testimony (free from any legal consequences) of the man who set up Clinton's computer apparatus, secures Bernie Sanders's front-runner status as the Democratic nominee. The DNC would be engaging in political suicide by entering November 8, 2016 with a nominee linked to a person just granted immunity from President Obama's Justice Department, primarily because there's a reason this man was granted immunity in the first place. Connect the dots while being honest with these developments, and only one logical progression, if Democrats actually want to win this year, must take place: Bernie Sanders saves the Democratic Party from Hillary Clinton and defeats Donald Trump by 8 points. Yes, Bernie defeats Trump by a wider margin than Clinton in a general election. Advertisement Trump wins with a Democratic nominee linked not only to an FBI investigation, but to aides being given immunity for their testimony. Bernie Sanders already defeats Donald Trump by a much wider margin than Clinton's 3.4-point victory on average, without an FBI investigation, and without an associate enjoying legal immunity from the Justice Department. In addition to born classified emails (emails that were classified from the start of their existence, undermining the claim that certain emails weren't classified when Clinton stored them on her server), as well as Top Secret intelligence on an unguarded server stored in her basement, Hillary Clinton has never explained the political utility of owning a private server. Why did Hillary need to own a private server? Aside from her excuse pertaining to convenience, why did Clinton need to circumvent U.S. government networks? Clinton already apologized for the private server, and here's the apology: Clinton has said: "Yes, I should have used two email addresses, one for personal matters and one for my work at the State Department. Not doing so was a mistake. I'm sorry about it, and I take full responsibility." However, only Bryan Pagliano can explain to the FBI why Clinton needed the server, it's political utility, and most importantly, how the computer network was protected. Also, Pagliano can help with understanding the computer server's connection to other Clinton projects like their foundation, or other activities. There are most likely a number of reasons Clinton needed the server and Pagliano's immunity helps the FBI immeasurable in deciphering whether or not criminal intent or behavior is a part of their recommendation to the Justice Department. Pagliano's immunity is explained in a Washington Post piece titled Justice Dept. grants immunity to staffer who set up Clinton email server: The Justice Department has granted immunity to a former State Department staffer, who worked on Hillary Clinton's private email server, as part of a criminal investigation into the possible mishandling of classified information, according to a senior law enforcement official. The official said the FBI had secured the cooperation of Bryan Pagliano, who worked on Clinton's 2008 presidential campaign before setting up the server in her New York home in 2009. As the FBI looks to wrap up its investigation in the coming months, agents are likely to want to interview Clinton and her senior aides about the decision to use a private server, how it was set up, and whether any of the participants knew they were sending classified information in emails, current and former officials said. ... Spokesmen at the FBI and Justice Department would not discuss the investigation. Pagliano's attorney, Mark J. MacDougall, also declined to comment. "There was wrongdoing," said a former senior law enforcement official. "But was it criminal wrongdoing?" Yes, Pagliano was granted immunity for a reason, and even if he helped a crime take place, or engaged in questionable practices, he's free to give testimony to the FBI and Justice Department officials. As for Hillary Clinton's campaign, immunity for Pagliano could mean that other associates, like Huma Abedin, also seek a bargain with law enforcement officials. Advertisement As for the issue of criminality, Detroit's Click on Detroit Local 4 News explains the severity of this saga in a piece titled DOJ grants immunity to ex-Clinton staffer who set up email server: Bryan Pagliano, a former Clinton staffer who helped set up her private email server, has accepted an immunity offer from the FBI and the Justice Department to provide an interview to investigators, a U.S. law enforcement official told CNN Wednesday. With the completion of the email review, FBI investigators are expected to shift their focus on whether the highly sensitive government information, including top secret and other classified matters, found on Clinton's private email server constitutes a crime. Whether or not a crime was committed is intrinsically linked to why Hillary Clinton needed a private server. Pagliano's testimony will be invaluable in helping the FBI decipher why the server was needed and how safe it was in storing sensitive information. As for others within Clinton's inner circle, Huma Abedin is also part of this email investigation, as stated in a CNN article titled Clinton emails: What have we learned?: The State Department is furthermore being sued for the emails of top aides, and for the tens of thousands of emails Clinton deemed personal and didn't turn over for review. At a hearing last week in one such lawsuit, U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan said he's considering asking the State Department to subpoena Clinton, and aide Huma Abedin, in an effort to learn more about those emails... Clinton and her aides insist none of the emails she sent or received were marked as classified at the time they were sent, but more than 2,101 have been retroactively classified during the State Department-led pre-release review process. Whether or not the intelligence was classified at the time is irrelevant; there's already proof of born classified intelligence on Clinton's server. Former Obama official Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn believes Hillary Clinton should "drop out" of the race because of the FBI investigation. Imagine a presidential candidate using language so incendiary, so unorthodox for a person seeking such a prestigious office, that it catches the electorate off guard. But instead of repulsing voters, as the "play it safe" establishment assumes it will, it excites them, electrifies them, inspires them to go out and rally for their no-nonsense, plain speaking, tell-it-like-it-is guy. Think I'm talking about Donald Trump? Nope! I'm referring to Theodore Roosevelt. The circumstances surrounding the 1912 presidential campaign eerily offer insight into what's going on now in 2016. It might even tell us who the next President will be. Who knew Teddy was so ahead of his time? Now let's get a few things straight, there are stark differences between the political parties of 1912 and 2016. A Republican then would likely be a Democrat today, and you could argue the same could be said for Democrats. Even the process of nominating a person is different, as the primary system was a rarely used tool back then, leaving most nominees to gain support in backroom deals at the party's convention. With that said, principally there are similarities that could tell us a thing or two about what the hell is going on right now, and where it might lead. Advertisement The Republican Party was split in 1912, with the establishment feeling obliged to support the incredibly unpopular sitting President, William Howard Taft, while others went rogue (sorry Sarah Palin, not sure if you've copyrighted this word yet) and supported former President Roosevelt. The race was nasty, with Roosevelt winning Taft's home state of Ohio by using colorful (wink wink) language to paint Taft as a liar, calling him a "fathead" with "the brains of a guinea pig," -- sound like someone familiar? Eventually Taft became the Republican nominee while Roosevelt ran as a third party candidate, which split the vote in the general election and gave the Presidency to a professor from New Jersey, Democrat Woodrow Wilson. OK, now how does this relate to 2016? Considering that Trump has all but secured the nomination, no matter what Ted Cruz or Marco Rubio say, there are clear comparisons between Roosevelt in 1912 and Trump today. He's a radical, he's using language we've never heard in a presidential election, and he's beating the establishment. But the big boys don't want Trump, even going so far as to indicate they won't support him if he's the nominee. If that's the case, then could a Cruz or Rubio-or maybe a Bush or Kasich, for that matter-mount a conservative third party Independent run? Yes, easily. What about a brokered convention? That could happen too, and if Trump wins the most pledged delegates (as he will), but gets bumped by the party, you better believe he'll run as an Independent. In either case, a third party run or a brokered convention, Republicans are looking at a split base going into the general election. Advertisement There have been third party candidates that have split votes in the past (how you doin Ross Perot and Ralph Nader?!), but none like in 1912. Then, as now, the Republican Party is in turmoil. The roots of this current situation have been taking shape for years, with the growth of the Tea Party juxtaposed against back to back moderate on the down-low Republican nominees in 2008 and 2012. Sure, Democrats are split too, but nothing as catastrophic as on the Republican side. If you have watched any of the Republican debates, you are likely to understand why many have called them a three-ring circus. It seems that the more outrageous Donald Trump has appeared in these debates and personal appearances the more votes he has received in the primaries. With his victories on Super Tuesday, many are panicking that he might be the Republican candidate for President. Why is this happening? Since nothing negative seems to stick to him, many are calling him the Teflon candidate. This reminds those who've noticed, including conservative Newsbusters.org, of the "Teflon President" Ronald Reagan and the "Teflon Governor" Arnold Schwarzenegger. What do these three have in common? Could it be their experience acting and communicating on TV? Starting with his attacks on immigrants from Mexico Even since NBC, Macy's, and a long list of other sponsors fired him in July of 2015 for his comments about immigrants from Mexico, Donald Trump has been like the Energizer Bunny. He keeps going and going. All the while, he insults opponents, brags about himself, and refuses to take the blame for doing anything wrong. To the amazement of many, he continues to lead in polls and win races. In fact, with each insult his lead seems to increase. What's the fascination with Trump? Taken all together, Trump is entertaining. Many can't wait to see what he will say or do next - whether they like him or not. Some like him because he is not "politically correct," but says what he thinks - even if he contradicts himself. To his supporters, that's refreshing when many of his rivals put a different "spin" on their positions every time they speak to a different audience. Thanks to the Apprentice, some believe he is a great businessman. Advertisement The other view of Trump Others view Trump as a modern Wizard of Oz with little substance behind his self-proclaimed image as a winner. Two years ago, New York's Attorney General filed a lawsuit that accused Trump of defrauding students of Trump University - an unlicensed seminar company that does not satisfy the legal requirements of being called a university. One thing is certain. Trump has become a celebrity that likes to be in the spotlight. What is not clear is how much of Trump is real and how much is "reality show" or smoke and mirrors? Successful businessman image Trump has Mark Burnett to thank for his positive business image. Burnett created the Apprentice - a reality show that portrays Trump as a "great businessman." In dramatic Boardroom scenes, Trump decided which contestants to fire and which to save so they can compete to become the apprentice. Even though the show was deemed a success, reviews of Trump by contestants were not always complimentary. What's more, NBC fired Trump in July after incendiary comments about Mexican immigrants and Mexico. Ironically, when the show continues, NBC has replaced Trump with Schwarzenegger. Not his first rodeo The Apprentice was not Trump's first success. Born into a wealthy family, The Donald (as his first wife Ivana branded him) took over the family real estate business. He had some early development success acquiring properties at favorable rates - often using other people's money, improving them, and selling them at a profit. He successfully rode several real estate booms. However, there were busts too. Failures paint another picture His development activities created a mountain of debt that led to a series of business failures and bankruptcies. His marriage to his first wife collapsed because of an extramarital affair with Marla Maples, whom he later married and divorced six years later. He has since married his third wife, Melania Knauss. The suit filed by New York's Attorney General is just one in a string of lawsuits involving Mr. Trump and his companies. Advertisement Credibility Even when proof was provided to refute his allegations about President Obama's citizenship and education record, he questioned the authenticity of the evidence without even examining it. Similarly, the lawsuit filed by the Attorney General of New York does nothing to help Trump's credibility. Based on the reaction of his supporters so far, none of this matters. They seem to have made their mind up, and tune out all of these negatives that would doom other political candidates. Equal opportunity attacker His fans seem to like the fact that he attacks people of all parties and persuasions. In addition to his requisite attacks on Democrats, the Mexican Government, and Muslims, he has attacked conservative talk show hosts, such as Megyn Kelly, Republican war hero John McCain, Republican strategist Karl Rove, the Bushes, other Republican rivals, and even the Pope. Most politicians would suffer greatly for attacking any one of these. Not Trump. Every attack seems to just add another layer of Teflon To the amazement of just about everyone, except those that support and vote for him, Trump is still ahead in the polls and winning elections. Will this continue up until the Republican Convention and beyond? That's anyone's guess, and those that thought he would fold long before are no longer sure. Even as his remaining rivals are ganging up on him after his Super Tuesday victories, nobody can be sure that anything will penetrate his Teflon coating. What is consistent about Trump includes his... Inconsistency Attacks on immigrants (even though we a country of immigrants) Attacks on anyone that attacks him Saying and believing that everyone loves him Slogan Make America Great Again (has America lost its greatness?). How will it turn out? Travel has inspired some of the greatest novels of all time. Here are just some of our favourites. The Great Railway Bazaar by Paul Theroux One of the finest travel writers, Theroux's debut novel, published in 1975, recalls his four-month journey from Europe, through the Middle East and into Asia by train. From the iconic rail lines of India and the famous Trans-Siberian Railway to more obscure routes through Iran and Myanmar, Theroux writes of the places he visits and the people he meets along the way in this travel literature classic. The Shadow of the Sun by Ryszard Kapuscinski Kapuscinski was a foreign correspondent in Africa for close to 30 years. The Shadow of the Sun records the end of colonial rule throughout the continent, from Nigeria to Rwanda. During his time in Africa, Kapuscinski immersed himself in the places he visited, living in slums, wrestling snakes and surviving malaria. A fascinating and unique novel, full of vivid description and astute observations, The Shadow of the Sun offers an insight to various groups of people, cultures and politics around the African continent. The Beach by Alex Garland An iconic travel novel (though Garland describes it as 'anti-traveller in a lot of ways'), its popularity boosted by the film adaptation starring Leonardo DiCaprio, The Beach is responsible for encouraging a boom of backpackers heading to Thailand's beautiful Koh Phi Phi and the surrounding islands. The novel follows a British backpacker who seeks an untouched paradise. Although the story is based in Thailand, a destination which Garland thought more suited the tale of escapism and his characters, the location itself is based on the shores of El Nido in Palawan. Advertisement Homage to Catalonia by George Orwell Published in 1938, Orwell's account of Barcelona during the Spanish Civil War - in which he fought until a bullet through the throat sent him back home to Britain - is unforgettable. His writing is both political and autobiographical, as well as being tragically prophetic: upon reaching England, Orwell wrote that the country seemed to be 'sleeping' through the growing tension in Europe and he feared 'we shall never wake till we are jerked out of it by the roar of bombs'. Notes From a Small Island by Bill Bryson Bryson's travel writing is light-hearted and humorous. This novel centres on Great Britain, as Bryson records his observations - sometimes touching, sometimes unflinchingly disparaging - during a trip around the whole country, which was taken just before the author returned home to the US after over 20 years in Britain. Jupiter's Travels by Ted Simon Simon took four years to cover 45 countries on the back of his Triumph Tiger motorbike. Starting in Africa in 1973, Simon travelled from Tunis to Cape Town before heading over to South America, around Australia, and then up to Asia reaching Europe via India, Afghanistan and the Middle East. The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway A story about American expats in Europe in the wake of World War I, Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises is considered one of his best novels. The scenes he describes throughout Paris and Spain capture the essence of western Europe during the 1920s, from the cafes of Paris to the bullring of Pamplona. Advertisement A Passage to India by E. M. Forster The relationship between India and the British in the early 1910s is expertly depicted in A Passage to India, which explores the friendship between the Indian Dr. Aziz and the British Cyril Fielding. Forster is scathing of colonialism, though, as a modernist work, the novel examines humankind in a wider sense, too. His writing is highly observational, largely based on his own travels throughout the country. In Patagonia by Bruce Chatwin Chatwin's travels through Patagonia are interwoven with legends of the area, historic facts and geographical explanations. The writer recorded his six-month trip around the southern region of Argentina and Chile in an unusual way, breaking the boundaries of what was considered a travelogue. His writing is more of a musing, his words meandering through Patagonia just as the writer himself did. Over the past several years, SXSW Interactive has built up an increasingly-international flavor. Global startups and foreign governments flock to Austin's annual technology extravaganza looking to enter the U.S. market or in the hopes of attracting American entrepreneurs -- or foreign entrepreneurs residing in the States -- to expand (or relocate) abroad. After seeing President Obama's opening SXSW keynote, here are 5 ways to connect with globally-minded startup communities, corporations and government officials beginning March 11 in Austin --- 1. Global SXSW interactive events Advertisement (The Global Innovation Forum has compiled a list of 39 official SXSW Interactive events for 2016 with an international nexus.) 2. Delegation houses In the United States, cities are hosting houses as well, including Washington DC's WeDC installation, which will feature programming of interest to global innovators over 3 days on issues from effective protection of intellectual property to the Politics of Art in the Global Digital Space. Advertisement 3. The SXSW Trade Show The SXSW Trade Show -- also part of the official program but open to film, music and other badge types -- is a nice one-stop-shop for getting to know many of the foreign delegations who descend on Austin. A number of countries have booked an exhibitor's booth during the trade show, including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, La French Tech, Germany, Italy, Spain and Singapore. Amsterdam is manning a Launch Pad into Europe booth will offer international startups one-on-one networking meetings with Dutch corporates. UKTI is bringing a curated set of tech ambassadors to the trade show to rep the British startup industry. 4. The SxGood Hub The SxGood Hub is also part of the official SXSW programming (and, like the trade show, is open to all badges), "designed to unite attendees of SXSW Music, Film, and Interactive who are advancing social innovation." From mapping climate action to USAID's Global Innovation Challenge, the hub will focus on a series of events with global impact. 5. Corporate and nonprofit side events This blog is reposted from the Rockefeller Blogsite on February 25, 2016. Topics: Education and Training, Inclusive Economies, Secure Livelihoods It's no secret that today's young adults are facing the biggest youth unemployment crisis of our time. With nearly six million 16-to-24-year-old Americans out of school and out of work, it's time we get smarter and more innovative about recruitment and hiring for this valuable population. So what does that look like, exactly? With the help of a few innovative solutions providers and tech firms, many companies have started to answer that question by re-imagining what a new age of hiring could look like. In a recent Wall Street Journal article, "The Boss Doesn't Want Your Resume," author Rachel Feintzeig details several companies' "blind-hiring" strategies, whereby recruiters forgo traditional resume submissions in favor of more creative and task-oriented assessments of a candidate's qualifications and interest in the role. For young people who have limited or non-traditional working experience, these types of strategies could fundamentally change the hiring game. Advertisement "Work by Innovate+Educate and others shows that hiring based on competencies, rather than credentials, can have a significant impact..." What's more, these strategies are proving to be good for business. Many bosses are reporting that "blind hiring reveals true talents and results in more diverse hires," whereas traditional hiring practices allow managers to pick hires based on whom they've connected with personally, or who has the shiniest resume and pedigree--factors that fail to accurately predict job performance. As most companies know, the better the hire, the more likely the person is to stay at the company and perform at a high level, reducing costly turnover and repeat training. At The Rockefeller Foundation and Innovate+Educate, we see these alternative forms of assessing talent as a critical component of "impact hiring"--an approach to recruiting, assessing, and supporting younger workers that makes sense for businesses and expands employment opportunities for disadvantaged youth. Work by Innovate+Educate and others shows that hiring based on competencies, rather than credentials, can have a significant impact on core business metrics, like retention, while opening doors for younger workers who might have been screened out using traditional methods. Infographic showing the impact on job placement for eligible youth, based on degree vs. skill For example, in 2013, Innovate+Educate, through its work with the W. K. Kellogg Foundation's New Options Project, conducted a study of unemployed young adults in New Mexico. It showed that while only 1 percent of that population qualified for jobs where the pre-requisite was a college degree, a staggering 33 percent of youth qualified for those same jobs when qualification was assessed by skills instead of credentials. The measurement assessed core foundational work skills such as literacy, mathematics, and the ability to locate information. Not only can competency-based hiring help fill an employer's recruiting pipeline, but evidence shows that employers that adopt a competency-based hiring approach have seen other key business impacts, including: a 25-75 percent reduction in turnover; a 50-70 percent reduction in time to hire; a 70 percent reduction in cost-to-hire; and a 50 percent reduction in time to train, all resulting in decreased cost for employers and more successful job matches for youth. Advertisement In 2016, we are working together to bring alternative assessments and hiring methodologies to more employers. The Rockefeller Foundation and grantee Innovate+Educate, along with the City of Albuquerque Mayor's office have set up 32 skills-centers, including one at a downtown homeless shelter. These skill centers provide free skills training to young adults seeking part-time and full-time employment. Key to the initiative are over 65 employers across the Albuquerque metro area that are hiring based on skills and competencies, providing opportunities for young adults to show their skills and training for employment and social mobility. While these efforts are a great start, competency-based hiring is far from being the norm in employer youth recruitment efforts. We need to ensure that America's youth have an opportunity to be seen for both their skills and traditional credentials, which requires re-imagining what it means to be qualified for a particular job--and more companies that are willing to be "blind" to traditional means of finding the right candidate. Although festival season doesn't ever really seem to end anymore, the month of March certainly marks the first month of the year when the U.S. festivities really take off in a big way. A handful of the year's best music festivals will launch this month, including up-and-comer Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival which will launch for its first year in Sunshine Grove, Florida this weekend, the 28th annual South By Southwest festival in Austin, Texas and EDM-staple, Ultra Music Festival in Miami. Below is a breakdown of ticket pricing, with pricing information provided by ticket aggregator TiqIQ. Okeechobee | March 4-6 | Sunshine Grove, Florida | 3-Day Pass Average Price: $665 | Cheapest 3-Day Pass: $285 Okeechobee Music + Arts Festival will be held this year for the first time in Okeechobee, Florida. The multi-genre festival officially launches on Friday and will extend until Sunday night, featuring headlining acts like Mumford & Sons, Skrillex, Bassnectar, Robert Plant, Fetty Wap and Kendrick Lamar. Okeechobee is breaking new ground as Florida's biggest camping festival and includes various other innovative amenities like swimming areas, stargazing spots and yoga sessions. With just a day to go before the festival begins, tickets for Okeechobee are still available. A 3-day pass is available on the primary market for $279.95, including fees. On the secondary market, passes are averaging $665, with the cheapest priced at $285. Advertisement South By Southwest (SXSW) | March 15-20 | Austin, Texas | 3-Day Pass Price Range: $495-1745 South by Southwest (SXSW) is an annual music, film and interactive media festival and conference held in Austin, Texas. The festival has become renowned as the largest of its kind in the world, and in 2014, the event featured more than 2,000 acts. Although South By Southwest stands apart from other festivals like Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza, the event is still considered one of the biggest festival events of the year. Over the years, SXSW has been the platform for countless new artists and films, and this year's five-day event will feature artists like Thee Oh Sees, Crystal Castles, White Lung, Autre Ne Veut, Nao, Blanck Mass, Mercury Rev, Gwenno and more. President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama are scheduled as keynote speakers, as well as actress Ellen Page. Passes for SXSW vary by day, event and accessibility. The cheapest passes begin at $495, and the most expensive pass (a Platinum Badge) grant attendees access to nearly all of SXSW's events are are priced at $1745. Attendees traveling to Austin for the event can find cheap flight and hotels deals through Hipmunk.com Ultra Music Festival Miami | March 18-20 | Miami, Florida | 3-Day Pass Average Price: $969 | Cheapest 3-Day Pass: $523 EDM fans come together in Miami every March for what is globally considered one of the largest dance events in the world: Ultra Miami. This year's event, held at the Klipsch Amphitheatre at Bayfront Park, will feature a star-studded lineup of the biggest DJ's in the world including Avicii, Kaskade, Pendulum, Steve Angello, Armin van Buuren, Eric Prydz, Richie Hawtin and deadmau5. Unsurprisingly, 3-day passes have sold out entirely on the primary market, forcing last-minute ravers to rely solely on the secondary market. As it stands, tickets to Ultra Music Festival in Miami are averaging $969 on the resale market, but the cheapest 3-day pass can be snagged for $523. With just about a week until Ultra launches, fans are encouraged to buy passes now before they're gone. This post originally appeared on the OECD Insights blog and is co-authored by Johannes Jutting (PARIS21) and Christopher Garroway (UNCTAD). In January, the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland saw members of the global elite extolling the virtues of the so-called "4th industrial revolution". The catch-all term, also known as "Industry 4.0," ties together a wide range of cutting-edge digital technologies - such as 3-D printing, machine intelligence, the internet of things, cloud computing, and big data - into a vision of a future world of work. In this brave new world, smart factories will operate by automation with machines exchanging data seamlessly. The consequences for the work force in both developing and developed countries will be huge. To start with, the hoped-for productivity gains from the 4th industrial revolution will have a global impact on the amount, type and quality of jobs available and on worker competitiveness. Most of the worries expressed so far about the rise of the robots have focused on job losses in developed economies. But there will be consequences, too, for those developing countries that depend for their competitive advantage on low-cost, low-skilled labour. For example, we could see the re-localisation of low-skill jobs (and even many medium-skill jobs) back to developed countries that possess robots. That could turn global value chains on their head, potentially spelling their demise as a development strategy, as mentioned in some of the targets and commitments of the new United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and in the Addis Ababa Action Agenda. Advertisement So how can developing countries confront this possible widening of the digital divide, and its potential threat to their development strategies? One thing they need to do is turn the possibly liberating power of open data and big data to their own advantage. If data are the lifeblood of the robot revolution, then they must also be used to defend and compensate those who might lose out from these disruptive technologies. Open data and big data can be important tools for helping entrepreneurs in developing countries maintain a stake in global value chains. Take the example of business-2-business web marketplaces like China's Alibaba, which connects small- and medium-sized businesses to global markets. The more these businesses in developing countries can get online and engage in e-commerce, the greater chance they will have of following the changing patterns of global value chains. Another promising example is the US data-driven trade-analysis solutions company, Panjiva, which uses machine learning and data visualization tools to mine publicly available customs data. This allows entrepreneurs to identify and source new suppliers and new importers. While today a European importer might be using such tools to find a supplier in Asia, as the 4th industrial revolution kicks in, these tools may soon be connecting entrepreneurs from the developing world to robot factories in Germany, for example. But for this to work in everyone's interest, open data standards and big data analysis skills need to be more widely embraced and prioritized in developing countries. This also means putting in place the right institutions that can allow their use to spread - and empower - citizens. Advertisement Outside factories and boardrooms, the technologies of the 4th industrial revolution can be used to enable a wide range of new services to help guarantee and protect citizen rights. The impact of these technologies is also already being felt through the expansion of public "smart" services: Smart cards and RFID technology, for example, are being used to create unique identification numbers for citizens in many developing countries, not only to improve civil registration, but also to enable financial inclusion and payment of government benefits as countries expand social protection. Agricultural productivity can also be improved: In East Africa, for example, cell-phone services are offering real-time price data to farmers. One of the biggest challenges to embracing these new technologies in developing countries may be that the relevant policies and legal frameworks are in their infancy or non-existent, as UNCTAD's Global Cyberlaw Tracker reveals. Data literacy, official statistical capacity and investment in 4th industrial revolution technologies are particularly low in these countries. Legal standards and frameworks are outdated or non-existent, and individual rights with respect to data collection and privacy almost unheard of. To realize a "digital dividend" from Industry 4.0, the World Bank's recent 2016 World Development Report says countries need to put in place "analogue components". This means providing a level playing field for healthy competition between tech companies; raising the tech skills of all workers; and holding brick-and-mortar government accountable to citizen's online rights. These "analogue components" are at play in the ongoing dispute in India over Facebook's Free Basics service, which rolls out limited online services on mobile phones to underserved markets. Some see it as a promising idea for expanding the digital citizenry, helping improve poor people's skills and use of new technology. However the telecoms regulator in India has just come out against the service because it provides free access only to some websites, rather than to the internet as a whole. By its very nature, technology can be both liberating and disruptive. Attempting to resist it can also be futile or counterproductive. But the promise of the 4th industrial revolution suggests that disruptiveness does not have to mean divisiveness. Open data, big data and smart services, working hand in hand with the right policies, can go a long way to counterbalancing the disruption caused by robots, machine intelligence and the internet of things. Advertisement This World Wildlife Day reminds me how far we have come since the spring of 2013, when the world received a wake-up call to the plight of elephants. That March, three years ago, WCS conservationists Fiona Maisels and Samantha Strindberg along with 60 other scientists published a groundbreaking report that detailed just how dire the poaching crisis in central Africa had gotten. In that study, Drs. Maisels and Strindberg found that 62 percent of forest elephants had vanished over the previous decade. At that rate, they could disappear completely within the next decade. An African elephant in Tanzania. Photo by Cristian Samper WCS What followed was an urgent call for action by the general public and concerned parties, including the conservation community, the U.S. government and other countries around the world. Leaders of seven African elephant range countries came together at the Clinton Global Initiative to call on the world to stop buying ivory. President Obama released a National Strategy to Combat Wildlife Trafficking to better marshal the resources of the federal government in a unified strategy. To send a message that ivory from a dead elephant should not be sold, the U.S. and many other countries conducted crushes or burns of their stockpiles of illegal ivory, including an event in the middle of New York's Times Square. The 96 Elephants campaign is highlighted in Times Square during an ivory crush event in June 2015. Photo by Julie Larsen Maher WCS Advertisement Perhaps most importantly, a movement began to ban or severely restrict any trade in ivory. It is nearly impossible to differentiate legal ivory, which would have been imported prior to a 1989 ban, from illegal ivory. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), under President Obama's direction, proposed a rule revision of Section 4(d) of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), which would prohibit most sales of ivory in interstate or foreign commerce (with exemptions for bona fide antiques and certain manufactured items containing small quantities of ivory). Several states, including New York, New Jersey and California, passed laws banning sales of ivory within their borders. In Washington State, a ballot initiative to ban the sale of ivory and other wildlife products garnered the support of more than 70 percent of the electorate in a ballot initiative. China has also signaled its intention to ending its domestic ivory trade. With support from 96 Elephants, a coalition of more than 200 organizations in 45 states, more than one million messages have been generated from concerned individuals in support of stronger ivory ban legislation. Americans have rallied behind the FWS's proposed 4(d) rule revision which is still under review. WCS's John F. Calvelli leads a panel discussion on the proposed 4(d) rule revision on ivory in the U.S. House of Representatives in February 2016. Photo by Chip Weiskotten WCS Advertisement That brings us to today, World Wildlife Day 2016. The rule is not yet final, and opposition to its implementation has become more determined. Despite the fact that the proposed rule makes exceptions for small amounts of ivory that would have exempted almost all ivory-handled guns, the National Rifle Association continues to publicly criticize the proposed rule. To this day, opponents continue attempts to rob the proposed ivory ban of its teeth. A toxic "policy rider" added to last fall's FY2016 Interior Appropriations bill, which would have prevented the rule from going into effect, nearly passed in Congress. The "Sportsman's Bill" passed the U.S. House of Representatives last week and contains the same language that would doom the proposed ivory ban. This World Wildlife Day, let us recommit our energies to saving Africa's elephants. Each day that passes signifies another 96 elephants lost. Let's not mark this moment by allowing misinformation to win the day. I hope that in the not too distant future the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the rest of the Obama Administration, will have fully implemented the proposed strong ban on ivory trade. We have a responsibility to tell our friends in government that we are engaged, we care, and we are here to help make sure there is a future for elephants. What better day to do that than World Wildlife Day? Pope Francis addresses the crowd during his weekly general audience at St Peter's square on March 2, 2016 at the Vatican. / AFP / VINCENZO PINTO (Photo credit should read VINCENZO PINTO/AFP/Getty Images) On his recent trip to Latin America, Pope Francis met with Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill for the first time since the schism between their two religions in the 11th century. Onlookers saw the meeting as a sign that two major faith groups had put aside differences that were out of date. But the leaders didn't leave behind all obsolete ideas. "Secularized societies" are "a grave threat to religious freedom," said their joint declaration. Their declaration sadly misrepresents the true meaning of secularism. The pope and the patriarch must have forgotten the religious conflicts that caught up the Russian church, and Catholicism in the rest of Europe, before the idea of pluralism took hold. In a secular society, no one religion or religious belief is in any way oppressed. By the same token, true religious freedom does not favor one religion over another. Secularism does not threaten religion; it lets religion thrive. People of all faiths and no faith flourish under secularism, because all citizens can believe and practice as they see fit, and expect others to do the same. You cannot have freedom of religion without freedom from religion -- it is a two-sided coin. Nowhere is this more evident than the way these faith leaders treat women's rights. Advertisement Tragically, these two religious figures display a serious blind spot when it comes to the rights of women. In particular, their statement ignores the necessity for women to be able to make decisions about their reproductive health according to their own conscience, as the majority of Russian Orthodox and Catholic women do. In Russia, 69 percent of the population is Russian Orthodox, and more than half of sexually active women have had an abortion. Similarly, a global survey of Catholics found that 66 percent believed that abortion should be permitted in some or all circumstances. That's because true religious freedom and reproductive freedom don't stand in opposition, no matter what the hierarchies in Rome or Russia might say. If only the two leaders would have used a model like the Catholic church's 1966 Declaration on Religious Freedom as their example of religious freedom. It advocates for a society in which "all men are to be immune from coercion ... in such wise that no one is to be forced to act in a manner contrary to his own beliefs...." The declaration also says that "the common good, is never violated, whether openly or covertly, for religious reasons. Nor is there to be discrimination among citizens." That's secularism. It's the life-giving idea that even though you do not share language, culture or creed with your neighbor, you share a common humanity. Religious leaders have the right to express their opinion, but the right to decide about one's own life choices rests with individuals. The state should not be party to coercive practices that seek to elevate one person's theological view or personal opinion above the rights of each person. Advertisement Secularism is not a threat to Europe or anywhere else. The pope and the patriarch's joint declaration is a prime example of the dangers of religious leaders advocating their own opinions over and above individuals' right to follow their own conscience. It is past time when religious leaders need to ask themselves what serious and devastating effects on social justice will occur if their worldview is imposed upon others. The world over, we have seen that encoding a restrictive view into law has devastating effects on the poor, who cannot overcome barriers to healthcare like the rich. It's poor women who suffer. It's poor women who die without access to services. ANDOVER, MN- MARCH 1: Republican presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) speaks to a crowd of supporters Courtyards of Andover Event Center in Andover, MN. Rubio is hoping to win Minnesota in the Super Tuesday primary election. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) Super Tuesday was nothing but a big disappointment for Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and the pressure is now on for him to get out of the race for the White House in order to make it possible for the only viable alternative to Donald Trump -- Sen. Ted Cruz -- to possibly have a chance. I'm attending the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, DC this week, and the announcement of Dr. Ben Carson getting out of the race was followed with sighs of relief. However, those sighs were almost immediately replaced with the question, how do we get Rubio out of this race? Even by people who would normally support him. This is the political landscape that the pundits observe about Super Tuesday: Marco Rubio has only won one state -- Minnesota -- which is a state that is very Democrat and will not be a factor in November for Republicans. Advertisement Many notice that some of the states Trump won -- including Massachusetts and Vermont -- will not be in play for the GOP in 2016. Of the eight states left, Cruz won 3 of them. It is mathematically very likely he would have won Arkansas, Georgia, Tennessee, and Virginia, if Rubio had not been in the race (the theory is, Rubio voters are not likely to go to Trump, which is a very reasonable proposition based on their style and substance). That leaves Alabama, Massachusetts, and Vermont being the only states Trump would have likely received, even with Rubio out, based on conventional wisdom. There are paths that can lead to a Ted Cruz victory. It is highly likely the votes Carson got would have gravitated towards Cruz (based on platform and constituencies, and in spite of recent "bad blood" between the two). However, unless Rubio gets out it is nothing but an uphill battle for Cruz and the GOP. The situation is so dire that even Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), one of Cruz's biggest nemeses in the Senate is talking about it being time for Rubio to get out. Advertisement For Rubio, getting out would be extremely difficult. Before reaching the age of 30, Rubio began a career in politics (one of the reasons he has not gathered much traction among skeptical "Tea Party" type voters). He welded considerable power as the Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives and developed a reputation as a deal maker, which is not a very good background for an "outsider" this political season. He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2010 and is up for reelection in 2016. In light of his announcements of hating the job and his terrible performance record of not even showing up, he does not have much of a chance if he decided to pursue reelection. The best hope of a political future for Rubio is to pursue the governor's office, which is up for reelection in 2018. The current governor, Republican Rick Scott, will not be allowed to run due to term limits. The only other option would be if a Republican won the White House and Rubio enjoyed an appointment. That scenario is shrinking as a Trump nomination becomes increasingly likely. The decision not to get out, however, would be catastrophic for the young senator. Virtually every ideological group in the GOP camp believe the Trump candidacy has the potential of making the GOP a permanent minority party. Rarely has one seen the hard right wing supporters of Cruz and the establishment wing that would gravitate to Rubio in more agreement on anything. Some believe that a Trump candidacy would lead to an obituary for the Republican Party. The only candidate outside of Trump that has gathered any traction at all is Ted Cruz. If Rubio does not make a path for the Senator from Texas to stop Trump, his career could be as devastated as the GOP brand will likely be with Trump receiving the nomination. The millennial, a term made popular around the world in recent history has not found much favor in the Caribbean until now. Jamaica's recent general election ousting the ruling People's National Party for the Jamaica Labour Party, a defeat that came as a surprise to most, reflects a global phenomenon which we have seen in many other countries over the last five years. Arrogant and complacent incumbents removed from power by an even more powerful, but seemingly quiet force, a frustrated and disenfranchised millennial population. This powerful group have quickly toppled long-standing dictatorships and forced legislative changes in instances where this was seen as otherwise impossible. We witnessed this power with the Arab Spring, the independently organized uprisings that spread across the Arab World in 2011 affecting Egypt, Libya, Syria and others. The story always repeats itself, the regime never sees it coming, but any social media savvy individual paying attention for the last three weeks was by no means totally shocked by the outcome of our election. We can't accurately predict an election, but what is for sure is that the old world methodologies of polling in Jamaica must be thrown out the door along with many other traditional political strategies. Advertisement Companies and governments around the world are spending billions to try and understand the next generation; a group that has been armed with more access to information and more channels of communication than ever before. Millennials are hyper connected and highly influential as they are able to amplify their views, multiply networks and galvanize groups around a cause, quickly and efficiently. The PNP's decision to rally around lambasting Andrew Holness' house, tarnish his wife's family name and the decision not to debate struck a last nerve with a millennial population that is tired of petty politics and a lack of respect for democracy, with no focus on the issues affecting their lives. They are globally exposed even if just from the internet and television, as such they are well aware that a better Jamaica is possible and yearn to see growth and development in our nation. The lack of dialogue around the future of Jamaica and a refusal to discuss this in any public forum turned the election upside down. Millennials are enamored with seeing the triumph of the underdog. They don't appreciate what they would have considered as political bullying prompted by a superiority complex. On the flip side the JLP successfully ignored the attacks and played the role of the 'bigger man' in this election. They executed a successful social media strategy strikingly similar to Obama's approach eight years ago. Andrew Holness was very visible on every platform including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; you couldn't escape his message. His approach was personal, attentive and humanizing, giving the impression that he and his party were listening to the voices of the people, an important character trait for millennials. We can rest assured that this high impact strategy was likely significantly less capital intensive than the PNP's use of traditional media including radio and television ads. The JLP would be wise to ensure continued visibility and a listening ear through social media channels as a metric for success during their term if they wish to be in power beyond 5 years. Advertisement For years many have been calling for greater involvement from young people in politics, but with no suggestions of meaningful change this message has always been met with apathy. Involvement from millennials is unlikely to be seen in the traditional physical realm. They are an unlikely sight at political rallies and they are not tribal followers of either of our political parties. They would hate to be casted as either green or orange and align more with an independent stance choosing their side based on who they think has a plan and a vision for a more positive Jamaica. Up until the announcement of the election neither party sat in this seat and millennials prepared to sit this one out, until the antics of the PNP met up on seemingly more positive visuals for a prosperous Jamaica from the JLP. This gave young people the differentiator they had long been searching for. This audience is willing to change their vote at the very last minute if material arises to sufficiently sway their judgement. The emergence of this hyper connected generation will see a reduction in blind loyalty to any single party and political pundits should remain aware of this - just as quickly as they voted in the JLP they will vote them out if they feel they are not holding up their side of the bargain. They demand transparency and accountability from their leadership, the Government works in the best interest of its people and not the other way around. This is nothing new however; we have just have not documented the real power of social media in Jamaica. The atm tax introduced in 2014 had to be retracted due to the loud refusal by the social media population. The 5 billion dollar MOU associated with the proposed logistics hub project was quickly quieted by social media voices due to a lack of transparency as deemed by self-certified investigators who quickly rose to uncover the truth and used the medium to amplify their findings. Social media also provided a platform to rewind to these and other blunders casting the PNP as less competent. Big media is no longer the only source of credible information in the digital age, but kudos must be given to our Jamaican newspapers for their efforts to publicize the views of the digital population and appropriate their own digital strategy in the coverage of the election. Unfortunately many political powerhouses on both sides have for many years publicly dismissed these views as those of the so-called 'articulate minority,' a very out of touch stance. The view that social media is largely unproductive is now outdated and a minority position. I have never understood Jamaica's gravitation towards the idea of an articulate minority, with our affinity towards academic achievement and thousands of university graduates per year, there are more than enough educated people out there to swing an election. One can also appreciate that the increased popularity of the internet and cable television have dramatically transformed the way we receive information and with low barriers to access our electorate is now evolving. We must now revisit our definitions for education and intellect. Advertisement This election sends a strong message with many lessons to be learned by all including the private sector, the PNP and the JLP. Millennials have been longing for their voices to be heard and they are armed with a device that has proven unstoppable the world over. They have the ability to publish their views to a massive audience with limited obstacles to entry beyond a solid message, which in no time can become viral. The Internet is the world's great equalizer and has become the ultimate decision maker and the new voice of democracy. Over the course of this presidential election cycle there has been much ado about economic justice, income inequality and the disappearance of the middle class. No one has argued these realities more forcefully than the candidates on both extremities of our political spectrum. The far right espouses a traditional populist thread of xenophobic nationalism and the far left is railing against the 1% with a familiar theme of - workers of America unite. Both portend a singular focus on helping those left behind and seemingly cut out of the "American Dream." Both political vectors ascribe blame squarely to the elites and the "haves." Both point their fingers at the other America. Both also have very stark contrasts in: to whom their respective messages appeal and motivate, and in so called solutions to the problem of the failure of the nation's political class to meet the expectations of "the American People." There are true believers who subscribe to either extremity and there are those who find value in associating themselves with the core messages of either extremity. Both have perched themselves upon the take America back soapbox. The difference lies in who you believe, "we," must take America back from; the 1%, the billionaire class, liberal elites, the liberal media, minorities, illegals, corporate America or government dependents who require government programs to survive; whether they be the Iowa corn farmer, the Appalachian family living in a trailer or the senior raising her grandchildren in public housing. One has a hyper-nationalist populist message that resonates with a shrinking demographic and the other has a revolutionary themed populist message. At either end of the spectrum, what is noticeably absent is the racial redress component to their respective messages. There are a myriad of dangers that are inherent in continuing in the hallucination of a post-racial America or in the supremacy of the class analysis, but more importantly and perhaps, more subtly, is the hypocrisy of challenging America's economic status quo by expunging America of her racist economic foundation. We would not, as a nation be entertaining a debate about how to arrest America's economic and social decline from the world's preeminent hyper power, were it not for the Transatlantic Slave Trade (operative word being trade) and the institution of Chattel Slavery throughout the Americas. Advertisement How can we engage in robust debate about ending income inequality, wage theft and poverty without understanding and acknowledging our economic history and the seemingly immortal legacy that slavery has left for us to grapple with? There has been no greater example of income inequality, wage theft and worker exploitation than that of slavery. For hundreds of years, millions of people were forced to provide the most productive, innovative, and accountable labor in the history of western civilization for free. Government sanctioned slavery meant that the hundreds of years, of millions of people laboring for free acted as a core driver of economic growth and GNP/GDP expansion. While we don't typically think of slavery in terms of GDP it was the presence of the free labor pool and its maintenance over the course of hundreds of years that propelled America to the global economic fore. The first enslaved Africans were brought to America, to what became Jamestown, Virginia in 1619 by Dutch settlers to aide in developing their agrarian industry. Slavery did not end until the end of the Civil War in 1865. Some 246 years after the firsts Africans were forcibly brought to America. After slavery came Jim Crow Segregation, which was another socio-economic system, which codified the ethos of Black spiritual, physiological, psychological, social, political and economic inferiority to whites. This period of the segregation-based southern economy lasted 87 years, from the Tilden-Hayes Compromise, which ended of the period of Reconstruction, in 1877, until the 1954 Supreme Court decision in Brown v. The Board of Ed of Topeka, Kansas, which reversed the Plessy v. Ferguson Supreme Court decision (1896) establishing the constitutional principle of "separate but equal." Many believe, that the legal and economic system of segregation lasted well beyond Brown v. Board; many say until this day, especially in education and criminal justice. With the displacement of Jim Crow as the southern social order, America transitioned to an era of criminalization of poverty and its tangents, ultimately maturing into slavery's grandson; Mass Incarceration. Similar to slavery and Jim Crow, Mass Incarceration is not just a social order; it is an economic order, mechanism and system, which, like its predecessors, codifies the creation of a cheap labor pool. Advertisement As poverty in this country is born disproportionately by blacks so goes the criminalization of poverty. There are disproportionally more Blacks living in poverty than any other group, save for perhaps Native Americans. Consequently, there are disproportionately more Blacks who are criminalized as a result of poverty. Mass incarceration is a function of the criminalization of poverty and the war on drugs, which again, disproportionately destroys black individuals, families and communities. But if not for the "slavery loophole" in the 13th Amendment: "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction," the conversation would be for naught. Here is how a race absent economic analysis falls short: There currently exists today, in America, in 2016, a population of roughly 2,000,000+ people subject to legal slavery and involuntary servitude. As of 2009 a full 60% of that 2,000,000 are Black. That's approximately 1.2 million Blacks currently, constitutionally subject to slavery and involuntary servitude. This figure does not include the millions of other Blacks who are subject to one form of judicial or law enforcement supervision, or another; like parole. Many argue, that today's prisons cannot be equated to the institution of Chattel Slavery. In many respects that is true, but for our purposes, the fundamental point is that since the beginning of the European sojourn in the "new world," roughly 400 years, Africans and their descendants have been legally and forcibly relegated to economic and social servitude of one form or another, with the expressed intention of undergirding America's economy. That's 400 years of a racially rigged economy in one form or another, to one degree or another. Couple the statistical reality of Black America's relationship to the Criminal Justice System, with the movement towards privatization of prisons and what we have is the transfer of the current "slave" or population of "involuntary servants" from state custody to corporate custody. Now corporations can legally and directly profiteer due to the existence of a Black dominated free to low cost labor force. The debate over income inequality, poverty and living wages starts with Black folks and in many respects ends with Black folks. We are an economic bellwether precisely because of our unique history and current reality as America's free to cheap labor force. Not until Blacks are equal in opportunity and proportionally in outcomes we will have failed to reach that racial homeostasis that the post-racial thinkers, wrongfully, believe we have today. Likewise it becomes the Achilles heal of the class-based analysis and its proponents. Image: European Commission Vera Jourova is the current European Union's Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality. She was previously the Czech Minister for Regional Development. In 2006, Jourova was accused of accepting a bribe to secure EU funding for a building project. She spent 33 days in pretrial detention. In 2008, her name was cleared and the police finally admitted the accusations were groundless and the bribery never happened. Since 2012, Jourova has been a member of the ANO political party, and since 2013, she has been the ANO's deputy leader. She was elected as a Member of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament in October 2013, and became Minister for Regional Development in January 2014. In October 2014, Jourova was appointed as the European Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality. She is the first Czech woman - to hold an EU commissioner post. Advertisement Jourova is strongly committed to advancing equal opportunities for men and women in the EU. Despite the progress achieved on many aspects of gender equality, many inequalities remain. In an interview with Lan Anh Vu, Jourova discussed her career, obstacles she has overcome, and the progress of gender equality in the EU. As told to Lan Anh Vu Why I Pursued a Career in Politics I think that people are divided into two groups: those who are good at working for themselves and those who have an internal aspect that makes them work more for others. I think I belong to the second group. I have a deep sense of duty to work for the good of others. I started working in politics when I was young, first at the civic cultural centre, which was somewhere between politics and NGOs. For me, it was a very strong motivator because this was where people went to concerts or carried out activities with children; they were happy and gained rich experiences. There were quick and positive reactions and people were pleased, which I could see immediately. Challenges In the early 2000s, I headed the region's development department. In 2003, I moved to Prague and soon became the deputy minister for regional development, which focused on EU matters and attempted to help the country absorb more EU funding. I then left the ministry for regional development in 2006. Advertisement In 2006, I was accused of accepting a bribe to secure EU subsidies for a building project. I had to spend more than a month in custody. Once I was released I struggled to find work in the Czech Republic, so I decided to establish a company and became an international consultant on European Union funding. I mainly worked abroad in places like Romania, Belarus, Moldova, Latvia and Serbia. This was one of the most difficult periods in both my personal and professional life. It was a horrible offense. I did not get money from anyone; it was so much against my nature and the principles that my father taught me. I was falsely and unlawfully accused and held in pretrial detention for a month. So I decided to fight. The first thing you have to do is not feel sorry for yourself because this makes you weak. I was upset, and this gave me strength. Thankfully, I was fully exonerated by the courts in every respect. As a result of this experience, I decided to study law because I wanted to know how the law should work. This was a big blow in my life, but it was the starting point for a new career because I became a lawyer. This experience gives me a unique insight into the significance of the rule of law in criminal proceedings. When you have been through this experience, you start to understand what it means to be confronted with clear injustice. That is why I am so passionate about the freedom of individuals and liberty, which I consider to be of the highest value that should be promoted and defended. Lessons Learned I've learned not to give up. I achieve results by gradually convincing people and never shouting. I treat people with respect, the way I want to be treated, and see it as my role to empower them to achieve. Advertisement EU and Gender Equality I am proud to say Europe is a good address for women: More women than ever are obtaining an education, and more women than ever are participating in the labour market. Today, European women are represented and active in all spheres of life. But still, inequalities persist. We need effective instruments in order to challenge the under representation of women in positions of power, be it in companies, the economy or politics. We need to break the glass ceiling. We have to use all the instruments available, legislative if possible, to impact the permanent pressure of campaigning. We work closely with NGOs that actively promote gender equality. Despite the progress achieved, a majority of Member States are blocking progress on the draft Women on Board's Directive aimed at ensuring that at least 40% of non-executive directors on listed company boards are women. The main objection from blocking Member States is that boardroom gender diversity should be regulated at national, not EU level. Across the EU, we have fewer women in decision-making positions. In 2015, women accounted for just 21% of board members of the largest publicly listed companies registered in the EU countries. I therefore think it is proper to adopt the Women on Boards's Directive to improve gender balance in decision-making positions. Gender equality is not an option, it is not a luxury, it is an imperative and it is a competitive advantage. That is why Europe needs strong rules to tackle the gender imbalance in company boardrooms. My Advice for Young Women My advice for young women, first and foremost, is that they need to be self-confident, proactive and believe in themselves. They should decide what to study and choose the right subjects to give them opportunities in the labour market, as I see a big gap in technology. I think that it is important that women grab the opportunities that are there. They must be assertive and not be afraid to talk and to engage, because this world belongs to them just as much as it belongs to men. Advertisement This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity. Donald Trump's big victories on Tuesday night were no surprise. And as he continues to dominate the Republican field, it scares me more and more that we could wake up on November 9th with a President-Elect Donald Trump. His diatribes against women, immigrants, Muslims, you name it, should have no place in American politics. Yet here we are, days after Super Tuesday, with Donald Trump as the clear Republican presidential frontrunner. If there's any silver lining to Trump's dangerous extremism - and the rest of the Republican presidential candidates following him down the rabbit hole - I hope it's that it will energize us to get more involved in the political process, whether that means talking more to our disengaged friends about the importance of voting, or registering to vote for the first time. Advertisement Because the truth is, elections do matter. We have a choice between candidates (Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders) who have hired DREAMers as key, valued strategists, and candidates (everyone remaining on the Republican side) who support deporting DREAMers. Just the other day Marco Rubio said he'd end DACA, the program that protects people who were brought to the United States as children (DREAMers), on Day One if he became president. In the last Republican debate, Donald Trump and Ted Cruz argued over the details of mass deportation. We have a choice between candidates (Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders) who have made college affordability a key part of their platforms, and a candidate (Trump) who created a fraudulent "university" that didn't even offer degrees; or another candidate (Marco Rubio) who stood up for the Corinthian Colleges, a for-profit entity that closed, leaving thousands of students in debt. And here's the kicker - Corinthian Colleges shut down just after the Department of Education "fined the company $30 million for falsifying job-placement rates." We have a choice between candidates who, during their Super Tuesday speeches, advocated for criminal justice reform (Bernie Sanders) or condemned the toxic water situation in Flint (Hillary Clinton), and a candidate (Donald Trump) who won't immediately, unequivocally renounce support from a former KKK grand wizard. The difference between the Republican and Democratic candidates in the 2016 presidential primary election couldn't be more profound. Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are putting forward a vision of America that embraces immigrants, protects the environment, and promotes equal opportunity for all students. That's a vision that I know I support, and that the vast majority of the young people I know support as well. Meanwhile, the Republican candidates are literally bickering over who has bigger hands, and when and how many millions of people integral to the fabric of our nation should be deported. Advertisement Male Javan banded pitta by Doug Janson via Wikimedia Pittas are a birdwatcher's prize. Called "jewels of the forest" for their glorious plumage, these shy, secretive birds are almost impossible to spot in the wild. But head to Indonesia's massive wild bird markets, and they're a common sight, according to a new report by TRAFFIC and Birdtour Asia. That's despite a law banning hunting and trade of all pitta species. Researchers found 81 pittas in seven of the eight markets they visited in Java in July 2014 and in June 2015. The Javan banded pitta, which has yellow and blackish-blue barring on its chest and a striking black mask around its eyes, was seen most often. But they also encountered several other trafficked species, including one Malayan banded pitta, normally found only in Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia, and Thailand. How well or badly pittas are doing in the wild is unknown, although they're not thought to be abundant anywhere. Since pittas are so hard to find, the fact that they're seen often in bird markets demonstrates a hard truth: When it comes to birds, no species is safe. Advertisement From TRAFFIC's Southeast Asia office in Malaysia, Chris Shepherd, the co-author of the report, discusses how what's happening to birds in Southeast Asia is one of the greatest conservation crises ever and what should be done about it in Indonesia in particular. Why look into Indonesia's pet bird trade? The cage bird trade in Indonesia is massive. It's almost unbelievable. While a relatively small number of species are captive bred, millions of birds are captured from the wild for the trade each year. Its impact is terrifying. Many species really are on the doorstep of extinction, with some species of songbirds numbering fewer than 50 individuals left. In 2015 TRAFFIC, Wildlife Reserves Singapore, and others came together in Singapore at the first Asian Song Bird Trade Crisis Summit, to determine which birds are in trouble and to prioritize species of concern and actions. Unfortunately, for many species, we simply don't know yet, and, sadly, for some it may be too late before we really do know what the situation is. The bird trade in Southeast Asia is one of the greatest conservation crises ever, and a multitude of species will vanish if something isn't done now. Advertisement Why focus on pittas? It's extremely important to look out for the species that no one else is looking at. Many bird species are in trouble, and we usually find out about it only when it's a crisis. That's why we're doing studies of Indonesia's large markets and trying to get a full inventory of species traded. It's highlighting the scale of the trade and also the fact that it's illegal. Shockingly, we're finding tens of thousands of birds in single days. Among these are many species and species groups that have not been studied before, like the pittas. Pittas are a brilliantly colored group of ground-dwelling birds found in rain forests. Southeast Asia is home to the bulk of pitta species, and Indonesia has many found nowhere else. They're a big draw and could bring in dollars from foreign birdwatchers, which in turn could help local communities and encourage protection of wild bird life. What should happen next? Indonesia has fairly good and strong laws when it comes to the protection of native species. Unfortunately, the enforcement of these laws is often lacking--especially when it comes to the poaching and trade in low-profile species like birds. The pitta trade is yet one more example of how open and blatant the illegal trade is. As a group of species, pittas are easy to recognize. Their brilliant colors jump out of the cages at you. Enforcement officials could easily recognize these species and take action against the sellers. We're calling on the Indonesian government to shut down these illegal bird markets. The strong laws already in hand need to be put into play. Advertisement There's no one like your own child but three-year-olds often have a lot in common in the way they express their new found autonomy and desire to stand up for themselves. Three-year-olds love to explore all their senses, focus, build language, and have exciting conversations about their personal experiences. They move with great ease, run, climb and perform large-muscle tasks as well as demonstrate fine motor coordination. Mostly, they are just so much fun to have a round. A Day in the Life of a Three-Year-Old Spending the day with a three-year-old in New York City is a day that requires a lot of energy and focus! Vic is a pint size charmer who speaks up to everyone. On the train into the City a warm stranger in the seat across from him said, "What's your name?" Jumping out of his seat and standing up making a little fist in the air, he declared, "My name is Vic. But today it is SUPERMAN!" I had to remind him over and over to hold my hand and stay by my side at all times. Walking through crowds and racing into the subway, I had terrible fears of him being snatched up by a stranger. When on the subway, he was determined to show me that he didn't have to sit on a seat but could balance holding onto the pole. I learned very quickly telling him to sit down was senseless, so I just stood up with him at the pole and told him what a great subway rider he was. Advertisement Showing Self-Confidence and Feeling Proud In the Museum of Natural History, we went to the live butterfly exhibit. He listened intently as the exhibit leader gave him instructions on how to behave with the butterflies. He pointed and gasped as they flew all around him. Then he directed me to look in a large netted cage where he announced there was a giant moth. I have no idea how he knew that it was a moth, not a butterfly. But he was right and very proud of himself. He knew how to stand up for what he believed was correct. For a second, I thought I lost him as he ran over to a large butterfly that turned a bright blue when it opened its wings. But there he was a few feet away from me showing the museum leader what he just found. Once again, he stood right up for his discovery. Lively Dinner Conversation Later at dinner, little Vic seemed to put the icing on the cake of the day when after ordering his favorite pasta meal, he looked around at everyone and pointed to me and said, "You are my best friend." I write with chills to think so much love could come from that beautiful little body. So little, so precious,but such a belief in himself and his knowledge. It's a wonder to see such confidence in a three-year-old. Photo of Columbia alumna Lee-En Chung, P.E., NASA Spacewalk Flight Controller and Lead Trainer Allison Bolinger and Columbia Professor Mike Massimino (former US astronaut) at Columbia Engineeering's Extreme Engineering on February 18, 2016. Welcome back to earth, Scott Kelly! As I wave the American flag with one hand and clang my cowbell in my right hand, I cheer on astronaut Scott Kelly for a happy and healthy return back to earth... US astronaut Scott Kelly has spent 340 days in space and witnessed almost 11,000 sunsets. He is setting a record by spending a whopping 520 days in space! I used to dream of becoming an astronaut - I attended Columbia University in the heart of New York City and studied civil engineering. Sure, I should have majored in mechanical or aeronautical engineering, but there is a height requirement for NASA astronauts: you have to be 4'-11" - I reach an altitude of 4'-10" rounded... Advertisement Thanks to Dean Mary C. Boyce of the Columbia Engineering School, Columbia Engineering has launched "Extreme Engineering" in 2016, featuring phenomenal speakers to get students inspired about engineering. Columbia Engineering students and alumni were invited to a 3-day NASA-related symposium, hosted by the illustrious former US astronaut Mike Massimino (BS degree from Columbia and PhD from MIT) who educates students about the world of space in the Mechanical Engineering department of Columbia Engineering in The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science. There is even a new Columbia Space Initiative on campus! I registered for the Extreme Engineering event on February 18, 2016, along with many Columbia Engineering undergraduate students. The venue was Davis Auditorium in the Schapiro Center for Engineering and Physical Science Research (on campus known as "Schapiro CEPSR"). Ironically, I used to serve on the Columbia Engineering board of managers (perhaps two decades ago) and was on the committee to help name the newly constructed 198-seat lecture hall "Davis Auditorium" back then... On the evening of February 18, Professor Mike Massimino introduced his NASA colleague Allison Bolinger, who wowed us with her presentation "From Swimming Pools to Vacuum Chambers: How We Teach Astronauts to Spacewalk." All the students were captivated, from the picturesque slides to her show-and-tell of space tools used in the spacewalks. Allison Bolinger is a NASA spacewalk flight controller and lead trainer. I consider her the earpiece for all the US astronauts, during their NASA training in Houston at the NASA Johnson Space Center prior to the astronauts' journey into space. Advertisement While explaining her tasks and responsibilities, Allison shared some photos of spacewalks and herself at NASA: Then she described the intensity of how astronauts train in the massive swimming pool at the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory - the pool contains 6.2 million gallons of water! The breathtaking video about Allison Bolinger by Design Squad Nation (featured on PBS) encapsulates how Ms. Allison preps astronauts to work in and out of the International Space Station. We also learned that Ms. Allison graduated from Purdue with a degree in aerospace engineering - how awesome! Soon the audience geeked out - including me - about all the NASA acronyms, such as ISS (International Space Station), EVA (Extravehicular Activities) and LCVG (sounds like a luxury designer brand, but the letters stand for "Liquid Cooling and Ventilation Garment" which circulates water to cool down the astronaut's body). Advertisement The wide-eyed Columbia Engineering students appreciated Ms. Bolinger's demonstration of real tools used in space. Of course, I was wondering how she got those wicked space tools thru TSA... Ms. Bolinger informed us that once the astronauts are assigned to an ISS mission, they train approximately 22 months in order to learn what it takes to operate in the International Space Station, from the Neutral Buoyancy Lab... and the Virtual Reality Lab... to the vacuum chamber... I walked away from Ms. Bolinger's incredibly informative presentation with knowledge about the safety tether stretching 85' long; the speed limit of an astronaut is 1.2 feet per second (during a spacewalk). Furthermore, in 2013, water accumulated inside the helmet of Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano during his spacewalk, which could have been disastrous. Okay, I am no rocket scientist, but I wish I were... What makes a divisive, tough talking, reality star the Messiah for many Republicans? Fear. Donald Trump is the Republican frontrunner. And recent polls show him with a 49 percent approval rating among the Republican voters nationwide. That number is astounding. Especially considering The Donald's rhetoric, proposals and lies. Here are just a few (and there are many!): On the topic of immigration, Trump not only shows his disdain for undocumented immigrants in general, but for Mexicans in particular. He wants to deport all undocumented immigrants. He wants to build a wall with Mexico and have Mexico pay for it. And of course, he feels the Latinos here from Mexico are drug dealers, rapists and murderers. When it comes to African Americans, he claims not to know about David Duke, refuses to disavow Duke's support or disavow the Klu Klux Klan. Advertisement And at a recent VSU rally, a group of black students were ejected by Trump's security team. This is a man who questioned the birth place of the first African American President and who tweeted false stats about blacks killing whites. But he saves the majority of his hatred for Muslims. He has stated that all Mosques in the U.S. must be closed. He proposes a ban on all Muslims coming to the United States. He has spoken of Muslims registering with a governmental data base or having to obtain and carry I.D. cards, as well as searches of Mosques without warrants and surveillance placed upon Muslim Americans. And although certainly not all Muslims are terrorists, nor are all terrorists Muslim, Trump proposed to take out any terrorist's entire family, a point which made me shudder thinking about the 6-month-old the San Bernardino terrorists left behind. And at an event in Iowa, he mocked a man wearing a turban, holding a sign ironically stating "Stop Hate." Advertisement Although Trump did not propose internment camps for American Muslims, he said he might have supported the idea when FDR did just that to Japanese Americans during World War II. Now some analysts will tell you that the reason a man who is anti-minority and so seemingly filled with hate is so popular is due to the dissatisfaction with our current administration, or with the economy, and they're angry. Others will say it's the composite of the majority of the Trump supporters. Most are uneducated, most are white and most are male. Wait, what's that? Most are white and most are male?? Ah yes, folks. That IS the reason. Most are white, and most are male. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2014, over 50 percent of children under 5 were minorities. That means, by the year 2054, whites will no longer be the majority here in the United States. And that scares the living daylights out of those currently white majority males who see their power and their majority position in this country slipping away in the next 29 years. It makes them fearful. It also makes them vulnerable to the buy the bundle of racist goods that Donald Trump is selling. Think about it. The white majority feels their jobs, security and basic way of life are threatened. If all the undocumented (brown people) are deported, all Muslims (more brown people) are prevented from coming in and the rights of the Muslims here (even more brown people) are taken away, then perhaps, eventually they'll leave too. And what would happen? Those petrified white males would once again be in the majority. Advertisement They need someone to blame for their slipping status. So why not the undocumented immigrant? The Hispanics? The African Americans and of course, the Muslims? Donald Trump's not just popular because he is a celebrity, a rich businessman and a reality show star; it's because he is truly the Great White Hope for the dying majority. As we prepare to celebrate "International Women's Day" on March 8th, which celebrates the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women around the world, while calling attention to the areas that still requires further actions. It is in the spirit of celebrating women that I like to recognize the efforts of Denise Mobolaji Ajayi-Williams, the next generation of social influencer, and an iconic woman on the RISE. Denise Mobolaji Ajayi-Williams is a recipient of several distinguished awards including a US Congressional Award for Outstanding Contributions, a US Senatorial Award for Outstanding Community Leadership, named "Global Women Champion" by the Global Connections for Women Foundation (an award-winning charity organization that has also honored President Joyce Banda, Wendy Diamond, Intel, Simon Venture Group and others), and she also caught the attention of Forbes Africa's Top 30 Under 30. Denise Mobolaji Ajayi-Williams is a Wife, Mother, Author, Animal Rights Advocate, and the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of WorkingMomin20s.com (WM 1920s Magazine). WM is described as a place where women go to gather motivation, embrace the feminist's agenda, draw inspiration, connect with relevant cultural matters, and a forum to reflect on social, political and economic topics that impact their daily lives. "Our goal at workingmomsin20s.com is to try to redefine the word 'feminist' as millennials." "We pursue topics that are relevant in scope, which we focus on enriching our community with topic such as the equal rights of women, black lives matters, and addressing the misconception of the African culture, to name a few," said Denise Mobolaji Ajayi-Williams. Advertisement Q1: What Makes WM is so Memorable for Millennials and Women alike? Denise: What makes workingmomin20s.com so memorable is because it is a true reflection of my life and other women alike - where we are exploring our path as a mom-entrepreneur, while balancing the demands of family life, individuality, and societal expectations. Workingmomin20s (WM) is also the first site to redefine what it means to be a "feminist" as a millennial woman in the 21st century. We also place a great deal of value in women maintaining their femininity and ladylike demeanor. We give women the voice to speak up on the social, political and economic topics that impact people from a diverse communities. We have writers from various parts of the world including the Egypt, Europe, Ghana, Pakistan and all across the United States. Collectively, our content reaches and engages over 1 Million people worldwide. "Our platform has also allowed minority women to become renowned journalist" said Hayden Williams III, husband to Denise and the co-founder of Workingmomsin20s.com. WM 1920s Magazine has also caught the attention and won the partnerships/sponsorships of brands including Coca Cola, Safeway, Albertson, Susan G. Komen Foundation, Maybelline, Kettle Brand, Rocksbox Style Insider, and more recently, Bold.Gobal. Beyond her WM 1920s Magazine legacy, Denise Mobolaji Ajayi-Williams is also the bestselling author of "Akiti The Hunter" -- which has sold thousands of copies worldwide. Akiti the Hunter is part of a five-part children's book series that chronicles the adventures of an action hero based on African folklore. The book came to fruition particularly because Denise Mobolaji Ajayi-Williams wanted to give her child and other children of African descent a story of a hero that resembles a champion from their own community. The book, however, has also won the hearts of children from multiple ethnic backgrounds. Advertisement The book scored the author recognition from Harvard University Coop, and had several Sold Out in-store story time events throughout Barnes & Nobles Stores (in the US). Additionally, Akiti The Hunter has been featured on multiple occasions including Black Enterprise, The Huffington Post, Opportunity Lives, Oakland Post, and a featured author at the 2015 NAACP Author Pavilion. The book, Akiti the Hunter as peaked as Top Selling Children's Book in the United States on multiple occasions, which is no surprise why the book is being considered as a cartoon pilot for notable TV stations including PBS, Cartoon Network, and Disney. Purchase Akiti the Hunter in digital or hardcover at Barnes & Nobles. Follow WM 1920s Magazine via: www.Workingmomin20s.com www.facebook.com/Workingmomin20s www.twitter.com/Workingmomin20s www.instagram.com/Workingmomin20s Shop WM Apparel on www.Workingmomin20s.com/shop One of the reasons that companies reach out to Exubrancy is to help reduce turnover. I'm candid with them -- best-in-class office wellness programming is not a golden ticket to a turnover-free organization. And, even if it were, that might not necessarily be a good thing. The schools of thought on turnover follow two main themes: either turnover is crazy expensive, or it clears house in the cheapest, least litigiously exposed way possible. In reality, these ideas about team building aren't mutually exclusive. But the kernel of both are actually the same. Having the right people who fit your company culture, both through natural chemistry and building on what's already there, is an extremely important part of scaling any organization. Advertisement The Center of American Progress claims that employees who are compensated between $30,000 and $50,000 a year cost almost a fifth of their salary to replace. While it's nice to know just how much money a business will lose in turnover, there's of course the additional challenge of finding the right replacement and teaching them everything the last employee knew. This is why you see companies like Google and Facebook offer out-of-the-box perks for their employees. Re-training a new engineer on code an old engineer wrote that may not have coherent comments is a lot more costly than making chair massages available to the team. In the tech world, where demand for top notch developers is high and competition is fierce, providing unique benefits is one way companies keep their talent. When an employee leaves, there are a lot of things to consider in replacing them. Lost knowledge is a harsh inevitability, but if the employee is client-facing, you also have to reckon with lost relationships. In sales and consulting environments, building trust between clients and those providing a service is something that can only happen with time. And in that time, there may be lost revenue from more hesitant buying or budget commitment. Not to mention, while searching for replacements, the rest of the team will have to take over the exiting employee's work, stretching resources thin. This can lead to its own problems as an overworked staff rarely feels good about going to work, which can reduce productivity and sour your office culture. Reducing turnover is best achieved through a rigorous hiring process and building a company culture where workers feel their contributions are worthwhile. However, conflicting messaging through perks and expectations of productivity can lead to dissatisfied employees. While a beer keg is nice for an employee to have on a Friday afternoon, it doesn't really balance things out if he or she feels forced to work until 10:00 PM each night and can't even think about taking advantage of "unlimited" vacation. That said, offering certain types of perks to employees can help shape company culture, especially when perks are linked to the overall ethos of a company. Where REI and Burton encourage their employees to get outdoors, Airbnb gives its employees a stipend to go travel. While it seems like a little thing, giving thought to just what kind of unique benefits you want to give your employees can make all the difference when developing unique company culture. Here's how three top companies are solving the problems of building a strong company culture to help attract and retain the right people. Advertisement Netflix Netflix CEO Reed Hasting's famously takes 6 weeks of vacation every year. And he's trying to encourage his employees to do the same. According to Hastings, we do our best thinking outside of the office. This liberal leave policy extended even further to new parents who were given unlimited parental leave last year. One reason employees leave their jobs is because they're not ready to return to work after having a child. A liberal parental leave policy allows companies to hold onto top talent, even if they're not working in the immediate. A little more expectedly, Netflix also has a 200-person on-site theater for employees to watch upcoming Netflix productions. Spotify The music streaming company has been making sound waves in the music industry since they first launched 8 years ago in Stockholm. In that time, they launched in the United States in 2011 and reach over 50 other countries today. And just like their huge impact on the music industry itself, they make sure their office is impacted by music at all times. Aside from the startup standards (fancy snacks, recreation areas, and amazing workspaces), Spotify offers some cultural perks that are clearly for music-lovers and musicians. Around once or twice a month, the New York office hosts big name musicians to perform for its employees. These then turn into the "Spotify Sessions" their users can listen to on Spotify. On top of bringing in top musical talent, Spotify also hires the musically inclined. It's not uncommon to see employees plug into an amp and start strumming away while other engineers code on. According to Fast Company, many of the company's employees are musicians on their own time as well. This kind of focus on keeping company culture jamming out makes Spotify a great place for people who love music. Zappos The online shoe retailer probably goes to the greatest lengths of all companies I've seen to ensure that their employees are happy. The consumer-facing Zappos brand is built around exceptional customer experience and service, but that ethos truly stems from how the company treats their own team. In the words of CEO Tony Hsieh, "Our number one priority is company culture. Our whole belief is that if you get the culture right, most of the other stuff like delivering great customer service or building a long-term enduring brand will just happen naturally on its own." Zappos actually pays employees to quit if they started their job and realized its not for them. By encouraging workers who don't want to be there to leave in the most amicable way possible, Zappos ensures that they have employees committed to the long haul. Zappos also offers an array of health and wellness benefits to employees who don't take the mini-severance package and stick with the company. They offer workers perks like onsite health screenings and wellness programs to keep them fit. Zappos' dedication to its employees very much reflects its dedication to its customers. By looking after its workers, Zappos signals just how much conscientious care can affect a business both internally and externally. Advertisement At the height of London Fashion Week, 2016, and in its celebration, RAW EDGE staged its second fashion event. Launched by Tom Clulee and Dom Capel in September 2015, the not-for-profit event, supported by Sebastian Professional, was initiated to showcase graduate and emerging talent from all areas of the creative, media and fashion industries. Its aim, simply, is to support and promote professional talent in what its founders are calling the ideal stepping stone between collaborators and industry professionals who are willing to encourage and work with emerging talent. Advertisement One of those to exhibit at the event was fashion designer Leanne Clulee, showcasing her 'Fifty Centimetre Rule' collection. This undertaking follows Clulee's ongoing examination of fashion's role and responsibility in helping to achieve a more sustainable society, when a sea of over-production and waste is dominating the market and damaging the environment. Ultimately, she endeavours, with her niche products that deviate from current fashion practices, to reawaken us to the value of fabric, form and fit. Tara Tarapetian was another of the designers exhibiting at the event with her no . man . ic is transient. collection. Advertisement She draws her inspiration from J.D. Salinger's The Catcher In The Rye. And in centring on Holden Caulfield - the rebellious 'anti-hero' who resents and rejects the adult world - Tarapetian's garments confront the notion of global exploration and embracing one's nomadic self, instead of just accepting the norm. She's done this by developing an urban camouflage of subtle tones to reinforce undulating geometric surface patterns with 3D structures, which are accompanied by natural, luxurious fabrics, and ethically cultivated Amazonian Pirarucu fish leather. The overall impression of the event from its contributors and attendees alike is that Tom Clulee and Dom Capel are exposing emerging talent during London Fashion Week in a way that's previously been inaccessible to such aspiring industry professionals. In what is now being recognised as the guerrilla platform amid LFW, the pair will continue in their journey to bridge the gap between the fringes and the frontline. And what's absolutely certain is that RAW EDGE is gaining unstoppable momentum. Watch this space for live RAW EDGE highlights, and live interviews from the founders and collaborators. Advertisement It's an intriguing question that continues to baffle those whose countries don't have ministries controlling how information and media work, and a fair number of Lebanese who find such institutions and their heads relics from a bygone age. A cursory examination of credentials reveals that few, if any, information/media ministers in Lebanon have had any experience in the media. Late information minister Ghassan Tueni (center) hosting Iraqi journalists in 2005 (Abu-Fadil) Since 1949, the title has swung from minister of news, to minister of guidance and news - the guidance bit is shorthand for restrictive measures - and minister of information/media. Advertisement Those who've had the requisite background were mostly in print, one was a broadcaster, and none had ventured into cyberspace. Fewer than a handful have worked in the field covering real stories, have dealt with newsrooms, have juggled priorities between editorial and commercial, have used social media to engage with audiences, have worked in/with digital multimedia, and have given serious thought to safety of journalists. Many kept harping on the need for media ethics, but their interpretations of it were dated, skewed to fit political and sectarian considerations, or both. The only really outstanding figure in the ministerial lineup was Ghassan Tueni, the late publisher and editor-in-chief of the daily Annahar, who was an unwavering advocate of press freedom. Advertisement Screen shot of Lebanese Information Minister Ramzi Jreij He remained a true journalist amid stints as a member of parliament, cabinet posts, and as Lebanon's representative to the United Nations during the country's 1975-90 civil war. The current minister, Ramzi Jreij, is a 75-year-old lawyer and former professor of law. His cadenced speech during news briefings and interactions with the media is deliberate - a perfect trait for an attorney. Enough said. Tarek Mitri, a former minister of information and of culture, was a university professor, author, and UN official who returned to academia to head a think tank. His intellectual background influenced his dealing with media issues. Former information minister Tarek Mitri (Abu-Fadil) Ghazi Aridi, a current member of parliament and former minister held the post twice, and told me the first time in it he would, and should, be the last person to occupy a cabinet seat meant for a ministry that was irrelevant. Aridi, who filled the position again, had established and headed the now defunct "Voice of the Mountain" radio station associated with Lebanon's Progressive Socialist Party to which he belongs. Advertisement The position of information minister hasn't been deleted from the books. Former information minister Ghazi Aridi (Abu-Fadil) Michel Samaha, who served three separate terms in the post, was jailed and is currently being tried on charges of aiding and abetting terrorists who attempted to assassinate religious and political figures in Lebanon. In an earlier incarnation he represented the right wing, pro-West Phalangist Party at St. Joseph University's student union before doing an about-face and allying himself with the Syrian regime. Former information minister Michel Samaha (Abu-Fadil) Walid Al Daouk, a lawyer and businessman closely tied to a former prime minister, asked Lebanese media to exercise self-censorship to promote stability in a highly sectarian and politicized country despite his government's claims of protecting freedom of expression. That was while much-needed press law reforms languished, and continue to collect dust, in parliament years after being proposed. Former information minister Walid Al Daouk (Abu-Fadil) Anwar El Khalil, a former minister and veteran member of parliament, is another businessman. In Lebanon, it's not considered conflict of interest to double-dip by serving in government and maintaining an active corporate presence. Advertisement Former information minister Anwar El Khalil (Abu-Fadil) That's just a sampling of the men who've held this cabinet post. No women have ever been tapped for it. As for their jurisdiction, they're technically in charge of a government bureaucracy that is an umbrella for the official National News Agency as well as state-run Tele-Liban and Radio Liban. The agency provides a steady stream of official and other news and a review of local media. The under-funded TV and radio stations have a hard time competing with commercial and partisan organizations that proliferated during the civil war, owned and operated mainly by politicians and ex-militia leaders - sometimes one and the same. The ministry oversees the National Audio-Visual Media Council, a rubber-stamping body of appointed and elected members who supposedly regulate the industry and go after violators, and, stands guard over the country's antiquated media laws. The ministry also acts as godfather to the country's press syndicates, two bodies that are stuck in a time warp and don't really represent the vast majority of the country's media workers. Advertisement Ministers, meanwhile, are often seen at ribbon-cutting events and receptions, attending cabinet meetings, reading minutes of cabinet meetings to the media, and answering questions when possible. They also go to regular gatherings of Arab media ministers, a group of officials under the aegis of the League of Arab States - Arab League for short - and make various pronouncements that rarely translate into memorable actions. Screen shot of Arab Broadcast Charter A few years ago the League tried to bamboozle member states into approving a broadcast charter to muzzle satellite TV channels that had ruffled some governments' feathers, but Qatar, home to the controversial Aljazeera, abstained, and Lebanon refused to sign. More on that, and other League activities, in a separate blogpost. Back to square one. Everyday technology can EXPLODE IN YOUR FACE, apparently. Turns out it's nothing new. This post originally appeared on Map Happy. Lithium-ion batteries are found in everything from smartphones and laptops to hoverboards and electronic cigarettes. Yes, there is a risk that these power sources can short-circuit, overheat and either melt or explode--though it's unlikely and rare. Meaning, some airlines are even banning them. Airlines responded quickly to hoverboards by outright banning them from all passenger luggage. Begging the question: what exactly are airline policies on lithium-ion batteries? Thankfully it's still cool for passengers to bring them onboard in the U.S. Go ahead, that's an extra 37% for charging through FB. Rest assured that our phones are safe for the time being. Other products, however, may not be so fortunate. Here's a handy chart provided by the Federal Aviation Administration: Advertisement However, it may not be so cool in China, where airlines are getting stricter and stricter about this. The rule of thumb here is that the portable battery must show the amperage in order to pass on a flight. Spare batteries and e-cigs must be in carry-on luggage only for Lufthansa flights, and Air France allows a maximum of two spare batteries per passenger. Overall, it seems like most major international airlines have similar rules regarding lithium-ion batteries, though it is advisable to check specifics before flying. Most explosions are attributed to shoddy, unregulated construction of cheap products. This is partly why our fancy smartphones aren't all exploding at once--though it can happen under extreme conditions--but it seems like hoverboards have been blowing up left and right. For those wondering about the fate of our e-cigs, Congress recently passed a proposal to ban use on airplanes--though they can still be carried-on. Advertisement Sam Wright Fairbanks is an editorial fellow at Map Happy. Read More : Nighttime view of the White House, Washington D.C. I feel as if it is my civic duty to speak out against Donald Trump. Many in recent days have done the same, as the Trump political machine marches forward on a street paved with fear and racism. He is poised to be the Republican nominee. In these recent bipartisan refutations and denunciations, very much the opposite of what Mr. Trump did with the former Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, particular attention has been paid to Mr. Trump's temperament, especially his proclivity to lie. As an American studying International Relations abroad, I feel as if there has been a lack of attention paid to the potential foreign policy fiascos that could occur as a direct result of Mr. Trump's fumbling and feigned knowledge in the foreign policy realm. This opinion piece would like to briefly address some of these potential shortcomings focusing on Europe, Iran, and China. Advertisement Even though Mr. Trump has some European heritage (#makedonalddrumpfagain), it is unlikely that he will, despite his inevitable protestations, be a big hit in Europe. Increasingly fragile transatlantic relations have strained the Europe-American security apparatus in recent years. In this year's Munich Security Conference, the preeminent security conference on the European continent, America was notably absent from the discourse. Mr. Trump's isolationist tendencies will diminish American leadership in Europe and in NATO. His racism and prejudice, especially against Muslims, threatens to further derail transatlantic cooperation, particularly as Europe deals with its own rising right. As the situation in Syria and with ISIS continues, strong cooperation and partnership between America and Europe represents a necessity. Europe and the United States need to remain united in dealing with Russia, Iran, and the Assad regime in Syria in order to broker a proper ceasefire based upon principles of justice, liberty and democracy. A united transatlantic coalition fighting ISIS, now in Libya as well, remains unlikely in the case of a Trump presidency. In Iran, Mr. Trump threatens not only the progress made by the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, but also threatens the progress that Iranian moderates made in the most recent elections. A more moderate Iran could be a force for stability in the region; however, a posturing U.S. will likely play into the more conservative Iranian elements and reverse the current shift towards the reformist and moderate faction, which secured control of all 30 precincts in Tehran in elections held just a few days ago. Iran still has big problems, but the most recent developments seem like real, yet fragile progress. Mr. Trump, much like a bull in a china shop, could bluster and threaten our way out of progress in the quicksand MENA region, not into it. Advertisement Speaking of China, Mr. Trump's tough talk and inconsistent "facts" threaten the integration of China into the current Western built world order of the IMF, World Bank, and WTO. The U.S. should support further integration of China into these organizations, lauding recent actions by the IMF to add the Renminbi into the list of reserve currencies. The risk is that, should integration fail, China will set up rival institutions, as seen with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, China's version of the World Bank formally opened this past January. Again, Mr. Trump and his bombastic rhetoric will likely push China to developing rival organizations that threaten U.S. interests. Such developments would further strain Sino-American relations, and jeopardize the U.S.'s strategic position in Asia. I have a Gustav Klimt magnet of "Adele Bloch" on my refrigerator and "The Three Ages of Woman" poster stored away somewhere in my garage. A friend of mine in college had Klimt's "The Kiss" postcard hanging over her bed. Indeed Klimt comes in many shapes and sizes--more especially postcards, magnets, bags and t-shirts, tea towels, cups and posters. Klimt once said that "art is a line around your thoughts." I love that quote. He might well have said art is a line around politics or can be--especially since it can help us understand politicians like Donald Trump. And no, for the record I don't have any posters of Donald Trump hanging over my bed or magnets on my fridge. When we think mass appeal we think Gustav Klimt, not Donald Trump. What then do several famous gold-inflected paintings of Gustav Klimt and Donald Trump have in common when it comes to mass appeal, and how do they differ? Advertisement Is all that glitters ever truly gold? Klimt was born in Austria in 1862. Unlike Trump thrice married, he never married; never painted a single self-portrait; and never claimed to be changing or revolutionizing art in any way, to make it great again--in fact he lived quite a solitary public life. (His private life which is well known he kept very private.) It is ironic that much of his so-called erotic-for-its-time and criticized artwork was stolen and divided up amongst the several top Nazis, including Hitler and Hermann Goring. His "Adele Bloch -Bauer I", a gold painting was eventually purchased by Ronald S. Lauder for the Neue Gallery for 135 million--coincidentally the highest sum ever paid for a painting by any artist. I'm sure the Donald meanwhile has some better paintings. Klimt is my favorite painter. What I admire most about Gustav Klimt is his ability to turn his suffering into beauty and strength - to become a better person, to inspire others through his art. He knew suffering firsthand. As a child, Klimt lived at more than five different addresses, where his parents were always looking for cheaper housing. His father was a gold engraver. In addition to financial hardship as a kid, his family experienced tragedy and loss. In 1874, Klimt's younger sister, Anna, died at the age of five from illness. Not long after, his sister Klara suffered a mental breakdown. Klimt was twelve years old at the time. By the end of 1892, at age 30, he suffered the sudden devastating loss of his father and brother, which would change his life and art forever. Advertisement The loss of his father and brother profoundly affected Klimt--and his work. As a result, the pace of his work slowed down and he also began questioning the conventions of academic painting, which would lead to some remarkable paintings we all love and appreciate. All of his struggles and losses made Klimt a more compassionate man, a more empathetic soul. This shows in his art. With paintings like "The Tree of Life" he asks larger questions of humanity, forces us to be bigger than ourselves, to think outside of ourselves and to others. In sharp contrast to this, when it comes to Trump and humanity we have a different story to tell. Could Trump ever truly understand suffering as most Americans do living below the poverty line? Or how about a strangled middle-class America suffering silently and struggling to keep its head above water? Trump inherited much money from his father. Donald Trump is not the average person, never was and as Atticus Finch states, "You never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them." I think Trump finds it difficult to stand in anyone else's shoes since he's so focused on his own--unless of course it's major hate groups related to the Ku Klux Klan the day before Super Tuesday where the entire clan, their hillbilly cousins, and their cousin's cousins will get to vote. This past Sunday I listened to Trump speak before a 30,000 person crowd in Alabama. Trump rallied the crowd up nicely in anger--preying upon people's fears. The entertainer in him did not disappoint a crowd who came to see their so-called gladiator. "Is this now what you want?" I had to turn him off after four minutes. His rhetoric regarding Marco Rubio, his mocking tone, his negativity, his rousing the crowd in hate told me all I needed to know: this man is a piper, an entertainer playing his tune and leading a mass of oblivious and uninformed folks all the way to his supposed nomination in Cleveland (which by the way I still believe will not happen). Klimt meanwhile in complete contrast silently understood how art, poetry and music have the power to make people truly happy and inspire--and that's how he inspired. He was also compassionate and kind to the poor. If I have learned anything from Klimt it's that we must lift others up at all times, not beat them when they are down; we must remain positive, inspire them, love them, and love ourselves - and never attack each other with messages of hate. We must leave our own egos aside. I understand this might be difficult for Donald Trump who enjoys pouring gasoline on people's fears. He hates criticism but like every bully thoroughly enjoys bullying others. Advertisement Donald Trump also believes in inciting hate and fear. He believes in telling lies and falsehoods, cheating Americans into believing he is somehow doing any of this solely for their good. And this makes him a weak man. And where Gustav Klimt felt called to battle the sickness, greed and unhappiness in the world through his paintings, Trump chooses a different route. Trump's soul, identity and his machinations are on display in the canvas he currently paints--or will paint, if given a chance. In short, there are no excuses for supporting racism. Why would Donald Trump pretend to be so uninformed, so ignorant of American history that he refuses to pass judgment on the Ku Klux Klan? As Joe Scarborough asks in his op-ed piece in The Washington Post, "what kind of facts could possibly mitigate a century of sins committed by a violent hate group whose racist crimes terrorized Americans and placed a shameful blot on this nation's history?" Indeed Joe Scarborough questions, "Is this what Germany looked like in 1933?" and "Is this how the party of Abraham Lincoln dies?" Scarborough raises the question we are all asking? How and why do we let this happen? And speaking of Germany in the 1930s, we return to Klimt and his gold. In the essay, "Gustav Klimt: What's The Secret to his Mass Appeal?" we discover: "There's a sense of freedom about Klimt's work," and "an uplifting quality that people relate to." Apparently Klimt is golden, as is his work because everyone can relate to him. What conclusions can we draw about Trump's popularity from this? In truth, if an uplifting quality reminds me of any GOP presidential candidate that would be John Kasich, and not Trump. Is there some freedom about Trump, some uplifting quality that people relate to? If yes, I don't see it. Advertisement The answer to this question of mass appeal for both Klimt and Donald Trump is simply that people like gold--literally and figuratively. Indeed, Dr. Alfred Weidinger, vice director of the Belvedere Museum in Vienna, which holds the world's biggest collection of Klimt paintings believes Klimt's appeal is truly global and golden. If you haven't seen The Woman in Gold, a 2015 movie starring Ryan Reynolds and Helen Mirren, I urge you to do so where the Belvedere Museum is featured--as is the title painting, The Woman in Gold, Austria's Mona Lisa, as she was called. It's really a true story about lies, misperception, stolen identities--and gold. In addition, from an NPR segment: "'Immortalized As 'The Woman In Gold,' How A Young Jew Became A Secular Icon'" we learn that 'Klimt titled the portrait simply Adele Bloch-Bauer, but when the Nazis seized the painting and displayed it in the early 1940s, they removed her name and called her "The Woman in Gold" instead. "They took away her identity," Stagg says. Without a Jewish name, the work became appropriate to show in Hitler's Third Reich. "So it is a betrayal on the grandest scale." And speaking of betrayal, Donald Trump is no man of gold. But recently he has projected himself in public as so--or his followers have. According to John Oliver and his segment, "John Oliver Finally Goes in on Donald Trump," Oliver informs us that Trump's followers who they interviewed believe him to be "a man of gold," that he is "independent," "not beholden to anyone," and that "he tells it like it is." And an intriguing article in Vanity Fair entitled "Why Donald Trump Will Always be a Short-Fingered Vulgarian," Graydon Carter informs us the difference between Klimt and Trump comes down to how they handle their gold. The fact that Trump uses a golden Sharpie to correct people about "the actual size of his hands," sends pictures and circles the photograph of his hands in gold, is as John Oliver states, " something that gives the passing appearance of wealth but is just a cheap tool." Advertisement Finally, Carter tells us, "Most people who own private jets include their initials as part of the tail number. Not Trump. On his campaign jet, a Boeing 757, his name runs from the cockpit to the wings--in gold letters,10 feet high." Think also of the Trump Towers signs in gold that hang from his buildings. Again, Klimt never painted himself even once let alone paint his name in gold 10-feet high. Instead, he painted others painstakingly in gold leaf, which made him one of the most revered painters of all time. And while Klimt is painting every detail of these beautiful golden dresses he ironically pays no attention to his own attire--every day he wears the same brown worn-out smock and sandals. "There is nothing that special to see when looking at me." He was a humble man. In conclusion, all that glitters is not gold. Donald Trump is no Klimt or Klimt painting. As the history of the painting "Adele Bloch" stolen from a Jewish woman and renamed really tells a true story about lies, misperception, stolen identity and gold, Donald Trump tells similar lies. You cannot seek to fashion an idol, a golden calf in the form of some God. The Israelites learned that. They sacrificed to the golden calf, bowed before it, ate, drank; they even enjoyed themselves in song and dance. Women-owned businesses employ millions of American workers in communities all over the U.S. But when it comes to receiving federal contracts and capital, women are still under-represented. That's according to a recent study commissioned by the U.S. Small Business Administration. More and more, women-owned small businesses (WOSBs) are at the heart of our nation's greatest technological advances, moving the world forward in cybersecurity, clean energy, human capital, and many other industries. That's why I'm so pleased to report that, at long last, the federal government is breaking the mold for government contracting. Just in time for Women's History Month. Advertisement Last fiscal year the federal government set a new record for the highest percentage of contracting dollars awarded to women-owned small businesses in the history of the United States. 17.8 billion dollars, or 5.05 percent of all eligible contracting, was injected into the U.S. economy through women-owned small business contracts, supporting tens of thousands of jobs right here at home. To put things in perspective, this is the first time contracting for women-owned small businesses has ever been above five percent, a goal set by Congress more than two decades ago. One of the greatest champions in this effort has been President Obama, who has made support for women-owned small businesses a priority during his administration. When the President took office in early 2009, the economy was in freefall. He quickly put a spotlight on small business support as one of the best ways to kick-start economic renewal. Two months later he created the first-ever White House Council on Women and Girls. Under the leadership of Valerie Jarrett and with the support of countless others in the Administration, this Council has worked to build ladders of opportunity for women ready to take the lead, including as small business owners and entrepreneurs. Meeting this longstanding contracting goal means five percent is no longer our ceiling but our foundation upon which to build. Last December, the Census Bureau reported that women's business ownership rates are also up 27 percent over five years. Women currently employ eight million American workers and their businesses generate nearly 1.4 trillion dollars in receipts. Today we are working to expand on these strides through SBA's path-breaking ChallengeHER and InnovateHER initiatives. Advertisement These historic contracting results for women-owned small businesses show that our efforts have paid off in communities and local economies across our nation. And SBA continues to push forward, using our report findings to add 36 new industry categories where women can compete for set-aside contracts and sole-source awards. This will dramatically expand contracting opportunities for women-owned businesses, paving the way for new jobs and industries to be created. Small businesses are some of the most agile, pioneering, and cost-effective partners for the federal government. Today, more women are taking the lead at these businesses and delivering valuable goods and services to the American people. By contracting with these small businesses, the federal government acts as a catalyst for growth and innovation for all small businesses while supporting our overall economic security and competitiveness. Bringing thousands more women-owned small businesses more fully into the federal supply chain is not an act of government benevolence. It's an economic imperative. And one of the greatest roles we can play to support these small employers is to open the doors for more of them to earn more of America's business. COLUMBUS, OH: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a rally held at Signature Flight Hangar in Columbus, Ohio on Tuesday, March 1, 2016. (Maddie McGarvey for The Washington Post via Getty Images) For a few balmy months in the summer of 2015, the U.S. presidential election was beginning to look like a contest that would lead either to the second coming of President Clinton or to a third President Bush. While the then-front-runners were favored by donors and the party establishment, the prospect of a dynastic clash had unsettling undertones: With the exception of Obama's two consecutive terms, the United States has been led by either a Bush or a Clinton since 1989. Many of their key appointees at the departments of state and defense and within the inner circle of the White House have dominated Washington politics even longer, and have circulated through high government posts since the Nixon administration of the early 1970s. Beltway elites persisted through the periodic swings of the electoral pendulum. Advertisement Hence the queasiness: The prospect of prolonged dynasties seems hard to square with the ideal of a democracy "of the people, by the people and for the people." It brings to mind the warning words of Alexis de Tocqueville, who had counseled in 1835 against the gradual diminution of the electorate into "a flock of timid and industrious animals, of which the government is the shepherd." But as historians like Lawrence Goodwyn have argued, this dynastic tendency is no anomaly. American politics has long been dominated by an elite that has successfully insulated itself against the whims and tides of public opinion. During the first American presidential election in 1789, seven of the 13 original colonies did not even allow a popular vote but simply appointed delegates to the Electoral College. Political parties did not yet exist. Indeed, the founding fathers were distrustful enough of organized parties that they expunged any mention of them from the draft of the Constitution. When parties first entered the American political landscape in 1796, they served as lobbying groups for the presidential bids of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, not as vehicles of mass expression. "Representative democracy" originated and blossomed in the United States as the representation of the interests and dispositions of a rather small sliver of the American population. "I feed you all!" lithograph by American Oleograph Co., Milwaukee, ca. 1875. (Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division) Since those early days, political participation has often remained a minority phenomenon: After peaking in the 19th century, voter turnout rates have hovered around 55 percent for presidential elections at around 40 percent for midterm elections for much of the 20th century. Party affiliation is at an all-time low. The expansion of the franchise and the introduction of the primary system have changed the ostensible procedures of democracy, but have retained the influence of party elites in the form of super delegates and through control of the allocation of campaign funds. Elite politics -- prominently derided by Walt Whitman as the "never-ending audacity of elected persons" -- is a feature of the American political system, not a bug. Voters seem to have tolerated this system with a slightly disgruntled shrug: Congressional approval rates are notoriously low, and have stayed well under 40 percent for many of the last 40 years. Almost as persistent as elite democracy is the debate over its merits. In 1911, the German sociologist Robert Michels posited what has become known as the "iron law of oligarchy." Michels argued that concentrations of power and elite dominance are inevitable features of mass organizations like political parties. As the size and complexity of an organization increase, power becomes concentrated within a core group of leaders. But instead of acting as "servants of the masses," these bureaucratic and political elites establish monopolies of information, and dominate over the apathetic rank-and-file. Several decades later, the Austrian economist Joseph Schumpeter had an even more dire view of politics: The typical citizen drops down to a lower level of mental performance as soon as he enters the political field. He argues and analyzes in a way which he would readily recognize as infantile within the field of his real interests. He becomes a primitive again. For Schumpeter, the significance of elite politics was found not in its inevitability but in its necessity: Only through the considered judgment of elites could the "unintelligent and irresponsible" proclivities of the masses be contained. Schumpeter had witnessed the dark and anti-Semitic underbelly of mass fervor in Austria and Germany in the 1920s and 1930s, and had come to embrace rule by an enlightened elite as the best guarantor of political and economic liberalism. In the United States, his concerns were echoed by the likes of Walter Lippmann, who dismissed public opinion as the consequence of emotional infatuation and stereotypes, and argued that complex decisions and calculations were best left to a trained professional elite. The world of mass politics was to remain separated from the world of governance. The tragedy of democracy, Lippmann argued, was the pretense of popular participation: By positing a direct and intimate link between people and politicians, it misconstrued how the system worked in practice. Advertisement Only in the 1950s did the tide begin to shift. Building on the work of American progressives like John Dewey -- who had famously declared that "democracy and the one, ultimate, ethical ideal of humanity are to my mind synonymous" -- C. Wright Mills rose to public and intellectual prominence by deriding the presence of a "power elite" in American politics. By turning politics from a matter of public engagement into a practice of rational administration, Mills argued that this elite had not only begun to wield unprecedented power but had also corrupted the basic operations of democracy in America. The significance of elite politics was found not in its inevitability but in its necessity. Only against this background of elite democracy is it possible to disentangle the meaning and significance of the specter that is haunting the current primary season: the specter of populism that has seemingly buoyed the candidacies of Donald Trump, Ted Cruz and Bernie Sanders -- three men who don't usually trod the same ground or find themselves fighting from the same corner. Daniele Albertazzi and Duncan McDonnell, two authorities of the topic, define populism as an ideology that "pits a virtuous and homogeneous people against a set of elites and dangerous 'others.'" This is a useful starting point, for it highlights a crucial aspect of populist politics: They proceed through the drawing of boundaries, the building of alliances and the kindling of the imagination, and thus constitute a political project rather than an individualistic reaction to injustice or destitution. Populism gathers steam when discontent becomes the spark of political mobilization, when individual grievances are revealed as shared frustrations and when the dispersed energies of the street are cajoled and channeled into collective action. History's most fervent populists were usually not the Tom Joads of this world, who hunkered down, trekked westward, and worked themselves into early and dusty graves when life threw drought and famine upon them. Populism, like other social movements, gathers steam when discontent becomes the spark of political mobilization, when individual grievances are revealed as shared frustrations, and when the dispersed energies of the street are cajoled and channeled into collective action. That's one reason why populist movements, despite their anti-elitist tones, sometimes cohere behind strong and charismatic leaders. The populist strength is not of a military or financial kind, but is instead rooted in the combination of plentiful bodies and powerful rhetoric. We know all this because populism, like elite politics, has a long history in the United States. One of the country's most significant -- and most understudied -- political mass mobilizations occurred in the 1880s and 1890s, when scores of cotton farmers, sharecroppers, and landowners banded together against "Washington elites" and industrial capitalists. Worried about their declining relevance in a modernizing economy and about the crop lien system that underpinned much of American agriculture, they formed the Farmers' Alliance to "unite the farmers of America for their protection against class legislation and the encroachments of concentrated capital." As the writer Mary Elizabeth Lease noted at the time, farmers needed to "raise less corn and more hell." Not all populisms are created equal. Soon, rural activists were calling for the nationalization of railroads, agricultural debt relief and the establishment of cooperative stores. Those stores, they argued, could function outside the regular market economy and thus escape the predatory grasp of East Coast financiers and remedy the regulatory lethargy of East Coast politicians. By the 1890s, the increasing circulation of mass media, a vibrant rural lecturing circuit and series of droughts had galvanized populist sentiments and contributed to the formation and early electoral success of the newly formed People's Party. Populist state politicians and congressmen soon broadened the scope of their arguments, and began to link calls for agrarian revival to condemnations of the gold standard and the Federal Reserve. But their influence was temporary. By the early 20th century, agrarian populist energies had dissipated or had sometimes taken ugly turns. Thomas Watson, who first rose to prominence within the People's Party before becoming a voice of demagoguery, could thus declare to applause in 1910 that: The scum of creation has been dumped on us. Some of our principal cities are more foreign than American. The most dangerous and corrupting hordes of the Old World have invaded us. The vice and crime which they have planted in our midst are sickening and terrifying. Who was to blame for this preponderance of vice? "The manufacturers," said Watson, who "wanted cheap labor; and they didn't care a curse how much harm to our future might be the consequence." This highlights another crucial aspect of populist politics: It includes as much as it excludes. Notably absent from the ranks of the People's Party were black sharecroppers, who were presumably more than irritated by the party's lenient approach to Southern white supremacy. Later populist revivals -- Theodore Roosevelt's Progressive Party in the 1910s, or George Wallace's presidential campaigns in 1968 and 1972 -- folded women and industrial workers into their respective definitions of "the people," but also excluded, or continued to exclude, immigrants, African Americans or liberal reformers. Theodore Roosevelt speaking at a convention hall in Chicago in the early 1900s ( Library of Congress ). This is why any attempt to associate populism with a particular conservative or progressive tradition -- and thus to condemn it in partisan fashion -- is bound to falter: The logic and rhetoric of populism have been harnessed by diverse groups for different ends. Like elite politics, populism has been a constant throughout America's political history. It constitutes, in the words of the recently deceased political theorist Ernesto Laclau, the "political logic" of the modern nation-state: By outlining and reinforcing the boundaries of who constitutes "the people" and by articulating their sovereignty, populism can serve as the midwife of democracy, the language of demagoguery and as the antidote to elite politics. Thus, not all populisms are created equal. For Tocqueville, the prospect of populism lay in its link to participatory institutions, and thus in the possibility of cultivating the "habits of the heart" that underpinned popular sovereignty. By contrast, the third-party presidential campaigns of Ross Perot in the 1990s and of Ralph Nader in the 2000s had a distinct populist rhetoric but were ultimately rooted in the logic of reformism, not in a rejection of Washington politics. Likewise, the vision of Bernie Sanders' campaign is not the abandonment of Beltway politics but the reclamation of the political system for the middle class -- which has experienced a steady decline in numbers and prosperity since the 1970s -- and the working class -- which has swelled in numbers and shrunken in social mobility. Sanders' campaign proposals -- universal health care, free education or tightened financial regulation -- are remarkable largely because they have long been excluded from American political discourse even on the left but now attract support among Democrats across age and income brackets. They are populist insofar as they have sparked the imagination and galvanized the Democratic electorate. In most European countries, similar proposals have long registered as common sense. Advertisement Democrats are fighting over the political direction of the party, but Republicans are fighting over the direction of the political system. Yet this particular strand of populism seems profoundly different from the populist debate that is rocking the Republican Party and has largely sidelined establishment candidates. Democrats are fighting over the political direction of the party, but Republicans are fighting over the direction of the political system and the boundaries of political discourse. Many of Trump's policy proposals are remarkably unimaginative and centrist, but his campaign is unique in the vitriol of its rhetoric and its hostility towards established institutions of American politics. Routine shutdowns of the federal government over budgetary disagreements or calls to ban Muslims from immigrating into the United States have surprised and rocked even the party's conservative elite, and have given a new lease of life to Schumpeter's concerns. The truly revolutionary populism now emanates from the right, and it's not a pretty sight. Also on WorldPost: The Emmy nominated series returns this spring to follow more of today's most beloved and iconic celebrities as they embark on personal journeys of self-discovery to trace their family trees. The series continues to deliver stories from crucial moments in history, including a number of firsts for the series, such as a male witch hunt, and traveling to Portugal, Sweden and Ellis Island. The new season premieres Sunday, April 3 at 9/8c. Contributors featured in the upcoming season include: Scott Foley finds a relative who risked his life for one of America's founding fathers, and an ancestor who suffered unspeakably during one of this nation's darkest times. Lea Michele nails down where her mysterious paternal ancestors came from, and learns of the dire economic circumstances they endured while trying to emigrate to the U.S. Chris Noth learns his ancestors suffered during one of the greatest catastrophes in American history, and a relative who fought in one of the bloodiest battles of all time. Molly Ringwald explores family lore of Swedish royalty which uncovers her ancestors' harrowing lives and a brave woman who forever changed her family's fate. Katey Sagal is shocked to learn of her family's Amish roots, and digs deeper as she realizes the level of dedication to their faith. Aisha Tyler tracks down her 2x great-grandfather, whose story had been lost over generations, and uncovers an astonishing tale of a prominent ancestor whose struggle to keep his illegitimate son a secret made headlines. When the G-20 Finance Ministers met in Shanghai, their goal was to chart a strategy to jumpstart the global economy. It would be hard to accuse them of feeling comfortable with business-as-usual, as the Ministers agreed to consider "all policy tools - monetary, fiscal and structural - individually and collectively." But what does that mean? No doubt they will go to their conventional tool kit that includes versions of monetary and fiscal policies, as well other agenda issues like the "Brexit" and the volatility of the oil market. Fine, or maybe not so fine, because it's time to broaden the lens of what is meant by "all policy tools" - for, the longer population aging is left off the table, the longer we miss the most important global economic question of the 21st century. Or, to put it another way, ignoring aging will perpetuate our collective unwillingness to confront the stunning misalignment between 20th-century public policies and institutions and 21st-century age-demographics. Advertisement Note to the Ministers: population aging isn't just a monetary, fiscal, or structural issue - it is a monetary, fiscal, and structural issue. It's the lens through which to get to economic growth. It's a core issue that must be on your agenda. The setting of China made the get-together all-the-more imperative. On the surface, the Finance Ministers met in Shanghai because China is leading the G-20 in 2016. But scratch a little deeper, and China becomes far more significant. China has the world's fastest aging society; it's over-60 population will soon be larger than the entire U.S. population. Moreover, with the legacy of the long-standing "one child policy" still being felt, there are proportionally very few younger adults considered "working aged." And just a short distance away is Japan - another country that lays claim to the world's oldest. Soon, there will be more adult diapers sold in Japan than baby diapers. Given that is leading the G7 this year, there's a symmetry emerging that cannot be ignored. Herein lies the irony to Japan's 30-year economic malaise: the most puzzling thing about it is that we're puzzled. The whole bag of tricks has been tried: Abenomics, Womenomics, monetary policy, and structural reforms - and they've failed. Advertisement Hasn't anyone noticed that since the late 1970s - when Japan was touted as unstoppable economic tiger - until today, Japan has seen two unbending truths: its population is aging and its economy is stagnating. This is not voodoo economics. It's cause and effect; and until economic policies recognize and create opportunities from population aging, the economic arrows will not turn up. Addressing an aging population is not a question of entitlements for seniors, but how to align the demographic realities with economic growth goals. The mistake Japan, and the rest of us often make, is to think of aging as a social issue for seniors. If "all" we had were longevity, this might be possible. But when you add to it the low birth rates that lead to population aging - more old than young--the issue is transformed. As it is now developing even more dramatically in China. Following Shanghai, here are three things the Ministers must focus on to legitimately consider "all policy tools - monetary, fiscal and structural - individually and collectively." First, put "aging" at the top of the global agenda and direct serious public policy research asking the question: What are the principal public policy changes for aging societies that are likely to create pathways for economic growth? There is no doubt that this will concentrate on health and retirement policies that are currently structured as though it were still 1970 or 1980 when the proportion of old to young were fiscally manageable. But it must be bigger: aging is equally about the young and the old. Second, invite the private sector to tell them what it will take for further government support of their growth strategies based on the commercial opportunities they see in the aging of populations. The recent World Economic Forum White Paper on how longevity can create markets, which is really about how the private sector is creating the basis for economic growth through an aging strategic screen. From Nestle Skin Health and BlackRock to Vitality and Fujitsu, Home Instead Senior Care and Bank of America Merrill Lynch to Intel and Samsung, companies globally are getting it. When the G-20 plans its big Summit this fall and invites CEOs, make sure this is one of the topics in scope. Advertisement Third, pay attention to how the workplace is so fundamentally changing. For reasons of both desire and need, people are working longer and demanding greater flexibility. And organizations are recognizing that hiring and retaining older workers is not just the right thing to do, but it's good business. Older workers have skills, insights, and capabilities that their younger counterparts don't have. Policymakers should create incentives to further encourage employers to hire older workers. If Finance Ministers want growth, what is the role of the changing age demographic workplace? Many homeless women can't afford food and housing, let alone necessary feminine items like bras and menstrual hygiene products. Yet, these products are essential not just for every woman's health but also feelings of self-worth. Dana Marlowe, a mother of two who runs a disability advocacy and consulting company, decided to do something about it. Since homeless shelters rarely receive donations of bras and feminine hygiene products, Marlowe started the organization Support the Girls. During her free time, Marlowe collects these important items, organizing house pick-ups and dropping everything at shelters in the Washington, D.C., area where she lives. Advertisement So far, she's collected more than 8,000 bras and almost 30,000 feminine hygiene products. Learn more about what Marlowe does and how she got the idea by watching the video above. Detroit- The Original Motor City, Home of Motown, is the most populous city in Michigan. The Midwest is the "Heartland of America". Detroit is in big trouble. Bankrupt. Down, but not out. Sadly, successful natives sped away. Hopefully Megyn Kelly and the entire Fox Team will focus the Detroit debate on economic development solutions for this iconic city and other struggling communities across America. GOP front runner, Real Estate Developer Donald Trump has the credentials and resources. Retired neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Carson will not be on the debate stage but is a perfect team-player to help Trump, "Make Detroit and America Great Again!" Detroit's Got Talent! Heart and Soul Motown The long list of talented Americans from Detroit representing vibrant fields of expertise is astounding. Sports, arts, science, medicine, automobiles, and music talent like no other place. Berry Gordy, born in Detroit, the grandson of an indentured servant in Georgia, founded Motown Records in 1959. The theme of Motown hit songs is exactly what Detroit needs, starting with "Money (That's What I Want.)" Visionary Developer Trump, could consider the challenge and opportunity of "Make Detroit Great Again!" After all, he's proven that there "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" for him to climb. And the good folk of this American iconic city "Ain't Too Proud To Beg," cause Mr. Trump, "You Got What It Takes!"- to turn this place around. And good Dr. Carson, your birthplace is calling you to "Come to Me", and use your incredible God-given brain to lead the campaign for saving and transforming this national treasure. It's been on life support far too long. Detroit has heart and soul, so with help from "non-corrupt" politicians and creative entrepreneurs, it will quickly breathe on its own and sing like "The Supremes!" Advertisement Hollywood in The Heartland To survive and thrive Detroit needs the Trump-Carson team to resuscitate, renovate and regenerate revenues, thereby gaining even more "R.E.S.P.E.C.T." so there will be "Dancing in the Street" and more "Pink Cadillacs." This nostalgic song brings back personal memories of the fabulous American auto industry, like no other. Our Mom drove her five daughters to auditions for work in Hollywood in her 1956 Pink Cadillac Convertible, even giving a ride to performers "The Loving Spoonful" because they were so taken by the unique experience. When we think about it, Detroit made America great! How would America have been so successful and thrived without American automobiles? One only need to read the book "The Reckoning" to better understand how we lost the greatness of Detroit. We let Japan win and Detroit lost. The commitment to restore opportunity for growth, creating more jobs, jobs, jobs and safe neighborhoods in Detroit, the Hollywood Music Capitol of the Midwest, is reminiscent of the Blues Brothers. They took on a mission, "a mission from God," to save their alma mater. With entrepreneurial vision and sound political policies, locally and federally, the ability to attract private investment from successful Americans will result in small businesses, large businesses and everything in between. This economic development campaign will lift minorities, youth and auto union members in Detroit. We need dynamic leadership, "no more talk, only action" approach. "Status quo" fails Detroit and America. Develop and Market The key to "Make Detroit Great Again" is to have a strategic development and marketing plan and the leadership to implement it, on budget and on time. Mr. Trump has the expertise and team to get the job done. Dr. Carson has the background to lead this complicated mission. Like the "Masked Marvel of Detroit", Dr. Carson can do amazing things. Anyone that can successfully separate twin's brains must be able to help "Make Detroit-- and America Great Again" in a special capacity. Advertisement Proposed Vision for Detroit: Develop and build the greatest "Music, Motor and Museum" City in America. Better than Branson, Missouri or Reno, Nevada or even Hollywood, California! It's ok to put the brand Trump and Carson with Motown, so long as Rosa Parks gets her own street and museum like the favorite, fantastic one for tourists in downtown Montgomery, Alabama. My first visit to Detroit was to visit Mrs. Rosa Parks and her God-daughter Elaine Steele. It was amazing grace to know both of them and call them God-sisters. We presented Mrs. Parks with The Noel Foundation "Life" Award and worked together on her "Pathways to Freedom" Programs for youth from Detroit. Mrs. Parks said to me something that was so insightful, I shall never forget it. Mentor Rosa Parks said, "Noel, there's no such thing as 'at risk' youth, only youth- because all youth, are 'at risk'!" All parents can relate to this sage lesson. We must help the youth of Detroit and thereby protect the youth and the future of America. My husband Gordon and his roots are from Michigan, and we are ardent fans of everything from this Great Lakes State. The Lions, Tigers, Wolverines, Spartans, Ford, General Motors, Meier's Thrifty Acres, Whippy Dip and most of all-beloved Rosa Parks. Unite for Detroit! Why has the "establishment" in the public and private sector turned their backs on Detroit? This may be a practical way for "We The People" visionaries, dynamic developer Trump and the good Dr. Carson to work with Mitt Romney, who was also born in Detroit but hit the road and did not look back. If Governor Romney of Massachusetts was able to operate the Olympics successfully and help Utah, he can certainly make a difference for Detroit, if he desires. Good way to unite the divided GOP to work toward good for the party, the country and the good people of Detroit. Also reaching out to Eli Broad, the billionaire philanthropist born in Detroit living in Los Angeles is positive and illustrates successful people of varied political ideologies can cooperate and contribute to the renewed success of Detroit. Both Mr. Trump and Dr. Carson have colossal networks of fans and friends who could join the "Make Detroit Great Again" campaign and contribute to its success. Building a new "Motown Motor City" that is visited by millions of American and international tourists annually will help lift the economic plight while having fun at the same time humming the Michael Jackson, Lionel Ritchie tune "We Are the World." Advertisement Motor City War Zone Becomes Economic Engine (pun intended) Since Fox will make plenty of "Money (That's What I Want)" from this debate in Detroit, Mr. Rupert Murdoch can ask his talented grown up kids to work with Trump's amazing kids creating "Music, Motors, Museums... and Fox Movies!" Fox could own the rights to the "New Detroit Reality Show" starring The Trump, Carson, Romney and Murdoch Families with other Americans who desire to "Make Detroit Great Again." What's more, "I Heard It Through The Grapevine"- even Madonna, from nearby Bay City, could join the campaign with her "Ray of Light"- "And feel like she just got home...trying to remember where it all began, she's got herself a little piece of Heaven" ... in Detroit! By the way, Mr. Trump will negotiate the deals knowing that in Detroit he can be a "Lion" for more than just one day. And Dr. Carson can oversee that the Detroit Lions, Tigers, Pistons and Red Wings heads are protected as he also protects his partner Trump's back. As The Good Book Says, "Bear one another's burdens (Galatians 6:2)." Dr. Carson is one of the most inspirational candidates ever to be in a presidential race during my lifetime. We are reminded of his virtuous example in St. Paul's message, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race. I have kept the faith (II Timothy 4:7)." Dr. Carson, thank you for continuing to use your many God-given talents for the good of America and "We The People." In the Gospel words of Jesus, "Well done, good and faithful servant! (Matthew 25:23)" Advertisement blackboard concept, signs of world religions - major religions group chalked on a blackboard Eight months after announcing his campaign, presidential front-runner Donald Trump continues to radically shape American political discourse. He has managed to carry out a first in modern American politics by building a wildly successful presidential campaign around the Islamophobia that once lay latent in parts of America. In light of this new political reality, American Muslims and their allies are increasingly unsure how to cope with such rhetoric in a country built around ideas of liberty and justice for all. Despite the increase in threats both perceived and real against American Muslims, I witnessed firsthand my Muslim professor, Ambassador Akbar Ahmed, the Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies at American University in Washington, D.C., venture into the field in a Southern town rife with political tensions. But rather than facing protests or threats upon arrival in Williamsburg, Va., Ahmed was received with the sincerest of Southern hospitality. The trip also allowed me the opportunity to take the temperature of America in the time of Trump. Advertisement On Feb. 18-19, I had the honor of traveling with Amb. Ahmed to Williamsburg to participate in the College of William and Mary's Global Film Festival - a university-run festival that highlighted Ahmed's academic contributions to interfaith bridge building in an unprecedented series of three events. Williamsburg may be a bucolic college town a mere two-and-a-half hours from Washington, but it is no haven from Islamophobic rhetoric. The main mosque in Williamsburg is surrounded with high-intensity security in response to a rash of threats, and stories remain of post-9/11 petition efforts against the university requesting it dismiss members of the Islamic Studies faculty over "teaching terrorism." Our hosts in Williamsburg were also visibly protective of Ahmed during his visit, making sure to keep their eyes on anyone wishing to speak with him or ask questions of him during his lecture and film screening. Fear filled the air where the Revolutionary flame once burned strong. Yet, despite the reigning tension, Ahmed's visit to Williamsburg was received with nothing short of tremendous warmth and admiration. The Global Film Festival at William and Mary, in its ninth year, features a wide array of films from around the globe, all coalescing around an annual theme. This year's theme, Film and Community, was built around both Journey into Europe (2015), Ahmed's newest acclaimed documentary film telling the story of Islam in Europe as based in fieldwork, and Ahmed's previous documentary project, Journey into America (2009), a fieldwork-based documentary exploring Islam in America and American society. If one questions whether American Muslims are being sidelined, one only needs to recognize that a Muslim filmmaker's documentary films about Islam in the West shaped the programming of an entire mainstream film festival. Advertisement Ambassador Akbar Ahmed speaks to a full house at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va. on the increasingly urgent need for the West and the Muslim World to better understand one another for the sake of peace. The event concluded Amb. Ahmed's keynote appearances at the William and Mary Global Film Festival. Photo by Patrick Burnett. The film screenings themselves were testimony to the mainstream celebration of Ahmed's work as an Islamic scholar. The night after a pre-festival screening of Journey into America in Colonial Williamsburg's premiere theater, the Kimball Theater, on Feb. 17, the community eagerly awaited the Virginia premiere of Journey into Europe. The red carpet was even rolled out to commemorate the film's role in opening this year's festival. Excitement filled the air. I myself was ecstatic over the film screening - Journey into Europe's most prominent to date - despite having overseen numerous screenings in D.C. and Montgomery County, Md. Not only was I seeing the film that we all have worked so hard to create and promote on the big screen in a theater built in the grand old style of American cinema, the Kimball Theater, but my own work on the film project was directly recognized by members of the Festival committee. One committee member even exclaimed his thrill in seeing my name on the big screen! Yet, beyond my own sense of pride in our project's success, my heart was warmed by the public reception of this challenging film on Islam in these trying times. While the film screenings were massively successful on their own, the climax of our visit to Williamsburg came as Ahmed addressed a full-house of students, faculty, and community members in William and Mary's Reves Room the morning of Feb. 19. Dr. Steve Hanson, the Director of the Reves Center for International Studies at William and Mary, set the tone for the morning's lecture in naming Ahmed a true moral leader and a voice of reason in a time when we need it more than ever. And as Ahmed began speaking on the urgent need to bridge the gap between the West and Islam, it quickly became clear this would be no ordinary lecture. Advertisement Into the lecture, Ahmed suddenly began choking back tears - something neither I nor his students have ever witnessed. The sense of urgency he has spoken of for decades hit a fever pitch as he discussed the redline crossed by militants in their senseless slaughter of children around the globe. Ahmed went on to describe how he sees not only the lives of his own children and grandchildren, but his students current and former, including Frankie Martin and myself sitting in the audience, in reflections of the 150 students senselessly slaughtered in the December 2014 Peshawar, Pakistan school massacre. Suddenly, this evil attack half a world away - one of countless across the globe - became all too real for a room filled with students, professors, and parents. In this rare show of deep emotion on stage, Ahmed transformed a tragedy in Pakistan from being just some Muslim tragedy to a true human tragedy. The issues at hand were no longer challenges in the Muslim World versus challenges in the West, but critical challenges of our collective humanity - and the entire room came together to begin confronting this reality. In one case he argues such sentiments are exclusive to college campuses though, one can be comforted by the response Ahmed received later that same evening at the Cosmos Club in Washington, D.C. In delivering a similar lecture to a club that calls a number of Nobel Prize recipients as members, the audience - some of the senior most figures in Washington - responding with overwhelming applause and a strong commitment to not only better understanding the Muslim world, but bringing Americans closer together. Dr. Marcel Horowitz, the chair of the evening's events, in his introductions even named Ahmed "one of the most inspirational individuals I have ever encountered." The events of this past week in Williamsburg and Washington remind us that predator America may hold the national microphone right now, but pluralist America refuses to step aside. With my very own eyes, I witnessed myriad American crowds listen to a leading Muslim voice with true sincerity over the course of 48 hours and walk away inspired to bring our fractured world together. The message from the field is clear - the power of pluralist dialogue rings at a fevered pitch in the time of Trump. Advertisement These questions originally appeared on Quora - the knowledge sharing network where compelling questions are answered by people with unique insights. Answers by Michael Dougherty, CEO of Pencils of Promise, on Quora. A: PoP [Pencils of Promise] schools are built in rural communities, with deep poverty, and include kindergarten through 6th grade. Typically 100 students in a community with 100 or so families. One classroom per grade, one teacher per classroom. And, of course, we always paint them yellow! All of PoP schools are public, that is, they are run by the government and aligned with the national curriculum. ... A: Governments help us identify communities in need of their first school or an improved school. We then visit the community, meet with parents, elders and children, and confirm the level of need and their willingness to contribute 20% of the project cost (since these are subsistence communities, that means contributing labor and local raw materials). It takes us 3-6 months to complete a school, and then all children in the community help us open the school and enjoy it as their new, dignified learning place. Advertisement ... A: A PoP school in the developing world is remarkably inexpensive by comparison. A $35,000 donation builds a PoP school that will serve a community for 20 years or more and educate thousands of children. When thinking about children in need of education globally, I am excited to know that such a modest sum can provide so much benefit. Depending on the rainy season, a school takes from 3-6 months to complete, including countless weekends and evenings of parents provding the construction labor, in addition to working in the fields and caring for their homes. ... Jesus lived as a Jew. He prayed as a Jew. He died as a Jew. But what kind of Judaism did he practice? That question has been asked throughout history. I ask it in my new book on the Jewishness of Jesus. But perhaps the answer is standing right in front of us. Perhaps the Judaism of Jesus falls closest to the Judaism practiced today by America's largest Jewish denomination: Reform Judaism. This argument has been made before. Perhaps the first to present was the Apostle Paul. While he did not call it Reform Judaism, consider this: Paul permitted the consumption of non-kosher food and entry of uncircumcised gentiles into the Jewish community. These changes helped facilitate the split in the first between the more traditional Jewish community and the emerging group of Jesus's followers. In other words, from a modern perspective, we can see Paul as introducing changes into traditional Judaism that many Jews today embrace. Reform Judaism does not require Jews to follow the kosher laws or perform the traditional circumcision ritual on the eighth day. Now certainly we encourage both practices, but they are not at the core of Jewish life as they were in the first century. Advertisement We have also de-emphasized ritual and the significance of the law and replaced it with a focus on ethics and community. In other words, aside from the divinity of Jesus, Paul's teaching would have been perfectly acceptable to many modern Jews. 100 Years Ahead of Their Time Many Reform rabbis of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century made this argument in an effort to reclaim Jesus as a liberal Jew. Among the most prominent was a Chicago rabbi named Emil Hirsch. "Consider the most learned and eloquent liberal rabbi," he wrote, "[Jesus] was of us; he is of us. We quote the rabbis of the Talmud; shall we then, not also quote the rabbi of Bethlehem? Shall not he in whom there burned, if it burned in any one, the spirit and the light of Judaism, be reclaimed by the synagogue?" Hirsch was one of several liberal rabbis who sought to place Jesus in the pantheon of Jewish prophets and teachers. They argued that the Sermon on the Mount, for example, should be studied at Jewish religious schools as an expression of the Jewish prophetic tradition. Advertisement Persistent Antisemitism The problem with these proposals at the time was that antisemitism still played an outsized role in American Christianity. The idea that Jews killed Jesus and that Christians had replaced Jews as God's chosen people made its way into Christian sermons, textbooks, and among prominent public preachers like Father Charles Coughlin of Detroit. Many Jews saw Jesus through this context, viewing those who believe in him as inclined toward belittling Jews and Judaism. Suspicion of attempts to convert Jews to Christianity also made it difficult to accept such proposals to embrace Jesus as a Jew. Many other Jewish leaders argued Jews needed to learn more about traditional Jewish holidays and practices rather than the Jewishness of Jesus. Proposals like those of Hirsch generally went unheeded. Jewish Social Justice Today, however, where Jews are more self-confident in their Jewishness (more than 90 percent of Jews, according to Pew, are proud of their identity), a fresh look at Jesus as a liberal Jew is possible and useful. We can look at some of the ideas taught and promoted by Jesus in ways that can enrich Jewish identity and expression. One possibility, for example, is the emphasis on social justice. Early rabbinic Judaism talks little about justice within the larger society. Jews were barely tolerated minorities and were concerned more with survival than with social teachings. Jesus's teachings on social justice, however, fill the New Testament and reflect a biblical perspective meaningful to contemporary Jews. Jesus's embrace of the immigrant, the outsider, and others marginal in first-century Jewish life can also inspire Jews today. Jews can make the case -- as Kaufmann Kohler, one of the early champions of Reform Judaism, did -- that Jesus was a "helper of the poor" and a "sympathizing friend of the fallen." There's the impatient saying, TUT TUT; the orchestral term TUTTI; the Olde English game TUT ball. And then of course there's our old pal King TUT. Tired of red carpets, insulting debates, and droning political pundits? Check out the first replica exhibit of Tut-orama and the newest incarnation of the Egyptian boy wonder: The Discovery of King Tut at midtown Manhattan's Premier Exhibitions space (www.tutnyc.com). Nope, don't know much about history ... and sure don't know much about Egyptology. But lately I've learned a thing or two about the famous boy pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty, who ruled from 1332BC - 1323BC, roughly 30 centuries ago. Who can think back to yesterday, much less 3,000 years ago? All I remember from school field trips to the Museum of Natural History is a few facts: Advertisement Egypt was filled with pyramids and feisty pharaohs. Teen-age rulers were the thing. After all, Cleopatra was a mere adolescent when she took the throne. Her brother Ptolemy XIII was 11. England followed suit with Mary (Queen of Scots) Stuart, a sweet 16-year old. And poor Tutankhamun was only 19 when he reached his untimely death. The Discovery of King Tut, Premier Exhibitions Photo Credit: Mia Berman On a timely note, those Egyptians sure might have taught our current politicians a thing or two about poise, patience, and penmanship. After all, the art of reading, writing, and hieroglyph-ing took tremendous talent...and time. They could have influenced today's teens to stop texting and use some face-to-face time. More dialogue-ing, less thumbing. They could have taught our presidential candidates to stop whining and start admiring. Less nonsense, more reverence. Hieroglyphs. Tomb of Ramses 6 Valley of Kings http://i-cias.com/e.o/hieroglyphs.htm Okay, so maybe I do remember a few more details. Tutankhamun was an Egyptian pharaoh of the 18th dynasty, during the period of Egyptian history known as the New Kingdom. Colloquially he was called King Tut. Tut. Sounds simple. One syllable. Tut-ally symmetrical. And uniquely descriptive. In the literary classic Winnie the Pooh, Christopher Robin clucked, "Tut tut it looks like rain." And our old friend Dr. Seuss uses it in Horton Hatches an Egg when Mayzie implores an elephant to sit on a nest to give her a break: Advertisement "Tut, tut," answered Mayzie. "I know you're not small But I'm sure you can do it. No trouble at all. Just sit on it softly. You're gentle and kind. Come, be a good fellow. I know you won't mind." Way before these literary references, Tut was simply known as an exotic teen King. Recently there's been a lot of hooplah over a possible discovery that might identify Queen Nefertiti in the tomb with the King. And yes, I've checked out Dr. Nicholas Reeves' hypotheses and Dr. Zahi Hawass' scientific mummy project, CT scans and all. But after wading through scads of statistics gleaned from historians, librarians, Egyptologists, archaeologists, philologists, gemologists, and meteorologists, I've plucked this profound statement from the piles: What's definite is that nothing is definite. - Dr. David Silverman, Head Curator, Egyptian Collection, Univ. of Pennsylvania Look, I went to an Ivy League school, but even my over-curious brain can't fathom all the 411 about Tut and the discovery of his sealed tomb. Who knew that it took 70 days to mummify? Check out the 1,000+ reproduced artifacts in the current Discovery of King Tut-o-sphere. In today's lingo, I'd say, it's huuuuge. Yup. There's everything in this first Tut replica exhibit from golden fingertips to gilded cedar shrines, chariots to castanets, ebony thrones to leopard skinned stools, falcons to fetuses. Artifact Replica Falcon Necklace The Discovery of King Tut, Premier Exhibitions It's all about rituals, from reincarnation to resurrection. The tomb (miraculously preserved for 3,000 years) contained shrines of solid gold, weighing over 200 pounds, decorated with divine cobras. And then of course, the Piece de Resistance: the 24-pound gold and lapis lazuli mask protecting King Tut's head. Advertisement Replica of King Tut's Golden Mask, The Discovery of King Tut, Premier Exhibitions Check out Tut's gilded coffins, housed snugly inside each other, nesting-doll style (think Russian porcelain dolls within dolls) , then lowered into a heavy, rectangular sarcophagus of red granite and yellow quartzite. And let's not forget the corners, adorned with relief carvings of protective goddesses Isis, Nepthet, Selket, and Neit. Dig It! Carter, the Cairo-practor To sum up, here's what we've got: one young Tut kid king rivaling boy wonder Michael Jackson; one persistent archaeology buff named Howard Carter (sort of a 1920's starving artist), obsessed with the pursuit of King Tut's tomb until the ultimate discovery in November, 1922 in the Valley of Kings; one long hot trek from the excavation digging site to Cairo; one race car fanatic-turned-philanthropist -- George Herbert, the 5th Earl of Carnarvon, who traveled to Egypt after a racing car accident, met Carter, became his sole benefactor (think Bill Gates), and financed the excavation in Thebes...until the funds ran out. Enter Harry Burton, one eager archivist/photographer, and presto: Team Tutankhamun! Howard Carter, recovery of Tutankhamen treasures, Carter #254 Photo Credit: Harry Burton Crated artifacts en route to Cairo Museum, along the Nile River Photo Credit: Harry Burton Lord Carnarvon (George Herbert) Photo Credit: Harry Burton The Drama of Tut-O-Rama Yup. We've got ourselves one pop culture phenomenon of Egypt-o-mania, from the striped headdress to the gold leaf coated replica of Selket, the goddess who guarded the shrine containing the pharaoh's organs; one semi-cult of Tut-maniacs intrigued by the rituals and the razzma-TUT-tazz of it all. I learned about major '70's Tut-mania in America, which peaked in 1978 at NYC's Metropolitan Museum, the last stop of the epic Treasures of Tutankhamun six-city tour. (That exhibit contained 55 real objects from Tut's tomb, straight from the Museum of Cairo). The line of "Tut-maniacs" extended from the museum's entrance on 5th Avenue from 82nd Street down to 59th street. Everyone who was anyone was there, including Liz Taylor, Robert Redford, Nancy Reagan, Andy Warhol, Patty Hearst (shortly before she was whisked off to jail) and Cher. Wild & Crazy Tut Remember comedian Steve Martin's memorable King Tut routine with his zany lyrics (How'd you get so funky)? Even hip-hop dance took up the cause with Tutting (a style of popping your hands and arms at right angles in sync to the beat) that imitated the choreography of funk band King Boogaloo Tut. Advertisement Musical Tut Iconic 70's band Earth Wind & Fire had record album covers (I Am and All 'n All) inspired by Egyptian Tut-esque themes. And in the realm of intrigue, Rapper NAS had a bizarre problem when a clay mold of Tut's golden mask was designed for his own album art. Some residue of clay got stuck in his nostril, blocking his breathing momentarily. Earth Wind & Fire All 'N All album cover Shsei Nagaoka, artist Foreign Policy Tut Tut may have changed the face of American history. On his last overseas trip to Egypt (1974), former President Richard Nixon befriended Egyptian President Anwar Sadat. The White House administration helped divert the focus off of Watergate with the signing of an agreement to allow the King Tut treasures to travel to America. Was this a case of Wa-Tut-ergate? Richard Nixon and Anwar Sadat, 1974 Photo Credit: Rene Burri Hollywood to Home Decor Tut In the Golden 20's, Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks attended an elaborate exhibit created for movie theater mogul Sidney Grauman's Egyptian Theater, a gaudy tribute to Egyptian art and architecture, with stones, scarabs, pillars, and sphinx heads. In the 1970's, Bloomingdale's touted a line of Tut-inspired linens and home design accessories, with I New York spelled out in hieroglyphics. Margaux Hemingway wore a hieroglyph-imprinted dress to a celebrity wedding in Beverly Hills. And, most recently, Spike TV broadcast Tut, the mini-series, starring Ben Kingsley. Pharaoh Photo Finish Harry Burton, a photographer on loan from the Metropolitan Museum, brought Carter's discoveries to life, vividly documenting the excavation. He was there to capture Carter's first candlelit entry into the tomb: "everywhere, the glint of gold." Headlines started popping up: "TUT-ANKH-AMEN." Sounds like a rather exotic end of a prayer, don't you think? Back on the Track with Museum Hack Bopping along the Discovery trail, I found the mesmerizing Tut exhibit -- skillfully designed by Rainer Verbizh -- filled with eye-popping life-size tombs and masterfully reproduced memorabilia, down to the precious detail of Tut's grandma's lock of hair. I listened to a most informative and synchronistic audio tape, presented at the start of the two-floor loop. Kudos to Verbizh and Mark Lach, Creative Director, Premier Exhibitions (which includes the quirky Saturday Night Live exhibit), for an artful blend of the space's whimsy and wonder. Advertisement Alas, even the most passionate and eager sphinx wanna-bees amongst us get a tad weary. Just when you thought it impossible to drag through one more dark corridor of tombs and chambers, Surprise! It's none other than Museum Hack, created to assist the cranky. I joined an otherwise bleary-eyed tour group, and yes, I was stunned. All of the kids were wide-eyed. Museum Hack (www.museumhack.com) is a genius concept to make museums fun. Philosophy? "People are people," regardless of what century. Their special formula to fight museum fatigue is "subversive and non-traditional." They've conquered the unconquerable -- what no other parent, teacher or guide has managed to do. Museum Hack puts an end to boring tours, endless exhibition dioramas, plaques and verbiage. Museum Hack performs "MUMMY RAP" lyrics about Tut and his tomb, bringing dust and death back to life. They make ancient history scintillating, describing identifiable stuff, from make-up to mistakes. Museum Hack is reverently irreverent. Team members toss out fun facts, much easier to absorb than abstract theories. I for one learned that coal and malachite, used for make-up, were alkaloids, which prevented infections from Nile river floods. Museum Hack translated the archeological string-of-bad-luck curse into "bad things happen to dig people." Bex, Harry and Evan used that famous children's origami paper fortuneteller game to link each tour group member to a King Tut character. Credit: Kimberly Mathison They also gave us the dirt on the famous King Tut mask. Apparently workers handling the delicate artifact accidentally knocked off the long braided beard, then glued it back on rather sloppily. Just can't get quality labor these days. How'd we ever get those pyramids built?! King Tut kitsch with Mia Berman at Premier Exhibitions store BFF's Kim, Chloe & Cleopatra There were no Kardashians back then, but cheek and lip color were a must for the Egyptians, just like today's teens and millennials. The colorful green eye paint and black kohl appeal to all ages. Museum Hack passes around the malachite, so we can touch and feel the sparkly green stone used for cosmetics. Their m.o.? Bring the obscure back to reality with tidbits about family, friends and eyeliner. Advertisement O.C.D. - Obstinate Compelled & Determined aka Obsessive Collector & Discoverer Indeed, Howard Carter was obsessive about his search (He started at 17; King Tut died at 19). Perhaps Carter identified with his intriguing subject's age. After rising to Chief Inspector of Antiquities for Upper Egypt, his career was cut to the quick. Against all odds (lack of funds, intensive heat), and a slew of bizarre mishaps (a cobra killed his canary, for one), he pressed on. Mortality, Spirituality & Eternity These young Egyptian royals didn't seem to be endlessly searching for the meaning of life. They weren't desperate to find a guru, a yoga group or a Zen monastery. They already had their spiritual mentors like Aten, the sun God, and Ka, the spirit force of the deceased. The funerary culture was essential to sustain KT, the eternal spirit. Amongst the burial rituals, the Egyptians used red jasper amulets and falcon plumage to guarantee smooth sailing into the afterlife, cosmically protected by Isis, mother-goddess of magic, wisdom, and life. A Gory Story of Glory Let's face it. Morbid makes an impact. The Discovery of King Tut teaches us that poor boy Tut might have met an untimely, rather unpleasant, violent end. I first learned about splinters found in Tut's skull, which might indicate a treacherous attack, along with a knee injury and possible malaria infection. I never really understood routine mummification, which included the use of resin, removal of Tut's entrails--cut from the navel to the left thigh--and an empty skull. Some of Tut's vital organs are contained in "coffinettes" in the tomb, which makes The Addams Family look like The Sound of Music. King Tut's Skeleton, The Discovery of King Tut, Premier Exhibitions Far, Phar-aoh Ahead of Their Time 3,000 years ago the Egyptians seemed more advanced than today's scientific experts. They could have been professors, nutritionists, pharmacologists or micro-biologists. Just ask Dr. David P. Silverman, curator of the original Treasures of Tutankhamun and University of Pennsylvania Curator-in-Charge of the Egyptian Collection. According to Dr. (and Professor) Silverman, the medical texts describe some pretty sophisticated stuff. They indicate knowledge of holistic as well as scientific methods of treating symptoms. No prescription pads, I imagine. But "they used honey -- a good source of keeping away infections...they ate days' old bread, which we associate with mold...(it's) practically penicillin...and they knew about contraceptives." As for career options? They could have chosen cosmetology or dermatology. There was no SPF # in Egyptian suntan lotion, as far as I know. But the soot in kohl helped prevent damaging effects of sun glare on their eyes. Way ahead of Revlon or L'Oreal, the Egyptians were savvy in skincare, creating a remedy for burns by mixing mixed cheek and lip stain; and improving skin with red natron, northern salt and honey. No wonder the medical world took the name Mt. Sinai -- the sacred Egyptian site -- as one of the most prominent hospitals in New York City. Advertisement Riddle of the Sphinx - What's Certain is Uncertain Egyptians, as Dr. Silverman explains, considered the healing effects of foods, minerals and cosmetics as much magical as medical. So, who said science was exact? Ok, dare I say it? Professor Silverman, in his massive wisdom of the World of Tut, seems a reincarnation of the sphinx itself. Like the fluidity of the Nile, he states that "everything in Egyptology changes." Theories rise and set like the sun. Even after the 2010 DNA analysis of the two mummified stillborn children, it's definite that there are no definites. They may, or may not, be his daughters. One of two older female mummies may, or may not, be Queen Nefertiti. And, to make things more complex, Nefertiti may have become King for a short time under another name. She was discovered to have worn men's clothing (trans-gender roles were common), way ahead of George Sand, Gertrude Stein and Diane (Annie Hall) Keaton. Once again, way ahead of their Tut-ankhamen time. Sarcophagi & Stylists - Fashion Week at the Nile Tom Ford? Valentino? Chanel? Hotsox? These Egyptians could have been Fashion Week consultants, considering their intricate designs, patterns, stripes, and use of color...and of course, their sophistication with cosmetics. Beauty was a sign of holiness. They used the Henna plant for hair dye and nail polish, and red ochre from clay for face, cheek and lip makeup. Manolo Blahnik, eat your heart out. The golden sandals that adorned the royalty's feet were elegant but flat...I don't really think Queen Nefertiti or King Tut had much need for 6" heels. Election season is underway and the American voter is in the driver's seat, with every candidate's policies and promises up for review. In addition to the presidency, 469 seats in the U.S. Congress (34 Senate seats and all 435 House seats) are up for election on Nov. 8. And at the state level, 94 senior elected positions across 22 states will be decided in the fall, in addition to legislature elections in 86 state legislative chambers. Now is the time for voters to ask the tough questions as they decide who will chart the best course for the future of all Americans. Advertisement At the top of every voter check-list should be where the candidates stand on helping key segments of the U.S. population who are facing life-changing circumstances and conditions: adults with disabilities struggling to find and keep employment; veterans making the challenging transition to civilian life; and perhaps one of the most vulnerable groups of all -- children in need of early intervention for developmental delays, disabilities or autism. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are 53 million of us with a disability, whether physical, emotional, social or educational. Chances are, most of us will be touched by disability at some point in our lives - whether it is our own or that of someone we know, love or care for. Put simply, disabilities, whether visible and invisible, are a part of everyday life. According to the United States Census Bureau, there were 19.3 million American veterans as of 2014, 3.8 million of whom have a disability. Easter Seals Dixon Center estimates that 1,000 servicemembers transition to civilian life every day. Given the right support, every person with a disability and every unemployed (or displaced) veteran can be independent and make valuable contributions to their families, their communities and the economic health of the nation. Ensuring that they get the support they need helps us all. Here are the key issues on which voters should press their candidates, whether at the federal, state or local level: Advertisement Unemployed adults with disabilities: The economy may be on the upswing, but the unemployment rate for Americans with disabilities is on the rise, reaching 10.8 percent in January, up from 10.3 percent at the close of 2015, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. This is nearly double the rate for the general population. The figures also show that though more people with disabilities were looking for work in January, the number actually employed declined. Americans must seek out leaders who prioritize solutions to the needs of this group, which include adequate public transport so people with disabilities can get to and from jobs, companies that recruit and retain employees with disabilities, and support for caregivers of family members with disabilities. Early intervention for children: Some 40 percent of children under the age of 5 years are at risk of a developmental delay or disability. Of those, 26 percent are at moderate to high risk of developmental delay, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. As many as a million children 5 years or under fail to be identified for intervention, according to Easter Seals. It is now well-established that early intervention -- such as occupational, physical and speech therapy -- can make an enormous difference to children with delays, minimizing the need for special education and related services when they reach maturity. It can also increase independent living and reduce the need for institutionalization. Congress has recognized this need by creating the Early Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers with disabilities, which requires states to implement programs. But voters must press candidates to support more comprehensive screening and the funding of these vital intervention services. As the numbers show, we need more screening, not less. Veterans with disabilities: As of 2014, about 3.4 million veterans were reported to have a service-connected disability. Of those who have served since 9/11, nearly three in ten have a disability. Government programs that support our disabled veterans must remain fully funded. So, too, must efforts to find employment for this highly-skilled workforce. Unemployed veterans: Whether living with a disability or not, we need leaders to continue programs that have made so much progress in transitioning our veterans into the civilian workforce. And of the younger veterans, women are particularly at risk, with 7.9 percent unemployment. It's a problem with growing consequence. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) estimates 10 percent of women veterans live in poverty and are the fastest growing segment of the homeless vet population. We need government programs tailored to the needs of these young women, many of whom have children. Support for caregivers: Behind every veteran with a disability stands a network of caregivers -- spouses, parents, grandparents, and children -- who shoulder the care and support of their disabled veteran, which may extend for decades. According to a study by the Rand Corp., some 5.5 million people are caregivers to a former servicemember, saving the U.S. healthcare system just under $14 billion in uncompensated care annually. Of those caring for post-9/11 veterans, many tend to be younger, with children to care for, and many are caring for a veteran with a service-related brain injury. Services and outreach to this vitally important network must remain strong and continue to be expanded with government initiatives and programs. Advertisement As voters enter the polling booth this election season, they should reflect on the awesome power of the ballot with its ability to ensure that those with disabilities and those who have sacrificed for the nation are not forgotten. President John Quincy Adams perhaps said it best: "Always vote on principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost." Years ago I was working in a toxic company. The culture was one of backstabbing and sneakiness and misery. So I left and everything was roses and unicorns! Kidding. I stayed at that job because I needed the income. There are a lot of us who've had to do this and might have to do it again. There are a few tricks we can employ to help make an unpleasant situation palatable. I don't mean fun; I mean manageable, acceptable or satisfactory enough to stay for a while. Trick #1 Find a colleague whom you can trust and do NOT bitch about work. Ok, a little whining is fine. But if complaining is all you do, that's all the friendship is about and that's not a friendship. In other words, the bitching relationship will take you in a downward spiral of unhappiness and make you dislike everyone around you, maybe because you'll sense them avoiding your company. Instead, reach out with joy and develop friendships that will nurture your soul and feed you energy and elevate you above the crumminess around you. Advertisement Trick #2 Laugh. We laugh when we see someone else laughing and that makes us feel GOOD! You can start a laughing circle like this Laugh Therapy group in Bombay http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpW6jtCfLTQ; or watch this over and over http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RP4abiHdQpc. Google laugh and watch all the babies and puppies and kittens you need. Laughter is the best medicine after all. Trick #3 Create a ball that's labeled HBOS (that's Hot Bag of Sh*t). You see, I was given many bags of hot excrement at the toxic job and I was expected to hand them off to my team with a smile. It was unpleasant to say the least. So I came up with the idea for a ball labeled HBOS. HBOS stands for "Hot Bag of Shit," but I explained it as "How to Blow Off Steam." Anytime I was handed a steaming HBOS, I called my one trusted colleague and we tossed the ball around for a bit. Until we laughed. I've noticed over the last several years that it is not often that I can attend church and there will be a lot of people in attendance ( i.e. over one hundred ).There have been a few times over the past few years that I preach to a congregation of 50. I really get excited if there is a congregation above 100, but that doesn't happen very often. Church has changed, motivations for attending church also have changed and therefore, worship is also manifesting itself in new dimensions (i.e. services during the week, Sundowner services ,Sunday evenings ,etc.) Church structures ,including theological seminaries ,have also changed. Recently, there was an announcement that Bexley Seabury, an Episcopal Seminary, will not be operating out of the building of Chicago Theological Seminary effective July 2016. "We welcome Bexley Seabury faculty, students and administration to CTS," said the Rev. Alice Hunt, president of Chicago Theological Seminary. "This is an important association between two separate institutions operating within one space. As the landscape for theological education changes, I believe we will see more of these inter-institutional associations, as they are beneficial for students, faculty, theological education, the academy, and the larger religious landscape Chicago Theological Seminary welcomes Episcopal Church Seminary to campus February 26, 2016 from www.ucc.org We can foresee more and more seminaries and theological schools merging, more property will be sold; potentially more theological seminarians will feel adrift regarding the identity of their theological educational institutions. This is a challenging time to be engaged in ministry. More and more people are living digitally, managed by their IPhone or other electronic devices. There is less patience regarding driving a long distance to go to a one-hour service in a brick and mortar building at 11:00 AM on Sunday morning. The Rev. Stephen Bauman, Senior Minister at Christ United Methodist Church New York. N.Y and member of the Yale Divinity School Dean's Advisory Council has observed: " People continue to confront the challenges of meaning and purpose in their lives. For this reason I am bullish on Christianity over the long haul. I am less bullish in the shorter run. The "organized church" is in for a wild ride because much of its business falls within the realms of the structural, tactical, and material - precisely the arenas experiencing the greatest changes. In this sense, what is at risk is not faith as such, but the institutional structures that arose over the centuries for the purpose of teaching and advancing faith. Jesus' enduring power and presence will not end if a denomination or two or three go under water. If we look to his own time, the very center of Jewish faith and Jesus' own faith - the temple of Jerusalem - was overwhelmed and torn down shortly after he died, with the remnants on view today 2,000 years later. But his legacy took root nevertheless in peoples' lives, continuing to the present moment. - See more at: http://reflections.yale.edu/article/new-voyages-church-today-and-tomorrow/readying-radical-change#sthash.Pq2hVRyo.dpuf Bauman further notes: "As for Christ Church, we are fashioning a new ministry under the rubric of "breaking the back of poverty in a zip code," partnering with the community of Washington Heights, just north of Harlem. Our immediate goal there is to resolve the future of a large, deteriorating property that will allow a new work to proceed, beginning with an initiative to address the material and spiritual needs of mothers with children up to three years of age." - See more at: http://reflections.yale.edu/article/new-voyages-church-today-and-tomorrow/readying-radical-change#sthash.Pq2hVRyo.dpuf Increasingly, more and more churches are redefining themselves to mission and outreach programs outside the walls of their church. This is not new when you consider the church's call to be about the work of mission in the world. But what is new is that this type of ministry outreach may prove to be more effective than worshipping in a building at a set time of the week. The next several decades will continue to be a challenging transitional time for churches. Some denominations that now exist may terminate or perhaps merge with other religious organizations. There will be this continued emphasis of " centralization " of church judicatories and their authority, more reliance upon technology " i.e. more meetings by Skype, less interaction in person." A word of caution, however, as I remind my students " You can't run an organization effectively by Skype," and I would add you miss the emotion, the affect, the subtlety of mood of another person if you are not in the same room with them. Jesus maintained a commitment to being with people. The Gospel Writer reminds us: "When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. "Zacchaeus!" he said. "Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today." (Luke 19:5 ) Yes, the Church will continue to emerge " being out beyond the walls" but we need to remember that the "I-Thou " ( Martin Buber ) relationship is essential if incarnation, let alone resurrection ,can occur in our lives and in the life of the world. May it be so. Facebook has a nifty new feature: we can now search for "Friends Who like Donald Trump" and do with that information as we wish. As I scroll through my newsfeed, I can see that people are using this new feature exactly as intended, by deleting friends who have liked the Republican front-runner, all the while posting accompanying statuses condemning the immense levels of innate stupidity and intolerance that must be present in individuals supporting the real estate mogul. It is a very comforting thing to be able to completely wave away the opinions of those we disagree with. But does this disregard for Trump supporters do us any good? Advertisement Earlier this week, on Super Tuesday, we saw who the clear winners were. Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton significantly widened their delegate lead count. In no state save Minnesota did Donald Trump fare worse than second place (and as a Minnesotan, I can admit that we're a bit different. After all, in 1984, we were the only ones who preferred Walter Mondale to Ronald Reagan). At his press conference in Florida, when questioned on whether he is ripping apart the Republican party, Donald Trump pointed out how his supporters come from all walks of life, be they rich or poor, hardened conservative or leaning liberals, staunch GOP supporters or frustrated Democrats who have simply had enough with the status quo. He presented a frightening alternative- he isn't destroying the GOP base. He is expanding it. A few months ago, I would have written him off as the Kardashian of the political sphere, entering the debate stage for no other reason than to draw attention to himself. After all, this is the same man who spitefully revealed Lindsey Graham's private number in a press conference after the Senator called him a "jackass", implied Megyn Kelly was hormonal after she asked him a series of tough yet fair questions at a debate, ridiculed John McCain's time as a prisoner of war, proposed war crimes as acceptable methods of fighting against suspected terrorists, suggested a complete ban of Muslims entering the US even if they are American, and has proudly boasted on numerous occasions of plans to solve the border crisis by having the government of Mexico pay to build a wall. But now, as he gains momentum, he seems to be switching gears. The vitriolic anger against minorities, which first caught our attention, has been discarded in favor of less bombastic rhetoric. A self-described "common sense conservative", Donald Trump is daring to do what no other Republican has done thus far: he is defending Planned Parenthood as a provider of health services for women (except in cases where abortion services are offered), condemning George W. Bush's role in the disastrous War in Iraq, analyzing the deal with Iran from an economic rather than ardently pro-Israeli perspective, all in front of a Republican audience. Even Rush Limbaugh, the conservative talk show host notorious for his bigoted comments on a wide range of topics, who has been following Trump closely ever since the businessman rose to the spotlight for his shocking comments on Latinos within the US, noticed the shift in tone, mutely saying that "[Trump]... on a Republican debate stage... [sounded like] a Democrat". Advertisement How is it possible that the man who only days ago boastfully shared a dubious, xenophobic story of a US general dipping bullets in pigs' blood to execute Muslim prisoners convincing so many of us to rally around him? How is it that the man who has filed for bankruptcy four times somehow making the claim that he will be the "greatest jobs president that God has ever created"? How is it that the man who has been publicly condemned by the Pope as "not Christian" winning so much support from the Bible Belt? Americans are frustrated. Bitter gridlock in Washington is not our cup of tea, and now it seems we are ready to ditch the beverage altogether in favor of a stronger flavor. Trump supporters aren't just run of the mill Republicans chanting "anyone but Hillary". They come from a wide range of backgrounds; some are frustrated by their continuing economic struggles; others are understandably frightened by emerging foreign crises such as the surging ISIL, or the admittedly precarious border situation; some are blue-collar Democrats, sick of their own political leaders; others are habitual Republicans who crave change; some are Latino (when looking at the high Latino vote won by Trump in Nevada); and others, (as evidenced by former KKK leader David Duke's endorsement of Trump), are white supremacists clamoring for an opportunity to expand their reach. One trait all of them seem to share, however, is their exasperation of the current political process. They all yearn for something different. And Donald Trump, a man with literally no political experience is certainly different. But who is he, really? Is he the hardened conservative as he claims? Or is he secretly a liberal with "New York Values", spewing whatever venom necessary to get ahead with no regard for how dangerously that hikes up intolerance levels within our political climate? This dichotomy of Trump's core identity as a political figure is highly unsettling, for the mere fact that we don't truly know what he thinks, and what he would do if in office. And as evidenced by his news conference on the night of Super Tuesday, as leaders within the Republican Establishment bemoaned his triumphs, Trump is edging closer and closer to achieving this power. After Hillary Clinton delivered her Super Tuesday victory speech, Van Jones said on CNN that his Twitter feed was full of people saying that she had stolen Bernie Sanders's message. But that was only half-true. While Clinton is incorporating more of Sanders's progressive populism, her campaign narrative is in the best tradition of American liberalism. Taken together, the core stories that Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are telling in their campaigns bring together the two main themes in liberal and progressive political discourse in America. They are telling a story that includes both driving ideas: our fundamental shared interest and our insistence that society should work for the vast majority, not powerful elites. Where the candidates diverge is where they put the emphasis in their narratives. After Clinton's first campaign message -- that she was a progressive who could get things done -- bombed, she finally developed a powerful campaign story. She began her Super Tuesday victory speech saying, "You know all across our country today they, Democrats, voted to break down barriers so we can all rise together." Advertisement But then she quickly pivoted to Sanders's campaign message: "Because this country belongs to all of us, not just those at the top." The rest of Clinton's speech was framed around breaking down barriers that block people from fulfilling their own potential and participating in the America promise: "Instead of building walls we're going to break down barriers and build ladders of opportunity and empowerment so every American can live up to his or her potential, because then and only then can America live up to its full potential too." Even when she returned to Sanders's ground of progressive populism, she extended the olive branch of togetherness. This section from her speech captures how she combines the two: [W]e're all in this together, my friends, and we all have to do our part. But unfortunately, too many of those with the most wealth and the most power in this country today seem to have forgotten that basic truth about America. ... Now I'm not interested in condemning whole categories of people or businesses... So let there be no doubt, if you cheat your employees, exploit consumers, pollute our environment or rip off the taxpayers, we're going to hold you accountable. But, if you do the right thing, if you invest in your workers, and in America's future then we'll stand with you. Sanders, of course, does not soft peddle his attacks on corporate greed and its exploitation of working people and hijacking of our democracy. But the power of his campaign comes not just from anger at the powerful but in the hope for a more inclusive economy and democracy. As he said at the beginning of his victory speech in New Hampshire, "the government of our great country belongs to all of the people and not just a handful of wealthy campaign contributors, and their Super PACs." And in concluding that same speech, "Together we are going to create an economy that works for all of us, not just the 1%." While the energy of Sanders's speeches is based in progressive populism, the tone of his two most recognized campaign ads is in the spirit of Clinton's inclusive vision of the American promise. "America," Sanders's instantly iconic ad, includes gauzy images of diverse, working and middle-class Americans to the tune of Simon and Garfunkel's refrain "They've all come to look for America." Sanders's other powerful ad, "Together," begins sounding like the new Clinton: "Our job is not to divide. Our job is to bring people together." Its images literally bring diverse faces together. Its narrative rejects division and focuses instead on our common humanity: "When we stand together--white and Black and Hispanic, gay and straight and woman and man." It then returns to the Sanders version of togetherness, contrasting this with the dominance of the powerful. "When we stand together and demand that this country works for all of us, not just the few, we will transform America." The divergence in emphasis between Clinton and Sanders is seen in the differences in the constituencies that respond most to each. Sanders' populism, along with his bold, transformative agenda, are reaching young people, progressive activists and white working class voters. Clinton's call for breaking down barriers speaks powerfully to Blacks, Hispanics and older women. And her moderated populism is more comfortable for Democrats with higher incomes and seniors. In the best of worlds, the two narratives would come together. Sanders would learn from Clinton to talk about breaking down barriers that are much deeper than economic inequality. Clinton would stop apologizing for her populism and start linking the theft of our democracy with the ransacking of our economy. Advertisement Having said that, the good news is that Democrats are finally getting close to a shared narrative--a powerful, values-based story about their core beliefs. Underlying both progressive populism and the liberal idea of breaking down barriers is the progressive meta-narrative, "We all do better when we all do better." This is both a statement of values and of how society works. It is an understanding that when each of us can care for and support our families, when all of us realize our full potential to participate in society, we build thriving communities and drive the economy forward. Clinton summarized this at the top of her speech: "America prospers when we all prosper. America is strong when we're all strong." Building an economy that works for all of us is a concept that is central to every one of Sanders's policy proposals. It is a story that can reshape what is possible in American politics. The Clinton "big victory" consists of a combination of "rotten boroughs," exclusionary primaries, disinformation, and conflicted Superdelegates. They should, and could, all be barred by DNC rules if the run-off process were conducted in a democratic manner. Hillary Clinton is piecing together a seemingly successful campaign on the basis of rotten boroughs in red states where it is certain that there will not be a single electoral vote cast for a Democrat, and Super delegates who have conflicts of interest because they have worked for or been given money by, or are otherwise integrated into the Clinton political machine. She has been aided by obvious disinformation about her electability and experience, and other features of a broken run-off system. Sanders' campaign has committed itself, as a consolation prize should it fail to secure the nomination, to make some rules changes at the Convention. Making rules changes at the outset of the Democratic Convention could determine its presidential candidate by evaporating Clinton's "victories." The current state-by-state run-off system for selecting a president is a hodgepodge of procedures that run the gamut from fair and democratic in some states, like Minnesota which prides itself on clean elections and high turnouts, to easily corruptible and exclusionary in states with low-turnout and unrepresentative results. Rule changes at the level of the DNC could correct for this original flaw in the lack of minimal state run-off election standards. Several systemic flaws could be removed by changing Convention rules that are currently designed to tilt the results toward plutocracy. The reform of DNC rules would address these methods by which plutocrats manipulate a corrupt and venal party to select the least favored and least likely to succeed among two candidates, when one of those two candidates has gained the lead among the general electorate by resolving to overthrow plutocracy. 1. Rotten Boroughs Advertisement The propagandist mass media is already prepared to concede to Clinton the run-off election to determine who will oppose Donald Trump in November. This is not based on Clinton squeezing out a narrow one delegate victory in the reliably Democratic Massachusetts, but rather on her series of victories in states which have not contributed a single electoral vote to a Democrat for a generation or more. A "rotten borough" is a depopulated election district that retains its original representation though hardly anyone lives there any more. The term was used to describe the English voting system that founders like Thomas Paine rejected as part of the corrupt system that they revolted against. Before the Civil Rights Era, when the Republican and Democratic parties switched positions on Jim Crow, the southern states were well populated with electoral votes for segregationist Democrats. But starting with Nixon's famous 1968 Southern Strategy, created in opportunistic response to the landmark civil rights legislation of the middle 1960's, and especially after that strategy was further refined by Reagan in 1980, there have been effectively no electoral votes for Democrats in the deep South, other than for southern "favorite sons," Carter and Clinton. Since then, even that tactic has not broken the solid south. Al Gore was unable to get an electoral vote from even his home state of Tennessee in 2000. Advertisement Like it or not, Americans select their presidents by an indirect electoral college process specified in the Constitution. Most states assign electoral votes on a winner-take-all basis. We all know those red states and blue states, where one party has a lock on the electoral votes, and also the few purple states where they do not. Red and blue states, for purposes of the electoral college, are rotten boroughs for Democrats and Republicans respectively. Democrats for all practical purposes have exactly zero potential for receiving a single electoral vote in the deepest red states. For the last generation the deep south states of South Carolina, and Super Tuesday states Georgia, Alabama as well as Texas have been well-established as deep red. Along with red states Arkansas and Tennessee, these former slave states are the base on which Clinton is building hersupposed (by the plutocratic media) "major victory" over Sanders giving her "full command" of the race. But why should delegates from those states vote at the Democratic National Convention when, to a very high degree of certainty based on experience, those delegates will represent not a single vote that will count when the electoral college selects the President? Such red state delegates have been proven by past experience to have no Democratic constituent in the electoral college, which is all that counts. It is self-delusion to think that the minority voters whose voting strength will be predictably cancelled out by winner-take-all electoral college votes actually do count for anything. They do not. Democratic votes in deep red states are no more relevant to the outcome of electing a president than if they were never cast. That is why these states constitute a rotten borough. The delusion that they are anything else is based on the false pretense that presidents are elected by the people and denial of the fact they are actually selected by the electoral college whose membership is all that matters. Rotten boroughs were declared unconstitutional in Baker v Carr, as a violation of the democratic principle of one person one vote. This is often considered one of the great Supreme Court reforms of American democracy. But the rotten borough system lives on in the Democratic Party to dilute the influence of a state like Minnesota. A rule change could abolish this undemocratic practice. A new rule could discount the votes of such states on the basis of their historic failure to prove that they represent any relevant voter by contributing Democratic electoral votes to the electoral college. Irrelevant voters who are insufficient in number to support such an elector should not be given power to cancel the voters in states that do send electors on the pretense that since a Convention precedes an election Democrats should pretend that red state delegates represent anything but a rotten borough devoid of an electors. To enforce this rule, the vote of red states could be cut by say 40% if the state produced no electoral votes in the previous election, which is the most relevant evidence if any electors are living there. It could be sliced away further at 15% per election for a full generation back until it reaches zero, if the state has contributed no electoral vote in the last 20 years. This is the case with the deep red states named above that Clinton won. The only fair conclusion is that no Democratic electors live in those states, since they have not shown up at the electoral college for a generation. Therefore the state should have no voting delegates at the Convention. Giving voting power for non-existent electors only serves to dilute the power of those states where such electors have lived for more than a generation, like Minnesota. To give delegate votes where there are no likely electors is no different than enfranchising a rotten borough. Aside from being inherently undemocratic, rotten boroughs have always been more easily susceptible to corruption and manipulation. 2. Exclusionary elections A principal means by which corrupt political parties rig elections is by keeping tight monopoly control over their ballot access privilege. The United States, more than virtually any other country in the world, is a two party system which structurally marginalizes third parties to the point of irrelevance, or worse. Control over one of the two ballot slots can therefore provide very valuable duopoly political power. This gives rise to a multiplicity of means by which political parties rig primary elections, mainly for the purpose of excluding the participation of independents. In this way the duopoly can consistently provide two bad choices for general election voters. Sanders consistently wins the support of Independent voters in exit and other polls. Independents are 40% of the electorate compared to Democrats who barely reach 30%, a number that will likely continue to decline as the party's election rigging techniques become more visible this year. Independent voters determine the outcome of general elections. If they get turned off the Democratic Party due to its transparent election rigging the Democrats will lose in November. Since Independents are essential to any winning coalition, their choices in the run-off process are essential to victory. Different approaches to primary elections range from say Minnesota's, which has an entirely open process requiring little more than future voter eligibility and a signature to participate, to a state like Massachusetts which is not so open, to states like New York that are closed. In Minnesota, a solid blue state that has consistently contributed its electoral votes to Democrats for two generations since 1976, Sanders accordingly defeated Clinton with a landslide 63-36% on Super Tuesday, with the state's second highest turnout. This was comparable to Sanders' landslide in his neighboring New Hampshire. In Massachusetts, by contrast, Sanders ran almost even. The Super Tuesday states ranged across this spectrum giving their results variable validity in representing the actual preferences of general election voters. Advertisement The DNC cannot by itself change this variable discrimination in different states against Independent voters. It was unsuccessful in trying ad hoc discipline of state primary practices in Michigan and Florida in 2008, for example. Discrimination against voters the party will need to win the general election is usually rooted in state laws which the corrupt parties have created for their own duopolistic purposes. But the DNC rules committee could immediately ameliorate the problem and demonstrate its commitment to a democratic run-off process. It would do this by compensating for this bias by an adjustment in delegate voting strength. The adjustment would cancel out the distortion of the preferences of voters, which tends to misstate the relative prospects of different candidates in the general election. Such a rule would be comparable to the proposed remedy for the rotten borough problem. Each states' procedures could be objectively ranked on the spectrum from open to closed. The voting delegate strength at the Convention would be adjusted accordingly to favor open primary voting over closed primary voting as indicating the likely Democratic voters' actual choice for a nominee. Why should a tightly controlled primary that deliberately misrepresents the actual preferences of voters have the same weight of say, Minnesota, which seeks to allow everyone to participate, and thereby more reliably contributes to Democratic electoral votes year and year out? Failing to make this rule change would continue to condone election rigging by excluding or deterring the 40% of Independents from participating in the run-off process. This is not a winning strategy in an election year when such political corruption and rigging of the system is foremost in many voters' minds, especially of Independents who will decide its outcome. Advertisement 3. Disinformation Virginia is the only state that is not a deep red state where Clinton has crushed Sanders just as he crushed her in the blue state of Minnesota and the purplish state of New Hampshire. Virginia was previously a red state along with the other former slave states upon which Clinton has built her "major victory." Virginia shifted to Obama in 2008 and 2012. It can now be called a purple state on its way to claiming blue status if the trend continues. Washington Post exit polls of Virginia voters raise another issue that is more difficult to solve than the other rule change issues discussed here. This issue no doubt also affects Clinton's other delegates, especially from red states where reliable information about Democrats is more scarce than elsewhere. Delegates from the other red states would be eliminated by the above "rotten borough" rule change in any event. This analysis can therefore focus solely on Virginia. The Virginia exit polls tell us that the 52% of voters who express a preference for a candidate who "Can win in November" or who "Has right experience" overwhelmingly voted for Clinton. Meanwhile the 47% of voters who prefer a candidate who "Cares about people like me" or who is "Honest and trustworthy" tend to prefer Sanders by lesser, though respectable, majorities (56% and 78%, respectively). One must ask whether the experience of Clinton which is preferred by these voters is that of selling US foreign policy for the benefit of the Clinton Foundation as described by Peter Schweizer, Clinton Cash (2015), or the experience of defending herself against an FBI investigation for national security breaches that may or may not be related, or Clinton's destabilization and warmongering for weapons manufacturers who pay her as described in Diana Johnstone, Queen of Chaos: The Misadventures of Hillary Clinton (2015). When fending off the accusation that her most significant experience is as part of the plutocratic Establishment, Clinton admitted Sanders' superior experience: "He's been in Congress, he's been elected to office a lot longer than I have." The non-sequitur that experience in office could be considered interchangeable with being a plutocrat is beside the point of her acknowledgment of Sanders' superior elected experience. Clinton is not even close to Sanders' greater experience in government. This experience advantage relied upon by Clinton's voters becomes very ephemeral as soon as one tries to pin it down to specific successful experience as opposed to the "blur" of marginally criminal conduct. Clinton Cash 101. As to voters' preference for winning in November, every poll since December has shown Sanders defeating every Republican with much higher margins than Clinton, who some polls show actually losing such match-ups. This misperception, which also motivates many voters, appears to fly in the face of known fact. Can anything be done about such Democratic voter ignorance on these two themes? It is primarily the consequence of mass media propaganda which is bought one way or another by plutocrats for their favored candidate. Propaganda cannot be regulated without enacting laws that the Supreme Court would likely rule unconstitutional. Cf. Susan B. Anthony List v. Driehaus, 573 U.S. ___ (2014). There is an alternative that could be applied by a DNC rule change. This proposed change proceeds from an observation about the logic of holding extremely expensive conventions attended by voting delegates to determine a nominee, rather than just performing an audit of primary results and tallying them up to determine the nominee. Behind this delegate convention practice is the notion that the delegates are supposed to exercise some judgment in selecting a nominee, comparable to elected politicians in performing their official duties. Absent that concept the PR extravaganza could be held on its own, without the pretense of a nomination taking place. A way for the delegates to exercise their judgment in a way that adds value to the math of the democratic process, to become more than the sum of its parts, would be to expose them to objective relevant reality as a prerequisite to their exercising discretion on who to nominate. A rule change could introduce the citizens jury process for the national conventions. This is a known technique to overcome the impact of propaganda, in the same way that trial jurors make decisions based on a process designed to uncover truth, rather than implement their preconceived biases. By overcoming the effect of propaganda, exposure to some objective facts about the candidates would only improve the nomination process. This is an innovative idea, of course. But is there a better way to counteract propaganda, other than banning it which is unlikely in any near future? Before the delegates go ahead and commit party-suicide by nominating Hillary Clinton, should they not at least be exposed to a presentation by a neutral pollster on the consistent finding that Sanders is more likely to win in November as well as an honest neutral statement of the two candidates' thoroughly vetted resumes detailing their actual experience? No moderate sized company would hire a CEO without such due diligence. Is it not reasonable then to expect the same from the doorkeepers to the most powerful executive office in the world? A formal vetting by professionals of a candidate's resume for claimed experience could be subject to objective standards for both candidates. Reporting on polling results can be objectively critiqued. The other two criteria, "Cares about people like me" or is "Honest and trustworthy" are not much susceptible to objective inquiry, barring a John Oliver-style body-slam for extreme cases. 4. Conflicted Superdelegates and RBC Members The final problem requires a simple traditional rule to guard against straightforward conflict of interest corruption in the nomination process. To use Minnesota as an example again, its congressional delegation Super delegates all support Clinton except for Keith Ellison who has endorsed Sanders. Yet their constituents support Sanders almost 2 to 1. There is something wrong here. One solution is a rule binding all super delegates to vote the way their constituents have indicated. This, in effect, would nullify the Super delegate remnant of the old party-boss system that the Democratic Party used to select its presidential candidate until it selected Hubert Humphrey in 1968, although he had not won a single primary. The Party then went into a tailspin from which it never really recovered, due in part to the long term corrupting influence of Nixon's judicial appointments. Short of getting rid of superdelegates, those Super delegates who have a conflict of interest as a result of receiving money or other substantial benefit from a candidate should at least be subject to recusal, both in the Convention and on the important Rules and By-Laws Committee (RBC). It is the RBC which would decide upon the four rules suggested here. If the RBC was motivated to win a democratically governed nomination that would win in November, rather than distorted by conflicts of interest to support the worst candidate, they would adopt these rules. Just one example of a clearly conflicted member of the RBC is Harold M. Ickes, a long-time Clinton advisor and a senior advisor to the independent Ready for Hillary super PAC. Ickes should not be a voting member of any rules committee proceedings that would affect the Clintons. Ickes was known as Bill Clinton's "garbage man" for running interference on Clintonian corruption. Yet there he sits on the RBC prepared for further duty. When he rejoined the Rules and Bylaws Committee, at least one longtime Democratic strategist raised her eyebrows. Said Donna Brazile, a fellow member of the rules committee: "He predated the Clinton era, but when I saw Harold reappointed to the D.N.C., he surely, in my judgment, symbolizes the return of the Clintons," This is the kind of corrupt conflict of interest currently allowed to contaminate a committee that is supposed to make rules designed to fairly yield the best, most democratic and potentially successful choice, not the choice of those favored by obviously conflicted interests and hopes of further pay offs. Advertisement In response to such overt corruption the Republican National Committee Chairman has publicized his party's rejection of the undemocratic practice of Superdelegates which he could accurately claim to be "unlike on the Democratic side where they have superdelegates and could give a darn about what the grassroots are telling the party. That's not how we operate our party on our side." This makes a powerful message to Independents looking for the least corrupt party in 2016. It's the day after the big vote and I'm doing my best to dig Tulsi Gabbard's endorsement of Bernie Sanders out from beneath the pile of Super Tuesday numbers and media declarations of winners and losers. As a Boston Globe headline put it: "Clinton and Trump are now the presumptive nominees. Get used to it." But something besides winning and losing still matters, more than ever, in the 2016 presidential race. War and peace and a fundamental questioning of who we are as a nation are actually on the line in this race, or could be -- for the first time since 1972, when George McGovern was the Democratic presidential nominee. Advertisement Embrace what matters deeply and there's no such thing as losing. Gabbard, an Iraq war vet, congresswoman from Hawaii and "rising star" in the Democratic establishment, stepped down as vice-chair of the Democratic National Committee in order to endorse Sanders -- because he's the only candidate who is not financially and psychologically tied to the military-industrial complex. "As a veteran of two Middle East deployments, I know firsthand the cost of war," she said, cracking the mainstream silence on U.S. militarism. "As a vice chair of the DNC, I am required to stay neutral in democratic primaries, but I cannot remain neutral any longer. The stakes are just too high." Because of Gabbard -- only because of Gabbard -- the multi-trillion-dollar monstrosity of U.S. militarism is getting a little mainstream media attention amid the reality-TV histrionics of this year's presidential race, the Donald Trump phenomenon and the spectacle of Republican insult-flinging. As the results of Super Tuesday started coming in on Tuesday night, Gabbard was given a few minutes to talk on MSNBC. While Rachel Maddow wanted to discuss the risk her Sanders endorsement might have on her career, Gabbard insisted on addressing the slightly larger matter of our unchecked, resource-hemorrhaging military adventurism across the globe. Advertisement "War is a very real thing," she said. "If the Syrian war continues, we won't have the resources to fund important social programs. This isn't a question of the past -- it's a question of today. Regime-change wars do nothing to strengthen our national security, but they do strengthen our enemies." Fine. We'll return after these messages . . . A short while later, the MSNBC analysts' attention snapped back to the Trump phenomenon. Someone opined: "The vast majority of Trump supporters are enamored of winning" far more than they care about the goofball issues Trump is supposedly running on, like the wall across the Mexican border and the ban on Muslims entering the country. Maybe it's true and maybe it's not, but I sense the mainstream media is a lot more comfortable with an issue-free presidential race, which is what the powers that be want, of course. The presidential election is supposed to be a distraction, not some kind of public accountability process. The Sanders phenomenon, while as shocking and unexpected as the success of the Trump campaign, is far too substantive to garner a similar amount of media attention, let alone serious consideration of the issues he's bringing up. Yet remarkably, his call for social change -- for the transformation of a "rigged economy" -- has not receded to the margins, either. So what happens next? Tulsi Gabbard's endorsement is the key. As Dave Lindorff recently wrote: Sanders, who has been avoiding talking about the country's military budget and its imperialist foreign policy, should use the opportunity of Gabbard's defection from the DNC to announce that if elected he would immediately slash military spending by 25 percent, that he would begin pulling U.S. forces back from most of the 800 or more bases they occupy around the world, and that he would end a decades-long foreign policy of overthrowing elected leaders around the globe. The shock waves generated by such a stance, from a candidate who already has 386 delegates, would be enormous. Conventional wisdom cries no, no, that's too much. No matter how much harm our wars have caused in the last decade, no matter how absurd a slice that war preparation -- including nuclear weapons development -- gouges from the national budget, the U.S. military, the planet's biggest polluter and most prolific terrorist, remains untouchable. The public has no say in these matters. The president has no say in these matters. This delusion goes back to the Vietnam War and McGovern's loss to Richard Nixon. Since then, the Democrats have attempted to purge themselves of antiwar -- or what perhaps should be called trans-military -- thinking. In doing so, they've tied themselves to their own, and the country's, inevitable collapse. The other option is transformation. This is the year it could begin. Robert Koehler is an award-winning, Chicago-based journalist and nationally syndicated writer. Contact him at koehlercw@gmail.com or visit his website at commonwonders.com. HiIlary Rodham Clinton, right, listens before signing a copy of her new book for a wheelchair-bound woman on Tuesday June 10, 2014, at Barnes and Noble bookstore in New York. Clinton said Tuesday that she and former President Bill Clinton "fully appreciate how hard life is for so many Americans," seeking to refine remarks she made about the pair being broke when they left the White House while on a high-profile media tour for a new book. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews) I am an unapologetic liberal, and in may respects, I suppose I am a Democratic Socialist. But I support Hillary Clinton rather than Bernie Sanders because she gets my issues -- and he does not. You see, in addition to being a lifelong liberal, I am also a disabled woman. These identities matter to me. Unlike Sanders, Clinton has a long and distinguished record of fighting for the disability community. Early on in her career, Clinton played a pivotal role in pushing for the first special education law, ensuring children with disabilities had the right to free and appropriate public education. Advertisement As Secretary of State, Clinton appointed the first Special Advisor on Disability Rights for the U.S. Department of State. During her tenure as secretary, Clinton also vigorously fought for ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. These examples are only a few of the many reasons I believe Clinton is the better candidate for my community -- the disability community. Since the beginning of her campaign, Clinton's website has included a page dedicated to disability rights. While this may seem small, this gesture demonstrates her commitment to our issues. To be fair, Sanders recently added a similar page to his website. Neither is perfect, and I wish both were far more detailed. But it is more than a webpage that matters. Unlike Sanders (who has admittedly mentioned the disability community on occasion), Clinton regularly discusses disability rights in her speeches. Even during her Super Tuesday speech, she mentioned fighting for the rights of people with disabilities! More importantly, she engages with disability leaders and the broad disability community for advice on how to address our issues. For example, Clinton's autism plan was the result of significant discussions with the autistic community. In contrast, I am unaware of any similar conversations between the disability community and the Sanders campaign. Intersectionality matters. As demonstrated most recently by Clinton's support among people of color in Nevada and South Carolina, she is attuned to race issues. Indeed, Clinton has been endorsed by a number of prominent civil rights activists, such as Representative Jim Clyburn, as well as the Congressional Black Caucus. A strong supporter of LGBT rights, Clinton has also been endorsed by the Human Rights Committee. Race, gender, and LGBT issues matter to the disability community. In fact, recent data from the CDC indicates that disability is more prevalent among people of color as well as women. Moreover, some people with disabilities also belong to the LGBT community. People with disabilities who are also African American, women, or LGBT face multiple levels of discrimination. We need a president who can be a champion on all of our issues. Advertisement The Affordable Care Act is important to people with disabilities and should be strengthened, not undone. Sanders and Clinton agree that health care is vital, but Sanders believes we need Medicare for all whereas Clinton supports strengthening Obamacare, which has greatly improved access to health care for the disability community. Sanders' plan would disrupt our successes and, more importantly, put the disability community at risk of decreased health care access. For instance, Medicare, in its current form, offers little coverage of long-term services and supports or durable medical equipment. Without these important services, people with disabilities will suffer. Planned Parenthood is vital to women with disabilities, who often experience significant barriers to obtaining quality and accessible reproductive health care and are at an increased risk of exposure to HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases because of limited access to education, information, and prevention services. Clinton has long fought for Planned Parenthood and we need a candidate that recognizes its importance. Conflating gun violence with psychiatric disability is offensive. Comprehensive gun control is sorely needed. Expanded, community-based, mental health services, including peer support services, is also needed. However, these two issues are unrelated. Indeed, research shows that people with psychiatric disabilities are far for more likely to be victims of violence then perpetrators. Unfortunately, Sanders doesn't seem to get this. Each time he is confronted with questions concerning gun violence, he immediately turns to issues of mental health care, thereby further perpetuating stigma against those with psychiatric disabilities. In contrast, Clinton has recognized the importance of not conflating gun violence with psychiatric disability. Ableist language is unacceptable. Language matters. Sanders, a passionate speaker, regularly describes things like the economy and campaign finance as "insane" and "crazy." To be fair, many Republican candidates also use these offensive terms regularly. Most candidates know not to use the "R" word. Why can't the same be true for derogatory words that offend people with psychiatric disabilities? Bernie - yes, the economy and campaign finance system is outrageous, but please think before you speak! Advertisement Free public higher education sounds wonderful but Sanders' plan will not truly help all of the disability community. Many in the African American community have expressed frustration that his plan for free public higher education would harm Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Interestingly, there has been less attention to the similar impact it could have on colleges and universities aimed at expanding opportunities for people with disabilities. For instance, Gallaudent University is a federally-charted private university for the Deaf Community. Several private colleges and universities also have programs tailored to meet the needs of students with disabilities. Sanders' plan would not pay for Gallaudet or other private colleges and universities. Yes, we need to make college more affordable and lower student loan debt, but let's make sure we do so for all! In another life, were I not a disabled woman, perhaps I would support Sanders. After all, at first glance, he has a lot of great ideas! However, I cannot in good faith support Sanders given his many short-fallings when it comes to the disability community. I've gotten a lot of response on my last post explaining that I won't vote for Hillary Clinton because I don't vote for Republicans. Here's a basic rundown: You're ensuring a President Trump! Nope, far from it. If Hillary-> and Drumpf are the nominees, then on Election Day, Hillary-> will get +0 votes from me and Drumpf will get +0 votes from me. What will guarantee a President Drumpf is if he collects +1 more votes than Hillary-> in enough states to earn 270 Electoral College votes. It's simple math, really. If I vote for neither of those candidates, neither of them collects the +1 they need to beat the other. Advertisement What this scare line is really telling me is that your candidate sucks so badly that you're afraid she can't beat a racist, homophobic, misogynist, xenophobic, Islamophobic real estate mogul / TV reality show star with zero political experience. If you had any confidence in her abilities, you wouldn't need my vote. If she was any candidate other than Hillary->, this would be a landslide victory. The Supreme Court! What makes anybody think Hillary-> is going to nominate anybody less pro-corporate than John Roberts? Remember how terrible Bush's new Chief Justice was going to be... and yet, he upheld the Affordable Care Act. Anybody Hillary-> nominates is going to be pro-business and socially moderate in order for her to get that person through the Senate. Yes, they'll be better on the social issues, but if we do nothing about the business stranglehold on politics, we'll have all the civil rights we want, with no affordable education, healthcare, or decent job market to enjoy them within. Advertisement Even Bernie will support the nominee! Good for Bernie. But you can't assail me for following my cult leader Bernie and then demand that I follow my cult leader Bernie. Bernie can vote however he wants to vote. Politicians often make such odious choices, like when Bernie supported the Crime Bill in order to keep the Violence Against Women Act parts of it. And Bernie's 74, he may not live to see the rebound from a President Drumpf. On this, Bernie and I disagree. He believes that preventing a President Drumpf is absolutely paramount. I believe that Drumpf wouldn't be as harmful as Clintonistas want us to believe (there's a reason the GOP establishment hates his guts -- he's far more moderate than they would like). I believe that a Drumpf Administration would be hampered by GOP obstructionism if he doesn't toe their line, which he won't. For his more odious proposals, maybe the Democrats in the Senate will engage in some obstructionism payback (this assumes some semblance of spine in the Democratic Party, so don't hold your breath). And any moves made to restrict or rescind gay rights, women's rights, and marijuana rights is only going to further inflame the younger voters who will increasingly decide future elections. Severe restrictions would do more to swing the pendulum toward progressivism than would Hillary->'s constant capitulation to the Big Business right. Advertisement I see this as bigger than Hillary-> vs. Drumpf. I see this as oligarchy vs. democracy. Whether it is the allegedly-benevolent oligarchy of Hillary-> or the supposedly-malevolent oligarchy of Drumpf, we're going to still have oligarchy. The benevolent oligarchy is the slowly-warming pot -- Dems will let us gay marry and abort pregancies and smoke pot, yay!, so we give them a pass as they also slowly keep empowering their Wall Street connections, their Big Pharma & Insurance donors, and the military-industrial complex. But the malevolent oligarchy is the boiling pot -- Republicans let terrorists hit us on 9/11, let people drown in New Orleans, and crashed the economy, boo! It was bad enough that people actually voted for an unknown black senator named "Hussein" who was talking about public option healthcare, transparent government, and prosecuting previous administration's torturers. The malevolent oligarchy messed up so bad that Candidate Obama was drawing then-record crowds and securing then-record individual small donations. The carnage will be on your hands, privileged straight white man! This is the corollary of the You're ensuring President Trump that attempts to shame and guilt me into voting for Hillary because I'm straight, white, and male, so no bad thing Drumpf will do could possibly affect me. Never mind that I'm homeless, own no car, work on spec with no health care (sorry, Obamacare's too expensive, but I make too much for Medicaid) and no retirement. Never mind my father on Social Security disability, my 21-year-old niece, my lesbian friends, and my black family. I fully understand the arguments being made and yes, they'd even affect me, too. Especially on the marijuana front. Legalization is my job. Drumpf could appoint an Attorney General Christie who'll send DEA in to shut down legal marijuana commerce in four states and medical marijuana commerce in 23. But after an Obama who said he'd leave medical alone and then presided over the most medical marijuana raids in history (far more than Dubya), why should I trust Hillary-> on the issue? Hell, her husband's administration tried to take down medical marijuana by going after doctors' free speech rights, and marijuana arrests more than doubled over his two terms. Advertisement But nothing that affects me or my family and friends is going to change significantly under the rigged system we have now. Even Hillary-> admits her goal is to merely hold off the GOP from undoing any of the good things that have been accomplished under Obama, because she knows the system is rigged. Besides, if I have to be responsible for the carnage a President Drumpf might cause, Hillary-> supporters need to wash the blood of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis off their hands first, then offer a few thousand apologies to soldiers' families for not finding any WMD. They can also apologize to my lesbian friends for having to delay their wedding when Hillary->'s husband passed DOMA and Hillary-> gave cover to every homophobe who wanted to deny their rights. Then apologies for blacks over-incarcerated due to the Crime Bill she championed as a way to deal with "superpredators", apologies to poor folks who lost their homes when the banks collapsed thanks to her husband's repeal of Glass-Steagall, apologies to the laborers who lost their jobs when NAFTA shipped them to Mexico... I could go on with real, actual Clinton harms if you want to name a few more imagined, future Drumpf harms. Hillary and Bernie agree on 90 percent of everything! Did you know we humans are 98 percent similar in DNA to chimpanzees? Amazing how that different 2% can make two wildly different species, huh? Yes, Hillary-> and Bernie both agree that voting should be easier, gay people should get married (at least, since 2013), middle class wages should rise, minimum wage should be higher, Muslims aren't all terrorists, Mexicans aren't all rapists, and so forth. Advertisement Telling me Hillary-> agrees with some of the most basic things a Democrat should espouse isn't the issue. It's ignoring the fact she agrees with so much of the basic things a Republican would espouse that is the issue for me. The disagreements are the issue. Cozying up for six-figure speaking fees with the big banks that wrecked the economy, even after telling them to "cut it out", makes me believe Hillary-> would behave more as a Republican would toward those big banks. A "we came, we saw, he died" attitude toward Middle East regime change tells me she'd behave more as a neocon would in foreign policy. Voting for the bankruptcy bill and requiring work for a "debt-free tuition" shows me she would stil treat poor people like her welfare-busting husband did in the 1990s to the delight of Republicans. Taking public option healthcare off the table and vowing to further integrate the health insurance industry into for-profit health care backed by government fines for non-compliance was Mitt Romney's idea! Advertisement Ignoring the massive public opinion and the growing scientific evidence on medical marijuana by offering a "we need more research" stalling tactic is something Republicans do, if they recognize any medical utility at all. We have to support the lesser of two evils It's refreshing to know some will admit to their candidate being an evil. But, no, I don't have to do anything. This isn't Australia; I'm not required by law to vote. Lesser of two evils thinking is what has gotten us to this place. At what point would it stop? Suppose the race was a Republican vs. a Pro-Life Democrat. Now that Republican is likely to cut Social Security and Medicare, repeal the ACA, and invade Iran. The Democrat is against all those things, but vows to nominate justices who'll repeal Roe v. Wade. Who's your lesser evil in that matchup? Are you, oh Hillary-> supporter, going to vote for the Pro-Life Democrat, knowing that it will likely mean 2 or 3 new Justices who'll overturn Roe? Suppose I doubled down on that: it's a Pro-Choice Republican vs. a Pro-Life Democrat. Who's your choice... wait, never mind. There never would be a Pro-Choice Republican running, because that party requires its nominees to hold strong to some core principles. Advertisement If you're really a Democrat, you'll support the nominee This week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government in India released its budget for FY 2016-17. Budget Day in India is met with intense scrutiny and heightened chatter among the pundits and political class in New Delhi. JustJobs Network's staff based in India shared their reactions to the new budget on the JJN blog. Leaving job creation to the private sectorSabina Dewan, Executive Director As the Indian government released its 2016 budget earlier this week, a key question is whether it does enough to address one of the biggest challenges confronting the Indian economy: job creation. This year's budget makes a sharp pivot from an urban to a rural focus with bigger allocations for infrastructure, like irrigation projects; the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, which promises 100 days of work per year for rural households; and schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bhima Yojana that protects farmers whose crops have been affected by natural calamities, pests or diseases. Advertisement These policies promise to relieve distress and protect livelihoods in some of the poorest parts of the country. The rural vote is, after all, critical to the upcoming state assembly elections this fiscal year. But the government's resolve to keep fiscal consolidation on track by bringing the fiscal deficit to 3.5 percent of Gross Domestic Product in 2016/2017, means that there will be little additional spending to create new jobs. This task the government largely leaves to the private sector.A more hands-on approach to skill developmentAmanbir Singh, Research Coordinator Finance Minister Arun Jaitley listed "education, skills and job creation" as one of his nine pillars to transform the economy. He is setting aside 17 billion (over US$ 250 million) for 1,500 multi-skill training institutes and an expansion of the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojna, the program that offers youth a financial incentive to complete vocational training. The funding allocation is not a surprise since "Skill India" has been a major policy plank for the government. It is interesting to note that there is a focus on creating new multi-skill training institutes, which could replace India's Industrial Training Institutes in the skilling landscape. Over the past few years, the government has been channelling funds to training providers - NGOs and for-profit enterprises - through the National Skills Development Corporation and other programs. This move, however, could signal a more hands-on approach by the government in realizing its skill development target of 400 million trained workers by 2022. A fresh emphasis on start-upsGregory Randolph, Deputy Director The 2016 budget places special emphasis on nurturing India's ecosystem for start-ups, especially those in the manufacturing sector, to drive job creation. Advertisement The budget definitely marks a step forward for India's entrepreneurs, with the promise of one-day registration and a tax holiday for three of the first five years after a company is set up. What's more, the budget holds a special allocation for start-ups run by women and lower-caste entrepreneurs; it's great to see the government recognize the problem of access to entrepreneurship. But questions remain: Is there any effort to change procurement and tendering practices so that young enterprises benefit from government spending? Is one-day registration just nice window dressing, or will the government streamline other hassles that new companies face, like obtaining a tax ID number? The devil is always in the details of implementation.Ease of doing agricultureAtisha Kumar, Research Director The 2016-17 budget continues the government's emphasis on facilitating the 'ease of doing business.' While the government puts forth a variety of tools to lower the costs of doing business, a prominent theme is the use of technology to do so. Start-ups are the obvious candidates for technology-based solutions, but the union budget also introduces digital solutions designed for another group: farmers. The budget holds special provisions for both marketing of produce and procurement of agricultural produce. The budget proposes a national, online marketplace for agricultural produce directed at farmers. This electronic marketplace will help provide better price information to farmers. On procurement, the Food Corporation of India will undertake an online procurement system to administer the Minimum Support Price (MSP). Advertisement These Internet-based solutions for farmers could be well timed, given that the number of rural Internet users grew 77 percent in 2015 and is on track to reach 147 million in June 2016. The poorest farmers, however, are the least likely to benefit, given that the cost of any broadband device is still out of reach.Is it really the biggest year yet for NREGA?Trine M. Jorgensen, Research Intern The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) - a national program that ensures 100 days of work to rural households - is allocated 385 million (almost US$ 5.7 billion) in the 2016 budget. According to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, this is the highest ever allocation of funds to MGNREGA. It's a welcome turnaround after two years of Modi's government criticizing the program and giving it low priority. But looking closer, we see that in 2010-11, the government allocated 401 million to MGNREGA; in today's rupees that would be 650 million, almost double this year's allocation. This year's amount is also modest considering the backlog of unpaid wages from last financial year (12 states were unable to pay due wages as of December 2015), and the promise of 50 extra days of work for people in drought-stricken areas. Improvement in the timely release of funds and better monitoring to prevent corruption, however, could increase the percentage of funds that actually reach rural households. Betting on the long-term dividends of infrastructureDhruv Jain, Research Associate In 2016-17, infrastructure spending in India will be increased to 2.21 trillion (about US$ 32.5 billion). The emphasis will continue to be on railways and roads. Key highlights include the construction of 10,000 km of roads, upgrading of state highways, and the establishment of a National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) to source off-budget funds and facilitate Public Private Partnerships (PPP). Advertisement Infrastructure spending pays big dividends in terms of economic activity, and potentially job creation, especially in a country like India where connectivity remains poor. But expenditure on railways and roads - aside from the direct jobs it creates - is a long-run investment. It holds the potential to connect markets, boost productivity and create jobs over a time horizon of five or more years. It won't help Modi fulfill his big promises around jobs in the short run, before the next election. Nonetheless, the government's resolve to provide this big push deserves applaud, given the limited fiscal space. Helping companies pay for pensionsTanvir Malik, Research Associate Aside from the controversial removal of tax exemption on withdrawal of contributions to the Employee Provident Fund, the government made another significant announcement with regard to the EPF. The budget sets aside 10 billion (almost US$ 150 million) to pay 8.33 percent of new employees' basic salary towards pension and provident fund contributions. This provision will apply to workers earning basic salaries of less than 15,000 (US$ 220) per month. The government's contribution will cover almost three-quarters of the 12 percent matching contribution required of employers. By reducing the cost of hiring, this could give a boost to job creation. It may also create an incentive for firms to hire more formal rather than casual workers, since provident fund contributions are one of the biggest expenses for employers when hiring permanent employees. However, the move could unintentionally put a ceiling on wages at the 15,000 per month threshold, since any salary above it would lead to a large increase in labor costs for employers. The government should monitor wage data to make sure salaries for entry-level workers are not stagnating below the threshold. Norman, Okla. is home to the University of Oklahoma. NORMAN, Okla.--After Bernie Sanders and Ted Cruz won Super Tuesday in Oklahoma, millennials are thankful that Donald Trump did not take the state. It was Amanda Jones' first time voting and the 20-year-old said she voted for Marco Rubio because she thinks he is an underdog, conservative, and a more attractive candidate. "I was happy Trump didn't win Oklahoma," Jones said. Stephen Ibach, 27, said that no candidate shares all of his views, but decided to vote for Cruz. Ibach said he felt like Cruz was adamant in staying true to the constitution. Advertisement "To me, he stands closest to wanting to uphold what our founders originally intended, as far as liberty goes," he said. Noria Yanz, 29, voted for Sanders because of his stance on education and women's reproductive rights, as well as how he is funding his campaign. "I think it's obviously unusual for Oklahoma to go blue, but it makes me excited for Election Day," Yanz said. Scott Downard, 33, also voted for Sanders. Downard said he thinks of himself as a moderate, but said he was motivated to vote democratically more by being anti-republican than a Sanders supporter. Advertisement "It's kind of interesting that we sort of are different from the rest of the overall nation, it's cool that Sanders took the state," he said. "It's kind of interesting that Trump didn't take it here." Patrick Gomez, 24, is from Alabama and said he notices similarities in the kinds of people who live in both states. It made the outcome of the Oklahoma primary more interesting because Trump won Alabama, but not Oklahoma. In Whole Woman's Health vs. Hellerstedt, Texas physicians seeking to protect women's access to safe medical care are challenging the state's 2013 anti-choice law (HB 2), which threatens to close more than 75 percent of clinics offering abortion care and leave many women with little meaningful ability to exercise their constitutional rights. This law applies to any abortion clinic providing more than 50 abortions per year. It is estimated that there were more than 40 facilities in Texas before the law was passed. Half of these establishments remained open following the law taking effect. If the court rules in favor of Texas, it's estimated that there would be a mere 10 clinics left in the state, making access to women's health care elusive. "The impact of these closures has been dire, delaying many women - and preventing others - from obtaining a legal abortion," said Stephanie Toti, a lawyer for the Center for Reproductive Rights. "This, in turn, has led to an increase in abortions later in pregnancy and in illegal abortions." Advertisement "Don't be fooled - the Texas law is not about protecting any woman's health. It's about trying to ban abortion by chipping away at access and undermining a woman's autonomy," said Ilyse Hogue, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America. "We look to the Court today to not only affirm our right to safe and legal abortion but also guarantee our ability to access that right. Seven in 10 Americans support legal abortion - we know this, and our opponents know this. We are the majority and we will not be silenced by a vocal minority." Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), the top Democrat on the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, delivered remarks outside the Supreme Court Wednesday. Murray was joined by health experts and advocates from across the country in defense of women's constitutionally protected rights, and reiterated her strong objections to Texas's anti-abortion law and laws like it across the country. "As frustrating as it can be to have to explain, time and time again, why a woman should be able to make her own health care decisions in the 21st century and as we all know, it can really be frustrating! It is also so inspiring to see women - and men - making their voices heard and making clear that we are not going backward," Murray remarked. "We are not going backward because a woman's constitutional right to make her own choices about her own body has been affirmed for more than four decades," Murray continued. "Because politicians have no business interfering in a woman's most personal health care decisions. Because our daughters and granddaughters should have stronger rights and more opportunity - not less!" Murray added a personal note. "As a mother, grandmother, and U.S. Senator - I know that's the right direction for our country," she said. "But the Texas clinic shutdown law in question today would mean the opposite. It could allow a woman's zip code to determine whether she's able to get the health care she needs. It could open the door for even more states to play politics with women's health - and it would put women's lives at risk." Advertisement In January, Murray led a total of 163 Members of Congress in filing an amicus brief to the Supreme Court on Whole Woman's Health vs. Hellerstedt. "A woman's access to reproductive health care shouldn't be dependent on her income or zip code," said Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01). "Unfortunately, politicians across the country are passing dangerous laws that block women from exercising their constitutionally protected right to choose." DelBene added, "I hope the Court recognizes that these shameful attacks undermine Roe v. Wade, put women's health at risk and must be struck down. If the Court upholds these laws, it could pave the way for similar restrictions at the federal level - and Republican leaders are already trying. Women deserve better. They deserve the freedom to make their own health care choices." DelBene spoke on the House floor about the case. Video can be found here. DelBene is an appointed member of Republicans' Select Panel to Attack Women's Health, which was established to investigate Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers. In her role on the Select Panel, DelBene is fighting to protect women's access to health care and safeguard the privacy and safety of doctors, patients and medical students across the country. "The Supreme Court, and this nation, is at a crossroads," Hogue added. "Either we will empower women and families by protecting and expanding reproductive freedom, including the right to an abortion, or we will all but eliminate access to abortion in many states across this country. With access to abortion gone, women also lose the ability to determine our families, our lives, and our destinies." Seventy years ago this week, in a quiet corner of Iran, the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union began in earnest over a missed deadline. For four years, American, British, and Soviet troops had been stationed in Iran, invited by the government there to help protect Persian oil fields from Hitler's army. But there was an important caveat, agreed to in a 1942 treaty: all troops had to be gone within six months of the end of World War II. As the war wound down, Washington and London successfully pressed Tehran for oil concessions, and withdrew troops on time. But Moscow, denied the oil it believed it was due, found an excuse to stay - coming to the aid of Iranian Kurdish rebels in the northern regions of Iran. That's where Soviet troops still sat when deadline day came and went on March 2, 1946, to the great displeasure of the person who mattered most - U.S. President Harry S Truman. By now, Truman was convinced the Soviets were bent on global expansion and could not be trusted. He decided that Iran was the first place the West would make its stand. Appealing to the newly created United Nations to condemn Soviet aggression, Truman issued a clear warning to Moscow that continued occupation would be met with an overwhelming military response from America. Three weeks later, the Soviets backed down. While some historians argue that the real reason the Red Army withdrew is because the Kremlin managed to wring oil concessions from Iran, the fact is that when those concessions later failed to materialize, Soviet troops never went back: Moscow was afraid to cross Truman's red line. Advertisement Seven decades on, the civil war in Syria seems like a cruel bookend to the Iran Crisis of 1946. The power, clarity and sense of purpose that defined American policy in the region for more than half a century since Truman is embodied today not by the President of the United States, but by the President of Russia - who projects confidence and force despite a teetering Russian economy and a weakened Russian military. For all the wrong reasons, Russia seems strong, America seems weak, and U.S. leadership across the Middle East is in full retreat. Today, we are living Harry Truman's playbook in reverse. Now, as then, America's president drew a red line, in Syria in 2012, threatening that if Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad used chemical weapons against his own people in that country's brutal civil war, America would respond with force. But this time, in 2013, Assad crossed that line, and America did nothing, causing what has been called, "enormous, perhaps irretrievable, damage to American credibility." It signaled to dictators everywhere that America would tolerate aggression - and it was no accident that Russia invaded Ukraine and soon after annexed Crimea. Now, as then, a Russian leader bent on expansion has used the excuse of a rebel uprising to aggressively occupy a Middle Eastern country with weapons and troops. But this time, those actions were taken not in spite of American leadership, but because of the absence of American leadership, by a U.S. President whose policy has been described as "a study in passivity and moral confusion." In fact, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Seymour Hersh recently reported that the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff were so unnerved by the Obama Administration's policy of arming "unvetted Syrian rebels" to overthrow Assad - rebels which the Chiefs were convinced had jihadist ties - that they worked to undermine the policy by indirectly sharing U.S. intelligence with Assad himself. Now, as then, the world watches as Russia and America attempt to resolve a tense, and in this case tragic, situation with a tenuous "cessation of hostilities" that may end the battle but won't end the wider war across the region. But this time, it is Moscow dictating the terms of the cease fire, including the understanding that Russian forces will likely remain as a presence in Syria indefinitely - despite months of cold-blooded Russian attacks that have killed so many civilians that Amnesty International says they "may constitute war crimes." Advertisement If Harry Truman had acted in Iran in 1946 like Barack Obama has acted in Syria in 2016, the Soviets never would have left. Seventy years from now, we will likely know why the Obama Administration decided to step back from American leadership in Syria. Maybe it was because the President, having brought home troops from the wars George W. Bush started in Iraq and Afghanistan, didn't want to get involved in another Middle East quagmire. Maybe he thought the conflict was less about power and more about whose pipeline got to carry Middle Eastern gas across Syria to Europe, and had no appetite to trade more American lives for oil. Maybe he didn't foresee that the confluence of Sunni Muslim disempowerment at the hands of Iran-supported Shiite governments in Baghdad and Damascus would lead to the creation of a barbaric, jihadist threat like the Islamic State or spark a global crisis as refugees fled war zones. Or maybe he and his team were simply overmatched and cast adrift by the changes wrought by the Arab Spring, which unmoored decades-old U.S. policies and alliances, with no clear next steps. Whatever the reason for inaction, the bragging rights now handed to Russian President Vladmir Putin are clear. He is seen as having rescued his closest ally in the region, shored up Russia's only naval base on the Mediterranean Sea, and brought stability to a regional crisis in ways the U.S. and its allies would not - for the first time ever. As Middle East scholar Frederic C. Hof writes, Putin is essentially in a position now to "force the United States into a de facto alliance with Assad against ISIS, thereby enabling him to tell Russians that the American worldwide regime change campaign he has vowed to defeat has been stopped cold in Syria, that the American president has been forced to eat his 'Assad should step aside' words and that Russia has returned to great power status - thereby ending decades of humiliation." At some level, we should be grateful that Putin acted when it became clear that Obama would do nothing. It's too late for Barack Obama to earn back the respect of both friend and foe across the region. That doesn't mean the U.S. shouldn't try to create a more lasting peace--partnering with NATO allies to make the case for a no-fly zone across Syria, creating a safe haven for refugees on the Turkish border, and working toward a negotiated settlement, which is Moscow's best exit strategy. But ultimately, solving this crisis and restoring American leadership will be a job left to his successor. So what is the next President of the United States to do? Three things. First, take the advice of the chairman of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, Francoise Heisbourg, who suggested to journalist Celestine Bohlen last week that "the next U.S. President is going to have to demonstrate early on - in circumstances that he or she would have preferred to avoid" -that America's inattention in the Middle East the past five years "was an Obama moment, not an America moment." Second, realize that the region is broken and be willing to discuss new lines in the sands of what was Syria: Alawites and pro-Assad religious and ethnic groups in a radically shrunken Syria; an independent Sunnistan for Sunni Muslims that includes areas of Syria and Iraq; and an independent Kurdistan that unites Syrian, Iraqi, Turkish, and Iranian Kurds at the point where those four countries connect. Third, recognize that defeating Islamic terrorism, starting with ISIS, is the greatest urgency the West faces and make it the centerpiece of our new policy in the Middle East. The U.S. should lead the global coalition against the Islamic State and be willing to partner with any nation (including Russia and Iran) that works with us to defeat ISIS while punishing any nation (including long-time allies Turkey and Saudi Arabia) who continue to support Islamic terrorists. Lastly, and less officially, use the levers of diplomacy to show Russia that the U.S. will stand up for its interests. Make Putin feel like he's in the Big Leagues again by treating Russia with the respect he feels it is due. But more quietly, begin to move U.S. troops from Germany to the doorstep of Russia in Ukraine and the Baltics, to make Putin think twice about any further aggression. End the ban on exports of gas outside of the U.S., and begin to explore how American oil and gas could replace the Russian supply that Europe relies on for a third of its energy needs. And subtly remind the Kremlin how quickly the U.S. could cut the access of Russian banks to global markets. Advertisement That's what Harry Truman would do, because he would understand: strength is the only language Vladimir Putin understands. It's time for the U.S. to get fluent again. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a rally at Valdosta State University in Valdosta, Ga., Monday, Feb. 29, 2016. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Dear Trump Supporter, Let me start by saying that I get it. I get the frustration. I, too, am tired of all the PC language that has dominated our culture. I'm tired of having to be careful about everything (and I mean everything) I say for fear of accidentally offending someone and dealing with hyped up repercussions. I, too, am sickened with politics as usual -- with a stagnant, do-nothing government. I'm tired of unmet promises and of wimpy politicians who won't stand up for what is right and what needs to be done. Advertisement I, too, am concerned about where our country is headed. I want to see our nation great again. So I get it. I get the allure of a charismatic person who speaks his mind, who appears above the fray, and seems to epitomize success. Why wouldn't we want an accomplished businessman to run the "business" of the states? Why wouldn't we want a person who could not care less what people think to break through the barriers of our hypersensitive speech? Why wouldn't we root for someone radically different than what we've seen before in Washington, who promises to get stuff done, while at the same time makes us laugh? But this is not about Donald Trump. No, this is about you. For the Donald has said and done a number of things that many analysts have stated should have knocked him out of the race. But rather than causing him to lose ground with you, you have stood faithful. In fact, with each successive event, you not only did not let it bother you, you applauded him all the more. Therefore, I can assume that the things he has said and done are not only acceptable to you, but are the kinds of things you think will make America great. Advertisement So while I get the frustration, I just want you to be aware -- if you are a Trump supporter, these are the things I assume about you: 1. You think a great America consists of disrespecting our nation's veterans, particularly our POW's. On July 18, 2015, Trump said of former Navy pilot and POW John McCain, "He's not a war hero. He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren't captured." McCain had spent 5.5 years as a prisoner at the famous Hanoi Hilton in North Vietnam, where he was regularly tortured. Trump later denied saying McCain wasn't a war hero. He went on to claim that he was a better leader on veterans' issues than McCain, stating that he had put on benefits for foundations like Wounded Warriors. In a recent analysis, Forbes magazine reported: The Donald J. Trump Foundation has donated $5.5 million to 298 charities between 2009 and 2013 (the most recent year available), according to the non-profit's 990 tax forms from those years. Of that, only $57,000 has been donated to seven organizations that directly benefit military veterans or their families. In other words, "leading" on veterans' issues means dedicating just a little over 1 percent. Forbes went on to state: Wounded Warriors was not among the organizations Trump's foundation gave to in that time period. Forbes also found that Trump, who we estimate is worth $4.5 billion, has not made personal contributions to his foundation during the same time period. After this piece was originally posted, Trump sponsored an event that raised $6 million for Wounded Warriors. The timing is interesting to me that just shortly before the primaries he decided to increase his giving suddenly from $57,000 to $6,057,000 and for Wounded Warriors which he previously claimed to have given to but as per above he had not -- see point #5 below. So I can only assume since, after all this, you are still very excited to place Trump as the leader of our nation's military, that respect and support for our military personnel and veterans is not that important to you. 2. You believe that in a great America it's okay to mock people with physical disabilities. At a rally in South Carolina last year, Trump mocked Serge Kovaleski, a reporter known to have a condition called arthrogryposis which affects joint movements. Because Kovaleski denied that a 2001 article he'd written supported one of Trump's claims, Trump publicly "imitated" Kovaleski, jerking his arms about in a manner reminiscent of the disability's symptoms. Advertisement Though Kovaleski had covered Trump extensively during the '80s and early '90s, meeting with him repeatedly and knowing each other on a first name basis, Trump denied he was mocking Kovaleski's appearance, claiming that he didn't even know him. Not convinced? You decide: For any other public figure making such disparaging remarks it could be almost career-ending. But since you not only seem to have given him a pass but applauded him along the way, perhaps it even says something about you. Could it be that you thought his mockery was quite funny, too? AP Photo/Andrew Harnik 3. You think a great America is where a woman's purpose is to be a beautiful piece of a**. Trump famously said in an interview with Esquire in 1991, "You know, it doesn't really matter what [the media] write as long as you've got a young and beautiful piece of a**." Granted, that was in 1991, but while his views of many different things have frequently changed throughout the years, there's no evidence that his views on women have. And while he doesn't hesitate to compliment the physical appearance of women, he also just as easily degrades them as well: insulting the face of Carly Fiorina, saying a female columnist had "the Face of a Dog," calling a lawyer "disgusting" for needing a break to pump breast milk, and implying debate moderator Megyn Kelly was asking tough questions because of menstruation. "I get the allure of a charismatic person who speaks his mind, who appears above the fray, and seems to epitomize success." This is not to mention disrespecting his own first wife Ivana by having an affair and marrying his mistress who was 17 years his junior. Ironically, Trump tweeted in April of last year, "If Hillary can't satisfy her husband what makes her think she can satisfy America?" Any self-respecting man would not stand for allowing another man to say to his spouse or girlfriend some of the things Trump has said to other women. So why do we allow Trump to get away with what he says without recourse? It is also difficult for me to understand why so many women support what he says. Could it be if you are female and support him you simply think less of yourself, and could it be if you're male and support him you're just less of a man? 4. You hope for a great America that strongly dislikes or refuses to accept entire people groups (and there's a word for that). Last year, Trump made controversial comments that Mexico was sending us drug dealers and rapists as an argument for why we should round up and deport millions of illegals and build a wall. He also proposed that we put a ban on all Muslim immigrants. Advertisement Many, as a result, have accused him of being a "racist." And it's the continued pattern of activities and statements over a period of time that has many designating the label. Perhaps it was because he tweeted out a graphic falsely claiming that the majority of white murders are perpetrated by blacks. Perhaps it was because he was his complicit in the beating of a "Black Lives Matter" protester at one of his rallies. Perhaps it's not just his own actions but the fact that his own father was involved in a segregation scandal through his real estate business. Yes, in our PC world sometime we get a little hypersensitive, but when the verbiage and actions of an individual keep adding up, there's a point in which you simply have to call it what it is. But if that label of "racism" won't stick, there's another word that should. Its definition is: a person who strongly and unfairly dislikes other people, ideas, etc.: a person who hates or refuses to accept the members of a particular group (such as a racial or religious group) According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, that word is "bigot." As Dana Milbank states in his Washington Post article, "It might be possible to explain away any one of Trump's outrages as a mistake or a misunderstanding. But at some point you're not merely saying things that could be construed as bigoted: You are a bigot." Advertisement As a Trump supporter you have not only failed to hold him accountable for any such statements or actions, you have often openly cheered him. Is it possible that one of these definitions also fits you? 5. You look forward to a great America that is politics as usual. In the last two decades Trump has gone from being a Republican to an independent to a Democrat and back to Republican. He previously supported universal health care but now opposes it. He once proposed a tax increase on the rich but now stands against it. In 2010, he praised President Obama as having done a good job but now describes him as "incompetent." In 2008, he supported Hillary Clinton's campaign and In 2012 he said she was a terrific woman; but now he states that she is "the worst Secretary of State in the history of our nation." He once said he was "very pro-choice" and now he says he is "very pro-life." In 2000, he supported longer waiting periods on gun purchases and a ban on assault weapons but now is against those. Up until 2011, he had made more financial contributions to Democrats than to Republicans. "In the last two decades Trump has gone from being a Republican to an independent to a Democrat and back to Republican." Just on the recent campaign trail itself, he has flip-flopped on issues such as ISIS, Syria, Afghanistan, Planned Parenthood, military spending and the flat tax. Despite the overall impression he has of being a straight-talker, there is no way anyone can know where he truly stands on any issue. Instead of being the outsider, he ultimately ends up saying what people want to hear rather than standing firm on anything. Many Trump supporters will defend that politicians change their positions all the time. I rest my case. Trump is politics as usual -- and you support it. 6. You fight for a great America where the ends justify the means and things like faith and character do not matter. In your frustration and desperation for change you have compromised some of the very things that were once important to you. Advertisement There was a time where the particular faith of the president was of extreme importance to you. But now you strongly endorse a candidate who is clearly not Christian. Yes, I said it. I am almost always one who declares you cannot judge another person's heart -- that we will be surprised in the end who will actually make it to heaven. But in this case, aside from his recent misstatement of "Two Corinthians" instead of "Second Corinthians;" aside from the truth that in spite of his claim that the Bible is his favorite book, he can't name a single favorite verse; aside from the fact that the church he claims to attend has said he is not an "active member" (not one of these alone would necessarily disqualify a person from being a "Christian") he also has admitted that he never asks God for forgiveness -- a central tenet to the Christian faith. Add in his questionable moral behaviors, his "love of money," his ultimate lack of humility, and his complete disrespect for others (all indicators that he does not follow Christ nor represent his character) and I'll say it again: Trump is not a Christian. For many of you that has never been an important qualifier and at least you are being consistent (though I think it should still give pause to the fact he is trying to pass himself off as something he is not). But for others, it has always been important. Why is it not now? In addition, 22 writers for National Review, considered the bastion of conservative thought, just came out to declare that Trump is not a true conservative and, in fact, is a "huckster" and a "menace to American conservatism." Advertisement And as much opposition Trump has expressed toward so many leaders at home and abroad, the one person he has expressed admiration for is Russian president (some would say dictator) and communist Vladimir Putin. In short, in your effort to try to make America great, you have compromised on all that you once believed... or maybe you never really did. 7. You believe in a great America in which the best way to win is to bully (and maybe you're a bully, too). We promote anti-bullying campaigns in our nation's schools and put out statistic showing its links to teen suicide. Yet many of you are making a hero out of one of America's most well-known bullies. It's no secret that when challenged, Trump's modus operandi is to attack a person's character rather than substantively address the issue. No one who has questioned him is free from his degrading wrath. Advertisement HIs decision to publicly give out Lindsey Graham's cell phone number and social media bashing brings to mind the maturity and scheming of a teenage Mean Girl who belittles everyone around her. Only this Mean Girl you want to make into the school Principal. As writer Olivia Nuzzi puts it: Bullying, according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, "involves repeated exposure of one person to physical and/or relational aggression where the victim is hurt with teasing, name calling, mockery, threats, harassment, taunting, social exclusion or rumors" -- or, to put it more concisely, the entire Trump doctrine. Many mental health professionals have come out to say that Trump meets the classic symptoms of a narcissist. They opened up about this out of great concern for what a Trump presidency could mean, in spite of a professional rule (as stated in this article) that you are not normally supposed to publicly comment on the mental state of an individual without directly examining them. As clinical psychologist Ben Michaelis says in the article, "To degrade people is really part of a cluster-B personality disorder [which Narcissism is part of]: it's antisocial and shows a lack of remorse for other people. The way to make it O.K. to attack someone verbally, psychologically, or physically is to lower them. That's what he's doing." "It's no secret that when challenged, Trump's modus operandi is to attack a person's character rather than substantively address the issue." Narcissists also have a tendency to be dishonest. Licensed clinical social worker Wendy Terrie Behary, states, "Narcissists are not necessarily liars, but they are notoriously uncomfortable with the truth." Michaelis adds, "He's applying for the greatest job in the land, the greatest task of which is to serve, but there's nothing about the man that is service-oriented. He's only serving himself." So why support a narcissist and a bully? Is it, again, because the ends justify the means and you're happy for him to do the dirty work? Or is it, like in all the movies, bullies have their sidekicks? If you're a supporter, are you a bully, too? Of course, bullying works, as long as the bully's on your side. And as shown by his record of flip flopping and dishonesty, there's no guarantee which side he'll be. One day this bully might end up in the highest authoritative office in the land. A lot of what he says may be funny now, but if you ever disagree with him, some day he might be bullying you. 8. You dream of a great America with a strong central government that monitors and controls civil liberties... ...such as freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press (and possibly even the right to bear arms). Trump has already hinted he would use executive orders to the same degree President Obama did, for which Obama "led the way." He has also said that we should place surveillance on certain houses of worship and has been open to the idea of keeping a database on people in the U.S. who practice a particular faith. For many of you, this idea of the federal government monitoring and tracking these individuals and places doesn't bother you because he was referring to Muslims, and Muslims apparently scare you right now. Photo by John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images But what happens when an extremist who claims your faith does something terrible and the Federal government decides it's time to start monitoring you? And in terms of speech, Trump has already demonstrated he'll use whatever means necessary (giving out a person's cell phone #, having protesters thrown out, verbally assaulting and social media bullying, and even boycotting debates) in order to silence his opponents. Advertisement Furthermore, there was his questionable statement about closing down the internet: "We have to go see Bill Gates and a lot of different people that really understand what's happening. We have to talk to them about, maybe in certain areas, closing that Internet up in some way... Somebody will say, 'Oh, freedom of speech, freedom of speech.' These are foolish people." In regards to the press, Trump has threatened to sue the Washington Post for reporting on one of his bankruptcies. His own lawyer once warned a newspaper that if they reported about rape allegations against Trump, he was going to mess up the reporters' life. He stated, "Tread very f--ing lightly, because what I'm going to do to you is going to be f--ing disgusting." Now if he's currently willing to use whatever weapons he has available to him to try to quell any opposing views or press reports, what happens when he has the chief lawyer of the land (the Attorney General), Homeland Security, the FBI, the Bureau of Land Management, the IRS, the ATF, and other Federal offices at his disposal to continue to do the same? "First, does he think families of shooting victims really find that funny? Second, why is he even thinking about shooting anybody?" In terms of gun control, many fear that President Obama's gun control measures are a secret conspiratorial means via which the government will eventually collect all guns and take over dictatorial powers of the states. However, when you think about it, it's not a president who makes enemies of all the gun-owning individuals that has a chance of taking dictatorial control. It's going to be the one who has pretended all along to be your friend (the one who continually changes positions, even on issues like this, in order to say what people want to hear) who ultimately will have you duped. Advertisement Recently, Trump claimed he was so much loved, he could stand in the middle of a street and shoot someone and not lose any votes. First, does he think families of shooting victims really find that funny? Second, why is he even thinking about shooting anybody? Third, what does that mean he is saying about you? Does he really think you're that blind of a follower that you just wouldn't care? Fourth, what are the implications for putting a bully, so sure of himself he feels he has zero accountability, in charge of the highest office in the land? Will he then feel he is able to order the shooting or removal of anyone he wants and never lose your unwavering support? Trump's rise in power has been very unpredictable. I honestly did not feel he would get this far; so it is hard for me to predict the final outcome of this year's primaries and election. That said, if you are a Trump supporter I also assume of you are one of the following two possibilities: Advertisement 9a. You think a great America is one that looks like Hillary Clinton (or Bernie Sanders?). Early on, many speculated that Clinton hoped for Trump to be the GOP candidate because he is the one she could most easily defeat. Some conspiratorialists have even speculated that Trump is a Clinton "plant" designed to wreak havoc in the GOP. Trump has indeed deeply divided the Republican party with many conservatives coming strongly against him. He has also alienated a large portion of the Hispanic vote. And neither he (nor any GOP candidate) ever really had the African American vote; but because of his bigotry and racism, he's quickly losing many of the white voters who care about them. As to myself, many would describe me as an Evangelical Conservative (though that label is a lot wider than people think and it would be hard to nail me down on every issue). And while I feel that neither party has done a good job of representing my views, since 1986 I have always ended up siding with the Republican candidate. Though I have often been unsatisfied with the eventual Republican nominee, I ultimately each time ended up voting for that person (as a lesser of two evils choice) because they more closely represented my concerns. If the eventual nominees, however, end up being Clinton and Trump, I will not in good conscience be able to vote for either one. The choices to me would be either a slow death (Clinton, by continuing in some of the same policies of her predecessors that are hurting this country) or potential disaster (Trump, because of the reasons outlined above). My vote, therefore, in good conscience would have to go to an independent or a write-in... and there are many just like me. Translation: the eventual winner would be Clinton; so I assume Trump supporters are comfortable with that. Advertisement Or... 9b. You think a great America is one that looks like Donald Trump. Trump has promised to "make America great again," invoking the idea of making it great like the past. Most discerning people now recognizes that there are things in our past that were good, such as things your "momma" or "daddy" taught you about honesty, hard work and respect, and there were things in our past that were bad, such as bigotry, misogyny and abuse of power. So far Trump's demonstration of "great" seems to be a return to our past in what was bad, while ignoring the things that were good. Many conservatives themselves, including "Tea Party" leaders, have said that Trump is actually dangerous for America. And yet, you as a Trump supporter, so far have ignored this, along with all the other warning flags. Remember, the Donald is playing "nice" right now in order to get elected. There's no telling what he'll do once he has the ring. In 1 Samuel 8 (that's pronounced "first Samuel eight"), the prophet Samuel warned the people of Israel that their demand for a king would result in the king's abuse of power, but the people would not listen. Advertisement While he may not claim to be a prophet, Libertarian author David Boaz heeds a similar warning now for us when he wrote for the National Review: Not since George Wallace has there been a presidential candidate who made racial and religious scapegoating so central to his campaign. Trump launched his campaign talking about Mexican rapists and has gone on to rant about mass deportation, bans on Muslim immigration, shutting down mosques, and building a wall around America. America is an exceptional nation in large part because we've aspired to rise above such prejudices and guarantee life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness to everyone. Equally troubling is his idea of the presidency--his promise that he's the guy, the man on a white horse, who can ride into Washington, fire the stupid people, hire the best people, and fix everything. He doesn't talk about policy or working with Congress. He's effectively vowing to be an American Mussolini, concentrating power in the Trump White House and governing by fiat. It's a vision to make the last 16 years of executive abuse of power seem modest. But it's not so much Trump I am concerned about as the people. Are we really now the kind of people who want such a king? Does this person really represent our values? Does he really represent you? Now if you are a Trump supporter, perhaps I've made some wrong assumptions. Perhaps you are a very kind and loving individual who has always honored our nation's military and would never degrade a single person. Perhaps you love people from all walks of life and you get along well with even those you disagree. Perhaps you live to serve others rather than pushing to get your own way. Advertisement "It's not so much Trump I am concerned about as the people. Are we really now the kind of people who want such a king?" But when you idly sit by as he says the things he says and his berating of people's lives causes you to raise your hands in further praise I just have to be honest about the assumptions I make of you. And if I'm wrong, prove me so. Stand up to him now and then... hold him accountable. Tell him you think he has the skills that it takes and he can still make America great, but if he devalues another soul you won't put up with it. But if not then, well, I've already listed it. The question to ask is: are the things I've listed what makes America great? If not, when is it great? America is great when after some kind of trial people from all walks of life come together in prayer and support. Advertisement America is great when we see someone in need and groups band together to try and meet it. America is great when a person in a uniform is eating out and someone pays their tab, thanking them for their service. America is great when a person in a wheelchair needs to get through a door and a stranger rushes up to hold it open. America is great when two individuals can disagree but can still have a friendly one on one discussion. In some sense, America is already great as long as we make a habit and continue to do the things we get right. But in this day and age when there are still things we get wrong, are you sure the answer is to introduce more vitriol and hate? Is that what will make America more great? Advertisement If Trump were to get the nomination and then go on to win the presidential election, that means one thing: that Trump (through his actions and his words) represents what the majority of Americans have become and want more of. That means Trump is America and America is Trump. If that is the case, then America not only will not be great... I'm not even sure America is or will be even any good. So the question is... America, are you great or are you Trump? I guess we'll start to get a picture soon, beginning Feb 1. Congratulations Republican Party, you got what you wanted. After four decades of a campaign strategy that exploited the fears of white nationalists, you finally nominated your dream candidate: a fascist corporate psychopath who says what every hate-mongering white supremacist wants to hear, rife with so little moral conviction that he won't even disavow the Ku Klux Klan until pressured by the media. Donald Trump is on track to be the Republican candidate for president in 2016. Is anyone surprised? Since Reagan first cemented the image of the "welfare queen" -- the stereotypical poor black American fraudulently collecting entitlements -- into the minds of middle America, the Republican Party has used rhetorical misdirection to blame blacks, Hispanic immigrants, women, homosexuals, and Muslims for every one of their policy failures. From such amorphous terms as "the 47 percent" to the straightforward attacks on "sluts" seeking birth control, Republican candidates have gone out of their way to implicitly assure white, straight, Christian, male Americans of their infallibility. It's only appropriate that after America elects a black president, those most frightened by their country's "changing complexion" would respond by lashing out against the politically correct language that Republicans have used to conceal their true feelings. "Straight talker" is a Republican euphemism for "racist like me," and conservative voters are ready for a candidate who embraces the language that they only dared whisper under their breath or behind closed doors. Finally, someone else to point at and say, "well, he said it first. And I appreciate his honesty." Advertisement "Trump as an individual is not the problem here. Trump is the symptom." Fittingly, Donald Trump's qualification as a political outsider is most evident in his inability to be subtle (read: politically correct) about his bigotry. Republicans have fostered a growing sense of Islamophobia since the September 11th attacks, but Trump was the first candidate to call for a ban on all Muslims entering the United States after the ISIS attack on Paris. Former Arizona Governor Jan Brewer, who just gave her endorsement of Trump this week, once falsely claimed Mexican immigrants were taking Americans into the desert to behead them. But Trump was the first candidate to call a majority of them "rapists, criminals, and drug dealers" (a statement supported by no evidence whatsoever). Between cheering on supporters who physically assaulted a Black Lives Matter protester, endorsing the 'passion' shown by supposed supporters when they beat up a homeless Hispanic man, or making comments that feed into negative stereotypes of Jews, Chinese-Americans, and the disabled, Donald Trump has turned your racist grandmother's senile ramblings into a legitimate political campaign. But Trump as an individual is not the problem here. Trump is the symptom. Trump is the result of decades of rhetoric by a broken and misguided political party that set down the path of making white people afraid of outsiders and then forgot to rein in the momentum once it achieved short-term political success. The Republican Party has taught us that when you exploit fear for political gain, you plant a dangerous seed in the minds of the most heavily armed and hardly educated Americans. Advertisement The evidence is clear: violent backlash against calls for racial equality, a rise in right-wing extremist attacks, a major political party's about-face on immigration policy, the disenfranchisement of millions of black Americans, and the radicalization of Muslims in America and overseas who face public policy and rhetoric targeting them for their beliefs. Racism is real, and our benevolent attempts to relegate it to an uncomfortable topic at Thanksgiving dinner have been overcome by a political machine that recognizes that emotion -- dare I say it? -- trumps rationality. The party of personal responsibility is now faced with its most daunting task: take responsibility for the monster it created and save America from a man so regressive that he threatens to return us to an age of internment camps and public lynchings. "Defeating Trump is not enough. We must defeat his ideas and the political machine that fosters them." It's also time that we as Americans take responsibility for allowing this to persist as long as it has. We can't just roll our eyes when someone turns a racial group into a monolithic entity, replete with all the negative characteristics they learned from the evening news. Black and Hispanic Americans are not lazy criminals, Islam is not a violent belief system, empowered women are not sluts, and Donald Trump is not a legitimate politician. The "silent majority" of male white supremacists likens themselves to a repressed group facing persecution just because "kill us some negros!" isn't an applause line at stump speeches anymore. We need to make it clear that they should REMAIN silent -- the real majority of Americans support racial, sexual, and religious equality, and we will speak louder for social justice than they can for segregation and bigotry. Advertisement We have an obligation to protect this country from itself. I know many of my friends understand the gravity of Donald Trump winning this nomination. I also know many Americans are blinded by the "straight talk" of a man who speaks to their fears. The Republican Party has already begun the internal damage control, but they're 40 years too late. A supporter of a $15 minimum wage holds his fist in the air during a rally in the Legislative Office Building on Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2016, in Albany, N.Y. (AP Photo/Mike Groll) By the end of March, our elected representatives in Albany will have a chance to tackle income inequality, make New York more economically competitive, help right a racial injustice, and give our young people the financial power to build a life in the communities where they grew up -- all with a single vote. How? By supporting Governor Cuomo's proposal to increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour in New York state. Advertisement Economic inequality has indisputably reached a crisis point in our country. The cost of everything -- from housing to groceries, day-care to college tuition -- has gone up in recent decades. But for too many Americans, the real value of take-home pay has stayed flat, or even dropped, leaving them struggling to make ends meet. As faith leaders, we see this crisis as not only an economic one, but also a moral one: when a parent working a full time job isn't paid enough to provide for their child's food, clothing and shelter, it's more than economically unfair, it's a violation of fundamental American values. Right now, 46 percent of working people in the U.S. make less than $15 an hour, which isn't enough to pay for the basic needs of their families. This is unacceptable. The numbers are even more dire when you look at communities of color: more than half of African-American workers and close to 60 percent of Latino/a workers make less than $15 an hour. A raise in the minimum wage to $15 -- the minimum that is needed to sustain a reasonable standard of living -- can help lift up low-income communities and communities of color to build a more equitable economy for all Americans. Americans have seen this scale of inequality before. During the Gilded Age at the turn of the twentieth century, America's economic landscape was not so different than today: a small handful of people doing extremely well while everyone else either struggles to get by or falls behind. What helped turn the tide back then was Americans coming together in the labor movement to demand an end to rampant inequality. It was a different time but the demands then are just as relevant today -- a living wage, better working conditions, the right to unionize, and an economy where everyone able to work can find a job and make ends meet. We can win those kinds of victories again. That's why American Jews, and many other communities of faith, are stepping up in this fight. Many American Jews, and New York Jews in particular, come from families who immigrated to the U.S. at the turn of the twentieth century and found work in factories with low wages and dangerous working conditions. Those formative experiences helped shape our community's history of activism. Jews were deeply involved in that era's historic labor victories and, later, in the civil rights victories of the 1960s, understanding then that economic and racial justice are deeply intertwined. We are not going to stand on the sidelines now during one of the biggest fights for economic and racial justice in a generation, when countless American families are struggling to make ends meet. Advertisement By raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour, we can put real dollars into consumer's pockets and take a big step towards reducing economic inequality. That's indisputably good for our economy, which is driven by consumer spending. Big business groups have tried to distort this obvious truth by claiming that a raise in the wage will force employers to lay off their workers. But the data just doesn't support that claim. In recent years, cities and states across the country have been raising the minimum wage to tackle inequality and heal some of the damage caused by the Great Recession. Some made the same dire warnings of massive layoffs and joblessness, but these doomsday predictions have not come to pass. And more than 200 leading economists have issued a joint statement saying that all economic data indicates that when an increase in the minimum wage is phased in over time -- as New York's proposal is -- there is no effect on overall employment. The fact is most low-wage employers are major corporations like McDonald's or Walmart, not family-owned small businesses. Nationally, two-thirds of low-wage workers are employed by large corporations with over 100 employees. The companies can afford to give their workers a living wage. Maximum profit margins, and not fiscal constraint, is the reason they don't. In our proudest moments, New Yorkers have set the standard for all Americans to follow. The vote before our state Senate is another occasion for New Yorkers to come together, prove the doubters wrong and demand a better life for ourselves and our families. Advertisement The World Bank is hosting its annual Fragility Forum this week with the aim of making progress on the post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals. This week has also seen a fragile ceasefire in Syria, potentially landmark elections in Iran, and a violent clash between Jordanian security and so-called Islamic State members. Together these developments have prompted me to reassess what needs to be done to resolve the issues of conflict and fragility in the Middle East. For the Middle East, the starting point should be to move away from any process that reinforces the image of the West devising solutions and proposing "new" visions to the region. Such approaches are reminiscent of the Sykes-Picot agreement or the neoconservatives' "grand strategy" of the early 2000s and do not appreciate that the Middle East has changed fundamentally since 2011. The region, at all levels, now expects to be treated with dignity and to be the driving force behind its own development. It is high time to pull together to establish a "Regional Reconstruction Strategy" that can address all sorts of violence, not just Islamist-related conflict. The region needs an ever-evolving strategy that maintains a holistic, problem-solving outlook while drawing on various forms of intervention (e.g. community driven development, inter-regional development projects, targeted counterinsurgency operations, stabilization, statebuilding, etc.) without being straightjacketed by any one toolkit or template. Novel approaches rooted in genuine regional leadership, broad participation, youth engagement, and the utilization of technology will increasingly need to be applied. The pillars of such a strategy should be a collective regional vision, effective local participation, smart security, reconciliation and justice, equity, reconstruction and development, and capacity. Advertisement Collective Vision: With the aspirations of the Arab Spring unrealized and many countries descending into sectarianism, what is needed now is a collective vision that goes beyond national borders. This would include pooling the region's resources, specifically all the ingredients for large-scale development, such as human resources, an educated population, capital, mobility, and nature. We could then look to the day when region-wide development is synergistic and not predatory or a zero-sum game. What Morocco has achieved with solar energy is a shining example--a visionary investment has addressed regional developmental and environmental challenges, stimulated employment, and raised confidence that hi-tech and innovative sectors can thrive in the Middle East. Such a broad vision is crucial if the region is to leapfrog into the twenty-first century and not remain in a vicious cycle of conflict and failed development. Key to an inclusive and non-adversarial vision will be both accepting and embracing Islam as a majority religion while building on human security as an area of common ground. For this to happen some real changes are required in places such as Iran and Saudi Arabia--which would enable both to exercise their regional leadership in coalescing a constructive collective vision rather than perpetuating sectarian hostility. Advertisement Broad Participation: It is important that the regional vision recognizes that development requires an active civil society, a free media, and rooting action and ideas at the local level and with popular participation. The process of engaging in a region-wide consultation where contributions are coming from schools, villages, city halls, political parties, unions, and many other civic forums can help the region start dreaming about what it wants to look like in the 50 years to come. Smart Security: Instead of a collective vision for development we have one for defense, formed with the excuse of the Islamic State group. All appreciate that a minimum level of security is important for implementing reconstruction, but a lack of security cannot be a pretext to do nothing. Experience has shown that delaying reconstruction efforts pushes people down the slope of conflict and violence and leads to dependence on humanitarian assistance. The region needs to find ways of better understanding the granular texture of security at local and regional levels so that strategies can be developed in which localized insecurity does not hold back development in other areas. This could support "spot reconstruction" efforts that create exemplars of what a degree of stability combined with reconstruction intervention can achieve in the midst of larger instability. Reconciliation and Justice: No long-term investment in reconstruction can be protected without genuine reconciliation across the region. Twenty years ago the main fault line was Israel-Palestine. Today, there are many additional fault lines that need to be addressed, including Muslim-Christian tensions, tensions between displaced and host communities, and tensions between Sunni and Shiite communities. The most fundamental way to initiate reconciliation is to make sure that the rule of law applies to all and that everyone has access to justice regardless of the mechanism. On this a lot can be built on local and traditional systems for achieving justice and reconciliation. Equity: A common mistake with reconstruction is that it proceeds without sufficient regulation and monitoring to ensure that benefits are equitably distributed. This region has repeatedly seen how easily reconstruction "lords" (most of whom were previously warlords) can emerge to line their pockets at the expense of the general public, thus perpetuating that country's crisis. World Bank arguments for the private sector to take the lead in reconstruction in Afghanistan and elsewhere have done nothing but strengthen this model. Assad's efforts to liberalize Syria's economy prior to 2011 led to the further enrichment of a corrupt elite, contributing to what we see today. Going forward, reconstruction efforts must take into consideration the poorest and least capable--so that nobody is left out.Reconstruction and Development: There is an urgent need to find new ways of inducing development through international engagement with the region. The current instability has shifted spending toward security and away from the basics of development. As a result, some of the most important development indicators--freedom of expression, women's participation, poverty, quality of education--have taken a step back. All this is happening when the region is facing financial challenges due to severely reduced oil prices. This may prove to be an opportunity as some countries needed a good wake-up call to the pernicious effects of a model of capital development in which billions of dollars are invested in the West, generating jobs and stabilizing economies thousands of miles away at the expense of the region. If the West wants to help the region it should seek to focus minds within the Arab world on the value of investment in addressing regional problems in a mutually beneficial way. Ultimately a more stable region will lead to more prosperous neighbors both in the East and the West. Advertisement Building Capacity: To do this we must invest enormous amounts in fostering sustainable capacity at regional, national, and local levels. It is essential to invest in education at all levels, in particular going beyond primary education to support the young men and women that will become leaders with the conviction and capabilities to rebuild the region. In a rush to capture development, we have focused on the hard sciences, engineering, business studies, and computer science while ignoring our own culture, languages, and history. We must correct this imbalance, and it is time we develop our ideas in our own language and not rely on translation. TRIGGER WARNING: This post contains graphic language about violence, rape, assault and abuse. One year ago, I received my first online death threat. I was told by an internet user that I should be raped by a pack of white men and burned alive. This individual also hoped that my husband pulls out the "lynch rope soon, when he gets bored" of me. This was backed up by another individual repeatedly saying, "I will rape you." This scenario was horrible, but all too common for female writers, activists and gamers online, where anonymity breeds the lowest level of disgusting human behavior laced with unwarranted vitriol. Being an activist, writer, and performer who has been in the public eye for nearly 20 years, I have taken my fair share of (unwarranted and sometimes warranted) criticism and attacks. I can laugh at a spirited back and forth with a troll and love impassioned debates with people who think differently than I do. I have never taken what people I don't know have to say online about me very seriously, until my life was threatened in disturbing and sick detail. There was something about that moment, reading how someone felt that I should be sexually assaulted, burned alive or lynched by my own husband, that was surreal and awful. I found the individual's IP address and I called the Los Angeles and Houston Police Departments. Unfortunately, I was told by both agencies that there was nothing I could do to pursue action against someone who said I should be raped and burned alive. The person who threatened me was 19 years old. After getting no help from the Los Angeles or Houston Police Departments, I ended up consulting with a private investigator to locate the individual, but because the threats stopped, I felt no need to peruse any further action (even though that has been a huge regret for me). I said nothing about it. I "let it go." Advertisement A year later, I sat in horror, shaking, as I read one of the most heinous and detailed racially-motivated death threats I have ever read online -- only this time it wasn't against me, but a New Jersey woman named Heather Smith. Smith allegedly received unsolicited contact from a 24-year-old man, Matt Walters, who is a Cypress, TX resident. He attacked her for her support of the #BlackLivesMatter movement. The content of this message was far more than someone expressing dissent or feverishly debating conflicts in ideology; it came from a far more sinister place deeply rooted in ignorance, violence, misogyny and racism. He goes into a very methodical and grotesque rant about the exact ways he would kidnap, torture, and kill Smith. Here are the threats that were directed at Miss Smith by Walters. Please be aware that this is extremely graphic in nature. When asked about her reaction to reading these threats, Smith had this to say: Reading the messages was surreal. I've gotten hateful messages before but as I read his incredibly detailed and vivid description of how he wanted to harm me, my heart sank. I haven't had that sort of thing happen to me ever in life. I was astounded and terrified. Just my words made this person want to end my existence in the most horrible way possible. Smith immediately took action and contacted both Harris County and the Houston Police department in Texas, as well as filed a police report in East Orange, New Jersey. She had this to say about her experience dealing with the police to have this matter investigated: Advertisement The police seemed very annoyed. They didn't take it seriously. Houston PD wouldn't even listen to me. I tried to read the message to them and they said, 'No. That is OK.' I informed them that the Harris County PIO (Public Information Officer) urged me to call, but they said no. That person gave me the wrong information [and said] they can't help me because I don't live in Houston. The police here in East Orange, New Jersey did take my report but only after I insisted that this be taken seriously. Several times in the station I had to ask officers not to laugh this off. They were literally half chuckling and saying , 'Oh he's probably just some jerk'. Some jerk that left a detailed description of the vile things he wants to do to me. The news of the alarming threat against Smith's life spread after her post was shared on a popular Facebook page called "The Love Life of an Asian Guy" (LLAG), which has a very strong following with over 71k supporters. LLAG was created by writer and activist Ranier Maningding. His page focuses on issues pertinent to people of color which includes institutional racism, sexism, politics and pop culture. I asked Maningding why he chose to share this story in an attempt to expose Walters and he said: I shared this post as a way to supplement Facebook's historic inability to address racism and anti-Black harassment. More than anyone else, Black women are at the receiving end of death threats on Facebook -- through private messages and public comments. Despite the number of Black women who have received death threats on Facebook, they have also received zero support from Facebook's reporting system which is supposed to stop this type of harassment. And sometimes Facebook does step in and bans the harasser -- but only if the victim is white (from what I've seen.) So, if Facebook won't take action to protect people off color, the community needs to step in. To add insult to injury, Facebook's response to Smith posting her death threat on her own page was to allegedly ban her for seven days due to "Violations of Community Standards". This type of response to someone who has received a very serious death threat conflicts with the media hype that Mark Zuckerberg caused by announcing his commitment to diversity by publicly affirming that his employees were not allowed to cross out "Black Lives Matter" and replace that saying with "All Lives Matter" on their signature wall in the main Facebook office. Zuckerberg made a public statement on the matter: I was already very disappointed by this disrespectful behavior before, but after my communication, I now consider this malicious as well. 'Black lives matter' doesn't mean other lives don't. It's simply asking that the black community also achieves the justice they deserve. We've never had rules around what people can write on our walls -- we expect everybody to treat each other with respect. Regardless of the content or location, crossing out something means silencing speech, or that one person's speech is more important than another's. Ranier Maningding is skeptical of Facebook's current stance on racism, due to their inconsistent monitoring and reporting of online harassment against prople of color. He stated: As for Facebook, they need a serious reevaluation of their reporting policy and their community standards. It's ironic that Mark Zuckerberg came out in support of Black Lives Matter during the incident at the Menlo Park office, yet the actual website of Facebook is littered with racism ten times as bad. The Facebook team responsible for reporting, processing account suspensions and determining what posts are deemed racist or not needs to be removed and replaced. They are failing at their job and they are failing the users of Facebook. Since none of us know who is on that team, the responsibility falls back on Mark. I contacted both Matt Walters and the Houston Police Department and neither parties were available for comment; however, several online conversations with both Matt Walters and his brother were screen shot dismissing his terrible threats as "just a joke", even though he has Facebook posts like this... Facebook users were also able to contact Matt Walters via text message and he admitted that these attacks were based upon her support of #BlackLivesMatter. He stated that he made these threats against Smith to show his "disgust" for the movement. Walters's terrible lack of foresight in making these types of threats on an account that is linked to his real name, family members, and professional affiliations may how cost him his job, reputation, and possibly some jail time. Trolling, debating and even fighting occurs online every single day. We have come to expect human beings to have some uneasy discourse when communicating about ideas. I thoroughly support free speech, which includes unpopular speech. But the question I ponder is, when does free speech end and a crime begin? Legally speaking, it can be very unclear. Each state has different laws and penalties regarding cyber-bullying, terroistic threats, harassment, and rape threats online. Texas State Penal Code 22.02 considers placing any person in fear of imminent serious bodily injury a type of terroristic threat, so many online activists and Facebook users are calling for the Houston PD to treat this case as such. Advertisement Ranier Maningding and his followers have been very clear on their demands. He stated: We would like the Houston PD to take full action and address Matt Walters's death threats with the full weight of the law. This isn't a simple 'I hope you die' comment said by a fifteen-year-old boy on XBOX Live. This private message was gruesome, detailed and thought-out by an adult male. The descriptions of prolonged torture and kidnapping cannot be taken lightly and I'm genuinely afraid of the well-being of Black women in the Houston area. We recently reported a man in Seattle for making similar threats and he was arrested the next day with his bail set at $60,000. Houston PD can and should do the same. Miss Smith has no intentions of letting this issue go and demands that Walters be charged to the fullest extent of the law: I want Matt arrested and charged for this terroristic threat. This is not OK to do to people. To have people fear for their lives all because they speak out against racism or have a different opinion than you. This sort of intolerance and terrorism should be taken very seriously. Threats like these are common placed and anti-racism activists are often targeted. I spoke to a well-known West Coast anti-racism activist (who chose to remain anonymous due to the death and rape threats she receives on a regular basis), had this to say about why she feels the internet masks hidden racism that individuals don't feel comfortable expressing in their day-to-day lives: Anonymity is powerful and racists are notorious cowards. The Internet is the hood The KKK hides under. There is also a large population of people (most of them young) who don't necessarily live the hate they share online. They say what they do because, for one brief moment, it makes them feel powerful. I guarantee that the majority of their moms, wives, and girlfriends would be shocked and horrified if they knew. Of course that's not an excuse. This horrifying story does have a silver lining. Because Smith's account was banned, her original posts were taken offline. Due to hundreds of people capturing screen shots and thousands of supporters recirculating them online, Smith's story did not fall by the wayside. With deep gratitude, she remarked: The public's reaction has been amazing. I'm floored at the level of support I'm receiving. The positive vibes and messages are so appreciated as well as all the shares, posts, tweets and blogs. Ranier Maningding spoke with great pride about the online community of activists that have worked to bring attention to this matter: I'm very proud of the community for rising to the occasion because they have always taken action, every time I send out a warning signal similar to this. It's not just my page that has amplified this story, over 2,000 pages and people have shared this. And we share it because we all get it. As people of color, we understand that Facebook and the justice system don't care about us, so we're taking measures into our own hands. Critical to our ability to spread the word is through screen shots which allow us to get everyone up to speed on what's going on. The proof is in the screen shots. A year after receiving my very first death threat, I felt extremely guilty for never speaking out publicly. I was afraid of the repercussions of coming forward. Today, I finally can admit: Yes, someone threatened me with rape and that I should be burned alive. Heather Smith did something that I couldn't do until reading her story, which is come forward and speak out against online death and rape threats and talk about how receiving them impacts our life experiences. Advertisement The phrase romantic realists resonates with a young film making couple, Eric Rino and Roxana Rahnama. In post-production with their passion project Mis'TIC - a silent black and white slap stick comedy set to premiere later this year - it is a reversal on the universal theme of parent and child reunion. Mis'TIC stars Roxy's father Massud, of eponymous surname, a well-respected Austrian television and film actor. Massud plays a man misunderstood due to a facial tic, until his daughter steps in to assist. Rino and Rahnama's story could be fine fodder for their own rom-com plot. Boy and girl meet, girl introduces boy to dad. Now they make movies across two continents. A common thread is love of the pioneer era of movie making, think Buster Keaton, Laurel and Hardy, and Charlie Chaplin. Advertisement Shooting Mis'TIC, left to right: Massud, Roxy, Eric and Werner, cinematographer "We can point to 'The Artist,' and say only four years ago it won five Academy awards for best picture, director, actor, costume design and musical score," says Rino, whose real last name is Stern. Justification for changing his name comes from great-great-great grandpa Samuel Goldwyn who is known to have said: "A self-made man is entitled to a self-made name." Determined to create content, concurrently they also work for others. Tackling the behemoth 'making it,' Roxana is an assistant director, producer and actor. Eric is highly experienced in all departments of film making except for costuming and animal wrangling. What does the quarter life crisis (QLC) have to do with this story? Separation and individuation from one's family of origin begins at birth and intensifies in adolescence. Newly minted adults take this further to form romantic and career involvements. With optimism and idealism for building a future, frustrated ambitions can be expected. Lack of opportunity to bring ideas and passions into fruition can take hold in the early to mid-20's. Successfully navigating the QLC - 'taking the reins' - is proactive, calculated risk taking in motion. Ideas incubate and are tested. The call to inner listening, to manifest yearnings, is to go beyond ideas and talk, which requires sustained efforts to achieve goals with no guarantees either. Advertisement Rebounding from errors and building on wins becomes second nature and key to leading a meaningful life. This is good practice for now and later, heading off a less intense infamous mid-life crisis in one's 40's and 50's. For Roxy this meant a return to her show biz roots switching college majors twice, first from physics and math and second from art history, which she thought would lead to more stable employment than her family's business. Roxy recalls making posters and story boards for her parent's projects after mastering the skill in school, age 10. Roxy's mother produces; Massud's family once ran a Cinema Paradiso in Iran. Since childhood, Rino has sought out silent films and steeped himself in the history of Hollywood which was practically invented by great great grandpa, the legendary Samuel Goldwyn. Except for Tony Goldwyn (Eric's father's first cousin) and his father, few have been creatively involved in film; dentists, lawyers, accountants and therapists among them. Receiving the Medal of Freedom at his home in 1971. Seated in the wheelchair Sam Goldwyn, holding young Tony Goldwyn's hand. Left to right: Frances Howard Goldwyn, Ruth Capps, Samuel Goldwyn, Jr., Adam Stern (Eric's father), and Richard Nixon The San Jose Film Shorts festival brought together Roxy from Vienna, and Rino, Los Angeles. Roxy was in her role as assistant director for the short, 'Bootball.' Rino, a festival newbie was there with 'Pineapples,' his first, shot in 5 days in the Art Deco splendor of great grandma's house (Sam Goldwyn's daughter Ruth Capps by his first wife Blanche Lasky) above the Sunset Strip where Eric grew up. Rino knows every nook and cranny of this home, and it shows. Advertisement If walls could talk, Sam Goldwyn's daughter's house, the set for 'Pineapples' 'Pineapples' premiered 100 years after the original 'Squaw Man' did. 'Squaw Man,' was the first Hollywood feature film directed by Cecile B. DeMille and produced by Sam Goldwyn, who was named Goldfish at the time. It was not until Sam mashed up his name with his business partner Selwyn, merging Gold with -wyn to form Goldwyn. The joke is it was better than Selfish, according to Rino. Funded through Indie Go-go, 'Pineapples' portrays a present concern, explains Rino. A handyman exposes a Ponzi scheme, conceived of as the Bernie Madoff hoax unfolded. "It upsets me the way we punish based on class. I relate to the handyman, a liminal character on the outside of the world he inhabits. If I don't have resources, I can always be resourceful. It's the energy I was drawing on. Embracing one's liminality, instead of being victim to it." Last summer Mis'TIC was filmed in Austria. Next stop was Greece where they taught a class on how to make-your-own short film on a mobile phone at SOAK, a theater arts and body work camp for all ages run by Wolfgang Lohnert, a German lawyer. They were invited back to SOAK to teach and will also be in residence at Morteza Tavakoli, Roxy's cousin's acting school in Vienna. Who knew a chance, somewhat random, encounter of mutual attraction would change the course of their lives across two continents America and Europe? They caught each other's eye and introduced themselves a few hours later, taking a long walk after opening night and every evening for the remainder of the festival. Eric never met a woman before Roxy who shared his passions so completely. Neither came to San Jose with romantic intentions. Both were freshly out of relationships. Eric was puzzled, tried to figure out if Roxana single, played it cool, without revealing he was too interested. He kept a low key profile, emotionally guarded. Experience taught Rino not to rush in. Advertisement Roxana thought she conveyed being available, but also recalled dad's voice in her mind, "My only child, America is a big place. Be careful." Roxy traveled back to Los Angeles alone, the first time journeying by herself in the U.S. Eric wanted to touch base upon her arrival, which she found touching, along with Rino being interesting, empathic and cute. Before Roxy fell in love with Eric, she fell in love with LA in 2012, winning a slot in an international student film festival to debut, "How to Carry a Package." No plans to come back to LA, Roxy returned for a third time on her own dime to further study English. Eric, a graduate of Pitzer College in Claremont knew he wanted to be in LA. Tired of only working on lackluster, he was encouraged by seeing college buddy, Matt Berkowitz, made waves in the Indie world. 'Pineapples' was made with help from these friends and others met on sets, skilled professionals willing to donate time. Not be idealized, one reason Rino can pull off his life, like a significant number of millennials, he lives with his parents, which can be stressful. Hard enough breaking into showbiz, Rino graduated in the depths of the last great economic bust. Moving home was mixed with regret. His first job in the business occurred the summer before college, handing out paychecks on Sarah Silverman's show. Rino was offered to direct a 'making of' documentary of an Indie feature. He deferred to attend college, graduating in 2010, eager to apply his craft. In retrospect Rino wonders, should he have taken the offer and had a legit directing credit at age 18? Not one to wallow in regret, this took until 2014 with 'Pineapples' to achieve, while working in lighting, art directing, set carpentry, sound, editing, special effects make up and red carpet interviews, inevitably paying dues as a production assistant. "Atrocious hours, to wait two months to get paid," says Rino. Advertisement Not ones to slow down, Rino and Roxy just wrapped another short, 'Gadfly,' and have a dozen more projects in various stages of completion. Call it realistic, call it romantic. Together they have settled on jobs where they can grow, be independent and employed. What it will mean in practice is possibly self-censorship to a new anxiety around government pushback or other measures. It will mean that from mainstream media to citizen journalism, there will be new confusion around what exactly constitutes a news website - a loose term that is technically and legally without any basis, and worse, will result in a regulatory mechanism that is anachronistic and ill-defined, proving to be ultimately a measure of censorship and control than a measure aimed at, ostensibly, strengthening and safeguarding media ethics. While Sri Lanka's new government has ruled in a less authoritarian fashion that the previous administration, there's still plenty of room for improvement, including when it comes to media freedom. "Systemically, around the ownership of mainstream media and in particular the independence of state media, nothing has changed save for individuals now at the helm of institutions, partial to the issues and democratic spirit that propelled the president to power," says Hattotuwa. "In principle though, the control of state media by government, the threats against the media by the PM [prime minister] and the behaviour of MPs [members of parliament] towards the media, including expletive riddled tirades, suggest the government's approach to critical media is in essence, if not in action, not significantly different to the Rajapaksa regime." Do school voucher programs help improve educational outcomes? Lower Columbia College (LCC), CC BY-NC-ND A set of reports on Louisiana's statewide school voucher program recently revealed a number of important features of that program's operation and overall performance. The most startling of these reports indicated that students who used school vouchers performed much worse on standardized tests than those who remained in traditional public schools. Advertisement This result echoes evidence presented last month from a separate team of scholars, who found negative impacts after one year of voucher use in Louisiana. The latest study not only confirmed that finding, but showed the pattern persisting - albeit less severely - after two years of voucher use as well. School vouchers provide publicly funded tuition - typically for low-income families - to attend private schools. And these reports provide the first evidence that participating in such a system may harm kids' academic achievement, at least in math. As a researcher who studies both vouchers and other forms of school choice such as charter schools (independently operated public schools) I believe the new Louisiana studies are important to longstanding debates over the extent to which such choice enhances academic outcomes. It may be tempting to use this news as an argument against vouchers, especially because the evidence is drawn from the most sophisticated research tools available to scholars who study these programs. However, it should be stressed that test scores provide only one indicator of program success or failure. Advertisement Impact of vouchers The motivation for school voucher programs dates back to the 1950s, when the economist Milton Friedman began to argue that parents should have opportunities to choose between different providers of education for their children. The first school voucher program began in 1990 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Over the years since, especially in the last decade, voucher or voucher-like systems have spread to 24 states, all of which differ individually on some key details such as the number of children who will be eligible for participation and the maximum amount of tuition available to these students. In Louisiana, policymakers introduced vouchers in 2008 in New Orleans as part of a series of reforms following Hurricane Katrina's devastation of the city and the city's school system. In 2012, vouchers became available statewide. As with many public programs, policymakers turn to researchers to help determine how well school vouchers work. This is true not only in Louisiana, but elsewhere as well. Advertisement And part of what makes the Louisiana results so newsworthy - but also why voucher critics should pause before leaning too heavily on the latest reports - is that many of these studies conducted in other locations, such as Charlotte, Milwaukee, Washington, D.C. and New York City, for example, found the opposite pattern. In these studies, students who used vouchers to attend private school tended to have higher test scores as a result. The answers are not that simple The question is whether test scores are the only way to judge schools and school performance. It is true that public schools have to test their students, so using a similar metric is a reasonable, relative comparison between public and private schools. But test scores, while important, do not necessarily provide an absolute appraisal of the strengths and weaknesses of voucher programs in a large education system. First, we know from earlier studies that student attainment levels - high school graduation or enrollment in post-secondary education - may be higher among voucher users even when test score differences between them and their public school counterparts are nonexistent. Whether this means that private schools are especially good at preparing kids to graduate and attend college or that they simply prioritize such success more than other outcomes is still unclear. But we see similar patterns in charter schools too: a number of studies have shown that charter school students have a higher chance of high school graduation or college enrollment even when their test scores do not differ on average from their traditional public school counterparts. In the Louisiana context, the researchers also found more nuanced results when they posed a number of other questions. Advertisement When researchers examined, for example, whether competition from private schools pressed nearby public schools to improve performance, they found that the test scores of students in these competing schools did indeed increase, albeit modestly. When they asked whether the declines in voucher users' tests scores were present in noncognitive student outcomes (such as grit, self-esteem, and political tolerance), they found both public and private school students had similar levels on those indicators. Each of these questions provides a different way of assessing the overall impact of the voucher program both on students who use them and on students in the surrounding communities as well. Weighing other factors More generally, it's important to remember that voucher programs operate differently in different places. In Louisiana, for example, one prominent explanation for the negative test scores is that heavy regulation of private providers keeps the best schools in that sector away from offering seats to voucher users. But in Wisconsin, we know that some regulations, such as requiring private schools to publicly report the academic performance of their voucher users, actually increased test scores. Advertisement Other state laws determine who's eligible to use a voucher in the first place. In some states, vouchers exist expressly for kids with special academic needs; in others, low-income families are eligible as well. Again, this implies that we have to be very careful. It is not as simple as taking evidence from one state and expecting the same results, good or bad, in another. Apart from differences between states, there are other things to consider about the way voucher programs operate. We know surprisingly little about teachers in schools that accept vouchers. State oversight of private school teachers is far less - in some places practically nonexistent - than for public school teachers. Researchers are beginning, for example, to devote considerable effort to understanding who teaches in public charter schools. Answering that question in different voucher programs will help explain differences in students' outcomes between private and public schools, both within and between different states. Advertisement Finally, we need to consider not only which students accept and benefit from a voucher, but also the extent to those who do attend private school - or any nontraditional alternative - are actually able to do so over the long term. The evidence we have from places like Milwaukee and Washington, D.C. suggests substantial turnover in voucher programs, with minority students and students with the lowest test scores leaving private schools. All of this is to say that when it comes to educating kids, what we know about school vouchers depends on what we ask. And what we ask should be informed not only by traditional academic outcomes, such as test scores, but also by a new understanding of the many different ways that schools can contribute to student success. Joshua Cowen, Associate Professor of Educational Policy, Michigan State University This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released an updated draft of its Greenhouse Gas Inventory, finding that total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2014 were 6.8 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent--1 percent higher than in 2013, but 8 percent lower than the 2007 peak. The most revelatory revision: methane emissions figures for the oil and gas sector were 27 times higher than previous estimates. Over 20 years, that difference, says the Environmental Defense Fund, represents a climate impact equivalent to 200 coal-fired power plants. Methane emissions, a potent greenhouse gas with a long-term global warming potential thought to be many times that of carbon dioxide, are currently unregulated. Advertisement At the annual IHS CERAWEEK conference last week, EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy alluded to her agency's proposal, last year, of methane leak detection and repair requirements for new oil wells. Methane emissions related to the oil and natural gas industry are "much larger than we ever anticipated," she said. "The data confirm that we can and must do more on methane. By tackling methane emissions, we can unlock an amazing opportunity to better protect our environment for the future." Study Revises Carbon Budget Downward A new study in the journal Nature Climate Change warns that the global carbon budget has been over-estimated and should be cut by at least half. In the abstract of their research, the authors state that for a greater than 66 percent chance of limiting warming below the internationally agreed temperature limit of 2 degrees Celsius relative to pre-industrial levels, "the most appropriate carbon budget estimate is 590-1,240 GtCO from 2015 onwards." They conclude that global CO emissions must be cut quickly to keep within a 2C-compatible budget. "At current rates, the carbon budget would thus be exhausted in about 15 to 30 years," said lead author Joeri Rogelj, a research scholar at the Energy Program of the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis in Austria. "These numbers definitely indicate that we should not just sit and wait, because then the window for staying within the budget would become vanishingly small within decades." The study analyzes differences among widely varying estimates for a carbon budget consistent with the 2C target, finding that a major reason for the range is due to assumptions and methodologies in previous studies. Its own estimate differs from many previous estimates in part because it accounts for methane and other greenhouse gases and not only for carbon dioxide. Advertisement Despite COP21 Deal, No Increase Expected for European Union Emissions Targets The Paris Climate Agreement, signed at the United Nations Climate Conference last year, calls for a review of countries' climate reduction goals in 2018, but a new document suggests the European Union (EU) may not be following that timeline (subscription). As reported by Reuters, text prepared ahead of a Friday meeting of EU environment ministers on the Paris climate deal says the existing target--cutting emissions by at least 40 percent from 1990 levels by 2030--"is based on global projections that are in line with the medium-term ambition of the Paris Agreement." "We have the deal," said EU Climate and Energy Commissioner Miguel Arias Canete. "Now we need to make it real. For the EU, this means completing the 2030 climate and energy legislation without delay, signing and ratifying the agreement as soon as possible, and continuing our leadership in the global transition to a low-carbon future." This calculation is based on keeping emissions levels to 2 degrees Celsius--but the agreement signed in Paris aspires to hold nations to a global temperature increase of well below this level and to pursuit of an increase limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius. In Euractiv, former chief negotiator for the Netherlands and European Union, Bert Mertz, examines whether a sub-2 degrees Celsius goal is feasible and what might be needed for the EU to meet a more aggressive 1.5 degree Celsius goal. He finds that although the current goal is derived from a long-term target of 80 percent emissions reduction compared with 1990 levels, the EU would need to strengthen that target to 95 percent emissions reductions. "You can truly grieve for every officer who's been lost in the line of duty in this country, and still be troubled by cases of overreach. Those two ideas are not mutually exclusive. You can have great regard for law enforcement and still want them to be held to high standards." -Jon Stewart The Daily Show Advertisement `Blackish's latest episode, entitled Hope, explored the Johnson's varied reactions to reports that a local grand jury failed to indict a police officer implicated in the death of an unarmed black man. The Johnson children asked their parents and grandparents difficult questions many black children have asked their families throughout the years. Namely, how could justice seem to elude the family of the young man killed by police when the issue of the officer's culpability never seemed in question? How could the grand jury fail to see what seemed so clear to them? Johnson family patriarch, Andre "'Dre" Johnson, taught his children that their encounters with law enforcement had a greater likelihood to become deadly; his wife Rainbow desired to engender a sense of faith in the judicial process and respect for the authority of police officers. In one scene, sure to live in television lore, Mr. Johnson reminded his dear wife of how quickly their hopes in a just system could be dashed. That conversation, along with the other conversations the Johnsons had with their children and conversations the Johnsons had with 'Dre's parents, displayed the complex, inter-generational dialog black families across America have had for decades. These conversations eventually espouses the painful premise many know to be true; black people disproportionately experience unfavorable encounters with law enforcement. Black families across America no longer have to rely on anecdotes, hashtag memorials, and episodes of sitcoms--their suspicions have been counted and documented. Advertisement In many ways, The Counted confirms what black people have anecdotally attested to for decades--the American criminal justice system harbors stark, systematic, racial discrimination, and the epidemic of police brutality is merely one component of it. Without question, scores of men and women perform their jobs in law enforcement admirably, routinely risking their lives for people they may never meet again; yet those brave men and women's honorable service does not nullify the existence of systematic injustices exhibited through police brutality. With regard to police killings, The Counted discovered blacks are twice as likely as whites to be unarmed when killed during encounters with law enforcement, and black men are nine times more likely to be killed by police than white men. Other reports have found police officers use less force on suspects who appear white, regardless of the crime the suspect has allegedly committed. Many endeavor to explain these racial disparities in those killed by police officers by espousing theories of black criminality acting as a pervasive pathogen plaguing the black community. These explanations often rely on faulty logic referencing "black on black crime" as the more pressing concern for the black community. Notwithstanding, the phrase "black on black crime" is a racialized colloquialism used as a red herring to distract from legitimate critiques of institutional oppression. The bulk of crimes in America amount to crimes of proximity, thus people commit crimes against those who live near them. America is segregated, so most Americans who commit crimes do so against people who look like them. Consequently, the national discourse on criminality does not use clumsy phrases like "white on white crime," "brown on brown," et cetera. Those phenomena are termed what they are--crime. Nevertheless, when people raise their voices against state-sanctioned violence as it manifests through police brutality, particularly as it disproportionately impacts the black community, the rhetoric trumpeted reverberates the familiar refrain--"black on black crime" is the only germane issue. (Photo by Willard / iStock) In an unprecedented move to block any Supreme Court nominee from President Obama, the Senate is failing to do their job. Super Tuesday marks a shift of our national attention to what is for most people the most important political battle, the election of a new president. As our attention shifts, we must not lose track of the most critical presidential battle remaining for our current President -- nominating a Supreme Court justice. The president has a clear right and responsibility under Article 2 of the Constitution to name a qualified nominee to fill the vacant Supreme Court seat. The U.S. Senate has a clear right and responsibility to offer its advice and consent to that nomination. Advertisement In every Supreme Court vacancy in the history of our Republic, performing the advice and consent role has meant giving genuine consideration to a nominee; evaluating the persons credentials and qualifications, judicial temperament and experience; and deciding whether the individual nominee should be approved. This has been the case even when a vacancy has occurred during a presidential election year. But apparently not this time. This time Senate Republicans are refusing to do their job. They stand to make American history by becoming the first Senate majority to put playing politics above doing their job by refusing to consider any nominee from the president, no matter how qualified the candidate may be. Within an hour of news of Scalias death becoming public, Senate President Mitch McConnell released a statement declaring that Republicans would not even consider a nominee from President Obama, insisting that this vacancy should be filled by the next president -- even though nearly 11 full months remain in Obamas second term. Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee followed with a letter saying they would not hold hearings to consider an Obama nominee -- any Obama nominee. Advertisement The party in control of the Senate has never before abdicated its constitutional responsibility in such a fashion. It is absolutely and completely unprecedented. And it is wrong. As the nations premier nonprofit environmental law organization, Earthjustice knows the value of our legal system and judicial nominations. Weve represented community groups fighting for their right to breathe clean air, to drink clean water and to enjoy wild places and wildlife. Weve seen firsthand how these rights can often come down to a single vote from one of the nine justices on the U.S. Supreme Court. The Senate should not play political games with an institution as vital and important as the U.S. Supreme Court. Nowhere does the Constitution say a duly elected president loses the right to fill a Supreme Court vacancy in the last year of his term. The New York Times recently highlighted how this issue of unprecedented obstructionism from Republicans is bigger than the Supreme Court when it noted that President Obama has managed only one appointment to the regional courts of appeal since Republicans assumed majority in Jan 2015 -- one! The Times further stated that Republican senators are also responding to ideological calls by blocking appointments for appeals court judges. (Photo by Willard / iStock) Republican obstructionism could leave as many as 12 critical vacancies in the regional appeals courts in addition to blocking the Supreme Court nomination. Advertisement Our justice system is responsible for some of the most landmark changes of our time. Honorable men and women appointed to judicial positions have presided over decisions that supported a womans right to choose, equality for marriage and, in our case, essential interpretations of the Clean Air Act for increased public health and environmental protections. Republicans are following the lead of the most extreme voices in their party, putting politics ahead of their constitutional duty. Senators are elected to fulfill their constitutional responsibilities. And their responsibility in this situation could not be more clear: They should, in good faith, evaluate the nominee sent them by the president and decide whether that person has the qualifications and temperament necessary to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court. And then they should allow for a fair hearing -- like every other Senate in our history. Elections have consequences. The election in November 2016 will have its consequences, but right now, our current president is the one vested with the authority and the constitutional responsibility to submit a qualified nominee for the Supreme Court. mindfulness word typography - isolated text in letterpress wood type on a laptop screen - spiritual concept This class has really made a positive impact on my life in every day moments. I feel all the wiser and happier. -- a Duke student Dr. Holly Rogers learned to meditate a year after completing her psychiatric residency. She lamented that she had not discovered the practice during medical school and vowed to teach it to students when she joined Duke University's Counseling and Psychological Services staff. She quickly found out that college students were not resonating to the practice, at least not as she was presenting it. After trying different approaches over time, she met Dr. Margaret Maytan and together they decided to develop a program that could successfully teach college students a way to manage their stress, improve their sleep and find more joy in their lives. They named it Koru, a Maori word that refers to the spiral shape of an unfurling fern frond that symbolizes growth, strength, new life, and balance. Advertisement I hope I will actually be present for my life now. a Duke student While they knew that "emerging adults" would be perfect candidates for this type of mental training, they also knew that the characteristics of emerging adults would have to be taken into account. Their program evolved as they learned more about what approach would be the most effective with college students to insure that they could connect to the teaching, stay motivated to learn and use it, and apply it to their particular challenges. The 4 week class was offered on a voluntary basis for no credit. Gradually, the number of students interested in the program grew until it filled up quickly every time offered and a waiting list became routine.I will stop trying to escape myself and instead awake to myself. -- a Duke student During the first class, students are asked to give their reasons for joining the program. One of the most common is inability to sleep. Almost without exception, by the end of the program, sleep quality improves, thereby validating the belief that learning to manage stress on a daily basis is a key element in sleeping well. In fact, in a randomized controlled trial of Koru published in the Journal of American College Health, the hypothesis that Koru would reduce stress, improve sleep and increase mindfulness was proven. Most importantly to me: I am learning how to relax my "have to be a superwoman" complex and allowing myself to just be, even if that includes failure. -- a Duke student One of the most powerful points made in their book, Mindfulness for the Next Generation, Helping Emerging Adults Manage Stress and Lead Healthier Lives, is that according to a 2011 article in the New York Times by Tamar Levin, the emotional health of college students is on the decline. And yet, the demands they put on themselves continue to rise. So they are trying to accomplish more with fewer emotional resources. That makes programs such as Koru Mindfulness more important than ever before. This class changed my life. I really enjoyed becoming aware of the power of awareness in relationships, mental health, and happiness. -- a Duke student There are some hard and fast rules when it comes to interior design. Dining room chandeliers should hang 60 to 66 inches off the floor. Never match the color of your walls to a color in one of your fabrics. Hang curtains all the way to the ceiling to make the ceilings appear higher. But when it comes to making a room -- especially a small one -- look and feel bigger, there truly is no one right answer. So whether you're looking for a paint color to live with for a while or one that makes the tiny third bedroom look just a smidge bigger, we consulted designers, paint companies like PPG Paints, and painters to come up with these 14 paint colors you should consider for your next project. Save them to your home inspiration board on Pinterest, and read on for tips on how to best use them. Best all-around colors to make a space feel larger Light colors and neutrals are always a classic option for small spaces, but that doesn't mean you have to forgo bold colors when you want to . Just take a cue from designer Anne Miller of in Charlotte, NC, and pick softer tones for your accessories and furnishings. "I love a saturated paint color and encourage clients not to be scared of using one," she says. "The key is to remember to balance out that color with softer neutrals so that the room is not overwhelming." 1. PPG Paints Swirling Smoke Swirling Smoke is a go-to for Lee Crowder, a colorist with Darling Homes in Dallas, TX. "I have to stop myself from using this one too much because it is just a great all-around color. It is light with a tint of gray and is very calming." Advertisement 2. Benjamin Moore Cloud White "Paint ceilings white and use lighter colors to make a room appear larger," suggests Dan Schaeffer, owner of Five Star Painting in Austin, TX. "Think light grays, blues, and other neutral colors. You can also use an eggshell or satin finish to help reflect light." 3. Benjamin Moore Hale Navy Hale Navy has a spot on Benjamin Moore's bestselling blue shades list -- and for good reason. "It is a favorite to make a space feel bright," says Sean Juneja, co-founder of Decor Aid. "I equate brightness with freshness, and Hale Navy is very fresh and clean." 4. Farrow & Ball Skylight "Skylight is also an amazing color; a clean, light gray-blue," adds Juneja. "On a whole, cool colors are fresher and brighter than warm. Warm colors evoke intimacy and softness. Cool colors make me think of bright days and breezes and a sharpness that you can only capture with blues and greens." Designer trick: Paint walls and trim the same color Designer Charlotte Lucas of in Charlotte, NC, paints the walls and trim to match in tight spaces and in rooms without much natural light: "The more transitions you have in a room, the more the eye stops at those points -- for example, at the window, door, or casing trim. This trick also helps with low ceilings. If you have 6 inches of white crown molding at your ceiling and your walls are gray, your eyes stop at the gray, often 6 inches short of the ceiling. By painting the walls and trim the same paint color, your ceilings appear to be taller, since there are no breaks in the trim!" 5. Benjamin Moore Coastal Fog "I recently painted a family room -- walls, trim, crown, and built-ins -- Benjamin Moore Coastal Fog. There were so many windows, French doors, and built-ins in this room, it felt so choppy having the Coastal Fog on the little bit of wall space and white trim everywhere else," says Lucas. "By painting the walls and trim [the same color], it created an entirely different space and transformed and modernized the traditional room." Advertisement 6. Benjamin Moore Navy Masterpiece The matching-walls-and-trim tactic works with deep shades too (but beware that glossy finish). "I have done this same technique with darker colors as well, painting a formal living room Benjamin Moore Navy Masterpiece," adds Lucas. "The darker color creates a more cozy and dressy environment. I suggest using a satin or semigloss ... the higher the gloss, the more unforgiving the paint is!" 7. & 8. PPG Paints Geyser and Colonial Aqua Lee Crowder suggests natural hues for this floor-to-ceiling trend. "Clean colors like celadon or a sea glass always make a room feel light and bright," she says. "PPG Paints Geyser and Colonial Aqua are great selections for that feeling." 9. PPG Paints Stonehenge Greige "The general rule is, the lighter the color, the bigger and brighter the room will appear," suggests Geoff Sharper, owner of Sharper Impressions Painting Company. "Stonehenge Greige by PPG Paints is a very popular color that is light enough to enlarge a room but still gives you some of the modern and hip grays that are trendy right now." Square-footage-boosting accent colors "Contrary to popular belief, light colors do not [always] make teeny rooms feel spacious," says Jessica Geller, co-principal, in New York, NY. "Instead, embrace the and go for deep [shades] that create intimate and cozy cocoonlike rooms." 10. & 11. Benjamin Moore Chelsea Gray and Valspar Indigo Streamer "Feel free to go crazy with saturated colors on cabinetry for an instant update on outdated cupboards," adds Geller. "Dark grays like Benjamin Moore Chelsea Gray and navy colors like Valspar Indigo Streamer quickly bring them into 2016." 12. Benjamin Moore Orange Blossom "Orange radiates warmth and generates happiness, whether it's a tender, romantic hue or vibrant and energetic. Different shades are highly personal and subjective, but one thing is for certain: Using orange is always a bold and uplifting move," says Amy Courage, co-founder and interior designer at DesignBar in Chicago, IL. "Benjamin Moore Orange Blossom is an elegant and sophisticated shade that enables the relaxed energy needed to make a room appear lighter and brighter." Advertisement Create the illusion of larger space The number one factor to consider when choosing a paint color? According to Sharper, it's how much natural light enters the room. "The general rule is, the lighter the color, the bigger and brighter the room will appear," he says. "And the less natural light you have entering the room, the lighter the paint color you should lean toward." So if you're really hoping to boost the look of a space's square footage, opt for brighter shades with a light reflectance value above 50, which bounce back more light than they absorb. 13. Sherwin-Williams Alabaster "This is their 'Color of the Year,' and I have suggested it to a client who wants to open up a room," says Melinda Peters Elliot of Fine Designs & Interiors Ltd. in London, OH. "It looks particularly good when there are a lot of windows and the trim around the windows is white." 14. Sherwin-Williams Hazel "This is such a peaceful and calming color," says Alice Chiu of Miss Alice Designs in San Francisco, CA. "It can make a small space appear larger because it naturally brightens up a room with its vibrancy. It's like being in the middle of an expansive ocean sparkling in a lovely mix of blues and greens." What are your favorite go-to paint colors for small rooms? Share your favorites in the comments! Also on HuffPost: Photo by Andrew Taylor/G20 Australia via Getty Images We've been working with President Barack Obama and a number of his cabinet secretaries and executive agency staff on a wide range of animal welfare policies during the last seven years -- from preventing horse slaughter plants from opening up to halting the slaughter of downer calves to ending the use of government-owned chimpanzees in invasive experiments. Today is World Wildlife Day, and it's an opportunity for us to turn our attention to the numerous threats facing wild animals around the globe. Wildlife protection has been a very active area of collaboration for us and the White House, on everything from combating the poaching of elephants and rhinos to protecting right whales along the Atlantic coast to stopping the trophy hunting of African lions to ending commercial fishing practices harmful to sea turtles and dolphins to seeking greater protections for polar bears exploited in the international commercial trade. I had the privilege and opportunity to ask President Obama about what he considers some of his top accomplishments in protecting wildlife, and this interview represents one of the fullest expressions of his views that's been published anywhere on his wildlife protection ethic. Advertisement What do you see as the most important steps you've taken in the area of animal protection? Let me say this first -- every step I've taken to protect our environment and our wildlife is a personal one for me. I grew up in Hawaii, known for its iconic natural beauty. Needless to say, I spent a lot of time exploring outdoors. It was hard not to learn very early just how easy it is to appreciate -- and how hard it can be to protect -- the incredible splendor that nature provides us. When I was 11, I had never been to the mainland, and my grandmother, my mother, and my two-year-old sister and I decided to take a big summer trip across the continental U.S. I still remember traveling up to Yellowstone National Park, coming over a hill, and suddenly seeing just hundreds of deer and bison for the very first time. That new scenery gave me a sense of just how immense, how diverse, and how important the vast array of wildlife is to understanding and appreciating the world and our place in it. That's something I wanted my daughters to understand when I brought them back to the very same spot at Yellowstone a few years ago. And it's something I want to preserve for our kids, grandkids, and generations to come. That's why I've taken every opportunity in my time in office to protect the world's wildlife where I can. We've negotiated the highest-standard trade agreement in history that will provide new tools to protect wildlife. We're leading the world in protecting exploited species of sharks. We're substantially reducing government research on chimpanzees and providing protection for all chimpanzees in the wild and captivity. And we're taking new action to recover monarch butterflies and other pollinators and expanding protection and restoration efforts for endangered species here in the United States. Advertisement To address the ongoing scourge of poaching that is threatening the existence of species like the elephant and the rhino, I issued an Executive Order about three years ago that directed all agencies of the federal government to work together as a presidential task force to protect these important animals. We've also pursued successful efforts to conserve an iconic bird -- the greater sage grouse -- across 11 western states. It's the largest planning effort to protect a species in U.S. history, illustrating how a strong national, state, and private collaboration and flexible and effective programs can protect wildlife, benefit the environment and enhance local economies across the country. Text from the Environment Chapter of the recently concluded Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) reflects a strong commitment to protecting wildlife. Would you explain how this agreement will combat wildlife trafficking and strengthen international commitments and actions? This is an important point that I don't think many people realize about this trade agreement. The TPP puts in place the toughest environmental protections of any trade agreement in history, and they're targeted to address some of the greatest environmental threats in the Asia-Pacific. After all, the TPP will impact one of the world's most ecologically diverse regions and includes countries with the greatest demand for illegal wildlife products. The TPP is packed with fully-enforceable provisions that I'm confident will be effective new tools to curb illegal logging, combat illegal fishing, and protect iconic species like the rhino and the lesser-known -- but highly-trafficked -- pangolin. Whether poached in Kenya or taken from a protected forest in Vietnam -- countries have committed to take action under the TPP to combat wildlife trafficking, regardless of where the poaching originally took place. Countries have also agreed to increase international cooperation and information sharing in pursuit of traffickers, and to implement strong anti-corruption protections to get at bribery and money-laundering and other illegal activities that are often at the root of illegal trafficking schemes. If these measures are found to be ineffective, or a country isn't upholding its conservation laws -- we can bring a formal dispute proceeding, and if we win, we can use trade sanctions against the losing country to help compel their compliance with these rules. Advertisement While you might not normally think of a trade deal as a likely avenue for this, the TPP may be one of the most potent tools we have to protect wildlife around the world. We can't afford to delay such tools and a chance to make real progress, which is why I am doing everything I can to secure them before I leave office. You can read the entire environmental chapter in TPP for yourself here. At a recent peak in poaching of elephants, it was estimated that one elephant was killed in Africa every 20 minutes - with much of the killing conducted by militias who turn tusks into cash and are intent on destabilizing nations and looting them of their resources. How has your Administration helped protect the African elephant? We currently face the risk of losing wild elephants during my lifetime. It's an unbelievable statement. It'd be an unpardonable loss for humanity and the natural world. There's no question: we need to take urgent action to save one of the planet's most majestic species and address the security threat posed by insurgency groups and dangerous criminal networks whose trade in ivory and other resources funds their activities. We have proposed a near-complete ban on the import and domestic sale of elephant ivory that will shut down domestic markets for illegal ivory, making it harder for criminals to profit from poaching. We have also put new resources into aggressively expanding international enforcement efforts, training prosecutors, and other efforts to stop criminal organizations around the world from making a profit through poaching. In September, we negotiated a similar commitment with President Xi Jinping of China, which is the largest market in the world for illegal ivory. China will also put in place a near-complete ban on domestic commercial trade and the U.S. and China will work together on joint training, technical exchanges, and law enforcement efforts to combat wildlife trafficking. We are providing significant funding and technical assistance through agencies like the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the State Department, and USAID to range countries in Africa to support elephant conservation and anti-poaching efforts. Advertisement Secretary Kerry, Secretary Jewell, and I have all separately visited Africa in the past 12 months, and we have each highlighted our grave concerns about poaching. During these trips we announced numerous new programs that assist African countries in strengthening conservation efforts, building law enforcement capabilities related to illegal trafficking, and enhancing cooperation between African countries to reduce ivory trade across international borders. More broadly, our Task Force on Combating Wildlife Trafficking is working to combat illegal trafficking of all wildlife species by strengthening global law enforcement cooperation, educating consumers here and around the world to reduce demand for illegally-traded wildlife, and building partnerships with governments, civil society, and businesses. I won't let up on any action or any step I can take to help protect the wild elephants. The world, and the wonder it affords, would be immeasurably dimmed if we fail. There is an urgent need to enhance protection of marine mammals like whales, dolphins, polar bears, and sea turtles -- many of which are endangered -- that are under threat from increased commercial fishing, illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing, and loss of marine habitat. What tools is the Administration using to address this issue? Protecting our oceans is a top priority for me and my Administration. We hosted the first-ever Our Oceans conference in 2014 and established a Presidential Task Force that is using a whole-of-government approach to combat illegal fishing, a practice that is devastating our precious ocean resources and undermining legitimate fishermen everywhere. In 2014, I expanded the Pacific Remote Islands National Monument, creating the largest marine monument in the world, making it off-limits to development. Today, I am moving forward with regulations that will enhance the protection of marine mammals like whales and seals here and around the world. Advertisement But we can also use the power of markets to promote conservation of our resources. As I noted before, the TPP will give us new tools to enhance protections of threatened marine species from harmful fishing practices and illegal fishing -- with commitments to promote sustainable management of their fisheries, reduce the amount of species that are unintentionally caught, and promote the long-term conservation of sharks, sea turtles, seabirds, and marine mammals like whales and polar bears. Under the TPP, countries are also on the hook to prevent and address marine pollution from ships which harm coastal and marine environments at the expense of beachgoers, fishermen, and ocean life at all levels of the food chain, from barnacles to blue whales. Are there any other wildlife issues -- problems of exploitation -- that stir you and you wish you could see turned around? There's long been tension between those who've sought to protect our wildlife and conserve our natural resources for the benefit of future generations, and those who have sought to profit off of those resources. To me, that's always been a false choice. We can be smart about the clean, sustainable policies we pursue that will protect the wildlife and beauty we cherish while helping our economy grow. So six weeks after I took office, I decided to restore vital protections for wildlife that face extinction. For more than thirty years, the Endangered Species Act has successfully protected our nation's most threatened wildlife, and we should always be looking for ways to protect them, not make them more vulnerable. That's a tenet I've lived by since day one of my presidency. Today, we can say that we've made unprecedented progress restoring once-declining wildlife populations in the United States and recovering animals that were once endangered. It's a good moment when you see species coming off the endangered list. Animals like the humpback whale and the Louisiana black bear are on the mend. Those bears are big! And while I wouldn't want to tangle with one, I'm glad my kids and grandkids will have the chance to see them in action. Other beloved animals like Florida's manatee and California's condor have made stunning comebacks from the brink of extinction. Once-rare plants, fish, and other species, like the New England cottontail, are regaining their strength in numbers, too. Advertisement But our planet is still facing an extinction crisis. My Administration has made it a priority to continue to find solutions that will reverse the course we're on, using every tool available to protect our natural resources for future generations. I'm working on delivering as many victories on this front as possible, permanently protecting more public land and water than any of my predecessors. And I'll continue to work with states, private landowners, and other crucial partners around the world on behalf of the most vulnerable wildlife. After all, they are the living, breathing reflections of the world we hope to preserve for future generations. As stewards of the Earth, it will take all of us to make sure we live up to that responsibility. So, thank you for your passion and dedication to that stewardship. Your vigilance has helped make the progress we've made together possible. When I no longer hold this office, I will be right there next to you in the role of citizen, doing what I can alongside you to help build and protect the world we're fighting for. By Chanda Gonzales Today, XPRIZE and Google announce a new digital documentary series from Academy Award-nominated director Orlando von Einsiedel, Executive Producer J.J. Abrams, Bad Robot, and Epic Digital, premiering March 15 on Google Play and March 17 on YouTube. In this 9-part series, Moon Shot goes behind the scenes with the 16 teams competing in the $30 million Google Lunar XPRIZE. Launched in 2007, our biggest prize to date challenges teams to design and build a rover, land it on the surface of the moon, drive it 500 meters across the lunar landscape, and send HD video and imagery back to Earth by the end of 2017. Advertisement XPRIZE believes that solutions to the world's Grand Challenges can come from anyone, anywhere, and soon you will be able to experience the personal journeys of these inspiring teams -- their challenges, sacrifices, quirks, and most importantly, the reasons why they're making the 238,900 mile journey to the Moon. The teams in the competition come from all walks of life, and no matter their history, background, location, education, intelligence or gender, all of the teams share a passion for space exploration, the dedication to a purpose greater than themselves and the perseverance to see it through, and the ability to dream big -- really big! The series will be available for free on Google Play on March 15 and on YouTube on March 17. Subscribe to the Google Lunar XPRIZE YouTube Channel to be one of the first to see it. Visit XPRIZE at xprize.org; follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Google+; and get our newsletter to stay informed. Advertisement "I have been privileged to live my life amid this body of thought, and I have glimpsed, or thought I have glimpsed, a vast range of things I would otherwise never have known: relationships of culture and power, for example, that were nothing like those we know in the contemporary world of nationalism and imperialism; forms of vernacular life, such as language ideologies, that constituted, not a compulsion driven by ethnicity, but an accommodation to, literally, the particular ecologies of particular places; a cosmopolitanism that was voluntary rather than compulsory (like, say, Romanization), ethnicities that were fluid (if they existed at all), universalism that managed to co-exist with particularism." "... Such forms of knowledge produced by Indians have been, not fantasies, but lived realities, realities that disrupt what would otherwise seem to be the iron laws of Western knowledgereal topoi that give utopians, which all of us today must be to some degree, reason to hope. They provide us with new questions, sometimes very disruptive questions; they show us the world was different, and can be different." Pacific Press via Getty Images KOLKATA, INDIA - 2015/11/30: Dilip Ghosh addressing the crowd during the mega rally organized by Uthan Diwas Bengal BJP from College square to Y-channel to promote change in the incoming election at West Bengal. (Photo by Saikat Paul/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images) The Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Bengal president just joined a long list of politicians making irresponsible and incendiary statements, even as public opinion on what constitutes dissent remains split. Addressing a protest rally at Siuri, the capital of Birbhum, Dilip Ghosh said anyone raising slogans of 'Pakistan Zindabad' will be "shortened by six inches", or in common parlance, beheaded. Meanwhile, several news reports suggested that a pamphlet allegedly issued by Birbhum BJP district committee called for "Hindu unity" in the face of violence at Illambazar. Advertisement A mob allegedly attacked a police station and damaged vehicles in Illambazar and Dubrajpur areas of Birbhum district on 1 March after a college student made an "objectionable" Facebook post. A crowd gheraoed the house of the college student, Sujan Mukherjee, a third year student who was arrested and taken to the Illambazar police station. PTI reported that the mob damaged the police station and police vehicles following which the police used tear gas shells to disperse it. The mob then put up a road blockade in NH-60 and damaged several vehicles. The accused was charged with various sections of the IT Act and Indian Penal Code and remanded to 14 days' judicial custody. Ghosh alleged that Muslims "had surrounded the police station and attacked bystanders" and damaged government property, according to the Indian Express. The pamphlet claimed Hindu houses were also torched. Ghosh was appointed as the new state president in December, 2015, replacing Rahul Sinha. An old RSS activist, he served as the state BJP general secretary and tasked with increasing the party's support base. Advertisement Ghosh's comments come even as Home Minister Rajnath Singh defended in Parliament the comments made by Union Minister Ram Shankar Katheria in Agra alleging a conspiracy "against the Hindu community". Katheria was speaking at the condolence meeting for murdered VHP leader Arun Mahaur. (Inputs from PTI) Contact HuffPost India Also on HuffPost: On 17 February, Pradeep Narwal, the joint secretary of ABVP's JNU unit, quit the student outfit and wrote a long Facebook post condemning the arrest of JNUSU leader Kanhaiya Kumar on sedition charges. Along with him, two other ABVP leaders resigned from their respective posts. "Whosoever responsible for that act must be punished as per the law but the way NDA government tackling the whole issue, the oppression on Professors, repeated lawyer attacks on Media and Kanhaiya Kumar in court premises is unjustifiable and we think there is a difference between interrogation and crushing ideology and branding entire left as Anti-national," they had written in their post. If ABVP had been hoping that the dust will settle quickly on the news of one of their own flaying them, here's some bad news for them. In a new video, Narwal is seen addressing a gathering at JNU and brutally criticising his former party and its parent party BJP. Advertisement He begins with saying, "A few days back I was in the ABVP, now I am standing here." His opening line itself is met with loud applause. He then goes on to refer to what several BJP leaders have been saying about Muslims. "I read in a newspaper that four BJP leaders have said Muslims should be killed. I just want to tell them, if your nationalism doesn't include the 20 crore Muslims of the country, I don't want to believe in your nationalism." And before the loud cheer could even die down, he delivers another stinger. Referring to the Rajasthan BJP leader Gyandev Ahuja's statement that people dance naked in JNU and 3000 condoms and beer bottles are found in the campus daily, Narwal says, "This BJP leader said, 3000 condoms are found in JNU everyday. What kind of a comment is that? If your nationalism doesn't include respect for our women and our peers, I don't agree with your nationalism." He then goes on to label the current government traitors and says that a government which polarises people for their own political gains, they are the biggest traitors. "We have reached a point where people are ready to kill for the sake of the national flag. And these are the same people who demand that JNU be shut down. No one is a bigger traitor than them," he says. Advertisement He then makes an important point about jingoism. He says that shouting 'Vande Mataram' doesn't make someone a nationalist. "As long as you care for the country and its people, you are a patriot." And finally, he chants the same slogans that JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar had chanted in a fiery speech before he was arrested. The same speech that had been allegedly distorted to suggest that Kanhaiya had chanted 'anti-India slogans'. "Hum kya mangte? Azaadi! (What do we demand? Freedom." He then demands for freedom from Brahmanical oppression, from poverty, from communalism. "Lal salaam waale, Vande Mataram waale, Jai Bheem wale, sab rashtravadi hai. (People who shout red salute, who sing vande Mataram, who chant Jai Bheem, everyone is a nationalist for me)," he says as the crowd breaks into loud applause. Advertisement Contact HuffPost India Also see on HuffPost: Hindustan Times via Getty Images NEW DELHI, INDIA - MARCH 2: Minister of Human Resource Development Smriti Zubin Irani leaves Parliament after attending the Parliament Budget Session on March 2, 2016 in New Delhi, India. Speaking in Lok Sabha, Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi slammed the government over the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) controversy and the suicide of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula. He criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for using a Fair and Lovely scheme to tackle the black money problem. (Photo by Sonu Mehta/Hindustan Times via Getty Images) Aligarh Muslim University Vice-Chancellor Lt Gen (Retd) Zameer Uddin Shah today said Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani had in a meeting with Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on January 9 said the AMU centres in Kerala, West Bengal and Bihar were illegally set up and will not be funded by her ministry. After reports that Irani insulted Shah at the meeting held in her office with Chandy, the AMU V-C today issued a statement seeking to clear the air over the controversy. Advertisement "It would take a lot to humiliate a veteran of the Longewala Battle of 1971, who spent the better part of his 40 years in the army fighting insurgencies in Punjab and North- East India and dousing communal passions in various riots. "There have been several reports in the press and social media about a meeting with the HRD Minister on January 9. It is regrettable that these leaked reports are meant to create controversy and tarnish AMU's image," he said in the statement. He said he had on January 9 gone to meet Irani at the insistence of Chandy regarding the funding of an off-campus AMU centre in Kerala and since the venue of the meeting was changed at the eleventh hour, he could not reach there on time. "After the meeting, Chandy told me that the HRD Minister was adamant that the AMU centres were illegally set up and will not be funded by the HRD Ministry, despite being told that they had been approved by the highest policy making- bodies -- AMU's Executive Council and Court, Government of India and the Visitor (President of India)," Shah said. Advertisement "It is apparent that certain frustrated alumnus of AMU have conveyed the wrong impression to the HRD Minister that these centres are illegal," he said. The AMU V-C further said he will be meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi later this week and seek a resolution to all issues pertaining to the varsity. Later, Shah told PTI that the issue of "inadequate and inequitable" funding had been troubling AMU for quite some time now. "AMU has been released far lesser funds compared to BHU, which is of equal size. In fact, Jamia Millia Islamia, which is one-fourth the size of AMU, has been given a far larger allocation," he said. Asked what else he will discuss with the Prime Minister, Shah said he was "disturbed by some senior BJP leaders raising the bogey of alleged anti-national activities by a few AMU students during their recent protest in support of their JNU counterparts". Advertisement "Having served in the Indian Army, I know all that nationalism is all about. There is no question whatsoever of allowing anything anti-national on the campus," he said. "We have different fora in the university and all of them enjoy the right to criticize the political dispensation of the time. They have the right to do so and we cannot crush the right of freedom of expression. "On the other hand, we are there to ensure the none of these discussions or deliberations violate the Constitution," he said. Advertisement Contact HuffPost India Also See On HuffPost: The bill, which is meant to make it compulsory for marriages across religions in the state to be compulsorily registered in court, has been found to be full of grammatical errors which has stalled its progress even though all it needs is the President's nod. Even though it was passed by the state assembly in December 2013, it is now back with the Jharkhand government after the Union home ministry has asked it to clean up the language in the bill. AP General Sam Manekshaw, chief of staff for the Indian Army, seen on arrival for discussions on Indian-Pakistan affairs with General Tikka Khan, chief of staff, Pakistan Army, Nov. 28,1972, Lahore, Pakistan. (AP Photo) As activists campaign online to #RemoveMughalsFromTextBooks, a movement to rewrite Indian history to exclude the Mughal invaders, a Gujarat government website has described Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw, one of India's greatest military leaders, as a sportsman. A Gorkha soldier, unable to navigate the Parsi tongue twister, had purportedly shortened Manekshaw's name to Sam Bahadur. Sam Bahadur, or Sam the Fearless, was feted for his role in the 1971 Bangladesh liberation war and was the first Indian Army officer to be promoted to the rank of Field Marshal. Advertisement But, the team behind the website is either not aware of all this history or have let a blatant error run on a state government portal accessed by millions. In a section called the 'Land of the Legends', the state website lists the celebrated people of the land. Except, that they got their history a little messed up. There's more. Apparently, Lord Krishna was a specialist in literature. General Rajendrasinhji Jadeja, who was India's second Army chief, is described as a sportsperson too. Gijubhai Badheka, revered as one of Gujarat's greatest education reformists, is listed among top Gujarati industrialists or 'mahajans' such as Premchand Raichand, Jamshedji Tata and Kasturbhai Lalbhai. Meanwhile, Gujarat's founder, Sultan Ahmed Shah, has been categorized as a person known for "meditation". Advertisement Meanwhile, General Administration Department (GAD) secretary (services) Dhananjay Dwivedi told the Times Of India that it's not their fault. "The official website of the Gujarat government is being managed by a private IT firm. It is not managed by GAD," he said. Contact HuffPost India Also See On HuffPost: ASSOCIATED PRESS Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets the audience as he prepares to deliver the 37th Singapore Lecture Monday, Nov. 23, 2015, in Singapore as he starts his two-day official visit to the city-state. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E) NEW DELHI -- Blessed with the gift of the gab, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had no trouble ripping into the Opposition for not allowing Parliament to function, but he failed to address the burning questions around the suicide of Rohith Vemula and the Jawharlal Nehru University row, which have preoccupied the country, this year. While people are waiting to hear the Prime Minister's thoughts on free speech, nationalism and discrimination in universities, Modi's speech in Lok Sabha today was more about taking potshots at his political rivals and their past governance. Advertisement The Opposition was blocking parliament because of an "inferiority complex," he said. Vemula was a Dalit student who committed suicide at the University of Hyderabad on Jan 16, allegedly due to active discrimination by the authorities of the educational institution, and the interference of Bharatiya Janata Party leaders. The JNU row involves the arrest of students on the charge of sedition for allegedly raising "anti-national" slogans and organizing an event to mark the third anniversary of Afzal Guru's execution. In the first week of the Budget Session, lawmakers engaged in an exhaustive debate on these two episodes, but the Prime Minister has kept silent. It was necessary for the Prime Minister to scold lawmakers for blocking necessary work in Parliament to further their political agenda, but he was also expected to speak on issues surrounding Vemula and JNU student Kanhaiya Kumar, which have sparked debate and protests across the country. To admonish the Opposition for blocking the passage of key bills, the Prime Minister evoked the Holy Trinity of the Congress Party - Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, and Rajiv Gandhi - and their pearls of wisdom. Advertisement In an obvious knock to Congress Party Vice President Rahul Gandhi, he said, "Some people's age increases, but their wisdom does not increase." Gandhi's speech in Lok Sabha on Wednesday was peppered with jibes at the Prime Minister and his polices. The Congress Party leader characterized Modi as a leader who was in love with his own voice and opinions, and so formidable that even senior leaders did not dare question him. While Gandhi's jibes suit a opposition leader, Modi's speech today simply lacked the substance expected from the Prime Minister, especially when the country is in turmoil over questions fundamental to the character of its democracy Striking a sarcastic tone, Modi said that his government had so much to do because the Congress Party in 60 years had failed to deal with poverty, or make toilets for Indians. While calling for lawmakers to end their "tu-tu-main-main" in the last few minutes of his speech, Modi transitioned into a mellow tone. "I am new, you are more experienced. Let us work together to build this country," he said. Advertisement Contact HuffPost India Also On HuffPost India Hindustan Times via Getty Images NEW DELHI, INDIA - FEBRUARY 11: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj (R) talks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as they wait to receive Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (unseen), Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and UAE's Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces during a ceremonial reception at the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhawan, Presidential Palace on February 11, 2016 in New Delhi, India. In a departure from protocol, Prime Minister Narendra Modi received Abu Dhabias Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan at the airport as he arrived in New Delhi for a three-day state visit. Hours after his arrival, Al Nahyan expressed his keenness to strengthen strategic relationship between the two countries. At present, India is UAEas number one trading partner with total trade pegged at $60 billion in 2015. UAE was the sixth largest source of crude oil import for India in 2014-'15. (Photo by Ajay Aggarwal/Hindustan Times via Getty Images) NEW DELHI -- External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday rejected Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi's remarks that even the Foreign Minister was unaware of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's sudden de-tour to Lahore. In an exclusive to ANI, Swaraj said "I would like to correct the record. After a conversation with Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister Modi called me, seeking my opinion on his visit to Lahore." Advertisement "I told him that it would be an 'out of the box initiative' and he should go to Lahore, said Swaraj adding, "This was a novel initiative, which got appreciated in the country." Swaraj said that since she was not present in the lower house yesterday, she could not respond to Gandhi's statements." "If I would have been present there, I would have responded to his statement. I reached home and saw his speech, which is not correct," she added. The Minister pointed out that after receiving the Prime Minister here; she had a conversation with him for about 10 minutes at the airport where she apprised him of the positive response that the nation has given to his visit. Advertisement Taking the floor in the Lok Sabha during the debate on the motion of thanks to President's address, Congress vice president Gandhi, accused Prime Minister Modi of 'single handedly destroying' six years of UPA work to put Pakistan into a small cage after 26/11 terror strikes, by visiting Pakistan. He assailed the Prime Minister with "releasing" Pakistan from a "cage" for which the UPA had invested thousands of hours of hard work and all-round consultations. "The work done by the UPA has made us all proud. We conducted Panchayat elections, created self-help groups, which generated employment. We had broken the back of insurgency in Kashmir completely. And what did the Prime Minister do? He decided to have a cup of tea with Nawaz Sharif without any vision. He decided to take a detour to Pakistan. He did not bother to consult anyone...the people in intelligence, the diplomats. Perhaps he did not even talk to (External Affairs Minister) Sushmaji (Swaraj). Only his opinion matters. He single handedly destroyed the six years of work done by the UPA," Gandhi said. Advertisement Contact HuffPost India Also see on HuffPost: Hindustan Times via Getty Images NEW DELHI, INDIA - FEBRUARY 29: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh arrives for attending the Parliament Budget Session ahead of the release of the budget at Parliament House on February 29, 2016 in New Delhi, India. Presenting his third Union Budget, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced a slew of schemes, and income tax exemptions for small tax-payer and the small investors. Aiming to double farmersa income by 2022, the minister also announced an allocation of nearly Rs. 36,000 crore for the farm sector while raising the agri-credit target to Rs. 9 lakh crore for the next fiscal. Growth of Indian Economy accelerated to 7.6% in 2015-16. (Photo by Sonu Mehta/Hindustan Times via Getty Images) Responding to the oppositions demand for an explanation from the government over union minister Ram Shankar Katherias controversial comments at a prayer meeting in Agra last week, home minister Rajnath Singh said that there was nothing inflammatory in his speech. We have watched the CD of the event and closely examined Katherias speech. After that we have concluded that there was nothing inflammatory in his speech. The police has already registered an FIR against three people who participated in that meeting. Katheria has not said anything to ignite tension, Singh told the parliament. Advertisement At a condolence meeting held on Sunday for murdered Vishwa Hindu Parishad activist Arun Mahuar in Agra in which Katheria participated, Muslims were reportedly likened to demons and descendants of Ravana while the speakers urged Hindus to corner and destroy the demons. Katheria had allegedly said, referring to the murder of Mahuar by some Muslim youths, that there has been a conspiracy against Hindus and that the community should fight it. All this is happening to the youth in this country, the conspiracies against the Hindu community...We will have to get strong and fight this conflict...Today, one Arun has died, tomorrow another Arun will die...before the second Arun dies (his) killers should go," Katheria had reportedly said. Following the controversy, the parliament session was disrupted on Tuesday as the opposition parties demanded the resignation of Katheria for making inflammatory comments. Advertisement In response, Katheria had denied of saying anything controversial. "What has been published in one of the newspapers is false. I had not taken the name of any community. I had said that the culprits, who had murdered the VHP leader, should be given death sentence. I had also said that the Hindu community should unite for their safety. I will send a notice to the newspaper," he had said. Contact HuffPost India Also See On HuffPost: Headlines from the front lines Sign up to join the fight for all animals with email updates and text alertsyou can be first to take action on the issues that matter most. Access exclusive content and media materials in our press room. Hutchinson's Orscheln Farm store has become a Bomgaars location The Hutchinson store was one of 73 the FTC said Tractor Supply could not own due to anti-trust concerns. Transition to new store could take 15 months. KEXPs Sharlese Metcalf On Seattle Artists, Audioasis [INTERVIEW] Although it may not have the same level of musical association as cities like Nashville and Austin, Seattle has a rich and varied history within the music industry and is particularly notable as the birthplace of grunge. In this interview, KEXP host Sharlese Metcalf weighs in on local artists the state of the scene in the Pacific Northwest. __________________________________________ Guest Post by Nicole Pompei on PledgeMusic When considering Americas major music cities, one automatically thinks Nashville, New York, Los Angeles, and Austin. What about all of the other places? Thriving music and arts communities are nestled all over the country and they shouldnt be overlooked. As the birthplace and beginning point for Jimi Hendrix and the epicenter of the 90s grunge movement, Seattle boasts a strong musical pedigree. Seattle was the place to be for underground music. While those times have passed, Seattle remains one of Americas best music scenes. Tucked away in a northwestern pocket between mountain ranges and forests exists an incredibly diverse and close-knit artistic community. As the host of KEXPs locals show, Audioasis, Sharlese Metcalf is a wealth of knowledge for all things Pacific Northwest. PledgeMusic college rep Nicole Pompei recently sat down with Metcalf to discuss the vibrancy of the Seattle scene. Youre known as being a super fanatic of the Northwest music scene. Why Seattle? What makes Seattle and its music scene so special? Well, Im from Seattle so thats a big part of it. Theres a lot of things that I remember when I was a teenager. Just like listening to things on the radio and different people that were on the radio that were pushing a lot of local music. I actually never thought that I would fall into it. When I got the opportunity when I started at KGRG, Green River Community College in Auburn, that was the opening that they had. They let me sit in on one show with them and then they gave me a crate full of local music and I had to go through it. So I would say, I definitely love all music, but I have chosen to expose myself to all this local stuff, this Northwest music. I just really like it. I love being really close to people that are making music and I love being able to talk to them about it. I think the Northwest is really special because there are all different types of sounds that are coming out of here that people wouldnt expect. I have friends at the station who travel around the world, and when they come back, they say that all people know is the grunge era. Nirvana is all that comes to their heads. I love Nirvana too, but thats so dated. Its not whats happening right now. I feel like I am the vehicle to push that forward and play these amazing things that are happening in the Northwest area. Would you say there are a lot of different genres? We touch every different genre. Im sure I could come up with something for everything. I dont like to pinpoint people into these little corners. I can honestly say that we have people in this area, the Northwest I like to consider the Northwest as BC, Idaho, Washington, Oregon representing every genre. I could think of bands that are making all different types of things. I think that is really special. Can you talk a bit about your experience at KEXP and running the Audioasis show? How did that come about and what has your experience been like? It started out by meeting John Richards. I met him at his first childs baby shower. We had this really intense conversation about college radio versus the real world, and I told him I was ready for the real world. He said, Okay, come to the station. He gave me the opportunity to work on the local show, Audioasis. This was my dream. I had known all these bands because I had been booking them on my show, Local Motion. I took every opportunity that I could. At the time, the station was transitioning into New York programming. He was moving there to do his show, his job, and to help expand KEXPs brand out there. He was the producer of the show, so I asked if he needed someone to produce the show, to handle the DJs, and to book the interviews. He said, Yeah, so I just slid into that job. I was producing the show for so long and it transitioned into me being the host and the producer of the show. That was the happiest day of my life it was such a big accomplishment for me. I get to have so many incredible experiences. Im able to promote music for people that are working really hard and putting out these awesome songs and awesome albums. Interviews are another thing. When Im sitting in a room and Im watching this band play that has probably only had three interviews in their life and this is definitely probably their first radio interview, its a special experience. Im helping them to feel comfortable, like theyre only talking only to me, in this high stress situation. I feel like giving people that experience is something Ill never be able to explain entirely. I cant believe that Im in the position that Im in. Where are you finding new bands in Seattle? Are people sending you music or are you seeking it out somewhere in particular? I have some people who have their ears to the ground. I have four absolutely wonderful assistants that bring me music. I scour the Internet. Its a really good resource; its a sign of the times. On Facebook events, Ill visit all the Bandcamps of the bands playing. I look at every Facebook invite. I sit around on SoundCloud or Bandcamp and see what I can find. A lot of people send things to me, and I listen to everything every demo I get. I rule out everything that isnt local, though. I can say that I know every local CD thats in rotation right now. As an outlet that champions artists often overlooked by more commercial media outlets, thus showcasing inventive, contemporary artists, what is KEXPs role in the Seattle scene? I would say that one of the beautiful things about KEXP is that we get to pick all of our music. We pick every song that you hear that comes on air. Even the stuff that we may not like, were playing it because we feel that its something that needs to be played. That is super unique and gives us a way to promote tons of different artists and bands. Our music director will contact me and say that he needs some local releases to add to rotation that week, so Ill give him things that I think are really great. Thats really unique that the station makes it a big point to promote local music. Audioasis is a local musicians dream. The show gives local artists great opportunities to get their music heard. Audioasis features a bit of everything from radio airplay, to interviews, to in-studio live performances. What are your goals with Audioasis? Do you have any future projects you want to see happen with the show? I want to do more theme shows because I think theyre really fun. My assistant Alex has helped me do some. Weve done a couple so far. We did all Portland bands, we did a Halloween themed one, and the next one we have coming up is A-Z. I want the show to have an educational focus and incorporate youth into that. As we move into the new home, Ill get to work more on community outreach. Im hoping tours will happen. Theyll be able to view in-studio sessions, so they can learn confidence building skills. Maybe even visualize themselves in a job like that. I want to do more demo of the week features. Bands who arent getting as much play during the week will get a little feature on them. Something where we can expand what the station is playing just on airplay basis. KEXP is way more than just a radio station; its an arts organization that provides experiences on air, online, and around the community. Lets talk about the monthly Audioasis Charity Benefit. What impact does KEXPs community involvement have on the arts overall in Seattle? The community partnership program is a program that we developed and is super unique. We dont make any money off of the shows- we actually give a lot of promotion. We give online and on-air support. Online is a website, an event page, and a home bucket so that it can be seen on the homepage of the KEXP site. We have a community partnership page that explains all about the nonprofit. Our hope is to have the shows in our new home. The program is so great because all of the bands play for free and the venue is donated. A lot of local bands love playing these shows because theyre giving back to the community. Ive learned so much about all of the different nonprofits, what they do and why theyre important. How we get the community involved is that we ask them to come to the shows. We try to pick a variety of different nonprofits. I think its really important that we give back to the community in this type of way. We are 60% listener supported, 20% grants, and 20% business support. We ask for a lot from people to make sure that we are running, so its great that we can give back in some way. Maybe a listener has some sort of connection to this nonprofit that weve chosen. We can connect with them in a very special way. Who would you say some up-and-coming Seattle acts are that we should keep an ear out for? Childbirth, Crater, Mackned, Midday Veil, Wimps, Pony Time, Versing, Youryoungbody, Sassy Black, Wild Powwers, SSDD, Dude York, Stickers, Brian John Appleby, Key Nyata, Gifted Gab, DoNormaal, Grave Babies, Nightmare Fortress, So Pitted, Bread & Butter, Strange Wilds, Vats, Mommy Long Legs, So Pitted, Boyfriends There are a lot of special people here and I dont want to list everyone. I think there are so many bands that have made great albums and so many bands that are playing good music. It makes me sad to make a list out of it. Currently a Music Business student at Berklee College of Music, Nicole Pompei is a drummer and a DIY enthusiast. Outside of her involvement in the Boston DIY community, Nicole can be found crafting galaxy sweatshirts and juice recipes. Share on: Sadie Dupuis is the guitarist, vocalist and songwriter for the band Speedy Ortiz. She has recently been featured in NPR, Vogue, Cosmopolitan Magazine, Amy Poehlers Funny Girls, among others. Speedy Ortiz was named artist of the year for 2015 by Noisey / Vice. Sadie also creates music under the moniker, Sad13 releasing "Basement Queens" via Google in January 2016. Sadie holds a MFA in poetry. Tom Barnes - Staff Writer & Editor / Mic.com Tom Barnes is a staff writer and editor of Mic.coms music section. His writing generally focuses on identity issues, political activism and how the two manifest in music. He began learning the drums at 13 and currently plays in several independent Brooklyn-based bands, including Slush and Joe McCarthy and the Faders. Early this month Prime Minister Hun Sen stated that his administration was moving toward e-government, praising the efforts made by the Ministry of Commerce, under the leadership of Minister Sun Chanthol to make services like commercial registration available online. He also urged all ministries to use social media to reach out to a wider audience, and encouraged all ministries to set up Facebook pages, given the popularity of Facebook in Cambodia. However, e-government is a relatively new concept in the Kingdom. Many policymakers at both the national and local levels have not been trained to use information technology to deliver public services. Implementing e-government services requires sufficient knowledge, infrastructure and manpower. E-government strategies use the Internet to deliver information and services to citizens. E-government also provides a platform for interactions between the public sector and the private sector, and can build trust between the state and society. In 2000, Cambodia created the National ICT Development Authority (NiDA) and the Government Administrative Information System (GAIS) with the aim of generating revenue. GAIS has four flagship programs: an electronic approval system, real estate registration, resident registration, and vehicle registration. However, NiDA and GAIS fall short of promoting transparency and accountability. If the government wishes to promote e-government, a national strategy has to be established, along with the development of infrastructure and human resources. Some of the main elements of e-government are publication and information sharing, dissemination of government policy, online delivery of public services, and brining e-government to local communities. Public institutions need to simplify their policy agendas and implementation strategies in order to better communicate with the public. Government services need to be made available online. The Ministry of Commerce may be a role model in promoting this. Social media provides convenient access for the public to receive information and provide feedback. The government should encourage citizens to submit feedback and complaints online, and take all feedback seriously. Since more than 70 percent of Cambodians live in rural areas access to online government services is a core challenge. Developing and implementing e-government services at the local level is necessary and the government must invest in building information and communication technology (ICT) in the rural areas. Investing in ICT infrastructure in rural areas helps bridge the digital divide. The government and development partners also need to promote e-literacy in these areas. Successful e-government requires political commitment and leadership. The government needs to create a focal point for e-government innovation, planning and oversight. Intra- and inter-agency coordination must be strengthened to reform public policy in response to the public complaints and feedback. Policies need to be streamlined and reviewed and electronic mechanisms need to be developed to mitigate or resolve social needs and problems. Consultation and partnership among public agencies, the private sector, non-governmental organizations, and local communities, are critical in crafting meaningful reforms and implementing e-government. The government needs to take a leading role in promoting the involvement of a wide range of stakeholders as well as inclusive dialogue in designing e-government strategy. Trust across government agencies, between government agencies and businesses, NGOs, and citizens is another factor determining the success of e-government. Trust building requires privacy protecting personal information the government collects about individuals as well as security to protect e-government sites from cyber-attacks and misuse. Source: http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/21840/cambodia-embarks-on-e-government/ A letter issued by the officials of the Ministry of post and Telecommunications with a list of regulations from different governmental institutions ordered to the closure of the independent websites. The companies that provide internet services to the public was ordered to prevent access to websites critical of the Somali government "due to working against the interest of the government." The statement which also gave a reference to the Ministry of security, the office of the ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism and the Office of the Attorney General was ordered the companies "to block within 48 hours starting from the time that each company received it. Speaking the work of the independent websites, the statement from the government referred to as "criminal acts" that some independent websites committed and should be imposed punishment for breaking the law." Over the years, Somali citizens that use the Internet has been growing steadily in Somalia. "In 2000, internet users amounted to less than 1% [of the population], but the rate has gone up over the past couple of years until it reached around 2% in 2011, according to unofficial estimates," Source: http://waagacusub.net/articles/1166/Internet-Censorship-in-Somalia-Blocking-websites-is-a-threat-to-the-free-speech A group of labor leaders is calling for change in the way the workers compensation system applies to contract workers.In a letter sent to US lawmakers in November, a group of executives and public policy experts from companies including Lyft, Handy and Etsy asked for new contract-worker protections, including workers compensation benefits when contract workers are injured. As many as 53 million Americans are now self employed; the letters authors argue the benefits system hasnt kept up with rapid changes.Traditionally, benefits and protections such as workers compensation, unemployment insurance, paid time off, retirement savings and training/development have been, largely or partly, components of a workers employment relationship with an employer, the letter reads.The Affordable Care Act has disrupted that model, providing more independent workers a different avenue of access to health insurance. Another new model is needed to support new ways of work.Under the proposed model, benefits such as workers comp would be portable, so workers could take them from job to job. The coalition is pushing for discussion among lawmakers on how this would best be accomplished, thus bypassing litigation that has already arisen from workers with companies, such as Lyft and Instacart, that rely on contractors.The debate over employee status, and consequent eligibility for workers compensation benefits, puts additional pressure on insurance professionals to help employers correctly classify employees. Thats something many companies and agents overlook when submitting workers compensation applications, says LaTroya McKinney of Abram Interstate Insurance Services.If an employer is scheduling their time, telling them who to see or where to go, they are an employee under the labor code, and [the employer] can be fined up to $150 per day per employee for not having comp in place, McKinney says.She adds that although these stipulations apply primarily in California where 1099 status is under strictest review it doesnt hurt for agents across the country to adopt a similar no-risks attitude.I tell people that if they base their decisions off regulations in what is one of the most rigid states, they cant go wrong, she says. Four More Shots Please S3 Review: This Old Wine In New Bottle Doesn't Get You Drunk As Easily Anymore Email IC Arizona at azpoliticalintel-at-yahoo.comIC Arizona is a subsidiary of IntellectualConservative.com We work towards an equitable, gender-just, self-reliant and sustainable fisheries, particularly in the small-scale, artisanal sector We work towards an equitable, gender-just, self-reliant and sustainable fisheries, particularly in the small-scale, artisanal sector We work towards an equitable, gender-just, self-reliant and sustainable fisheries, particularly in the small-scale, artisanal sector We work towards an equitable, gender-just, self-reliant and sustainable fisheries, particularly in the small-scale, artisanal sector Transcript of a Press Briefing by Gerry Rice, Director, Communications Department, IMF Thursday, March 3, 2016 Washington, DC Webcast of the press briefing MR. RICE: Good morning, everyone, and welcome to this press briefing on behalf of the International Monetary Fund. I'm Gerry Rice of the Communications Department, and as usual, this briefing will be embargoed until 10:30 a.m. That is Washington time. Let me make a few announcements about upcoming events and travel, and then turn to your questions in the room and online. Tomorrow, March 4, the Managing Director of the IMF, Christine Lagarde, will deliver in Boston the Compton Lecture at MIT, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The topic of her lecture is the role of fiscal policy, demographic change, and economic well-being. We will get that speech to you. That is the Compton Lecture. We will get that speech to you ahead of time. A week later, the Managing Director will embark on a trip to Asia, a fairly extensive trip, which will begin with our conference in New Delhi. This is the conference we have been working on for quite some time, jointly with the Indian authorities, advancing Asia in New Delhi, but an Asia-wide conference. I will just point you to information on that on the Web. I won't go through it here. We expect that to be a fairly major event. Following that conference in New Delhi, Christine Lagarde will be going to the Democratic Republic of Lao, and then she will travel to Vietnam, where she will be both in Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City. There will be public events there which again we can get you the information on various interactions, speeches, and so on. Finally, on that expansive trip, the Managing Director will be in Beijing to attend this year's China Development Forum. As you know, that is something she has attended in previous years, and she will be going to Beijing for that. So, a fairly extensive Asia trip coming up. Next Tuesday, March 8, David Lipton, our First Deputy Managing Director, will deliver the keynote speech at the NABE Conference. NABE, as I am sure you know, is the National Association for Business Economics, so it is a fairly important event here, and David will be giving the keynote speech on Tuesday, March 8. Our other Deputy Managing Director Min Zhu is also speaking today at the Conference on Economic Linkages between Asia and Latin America. That is happening now as we speak. You're welcome to go and I believe a number of our colleagues are already there. It runs for half a day today. Our other Deputy Managing Director Carla Grasso will be in Africa until March 11, Tanzania, Mauritius, and Mozambique. She will be at a conference in Mauritius on monetary integration in Africa, and on her way back, she will be in Brussels to sign several agreements with donors related to the IMF's work on capacity development. You know, that is the third big area of what we do, surveillance, lending, capacity development. That is important. Finally, March 8 is International Women's Day. On March 7, we will be releasing a staff paper, one in a series of gender related research papers. We will be releasing a paper on Monday on unlocking female employment potential in Europe, and we will get that to you in advance. On Women's Day, we will also have some public communication coming from the Managing Director and others. More details will be provided shortly. Our next briefing will be March 17 for your calendar, and that will be the last one before the spring meetings, which we then head into broadly starting the week of April 4, because we have the Curtain Raiser Address and then the meetings themselves beginning about a week later, April 11. Thank you very much. Let's take your questions. I am going to have to leave around 10:00 this morning. Can I suggest that on Greece we group the questions and I take a pass at answering them, and of course, if you have a detailed follow up, we will take that, too. Is that okay with you? QUESTIONER: Yes, of course. I think we have the same question. Actually, we are looking for Mr. Thompson. MR. RICE: You're looking for Poul? QUESTIONER: Yes. Is he still in Brussels, and can you tell us if after Brussels, the mission is going back to Greece soon? QUESTIONER: It has been reported that some progress has been made on the fiscal gap between the IMF and the European projections. I understand no Greek was present or invited to this dinner. Can you confirm that this is the case, and what does it mean about the extent of reforms needed as detailed on Poul Thompson's blog? Thank you. QUESTIONER: According to the IMF, Greece will not be able to make the necessary payments by the end of this month. Is that what the IMF projects? QUESTIONER: I have a couple of questions. The first question is we need to know why the review for the Greek economy is not completed yet. Is it because there is like a divergence between Europe and IMF regarding the numbers and the projections about the growth of the Greek economy, or is it because the Greek government hasn't implemented fully its commitments to the IMF. The second question is regarding the Greek Minister of Finance, Mr. Tsakalotos. I am sure you have seen he has identified his rhetoric against the IMF. I am quoting his latest statement saying we don't understand why the IMF is constantly demanding from the Greek government additional Draconian measures. I think generally Mr. Tsakalotos says the IMF is the tough player in this game. I don't think Mr. Tsakalotos is a foolish guy to say these things, probably there must be a reason for saying that. What do you think? QUESTIONER: The IMF has essentially said that it won't rubber stamp a program that it does not believe will work. Poul Thompson has made that abundantly clear in his posts. You all have made that abundantly clear in your DSA last year. You will not simply say it will add up if it doesn't add up. Is there any chance that Madam Lagarde might make a political decision that senior staff may disagree with on whether the program adds up, just to ensure that some kind of program is made, something is better than nothing? QUESTIONER: I just have somewhat of a general question because the IMF has not been saying even once we impose Draconian measures on Greece -- at the same time you are asking for tougher pension reform. Isn't that a Draconian measure to ask for pension cuts? MR. RICE: So, as mentioned, there was a meeting, a dinner meeting of the institutions last night to take stock of the progress towards the first program for Greece. Good progress has been made in the discussions. We would expect an early return of the mission. I don't have a date for you, but we will know more about that, and be able to say more, after the group meeting upcoming on Sunday. So, that is on that point. Again, for those who don't follow it, the first review of the European program, the ESN program, has been delayed since October last year, and speaking for the IMF, we certainly share the authorities' view that it should be completed as soon as possible. We definitely share that view. QUESTIONER: Were the Greek authorities present at this dinner yesterday? MR. RICE: I can tell you that Poul Thompson was there. The IMF was there. I don't know who else was around the table. I don't have that. The IMF was certainly there and the other institutions were there. There was sort of a clutch of questions on issues around the stance that the IMF has taken, that the IMF has been reported to take. Let me try to say something about that. Number one, our views have essentially not changed from the summer when the original agreement was made. We are not, in fact, asking for anything additional in terms of the agreed targets. The targets that were agreed last summer and we are not asking for anything additional to that in terms of the targets. But to set that in context, Greece and the European partners agreed to what was very ambitious medium term fiscal targets, very ambitious targets. So what we have done and what the blog, for example, from Poul Thomsen, was trying to do was seeking to explain just what is required to meet those targets. Because that had never been quantified nor specified. So to meet the agreed targets requires this 4% to 5% of GDP, and weve also said that we think it would be very difficult for a society that has been undergoing a painful adjustment over the last five years to meet that very ambitious fiscal target. Which brings me to the point that we have sort of emphasized here before. That really, and it was a point made clear again in the blog, that the needed reforms would be less demanding if there was more debt relief on offer from Greeces European partners. So it gets to this calculus, the two legs, weve talked about this before. Theres a calculus between the package of reforms, the strength of the reform package, and the level of debt relief. Okay? And thats really where the discussions are now. And the Europeans and the Greeks need to come to an agreement on that package. That two legs calculus that weve talked about. There was a question, well about: do we see it differently from Europe? I think the Europeans also see the need for the measures to be quantified and specified, again, to meet these agreed program targets. So I dont think theres a great deal of difference there. And, again, that is whats under discussion. On Spiegel, the statements that the IMF was reported to have made in Spiegel we have not made any such things. But let me say, Greeces financial position depends on a number of factors, including tax revenues, the ability to generate primary surpluses, and importantly, official financing on which Greece still relies to meet its payment obligations. Its, therefore, really important that Greece would put in place the necessary reforms not only to unlock that further official financing, but also to pave the way for a return to sustainable public finances and growth which, of course, is the overall objective. Have I missed something? QUESTIONER: Soft on your targets? MR. RICE: You know, its not normal at all where you have the situation where the management of the Fund would take a very different view from the staff. That would be highly unusual and I do not envisage that in this case. I do not. Did I miss something? QUESTIONER: Greece has a lot of statements regarding the IMF portraying the IMF as a down player, and Im sure that you have seen the recent statements of Mr. Tsakalotos. He is talking about the IMF during the last two weeks using very tough and strict words. MR. RICE: You know, I was trying to answer that a bit. Ill try and say a bit more. I was trying to answer that by saying: look, our views have no changed. We are not asking for anything additional in terms of the program targets. But those targets that were agreed last summer, and we said so at the time, and weve said so again, including in Poul Thomsens blog. these are very ambitious fiscal targets that have to be met, but thats what has been agreed. In terms of the IMF being, you know, the one to say something needs to be done or that we are somehow in conflict with Greece. Over the last five years the IMF has provided exceptional support for Greece. Exceptional support for Greece. I think if you were to ask the other parts of the IMF membership they would probably tell you that they would see it that way. I think we have often been the ones, again, looking back over the life of the several programs, we have been the ones seeking realism on the fiscal adjustment so that it can, in fact, lead to medium term recovery and longer term growth. And I would remind you that the IMF was the one arguing strongly past summer for debt relief for Greece. So I say all that because I dont think it is right to characterize the IMF position as tough or blocking. What we are doing is what we do in every program, including Greece. We try to be objective. We try to provide the realistic analysis because we think thats whats necessary for a program to succeed. It has to add up. And, you know, thats our job, to try and be objective and realistic. Im going to take one or two follow ups and then Im going to move on because it cant just be Greece. QUESTIONER: Thank you. From what youre saying I understand that the fiscal gap youre seeing is still 4 to 5% of GDP, and maybe more -- a less ambitious target will have to be directly connected with a further debt easing from the Europeans. Is that correct? MR. RICE: Well, again, the target, in terms of the primary surplus was set last summer, and that hasnt changed. Thats the agreed target. So what were talking about is the measures required to meet the target, okay? QUESTIONER: The 4% to 5% of GDP is still gap? MR. RICE: Its as Poul described it in the blog. QUESTIONER: As Poul described it, it stays the same. Despite the fact that some of the numbers that came out of Greece are actually better than expected on the primary surplus for 2015? MR. RICE: Yes, its as described in the blog. QUESTIONER: Although I completely and totally accept your answer regarding Mr. Tsakalotos statements, I would like to know whether you think that this way of portraying the IMF as the evil of the story by the finance minister whom youre supposed to work with closely, is it a constructive way to reinforce your collaboration? Does it make you feel comfortable? The second question is about the refugee crisis. What is the stance of the IMF regarding all these thousands humiliated refugees stuck in Greece? There are a lot of views saying that Greece should get something from the IMF and its lenders. Do you share this view? MR. RICE: Well, you know, on your first question, we always have the deepest respect for our member country. We do. We always try to work in a constructive manner. I just try to give you a sense of the extent of the IMF support for Greece over the last five years which has been, by any measure, exceptional, exceptionally strong. So, Im just going to leave it there and say that were always seeking to be constructive, but we have to do our job. The membership expects us to provide realistic assessment and analysis of the programs. We think, at the end of the day, thats also in the best interest of the membership. So we are fully engaged with the Greek authorities. We are engaging in those discussions, as I say, with our usual, you know, deep respect for the authorities. On the refugees. Clearly, like, everyone else, we are very aware and sympathetic to that enormous humanitarian tragedy thats taking place. We think that in looking at the overall assessment of support for Greece that it needs to be taken into account. And we welcome, of course, the recent commitment expression from the Europeans regarding their willingness to help Greece in this effort. Are we moving on? Okay. QUESTIONER: I was just wondering if I could ask you about the Peoples Bank of Chinas move to resume its easing cycle this week which comes just two days after they spent quite a bit of time at the G-20 reassuring members that they would not devalue their yuan, or they did not intend to devalue the yuan. Im just wondering if the IMF was surprised by this move this week, and if you see it as counter to their message that they have at meetings? MR. RICE: No. I think I dont see it as counter to the message. You know, we heard loud and clear during the G-20 meetings that there was no intention to devalue the renminbi, so I think the Chinese authorities provided reassurance along those lines. The assessment in our last staff report was that the real effect of exchange rate was broadly in line with medium term fundamentals, and thats where we are. QUESTIONER: Thank you. I have a bunch of questions on Russia and the Ukraine. On Ukraine, when can we expect some movement on the program? How confident are you that the program can move forward given that in the polls over 77% of the Ukrainians do not want drastic reforms that make them tighten their belts? And on Russia, my editors want me to ask again about that debt issue. They say there was supposed to be a letter from Russia to the IMF. Has the IMF received a letter like this, and does the IMF see a role for itself in the dispute over the debt? Which, as you know, is now important. MR. RICE: The status of the program. Ill not go into what Ive said here before. Where we are today, you know, we need to have more clarity about the status of the government and the coalition for us to be able to engage on policies to strengthen and transform the economy and to pave the way for the completion of the second review, which I think was your question. You know, I would remind you that President Poroshenko recently reassured the IMF, the managing director, of his commitment to the reforms, including improving governance and fighting corruption. And so, in the last weeks thats been the focal point of the discussions about measures to ensure progress towards tangible results in these areas. I mean I can give you a bit more detail in those areas if you wish. But they are part of the program and they are in the memorandum of economic and financial policies. In terms of the mission going back, again, once theres more clarity about the status of the government and the coalition would QUESTIONER: (inaudible) MR. RICE: Could you turn on your mic? Thanks. QUESTIONER: The other question was how confident are you that the program can be successfully implemented given that the vast majority of the Ukrainians seem to be against it? MR. RICE: Well, again, weve received commitments at the highest level from the authorities in Ukraine and you know, thats the direction that we certainly want to go in is to make as much progress as we possibly can toward the second review, but contingent on what I just said earlier. On your debt question, I dont have a lot to add to what I said before, that we continue to engage. We continue to encourage, encourage Ukraine and Russia to achieve a cooperative solution that contributes to the financing and the debt objectives of the program. We are not part of the discussions between the two parties. I am not familiar with the letter that you mentioned. But in terms of that cooperation between the two parties and the question of good faith and how it can be resolved, it is something that . of course our board will assess those efforts at the time of the review. QUESTIONER: Can you give us any update on the funds engagement with Argentina? For example, there was some stories in the Argentinean media suggesting that the Argentinean authorities might request a program from the Fund. Can you give us just an overall update? MR. RICE: There has been no request for a program from Argentine authorities, nor any discussion whatsoever between us on that topic. But, you know, stepping back from that, what can I say? You know, we welcome the authoritys announcement that the intent to resume the Article IV consultation. We are ready to move ahead with that at a time of the authoritys choosing. We published, we released some documents earlier this week on Argentina that Im sure that you saw. That was again, at the request of the Argentine authorities. Were encouraged also by the announcement on the agreement on the holdout deal, on the debt deal. And you know, thats going to be important toward allowing Argentina to return to financial markets and restore its financial position. QUESTIONER: I would like to ask about Cuba. In the context of their having two currencies that simultaneously circulate and their intention, the Communist Party says it wants to unify those currencies. Theyve got a party congress in April. The American president is going there this month. Has the fund been approached to assist in capacity building on this challenge? And also, have there been any informal contacts on Cuba rejoining the Fund? MR. RICE: No, on your second point. What I would say is that Cuba has not reapplied for Fund membership. I say reapplied because as you probably know, Cuba was a member of the fund until 1964. So theres been no request along those lines. And of course, should there be any request, we would look at that in accordance with our normal procedures. We are also not engaged in TA, in technical assistance right now with Cuba. But as soon as we have something I will get back to you. QUESTIONER: Since 64, is that right? MR. RICE: 1964. I believe actually Cuba was a founding member of the IMF and was a member until 1964. QUESTIONER: Cuba was a member during Castro? The first years of Castros regime? MR. RICE: Until 1964, yes. Im going to take a few questions online, yeah. QUESTIONER: Just to follow up on Argentina? MR. RICE: On Argentina? QUESTIONER: Yes. You did say that you welcomed the agreements reached with the holdouts, but at the same time, dont you fear that it could, you know, incite new holdouts to emerge in other cases because basically the funds who refused to negotiate like Argentina are going to be rewarded with a big check. Dont you fear that other holdouts could emerge down the road with other cases like that? MR. RICE: You know, I dont really have a comment on that specifically. Its a matter for Argentina and its creditors, obviously at the end of the day to come to an agreement. They appear to have come to an agreement thats largely agreeable on both sides. For our views on debt related issues, weve had this whole series of papers over the past two years, and I think thats the status of our views at the moment. Id refer you to that slew, that series of papers on lending reform and sovereign debt that weve had -- sovereign debt resolution over the past year and you know, one of the major themes of that is that we are favoring a market based approach to debt resolution. So we have not been advocating this super national type instrument. Im going to take a few questions online and then Im going to leave it there. Theres a question on Tunisia asking about asking about the status of the program with Tunisia. Theres an IMF mission in Tunisia until today negotiating a new four year Fund arrangement to support the authoritys program. And in fact, were going to be releasing a press release as soon as I finish here, so I can refer you to that. It will give the complete update on where we are on that matter. Theres a question about Jamaica, whats the relationship now between the IMF and Jamaica, given the elections, and when will the review, due on March 15th, be done. You know, clearly, we note the election of Mr. Holness and the GOP, the election results. We look forward to continuing to support Jamaica under its new leadership and we plan to discuss the economic priorities with the new authorities soon. Again, Id note Mr. Holness has made clear during his campaign the intent to continue the reform program supported by the IMF, so we look forward again to a close policy dialog with the new leadership and geopolitical changes that the authorities and the staff have agreed to delay the discussions of the 11th Review for now, and Ill come back when we have a date on that. There is a question on South Africa> What is the IMF view on the budget, how can South Africa grow faster, to which I would say we think the 2016 budget was prudent and charted appropriately ambitious targets for the government deficit and debt. We welcome the budgets focus on improving the efficiency of spending and on containing the wage bill while protecting the most vulnerable by shielding social grants and reprioritizing some spending to provide funding to new priorities such as the drought. Just to add, to ensure that the budget meets its objectives and to improve the living standards of South African people, it will be important that the budget is complimented with structural reforms that can boost growth and create jobs. And theres one other question on Zimbabwe, which Ill take. On Zimbabwe, whats the IMFs response to criticism from parliamentarians about normalization of our relations, is it taking too long? The status with Zimbabwe is that we have what we call a staff monitored program. Weve had that for some time. It helps a country establish a policy record with a view to normalizing relations with creditors. We are also providing some technical assistance. We have an ongoing mission and its aimed at conducting the third and final review under that SMP, that staff monitored program, and the 2016 Article IV. As you probably know, Zimbabwe is currently in arrears to the IMF and others and the strategy entails how to clear those arrears that are due to the IMF, the World Bank and others. The Zimbabwean authorities presented their plans for repaying their arrears during the annual meetings in Lima and that has received support from creditors and development partners. So successful completion of that SMP and a depending of ongoing reforms sets the stage for advancing the discussions about the reengagement process. Thats where we are on Zimbabwe. Im going to leave it there for today. Thank you very much for your cooperation and patience this morning. I really appreciate it. UC Davis Summit Explores Solutions to Inequity, Presents Social Justice Awards Davis, California - About 250 people will gather to explore solutions to inequity and draw inspiration for their work at the sixth annual Equity Summit and Social Justice Awards Celebration at UC Davis on Tuesday, March 8. Pedro Noguera, whose research focuses on how schools are influenced by social and economic conditions, will deliver the keynote address on principles and practices for educating all children. Noguera, who is a distinguished professor of education at UCLA and director of the university's Center for the Study of School Transformation, also will be one of seven individuals to be honored with social justice awards. The summit, on the theme of systems change for social justice, has been organized by the Office of Research and Policy for Equity at UC Davis with assistance from the UC Davis Equity Task Force. We are living in a time of international and national traumas, inequalities and violence, said Vajra Watson, director of Research and Policy for Equity at UC Davis. This evening presents an opportunity to coalesce efforts, build partnerships and revivify our hope in this world and one another. The social justice awards and their winners are: Awards for Seeding Improvements in Education Policy and Practice: Roneka Muhammed, a graduate student in the UC Davis Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing and supervising registered nurse at Folsom State Prison and Folsom Womens Facility for California Correctional Health Care Services; and LaShawn R. Chatmon of Oakland, executive director of the National Equity Project. Ubuntu Awards for Inspiring Social Change: Leilani Kupo, director of the UC Davis Womens Resources and Research Center; and Patrick Camangian, associate professor in the School of Education at the University of San Francisco. Lifetime Awards for Embodying Equity and Diversity: Herb Kohl, author, activist and educator known for advocating for progressive alternative education and founding the open school movement; Sandi Redenbach of Davis, president of Esteem Seminar Programs and ESP Wise Publications and founder of the Woodland Joint Unified School Districts Independent Learning Center; and Noguera. The event, to be held at the UC Davis Conference Center, will begin at 4 p.m., with the formal program starting at 4:30 p.m. The award presentation will begin at 5:30 p.m. Following dinner, Noguera will speak at 7 p.m. The event will conclude at 9 p.m. The summit is open to the public, and registration is available online or at the door. Admission is $25 for students, teachers and community organizers and $65 for the general public. Fee waivers are available. The summit program and registration information are available online. Glendale Men Found Guilty of Laundering Illegal Proceeds of Multi-Million Dollar Health Care Fraud Scheme that Bilked Medicare Los Angeles, California - Two Glendale residents have been found guilty of laundering millions of dollars illegally generated by a health care fraud scheme that billed Medicare for equipment and tests that were not medically necessary and sometimes were never provided. Edgar Pogosian, also known as Edgar Hakobyan, 32, was found guilty today of conspiring to commit money laundering and one count of money laundering. Karen Gary Sarkissian, 44, was convicted Thursday of conspiring to commit money laundering, six counts of money laundering, and five counts of health care fraud. Pogosian and Sarkissian were found guilty by a federal jury following a three-week trial before United States District Judge Philip S. Gutierrez. The jury returned verdicts against Sarkissian on Thursday afternoon and continued to deliberate on the charges against Pogosian until today. Judge Gutierrez is scheduled to sentence Sarkissian on June 6, and Pogosian on June 27. At sentencing, Pogosian will face a statutory maximum sentence of 40 years in federal prison, and Sarkissian could be sentenced to as much as 190 years in prison. As we continue to target organizations that scheme to defraud the Medicare system, criminals develop more elaborate methods to avoid detection, as seen in the money laundering activities of these defendants, said United States Attorney Eileen M. Decker. This case shows, however, that federal investigators have the knowledge, skills and tenacity to investigate and prosecute complex fraud schemes, and my office will continue such prosecutions to protect critical government programs like Medicare. With todays guilty verdicts, a total of five defendants have now been convicted in relation to a health care fraud scheme related to several medical clinics, durable medical equipment suppliers and independent diagnostic testing facilities. Sarkissian operated a clinic on Sunset Boulevard in Echo Park and worked there with a physicians assistant, LTanya Smith, who pleaded guilty in this case on the eve of trial. Between July 2009 and March 2010, Smith prescribed or ordered medically unnecessary tests and services at the Sunset clinic, some of which were never provided to the patients. Those prescriptions and orders led to more than $1.2 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare. Smith also prescribed medically unnecessary [durable medical equipment] (mainly orthotics) and other medically unnecessary diagnostic tests that were referred to other Medicare providers, some of which were also depositors into the money laundering conspiracy, according to court documents. These providers, in turn, submitted and caused to be submitted over $10 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare. Smith, 58, of Ladera Park, pleaded guilty to five counts of health care fraud and is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Gutierrez on May 2, at which time she will face a statutory maximum sentence of 50 years in federal prison. Sarkissian participated in a scheme that laundered the fraudulent proceeds generated through the Sunset Clinic through five bogus corporations set up by two other men who have also been convicted in this case. The two co-conspirators deposited millions of dollars in fraudulent proceeds into bank accounts for the companies and then wrote checks from these corporations to themselves and their relatives, including Pogosian, who was found guilty based on evidence that he received checks from the sham corporations that he either cashed or deposited in his own bank accounts. Some of the checks written to the five corporations falsely indicated that they were payments for services such as advertising, investment, consulting, management, equipment, or professional or technical services, according to court documents. The five corporations in fact had no connection to the medical industry, did not provide any legitimate business services to the Medicare providers that wrote the checks, and existed primarily to launder money. Pogosians uncle, Khachatour Hakobyan, 47, of Glendale, who prosecutors argued was the overall leader of the scheme, was sentenced last month to 57 months in prison and was ordered to pay $606,681 in restitution after he pleaded guilty to conspiring to launder health care fraud proceeds through the five sham corporations and underreporting his income from the conspiracy on his federal income tax returns. Aram Aramyan, 60, of Glendale, was sentenced in November to 51 months in prison and was ordered to pay $353,669 in restitution. The defendants laundered over $1 million in fraudulently obtained Medicare funds through their sham businesses, often using it for their own personal gain, said Erick Martinez, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation's Los Angeles Field Office. As todays verdict shows, IRS Criminal Investigation will not stand still while criminals line their pockets with illicit proceeds obtained from publically funded health care programs. The defendants have overstepped their bounds feeling entitled to this benefit program. The jury that convicted Pogosian also acquitted him of two counts of money laundering. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; and IRS Criminal Investigation. Stockton Bank Robber Sentenced to over 15 Years in Prison Sacramento, California - Phillip Dale Selfa, 63, of Stockton, was sentenced Tuesday to 15 years and eight months in prison for six counts of bank robbery, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced. On July 7, 2015, Selfa pleaded guilty to robbing the following banks: December 27, 2010, Bank of Stockton in Pine Grove for $2,000; January 13, 2011, Bank of the West in Lockeford for $4,000; February, 25, 2011, Farmers and Merchants Bank in Linden for $351; March 30, 2011, Westamerica Bank in Turlock, CA for $4,500; April 29, 2011, Bank of the West in Ripon for $3,050, and May 5, 2011, Bank of the West in Lodi for $4,037. In each of his six robberies, Selfa carried boxes, bags, and satchels into the financial institutions. He also displayed a purported detonator during his robberies and claimed to bank personnel that he could set off explosives that were supposedly in his boxes and bags that he left in the banks as he exited. After each robbery, each bank was closed and streets neighboring the banks were barricaded for bomb squad personnel. The bombs and detonators were each determined to be fake. During his robberies, Selfa also wore various disguises and head coverings. This case was the product of an investigation by the FBI with the assistance from the Stockton Police Department, the Modesto Police Department, the Amador County Sheriffs Office, the San Joaquin County Sheriffs Office, and the Stanislaus County Sheriffs Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Wong and Michelle Rodriguez prosecuted the case. Border Patrol Agents Dig Out Meth from Seat Cushions Salton City, California - El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents assigned to the Indio Station working at the Highway 86 checkpoint, arrested a man suspected of drug smuggling after they discovered packages of methamphetamine hidden in the seat cushions of his vehicle today. The incident occurred at approximately 10:30 a.m., when a 33-year-old man approached the checkpoint driving a 2016 Toyota Avalon. A Border Patrol detection canine alerted to the vehicle during a pre-primary inspection. Agents referred the man to the secondary inspection area for a closer examination. After an intensive search, agents discovered 44 bundles of methamphetamine wrapped in brown tape hidden in the vehicles seat cushions. The methamphetamine had a combined weight of 60.73 pounds with an estimated street value of $546,570. The man, a United States citizen, the vehicle, and narcotics were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration for further investigation. International Women's Day: Improving the Lives of Women Farmers Washington, DC - International Womens Day (IWD). The theme, Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step It Up for Gender Equality, addresses the continuing injustices faced by women across the globe. Women farmers' yields, for example, are often 2030 percent lower than for men's because of a lack of access to banking, financial services, and inputs. But filling this gapand helping women get the same resources as male farmerscould lift 100150 million people out of hunger worldwide. Women are the priority. The majority of smallholder farmers in Africa are women and, in urban areas, youre primarily looking at women-led households. So we cant solve hunger if we dont have gender-sensitive programming that addresses access to opportunities for women, whether its through education or tools for cooking, like solar-powered stoves, says Ertharin Cousin, executive director of the United Nations' World Food Programme. Vicky Rateau, Campaign Manager at Oxfam America, echoes this, stating, We must reform our global food system by addressing climate change, land grabs, and supporting smallholder farmers. And [that] starts with supporting women producers. Food Tank, CARE International, and the CGIAR Research program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security recently released a report that shows how inequality determines who eats first and who eats worst, as well as how this shapes peoples ability to adapt to climate change. The report suggests that solutions around food production are not enough, and it demands more dialogue and action to address inequality in food systems. There are many inspirational organizations working to advance this dialogue, amplify womens voices, and support women farmers around the world. Heres how some of these amazing groups are advocating for equality in agriculture: Cyberstalker Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison Tallahassee, Florida - Michael Daniel Rubens, 31, formerly of Tallahassee, Florida, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, a $15,000 fine and $1,550 in restitution for cyberstalking, unauthorized access to a protected computer and aggravated identity theft. The sentence was announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher P. Canova for the Northern District of Florida. During his guilty plea on December 3, 2015, Rubens admitted that, between January 2012 and January 2015, he publicly humiliated dozens of young women by hacking into their online accounts, including e-mail and social media, stealing photographs and other personal information, using the photographs to create pornography and posting the pornographic images on social media websites and on a revenge pornography website that was recently shut down by the FBI. Rubens engaged in most of the conduct from his residence in Tallahassee. He used software to conceal his IP address. Rubens victims included an employee of a local restaurant he frequented, an out-of-town colleague, an acquaintance in his office building, clients of the defendants employer, a former girlfriend and her colleagues, high school classmates and the victims relatives or friends. For one particular woman, Rubens laptop contained 470 files with more than 5,000 references to the victim. Rubens computer searches focused on finding the victims personal identifying information, such as past addresses, family information and other personal data that could be used to answer security questions. As a result of Rubens conduct, the victims became afraid to conduct any online activities and often deleted their social media presence entirely. In some instances, the conduct also damaged the victims personal relationships. Urging leniency, Rubens counsel argued that, unlike bank robbery or drug dealing, cyberstalking was not something people thought of as a serious crime. U.S. District Judge Robert L. Hinkle for the Northern District of Florida responded, Perhaps its time they learned. This sentence sends an unequivocal message to anyone tempted to use a computer as a weapon to victimize and steal the identities of others: Expect to be prosecuted. And expect to go to prison, said Acting U.S. Attorney Canova. This criminal hacked into social media accounts and tormented women with blackmail and harassment, said Special Agent in Charge Susan L. McCormick of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tampa Field Office. His crimes demonstrate how predators use the Internet to target innocent victims and ruin lives. With the help of victims and our law enforcement partners, like the Florida State University Police and the Leon County Sheriffs Office, HSI will find these predators and hold them accountable. This case resulted from investigations by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, the Florida State University Police Department, and the Leon County Sheriffs Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason S. Beaton. NSC Spokesperson Ned Price on National Security Advisor Susan E. Rice's Meeting with Central African Republic Transitional President Catherine Samba-Panza Washington, DC - National Security Advisor Susan E. Rice met today with President of the Transitional Government of the Central African Republic Catherine Samba-Panza to congratulate her and the people of the Central African Republic on the recent peaceful national elections and the upcoming conclusion of the countrys transitional period. Ambassador Rice commended President Samba-Panza for her strong leadership and progress towards peace and reconciliation during her tenure in office. She also noted that, in a region in which many leaders have sought to override presidential term limits or undermine democratic institutions to stay in power, President Samba-Panzas leadership has set a powerful example of a peaceful democratic transition that will strengthen the countrys prospects for peace and prosperity. Both President Samba-Panza and Ambassador Rice underscored the importance of ensuring that the next government is inclusive of the regional, ethnic, and religious diversity of the Central African Republic. Ambassador Rice and President Samba-Panza shared their concern the continuing reports of sexual exploitation and abuse by UN peacekeeping forces in the Central African Republic and expressed strong support for swift accountability and the enforcement of a zero tolerance policy. Ambassador Rice reiterated that the United States will remain a committed friend and partner of the people of the Central African Republic. The publication of monthly maternity safety and performance statistics may lead to a mispresentation of the data and compromise patient confidentiality, Niamh Mullen reports. Monthly statistics on safety and performance at the three main Dublin maternity hospitals have been published for the first time despite objections. The statements provide the rates of perinatal mortality, caesarean section (C-section) and induction as well as information on major obstetric events for the month of December 2015. Last year, the masters of the three hospitals, Dr Rhona Mahony, Dr Sharon Sheehan and Dr Sam Coulter-Smith, who has since finished his tenure and been succeeded by Prof Fergal Malone, wrote to the HSE in September saying the publication of the statements could lead to adverse publicity, threaten patient confidentiality and give rise to inappropriate comparison of maternity units of varying sizes. As tertiary-referral centres, the complexity of the patient cohort, of both mothers and babies, is far greater than other smaller units. The rates of stillbirth, early neonatal deaths and late neonatal deaths will be higher in these tertiary-referral centres as the rates of congenital anomaly, prematurity and other complications will be far greater, they wrote. The need to publish such information was recommended by HIQA following its investigation of Portlaoise Hospital. The other 16 maternity units around the country were due to publish their safety statements by the end of February. Statements are due to be published monthly thereafter. Despite the concerns, the December statements on the whole are quite consistent across the three hospitals. At the Rotunda Hospital, 713 mothers delivered 734 babies. There were three perinatal deaths and two major obstetric events, such as eclampsia, uterine rupture, peripartum hysterectomy and pulmonary embolism. The C-section rate was 36.46 per cent. Instrumental deliveries were performed in 14.02 per cent of births and the induction rate was 28.89 per cent. A total of 780 babies were born to 765 women at the National Maternity Hospital (NMH), Holles Street. There were no perinatal deaths and one major obstetric event. The C-section rate was 26.9 per cent, while the instrumental delivery rate was 14.1 per cent with the induction rate at 26.9 per cent. The Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital saw 694 women deliver 702 babies with one perinatal death. There were no major obstetric events. The caesarean rate was 29.7 per cent, while the rate of instrumental delivery was 17.1 per cent and the induction rate 33.3 per cent. The Master of the NMH, Dr Rhona Mahony, told IMT that although changes were made to how the information was to be presented since their September 2015 letter was written, there was scope for mispresentation of the data. Originally the statements were to include absolute numbers. There is no point in having absolute numbers because in a hospital like this youre dealing with 9,500 babies, so all your numbers will look inflated compared to a hospital that has 1,000, Dr Mahony said. Patient confidentiality The masters did not want monthly data published because in the event of a maternal death data for which is not yet included in the statements or a perinatal death, for example, there could be a risk to patient confidentiality. We asked could we at least produce them with a lag period, so if there was a perinatal death we would have post-mortems available so we could actually classify the death as being either anomalous or not. That is also important in terms of quality of data because obviously in the context of congenital anomaly, no service can do anything about that. But the corrected perinatal mortality, which excludes congenital anomaly, is very important because that is more of an indicator of quality of your care, Dr Mahony said. She emphasised that it was important to look at trends over time and said no conclusions could be drawn from one months figures. You could have one month where you have a perinatal mortality of zero as we did in December. You might say, God, Holles Street is great. Then the next month you might have a perinatal mortality rate of six or something, and think Holles Street is a nightmare. If you average it out over the year, our perinatal mortality rate will be somewhere between three to four per 1,000 if we do really well this year and maintain our outcomes. Master of the Rotunda Prof Fergal Malone echoed Dr Mahonys comments, saying he was concerned about the potentially inappropriate comparison of data between different hospitals with different patient populations. As a national tertiary referral centre, the Rotunda accepts referrals from all over the country of the most complex mothers and babies, whose healthcare needs and outcomes cannot be summarised in a simple table of statistical observations, he said. He added that some of the proposed measures of outcomes did not reflect patient safety and amounted to reporting of events that had no clinical importance whatsoever. Without appropriate clinical context, such measures may in fact have the opposite effect to provision of transparency and public reassurance, he said. The C-section rate was 9.56 per cent lower at Holles Street than the Rotunda. However, Dr Mahony said the month-to-month data was not relevant and that while Holles Street did traditionally have a lower rate of C-section in 2015 it was up at around 25 per cent for the year. The big driver of caesarean sections arises from repeat caesarean section and we can see last year that group of women who had a previous section really increased. Prof Malone said the Rotunda used the Robson Classification Criteria to categorise all Caesarean sections as recommended by the WHO. A monthly report is produced on the breakdown of the classifications for consideration by the hospital and all Caesarean sections carried out are appropriate under the criteria, he said. Comprehensive clinical reports Dr Mahony said the masters thought quarterly statements would produce more meaningful data. We are happy to collect it monthly. What we dont want is a monthly scandal story. What was great, she added, was that the HSE maternity units were starting to collect data. I think that is brilliant that they are starting to follow the three Dublin maternity hospitals. Nobody was arguing about the need to collect data, she said. The three maternity hospitals had been producing comprehensive clinical reports, in the case of the Rotunda probably for 200 years. We have certainly been doing this for 100 years. It is very good for transparency. It also helps us really understand what is happening within the service and to understand outcome properly. It is not enough to give a few figures, she said. Those Annual Clinical Reports are peer-reviewed and assessed by an external assessor. In addition, the 19 maternity units submit data nationally relating to safety and quality of care to agencies including the State Claims Agency, the National Perinatal Epidemiology Centre and the Quality Assurance Programme of the HSE Clinical Care Programme in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. We report every single maternal death, whether direct or indirect, and have done for the last 100 years. It is not about lack of transparency, it is actually about using the data in a good way to help our services and not just satisfying a very brief media response. One isolated figure on a website, every month, I dont really know where that gets us. You need a lot of in-depth analysis. Prof Malone said no other medical specialty in Ireland, and no other hospitals, had as long a track record of providing complete transparency regarding clinical activity, patient safety and outcomes. The Rotunda will remain an international leader in its commitment to providing fully open and transparent public access to its outcome data. However, it is essential that such data are provided with appropriate clinical context, he said. In a statement, Master of the Coombe, Dr Sheehan, said they had been publishing outcomes for more than 120 years. By looking at the data we collect on a range of indicators, we can see from it how we are doing over time. This helps us to identify areas where change might need to be made, and helps us plan the resources we need, she explained. The HSE said the range of metrics had been selected on the basis that they were clinically robust, relevant and underpinned and collected by standardised definitions. The majority of the metrics would be drawn from the Irish Maternity Indicator System and it was envisaged that additional metrics would be added in future. The purpose of these statements is to inform local hospital and hospital group management in carrying out their role in safety and quality improvement. The objective in publishing the statement each month is to provide public assurance that maternity services are delivered in an environment that promotes open disclosure, a statement said. New research published by National Cancer Registry (NCRI) researchers has revealed that men who decided not to take part in bowel cancer screening were often fatalistic about cancer in general and had poor knowledge of bowel cancer and its screening process, whereas women who decided not to participate often held negative beliefs and emotions about the test. Different factors influence men and women in their decision to participate in bowel cancer screening, the research findings conclude. Bowel cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second most common cause of cancer death in Ireland. BowelScreen, the National Bowel Screening Programme was launched in 2013 and is still a relatively new programme. Low participation rates in bowel screening have been reported in the UK and attributed to considerable inequalities in participation across areas and demographics. Recently, lower uptake among men compared with women has been reported in Ireland. Understanding the reasons for participation and non-participation in Irelands bowel screening programme was key to improving uptake, according to the NCRI. The research project, which was conducted in collaboration with University College of Cork, Dublin City University, Tallaght Hospital and Newcastle University, was funded by the Irish Cancer Society. Forty-seven men and women who had decided to take part or not take part in a bowel cancer screening programme were interviewed. The test, which aims to detect bowel cancer at earlier stages or as a pre-cancerous polyp, can be completed by the person in their own home. In their study published in Psycho-Oncology, the researchers recommend the need for greater national discussion about screening, the benefits of early detection, but also the need to improve knowledge and awareness of the screening programmes potential to reduce the number of people who die from bowel cancer each year. lloyd.mudiwa@imt.ie Watch: This Video Of Woman Failing At Archery, Hitting Arrow On Head Is Hilarious Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the IndyArts email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} So far, it is claimed, the discussions have been friendly. But if talks between the National Gallery and the Tate break down, it could open the way for one of the art worlds most controversial border wars. The dynamic new head of the National Gallery has revealed he is pushing to rip up his organisations 20-year-old agreement with the Tate, under which the National Gallery acquires works up to around 1900 and the Tate gets everything from the start of the 20th century onwards. Gabriele Finaldi wants to combine an expansion of the National Gallerys physical space with what risks being seen as an incursion into Tate territory acquisitions going as far into the 20th century as the Second World War. Announcing his intentions in The Art Newspaper, Mr Finaldi, 50, said: There is an opportunity to think about the scope of the collection. As time moves on, 1900 seems increasingly remote and less related to how we think about art history. In artistic terms, nothing very special happens in 1900, but the 1880s and 90s are a remarkably fertile period that push forward new modes of expression, with Cubism very soon afterwards. It is slightly frustrating to reach 1900 and then not go on. We could think of moving towards the Second World War and potentially collecting pictures from the 1930s, although this is something we would want to discuss with Tate. Stressing that the talks were friendly, Mr Finaldi, regarded in the art world as a man of considerable charm, added: We are having an interesting discussion about how our collections meet. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 18 September 2022 A man stands among campers on The Mall ahead of the Queens funeral Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2022 Wolverhampton Wanderers Nathan Collins fouls Manchester Citys Jack Grealish leading to a red card. City went on to win the match at Molineux Stadium three goals to nil. Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 16 September 2022 Members of the public stand in the queue near Tower Bridge, and opposite the Tower of London, as they wait in line to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, in London AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 15 September 2022 Members of the public in the queue on in Potters Fields Park, central London, as they wait to view Queen Elizabeth II lying in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 14 September 2022 The first members of the public pay their respects as the vigil begins around the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Hall, London, where it will lie in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 13 September 2022 Crowds cheer as King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort arrive for a visit to Hillsborough Castle Getty UK news in pictures 12 September 2022 Crowds line the Royal Mile, Edinburgh, as King Charles III joins a procession from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles Cathedral following the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS UK news in pictures 11 September 2022 Members of the Public pay their respects as the hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard of Scotland, is driven through Ballater AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 10 September 2022 Britain's Prince William, Prince of Wales, Britain's Catherine, Princess of Wales, Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, wave at well-wishers on the Long walk at Windsor Castle AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 9 September 2022 King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort wave after viewing floral tributes to the late Queen Elizabeth II outside Buckingham Palace Getty UK news in pictures 8 September 2022 A screen commemorating Britain's Queen Elizabeth II in Piccadilly Circus, London Britain EPA UK news in pictures 7 September 2022 Police officers stand guard after Animal Rebellion activists threw paint on the walls and road outside the Houses of Parliament in protest, in London, Britain Reuters UK news in pictures 6 September 2022 Queen Elizabeth II welcomes Liz Truss during an audience at Balmoral, Scotland, where she invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 5 September 2022 Visitors at the PoliNations garden in Victoria Square, Birmingham, which is made up of five 40ft high tree installations and over 6,000 plants. The PoliNations programme aims to explore how migration and cross-pollination have shaped the UKs gardens and culture PA UK news in pictures 4 September 2022 Undergraduates at the University of St Andrews take part in the traditional Pier Walk along the harbour walls of St Andrews before the start of the new academic year PA UK news in pictures 3 September 2022 The Massed Pipes and Drums parade during the Braemar Highland Gathering at the Princess Royal and Duke of Fife Memorial Park PA UK news in pictures 2 September 2022 Number 12 Company Irish Guards at Wellington Barracks, central London, before commencing their first Guard Mount at Buckingham Palace PA If nothing else, Mr Finaldis remarks will confirm a reputation for dynamism, which led to him being hailed as the perfect appointment when he took over as director of the National Gallery last year. The London-born, ex-Dulwich College pupil had spent 13 years as the deputy director for collections and research of Madrids Prado Museum, and was credited with helping to rejuvenate the institution. He worked at the National Gallery between 1992 and 2002 as the curator responsible for the Spanish collection, which went as far as Goya. His latest remarks, however, suggest an interest in a later Spanish artist. We own one Picasso, a still life, Fruit Dish, Bottle and Violin of 1914, which is on long-term loan to Tate, he said. So we do not currently show Picasso. But he is an artist who straddles the end of the 19th century and went through a remarkable series of transformations to become the towering figure of the 20th century. So we should show him. Picasso always had a deep relationship with the kind of art represented in the National Gallery. It is possible that Mr Finaldi may be able exploit room for manoeuvre in the 1996 agreement. When it was reaffirmed and extended for a further 10 years in 2009, a statement from the Tate contained the caveat that: The National Gallery recognises there may be circumstances in which Tate wishes to acquire paintings made in the 19th century if they are by artists more normally associated with the 20th century (eg, Picasso, Matisse). Equally, Tate accepts that the National Gallery may wish to acquire works painted in the early 20th century by those artists normally associated with the 19th century (eg, Cezanne, Monet and Renoir) or by artists whose work began in the 19th century (eg Bellows, Sickert, Bonnard). A Tate spokesman indicated a willingness to negotiate, saying: It is not and has never been the case that 1900 is an absolute cut-off date. We are always in discussion about any plans to show work which crosses over into earlier or later periods. Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the IndyArts email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} If people had told me when I was in my teens that I would one day be emotionally blown away by a novel from 1901 by Selma Lagerlof (pictured), I would have declared them insane. Had anybody said that this book would represent an even greater cultural experience than when ABBA sang "Waterloo" in Brighton 1974, I would have laughed in their face. As a child, I was a complete bookworm. I can still remember the titles of the books on my parents' well-stocked shelves. Selma's novels were in the middle. To me, her books looked much like the old-fashioned photos I had seen of her, like relics from the Stone Age; extremely unappealing. Jerusalem, written in two parts, was the thickest and the least attractive of them all. But age was not the primary problem. Growing up, I devoured other Swedish Stone Age authors like August Strindberg. I even remember spending time dissecting his witty way of writing. And I couldn't understand why on earth this dusty Selma, and not Strindberg, had won the first Swedish Nobel Prize in Literature. Neither could Strindberg. He hated Selma for her prize, even more than he hated women in general. Many moons later, my new boyfriend wanted me to travel with him to Israel. But under one condition: that I read Jerusalem before we went. I was in love. What else could I do? The following day, I was lost to the world. I was too caught up in her universe to analyse it. I followed those emigrants from a small, Swedish village all the way to Israel; the poor people who had been told by an American preacher that God wanted them to travel to Jerusalem to join a Christian utopian society called American Colony. I smelled their sweat, sensed their pain, their hunger and their passion. The writing was not just witty. It was music. It was magic. I was captivated to my very soul, marvelling at Lagerlof's seemingly effortless storytelling. We arrived in Jerusalem in April 1990, my future husband and I. He had a surprise for me. He had booked a room at the famous American Colony hotel. And there they were, in old photos on the walls, the 37 real-life Swedes from the village of Nas who, in the name of God, had emigrated to Jerusalem in 1896. Her photo was there as well. I studied her stubborn face and realised that as part of her research, she had made this long, demanding journey by herself, in 1899. In that moment I learned the most important lesson of all good literature: no magic without hard work. Ingrid Carlberg's 'Raoul Wallenberg' is out now (MacLehose) Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the IndyArts email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The End of Alchemy: Money, Banking and the Future of the Global Economy By Mervyn King (Little, Brown 25) Mervyn King always vowed he wouldnt publish a score-settling memoir about who did or said what during the financial crisis. And like a good banker his word has been his bond. In The End of Alchemy there are no juicy revelations from behind the scenes, no knifing of old foes (of whom King had more than his fair share). This is, as King puts it, a book about economic ideas. But dont be misled. The former Bank of England Governor certainly doesnt shy away from an intellectual scrap. After an erudite stroll through some of the basics of money, economics and banking, King gets well and truly stuck into the big economic and financial debates of the moment. The likes of Larry Summers, Paul Krugman, Robert Gordon, John Kay, Richard Koo and Adair Turner all need to read this book because King has something bracing to say about each of their big arguments. Take Summers idea that the Western world is in the grip of a secular stagnation. King is not impressed. Summers, he says, is simply describing the symptoms of the old global imbalances story, or the fact that some major countries are saving to excess, distorting the balance of global demand and supply. The same is largely true of the balance sheet recession story of Richard Koo and others. What about Robert Gordons thesis that productivity growth is over or at least massively diminished due to an inexorable slowdown in the rate of technological progress. Far too early to make that kind of assessment, says King. Fiscal policy to blame for pretty much everything, as Krugman and other Keynesians tend to preach? Not so, says King. Fiscal expansion in deficit countries would not be sustainable. Its the surplus nations that need to reflate. More radical monetary policy then? How about debt monetisation by central banks, as advocated by Adair Turner? Same problem. Merely brings demand forward to today from tomorrow, says King. And soon enough tomorrow arrives and youre stuck. On financial reform is narrow banking the answer to disastrous bank runs, as John Kay and others think? Unnecessarily revolutionary, responds King. Better to set our sights on a more practical and less disruptive goal: much tighter liquidity requirements for banks. He also stresses that its a mistake to obsess about banks, or debt, in the search for the roots of the present malaise. The depth of Kings thinking is impressive, and he makes a powerful case for putting radical uncertainty at the heart of any formal attempt to model economies. Yet his suggested real world reforms feel rather undercooked. He argues that the alchemy and chronic instability of private banking can be squeezed out by turning central banks into pawnbrokers for all seasons. Its certainly a serious and original idea. The trouble is that the success of such a system would hinge on the judgements of central bankers about what haircuts to impose on banks collateral. What reason is there to believe they would get it right? King doesnt elaborate. And on correcting those fiendish global imbalances King seems to recommend concerted action from enlightened nations, under the stewardship of a reformed International Monetary Fund. But thats the agenda many clear-thinking politicians and analysts have been pushing for years, with virtually no success. King doesnt give any reason to hope the dam of delusion and obstinacy is about to be breached. Nevertheless, this is still an exceptionally thought-provoking book - and might even become a modern landmark once its many fresh ideas have percolated. Speaking personally, as an economics reporter who covered the Bank of England when King was Governor, it was a revelatory reading experience. He often hinted at some of these theses. But he never fully spelled them out or linked them together. Many were, alas, too politically contentious. But hes now free (to coin a phrase King once used in another context) to shout them from the rooftops. It will be fascinating to hear what gets shouted back. Sign up to Roisin OConnors free weekly newsletter Now Hear This for the inside track on all things music Get our Now Hear This email for free Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Roisin OConnors email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} It is surely any grandmas wish to be invited up on stage for a boogie with The Boss. That is exactly what happened to 91-year-old Jeannie Heintz at Bruce Springsteens gig in St Paul, Minnesota on Monday night. Springsteen, whose live energy remains boundless at 66, stepped into the audience to fetch Heintz during the saxophone solo in Dancing in the Dark and proceeded to twirl her around, albeit it slowly. The crowd loved it, cheering the pair on, before they hugged. It turns out they had met before, when Heintz danced with him in 2009 aged 84 in Des Moines, Iowa. Springsteen then called a young girl up to help him play guitar, much to her evident awe and delight. The Born in the USA legend enjoys crowd interaction and last month helped an 89-year-old celebrate her birthday in Toronto, Canada. Springsteen brings his E Street Band to the UK this summer, playing gigs in London, Manchester, Glasgow and Coventry. The shows were confirmed after the acclaimed performer enjoyed huge demand for The River Tour in Europe. He recently promised a richer experience than his glory days because there is so much material to draw from. That shared history you have with people makes the night very full, very beautiful, he said. Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the IndyArts email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} "Fallible characters are more interesting than superheroes in the end," declares Damian Lewis. The red-headed English actor has frequently struck gold playing flawed, imperious protagonists, most recently as a lean King Henry VIII in the BBC's adaptation of Hilary Mantel's Tudor saga Wolf Hall and as soldier-turned-terrorist Nicholas Brody in Homeland. Previous subjects include Jeffrey Archer, in a biopic, and Soames in The Forsyte Saga. Throughout his career Lewis, 44, has hardly eschewed film and theatre, yet every one of the aforementioned roles has been for TV. His latest small-screen encounter with vulnerable mastery is playing New York hedge fund titan Bobby Axelrod in the new drama Billions. Axelrod finds himself under investigation for insider trading by a US government attorney, Chuck Rhoades (Paul Giamatti). Appropriately, since Lewis has been at the vanguard of the recent golden age of television drama, his antihero in Billions is the quintessential cable TV drama Bad Person Who Does Good Things. A rapacious dealmaker suspected of financial illegalities, Axelrod is also a 9/11 survivor who pays for the college tuition of colleagues' families who died in the World Trade Center attacks and who steps in to save his neighbourhood pizzeria from closing. When we meet in New York I ask Lewis what accounts for his fascination with fallible characters. "They're very human," he replies. "If you have the same drive and passions that everybody else has for example if you're trying to do the right thing for your family and do the right thing for people you employ then you can be forgiven quite a lot. "Some of the characters that I've played recently have a sense of destiny and a sense of moral purpose and I like that about them. Sure, they're compromised and sometimes they do despicable things, but for some reason they're never not likeable." Billions, like Homeland, is produced by the US TV cable network Showtime (it will air on Sky Atlantic in May). The network is clearly hoping that the show will ignite debates about the super-rich and income inequality comparable to the conversations that Homeland provoked about the war on terror. The relationship between Axelrod and law enforcement official Rhoades is reminiscent of US Attorney for the Southern District of New York Preet Bharara's investigation into hedge-fund billionaire Steve Cohen (further blurring the lines between fact and fiction, Bharara turned up to the premiere of Billions at Manhattan's Museum of Modern Art). "We're looking at a tenth of the 1 per cent and at what's fair and what's not fair," says Billions co-creator Brian Koppelman. In the wake of Wolf Hall and Homeland, Lewis's market value is higher than ever. A recent New Yorker profile of Lewis revealed that Patrick Wilson was the first choice to play Brody in Homeland. Yet Lewis's presence in the show opposite Claire Danes proved such a draw that plans for the character to be killed off during the second series were abandoned and he survived until the end of the third series. This time around Showtime won't be shorting its star any time soon. "What better man than Damian to play that big-baller New York hedge fund-type guy?" says Matt Blank, CEO of Showtime. To research the role, Lewis spent time with prominent hedge-fund moguls Daniel Loeb, Bill Ackman and Larry Robbins. His entry to the world of elite financiers' yachts and private jets was supplied by Andrew Ross Sorkin, co-creator of Billions and an influential New York Times columnist whose best-selling book Too Big to Fail, chronicling the 2008 financial crisis, was made into an HBO film which also featured Giamatti, playing Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke. Sorkin was in awe of Lewis's research techniques: "Not only did he read books but he would send me emails in the middle of the night asking about the moral code of the character. We would go round different hedge funds and he was really into it." Lewis was educated at Eton and it's more than likely that a few of his classmates wound up in the City. What does he see as the difference between billionaires on the Square Mile and Wall Street? "Hedge funds in New York are bigger something happened on Wall Street with the sub-prime mortgage crisis that had repercussions throughout the world. This isn't a show about that world but nevertheless it stems from it." Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up Class reared its head recently when former students at north London comprehensive school Acland Burghley took umbrage at Lewis opening the 50th-anniversary celebrations of the school given his own privileged education. Class is also a theme in Billions. "My character is from Yonkers, just north of the Bronx so he's a blue collar guy made good," says Lewis. "He's a very American animal and New York animal in his pugnaciousness, his focus and the way he speaks. He's not a generic hedge-fund guy." Damian Lewis's market value is at an all-time high (Showtime) Lewis's last stage appearance was playing the desperate hustler Teach in a West End revival of David Mamet's American Buffalo alongside John Goodman and Tom Sturridge. He's quite clearly drawn to playing characters at the extremes of life. "Sometimes," he responds. "But it's the quality of the writing and the theme of the piece that is key." Lewis's dedication to the material is borne out by a story I heard; it seems that he agreed to do American Buffalo after bumping into producer Matthew Byam Shaw in the loo of the Savoy Hotel at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards. Until that point he had been in negotiations to appear opposite Tom Hanks in Ron Howard's latest Dan Brown adaptation, Inferno, but instead opted to be in American Buffalo, one presumes at a financial cost, though probably not at a cost to his career reputation. Billions revolves around finance, so contains lines such as "You see that block trade last Thursday come out of Merrill?" Films and TV series about money more often than not don't end up making that much of it. Showtime supremo Blank acknowledges this: "The real question is: can you take this type of subject matter and make it broadly appealing? It's a New York show but we don't want it to just be for New York viewers." When I interviewed the film director Brian De Palma half a decade ago, he lamented casting Tom Hanks and Bruce Willis in The Bonfire of the Vanities, his notorious 1990 flop film adaptation of Tom Wolfe's best-selling novel chronicling 1980s Wall Street excess. "It was miscast I should have made it like The Sweet Smell of Success," De Palma reflected. "If I was making it today, I would probably cast one of the English actors. You need an arrogant blue-blooded rascal, someone who everybody hates but who has style." This has come to pass with the casting of Lewis in Billions but Neil Burger who directed the pilot episode admits nationality was still an issue. "It gave me pause," he said. "Do you want an American playing an English earl? Maybe not. But in this case the Brit playing the guy from Yonkers has such power and swagger, and the show is really about power." Sorkin concurs: "Damian can do power better than anyone else. He can do it in a hard way and, more uniquely, he has a soft power." What do Sorkin's billionaire hedge-fund acquaintances think of the show, assuming they have found the time to watch it? "Those I've spoken to think it's fun," he says. "All of those guys think it is really about themselves." 'Billions' begins on Sky Atlantic in May Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the IndyArts email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} "It's been a bad year in that part of the Middle East we refer to, without irony, as the Cradle of Civilisation," said Simon Schama in Radio 4's The Obliterators, to the sound of exploding masonry and shattering glass. There was nothing casual or objective about the historian's introduction to this documentary about iconoclasm in Syria and Iraq, and nor did you expect there to be. Schama is best known for gliding around draughty castles and historic houses dishing the dirt on dead aristos on television. But lately he's been more concerned about contemporary events. Here his anger was directed at the smashing, bulldozing and looting of precious antiquities "on a scale unprecedented in modern times, and certainly the largest mass destruction of cultural heritage since the Second World War". It's hard, right now, to feel much more than a defeated sadness at the seemingly petulant actions of Isis militants towards Middle Eastern treasures when one looks at aerial shots of the war-ravaged Aleppo, or hears about the starving residents of the besieged town of Madaya, or the scores of refugees still drowning at sea. But Schama was careful to acknowledge the terrible human toll of the Syrian conflict. He also pointed to the heartbreak felt by local people at the destruction of their heritage, and those who have risked their lives trying to remove what they can before the arrival of Islamic State. Among those trying to salvage smaller, more mobile items was 82-year-old Khaled al-Asaad, a scholar in Islamic art and the former director of antiquities in Palmyra. Last summer, refusing to reveal where the rescued antiquities had been hidden, he was beheaded outside the town's museum. Schama was keen to get into the mindset of a jihadi who wilfully demolishes his own history. He spoke to Dr Usama Hasan, a part-time imam and senior researcher in Islamic Studies at the Quilliam Foundation, who observed the "puritanical fringe insistent on wiping out what they see as idolatry, even if ancient statues and idols are not being worshipped any more. They haven't realised that such ancient sites are of immense historical and spiritual education. There's really no need to get iconoclastic about it." Schama also drew parallels with the Protestant Reformation in England in the 16th and 17th centuries, a period of "state-sponsored assault" on images that were equated with idolatry. He looked at historical precedent, changing belief systems, the nature of theological radicalism and the human desire to replace old with new, and in some cases to dispense with the past entirely. None of this was meant to excuse the actions of Isis, merely to put them into broader context. This was Schama at his best: assertive, reflective, utterly righteous, and able to make you look differently, if not sympathetically, at the folly of humankind. Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up Over the past few days, Today has run a series of extraordinary audio diaries from a Syrian activist about life under Isis in the city of Raqqa. Here his name was changed and the voice of an actor used to protect his identity. His testimony, in which he recounted being flogged for cursing in the street, watching neighbours being robbed at gunpoint by soldiers, and witnessing public executions for the smallest of infractions, was chilling, vital listening. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} An American startup has unveiled a circular smartphone aimed at women, designed to be more "natural and sensual" than traditional models. The Cyrcle phone has been developed by Dtoor, a company founded by former Microsoft employees Christina Cyr and Linda Inagawa. Dtoor stands for 'Designing the Opposite of Rectangle', a name which represents the aim of the Cyrcle - a more 'elegant' device which is meant to fit better in women's smaller pockets than rectangular smartphones. Recommended Read more LG unveils the G5 modular smartphone at Mobile World Congress The Cyrcle is very much in the development stages, but the basic idea is there - the phone flips open like a compact mirror, and has a small circular screen is embedded in the bottom half. An early prototype of the phone was showed off at Mobile World Congress (MWC) at the end of February, 3D printed in orange plastic with a rough mock-up of the screen installed. Cyr and Inagawa plan to make a first 2G model of the device available through crowdfunding website Kickstarter this summer, at a cost of $100 (70) each. They then intend to improve the design and release a more advanced 4G version the year after, with two screens. The Cyrcle is certainly one of the most unique phones unveiled at MWC, but it's received some criticism for its unusual marketing. In a now-removed product description on its website, Dtoor says it is striving to make a phone in a more "natural and senual form." It emphasises the importance of women being able to communicate "discreetly," and points out how "unattractive" the process of using rectangular phone can be. "For texting and messaging, there is nothing less striking than a bank of moms at a volleyball practice pecking like chickens into their mobile phones," it says. The founders of the company have rebuffed the criticism, however - writing on Twitter, Cyr said she "sincerely did not mean to offend" with the phone's pitch, saying: "I simply wanted a phone to fit in my pockets which are smaller than my husband's." If the Cyrcle makes it to the market, it'll be one of the only non-rectangular phones out there - California-based company unveiled their Runcible smartphone at MWC last year, a circular device based on the design of a pocketwatch. However, pre-orders have still not opened. Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Lifestyle Edit email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} "Don't worry, pregnancy isn't an illness," said my midwife, smiling affectionately as I worried about my lack of morning sickness. She must have been well acquainted with the limbo of early pregnancy, the constant fluttering between hope and fear. Two days later, doubled over on the toilet and clutching a hot water bottle as I watched dark clots of blood drip into the pan, it felt very much like an illness. I knew something was desperately wrong. The largest lump of tissue what I believe to be the yolk sac was smaller than it felt in my heart. I searched for the embryo inside it until my clothes were stained with blood. I couldn't flush the toilet for an hour because I was sure that my baby was in there. Rationality had ceased to register through the distress. The list of things I don't understand about my miscarriage seems never-ending. I don't know how old the embryo was when it stopped living. I don't know why it stopped living. I will never know. "Why?" I asked myself. Again and again and again, as if it was a mantra that would take me back in time and stop it happening. Why? If someone could answer that, then at least I'd be able to grapple with another looming question: Will it happen to me again? "Miscarriages are so common one in five pregnancies end up in a miscarriage," says Arri Coomarasamy, a professor of gynaecology at the University of Birmingham. Empathy is soothingly evident in his voice as I come to the end of my story. The one in five figure is often quoted. Sometimes it creeps up to one in four. This is because it's difficult to determine how many miscarriages take place. In the UK, miscarriage means the loss of a pregnancy during the first 23 weeks (any later and it is called stillbirth). But it often occurs before a woman even realises she's pregnant, and most of the time 85 per cent it is in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Health news in pictures Show all 40 1 /40 Health news in pictures Health news in pictures Coronavirus outbreak The coronavirus Covid-19 has hit the UK leading to the deaths of two people so far and prompting warnings from the Department of Health AFP via Getty Health news in pictures Thousands of emergency patients told to take taxi to hospital Thousands of 999 patients in England are being told to get a taxi to hospital, figures have showed. The number of patients outside London who were refused an ambulance rose by 83 per cent in the past year as demand for services grows Getty Health news in pictures Vape related deaths spike A vaping-related lung disease has claimed the lives of 11 people in the US in recent weeks. The US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has more than 100 officials investigating the cause of the mystery illness, and has warned citizens against smoking e-cigarette products until more is known, particularly if modified or bought off the street Getty Health news in pictures Baldness cure looks to be a step closer Researchers in the US claim to have overcome one of the major hurdles to cultivating human follicles from stem cells. The new system allows cells to grow in a structured tuft and emerge from the skin Sanford Burnham Preybs Health news in pictures Two hours a week spent in nature can improve health A study in the journal Scientific Reports suggests that a dose of nature of just two hours a week is associated with better health and psychological wellbeing Shutterstock Health news in pictures Air pollution linked to fertility issues in women Exposure to air from traffic-clogged streets could leave women with fewer years to have children, a study has found. Italian researchers found women living in the most polluted areas were three times more likely to show signs they were running low on eggs than those who lived in cleaner surroundings, potentially triggering an earlier menopause Getty/iStock Health news in pictures Junk food ads could be banned before watershed Junk food adverts on TV and online could be banned before 9pm as part of Government plans to fight the "epidemic" of childhood obesity. Plans for the new watershed have been put out for public consultation in a bid to combat the growing crisis, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said PA Health news in pictures Breeding with neanderthals helped humans fight diseases On migrating from Africa around 70,000 years ago, humans bumped into the neanderthals of Eurasia. While humans were weak to the diseases of the new lands, breeding with the resident neanderthals made for a better equipped immune system PA Health news in pictures Cancer breath test to be trialled in Britain The breath biopsy device is designed to detect cancer hallmarks in molecules exhaled by patients Getty Health news in pictures Average 10 year old has consumed the recommended amount of sugar for an adult By their 10th birthdy, children have on average already eaten more sugar than the recommended amount for an 18 year old. The average 10 year old consumes the equivalent to 13 sugar cubes a day, 8 more than is recommended PA Health news in pictures Child health experts advise switching off screens an hour before bed While there is not enough evidence of harm to recommend UK-wide limits on screen use, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health have advised that children should avoid screens for an hour before bed time to avoid disrupting their sleep Getty Health news in pictures Daily aspirin is unnecessary for older people in good health, study finds A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine has found that many elderly people are taking daily aspirin to little or no avail Getty Health news in pictures Vaping could lead to cancer, US study finds A study by the University of Minnesota's Masonic Cancer Centre has found that the carcinogenic chemicals formaldehyde, acrolein, and methylglyoxal are present in the saliva of E-cigarette users Reuters Health news in pictures More children are obese and diabetic There has been a 41% increase in children with type 2 diabetes since 2014, the National Paediatric Diabetes Audit has found. Obesity is a leading cause Reuters Health news in pictures Most child antidepressants are ineffective and can lead to suicidal thoughts The majority of antidepressants are ineffective and may be unsafe, for children and teenager with major depression, experts have warned. In what is the most comprehensive comparison of 14 commonly prescribed antidepressant drugs to date, researchers found that only one brand was more effective at relieving symptoms of depression than a placebo. Another popular drug, venlafaxine, was shown increase the risk users engaging in suicidal thoughts and attempts at suicide Getty Health news in pictures Gay, lesbian and bisexual adults at higher risk of heart disease, study claims Researchers at the Baptist Health South Florida Clinic in Miami focused on seven areas of controllable heart health and found these minority groups were particularly likely to be smokers and to have poorly controlled blood sugar iStock Health news in pictures Breakfast cereals targeted at children contain 'steadily high' sugar levels since 1992 despite producer claims A major pressure group has issued a fresh warning about perilously high amounts of sugar in breakfast cereals, specifically those designed for children, and has said that levels have barely been cut at all in the last two and a half decades Getty Health news in pictures Potholes are making us fat, NHS watchdog warns New guidance by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the body which determines what treatment the NHS should fund, said lax road repairs and car-dominated streets were contributing to the obesity epidemic by preventing members of the public from keeping active PA Health news in pictures New menopause drugs offer women relief from 'debilitating' hot flushes A new class of treatments for women going through the menopause is able to reduce numbers of debilitating hot flushes by as much as three quarters in a matter of days, a trial has found. The drug used in the trial belongs to a group known as NKB antagonists (blockers), which were developed as a treatment for schizophrenia but have been sitting on a shelf unused, according to Professor Waljit Dhillo, a professor of endocrinology and metabolism REX Health news in pictures Doctors should prescribe more antidepressants for people with mental health problems, study finds Research from Oxford University found that more than one million extra people suffering from mental health problems would benefit from being prescribed drugs and criticised ideological reasons doctors use to avoid doing so. Getty Health news in pictures Student dies of flu after NHS advice to stay at home and avoid A&E The family of a teenager who died from flu has urged people not to delay going to A&E if they are worried about their symptoms. Melissa Whiteley, an 18-year-old engineering student from Hanford in Stoke-on-Trent, fell ill at Christmas and died in hospital a month later. Just Giving Health news in pictures Government to review thousands of harmful vaginal mesh implants The Government has pledged to review tens of thousands of cases where women have been given harmful vaginal mesh implants. Getty Health news in pictures Jeremy Hunt announces 'zero suicides ambition' for the NHS The NHS will be asked to go further to prevent the deaths of patients in its care as part of a zero suicide ambition being launched today Getty Health news in pictures Human trials start with cancer treatment that primes immune system to kill off tumours Human trials have begun with a new cancer therapy that can prime the immune system to eradicate tumours. The treatment, that works similarly to a vaccine, is a combination of two existing drugs, of which tiny amounts are injected into the solid bulk of a tumour. Nephron Health news in pictures Babies' health suffers from being born near fracking sites, finds major study Mothers living within a kilometre of a fracking site were 25 per cent more likely to have a child born at low birth weight, which increase their chances of asthma, ADHD and other issues Getty Health news in pictures NHS reviewing thousands of cervical cancer smear tests after women wrongly given all-clear Thousands of cervical cancer screening results are under review after failings at a laboratory meant some women were incorrectly given the all-clear. A number of women have already been told to contact their doctors following the identification of procedural issues in the service provided by Pathology First Laboratory. Rex Health news in pictures Potential key to halting breast cancer's spread discovered by scientists Most breast cancer patients do not die from their initial tumour, but from secondary malignant growths (metastases), where cancer cells are able to enter the blood and survive to invade new sites. Asparagine, a molecule named after asparagus where it was first identified in high quantities, has now been shown to be an essential ingredient for tumour cells to gain these migratory properties. Getty Health news in pictures NHS nursing vacancies at record high with more than 34,000 roles advertised A record number of nursing and midwifery positions are currently being advertised by the NHS, with more than 34,000 positions currently vacant, according to the latest data. Demand for nurses was 19 per cent higher between July and September 2017 than the same period two years ago. REX Health news in pictures Cannabis extract could provide new class of treatment for psychosis CBD has a broadly opposite effect to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main active component in cannabis and the substance that causes paranoia and anxiety. Getty Health news in pictures Over 75,000 sign petition calling for Richard Branson's Virgin Care to hand settlement money back to NHS Mr Bransons company sued the NHS last year after it lost out on an 82m contract to provide childrens health services across Surrey, citing concerns over serious flaws in the way the contract was awarded PA Health news in pictures More than 700 fewer nurses training in England in first year after NHS bursary scrapped The numbers of people accepted to study nursing in England fell 3 per cent in 2017, while the numbers accepted in Wales and Scotland, where the bursaries were kept, increased 8.4 per cent and 8 per cent respectively Getty Health news in pictures Landmark study links Tory austerity to 120,000 deaths The paper found that there were 45,000 more deaths in the first four years of Tory-led efficiencies than would have been expected if funding had stayed at pre-election levels. On this trajectory that could rise to nearly 200,000 excess deaths by the end of 2020, even with the extra funding that has been earmarked for public sector services this year. Reuters Health news in pictures Long commutes carry health risks Hours of commuting may be mind-numbingly dull, but new research shows that it might also be having an adverse effect on both your health and performance at work. Longer commutes also appear to have a significant impact on mental wellbeing, with those commuting longer 33 per cent more likely to suffer from depression Shutterstock Health news in pictures You cannot be fit and fat It is not possible to be overweight and healthy, a major new study has concluded. The study of 3.5 million Britons found that even metabolically healthy obese people are still at a higher risk of heart disease or a stroke than those with a normal weight range Getty Health news in pictures Sleep deprivation When you feel particularly exhausted, it can definitely feel like you are also lacking in brain capacity. Now, a new study has suggested this could be because chronic sleep deprivation can actually cause the brain to eat itself Shutterstock Health news in pictures Exercise classes offering 45 minute naps launch David Lloyd Gyms have launched a new health and fitness class which is essentially a bunch of people taking a nap for 45 minutes. The fitness group was spurred to launch the napercise class after research revealed 86 per cent of parents said they were fatigued. The class is therefore predominantly aimed at parents but you actually do not have to have children to take part Getty Health news in pictures 'Fundamental right to health' to be axed after Brexit, lawyers warn Tobacco and alcohol companies could win more easily in court cases such as the recent battle over plain cigarette packaging if the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights is abandoned, a barrister and public health professor have said Getty Health news in pictures 'Thousands dying' due to fear over non-existent statin side-effects A major new study into the side effects of the cholesterol-lowering medicine suggests common symptoms such as muscle pain and weakness are not caused by the drugs themselves Getty Health news in pictures Babies born to fathers aged under 25 have higher risk of autism New research has found that babies born to fathers under the age of 25 or over 51 are at higher risk of developing autism and other social disorders. The study, conducted by the Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at Mount Sinai, found that these children are actually more advanced than their peers as infants, but then fall behind by the time they hit their teenage years Getty Health news in pictures Cycling to work could halve risk of cancer and heart disease Commuters who swap their car or bus pass for a bike could cut their risk of developing heart disease and cancer by almost half, new research suggests but campaigners have warned there is still an urgent need to improve road conditions for cyclists. Cycling to work is linked to a lower risk of developing cancer by 45 per cent and cardiovascular disease by 46 per cent, according to a study of a quarter of a million people. Walking to work also brought health benefits, the University of Glasgow researchers found, but not to the same degree as cycling. Getty That has given us clear social guidelines. The "12-week rule" warns against telling anyone you're pregnant until the end of the third month. It anticipates the risk of loss, even sets us up to tentatively expect miscarriage during the early stages of pregnancy, but this silence doesn't make it any easier if it does happen. A recent survey of more than 6,000 women who had a miscarriage, conducted by the charity Tommy's, found that around two-thirds found it hard to talk about. The same number felt that they couldn't discuss their miscarriage with their best friend. A third didn't feel that they could even talk to the father about it. Finding support remains a challenge for women experiencing miscarriage. Sharing was important for me although saddening, I took comfort from the fact that friends of mine had also been through it. Like them, I would get through it. But we never talked about the experience itself, the physical process and the effects of miscarriage. Saying "I had one, too" seemed to be as far as it went. So here goes. I was nine weeks pregnant when I started bleeding in the middle of a late night shift at work. The sight of that fresh, bright red blood was a sudden, vicious smack in the face. I pressed my hand over my mouth until I could feel the outline of each tooth, as if to prevent anything else leaving my body. I bled; I cramped; I googled. The lady who answered the phone at the community midwife centre directed me to A&E. Later, my GP assured me that I was right not to go. "I can't think of a worse place to have a miscarriage," he said, his head in his hands. The pain was bearable and the bleeding stopped after a week or so. My miscarriage was natural and complete, meaning that when I had a scan at the end of it, there was barely any evidence that I'd been pregnant at all. Nothing was left. Unlike many women, I didn't need medical management to complete the process. The staff who dealt with me were polite, straightforward and quietly sympathetic. Other women are not so lucky. Lizzie Lowrie has had six miscarriages, all in the first trimester. The care she has received has been patchy. She's met people who have been "amazing", but she's also had to beg and cry down the phone to be admitted to hospital, and has turned up only to be congratulated on her pregnancy. When she tells me about her most recent miscarriage, at 10 weeks, I am shocked. She opted for a medically managed miscarriage, in which you take tablets that open the cervix to let the remaining tissue leave the body. "It was horrendous," she says. "It was so painful. And I was in this ward with other people doing the same thing It was terrible." Recommended Read more IVF embryos to be genetically manipulated as miscarriages investigated Around 1 per cent of couples are affected by recurrent miscarriage, which in the UK is defined as the loss of three or more consecutive pregnancies. Emma Benjamin has had several miscarriages, too, but still remembers the terror of the first. "They just sent me home and they didn't tell me anything," she says. "I came home bleeding having the most awful period pains, I suppose and not really knowing what to do or what was going to happen or how long I was going to bleed for. I knew nothing, literally nothing I wasn't given a leaflet or anything. So it was horrible, it was really awful, because I didn't really know what was going on." It's another side of the silence that surrounds miscarriage. But Benjamin and Lowrie both talk clearly and calmly about their experiences, and have become more open with each successive miscarriage. Lowrie tells me that for her husband and her the 12-week rule has "gone out the window". "At first, very few people knew that I was pregnant," she says, "but then as the miscarriages went on we just made sure there were certain people close to us that knew they tried to keep me sane when I was going through the pregnancy It's just so hard breaking those two bits of news: I was pregnant and I'm not now. It's really hard to bring it into conversation. "It is still quite a silent thing," she adds, "and I think part of it is that no one knows what to say." Coomarasamy agrees that lack of support is a serious problem and that women who have an early miscarriage, and their partners, may need just as much help as those who have lost an older baby to stillbirth. "Whether it was this size baby or that size baby is irrelevant, and the psychological impact is not much different," he explains. "So I think there is a real need to understand how couples experience miscarriages. There's a real need to identify better ways of supporting the couples." Lowrie and her husband now run a blog about childlessness called Saltwater and Honey. Of course, no one should ever feel they have to share their experiences I have friends who wanted to keep their miscarriage private. But it does seem that it's becoming increasingly acceptable to speak out about miscarriage. Breaking the silence is crucial. Research has shown that one-third of women attending specialist clinics as a result of their miscarriage are clinically depressed. As well as depression and grief, it's been reported that both women and their partners experience increased anxiety for several months after a miscarriage. Post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorders and panic disorders have also been observed in research studies. Once, this would have surprised me. Not now. Three months after my own miscarriage, I still struggle to see my experience in perspective. There are still days when I feel a shadow over me and a sadness in the pit of my stomach that won't go away. There are still days when a strange emotion surprises me with its stranglehold. It's only after my conversation with Lowrie that I realise this emotion is grief. She, too, was confused, until a counsellor demystified what she was going through. "I thought to grieve you had to have lost something you'd met like a person that you had talked to or you could grieve over a baby that maybe you'd held," she tells me. "I didn't know anything about grief I didn't know whether I should leave that to people who had lost actual people, not a very, very tiny baby that you've never met." Benjamin agrees: "I used to think, 'God, people go through so much worse' and I'd feel guilty for grieving But in my head, I had planned when this baby was going to be born. So it was still as upsetting for me." Part of this distress comes from that unanswered "Why?" Most women having their first or second miscarriage are told to put it down to one-off, unspecified genetic abnormalities in the foetus. It just wasn't meant to be. Yes, society likes fate. But women feel better if they get more accurate information, says Ruth Bender-Atik, national director of the Miscarriage Association. "The reason is that they have an answer, an explanation," she says, "rather than a huge question mark and a tendency to assume it's their fault." Most women never get an answer, however, even if they are tested for possible explanations, because the science is sorely lacking. "I think it's fair to say that miscarriage, despite being so common, despite having physical and psychological consequences to the woman and her partner, despite being a condition that demands quite a lot from the NHS, has not been researched well for a long time," says Coomarasamy. "But that is changing, I believe." That's down to greater understanding of the various possible causes behind the unspecified genetic abnormalities that are said to underlie most miscarriages. The risk of random genetic faults in the foetus seems to increase with the age of the mother: the chances of having a miscarriage rise from 9 per cent aged 2024 to more than 50 per cent for women aged 40 and above. Beyond age, other risk factors associated with miscarriage include obesity, smoking, drug use and drinking more than two units of alcohol a week or more than a couple of cups of coffee a day. There are several other potential causes: abnormalities in the womb or cervix, genetic faults inherited from the parents, hormone imbalances, polycystic ovary syndrome, various infections and so on. In the UK, tests for these possibilities are offered only after three consecutive miscarriages, whereas in many other countries the threshold is two. Some women who have had a number of miscarriages have antibodies in their blood that seem to prevent the pregnancy embedding properly or cause blood clots in the placenta. This is called antiphospholipid syndrome, also commonly known as sticky blood syndrome, and it is the most important treatable cause of recurrent miscarriage. Low doses of aspirin, sometimes also the blood-thinning drug heparin, seem to help these women carry a pregnancy to term. It's the kind of hope to which many women and their partners cling: that a cause will be found and that an effective treatment will follow. A blood test for these antibodies is therefore standard after recurrent miscarriages, but it's the answer only 15 per cent of the time. Half of all women who have tests are still left without an answer. Although Benjamin and her husband now have three children, a cause was never identified for her miscarriages. After two successful pregnancies in which she took progesterone, blood-thinning drugs, aspirin and steroids, she knows it was more likely blind luck than targeted medical intervention. 85% of miscarriages happen in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy; after 23 weeks they are called stillbirths Lowrie, still trying for her first child, has also tried taking low-dose aspirin, heparin and progesterone, but thinks she was probably only offered this cocktail of drugs because "they just didn't know what to do with me". It's a familiar story to Coomarasamy. "There are a lot of people out there who are just putting patients on a bit of this, a bit of that," he says. "Statistically speaking, any patient who has had a miscarriage previously almost all patients who have had a miscarriage previously the odds are in their favour in terms of having a normal pregnancy next time round, no matter what one does. So if they happen to be popping a pill it may have nothing to do with it. In fact, statistically speaking, they were going to carry that baby to term anyway." While aspirin increases the chances of a successful pregnancy for the minority of women with sticky blood syndrome, it had no significant effect in clinical trials for other women at risk of miscarrying. And following years of debate, the results of the Promise trial announced in November 2015 showed that progesterone supplements did not prevent early miscarriage for women with unexplained, recurrent losses. A number of other trials continue to investigate potential treatments. The Response trial is testing a medicine called NT100 to find out if it can improve the chances of a successful pregnancy without serious side-effects. The Tablet trial is looking into the role that thyroid antibodies may play in women with unexplained miscarriage, and whether the drug levothyroxine may help. Lowrie is one of those waiting to hear if she is eligible to take part. Lots of women seek out such trials, keen to be involved. Of Coomarasamy's patients at Birmingham, 60-70 per cent take part in clinical trials being carried out there, and often the research team finds recruits through other avenues, such as Facebook campaigns. They are all looking for answers, hoping for a breakthrough. But it may be that to understand miscarriage better, we need a new approach. Step forward Jan Brosens, professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at the University of Warwick. He agrees that our current knowledge is too thin to help many people after recurrent miscarriage and says the current tests available are mostly a waste of time. "[For] the vast majority of couples that you see in clinic, you can test until you're blue in the face and you will find nothing," he says. "But more importantly, even if you have a patient where you have a positive test, you will still find that you get the same positive test in at least 50-100 women who don't have a history of miscarriages." In other words, the tests are nowhere near specific enough to identify what is causing recurrent miscarriages. Brosens thinks we will make more progress if we change the way we think about miscarriage. "The problem I face when I see patients is that the vast majority come with this narrative that has been imposed upon them and which they defend which is that miscarriages are your body rejecting the pregnancy, that this is a complete failure," he says, sadly. Instead, he is keen to emphasise that a successful pregnancy begins with the start of a period an event that so many women regard merely as an annoyance or, at worst, the uncomfortable end to another month of trying to conceive a baby. But consider it differently, and the period is just the beginning, as the old womb lining disappears and a completely new one begins to grow. Brosens's research with Siobhan Quenby at Warwick's Biomedical Research Unit in Reproductive Health suggests that the womb lining plays a major role in determining whether the next pregnancy succeeds. Most if not all human embryos have some chromosomal abnormalities. The range of variation runs from embryos with errors in a couple of cells right up to ones that are so unstable they are known as "chaotic". The cells of the womb lining, the endometrium, go through a process called decidualisation in response to the pregnancy hormone progesterone, which makes them able to recognise genetically poor embryos and prevent implantation so that pregnancy never begins. But if the womb lining isn't suitably prepared, it may prevent healthy embryos from implanting or do the opposite. Brosens and Quenby's research has found that in women with recurrent miscarriage, the womb lining is often super-receptive but unselective, meaning that it allows genetically doomed embryos to implant and grow. These women may get pregnant fairly easily, but the pregnancy never truly has a chance of succeeding. "In essence," Brosens tells me as firmly as his friendly Dutch lilt will allow, "I completely and utterly dismiss the current medical thinking on miscarriages." The idea that something has "gone wrong"? No. The feeling of guilt that you must have done something wrong, despite sticking to all the rules of pregnancy? Pointless. Because the outcome of your pregnancy was most likely determined at that moment of implantation. Brosens is convinced that this new perspective will eventually lead to an uplifting advance: being able to predict who is at risk of miscarriages, even among women who have never been pregnant. When cells taken from the womb lining of women who have experienced recurrent miscarriage are cultured in the lab, "the behaviour of the cells is very, very different [compared to] control patients," he says. This provides a new starting-point for developing diagnostic tests and even treatments to make recurrent miscarriages far less likely. As for me, after just one miscarriage, the statistics tell me that today I have an 80 per cent chance of my next pregnancy being successful. Regardless, I have been worrying that my miscarriage was the result of something that might make me prone to it happening again. I simply don't know, and it's the same for most women experiencing miscarriage, whether their first or their 15th. The wonders of modern science have accustomed us to medical explanations and diagnoses. The women I've spoken to Emma Benjamin, Lizzie Lowrie and some of my friends share similar feelings of frustration. We expect that doctors will find out what is wrong with us and give us something to treat it. We think we will feel better if that happens. For the small percentage of women whose every pregnancy has ended in miscarriage, the question of why looms particularly heavy over their trauma. While Lowrie hasn't given up hope of having a child of her own, she has accepted that it may not happen. "I don't think there is always a resolution, but sometimes you've got to live with that," she says. "Life isn't neat. We don't always have answers." I don't have an answer, and I know I'm not going to get one any time soon. So for now, I'm going to try and stop asking "Why?" One tiny life has ended, but mine goes on. This is an edited version of an article that first appeared on Mosaicscience.com and is republished here under a Creative Commons licence Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Boris Johnson, Londons flamboyant Mayor, has invited the rage of his Prime Minister David Cameron. Johnson will urge the British public to vote for leaving the European Union in the 23 June referendum. Johnson has become the most prominent and influential voice for British Exit Brexit. Not surprisingly, Cameron has lashed out. Cameron is a tangle of his own making. He calculated that a referendum would neutralize opponents who were gaining by stirring anti-European sentiment. But he misjudged his own people: they have little use for Europe. And Camerons deal with European leaders has failed to pacify because it makes sense only to those steeped in the European lore. Now, Cameron believes he can scare the British public. Leaving Europe, he asserts, will threaten our economic and national security. While Cameron seeks to win the political skirmish, Johnson has history on his side. As the late historian Tony Judt might have said, the parenthesis on the European Union may be closing. That parenthesis opened on May 9, 1950, when French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman first announced an initiative for European cooperation. The Second World War still cast a long shadow and Schuman declared that peace in Europe would be built on a material basis. Johnson applauds the early achievements. From the Treaty of Rome in 1957 through to the 1980s, European nations opened their borders to trade and thus created the material basis for peace. Indeed, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, much hated by Europeans, did more for Europes commercial integration than any other leader of her generation. She championed the Single European Act of 1986, pushing forward the process set in motion by Treaty of Rome. But by the late-1980s, Johnson writes, realistic possibilities for more commercial integration were largely exhausted. Indeed, a recent paper from the pro-European Bruegel think-tank in Brussels documents how little has been achieved since then. This is not a surprise. While the Treaty of Rome created a level playing field with little loss of national sovereignty other than at the border, every initiative since then has required national governments to cede authority to Brussels. The European Union claims legitimacy on the basis that national governments are incapable of meeting the needs of their citizens and supranational governance is needed to increase the welfare of all Europeans. That mindset led in the late-1980s to the push towards a single currency, the euro. Vastly inflated claims were made of the prosperity that the euro would create. These never materialized, while the costs are all too evident. The Bruegel paper tells us that even the single market initiatives have ceased to provide dividends. The real problem with Europe today is its unworkable governance structure. In a 1986 paper, Robert Keohane then at Harvard University explained that international governance required trust and reciprocity. In contrast, hierarchical or hegemonic structures, Keohane warned, would prove to be fragile. Hegemony can work if the hegemon is willing to pay for that right. But in Europes semi-hierarchical governance system, Germany exercises hegemonic veto authority without paying the bills. For this reason, European governance has been prone to delays and half measures during the never-ending eurozone distress. And now we may well be seeing breakdown of that fragile structure under the stress of the refugee crisis. Echoing Cameron, proponents for Europe say that Britain will incur severe economic costs by leaving the European Union. Britains trade with Europe will collapse, they say, and the City of London will lose its preeminence. Claims of dire consequences by business executives are particularly unreliable. In 1999, Adair Turner, then director general of the Confederation of Business and Industry supported Britain joining the euro. Now the number crunchers torture the data to show that British productivity could decline precipitously. This is economic nonsense. The economic principles are clear. Trade with a particular country or group of countries brings no special dividends. Indeed, a leading trade theorist, Columbias Jagdish Bhagwati, has repeatedly warned that preferential trade arrangements hurt rather than help. Moreover, for over two decades, Britain has steadily increased its trade with non-European countries. This is only to be expected. Even Germanys trade is increasing mainly beyond European borders. The US has just overtaken France as Germanys largest trading partner. Europe is a slow growing region and will almost certainly fall further behind the rest of the world over the next half century. Europeans will look for opportunities elsewhere. Only the productive relationships within Europe will survive with or without European Union rules and governance. As the parenthesis on post-War Europe closes, economics and politics point in the same direction. Camerons rage arises from his political miscalculation even his ministers are walking away from him. On 23 June, British citizens may well vote to remain in the European Union, but atrophy of European institutions will continue and Johnson is likely to win historys verdict. Ashoka Mody is Visiting Professor of International Economic Policy at Princeton University and former deputy director of the International Monetary Fund's European and Research Departments. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Paul Drechsler, the president of the Confederation of British Industry, has said that business leaders should go on the record on where they stand on the EU, though he understands why many business leaders will choose not to. I dont think as business leaders we can hide from it, but that doesnt mean people want to go on the public record saying what they support. I think people should, but I understand why they wont, Drechsler told the Independent. The CBI speaks on behalf of 190,000 business in the UK, representing one-third of the UK private sector workforce. Recommended Read more BMW warns staff at UK companies owns of Brexit risks Drechsler said that it isnt the role of business to tell people how to vote, but it is the duty of business leaders to make sure employees understand what the EU means for investment and jobs. I also think its our role to inform customers, he said. His comments come as BMW has written to Rolls-Royce car factory workers to warn about the risks of leaving the EU, igniting the debate over the role business should play in informing and influencing voters. Business news: In pictures Show all 13 1 /13 Business news: In pictures Business news: In pictures Flybe collapses Airline Flybe has collapsed. All future flights on the Exeter-based airline have been cancelled leaving more than 2,300 staff facing an uncertain future, and wrecking the travel plans of hundreds of thousands of passengers. The chief executive, Mark Anderson, said: Europes largest independent regional airline has been unable to overcome significant funding challenges to its business. AFP via Getty Business news: In pictures Future product placement will be 'tailored to individual viewers' Marketing executives say that product placement in films and televison shows on streaming services such as Netflix may be tailored to individuals in future. For instance, if data shows that a viewer is a fan of pepsi, a billboard in the background of a shot would host an advert for pepsi, while for a viewer known to have different tastes it could be for Coca-Cola Paramount Business news: In pictures Corbyn wishes Amazon a happy birthday In a card sent to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on the company's 25th birthday, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn writes: "You owe the British people millions in taxes that pay for the public services that we all rely on. Please pay your fair share" Business news: In pictures No deal, no tariffs The government has announced that it would slash almost all tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Notable exceptions include cars and meat, which will see tariffs in place to protect British farmers Getty Business news: In pictures Fingerprint payment NatWest is trialling a new bank card that will allow people to touch their hand to the card when paying rather than typing in a PIN number. The card will work by recognising the user's fingerprint NatWest/PA Wire Business news: In pictures Mahabis bust High-end slipper retailer Mahabis has gone into administration. 2 Jan 2019 Mahabis Business news: In pictures Costa Cola Coca-Cola has paid 3.9bn for Costa Coffee. A cafe chain is a new venture for the global soft drinks giant PA Business news: In pictures RIP Payday Loans A funeral procession for payday loans was held in London on September 2. The future of pay day lenders is in doubt after Wonga, Britain's biggest, went into administration on August 30 PA Business news: In pictures Musk irks investors and directors Elon Musk has concluded that Tesla will remain public. Investors and company directors were angry at Musk for tweeting unexpectedly that he was considering taking Tesla private and share prices had taken a tumble in the following weeks Getty Business news: In pictures Jaguar warning Iconic British car maker Jaguar Land Rover warned on July 5, 2018 that a "bad" Brexit deal could jeopardise planned investment of more than $100 billion, upping corporate pressure as the government heads into crucial talks AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures Spotif-IPO Spotify traded publically for the first time on the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday. However, the company isn't issuing shares, but rather, shares held by Spotify's private investors will be sold AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures French blue passports The deadline to award a contract to make blue British passports after Brexit has been extended by two weeks following a request by bidder De La Rue. The move comes after anger at the announcement British passports would be produced by Franco-Dutch firm Gemalto when De La Rues contract ends in July. The British firm said Gemalto was chosen only because it undercut the competition, but the UK company also admitted that it was not the cheapest choice in the tendering process. Business news: In pictures Beast from the east economic impact The Beast from the East wiped 4m off of Flybes revenues due to flight cancellations, airport closures and delays, according to the budget airlines estimates. Flybe said it cancelled 994 flights in the three months to 31 March, compared to 372 in the same period last year. Factory workers at Rolls Royce have been sent an email from their German bosses at BMW that sets out the risks of a vote to leave the EU. BMW bosses that that the company derives from the free movement of people in the EU. The letter, published in full below, emphases the importance of free trade to businesses. While the UK imports more cars from Europe than it exports, the balance is reversed at BMW, which exports 80 per cent of the Minis and Rolls Royces it makes in the UK. Its nothing to do with cheap labour, were a very skilled workforce, Ian Robertson, a member of the board at BMW, told the BBC. Britain is an international trading nation, Britain is a very important member of the EU and those are the things wed like to continue. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Wolfgang Schaeuble, the German finance minister, has said he would cry if Britain votes to leave the EU in the referendum on June 23. Schaeuble was asked what he would do during a panel discussion with George Osborne at the annual conference of the British Chambers of Commerce in London. "We would cry," he said, reportedly prompting laughter and applause. Earlier in the discussion, Schaeuble said the EU would be less competitive and more unstable if the UK votes to leave. Osborne told attendees that over 50 trade deals would fall if Brexit goes ahead. I would rather spend the next few years working out how to improve trade rather than spending years on a costly divorce," he said. The views go against BBC director-general John Longworth, who said in a speech at that the UK could create a "brighter economic future for itself" outside the EU. The dynamism and resilience of the City of London and of the UK business sector suggest to me, that, in the long run, we have the capacity and capability to create a brighter economic future outside of the EU, just as we would have done had we had the opportunity to stay in a truly reformed EU," he said. The BCC had said that it would not campaign on Brexit. Business leaders are divided over whether they should declare their interests in the run up to the referendum. Business news: In pictures Show all 13 1 /13 Business news: In pictures Business news: In pictures Flybe collapses Airline Flybe has collapsed. All future flights on the Exeter-based airline have been cancelled leaving more than 2,300 staff facing an uncertain future, and wrecking the travel plans of hundreds of thousands of passengers. The chief executive, Mark Anderson, said: Europes largest independent regional airline has been unable to overcome significant funding challenges to its business. AFP via Getty Business news: In pictures Future product placement will be 'tailored to individual viewers' Marketing executives say that product placement in films and televison shows on streaming services such as Netflix may be tailored to individuals in future. For instance, if data shows that a viewer is a fan of pepsi, a billboard in the background of a shot would host an advert for pepsi, while for a viewer known to have different tastes it could be for Coca-Cola Paramount Business news: In pictures Corbyn wishes Amazon a happy birthday In a card sent to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on the company's 25th birthday, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn writes: "You owe the British people millions in taxes that pay for the public services that we all rely on. Please pay your fair share" Business news: In pictures No deal, no tariffs The government has announced that it would slash almost all tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Notable exceptions include cars and meat, which will see tariffs in place to protect British farmers Getty Business news: In pictures Fingerprint payment NatWest is trialling a new bank card that will allow people to touch their hand to the card when paying rather than typing in a PIN number. The card will work by recognising the user's fingerprint NatWest/PA Wire Business news: In pictures Mahabis bust High-end slipper retailer Mahabis has gone into administration. 2 Jan 2019 Mahabis Business news: In pictures Costa Cola Coca-Cola has paid 3.9bn for Costa Coffee. A cafe chain is a new venture for the global soft drinks giant PA Business news: In pictures RIP Payday Loans A funeral procession for payday loans was held in London on September 2. The future of pay day lenders is in doubt after Wonga, Britain's biggest, went into administration on August 30 PA Business news: In pictures Musk irks investors and directors Elon Musk has concluded that Tesla will remain public. Investors and company directors were angry at Musk for tweeting unexpectedly that he was considering taking Tesla private and share prices had taken a tumble in the following weeks Getty Business news: In pictures Jaguar warning Iconic British car maker Jaguar Land Rover warned on July 5, 2018 that a "bad" Brexit deal could jeopardise planned investment of more than $100 billion, upping corporate pressure as the government heads into crucial talks AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures Spotif-IPO Spotify traded publically for the first time on the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday. However, the company isn't issuing shares, but rather, shares held by Spotify's private investors will be sold AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures French blue passports The deadline to award a contract to make blue British passports after Brexit has been extended by two weeks following a request by bidder De La Rue. The move comes after anger at the announcement British passports would be produced by Franco-Dutch firm Gemalto when De La Rues contract ends in July. The British firm said Gemalto was chosen only because it undercut the competition, but the UK company also admitted that it was not the cheapest choice in the tendering process. Business news: In pictures Beast from the east economic impact The Beast from the East wiped 4m off of Flybes revenues due to flight cancellations, airport closures and delays, according to the budget airlines estimates. Flybe said it cancelled 994 flights in the three months to 31 March, compared to 372 in the same period last year. Paul Drechsler, the president of the Confederation of British Industry, which represents employers of a third of private sector workers, told the Independent business leaders should go on the record on where they stand on the EU, though he understands why many choose not to. I dont think as business leaders we can hide from it, but that doesnt mean people want to go on the public record saying what they support. I think people should, but I understand why they wont, Drechsler said. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Why are we asking this now? A company in Bristol has decided to give its employees menstrual leave. Coexist, the organisation behind a community arts centre in Stokes Croft, is planning to give employees the right to take time off that would not be regarded as sick leave. Employees would be expected to make up time taken off for period pain, but they could stay at home while they were suffering without having to produce a sick note. Could other companies follow suit? Coexist seems to think so. It is holding a seminar on March 15 to discuss the idea with other employers and organisations. Nike introduced menstrual leave in 2007 and makes business partners sign a memorandum of understanding to ensure they maintain the companys standards. Are there any laws in place at the moment that guarantee women that right? Not in the UK or at EU level. Japan is actually a pioneer in the field of menstrual leave. Japanese labour unions started to demand leave for female workers in the 1920s. By 1947, a law was brought in to force that allowed women to take days off work if there were suffering with period pain. Similar laws now exist in South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong. In English law, severe period pain could be considered a disability, according to lawyers. Lynne Marr, a partner in the employment team at Brodies LLP, said that employers should be aware that severe period pain that is impacting on performance or attendance could amount to a physical impairment or be a symptom of an underlying medical condition, which could constitute a disability under the Equality Act 2010. Should a law be introduced? Marr said that menstrual leave could in effect be legislated, but that it would be very difficult to manage in practice. "I imagine that this is something that could be legislated for, but it might seem unlikely given the UK Governments attempts to cut red tape," she said. "I also think it would be very difficult for employers to manage in practice - such as how to determine who suffered from pain. In some work forces it may create bad feeling and grievances about sex discrimination." Some workers unions say that certain kinds of work can be hard for women during their periods. In 2005, the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union sought 12 days menstrual leave a year for women from Toyota. Business news: In pictures Show all 13 1 /13 Business news: In pictures Business news: In pictures Flybe collapses Airline Flybe has collapsed. All future flights on the Exeter-based airline have been cancelled leaving more than 2,300 staff facing an uncertain future, and wrecking the travel plans of hundreds of thousands of passengers. The chief executive, Mark Anderson, said: Europes largest independent regional airline has been unable to overcome significant funding challenges to its business. AFP via Getty Business news: In pictures Future product placement will be 'tailored to individual viewers' Marketing executives say that product placement in films and televison shows on streaming services such as Netflix may be tailored to individuals in future. For instance, if data shows that a viewer is a fan of pepsi, a billboard in the background of a shot would host an advert for pepsi, while for a viewer known to have different tastes it could be for Coca-Cola Paramount Business news: In pictures Corbyn wishes Amazon a happy birthday In a card sent to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on the company's 25th birthday, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn writes: "You owe the British people millions in taxes that pay for the public services that we all rely on. Please pay your fair share" Business news: In pictures No deal, no tariffs The government has announced that it would slash almost all tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Notable exceptions include cars and meat, which will see tariffs in place to protect British farmers Getty Business news: In pictures Fingerprint payment NatWest is trialling a new bank card that will allow people to touch their hand to the card when paying rather than typing in a PIN number. The card will work by recognising the user's fingerprint NatWest/PA Wire Business news: In pictures Mahabis bust High-end slipper retailer Mahabis has gone into administration. 2 Jan 2019 Mahabis Business news: In pictures Costa Cola Coca-Cola has paid 3.9bn for Costa Coffee. A cafe chain is a new venture for the global soft drinks giant PA Business news: In pictures RIP Payday Loans A funeral procession for payday loans was held in London on September 2. The future of pay day lenders is in doubt after Wonga, Britain's biggest, went into administration on August 30 PA Business news: In pictures Musk irks investors and directors Elon Musk has concluded that Tesla will remain public. Investors and company directors were angry at Musk for tweeting unexpectedly that he was considering taking Tesla private and share prices had taken a tumble in the following weeks Getty Business news: In pictures Jaguar warning Iconic British car maker Jaguar Land Rover warned on July 5, 2018 that a "bad" Brexit deal could jeopardise planned investment of more than $100 billion, upping corporate pressure as the government heads into crucial talks AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures Spotif-IPO Spotify traded publically for the first time on the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday. However, the company isn't issuing shares, but rather, shares held by Spotify's private investors will be sold AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures French blue passports The deadline to award a contract to make blue British passports after Brexit has been extended by two weeks following a request by bidder De La Rue. The move comes after anger at the announcement British passports would be produced by Franco-Dutch firm Gemalto when De La Rues contract ends in July. The British firm said Gemalto was chosen only because it undercut the competition, but the UK company also admitted that it was not the cheapest choice in the tendering process. Business news: In pictures Beast from the east economic impact The Beast from the East wiped 4m off of Flybes revenues due to flight cancellations, airport closures and delays, according to the budget airlines estimates. Flybe said it cancelled 994 flights in the three months to 31 March, compared to 372 in the same period last year. The union said that standing, welding, painting and other production line work was especially tough on women during their menstrual cycle. But Toyota did not agree. To date only Nike is thought to have a dedicated policy for menstrual pain. But scientific evidence shows that women could benefit from such policies. Studies have shown that, in general, women struggle to concentrate when they have period pain, becoming slower and less accurate. Whats next? Coexist is not offering paid leave for period pain. Instead it is allowing workers who might be suffering to rearrange their days accordingly, by allowing women to fulfill their hours flexibly. That policy has been created as part of a debate: Pioneering Period Policy: Valuing Natural Cycles in the Workplace. The seminar will take place on March 15 at Hamilton House in Stokes Croft. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Saudi Arabia is reportedly looking for loans worth $10 billion from international lenders in its most significant foreign borrowing in a decade. The Saudi Arabian government is said to have sent an invitation to banks to discuss a US dollar loan. While the invitation did not specify an amount, sources said it could be worth $10 billion or more. Calls to the Saudi finance ministry and central bank seeking comment were not immediately returned. Saudi's shock loan request signals that the kingdom looking at other ways to finance its economy after the oil price slump. Chart: Statista It has already raised domestic petrol prices by up to 40 per cent as part of a raft of measures brought in to address a record budget deficit of $100 billion in 2015. Subsidies for water, electricity and petrol are expected to be dismantled over the next five years. The kingdom has traditionally kept prices low for residents as a social welfare measure. Changes to VAT and an increase in taxes on soft drinks and tobacco are also planned. Business news: In pictures Show all 13 1 /13 Business news: In pictures Business news: In pictures Flybe collapses Airline Flybe has collapsed. All future flights on the Exeter-based airline have been cancelled leaving more than 2,300 staff facing an uncertain future, and wrecking the travel plans of hundreds of thousands of passengers. The chief executive, Mark Anderson, said: Europes largest independent regional airline has been unable to overcome significant funding challenges to its business. AFP via Getty Business news: In pictures Future product placement will be 'tailored to individual viewers' Marketing executives say that product placement in films and televison shows on streaming services such as Netflix may be tailored to individuals in future. For instance, if data shows that a viewer is a fan of pepsi, a billboard in the background of a shot would host an advert for pepsi, while for a viewer known to have different tastes it could be for Coca-Cola Paramount Business news: In pictures Corbyn wishes Amazon a happy birthday In a card sent to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on the company's 25th birthday, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn writes: "You owe the British people millions in taxes that pay for the public services that we all rely on. Please pay your fair share" Business news: In pictures No deal, no tariffs The government has announced that it would slash almost all tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Notable exceptions include cars and meat, which will see tariffs in place to protect British farmers Getty Business news: In pictures Fingerprint payment NatWest is trialling a new bank card that will allow people to touch their hand to the card when paying rather than typing in a PIN number. The card will work by recognising the user's fingerprint NatWest/PA Wire Business news: In pictures Mahabis bust High-end slipper retailer Mahabis has gone into administration. 2 Jan 2019 Mahabis Business news: In pictures Costa Cola Coca-Cola has paid 3.9bn for Costa Coffee. A cafe chain is a new venture for the global soft drinks giant PA Business news: In pictures RIP Payday Loans A funeral procession for payday loans was held in London on September 2. The future of pay day lenders is in doubt after Wonga, Britain's biggest, went into administration on August 30 PA Business news: In pictures Musk irks investors and directors Elon Musk has concluded that Tesla will remain public. Investors and company directors were angry at Musk for tweeting unexpectedly that he was considering taking Tesla private and share prices had taken a tumble in the following weeks Getty Business news: In pictures Jaguar warning Iconic British car maker Jaguar Land Rover warned on July 5, 2018 that a "bad" Brexit deal could jeopardise planned investment of more than $100 billion, upping corporate pressure as the government heads into crucial talks AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures Spotif-IPO Spotify traded publically for the first time on the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday. However, the company isn't issuing shares, but rather, shares held by Spotify's private investors will be sold AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures French blue passports The deadline to award a contract to make blue British passports after Brexit has been extended by two weeks following a request by bidder De La Rue. The move comes after anger at the announcement British passports would be produced by Franco-Dutch firm Gemalto when De La Rues contract ends in July. The British firm said Gemalto was chosen only because it undercut the competition, but the UK company also admitted that it was not the cheapest choice in the tendering process. Business news: In pictures Beast from the east economic impact The Beast from the East wiped 4m off of Flybes revenues due to flight cancellations, airport closures and delays, according to the budget airlines estimates. Flybe said it cancelled 994 flights in the three months to 31 March, compared to 372 in the same period last year. Before the oil price started falling in mid-2014, Saudi Arabia, like many other oil-reliant Gulf states, paid down Government debt and borrowed little from international banks. Many states are expected to increase their borrowing sharply as they reach the limits of how much they can fund themselves through domestic borrowing. Qatar borrowed $5.5 billion in January, around the same time the government of Oman borrowed $1 billion through an international loan. Additional reporting by Reuters Sign up for a full digest of all the best opinions of the week in our Voices Dispatches email Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Voices Dispatches email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The rent strike dispute at University College London has worsened after a senior official told students it was a fact of life that some people cant afford to study in London. Hundreds of students are at risk of eviction after pledging to join an indefinite rent strike declared last month. The group, who are tenants at UCLs Ramsey Hall and Max Rayne House residences, are said to be withholding a total of more than 1m in protest against soaring accommodation fees. In a meeting between UCL representatives and Cut the Rent, the campaign group behind the protest, management officials said they were not prepared to meet the groups demands to cut rent prices by 40 per cent. UCL Director of Estates, Andrew Grainger, was taped telling students: We do not set out rents on the basis of the least well-off students Some people just simply cannot afford to study in London and that is just a fact of life. The directors comments at the meeting last month have enraged the protesters, a number of whom have already received written warnings about their continued payments. it wasnt a fact of life seven years ago, said Sarah Benamar, who lives at Max Rayne House. I dont believe facts of life are subject to change. UCL has made this situation a reality, and it is definitely within their power to unmake it now. That is what we are asking for. At the meeting Mr Grainger confirmed that UCL management will pursue evictions against students participating in the rent strike, describing the process as a last resort. The most - and least - affordable UK cities for renting Show all 9 1 /9 The most - and least - affordable UK cities for renting The most - and least - affordable UK cities for renting The five best 5. Glasgow, 35% of incomes spent on rent Creative Commons The most - and least - affordable UK cities for renting The five best 4. Norwich, 35% Creative Commons The most - and least - affordable UK cities for renting The five best 2. Cardiff, 29% Creative Commons The most - and least - affordable UK cities for renting The five best 1. Plymouth, 27% Creaitve Commons The most - and least - affordable UK cities for renting The five worst 5. Bristol, 43% Creaitve Commons The most - and least - affordable UK cities for renting The five worst 4. Cambridge, 43% Creative Commons The most - and least - affordable UK cities for renting The five worst 3. Birmingham, 47% Creative Commons The most - and least - affordable UK cities for renting The five worst 2. Edinburgh, 47% Creative Commons The most - and least - affordable UK cities for renting The five worst 1. London, 49% Creative Commons He said: If people withhold their rent, which is a very clear, decisive action on the students part, then ultimately, UCL will have to take action and there will be consequences as a result. Cut the Rent campaigners estimate that UCL accommodation prices have risen by 56 per cent since 2009 and are set to rise again next year. Rooms in the universitys three Halls of Residence range between 143.50 and 270.06 per week, making them some of the most expensive student digs in the country. A small number of shared rooms are available for less. UCL runs its accommodation with a 45 per cent profit margin over 15,779,000 yet shows flagrant disregard for socially accessible education, the group said. This can only accurately be described as a social cleansing of the University. Around 150 students have been withholding rent since the strike began, with a further 500 signing an agreement to refuse the payments requested for next terms fees. As well as calling for reduced rent, students are campaigning for greater transparency in the way their fees are spent, accusing UCL of exploiting its residents for profit to fund the universitys vast expansion plan. Campaign organiser Angus OBrien confirmed that UCL management have started procedures to evict student strikers, and said the group would continue to oppose the universitys response. UCL spokesman Dominique Fourniol disputed claims that the university makes a profit from tenants, but confirmed that income from accommodation services was being used to fund planned new residences. He added: We fully appreciate that affordability in London is an issue, and we do everything we can to keep rents affordable. This is a challenge not just for UCL but all universities in central London. We do not make any profit on rent. We are a not for profit organisation, and any surplus each year on rent is ploughed back into residences. Alfie Duffen, a student participating in the rent strike said: The cost of accommodation should not affect a students ability to come to UCL. We will continue striking until UCL has made this a reality, not a pretence. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Geographic profiling, a technique used to catch serial criminals, has proved that the elusive artist Banksy really is Robin Gunningham, according to academic research. Scientists at Queen Mary University of London claim to have tagged Banksy, by identifying a pattern between the locations where his graffiti artworks most frequently appear and addresses with a close association to Gunningham, named as Banksy in a 2008 newspaper investigation. The secretive street artist was the unwilling subject of a statistical geoprofile. The research was delayed after Banksys lawyers contacted the university with concerns over how the study, titled Tagging Banksy, would be promoted. Recommended Read more Banksy reveals new artwork criticising teargas in Calais refugee camps The researchers said they wanted to demonstrate the broader potential of geographic profiling, a sophisticated form of statistical analysis used in criminology to try and narrow down possible locations where a repeat offender might be living. Setting themselves the challenge of establishing Banksys identity, the academics selected 140 suspected works by the artist in London and Bristol. The locations suggested clusters of hot spots which could be narrowed down, with further investigation, to pinpoint an individual. The hot spot peaks correlated to a pub, playing fields, a residential address in Bristol and three addresses in London. Using publicly available information, the researchers concluded that those locations were all places lived in or frequented by Gunningham. Inside Banksy's Dismaland Show all 13 1 /13 Inside Banksy's Dismaland Inside Banksy's Dismaland A Look Inside Dismaland Bemusement Park "Seagull Attack" by Banksy sits near the entrance, proved to be a bit of a photo opportunity, a taxidermied seagull perches on the other side of the bench Reuters Inside Banksy's Dismaland A Look Inside Dismaland Bemusement Park The Bill Barminski - Cardboard security entrance, visitors must first get through security to enter the park. This can include being searched, emptying bags and even being instructed to touch your toes. Reuters Inside Banksy's Dismaland A Look Inside Dismaland Bemusement Park Dismaland opened to the general public this weekend and everyone seems to be talking about it. Many have speculated whether long queues and website crashing issues are purposeful in order to make Dismaland that little bit more dismal. Reuters Inside Banksy's Dismaland Dismaland19.jpg The Bill Barminski - Cardboard security entrance, visitors must first get through security to enter the park. This can include being searched, emptying bags and even being instructed to touch your toes. Reuters Inside Banksy's Dismaland A Look Inside Dismaland Bemusement Park Visitors are handed their very own guide to the park inside, featuring the names of the installations and show-times. On the front it brands Dismaland "the UK's most disappointing visitor attraction". Reuters Inside Banksy's Dismaland A Look Inside Dismaland Bemusement Park An overview of the park, set on the former site of Tropicana. Tropicana was closed in the 1990's and since then has had rumours of regeneration. The exhibition will be the first major event on site since its heyday as a seaside attraction. Reuters Inside Banksy's Dismaland A Look Inside Dismaland Bemusement Park "Topple the anvil and win the anvil" - just one of the many disappointing games visitors can try their hand at. Reuters Inside Banksy's Dismaland A Look Inside Dismaland Bemusement Park "What its really like to be a princess" the scene of Cinderella hanging lifeless outside her pumpkin carriage as paparazzi surround it inside the castle in the center of the park. A dark reference to the death of Princess Diana. Reuters Inside Banksy's Dismaland A Look Inside Dismaland Bemusement Park Mushroom Cloud made of Cotton by Artist Dietrich Wegner Reuters Inside Banksy's Dismaland A Look Inside Dismaland Bemusement Park A twist on theme park boating games the white cliffs of dover provide a backdrop to boats of migrants and faceless bodies float in the black water. Reuters Inside Banksy's Dismaland A Look Inside Dismaland Bemusement Park "Killer Whale jumping from a toilet" a piece by Banksy as a reference to the treatment of orca's in seaworld parks. Reuters Inside Banksy's Dismaland A Look Inside Dismaland Bemusement Park In classic Banksy style he applies his stencilling technique to a mural named "woman showering" when talking about the exhibition Banksy declared that he was aiming for something very different to street art. Reuters Inside Banksy's Dismaland A Look Inside Dismaland Bemusement Park Another piece by banksy looms above a lake referencing Jeffrey Archer Reuters The geoprofile created for Gunningham provided strong evidence for the claim that the former public schoolboy from Bristol, unmasked in 2008, was indeed Banksy. The academics made the unflattering comparison between Banksys street artwork, which sells for up to 500,000 and acts of criminal vandalism. The pseudonymous artist Banksy is one of the UKs most successful contemporary artists, but his identity remains a mystery. The model takes as input the locations of these artworks, and calculates the probability of offender residence across the study area, they wrote. Our analysis highlights areas associated with one prominent candidate (e.g., his home), supporting his identification as Banksy. More broadly, these results support previous suggestions that analysis of minor terrorism-related acts (e.g., graffiti) could be used to help locate terrorist bases before more serious incidents occur, and provides a fascinating example of the application of the model to a complex, real-world problem. New Banksy appears in London Biologist Steve Le Comber, a co-author of the report, told the BBC: Id be surprised if its not (Gunningham), even without our analysis, but its interesting that the analysis offers additional support for it. What I thought I would do is pull out the 10 most likely suspects, evaluate all of them and not name any. But it rapidly became apparent that there is only one serious suspect, and everyone knows who it is. If you Google Banksy and Gunningham you get something like 43,500 hits. The academic team included Dr Kim Rossmo of the Texas State University, a criminologist and former detective who pioneered geoprofiling. In criminology, the technique relies on the assumption that crime happens close to where the person responsible lives. The technique has also been used to trace the breeding site for malaria outbreaks or to locate the roosts of wild bats. Banksys legal intervention did not alter the research, which was published in the Journal of Spatial Science after a short delay. It is believed that the artists concerns centred on the press materials accompanying the paper. The validity of the Banksy paper was questioned. The method itself is incredibly imprecise, and uses only suspected cases of Banksys artwork (Banksy performs his art anonymously, so its not obvious which pieces belong to him, or if the work is performed by multiple people), said the Gizmodo technology blog, which added: As a potential privacy concern, theres much to be worried about. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Police are searching for a child rapist who absconded from court while jurors discussed their verdict. Tariq Javed, from Rusholme, Manchester, was on conditional bail when he disappeared from Manchesters Minshull Street Crown Court on Monday 29 February. In his absence, the 37-year-old was found guilty of eight counts of sexual activity with a child under the age of 13. A spokeswoman for Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunal Service said: "He was on conditional bail since 2014 and then, on the day, the judge gave him conditional bail within the confines of the court buildings. "He then left the building and the jury returned and found him guilty in his absence. "A warrant was issued for his arrest. He was not in custody and not the responsibility of court staff." Greater Manchester Police have warned that Javed could try to leave the UK, and have warned that anyone attempting to assist Javed could face arrest. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 18 September 2022 A man stands among campers on The Mall ahead of the Queens funeral Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2022 Wolverhampton Wanderers Nathan Collins fouls Manchester Citys Jack Grealish leading to a red card. City went on to win the match at Molineux Stadium three goals to nil. Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 16 September 2022 Members of the public stand in the queue near Tower Bridge, and opposite the Tower of London, as they wait in line to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, in London AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 15 September 2022 Members of the public in the queue on in Potters Fields Park, central London, as they wait to view Queen Elizabeth II lying in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 14 September 2022 The first members of the public pay their respects as the vigil begins around the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Hall, London, where it will lie in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 13 September 2022 Crowds cheer as King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort arrive for a visit to Hillsborough Castle Getty UK news in pictures 12 September 2022 Crowds line the Royal Mile, Edinburgh, as King Charles III joins a procession from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles Cathedral following the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS UK news in pictures 11 September 2022 Members of the Public pay their respects as the hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard of Scotland, is driven through Ballater AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 10 September 2022 Britain's Prince William, Prince of Wales, Britain's Catherine, Princess of Wales, Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, wave at well-wishers on the Long walk at Windsor Castle AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 9 September 2022 King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort wave after viewing floral tributes to the late Queen Elizabeth II outside Buckingham Palace Getty UK news in pictures 8 September 2022 A screen commemorating Britain's Queen Elizabeth II in Piccadilly Circus, London Britain EPA UK news in pictures 7 September 2022 Police officers stand guard after Animal Rebellion activists threw paint on the walls and road outside the Houses of Parliament in protest, in London, Britain Reuters UK news in pictures 6 September 2022 Queen Elizabeth II welcomes Liz Truss during an audience at Balmoral, Scotland, where she invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 5 September 2022 Visitors at the PoliNations garden in Victoria Square, Birmingham, which is made up of five 40ft high tree installations and over 6,000 plants. The PoliNations programme aims to explore how migration and cross-pollination have shaped the UKs gardens and culture PA UK news in pictures 4 September 2022 Undergraduates at the University of St Andrews take part in the traditional Pier Walk along the harbour walls of St Andrews before the start of the new academic year PA UK news in pictures 3 September 2022 The Massed Pipes and Drums parade during the Braemar Highland Gathering at the Princess Royal and Duke of Fife Memorial Park PA UK news in pictures 2 September 2022 Number 12 Company Irish Guards at Wellington Barracks, central London, before commencing their first Guard Mount at Buckingham Palace PA Detective Inspector Ian Cottrell said: "Javed has been convicted of incredibly serious offences committed against children. "He is thought to be a flight risk and warnings have been put in place at ports and airports to ensure he does not escape the country, but faces punishment for his atrocious crimes. "I would like to make very clear that anyone found to be sheltering Javed will face arrest and prosecution." Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Almost half of first time mothers do not know about or understand the Governments 6bn programme to help parents with childcare costs, according to a survey. The social mobility watchdog, which commissioned the poll, called for a much greater effort to enable parents find a way through the maze of six different schemes. The survey of 1,000 parents revealed that almost 50 per cent of first-time mums either do not know that the Government offers cash help with childcare or know there is help, but not how to get it or how much it would save them. It also showed that 57 per cent of working class parents and 40 per cent of middle class parents would have liked to work more hours, but their perception of childcare costs was a deterrent. Alan Milburn, who chairs the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission, said: Hard-pressed parents, at one of the most stressful times of their life, are struggling to make sense of the childcare funding maze. Too many simply cannot work out what help is available. The way childcare is being funded is a confusion piled on a muddle piled on a mess. Without urgent simplification, there is a real risk that the Governments noble aims to close the gender pay gap and boost maternal employment will simply not be realised. On 2 March, David Cameron rejected criticism of the strategy, insisting it is on track. He said the number of free hours for working parents would rise from 10 in 2010 to 30 by next year. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A British man was removed from an easyJet flight after a fellow passenger saw a message mentioning prayer on his mobile phone, reports say. Laolu Opebiyi, a business analyst from London, told the Guardian that the passenger next to him had questioned him about a WhatsApp message that included the word prayer, asking: What do you mean by prayer? Mr Opebiyi explained that he was planning to pray with friends, but said that two minutes later the other passenger was talking to the cabin crew. The 40-year-old Christian, born in Nigeria, believes that the passenger next to him thought that he was a Muslim. The group he had been messaging via WhatsApp was called ISI men, which he says is an acronym for iron sharpens iron, a quote taken from the Bible. Even if I was a Muslim, it was pretty unfair the way I was treated, Mr Opebiyi told the Guardian. I dont think anyone, irrespective of their religion, should be treated in such a way. About 15 minutes after the fellow passenger went into the cockpit to speak with the plane crew, two armed officers allegedly boarded the plane and asked Mr Opebiyi to remove his belongings and accompany them into the terminal building. Mr Opebiyi, who showed the officers the copy of the Bible in his bag, claims he was asked questions about his religion. They asked me what church I attend and how long I had been going there, he said. He was also asked whether he had planned on changing his religion, and replied that he had not. A spokesperson from easyJet said: "easyJet can confirm that, following concerns raised by passengers, the Captain of flight EZY2151 from Luton to Amsterdam on 25 February 2015 requested the assistance of the authorities who took the decision to disembark and question the passenger. The safety and security of its passengers and crew is our highest priority which means that if a security concern is raised we will always investigate it as a precautionary measure. "After questioning by the authorities, the passenger was cleared to complete his journey so easyJet arranged a later easyJet flight for him. We would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused to the passenger." The officers cleared Mr Opebiyi for flight, but the pilot refused to let him on and he was made to wait a further three hours to board the next flight to Amsterdam. Mr Opebiyi told the Guardian that he is now fearful that he is on a terrorist watchlist, and said I stand in uncertainty about my freedom of movement in the UK. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Fed up of dark days and gloomy mornings? Well the end is in sight: the clocks go forward on 27 March at 1 am, signalling that summer is officially on its way. First adopted in Britain in 1916, "daylight saving time" (DST) is set to be 100 years old this April, after causing a century of better use of the light, as well as a lot of missed Monday morning meetings. 1. Why was it introduced in Britain? Benjamin Franklin, the American inventor and politician, first suggested the idea in an essay as a way of people not using so many candles by missing the early morning light. In England, William Willet introduced the idea of a British Summer Time in 1907, and spent much of the rest of his life trying to achieve it before dying. Germany adopted the idea in 1916 and Britain - which was then fighting its neighbour - followed suit to help the war economy a year later. The idea was also to reduce domestic coal consumption and increase the coal that would be available for the war effort. William Willett was a tireless promoter for British Summer Time, from 1907 to his death (Rex Features) 2. Who has DST? Almost all countries in Europe are planning to have daylight saving time in 2016, except for Belarus, Iceland, Georgia and Armenia. Russia doesn't use it, even though the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard, between mainland Norway and the North Pole, has it - as do Turkey, Syria, Jordan and Israel in the Middle East. Mongolia also plans to switch to DST, having re-introduced the idea in 2015. Morroco and the Western Sahara close to Spain will change the clocks, as well as Namibia at the south of the African continent. Most of north America has DST, with the exception of the state of Arizona and Hawaii - although each time zone across the US starts DST at different times. But most of south America does not, with the exception of parts of southern Brazil. The south east of Australia does use it, as does New Zealand. But China does not plan to turn the clocks forward. Countries sometimes announce just days or weeks ahead that they will take part in the time change, so the list is not exhaustive. Allegorical illustration depicting the introduction of daylight saving time from 1916 (Allegorical illustration depicting the introduction of daylight saving time from 1916) 3. Was it always one hour forwards or back? No - at points throughout history there have been 30 minute changes, two hour changes and even 20 and 40 minute changes. 4. Is it here to stay? There are critics of SST who claim darker mornings put children at risk walking to school. Indeed, a trial for year-round British Summer Time from 1968 to 1971 saw a new increase in the number of people seriously injured in northern Scotland. But others argue that it saves energy, boosts tourism and encourages more people to exercise outdoors. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A Greater Manchester council has attracted ridicule after attempting to ban swearing in the streets at an upmarket docklands development. Salford City Council brought in a Public Space Protection Order to cover the Quays area in an apparent bid to curb anti-social behaviour. Part of the order said it would be deemed a criminal offence if anyone was caught using "foul or abusive language". Other acts prohibited include the "throwing of any object at anyone without their consent", and "depositing or throwing into or onto the water any animal or any large object unrelated to water activities, including wheelie bins". Anyone caught breaching the new rules would face a fixed penalty notice of 90 or a summons to caught with a maximum penalty of 1,000 if convicted. Critics of the order have said it fails to give any guidance on specific words that would be deemed a criminal offence if used in public, suggesting it is far too vague in its current form. Comedian Mark Thomas, who is set to perform in Salford on 10 March, said he had prepared a list of words he intends to use, which he will send to the council to see if they breach the order, the Manchester Evening News reported. The 20 best cities to live in the world for quality of life Show all 12 1 /12 The 20 best cities to live in the world for quality of life The 20 best cities to live in the world for quality of life 1. Vienna The 20 best cities to live in the world for quality of life 2. Zurich The 20 best cities to live in the world for quality of life 3. Auckland The 20 best cities to live in the world for quality of life 4. Munich The 20 best cities to live in the world for quality of life 5. Vancouver The 20 best cities to live in the world for quality of life 6. Dusselfdorf The 20 best cities to live in the world for quality of life 7. Frankfurt The 20 best cities to live in the world for quality of life 8. Geneva The 20 best cities to live in the world for quality of life 9. Copenhagen The 20 best cities to live in the world for quality of life 10. Sydney The 20 best cities to live in the world for quality of life 11. Amsterdam The 20 best cities to live in the world for quality of life 12. Wellington A spokesman for Salford City Council told The Independent: "Salford City Council is not going to apologise for using national legislation to help Salford residents when their lives are being made a misery by anti-social behaviour. "This order was introduced last summer after complaints from local residents about anti-social behaviour, including people throwing wheelie bins into the Quays and tampering with emergency life-saving equipment." Councils have been using powers introduced by the Government in 2014 to ban and punish legal activities, such as rough sleeping, busking, and "loitering in groups". More than 70 local authorities have used Public Space Protection Orders which ban activities thought to have a "detrimental effect on the quality of life" of residents. Kettering Council imposed a curfew on under-18s which banned them from going out alone between 11pm and 6am, and joined eight other councils to ban swearing in public. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Hundreds of failed asylum-seekers, including former child migrants, are to be sent back to Afghanistan after the Court of Appeal ruled that deportations can be resumed. A blanket ban on deportations back to the war-ravaged country was imposed in August last year amid concerns that it was too dangerous. Swathes of territory are controlled by the Taliban, and Isis is establishing a foothold. But Home Secretary Theresa May won a significant legal battle to restart the flights even though last year was the bloodiest on record for civilian casualties in the country. According to leaked documents obtained by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, even the Afghan government pleaded with the UK not to resume deportations. The blanket ban imposed last year resulted from a case brought by a group of Afghan asylum-seekers, including HN, who was 14 when he entered the UK alone in 2007. The Upper Tribunal had ruled that, while several provinces in Afghanistan were not secure, the capital Kabul was safe enough for returns. HNs lawyers appealed and while the courts assessed this decision, judges agreed a rare blanket ban on all deportation flights to Afghanistan. Removing that injunction, Court of Appeal judges emphasised they were making their decision for legal reasons because HNs appeal had been dismissed and not because the security situation had changed. However, HNs solicitor, Toufique Hossain, said: The Home Offices intention now will be able to remove people to Afghanistan, theres no doubt about that. Theyve been hampered in their efforts to charter flights every month, which theyve pushed in the past. With the rise of Isis and frequent attacks by the Taliban giving rise to an internal armed conflict, our view is that these claimants have further claims for protection. We will not give up the fight for our clients. Special charter flights to Kabul will now take hundreds of Afghans back to their home country. The Home Office plans to deport even Afghans who hail from dangerous provinces, on the grounds that they can live safely in the capital. Home Secretary Theresa May (Getty) Afghanistans Minister for Refugees and Repatriation told the Bureau that his country was particularly worried about the return of former child asylum-seekers. He said: People who lived in the UK for so many years till they became 18 are completely unfamiliar with Afghanistans situation and challenges and this can cause problems. UK government should have granted them asylum. British Government representatives met Afghan government officials early last year to discuss the issue. The UK delegation was asked to cease forced deportation of refugees, according to paperwork seen by the Bureau. Then, in November 2015, the Afghan Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation wrote to the British embassy, saying: Keeping the current situation in Afghanistan in mind, the ministry of foreign affairs expects the authorities and the general public in our friends country the UK to show tolerance concerning the return of Afghan citizens, in particular in cases where returnees are vulnerable individuals. The decision comes a week after Home Office figures showed a 56 per cent rise in the number of asylum claims last year by unaccompanied minors. Of those 3,043 claims, 656, or 21 per cent, were made by Afghan children. Emily Bowerman works with Refugee Support Network, a charity that currently is supporting 27 Afghan boys in their late teens and early 20s who face the possibility of return to Afghanistan. She said: Most have been in the UK since they were about 15 and are terrified about being sent back to an unfamiliar and insecure environment. This judgement will have devastating implications on many young people who have spent their formative teenage years in the UK and are now being told that they must return to Afghanistan. We are deeply concerned that they will be especially vulnerable to exploitation, targeted violence and discrimination. Civilian casualties in Afghanistan are on the rise. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan has noted that the number of civilian casualties in Afghanistan during 2015 was the highest recorded. It documented 11,002 civilian casualties (3,545 deaths and 7,457 injured) in 2015, exceeding the previous record in 2014. The Home Office declined to comment. Additional reporting by Safya Khan-Ruf and Payenda Sargand Message to migrants: Dont come to Europe Economic migrants should not even contemplate coming illegally to Europe, the EU warned before a last-ditch attempt to stop the tide of people arriving on the continents shores. Donald Tusk, President of the European Council, issued a strongly-worded warning to the those tempted to join the wave of refugees from Syria and Iraq in search of work. Speaking in Athens before a key EU summit on 7 March, he appealed to all potential illegal economic migrants: Do not come to Europe. Do not risk your lives and your money. It is all for nothing. Greece, or any other European country, will no longer be a transit country. More than a million people arrived in Europe by sea last year and the flow is continuing. Balkan states and Austria have responded with strict border limits, creating a backlog in Greece and triggering a political crisis that may destroy the key EU principle of freedom of movement. Mr Tusk was in Ankara for talks with Turkish leaders, who are seen as a vital part of solving the crisis. Turkey is home to 2.5 million Syrians and the starting point for most of those voyaging to Europe by boat. Mr Tusk wants Turkey to accept migrants turned away by Europe. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} France could end British border controls in Calais and allow thousands of refugees to cross the Channel in the event of a Brexit, a minister has said. Emmanuel Macron, the French finance minister, told the Financial Times that a "leave" vote in June's EU referendum may stop Le Touquet agreement, which allows British immigration checkpoints in Calais and Dunkirk and French checks in Dover. The day this relationship unravels, migrants will no longer be in Calais, he said. Demolition of France's 'Jungle camp' continues Current regulations mean that entry to the UK can be refused before entering the Channel Tunnel or boarding ferries, rather than once passengers exit on British soil the other side. It enables lorries to be searched and scanned for stowaways, with any migrants found arrested or removed from the area by police and drivers fined. Moving the Border Force checks to the UK could mean that refugees would be the other side of the Channel before being discovered, giving them the right to apply for asylum and stay in the country until a decision is made. Around 4,000 migrants and refugees are currently living in a camp known as the Jungle in Calais, with more in Dunkirk, all trying to reach England. In pictures: Calais crisis Show all 15 1 /15 In pictures: Calais crisis In pictures: Calais crisis Calais crisis Migrants climb in the back of a lorry on the A16 highway leading to the Eurotunnel in Calais Getty Images In pictures: Calais crisis Calais crisis Protesting French employees of the company English Channel passenger and freight ferry company "MyFerryLink" block the railway tracks of the Eurostar Channel tunnel line in Calais Getty Images In pictures: Calais crisis Calais crisis Protesting French employees of the company English Channel passenger and freight ferry company "MyFerryLink" block the railway tracks of the Eurostar Channel tunnel line with a burning plastic barrier In pictures: Calais crisis Calais crisis French riot police officers drive out protesting French employees of the freight ferry company MyFerryLink Getty Images In pictures: Calais crisis Calais crisis French riot police take position to drive out protesters blocking the railway tracks Getty Images In pictures: Calais crisis Calais crisis Passengers stranded by the cancellation of Eurostar trains wait at St. Pancras station in London. Eurostar said it has canceled all passenger trains through the tunnel that links France and England, after striking ferry workers swarmed the train line setting tires alight In pictures: Calais crisis Calais crisis Passengers sit on stairs after being stranded by cancelled Eurostar trains at St. Pancras station in London In pictures: Calais crisis Calais crisis A police vehicle drives past lorries are backed up on the M20 motorway which leads from London to the Channel Tunnel terminal at Ashford and the Ferry Terminal at Dover In pictures: Calais crisis Calais crisis Trucks queue up as part of Operation Stack in Dover In pictures: Calais crisis Calais crisis Cars queue to board a ferry in Dover bound for Dunkirk, France, as the disruption at Calais looks set to enter a second day as migrants continue to target lorries in a bid to cross into the UK In pictures: Calais crisis Calais crisis A police officer sprays tear gas to migrants trying to access the Channel Tunnel on the A16 highway in Calais, northern France PHILIPPE HUGUEN/AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Calais crisis Calais crisis Migrants wait near the A16 highway as they try to access the Channel Tunnel in Calais, northern France PHILIPPE HUGUEN/AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Calais crisis Calais crisis Striking employees of the French company My Ferry Link, a cross-channel ferry service, stand in front of tyres set on fire as they block the access to the Channel Tunnel in Calais, northern France PHILIPPE HUGUEN/AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Calais crisis Calais crisis A striking employee of the French company My Ferry Link, a cross-channel ferry service, sits on a tyre in front of tyres set on fire as he takes part in a blockade of the access to the Channel Tunnel in Calais, northern France PHILIPPE HUGUEN/AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Calais crisis Calais crisis Striking employees of the French company My Ferry Link, a cross-channel ferry service, prepare to set tyres on fire to block the access to the Channel Tunnel in Calais, northern France PHILIPPE HUGUEN/AFP/Getty Images French authorities are gradually demolishing hundreds of tents and shacks, claiming they have sufficient accommodation to rehome migrants in other areas of the country, but activists claim they have underestimated numbers and will leave thousands without shelter and even more desperate to leave. Recommended Read more David Cameron says refugee camps could move to Kent after EU exit David Cameron was accused of scaremongering when he claimed that a Brexit could see the camps move to Britain last month. The Vote Leave campaign group said Downing Streets warning that the French would love to pull out of the 2003 treaty had no grounding in reality, while Eurosceptic Tory MP David Davis branded the prospect preposterous. At the time, the French interior ministry pointed to a statement by interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve saying there were "no plans" to change the agreement, which was drawn up as part of a bilateral treaty. Migrants watch a hut burn as police officers clear part of the 'jungle' migrant camp on February 29, 2016 in Calais, France (Getty Images) Sir Peter Ricketts, the former UK ambassador to France and national security advisor, warned that the French government was under pressure from opposition parties to scrap it. If the context changed and Britain made a major decision to leave the EU I think its highly likely France would review its position too," he told BBC Radio 4. Downing Street said the Prime Minister and Francois Hollande were expected to discuss the situation in Calais at the Anglo-French summit today. Mr Cameron is expected to make a joint announcement with French President in Amiens on security and other benefits of remaining within the EU. Additional reporting by PA Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Residents in northern and central parts of the UK are being warned to prepare for snow and ice over the next few days. The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for ice for the majority of Scotland and a warning for snow in Wales, Northern Ireland, the north of England and the Midlands. The cold weather, while not unusual for the time of year, is being caused by easterly air flow moving in, said Met Office spokesperson Lindsay Mears. Overnight [on Thursday], a band of rain will be moving in and [this will turn] into snow on higher ground. Into tomorrow, it will be cold with hill snow in the north. But the cold air will move down into central England." London and the south-east of England will be spared disruption from the snow though. According to Ms Mears, central England, the Pennines and the Manchester area will feel the biggest impact. Around 3-5cm of snow will settle on higher grounds while only up to 2cm will cover lower levels. Snow is not unusual [for the time of year]. February really is the snowiest month and were only in early March, said Ms Mears. Most of Thursday will be cold but fairly stable, with temperatures between 5C and 7C in the north and Scotland, and between 7C and 9C in the south of the country. Ms Mears said: The weekend will be slightly unsettled. Again there will be more rain coming in which might turn into winterly showers. The north and west will be clearer and the south will perhaps get more winterly showers but theyre not [expecting snow]. On Saturday, temperatures will hover between 5C and 6C in the north, and between 6C and 8C in the south. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The UKs ability to combat international wildlife crime and the illegal trade of animal parts will be diminished if we leave the EU, the Government has claimed. Environment minister Rory Stewart said the country had more influence within and beyond Europe because of its membership, placing it in a better position to lobby over issues such as lion trophy hunting and the ivory trade. The UK is recognised as a world leader in tackling wildlife crime and it is an issue we have tirelessly campaigned on from within Europe, Mr Stewart said at the Save Wildlife Conference at the Hague. From outside our influence and our ability to act would be diminished, Recommended Read more National Wildlife Crime Unit to continue despite closure threats The heartless actions of poachers and organised criminals threaten to wipe out some of the worlds most iconic wild animals and damage our planets ecosystem beyond repair all for personal gain, he added. Without united action to tackle the problem at its source, many of these animals may soon disappear completely. He said the UK had made progress in persuading fellow EU member states to take action over re-exports of elephant tusks from inside Europe, and was also lobbying for a Europe-wide ban on lion hunting trophy imports by the end of 2017, barring real improvement in industry practice. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Department of Health has told the Vote Leave campaign to stop using the official NHS logo in its Brexit literature as using the trademark breaches their guidelines. The anti-EU group have distributed leaflets and letters bearing the famous white capital letters on a blue background with the message to Save our NHS in the top right corner. Underneath a large message to Help protect your local hospital is the groups slogan to Vote Leave, take control next to a red ballot box. However, the NHS logo and letters are registered trademarks owned by the Department of Health to be used in accordance with its brand guidelines. Recommended Read more Brexit group pushed to reveal plans for second EU membership vote They can only be used in official NHS communications in support of NHS core principles and values, which include being clear and professional, straightforward and honest to avoid misleading information and false promises. NHS Brand Guidelines, the body that manages the marks on behalf of the Health Secretary, state: This is to protect the NHS from being seen as the source of materials that have not originated from the NHS. Replying to an email asking if it would be acceptable to use the logo as presented on Vote Leaves leaflet, the NHS Brand and Identity Helpline advised the layout should not be used. They said: The trademark cannot be used by other organisations without our authorisation. Its use is strictly enforced to ensure clarity and to guard against misuse. It is therefore important that we protect it from any unauthorised use or adaptation, and any use of the NHS marks has to be approved by our team. Use of the NHS logo or an approximation of, used in this manner is in breach of the NHS Trademark. One of Vote Leaves central arguments is that it wants to stop sending 350m every week to Brussels and instead spend it on our priorities, like the NHS and science research. A spokesman for Britain Stronger in Europe said: Its shameless of Leave campaigners to use the NHSs much loved brand in this cynical, grubby and underhand manner. It is utterly unacceptable that Vote Leave is trying to capitalise on peoples trust in this countrys most cherished institution for their own ends. If they have any respect for this great organisation, they should immediately desist using the NHS logo, repeal all campaign literature that uses it and apologise profusely. A DoH spokesperson said: We have informed Vote Leave this is an inappropriate use of the NHS brand. A spokesperson for the Electoral Commission said it does not have a role in regulating the content or messages of referendum campaigns, and so we wouldnt be in a position to comment. A Vote Leave spokesman said its version was a "mock up, not the official NHS logo". He said: We believe its quite reasonable to question whether the money we hand to Brussels every week is better spent on our priorities, like the NHS. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The two most powerful nations on the European continent have issued dark warnings about the consequences for Britain and for Europe if the UK votes to leave the EU. The French President, Francois Hollande, said Brexit would inevitably have some impact on his countrys willingness to stop illegal migrants from crossing the English Channel. The German Finance Minister, Wolfgang Schauble, argued that Brexit would make the whole of Europe less stable and more volatile, adding that Britain would be shut out of the single market if it left the EU. Their interventions provided a boost for David Cameron, who is facing fierce opposition to his pleas for Britain to stay in the EU from nearly 130 of his MPs and the majority of Tory activists. The gloomy French and German forecasts could sway some undecided voters, with about one-third believed to be wavering over which way to jump in the referendum on 23 June. However, Leave campaigners are convinced that comments by foreign politicians could backfire and be seen by Britons as an attempt to bully the country into line. Chris Grayling, the Leader of the Commons, said: The Euro establishment is desperate for Britain to stay in the EU. We spend billions of pounds each year supporting the EU, and they dont want to lose our money. Mr Hollande made his remarks at the end of a Franco-British summit in the Somme region with Mr Cameron. It is for British voters to decide. It is not for me to warn or threaten. That would probably be counter-productive, he said. But there will, of course, be consequences if Britain leaves the EU, including consequences for how we handle the question of immigration in Calais. Earlier, the French Economy Minister, Emmanuel Macron, had warned that the Jungle refugee camp in Calais could be transplanted to the Kent coast if Britain votes to leave. But Mr Macrons remarks were dismissed by Leave campaigners as part of a scare campaign stage-managed by Downing Street. What has the EU ever done for us? Show all 7 1 /7 What has the EU ever done for us? What has the EU ever done for us? 1. It gives you freedom to live, work and retire anywhere in Europe As a member of the EU, UK citizens benefit from freedom of movement across the continent. Considered one of the so-called four pillars of the European Union, this freedom allows all EU citizens to live, work and travel in other member states. What has the EU ever done for us? 2. It sustains millions of jobs A report by the Centre for Economics and Business Research, released in October 2015, suggested 3.1 million British jobs were linked to the UKs exports to the EU. What has the EU ever done for us? 3. Your holiday is much easier - and safer Freedom to travel is one of the most exercised benefits of EU membership, with Britons having made 31 million visits to the EU in 2014 alone. But a lot of the benefits of being an EU citizen are either taken for granted or go unnoticed. What has the EU ever done for us? 4. It means you're less likely to get ripped off Consumer protection is a key benefit of the EUs single market, and ensures members of the British public receive equal consumer rights when shopping anywhere in Europe. What has the EU ever done for us? 5. It offers greater protection from terrorists, paedophiles, people traffickers and cyber-crime Another example of a lesser-known advantage of EU membership is the benefit of cross-country coordination and cooperation in the fight against crime. What has the EU ever done for us? 6. Our businesses depend on it According to 71% of all members of the Confederation of British Influence (CBI), and 67 per cent of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the EU has had an overall positive impact on their business. What has the EU ever done for us? 7. We have greater influence Robin Niblett, Director of think-tank Chatham House, stated in a report published last year: For a mid-sized country like the UK, which will never again be economically dominant either globally or regionally, and whose diplomatic and military resources are declining in relative terms, being a major player in a strong regional institution can offer a critical lever for international influence. Mr Schauble, the second-most powerful politician in Germany, reflected his nations fears that Britains departure from the EU would create turmoil in the bloc. Berlin regards the UK as an important counterbalance to the countries in Southern Europe. Speaking at a British Chambers of Commerce conference in London, Mr Schauble said: I think the UK would take the risk that continental Europe would be less stable, more volatile. Asked how Germany would feel if Britain voted on 23 June to leave, he replied: We would cry But I hope we will not. Look, its a decision of the British people, of course. Mr Schauble added that Britain would be able to continue having access to the single market only if it agreed to pay into the EU budget and accept freedom of movement of people as well as of goods and services. He said: That will not be a reasonable position for the UK. Appearing alongside him, the Chancellor, George Osborne, said: Is it the case that the national security of the UK, the security of Europe, will be helped if we were to leave the EU? I dont think it would be the case, and my colleague here, Wolfgang Schauble, agrees with me. Following the French Presidents comments, Mr Cameron angrily denied any collusion with Paris to bolster the Remain campaign. He likened the suggestion to the ideas advanced by the conspiracy theorist David Icke. When important people abroad when the Economics Minister of a friendly country, gives a warning, we should listen to them, the Prime Minister said. Of course you can say this is all some giant conspiracy That is just nonsense. The best thing to do is to listen to the arguments, to listen to what people are saying, and to understand some of the risks and some of the uncertainties about leaving the European Union. Mr Cameron also announced that Britain was giving France another 17m on top of 51m already spent to cover part of the costs of security in Calais and shipping migrants to reception centres elsewhere in France. Wolfgang Schauble said that Germany would cry if the UK voted to leave the EU (AFP/Getty) Without being as direct as Mr Macron, Mr Hollande said the British must face up to the fact that their decision would have consequences for many aspects of their relationship with France and the rest of Europe. This included maintaining full access to the European single market, he said, but also the people situation in Calais. He added: It doesnt mean everything will be destroyed, I dont want to give you catastrophic scenarios, but there will be consequences. All democratic votes have consequences Otherwise there would be no point in voting. Since 2003, a bilateral Franco-British treaty signed at a similar summit in Le Touquet has in effect shifted the British frontier to the French side of the Channel. British passport officers and security officials, backed by security fences and hundreds of French police, work together to try to prevent illegal migrants or asylum-seekers from reaching British soil. In an interview with the Financial Times, Mr Macron said his government wanted this treaty to continue but it would inevitably be threatened if Britain quit the EU. If Britain left, the migrants will no longer be in Calais, he warned. French officials insisted there was no collusion with Britain. One source said Mr Macron had given the interview several days ago and was just thinking aloud. Several senior French politicians from the right and left already believe that the Franco-British border should be moved back to the UK. Among them is the newly elected centre-right president of the Nord-Pas-de-Calais-Picardie region, Xavier Bertrand. After the summit on 3 March, he told The Independent: For me, this is a treaty which has a limited life. If Britain leaves the EU, it will be time to renegotiate. Will Straw, the executive director of Britain Stronger In Europe, said: The main argument of those campaigning to leave the EU lies in tatters. The people who will decide what deal we get if we leave Europe are unanimous we cannot end free movement, end budget contributions or unilaterally ignore EU regulations without losing access to the EUs free-trade single market. This would put jobs and low prices at risk. David Cameron and Francois Hollande in the Musee de Picardie in Amiens after the 34th Franco-British summit (AP) However, the Leave campaign received a fillip when John Longworth, the director-general of the British Chambers of Commerce, threw his weight behind the Brexit campaign. With the reforms we have received so far, the UK would be better off taking a decision to leave, he said. He argued that the UK could create a brighter economic future for itself outside the EU and the long-term risks of staying in the bloc were likely to be as daunting as the short-term risks of leaving. Q&A: The facts about migration post-brexit Q | Would Brexit really mean that migrants could pour over the Channel unchecked? A | Legally, there is no reason why this should be the case. Politically, it is likely that the UKs departure from the EU would call into question the 2003 treaty which, in effect, moved Britains border to the French side of the Channel. The French Economy Minister, Emmanuel Macron, delighted the Remain camp by suggesting that Calais migrants would be allowed to reach Kent unhindered. His comments do not reflect French government policy but do reflect growing political pressure in France to scrap the present arrangement. Q | The 2003 Treaty of Le Touquet is a French-British bilateral treaty. Why should leaving the EU matter? A | Like any divorce, Brexit would cause bitterness on the part of the jilted party. Many French politicians, of both right and left, are already questioning the Calais status quo. Imagine if the situation were reversed and thousands of migrants seeking asylum in France were being blocked in Dover or Folkestone. How would British public opinion view the prospect of UK money and manpower being deployed indefinitely to defend France? Q | Would the end of the Treaty of Le Touquet transfer The Jungle to Kent? A | Not necessarily. If France scrapped the present British passport controls and security checks in Calais and if the French abandoned their own controls many more migrants and asylum-seekers would cross. But the ferry companies and Eurotunnel, and individual motorists and lorry drivers, would still face steep fines (up to 3,000 a person) for bringing unauthorised people to Kent. There would be a stream of extra migrants reaching Britain but not necessarily a flood. There would therefore be a new problem for the French. Any relaxation of the controls would attract even more migrants to Calais and other French Channel ports. The Calais Jungle and similar squatter camps might actually get bigger. Q | Was Mr Macron put up to it by Downing Street? A | Any collusion is strenuously denied. Mr Macron is a loose cannon. He often speaks out of turn. But he often voices unspoken truths. John Lichfield Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Francois Hollande has warned there will be consequences for the way France seeks to control immigration into Britain if the UK votes to leave the European Union. Following a UK-France summit in Amiens, the French president said Britain could not escape the fact that relations between the two countries would change in the event of a vote for Brexit. While he stopped short of repeating a warning by the French finance minister that UK border controls in Calais could be withdrawn - potentially opening the door for many more migrants to cross the Channel - he left little doubt the issue would be on the table. David Cameron dismissed suggestions that the French intervention was part of a giant David Icke-style conspiracy to stitch-up the result of the referendum on Britain's EU membership as nonsense. The Prime Minister stressed, however, that it was important that voters listened to what friendly countries such as France were saying when they came to decide. Mr Hollande denied that he was trying to scare UK voters, insisting such tactics would be counterproductive. However, he made clear that it would not just be immigration issues that would be affected - pointing also to the European single market and the financial services sector. He acknowledged, nevertheless, it was the situation at Calais - where hundreds of migrants are camped in the Jungle while they try to find a way across the Channel - that was the most sensitive issue. I don't want to scare you but I just want to say the truth. There will be consequences in many areas, he said. What has the EU ever done for us? Show all 7 1 /7 What has the EU ever done for us? What has the EU ever done for us? 1. It gives you freedom to live, work and retire anywhere in Europe As a member of the EU, UK citizens benefit from freedom of movement across the continent. Considered one of the so-called four pillars of the European Union, this freedom allows all EU citizens to live, work and travel in other member states. What has the EU ever done for us? 2. It sustains millions of jobs A report by the Centre for Economics and Business Research, released in October 2015, suggested 3.1 million British jobs were linked to the UKs exports to the EU. What has the EU ever done for us? 3. Your holiday is much easier - and safer Freedom to travel is one of the most exercised benefits of EU membership, with Britons having made 31 million visits to the EU in 2014 alone. But a lot of the benefits of being an EU citizen are either taken for granted or go unnoticed. What has the EU ever done for us? 4. It means you're less likely to get ripped off Consumer protection is a key benefit of the EUs single market, and ensures members of the British public receive equal consumer rights when shopping anywhere in Europe. What has the EU ever done for us? 5. It offers greater protection from terrorists, paedophiles, people traffickers and cyber-crime Another example of a lesser-known advantage of EU membership is the benefit of cross-country coordination and cooperation in the fight against crime. What has the EU ever done for us? 6. Our businesses depend on it According to 71% of all members of the Confederation of British Influence (CBI), and 67 per cent of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the EU has had an overall positive impact on their business. What has the EU ever done for us? 7. We have greater influence Robin Niblett, Director of think-tank Chatham House, stated in a report published last year: For a mid-sized country like the UK, which will never again be economically dominant either globally or regionally, and whose diplomatic and military resources are declining in relative terms, being a major player in a strong regional institution can offer a critical lever for international influence. There will be consequences, especially in the way we handle the situation we have just mentioned in terms of immigration. There will be consequences, there is no solution where there is no consequences. Mr Cameron said that such advice from an ally should be treated seriously. When you have ministers in other governments warning about potential consequences that might happen that would be injurious to the United Kingdom, I would say listen to those things, he said. The Prime Minister announced 17 million of funding for enhanced security in Calais, as well as moves to relocate migrants from the port to facilities elsewhere in France. I applaud the action that the French government is taking to deal with the situation with the camps in Calais and to say to people that they should be seeking asylum in France, and if they are not asylum seekers they should be returned to the countries from which they came, he said. That I think is absolutely the right approach and the president has my 100% backing in the work he is doing to deliver that. And as the money that we announced today shows, we are absolutely working in a joint endeavour. Brexit campaigners poured scorn on the suggestions from the French government that The Jungle migrant camp could be recreated across the Channel. Before the comments from Mr Hollande, French finance minister Emmanuel Macron told the Financial Times: The day this relationship unravels, migrants will no longer be in Calais. Mr Macron's comments were dismissed as scaremongering by London mayor and leading advocate of Brexit Boris Johnson. Breaking into Franglais during a visit to south London, Mr Johnson told the Press Association: I would say 'Donnez-moi un break'. There's absolutely no reason why that treaty should be changed. It was an inter-governmental treaty, it was the Le Touquet treaty. It was signed between the British government and the French government. It's not in the French interests to want to do that and it's just the usual flapping and scaremongering. Grassroots Out spokesman and former shadow home secretary David Davis described Mr Macron's comment as more like bluster than a real threat. The Tory MP said: The simple point is that if we leave the EU, we regain control of our borders and we decide who comes in and who doesn't. If the French start putting illegal immigrants on a train or ferry and send them to Britain, we will send them straight back to France. Senior Conservative Bernard Jenkin told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: That is the genuine line to take from the French government. What we are having now is propaganda being produced by other European governments at the request of the Prime Minister to try to scare people (out of) voting Leave. I don't think responsible European governments are going to cut off their noses to spite their faces just because we vote to leave. It is obviously the safer thing for the UK to take back control over our borders, over our laws, over the money we send to the EU because then we can control our relations with our European partners. The Amiens summit also saw an agreement to jointly invest 1.5 billion to develop the next generation of unmanned combat air systems which Mr Cameron said will be the most advanced of its kind in Europe, securing high-end engineering jobs and expertise in both the UK and France. PA Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Jeremy Corbyn will pledge to put state investment centre stage if he becomes Prime Minister, committing the Labour party to a break from what he called the failed economic orthodoxy of the establishment. In a speech to the British Chambers of Commerce, the Labour leader said that only through cooperation between the state and markets, and an increase in public investment in science, technology and the green industries could government achieve rising living standards for all. Recommended Read more Cameron managed to get away with a tragic performance at PMQs And in one of his most direct attacks yet on the record of Gordon Brown and Tony Blair, he will say that the New Labour approach of light-touch regulation of the banks before the financial crisis amounted to an attempt to outsource economic policy to the City of London. Osbornes recovery is a house built on sand. But what Labour now stands for is far more than stopping the damage being done by this government... and its threat to our long-term economic future, he is expected to say, criticising the Chancellor for seeking to cut back government in response to the financial crisis. But it wasnt government that was the problem in 2007 and 2008 when the banking sector nearly drove the entire economy to the point of collapse, he will say. Jeremy Corbyn recalls Hiroshima 'horror' at Trident rally The New Labour approach was to opt for light touch regulation of finance and then sit back and collect the tax revenues. But you cannot base a decent social policy on an unsustainable economic policy. And we cannot outsource economic policy to the City of London. That has not served our economy well, and it has not served business well. He will call for a new national investment bank to target funding for enterprises that are in the wider public and economic interest not just in the interests of quick returns. However, his attack on the economic record of previous Labour governments is likely to lead to a fresh clash with opponents in his own party. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Conservative MPs have blocked a plan to examine the effect of their cuts to disability benefits. The House of Lords had previously blocked a Government plan to cut Employment and Support Allowance and said ministers should first conduct an impact assessment into what the cuts effects would be. But on Wednesday Tory MPs overruled the peers, voting to push ahead with the cuts without looking at what their effect might be. The cuts package, which takes 30 a week away from new disabled ESA claimants who may be capable of work in future, has now been sent back to the House of Lords for a third time. Research by the Disability Benefits Consortium suggests the benefit's low level is already failing to meet disabled people's needs. A survey of 500 people in the affected group found that 28 per cent of people had been unable to afford to eat while in receipt of the the benefit. 38 per cent of respondents said they had been unable to heat their homes and 52 per cent struggled to stay healthy. Elliot Dunster, group head of policy, research and public affairs at disability charity Scope, said the proposal would make life harder for disabled people. MPs have again failed to recognise the harmful impact that reducing Employment and Support Allowance will have on disabled people, he said. Iain Duncan Smith and Priti Patel have both defended the cuts (Reuters) Were deeply disappointed that the Government is pushing ahead with its plans despite widespread opposition and the Lords twice raising concerns by voting to amend this flawed measure. Half a million disabled people will be affected by this proposal losing around 30 a week, at a time when they are already struggling to make ends meet. Reducing disabled peoples incomes wont incentivise them to find a job. It will just make life harder. Rob Holland, parliamentary manager at the learning disability charity Mencap said there was mounting evidence the Governments approach was wrong. The Government are intent, based on little evidence, that taking away 1,500 a year from disabled people will incentivise them to find work, he said. 7 ways the Tories have helped disabled people Show all 7 1 /7 7 ways the Tories have helped disabled people 7 ways the Tories have helped disabled people Closing Remploy factories The Work and Pensions Secretary called time on Britains system of Remploy factories, which provided subsidised and sheltered employment to disabled people. People employed at the factories protested against their closure and said they provided gainful work. Is it a kindness to stick people in some factory where they are not doing any work at all? Just making cups of coffee? Mr Duncan Smith said at the time, defending the decision. I promise you this is better. The Remploy organisation was privatised and sold to American workfare provider Maximus, with the majority of the organisations factories closed. The future of the remaining sites is unclear 7 ways the Tories have helped disabled people Scrapping the Independent Living Fund The 320m Independent Living Fund was established in 1988 to give financial support to people with disabilities. It was scrapped on July 1 2015, with 18,000 often severely disabled people losing out by an average of 300 a week. The money was generally used to help pay for carers so people could live in communities rather than institutions. Councils will get a boost in funding to compensate but it will not cover the whole cost of the fund. This new cash also doesnt have to be spent on the disabled 7 ways the Tories have helped disabled people Cut payments for the disabled Access To Work scheme Iain Duncan Smith is bringing forward a policy that will reduce payments to some disabled people from a scheme designed to help them into work. The 108m scheme, which helps 35,540 people, will be capped on a per-used basis, potentially hitting those with the more serious disabilities who currently receive the most help. The single biggest users of the fund are people who have difficulty seeing and hearing. The cut will come in from October 2015. The charity Disability UK says the scheme actually makes the Government money because the people who gain access to work tend pay tax that more than covers its cost. The DWP does not describe the reduction as a cut and says it will be able to spread the money more thinly and cover more people 7 ways the Tories have helped disabled people Cut Employment and Support Allowance The latest Budget included a 30 a week cut in disability benefits for some new claimants of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). The Government says it is equalising the rate of disability benefits with Jobseekers Allowance because giving disabled people more help is a perverse incentive. The people affected by this cut are those assessed as having a limited capability for work but as being capable of some work-related activity. A group of prominent Catholics wrote to Mr Duncan Smith to say there was no justification for this cut. Mental health charity Mind, said the cut was insulting and misguided 7 ways the Tories have helped disabled people Risk homelessness with a sharp increase disability benefit sanctions Official figures in the first quarter of 2014 found a huge increase in sanctions against people reliant on ESA sickness benefit. The 15,955 sanctions were handed out in that period compared to 3,574 in the same period the year before, 2013 a 4.5 times increase. The homelessness charity Crisis warned at the time that the sharp rise in temporary benefit cuts was cruel and can leave people utterly destitute without money even for food and at severe risk of homelessness. It is difficult to see how they are meant to help people prepare for work, Matt Downie, director of policy at the charity added 7 ways the Tories have helped disabled people Sending sick people to work because of broken fitness to work tests In 2012 a government advisor appointed to review the Governments Work Capability Assessment said the tests causing suffering by sending sick people back to work inappropriately. There are certainly areas where it's still not working and I am sorry there are people going through a system which I think still needs improvement, Professor Malcolm Harrington concluded. The tests are said to have improved since then, but as recently as this summer they are still coming in for criticism. In June the British Psychological Society said there was now significant body of evidence that the WCA is failing to assess peoples fitness for work accurately and appropriately. It called for a full overhaul of the way the tests are carried out. The WCA appeals system has also been fraught with controversy with a very high rate of overturns and delays lasting months and blamed for hardship 7 ways the Tories have helped disabled people The bedroom tax The Governments benefit cut for people who it says are under-occupying their homes disproportionately affects disabled people. Statistics released last year show that around two-thirds of those affected by the under-occupancy penalty, widely known as the bedroom tax, are disabled. There have been a number of high profile cases of disabled people being moved out of specially adapted homes by the policy. In one case publicised by the Sunday People last week, a 48 year old man with cerebral palsy was forced to bathe in a paddling pool after the tax moved him out of his home with a walk-in shower. The Government says it has provided councils with a discretionary fund to help reduce the policys impact on disabled people, but cases continue to arise The mounting evidence suggests the opposite, that cutting Employment and Support Allowance will push disabled people further from work and closer to poverty. Research by a coalition of 60 national charities suggested last year that the cuts to the so-called ESA Work Related Activity Group (WRAG) would actually make it harder for disabled people to find a job. 69 per cent of WRAG claimants surveyed believed their health would suffer were they affected by the cut and 45 per cent said getting work would become more difficult. But ministers last night disregarded the charities advice. The change is urgently needed to ensure that the right incentivesand, importantly, supportare available to help more people with disabilities and health conditions to move closer to, and into, employment, said Priti Patel, a minister at the Department for Work and Pensions. The Lords proposal was rejected by MPs by 309-274 votes with most Tory MPs voting against.The Government has now invoked financial privilege on the cuts meaning it will be harder for the House of Lords to block them a third time. The Government says the ESA cut will save 1.4bn over the next four financial years. A Department of Work and Pensions spokesman said: We are absolutely committed to supporting disabled people and thats why we continue to spend around 50bn a year on disabled people and their services. Our reforms will ensure the right support and incentives are in place to help disabled people move closer to the labour market and, when they are ready, back into work. Those who are already claiming ESA will see no change in the level of benefit they receive. In addition, payments for people in the support group, who have the most severe work-limiting health conditions and disabilities, will be maintained at the current level. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} In a small step which could go towards solving the mystery of the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, officials have said that debris found on the shore of Mozambique matches theories about where the wreckage from the plane would have ended up. The debris discovered in the African nation is believed to be from the Boeing 777, however it has not yet been confirmed. Flight 370, which had 239 people on board and was travelling from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, disappeared in March 2014. It is thought that the aircraft crashed somewhere in the southern Indian Ocean around 6,000km to the east of Mozambique. Authorities have predicted that plane debris would eventually be carried by currents to the east coast of Africa. Photos of the debris, found on the weekend by American man Blaine Gibson, show a piece of white metal. According to a US official, it could be the fixed leading edge of the white right-hand tail section of the Boeing. Darren Chester, the Australian Transport Minister, said the location of the debris in Mozambique was "consistent with a drift modelling commissioned by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau", confirming that search crews were looking in the correct part of the Indian Ocean for the plane's wreckage. "It is too early to speculate on the origin of the debris at this stage," he added. Liow Tiong, the Malaysian Transport Minister, also said the location of the debris was in line with predictions made by investigators. MH370 debris - in pictures Show all 7 1 /7 MH370 debris - in pictures MH370 debris - in pictures MH370 debris French police officers carry a piece of debris from a plane in Saint-Andre, Reunion Island. AP MH370 debris - in pictures MH370 debris Police carry a piece of debris from an unidentified aircraft found in the coastal area of Saint-Andre de la Reunion, in the east of the French Indian Ocean island of La Reunion AFP PHOTO / YANNICK PITOUYANNICK PITOU/AFP/Getty Images MH370 debris - in pictures MH370 debris The plane part is being taken to France for further investigation Reuters MH370 debris - in pictures MH370 debris French gendarmes and police inspect a large piece of plane debris which was found on the beach in Saint-Andre, on the French Indian Ocean island of La Reunion Reuters MH370 debris - in pictures MH370 debris French gendarmes and police inspect a large piece of plane debris which was found on the beach in Saint-Andre, on the French Indian Ocean island of La Reunion Reuters MH370 debris - in pictures MH370 debris Johnny Begue, a member of a local shore cleaning association, in Saint-Andre, French Indian Ocean island of La Reunion, holds the remain of a suitcase found the day before on the same site Getty Images MH370 debris - in pictures MH370 debris Searches continued on Friday for other possible MH370 debris along beaches on the island of Reunion AP "From the pictures, it's high probability that the plane debris is from Boeing 777," said Mr Tiong, adding that representatives from Malaysia's Civil Aviation department and Malaysia Airlines would go to Mozambique to discuss the find. The part is expected to be transported to Australia for examination, said the Australian Transport Safety Bureau. "We're aware of these reports that debris has been found in Mozambique," said Dan O'Malley, a spokesman for the Australian Transport Safety Bureau. "We're working with officials in Mozambique and Malaysia to investigate." He added that they would wait to analyse the debris before drawing any conclusions. The find in Mozambique comes after a piece of the plane's wing washed up on the French island of Reunion in July 2015. Additional reporting by agencies Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Donald Trump has not even started building the wall between the US and Mexico but already his cost projections are mounting. He told MSNBC on 9 February that his 35 to 40 feet high wall to keep out illegal immigrants would cost $8 billion. But speaking to voters on 3 March in Maine, he said the wall would cost $10 billion, an increase by $2 billion. But its a Trump wall so I will get the wall in under budget, he said. He described how the US only need build a 1,000 mile wall as half of the 2,000 border has natural barriers. Mr Trump was defending his bid for presidency after he received a scathing attack from former Republican nominee Mitt Romney. We have a $58 billion trade deficit with Mexico - the wall is a tiny fraction of that, he said. China built a wall 1300 years ago which is thousands of miles long but we cant build a wall thats only 1,000 miles long? He insisted that Mexico will pay for the wall, yet former Mexican presidents Felipe Calderon and Vicente Fox have both said the country will not "pay a cent" towards it. I love Mexico and the Mexican people, thousands of Mexicans have worked for me, Mr Trump said. The Republican's views on free trade and outsourcing have reversed in the last decade, as reported by Mother Jones. On Super Tuesday, where he won the vote of seven states, he said: We have to stop it, folks. I know how to stop it: We're going to create jobs, we're going to create jobs like you've never seen. Yet in a blog post from 2005 he wrote: We hear terrible things about outsourcing jobshow sending work outside of our companies is contributing to the demise of American businesses. But in this instance I have to take the unpopular stance that it is not always a terrible thing. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A student-led petition demanding the teacher who resigned after her nude picture was circulated should be reinstated at the school has gathered close to 6,000 signatures. Leigh Anne Arthur, 33, told of how a 16-year-old boy stole her phone from her desk when she was out of the classroom. The phone contained a nude photo of the teacher, and the student ciruclated the image, copying and sharing it and posting one copy in the teacher's locker. Recommended Read more Teacher forced to resign after student shared her nude pictures Ms Arthur was given the choice of resigning or facing due process procedures at the South Carolina school. She chose the former. She had taken the picture for her husband for Valentines Day, as reported by the New York Times. Now a petition called Bring Back Mrs Arthur has gained more than 5,700 signatures. The petition reads: Leigh Anne Arthur is the victim of a blatant attack of her privacy. Personal photographs were illegally obtained by a student and were sent to other students in the school (Union County High). After being escorted off of school property, we (the students) are left to believe that she has been forced to, or given little choice but to resign. Mrs Arthur has not only shown tremendous dedication to her students, but also the mechatronics program itself, often reaching out to local businesses and colleges to get materials that would not normally be available for the class. The Union County Schools superintendent, David Eubanks, said Ms Arthur shared responsibility for the incident as she had let students use her phone in the past. It became a regular piece of equipment that they used in that classroom, Dr Eubanks said. Knowing that, why did she put that photograph on that cellphone? Ms Arthur told CBS News: The whole premise of my privacy is being ignored. She claimed she had been forced to resign. The petition reported that the student who stole the teachers phone has not received any punishment. In a statement obtained by the New York Times, Dr Eubanks said the student may also be severely punished by law enforcement, as well as the school district. Ms. Arthur said she knew who the student is but had forgiven him, according to NBC. Hes 16. Hes going to make stupid decisions. We all make stupid decisions when were 16, she said. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Donald Trump has delivered an angry response to Mitt Romneys attack on his bid for presidency, claiming Mr Romney was begging him for cash in 2012 and chickened out of the presidential race. Surrounded by American flags and his slogan Make America Great Again, Mr Trump told a packed room of supporters in Maine: He [Romney] failed badly. That was a race [in 2012] that I have to say absolutely should have won. I dont know what happened to him. He just disappeared. Recommended Read more Mitt Romney blasts Donald Trump in scathing speech Mr Trump acknowledged that he had backed Mr Romney in 2012 and said he supported Mr Romney financially. I could have said: Mitt, drop to your knees, and he would have dropped. He was begging me, said Mr Trump. He let us down. Its one thing when you lose and you work and you work. But he let us down. He went away. His campaign manager was terrible. Stuart Stevens or something. Mr Trump said Mr Romney chickened out in 2016 against Hillary Clinton and that he was a choke artist. Citing his growing popularity in the polls, he said: The pundits say he has [I have] plateaued - you know, plateaued?" Im very proud of this. This is not a plateau, this is a movement," he added. Mr Trump asked security guards to take out three protestors from the rally within 15 minutes of the start of his speech. He said he had been criticized for being too soft and too harsh on people at his rallies. So now Ive adopted a nice: alright, please get them out, said Mr Trump. Mr Romney, the 2012 Republican presidential nominee, asked voters earlier on Thursday to make the right choice, warning that Mr Trumps economic plan would sink the US in a recession and that Mr Trump could not remember details from his healthcare plan. Dishonesty is Trumps hallmark: He claimed that he had spoken clearly and boldly against going into Iraq. Wrong, he spoke in favor of invading Iraq. He said he saw thousands of Muslims in New Jersey celebrating 9/11. Wrong, he saw no such thing. He imagined it, Mr Romney said. Donald Trump tells us that he is very, very smart. Im afraid that when it comes to foreign policy he is very, very not smart, Mr Romney added earlier in Utah on Thursday. His comments were supported by Ohio Governor John Kasich and Senator John McCain. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie jumped in to the debate in an attempt to justify his endorsement of Mr Trump. His facial expression went viral after he stood behind Mr Trump on Super Tuesday, looking uncomfortable and even "scared". I am not a full-time surrogate of Mr Trump, he told the press. Celebrities have joined the call to bring Mr Trump down, including comedian John Oliver on The Daily Show and Miley Cyrus, who threatened to leave the US if he becomes President. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} After winning more than a third of the Republican vote across seven states on so-called Super Tuesday, Donald Trump's hopes for the White House are fast becoming more like workable plans. But while everyone has heard of his pledge to not let any Muslim person into the country, and to build a wall between Mexico and the US and "make Mexico pay for it", his policies across the board of tax, education and trade are less well known. This is a major criticism levelled at him recently by his own party, with runner-up Marco Rubio accusing Mr Trump of being a "con artist" filled with populist rhetoric but light on concrete policy. So what are the Presidential contender's less well publicised policies? Reuters has reviewed Mr Trump's website, speeches, debates and televised interviews to compile his likely manifesto on everything from trade to healthcare. 1. Torture is back on the table A detainee is escorted by military police at Camp 4 of the maximum security prison Camp Delta at Guantanamo Naval Base, 26 August 2004 (Getty) The presidential hopeful has vowed to bring back waterboarding, an interrogation technique which has been banned as torture in the US. It simulates drowning. He has promised to bring in other forms of toruture that are "a hell of a lot worse" than waterboarding, too. 2. Gulf states will be made to pay for a "safe zone" for Syrians in the Middle East A refugee camp near the Syrian-Turkish border (AFP/Getty) He wants to build a "safe zone" for Syrian refugees in Syria. But Gulf states would have to pay for it. He has said the United States should first deal with Isis before addressing President Bashar al-Assad's future, saying: "We have to do one thing at a time." 3. Pharmaceuticals companies should be afraid Mr Trump has claimed he could save the government $300 billion by negotiating better prices with drug companies, interestingly. He has not said exactly how. 4. Corporate tax would be reduced to 15 per cent instead of 35 per cent The 'billionaires club' is said to be the rarest in the world, with less than 2,000 people (Mark Wilson/Getty Images) Mr Trump would cut corporate tax by more than half. He would also reduce the number of tax brackets to four, instead of seven, and only allow a top marginal tax rate of 25 per cent. While he said the plan is fully worked out, the Tax Foundation, an independent policy research group, has said it would cost more than $10 trillion over the next decade. 5. No one would be "ripping off" the US Mr Trump claims he would let countries know that it does not pay to snub US exports, or move out of the country and try to sell exports back into it. So he intends, for example, to place a 35 per cent tarrif on one company that makes air conditioners which decided to move to Mexico instead of being in the US. He wants to do the same to Ford Motor Corp, for the same reason but because of motor vehicles this time. And he would designate China a "currency manipulator" and put duties on its exports as well chase up a World Trade Orgnisation cause looking at the Chinese government subsidising exporters. He has also complained that Japan, Vietnam and India are keeping out some US exports. 6. The Education Department would be cut A teacher teaching in a classroom. (Pierre Andrieu/Getty) The man who recently said he "loved the poorly educated because we're smart and we're loyal" wants to try to reduce the country's 19 trillion deficit with cuts to education. He would cut the Environmental Protection Agency for the same reason. 7. Obamacare is out Senior citizens and low income Americans would still get Medicaid and Medicare. Older people would also retain Social Security retirement benefits. But the rest of the Affordable Care Act would be out, with a health savings account system being put in place instead. Yet he would still make insurers give coverage to people with preexisting medical conditions, which was a central tenet of Obamacare. 8. Not even a green card will help you get work in the US Mr Trump would end "birthright citizenship" for children born in the United States to illegal immigrants and deport the 11 million undocumented people living in America. This is despite the controversy over his reported use of illegal Polish workers with no social security or regular pay cheques when constructing Trump Tower more than 30 years ago. He would also "pause" new green cards and make employers offer jobs to US workers first. 9. The Chinese had better watch out A Hawk surface-to-air missile is launched during military maneuvers at an undisclosed location in Iran on November 13, 2012. (AFP/Getty Images) Mr Trump would apparently increase the size of the US military to make it "so strong, so powerful that nobody's going to mess with us." To that end, he would boost the US military presence in the East and South China seas to "discourage Chinese adventurism," according to his website. There are 250 days, or 35 weeks, to the presidential election yet to go. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Justice Department has granted immunity to a former State Department employee who worked on Hillary Clintons private email server, as part of a criminal investigation into the possible mishandling of classified information. The FBI is said to have secured the co-operation of Bryan Pagliano, who worked on Ms Clintons 2008 presidential campaign before setting up the server in her New York home in 2009. As the FBI looks to complete its investigation, agents are likely to want to interview Ms Clinton and her senior aides about the decision to use a private server, how it was set up, and whether any of the participants knew they were sending classified information in emails, current and former officials said. The inquiry comes against a political backdrop in which Ms Clinton is the favourite to secure the Democratic nomination for the presidency, despite the scandal surrounding the server. The claimed co-operation of Mr Pagliano divided analysts about whether it would hurt or benefit Ms Clinton. So far, there is no indication that prosecutors have convened a grand jury in the email investigation to subpoena testimony or documents, which would require the participation of a US Attorneys office. FBI and Justice Department spokesmen would not discuss the investigation. Mr Paglianos attorney, Mark MacDougall, also declined to comment. Brian Fallon, a spokesman for the Clinton campaign, said: Secretary Clinton has been co-operating with the Department of Justices security inquiry, including offering in August to meet with them to assist their efforts. Bryan Pagliano will assist the FBI in its investigation into Hillary Clintons use of private email (AFP/Getty) He also said the campaign was pleased that Mr Pagliano, who invoked his Fifth Amendment rights before a congressional panel in September, was now co-operating with prosecutors. The campaign had encouraged Mr Pagliano to testify before Congress. Officials will look at the potential damage had the classified information in the emails been exposed. The Clinton campaign has described the investigation as a security review. But current and former FBI and Justice Department officials have said investigators are trying to determine whether a crime was committed. There was wrongdoing, said one former senior law enforcement official. But was it criminal wrongdoing? Recommended Read more More emails found that Hillary Clinton failed to disclose Ms Clinton has since apologised for what happened. Current and former officials said the conviction of retired general and CIA director David Petraeus for mishandling classified information is casting a shadow over the investigation. They think that Mr Petraeuss actions were more egregious than those of Ms Clinton and her aides because he lied to the FBI, and classified information he shared with his biographer contained top-secret code words, identities of covert officers, war strategy and intelligence capabilities. After negotiations, Mr Petraeus pleaded guilty to a misdemeanour charge of mishandling classified information. He was fined $100,000 and sentenced to two years probation. FBI officials were angered by the deal and predicted it would affect the outcome of other cases involving classified information. In pictures: US Elections 2016 Show all 15 1 /15 In pictures: US Elections 2016 In pictures: US Elections 2016 Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Bernie Sanders speaks to supporters after rival candidate Hillary Clinton was projected as the winner in the Nevada Democratic caucuses Reuters In pictures: US Elections 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton takes photos with workers at her campaign office in Des Moines, Iowa AP In pictures: US Elections 2016 Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee, second from left, prays before lunch with supporters at Drake Diner in Des Moines, Iowa Reuters In pictures: US Elections 2016 Democratic presidential candidate and former Maryland Governor. Martin O'Malley, speaks during a campaign stop in Waterloo, Iowa AP In pictures: US Elections 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders speaks, as his wife Jane OMeara Sanders looks on, at a campaign event at Iowa State University Getty In pictures: US Elections 2016 Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio speaks at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa Reuters In pictures: US Elections 2016 Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson speaks at a campaign event at Fireside Pub and Steak House in Manchester, Iowa. Getty In pictures: US Elections 2016 Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum visiting supporters at a house party in West Des Moines, Iowa Reuters In pictures: US Elections 2016 Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump at a campaign event in Cedar Rapids, Iowa AP In pictures: US Elections 2016 Republican candidate Ted Cruz campaigns at Greene County Community Centre in Jefferson, Iowa AP In pictures: US Elections 2016 Senator Rand Paul speaks during a Caucus rally at his Des Moines headquarters in Iowa Getty In pictures: US Elections 2016 Republican candidate Jeb Bush speaks at a campaign event in Des Moines, Iowa AFP In pictures: US Elections 2016 Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin introducing the arrival of Donald Trump during a campaign rally in Cedar Rapids, Iowa Reuters In pictures: US Elections 2016 A portrait of Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders at his campaign headquarters in Des Moines, Iowa Getty In pictures: US Elections 2016 Campaign badges on sale ahead of a Trump rally at the Ramada Waterloo Hotel and Convention Centre in Waterloo, Iowa Getty The State Department has been analysing the contents of Ms Clintons correspondence, as it has prepared 52,000 pages of her emails for public release in batches, a process that began in May and concluded on Monday. The State Department has said 2,093 of Ms Clintons released emails were redacted in all or part because they contained classified material. The email investigation is being conducted by FBI counter-intelligence agents and supervised by the Justice Departments National Security Division. The Washington Post Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} NEW YORK Thousands of New Yorkers piled into Manhattan's Javits Convention Center on Wednesday afternoon in the wake of Hillary Clinton's decisive Super Tuesday wins. Hello, New York, Clinton said as she took center stage with Rachel Plattens Fight Song blaring. It feels so good to be home. Supporters of the former Secretary of State seemed to show up in all shades and sizes in what felt like an appropriate celebration as Clinton's campaign overcame her relatively low favourability rating to secure 544 delegates compared to Bernie Sanders' 345. Both Clinton and Republican Donald Trump solidified themselves as the candidates to beat after Super Tuesday. "Yesterday was one for the history books," Clinton said in the convention centre, surrounded by giant American flags. "Our campaign went nationwide!" During the rally, Clinton positioned herself as the only candidate bringing forth solutions to expand middle class jobs, affordable college tuition and raises to minimum wages across the country. Supporting Clinton was New York Governor Andrew Cuomo who immediately hit out at Trump. They say they want to make America great again, he said. They don't know what made America great in the first place. Rocking a maroon Carhartt jacket and a faded orange hard hat, 33-year-old Sharee Jones said that she's confident Clinton would beat Trump in the general election. I know theres people out there who have a realistic approach as to what will actually help everyday citizens, the Brooklyn-native told The Independent. Hillarys addressing the issues all of us are concerned about day-to-day. All we want is equality: equal rights and equal pay. Jones, a member of Carpenters Local Union 157, said that Clinton knows that unions support families, and thats what Im doing right now supporting my family off the wage I earn from the union. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Mitt Romney, as expected, delivered a scathing speech against Donald Trump on Thursday, issuing a Republican call to arms and asking voters to "make the right choice" and vote for anyone but the brash businessman. The 2012 Republican presidential nominee neither announced his candidacy nor endorsed any of the three remaining Republicans, but warned of a dark future if Mr. Trump became the party's presidential nominee. "Heres what I know. Donald Trump is a phony, a fraud," Mr Romney said. "His promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University. Hes playing the American public for suckers: He gets a free ride to the White House and all we get is a lousy hat." America is poised to lead the world for another century, Mr Romney said, but added that this is only if Mr Trump isn't representing the Republican party. He then said any of Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio or John Kasich should be the Republican nominee. A business genius he is not, Mr Romney said before naming a number of Mr Trump's failed business endeavors. He is not of the temperment to be president. Prominent Republicans have applauded the speech and are stepping up to denouce Mr Trump. Donald Trump tells us that he is very, very smart. Im afraid that when it comes to foreign policy he is very, very not smart," Mr Romney said. Think of Donald Trumps personal qualities, the bullying, the greed, the showing off, the misogyny, the absurd third grade theatrics. We have long referred to him as The Donald. He is the only person in America to whom we have added an article before his name. It wasnt because he had attributes we admired. The former governor of Massachusetts also took a shot at Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton, calling her and husband Bill Clinton the picture of crony capitalism, but focused most of his attacks on Mr Trump. Follow @PaytonGuion on Twitter. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Ben Carson, the retired neurosurgeon who last year rose and fell precipitously in polls of Republican voters, has signalled his intention to drop out of the presidential race after yet another dismal showing in the 11 Super Tuesday states. Dr Carson issued a statement to his supporters on Wednesday afternoon, saying he could not see a political path forward to the GOP nomination, adding that he would not attend the next Republican debate in Detroit on Thursday. However, he went on, this grassroots movement on behalf of We the People will continue. Along with millions of patriots who have supported my campaign for President, I remain committed to Saving America for Future Generations. Recommended Read more Ben Carson had an awkward outburst during the Houston debate Popular among Christian conservatives, the 64-year-old political outsider briefly topped the polls in late 2015, but by the time the first primaries were decided he had become an also-ran. Ahead of this weeks Super Tuesday contest, he complained about the lack of civility in the Republican race, which he described as an embarrassment on the world stage. Dr Carson is yet to formally suspend his campaign, but promised to reveal his plans in a speech at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference in Maryland on Friday. He was reportedly offered several incentives to exit the presidential race, including the chance to run for a US Senate seat in his home state of Florida, which his primary rival Marco Rubio is set to vacate in January. However, his campaign spokesman Armstrong Williams told Politico that Dr Carson had declined the offer. He has no interest in doing that.... Thats politics, and hes not a politician, Mr Williams said. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} In a stunning eruption of disgust, disbelief and disapproval, Mitt Romney, the failed nominee from 2012, begged his party yesterday to dump Donald Trump before he makes it all the way to becoming its standard-bearer this time around, excoriating him as a conman and a fake. Delivering a searing and highly personal broadside against Mr Trump whose endorsement he sought and eventually won four years ago Mr Romney said he was neither jumping into the race nor endorsing anyone. Instead, he made the case, without explicitly saying it, for a brokered Republican convention in July to confer the nomination on one of the other three runners. Recommended Read more Mitt Romney blasts Donald Trump in scathing speech Think of Donald Trumps personal qualities, the bullying, the greed, the showing off, the misogyny, the absurd third grade theatrics, Mr Romney said. We have long referred to him as The Donald. Hes the only person in America to whom we have added an article before his name. It wasnt because he had attributes we admired. While clearly speaking for a large number in the establishment wing of the party who fear that Mr Trump is taking so wide a lead in the nomination scramble, his barely restrained attacks will have backfired if they only infuriate and further galvanise his many millions of supporters. If youre Trump, this is like getting the good kind of Kryptonite, Republican strategist Doug Heye said. Rather than turning a spotlight on the flaws of the candidate, Mr Romney may instead only have put the flailing dysfunctions of his own party on display. That it couldnt find a more credible spokesman to make the anti-Trump case also may not have helped. Donald Trump is a phoney, a fraud, Mr Romney said in Salt Lake City. His promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University. Hes playing the American public for suckers. He said Mr Trumps economic ideas would plunge America into recession and his foreign policy bombast was already mortifying Americas allies. Protesters outside a hotel where Donald Trump was due to hold a rally in Portland (Reuters) He spoke hours before what promised to be another critical candidates debate in Detroit last night prior to Tuesdays Michigan primary, which, according to polls, Mr Trump should win easily. Due on stage with him were Senators Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, of Florida and Texas, and Ohio Governor John Kasich. Not taking part was Dr Ben Carson, who is expected to end his campaign today. While no one in the party has yet said who is the best alternative to Mr Trump most in the establishment cannot abide Mr Cruz, while Mr Rubio has only won one state the prescription offered by Mr Romney was for voters to back all three of the other candidates where they can, especially on 15 March, when Mr Kasich must hold his own Ohio and Mr Rubio will defend Florida. Recommended Read more Donald Trump hits back at Mitt Romney over tax allegations That way, Mr Romney was implying, there remains some chance of denying Mr Trump the simple majority of delegates he will need to be automatically declared the nominee at the party convention in Cleveland in Ohio, opening the way for a brokered outcome, which would essentially ensure a furious fight on the convention floor (and behind the scenes) to create a majority for one of the other men. That, though, is an ugly outcome, likely to trigger a rebellion from the millions embracing Mr Trump and his promise to overturn Washington. But an Associated Press count yesterday showed that while Mr Trump has been racking up victories in different states, he is winning only about 46 per cent of the delegates, falling short of 50 per cent plus one he would need in Cleveland. Another assault on Mr Trump came in the form of an open letter written by 70 conservative national security experts deriding his positions on everything from trade, his proposed US-Mexico wall, his plan to deny entry to Muslims, and questioning his suitability to be commander-in-chief. Mr Trumps own statements lead us to conclude that as president, he would use the authority of his office to act in ways that make America less safe, and which would diminish our standing in the world, the signatories wrote, among them Robert Zoellick, a former World Bank president. In the meantime, an outside political action group, Our Principles, dedicated purely to derailing the billionaires candidacy, begun airing searing anti-Trump TV spots in several key states and said it was digging deep into his record to discredit him with voters. We have a lot more new research, which voters do not know about, Tim Miller, its spokesman revealed. This guy can be stopped. In pictures: US Elections 2016 Show all 15 1 /15 In pictures: US Elections 2016 In pictures: US Elections 2016 Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Bernie Sanders speaks to supporters after rival candidate Hillary Clinton was projected as the winner in the Nevada Democratic caucuses Reuters In pictures: US Elections 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton takes photos with workers at her campaign office in Des Moines, Iowa AP In pictures: US Elections 2016 Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee, second from left, prays before lunch with supporters at Drake Diner in Des Moines, Iowa Reuters In pictures: US Elections 2016 Democratic presidential candidate and former Maryland Governor. Martin O'Malley, speaks during a campaign stop in Waterloo, Iowa AP In pictures: US Elections 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders speaks, as his wife Jane OMeara Sanders looks on, at a campaign event at Iowa State University Getty In pictures: US Elections 2016 Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio speaks at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa Reuters In pictures: US Elections 2016 Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson speaks at a campaign event at Fireside Pub and Steak House in Manchester, Iowa. Getty In pictures: US Elections 2016 Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum visiting supporters at a house party in West Des Moines, Iowa Reuters In pictures: US Elections 2016 Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump at a campaign event in Cedar Rapids, Iowa AP In pictures: US Elections 2016 Republican candidate Ted Cruz campaigns at Greene County Community Centre in Jefferson, Iowa AP In pictures: US Elections 2016 Senator Rand Paul speaks during a Caucus rally at his Des Moines headquarters in Iowa Getty In pictures: US Elections 2016 Republican candidate Jeb Bush speaks at a campaign event in Des Moines, Iowa AFP In pictures: US Elections 2016 Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin introducing the arrival of Donald Trump during a campaign rally in Cedar Rapids, Iowa Reuters In pictures: US Elections 2016 A portrait of Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders at his campaign headquarters in Des Moines, Iowa Getty In pictures: US Elections 2016 Campaign badges on sale ahead of a Trump rally at the Ramada Waterloo Hotel and Convention Centre in Waterloo, Iowa Getty Mr Trump, who was campaigning in Maine, which votes this weekend, was reliably dismissive of all the attacks. Mr Romney is a stiff, he told NBC News, while gleefully reminding followers of Mr Romneys record of electoral failure. Some of the more pointed critiques of Mr Trump offered by Mr Romney concerned his statements on bringing back torture and killing the family members of terrorists. He cheers assaults on protesters, Mr Romney said. He applauds the prospect of twisting the Constitution to limit First Amendment freedom of the press. This is the brand of anger that has led other nations into the abyss. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} They are members of Congress, stalwarts of the Republican National Committee, election strategists, conservative commentators, warriors of former Republican administrations and big-time donors. They are the Party establishment and they are all over the place on the issue that is Donald Trump. 1. Stuart Stevens (Getty) A former top adviser to Mitt Romney and a professional strategist, he has been urging the other candidates to get tougher with Mr Trump, for months. I think Hillary Clinton would be a better president than Donald Trump, he said. I have no desire to see Hillary Clinton as president of the United States. But if this is the choice I will not give her my vote, but I cant support Donald Trump. 2. Mitch McConnell The Senate Majority Leader has not gone after Mr Trump directly, but when The Donald failed last weekend flatly to reject the KKK and disavow support from David Duke, a former Grand Wizard, he could no longer hold his tongue. That is not the view of Republicans that have been elected to the [US] Senate, and I condemn his comments in the most forceful way. 3. Reince Priebus Mr Priebus stuck to the Trump line on Sunday morning television The chairman of the Republican National Committee would be the first person to relish seeing Mr Trump go down but is the last person who can say so. Which means he has been painfully coy. Its a big party, he attempted last week. Were in great shape to win in November. But yeah, we have drama, theres some intrigue But theres intrigue going on the other side too. 4. Erick Erickson (Getty) A conservative bullhorn and former RedState editor, Mr Erickson is more outspoken. Im absolutely not going to vote for Donald Trump, even if hes the Republican nominee. On Twitter he aired a novel anti-Trump unity proposal. A Cruz-Rubio ticket makes the most sense Pair up, announce the deal. Let Rubio win Florida, get to convention and make it so. 5. William J Bennett (Getty) Education Secretary under Ronald Reagan, Mr Bennett is in the camp that opposes any attempt artificially to deny Mr Trump the nomination. Im used to being the moral scold, but Trump is winning fair and square, so why should the nomination be grabbed from him? he asked. Weve been trying to get white working-class people into the party for a long time... and were going to alienate them? I dont get it. 6. Tim Miller Until recently an aide to Jeb Bush, he is now the public face of Our Principles PAC, which is already spending millions on anti-Trump ads in states still to vote. Hes completely un-electable in a general election against Hillary Clinton. Hillary Clinton could get indicted by the FBI, go to jail, she would still win 48 out of 50 states against Donald Trump. Brokered convention: Who wins if no one wins? Under normal circumstances the term is irrelevant. This madcap race to the White House, however, is anything but normal and many are wondering if a brokered convention may decide the Republican nominee for President. It would come after no candidate has secured enough delegates to win the nomination. In that case, the convention becomes a desperate scramble to secure delegates in a series of increasingly fraught votes. Donald Trump may go to the Republican national convention in Cleveland in July with far more delegates than any of his rivals but not the majority 1,237 out of 2,472 to win on the first round. The heads of the Grand Old Party will hope to have the matter settled long before July, to have a coronation convention, not a contested one, with the sought-after party unity on display ahead of a battle against, probably, Hillary Clinton. But to achieve that, the party will have to rally around Donald Trump. Hence the furrowed brows among senior Republican strategists. There hasnt been a brokered convention since 1952, when Illinois Governor Adlai Stevenson won the Democrat Party nomination but lost the general election. Sam Masters Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} In a land of natural wonders, the famous beach at Waikiki on Hawaii is different: it is engineered. Waikiki has been filled with imported sand for decades. But the beach has had problems with erosion for years, so Hawaii politicians are proposing a new bill to restore it. The bill originally proposed a $1.5m (1.06m) plan to fill a portion of the beach where erosion has left it almost entirely gone. It would also give money for a path along the shoreline for pedestrians and cyclists. The latest effort comes four years after the state spent over $2.4m to pump sand from offshore to replenish the beach. People have been bringing in sand to make the beach wider for about 75 years. I never understood the value of our beach as someone growing up here until I started hearing the stories from my grandfather of the 1940s, said Republican representative Chris Lee, who grew up on Oahu and introduced the bill. Its a totally different beach than it was back then, and I think we have a chance to restore some of that magic. Photographs from the 1930s and 1940s show a continuous stretch of white sand from one end of the beach to the other. Now, its separated by seawalls and sections where theres barely any beach left. Mr Lee said an uninterrupted stretch of beach is important to maintaining the allure of the states most popular tourist destination. AP For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} In the worlds factory, the workers are angry and disillusioned. Strikes and other labour protests have spiked across the country as Chinese manufacturing plants lay off workers and reduce wages in the face of mounting economic headwinds. But the unrest is particularly intense in the southern province of Guangdong, the vast urban sprawl bordering Hong Kong that is the heart of Chinas export industry and its economic success story. The increase in industrial action represents a challenge for a Communist Party that bases much of its legitimacy on its ability to manage the economy. Experts say it is not about to threaten the partys vice-like grip on power, but it will ring alarm bells for local officials whose careers often depend on their ability to stamp out stirrings of social unrest. In December, Guangdong police arrested a handful of activists who have tried to defend workers rights and negotiate peaceful settlements to some of the disputes. In the latest confrontation, late last month, hundreds of workers faced off against riot police at a stainless steel factory in the provincial capital, Guangzhou, protesting against wage cuts, layoffs and efforts to force many to resign without proper compensation. To me, the company was like a big family, but now its treating its employees so badly we have no sense of belonging, said 32-year-old Chen, who has worked there for nearly seven years. It is so cold-blooded. Chen asked to be referred to only by his family name for fear of retaliation. Other strike organisers and workers who have spoken out have been sacked, or harassed by police. Steel workers in Guangzhou went on strike in a campaign for pension benefits (Billy Kwok/Washington Post) (Washington Post) Problems began when the factorys Taiwanese owners sold the business to a Chinese state-owned company last year, workers said. Shortly afterward, Chen said, he was told he was being demoted from a lower-level leadership job and would see his salary cut, along with many others. We didnt complain because we understood the company was in trouble, he said. But now we found out our base salary had been halved, to 2,200 yuan (240) a month. You just cant live in Guangzhou on the money they are paying, he said. If you were to get a bowl and beg under the overpass, you would earn more. Toddler falls out of car trunk in China, driver does not notice The China Labour Bulletin (CLB), a Hong Kong-based group that supports workers rights, says it recorded 2,774 strikes or protests in China last year, twice as many as in 2014. It says the rise may be partly accounted for by better tracking of strikes on social media, but called the upsurge obvious and massive. The jump began after last Augusts currency devaluation and stock market crash and continued to build during the last quarter of last year, mainly in the manufacturing and construction sectors, and most markedly in Guangdong. Industrial unrest, though, has mainly been fuelled by factory owners failure to offer workers proper compensation for layoffs, pay them wages they were due or keep social security payments up to date, experts said. China has labour laws that are supposed to protect workers rights, but local governments regularly fail to enforce them, experts say. Unions also do little to help. The All China Federation of Trade Unions is the largest in the world, with 280 million members and 918,000 full-time employees, but is firmly under Communist Party control, critics say. At the Ansteel Lianzhong factory in Guangzhou, workers said the union leader had been appointed by the company and backed the management. We wouldnt even know who the union chairman was if it wasnt for this strike, Chen said. Its laughable. Anyone with any common sense would know the union leader must be elected. Given the vacuum left by the unions, a small network of labour activists has sprung up in Guangdong, seeking to educate workers about their legal rights and settle disputes with collective bargaining. In December, dozens of activists were called in for questioning, and seven were detained. Three remain behind bars, the most prominent being Zeng Feiyang, who has been charged with gathering a crowd to disturb social order. Denied access to his attorney, Mr Zeng has been denounced by state media in what critics say amounts to a smear campaign that gives him no chance of a fair trial. China outlaws domestic abuse The top UN human rights official, Zeid Raad al-Hussein, and the International Trade Union Confederation are among those who have expressed concern or called for the activists release. At the Guangdong factory, last months face-off ended without violence, although workers said all their banners, with slogans calling for better pay and conditions, were confiscated. On the seventh day of the strike, police issued a notice saying workers had been incited and seduced by a small number of people and warning of arrests if the illegal gathering continued. We have called the local media, but they didnt dare cover this, complained Luo Yebin, 31. We posted on social media, uploaded videos, but they were deleted. We feel powerless, oppressed and infuriated. Chen said he had been forced to leave his three-year-old son with his parents in his home town while he worked in Guangzhou, which often reduced his wife to tears. Now, he wonders if all his heartbreak and hard work were worth it. I thought if I could keep working hard, I could get a decent job and have my kid with me, he said. My dream is just to be together with my family. But now even that dream is clouded with uncertainty. The Washington Post For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A man who has allegedly shot his two sisters in suspected honour killings had previously been imprisoned for murdering his mother. Police in Pakistan have said they are looking for 29-year-old Muhammad Asif who they suspect killed 22-year-old Fozia Bibi and 24-year-old Suriya Bibi in a village in the province of Punjab earlier this week. Asif has been on the run since Tuesday, according to police. Officer Tariq Mehmood said he killed the sisters because he did not like their character and lifestyle. Neighbours allegedly told police that the deaths were honour killings. Fozia was shot in her chest and Suriya was shot in her waist, Officer Mehmood told Reuters. According to police official Allah Ditta Bhatti, Asif was jailed between four and five years ago for murdering his mother. But Mr Bhatti told AFP he was set free after his family pardoned him. While so-called honour-related offences are criminalised, according to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women such crimes can allow for perpetrators to negotiate a pardon with the victims family. Navi Pillay, the former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said in 2014: Such provisions are particularly pernicious when members of the same family that conducted the killing are given the right to pardon the killers. Ms Pillay made her comments following the case of a pregnant woman who was brutally killed by members of her family simply because she married a man of her own choice. According to Amnesty Internationals annual report on Pakistan, in the first six months of 2015, there were 186 so-called honour crimes against women and girls. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has said it has found more than 15,200 cases of honour crimes against women and men from 2004 to 2016. In a statement given to The Independent, Kate Allen, the Amnesty UK director, said: So called honour killings are appalling acts of violence against women, which have nothing to do with honour. Amnesty strongly condemns Pakistani law allowing for pardons by families to reduce or eliminate penalties for these killings and other violent acts. Its literally allowing people to get away with murder." She added: Pardons permit and even encourage violence against women. Individuals suspected of such horrendous crimes should be brought to justice in fair trials without recourse to the death penalty. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The German sailor whose "mummified" body was found on board a drifting yacht may have only been dead for a week, a new autopsy has suggested. The body of Manfred Fritz Bajorat was found in February by fishermen around 60 miles off the coast of Barabo in the southern Philippines, and later identified by officials from documents found on the boat. Dry, salty conditions were attributed to the "mummified" state his body was found in; slumped over a table used for charts with a transmitter handset just inches away from his hand. Photograph found on board yacht of Manfred Fritz Bajorat (Barbados Police Station) WARNING: Some readers may find the below image upsetting National police spokesman Chief Superintendent Wilben Mayor told the AFP news agency: "The cause of death is acute myocardial infarction based on the autopsy by (the) regional crime laboratory. "The German sailor is estimated to have been dead for more or less seven days." It is currently unclear as to how Mr Bajorats body would have changed state so dramatically in such a short space of time. Manfred Fritz Bajorat's mummified body Mr Bajorat had been reportedly sailing around the world on his yacht, Sayo, for the past 20 years. While reports suggested he had not been sighted since 2009, a friend told the media that he had heard from him in 2015 via Facebook. Dr Mark Benecke, a forensic criminologist in the German city of Cologne, told the Bild newspaper that the way he was sitting "seems to indicate that death was unexpected, perhaps from a heart attack." For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} North Korea has fired short-range missiles into the Sea of Japan - hours after the UN Security Council voted in favour sanctions against the regime. The South Korean defence ministry told the Yonhap news agency the projectiles were launched from Wonsan on the east coast, the BBC reports. South Korean experts were trying to identify exactly what had been fired. It follows Pyongyang's recent nuclear test and long-range rocket launch. And it came just hours after the United Nations announced what have been described as the strictest sanctions imposed on North Korea in 20 years. As a result, all cargo going in and out of the country will be inspected, while 16 more people and 12 organisations have been blacklisted. The United States and China spent seven weeks discussing the nature of the sanctions. North Korea launch short range projectiles Show all 6 1 /6 North Korea launch short range projectiles North Korea launch short range projectiles A man watches a TV news program showing a file footage of the missile launch conducted by North Korea, at Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, AP North Korea launch short range projectiles North Korean leader Kim Jong-un speaking during a ceremony for the scientists, technicians, workers and officials who worked on the recent successful launch of a satellite EPA North Korea launch short range projectiles People watch a TV news program showing a file footage of the missile launch conducted by North Korea, at Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, AP North Korea launch short range projectiles North Korean soldiers guard the truce village of Panmunjom at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) which separates the two Koreas, in Panmunjom, North Korea AP North Korea launch short range projectiles People watch a TV news program showing North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, at Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea AP North Korea launch short range projectiles An undated file picture released by the Rodong Sinmun, the newspaper of the North Korean ruling Workers Party EPA These latest missile launches also come shortly after Seoul approved its first legislation on human rights in North Korea A total of 212 South Korean lawmakers voted for the bill and 24 others abstained in the floor vote. It becomes law when it is endorsed by the Cabinet Council, which is considered a formality. This legislation establishes a centre responsible for collecting, archiving and publishing information about human rights in the authoritarian state. North Korea's state media has warned that enactment of the law would result in "miserable ruin." For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} In a symbolic act of defiance, North Korea has greeted the imposition of harsh new UN sanctions by firing a volley of missiles into the sea off the eastern coastal town of Wonsan. They landed harmlessly some 90 miles away from land but analysts warned that there are likely to be more pointed reactions in the months ahead. The new measures, which were unanimously passed by the UN Security Council, are the fruit of seven weeks of negotiations between the US and China, Pyongyangs northern neighbour and increasingly reluctant ally. They were triggered after Pyongyang claimed to have tested a hydrogen bomb for the first time. The international community, speaking with one voice, has sent Pyongyang a simple message, said President Barack Obama as he confirmed the sanctions. North Korea must abandon these dangerous programmes and choose a better path for its people. But there is little confidence that the measures, the harshest and most comprehensive for two decades, will force Pyongyang back to the conference table. New measures targeting the norths nuclear programme include a ban on the export of coal, iron and iron ore, the earnings from which are used to fund the nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, and on the import of fuel oil, including rocket fuel. But China was adamant that the new sanctions should not bring the economy of the north to the point of collapse. And analysts were quick to point out loopholes which Pyongyang could exploit to keep the weapons in development. Recommended Read more How mystery ships help North Korea evade sanctions It was pointed out that North Korea will still be permitted to sell minerals and import oil as long as they can claim that the trade is necessary for the livelihood of the civilian population. In this way, China and Russia can control the degree of sanctions, commented Professor Hajime Izumi of Japans University of Shizuoka. The [sanctions] resolution is designed to keep North Korea barely alive, but not to kill, commented Toshio Miyatsuka, director of Japans Korea Institute. A South Korean think-tank, the Korea Economic Research Institute, argued that only if all the norths exports of natural resources were blocked outright would the sanctions be effective. In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test Show all 15 1 /15 In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test A lab employee from the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety's regional office in Gangneung, east of Seoul, checks for radioactive traces in the air, in Gangneung, soon after North Korea announced it successfully conducted a hydrogen bomb test. The office in Gangneung is the closest one to the site of the North's claimed test. Officials said it will take three to four days to analyze air samples in detail for any traces of radioactivity, the Yonhap news agency reported EPA In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un signing a document of a hydrogen bomb test in Pyongyang In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test People watch a TV news program showing North Korea's special announcement at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea AP In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test Getty Images In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test Getty Images In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test South Korean people watch TV news at Seoul station EPA In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test Japan's meteorological agency officer Yohei Hasegawa displays a chart showing seismic activity, after a North Korean nuclear test, at the agency in Tokyo Getty Images In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test Ko Yun-Hwa, administrator of Korea Meteorological Administration, briefs reporters showing seismic waves from the site of North Korea's hydrogen bomb test, at his office in Seoul Getty Images In pictures: North Korea hydrogen bomb test North Korea's border county of Kaepoong is seen from a South Korean observation post in Paju near the Demilitarized zone dividing the two Koreas as North Korea announced it had successfully carried out its first hydrogen bomb test Getty Images Few observers expect Pyongyang to agree to talks because of the sanctions. Instead, sales of mineral resources ostensibly to benefit the civilian population will instead keep the military programmes alive. Once again, it will be the ordinary people who find themselves in the line of fire. Samantha Power, the US Ambassador to the United Nations, insisted that the sanctions were not intended to have adverse humanitarian consequences for civilians, but conceded that North Koreas prioritisation of nuclear and ballistic programmes over the needs of its people is part of the perverse reality that has no equal in the worldVirtually all of [North Koreas] resources are channelled into its reckless and relentless pursuit of weapons of mass destruction. When they tighten their belts, echoed John Delury, assistant professor at Yonsei University in Seoul, the last thing they cut is the military. He pointed out that more than one million people died of starvation during the famine of the mid-1990s. Did they cut their military then? No. The firing of missiles into the sea was regarded as a token act by Pyongyang, but there may be more lively responses to come. Next week, the US and South Korea will begin joint military exercises in the peninsula. These are routinely condemned by the North as acts of aggression, and the USs planned deployment of a new missile defence system, the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence or THAAD, is expected to raise the stakes. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Anders Breivik, who murdered 77 people in 2011, is suing the Norwegian government for breaching his human rights through "inhumane" and "degrading" prison conditions. Breivik claims his effective solitary confinement contravenes the European Convention on Human Rights (EHCR) as it amounts to cruel and inhumane treatment. The far-right extremist is currently serving a 21-year sentence at Skien prison, 62 miles southwest of capital Oslo. The Norwegian government has denied all his claims ahead of a hearing scheduled for March 15. Marius Emberland, who will defend the state at the hearing, told reporters: "There are limits to his contacts with the outside world which are of course strict it pretty much has to be that way but he is not totally excluded from all contact with other people." For security reasons, Breivik is not allowed to speak to other inmates but is allowed to interact with prison guards and officials. The 37-year-old has access to three rooms - one for living, one for sleeping and one for exercising in - reports ITV. He can also use a television, computer without internet access and a games console. Skien Prison: Where Anders Breivik is incarcerated Show all 5 1 /5 Skien Prison: Where Anders Breivik is incarcerated Skien Prison: Where Anders Breivik is incarcerated Skien prison south of the Norwegian capital, Oslo Reuters Skien Prison: Where Anders Breivik is incarcerated The gym at Skien prison which was turned into a courtroom for Breivik's appeal Reuters Skien Prison: Where Anders Breivik is incarcerated Viewing through the door into a cell inside Skien prison Reuters Skien Prison: Where Anders Breivik is incarcerated A bedroom study with computer(no internet access) in Skien prison similar to the one Breivik is housed in Reuters Skien Prison: Where Anders Breivik is incarcerated Two connecting cell rooms in Skien prison similar to the three rooms Breivik is kept in Reuters Oystein Storrvik, Breivik's lawyer has claimed his client is suffering from "clear isolation damage". In a document submitted to the court, Mr Storrvik wrote: "The only visit from a non-professional (in the first two years of Breivik's sentence) was that of the plaintiffs mother", who was dying of cancer. He added: "They had around five minutes together during which they hugged." Authorities have said restrictions on his privacy, family life and correspondence are necessary to prevent him from building "an extremist network". The hearing will be held in the Skien prison gymnasium. Breivik murdered eight people with a bomb attack on July 22 2011 and then shot dead a further 69 people on the island of Utoya. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} David Cameron is to agree to give an extra 20 million (15.4 million) to France for policing and dispersing migrants attempting to reach the UK from Calais, a minister has said. In a radio interview before a Franco-British summit at Amiens in the Somme, the French Europe minister, Harlem Desir, said the extra funding came on top of previous British spending of 60 million (47 million). In an interview with Radio France Internationale he repeated previous warnings that a Brexit could make it easier for thousands of refugees to reach England by leading France to scrap a treaty currently allowing British immigration checks in Calais and Dunkirk. France starts to dismantle Calais 'Jungle' refugee camp Inevitably, our ability to continue to work closely with the British on migration and security issues would be easier if they remain within the framework of the European Union," he said. Mr Desir said that this was not a threat or blackmail but a recognition of the practical realities. Earlier, in an interview with the Financial Times, the French economy minister, Emmanuel Macron, suggested that British withdrawal from the EU would bring an end to the 2003 treaty which de facto moves the UK border to the French side of the Channel. This would, in theory, allow illegal migrants to reach Kent before they are stopped. The day this relationship unravels, migrants will no longer be in Calais, Mr Macron said. Mr Desir, the Europe minister, did not go quite so far. He said that the 2003 Le Touquet treaty was bi-lateral and therefore nor directly dependent on Britains EU membership. France did not want Britain to leave but would obviously find a new way of cooperating with its near neighbour if the Brexit camp won the June referendum. In pictures: Calais crisis intensifies Show all 20 1 /20 In pictures: Calais crisis intensifies In pictures: Calais crisis intensifies Calais crisis French gendarmes try to stop migrants on the Eurotunnel site in Coquelles near Calais In pictures: Calais crisis intensifies Calais crisis French gendarmes try to stop migrants on the Eurotunnel site in Coquelles near Calais Getty Images In pictures: Calais crisis intensifies Calais crisis A migrant climbs a security fence of a Eurotunnel terminal in Coquelles near Calais In pictures: Calais crisis intensifies Calais crisis A migrant climbs a security fence of a Eurotunnel terminal in Coquelles near Calais In pictures: Calais crisis intensifies Calais crisis French gendarmes block migrants along a road to prevent them access to train tracks which lead to the Channel Tunnel in Frethun, near Calais In pictures: Calais crisis intensifies Calais crisis Policemen try to prevent migrants from reaching the Channel Tunnel operated by Eurotunnel in Coquelles near Calais In pictures: Calais crisis intensifies Calais crisis A policeman faces migrants trying to reach the Channel Tunnel operated by Eurotunnel in Coquelles near Calais In pictures: Calais crisis intensifies Calais crisis A policeman tries to stop migrants on the Eurotunnel site in Coquelles near Calais In pictures: Calais crisis intensifies Calais crisis Migrants who managed to pass the police block on the Eurotunnel site climb over a fence to make their way towards the boarding docks in Coquelles near Calais In pictures: Calais crisis intensifies Calais crisis Migrants are seen near a Channel Tunnel train in Coquelles near Calais In pictures: Calais crisis intensifies Calais crisis Migrants trying to reach the Channel Tunnel run past policemen in Coquelles near Calaisa In pictures: Calais crisis intensifies Calais crisis Migrants step over the fence as they try to catch a train to reach England, in Calais In pictures: Calais crisis intensifies Calais crisis A migrant climbs a security fence of a Eurotunnel terminal in Coquelles near Calais In pictures: Calais crisis intensifies Calais crisis Migrants warm themselves with a fire as they attempt to access the Channel Tunnel, in Calais In pictures: Calais crisis intensifies Calais crisis An Afghan flag flies above makeshift shelters at a site dubbed the "new jungle", where migrants trying to cross the Channel to reach Britain have camped out around the northern French port of Calais In pictures: Calais crisis intensifies Calais crisis Migrants build a makeshift shelter around the northern French port of Calais In pictures: Calais crisis intensifies Calais crisis Migrants build a makeshift shelter In pictures: Calais crisis intensifies Calais crisis Migrants walk in a makeshift camp in Calais In pictures: Calais crisis intensifies Calais crisis A driver climbs on his truck as he waits to cross the English channel, in Calais In pictures: Calais crisis intensifies Calais crisis Migrants walk along the roadside while a French policeman secures the area as lorries queue in Calais All the same, he added. The situation would change. Our present security and migration relationship with Britain is based on our joint membership of European institutions, such as Europol. Inevitably, our ability to continue to work closely with the British on migration and security issues would be easier if they remain within the framework of the European Union. There is growing pressure from politicians in France for the treaty to be renegotiated. In practical terms, however, French officials recognise that it would not be easy for France to repudiate the Le Touquet arrangements. If migrants thought that it was easy to cross the Channel, they would flood to Calais and other Channel ports in even greater numbers. Even if France stopped allowing British officials to check documents on French soil, ferry companies and Eurotunnel would still be obliged to do so. Britain fines travel companies and individual lorry or car drivers Pounds 3,000 for every unauthorised passenger. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The heads of six British companies owned by German car giant BMW, including Rolls-Royce and Mini, have warned thousands of staff that jobs could be affected if the UK decides to leave the European Union, according to a report. A letter to Rolls-Royce employees, which was leaked to the Guardian newspaper, warned trade tariffs could mean higher costs and higher prices. As a result, the firms employment base could also be affected, chief executive Torsten Muller-Otvos wrote. Similar letters were sent to other companies. Supporters of the EU praised the firm for its calm and sober statement of facts, but the Vote Leave campaign group dismissed what it described as the personal views of chief executives. In the letter, published in full below, Mr Muller-Otvos, chief executive of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, wrote: Free trade is important for international business. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars exports motor cars throughout the EU and imports a significant number of parts through the region. For BMW Group, more than half of Minis built and virtually all the engines and components made in the UK are exported to the EU, with over 150,000 new cars and many hundreds of thousands of parts imported from Europe each year. Tariff barriers would mean higher costs and higher prices and we cannot assume that the UK would be granted free trade with Europe from outside the EU. Recommended Read more Mandelson breaks silence to warn of punishing Brexit cost He also expressed concern about the ability of the firm to attract employees from outside the UK following a Brexit. Our employment base could also be affected, with skilled men and women from most EU countries included in the 30 nationalities currently represented at the home of Rolls-Royce here at Goodwood, Mr Muller-Otvos said. Nick Herbert, the chairman of the pro-EU Conservative In group, told the Guardian that his confidence was growing that the British public would vote to stay in the 28-nation bloc. The calm and sober statements of the facts by companies like Rolls-Royce remind us of the advantages of being in the single market, he said. Recommended Read more Jeremy Corbyn defended from claims he privately backs Brexit The more I hear things like this, the more sure I am that Britain will be better off remaining in a reformed EU. But Paul Stephenson, a spokesman for Vote Leave, said personal views of chief executives were not necessarily shared by the staff of their companies or their shareholders. Big foreign, multinational companies like the EU because they spend millions lobbying it in order to stitch up the rules in their favour forcing smaller players out of business, he said. What has the EU ever done for us? Show all 7 1 /7 What has the EU ever done for us? What has the EU ever done for us? 1. It gives you freedom to live, work and retire anywhere in Europe As a member of the EU, UK citizens benefit from freedom of movement across the continent. Considered one of the so-called four pillars of the European Union, this freedom allows all EU citizens to live, work and travel in other member states. What has the EU ever done for us? 2. It sustains millions of jobs A report by the Centre for Economics and Business Research, released in October 2015, suggested 3.1 million British jobs were linked to the UKs exports to the EU. What has the EU ever done for us? 3. Your holiday is much easier - and safer Freedom to travel is one of the most exercised benefits of EU membership, with Britons having made 31 million visits to the EU in 2014 alone. But a lot of the benefits of being an EU citizen are either taken for granted or go unnoticed. What has the EU ever done for us? 4. It means you're less likely to get ripped off Consumer protection is a key benefit of the EUs single market, and ensures members of the British public receive equal consumer rights when shopping anywhere in Europe. What has the EU ever done for us? 5. It offers greater protection from terrorists, paedophiles, people traffickers and cyber-crime Another example of a lesser-known advantage of EU membership is the benefit of cross-country coordination and cooperation in the fight against crime. What has the EU ever done for us? 6. Our businesses depend on it According to 71% of all members of the Confederation of British Influence (CBI), and 67 per cent of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the EU has had an overall positive impact on their business. What has the EU ever done for us? 7. We have greater influence Robin Niblett, Director of think-tank Chatham House, stated in a report published last year: For a mid-sized country like the UK, which will never again be economically dominant either globally or regionally, and whose diplomatic and military resources are declining in relative terms, being a major player in a strong regional institution can offer a critical lever for international influence. The BMW letter to Rolls Royce staff: Dear colleagues, As the debate around the referendum to decide the future of the UK's European Union membership increases, it is an appropriate time to outline the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars and BMW Group position. The decision on whether to stay in the EU or not is for British voters to decide on in June. However, as a wholly-owned BMW Group company, it is important for all Rolls-Royce Motor Cars employees to understand the view of our parent company. The BMW Group believes that the UK is better as a member of the EU than it would be outside it. You will see in the media this week an open letter supporting the campaign to stay in the EU, signed by around 200 business leaders, including Member of the AG Board, Ian Robertson. Free trade is important for international business. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars exports motor cars throughout the EU and imports a significant number of parts through the region. For BMW Group, more than half of MINIs built and virtually all the engines and components made in the UK are exported to the EU, with over 150,000 new cars and many hundreds of thousands of parts imported from Europe each year. Tariff barriers would mean higher costs and higher prices and we cannot assume that the UK would be granted free trade with Europe from outside the EU. When it comes to regulation, whether the UK remains inside the EU or leaves it, with Europe as the UK's largest export market by far, we would have to abide by European rules and regulations in any case. We believe it's much better to be sat at the table when regulations are set and have a hand in their creation, rather than simply having to accept them. Finally, we get a significant benefit from the easy movement of our people between the UK and Europe. This allows the rapid transfer of expert knowledge throughout the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars and BMW Group networks, building the skill level of our UK workforce. Our employment base could also be affected, with skilled men and women from most EU countries included in the 30 nationalities currently represented at the Home of Rolls-Royce here at Goodwood. The debate around this subject will undoubtedly continue to build as we near the UK referendum on 23 June 2016. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} An Iranian harpsichordist has described his shock after being forced to stop a concert in Cologne following calls to speak German and jeering. Mahan Esfahani, who has won numerous awards and teaches at Londons prestigious Guildhall School of Music and Drama, was performing at the Kolner Philharmonie when the furore broke out on Sunday. As he started to play Steve Reich's 1967 piece Piano Phase, he gave a short introduction in English explaining the special arrangement allowing him to perform the work on a Baroque harpsichord dating from 1745. The concert was at the Kolner Philharmonie, which can be seen in front of the Cologne cathedral over the city's famous bridge. (AFP/Getty Images) An audience member shouted speak in German before other members of the 1,800-strong crowd started clapping, whistling and hissing, the Kolner Stadt-Anzeiger newspaper reported. A number of people were seen walking out of the chamber as arguments broke out and some people were reportedly seen crying in their seats. I continued for about another three minutes until it became unbearable, with obvious different factions yelling each other down, Esfahani wrote in Slipped Disk magazine. I stopped in the middle of the piece and took my headphones off; the hall at this point was more or less in pandemonium on a scale that Ive never seen in a concert hall for classical music. Using his microphone, he asked the audience what are you afraid of? and compared Germanys freedom to the Iranian regimes suppression of music and the arts, before continuing with a Bach concerto. The atmosphere was tense but totally fascinating to witness, Esfahani wrote. Most of the people who walked out or catcalled tended to be older men who clearly felt some sort of anger about having to listen to this piece. They were being shouted down by younger people mostly women, in fact. A few people were crying. The harpsichordist put the unprecedented reaction down to the performance of a modern piece during Colognes weekly Sunday at Four concert, which is usually popular among older classical music lovers. At the end of his performance the remaining audience burst into sustained and intense applause, he said, before a male audience member ran down the aisle and requested to use the microphone to make a public apology and say how sorry he was for what happened. Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Show all 13 1 /13 Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Women protest against sexism outside Cologne Cathedral on 5 January after the assaults Oliver Berg/EPA Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Women protest against sexism in Cologne following the rash of sex attacks on New Year's Eve Wolfgang Rattay/Reuters Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Police initially failed to mention the assaults in report the following morning EPA Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Police officers patrol in front of the main station of Cologne, Germany AP Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks German far-right supporters demonstrate at Cologne`s train station (Reuters) Reuters Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Supporters of anti-immigration right-wing movement Pegida in Cologne, Germany, January 9, 2016. Reuters Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Police used pepper spray to control supporters of Pegida, Hogesa (Hooligans against Salafists) and other right-wing populist groups as they protested against the New Year's Eve sex attacks on 9 January, 2016 in Cologne, Germany Reuters Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Police use a water cannon during a protest march by supporters of anti-immigration right-wing movement Pegida in Cologne, Germany, January 9, 2016 Reuters Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Police use pepper spray against supporters of anti-immigration right-wing movement Pegida, in Cologne, Germany, January 9, 2016. Reuters Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Artist Mira Moire protests naked in Cologne against the mass sex attacks on New Year's Eve AP Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks A demonstrator holds a sign in German that reads 'No violence against women' during a demonstration in the wake of the sexual assaults on New Year's Eve, outside the cathedeal in Cologne, Germany, 09 January 2016. EPA Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Counter demonstrators hold up a sign reading "Against sexism, against racism" as they protest against a demonstration of the islamophobic movement PEGIDA at the train station in Cologne, Germany, on January 9, 2016. AFP/Getty Images Germany reacts to Cologne New Year's Eve attacks Demonstration by a womens group on Saturday (AP) AP There was the invariable apology but this is not necessary! the musician said. They should be glad to live in a city wherein people participate so actively in culture. But German media suggested that the response may be linked to rising xenophobia following the New Years Eve sexual assaults in Cologne and arrival of more than a million refugees in the country. The city has seen waves of protests by far-right and anti-immigration groups, with some devolving into violent clashes with anti-fascist demonstrators and police, as well as vigilante attacks on refugees. In a statement, the Kolner Philharmonie vowed to maintain its forum of cultural diversity and said Esfahani had been invited back to perform the same piece on 1 March next year. We are stunned at the unprecedented reaction by a part of the audience to a concert last Sunday, a spokesperson said. We expect a respectful atmosphere. A small part of the audience cannot be allowed to disturb others and spoil their enjoyment. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Two women who opened fire on police in Istanbul have been killed after they were trapped in a nearby apartment building, Turkish media reported. A siege situation emerged on Thursday after the women launched a gun and grenade attack on a police bus as it entered a local riot squad headquarters. The incident, in the Bayrampasa district on the European side of the city, was caught on camera and the extraordinary video of their failed attack ran across Turkish TV channels. Further video later emerged of police blasting the doors of the building where the women had fled, and ensuing gunfire could be heard. Officials later reported that both women had been killed in the special forces raid, while one police officer was wounded in the arm. Earlier, video of the attack on the station appeared to show two women dressed in everyday clothing pull out weapons and fire upon members of the public and a Turkish police bus. While one woman fires what appears to be an uzi-style weapon, the other throws grenades from her bag. The second woman then pulls out a handgun and opens fire on an unseen target directly below the point where the video is being filmed. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Thursday's attack, but attacks on the security forces have increased as violence flares in the country's predominantly Kurdish southeast, where a ceasefire between Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants and the state collapsed last July. The radical leftist group DHKP-C has also repeatedly staged similar attacks on police stations, largely in Istanbul suburbs. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A nanny accused of beheading a four-year-old girl has said she did it to avenge the spilled blood of Muslims killed by Russian air strikes in Syria. Gulchekhra Bobokulova, 38, from Uzbekistan which has a Muslim majority population gave her first detailed explanation of the heinous attack in a video posted online on Wednesday, according to Reuters. She was seen outside a subway station in Moscow on Monday carrying the head of the girl who had been in her care. When she appeared in court yesterday, the mother-of-three told reporters that Allah ordered the killing. In the video circulated, she specifically pinpointed Russian President Vladimir Putin, who announced in September that Russia would launch air strikes against terrorist groups in Syria in support of President Bashar al-Assad. I took revenge against those who spilled blood, Bobokulova told an off-camera interviewer. Putin spilled blood, planes carried out bombings. Why are Muslims being killed? They also want to live. She said she had wanted to go to live in Syria but did not have the money to do so. It was unclear from where the video had originated or who was questioning her, but Bobokulova appeared to be wearing the same clothes she wore in court on Wednesday. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: You need to regard anything that such a deranged woman says accordingly. In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Show all 19 1 /19 In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Syrian boys cry following Russian air strikes on the rebel-held Fardous neighbourhood of the northern embattled Syrian city of Aleppo Getty In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Russian defense ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov speaks to the media in Moscow, Russia. Konashenkov strongly warned the United States against striking Syrian government forces and issued a thinly-veiled threat to use Russian air defense assets to protect them AP In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Syrians wait to receive treatment at a hospital following Russian air strikes on the rebel-held Fardous neighbourhood of the northern embattled Syrian city of Alepp Getty In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov speaks at a briefing in the Defense Ministry in Moscow, Russia. Antonov said the Russian air strikes in Syria have killed about 35,000 militants, including about 2,700 residents of Russia AP In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Jameel Mustafa Habboush, receives oxygen from civil defence volunteers, known as the white helmets, as they rescue him from under the rubble of a building following Russian air strikes on the rebel-held Fardous neighbourhood of the northern embattled Syrian city of Aleppo Getty In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Civil defence members rest amidst rubble in a site hit by what activists said were airstrikes carried out by the Russian air force in the town of Douma, eastern Ghouta in Damascus, Syria Reuters In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria A girl carrying a baby inspects damage in a site hit by what activists said were airstrikes carried out by the Russian air force in the town of Douma, eastern Ghouta in Damascus, Syria Reuters In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Civilians and civil defence members look for survivors at a site damaged after Russian air strikes on the Syrian rebel-held city of Idlib, Syria Reuters In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Civilians and civil defence members carry an injured woman on a stretcher at a site damaged after Russian air strikes on the Syrian rebel-held city of Idlib, Syria Reuters In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Volunteers from Syria Civil Defence, also known as the White Helmets, help civilians after Russia carried out its first airstrikes in Syria In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria The aftermath of Russian airstrike in Talbiseh, Syria In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Smoke billows from buildings in Talbiseh, in Homs province, western Syria, after airstrikes by Russian warplanes AP In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Russian Air Forces carry out an air strike in the ISIS controlled Al-Raqqah Governorate. Russia's KAB-500s bombs completely destroy the Liwa al-Haqq command unit In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Caspian Flotilla of the Russian Navy firing Kalibr cruise missiles against remote Isis targets in Syria A TASS/ITAR-TASS Photo/Corbis In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Russia claimed it hit eight Isis targets, including a "terrorist HQ and co-ordination centre" that was completely destroyed In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria A video grab taken from the footage made available on the Russian Defence Ministry's official website, purporting to show an airstrike in Syria In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria A release from the Russian defence ministry purportedly showing targets in Syria being hit In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Russia launched air strikes in war-torn Syria, its first military engagement outside the former Soviet Union since the occupation of Afghanistan in 1979. Russian warplanes carried out strikes in three Syrian provinces along with regime aircraft as Putin seeks to steal US President Barack Obama's thunder by pushing a rival plan to defeat Isis militants in Syria In pictures: Russian air strikes in Syria Caspian Flotilla of the Russian Navy firing Kalibr cruise missiles against remote Isis targets in Syria, a thousand kilometres away. The targets include ammunition factories, ammunition and fuel depots, command centres, and training camps A TASS/ITAR-TASS Photo/Corbis Russias intervention in Syria has altered the course of the conflict there. The Islamic State group said it downed a Russian passenger plane flying above Egypt in October, killing all 224 people on board, in revenge for Russia's campaign. Bobokulova was reportedly shouting Islamist slogans as she carried the head of the girl following her decapitation. One witness told Reuters he heard her screaming about the murder of children in Syria. A police source has told the Interfax news agency that details of two men linked to an international extremist group had been found among her contacts. But, police investigators were quick to raise the possibility that Bobokulova is mentally ill and have not said that they suspect her of any terrorism-related offences. They played down the nannys words in the video, suggesting that she was schizophrenic and that the motive offered by people suffering from the condition often differed from the real reason they had acted. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The EUs naval mission to combat migrant smugglers in the Mediterranean has driven traffickers to increasingly use cheaper, smaller, less seaworthy rubber boats, because they represent less of a financial loss if sunk, a top European general has said. Giving evidence to a House of Lords committee, Lieutenant General Wolfgang Wosolsobe, director general of the European Union Military Staff, said that traffickers had been forced to amend their business model as a result of the EUs policy of intercepting and sinking boats used for trafficking refugees and migrants from Libya into southern Europe. He said that traffickers were bulk-buying rubber-hulled boats from China which have less carrying capacity, and are more limited by sea conditions. The EU launched its military operation in the Mediterranean known as Operation Sophia last spring, in response to a string of sinking incidents in which hundreds of migrants drowned. Military vessels from several EU states, including the Royal Navys HMS Richmond, have taken part in the operation, which is attempting to break up trafficking networks, apprehend smugglers, and sink their boats to avoid them being re-used. Lieutenant General told peers that migrants were now being told by people traffickers not to aid authorities by disclosing information about their route after arriving, and that such advice had even been provided by an NGO, because of concerns of reprisals against migrants. The number of Mediterranean crossings has decreased in the winter months because of adverse sea conditions. Lieutenant General Wosolsobe said it was too early to say whether Operation Sophias presence in the area was driving more migrants to use routes into Europe via the Balkans which has seen the highest migrant and refugee counts in recent months. However, NGOs expect that the numbers crossing the Mediterranean will increase again from April as weather conditions improve. 157,000 migrants arrived in Italy via the central Mediterranean route in 2015, slightly lower than the record number who arrived in 2014. Examination of the statistics indicate that the continuous presence of Sophia units off the coast of Libya has forced traffickers to amend their business model, he told peers on the House of Lords EU External Affairs sub-committee. No longer are there more expensive wooden or fibreglass boats used, as these represent a significant financial loss when they are destroyed by Sophia units. Martin Xuereb, director of Migrant Offshore Aid Station, a charity dedicated to protecting migrants using sea routes into Europe, said that traffickers would be likely to offset the cost of losing their vessels by raising the fees charged to migrants. There have been wooden boats much safer than rubber boats but we have also encountered rubber boats that are safer than the wooden ones used, he said. It is my understanding that this winter there were more crossings. As long as there is a demand, the traffickers, if they feel it is going to cost them more to buy the boat, will offload that cost on the people taking the journey. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Greek authorities are reportedly attempting to stop refugees arriving on Aegean islands from boarding ferries to the mainland as a humanitarian crisis continues to build. Travel agents on Lesbos and Leros told aid workers they were instructed not to allow asylum seekers to buy tickets for public ferries on Thursday. Thousands of asylum seekers are still crossing from Turkey every day but border restrictions in Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia and other nations on the Balkans route to western Europe is creating a huge backlog in Greece. Thousands of refugees stranded on Greece-Macedonia border Up to 30,000 refugees are believed to be trapped in the country, with many sleeping rough in parks and city squares as shelters overflow. Gemma Gillie, from Doctors Without Borders (MSF) told The Independent that Greek authorities attempted to be intensifying efforts to slow arrivals to the mainland. On Friday, ferry companies were asked to reduce services and ships chartered by the Government were docked in Lesbos, Chios and Samos with no indication of when they would depart. They are being used as emergency accommodation until refugees can be transferred to mainland Greece, with numbers mounting every day. Travel agencies are not being allowed to issue any tickets to refugees, Ms Gillie said. There are 16,000 people in Idomeni (near the Macedonian border) are they are trying to stop more people coming. The refugee crisis - in pictures Show all 70 1 /70 The refugee crisis - in pictures The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A Syrian refugee holding a baby in a lifetube swims towards the shore after their dinghy deflated some 100m away before reaching the Greek island of Lesbos The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A refugee raises a child into the air as Syrian and Afghan refugees are seen on and around a dinghy that deflated some 100m away before reaching the Greek island of Lesbos The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Syrian and Afghan refugees fall into the sea after their dinghy deflated some 100m away before reaching the Greek island of Lesbos The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A refugee cries as he holds a child on the Serbian side of the border with Hungary in Asotthalom Reuters The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Refugees stand in front of a barrier at the border with Hungary near the village of Horgos, Serbia Reuters The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A refugee from Syria prays after arriving on the shores of the Greek island of Lesbos aboard an inflatable dinghy across the Aegean Sea from from Turkey. Greece sent troops and police reinforcements to Lesbos after renewed clashes between police and migrants, the public broadcaster said, while Syrian refugees on the island were targeted with Molotov cocktail attacks The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Police try to stop refugees going under a fence to board a train at a station near Gevgelija, Macedonia. Several thousand refugees in Macedonia boarded trains to travel north after spending a night in a provisional camp. Macedonia has organised trains twice a day to the north border where they cross into Serbia to make their way to Hungary The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Refugees push each other as they try to board a bus following their arrival onboard the Eleftherios Venizelos passenger ship at the port of Piraeus, near Athens, Greece The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Refugees are welcomed by locals after their arrival at the main railway station in Frankfurt, Germany. Over 1,000 more refugees arrived in Germany to cheers and "welcome" signs, but calls grew for a European solution to its worst refugee crisis since World War II The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A young Syrian boy arrives on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing in a dinghy with other refugees from Turkey AP The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Refugees walk on the railway tracks between Bicske and Szar, some 40 kms west of Budapest, trying to reach Germany EPA The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Hungarian policemen stand by the family of refugees as they wanted to run away at the railway station in the town of Bicske, Hungary The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A family is arrested by local police after their local train coming from Budapest and heading to the Austrian border has been stopped in Bicske, west of the Hungarian capital The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A man is arrested by local police after his local train coming from Budapest and heading to the Austrian border has been stopped in Bicske, west of the Hungarian capital The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict More than 2,500 refugees have died trying to reach Europe this year and the struggle continues as they travel through the continent Getty Images The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Refugees protest in front of a train at Bicske railway station. Hundreds of people, were stranded on a train in Hungary for a second, demanding passage to Germany in a standoff with riot police The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Syrian refugees arrive on the shores of Lesvos island Getty The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Syrian refugees on the Greek Macedonian border Getty The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Refugees storm into a train at the Keleti train station as Hungarian police withdrew from the gates after two days of blocking their entry The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Refugees storm into a train at the Keleti train station in Budapest The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Refugees cross the border between the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Greece, near the town of Gevgelija, Macedonia. The Gevgelija-Presevo journey is just a part of the journey that the refugees, the vast majority of them from Syria, are forced to make along the so-called Balkan corridor, which takes them from Turkey, across Greece, Macedonia and Serbia to Hungary, the gateway to the European Union, September 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A refugee helps up an exhausted fellow refugee as they cross the border between Macedonia and Greece, near the town of Gevgelija, September 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict People breaking through a police cordon and crossing the border between Macedonia and Greece, September 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Refugees pass the border between Macedonia and Greece, September 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A Macedonian policeman carries a child across the border between Macedonia and Greece, September 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Syrians sleep on railroad tracks waiting to be processed across the Macedonian border in Idomeni, Greece, September 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A Czech police officer marks a refugee with a number after more than than 200 refugees were detained, mostly from Syria, on trains from Hungary and Austria at the railway station in Breclav, Czech Republic, September 2015 AP Photo, CTK/Igor Zehl The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A baby is lifted on to the Norwegian vessel Siem Pilot during a search-and-rescue mission off the Libyan coast, September 2015 AP The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Budapest's main international railway station ordered an evacuation as hundreds of people tried to board trains to Austria and Germany, September 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict People wave their train tickets and lift up children outside the main Eastern Railway station in Budapest, September 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict People protest at the Eastern (Keleti) railway station of Budapest, September 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Refugee children sleep in the surrounding green area of the Keleti railway station in Budapest, September 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Syrians cross under a fence into Hungary at the border with Serbia, near Roszke, August 2015 Reuters The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Refugees who have just crossed the border from Serbia into Hungary walk along a railway track that joins the two countries, August 2015 Getty Images The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Police arrest refugees at Cobham Services on the M25 in Surrey, August 2015 Twitter: @bigwheeluk The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Men hold a boy as they are stuck between Macedonian riot police officers and fellow refugees during a clash near the border train station of Idomeni, August 2015 AFP/Getty The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A Syrian father holds his children close as his arrives on the Greek Island of Kos, August 2015 Eyevine The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A tourist offers water to Iranian refugees as they arrive by paddling an engineless dinghy from the Turkish coast (seen in the background) at a beach on the Greek island of Kos, August 2015 Reuters The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A Syrian holds his 30-day-old baby on an overcrowded train as they travel through Macedonia. Tens of thousands of refugees, mainly from the Middle East and Africa, use the Balkans route to get into the European Union, passing from Greece to Macedonia and Serbia and then to western Europe, August 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A man rests on a platform at the train station in Gevgelija, on the Macedonian-Greek border, August 2015 Getty The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Refugees react after boarding the Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS) ship MV Phoenix some 20 miles (32 kilometres) off the coast of Libya. Some 118 refugees were rescued from a rubber dinghy off Libya. The Phoenix, manned by personnel from international non-governmental organisations Medecins san Frontiere (MSF) and MOAS, is the first privately funded vessel to operate in the Mediterranean, August 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Authorities are being overwhelmed as they try to fight off hundreds of refugees, prompting France to beef up its police presence, July 2015 AFP The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict People escape from the French Police as they try to catch a train to reach England, July 2015 EPA The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A man jumps over a fence as he attempts to access the Channel Tunnel, in Calais, northern France, July 2015 PA/Thibault Camus The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Two men cling to the roof of a freight truck as it leaves the Eurotunnel terminal in Folkestone, July 2015 Getty The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A man climbs a security fence of a Eurotunnel terminal in Coquelles near Calais, July 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Men help a man squeeze through a gap in a fence near the Eurotunnel terminal in Coquelles in Calais, July 2015 Getty The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Desperate for entry to the EU, the group of people risked being washed away by the sea at Ventimiglia rocks, June 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Stranded refugees spend night on rocks - they were supplied with emergency blankets after a cold night next to the sea, June 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Refugees climb in the back of a lorry on the A16 highway leading to the Eurotunnel in Calais, June 2015 Getty Images The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A police officer sprays tear gas to men trying to access the Channel Tunnel on the A16 highway in Calais, northern France, June 2015 PHILIPPE HUGUEN/AFP/Getty Images The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Men jump out of a lorry after being discovered by French gendarmerie officers, June 2015 AP The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A man sits under the trailer of a lorry, June 2015 AP The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A Belgian navy sailor passes life vests to refugees sitting in a rubber boat as they approach the Belgian Navy Vessel Godetia, June 2015 AP The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict People on the Belgian Navy vessel Godetia after they were saved during a search and rescue mission in the Mediterranean off the Libyan coast, June 2015 AP The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Iraqis wait as they are detained by Hungarian police after crossing the Hungarian-Serbian border illegally near the village of Asotthalom, Hungary, June 2015 Reuters The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Syrian refugees walking on train tracks through Macedonia on the Western Balkans migration route, after entering Europe through Greece, June 2015 Reuters The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A group of people huddle together during an operation to remove them from the Italian-French border in the Italian city of Ventimiglia. Italy and France engaged in a war of words as a standoff over hundreds of Africans offered a graphic illustration of Europe's migration crisis. Italian Interior Minister Angelino Alfano described images of refugees perched on rocks at the border town of Ventimiglia after being refused entry to France as a "punch in the face for Europe", June 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A man is carried by Italian police in Ventimiglia, Italy. Police reportedly removed refugees from under a railway bridge, June 2015 EPA The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict People queue after disembarking from the Royal Navy ship HMS 'Bulwark' upon their arrival in the port of Catania on the coast of Sicily, June 2015 GIOVANNI ISOLINO/AFP/Getty Images The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A Syrian child holds a drawing as he waits to disembark from Belgian Navy vessel Godetia at the Augusta port, Italy. Around 250 refugees from Syria arrived at the Sicilian harbour from a Damascus refugee camp, June 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A dinghy overcrowded with Afghan refugees arrived on a beach on the Greek island of Kos, May 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict An Afghan child is helped off a rib on the Greek island of Kos, May 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict An Afghan girl holds the hand of a woman as they arrive on a beach on the Greek island of Kos, after crossing a part of the Aegean Sea between Turkey and Greece, May 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Refugees crossed part of the Aegean Sea between Turkey and Greece, May 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Afghan refugees arrive on a beach of Kos, May 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Rescuers help children to disembark in the Sicilian harbor of Pozzallo, Italy in April 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict A boat transporting refugees arrives in the port of Messina after a rescue operation at sea, April 2015 Getty The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Armed Forces of Malta personnel in protective clothing carry the body of a dead man off Italian coastguard ship Bruno Gregoretti as surviving refugees watch in Senglea, in Valletta's Grand Harbour, April 2015 The refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees fleeing conflict Rescued people talk to a member of the Malta Order after a fishing boat carrying refugees capsized off the Libyan coast, is brought ashore along with 23 others retreived by the Italian Coast Guard vessel Bruno Gregoretti at Boiler Wharf, Senglea in Malta, April 2015 MSF aid workers have been told that even when asylum seekers are allowed on public ferries again, possibly on Sunday, a quota of 200 per boat will be imposed and Greeks and tourists given priority. Even when refugees reach the border, the neighbouring countrys policy of only allowing Syrians and Iraqis through is stranding around 35 per cent of arrivals, causing protests and clashes with police. The government said it was imposing last weeks ferry restrictions in order to build more temporary shelters but there were fears the move will deepen the humanitarian crisis on Aegean islands still seeing between one and five thousand people arrive every day in flimsy smugglers' boats from Turkey. Boris Cheshirkov, a spokesperson for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in Lesbos, said around 4,000 refugees were currently on the island and that the situation was currently under control. Weve had around 1,000 people arrive in the last 24 hours, he added. In the last two months weve had about 70,000 and we didnt reach that until the first six months last year. A Greek coastguard helps a migrant child to disembark, at the port of Mytilene, on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing the Aegean sea from Turkey He said Greek authorities were stepping up to the challenge but said the European Union must do more to share responsibility to avoid a looming humanitarian crisis. Greece's Prime Minister has called for sanctions to be imposed on EU states that refuse to take in their share of the hundreds of thousands of refugees arriving in his country. Alexis Tsipras also demanded that the practically dormant hot spot procedure for relocating refugees stranded in Greece to other EU members should be drastically speeded up. Speaking after a meeting with European Council President Donald Tusk in Athens on Thursday, he promised to provide dignified living conditions for those trapped in Greece after other countries further north along the migration route to Western Europe imposed sweeping entry restrictions. But he insisted that the solution can only be temporary and Greece will accept only its fair share of permanently resettled refugees. More than 135,000 refugees and migrants have arrived in Europe by sea so far this year, with at least 400 drowning in the attempt. Additional reporting by AP For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A Russian man is facing prison after he posted a message online stating that there is no God. Viktor Krasnov, 38, has reportedly been arrested under anti-blasphemy laws which were introduced after the punk art group Pussy Riots controversial performance protesting Vladimir Putin at a Moscow cathedral in 2013. The law has been criticised by human rights campaigners who argue that it amounts to an unnecessary restriction on civil liberty. The Russian government has argued that the anti-blasphemy laws protect minority religious groups and prevent religious conflicts. According to Krasnov, the charges relate to a 2014 online exchange in which he discussed religion. He says he posted: If I say that the collection of Jewish fairytales entitled the Bible is complete bulls***, that is that. At least for me, there is no God! World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty Another person involved in the online discussion subsequently reported Krasnov under the anti-blasphemy legislation for offending the sentiments of Orthodox believers. Krasnov then reportedly spent one month in a psychiatric ward for a prolonged assessment to establish whether he was sufficiently mentally fit to stand trial. He appeared in court on Wednesday, The Daily Telegraph reports. If found guilty, he faces up to a year in prison. Krasnovs lawyer told AFP that he was simply an atheist and had been critical of both Halloween and Yiddish holidays in the online exchanges. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Denmark's first food waste supermarket has proved a huge success with shoppers stripping the store's shelves of cut-price surplus produce. WeFood opened in the Scandinavian countrys capital Copenhagen last Monday, selling produce past its sell-by-date but perfectly edible - at prices 30 to 50 per cent cheaper than normal supermarkets. The first of its kind in Europe, We Food has said it differentiates itself from other social supermarkets targeted nearly exclusively at those on low incomes because it is aimed at the public in general. The stores first day of trade was a great success, according to the Copenhagen Post, which reported that sales were higher than expected and customers walked away with almost all of the products on offer. Food waste in the home accounts for about half of national waste (Getty Images) A spokesman for Folkekirkens Ndhjlp, the NGO behind the initiative, said: Its fantastic. It shows people want to buy the goods. The store now hopes to build on its initial success by attracting more suppliers to keep shelves fully-stocked going forward. Announcing the supermarkets opening, Per Bjerre, of Folkekirkens Ndhjlp, said: WeFood is the first supermarket of its kind in Denmark and perhaps the world as it is not just aimed at low-income shoppers but anyone who is concerned about the amount of food waste produced in this country. Many people see this as a positive and politically correct way to approach the issue. WeFood is hoping to reduce the 700,000 tonnes of food waste produced by Denmark each year a figure that has decreased by 25 per cent in the last five years. Eva Kjer Hansen, the Danish Minister for Food and the Environment, said: Its ridiculous that food is just thrown out or goes to waste. It is bad for the environment and it is money spent on absolutely nothing. A supermarket like WeFood makes so much sense and is an important step in the battle to combat food waste. Last month, France introduced a law banning supermarkets from throwing away any waste food, requiring them to donate it to charities and food banks instead or face a 3,750 fine. Charities have since called on the UK to introduce similar legislation. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The co-founder of a "groping guard" patrolling swimming pools in Sweden is reportedly under a suspended prison sentence for taking part in a neo-Nazi attack last year, it has been reported. Robert Banderby received the sentence for carrying a knife and violent rallying, after he and other activists from the neo-Nazi Swedish Resistance Movement attacked anti-racist protestors, the Daily Telegraph reports. The "Tafsvakten", which roughly translates to "groping guard", was founded by Siri Bernhardsson in the city of Kalmar. She claimed women are becoming too afraid to visit the city's leisure centre. Siri Bernhardsson, 24, set up the Tafsvakten group (Facebook) It cannot be right that women and families should be too intimidated to go to the swimming pool, of all places. It's not a dark alley or scary nightclub," the group's founder, Siri Bernhardsson, told the Kvallsposten newspaper. The 24-year-old has been accused of vigilantism, racism and xenophobia, as well as inciting hate towards more than 160,000 asylum seekers who arrived in Sweden last year. Refugee crisis - in pictures Show all 27 1 /27 Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugee crisis - in pictures A child looks through the fence at the Moria detention camp for migrants and refugees at the island of Lesbos on May 24, 2016. AFP/Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Ahmad Zarour, 32, from Syria, reacts after his rescue by MOAS (Migrant Offshore Aid Station) while attempting to reach the Greek island of Agathonisi, Dodecanese, southeastern Agean Sea Refugee crisis - in pictures Syrian migrants holding life vests gather onto a pebble beach in the Yesil liman district of Canakkale, northwestern Turkey, after being stopped by Turkish police in their attempt to reach the Greek island of Lesbos on 29 January 2016. Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees flash the 'V for victory' sign during a demonstration as they block the Greek-Macedonian border Refugee crisis - in pictures Migrants have been braving sub zero temperatures as they cross the border from Macedonia into Serbia. Refugee crisis - in pictures A sinking boat is seen behind a Turkish gendarme off the coast of Canakkale's Bademli district on January 30, 2016. At least 33 migrants drowned on January 30 when their boat sank in the Aegean Sea while trying to cross from Turkey to Greece. Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures A general view of a shelter for migrants inside a hangar of the former Tempelhof airport in Berlin, Germany Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees protest behind a fence against restrictions limiting passage at the Greek-Macedonian border, near Gevgelija. Since last week, Macedonia has restricted passage to northern Europe to only Syrians, Iraqis and Afghans who are considered war refugees. All other nationalities are deemed economic migrants and told to turn back. Macedonia has finished building a fence on its frontier with Greece becoming the latest country in Europe to build a border barrier aimed at checking the flow of refugees Refugee crisis - in pictures A father and his child wait after being caught by Turkish gendarme on 27 January 2016 at Canakkale's Kucukkuyu district Refugee crisis - in pictures Migrants make hand signals as they arrive into the southern Spanish port of Malaga on 27 January, 2016 after an inflatable boat carrying 55 Africans, seven of them women and six chidren, was rescued by the Spanish coast guard off the Spanish coast. Refugee crisis - in pictures A refugee holds two children as dozens arrive on an overcrowded boat on the Greek island of Lesbos Refugee crisis - in pictures A child, covered by emergency blankets, reacts as she arrives, with other refugees and migrants, on the Greek island of Lesbos, At least five migrants including three children, died after four boats sank between Turkey and Greece, as rescue workers searched the sea for dozens more, the Greek coastguard said Refugee crisis - in pictures Migrants wait under outside the Moria registration camp on the Lesbos. Over 400,000 people have landed on Greek islands from neighbouring Turkey since the beginning of the year Refugee crisis - in pictures The bodies of Christian refugees are buried separately from Muslim refugees at the Agios Panteleimonas cemetery in Mytilene, Lesbos Refugee crisis - in pictures Macedonian police officers control a crowd of refugees as they prepare to enter a camp after crossing the Greek border into Macedonia near Gevgelija Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures A refugee tries to force the entry to a camp as Macedonian police officers control a crowd after crossing the Greek border into Macedonia near Gevgelija Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees are seen aboard a Turkish fishing boat as they arrive on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing a part of the Aegean Sea from the Turkish coast to Lesbos Reuters Refugee crisis - in pictures An elderly woman sings a lullaby to baby on a beach after arriving with other refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing the Aegean sea from Turkey Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures A man collapses as refugees make land from an overloaded rubber dinghy after crossing the Aegean see from Turkey, at the island of Lesbos EPA Refugee crisis - in pictures A girl reacts as refugees arrive by boat on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing the Aegean sea from Turkey Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees make a show of hands as they queue after crossing the Greek border into Macedonia near Gevgelija Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures People help a wheelchair user board a train with others, heading towards Serbia, at the transit camp for refugees near the southern Macedonian town of Gevgelija AP Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees board a train, after crossing the Greek-Macedonian border, near Gevgelija. Macedonia is a key transit country in the Balkans migration route into the EU, with thousands of asylum seekers - many of them from Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia - entering the country every day Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures An aerial picture shows the "New Jungle" refugee camp where some 3,500 people live while they attempt to enter Britain, near the port of Calais, northern France Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures A Syrian girl reacts as she helped by a volunteer upon her arrival from Turkey on the Greek island of Lesbos, after having crossed the Aegean Sea EPA Refugee crisis - in pictures Refugees arrive by boat on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing the Aegean sea from Turkey Getty Images Refugee crisis - in pictures Beds ready for use for migrants and refugees are prepared at a processing center on January 27, 2016 in Passau, Germany. The flow of migrants arriving in Passau has dropped to between 500 and 1,000 per day, down significantly from last November, when in the same region up to 6,000 migrants were arriving daily. The pool's manager, Susanne Gryfelt, did not welcome the intervention. Saying she had received no reports of women or families feeling too afraid to swim, she added: "We do not want individuals to come in and act as lifeguards, that is our job." Sweden has the highest number of refugees per capita in Europe and is known for its humanitarian policies, but it is now planning to deport tens of thousands of asylum seekers after introducing border controls and slashing benefits. Police across Europe have warned against the rise of vigilante groups, which have been linked to attacks on refugees in some areas. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} It is the last thing the victim of an air strike needs to hear on phoning an official hotline to report an attack someone on the end of the line who doesnt speak their language. But the US State Department has admitted that its round-the-clock hotline service for Syrians to report violations of the recent ceasefire needs improvement, following reports that the volunteers manning the phones were unable to understand the Arabic speakers who called in. The hotline was set up on Saturday after the declaration of a tentative ceasefire in Syrias devastating civil war. Witnesses on the ground have been encouraged to call and report any breaches of the agreement between rebels and the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. There have been repeated claims of air and artillery attacks in recent days, but a story published on Wednesday by Syria Direct a non-profit group of journalists covering the war from inside Syria suggested witnesses had found it difficult to describe the details of such violations to US officials. Abu Odei al-Homsi, an activist with the Ceasefire Monitoring Centre in Homs, told Syria Direct he and his colleagues had tried to call the hotline, but we dont think they understood what we were saying. One State Department operator reportedly repeated the name Harbnifsah, a village south of Hama, as Harb Bebsi, which means Pepsi War. A call to the line was answered in English: Hello, this is the State Department cessation of Syria hostilities hotline, may I help you? State Department spokesman Mark Toner said operators staffing the hotline were State Department employees who had volunteered in their spare time. He admitted that only some spoke Arabic, and that their language skills had not all been properly vetted. There were some language issues, Mr Toner said. Were working to correct those, obviously, because its important that we have Arabic speakers that were able to field incoming calls. Syrians are also able to report violations of the truce by other means, including texting, emailing, or contacting the State Department via Google Voice. According to Syria Direct, some have decided to report the breaches instead to a United Nations hotline, which is manned by a native Arabic speaker. The UNs special envoy for the Syrian crisis, Staffan de Mistura, said yesterday that the ceasefire had so far been successful despite scattered incidents of violence in the Homs, Hama, Lataki and Damascus provinces. Success is not guaranteed but progress is visible, he told reporters in Geneva. State Department spokesman John Kirby said this week that US had not been informed of any claims of any additional violations of any significance since the truce took effect over the weekend, but Syrians were sceptical. Salim a-Rihal, from north Homs, which suffered shelling on Tuesday, told Syria Direct: America has no idea whats happening on the ground in Syria. Recommended Read more Syria truce brings calm for some despite Russian strikes Both sides have accused the other of breaking the ceasefire, brokered by the US and Russia to give the Syrian government and the opposition a chance to reopen peace negotiations in the civil war, which has lasted almost five years and claimed at least 250,000 lives. However, the truce did not include Isis or the al-Nusra front, the regions al-Qaeda affiliate. Residents across Syria were also left without power after a massive blackout whose cause was unknown, according to state media. Language issues: The hotline in action On Saturday night, Orion Wilcox, a journalist with the non-profit media group Syria Direct, called the US State Department hotline to report ceasefire violations in Homs province. I didnt expect an American to answer; he answered in English but switched to Arabic. I started telling him in Arabic about reports we were getting from Homs province of specific ceasefire violations, Mr Wilcox reported later. Hes really struggling and cant understand me... Im like, why is this American guy on the phone who cant speak Arabic? Id give a detailed account of something happening in Homs province and he would listen and his answer was: Homs. Thats it. On Monday, another Syria Direct reporter, Osama Abu Zeid, called the hotline to report on what were believed to be Russian air strikes on villages south of Hama city. The first State Department operator to answer the phone replied in poor Arabic, told him that he had the wrong number, and then hung up. Tim Walker For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Two Sheffield students, who chose to study abroad in Barcelona for a term, have been forced to return home in debt because they werent able to study in English. Both students ended up being down 500 each after having to pay for flights and accommodation in Barcelona, only for their term to be cut short. The University of Sheffield students took part on the highly successful Erasmus programme and flew out to Pompeu Fabra University (UPF) on 29 February but concluded that they would not be able to study there on their second day of lectures. Recommended Read more Why students should think global and embark on a course overseas Jessica Davis and Georgie Darling, both second-year journalism students, had been geared-up for their trip overseas for almost a year in advance, but excitement turned to disappointment when they turned up to their lectures and classes were taught in Catalan. Speaking with the Independent, Miss Davis said: Considering that, in this day and age, we are so privileged to have access to such high standards of education and communication, its ridiculous how we have ended up in this situation. Miss Darling added: I feel so disappointed. I had really hoped that studying abroad would encourage me to take risks but this has only left me with less confidence. Jessica Davis and Georgie Darling The two young women emailed the head of communications at UPF in December, asking for a list of the English classes, but only received a general list from a website link. So we chose the modules on that list, but when we got there and lessons werent taught in English, it was clear we hadnt been sent the list of English-taught modules, said Miss Davis. The students went to the support office at the university, but were told it was too late for them to change modules and that all of the English ones were full. Unlike previous years, the students had to sit their January exams in Sheffield. The term also started earlier in Spain, meaning the students flew out after the other Spanish students had already begun lectures. This delay meant the time period at the start of the term, where a student has the option to change modules, was now over. UPF told the Independent: As a general rule, we dont invigilate exams in absentia at UPF. It is true that we have accepted to do it on very few occasions in the past, but only in an exceptional way. So it was never really an option for Sheffield students to come to us before ending examinations at home. We really regret this situation, particularly because we have tried to help them as much as possible from an administrative and academic point of view, being as flexible as circumstances allowed, and thinking of the consequences on students academic performance. Both students, however, rejected this claim by UPF, insisting they had a complete lack of response to the many emails they sent to the university seeking assistance while they were in Barcelona. Tony Harcup, the Erasmus coordinator at the University of Sheffield, told the Independent: When the students' placement was arranged, we understood they would be able to take their Sheffield exams while in Barcelona, as has been the case previously. Unfortunately, our partner university there was unable to provide for that this year. Had the students stayed in Barcelona for their Erasmus semester, we would have supported them with advice and, if necessary, by providing suitable assessments to replace any missing credits - just as we are supporting them now they are back in Sheffield. The students also had to temporarily stay with friends while they looked for accommodation back in Sheffield, as they had offered their former housing to foreign Erasmus students spending a term in Sheffield. Looking to the future, though, Mr Harcup added: The department has already reviewed our Erasmus arrangements with institutions whose teaching begins during our exam period to prevent such a situation from happening again. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A London university has been accused of undertaking a social cleansing of the institution as students continue to declare their support to join a rent strike over soaring accommodation costs. Students at University College London (UCL) have said the increase in student support - from just 150 last month - had allegedly increased by around 500, reflecting campus-wide concerns over rising rent and student dissatisfaction with managements response. The team behind the strike, UCL Cut the Rent (CTR), said in a statement on Wednesday: When UCL runs its accommodation with a 45 per cent profit margin - over 15,779,000 - yet shows flagrant disregard for socially accessible education - whilst seeking to criminalise access to a home for its own students - UCL Cut the Rent asserts this can only accurately be described as a social cleansing of the university. A UCL spokesperson, however, told the Independent: UCL does everything it can to keep its rents affordable, despite the challenge of doing so in the heart of central London. The spokesperson also refuted claims that UCL is making a profit on rent, and said: That is wrong. We are a not-for-profit institution. The money received in rent is ploughed back into residences. The protesters also described how managements response has been to patronise and threaten students. They also expressed discontent with the answers given by Andrew Grainger, director of UCL Estates, at an open meeting in halls on 3 February. In the full exchange - as seen by the Independent in a full transcript, with accompanying audio - Mr Grainger was asked by a student: To what extent does the process, does the budget of the average student, come into account when youre deciding what the rent is? How much of your decision-making is in the cost of infrastructure, cost of services, cost of everything you invest in, versus how much the average student has to pay - and the reality of that? Mr Grainger replied: We dont set our rents on the basis of the least well-off students. He also added: I certainly think there is a case to considerhow we can better target support for the most needy students. When discussing the affordability of the city, Mr Grainger said: Some people simply cannot afford to stay in London. However, a student who was dissatisfied with this response, asked: They [prospective students to London] wanted to study here, your response to that is basically, Oh, well, you knew it was London? Mr Grainger replied: Yes. Im sorry, but some people just simply cannot afford to study in London...and that is the fact of life. Also, when asked: Can you also confirm whether UCL will be taking action to evict students who are not paying as part of a political protest? Mr Grainger said he would see that as a last resort, adding: I would sincerely hope it doesnt come to that. But, when pressed on the issue, Mr Grainger said: Im saying, as a last resort, legal action is the process. Thats what happens. I dont think UCL will be willing to write off a large debt. As well as this, CTR said management had stated they will pursue evictions against students and that, in recent emails, added they intend to withdraw licences to occupy hall residences from strikers. In an email from Estates SAMS Debt Chasing to a UCL student seen by the Independent, a credit controller with student residences wrote: If payment is not made in full by 14 March 2016, you will receive a 28 day notice to quit your accommodation...in accordance with your licence to occupy. If the fees are subsequently paid within the 28 days notice period, your licence to occupy will be reinstated. Students, therefore, have been demanding a 40 per cent cut, as well as a social rent-setting policy. With many more supporters now on board with the movement, CTR said this now increases the amount withheld to over 1 million - an amount which could rise as more students decide whether to sign up to the strike or not. However, at the open meeting, Duncan Palmer, interim head of student accommodation, told students: Were here and were committed to try to resolve some issues. 40 per cent rent cut? No, absolutely not. We said that, we cant, because of the duty of care we have, actually, to the institution, so its about sitting around the table and, actually, what can we do? What is the driving goal of it? If I wanted an outcome, is 40 per cent reasonable? Mr Grainger added: I think its important to understand that people take action and actions result in consequences, ultimately. We see this as a last resort but, if people withhold their rent, which is a very clear, decisive action on the students part, then, ultimately, UCL will have to take action - and there will be consequences as a result. According to the UCL Halls of Residence website, at Astor College - a catered hall of residence - students are required to pay 270.06 per week for a one-bed flat. However, there are only three of this type of room available. More typically, though, in the Ramsay Hall of residence, UCL students are required to pay 206.29 per week for a single catered room. UCLs accommodation comes out as being one of the most expensive when pitted against some other central London universities rooms. A single en-suite in the Woodward Buildings of Imperial College London, for example, costs 126 per week, and Kings College Londons Great Dover Street Apartments 192 a week for an en-suite bedroom. UCL RENTS London School of Economics Passfield Hall, however, charges between 184.80 to 209.30 per week for a single room, and 218.75 a week for a single en-suite. Queen Mary, University of London students, on the other hand, typically pay between 123.48 to 165.20 per week for a single room. CTRs cause is being supported by the Radical Housing Network - a London-based group which campaigns for housing justice - which said it will defend UCL students against any attempts at intimidation or eviction, with all of the resources at our disposal. A spokesperson for the group added: As millions now suffer in the housing catastrophe, the Radical Housing Network stands in full support of the inspiring actions of UCL Cut the Rent. Since 2009 CTR said UCL had increased the average rent rate by around 56 per cent and, describing how rent is everyones problem, CTR has made reference to a recent study by Shelter which found 53 per cent of private tenants are struggling to pay rent. CTR added: In London, 72 per cent of tenants total income is spent on rent alone. Whilst this dispute may be in the university, the exploitation of tenants by landlords is causing immeasurable suffering to millions. CTR wishes to be clear they stand in full support with wider campaigns for housing justice. Justifying the number of students now in support of the Cut the Rent movement, halls accommodation representative with the students union, Angus OBrien, told the Independent CTR has collected the names of over 500 students who have signed up in support of the rent strike. These student, he explained, are willing to join in the third term in order to pursue the demands of a 40 per cent rent cut and a social rent policy. He continued: In the interests of students privacy, we are unable to publish this list, but we assure you that discontent with UCL managements initial response is widespread among rent paying students. These students were balloted in a similar way to how a trade union would ballot its members preceding the decision to take strike action. One of CTRs supporters, Anabel Bennett, echoed Mr OBriens comments, and said: The response from residents in UCL halls has been overwhelming. First-year students are now organising themselves on an unprecedented scale. The strike is expanding exponentially as more and more students see the only solution is to take action. CTR also said it fully intends to extend and escalate the dispute until its reasonable and proportionate demands are met, adding: We will not be intimidated. Addressing the patronising claims made against UCL management by CTR in its online statement, the UCL spokesperson told the Independent: The point is the rents are set across the board, with a range of costs at different levels, so we dont support poorer students by offering differentiated rent levels to different students at the same residence. What we do offer is a substantial programme of scholarships and bursaries to support less well-off students. The point is that we keep rents as low as possible across the board for all students. UCL is well aware of the pressures of affordability for London accommodation. No-one here underestimates the seriousness of the issue, but it is one that goes well beyond UCL. Read Andrew Graingers full statement on the Cut the Rent campaign from 29 January Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} While the decision on whether to stay in the European Union is important, there is a more significant question that is barely being asked: what is Britain's place in the world? For at least 10 years the main parties have avoided serious discussion about the kind of country we want to be and the role we should be playing internationally. Some blame the Iraq war for this, but to me that's an excuse not a reason. That we got rid of a brutal dictator but found the aftermath harder than anticipated does not mean we should abandon any attempt at foreign policy. In this void of political leadership no one is more culpable than the current Labour leader. Where is the progressive left-wing voice setting out the case for a Britain engaged in the world, not running away from it? Jeremy Corbyn isn't being straight with the public on the EU, let alone on the kind of Britain he would like to lead. All we get is confusion on whether to renew Trident and, facing an increasingly muscular Russia, whether the UK should even be part of Nato. His decision to skip the launch of Labours "in" campaign at the weekend so he could speak at a CND rally tells you all you need to know about a man who, sadly, is both consistently wrong on policy and devoid of strategy. David Cameron, to his credit, at least talks about foreign policy, but, beyond the EU, has never been clear about what he wants to achieve. So in Libya we "hit and run" and have left a dangerous vacuum that is absent from the front pages only because of the more serious mistake of failing to act in Syria. Cameron recognises the threats we face in the world but isnt brave enough to put policies forward to tackle them. The answer to all this, in my view, is that Britain should be engaged in the world and therefore playing our part in international organisations, not retreating from them. We cannot say, for instance, that we would be better off trading with the EU while not being part of it, when this would mean complying with its rules but having no say over them. Put even more simply, can anyone suggest a single global issue on which Britain today is better off addressing alone rather than with our allies? I can't. Europe has long been able to identify issues that need cooperation to solve, such as the refugee crisis, the implications of a resurgent Russia or the threat of Isis, but has been and remains cursed by an inability to work together to meet these challenges. Leaving the EU, however, would only make finding solutions to these problems less likely. So for all those who, like me, see faults in how the EU works but still see no alternative to it, lets look to the wider context. How, and with whom, should we tackle the new threats we face in the Middle East? How do we best work with the EU, a question that remains unanswered despite Camerons "deal"? How best and how closely should we work with our closest ally the US? Leadership should mean setting out where Britain fits in the world and leaders should say how they plan to take us there. Daniel Sleat is a former political adviser to Jack Straw, who was Foreign Secretary, 2001-06. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Mark Burton gives you Spruce Springclean, window cleaner, another for my collection of Genuine Shop Names. Matthew d'Ancona makes the case for George Osborne over Boris Johnson for the Conservative succession: Things are looking good for Boris in his campaign to become World King, and may continue to do so. But never forget: Osborne didnt earn his reputation as a formidable strategist by accident. Nor was yesterday's YouGov poll as bad for the Chancellor as I thought. I updated my post yesterday on the YouGov poll after I had looked at the tables because, although Johnson's support went up after his Brexit declaration, so did Osborne's. In fact, in a run-off between the two, Osborne closed the gap by one point, although he was still 18 points behind. (Unusually, this one-point shift is significant, because YouGov reinterviewed the same people. There could still be some error, either panel effect or an unrepresentative sample in the first place, but the changes are real and not the product of sampling error.) Indeed, if you look at the qualities of the candidates, Osborne does well on the important ones: understanding the economy, taking tough decisions and good in a crisis. Johnson does better on the fluffier ones: media performer, in touch with people, uniting the party and winning elections. (Did someone say winning elections? How 1997.) On the other hand, opinion polls are a snapshot not a forecast. As Mike Smithson pointed out, this is what the YouGov poll of Tory members showed seven weeks before the ballots went out in 2005: Kennth Clarke 33% David Davis 28% David Cameron 17% Liam Fox 8% Malcolm Rifkind 4% So long as people disagree over how to order our affairs, there will always be a fascination in politics. Not necessarily in the exchanges between a prime minister and a leader of the official opposition, however, as yesterday's Prime Minister's Questions proved. The only awkward moments for David Cameron came on the question of Europe, a subject Jeremy Corbyn cannot ask about. One question from his own side, from the above-mentioned David "Twenty-Eight Per Cent" Davis, and one from Labour MP Barry Sheerman. Davis asked what Cameron sharply observed was the "single transferable question". The Speaker called Bernard Jenkin, who wasn't there, and improvised brilliantly by calling Davis, another anti-EU Tory, instead. His question was transferable in another sense, in that it had originally been asked by Jonathan Portes: why won't HMRC publish the figures for National Insurance numbers, which do not seem to match the immigration statistics? Cameron didn't answer. Barry Sheerman, MP for Huddersfield, where Harold Wilson was born 100 years ago, asked: As the Prime Minister struggles with certain elements in his party over Europe, does he ever think back to an inspirational and visionary Prime Minister, Harold Wilson, who faced similar difficulties but stood up to the rebels in his own party and secured a yes vote for staying in Europe? Will he join me in celebrating the centenary of Harold Wilsons birth next week? Across all parties we should celebrate that great, innovative Prime Minister. The Prime Minister: I do feel a natural sympathy for anyone who has had this job, irrespective of the side of the House they are on. I think that Harold Wilson did some very important things for our country. I know that the hon. Gentleman has a particular connection to him. I wish his family well on this important centenary. I am sure that we approach things in different ways, but one thing that we would have agreed on is that Britains future is better off in a reformed European Union. I had forgotten that I had disagreed with Jeremy Corbyn about the Iraq war on the Nicky Campbell show on BBC 5 Live in January 2011. Thanks to Mark Lott for digging out the audio. Oliver Kamm is excellent in the first segment. Corbyn comes in at 10 mins 28 secs. And finally, thanks to Glenny Rodge for this medical bulletin: "Couldn't undo the buttons on my jumper so tried pulling it over my head but got it stuck. "Now sitting in A&E waiting to see a cardyologist." Sign up here to receive a daily "Catch-Up Service" email (9am Sunday to Friday) with links to new posts by John Rentoul. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Daily Mail is taking a rest from beating up on David Camerons U-turn on Europe to return to its favourite target Tony Blair. The serialisation of Tom Bowers new biography allows for all the Mails favourite headlines to be used, from deception over the Iraq war, to opening floodgates to European immigrants and the hint of a dalliance with Mrs Citizen Kane. The latest is to call Blair a dictator. What next in the Mails lexicon of Blair-hate Pol Pot? TB on TB is a match made in heaven and as with all of Tom Bowers extensively researched biographies it will be and deserves to be a best-seller. There is a curious bond between the Labour left and the Tory Party as both have a vested interest in trashing Blair. The left cannot forgive Blair for winning three elections as a reformist European-style social democrat. The right cannot forgive Blair for denying to the Conservatives their divine right to rule for the longest period ever in the last hundred years. Indeed, Blairs unspoken alliance with Paddy Ashdowns and Charlie Kennedys Lib Dems meant that Tories were excluded from full control of the British state for nearly 20 years. So while Blairs predecessor went off to make zillions upon leaving office and conducted the most famous affair in recent parliamentary history, as well as presiding over the disaster of British foreign policy in the Balkans, he is not considered worthy of the Tom Bower treatment. Like him or loathe him Blair is going to stir passions and produce biographies as long as British political history is written. However there is one curious aspect of the TB biography which deserves further exploration. And that is why did no-one protest at the time about Blairs foreign policy interventions? There were marchers down Whitehall and all honour to them. But there were no protestors inside Whitehall. Why not? It is all very well for the cabinet secretary at the time, who gladly accepted a peerage with all its perks and expenses from Blair, to complain that Blair deceived the cabinet and by extension Parliament and the nation. It is quite a charge for the most senior state servant to make. No previous cabinet secretary has said something similar about a prime minister he served. For good or ill, senior civil servants have the same deontological obligations as doctors, lawyers and priests namely to be involved in the most confidential discussions and decisions but to keep quiet. Lord Turnbull has now invented a new doctrine at the invitation of Tom Bower. It is terrific journalism but will future Prime Ministers trust future cabinet secretaries if they are prepared to tell all? UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 18 September 2022 A man stands among campers on The Mall ahead of the Queens funeral Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2022 Wolverhampton Wanderers Nathan Collins fouls Manchester Citys Jack Grealish leading to a red card. City went on to win the match at Molineux Stadium three goals to nil. Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 16 September 2022 Members of the public stand in the queue near Tower Bridge, and opposite the Tower of London, as they wait in line to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, in London AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 15 September 2022 Members of the public in the queue on in Potters Fields Park, central London, as they wait to view Queen Elizabeth II lying in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 14 September 2022 The first members of the public pay their respects as the vigil begins around the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Hall, London, where it will lie in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 13 September 2022 Crowds cheer as King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort arrive for a visit to Hillsborough Castle Getty UK news in pictures 12 September 2022 Crowds line the Royal Mile, Edinburgh, as King Charles III joins a procession from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles Cathedral following the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS UK news in pictures 11 September 2022 Members of the Public pay their respects as the hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard of Scotland, is driven through Ballater AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 10 September 2022 Britain's Prince William, Prince of Wales, Britain's Catherine, Princess of Wales, Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, wave at well-wishers on the Long walk at Windsor Castle AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 9 September 2022 King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort wave after viewing floral tributes to the late Queen Elizabeth II outside Buckingham Palace Getty UK news in pictures 8 September 2022 A screen commemorating Britain's Queen Elizabeth II in Piccadilly Circus, London Britain EPA UK news in pictures 7 September 2022 Police officers stand guard after Animal Rebellion activists threw paint on the walls and road outside the Houses of Parliament in protest, in London, Britain Reuters UK news in pictures 6 September 2022 Queen Elizabeth II welcomes Liz Truss during an audience at Balmoral, Scotland, where she invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 5 September 2022 Visitors at the PoliNations garden in Victoria Square, Birmingham, which is made up of five 40ft high tree installations and over 6,000 plants. The PoliNations programme aims to explore how migration and cross-pollination have shaped the UKs gardens and culture PA UK news in pictures 4 September 2022 Undergraduates at the University of St Andrews take part in the traditional Pier Walk along the harbour walls of St Andrews before the start of the new academic year PA UK news in pictures 3 September 2022 The Massed Pipes and Drums parade during the Braemar Highland Gathering at the Princess Royal and Duke of Fife Memorial Park PA UK news in pictures 2 September 2022 Number 12 Company Irish Guards at Wellington Barracks, central London, before commencing their first Guard Mount at Buckingham Palace PA I had the smallest of walk-on parts as Blair sent me to the Foreign Office as PPS and Minister for eight years 1997-2005. I do not recall Robin Cook or Jack Straw ever admitting concerns or criticisms about what Blair was doing. After he was dumped as Foreign Secretary, a sacking that wounded him deeply, Cook did resign with maximum dramatic effect during the Iraq war debate in the Commons. But as with Clare Shorts hokey-cokey resignation it was a gesture and not a serious political move. Had he resigned earlier jointly with other ministers it might have had an impact similar to Anthony Edens resignation over Chamberlains conduct of foreign policy in 1938. Robin Cook was proud of his role in military intervention in Sierra Leone, Indonesia and above all in the Balkans including the air attacks on a European city, Belgrade, which were carried out without UN authority or approval. Kosovo, Sierra Leone and Indonesia created a culture of interventionism and use of military force that Labour ministers and certainly TB quite enjoyed. Having knocked off Sukarno and Milosevic as it were, Saddam seemed just another trophy to add to the wall. I kept a daily diary during all that period and travelled with senior FCO officials or met them and Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) officials in different world capitals as a Minister. I do not recall a single one at any meeting in the FCO, at the UK missions in New York or Washington or any other capital, uttering a single word of warning or even raising an eyebrow. There was one FCO lawyer who resigned and again that is to her honour. But the Whitehall machine, at least in the years I worked at the FCO, kept mum. I dont doubt there were members of the Camel Corps as the FCO fondly dubs its Arabists who thought the Iraq intervention was mad and bad just as there were apologists for Milosevic who thought his rule was acceptable. But they said nothing at the time. Now they discover the courage of their previously well-hidden convictions and concerns. Like many, I am now of the view that Britains involvement in destroying the states of Iraq and Libya and the encouragement of civil war in Syria are blunders. But I do not accuse the prime ministers and foreign secretaries who made those errors of bad faith. So I am of no interest as a witness to writers like Tom Bower. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} As Kim Jong-uns missiles fired into the Sea of Japan on Wednesday, they sunk along with the opportunity of opening up North Korea any time soon. The protest came just a few hours after the UN imposed the toughest sanctions on North Korea in two decades, to punish the state for its nuclear activities. While the sanctions are almost unprecedented in their scope, North Korea has been in similar situations before. But this time there is one major difference. The Kim Dynasty no longer enjoys the full backing of Beijing. In fact, the current round of UN sanctions was only made possible with cooperation between China and the United States. Their rationale is that North Korea would now be more vulnerable to sanctions, and more susceptible to change, given its diplomatic isolation and increasing reliance on trade. Back in 2003, the future was not so bleak for North Korea. The Six-Party talks involving North Korea, South Korea, China, Japan, Russia and the US marked an unprecedented diplomatic effort to solve the nuclear problem. But over a decade and six rounds of talks later, the talks are dead in the water. North Korea launch short range projectiles Show all 6 1 /6 North Korea launch short range projectiles North Korea launch short range projectiles A man watches a TV news program showing a file footage of the missile launch conducted by North Korea, at Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, AP North Korea launch short range projectiles North Korean leader Kim Jong-un speaking during a ceremony for the scientists, technicians, workers and officials who worked on the recent successful launch of a satellite EPA North Korea launch short range projectiles People watch a TV news program showing a file footage of the missile launch conducted by North Korea, at Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, AP North Korea launch short range projectiles North Korean soldiers guard the truce village of Panmunjom at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) which separates the two Koreas, in Panmunjom, North Korea AP North Korea launch short range projectiles People watch a TV news program showing North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, at Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea AP North Korea launch short range projectiles An undated file picture released by the Rodong Sinmun, the newspaper of the North Korean ruling Workers Party EPA It all began with America's wide-reaching War on Terror, which flipped Pyongyangs calculations upside down. As the foreign policy experts John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt said in a co-authored aricle published shortly before the Iraq War, "The Bush administration's contrasting approaches to Iraq and North Korea send a clear signal: we negotiate with states that have nuclear weapons, but we threaten states that don't." If you're North Korea, why risk a US invasion? Going nuclear was their only option for survival. But behind the scenes of confrontation, trade and economic activities were bourgeoning. North Korea exports minerals, metals, coal and other goods abroad, 70 per cent of which goes to China. Before its closure last month, the Kaesong Industrial Region was jointly run by North and South Korea, hosting 124 companies and 54,000 North Korean workers. Pyongyang's nuclear threats have halted the project and hurt many economic areas. Many in the West have long disregarded North Korea as irrelevant, and focus instead on ridiculing their leaders. We have never stopped laughing at the pantomime element of Pyongyang politics, whether it's the puppetry of Team America or the slacker orientalism of The Interview. As such, it's easy to forget that just over 30 years ago, one third of the worlds population lived under communism. It's not as if the country can't change, and come out of its shell. The US ambassador to the UN has said that Pyongyang priorities warheads before "providing for the most basic needs of its own people", but this is a charge that could have easily been levelled at China in the 1960s. Imagine an open North Korea, its easy if you try. Just look at Chinas success, or Cubas recent detente with the US. Or how about the Iran deal? All demonstrate that it's possible, so long as there's the will to do something. There is a future for North Korea, but only if both Pyongyang and the world are ready to engage in trade and constructive dialogues again. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Cameron comes back with a wee deal in the hope of satisfying the critics of the EU primarily within his own party. Now it has become a full civil war of claim and counter-claim, fear and counter-fear within the English body politic and within the English Tory party and Cabinet. Ukip, primarily an English party, looks on and awaits with glee the resultant exodus from Tory to Ukip after the result is known. What result? Many of the pollsters indicate that a Brexit may be denied as a result of the combined Remain votes from outwith England. With current indications that England is split down the middle at present and the Tory party and followers largely in the Leave camp, there will be an existential crisis in England if it is kept in due to the provinces. How does Cameron, the architect of English Votes for English Laws, sell that to the disaffected Tory local associations in the shires? Would he say that the UK has spoken and the majority votes have been gained through voting in the peripheral nations of the UK? Usually, it is English Votes for Everyones Laws that must carry the day! Interesting times when viewed from north of the Tweed! John Edgar Blackford, Perth and Kinross Apologies for yet more scaremongering, but imagine a world in which the UK has exited from the EU, and so Scotland has exited from the UK. The rump of the UK is ruled for ever by the Conservative Party, led, at least for a while, by Boris Johnson, and our closest ally is President Trump of the USA. All these scenarios are possible separately, and if they all happened together they would be a disaster for the world. Marilyn Mason Kingston upon Thames Young people under too much pressure Geraldine Bedells article on the teenage mental health crisis (Magazine, 27 February) was sobering and disturbing. The dominant narrative of the time we live in is of austerity and competition. In both public and private sector consulting rooms across the country our psychotherapists and child psychotherapists increasingly see anxious and traumatised individuals, troubled by matters such as work pressure, money worries, addiction to social media, and loss of control over ones life. As a society, we will likely face worsening adult mental health if we do not begin to challenge the expectations and unrealistic pressures foisted on young people today. With the enormous pressure placed on young people, where the prevailing narrative is that everything is down to individual endeavour and anything less than the highest grades in exams is failure, is it any wonder that so many teenagers are suffering? Helen Morgan Chair, British Psychoanalytic Council Heather Stewart Chair, Association of Child Psychotherapists London, N19 Richer or poorer outside the EU The British public are getting fed up with the stream of lies coming from those who wish to stay shackled to the chains of the European Union. These lies are intended to scare voters to remain in the EU. Lord Rose of the BSE campaign wrongly believes there would be new trading tariffs overnight should Britain leave the EU. Lord Rose should already know that current tariff barriers can hinder access to the EU market, preventing those outside the EU, who produce cheaper clothing, from trading inside it. The impact of these tariffs on bills for working-class households is particularly damaging drastically pushing up the cost of clothes and other household goods. Business for Britain estimates an average household can save around 146 per year as soon as tariffs applied at the EU border are removed. When Britain decides to leave the EU on 23 June the sun will still rise as usual the next morning however, Britain will be full of optimism. After any election there is uncertainty. What is certain is that it will be up to the British Prime Minister after Brexit whoever this may be to secure free trade agreements with the rest of the world, securing a much better deal than the one we have now with the EU. Jayne Adye Director, Get Britain Out London SW1 John Hudson (letter, 1 March) demonstrates the fallacies in Nigel Farages opinion that Toyota would be better off if we left the EU. To a non economist it would appear that following a Brexit it would be advantageous for such firms to move into Eastern Europe where wage costs would be considerably lower and they would be sited in the middle of their market. At the same time the creation of work opportunities on the European mainland would probably lead to a mass exodus of unwanted foreigners and fulfil one of Farages aims. The loss of significant manufacturing output would help to send the UK well down the world industrial ladder and we would not need George Osborne to be dreaming up even more austerity. Peter Erridge East Grinstead, West Sussex Neither the Government nor any UK political party has a policy, mandated by the electorate, to cover the eventuality that the UK would leave the EU; the Governments current policy is to remain a member of the EU. Should the referendum return a vote in favour of leaving the EU, would it not be a constitutional requirement to hold a general election? That would ensure that the administration responsible for negotiating the terms of the UK exit from the EU would have a clear mandate to do so. C J Baker Solihull French market for British scallops Thank you for the scallop article featured on 2 March. I was involved in the original promotion of the Rye Bay catch some 15 years ago. The scallop catch up to that time had mostly been sent to Boulogne along with most of the fish caught in Rye Bay. This was because the French market is so much stronger than fish purchasing in Britain. That is still true today. It is true that British fishermen have not had an easy life. Successive governments of both colours failed to secure the best deals for them, but the market over the Channel has sustained a living for the depleted fleet. If we now leave the EU, they will certainly suffer further. All sales to Boulogne will have to be renegotiated with undoubtedly less favourable rates. New tariffs will be set, and that will take a long time. By the time all is agreed the already small fleet will not survive. The British market which has been built up over the last decade is still too small to sustain the fleet. So the scallops and the fresh fish from Rye wont be available for the home market either. Kate Roy Heathfield, East Sussex City profits from mens criminal traits Olivia Hill (letter, 3 March), while highlighting the fact that London is deemed the most successful city in the world, suggests that gender imbalance is preventing it from doing even better. But is it not obvious that London owes its premier position at least in part to that male dominance? We dont have to look very far past the much greater gender imbalance within the prison population to realise that in reality men and women are not so much equal as different, with different strengths and weaknesses. Those traits that lead men into prison in much greater numbers are very similar to those that lead to success in business and in particular to the type of financial chicanery that has made London so successful. Roger Chapman Keighley, West Yorkshire London shuns European flag I thought to pin my colours to the mast or, rather, to my hat by wearing a European Union badge. I searched every souvenir shop in Oxford Street. They had the Union Jack, the Queen, the Duke of Cambridge and his missus, London buses, red telephone boxes, Diana and Paddington Bear but nothing of the Union to which we all belong. St Pancras International, our gateway to Europe, was no less insular. I should have thought of getting one last year when I was in Holland. The circle of stars was all over the place and everyone spoke English. Peter Forster London N4 No clue in Saviles dress sense I am shocked by Will Gores statement that Jimmy Savile was an abuser who dared to wear the costume of a paedophile (The Only Way is Ethics, 29 February). This is dangerous nonsense. There is no distinctive dress by which paedophiles can be recognised; many people dress eccentrically, but pose no threat to anyone; and most abusers are known to the children they abuse, and appear perfectly normal. John Dakin Toddington, Bedfordshire Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} In this volatile world, its heartwarming to see the effort the French authorities went to this week in demolishing the tents and living quarters of refugees in Calais. Because most of those living in the camp had fled from war zones, its a lovely touch for the French to go to such lengths to make the migrants feel they were back home. Some of the migrants have fled from Isis, so maybe next time the police can drag them into a basement and make a little film of someone standing over them with a sword, so theyll feel a little tear in their eye and weep, Its so good to be reminded of my village. The main instruments used to clear the camp in Calais were bulldozers and tear gas which is fitting, because the lawyer at the hearing in which the demolition was ordered said the reasons for the evacuation were the dignity and security of the refugees. Nothing makes you feel more dignified and secure than a cloud of tear gas in the face. If you want to look smart and dignified for a special occasion, the first thing you do is rub tear gas in your eyes and cover yourself in truncheon bruises. For example, if you had to collect a Nobel Prize, on the way youd drink a pint of tear gas to make sure you arrived gasping and choking and sicking up black phlegm over the King of Norway so that you beamed like a true beacon of dignity. One evicted woman was a pregnant Iranian Kurd, who was filmed being batoned and wrestled to the floor, and as she was being handcuffed she must have thought, After all Ive been through, its a comfort to enjoy a moment of dignity at last. But as well as dignity theres the security, and the French government says theyre moving the refugees to better accommodation, so theyre just helping them along by gassing them, like an enthusiastic branch of Pickfords. Whenever Ive moved house, Ive infuriated myself by dawdling and going back indoors to check Ive not forgotten anything, and often wished the removal men would give me a hand by whacking me with truncheons and snapping my arm in three places. A spokesman for the French prefecture the state body that ordered the evacuation described the event as a humanitarian intervention. That makes sense, because when you see CRS riot police gassing refugees as their kids scramble away through the mud, the first thought that comes to mind is: I bet thats what Florence Nightingale would have done. The first area of the camp demolished was the part that contained the health centre and makeshift school and theres nothing more humanitarian than knocking down annoying places like that. The French authorities, however, went the extra mile and demolished a church. Only the truly righteous and holy can claim to be so humanitarian that they demolish a church, especially when its a church built by people fleeing from groups that wont let them have churches. As it says in Matthew Chapter 4 verse 7: And the people who did flee from the land of Assyria, and hath no homes, did build a church from all that lay around so that they may seek hope in the word of the Lord, and Jesus did come among them and knock the bastard down with a bulldozer. Its no wonder the refugees wish they were in Britain, because here the government would be more subtle and sell the school and church tents to developers, whod convert them into a block of three-bedroom tents in an estate called Migrant Waters at 600,000 each for Japanese businessmen. The French government claims the refugees will be housed in containers on lorries provided down the road, but the charity Help Refugees calculates that, even with three in each lorry, they are 2,229 places short for the numbers evicted. They could do what we all have to do when times are hard and be prepared to cut down a little, but so far the migrants have refused to shrink to half their size so they can squeeze twice as many into a lorry, so thats hardly the fault of the French is it? Recommended Read more Zoe Saldana has been cast in blackface as Nina Simone The frustrating side to this story is that, despite the efforts of the French to assist the refugees, thousands of people in Britain have tried to spoil things by sending clothes and sleeping bags, and forming groups like Play4Calais, which built a cinema in the camp to show films such as Shaun the Sheep to the children. But as Welsh Conservative MP David Davies said: What people are doing in terms of giving aid to people in Calais is really irresponsible. Im sure the refugees agree. They must be thinking: I wish these idiots would stop clothing us and offering compassion and saving our lives. In times of desperation, your true friend is the canister of tear gas. Of course, the last thing this country needs is people like this coming here. To start with, theyre not really refugees. If theyd stayed in Iraq or Somalia or Syria theyd have been killed, which would have reduced their earnings which proves theyre economic migrants, just trying to get here for financial reasons. When someones drifted across the Mediterranean on a pedalo with their family, and walked through Macedonia and crawled to Calais and lived in a quagmire called the Jungle until theyre gassed by riot police and bundled into a lorry, its all too obvious the only reason theyve come to Europe is for an easy life at our expense. If I want to be tear gassed I have to go and pay for it myself, but they get it for free. Were mugs, we are. Complete mugs. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} One of the things that worried David Cameron as he started out on his campaign for Britain to stay in the European Union was that he would not be able to find enough ministers who would be really enthusiastic about helping him make his case to voters. He seems to have succeeded far better than he imagined, signing up not only the bulk of his own Cabinet to his cause, but also ministers from governments in other countries. This week, French Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron joined the Remain campaign with a forceful warning that the Jungle migrant camp in Calais would move to Britain if it left the EU. The day this relationship unravels, migrants will no longer be in Calais, he warned in an interview with the Financial Times. The whole thing had a clever symmetry: on the same day that David Cameron visited France for a summit and met German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the papers were full of warnings from a French minister and a German car manufacturer with BMW telling staff that they might lose their jobs if Britain left the EU. It was almost as though a media planning grid had been involved. Out campaign Vote Leave called the warning ludicrous and said it smacks of desperation from the UK government. Why would the French rip up bilateral deals on border controls that did not come about as a result of Britains EU membership anyway, the group asked. And besides, is Macron really the best informed person on this matter? He loves impressing the British media, but his own colleagues disagree with his warning: interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve has previously said that ending the agreement was a foolhardy path, and one the government will not pursue. The reason the In crowd might want the French Economy Minister making these sorts of comments is that they force the Brexit campaigners to confront exactly what sort of arrangement they would want for Britain to have if it did leave. And those campaigners do not agree. Some, such as Ukips Douglas Carswell, want Britain to be an outward-looking, open country when it comes to immigration. Others want to use Brexit to drive down immigration. Rather awkwardly, this second camp includes Carswells own party leader, Nigel Farage, but there are also splits between the Conservative members of the Out camp on this, too, and certainly between the Conservative and Labour sides. This means that Vote Leave is unlikely to advocate one set model of Brexit. Instead, its campaigners are referring people to a basic outline of what a post-EU Britain might look like, which says little more than Well take back control of migration policy, including the 1951 UN convention on refugees, and well decide who comes into our country, on what terms, and who is removed. To be more specific would be to risk even more arguments within the Brexit campaign than already exist. The strangest thing about a minister from another countrys government getting involved at all is that he has intervened on a matter that doesnt really benefit the In campaign. Unheeded, Macron also promised a red carpet for bankers fleeing the City of London in the event of a Brexit, and this warning does play to Remains strongest suit: the economy. Migration, by contrast, is a topic Downing Street wants to avoid talking about too much before 23 June; it only benefits the Outers. Even if there were not regular stories on the evening news bulletins about desperate migrants using home-made battering rams to break down border fences, talking about immigration would not help the Remain bunch all that much. David Camerons decision to stick to his back-of-a-fag-packet promise to drive net migration down into the tens of thousands, and his inability to secure anything from European leaders that will enable him to meet that silly pledge means that, whenever he or any other Remain campaigner talks about immigration, they are reminding voters of how little control over it Britain has. Had Cameron never come up with the net migration target had he never made such a fuss about the importance of his emergency brake on in-work benefits for EU migrants things might have been a little easier. Perhaps these warnings are designed to trigger an emotional response in voters as well, making them fear the leap in the dark that David Cameron repeatedly refers to when he makes the case against Brexit. He wants a campaign that is about the stability of sticking with the European Union, rather than the likely chaos wrought by leaving. But Tory MPs campaigning for Out think the Prime Minister has miscalculated by focusing so much on a campaign of fear. It is fast becoming Project Noise, says one Eurosceptic Conservative. And that means people just hear warning after warning after warning and stop listening at all. Those who do keep listening may hear the curious sound of Labour politicians, such as Yvette Cooper, agreeing word for word, even with the ludicrous warnings from Cameron and his friends from other governments, about the chances of a Jungle in Kent. Some Labour MPs worry that this will damage the partys identity, making it sound to their voters as though they are too close to the Tories. Others take a more optimistic approach or at least an optimistic one given their partys current miserable plight: Labour is now so irrelevant that no one will notice what people like Yvette Cooper are saying anyway. Perhaps as the campaign wears on, with the migration crisis rumbling away alongside throughout, Cameron will wish fewer people had heard of Emmanuel Macron, too. Sign up to our free fortnightly newsletter from The Independent's Race Correspondent Nadine White Sign up to our free fortnightly newsletter The Race Report Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the The Race Report email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} I am extremely familiar with that wonderful feeling you get when some moron says, Why dont the Muslins cant not LERN ENGLISH????? and you settle in with a mug of Ovaltine for what will probably evolve into a 45 minute, bullet-pointed, cited-and-referenced mini-PhD with a whole section on the characteristics of the fabric muslin (pictures? Yes, post some pictures of muslin! Thatll show the little puss-weasel!) I know. Ive been there. And I bet you have too. Youll almost certainly touch on their, there and theyre; and your versus youre is a given. If youre as serious an addict as I was, youll actually have your explanations already written in a Word document so that you can cut-and-paste for maximum efficiency. (This is real. I really did this, in Real Life. I am so ashamed.) But the truth is, you need to stop. Right now. And I hope this cautionary tale can illustrate why. It was a winter evening in 2014, and I had gone along to a local Britain First page to school some haters (the main Britain First page had banned me, of course. This is the first thing mentioned on my CV under Achievements). I was scrolling through the comments, correcting apostrophes, laughing at spelling, flaunting my adept use of semi-colons (as usual), when I came across a particularly long and passionate take-down of a commenters written English from earlier in a thread that I had only skim-read. The critic had really pushed the boat out: hed covered spelling, syntax, grammar - hed even pointed out when adjectives were in the wrong order (did you know that the convention is to go size, age, shape, colour, so we talk about a big, old, white house, not a white, old, big house? Neither did I!) The post was long, and I was tired, so I didnt read all the way to the end; I just clicked like and moved on. I went on down the thread, reading and commenting, until the grammar Nazi popped up again - only this time he was behaving like a straight-up Nazi, berating an Iranian woman who had lived in Britain for thirty years. And thats when I realised: the grammar he had been correcting wasnt a racists grammar. It was the grammar of an immigrant. He was using his education and his superior knowledge to put someone down and make them feel bad about themselves - and he was doing exactly what I loved to do. I wasnt trying to show people they were wrong, or using intelligent arguments to change their minds. I only wanted them to feel demeaned. I wanted to dominate them, and show that I was better than them, using my education - something I hadnt chosen, something that was as inevitable as the colour of my skin. But that didnt make me kind, or honourable, or decent, or respectful. I was behaving like a racist. I find writing really easy, always have done. Even before I could write I was drawing elaborate pictures of fairy villages and making up sprawling sagas about them (turned out gay, whod o guessed?!). I didnt choose to be good at writing, and I have done precious little to become better. I find spelling pretty easy too, certainly much easier than my brothers, who lean more to the scientific side of things. Britain First controversies Show all 8 1 /8 Britain First controversies Britain First controversies 20 November 2014: Britain First claims credit for success of Ukip campaign With the Tory defector Mark Reckless forecast to win the hotly-contested by-election in Rochester and Strood, Britain First suggested they only campaigned to bolster the Ukip campaign. Prior to the start of the vote some bookmakers had Nigel Farages party as huge 1/100 favourites to take the seat, which would make Mr Reckless their second MP at the expense of the Conservative Party. And with things going so smoothly for Ukip, the far right-wing group Britain First has tried to claim some of the credit Britain First controversies 5 November 2014: Britain First accused of hijacking the poppy as Remembrance Day approaches to promote its own agenda The far-right group used the symbol, which is a registered trademark of the Royal British Legion, on its website masthead and in Facebook posts driving more people to its page. It is seen alongside Britain Firsts logo telling people to take our country back and crudely superimposed into the centre of the European Union flag with a message about national sovereignty. Members of opposition group Exposing Britain First believe many Facebook users are sharing poppy posts without realising who it comes from or what they stand for Britain First controversies 28 October 2014: Britain First accuses Ukip of 'playing political game' with snub over Rochester photo Britain First accused Ukip of playing the political game after Nigel Farages party reprimanded its campaigners for posing for a picture with members of the far-right group. A spokesperson for Ukip said the picture, taken while both parties were campaigning for the Rochester by-election on Saturday, was a mistake would not happen again Britain First controversies 25 October 2014: Britain First starts 'direct action' on Mail and Sun journalists over Lynda Bellingham post Britain First encouraged its followers to boycott the Daily Mail and The Sun after it was accused of using actress Lynda Bellingham's death to boost support. The party has threatened to launch "direct action" on the journalists after they said that the group used the cancer victim's death as a way to gain more attention on social media. Britain First posted a photograph to their Facebook subscribers of Mrs Bellingham with co-star Christopher Timothy, above the caption: "RIP actress Lynda Bellingham. Britain First", which garnered more than 6,000 'likes' and 500 shares Britain First controversies 28 July 2014: Britain First founder Jim Dowson quits over mosque invasions and 'racists and extremists' The founder of Britain First resigned from the far-right group over its provocative and counterproductive mosque invasions. James Jim Dowson, a former British National Party (BNP) member and anti-abortion campaigner, announced his departure on 27 July 2014. While Britain First blamed media pressure and family issues for the decision and said he would be missed enormously in a saccharine post, Mr Dowson publicly shamed the groups tactics as unacceptable and unchristian Britain First/Facebook Britain First controversies 15 July 2014: Britain First 'battalion' invades mosque demanding removal of 'sexist' entrance signs A self-styled battalion of the far-right group Britain First invaded a mosque in south London. The stated aim of the altercation was to demand the removal of sexist signs outside the Crayford Mosque. The signs designate separate entrances for men and women, so they can enter for segregated worship as is the custom in most mosques. Men and women also sit apart in Orthodox Jewish synagogues and some Sikh gurdwaras. A film of the encounter was posted on Facebook, set to dramatic drumming music and ending with the slogan: "Britain First Defence Force. No fear. No retreat. No surrender." Britain First/Facebook Britain First controversies 27 June 2014: Britain First's Facebook page taken down for 'hate speech' Britain Firsts Facebook page was taken down for hate speech only to be restored again an hour later. Facebook claimed the extremist groups page was taken down by mistake but a screenshot posted by anti-fascist campaigners Hope Not Hate seemed to show the social media site had removed Britain First in response to a complaint. With almost 500,000 likes Britain Firsts page has a following that far outstrips the Conservatives, Labour and Liberal Democrats, arguably making it the UK's biggest political site Britain First controversies 27 April 2014: Inquiry over far-right Britain First party's use of Lee Rigby slogan on voting slip The election watchdog faced an inquiry over its decision to allow a far-right party to use a slogan referencing the murdered soldier Lee Rigby. The Electoral Commission apologised for allowing Britain First to use the description Remember Lee Rigby on voting slips for next months European elections but Jenny Watson, the chair of the commission, said on Sunday that an immediate and full independent investigation would follow to prevent this from ever happening again PA I grew up surrounded by books, and my parents read to me every day. I didnt ever have to ask to be read to; I didnt buy these books. They were there when I was born. This is the definition of privilege: its the unfair advantages that are given to us as our birthright. My privilege includes my race, my gender, my class - and my education. But you know what I have to WORK AT, every single damn day of my life? BEING A GOOD PERSON! Because being a good person is HARD. And Lord knows being intelligent and educated is not the same as being a good person, not by a long way. I talk over women, just because they are women. I get annoyed at old people who cant walk fast enough because they are in Actual Arthritic Pain. I drink milk that I know has been wrung out of terrified, grieving cows. I get fresh plastic bags when I cant be bothered to bring a bag for life from home. I have looked a loved one in the eye and lied to get out of a difficult situation, and I will do it again. I enjoy the benefits of an education that was given to me before I even knew how to ask for it. Educated people might have given us chemotherapy and electricity and Harry Potter, but they also gave us concentration camps and eugenics and Jeremy Hunt - you see, being educated is only a virtue if you use it to do virtuous things. Fighting racism is virtuous; making someone feel bad because they dont know about apostrophes is not. It is the same instinct that drives racism: the instinct to dominate, to denigrate, and to attack people rather than ideas. There is one more reason that we need to stop doing this, and it might be the most important of all: we need to change racist thinking, and people dont change when they are attacked. In an interview after the end of apartheid, Nelson Mandela said that he had realised that when apartheid ended, white people were still going to be there, and so what had to be destroyed was not white people themselves, but white peoples ideas. Mandela was famous for shaking the hands of his enemies, for remembering their wives birthdays, for asking after their children - and all while ruthlessly and relentlessly attacking their racist ideology. If we ever defeat racism, guess what? Those racist folk from Britain First will still be here! We need to tell those people that they are special and important and valuable - but that they can be those things without being racist, that they are capable of better than hatred, that there is more to them than who they fight against. We will never change someone by breaking them down, only by building them up - by telling them that their lives will be immeasurably enriched by welcoming refugees, that the overwhelming majority of Muslims are kind and gentle and compassionate, and that you dont need to be able to spell to be a decent human being. Grammar doesnt matter. Really, it doesnt. Black boys getting shot by police - that matters. Muslim women getting their headscarves pulled off in the street - that matters. Refugees being kicked and spat at and having their accommodation set on fire - that really, truly, deeply matters. People are getting hurt, and people are getting killed - and not one of them by dangling prepositions and split infinitives. Enda Kenny's party scored the highest for attacks on other parties and policies in the general election, says a semantics research firm Fine Gael engaged in the most negative campaigning online during the election campaign, analysts have revealed. Adoreboard, a semantics research firm based at Queen's University Belfast, scored Taoiseach Enda Kenny's party highest for attacks on other parties and policies in the short-lived and relatively lacklustre battle for votes. Just over a third of every tweet sent by parties during the campaign carried negative connotations. Fine Gael's social media team sent 1,106 messages on Twitter during February with 39.8% carrying one of 12 emotions ranging from fear to disgust. And a breakdown of the feelings played out on Twitter showed the Taoiseach's party scored worst for tweets which expressed rage, terror, loathing, disgust, grief, sadness and being pensive. Fianna Fail scored highest for expressing boredom on Twitter while Labour matched Fine Gael's score for anger, Sinn Fein showed most apprehension and the Greens most annoyance. Chris Johnston, chief executive of Adoreboard, said the company's anaylsis platform Toneapi.com pinpointed the scale of negativity put out by each party and through interactions on the micro blogging site. "These are the emotions which tend to drag down the overall positivity of content and intense feelings of negativity were especially evident," he said. Between February 1 and February 26, Labour, which suffered the most at the polls, were most active on Twitter. But out of 2,431 tweets, only 35.4% were negative. The Greens were second on the active list with 1,187 and again less likely to engage in negativity with a score of 34.5%. Some 38% of Sinn Fein's 1,170 tweets were negative, while 39.3% of Fianna Fail's 851 messages were in that bracket. The Social Democrats were also very active online with 881 tweets coming from a low base and only 35.4% were negative. Adoreboard also analysed more than 65,000 tweets mentioning all the parties which were posted in the run up to the close of polls. Of the 15,000-plus tweets which mentioned Fine Gael, 23% contained emotions of loathing or grief. And based on the research of the Twitter campaigns, public trust was said to be strong among the small parties. Adoreboard said the Greens and Independent Alliance scored highest with 7.95% and the Social Democrats came a close second on 7.25%. Those figures compare with the "trust" performance of Labour on 7.34%, Sinn Fein 6.8%, Fianna Fail 6.67% and Fine Gael 5.87%. Dr Gary McKeown, an expert in emotion at the School of Psychology at Queen's University, said: "Trust is an important issue in the success of any politician and it is central to whether voters will see them as likely to keep the promises they are making in the run up to the general election. "Trust is difficult to build, it needs to be protected as it is very easy to lose, and we tend to lean towards distrust as a default position. "This unfortunately, but perhaps unsurprisingly, means that most politicians start from a position where there is a lack of trust, and that is probably amplified in the current climate of austerity." Adoreboard carried out similar social media analysis during last year's general election in Britain which suggested that negative emotions played a big part in the success of the Conservatives. Close to 8% of the Tories' Twitter content related to fear while 17% of mentions confirmed trust. Allied Irish Bank (AIB) is now "well-positioned" to deliver on the State's 20.8bn bailout after pre-tax profits at the institution rose 72pc to 1.9bn. In the bank's full-year results published this morning it said the increase in profit was driven by high quality new lending matched with continued progress on operating expenses. Excluding exceptional items and bank levies, AIB dropped its operational expenses by 8pc, representing a 450m in expenses since 2012. Total operating income at the bank rose by 4pc to 2.6bn while it posted 14.4bn in new lending approvals to customers. AIB chief executive Bernard Byrne described 2015 as a "milestone year" for the bank. "There can be no doubt that the group's financial performance has confirmed our transition from a work-in-progress to a fully-functioning sustainable well-capitalised bank. This bank is now well-positioned to enable the State to recover its full investment of 20.8bn." Drawdowns at the bank were up 49pc on the previous year at 8.7bn. The bank posted a substantial reduction in impaired loans to 13.1bn, down 9.1bn since December 2014 and 15.8bn since December 2013. AIB chairman, Richard Pym, said the results reflected the scale of AIB's financial transformation. "Our strengthened capital position and ongoing improving risk profile reinforces our progress and paves the way for the State to potentially sell part of its shareholding in AIB. "The bank is working very hard to demonstrate to our personal and business customers that they can rely on us to operate to the highest level of professionalism, integrity and service. We remain focused on supporting them and Ireland's economy," Mr Pym said. Lisney is seeking 2.75m for an office investment at 1 South Mall, Cork. The property is being offered for sale on behalf of receiver Michael McAteer of Grant Thornton. The agents claim the block at 1 South Mall is one of the most prominent office buildings in Cork city centre. It is located between the South Mall and the southern channel of the River Lee with an open aspect over the river and views of City Hall, One Albert Quay and the docklands area. No 1 South Mall comprises a six storey office building fronting. It extends to a net floor area of 1,624 sq m (17,480 sq ft). The building is let on various leases to covenants including PWC, Royal and Sun Alliance and Lisney. The investment currently produces a rental income of 270,186 per annum exclusive with further potential to increase the overall rent to approximately 314,811 per annum when the third floor of the building is let. All leases are full repairing and insuring with the tenants responsible for service charges. All upper floor windows in the property were replaced in late 2014 and are double glazed throughout. At present PwC occupy the first, second and fourth floors paying a rent of 176,200 per annum. Royal and Sun Alliance occupy the fifth floor at a rent of 40,000 per annum and Lisney are the ground floor occupier at a rent of 41,986 per annum. "The asking price reflects a net initial yield of 9.4pc and comment that this is an excellent opportunity to acquire an office investment with good rental income from quality tenants," said Lisney. Bank of Ireland faces a possible hit to one of its most profitable business units from tougher rules for lenders in the European leveraged loans market mooted in Frankfurt. The bank's 3.9bn acquisition finance unit is a substantial part of Bank of Ireland's international corporate lending arm which threw off underlying profits of 637m last year. New rules proposed by the European Central Bank (ECB) could restrict the scale of lending by European banks, similar to what happened in the mortgage market here. Banking supervisors will look at individual lenders' exposure to the loans, which are often used to finance corporate buyouts, to pre-empt the threat that risks could quickly mount in the market, according to Sabine Lautenschlaeger, vice chair of the ECB's supervisory arm. Bank of Ireland said its mid-market leveraged acquisition finance business has been a consistently profitable and highly successful business for the group for over 20 years. The business is already regulated here and in the US, a spokesman said. "Acquisition Finance is no different to any of our other businesses in this respect and will continue to operate in compliance with regulatory requirements." While tougher regulation could cut back lending, tighter rules brought in in the US last year have not slowed Bank of Ireland's business there. The ECB may publish regulatory guidelines to set expectations for the industry, Ms Lautenschlaeger said. "I do not see it as the biggest risk, but I see a certain danger that market players see things a tad brighter than they are," she said. "So it is up to me as a supervisor, and up to you as risk managers, to counterbalance this view," she said in a speech to the Global Association of Risk Professionals. Ms Lautenschlaeger said regulators are acting after the market, which declined following the 2008 financial crisis, began to grow in 2011. European banks still represent a small part - about 15pc - of the global market for leveraged loans, she said. There are about 400bn in leveraged loans in Europe, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. "Leveraged finance is certainly not a major supervisory concern at the moment, but the recent development of the relevant market exemplifies the need for good risk governance, a well defined and closely monitored framework for risk appetite and highly assertive risk management," Ms Lautenschlaeger said. (Additional reporting Bloomberg). The Commission warned of the gulf between multinationals based here and homegrown businesses, whose concerns can be overlooked by government. Photo: Reuters The State hasn't done enough to address the regulatory concerns of Ireland's small and medium-sized businesses, the European Commission has said. While measures have been drawn up to ensure that the interests of SMEs are taken into account, European officials warned they haven't yet been fully rolled out. The Commission also warned of the gulf between multinationals based here and homegrown businesses, whose concerns can be overlooked by government. "Specific regulatory concerns of SMEs remain insufficiently considered," the Commission report said. "A number of measures are in place to ensure that policymakers take SME interests into account, including through consultations. However, implementation is incomplete." Productivity in small Irish firms lags that of their much larger foreign counterparts, with R&D (Research & Development) activities dominated by the latter, Brussels said in the report. The report says that while Ireland conducts regulatory impact assessments, the number has been low in recent years and issues remain regarding their quality and timeliness. "In addition, key 'think small first' principles are yet to be fully implemented, including the SME test and common commencement dates," the Commission said. The report was one of several from member states across the EU that was released on Friday. However, its publication was delayed until after polls closed on Friday night, "out of respect for Ireland's democratic process". Although highlighting the strength of the economic recovery, the report criticises the lack of funding in education, the high cost of childcare and pointed to problems in housing, the inadequacy of the State's infrastructural spend and public transport in Dublin. The Commission told the Irish Independent that the decision to delay the report's publication was taken by the "relevant members" of the College of Commissioners, thought to mean those with an economic brief including Economics Commissioner Pierre Moscovici. "Issuing the report while voters were still casting their votes last Friday would have raised even more questions," a Commission spokeswoman said. "All member states were informed about publication time, including Ireland." The Commission report also raises concerns about the productivity of Ireland's SME sector, saying there are significant differences in business conditions and performance between home-grown firms and the Irish operations of big multinationals. This echoes concerns from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Chief economist Catherine Mann told a conference in Dublin late last year that multinationals based in Ireland are far more productive than their home-grown peers. And she warned that the gap is widening. The Commission also pointed to the limited links between multinationals and indigenous businesses. "Multinational enterprises operate partly as an enclave, with limited linkages to indigenous firms," it said. "A rising share of multinationals' business services is sourced from abroad. As far as business services are concerned, there has been an increasing disintegration in trading between Irish business services providers and multinationals established in Ireland." R&D activities are also dominated by multinationals, with SMEs "highly dependent" on public R&D support for their own innovation, Brussels said. "This makes them vulnerable to the significant reduction in public R&D spending that occurred during the crisis," it argued. But the Commission said efforts are being made to foster R&D. It also notes that turnover, profits and employment in Irish SMEs are recovering. Google thinks self-driving cars could be a hit with pensioners. Mobility needs - getting to the doctor or shops or seeing family - has become paramount for seniors, especially with many living in suburbs and rural areas. "For the first time in history, older people are going to be the lifestyle leaders of a new technology," said Joseph Coughlin, director of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's AgeLab. "Younger people may have had smartphones in their hands first, but it's the 50-plus consumers who will be first with smart cars." "A fully self-driving car has the potential to have a huge impact," said John Krafcik, chief executive officer of Google's Self-Driving Car Project. "Mobility should be open to the millions around the world who don't have the privilege of holding a driver's licence." Ford also sees autonomy "as a way to strategically address an aging population", said Sheryl Connelly, the company's in-house futurist. To help design vehicles for the elderly, engineers and designers wear a "third age suit" with glasses that impair vision and gloves to reduce finger control and strength. In Japan, Toyota is racing to bring autonomous cars to market, partly because elderly drivers disproportionately cause and are injured in traffic accidents. Some of this work is in the US, where the company hired Gill Pratt - former program manager at the Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency and head of DARPA's Robotics Challenge - to lead the Toyota Research Institute. The company is spending almost 1bn on artificial intelligence and robotics technology to eliminate driver errors and reduce traffic fatalities. "We often talk about autonomy as if the goal is just to create autonomy in machines," Pratt said last year. The focus is more on people having "the ability to decide for themselves where they want to move, when they want to move," regardless of limits imposed by age or illness. Fully self-driving cars are still years off, however. Car manufacturers and technology companies are using artificial intelligence to help teach them not just to avoid collisions and read traffic signs but also to respond to different types and needs of passengers. Older people, for example, might have several medical appointments and want to tell the car to take them to a specific doctor. Engineers at Google are evaluating ways drivers can interact with cars, including by giving voice commands, according to spokesman Johnny Luu. The vehicles currently give verbal warnings about their intended path, including lane changes, he said. The small white robot cars Google is testing seat two passengers. (Bloomberg) Rolls-Royce bosses have warned British staff that the business could be harmed by exit from the European Union. In a letter to employees, chief executive Torsten Muller-Otvos said there was no guarantee the UK would be granted free trade with the EU if it voted to leave. Versions of the message, leaked to the Guardian, have been circulated to around 8,000 workers at the firm and other subsidiaries of the BMW Group. While stressing the final decision would be for the British people in the looming referendum, Mr Muller-Otvos wrote: "Free trade is important for international business. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars exports motor cars throughout the EU and imports a significant number of parts through the region. "For BMW Group, more than half of MINIs built and virtually all the engines and components made in the UK are exported to the EU, with over 150,000 new cars and many hundreds of thousands of parts imported from Europe each year. "Tariff barriers would mean higher costs and higher prices and we cannot assume that the UK would be granted free trade with Europe from outside the EU. "Our employment base could also be affected, with skilled men and women from most EU countries included in the 30 nationalities currently represented at the home of Rolls-Royce here at Goodwood." When RTE One broadcast its three-part drama about Charlie Haughey last year, a popular jibe was that it featured virtually every actor that had appeared in Love/Hate. It was an exaggeration, although one not without a few grains of truth. Apart from Aidan Gillen as Haughey and Tom Vaughan-Lawlor as his spin doctor PJ Mara, Charlie also found room for Love/Hate alumni Laurence Kinlan, whod played audience favourite Elmo in the gangland saga; John Connors, who was the philosophy-spouting Traveller assassin Patrick; and Peter OMeara, whose character Andrew the dodgy dentist ended up being suffocated with a 22-cent plastic bag by crazy Fran, played by Peter Coonan. Just for the record, Coonan wasnt in Charlie. I imagine he would have been, though, if the script had called for plastic bags rather than brown envelopes. The same joke did the rounds during 1916 drama Rebellion, which featured three Love/Hate stars, Charlie Murphy, Ruth Bradley and Brian Gleeson, in leading roles and a number of others from the series in smaller parts. The impression that there are only about 12 to 15 employable actors in Ireland is reinforced by this years other 1916 drama, TV3s The Trial of the Century, which stars Vaughan-Lawlor as Padraig Pearse and Aobhinn McGinnitty, who played Nidges wife Trish in Love/Hate, as a woman whose innocent son is shot dead during the Rising. You cant blame actors for grabbing every television role that comes their way. Acting is a parlous way to make a living and the work could dry up at any moment. But theres no great mystery about why the same handful of familiar faces keep turning up on our screens. Take Olivia Colman, currently the busiest female actor working in British TV. She tends to be top of casting directors lists, not because she has some compromising photos of them stashed in a locked safe somewhere, but because there are few actors of her calibre around. Plenty of other women could have played Detective Sergeant Ellie Miller in Broadchurch; not all of them, however, could have invested the scene in which Miller learns her husband is a murderer with the raw emotional power Colman brought to it. But for any actor, no matter how good, a pitfall is rarely more than one step away. Colman, excelling yet again in BBC1s dazzling adaptation of the John le Carre novel The Night Manager, has already been the subject of a mild backlash on social media and in the online comment sections of newspapers. Never mind the quality of her performances, her ubiquity has begun to work against her, just as it once worked against James Nesbitt. For a period of about 10 years, from Cold Feet through to Murphys Law, the public seemed to get it into their heads that Nesbitt was on television all the time. He wasnt, of course; it just seemed that way, largely because of that irksome Yellow Pages ad campaign he appeared in. Nesbitt, never anything other than an excellent actor, overcame all that nonsense with outstanding performances in Jekyll, Occupation and The Missing. Hes fine, too, in Sky 1s Lucky Man, even if the concept itself is a bit of a clunker. Video of the Day If any actor needs to be aware of the double-edged nature of fame, and of the near-invisible line between exposure and overexposure, its James Norton. Up until 2014, the only programmes involving the name Norton any of us knew about were The Graham Norton Show and the anti-virus software. And then along came Happy Valley, and with it a ferocious breakout performance by 30-year-old Norton as heinous killer Tommy Lee Royce. Since then, Norton has been all over television. He returned as Royce in the second season of Happy Valley. He scored another hit as Andrei in the lavish War and Peace. Last night, he was back in ITVs cosy but popular murder mystery Grantchester, in which he stars as crime-solving 1950s clergyman Sidney Chambers. Success tastes sweet, but sometimes really sweet things can make you feel sick. HAPPY VALLEY, BBC1, TUESDAYS; GRANTCHESTER, UTV/ITV/UTV IRELAND, THURSDAYS Actor Bill Roache has led tributes to "the father of 'Coronation Street'", its creator, Tony Warren, who has died aged 79. Best-known for his role as Ken Barlow in the soap, Roache had worked with Warren since the show's first episode on December 9, 1960. He said: "When I first met Tony I couldn't quite believe he'd created and written 'Coronation Street' because he was no more than a young boy. "It was his boyish energy even recently when I saw him again that I'll remember. I loved Tony's energy. He was the father of 'Coronation Street' and he gave us all so much. "He will be so desperately missed because of who he was and what he did. We owe him so much." ITV confirmed the news of Warren's death, saying in a statement he had "passed away peacefully last night (March 1) surrounded by his loving friends, aged 79, after a short illness". It continued: "All who worked with Tony throughout his illustrious career had the utmost respect for his achievements and he remained a consultant on the Manchester-based soap until the day he died. "He was considered one of the television industry's greatest minds as he devised the idea for the Weatherfield soap at the age of 24, at the very beginning of his acclaimed writing career." Corrie actress Helen Worth, who worked with Warren for 42 years, hailed him as a "genius of our time" and "the dearest, funniest and most inspirational man of his generation". She said he would "live on forever through 'Coronation Street'." Born Anthony McVay Simpson in Eccles, Manchester, Warren was a regular visitor to the soap's set in Trafford, Greater Manchester. He loved catching up with the cast and crew during breaks in filming. He also offered the actors insightful feedback about their characters and storylines. Video of the Day Credited with creating one of the most successful programmes in British television history, the 'Coronation Street' creator adopted the stage surname of Warren during his early acting career as a successful child star. He trained at the Elliott Clarke Theatre School in Liverpool and became a regular on 'Children's Hour' on BBC Radio. He also acted in many radio plays and performed with the actors who were later to become household names in 'Coronation Street', most notably Violet Carson, who played battleaxe Ena Sharples, and Doris Speed, who became famous as Annie Walker. In 1960, Warren's initial scripts for 'Coronation Street' were commissioned by Granada Television for the ITV network. He went on to write the first 13 episodes of the long-running soap and, almost overnight, 'Coronation Street' became a success. Warren wrote scripts for Granada Television on a full-time basis until 1968. He then worked on other television dramas and went on to craft several critically acclaimed novels in the 1990s, although his association with 'Coronation Street' continued. He wrote episodes for the soap until the late 1970s. Former 'Coronation Street' actress Julie Goodyear has paid tribute to Warren, her friend of 50 years. Goodyear is best known for playing bar lady Bet Lynch. After leaving for a short while, when she returned to the show in 1970, she went on to play the character for 25 years. In a touching tribute, Goodyear said she felt "very privileged to have him in my life". She added: "We cried together and we laughed together. We shared exactly the same outrageously camp sense of humour and that got us through so many of the tough times that can happen in life." She recalled how Warren had asked her to accompany him when he was awarded his MBE at Buckingham Palace, adding: "I felt so very proud of him and all that he had achieved in creating Coronation Street - and of course the work this gave to so many others on both sides of the camera, and also in so many other countries around the world." She said: "Tony and I never said the word goodbye to each other, even after a phone conversation. We always said 'Angels Guard' and that is what I'm saying now to him - Angels Guard." Walking the Camino Way? Which special bark of bamboozlement might Father Jack have emitted at this scheme? But this spiritual goal was the final, moving ambition of his creator, Frank Kelly - who on the day before his death and despite eight years of illness, told his family of his desire to travel the pilgrim path in northern Spain. His son Emmet revealed that the family had supported him, saying: "We'll be there for you. We'll take the time" - and would be there to catch him if he fell. "Little did we know he'd fall the next day," he said in an emotional address to mourners in which he described his father as "irrepressible". "If heaven permits Father Jack through the duty free of the pearly gates, it will be the first time anyone ever told Peter to 'feck off'," Emmet said. As laughter rang out again and again in the church, it seemed there could hardly be a better tribute to one of the best-loved entertainers the nation has ever seen. Chief celebrant, Father Bill Fortune, said Frank had a lot in common with classic comedy writer PG Wodehouse - both bringing "real joy, humour and laughter to literally millions of people". Best known for his portrayal of Father Jack in the cult series 'Father Ted', Frank (77) passed away suddenly of a heart attack, having battled ill health for over eight years. Emmet Kelly said he thought it was "cool" that his father was trending on Twitter after his death, ahead of Donald Trump. Frank is survived by his beloved wife of 51 years, actress Bairbre Neldon, their seven children Aideen, Fiona, Jayne, Ruth, Emmet, Stephen and Rachel and 17 grandchildren, his brothers Aidan and David, and sister Pauline. President Michael D Higgins attended the funeral and his wife Sabina warmly embraced Bairbre as she arrived at the funeral Mass at the Church of the Guardian Angels in Blackrock, Co Dublin. Video of the Day Mourners included 'Father Ted' writers Graham Linehan and Arthur Mathews, Frank's co-star Ardal O'Hanlon and two of Dermot Morgan's sons, Don and Rob. 'Game of Thrones' actor Barry McGovern, John McColgan of Riverdance fame and comedian Noel V Ginnity were there. Theatre publicist Gerry Lundberg told the Irish Independent of Frank's last appearance in 'Moll' at the Gaiety, of his utter professionalism in learning his lines and how he would do rounds of publicity that many younger actors would shun. Frank and Bairbre first met at the Gaiety Theatre while appearing in a Brecht play and married three years later in 1964. A beautiful poem penned by Bairbre for her husband at the back of the Mass booklet ended: "There is another place where music plays. The stage is set, The light grows dim, The mighty wait to greet you with applause." Gifts brought to the altar symbolising his life included a picture of the Forty Foot where he loved to swim, a picture of the family pet, Lucky, who was "missing him already", the crossword he loved to do every day and his recently-published autobiography 'The Next Gig'. Emmet Kelly said his father had trained as a barrister but used to say: "I'd rather star on the stage than grow fat at the bar." Frank's son Stephen said his father had "no illusions of grandeur", loved mischief and adventure and would "shout wild abuse at you down the street to see if he could embarrass you". Senior members of Sinn Fin, possibly at the party's October 1919 Ard Fheis. Due to the British suppression of Sinn Fin this was the last Ard Fheis held until 1921. From left to right in the front row, seated: Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington, Harry Boland, Unknown, Unknown, Eamon De Valera, Michael Collins, Arthur Griffith, Unknown. (Part of the Independent Newspapers Ireland/NLI Collection) Eamon de Valera's heroic image as the most senior Irish Volunteer officer to survive 1916 has obscured the reality of his minimal role in planning the Rising. He had reluctantly joined the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB) in 1915, an oath-bound secret society which was the real driving force behind the Rising, only when he realised that some of the subordinates in his battalion who were also in the IRB knew more about what was being planned than he did. Although he took the IRB's oath, his commitment was conditional: he attended no meetings and did not want to know the names of other members or any of the organisation's other secrets other than those he thought essential for his role as battalion commander. De Valera was not a signatory of the Easter Proclamation, which he had no part whatsoever in drafting. He saw himself not as a leader but as a follower, as a soldier obedient to the orders of his senior officers. "He was glad that he [had] no responsibility for deciding anything and that he had simply obeyed orders", De Valera told William O'Brien, the Labour leader, when they were imprisoned together after the Rising. This political anonymity goes a long way towards explaining why Eamon de Valera escaped execution in 1916. Another reason was that the delivery of Patrick Pearse's surrender order to De Valera at Boland's Mill, on the south-eastern outskirts of the city, was delayed by 24 hours. Two more days elapsed before De Valera and his men, who were then temporarily imprisoned in the RDS grounds in Ballsbridge, were marched across Dublin to join the main body of the prisoners in Richmond Barracks in the west of the city. The screening and court martial of the leaders of the Rising had already begun while De Valera was apart from the main body of prisoners and isolated in Ballsbridge. On his first morning in Richmond Barracks, many prisoners were awoken at 3.45am by the volleys signalling the earliest executions: Pearse, Thomas MacDonagh and Thomas Clarke. The shots did not wake De Valera, always a sound sleeper, but he expected to share their fate. There were four more executions the next day, May 4, including that of Edward Daly whose case resembled De Valera's on two counts: he was not a signatory of the proclamation and he was a commandant of one of the Volunteer battalions in Dublin. But he had the misfortune to have been among the first of those court martialed - on May 2, when De Valera was still in Ballsbridge. Another execution, of John MacBride, took place on May 5 and a weekend lull followed; De Valera's court martial did not take place until the afternoon of May 8, a day that had begun with another four executions. Between May 2 and 17, convictions were recorded in 149 of the 160 cases of prisoners who were tried by Field General Court Martial; but only 15 of the 90 death sentences passed were carried out. Before De Valera's court martial, his wife Sinead had already made representations to the American Consul in Dublin that he was a US citizen and the Consul had written to that effect to the most senior official in Dublin Castle, the Under Secretary, Sir Matthew Nathan. His relations in New York - notably his half-brother, Father Thomas Wainwright, a Redemptorist priest - did likewise. But, under questioning at his court martial, De Valera made no such representations on his own behalf; he said that he had been born in New York but did not know "whether his father was a Spanish subject or a naturalised American." He also said that "he always regarded himself as an Irishman and not as a British subject." De Valera was transferred to Kilmainham Gaol - those executed were shot by firing squad in the prison yard - to await the decision of General Maxwell, Britain's newly appointed general-officer-commanding in Ireland, on the confirmation of his conviction and sentence. But Herbert Asquith's government were already taking fright at the political repercussions of the executions and on the same day as De Valera's court martial John Redmond warned the House of Commons that such a draconian policy was already alienating many who had no sympathy with the insurrection. John Dillon made an even stronger speech when the Commons debated the Irish crisis on May 11 and when Asquith began a weeklong visit to Ireland next day Maxwell immediately assured him there would be no more executions. In the meantime, on May 10, an officer had already come to De Valera's cell and read him the verdict of his court-martial: guilty and sentenced to death. But he then read a second document, commuting the sentence to penal servitude for life. In the last analysis, De Valera owed his survival more to luck than to Asquith or America. He was lucky that Boland's Mill was isolated on the city's south-eastern periphery. Lucky that he was first imprisoned in Ballsbridge and not with the other leaders. Lucky that he was not transferred to Richmond Barracks for 48 hours and that his trial was delayed until May 8. Lucky that General Maxwell had already been summoned to London on May 5 by a government so alarmed at the impact on Irish public opinion that it urged him to bring the executions to an end. The last of the executions - of Sean Mac Diarmada and James Connolly, both signatories of the Proclamation, took place on May 12 - Asquith arrived in Dublin later on the same day. Having confirmed Connolly's fate after a discussion with William Wylie, the prosecuting officer at the trials, Maxwell had asked who was next. De Valera, Wylie replied, stumbling like so many others over the strange name. "Is he someone important", asked Maxwell, and Wylie made what Tim Pat Coogan has described as "the immortal reply: 'No. He is a school-master who was taken at Boland's Mill'" and so de Valera escaped death. With the benefit of hindsight and in the light of all De Valera made of the life thus spared, Wylie's reply may indeed seem immortal; but in the context of the time it reveals a more mundane reality: Eamon de Valera survived in 1916 because he was then unknown. This article is an extract, edited by the author, Professor Ronan Fanning, Professor Emeritus of Modern History at UCD, from his biography 'Eamon de Valera: A Will to Power' (Faber & Faber, 2015) More than 180,000 Luas passengers face travel chaos during the Easter 1916 centenary commemorations after drivers served notice of another 48-hour strike. Siptu has sanctioned a work stoppage on Easter Sunday and Monday in pursuit of pay rises up to 54pc and better terms and conditions. A 24-hour strike is already planned next Tuesday and another on St Patrick's Day. The stoppages will leave thousands of visitors stranded during events to mark the 100th anniversary of the 1916 Rising, when Dublin city centre will already be subject to car restrictions within the bounds of the canals. Luas operator Transdev said the strike notice "shows a total disrespect to all those who wish to mark the 1916 commemorations". It said it was "extremely disappointed" with the union and drivers. Transdev said the union had deliberately chosen to stop the Luas on key dates, following earlier 48-hour stoppages on February 11 and 12 and February 18 and 19. And sources last night revealed there was little likelihood of the Workplace Relations Commission intervening to hold fresh talks. Negotiations had been planned last week but were called off before they began after Transdev objected to discussions while a work-to-rule and "unofficial action" were taking place. It said drivers were engaged in unofficial action by taking an unprecedented number of toilet breaks. Managing director Gerry Madden said Siptu was not just threatening the company with unrealistic pay claims, but was now prepared to jeopardise the Irish economy and Irish jobs. "The State has made great plans for the centenary of 1916 and transport is a vital part of those plans," he added. Siptu official Willie Noone said drivers felt they had no option but to serve notice of further strikes. He confirmed the drivers had served notice of stoppages at Easter as they had to give 21 days' notice of industrial action under their collective agreement with their employer. "If they went into talks today and they broke down after two or three weeks because there was no progress, they would have to give another 21 days' notice," he said. "They have consistently said they will take action every seven to 10 days." However, he claimed staff had been willing to call off next Tuesday's strike if talks had gone ahead, to allow "sufficient space" for negotiations to succeed. Meanwhile, DART drivers, represented by Siptu, have backed strike action if Irish Rail forges ahead with plans to introduce services every 10 minutes from April 10. Siptu's Paul Cullen, said members see the introduction of a 10-minute DART service as an issue which should be part of discussions on increasing productivity. "Our members are deeply disappointed that the management of Irish Rail seems intent on provoking further conflict with workers. "Introducing these rosters in April, as management is threatening, would be seen by our members as a deeply unfortunate and provocative move," he said. The escalated actions were announced as the National Transport Authority launched a new Leap Family Card, giving families of four a 10 discount fare for 24 hours unlimited travel in and around the capital on all trains, bus and Luas service, particularly over the 1916 commemorations. What were people in Ireland writing letters about 100 years ago? What were they thinking? How were they affected by the Great War? the Easter Rising? How was the government of the day responding to domestic and international pressures? Researchers at Maynooth University have launched an online archive of letters written 100 years ago so that you can find out. The Letters of 1916 project has crowdsourced letters and their transcriptions from memory institutions and members of the public in Irelands first public humanities project. Letters written between 1 November 1915 and 31 October 1916 were digitised to create this unique collection which will be of great interest not only to historians and genealogists, but anybody who wants to find out what people were writing in Ireland, as well as how people outside of Ireland viewed events here. Moreover, since each letter is available online, present day readers are transported back to a different time providing us a rare opportunity to be, however, fleetingly, part of the world they inhabited. Through these letters, Letters of 1916 is making visible a new perspective on events which took place a century ago. This collection contributes to our understanding of what it was like to live an ordinary life through extraordinary times. As the project leader, Professor Susan Schreibman explains: Letters of 1916 has created a crowdsourced digital collection of thousands of letters connecting hundreds of lives . These letters cover a variety of topics ranging from the Easter Rising to art, culture, family life and the Great War. "Through these letters the project is bringing to life the written words, the last words, the unspoken words and the forgotten words. It is an online collection for the public, created by the public, which is adding a new perspective to life in this period, a confidential glimpse into early 20th century Ireland and the politics of the time. This public humanities project makes it possible for everybody to be part of the research process. The Letters of 1916 invites the public not only to help transcribe these precious letters perhaps the last remnants of the lives of those who have passed themselves into history but also to ensure that private family history is included in the national narrative by contributing letters to the collection that were up to now hidden away in boxes, attics and biscuit tins. To date Letters of 1916 has collected over 2500 letters from 25 institutions and 45 private collections. For more go to Letters of 1916. ONCE the fighting was done, many participants in the Rising and the subsequent conflicts played important roles in Irish politics. For decades, to have been "out" in 1916 almost seemed a pre-requisite for high office. Presidents Sean T O'Kelly (GPO) and Eamon de Valera (Boland's Mill) saw action, as did taoisigh WT Cosgrave (South Dublin Union), de Valera and Sean Lemass (GPO). Several of the 16 executed men left behind wives, children and siblings who entered politics after the formation of the Dail and independence, but surprisingly few were successful. The son of Major John MacBride and Maud Gonne was the most notable. Sean MacBride had been chief of staff of the IRA for a few months in 1936, but later set up the republican socialist party Clann na Poblachta. He was elected to the Dail in the Dublin County by-election in 1947 and in three subsequent general elections in Dublin South West. His party won 10 seats in 1948 and joined the Inter-Party Government with MacBride as Minister for External Affairs. In this portfolio he played important roles in the implementation of the European Convention on Human Rights and the declaration of the Irish Republic in 1949. He lost his seat in 1957 and tried three more times but was never elected again and returned to practise as a barrister. He was awarded the Nobel and Lenin Peace Prizes in the 1970s. Patrick Pearse's mother, Margaret Pearse, was elected unopposed to the 2nd Dail in 1921 but was unseated on the final count the following year when she stood in Dublin County as an anti-treaty Sinn Fein candidate. In 1933, her daughter Margaret Mary Pearse ran for Fianna Fail and was the last of eight TDs elected in Dublin County. She failed to be returned in 1937 but was elected to the Seanad where she remained until her death in 1968. She still holds the record for the longest unbroken service in the upper house. Kathleen Clarke was the widow of Tom Clarke and was a vocal member of the 1st and 2nd Dala where she opposed the Treaty. She failed to win her seat in Dublin Mid County in the 1922 election as an anti-Treaty Sinn Feiner, but was re-elected for Fianna Fail in Dublin North in June 1927. That Dail lasted just a few weeks and she lost her seat in November and failed at a by-election in 1928. She served in the Free State Seanad until it was abolished in 1936. She was also the first female Lord Mayor of Dublin (1939-41) and at the age of 70 contested the 1948 general election for Clann na Poblachta but didn't come close to capturing a seat. Two of James Connolly's children served in the Oireachtas. Roddy Connolly ran for Labour in five general elections and a by-election in Louth from 1943-54, winning twice. He later ran unsuccessfully in Dublin South Central. Nora Connolly O'Brien had been a founding member of the Young Republicans, the female wing of Na Fianna, and was 23 when her father was shot. She was involved with several far-left groupings and corresponded with Leon Trotsky, but from 1957 to 1969, she served three Seanad terms as a nominee of the Taoiseach. Michael O'Hanrahan's brother Henry O'Hanrahan was also given a death sentence for his role in the Rising at the Jacob's factory, but it was commuted to life imprisonment. He ran for the Dail in 1924 but failed to be elected on the Republican ticket in Dublin North when his better-known running-mates Sean T O'Kelly and Ernie O'Malley were returned. Tom Kent's brother David Kent was a member of the first Dail and re-elected in 1921 and 1922 as an anti-treaty Sinn Fein candidate. He was elected again as a Republican for Cork East in 1923 and for Sinn Fein in June 1927, which was his last time to stand. His brother, William Kent, was elected for Fianna Fail in September 1927, and the National Centre Party in 1933 but did not contest in 1937. In light of the tragic terror attacks that occurred in Paris and California, lets take this opportunity to revisit the importance of traveler security. Thomas Jefferson once said: With great risk comes great reward. Nothing is truer in todays business travel environment. You can hardly open a newspaper without hearing about political unrest or natural disasters happening somewhere in the world. Companies requiring that employees travel to other countries must have strong travel security programs to protect both personnel and corporate information. "The term is duty of care in travel risk management.' Duty of care is a critical and ever-changing aspect of business travel. Duty of care is about managing risk for the entire business trip. There is only one way to eliminate the risk of business travel. But, since staying home is typically not an option, duty of care strategies are an essential part of your travel policy. Sending employees to foreign countries on business can result in lucrative new markets and offer exciting experiences for the traveler. Since 2001, however, there have been a number of international incidents. There have been attacks in London, Madrid, Mumbai, and most recently in Paris and Mali. We actively flew clients home during the Icelandic ash cloud that grounded flights across Europe and stopped passengers on their way to Alaska. Travelers have faced earthquakes, tsunamis, and the nuclear crisis in Japan, and more. Large organizations are more likely than smaller organizations to include several features in their risk management protocols. These are pre-travel information to prepare travelers, automated communication about real-time risks, and local providers for medical and security services. These features may be related to duty of care. Today, keeping employees safe involves much more than it did even a few years ago. It starts with having a mechanism for knowing where your traveling employees are at any given time. Similarly, companies should have in place a communication plan when faced with possible emergency situations. Many firms limit the number of their management team allowed on the same flight to mitigate any risk. While unpleasant to consider, risk is an important aspect of traveler for which every company must be prepared. Following are just a few guidelines to consider when implementing a duty-of- care plan: Have your traveling employees read the U.S. Department of State's country-specific information for each country they will be visiting to get information about the availability of medical facilities, U.S. embassy locations and other safety, health and logistical issues they may need to know about. It is also a good idea for them to register their visit to places of concern with the U. S. Embassy in that country of travel. I did that a few years ago when I traveled to Jordan. I never needed to use it, but the peace of mind was priceless. Technology is important when it comes to being able to stay in touch with traveling employees 24/7/365. For communication purposes, make sure all mobile devices have backup batteries and power chargers. There are some powerful travel device chargers available now, such as Power Monkey eXtreme. Working with a Travel Management Co. that has access to a 24-hour service is also important when faced with trying to find traveling employees in times of emergency, just in case that technology fails for some reason. No one should doubt the symbolic importance of rifles to young Volunteers. In 1914 the Irish Republican Brotherhood organ, Irish Freedom, wrote, A dozen rifles are more effective than a thousand resolutions in Parliament. The gun re-enters Irish life, 1914-1916 In the Ulster crisis of 1913-14, both rival Volunteer movements, Ulster and Irish armed themselves with an assortment of weapons from around Europe. The UVF imported as many as 37,000 rifles of various makes and around 3 million rounds of ammunition. Some 25,000 rifles were landed at Larne on April 25, in a spectacular defiance of the law and of Home Rule. Expand Close Howth gun-running 1914 / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Howth gun-running 1914 The Irish Volunteers for their part unloaded at Howth harbour from the yacht the Asgard, a cargo of 900 rifles and 30,000 rounds of ammunition that Bulmer Hobson, the IRB leader, had secretly purchased in Germany and another 600 at Kilcoole, County Wicklow later in the summer of 1914. These arsenals were both much less impressive than they looked on paper. The unionists imported better rifles than the nationalists but they were of three different types, German Mausers (1888 model), Austrian Steyr Manlicher rifles and Italian Vetterli rifles. All of these took a different calibre bullet so supply of ammunition to fighters would have been very difficult in the event of their being fired in anger. As for the Irish Volunteers, they suffered a split in 1914 (the National Volunteers followed Irish Party leader John Redmond into support for Britain in the First World War) and as result lost some of the Howth Mausers. In practice as the war went on the National Volunteers enthusiasm waned, the core IRB-influenced group of the Irish Volunteers regained some of these weapons. They had, however, other problems with armament. Easter Rising small arms The 1871 or Howth Mauser was a very long, very heavy, very old, single shot weapon. It was relatively slow to reload, its ammunition (11mm) was scarce and could not be resupplied in Ireland. It was also black powder, creating a ferocious explosion and a cloud of black smoke when fired, thus giving away the position of the firer. In the words of one Volunteer who ended up using it in the 1916 Rising, it was a bad weapon for street fighting; Flame about three foot long came out through the barrel when it was fired and a shower of soot and smoke came back in ones face. After three shots were fired from it, it would have to be thrown away to let it cool and the concussion of it was so severe that it drove me back along the floor several feet. On the other hand, the heavy lead bullet fired by the Howth Mauser, broke up on impact with human bodies, caused terrible exit wounds, and inspired significant fear among those on the receiving end. They could also punch through sandbags and walls as British troops trying to set up a machine gun post as Digges Street near Jacobs Factory found; according to Peadar Kearney they were literally blown out of it. A dozen Howth Mausers could always do that. Expand Close Mauser rifle - very long, very heavy, very old / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mauser rifle - very long, very heavy, very old It seems that the majority of Volunteer and Citizen Army fighters were armed with the Howth Mauser. Although there were also a certain amount of Italian Vetterli Rifles in the hands of the Volunteeers and Citizen Army dating from early 1914, when they had been imported during the Ulster crisis, ammunition for them was scarce and it is not clear if they were used in the Rising. A much better bet for the Volunteers, where they could get them, were the British Lee Enfield .303 rifles. Apart from being newer, significantly shorter and lighter than the 1871 Mauser, the Lee Enfield held a magazine of ten rounds and by manipulation of the bolt action, could be fired rapidly in trained hands (perhaps 20-30 shots per minute for veteran troops). It also used smokeless powder and so did not give away the firers position. The Volunteers borrowed, bought and stole Lee Enfields wherever they could in the months leading up the Rising. So many service rifles began to go missing in the months leading up to the Rising mostly sold off by British Tommies at Dublin port that troops embarking at Hollyhead for Dublin were instructed to leave their rifles behind in Wales and pick up new ones at barracks in Dublin. The rebels also had a small number of Martini Henry carbines a single shot lever action carbine which up to 1905 were issued to the Royal Irish Constabulary and some of which were imported from sympathisers in the United States. In Bolands Mill one Volunteer reported that there were three different kinds of rifle, the Lee Enfield, two different types of Martini-Henry (with different cartridges) and the Howth Mauser as well as shotguns, all of which had to be kept supplied with different calibre ammunition, even in the hottest of corners. One surprisingly effective weapon in the hands of the Volunteers was what they referred to as the Peter the Painter (after an anarchist terrorist who used one in turn-of-the-century London) or C96 Mauser automatic pistol. This was a clip fed semi-automatic weapon that held ten 7.63 rounds. It could be equipped with a shoulder stock to make it more accurate and proved lethally effective in close quarters street fighting during Easter Week. At Mount Street Bridge Mick Malone , armed with a C96 and accompanied by a mere 12 Volunteers killed and wounded 240 Sherwood Foresters. Malone himself in one charge shot down ten British soldiers with his automatic pistol before taking up a Howth Mauser. Other Volunteers carried revolvers, shotguns or even pikes, the latter being virtually useless in a 20th century fire fight. Heavy weapons Having occupied positions around Dublin on Easter Monday, many Volunteers actually saw little combat until they received the order to surrender. But those that were attacked in their fortified positions in general proved very difficult to dislodge despite their antiquated weapons. By the end of the week, the only insurgent stronghold that had actually been forced to surrender was the rebel headquarters at the GPO. The British forces massively outnumbered and outgunned the insurgents in 1916. By the end of the week they had assembled some 16,000 troops to take on the 1,600 odd rebels. Every infantryman was equipped with a Lee Enfield rifle, which in most cases was superior to what they faced. More important though, were machine guns, of which the British had many and the Volunteers none. The Vickers heavy machine gun was belt fed and could fire continuously at a rate of 500 rounds per minute. The Lewis light machine gun was fed by a 47 round pan magazine and could be carried around easily by infantry troops, unlike the Vickers. Both, but especially the former, could suppress a defensive position by spraying it with so many bullets that no one would be able to return fire. Automatic weapons made a significant difference but the decisive weapon in 1916 was artillery. The British Army after the initial shock of the outbreak of the rebellion, deployed four 18 pounder field guns in Dublin, taken from the garrison in Athlone along with a 12 pounder gun aboard the gun-boat Helga. A number of insurgent positions were fired at with artillery, but it made the most difference at the rebel headquarters at the GPO and OConnell Street, where artillery fire by the Friday had made the Post Office a flaming inferno and levelled much of Dublins main street. This was the main factor in the insurgent surrender. It also seems likely that the use of heavy weapons in a densely populated urban area caused many of the 250 odd civilian fatalities. The disproportion in the weaponry available to both sides was a salutary lesson to the surviving Volunteers, notably Michael Collins, who resolved never to gain face the British military in open combat. John Dorney is a historian, author of 'Peace After the Final Battle the Story of the Irish Revolution 1912-1924 (2014)' and editor of The Irish Story website. The funeral procession in London of the Irish Lord Mayor of Cork Terence MacSwiney (1879 - 1920) who died on the 74th day of his hunger strike in Brixton Prison and was brought back to Cork for burial. (Photo by Topical Press Agency/Getty Images) Father Dominic, Reverend Father O'Connor and Reverend Father McCormack outside Brixton Prison during the inquest on the Lord Mayor of Cork and Irish Republican Leader Terence MacSwiney, who died on the 74th day of a hunger strike in London. (Photo by Topi "If I die I know the fruit will exceed the cost a thousand fold. The thought of it makes me happy. I thank God for it. Ah, Cathal, the pain of Easter week is properly dead at last." Terence MacSwiney wrote these words in a letter to Cathal Brugha on September 30, 1920, the 39th day of his hunger strike. The pain he refers to is that caused by his failure to partake in the 1916 Easter Rising. Contradictory orders from Dublin and the failure of the arms ship, the Aud, to land arms in Tralee left the Volunteers in Cork unprepared for insurrection. Instead, they heeded Eoin MacNeill's countermand and called off Easter manoeuvres. Only later on Easter Monday did MacSwiney learn of the Rising in Dublin and was haunted by guilt, resolving to make his own blood sacrifice for Ireland. His poem A Prayer, written while in prison in July 1916, reveals this determination: Because I have endured the pain Of waiting when my comrades die Let me be swept in war's red rain And friends and foes be justified. Terence MacSwiney was born into a staunchly nationalist, Cork Catholic family. His father emigrated to Australia in 1885 leaving behind eight children with their mother. To help support his family, Terence, or Terry, left school at 15 and found employment as an accountancy clerk. He continued to study in his free time, matriculating in 1899 and gaining a degree in mental and moral sciences from the Royal University, Cork in 1907. In 1899 he joined the Gaelic League and remained an active supporter of the Irish language throughout his life. In 1901, he co-founded the Cork Celtic Literary Society which adopted a broad nationalist programme. In 1908, with his friend Daniel Corkery, he co-founded the Cork Dramatic Society for which he wrote five plays. They were not written for art's sake but, as Corkery put it, "for the sake of Ireland". MacSwiney was opposed to Home Rule, describing it as a "half-measure" and instead pursued the republican ideal. He did not join the Irish Republican Brotherhood until just prior to the Rising but wrote a series of articles for Irish Freedom between 1911 and 1912. He believed that secret societies such as the IRB were divisive, preferring to keep the fight for independence "straight and consistent". He explored this theme in his play, The Revolutionist, written in 1914 but not produced until after his death; also evident is MacSwiney's fascination with martyrdom, even prior to Easter 1916. Set in a fictional Ireland after the enactment of Home Rule, the protagonist, Hugh O'Neill, is an idealistic separatist who pursues a more radical form of nationalism, stating the need for "soldiers, not conspirators." Attempting to unite his revolutionary colleagues, he works himself to death. Hugh's last words are prophetic: "What's the good of being alive if we give in?" MacSwiney was among the founders of the Cork Brigade of the Volunteers in late 1913. His own publication Fianna Fail, 'A Journal for Militant Ireland,' was suppressed in December 1914 after only 11 issues due to its extreme republican and anti-British content. Throughout this time he worked tirelessly recruiting and organising Volunteer companies all over the county in preparation for the Rising in which he would take no active part. He was interned in its aftermath, in May 1916, and would spend the remaining four years of his life in and out of jail. He was imprisoned in Wakefield, moved to Frongoch, known as 'The University of Revolution,' and finally to Reading, remaining there until December 1916. On his return to Ireland he again became active with the Volunteers and was interned from February to June 1917, during which time he married Muriel Murphy, of the famous Cork brewing family. He was arrested in November 1917 for wearing an IRA uniform in public and immediately began his first hunger strike. He was released four days later. This action was inspired by Thomas Ashe who became the first republican prisoner to die while on hunger strike that September in Mountjoy, after being forcibly fed by prison officials. MacSwiney's internment in March 1918 caused him to miss two major life events - the birth of his daughter, Maire, in June, and his election to the first Dail as TD for Mid Cork, in December. Released in Spring 1919, he took his seat. He served on the Foreign Affairs committee and was active in areas of education, forestry and commerce. He also played a significant role in organising the Dail loan, a key source of finance for the republican government. MacSwiney's friend and comrade Tomas Mac Curtain was elected as Lord-Mayor of Cork in January 1920 after Sinn Fein's success in local elections, but three months later was murdered by disguised Royal Irish Constabulary men in his home. MacSwiney succeeded him as mayor and also assumed command of the 1st Cork Brigade of the IRA. He was arrested after a meeting in Cork City Hall on August 12 along with 10 others, on charges of sedition and for allegedly possessing an RIC cipher. MacSwiney immediately began his fateful hunger strike, protesting the authority of the British court in the Republic. Four days later he was sentenced by court martial to two years in prison. The 1913 Prisoners Act, or 'the Cat-and-Mouse Act', set a precedent for the release of gravely ill prisoners, but the British government was determined to stand their ground with MacSwiney, fearing mutiny in Ireland. This despite requests by King George V for his release. MacSwiney's determination to martyr himself was apparent from the outset, declaring during his hearing: "I shall be free, alive or dead, within the month." He died 74 days later, on October 25, 1920. MacSwiney's status as an elected official and as Lord-Mayor ensured his hunger strike reverberated in international press, playing out like a poignant drama; the New York Times described it as "a gesture of deep tragedy on a stage where all mankind looks on". His ordeal fixed international attention on the fight for Irish independence and cast "a stain on the name of England". Demonstrations were held in Boston and Buenos Aires, demanding his release. Longshoremen in New York downed tools. Trade unions and youth groups rioted in Catalonia. British parliament was divided and public opinion quickly turned against their government's Irish policy. MacSwiney's martyrdom took on religious connotations. Described as "deeply religious", he received daily communion and a papal blessing before his death; it was even suggested that supernatural forces sustained him through his ordeal when death seemed imminent. Though the nature of his death raised moral issues for the Church, he was granted a full Catholic funeral and burial - his death was not perceived as a suicide, but a tragedy caused by the cruelty of the English oppressor. As many as 30,000 passed his coffin on October 27 in Southwark before his body was brought home to his native Cork. The hanging of 18-year-old Kevin Barry one week later added fuel to the fire. The period immediately after their deaths saw violence throughout Ireland reach its climax, finally culminating in a truce in July 1921. When The Revolutionist was shown for the first time on stage, at the Abbey in February 1921, it was a smash-hit. Terence MacSwiney was by no means the only republican hunger striker of his time to die, yet it was his 'triumph' that brought hunger striking to the forefront of public consciousness and proved an examplar for others. In 1923, approximately 8,000 anti-treaty prisoners began a hunger strike lasting, in the longest case, more than 40 days, resulting in two deaths. Indian anti-colonialist Bhagat Singh quoted MacSwiney when faced with his own execution in 1931: "I am confident that my death will do more to smash the British Empire than my release." MacSwiney's symbolic personal stand against the empire was also cited as inspirational by Mahatma Gandhi, Ho Chi Minh and Nelson Mandela. Dr Cathal Billings is a lecturer in modern Irish in the UCD School of Irish, Celtic and Folklore Thomas Kent was the fourth son born to Mary Kent at Bawnrard House, Castlelyons, near Fermoy, Co Cork. The Kent family were substantial farmers and Thomas was raised as an Irish speaker who developed a deep affection for Irish music, dance, poetry and drama. At the age of 19, he emigrated to Boston where he became active in several Irish-American cultural organisations. He returned home in 1889 at a time of significant land agitation. Frustrated by the British government's lack of progress on Irish land reform, several high-profile members of Charles Stewart Parnell's Irish Parliamentary Party launched the Plan of Campaign - where Irish tenant farmers on landlord estates were encouraged to negotiate as a body to secure rent reductions. In 1890, Thomas was arrested and sentenced to two months' hard labour for conspiring to encourage evasion of rent. Local support for Kent's activities was manifest in the huge crowds that assembled in Fermoy to welcome him on his release. With the political fall of Parnell and the bitter split in the Irish Party that followed, Kent became increasingly disillusioned with the in-fighting which characterised mainstream Irish nationalist politics. He instead began to devote his energies to the Irish cultural nationalist movement, joining the Castlelyons branch of the Gaelic League. He also became an avid supporter of Arthur Griffith's emerging Sinn Fein party. Various studies on the Rising have shown how exposure to cultural nationalism was a radicalising force, with many of the 1916 generation experiencing a sort of natural graduation from cultural nationalism to political violence. Additionally, evidence suggests that there was a strong link between family traditions of land agitation and subsequent revolutionary activity. Agrarian unrest both reflected and created a tradition of resistance to authority in much of rural Ireland which manifested itself again in enlistment in the Irish Volunteers from 1913 onwards. Little wonder that Thomas, though now in his late forties, experienced a renewal of the radicalism of his youth. In January 1914, Thomas and his brothers enlisted in the Cork Brigade of Volunteers commanded by Tomas Mac Curtain. The Kent family then helped organise a local Volunteer company in Castlelyons that trained on their farm. It was purported to be the first teetotal unit of the force in Ireland. When the Irish Volunteers split, Thomas, with the aid of Terence MacSwiney, began to reorganise local companies of the Irish Volunteers in Cork who remained loyal to Eoin MacNeill. In January 1916, the Royal Irish Constabulary staged a raid on Kent's family home and Thomas was sentenced to two months' imprisonment for the illegal possession of arms found there. Aware of the Military Council's plans for rebellion, Kent and his brothers spent Easter Sunday in Cork city awaiting orders from Pearse to mobilise. Once news of MacNeill's countermanding order reached Cork, they went into hiding still hoping that MacSwiney would order the Cork Volunteers into action locally in the days ahead. Once the rebellion in Dublin was defeated, the British authorities ordered the detention of all well-known local sympathisers. On the night of May 1, the Kent brothers returned to their family home but were observed by the RIC who encircled the house in the early morning with orders to arrest the entire family. The Kent brothers refused to be taken and as the police laid siege they began a firefight which lasted several hours with their 85-year-old mother helping to reload their guns. In the melee, Head Constable WC Rowe had his head blown off while Thomas's brother David was seriously injured. With their ammunition running out and military reinforcements now on the scene, the Kents finally agreed to surrender. Thomas's brother Richard then tried to make a run for the nearby woods but was shot down and fatally wounded. He died the next day. There were reports that the RIC, enraged over the death of Rowe, wanted to execute Thomas and his brother William on the spot, but they were spared by the intervention of a British army officer. Thomas and William were marched into Fermoy while a horse and cart carried the wounded David and Richard. On May 4, Thomas and William were tried by court martial. William was acquitted but Thomas was convicted of high treason and sentenced to death. David was later handed the same sentence but it was commuted to five years' imprisonment. Both William and David would later be elected as TDs for Cork. On May 9, Thomas, clutching a pair of rosary beads, was executed by firing squad in Cork barracks. His body was placed in an unmarked grave within the grounds. A century-long campaign to identify his remains and repatriate them to the family plot in Castlelyons culminated in Kent's state funeral on September 18, 2015. Dr Richard McElligott lectures in Modern Irish History in UCD. He teaches the Uncovering 1916 and the Irish War of Independence courses which are currently being hosted by the National Library of Ireland THE Court of Appeal has found the Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland (MIBI) "potentially liable" for hundreds of outstanding claims following the collapse of Setanta Insurance in 2014. The actual liability of the MIBI to individual claimants will have to be decided on an individual basis, the three judge court directed. Its unanimous decision has major implications for motor insurance premia as well as parties involved in claims concerning Maltese-registered Setanta. The President of the Appeal Court, Mr Justice Sean Ryan, said he could not find evidence the proposed liability represents "a catastrophic consequence" which could not be countenanced by any prudent insurer. However, he was impressed by evidence from senior management figures in major motor insurance companies the obligation to indemnify in such cases presents a "very serious problem". He agreed with the High Court it "may well be time" for changes and better regulation in the EU. The MIBI had asked the appeal court to set aside a High Court decision it must pay out on claims against persons insured with Setanta when that firm was liquidated in 2014. The Law Society, in opposing the appeal, said it was envisaged, under a 2009 agreement and all the various agreements governing the MIBI since it was established in the 1950s, it would have to pay out if a member became insolvent. In three concurring judgments, Mr Justice Ryan, Ms Justice Mary Finlay Geoghegan and Mr Justice Gerard Hogan rejected the appeal. All three agreed, rather than declaring the MIBI was liable, the correct ruling was the MIBI was "potentially liable" for claims against persons insured with Setanta up to its collapse. Mr Justice Hogan said he was dismissing the appeal despite "certain reservations" about the true character of the MIBI agreement. The court also refused to award costs against MIBI and directed the sides pay their own costs of the case. The High Court was asked to determine whether the MIBI or the Insurance Compensation Fund, used until now to cover the claims of insolvent insurance companies, was liable for the claims. The MIBI is operated under the terms of a 2009 agreement between the Government and those companies underwriting motor insurance in Ireland to deal with claims related to uninsured drivers. Following Setanta's liquidation, approximately 1,750 claims by and against Setanta policyholders remained in existence. In his judgment, Mr Justice Ryan said he was persuaded the 2009 agreement "does mean what it appears to say", which is that the Bureau accepts responsibility to pay, whatever the circumstances of the failure to satisfy the judgment. While he did not believe it was possible to achieve a "logically impregnable" result in this case, he believed a judgment in favour of the Law Society's interpretation of the agreement "does make sense" and represented a more satisfactory reading of the agreement than that proposed by the MIBI. While the Department of Transport had said in a 2014 letter its understanding of the 2009 agreement was there was no legal obligation on the MIBI to satisfy claims or judgments made against validly insured customers of Setanta up to May 2014, that letter expressed a legal view and was not decisive or determinative, he said. The MIBI agreement was more than a contract between two parties, he said. There was a public element because motor accident victims are given specific rights which are exercisable if they fulfil certain conditions. The Insurance Act 1964 also "manifestly" contemplated a role for the MIBI in the case of an insolvent insurer. Businesswoman Sarah Newman was recently adjudicated bankrupt in the UK, the Commercial Court has heard. Ms Newman was due to be cross-examined before Mr Justice Brian McGovern in court today as part of AIB Mortgage Bank's efforts to execute a 9m judgment obtained by it in 2011 against her and her former partner, hurling legend DJ Carey. In light of the bankruptcy of Ms Newman, James Doherty BL, for the bank, said it was not proceeding with the cross-examination. Hugh O'Flaherty BL, for Ms Newman said the matter was being dealt with on consent. Counsel also indicated any further court applications would be brought via the UK official receiver's office. In the circumstances, the judge struck out, on consent of both sides, the motion for cross-examination. The bank had brought that motion after alleging Ms Newman, a mother of two with an address in London, was not suffciently engaging with it in relation to meeting her liabilities to it. Following the sale of properties and some repayments, the bank claims some 6.4m remains outstanding. In its motion, it sought to question Ms Newman about any other debts of hers and whether she has any other property or means of satisfyung the judgment obtained. It also sought orders requring her to file a statement of affairs, plus any relevant documents, specifying any such debts and any income which could go towards satisfyuing the judgment. The application arose after Ms Newman and Mr Carey consented at the Commercial Court in May 2011 to entry of judgment for more than 9 million each against them in favour of the bank arising from loans and guarantees of each other's liabilities. Judgment for some 9.5 million was entered against Mr Carey arising from an April 2007 7.85m mortgage loan advanced in the context of a wider commercial transaction involving him and associated businesses to refinance existing debt due to Irish Nationwide Building Society and to release equity on properties held by him and Ms Newman. The 7.85m loan was secured on two properties in Co Kildare and Co Kilkenny. The judgment also arose from Mr Carey's May 2007 guarantee, limited to 1.5 million, of the liabilities of Ms Newman. The bank said some 8m was due from Mr Carey under the mortgage loan account and some 1.5m under the guarantee. Judgment for about 9.4 million was granted against Ms Newman arising from her guarantee, limited to 7.85 million, of the liabilities of Mr Carey and under a 1.5m mortgage loan secured on a property in Co Kildare. The court agreed to place a four week stay on the judgment order in relation to Mr Carey but refused any stay in the case of Ms Newman after noting the bank's concerns about its ability to execute judgment over a property in another jursdidction, Switzerland. Ms Newman had been given the opportunity by the bank to make proposals but had given no information, he said. The bank wrote to Ms Newman on February 10th 2011 warning, unless 7,349 arrears on the mortgage account were paid within 21 days, it would be entitled to terminate the facility. On March 7th 2011, the bank wrote to Ms Newman stating Mr Carey was in breach of his loan obligations and demanding immediate payment of 7,875,000, plus daily interest, under the guarantee provided by her. A man jailed for seven years for raping a woman in her home four years ago was wise to withdraw his appeal this morning, according to the Court of Appeal. Lovemore Dube (28), with addresses in Limerick and Cork, had pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to raping the middle aged woman at her home in Cork on July 23, 2012. The Zimbabwean national was sentenced to nine years imprisonment with the final two suspended by Mr Justice Paul Carney on January 31, 2013. Dube was due to appeal against the severity of his prison sentence today in the Court of Appeal. However, before proceedings began, Dube's barrister, Thomas Creed SC, told the three-judge court that his client wished to withdraw his appeal. Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan said it was a wise application in the court's view. Mr Justice Sheehan, who sat with Mr Justice Alan Mahon and Mr Justice John Edwards, said the court would allow Dube's appeal to be withdrawn. Dube, who had been transferred from prison to court for the day's proceedings, was lead away by prison officers to continue serving his sentence. Case The vicious attack by Dube, a Zimbabwean national with addresses in Limerick and Cork, resulted in the middle-aged woman having to be tested for both HIV and hepatitis. The tests proved negative. It also emerged that the keys to the woman's home were later found amongst Dube's possessions at Cork Prison. Dube pleaded guilty to raping the middle-aged woman at her home in Cork on July 23, 2012. He had tricked his way into the woman's home by pretending he was her partner when he knocked on her locked door. Mr Justice Paul Carney said in the Central Criminal Court at the time it was a very disturbing attack. "(The rape was) violent and insulting and left the victim severely traumatised and injured. She was particularly upset that this happened in her own home," he said. She was left further traumatised by having to undergo HIV and hepatitis testing due to what was described as an incident in Dube's past. Mr Justice Carney registered Dube as a sex offender and imposed a nine-year prison sentence with two years suspended because of his guilty plea and remorse. Dube had laughed at the woman as he held her down and raped her. During the attack he repeatedly slapped the woman and bit her breasts. The victim said she believed the attacker was enjoying her suffering and had "evil" in his eyes. "The fear I felt could not be described. . . I prayed to God, Our Lady, the angels and my late grandmother to help save me," she said. As he raped her, Dube laughed at her and insulted her by calling her "a bitch" and "a slut". The attack only stopped when the woman desperately asked him how he would react if someone subjected his mother or sister to a similar assault. Dube then stopped and she managed to push him out of her home. The woman did not have a phone to raise the alarm and was terrified until her brother and partner arrived back at the property an hour later. "I hope God will forgive you because I never will. I feel like I have been handed a life sentence yet I committed no crime," the victim told Dube. The woman said that the pain she endured during the attack was "horrendous" and, at one stage, she was afraid for her life. The High Court has rejected a request to extradite a father-of-five to the UK to face charges that he sexually assaulted a girl over twenty years ago when he was thirteen years old. The 34-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was wanted by Liverpool Magistrate's Court to face two charges that he sexually assaulted a girl between January and June of 1994. The girl was six years old at the time. Today, Mr Justice Tony Hunt rejected the UK authorities' request to surrender the man for extradition. While the issue of complainant delay was not relevant to the issue, he said, there was a "significant delay" between the making of the complaint against the man and the prosecution of the case. The judge did not accept the UK authorities' explanations for what he termed their "administrative delay," the court heard. He said he considered that a strong public interest in extraditing the man was "diluted" by this and that the case showed the "pitfalls of administrative delay". The man was remanded on continuing bail until March 16th, when he will be discharged from the court. The man's family, present today in court, applauded when the judge refused the surrender. Mr Justice Hunt said that the applause was "not welcome and might be premature". A former GAA team doctor facing allegations relating to a conviction concerning the forging of an elderly publicans will was today found guilty of professional misconduct at a disciplinary inquiry at the Medical Council in Dublin. Dr. James Cassidy, who works as a GP in Dundalk, Co. Louth, faced allegations relating to a conviction in Northern Ireland. Specifically, in June 2014, at the Crown Court in Newry, Dr. Cassidy was convicted of conspiring with others to attempt to falsify the will of Catherine Haughey, and a property sale agreement. South Armagh publican Ms. Haughey, who was a widow and childless, died in 2004 at the age of 81. Concerns about her will were raised shortly after her death. Dr. Cassidy, who was a former doctor for the Tyrone GAA team, declined to make a comment to the media after the disciplinary inquiry concluded today. Sanctions will be determined at a later date. Dr. Cassidy, who has four grown daughters with his wife, today told the inquiry of the extreme shame and embarrassment his actions have brought to his family. My children and wife have had to undergo considerable embarrassment in their own lives as a result of my actions, Dr. Cassidy said. When asked how he felt about his participation in the matters relating to his conviction in the North, Dr. Cassidy replied: I can only say shame, first of all to my family, [and] to my profession. Its not very nice at this stage in your life to accept that you did something hugely irresponsible, continued Dr. Cassidy, who will be turning 64 next week. The inquiry heard that the matters relating to the forged will took place in 2004. An investigation was conducted into the matters between 2004 and 2010. Dr. Cassidy was then convicted four years later, in 2014. He pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy in connection with the 1.9 million will, and received a two-year suspended sentence. He told the inquiry that in relation to the matters in 2004, he felt under extreme duress and threat. He further explained that a man, who was yesterday referred to as Mr. A and who was a patient and acquaintance of his, made threats against himself and his family, and that the threats were made within geo-political context of the area. Dr. Cassidy, whose children were in school at the time, said that the threat was real and that any father would have put concerns for his family above concerns for himself. I was trapped in this situation, he said. I made what was undoubtedly the wrong choice but thats the reason why I did that. He said you can look back and think about what you could have done differently but in a situation like that, you cant think clearly because you just focus on the threat to your family. He said he believed that Mr. A was not a liberty at the present time. Dr. Cassidy told the inquiry that in May 2009, he applied for registration to the Medical Council of Ireland (in the Republic). However, he admitted that he failed to tell the Medical Council about a previous conviction in Northern Ireland, which related to a road traffic matter. Dr. Cassidy told the inquiry that in 2004 and before that, he did have a problem with alcohol. I drank too much and too regular, said Dr. Cassidy, who said he now has the problem under control, and has had no lapses. Dr. Cassidy said he has operated a private sole practice as a GP for a number of years, and that the vast majority of the patients who visit him are established, regular patients, who have stuck with him throughout all the publicity surrounding his convictions in the North. He pointed out that there have never been any clinical complaints against him. He hopes to continue to practice, and asked that he not be suspended from the medical register. Dr. Cassidy's contrite words at the inquiry were in sharp contrast to his actions outside the Medical Council during a break. While being photographed by members of the media, Dr. Cassidy confronted The Star photographer Paul Nicholls angrily and made a grab for his camera. Mr. Nicholls said he told Dr. Cassidy to not touch him, and then rang the guards. Members of the gardai arrived at the Medical Council and took statements from witnesses. Gardai have confirmed they are investigating an incident where a man in his early fifties was injured at the offices of the Medical Council at Kingram Place, Dublin 2. The alleged incident took place at approximately 12.30pm yesterday. A MAN allegedly involved with Islamic terrorists became emotional when asked to give details about torture he claims he received at the hands of the Jordanian authorities, his lawyer told the High Court. The man, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, is opposing an attempt to deport him and denies the State's claims he has consulted with senior violent extremist leaders outside Ireland. He also denies he made travel arrangements for and is involved in recruiting members for Islamic extremist group Isil or that he represents a threat to national security. He claims he was tortured in Jordan due to his political activities, and faces being tortured if he is sent back. On the third day of the case, his counsel Daniel Friedman QC argued the Minister for Justice has failed to properly take into account the risk of his client, who had voiced his opposition to the Jordanian regime, of being tortured if deported to Jordan. "A complex multiplicity of corroborated medical findings" contained in a report complied on the man make it highly probable he was tortured in the custody of the Jordanian authorities during the 1990s, counsel said. He was subject to different forms of torture when he was held by the Jordanian authorities, including a technique known as "Falanga" which involved the repeated beating of the soles of the feet by a blunt instrument. He was also subject to electric shocks as well as other forms of sustained physical abuse, counsel said. He has a number of scars on his body and has difficulty walking. When asked to give details to a medical expert about what had happened to him the man became defensive and emotional which are signs he is a victim of abuse, counsel said. Despite his client's denials of being linked to ISIL he will be perceived as being involved and will face torture or ill treatment in Jordan, counsel said. Counsel said the reports state torture and ill treatment in detention centres is widespread and systemic. Those engaged in this behaviour do so with "impunity", counsel added. Submissions on behalf of the man have concluded. Lawyers for the Minister will outline her opposition to the man's action and will argue why the deportation order is valid on Friday (Mar 4). The man has resided in Ireland since 2000, on the basis he has an Irish citizen child. Last year the authorities decided not to renew his residency permit because child had not been residing in the State. Its a big leap from a third-grader writing about unicorn slobber to a Pulitzer-Prize winning poet Vijay Seshadri writing about time. Or is it? Arts Without Boundaries is integrating poems by Seshadri, who will be in Billings on March 24, into a Writing in the Schools unit for third- and fifth-grade students. And the students are digging right in, looking for imagery and fun references like Seshadri writing of his character "dreaming of Elvis." On Tuesday, in Kailey Roberts third-grade classroom at Orchard Elementary, students read the Seshadri poem Light Verse and then got to work on their own poetry. Student topics ran the gamut from being spoiled to zombies to a talking refrigerator. Billings poet Anna Paige is leading the class of 23 third-graders at Orchard through the editing process, teaching students about line breaks and stanzas that differentiate poetry from stories written in paragraphs. The students are squirmy but smiling. I like how you use your imagination when you write poems, third-grader Takeisha Cramer said. Roberts also teaches writing to students, but she appreciates Tuesdays when Paige supplements her lessons with more focus on creativity. This is another fun way to practice literary skills, Roberts said. I have a few girls who are rocking the poetry, writing poems on their own at home and bringing them to class. One of my boys is interested in rap, and he sees the connection between rap and poetry. The students dont really understand what a Pulitzer Prize is, but they appreciate the fact that a big-name poet like Seshadri is coming to Billings. Some are making plans to see him when he reads at Montana State University Billings. They think its so cool that hes coming, Roberts said. Paige said the students have a good handle on something some adults might struggle with the difference between metaphors and similes. When they read their poems on Tuesday, students pointed out their similes, which compare two things using the words "like" or "as." I have four similes in my poem, said one boy. And he did. Every line of his poem began with a comparison between the boy and something else, including one that all mothers would love: I am as soft as a pillow. Paige said she encourages students to find the balance between goofy and serious. Third-graders like to laugh, but they have their serious moments, too. Some days, the biggest challenge to teaching poetry is getting students to sit still and listen. But then theyll come up with an inspired line that expresses just how theyre feeling that day, bringing on a sigh. Like the day one student said music reminds him of the color yellow because it makes him happy. By the time theyre done, theyll have a great collection of poetry, Paige said. At the end of the unit, we publish a book with a poem by each student in it. The poetry classes are offered through Arts Without Boundaries at Orchard, Bench and Broadwater elementary schools. The program has expanded this year to include fourth- and fifth-grade students at Orchard after beginning in 2012 with just third-graders. Ashley Warren, associate director of Arts Without Boundaries, said Montana State University Billings professor Meagan Lehr put together six lesson plans for teachers to use based on work by Pulitzer-Prize-winning poets. Does it matter to third-graders who won a Pulitzer Prize in poetry? Probably not, but it is exciting to observe 9- and 10-year-olds pick out imagery and rhymes in a poem written by a poet as impressive as Seshadri. A man has won his appeal against the High Court's rejection of his challenge to a will executed by his civil partner, a former diplomat, hours before his death. The challenge by Said Laaser was the first of its kind taken after the enactment of civil partnership laws here. The Court of Appeal found issues concerning the testamentary capacity of Brian Earls when making the disputed will in July 2011 had not been satisfied. It directed a full rehearing of the case in the High Court. In another will made by Mr Earls hours before he died of cancer on July 4, 2013, Mr Laaser was left 50pc of his assets in accordance with his statutory entitlements under the civil partnership laws. But claimed he had done "much better" in an earlier will of March 2013. The couple had been together over 10 years. The High Court judge found the disputed will was properly executed and there was "no attempt" to deprive Ms Laaser of his interest in the estate. Mr Laaser brought proceedings against Maurice Earls and William Early, brother and brother-in-law of Mr Earls, as executors of the estate. A young woman has warned of the potential dangers of meeting people online after a man she believed groomed her on a bereavement website avoided a prison sentence. The 21-year old was speaking after Jonathan Fawcett - who travelled from England to Northern Ireland to meet and have sex with her on two separate weekends when she was 15 - was placed on probation for three years. The pair met on a suicide support website called takethislife.com as they had both lost a loved one. Contact between the two first occurred in 2008 when the girl was 14, and in 2009 Fawcett - who used the name 'Fallen Angel Jon' - sent her a private message inviting her into a chatroom. Shortly after, the pair began communicating via MSN and the messages started to become sexual. When the contact between the two first started, Fawcett was 19 and aware he was messaging a 14-year old girl. Fawcett then travelled from his home on Manley Road in the Lichfield area of Staffordshire and booked into a Co Antrim B&B in May 2009 and again in July of that year. On both occasions, he engaged in sexual activity with the then 15-year old girl. Fawcett, who has autism and who is now 26, admitted 18 counts of sexual assaulting the teenage girl, and was placed on three years probation at Belfast Crown Court today after a judge said he was taking into account his condition. Citing the case as "exceptional", Judge Gordon Kerr said various reports compiled on Fawcett suggested that if he was jailed he presented a high risk of suicide. The Judge also spoke of "ongoing treatment" that Fawcett is undergoing in England, adding probation would allow him to continue with that work. Speaking after Fawcett was placed on probation, the young woman said: "That's not enough for what he did to me. He has ruined these last seven years of my life and I now suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, anxiety and depression." "I also feel the fact that he has autism was used as an excuse for what he has done. They made such a big deal of his autism in court - but he was able to book flights on his own, he was able to book accommodation on his own and he travelled from England on his own. "He was able to do all these things but apparently he is not able to leave his own house because of his autism." "He groomed me, he did what he did to me over those two weekends and he didn't spend a day in prison for it. "I think he should at least have experienced what it was like in prison. I honestly feel like he has got away with this." Whilst sentencing Fawcett, Judge Kerr spoke of the vulnerability of the teenage girl, adding Fawcett "took full advantage of that fact." The victim said: "I definitely feel he groomed me, and after the first time he came over I felt he manipulated me into meeting him again because he threatened to tell my family if I didn't." She also said she hoped what happened to her would act as a warning to others of the potential dangers of meeting strangers online. She said: "You need to be really careful about who you talk to and how you can trust online. You really don't know who they really are, so please be very careful." During a previous hearing, Crown prosecutor Kate McKay said Fawcett "tapped into the girl's vulnerable and emotional fragility". On both of the weekends that Fawcett came over from England, the pair engaged in several sexual acts including intercourse. Mrs McKay told the court that afterwards the girl "felt like she had been treated like a sexual object." Mrs McKay also revealed that on the second occasion, she felt Fawcett was "more assertive." She didn't tell anyone what happened until she went to the police at the end of 2012, and has still not told her family. When Fawcett was first spoken to in June 2013, he admitted he knew the girl was 14 when they both met. He also told police they were in a relationship and admitted "a majority of the sexual contact." Fawcett admitted filming them on one occasion which he said he deleted, but denied being assertive with her. Mrs McKay said it was the Crown's case that despite pleading guilty Fawcett has tried to minimise his culpability. Defence barrister Sean Devine said: "This is a case where the defendant had a sexual relationship with a 15-year old girl when he was 19, after they met on the internet and were in contact for over a year." Saying Fawcett's autism contributed to his lack social awareness, Mr Devine spoke of him leading a "reclusive and socially isolated life" in England. He also spoke of Fawcett's difficult childhood which included a "family beset with problems" and being subject to bullying, as well as the impact his girlfriend's suicide had on him. The barrister also told Judge Kerr there has "been no reoccurance of this type of behaviour" since 2009. A paramedic told a court how his lifelong friend was killed when he fell out the side door of an ambulance as they transported a patient. PJ Cahill was driving the ambulance on the Cavan to Dublin Road when he heard a thud and looked in a mirror to see his 43-year old friend - father of six Simon Sexton - hit the ground. Mr Cahill (50), from Kilnagarbet, Stradone, Co Cavan, has launched a High Court action for nervous shock as a result of witnessing the accident. He jammed on the brakes and ran back to find Mr Sexton lying face down near the grassy verge. Three years ago, the HSE was fined 500,000 for health and safety breaches as a result of the paramedic's death in June 2010. Mr Cahill's counsel, Frank Callanan, said the case would centre on the side door of the vehicle. Mr Sexton had seen a crack of light at the top of the side door and went to secure it, as the ambulance was moving with a patient and a nurse in the back as well, counsel said. The side door of the ambulance did not open in the direction of forward travel and that was the immediate cause of the death of Mr Sexton, he said. Mr Cahill said he grabbed the resuscitation bag and "started resuscitation and kept it going until the (second) ambulance arrived". He travelled in that ambulance, attempting to resuscitate Mr Sexton until they reached Cavan General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly afterwards. The claims are denied by both defendants, the HSE and the German manufacturer of the ambulance, Wietmarscher Ambulanz Und Sonderf Ahrzeug GMBH. The case continues. A councillor at the centre of corruption allegations who said he couldn't pay a compensation order has spent hundreds of euro on new clothes and trips to some of Dublin's best restaurants, a court has heard. Cllr John O'Donnell, who featured in an RTE Investigates programme in December, appeared at Letterkenny District Civil Court yesterday over outstanding payments of 33,000. The independent politician has failed to pay off a personal injury claim to Petra Kucklick, of Rooskey, Creeslough, Co Donegal, which was ruled upon in 2008. It relates to an incident in 2000 in which Cllr O'Donnell had run over Ms Kucklick's foot with his car. Cllr O'Donnell stopped making 200-per-week compensation payments in 2009. Laura O'Reilly, barrister for Ms Kucklick, quizzed Cllr O'Donnell on his expenditure in recent months. Going through his bank statements, she said the politician had spent 960 in one transaction at a clothes shop in Letterkenny in December, 260 on Hollister clothes and hundreds of euro at River Island, while not paying her client the money she was owed. She also said Cllr O'Donnell had dined out at Dublin restaurant Cafe en Seine in December before spending 350 on a night out at Peploes Wine Bar on St Stephen's Green six weeks ago. The barrister also outlined a range of other transactions in pubs and hotels in Co Donegal. In his evidence, the politician said: "Like most men, I only go clothes shopping once a year." He said five friends had paid their share of the Peploes meal and he had put the entire bill on his debit card and all the other transactions involved getting cash back because there was no ATM where he lived. Asked about up to 4,000 coming into his account in recent weeks for property rentals, Cllr O'Donnell said he was no longer in control of the properties and the money had been spent to pay for cleaning septic tanks and grass-cutting bills. He denied a Porsche and two BMWs he had on his Facebook page were his despite describing one of them as 'my baby' and said he was starting a process to be declared bankrupt. The judge said he was satisfied Cllr O'Donnell was "not impoverished" and able to pay 100 per week and varied the payment order adding: "If that isn't met, I will take an entirely different view of the matter." A British man was found guilty yesterday of raping and assaulting women he met through the popular dating website Match.com. Jason Lawrance (50) was accused of using the website to make contact with seven divorced or widowed women and then arranging to meet them in person, having persuaded them to move their online conversations away from the Match.com messaging system. When he met them in person, he raped, tried to rape or sexually assaulted his victims who came from all over Britain. Lawrance met all his victims through Match.com, which he had joined in 2009. Police said they believed he had contacted several thousand women over the next five years, a number of whom he might have met in person. He raped his first victim in 2011 having previously met her a few times. He tricked her into getting into a van, took her to a dark country lane and then attacked her. Other victims were raped or attacked in hotel rooms or their own homes. Lawrance was convicted at Derby Crown Court in England of five counts of rape, one attempted rape and one sexual assault. He will be sentenced today. A trainee Montessori teacher who sexually assaulted and took pornographic pictures of a four-year-old child in his care has been jailed for five years. The court heard the child, who had special needs, was afraid to go back to the specialised playschool she attended. She told her mother that Kevin Muldoon (32) had taken photos of her "bum" and "pants". Gardai later discovered 46 images of the girl sent from the man's phone to his email address, including photos of her private parts and of him with his finger in her mouth. Muldoon, of Rockwinds, Church Road, Killiney, Dublin pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to sexual assault and production of child pornography on May 8, 2014. He further pleaded guilty to possessing 688 images of child pornographic found on hard drives and computers during a raid on his premises, his family home and the playschool on May 15, 2014. He has no previous convictions. Ann-Marie Lawlor BL prosecuting told the court today that the child's parents did not have an issue with Muldoon being named in the media as long as the victim was not identified through reporting of the case. Judge Melanie Greally said Muldoon's crime represented a gross breach of trust and said instead of assisting the girl, who already started out life at a disadvantage, he compounded her difficulty. She has suffered an irreversible loss of innocence at the age of four, the judge said before she added that the child's extreme youth was the single greatest aggravating factor in the case. Judge Greally accepted that Muldoon had expressed remorse, had social and educational difficulties and had neither shared nor paid for the pornographic material. She sentenced Muldoon to five years in prison and ordered that he engage in treatment while in prison. The judge also imposed five years post release supervision and said that Muldoon must refrain from taking any position that will bring him into contact with children. The little girl's parents, in a victim impact statement read out in court, expressed how the man's "despicable and disgusting behaviour" would impact them as a family for the rest of their lives. They said their daughter had a fear of unfamiliar males and "as a four-year-old girl she was stripped of her dignity and innocence". They said the incidents had been imprinted on her mind and that she struggled socially and had night terrors. They revealed they were grateful that their little girl had been able to speak up about the abuse. Ms Lawlor confirmed to the court that there were no other allegations against the man from other parties. Detective Garda Donal O'Connell told Ms Lawlor that the child's parents contacted gardai after the little girl told them about the pictures. Two days later a garda search team raided three addresses and found the images, including 586 of children displaying "erotic posing" with no sexual interaction, over 90 of penetrative and non-penetrative interactions between children and adults and several showing genital mutilation. Det Gda O'Connell said his team got another warrant to access the man's email addresses, where photos of the four-year-old were later found and analysed. The man later attended a voluntary garda interview and admitted he had taken up to 20 pictures of the girl. He described how she had moved her clothes out of the way on his request while he took the photos. Det Gda O'Connell told Ms Lawlor that analysis of the photos showed they had been taken over a quarter of an hour with between five and ten minute interludes between each cluster. The man also revealed that he had other images of child porn on a file on his computer named "snakes" so his girlfriend wouldn't find them. The detective told the court that some of the images found on the computers and hard drives showed genital mutilation taking place and a few were of explicit cartoons. Det Gda O'Connell agreed with Caroline Biggs SC, defending, that her client's plea had spared the child having to be cross-examined in a trial. He further agreed the pornography found and produced had been for the man's own use and that there was no evidence of paying for or distributing it. The detective agreed the man had been engaging in therapy since his arrest and hoped to continue in custody after his sentence. Ms Biggs submitted to Judge Greally that her client had had difficulty in school and with forming friendships growing up. She said Muldoon had expressed remorse and showed some empathy for his actions. She added that her client was a "vulnerable man" who had no friends since the incident and who needed structure in his life. She asked the judge to take into consideration that the sexual assault would not have been at the highest end of the scale and the majority of the pornography would have been categorised at the lowest end. Give the people what they want. It's been something of a Fianna Fail mantra for decades. But perhaps the party's populism is most apparent when it comes to water charges. As far back as the late 1970s, the incoming Fianna Fail government scrapped domestic rates - which included water charges. They didn't replace them with any specific tax to cover water. And so it is we have today's Fianna Fail seeking a suspension of water charges and the abolition of Irish Water, as a price for either entering government, or supporting a minority Fine Gael regime. In one sense it is a very smart move. Getting rid of the hated utility will surely play well in another election whether it is months or years away. But it is also a renewal of the same old populist streak in Fianna Fail. The kind of streak that saw the party literally give money away to savers with the SSIA scheme in the noughties and embark on a failed decentralisation project to send jobs to the regions. Other parties aren't immune to these kinds of considerations as the history of water charges shows. It was a Labour minister who reintroduced a local service levy that included a water charge, with most councils implementing it in the mid-1980s. It was another Labour minister who abolished water charges again a decade later. Fianna Fail have a chequered record on the subject. Charlie McCreevy actually backed a proposal for the introduction of a 200-a-year charge in 2003, only for it to be opposed by then Environment Minister Martin Cullen. Later Fianna Fail and the Green Party renegotiated their programme for government in October 2009 and agreed on introducing water charges in principle. According to documents, a metering programme and sum of 500 was discussed just a fortnight before the Troika arrived in November 2010. Fianna Fail later said this sum was an estimate. Under the Troika bailout it was agreed that water charges would be introduced in 2012 or 2013. Then the government fell and it was left to Fine Gael and Labour to implement the deal. Now Fianna Fail says Irish Water has been "a complete failure", blames the outgoing Coalition for the mess, and wants to scrap the utility. The party wants to set up a national water directorate and hand back local water services to the councils. Fianna Fail's manifesto quotes Environment Department figures that put the net cost of axing the water charges themselves at more than 1bn over five years. Internal estimates at Irish Water reportedly put the cost of abolishing the utility as high as 7bn over the same period. Ultimately, aside from the politics of the situation, the cost of doing as Fianna Fail wishes and getting rid of Irish Water will have to be taken into consideration. But there's an obvious trap here for Fine Gael, which stood by the deeply unpopular charges during the election campaign. The party is in a tight spot. If a deal is done, Fianna Fail will be seen as the party that got rid of Irish Water and put 160-a-year back in people's pockets. As the election results show, Fine Gael clearly didn't give the people what they want. Old habits die hard for Fianna Fail. They've latched on to the water issue and may be on the verge of getting one over on the old enemy. Taoiseach Enda Kenny alongside director of the National Museum of Ireland, Raghnall O Floinn, at the launch of Proclaiming a Republic, The 1916 Rising at the National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks, yesterday. Photo: Mark Condren Taoiseach Enda Kenny at the launch of Proclaiming a Republic, The 1916 rising, at the National museum of Ireland, Collins barracks. Pic: Mark Condren Senior Fine Gael ministers have begun actively discussing the future of Taoiseach Enda Kenny's leadership ahead of today's crunch meeting of the parliamentary party, the Irish Independent can reveal. In a worrying development for Mr Kenny, ministers seen as loyal to the Taoiseach are now beginning to raise questions over his role in the party's disastrous General Election campaign. At an event in Dublin yesterday, a visibly uncomfortable Mr Kenny dismissed suggestions that his leadership was under threat. But senior Fine Gael figures have confirmed that ministers have held late night discussions, both in person and over the phone, about replacing Mr Kenny. "Talks have being going on since Saturday and they are intensifying," said a ministerial source. Another minister said they believed Mr Kenny's days were numbered and that he would eventually be replaced by either Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald or Health Minister Leo Varadkar. But a third minister said Mr Kenny's leadership was "beyond question" as long as he remained in place as "a potential future Taoiseach". Several other TDs said privately they believed Mr Kenny would either step aside or be replaced in the coming weeks. And in a further blow to the Fine Gael leader, one of his most able backbenchers has refused to express confidence in him. Galway West TD Sean Kyne became the first sitting deputy to openly question whether Mr Kenny can continue as party leader. "It would be difficult to say that," he said when asked if he had confidence in his party leader. Mr Kyne was then asked three times in total if he could express confidence in Mr Kenny and failed to do so on each occasion. The TD, who is based in Connemara and is an Irish speaker, made his comments on TG4's 'Seacht La' programme. Mr Kyne had already said the Taoiseach was responsible for some of the problems associated with "a very bad" Fine Gael campaign characterised by "a lot of mistakes". He had also singled out Mr Kenny's comments a week before polling in which he described some people in his native Castlebar as "whingers". And there was criticism levelled at Mr Kenny and his leadership by former minister Alan Shatter, who lost his seat in Dublin-Rathdown. Mr Shatter said that as leader of Fine Gael, Mr Kenny had "serious questions" to answer in relation to the failings of the campaign. He declined to say whether Mr Kenny should remain on in the position. He also singled out Mr Kenny's backroom team for criticism. "We all got lost in fiscal space . . . That was the most bizarre commencement of a campaign that I have seen in my 30 years in politics," Mr Shatter told 'Today with Sean O'Rourke'. "In Fine Gael there is an issue with election messaging. The obsession with focus groups and marketing, the use of outside consultants, an incapacity to, during the course of that campaign, recognise when things were going wrong." The party's deputy leader James Reilly, who also lost his seat, said the campaign "didn't connect emotionally" with the electorate. "We needed to make it more real," he told RTE's 'Drivetime', adding that he believed Mr Kenny should remain on as Taoiseach. Fine Gael TDs will today meet in Leinster House for the first time since the election. Party sources say the meeting is expected to last several hours as TDs agree a set of proposals that will form the Fine Gael position in government negotiations. But several TDs are expected to voice their concerns about the election at the meeting. There will be criticism of the manner in which the campaign imploded in rural Ireland and the continued use of the slogan 'Keep the Recovery Going'. Calls during the campaign to drop the slogan were dismissed. Kathleen Lynch wants to play her part in rebuilding Labour. Photo: Tom Burke Labour Party TDs who lost their seats in the General Election insist they intend to continue in politics. A number of ex-deputies said they felt "honour-bound" to remain in politics in order to rebuild the party after the worst election in its 104-year history. Labour won 37 seats in General Election 2011 but was reduced to just six seats last weekend after their national share of the vote dropped by 13pc. Primary Care Minister Kathleen Lynch TD has emphatically ruled out retiring. "Labour has to be rebuilt because it was a very bad weekend for us," she said. "But we had a fantastic team, we got tremendous loyalty from some voters and there is no way I can ignore that. "How can I walk away from such loyalty? There is a lot of work to be done for the Labour Party and I will play my part." Oireachtas Banking Inquiry chairman Ciaran Lynch, who lost his seat in Cork South-Central - the so-called 'Constituency of Death' - said he wanted to take "a little time to let the dust settle and draw my breath". "It is the first time since 1999 I will have a bit of time to myself," he said. "I'm not going to rush into any decision, but the Labour Party has been a huge part of my life and I'd like to see that continuing." Kerry TD Arthur Spring and Waterford TD Ciara Conway are both also understood to be keen to continue in politics. Rural Development Minister Ann Phelan lost her seat in Carlow-Kilkenny but is intent on continuing her political career. Meanwhile, two of the party's former TDs in Dublin also said they would consider resuming their political careers. "My plan is to win back my seat and work in my constituency," said Joanna Tuffy, who lost out in Dublin Mid-West. And former Dublin North-West TD John Lyons said he was leaving the door open. "Let's say it's still early days and I'm very open to politics and just going to let the dust settle from the General Election," Mr Lyons said. "If you were to say there's an election in the morning, of course I'd be back up putting up posters. I'm too young give up on it now." The Social Democrats have weighed up sharing power with Fianna Fail, as parties look to form a government after the General Election. Co-leader Catherine Murphy said she and Roisin Shortall had an "informal chat" with Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin. She told Mr Martin that political reform was a priority for her party as he attempts to form a government. Ms Murphy said her party would meet at the end of the week to consider all of its options and review the General Election result. Ms Murphy added that the result of the election, which left no clear winners, could support their "key issue" of reforming the Dail. "It isn't clear yet what will happen, but it could help Dail reform as parties may have to seek support of others to pass bills," she said. Read More She believed that forming a government could be a "long process", adding: "We may not have a Taoiseach elected by the time the Dail sits again next week." In a tweet to Independent.ie, Ms Murphy added that the 'very informal' chat occurred in the Dail canteen. Green Party leader Eamon Ryan has talked to a number of parties but has already ruled out a "left coalition". "There was talk of government between Fianna Fail, Sinn Fein, Labour and the Social Democrats," he said, before adding: "But I don't think that's a runner." Mr Ryan does not believe a minority government involving Fine Gael and Fianna Fail would last very long. He said he would continue to meet other parties and hoped that a "consensus for the country" could be formed. He insisted environmental issues were "central" to any deal his party may make, adding "they can help develop the country's economy". Campaigned The General Election result puts 23 newly elected or re-elected Independent TDs into the frame for government-forming negotiations. Kerry Independent Michael Healy-Rae would not say which party he talked to but admitted he had "some phone calls". Read More Mr Healy-Rae, who was elected along with his brother Danny, said both siblings would be sticking together for any talks. "If you're talking to him, you're talking to me or vice versa," he said. "We campaigned together, voted together and got elected together." Mr Healy-Rae said, if he and his brother were asked to support a government, he wanted a new role of minister for rural affairs to be created. "The last Government did not think that life existed beyond the Red Cow roundabout," he added. Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin has said water charges is not a red line issue and will not block any future coalition talks. Mr Martin has today contradicted claims by his own Environment spokesperson Barry Cowen who earlier this week said charges must be scrapped if the party is to support a coalition involving Fine Gael. Addressing Fianna Fails first parliamentary party meeting since the General Election, Mr Martin said there are no red lines issues because no coalition talks with Fine Gael have taken place. He also said he believed the negotiation process ahead of a government formation could take two months. Read More But Mr Martin confirmed that communication channels have been opened with the Green Party and the Social Democrats ahead of next weeks vote for Taoiseach. He also confirmed that the party is willing to talk to anyone about forming a government. Addressing the meeting, which was attended by the partys 25 newly-elected TDs, Galway West TD Eamon O Cuiv said the party must focus on delivering a three point plan in the coming weeks. Firstly, he said the party is focussed on delivering a suite of Dail reform. Secondly, the party agreed to focus heavily on policy areas, especially homelessness. Thirdly, Mr O Cuiv said the party must work on ensuring Mr Martin secures more support than Enda Kenny during the vote for Taoiseach on Thursday. Meanwhile, the party has agreed to put one TD forward for the vacant Ceann Comhairle post. The vote is due to take place on Thursday morning. Four Fianna Fail deputies are in the running: Michael Moynihan (Cork North West), Sean O Fearghail (Kildare South), Brendan Smith (Cavan/Monaghan) and Pat The Cope Gallagher (Donegal). During todays meeting, Mr Gallagher outlined a number of proposals he will pursue if elected. These include a change to the voting system at committees and new procedures whereby the party leaders meet each week to decide the order of Dail business. His proposals also include changes to prevent ministers sending in their junior counterparts during topical issues to read prepared scripts, and a review of the Friday sittings. Siptu has called on Irish Water to guarantee its workforce's jobs while six unions called for the commercial semi-state company to be abolished as soon as the Dail resumes. In a letter to the chief executive of its parent company, Ervia, the union said it would oppose any forced redundancies and called upon the company to guarantee its staff's terms and conditions. But six unions affiliated to the Right2Water campaign against water charges have called for the immediate abolition of Irish Water when the Dail meets on March 10. The Civil, Public and Services Union, representing more than 13,000 lower paid civil servants, the Communications Workers' Union, retail union Mandate, the Operative Plasterers and Allied Trades Society of Ireland (OPATSI), the Technical Engineering and Electrical Union (TEEU) and Unite also want a referendum to ensure ownership of the water supply remains in public hands. Secretary of the Irish Water Group of Unions, Adrian Kane, said the other unions' stance was "not particularly helpful" but said he "didn't want to get into that". "The water charge has been a deeply unpopular charge and I can understand where those people are coming from," he said. "At the end of the day, we are all representing workers, and even those in Right2Water would have concerns about the future of Irish Water workers as well." Mr Kane is head of a group of unions representing the workforce of 550 directly-employed staff. The TEEU and Unite also represent staff working there, but want an end to the commercial semi-state utility. Mr Kane said Siptu, which represents 250 of the staff, wanted a "democratically accountable" authority, rather than a commercial semi-state. It also wants guarantees that its members' terms and conditions will remain as they are. "Our concern is that the Fianna Fail manifesto talks about a slimmed down Irish Water, similar to the NRA. It doesn't say it is going to scrap it. I don't know what its position is. I can tell you, people working for Irish Water don't know if they're coming or going in terms of whether they have a job, or who they will be working for." Mandate general secretary John Douglas said Siptu "has genuine concerns about its members, and those concerns have to be met, but the quicker Irish Water is put out of its misery the better". Meanwhile, Sinn Fein Deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald led a protest outside Leinster House calling for the abolition of water charges yesterday Sinn Fein said if the charges were abolished, the "money was not there" to give families a refund. And the deputy leader said the public had given a clear demand for water charges to be abolished. Maternity hospitals and units across the country reported 675 incidents where a patient was harmed or a potential medical hazard occurred in a single month, new statistics reveal. The figures also reveal there were eight major obstetric events where a mother's life was in danger due to conditions such as eclampsia over the course of last December. The picture of activity in the nation's maternity wards has emerged in the first set of monthly statistics from all 19 units to be published. From now all maternity hospitals and units will have to publish patient safety statements each month following a demand by the watchdog Hiqa. The perinatal mortality rate, involving stillbirths and early newborn deaths, was highest in Cavan Hospital at 8.3 per 1,000 births. This was followed by Portiuncula Hospital at 7.4 and Letterkenny where the rate is 6.25. Babies with birth defects are excluded. The Caesarean section rate ranged from 21.3pc in Waterford to 40.3pc in South Tipperary Hospital where there were just 77 births. Prof Michael Turner of the Coombe Hospital stressed the statistics at this point must be interpreted with caution because the numbers are low. He said the publication of the data should provide welcome reassurance for women. It will take several more months before a fuller insight emerges into the practices and patterns of care emerge in the individual units. The hospitals must provide statistics on 17 metrics but they do not include information on maternal deaths. Hiqa demanded the monthly statistics be published after the Portlaoise scandal. Portlaoise had no baby deaths in December and reported 30 clinical incidents, eight of which were historical. The Irish Independent reported how the masters of the three main Dublin maternity hospitals wrote to the HSE objecting to their inclusion in the table. They deal with more complex cases and risked media scrutiny as a result. However, the hospitals are now part of the report. Between them they reported 311 incidents of harm or potential harm. Nurses take to the streets during the INMO protest outside St Vincents Hospital. Picture: Frank McGrath Management and nurses in one of the country's biggest hospitals have clashed over efforts to reduce its trolley crisis. A spokesman for St Vincent's Hospital accused nurses of opposing proposals to move patients from its ED to wards while they are still on trolleys. He was speaking after nurses staged a lunchtime protest. They warned the hospital has a serious problem with nursing vacancies and wards can be down two to six nurses. Management acknowledged there is overcrowding in the ED, but said it cannot understand why the INMO is opposed to having additional beds on wards to alleviate it. The Cadbury chocolate factory in Coolock ground to a halt today as workers went on strike in a row over outsourcing. SIPTU and Unite members picketed the gate of the plant that employs around 350 and made in excess of 30,000 tonnes of Flake, Twirl, Boost and Chocolate squares last year. As part of a restructuring proposal, Cadbury, which is now owned by the Swiss group Mondelez International, proposed the outsourcing of 17 jobs in its stores division. A Labour Court recommendation on the issue, which included an offer by management to re-deploy the affected workers elsewhere in the plant and implement a 4pc pay rise over two years, was rejected by the two unions. The company has unilaterally implemented the outsourcing of the stores without agreement. Theyve signed a contract with a third party provider to effectively do our members jobs, so in that situation we felt the only option was to engage in an industrial dispute, said Richie Browne, regional coordinating officer for Unite. It is true to say that the company said that anybody in the stores who was affected would be offered alternative employment back in the factory but our members felt it was the thin end of the wedge and if the company could outsource the stores effectively they could outsource any position. That was the fear, he added. There has been outsourcing in the past, of the canteen and security, but they werent seen as being core to production. The stores jobs looks after ingredients that goes into the chocolate making and they deliver it into the stores to the machines so it is part of the production process and the fear is if the stores are outsourced its the start of the production process being outsourced, Mr Browne explained. SIPTU and UNITE members previously proposed talks on reducing costs and increasing flexibility in relation to the operation of the stores at the factory. This proposal was rejected outright by management leaving the workers with no option but to take the industrial action that will begin tomorrow morning, said John Dunne, SIPTU Sector Organiser. Gerry McCormack, SIPTU Manufacturing Division Organiser, says the attempt to outsource jobs is being seen as a further erosion of the plants viability, following the movement of the production of Time Out bars to Poland. A spokeswoman for Mondelez said the company regrets that Siptu and Unite has taken the step to strike. We are facing intense pressures from international competition and any form of industrial action only undermines the future viability of the entire site, she added. Hundreds of mourners today paid their respects to a GAA legend in Co Wicklow. The village of Kiltegan came to a standstill as a steady stream of shuttle buses ferried hundreds of mourners to the funeral of Peter Keogh. Expand Close John Keogh and Wicklow Football team manager Johnny McGee at the funeral of Wicklow Gaa President Peter Keogh at St Brigid's Church, Talbotstown, Co Wicklow. Picture: Garry O'Neill / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp John Keogh and Wicklow Football team manager Johnny McGee at the funeral of Wicklow Gaa President Peter Keogh at St Brigid's Church, Talbotstown, Co Wicklow. Picture: Garry O'Neill The much-loved and respected president of Wicklow GAA - and reporter with the Wicklow People newspaper - died, aged 86, following a brief battle with cancer during which he continued to write his popular Keoghs Corner column. Some 500 mourners, including his sister Kathleen, daughters Josie and Breda, neighbours and GAA officials and members from across Ireland attended the celebration of his life today. Renowned tenor Des Willoughby sang Amazing Grace before he was laid to rest at Tynaclash cemetery. More than 2,000 people had attended his wake the night before. His close friend, Wicklow GAA County Chairman Martin Coleman, said: He certainly was a legend. Aside from still working as a journalist and local GAA president virtually up to his death, Mr Keogh was loved on and off the pitch. He lost his wife Mary eleven years ago but he was a true family man and gentleman who was charming, modest and down to earth, he said. He was a once-off person. He had a great way of communicating, especially with young people, he said. He was also a real charmer, he said, recalling how at the age of 84 he managed to charm his way into getting tickets for Katie Taylors gold medal-winning bout at the London Olympics in 2012. Nothing stood in his way but everybody bought into Peter Keogh, he said. The victim was "man- handled" and a sum of money taken, said Gda Supt David Kelly. He was left "shaken" by the incident. Members of an island community have spoken of their horror after a man in his 80s was attacked by a burglar during a raid on his home. Detectives travelled to Arranmore Island off the Co Donegal coast yesterday as a manhunt got under way. Gardai revealed that they believed the man behind the raid was still on the island as the attack on Monday evening took place at 8pm, after the departure of the last ferry to Burtonport on the mainland. The victim was attacked at his home in the hamlet of Ballintra on the island and a sum of money was taken. The victim was "man- handled" and a sum of money taken, said Gda Supt David Kelly. He was left "shaken" by the incident. In a statement yesterday, the Arranmore Island Community Council said: "This crime is unprecedented and understandably the community is shocked and appalled. "We will be pulling together as much as ever to ensure such an incident is a one-off. "We have a proud tradition of looking out for one another on Arranmore Island, especially the more vulnerable in our community, and such an incident will only go to strengthen that community ethos." Last night, gardai remained on the island. Nama has made a complaint to the Standards in Public Office (Sipo) about Frank Cushnahan, a former member of the agency's Northern Ireland advisory committee (Niac). The complaint alleges that Mr Cushnahan (73), who is at the centre of controversy over his alleged role in the Project Eagle deal, is in breach of section 17 of the Ethics in Public Office Act 1995. The Irish Independent has learned that Nama has raised two issues with Sipo. One arm of the complaint, lodged yesterday, involves Mr Cushnahan's dealings with US investment fund Pimco and its legal advisers, US firm Brown Rudnick and Tughan's, the North's leading commercial law firm. Pimco entered a bidding process for the portfolio, but pulled out in March 2014 after concerns were expressed about Stg5m (6.7m) in "success fees" sought by Mr Cushnahan. Mr Cushnahan has consistently denied that he was due to receive the money. Nama has also raised Mr Cushnahan's shareholding in companies which the toxic loans agency says owed money to it. Nama, its committees and group entities have been subject to the 1995 act since 2010, but it is unclear whether Northern Ireland-based advisers are captured by the law. Section 17 of the 1995 act, which governs designated directorships and conflicts of interest, obliges officials to declare interests which materially affect their directorships. Mr Cushnahan is expected to mount a robust response to the Sipo complaint according to his lawyer, Paul Tweed. Separately, another former Nama official is to be called before a parliamentary inquiry in the North over suggestions he helped ensure the agency did not move against certain debtors. Ronnie Hanna, Nama's former head of asset recovery, is to be summoned to appear before Stormont's committee on finance and personnel, which is investigating the 1.6bn sale of the agency's Project Eagle northern loan portfolio. The move follows a BBC 'Spotlight' programme which featured a covert recording in which it was suggested Mr Hanna "prevented people's lights going out". The comment was made by Mr Cushnahan in a conversation with Co Down developer John Miskelly, whose loans were previously in Nama. At a meeting yesterday, MLAs resolved to invite both Mr Hanna and public relations executive Gareth Robinson, son of former Northern Ireland Assembly First Minister Peter Robinson, to give evidence. Belief In the recording, Mr Miskelly expressed his belief that Mr Robinson, Mr Cushnahan and Mr Hanna helped protect him from having his "lights put out" by Nama. He has also been called to give evidence to the inquiry, as has accountant David Gray, who was present when the conversation took place. Mr Hanna, a former bank official, has yet to comment. He left the agency in late 2014 and now runs a consultancy business in the North. Efforts by the Irish Independent to speak to him yesterday proved unsuccessful. Mr Robinson did not respond when contacted at his public relations firm. Mr Cushnahan has also not commented. The man who raped a 23-month-old child, causing severe injuries that sent the girl to the hospital, pleaded guilty Wednesday to sexual intercourse without consent and sexual assault. Daniel Joseph Degele, 27, who was charged in December 2014 with two counts of rape and one of sexual assault, signed a plea agreement on Feb. 4. The County Attorney's office has not yet signed the agreement. The agreement calls for Degele to be imprisoned for 40 years, with 60 years suspended and no chance of parole for at least 25 years. That is a total sentence of 100 years. The parole restriction is due to the age difference between Degele and the victim. The second charge of rape will be dismissed by prosecutors at sentencing, according to the agreement. However, at his change of plea hearing, Degele included language in his plea agreement that at the time of the crime he could not control his behavior due to a mental disease or defect. Degele must now be evaluated by experts at the Montana State Hospital to determine if his mental health disease prevented him from conforming his behavior at the time of the assaults. Should the Montana State Hospital agree with Degele's claim, he will receive a sentence to the Department of Health and Human Services, rather than prison. Chief Deputy County Attorney Juli Pierce said the state did not believe Degele's mental disorder would have prevented him from deciding not to rape a 2-year-old. Yellowstone County District Court Judge Russell Fagg set Degele's sentencing for mid-to-late summer in order to provide the hospital with enough time to make a determination. According to charging documents, Degele has stated in the past that he has borderline personality disorder. Charging documents state Degele waived his rights and admitted to detectives that he raped the child on Nov. 30, 2014. Degele made several attempts in court to have these statements suppressed, but Fagg denied the request. According to charging documents, Degele touched the genitals of a 6-year-old girl in June 2013. On Nov. 3, 2014, Degele raped a 23-month-old girl, causing severe injuries. The girl was flown to the Colorado Children's Hospital, where she had to have surgery to repair the internal damage. Ryanair is bolstering its Belfast investment with the announcement of seven new routes for winter 2016/17. The airline today announced new routes to Alicante, Berlin, Krakow, Lanzarote, Malaga, Milan and Tenerife from Belfast International. Ryanair also plans to increase flights to London Gatwick to five daily in an expansion it says will deliver over one million customers a year. This January, the airline announced plans to re-establish a base at Belfast this month with a three-times daily service to London Gatwick. Three aircraft will be based at Belfast next winter, an investment of over $300m that would create 750 jobs at the airport, it added. "We look forward to growing routes, traffic and jobs in Belfast in the coming months and years," said Ryanair's CEO, Michael O'Leary, who used the announcement to call on Northern Ireland to vote 'Yes' in June's Brexit referendum. The new routes will see three weekly flights to/from Alicante, Berlin and Krakow, four weekly flights to/from Malaga, and two flights a week to Milan as well as to/from Tenerife and Lanzarote in the Canary Islands. Earlier today, Ryanair published its February results, which saw traffic grow by 28pc to 7.4 million customers. The outcome of the General Election was seismic, but that doesn't justify throwing common sense out the window. On the national broadcaster this week, a supposed political commentator told how he voted Fianna Fail, despite supporting the Independent Alliance, the Anti Austerity Alliance and Sinn Fein, to block a Labour Party candidate who wasn't actually running in the constituency where he was voting. Confused? So was he. Even more illogical is the notion of the first act of the brave new political world being to punish people who abided by the law and paid a charge set down in legislation passed by the Houses of the Oireachtas. The introduction of water charges was an extremely unpopular measure and viewed as the straw that broke the camel's back after seven painful years of austerity. The handling of the introduction of the charges and the setting up of Irish Water cost the Coalition parties dearly during last weekend's General Election. The creation of a single utility was far from perfect, reeked of lavish expenditure and the culture of quango excess from the Celtic Tiger era. The evolution of the charges was farcical in its own right and failed to achieve public confidence. Opposition to the charges formed the backbone to the campaigns for several parties, which resulted in them dramatically increasing their Dail numbers. Yet still, around 900,000 homeowners did - albeit reluctantly - pay their water charges because it was the law. The idea now that they will be told this was for naught is a dangerous development. The General Election means an acceptable solution to the water charges regime does need to be examined. But this cannot be at the cost of undermining the law of the land and sending out the message that payment of taxes and charges is optional, rather than mandatory. As the largest parties in the new Dail, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail are obliged to respect the law of the land. Natural justice would dictate that, if water charges are to be abolished, those who paid up are now refunded their money and not disadvantaged for obeying the law. Speaking in Dublin this week, Uphold chief executive Anthony Watson, who is gay, said Irelands May 2015 vote in favour of marriage equality made the country more attractive for his company. Photo: Gerry Mooney Drag queen Panti Bliss is set to fly the flag for Ireland at the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras on Saturday. The gay rights activist jetted to Australia to lead the green float celebrating Ireland at the 38 annual parade. Around 200,000 revellers are expected to line the streets of the city for the spectacular , which will also be broadcast on Australian television and online. Queen of Ireland Panti whose real name is Rory ONeill said: I'm thrilled to return to Sydney, a city that has been very welcoming of me and my cartoon glamour over the past few years. Expand Close Queen of Ireland Panti / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Queen of Ireland Panti Working with the team behind the Irish float, it is amazing to experience the passion and commitment that goes in to representing Ireland here in Australia and I'm honoured to be a part of it. More than 200,000 Antipodeans visited Ireland last year, smashing tourism records. And bosses are hoping the colourful float will help entice even more holidaymakers from both Australian and New Zealand. Tourism Irelands Manager for Australia and New Zealand Sofia Hansson added: Its a fun way to get people in Sydney talking about the island of Ireland and to encourage them to follow the rainbow to Ireland this year. Donald Trump, with former rival candidate Governor Chris Christie (L) at his side, speaks about the results of Super Tuesday in Palm Beach, Florida Photo: REUTERS/Scott Audette Donald Trump claimed he could be a "unifying" candidate following a huge win in the 'Super Tuesday' contests for the Republican Party's presidential nomination. Many senior figures in the deeply divided party looked on in despair and horror as the billionaire won seven of 11 states, establishing a runaway lead and threatening to make victory inevitable. Ted Cruz, the US Senator from Texas, emerged as Mr Trump's closest rival by winning three states including his home state. Marco Rubio, the candidate favoured by the Republican establishment, won only Minnesota but vowed to fight on. In the run-up to voting, Mr Trump's campaign was overshadowed by controversy after he prevaricated and failed to immediately denounce the Ku Klux Klan during a live CNN interview. He was publicly lambasted by America's two top elected Republicans - House Speaker Paul Ryan and senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Mr Ryan said: "This party does not prey on people's prejudices." But there was little effect on Mr Trump's popularity as record numbers of voters turned out, propelling him to wins in Georgia, Arkansas, Alabama, Tennessee, Virginia, Massachusetts, and Vermont. In some of those states, he won by large margins. Republican Party officials and wealthy donors were left reeling by the results and admitted they had completely misjudged the mood of voters. Brad Marston, a Republican strategist, said: "People are tired of their leaders lying to them. "People are being drawn out of the woodwork to vote for Trump." In Georgia, Alabama and Virginia, exit polls suggested around 60pc of Republican voters felt "betrayed" by their own party leaders. Across all 11 states, half the voters said they wanted an "outsider" rather than a politician as president. In six of the states, large majorities supported Mr Trump's controversial proposal to temporarily ban all foreign Muslims from entering America. Mr Trump's campaign has been characterised by divisive rhetoric about the Muslim ban, as well as a proposal to build a wall between the US and Mexico and to deport 11 million illegal immigrants. But after Super Tuesday, when a quarter of Americans had their chance to vote, Mr Trump's tone changed and he delivered a measured victory speech, abandoning the usual tub-thumbing vitriol. In a gold and white ballroom at Mar-a-Lago, the exclusive ocean-front resort he owns in Palm Beach, Florida, the former reality television show host made a concerted effort to appear presidential, standing at a lectern in front of 10 US flags beneath a chandelier. Mr Trump portrayed himself as someone who was expanding the Republican Party by drawing in disaffected blue-collar Democrats, and a leader whom the conservative movement could coalesce around. He said: "I'm a unifier, I know people find that a little hard to believe, but I am a unifier. "I would love to see the Republican Party and everybody get together and unify. When we unify, there's nobody that's going to beat us." Mr Trump added: "We're a democracy. If I'm winning all these states, it's awfully hard to say I'm not the person we want. "I'm going to get along very well with the world, and you're going to be very proud of me as president. "I'm becoming diplomatic. We're going to be more inclusive. Once this is over I'm going after only one person, and that's Hillary Clinton." Some senior Republican figures praised Mr Trump's call for unity. Newt Gingrich, the former house speaker, said: "Trump's shift toward inclusiveness, team effort and unity was vitally important." Meanwhile, Ben Carson, the retired neurosurgeon who briefly led the Republican candidacy race before his campaign began an extended public implosion, told his supporters in a statement yesterday that he does not see a "path forward" and would not be attending tonight's debate in Detroit. Carson, however, did not formally suspend his campaign. "I do not see a political path forward in light of Super Tuesday primary results," the statement said. Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022] HELENA Lots of money is flowing into Montana's gubernatorial race, but candidates for down-ticket races are also trying to scoop up campaign money. Among statewide office seekers, Democrat Jesse Laslovich is proving he can shake a few dollars loose as he tries to succeed his boss, state Auditor Monica Lindeen. Laslovich, who served in the Senate and House, has raised more than $23,000 during the first two months of the year, according to campaign finance reports filed with the state Tuesday. His likely Republican opponent, Sen. Matt Rosendale, has some catching up to do after entering the race only last month. Rosendale, the Senate majority leader, has raised just $2,345, according to his campaign report. Laslovich announced his bid last April, giving him ample time to raise money. Meanwhile, fundraising for other statewide offices also is picking up. Lindeen, who is being termed out as auditor, is running for secretary of state. She raised $22,000 between Jan. 1 and Feb. 25, while Republican Corey Stapleton, a former state senator, raised more than $12,000. Lindeen had nearly $70,000 in the bank, compared with Stapleton's $53,000. In the race for superintendent for public instruction, the two leading contenders are heading into the campaign evenly matched, at least financially. Republican Sen. Elsie Arntzen raised more than $14,000 during the most recent reporting period. Democrat Melissa Romano-Lehman, a Helena elementary school teacher, raised about $15,000. Both had about $36,000 left in the bank. No opponent Republican or Democrat has yet come forward to challenge Attorney General Tim Fox. Nevertheless, Fox is raising lots of money. He raised about $20,000 so far this year, and had $130,000 in his war chest to fend off any challengers. The candidacy-filing deadline is March 14. The marquee race this election cycle pits Gov. Steve Bullock against Bozeman Republican Greg Gianforte. The Democratic incumbent has raised more than $1.4 million since he began fundraising for his re-election in 2013, according to his campaign. Gianforte has raised about $744,000 since last summer, when he began exploring his bid for governor. Donald Trump's nomination as presidential candidate would "greatly diminish" prospects for a safe and prosperous future for the United States, former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney said. Mr Romney said the other Republican candidates would be better alternatives to the billionaire businessman, whom he called "a phony, a fraud". The race for the Republican nomination, dominated by insults and name-calling, has seen Mr Trump's once-unlikely candidacy morph into an increasingly strong bid for his party's nomination for the November election. "The only serious policy proposals that deal with the broad range of national challenges we confront today come from Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, and John Kasich," Mr Romney said of Mr Trump's rivals. "One of these men should be our nominee." Mr Romney was relentless in his criticism, saying Mr Trump "is not the temperament of a stable, thoughtful leader. His imagination must not be married to real power." Earlier on Thursday, Mr Trump dismissed Mr Romney as "a stiff" who "didn't know what he was doing" as the party's candidate in 2012. "People are energised by what I'm saying" and turning out in remarkable numbers to vote, Mr Trump told NBC. The back-and-forth comes as Republican candidates prepared for the first post-Super Tuesday debate, scheduled for Thursday night. Mr Trump is coming under increasing pressure from his party as he fights for the majority of delegates needed to win the nomination. Mr Romney said a Trump nomination at the party's convention in July would enable Democrat Hillary Clinton to win the presidency. Mr Romney also criticised Mrs Clinton, accusing her and her husband, former president Bill Clinton, of personally profiting from their positions of power. Arizona senator John McCain, the losing Republican nominee in 2008, issued a statement endorsing Mr Romney's remarks. Mr Trump had dismissed Mr McCain's war-hero status for his long imprisonment during the Vietnam war. Panicked Republican leaders say they still have options for preventing Mr Trump from winning the nomination, just not many good ones. They include a contested convention and even the long-shot prospect of a third party option. Also on Thursday, dozens of conservative national security experts warned that Mr Trump is unfit to be commander in chief. Former homeland security secretary Michael Chertoff and more than 70 others called Mr Trump's "embrace of the expansive use of torture" inexcusable. They also object to what they say is Mr Trump's "hateful, anti-Muslim rhetoric" and his advocacy for waging trade wars. Despite Mr Trump's strong showing on Tuesday, he was not yet on track to claim the nomination before the party's national gathering, according to an Associated Press delegate count. He has won 46% of the delegates awarded so far, and he would have to increase that to 51% in the remaining primaries. Mr Trump has 316 delegates so far, Mr Cruz 226 and Mr Rubio, 106. It takes 1,237 delegates to win the party nomination. Party strategists cast March 15 as the last opportunity to stop Mr Trump through the normal path of winning states and collecting delegates. A win for Mr Rubio in his home state of Florida would raise questions about Mr Trump's strength, as could a win for Mr Kasich, Ohio's governor, on his home turf. Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson all but ended his bid on Wednesday, saying he would skip the debate and declaring he did "not see a political path forward." On the Democratic side, Mrs Clinton was drawing broad support from voters and her party's leaders. Rival Bernie Sanders vowed to keep up the fight, though his path to the nomination has narrowed. So far, Mrs Clinton has at least 1,005 delegates and Mr Sanders 373. It takes 2,383 Democratic delegates to win. In response at a campaign speech in Maine, Mr Trump made much of his own endorsement of the former Massachusetts governor in his failed race to unseat President Barack Obama in the 2012 contest. Mr Trump said Mr Romney begged for his backing and he could have "said, 'Mitt, drop to your knees.' He would have dropped to his knees". A Russian police officer stands at the site where a woman suspected of murdering a young child was detained, near Oktyabrskoye Pole metro station in Moscow, Russia, February 29, 2016. Russian investigators said on Monday they had arrested a nanny and charged her with murdering a young child in her care after local media broadcast footage of a woman brandishing a severed head near a busy Moscow metro station. REUTERS/Maxim Zmeyev Russian police officers secure an area near to a subway station in Moscow on Monday, Feb. 29, 2016. Russian news agencies report that police have arrested a woman who was waving the severed head of a small child outside a Moscow subway station. The Investigative Committee released a statement saying a woman was arrested Monday on suspicion of killing a child aged 3 or 4 in an apartment near the metro station in northwestern Moscow and then setting the apartment on fire Police and the Investigative Committee cars secure an area abound a subway station in Moscow on Monday, Feb. 29, 2016. Russian news agencies report that police have arrested a woman who was waving the severed head of a small child outside a Moscow subway station A police detain a woman, suspected of murdering a young child, near Oktyabrskoye Pole metro station in Moscow, Russia, February 29, 2016, in this still image taken from video A police officer (R) prepares to detain a woman, suspected of murdering a young child, near Oktyabrskoye Pole metro station in Moscow, Russia, February 29, 2016, in this still image taken from video Gyulchekhra Bobokulova - a mum of three - showed officers the Moscow flat where she reportedly strangled Nastya Meshcheryakova, before beheading her with a kitchen knife Gyulchekhra Bobokulova - a mum of three - showed officers the Moscow flat where she reportedly strangled Nastya Meshcheryakova, before beheading her with a kitchen knife Gyulchekhra Bobokulova - a mum of three - showed officers the Moscow flat where she reportedly strangled Nastya Meshcheryakova, before beheading her with a kitchen knife Gyulchekhra Bobokulova, a nanny suspected of murdering a child in her care, sits inside a defendants' cage as she attends a court hearing in Moscow, Russia, March 2, 2016. Russian police wrestled to the ground a woman in a hijab brandishing the severed head of a child outside a Moscow metro station on February 29, 2016 and charged her with murder, in an incident that stirred fears of an Islamist terrorist attack Gyulchekhra Bobokulova, a nanny suspected of murdering a child in her care, sits inside a defendants' cage as she attends a court hearing in Moscow, Russia, March 2, 2016. Russian police wrestled to the ground a woman in a hijab brandishing the severed head of a child outside a Moscow metro station on February 29, 2016 and charged her with murder, in an incident that stirred fears of an Islamist terrorist attack Gyulchekhra Bobokulova, a nanny suspected of murdering a child in her care, yawns inside a defendants' cage as she attends a court hearing in Moscow, Russia, March 2, 2016. Russian police wrestled to the ground a woman in a hijab brandishing the severed head of a child outside a Moscow metro station on February 29, 2016 and charged her with murder, in an incident that stirred fears of an Islamist terrorist attack Gyulchekhra Bobokulova, a nanny suspected of murdering a child in her care, looks on inside a defendants' cage as she attends a court hearing in Moscow, Russia, March 2, 2016. Russian police wrestled to the ground a woman in a hijab brandishing the severed head of a child outside a Moscow metro station on February 29, 2016 and charged her with murder, in an incident that stirred fears of an Islamist terrorist attack Gulchekhra Bobokulova, a nanny suspected of murdering a child in her care, looks on inside a defendants' cage as she attends a court hearing in Moscow, Russia, March 2, 2016. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov A woman who brandished the severed head of a four-year-old girl in her care outside a Moscow metro station has said she beheaded the child to avenge Muslims killed in the Kremlin's campaign of air strikes in Syria. In video posted online on Thursday and circulated by several prominent bloggers, 38-year-old Gulchekhra Bobokulova from Muslim-majority Uzbekistan gave her first detailed explanation of an incident that state TV channels chose not to report. "I took revenge against those who spilled blood," Bobokulova told someone asking her questions off camera. "Putin spilled blood, planes carried out bombings. Why are Muslims being killed? They also want to live." She also said she had wanted to go to live in Syria but did not have the money to do so. It was not clear when the video was filmed, but Bobokulova wore the same clothes as when she appeared in court on Wednesday. A Kremlin spokesman said her remarks should be regarded as those of someone who is mentally unwell. "You need to regard anything that such a deranged woman says accordingly," Dmitry Peskov, the spokesman, told reporters. The Kremlin launched its campaign of air strikes in Syria on Sept. 30 in support of President Bashar al-Assad, an intervention that altered the course of the conflict there. Islamic State said it downed a Russian passenger plane above Egypt on Oct. 31, killing all 224 people on board, in revenge for Russia's Syria campaign. Bobokulova, who was working as a nanny for a Moscow family, wandered around a street holding up the girl's head and shouting Islamist slogans. One witness said he heard her screaming about the murder of children in Syria. A police source told the Interfax news agency on Wednesday the details of two men linked to an "international extremist group" had been found among her contacts. However, publicly, investigators were quick to raise the possibility that Bobokulova was mentally ill and have made no mention of suspecting her of any terrorism-related offence. Russian investigators played down her words on Thursday, suggesting in a statement that she was schizophrenic and that the motive offered by people suffering from the condition often differed from the real reason they had acted. A "sexual predator" has been jailed for life after being found guilty of raping five women he met through internet dating site match.com. Father-of-three Jason Lawrance contacted thousands of women online and committed three sex attacks months after getting married to someone he met via the site. Serial rapist Lawrance will serve a minimum term of 12 years and six months years, he was told at sentencing at Derby Crown Court today. The 50-year-old, of Liphook, Hampshire, was also found guilty of attempting to rape and sexually assault two other women after chatting to them online. Lawrance, a former company director turned self-employed builder, texted one of his victims after attacking her apologising for "hurting her" and saying: "When you were crying out for me to stop I couldn't, I'm so mad at myself xxx." After Lawrance was unanimously found guilty, a judge raised concerns about the safety of dating websites. Judge Gregory Dickinson QC asked prosecutors: Is there any form of supervision on the use of dating sites? I would like to see if lessons can be learned from the use of such sites. The jury of six women and six men heard that Lawrance raped another woman in the back of a van which he had parked in a field in Northamptonshire, while a third was attacked at her home while her son was asleep in a nearby bedroom. He was arrested after a friend of a woman who was raped in Derbyshire in November 2014 went to police. Investigations revealed he had sexually attacked another six women he met through the site since June 2011. Prosecuting, Shaun Smith QC told the jury that Lawrance - who used the site with the profile names KeepItStraightToday and StraightMan_Looking - was a Jekyll and Hyde character and that he targeted "vulnerable, naive, lonely women". Derby Crown Court heard that four of the victims complained about Lawrance to match.com, and one of the women was told administrators could not do anything because he had not sent abusive messages through the site. Detective Chief Inspector Allison Rigby, from Derbyshire Police, said the trial had been "devastating" for the victims. Speaking on the steps of Derby Crown Court after the verdict, she said: "Jason Lawrance is a prolific, serial rapist who preyed on women he had contacted through match.com. "These women were looking for companionship and instead what they found was a man who was willing to commit serious sexual offences against them. "After contacting his victims online, Lawrance would quickly move the conversation outside match.com system. "He then raped, tried to rape, or sexually assaulted these women, and afterwards he tried to defend his actions by claiming they had consented to it. They absolutely did not." She added that it was "possible" other victims of Lawrance were yet to come forward. Lawrance had denied all the charges and said the sex was consensual in all five charges of rape, that the attempted rape was a misunderstanding and that the sexual assault where he grabbed a woman's breast was a "loving touch" which she objected to, so he apologised. He was emotionless as the verdicts were read out in court after 10 hours of jury deliberations. Judge Gregory Dickinson remanded him in custody until his sentencing on Thursday morning. Sakinab Shah, the sister of Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah, holds up her mobile phone with a picture of her brother (AP) There is a "high probability" debris found in Mozambique is from a Boeing 777, Malaysian Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai has said - noting Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 is the only missing 777. Mr Liow said the area where the debris was found matches investigators' predictions of where debris would end up. He said a Malaysian team with representatives from the country's civil aviation department, Malaysia Airlines and investigators will be heading to Mozambique. The debris is still in Mozambique and Mr Liow said it is unclear when it will be sent to Australia for examination. Authorities in Mozambique are helping to comb the area where it was found for other possible debris. Meanwhile, an American who found the debris said he initially thought it was part of a much smaller plane. Blaine Gibson, who has been searching the region's beaches for the debris, said a boat operator who took him to a sandbank named Paluma called him over after seeing a piece of debris with "NO STEP" written on it. Mr Gibson said the discovery happened after he decided to go "somewhere exposed to the ocean" on the last day of a trip to the coastal town of Vilankulo. Earlier, the family of the senior pilot from MH370 said he must not be made a scapegoat for its disappearance. The Boeing 777 disappeared from radar on March 8, 2014, with 239 people on board during a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. The family of Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah defended the pilot. "When the search (for the plane) revealed nothing, they came back to this theory, but it's only a theory," said Capt Zaharie's eldest sister Sakinab Shah. "If you have nothing tangible and nothing by way of evidence, it's tantamount to predicting he is guilty until proven innocent. This sets us back in the Dark Ages." She said it was "very convenient" to make her brother the scapegoat to absolve the airline from claims or protect the Malaysian government from possible cover-ups and US airline manufacturer Boeing from losing business. "Please do not judge him based on theories.... don't blame him unless there is evidence. I want to say that (he's) innocent until proven guilty. That is the mantra of modern civilisation," she said. The hearing was told that Isil finance chiefs would play the international stock markets using cash looted during its 2014 takeover of Mosul, in which the group got its hands on an estimated $429m from the city's central bank' Stock photo: Irochka - Fotolia Isil is making millions of dollars for its war chest by playing foreign currency markets under the noses of bank chiefs, it was revealed yesterday. The terrorist group is earning up to $20m (18m) a month by funnelling dollars looted from banks during its takeover of the Iraqi city of Mosul into legitimate currency markets in the Middle East. It then makes huge returns on currency speculation, which are wired back via unsuspecting financial authorities in Iraq and Jordan, a parliamentary committee was told. Isil's white collar crime is now a major source of income, along with oil smuggling and extortion. Details of the scam emerged during a hearing of a specially convened foreign affairs subcommittee set up to examine Britain's role in Isil financing. The hearing was told that Isil finance chiefs would play the international stock markets using cash looted during its 2014 takeover of Mosul, in which the group got its hands on an estimated $429m from the city's central bank. It also used money "siphoned off" from pension payments that are still being made by the Iraqi government to civil servants living in the city. The details were revealed to the hearing by John Baron, the subcommittee's chair. "The cash that Isil has looted, along with siphoned-off pension payments, is routed into Jordanian banks and brought back into the system via Baghdad," he said. "That allows the system to be exploited by Isil, in that they take a turn [profit] on the foreign currency actions and siphon that cash back." The group instead targeted a website with a similar name A group of Isis hackers falsely boasted they had hacked Google - but instead targeted a website with a similar name. A group calling itself the "Cyber Caliphate Army" vowed on messaging app Telegram they would attack Google on Monday, Vocativ.com reported. "We promised to hack Google," the group declared. "Keep the promise inshallah [God willing], expect us today." However, a few hours later, they had instead defaced the website www.addgoogleonline.com, which is reportedly registered by someone named Gandani K. from India. After it was hacked, the website played an Isis song in French and displaced the group's logo along with a sign saying "Hacked By: CCA". The group also allegedly published a list of 35 British websites it had targeted, saying the attacks were revenge for the killing of British-born Isis hacker Junaid Hussain. Hussain was killed by a US airstrike last year. Among the sites targeted were those of a salon, an instructor who offers Japanese dance classes and businesses selling bedroom furniture and laminate flooring. The hackers said the attacks were "a message to David Cameron". The attacks follow pro-Isis hackers' threats that they would target the founders of Facebook and Twitter for shutting down their social media accounts. Last year, Isis hackers successfully accessed the Twitter account of the United States Central Command, posting personal details of senior officers. Oscar Pistorius has been denied the right to appeal against his murder conviction over the shooting of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. The ruling by South Africa's Constitutional Court clears the way for a judge to sentence Pistorius for murder at a hearing scheduled for April 18. Defence lawyer Andrew Fawcett confirmed the court's decision and said: "We'll proceed to the sentencing." Pistorius, who killed Ms Steenkamp in his home in 2013, had appealed to the highest court, saying another court was mistaken when it overturned a manslaughter conviction and declared the Olympic athlete guilty of murder. The minimum sentence for murder in South Africa is 15 years, though a judge can reduce that sentence in exceptional circumstances. Pistorius is currently under house arrest. Pistorius shot Ms Steenkamp through the door of a toilet cubicle in his home early on Valentine's Day 2013. Prosecutors said he killed her after an argument, while Pistorius argued he killed her by mistake, thinking there was an intruder in the house. Pistorius, a multiple Paralympic champion, became the first amputee to run at the Olympics and the able-bodied World Championships. The Billings workforce is among the nations hardest working, according to a new survey. The personal finance and small business research firm Wallet Hub, says workers in Billings ranked 14th of the nations largest 116 cities and tops in one measurement indirect work factors. Those indirect factors, which comprise 20 points of a possible 100 (Billings workforce scored 70.65 points), include commute time, the percentage of workers holding down multiple jobs, volunteer hours per resident and leisure time spent on an average day. The Billings score was fourth in the region. Sioux Falls, S.D., finished fourth. Cheyenne, Wyo., placed eighth, and Denver was 13th, 0.7 percentage points higher than Billings. Anchorage, Alaska, is home to the hardest-working labor force in America, the survey indicated. With 88.42 points, Anchorage finished 8 points higher than second-place Virginia Beach, Va. Its no surprise that Billings workforce was rated as high as it was, said Billings Chamber of Commerce President and CEO John Brewer. Billings is a regional hub for industry and opportunities for employment, he said in an email. People who want to work can advance themselves and create opportunities for growth here." People migrate to Billings to find work and start careers in a variety of fields, Brewer said, including health care, energy, finance, tourism, agriculture and manufacturing. They then bolster a population known for its commitment to hard work. Billings residents, he said, are driven and hard working. Brittney Souza, director of BillingsWorks, a workforce development initiative of private businesses and public entities, said Billings high ranking may be attributed in part to the fact that 97 percent of Billings workers toil for small businesses, and many small firms have more part-time and seasonal positions than larger firms do. We are definitely hard-working, she said. Thats our work ethic here. Billings has for some time enjoyed an unemployment rate of 3 percent or lower, considered by labor economists to be full employment. In a tight labor market, hard-working and dedicated employees are especially sought after by employers, Souza said. As published in BillingsWorks 2015 State of the Workforce Report, local employers may have a slightly different take on the overall quality of the citys workforce than the Wallet Hub survey indicated. Less than half of respondents said they were confident in the overall quality of the workforce. Those companies seeking professional employees the energy sector; professional, scientific and technical services; and education reported more confidence in the quality of Yellowstone Countys workforce. Only 2 of 27 responders in the accommodations and food service sectors reported confidence in worker quality. Employers told BillingsWorks that pay, benefits and job opportunities were the three greatest barriers to workforce attraction and retention. Housing was the fourth-largest barrier. Wallet Hub said that 80 percent of its ratings points were based on two factors average workweek hours, which account for 60 points, and labor force participation rate, 20 points. It released its report, found at www.wallethub.com/edu/hardest-working-cities-in-america/10424, in anticipation of Employee Appreciation Day, which is Friday. Security forces take position during an operation against two attackers in Istanbul (AP) Security forces run to surround the area during an operation against two attackers in Bayrampasa, Istanbul (AP) Police in Istanbul have killed two women who attacked officers with gunfire and a hand grenade. Two officers were slightly injured. The women were identified as members of banned far-left group the Revolutionary People's Liberation Army-Front, or DHKP-C, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported. Security camera footage showed the women firing at a police bus outside a riot police station in Istanbul's Bayrampasa district, and also hurling a hand grenade, before apparently taking aim at the police station. The grenade did not explode. They fled the scene in a vehicle and hid in a building a short distance from the police station. Special forces police surrounded the building and launched an operation after the pair ignored calls to surrender and opened fire on officers. Istanbul Governor Vasip Sahin said both of the assailants were killed in the operation. He said two police officers were wounded - one by broken glass during the attack on the bus and the other during the assault on the building. The DHKP-C, among other attacks, carried out a 2013 suicide bombing on the US Embassy that killed a security guard. DHKP-C militants also opened fire on the US Consulate in Istanbul last year. The latest attack came amid a surge in violence in Turkey since the summer. A fragile peace process with the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, collapsed in July, reviving a three-decade conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people since 1984. Last month, a suicide car bombing that targeted buses carrying military personnel in the capital, Ankara, killed 29 people. A Kurdish militant group that is an off-shoot of the PKK claimed responsibility for that attack. But the government maintains that it was the work of a Syrian Kurdish militia group, in coordination with the PKK. Some 145 people have died since July in three separate suicide bomb attacks that authorities have blamed on the Islamic State group, including 12 German tourists who were killed in Istanbul's historic Sultanahmet district on January 12. Migrants wait behind portable barriers to have errors in their transit documents corrected by Greek authorities at a camp in Idomeni on the Greek-Macedonian border (AP) A migrant child waits on the Greek side of the border to enter Macedonia (AP) A United Nations migration official has warned 70,000 people are set to be "trapped" in Greece in coming weeks because countries including Macedonia are closing their borders to the flow of migrants into Europe. Peter Sutherland, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's special representative for international migration, said the "inevitable consequence" of closed borders throughout the Balkans "is that Greece increasingly becomes a camp for refugees and migrants". Mr Sutherland noted that half of those arriving in Greece via the Turkish coast are Syrians, and about 70% of them come straight from Syria without stopping long in Turkey, which has already taken in 2.7 million Syrians. He urged a better international response, saying: "The issue for the global community is: Are we prepared to share responsibility, or not?" Earlier, Greece's prime minister called for sanctions to be imposed on European Union states that refuse to take in their fair share of refugees. Speaking after a meeting with European Council President Donald Tusk in Athens, Alexis Tsipras promised to provide "dignified" living conditions for the more than 25,000 migrants trapped in Greece after other countries further north along the migration route to Western Europe imposed sweeping entry restrictions. But he insisted that the solution can only be temporary and Greece will accept only its fair share of permanently resettled refugees. Mr Tusk warned prospective economic migrants to not even think of setting off towards Europe. He said people who are looking for a better life but are not fleeing war should not risk their lives or their money paying smugglers to bring them to Europe. He said: "It is all for nothing. Greece, or any other European country, will no longer be a transit country." Mr Tusk was in Athens as part of a tour through countries worst affected by the continent's immigration crisis. Meanwhile, a group of migrants blocked a railway line at Greece's border with Macedonia in protest at Macedonia's refusal to let them in. The group lay down on the Greek side of the track on Thursday morning, preventing a freight train that had just crossed from Macedonia from continuing its journey south. Some 10,000 people are stranded at the Idomeni border crossing. Macedonian authorities have said they will only let in as many people as the next country on the route, Serbia, takes. Greek police said that in the 24 hours to 6am on Thursday, 500 people were allowed to cross. Local elders gather near a tent in Maarzaf, Syria, after a declaration pledging to abide by a truce (AP) A US and Russia-brokered ceasefire in Syria is largely holding despite sporadic clashes in some areas, a United Nations envoy has said. Staffan de Mistura spoke as he convened a group monitoring the truce in the hope of a breakthrough that could pave the way for regular humanitarian aid deliveries to remote areas that have been cut off by the fighting. It was the third meeting of a task force set up by the International Syria Support Group, made up of world and regional powers under the leadership of the US and Russia, which is monitoring the "cessation of hostilities" that began on Saturday. Mr De Mistura said the ceasefire has "greatly reduced" violence in Syria and expressed hope to resume peace talks between Syrians, which were called off last month after a spike in fighting. "In general, the cessation has been holding," he said, speaking alongside his humanitarian aid adviser Jan Egeland. "Unfortunately, we have to admit, like in every cessation of hostilities or ceasefire - and in particular this one - there are still a number of places where fighting has continued, including parts of Hama, Homs, Latakia and Damascus, but they have been contained," he added. Mr de Mistura said the situation is "fragile, success is not guaranteed, but progress has been visible". The ceasefire is shaping up as the most promising initiative in years to help end a five-war that has killed at least 250,000 people, driven millions of Syrians to flee the country, and given an opening to militants such as the extremist Islamic State group and the Nusra Front, as Syria's al Qaida branch is known, to seize large swaths of land. The two militant factions and other extremist groups that have been designated terrorist organisations by the UN are not included in the diplomatic initiatives. Mr de Mistura appeared to ease back from a recent statement that he hopes to convene talks between Syrian President Bashar Assad's envoys and representatives of the so-called moderate opposition in Geneva next Wednesday. While he had set a "pencilled date" for Wednesday for those "proximity talks," Mr de Mistura acknowledged that delegations were facing logistical issues, such as competing for hotel rooms with attendees of a car show. Some envoys could arrive as late as March 14, he said. Meanwhile, Mr Egeland said there has been progress in aid shipments to besieged cities across Syria. "In the last two weeks, 236 trucks have served 115,000 people," he said, but warned that in recent days, aid shipments have been beset by "logistical" problems. UN officials have cited problems in getting enough trucks in place as well as difficulties in winning approvals from Syrian government officials, who have at times stripped out badly needed medical supplies from convoys. Mr Egeland said UN officials had received "indications" that there will be "a much simplified system" for gaining approvals to ship in aid, including a monthly schedule. Earlier, Amnesty International reported that Russian and Syrian government forces have been targeting hospitals as a strategy of war during the Syria conflict. The advocacy group said it has "compelling evidence" of at least six deliberate attacks on medical facilities in the Aleppo region in the past 12 weeks, which killed at least three civilians, including a medical worker, and wounded 44. Amnesty said the attacks amounted to war crimes, and aimed to pave the way for pro-government ground forces to advance on northern Aleppo. Russia has denied targeting civilians in its Syria campaign. Assad has also denied targeting civilians, saying he is waging a war against terrorism, but he has said that it is a "rule of thumb" in war that innocent civilians die. Also on Thursday, Syrian state TV reported a sudden electricity blackout across the entire country for unknown reasons. Blackouts have been frequent in the course of the conflict but it is rare for the whole country to be affected. Previous blackouts were blamed on rebel attacks targeting the electricity network but no reason was given for the latest outage. Internet services were also partially halted as a result of damage to one of the network hubs. Services later resumed, and electricity was being gradually restored. Tommy Ray Robinson Jr. SHARE By Nikie Mayo of the Independent Mail Evelyn Robinson was unresponsive when she was brought into AnMed Health Medical Center last month, according to a coroner's notes. She had just turned 69. The Honea Path woman spent time in the intensive care unit, remaining in the hospital for several days, according to investigators. But she didn't get better. She was transferred to hospice care, and by 9 p.m. on Feb. 22, she was dead. Her body had already been sent to a funeral home when Anderson County Coroner Greg Shore got a call about her case the next day. Shore and Honea Path police are still investigating what happened to her. On Wednesday, her son, 52-year-old Tommy Robinson Jr., woke up in jail. He stands accused of causing his mother's death by intentionally exposing her to methamphetamine. Her granddaughter, Kayla Robinson, spoke briefly with the Independent Mail late Wednesday evening, saying that some of the information that has been made public about her family "is a lie." She insisted that her grandmother died of pneumonia, and that others would be charged in her death. According to police report, a woman notified Honea Path police about Evelyn Robinson, and said that the elderly woman's medication had been laced with methamphetamine. Police asked the woman how she knew that, and she told them that Robinson's grandchildren told her and that Robinson had tested positive for meth. Shore confirmed Wednesday that hospital tests revealed Evelyn Robinson did test positive for methamphetamine. He is still awaiting additional toxicology test results from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. "I'm confident that illegal drugs were in this woman's system and they contributed to her death," Shore said Wednesday. Honea Path Police Chief David King said Tommy Robinson Jr. was his mother's primary caregiver before she was taken into AnMed. "We know that she had some medical issues and was relying on her family for help," he said. King said his department is also in the early stages of investigating Robinson Jr. on another matter related to his mother. There are allegations, King said, that several thousand dollars are missing from Evelyn Robinson's bank accounts. Robinson Jr. has not been charged with financial crimes. He is charged with abusing or neglecting a vulnerable adult in a manner that resulted in death. He also faces multiple drug charges and a weapons charge. He was arrested late Tuesday after officers surrounded his Honea Path home. On Wednesday night, Judge James Wesley White set his bail at $165,000. Robinson Jr. kept his head bowed during his entire hearing, which was held via closed circuit television as he stood in the county jail. He uttered just two words when the judge asked him if he wanted to say anything. "No sir," he replied. Then a guard led him away to his cell. Follow Nikie Mayo on Twitter @NikieMayo Elections in Anderson County: How to vote early and what to know South Carolina Senate District 4 candidates spoke Thursday in Anderson. The candidates are: Rockey Burgess (top left); Willie Day (top right); Mike Gambrell (bottom left); and Tripp Padgett. SHARE By Kirk Brown of the Independent Mail Four Republicans running for the vacant South Carolina Senate 4 seat offered differing views Thursday about a GOP road-funding plan that emerged this week. The candidates discussed the issue during the Anderson Area Chamber of Commerce's monthly Toast N' Topics breakfast at Tucker's Restaurant in Anderson. In agreeing Wednesday night to end a lengthy filibuster, the Senate's Republican majority is backing a proposal that would set aside $400 million annually for highway projects in the state without increasing South Carolina's 16-cent per gallon gas tax. Senate District 4 candidates Rockey Burgess and Willie Day voiced support for an aspect of the new proposal that would give South Carolina's governor the authority to appoint the seven members of the state Department of Transportation governing board. Currently, members of the General Assembly choose six of the board's members. Candidate Tripp Padgett said the road-funding plan represents little more than a "Band-Aid" instead of a long-term solution. Padgett said a 10-cent per gallon increase in the state's gas tax would create a recurring source of money for repairing roads and bridges. He said such an increase would cost the average motorist only 15 cents a day. Rep. Mike Gambrell, the fourth candidate at Thursday's breakfast, did not express a definitive opinion on the Senate proposal. Gambrell said he and other legislators "are going to do whatever it takes to fix the roads." The Honea Path Republican is chairman of Anderson County's legislative delegation. Last year Gambrell voted for a state House of Representatives bill that sought to raise South Carolina's gas tax by a dime per gallon. The measure would have generated $427 million a year for road funding while also cutting the average resident's income taxes by $48 annually. But GOP opponents in the Senate blocked the legislation's passage by mounting a filibuster that didn't end until the new road-funding plan was announced Wednesday night. Burgess, Day, Gambrell, Padgett and Williamston resident Mark Powell are running for the seat that Sen. Billy O'Dell held until his death in January. Powell did not attend the breakfast Thursday. Burgess, who is a Williamston town councilman, described himself as a conservative who would "look out for small-business owners" if elected. Day, who retired last year as the city of Anderson's neighborhood and transit director, touted his record of accomplishments in city government. Gambrell, who was elected to the state House in 2006, said his legislative experience would be a valuable asset in replacing O'Dell, who served for than a quarter-century in the Senate. Padgett, who is a Greenwood attorney, said he decided to run "to make a positive difference" and that he hopes to try to fix the "disconnect between people and government." The five Republicans running for the opportunity to serve the final months of O'Dell term will compete in their party's March 22 primary. The winner of primary is expected to be unopposed in the May 17 special election for the Senate 4 seat, which represents eastern and southern Anderson County, part of Abbeville County and the western edge of Greenwood County. Day has called for term limits on legislators, saying he would serve only two terms if elected. Gambrell disagreed with Day's suggestion. "We've got term limits - they're called elections," he said. "If we're not doing what we are supposed to do, that ballot box will take care of it." Follow Kirk Brown on Twitter @KirkBrown_AIM SHARE By Independent Mail Three Clemson University students were charged Wednesday with arson for allegedly setting a futon on fire outside of two campus dorms. The fire was reported at 2:10 a.m. Sunday between Wannamaker and Bradley halls on campus. University firefighters put out the fire, which spread to grass around the futon. The students are 19-year-old Matthew Griffin Skinner of Fairfax, Virginia.; 18-year-old Patrick James Gilligan of Cincinnati, Ohio; and 19-year-old Davis Ryan McCarter of Clover. The students were released on personal recognizance bonds. In an unrelated incident, a 20-year-old Clemson University student was arrested Tuesday on a charge of filing a false felony report. The student, Abbriyanna Rai-Beth Dutill of Columbia, reported that someone had sent her threatening emails, according to a statement from the university. University investigators determined the threats had come from an account Dutill had created and originated on her personal computer, according to the university. Dutill was released on a personal recognizance bond. Prevent Unauthorized Transactions in your demat / trading account Update your Mobile Number/ email Id with your stock broker / Depository Participant. Receive information of your transactions directly from Exchanges on your mobile / email at the end of day and alerts on your registered mobile for all debits and other important transactions in your demat account directly from NSDL/ CDSL on the same day." - Issued in the interest of investors. KYC is one time exercise while dealing in securities markets - once KYC is done through a SEBI registered intermediary (broker, DP, Mutual Fund etc.), you need not undergo the same process again when you approach another intermediary. No need to issue cheques by investors while subscribing to IPO. Just write the bank account number and sign in the application form to authorise your bank to make payment in case of allotment. No worries for refund as the money remains in investor's account." www.indiainfoline.com is part of the IIFL Group, a leading financial services player and a diversified NBFC. The site provides comprehensive and real time information on Indian corporates, sectors, financial markets and economy. On the site we feature industry and political leaders, entrepreneurs, and trend setters. The research, personal finance and market tutorial sections are widely followed by students, academia, corporates and investors among others. WASHINGTON Asked to describe the current shape of the Middle East, a visiting Israeli official uses a Hebrew expression, gam vegam, which translates roughly to: "It's going in both directions at once." The shards of the Middle East mosaic are as sharp and dangerous as ever, but U.S., Israeli and Arab officials say these pieces have been rearranged in the past few months and may now fit together in different and often surprising ways. There are opportunities few observers would have expected, and also new perils. President Barack Obama is often seen as a lame duck who is hobbling off the Middle East stage in his final 10 months as president. But the pace is likely to be set largely by Secretary of State John Kerry, a man who still has something to prove as a diplomat. However the next months unfold, 2016 will shape the options for the next president. The departing Obama, who hoped to change the strategic balance in the Middle East, has partly done that encouraging others to take a larger military role, for better or worse, but preserving U.S. diplomacy. What are the new puzzle pieces? First, there's Syria, arguably Obama's greatest foreign policy failure. Despite a chorus of naysayers, Kerry has managed to cajole the various Syria antagonists (Russia, Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the regime of Bashar al-Assad, the fractious opposition) into the same tent to work on details of a cease-fire. This diplomatic process is fragile and dependent on the goodwill of Russians and others who in the past have displayed only naked self-interest. But it's not nothing. According to State Department estimates, relief convoys have reached 225,000 desperate Syrians in the past few weeks; the target is to provide aid to 1.7 million by the end of March. The cease-fire process invites violations, because many of the more than 100 rebel groups that have accepted the truce are camped alongside excluded fighters from the Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra. State Department officials describe this co-location of groups as "marbling," and expect it will take weeks for fighters to vote with their feet which side of the line they're on. This sorting will work only if there's some sign of progress toward an eventual political transition away from Assad. Iran is the second puzzle piece that looks different than most would have predicted a few years ago. Obama's bet that Iran could be pressured into a meaningful nuclear deal by a global sanctions coalition has proved correct. What's more, his hope that the Iran opening would strengthen pragmatic forces there also appears to have borne fruit after last Friday's elections. State Department officials say it's impossible now to calculate precisely what the political balance will be in the new parliament or the "Assembly of Experts" group that will choose Iran's next leader. But it's clear that the hard-liners have been weakened, and that President Hassan Rouhani's position is stronger. That was Obama's biggest strategic gamble; it appears to be paying off. Saudi Arabia is also changing shape. Who would have predicted a few years ago that the decisive figure in this once-moribund, hyper-conservative monarchy would be a headstrong 30-year-old whose goal appears to be a Saudi version of the modernizing, relatively tolerant United Arab Emirates? But that's what's happening under Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The young Saudi has sometimes been more bold than wise, as in his war in Yemen, his decision to break diplomatic relations with Iran and his new effort to destabilize a Hezbollah-dominated Lebanon. But his role as a change agent is unmistakable. He "wants to transition Saudi Arabia very quickly," said Adel Al Toraifi, the Saudi information minister, who's just 36 himself, in a visit to Washington last week. The piece of the Middle East puzzle that seems most jagged right now is Turkey, only a decade ago the brightest spot in the region. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's power plays have shattered a once-promising reconciliation with the Kurds and undermined Turkish democracy. Turkey has managed simultaneously to worsen its relations with Russia, Israel, Iran and the U.S. quite a feat. Veteran Turkey-watchers fear growing internal turmoil there. As America has stepped back in the Middle East during Obama's presidency, Russia, Iran, the Islamic State and Saudi Arabia have stepped forward. This has brought many new dangers. But even though America's military dominance has faded, its diplomatic role remains decisive as the Syria and Iran talks show. Fitting the altered pieces of the puzzle together brings many risks, but it does provide new openings. And it's clear that even in its diminished role, the U.S. remains the indispensable stabilizing power, like it or not. Tata Consultancy Services announced that as a new member of the GE Digital Alliance Program created by GE Digital, it will develop innovative digital solutions that increase the productivity of mobile workforces and assets in motion by leveraging Predix, GE's cloud platform for the Industrial Internet. (India Infoline)IT hardawre manufacturers are expected to invest $1 billion in the next 12-18 months if duty structure announced for products like routers, set-top-box for Internet etc is implemented in time. (ET)Lack of popular and memorable domain names such as dot-com is restricting internet growth, say scientists who suggest that new domains dubbed as 'not-coms' could expand the availability of virtual space for users. (TOI)Intel Corporation has appointed Nivruti Rai as the Intel India site general manager. Rai succeeds Kumud Srinivasan, who is now relocating to the United States, the American technology firm said in a press release. (ET)Country's fourth largest IT services firm HCL Technologies said it has bagged a five-year IT outsourcing deal from Husqvarna AB, an outdoor power products maker. (Moneycontrol.in)Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait (ABK), a leading retail bank in Kuwait, has selected Infosys Finacle, part of EdgeVerve Systems, to drive its technology transformation. (India Infoline)Nasscom and Tamil Nadu government signed an agreement to set up the first 'startup warehouse' in the state. (DNA)The increasing complexity of the enterprise resource planning (ERP) application portfolio is driving the need for a defined postmodern application integration strategy, according to Gartner, Inc. (India Infoline) th Asia Health Symposia in Mumbai last week. This is the first time the Symposia took place in India. Themed Financing the healthcare needs of India, the event brought together high-level executives and representatives from some of Indias top healthcare providers and insurers to examine pertinent issues ailing healthcare financing in India. Speakers at the Symposia included Alam Singh, Health insurance consultant and health information entrepreneur; Kaushik Sen, CEO, Health spring; Dr. Prakash Subbarayan, Executive Director of Star Health & Allied Insurance Company Limited; Nachiket Mor, Senior Advisor to The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; Nirupama Kamdar, CEO, Life Insurance Round Table, S.S. Gopalarathnam, Managing Director of Cholamandalam MS General Insurance Company Limited; Varun Dua, Founder and CEO, CoverFox Insurance; Yegnapriya Bharath, Joint Director, Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India; Sujata Sounik, Principal Secretary, Public Health Department, Government of Maharashtra; Clarence Wong, Chief Economist, Asia, Swiss Re; Paul Murray, Chief Pricing Officer, Life & Health Products, Swiss Re; and Marianne Gilchrist, Head of Solutions Groups, Life & Health Asia, Swiss Re. India has one of the biggest health protection gaps amongst the countries in Asia. The gap is projected to increase by 12.3% annually to US$214 billion by 2020. India will face a shortfall in healthcare financing of close to US$43 billion in 2020, which will require additional fiscal spending or higher out-of-pocket funding by individuals. The government and society will have to spend more in the future to make up for the growing demand for healthcare services due to higher income growth and a large population. In addition, out-of-pocket expenses account for nearly 60% of the total healthcare expenditure in India, with a very minor contribution from private insurance plans and a catastrophic event will wipe out one's entire savings. With the emerging middle class estimated to grow almost ten-fold from 50 million people at present to 475 million by 2030, the demand for quality healthcare and speed to access services will be greater. An expanding insurance market like India requires a sustainable and dependable healthcare and insurance infrastructure. Active co-operation and engagement among the industry and government is therefore required to build a robust healthcare eco-system. In her opening speech, Kalpana Sampat, Managing Director of Swiss Re Services India, called on the industry to collaborate and find solutions together, and work towards closing the protection gap in India. "In India, 50% of the population is below the age of 30 and the working population is expected to grow by 40% in the next ten years. Managing the health of this population will be crucial as health not only impacts individual income, education and demographic trends, but also the countrys economic growth. Since progress and development is dependent on good health of its working population, it is imperative for India to prioritise and invest in the healthcare sector, she said. Doubling health insurance penetration by 2020 The Symposia also examined the evolving healthcare needs of emerging India and fundamental gaps in the healthcare system: Swiss Re held its 12Asia Health Symposia in Mumbai last week. This is the first time the Symposia took place in India. Themed Financing the healthcare needs of India, the event brought together high-level executives and representatives from some of Indias top healthcare providers and insurers to examine pertinent issues ailing healthcare financing in India.Speakers at the Symposia included, Health insurance consultant and health information entrepreneur;, CEO, Health spring;, Executive Director of Star Health & Allied Insurance Company Limited;, Senior Advisor to The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation;, CEO, Life Insurance Round Table,, Managing Director of Cholamandalam MS General Insurance Company Limited;, Founder and CEO, CoverFox Insurance;, Joint Director, Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India;, Principal Secretary, Public Health Department, Government of Maharashtra;, Chief Economist, Asia, Swiss Re;, Chief Pricing Officer, Life & Health Products, Swiss Re; and, Head of Solutions Groups, Life & Health Asia, Swiss Re.India has one of the biggest health protection gaps amongst the countries in Asia. The gap is projected to increase by 12.3% annually to US$214 billion by 2020. India will face a shortfall in healthcare financing of close to US$43 billion in 2020, which will require additional fiscal spending or higher out-of-pocket funding by individuals. The government and society will have to spend more in the future to make up for the growing demand for healthcare services due to higher income growth and a large population. In addition, out-of-pocket expenses account for nearly 60% of the total healthcare expenditure in India, with a very minor contribution from private insurance plans and a catastrophic event will wipe out one's entire savings.With the emerging middle class estimated to grow almost ten-fold from 50 million people at present to 475 million by 2030, the demand for quality healthcare and speed to access services will be greater. An expanding insurance market like India requires a sustainable and dependable healthcare and insurance infrastructure. Active co-operation and engagement among the industry and government is therefore required to build a robust healthcare eco-system.In her opening speech,, called on the industry to collaborate and find solutions together, and work towards closing the protection gap in India. "In India, 50% of the population is below the age of 30 and the working population is expected to grow by 40% in the next ten years. Managing the health of this population will be crucial as health not only impacts individual income, education and demographic trends, but also the countrys economic growth. Since progress and development is dependent on good health of its working population, it is imperative for India to prioritise and invest in the healthcare sector, she said.The Symposia also examined the evolving healthcare needs of emerging India and fundamental gaps in the healthcare system: Only 288 million (22.2%) of Indias population are covered by health insurance, of which 214 million are insured by government schemes; another 48 million are covered by group insurance, while 25 million others use individual or family floater plans. The interests of payors and primary care providers should be aligned so that there can be collaboration to build primary care benefits into health insurance products. Participants at the Symposia agreed that increased consumer awareness along with easier access to healthcare were essential to drive penetration and double health insurance coverage in India by the year 2020. One of the possible models to insure the entire population of the country could be that the government gives a base cover to the bottom of the social pyramid while private insurance companies cover the levels above. However, progress in this direction is hindered by certain long-standing issues. For one, national health records are not available in India. Hospitals today are characterised by billing systems, not health record systems. Moreover, inconsistent alignment of interests between insurers and healthcare providers, and inadequate pricing of group medical portfolios make it difficult to manage sustainability of health portfolios. There is a need for improved healthcare infrastructure across the country, backed by the government. Digitising the interface and information flow between hospitals and insurers could help to resolve many of the conflicts between the two, and ensure proper care and convenience for the insurance claimant. Experts speaking at the Symposia opined that insurers should come together to push for this level of infrastructure. Furthermore, there is not enough focus on primary healthcare in India, nor is enough spent on vaccination. Insurance products are often not quite aligned with primary care, which accounts for almost 70 percent of the nations healthcare needs. Health insurance claims are also often rejected on the basis of thin arguments or mere technicalities. This needs to be corrected if consumer trust is to be gained and built in the insurance company and its products. There are also gaps in the products suite provided by insurance companies today. An estimated 700 million Indians would need a different product proposition with suitable price points. This poses a huge opportunity for insurers in the country and would trigger growth in insurance penetration. It is therefore important to understand the different needs of the consumer who, today, need more than just financing from their insurance provider. Insurers should capture and analyse consumer data and health records so as to be able to design relevant, customised products for the different consumer segments. Marianne Gilchrist, Head of Solutions Groups, Life & Health Asia, Swiss Re, who moderated one of the panel discussions, added Health insurers and providers need to work together to stabilise rising healthcare costs while improving patient outcomes. Effective collaboration would entail demonstrating leadership to drive action through innovation and transparent communication to close the protection gap in the country. To revive the financial sector in India currently plagued with stressed assets, FM Arun Jaitley in Union Budget 2016-17 vowed for comprehensive bankruptcy code, which will be enacted and brought in to deal with illicit deposit taking schemes. Declaring financial sector reforms as one of the "nine pillars" of Budget 2016-17 Jaitley stated that such code will provide a specialized resolution mechanism to tackle with bankruptcy situations in banks, insurance companies and financial sector entities. The Bankruptcy Code, along with Insolvency when enacted will deliver a comprehensive resolution mechanism for Indias economy. It would set deadlines for processing insolvency cases. According to World Bank data, India ranked an atrocious 136 of the 189 countries, in terms of rapid and efficient resolution of insolvencies, with creditors having limited power in case of default by a company. Once the bill enacted, it will significantly impact corporate governance in India, allowing creditors with more authority, so as to assure swift resolution of risen bad loans - a terrible issue haunting PSU banks. The bill was drafted by the Bankruptcy Law Reform Committee chaired by TK Viswanathan. As per the draft bill, in case of any corporate debtor who commits a default, a financial creditor (banks and finance firms), an operational creditor (trade creditors) or the corporate debtor may initiate corporate insolvency resolution process. The drafted bill includes a time-frame of 180 days for corporate IRP to be completed. However, if within 180 days, about 75% of creditors do not agree on the revival plan, the firm automatically leads to liquidation (a process in which the business comes to an end and distributes its assets to claimants). To prevent from liquidation, the authority further will grant one-time extension of 90 days for the process of completion. Lenders in India are able to recover only 20% of their loans when businesses go bankrupt and average time of 4.3 years is taken for insolvency proceedings. This compares to 70% recovery rate in developed countries and about 1.7 years of average time taken for insolvency proceedings in developed economies. Currently, Indian economy is reeling under mounting bad loan pressure. By far bad loans have risen to around Rs. 4,43,691 crore and hence, a robust bankruptcy law will support efficiently in resolving potential cases of bad loans. Piyush Goyal, Minister of State (IC) for Power, Coal and New & Renewable Energy, in a media briefing here today, urged people to monitor work of his ministries and to bring forth any deficiencies in working of system. The Minister said that the feedback from people help Government to work efficiently. On the occasion, Goyal felicitated Dinesh Arora , ED, REC for achieving one-third of the rural electrification target, thereby electrifying more than 6000 villages across the country. He also felicitated Shri Venkatesh Diwedi GM, Technical, Energy Efficiency Services Limited ( EESL) for crossing distribution of 7 crore LED bulbs and thus contributing immensely in Governments drive for energy efficiency. The Minister also launched GARV newsletter for rural electrification on the occasion. While highlighting various budget proposals relating to Power, Coal & Renewable Energy sectors , Shri Piyush Goyal informed that the annual allocation for DDUGJY has been increased by 66% from Rs. 5100 crore (BE 2015-16) to Rs.8500 crore. This is a positive development making more funds available for improving distribution infrastructure. He said that assessee engaged in the business of transmission of power shall be allowed additional depreciation at the rate of 20% of actual cost of new machinery or plant acquired and installed in a previous year. This will be beneficial for POWERGRID and other transmission companies and help increase transmission capacity at lower cost. PFC and REC have been included in the list of organisations who would be allowed to raise bonds during 2016-17, he added. Shri Goyal stated that a budget proposal will be incorporated in CST Act which will allow application of CST rate on inter-state transfer of gas for Gas based plants. The Minister also mentioned that the benefit of concessional custom and excise duty (proposed in budget) would be available to power generation projects based on municipal and urban waste. This will result in reduction in the cost of generation of power. Talking about Budget proposals of Coal Sector, Shri Piyush Goyal appreciated the increased coal production in the country. He informed that Coal India Limited has registered 9.2% growth in coal production in the duration of April 2015 to February 2016 in comparison to 8.25% growth registered during 2014-15. The Minister delightedly told that this is the highest coal production growth in over two decades. He also said that the basic Customs Duty on Heavy Earthmoving Machinery (HEMM), other than dumpers has now been proposed to be enhanced from 7.5% to 10% i.e. an increase of 2.5%. The step is envisaged to help domestic manufacturers to support Make in India. Referring to Renewable Energy Sector, Shri Goyal said that the Budget 2016-17 has proposed to levy Clean Environment Cess at Rs.400 per tonne, which will be used for development of renewable energy resources and various environmental protection measures. He informed that Plan Outlay to support Renewable Energy has been increased from Rs. 2,509 Crore in 2014-15 to Rs. 4,246 Crore in 2015-16; and further to Rs. 5,000 Crore in 2016-17 budget. The Minister told that Budget 2016 has provisions to mobilize funds at cheaper rate to ensure availability of cheaper power to the ultimate consumers. In his media interaction, Shri Goyal said reiterated that out of un-electrified villages, about 3000 villages to be electrified through renewable energy sources under the DDUJGY scheme. The budget also proposes 100% deduction of projects for 3 out of 5 years to Start-ups. It will encourage the entrepreneurs for rise startups in RE sector. A Special patent regime with 10% rate of tax on income from exploitation of patents is mentioned in the budget to give fill up to entrepreneurs to adoption of new technologies in RE sector. Shri Goyal said that solar pumps for irrigation and the pumps based on biomass likely to get the fill up in 28.5 lakh hectares which is to be brought under irrigation. He further stated that solar lamp being exempted from excise duty from 25% to NIL and Basic Custom duty on Industrial solar water heaters increased from 7.5% to 10%. The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to hear telecom operators' plea against TRAI's call drop compensation regulation. Telcos have challenged Delhi High Court's decision upholding TRAI's mandate.As per reports, the plea filed by two cellular operator associations was mentioned before a bench of Chief Justice TS Thakur seeking urgent hearing on the matter.Telcos had started planning for the Supreme Court appeal right after Delhi High Court dismissed their petition on Monday.A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath upheld TRAI's regulation further stating that the court had not stayed the notification.The case was filed by the telecom operators against TRAI when the regulator mandated telcos to compensate consumers with Re.1 per call up to 3 dropped calls per day starting from January 2016, which was unanimously opposed by telcos. India has signed a civil nuclear agreement with Japan and France. The details of Indias civil nuclear agreement with Japan and France are as follows:(i) The negotiations with Japan on bilateral civil nuclear cooperation agreement have been concluded during the visit of Japanese Prime Minister to India in December 2015, and both sides have confirmed that the agreement will be signed after the technical details are finalized, including those related to the necessary internal procedures.(ii) In pursuance of the 2008 Agreement on the Development of Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy between India and France, discussions with France for setting up nuclear power plants in Jaitapur, Maharashtra have been going on to finalize the techno-commercial parameters of the project. During the visit of the French President to India in January 2016, the two sides agreed on a roadmap of cooperation to speed up discussions on the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project in 2016.There are presently twenty-one (21) nuclear power reactors in the country with a total capacity of 5780 MW. A capacity of 4300 MW is at various stages of commissioning/construction. The installed nuclear power capacity is expected to reach 10080 MW by 2019 on progressive completion of the projects under commissioning/construction. Two projects with a total capacity of 3400 MW have been accorded sanction. Of these, at one project, Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) 3&4 (2x1000 MW) at Kudankulam, Tamil Nadu, excavation has commenced. The other project, Gorakhpur Haryana Anu Vidyut Pariyojna (2X700 MW) is being readied for launch soon. Further, projects based on both indigenous technology and with foreign technical cooperation are also planned in future.The current tariffs of nuclear power plants range from 97 Paise per unit for first generation plant to 394 Paise per unit for the latest commissioned plant. The average tariff of nuclear power in the year 2014-15 was about 278 Paise per unit. The tariffs of nuclear power plants are comparable to that of contemporary plants of other electricity generating technologies in the region.This information was provided by the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh in a reply to an unstarred question in Rajya Sabha. After Delhi High Court upheld TRAI's call drop regulation, the regulator body has asked telecom operators to submit compliance report on compensation of call drops until Monday. As per reports, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India is likely to take action if the telcos fail to provide satisfactory results.Telcos are, however, planning to challenge High Court's decision in the Supreme Court. The initial drafts are ready for submission to the court, a senior executive with one of the major telcos has been quoted as saying.The lawyers are giving them final look overs and deciding on the senior lawyers that will represent them in the case, he adds.The Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed telecom operators plea challening TRAI's decision of compensating call drops.A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath upheld TRAI's regulation further stating that the court had not stayed the notification.The case was filed by the telecom operators against Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), when the regulator mandated the telcos to compensate the consumers with Re.1 per call up to 3 dropped calls per day starting from January 2016, which was unanimously opposed by the telcos.Telcos had ignored TRAI's decision to implement the call drops compensation, reasoning that the case decision is pending with the Delhi High Court. However the court has asked the regulator body to implement the penalty. 2 Welspun Renewables, Indias largest solar energy generator, has expanded it solar capacity in Punjab by 4 MW (AC). The latest addition comes close on the heels of its 32 MW (AC) Bathinda solar project. Committed to facilitating Punjabs green energy transition, the two projects combined together will be annually feeding 54.37 million units of clean energy to the grid. Consequent to this, Welspun Renewables will be offsetting 1,481,525 tonnes of COemissions over the next 25 years.Vineet Mittal, Vice Chairman Welspun Renewables said, We believe that its our responsibility to help India meet her development needs by integrating ecological sustainability. Sustainable development of the people can only be ensured if we focus on clean energy and move away from polluting energy sources. With each project the organization commissions; we are helping the country move closer to meeting its clean energy targets. Like all our projects before, this latest capacity addition too was commissioned well before the committed timelines. Given our engineering expertise, I am confident this project will be performing optimally. Earlier this financial year, Welspun Renewables had commissioned states largest solar project of 32 MW (AC) capacities. Given its significance it was dedicated to the nation by Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Union Cabinet Minister of Food Processing, Government of India and Bikram Singh Majithia Minister for New & Renewable Energy, Government of Punjab.In line with the governments renewable energy initiatives, Welspun Renewables is well on target to commission 1000 MW of solar and wind power projects by the end of this financial year. We are currently present in 10 states across India. The organization has set a steadystream of benchmarks by commissioning some of the largest solar capacities the state territories have seen. If your heart is not beating correctly, it can weaken your heart muscle and lead to heart failure, a life-threatening condition. In recognition of February as American Heart Month, learn the facts about A-Fib one of the most common types of heart rhythm disorders and what you can do about it. What is A-Fib? A-Fib also known as atrial fibrillation is an arrhythmia (rhythm disorder) that originates from the top chambers of the heart. For people with A-Fib, the top chambers can beat extremely fast at 400500 times per minute. This essentially prevents the top chambers of the heart from contracting like they are supposed to. Instead, they quiver and prevent the blood from being squeezed into the bottom chambers of the heart. As blood does not move back and forth like it should, it can potentially cause clots to form in the heart. These blood clots can break off and cause strokes. What are the warning signs of A-Fib? How would you know if you have it? A-Fib can present in several ways. Usual symptoms include rapid and irregular heartbeat, palpitations, chest pain, dizziness and feeling fatigued easily. Some people lack the energy to do the things they can normally do without easily being fatigued. Also, some can develop heart failure. What are the risk factors associated with A-Fib? Typical risk factors are similar to those that can cause heart disease. This includes increasing age, diabetes, high blood pressure and a history of heart disease. Also, thyroid hormone-related problems, chronic lung problems and sleep apnea (commonly associated with obesity) can increase the risk. Are certain ethnic populations at higher risk for A-Fib? At this time, there is no clear evidence to support any specific ethnicity having a higher risk for A-Fib. However, older age does increase the risk for developing A-Fib. Can people live long lives with A-Fib? Can you die from A-Fib? A-Fib can shorten lifespan; there is some clinical data to support that assumption. There is currently a large clinical trial looking at this issue. Even though A-Fib does not directly result in death, it can aggravate existing medical conditions, such as heart failure, and can also result in fatal strokes. Can you still exercise if you have A-Fib? Yes. As long as the heart rate can be controlled, it is OK to exercise during A-Fib. However, it is very important to ensure the heart rate is adequately controlled with medications prior to starting an exercise program. What kinds of treatments exist for A-Fib? Is there a cure? Treatments include medications to control heart rates and also to keep patients out of A-Fib; ablation procedures that target the abnormal tissue and circuits to try to reduce A-Fib episodes and occasionally result in a cure; medications and procedures to reduce the risk for stroke; monitoring devices to assess the amount of A-Fib one is having over a long period of time; and also pacemakers to help with controlling heart rates. What does IU Health offer for A-Fib? IU Health offers a comprehensive program for both short- and long-term management of atrial fibrillation. We formulate a long-term strategy to not only treat A-Fib but also to offer all possible therapies that give you the best chance of maintaining regular rhythm and leading a normal life. We also participate in multi-center clinical trials and have some of the top leaders with the expertise to manage patients with this arrhythmia. Dr. Gopi Dandamudi is the program director of the IU Health Atrial Fibrillation Center at IU Health Methodist Hospital. IU Health is home to internationally recognized leaders in the treatment of heart rhythm disorders, like A-Fib from medication to electrophysiology and surgical procedures. Backed by years of experience, our physicians offer high-quality, comprehensive care for the most common to the most complex conditions. For more information, visit iuhealth.org/cardiovascular. It sometimes happens that after we read about ancient places and towns, we wonder what they were like. Because a part of us really wants to rewind just to see how things worked back then. How would it have been to live in that era? Read on as we take you through our favourite places from history that we'd visit in a heartbeat if we could. 1. Dvaraka Krsna-art.com We arent talking about the sub-city of Delhi, Dwarka. We are talking about lord Krishnas kingdom Dwarka. It is believed that Krishna moved here after defeating his uncle Kamsa at Mathura. Previously known as the Ahir and Yadav empire, this kingdom was established by lord Krishna. We only wish we could go back in time to see what kind of an administrator Krishna was! 2. Hastinapur wikipedia Hastinapur was the capital of the Kauravas, and the place where most important incidents of the Mahabharata took place. And it was over this place that the Kurukshetra war took place. We would love to go to Hastinapur of the Kauravas and Panadavas to witness the Mahabharata as it may have happened. Come on now, dont you? 3. Indraprastha pinterest Indraprastha, city of heaven, was the capital of the Pandavas. It is believed that modern day Delhi used to be Indraprastha, but theres no certainty about the claim. According to the Mahabharata, Pandavas had built a spectacular palace at Indraprastha, which had the effect of an illusion. Now, whod not want to visit that Grandeur palace that has been discussed in mythology over and over again? 4. Kalinga hamarahindustan Kalinga was a powerful kingdom during the Mauryan era. The kingdom witnessed a downfall after Ashoka led a war against it, leading to the bloodiest battle in history, the Kalinga war. After defeating Raja Anatha Padmanabhan, Kalinga became a part of the Mauryan empire. The intriguing stories that revolve around Kalinga make it a must visit place. If only. 5. Harappa sci-news Harappa, under the Indus Valley Civilisation, emerged as a city in 2600 BCE. It was one of the first ancient cities in the Indian continent, where writing systems and urban centres came up. Its repeated mention in our history books make it a fascinating place. 6. Mohenjo-daro wikipedia Built around 2500 BCE, Mohenjo-daro was one of the largest human settlements we had during the ancient Indus Valley Civilization. Mohenjo-daro was abandoned in the 19th century BCE after the Indus Valley Civilization declined, and wasnt rediscovered until the 1920s. Significant excavation has since been conducted at the site of the city, which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980. Currently, it is damaged due to erosion and improper restoration. Need we say why we want to visit this place? 7. Nalanda holidayiq.com Back in the day, Nalanda was initially a prosperous village on a major trade route that ran through the nearby city of Rajagriha, then the capital of Magadha. It is popular as it is said that the Jain thirthankara, Mahavira, spent 14 rainy seasons at Nalanda. Moreover, it is believed that Gautama Buddha delivered lectures in a nearby mango grove named Pavarika. He even attained nirvana there. The existence of the village dates back to at least the 5th6th century BCE. Mind blowing, right? 8. Kalibangan asijaipurcircle.nic.in Once upon a time, Kalibangan was a major provincial capital of the Indus Valley Civilization. The identity of this pre-historic site was discovered by Luigi Pio Tessitori, an Italian Indologist. Even today, Kalibangan is remembered for its unique fire altars and worlds earliest attested ploughed field. Now that's progressive! 9. Shravasti wikipedia The story of Shravasti is associated with Gautama Buddhas life. It was situated on the banks of the river Achiravati, now known as Rapti and was the capital of Kosala. Ruled by a disciple of Buddha known as Pasenadi, it was full of agriculture and diversity. Buddhaghosa says that, during Buddhas time, there were 57,000 families in Shravasti, and it was the chief city in Kosala. Sounds like a divine place, right? Really wish it still existed. Do you feel like visiting an ancient town? Let us know in the comments below! No one expects to be a victim of a crime. But when you are, the world crashes down around you. You want a remedy, justice, simply a return to what you had before. And you want the system to work for you to get there as quickly and smoothly as possible. Ive experienced this from both sides, as a victim of crime and as a law enforcement officer. When I was 17, my 8-year-old brother, Ryan, was kidnapped, sexually assaulted, and murdered by a repeat sex offender. That unthinkable experience is part of the reason I became a police officer, serving for 18 years in Montana. My experiences also led me to start a national organization called Ryan United, dedicated to helping victims of child sexual assault and abduction. Today Ryan United has trained law enforcement officers in all 50 states on sex offender management, child abduction response, and how to relate with families who are in a painful situation. My experiences are also the reason that Im such a staunch supporter of Marsys Law for Montana, a proposed amendment to our state constitution that would establish a crime victims bill of rights. From my view on the front lines of crime and victims issues, I can tell you that Montanas law enforcement and prosecutors are among the finest in the country. The way we treat victims of crimes in our state with compassion and humanity is a model for others to follow. But sometimes our criminal justice system isnt designed with the victim in mind, and thats what Marsys Law will address. We all know that an individual accused of a crime has rights protected by our Constitution, but we dont provide that same constitutional-level rights for victims in Montana. Thats a problem because when the rights of the accused come in conflict with the rights of the victim, the rights of the accused always trump. Elevating victims rights to the constitutional level will empower victims of crimes by ensuring theyre on an even playing field. The victims rights Marsys Law would protect are simple and straightforward. For instance, victims should have the right to be notified of all the proceedings happening in their case and the right to be present and be heard, when appropriate, at those proceedings. A victim should have the right to be notified of any change in custodial status of an offender in their case. And above all, victims should have the right to be treated with courtesy, fairness, and respect throughout the criminal justice process. Montana is just one of 18 states that does not yet afford constitutional rights to victims. We can change that with Marsys Law. I work with victims of crime almost every day, and I know how big a difference Marsys Law will make in their individual situations. I hope youll join me in passing Marsys Law for Montana. For more than 20 years now, Gurmeet Singh visits abandoned patients at the Patna Medical College and Hospital with medicines and food. When he enters the hospital, the faces of weary, lawaaris (as they are called) patients light up and they smile. Gurmeet has been continuously serving these patients without a break for the past 13 years. In the morning, he works at his family-owned clothes shop and by night, he is the messiah for the disabled. Zee News His brothers help him by donating 10% of their monthly earnings for the treatment of the poor. The food he serves to the patients is delicious. He serves hot piping dal, rice, curd, eggs and vegetables. Liveindia.in According to a report on the BBC, it was an incident two decades ago that compelled Gurmeet to take up the cause. A woman selling plastic bags turned up at his shop carrying a badly scalded boy in her arms. Gurmeet took him to the hospital but was shocked to find out that the doctors were on strike. He saw that due to the strike, the poor and the disabled were badly affected. It was then that he decided to roll up his sleeves and work for the betterment of the patients. Liveindia.in Today, authorities send him letters of admiration and praise him for his work. Gurmeet, however, doesnt like to boast about his work. He prefers to quietly appear like an angel, feed people and put a blanket over them as they sleep peacefully. Who comes to mind when you think of a serial killer? Charles Sobhraj, AKA 'The Bikini Killer' who would charm beautiful young women only to later kill them? The merciless Jack The Ripper, whose identity is yet to be confirmed? Charles Manson, who managed a number of followers who were willing to support and kill for him? Or Ted Bundy, who would sexually assault, kill and decapitate his victims before keeping their severed heads in his apartment as trophies? As terrifying as these maniacs might sound, they still don't make the cut for the world's worst. That title would be reserved for an Indian who spread terror in the 1800s. Many don't know this but the word 'thug' actually stems from the Hindi word 'thag', a cult of dacoits in the Oudh/Awadh region of North India. The most notorious among them was their leader, Thug Behram- The King Of Thugs. One of the most prolific in the history of mankind, he was responsible for murders of an estimated 931 people! Unexplainedmysteries A worshiper of the goddess of death, Kali, the thugs looked at the killing of innocents as their religious duty. They believed their killings would be gratified by Kali herself. In fact, none of the murders were for money or pleasure, but in the name of religion. wikia.net The Yellow Handkerchief Fearing their lives, traders from Delhi, Jabalpur and Gwalior would avoid taking the routes taken by Behram and his thugs. His modus operandi was simple, yet lethal. He would use a yellow handkerchief with a medallion sewn on it. He would use the piece of cloth to strangle the victims before looting them. The medallion would be used to put pressure on the victim's Adam's apple, suffocating them to death in no time. Unexplainedmysteries Mysterious disappearances In the early 1800s, businessmen, tourists, soldiers, even an entire caravan would mysteriously vanish into thin air. The police were left baffled, not knowing what was going on. In 1809, Captain William Sleeman was put in charge of figuring out the mystery. Captain Sleeman's investigation revealed that Behram and his army of 200 were carrying out these attacks. They laid a number of traps on the Delhi-Jabalpur route to catch Behram and the other thugs. wikimedia Startling revelations Nearly ten years after Sleeman arrested Behram, the police came to know that the thugs would travel disguised as traders. They would converse in a specific sign language known as 'Ramosi' around their victims. They would indicate an oncoming convoy to their gang members by imitating the cry of a jackal. Hearing the cry, Behram and his gang would arrive with the yellow handkerchief. After killing them mercilessly, their bodies would be ditched in the nearby well. frankzumbach.files.wordpress.com The end Asesinos 75-year-old Behram was finally caught in 1840. He is known to have murdered around 931 people by that time, although he only admitted to killing around 125 people and being an accomplice to around 150 more. Berham was executed by hanging. His medallion, known to have been used in at least 65 killings, is still preserved in a private museum today. Chilling! Behram wasn't the only one, though. Here are the other Indian serial killers who wreaked havoc in the country. After living on the International Space Station (ISS) for nearly a year, American astronaut Scott Kelly is two inches taller than he was before he left. NASA's Jeff Williams told CNN, It was expected, and it's temporary. Astronauts get taller in space as the spine elongates but they return to preflight height after a short time back on Earth." via Twitter/@StationCDRKelly An important part of this mission was to assess how humans can cope with spaceflight. As glamorous as it sounds, being in space is no picnic! The harsh environment takes a toll on the bones and muscles, harms vision and causes sleeping disorders. But the hardest battle is still fought in the mind. "Physically I feel pretty good... but the hardest part is being isolated in the physical sense from people on the ground who are important to you. There's a loss of connection," said Kelly before he landed. nbcnews.com Scott and his twin brother Mark are a part of NASAs Twins Study Mark Kelly, a retired NASA astronaut, has volunteered for NASAs Twins Study along with his brother Scott. Comparing the two twins will help NASA determine if there were any changes in Scotts body while he was in space. NASA will get to see how the twins differ physically and psychologically after spending a year in two very different environments Earth and space. Mark has been undergoing testing while his brother was in space. Scott, who landed in Kazakhstan, was tested for balance, co-ordination and the ability to walk as soon as he landed. This is because being in a weightless environment for so long can make it difficult for astronauts to walk when they first get back. "We go through about an hour of field tests of various kinds - one is even like an obstacle course, where you run around, stand up from a sitting position and jump," said Kelly. His next stop is Houston, where he will undergo a series of tests. These tests will help NASA figure out the complications people would face if they were to live on Mars. Upon his return, Obama greeted him with a little pun. Why are we so obsessed with success? Why is it that just about everything we say, do, or how much respect we get has nothing to do with how good or effective our ideas are, but are directly linked to just how straight-jacketed and successful we are? Even in times when a fair share of new billionaires are not people who are working in their dads companies, or making millions in jobs they wouldnt have been taught about in school or college. Which further raises the question why is it that our lives turn into a Sooraj Barjatya drama when someone is sacked from their job or rusticated from their college? Let's see. For some bizarre reason, the popular belief is that the lives of these people go completely into the gutter, their GFs leave them, their friends dont answer their calls and they become druggies. Abhinav Singh He was sacked for "travelling too much" Abhinav Singh had a comfortable 9-to-5 job in a corporate stock-broking organisation in Mumbai. He didn't love his job but found solace in travel. In 2015, he was fired from his job for "travelling too much". "Though I had been given 2 months notice, it still took some time for things to sink in, for a routine to get dismantled. For 3-4 months I gave half hearted interviews in many corporate types," he shares. "Once I decided that I wont appear for corporate interviews anymore, there were bouts of ecstasy and then I slipped into a depression. It was difficult to try to stay afloat when I was drowning." The issue was not that he was travelling - company policies allow him certain amount of leave which he used just like everyone else. He just didnt lie about his love for travel and was punished for being honest about where his heart lay. She was rusticated for showing up drunk to class and throwing up Young and vivacious Siju John was living her dream when she was one of the few who was selected for her Bachelors degree in Mass Communication at Christ College, Bengaluru. A career in Mass Communication was her dream and she was off to a flying start. Her first year at college was everything she had imagined, a great start to her career, good friends and a great alma mater. Always one to choose the good times, one particular party in her first year resulted in excessive drinking through the night. "Two friends and I got drunk and went to class and threw up. We were asked to leave but weren't given a TC." Life, as she knew it, was over. Her parents, who also lived in the city, were distraught for days. "They were really distressed by the incident," she recalls. The moral policing took a greater toll on her and fuelled by the feeling that she let her parents down by choosing to have fun, severe depression set in. He was expelled for being a hooligan Deep Chauhan (name changed) was doing his B-Tech from an institute in Greater Noida when he was expelled for "being a hooligan." He had a strong political stance and "would beat up his juniors and batchmates over ego clashes and girls". Not only was he expelled, he was detained by the police for his actions and use of drugs. "I was so ashamed when my father came to bail me. The police did not say anything to my father because he is a known personality but my father warned me that my actions would take a toll on him." It was the first time that Deep saw his father looking weak, and consequently, the incident has become the cause of a lifetime of regret. Bouncing back after dejection Deep's father did not reprimand him publicly or say much to him even when they got home. Instead, he turned his attention to support him fully. He stopped giving him money when he asked for it and encouraged him to have a more positive approach to change his life. "I joined a gym and lost 22 kgs. I channelised my anger into getting fit, body and mind. The next year, with the support of my father, I took admission in Marketing and Finance in another institute and on completing my course took up a job at an online automobile company," he says. Siju John is all for discipline in educational institutions but doesn't support breaking a child's back over it. "On one side they try and instill values that the society expects from us. On the other, it is only while you're studying that you get to explore life. I don't know how far stringency works," she says. "Being too strict also can be really bad. Students will rebel." She rose against fate's dictat and refused to give up on her dream. She completed her course in Mass Communication from another college before taking a break to travel and celebrate herself. It is not easy to find your footing after such an incident but it does not have to define you or your aspirations either. In the words of the famous Rocky Balboa, It aint how hard you hit, its about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. Flickr Their friends didn't leave them. Neither did their families "I got immense moral support from my close friends in Mumbai and from my family in Lucknow and Noida. I managed get back my cheerfulness. Now I am very positive and upbeat about life," says Singh. It wasn't easy though. "In the initial months, I depended solely on writing and photography assignments for my income," he says. "Just as I emerged from the depression, I booked an Everest base camp trek and blew up a sizable part of my saving in living my dream. Before that, just a month after being fired, I did a budget road trip to villages of Rajasthan. Both were my most memorable trips. I had never felt this free before. And today I am glad they fired me." Singh has found a new direction to his life. "I enjoy travel photography and writing but it's hard to earn through that. I used the time to hone up my writing skills, meeting with like minded people, write for reputed online and offline publications, producing quality content on my social media platforms. Things are looking up on my travel front," he shares. "I have been able to make up my name in the travel world in my own small way, having been mentioned as one of the best Twitter handles by a leading daily, interviewed by Times Of Indias print version, a national magazine published a cover story by me, guidebooks hired me as the main photographer." Looking back at his troubles, he laughs, "It's hilarious how even my college juniors are busy getting married, making babies, buying apartments and expensive cars while I am starting my career afresh at 33." Unsplash Meanwhile, Deep does not lose his temper easily now and maintains that he was able to change his life because of his father's support. "I never understood my father in the early days but I now realise that he did everything in my favour. I hope I will always make him proud." For Siju John, the incident, "remains as an awesome story to tell and have a good laugh. I joined another college for the same course, found my life friends! I am now in a stable PR organisation. It couldn't get better." Rejection is extremely difficult to deal with and has its many consequences, but it also serves as some very necessary fuel for when we attempt to redefine ourselves, and prove our mettle where it really matters. There are lessons in failure, and often we need to look past the actual incident to embrace these and move on. After all, it's when the going gets tough, that the tough get going. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region is set to lose 58 hectares of forest land, including 10 hectares of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pet Delhi-Mumbai Freight Corridor project. BCCL In a final order issued on February 29, the State Forest Department dereserved this large chunk of forest land spread across the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (10.55 hectares), the Thane forest division (16.17 hectares), and the Dahanu forest division (31.11 hectares). While issuing the final order, the forest department not only set aside its own reservations but also ignored the objections raised by the Sanjay Gandhi National Park and the officials of the two forest divisions that will lose land. The $ 90 billion Delhi-Mumbai Freight Corridor will connect Nhava Sheva Port to Dadri in UP. The project, monitored by the Prime Minister's Office every fortnight, will be funded by Japan. It will cover a distance of 1,483 km between the political capital and the business capital of the country. lohagarhrealestate But the city will pay a heavy environmental price for the project. Officials at the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, which is home to 35 panthers, had told the forest department that the freight corridor will greatly restrict the movement of wildlife. In their objections sent to the forest department, the officials had also pointed out the instances of leopards being run over by speeding vehicles on Ghodbunder Road, which cuts through the national park. "Now leopards will have to deal with speeding trains too," said an official who did not wish to be identified. The goods trains will also affect movement of monkeys, wildboars, hyenas, deer, neelgai, barking deer, civet cat and wildcats which are found in abundance in the national park and the surrounding forested areas. The order issued by Chief Conservator of Forests Virendra Tiwari said the diversion of forest land has been cleared by the National Board of Wildlife, National Green Tribunal and also the Bombay High Court. The order of dereservation of land does not offer any comment on a set of mitigating measures suggested by the Bombay Natural History Society. These included construction of three underpasses and two over-bridges and fencing along the track passing through the forest areas. It was also suggested that the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation (India) Limited be asked to deposit Rs 15 crore with the state government for mitigation measures. equipmentworld The Sanjay Gandhi National Park has the highest density of panthers and it makes Mumbai one of those rare metropolises that have a national park within. There are 21 panthers per 100 sq km of Sanjay Gandhi National Park, while the national average is 12 to 15 panthers. Sunjoy Monga, a naturalist expert, said he has failed to comprehend this government's desire to dereserve forest land. Bandu Dhotre, environmentalist and honorary wildlife warden of Tadoba National Park, said conservation of Sanjay Gandhi National Park should have been one of the priorities of the state and the Union governments. "The Sanjay Gandhi National Park is the only national park surviving in an urban area and is a welcome green patch in a concrete jungle. This project will disturb wildlife," he said. Dr Anish Andheria, editor, Santuary Asia magazine, said he hopes the mitigation measures will be put in place well before the work for laying the tracks begins. "The Sanjay Gandhi National Park and the Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary are already under tremendous developmental pressure due to their proximity to Mumbai and Thane. Now another linear intrusion will add to the stress on the parks' wildlife," he said. The Delhi-Mumbai Freight Corridor includes 24 industrial regions, eight smart cities, two airports, five power projects, two mass rapid transit systems and two logistical hubs. Conceived as a global manufacturing and trading hub, the project is expected to double employment potential, triple industrial output and quadruple exports from the region in five years. India's top selling car Maruti Suzuki Alto has crossed the 30 lakh sales milestone in the Indian market, the company informed in a statement. It took about 15 years and 6 months for Alto to achieve this historic figure autojunction Commenting on this extraordinary landmark, R S Kalsi, Executive Director, Marketing & Sales, Maruti Suzuki said, "Alto has constantly evolved to reflect the changing India. While Alto's true essence lies in its remarkable fuel efficiency, performance, attractive price and low maintenance, it has a zippy and sporty design that appeals to customers." Alto is the only Indian auto brand to cross this milestone He further added, "Over the years, Maruti Suzuki has kept the brand rejuvenated with latest technology, features and design. Alto is being offered with features - airbag and Auto Gear Shift - at par with higher segment cars. These initiatives have helped enhance the brand's connect with its customers and maintain its popularity." Additionally, over 3.8 lakh Alto have been exported to over 70 countries with Sri Lanka, Algeria, Chile, UK and Netherlands being its top markets. gaadi Also has also been the recipient of regular updates from Maruti and the latest versions come with a new improved exterior design, fresh interiors and superior powertrain. Currently it comes in two engine options - 800 cc and K10 - and also a CNG fuel variant. Keeping in mind the customer's needs Alto K10 is offered with the clutch-less Auto Gear Shift Transmission (AGS) technology. AGS makes driving comfortable in heavy city traffic conditions, without compromising on fuel efficiency. Alto is the only brand in its segment to offer driver airbag as an option from base variant onwards. The name of Ishrat Jahan is back in the news headlines once again. And this time, the ghost of Ishrat Jahan has come back to haunt the Congress. This after two top bureaucrats form the UPA era revealed that the then government had in fact tried to cover up the Lashkar-e-Taiba links of Ishrat Jahan. RVS Mani, former under secretary in the home ministry on Tuesday told Times Now that he was coerced to file the second affidavit in the Ishrat Jahan case. The second affidavit is the one in which the references to the alleged links of Ishrat Jahan and others with LeT were removed. He hinted that the second affidavit was filed on the directions of then home minister P Chidambaram. Mani's claims come just days after former home secretary GK Pillai revealed that someone at the political level did not want the real picture to come out in the Ishrat Jahan case. He also had mentioned that two affidavits submitted by the home ministry in relation to the case were contradictory to each other. This is by far the most damaging revelation that implicates the Congress of a cover-up in the case and trying to attack Modi-Shah team over the alleged fake encounter that killed Ishrat and her associates. AP Earlier Pakistani American LeT operative David Headley in his video deposition before a Mumbai court had also admitted that Ishrat was a LeT suicide attacker. Despite the latest revelations, Satish Verma, the IPS officer who assisted the CBI probe into the alleged fake encounter in Gujarat in 2004, on Wednesday said her killing was a premeditated murder. Who is Ishrat Jahan? Her full name was Ishrat Jahan Shamim Raza. The 19-year-old was a second year Bachelor of Science student at Mumbai's Guru Nanak Khalsa College. Her family was originally from Bihar and was settled in Thane. montymajeed After the death of her father she started taking up small jobs like providing tuitions to support her family. She also worked as the secretary of Pranesh Pillai alias Javed Sheikh. What happened on 15 June 2004? On 15 June 2004 Ishrat along with Javed Sheikh, Amjad Ali Rana and Zeeshan were shot dead by Ahmedabad Police Crime Branch. TOI Police claimed that they were linked to LeT and were in Gujarat to assassinate Narendra Modi, in order to avenge the 2002 riots. The controversy The controversy began with Ishrat's family claiming that she was innocent. Mumbai police which looked into her background also stated that she had no previous criminal background. However, a Pakistani publication 'Ghazwa Times' which is believed to be the mouthpiece of the LeT listed Ishrat was its operative. Probe A magisterial probe in 2009 concluded that the four persons were killed in police custody and It was a fake encounter which was carried out by police officials in order to win promotions and rewards. In 2010 a Special Investigation Team (SIT), was set up to probe the case further. On 21 November 2011, the SIT told the Gujarat High Court that the encounter was not genuine. Following the report the High Court ordered murder case to be filed against over 20 policemen, including senior IPS officers involved in the fake encounter. Politics The fake encounter allegation has been ever since 2004 something the Congress and other parties have been using to target Modi and Amit Shah. PTI In 2013, Congress leader Digvijay Singh said that was innocent and asked the then Union Home Minister Shinde to find out the true background of Ishrat. During 2014 election campaign, NCP leader Sharad Pawar repeated the same claims and accused Modi of targeting Muslims. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had termed Ishrat 'Bihar ki beti'. CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat inaugurated an ambulance service named after Ishrat Jahan and also proclaimed her innocent. DNA Amid all the controversies and politics surrounding her name, the mystery still remains on her terror links. And with the high stakes around the case, we may never know the truth. At 1,094, Mumbai has the most ultra-high-net worth individuals (UHNWI) in India, followed by Delhi's 545. The next decade will see the number increase to 2,243 in Mumbai and 1,128 in Delhi, Knight Frank's Wealth Report 2016, released on Wednesday, said. dailymail UHNWI are people with net assets of over $30 million (approximately Rs 204 crore), excluding their primary residence. According to data prepared for the 2016 report by wealth intelligence company New World Wealth, there are now 1,87,500 UHNWIs across the world. In the past 10 years, the billionaire count in India has jumped 333% to 78, against a global growth of just 68% to 1,919 people.By 2025, India will account for 6% of the world's billionaire population. So where do the super rich prefer to stay? This year, London has beaten New York for the second successive time to win the accolade of "most important city to UHNWIs", according to the Attitudes Survey of Knight Frank's Wealth Report. dailymail Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Dubai are on positions three to six. The latest survey, conducted along with ultra-wealth intelligence consultancy Wealth-X, is based on the views of around 400 of the world's leading private bankers and wealth advisers. Between them, they manage assets for around 45,000 UHNWIs with a combined wealth of over half a trillion US dollars. Residential real estate accounts for a quarter of the average UHNWI's investable wealth, according to the survey, while commercial property investments make up 11%. ibtimes "Over the past 10 years, 54% of the respondents said their clients had increased their allocation to residential property. Just over 40% expected it to increase further over the next 10 years, with 30% of clients likely to consider a residential purchase in 2016," said the report. When asked what factors had been growing in importance as a reason for UHNWIs to buy residential property, the most popular response (55%) was as an investment to sell in the future The heroic efforts of some 60 Indian soldiers couldn't pull-off another miracle in the treacherous ice-fields of Siachen. Indian Army The Indian Army, had on Wednesday confirmed that they have recovered the body of 40-year-old Thukjay Gyasket, who was working as a porter with the Army in Siachen. #IndianArmy mounted a massive rescue effort in #Siachen, to rescue a porter who fell in deep crevasse assessed to be over 200 ft deep. 1/3 ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) March 2, 2016 #RescueTeams have recovered mortal remains of the porter from the crevasse. ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) March 2, 2016 He had fallen into a 130 feet deep crevasse last Friday. The crevasse that he fell into is located at about 19,000 feet above sea level and the temperature inside it would range between -40 and -60 degrees. Indian army had immediately launched a search and rescue mission to locate the missing porter. Indian Army Climbing into it for rescue operations is dangerous and requires skilled mountaineering. Indian Army "The porter accidentally fell into the crevasse on February 27. Rescue operations by specialised army teams were launched immediately and had continued unabated. Rescue teams progressively descended to depths of 60 feet, 90 feet and cut through the frozen snow and ice to finally reach 130 feet deep, where they located the porter's body," a senior Army officer said. The tragedy comes a month after ten Indian Army men from the 19 Madras Regiment were buried alive in a deadly avalanche at the Army's Sonam post. While nine of them lost their lives in the ice, Lance Naik Hanamanthappa Koppad was pulled out alive from the huge blocks of snow and ice five days after the accident. He however lost his battle with life two days later in an Army hospital in Delhi. Siachen, the world's highest battle field has been for years one of the biggest challenges for the Indian Army. Since 2013, Indian Army lost 41 of its soldiers in various mishaps in the unforgiving conditions of Siachen. BOZEMAN A judge has allowed a former Gallatin County sheriff's deputy to be reinstated after finding that Sheriff Brian Gootking wrongfully fired him in 2014. The judge ruled Wednesday that David Johnston can be reinstated and awarded damages for lost wages, which Johnston's attorney says is at least $126,000. Johnston was fired after sheriff's office administrators say he refused to immediately turn over a tape recorder that had audio of an interaction between Johnston and his ex-girlfriend, Deputy Kelly Munter. Johnston claims Munter had berated him while they responded to a call together. Johnston sought advice from an attorney and made a copy of the audio before eventually returning the recorder. The judge says Johnston's "short delay" in returning the device didn't constitute his firing. Smoking is injurious to health; dealing with a lawyer even more so. Days after lawyers ran riot in Delhi's Patiala House courts and attacked JNU students and journalists, a 24-yearold law student, Jayesh Motwani, has alleged that he was bashed up by at least 10 lawyers on Monday. He said he had objected to a lawyer smoking in Mumbai's Ulhasnagar metropolitan magistrate's court and the lawyer, identified only as 'More', whipped up a frenzy by shouting in the court hall that a lawyer had been attacked; a group of men in black then rushed out of court and began assaulting Motwani. mumbaimirror Motwani told Mirror that he had gone to the Ulhasnagar court along with his cousin Sunil Motwani on Monday to collect some case papers. "As we reached the first floor, I saw a lawyer smoking a cigarette. I questioned him how was he smoking in the court premises since it's an offence to smoke in a public place. The lawyer said 'do whatever you can, I will smoke' and blew smoke into his face," Motwani said in his complaint to the Ulhasnagar central police station. Motwani said he tried to wave away the smoke blown into his face and accidentally hit lawyer More's hand and the cigarette fell. "As the cigarette fell, the lawyer started screaming and asked how I dare touch him and said I will now have to face the consequences for it. Another man standing besides the lawyer threatened me and asked how dare I touch lawyer More. More lawyers then walked towards the bar room shouting 'lawyer has been assaulted, lawyer has been assaulted'. I called the police control room sensing trouble. Five to six lawyers, along with More, then came marching towards me and started dragging me downstairs," Motwani said. ecourts After dragging him down the stairs, Motwani alleged the lawyers told him that the maximum penalty they would have to pay for smoking in court premises was Rs 1,200. "But we will get an assault case registered against you, they told me. By the time the group came downstairs, More, who was heading the group, started chanting 'lawyer has been assaulted, lawyer has been assaulted'," Motwani said. He added that some more lawyers gathered at the main gate of the court; one of the lawyers slapped him and another one who wore a wig punched him, Motwani alleged. Motwani has registered a police complaint with the Ulhasnagar central police station alleging assault and rioting against 10 lawyers. "As the lawyers started hitting me, More, along with seven to eight lawyers, kicked and punched me. I have mentioned their description in the police complaint with whatever I could recollect. They kept hitting me for some time and one of them also hit me with a glass bottle leading to a cut injury on my fingers. My cousin tried to rescue me but he was also assaulted," said Motwani. He added: "Some policemen who were present in the court premises rescued us and took us to the hospital where medical aid was provided. We then went to the police station and filed a complaint against the lawyers. Being a law student I could not believe that the lawyers resorted to violence on being objected to smoking in court premises." "If lawyers take law in their own hands, how will they protect and fight for those seeking justice," he asked. The Ulhasnagar central police officials conducted a spot panchnama in the Ulhasnagar court premises and also collected blood samples from the spot. Motwani gave his blood sample in a sealed envelope at the Ulhasnagar central hospital and it would be used by the police to match with the samples they have procured from the crime scene. "We have registered an offence against the accused lawyers as per the statement of the victim and are conducting further investigations. A spot panchnama was also carried out and witness statements will be recorded," said Senior Police Inspector AV Saigaonkar from Ulhasnagar central police station. After Sabine Harmes's sister raised a panic alarm on Facebook on February 28, it didn't go unnoticed by our MEA Sushma Swaraj. Soon after Suzanne's cry for help, Swaraj jumped in to do what she does best - save people. Suzanne posted the following message, captioned 'Sabine Harmes Missing!' on her FB timeline Twitter We have asked Uttarakhand Government to trace her. pic.twitter.com/cnh43a26Xg Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) February 28, 2016 And within 24 hours, the MEA announced that Sabine had been found after a rigorous police search My officers have located the missing Dutch girl Sabine Harmes. pic.twitter.com/cnh43a26Xg /2 Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) February 29, 2016 She is presently in Swatantra Ashram, Rishikesh. Our Regional Passport Dahradun has met her. She appears to be mentally disturbed. /3 Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) February 29, 2016 'Mentally disturbed' Sabine was getting medical treatment in Rishikesh and had suffered injuries on her legs She received treatment at the Nirmal and Jolly Grant hospitals for injuries on her legs. We are informing her family/Embassy about this. Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) February 29, 2016 Swaraj also helped acquire a visa for Sabine after her sister's heartfelt plea Indian Embassy in Netherlands will contact you. They will give you Visa for India. https://t.co/8lHRa2GPP5 Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) February 29, 2016 Meanwhile Sabine is being brought to Delhi. @suuskeh Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) February 29, 2016 A day later, Sabine was flying home to Netherlands to be with her family Dutch national Sabine Harmes is flying to Netherlands to join her family there. Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) March 2, 2016 The medical examination revealed Sabine to have been sexually assaulted. She was brought to a secure location in Delhi. IG (Garwhal) Sanjay Gunjyal had said that Sabine was found sitting under a bridge en route Neelkanth Barrage. Taking swift action is not an alien concept for Swaraj. This is perhaps the first time India has seen a woman-of-action as headstrong as Swaraj. And with every incident, she keeps proving that she won't take the seriousness of such issues lightly. And for this, we salute her. Two brothers, Sushant (13) and Tanmay (8), wrote a letter to Prime Minister Modi a while ago, seeking medical help for their father's illness. The family has been an facing acute financial crunch following Saroj Mishra's (50) ill-health - where he's been suffering from a prolonged asthmatic condition for the past two years. Two Kanpur brothers write to PM Modi for financial help due to father's illness, PMO ensures treatment free of cost pic.twitter.com/jr5O2PL4ES ANI (@ANI_news) March 3, 2016 A resident of Sanjay Gandhi Nagar in Kanpur, Saroj Mishra works as a private tailor but owing to his infirmity, he hasn't been able to continue his trade. As a result, after the family's financial condition deteriorated, the boys haven't been able to go to school and the house rent has been overdue for several months. ANI Hence, in desperate need for a divine intervention, the brothers wrote to PM Modi in January and as luck would have it, received a reply from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in February. In the reply, the Kanpur District Magistrate (DM) was asked to jump to the man's aid with immediate effect. According to The Indian Express, Kanpur DM Kaushal Raj Sharma said, "In the letter, children had sought medical help. I got the letter from PMO on February 23 asking to do the needful. I issued direction to Chief Medical Officer (CMO) to make necessary arrangements." ANI CMO Ramayan Prasad wrote to Saroj Mishra, asking him to visit the Ursula Horsman Memorial District Hospital to have his medical treatment started. "Saroj is suffering from Asthma. He visited district hospital on Monday and was examined. Medicine has been provided to him for immediate relief and doctors have asked him to visit the hospital next week for follow-up. District hospital has test facility and doctors would conduct the necessary investigation here," said the CMO. Mishra said that his sons wrote the letter seeking medical help for him. The family will now write to the state government for financial aid as well so that the boys' fees and house rent can be paid. This isn't the first time when PMO has come to the rescue of kids. In May last year, an 8-year-old girl with a hole in her heart was assured medical treatment by the Prime Minister. A few months later, the PMO promised another 8-year-old kid the finishing of a delayed flyover construction that was coming in the way of his studies. Bangladesh police recently busted a racket which was involved in smuggling local women to foreign countries. BDNews24 Eight traffickers were recently arrested for abusing women, whom the they lured in with promise of good job and a better life abroad. Police said the arrested men were part of an international trafficking racket. The bust also came at a time when news agency Reuters reported that scores of women are being illegally trafficked from Bangladesh. SCMP The report claimed that these women who are promised domestic jobs in the middle-east however ends up being sold as sex salves in Syria. Police is yeast to confirm whether the arrested gang was involved trafficking to Syria. These women mostly come from poor rural families who do not know anything about Syria and what is happening there. interrete/ representational Image The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) estimates that more than 8 million Bangladeshi nationals are working abroad, many of them in Gulf Arab states and Singapore. Southeast Asia and South Asia. China has stated that it expects to lay off 1.8 million workers in the coal and steel industries, or about 15 percent of the workforce, as part of efforts to reduce industrial overcapacity, but no time frame was given. It was the first time China has given figures that underline the magnitude of its task in dealing with slowing growth and bloated state enterprises reuters Yin Weimin, the minister for human resources and social security, told a news conference that 1.3 million workers in the coal sector could lose jobs, plus 500,000 from the steel sector. China's coal and steel sectors employ about 12 million workers, according to data published by the National Bureau of Statistics. "This involves the resettlement of a total of 1.8 million workers. This task will be very difficult, but we are still very confident," Yin said. For China's stability-obsessed government, keeping a lid on unemployment and any possible unrest that may follow has been a top priority. The central government will allocate 100 billion yuan ($15.27 billion) over two years to relocate workers laid off as a result of China's efforts to curb overcapacity, officials said last week reuters China's vice finance minister Zhu Guangyao quoted Premier Li Keqiang as telling U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew on Monday that the fund would mainly focus on the steel and coal sectors. The number of layoffs was reasonable based on the government's capacity closure targets, said Jiang Feitao, an industry researcher with the China Academy of Social Sciences, a top government think-tank. He said the funds being made available would be used only after the enterprises go bankrupt and settle their debts. He said local governments would also be responsible for dealing with those debts. "It's difficult to predict a time frame but it will not be a quick process. There are many issues to be dealt with, including how to pay debt as well as layoffs." DOWNWARD PRESSURE The world's second-largest economy grew 6.9 percent in 2015, the weakest in 25 years, and the government aims to achieve economic growth of 6.5-7 percent in 2016. "The economy faces relatively big downward pressures and some firms face difficulties in production and operation, which would lead to insufficient employment," Yin said, adding that increasing graduates this year would also add pressure in the job market. Despite the economic downturn, there have been no reports of mass layoffs as occurred during the Asian financial crisis, when more than 28 million workers were laid off between 1998-2003. The survey-based jobless rate published by the National Bureau of Statistics stayed at around 5.01 percent at the end of last year. Officials have said that the services sector has created more jobs to help absorb laid-off workers from the manufacturing sector. In 2015, the contribution from the services sector to GDP climbed to 50.5 percent, surpassing 50 percent for the first time. The registered urban jobless rate published by the human resources and social security ministry was at 4.05 percent at the end of 2015. However, many economists believe the few official employment readings in China underestimate the number of jobless. ($1 = 6.5481 Chinese yuan) LinkedIn Corp has announced that the company chief executive Jeff Weiner will decline his 2016 annual stock compensation, choosing to instead gift it to his company employees. managementjournal The professional social network has seen a disappointing first-quarter revenue and profit forecast that missed Wall Street estimates last month as growth slows in the company's ads business and its hiring services face pressure outside North America. Up to Wednesday's close of $119.6, LinkedIn's stock had dropped nearly 38% since its results on February 4. "Jeff decided to ask the Compensation Committee to forego his annual equity grant, and to instead put those shares back in the pool for LinkedIn employees," a LinkedIn spokesperson said in an emailed statement to Reuters. telegraph LinkedIn did not confirm the value of the stock package but technology website Recode reported it was worth about $14 million (approx Rs 94.2 Crore), citing a source familiar with the matter. Weiner had received stock awards worth $10.2 million and option awards worth $3.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2014. The third day of March 2016 marks World Wildlife Day, designated so by the 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly to raise awareness about the planet's wild plants and animals. The theme for this year is "The future of wildlife is in our hands". At a time when both climate change and poaching are posing a real threat to animals worldwide, it's imperative that we sit up and take notice of the endangered species that are at the brink of extinction. Let's take a look at seven animal species that have been listed as 'endangered' on the World Wildlife Fund list. 1. Bengal Tiger Found in the mangroves of the Sundarbans - shared by India and Bangladesh - their population is constantly threatened by climate change that's affecting a sea level rise. Currently, around 2,500 tigers are left in the wild. worldwildlife.org 2. Blue Whale Who would have thought that the largest animal on the planet would have its existence threatened? Also known as the loudest animal, the blue whale species will be the worst affected if we don't take immediate measures to control climate change. emaze 3. Indian Elephant Often slaughtered for their tusks, Indian elephants are plucked from the depths of the wilderness and sold in elephant trade for ivory. Most illegal ivory comes from the African elephant species but Asian elephants also face acute dangers of the trade. Wikipedia 4. Giant Panda Giant pandas are known to directly contribute towards wildlife maintenance as they are constantly spreading seeds and aiding in vegetation growth. Mainly found in the bamboo forests in western China, their existence is also threatened by climate change. WWF and Kung Fu 3 have joined hands in raising awareness for their preservation. travelchinanow 5. Snow Leopard Populated across 12 countries including India, Nepal and China, the population of snow leopards is also on a gradual decline. Climate change is adversely affecting the mountainous regions they dwell in, fuelling the possibility of their extinction. zoo.org 6. Olive Ridley Turtle Olive Ridley turtles live in close nests and any disturbance to their habitat can create a scary domino effect for the entire wildlife. Only in India have we seen a number of cases where the turtles were washed ashore in large numbers. worldwildlife.org 7. Polar Bear Severely threatened by the dangers of climate change, polar bears will be among the worst affected if their sea ice habitat starts to decline. The US government has already called for immediate action to preserve their species by reducing greenhouse emissions. Wikipedia Follow us on bad loans why the call for making top bank bosses accountable deserves merit Chennai: Rising bad loans at government-owned banks running into several crores has caught the country's attention. The Reserve Bank has stepped in and the top court has raised some serious questions. There are two big problem areas that stand out amid this pressing issue. First and foremost is the long rope that banks provide to big defaulters. The second, quite the contrary, is the harassment that banks met out to small borrowers. The bad loan mess that India is reeling under threatens not just the lenders, but even the economy. An RTI response by the RBI has revealed that state-owned banks have written off a total of Rs 1.14 lakh crore of bad loans between 2013 and 2015. Terming the write-offs as a big fraud, the Supreme Court recently ordered the Reserve Bank to share with it names of all defaulters who owe over Rs 500 crore and continue to lead lavish lifestyle. People are owing thousands of crore to the public banks it is a big fraud. Top ten public sector banks have written off Rs 40,000 crore alone in 2015. Public financial institutions are lending money despite knowing no returns. RBI is supposed to keep a watch on these banks. What are you doing about it? a bench headed by Chief JusticeT S Thakur asked Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar. While banks may have their own reasons behind such discriminatory behaviour, there is a growing clamour within these banks to make top executives accountable to rid future chances of the entire mess. There are reasons why these calls, though stemming from unions which are often criticised for holding the management to ransom, merit some consideration. But first let's take a look at the discriminatory behaviour adopted by banks when it comes to loan defaulters. On one hand are the likes of Kingfisher former boss Vijay Mallya, whose loan defaults (approximately Rs 7,000 crore) have not seen the hot pursuit it deserved by banks. In fact, the long rope provided has led to a situation where the SBI-led consortium of banks may be able to extract only a fraction of the amount lent to Mallya's airline. IDBI (a government-owned financial services company), one of the lenders part of this consortium, had gone ahead and provided loans to Kingfisher despite being warned by members of the Board not to do so. It today stares at bad loans worth Rs 700 crore. Now have a look at the other side of the story. On Wednesday, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) said it has sent a notice to the chairman of Central Bank of India asking him as to why a monetary relief of Rs.1,00,000 not be recommended for harassing an education loan borrower. The NHRC said a female student and her father were termed 'defaulters' of education loan and faced insult and harassment at the hands of the Central Bank of India. This despite the fact that the student had paid back half of the Rs.2,00,000 loan amount on the first month when the debt repayment fell due. The evident discrimination stares in the face of an aspirational India. Does such prejudice not merit answers by these lenders? Though the loans provided by banks are ultimately sanctioned by a committee, it is no secret that the will of the CMD and EDs prevail at the committee meetings. There is nothing to hold the EDs and CMDs responsible if their actions hurt the bank's name or financial position, say bankers. It is in such anomalies that the tragedy lies. The fact is that there are no transparent and effective rules to make top bank executives Chairman and Managing Directors (CMD/MD) and Executive Directors (ED) responsible for their conduct. The only way to bring delinquent EDs and CMDs to book is under the Prevention of Corruption Act, but that merits strong proof against them, which is usually hard to find. EDs and CMDs are only governed by "terms and conditions" and there no service rules that apply to them as they do to other employees. The "terms and conditions" are nothing but those governing pay and perquisites of CMDs and EDs and do not govern their conduct and the decision-making process while in office. It is for these reasons that bank unions are now demanding that top bank executives be brought under the service/conduct/disciplinary rules. Needless to say, if executives are responsible for the leniency shown towards big corporate loan defaulters, they definitely need to be acted upon. Fixing an anomaly that allows top executives to get away with misconduct under the guise of inadequate regulation, while state-owned banks bleed needs to be taken up on priority basis. The sooner we get there, the better it is. (With IANS inputs) Latest Business News Follow us on xiaomi to launch redmi note 3 today watch the live streaming of the event here New Delhi: Xiaomi is all set to launch the Redmi Note 3 in India today. According to reports the phablet is set to be priced below Rs 15,000, and is also likely to be exclusively available on Amazon India. Xiaomi is hosting the launch event at Delhi's Talkatora stadium. The company had also invited its Mi Fans and received over 7,000 confirmations. The event will start at 2PM IST, but the live streaming will begin at 1:45PM today. You can watch the entire event in the video below. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 will feature a 5.5-inch 1080p display with a dedicated Reading mode. The company has launched two variants in China 16GB variant with 2GB of RAM and 4,000mAh battery, and a 32GB variant with 3GB of RAM and a 4,050mAh battery. The smartphone comes with a 16-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and Phase Detection Autofocus support and a 5-megapixel selfie camera. In terms of connectivity the device has dual-SIM card slots, 4G LTE support, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi 802.11ac and GPS. It runs on Android Lollipop-based MIUI 7. The Redmi Note 3 also has a hybrid SIM card slot, so you can either have two SIM cards or one SIM card and a microSD card. It is also the first Xiaomi device to come with a fingerprint sensor, which the company claims can unlock the phone in 0.3 seconds. Latest Business News Follow us on salman khan s sister arpita shares the pic of her first baby see pic New Delhi: Bollywood superstar Salman Khan is on cloud nine these days especially on the personal front. The actor will soon be welcoming a new member in his family. No, we are not talking about his rumoured girlfriend Iulia Vantur. Instead, it's a little bundle of joy that is all set to enlighten up the Khan-daan. Salman's little sister Arpita has been expecting her first child and the entire family is quite excited about the baby. While, the date of delivery has been kept as a secret, everyone around has been counting days for Arpita's baby. And as per the recent buzz, the new mum has just shared the pic of her first baby'. Wondering is it a boy or a girl? Well, it's a boy, but not as you are thinking. Arpita has referred her hubby Aayush Sharma as her first baby'. Salman's little sister recently shared a pic of her hubby Aayush on her Instagram account, along with a caption, #selfietime#Hubbyloving#myfirstbaby#handsome#blessedwiththebest#poser #myworld @aaysharma. While Arpita is on the verge to welcome her first child, she still considers hubby Aayush as her first baby. Aayush and Arpita got married in November, 2014 and will soon become parents. Not just the family, everyone around is way too excited for this new addition in Salman Khan's family. Latest Bollywood News TOLEDO, Ohio One of three Kodiak bears whose mother was killed by hunters has been relocated from Alaska to an Ohio zoo. The male cub, named Dodge, arrived last fall at the Toledo Zoo. He has since bonded with two female grizzly cubs that were moved from Yellowstone National Park after their mother killed a hiker and was euthanized. "You try to have everything be positive. You give them the space and availability to get out of sight if they want to, and you don't force anything on them. ... They eventually get curious," said Dr. Randi Meyerson, the Toledo Zoo's assistant director of animal programs. The cubs are now getting along well after they were first brought together about a month ago. Nathan Svoboda, a wildlife biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, said this is only the second time that Kodiak bear cubs have been relocated in about 35 years. "This was somewhat of a unique circumstance in that we had a couple of zoos looking for cubs and were able to place them," Svoboda said. The Toledo Zoo expects the cubs will go on public exhibit this summer. The zoo said hunters without a guide killed Dodge's mother last spring. It's illegal to kill female bears with cubs in Alaska. A second, guided group of hunters later searched for and found the cubs. The cubs initially were hand-reared at the Alaska Zoo. Dodge's siblings went to a zoo in Marshfield, Wis. Follow us on ranbir kapoor refuses to work with ex girlfriend katrina kaif New Delhi: Ranbir Kapoor's break-up with Katrina Kaif has been one of the most talked about incidents of 2016 so far in the Bollywood industry. Not just their split came as a rude shock for everyone, but Ranbir-Katrina somehow started a trend of break-ups as several celeb couples parted ways soon after the Jagga Jasoos' pair called it quits. Amidst several speculations being made about the reason behind their separation both Ranbir and Katrina have maintained a stoic stance over their break-up. But this recent buzz about the now ex-couple is raising a lot eyebrows. As per the media reports, Ranbir Kapoor has refused to work with Katrina Kaif. Yes! It's true. But before you jump to the conclusions, here is more to the buzz. Not just Katrina, Ranbir has refused to work Deepika Padukone and any other Bollywood actress as well. Wondering what's wrong with junior Kapoor? Well, just relax. This clause is applicable on for TV commercials. A source from the ad world has reportedly revealed that Ranbir Kapoor has never done and will not do an ad with a Bollywood actress. Although, he was seen in a commercial with Shruti Hassan, but he did it as Shruti is hardly from Bollywood. Ranbir has no problem shooting with someone from the South, says the source. The source further reveals, In the last five years, the Barfi' actor has turned down at least 10 brands who have offered him ads with various heroines, including with Katrina Kaif and Deepika Padukone. So you will find him doing solo ads or with models. At least for now, that's his plan but who knows what happens later! Priorities and people change, the source was quoted saying. Currently, Ranbir is busy with his forthcoming movie, Jagga Jasoos' which will also star his ex-flame Katrina Kaif. Latest Bollywood News Follow us on cbi slams state run banks for not filing complain against kingfisher Mumbai: Central Bureau of Investigation today pulled up state run banks for not registering with the investigating agency any complaint against Vijay Mallya-led Kingfisher Airlines and its earlier management despite the company's default of Rs 7,000 crore. "Despite our repeated requests, banks did not file complaint with CBI, we had to register the complaint on our own initiatives," CBI chief Anil Sinha said at a bankers' conference here. Sinha said while the banks loaned money to Kingfisher from 2004 to 2012, the CBI registered a case suo motu against the company only in July 2015. Warning that non-payment of loans by big borrowers will erode people's faith in the law, the CBI today blasted lenders for not coming forward with a complaint in the Kingfisher Airlines fraud, saying the delay helped the company divert funds and destroy evidence. "The undue delay had jeopardised cause of justice to offenders,giving them benefit &opportunity to divert funds &destroy evidences,"he added. Sinha's reaction has come after top state-run lender SBI has sought arrest of Vijay Mallya, and also impounding of his passport, as the bank approached Debt Recovery Tribunal seeking action against the UB Group promoter for defaulting on loans. State Bank of India (SBI), that heads the consortium of 17 lenders to the grounded Kingfisher Airlines, moved the Debt Recovery Tribunal in Bengaluru against the airline's chairman Mallya in its bid to recover over Rs 7,000-crore dud loans from him. According to sources, SBI has moved four applications at the DRT in Bangalore, seeking impounding Mallya's passport, getting him arrested, securing the lenders' first right on the payout from Diageo and getting full disclosure of his assets in the country and abroad. The immediate objective of the lenders moving the DRT is to secure a first right on the USD 75-million severance package that Mallya will be getting for quitting Diageo-owned United Spirits (USL) as its chairman last week. An SBI official confirmed to PTI that they have moved the DRT seeking right on USD 75 million severance package, as the borrower Mallya who has already been declared by the bank a wilful defaulter, has decided to leave the country and settle down in London. Mallya and Kingfisher Airlines owed Rs 7,800 crore to a consortium of 17 lenders led by State Bank which had an exposure of over Rs 1,600 crore to the now defunct airline. Since January 2012, the loan was not serviced. Other lenders include Punjab National Bank , Bank of Baroda , Canara Bank , Bank of India , Central Bank of India , Federal Bank , Uco Bank and Dena Bank among others. Last year, SBI declared Mallya as wilful defaulter. Last month, Punjab National Bank had also declared him, his group holding company United Breweries Holdings and the long-defunct Kingfisher Airlines as wilful defaulters. As part of a deal, Diageo said it would pay USD 40 million immediately to Mallya with the balance being payable in equal installments over the next five years. It will also absolve Mallya of all liabilities over alleged financial lapses at the company founded by his family. Latest India News Follow us on kanhaiya umar didn t raise anti national slogans in jnu delhi govt report New Delhi: The Delhi government panel probing the JNU incident where anti-India slogans were allegedly raised has given a clean chit to JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar and Umar Khalid, saying there was no direct link to establish that the two students did indulge in anti-India sloganeering. However, the report compiled by the District Magistrate Sanjay Kumar indicts Anirban Bhattacharya and Ashutosh Kumar, two other students accused in the case, and a few outsiders of Kashmiri descent for raising pro-Afzal Guru and anti-India slogans at the campus. "No witness or any other evidence found which could suggest that Kanhaiya had delivered any anti-national speech," an official privy to the report compiled by the District Magistrate said, adding that anti-India slogans were indeed raised in the campus. There is no doubt about it, he said. As per the official, a total of seven videos were sent to Hyderabad-based Truth Labs for forensic testing of which three were found to be doctored. "In those doctored versions, video has been edited and voices added, the official said. The report found many outsiders of Kashmiri descent, most of them having their faces covered, were seen shouting pro-Afzal and anti-India slogans in videos. After going through the footage provided by the JNU, it became clear that Umar raised slogans but not anti-India. Umar, the main organiser of the event, raised slogans like Kashmir ki janta sangharsh karo, hum tumahare saath hai', but didn't support slogans calling to divide the country, he said. Umar has been known for his views on Kashmir's self-determination and Afzal. He had in the past organised many such programmes. When Kumar was asked, he refused to divulge the details saying, "I have submitted the report to the Delhi government late last (Wednesday) night." The state government had ordered a magisterial probe into the matter on February 13. On February 9, a cultural event was organised at JNU to commemorate the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. During the event, anti-India slogans were allegedly raised, following which Kanhaiya Kumar was arrested by Delhi Police on February 12. Kanhaiya Kumar was granted interim bail for six months by Delhi High Court on Wednesday. He is likely to walk out of Tihar jail today. Latest India News Follow us on kanhaiya kumar walks out of tihar returns to jnu campus New Delhi: Kanhaiya Kumar, president of the JNU Students Union, today reached the university campus, triggering celebrations among students who had been protesting against his arrest. Kanhaiya was released from Tihar jail today amid high security after the Delhi High Court granted him interim bail for six months in a case of sedition. Students and teachers eagerly awaiting to catch a glimpse of Kanhaiya had gathered at the Ganga Dhaba from where they will take out a victory march to the Administration Block which has become a venue of protest since his arrest on February 12. People also queued up outside Kumar's hostel Brahmaputra with 'dhols' and 'daflis' to accompany him during the march. Meanwhile, two separate meetings of the students union and JNU teachers association were underway to decide the future course of action. Kanhaiya is expected to address the gathering after the march. However, the university administration maintained the report of the high-level committee has not been submitted to it yet. "The five-member panel had a deadline till 12 am today. The varsity will take a call based on the recommendations of the panel," a senior JNU official said. Kanhaiya was granted conditional bail on a personal bond of Rs 10,000 and a surety of the same amount. He was arrested on February 12 in relation to a February 9 event at the JNU campus commemorating the death of Parliament attack victim Kanhaiya Kumar where anti-national slogans were allegedly raised. The High Court, while granting bail to Kanhaiya, made some stinging observations in its order, likening his alleged offence to "a limb infection". Beginning her order with a patriotic song, the judge said: "Such persons enjoy freedom to raise slogans in comfort of university campus... without realising that they are in safe environment because our forces are there on the battlefield." The bench of Justice Pratibha Rani, in its order, held that "the thoughts reflected in the slogans raised by some of the students of JNU who organised and participated in that programme cannot be claimed to be protected as fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression", and that the court would "consider this as a kind of infection which needs to be controlled/cured before it becomes an epidemic". "Sometimes students who misinterpret freedom of speech need to be cured. Whenever some infection is spread in a limb, effort is made to cure it by giving antibiotics orally... if the infection results in infecting the limb to the extent that it becomes gangrene, amputation is the only treatment... To enable him to remain in the mainstream, at present I am inclined to opt for the conservative method of treatment," the court said. The court also asked the JNU faculty to ensure that Kanhaiya does not involve himself in any activity that may be termed as anti-national. Two other JNU students, Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, accused of raising anti-India slogans during the event, are in judicial custody. Latest India News Follow us on ex du lecturer sar geelani s judicial custody extended till march 16 New Delhi: Former Delhi University lecturer SAR Geelani's judicial custody has been extended till March 16. Geelani was arrested two weeks ago, in connection with an event at the Press Club of India here where anti-national slogans were allegedly raised last month, was remanded to judicial custody till March 3 by the magistrate. He was sent to 14-day judicial custody on Feb 18. He was secretly produced before magistrate at Diplomatic Security Force office in Chanakyapuri. Delhi police had earlier accused Geelani, who teaches at Delhi's Zakir Hussain College, of being involved in the 2001 Parliament attack. Police suspected his involvement because of his relations with Afzal Guru. In 2003, the high court acquitted him of all charges. Latest India News Follow us on pakistan harbours afghan taliban leaders admits sartaj aziz report Washington: After years of denial on part of Pakistan over housing Afghan Taliban on its soil, Sartaj Aziz, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs, has reportedly admitted that Islamabad wields considerable influence' over the Taliban because its leaders live in the country. "We have some influence over them because their leadership is in Pakistan and they get some medical facilities. Their families are here," Pakistani newspaper Dawn quoted him as saying on March 1. The comments by Aziz came at Washington's Council on Foreign Relations think tank. He added that Islamabad pressured Afghan Taliban leaders to participate in the first-ever direct talks with the Afghan government on July 7, 2015. "We can use those levers to pressurise them to say, 'Come to the table'. But we can't negotiate on behalf of the Afghan government because we cannot offer them what the Afghan government can offer them," he added. For years, Pakistan has denied that Islamabad could do anything to end their violent campaign in Afghanistan that has seen tens of thousands of Afghan civilians and international troops killed since 2002. "We have to use these levers and [have] restricted their movements, restricted their access to hospitals and other facilities, and threatened them that 'If you don't come forward and talk, we will at least expel you'," he said of the tough message Islamabad sent to Taliban leaders, most of whom are believed to be operating out of Quetta, the capital of southwestern Balochistan Province. "[We told the Taliban leaders that] we have hosted [them] enough for 35 years, and we can't do it anymore because the whole world is blaming us just by [their] presence here," he said. Aziz, however, struggled to convince Washington's audience that Islamabad has abandoned its support for the Islamist militant groups. "After our government came into power in 2013, there has been a significant change in our policy. We are now moving against all terrorists without discrimination," he said. Speaking alongside US State Secretary John Kerry on February 29, Aziz said Pakistan now has little interest in fomenting violence in neighbouring Afghanistan. "Who would like to set one's own neighbour on fire with the hope of saving one's backyard?" he asked. Latest World News Follow us on pakistan vows to never roll back its nuclear programme Islamabad: Pakistan's finance minister Ishaq Dar said on Thursday that his country will never roll back its nuclear programme despite financial hardship and threat of mounting external debt. Dar was briefing the Senate, the upper house of Parliament, on the country's economy. According to the Express Tribune, Dar dismissed reports about Pakistan bartering away its nucleararsenal. "We did not start this (nuclear) programme to roll it back. This is a programme of our security, and it is our national responsibility to protect it. All political parties of Pakistan share the ownership of our nuclear programme," he said. "Even if our debts swell to $100 billion or $100 trillion, we will not roll back our nuclear programme." He referred to a Wall Street Journal article in which the author asked Western donors to agree on a $100 billion economic package in exchange for eliminating Pakistan's nuclear stockpile, currently said to be the fastest growing in the world. He also mentioned another article which suggested the ever-ballooning debt may lead Pakistan to compromise on its national security assets. Dar's forceful statement came after US Secretary of State John Kerry pressed Pakistan at this week's strategic dialogue in Washington to reduce its nuclear arsenal. Dar did not mention Kerry's statement but Senate chairman Raza Rabbani asked Sartaj Aziz, the adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs, to brief the house on the issue. Aziz had urged the US not to contribute to strategic imbalance in South Asia by aiding India. Latest World News Follow us on world considers a trump presidency and many shudder Brussels: Following Donald Trump's breathtaking string of Super Tuesday victories, politicians, editorial writers and ordinary people worldwide were coming to grips Wednesday with the growing possibility the brash New York billionaire might become America's next president_a thought that aroused widespread befuddlement and a good deal of horror. "The Trump candidacy has opened the door to madness: for the unthinkable to happen, a bad joke to become reality," German business daily Handelsblatt wrote in a commentary for its Thursday edition. "What looked grotesque must now be discussed seriously." There was also glee from some Russian commentators at how American politics is being turned topsy-turvy in 2016. And in Latin America, Ecuador's president predicted a Trump win could boomerang and become a blessing to the continent's left. However, the dominant reaction overseas to the effective collapse of the Republican Party establishment in the face of the Trump Train appeared to be jaw-dropping astonishment, mixed with dread at what may lie ahead. "The meteoric rise of the New York magnate has left half the planet dumbfounded," wrote columnist Andrea Rizzi in Spain's leading newspaper, El Pais. "To consider Donald Trump a political clown would be a severe misconception," said another European daily, Salzburger Nachrichten. If Trump is elected to the White House, the Austrian paper predicted, his ideas "would bring major dangers for the USA and the world ... basically a nationalist-chauvinist policy that would make America not great but ugly, and risk the stability of the international order." Eytan Gilboa, an expert on U.S.-Israeli relations at Israel's Bar-Ilan University, said the best word to describe Israeli feelings about Trump is "confusion." There are certain parts of him that Israelis can relate to, such as his aversion to political correctness, his tough stance on Islamic terrorism and his call for a wall with Mexico to provide security, Gilboa said. But others have been particularly jarring to Israelis, such as comments about Jews that many consider insensitive and his derision of U.S. Sen. John McCain's captivity in Vietnam. "This is something that every Israeli would reject. It's a highly sensitive issue in a country where prisoners of war are heroes and people go out of their way to release them," he said. Trump has drawn concern in China, but not a huge amount of attention despite Trump repeatedly invoking the Asian giant during his campaign to cite U.S. weakness that he would turn around, accusing Beijing of manipulating its currency, stealing American jobs and unfair competition. Chinese may not be taking his comments too seriously because they believe he won't be elected or that he'd modulate his positions once elected, said Xiong Zhiyong, international relations expert at China Foreign Affairs University. "If, hypothetically, Trump became the U.S. president and he held on to his stance and proposals made during the election, China-U.S. relations would be in big trouble in many aspects such as security and economics," he said. "In that case, the U.S. foreign relations policies will undergo a huge change." Thuraya Ebrahim al Arrayed, a member of Saudi Arabia's top advisory body, the Shura Council, said a Trump presidency would be "catastrophic" and set the world back "not just generations, but centuries." "We pray to God that a racist, politically incorrect personality does not win the election," she said. "How can he tell Muslim students going there to study he will shut the door in Muslim faces?" Writing in the Financial Times of London, Martin Wolf summed up the mood of a good share of Europe's business and economic elite, arguing that it would be a "global disaster" if Trump, who won seven states in Tuesday's Republican contests, made it all the way to the Oval Office. "Mr. Trump is a promoter of paranoid fantasies, a xenophobe and an ignoramus. His business consists of the erection of ugly monuments to his own vanity. He has no experience of political office. Some compare him to Latin American populists. He might also be considered an American Silvio Berlusconi, albeit without the charm or business acumen," Wolf wrote. He also said Berlusconi, a former Italian prime minister and media tycoon, "unlike Mr. Trump never threatened to round up and expel millions of people." Wolf's verdict: "Mr. Trump is grossly unqualified for the world's most important political office." A Japanese online commentator used much the same language, and likened the Republican front-runner to the evil nemesis of wizard Harry Potter. Trump's unexpected political rise reflects "elitism and opposition to globalization, but at its heart is a xenophobia and populism that comes from ignorance," said Masato Kimura, former London bureau chief for the conservative newspaper Sankei Shimbun. "Although this is another country's election, Japan's allies should raise their voices to help prevent the birth of a 'Voldemort' president in the United States." In the Mexican newspaper Reforma, columnist Sergio Aguayo compared anti-Mexican sentiments unleashed by Trump to the anti-communist Red Scares of the 20th century, and accused Trump of igniting a "brown panic." "We must answer again and again Donald Trump, and make the U.S. government understand that we're not willing to continue being pointed out as the only ones responsible for problems that are also caused by the United States," Aguayo wrote. La Jornada, a leftist Mexican paper, ran a caricature of Trump wearing a "KKK" necktie and declaring, "I will make cremation ovens for the Mexicans and Muslims ... and they will pay for their construction!" In the moderate and predominantly Muslim West African nation of Senegal, Mame Ngor Ngom, editor-in-chief of La Tribune, a weekly newspaper, expressed hope that in the final analysis, Americans will not be "so thoughtless" as to hand Trump their country's highest office. "We think that the Americans won't vote for him. They already paid the consequences with George W. Bush. ... Donald Trump will fail," the Senegalese journalist predicted. In Russia, some took delight in how messy U.S. politics have become. The popularity of Trump and Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Bernie Sanders, who took four states on Tuesday compared to the seven won by Hillary Clinton, "bears witness to the crisis of trust in such traditional clans" as the Bushes and the Clintons, wrote Konstantin Kosachev, chairman of the foreign affairs committee in Russia's upper house of parliament, in a post on Facebook. According to Alexander Dugin, a Russian nationalist ideologue with close ties to the Kremlin, Trump "is sometimes disgusting and violent, but he is what he is. It is true America." In Europe, where some also feel their nations are being submerged by waves of foreign migrants and violent Islamic radicalism is a real danger, not all have condemned Trump. Jean-Marie Le Pen, founder of France's far-right National Front, has said that if he were an American, he would cast his ballot for Trump. On Wednesday, Laurent Wauquiez, a French conservative lawmaker, said Trump's popularity is revealing of a general trend that has traversed the Atlantic. "What it shows is that in democracies today, citizens no longer want people to tell them what they should think, what they should say. That's what makes Donald Trump seductive," Wauquiez told France 2 Television. In the northern Indian city of Lucknow, one software company executive said he has been impressed by Trump's muscular rhetoric. "Trump looks like a tough guy," said Rohitash Sharma. "He has clarity of idea, and he means business. He has advocated the use of enhanced interrogation techniques, if these improve the protection and safety of the country. He has a clear road map on how to protect his country from extremist forces." Though no fan, Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa said a Trump presidential win could be a political gift to Latin America's left, which is recovering from a string of electoral defeats in Argentina, Bolivia and Venezuela. "The most convenient for Latin America is a Trump victory, because his rhetoric is so clumsy, so basic, that I think it would awaken reactions in Latin America," Correa told a group of radio journalists Monday. "I think a guy like him would be very bad for the U.S. (but) for the progressive movement in Latin America, it could be positive." For weeks, a Canadian website has poked fun at Trump by inviting disaffected Americans to move to an island off Nova Scotia. On Super Tuesday, as the returns rolled in, searches for "How can I move to Canada" on Google spiked by more than 350% in four hours, Google editor Simon Rogers tweeted. A social media link posted by Toronto city councilman Norm Kelly that gives helpful directions on how to apply for Canadian citizenship received over 37,000 retweets. Bruce Arthur, a Canadian sportswriter and political commentator, tweeted this after Super Tuesday: "To my American friends, I have an eight-person tent that I can set up in the forest behind my house but you may need your own air mattresses." Latest World News Follow us on academic atmosphere in jnu is normal irani tells rajya sabha New Delhi: HRD minister Smriti Irani today said that most classes in JNU, which has seen protests over arrest of students in connection with a controversial event, are being held regularly and the academic atmosphere of the university is normal. In a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha, Irani said that JNU has reported that students have held meetings and undertaken marches in the campus over police action since the incident that took place at JNU on February 9. The University Administration is in constant touch with faculty, students and staff and several appeals have been issued and circulated among the JNU community for restoring normalcy. Presently, most of the classes are being held regularly and the academic atmosphere of the University is normal, Irani said. In a written reply to another question in Rajya Sabha, Irani said that no student has been suspended and expelled from the hostel and barred from entry to various buildings of University of Hyderabad in January 2016. Follow us on will bjp agp alliance succeed in dethroning congress govt in assam New Delhi: Just a few days before the Election Commission announces the notification for Assembly elections in Assam, the BJP sealed an alliance with Asom Gan Parishad(AGP) with an aim to further consolidate anti-Congress votes in the state. The BJP has already joined hands with Bodoland Peoples Front (BPF) for the forthcoming state elections. The BJP-led alliance, consisting of these 3 parties, hopes to dethrone the Turun Gogoi-led Congress government in the state that is in power for Last 15 years. As far as the tie-up between BJP and AGP is concerned, it is for the fourth time since 2001 Assembly elections that the two parties have joined hands. Earlier, they had forged electoral alliances in 2001 Assembly elections, 2004 Lok Sabha elections and 2009 general elections. Now they have joined hands once again for 2016 Assembly elections. The fortunes have fluctuated a lot for the two parties in last two elections. In 2011 Assembly elections, BJP registered win in only 5 seats out of a total of 126 constituencies and the saffron party received a total of 12.9% votes. The AGP emerged victorious in 10 seats with 19.72% vote share. The Congress, however, romped home in these elections for third consecutive term with a total of 78 seats and 39.42% votes. However, the Lok Sabha elections of 2014 dramatically changed the fortunes of both BJP and Congress. Assam could not remain untouched by the Modi wave that was blowing all across the country. Riding on this wave, the BJP succeeded in garnering 7 Lok Sabha seats out of 14 parliamentary seats. The vote share of the BJP witnessed a massive positive swing of around 24% compared to 2011 Assembly elections. Read More: No 'mahajot' in Assam but Congress trying for 'maha-understanding' among secular parties, says Tarun Gogoi The Congress, on the other hand, was almost decimated with only 3 seats in 2014 general elections. The party, however, managed to retain around 30% vote share. The performance of AGP was even more disappointing as the party failed to open its account in these elections. After showing a spectacular performance in 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP believes that it has the best chance to overthrow the Congress government which is ruling the north-eastern state for last 15 years. The saffron party does not want to leave any stone unturned in its efforts to dislodge Tarun Gogoi government. The party, however, is well aware of the ground reality that this dream can't be realised unless the index of opposition unity is fully consolidated. BJP's desperation to seal this 3-party alliance is actually aimed at preventing the division of anti-Congress votes. It's not that alliance with AGP is going to be that easy for the saffron party. After its good show in 2014 general elections, party workers have become far more ambitious as they have smelt the possibility of the party forming the next government in the state. They know that in case of an alliance, BJP will have to adjust the aspirations of AGP which would mean that some of their leaders will have to forgo their claims on their respective Assembly seats. And this is the problem with the AGP as well. Being a party that ruled the state once upon a time, AGP has also got its own share of ambitious leaders in the state who are unwilling to play second fiddle to the BJP. The two parties will face this problem more in the areas of upper Assam where AGP has significant presence. The problem is that the BJP has also made inroads in this region recently and the top party leaders will have to work very hard to convince the workers of upper Assam to agree for an electoral tie-up with AGP. Even BJP's CM candidate Sonowal comes from the same region. Reports have already started pouring in from areas like Bongaigaon, Sivasagar, Sonitpur, Amguri and Tezpur where BJP workers have staged protest against the tie-up with AGP. The AGP is also facing similar predicament in both upper and lower Assam areas. The problem with BJP and AGP is that they are focussing on almost same vote bank. Both the parties want illegal Bangladeshi immigrants to be sent back and are promising to protect the interests of indigenous Assamese residents. They fully understand that contesting these Assembly elections separately will only help the Congress. And that's why they are left with no other option than to join hands for the upcoming state elections. The federal government is proposing to lift threatened-species protections for hundreds of Yellowstone-area grizzlies, opening the door to future hunts for the fearsome bears across parts of three states for the first time since the 1970s. The proposal caps a four-decade, government-sponsored effort to rebuild the grizzly population and follows the lifting of protections in recent years for more than a dozen other species, including the gray wolf, brown pelican and flying squirrel. Hunting within Yellowstone National Park would still be prohibited. But the proposal could allow animals to be taken in surrounding parts of Montana, Idaho and Wyoming. "By the time the curtain closes on the Obama administration, we are on track to have delisted more species due to recovery than all previous administrations combined," U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe told The Associated Press. "We've done that because of several decades of hard work, like with the grizzly bear." Grizzlies once roamed much of North America and came to symbolize the continent's untamed wilderness. Hunters and trappers had nearly wiped them out across most of the Lower 48 states by the late 1800s. Thursday's announcement came as conflicts between humans and grizzly bears have been on the rise, including six people fatally mauled since 2010. A record 59 bears were killed by humans last year, often by wildlife managers following attacks on livestock. That's resulted in pressure to turn over management of the animals to states, in part so hunting can be used to control the population. But wildlife advocates declared the government's announcement premature and warned that it could reverse the species' gains. "There's still a lot of uncertainty facing this population," said Sylvia Fallon, senior scientist for the Natural Resources Defense Council. A final decision on the proposal is due within a year. It could come sooner if state wildlife commissioners act quickly to adopt rules on how much hunting is allowed. Those rules are not mandatory under the federal proposal, federal officials said. Montana Gov. Steve Bullock said the bear population would be responsibly managed by state wildlife officials. If a public hunt for the animals is pursued, the Democrat said, it could be done in a way that avoids killing bears that live on the periphery of Yellowstone. "Yellowstone wildlife is treasured. We understand that. We'll manage them in a way that addresses that sensitivity," Bullock said. Republican Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead said ending federal control over grizzlies would be "good for the species, for Wyoming and for the West." In Idaho, Republican U.S. Sen. James Risch said the state's track record on other predators, including gray wolves, shows it can manage bears at a sustainable level. The federal government has spent roughly $20 million to $30 million to date on grizzly recovery efforts in the Yellowstone area, according to Fish and Wildlife Service spokeswoman Serena Baker. Protections would remain in place for about 1,000 bears in and around Glacier National Park and smaller populations elsewhere in Montana, Idaho and Washington state. Grizzlies are not protected in Alaska, where hunting has long been allowed. Grizzlies in the Lower 48 were added to the endangered and threatened species list in 1975. In the intervening years, the Yellowstone population has increased from 136 animals to an estimated 700 to 1,000 today, according to government researchers. Yet after years of growth, the grizzly population plateaued in recent years, and some of the wildlife advocates say it's too soon to allow hunting. Also opposed are dozens of American Indian tribes that view the grizzly as sacred. Formal consultations between the tribes and the Interior Department are ongoing, although Ashe said the issue is unlikely to be resolved. Federal and state officials said limits on how many bears can be killed will safeguard against a collapse in the bear population. If bear numbers drop below 600, intentional killings through hunting and the removal of bears that attack livestock would be prohibited. Exceptions would be made for bears that threaten public safety. More hunting would be allowed when bear numbers increase. Grizzly numbers rebounded despite declines in some of their key food sources, including cutthroat trout and the nuts of whitebark pine, a high-elevation tree devastated by bark beetles and an invasive fungus. Environmentalists argue that those declines are good reasons to keep protecting the region's grizzlies. The last legal hunts for Yellowstone-area bears happened in the 1970s. The animals were taken off the threatened species list in 2007, but that move was struck down and protections were restored two years later after environmental groups challenged the government in court. Subsequent government-sponsored studies have shown grizzlies are able to adapt easily to different types of food. State officials and members of Congress have pointed to the case of the grizzly bear as an example of how the Endangered Species Act needs changes so animals do not linger under federal protections once they are recovered. Ashe said reforms are not needed as much as money to help species recover. Follow us on let centre take a call on tn govt s move to free rajiv gandhi s killers rahul New Delhi: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi today said that it is for the Central government to decide on Tamil Nadu government's move to free the seven assassins of former prime minister and his father Rajiv Gandhi. The government has to decide, he said as the Congress party made it clear that it will oppose the Jayalalithaa government's decision to remit the sentence of life imprisonment of all seven convicts and release them. Rahul said, as a son, he would not voice his personal opinion on the issue. Senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, said that the Tamil Nadu government's letter to the Centre on Rajiv Gandhi's killers release shouldn't be entertained. Tamil Nadu government's letter to Centre on Rajiv Gandhi's killers shouldn't be entertained. They should not be released, Kharge said. We will discuss it when matter comes to House, Kharge added. The Tamil Nadu government has sought the Ministry of Home Affairs opinion on releasing all the seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi Assassination case. In a letter to Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi, state Chief Secretary K Gnanadesikan said that while the state has already decided to release the seven convicts, it is necessary to seek the Centre's opinion under Section 435 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, as they have been in prison for over 24 years. Under the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code, the state governments have to consult the Centre before releasing life convicts who were tried by the CBI. The convicts are V Sriharan (alias Murugan), T Suthendraraja (alias Santhan), AG Perarivalan (alias Arivu), Jayakumar, Robert Payas, Ravichandran and Nalini. Out of the seven convicts, V Sriharan, T Suthendraraja, Jayakumar and Robert Payas are Sri Lankans. Humane approach should be taken on release of Rajiv's killers: BJP Making a guarded response to AIADMK's decision to remit the sentence of life imprisonment of seven convicts in Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, BJP's Tamil Nadu unit today said a "humane approach" should be taken on their incarceration period, but it should be within the legal framework. Party's State unit President Tamilisai Sounderrajan also charged the government with not taking a "firm decision" when there was time earlier. Speaking to reporters, she underlined her party's stand that not a single culprit should be spared while no innocent should be punished. "One has to take a humane approach while looking at the time spent by them (the seven convicts) in jail but everything should be within the legal framework," she said after paying obeisance at the Lord Venkateswara Temple here. DMK president M Karunanidhi had also backed the decision, saying the convicts had spent about 25 years behind bars. Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and 14 others were killed on May 21, 1991 when a suicide bomber blew herself up at an election campaign rally in Sriperumbudur, near Chennai. Follow us on congress questions omission of defence in budget speech New Delhi: Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Wednesday questioned the omission of the mention of the budgetary allocation for the defence ministry in Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's general budget speech. "For the first time, there was no mention of the defence budget. Is it so that we do not need defence budget in the National Democratic Alliance's rule? It is a serious issue," the leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha said during a debate in the upper house on the president's speech. He also questioned the government's decision to cancel the ongoing negotiations with France on buying 126 Rafale fighter jets, replacing it with 36 jets in flyaway condition. Azad said this would hurt the flagship 'Make in India' programme of the Narendra Modi government. "France was the lowest bidder in the (Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft) deal. The biggest thing is the technology transfer component. In the deal, 18 (Rafale) jets were to be bought off the shelf and 108 were to be made by HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited). This is called 'Make in India'," Azad said. "Making toys will not boost 'Make in India'. Making Rafale jets in India would have made the country proud," he said. The Congress leader said that ever since the NDA government had come to power at the Centre in May 2014, ceasefire violations on the international border and terror attacks have intensified. Questioning the government's policy on Pakistan, he said: "When we (The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance) were in power, our dialogues with Pakistan were bad; and now when they (NDA) are doing it, it's supposed to be very good." "Pakistan is neither your friend nor mine. Is it so that those beheaded then were beheaded and those dying now are pumpkins and potatoes? Why are you going to attend weddings there?" he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had stopped over in Pakistan on his way back from Afghanistan, and met his Pakistan counterpart Nawaz Sharif amid a wedding in his family. Follow us on modi s ministers hit back at rahul gandhi for misleading parliament New Delhi: Top three Ministers in Narendra Modi Cabinet hit back at Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi over his dig that the Prime Minister did not consult his ministers while taking crucial decisions including on Pakistan and want to run the country on only his opinion. The first Minister to retort Rahul was Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who took to Facebook and termed Congress vice president's views lacked maturity'. As one evolves from a young to a middle-aged one, we certainly expect a certain level of maturity. The more I hear Shri Rahul Gandhi, the more I start wondering how much does he know' when will he know, his post reads. Jaitley further said that the Prime Minister should be the natural leader of the party and the government. The Prime Minister should be the natural leader of the party and the government. In the NDA it is so. The UPA was quite different. The Prime Minister is to lead by example. The present Prime Minister not only works hard and involves himself in the functioning of the various departments of the government, but inspires his team to work harder than we would have normally. Each one of us, whether the External Affairs Minister, Home Minister or myself, are responsible for each important decision taken by each of one departments. We do not by-pass the Prime Minister who is always available for consultation and guidance, his post reads. After hearing Shri Rahul Gandhi, I think India has made the right choice between the Prime Minister who leads the Government and a Prime Minister who is merely implementing decisions taken elsewhere. The Finance Minister said that Rahul's views are shaped by the environment of a political party which has evolved into a crowd around a family'. The UPA model of governance was that if a person outside the family is the Prime Minister, he should be reduced to being a figure-head. Given a choice between a hands-on' Prime Minister or a nominal' head, I would unhesitatingly choose the former. Rahul, in his speech in the Lok Sabha on the motion of thanks to the President's address, took digs at Modi. Putting wit and sarcasm to good use, Rahul attacked Modi on a host of issues ranging from his policies on Pakistan and black money to the Jawaharlal Nehru University row and the Nagaland peace accord. He claimed that the Prime Minister hardly consults his senior ministers. Replying to Rahul's claim that she was aware of Mosi's sudden visit to Lahore, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said she was not present in the House, if she had been she would have corrected him'. I would like to correct the record. After a conversation with Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister Modi called me, seeking my opinion on his visit to Lahore. I told him that it would be an 'out of the box initiative' and he should go to Lahore. This was a novel initiative, which got appreciated in the country, the Minister said. The third Minister in the line was Home Minister Rajnath who chided Rahul for his remark that Home Minister knew nothing about the Naga Accord that the Modi spearheaded'. Accusing the Congress scion of misleading the Parliament, he said, "I had several rounds of consultations with the PM Narendra Modi on Naga peace process. I strongly condemn Rahul Gandhi's attempt to mislead the House." His statement false and baseless, the Home Minister tweeted. Follow us on opp resorting to disruption because of inferiority complex pm New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today took a dig at Congress by invoking former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi's views disapproving Parliamentary disruptions and said hindering debate in the House is very counter-productive. Replying to a debate in the Lok Sabha on motion of thanks to President's address in joint sitting of Parliament, he said that the nation is anxious because of what has being going on in the Parliament in the last few days. "Parliament is a forum where different view points are put forward, where questions are being asked to the government, where government is made accountable and nobody is spared, and one shouldn't expect otherwise," he said. "And in doing so, it would be great if we uphold parliamentary traditions to let the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha function peacefully and responsibly", he added. "It is not me saying this... These are the words of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi," Modi told the Lok Sabha with most of the MPs present in the House. Making an appeal to the entire opposition for the passage of important bills including the GST, he said that these legislations are in the interest of the people' and when Parliament does not function, the nation suffers and MPs suffer as they can't discuss issues of public interest'. "If House maintains decorum, we will be able to put our point of view in a better manner," he said while referring to India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru and his speeches in the Parliament. The Prime Minister also said that the MPs should follow the advice of the President on the functioning of Parliament. 15 quotes from PM Modi's speech in Lok Sabha 1. House is a place where debates are to take place, but if boundaries are maintained during a debate then it is fruitful. This is not something Modi is saying, this has been said by former PM Rajiv Gandhi. 2. Hindering debate in the House is very counter-productive. Bills are passed for the people they are for freeing the system from middlemen. Unfortunately political parties feel disruption or adjournment will lead to highlighting the issue. This was said by former Speaker of the Lok Sabha Somnath Chatterjee. 3. I appeal the Opposition to help pass important bills in both Houses of Parliament. GST Bill was introduced by you, now you are stalling its passage. I am saying all this because people must know that bills have been passed here but have been stopped thereafter. 4. March 8 is the International Women Day, why can't we have a proposal that only women MPs should speak on International Women Day. 5. Opposition doesn't let us speak out of an inferiority complex, so that the nation can't see our views & skills. In the opposition there are bright and talented youngsters who don't get a chance to speak...They do lot of study...The concern is that if they speak, they will be praised. Then what will happen to us. Why can't we have time set aside where only first time MPs can speak. This will bring a fresh perspective to proceedings. 6. You are mocking things like 'Make In India'. This is for the nation. If there are shortcomings it may be shared & discussed. Some people learn with age but some don't. We are making toilets because you (Congress) did not do that in 60 years of being in power. 7. MNREGA is not new. Such a scheme is in existence since Independence. Jawahar Rozgar Yojana was the original name for MNREGA, I am surprised you removed Jawaharlal's name in 2006. No one will deny that if Congress would have helped the poor in 60 years, the poor wouldn't still be facing trouble. Country wouldn't need schemes like MNREGA if past governments had succeeded in removing poverty. People are sacrificing their skills. Khargeji said there is corruption in MNREGA and I agree with him. Look at the CAG report of 2012 & what observations were made. We have taken several measures to check corruption and we are on right path. 8. Even after 60 years, five states have failed to implement MNREGA. Four are those (Congress) who sang praises of the scheme. They (Opposition) are worried because our governance is better than theirs... (Opposition ko chinta iss baat ki hai ki tum humse accha kaam kaise kar rahe ho?): 9. When we came into power in May 2014, only 11 states had opted for the National Food Security Act (NFSA). Today, there are still 4 states--Kerala, Mizoram, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh-- which don't have it because they are Congress-ruled states. 10. 10 years of UPA in Indian Railways, the average annual expense for Rail development was Rs 9291 crore. But in 2 years we have spent Rs 32,587 crore. This is a live example of how with the same resources, employees, law and order the government is performing better. We are cleaning up Congress' mess of last 60 years. 11. I have been questioned, I have faced criticism and accusations over last 14 years. I have learnt to live with it. 12. It is necessary that executives need to be accountable. No one is less than the PM. 13. I still remember the date, it was September 27, our honourable Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh was in US. He was holding bilateral talks with President Barack Obama. And one person here tore an Ordinance approved by the powerful Cabinet headed by Manmohan Singh and including veterans like A K Antony, Sharad Pawar and Farooq Abdullah. 14. We indulge in 'tu-tu-main-main' (fighting) attitude to score points... due to fear of what will be printed in the newspapers. 15. This government also needs improvement which cannot happen without your help. I am new, you are experienced. I need the benefit of your experience. Governments will come and go. Let us work shoulder to shoulder. Follow us on strategist prashant kishor meets rahul to craft congress up strategy New Delhi: Political strategist Prashant Kishor, who played a key role in victories of Narendra Modi-led BJP in general elections and JD(U)-RJD-Congress alliance in Bihar, on Wednesday attended a meeting with Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi to craft the party's strategy for Uttar Pradesh polls. Congress leaders from the state confirmed Kishor's presence during the meet and said the party resolved to defeat three Ms of Modi, (SP president) Mulayam (Singh) and (BSP chief) Mayawati in the 2017 elections with Kishor's expertise. Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Nirmal Khatri said there was no discussion on the projection of Gandhi's sister Priyanka as party's face for the polls, and added the talks revolved mainly around issues troubling the key cowbelt state. Prashant Kishor indeed was present for the meeting. Party will give him a role which it finds appropriate. His expertise will benefit us. He is ready to help us. Rahul ji appreciated our resolution to form government in Uttar Pradesh. We intend to defeat three Ms: Modi, Mulayam and Mayawati, Khatri said, emerging from the meeting. Asked if Kishor had suggested projecting Priyanka as the face for the crucial polls, as some media reports suggested, Khatri said there was no discussion on it in the meeting. Another party leader, Rita Bahuguna Joshi, who also attended the meeting, seconded him, saying, There was no discussion on this in the meeting. It is the party high command which will decide what role is to be given to a leader. As of now, we are discussing issues which the party can take up during polls. Joshi said BJP's efforts to whip up communal passions in Uttar Pradesh, price rise, law and order, water-electricity supply, unemployment and agrarian crisis will figure among the key issues Congress plans to highlight during the elections. Those who attended the meeting made various suggestions. Kishor listened to them. We are analysing these issues and ones that are important. The tenure of BSP was also quite bad, it has been going ahead with a castiest mindset in selecting candidates. So, we are strategising according to the scene in the state, she added. The leaders said the issue of forming alliance with other parties was not discussed in the meeting and added that party high command will take a call in this regard. The meeting was also attended by AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh and other party leaders like Madhusudan Mistry and RPN Singh. Follow us on will you chop off your head now an unconvinced mayawati asks smriti irani New Delhi: Smriti Irani and Mayawati had a face-off yet again in Rajya Sabha, with the BSP leader today saying she was not convinced by HRD minister's statement with regard to Rohith Vemula's suicide and asking whether she would implement her two-day-old statement about "chopping off" her head. The issue related to the suicide by Vemula, a Dalit student of Hyderabad University, also led to a clash between Irani and CPM leader Sitaram Yechury. Mayawati, who has been demanding inclusion of a Dalit in the panel probing Vemula's death, slammed the government for appointing a one-man judicial Commission of former Allahabad high court judge Ashok Kumar Roopanwal. "To my question whether a Dalit member is part of the Commission, the government has not answered this so far. On February 24, I had asked this question and it has not been answered so far. Justice Roopanwal is from the upper caste. Government's intention is dubious on this," she said. She added that as per the laws, the government can increase the strength of the commission, and add a Dalit member, but it has not done this so far, which shows its intentions towards the Scheduled Castes. The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said government's intentions are now clear and it is trying to save the accused "who are from the RSS". She said that Irani had said in the House two days back that if BSP is not convinced by the clarification of the government, she (Irani) will chop off her head and present it to her. "Since we are not convinced by the government's clarification, will she (Irani) do that," Mayawati asked. On Wednesday too, the House had witnessed a clash between Irani and Mayawati over the same issue. MISSOULA Longtime Alumni Association head Bill Johnston will retire in September, making him the fourth member of the University of Montana president's Cabinet to announce a departure since October. In an email to the campus Wednesday, President Royce Engstrom praised Johnston's wisdom and advocacy, noting the unusual span of his career. "Bill will retire after completing 28 years in the Alumni Relations Office and 36 years of service to UM," Engstrom wrote. "Bill has the distinction of being one of the longest-serving alumni professionals at a state university in the U.S." UM has announced three other high-profile retirements in the past four months to be effective at the end of June: Teresa Branch, vice president for student affairs; Provost Perry Brown; and Peggy Kuhr, vice president for integrated communications. The president earlier said he played no role in the decisions made by the provost and two vice presidents. In his email Wednesday, Engstrom wrote he would miss Johnston, who served as director of the Office of Alumni Relations and president and CEO of the Alumni Association since 1988. "I have greatly enjoyed working with Bill, and will miss his wisdom and counsel," Engstrom wrote. "We have accomplished a great deal for UM because of Bill's expertise, determination and passion for our university. His sense of humor and storytelling are legendary." In August, Johnston will complete 28 years as head of the Alumni Association, and nearly 36 years working on campus. Alumni directors typically stay on the job for seven to 10 years, he said, so his long tenure is out of the ordinary. Johnston, a UM alumnus himself, said he's ready to see which direction life takes him with fewer demands on his time. Were excited to announce that indmin.com is now part of fastmarkets.com. A new look and an improved experience means you can still stay ahead of this fast-moving market with price data, news and market intelligence right here on Fastmarkets. Discover more than 2000 prices, news and analysis in primary and secondary metals markets. We cover base metals, industrial minerals, ores and alloys, steel, scrap and steel raw materials. If you already have a Fastmarkets account, youll still have uninterrupted access to your markets by logging in with your current details. Europes Slow Motion Debacle By Pepe Escobar March 02, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " SCF " - From a failed attempt to clear the Calais jungle to the appalling situation at the Greek-Macedonian border, the EU crumbles under the strain of a massive refugee crisis. Even the Kafkaesque Brussels Eurocrat construct admits it off the record, because official EU must always project a mythical image of unity: We are on the edge of an abyss. Across the EU and amidst Russian intellectual elites, scenarios proliferate on the imminent collapse of Western civilization, as a huge number of refugees cannot be properly assimilated. In Russia, this process is examined with extreme concern because it happens not far from Russias western borderlands, and involves what the Kremlin traditionally defines as our partners. But what if this European slow motion debacle was not enacted as a Mad Max dystopia, but rather brought about by a tsunami of Muslims ultimately displaced by Western-engineered wars? Behold Fortress Europe It was only six months ago that Chancellor Angela Merkels government took a huge gamble in adopting a so-called humanitarian refugee policy; call it the civilized face of the otherwise politically tainted R2P (responsibility to protect) concept, which was ruthlessly manipulated for the invasion and destruction of Libya. Six months later, we have swarms of refugees stranded all along the Balkan Route and progressively encircled/trapped by strict border controls, the disappearance of social benefits, creeping fences and walls, and the practical extermination of the Schengen accords. The Merkel gambit is over; Fortress Europe is back with a vengeance. Can you hear the sound of a basket of myths crumbling? Here are a few. The notion of European solidarity not to mention egality and fraternity. The notion that EU members would accept a sensible, harmonious, proportional distribution of refugees. The notion that Europe would not reject, deport and repatriate people fleeing from war zones. The notion that Turkey would protect the EU from the crisis. The Balkan Route, for all practical purposes, is now sealed off to refugees while Ankara, for its part, is slowly building a wall along stretches of the Turkish-Syrian border not as much to really contain them (after all Ankara must keep open the Jihadi highway), but as a propaganda coup. Germanys humanitarian refugee policy is in tatters and corroded by self-doubt; only two weeks ago Chancellor Merkel was wondering whether she should pursue our European-Turkish approach or whether the EU should order the absolute sealing off of the Greek-Macedonian border, pure and simple. And that leads us close to the heart of the matter which is of course Turkey. The majority of German conservative politicos want Merkel to seal off German borders to refugees, while Merkel still believes in the Hand of Providence; help from European partners which wont come and most of all from Ankara. And thats exactly where Turkeys Sultan Erdogan wants her to be; as a supplicant, not as the leader of the number one European economic power. Ankaras power play One of the key myths of the whole refugee crisis is that Erdogans AKP government is doing all it can to contain it. Nonsense. The crisis itself was engineered by Ankara in 2015 when refugees were released from their holding camps in Turkey under threat that they would not be cared for anymore. The refugee flood was not a spontaneous creation, as Syrians, Iraqis and/or Afghans suddenly decided to flee to the EU; it was directly instigated by Ankara. And Erdogan from the start was already contemplating the Big Prize; to bribe the EU, especially Merkel, to pay at least 3 billion euros so most refuges remain not on Turkish soil, but on one of his own neo-Ottoman sub-plots; a safe zone to be built inside Syrian territory. Extra evidence pointing to Ankaras plotting is the fact that Turkey has not increased patrols on its Mediterranean coast the departure point for scores of refuges to try their luck by boat on their way to safety of the Greek islands. The priority for Ankara was to close the Turkish-Syrian border. Not really close it, as safe passage remains guaranteed for selected moderate rebels. The Warsaw-based European border control agency Frontex is absolutely convinced that the Turkey-EU refugee power play will continue. Diplomatically, Frontexs director Fabrice Leggeri advances that Turkey has to make it more difficult for the migrant smugglers. Yet that wont happen. And Germany and the EU as a whole will continue to be hostages of Ankaras political maneuvering. A EU-Turkey summit was held in November 2015. At the time, Erdogan promised there would be more security in the Aegean coast and more raids on migrant smugglers. Too little, too late. Turkey's Aegean coast is 2,800 kilometers long. Ankara does not have the resources to police it properly. So smuggling on a massive scale proceeds unabated. Smuggling rings with the right contacts within Turkish police and AKP-related politicians only need to pay roughly 3,000 euros for each group of refugees to clear the border and hit the sea. In parallel, Ankara is clearly at war in Southeast Anatolia against the PKK Kurds. This is the number one priority, not smuggling of refugees, not to mention fighting ISIS/ISIL/Daesh. Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu could not be more straight to the point when he visited Berlin late last year: the Erdogan/Davutoglu Plan A is to annihilate the PKK Kurds. There is no Plan B. Chaos, created then applauded No one in Brussels will do it. So Frau Merkel ultimately would have to be the only EU leader to confront Erdogan and read him the riot act. Its not only a matter of politely requesting Ankara to reduce refugee numbers. Its to order him to do so; question him on why he released them en masse in the first place last year; and withhold any future financial rescue package, including the building of refugee camps inside Syrian territory. The stark fact is that the whole refugee crisis an existential crisis for Europe is being used by Ankara as a bargaining chip for an elaborate extortion racket. Erdogan wants a tsunami of EU cash; and he wants a tsunami of concessions regarding Turkeys negotiations for accession to the EU. Meanwhile, theres no concerted EU refugee policy to be seen. Not even a balancing act between humanitarian concerns and deterrence, altruism and realpolitik. No EU political leader will confront the responsibility of NATOs wars (with petrodollar GCC support) crafting the whole crisis. The absolute majority of refugees are Syrians, Afghans and Africans who depart the continent via NATO-destroyed Libya. Polls consistently show that a majority of EU citizens dont want to welcome refugees anymore. As Belgium-based Jean Bricmont, author of Humanitarian Imperialism has correctly stressed, EU citizens who were never consulted on the issue of refugees and who are constantly asked to make sacrifices because there is no money understandably do not accept this moral discourse anymore. Bricmont is among the very few in Europe to connect the dots: The same people who encouraged humanitarian interventions and support for armed insurrections abroad, that have led to perpetual wars, generating a constant flow of refugees, are now demanding that the population of our countries welcome the refugees. They first generate chaos there, then they applaud chaos here. Well, thats the whole logic of the Empire of Chaos in a nutshell. 'Plan B' and the Bankruptcy of US Syria Policy By Gareth Porter March 02, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " MEE " - US Secretary of State John Kerry provoked widespread speculation when he referred in testimony before the Senate foreign relations committee last week to significant discussions within US President Barack Obama's administration about a Plan B in Syria. The speculation was further stoked by a senior official who told CBS News that options under consideration included "'military-like' measures that would make it harder for the regime and its allies to continue their assault on civilians and US-backed rebels. But Plan B is more complicated than that. A report by CNNs Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr on 26 February leaves little room for doubt that the administrations cupboard of policy options is actually bare. An unnamed senior US official at the Pentagon admitted that Plan B is actually more an idea than a specific course of action. In other words, the administrations national security policymakers believe something more should be done in Syria, but they are not at all clear what could be done now. The official said three options were under discussion, none of which is even close to being realistic in the present situation: an increase in US Special Forces on the ground, an increase in arms assistance to fighters opposing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and a no-fly zone. The option of adding more Special Forces is only relevant to a counter-terrorism strategy aimed at the Islamic State (IS) group, not at preventing the further weakening of anti-Assad forces. Special Forces are now in Syria to help the one reliable ally against IS the Kurdish YPG. Sending them into provinces to fight the Syrian army or Hezbollah would be an overreach of stunning proportions. Increasing arms to opposition forces is not feasible as long as the Russians are able to cut the line of supply from Turkey to Aleppo unless the US is prepared to go to war with Russia by trying to airdrop the weapons, which would involve direct military conflict with the Russian Air Force. As for the no-fly zone option, which Turkey and Saudi Arabia have pressed on Obama for years without success, the senior official made it clear to CNN that the Pentagon still opposes that option - as it has since early 2012 when it was first proposed. It is even less viable, according to the official, because it would have to destroy Russian air defence radars rather than just Syrian air defences. I cant tell you thats off the table, said the official. Its at the end of the table, just not off it. Translation: someone may still be advocating it, but it is not going to be adopted. Kerrys invocation of Plan B, on the other hand, was an effort to suggest that there is a serious possibility of a more aggressive US posture in Syria and that he was personally behind such a move. Just before his reference to Plan B in the testimony, Kerry took the unusual step of declaring, It is well known that I have advocated strong efforts to support the opposition. And he suggested that Plan B, if there was one, would be more confrontational. But he also acknowledged that there would be many stages before anything dramatically different would be done, and that it would only come when it became clear that there was no way to save the negotiating process. At the same time that Kerry sent signals that conflict with those of the Pentagon, he was also trying to fend off attacks on his ceasefire and negotiation strategy by Republicans who asserted that the Russians and the Assad government have already essentially won the war against the opposition. Ever since it became clear that the Russian air offensive in Aleppo and Idlib has been successful in loosening the grip of al-Nusra Front and its moderate allies along the route from Aleppo to the Turkish border, the political elite in Washington has been buzzing about what the Washington Post diplomatic correspondent has called the appearance of allowing Russia to act with impunity in Syria. Such language, implying that the United States should be taking action to counter the Russian-Syrian offensive, reflects the distorted image of the Syrian conflict in US political discourse. The Obama administration helped create that distortion by putting forward the fiction of a powerful moderate military force in Syria that could be the basis for a negotiated settlement. The premise of the administrations argument claims that Russian planes had mainly targeted US-supported moderate forces, who the Russians called terrorists. In fact, the Obama administration had been well aware since early 2013 that al-Qaedas affiliate al-Nusra Front and its Salafist allies, supported by US regional allies, were already beginning to dominate the secular, pro-democratic forces. Kerry was well aware in 2015 that the opposition groups in Idlib and Aleppo provinces - to which the United States had been supplying weapons - had not only been coordinating their military operations with al-Nusra, but actually intermingled with them throughout those provinces. Kerry had depended on the power of Salafist forces to gain some leverage on the Syrian government in negotiations. That unacknowledged Obama administration strategy explains why Kerry tried to get Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to agree that al-Nusra would not be targeted under the ground rules of the ceasefire at least temporarily until the groups can be sorted out, according to the Washington Post. But after Russia rejected that bid, Kerry switched signals, and Syria stories began to refer to US-supported forces that operated in close conjunction with al-Nusra. And on 22 February, State Department spokesman, Mark Toner, even acknowledged publicly the commingling of the two supposedly independent moderates with the Salafists. Apparently Kerry had concluded that he was better off explaining why the rules of the ceasefire were a response to facts on the ground rather than a US concession to the Russians. Kerry suggested that the US was still a player in the Syrian contest for power. Regarding foreign relations committee chairman Bob Corkers comment that the Russians had been accomplishing their ends in Syria, he argued that the Russians and the Syrian government could take control of Aleppo, but that holding territory has always been difficult. Kerry claimed that the Russians could not prevent the opposition from getting the weapons needed to continue the war, as long as the US and its allies were supporting them. He offered no explanation for that claim. The Plan B episode illuminates another moment in the pattern of failed US policymaking on the Syrian crisis. It reveals a familiar pattern of deep division over Syria in which key players seek to advance their own personal or institutional interests and in which the desire to maintain a US leadership role trumps the realities of the situation on the ground in Syria. If the US policy were a company doing business in Syria, it would have been bankrupt years ago. - Gareth Porter is an independent investigative journalist and winner of the 2012 Gellhorn Prize for journalism. He is the author of the newly published Manufactured Crisis: The Untold Story of the Iran Nuclear Scare . Kerry's "Plan B" - Attack Syria From Lebanon - With Saudi and Turkish Help By Moon Of Alabama March 02, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " Moon Of Alabama " - We yesterday described what looks like a Turkish-Saudi plan to raise a Salafi-Sunni militia in north Lebanon to then attack nearby Syrian regions held by the Syrian government. Such a new front of the conflict in Syria would necessarily involve fighting in Lebanon as the Lebanese Shia Hizbollah movement is actively supporting the Syrian government. The plot would destabilize Lebanon, probably throwing it back into the brutal times of the Lebanese civil war. There was no confirmation of such a plot yesterday, just several signs for it like the ship with weapons from Turkey that was caught by the Greek coastguard on its way to north Lebanon. The existence of such a plan was confirmed today. We still can no say for sure that the plot is part of a U.S. "Plan B" to achieve a violent "regime change" in Syria, but we know that the U.S. is informed about the plan. In his Washington Post column today the unofficial CIA spokesperson David Ignatius writes about the Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman: The young Saudi has sometimes been more bold than wise, as in his war in Yemen, his decision to break diplomatic relations with Iran and his new effort to destabilize a Hezbollah-dominated Lebanon. Syria is not mentioned in that part of the Ignatius column but any capable Sunni militia in Lebanon, created from Salafist groups in Tripoli and Syrian Sunni refugees in Lebanese camps, would extend itself into Syria and become a threat to the government held western Syria. Ignatius, as surely also the U.S. government, was informed by the Saudis themselves. The above quoted paragraph continues: But his role as a change agent is unmistakable. He wants to transition Saudi Arabia very quickly, said Adel al-Toraifi, the Saudi information minister, whos just 36 himself, in a visit to Washington last week. My hunch is that this plan is too bold to have grown solely in the minds of the Turkish and Saudi regimes. The U.S. is likely not only informed about it but deeply involved. The possibility of such a plan to counter the recent Syrian and Russian successes on the battlefield was first mentioned in a piece published in early February by the Washington Institute, a think tank founded and funded by the Israel lobby. Last week Secretary of State Kerry mentioned a "Plan B" should the recent cessation of hostilities in Syria fail: US Secretary of State John Kerry provoked widespread speculation when he referred in testimony before the Foreign Relations Committee last week to significant discussions within US President Barack Obama's administration about a Plan B in Syria. The speculation was further stoked by a senior official who told CBS News that options under consideration included "'military-like' measures that would make it harder for the regime and its allies to continue their assault on civilians and US-backed rebels. A violent Salafi militia from Lebanon storming into Syria would certainly be a "'military-like' measures that would make it harder for the regime and its allies". The author of the last linked text, Gareth Porter, dismissed the chance of a real "Plan B" but had not yet included the Lebanon plot scenario in his considerations. He continued: Kerry suggested that the US was still a player in the Syrian contest for power. Regarding Chairman Bob Corkers comment that the Russians had been accomplishing their ends in Syria, he argued that the Russians and the Syrian government could take control of Aleppo, but that holding territory has always been difficult. Kerry claimed that the Russians could not prevent the opposition from getting the weapons needed to continue the war, as long as the US and its allies were supporting them. He offered no explanation for that claim. The Turkish-Saudi weapon smuggling into Lebanon is an explanation for the claim Kerry made. Syria and Russia are in the process of closing off the Syrian-Turkish border. If the Saudis can build a weapon pipeline into north Lebanon it will become quite difficult for Syria and its allies to hold the Syrian territory near the Lebanese border. In a speech yesterday Hizbullah chief Nasrallah discussed the general Saudi threat to Lebanon at length but did not mention the Sunni militia plot: "Saudi which treats Yemen, Syria, Iraq, and Bahrain like that, treats Lebanon the same way," Sayyed Nasrallah concluded, addressing the Saudis: "Your problem is with us, it is not with the country or with the Lebanese..." Nasrallah is right, but the Saudis will not care when the Lebanese people or their country get hurt due to some nefarious scheme to attack Syria and Hizbullah. Nor will the United States. There are obvious signs for a plan to use Saudi controlled Sunni militia from Lebanon against the Syrian government and its supporters. The U.S. is, in my view, very likely involved in this plot. But we still do not know if this plan will ever be implemented. The recent Saudi threat to send its army into Syria turned out to be a pure (dis-)information campaign to unsettle the Syrian government's side. The recent revelations about the plot in Lebanon and the "Plan B" may also be pure deception and illusionary to gain some leverage for the coming negotiations. But the ship the Greek coastguard caught was real and such a plan would have a good chance to create lots of troubles for Syria and its supporters. My advice to the Syrian government and its allies is to prepare now to eventually counter it. Hillary Clinton Is A Psychopath And A War Criminal By Prof. Francis Boyle - Dialogos Radio Interview MN: Joining us today on Dialogos Radio and the Dialogos Interview Series is international lawyer and professor of international law at The University of Illinois Dr. Francis Boyle. Boyle has served as legal counsel to the Palestinian Authority, to Hawaiian independence groups, and served on the legal team which led to the conviction of George W. Bush and Dick Cheney for war crimes. Professor Boyle, welcome to our program today. March 02, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - FB: Well, thank you very much for having me on, and my best to all my friends in Greece. Great country, great people. I spent about two weeks traveling around in 1974, and another two weeks traveling around in 1982. MN: Wonderfulwell, lets get started by talking about the Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Commission and the case which led to the conviction of George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Alberto Gonzalez and others in absentia for war crimes. Tell us about this commission, and about this case that you were a part of, and its aftermath. FB: Well, there were two different proceedings. The first one was against Bush and Tony Blair, for their war of aggression and Nuremburg crime against peace against Iraq. I was part of the team that helped get a unanimous conviction there. And then, the second proceeding was against Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rice, Gonzalez, and several others, for torture and war crimes. Again, I was part of the team that helped get a unanimous conviction, both for torture and for war crimes. Those materials have been filed with the International Criminal Court, and Im doing the best I can to follow up on my own, tracking these people and staying in touch with all the lawyers to see if we could get them apprehended. Now, Bush was about to go to Switzerland, and a Swiss parliamentarian aware of my work demanded that the Swiss prosecutor-general apprehend and prosecute Bush for torture and war crimes, under the domestic implementation of legislation for the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. So when word got back to Bush, he didnt go to Switzerland. So thats the way Im proceeding, and other international human rights expertsIm not the only one out there, I know the Center for Constitutional Rights in New York is involved, I believe Amnesty International is involved, and theres some other human rights lawyers I stay in contact with around the worldwell keep after these people the best we can. MN: Now, lets look more closely at the role of United States foreign policy, its military, and the role of NATO in the world todayalmost eight years ago, President Obama came to office promising to shut down Guantanamo Bay, promising to right the wrongs of the Bush administration, but instead, weve seen Guantanamo remain open, weve seen U.S. military involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan and the Middle East continue and, in fact, intensify, and weve seen the growth of military operations using unmanned drones, in Yemen and elsewhere. How does international law view the actions of the Obama administration and the United States today? FB: Well, actually I wrote a book that comprehensively covered all the violations of international law, human rights, the laws of war, and United States constitutional law by the Bush Jr. administration, called Tackling Americas Toughest Questions, and in the conclusionI wrote the conclusion three weeks after Obama was inauguratedI said it looked like we very well might be getting a third Bush term, and thats what weve got here, two more Bush terms under Obama. Hes pretty much continued the Bush policies, both abroad and here at home, compounding and continuing the Bush police state here in the United States. At some point I guess Ill get around to writing a book on the Obama administrations violations of international law, but in the meantime you can read my book on the Bush violations, Tacking Americas Toughest Questions, and hes basically continued the same policies. MN: We are on the air with international law expert Francis Boyle here on Dialogos Radio and the Dialogos Interview Series Years ago, you had written about the plans of the United States, the European Union and NATO for the Ukraine and indeed for the world, with a stated goal of destroying specific states and listing seven countries that were slated to be taken over. What were those plans and have they come into fruition? FB: Yes they have. In my book, The Criminality of Nuclear Deterrence, I have in there a statement by deputy secretary of defense Wolfowitz, made right after 9/11/2001, that the United States government was going to get into the business of destroying states, and I analyze that sentence. Its genocidal. And then soon thereafter, NATO general Wesley Clark was in the Pentagon and he was told they had a list of seven Muslim states that they were going to destroy. Basically, theyve all been taken out now except for Iran. Theyve destroyed Afghanistan, Syria, Libya, Somalia, Yemen, Lebanon has been pretty much paralyzed, and they lopped out South Sudan from Sudan. So that process continues, and now theyre moving towards the Ukraine and China. Theyre moving towards Russia from the Ukraine, and also China. Theyre moving directly to confront China. MN: Is there, in your view, any political candidate, any political force in the United States at the present time that can put an end to this foreign policy and to the U.S. military machine overseas? For instance, theres many progressives who have placed their hope in Bernie Sanders as the man to do this. Is this hope misguided, in your view? FB: Well Im not going to criticize Senator Sanders here, Ive dealt with him personally, but everyone had the same hope about Obama during his campaign. Now, Obama was behind me at Harvard Law School, and he moved to the Hyde Park area in Chicago with the University of Chicago, where I was an undergraduate, so I had my own sources out there in Chicago, and they told me not to trust Obama, so I never have. And indeed, I didnt vote for him two times in a row and I was not deluded by Obama, which is why I said, three weeks into his administration, in my book, Tackling Americas Toughest Question, it looked to me like we were going to get a third Bush term. You know, hope springs eternal. Maybe Bernie Sanders will actually do something, I dont know. Hillary Clinton is a psychopath and a war criminal, [who said] we came, we saw, he died, mimicking Julius Ceasar and laughing hysterically after Colonel Kaddafi, my former client, was sodomized with a knife and beaten to death. Shes a certified psychopath and war criminal. As for the Republicans, none of them look very good at all, between you and me, so I guess maybe Senator Sanders might make a difference. The last time around I did support Jill Stein of the Green Party, I thought she was the best candidate and had the best platform, but unfortunately the Greens, with all due respect to them, didnt really get themselves organized and accomplish everything. So there we are here in America, what can I say? MN: We are on the air with international law expert Francis Boyle here on Dialogos Radio and the Dialogos Interview Series The ongoing and worsening conflict in Syria and all across the Middle East has led to a tremendous wave of refugees fleeing their homelands and traveling, under treacherous conditions, to Europe, with Greece often serving as the European entry point for these refugees. What do you make of the European Unions stance towards the refugee crisis and the stance of the international community, and what does international law foresee in such circumstances? FB: All these refugees are fleeing because the United States government has been destroying their states, as weve already discussed. Syria, Afghanistan, Somalia, Yemen, and Libya accounts for most of them, so thats why they are fleeing, the outright terror of the aggression, war crimes, genocide, crimes against humanity that the United States government is inflicting upon them. With respect to Europe, everyone there in Europe, all the states are parties to the U.N. refugees convention thats the international law. Unfortunately it appears that theyre going to be making Greece the scapegoat for all of this and confining all of these refugees in Greece, if youre reading the plans here, which is completely unfair. I dont know exactly how to advise Greece as to how to deal with the situation. The refugee convention is there, but youre being made the scapegoat for American policies here, and Europe is going along with it. MN: You have written and spoken extensively about growing Israeli belligerence in the Middle East and about the Palestinian right of return. How does international law view Israeli actions in the region, such as the continued construction of settlements, and how can the Palestinian people defend their homeland and their sovereignty, from a legal point of view? FB: Well Ive written three books, including Palestine: Palestinians and International Law: Breaking All The Rules, and The Palestinian Right of Return Under International Law, so Im not going to go through all that, but basically what we have here is outright genocide being perpetrated by Israel against the Palestinians, with the full support of the United States government. And that is what confronts us today as citizens of the world community. Israel wants all of Palestine and they dont want any Palestinians there, so its going to get worse. I gave the best advice I can to the Palestinian leadership, Ive worked with them to get them up to the point where they are now a United Nations observer state, I have devised a means whereby they can overcome Obamas threatened veto of their membership, full-fledged state membership in the United Nations, and I have also offered to sue Israel at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, the world court, for inflicting genocide against them and trying to stop the settlements, the genocidal siege of Gaza. So, the Palestinian leadership has my recommendations and offer to help. In the meantime, Im doing everything I canI was the one who set off the Israeli divestment, disinvestment campaign of November of 2000, and then in 2005, the Palestinian civil society contacted me and asked me if I would go in with them on a BDS campaign, which I agreed to do. So the BDS campaign has taken off now all over the world, and I would encourage your listeners to work with the Palestinian BDS campaign for sure. Its having an impact. MN: We are on the air with international law expert Francis Boyle here on Dialogos Radio and the Dialogos Interview Series Having mentioned Israel and the Middle East, this past summer, the Greek government signed an agreement with the armed forces of Israel, a so-called status of forces accord, which Israel has apparently signed with only one other country in the world, the United States. What does this accord mean and what do you make of the Greek governments efforts to forge closer ties with Israel FB: Well, I havent read this document, so I dont think I should comment on a document I havent read. But, it is very unfortunate to see Greece move towards working hand-and-glove with Israel, when you did have a previous history there of supporting the Palestinians, and I think the Greek people need to make it clear to the current SYRIZA government that youre not going to accept this at all, and you want the Greek government to go back and support the Palestinians. MN: You used to be a member of the board of Amnesty International USA, back in the late 80s and early 1990s. However, you have since turned into a fierce critic of NGOs such as Amnesty International. Describe for us the relationship that exists between such NGOs and power structures in Washington and elsewhere. FB: Yes. These western NGOs, and you probably have some of them in Greece, all operate on the basic principle: he who pays the piper calls the tune. Theres nothing objective, neutral, or dispassionate about any of them, including and especially Human Rights Watch, the Red Cross, I could go down an entire list of these NGOs. So theyre really not there to help you and the people of Greece. You might have your own internal Greek NGOs that get money from Greek sources, but thats a different matter. You have to be very careful with these NGOs. For example, this summer Amnesty International adopted a resolution to the effect that it was going to promote the sex industry and sex trade on a worldwide basis, which I did my best to stop. I read the documents in support of this, and it all went back to George Soros documentation. So it seems that Soros must have made a very big contribution to Amnesty International to get this reprehensible policy rammed through their headquarters in London, and then Amnesty worldwide. I take it that Soros must have some type of investments in the sex industryyou know, hes a hedge fund managerand you know, Soros gave $100 million to Human Rights Watch, so you can figure it out from there. Its true of all of these western NGOs. MN: We are on the air with international law expert Francis Boyle here on Dialogos Radio and the Dialogos Interview Series Your outspoken criticism of U.S. foreign policy, against Israel, also issues such as being in favor of independence for Hawaii and for many other issues has put you on the radar of the FBI and other intelligence agencies. Describe for us an encounter you had with the FBI about a decade ago. FB: One day, two agents of the FBI and the CIA showed up at my office, misrepresented to my secretary who they were, what they were about. I let them in to my office. They proceeded to interrogate me for one hour and tried to get me to become an informant against my Muslim clients, which I refused to do, repeatedly refused. So they went out then and put me on all the United States governments terrorist watch lists. According to my lawyer, theres six or seven of them and as far as he can figure out, I was put on all of them. You know, what can I say? My lawyer did appeal, but he was told I would remain on all of these watch lists until the FBI and CIA take me off, which course is not going to happen in my lifetime. He did make it possible for me to travel, but there we are. MN: Now lets turn to Greece one more timeover the past six years, successive Greek governments, including the supposedly leftist SYRIZA government, have signed a series of memorandum agreements which have not only imposed harsh economic austerity, which have not only resulted in the privatization and sell-off of key public assets, but which have also essentially signed away, at least on paper, Greeces sovereignty. The EU and the troika have final approval rights over key legislation that is brought before the Greek parliament, while the memorandum agreements have been placed under the legal authority of the United Kingdom and Luxembourg. Are such agreements valid under international law, and what could Greece do to restore the countrys sovereignty? Are there any precedents in international law that Greece could turn to? FB: It does appear that SYRIZA has abandoned and betrayed the Greek people and the promises it had made originally to get elected. You know, youre asking me this question for the first time, but certainly one could use an argument of economic duress and threats of coercion under the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, to try to claw back some of these agreements that SYRIZA has made. As for this debt, there is a well-known doctrine under international law known as odious debt that I think Greece could consider to repudiate a good deal of this debt. I havent studied the elements of the Greek debt, but it does appear there are more than enough elements there that could be repudiated as odious debt. And then finally, clearly Germany owes massive reparations to Greece for the Nazi occupation and war crimes in Greece during World War II. They still have not paid up, and I think the Greek government or the Greek people need to insist on that, and that gives you a lot of leverage against Germany, which is really the most powerful country in Europe right now and is pretty much calling all of the shots here. I think there the Greek people understand this. So you have a lot of leverage, but the SYRIZA government has to use it. MN: Are the examples of countries such as Iceland or Argentina possible precedents that could be used in the case of Greece? FB: Well Icelands pretty small yes, you could look at Argentina, and then also Malaysia, when it was threatened by Soros with his hedge funds attack on the Asian Tigers. Malaysia was able to pull through that. MN: We are on the air with international law expert Francis Boyle here on Dialogos Radio and the Dialogos Interview Series We live in a global society today that is marked by increased government surveillance, police violence, an increasingly neoliberal and authoritarian world. In light of this, what can ordinary people do to not only stand up for human rights and the rule of law, but to also identify political and social movements that will truly stand up for their rights and not betray them? FB: Well you just had a general strike in Greece. I thought that was great, it really shows the Greek people have had enough. Everyone taking to the street, I think we need to see more of that in Greece, and then some type of leadership emerge out of those general strikes. It seems to me theyre really in contact with people. SYRIZA has forfeited, in my opinion, its right to lead the Greek people. Theyre working in cahoots with the IMF, the World Bank, the European Central Bank, Brussels, and Berlin. MN: Professor Boyle, thank you very much for taking the time to speak with us today here on Dialogos Radio and the Dialogos Interview Series, and for sharing your insights and experiences with our listeners. FB: Thanks for having me on, and I look forward to coming back to Greece sometime when I can fit the trip in. Great country, I learned so much from your people and the history and the culture. MN: Thank you once more, greatly appreciated. Transcript byDialogos Radio. Home Sign up for our FREE Daily Email Newsletter Saudi Arabias Northern Thunder, Sound and Fury Signifying Nothing By Ulson Gunnar March 02, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " NEO " - The news has been abuzz before and during the ceasefire announced amid Syrias conflict about Saudi Arabias possible intervention. Saudi Arabia has threatened to intervene amid incomprehensible, contradicting rhetoric, claiming that it would enter Syrian territory to fight IS (the Islamic State), but would do so only now because the Syrian government has refused to step down. Of course, the only coherent forces on the ground fighting IS now are the Syrian governments troops and Kurdish fighters who now appear to be working with Damascus. Saudi Arabias intervention to remove President Bashar al Assad from power would seem to work in IS favor, not against it. To give Saudi Arabias confusing threats some teeth, Riyadh announced its Northern Thunder military exercises which it claimed would be one of the largest military exercises ever held. The United Arab Emirates The National, would report in an article titled, Saudi Arabia hosts joint military exercise, that: Armed forces from 20 countries have begun manoeuvres in northeastern Saudi Arabia, described by the official Saudi Press Agency as one of the worlds biggest military exercises. Troops from the other five Gulf Arab states the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar as well as Pakistan, Malaysia, Turkey, Egypt, Morocco, Jordan and Sudan are among those participating in the Raad Al Shamal, or Northern Thunder, exercise, Spa agency reported. The military drill which began on Saturday and involves ground, air and naval forces will be one of the worlds most important military exercises based on the number of forces participating and the area of territory used, the agency said. While that sounds impressive, with Saudi news outlets claiming some 350,000 troops were expected to participate, not a single photo or video has surfaced so far showing this impressive force in action. The entire point of mounting such monumental military exercises is to show off ones military power to the world, not merely write about it in news articles. And more specifically, in Saudi Arabias case, such exercises are meant to show those nations it is trying to coerce by threat of military force just what it faces if concessions are not made. The National Interest in an article titled, Saudi Arabia Goes to War, points out some obvious shortcomings of Saudi Arabias military that, even at face value, undermine Riyadhs threats before they left the mouths of its diplomatic corps. In the article it states: Tanks, combat aircraft and missiles are only as powerful as the people operating, maintaining and supporting them. And in this domain, Saudi Arabia has a very long way to go. Not much is known about the proficiency of Saudi Arabias military as a fighting force. The only real war the Saudis have taken part in was Operation Desert Storm in 1991; and most of the fighting there was done by the US. More recently Saudi Arabia has been fighting in Yemen, but unsuccessfully so far. Foreign advisers speak about the difficulties in bringing Saudi Arabian soldiers to the desired combat readiness and proficiency. The article also mentions another key shortcoming, Saudi Arabias overdependence on foreign soldiers filling its ranks and the high number of contractors it relies on, as illustrated in its ongoing war with neighboring Yemen. Multiplying Complications There are several complications that immediately undermine Saudi Arabias threats. Its one thing to have an army, but its another thing to actually get it into another theater of war that isnt bordering your own nation. Moving troops into Syria will require the cooperation and complicity as well as additional logistical expertise of other nations to move troops from Saudi Arabia either through Jordan and into Syria, or in large numbers to Turkey by sea and then onward to Syria. And, it is one thing to have such capabilities to move enough troops for any sort of meaningful incursion into Syria, and quite another thing to be able to keep them armed, fueled and otherwise supplied, especially during sustained combat operations. However, this last point could be addressed by Saudi troops simply latching on to the supply lines already in place for Al Qaeda and IS, lines likely already very familiar to planners in Riyadh, since they have helped underwrite them to begin with. Still, the unique requirements for a modern, mechanized army would need these lines expanded and augmented, something Saudi Arabia has little experience doing. And experience is perhaps a third failing Saudi Arabia brings with it when it tries to threaten other nations of invasion. Entering into the Syrian conflict and doing anything more than seizing a buffer zone at the edge of Syrias territory would be the first rodeo of its kind for Riyadh. And if such a move was considered a rodeo, its move into Yemen next door could be considered a junior rodeo, and one Riyadh has yet to finish. Saudi Arabias Threat of Invasion is Cover For Something Else If Saudi Arabia cannot even win on the battlefield in neighboring Yemen, with fighting even spilling over the border into Saudi territory, it is unlikely it will do any better against the battle-hardened, better organized and better equipped forces of the Syrian Arab Army, let alone Russias presence in the country. Clearly Saudi Arabias phantom military exercises and posturing are cover for something else. It is likely that anything that goes over the border into Syria under the Saudi flag will be anything other than actual Saudi forces. Remember those Al Qaeda and IS supply lines mentioned earlier? What if the fighters and equipment pouring into Syria simply changed their black flags to Saudi Arabias? And though Saudi Arabias demands for democracy in Syria despite the fact that Saudi Arabia itself is an absolute monarchy devoid entirely of elections, staged or otherwise, are particularly discredited, an undeserving air of legitimacy still surrounds the regime in Riyadh, perhaps enough to make it difficult for Syrian or Russian forces to attack terrorists flagged as Saudis. Consider also that while moving thousands of additional troops into the theater may be difficult, moving Saudi warplanes is not. Many are already reportedly in Turkey, standing by for operations. Saudi-flagged terrorists backed by Saudi airpower would be a particularly potent mix that could keep supply lines to terrorists fighting in Syrias interior open long enough to break Syrian-Russian operational momentum and create a stalemate only tough concessions made by Moscow and Damascus could break. With this possibility, it would benefit Syria and its allies to begin considering a true no-fly-zone over the country, excluding from Syrian airspace all nations (especially the Saudis and Turks) not given authorization by Damascus. The matter could be brought before the UN under the plausible pretext that Syrian troops are closing in on IS positions in Al Raqqa and the chance of mishaps are growing by the day. This is not even a ploy, because in fact, Syrian forces are closing in on Al Raqqa. Now would be as good a time as any to begin closing off Syrian airspace and helping the US and its allies back down from increasingly desperate options, saving them from themselves and their demonstrably bad judgement. Ulson Gunnar, a New York-based geopolitical analyst and writer especially for the online magazine New Eastern Outlook. Click for Spanish , German , Dutch , Danish , French , translation- Note- Translation may take a moment to load. What's your response? - Scroll down to add / read comments Sign up for our FREE Daily Email Newsletter For Email Marketing you can trust Donate Please read our Comment Policy before posting - It is unacceptable to slander, smear or engage in personal attacks on authors of articles posted on ICH. Those engaging in that behavior will be banned from the comment section. The War Monument to End All War Monuments By David Swanson Who controls the past, controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past. Orwell March 02, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - The U.S. government has reached the bottom of the barrel. Having packed every square inch of the National Mall with monuments to every war they wanted to admit to, including the wars on Vietnam and Korea, and including the two world wars, our dear leaders have decided that another World War I monument is needed, and that it will be built in Pershing Park (named in 1981 for a World War I general by then already sufficiently forgotten). Thats presumably not a reincarnated WWI vet on the bench above, but a young soldier inhaling the glory of past noble slaughters. This new glorification of mass killing is supposed to be finished by Armistice Day 2018, or what we now know as the opposite of Armistice Day, namely Veterans Day. The symbolism is stark. At the century mark of the conclusion of the war to end all wars, a peace holiday that was transformed into a war holiday during the war on Korea will be celebrated by an empire intent on glorifying all past wars in order to keep having new ones. A WWI memorial is the reductio ad absurdum of the argument for glorifying all wars. When Victor Berger pointed out that all WWI gave the United States was the flu and prohibition, it was too early to add WWII and the military industrial complex and the oppression of the Middle East that would be resented to this day to that list. But the U.S. public resoundingly agreed with him. Public disgust created the most peaceful period in U.S. history following the armistice. The U.S. government was compelled by popular action to take the lead in legally banning all war with the Kellogg-Briand Pact, which is still on the books. Public demand also almost created a requirement for a public referendum before the United States could (illegally) launch a war a step that might have radically changed the past 100 years. Wheres a memorial to those who went to prison for speaking against the madness of the Great War? Wheres even the most basic information on how the war was sold, and how it was understood once it ended? Nothing of the sort is to be found on the website of the monument makers. Woodrow Wilsons lies about the Lusitania and German atrocities in Belgium created the modern field of war propaganda and led to widespread doubt, misplaced as it turned out, of later tales of Nazi atrocities. But the people intent on memorializing wars once the wars are old enough to not mean anything mention none of that. In fact, they simply quote Wilsons malarkey without comment, as if it bore some relationship to what actually happened. This would be like carving Colin Powells U.N. Speech onto an Iraq War memorial in 2103, which Im sure has already been planned. Quoth Wilson: The world must be made safe for democracy. Its peace must be planted upon the tested foundations of political liberty. We have no selfish ends to serve. We desire no conquest, no dominion. We seek no indemnities for ourselves, no material compensation for the sacrifices we shall freely make. We are but one of the champions of the rights of mankind. We shall be satisfied when those rights have been made as secure as the faith and the freedom of nations can make them. It is a fearful thing to lead this great peaceful people into war, into the most terrible and disastrous of all wars, civilization itself seeming to be in the balance. But the right is more precious than peace, and we shall fight for the things which we have always carried nearest our heartsfor democracy, for the right of those who submit to authority to have a voice in their own governments, for the rights and liberties of small nations, for a universal dominion of right by such a concert of free peoples as shall bring peace and safety to all nations and make the world itself at last free. This was just after Wilson had won an election falsely promising peace, and immediately after the U.S. ambassador to Great Britain, Walter Hines Page, sent a cable to Wilson on March 5, 1917, reading in part: The pressure of this approaching crisis, I am certain, has gone beyond the ability of the Morgan financial agency for the British and French governments. The financial necessities of the Allies are too great and urgent for any private agency to handle, for every such agency has to encounter business rivalries and sectional antagonism. It is not improbable that the only way of maintaining our present preeminent trade position and averting a panic is by declaring war on Germany. When peace had been made with Germany ending World War I, President Wilson and his allies punished the entire population of Germany, leading numerous wise observers to accurately predict World War II. Jane Addams, E.D. Morel, John Maynard Keynes, and others predicted that the harsh vindictiveness of the treaty would lead to a new war. They seem to have been right. Combined with other factors, including Western preference for Nazism over Communism, and a growing arms race, bitter resentment in Germany did lead to a new war. Ferdinand Foch claimed the treaty was too lenient on Germany and would therefore create a new war, which is of course also true if one considers the possibility of having completely destroyed Germany or something close to that. Woodrow Wilson predicted that failure of the United States to join the League of Nations would lead to a new war, but it is far from clear that joining the League would have prevented the war. Oblivious, and honoring Wilson as the Obama of his day, our monument makers just quote what Wilson said rather than what he did: It must be a peace without victoryVictory would mean peace forced upon the loser, a victors terms imposed upon the vanquished. It would be accepted in humiliation, under duress, at an intolerable sacrifice, and would leave a sting, a resentment, a bitter memory upon which terms of peace would rest, not permanently, but only as upon quicksand. Only a peace between equals can last. As devotees of our current president would say: at least he knew what he should have done, and thats what matters. When peace came, Wilson kept U.S. troops in Russia to fight the Soviets, despite earlier claims that U.S. troops were in Russia in order to defeat Germany and intercept supplies bound for Germany. Senator Hiram Johnson (P-CA) had famously said of the launching of the war: The first casualty when war comes, is truth. He now had something to say about the failure to end the war when the peace treaty had been signed. Johnson denounced the ongoing fighting in Russia and quoted from the Chicago Tribune when it claimed that the goal was to help Europe collect Russias debt. The monument website displays a tasteful selection of WWI posters. No mad brute depiction of Germans as apes. No Jesus siting down his rifle for God. And the role of WWI in generating the permanent propaganda of patriotic war normalization is thoughtlessly hyped: The Star Spangled Banner became a national song to be played at sporting events during World War I, thus reviving, a century after the War of 1812, another pointless war that got the United States nothing but death, disease, and a burned capital. I need to thank Sam Husseini to alerting me to the fact that the WWI monument people held a press conference, which he attended, at the National Press Club on Wednesday. Heres audio of what they told him when he raised concerns. Rather than discuss what in the world the point of the war could have been, it seems that the monument makers predictably enough talked about the brotherhood of the troops. But when Sam asked whether that brotherhood extended across nationalities, as it did during the Christmas Truce, they responded by talking about the greatness of the United States. Heres an excerpt: And looking at photographs from Vietnam and theres themes that you see from WWI of the way people support each other and the way conflict changes everybody. But this is a really interesting opportunity because it is that starting point for the United States. . . . Does that sense of brotherhood transcend nationality? Well, yeah, I mean you ask me whats the factor here . Its not a glorification of war that were dealing with here, its ultimately a glorification of humanity and the coming together of all these different races for the United States. So, in the compositions theres not a single figure thats alienated, every single figure is interconnected with the rest. These are touching the other figures or theyre looking at each other. Theres no sense of isolationism or aloneness. Thats much more of a modern concept. So going back to the idea that theres this sense of unity in the universe, this sense of order. And thats what the relief was about. My question was is this brotherhood constrained by nationality and you seem to be saying that it is. No, Im not saying that. So, apparently in the new version of World War I the military and the nation had already been integrated, and the civil rights movement wouldnt be needed, and nobody was being lynched? I actually wouldnt object to a historically accurate monument to racial harmony and diversity. If thats what these guys think theyre building, I say: build it! Just leave out World War I, OK? Trump is a Phony, a Fraud : Mitt Romney "Dishonesty is Trump's hallmark" Video "His domestic policies would lead to recession. His foreign policies would make America and the world less safe. He has neither the temperament nor the judgment to be president. And his personal qualities would mean that America would cease to be a shining city on a hill." Posted March 03, 2016 March 03, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - Former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney delivered a scorching indictment of Donald Trump on Thursday, calling him a phony, a fraud, a misogynist and a bully who threatens America's future. "I believe with all my heart and soul that we face another time for choosing, one that will have profound consequences for the Republican Party and more importantly, for the country," Romney said in Utah at the Hinckley Institute of Politics Forum. "His domestic policies would lead to recession. His foreign policies would make America and the world less safe. He has neither the temperament nor the judgment to be president. And his personal qualities would mean that America would cease to be a shining city on a hill." Romney then went on an epic take down of the Republican frontrunner, point-by-point, issue-by-issue, critiquing his business acumen, the amount he's worth, his ability to understand foreign policy and his temperament and his honesty. "His bankruptcies have crushed small businesses and the men and women who worked for them. He inherited his business, he didn't create it. And what ever happened to Trump Airlines? How about Trump University? And then there's Trump Magazine and Trump Vodka and Trump Steaks, and Trump Mortgage? A business genius he is not," Romney said. "Donald Trump tells us that he is very, very smart. I'm afraid that when it comes to foreign policy he is very, very not smart," Romney added. Then he said Trump's mentally unstable. "Dishonesty is Trump's hallmark: He claimed that he had spoken clearly and boldly against going into Iraq. Wrong, he spoke in favor of invading Iraq. He said he saw thousands of Muslims in New Jersey celebrating 9/11. Wrong, he saw no such thing. He imagined it. His is not the temperament of a stable, thoughtful leader," Romney said. Romney didn't endorse a candidate. But he did call on voters to vote for anyone but Trump. The repudiation of Trump who endorsed Romney's 2012 run will be the latest in a growing anti-Trump movement among some Conservatives. In Case You Missed It Romney's Other Speech About Trump Full Video Donald Trump Portland event - Trump rally in Portland Maine 3-3-2016 See also - McCain urges voters to think 'long and hard' before picking Trump : I share the concerns about Donald Trump that my friend and former Republican nominee, Mitt Romney, described in his speech today, said the Arizona senator and 2008 Republican nominee. " CHEYENNE, Wyo. The Wyoming House and Senate remained deadlocked Wednesday over how to allocate $105 million from the state's "rainy day" fund to counties and local governments. A conference committee of lawmakers failed to agree on a distribution formula for the funds on Tuesday night. While the House appointed members to a second conference committee on Wednesday, the Senate did not do so. Legislative leaders said Wednesday that they're not clear how the situation will be resolved. The legislative session is scheduled to conclude on Friday. The Senate has amended the local government funding bill to earmark 10 percent of the roughly $60-million municipal portion of the funding to so-called hardship communities, meaning cities and towns that have limited tax revenues and lower assessed property valuations. The effect of the Senate proposal would be to reduce funding for Casper and other larger cities. House conferees on Tuesday rejected the Senate proposal. Senate President Phil Nicholas, R-Laramie, didn't appoint a new negotiating team on Wednesday. "Part of the problem is that Senate took a compromise position trying to push the resolution much more quickly," Nicholas said. "They rejected that, so it's hard to figure out what to do for a middle ground." House Speaker Kermit Brown, R-Laramie, said Wednesday that he has appointed a second committee to try to resolve the impasse while the Senate has not. "I've done everything I can to move it forward to a point where we can negotiate, and it's out of my hands, out of my control," Brown said. Gov. Matt Mead, in his budget recommendations, and the Joint Appropriations Committee had both called for substantial state funding for local governments. Both the House and the Senate versions of the pending bill would take the $105 million in local government funding from the state's $1.8-billion rainy day fund. The local government funding bill is one of a handful of separate budget bills moving through this session. Rep. Steve Harshman, R-Casper, had served on the original House conference committee and has been named by Brown to the second team representing the House. Harshman, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, said Wednesday, "We'll just have to stay tuned." Sen. Chris Rothfuss, D-Laramie, was one of the sponsors of the Senate amendment. "The current distribution system has a hardship system, and has for many years," he said. "The Senate would like to maintain a significant enough hardship component that we have a distribution to those who are below the median," Rothfuss said. The Senate version of the bill calls for any community below the median to receive some hardship payments while the poorest ones would receive the most per capita, Rothfuss said. No municipalities above the median would receive any hardship funds, he said. "Which is why it's unpopular, as you can imagine, with those communities that are above the median," Rothfuss said. Many Nigerians would probably have collapsed or developed stomach ulcer if not for the help of the various street foods which are not only cheap but tasty. There are some Nigerians who do not own a stove or hasnt used one in a while because of their total dependence on street food for survive. Anyone who has lived in Nigeria, at one point or the other must have had cause to patronize a street food vendor. INFORMATION NIGERIA in this piece puts together 11 of those types of food. Akara: Also known as bean cake is deep fried beans ball made with grounded beans, pepper, onions and other spices. It can be eaten with bread or garri. Abacha: Also known as African Salad, is made with dried shredded cassava, pumpkin leaves (Ugwu), pepper, onions, palm oil and other ingredients. Traditionally an Igbo food but loved by Igbos and other Nigerians. Boli and groundnut: Roasted plantain and groundnut is one street food everyone loves. In fact the thought of it alone, makes anyone hungry. Ewa Agoyin and Agege bread: The women who cook the sauce poured ontop of the ewa Agoyin, should win a noble price; they are the real MVP. Ewa Agoyin is a delicious cooked beans served with spicy stew which can be eaten alone as well as with bread or boiled yam. Suya: Who doesnt love the popular barbecued meat done mostly by Hausas? It could be made with fish or chicken. With cabbage and onions and black pepper, all you need is a cold bottle of your favourite drink to land in heaven. Roasted or cooked corn: Although corn or maize is a seasonal food in Nigeria, the love for this street food isnt. As soon as it comes into season, every nook and cranny of Nigeria is filled with it. You either find it boiled or roasted. You can eat it with coconut or pear. Gala and soda: This one is the legendary way to survive in Lagos traffic. As long as you have N150 to spare, the rest they say is history. Plantain chips: Plantain Chips is a crunchy street snack made with plantain or sometimes banana. You can get a pack for as low as N50 and its sold everywhere from traffic jams to small shops. Boiled groundnut: This is made with boiled groundnut. The groundnut which is boiled with the cover intact is sometimes salted. Nigerian workers and students are the main patronizers of this brand of street snack. Wanke rice: It might be a Ghanaian food, Wanke Rice, fish and salad has warmed its way into the hearts of Nigeria. And just like the Ewa agoyin stew, the stew for wanke is divine. With fish, egg and salad by the side, totally delicious. Puff puff: Before, only women fry puff puff at roadsides but nowadays, young men have joined the business. This tells you how huge the market is. One ball of puff puff costs as low as N10. Which one of these is your favourite??? The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has condemned the dastardly kidnap of three secondary school students in a school in Ikorodu, describing it as a callous and inhuman act by criminals who want to test the resolve of the present Lagos State government to drastically reduce criminality in Lagos. The kidnappers, discovered to be militants turned vandals, had reportedly stormed the Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary School in Ikorodu on Monday evening, and abducted three Senior Secondary School female students. There are reports the abductors have demanded a ransom of N20 million for each student. But the governing party in Lagos demanded the immediate release of the kidnapped female students, calling on all security agencies to ensure no stone is left unturned in rescuing the girls and arresting the perpetrators. The Publicity Secretary of the Lagos APC, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, in a press statement on Wednesday, said the kidnap of the secondary school students was a frantic attempt by criminals to liberalise crime in Lagos, but said that the state was capable to take on this callous challenge. It urged the Lagos State government to spare nothing to rescue the girls and ensure such acts are nit release in the future. We see the abduction of secondary school girls as a new height in criminality and a dangerous one for that matter so we urge all the relevant security agencies to move in immediately and nip this criminality in the bud to ensure it does not spread. We refuse to see reason why some group of people can plan such despicable act against vulnerable school girls and we urge the state government to move in with its known precision to free the girls and arrest the culprits so as to send clear messages to criminals that Lagos still remains a hostile ground for their criminality. We are alarmed that some criminals were so callous as to kidnap innocent school girls for whatever reason. We are alarmed that heartless criminals can go to such bestial extents to perpetrate such heinous crimes against school children and we say this marks a dangerous dimension to criminality. We see this as a frontal challenge to the states extensive security network of the state and urges the state security structure to spare nothing to ensure the girls are rescued and the criminals arrested to face the full wrath of the law. We join all well-meaning Nigerians to express deep concern about the safety of the abducted girls as we challenge the Lagos State security agencies to put measures in place to ensure that no such criminality is perpetrated against school pupils in Lagos. We ask the kidnappers to immediately free the schoolgirls unconditionally as holding them further will only heighten societal anger against them. We demand that nothing be done to compromise the security and well-being of the girls and task all relevant agencies to move in and take quick and immediate catkins to free the girls. Lagos APC urges Lagosians to be at alert and report to the state security agencies any information that may lead to the quick rescue of the kidnapped school girls as well as information that may forestall such ugly incidences in the future. We urge all to look out for clues for such heinous crime in the future and report to the security agencies for we cannot afford to allow the security of our children to be compromised by heartless criminals, the party said. The federal government says it is preparing a legislation to prohibit pastoralists from allowing their cattle roam in villages and cities, following last weeks killings of hundreds in a farming community in Benue State by armed herdsmen. Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh, said Thursday that the government was working on measures to stop the invasion of communities by herdsmen. Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, Mr. Ogbeh said that invasion and massacre of the indigenes by herdsmen was no longer acceptable to the government. He said that a formation of the Nigerian Army had been deployed to the communities to restore peace. Yesterday, I spoke with the Ministers of Defence and Interior and they assured me that they have deployed a military formation in Enugu to move in and restore peace in Agatu. Today, I will also be speaking with Mr President about this issue to ensure that the problem is solved once and for all, he said. The minister gave assurance that government was taking lasting steps to prevent cattle from grazing into peoples communities and farmlands. He said that most of the rampaging herdsmen were from some neighbouring countries. We are producing massive hectares of grasses for the consumption of cattle; we have received these grasses from Brazil and we are growing them in massive quantities. Cattle herdsmen want grasses for their cattle; such grass is what we are growing in large quantities and, within the next three months, some of these will be ready. Most of these men are not Nigerians; they come in from places like Chad. Recently, I was in Berlin and I met the Minister of Agriculture from Congo, who complained to me that some Chadian herdsmen also invade some communities in Congo to commit similar havocs. He added that the government was in the process of enacting a legislation that would control cattle grazing in unauthorised areas. We are also sending a bill to the National Assembly to legislate that cattle should no longer roam in our cities and villages. We will equally raise the issue at the level of the African Union, to compel member-countries to take steps to prevent their herdsmen from grazing into neighbouring countries. It will be a major international crises if we do not stop it now, Mr. Ogbeh said. (NAN) Lagos State governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, on Wednesday said his government will see to the rescue of the three school girls, students of Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary School in Ikorodu area of the state, who were kidnapped on Monday evening by unknown gunmen on Monday evening. We have not been silent on this unfortunate development. In a delicate security matter of this nature, where young innocent people are involved and management of information demands utmost circumspect, we were convinced that swift and coordinated reaction, guided by intelligence reports on the part of the Police, was a better and more sensitive approach to take, rather than a sensational, panic-stricken reaction, Governor Ambode said in a statement signed by the commissioner of information, Steve Ayorinde. Ambode said the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni as well as the Assistant Inspector General of Police for the Lagos/Ogun Command were fully on ground at the scene and vicinity of the incident leading the entire coordinated effort involving every military apparatus. We believe in the capacity of the Police to lead this rescue mission. I have had ceaseless briefing with them since the incident happened and God helping us, we shall spare no effort in securing the safe release of the girls and continue to secure the school and indeed every part of Lagos, the governor said. We believe this is a case of evil fighting back. But Lagos will neither succumb to threats of lawlessness nor bow to terror. Our resolve is very clear; we will assist the Police and other security agencies in dealing decisively with this one unfortunate case and prevent future reoccurrence. We will deploy the resources at our disposal to safeguard every life and property within our care, he said. He also commended the gallantry of the students of the school who put up a courageous resistance to prevent the abduction of their mates, just as he praised the mature and measured response of the school management in the wake of the incident. Relatives of another missing 14-year-old girl, Patience Paul have alleged that the primary six pupil of Mohammed Zako Model Primary School, Sokoto, may have been abducted and housed at the palace of the Sultan of Sokoto. Father of the girl, Mr. Paul Adaji, an indigene of Ochobo in Ohimini Local Government Area of Benue State, told Vanguard on phone that his daughter had been missing since August 12, 2015. According to Adaji, who resides in Sokoto with his family, some persons spotted his daughter at the Sultans palace. We got information that she was in the Sultans palace and the last time we went there, we did not find her, he said. Asked how they knew she was at the palace, he said: Some people told us that they saw her at the palace. They also used to camp some of them there, that was why we went to the palace to see if she has been taken there. Even her friend, who used to be a Christian, was found there. She was taken there and they converted her. We will still continue to search for her. We will not give up; we only want the world to help us so that our daughter can be released to us. Corroborating Mr. Adajis story, his son, Paul Isaac Adaji, gave an account of circumstances that led to the disappearance of his sister. Patience is my younger sister. We are based in Sokoto. That is where the issue occurred. My dad is in Sokoto but we lost our mother two years ago. My younger sister was brain-washed from school, Mohammed Zako Model Primary school, Sokoto. She is a primary six pupil. The fact is that sometime last year, we noticed she started keeping some funny friends and her attitude started changing. This is a girl that normally likes attending church activities. We cautioned her but along the line, she changed. Then again, she started misbehaving. So at that point, my parent and I decided to move her out of Sokoto and return her to Benue State so the rumours of children converting does not happen to us as we do not have anybody to fight for us. Unfortunately, what we were scared of later happened to us. Sometimes we will see her returning from school with a veil covering her head. When we inquired, she said it was given to her by her friend in school. We cautioned her on several occasions. But we later arranged with my dad to get her back to Benue. Unfortunately, she got to know about our plan to send her back to Benue and obviously informed the people who were brainwashing her and they eventually abducted her. When we could not see her, we started serious investigation and along the line, discovered that it was one of our neighbours who actually abducted her. We reported the matter to the police. The masterminds of her abduction were invited by the Police. They made their confessions that the girl wanted to join their religion, which was why they abducted her. They said they took her to the Hisbah (Islamic Police). At that point, the Police invited the Hisbah and they came and gave their own statement. They said they had taken the girl to the Sultans palace. I was hoping that since the police had stepped in, my sister would come home. But that did not happen. I reported the matter at the Police Headquarters in Sokoto, but it was transferred to our Area Division. So after the interrogations, the Police said since I reported the matter at the headquarters, their findings will also be communicated to the headquarters. Two weeks later, I went to the police headquarters here in Sokoto only for the police to tell us that we should just go and maintain peace. I became inquisitive and wanted to know what the police found that prompted that advice. Bishop Kukah steps in. It was at that point that I reported the matter to Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah. He was very angry with us, saying we ought to have reported the matter to him earlier. He made some calls and promised to step into the matter. I became restless and worried because the Bishop is a very busy person. We are urging and pleading with all well-meaning Nigerians to help us intervene. From what we gathered, from last year up to early this year, she was in the Sultans palace, but she has been taken away from there since last month. We went there with my other sister to check and they brought a different person to us. From our investigations, she is not the only one because the two girls they brought did not look like real Muslims, he said. The Nigeria Army Council has recommended the release of Brigadier-General Enitan Ransome-Kuti from custody. The officer is the son of one of Nigerias most prominent human rights defenders, Beko Ransome-Kuti and nephew of Afro beat legend Fela Kuti. A confidential memo obtained by reporters showed that the council, however, ordered that he be deposed to the rank of a Colonel from Brigadier-General and subsequently recommended that he be reabsorbed and posted back into service. Brigadier General Kuti was arrested in January 2015 and tried for cowardice, accused of abandoning his duty post in Baga where he was commander of a joint multinational task force fighting Boko Haram insurgency. In 2014, Boko Haram militants attacked his base and took over the armoury. The army court martial which tried Kuti also accused him of not accounting for weapons seized by Boko Haram militants at the base. Since his conviction, the Brigadier General had remained under house arrest at an army barracks in Abuja. His father and uncle, who were known activists were both sent to prison when President Muhammadu Buhari was military Head of State. His grandmother had earlier been killed by soldiers under the orders of Olusegun Obasanjos military government. The Burundian government has launched a census to register all foreigners, sparking fears among overseas nationals that the scheme could be a pretext for state surveillance. All non-Burundians in the country will be required to report to border police offices within the next two months, a public security ministry spokesman said on Tuesday. Several foreigners told the AFP new agency they feared it was a pretext to track them. Many Rwandans said the process could lead to their community being victimised. Last month, Alain-Guillaume Bunyoni, Burundis public security minister, said the move was aimed at granting foreigners a biometric ID card. Foreign nationals will be required to attend police stations in person and carry their travel documents. We dont know how the police will use this data and with the violence that has already struck the Rwandan community I think that I will also have to leave he country, said a Rwandan national born in Burundi 40 years ago. Thousands of Rwandans who lived in Burundi have fled the country in recent months after several arrests within their community. Burundi has been in turmoil since President Pierre Nkurunziza announced plans in April to run for a third term, which he went on to win. Relations between Burundi and Rwanda are at a low ebb, with Bujumbura and the United Nations accusing Kigali of supporting Burundian rebels. The US government released a statement on Tuesday saying that their embassy in Bujumbura was working with the Ministry of Public Security to obtain additional information about this policy to share with US citizens. Sure, many schools start too early. And, sure, getting out of bed can be hard sometimes. But one Tennessee teenager had an extreme reaction to his familys request on Tuesday morning that he get up and get ready for school: He shot them, according to Nashville police. The teen, who has not been publicly identified, became angry when his grandmother Earline Hill and mother, Sheryl Williams, told him to get his day going, police said in a statement. He threatened the pair and then retrieved a handgun no one knew he had before firing multiple shots in the family apartment, police said. There was a quarrel about getting up and getting ready for the day when [at some point] the 16-year-old ran to a closet, got a 9mm handgun and started firing, Nashville police spokeswoman Kris Mumford said, according to the Tennessean newspaper. Hill, 67, was struck at least twice, while the teens 12-year-old sister and 6-year-old nephew received graze wounds, according to the police statement. The teens 42-year-old mother, Williams, and the teens 2-year-old sister were not injured. None of the wounds are life-threatening, police said. After the shooting, the teen left, dropped off the gun at a nearby apartment and was captured soon after, near railroad tracks, police said. He was charged with four counts of attempted homicide and one count of reckless endangerment. Most schools start too early for teenagers unique sleep rhythms, doctors say. Five out of six middle schools and high schools in the United States start before 8:30 a.m., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported last summer. Washington Post. New Zealanders have begun voting on whether to change their flag from a design which features the British Union Jack to one which features a native silver fern. The postal ballot will extend over the next three weeks from Thursday, with preliminary results to be announced March 24. Organisers say that deciding the issue by popular vote represents a world first, and that other countries have changed flags by revolution, decree or legislation. Opinion polls indicate the nation of 4.7 million people will opt to stick with its current flag, although proponents of the new design say they have momentum on their side and that more and more people are embracing a change. Those favouring change say the current flag is too similar to Australias and references a colonial past that it is time to leave behind. Those opposed to change say the new design is uninspiring or is an attempt by Prime Minister John Key to create a legacy. Critics have also said holding the referendum, estimated to cost $27m, is a waste of money. One group seeking to keep the status quo is the Returned and Services Association, which represents war veterans. Its been a witness to not only my personal history and my life in the military but also borne witness to major events in this country, war veteran Clive Sinclair told Al Jazeera in Auckland. It has a lot of history behind it so its not something that you can discard. But another veteran, Chris Mullande, voiced another opinion, saying that the challenging design represents the new, new multi-cultural New Zealand. There are links to the past, it celebrates our present and it also very bravely looks to the future, he told Al Jazeera. CASPER, Wyo. The two-year state spending bill before Gov. Matt Mead includes a provision asking agency heads to find more reductions in their departments a sign lawmakers expect the downturn will linger. We are hopeful, but we want to have a plan in place to gradually reduce spending if we need to going into the next biennium, said Rep. Tim Stubson, a member of the Joint Appropriations Committee, the first group of lawmakers to craft the states budget. The provision, at the end of the 73-page state budget bill, requires agency heads, in consultation with the Wyoming Budget Division, to submit plans for new cuts. Most agencies will submit 3.5 percent reductions. The provision requires cuts totaling 5 percent, based on the budget recommendations that Mead submitted to the Legislature on Dec. 1, but lawmakers have already begun cuts for the upcoming two-year cycle to most agencies. Oil, gas and coal which provide 70 percent of the revenues that fund government operations are anticipated to be down $477 million for the two years beginning July 1. In the budget bill, most state agencies will be cut by 1.5 percent over that time period. Departments will additionally experience cuts in private-sector contracts, vacant positions, travel and state vehicle usage. Some programs have been completely slashed. Mead is reviewing the budget bill and has the option to sign it or veto some or all of it. The Legislature wouldn't consider the new reductions until the following two-year funding cycle, which begins July 1, 2018. That would help agencies ease into the reductions, instead of having them all occur at once, said Stubson, a Republican from Casper who is running for the U.S. House. The budget bill contains a separate provision asking department heads to list their agencies' priorities. That will assist the Legislature as it is easier to cut low-priority programs, Stubson said. Critics of some of the cuts in the budget bill believe the new requirement is reasonable. It might give agency heads more control if further cuts are necessary in coming years. During this session, Democrats criticized the Joint Appropriations Committee for not being thoughtful when it recommended cuts in the state budget bill. I do think the Legislature becomes frustrated because the standing committees take hours and hours of testimony from constituent groups, experts, department personnel and really develop a deep understanding, said Sen. Chris Rothfuss, the leading Democrat in the Senate. Then they make recommendations to the Joint Appropriations Committee. The Joint Appropriations Committee considers the same issues for perhaps a few minutes and rejects the recommendations from the standing committees and chooses their own path. That does lead to frustration among other legislators. Rothfuss, who is from Laramie, said he doesnt believe the 5 percent requirement needs to be in state law. He believes Mead is responsible and would tell his agency heads to list their priorities and recommend cuts if the revenue picture becomes worse. Marguerite Herman, lobbyist for the Wyoming League of Women Voters, said the budget provision puts agency heads on notice that more cuts may be coming. The administrators can be more strategic, she said. And theyre the ones who really know what functions can be pared back. A separate bill now under consideration, Senate File 68, also outlines government practices that should occur during a revenue shortfall. Many of the practices are common but are simply being codified in state law, Stubson said. First, it requires the governor, when he is going to make decisions to divert funds or dig into the (rainy day fund) to cover the shortfalls, he has to report and give us a heads up, he said. The bill states the Joint Appropriations Committee can weigh in on the governors decisions. That would be new, Stubson said. They cant stop it, but they can comment to the governor, he said. Stubson doesnt know exactly how the Appropriations Committee would participate. Perhaps it would be an Appropriations Committee meeting and a letter to the governor. The bill puts a cap on how much the governor can dip into the rainy day fund, technically called the Legislative Stabilization Reserve Account, when he is preparing his budget recommendations. The Senate capped it at $108 million. The House capped it at 5 percent of the value of the rainy day fund, which currently amounts to about $90 million, Stubson said. Currently, the fund has $1.8 billion. The chambers will have to negotiate over the differences in coming days. Stubson said the Legislatures fiscal approach is hoping for the best for Wyoming revenues but planning for the worst. Many blame President Obamas initiatives on climate change for hurting Wyomings economy. Energy prices are also being affected by national and global supply and demand. If you continue to have the administration adopt positions that harm coal sales, if you continue to have administration positions that harm the oil and gas industry, its going to drive down prices over and above what the world market does, Stubson said. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Solomon Arase, to ensure that all those involved in the abduction of Ese Oruru, are prosecuted in accordance with the law. The Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Professor Bem Angwe, commended Exchanging views with the IGP in Abuja on Wednesday, the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II and all other Nigerians, who rallied support towards the release of the 14-year old girl. The Executive Secretary, who was represented at the occasion by the Senior Special Assistant, Mr Lambert Oparah, condemned in strong terms, the abduction of Ese, stressing that the action was highly reprehensible and contravened Section 21 of the Childs Rights Act. Mr Angwe said that the Commission would leave no stone unturned in ensuring the prosecution of those involved in the dastardly act. On the request of the Executive Secretary about the protection of the girl, the IGP in his response, assured the NHRC that the abductor and all other actors in the abduction saga would be brought to deserved justice. Ese was allegedly abducted in August 2015 and moved to Kano for forced marriage. She was freed on Monday night, following a directive by the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, to the Commissioner of Police in Kano State, Mohammed Katsina. The Chairman, Senate Committee on the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Dino Melaye, mocked the Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, on Wednesday, while contributing to a motion seeking the need to patronise products made in Nigeria. REMINISCENT of the military era, about 10 soldiers flogged and used boots on hundreds of women protesting at Ovre-Eku (Iwevbo) community yesterday, over a land which had been in dispute for years between Edo and Delta states. Thisday Former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Chief Marshal Alex Sabundu Badeh, has said that he is being persecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), describing as false the allegation that he is being investigated over the $2.1 billion arms deal. Daily Times Thousands of youths from the Rivers South East Senatorial district, on Wednesday, took to the streets of Bori, headquarters of Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State, in protest over the recent alleged hate speeches of Governor Nyesom Wike, against their prominent sons and leaders. Guardian SPEAKER of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, yesterday suggested that lawyers, who distinguish themselves in the art of lawmaking, deserve to be rewarded with the prestigious title of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). Daily Trust There was a standing ovation Wednesday at the Upper Chamber as Senate President Bukola Saraki swore in his predecessor Senator David Mark. National Mirror House of Representatives was yesterday thrown into serious controversy over a motion on excruciating hunger in the country, occasioned by the economic policy of President Muhammadu Buharis administration. Tribune THE crisis in the Kogi State House of Assembly continued on Wednesday, as the Umar Imam-led faction of the assembly sat to consider the 2016 budget of the state. The Nation The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) last night released the Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party( PDP), Prince Uche Secondus Palestinian human rights groups have condemned attempts by the public prosecutor to question a member of parliament, who has sought refuge inside the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) building in Ramallah for a seventh day in a row. Last week, Palestinian Authority (PA) security services attempted to arrest Najat Abu Bakr, who was summoned for interrogation after she accused a cabinet minister of corruption. The Fatah politician then staged a sit-in at the building of the now-defunct parliament, arguing that the Palestinian Basic Law, or constitution, makes elected parliament members immune from arrest. Abu Bakr, who hails from the northern West Bank city of Jenin, said she was being persecuted for exercising her freedom of expression. She also said that any complaint against her must be assessed by parliament and either approved or rejected. The current crisis started when she claimed that Hussein al-Araj, a minister closely associated with Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, had used public funds to invest in a private water project a charge the minister denies. Speaking to Al Jazeera, Abu Bakr defended her comments: I was defending the rights of the Palestinian people, she said. It is sad to see attempts to silence those who speak for the people, and it is equally sad to see the Palestinian Basic Law being trampled over. The public prosecutor said Abu Bakr was being summoned for crimes committed, and not for voicing an opinion. She has been requested to stand before the public prosecution for committing crimes that are penalised by the existing Penal Law, the prosecutor said in a statement last week. Syrian rebels have said they are under fierce government attacks near the Turkish border despite a cessation of hostilities agreement as US expressed concern about regime assaults on civilian areas. The agreement drawn up by the US and Russia, which came into effect on Saturday, has slowed but not entirely stopped fighting in the conflict approaching its sixth anniversary. Both the Syrian government and rebels have accused each other of violations. The Reuters news agency quoted a rebel official and the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group as saying that government forces pressed an offensive against opposition forces in Latakia province at the Turkish border on Wednesday. Fadi Ahmad, spokesman for the First Coastal Division, a Free Syrian Army group, said government forces had brought in reinforcements and that fighting was as intense as anything preceding the cessation of hostilities. The battles were today very fierce, he told Reuters. The Syrian government has prioritised securing the Turkish border through which rebel groups are supplied with weapons from states seeking Syrian President Bashar al-Assads downfall. The area being fought over in Latakia overlooks the rebel-held town of Jisr al-Shughour in neighbouring Idlib province, and the Ghab Plain, where rebel advances last year were seen as a growing threat to Assad, Reuters reported. Battles continue in vital areas that the regime wants, and where there was no truce in the first place. There is bombardment and battles, a rebel commander told Reuters. We are in the fifth day and there is no change in these areas, he said, in reference to areas in the provinces of Latakia, Homs and Hama. There was no immediate comment from Damascus, which has denied breaching the terms of the truce. A teenage boy opened fire on four family members, including his grandmother and two young children, in an East Nashville, United States home. The spokesperson for Nashville police, Kris Mumford, said that shortly before 7:17am, a relative of the 16-year-old boy attempted to wake him up for school when an argument broke out between them. Mumford said, There was a quarrel about getting up and getting ready for the day when the 16-year-old ran to a closet, got a 9mm handgun and started firing. Bullets struck the teens 67-year-old grandmother twice. His 12-year-old sister and six-year-old nephew were both grazed by the gunfire. The teens nephew is his older sisters son, Mumford added. The teen also tried to shoot his 42-year-old mother in the living room of the home, but Mumford said the woman ducked behind a couch and avoided being hit. The teens two-year-old sister was also in the home when the gunfire broke out but was fortunate not to be hit by bullets, police said. According to the Tennessean, the teen then fled the home on foot and tossed the gun at a nearby apartment. Police, however, found him along a rail path, arrested him and eventually recovered the handgun. The grandmother was said to be recovering from in the Vanderbilt University Medical Center, while the two children were being treated at Monroe Carell Jr. Childrens Hospital at Vanderbilt. Police said the teens family said they were not aware the firearm was in the closet. Nonetheless, investigation is ongoing to ascertain the source of the gun, Munford said. Source:Punch President Muhammadu Buhari has declared that his administration will not be deterred by the activities of the Boko Haram insurgents. He said his government would maintain its focus on efforts towards providing security, developing the country and creating jobs for the youth. Buhari made this known yesterday during a joint press conference with the visiting Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja. The president, who noted that terrorism had become a global problem, thanked Turkey for identifying with Nigeria in her moment of difficulty. He specifically thanked the Turkish government for training the Nigerian Police on how to deal with threats of terrorism. Buhari said he and President Erdogan had earlier yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on trade and economic cooperation as well as industrial cooperation, energy and security. In his remarks, the Turkish president, who spoke through an interpreter, assured that his country was ready to collaborate with Nigeria in the fight against terrorism. As a country combating terrorism for a long time now, every attack that takes place here in Nigeria deeply hurts our heart. We are always ready to cooperate with Nigeria in combating terrorism, he stated. Erdogan condoled with Nigeria over terrorist attacks; the situation which, he noted, was the same all over the world. The visiting Turkish president said what he, as a Muslim, had realised from activities of terrorists was that terrorism knows no religion or ethnicity. Mr. Erdogan noted that Nigeria was a global actor in peacekeeping, and Turkey would maintain a strategic partnership with the government and people of Nigeria in the areas of trade, economy, military and culture. He described the bilateral agreements signed as important instruments that will help improve our relations even further. Erdogan is on tour of four African countries. Having visited Ivory Coast on Monday, Ghana on Tuesday, he was expected to depart Nigeria yesterday for Guinea today. Wife of the President, Hajiya Aisha Muhammadu Buhari, says her passion for the plight of mothers, children and adolescents, informed her decision to set up her pet programme, Future Assured. A statement by her media director, Mallam Zakari Yau Nadabo, quoted her as saying this at the State House in Abuja Wednesday, while hosting the wife of the visiting president of Turkey, Mrs Emine Erdogan. The wife of the president said the series of intervention projects and initiatives designed for some categories of Nigerians were her modest response to the current challenges confronting women and children in Nigeria. She expressed delight with the similarity of thought, attention and desire to impact on women and children between her and Mrs. Erdogan. Mrs Buhari also acknowledged Turkeys support for renovation work and donation of some items to selected schools and internally displaced persons (IDPs) camps in the country. According to her, the areas of intervention for the IDPs in parts of the country was akin to what Mrs Erdogan was doing for over three million refugees classified in Turkey as guests. The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has denied the allegation by Governor Nyesom Wike that the APC was planning to rig the March 19 legislative re-run elections in the state. The APC said the governors accusation was a smokescreen. Wike on Tuesday had while receiving the Vice Chancellor, University of Port Harcourt, Ndowa Lale, who visited him at Government House, accused the APC of having a list of compromised returning officers for the Senate, House of Representatives and state assembly elections in the state. The governor is reported to have specifically mentioned the APC candidate for the Akuku-Toru/Asari-Toru Federal Constituency, Dawari George, as being behind the list which he (Wike) said contained names of UNIPORT lecturers, who are to serve as Returning Officers for the election. But the opposition party in the state described Gov. Wikes accusation as the most callous and mischievous lie of the century. In a statement on Wednesday signed by the Rivers APC Publicity Secretary, Chris Finebone, the party said: It is important that we reveal here that this is a smokescreen by the governor to conceal his attempts to repeat what he did in 2015 which he is trying so hard to repeat without success so far and the APC is monitoring his antics closely. The party said its members would never be involved in any action that could compromise the forthcoming elections. It said Mr. George, its candidate for Akuku-Toru/Asari-Toru Federal Constituency, does not work in the Independent National Electoral Commission. The APC notes with consternation that Gov. Nyesom Wike is suddenly picking on any and every imaginable persons and institutions for bashing because of the March 19 rerun elections. Yesterday it was INEC, next was security agents especially the Nigerian Army. Today it is the University of Port Harcourt. Tomorrow it may be market women that will come under the hammer of the governor, who knows? The All Progressives Congress would like to advise Gov. Nyesom Wike to strive to overcome the things that habit his subconscious as a result of what he did in the past to gain power, and if he does, he will discover that he need not look to the stars for the solution to his problems. He is the architect of his own fears, the statement concluded. Microsoft has officially acknowledged -- though not yet fixed -- a problem with the Feb. 16 edition of Office 2016 Click-to-Run, version 16.0.6568.2025. Customers now report that you may have to manually revert all the way back to the Dec. 8 edition of Office 365 -- version 16.0.6001.1043 -- to get Outlook to work properly with POP3 mail accounts. Microsoft engineer Dan V describes the problem this way: If you have the most recent Office 365 update installed (version 16.0.6568.2025), your emails may get deleted from the server or you may receive duplicate emails in your inbox. KB 3145116 goes into greater detail, saying, "After Outlook downloads your email, all the email messages on the server are deleted from the Inbox," and "email messages are downloaded multiple times in Outlook, causing duplicate items." The KB article goes on to say: This issue may occur if you have Outlook 2016 version 16.0.6568.2025 configured to use POP3, and if you have the Leave a copy of messages on the Server option enabled If you have the option Remove from server after days enabled, you may experience the issue of email messages being deleted from the server. If you have the option Remove from server after days disabled, you may experience the issue of email messages being duplicated in Outlook. Microsoft is researching this problem and will post more information in this article when the information becomes available. Instructions for changing from POP3 to IMAP mail access or for moving back to an earlier version of Office 365 are in the KB article. Diane Poremsky has a more thorough explanation of rolling back Click-to-Run versions on the Slipstick site. We've seen the same sort of problem crop up recently with Office Click-to-Run. The Dec. 11 change to 16.0.6366.2036 wiped out Word customizations. It took Microsoft more than a month to fix that problem, which it finally did with the Jan. 12 release of 16.0.6366.2056. This problem has an entirely different etiology from the problem I reported this morning with the latest cumulative update to Windows 10. But both issues point to the same villain: Microsoft isn't able (or willing) to change its "as a service" offerings quickly enough to cope with significant problems. It's a congenital defect. If Microsoft pulls the patch, anyone running the Click-to-Run version of Office 365 will continue to run the same, aberrant version until they restart Office and receive the next (or possibly the previous?) version. Thus, for a certain nonzero stretch of time, two different versions of Office will be out in full force -- anathema to the "as a service" mind-set. When Windows or Office start throwing curve balls, life gets very interesting, very quickly. Triple Digit Hog Rally Barchart - Fri Oct 21, 4:40PM CDT Lean hogs extended their rally into the weekend with another $0.20 to $2.10 gains in the front months. December was up the most on Friday, but is still a $1.40 discount to Feb. Through the week, December... HEZ22 : 89.125s (+2.41%) HEJ23 : 93.850s (+0.78%) KMZ22 : 98.000s (+1.16%) Cotton Limits the Weeks Pullback with Friday Strength Barchart - Fri Oct 21, 4:40PM CDT Cotton futures traded in a wide 413 point range from +253 to -160 (Dec). At the close the front months were 32 to 173 points in the black. December closed the week at a net 402 point loss, having spent... CTZ22 : 79.13s (+2.24%) CTH23 : 78.55s (+1.67%) CTK23 : 78.15s (+1.44%) Wheats Closed Mixed on Friday Barchart - Fri Oct 21, 4:40PM CDT CBT SRW futures ended the last trade day of the week with 1 to 1 1/2 cent gains. For the December contract that meant a net 9 cent loss for the week. KC futures pulled back by 1/2 a cent to 2 cents on... ZWZ22 : 850-6s (+0.18%) ZWH23 : 869-4s (+0.17%) ZWPAES.CM : 7.8533 (+0.24%) KEZ22 : 948-2s (-0.16%) KEPAWS.CM : 9.0581 (-0.16%) MWZ22 : 961-4s (-0.10%) Nov Beans Held under $14 Barchart - Fri Oct 21, 4:40PM CDT The Friday session ended with soybean futures 3 1/4 to 4 cents higher with November options having expired. Nov soybeans spent the week in a 41 1/2 cent trading range and ended 11 3/4 cents higher from... ZSX22 : 1395-4s (+0.29%) ZSPAUS.CM : 13.5026 (+0.29%) ZSF23 : 1404-4s (+0.32%) ZSH23 : 1411-6s (+0.28%) New Contract High for Dec Cattle Barchart - Fri Oct 21, 4:40PM CDT Cattle added another 62 to 75 cents to the upside on Friday, with December printing a new life of contract high of $152.50. Dec gained a net $4.65 for the week. The weeks cash trade picked up on Thursday... LEV22 : 150.475s (+0.47%) LEZ22 : 152.425s (+0.49%) LEG23 : 155.525s (+0.44%) GFV22 : 175.275s (-0.17%) GFX22 : 178.350s (+0.45%) Fractionally Mixed Friday Close in Corn Barchart - Fri Oct 21, 4:40PM CDT Corn futures firmed up on Friday for a fractionally UNCH close to the week. From Friday to Friday December futures traded in an 18 1/4 cent range, and went home 5 1/2 cents lower. The board has a 6 1/4... ZCZ22 : 684-2s (unch) ZCPAUS.CM : 6.7335 (-0.09%) ZCH23 : 690-4s (unch) ZCK23 : 689-6s (unch) CASPER, Wyo. A Casper man pleaded not guilty Wednesday in Natrona County District Court to attempted murder for allegedly wielding a gun at a local strip club. John Tramaine Knox appeared in court wearing red jail scrubs and handcuffs. He spoke only to answer routine questions from District Judge Catherine Wilking. Knox, 29, is charged with attempted second-degree murder for threatening a man with a gun Jan. 16 at Racks Gentlemens Club. He also faces charges of aggravated assault and possession of a deadly weapon with unlawful intent. A scheduling conference will be set to determine a date for trial, Wilking said. Kurt Infanger, Knoxs attorney, argued at his clients preliminary hearing last month that Knox may be guilty of assault, but he did not try to kill anyone. Not once did we hear testimony that Mr. Knox used the weapon at all, Infanger said at the hearing. There was not even any threat by Mr. Knox to use the gun or to kill anyone. No one was injured when Knox allegedly retrieved a handgun from his car following a fight at the strip club. Bar patrons and staff barricaded themselves inside the building and Knox left the area without firing the gun. Circuit Judge Michael Patchen ruled at the hearing that Knox may have intended to kill someone when he retrieved the gun. Instead of driving away, he loads ammunition into a magazine and racks the weapon, Patchen said at the time. The judge said two bouncers tried to stop Knox from walking toward the bar with the gun. Knox only left after the bouncers went inside the strip club and locked the doors, he said. Prosecutor Dan Itzen had argued a victim does not have to be shot or wounded in any way for there to be intent in a crime. Your honor, it seems abundantly clear Mr. Knox was heading back to the bar to engage in combat, Itzen said. Theres no reason to load the gun, judge, unless you plan to ultimately use it. According to a court affidavit, Knox had been part of a brief fight at the strip club. Afterward, someone made a comment to Knox, stating, Everyone thinks they are MMA fighters, the affidavit states. Knox took offense to the comment and challenged the man to a fight. The mans friend, Todd Cabrera, stepped in between the two men. The attempted murder charge lists Cabrera as the victim. Knox took a swing at Cabrera and missed, according to the affidavit. Cabrera swung back but wasnt sure if he hit Knox. According to the affidavit, the clubs bouncers escorted Knox from the bar. While doing so, Knox told one of the bouncers, Get him out here. Im going to grab my banger. Knox entered the passenger side of an SUV parked in the lot and retrieved a black handgun, the affidavit states. One bouncer saw Knox rack the slide of the gun and approach the club with the weapon in his right hand. The other bouncer said he saw Knox waving the gun in the air. Witnesses said they saw one of the bouncers push Knoxs hands down as he walked toward the strip club. When Knox didnt leave, the bouncers retreated into the bar and closed and locked the front door. They asked everyone to stand away from the entrance and requested someone call 911. Knox got back into the car, which drove away from the bar but was quickly stopped by a Natrona County sheriffs deputy, according to the affidavit. Google and Humanity United are among the $500,000-plus backers of the Polaris Project, which describes itself as a leader in the global fight to eradicate modern slavery. But these funders arent simply cutting big checks and bolting. They appear to be engaged for the long haul in the war to end modern slavery. In 2011, Google gave $11.5 million to combat slavery. Of that, $8 million went to the International Justice Mission in India in support of anti-slavery coalitions, direct intervention projects, and government-led rescue operations. At that time, Google also gave nearly $2 million to the U.S. Anti-Trafficking Resource Center hotline. The hotline is a partnership between Polaris, Slavery Footprint, and the International Justice Mission. More recently, Google offered up 1 million to U.K.s Home Office to launch a helpline for victims of slavery, which will be based on the U.S. hotline operated by Polaris. Google has also granted its $3 million Global Impact Award to support a data collaboration to disrupt human trafficking. And the foundation has supported the likes of anti-slavery groups such as La Strada International and Liberty Asia. Ending slavery and human trafficking is also a top priority for Humanity Unitedan Omidyar outfit working to protect some of the worlds most vulnerable populations. Its Advancing Freedom grantmaking program supports groups working in anti-slavery advocacy, private sector engagement, and those that are encouraging increased government leadership on the matter. Related: Humanity United: Grants for Global Security and Human Rights Humanity United has also launched two separate organizations to advance its anti-slavery strategy: the Alliance to End Slavery and Trafficking and the Freedom Fund. The Freedom Fundfor which Humanity United is a founding partneris a $100 million private donor fund with the sole purpose of combating slavery. Then theres Humanity Uniteds private-public Partnership for Freedom program, which awards grants to groups that are applying innovative solutions to human trafficking challenges. Announced by President Obama in 2012, the partnership is led by Humanity United, the U.S. Departments of Justice, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, State, and Labor. Google.org and Humanity United are among a handful of funders backing the growing fight against slavery. The Novo Foundation is onboard, as is the Children's Investment Fund Foundation, and the Greenbaum and Salesforce foundations. Other funders can be found in this space, too. The Open Society Foundations is, as one would expect, attuned to this issue, awarding grants over the years for anti-slavery work, including to the group Free the Slaves. For a time, Free the Slaves also got major grants from the Templeton Foundation, and has pulled in support from a wide range of smaller funders. In 2013, ECPAT International, a Thailand-based group that focuses on the trafficking and sexual exploitation of children, received the Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize, and the $1.5 million grant that came with it. Still, overall, there's not a lot of anti-slavery money flowing these days, with the vast majority of funders avoiding this very dark corner of grantmaking. In comparison to other global health, development, and humanitarian challenges, modern slavery rarely makes the top of the priority list. Related: CIFF Joins the Fight Against Modern Slavery Why isn't there more moral outrage and money here? If anyone takes just a minute to dig into some modern slavery statistics, things get scary really quickly. By many accounts, there are more slaves today than at any time in human history. The exact number of slaves is difficult to nail down, as slavery is illegal in every single country in the world. However, most estimates put it at between 20 and 35 million people. To gain a bit of perspective, there are twice as many slaves today as there were during the dark days of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. And according to the anti-slavery organization Walk Free, over half of the modern-day slave population consists of women and an estimated one in three are children. Economically, slavery is big business. The International Labor Organization puts its value at $150 billion worldwide. And this isnt just a poor country matter. Rich countries have a modern slave problem, as well. Human trafficking is a major problem in the U.S., and has often drawn the attention of funders addressing it at a local level, in large cities like New York and Los Angeles. The Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking is a key player working this issue in L.A., pulling in support from top local funders like the Weingart, Annenberg, and Ahmanson foundations. The world may be past due for a new abolitionist movement, but it will require more resources than governments and funders are yet bringing to the table. Inside Self-Storage (ISS) and Janus International Group, a global provider of self-storage building components, roll-up doors and portable storage units, have released a new whitepaper, R3: Renovate, Remodel or Retrofit for Retention, Revenue and Real (Estate) Value. The free resource focuses on upgrades self-storage operators can make to improve the aesthetics and efficiency of their properties. It also explores an integrated design process and key development-related issues including site layout and unit mix. Finally, the publication offers information on self-storage door replacement. The whitepaper can be downloaded from the ISS Resource Center at www.insideselfstorage.com/whitepapers. Another Janus whitepaper featuring the companys Movable Additional Storage Structures can also be found on this page. Headquartered in Temple, Ga., Janus has eight U.S. locations as well as manufacturing facilities in Europe and Mexico. A plant in Brazil is expected to open soon. The company is owned by Saw Mill Capital Partners LP, a New York-based private equity investment fund managed by Saw Mill Capital LLC. For more than 25 years, ISS has provided informational resources for the self-storage industry. Its educational offerings include ISS magazine, the annual ISS Expo, an extensive website, the ISS Store, and Self-Storage Talk, the industrys largest online community. The Voice of America will launch a new English-language learning program on Lao National Television March 5th to teach American-style English. English Lessons with Toui and Mani is hosted by VOA Lao Services Phouthasone Douangphoumy, known on the program as Toui, and VOA Khmer Services Manilene Ek, known as Mani. The program series teaches television audiences in Laos the use and meaning of American idioms, and provides information about the U.S. culture. The hosts make a great team explaining life in the United States while they teach English as it is spoken in America, said East Asia and Pacific Division Director William Baum. Toui and Mani are fun to watch. Lao National TV is the most-watched television network in Laos, with an audience share of 53 percent. English Lessons with Toui and Mani will air Saturdays and Sundays from 6:25 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in Laos, airing just prior to the networks evening newscast. We are aiming this show at a wide audience, such as students, private companies, and government, said host Toui. English is booming, and this is a very good opportunity for people in Laos to learn about it. Added Kelu Chao, acting Director of VOA, People watching English Lessons with Toui and Mani will have a head start learning American English, should they want to come to the U.S. to go to school, or use English in their business at home in Laos. VOA radio broadcasts rank among the most popular international programs in Laos, where local news media are subject to censorship. VOA Laos transmits on shortwave, local affiliate radio stations, and the Internet in Laos and northern Thailand, where many Lao-speakers live. As the U.S. presidential race heats up, investment banker Paul Ryan is playing against type. He supports Democrat Bernie Sanders, the junior senator from Vermont, a socialist with an aggressive plan to impose new taxes on Wall Street and break up large financial institutions. Im doing a Weberian critique of modern capitalism by voting for Bernie Sanders, Ryan, 51, says in the boardroom of TriPoint Global Equities, a New Yorkbased investment bank where he serves as a managing director. Referring to the iron cage of rationality, a term coined by German sociologist Max Weber, he argues that the current system has outlived its usefulness and that the only kind and ethical thing to do is to put it out of its misery. Hes also biting the hand thats fed him for almost 30 years. Of course it is funny, Ryan says. I catch endless amounts of crap around here for it. At TriPoint, Ryan and his team provide third-party marketing for hedge fund firms. Hes also founder and managing partner of New Yorkheadquartered Hayfield Financial, where he advises lower-middle-market companies and assists entrepreneurs with fundraising and strategy. Although Ryan says hes devoted to his work, he expresses frustration at how tough it can be to help smaller businesses and funds that dont catch the eye of venture capitalists and other wealthy investors: Am I flailing at a system thats just so tilted against me right now to help the clients I know and love? Ryan didnt start out that way. After earning an economics degree from Harvard University in 1987, the Buffalo, New York, native began his career in a London training program at Barclays, where he worked in credit analysis. That job gave him a vantage point on the banking culture of the late 1980s, he says notably, leveraged buyouts and lavish lifestyles. He went back to school for a JD from Fordham University, choosing law school over the typical MBA route for financial professionals because he thought it would give him an advantage among his peers. Ryan got his first taste of the hedge fund industry in 1996, when his former Harvard roommate Alphonse (Buddy) Fletcher Jr. asked him to join then-blossoming Fletcher Asset Management. With no real understanding of hedge funds, he learned how to raise money, becoming a member of the New Yorkbased firms senior management team. But he started to see what he calls a dark side to the industry, schemes and scams that could be used to move money around in structures that are arguably acceptable. Ryan describes his departure from Fletcher in 2000 as getting out early because he smelled the bomb. (Today the firm is embroiled in an ongoing legal battle with three Louisiana public pension funds over losses from a combined $100 million investment.) In 2007, six years after launching Hayfield, he became COO of New Yorkbased Vision Capital Advisors, where he raised some $300 million before leaving after less than 12 months. Ryan, who tutors middle school students in math on the weekends, thinks Sanders would create a more level playing field for Hayfields clients. He credits Elizabeth Warren, the senior Massachusetts senator who became an outspoken advocate for Wall Street reform and regulation following the 200809 recession, with turning him on to progressive politics. Whereas Warren has yet to endorse a presidential candidate, Ryan has given about $750 to the Sanders campaign, 25 bucks every time I get pissed off, he says. Saudi Arabias veteran oil minister, Ali al-Naimi, recently hinted that the great game of oil producers controlling supply to regulate prices was once more afoot. On February 16 al-Naimi met with his Russian counterpart, Alexander Novak, and reached agreement on an output freeze that also included Venezuela and Qatar (their representatives signed on too). He promised this was the beginning of a process that could restore producer leverage in a market that has crashed by 70 percent over the past 20 months. Beleaguered traders seized on the news, bidding up Brent crude oil, the global benchmark, by 7 percent in a day, to about $34.50 a barrel. A week later, the Saudi octogenarian doused that enthusiasm, pointing out that a freeze wasnt a cutback and making it clear that the worlds largest exporter had no plans for the latter. Cutting low-cost production to subsidize higher-cost supplies only delays an inevitable reckoning, he told a conference in Houston. Brent promptly dropped back below $33 a barrel, dragging global stock markets down with it. Positive economic data in recent days sparked a recovery to just over $37 on March 2. Whatever tack the Saudis take next, the days when they could hold together a producers cartel to regulate world oil prices may be gone victim of, among other factors, the North American shale revolution and Riyadhs own multifront proxy war with Iran, its rival in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. OPECs collective action has never been perfect or precise, its 13 members always prone to fractiousness and cheating on output quotas. But the group has managed to smooth market cycles at various points over the years. When Brent dipped below $10 in December 1998, in the aftermath of the Asian and Russian financial crises, the cartel coordinated an overall output reduction of 3 million barrels a day by its members and outside producers Mexico and Norway. By September 1999, Brent had rebounded to $22; OPEC managed to keep it within a target band of $22 to $28 until late 2003, notwithstanding the 2000 tech stock crash and the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. That was then, though. Today numerous factors within and without OPEC tilt the odds against a return to such market mastery, analysts say. Unfortunately for producers, 1998 is a very poor comparison to today, says Robert McNally, who served as an energy adviser to former president George W. Bush and now runs Rapidan Group, a Washington-based consulting firm. The demand picture was more benign as the millennium approached. Asian tigers recovered more quickly than expected from their 1997 financial meltdowns, driving a 2.3 percent rise in global petroleum consumption in 1999, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The EIA expects 1.2 percent growth this year, with a slight acceleration to 1.5 percent in 2017. The petrostates real conundrum is on the supply side, however, particularly the shale fields that have added nearly 4 million barrels per day to U.S. production since 2010. Output has tapered by 432,000 bpd since the peak in April 2015, to 9.26 million bpd. But shales decentralized structure and relatively low up-front costs mean production could bounce back quickly as soon as prices return to the $50 range, grabbing any market share that OPEC and its allies might yield. In the past, with conventional production, you could knock out competing projects and have a window of opportunity for a few years, says Harry Tchilinguirian, global head of commodity markets strategy at BNP Paribas in London. Shale has changed all that. The Middle Eastern countries that dominate OPEC generally enjoy crude production costs much lower than $50. But their fiscal breakevens, revenue that states require to meet budgetary obligations, has soared to an average of $100 a barrel, Tchilinguirian estimates. The drivers are swelling populations Saudi Arabias has increased by half since 2000, to 31.5 million, and Irans by 20 percent, to 79 million and social expenditure piled on to stem unrest in the wake of the 201011 Arab Spring. These huge costs make the oil-rich nations more prone to cling to each barrel of their own output in the hope that someone else will cut first, the BNP Paribas analyst concludes. Many OPEC countries are at or near capacity now, but that doesnt mean they have the ability or willingness to forgo production, he says. Still more important as a constraint on oil exporters is the all but belligerent relationship between Saudi Arabia and Iran, OPECs traditional No. 2 producer. Cooperation between the Gulf neighbors was always testy. Iranian quota-cheating delayed an effective OPEC response by a year during the 199899 market glut, McNally says. Now, however, the two are backing opposite sides in a gruesome multifront sectarian war that stretches from Syria to Yemen: Iran as the captain of Shia Islam, and Saudi Arabia asserting itself as the leader of the Sunni world. Russia, which has emerged over the past decade as the leading non-OPEC exporter, is backing the Iranian side in Syria, complicating its own diplomacy with Riyadh. For Saudi Arabia, Iran and Russia are mortal enemies, says Fadel Gheit, senior energy analyst at Oppenheimer & Co. in New York. Any talks between them are total BS. Iran is also determined to regain the million or so barrels of daily production it has lost since 2011, thanks to international sanctions, which were lifted late last year. Analysts expect Tehran to restore half that amount this year, ruling out its participation in any cartelwide output freeze or cutback agreement. Tehrans oil minister, Bijan Zanganeh, quickly labeled the Saudi-Russian freeze agreement as very ridiculous. He told official Iranian media, If Irans crude oil production falls, it will be overtaken considerably by the neighboring countries. Against this background, analysts expect the Saudis to continue their policy of beggaring their neighbors, and everyone else in the oil industry, with full-steam production. Although Riyadh is living well beyond its means with oil at just $35, at the start of the current market slump it had a formidable war chest of $840 billion in reserves, of which it is spending $80 billion to $90 billion a year, Gheit estimates. At that burn rate, the kingdom can outlast most rivals and squeeze out competing supply, or so the thinking goes. I dont see any reason for the Saudis to rethink their policy now, says Antoine Halff, director of the global oil markets research program at Columbia University in New York. They may rethink it later. The presumed impotence of OPEC does not mean oil prices will remain permanently depressed. Analysts expect the market to rebalance in an anarchic fashion as the highest-cost exploration projects are shelved and reinvestment in existing fields dries up. Global capital expenditure for the industry sank by 25 percent last year, Tchilinguirian estimates, and more contraction is expected in 2016 by high-cost producers ranging from Canadas tar sands to the mountains of Colombia. Although consumers may enjoy a bit of schadenfreude over the oil lords distress, they may miss a strong OPEC before too long and not only because equity markets seem bent on correlating with crude prices. There is a danger that prices pop back up from $30 to $100 at some point, without any mechanism to reach an equilibrium price, says Olivier Jakob, managing director of PetroMatrix, an oil-trading consulting firm in Zug, Switzerland. Wishing for some regulatory force in energy markets will not restore it, though. Investors should prepare for more wild rides. The insurance industry is in Australia needs an urgent shake up, according to one business leader.Director of insuretech firm Insured By Us, Ben Webster, said the industry needs to change its outlook on the launch of the businesses first foray into providing insurance in the country.Insurance in Australia needs an urgent shake up, Webster said.Customers know that the business comes first and they come second and they are tired of solving business problems for insurance companies.Its time for insurance to step into the light and be transparent by putting customers first.Insured By Us, the insurance platform provider behind Woolrths Travel Insurance and Real Travel Insurance, unveiled its latest offering with a travel insurer aimed at Australian women and their families.The new brand, called Travel with Jane, marks the first foray of the insurance platform provider into the direct space and Webster wants to change the male-focus of many insurers in the key sector.Two thirds of our travel policies are purchased by women, but insurance, as with most financial products, is overwhelmingly geared towards male consumers, Webster continued.Engaging Australias female travellers is a key business growth opportunity for us.Webster stressed that the business is about more than insurance as they will look to empower women through their use of financial services.Our first priority is to empower women to have confidence in the products theyre buying, to explain our products clearly and without omission, so that women can make their policies work for them, Webster said.Webster noted that the business will look to be as transparent as possible in its dealings with consumers as it looks to restore faith in the insurance market.Were talking about sharing the so-called secrets to getting the best out of travel insurance and about avoiding common claim pitfalls.This boils down to educating the customer and ensuring a successful and painless claims process. We hope this process will win back trust through transparency and an unwavering customer-centric approach. Webster concluded. Social media is not to be dismissed as it is a key trust signal to current and potential clients, according to one expert.Speaking at the DLA Piper 2016 Insurance Symposium held in Sydney last week, Dr Amy Gibbs , digital communications & content strategy manager at ANZIIF , warned that those dismissive of social media could miss out.When we think of social media and we think it is a bit trivial or a bit of fun and what the kids do, try not to think about it like that, Dr Gibbs said.Try to think about it in its bigger context.What I think it does, when we think about social media and the risks that social media may pose to our businesses is that we actually are not focused on the risk of not being on social media.To me, that is a far greater risk.Dr Gibbs compared a lack of social media presence to one common business trait of the past that business owners would never have missed.The way I like to describe it is with the Yellow Pages, Dr Gibbs continued.There was a time when if you didnt have your company in that book, you werent a real company. If someone gave you a business card and you couldnt find any evidence that they existed, you wouldnt trust them.Social media to me is exactly the same as that.The same way that you had to have a shop front or a telephone number, you have to have social media and you have to be active on it. You cant just block out your name and leave it dormant, because that is a trust signal too and it isnt a good one.Gibbs highlight several disruptors which could impact the insurance industry, such as Friendsurance Lemonade and Guevara, and singled out one major Australian player as a name to watch.I think IAG is a very interesting one to watch in terms of digital disruption, Dr Gibbs said.I think looking at what is going on in the Australian industry and the New Zealand industry, IAG is the one that seem to be actively changing their culture to go with what is coming.Obviously, theyve had their restructure and Peter Harmer coming in as CEO and they have said they are focusing on customer led and data driven information.IAG Ventures has already done some quite interesting product work with ShareCover for Airbnb InsureLite for post-traumatic events in Queensland for those people who wouldnt normally be able to afford traditional insurance and InsuranceForThat which is an insurer by item product so you can see that they are clearly experimenting and seeing what is happening.Theyve also been very vocal in terms of insurance products for things like the sharing economy and Uber and arguing that the Government needs to have a look at these things and get them going and actually make it so that we can securely provide products for people.Last week, they announced that they are setting up an investment fund to buy stakes in start-ups which I find fascinating. They will be focusing on disruptive technologies and it will allow them to keep in touch with innovation and what is happening with these tech start-ups and they can fit new business models and tap into them where they wish.So I think IAG is very interesting and probably will lead the way in terms of traditional insurance in Australia doing this. Marsh announced with immediate effect the appointment of Gary Reeve as head of First Party Claims for its UK Specialties division. Reeve will report to Ian Martin, head of Claims for UK & Ireland. Reeve will act as a senior claims advocate for Marshs clients on large complex energy, property and construction claims, and will manage the claims teams for the Energy and Construction practices and Bowring Marsh, Marshs international wholesale placement broker. Reeve joins Marsh from CV Starr, where he was International technical risks and casualty claims manager, encompassing onshore and offshore energy, chemical, petrochemical, power generation, construction all risk, erection all risk, and property claims. He joined CV Starr in 2008, and has over 30 years claims experience, including senior claims and loss adjusting positions at Catlin Underwriting Agencies Ltd and Xchanging. The strength and depth of Marshs claims advocacy capabilities enables us to deliver the best possible claims outcomes in the shortest possible time frames, said Ian Martin, head of Claims, UK & Ireland, Marsh. As part of the development of our Client Advisory Services offering, the addition of Gary to our UK & Ireland claims team reinforces Marshs market leading position in claims advocacy, both in London and around the world, he added. Rob Powell, Claims Advocacy International leader at Marsh, added: Gary is a highly respected professional within the global claims community. His appointment enhances Marshs claims advocacy capabilities in key markets, and he will play an important role in resolving our clients most complex energy, property and construction claims in a timely and beneficial manner. Source: Marsh Topics Claims Construction Influential Iowa business leaders are urging state legislators to pass a bill that would expand the states medical marijuana laws. The Des Moines Register reports that more than 90 business leaders sent lawmakers a letter, asking them to debate and pass comprehensive medical cannabis legislation. Now is the time to help suffering Iowans and their families get legal access to this medicine, and we hereby call on Iowa lawmakers to debate and pass Comprehensive Medical Cannabis legislation this session, the letter reads. The signers span several industries, including banking, insurance, publishing and real estate. Its been legal for Iowa residents with epilepsy to use cannabis oil since 2014, but proponents argue that the change was useless in practice because of a separate state law that makes it illegal to manufacture or distribute it. The proposed legislation would grant the state authority to establish two growing facilities and distribute medical cannabis oil to people who suffer from cancer, intractable epilepsy and multiple sclerosis. State Rep. Peter Cownie, R-West Des Moines, who introduced the measure, said he brought the issue forward after hearing stories like those from West Des Moines Mayor Steve Gaer and his wife, Sally, who have a daughter with epilepsy. The Gaers have obtained cannabis oil for their daughter and say its made a dramatic improvement. For me personally, Ill be very disappointed for this legislative session if we dont get this bill passed into law, Cownie said. From people coming up to me on the street with how supportive they are, around town, around my district, I think Iowans are ready for the change. The bill has cleared the House Commerce Committee and is headed to the Ways and Means Committee. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Legislation Cannabis Leadership Iowa On Feb. 25, 15 people at a Kansas factory were shot, three of them killed, by a co-worker whom police say had also shot two other people as he drove toward the facility. The shooting at Excel Industries in Hesston, Kansas, was at least the fourth workplace shooting in the United States in the past 12 months alone. Here are some questions and answers about workplace shootings: WHAT OTHER WORKPLACE SHOOTINGS HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS? Aug. 26, 2015: Alison Parker and Adam Ward of Roanoke, Virginia, TV station WDBJ were fatally shot by former employee Vester Lee Flanagan II during a live broadcast. The person they were interviewing was wounded. Flanagan fatally shot himself after a police chase. Feb. 23, 2015: An employee of armed security company Shields Business Solutions in Moorestown, New Jersey, opened fire on a co-worker inside the business before fatally shooting himself outside amid what police described as an ongoing domestic situation. Moorestown Police Lt. Lee Lieber said Edgar Figueroa killed himself after shooting Melvin Nieves four times. Feb. 12, 2015: Truck driver Jeffrey DeZeeuw got into an argument over a delivery with a supervisor at a Sioux Steel Co. location known as ProTec, in Lennox, South Dakota. DeZeeuw later returned, fatally shot the supervisor and wounded worker Kathy Steever. He also injured another employee, Brian Roesler, who confronted DeZeeuw and is credited with likely preventing more injuries or deaths. DeZeeuw then killed himself. WHAT WAS ONE OF THE EARLIEST WORKPLACE SHOOTINGS? On Sept. 14, 1989, Joseph Wesbecker, a disgruntled worker wracked with rage and mental illness, brought an AK-47 into the Standard-Gravure printing plant in Louisville, Kentucky, and killed eight employees before killing himself. Its widely described as one of the first workplace shootings in the United States. WHAT OTHER WORKPLACE SHOOTINGS HAVE OCCURRED OVER THE PAST 5 YEARS? Sept. 23, 2014: Rayon Bartley shot his co-worker Jose Raul Cardenas-Ramirez at Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf and Resort Spa in Hoover, Alabama. Investigators said Bartley was fired and returned the next day to kill Ramirez. He was later arrested and charged with murder. Sept. 23, 2014: Fired UPS employee Kerry Joe Tesney killed two supervisors, Doug Hutcheson and Brian Callans in Birmingham, Alabama, before killing himself. Aug. 1, 2014: Anthony DeFrances, an executive at the Chicago company Arrowstream, shot the companys CEO Steven Lavoie twice, and then turned the gun on himself. DeFrances had been demoted from his position as chief technology officer. Lavoie died several months later from his injuries. April 2, 2014: At Fort Hood, Texas, three soldiers died and 16 others were wounded in a shooting by Army Spc. Ivan A. Lopez, who then killed himself. Sept. 16, 2013: Aaron Alexis, a civilian contractor, shot 12 people to death at the Washington Navy Yard before he was killed in a police shootout. Aug. 24, 2013: Longtime employee Hubert Allen Jr., 72, targeted several of his former co-workers at Pritchett Trucking in Lake Butler, Florida, killing three people, including company founder Marvin Pritchett, and wounding two others before killing himself. June 13, 2013: St. Louis businessman Ahmed Dirir fatally shot all three of his employees at his home health care agency before killing himself. Sept. 27, 2012: Andrew Engeldinger, who had just been fired from Accent Signage Systems in Minneapolis, fatally shot six people, including the companys founder. He also wounded two others before killing himself. Aug. 31, 2012: Two young employees at a Pathmark supermarket in Old Bridge Township, New Jersey, were gunned down by co-worker Terence Tyler, who then fatally shot himself. Aug. 24, 2012: Jeffrey Johnson ambushed and killed a former co-worker outside the Empire State Building in New York City, and was then shot to death by police on a crowded street. Stray and ricocheting police bullets injured nine people nearby. Feb. 26, 2012: At the Immigration and Customs Enforcements office in Long Beach, California, Kevin Kozak, the second-in-command for the agencys Los Angeles region, turned down a transfer request by Ezequiel Garcia, who then shot him six times. Another agent killed Garcia. Kozak survived. Jan. 13, 2012: At a North Carolina lumber warehouse, Ronald Dean Davis fatally shot three co-workers and critically wounded another before going home and fatally shooting himself. Dec. 16, 2011: An employee of Southern California Edison, Andre Turner, shot and killed two company managers and critically injured two other colleagues in a utility office in Irwindale, before fatally turning his gun on himself. Oct. 6, 2011: A truck driver opened fire at a Lehigh Southwest Cement plant in Cupertino, northern California, killing three co-workers and injuring six others. Gunman Shareef Allman led police on a 27-hour manhunt before fatally shooting himself in the head during a standoff. Associated Press News Researcher Jennifer Farrar contributed to this report. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics California USA Commercial Lines Business Insurance Law Enforcement MetLife Auto & Home has introduced its first commercial automobile policy. The product is now available in Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, with more states planned in the near future. The commercial auto coverage is an addition to MetLife Auto & Home Link, a suite of commercial property and casualty products specifically designed for small business owners, including property, liability, and business interruption coverage. MetLife Auto & Home Link products are available through independent agents and brokers, as well as through MetLife Auto & Home career agents. Producers interested in appointments with the company can contact their current regional sales manager. In addition to commercial auto, MetLife Auto & Home provides a small business property/liability product (BOP) currently available in 34 states, including New York. The MetLife Auto & Home companies, subsidiaries of MetLife, Inc., are nationwide personal lines property and casualty insurance providers, insuring over 3.8 million autos and homes. MetLife, Inc. is a global provider of insurance, annuities and employee benefit programs. Topics Auto Commercial Lines Business Insurance New Markets As more small business owners become comfortable buying everything including insurance online, exclusive agent carriers will gain an advantage over independent agency carriers in the highly-fragmented and increasingly competitive small commercial lines insurance market, according to a new report. Overall, the small commercial insurance market is a bright spot, one of the few P/C markets in the U.S. that has been growing in recent years. But a new report from McKinsey & Co. says the competition in this market will intensify as more large carriers enter the field and small business customers exhibit their openness to buying via direct and digital channels. McKinsey says the market is attracting attention from carriers with primary business lines that have become saturated and commoditized, as well as from digital-based sellers. While the report says focusing on the profitable small commercial segment makes business sense, it also maintains that the shifting behavior of small business owners towards online purchasing presents new challenges for carriers, particularly those that use independent agents. According to the report, Small Commercial Insurance: A Bright Spot in the U.S. Property-Casualty Market, agency carriers will need to adjust to compete in this space. The consumerization of small commercial insurance is likely to shift the balance of power in the sector. Carriers with customer-facing capabilitiesparticularly exclusive agent carriers with strong personal lines businesses and some small commercial presencewill have an advantage over those that distribute through independent agents. Independent agency carriers have deep industry experience and operational strengths, but will need to move quickly to develop marketing and customer-facing capabilities, the report says. McKinsey consultants also believe that digital sellers unencumbered by legacy issues that can launch nimbler direct models will be vying for their share of the small commercial lines market, too. According to McKinsey, a segment of small commercial insurance buyers will always value independent agents, but an increasing percentage are open to the direct route and may only be using agents to close a deal because direct binding isnt readily available. Sixty percent of the customers surveyed said they would consider binding direct. If carriers develop strong direct quote-and-bind capabilities, there will be no shortage of customers willing to use them, the consultants conclude. The report is based on a survey of 1,500 small businesses in the U.S. across a variety of industries, ranging in size from one to 100 full-time employees, as well as interviews with dozens of customers and distributors. The Market For this report, the small commercial market in the U.S. is defined as businesses with up to 100 employees and $100,000 in annual premiums. This segment represents just over one-third of the commercial lines market with $103 billion in direct written premiums. The market is highly fragmented with the largest carrier accounting for only 6 percent of total premiums. However, the largest carriers are moving quickly to secure their positions, according to McKinsey, which found that over the past six years, the market share of carriers with more than $2.5 billion in direct written premiums has increased by 12 percentage points. According to McKinseys survey, almost 40 percent of sole proprietorships in the U.S. do not carry small commercial coverage. Some may be covered under home-based business owner policies or endorsements on their personal lines policies, but this finding raises the possibility of unexpected room for growth in the smaller business market, the report says. However, McKinsey believes that changing customer preferences and behaviors are upending traditional business models and carriers will need to improve in a number of areas in order to capitalize on the attractive opportunities in small commercial insurance. Reports Findings Among the claims from McKinseys research: Customer demand for alternatives to agents exceeds supply. A segment of small commercial insurance buyers will always value the advice and personal touch that agents provide, but an increasing percentage are open to the direct route. Already, 70 percent of small commercial customers start their shopping journey through a non-agent channel (e.g., online). Most shift over to the agent channel, with 82 percent binding through agents. However, for a significant percentage of shoppers, using an agent to close the deal may be less a matter of choice and more a question of the availability of direct binding. Sixty percent of the customers McKinsey surveyed said they would consider interacting directly with a commercial insurer, and more than half of those would consider binding direct. If carriers develop strong direct quote-and-bind capabilities, there will be no shortage of customers willing to use them. Customers see products as over-complicated and feel unprotected against emerging risks. Many small commercial customers expressed a desire to simplify the process for getting the right combination of products and coverage. Carriers could offer simple packages tailored to the largest industries, and the major sub-classifications within them, to meet this need. Among emerging risks, cyber risk is most troubling to small business owners, with nearly one-third naming it as a concern and over one-third reporting they are not adequately covered. The number of potential switchers far exceeds the 6 percent who actually switch. Many more small commercial customers are up for grabs during renewal cycles than the actual level of switchingabout 6 percentwould indicate. The largest untapped segment are customers who do not shop, but maintain their loyalty out of inertia rather than a strong connection to the brand. These passively loyal policyholders represent nearly one-quarter of all small commercial insurance customers. At the beginning of the direct era in personal lines insurance, GEICO and Progressive grew in large part by attracting passive loyalists from other carriers. Industry sector and business size are ineffective criteria for market segmentation. The traditional approach to segmentation in small commercial insurance will no longer serve carriers in an increasingly competitive market. Segmentation based on customer needs and behaviors provides a more accurate view into what influences insurance buyers. For example, price-sensitivity is not exclusive to smaller businesses with basic coverage needs; there is a segment of insurance buyers at larger small businesses across a range of industries for whom price is paramount. Propensity to buy direct is another behavioral factor that can crop up in unexpected segments. For example, even at larger, complex small businesses, a segment of insurance buyers that McKinsey calls industry expertise shoppers prefers to handle insurance shopping through direct channels. Other Reports The McKinsey reports findings arent new. According to a 2013 study by consultant Deloitte, more than half of small businesses (52 percent) said they were ready and willing to buy their insurance direct from a carrier over the Internet without an agent or broker. However, as the McKinsey report found, they were not buying it online in great numbers in the U.S. for a number of reasons including the lack of web options but they were interested. Also, according to a recent J.D. Power survey of U.S. small commercial insurance customers, insurers writing predominantly personal lines get higher satisfaction ratings from small business customers than insurers focused more on commercial lines. Independent agency carriers are not unaware of the challenges ahead in small commercial lines. A number have joined the TrustedChoice.com online commercial insurance platform backed by the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America (Big I) to sell small business insurance. Insurers are also investing in digital platforms including CoverHound, 24 percent of which is now owned by ACE Ltd. (now the new Chubb). Insureon, an online agency for small business insurance, raised more than $30 million last October. Seattle-based AssureStart, backed by the American Family Mutual Insurance Co., which sells to business with fewer than 30 employees, is backed by the American Family Mutual Insurance Co. Insurer Hiscox has been expanding its online platform for small businesses for a number of years. Last December, Berkshire Hathaway Inc., which owns GEICO, created Berkshire Hathaway Direct Insurance Co. to sell insurance directly to businesses over the Internet. The new insurer planned to initially focus on workers compensation and business owners package policies. Source: McKinsey & Co. Related: Topics Carriers USA Agencies Commercial Lines Business Insurance Dan Loebs reinsurer cited risks tied to regulation as the Internal Revenue Service and U.S. Senator Ron Wyden work to limit what the lawmaker called a tax loophole used by hedge fund managers to route investments abroad. Third Point Reinsurance Ltd. joins a venture with ties to David Einhorn in addressing the effects of possible tax changes. Legislators are weighing limits on rules that allow hedge fund managers to pay lower rates on trading profits and postpone some bills when their operations are classified as insurers in offshore locations. The IRS in April proposed rules that could limit the insurance company exemption, while not offering specifics about which firms would be excluded. It is unclear whether final regulations will include a specific methodology and how any such methodology would apply to us, Third Point Re said in its annual filing to the Securities and Exchange Commission, in a passage about possible risks. Loeb manages investments for the Bermuda-based reinsurer. Regulators and lawmakers have been discussing for years the possibility of limiting the insurance exemption. The focus intensified in 2015 with the IRS proposal and a bill from Wyden that would deny companies the beneficial treatment if insurance liabilities are less than 10 percent of assets. Loebs company said in the Feb. 26 document that it believes its reserves are consistent with industry standards, but that it cant be sure that the IRS will agree that it qualifies for the exemption. Greenlight Capital Re Ltd., which counts Einhorn as chairman, said in its annual filing that a new classification could affect the taxation of some investors. Adverse Effect If regulations are adopted or legislation enacted that cause us to fail to meet the requirements of the insurance company exception, such failure could have a material adverse effect on taxation of U.S. shareholders, the company said in the Feb. 22 document. In that event, we may undertake changes to the manner in which we conduct our business. That passage is similar to language used by Cayman Islands-based Greenlight Re in a quarterly filing last year. Wyden, the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, proposed legislation in June. Under the Oregon lawmakers plan, the status of firms with a ratio of liabilities to assets between 10 percent and 25 percent would be based on facts and circumstances. Third Point Re had a ratio of 11.9 percent at the end of 2012, according to a 2014 report by the Joint Committee on Taxation on Bermuda-based insurers. Paulsons Exit Hedge fund manager John Paulsons PacRe Ltd. has shut down and returned capital to investors, according to a January statement from Validus Holdings Ltd., the billionaires insurance partner. PacRe devoted a much smaller share of its capital to insurance contracts than the Einhorn or Loeb ventures do. Also, the IRS proposal targets companies that borrow their insurance executives from another firm, as PacRe did with Validus. Both Greenlight Re and Third Point Re have their own underwriters and have added insurance professionals. Hillary Clinton, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for president, has pledged to fight the Bermuda reinsurance tax advantage. While Wyden has long been pushing for tighter rules on hedge fund reinsurers, the issue has drawn less attention from Republicans, who hold the Senate majority. With assistance from Selina Wang and Lily Katz Related: Copyright 2022 Bloomberg. Topics USA Legislation Reinsurance A sense of normalcy is returning to St. John the Baptist Parish after a tornado struck the west side of LaPlace last week and damaged more than 500 buildings but remarkably left no one seriously injured. The area hit last week was the same area that flooded in 2012 during Hurricane Isaac. Schools in the parish reopened on Feb. 29 while businesses and homeowners began repairs. The LaPlace tornado was one of 13 that struck in Louisiana on Feb. 23. Two men were killed when a tornado touched down at a RV park in nearby St. James Parish. Thirty others were injured there, officials said. We have some resilient people in St. John Parish and they will do what it takes to return to a normal life, said Travis Perrilloux, assistant director of the St. John Parish Office of Emergency Preparedness. Perrilloux said 525 structures were damaged and 100 are considered uninhabitable in five subdivisions. St. John received help from surrounding parishes that have supplied personnel and equipment to remove much of the debris, he said. Perrilloux said it will take several months for some homes to be repaired and even longer for others. Homes that cant be repaired will be torn down, he said. Jennifer Boquet, a spokeswoman for the school system, said there was no noticeable drop in attendance on the first day back to school. It appears the extra days off gave families time to regroup and return to the school routine, she said. The school district will provide supplies and uniforms to students who lost their possessions in the tornado, Boquet said. The Home Depot store in LaPlace is ground zero for those needing repair supplies. First it was lumber, plywood and tarps to help cover homes in the days after the tornado, store manager James Barger said. We are now seeing a run on shingles and insulation as homeowners begin to repair their roofs, Barger said. Barger says Home Depot sent a truck to different subdivisions to hand out water, tarps, trash bags and racks to help people clean up their property. He says electricians are also coming in to buy meter heads and breaker boxes to replace those damaged by the storm. Volunteers have flocked in too. Among them are about 100 volunteers with Hope Reigns, a nonprofit Christian group based in Tupelo, Mississippi. John Fuqua, one of the leaders of the group, said this is his second time in LaPlace. The first time was after Hurricane Isaac. One of those getting help from Hope Reigns is Kristine Darwin. The whole family was home when the tornado struck. We could feel the pressure change and part of the roof was torn off and the rain starting pouring in, Darwin said. Darwin, whose husband works for St. John Parish, was going to attempt the repairs, but she said after speaking to a representative with Hope Reign, a crew of volunteers showed up and repaired what they could on the roof and covered the rest with tarps. They were a godsend, Darwin said. Photo at top: A tornado ripped through the Sugar Hill RV Park in the town of Convent, La. (David Grunfeld/NOLA.com The Times-Picayune via AP) Related: Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Windstorm Starting over in a new country isnt easy. There are cultural differences and language barriers that must be overcome. For children, who are adaptable, the social challenges can be great. Going to school while you are learning a new language can be daunting, thats why a program for elementary students in the Bismarck Public Schools is so important. The English Language Learner Welcome Center gives students the opportunity to learn English and start school in a controlled setting instead of jumping into a classroom where they would have difficulty understanding teachers and communicating with classmates. The program helps prevent the students from falling behind and makes it easier for them to make friends when they enter a classroom. The program is relatively new, with the welcome center opening in the fall of 2015. The students spend up to three trimesters at the welcome center, located at Hughes Educational Center, before moving to their neighborhood schools. Some students move earlier if they do well on an assessment. Before the welcome center was established, students were enrolled straight into neighborhood schools even if they knew little English. English Language Learner instructors visited schools and worked with the students for a limited amount of time. So some students spent most of their days in sort of a fog, attending classes where they didnt understand their teachers and classmates. When the students are done at the welcome center they arent tossed into their new school. Every student attends a transition meeting at their school with their parents to meet the teachers and administrators. They also get a tour and a classroom buddy to take them under their wing. The buddy aspect of the program is especially nice a chance for a North Dakota child to share and learn with someone from another country. The importance of a buddy cant be downplayed. Some might think the school district is going through a lot of trouble for a few students. Thats not the case. There are 155 English Language Learner students at various levels of proficiency who speak 27 different languages in the school district. It makes sense when dealing with so many languages to have one starting point to help the kids. The district is considering a similar program for middle school students, but it doesnt appear feasible at the moment to include high school students. With students from so many different countries coming into the district its important to help them assimilate into our society. If the students are happy and succeeding, it makes life easier for their parents who no doubt are going through adjustments. Anyone who read reporter Amy R. Sisks Saturday story about the program couldnt miss the excitement of the young graduates getting ready to enter their schools. The photo of the beaming kids also told the story. The school district should be commended for their efforts. Workers compensation insurer, Texas Mutual Insurance Co., a policyholder-owned company, and VFIS of Texas awarded more than $150,000 to 71 non-profit emergency service organizations across Texas through the Emergency Responder Safety, Training & Wellness Grant Program. Texas Mutual, the states leading provider of workers compensation insurance and Volunteer Firemens Insurance Services of Texas (VFIS of Texas) partnered with the State Firefighters & Fire Marshals Association of Texas to manage the application process and select the grant recipients. Each recipient submitted an application outlining a specific need or project the grant would fund. This is the third consecutive year Texas Mutual and VFIS of Texas have awarded these grants to emergency responders across the state. VFIS of Texas is the state regional director for VFIS, a subsidiary of the Glatfelter Insurance Group, and the master agent for the Emergency Service Organization Workers Compensation Safety Group. Source: Texas Mutual Insurance Co. Topics Texas Workers' Compensation The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) launched its new FORTIFIED HomeHigh Wind and Hail programs at the National Tornado Summit in Oklahoma. The programs are designed to help homeowners build safer, stronger new homes, and retrofit or repair existing homes to make them more resistant to high winds and hailstorms. Last year, we had nearly 800 tornadoes, hailstorms and high windstorms, which caused millions and millions of dollars in damage. We simply cannot keep rebuilding communities in the same places in the same ways and expect a different result. Weve got to do better for our citizens and the new FORTIFIED programs will help us do that, said Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner John D. Doak. Homeowners insurance is a wonderful safety net that can help put houses back together following severe weather events, but there is much more that makes a house a home, and a family part of a community. The FORTIFIED HomeHigh Wind and Hail programs protect what is priceless like cherished family heirlooms that can never be replaced, and the peace of mind you have knowing your home will still be there when the storm passes, Doak said. During the past five years, claims related to wind and hail damage on a national basis have accounted for almost 40 percent of all insured losses, averaging approximately $15 billion annually and growing each year, according to ISOs Actuarial Service. The new FORTIFIED programs are being launched nationally with a focus on the Midwest and Great Plains areas, and a special concentration in Oklahoma and Colorado two locations very vulnerable to extreme high winds and hailstorms, said Fred Malik, IBHS director of FORTIFIED programs. Employing an incremental approach, the programs have three levels of designation Bronze, Silver and Gold. Builders and contractors work with home buyers and homeowners to choose the desired level of protection that best suits their budgets and resilience goals, Malik said. The new FORTIFIED HomeHigh Wind and Hail programs provide a uniform, voluntary, superior set of standards to help improve a homes resilience by adding system-specific upgrades to minimum code requirements. One of the most unique and important aspects of the programs is that every FORTIFIED Home is inspected by an independent, third party, certified evaluator before and after the upgrades are performed. People often ask why the FORTIFIED Home programs are necessary when many jurisdictions have building codes in place. The answer is codes appropriately provide minimum life safety protection designed to ensure people can get out of a building safely. Codes are not intended to ensure homes are habitable after a catastrophic event or to protect the contents inside a home, explained Malik. Another key feature of these programs is they start by focusing on the roof, which is the most important and most vulnerable component of every building. Your roof is your first line of defense during severe weather, so you want it to be as strong as possible, noted Malik. He added that IBHS engineers believe property damage to homes from EF-0 and EF-1 tornadoes can be virtually eliminated if they are built or retrofitted using FORTIFIED standards. Source: IBHS, Oklahoma Insurance Department Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Windstorm Oklahoma Western General Insurance Company will deploy One, Incs ContactOne and ProcessOne technologies for IT and customer experience improvement, the company recently announced. Implementation of the software will enable the P&C insurer to improve the billing experience for its customers through real-time payment, automatically contact members upon cancelation or failure to renew policies and eliminate data security concerns while reducing costs. Taking care of our customers is the driving force behind all of our decisions as a company, said Mark Goldsmith, vice president of operations for Western General, in a statement. It was clear during the selection process that ContactOne and ProcessOne offered features that would enable us to offer a higher level of customer service through improved communication capabilities and better internal processes. Anche se con fare un po incerto linnovativo drone monoposto SD-03 della nipponica SkyDrive ha volato per la prima volta con un uomo a bordo sullarea del Toyota Test Field a Tokyo, muovendosi a bassa quota sul terreno del centro prove per circa quattro minuti. La notizia, che e stata amplificata dalla diffusione virale del video, conferma che dopo la presentazione di questo ambizioso progetto da parte di SkyDrive Inc uno sviluppatore di soluzioni per la mobilita aerea urbana la soluzione costituita da un piccolo velivolo elettrico con decollo e atterraggio verticale (eVTOL) ha buone possibilita di diventare un nuovo rivoluzionario mezzo di trasporto nelle megalopoli del futuro. Il primo test di unauto volante con pilota a bordo Siamo estremamente soddisfatti di aver effettuato in Giappone il primo test di unauto volante con pilota a bordo ha commentato Tomohiro Fukuzawa, Ceo di SkyDrive a soli due anni da quando abbiamo fondato la nostra azienda con lobiettivo di commercializzare tali aeromobili. Miriamo a portare il nostro esperimento al livello successivo nel 2023 e a tal fine accelereremo lo sviluppo della tecnologia e quello del nostro business. Lobiettivo e di realizzare auto volanti che siano un mezzo di trasporto accessibile e conveniente nei cieli. Si vuole fare in modo che le persone possano sperimentare un nuovo modo di vivere sicuro, protetto e confortevole. I motori del drone monoposto E impropriamente definito auto volante, in quanto impossibilitato a muoversi su strada. Il drone monoposto SD-03 misura 2 metri di altezza, 4 di larghezza e 4 metri di lunghezza, occupando a terra lo stesso spazio di due auto parcheggiate. Il gruppo propulsore e costituito da motori elettrici che azionano i doppi rotori distribuiti in quattro posizioni. Luso di otto motori garantisce la sicurezza in situazioni di emergenza durante il volo. Tale mira aiuta ad affrontare gli standard di conformita e a risolvere potenziali problemi normativi. Vista di lato, la fusoliera si legge nella nota ha un aspetto snello ed elegante con gli alloggiamenti del motore. Questi si estendono in elementi curvi che mantengono lunita visiva del design del velivolo e ne enfatizzano le qualita aerodinamiche. The Mexican peso (MXN) is one of the most traded currencies in the world and is third in the Western Hemisphere, behind only the U.S. dollar (USD) and the Canadian dollar (CAD). Although the peso crosses with USD attract fewer investors than major pairs, including the euro (EUR/USD) and yen (USD/JPY), the peso still offers highly liquid access to Latin America and emerging market growth opportunities. The Mexican peso has transformed from just a national currency into a formidable international financial instrument in recent decades. While forex trading has also boomed worldwide, three specific catalysts have helped drive the currencys popularity and liquidity. Key Takeaways The Mexican peso is a formidable international financial instrument due to three specific catalysts that have helped drive the currency's liquidity. Typically Mexico has higher interest rates than the United States, which can attract investment funds into higher-yielding Mexican government bonds. Mexico and the United States share a border, which has led to broad trade agreements, increasing commercial interactions between the two countries. Mexico is one of the largest petroleum producers globally and is the fourth-largest oil producer in the Americas after the United States, Canada, and Brazil. Mexican Peso and Global Economic Conditions Before delving into the liquidity of the Mexican peso, it's important to discuss how the currencies of emerging market economies, such as the Mexican peso, are impacted during global economic downturns and geo-financial crises. Developed nations tend to attract investment flows during times of uncertainty and global recessions. On the other hand, emerging market economies tend to attract investment capital during times of economic expansions and global stability. As a result, currencies like the peso can see wild fluctuationscalled volatilityin their exchange rates during times of instability. The Dollar As a Reserve Currency The U.S. dollar is a reserve currency, meaning it's held by central banks and used to facilitate many financial transactions, particularly in the commodity market. For example, gold, silver, and crude oil are usually priced in U.S. dollars. As a result,t the U.S. dollar is often used as a safe haven, which is essentially an investment that limits an investor's exposure to losses during market downturns. As a result, the dollar tends to appreciate or rise in value versus other currencies during recessions or when investors are risk-averse. For example, global investors might sell their peso-denominated investments and mutual funds for U.S. dollar-denominated investments and Treasuries. In doing so, the peso weakens against the dollar. The Mexican Peso and Recessions We saw this risk aversion play out during the financial crisis of 2007-2008. On July 30, 2008, the peso traded at 10.0345 versus the dollar, meaning you would receive 10.0345 pesos for one dollar. Once the financial crisis struck, leading to the Great Recession, investors opted to send their money to safe-havens like U.S. Treasuries, leading, in part, to the peso weakening by more than 53% to 15.4060 by March 2, 2009. The Mexican peso also lost value versus the dollar due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting recession in 2020. The peso stood at 18.86 on Dec. 31, 2019, a few months before the pandemic began in March 2020. Once the pandemic struck the global community, many investors sought safety sending their money to safe-haven assets, such as U.S. Treasuries. As a result, U.S. Treasury bond prices soared, and the Mexican peso weakened versus the dollar as capital flows fled Mexico, causing the peso to weaken by more than 33% to 25.13 pesos-per-dollar by March 24, 2020. The peso eventually rebounded somewhat to 20.51 by Dec. 30, 2021. However, the U.S. dollar has essentially doubled in value versus the peso since July 2008. 1. Higher Interest Rates and the Carry Trade Typically Mexico has higher interest rates than the United States. In other words, Mexican bonds pay a higher yield or return than U.S. government-backed U.S. Treasuries. Interest Rate Differential Typically, Mexico produces higher interest rate returns (or yield) than the U.S. because of the central bank maintaining higher interest rates. For example, Mexican government bonds were paying about 8% in interest per year in 2019, compared to around 2% for the U.S. dollar. However, as of December 2021, the fed funds rate stood at .08% as a result of monetary policy by the Fed, designed to stimulate the U.S. economy during the 2020 recession. The policy included lowering interest rates (via the fed funds rate) to encourage borrowing and stimulate the purchase of goods, such as automobiles and homes. The result of lower rates in developed nations can lead to speculators and investors borrowing money in zero-to-low interest rate policy countries and putting it in markets with higher interest ratesa strategy known as the carry trade. Carry Trade The carry trade can be far more profitable due to the use of leverage by currency traders. Foreign exchange (forex) traders can use 10:1 or even 100:1 leverage to multiply gains from the carry trade. Shorting (or selling) the U.S. dollar and going long (or buying) the Mexican peso with enough leverage can produce returns of 60% or even 600% in one year. When interest rates are six percentage points higher in Mexico, such leveraged gains are possible even when there is no movement in the exchange rate. However, just as leverage can magnify gains, it can also magnify losses. The peso carry trade can collapse suddenly when the U.S. dollar rises rapidly against the Mexican peso, as happened during the 2020 bear market. Before the 2020 recession, Mexican interest rates for government bonds offered 5-6% more in interest than its U.S. counterparts, which encouraged borrowing funds from U.S. banks and investing in Mexican bonds. The trade can work well in times of stability since the USD/MXN exchange rate would likely be stable, but during the 2020 recession, instability rose due to the pandemic. As a result, capital flows fled Mexico and into safe-haven investments, such as Treasuries, despite them offering much lower yields than Mexican government bonds. This led to the peso weakening by 33% from the end of 2019 to late March of 2020. Using leverage in the carry trade can be very dangerous, as well as highly profitable. 2. Proximity to the United States Mexico and the United States share a border and a relationship that extends to broad trade agreements and immigration disputes. Physical proximity has an additional effect on the pesos value. Highly prosperous border regions engaging in commercial interactions significantly increase Mexican peso liquidity. The USD/MXN forex pair offers a natural currency play, and it is also the most liquid MXN pair. Regarding trade, the United States exported more than $252 billion in goods to Mexico in 2021 while importing $351 billion worth of goods, adding significant liquidity. This balance of trade (BOT) showed some fluctuation in the last decade, and the shifting ratio had an impact on relative value. However, the trade agreements with Mexico can be revised, which can lead to volatility in the USD/MXN exchange rate and capital flows between the two countries. For example, following the election of President Donald Trump in 2016, uncertainty surfaced regarding the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which, in part, led to the peso depreciating by nearly 18% against the dollar from October 2016 to January 2017. However, a new trade agreementcalled the U.S. Mexico Canada Trade Agreement (USMCA)was eventually reached in early 2020. 3. Crude Oil Mexico is one of the largest petroleum producers globally and is the fourth-largest oil producer in the Americas after the United States, Canada, and Brazil. As of January 2020, Mexico had 5.8 billion barrels of crude oil reserves, making Mexico in the top 25 reserves holders in the world. The Mexican peso often moves with energy prices because Mexico's oil reserves provide collateral for financing. The money from borrowing allows the Mexican government to obtain funds for domestic spending programs. International lenders are more willing to invest and assume risk in petroleum-dominated countries when crude oil prices are high. The connections between the Mexican peso and oil have also led to investors speculating on oil prices and the USD/MXN exchange rate. However, many risks exist to investors due to volatility and uncertainty surrounding crude oil prices and Mexican oil production. A dramatic collapse in oil prices in early 2020 added to the depreciation in the value of the peso. Also, Mexico's oil production has declined significantly over the years due to the maturation of the country's oil fieldsdecreasing by 50% from their 2004 peak. The Bottom Line The Mexican peso shows high liquidity for three reasons. First, it can offer relatively high-interest rates that support the carry trade. Secondly, the country's physical proximity to the United States encourages billions of dollars in commercial activity. Finally, it has crude oil reserves that contribute to international trade. In July 2015, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran Nuclear Deal, made headlines across the globe as a landmark historical agreement between extreme opponents. It was a signature foreign policy achievement of President Barack Obama's second term. The accord came after months of preparation and two weeks of final intensive discussions in Vienna, and with eight parties involved, the final result was an agreement with five annexes. The deal was intended to limit Tehran's nuclear ability in return for lifting international oil and financial sanctions. It laid out a lengthy process, spanning over 15 to 25 years, that would be supervised by an eight-member committee, including Iran, the U.S., the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Russia, China, and the European Union. However, the deal has proved challenging to keep intact. In May 2018, President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. would be pulling out of the deal and issuing fresh sanctions against Iran. However, more recently, President Joe Biden has signaled his willingness to rejoin the agreement, as long as Tehran resumes complying with the terms of the original agreement. Key Takeaways The Iran nuclear deal was designed to curb Iran's ability to produce nuclear weapons, in exchange for the removal of sanctions on Iran. In May 2018, former U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. would be pulling out of the deal and issuing sanctions on Iran. After then-President Trump ordered the killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in early 2019, Iran announced its withdrawal from the nuclear deal. Iran Nuclear Deal Background Based on the revelations of an Iranian exile group in 2002, Iran was suspected of having nuclear facilities. Following inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and subsequent discoveries, Iran continued to proceed with nuclear developments despite international opposition. In 2006, the United Nations imposed sanctions on Iran, which were followed by similar actions from the U.S. and the EU. Bitter confrontations then broke out between Iran and the world powers. These sanctionsprimarily on Iran's oil business, weapons sales, and financial transactionshad severely hurt Irans economy. As one of the largest producers of crude oil, prices went through a volatile period as the outcome was largely unknown. The Parties Involved The deal was negotiated between Iran and a group of counterparts that included the U.S., Russia, the U.K., Germany, France, China, and the European Union (EU). The supporters of the nuclear deal affirm benefits, which include the best-possible guarantee from Iran that it will refrain from producing a nuclear arsenal. It was, at the time, an important step toward establishing peace in the Middle East region, particularly in the context of ISIS and the role of oil in Middle East economies. The Main Points To make nuclear bombs, the uranium ore mined from the earth needs enrichment to either uranium-235 or plutonium. Uranium ore mined from the earth is processed via devices called centrifuges to create uranium-235. Uranium ore is processed in nuclear reactors, which transform it into plutonium. Under the deal, Tehran would reduce the number of centrifuges to 5,000 at the Natanz uranium plantabout half the number at the time. Nationwide, the number of centrifuges would reduce from 19,000 to 6,000. The enrichment levels would be brought down to 3.7%, which was much lower than the 90% needed to make a bomb. The stockpile for the low-enrichment uranium would be capped to 300 kilograms for the next 15 years, down from the then 12,000 kilograms. All these measures served to restrict Iran's capability to make a nuclear bomb and would ensure nuclear power usage is limited to civilian use only. Next Steps and Timeline As the deal was finalized, a UN Security Council resolution was agreed upon. By August 15, 2015, Iran submitted written responses to the questions raised by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) about its nuclear program and developments. Additionally, it allowed monitoring of its facilities by IAEA inspectors on or before October 15, 2015. Removal of Sanctions First, the oil embargo that prevented the import of oil from Iran was removed, which was not without its effects. The U.S. and EU lifted oil- and trade-related sanctions. Foreign companies began to purchase oil from Iran; U.S. companies located outside the United States were authorized to trade with Iran; and imports of selected items from Iran were permitted, which had a particular effect on international business. Simultaneously, sanctions on Irans banking and financial systems were dropped. It enabled the immediate release of around $100 billion currently lying frozen in Iranian bank accounts overseas. Other Benefits Immediately after the announcement, government officials from major European countries began visits to Iran to explore business opportunities. Some of the main challenges faced by Iran during the sanction period were Iran's shrinking GDP, high inflation (over 35% in 2013), and the nation being cut off from world economic systems. All such economic challenges drastically improved after the agreement. Lifting sanctions would allow the movement of huge supplies of oil from Iran, which was thought to be sitting on large stockpiles due to years of imposed sanctions. International oil companies like Frances Total and Norways Statoil (now Equinor) operated in Iran for years before sanctions were imposed, changing the tide for those countries and other top oil producers in the world. European car manufacturers like Peugeot and Volkswagen were market leaders in Iran prior to the sanctions. Although a few sectors like auto, oil, and infrastructure had significant interest from foreign companies in the pre-sanction era, the reality was that foreign businesses had limited presence in Iran since the 1979 Revolution. In essence, the Iranian markets had remained largely unexplored by international businesses across many other industry sectors. Key Concerns Former U.S. President Barack Obama claimed that the deal would make the U.S. and the world a safer place. However, concerns remained. Challenges included administrating and monitoring the atomic facilities and developments in Iran. Complete awareness was required about the existing labs, establishments, underground sites, research centers, and military bases associated with nuclear developments. Though Iran agreed to provide the IAEA with higher levels of information and deeper levels of access to all nuclear programs and facilities in the country, the picture remained murky. Opposition to the Iran Nuclear Deal The deal, although welcomed by a larger group of nations across the globe, also had opposition from a few prominent world leaders. Israeli leader Netanyahu said the deal "paves Iran's path to the bomb." His vehement opposition to the deal came on the basis of Irans history of being a nuclear-capable challenge for the Middle East region. Additionally, Netanyahu said the deal was a platform to fund and nurture a nuclear-capable, religious-extremist country, saying a strengthened Iran could hinder peace and security in the region. Former President Donald Trump and Iran After Donald Trump was elected president in November 2016, proponents of the deal feared the agreement, which they saw as a win for world peace, would be in jeopardy. 2018 In May of 2018, President Trump announced that the U.S. would pull out of the deal and by the end of the year had reinstated sanctions on Iran. European countries, including Germany, France, and the U.K. disagreed with the sanctions. As a result, Iran's economy struggled, leading to protests in the streets. Iran responded when Iranian President Hassan Rouhani announced that the country was rolling back some of the restrictions that had been previously agreed to under the 2015 deal. Iran would stop complying with the caps for stockpiles of enriched uranium. The Iranian president also announced the country would also halt any sales of surplus supplies overseas. 2019 In early 2019, President Trump ordered the killing of General Qasem Soleimani, who was one of Iran's top military leaders. In response, Iran announced it would no longer comply with the nuclear deal that President Obama had signed in 2015. In May 2019, Iran's Atomic Energy Organization stated that they would quadruple the production or output of low-enriched uranium, which was later confirmed by the IAEA as reported by BBC news. President Joe Biden and Iran 2021 President Joe Biden is said to be intent on restoring the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran. According to officials who are working on the deal, Biden and his aides are going through the process of reviewing each sanction that former U.S. President Donald Trump put in place against Iran. (Towards the end of Trump's term, the former President levied more than 700 sanctions against the country.) Ali Vaez, of the International Crisis Group (ICG), was the senior advisor to Robert Malley, Biden's chief negotiator, when Malley was head of the ICG. Vaez has said that "...sanctions that are justified and not inconsistent with the JCPOA, like those that targeted human rights violators in Iran or those that penalized Iranians involved in cyberattacks against the U.S., will stay in place. In recent months, Iran has produced nuclear material that could be used for bombs and has increased its enrichment levels. Both of these actions are violations of the original pact and if continued, would prevent any sanctions against the country from being lifted. The Bottom Line The pros and cons of such a landmark deal were hotly debated. Most views, claims, and allegations were often politically tuned. European leaders still hold out hope that a deal can be reimplemented in an effort to constrain Iran's nuclear ambitions. However, for the time being, it appears that the Iran nuclear deal is on life support. Entrepreneur Elon Musk has achieved global fame as the chief executive (CEO) of electric autos maker Tesla Inc. (TSLA) and CEO of the private space company SpaceX. Musk co-founded PayPal (PYPL), was an early investor in several tech companies, and in April 2022 he began negotiations for a deal to take Twitter Inc. (TWTR) private. His success and personal style has given rise to comparisons to other colorful tycoons from U.S. history, including Steve Jobs, Howard Hughes, and Henry Ford. He was named the richest person in the world with an estimated net worth of $220 billion as of June 2022. Musk first achieved that distinction in 2021, surpassing Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) founder Jeff Bezos. Let's look briefly at the life of the man who has scaled the pinnacle of the business world. Key Takeaways Elon Musk is the charismatic chief executive of electric car maker Tesla and rocket manufacturer SpaceX, and has made a deal to buy Twitter. Born and raised in South Africa, Musk spent time in Canada before moving to the U.S. Educated at the University of Pennsylvania in physics, Musk started getting his feet wet as a serial tech entrepreneur with early successes like Zip2 and X.com, which merged with a company that became PayPal. Musk has behaved eccentrically from time to time. He has said he has Asperger's syndrome. Investopedia / Bailey Mariner Early Life and Education Elon Reeve Musk was born in 1971 in Pretoria, South Africa, the oldest of three children. His father was a South African engineer, his mother a Canadian model and nutritionist. After his parents divorced in 1980, Musk lived primarily with his father. He would later dub his father "a terrible human being almost every evil thing you could possibly think of, he has done." I had a terrible upbringing. I had a lot of adversity growing up. One thing I worry about with my kids is they dont face enough adversity, Musk would later say. Bullied as a Child Musk attended the private, English-speaking Waterkloof House Preparatory Schoolhe started a year earlyand later graduated from Pretoria Boys High School. A self-described bookworm, he made few friends in those places. They got my best (expletive) friend to lure me out of hiding so they could beat me up. And that (expletive) hurt, Musk said. For some reason, they decided that I was it, and they were going to go after me nonstop. Thats what made growing up difficult. For a number of years, there was no respite. You get chased around by gangs at school who tried to beat the (expletive) out of me, and then Id come home, and it would just be awful there as well. Early Accomplishments Technology became an escape for Musk. At 10, he became acquainted with programming using a Commodore VIC-20, an early and relatively inexpensive home computer. Before long, Musk had become proficient enough to create Blastara video game in the style of Space Invaders. He sold the BASIC code for the game to a PC magazine for $500. In one telling incident from his childhood, Musk and his brother, planned to open a video game arcade near their school. Their parents nixed the plan. Musk's College Years At 17, Musk moved to Canada. He would later obtain Canadian citizenship through his mother. After emigrating to Canada, Musk enrolled in Queens University in Kingston, Ontario. It was there that he met Justine Wilson, an aspiring writer. They would marry and have five sons together, twins and triplets, before divorcing in 2008. Entering the U.S. After two years at Queens University, Musk transferred to the University of Pennsylvania. He took on two majors, but his time there wasnt all work and no play. With a fellow student, he bought a 10-bedroom fraternity house, which they used as an ad hoc nightclub. Musk graduated with a bachelor of science degree in physics, in addition to a bachelor of arts in economics from the Wharton School. The two majors foreshadowed Musks career, but it was physics that left the deepest impression. (Physics is) a good framework for thinking, he would say later. Boil things down to their fundamental truths and reason up from there. Notable Accomplishments Musk was 24 years old when he moved to California to pursue a Ph.D. in applied physics at Stanford University. But, with the Internet exploding and Silicon Valley booming, Musk had entrepreneurial visions dancing in his head. He left the Ph.D. program after just two days. X.com In 1995, with $15,000 and his younger brother Kimbal at his side, Musk started Zip2, a web software company that would help newspapers develop online city guides. In 1999, Zip2 was acquired by Compaq Computer Corp. for $341 million. Musk used his Zip2 buyout money to create X.com, a fintech venture before that term was in wide circulation. X.com merged with a money transfer firm called Confinity, and the resulting company came to be known as PayPal. Peter Thiel ousted Musk as PayPal's CEO before eBay (EBAY) bought the payments company for $1.5 billion, but Musk still profited from the buyout via his 11.7% PayPal stake. "My proceeds from PayPal after tax were about $180 million," Musk said in a 2018 interview. "$100 million of that went into SpaceX, $70 million into Tesla, and $10 million into SolarCity. And I literally had to borrow money for rent." In 2017, Musk purchased the X.com domain name back from PayPal, citing its sentimental value. Tesla Musk became involved with the electric cars venture as an early investor in 2004, ultimately contributing about $6.3 million to begin with and joined the team, including engineer Martin Eberhard, to help run a company then known as Tesla Motors. Following a series of disagreements, Eberhard was ousted in 2007, and an interim CEO was hired until Musk assumed control as CEO and product architect. Under his watch, Tesla has become the world's most valuable automaker and one of his best-known brands. In addition to producing electric vehicles, Tesla maintains a robust presence in the solar energy space, thanks to its acquisition of SolarCity. The company currently produces two rechargeable solar batteries. The smaller Powerwall was developed for home backup power and off-the-grid use, while the larger Powerpack is intended for commercial or electric utility grid use. SpaceX Musk used most of the proceeds from his PayPal stake to found Space Exploration Technologies Corporation, the rockets developer commonly known as SpaceX. By his own account, Musk spent $100 million to found SpaceX in 2002. Under Musk's leadership, SpaceX landed several high-profile contracts with the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the U.S. Air Force to design space launch rockets. Musk has publicized plans to send an astronaut to Mars by 2025 in a collaborative effort with NASA. Twitter A frequent poster on the messaging network, Musk disclosed a 9.2% stake in Twitter in April 2022. Twitter responded by offering Musk a seat on the board, which he accepted before declining days later. Musk then sent a "bear hug" letter to Twitter's board proposing to buy the company at $54.20 per share. Twitter's board adopted a poison pill provision to discourage Musk from accumulating an even larger stake, but they ultimately accepted Musk's offer after he disclosed $46.5 billion in committed financing for the deal in a securities filing. Personal Eccentricities On Sept. 7, 2018, Musk smoked cannabis during a filmed interview for a podcast. Just a month earlier, Musk posted an infamous tweet claiming he was considering taking Tesla private and had secured the needed funding. Musk subsequently settled a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) complaint alleging he knowingly misled investors with the tweet by paying a $20 million fine along with the same penalty for Tesla, and agreeing to let Tesla's lawyers approve tweets with material corporate information before posting. In March 2022 Musk filed a court motion to overturn the consent decree stemming from that case. In April 2022 during a live TED Talk, Musk called the SEC regulators on the case "bastards." During his May 8, 2021, appearance on the TV show Saturday Night Live, Musk revealed that he has Asperger's syndrome, an autism spectrum disorder. "I'm actually making history tonight as the first person with Asperger's to host SNL. Or at least the first person to admit it," he said. How does neurodevelopment condition manifest itself? "I don't always have a lot of intonation or variation in how I speak, which I'm told makes for great comedy," Musk explained. Is Elon Musk Married? Elon Musk has been divorced three timestwice from his second wife, Talulah Riley. From 2018 to 2022, he had been in a relationship with the Canadian singer/songwriter Claire Elise Boucher, professionally known as Grimes, with whom he has a son in 2020 and a daughter in 2022. They remain best friends. He also has five sons from his first marriage to Justine Musk. How Rich Is Elon Musk? Elon Musk's net worth was estimated at $220 billion as of June 2022, making him the wealthiest human on the planet. Was Elon Musk Born Rich? No, Elon Musk was born into a middle-class family. In 1995, when founded X.com, he reportedly had over $100,000 in student debt and struggled to pay rent. What Does Elon Musk Do at Tesla? Elon Musk is officially listed as the co-founder and CEO of Tesla on the company's website. In a 2021 securities filing, the company disclosed an additional Musk title as "Technoking of Tesla." What Companies Does Elon Musk Own? Elon Musk is a large stakeholder in several companies including Tesla, SpaceX, The Boring Company, Neuralink, and Twitter. The Bottom Line Musks early interests in philosophy, science fiction, and fantasy novels are reflected in his idealism and concern with human progressand in his business career. He works in fields he has identified as crucial to humanity's future, notably the transition to renewable energy sources, space exploration, and the Internet. Musk has defied critics, disrupted industries, and made the most money anyone ever has from PayPal, Tesla Motors, SolarCity, and SpaceXgame-changers all, despite the inevitable missteps. Iron ore is an essential component of the global iron and steel industries. Almost 98% of mined iron ore is used in steel making. About 50 countries mine iron ore, with Australia and Brazil dominating the market share for exports. Mines in Michigan and Minnesota account for the bulk of iron ore production in the United States. In 2019, U.S. mines produced 46.9 million metric tons of iron ore. Australia led production with 919 million tons, followed by Brazil with 405 million tons. In the summer of 2021, global prices for iron ore rose to a record high of more than $212 per ton, an increase of around 8x from its 2015 lows. Prices were around $133 per ton as of January 2022. Key Takeaways Iron ore is the key input of refined iron and steel products. Prices fell to a low in 2015 as steel demand in China weakened. Iron ore dropped to a 2020 low of $82.90 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused a global reduction in steel consumption and production, but quickly rebounded to record highs above $212 by mid-2021. Investors can gain exposure to iron ore price fluctuations by investing in public companies that extract iron ore or use it as a key input in their business. What Is Iron Ore? Iron ore is the third most common element making up the Earth. The principal components of iron ore are hematite and magnetite. Taconite is a low-grade iron ore. Iron ore is not strong enough for construction, and other purposes, so raw iron is alloyed with other elements such as tungsten, manganese, nickel, vanadium, and chromium. The steel made from iron ore is used in construction, automobile manufacturing, and other industrial applications. The U.S. is estimated to hold 110 billion tons of iron ore, representing 27 billion tons of iron. Most of this is taconite located in the Lake Superior district of Michigan. Iron Ore Price Fluctuations Over the years, iron ore prices have fluctuated wildly. For example, prices were $187 per metric ton in Feb. 2011 and then plunged to approximately $41 per ton in Dec. 2015. The price collapse was largely attributed to a drop in steel demand from China. The country purchases nearly two-thirds of the seaborne iron ore supply, which supports the businesses of major producers such as BHP Billiton (BHP), Rio Tinto (RIO), and Vale (VALE). In addition, these companies have access to low-cost iron ore deposits and benefit from economies of scale. As they ramped up production, the market went into oversupply, which forced high-cost iron ore mines to scale back production or fold. In 2020, iron ore saw decreases in production, trade, and shipments due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a global reduction in steel consumption and production. As a result, prices dropped to a 2020 low of $82.90 in June of that year, after touching $119.58 nearly one year earlier in July of 2019. In 2021, iron ore rallied back, with prices peaking at $215.81 per ton in June of 2021, before dropping to $113.71 per ton by Sept. 2021. Iron Ore Prices Cost Is Key The operating costs of the top iron ore producers are among the lowest in the world. A fully commercial iron ore mine requires heavy capital investment in infrastructures such as rail lines and heavy machinery. Other factors impacting cost include the type of metallic iron that is economically retrievable at the mining site, distance to market, government regulations, and fuel costs. In 2020, Fortescue Mining Group (FSUMF) had a reported cash cost of $12.78 per ton. This compared to the $18.60 per ton cash cost reported by Vale. Rio Tinto had a cash cost of $15.40 per ton, while the figure was $12.63 per ton for BHP Billiton. Large Players Dominate A few key players dominate iron ore supply and demand. The top producers are listed below: If you're an investor, it pays to know what the company's owners and most important shareholders are doing. By watching the trading activity of corporate insiders and large institutional investors, it's easier to get a sense of a stock's prospects. While insider or institutional ownership on its own is not necessarily a buy or sell signal, it certainly offers a handy first screen in the search for a good investment. Below is a quick review on how you can access insider and institutional ownership information to make well-informed investment decisions. Key Takeaways Insiders are a company's officers, directors, relatives, or anyone else with access to key company information before it's made available to the public. Form DEF 14A the proxy statement which lists directors and officers, and the number of shares they each own. Companies file Schedules 13D and 13G to disclose outside beneficial ownership information of more than 5% of a company's stock issue. Stock owners file Forms 3, 4, and 5 to disclose insider beneficial ownership when they have more than 10% of voting power. Insider Ownership Insiders are a company's officers, directors, relatives, or anyone else with access to key company information before it's made available to the public. By paying close attention to what insiders do with company shares, savvy investors can make the reasonable assumption they know a lot more about their company's prospects than the rest of us. Since insider ownership and trading can impact share prices, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requires companies to file reports on these matters, giving investors the opportunity to have some insight into insider activity. A trade can be legal or illegal depending on when an insider makes itit becomes illegal if information behind the trade is not public. The Forms You can retrieve reporting forms from the SEC's EDGAR database or the SEC Info Insider Trading Reports. The most relevant forms that help investors review insiders include Form DEF 14A, Form 13D and 13G, as well as Forms 3, 4, and 5. Form DEF 14A This form is also known as the Definitive Proxy Statement. This is the proxy statement in which investors can find a list of directors and officers, along with the number of shares they each own. As an SEC requirement, publicly-traded companies must file Form DEF 14A ahead of their annual shareholders' meeting. This form also lists beneficial ownersor people or entities owning more than 5% of a company's stockalong with other pertinent information like board member nominations, as well as executive compensation. Schedules 13D and 13G Schedule 13D and Schedule 13G are also relevant forms to disclose outside beneficial ownership information. The following is a brief description of each form. Schedule 13D: This form is also known as the Beneficial Ownership Report. Anyone who owns more than 5% of a company's stock must file Form 13D with the SEC within 10 days of a stock acquisition. The form must also include the reason behind the stock acquisitionwhether it's a merger, company acquisition, or takeover. Other information on this form includes the owner's identity and the source of the funds for the transaction. This form is also known as the Beneficial Ownership Report. Anyone who owns more than 5% of a company's stock must file Form 13D with the SEC within 10 days of a stock acquisition. The form must also include the reason behind the stock acquisitionwhether it's a merger, company acquisition, or takeover. Other information on this form includes the owner's identity and the source of the funds for the transaction. Schedule 13G: Just like Schedule 13D, this form lets the public know about anyone who owns more than 5% of a company's total stock. But it's much shorter than the 13D because it requires much less information. Owners who acquire more than 20% of a company's share must automatically file a Form 13D. Forms 3, 4, and 5 Forms 3, 4, and 5 are filed to disclose insider beneficial ownership when shareholders have more than 10% of voting power. Forms are filed at different stages of stock acquisition. Individuals file Form 3 when they first acquire shares. This form is also known as the Initial Statement of Beneficial Ownership of Securities. Form 3 helps the SEC track initial ownership along with whether there is any suspicious activity going on. Form 4 is also referred to Statement of Changes in Beneficial Ownership. This form is used to report any changes of ownership of insiders who hold more than 10% of a company's stock. Part of the reporting includes the shareholder's relationship to the company. Also known as the Annual Statement of Changes in Beneficial Ownership, Form 5 is an annual snapshot of holdings. Insider trading must be filed electronically through the EDGAR system within two days of the transaction, giving outside investors reasonably up-to-date ownership information. Interpreting Insider Reports High insider ownership typically signals confidence in a company's prospects and ownership in its shares. This, in turn, gives the company's management an incentive to make the company profitable and maximize shareholder value. But you can have too much insider ownership. When insiders gain corporate control, management may not feel responsible to shareholders and instead, to themselves. This frequently occurs at companies with multiple classes of stock, which means one class carries more voting power than another. For example, Google's much publicized initial public offering (IPO) in the fall of 2004 was criticized for issuing a special class of super voting shares to certain company executives. Critics of the dual-class share structure contend that, should managers yield less than satisfactory results, they are less likely to be replaced because they possess 10 times the voting power of normal shareholders. While insider buying is usually a good sign, don't be alarmed by insider selling, unless there is a lot of it. Insiders tend to buy because they have positive expectations, but they may sell for reasons independent of their expectations for the company. Which Insiders to Watch It's important to know which insiders to watch. Look for clusters of activity by several insiders. If a company has more than one instance of similar insider trading over a short period, there's a sign of a consensus of insider opinion. Large transactions also mean more than small trades. Insiders with proven track records with their Form 4 activity should be watched more closely than those with little or poor past records. The most telling trading activity comes from top executives with the best insights into the company, so look for transactions by CEOs and CFOs. Finally, be careful about placing too much stake in insider trading since the documents reporting them can be hard to interpret. A lot of Form 4 trades do not represent buying and selling that relate to future stock performance. The exercise of stock options, for instance, shows up as both a buy and a sell on Form 4 documents, so it is a dubious signal to follow. Automatic trading is another activity that is hard to interpret. To protect themselves from lawsuits, insiders set up guidelines for buying and selling, leaving the execution to someone else. SEC Form 4 documents disclose these hands-off insider transactions, but they don't always state that the sales were scheduled far ahead of time. Institutional Ownership Organizations that control a lot of moneymutual funds, pension funds, or insurance companieswhich buying securities are referred to as institutional investors. These entities own shares on behalf of their clients, and are generally believed to be the force behind supply and demand in the market. The Debate Over the Implications Whether institutional ownership in a stock is a good thing remains a matter of debate. Peter Lynch, in his best-seller One Up on Wall Street, lists the 13 characteristics of the perfect stock. One of them is this: "Institutions don't own it and the analysts don't follow it." Lynch favors stocks that the big investment groups overlook because these stocks have more of a chance of being undervalued. Lynch argues that companies whose stock is owned by institutional investors are fairly valued, if not overvalued. William O'Neil, founder of Investor's Business Daily, on the other hand, argues that it takes a significant amount of demand to move a share price up, and the largest source of demand for stocks are institutional investors. O'Neil reckons that if a stock has no institutional owners, it's because they have already seen it and rejected it. In his book How to Make Money in Stocks, O'Neil has institutional sponsorship as the sixth characteristic to look for in stocks worth buying. O'Neil and Lynch both agree that institutional ownership can be dangerous. These big institutions move in and out of positions in very large blocks so they cannot buy or sell holdings gracefully. If something goes wrong with a company and all its big owners sell en masse, the stock's value will plunge. Although there are mutual funds that operate with longer-term horizons, and pension funds tend to be long-term stockholders, institutional investors tend to react to short-term events. The high correlation between high institutional ownership and stock price volatility is a fact of life in investing, and so it pays to know what the institutions are up to and whether a stock you are interested in already has a large institutional interest. Where to Find Holdings Information Institutional investment managers who exercise investment discretion of more than $100 million in securities must report their holdings on Form 13F with the SEC. This form is filed quarterly by institutional investment managers who have a minimum of $100 million in assets under management (AUM) within 45 days of the end of a quarter. Again, you can search for and retrieve Form 13F filings using the SEC's EDGAR database. Yahoo Finance also provides a very useful site that details stock ownership. Get a quote of a particular company, and then click the section labeled "Holders" to receive details on the company's institutional holders. The Bottom Line Sure, insiders and institutions tend to be smart, diligent and sophisticated investors, so their ownership is a good criterion for a first screen in your research or a reliable confirmation of your analysis of a stock. But never base an investment decision solely on insider or institutional ownership information. Expansion of a wildlife management area may be the answer to Washburn-area flooding issues. For the past six to eight years, backed-up water flowing into Painted Woods Lake has been flooding adjacent farmland, said McLean County Water Resources Board member Lynn Oberg. To mitigate damage, McLean County and several state and wildlife advocacy group partners hope to purchase nearby land to build drainage infrastructure. That land will then be turned over to North Dakota Game and Fish to be managed as part of the Painted Woods Wildlife Management Area. A public hearing on the 255-acre purchase by the American Foundation for Wildlife is scheduled for 1 p.m. March 10 at the McLean County Courthouse. Oberg said that on some private property, backed-up water has cut ditches 25 feet deep and 100 feet wide in places as it tries to make its way to the Missouri River. Between 700 and 800 acres of crop and hayland has been flooded in recent years, causing some of it to go out of production. The problem is caused by years of silt build up restricting drainage into the lake. Half of the lake area is filled with cattails, Oberg said. The Painted Woods area receives runoff from more than 300 surrounding acres. In years of excess snow pack or heavy spring rains, the lake is unable to handle the extra water. Oberg said he believes it is the water boards responsibility to take action to prevent further water damage to private and public lands. The countys engineer is doing design work now on how to develop alternative flow channels on the land after it is purchased. Oberg said the North Dakota State Water Commission and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation will be tapped for funding for the flood mitigation measures. Casey Anderson, assistant chief of the wildlife division for Game and Fish, said the agency was contacted by the county and Natural Resource Trust, another partner on the project, about joining the effort. Anderson said that with state approval, Game and Fish will put in $290,000 on the purchase of the land and will ultimately take over management of the property. Anderson said not only with the project help manage the level of Painted Woods Lake, it will add wildlife habitat for primarily deer, pheasant and waterfowl. Combining it with the wildlife management area increases public opportunity for hunting, fishing and other recreation. Next Thursdays hearing before the North Dakota Natural Areas Acquisition Advisory Committee will determine a recommendation to the governor on the land purchase. Game and Fish will need budget committee approval for its portion of the purchase, Anderson said. Oberg said work on flood mitigation projects could be several years out. Equity investors flourished in 2016 with all major indices in the U.S. reaching record highs. But while Wall Street is popping balloons, the IPO (Initial Public Offering) market has languished with record low number of IPOs filed and priced, and a subdued amount of capital raised. Additionally, 2016 was a poor year for IPO stock performance. (See also: 4 Reasons for the IPO Market Slowdown in 2016) To put it in perspective, the total amount raised for IPOs in 2016 was less than the amount for the single largest IPO of all time (as of September 7, 2018) Alibaba Group Holding's (BABA) 2014 deal that raised $21.8 billion. (See also: The Top Five Alibaba Shareholders in 2016) According to Renaissance Capital, there were only 119 IPO filings in 2016, the lowest number since 2009 and the smallest amount of capital raised over 10 years. Moreover, looking at performance, 2016 IPOs returned just 0.6 percent as of December 12, 2016, well below the S&P 500. ZTO Express The biggest IPO of the year was also one of the most unsuccessful. In October, Chinese package delivery firm ZTO Express (ZTO) raised $1.4 billion in a public offering. ZTO priced 72.1 million shares at $19.50 a share, which was above its target price range of $16.50-$18.50. By going public, ZTO increased its access to cash, which will help it take advantage of the world's largest delivery services market, with total parcel volume in China hitting 20.7 billion in 2015 according to the ZTO Express prospectus. Shares in ZTO Express opened below its IPO price with the first trade at $18.40 per share and has been steadily declining. It closed on September 7, 2018 at $17.69 per share. The Best Performing IPOs Despite the subdued activity and overall under performance there were some standouts, with five companies that have gained more than 100% year to date since going public. The best-performing IPO companies as of December 2016 were: 1. Acacia Communications: Acacia Communications Inc. (ACIA) went public in May after it raised $103 million. The telecommunication company specializes in products that transfer data from optical interconnections into a silicon-based chip, which helps tech firms identify performance issues. The company relies on a small number of key clients. Opening at $23 a share, the stock rose 193 percent to be the best performing IPO of 2016. Acacia Communications Inc. (ACIA) went public in May after it raised $103 million. The telecommunication company specializes in products that transfer data from optical interconnections into a silicon-based chip, which helps tech firms identify performance issues. The company relies on a small number of key clients. Opening at $23 a share, the stock rose 193 percent to be the best performing IPO of 2016. 2. AveXis: AveXis Inc. (AVXS) is an Illinois-based gene therapy company that was developing treatments for patients suffering from rare and often life-threatening neurological genetic diseases. In February, it raised just under $100 million and its share price rose 169 percent by mid-December. AveXis Inc. (AVXS) is an Illinois-based gene therapy company that was developing treatments for patients suffering from rare and often life-threatening neurological genetic diseases. In February, it raised just under $100 million and its share price rose 169 percent by mid-December. 3. Novan: Novan Inc. (NOVN) is a drug development company that was developing nitric oxide-based therapies in the field of dermatology. Founded in 2006, Novan raised $44 million and returned 147 percent by mid-December. Novan Inc. (NOVN) is a drug development company that was developing nitric oxide-based therapies in the field of dermatology. Founded in 2006, Novan raised $44 million and returned 147 percent by mid-December. 4. Impinj: Founded in 2000, Impinj Inc. (PI) is a Seattle based manufacturer of radio-frequency identification software and devices. Impinj has partnerships in Asia and sells products locally and in the Middle East and Africa. After 16 years the company went public this year raising $67 million and was up 135 percent by mid-December. Founded in 2000, Impinj Inc. (PI) is a Seattle based manufacturer of radio-frequency identification software and devices. Impinj has partnerships in Asia and sells products locally and in the Middle East and Africa. After 16 years the company went public this year raising $67 million and was up 135 percent by mid-December. 5. Twilio: Twilio Inc. (TWLO) is a cloud communications company that went public in June raising $150 million at an IPO offer price of $15 a share. Twilio allows users to send and receive phone calls and text messages via a program that is purely hosted on the cloud. In its third day of trading, Twilio was up 90 percent and by mid-December was up 101 percent. Other notables The second largest IPO in 2016 was Japan-based mobile messaging app Line. Line raised $1.1 billion and went public in July offering 35 million shares at an offer price of $32.84. In March that year, Line had over 200 million monthly users, and unlike other popular messaging apps WhatsApp and Viber, Line offered over 30 different apps to download from its platform. These apps range from games to music streaming. (See also: How Does Line Work and Make Money?) Rounding out the top three IPOs by size for 2016 is financial retirement services company Athene Holding, which raised $1.08 billion. For any number of reasons, many people consider retiring to another country. A foreign country may offer a lower cost of living, which can be important to retired adults with limited retirement savings. Some countries may have particularly appealing climates, or people may simply have fallen in love with a country they once visited and vowed to themselves they would one day retire there. For a person planning to settle down permanently in a foreign country, it is typically necessary to become a citizen of that country because it simplifies matters such as opening bank accounts and owning property. Some may choose dual citizenship, obtaining a second passport, while others may prefer to drop their U.S. citizenship altogether and become citizens of their new home country. Key Takeaways Retiring to another country typically requires obtaining citizenship in the chosen country so that the resident can own property and a bank account. Dual citizenship is an option for U.S. citizens retiring to some countries. Potential ex-pats should check whether their desired passport status allows visa-free travel, financial freedom, and how it would affect their taxes. Citizenship Some countries allow dual citizenship, and some do not. Many wealthy Americans, perturbed by what they consider oppressive U.S. taxation, have chosen to renounce their U.S. citizenship in favor of becoming citizens of nations such as Singapore or Chile. Factors to consider in terms of new citizenship and a second passport are whether your new passport allows visa-free travel, taxes and other potential obligations, and financial freedom such as the ability to open a bank account or establish a business. There is also the question of whether a retirement destination is welcoming to ex-pats who wish to become citizens. It is relatively easy to obtain citizenship in the following five countries. Dominican Republic Retirees can obtain citizenship in a reasonably short period in the Dominican Republic. The basic requirement is that a retiree document a stable retirement income of at least $1,500 per month from a source outside the Dominican Republic, plus $250 per each dependent. Non-retirees have to show a minimum monthly income of $2,000 per month plus $250 per dependent. The term dependent refers to a spouse or children under the age of 18. Provided this basic requirement is met, an individual can apply directly for permanent residency. After holding the permanent residency for two years, an individual can then apply for citizenship. The whole process takes about three years. The citizenship process also requires an interview conducted in Spanish (questions and answers can be reviewed in advance) and a medical exam. Dual citizenship is permitted in the Dominican Republic. Ireland A person can qualify to become a naturalized citizen of Ireland by living there for one year, plus four years cumulative residency over the eight years preceding the one year. The Irish government may even be willing to waive part of the residency time requirement if you can sufficiently document Irish ancestry or other associations with Ireland. If you happen to have a provable Irish grandparent, you may be able to become an Irish national by virtue of your ancestry. Ireland does permit dual citizenship. Keep in mind that obtaining citizenship does not automatically shield you from obligations of citizenship in another country (for example, paying taxes in both homelands). Peru Getting a residence permit for Peru is not too difficult for individuals who are willing to attend school, start a business in Peru, or prove that they earn more than $1,000 per month in investment or pension income. Those who meet one of these criteria can have Peruvian citizenship in approximately two years. There is a language and history test in Spanish that passport applicants must take unless they marry a Peruvian. It is advisable to go through an agent who can guide you through the process of applying for residency at a Peruvian embassy. Applicants may also need to change their name to the Spanish style of having surnames from both their mother and father. Unlike some countries that require you to renounce your previous citizenship to become a citizen, Peru allows dual citizenship. Singapore Singapore offers a simple route to citizenship. Anyone who establishes a business in Singapore obtains employment there, or marries a citizen of Singapore can obtain permanent residency. After two years of residency, individuals can apply to become a naturalized citizen. Opening a business, however, can be a costly enterprise: check carefully for the latest financial requirements; it's not just simply depositing a certain sum in a Singapore bank. Singapore requires National Service from its male citizens. If you are of retirement age, you are likely safely outside the age window that obligates you for national service. A male permanent resident can apply for citizenship after completing National Service. Singapore does not allow dual citizenship. Applicants must renounce their prior citizenship to become a citizen of Singapore. Canada Canada also offers a simple path to citizenship. Unless you have a job in Canada, you need proof of other income to obtain residency. To meet the residency requirement, you must be physically present in Canada for at least 730 days (two years) in every five-year period, according to Settlement.org. An individual needs $12,960 (CAD), as proof of funds to immigrate as a skilled immigrant. After becoming a permanent resident, you can apply for naturalization as a Canadian citizen after four years. There are interactive questionnaires you can take to deliberate if relocating to Canada is right for you. The Canadian immigration authorities are very strict about enforcing the requirement that you physically reside in the country before applying to be a citizen. You must have been physically present in Canada as a permanent resident for at least 1,095 days during the five years immediately before the date of your application, according to Settlement.org. You also must have filed your taxes for at least three years during the last five years, and any income tax you owe must be paid. Other requirements include: If you're 14 to 65, you must send documents proving that you can speak and listen in English or French, and you will need to pass a citizenship test. If you wait until you are older, these requirements will not apply. Canada does permit dual citizenship. The Bottom Line Try vacationing or staying on a short stay visa before applying for a residency visa. It is important to get a feel for a country and its ex-pat community before committing to a big move. Two-factor authentication (2FA) is a security measure that requires two separate forms of identification in order to access something. The first factor is typically a password while the second can be a code sent to the users phone or tablet or biometrics using their fingerprint, face, or retina 2FA combines two of the following: something you know (password), something you are (your fingerprint, face, or retina), and something you have (a phone or tablet). What Is Airbnb? Airbnb (ABNB) is an online marketplace that connects people who want to rent out their homes with people who are looking for accommodations in specific locales. The company has come a long way since 2007, when its co-founders first came up with the idea to invite paying guests to sleep on an air mattress in their living room. According to Airbnb's latest data, it has in excess of six million listings, covering more than 100,000 cities and towns and 220-plus countries worldwide. In this article, we break down how Airbnb works, how it makes money, and the pros and cons of using its online marketplace. Key Takeaways Airbnb is an online marketplace that connects people who want to rent out their homes with people who are looking for accommodations in specific locales. Airbnb offers people an easy, relatively stress-free way to earn some income from their property. Guests often find Airbnb is cheaper, has more character, and is homier than hotels. Airbnb makes the bulk of its revenue by charging a service fee for each booking. Cons of using this service include not getting what you expected, and, for hosts, renting your place to someone you havent had the chance to meet first. How Airbnb Works Airbnb has revolutionized the hospitality industry. Prior to 2008, travelers would have likely booked a hotel or hostel for their trip to another town. Nowadays, many of these same people are opting for Airbnb. The idea behind Airbnb is simple: Find a way for local people to make some extra money renting out their spare home or room to people visiting the area. Hosts using this platform get to advertise their rentals to millions of people worldwide, with the reassurance that a big company will handle payments and offer support when needed. And for guests, Airbnb can offer a homey place to stay that has more character, perhaps even with a kitchen to avoid dining out, often at a lower price than what hotels charge. Airbnb stands for "Air Bed and Breakfast," a name that reflects the companys early originsits co-founders invited paying guests to sleep on an air mattress in their living room to help cover the rent. Step by Step for Guests To make a booking, you generally need to take the following steps: Open the Airbnb website. Log in or create an account, if you havent already done so. Signing up can take a bit of time. Among other things, youll need to verify your phone number and upload some form of identification. Specify the location and date(s) youre after and then begin looking for a place thats available, using the site's various filters to customize your search. When youve found the ideal accommodation, make a booking or reserve itsometimes bookings won't be fully validated until the host accepts. Pay for the accommodation and receive notification of your booking, including the address where you'll be staying. For longer-term stays, its possible to arrange a payment plan by which youll pay an initial deposit and the rest in installments. Reading reviews is a key part of finding the right place to stay. However, they can't always be 100% relied on: Reviews sometimes tend to be more generous than usual, perhaps because guests are worried a bad review will lead the host to fire one back. How Does Airbnb Make Money? Airbnbs business model is quite profitable. The company, like Uber, Lyft, and others, has capitalized on the sharing economy, essentially making money renting out property that it doesnt own. Every time a reservation is made, Airbnb takes a cut. When you click on a property, you'll find to the right of the page a breakdown of the fees you'll be charged if you go ahead and book. One of these fees is a service fee, which covers the cost of running the platform and providing support; this basically makes up the bulk of Airbnb's revenue. According to the companys website, most guest service fees are under 14.2% of the booking subtotal. Hosts, meanwhile, are charged 3% or more of the total amount earned for each booking. Airbnb also operates an alternative payment structure that you might see from time to time. It's mandatory for hotels and some specific types of hosts (including software-connected ones) located in certain regions of the world to cover the service fee in full rather than split it with guests. When this is the case, the person offering accommodation will usually be charged about 14% to 16% of the booking subtotal. Exceptions include mainland China, where the host-only fee is fixed at 10%. Airbnb Competitors Though relatively unique, Airbnb does face competition, including from the likes of Agoda, Booking.com, Expedia, HomeToGo, Google, Hopper, Tripadvisor, Trivago, and VRBO. Some of these competitors, such as VRBO, offer solutions that are similar to Airbnb's. Others are effectively online travel agencies that help travelers find hotels and other private accommodation in the area they are visiting. Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Airbnb For hosts, participating in Airbnb is a way to earn some income from their property, but with the risk that the guest might do damage to it. For guests, the advantage can be relatively inexpensive accommodations, but with the risk that the property wont be as appealing as the listing made it seem. Here's a more in-depth look at some of the pros and cons: Pros Wide Selection : Airbnb hosts list many different kinds of properties, from single rooms, apartments, and houses to houseboats, caravans, and even castles. Free Listings : Hosts dont have to pay to list their properties. Listings can include written descriptions, photos with captions, and a user profile in which potential guests can get to know a bit about the hosts. Hosts Can Set Their Own Price : Its up to each host to decide how much to charge per night, per week, or per month. Customizable Searches : Guests can search the Airbnb databasenot only by date and location, but by price, type of property, amenities, and the language of the hostand add keywords (such as close to the Louvre) to help narrow their search. Additional Services : Airbnb offerings include experiences and restaurants. People searching by location will see a list of experiences, such as classes and sightseeing, offered by local Airbnb hosts. Restaurant listings also include reviews from Airbnb hosts. Protections for Guests and Hosts: Airbnb holds each guest's payment for 24 hours after check-in before releasing the funds to the host. For hosts, Airbnb provides up to $1,000,000 to cover unreasonable damage inflicted on the property. This protection comes at no extra cost but doesn't cover everything. Cons What You See May Not Be What You Get : Individual hosts create their own listings, and some may be more honest than others. One way to avoid disappointment is to read comments from previous guests. Potential Damage : Although most stays go without incident, property damage is probably the biggest risk for hosts. Airbnbs Host Damage Protection program provides some assurance, but it may not cover everything, such as cash, rare artwork, jewelry, and pets. Hosts whose homes are damaged may also experience considerable inconvenience. Added Fees : Like hotels, Airbnb imposes a number of additional fees. For each booking, both guests and hosts pay a service fee to Airbnb, which can be steep. Banks or credit card issuers may also add fees, if applicable. Taxes : Hosts and guests in several countries may be subject to a value-added tax (VAT). And depending on their location, hosts may be subject to rental income taxes. To assist with U.S. tax compliance, Airbnb collects taxpayer information from hosts so they can provide an account of their earnings each year via Form 1099 and Form 1042. It Isnt Legal Everywhere: Before listing a property on Airbnb, a would-be host needs to check local zoning ordinances to make sure its legal to rent out their property. Hosts may also be required to obtain special permits or licenses. Is an Airbnb Cheaper Than a Hotel? In many cases, yes. Airbnb prices tend to be lower than those of hotels, in part because the owners of these places dont have the same overhead costs. Moreover, Airbnb hosts do not typically have to pay for lodging or hospitality licenses or permits, which can be expensive. How Do Airbnb Hosts Get Paid? Hosts are paid out after Airbnb deducts its service fees. Hosts are usually paid 24 hours after the reservation begins, even for long-term stays which also include a monthly payout. Payout methods include direct bank transfers or ACH, international transfers, PayPal, Payoneer Prepaid Debit Cards, Western Union, and AliPay (for Mainland China hosts only). Remember, banks do not process payments over the weekend of holidays, so Airbnb processing will resume the next business day. Can You Stay in an Airbnb Long Term? Yes, some hosts provide an option for longer-term stays and may even throw in a discount for these types of reservations. Bear in mind, though, that stays longer than 28 days require paying each month upfront and are subject to Airbnbs long-term cancellation policy, which states that guests must give 30 days' notice before checking in to receive a full refund. If you miss this deadline or wish to cancel during your stay, you will be billed for 30 days or the total cost of the reservation if it is for less than a month What Is Airbnbs Refund Policy? Airbnb hosts select how strict their cancellation policy will be, from very strict to free cancellations. This will be detailed in each listing. When the reservation has been made, you may be able to get a full or partial refund if you decide to cancel. Generally, the amount youre entitled to depends on the hosts policy and how much time is left before checking in. If you click on the option to cancel your reservation, youll be presented with a complete breakdown of how much youll get back if you proceed. Its also possible to get a partial refund after youve checked in, provided you file a request within 24 hours. Top News - Investor Idea Mullen (NASDAQ: MULN) Continues Acquisition Path With Purchase of ELMS Assets Including Factory in Mishawaka, IN., Enabling EV Production for Retail and Commercial Vehicle Lines BREA, Calif. - October 19, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Mullen Automotive, Inc. (NASDAQ: MULN), an emerging electric vehicle ("EV") manufacturer, announces the US Bankruptcy Court approval on Oct. 13th, 2022 of its acquisition of electric vehicle company ELMS's (Electric Last Mile Solutions) assets in an all cash purchase. Top EV Stock News - Investor Idea Breaking EV Stock News: Mullen Automotive (NASDAQ: $MULN) Taps Former GM Executive John Schwegman as Chief Commercial Officer for Next Phase of EV Growth BREA, Calif. - October 21, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Mullen Automotive, Inc. (NASDAQ: MULN), an emerging electric vehicle ("EV") manufacturer, announces today the hiring of John Schwegman as its Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) for Mullen's line of commercial vehicles. Top EV Stock News - Investor Idea EV Stocks Driving Higher: (NASDAQ: $MULN) (NASDAQ: $TSLA) (NYSE: $NIO) (NYSE: $F) Vancouver, Delta, BC - October 20, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Investorideas.com, a leading investor news resource covering EV and automotive stocks releases a special report featuring Mullen Automotive, Inc. (NASDAQ: MULN), covering the continued growth of the EV market as government policy and infrastructure plans sync up with consumer and investor interest in the EV space. Top AI Stock News - Investor Idea Breaking AI Stock News: FatBrain (OTCQB: LZGI) Acquires Confidential Computing Platform ZeroTrust to Protect Data Privacy and Accelerate Innovation for Millions of Growth Businesses NEW YORK, NY - October 19, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) FatBrain AI (LZG International, Inc.) (OTCQB: LZGI), the leader in powerful and easy-to-use artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for star enterprises of tomorrow, has acquired the confidential computing and privacy intellectual property (IP) plus software assets of Zero2A PTE LTD ("ZeroTrust Platform"), a software company based in Singapore. Check out our Podcasts for great investor ideas: Get new posts by email: Subscribe Powered by Investorideas.com Newswire: Subscribe to Investor Ideas Newswire The Catholic Leagues president Bill Donohue surprised exactly zero people earlier this week when he took out an ad in the New York Times, condemning ABC and its parent company Disney for daring to work with columnist, satirist and LGBT rights activist Dan Savage on a new sitcom about an Irish Catholic family, The Real ONeals. SHAME ON DISNEY-ABC, he ranted, labeling Savage as worse than the former KKK head David Duke and comparing ABCs decision to work with Savage on the sitcom (which is loosely based on Savages own Irish Catholic upbringing in Chicago) to if David Duke were hired to produce a show about African Americans. Before we go any further, lets not forget that Donohue has a long history of making pretty ridiculous comments including that Pope Francis must have been confused when he said Donald Trump was not a Christian, that the Charlie Hebdo attackers were right to be upset about the magazines satire, refusing to march in the NYC St. Patricks Day parade once an LGBT group was finally allowed to march, and not following through when he tried to make a point by applying to march in the NYC Gay Pride parade and was approved. In this weeks ad, Donohue writes that his comparison of Savage to the former KKK leader is actually an understatement. Duke may be a bigot, but he is not known for his foul comments. He claims that, By contrast, Savage is so vulgar that the original full-page ad I wrote was turned down by this newspaper. Why? Because the obscenities were deemed too incendiary for its readers, even with the use of asterisks in place of letters. The italics are Donohues, and he has helpfully provided a copy of the original ad on the Catholic Leagues website. Perhaps the most preposterous element in the whole ad is the idea that David Duke is not known for foul comments and that Savage is somehow worse than he is. Dan Savage very often says vulgar things, but thats because hes a satirist and because hes rightfully mad as hell about things like the Churchs child sex abuse scandal or the harassment or marginalization of the LGBTQ community. Duke, meanwhile is a gross racist and anti-Semite who says all sorts of horrendous things which I wont write here, even with asterisks, because theres just no need to. As Frank Cocozelli, president of the Institute for Progressive Christianity has previously written, Donohue demagogically conflates progressive and liberal dissent with hate. There are important differences between hate and dissent, regardless of the source. In the ad that was published and in greater detail in the version that was rejected, Donohue also references perhaps the most controversial moment of Savages career an article he wrote for Salon in 2000 in which he described infiltrating the campaign office of Gary Bauer, a conservative Christian presidential hopeful, and going around the place licking door knobs and office supplies in an attempt to give Bauer the flu. Donohue conveniently neglects to mention anything about the flu, only referring to Savages sick bodily fluids. The article produced significant outrage in people who didnt fathom the depths of its satire, but Salon defended it as powerful writing, Swiftian in its desperate, satiric outrage at anti-gay discrimination. Donohue goes on to note, correctly, that ABC has won awards from the gay community for its show, Modern Family. It has won awards from African Americans for Black-ish. So concerned was the network that it might offend Asians with its new show, Fresh Off the Boat, that it invited leaders to meet with producers. But when it comes to Catholics, ABC delivers Dan Savage. So Id like to take a moment here to thank ABC for delivering Dan Savage and for presenting what hopefully continues to be a modern, relatable, inclusive look at an Irish Catholic family. And Id also like to thank Dan Savage for some of the most valuable lessons hes shared over the years: - It Gets Better. Savage launched the poignant campaign in 2010 after the suicide of Billy Lawless, a teen who took his own life after being bullied for his perceived sexual orientation. Since then, over 50,000 people have contributed video testimony about how their lives improved as they got older and they were able to have fulfilling relationships, start families, succeed personally and professionally, etc. - That relationships and sex are things you can and should talk about with honesty and consideration. Savage has even coined an acronym for this G.G.G., Good, giving and game. - That you should have sex first on special occasions: Valentines Day, anniversaries, etc. if youre going to go out and have a fancy meal and maybe some wine or cocktails, Savage has given the crucial life advice to take the time to get intimate beforehand so you can be happily tipsy/bloated/sleepy later instead of feeling frustrated and/or guilty. - That there is a politician named Rick Santorum (seriously, I know so many people who had never even heard of Santorum until Dan Savage started talking about him and the eponymous fluids). Thanks, Dan! This year, 2016, marks the centennial of the Easter Rising, the seminal event in Irish revolutionary history, which led, in six short years, to the establishment of todays Irish Republic. The Rising lasted only six days, from Easter Monday to Saturday, but the brutal British reaction to it galvanized the Irish people into action. Initially, the Rising was unpopular with the locals. Many Dubliners had close ties to the British establishment, such as the separation women, the wives and family of Irishmen off fighting in the Great War for Britain. But the swift British military trials and executions of the leaders shocked the Irish people and turned the fifteen martyrsSir Roger Casement, the sixteenth and last rebel executed, would be hanged on August 3 in Londoninto national heroes. In Dublin today there are nine museumsincluding three new onesand landmarks dedicated to the men of 1916 and the heroes of the War of Independence. Their efforts eventually secured 26 of Irelands 32 counties from the British for the first time in 700 yearsa David and Goliath quixotic feat that still amazes a century later. 1. Kilmainham Gaol There is probably a no more solemn place to begin a tour of rebel Dublin than at Kilmainham Gaol. The jail is a stark, bleak monument to 18th century penology. (Ironically, its dreariness and creepiness makes it one of the favorite places for movie-makers in all of Ireland.) It was here that 14 of the sixteen leaders were executed. They surrendered on April 29 and the executions began on May 3, and continued unabated until May 12, 1916. Read more stories on the 1916 centenary here The guided tour, which takes about 45 minutes, brings you throughout the jail. One of the first stops is the Catholic Chapel where Joseph Mary Plunkett, one of the signatories of the Proclamation and a Commandant-General in the Irish Volunteers, married his fiancee, Grace Gifford. Within the hour he was taken out and shot. The tour also shows you the cells where many of Irelands prominent rebelsCharles Stewart Parnell, Padraig Pearse and Eamon de Valera among themwere held. Perhaps the highlight of the tour is a walk in the breakers yard, where the 1916 rebels were executed. One cross marks the spot where thirteen men were shot standing and another cross marks the spot where the socialist labor leader James Connolly, severely wounded in the leg during Easter Week, was executed sitting in a chair. Besides the tour, there is an impressive museum with many artifacts from 1916. Kilmainham is about a 10-minute taxi ride from the center of the city and can also be accessed by bus. During the summertime there are long lines and its a good idea to get there early. All tourist information about Kilmainham Gaol can be found at their website here. 2. Arbour Hill Cemetery After visiting Kilmainham it might be fitting to grab a waiting taxi and take a short ride across the River Liffey to Arbour Hill, the final resting place for the executed leaders. Arbour Hill was a British military installation, prison and cemetery. After the executions the British were wary of the Irish propensity for celebratory funerals for their rebels (the funeral of Jeremiah ODonovan Rossa is a prime example) and under the cover of darkness brought the bodies to an open pit at Arbour Hill and poured quicklime over theminsuring there would be no parades in their honor. Today the area is serene as the long mass grave of fourteen rebels sits quietly in front of the Irish Tricolour. The name of each rebel is marked on the side in both Irish and English. President Kennedy, on his visit to Ireland in 1963, laid a wreath here in honor of the dead martyrs. More information is available here. 3. Visitor Centre at Cathal Brugha Barracks One of the hidden historical treasures of Ireland is located at Cathal Brugha (formerly Portobello) Barracks in Rathmines, a short taxi ride from the city center. The barracks is named after Irelands first Minister for Defence, yet its visitors center is a monument to Brughas arch enemy, General Michael Collins, the first leader of the Irish Army after independence. Collins was perhaps the greatest revolutionary of the 20th century, the inventor of urban guerrilla warfare, whose ruthlessnesshis personal squad, The Twelve Apostles, assassinated the British Secret Service in Dublin in one morningand political savvy in negotiating the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921, brought the modern Irish state into existence. He is admired by such diverse international personalities as Mao Tse-Tung, Yitzhak Shamir (the seventh Prime Minister of Israel), and Nelson Mandela. The small museum, which was originally a military jail, has a sordid history of its own. Francis Sheehy Skeffingtonnationalist, pacifist, feministwas murdered here, along with two other men, by a crazed British officer during Easter Week 1916. The bullet holes are still evident in the bricks of the small courtyard. In the museum itself there are several artifacts belonging to Collins. The desk he used at 5 Mesphil Road is there (the marks from the British jimmying the drawers remain) as is one of his Colt revolvers. Behind the desk on the wall is the tricolor flag that covered his coffin in 1922. There are also weapons used by his notorious Squad. The rest of the museum is a history of Oglaigh na hEireann, the Defence Forces Ireland, from 1922 to the present day. The reason this museum is such a secret is that admittance is by appointment only. It is only open Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Appointments can be made by contacting the Barracks Adjutant at 353-1-804-6362. The tour is conducted by a member of the Irish Army and usually, if time permits, he is happy to take you around the grounds and show you the buildings that Michael Collins used as his residence and offices just before his death in 1922. More information is available here. 4. Pearse Museum Padraig Pearse, the President of the Provisional Government during that fateful Easter Week, was the first to be executed on May 3, 1916. For good measure, the British also executed his brother, Willie, although Willie had little to do with the planning of the uprising. Padraig Pearse was picked as the face of the revolution by Tom Clarke, the incorrigible Fenian, because of Pearses writing and speaking skills. His speech at the grave of Jeremiah ODonovan Rossa at Glasnevin Cemetery in 1915 marked one of the pivotal moments in the march to revolution. He is also the author of the 1916 Proclamation, Poblacht Na hEireann, the equivalent of Americas Declaration of Independence. At the time of their deaths the Pearse Brothers were running St. Endas, a progressive Irish school in Rathfarnham, which is about 20 minutes from the city center either by the #16 bus or taxi. The school is located on the grounds of the Hermitage, where United Irishman and famed Irish patriot Robert Emmet is said to have secretly romanced his sweetheart, Sarah Curran. Recently the 18th century building has been faithfully restored and serves as a museum to the Pearse brothers. In it you can see the dorm where the students lived, plus Padraig Pearses office. There are also several sculptures by Willie Pearse on display. For more information click here. Read more stories on the 1916 centenary here 5. National Museum of Ireland at Collins Barracks The National Museum of Ireland has a long tradition of exhibitions relating to Easter Week 1916. The Museum will put on show one of the largest display of materials from this period in a new exhibition entitled Proclaiming a Republic: The 1916 Rising at the Museum of Decorative Arts & History, Collins Barracks, opening on March 3, 2016. Many of the exhibited objects have never been on public display before while others, such as the Irish Republic flag which flew over the GPO, have been specially conserved. Through the combined effect of the objects, words and imagery of the period, visitors to the exhibition will be confronted with the physical reality of the events of Easter Week, following the stories of those caught up in the events of that momentous weekcivilians, combatants and survivors alike. Collins (formerly the Royal) Barracks is located off Wolfe Tone Quay at Benburb Street and is a short taxi ride from city center. It is also accessible by Luas Tram or foot. On the second floor is a separate exhibit remembering those who fought in the War of Independence. For more information: click here. 6. Glasnevin Cemetery For some reason the Irish have a great affinity for cemeteries and one of Dublins most fascinating places is Glasnevin Cemeterythe afterlife home of over one million Dubliners. It features the worlds first cemetery museum and offers a guided tour of the cemetery where so many of Irelands heroes are buried. Over 75,000 people visited the cemetery last year, making it one of the most popularand unlikelytourist destinations in Ireland. As you walk in youll see the grave of Sir Roger Casement, the only 1916 martyr buried here. Next to Casement is the grave of Kevin Barry and the other Forgotten Ten, young men who were executed by the British in the period between November 1920 and the Truce in July 1921. Behind these graves is the appropriately named Republican Plot where some of Irelands most famous rebels are buried. Here lies Jeremiah ODonovan Rossa, John Devoy, Cathal Brugha, Harry Boland, Maud Gonne, Countess Markievicz and the GPO nurse who led Padraig Pearse to surrender, Elizabeth OFarrell, among others. On its outside ridges youll find the grave of Eamon de Valera who, for 50 years, was either Taoiseach (Prime Minister) or President of Ireland. A short stroll away is the grave of Michael Collins, just outside the museums cafe. His grave is covered with flowers and notes from admirers. After visiting Glasnevin its not a bad idea to exit through the south gate and enjoy a pint at one of Dublins great drinking spots, John Kavanaghs Gravediggers Pub. Glasnevin is 15-minutes from the city center and can be reached by #9 bus or taxi. For more information click here. The newest rebel museums 7. Richmond Barracks After the rebels surrendered at the end of Easter Week they were brought to Richmond Barracks in Inchicore for classification. The big shots like Padraig Pearse and Tom Clarke were quickly condemned to death and removed to nearby Kilmainham Gaol for execution. The British then had to separate and evaluate the rest of the rebels according to their importance. (It was at this time that Michael Collins famously and casually walked across the room and joined a contingent of far less dangerous Volunteers, saving himself a stiffer sentence.) The insurgents were fingerprinted, but no mug shots were taken, which would turn into a big problem in the years to come when no one in the British Service knew what Collins looked like. Richmond Barracks was also the destination of teenage rebels like Sean Lemass, future Taoiseach of Ireland, and Vincent Byrne, a shooter in Collins Twelve Apostles who, ironically, would be the commandant in charge of the Barracks by 1922. Many women of the Cumann na mBan and the Irish Citizen Army were brought here including the Countess Markievicz and Elizabeth OFarrell who arranged, along with Pearse, the rebels surrender. Richmond Barracks will officially open on May 2, 2016 to commemorate the centennial of when the first Easter Rising rebels were marched through its doors. On July 31 they will celebrate Francis Ledwidge Day in honor of the poet/soldier who died in the Great War. Richmond Barracks is close to Kilmainham Gaol and one may want to visit both of them on the same trip. More information can be obtained at www.richmondbarracks.ie. 8. An Post GPO Witness History The General Post Office on OConnell Street remains the most iconic building in Ireland and now it has a museum of its own. An Post GPO Witness History is an engaging, interactive visitor attraction bringing history to life through technology, video, sound and authentic artifactsmany previously unseen. An immersive semicircular audiovisual space puts visitors right inside the GPO during the five days in which it was both the military command center, and the seat of the Provisional Irish Government. A digital recreation of Dublin as it was in 1916 provides both an immersive street level experience, and a Gods Eye strategic overview of events, to highlight the difficulty of coordinating a national revolution from the GPO, in a city under siege from overwhelming Crown forces. It reveals dramatic instances of shocking violence, and inspiring courage, shown on all sides. Visitors undergo the full terror of the devastating British artillery bombardment that reduced the center of Dublin to smoking ruins. The exhibit opens on March 29th and the tour is open 365 days a year, 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. For full details, check out www.gpowitnesshistory.ie. Read more stories on the 1916 centenary here 9. 1916 Rebellion Museum at 16 Moore Street By Friday of Easter Week the rebels had to abandon the burning GPO. They came out on Henry Street and made their way to Moore Street. After tunneling through several buildings, men like Pearse, Clarke, Plunkett, MacDiarmada and Connollyfive of the seven signatories of the Proclamationassembled in #16 where they decided to surrender. By 2000 numbers 14, 15, 16 and 17 Moore Street were in danger of being destroyed as gentrification threatened Moore Street, which, with its fish and vegetable mongers, has remains much the same in the 21st century as it was in the time of Joyce and OCasey. Then the Save 16 Moore Street came to the rescue. After much wrangling the Irish government bought the buildings and they were saved from destruction. Even today there is much controversy surrounding the project and although slated to open at the Risings centennial in April, the project may run late. Check out their website for the latest details 1916rebellionmuseum.com. Prosecutors have dropped charges against a bricklayer accused of murdering 29 people in the 1998 Omagh bomb. Seamus Daly, 45, had been on remand in prison since being charged in April 2014 with the Real IRA atrocity and a range of other terror offenses. A pre-trial hearing commenced in Omagh Magistrates Court last week to establish whether the evidence in the case was of sufficient strength to warrant a trial. On Tuesday, the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) withdrew the charges before the preliminary hearing had reached conclusion. As well as the 29 murder counts, Daly, from Jonesborough, Co. Armagh, had faced charges of causing the August 1998 explosion and possession of a bomb with intent to endanger life or property. He was further charged with conspiring to cause an explosion and having explosives with intent in connection with a separate dissident republican bomb plot in Lisburn in April of the same year. All charges were dropped. In 2009, Daly and three others were ordered in a civil action to pay 1.6 million in damages to the bereaved relatives, money the relatives are still pursuing. No one has ever been convicted of the murders in a criminal court. Daly has always denied involvement in the bombing, which inflicted the greatest loss of life of any terror atrocity in the history of The Troubles. The dead came from both sides of the Irish border, England and Spain. One of the victims was pregnant with twins. A spokeswoman for the PPS said, The decision not to seek the return of Seamus Daly for trial to the Crown Court has been taken following a careful review of the current state of the evidence. This has focused in particular on the testimony provided by a key witness during committal proceedings last week. The spokeswoman added, On behalf of the PPS, I extend our sympathy to the families affected by the Omagh bomb. We understand how difficult this decision will be for them. A victims campaigner whose son was killed in the blast said he agreed with the decision to drop the trial. This was a difficult case and hinged on the testimony of one individual and that one individual did not seem to be up to meeting the test needed to put someone behind bars, Michael Gallagher said. Taoiseach Enda Kenny is likely to be still the head of government for the centenary anniversary of the Easter Rising. With voters spreading their favors across a multiplicity of parties and Independents, and inflicting heavy defeats on the outgoing coalition of Fine Gael and Labour, Kenny is expected to be caretaker taoiseach for the centenary celebrations. A new government is not expected to be formed before Easter weekend on March 27-28. Outgoing ministers even those who lost seats in Fridays general election will continue in office while negotiations take place to form a new government following last Fridays general election results. They will also represent Ireland worldwide at St. Patricks Day parades across the globe. The Dail will reassemble on March 10 when the leading parties, Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein are expected to nominate their leaders for taoiseach. When, as expected, there will be no agreement the Dail is likely to be suspended for another three weeks to allow further negotiations to prevent another general election. Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin has taken the first initiative since the inconclusive election result by making a pitch for major political reform before the new Dail meets next week. Martin, the most successful leader in the election with his party more than doubling its number of seats, issued a statement that the next business even ahead of talks about talks around the next government must center on Dail reform. Essentially, what he proposes is to give the Dail stronger powers with the government answerable to it. He wants a substantial shift of power from ministers to ordinary TDs in the new Dail. Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said he does not believe a new government can be formed before Easter. He said it would be extremely difficult for Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, the two largest parties, to create a coalition Neither of the big party leaders has yet been in touch with each other about talks. Kenny was chairing a Cabinet meeting of the outgoing government on Tuesday and, separately, also had a meeting with his Fine Gael ministerial colleagues in an attempt to agree an approach to the impasse caused by the election outcome. With Sinn Fein categorically refusing to join either Fianna Fail or Fine Gael in a ruling partnership, the two big parties were left with a variety of smaller parties and independents right across the political spectrum from far left to far right to form a government. Political commentators reckoned such a rainbow coalition is very unlikely. Long-serving members of Fianna Fail commented that they would not go into partnership with Fine Gael, but a significant number of Fianna Fail first-time TDs said they would be open to supporting a minority Fine Gael government in order to avoid another election. The idea of a rotating taoiseach has not been ruled out by some commentators. A Fine Gael/Fianna Fail government was still hot favorite with the bookies at 1-2 odds. Second favorite was a Fine Gael minority government at nearly 2-1. In a voter turnout of 65.2 per cent, and with six seats still to be filled on Tuesday afternoon under Irelands complicated proportional representation system, the latest result read Fine Gael 49, Fianna Fail 44, Sinn Fein 22, Labour 6, anti-austerity 5, Renua 0, Social Democrats 3, Green Party 2, Independent Alliance 5, independents 16. Among those who lost their seats are Alan Shatter, former Fine Gael minister for Justice, and the current Diaspora Minister Jimmy Deenihan. As first reported a month ago by Irish Voice, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio will, for the first time ever, march in this years New York City St. Patricks Day Parade. He will make it official at a press conference on Thursday, the Irish Consulate in New York. The St. Patricks Day Parade is a New York City tradition, but for years, Irish LGBT New Yorkers could not show their pride, Mr. de Blasio told the Associated Press. Finally, they can celebrate their heritage by marching in a parade that now represents progress and equality. This year, more than 300 people will march under the banner of the Lavender and Green Alliance. Our hearts will be dancing, said Brendan Fay, the head of the group. The mayor, who refused to take part in the parade in prior years due to the exclusion of gay Irish groups walking behind an identifying banner, will likely march up Fifth Avenue twice on March 17. He will join a group that has yet to be determined at the front of the march traditionally, the mayor has marched with the NYPD -- and return later in the day to support the Irish gay group Lavender and Green Alliance which will march in the parade for the first time at approximately 4 p.m. The New York City Council is also expected to have a large contingent marching behind its banner in 2016. For the past two years the council has declined to take part in the parade in an official capacity at the direction of City Council Speaker Melissa Mark Viverito. The council's boycott was also due to the ban on Irish gay groups marching. The decision by the parade board of directors last September to lift the decades-old, highly controversial ban on a gay Irish marching group has been more than welcome, according to Brendan Fay, the co-founder of Lavender and Green Alliance, which also hosts the annual St. Pats for All parade on the first Sunday of March in Sunnyside-Woodside. Lavender and Green sent invitations to de Blasio to take part in St. Pats for All on March 6, and to march with the group when it sets off up Fifth Avenue for the first time on March 17. Fay is expecting de Blasio, members of the City Council and other New York politicians to march in this years St. Pats for All parade as they always do. This year, St. Pats for All will feature two grand marshals, philanthropist Loretta Brennan Glucksman and novelist Colum McCann. We have had tremendous interest from everyone since it was announced last year that we would be marching on Fifth Avenue, Fay told the Irish Voice. He added that Lavender and Green have also extended an invitation to march on the 17th to former Mayor David Dinkins, an ardent supporter of lifting the ban on gay groups since he was in office in the 1990s. In 2014, de Blasio became the first New York mayor since Dinkins in 1992 to boycott the parade. Dinkins had marched in the 1991 parade with members of the Irish Lesbian and Gay Organization (ILGO) who were invited to walk behind the banner of the Ancient Order of Hibernians Division 7 and received a brutal reception from parade-goers, some of whom threw beer cans at Dinkins and the ILGO members. After that, Dinkins declined to march for the remaining two years of his term because ILGO was refused a place with its own banner. Republican mayors Rudy Giuliani and Michael Bloomberg marched in subsequent years despite annual protests on the sidelines of Fifth Avenue by gay groups. Democrat de Blasio, however, touched off a renewed focus on the ban in 2014 when he declined to march and a number of parade sponsors subsequently withdrew financial support, including Guinness and Heineken. In 2015, parade organizers shelved the ban on gay groups when OUT@NBCUniversal, the LGBT support group of parade broadcast network NBC, was given a place in the line of march a move that was approved by Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who agreed to serve as grand marshal for 2015. De Blasio, however, along with the City Council, remained steadfast in refusing to march until an Irish gay group was given the green light to walk up Fifth Avenue. That happened last September when the Lavender and Green Alliance headed by Fay and Kathleen Walsh DArcy was finally given permission to take part in the parade, which has been under the leadership of board chairman Dr. John Lahey since last June. The former chairman of the boards St. Patricks Day Parade and Celebration Committee, John Dunleavy, was a strident opponent of gay groups marching in the parade, and in a Facebook post last April vowed that gay groups would have a hard time gaining entrance to this years line of march. What would the South Boston parade be without controversy? A year after the issue of gay marchers was settled a new controversy has erupted. Mayor Marty Walsh announced after meeting with police that the parade route which was dramatically shortened last year because of snowmageddon, will be similarly shortened this year. Those who thought that was a once-off however are bitterly disappointed. The route is now only two miles - far shorter than it was. Mayor Walsh released a statement late Tuesday afternoon. After consulting with (Police) Commissioner Evans, I have decided that it is in the best interest of public safety, while balancing the historic tradition of the St. Patricks Day Parade, to use the same route that we did last year for this years parade. The Allied War Veterans the organizers are less than pleased with this news. We stand united in opposition of the restriction put on us by local government, said Tim Duross. Changing this route unnecessarily disrupts and insults our community and our heritage, Duross said. The permit for the St. Patricks Day Parade, was granted with the proviso that the march is shortened to mitigate public safety and congestion concerns. Police Commissioner Evans said the shorter route really helped police and emergency vehicles move around much easier.He stated there were far fewer arrests and $90,000 in overtime was saved. The Boston Globe stated that calls for police assistance dropped from 239 to 166, and requests for emergency medical services dipped from 143 to 63 from 2014 to 2015. On Wednesday, organizers were angry. Please help us maintain the traditional parade route as a salute to all of South Boston veterans, said William Desmond, commander of the Allied War Veterans, during the news conference. If it aint broke, folks, you know the line, Tim Duross, the parade organizer, saidIf public drinking is our crime, we plead guilty as charged. But we think much worse things have happened in other neighborhoods. Threaded by SmashMouth I donated, did you? Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Mandeville, LA Posts: 33,102 Blog Entries: 29 Rating: (0 votes - average) The New Orleans Saints standout defensive end is expected to make a full recovery and is not expected to miss much time. The procedure was to clean up something in his lower back. The issue is said to have been minor. Jordan played through the injury late last season, including during the Pro Bowl. He played 981 snaps (92 percent) last season, tops among Saints defensive linemen. Jason Cole of Bleacher Report first reported the news. Jordan has alluded to the procedure on social media in recent days. When safety Kenny Vaccaro commented on players losing muscle mass after surgery, Jordan replied by saying, Thats what I keep tellin myself 8 weeks of rehabbin ain long. read more Cameron Jordan recently underwent an arthroscopic procedure on his lower back, a source told The Advocate on Sunday.The New Orleans Saints standout defensive end is expected to make a full recovery and is not expected to miss much time. The procedure was to clean up something in his lower back.The issue is said to have been minor. Jordan played through the injury late last season, including during the Pro Bowl. He played 981 snaps (92 percent) last season, tops among Saints defensive linemen.Jason Cole of Bleacher Report first reported the news.Jordan has alluded to the procedure on social media in recent days. When safety Kenny Vaccaro commented on players losing muscle mass after surgery, Jordan replied by saying, Thats what I keep tellin myself 8 weeks of rehabbin ain long. Attached Thumbnails It is understood that Minister Simon Coveney has apologised to the parliamentary party for seeming to suggest that abolishing Irish Water was on the cards. The Fine Gael and Fianna Fail parliamentary parties have been separately meeting this afternoon, ahead of negotiations to try to form a Government. With no party coming close to an overall majority it is expected that Fine Gael and Fianna Fail will reach a deal to form a Government. Fine Gael's Eoghan Murphy has said though some in the party think they may be better in opposition. Both sideshave said they will not enter into government at all costs, however Fianna Fail's Michael McGrath says they all have a responsibility to form a working government. It isnt sustainable to have a caretaker Taoiseach and a caretaker Government. It is understood that Minister Simon Coveney has apologised to the parliamentary party for seeming to suggest that abolishing Irish Water was on the cards. Meanwhile Sinn Fein's David Cullinane seemed to rule them out of government earlier, saying they don't have a mandate. There is no mandate for Sinn Fein, unfortunately to form a left Government, the numbers are not there for us. Talks and negotiations will continue between parties in the coming days, and likely the coming weeks. For the first time - LGBT groups - will be allowed participate in this year's New York St Patrick's day parade. The annual festivities had come under severe criticism in recent years for continuing to prohibit open participation in the festivities. By Daniel McConnell Political Editor The first meeting of Fine Gael TDs and Senators since the General Election has been told they could be heading back to the polls within 18 months. Finance Minister Michael Noonan made the comments at the private meeting of the parliamentary party at Leinster House today. According to sources, Mr Noonan told those assembled that he expects an early or mid-term election. The party met to contemplate and explore why Fine Gael had such a poor campaign, which saw them lose 26 seats on their 2011 results. Under fire Taoiseach Enda Kenny told the meeting he will open talks with Independents and smaller parties tomorrow with a view to forming a Government. In a clear sign of his weakened position, the Taoiseach also said he would be willing to change the Dail rules to give greater speaking rights for smaller groupings. Mr Kenny is desperately trying to cling on to power and is facing increasing pressure to relinquish the reins. Also at the meeting, Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney issued an apology for suggesting earlier this week that Fine Gael is open to discussions on the future of Irish Water and water charges. On RTEs Prime Time, the Cork South Central based minister suggested that Fine Gael would be willing to talk about water during negotiations on the formation of a new government. He had said Fine Gael will certainly be willing to talk about water. Less than 12 hours later, Mr Kenny later described water charges and a national water utility and water charges as a fundamental issue for Fine Gael. At the meeting, Mr Coveney apologised for speaking too loosely and reaffirmed his commitment to Irish Water as an entity and to water charges. At the meeting, Mr Kenny expressed regret that the Labour Partys numbers have reduced so significantly forcing them to rule themselves out of participating in government. Earlier, Galway West TD Sean Kyne said the national election campaign was poor, adding that some deputies had privately called it atrocious. Mr Kyne said Fine Gael needed to acknowledge that fact and criticised the budget pension increase of 3. The party posed for a family photograph on the plinth before the meeting and the gathering was devoid of much cheer and Mr Kenny looked decidedly uncomfortable. Union bosses at Irish Water are warning that thousands of people will lose their jobs if it is wound up. There is continued speculation that the new Government may abolish the utility, but internal estimates claim the move could cost the tax payer around 7bn. Donald Trump has come under a brutal attack from former US presidential nominee Mitt Romney, who urged fellow Republicans to shun the property tycoon for the good of the country and party. Mr Romney, who was soundly defeated by President Barack Obama in his 2012 re-election, joins a growing chorus of anxious Republican leaders that many Trump supporters see as establishment figures. "Here's what I know: Donald Trump is a phoney, a fraud," Mr Romney says in a speech set for delivery later. Mr Romney will say a Trump nomination at the party's convention in July would enable Democrat Hillary Clinton to win the presidency. Mr Romney will also say Mr Trump "has neither the temperament nor the judgement to be president". Mr Trump disparaged Mr Romney in a series of tweets, including "I am not a Mitt Romney, who doesn't know how to win." Panicked Republican leaders say they still have options for preventing Mr Trump from winning the nomination, just not many good ones. They include a contested convention and even the long-shot prospect of a third party option. Meanwhile, dozens of conservative national security experts have warned that Mr Trump is unfit to be commander in chief. Former Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and more than 70 others called Mr Trump's "embrace of the expansive use of torture" inexcusable. They also object to what they say is Mr Trump's "hateful, anti-Muslim rhetoric" and his advocacy for waging trade wars. Mr Trump has 316 delegates so far, Texas Senator Ted Cruz 226 and Florida Senator Marco Rubio, 106. It takes 1,237 delegates to win the party nomination. Mr Trump is already setting his sights on the general election. His campaign reached out to House Speaker Paul Ryan's office to arrange a conversation between the two men and urged Republican leaders to view his candidacy as a chance to expand the party. "Why can't the leaders of the Republican Party see that I am bringing in new voters by the millions - we are creating a larger, stronger party", Mr Trump tweeted. Indeed, there was a surge in turnout in Super Tuesday's primaries. While that could be a welcome sign for a party that has struggled to attract new voters in recent presidential elections, Republican leaders face the reality that some of those voters were registering their opposition to the party establishment. Party strategists cast March 15 as the last opportunity to stop Mr Trump through the normal path of winning states and collecting delegates. A win for Mr Rubio in his home state of Florida would raise questions about Mr Trump's strength, as could a win for John Kasich, Ohio's governor, on his home turf. The candidates have a high-profile opportunity to make their case to voters in Thursday night's prime-time debate. Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson all but ended his bid on Wednesday, saying he would skip the debate and declaring he did "not see a political path forward". On the Democratic side, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was drawing broad support from voters and her party's leaders. Rival Bernie Sanders vowed to keep up the fight, though his path to the nomination has narrowed. So far, Mrs Clinton has at least 1,005 delegates, and Mr Sanders 373. It takes 2,383 Democratic delegates to win. The film Spotlight won 2016 best picture and original screenplay Oscars but Acton Institute co-founder and President Rev. Robert A. Sirico eviscerated the Academy for embracing Spotlight while it celebrated a child molester in its own ranks, according to the Hollywood gossip site TMZ. The interview was picked up by Brietbart.com which reported that while Sirico agreed the film underscores the great shame of the chapter in the Churchs history, he hammered the industry for standing by confessed child sex abuser Polanski. Brietbart added this transcript of the TMZ video: What is lamentable to me, particularly in the kind of celebration over this is that it [Spotlight] covers a scandal that took place in the very year that the Academy itself awarded an award to Roman Polanski, who is a child molester, said the priest and commentator. He added: There is just this contradiction the church needs to, and I think has done many things to repent, of the heinous crime of child abuse. I wonder if the rest of our society, particularly Hollywood and the school system, and many other secular institutions would follow along. Heres the official synopsis of Spotlight from the Oscars site: In 2001, the journalists of The Boston Globes Spotlight team begin investigating Father John Geoghan, who is accused of molesting more than 80 boys. As they dig deeper and acknowledge their papers own failings, the team uncovers a conspiracy of lawyers and government officials who helped the Boston Archdiocese hide the pedophilia of many priests and deny justice to the victims. Read Priest Hits Hypocritical Hollywood for Supporting Child Rapist Roman Polanski and Celebrating Spotlight by Kipp Jones on Breitbart.com. Management said yesterday that it expected bidding for the Gresham to be dominated by international investors and that it would rather hold available acquisition funds for other projects. Already the largest hotel operator in Ireland, via its Maldron and Clayton brands, Dalata has been on an aggressive expansion drive over the past 12 months; after raising over 200m in equity and 282m in debt to fund acquisitions. Last year it spent 559m on acquiring 15 hotels in Ireland and the UK and has, since the turn of the year, committed a further 78.2m on six more hotels and one new build development site in Dublin. The group has 130m in raised capital left to spend on expansion. Speaking yesterday, at the publication of Dalatas 2015 annual results, group chief executive Pat McCann said the group is probably unlikely to make a bid for the Gresham, saying the money which we have left, we have very good use for and will have no problem spending this year. He also said Dalata wouldnt be interested in acquiring Dublin Institute of Technologys building on nearby Cathal Brugha Street, which is on the market for around 20m and which has been touted as a potential new hotel site. Yesterdays results showed a 185% jump in annual revenues to 225m with pre-tax profits ballooning from 4.2m to 28.46m. Mr McCann called 2015 a remarkable year for the group, aided by the uplift in the hotel sector, increased consumer confidence and the groups expansion drive. Trading in the first couple of months of 2016, he said, was stronger than expected in Ireland and in line with expectations in the UK, where Dalata has five hotels. This year will, according to Mr McCann, see a finish out of Dalatas Irish expansion project and a shift in emphasis away from the aggressive acquisition drive of recent months to a focus on bedding-in recent purchases. However, there remains room for further investment and acquisition. As well as the planned new build at Charlemont Street in Dublin, Dalata has its eye on six development sites, although management did yesterday urge caution on that figure and suggested it might end up only developing around two of those; pointing out one prospective transaction has recently fallen through. The group also wants to acquire three hotels the Maldron sites in Cork, Portlaoise and Dublins Cardiff Lane which it currently operates under lease arrangements. Next year will see Dalata focus on expanding its operations in the UK market. Mr McCann said the group is already working on a number of projects and has a three-to-five year expansion programme lined up. The focus will be on provincial locations and not on London, where management said is too expensive a market to enter. Dalata already has a small presence in the English capital, largely through inheritance from its 2014 acquisition of the bulk of the Moran-Bewley hotel portfolio. Dalata will develop in the UK via a long-term lease approach and will not need to raise fresh equity to grow there. Regarding the Brexit question, Mr McCann said the groups sole worry would be how either outcome might affect the UK economy. In Dublin, Dalata wants to account for around 1,000 of the 4,000-5,000 hotel rooms estimated to open by 2019, which would maintain its 20% market share position in the capital. Dalatas share price down by nearly 20% since the start of the year was down marginally yesterday at just under 4.70. The watchdog said it suspected Facebooks terms of service regarding how the company makes use of users data may abuse its possibly dominant position in the social networking market. It planned to examine whether users were properly informed about how their personal data would be obtained by the company. Facebook, the worlds biggest social network with 1.6 billion monthly users, earns revenues from advertising based on data it gathers about its users social connections, opinions and activities. For advertising-financed internet services such as Facebook, user data are hugely important, Federal Cartel Office president Andreas Mundt said. For this reason it is essential to also examine under the aspect of abuse of market power whether the consumers are sufficiently informed about the type and extent of data collected. A Facebook spokeswoman said: We are confident that we comply with the law and we look forward to working with the Federal Cartel Office to answer their questions. Co-founder and chief executive Mark Zuckerberg visited Berlin on a charm offensive last week. EU officials have also expressed support for the view that Facebooks use of data might expose it to regulatory action on competition grounds. The cartel office said it was co-ordinating its probe with other EU states. French and Irish competition regulators said they were not involved with the German case. Given the electoral upheaval one would be forgiven for thinking that politicians who had just had their cards well and truly marked by the electorate would be a little more circumspect at least in these early days. Unfortunately, this appears to be far from the case. For many its business as usual. How else can we realistically view the suggestion that those councillors who were elevated to the Dail would hand over their council seats to family or friends. It may be legal but its hardly democratic. Unfortunately, its part of the reason why the people of Ireland have become so cynical of politics and politicians. This is not a sustainable position to be in if we wish to get this countrys economy fully back on its feet and able to provide a sustainable future for the Irish people. Over the last few weeks of auction politics many, if not all, of our politicians seemed to be speaking out of both sides of their mouths. One side was saying that we have loads of money in the fiscal space, virtually suggesting that it was a bottomless pit that offered us goodies if only we would put the same experienced folk back in the driving seat. The other side was telling us that stability was an imperative for our economy, if we are to ride out the many obstacles to our economy, arising from a considerably less than stable world economy. It was not only a contradiction but it could be argued that it took the Irish electorate for fools. Well, the electorate has spoken and it would be a very asinine politician indeed who did not get the message. It wasnt quite a plague on all your houses, but it could have been. Undoubtedly, there are politicians in the major parties right now saying to themselves that all they have to do is hold out for a while, stay away from government, wait for the early collapse of whatever cobbled-together arrangement emerges, and then go all out for a mandate in any new election. This is particularly so if it means propping up Enda Kenny in his bid to become the first Fine Gael Taoiseach to be re-elected, given that it could be argued that in its vote the electorate made clear that they did not want the existing government returned. Its also fair to say that any party going into government as a junior partner, even if its a sizeable junior partner, will very likely share the same fate as Labour, the Greens, the PDs and so on and on. I cannot see Fianna Fail doing that or indeed Sinn Fein. So what to do? On Tuesday, Fergus Finlay offered us an option in an open letter in this newspaper to the President. It is an option that demands we return to the actual intent of the Constitution and that is that the government is answerable to the Dail, and not just a plaything of the government, a rubber stamp to be instructed how to behave and how to vote. In a way, the 31st Dail was the antithesis of democracy. We had a Taoiseach who appeared unable, even unwilling, to be answerable to parliament and instead used the guillotine to cut short debate. Fergus Finlays contention which I agree with is that we dont need a stable government. We need an honest, open, and accountable government. "We need a government thats created, in the open, by the whole Dail and answerable to the whole Dail. Life is about priorities. Undoubtedly, we need stability if we are to maintain and grow our economy but unless we go back to a government of the people, by the people and for the people, we will have no long-term stability. For what its worth, I trust that President Higgins will take heed of Fergus Finlays words and will take a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to knock some heads together. Our politicians need to work for the good of the country, not just their own party, not just for their constituency and not just to build up a large pension pot for their own benefit, but for a country that is fairer for all and not for the few and a country that underpins values that will continue to attract companies which will sustain our economy long into the future. For more election news, analysis and general banter join us HERE The proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) is aimed at encouraging trade between the EU and US by removing some remaining tariffs and harmonising regulatory standards. Opponents greatest concern centres on the establishment of a special trade court which they say offers corporations the power to sue sovereign states but which the Commission deems necessary to protect businesses interests. The deal has been mired in controversy over the special trade court and its predecessor, the Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS), since talks began in July 2013, leaving negotiators scrambling the get a deal over the line before US president Barack Obama leaves office in January 2017. Despite significant concern over TTIP, Mr Brutons intervention in correspondence with EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom seen by the Irish Examiner urged a swift resolution to negotiations. I hope the two largest and most economically important trade negotiations, namely with Japan and the US, will continue to be prioritised with a view to rapid conclusion. "It is my hope the pace of work can be accelerated over the coming months so we can deliver on what is an unique chance to cement the close economic, political and cultural ties in the transatlantic relationship, Mr Bruton wrote. Mr Bruton also warned nothing in Free Trade Agreements should have the effect of obstructing member states in their pursuit of public policy measures such as Irelands legislation on plain packaging cigarettes. Tobacco giant Philip Morris tried to overturn Australias plain-packaging laws using ISDS in an ultimately failed attempt which cost the Australian government an estimated 33.5m to defend. The deal is also seen by some as important in shaping the future of global trade and restricting Chinas role in that regard. In that context, Mr Brutons desire for a similar deal to be struck with China may raise some eyebrows among negotiators, particularly on the US side. Important progress has been made in improving trade relations with China through economic dialogue and the current negotiations on an Investment Agreement. "In time I hope a successful outcome will open the path to commencing negotiations on an FTA [free trade agreement] with China, Mr Bruton wrote. The UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) upheld a complaint against online travel agency eDreams Odigeo and found it to be in breach of the code in relation to misleading advertising. ASA found while eDreams could use relevant search terms and were entitled to promote their services it still needed to ensure they did not imply they were the official site for the airlines for which they sold tickets. The two artisan cheese makers from Munster won the Coup de Coeur prize, awarded to eight exceptional cheeses, following a blind tasting by a jury of nine chefs and cheesemongers. The winners were selected from 72 entries from 100 producers. Based in Cappagh, Co Waterford, the Little Milk Company, which was formed in 2008, involves 10 family-run organic dairy farms in Munster and Leinster. Collectively, their total milk pool is a significant three million litres per annum the organic liquid milk market is estimated at five million litres including imports from Northern Ireland. They began producing premium cheddars and soft cheeses. They are all made with local organic ingredients. Cashel Farmhouse Cheesemakers, based in Fethard, was established in 1984 by Louis and Jane Grubb to create a cheese that truly represents the outstanding quality of Tipperary grass-fed milk. Today, 31 years later, in the hands of the second generation, their celebrated Cashel Blue cheese, one of its many products, is still made by hand on the same 200 acre farm. The Salon trade event, which ended yesterday, showcased 190 artisan dairy producers from 12 countries. Over 6,000 buyers and visitors, mainly French, attended the event over four days. Bord Bia arranged meetings with buyers for the seven Irish companies who participated at the event on the Ireland-Origin Green stand. Ireland had the second largest non-French presence at the show and according to Noreen Langan, Bord Bia manager for France and Belgium, there has never been a better time to introduce French buyers to Irish farmhouse cheese. French cheesemongers now stock on average 16 foreign cheeses from their selection of 130, representing around 10% of their turnover. "According to new trade research, over 30% of cheese shops intend to increase their range of imported cheese. This is already translating into a significant increase in Irish artisan cheese to France, which has trebled since our presence at the Salon two years ago and now amount to about 18 tonnes per year, she said. North Korean Leaders are Devoted to Freedom, Palestinian Official Says | Main | USA Today Imprisons Facts, Conceals Truths March 03, 2016 Hamas Cooperates with ISIS-Sinai A letter posted online from an Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) fighter appears to confirm that the terrorist group has ties with Hamas, a U.S.-designated terrorist group that rules the Gaza Strip. The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), a non-profit organization that translates Arab and Persian media, reports that a letter from an ISIS fighter to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the groups head, protests the close ties and cooperation between ISISs Sinai province and Hamas, particularly Hamass military wing.? MEMRI notes that the letter is the first confirmation of ties between the two organizations that comes from ISIS itself.? Abu Abdallah Al-Muhajir, a Gazan Arab who joined ISIS in Syria, wrote the letter. In it, he says that ISIS in the Sinai is smuggling weapons into Gaza for Hamas, and that Hamas is making weapons and explosive devices for ISIS Sinai. Al-Muhajir also states that Hamas is providing communications systems and hospitalization in Gaza for wounded ISIS fighters. The letter from the ISIS terrorist states that ISIS Sinai leaders are visiting Gaza and even are treated as dinner guests at the homes of Hamas leaders. MEMRI reports that the ISIS fighter considers these Hamas-ISIS Sinai ties a violation of the principle of loyalty to the Muslims and rejection of non-Muslims (Al-Walaa Wal-Baraa), stating ISIS considers Hamas a movement that has betrayed Islam and that as such there is no justification, even on the pretext of tactical, operational, and logistical necessity, for maintaining ties with it.? In the letter, Al-Muhajir says hes writing to al-Baghdadi because, matters have reached a point where it is no longer possible to remain silent, and providing advice in secret would not have helped.? Al-Muhajir writes that the ISIS Sinai province is a pawn of Hamas? and accused Hamas of torturing and ridiculing Salafi jihad fighters? while taking advantage of cooperation with the Islamic State. The terrorist bemoans ISIS reliance on Hamas, stating, The relationship between Sinai province and Hamas has crossed all limits, and has reached the point where the province is asking Hamas to manufacture the uniforms for its soldiers.? In August 2014, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu compared ISIS to Hamas, noting their shared traits of barbarism.? Yet, Netanyahus conclusion that Hamas is Like ISIS, ISIS is like Hamas? was mocked by some journalists and anti-Israel pundits. As recently as January 2016while ISIS and Hamas were collaborating according to Al-Muhajirthe anti-Israel Web site Mondoweiss, which has long trafficked in conspiracy theories (see, for example, ISM (and Mondoweiss) Demonstrate How to Propagandize with YouTube,? CAMERA, July 5, 2011), called Netanyahus statements a lie.? Mondoweiss author James North pointed to journalist Sarah Helms article in the New York Review of Books, ISIS in Gaza (Jan. 14, 2016).? In it, Helm used the oxymoronic term Hamas moderate? to describe Hamas spokesman Ahmed Yousef. According to Palestinian Media Watch, a non-profit organization that monitors Arab media in the West Bank (Judea and Samaria), the Gaza Strip and eastern Jerusalem, in July 2012 the moderate? Yousef said that Palestinian TV broadcasts about suicide attacks increased honor for Palestinians.? Noting tensions between Hamas and ISIS, Helm concluded that they couldnt possibly be cooperatinga sentiment North fully endorsed when he noted that Helm regularly visits Gaza.? Its now apparent however, that ISIS has a similar travel itinerary. Shortly after Netanyahus remarks, Larry Derfner, writing for Web site +972 (No, Hamas isnt ISIS, ISIS isnt Hamas,? Aug. 24, 2014) charged that anyone who accepted Netanyahus comments was a shill for Israel? for believing in a crude attempt to brainwash people, to put the most horrifying image in their minds and associate it with Gaza.? Derfner charged Netanyahu with insulting peoples intelligence.? However, Netanyahu clarified his comments in October 2014: I didnt say that Hamas and ISIS are twins, I said they are brothers. Theyre branchesof the same poisonous tree of militant Islam.? Like family members, Hamas and ISIS can be quite differenteven rivals with differences of opinion and who fight for influence. Infighting between Islamist groups, often for territory and dominance, is common as ongoing battles between al-Nusra Front and ISIS in Syria attest. Yet, this family feud? doesnt stop them from cooperating on shared goals, like seeking to destroy Israel and attacking the Western world. Thats worth noting. Posted by SD at March 3, 2016 03:39 PM Guidelines for posting This is a moderated blog. We will not post comments that include racism, bigotry, threats, or factually inaccurate material. Post a comment Taoiseach and party leader Enda Kenny also had serious questions to answer about the campaign, he said. Ahead of what will be a critical meeting for Mr Kenny today with his TDs, Mr Shatter said it was up to the parliamentary members whether he should remain as leader. During an interview with RTEs Sean ORourke, Mr Shatter said the party had intervened in his Dublin-Rathdown constituency and effectively lost him his seat. For Fine Gael members, there is an issue around the election messaging, the obsession with focus groups and marketing, the use of outside consultants, an incapacity during the course of that campaign to recognise that things are going wrong. Mr Shatter said previously there were local vote management issues in constituencies but headquarters imposed an arrangement which lost him his seat and got Stillorgan-based councillor Josepha Madigan elected. He had warned about the strategy being used, just days prior to polling. My views were entirely ignored. Those sitting in Mount Street or elsewhere in Fine Gael headquarters cant be gazing into a crystal ball deluding themselves as to what they expect might happen and then giving directions that have no reality, he said. He said there was a problem about the praetorian guard about the party and non-elected officials, engaged in the campaign. The new parliamentary party needed to have a full examination of how the campaign went wrong, he said. Mr Shatter said the problem was the focus had been on strategy and messaging and not on people. For the first week of the campaign, we all got lost in fiscal space. That was the most bizarre commencement of a campaign Ive seen in all my 30 years in politics. The message became instantly confused. Clearly, the Taoiseach has serious questions to ask himself and to answer about the manner in which the campaign was conducted, he said. Health Minister James Reilly, who lost his seat in Dublin-Fingal, said he had raised concerns about the campaign and the need to humanise its message which he claimed had failed to connect emotionally with people. Campaigns are very noisy and its hard to get a look in, he said. For more election news, analysis and general banter join us HERE Mr Kenny and his top aides are to be roasted over their botched handling of the partys campaign, which has seen them lose almost 18 seats. Mark Mortell, the partys strategist, last night said he expects he and other top Fine Gael strategists will get unreasonable and unwarranted criticism for their handling of the campaign. Mr Mortell, was widely-lauded for Fine Gaels record victory in 2011. Speaking to the Irish Examiner, Mr Mortell said he wasnt that concerned whether he was being scapegoated for the partys poor performance. I have been around politics a long time and you learn to take the rough with the smooth, he said. When you win everyones a winner and when it goes wrong people seek to pick out someone to be the bad guy. He added: The campaign outcome was not what we expected or hoped for. People had made their mind up on things that werent coming in the polls. We probably got unreasonable and unwarranted praise last time around and we will get unreasonable and unwarranted criticism this time, he said. The partys messaging and main campaign slogan is to be hotly-debated as many TDs have said they felt their concerns about the campaign pitch were being ignored. It has emerged that several top ministers, including Frances Fitzgerald, Paschal Donohoe, James Reilly and Simon Harris expressed concerns about the Fine Gael election package, which they said was aloof and not punter friendly. Donohoe and Fitzgerald are believed to have pushed for the party to soften its message to ensure it was talking to as broad an audience as possible. Mr Kenny and the performance of key election advisers, MEP Brian Hayes and Mr Mortell, will be scrutinised by livid TDs who are very raw. Several TDs last night said they were still shell-shocked at the scale of the loss of seats in last Fridays election. But, as bad as the campaign was, several complained that the party has not handled the fall-out of the campaign well at all. The campaign was shite, but we are also having a bad week. Enda is seen as a lame duck but if he beats Micheal next Thursday, I dont see how he doesnt stay on, one TD said. Some ministers have complained that throughout the campaign, they were effectively sidelined by bosses. But as verbalised by Frank Flannery, the partys former director of elections, there has also been criticisms of several top ministers for going missing in the campaign. Heavy hitters such as Fitzgerald, Leo Varadkar and Simon Coveney failed to step up to save the election for the party in the dying days of the campaign. Mr Hayes has said the party underestimated the unpopularity of the Government, and accepted the Fine Gael campaign was too Dublin-centric. For more election news, analysis and general banter join us HERE Looking exhausted, Mr Kenny was still reeling from his partys failure to be re-elected and the internal recrimination within Fine Gael over the botched campaign. Given how weak his position is, Mr Kenny was forced to admit he wants to open talks with Fianna Fail in a bid to form the next government. The Fine Gael leader insisted that nobody wants a second election. Speaking at the launch of a 1916 rising museum at Collins Barracks in Dublin City, the Taoiseach said that while people may have voted for his party to keep Fianna Fail out, Fridays vote means all parties now need to be open to talks. But it was Mr Kennys inner team who refused to listen to their TDs who were warning that the partys message during the campaign was not working. In the wake of a disastrous Red C poll which showed the partys support had slumped five points in 10 days, TDs were screaming that the Fine Gael message of lets keep the recovery going was tanking. But what is clear is that those in charge of the campaign were not for listening. Key senior campaign advisors Brian Hayes and Mark Mortell steadfastly refused to listen to those concerns and urged people to stick to the message. Mayo TD Michael Ring lashed out at the Dublin-centric advisers, who were out of touch with the hurt felt by the people across the country. During the campaign, the partys top strategy committee met every day to co-ordinate the partys strategy, ground war, and positioning of the manifesto. The team was made up of the likes of Mr Hayes, Mr Mortell and Tom Curran, as well as advisers like Mark Kennelly, Andrew McDowell, Terry Murphy, Majella Fitzpatrick and Ciaran Conlon. Mr Hayes has conceded that the campaign was too Dublin focused and also accepted responsibility for the campaigns failure. But today, Mr Kenny will attempt to contain the fallout when the new Fine Gael Parliamentary Party meets in Leinster House. Mr Kenny and his top team will face the wrath of the TDs who have returned over the campaign and will seek to get agreement on a set of policies to allow them try and form a Government. Mr Kenny is fighting for his political survival. For more election news, analysis and general banter join us HERE Seven priests adorned the altar at his funeral Mass and there wasnt a Fr Jack joke between them. The homily was heartfelt, the music magnificent, and the personal touches so poignant, but what was really needed was a good pungent expletive. Go on, go on, go on seemed to be the congregationss silent chant. It took Franks son, Emmet, to end the anticipation, wrapping up proceedings with a eulogy that recalled his fathers best known comic creation. For a short while, Fr Jack was trending on Twitter ahead of Donald Trump and Leonardo di Caprio, he said to laughter. When he gets to heaven, when they choose to let Fr Jack through the duty free at the pearly gates, itll be the first time anyone ever told St Peter to feck off. Hundreds came to the Church of the Guardian Angels in Blackrock, Dublin, to say farewell to one of the countrys most beloved actors. President Michael D Higgins and wife Sabina were among those who offered sympathies to Franks wife of 51 years, Bairbre, their seven children, 17 grandchildren, and large extended family. Father Ted writers Arthur Mathews and Graham Linehan attended, as did Ardal OHanlon, also known as Fr Dougal. Extremely sad news today. A Gentleman, great comedy priest, friend. RIP Frank. Ardal O'Hanlon (@ardalsfolly) February 28, 2016 Sunday after Sunday, 10.45 Mass, tenth seat on the outside its probably contoured to his person, said celebrant Fr Bill Fortune of the very normal Frank of strong faith who was a weekly Mass-goer. Emmet paid tribute to Franks everyday kindness. Tales where he made a difference to ordinary people were as special to us as his entertaining millions, he said. Although when he got a letter from the Queen saying how much she enjoyed the 12 Days of Christmas, I did think that was cool. Frank had performed a skit for the family of her majesty declaring: One is quite amused. Emmet said: He had a healthy disrespect for authority. Lampooning the high and mighty was just one of his passions. Swimming, running, boating, fishing, music, and all things French were among his great loves. He was watching the rugby just before his death and a day earlier had declared he wanted to go for a walk along the Camino Way. His greatest love was family time. Among the gifts brought to the altar were 17 white roses, one for each grandchild, along with a photo of Lucky, the family dog; a picture of the Forty Foot where he swam, a copy of his autobiography, and a crossword puzzle. Bairbre penned a reflection for her late husband. There is another place, where music plays, the stage is set, the light grows dim, the mighty wait to greet you, with applause. The congregation rose, clapping, and sent him on his way. John, also known as Cornelius, Murphy, aged 66, set up the Children to Lapland Appeal which has flown thousands of children to Lapland. He acted as director from its foundation in 1987 until it was liquidated in 2012. Mr Murphy, of Church Rd, Killiney, has pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to four counts of theft in the Dublin area. The court heard that Mr Murphys full-time job was running United Travel, a travel agent based in Stillorgan, Dublin, which flew a route to Lapland. In 1987 he devoted one of these flights to sending terminally ill children who were taken from hospitals around the country. Garrett McCormack, prosecuting, told the trial that bank records show Mr Murphy lodged four cheques, totalling 18,643, from the charity into his personal account between June and July 2010. Patrick Reynolds, defending, said that Mr Murphys personal account was also used for business purposes, including paying expenses and wages for Manorcastle Ltd, which was also known as United Travel. Mr McCormack presented evidence that four cheques written from the charitys account matched four lodgements into the accuseds personal account. The cheques had been signed by one of the directors of the Children to Lapland Appeal, Joseph Reid. Mr Reid gave evidence that he had known the accused for 35 years and was one of three directors, including Mr Murphy. He said that sometimes he would get a call to come in to the office to sign cheques. He said he would sign blank cheques five at a time to save him coming back multiple times. He agreed that it was his signature on the four cheques in the charges. Mr Reid said the money from the cheques belonged to the charity. He said he was horrified when gardai showed him they had been paid into Mr Murphys account and that he considered such activity fraud. Mr Reynolds, defending Mr Murphy, asked the witness if the signing of multiple blank cheques at a time was a Charlie Haughey, Bertie Ahern scenario. Mr Reid said he was certainly no Bertie Ahern and said he signed them in this way for convenience sake. Counsel asked Mr Reid if the charity owed between 68,000 and 69,000 to Mr Murphy and Manorcastle. The witness replied that money was owed but not at the time the cheques were issued. The trial continues before Judge Patrick McCartan and a jury. The 20m tender was cancelled by Dublin City Council, due to insufficient applications. The first tranche of 22 modular homes, in Poppintree, in Ballymun, was supposed to have been completed by Christmas, but work is continuing, with latest indications that they may be finished this month. Another 131 homes, at four other sites around Dublin, were due to be completed this year, but will now be significantly delayed, despite both Dublin City Council and the Dublin Regional Homeless Executive stressing that a fresh competition would take place, possibly as early as next month. According to the local authority: It was a condition of the competition that the successful applicants must be in a position to complete the development(s) within a maximum period of 16 calendar weeks, from the contract commencement to substantial completion on-site, and in any event by June 30, 2016. The council received an insufficient number of applicants, who confirmed that they would be able to meet the deadline in order to conduct a competition. The council considers that the deadline is no longer achievable. Reacting to the news, Dublin Simon said: With 769 families homeless in Dublin, very disappointing to hear that modular homes will not go ahead. Of those families, 553 are in hotels and 216 in homeless accommodation. David Hall, of the Irish Mortgage Holders Organisation, queried whether the modular housing project was a pre-election stunt. The latest setback also prompted Focus Ireland to call on the next government whatever its composition to take all necessary steps to alleviate the crisis. Another 125 families become homeless in Dublin in January. Focus Ireland advocacy and communications manager, Roughan MacNamara, said: This crisis is not DCCs fault, as they are struggling to cope, with more and more families becoming homeless every month. It is vital that the next government whoever makes it up learns the lessons from how this crisis deepened to an emergency situation. He said his organisations pre-Budget submission, in 2012, forecasted the housing crisis. An average of 60 families present as homeless, to Focus Ireland family services in Dublin, every month. The continued, massive rise in family homelessness is due to the prolonged crisis in the private rented sector, he said. One key aspect of this crisis is lending agencies foreclosing on buy-to-let landlords and then evicting the tenants. The repossession of buy-to-let landlords, often by banks owned by the Irish people, is a growing phenomenon and may account for up to half the recent cases of family homelessness. There are more than 35,000 buy-to-let landlords who are more than a year in arrears on their mortgages, and we have been warning government about this impending problem for over three years. He said outgoing Environment Minister, Alan Kelly, had included this issue in his 20 point plan on homelessness, in December, 2014, but no response whatsoever has been put in place to deal with the issue. The north Dublin criminal is serving time for a number of serious offences. He, along with another north Dublin drug trafficker, are believed by gardai to have ordered the murder of Alan Ryan, Vincents brother, in September 2012. Alan Ryan was the effective leader in Dublin of the Real IRA and had been running a violent extortion racket against drug gangs. Vincent Ryan, 25, the father of a newborn daughter, was shot dead in his car after he dropped his partner and their baby off at her home on McKee Rd in Finglas on Monday. Officers have not ruled out the possibility that the attack was the result of an internal dissident feud, given that a number of the Ryan brothers associates have been subjected to punishment attacks. This includes Declan Smith, who was shot dead in March 2014. Gardai are expected to examine all the visitors the crime boss received in recent months in the two prisons he had been in. They will also examine who he has been associating with in the prisons and, in turn, who has visited them. They will also carry out inquiries regarding any use of mobile phones by the crime boss or his associates in prison in recent months. Meanwhile, gardai are preparing for the funeral of Vincent Ryan, expected to take place either at the end of the week or early next week. There was considerable outrage at the paramilitary-style funeral of his brother, including the discharge of shots over his coffin. Senior officers are determined that there will not be any repeat of the discharge of firearms. A source said that a major security operation will be in place. Marius Daniel Sarzynski, of Bective House, Beaufort Place, Navan, Co Meath, was being held at Cloverhill Prison over the killing of wife Aleksandra Sarzynski. He was attending Navan Courthouse in connection with a family law matter when he bolted across the courtroom and through the window on August 18, 2014. Mr Sarzynskis was the only case to be heard before Judge Conal Gibbons that morning. Prison officers removed two sets of handcuffs from his wrists before the case began as was normal practice, Dublin Coroners Court heard. The courtroom in Navan is located up two flights of stairs and Mr Sarzynksi had been there before, the inquest heard. During a break in the hearing Mr Sarzynski, from Poland, spoke briefly with his solicitor before jumping up and running across the courtroom to the window. He jumped up and bolted towards myself and Officer Farrell. I was knocked down. When I got up I saw his two feet stuck in the window frame, said prison officer Siobhan Byrne. The mans feet had caught on the window frame but he had dislodged himself before the prison officers could prevent him falling out. His feet dislodged. We ran downstairs and found him on the pavement screaming in pain, said Ms Byrne. He was rushed to Our Lady of Lourdes hospital in Drogheda where he was treated for a broken hip and other injuries. I thought he was trying to escape. That was my automatic reaction, said Ms Byrne. He went head first through the window. Its a big drop, about 20ft onto concrete below. He was screaming in pain. The former chaplain at Cloverhill Prison, Sr Margaret ODonovan, told the court his mood began to deteriorate from early 2014. He would say things like, Ive nothing to live for, Ive done a terrible thing, said Sr ODonovan. The court heard that Mr Sarzynski had asked for a razor to shave the day before he died. He was returned to Cloverhill Prison on August 26. He was found injured in his cell shortly after midnight. Sr ODonovan received a call from Cloverhill Prison. She was told he had cut himself badly and that it didnt look good. The inquest, which is due to hear evidence from a total of 20 witnesses, was adjourned to May. My mother she is beautiful, softened at the edges and tempered with a spine of steel. I want to grow old and be like her, What author Jodi Picoult once memorably said of her mum Not every mother and daughter has such an enviably close relationship, and not every mother and daughter could work side by side either. But some do. Brackens Bakery and Cafe Old Mallow Road, Cork Lydia and Finola Bracken. Businesswoman Finola Bracken and her daughter Lydia (29) have worked closely together in the family bakery since Lydia started work there on a full-time basis some eight years ago. The Daughter: Lydia We work together like clockwork, declares Lydia of her relationship with mum, Finola, adding that shes been working at Brackens all her life: I often say Im working here since I was one I was put on the floor in an egg-box and I played away while my parents worked. Im working full-time here for the past eight years and am a managing director with Mum and Dad. There are always differences in opinion as regards business, but I love working with my mum. Were constantly chatting to each other during the working day. Were constantly interacting. Its very easy to communicate with my mum its a real pleasure. Theres no downside. Yes, there are always disagreements on different things, but we know how to deal with problems. Not everyone could work with their mother, but weve grown and matured and become best friends. Were alike in personality, though I am also like my dad in other ways. It seems to balance very well. The Mother: Finola We see things in different ways in terms of the business. This is good because it brings different perspectives to bear and you need to have different opinions, says Finola, who is in her 50s. We have a close relationship and even if Lydia wasnt working with me, wed be close. We do come to loggerheads over certain things especially when youre both working in management but issues are usually sorted with a little bit of persuasion and compromise! Lydia has matured a lot in the last eight years. Shes an extremely hard worker. She has my work ethic and nothings too much trouble. Shes also very dynamic and positive. That close bond is very important we couldnt work well together without it. Without a shadow of a doubt you have to be able to get on with each other to work together. The basic relationship has to be good; theres no question about it. MJ Galligan Furnishing and Fabrics, Oliver Plunkett St, Cork Ann Galligan and Eleanor The Mother: Ann Eighty-one-year-old Ann Galligan-Searles is the owner of the business where she originally joined her father Michael Joseph Galligan in 1951, at the age of 16. Ann has worked with her daughter for 30 years now. Eleanor is very like my father in personality; shes chatty and extrovert. We get on well! We might have the odd dispute but its over in five minutes and its usually about the business. She has a better eye for colour and fashion than I have now, because things have changed very much over the decades. Id trust her opinion very much shes young and knows the trends and whats popular. We discuss everything I do the accounts and the VAT and Eleanor deals with the customers mostly, though I still deal with them. People come in and say they are delighted to see Im still working here. Generally if we have a disagreement we just go on as normal and let it blow over. It never lasts long. We always get on with things. There are differences in the way we look at things but things usually all come together in the long run. We can compromise. The Daughter: Eleanor Now in her fifties, Eleanor Searles is the company sales manager: Originally, I was planning to do nursing, but that didnt happen, so it was natural for me to enter the family business. Mum and I get on very well. We have our ups and downs, which is normal youd have day-to-day disagreements over the business or in the course of the business day; its generally about different opinions on, say, the purchase of a certain fabric or design or particular trends there can be differences in taste because we are of different generations. Mother generally looks after the book-keeping side of the busiess theres a lot of paperwork and Im out front looking after the customers and talking to them about colour schemes and measurements. Im very front of house. No business is a bed of roses youd be telling a lie if you said it was, but generally things run smoothly. We survived the recession which was down to customer loyalty the quality of our product and service is something we never disagree on! Working with my mum is a great way to work I like coming into to work in the mornings, and not everyone can say that! There are a lot of pluses, in fact there are a lot more pluses than minuses! The Cork French Film Festival Nora and Emily Callanan The Mother: Nora Nora Callanan is president of Alliance Francaise de Cork and director of the 27th Cork French Film Festival which begins on Sunday. Her daughter Emily, a second-level French teacher, is a member of the team organising the opening night festivities this year and she also styled the photoshoot for the press launch of the festival. Emily and I are very alike and have similar tastes in everything. We can literally walk into a shop separately and spot the same thing! In terms of working together on something like the photoshoot for the press launch of the festival, wed approach things with a similar mind-set, says Nora, who is now in her 60s. Shes also hugely supportive, both of the Alliance Francaise and the Cork French Film Festival. We get on hugely well together. Emily is my daughter but also my best friend! The Daughter: Emily The photoshoot was important to Mum; yet she gave me free rein with it because she knows we have similar taste and that I am a perfectionist, says Emily, a mother-of-two in her 30s. She trusts me implicitly, which is really nice. Im conscientious and she knows that; weve always got on well . She knows Id never let her down and of course the reverse is completely true also. This is why it works! Im a great supporter of the film festival. Every single year Ive brought my students to the festival, which I also strongly promote in school. Zsuzsi Gartner is the author of two acclaimed short story collections and has worked as a journalist, served on literary juries and teaches creative writing as well as privately mentoring many of Canadas leading young writers. She was short-listed for Canadas main literary award, the Scotiabank Giller Prize in 2011. Administered by the Munster Literature Centre and sponsored by Cork City Council, the fellowship, worth 15,000, will see Ms Gartner arriving in Cork in September for 12 weeks. The International Narcotics Control Board said over 600 such substances were known as of last October, 450 of them identified in Europe. Many of these synthetic drugs, such as 2NBOMe, a-PVP and PMMA, have been linked with numerous fatalities and near fatalities in Ireland, most recently in the death of teenager Alex Ryan in Cork last January. In its annual report for 2005, the INCB also criticised simplistic calls to regulate the supply of illegal drugs and called on the UN General Assembly to reaffirm the existing international conventions controlling drugs. The General Assembly is holding a special session next month to review the operation of the conventions amid mounting calls from numerous bodies and experts for a move away from criminalising drugs towards harm reduction, including possible decriminalisation or legalisation. The report said there was an ever changing spectrum of new psychoactive substances (NPS), which mimic cannabis, amphetamines, cocaine and ecstasy. It said a UN early warning system had identified 602 unique NPS by October 2015, a 55% increase on the previous year. It said by March 2015, the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction had identified 450 NPS, including 101 during 2014. The report said that part of the problem was the growth in designer precursors the raw chemicals used to make NPS to circumvent legal controls. As a result, there are virtually no limitations to the range of chemicals and manufacturing methods that can potentially be employed in illicit manufacture, it said, and that NPS add a potentially unlimited number of chemicals. In his foreword to the report, INCB president Werner Sipp said the drug law conventions have proved their value. He said compliance with the conventions means fully implementing them, but said a certain flexibility was permitted. He said the treaties provide for alternatives to punishment and that, in addition to conviction, states can use treatment options. The report said the conventions had succeeded in containing abuse of drugs, pointing out that prevalence was much lower than that of alcohol or tobacco. It said the conventions do not mandate a war on drugs. The report added that states must adopt the principle of proportionality and can give higher priority to the most violent of actors and those involved in the illicit supply chain. PJ Cahill, who was driving the ambulance on the N3 Cavan to Dublin road, said he heard a thud and looked in a mirror to see his 43-year-old friend, Simon Sexton, a father of six, hit the ground. Mr Cahill, who has launched a High Court action for nervous shock as a result of witnessing the incident, said he jammed on the brakes and ran back to find Mr Sexton lying face down near the grassy verge. Three years ago, the HSE was fined 500,000 for health and safety breaches as a result of the June 2010 death. In the High Court yesterday, Mr Justice Raymond Fullam was told by Mr Cahills counsel, Frank Callanan, that the case would centre on the side door. Mr Callahan said Mr Sexton had seen a crack of light at the top of the side door and went to secure it as the ambulance was moving with a patient and a nurse in the back as well. Mr Callahan said the side door did not open in the direction of forward travel and that was the immediate cause of the death. He said that in 2007 there had been an incident in Kerry with an ambulance from the same batch and a similarily fitted door. In evidence, Mr Cahill said when he radioed in to the Cavan Ambulance Service that a paramedic had fallen out of the ambulance, there was, for a second, silence at the other end of the radio before he was told another ambulance was being dispatched to the scene. I grabbed the resuscitation bag. I started resuscitation and kept it going until the ambulance arrived. He said he travelled in the second ambulance trying to resuscitate Mr Sexton until they reached Cavan General Hospital where a consultant had been put on standby. Mr Sexton was pronounced dead shortly afterwards. Mr Cahill, aged 50, from Kilnagarbet, Stradone, Co Cavan has sued his employers the HSE and the German manufacturer of the ambulance Wietmarscher Ambulanz Und Sonderf Ahrzeug GMBH for nervous shock. The claims are denied by both defendants. The case continues. The Court of Appeal has found the Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland (MIBI) potentially liable for hundreds of outstanding claims following the collapse of Setanta Insurance two years ago. The actual liability of MIBI to individual claimants will have to be decided on an individual basis, the three-judge court directed. Its unanimous decision has major implications for motor insurance premiums as well as parties involved in claims concerning the Malta-registered Setanta. In his judgment, the president of the appeals court, Mr Justice Sean Ryan, said he could not find evidence the proposed liability represents a catastrophic consequence which could not be countenanced by any prudent insurer. He was impressed by evidence from senior management figures in major motor insurance companies that the obligation to indemnify in such cases presents a very serious problem. He agreed with the High Court that it may well be time for changes and better regulation in the EU. MIBI had asked the appeals court to set aside a High Court decision that it must pay out on claims against persons insured with Setanta when that firm was liquidated in 2014. The Law Society, opposing the appeal, said it was envisaged, under a 2009 agreement and all the various agreements governing MIBI since it was established in the 1950s, that it would have to pay out if a member became insolvent. In three concurring judgments, Mr Justice Ryan, Ms Justice Mary Finlay Geoghegan, and Mr Justice Gerard Hogan rejected the appeal. All three agreed that rather than declaring MIBI was liable, the correct ruling was that it was potentially liable for claims against persons insured with Setanta up to its collapse. Mr Justice Hogan said he was dismissing the appeal despite certain reservations about the true character of the MIBI agreement. The court also refused to award costs against MIBI and directed the sides pay their own costs of the case. The High Court was asked to determine whether MIBI or the Insurance Compensation Fund, used until now to cover the claims of insolvent insurance companies, was liable for the claims. MIBI is operated under the terms of a 2009 agreement between the government and those companies underwriting motor insurance to deal with claims related to uninsured drivers. Following Setantas liquidation, some 1,750 claims by and against Setanta policyholders remained in existence. Mr Justice Ryan said he was persuaded the 2009 agreement does mean what it appears to say: That the bureau accepts responsibility to pay, whatever the circumstances of the failure to satisfy the judgment. While he did not believe it was possible to achieve a logically impregnable result in this case, he believed a judgment in favour of the Law Societys interpretation does make sense and represented a more satisfactory reading of the agreement than that proposed by MIBI. It has been sold on behalf of the former owner, described as an overseas investor with Cork ties. This investor it would appear, now wants fewer Cork ties, so he successfully put the landmark property on the market. The eagle-eyed may have already experienced a growing sense of deja vu and if so, their suspicions are entirely correct. This property did indeed come to market, and was successfully sold, back in 2014. At that stage, the property was purchased for over 4m. Brian Olden and Rob Coughlan of Cohalan Downing last week sold it on to Davy Real Estate on behalf of the Davy Irish Property Fund. This time around, the property fetched 5.5m, reflecting an initial yield of 6.4%, highlighting an ever-strengthening demand for central Cork retail premises. This particular McDonalds branch has been in this highly-visible Winthrop Street stand since 1985. The property is let on a 35-year lease from April 1985 on FRI terms with five-yearly upward-only rent reviews, and a current rent of 372,000 p. a. With just four years remaining on the current lease, the purchaser is likely working on the premise that McDonalds is unlikely to wish to move from this visible high-street location. It would therefore be hopeful of significantly strengthening the covenant when the current term runs out. Retail rents on Corks main thoroughfare have been strengthening rapidly over the past few years, following a prolonged period of decline and stagnation. Central Cork is also undergoing significant renewal and renovation which is likely to further increase footfall and rents. The location is prime, a few yards off St Patricks Street with major footfall, and McDonalds is one of the best covenants in the world, said Mr Coughlan, when promoting the investment last time around. The attraction hasnt changed appreciably since, even if the price has. The property has 35 frontage to Winthrop Street, access to Winthrop Lane with 10,000 sq ft of space, 3,530 sq ft of which is located on the ground level. The property also contains a range of ancillary stores, staff areas and office accommodation on the second and third floors. Brian Olden says the property attracted significant interest from local, national and institutional type purchasers. This is a strategic location, on one of the busiest streets in Cork City Centre, Mr Olden said. It was a combination of its excellent location together with a strong covenant and an excellent building which generated a sale price of 5.5m, Details: Cohalan Downing 021-4277717 When Britain joined the then-European Economic Community in 1973, it was at the rearguard of European integration. The question raised by the UKs upcoming referendum on continued EU membership is whether Britain is now at the forefront of Europes disintegration. The issue has little to do with the insignificant accord that British prime minister David Cameron recently reached with his EU colleagues. Indeed, it is hard to believe that this agreement will determine Britains fateful choice in June. The fundamental issue is whether EU membership still yields large enough benefits to outweigh the loss of sovereignty that it entails. This is not a matter for discussion in Britain only. For many in the EU, however, it is a very difficult question to ask, because Europe remains emotionally loaded. Only in Britain could a cabinet minister from the same party that brought the country into the EU call for exiting it. No mainstream German, French, or Spanish politician would dare discuss the matter openly, let alone advocate divorce. But the question cannot be ignored. In most EU countries, large segments of public opinion are dissatisfied with the Union and increasingly sympathetic to nationalistic appeals. In response, many politicians pay lip service to Europe while emphasising purely national solutions. This inconsistent and often simply cynical stance has mired Europe in an unhappy equilibrium: It cannot move backwards, it cannot move forwards, and it satisfies nobody. One hopes that the fierce EU membership debate, now that it has begun, will be honest enough for everyone to learn from it. In particular, the economic benefits of EU membership are a matter for serious discussion. Economists describe regional integration as a trade-off between economies of scale and the diversity of preferences. By joining, countries gain efficiency and influence, at the cost of having to settle on policies that do not exactly match their choices. For example, businesses get access to a larger market, and consumers benefit from lower prices, but regulations are less attuned to their liking. It is like sharing an apartment: You reduce your costs, but you have to adapt to your roommates habits. In Europe, preferences today are arguably much less dissimilar than they were a few decades ago. Margaret Thatcher, the former prime minister of Britain, and former French president Francois Mitterrand were much further apart ideologically than their current successors. True, the British are still more inclined towards free markets than the French, but the gap between them has become much narrower. There is no factual basis for claiming that we have become unhappier roommates since the 1980s. Nor has the EU ventured into domains where it produces no value added. The first Cameron government launched a review of EU competences in 2012 to determine which lie with the EU and which with the UK. A comprehensive public consultation and 32 thorough reports later, the audit has not resulted in any request for significant competence repatriation. Perhaps for this reason, Brexit advocates often focus on the diminishing benefits of regional integration and claim that Britain would be much better off playing its cards alone. Why bother negotiating with continental partners, when the UK can trade with the whole world? Arent small, open economies like Singapore thriving? There are serious objections to this argument. For starters, free trade suffices for selling shirts, but trade in services requires detailed legislation and institutions (such as sector-specific authorities) to enforce it. Absent a comprehensive regulatory apparatus, financial or healthcare services, among others, cannot be traded. So the notion that all that is needed is to eliminate tariffs and bureaucratic red tape is pure fiction. The UK, which is strong in services, needs the institutional framework of the EU single market much more than, say, Poland, which is stronger in goods. Second, the global trading framework is itself in serious trouble. The Uruguay Round, the latest global trade agreement, was completed in 1994. Its putative successor, the Doha Development Round, has not been completed and probably never will be. Global trade increasingly relies on bilateral or regional arrangements. According to the World Trade Organisation, 267 such agreements are in force, including 49 involving the EU. Contrary to popular perception, globalisation has not made regional arrangements irrelevant; on the contrary, it largely relies on them. Furthermore, globalisation is in fact fragile and increasingly so. US leadership buttressed it in the decades after the Second World War; but the US no longer regards itself as the guardian of multilateral rules. The US effort to create two mega- regional free-trade zones the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, neither of which includes China is indicative of Americas priorities. And the other big players, from China to the commodity producers, are not shy about wielding their economic power. For all its weaknesses, the EU is a big economic player that participates in shaping the world around it. As a standard-setter, a negotiator, and a rule enforcer, it has considerably more influence than its opponents recognise. Because it is itself based on rules, it is the strongest champion of rules-based economic interdependence. For these reasons alone, to dispense with it would be an adventurous gamble. If rational arguments do not support leaving the EU, why has the question arisen? In part, it is because the EU has disappointed. But this is an argument for reforming it, rather than leaving it. In part, it is because transnational democracy has not delivered. But the answer is not to give up on it, but to make it work. In part, it is because the emotional glue binding Europe together has dried up. But this is a reason to make change, not to pander to parochialism. Jean Pisani-Ferry is a professor at the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin, and currently serves in Paris as commissioner-general of France Strategie, a French policy advisory institution. Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2016. Care. From where Im sitting thats what was missing from the Coalitions agenda. Care is in crisis in this society because there is no value put on care. Care is in crisis because love doesnt have a price. What price can you put on the care Mary McDonnell has given her daughter Sinead, severely impacted by cerebral palsy, for the last 50 years in her home in Douglas? It is impossible to even begin to count the cost to Mary who was a young woman of 28 when this massive care responsibility landed on her shoulders. Thats why there was an outcry last week when it emerged that she had suddenly lost her 10 annual weeks of respite care in St Laurences Cheshire Home in Cork because, following a HIQA inspection, Sineads need were deemed too complex for its facility. Fourteen other families were in the same boat. And yet the respite is not even the main issue. The unspoken question is what will happen to Sinead when Mary, now 78, is unable to do the job which a well-equipped State facility has deemed too complex? This is the question which constantly floats around the head of the parents of children with special needs. I dont face a fraction of the challenges faced by Mary with my autistic son Tom but I have also had the door of respite shut in my face for the moment. Weve never been in this position before, the social worker told me, apologising for the fact that though I was invited to view the wonderful respite home which would have given him independent teen weekends and allowed our family to breathe, there would not be any place for him in the near future. Lets make clear here that there is no government anywhere in the world which can make life peachy for the family of every disabled person. Focusing on one sad story with no context is lazy, populist journalism. I understand scant resources and I respect the service for prioritising the more needy. But the Coalitions attacks on us seemed gratuitious. How could any decent person have stood up and voted for a 20% cut in the Respite Care Grant, effective from 2012 until the pre-election budget? How could it have been deemed fair to make such a cut in the derisory provision that a person gets for caring for a loved one, night and day, especially the 20,000-odd who only receive this payment? Look, I accept that the Respite Care Grant is ineffective. It just acknowledges that there is not enough respite care to go around. My 17-year-old suggests that respite should be a vouched expense. This would surely force the development of a respite care industry which would of course be inspected by the State. But to start by singling out carers and taking a hatchet to their payment That makes me angry. Particularly as there began to be a sort of coherence to the attack on care. I was stunned when Joan Burtons Department of Social Protection took an axe to the contributory pensions of people, mostly women, who had taken years out of the labour force to work in their homes. This resulted in a fine of up to 1,500 a year for some women who had been forced to leave their jobs due to the marriage bar. The Homemakers Credit which would have expunged the effect of this bar was deemed too expensive to implement at a paltry 160 million a year. There was more to come. I was dumb-founded when Joan Burton kicked lone parents whose youngest child was seven off their One Parent Family Payment. Following a brilliant campaign , 7 is too young, run by Barnardos, the National Womens Council of Ireland and the one parent family charity, OPEN, she clearly stated in the Dail on April 18, 2012, that she would not be making these changes until she had a credible and bankable commitment to the introduction of a system of safe, affordable and accessible childcare similar to what is found in Scandinavian countries. Then she went ahead and made the cuts anyway. Sorry as I am for a number of hard-working Labour TDs who have been booted out, including Alex White, Kathleen Lynch and AodhanO Riordain, the party deserved what it got for this appalling move alone and the only shame is that it was not Joan Burton herself who felt the brunt of it. Eamon O Cuiv had ruled out these cuts in the same department but Joan Burton clearly believed what she was doing was right. Study the defence of the move made in the Dail and you will see that care is considered passive while paid work is considered active. Care is not seen as work and there is no value put on it. This is consistent with traditional capitalist economics and trade union economics. These two economic visions, which are really different faces of the same ideology, have become increasingly dominant since the 1980s. The Second Commission on the Status of Women in 1992 ruled against the provision of a payment to parents in the home on the grounds the work was primarily a benefit to the earning partner. All they could see happening in the home was a woman ironing her husbands shirts. The care of children was invisible to them. Judge Catherine McGuinness, who sat on the commission, described this view recently as old-fashioned in todays terms because it was concentrating too much on economic independence and independence within the family as a sort of reaction against the patriarchy. But, she explains, the two voices which were strongest on the commission were those of the trade unions and those of the employers. The commission had actually been tasked by Charles Haughey to investigate a payment to the parent in the home because that was the single item most requested in submissions from the public. For all its desperate faults, Fianna Fail has often stood up for care. I remember much-maligned Brian Cowen contending in the Dail in 2005 that to divert all support for parents towards working parents would be unfair to those who made their contribution by parenting at home. Crudely targeted cash payments were too often their answer, however. What we need from the next Dail, which has more women in it than ever before, is a clear understanding that care is the fundamental work of any society. This means many things including the restoration of full pension rights for carers in the home, full parental leave for at least three years, restitution of the One Parent Family payment until the youngest child is 14 18 or 21 in special cases and a statutory right to holidays and retirement for workers like Mary McDonnell and her nearly 200,000 caring peers. We need to understand for the first time that the love that inspires care doesnt mean its not work; it means its the most important work there is. For more election news, analysis and general banter join us HERE Cardinal George Pell insisted he was telling the truth, testifying to Australias Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse that he had changed a culture of crimes and cover-ups within the Catholic Church. Pell, the Popes chief financial adviser, told the enquiry in three days of evidence this week that he was deceived twice by church authorities about child abuse allegations against Fr Gerald Ridsdale and Fr Peter Searson. Pell said that as an assistant priest in the Australian city of Ballarat in the 1970s, Bishop Ronald Mulkearns had not told him that Ridsdale was repeatedly moved within the diocese because of paedophilia allegations. Pell also said that as an auxiliary bishop in Melbourne in the early 1990s, the Catholic Education Office and Archbishop Frank Little had concealed from him accusations of paedophilia against Searson. Its a mystery, but in both cases for some reason, they were covering up, Pell told the inquiry in Sydney via video from a Rome hotel. Commission chairman Peter McClellan told Pell his evidence of a Catholic Education Office cover-up makes no sense at all, because the office reported complaints about priests to the archbishop and vicar general. The lead counsel assisting the commission, Gail Furness, said the evidence was completely implausible. Pells evidence that he was deceived by church authorities in Ballarat and Melbourne was an extraordinary position, she said. Furness put to Pell that he had known about allegations against Ridsdale and that he had been properly briefed by the Catholic Education Office about allegations against Searson. Pell denied both propositions. The church failed to act in the 1980s despite mounting evidence of Searsons bizarre behaviour. The commission heard that one complainant said Searson brandished a gun and made children kneel between his legs when they went to confession. Pell called Searsons behaviour abhorrent but denied knowing about it at the time, and suggested that Melbourne Archbishop Frank Little, now deceased, should have done more. Archbishop Little for some reason seemed incapable or unable to deal with Father Searson, or even to provide any adequate level of information about the situation, said Pell, suggesting he likely took no action to protect the churchs reputation. The fungus and others like it paved the way for more complex plants and later animals making the leap from the oceans to the land by kick-starting the process of soil formation. The early pioneer, known as tortotubus, has a structure similar to that found in modern fungi and was probably able to store and transport nutrients through the process of decomposition. Martin Smith, who carried out a study of the fungus while working at Cambridge University, said: During the period when this organism existed, life was almost entirely restricted to the oceans: nothing more complex than simple mossy and lichen-like plants had yet evolved on the land. But before there could be flowering plants or trees, or the animals that depend on them, the processes of rot and soil formation needed to be established. Dr Smith, now at the University of Durham, analysed a number of micro- fossils from Sweden and Scotland, each shorter than the width of a human hair. He was able to show that what were once thought to represent parts of two different organisms actually belonged to one, at different stages of growth. Fungi play a vital role in the nitrogen cycle, the process by which nitrates in the soil are taken up by plant roots and passed along the food chain into animals. Tortotubus had a cord-like structure, similar to that of some modern fungi, allowing it to spread out and colonise surfaces. In modern fungi such a structure is associated with decomposition. What we see in this fossil is complex fungal behaviour in some of the earliest terrestrial ecosystems, contributing to soil formation and kick-starting the process of rotting on land, said Dr Smith. What is less clear is what existed 440 million years ago for tortotubus to decompose. It is likely there were bacteria or algae on land during this period, according to the scientists whose findings are reported in the Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society. Gyulchekhra Bobokulova, 38, from Uzbekistan, brandished the childs head outside a subway station in Moscow, on Monday morning. Before a court sanctioned her arrest for two months, prosecutors told the court they believe that individuals who incited her to carry out the killing were still at large. Investigators said Bobokulova appeared to be mentally unstable. At times she smiled, then grimaced, as she flashed a few golden teeth. Muscovites have been placing flowers and childrens toys outside the subway station in memory of the little girl. The motive for the slaying is not known. The childs parents are a middle-class couple, seemingly without government connections or influence. The nannys religion is not known, either, but Bobokulova wore a head-covering, and witnesses said she shouted Allahu akbar, while waving the bloody head. In videos posted on Russian news websites, she was heard shouting I am a terrorist, in Russian. None of the main Russian television channels reported on the grisly scene. Russian president, Vladimir Putins spokesman denied that the news was withheld at the request of the Kremlin, or out of concerns that the killing could stoke ethnic tensions in a country with many Muslim citizens and migrant workers. Moments before she appeared at court, the nanny told reporters that Allah ordered the killing. It was what Allah ordered, the 38-year-old told journalists as she was brought into the district court to have her arrest confirmed and extended. She said: Allah is sending a second prophet to give news of peace. Hi to everyone, said the mother-of-three, waving at the crowd of journalists in the gallery. State news agency, RIA Novosti, citing a law enforcement source, said Bobokulova had recently been brainwashed by her Tajik lover, who was apparently a radical Muslim. The mass-circulation Moskovsky Komsomolets, citing Uzbek police, said the woman had suffered from schizophrenia for 15 years. Bobokulova has been undergoing psychiatric examinations since her detention. The murdered girl, Nastya, was born in 2011, the judge said. Investigators had initially estimated that she was three or four years old. The suspect had been jailed for murdering his mother five years ago, but set free after being pardoned by his family. More than 500 men and women died in honour killings last year, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan says. Many of these crimes, committed by relatives who say their mostly female victims have brought shame on the family, are never prosecuted. Police named the suspect as Muhammad Asif. He has been on the run since Tuesday night, after murdering his sisters, Fozia Bibi, 22, and Suriya Bibi, 24, in the eastern province of Punjab. Muhammad Asif killed his two sisters last night, over their character and lifestyle, which he didnt like, police officer, Tariq Mehmood, told Reuters. Fozia was shot in her chest and Suriya was shot in her waist. Police said neighbours and relatives had told them the deaths were honour killings, over Asifs suspicions that his sisters were having affairs. On Monday, a father in the eastern city of Lahore shot dead his 18-year-old daughter, because she could not account for where she had been for about five hours. Pakistani filmmaker, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, won an Oscar on Sunday for a documentary about honour killings, prompting activists to call for changes in laws to punish those who kill women deemed to have disgraced their families. A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness a film telling the story of a rare survivor of such murders won the Academy Award for best documentary. Obaid-Chinoy met prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, recently, turning a global spotlight on honour killings in the conservative Muslim nation. Pakistani law allows criminal cases against those charged with a killing to be dropped, if the families of their victims forgive them, or accept blood money instead. Changing the law to remove the possibility of forgiveness could help cut the number of honour killings in Pakistan. Domestic abuse, economic discrimination, honour killings, and acid attacks make Pakistan the worlds third most dangerous country for women, a 2011 Thomson Reuters Foundation poll showed. He was still a consultant on the ITV series until his death, at the age of 79, and he regularly returned to offer feedback to actors. But Warren was no more than a young boy when the programme first aired, on December 9, 1960, according to Corries longest-serving actor, Bill Roache, who appeared in the first episode. Roache led tributes to the father of Coronation Street, Warren, who died aged 79. He said: When I first met Tony, I couldnt quite believe hed created and written Coronation Street, because he was no more than a young boy. It was his boyish energy, even recently when I saw him again, that Ill remember. I loved Tonys energy. He was the father of Coronation Street and he gave us all so much. Born Anthony McVay Simpson in Eccles, Manchester, Warren adopted his stage name in his early acting career as a child star. He trained at the Elliott Clarke Theatre School, in Liverpool, and became a regular on Childrens Hour, on BBC Radio. He also acted in radio plays alongside future stars of Coronation Street, most notably Violet Carson, who played acid-tongued Ena Sharples. Warrens idea for the show a gritty, northern drama, based in the fictional town of Weatherfield came to him during a late-night train journey to Manchester, in 1959. Based on an actual street of back-to-back houses in Salford, Granada originally commissioned just 12 episodes, but overnight the show became a success, with Warren continuing to write scripts full-time until 1968, and sporadically until the late 1970s. Warren also devised the Gerry And The Pacemakers film, Ferry Cross The Mersey, and wrote the ITV series, The War Of Darkie Pilbeam, a trilogy of plays about civilian life in Britain during the Second World War. He also wrote several novels in the 1990s. Warren was openly gay when homosexuality was illegal. In a 2010 interview with the Radio Times, he described how the pressure from the success of the show left him addicted to alcohol and morphine. I soon discovered it settled not just my tummy, but the cold, lonely, aching place inside, too, he said. Warren won the Royal Television Societys Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010, on Coronation Streets 50th anniversary. Hailed as a pioneer and a giant of British television by Coronation Street producers, Warren is survived by his cousin, Roy. ITV confirmed the news of Warrens death, saying he had passed away peacefully last night (Tuesday), surrounded by his loving friends, aged 79, after a short illness. Corrie actress Helen Worth, who worked with Warren for 42 years, hailed him as a genius of our time and the dearest, funniest and most inspirational man of his generation. She said he would live on forever through Coronation Street. Antony Cotton, who has been in the show since 2003, also remembered him, writing on Twitter: He leaves the greatest legacy. Ill miss him so much. Asia Thai Juntas Intimidation of Academics Reveals Insecurity: Rights Group Thailands junta intensifies intimidation of academics who criticize its efforts to stay in power by sending army officers to their homes, a rights group says. BANGKOK Thailands junta is intensifying intimidation of academics who criticize the generals efforts to stay in power by sending army officers to their homes, a Thai rights group said on Wednesday. Since the military seized power nearly two years ago, at least 77 academics have been harassed at home by officers advising them to adjust their critical mindset or ordered to attend camps for indoctrination, according to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights. Those who attend the camps are usually released within a couple of days. At least five academics have been forced into exile, said Poonsuk Poonsukcharoen, a member of the lawyers group, which provides legal aid and monitors rights violations in Thailand and is influential with international NGOs, the European Union and other foreign governments. With legitimacy stretching thin and achievements falling flat, the junta feels the pressure to silence critics to maintain its power, Poonsuk told Reuters. The countrys generals have struggled to revive Southeast Asias second-largest economy after ousting a democratically elected government in 2014 to end months of political unrest that was damaging business. There have been scattered protests against military rule, but they were quickly quelled by troops and police. Some Thais welcomed the coup after months of anti-government street protests, but critics accuse the military of delaying a return to democracy by pushing back the date for elections. Rights groups say the junta has used authoritarian methods to systematically repress rights and muzzle critics. In a Feb. 24 report, Amnesty International said Thailand had dismissed international calls not to silence dissent. Last week, self-exiled prominent Thai academic Pavin Chachavalpongpun took to social media to accuse the junta of intimidating his family in Thailand. To hunt me is already unacceptable. But for them to go after my family is really too much, he told Reuters via Skype. This has to be the juntas most daring move yet, said Pavin, who gives lectures abroad on the Thai monarchy, a sensitive subject that cannot openly be discussed in Thailand because of draconian royal insult laws. Junta spokesman Col. Winthai Suvaree denied that the military is pursuing academics with greater zeal and told Reuters he was unaware of any intimidation of Pavins family. Authorities issued an arrest warrant for Pavin in June 2014, one month after the coup, for ignoring a junta summons to attend a military attitude adjustment session while abroad. His passport was revoked the following month. The juntas pursual of academics highlights its growing insecurity, said Kan Yuenyong, an analyst at Siam Intelligence Unit think-tank. The military sees academics as a mouthpiece whose messages carry big significance, said Kan. Their criticism can do a lot to undermine the juntas legitimacy. ] Burma All Chief Ministers To Be From NLD: Win Htein A National League for Democracy senior member reveals that the heads of Burmas states and regions will be appointed from within the party. RANGOON One week ahead of Burmas scheduled presidential nominations, a senior member of the National League for Democracy (NLD) has disclosed to the media that the heads of all states and regions will be appointed from within the party. Central Executive Committee member Win Htein squashed earlier suggestions that four chief ministerial positions were set to go to the military. We have already selected the chief minister posts. All will be NLD representatives, Win Htein told The Irrawaddy on Thursday. Intense speculation followed post-election meetings between NLD chairwoman Aung San Suu Kyi and Burma Army chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, suggesting that negotiations were under way to amend or suspend the 2008 Constitutions Article 59 (f)a clause that effectively excludes Suu Kyi from the presidency. In return, some expected that the military was seeking chief ministerial posts for the Shan, Arakan and Kachin states and Rangoon Division. The Constitution mandates that the ministerial posts be directly appointed by the president, a position which will be held by an NLD member. The NLD claimed large majorities throughout most of the country in Novembers general election, with Arakan and Shan states as the two exceptions. In the state parliaments of Arakan State, the Arakan National Party (ANP) won the most seats, and in Shan State, the majority went to the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), followed by the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) and the NLD. On Monday, the Parliament announced that the date of presidential nominations had been rescheduled from March 17 to March 10. The NLDs silence on the issue raised speculation that the negotiations between Suu Kyi and military leaders had not been in the NLD chairwomans favor. Win Htein declined to comment on the rescheduling of the nominations. It is an internal affair, he said. Burma Mining Equipment Import to Kachin State Results in Govt Dismissals Multiple government officials are dismissed in connection with the illegal import of heavy equipment to be used in jade mining in Kachin State. Dozens of government officials, including two in Kachin State directorial positions, have been dismissed this month in connection with the illegal import of heavy machinery into Hpakant Township to be used in jade mining. The exact number of people who were fired was not known at the time of reporting, but The Irrawaddy confirmed that among them were directors within the Customs Department and the Ministry of Commerces Trade Department. Large shipments of excavation equipment from China arrived at Hpakants jade mines in both December of 2015 and in January of this year. Despite instructions from outgoing President Thein Sein to probe into the case, authorities failed investigate the shipments further, ultimately leading to the mass dismissal. Director-General of the Customs Department, U Tun Thein, and Director-General with the Ministry of Commerce, U Nyunt Aung, and Kachin State government officials were dismissed in connection with the arrival of a large amount of heavy [mining] equipment in Hpakant, a government official told The Irrawaddy. He explained that the investigation had extended to others within the states leadership as well. The Kachin State chief minister and ministers were also interrogated. The Home Affairs Ministry directly handled this case by order of the Presidents Office, he added. Aung Soe, a former military captain, has been appointed as the acting director-general of the Ministry of Commerces trade department. The director-general of Myanma Insurance is reportedly serving as the acting director-general of the customs department. An investigation into the shipment is still ongoing, with more officials from the Ministry of Commerce, the Customs Department and the General Administration Department likely to be dismissed. Burma Shan Coalition Emphasizes Unity and Collaboration at Annual Meeting The Committee for Shan State Unity began their annual meeting in Rangoon by highlighting collaboration among Shan organizations and multi-ethnic unity. RANGOON The Committee for Shan State Unity (CSSU) began their second annual meeting in Rangoon on Thursday with a focus on collaboration among Shan organizations. The three-day long meeting of CSSUa coalition of ethnic Shan armed groups, political parties and civil society representatives formed in 2013opened with a speech by Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army-South (RCSS/SSA-S) chairman Lt-Gen Yawd Serk. Yawd Serk, also the current chair of the CSSU, emphasized the importance of working toward unity in his speech. Echoing the Lt-Gens message, Sai Phone Han of the Shan State Progress Party/Shan State Army-North (SSPP/SSA-N) told The Irrawaddy that we mainly have to build unity amongst the Shan first. RCSS/SSA-S has been engaged in clashes with the ethnic Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA) in northern Shan State since November of last year. The fighting has displaced thousands, and will also reportedly be discussed at the Rangoon meeting. Sai Leik, the spokesperson of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD), told the reporters they would try to include other ethnic representatives on the collaboration team in the future, as the current CSSU is only comprised of Shan organizations. We, the Shan armed groups and political parties, have to meet first, but even now, the Shan Nationalities Development Party (SNDP) could not join this meeting, he said, referring to a second ethnic Shan political party. We might have to establish a mobilization team to incorporate other ethnic groups based in Shan State, Sai Leik said, when asked how it might be possible to unify people in such a diverse region of the country. Issues of the public protection at the Union level, constitutional amendments in support of federalism and strategies to increase public peace building support will also be discussed at the meeting. Burma Sittwe: A City Divided Three years after Arakan States religiously motivated riots, its capital city has become segregated and intensely securitized. SITTWE, Arakan State It has been more than three years since riots shook Arakan State, displacing 140,000, due to religiously motivated violence. Among those affected were members of the regions ethnic Buddhist Arakanese majority and a disproportionate number of the Muslim Rohingya minority, who are denied citizenship and labeled as Bengali migrants by the Burmese government. Pervasive mistrust, a consequence of the 2012 violence, persists in the Arakan State capital of Sittwe. On a recent visit, The Irrawaddy witnessed the presence of security guards throughout the city, and police checkpoints that have sprung up in the citys Muslim quarter. There, vacant homes have been transformed into camps hosting security forces. Locals spoke quietly of living under surveillance, in conditions comparable to house arrest, and of the hope for steps toward the desecuritization of their city. No Permit, No Entry The Irrawaddy visited Sittwe hoping to interview religious leaders. But authorities prohibit Arakanese visitors to Aung Mingalar, the Muslim quarteralso known by locals as Ambalaas well as Muslim visitors to the Arakanese Buddhist quarters. They say that these restrictions reportedly exist to prevent unexpected violations of the law. In order to enter the Muslim ward, an official permit is required. An armed security guard was stationed in front of the Ambala mosque when The Irrawaddy arrived. Mid-conversation with a small group of locals, a uniformed police officer arrived and questioned the presence of visitors. We take [responsibility] for the security here and we cant let strangers go inside. You need an official entitlement to visit this quarter, he said. The clearance request for outsiders is not new to Zaw Zaw, a Rohingya Muslim man originally from Rangoon, but who relocated to Sittwe to run a small business. If you want to enter this quarter, you need official permission from the Arakan State government, he said, explaining that any interviews conducted had to be cleared by security officials. Zaw Zaw assumes that police encampments in Muslim quarters have been intentionally placed there for political purposes. We have to avoid bad results and need to think deeply about the consequences, he explained. We have to concentrate on the stability and development of Arakan State. House Arrest Sittwes municipal market once hosted more than 150 shops owned by Aung Mingalars Muslim residents. Today they have all closed; restrictions banning Muslims from entering Buddhist Arakanese quarters also keep them from the citys commercial area. Alhmet Ohsan, from Sittwes Bu May village, told The Irrawaddy that villagers were forbidden to shop or work downtown, so they bought commodities from Thae Chaung, once a village and now a camp for internally displaced Muslims. He owns a roadside stall and earns a maximum of 3,000 kyats (less than US$ 2.50) per day, an amount insufficient to feed the eight people in his family. Although his house is still standing, more than 40 homes in Bu May were burned down, leading many to seek refuge in IDP camps. The authorities have allowed some Arakanese to sell goods in the camps, but Muslim Rohingya are not allowed the same privilege, and are restricted from leaving. Those who evacuated received food and clothing from relief groups, Alhmet claims, but those who remained in the village have not had access to any aid. Living in my own house feels better than being in a refugee camp, he maintains. Although Alhmet does not regret staying in Bu May, others now feel trapped in their surroundings. We feel like we are under house arrest, said Mhamat Husein, an administrator for a Muslim neighborhood within Ambala. Changed Relationships Zaw Zaw said his friendships with Buddhist Arakanese have also suffered in recent years. After the violence occurred our relationship changed, he said. Now we are building a mutual relationship. When we meet on the street, we say hello. Sometimes we talk about business, but its still difficult to get back to normal conditions. An influential monk, Badanta Dhamika, head of Thathana Ranthi monastery in Sittwes Bouk Thee Suu quarter, mediated between the Muslim and Buddhist communities during the violence of 2012. From his point of view, the situation is a game played by the Burmese government to exploit both sides; both will be victims, and opportunists will take advantage of their weaknesses, he explained. Badanta Dhamika told The Irrawadddy that the authorities use communal mistrust and tension as a justification to station security guards in the Muslim neighborhoods. I think that the long-term guarding [of the city quarters] is unreasonable and its not solving the problem, he said. We have to find the root causes [of what] happened. His hope is that the authorities will gradually decrease the number of police in the area. In some places, they should test [a reduction of security forces], the monk said. If it is successful in one place, they can do the same in other places. Zaw Zaw agreed with Badanta Dhamikas suggestion that changes should be introduced in small stages. Mistrust runs high; an integrated Sittwe where Buddhist Arakanese and Muslim Rohingya live together is still hard for many locals to imagine. Little government action has been taken to address the deep rifts in the city. Dr. Kyaw Yin Hlaing, an advisor to outgoing President Thein Sein, led a team formed in 2014 to assist in building peace in Arakan State. One aim of the initiative was reportedly to decrease tension between the regions two religious communities. Both sides requested that a dialogue be arranged but, two years later, such talks have not been organized. The Irrawaddy contacted Kyaw Yin Hlaing by phone, but he could not be reached. Unsure of where to turn, members of the two communities said they are looking ahead to Burmas incoming NLD-led government to address the legacy of violence still evident in the Arakan State capital. GAUTIER, Mississippi -- The suspect shot dead in a shootout with Gautier police Tuesday night has been identified. Jackson County Deputy Coroner Jason Moody said the man killed was 37-year-old Mickey Dewayne Sweatt of Gautier. An autopsy is scheduled for Thursday. The shooting stemmed from a call of a domestic disturbance received by the Gautier Police Department on Home of Grace Road shortly before 7 p.m. Tuesday. When police arrived on the scene, witnesses advised they had heard yelling and gunfire coming from the home and officers set up a perimeter around the area. During a roughly two-hour standoff, police attempted to negotiate with the suspect over the phone, but to no avail. Ultimately, the suspect fired on the officers, who returned fire and killed the suspect. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is taking the lead on the case, which is standard procedure in any officer-involved shooting. Results from the MBI investigation will be turned over to the Jackson County District Attorney's Office for review. Thursday, March 3rd, 2016 (9:55 am) - Score 888 In an interesting development the MP for Boston and Skegness in Lincolnshire, Matt Warman, has proposed to improve local superfast broadband connectivity by installing wireless kit on the top of St Botolphs Church in central Boston. Its a good idea, except others are already doing the same. The port town of Boston is already home to a fair amount of fibre broadband (FTTC/P) connectivity via BTOpenreachs national UK network, but its a much more varied picture for those who live in the outlying rural areas where there are still slowspots to be found. Matt Warman said (here): This is about providing a service that is better than anything that is currently available and fills in a gap and my role here is not to plug any one company its to try and get together a diverse mixture of companies and solutions so peoples problems go some way to getting solved. Apparently Warman, who only last month held a Government debate on the issue of broadband notspots (here), has already had a meeting with the National Farmers Union (NFU) and wireless ISP Air Broadband in order to discuss the possibility, which would catering for miles of surrounding countryside by installing a high-powered 80Mbps capable wireless transmitter on top of the church. So far so good, except its difficult to see how this would be any different from the AB Internets local deployment, which already does much the same and offers max speeds of 50Mbps to many rural properties outside of the town. At this stage its unclear why AB Internets existing setup cant simply be expanded upon or even if Warman is aware of the network. Thursday, March 3rd, 2016 (1:48 pm) - Score 1,525 The leader of the UK Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn MP, has claimed that broadband connectivity in the United Kingdom is being held back by government foot-dragging and ideological dithering, which he suggests can only be improved by pushing more public money towards fibre optic services. In fairness the existing Broadband Delivery UK programme is doing a reasonable job of helping to bring superfast broadband (24Mbps+) capable connections to 95-96% of the UK by 2017/18, although theres still a question mark over how best to cater for the final 3-5%. At this stage were expecting a mixed technology approach for the final 3-5% and greater reliance on smaller alternative network (altnet) ISPs, but a firm strategy is still missing and it remains to be seen whether the forthcoming Budget 2016 announcement will offer anything constructive on that front. Meanwhile commercial investment from Virgin Media and BT (Openreach) looks set to see 200-500Mbps+ capable broadband connections being delivered to around 60-70% of the United Kingdom by 2025 (we suspect Virgin Medias domestic cable network may be pushing in to Gigabit land by then), but that does leave another big question mark over the viability of deploying similar ultrafast services to the final 30-40%. Last weeks decision by Ofcom to give rivals greater access to BTs national UK cable ducts / poles could help to fill some of the current and future gaps (here), but its very plausible that a future Government may still need to support the wider roll-out of ultrafast connectivity with more state aid and in that sense Corbyns speech to the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) isnt surprising. Jeremy Corbyn MP said: The Centre for Economics and Business ranks the UK thirteenth on the value of its infrastructure, behind every other G7 country bar Canada. Enterprise and innovation cannot flourish when our roads and railways, ports and airports are lagging behind our competitors. But infrastructure means the digital economy as well. Our digital and communications market, as Ofcom recognised last week, is simply not working. Chile, Estonia and Iceland all have a higher percentage of premises connected to fibre-optic broadband. Businesses simply cannot expand, particularly in rural areas, without improvements to our digital economy. The evidence is clear that only the public sector and public investment can guarantee the super-fast broadband network in every part of Britain the essential low-cost connections people and businesses need in a 21st century economy. As it is, government foot-dragging and ideological dithering is holding digital Britain back. At this point we should say that senior members of the Labour Party have recently gone on record to call for BT to be split from control of their national telecoms network (Openreach) and in 2014 a report from Labour activists proposed a vague 10bn plan that would deliver 1000Mbps (1Gbps) broadband to all, with 10Gps connections for business hubs like Tech City (here). Ofcoms Strategic Review also appeared to favour a future of Gigabit connectivity, although there will be no end of debate about whether their approach can deliver that or not. But funnily enough even the Government now seem to be eyeing a gigabit Britain. During a debate in the House of Commons yesterday, which focused on the issue of urban broadband, Ben Howlett (Conservative MP for Bath) asked whether the Government agreed with the logic of going directly to the installation of ultrafast broadband and skipping right past the superfast target. Ed Vaizey, Digital Economy Minister, replied: It is very important to set realistic targets. That is why we dropped Labours pathetic 2 megabits policy and went to 24 megabits. Now is the time to start looking at a gigabit Britain. I utterly endorse what my hon. Friend says. Let us not get stuck in the past with Labour; let us go forward to the future. Its interesting that Ed Vaizey should so specifically mention gigabit Britain, particular as they previously only touted a longer term ambition to foster ultra-fast broadband (defined by them as 100Mbps+) to nearly all the homes in the country (here), although gigabit tends to mean speeds that are at least ten times faster than even that (1000Mbps+). As ever with politics, take everything that MPs say with a huge pinch of salt until somebody spells out the details in a clear, funded and official policy. BYOD for the CIO: Maximize Productivity While Maintaining Security If you arent convinced that your company needs to step up its mobile device security efforts, two new reports will show you why smartphones pose a serious threat to your network and data. According to a study conducted by G DATA, a new strain of Android-centric malware is identified every 11 seconds, with approximately 2.3 million new Android malware samples discovered in 2015. Considering that 40 percent of the smartphones in use in the United States are run by the Android operating system, that is a lot of phones at risk for malware infections. In addition, this number of malware detections is up 50 percent from 2014. In fact, Andy Hayter, security evangelist with G DATA, said in a formal statement: With the increase in mobile usage for sensitive transactions such as banking and shopping, the increase in mobile malware instances as well as malware apps is particularly alarming. The attack surface just continues to grow, and hackers are taking advantage. Users have to be more and more vigilant every day to protect themselves from becoming the next victim. We should be on the lookout for the increasing complexity of malware targeting mobile banking apps and the relationship between mobile devices and the Internet of Things. As the report stated: Connected automobiles, fitness wristbands and networks the Internet of Things is becoming more and more popular, within our homes as well as at work. Criminals are stepping up their activities in this area and are specifically looking for security holes in order to exploit them. Numerous consumer devices in the IoT sector are controlled via Android apps. The experts expect the threat to increase in 2016. The malware on smartphones is responsible for 60 percent of the infections on the mobile network, according to a recently released Nokia study. While the study also pointed to the steady problem with Android malware, it also warned that iOS-based malware XcodeGhost and FlexiSpy made the top 20 list of malware. This rise in mobile infections comes at a time when infections targeting PCs are dropping. Clearly, cybercriminals have restructured their attacks to target the devices we are using most often. As Kevin McNamee, director of the Nokia Threat Intelligence Lab, told eWEEK: Its a significant trend and I expect that to continue as mobile devices become more of a target. He added that about one in 330 smartphones are infected with malware and, as we know, it only takes one piece of malware to do significant damage. These studies show that mobile needs to be moved higher on the list of security efforts. PC security is still necessary, of course, but mobile securitys time to be a top priority has come. Sue Marquette Poremba has been writing about network security since 2008. In addition to her coverage of security issues for IT Business Edge, her security articles have been published at various sites such as Forbes, Midsize Insider and Toms Guide. You can reach Sue via Twitter: @sueporemba 20 Companies that Raise the Bar on Job Perks Consider this scenario: Youre interested in getting a job as a developer with a high-profile company, but in order to get on the short list, youre challenged to a coding duel by a bot that was trained by the companys engineers. Beat it, and your foots in the door. If that sounds a bit futuristic, you may be surprised, as I was, to learn that thats happening right now. That scenario is just another day at the office for CodeFights, a coding competition platform provider in San Francisco. I recently had the opportunity to speak with CodeFights Founder and CEO Tigran Sloyan about how the platform is being used not only to enable people to compete against each other to solve coding challenges, but also for recruitment by the likes of Uber and Dropbox. I asked Sloyan if he sees CodeFights as more of an educational platform, or more of a recruitment gamification platform. He said it depends on the point in time thats being considered: If you look at CodeFights right now, it would be more of a recruiting platform. I think five to 10 years down the line, it will be more of an educational platform. The vision behind the company is all based on educationthe idea is to take skills like programming, and turn them into addictive games. But education and recruiting are very much connected to each other. The goal of getting an education and learning certain skills is to use it for something practicalusually, to get a job. So I see education and recruiting as two ends of the same spectrumyou start with education, and in the end, once your skills are good enough, youre basically ready to get a job. Sloyan went on to explain how a growing list of companies, to include Uber, Dropbox, GoDaddy, Instacart and Asana, are using CodeFights bots as a recruiting tool: If youre popular enoughif youre a company like Facebook or Google or Uberyou can get your own bot from CodeFights. CodeFights bots are basically automated opponents from specific companies that play like engineers from those companiesthe companies train the bots to play like them, and developers are able to compete against them. When a developer faces that bot, and he wins, you pretty much know that developer is better than your engineers, because they beat the bot that plays like your engineers. The developer who beats your bot is good at the specific things youre working on, because the challenges that people face when playing the bots are tailored to your specific company. So when a developer wins, he receives a form asking if hed be interested in working for this company. Most people say they would, and we connect them with the company. Sloyan said his companys partnership with Uber was the first experiment in the bot direction: CodeFights started as a fun way for developers to challenge each other and practice their skills, and we grew to a community of almost 200,000 developers within a year. We have a lot of internal connections at Ubera few of them are our advisors and investors. About three months ago, we were contacted by Uberthey wanted to do something interesting with CodeFights. So we created an Uber bot that people could challenge, to see if those people would actually be interested in working at Uber. Initially, we werent sure, but we found that almost 50 percent of the people who challenged the bot were interested in talking to Uber about a job. Sloyan also shared his thoughts on how a shifting educational landscape is affecting the tech hiring process: Whats happening across the board is around education becoming more open. For example, MIT has put all of their lectures and lecture notes online; Harvard is doing that. Almost all of the popular educational institutions are sharing the data that theyve gathered. People are creating online learning toolsKhan Academy is creating a database of videos that covers almost anything you would need to know and learn to be a strong professional. So the shift is that education is going online, and becoming more accessible. With that ease of access, Sloyan said, has come a lot more noise in the tech and engineering fields: Its much harder to tell who is a good engineer. Before, companies would rely on your diploma, or something like thatnot that it was very reliable, but at least it would say that this person graduated, so hes probably good enough. Now, a very large majority of engineers are self-taught, because all of that information is accessible online. Its practically impossible to say who might be a good engineer, because everybody looks the same on paper. Therein lies the value of CodeFights as a recruitment platform, Sloyan said. Challenging developers to a coding competition separates the wheat from the chaff. Sloyan also shared his vision of a future in which coding is a popular spectator sport. Ill cover that in a forthcoming post. A contributing writer on IT management and career topics with IT Business Edge since 2009, Don Tennant began his technology journalism career in 1990 in Hong Kong, where he served as editor of the Hong Kong edition of Computerworld. After returning to the U.S. in 2000, he became Editor in Chief of the U.S. edition of Computerworld, and later assumed the editorial directorship of Computerworld and InfoWorld. Don was presented with the 2007 Timothy White Award for Editorial Integrity by American Business Media, and he is a recipient of the Jesse H. Neal National Business Journalism Award for editorial excellence in news coverage. Follow him on Twitter @dontennant. The Oklahoma House bill would prevent groups that work to crack down on animal abuses -- like the extreme confinement of farm animals -- from fundraising. Above, an undercover investigation conducted by The HSUS at an Oklahoma pork producer in 2011 showed pigs suffering inside cramped gestation crates and at the hands of abusive employees. Photo by The HSUS 800 shares Through the years, Ive seen a lot of extraordinarily ill-informed, poorly articulated arguments made in public settings by people trying to stand in the way of progress for animals. But rarely have I seen such a spectacle as I witnessed yesterday (watching online) on the floor of the Oklahoma House of Representatives. By a vote of 56 to 26, that body approved a bill, H.B. 2250, to make it a crime for charitable organizations devoted to animals to solicit funds from Oklahomans to support their work, if the groups spend any money out of state or do any lobbying work. H.B. 2250, sponsored by Reps. Brian Renegar, D-McAlester, and John Enns, R-Enid, seeks to deny Oklahomans the right to make their own philanthropic choices. Such a restriction by the state is patently unconstitutional, and any sensible judge would strike it down as a violation of the First Amendment. But Rep. Renegar, and a fair number of other lawmakers who supported the bill, didnt seem conversant with the core tenets of the First Amendment, and why its overreaching and anti-American for them to bar charities they dont like from soliciting private support. The precedent contemplated is breathtaking. If lawmakers dont like the work of civil rights groups, or gay-rights advocates, can they just bar them from soliciting money for that work if those groups work to support a landmark court case or back state or federal legislation to advance their interests? If they dont like a religious group that does work in the state but that also conducts missions around the country and the world, will they block their fundraising, too? The what ifs are endless, and they draw out why this type of legislating is so blatantly out of bounds and at odds with American principles of freedom and free speech. The authors carved out an exception for groups focused primarily on companion animals, but that means that groups that work to crack down on other animal abuses, like the ivory trade, cockfighting or bullfighting, the extreme confinement of farm animals in cages or crates, the seal hunt in Canada, or commercial whaling worldwide (or any of hundreds of campaigns conducted by animal organizations) would be prevented from fundraising to fight these abuses. Are these somehow not legitimate campaigns because they are not directed specifically to help companion animals? Because it will be struck down if it is enacted, H.B. 2250 will do nothing in the end to stop animal groups from raising money. But it will cost the state of Oklahoma tens of thousands of dollars to defend this statute before its nullified by the courts. Does the state, reeling from the decline of oil prices, really have extra money to burn? It reminds me of historical examples, like the time when states in the South, in the 1950s, tried to crack down on civil rights activities by harassing organizations (in addition to meting out violence against protestors), or when states, a century ago, tried to stifle the movement to give women the right to vote. At a particularly low point in the 1950s, we saw the ugly strain of McCarthyism, and the smearing of innocent people with vague and unsubstantiated charges. It was all so un-American, so wrong, so evil. In cahoots with their allies specifically factory farming trade groups, cockfighters, and puppy millers legislators are attempting to defund an entire category of work that helps billions of animals throughout the world every year. They arent restricting government spending, because charities like The HSUS dont get government money (except in rare circumstances); rather, they are seeking to tell Oklahomans they know better than they do and to forbid them from spending charitable dollars as they wish. And its especially convenient for them to act now. Lawmakers have put a right to farm measure (State Question 777) on the statewide ballot for November to enshrine in law all existing agricultural practices, including extreme confinement of farm animals and puppy mill operations. HB 2250 is an attempt to defund the very groups who have sniffed out their plan on behalf of Big Agriculture. So, in Oklahoma, we see the union of SQ 777 and the defunding of animal protection groups an effort to immunize factory farming interests against any legislative oversight and to prevent their opponents from even participating in the debate. They wont succeed, but its incredibly diabolical and requires good people to call it out. P.S. See how Oklahoma lawmakers voted on HB 2250. Android malware more than doubled in the last half of 2015 and is becoming an increasingly complex and persistent threat. in Zealand a digital protection company, has tracked this significant increase malware increaseAustralia and Newand has some advice for consumers and businesses on how to prevent and protect themselves from mobile malware infections. ESET, Nick FitzGerald, Senior Research Fellow at ESET, said, The information being stored on smartphones is becoming increasingly sensitive, making it more valuable to e-criminals. Android malware has evolved significantly, becoming more frequent and complex, with malware writers having adopted aggressive techniques which are now just as effective on desktops as on mobiles. Read on for ESETS take on how to spot malware and then how to prevent it. How to spot malware There are some significant signs that show whether a users smartphone has been compromised. The device is suddenly not working as usual: If an app suddenly closes or displays several error messages, there might be a malicious code on the device. Additionally, if calls or messages are not reaching their destination as per usual, or if the battery has run out significantly faster than usual, these are signs that malware could be on your phone. There are calls made to unknown numbers: These are often to premium international numbers. This will result in the user having to unfairly pay the costs. numbers. result in the user having the costs. The data usage has skyrocketed: Any changes to normal data usage patterns are signs of a potentially malicious app, which is exchanging excessive amounts of data exchange with cyber criminals. malicious app, which is exchanging excessive amounts of data exchange with cyber criminals. Unusual text messages: The user receives and sends odd text messages from unknown numbers, containing commands which get interpreted by the malware to trigger certain actions. How to prevent attacks There are few simple things to prevent malware on your smartphone. Disgruntled employees are the most likely to dob in corporate software pirate - as Australian business has found. Western Australia set the record this year. BSA|The Software Alliance (BSA) has urged businesses to undertake regular software audits as it recorded a busy 2015, actioning 15 cases where illegal software with an estimated value of $311,500 was found. BSA 2015 Australian cases overview: 15 cases settled in 2015; with over $300,000 of illegal software found being used Western Australia recorded as state with the highest number of settlements for 2015 Manufacturing industries accounted for the majority of settlements, followed by construction/property industries and design The pipeline of leads on businesses suspected of using unlicensed software increased by 25 percent in 2015 with West Australian employees most disgruntled when it came to reporting illegal software use in business. The state accounted for almost one-third of settlements with Victoria close behind. 2015s results are proof that Australians are still willing to take action against illegal activity, and demonstrate that unlicensed software use still remains a challenge in a wide range of industries across the country said Roland Chan, Senior Director, Compliance Programs Asia-Pacific. In 2016, BSA will continue to build awareness around the benefits businesses will see off the back of implementing a robust software asset management (SAM) policy and practice. This ultimately helps them to maximize returns from their investments in IT, as well as ensure the avoidance of unnecessary legal and security risks that come with the use of unlicensed software, Chan added. The BSA remains committed to its role in raising awareness of the risks to businesses when using unlicensed software and the damaging effects that software piracy has on the Australian IT industry. Each business caught using unlicensed software was required to purchase genuine software licenses for its ongoing use, in addition to paying the copyright infringement damages penalty. About BSA BSA | The Software Alliance the leading advocate for the global software industry before governments and in the international marketplace. Its members are among the worlds most innovative companies, creating software solutions that spark the economy and improve modern life. With headquarters in Washington, DC, and operations in more than 60 countries, BSA pioneers compliance programs that promote legal software use and advocates for public policies that foster technology innovation and drive growth in the digital economy. The cosy nexus between Google and the US government has been underlined yet again with the appointment of Eric Schmidt, a former chief executive of Google and now chairman of Google's parent Alphabet, to a government sinecure. Overnight, Schmidt was appointed as the chairman of the US Defence Innovation Advisory Board, according to an announcement from the Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook. The board's brief is to "provide department leaders independent advice on innovative and adaptive means to address future organisational and cultural challenges... including the use of technology alternatives, streamlined project management processes and approaches all with the goal of identifying quick solutions to DoD problems". The creation of the board comes at the same time as the Pentagon announced a program titled Hack the Pentagon to invite hacking experts to test the security of its web pages and networks. Money and recognition is on offer for those who pass through the vetting process and participate. No doubt, Google will play some kind of role in this too. According to a story that ran in the Wall Street Journal last year, Google had, in the six years prior to March 2015, met senior White House officials on 230 occasions, which means an average of one meeting a week. That's an extraordinary level of access for a commercial company. Seven former Google officials are employed in federal policy or law enforcement areas that are of commercial interest to Google,Scott Cleland who writes the. They are: Megan Smith has been chief technology officer and assistant to President Barack Obama since September 2014. She was employed as a senior Google executive from 2003-2014. Alexander Macgillvray, the deputy US chief technology officer for intellectual property and privacy since September 2014, was Googles deputy general counsel for intellectual property from 2003-2009. Mikey Dickerson, deputy US chief information officer and administrator of the US digital service since August 2014, served as a Google senior engineer from 2006-2013. Michelle Lee, head of the US Patent and Trademark Office since November 2012, was Googles deputy general counsel and head of patents and patent strategy from 2003-2012. Renata Hesse, deputy assistant attorney general for criminal and civil operations of the antitrust division of the US Department of Justice since May 2012, was an outside counsel to Google during the Department of Justice's opposition to the proposed Google-Yahoo advertising agreement. David Gelfand, deputy assistant attorney general for litigation of the anti-trust division of the US Department of Justice since August 2012, represented Google in the Federal Trade Commissions 2010 antitrust review of the Google-Admob transaction. He may have also served, in the same capacity, as the Department of Justice's anti-trust litigation liaison to the European Commissions Directorate of Competition. Joshua Wright, one of five US Federal Trade Commission Commissioners since January 2013, handled anti-trust-related academic consulting work for Google. He pulled out of all Google matters before the FTC until January last year. Cleland has several more details about the extraordinary privilege that Google enjoys within the US government and his post is well worth a read. A follow-up article is also worth poring over. The pollination happens the other way too. Jared Cohen, who co-authored a book with Schmidt, is a former US State Department executive, and is now the head of Google Ideas. In 2009, Cohen and Schmidt co-wrote a policy piece for the Council on Foreign Relations journal Foreign Affairs, praising the reformative potential of Silicon Valley technologies as an instrument of US foreign policy. If this is all coincidence, then it is indeed remarkable. Somehow, I think there is more design than accident involved. Photo shows Schmidt meeting US defence secretary Ash Carter on Wednesday and is courtesy the US Department of Defence. Library bond unanimously approved Voters waited in line for 45 minutes Tuesday to participate in an eight-minute meeting that resulted in the unanimous approval of a $600,000 bond to help renovate the North Road... Ferryboat business told to halt operations The ferryboat company operating from the municipally owned docks at East Ferry is illegally using that space, according to correspondence mailed to business owner Bill Munger. Town Administrator Jamie Hainsworth... A DOGGONE NEW BUSINESS A former business that used to clean peoples clothes is reopening as a groomer to tidy up the fur of those peoples four-legged companions. The defunct laundromat at the McQuades... I see a lot of movies, and have an opinion on most of 'em. Good news, Wildcat fans! Disney Channel recently announced that "High School Musical 4" is officially happening. The reboot came more than a decade after the popular flick was launched in January 2006. Movie and television reboots have been recently a trend. And it got more interesting when Disney Channel announced that "High School Musical," the cable network's original movie that made Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Tisdale as household names, is officially returning for its fourth installment. "High School Musical is part of Disney Channel's DNA," Disney Channel President Gary Marsh said, as per USA Today. "It embodies all that we stand for. As a way of continuing to embrace that heritage, we're excited to announce 'the start of something new' as we launch a search for a new class of East High Wildcats to star in a fourth installment of the 'High School Musical' franchise." So, as Wildcat fans go gaga over the latest Disney announcement, here are some things you need to know about the upcoming "High School Musical 4." 1. East High Wildcats vs. West High Knights Aside from meeting the new East High Wildcats, E! News revealed that "High School Musical" fans will also get to know their cross-town school rivals - the West High Knights, in the upcoming sequel. 2. "High School Musical 4" Production Team Disney Channel's "Teen Beach" movies director and DGA Award nominee Jeffrey Hornaday is reportedly set to direct and choreograph the "HSM" sequel, Deadline noted. Peter Barsocchini, on the other hand, is back to write the script, along with "Hannah Montana: The Movie's" Dan Berendsen. In addition, Bill Borden and Barry Rosenbush return as executive producers while Jason La Padura, Natalie Hart and Kendra Patterson will serve as casting directors for the sequel. 3. "High School Musical" 4 Cast It is still uncertain if the original cast of the Disney movie franchise will be returning on the sequel. But a nationwide casting search for the project has already started on Tuesday, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Meanwhile, "High School Musical 4" has been rumored since 2010 and the announcement came 10 years after the first film debuted on Disney Channel. The film franchise has been deemed as one of the greatest musical films of all time. As of late, there's no word yet on when the sequel is scheduled to premiere. Sorry, "Scandal" fans... There will be no new episodes of "Scandal" season 5 this Thursday night. As a matter of fact, the premiere of the upcoming episode 13 has been pushed back next week as the ABC series takes another short break. This week, "Scandal" season 5 episode 13 has been delayed. The reason? ABC is making way to the premiere of its new thriller drama series, "The Family," which will air on Mar. 3 at 9 p.m. before it settles into its regular timeslot on Sundays. Despite its delay, the upcoming episode will be interesting as fans will see an epic shouting showdown between ex-lovers Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) and President Fitzgerald Grant (Tony Goldwyn). According to Design & Trend, the conflict between the exes transpired after Olivia confronted Fitz for hooking up with random women. While Olivia was able to move on from her breakup with Fitz through the help of Jake Ballard (Scott Foley), Fitz became reckless and started hooking up with women, even sleeping with a journalist. The president also lost his determination to make the most of his time in the White House. Aside from the confrontation, Olivia and the OPA will also be dealing with a murder case after the Secret Service enlisted their help to cover up the death of a woman, who was found dead in a hotel room. OPA member Huck (Guillermo Diaz), on the other hand, will discover that Olivia is rekindling her romance with Jake, Vine Report noted. He will also confront Olivia for spying on her new beau. "Some Secret Service agents get into trouble and seek help from Olivia's team," "Scandal" Season 5 Episode 13 synopsis read, as per TV Guide. "Meanwhile, Abby struggles to keep Fitz in line; and Jake starts to divulge a few of his secrets. "Scandal" season 5 episode 13 titled, "The Fish Rots From the Head," will air on Mar. 10, Thursday at 9 p.m. on ABC. For free online stream link, click here. The latest Apple rumors have recently turned into a news-worthy ruckus in the online realm. As a matter of fact, tech buffs are carefully dissecting each new report that has emerged, teasing the specs and release dates of Apple's next-generation flagship iPhones as well as the new iPad version. Despite the fact that the American multinational technology company Apple Inc. has not officially confirmed that they are working on a new smartphone, several leaked information gave avid tech watchers a glimpse of what to expect in the upcoming Apple products. As the rumored Apple March event looms, here are 3 latest speculations about the California-based tech firm's much-anticipated products. 1. Apple's iPhone 7 Specs Based on the latest Apple rumors, the upcoming iPhone model will be slimmer due to its thinner LCD array. According to Apple Insider, there are also speculations that the company would introduce a waterproof iPhone version but those whispers were reportedly false. The new device, however, will provide the same level of water resistance offered by the existing metal chassis design. In addition, the new iPhone 7 is also expected to have a camera design complete with a lens, which can be found flush with the rear case, International Business Times revealed. To accommodate its new thinner design, the iPhone model will no longer have the standard 3.5 millimeter headphone jack, instead the company is developing a set of wireless EarPod Bluetooth headphones. 2. Latest 9.7-inch iPad New Apple rumor claimed that the next 9.7-inch iPad will be a much better version that the iPad Pro, Investor Place noted. This new model will have a 12-megapixel rear camera that will allow the device to record 4K video. Other specs of the latest iPad model are expected to be the same with the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, including an A9X processor, quad speakers and Apple Pencil support. 3. Earlier Release Dates Rumors also have it that the Apple's new mobile product will have an earlier release date, compared to what experts believed to be unveiled in September. CNET reported that Apple will host an event this March to debut its 4-inch iPhone, an iPad Air 3 and new Apple Watch models. Meanwhile, a company spokesperson has refused to comment on the latest Apple rumors. A senior Facebook executive was recently arrested in Sau Paulo, Brazil on Tuesday on charges of refusing to divulge its users' private information to law enforcement. This is the latest clash in the ongoing drama of government law enforcement agencies trying to pry private information from media and tech companies. Arrested was Facebook's vice president for Latin America, Diego Drozdan, on the force of a court order issued by a judge in the Sergipe state. He was arrested on the charge that he ignored a judicial order connected with a secret investigation about drug trafficking and organized crime. The social media giant rejected the order of Judge Marcel Montalvo to release information from its WhatsApp messaging services. Montalvo belongs to a judicial branch of the Brazilian government in Sau Paulo. At stake in this continuing drama between government authorities and social media giants is the tech industry's duty to protect the privacy of its users. However, governmental authorities believe they have the right to access even private information when it endangers the law and national security of a sovereign country. There is a similar battle being fought by Apple and the FBI in the United States, in which the tech giant is adamant in its refusal to share information from a certain iPhone used by a terrorist in San Bernardino, California with the spy organization. That incident resulted in the death of at least 14 people. In this Brazilian scenario, Facebook is expected to file an amicus brief this week to show its support of Apple, together with other social media networks such as Twitter, Google, and the software giant, Microsoft. Facebook maintained that they are a company operating independently from the Brazilian judiciary "so the decision to arrest an employee from another company is an extreme and unwarranted step." Rio Salado College is one of ten Maricopa Community Colleges and one of the largest online public community colleges in the nation, serving nearly 53,000 students annually with nearly 28,000 online in 50 states and internationally. Founded in 1978 and headquartered in Tempe, Arizona, Rio Salado offers 600+ online classes, 100+ degree and certificate programsand general education courses. The college also provides support for dual enrollment, military and incarcerated students and serves as one of the largest providers of adult basic education in Arizona. The Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) is an EEO/AA institution and an equal opportunity employer of protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, or national origin. A lack of English language skills will not be a barrier to admission and participation in the career and technical education programs of the District. The Maricopa County Community College District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability or age in its programs or activities. For Title IX/504 concerns, call the following number to reach the appointed coordinator: (480) 731-8499. For additional information, as well as a listing of all coordinators within the Maricopa College system, visit http://www.maricopa.edu/non-discrimination. Due to the intentional exposure of her nude photo on social media, a teacher in South Carolina was recently forced out of her job. Without her knowledge, an unidentified student tampered with her cellphone that she left on her desk, stole her nude photo and posted it on a social media account for all the world to see. Leigh Anne Arthur, the teacher, was then penalized by her school district bosses in Union County by asking her to resign her post. She took her nude photo for her husband, but it was later seen by people who she does not even know. David Eubanks, Union County School District interim superintendent, said that Arthur, a teacher with 13 years of teaching experience, was at fault since she left her phone unlocked on her desk which then attracted the eyes and curiosity of her students leading one of them to do what he shouldn't do. The student stole her nude picture on Monday, and she was out of work the next day. Her picture was stolen while she was on patrol of the school hall. Arthur said that instead of the school reprimanding the student, she was the one penalized by being expelled from her teaching position. The beleaguered teacher maintains that it is the student who should be held responsible. She said that this student is already old enough to know right from wrong. "He had the ultimate decision to take pictures of my pictures and he had the ultimate decision to send them out," said Arthur. "He had to hit my apps button and to open up all my apps and then open my gallery," she added. The student is not out of the hook yet. According to Eubanks, the Office of the Union County Sheriff is currently investigating the matter and will decide if the student will be charged with the misdemeanor. Email Links to our top local news stories of the day, Monday through Saturday. The Leopard Giuseppe Tommasi di Lampedusa I forget how old I was when I first read The Leopard, but it was certainly in my teens. The Leopard, dealing with the fortunes of a Sicilian noble family beginning in the summer of 1860, at the time of the invasion of the island by Garibaldi, was my introduction to Sicily. I have never forgotten it and the interior of the island, with its sometimes decaying farms and manor houses, its dusty plains stretching to the horizon, still conjure up memories of the book. Prince Fabrizio Salina, elderly, knowing that his way of life is rapidly changing and that death cannot be far away, holds sway over his family with their loves, disappointments and individual quirks. He is the epitome of a dying breed of feudal lords who were used to commanding and being listened to. But all around him, what he and his family have known is slowly decaying and dying and the new order, represented by the upwardly mobile middle and political class is rapidly taking control over the old nobility represented by The Prince and his immediate family. The prince does not seem to care, as if he has resigned himself to the inevitability of change and death and his family are free to either sink or swim. In many ways a cruel book but one which perfectly captures the decadence of an era which is drawing rapidly to a close and one which describes a Sicily which, in many parts of the interior, has not changed at all. The picture of Sicily painted by the book was one of the reasons why we decided to operate to the island. KINSTON A judge on Wednesday freed Howard Dudley after 23 years in prison, ruling that he had no confidence in the 1992 trial where the Kinston man was convicted of sexually assaulting his 9-year-old daughter. As it became clear that Superior Court Judge Doug Parsons was going to free him, Dudley wiped tears from his eyes, squeezed the hand of one of his lawyers and then folded his hands as if in prayer. After the judge closed the hearing, the courtroom was awash in hugs, tears and prayers from Dudleys extended family. Free at last, free at last, Dudley said, raising his arms to the ceiling. Praise the Lord. Dudley, 59, has served nearly 24 years for the alleged assault. On Wednesday, he testified that he turned down a plea deal that would have freed him in 1992 because he refused to admit to any wrongdoing when he was innocent. I want my name cleared, Dudley testified. These type of charges are very bad charges. I didnt commit any of these acts. I need healing, and so does Amy. Dudleys daughter, Amy Moore, had testified at his trial that he had sexually abused her. She was 9 at the time. But on Tuesday, Moore testified that her testimony was false. Mental health experts testified that Moore suffers from a host of mental health issues: depression, mental retardation, anxiety disorder and psychotic episodes. Moore is easily led, and her statements to police and social service workers were unreliable, the witnesses testified. Dudleys lawyers said she is wracked with guilt from the lies she told that locked up her father for more than two decades. Howard Dudley and Amy Moore have been in different prisons for 23 years, said Spencer Parris, a lawyer for Dudley. Outrageous violation Parsons focused on three flaws in Dudleys trial. Dudley never received copies of social services and court records showing that Amy Moore had given wildly inconsistent and improbable versions of the alleged assault. I found this to be an egregious, possibly outrageous ... violation, Parsons said. This cries out as an injustice to Mr. Dudley. Parson said he was convinced that Moores 1992 testimony was false. And he said Dudleys trial lawyer failed his client. Nick Harvey had been practicing law full-time for just one year. Harvey spent just 27 hours preparing for a trial that carried two potential life sentences. He filed no motions and did not consult any expert witnesses. We basically went into trial naked, Parsons said. The result is not surprising to me. Dudley was released later Wednesday. Family reunion Earlier in the day, Dudley walked to the witness stand in ankle chains and testified in a soft voice. He said that he turned down several chances for freedom a plea deal in 1992, prison programs that allowed early release for a simple reason. I am not a child molester, I have never been one, and I will never be one, Dudley said. Howard Dudleys daughter says she lied about the sexual assault. Dudleys plight was the subject of a 2005 News & Observer series, Caught in a Lie. The stories revealed problems with the case and explored Dudleys life in prison. Eventually, the Wrongful Convictions Clinic at Duke took up Dudleys case, and in June, Superior Court Judge Paul Jones ordered the hearing that started Tuesday. Dudley was the final witness at his evidentiary hearing, a mini-trial of sorts where his lawyers aimed to prove that he was wrongly convicted. I love my daughter Amy, he said. I hope that soon I will be able to hug her neck and tell her I love and forgive her. Brooks stares down judge on Day 15 of Waukesha Christmas Parade trial Darrell Brooks called his ex-girlfriend as a defense witness Friday morning. His examination was cut short after an argument over some photographs. By of the Here's what's playing at alternative movie venues this week. UWM Union Cinema Unless noted otherwise, admission is $5, free for UWM students and Union Cinema members. "The Treasure": Comedy about a man who, down on his luck, is convinced by his treasure-hunting neighbor that there are riches buried in his backyard. In Romanian with English subtitles. 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday. "Days of Heaven": Terrence Malick's dreamlike period drama from 1978, showing in a 35-millimeter print, with Richard Gere and Brooke Adams as a couple out to fleece a rich man in the American West between the world wars. 9 p.m. Friday and 5 p.m. Saturday. Faculty screening: Program of works by members of the faculty and staff of the UWM Department of Film, Video, Animation and New Genres. 7 p.m. Tuesday. Free. "This Changes Everything": Documentary based on a bestseller, looking at seven communities on the front line of the battle with climate change. A discussion follows the screening. 7 p.m. Wednesday. 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd.;cinema.uwm.edu JCC Film Series "Killing Kasztner": Documentary about Rudolf Kasztner, who made deals with the architect of the Holocaust, Adolf Eichmann, to save the lives of more than 1,600 Jews and was later assassinated in Israel amid accusations of being a collaborator. In Hebrew and English, with English subtitles. A discussion follows the screening. 3 p.m. Sunday. "Zero Motivation": Award-winning black comedy about the lives of women soldiers in the Israeli military. In Hebrew with English subtitles. A discussion follows the screening. 7 p.m. Thursday. Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center, 6255 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Whitefish Bay; jccmilwaukee.org/jewishfilm Movie Time / Charles Allis Art Museum "All About Eve": Brilliant 1950 comedy-drama starring Bette Davis as a veteran stage actress whose career, and life, are nearly undermined by an ambitious protege (Anne Baxter). With Celeste Holm, Gary Merrill and, in a small but very funny role, a young Marilyn Monroe. Winner of six Oscars, including best picture, director and original screenplay (both Joseph L. Mankiewicz), supporting actor (George Sanders). 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. $7; $5 for seniors and students; free for museum members. 1801 N. Prospect Ave.; charlesallis.org Chris Foran Colby Red, California, 2014.About $12 a bottle. This red blend has quite a lot going for it: talented winemaker, a fair price and a heartwarming story. The most important thing to know is that the proceeds from Colby Red go to help with heart research. Since it was launched about six years ago, close to $750,000 has been donated to organizations such as the American Heart Association, among others. "Our goal is to be the first wine to donate a million dollars to charity," said winemaker Daryl Groom, who was born in Australia but has lived in Healdsburg, Calf., with his family for years. Groom has a storied career spanning from the celebrated Penfolds Grange wines to the excellent Groom Wines he's crafting today. In between, he worked his magic at Sonoma's Geyser Peak. Colby Red is named after Groom's son, now 18, who was born with congenital heart disease. When Colby was just turning 10 years old, he had to undergo first one open-heart surgery and then another because the first one failed. "My wife and I just cried when we found out that the first surgery had failed," Groom said during a recent conversation. Colby and his father and mother, Lisa, were in town in February to help raise money at the annual Milwaukee Heart Ball. As Groom tells the story, a couple of years after the surgeries, Colby came up to him and said "Dad, do you think you and I could make a wine?" According to Groom, it was his son's idea was to donate the proceeds to charity so other kids wouldn't have to go through the tough times he did. And my wife said, "You are the worst daddy in the world if you don't do this." So, with an initial goal of raising $500 from 50 cases of wine, they were off and running. Since then Colby, who heads to college next year, has become a sought-after speaker, helping to raise money for research around the country. "He's learning the joys and pleasures of giving back early," his proud father said. Colby Red is available around town, including at many Walgreen's stores. Cells in the abandoned county jail in the Safety Building are now used for storage. Credit: Jim Stingl Jim Stingl In My Opinion SHARE The Milwaukee County Safety Building would be demolished to make space for a proposed $184 million criminal courthouse, under a plan recommended by consultants. Angela Peterson From the outside, the Milwaukee County Safety Building is gray and foreboding. A fortress. Step inside and good luck finding an entrance that's open to the public and the place has a grungy charm that fits its purpose of criminal prosecution, and a whiff of danger that belies its name. I practically lived there for three years in the 1990s, sharing a press room with the Sentinel and whatever rodents found their way to a bag of trail mix I made the mistake of leaving in the office one weekend. My job was to find the most shocking and awful crimes and share them with you in the Journal. Outclassed by the grand Courthouse next store, the Safety Building at 821 W. State St. puts function over form, though I feel less that way after walking the hallways Wednesday with David Budde, chief investigator in the district attorney's office. "I just love the history," he said, turning over a sturdy wooden chair in his office to reveal a born-on date of 1929, the same year the building was constructed. He encouraged me to look closer at the marble hallways, terrazzo floors, chandeliers and ornate touches throughout the edifice. It would be sad to lose such a beautiful building, Budde said. Not everyone would choose that adjective to describe the Safety Building and its leaky pipes, lack of central air conditioning, unreliable elevators and mystery odors. In fact, consultants hired by the county are recommending demolition and a new criminal courts building. The price would be $184 million, if anywhere near that much money is left over after we rebuild the Mitchell Park Domes. A defense lawyer I know, Craig Mastantuono, calls it the dive bar of court buildings, with metaphorical stale popcorn and an outdated jukebox. Some will tell you at least one courtroom is haunted, he said, though I think spirits are more likely to occupy the building's northwest corner, which used to house the county morgue. In Mastantuono's view, the place needs to go. But I also put the question to two retired prosecutors, longtime elected district attorney E. Michael McCann and one of his deputies, Jon Reddin. Together they survived nearly 75 years of Safety Building occupancy, giving them plenty of stories and sentimentality about the old place. Back when Milwaukee police headquarters occupied the eastern half of the building, doors would remain open all night, which led to homeless people living in the stairwells, McCann said. The whole place had, and still has, an unbreakable quality, right down to the steel desks and thick walls. "Talk about a mix in the hallways. They're still there, the prostitutes, the pimps, the thieves, the shoplifters, the child molesters, the muggers, the armed robbers. You just never knew. The place pulsated with raw humanity," McCann said. He remembers doing research in the fourth-floor library, which opened to the same center atrium and light well as the county jail, when that occupied much of the Safety Building. Two decades after the new jail was built next door, all those empty cells are still there, 10 levels of them, and used now for storage. "Late at night you'd hear these guys screaming. Sometimes they'd be yelling messages to each other. Sometimes they'd be utter cries of despair. Screaming like the souls of the damned," said McCann, who could have moved his office to the new Criminal Justice Facility one block west in the 1990s, but decided to stay put in the luxury-free Safety Building. Reddin recalls a contest waged by prosecutors to document the various vermin living in the building, with 2 points for a roach they found, 3 for a mouse, 5 for a bat, and so on. After it made the news, Reddin received a complaint from the Bat Preservation Society. Despite his fond memories, McCann said he thinks the Safety Building has lived out its useful life. Reddin, who has seen similar consultant studies come and go, agrees. "We used to joke," Reddin said, "that we could easily pay for the demolition and for a new structure by selling $1,000 chances to all who once worked there. A drawing would be held, and the winner would get to push the plunger to destroy the place." Call Jim Stingl at (414) 224-2017 or email at jstingl@jrn.com Brothers Brian (in the foreground) and Chad Sletten walk from shore with a seining net in search of smelt last April at the the end of Wisconsin Point that juts into Lake Superior in Superior, Wis. Credit: Mark Hoffman SHARE While there is good reason to watch very carefully the restructuring that's being proposed for the state Department of Natural Resources, there's no reason to panic at least not yet. Many of the changes that are being suggested make sense if the agency is to become more efficient and its employees more productive, something that has become necessary as the DNR's staff has shrunk to meet demographic and budgetary changes. Other changes such as allowing businesses to write their own permits are questionable. As the agency goes through the process of reorganization, citizens should keep a careful eye on the proposed changes and make sure their voices are heard. Protection of the state's habitats, waterways, air and land must not be compromised even through unintended consequences. Deputy Secretary Kurt Thiede said in an interview with the Journal Sentinel that no decisions have been finalized, but work will be completed by July 1 after input from business, environmental and wildlife groups, constituencies with often competing agendas. The DNR studied efforts of 11 other states that are taking similar steps, including Minnesota, Iowa and Indiana. Thiede emphasized to Journal Sentinel reporter Lee Bergquist that environmental protections won't be weakened and the DNR would still have to approve permits. "This isn't about changing the law, not following the law," he said. Maybe, but the protections can still be weakened if the changes aren't thoroughly vetted or thought through. As former DNR Secretary Matthew J. Frank noted, "The devil is in the details. The question is, how will this actually be implemented? You need a system where the DNR, as an independent agency, exercises its authority on whether a permit is granted. That has to be protected. That can't be handed over to business." Frank was speaking specifically about a proposal to turn over the brunt of permit writing to businesses, but what he said applies in a general sense, as well. In the case of the permits, for example, businesses in some cases do have the necessary expertise to write them and could thus free up time for DNR staff to concentrate on more important work. And the permits still would have to be approved by DNR staff, so state oversight would remain in place. But only if DNR officials make sure they weren't just rubber stamping permits in the interest of efficiency. Among other changes, the Journal Sentinel reported, the DNR would transfer management of some properties to other organizations and turn over work to others. It might also merge some duties with the state Department of Transportation. Other efforts are aimed at realigning personnel and operations across the department. As we said, if these changes make the agency more effective and efficient while still protecting Wisconsin's great natural treasures, that will be a good thing. But attitude is important as well. DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp recalled at one agency listening session how an employee told her that the "deer and the butterflies and clean air and clean water, that those were our customers. And I said, 'Well, the last time I checked, they don't pay taxes and they don't sign our paychecks.'" The agency has to answer to those who pay taxes. But its mission is to protect the resources that define Wisconsin and make it a place people want to live and visit. The DNR can do both but only if it's done carefully and right. Citizens need to watch this process closely. A major theme at Mobile World Congress (MWC16) was digital transformation which allows carriers to compete more efficiently with OTT providers. As the world moves faster towards becoming fully digitized, the pace of change also gets quicker. Operators need to be agile and in order to be agile they need lots of powerful computers with smart software running things behind the scenes. AT&Ts move into OTT video this week is an example of how carriers need to compete on the competitors home turf. Sujal Das (pictured below), SVP Strategy and Marketing at Netronome spent some time talking with me about how the companys high-performance network hardware and software COTS coprocessing solutions. He discussed the companys Agilio hardware and software server based networking solution for NFV and SDN. They come in 2x10GbE, 2x40GbE and 1x40GbE configurations. At the show, the company had demos running with Juniper working with the Contrail vRouter and Ericson showing off Open vSwitch, Ericsson cloud SDN and an HDS 8000 server. One reason to use the solution is a savings of up to CPU 10 cores in the Ericsson example. As a result, there is less CAPEX, and other related benefits. Sujal concluded by saying, You get up to 10x higher NFV performance with the Contrail solution. One other point which struck me was in 2011, Howard Bubb served as CEO of the company for a few years. Howard was also the CEO of Dialogic in the nineties as the company made DSP resource boards for OTS computers, allowing solutions like voicemail to be built. Interestingly, when he joined Netronome, the company wasnt in the NFV space because well, it didnt exist. Now though, Dialogic is a big player in NFV and although they dont compete with Netronome the CPU offload is a similar business model to what Dialogic really cut their teeth on decades ago. Kind of an obscure link between these companies but for telecom veterans, probably of interest. Actually, when you think about it, there may be natural synergies between these companies today, in order to create more powerful NFV solutions. SHARE By of the A national group launched its effort Thursday to overhaul the nation's juvenile justice system by calling for the closure of a troubled prison for youths in northern Wisconsin and 79 other large or aging juvenile prisons around the country. A coalition of various nonprofits, Youth First! issued a report arguing that prisons such as Lincoln Hills School for Boys and its sister institution, Copper Lake School for Girls, are "relics of the past." These large institutions cost more than the alternatives, separate families, do little to rehabilitate inmates and expose them to potential risks from solitary confinement, pepper spray and sexual assault by staff or other inmates, the report found. Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake, located 30 miles north of Wausau, are under investigation by federal and state authorities for alleged abuses there. Liz Ryan, the president and chief executive officer of Youth First!, said the large prisons designed for adults are "toxic" for a youth who is still growing and developing. The problems at Lincoln Hills represent a chance for change, she said. "This is a wake-up call for Wisconsin and an opportunity to reform the system in a way that is much more effective," Ryan said. Wisconsin has one of the worst racial disparities in the country when the rates of imprisonment for white male youths and black male youths are compared, the report found. While only 10% of the youths in Wisconsin are black, 58% of those incarcerated are African-American a disparity that is also present for adult inmates in the state. State Rep. Mandela Barnes (D-Milwaukee) said the way juvenile offenders are handled by the state ends up perpetuating the same damaging cycle for the inmates, their communities and taxpayers. "It's a recipe for disaster," he said. A spokeswoman for the state Department of Corrections had no comment on the report. The report also found that it can cost up to $106,000 a year to keep a youth in state prison in Wisconsin, or nearly 10 times as much as a year of schooling for the average student in the state. There has been a trend, both in Wisconsin and nationally, for local sentencing for juvenile offenders because of the less expensive and more effective options. This sea of change in juvenile corrections can come with challenges. From the mid-1990s through 2000, the state's multiple prisons for youth averaged at or near 1,000 inmates at any given time, according to state figures. Today, Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake School serve as the state's single main facility for youth offenders and hold just under 300 of them, or less than one-third of what several Wisconsin prisons once did. Corrections experts said the decrease in inmates is a largely positive change that reflects lower arrest rates for youths and an ongoing trend of counties providing more local sentencing options. Efforts such as Wraparound Milwaukee aim to provide youths and relatives with a broad range of services, from family counseling to tutoring and mental health and addiction treatment. But as those efforts contribute to a decrease in the youths in state prisons, there's been some gradual shift in the typical offenders who are still sent to those facilities. That has included an increase in violent crimes, repeat offenses or chronic behavior. Communities need to be ready to work with juveniles who may have "high need" because of disabilities or mental illness even if they aren't necessarily "high-risk," Ryan said. (clockwise from top left) Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. Republican Presidential front-runner Donald Trump. House Speaker Paul Ryan of of Janesville and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker Credit: (Getty Images, Associated Press and staff photos) SHARE By of the National Harbor, Md. On a day when the GOP's 2016 front-runner and 2012 nominee staged an unprecedented intraparty brawl, high-profile Republicans either took sides, held their fire or watched in horror. Mitt Romney, the GOP standard-bearer four year ago, called current front-runner Donald Trump a fraud and a phony who would damage the economy and the nation's security. Trump called Romney a "choke artist" who bungled the last election and had begged Trump for his endorsement in 2012. "I could have said, 'Mitt, drop to your knees.' He would have dropped to his knees," said Trump. As the party's feuding rages, many Republicans were stuck in an awkward neutrality, unable or unwilling to take sides between Trump and a lurching, late-breaking but increasingly strident "Stop Trump" movement. "I am going to keep my powder dry. I am speaker of the House, therefore I am neutral in this race," House Speaker Paul Ryan reiterated Thursday on "Fox & Friends," when asked about the attack delivered against Trump by Romney, Ryan's 2012 running mate. But Ryan said at his weekly news conference that he reserved the right to keep speaking out "if I see episodes where conservatism is being disfigured, if I see ideas and comments that mislead the people as to who we are as Republicans" as he has done twice already in rebuking Trump. Ryan said on Fox that Romney was "very worried about the future of our party and our country. ... We don't have a nominee yet, this thing still has a ways to play out. So people who are in the party are going to be speaking their mind ... everything is fair game on the way to the nomination." Gov. Scott Walker told a gathering at the Conservative Political Action Conference here Thursday that no matter how upset they may be about what is going on in the 2016 presidential race, they shouldn't give up on politics, and should be "happy warriors." That was about the closest Walker came Thursday to saying anything about Trump, whose surging anti-establishment candidacy helped drive Walker from the GOP presidential race last fall. "Some of you might be confused, dare I say, upset, about what's happening in the presidential election, but I want to offer you some enthusiasm, some optimism today," said Walker, who did not mention Trump's name. "No matter what's happening there, the conservative movement is alive and well in states all across America." GOP Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, who appeared at the same conservative conference as Walker, said in an interview that he is sticking by his commitment to support whoever is the GOP nominee. "Let the best person win and then I'll support whoever that person is," Johnson said. But the senator, who is up for re-election and has stayed neutral in the Republican contest, called the warring in the race "a little depressing." In a speech Thursday, Romney fully joined the "Stop Trump" movement brewing within the party. "His promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University. He's playing the members of the American public for suckers," said Romney, who welcomed Trump's endorsement in 2012. "His domestic policies would lead to recession. His foreign policies would make America and the world less safe. He has neither the temperament nor the judgment to be president. And his personal qualities would mean that America would cease to be a shining city on a hill." Arizona Sen. John McCain expressed his support for Romney's "concerns" on Twitter Thursday, saying, "I hope the American (people) think hard about who they want as commander-in-chief." That put each of the party's last two nominees in a state of open dismay over the candidate who is most likely at this point to be their party's 2016 standard-bearer. Trump was very much the elephant in the room at the outset of this year's edition of CPAC, a massive annual gathering of conservative activists, media and politicians outside Washington, where the GOP presidential candidates were all scheduled to speak this week. Walker was the first politician to address the conference Thursday. When the governor spoke here a year ago, he was perhaps the hottest presidential hopeful in the GOP field, and was surrounded by crowds and members of the media as he passed through the halls. But in a hint of some of the bumps he would later encounter on the campaign trail, one comment in the Q&A after his speech drew controversy, when he told the crowd his battle with protesters in Wisconsin showed he had the mettle to take on the Islamic State as commander-in-chief. This time, Walker's appearance was vastly overshadowed by Romney's extraordinary speech and the unfolding open warfare in the GOP. Walker never uttered Trump's name, and spent most of his speech touting his record and the record of fellow GOP governors. When Walker dropped out of the presidential race in September, he urged his party rivals to clear the field and unite against Trump. That didn't happen, but Walker himself has opted not to endorse anyone else or more openly criticize Trump since then. The governor told the crowd here, "We need to be happy warriors." At another point he said, "No matter what you think about what's happening in the presidential election, you can't give up." Ryan, his fellow Wisconsin Republican, criticized Trump on Tuesday for not sufficiently disavowing his support from former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke. Later that day, after his Super Tuesday primary victories, Trump responded to a question about Ryan by saying, "Paul Ryan, I don't know him well, but I'm sure I'm going to get along great with him. And if I don't, he's going to have to pay a big price, OK?" Ryan was asked by a reporter Thursday about that comment from Trump. He laughed. "I actually watched it live, I was sitting in my office watching it live, and I just laughed out loud. Sometimes reality is stranger than fiction around here these days. I don't really think anything of it," said Ryan. Ryan said he didn't really know Trump. "We're going to obviously get to know each other if he gets the nomination. And we'll cross those bridges when we get to it. I'm a good-natured guy, so I get along with everybody." By of the Traffic and parking adjacent to the United Community Center, 1028 S. 9th St., will be restricted Thursday during President Barack Obama's visit, according to Milwaukee police. People who do not live or work in the area or who do not have an invitation to attend the UCC event should avoid the area, police said Wednesday. Milwaukee police will be playing a support role to the Secret Service during the president's visit, assisting with traffic control and other perimeter duties, according to a Milwaukee Police Department spokesman. SHARE By of the A man killed a in crash between a car and a pickup truck in Waukesha was identified by police Wednesday as Michael Marquette, 56, of Shawano. The crash was reported shortly after 5 p.m., Tuesday at the intersection of Bluemound and Springdale roads, according to a news release from the Waukesha Police Department. Marquette was a passenger in the car and died instantly as a result of the crash, according to the release. The driver of the car was taken to Froedtert Hospital in Wauwatosa with life-threatening injuries, and the crash remained under investigation, according to the release. Reddit Email 0 Shares By Joseph S. Nye | (Project Syndicate) | SAO PAULO American politics has been captured by terrorists. In December 2015, polls showed that one in six Americans, some 16% of the population, now identify terrorism as the most important national problem, up from just 3% in the previous month. This is the highest percentage of Americans to mention terrorism in a decade, although it is still lower than the 46% measured after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The effect of this change in public opinion has been particularly strong in the Republican presidential primary. It certainly boosted the candidacy of Donald Trump, whose anti-Muslim rhetoric has been particularly tough (if not incendiary). Some politicians are starting to call the battle against terrorism World War III. Terrorism is a problem for the United States, as the attack in San Bernardino, California in December showed. But it has been blown out of proportion, both by the presidential candidates and by a news media that adheres to the old adage, If it bleeds, it leads. To put terrorism in proper perspective, Americans and others should bear in mind the following considerations. Terrorism is a form of theater. Terrorists are more interested in capturing attention and putting their issue at the forefront of the agenda than in the number of deaths they cause per se. The Islamic State (ISIS) pays careful attention to stagecraft. The barbaric beheadings that are broadcast and disseminated through social media are designed to shock and outrage and thereby capture attention. By exaggerating their effect and making every terrorist act a lead story, we play into their hands. Terrorism is not the biggest threat facing people in advanced countries. Terrorism kills far fewer people than auto accidents or cigarettes. Indeed, terrorism is not even a big threat or a small one, for that matter. One is likelier to be struck by lightning than to be killed by a terrorist. Experts estimate that an Americans annual risk of being killed by a terrorist is one in 3.5 million. Americans are more likely to die in an accident involving a bathtub (one in 950,000), a home appliance (one in 1.5 million), a deer (one in two million), or on a commercial airliner (one in 2.9 million). Six thousand Americans die annually from texting or talking on the phone while driving. That is several hundred times more than die from terrorism. Radical Islamic terrorism kills fewer Americans than attacks by disgruntled workplace and school shooters. Terrorism is not World War III. Global terrorism is not new. It often takes a generation for a wave of terrorism to burn out. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the anarchist movement killed a number of heads of state for utopian ideals. In the 1960s and 1970s, the new left Red Brigades and Red Army Faction hijacked planes across national borders and kidnapped and killed business and political leaders (as well as ordinary citizens). Todays jihadist extremists are a venerable political phenomenon wrapped in religious dress. Many of the leaders are not traditional fundamentalists, but people whose identity has been uprooted by globalization and who are searching for meaning in the imagined community of a pure Islamic caliphate. Defeating them will require time and effort, but ISISs parochial nature limits the range of its appeal. With its sectarian attacks, it cannot even appeal to all Muslims, much less Hindus, Christians, and others. ISIS will eventually be defeated, just as other transnational terrorists were. Terrorism is like jiu jitsu. The smaller actor uses the larger actors strength to defeat it. No terrorist organization is as powerful as a state, and few terrorist movements have succeeded in overthrowing one. But if they can outrage and frustrate citizens of the state into taking self-defeating actions, they can hope to prevail. Al-Qaeda succeeded in luring the US into Afghanistan in 2001. ISIS was born in the rubble of the subsequent US-led invasion of Iraq. Smart power is needed to defeat terrorism. Smart power is the ability to combine hard military and police power and the soft power of attraction and persuasion. Hard power is needed to kill or capture die-hard terrorists, few of whom are open to attraction or persuasion. At the same time, soft power is needed to inoculate those on the periphery whom the die-hards are trying to recruit. That is why attention to narrative and how US actions play on social media is as important and as necessary as precision air strikes. Antagonistic rhetoric that alienates Muslims and weakens their willingness to provide crucial intelligence endangers us all. That is why the anti-Muslim posturing of some of the current presidential candidates is so counterproductive. Terrorism is a serious issue, and it deserves to be a top priority of our intelligence, police, military, and diplomatic agencies. It is an important component of foreign policy. And it is crucial to keep weapons of mass destruction out of terrorists hands. But we should not fall into the terrorists trap. Let the actions of thugs play out in an empty theater. If we let them take over the main stage of our public discourse, we will undermine the quality of our civic life and distort our priorities. Our strength will have been used against us. Licensed from Project Syndicate Related video: from last month: Thousands In France Are Protesting Against A Longer State Of Emergency Newsy Reddit Email 0 Shares By Allan Christelow | (Informed Comment) | On December 12-13, 2015 Nigerian security forces carried out an attack against the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) in the city of Zaria. The movements leader, Ibrahim al-Zakzaky, and his wife, Zeenah were both seriously injured by shooting, and then kept in detention. The incident occurred some 14 months after a previous attack in which three of Zakzakys sons were killed. The IMN has claimed that in this latest incident over 700 of its members were killed or detained. Sisters of the Islamic Movement was held in Kaduna by Sisters of the Islamic Movement on Monday the 15th of Feb, 2016. h/t Islamic Movement The IMN is often referred to in the media as Shiite, but it presents itself as including all kinds of Muslims. The incident occurred just a few days before the announcement of the formation of a Saudi led Islamic coalition of Islamic states to fight terrorism. It excluded states where Shiites are dominant, and also Algeria, which opposes any cross border intervention. The announcement stirred up much opposition in Nigeria stopping the government from joining the coalition. The timing of the attack on the IMN could lead one to guess that the Saudi government played a role in pushing for it. Such speculation fits with the fact that wealthy Saudis had given financial support to the presidential campaign of Muhammadu Buhari in March 2015 when it was running out of money, helping him to win. But it can also be argued that the main factor behind the attack was provocation of the security forces by the IMN, whose ritual procession had blocked traffic, including a military convoy. Zakzaky had been imprisoned for 9 years under military rule, from 1983 to 1999, so clearly his relationship with the military was not a comfortable one. Without access to a wide range of reliable information about the incident it is difficult to come up with any clear conclusion. The most useful efforts to understand the incident now may be to put it into historical perspective. Zakzaky emerged as a student leader at Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria in the late 1970s, a time of great turbulence in the Muslim world. One striking event of this time was the disappearance in Libya, on August 31, 1978, of Lebanese Shite leader Musa al-Sadr, who has come to be known as the vanished imam. He had been invited to meet with Muammar Gaddafi. It is widely presumed that Gaddafi ordered his killing after being angered by their discussion. Most speculation about what provoked Gaddafis anger has focused on Middle East issues. But it can be useful to look at the African dimension of their encounter. Musa al-Sadr had been working to improve the conditions of Shiites in Lebanon, who had been a largely rural and impoverished group up until the 1960s. He realized that a key step for his project could be to make connections with Lebanese Shiites in West Africa. Along with Lebanese Maronite Christians and Sunni Muslims, they had been working as traders in West Africa since it came under British and French colonial rule, starting in the 1890s. As African states gained their independence the position of Lebanese traders became less secure, and it made sense for them to invest savings in their homeland and prepare to return. In 1967, al-Sadr spent some five months in Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Senegal. After returning to Lebanon he sent a colleague to set up a Shia Islamic Center in Senegal which would reach out to Senegalese Muslims who were seeking a new vision of Islam that would better fit the demands of modern, urban society. Discussions of Zakzaky usually focus on his being galvanized by the Iranian revolution as it unfolded in 1978-79. Yet the project that he developed, which focused on drawing young Muslims into modern education and providing basic services such as medical care, bears a strong resemblance to al-Sadrs Amal movement in Lebanon, suggesting that he may well have been influenced by the Shia center in Senegal. While Zakzaky often lauded Khomeini, he has emphasized building cordial relations with other Muslim groups and with Christians, just as al-Sadr did in Lebanon. Gaddafi also had a strong interest in Africa. But while al-Sadr emphasized building voluntary organizations from the ground up, Gaddafi had an Arab nationalist vision of imposing his views from the top down. At the time of al-Sadrs disappearance, Gaddafi was planning to move Libyan forces into Chad, just to the south of Libya. But his strident authoritarian style was poorly adapted to the social and cultural diversity of sub-Saharan Africa. So, too, was the Wahhabi vision supported by Saudi Arabia, embodied in the establishment of the Izala movement in Nigeria in 1978. They condemned Sufi orders, which were widespread among Muslims of Nigeria. But Zakzaky was glad to accept Sufi orders, and the IMNs emphasis on public rituals bears a strong resemblance to Sufi practices. Zakzaky also drew inspiration from within Nigeria, especially from `Uthman Dan Fodio, who led a jihad to build an Islamic state in what is now northwest and north-cental Nigeria in the early 1800s. One of Zakzakys ancestors had moved from Mali to join this jihad. He became the religious adviser for the local ruler of Zaria province. Schools run by the IMN are known as Fudiyyah schools, named after Dan Fodio. One of Dan Fodios greatest challenges was to draw Hausa women into Islamic activities, pulling them away from their long established traditions, which included bori, a spirit healing cult. He inspired his daughter Nana Asma`u to form a movement that would help women to develop a thorough understanding of Islamic texts and practices. The IMN has followed in this tradition establishing a Sisters Forum, and having Zakzakys wife Zeenah play an important public role. Women take part in the movements public rituals, wearing traditional Islamic dress, but with lively movement and facial expressions. If a Wahhabi cleric were to look at their pictures displayed on the IMN website he might well be terrified. Allan Christelow is a retired professor of history at Idaho State University. He taught at Bayero University in Kano from 1978 to 1983, living part of that time in the Lebanese cloth market district. Vancouver, British Columbia / TheNewswire / March 3, 2016 - Aston Bay Holdings Ltd. (TSX-V: BAY) ("Aston Bay" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the Company has been granted prospecting permits that encompass the new Hurricane Target on Somerset Island, Nunavut. The Hurricane Target Area is a broad 10 km north-south by 2 km east-west L-shaped GEOTEM(R) anomaly interpreted as a conductive body with a strong central core rooted in a bedrock source, possibly related to sulphide mineralization. Hurricane was selected as a favourable target for follow-up work by Noranda Inc. in 2000, including reconnaissance ground electromagnetic and gravity surveys. Click Image To View Full Size Six new prospecting permits, covering a combined area of 135,546 hectares (ha), were granted to Aston Bay on February 1, 2016 for a term of five years, of which the Company was officially notified on February 24, 2016. This acquisition has increased the overall Aston Bay land package to 395,118 ha (976,357 acres). The area covered by the six new prospecting permits, including the Hurricane Target, are covered by the Area of Interest in the Company's Letter of Intent ("LOI") with BHP Billiton. "We are pleased to have added this land package to our extensive land position on Somerset Island," said Thomas Ullrich, Chief Operating Officer and Executive VP of Exploration of Aston Bay. "This further consolidates the exploration district, and the identification of high-priority early-stage exploration targets illustrates an early benefit of our partnership with BHP Billiton." Hurricane is located 38 km south of the main Storm Copper showings, and 18 km north-northwest of the Typhoon Zinc showing (see map of location). The Hurricane Area was identified as a priority target from the 2015 reinterpretation of the historical geophysical data acquired from Teck Resources Limited in 2012. The GEOTEM(R) survey was flown in April 2000 by Fugro Airborne Surveys, on behalf of Noranda Inc. GEOTEM(R) is a fixed-wing time-domain electromagnetic and magnetic survey. A total of 3,620 line-km of data were collected on lines spaced 250 to 300 metres apart. The survey initially identified 29 anomalies of interest, including the Hurricane Target. Click Image To View Full Size Qualified Person The content of this news release and the technical information that forms the basis for this disclosure has been prepared under the supervision of Michael Dufresne, M.Sc., P.Geol., a director of and consultant to the Company and the Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. About Aston Bay Holdings Aston Bay Holdings Ltd. (TSX-V: BAY) is a publicly traded mineral exploration company which holds the mineral rights to the 976,357-acre (395,118-hectare) Aston Bay Property located on northwest Somerset Island, Nunavut. The Property hosts the Storm Copper and Seal Zinc prospects, where historic drilling has confirmed the presence of sediment-hosted copper and zinc mineralization. On behalf of the Board of Directors, Benjamin Cox, Chief Executive Officer Telephone: (360) 262-6969 For further information about Aston Bay Holdings Ltd. or this news release, please visit our website at www.astonbayholdings.com. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange Inc. nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release contains certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. In the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law. We seek Safe Harbor. THIS PRESS RELEASE IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES OR TO U.S. NEWS AGENCIES Copyright (c) 2016 TheNewswire - All rights reserved. I's driving listening to the radio - His speech coming in real-time - I's moved by his big-hearted speech - for common good of the public. You gotta stand up for a course bigger than your own - "because we are blessed with a great people, people who at every critical moment of choosing have put the interests of the country above their own." Can you say you're one of the people? Don't read choppy analyses as they add their own stuff. You gotta read the entire speech to grab what's said! Mitt Romney: I say this in part because of my conviction that America is poised to lead the world for another century. Our technology engines, our innovation dynamic, and the ambition and skill of our people will propel our economy and raise our standard of living. America will remain as it is today, the envy of the world. Warren Buffett was 100% right when he said last week that "the babies being born in America today are the luckiest crop in history." Now imagine your children and your grandchildren acting the way he does. Will you welcome that? Haven't we seen before what happens when people in prominent positions fail the basic responsibility of honorable conduct? We have, and it always injures our families and our country. Ronald Reagan used to quote a Scottish philosopher who predicted that democracies and civilizations couldn't last more than about 200 years. John Adams wrote this: "Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide." I believe that America has proven these dire predictions wrong for two reasons. First, we have been blessed with great presidents, with giants among us. Men of character, integrity and selflessness have led our nation from its very beginning. None were perfect: each surely made mistakes. But in every case, they acted out of the desire to do what was right for America and for freedom. The second reason is because we are blessed with a great people, people who at every critical moment of choosing have put the interests of the country above their own. These two things are related: our presidents time and again have called on us to rise to the occasion. John F. Kennedy asked us to consider what we could do for our country. Lincoln drew upon the better angels of our nature to save the union. debate Below are Mitt Romney's full remarks on Donald Trump and the 2016 presidential race, as prepared for delivery. Romney delivered his remarks at the University of Utah. I am not here to announce my candidacy for office. I am not going to endorse a candidate today. Instead, I would like to offer my perspective on the nominating process of my party. In 1964, days before the presidential election which, incidentally, we lost, Ronald Reagan went on national television and challenged America saying that it was a "Time for Choosing." He saw two paths for America, one that embraced conservative principles dedicated to lifting people out of poverty and helping create opportunity for all, and the other, an oppressive government that would lead America down a darker, less free path. I'm no Ronald Reagan and this is a different moment but I believe with all my heart and soul that we face another time for choosing, one that will have profound consequences for the Republican Party and more importantly, for the country. Story Continued Below I say this in part because of my conviction that America is poised to lead the world for another century. Our technology engines, our innovation dynamic, and the ambition and skill of our people will propel our economy and raise our standard of living. America will remain as it is today, the envy of the world. Warren Buffett was 100% right when he said last week that "the babies being born in America today are the luckiest crop in history." That doesn't mean we don't have real problems and serious challenges. At home, poverty persists and wages are stagnant. The horrific massacres of Paris and San Bernardino, the nuclear ambitions of the Iranian mullahs, the aggressions of Putin, the growing assertiveness of China and the nuclear tests of North Korea confirm that we live in troubled and dangerous times. But if we make the right choices, America's future will be even better than our past and better than our present. On the other hand, if we make improvident choices, the bright horizon I foresee will never materialize. Let me put it plainly, if we Republicans choose Donald Trump as our nominee, the prospects for a safe and prosperous future are greatly diminished. Let me explain why. First, the economy: If Donald Trump's plans were ever implemented, the country would sink into a prolonged recession. A few examples: His proposed 35% tariff-like penalties would instigate a trade war that would raise prices for consumers, kill export jobs, and lead entrepreneurs and businesses to flee America. His tax plan, in combination with his refusal to reform entitlements and to honestly address spending would balloon the deficit and the national debt. So even as Donald Trump has offered very few specific economic plans, what little he has said is enough to know that he would be very bad for American workers and for American families. But wait, you say, isn't he a huge business success that knows what he's talking about? No he isn't. His bankruptcies have crushed small businesses and the men and women who worked for them. He inherited his business, he didn't create it. And what ever happened to Trump Airlines? How about Trump University? And then there's Trump Magazine and Trump Vodka and Trump Steaks, and Trump Mortgage? A business genius he is not. Now not every policy Donald Trump has floated is bad. He wants to repeal and replace Obamacare. He wants to bring jobs home from China and Japan. But his prescriptions to do these things are flimsy at best. At the last debate, all he could remember about his healthcare plan was to remove insurance boundaries between states. Successfully bringing jobs home requires serious policy and reforms that make America the place businesses want to plant and grow. You can't punish business into doing the things you want. Frankly, the only serious policy proposals that deal with the broad range of national challenges we confront, come today from Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, and John Kasich. One of these men should be our nominee. I know that some people want the race to be over. They look at history and say a trend like Mr. Trump's isn't going to be stopped. Perhaps. But the rules of political history have pretty much all been shredded during this campaign. If the other candidates can find common ground, I believe we can nominate a person who can win the general election and who will represent the values and policies of conservatism. Given the current delegate selection process, this means that I would vote for Marco Rubio in Florida, for John Kasich in Ohio, and for Ted Cruz or whichever one of the other two contenders has the best chance of beating Mr. Trump in a given state. Let me turn to national security and the safety of our homes and loved ones. Trump's bombast is already alarming our allies and fueling the enmity of our enemies. Insulting all Muslims will keep many of them from fully engaging with us in the urgent fight against ISIS. And for what purpose? Muslim terrorists would only have to lie about their religion to enter the country. What he said on 60 Minutes about Syria and ISIS has to go down as the most ridiculous and dangerous idea of the campaign season: Let ISIS take out Assad, he said, and then we can pick up the remnants. Think about that: Let the most dangerous terror organization the world has ever known take over a country? This is recklessness in the extreme. Donald Trump tells us that he is very, very smart. I'm afraid that when it comes to foreign policy he is very, very not smart. I am far from the first to conclude that Donald Trump lacks the temperament of be president. After all, this is an individual who mocked a disabled reporter, who attributed a reporter's questions to her menstrual cycle, who mocked a brilliant rival who happened to be a woman due to her appearance, who bragged about his marital affairs, and who laces his public speeches with vulgarity. Donald Trump says he admires Vladimir Putin, while has called George W. Bush a liar. That is a twisted example of evil trumping good. There is dark irony in his boasts of his sexual exploits during the Vietnam War while John McCain, whom he has mocked, was imprisoned and tortured. Dishonesty is Trump's hallmark: He claimed that he had spoken clearly and boldly against going into Iraq. Wrong, he spoke in favor of invading Iraq. He said he saw thousands of Muslims in New Jersey celebrating 9/11. Wrong, he saw no such thing. He imagined it. His is not the temperament of a stable, thoughtful leader. His imagination must not be married to real power. The President of the United States has long been the leader of the free world. The president and yes the nominees of the country's great parties help define America to billions of people. All of them bear the responsibility of being an example for our children and grandchildren. Think of Donald Trump's personal qualities, the bullying, the greed, the showing off, the misogyny, the absurd third grade theatrics. We have long referred to him as "The Donald." He is the only person in America to whom we have added an article before his name. It wasn't because he had attributes we admired. Now imagine your children and your grandchildren acting the way he does. Will you welcome that? Haven't we seen before what happens when people in prominent positions fail the basic responsibility of honorable conduct? We have, and it always injures our families and our country. Watch how he responds to my speech today. Will he talk about our policy differences or will he attack me with every imaginable low road insult? This may tell you what you need to know about his temperament, his stability, and his suitability to be president. Trump relishes any poll that reflects what he thinks of himself. But polls are also saying that he will lose to Hillary Clinton. On Hillary Clinton's watch at the State Department, America's interests were diminished in every corner of the world. She compromised our national secrets, dissembled to the families of the slain, and jettisoned her most profound beliefs to gain presidential power. For the last three decades, the Clintons have lived at the intersection of money and politics, trading their political influence to enrich their personal finances. They embody the term crony capitalism. It disgusts the American people and causes them to lose faith in our political process. A person so untrustworthy and dishonest as Hillary Clinton must not become president. But a Trump nomination enables her victory. The audio and video of the infamous Tapper-Trump exchange on the Ku Klux Klan will play a hundred thousand times on cable and who knows how many million times on social media. There are a number of people who claim that Mr. Trump is a con man, a fake. There is indeed evidence of that. Mr. Trump has changed his positions not just over the years, but over the course of the campaign, and on the Ku Klux Klan, daily for three days in a row. We will only really know if he is the real deal or a phony if he releases his tax returns and the tape of his interview with the New York Times. I predict that there are more bombshells in his tax returns. I predict that he doesn't give much if anything to the disabled and to our veterans. I predict that he told the New York Times that his immigration talk is just that: talk. And I predict that despite his promise to do so, first made over a year ago, he will never ever release his tax returns. Never. Not the returns under audit, not even the returns that are no longer being audited. He has too much to hide. Nor will he authorize the Times to release the tapes. If I'm right, you will have all the proof you need to know that Donald Trump is a phony. Attacking me as he surely will won't prove him any less of a phony. It's entirely in his hands to prove me wrong. All he has to do is to release his back taxes like he promised he would, and let us hear what he said behind closed doors to the New York Times. Ronald Reagan used to quote a Scottish philosopher who predicted that democracies and civilizations couldn't last more than about 200 years. John Adams wrote this: "Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide." I believe that America has proven these dire predictions wrong for two reasons. First, we have been blessed with great presidents, with giants among us. Men of character, integrity and selflessness have led our nation from its very beginning. None were perfect: each surely made mistakes. But in every case, they acted out of the desire to do what was right for America and for freedom. The second reason is because we are blessed with a great people, people who at every critical moment of choosing have put the interests of the country above their own. These two things are related: our presidents time and again have called on us to rise to the occasion. John F. Kennedy asked us to consider what we could do for our country. Lincoln drew upon the better angels of our nature to save the union. I understand the anger Americans feel today. In the past, our presidents have channeled that anger, and forged it into resolve, into endurance and high purpose, and into the will to defeat the enemies of freedom. Our anger was transformed into energy directed for good. Mr. Trump is directing our anger for less than noble purposes. He creates scapegoats of Muslims and Mexican immigrants, he calls for the use of torture and for killing the innocent children and family members of terrorists. He cheers assaults on protesters. He applauds the prospect of twisting the Constitution to limit first amendment freedom of the press. This is the very brand of anger that has led other nations into the abyss. Here's what I know. Donald Trump is a phony, a fraud. His promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University. He's playing the American public for suckers: He gets a free ride to the White House and all we get is a lousy hat. His domestic policies would lead to recession. His foreign policies would make America and the world less safe. He has neither the temperament nor the judgment to be president. And his personal qualities would mean that America would cease to be a shining city on a hill. America has greatness ahead. This is a time for choosing. God bless us to choose a nominee who will make that vision a reality. http://www.politico.com/story/2016/03/full-transcript-mitt-romneys-remarks-on-donald-trump-and-the-2016-race-220176 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`` Mitt Romney called Donald J. Trump a phony and a fraud in an impassioned speech on Thursday in which he urged Republicans to rally around another candidate and warned that a Trump presidency could lead American into a dark abyss. The hastily organized speech, which was delivered in Utah, was a last-ditch effort among leaders in the Republican Party to blunt Mr. Trumps momentum before he runs away with the presidential nomination. Mr. Romney has been criticizing Mr. Trump on social media in recent weeks, calling on him to release his tax returns and arguing that slowness to denounce the Ku Klux Klan was disqualifying for a presidential candidate. On Thursday Mr. Romney was unsparing, eviscerating Mr. Trump as unstable, immoral and cruel. Donald Trump is a phony, a fraud, Mr. Romney said to applause. His promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University. Hes playing members of the American public for suckers: He gets a free ride to the White House and all we get is a lousy hat. The former Massachusetts governor and 2012 presidential candidate, who considered making a third run in 2016, argued that Mr. Trumps economic policies would create another recession and that he is not suited to represent America on the global stage. He lamented that Mr. Trump has called for bringing back torture and for punishing the innocent families of terrorists. And he expressed concern that, if elected, Mr. Trump would erode the foundations of American democracy. He cheers assaults on protesters, Mr. Romney said. He applauds the prospect of twisting the Constitution to limit First Amendment freedom of the press. This is the very brand of anger that has led other nations into the abyss. The public skewering of Mr. Trump was also deeply personal. Mr. Romney accused him of being an overrated businessman, bemoaned his mockery of the disable and pointed out his history of marital affairs while predicting that Mr. Trump would be an embarrassing commander-in- chief. There is dark irony in his boasts of his sexual exploits during the Vietnam War while John McCain, whom he has mocked, was imprisoned and tortured, Mr. Romney said. In an instance of old rivals uniting, Mr. McCain praised Mr. Romney for speaking out. I share the concerns about Donald Trump that my friend and former Republican nominee, Mitt Romney, described in his speech today, Mr. McCain said in a statement. I would also echo the many concerns about Mr. Trumps uninformed and indeed dangerous statements on national security issues that have been raised by 65 Republican defense and foreign policy leaders. Mr. Romney spoke for about 20 minutes before more than 600 people at the Hinckley Institute of Politics in Salt Lake City. While the audience was generally supportive, there were some skeptics in the crowd. Max Chaz, who backed Mr. Romney in 2012, arrived in a Make America Great Again hat that is the hallmark of Mr. Trumps campaign. He was turned off by Mr. Romneys late effort to tilt the election and said it was bordering on tyranny when the party turns around at this date after Trump has been so successful and decide they dont like the outcome. It remained unclear what influence Mr. Romney still has with Republican primary voters who have become increasingly wary of establishment politicians. So far, he has declined to formally endorse any of the Republican candidates, although there were rumors that he might support Senator Marco Rubio. While he did not single out a favorite on Thursday, Mr. Romney made clear that he is pulling for anyone who can stop Mr. Trump. Of the remaining candidates, the only serious policy proposals that deal with the broad range of national challenges we confront have come from Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and John Kasich, Mr. Romney said. Mr. Trump responded quickly and forcefully and was expected to offer a full-throated rebuttal during an afternoon campaign rally. In an interview on MNSBC earlier Thursday, he recalled that Mr. Romney begged for his endorsement four years ago. He ran one of the worst campaigns, as you know, in presidential history, Mr. Trump said. That was an election that should have been won by the Republicans. The Trump campaign also preemptively released a video on Facebook featuring clips of Mr. Romney making statements that were at odds with conservative orthodoxy on immigration, health care, abortion and climate change. The tension between the two Republicans was a far cry from four years ago, when Mr. Romney lavished praise upon Mr. Trump when receiving his endorsement in Las Vegas. On that day, he flattered Mr. Trump for being the more successful businessman and described him as a visionary on economic issues. Donald Trump has shown an extraordinary ability to understand how our economy works, to create jobs for the American people, Mr. Romney said . Mr. Trump was equally glowing about Mr. Romney at the time, suggesting that he had the talent to make America great: Mitt is tough, hes smart, hes sharp, hes not going to allow bad things to continue to happen to this country that we all love. Dallas, Texas, USA, 03/02/2016 /SubmitPressRelease123/ Texas Internet Lawyer and entrepreneur Mike Young has just released a new complimentary guide called How to Set Up a Business Website in 15 Steps or Less. According to Attorney Young, the guide is based upon his more than 20 years representing Internet businesses as well as being the co-owner of several ecommerce companies. The guide covers many website topics that are useful for both entrepreneurs setting up their first website and existing website owners looking to improve their sites by taking some simple effective actions. It applies if you only want to sell online or already have a brick-and-mortar business that you want to expand online with a new or improved website. In addition to revealing what to do, the guide provides you with helpful links to 64 resources that include tutorials or tools for the following: Selection of products and services Pricing Domain name selection and registration Website hosting Content management system (CMS) selection and installation Website design Social media integration Affiliate programs Shopping carts and payment processing Cross-sells, up-sells, and down-sells Time-saving automation Email marketing Publicity and much more. Many entrepreneurs have paid tens of thousands of dollars for a website with nothing to show for it, Texas Internet Lawyer Young said. The Internet is filled with websites that dont make sales because they were built to be slick and flashy instead of to make sales. This guide shows you how to set up a site that converts using mostly free resources and your time. You can get your copy of the free business website guide at this link. Connect with Texas Internet Lawyer Mike Young on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/internetlawyer #MikeYoungLaw #TexasInternetLawyer By Mike Young Texas Internet Lawyer Social Media Tags:free website guide, free business guide Newsroom powered by Online Press Release Distribution SubmitMyPressRelease.com Like Us on Facebook It's only fair to share... Pinterest Linkedin email Print AUSTIN, TX, USA, 03/07/2016 /SubmitPressRelease123/ Award-winning California trial attorney Scott Glovsky has launched a new podcast entitled Trial Lawyer Talk. In this captivating and informative program, Mr. Glovsky interviews great trial lawyers from around the country and has them share meaningful stories from their trials. The goal of the podcast, as stated by Mr. Glovsky, is to get inside the hearts and minds of great trial lawyers, and show the world what great people they are. The first episode, which is available now, features Houston lawyer Michael Callahan. Mr. Callahans great storytelling reveals how his deep emotional connection with his client helped obtain justice. Future episodes will include more of Americas best trial lawyers discussing their most interesting, thought-provoking, and enlightening experiences in the courtroom. Trial Lawyer Talk is available on iTunesin in the New and Noteworthy section. For more information on how to subscribe visit: http://www.scottglovsky.com/trial-lawyer-talk-podcast/ Scott Glovsky is a trial attorney in Los Angeles who focuses on catastrophic personal injury, health insurance bad faith, and Porter Ranch gas leak cases. He appeared in the film Sicko and People Magazine, and his cases have been profiled on CNN and other major networks. Scott has received numerous awards including California Lawyer Magazines California Lawyer Attorney of the Year Award and the Consumer Attorneys of Californias Street Fighter of the Year Award. Scott is a faculty member at Gerry Spences Trial Lawyers College. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of California, Berkeley and his J.D. from Cornell Law School. Social Media Tags:podcasts, trial attorneys, law Newsroom powered by Online Press Release Distribution SubmitMyPressRelease.com Like Us on Facebook It's only fair to share... Pinterest Linkedin email Print Story highlights CNN obtained a handful of Sanders' early writings They show a young man challenging society's views (CNN) Editor's note: This article contains language that may be offensive to some readers. In 1969, just a few years before Bernie Sanders first sought public office, he penned a number of columns on a variety of topics: sexuality -- including violent rape fantasies and the sexual development of children -- emotional links to cancer, foreign relations and the failures of traditional education. He rails against "conservative" education -- what he viewed as an ineffective and soulless learning environment where children must "sit still for 7 hours a day ... and raise their hands when they have to go to the bathroom." It was a theme he returned to repeatedly that year, denouncing authoritarian teaching styles. Often "a child has an old bitch of a teacher (and there are many of them) or pehaps (sic) he simply is not interested in school and would rather be doing other thing (sic)," Sanders wrote in his column, "Cancer, Disease and Society," for an alternative publication called The Vermont Freeman. Read More CNN obtained a handful of Sanders' early writings, some of which have not been seen by the public in decades, that show a young man challenging the views of society more than four decades before he would try to lead an insurgent presidential campaign. The writings reflect the philosophical development of a 30-year-old whose future as a senator and presidential candidate appeared extremely unlikely. Sanders' early writings and political career have gotten little notice as his underdog campaign has grown into a grass-roots juggernaut that has challenged Hillary Clinton's establishment candidacy. A few publications, including Mother Jones and Salon, have published pieces about his columns, but for the most part this chapter of his life remains largely unexplored. Sanders himself rarely talks about this period on the campaign trail. Those who knew Sanders in his younger years, like his unofficial biographer, Greg Guma, who met him in 1971, say the writings are a reflection of the era. "We were all talking about this -- smashing monogamy, exploring psychology, sexuality and the politics of sexuality," said Guma, who also wrote for The Vermont Freeman, describing the publication as the "only alternative game in town then." Sanders wrote stand-alone columns and also conducted interviews, including a series on a Vermont college and how it was responding to student opposition to Vietnam, and a conversation with a farmer who rejected compulsory education. Guma said Sanders wrote infrequently for the publication. "It wasn't a big part of his life," Guma recounts. "I don't think he was paid for those articles." This post continues below these excerpts from Sanders' writings: Sanders-Freeman-Writings (PDF)
Sanders-Freeman-Writings (Text) Bernie Sanders' Freeman writings Document Pages Notes Text Zoom CLOSE Previous for Next Loading Loading Loading Loading Loading Loading Bernie Sanders' Freeman writings Contents Original Document (PDF) Related Article Contributed by: Alysha Love, CNN To print the document, click the "Original Document" link to open the original PDF. At this time it is not possible to print the document with annotations. Writing about sexual relations The Sanders campaign declined to comment for this story, citing his past comments on his Freeman writings, including a column about sexual relations between men and women. In February 1972, when Sanders was simultaneously running for governor of Vermont and a seat in the U.S. Senate as a leftist-party candidate, he wrote an essay that opens with a violent rape fantasy. "A man goes home and masturbates his typical fantasy. A woman on her knees, a woman tied up, a woman abused," Sanders wrote. "A woman enjoys intercourse with her man -- as she fantasizes being raped by 3 men simultaneously." The graphic opening vignette leads to a larger point: Men need to step away from traditionally dominant roles and women should rise from traditionally submissive ones. When this column, titled "Man and Woman," first surfaced in the progressive outlet Mother Jones last May, Sanders dismissed it as "a piece of fiction that I wrote in 1972 ... 43 years ago. It was very poorly written. And if you read it," he explained in an interview with NBC's Chuck Todd that same month, "what it was dealing with was gender stereotypes. Why some men like to oppress women. Why other women like to be submissive, something like '50 Shades Of Grey.'" Sanders' various opinions put forth in his writings at the time are best encapsulated in a 1969 column called "The Revolution is Life Versus Death," a compilation of his musings against war and traditional education, and in favor of sexual freedom. "The revolution comes when two strangers smile at each other, when a father refuses to send his child to school because schools destroy children, when a commune is started and people begin to trust each other, when a young man refuses to go to war and when a girl pushes aside all that her mother has 'taught' her and accepts her boyfriends (sic) love," Sanders asserts. That same year, in "Cancer, Disease and Society," Sanders opined with some obvious Freudian influence (he studied psychology at Brooklyn College) during the Vietnam era's free love movement, giving credence to a theory that a lack of orgasms and enjoyment of sex causes cervical and other female cancers. Citing now-debunked studies from the 1950s, he even makes a case for why underage sex can be healthy. "It means, very bluntly, that the manner in which you bring up your daughter with regard to sexual attitudes may very well determine whether or not she will develop breast cancer, among other things," Sanders wrote. "If she is 16, 3 years beyond puberty and the time which nature set forth for child-bearing and spent a night out with her boyfriend, what is your reaction?... Are you concerned about her happiness or about your 'reputation' in the community." His Freeman writings are a glimpse into the mind of a young man with a transient career path whose enthusiastic -- if unsuccessful -- political career was just beginning. By 1976, Sanders had run twice each for governor and the Senate, as a candidate of the Liberty Union Party. The more colorful elements of the third party's platform included a call for the Rockefeller family fortune to be seized to fund government programs; legalizing all drugs, including heroin; and widening the ramps of interstate highways to make it easier for drivers to pick up hitchhikers. He lost all four elections, attracting no more than single-digit support in each race. During these early years in Vermont, Sanders supported his constant quest for public office working odd jobs as a carpenter, a documentarian, a door-to-door film strip salesman and, while running his first campaign, subsisting on unemployment benefits. A little-discussed chapter in Bernie Sanders' life They are times Sanders talks little about, even though his hardscrabble years could endear him to struggling Americans who are gravitating toward his message of a rigged economy and income inequality. With the exception of his efforts during the Civil-Rights era -- organizing a 15-day sit-in as an undergrad at the University of Chicago to protest segregated housing and participating in the 1963 March on Washington -- Sanders seldom discusses his personal biography before running for the House of Representatives in the late 1980s. In his autobiography, "Outsider in the House" (re-released with a new preface last year as "Outsider in the White House"), Sanders opens with a recounting of his ultimately successful re-election bid in 1996, his "fifth race for Congress." "I lost in 1988, won in 1990, '92, '94." He doesn't mention his two runs for Congress in the 1970s, when as a Liberty Union Party candidate he sought a seat in the U.S. Senate. "He's really sort of just glossing over the entire 1980s and his younger life," in the book, which he also does as he campaigns for president, says one source who knew Sanders as a young man and requested anonymity to speak candidly. Those years were often solitary and difficult. In a rare moment last month, Sanders spoke about his father at a CNN town hall in Iowa, describing how "my dad came from Poland at the age of 17 without a nickel in his pocket, couldn't speak English and he never made a whole lot of money. And my brother and I and mom and dad grew up in a three-and-a-half-room rent-controlled apartment in Brooklyn, New York. And we never had a whole lot of money." In 1959, Sanders' mother died shortly after he finished high school. His father died not long after, in 1962. In his early 20s, Sanders was on the move. He majored in political science at the University of Chicago, where the leftist roots of his political formation took shape. He joined the Young People's Socialist League, the youth wing of the Socialist Party USA. He volunteered at a kibbutz in Israel and moved back and forth between New York City to Vermont, where many liberals headed for cheap land. Forging an early public identity In 1969, he started writing for The Vermont Freeman, founded by a one-time minister, Roger Albright, and featuring articles focused on Vermont's growing counter-culture. Sanders' writings in The Freeman coincide with the beginning of his long-shot attempts to enter public office, perhaps more accurately described as an effort to build a third party in Vermont, part of the "revolution" Sanders talked about in his writings. Bernie Sanders in the spotlight 22 photos: Bernie Sanders in the spotlight Sanders speaks to reporters in 2010 about the Obama administration&#39;s push to extend Bush-era tax cuts. Three days later, Sanders held a filibuster against the reinstatement of the tax cuts. His speech, which lasted more than eight hours, was published in book form in 2011. It is called &quot;The Speech: A Historic Filibuster on Corporate Greed and the Decline of Our Middle Class.&quot; 22 photos: Bernie Sanders in the spotlight Sanders speaks to reporters in 2010 about the Obama administration's push to extend Bush-era tax cuts. Three days later, Sanders held a filibuster against the reinstatement of the tax cuts. His speech, which lasted more than eight hours, was published in book form in 2011. It is called "The Speech: A Historic Filibuster on Corporate Greed and the Decline of Our Middle Class." Hide Caption 12 of 22 Sanders and U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller, chairman of the House Committee on Veterans&#39; Affairs, walk to a news conference on Capitol Hill in 2014. Sanders was chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans&#39; Affairs. 22 photos: Bernie Sanders in the spotlight Sanders and U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller, chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, walk to a news conference on Capitol Hill in 2014. Sanders was chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hide Caption 13 of 22 In March 2015, Sanders speaks in front of letters and petitions asking Congress to reject proposed cuts to Social Security and Medicare. 22 photos: Bernie Sanders in the spotlight In March 2015, Sanders speaks in front of letters and petitions asking Congress to reject proposed cuts to Social Security and Medicare. Hide Caption 14 of 22 In July 2015, two months after announcing his run for the presidency, Sanders &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/01/politics/bernie-sanders-crowds-wisconsin-2016/index.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;spoke to nearly 10,000 supporters&lt;/a&gt; in Madison, Wisconsin. &quot;Tonight we have made a little bit of history,&quot; he said. &quot;You may know that some 25 candidates are running for President of the United States, but tonight we have more people at a meeting for a candidate for President of the United States than any other candidate has.&quot; 22 photos: Bernie Sanders in the spotlight In July 2015, two months after announcing his run for the presidency, Sanders spoke to nearly 10,000 supporters in Madison, Wisconsin. "Tonight we have made a little bit of history," he said. "You may know that some 25 candidates are running for President of the United States, but tonight we have more people at a meeting for a candidate for President of the United States than any other candidate has." Hide Caption 15 of 22 Seconds after Sanders took the stage for a campaign rally in August 2015, a dozen protesters from Seattle&#39;s Black Lives Matter chapter &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/08/politics/bernie-sanders-black-lives-matter-protesters/index.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;jumped barricades and grabbed the microphone&lt;/a&gt; from the senator. Holding a banner that said &quot;Smash Racism,&quot; two of the protesters -- Marissa Johnson, left, and Mara Jacqueline Willaford -- began to address the crowd. 22 photos: Bernie Sanders in the spotlight Seconds after Sanders took the stage for a campaign rally in August 2015, a dozen protesters from Seattle's Black Lives Matter chapter jumped barricades and grabbed the microphone from the senator. Holding a banner that said "Smash Racism," two of the protesters -- Marissa Johnson, left, and Mara Jacqueline Willaford -- began to address the crowd. Hide Caption 16 of 22 &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/13/politics/gallery/democratic-debate-las-vegas/index.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Sanders shakes hands with Hillary Clinton&lt;/a&gt; at a Democratic debate in Las Vegas on October 13. The hand shake came after Sanders&#39; take on &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/03/politics/hillary-clinton-email-controversy-explained-2016/index.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;the Clinton email scandal.&lt;/a&gt; &quot;Let me say something that may not be great politics, but the secretary is right -- and that is that the American people are sick and tired of hearing about the damn emails,&quot; Sanders said. &quot;Enough of the emails, let&#39;s talk about the real issues facing the United States of America.&quot; 22 photos: Bernie Sanders in the spotlight Sanders shakes hands with Hillary Clinton at a Democratic debate in Las Vegas on October 13. The hand shake came after Sanders' take on the Clinton email scandal. "Let me say something that may not be great politics, but the secretary is right -- and that is that the American people are sick and tired of hearing about the damn emails," Sanders said. "Enough of the emails, let's talk about the real issues facing the United States of America." Hide Caption 17 of 22 Sanders embraces Remaz Abdelgader, a Muslim student, during an October 2015 event at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. Asked what he would do about Islamophobia in the United States, Sanders said he was determined to fight racism and &quot;build a nation in which we all stand together as one people.&quot; 22 photos: Bernie Sanders in the spotlight Sanders embraces Remaz Abdelgader, a Muslim student, during an October 2015 event at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. Asked what he would do about Islamophobia in the United States, Sanders said he was determined to fight racism and "build a nation in which we all stand together as one people." Hide Caption 18 of 22 Sanders waves while walking in a Veterans Day parade in Lebanon, New Hampshire, in November 2015. 22 photos: Bernie Sanders in the spotlight Sanders waves while walking in a Veterans Day parade in Lebanon, New Hampshire, in November 2015. Hide Caption 19 of 22 Sanders sits with Killer Mike at the Busy Bee Cafe in Atlanta in November 2015. That evening, the rapper and activist &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/24/politics/bernie-sanders-killer-mike/index.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;introduced Sanders at a campaign event&lt;/a&gt; in the city. &quot;I&#39;m talking about a revolutionary,&quot; Killer Mike told supporters. &quot;In my heart of hearts, I truly believe that Sen. Bernie Sanders is the right man to lead this country.&quot; 22 photos: Bernie Sanders in the spotlight Sanders sits with Killer Mike at the Busy Bee Cafe in Atlanta in November 2015. That evening, the rapper and activist introduced Sanders at a campaign event in the city. "I'm talking about a revolutionary," Killer Mike told supporters. "In my heart of hearts, I truly believe that Sen. Bernie Sanders is the right man to lead this country." Hide Caption 20 of 22 Comedian Larry David and Sanders &lt;a href=&quot;http://money.cnn.com/2016/02/07/media/bernie-sanders-larry-david-saturday-night-lvie/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;appear together on &quot;Saturday Night Live&quot;&lt;/a&gt; on February 6. David has taken the role of Sanders in a series of sketches throughout the campaign season. 22 photos: Bernie Sanders in the spotlight Comedian Larry David and Sanders appear together on "Saturday Night Live" on February 6. David has taken the role of Sanders in a series of sketches throughout the campaign season. Hide Caption 21 of 22 Sanders and his wife, Jane, wave to the crowd during a primary night rally in Concord, New Hampshire, on February 9. Sanders defeated Clinton in the New Hampshire primary with 60% of the vote, becoming &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/04/politics/bernie-sanders-jewish-new-hampshire-primary/index.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;the first Jewish candidate to win a presidential primary.&lt;/a&gt; 22 photos: Bernie Sanders in the spotlight Sanders and his wife, Jane, wave to the crowd during a primary night rally in Concord, New Hampshire, on February 9. Sanders defeated Clinton in the New Hampshire primary with 60% of the vote, becoming the first Jewish candidate to win a presidential primary. Hide Caption 22 of 22 U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont, is battling Hillary Clinton for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination. He is the longest-serving independent in the history of Congress. 22 photos: Bernie Sanders in the spotlight U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont, is battling Hillary Clinton for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination. He is the longest-serving independent in the history of Congress. Hide Caption 1 of 22 Sanders, right, leads a sit-in organized by the Congress of Racial Equality in 1962. The demonstration was staged to oppose housing segregation at the University of Chicago. It was Chicago's first civil rights sit-in. 22 photos: Bernie Sanders in the spotlight Sanders, right, leads a sit-in organized by the Congress of Racial Equality in 1962. The demonstration was staged to oppose housing segregation at the University of Chicago. It was Chicago's first civil rights sit-in. Hide Caption 2 of 22 Sanders takes the oath of office to become the mayor of Burlington, Vermont, in 1981. He ran as an independent and won the race by 10 votes. 22 photos: Bernie Sanders in the spotlight Sanders takes the oath of office to become the mayor of Burlington, Vermont, in 1981. He ran as an independent and won the race by 10 votes. Hide Caption 3 of 22 Sanders, right, tosses a baseball before a minor-league game in Vermont in 1984. U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, center, was also on hand. 22 photos: Bernie Sanders in the spotlight Sanders, right, tosses a baseball before a minor-league game in Vermont in 1984. U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, center, was also on hand. Hide Caption 4 of 22 In 1987, Sanders and a group of Vermont musicians recorded a spoken-word folk album. "We Shall Overcome" was first released as a cassette that sold about 600 copies. When Sanders entered the presidential race in 2015, <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2016/02/05/media/bernie-sanders-folk-album-we-shall-overcome/" target="_blank">the album surged in online sales.</a> But at a CNN town hall, Sanders said, "It's the worst album ever recorded." 22 photos: Bernie Sanders in the spotlight In 1987, Sanders and a group of Vermont musicians recorded a spoken-word folk album. "We Shall Overcome" was first released as a cassette that sold about 600 copies. When Sanders entered the presidential race in 2015, the album surged in online sales. But at a CNN town hall, Sanders said, "It's the worst album ever recorded." Hide Caption 5 of 22 Sanders reads mail at his campaign office in Burlington in 1990. He was running for the U.S. House of Representatives after an unsuccessful bid in 1988. 22 photos: Bernie Sanders in the spotlight Sanders reads mail at his campaign office in Burlington in 1990. He was running for the U.S. House of Representatives after an unsuccessful bid in 1988. Hide Caption 6 of 22 In 1990, Sanders defeated U.S. Rep. Peter Smith in the race for Vermont's lone House seat. He won by 16 percentage points. 22 photos: Bernie Sanders in the spotlight In 1990, Sanders defeated U.S. Rep. Peter Smith in the race for Vermont's lone House seat. He won by 16 percentage points. Hide Caption 7 of 22 Sanders sits next to President Bill Clinton in 1993 before the Congressional Progressive Caucus held a meeting at the White House. Sanders co-founded the caucus in 1991 and served as its first chairman. 22 photos: Bernie Sanders in the spotlight Sanders sits next to President Bill Clinton in 1993 before the Congressional Progressive Caucus held a meeting at the White House. Sanders co-founded the caucus in 1991 and served as its first chairman. Hide Caption 8 of 22 Barack Obama, then a U.S. senator, endorses Sanders' Senate bid at a rally in Burlington in 2006. 22 photos: Bernie Sanders in the spotlight Barack Obama, then a U.S. senator, endorses Sanders' Senate bid at a rally in Burlington in 2006. Hide Caption 9 of 22 Sanders takes part in a swearing-in ceremony at the U.S. Capitol in January 2007. He won his Senate seat with 65% of the vote. 22 photos: Bernie Sanders in the spotlight Sanders takes part in a swearing-in ceremony at the U.S. Capitol in January 2007. He won his Senate seat with 65% of the vote. Hide Caption 10 of 22 Sanders chats with Dr. John Matthew, director of The Health Center in Plainfield, Vermont, in May 2007. Sanders was in Plainfield to celebrate a new source of federal funding for The Health Center. 22 photos: Bernie Sanders in the spotlight Sanders chats with Dr. John Matthew, director of The Health Center in Plainfield, Vermont, in May 2007. Sanders was in Plainfield to celebrate a new source of federal funding for The Health Center. Hide Caption 11 of 22 Sanders speaks to reporters in 2010 about the Obama administration's push to extend Bush-era tax cuts. Three days later, Sanders held a filibuster against the reinstatement of the tax cuts. His speech, which lasted more than eight hours, was published in book form in 2011. It is called "The Speech: A Historic Filibuster on Corporate Greed and the Decline of Our Middle Class." 22 photos: Bernie Sanders in the spotlight Sanders speaks to reporters in 2010 about the Obama administration's push to extend Bush-era tax cuts. Three days later, Sanders held a filibuster against the reinstatement of the tax cuts. His speech, which lasted more than eight hours, was published in book form in 2011. It is called "The Speech: A Historic Filibuster on Corporate Greed and the Decline of Our Middle Class." Hide Caption 12 of 22 Sanders and U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller, chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, walk to a news conference on Capitol Hill in 2014. Sanders was chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs. 22 photos: Bernie Sanders in the spotlight Sanders and U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller, chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, walk to a news conference on Capitol Hill in 2014. Sanders was chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hide Caption 13 of 22 In March 2015, Sanders speaks in front of letters and petitions asking Congress to reject proposed cuts to Social Security and Medicare. 22 photos: Bernie Sanders in the spotlight In March 2015, Sanders speaks in front of letters and petitions asking Congress to reject proposed cuts to Social Security and Medicare. Hide Caption 14 of 22 In July 2015, two months after announcing his run for the presidency, Sanders <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/01/politics/bernie-sanders-crowds-wisconsin-2016/index.html" target="_blank">spoke to nearly 10,000 supporters</a> in Madison, Wisconsin. "Tonight we have made a little bit of history," he said. "You may know that some 25 candidates are running for President of the United States, but tonight we have more people at a meeting for a candidate for President of the United States than any other candidate has." 22 photos: Bernie Sanders in the spotlight In July 2015, two months after announcing his run for the presidency, Sanders spoke to nearly 10,000 supporters in Madison, Wisconsin. "Tonight we have made a little bit of history," he said. "You may know that some 25 candidates are running for President of the United States, but tonight we have more people at a meeting for a candidate for President of the United States than any other candidate has." Hide Caption 15 of 22 Seconds after Sanders took the stage for a campaign rally in August 2015, a dozen protesters from Seattle's Black Lives Matter chapter <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/08/politics/bernie-sanders-black-lives-matter-protesters/index.html" target="_blank">jumped barricades and grabbed the microphone</a> from the senator. Holding a banner that said "Smash Racism," two of the protesters -- Marissa Johnson, left, and Mara Jacqueline Willaford -- began to address the crowd. 22 photos: Bernie Sanders in the spotlight Seconds after Sanders took the stage for a campaign rally in August 2015, a dozen protesters from Seattle's Black Lives Matter chapter jumped barricades and grabbed the microphone from the senator. Holding a banner that said "Smash Racism," two of the protesters -- Marissa Johnson, left, and Mara Jacqueline Willaford -- began to address the crowd. Hide Caption 16 of 22 <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/13/politics/gallery/democratic-debate-las-vegas/index.html" target="_blank">Sanders shakes hands with Hillary Clinton</a> at a Democratic debate in Las Vegas on October 13. The hand shake came after Sanders' take on <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/03/politics/hillary-clinton-email-controversy-explained-2016/index.html" target="_blank">the Clinton email scandal.</a> "Let me say something that may not be great politics, but the secretary is right -- and that is that the American people are sick and tired of hearing about the damn emails," Sanders said. "Enough of the emails, let's talk about the real issues facing the United States of America." 22 photos: Bernie Sanders in the spotlight Sanders shakes hands with Hillary Clinton at a Democratic debate in Las Vegas on October 13. The hand shake came after Sanders' take on the Clinton email scandal. "Let me say something that may not be great politics, but the secretary is right -- and that is that the American people are sick and tired of hearing about the damn emails," Sanders said. "Enough of the emails, let's talk about the real issues facing the United States of America." Hide Caption 17 of 22 Sanders embraces Remaz Abdelgader, a Muslim student, during an October 2015 event at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. Asked what he would do about Islamophobia in the United States, Sanders said he was determined to fight racism and "build a nation in which we all stand together as one people." 22 photos: Bernie Sanders in the spotlight Sanders embraces Remaz Abdelgader, a Muslim student, during an October 2015 event at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. Asked what he would do about Islamophobia in the United States, Sanders said he was determined to fight racism and "build a nation in which we all stand together as one people." Hide Caption 18 of 22 Sanders waves while walking in a Veterans Day parade in Lebanon, New Hampshire, in November 2015. 22 photos: Bernie Sanders in the spotlight Sanders waves while walking in a Veterans Day parade in Lebanon, New Hampshire, in November 2015. Hide Caption 19 of 22 Sanders sits with Killer Mike at the Busy Bee Cafe in Atlanta in November 2015. That evening, the rapper and activist <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/24/politics/bernie-sanders-killer-mike/index.html" target="_blank">introduced Sanders at a campaign event</a> in the city. "I'm talking about a revolutionary," Killer Mike told supporters. "In my heart of hearts, I truly believe that Sen. Bernie Sanders is the right man to lead this country." 22 photos: Bernie Sanders in the spotlight Sanders sits with Killer Mike at the Busy Bee Cafe in Atlanta in November 2015. That evening, the rapper and activist introduced Sanders at a campaign event in the city. "I'm talking about a revolutionary," Killer Mike told supporters. "In my heart of hearts, I truly believe that Sen. Bernie Sanders is the right man to lead this country." Hide Caption 20 of 22 Comedian Larry David and Sanders <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2016/02/07/media/bernie-sanders-larry-david-saturday-night-lvie/" target="_blank">appear together on "Saturday Night Live"</a> on February 6. David has taken the role of Sanders in a series of sketches throughout the campaign season. 22 photos: Bernie Sanders in the spotlight Comedian Larry David and Sanders appear together on "Saturday Night Live" on February 6. David has taken the role of Sanders in a series of sketches throughout the campaign season. Hide Caption 21 of 22 Sanders and his wife, Jane, wave to the crowd during a primary night rally in Concord, New Hampshire, on February 9. Sanders defeated Clinton in the New Hampshire primary with 60% of the vote, becoming <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/04/politics/bernie-sanders-jewish-new-hampshire-primary/index.html" target="_blank">the first Jewish candidate to win a presidential primary.</a> 22 photos: Bernie Sanders in the spotlight Sanders and his wife, Jane, wave to the crowd during a primary night rally in Concord, New Hampshire, on February 9. Sanders defeated Clinton in the New Hampshire primary with 60% of the vote, becoming the first Jewish candidate to win a presidential primary. Hide Caption 22 of 22 U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont, is battling Hillary Clinton for the Democratic Party&#39;s presidential nomination. He is the longest-serving independent in the history of Congress. 22 photos: Bernie Sanders in the spotlight U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont, is battling Hillary Clinton for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination. He is the longest-serving independent in the history of Congress. Hide Caption 1 of 22 Sanders, right, leads a sit-in organized by the Congress of Racial Equality in 1962. The demonstration was staged to oppose housing segregation at the University of Chicago. It was Chicago&#39;s first civil rights sit-in. 22 photos: Bernie Sanders in the spotlight Sanders, right, leads a sit-in organized by the Congress of Racial Equality in 1962. The demonstration was staged to oppose housing segregation at the University of Chicago. It was Chicago's first civil rights sit-in. Hide Caption 2 of 22 Sanders takes the oath of office to become the mayor of Burlington, Vermont, in 1981. He ran as an independent and won the race by 10 votes. 22 photos: Bernie Sanders in the spotlight Sanders takes the oath of office to become the mayor of Burlington, Vermont, in 1981. He ran as an independent and won the race by 10 votes. Hide Caption 3 of 22 Sanders, right, tosses a baseball before a minor-league game in Vermont in 1984. U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, center, was also on hand. 22 photos: Bernie Sanders in the spotlight Sanders, right, tosses a baseball before a minor-league game in Vermont in 1984. U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, center, was also on hand. Hide Caption 4 of 22 In 1987, Sanders and a group of Vermont musicians recorded a spoken-word folk album. &quot;We Shall Overcome&quot; was first released as a cassette that sold about 600 copies. When Sanders entered the presidential race in 2015, &lt;a href=&quot;http://money.cnn.com/2016/02/05/media/bernie-sanders-folk-album-we-shall-overcome/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;the album surged in online sales.&lt;/a&gt; But at a CNN town hall, Sanders said, &quot;It&#39;s the worst album ever recorded.&quot; 22 photos: Bernie Sanders in the spotlight In 1987, Sanders and a group of Vermont musicians recorded a spoken-word folk album. "We Shall Overcome" was first released as a cassette that sold about 600 copies. When Sanders entered the presidential race in 2015, the album surged in online sales. But at a CNN town hall, Sanders said, "It's the worst album ever recorded." Hide Caption 5 of 22 Sanders reads mail at his campaign office in Burlington in 1990. He was running for the U.S. House of Representatives after an unsuccessful bid in 1988. 22 photos: Bernie Sanders in the spotlight Sanders reads mail at his campaign office in Burlington in 1990. He was running for the U.S. House of Representatives after an unsuccessful bid in 1988. Hide Caption 6 of 22 In 1990, Sanders defeated U.S. Rep. Peter Smith in the race for Vermont&#39;s lone House seat. He won by 16 percentage points. 22 photos: Bernie Sanders in the spotlight In 1990, Sanders defeated U.S. Rep. Peter Smith in the race for Vermont's lone House seat. He won by 16 percentage points. Hide Caption 7 of 22 Sanders sits next to President Bill Clinton in 1993 before the Congressional Progressive Caucus held a meeting at the White House. Sanders co-founded the caucus in 1991 and served as its first chairman. 22 photos: Bernie Sanders in the spotlight Sanders sits next to President Bill Clinton in 1993 before the Congressional Progressive Caucus held a meeting at the White House. Sanders co-founded the caucus in 1991 and served as its first chairman. Hide Caption 8 of 22 Barack Obama, then a U.S. senator, endorses Sanders&#39; Senate bid at a rally in Burlington in 2006. 22 photos: Bernie Sanders in the spotlight Barack Obama, then a U.S. senator, endorses Sanders' Senate bid at a rally in Burlington in 2006. Hide Caption 9 of 22 Sanders takes part in a swearing-in ceremony at the U.S. Capitol in January 2007. He won his Senate seat with 65% of the vote. 22 photos: Bernie Sanders in the spotlight Sanders takes part in a swearing-in ceremony at the U.S. Capitol in January 2007. He won his Senate seat with 65% of the vote. Hide Caption 10 of 22 Sanders chats with Dr. John Matthew, director of The Health Center in Plainfield, Vermont, in May 2007. Sanders was in Plainfield to celebrate a new source of federal funding for The Health Center. 22 photos: Bernie Sanders in the spotlight Sanders chats with Dr. John Matthew, director of The Health Center in Plainfield, Vermont, in May 2007. Sanders was in Plainfield to celebrate a new source of federal funding for The Health Center. Hide Caption 11 of 22 "The years come and go, suicide, nervous breakdown, cancer, sexual deadness, heart attack, alcoholism, senility at 50. Slow death. Fast death. DEATH," Sanders writes in 1969. "And some people actually wonder why young people rebel, why there is a revolution taking place." The revolution Sanders speaks of is more a rebellion against the conventional lifestyles of the previous generation and the monotony of a 9-to-5 life than it is against the "rigged economy" he has built his campaign around, though he does lament how "Democracy is a United States Congress composed of millionaires and state legislatures controlled by lobbyists." Sanders' breakthrough During the years of Sanders' failed campaigns for senator and governor, Guma describes him as "kind of a lonely fellow, didn't have much money, always trying to be heard, trying to get into the conversation." But in 1977, after the end of the Vietnam War left the Liberty Union Party ideologically rudderless, the source who knew Sanders at the time told CNN he "had kind of a midlife crisis, left the Party, dropped out of sight and came back as a local candidate." Some of Sanders' contemporaries considered him a sellout for moderating his views and launching an independent candidacy for Burlington mayor, but this political makeover spawned Sanders' big moment in 1981. "After running for office four times, he gets on the debate stage," Guma recounts fondly. "That was his breakthrough." Jane O'Meara, a community organizer and Sanders' future wife, helped set up the debate. Searching for the American Dream in Bernie Sanders' Utopia JUST WATCHED Searching for the American Dream in Bernie Sanders' Utopia Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Searching for the American Dream in Bernie Sanders' Utopia 03:51 "[Bernie] came, and everyone was swarming around him and the other candidates, because they weren't supportive of the mayor, so, being the good Catholic girl, of course I was very nice to the mayor and barely even said hello to Bernie," Jane Sanders told the nonprofit Vermont Business and Social Responsibility in 2007. "But when I heard him speak, well, that was it. The police department I was working with supported him after that, and he won 10 days later. We met at the victory party, and that was the beginning of forever." Sanders won by 10 votes. His major accomplishments as mayor include ending a waterfront business development in order to make it a "people's waterfront" and fighting the privatization of a subsidized housing building, legacies still visible in Burlington today. Traveling to communist countries He and Jane married in 1988 and honeymooned in the USSR along with several other Vermonters seeking to establish a sister city in Yaroslavl, located outside Moscow. According to reports of the trip, while there Sanders highlighted the cost of Soviet health care, though not its quality. It was one of a few trips Sanders took to communist countries during his time as mayor. In 1985, he traveled to Nicaragua to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the Marxist Sandinista regime and created a sister city partnership between Managua and Burlington. In 1989, he and Jane traveled to Cuba on a research trip, 30 years after the end of the Cuban Revolution. It was also two decades after he had praised the island nation for its education system in a Freeman article called "Cuba: the Other Side of the Story." Bernie Fest: Can Sanders start a revolution? JUST WATCHED Bernie Fest: Can Sanders start a revolution? Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Bernie Fest: Can Sanders start a revolution? 01:52 In it, he pushes back on assessments that the Castro regime had failed, presenting "a side which needs to be told if Americans are to gain a more intelligent perspective than they have at the present." Sanders acknowledges shortcomings of the government -- "the lack of civil liberties in Cuba, or the crowded jails, or the food shortages or the inept economic management" -- but also praises the Castro regime for its campaign against illiteracy, citing Cuban government statistics that it had decreased illiteracy from 23% to 3.9% in one year by sending teachers from urban areas into rural Cuba. If Sanders' reflections on foreign policy didn't change much between his Freeman writings and the end of his unlikely tenure as Burlington mayor, his personality did somewhat. "Jane has changed him over the years, being part of a family has changed him," Guma said. "He became a little bit more humble in a way. His humility comes from his awareness that he is now the voice of a movement." The future of the Sanders revolution Now when Sanders talks about a revolt it's a "political revolution," tempered by years in politics, where "the American people become activated...stand up and say, 'Yes, we're gonna raise the minimum wage. Yes, we're gonna have paid family medical leave. Yes, we're gonna make public colleges and university tuition free, etc., etc.,'" as he said recently in New Hampshire. It's a much different movement than the one he proselytized about in the 1970s in The Freeman, essentially a cultural revolution, a rejection of accepted social norms that he predicted would sweep the country. "Somewhere in California, in Vermont, in New Mexico and Colorado, and in every place, new things are happening. A revolution is taking place," Sanders wrote. "Life is fighting against strangulation and death, and Life will win." But the life of Sanders' own political future is uncertain as he faces an increasingly uphill battle against Hillary Clinton, who won a blowout victory Saturday in South Carolina. When Democratic voters head to the polls in the Super Tuesday contest states, they will move closer to determining whether Sanders' dream of a revolution lives, or if he is as he was in the 1970s: a revolutionary without a revolution. The page you requested is currently unavailable. Pages on this site are constantly being revised, updated, and occasionally removed. You may have followed an outdated link or have outdated pages in your browser cache. We live in a world of guns and gun violence. At any time, active shooters can turn peaceful locations all around us into killing zones. So what do you do if that gunman suddenly shows up at your workplace, or your school, or your shopping mall? That's where active shooter training comes in. Eastern Iowa, like many other parts of the country, has a history of active shooters attacking and killing people in public places. These cases all involved people who just walked into public areas, and started shooting. We'll never know if anyone could have stopped them, but today there now are efforts to teach people what to do in an active shooter situation. University of Iowa police officers held a class for employees of University Hospital's Emergency Department. Classes like these are becoming more and more common, and for good reasons. "We work in such a big place, and there's just so many different patient populations that come through here. You just never know. So it's better to be prepared than not be prepared," said Paramedic Robert Magsamen. Active shooter situations can and do happen in all kinds of settings. And police say casualties mount because people generally don't know how to react. "When we realized that the officers, we had trained them to do something and how to respond, we realized that the people they were supposed to help had no idea what they were supposed to do," said Lt. Joe Lang of University of Iowa Police Department. So the class gives people options on how to respond to a violent situation, how to protect themselves, and help themselves before the police arrive. Those options weren't taught in November 1991 when Chinese graduate student Gang Lu killed five people on the university campus and then took his own life. Lt. Lang was on the University police force then. "It was the first time anything like that had happened here. There was no training for it. And everybody was just in awe that it could happen here," he said. But it did happen here, and five innocent people died. Police training for active shooters, though, didn't really change until after Colorado's Columbine High School massacre 17 years ago. Back then police held back, setting up a perimeter, waiting for SWAT to arrive. "And while we did that we watched our kids die on TV. And we said never again," said Officer Jess Bernhard of the University of Iowa Police Department. Now police arrive, go in, stop the threat, and systematically clear the area. "It takes the fight right to the gunman. We are literally running to the sound of gunshots. That's the difference," Bernhard said. A shooter can kill or wound multiple victims in just a matter of seconds. "They come in. It's quiet until that first shot or the first incident happens, and then it becomes the chaos of people not knowing what to do, and that's where everybody gets confused," Lang said. Lang said people can throw whatever they have with them -- phones, laptops, water bottles, shoes, pens, pencils -- anything. "By throwing that and going ahead and making the fight, or throwing it to get away, at least you're distracting that person, and it stops him and buys you that very valuable five, six seconds maybe that gives them an opportunity to get away," Lang said. Or even an opportunity to possibly attack the gunman. Two hours of training is all this is. But the people taking this class are very serious about it. They know how valuable those two hours can be. "Locking down, getting out, things like that. It's all applicable, and it's something especially going through it now we can think in our heads what's the next step in making sure people are safe," Janice DeBerg, a UIHC nursing assistant. "Because it can happen anywhere, anyplace, anybody, any time. That's the sad truth of the reality that we live in today," said Bernhard. The University of Iowa police aren't the only ones offering active shooter training. But they recommend it for schools, businesses, hospitals, churches -- almost anywhere. Just contact your local police to get information on what training is available in your community. KCRG-TV9 conducted a short poll on our website regarding active shooter training. We asked, "does your workplace have a plan in case of a gunman in the building? Nearly 45 per cent of people responding said yes. Just over 39 per cent said no. And 17 per cent didn't know. "Descendants of the Sun" delivered record-breaking ratings with its third episode, surpassing the viewership of 2015 juggernaut, "Yong Pal." According to data released by Nielsen Korea, the KBS drama received 23.4 percent in nationwide viewership. This was figure reflects a significant audience increase of 7.9 percent. The military drama has the potential to yield the strongest ratings of 2016, as audiences tune in for the compelling chemistry of stars Song Joong Ki and Song Hye Kyo. Episode three of "Descendants of the Sun" opened with the reunion of Yoo Shi Jin (Song Joong Ki) and Kang Mo Yeon in Urek, a fictitious nation whose ethnic composition and political climate resembles the war-torn nation of Sarajevo. Shi Jin struggles with his attraction to Mo Yeon, who attempts to maintain detached professionalism. Details surrounding the secondary love line of Yoon Myung Joo (Kim Ji Won) and Seo Dae Young (Jin Goo) were revealed through Shi Jin, who reveals the circumstances under which they became a couple. Myung Joo pursued Dae Young, despite her father's support of Shi Jin. Their relationship will likely provide comedic relief from the subplots of politically corrupt arms dealers and starving children. The series presents several conundrums for Shi Jin and the medical team led by Mo Yeon. An arms smuggling plot is seamlessly interspersed with scenes where a deposed dictator awaits surgery by the Korean physicians while his security detail attempts to prevent the procedure. "Descendants of the Sun" continues to surpass its contemporaries in the battle for rating supremacy, demonstrating the potential for Korean dramas that air post-production. The SBS drama, "Please Comeback, Mister," recorded 5.2 percent in nationwide viewership, as Rain received more screentime. Meanwhile, MBC's romantic comedy, "One More Happy Ending," received a decreased audience of 3.8 percent. KEARNEY Nebraska agriculture organizations and other industry leaders generally agree on the need to better protect farming and ranching from groups seeking to make some modern crop and livestock production practices unlawful, but there is disagreement about the best way to provide that protection. Should Nebraska voters be asked to approve a right to farm amendment to the state constitution or should the first steps be an interim study and statutes? I dont need to sell the value or reinforce the value of agriculture to this crowd, state Sen. John Kuehn of Heartwell said Wednesday at the Governors Ag Conference in Kearney while describing his 2016 priority bill to place an amendment on the November general election ballot. Earlier Wednesday, the Agriculture Committee voted 5-2 to advance Kuehns LR378CA to the full Legislature. Unlike other legislation, Gov. Pete Ricketts signature isnt required if the resolution is supported by at least 30 state senators. However, he told the Hub he supports Kuehns efforts. In conference-opening remarks, Ricketts said that not only is agriculture Nebraskas No. 1 industry and responsible for one of four jobs, It is the heart and soul of what we do and what drives the growth were going to see here. Kuehn, a veterinarian, farmer and livestock producer, said critical pieces of innovation have allowed farmers and ranchers to sustainably produce more food, fiber and renewable energy with fewer natural resources, a smaller carbon footprint, and a greater concern for animal health and welfare. We all know that with social media, an idea, a fear or a myth can spread rapidly, he said, even to decision-makers who dont have the facts about the science and technology of modern agriculture. Nebraska Farm Bureau members have the same concerns, but the organizations leaders have a neutral stance on Kuehns bill because they believe an interim study and statutory changes should come first. First Vice-President Mark McHargue of Central City, who was at a Governors Ag Conference breakfast roundtable this morning, told the Hub that time is needed to make sure all constitutional amendment questions have been asked and answered. Farm Bureau members in North Dakota and Missouri, where right to farm amendments have been passed, have advised McHargue that a very good ground game is needed to put a constitutional change before voters. Were a long way from that, he said. McHargue said key questions include whether a constitutional amendment will accomplish the goals and if it will stand up to a judicial review, since there hasnt yet been a legal challenge of the other states amendments. Constitutional amendments must be short and simple, he said, so statutes will be needed to define terms and address the complexity of protecting the different segments of agriculture even if the proposed Nebraska amendment passes. Kuehn worries that future rural-urban demographics for the Legislature and Nebraska population in general dont favor right to farm issues, plus term limits for legislators and governors make it easier for activist groups to have more influence in changing statutory protections. The constitutional amendment ballot issue requires 30 votes in the 49-member Unicameral, but other bills need a simple majority of 25. We want to ensure that a runaway idea or runaway concept will not get the 25 votes to make changes in what agriculture does, Kuehn said, adding that he doesnt take changing the state constitution lightly. When asked about the term-limit factor, McHargue said that doesnt mean its not best to start with statute changes. He said the right to farm amendment issue came as a surprise because ag organizations didnt request it. Their focus this session is property tax relief, McHargue said, so we didnt gear up for this. Kuehn believes there are at least 30 senators who support putting the constitutional amendment on the ballot. He told the Hub he expects to have 33 votes for cloture, a parliamentary action to end debate and immediately vote on a bills advancement. Sen. (Ernie) Chambers does not particularly like this bill, Kuehn said. According to the Associated Press, Chambers warned his Ag Committee colleagues Wednesday that he will mount a filibuster to stop LR378CA from passing because it has no place in the state constitution. Kuehn said that because the resolution is his priority bill and was advanced by the committee, it will be heard this legislative session. Some people in agriculture think that if we dont address an issue directly, we wont draw attention to it, he said at the Governors Ag Conference. Im telling you the battle is already taking place. Thats because the Humane Society of the United States and other groups already have a presence in Nebraska. Ricketts said that without a constitutional amendment, such groups can promote legislative initiatives to control what ag producers do. HSUS is not our friend. ... They want to outlaw animal agriculture as we know it, he said. What do you think that would do to Nebraska? That would ruin our economy and our way of life. Lets not nibble around the edges, but address this straightforward, Kuehn said. FILE - In this Jan. 8, 2016, file image released by Mexico's federal government, Mexico's most wanted drug lord, Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, stands for his prison mug shot with the inmate number 3870 at the Altiplano maximum security federal prison in Almoloya, Mexico. Emma Coronel, the common-law wife of Guzman said Monday, Feb. 29. 2016, that his health problems have gotten a lot worse because guards at a maximum security prison rouse him for head counts, interfering with his sleep. (Mexico's federal government via AP) Ever since the Every Student Succeeds Act was signed into law last December, policy wonks and others have wondered exactly how states would react to the new version of the Elementary and Secondary Act, which in several respects is a significant departure from the much-maligned No Child Left Behind Act. While for the most part its too early to broadly characterize those reactions, bills in at least two states show that getting states entirely on board with ESSA might be a challenge. First, lets go to Florida. As our colleague Catherine Gewertz reported March 2 , Sunshine State lawmakers are considering a bill, Senate Bill 1360, that would allow districts the option of administering the ACT Aspire exam instead of the state standardized exam, the Florida Standards Assessment, in grades 3-8, beginning in the 2016-17 school year. Districts could then choose to administer the ACT Aspire in grades 3-8, for example, and students would take that exam, unless parents notified the district that they preferred their student to take the Florida Standards Assessment instead. The bill would also give the districts the option of administering the ACT, the PSAT or NMSQT, and the SAT in high school instead of the state examsonce again, if districts were to choose to give one of those tests, parents could notify the district if they preferred their child to take the FSA instead. (A student could take the SAT as an alternative only after meeting certain requirements.) So whats the problem? ESSA requires states to administer the same state exam in grades 3-8. Schools are not supposed to give districtsor parentsa choice of one test or another. The Florida bill would directly undermine that federal requirement. At the high school level, there is some new flexibility in ESSAdistricts can choose to offer a nationally recognized test in place of the state exam. But all students in a district must take the same testthere isnt supposed to be a menu of options within a district or school. Senate Bill 1360 cleared the Senate appropriations committee on March 1 and is sponsored by Sen. Don Gaetz, a Republican and influential state lawmaker on K-12. Next, well head to Kentucky. For the past few weeks, Bluegrass State lawmakers have been considering Senate Bill 1 , part of which deals with how low-performing schools are identified and classified, how graduation rates are used to calculate school performance, and what goes on school report cards. Its not clear if the states vision lines up with ESSA in those areas, according to a February blog post from Susan Perkins Weston of the Prichard Committee , a nonprofit K-12 advocacy group in Kentucky. Senate Bill 1 passed the Kentucky Senate on Feb. 17. How might the Florida and Kentucky situations differ? Despite the differences between Kentuckys Senate Bill 1 and ESSA, Weston says the bill wont necessarily cost the state Title I money if it becomes law. On its face, the situation appears trickier for Florida. If different students took different state exams in grades 3-8 in the same school, its hard to see how they would square that with ESSAs accountability requirements, regardless of how well it fits into the states own accountability system. (Hat tip to the Fordham Institutes Mike Petrilli for alerting us to the problem.) Florida education chief Pam Stewart has expressed her own, separate concern that the ACT and SAT dont align with the Common Core State Standards as well as the FSA. Heres a Florida-related reminder about Massachusetts and testing: Late last year, the U.S. Department of Education put some of the Bay States Title I funding on high risk status because the state did not administer a single statewide exam last year in grades 3-8. Massachusetts allowed districts to choose between the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) test and the states previous exam, the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment Systems (MCAS) for the 2014-15 school year. The Massachusetts state school board voted to have districts that gave the PARCC exam last year give it again this spring, while districts that gave MCAS last year could do so again, or switch to PARCCbut those districts could only switch to PARCC for grades 3-8 this spring. The Education Department said Massachusetts must show it gave the same statewide test in grades 3-8 by May 31 of this year, or risk losing some Title I funding. Follow us on Twitter at @PoliticsK12 . With the Every Student Succeeds Act now on the books, is the outcome of the presidential election still relevant when it comes to the main federal K-12 law? Yes, absolutely, as we wrote in this previous post . After all, the law doesnt go fully into effect until the 2017-18 school year, which means that Congress may have wanted the next president to have some say in implementation, according to Diane Stark Rentner, the deputy director of the Center on Education Policy. But when a new administration comes in, especially if its of a different party, ESSA implementation could hit a few speed bumpsor maybe even go off the rails, depending on who the new occupant of the White House is, said Michael Petrilli, who served in the U.S. Department of Education under President George W. Bush and is now president of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute. Heres why: The department is still mulling the timeline for ESSA implementation and hasnt yet said what it will regulate on, when regulations will be finalized, and when state plans will be due and approved. (Theres a lot to consider, after all). So its all speculation at this point. But the education wonks we spoke to this for this post dont expect that the Obama Team will get to draft and finalize all of the regulations, appoint peer reviewers, and approve state accountability plans. Theyll get to do some of that work, but probably not all of it. That means critical stepsincluding approving state plans and maybe finalizing key regulations could be up to the next president and the incoming team. And, no matter what, the next administration will be key to enforcement. If the next president is a Democrat, Petrilli said, things may well proceed pretty much apace, although, there could be some hiccups as the new folks are getting in place and up to speed. (Unless, of course, Potential President Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders decides that Acting Secretary John B. King Jr., should stick around.) After all, it took up to six months for key positions in the George W. Bush administration to be filled, Petrilli said. (The Obama process was faster.) If Hillary [Clinton] wins, most likely things proceed, but I still believe there is going to be a delay, just because it will take a while before there are the right folks in place who can give the green light on major steps in the ESSA implementation process, Petrilli said. But if its a Republican, that persons education team will likely want to take a close look at any regulations that have been drafted and make tweaks, particularly if key ESSA architects on Capitol Hill (like Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn.) arent happy with the direction things are going, Petrilli said. A GOP administration is certainly going to press pause, Petrilli said, and carefully review what the Obama administration has put in place to make sure it jibes with their own K-12 principles. And if the next president is Republican candidate Donald Trump, the billionaire real estate developer? All bets are off, Petrilli said. If Trump [wins], you have a real challenge putting a team together that knows anything about this stuff, he said. The upshot? Its hard to imagine anybody will be ready in the spring of 2017 to receive and approve state plans. Not everyone agrees that the election will necessarily throw a monkey wrench into ESSA implementation. Reg Leichty, the founder and partner at Foresight Law + Policy, told me previously that its hard to imagine a new administration throwing everything out and starting from scratch, particularly given the progress states will make independent of what the feds do this year. Instead, a new administration could initially make selective changes and work toward more significant policy shifts over time, he said. Follow us on Twitter at @PoliticsK12 . Disappointed following the count, Green Party Councillor and Environment Spokesperson Malcolm Noonan said that he took some solace in the fact that the party had returned two TD's to the Dail and that State funding would now be reinstated due to receiving over 2% of the National quota. I'm disappointed for my team and my family. I really thought that my work over the past two decades in Kilkenny was worth more but votes were scattered everywhere and there was strong competition with all City based candidates. I felt we had put in an immense campaign on a modest Credit Union loan and that we beat the socks off of the big parties in the quality of our social media output. We do not have a level playing field here; some candidates have spent upwards of 80,000 euro on posters, ads, van graphics and defacing our traditional shopfronts with their mugs. It's vulgar while families sleep in local hotels and B&B's, he said. Cllr Noonan said he was encouraged by the fact that Nationally the electorate had rejected the far right extremism of Identity Ireland and the destructive neo liberal economics of Renua Ireland. He claimed that Renua is now finished as a political party. Cllr Noonan focused his campaign on rural issues; community development and LEADER funding, regeneration of towns and villages and on social inclusion and childcare issues as well as what he saw being the most ignored issue on the campaign that of flooding and climate change. It was notable that no candidate or party was able to deal with the flooding issue or how we can build local defences against the increasing threat extreme weather events. Our campaign brought forward many practical measures and engaged in deep debate on all of the hustings both local and in my role as a National Spokesperson on issues such as disability, health services and education. But I found that much of the election came down to local issues and local personalities. I was encouraged by the involvement of young people and their awareness of injustice and inequality' he said. He wished all the new TD's well but urged a note of caution. This constituency has been poorly served by so called National Parliamentarians in the past. The boundary issue in South Kilkenny emerged from a vacuum created by lack of real representation with that community. Similarly many pockets of Carlow and Kilkenny are suffering from extreme levels of deprivation. Kilkenny City is at a loss due to the abolition of the Borough Council by Phil Hogan. Later this year the Central Access Scheme will open to traffic, exacerbating problems with HGV's in residential and school routes. This project was supported by the main political parties. It is essential that the next Dail legislates to prevent other regional towns from being destroyed and to build in resilience in how our regional towns and villages can thrive, he said. He hasn't much time to rest. He is chairman of the St Patrick's Day Festival committee. I am proud that I have only missed four Council meetings in 12 years and unlike some other candidates I have not abandoned the forum to which I was elected to in 2014. But I am conscious of the fact that I have fought three campaigns in two years and it has been a real strain on my family, he said. Councillor Noonan said that all of the newly elected members of the 32nd Dail had a duty of care to the State to put aside differences and form a Government. He said that the best prospect lay in a Fianna Fail/Fine Gael Coalition. 'This will for the first time in the history of the State offer the electorate a real prospect of a left/right choice as is the case in most other EU States. I am looking forward to seeing our Party Leader and Deputy Leader take their places in the new Dail and bringing back an ecological perspective as it has been sadly lacking' he said. 'Finally I am most humbly grateful for all of the votes we have received; people have to be brave to vote for something radically different. I wish to thank my whole campaign team, my wife Jennie our children, my parents who have instilled in me a deep sense of social justice, to the great hospitality shown to us throughout both counties and to our own local authority staff at the count centre in Cilin Hill. I will be having many conversations with family and supporters over coming weeks on how we can build on this and strengthen our message; because we believe it is a message of hope, resilience and equality, it is for the common good' he concluded. By midnight, the whole thing was thankfully over, with the end result that many had been predicting in the weeks beforehand. Two Fianna Fail, two Fine Gael and one Sinn Fein the latter being the only new face in this Dail constituency. It had not always looked so clear during the day, however. Carlow Fianna Fail councillor Jennifer Murnane O' Connor was staying roughly 2,000 votes ahead of outgoing TD Pat Deering for the first eight counts or so, and looked set to be take the seat. The possibility of three Fianna Fail TDs getting in had all the Soldiers of Destiny whispering about a return to the good ol' days... The Fine Gael crew were apoplectic. News coming in from around the country suggested that they were haemorraghing seats to the old foe. I can't believe it, I just can't believe it, fumed one handler. They break the country, we come in and fix it, and now they're back. Pat Deering's gang spent the day looking particularly forlorn. The scenes when he was ultimately elected, having picked up so many transfers from eliminated heavy hitters, were of relief as much as pure joy. Spare a thought for Murnane O' Connor politics is a cruel game. One of the big talking points of the day was also the security presence and restricted access to the count area by ticket only. It seems the thinking behind it was that there might be some element of protest or disruption planned, but it did not materialise and quite how it would have been prevented is another matter. Some people were passing the tickets around like open currency, and I saw more than one rogue and scoundrel inside the count area. Meanwhile, some people had come out specially or brought their children up for a look, and they ended up leaving disappointed. Even some senior council staff and prominent community workers were left standing outside hoping for a ticket. The place cleared out quickly enough when the rugby began (please, next Taoiseach no more spring elections). Soon, the pints were flowing, with the hard work done for some, and all over bar the shouting. As always, the action ebbed and flowed throughout the day, with the wait between each count giving people time to confer and compare, and sometimes get carried away with themselves. Candidates showed up at different stages during the day, staying for a few minutes if their race was run, or hanging on in hope if things looked positive. Kathleen Funchion had a busy evening. She arrived early and then left to go and take part in Strictly Let's Dance Callan, before returning to be elected. In the evening, German Shepherd 'Mikey' arrived at the count to celebrate John McGuinness' re-election. As things finished up around midnight, already people were beginning to speculate that we might all be back there again in six months' time. Credit is due to returning officer Marie Garahy and all the staff at the count for having us home much earlier than expected, and to Michael Burke, Jane Coe, and the people at Cillin Hill who looked after us and helped during the day. CATRIONA OBrien has been promoting Equestrianism in the CBS for many years now, but she never would have imagined what transpired in Tramore County Waterford at the end of last month. CATRIONA OBrien has been promoting Equestrianism in the CBS for many years now, but she never would have imagined what transpired in Tramore County Waterford at the end of last month. Her Senior Teams of Three selection of David McGeary (sixth year) and the Byrne brothers - Pat (third year) and John (first Year) - fought off opposition from 80 teams from all over Ireland to achieve an incredible All-Ireland title for the first time for the school. The event was hosted by St Declans Community School, Kilmacthomas at a very lively track at Widgers Hunter Trial course outside Tramore. This was as competitive an event as there has been in recent years, with several Kilkenny schools involved at the business end. However, displaying astute horsemanship and no shortage of determination, the CBS trio emerged victorious by the slenderest of margins, finishing one second in front of Kilkenny College. In the Junior Section of the competition, John Byrne was again prominent finishing fourth with CBS newcomer Philip ODonnell one second behind in fifth. These younger riders ensure a bright future ahead for the CBS in this sphere. Well done also to Cathal Boland and Peter Hutchinson who played their part for the team. The whole school is extremely proud of the efforts and successes of everyone concerned in what is an historic first for the school. An analysis of standardized test scores in the District of Columbia found that overall 3rd grade reading proficiency rates stayed stagnant between 2007 and 2014but declined for economically disadvantaged and black students . Many studies have found that children who read below grade level by 3rd grade continue to struggle in school long afterwards. A number of states have put 3rd grade reading retention laws into place for this reason. (D.C. does not have one.) The new analysis by DC Action for Children, a nonprofit advocacy group, looks at school-level results on the districts standardized test, the DC Comprehensive Assessment System, or DC CAS. (In 2015, the district switched over to the PARCC common-core-aligned test). The results were reported on a four-tiered scaleBelow Basic, Basic, Proficient and Advancedand the analysis uses a weighted proficiency formula to account for changes in proficiency levels. It showed that 3rd grade reading proficiency did not improve between 2007 and 2014. And over the same period, the analysis showed a statistically significant downward trend in reading proficiency for economically disadvantaged 3rd grade students. About two-thirds of students in the district receive free or reduced price lunch, which is often used as a proxy measure for poverty. Economically disadvantaged students who attended schools with low concentrations of economically disadvantaged students did better than those at high-poverty schools. The study indicated there are large discrepancies by race as well. The reading proficiency rates of black 3rd grade students declined between 2007 and 2014, while for white students, the proficiency rates increased. These results indicate that the racial literacy gap between black and white 3rd graders in the district may have actually increased over the last eight years, the policy brief says. For Hispanic students, proficiency rates showed a downward trend, though not a statistically significant one. Just looking at 2014, 94 percent of white 3rd grade students tested proficient or above in reading, while just 35 percent of black 3rd graders and 36 percent of Hispanic 3rd graders did the same. The study also compared students in D.C. public schools to those in charter schools. It found a statistically significant downward trend in reading proficiency for DCPS students but no trend for charter students. And economically disadvantaged students in charter schools tended to perform better than those in regular public schools. We must reexamine both how we allocate resources, from birth through graduation, to ensure we prioritize the evidenced-based programs that most benefit the Districts students, and that social programs that deal with the effects of poverty are integrated with the citys schools, the DC Action for Children policy brief states. D.C. schools have undergone a number of reforms in recent years, including the rollout of a new teacher evaluation system in 2009 that led to both dismissals and pay changes (and has since undergone some modifications ). Notably, the district has shown recent improvement in reading achievement according to another measure. Between 2011 and 2015, 4th graders in the district showed a statistically significant increase in reading scores on the National Assessment for Educational Progress . However, when compared to states, D.C. continues to perform below the national average in reading. (Kitco News) - A former bearish bank is now jumping on the gold bandwagon, saying that it makes sense to own gold in an environment of growing market uncertainty and rising volatility. Our ratio analysis between gold and other commodity baskets (CCI), as well as the S&P 500 index, exhibits a well-defined relative outperformance picture, particularly in [Canadian dollar] terms, wrote Sid Mokhtari and Roman Lutsiv, market analysts at CIBC, in a recent report. Although there are technical indication that gold -- up 18% year-to-date -- is in overbought territory and due for a correction, the Canadian bank said that sentiment has shifted in the marketplace with the overall trend now up. Thursday, April Comex gold futures settled the session at $1,258.20 an ounce, its highest closing price since February 2015. Calling a trend-shift is a difficult task, but it would be reasonable to suggest that charts have changed and so have our assumptions technical objectives on the upside reside closer to 1300-1338-1400 levels, the analysts said. Although gold prices could fall back and test support as low as $1,130 later in the year, the analysts say that based on historical evidence, gold has technically bottomed and unlikely to test its December low at $1,045.40 an ounce. Gold peaked in 2011 and has declined by over 43% within a 45-mth down-trend. Historical corrections for gold show an average decline of 39% peak-to-trough within a 32.5-mth timeframe; in other words, both amplitude and duration of the current down-cycle in gold has already been satisfied, the analysts said. Aside from being one of the best performing commodities this year, the analysts noted that gold has also been one of the best performing currencies, thanks to increased global market volatility, which they are not expecting will diminish any time soon. Despite golds run since the start of the year, the analysts said that the best may still be yet to come with gold demand being the strongest from late summer to late fall. However, they also highlighted that the next quarter could be challenging for the market as returns are historically lower between March and July, picking up in August to November. By Neils Christensen of Kitco News; nchristensen@kitco.com Follow Neils Christensen @neils_C SHARE The late Niels Nielsen of Port Orchard was known for decades of humanitarian service through Rotary International. He was a member of Rotary clubs in Bremerton and Port Orchard. (From the archives of Niels Nielsen) The late Niels Nielsen in a picture taken on Dec. 1, 2010, the night before he died Dec. 2 on a Rhine River cruise in Germany. His friends and family celebrated his life Saturday in Port Orchard. (From the archives of Niels Nielsen) The late Niels Nielsen of Port Orchard was known for decades of humanitarian service through Rotary International. He was a member of Rotary clubs in Bremerton and Port Orchard. (From the archives of Niels Nielsen) Niels Nielsen invited Pawnee Chief White Eagle of Oklahoma to a Rotary meeting in 1976. The chief was one of numerous interesting guests Nielsen brought to Kitsap County. (From the archives of Niels Nielsen) By Chris Henry Niels Gerhardt Nielsen died as he lived, traveling and enjoying life to the fullest. A longtime Rotarian, Nielsen ran for three public offices and winning none. Yet for more than four decades, he was an undeniable force in the Kitsap community and around the world. Friends and family gathered Saturday at a service at Rill Chapel and later at the Clubhouse at McCormick Woods to remember the man they called The Great Dane. Nielsen, born March 24, 1932, in Kalundborg, Denmark, died Dec. 2 of a heart attack while cruising the Rhine River in Germany with his wife Margie. They were married 49 years. He loved to go to different countries and meet the people, she said. Did he ever. Nielsen, the son of grocery shop owners, emigrated at age 24, first to Canada and later to the United States. He and Margie met in Los Angeles. A career in business and banking led him to Kentucky, Oregon and eventually Washington state. He moved to Kitsap County in 1972. Nielsen was a member of Rotary International in Bremerton and later Port Orchard. As a Rotary ambassador, he traveled to scores of cities in all continents but Antarctica, helping found new branches of the service organization and promoting humanitarian projects. During the 1990s in Russia, he helped fledgling Rotarians embrace their new-found freedoms. He later traveled to Vietnam more than eight times to help establish orphanages and programs for children injured by land mines, through Rotarys Kids First initiative. When Paul Nielsen broadcast news of his fathers death to Niels Nielsens e-mail address book, heartfelt messages of sorrow flooded in from all corners of the globe. This year, on his 78th birthday, Nielsen was honored by the Rotary Club of Port Orchard with its first ever Lifetime Achievement Award. When it came to securing speakers for Rotary meetings, Nielsen was known for pushing the envelope. His guests over the years included a nightclub owner with alleged Mafia ties, a former prostitute and founder of the Seattle organization COYOTE (Call Off Your Old Tired Ethics) seeking to decriminalize prostitution, and the regional director of the Anti-Defamation League of Bnai Brith speaking out against discrimination and terrorism 15 years before the September 11th attacks on the United States. In 1975, he invited a member of the Pawnee Tribe from Oklahoma to Bremerton and sent a letter to then-President Gerald Ford, urging a day of recognition for Native Americans. Besides just the novelty, I think Niels just wanted to stimulate people to think, said Bob Cairns, of the Rotary Club of Port Orchard. The memorial luncheon, featuring Danish pastries and Carlsberg beer, was a fitting tribute to the effervescent Nielsen, who loved a party and, it was noted, could drink anyone under the table. Rand Hillier of the Rotary Club of Poulsbo-North Kitsap accompanied Nielsen on one of his trips to Vietnam. In a remote area, the group was offered blood from a snake freshly killed at the table. While most of the party choked back gags, Nielsen happily added the proffered liquid to his beer and offered up many a toast to his awestruck hosts. Dads sense of adventure never let up, said Paul Nielsen, 43, an airline pilot with whom Nielsen often traveled. Dad was simply larger than life. I cannot begin to fathom how many lives Dad touched and how deeply he touched them. Erik Nielsen, 44, Nielsens elder son, in 1993 joined the property management business his father founded in 1976. Nielsen had retired in 1990. Of the familys loss, Erik said simply, Im shell-shocked. He was such an exuberant personality, said his cousin Ingelise Miller, who like Nielsen grew up in Denmark. He was what they call a character. Miller of Lakewood recalled how Nielsen, early in his life, embraced the Danish values of patriotism and social justice for all. In Denmark, he liked to say, few have too much, but fewer have too little. During World War II, 8-year-old Nielsen witnessed the German occupation. Later, as a public speaker, he was proud to relate how his countrymen were able to protect more than 98 percent of the Danish-Jews from persecution by sneaking them to neutral Sweden. Nielsen basked in the limelight, wherever he could find it. While he was chief executive and general manger of Olympic Savings and Loan in Bremerton in the 1970s, the bank sponsored a spot on a local radio station. Nielsen made the introductions with a booming voice, trying to mask his strong Danish accent with his best impression of a British radio announcer. During the 1980s he appeared as an extra in the 1983 miniseries Winds of War, part of which was shot in Bremerton. Somehow he muscled his way to the front of the crowd and is pictured with leading actors Robert Mitchum as naval officer Victor Pug Henry, and Ralph Bellamy as President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Nielsen ran for Bremerton city clerk, 26th District Representative and in 1976, secretary of state, failing in all his bids for political office. Perhaps is just as well, mused Paul, since he then had more time for Rotary programs at home and abroad. As the memorial celebration wound down, Paul led the crowd in the rousing kind of a toast Nielsen himself had given on so many occasions. Long live the great ambassador of Denmark, the Great Dane himself, Niels G. Nielsen, rah, rah, raahhh! SHARE We lost power last Tuesday. No electricity, no TV and no Internet. Yet, perhaps in a strange way the storm was one of the blessings (or surprisingly good events) of that Super Tuesday, a day which might otherwise be considered by many as one without such upbeat surprises. The first such surprise was storm-related. A large limb fell and crashed just where our truck had been parked only an hour or so before. A near miss a blessing. A second such sign for me was unrelated to the storm and happened far away. I happened to be working in Texas that day. The matter I was handling finished up early and I was able to observe the Super Tuesday voting. I was the only observer during the time I visited two rural polling locations. There were no candidate signs, besides a couple of ones for local races. Inside each location there were two tables next to each other, each staffed by three or four representatives of the Democratic or Republican parties. The folks at the sites were surprised when I explained that in Washington state we all voted by mail, and some of us even voted with others around kitchen tables. They were also surprised to see someone who wasn't voting show up. At one location, just behind the tables, a couple of kids eating a pizza were sitting in the chairs typically used for the local city council members. We all talked about Seattle weather and trees, while voters filed in. It was a quiet display of democracy in action. Later that evening I was "forced" to watch the election returns when passing through my hotel lobby. So retreating to my room, I gave in and watched the three cable channels CNN, Fox and MSNBC in rotation. Frankly, for me it was difficult to find more blessings from that day. But as regular readers of this column well know, I try to find a positive spin on events, sometimes even to the point of incredulity. By noon Wednesday I had a sense of some silver linings, some blessings, from the prior day. Naturally, as often one person's blessing is another's nightmare, these are some civic blessings to date from the Presidential primary - from my perspective. Well, not entirely from my perspective. On Wednesday morning, I had the chance to meet for well over an hour with a professor at a local college near where I was working, and engage in a spirited discussion about both their local politics and the national political scene - including the prior evening's results. While the professor's personal political preferences were different from mine, we happily engaged as two long-term students of the political process. From my general reflection, and from that timely one-on-one discussion, I have a few positive ways to look at what is happening in the presidential race. First, it seems a whole new group of people are engaged. Many in the younger generation are "feeling the Bern." Others in multiple generations are sensing an outlet for their anger and angst - what I call (borrowing from a term used to describe the acting technique of George C. Scott) "controlled rage." People are flocking to ideas, voting with their feet and at the ballot box for someone who says what they have always wanted to say but dared not do so. Obviously these silver linings, these potentially civic blessings, come with some serious caveats. On the left, the ideas of Bernie Sanders are unworkable. Also because Sanders doesn't fully and aggressively engage with Hillary Clinton, invaluable serious vetting of either of them is not occurring. On the right, the initial sense that Donald Trump was a welcome agent to burst political correctness has given way to the fear that it's more like the 1930s in Germany or Italy. However, I do see a second silver lining. Mr. Trump is finally being confronted by multiple other candidates, and now Mitt Romney. Romney's speech on Thursday morning was a brilliant and bold expose of a fraud. Of all the moments in the campaign so far, his speech has been the highlight. Great job Mitt! A third silver lining is the simple fact that in virtually every generation, the sense is that America is going to hell in the proverbial handbasket, and despite all the potential doom and gloom, we almost always make the right choice in the end - and we will again. But we don't get there by complacency. Modern electronic media promotes shallow political introspection, a recipe for electing a leader who seems invincible, or one who matches our desired identity political bias - so we don't ask the tough questions. I am trying to get involved to the maximum extent my time permits, and to do so during this critical period of time. If all of us get involved, putting our best natures forward, the silver lining can be widened and the blessings expanded. Now is the time to do so. SHARE When I taught talented high students to become better writers, I encouraged them to stretch themselves by composing sentences longer than their habitual 12-15 words. The job became a little easier when I pointed out that on the basis of their sentence length, sentence structure and vocabulary, the essays they wrote were suitable for the fourth-grade level. Reading comprehension software can assess the suitable grade level for a sample of prose, as Danny Westneat reported in his Feb. 28 column in the Seattle Times, and what it reveals about the intellectual level of political discourse in this country over more than two centuries should distress us. The U.S. Constitution is judged to be appropriate for today's postgraduate students. "The Federalist Papers," a collection of essays in political philosophy written by Madison, Hamilton and others to explain the Constitution and convince the general public to accept it, was written at a comparable level. George Washington, with no formal education, wrote a first inaugural address of comparable difficulty and containing words like "vicissitudes," "predilections," "immutable," "transcendent," and "palliated." Jefferson's first inaugural address, delivered to Congress but printed for the rest of the country, contained complex sentences as long as 80 words. A half-century later, Lincoln's famous address at Gettysburg, just 268 words, concludes with one of the most inspiring, most beautifully built sentences in English, 80 words. There is nothing inherently good about long sentences, nor are they necessarily better than short sentences. The point is that those generations of leaders had the intellectual capacity to express complex thought in sentences that required linguistic complexity, and even more important that they could rightfully assume their audiences understood them. This tradition of highly literate leaders continued through Theodore Roosevelt, but it began to wane in the 20th century when speechwriters composed the words that presidents spoke. Even President Kennedy, a literate man, a Harvard graduate and a good writer himself, wasn't the sole author of his most famous speech. The trend continued and reached its nadir in 2000 with the election of George W. Bush, a Yale graduate but a man clearly uncomfortable with anything but short, simple, subject-verb sentences, e.g.: "The last time taxes were this high as a percentage of our economy, there was a good reason. We were fighting World War II. Today, our high taxes fund a surplus. Some say that growing federal surplus means Washington has more money to spend." With an average sentence length of eight words, this text would probably be suitable for elementary school students. The trend reversed itself with Barack Obama, a writer with an appreciation for language, a man who can express complex thoughts in complex sentences, even off the cuff. But as today's political discourse shows, the downward trend continues, with members of Congress speaking at approximately a 10th-grade level (but none lower than grade eight). No highfalutin talk for them. Columnist Westneat tells of submitting Donald Trump's speech to a program called the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level readability scale. In his answers to questions, Trump spoke at the third-grade level, sometimes rising to the fifth. Here's a sample from his one-hour speech announcing his candidacy for president: "Our country is in serious trouble. We don't have victories anymore. We used to have victories, but we don't have them. When was the last time anybody saw us beating, let's say, China in a trade deal? They kill us. I beat China all the time. All the time. "When did we beat Japan at anything? They send their cars over by the millions, and what do we do? When was the last time you saw a Chevrolet in Tokyo? It doesn't exist, folks. They beat us all the time." (Average Sentence: 7.5 words, grade level 4.1) There are only three possible explanations here. Either he isn't capable of more sophisticated thought and language, or he thinks his audience isn't, or both. He sounds like a man mouthing off in a bar. When you think that we are as we write and speak, this isn't a pretty sight. You find no inspiration there, no thrilling oratory, no appeal to patriotism, no attempt to raise us above who and where we are, no subtlety of thought or evidence of a promising mind at work, nothing but disparagement, negativity, and self aggrandizement. It has been said that Americans don't want leaders who appear smarter than they are. It that's true, it might help explain Trump's appeal. Contact Rob Woutat at rwoutat@gmail.com. UPDATED In an unprecedented step designed to ward off cheating, the College Board has kicked many registered test-takers out of Saturdays debut administration of the redesigned SAT. Nearly all of those excluded work for test-prep companies. In a Monday email, the College Board informed some March 5 test-takers that they were being moved to the May 7 test date for security reasons, to weed out people who might not be taking the test for its intended purpose, to obtain financial aid or scholarships, or to apply to college. It offered a phone number and email address to appeal the date transfer. The College Board refused to say whether it analyzed registration data for factors that would suggest test-takers were adults working for test-prep companies. Spokeswoman Kate Levin said only that the College Board looked at how often, and when, those registered for the March 5 test had taken the SAT before. About 277,000 students registered to take the March SAT, Levin said. She wouldnt say exactly how many were transferred to other dates, only that it was fewer than 1 percent. An additional 186,000 students registered for the SAT through school day programs used by districts and states to offer the exam to all students, or require them to take it. The mass transfers sparked a blizzard of anecdotes on listservs and social media by tutoring professionals recounting tales of being booted from the Saturday SAT. Only a few reports surfaced about real students kicked out of the session. All our students are locked in, no transfers, said Jed Applerouth, who owns Applerouth Tutoring Services, based in Atlanta. Were absolutely sure that the cut was made based on age, said Adam Ingersoll, a co-founder of the Compass Education Group, a tutoring company based in Los Angeles. He said that he and his tutors are all 25 or older, and all were excluded, a pattern that held true as he compared notes with colleagues across the country. One colleague told him a story about a 25-year-old man in the Navy who signed up to take the SAT for the first time on March 5 and was excluded. Unexpected Items on SAT That wasnt the only controversy dogging the new SAT this week. Word was seeping out that the exam, which appeared as four sections in the College Boards practice tests, would actually include a fifth section for students who opted not to take the essay portion. That section, tutoring professionals had heard, would include what the industry calls pretest items, questions that are in final development and wouldnt count in a students score. This led tutoring professionals to cry foul, arguing, as the Princeton Reviews James S. Murphy did in the Washington Post , that its unfair to subject students to an experimental section without disclosing it in advance. The College Board has been frank about including an experimental section on its test for decades. But it didnt make public mention of it when the SAT was redesigned, so many thought it had been eliminated. The presence of pretest items on the March 5 exam was discovered little by little, as test administrators paged through technical manuals, and in personal conversations between employees of test-prep companies and College Board staffers. Education Week asked the College Board to share details about the pretest questions in Saturdays test, but spokeswoman Levin would say only that on some test dates in some test centers, test-takers will take some pretest items that are not included in computing their scores. These items may appear in any of the test sections. The fifth section may include either pretest or operational test items, Levin said. The lack of advance disclosure about the pretest items prompted criticism that the College Board wasnt fulfilling a promise to increase transparency about its operations. What other surprises are hidden in the new SAT? asked Bob Schaeffer, the public education director for FairTest, a group that opposes high-stakes standardized testing. The new SAT features major changes , including focusing more deeply on fewer math concepts, eliminating obscure vocabulary words, making the essay optional, and switching its score range to 400-1600 from 600-2400. Trying to Stem Cheating Even as they criticized the College Board for barring professional test-takers from the March 5 SAT, test-prep officials acknowledged that the company does have a duty to ward off cheating by their colleagues. Tutoring companies have long sent employees in to take the SAT or ACT, so they can better advise clients on what to expect. But some, including large-scale efforts in Asia, have taken that access to a different level, sending armies of employees in to memorize subsets of questions , so the test can effectively be reconstructed. The ACTs testing rules specify that it can exclude professional test-takers . But the College Boards security instructions for test-takers say only that there is never any point in time at which you are allowed to discuss exam content unless the test is one of the handful each year that are released publicly, through the companys question-and-answer service. Unlike the May 7 SAT, the March 5 test is not one of those that will be released, which kicked the College Boards security analysis into higher gear. Testing critics relished the idea that perhaps the College Board had barred test-prep companies from the March 5 exam in order to minimize the advantage that their clientstypically children of wealthier families who can pay for tutoringreceive. Its a plausible argument, Schaeffer said, since the company has worked in the last few years to eliminate access barriers for lower-income students, expanding access to test-fee waivers, and offering them free preparation through the Khan Academy. Questions about Demand for New SAT Some in the test-preparation field surmised that the College Board might have felt it needed to rebalance the testing pool to avoid overrepresentation of test-prep employees, who are skilled at taking the exams. Most counselors and tutors have been advising students to skip the first administration of the new test and wait til they get the kinks worked out, said Applerouth. And testing companies were eager to get a look at the new test, officials of several told EdWeek. Applerouth had 15-20 tutors set to take the test on Saturday, but all were transferred to other dates. Tutors said they assumed the College Board could exclude their scores to avoid distorting the tests norm, so keeping then out of the test would have been unnecessary. Controlling the Narrative? In the tutoring world, the most widely held view about why the College Board excluded them was the most cynical one: It wanted to shield its new test from criticism. The College Board had already weathered attacks for returning PSAT scores later than promised, for a scoring screwup on the SAT last June , and for offering fewer practice tests for the new SAT than had been promised. One theory is that they looked at the registration lists, saw all the older people with histories of taking the test before, and said, its a looming PR disaster because dozens of people will blog and write tear-downs, and we dont need that for the first administration of the test, Ingersoll said. Tutors argued that their presence in the testing rooms helps more students than just those who pay steep fees for their services. Some pointed out that in addition to working with those students, they participate in programs that allow them to share their expertise for free with low-income students. Test-prep officials also noted that they write about the college-entrance tests in blogs and books, and can hold testing companies accountable for unfair practices. People like me are in the best position to look closely and critique what might be going on, said Ned Johnson, the founder of PrepMatters, based in Bethesda, Md. Whos going to know that better? Applerouth said he was planning to share his experience with the new SAT through a webinar, but he cancelled it when he was kicked out of the Saturday session. Ingersoll said he doesnt expect sympathy for being excluded from the Saturday test, since he knows the public views the work of his industry as a driver of income-based inequities. Everyone knows test prep is an advantage for the advantaged, so I dont expect a sympathetic ear, he said. But I do think we perform a useful watchdog function by being allowed to take the test. Photo: Katerina Maylock, with Capital Educators, teaches a college test preparation class in January at Holton Arms School in Bethesda, Md. Alex Brandon/AP-File The Florida legislature has given one more green light to a bill that would allow school districts to use the SAT or ACT instead of the Florida Standards Assessment in high school. Senate Bill 1360 unanimously cleared the state Senates appropriations committee on Tuesday. The measure now comes before the full Senate, which concludes its session on March 11. Sen. Don Gaetz, who sponsored the bill, says he wants schools to have a choice between the FSA, which was designed to reflect the Common Core State Standards, and the college-entrance exams. The measure would allow school districts to substitute rigorous alternative assessments for the FSA, beginning in 2016-17. They could choose the ACT Aspire, for instance, in grades 3-8, or the PSAT, SAT or ACT in high school. In districts that offer those choices, parents would let their schools know which assessment theyve chosen for their child. Pam Stewart, the states education commissioner, has expressed reservations about the bill because the two national college entrance exams dont fully reflect the common core, which Florida adopted. As weve reported to you, that alignment question is arising more often, as states increasingly choose the SAT or ACT as their high school test. Weve also reported on questions about whether students with disabilities are being put at a disadvantage on those state-mandated college-entrance exams , since some of them are unable to get the testing accommodations theyre used to. Is It a Crime Not to Send Your Children to School? If you're not a big fan of public education, you may be hesitant about signing your kids up. Maybe you feel kids should learn from the university of life, and not from traditional education system. If that is your plan, think again, as you could end up in big trouble. School attendance is compulsory in every state. Although the laws vary and there are some exceptions for homeschooling, there is nonetheless a general requirement that students attend school from age 6 to 16. Let's look at the law. Compulsory Education for Children Compulsory education for children was not actually instituted in order to ensure that children read and write. It was meant to protect them from parents who wanted to send them to work. The first American state to make education compulsory was Massachusetts in 1852. The last state was Mississippi in 1917. Since then, compulsory education has become the norm and there are public school systems in every state. But the law does not require parents to educate students in public school, of course. You can pay for private education, try to send your kid to a charter school (a sort of public-private hybrid generally peaking), or even educate children at home as long as the lessons learned meet the standards set at school. The most notable exception to the compulsory education requirement in relatively recent years was decided in 1972. In Wisconsin v. Yoder the US Supreme Court ruled that Amish parents could be exempted from having to send their kids to school past eighth grade. Parents who avail themselves of government sevrices and do not send their children to school -- or even just let them skip school regularly could face consequences, including loss of some benefits. The potential criminal charges a parent faces if they neglect their children's education altogether vary from state to state. Why School? The real reason to give your kids an education, however, is not because the law demands it or because it keeps them off the streets. The reason is that education -- while not a key to financial success (although that is often claimed by its advocates) -- is a key to freedom. Without at least basic skills in reading, writing, and math, it is tough to advance in our brave new electronic world, and even tougher to make any sense of it. Accused? If you or someone you know has been charged with a crime, speak to a lawyer. Many criminal defense attorneys consult for free or a minimal fee and will be happy to discuss your case. Related Resources: SHARE By Amy McRary of the Knoxville News Sentinel Ernest J. Gaines' story "A Lesson Before Dying" occurs in 1948. The book about it wasn't published until 1993. The play, now at the University of Tennessee's Carousel Theatre, wasn't written until 2000. Yet its themes of racism and systemic injustice - and, thankfully, its sense of community responsibility and individual compassion - resonate today. The Carousel production that continues through March 13 tells the story flawlessly. From the simple set to the background music to a stellar cast, this story is for all of us. Be forewarned - more than one person could be seen wiping tears as a man is executed for a murder he didn't commit. "A Lesson Before Dying" is a story of two young black men who find their very different lives have deep commonalties. The semiliterate Jefferson is condemned to die in the electric chair after being wrongly convicted of killing a white shopkeeper. Called a "hog" by his own lawyer in the trail, Jefferson's lost all dignity and pride. College-educated teacher Grant Wiggins seems Jefferson's opposite. Sent to college by a supportive group of women who saved money for his tuition, Grant is back home teaching black children at the Louisiana community's poor plantation school. But he's as lost in his way as Jefferson is in his. Angry and without a focus, Grant hates teaching, hates the South and wants to leave his pain by leaving Louisiana. Then he's convinced to visit Jefferson in jail by the latter's godmother, Emma Glenn. Miss Emma knows she can't save Jefferson from dying. But she wants him to walk to his fate like a man and not feeling like an animal. The men's interactions slowly transform each. Grant gives Jefferson back his dignity and pride. But Jefferson shows Grant his own purpose and a sense of peace. For all its seriousness, "A Lesson Before Dying" isn't preachy. Visiting director Andrea J. Dymond's production never falls into melodrama. The only issue I had was with the first act's series of short scenes that risked becoming choppy as characters and themes are introduced. Each of the seven actors is excellent. Visiting artists Trequon Tate as Grant and UT graduate student Jude Carl Vincent as Jefferson never miss. Tate realistically portrays Grant's complex emotions. His anger and frustration are never forced; his recognition that he and Jefferson are so alike is quietly, effectively moving. Vincent is just as strong in the difficult role of condemned Jefferson, a man who goes from eating from a basket like a pig to walking strongly to a tragic fate. His expressions and words often brought tears to my eyes. But the play doesn't rest on the two leads. In particular, Chicago-based actress Celeste Williams's Miss Emma will be familiar to anyone raised by a strong, sacrificing woman who will do whatever she can to protect those she cherishes. I'd also like to single out UT undergraduate Connor Hess, who handles well the role of white deputy Paul Bonin. Hess often is on stage reacting to other characters' words. But it's his words that give the play its stance against capital punishment as he sadly describes Jefferson's execution as "we killed him." The scene in which Jefferson dies is indicative of how well "A Lesson Before Dying" is presented. The electric chair is described in detail beforehand but never seen. Instead Jefferson steadily walks across the stage through a steel-like door as electric pops and snaps are heard through the theater. Fans of Gaines' book already know "A Lesson Before Dying" is a must-see. But you don't have to have read the book to learn this play's lessons. 'A Lesson Before Dying' Where: Carousel Theatre, University of Tennessee When: 7:30 p.m. March 4-5 & March 9-12; 2 p.m. March 6 & March 13 Tickets: $26 adults, $22 seniors Wednesday/Thursday shows. $32 adults, $28 seniors Friday/Saturday/Sunday show. $16 UT faculty/staff, $15 non-UT student, $5 UT student for any show. Tickets at 865-974-5161, http://.clarencebrowntheatre.com SHARE Jessica Rodocker, owner and broker of First Neighborhoods Realty, is excited to have moved her office to the 100 block of Gay Street, where she got her start 12 years ago. Photo credit: Lesli Bales-Sherrod Standing outside her new office at 123 South Gay Street, Jessica Rodocker of South Knoxville realizes that she has come "full circle." It was here, on the 100 block of Gay, that Rodocker began selling real estate some 12 years ago. Now, her boutique real estate firm, First Neighborhoods Realty, is celebrating its fifth anniversary not far from where she got her start. "I am loving it down here," says Rodocker, who moved First Neighborhoods into its new office in December. "It is so good to be back." Of course, a lot has changed in downtown Knoxville in 12 years, she notes. Volunteer Ministry Center was located where Nouveau Classics is now, for example. But it is that kind of revitalization that is prompting an increasing number of buyers to look for historic homes near downtown, Rodocker explains. "There is more and more interest every year from buyers who are living out in far west (Knoxville) or places like Powell who want to be closer in," she says. "And we also have a lot of renters downtown who want to live in a historic neighborhood when they are ready to buy." Rodocker established First Neighborhoods to focus on properties in the historic neighborhoods close to downtown. Historic homes are her specialty. "My grandparents lived in Hillsboro Village in Nashville, and I always was crazy about their house and their neighborhood," Rodocker remembers. "I felt there was a real need for that in Knoxville. People move into Knoxville from bigger cities and have lived in neighborhoods like that. Those are the kinds of houses that I specialize in." She and her husband, Mike, have lived in several of Knoxville's oldest neighborhoods, including Fourth and Gill, Fairmont-Emoriland, downtown, South Haven, Fort Sanders and their current neighborhood, Island Home Park, where they are steadily restoring the 1915 Craftsman they've owned since 2007. Lately Rodocker says she has seen more and more buyers willing to take the plunge into historic homes close to downtown. "The word has gotten out," she explains. "The reasons people want historic homes in historic neighborhoods are the same that they've always been, but now they are starting to consider it for themselves. Before it was something other people did. Now it is becoming something they have heard enough about that they can see themselves living closer to downtown themselves." Folks interested in learning more about buying, selling and owning historic homes will have the opportunity to learn from Rodocker's experience at 10 a.m. March 12, when she leads a presentation for Knox Heritage's monthly Preservation Network series. The event will be held at Historic Westwood, 3425 Kingston Pike, and is free and open to the public. Parking is at Laurel Church of Christ, 3457 Kingston Pike. "I will be talking about how a historic house is different than any other house," Rodocker says. For example, she says she will explain why Zillow's "Zestimate" is not accurate for historic homes and will detail what kind of renovations to historic homes will get you the most and least returns on your investment. She also will discuss the ins and outs of historic districts, including special considerations for inspections and financing. "It's the first time I've done a presentation like this for Knox Heritage," Rodocker notes. "It should be fun." In the meantime, Rodocker and her First Neighborhood agents -- Kelly Arsenault, Amber Bradley and Marianne Hitchcox -- will continue building their business, which recently expanded into Fountain City and West Hills. "Fountain City is full of historic houses, and West Hills has this great mid-century thing going on, so I thought it made sense," explains Rodocker, who focuses on Island Home Park, Fourth and Gill, and Old North Knoxville herself. The biggest challenge right now? "We have a lot of buyers -- both local and moving into Knoxville from elsewhere -- but the housing inventory is very tight right now," Rodocker says. "People need to start selling their houses!" For more information on First Neighborhoods Realty, call 865-446-0055, email office@firstneighborhoods.com or visit www.firstneighborhoods.com. To RSVP for Rodocker's presentation to Knox Heritage's Preservation Network on March 12, visit Knox Heritage's Facebook page and click on the event there or call 865-523-8008, ext. 3. SHARE John Mayall says he was never upset when music greats left his band for other projects. By Wayne Bledsoe of the Knoxville News Sentinel The number of great musicians who have spent time performing in bands led by John Mayall is amazing. Eric Clapton and Jack Bruce (who would later form Cream), Mick Taylor (later of the Rolling Stones), John McVie, Mick Fleetwood and Peter Green (who would form Fleetwood Mac), Sonny Landreth and Harvey Mandel all spent time with Mayall. "If they've been in my bands, I hope they've had a good time!" says Mayall in a call from his California home. Mayall is, of course, one of the greats of the British Invasion era in which British musicians who had fallen in love with American blues performed it with their own interpretations. Mayall never became the sort of star many of his sidemen did, but he soldiered on with a solid following. In 2015, Mayall released both a new studio album, "Find a Way to Care," and a disc of recently discovered performances from 1967 with Fleetwood, McVie and Peter Green in Mayall's band John Mayall and The Bluesbreakers. Born in Cheshire, England, in 1933, Mayall grew up listening to jazz and blues. In the 1950s and '60s, Europe became a haven for African-American performers. "When jazz and blues musicians went over to England they found out they were gods!" says Mayall. "Whereas, (in the United States) it was a segregated society." He says he was particularly taken with jazz greats Art Blakey and Horace Silver, who toured regularly in Europe. Mayall's father was a longtime jazz enthusiast who played guitar, and John took up the instrument as well. He also learned piano and harmonica. Mayall began performing professionally in the mid-1950s and broke through in 1965 when Eric Clapton left the Yardbirds and joined the Bluesbreakers. Clapton recorded one album with the group, but moved on. Peter Green, who had filled in during a Clapton hiatus, followed. Then, in late 1967, Mick Taylor took the lead guitar slot until he joined the Rolling Stones. Mayall says he has never been upset over musicians leaving. His current band is made up of guitarist Rocky Athas, bassist Greg Rzab and drummer Jay Davenport. He says he's more interested in what a player brings to the table than molding them. There usually aren't a lot of surprises. "If I choose musicians to play with me it's because I know what's going to happen," he says. And the musicians he chooses are not intimidated by his history. "Music's the main thing. It removes any kind of barriers like that." Mayall moved to the United States in the 1970s and has lived here ever since. The climate suits him. "It just seemed like the right thing to do. I had grown up on American music and American movies and it just felt right." Mayall says he was thrilled about the discovery of the 1967 tapes and a second volume of the release will be released soon. "It's great that these tapes existed at all and we can share them with the public," says Mayall. "Peter Green never played better." Mayall is also working on an album of new material, which he expects to be released at the end of the year. On the disc, he'll add Joe Walsh to the list of musicians whom he's recorded with. While Mayall is now regarded as one of the grand old men of British blues, he says his position in the genre isn't something he's ever really thought about. "I don't know that it ever really crossed my mind. I mean life goes on, doesn't it? If you're a musician, you just play your music the best way you can and hope people enjoy it." John Mayall With: Bill Carter When: 8 p.m. Thursday, March 10 Where: Bijou Theatre Tickets: $28, www.knoxbijou.com I have no more faith in a groundhog's seasonal prognostications than I do in Donald Trump's political bloviations. Nonetheless, I agree with Sir Whistlepig that an early spring is in the offing for East Tennessee. Why? Because yours truly has become "Februarily" proactive. On Feb. 18, 2015, when K-town remained in the grip of ice and snow, I four-wheeled myself to Gander Mountain and laid in a supply of dry flies for springtime trout fishing. It worked. February soon released its stranglehold. February 2016 wasn't nearly as miserable as the 2015 edition. However, it did have moments of shivering and slip-sliding. One of these was the 15th a nasty, icy, foggy, blah-a-thon from sunrise to sunset, assuming you had a sunrise-sunset chart to indicate when Sol actually was present in the heavens. That's the very day I purchased (a) sunflower and crown vetch seeds for springtime planting and (b) Permanone tick-killing spray to soak my camo clothes for springtime turkey hunting. No need to thank me. I do this strictly as a public service. What if snow abruptly returns to our fair city? Blame the groundhog. Or better yet, The Donald. Speaking of fog, Knoxvillian Charles Reeves says he was creeping along Interstate 40 one recent pea-soup morning, desperately trying to stay in his lane and away from the rear bumper of the vehicle barely discernible in front. That's when he saw the outline of a Tennessee Department of Transportation message board. It was flashing an important alert. "I couldn't make out the words until I was almost underneath," Reeves told me in an email. "It read: 'Dense fog, please drive carefully.' " This should be filed under "Duh" or "Sherlock." You know the moon is in the seventh house and Jupiter has aligned with Mars when I'm in concert with state Sen. Frank Niceley, R-Strawberry Plains, over a legislative matter. Yet I couldn't agree more, at least in principle, with his SB204. Niceley's measure, sponsored in the House by state Rep. Kelly Keisling, R-Byrdstown, would allow farmers to shoot black vultures, even though these birds are protected by federal law. Black vultures differ from turkey vultures in more than appearance. They typically prowl in large flocks instead of as individuals. And even though they technically are considered scavengers, they do consume newborn calves first by blinding the hapless critter, then by gang-feasting on its limp, dying carcass. Many farmers and wildlife biologists have told me so. No state law can supplant a federal one. This bill needs different wording, not to mention better direction. Still, something has to be done. Jennifer Ann Lien By Bob Fowler, bob.fowler@knoxnews.com KINGSTON - A troubled former actress who appeared in the "Star Trek: Voyager" television series had charges ranging from indecent exposure to aggravated assault continued this week in Roane County General Sessions Court. Jennifer Ann Lien, 42, of Harriman also made $2,291.85 in restitution for damages she caused to a Harriman Police Department cruiser when she rammed the front of the vehicle following an extended chase last April. Lien in September also was hit with two misdemeanor charges of indecent exposure for allegedly repeatedly exposing her breasts and buttocks to several children after yelling and cursing at a neighbor's friend because of a crying child. All of the charges were continued by Judge Dennis Humphrey until Aug. 29 while Lien continues to undergo therapy, a court official said. Lien left acting in 2003 after playing Kes on "Star Trek: Voyager." Her character was a member of an alien species that lived less than a decade. She was released from the series at the start of its fourth season. Her other acting roles included a character in a short-lived sitcom. She also appeared in the movie "American History X," and her voice was used for a role in "The Lion King II: Simba's Pride." The April 14 incident involved Lien driving recklessly at high speeds and then backing up into the front of the police cruiser. In the Aug. 31 incident, Lien allegedly repeatedly exposed herself during a fight with a neighbor and in front of three children. By Jamie Satterfield of the Knoxville News Sentinel State Rep. Joe Armstrong, D-Knoxville, cannot park his politics at the courthouse door in his upcoming trial on tax evasion charges, a federal judge has ruled. U.S. Magistrate Judge Clifford Shirley refused a bid by Armstrong's attorney, Gregory P. Isaacs, to scrub the indictment against his client of details of Armstrong's role as a veteran lawmaker who helped push a cigarette tax stamp hike through the Tennessee Legislature in 2007 and then turned a profit from it. Armstrong is accused of hiding that profit - nearly $500,000 - from the IRS. Armstrong, a 14-term lawmaker who served on the influential House Finance, Ways and Means Committee, was president of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators from 2012-2014 and twice was named the group's Legislator of the Year. He faces an August trial on charges of conspiracy to defraud the IRS, tax evasion and lying on tax forms. Armstrong committed no crime in pushing through a tax hike from which he planned to benefit, nor is he the only state lawmaker to parlay politics into personal gain. But the indictment and the government's expected proof at trial are replete with references to his political job and details of his involvement in the cigarette tax stamp hike. Isaacs argued prosecutors Charles Atchley Jr. and Frank Dale are trying to poison jurors, already skeptical of politicians, against Armstrong in the tax evasion case by intimating Armstrong was corrupt. Atchley and Dale countered they plan to prove Armstrong plotted with his accountant, Charles Marshall Stivers, to lie to the IRS not so much to escape taxes but to hide from the public his profiteering from "big tobacco." In his ruling, Shirley said the prosecutors are allowed to use Armstrong's political position and role in the tax stamp hike to prove a motive since Armstrong claims Stivers, who has struck a deal to testify against the lawmaker, duped him. "The government argues that it intends to prove all of the allegations in the indictment at trial," Shirley wrote. "It asserts that proof of (Armstrong's) motive demonstrates that he acted with affirmative purpose of evasion, rather than being the unknowing victim of his accountant's misdeeds. The court finds that the government intends to prove the challenged allegations in the indictment at trial and that they are legally relevant." Shirley barred both sides from talking political ethics. Isaacs sought the ban on any mention of possible ethics violations in Armstrong's role in the tax stamp hike, arguing that, too, would prejudice a jury and insisting Armstrong's actions did not violate any legislative ethics rules. Shirley agreed prosecutors should not use the term "unethical" in presentation of the evidence against Armstrong. He also barred Isaacs from arguing Armstrong acted ethically. "Both parties are directed to refrain from attaching labels such as ethical or unethical to (Armstrong's) conduct," Shirley wrote. Isaacs can appeal Shirley's ruling to Senior U.S. District Judge Thomas Phillips. SHARE Contributed photo Shigeko Uppuluri, left, was honored Wednesday evening with the presentation of the Japanese Foreign Ministers Commendation Award. She is shown in file photo with Jerry Luckmann. They are both active in the Oak Ridge Sister City Program and the Girl Scouts. By News Sentinel Staff OAK RIDGE - Tributes abounded Wednesday evening for a longtime Oak Ridger with a passion for seeking to improve international relations. Shigeko Uppuluri, described by friends as soft-spoken and unassuming, was given the prestigious Foreign Minister's Commendation Award by the consul-general of Japan, Masami Kinefuchi. She also received the annual "Muddy Boot" award from the East Tennessee Economic Council. The award's name reflects the ever-present mud the original residents encountered when Oak Ridge was a secret city during World War II. That recognition "is given to people who get things done, and Shigeko is clearly a person who has gone above and beyond to make this community special," council President Jim Campbell said. The Tennessee Senate's longest-serving member, Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge, sponsored a resolution in the General Assembly to honor and congratulate Uppuluri. The consul-general's award was bestowed in part for Uppuluri's dedication to the creation of International Friendship Bell, an 8,000-pound bronze bell cast in Japan and installed 20 years ago to celebrate Oak Ridge's 50th birthday. She and her late husband, Dr. Ram Uppuluri, proposed the bell as a symbol of unity and a monument representing peace and friendship with Japan. Now that the original housing for the bell has been dismantled and it sits on a concrete pad overlooking A.K. Bissell Park, Uppuluri is leading efforts to fund and build a new structure to house it. She was also recognized Wednesday for her dedication to creating and maintaining Oak Ridge's sister city program with Naka, Japan, which includes an exchange program where middle school students travel to Japan and students from Naka come to Oak Ridge. She has also been recognized for volunteering at the Children's Museum of Oak Ridge and working with the Girl Scouts. SHARE Susan Martin By MJ Slaby of the Knoxville News Sentinel Susan Martin, University of Tennessee provost and senior vice chancellor, will leave her administrative role and return to the faculty this summer, the university announced Thursday. The change brings a second national search to fill two of the nine positions in Chancellor Jimmy Cheek's cabinet, which is made up of all campus vice chancellors. Margie Nichols, vice chancellor for communications and marketing, announced in early February that she plans to retire. The provost's decision is not related to ongoing issues on campus, but is something she's been thinking about for some time, said UT spokeswoman Karen Simsen said Thursday. Martin has served as provost, which is the chief academic officer role, since 2009 and first joined the UT faculty in 1981, according to a UT news release. "Dr. Martin has had a very busy and successful eight-year tenure and has held the position significantly longer than most," Simsen said. "...She has led our academic enterprise during a time of great change and progress and it's understandable that she's looking forward to returning to the faculty," Martin, a scholar of Roman law of the classical period, will leave the provost role on July 1 when she returns to the Department of Classics, according to UT. "I will be forever grateful to Chancellor Cheek for the opportunities he has afforded me to move the university forward. Our strong partnership has resulted in many successes as we have worked to strengthen academics at UT," Martin said in a news release. "I look forward to returning to my starting point at UT, the Department of Classics, to re-establish the connection with teaching and research that I have really missed." The provost oversees academic programs including curricular and academic policy and graduate programs and services as well as oversees admissions, enrollment and records and works with graduate and undergraduate councils while retaining a faculty role. As provost, Martin has overseen the development of Vol Vision, the campus strategic plan, as well helped hire multiple college deans and recruit scholars to the faculty. She's also led improvements to student advising and academic support services. Marriah Paige, a law student student, and graduate student Drew Drake, add their signatures to a banner which stretches the length of a hallway in Hodges library at the University of Tennessee on Thursday, March 3, 2016. Students will bring the banner to Nashville on the 8th when the state Senate Education Committee meets, to lobby for diversity. The banner is in reaction to the state legislature's vote to defund the UT Office of Diversity and Inclusion. (CAITIE MCMEKIN/NEWS SENTINEL) By MJ Slaby of the Knoxville News Sentinel A budget amendment to limit the University of Tennessee's Office for Diversity and Inclusion to federal funds would leave the office penniless, top UT officials who called the amendment's intent "clear and concerning" said Wednesday. The proposal would cut $8 million from the campus budget, yet is aimed at an office that spends about $522,000, according to university data. On Thursday, UT leaders and students called for action to prevent the amendment's advancement, while Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey said he thinks the state Senate will support it. The amendment passed the Senate Education Committee on Wednesday. It would limit the diversity office to only federal funds and reroute $8 million in state funding from the Knoxville campus to other areas of the system, including $5 million to the agricultural extension and $3 million split between the Chattanooga and Martin campuses "for the sole purpose of rural outreach programs." On Thursday, UT President Joe DiPietro and Chancellor Jimmy Cheek wrote an email to students, faculty and staff saying the amendment "was unexpected and is disappointing," but steps to prevent its passage remain. "It is also important to note that the Office of Diversity and Inclusion at UT Knoxville receives no federal funding," they wrote. And the amendment is written so it doesn't allow funds from donations, tuition and fees to be used for the office, UT officials said Thursday. The university will "continue to vigorously seek to resolve issues" so the funding that was originally proposed by Gov. Bill Haslam is reinstated, DiPietro and Cheek wrote. The Senate committee's amendment came the same day as a special joint House education committee held a hearing on diversity in public higher education. In their letter, DiPietro and Cheek wrote they were "clear and direct on the importance of diversity and inclusion," at that hearing. The amendment to the budget is for the coming fiscal year and requires passage by the General Assembly before it would go into effect. State appropriations are 31 percent of UT's total educational and general budget. Of the remaining funding, a majority comes from tuition and fees. Concern from state lawmakers about diversity on the flagship campus has been ongoing this academic year, with multiple bills filed in response to controversies about gender neutral pronouns and inclusive holiday parties. Students have reacted by forming UT Diversity Matters, a coalition with demands for enhanced diversity efforts. Breakdown of funds The amendment would cut $5 million from the Knoxville campus and $3 million from administration and salaries in Knoxville. Although $5 million is often cited as the UT diversity budget, that amount is the systemwide diversity spending, UT officials confirmed. Of that, roughly $4 million is salaries and benefits for employees across the system, and $1.2 million is compliance. The Knoxville campus spends about $2.5 million $2.2 million in salaries and benefits and $544,000 on compliance on diversity, according to UT. And the Office for Diversity and Inclusion itself has a budget of $522,241, according to UT. Roughly $396,000 is salaries and benefits; the remaining funds are used in operations. The difference between the $2.5 million campus diversity budget and the $522,241 office budget is diversity-related spending not based in the office such as federal Title IX compliance and diversity positions within the various colleges. The office budget includes salaries and benefits for three full-time positions, including Vice Chancellor Rickey Hall, the office communications director, his assistant, a half-position for a graduate assistant and a fourth of the salary for Donna Braquet, director of the UT Pride Center. Braquet was the author of a post about gender-neutral pronouns on the diversity office's website that sparked outrage from lawmakers in August. The proposed $8 million in cuts to the Knoxville campus budget would exceed how much the campus spends on diversity by about $5.5 million and how much the office spends by about $7.5 million. Call to action On Thursday, both lawmakers and those at UT said the proposed amendment caught the attention of the other side. Lt. Gov. Ramsey said he supports the committee's action and thinks the Senate will support the amendment, but added he's not sure that the full General Assembly will. Jennifer Donnals, Gov. Bill Haslam's press secretary, said the governor thinks "there is a role for the office, making sure there is equal opportunity for people to attend UT and graduate by creating a campus where people are free to come and learn." She added Haslam thinks the office has "gone off into issues it didn't need to be focused on." On campus, students responded with calls and letters to state lawmakers and by signing a banner to support diversity, citing an increased urgency. "We knew we had to respond immediately to show how many people are affected by diversity and inclusion on campus," said senior Ashley Campbell, a member of UT Diversity Matters. While members of UT Diversity Matters urged students to make calls and to sign a banner in support of diversity in John C. Hodges Library - the banner will be taken to Nashville for a rally on Tuesday - another group of students wrote letters to lawmakers from the Frieson Black Cultural Center. "The urgency is at an all-time high," said Lauriel Cleveland, a senior and member of the social justice organization The Committee, which organized the letter-writing campaign. Students agreed that some lawmakers may not change their minds about defunding diversity after hearing from students, but said some lawmakers might listen. During the day, student organizers they were upset to learn an Arabic slur had been written on the banner and had upset other students. That's an example of the need for diversity on campus, they said. Diversity allows for everyone on campus to feel like they belong and for students to learn from people who are different from them, said junior Vy Quach and senior Andrew Frantz. But Ramsey didn't see it that way from Nashville, where the amendment was proposed by Sen. Dolores Gresham, R-Somerville, who he appointed as education committee chairman and is one of his closest supporters in the Senate. "I wouldn't say it's symbolic. It's symbolic in the fact that we're sick and tired of the office of diversity telling us we can't celebrate Christmas type of things," Ramsey said. "I just don't understand the usefulness of this office. What do they do every day on a day-to-day basis, other than liberal feel-good programs without actually accomplishing anything." The bill and the amendment still have to go to the Senate Finance Committee and then the Senate floor. And there's been no similar amendment attached to the bill in the House. Rep. Harry Brooks, R-Knoxville, chairman of the House Education Administration & Planning Committee, did not return calls for comment. In Tennessee, the governor has constitutional line-item veto authority over items in the state appropriations bill. So if the amendment to defund the diversity office is part of the bill that ultimately wins legislative approval, Haslam could veto that portion of the bill if he believes the office or its functions are worth keeping. Nashville bureau chief Richard Locker contributed to this story. Related: Senate panel votes to strip UT diversity office of all state funding (March 2, 2016) Lawmakers question inclusivity at UT (March 2, 2016) UT students say bias reporting needs to improve; Kane skeptical (March 2, 2016) UT Diversity Matters, administrators make progress point by point (March 1, 2016) UT vice chancellor calls students impressive for dedication to diversity (Feb. 16, 2016) UT rally to fight back on outsourcing, diversity draws hundreds (Feb. 5, 2016) Photos: UT Diversity Matters coalition teach-in (Feb. 4, 2016) UT administrators, diversity coalition meet, review demands (Feb. 4, 2016) Meeting between UT chancellor, diversity coalition falls through (Jan. 29, 2016) Administrators to respond to demands from UT Diversity Matters (Dec. 13, 2015) Students, faculty stress support for diversity at UT (Dec. 10, 2015) Lawmaker says he'll draft bill to defund UT diversity office (Dec. 7, 2015) Peace on campus? UT students rally behind 'counseled' diversity official after Christmas controversy (Dec. 9, 2015) UT president responds to holiday controversy (Dec. 9, 2015) Letter: Support UT officials, inclusion, diversity (Dec. 9, 2015) Editorial: Reaction to UT holiday party recommendations is too extreme (Dec. 8, 2015) UT faculty back Jimmy Cheek, Rickey Hall after criticism over holiday party recommendations (Dec. 7, 2015) UT holiday post fallout: Keep Cheek, chuck correctness (Dec. 4, 2015) UT backlash over holiday party recommendations grows (Dec. 4, 2015) Rep. Daniel: UT diversity efforts going too far (Dec. 4, 2015) UT criticized for holiday party advisory (Dec. 4, 2015) UT students endorse gender-neutral pronouns (Dec. 3, 2015) Cheek shares views on diversity with campus (Nov. 20, 2015) Lawmaker questions UT salaries in diversity programs (Sept. 28, 2015) UT nixes gender-neutral pronoun suggestion (Sept. 4, 2015) Gender-neutral terms encouraged at UT, criticized by legislators (Aug. 28, 2015) Apple Security in China and America: A Double Standard? A lot of ink has been devoted these past few weeks over Apple's resistance to the FBI. Tim Cook, Apple's CEO, has repeatedly made his position clear that Apple customers' security is among the company's top concerns. However, there have been some concerns raised that the company might have been less than staunch in this view in the past when dealing with China. Is this a case of double standards in resisting government demands? "Security Checks" In January of 2015, Quartz wrote a piece focusing on rumors that Apple had handed over source code to the Chinese in compliance with their demands. Supposedly, the justification for the demand was Chinese citizens' concerns that Apple was not being used as an arm of the American government to spy on the Chinese populace. The company -- some could say primarily Tim Cook -- acquiesced to Wei Lu's demands and handed over the code. In fact, China has been putting the squeeze on many US tech companies and they've ponied up. A Market Too Big to Pass Up Analysts and even Tim Cook himself have declared that the Sinosphere comprising China, Taiwan, and most of Southeast Asia stands to be Apple's biggest market for the foreseeable future. If Apple were to capture that portion of the market, it would have to play by China's rules. Given smart phone competition in the region, it would almost seem as if the decision was already made for Apple. Samsung is, after all, hot on its heels. Handing China the Keys In all fairness, Wei Lu, China's "Internet Czar," did not demand that the company create a "backdoor" to accessing a single iPhone. However, the alternative almost seems just as bad on several fronts. First, even assuming legitimate and good faith impetus for asking for Apple's source code, it would be foolish to assume that the source code was not, in some way, vulnerable to falling into the hands of at least one person within China's borders looking to make profit. China (or persons within) is a well known intellectual property violator and is generally thought to be complicit in such hacking -- or at least willfully blind to it. China: Well Known for Respecting Privacy Second, despite China's alleged concern over the privacy of her own citizens, Apple could have very well helped enable the semi-totalitarian state to create the means of spying not only on its own citizens, but on American citizens as well. Imagine an American citizen being detained by the Chinese and holding his iPhone? If Apple does not write the code to disable the iPhone's "erase-after-10" feature," state-sanctioned Chinese hackers will surely find some way. FBI Director James Comey has taken umbrage to the term "backdoor" in describing what he and his agency would like Apple to do. In his appearance before the House Judiciary Committee, he eloquently analogized his request as "asking Apple to remove the snarling guard-dog so we can pick the lock." Hair splitting, sure -- but it's nice to be clear. The point is this. With Apple's source code, Chinese hackers will find someway to kill that snarling guard-dog. The incentive to do so is just too great. We cannot know just how much unsupervised access Chinese state workers have to the data, but if the past is any indicator, caution is the better part of Sino-American discretion. Hollow Words? So, what are we to make of Apple's comments about customer privacy? It is difficult to say. In America, certain procedure insulates individual privacy from the prying eyes of government. But when an American company seeks to capture what is surely the biggest market in human history, it may be the case that the best option is simply to close one's eyes and turn away. Related Resources: Members of what was then Lake City's City Council are pictured just before the historic vote in June 2014 to change the municipal name to Rocky Top. From left: Councilmen Shain Vowell and Donald Douglas, City Recorder Chris Phillips, Mayor Tim Sharp, Vice Mayor Mike Lovely and Councilman Andrew Howard. A federal injunction against Rocky Top Tennessee Marketing and Manufacturing Co. over a trademark dispute with the House of Bryant Publications, which has the property rights for the song "Rocky Top," has been settled. (BOB FOWLER/NEWS SENTINEL) SHARE This July 22, 2014, photo shows a banner announcing the name of the city of Rocky Top, formerly known as Lake City. A federal injunction against Rocky Top Tennessee Marketing and Manufacturing Co. has been settled, and a company official says that means development plans can proceed. (AP Photo/Travis Loller) By Bob Fowler, bob.fowler@knoxnews.com ROCKY TOP - Federal complaints that would-be developers contended were holding up ambitious development plans for this city have been settled, but the plans remain under wraps. "Everybody wants to keep everything confidential," said Tim Isbel, an Anderson County commissioner and one of the principals of Rocky Top Tennessee Marketing and Manufacturing Company. But Isbel said some of the details of the company's proposals, which at one point included a multimillion dollar theme park, will be revealed soon. Officials with Rocky Top, formerly called Lake City and originally named Coal Creek, voted for the latest name change in June 2014 in response to developers' requests. Hundreds of residents witnessed the City Council's unanimous vote and erupted in cheers. But House of Bryant LLC of Gatlinburg, the owners of the copyright on the popular song "Rocky Top," launched a pair of legal challenges seeking trademark protection. House of Bryant is composed of the heirs of the husband-and-wife songwriting team of Boudleaux and Felice Bryant, who penned the song in 1967 in a Gatlinburg hotel. The city and the company were hit with injunctions to stop sales of any T-shirts or trinkets bearing the Rocky Top name. With the settlement, the company can sell items with specific labeling that includes Rocky Top, the area's ZIP code of 37769, and the three stars of the Tennessee state flag. The federal lawsuit against the city was settled earlier. Throughout the legal skirmishes, the city and company contended Rocky Top was also a location in the Smoky Mountains and not just a song. The bluegrass ditty is the University of Tennessee's unofficial fight song, and numerous businesses incorporate the words "Rocky Top" in their titles. "It's a very positive settlement," Isbel said. "It encourages new businesses and growth opportunities." Already, he said, there have been some positive developments. "There are no available buildings in Rocky Top right now," Isbel said. Interested business have been calling the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce, inquiring about locations in the area, he said. U.S. Sen. Bob Corker By Michael Collins of the Knoxville News Sentinel WASHINGTON U.S. Sen. Bob Corker offered words of caution Thursday for GOP leaders waging a last-ditch effort to stop Donald Trump from winning the Republican nomination for president. "Here's my message to the Republican party leaders," Corker said in a statement. "Focus more on listening to the American people and less on trying to stifle their voice." Corker, a Chattanooga Republican, released his remarks just hours after Mitt Romney, the party's 2012 nominee for president who lost to President Obama, excoriated Trump in a speech in Salt Lake City. Romney called Trump a "phony" who is "playing the American people for suckers" and isn't fit to be president. Corker has not publicly backed any Republican candidate for president, and his office said his statement should not be construed as an endorsement. The senator does not plan to endorse a candidate in this election, his office said. What's happening in the presidential race, Corker said, "is the result of two things: the fecklessness and ineptness of the Washington establishment in failing to address the big issues facing our country and years of anger with the overreach of the Obama administration. And to be candid, I think the American people should be angrier than they are." Trump has won 10 of the 15 states in which the GOP has held presidential primaries or caucuses and holds a sizable lead in the delegate count for the GOP nomination. Earlier this week, the New York real estate mogul won seven of the 11 states that voted on Super Tuesday. He carried Tennessee by 14 points, beating out U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, who came in second, and U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, who placed third. Preliminary results show Trump will receive 15 at-large delegates as a result of winning Tennessee, while Cruz will pick up 10 delegates and Rubio will get six. Delegates in Tennessee are awarded on a proportional basis to any candidate who receives at least 20 percent of the vote. Other delegates will be awarded by congressional district. Those delegates will be distributed as soon as a breakdown is available from each district, the Tennessee Republican Party said. Tennessee Republicans will award a total of 58 delegates. In this April 1, 2013, photo, Sen. Dolores Gresham, R-Somerville, presides over the Senate Education Committee in Nashville. (AP Photo/Erik Schelzig) By Richard Locker, locker@knoxnews.com NASHVILLE The state Senate Education Committee voted Wednesday to strip the University of Tennessee's Office for Diversity and Inclusion of all but its federal funding and to transfer $8 million from the university's administration into its agricultural extension service and rural outreach programs. PDF: Letter from Chancellor Jimmy Cheek and President Joe DiPietro The committee approved an amendment by its chairwoman, Sen. Dolores Gresham, R-Somerville, to the UT budget submitted by Gov. Bill Haslam that would have the effect of defunding the diversity office at UT Knoxville the target of conservative ire since a pair of controversial Web posts regarding gender-neutral pronouns and inclusive holiday parties. The panel's action isn't final: it will require concurrence by the full Senate and the House before it could go into effect. Anthony Haynes, UT's vice president for government relations and advocacy, said after the meeting that university officials "certainly understand the motivation behind the amendment." "We're hopeful that we can work it out before we pass the final budget in April," Haynes said. The amendment's approval followed an earlier 2-hour hearing by the House education committees on diversity issues at UT and the Tennessee Board of Regents system. As passed, the amendment: Transfers $5 million from the funds appropriated to UT Knoxville to the UT Agricultural Extension Service for its programs and services. That's the amount that the office of diversity and inclusion currently receives annually: $1.3 million on compliance and reporting activities dealing with federal law, and $3.7 million for campus diversity programming. Declares that "only federal funds shall be expended to support the office of diversity and inclusion" at UT Knoxville. Transfers $3 million from funds appropriated for administration and salaries on the Knoxville campus to UT Chattanooga and UT Martin (at $1.5 million each) "for the sole purpose of rural outreach programs." Gresham owns a cattle farm in Fayette County and faces a re-election challenge in this year's Republican primary by Savannah Mayor Bob Shutt, who has said he's running to bring more rural development to the eight-county 26th Senate District. State Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey said today he supports the efforts of the Senate Education Committee to strip the University of Tennessee's office of diversity and inclusion of all but its federal funding but isn't sure whether the full General Assembly will ultimately go along. Meanwhile, Gov. Bill Haslam's spokeswoman said the governor believes there's a role for the office. "The governor believes that, at times, UT's office of diversity has gone off into issues it didn't need to be focused on. That being said, he believes there is a role for the office, making sure there is equal opportunity for people to attend UT and graduate by creating a campus where people are free to come and learn," said Jennifer Donnals, Haslam's press secretary. Ramsey, R-Blountville, told reporters that he favors the state budget amendment recommended late Wednesday by the Senate Education Committee, declaring in part that "Only federal funds shall be expended to support the office for diversity and inclusion at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville." The amendment was proposed by Sen. Dolores Gresham, R-Somerville, who Ramsey appointed as education committee chairman and one of his closest lieutenants in the Senate. "I don't know what the end result of this is, but the very first thing is you've to get their (UT's) attention. And I think they've done that," Ramsey said. "I just don't understand the usefulness of this office. What do they do every day on a day-to-day basis, other than liberal feel-good programs without actually accomplishing anything. "I don't know what's going to happen in the House, but yes, I fully support it. I'm not going to predict that's where it ends up. I wouldnt say it's symbolic. It's symbolic in the fact that we're sick and tired of the office of diversity telling us we can't celebrate Christmas type of things. The majority of the Senate would be in favor of it. That's just my gut feeling." In an email to the university, staff and students, Chancellor Jimmy Cheek and President Joe DiPietro stated: At the end of the day, the Senate Education Committee voted to amend the governor's proposed budget for UT by reassigning $8 million from the UT Knoxville budget to UT Extension and to rural outreach through UT Martin and UT Chattanooga. From its language - "only federal funds shall be expended to support the Office for Diversity and Inclusion at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville" - the amendment's intent is clear and concerning. It is also important to note that the Office of Diversity and Inclusion at UT Knoxville receives no federal funding. Related: Lawmakers question inclusivity at UT (March 2, 2016) UT students say bias reporting needs to improve; Kane skeptical (March 2, 2016) UT Diversity Matters, administrators make progress point by point (March 1, 2016) UT vice chancellor calls students impressive for dedication to diversity (Feb. 16, 2016) UT rally to fight back on outsourcing, diversity draws hundreds (Feb. 5, 2016) Photos: UT Diversity Matters coalition teach-in (Feb. 4, 2016) UT administrators, diversity coalition meet, review demands (Feb. 4, 2016) Meeting between UT chancellor, diversity coalition falls through (Jan. 29, 2016) Administrators to respond to demands from UT Diversity Matters (Dec. 13, 2015) Students, faculty stress support for diversity at UT (Dec. 10, 2015) Lawmaker says he'll draft bill to defund UT diversity office (Dec. 7, 2015) Peace on campus? UT students rally behind 'counseled' diversity official after Christmas controversy (Dec. 9, 2015) UT president responds to holiday controversy (Dec. 9, 2015) Letter: Support UT officials, inclusion, diversity (Dec. 9, 2015) Editorial: Reaction to UT holiday party recommendations is too extreme (Dec. 8, 2015) UT faculty back Jimmy Cheek, Rickey Hall after criticism over holiday party recommendations (Dec. 7, 2015) UT holiday post fallout: Keep Cheek, chuck correctness (Dec. 4, 2015) UT backlash over holiday party recommendations grows (Dec. 4, 2015) Rep. Daniel: UT diversity efforts going too far (Dec. 4, 2015) UT criticized for holiday party advisory (Dec. 4, 2015) UT students endorse gender-neutral pronouns (Dec. 3, 2015) Cheek shares views on diversity with campus (Nov. 20, 2015) Lawmaker questions UT salaries in diversity programs (Sept. 28, 2015) UT nixes gender-neutral pronoun suggestion (Sept. 4, 2015) Gender-neutral terms encouraged at UT, criticized by legislators (Aug. 28, 2015)

This photo taken Sept. 19, 2009 shows the Tennessee State Capitol in Nashville, Tenn. The Capitol, celebrating its 150th birthday, has a history unmatched by any of the other historic locations in Nashville. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

SHARE By Richard Locker of the Knoxville News Sentinel NASHVILLE The Tennessee House of Representatives approved a resolution today expressing its "strong disagreement with the constitutional overreach" in the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling last year legalizing same-sex marriage across the country. The House approved House Joint Resolution 529, filed by Rep. Susan Lynn, R-Mt. Juliet, on a 73-18 vote, despite Lynn's acknowledgement under questioning that it will have no impact. Unlike most similar resolutions that express the General Assembly's position, HJR529 contains no provision directing that a copy be sent to the Supreme Court, Congress or the White House. It now goes to the Senate, which is likely to approve it. The two-page resolution generally objects to the high court's intrusion on legislative and state authority and says that "this body expresses its strong disagreement with the constitutional overreach in Obergefell v. Hodges that, in violation of the constitutional and judicially recognized principles of federalism and separation of powers, purports to allow federal courts to order or direct a state legislative body to affirmatively amend or replace a state statute. Lynn cited voter ratification in 2006 of an amendment to the Tennessee Constitution declaring that only marriages between one man and one woman can be legally recognized in the state, and a similar prior legislative enactment. SHARE We Democrats must win - too many crucial issues are at stake. Hillary Clinton can win; Bernie Sanders can't. Polls show 50 percent of U.S. adults won't consider voting for a socialist. Clinton can and will fight for progressive change: health care for all, reversing economic inequity, justice system reform, addressing climate change, expanding educational opportunities, increasing the minimum wage, stronger gun control. She has thoughtful, detailed, solid programs and will be a strong, determined, smart, thoughtful, creative leader to bring about the changes we need. The details: n The ability to win. To win, we need broad support. Clinton can get it; Sanders can't. Yes, the public wants change, but "socialism" and "revolution" frighten and alienate the majority. We need a candidate who can unite. That's Clinton. Remember the Walter Mondale's loss to Ronald Reagan? We can't afford that. n Health care. The Affordable Care Act barely survived; the "public option" didn't. Ninety percent of our people are covered. We can cover the other 10 percent by expanding the Affordable Care Act. I do not want to spend the next four years fighting about a single-payer-system ("Medicare for all") that will divert all political energy when we can achieve 100 percent coverage more quickly and easily, and move on to other crucial issues. Remember, Clinton fought for health care for all in 1993, and the Republicans crucified her for it. n Wealth concentration. I know what it's like to rail against economic inequity. I've done it for decades. Clinton has the best plan to cut big bank/insurance company power. Sanders wants to restore Glass-Steagall, but that's not enough. Clinton's plan goes beyond Glass-Steagall to also slash the power of shadow banks. We also need a revised tax code; both Clinton and Sanders have plans for that. But Clinton has the right one-two punch, whereas Sanders has just one. Yes, Clinton got big speaking fees for big bank clients. That doesn't mean she won't crack down. She spoke out and sponsored bills to address these problems way back in 2007. I, too, have had corporate clients (granted, not at the same pay rates), but that doesn't affect my commitment to cut big bank/insurance company power. n Ability. I've listened to the debates and read their websites. My conclusion: Clinton has the smarts, experience and skills to be the best president. Sanders sounds sincere and passionate; Clinton sounds thoughtful and logical. He's "hot," she's "cool." But passion is not enough. I want a president who will carefully examine the problems and make things happen with strong, doable programs. Clinton was key in getting the Children's Health Insurance Program in 1997 (covering 6 million kids), expanding health care for military families, speaking out for women's rights at the Beijing Women's Conference in 1995 (I was deeply involved in that event) and authoring the Pediatric Research Equity Act. While she was secretary of state, exports to China grew 50 percent while our relationship with the country improved. We made "desperately needed" progress in the Copenhagen Climate Summit, according to the Environmental Defense Fund. She brought China, Russia and the European Union together to use sanctions rather than war on Iran, leading to a major agreement with Iran. Clinton can and will win, and bring the progressive changes we want. Sanders would give us a nice glow, until Election Day, when we would face a Republican president, Congress and Supreme Court. Janice Brodman is a Knoxville homeowner, former director of the nonprofit Center for Innovative Technologies/Education Development Center, and has long worked for women's rights and small-business development worldwide. SHARE For hundreds of years, men have almost ruined this country. It is time to run them out of office. They are trying to do away with a lot of women's rights and stick their noses into our reproductive cycles. Our forefathers came from England to this country to avoid religious persecution. Is this the second verse of the same song? Some Baptist churches are trying to do away with Planned Parenthood by planning fundraisers to make money for their organization. State Rep. Sherry Jones, D-Nashville, and state Sen. Sara Kyle, D-Memphis, proposed now-defeated legislation that would have required men to undergo a cardiac stress test and provide confirmation from a sexual partner that the treatment is needed before a doctor prescribes oral medication, such as Viagra and Cialis. A similar bill introduced in Kentucky would require a note from a spouse in addition to a sworn statement on a Bible that the treatment would be used within the bounds of marriage. About time, I say. Women need to vote for Hillary Clinton. She won't take your rights away. For some of you younger people who were not born yet during Bill Clinton's presidency, it was a good eight years. We were out of debt, and he left office with a surplus. Then George W. Bush was elected and it went away. Forget about Bernie Sanders. For years, the talk was that Hillary Clinton ran the White House, so she has been there and done that. We need a president who wants to help the poor and middle class. Vote for Clinton. Brenda Edmundson, Knoxville SHARE The death of Antonin Scalia has evoked praise for his career from prominent jurists and politicians. He was considered the leading constitutionalist and originalist of the past three decades. He, like the rest of us, was entitled to his opinion. Unfortunately, his opinions, like those of the other justices on the Supreme Court, affect not just the lives of citizens but the character of our society. April 4, 2014, was a most significant day in the history of our government and the election process. Scalia, Samuel Alito, Anthony Kennedy, John Roberts and Clarence Thomas, in the case McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission, decided there would be no limit on contributions in federal elections. The arguments by both sides before, during and after the decision are elegant and complex. The salient point in the decision was that limits would infringe on First Amendment free speech rights. This was an unbelievably illogical conclusion. Effectively, the wealthy can speak with a greater voice. Although each of us seemingly still has but a single vote, hundreds of millions of dollars are spent before anyone enters an election booth. The McCutcheon decision gives the man with the bullhorn a distinct advantage. This bullhorn advantage is huge in today's new communications world. The names of Scalia and his four fellow jurists should live infamy. They, by a single decision, have established that elections can be bought by the rich. The new paradigm is now at work. Without change, the larger segment of society will ultimately be confronted with the new monarchy, the ultra wealthy, whose tyranny we once had to escape during the American Revolution. A.L. King, Alcoa SHARE A vote for state Rep. Eddie Smith is a vote against public education. Smith was one of eight representatives to vote against public education and in favor of school vouchers in the Education Administration and Planning Committee. He was one of eight members to vote to undermine the core of Tennessee's public education system. Vouchers would have gutted public education by siphoning public tax dollars out of our public schools and into private schools. On top of draining money out of public education, they simply do not work, and it has been proven in many states over many years. In Milwaukee, just 13 percent of voucher students scored proficient in math and just 11 percent made the benchmark in reading. Cleveland's try at vouchers was also a failure with most voucher students performing worse than their public school peers in math. Not to mention many private schools won't even accept the vouchers. Democrats believe every child in every ZIP code deserves a free and quality education from our public schools. Historically, public education goes beyond benefiting each and every individual pupil and toward benefiting our nation as a whole. Public schools create our doctors, our lawyers, our engineers and even our politicians. Instead of trying to gut the public school system in our state, Smith and his Republican colleagues should work on fully funding our public school system. It is clear when you travel the state that our public schools are anything but equal. Some are palaces of high technology and learning while others are on the brink of collapsing around our children. Smith and the Republicans faced a choice of priorities and they chose to pick their special-interest donors over the children - the future of our state. Mary Mancini, chair, Tennessee Democratic Party, Nashville By Park Si-soo Doosan Infracore urgently needs to sell its assets to stay afloat amid the sinking construction equipment market. To that end, however, the company made the "critical mistake" of showing its desperation to potential buyers, which will put the company at a considerable disadvantage in price negotiations, according to analysts and market observers. They said this will make the company less attractive to investors, pulling down its stock price. The company said Monday it had selected MBK Partners, a Seoul-based private equity fund, as the preferred bidder for the sale of its machine tool business. MBK will soon start due diligence on the cash-strapped construction equipment maker and, if things go smoothly, complete the deal by April or May. Doosan hopes that its debt, currently at 5.3 trillion won, will be reduced to below 3.5 trillion won after the asset sale is completed. Analysts say Doosan's selection of MBK as the preferred bidder hints that the company's financial health is worse than expected. MBK was a runner-up in the first round of bidding last December, in which the Standard Chartered (SC) private equity fund was selected as the preferred bidder offering alleged 1.3 trillion won ($1.08 billion). By Jhoo Dong-chan Cosmetics giant AmorePacific will expand into the Middle East this year, boosted by its success in the Asian market including China. Industry sources said that AmorePacific's brands such as Sulwhasoo and Laneige are expected to make inroads into the Middle East's cosmetics market later this year. With its global expansion strategy focusing on megacities with populations of more than 10 million, the nation's biggest cosmetics company chose Dubai in the United Arab Emirates for its first business foothold in the Middle East, and will then expand into neighboring nations including Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Iran. Of them, Iran's cosmetics market is receiving the most attention, following an end to economic sanctions for the country's nuclear enrichment program. Recently, the government held a business conference with Iran to encourage Korean companies to enter the country. Iran's capital, Tehran, has a population of more than 10 million, a suitable place for AmorePacific's expansion strategy in the Middle East. "The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy offered joint market research for AmorePacific along with other companies who also wish to do business in Iran," said an AmorePacific official. "We understand our brand shop Etude's products are already sold in Iran through some private traders. We will study further for doing future business in Iran." AmorePacific co-CEO Shim Sang-bae shows his confidence for the company's success in the Middle East. "We will launch the most suitable brand among AmorePacific's various affiliated brands after conducting market research," Shim was quoted as saying. An AmorePacific official said, however, that the company is not planning to launch its brand shops like Etude and Innisfree in the Middle East but focus on department store brands, meaning Sulwhasoo, Laneige and Mamonde are more likely to be sold there first. Of them, industry sources believe the company's luxury brand Sulwhasoo is expected to lead the company's Middle-Eastern sales. Using Oriental herb mixture techniques, the brand will offer a differentiated character from European products. Last September, AmorePacific Chairman Suh Kyung-bae pledged to expand the company's sales at home and abroad from 4.71 trillion won last year to 12 trillion won ($10.9 billion) by 2020. With plans to target the Middle East this year and Latin America next year, the company has already gained a huge success through sales in China where an estimated 150 million people now use beauty and skincare products. By Lee Hyo-sik Coupang CEO Kim Bom Coupang, Korea's leading e-commerce site, said Thursday it will continue to expand its delivery network and hire more workers to stay ahead of its rivals, despite huge losses last year. The company is estimated to have lost nearly 400 billion won ($330 million) in 2015 as it spent substantial amounts of money to employ more delivery personnel and construct warehouses at the sacrifice of profitability. Analysts have raised concerns over Coupang's financial health. They say even though it has attracted huge investments from SoftBank and other entities in recent years, the company could face a liquidity problem if it fails to turn around. However, company officials dismissed such concerns, saying that the e-commerce site has enough cash to cope with losses. They say now is the time for Coupang to expand its size to strengthen its leadership in the country's rapidly growing, increasingly competitive online shopping industry. "We will announce our 2015 financial results in April," a Coupang spokesman said. "As we have said before, our operating would have increased substantially from a year earlier. But our strong financial conditions can easily cover the losses." In 2014, it posted 349 billion won in sales and 122 billion won in operating loss. The company's 2015 sales are estimated at 1.5 trillion. The spokesman said Coupang will continue to bolster its delivery network by hiring more workers and building logistics centers as scheduled. "We believe that the extensive and efficiently run logistics network is the key success factor for online retailers like us," he said, "so we will continue to make investments over the next few years even though this may negatively affect our bottom line." Last November, the company said it would invest 1.5 trillion won in 2016 and 2017 to increase the number of its delivery personnel and build more warehouses to deliver products more quickly and safely to stay ahead of its rivals, WeMakePrice and Ticket Monster. Currently, Coupang has about 3,500 delivery workers, and 6,000 more at its logistics and customer service centers. It also runs 14 warehouses. The company plans to increase its delivery staff to 40,000 and operate 21 warehouses across the country by 2017. Its aggressive expansion scheme has been possible because of investments from SoftBank and other institutional investors. Las June, Coupang received a $1 billion investment from SoftBank, Japan's largest telecommunications and Internet company. In 2014, it also received $100 million from U.S.-based Sequia Capital and $300 million from BlackRock. However, some analysts have raised questions over Coupang's sustainability. "We will know an exact loss when the company unveils its 2015 earnings results next month," said a securities analyst who declined to be named. "Even though the company has ample cash reserves, it could run into trouble if it continues to lose money in the coming years." The analyst said Coupang's revenue has surged over the past few years but its profit margin has become thinner on increased delivery and hiring costs. A fiercer price competition with rivals is also keeping the company from boosting its profit margin. "The company's own delivery system, Rocket Delivery, has weighed down its financial health," he said. "It has also spent hundreds of billions of won to build warehouses, which generate no revenue yet. So, we have to wait and see how long Coupang can finance its expansion frenzy." Coupang charges no fees to customers who purchase goods worth more than 9,800 won, which the analyst said has aggravated its bottom line. Liberal Politics from the Heart of Bluegrass Country NH Financial Group Chairman Kim Yong-hwan, left, shakes hands with Bank Mandiri CEO Budi Gunadi Sadikin at Mandiri's main office in Jakarta, Tuesday, after signing a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in financial services for Indonesian farmers. / Courtesy of NH Financial By Kim Jae-won NH Financial Group said Thursday that it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Indonesia's largest bank to cooperate in developing rural areas in the Southeast Asian country, paving the way for reaching the most populated market in the region. NH said it will offer the group's knowhow and skills in agriculture to Bank Mandiri, cooperating in a wide range of financial services from banking and insurance to leasing and micro financing. Mandiri is the largest lender in Indonesia by assets with 2,300 branches and 15,000 automated teller machines nationwide. "We have a lot of experience in providing loans, credit guarantees and insurance for farmers. With our knowhow in the field, we will contribute to boosting financial services in Indonesian agriculture," said NH in a statement. The announcement came two months after NH signed an MOU with a Chinese financial group in establishing a joint financial firm. NH Chairman Kim Yong-hwan has pushed for advancing into global markets since he took the helm of the group in April 2015. NH also has maintained a close relationship with French financial group Credit Agricole as both of them have similar roots in their beginnings with farmers' credit unions. They are running a joint asset management firm called NH-CA Asset Management here. NH started from a farmers' credit union five decades ago, but now aims to leap forward as a global player by offering various financial services and finding new revenue sources in offshore markets. The group acquired Woori Investment & Securities in 2013, strengthening its brokerage house. With the acquisition, the group has become one of the four largest financial groups in the country, along with Hana, KB and Shinhan. NH chairman Kim was a lifelong bureaucrat before heading the state-run Export-Import Bank of Korea for three years between 2011 and 2014. He came back as NH chief thanks to his expertise in finance. It remains to be seen whether NH's global strategy will be successful as Korean financial groups have tried to carve out new revenue sources in overseas markets for the last decade, but have had few tangible successes. Many of them withdrew their businesses after seeing big losses hit hard by the global financial crisis in 2008. KB Financial Group was one of them. The group had invested in BCC, a commercial bank in Kazakhstan, in the 2000s, but lost about 900 billion won of the investment. By Yoon Ja-young The government will spend up to $2 billion to support Korean companies bidding for construction orders overseas, especially in Iran and with the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) which will open up new opportunities. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) held a meeting, Thursday, to seek ways to promote overseas construction, the first of its kind. The meeting came amid concern over the country's construction companies which have been suffering due to a lack of overseas orders. "Korea became one of the world's top five in the overseas construction market, with total orders received so far reaching $700 billion last June," said Minister Kang Ho-in of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. "With the market conditions deteriorating, however, the annual orders received last year plunged by 30 percent compared with the previous year. There are huge uncertainties this year as well considering external factors," he said, citing the low oil price that the market expects will persist. Due to low oil prices, oil-producing countries have been cutting construction orders. "As growth is slowing in economic leaders such as the eurozone, Japan and China, conditions aren't positive for overseas construction," the minister added. He said that Korea's construction players should switch to high value-added sectors like project planning and management rather than simply executing the orders they have received. Korea is seeking new opportunities in Iran where sanctions were recently lifted and with the China-initiated AIIB. In the case of Iran, Kang pointed out that Korea has maintained friendly ties with the country for over 50 years. Diverse infrastructure development markets such as railways and water resources are cited as new opportunities for Korean businesses. The AIIB is also regarded as a huge opportunity for construction companies. The investment bank is likely to hire around 700 employees. "As Korea has a 3.81 percent stake in the AIIB, the ratio of Korean employees should be as high than that," an official at the ministry said, adding that development specialists working in the country's public sector will be encouraged to apply for positions at the AIIB to work as a bridge between Korean firms and the AIIB. The ministry is also stressing its preparations to participate in China's One Belt, One Road project. It is scheduled to hold a seminar next month seeking ways to increase Korean firms' participation in development projects backed by the AIIB. The government fund will also be used for investments in AIIB projects to offer more opportunities to Korean construction firms. By Lee Kyung-min Park Hyun-jung Suspicions over former Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra (SPO) CEO Park Hyun-jung's alleged sexual harassment and verbal abuse of members have been found to be groundless, police said Thursday. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency (SMPA) said that the wife of former Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra (SPO) Director Chung Myung-whun is under suspicion of masterminding the defamation scandal against Park. Police announced the results of a three-month investigation into the alleged defamation, saying that they plan to refer the case to the prosecution, asking it to indict 10 SPO members over their alleged involvement in spreading false rumors about Park. However, Chung's wife, surnamed Koo, 68, is not subject to local jurisdiction as she has been staying abroad, police said. She and other SPO members are alleged to have spread rumors about Park's influence-peddling and misconduct with employees. Police launched the investigation last December after Park filed a complaint, claiming that Koo instructed SPO employees in an attempt to tarnish her reputation in order to oust her from the CEO post. Chung and Park were often at odds with each other after her appointment as CEO in 2013. Park resigned last December, after 17 members claimed that she had treated them "inhumanely" with physical and verbal abuse and demanded her immediate resignation. Police cleared Park of the allegation that she sexually harassed a man surnamed Kwak, 40, who was among the 17 members, at an after-work gathering in September 2013, saying his testimony lacked credibility. "Based on multiple eyewitness accounts we have compiled, we determined that there was no such harassment on Park's part," police said. Police said that the statements of Kwak and two witnesses lacked consistency, and others present at the scene told them that the gathering ended without any awkwardness, police added. Police raided the SPO office three times and questioned 33 SPO members on 85 occasions. Police said Koo is suspected of orchestrating the scheme by seeking cooperation with Chung's former assistant, surnamed Baek. The two exchanged more than 600 text messages between October 2014 and last month, with detailed conversations regarding ousting Park, Chung's attendance at the city council for questioning and Chung's contract renewal. During the period, police said Koo is believed to have ordered the 17 members, through Baek, to issue public statements against Park. Police said Koo attempted to exert influence on management of the SPO, over which she has no authority. In response, the SPO issued a statement welcoming the investigation results, vowing its full support in any way required. However, Koo's legal representatives said that defamation charges should be dismissed because she only tried to help the alleged victims abused by Park, and never ordered them to spread rumors. "Koo did not order the 17 members to issue statement, they did it on their own," they said in the statement. The representatives raised questions about on the fairness of the investigation saying the result only favors Park. Koo will take legal actions against the unfair police investigation results. Chung resigned last December, ending his 10-year stint with the SPO. By Jun Ji-hye Korea and Egypt agreed to strengthen their cooperation in the latter's infrastructure development projects worth $3.6 billion (4.37 trillion won), the presidential office said Thursday. President Park Geun-hye and her Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah el-Sisi reached the agreement during a summit at Cheong Wa Dae, after which they observed the signing of nine memoranda of understanding (MOUs) between the two countries. Under the MOUs, Korean companies will be able to actively participate in Egypt's large-scale infrastructure development projects such as the construction of canals, subways and railroads. The presidential office said that the MOUs could help the companies pave the way for entering the fast-growing North African country. Egypt has been expanding its infrastructure development projects since the launch of its new government in May 2014, which included the construction of the New Suez Canal through August 2014 to July 2015 to expand the capacity of the existing Suez Canal. During the summit, the two heads of state also agreed to enhance their economic ties in areas such as the bio-energy industry, and seek to extend trade volume between the two nations by increasing Korean companies' investment into Egypt. The bilateral trade volume reached $2.4 billion last year. The Egyptian President arrived in Korea, Wednesday, for a three-day visit that also includes talks with Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn and local business leaders. This is the first visit by an Egyptian president since 1999 when former President Hosni Mubarak came to Seoul. Follow Jun Ji-hye on Twitter @TheKopJihye By Kim Bo-eun Hotel Shilla received approval from the Seoul Metropolitan Government, Thursday, to build a traditional hanok-style hotel in the capital. The city's approval came after the Samsung Group-owned luxury hotel chain's plan was rejected four times since 2012. The three story hanok-style hotel with 91 rooms will be built on a 20,864.96 square meter site of Hotel Shilla's existing property in Jangchung-dong, central Seoul. The plan was previously turned down due to its possible negative effects on the natural scenery of the Seoul Fortress Wall, and potential to increase traffic around the area. In order not to obstruct the scenery of the historical site, Hotel Shilla modified the final plan so that the hotel would be built 29.9 meters away from the wall _ up from 20.5 meters. It will redevelop the surrounding area with old-style buildings, to improve the environment as well as accessibility to the 600-year-old wall. This is expected to play a positive role for the historic wall to be enlisted as a UNESCO World Culture Heritage, city officials said. In the final submission, Hotel Shilla also included additional facilities it would build, in order to contribute to the city. These are installing lights along the Seoul Fortress Wall path as well as surveillance cameras, and an underground parking lot for buses. Earlier plans included an underground parking lot and a park. Regarding the traffic issue, the hotel modified its plan from having two entrances to one. In the original plan, the hotel was to have been a four-story building with 207 rooms on 26,470 square meters of land site. The city government also recognized that building the hanok hotel would be in line with its plan to attract 1.2 million foreign tourists. "Seoul's first Korean tradition hotel will offer a stylish, unique tourist accommodation," a city official said. By Jun Ji-hye / Graphic by Cho Sang-won North Korea fired six short-range projectiles into the East Sea, Thursday, in an apparent show of force after the United Nations' adoption of new sanctions against the regime. "North Korea fired six projectiles into the East Sea at about 10 a.m. from an area near Wonsan," the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said in a statement. "The projectiles were believed to fly about 100 to 150 kilometers." Wonsan is a major port city on the isolated state's east coast. The South Korean military is currently analyzing the nature of the projectiles. An official from the Ministry of National Defense said on condition of anonymity that they are presumed to be short-range missiles such as KN-01s, or those fired from a 300-millimeter multiple launch rocket system. "The military is maintaining a thorough readiness while monitoring and tracing movements of North Korean troops," the JCS said. This is the first time for the North to fire short-range projectiles this year. It fired three KN-01s into the East Sea, also from Wonsan, on June 14 last year. By Kim Se-jeong Fifty medical centers have disclosed their fees to prevent illegal brokerage activities and provide credible service information, as a growing number of foreign patients seek treatment here. The move is the first of its kind, in line with the central government's efforts to push plastic surgery clinics to disclose their fees for price comparisons. The Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Tourism Organization said Thursday that the information is available on www.visitmedicalkorea.com. The 50 centers, ranging from hospitals to clinics, are partners with the city government, including Asan Medical Center, Samsung Medical Center, Severance Hospital, Jaseng Hospital of Korean Medicine, Wonjin Beauty Medical Group, Oracle Clinic and Cheil General Hospital & Women's Healthcare Center. President Park Geun-hye met with her visiting Egyptian counterpart, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, on Thursday to discuss bilateral ties, Cheong Wa Dae said The meeting will be an opportunity for the two countries to expand their bilateral ties to the next level and increase cooperation on regional and global issues, the South Korean presidential office said before the meeting. Egypt's president arrived in South Korea on Wednesday for a three-day visit that also includes talks with Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn. It marks the first visit by an Egyptian president since 1999, when former President Hosni Mubarak came to Seoul. In 2014, Park met with El-Sissi in New York on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly. At the summit, Park expressed her commitment to expanding economic cooperation with Egypt. (Yonhap) A top South Korean diplomat headed to Washington on Thursday to prepare for the launch of a joint high-level committee tasked with implementing a bilateral nuclear energy partnership accord, Seoul's Foreign Ministry said. The agreement, reached last year, allows Seoul to expand its peaceful nuclear activity through research into a nascent nuclear-reprocessing technology known as "pyroprocessing." The U.S. also agreed to continue discussions on allowing South Korea to produce low-enriched uranium. The deal came after years of negotiations as some in the U.S. worried about its effect on the country's nonproliferation drive. Second Vice Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul left for Washington earlier in the day to meet with his U.S. counterpart, Deputy Secretary of Energy Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall, ministry spokesman Cho June-hyuck said in a press briefing.\ As co-chairs, Cho and Sherwood-Randall will discuss the launching of the committee ahead of its first meeting in Seoul in mid-April. During his stay, Cho also plans to meet with members of key U.S. think tanks to discuss the alliance and recent developments surrounding North Korea's nuclear weapons program. "We expect it to be a good opportunity to raise awareness of the need for strong and comprehensive sanctions on North Korea," the spokesman said. The U.N. Security Council adopted a new resolution Wednesday imposing the harshest sanctions yet on Pyongyang over its nuclear test in January and long-range rocket launch last month. Washington has also slapped separate sanctions on the communist state. (Yonhap) By Yi Whan-woo Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se did not mention Japan's sexual enslavement of Korean women before and during World War II at a U.N. conference on human rights issues in Geneva, Switzerland, Wednesday. Speaking to the 31st session of the U.N. Human Right Council (UNHRC), Yun addressed South Korea's efforts to support victims of sexual violence worldwide, but fell short of addressing Tokyo's wartime sex slavery. He then focused on North Korea's dire human rights record. Yun's stance is seen as a bid not to provoke Japan, in line with a controversial agreement signed last December between Seoul and Tokyo over former Korean sex slaves. Yun and his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida agreed not to bring up issues on Tokyo's wartime sex crimes at U.N. meetings in order to settle related issues in a "final and irrevocable" manner. This UNHRC session is the first since the deal was signed. "As a member of the council and as a champion of the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative, we will continue to contribute to such efforts on the bilateral, regional and global fronts, in order to heal the wounds of the victims and to prevent such tragedies from recurring," Yun said in his keynote speech. Critics said Yun's failure to mention the sex slave issue was the government's passive resistance on the issue, despite the agreement. Ahn Shin-kwon, who leads the House of Sharing, a shelter for surviving victims of Japan's sex slavery, asked the government not to give up addressing Tokyo's state-perpetrated sex crimes on the international stage. He said Japan recently compiled a U.N. report that did not acknowledge its involvement in the forced mobilization of women for prostitution at brothels operated by the Japanese military. "Japan is exploiting the December agreement and the government should be awake to stop being swayed by Tokyo," he said Referring to North Korea as a "human rights black hole," Yun urged the international community to bolster efforts against Pyongyang's crimes against humanity. He cited the U.N. Commission of Inquiry's report on North Korean human rights, which accused the tyrannical regime of running political prison camps where up to 220,000 people are thought to have been detained, tortured and executed. "I believe that now is the time for the international community and the U.N.'s human rights mechanisms to redouble their efforts to improve the human rights situation in North Korea," Yun said. Does this sound like anyone you know who is running for president in 2016? He is credibly credited with being actuated by lofty, unselfish patriotism. He probably does not know himself just what he wants to accomplish. The keynote of his propaganda in speaking and writing is violent anti-Semitism. His followers are nicknamed the "Hakenkreuzler." So violent are Hitler's fulminations against the Jews that a number of prominent Jewish citizens are reported to have sought safe asylums in the Bavarian highlands, easily reached by fast motor cars, whence they could hurry their women and children when forewarned of an anti-Semitic St. Bartholomew's night. But several reliable, well-informed sources confirmed the idea that Hitler's anti-Semitism was not so genuine or violent as it sounded, and that he was merely using anti-Semitic propaganda as a bait to catch masses of followers and keep them aroused, enthusiastic, and in line for the time when his organization is perfected and sufficiently powerful to be employed effectively for political purposes. A sophisticated politician credited Hitler with peculiar political cleverness for laying emphasis and over-emphasis on anti-Semitism, saying: "You can't expect the masses to understand or appreciate your finer real aims. You must feed the masses with cruder morsels and ideas like anti-Semitism. It would be politically all wrong to tell them the truth about where you really are leading them." The pair is considered a state gift from Chinese President Xi Jinping By Park Si-soo A pair of Chinese panda bears, a state gift to South Korea from Chinese President Xi Jinping, arrived in Seoul on Thursday. This was part of a research project on the endangered species conducted by the two countries. The pandas named Aibao (lovely treasure), a two-year-old female, and Lebao (pleasant treasure) a three-year-old male, flew in from the western Chinese province of Sichuan to Incheon international airport on a specially chartered flight, accompanied by vets and a handler. Transported in a special cage, the pandas received repeated health checks during the three-hour flight, said Samsung Everland, an amusement park in Gyeonggi Province that will house the pandas. By Sergei Guriev PARIS Squeezed by low oil prices and Western sanctions, Russia's fiscal position is crumbling fast, forcing the government to take increasingly drastic measures to contain the budget deficit's growth. Government spending has already been cut 8% in real terms this year, relative to 2015 large, but not nearly enough to balance the budget. Indeed, if the oil price remains in the current range of $30-35 per barrel (this year's budget assumes an average of $50), Russia's deficit will be around 6% of GDP. With a rainy day "reserve fund" of only 4.5% of GDP and scant access to international financial markets, Russia urgently needs a fiscal Plan B. The good news is that Russia's government now seems to recognize this. In January, the authorities announced additional cuts amounting to about 1% of GDP. More important, the government will try to raise another 1.5% of GDP one trillion rubles ($13 billion) by privatizing state-owned firms, including "crown jewels" such as Rosneft (Russia's largest oil company), the diamond monopoly Alrosa, and the flagship airline Aeroflot. To be sure, President Vladimir Putin has outlined some important constraints on these potential sales: the government will not sell majority stakes; the deals cannot be financed by loans from state-owned banks; and the buyers cannot be registered outside of Russia's jurisdiction. Nonetheless, this privatization plan could be an important step toward reining in excessive state ownership in Russia, where the government controls the commanding heights of the economy in energy, mining, manufacturing, electricity generation, financial services, and transportation. Russia has talked about a new round of privatization before. During his presidency, Dmitri Medvedev pledged to reverse the mid-2000s expansion of state-owned companies and privatize all "non-strategic" firms. Medvedev's successor (and predecessor) Putin reiterated these promises in 2012. On the first day of his second stint as President, Putin signed a decree "On the long-term state economic policy" that stipulated full privatization of all state assets except natural monopolies, natural resources, and defense assets before 2016. Clearly, these promises were not kept. If they had been, Russia would have earned a lot more from privatization than it will now; after all, in 2012 and 2013, asset prices were, in dollar terms, more than double their current levels. The constraints on foreign ownership and lending by state-owned banks (which dominate Russia's financial system) could drive privatization revenues even lower. Igor Sechin, the CEO of Rosneft, has declared that he would prefer delaying privatization until the oil price returns to $100 per barrel. But he is ready to follow the orders of Putin (his former KGB colleague). And Putin, who has declared privatization to be worthwhile even at lower prices (owing to implied efficiency gains), seems ready to issue the orders. Putin's insistence that the government will retain majority stakes in state-owned companies has helped in securing the cooperation of CEOs like Sechin, as it assuages incumbent managers' concern about a shake-up at the top. Of course, this approach will also weaken the privatization plan's structural impact; but even the sale of minority stakes promises to improve transparency and corporate governance. None of this is to say that revenues are not important. On the contrary, if privatization does not raise budget revenues or increase efficiency, the public is likely to deem it illegitimate. At that point, the government could rely on popular support to expropriate part or all of the new shareholders' property through nationalization, excessive taxation, or regulation. Anticipating such an outcome, the new shareholders might try to hide revenues, rather than invest in the company, further impeding efficiency gains and creating a vicious cycle of public distrust in private ownership. In fact, this expectation may already be strong enough to decrease private investors' willingness to pay high prices for minority shares (except, perhaps, if they are politically connected insiders protected from expropriation). Another feature of the economic environment that could undermine revenues is the sanctions that the United States and Europe have imposed on Russia sanctions that could be tightened if hostilities escalate. In this sense, the success of the coming round of privatization depends on Russia's re-engagement with the rest of the world. One more critical factor that could make or break Russia's privatization efforts is the strength and quality of its legal institutions. If the government implemented structural reforms that strengthened protection of property rights and the rule of law, new shareholders could expect higher returns, and thus would be willing to pay more for the assets. This would help break the vicious cycle of low asset prices and the low legitimacy of private ownership. Russia stands to gain a lot from privatization. But, without institutional reforms, this round of privatization may look similar to the one conducted in the 1990s, with excessively low prices preventing the government from solving its fiscal problems or establishing the legitimacy of private property. And, by not privatizing the majority stakes, the government may also fail to enhance economic efficiency. Sergei Guriev, a former rector of the New Economic School in Moscow, is Professor of Economics at Sciences Po and will serve as chief economist of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development later this year. Copyright belongs to Project Syndicate. China voiced opposition Wednesday to the potential deployment of the U.S. THAAD missile defense system to South Korea during a U.N. Security Council meeting held to adopt a new resolution expanding sanctions on North Korea. "China opposes the deployment of the THAAD anti-missile system on the Korean peninsula because such an action harms the strategic security interests of China and other countries of the region, goes against the goal of maintaining peace, security, and stability of the peninsula," China's U.N. ambassador, Liu Jieyi, said. THAAD's deployment "will seriously undermine the effort of the international community to seek the political solution to the question of the Korean peninsula," he said. China has expressed strong protests and complaints since South Korea and the U.S. jointly announced shortly after the North's Feb. 7 long-range missile test that they would begin official discussions on the possible placement of the THAAD system in South Korea. Both Seoul and Washington have repeatedly assured Beijing that THAAD is a purely defensive system. Last week, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry also said that the system wouldn't be necessary if North Korea were denuclearized. During Wednesday's meeting, U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power said that it is because North Korean threats that the U.S. and the South are discussing THAAD's deployment. South Korean Ambassador Oh Joon also said the system is part of defense strategies under discussion between the two countries. (Yonhap) Three American amphibious vessels and their troops arrived in South Korea on Thursday to join a combined landing exercise with South Korean forces, United States Forces Korea (USFK) said. The Japan-based Expeditionary Strike Group Seven brought its flagship, the amphibious assault vessel USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) and two other dock landing ships to South Korea, along with more than 4,000 sailors and marines, according to USFK's statement. The 41,000-ton flagship and one of the landing vessels, the USS Ashland (LSD 48), entered the southern port city of Busan while the other, the USS Germantown (LSD 42), docked in Jinhae, the southeastern port town where a large South Korean naval base is situated. The Nagasaki-based vessels are tasked with the mission of transporting Okinawa-based U.S. marine forces, helicopters, landing boats and landing vehicles to a conflict area in the event of a war. The USS Bonhomme Richard, a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship, is capable of docking a hoard of seaborne combat aircraft and choppers, allowing the U.S. Navy'is strike group to engage in operations on land and sea, as well as in the air. The visiting U.S. vessels and forces will join the biannual Ssangyong amphibious exercise with South Korea's Navy and Marine Corps in mid-March, according to the statement. The large-scale multilateral amphibious exercise is "designed to strengthen interoperability and working relationships across a wide range of military operations ranging from disaster relief to complex expeditionary operations," USFK said. (Yonhap) The following is a chronology of major events leading to the U.N. Security Council's adoption Thursday (Korea time) of a resolution imposing sanctions on North Korea over its nuclear and missile tests. -- Jan. 6: North Korea conducts its fourth nuclear test, which it claims to be of a hydrogen bomb. The U.N. Security Council issues a press statement denouncing the test and begins work on a new sanctions resolution to punish the North. -- Jan. 13: South Korea, the U.S. and Japan hold an emergency meeting of their chief nuclear envoys in Seoul. -- Feb. 2: North Korea informs the International Maritime Organization and other international agencies of its plan to launch a satellite between Feb. 8 and Feb. 25. -- Feb. 5: South Korean President Park Geun-hye speaks with Chinese President Xi Jinping by phone, asking for China's active cooperation in drawing a strong U.N. sanctions resolution. -- Feb. 7: North Korea launches the Kwangmyongsong-4 satellite from its Sohae rocket launch site. The U.N. Security Council issues a press statement denouncing the launch as a violation of past council resolutions. South Korea and the United States announce plans to begin formal talks on the possible deployment of the THAAD missile defense system in the South. South Korea will work with the United States and other countries to enforce the latest sanctions slapped against North Korea for carrying out nuclear and missile tests, a senior presidential official said Thursday. "We plan to concentrate our diplomatic efforts to ensure" that a U.N. Security Council resolution is carried out to the letter to produce its desired effect," the official told reporters. He asked not to be identified, citing policy. His comments came after the council unanimously adopted a new resolution to punish North Korea for its fourth nuclear test and long-range rocket launch. The resolution, if implemented to the fullest, is expected to deal a blow to North Korea as it would cut off the country's access to hard currency. The resolution mandates U.N. member states to inspect all cargo going in and out of North Korea. The official described the clause of the resolution as something that is "unimaginable." It also bans the North's exports of coal, iron and other mineral resources, a key source of hard currency that accounts for roughly half of the country's total exports. North Korea has already been under U.N. sanctions for its three previous nuclear tests, although these have failed to deter the communist country's nuclear ambitions. The official said China has decided that it cannot keep the situation as it is following the North's nuclear and missile tests, and this change of heart has led to the stronger U.N. sanctions. China has worked out the resolution with the U.S., a clear signal that Beijing is serious about reining in North Korea's nuclear and missile programs. China is North Korea's most important trading partner and key source of food and fuel, giving Beijing significant leverage over Pyongyang. China has long been under fire from critics that it has been reluctant to enforce tougher measures against North Korea, apparently worried that such a move will destabilize its neighbor. The presidential official said South Korea also gave an impetus to the U.N. resolution, citing its recent shutdown of the last-remaining economic project with North Korea. South Korea has shuttered a factory park that it had jointly run with North Korea in the North's border city of Gaesong, cutting off a major revenue source for North Korea. South Korea provided around 560 million dollars in cash to North Korea in total since the two sides opened the factory park in 2004. President Park Geun-hye has described the closure of the factory park as just the "beginning" of measures that South Korea and the international community will take against North Korea. (Yonhap) U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday welcomed the new Security Council resolution expanding sanctions on North Korea, saying it sent a clear message the communist nation should comply with its denuclearization obligations. "The secretary-general welcomes the adoption of today's resolution 2270 (2016) in response to the recent nuclear test and launch using ballistic missile technology by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)," Ban's office said in a statement. "Today's unanimous action by the Security Council has sent a clear message that the DPRK must return to full compliance with its international obligations. The secretary-general urges the DPRK to abide by the resolution and calls upon all member states to ensure its implementation," it said. The Security Council's "firm response" should "put an end to the cycle of provocation and lead to the resumption of dialogue," and the U.N. chief reaffirms his commitment to working with all sides to reduce tensions and achieve the verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, the statement said. Ban also reiterated the critical role of international assistance in safeguarding the lives of millions in the country, and urged Pyongyang to do more for the lives of its people. Genuine improvement in human rights is a necessary basis for long-term security and stability, it said. (Yonhap) North Korea fired six short-range projectiles into the East Sea on Thursday, apparently in anger over the United Nations' adoption of its harshest-ever resolution punishing Pyongyang for its recent nuclear and long-range rocket tests, officials said. The projectiles were fired from Wonsan, a port city along the east coast, at around 10:00 a.m. They fell into the East Sea, according to Defense Ministry spokesman Moon Sang-gyun and military officials. The ministry is investigating the launch of the missiles to uncover more details, including the type of projectiles used, the officials said. Sources say the projectiles could be 300 millimeter rockets or short range missiles. They said the projectiles flew 100 to 150 kilometers before falling into the sea. The latest launch marks the first time this year that the North fired off short-range projectiles in a show of force. The move comes just hours after the U.N. Security Council adopted the harshest-ever sanctions on North Korea in New York. Resolution 2270 requires new, mandatory inspections of all cargo going into and out of the North and bans North Korea's exports of coal, iron and other mineral resources, a key source of hard currency that accounts for nearly half of the country's total exports. "The short-range projectile launch could be followed by additional provocations," a military source said, adding that the military is on the alert for all possibilities. (Yonhap) By Yi Whan-woo The U.N. Security Council's (UNSC) new sanctions on North Korea leave major concerns about loopholes that Pyongyang may exploit to pursue its nuclear ambitions, analysts said Thursday. Winning unanimous approval from the 15-member council, Wednesday, UNSC Resolution 2270 authorizes widening the ban on international trade with North Korea in response to its recent nuclear and long-rang rocket tests in defiance of existing sanctions. However, the resolution also stresses that it should not have "adverse humanitarian consequences" for civilians, largely in line with demands from China, and to a lesser extent, Russia. Such conditions will enable North Korea to continue importing crude oil from China, export non-military items such as textiles, carry out small-scale trade at the Pyongyang-Beijing border and allow Russia to use its ice free sea port in Rajin. North Koreaflagship carrier, Air Koryo, also will be allowed to obtain jet fuel overseas. "North Korea will try to drive a truck through any loophole they find," U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Samantha Power told the Associated Press. Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies, agreed. "The new UNSC resolution is not aimed at choking North Korea to death. China apparently wanted to leave space for the repressive regime to breathe and survive," he said. He cited that China excluded the ban on its export of crude oil to North Korea in the original text of the UNSC resolution it jointly drafted with the United States. Suh, who has performed about 1,700 liver transplants, is one of Korea's best and most prolific liver transplant surgeons, whose reputation reaches far beyond the nation's borders. /Korea Times Renowned liver transplant surgeon to establish national standards By Jung Min-ho, Kim Eil-chul When it comes to liver transplantation, Korea has some of the world's finest hospitals such as Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH), which has a near-perfect success rate over the past decade. The next step the country should take is to promote "Medical Korea" as a brand by establishing national quality standards for liver transplantation and beyond, Professor Suh Kyung-suk at SNUH said. "I'm planning to create a system for quality control so that patients can get standardized, quality-approved medical services anywhere they go," Suh, 56, said in an interview. "A stable system will save more lives and make foreign patients trust the nation's medical services as a whole." The world's renowned liver transplant surgeon has already systemized treatment procedures in his field at SNUH and has shared his know-how with surgeons at other hospitals for years. Thanks to his efforts, the average success rate of liver transplantation in Korea today is about 96 percent, among the highest in the world. Suh believes other medical fields can also make such improvements and he wants to play a leading role in that goal after he starts his two-year term as the chairman of the board at the Korean Surgical Society in November. "From surgical procedures to ethics, there are many things in which doctors need to be educated. I want to set up a more solid, comprehensive system for better treatment," he said. "Korea is known as one of the best countries for liver transplantation today. However, accidents could occur and ruin it all. We need to minimize the risks by having such a system." Along with Lee Sung-gyu at Asan Medical Center, Suh is one of Korea's best and most prolific liver transplant surgeons, whose reputation reaches far beyond the nation's borders. Since his first surgery in 1988, Suh has performed about 1,700 liver transplants, using liver mainly from living donors, not from brain-dead ones. The five-year survival rate of liver transplant recipients at SNUH is 83 percent, far higher than the U.S. average of 75 percent. Also, despite the large number of liver transplant cases that the surgeon has performed, none of his living donors have died or suffered from serious complications as a result of the operation. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, two out of every 1,000 liver donors die in the country as a result of the surgery. "No hesitation, better conditions of patients (compared to those in the past) and proper division of labor are the secrets of our team's good performance," Suh said. In the operating room, his team members know exactly what they are supposed to do: Suh's job is to remove part of the donor's liver and to transplant it in the recipient, and each member does his or her part, such as removing the damaged liver and reconnecting arteries of the recipient. "The division of labor also reduced the operation time to five to six hours, which is much shorter than in most other major hospitals overseas," he said. Safety is the most important aspect in each of his operations, but it isn't the only important aspect. "Because the number of organ donors is never enough for the demand, in Korea, it usually is a family member who gives his or her liver to the patient," he said. "They are good people, and it is hard for me to leave big scars on their bodies. So I started to think about possible ways to minimize the scars." Ultimately, dialogue must accompany sanctions The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has unanimously approved its toughest-ever sanctions on North Korea in response to the reclusive state's recent nuclear and rocket tests. The United States and China, Pyongyang's sole ally, spent seven weeks negotiating the sanctions. The punitive measures are harsher than ever. Among other things, all U.N. members are required to inspect all cargo to and from the North at all airports and seaports. The resolution bans exports of coal, iron and iron ore and other minerals to North Korea and tightens an arms embargo by banning sales of small arms. In the financial and banking sectors, countries must freeze the assets of companies and other entities linked to the North's nuclear and missile programs. The resolution also added 16 individuals and 12 entities to the sanctions blacklist, including North Korea's National Aerospace Development Administration and the Reconnaissance General Bureau, its intelligence agency. Luxury watches and recreational watercraft are banned from being sold to North Korea in what appears to be a move targeting Pyongyang's elites. No matter how tough the resolution is, however, one cannot expect the isolationist regime in Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons ambition obediently. As if to demonstrate its strong determination to continue its weapons of mass destruction program, North Korea fired six short-range missiles into the East Sea Thursday, hours after the Security Council passed the resolution. North Korea said Tuesday that it will boycott the U.N. Human Rights Council session and will not be bound by any resolutions that singles out the country for censure. North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Su-yong claimed that the council meeting has been politically contaminated and members are applying double standards. He said in a speech in Geneva that because Pyongyang possesses a powerful nuclear and military deterrent, the United States and others had no other choice but to make an issue out of the country's human rights record. Ri said the DPRK will respond resolutely to any person or country that uses human rights as a political tool. The DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the North's official name. The official then pointed out that on average 13,000 people die each year in the United States because of that country's lax gun control rules, while countless number of refugees drowned or suffocated while trying to enter Europe. He added that Japan murdered millions during World War II. He said that evidence against the DPRK's human rights abuses came from some defectors and argued these people were either bought with money or kidnapped. The minister said that money used to purchase these people came from the United States, Japan and South Korea. The official, meanwhile, did not mention ongoing efforts by the United Nations Security Council to pass a new resolution condemning its fourth nuclear weapons test and the launching of a long-range rocket. (Yonhap) South Korea's Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se on Wednesday lashed out at North Korea for having conducted a series of nuclear and missile tests over the last decade, calling the communist regime a "serial offender." Speaking at the Conference on Disarmament (CD) in Geneva, Switzerland, Yun said that it is "no wonder" that the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) would soon adopt a resolution with the "strongest-ever" non-military sanctions in seven decades of the U.N.'s history for the North's recent provocations. "This (the upcoming adoption of the resolution) is a clear manifestation of the resolve of the international community to punish North Korea's provocations once and for all," the top diplomat said during his keynote speech. His remarks came as the UNSC was widely expected to adopt a fresh resolution of sanctions for Pyongyang's Jan. 6 fusion bomb test and Feb. 7 long-range rocket launch. The North conducted both tests in breach of UNSC resolutions banning nuclear and missile experiments. Since 2006, the UNSC has adopted a total of four resolutions for three underground nuclear tests in 2006, 2009 and 2013 and a long-range rocket test in 2012. Touching on the North's persistent provocations and violations of international norms and rules, Yun pointed out that some U.N. member states have raised the issue of the North's qualifications as a "peace-loving" U.N. member. Portraying the North's nuclear program as a "direct challenge" to the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, a major achievement of the CD, Yun called for putting the North Korean issue atop the agenda for the ministerial-level meeting of the CTBT slated for June. He also stressed that the new UNSC resolution, if adopted, should be implemented "without delay, without exception and without condition" so that the international community can achieve the North's complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization. In a separate speech at a high-level session of the U.N. Human Rights Council, Yun upbraided the North for its woeful human rights situation. He called the North a human rights "black hole," urging it to stop all abuses. Underscoring the "cruel nature" of the isolated regime, Yun said that many North Koreans are risking their lives in search of "freedom and human dignity." He also accused Pyongyang of diverting scarce economic resources for the development of weapons of mass destruction and other military purposes. Yun arrived in Geneva on Tuesday for a three-day visit. (Yonhap) The U.N. Security Council adopted the harshest-ever sanctions on North Korea on Wednesday, punishing Pyongyang for its defiant nuclear and missile tests and seeking to put curbs on the weapons programs through what could amount to a land, sea and air blockade designed to dry up key revenue sources. The 15-member council unanimously adopted Resolution 2270, significantly tightening the screws on the communist nation that sparked global outrage with its fourth nuclear test on Jan. 6 and its long-range missile launch on Feb. 7 in violation of U.N. bans. The new sanctions, the toughest ever to be imposed on Pyongyang, require mandatory inspection of all cargo going in and out of the North, regardless of whether by land, sea or air, while banning its exports of coal, iron and other mineral resources, a key source of hard currency that accounts for nearly half of the country's total exports. It also prohibits all small arms and other conventional weapons from being sold to the North, bans jet and rocket fuel supplies to the country, grounds North Korean flights suspected of carrying contraband and denies vessels carrying illicit items access to ports. The resolution blacklisted 16 North Korean individuals and 12 entities, including the General Reconnaissance Bureau in charge of espionage operations, and requires the expulsion of North Korean diplomats engaged in activities banned under Security Council resolutions. It is the fifth Security Council resolution imposing sanctions on the North. The previous resolutions were adopted after the North's first nuclear test in 2006, its second nuclear test in 2009, its long-range rocket launch in late 2012 and its third nuclear test in early 2013. U.S. President Barack Obama welcomed the resolution. "This resolution levies strong new sanctions aimed at halting Pyongyang's efforts to advance its weapons of mass destruction programs," Obama said in a statement. "I have consistently said that the DPRK would face consequences for its actions, and I welcome this resolution as a firm, united, and appropriate response by the international community to the DPRK's recent provocations that flagrantly violated multiple Security Council resolutions." Through the resolution, the international community sent "a simple message: North Korea must abandon these dangerous programs and choose a better path for its people," Obama said. South Korea said the resolution is "an expression of the international community's stern will that the North's habitual nuclear tests and missile launches will no longer be tolerated." "We will further strengthen international cooperation so that North Korea will abandon its nuclear program in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner," Vice Foreign Minister Lim Sung-nam said in a statement. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also welcomed the new sanctions as said saying it sent a clear message the communist nation should comply with its denuclearization obligations. "Today's unanimous action by the Security Council has sent a clear message that the DPRK must return to full compliance with its international obligations. The secretary-general urges the DPRK to abide by the resolution and calls upon all member states to ensure its implementation," it said. European Union foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini said the EU will "swiftly transpose this resolution into EU law." Britain and Germany also issued similar statements welcoming the resolution. Shortly after the resolution's adoption, the U.S. announced unilateral sanctions on the North, blacklisting 11 individuals and five entities for their alleged roles in nuclear and weapons proliferation, including Pyongyang's all-powerful National Defense Commission. The list also included Hwang Pyong-so, director of the general political bureau of the Korean People's Army (KPA), who is considered one of the closest aides to leader Kim Jong-un; Defense Minister Pak Yong-sik, and Ri Yong-mu, a vice chairman of the defense commission. Tuesday's resolution came 56 days after the North's nuclear test. After the test, the Security Council pledged to adopt significant sanctions, but follow-up negotiations between the United States and China made slow headway as Beijing balked at imposing harsh measures on Pyongyang. China is the main provider of food and fuel aid to the impoverished North, but fears that pushing Pyongyang too hard could lead to its collapse, instability on its border and the ultimate emergence of a pro-U.S. nation right at its door step. Amid the deadlock, the North flouted the Security Council again with the missile launch that succeeded in putting a satellite into orbit, once again demonstrating it is moving closer to developing nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missiles. The launch got the stalled negotiations moving again, and China and the U.S. reached a final agreement on a draft resolution last week. The text was then circulated among the other countries of the 15-member council and was adopted with some minor modifications at Russia's request. Experts said there is no question that the resolution, if stringently enforced, would hit the regime of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un hard. But the key to its implementation lies with China, which accounts for nearly 90 percent of North Korea's total trade and provides the impoverished nation with an economic lifeline, they said. So far, U.N. Security Council resolutions have been unsuccessful in preventing the North from advancing its nuclear and missile programs, even though they could have slowed the programs' progress, due in large part to China's reluctance to press Pyongyang. Undeterred by U.N. sanctions, Pyongyang kept forging ahead to a point where it claimed the January test involved a hydrogen bomb, a much more powerful and sophisticated nuclear weapon than conventional atomic bombs, even though the U.S. say its analysis is not consistent with Pyongyang's claims. "We've got to be honest that, while previous multilateral efforts, including the four previous sanctions resolutions adopted by this Council, have undoubtedly made it more difficult for North Korea to advance its weapons programs, the regime continues to plow ahead, as it demonstrated the last two months," U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Samantha Power said during the council meeting. "That is why the resolution we have just adopted is so much tougher than any prior North Korea resolution, and why it goes further than any sanctions regime in two decades," she said. Analysts have warned that it is only a matter of time until the North develops nuclear-tipped missiles. Some experts have recently warned that the communist nation's nuclear arsenal could expand to as many as 100 bombs by 2020. The six-party talks aimed at resolving the North Korean standoff have been stalled since late 2008. North Korea demands the unconditional resumption of negotiations, while the U.S. says that Pyongyang must first take concrete steps demonstrating its denuclearization commitments. (Yonhap) The United States imposed unilateral sanctions on North Korea after the adoption of a new U.N. sanctions resolution on the communist nation on Wednesday, blacklisting Pyongyang's all-powerful National Defense Commission and top aides to leader Kim Jong-un. The commission was among 11 individuals and five entities that have been added to the U.S. sanctions list. The four other entities are the Academy of National Defense Science, the Ministry of Atomic Energy Industry, the National Aerospace Development Administration and the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea, according to the Treasury Department and the State Department. The individuals include Hwang Pyong-so, director of the general political bureau of the Korean People's Army (KPA), who is considered one of the closest aides to leader Kim; Defense Minister Pak Yong-sik, and Ri Yong-mu, a vice chairman of the defense commission. The department also changed the personal information of O Kuk-ryol, also a vice chairman of the commission, who has already been on the sanctions list. "Today the United Nations Security Council approved a historic resolution which included key designations against North Korea, and the United States issued sanctions also targeting supporters of this repressive regime," Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew said in a statement. "Together, these actions reflect a strong and unified response to North Korea's provocative, destabilizing, and dangerous activities," he said. "Our coordinated efforts send a clear message: the global community will not tolerate North Korea's illicit nuclear and ballistic missile activities, and there will be serious consequences until it modifies its reckless behavior." The full list of newly blacklisted individuals and entities is as follows: Individuals - Choe Chun-sik, Second Academy of Natural Sciences - Hwang Pyong-so, vice chairman of the National Defense Commission - Hyon Gwang-il, department director of the National Aerospace Development Administration - Kang Mun-kil, Namchongang Trading Corp. - Kim Song-chol, Korea Mining Development Trading Corp. - Pak Chun-il, North Korean ambassador to Egypt - Park Yong-sik, member of the Workers' Party of Korea Central Military Commission. - Ri Man-gon, director handling munitions in the ruling Workers' Party of Korea. - Ri Yong-mu, vice chairman of the National Defense Commission - Son Jong-hyok, Korea Mining Development Trading Corporation - Yu Chol-u, National Aerospace Development Administration Entities - Academy of National Defense Science - Ministry of Atomic Energy Industry - National Aerospace Development Administration - National Defense Commission - Workers' Party of Korea Central Military Commission By Yoon Sung-won Samsung Electronics, the world's top memory chip maker, unveiled a new server solid-state drive (SSD) with a 15.36-terabyte (TB) storage capacity, Thursday. The company said it plans to continue to push into the SSD market, replacing conventional hard-disk drives that require heavy maintenance costs. "We are doing our utmost to meet the global server operators' request for the supply expansion of super high-capacity SSDs," Samsung Electronics' memory business division Senior Vice President Lee Jung-bae said in a statement. "We will continue to lead the growth in the global premium memory market by preemptively releasing next-generation SSDs based on our three-dimensional memory technology." Samsung Electronic said the new product, dubbed "serial attached small computer system interface (SAS) SSD," has a storage capacity four times larger than existing ones. SAS refers to a system interface used for servers and storages that allow the production of SSDs which work twice as fast as ones designed with the serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) technology for personal computers. The demand for SAS SSDs has continued to expand in the enterprise market. The 15.36TB SAS SSD has the third-generation 256-gigabyte VNAND, a dedicated controller and firmware technology which has four times the capacity of second-generation VNAND technology. It also has up to 10 times more durability than standard SATA SSDs with 10-nano 128-gigabyte VNAND technology. Samsung Electronics said the new product will provide double efficiency both in performance and capacity when enterprise clients build a storage system compared to the conventional 2.5-inch SATA SSDs. The company said it will start mass-producing the new SSDs next month and will began manufacturing smaller ones with 7.68TB, 3.85TB, 1.92TB, 960-gigabyte and 480-gigabyte storages later. By Yoon Sung-won Telecom companies have cut down the prices of handsets to dispose of inventory before new smartphones from Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics are launched. SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus said Thursday they have reduced the price of the Nexus 5X, the latest Google reference smartphone manufactured by LG Electronics, to 379,500 won ($327.27). The same model was priced at between 475,200 won and 508,200 won before the price cut. Adding to the price cut, KT introduced on Tuesday a 330,000 won subsidy for those who purchase the Nexus 5X with a data subscription plan priced 29,900 won or higher per month. This is the maximum subsidy that is allowed under the Telecom Act. With the extra subsidy following a subscription contract, customers can buy a Nexus 5X, which was launched here just four months ago, without paying for the device. "The Nexus 5X is drawing a very favorable response in sales," an official at KT said. "The handset is almost out of stock in several outlets but it is still available as we work to secure our inventory level." SK Telecom and LG Uplus have set around 110,000 won in subsidies for the subscribers of the monthly plan priced at a similar level. The telecom companies have already cut the prices of the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, as the popularity of the two models may drop once Samsung Electronics rolls out the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge. The company plans to launch the S7 series on March 11 and LG Electronics will roll out the G5 later this month or early next month. All three mobile carriers have provided the maximum subsidies to the S6 Edge for more than a month already. They are also selling budget smartphones such as Samsung Electronics' Galaxy Alpha, LG Electronics' Class and Huawei's Y6, almost for free. Expectations are that the telecom companies may expand the price cuts to a wider range of handsets aiming at reducing stocks before the launch of the new smartphones. "Almost 20 smartphones will be available for free this month," a telecom industry source said. "This will mean wider options with cheap prices for those not seeking the latest smartphones with the best hardware specifications possible." TriBeluga President Lili Luo speaks during a press conference at the Lotte Hotel in central Seoul, Thursday. The incubator helps Korean startups do business in China. / Courtesy of TriBeluga By Lee Min-hyung TriBeluga will play a central role in strengthening the economic partnership between Korea and China, the startup incubator said Thursday. "Korea has been one of the three hardware dominators in the world, along with China and India," TriBeluga President Lili Luo said at a press conference in Lotte Hotel, central Seoul, Thursday. "However, due to the complex situation in India, such as their infrastructure, their understanding of China cannot be compared to Korea," she said. "Both countries can grow together for the future of humanity." At the press conference, she introduced two Korean startups that are gaining traction in the Chinese market. They include n.thing, a smart farming service, and Vtouch, which offers gesture control services. In particular, Vtouch helps people operate devices by simply tracking their eyes and fingers with a 3D camera. TriBeluga arrived in Seoul in October 2014, helping Korean startups focusing on health, the environment and education expand into China and the United States. The company chief explained that the three areas are needed most in China at the moment. "Our so-called H.E.E. areas are what Chinese need to focus on," she said. "We have a long-term plan to deliver useful, friendly and green products into Chinese people's hands." Toward that end, she pledged to spare no efforts extending partnerships and support to those startups to expand their foothold in the Chinese market. The startup incubator offers Korean startups not just information about the Chinese market, but also a wider range of support including intellectual property protection. EXID members Hani (Ahn Hee Yeon) and Heo Solji have made their comeback as a duet. On Thursday, March 3, the music video for their single titled "Only One" was uploaded on EXID's official YouTube channel. "Only One" is a mid-tempo ballad with a piano melody about a woman who misses her boyfriend. The song was composed by Shinsadong Tiger and SleepWell, and its lyrics were written by EXID rapper LE. Many fans who viewed the music video reacted strongly. "Ahh Hani's voice," wrote YouTube viewer Mary Jung in the comment's section of the video. "Even though I don't understand what they are saying, I cried a lot. Oh my, why my heart is broken? This is so sad." Hani and Solji's debut as sub-unit was in February 2013 with release of "Goodbye." An honest essay has numerous characteristics: original thinking, a good structure, balanced arguments, and plenty more. But one aspect often overlooked is that an honest essay should be interesting. It should spark the readers curiosity, keep them absorbed, make them want to stay reading and learn more. An uneventful article risks losing the readers attention; whether or not the points you create are excellent, a flat style, or poor handling of a dry subject material can undermine the positive aspects of the essay. The matter is that a lot of students think that essays should be like this: they believe that a flat, dry style is suited to the needs of educational writing and dont even consider that the teacher reading their essay wants to search out the essay interesting. You might want to have online essay editor service to boost your confidence in writing with an error-free output. Academic writing doesnt need to be and shouldnt be bland. The excellent news is that there is much stuff you can do to create your essay more attractive, while youll be able only to do such a lot while remaining within the formal confines of educational writing. Lets study what theyre. Have an interest in what youre writing about Dont go overboard, but youll be able to let your passion for your subject show. If theres one thing bound to inject interest into your writing, its being fascinated by what youre writing about. Passion for a subject matter comes across naturally in your essay, typically making it more lively and fascinating and infusing an infectious enthusiasm into your words within the same way that its easy to talk knowledgeably to someone about something you discover fascinating. Include fascinating details Another factor that may make an essay boring maybe a dry material. Some topic areas are naturally dry, and it falls to you to form the article more interesting through your written style and by trying to seek out fascinating snippets of knowledge to incorporate, which will liven it up a small amount and make the data easier to relate to. A way of doing this with a dry subject is to create what youre talking about that seems relevant to the critical world, as this is often easier for the reader to relate to. Emulate the fashion of writers you discover interesting When you read lots, you subconsciously start emulating the fashion of the writers you have read. Reading benefits you a lot, as this exposes you to a spread of designs, and youll start to require the characteristics of these you discover interesting to read. Borrow some creative writing techniques Theres a limit to the quantity of actual story-telling youll do when youre writing an essay; in the end, essays should be objective, factual and balanced, which doesnt, initially glance, feel considerably like story-telling. However, youll apply a number of the principles of story-telling to create your writing more interesting. consider your own opinion Take the time to figure out what its that you think instead of regurgitating the opinions of others. Cut the waffle Rambling on and on is dull and almost bound to lose the interest of your reader. Youre in danger of waffling if youre not completely clear about what you wish to mention or havent thought carefully about how youre visiting structure your argument. Doing all your research correctly and writing an essay plan before you begin will help prevent this problem. Editing is a vital part of the essay-writing process, so edit the waffle once youve done a primary draft. Read through your essay objectively and eliminate the bits that arent relevant to the argument or labor the purpose. employing a thesaurus isnt always a decent thing Avoid using unfamiliar words in an essay; theres too great a likelihood that youre misusing them. You may think that employing a thesaurus to seek out more complicated words will make your writing more exciting or sound more academic, but using overly high-brow language can have the incorrect effect. Avoid repetitive phrasing Please avoid using the identical phrase structure again and again: its a recipe for dullness! Instead, use a variety of syntax that demonstrates your writing capabilities and makes your writing more interesting. Mix simple, compound, and complicated sentences to avoid your paper becoming predictable. Use some figurative language Using analogies with nature can often make concepts more accessible for readers to know. As weve already seen, its easy to finish up rambling when youre explaining complex concepts mainly after you dont know it yourself. One way of forcing yourself to think about a couple of pictures, present it more simply and engagingly is to form figurative language. This implies explaining something by comparing it with something else, as in an analogy. Employ rhetorical questions Anticipate the questions your reader might ask. One of the ways ancient orators held the eye of their audiences and increased the dramatic effect of their speeches was by using the statement. A decent place to use a statement is at the top of a paragraph, to steer into the following one, or at the start of a replacement section to introduce a brand new area for exploration. Proofread Finally, you may write the top interesting essay an instructor has ever read. Still, youll undermine your good work if its plagued by errors, which distract the reader from the particular content and can probably annoy them. Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera gave an Address on "Advancing Reconciliation and Democracy" at a leading think-tank, the US Institute of Peace in Washington DC, on 25 February 2016. The event was jointly hosted by the Heritage Foundation. Address by Hon. Mangala Samaraweera, MP Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka US Institute of Peace, Washington DC. 25 February 2016 Advancing Reconciliation and Development in Sri Lanka Last February, soon after the election of President Maithripala Sirisena at the Presidential Election held on 8 January 2015, I stood before a similar audience in this great city and outlined our plans and our vision for Sri Lanka. It has been just a year. But, looking back, it seems as if several years have passed since then. A year on, much has happened and much has been achieved. The relationship between our two countries alone has experienced a veritable renaissance since the visit of Assistant Secretary Biswal in early February 2015 weeks after the Presidential elections and after my visit to Washington exactly a year ago. In such a short period of time, our relations have been strengthened to unprecedented heights. In fact, although our countries have maintained cordial ties since Independence, we can be proud that this cordiality has now blossomed into a very special friendship. In addition to Assistant Secretary Biswalss four visits this year, we have had the honour of hosting a number of very senior US leaders this year. May 2015 saw Secretary Kerry visit Colombo, the first official visit by a US Secretary of State in over four decades. His visit was followed by a visit by Ambassador Samantha Power. Her visit in November, marked by her trademark style of interacting actively and freely with all whom she encountered, infused US Sri Lanka relations with renewed energy. Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Rights and Labour, Tom Malinowski, also visited us and has remained consistently engaged with our progress. Finally, Ambassador Thomas Shannons visit in December saw us firm up the details of the Partnership Dialogue between our two countries which is what brings me back to this wonderful city for its inaugural meeting tomorrow. My topic today is Advancing Reconciliation and Development in Sri Lanka. I will not attempt to list the many steps that have been undertaken to foster reconciliation, strengthen good governance, the rule of law, accountability and human rights since January 2015. This audience is an informed audience and I am sure you all follow Sri Lanka with a keen eye. Therefore, I will try to focus more on the specific topic. Ladies and Gentlemen, 'Reconciliation and Development', as you would agree, are intertwined. It is difficult, almost impossible, to have one without the other. At the time we gained Independence, in February 1948, Sri Lanka, then Ceylon, was in a unique position among the countries in the developing world as she had experience of representative government and development indicators that were unparalleled in the developing word. In fact, An editorial published in London on the day of Sri Lankas independence predicted that in a short space of time Ceylon would become the Switzerland of the East. The different communities in the country showed promise of being able to live and work towards common national goals in peace, harmony and unity. They had worked together in the past, to gain independence from the British despite the fact that they followed different faiths, spoke different languages and followed different customs. However, what followed is something that the world knows only too well. We made mistakes which saw our country plunge into torment and conflict for well over three decades. The failure to manage such justifiable grievances led to conflict and violence. Sri Lankas post-independence leadership was unable to terms with her diversity as a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, multi-religious and multi-lingual country. As a result these grievances were transformed into inter-communal resentment and feelings of discrimination and unfair treatment. Our post-Independence leaders, who were acutely aware of the diverse character of our island, sadly faltered at decisive moments and failed to stand up to extremists. As a result, unmet grievances led to violence and ultimately created the conditions necessary for terrorism, which then transformed into a brutal war. By the time the war ended there were serious allegations of violations of human rights and war crimes hurled against both parties to the conflict and Sri Lanka was facing virtual isolation internationally. Nonetheless, there was a collective sigh of relief across the entire country too and many hoped that it would be the beginning of a new era of democracy and reconciliation in Sri Lanka. An unprecedented window of opportunity to win the hearts and minds of the suffering people of the North and East suddenly opened. However, that was not to be. The Rajapaksa regime, emboldened by their military victory over the LTTE, went on a rampage of triumphalism alienating the Tamil people even further. Instead of using the good will generated in the war victory for healing, that historic opportunity was cruelly squandered to further the dynastic ambitions of the ruling family at the time and establish a one-party state. However, the victory of President Sirisena in 2015 and the victory of the United National Front for Good Governance at the Parliamentary Election in August last year enabled the formation of a National Unity Government, unexpectedly heralding a new era for Sri Lanka. Traditional rivals in Sri Lankan politics the United National Party (UNP) and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) came together to form a grand coalition for the first time since Independence, heralding a new culture of consensual politics with the determination to create much needed political and policy stability. One has to only look at Sri Lankas modern history with its countless missed opportunities to realise that what held us back, what plunged us into cycles of conflict, and what prevented the many attempts of saving our nation from such adversity was the nature of adversarial politics that was followed in the past. Whenever one side tried to find a solution, the other side got in the way. Today, for the first time in our countrys history, under President Sirisena and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe, this myopia that plagued our nation since independence has been set aside: the temptation of political parties to follow a path of confrontation in order to achieve short-term political gains over the long-term interests of the people is now over. We also have in our Leader of Opposition, the Hon. R. Sampanthan, a wise, committed and respected politician with the resolve to work together to ensure that we do not let our country lose yet another opportunity. Fortunately, today, with the demise of the LTTE, no one in our country believes that violence is a solution to our problems. The desire for peace, the desire to ensure non-recurrence is clear. The people of our country, in every walk of life, the rich and the poor, those living in the North, South, East, West and Centre, desperately want peace to last. They have all suffered too much bloodshed and unimaginable agony. The National Unity Government therefore, is focused on fostering a national consensus around the never again principle which everyone in our country relates to. The National Unity Government has not wasted any time in making the fullest use of this historic opportunity. In September last year, the Government made a commitment in the form of co-sponsoring a resolution at the Human Rights Council in Geneva to strengthen good governance, foster reconciliation, promote human rights, establish accountability under the rule of law and ensure non-recurrence. Our government is totally committed to the successful implementation of this resolution, not because of any desire to appease international opinion, but because of our conviction that Sri Lanka must come to terms the past in order to forge ahead and secure the future the Sri Lankan people truly deserve. As President Sirisena said in his Indpendence Day message on the 4th of February this year, It is now time for us to seize the current opportunity that is before us to implement the provisions of the Resolution, not because of international pressure, but because, as a nation, we must implement these provisions for the sake of restoring the dignity of our nation, our people, and our military, in order for Sri Lanka to regain her due position as a strong democracy among the community of nations. In that resolution we outlined a four-pillared strategy based on the principles of truth-seeking, accountability, reparations and non-recurrence. This strategy resulted in a commitment to form a Commission for Truth, Reconciliation, Justice and Non-recurrence; an Office on Missing Persons; a Judicial Mechanism; and an Office for Reparations which will be set up by Statute. We also said that the design of mechanisms will be preceded by a process of Consultations involving all stakeholders, including victims on all sides, which will inform the design of the mechanisms. A Consultation Task Force consisting of 11 eminent public figures has been appointed by the Government to carry out the public consultations. The Task Force is currently working on consulting experts in finalizing the questions for the process and will be appointing Provincial and District Task Forces to conduct face-to-face consultations. In the meantime, with the assistance of the UN Peacebuilding Fund, the Office of National Unity and Reconciliation (ONUR) and the Ministry of Resettlement are carrying out reconciliation related projects including programmes aimed at creating understanding among communities, psychosocial and livelihood support. Another important and essential component to ensure non-recurrence, we said, is the introduction of a new Constitution a Constitution that guarantees, among other democratic reforms, the rights of minorities. This process is vital for our countrys future. On the first anniversary of President Sirisenas election, on the 9th of January this year, a Special Session of Parliament was convened where a Resolution was tabled to enable the Parliament to sit as a Constitutional Assembly for the purpose of adopting a new Constitution. Public Consultations on the drafting of the Constitution are currently underway. Addressing Parliament on the 9th of January, the President urged all Members of Parliament to extend their support to the adoption of a new Constitution, and to those who argued that the Executive Presidency should be retained because that was the only means by which Sri Lanka was able to combat terrorism successfully, he responded Sri Lanka rather than continuing with the Executive Presidency anticipating a war in future Sri Lanka should to complete the reforms that are necessary to ensure that war and violence will never occur again. The Governments resolve to secure reconciliation, win the peace and ensure reoccurrence is firm. But in order to win the peace, development and rising living standards for each and every Sri Lankan are a sine qua non. All good intentions and political will not succeed unless all stakeholders feel that their development is being cared for and their lives are improving. Therefore, winning the peace is just as much about jobs, education, healthcare and infrastructure for all Sri Lankans as it is about political reforms. The peace dividend must be felt in economic terms by all sections of Sri Lankan society; the peace dividend for the unemployed youth must be greater and better job opportunities, for the housewives better living standards, for the farmers a higher prices and access to markets, for the students more schools, technical colleges and universities with better-trained teachers and lecturers, for the elderly greater access to hospitals and medicine. The government of Sri Lanka has no doubt that as the necessary political and economic reforms take place, investments and trade and ultimately jobs, growth and economic development will follow. But as the relationship between peace and development is holistic and dynamic, the faster the peace dividend the greater and faster the likelihood and durability of peace. In a nutshell, the peoples purseses must feel the benefits of the reconciliation, peace and ethnic harmony. And they must feel them fast. Just as the world rallied around Sri Lanka with advice and support for our reconciliation process, at this critical time of transition it also imperative that the world rallies around us to kick-start the economy and catalyze our development journey. The government is working hard on this front too. We are putting in place the framework to sustain and accelerate Sri Lankas six percent plus growth rate, create a million jobs and improve living standards through an ambitious economic development drive. The governments economic strategy is based on attracting foreign direct investment, making Sri Lankas exports more competitive, promoting tourism and improving productivity through education and knowledge transfer. Sri Lanka is at the centre of the rapidly growing Indian Ocean region, astride the main East-West shipping route and next to one of the worlds largest markets, India. We are leveraging this unique geo-economic location to accelerate growth: negotiations are already underway to deepen our existing free trade agreement with India, which we hope to complete by the middle of this year. We plan to do the same with Pakistan with whom we also have a free trade agreement. These agreements - combined with our excellent air and sea connectivity to the sub-continent - will help cement our position as a Gateway to the sub-continent. We are also improving our market access further abroad. Due to the previous governments human rights violations we lost GSP+ concessions to the EU. Following the successful visit of the EU Working Group on Human Rights to Sri Lanka we are now finalizing our formal application for GSP+ reapplication and we hope to regain the facility by the end of the year. We are also already in discussions to sign a free trade agreement with China. The United States is our single largest export market accounting for a quarter of Sri Lankas exports. Sri Lanka has some concessionary access to the US market through the GSP facility and has also signed a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement. Upgrading these ties by signing a free trade agreement will go a long way in propelling Sri Lanka to achieving its economic and development. In addition, the Government is very seriously exploring the possibility of applying to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership. A leading government think tank is preparing a feasibility study and we will be continuously evaluating developments on this front. A concerted effort is also underway to improve the business climate domestically. Far-reaching governance reforms that are creating a rules based have structurally made investment and business more secure and certain. Sri Lanka is taking measures to increase investors ease of doing business and confidence more directly. For example, we are bringing a number of government agencies together to create a one-stop investment and trade-facilitation shop under the Agency for Development. We are reviewing our laws and regulations to create a simple rules based business environment: including those related to land ownership, as well as tariffs and para-tariffs. We have adopted policies that enable private enterprise to thrive: for example, Sri Lanka has one of the lowest income tax rates in the world at 15 percent. Together these reforms alongside our educated workforce and solid infrastructure - are making Sri Lanka the most attractive, secure and competitive investment destination in the region. As a result, during meetings with investors and businesses over the last few months, such as Prime Minister Wickremasinghes meetings at the World Economic Forum at Davos and during Presient Sirisenas state visit to Berlin and Vienna we have seen extraordinary and unprecedented interest in Sri Lanka. The interest was well beyond our own expectations and we are confident that interest will quickly materialize into tangible commitments over the coming year. Sri Lanka is also experiencing a tourism boom, with arrivals last year growing by nearly 20 percent compared to 2014, which also saw double digit growth. But we also need to rapidly improve living standards across the board, especially the most vulnerable, perhaps faster than the time-lags that inevitably accompany investment and trade led growth. At this critical time of transition demonstrating that there is a peace dividend is of fundamental importance. We are working closely with the Millennium Challenge Corporation, USAID and other US partners in this effort. We are also working closely with other bilateral and multilateral partners including the World Bank and Asian Development Bank. But we need further and faster support in poverty alleviation, urban development, infrastructure development, education particularly vocational, technical and English language training - and agricultural productivity improvements. As we in Sri Lanka strive to create a better tomorrow for all our people, we value the partnership with this great country with which we share democratic values. We look to the United States to assist us in our efforts in reconciliation and development and we are keen to work together with the US to promote peace, security, tranquility and economic and social progress, not only in Sri Lanka, but in the Indian Ocean region and beyond. Ladies and Gentlemen, our aim is to succeed for the sake of all our people, vindicating the faith reposed on us by our friends in the international community but more than anything else, to do right by the people of our nation and future generations, and secure for them the destiny that we were unable to achieve 68 years ago at Independence. I believe that the Government and people of Sri Lanka will, with the help of friends in the international community, including the United States, finally succeed in creating a country where each individual can live and work with dignity, with self-esteem and confidence in the future. Allow me to conclude by quoting from speech at the Human Rights Council in September: Therefore, I say to the sceptics: dont judge us by the broken promises, experiences and u-turns of the past. Let us design, define and create our future by our hopes and aspirations, and not be held back by the fears and prejudices of the past. Let us not be afraid to dream. Let us not be afraid to engage in meaningful dialogue aimed at finding solutions to problems as opposed to pointing fingers, heaping blame and scoring political points at the expense of future generations. The SLFP does not condone the continuation of the Emergency Regulations (The Public Security Ordinance) more than a day necessary Read more On its first day under a new publisher, though I don't know if it mattered, the Los Angeles Times editorial board used very strong rhetoric in an editorial blasting the whole Donald Trump phenomenon sweeping the Republican side of the race for president. "Donald Trump is not fit to be president of the United States," the lede says. How's that for plain spoken? Voter support for Trump is characterized as "misplaced affection for a plain-speaking cartoon character." Here's an excerpt of the editorial. The reality is that Trump has no experience whatsoever in government, interacting with the machinery of state only as a supplicant. He has shamefully little knowledge of the issues facing the country and the world, and a temperament utterly unsuited to the job. He is a racist and a bully, a demagogue. He has proposed killing the families of terrorists, a violation of international law so blatant that a former CIA director predicted that U.S. troops would refuse to carry out such an order. He mocked a disabled person at a campaign rally. He has vowed to reinstate waterboarding and forms of torture that are much worse. He intends to seize and deport 11 million people living in the U.S. illegally. He would bar all Muslims from entering the country until further notice. He would open up our libel laws so that news organizations are punished for writing critical hit pieces. He wants to build a wall along the entire Mexican border, on the fantastical premise that he could force the Mexican government to pay for it. He has threatened to start trade wars with two of the countrys biggest trading partners, Mexico and China, by slapping on the kind of protectionist tariffs that U.S. leaders have been trying for decades to eliminate worldwide. Often enough he says nothing at all, promising to replace Obamacare, for instance, with something great or assuring listeners vaguely that a winner such as himself someone who never tires of telling the world hes rich, successful and famous will make it all work out one way or another. It isn't easy to tell how much of Trump's performance is merely shtick and how much is real. The bottom line? Trump isnt the answer for frustrated voters "hes just a cynical manipulator playing on the very real frustrations of voters tired of a government that takes big, difficult problems and makes them intractable." Regardless of how you feel about the Times taking this kind of stand, this could signal the start of an interesting era around the Times' opinion pages. The paper's publisher typically oversees and shapes the slant of the editorials, but as of today the publisher, Davan Maharaj, is also the editor in chief of the paper and in charge of political news coverage. So Maharaj could be in the position of explaining editorials like this one declaring a major party's front-running candidate unsuited to be president while also directing news coverage that makes no such conclusions about Trump. Unless Maharaj, who has a vision for what the successful newspaper of the future might look like, has designs on blending the distinction between news and opinion the way that magazines and blogs do, or otherwise trying a new course. This article appears in the March 4, 2016 issue of Executive Intelligence Review. New York Times Blows the Whistle on Killer Hillary Clinton [PDF version of this article] Feb. 29Today the New York Times published a devastating documentary account of the pivotal role played by Hillary Clinton in the regime-change and assassination program carried out in 2011 against Libyan head of state Muammar Qaddafi. The detailed expose, based on interviews with more than 50 current and former Obama Administration officials and others, makes it clear that it was Hillary Clinton, above all others, who drove the Libya overthrow, and who is more responsible than anyone else for the destruction that has followed. CC/Marc Nozell If Libya has emerged as the latest beachhead for the Islamic State terrorists, blame Hillary Clinton. If Africa has become a bloody battle ground, with massive weapons spreading out from Libya all across the continent and into Syria and Iraq as well, blame Hillary Clinton. Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates quit the Obama Administration over Hillary Clintons Libya war, and he told the New York Times that it was Clinton who pushed through the decision to bomb Libya, under the fraud that it was a humanitarian intervention, rather than the regime change that was intended all along. Lyndon LaRouche told colleagues during the weekly LaRouche PAC Policy Committee dialogue this afternoon that the New York Times account presented the real picture of Hillarys role in the Libya disaster, and that role was most ugly, evil, and astonishing. It raises some obvious questions: Who is the real Hillary Clinton? This, LaRouche warned, goes to the essence of the matter: What are we being sold? The New York Times, LaRouche concluded, has presented Hillary Clinton as a sold-out person. It is clear today that she was the author of the Obama killer policies. Hillary Clinton went right from being the Presidential candidate running against Barack Obama in 2008 to being the one who did all the dirty work for Obama. Regardless of what the New York Times intended, in publishing the exhaustive account of Hillary Clintons central role in the Libya program, it has shed some critical light on what kind of disasters the world would face under a Hillary Clinton presidency. This article appears in the March 4, 2016 issue of Executive Intelligence Review. The Silk Road Can Make the Syrian Ceasefire Succeed [PDF version of this article] Feb. 24When Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization signed an agreement in 1993 to end the killing and establish self-government for the Palestinians, Lyndon LaRouche immediately said that the tractors must roll, immediately, if the plan was to succeed. The common benefit to both sides, based on Israeli industrial capacity and Palestinian skilled labor, must be launched without delay, he insisted. That did not happen, as the IMF and World Bank were put in charge to oversee the process. Twenty-Three Years Later The dramatic ceasefire in Syria agreed to by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Secretary of State John Kerry on Feb. 22 in Munich, and confirmed in a phone call from President Vladimir Putin to President Barack Obama, has the immediate potential of transforming not only Syria, not only the Mideast, but the entire world. The brilliant strategic intervention by Putin into Syria last year demonstrated that terrorists could be defeated, but also that the United States under President Obama had in fact sided with the terrorists to achieve regime change against uncooperative governments. That era of U.S. subservience to British imperial tyranny can be finishedif the ceasefire holds. As with Oslo, the ceasefire will only hold if the reconstruction and development of Syria (and the region) begins immediately. Helga Zepp-LaRouche said on Feb. 23 that the Silk Road process launched by Xi Jinping can and must be brought into the region nownot next month or next year. The development program for Southwest Asia presented in the EIR report, The New Silk Road Becomes the World Land-Bridge, provides the foundation. Xi Jinping initiated the project during his visit to Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Egypt in January. There is no time to lose. The scope of the Syria agreement is breathtaking when contrasted with the all-out effort over the past months by London, Wall Street, and the White House to demonize Putin, threatening war on Russia both in Europe and the Mideast. After the phone call between Putin and Obama, Obama issued only a brief acknowledgement of the call. Putin, on the other hand, issued a statement elucidating the details of the historic breakthrough, worked out through intensive work by Russian and American experts. The agreement establishes close cooperation between U.S. and Russian political and military officials, all under UN oversight, who will jointly establish a hot line, and a joint working group to promote and monitor the ceasefire. The full-scale war on al-Nusra and ISIS will continue unabatedwith significant levels of U.S.-Russian cooperation. John Kerrys spokesman, Mark Toner, asked on Feb. 22 what will happen to U.S.-backed opposition groups who continue fighting alongside ISIS and al-Nusra, responded: If you hang out with the wrong folks, then you make that decision. The CIA, and the White House, are not pleased. The Wall Street Journal issued a report from unnamed sources, that CIA Director John Brennan, Secretary of Defense Ash Carter, and Obamas new Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Gen. Joseph Dunford, are doing what they can to sabotage the deal, claiming that Putin will not comply, and demanding new and increased pressure on him, to cause real pain. The Economist magazine, the voice of the City of London, went berserk, writing: The only puzzle is what John Kerry, Americas secretary of state, thought he could achieve through his agreement with Mr Lavrovexcept, perhaps, to expose Russian cynicism. Clearly, leading figures within the U.S. institutions realized that if Obama were allowed to proceed, the world would be rapidly heading for thermonuclear extinction. Now, there are those who want to dump him, as well we must. What is required to consolidate these moves, is to end the power of the problem at the sourceWall Street and the British empire. Unleashing the global development process required, must begin by shutting down Wall Street and restoring a sane economic order. PRESS RELEASE Helga Zepp-LaRouche Spoke at the Raisina Dialogue in India March 2, 2016 (EIRNS)Helga Zepp-LaRouche, founder and Chairwoman of the Schiller Institute, spoke today in New Delhi at the Raisina Dialogue, co-sponsored by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs and the Observer Research Foundation. The two-day conference is described by its organizers as being "designed to explore prospects and opportunities for Asian integration as well as Asias integration with the larger world." The event hosted more than 100 speakers from over 100 countries. MODERATOR: Now we have Mrs. Helga Zepp-LaRouche to speak on the Chinese Belt and Road initiative.... You have the floor. HELGA ZEPP-LAROUCHE: Well, thank you very much. I want to thank the organizers of this very distinguished forum to give me the opportunity to speak. Because I think most people know that mankind is in one of its most severe crises, and maybe the most important crisis in all of our history. The strategic situation is described by many analysts as more dangerous than during the height of the Cold War, which was the Cuban Missile Crisis; the trans-Atlantic financial system is headed for a new crisis, worse than 2008; and the refugee crisis in Europe is really not only a tremendous humanitarian crisis, but it is about to explode the EU. Now, the question is, are we as a human civilization capable of changing wrong policies which have led to this crisis, or are we doomed to repeat the mistakes which have led, due to geopolitics, to two world wars in the 20th Century? But fortunately, we are also witnessing the emergence of a completely new paradigm. Under the leadership of the BRICS countries, a completely new set of relations among states is developing, based on mutual interest, economic cooperation, and collaboration in future-oriented, high-technology areas, such as thermonuclear fusion, the research into space, and therefore a deeper understanding of the physical principles of our universe. The Chinese New Silk Road program, One Belt, One Road, is offering the Chinese economic miracle to be repeated in every country which wants to cooperate in this win-win perspective. Already 65 states are participating in this new model of cooperation, and it is in the process of overcoming geopolitics, and with that, the source of war, potentially forever. The new agreement between U.S. Secretary of State Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov concerning a ceasefire for Syria, is potentially a game-changer for the entire strategic situation, provided that especially Russia, China, and India immediately work with the countries of Southwest Asia to implement a comprehensive build-up program, not only for the war-torn countries of Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, but for the entire region from Afghanistan to the Mediterranean, from the Caucasus to the Persian Gulf. And with the trip of President Xi Jinping to the region, to Iran, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia, the extension of the Silk Road is now on the table. The Schiller Institute published a 370-page study with the title, "The New Silk Road Becomes the World Land-Bridge," which is already available in Chinese, in Arabic, and soon in Korean, which is a blueprint for a comprehensive build-up of the whole world economy. It contains a very concrete plan for Southwest Asia. So this region, between Asia, Europe, and Africa, has a huge development potential, with great human and natural resources, and it is uniquely located. The Five Seas strategy announced in 2004 by President Assad can still be a reference point for an infrastructure net between the Mediterranean Sea, the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, the Caspian Sea, and the Black Sea, making this region potentially a prosperous hub, for the vast increases of trade between Asia, Europe, and Africa. Two major development corridors, one east-west, and another one north-south, will not only include integrated fast train systems, highways, pipelines, water projects, industries, and agriculture. With modern technologies, such as nuclear energy for the desalination of vast amounts of ocean water and the ionization of moisture in the atmosphere, we can green the desert and reconquer large areas of the desert for agriculture and human habitation. The New Silk Road, which already extends from Chongqing and Yiwu to Tehran, where the first Silk Road train arrived three weeks ago, can be extended from there via Baghdad, Amman, Aqaba, and then continue through a tunnel to Sharm el-Sheikh in the Southern Sinai to Cairo. The route crosses the Euphrates River, where ancient travel routes can be transformed into modern corridors, from the Basra port in Iraq at the Perusian Gulf, northwest to Aleppo. Existing railroads along the Euphrates in Iraq and a railroad between Aleppo in Syria and Deir ez-Zor on the Euphrates, should be modernized, and a new line from there to Baghdad connecting the main arteries of the Silk Road should be built. Again, this corridor should not just be rail, but should integrate transport, energy production, distribution, communications, and create the conditions governing the location for the development of industry and new cities. A land route to India connecting the Iranian rail network up to Zahedan on the Iran-Pakistan border, is on schedule to be completed. Other lines, for time reasons very briefly: from Deir ez-Zor to Tadmor-Palmyra to Damascus and Beirut. A north-south link from Syria to the industrial zones of the Suez Canal; a north-south railway from Damascus to Mecca and Medina; a tunnel under the Bab el Mandeb Strait from Djibouti to the Arab Peninsula, and links to Europe, the Black Sea, and Russia. India has good relations with practically all the countries of the region and has been asked already by Russia and China, to play a mediating role in such a developing perspective. As Prime Minister Modi said, 65% of the Indian population is under 35 years of age, and that is the greatest asset of the country. These youth must be not only given a vision, to help to increase the productivity of Indian agriculture through the use of power, water, fertilizer, high-variety seeds, and so forth, so that the number of working people as farmers can be halved and that land be used for a build-up of infrastructure. But the youth of India can also be inspired to take it as their own mission, to participate in the economic transformation of Southwest Asia and Africa, and in this way, be part of creating a future for all of mankind. The realization of such a development perspective, is the only way how to end the refugee crisis and revive the economies of Europe and the United States, and to develop all of Asia. [applause] Later this month, when the J. Paul Getty Museum and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art open Robert Mapplethorpe: The Perfect Medium, their joint extravaganza of an exhibition, an extraordinary transformation will finally be complete. The artist will have officially become Americas Sweetheart. What a difference a generation makes. Not so long ago, Mapplethorpe was Americas Pariah. In 1989 he was being widely, furiously condemned for including homoerotic photographs and explicit pictures of men engaged in sadomasochistic sex amid his studio-based output mainly portraiture and floral still lifes. Mapplethorpe had died in March, a casualty of the AIDS epidemic. Advertisement SIGN UP for the free Gold Standard newsletter >> Sam Wagstaff, circa 1972. (J. Paul Getty Museum / Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation) Fierce art world champions had gone to bat, organizing a retrospective at New Yorks Whitney Museum of American Art and a traveling show, Robert Mapplethorpe: The Perfect Moment, at Philadelphias Institute of Contemporary Art. But as those exhibitions opened, his sexually explicit work was dragged through the public mud as a politically powerful instrument in a fractious culture war. Conservative politicians and pundits excoriated him. Like musty Jack Webb fingering a conspirator, North Carolina Sen. Jesse Helms denounced Mapplethorpe on the Senate floor as a known homosexual. A modest grant from the National Endowment for the Arts that supported a fraction of the Philadelphia exhibitions costs became an excuse to gut the federal agency. The shows last-minute cancellation for display at the Corcoran Gallery of Art was the first domino in a cascade leading to that museums closure last year, ending a century-long run in the nations capital. Prosecutors charged the participating Contemporary Arts Center in Cincinnati and its director with promoting obscenity the nations first art museum criminal trial arising from an exhibitions contents. A jury ultimately acquitted them, but the damage was done. In a 1990 cover story for the national gay newsmagazine the Advocate, I wrote that Mapplethorpe had been made into the Willie Horton of the midterm election season. Now, a quarter-century on, two prestigious museums have teamed for a large, extravagant exhibition to explore the genesis and maturity of his 1970s and 1980s photographs. The Getty and LACMA are pulling out all the stops for what is shaping up to be the most thorough examination made of his much-discussed career. Five years ago the museums made headlines with the acquisition of 2,000 Mapplethorpe photographs, plus the artists huge archive. Reportedly valued at $38 million, it was largely a gift of the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation, based in New York, and a partial purchase with $3 million in funds from the David Geffen Foundation and the Getty Trust. Andy Warhol, 1983. Gelatin silver print. (The J. Paul Getty Trust / Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation) The move upset Mapplethorpe followers in New York, since the Queens-born artist had always lived there. But Los Angeles, a world center of photographic scholarship, clearly had the desire and capacity to care for the material. Opening March 15 at the Getty and March 20 at LACMA, the exhibition features more than 300 photographs. Some have never been shown. One book of the hefty two-volume catalog focuses on The Photographs, the other on The Archive student work, drawings and sculptures, plus 120,000 negatives, 6,000 contact sheets, letters, magazines, source material and other ephemera. The show, divided between the venues, will travel to museums as far-flung as the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts in Canada and the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, after closing in L.A. July 31. Such an outcome was unimaginable 25 years ago. The animus directed toward Mapplethorpes art and its complex homosexual frames of reference was partly simple scapegoating a fearful shriek emblematic of the eras AIDS hysteria. The incidence of the disease, then very much a medical mystery, increased rapidly through the 1980s, peaking in the early 1990s. It became a refracting lens focusing a deep vein of homophobia running through American life. The vulgar moralizing hit an astonishing low in summer 1989, when the New York Times published a 2,500-word Sunday screed by its former art critic, Hilton Kramer. He asserted that public presentation of Mapplethorpes art posed a threat to social stability. Homosexuality was OK, the argument essentially went, as long as it stayed in the closet. As the Times former columnist Sydney Schanberg once explained, the newspaper interprets the establishment to the establishment, so Mapplethorpes artistic reputation took a major hit. Nothing quite like it had been seen since the Victorian days of postal inspector Anthony Comstock, who once got the NYPD to raid George Bernard Shaws 1905 production of Mrs. Warrens Profession for focusing on prostitution. But dont expect frenzy or fainting couches now at the Getty and LACMA. Conservatives long ago lost the establishments battle in the culture war. 1989 marked the start of a major transition in Americans world view. Mapplethorpe died on March 9. Eight months later, on Nov. 9, East German leader Egon Krenz announced the opening of a crossing point between East and West Germany. The Berlin Wall came tumbling down. As the international Cold War unraveled, a domestic culture war ramped up. When the Soviet Union disappeared and the godless enemy suddenly vanished, America fabricated a profane and offensive enemy within to compensate. It couldnt last. AIDS exposed the closet, humanizing its victims. Conservatism seeks to halt social evolution and return to a way of life that is disappearing, but its inevitably a lost cause. Conservatives typically start the battles, and liberals almost always win them, explained Boston University religion professor Stephen Prothero in this newspaper not long ago. Mapplethorpes stature has changed dramatically. Dozens of books have been published on his images of flowers, portraits, the bodybuilder Lisa Lyon and the outlandish sex pictures. His biography has been chronicled and relationships charted between his photographs and everything from classical Greek and Roman sculpture to Andy Warhols Pop art. His work is enthusiastically collected by private individuals and art institutions. Last year, the once-notorious 1980-81 Man in Polyester Suit a torso of a black man wearing a gray suit and vest with his uncircumcised penis hanging out of his zipper sold at auction for more than $387,000. Timing was instrumental to the change. Coincidentally, the sesquicentennial of photographys invention also fell in 1989. The mediums history was explored in the press and scholarly publications, and celebrations took place in myriad museums. For 150 years, photography had been an artistic stepchild, its own significant internal history separate but not equal to painting, sculpture or even newer forms such as installation and Conceptual art. The sesquicentennial helped change that. So did Mapplethorpe. The sex pictures showed that photography was an inherently promiscuous art form. Self-Portrait, 1985. Gelatin silver print. (The J. Paul Getty Museum / Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation) Before cameras, man-made images mostly represented the authoritative social class that held power. Most images were made to flatter or contest their patrons tastes. Photography put an end to that. Precisely who could make and circulate pictures radically altered. The image-making door was opened to the untidy mob. Anyone, grandee or hoi polloi, could turn up in a picture. Mapplethorpes elegantly composed sex pictures made the point explicit. Faced with photographys widening challenge as the 20th century unfolded, the establishment could keep the riffraff at bay only by loudly proclaiming: Sorry, but photographs are not art. The fiction was impossible to maintain, however, as technology grew and diversified. A market for photographs emerged in the 1970s, partly led by museum curator and art historian Samuel Wagstaff, who was also Mapplethorpes lover. (The career Robert had would not have existed without Sam, says writer and raconteur Fran Lebowitz in Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures, the finely textured documentary by Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato airing April 4 on HBO.) Wagstaffs historically important collection of more than 25,000 photographs was acquired by the Getty Museum in 1984, becoming an anchor of its incomparable holdings. A selection will be on view in conjunction with the museums Mapplethorpe show. ------------ For the Record An earlier version of this article said Samuel Wagstaffs collection consisted of more than 2,500 photographs. ------------ Mapplethorpes career as a mature artist lasted barely a dozen years. It started with his initial 1977 exhibition at New Yorks Holly Solomon Gallery and ended with his death just 12 days after The Perfect Moment opened at Chicagos Museum of Contemporary Art. He was 42. Throughout those years, he made self-portraits. They play a significant role in the upcoming extravaganza. The cover of the shows photographs catalog features a remarkable self-portrait taken shortly after his 1985 AIDS diagnosis. Turning his head as the shutter was open and the exposure made, a classic 3/4 portrait blurs into a profile view. He fades away. The blurred head also recalls Renato Bertellis 1933 sculpture, Continuous Profile of Mussolini, in which the dictators head seems to spin like a top. Mapplethorpe owned a cast of it. His self-portrait shows him as he was and as the fictional monster he was made out to be. The artists greatest self-portrait is the grimmest one. Mapplethorpe, for what he knew would be his final chance to represent himself, went for visual opulence and for posterity too. The startling photograph is a platinum print, a stable and durable darkroom technique that offers the widest tonal range. Mapplethorpes head careworn face, hollowed cheeks and furrowed brow together showing the cruel physical damages of AIDS is juxtaposed with his right hand, which firmly grasps a wooden cane just below a knob carved into a human skull. Ravaged head and resolute hand float in a luxurious field of blackness. When the photo was made, Mapplethorpes health was in serious decline. Wagstaff had died, and the artist arranged to sell his landmark collection of late-19th century silver and established a foundation whose initial mandate was to further the recognition of photography as art including his own. Ambitious he was. The self-portraits two, formally different, deaths heads show how. Mapplethorpes skull-like face is gently fuzzed, slightly out of focus, as if a phantom hovering in the background. Up front, by contrast, his firm hand and carved cane are crisp and clear. The juxtaposition recalls the 19th century vogue for spirit photographs that early tricksters made, doctoring negatives to makes the dead seem to appear in the presence of the living. The artists hand supersedes his ghost in this exquisite spirit photograph. Ars longa, vita brevis if art is long and life short, he was prepared. Mapplethorpe had wrapped a fist around art, and he held it fast. christopher.knight@latimes.com Shamsia Hassani, a painter who teaches at Kabul University, is also a graffiti artist who ventures into the streets of Afghanistan to create murals. Using the walls of abandoned buildings damaged from bombs as her canvases, Hassani paints murals that often depict women in traditional clothing joyfully posing with musical instruments. Part of her mission, she says, is to beautify the city with color amid the darkness of war. Hassani, 28, met Hammer Museum curator Ali Subotnick during a visit to Los Angeles in 2014, and shortly after, Subotnick traveled to Afghanistan for the museums Afghan Carpet Project. Impressed by Hassanis work and courage, Subotnick invited the artist to a two-month residency at the Hammer, which Hassani is currently completing. Shes incredibly inspiring, Subotnick said. The fact that shes a woman going into the streets to paint, where its dangerous just to walk alone outdoors in Kabul shes so fierce and independent and strong. Shes giving women in Afghanistan a voice. During the past five weeks, Hassani has been painting in new-found freedom, in a quiet Westwood apartment where she feels safe. The experience has been liberating, she said. She finished a large mural in the West Adams neighborhood in January, and her new paintings on canvases are on view at Seyhoun Gallery on Melrose Avenue. The gallery works, like her murals, are colorful, seemingly lighthearted depictions of women in Afghan clothing, with a guitar or keyboard, surrounded by text in her native Dari language. They all share a childlike, if melancholic, edge. I call my latest body of work Birds of No Nation, Hassani said over afternoon tea in Westwood. People in my country are all the time traveling somewhere to stay safe and find a peaceful life. And we are missing a lot of our friends and family who have left the country. Usually, birds are traveling all the time; they have no nation. And I thought maybe also we have no nation because everybody has moved to different countries. It doesnt matter what country that is; the thing thats important is just feeling safe, staying alive. Art I can tell that story. Here is our conversation with the artist: As a young woman in Kabul, how did you ever get into graffiti and street art in the first place? I started doing street art in a workshop in Kabul in December 2010. Combat Communications [an arts advocacy group] organized the workshop to introduce graffiti art to Afghan artists. Before that, I had no idea. After the workshop, I got the idea that street art would be very good for our society because in Afghanistan, its much better to introduce art to people by putting it in the street, because we dont have a lot of good galleries and people are not going to exhibitions. And at the same time, I can change the view of the city by putting colors up and maybe covering bad memories of war. Everyone else in the class [didnt pursue that kind of art] after the workshop because they thought it was not a good thing to do. I was the only person who kept doing graffiti art at that time. Then, after maybe two years, some of them came back after they saw my work. They were inspired to do graffiti again. I felt it was my main work to do art for people, teaching and painting and all the time working for art at home, in indoor spaces and in the streets. How dangerous is it for a woman to paint outdoors, in public, in Kabul? Now, the situation is not good. Its very dangerous. There are bombings all the time; everywhere something might happen. Another thing is closed-minded people who dont like art and think its not a good thing specifically if girls do art and they are very sensitive. In Afghanistan, when I do street art, all the time Im scared because of the bad situation, because of facing closed-minded people who might harass me. If I was a boy, maybe Id be more OK with painting in the street. Because no one would tell me anything if I was a boy. But because Im a girl, even if I dont do art, if I just walk in the street, I will hear a lot of words. And if I do art, then they will come to harass me. Where, then and under what conditions do you paint your murals and graffiti art? I have a small studio. Its a balcony off my living room. I paint canvases and paper there. When I find everything OK, I will go outside and paint. Mostly not very public spaces, like small roads or the roads of the university some place I feel is more safe. The university will sometimes give me permission and support me. Maybe once every six months, I paint a very public space. Usually I paint on destroyed walls with no owner. I have to work fast. And those murals are not very large because its difficult to paint that fast. Sometimes the situation is not very good. I can only stay about 15 or 20 minutes, and in 20 minutes, Im not sure I can paint something of very good quality. So usually, I leave my works in the street, and they are not complete. Then, usually people take it off the walls or paint over it. If I paint indoors, I can take my time and paint more. How have you incorporated graffiti elements into your studio works? Well, I make my paintings very, very fast because thats what Im used to in the street. My work is more mural art with elements of graffiti. I use spray. And I use an acrylic brush and some stenciling. Theres lots of text in my own alphabet, Dari language. I write things like: The birds of no nation have no voice for singing, different phrases. They are all captive. They have no voice for singing; they are with no nation. Were you always an artist growing up and was that encouraged? I was born in Iran with my Afghan nationality. As I remember, all the time I tried to do art. I always had my sketchbook. My family supports my art. But when I was a kid, in Iran, I wanted to study art in school, but because of my nationality, they didnt let me. There were limitations for everything for Afghan people. We went back to Afghanistan when I was 16. I studied painting at university, and after that, I started teaching and I did my M.A. Now Im on the faculty of fine arts at Kabul University. Through Berang Arts, the contemporary arts organization you co-founded in 2009 with other Afghan artists, you helped to create the first national graffiti festival in Afghanistan. Can you tell us about that? When I started doing graffiti, people had no idea about it. And I wanted to introduce it to people somehow, and to just develop doing graffiti because I felt some kind of responsibility to share it with everybody. I conceived and organized this, and [the Netherlands-based] Prince Claus Fund helped with the budget. Mostly, the young generation came. It went on for 10 days. We did workshops, and at the end, we had an exhibition of the work. We did some [murals] outdoors as well, but not a lot because the situation was not very good and I was scared something would happen to the artists. But we did one big wall outside and some on the roof [of Berangs building] and then a lot of works on canvases inside as well. Whats it like for you to paint here in Los Angeles? I feel good; I feel safe. When I travel somewhere, people think Im so happy that Im in a country that looks beautiful and it is, but mostly Im thinking about the fact that Im safe. I dont care about the beauty of the city. Im just feeling safe, and thats the only thing that I want. To feel safe, to be happy, and that you can do your art and be free with everything. In Afghanistan, its difficult just to walk in the street at night. You will not see women in the street alone at night. But here, everybody can go outside alone. For me, freedom is to be OK with the thing that you are, who you are. Here, I can paint with a free mind. I can paint any time I want and I can finish it, if I want. Im just so thankful to the Hammer Museum and Ali Subotnick. The residency is a very good opportunity for me to experience a new artistic life. Follow me on Twitter: @debvankin MORE: Murals turn blighted L.A. alleys into an outdoor art gallery German art-world feminists stake their claim in L.A. with new Sprth Magers gallery California's fault lines, stitched by hand: One artist's tweaking of a homespun craft The very first trailer for the brand-new Ghostbuster movie has dropped. And this team certainly isnt afraid of no ghost, ectoplasm or Internet backlash. Directed by Paul Feig of Bridesmaids, the new team of Ghostbusters is made up of Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones. Yesterday Feig, Ghsotbusters, screenplay writer Katie Dippold and the original 1984 Ghostbusters director and 2016 Ghostbusters producer Ivan Reitman gathered at the Cary Grant Theater on the Sony Pictures lot to screen this trailer for fans and select members of the media. Advertisement Feig took the stage before the trailer aired in front of several rows of proton-pack wearing fans and addressed his noticeable nerves. My history with this movie goes back to opening weekend when it came out, Feig said. I was in film school at the time, in college. And my friends and I had seen the ad so opening night, we were there. Id never seen anything like it in my life. Ive [been] a comedy fan for my whole life, its all about comedy. Id never seen something like this that combined comedy with science, with the supernatural, with action. I remember thinking, Oh my God, if I could do something like that it would just be unbelievable. And then a couple years ago when I was doing Spy I got a call from Ivan Reitman, who asked if Id be interested in coming on board to do a new one. It really blew my mind. ... I have such love for this property and what I really wanted to do was just bring it to a new generation. After the trailer was screened, the fans (who were there at Sonys invitation) cheered for the trailer to be screened one more time. And the trio addressed questions. First a character breakdown, in which Feig stressed the importance of making them scientists: It was really important to us to make them scientists, Feig said. Because thats what I love about the first one, the idea that Ivan, Dan [Aykroyd] and Harold [Ramis], of funny people fighting the paranormal with science really resonated with us. Erin is a character played by Kristen Wiig, shes a particle physicist, Feig said. Melissa McCarthys character, [Abby] shes an expert in the paranormal, shes been studying it her whole life. Holtzmann [Kate McKinnon] is a nuclear engineer who creates their inventions. And then you have Leslie Jones, who joins the team because she knows New York really well. So shes kind of their guide through New York -- shes also a part of a ghost siting. It was also important for us to have the everyman, like in the original, Dippold said. Because we talked to so many physicists trying to download us on science. I just listened to people talk and [said], What? What are you saying to me? Its fun to see, just like in the original, the person that I relate to listening to these three nerdy scientists. As for fan favorites, clearly Slimer returns in the trailer. Feig said he wanted to give [the fans] nods but also make each one their own. And yes, there will be lots of cobbled-together paranormal-busting technology, plus a brand new Ecto ride and lots and lots of slimy ectoplasm. The trailer is laden with gadgets and gizmos, and Feig really wants the audience to see the creation of the teams new Ghostbusting gear and proton packs. I didnt like the idea of them being handed technology, he said. I wanted to see it developed. Which also correlates to the brand-new gang, and rebooted movie -- not a sequel. These characters and creators will attempt to carve out a little part of the Ghostbusters world all to themselves. The comedians improv skills from Saturday Night Live, Mad and other past work did come to good use on set. Dippold said she would hand Feig notes with jokes off camera. Harold Ramis used to say the last draft of the script is written on set, Reitman said. As for the outrage some fans had over an all-female team, Feig and Dippold joked about how getting the new gig was no pressure. But Reitman said watching the new team gave him a chill similar to the first time he saw the 1984 gang walk out on New Yorks Madison Avenue. I really got [the chill]; there was no issue of gender. Paul did an extraordinary job. The new Ghostbusters movie will premiere July 15. MORE: Ghostbusters reboot casts SNL alum Neil Casey as villain Ghostbusters: Chris Hemsworth cast as receptionist in female-led reboot Sigourney Weaver joins new Ghostbusters cast After a successful run at the box office, Star Wars: The Force Awakens has set its sights on your home theater. The movie now has DVD, Blu-ray and digital release dates. Star Wars: The Force Awakens will be available for digital download on April 1 and DVD on April 5, the Walt Disney Co. announced at its annual shareholders meeting Thursday morning. Walt Disney Co. Chairman and Chief Executive Robert Iger shared the news of the home entertainment release but did not screen any new footage from future Star Wars films. Advertisement Burbank-based Disneys first film in the series, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, was released Dec. 17 and has gone on to gross more than $2 billion worldwide. The company has announced plans for two other Star Wars films and two additional spinoffs. At last years annual meeting, Iger announced the first in the series of spinoffs in the franchise would be titled Rogue One. That film will be released Dec. 16. Iger also said at last years meeting that Star Wars: Episode VIII would be released May 26, 2017. The release date for the film, to be directed by Rian Johnson, was later changed to Dec. 15, 2017. Disney acquired Lucasfilm, the production company behind Star Wars, for about $4 billion in 2012. Disneys annual meeting is being held at Roosevelt University in Chicago. Shareholders will be asked to elect 11 members of its board of directors and consider two shareholder proposals. Follow @DanielNMiller for film business news MORE: Complete coverage: Star Wars Disney has lots to brag about at annual meeting but may feel some heat Live coverage: Disney talks Star Wars and more at shareholders meeting The star of the new documentary City of Gold is Times restaurant critic Jonathan Gold, who in 2007 became the first food writer to win a Pulitzer Prize and who has democratized food criticism by treating L.A.'s diverse array of unassuming, hole-in-the-wall eateries as potential temples of haute cuisine. But the true subject, the title suggests, is the city itself. Director Laura Gabbert and cinematographer Jerry Henry, residents of L.A., spent several years following Gold, his appetite and his intrepid curiosity from Boyle Heights to Leimert Park to Koreatown to Alhambra, stopping at strip malls, taco trucks and hot dog carts, a process that inspired a new way of seeing and filming this diverse and sprawling metropolis. Advertisement SIGN UP for the free Indie Focus movies newsletter >> City of Gold, which screened at the 2015 Sundance and South by Southwest film festivals and is opening in limited release on March 11 from IFC Films, treats Los Angeles as a moving target. The filmmakers use on-screen maps, birds-eye-view overhead shots and dreamlike street-level footage to find a visual corollary for a city without a center. Over lunch at the Gold-approved Guerrilla Tacos, a mobile kitchen parked (for the day) in the downtown arts district, Gabbert and Henry explained their attempts to spotlight an underrepresented Los Angeles through what the film calls culinary mapping. Los Angeles is hard to get right, Gabbert said, citing a line from Thom Andersens influential documentary Los Angeles Plays Itself, a wide-ranging critique of the movie industrys false and misleading representations of the city. The horizontality of L.A., the vastness of it, makes it hard to capture in like three shots. It was really important to me that we captured Jonathan Golds Los Angeles, which is something very specific gritty and ugly but also beautiful. You start to see that beauty after you live here a long time. Gabbert admitted that a year into shooting, I thought, What am I doing, making a film about a writer? Its hard to make it cinematic. But Jonathans writing is very visual. His descriptions are so strong. As a director, she found herself inspired by Golds attention to detail. The light was really, really important, the glare in your windshield, a little bit of smog, the feeling of driving through the city. Golds vision of Los Angeles is premised on the idea that Angelenos should be willing to leave their comfort zones, endure freeway traffic and negotiate language barriers in search of a spectacular meal. In the film, Gold refers to the city as an anti-melting pot, and his reviews often focus on traditional, region-specific restaurants owned by recent immigrants catering to the tastes of their own communities. Hes actively trying to make Los Angeles a place where all these different neighborhoods and cultures can connect, Henry said. He makes an effort to find those nooks and crannies, those places people may not know about. Avoiding obvious local signifiers, City of Gold may be the only documentary about Los Angeles that doesnt feature a shot of the ocean. For Henry, who shared cinematography duties with Goro Toshima, the quest for evocative B-roll footage mirrored Golds obsessive journeys in search of birria or galbi jjim. He traveled to a series of far-flung L.A. locations, where he would camp myself out on a corner and hang out there for hours and shoot interesting people or scenics. In addition, he used a drone camera to offer an aerial perspective of the Southland, and he often shot from a moving car to emphasize the transitional blur between neighborhoods. Surprisingly, Gabbert describes herself as not a food person, but shes aware that celebrity gourmands like Anthony Bourdain and Guy Fieri have turned the cuisine-centric travelogue into a formulaic TV genre. There was a conscious effort not to do perfectly lit food shots, she said. We didnt really interview the cooks in the kitchen, and ask, Whats that sauce youre putting on there? The fact that its Los Angeles through Jonathans eyes keeps it in a separate, nonreality TV box. Still, City of Gold offers several pleasures that wouldnt seem out of place on the Food Network, taking viewers inside the cramped quarters of Roy Chois Kogi BBQ truck and capturing the panic on chef Ludo Lefebvres face when Gold makes an unannounced visit to his Trois Mec restaurant. From his home in Pasadena, Gold rambles far and wide in a gas-guzzling pickup truck, happily insulated from the eco-conscious ethos of many liberal Angelenos a contingent that includes his own brother, Mark, an associate vice chancellor at UCLAs Institute of the Environment and Sustainability. Incorporating clips from a 1972 BBC documentary, City of Gold likens its protagonist to the late English historian and critic Reyner Banham, a famously optimistic admirer of car-centric sprawl who referred to the freeway Autotopia as one of the four ecologies that make Los Angeles so unique. City of Gold, whose protagonist describes his understanding of the taco as overly romantic, offers an almost utopian vision of urban life in which good food can temporarily transcend borders of race, class and gender. Its a vision that resonates with Henry: My familys Caribbean, and my wife is from Singapore. The common thread is we both have curry the British influence. When we met, we were talking about hot cross buns and curry, and I was thinking, How do you know about that? And she was thinking, How do you know about that? Since she premiered the documentary at Sundance last year, Gabbert says audiences have regularly told her that they want to visit Los Angeles and explore the citys less familiar neighborhoods and enclaves. She sometimes offers a different suggestion: The hope is that people take back [Golds] mode of exploration and apply it to their own city. Not every city has a Jonathan Gold, but you can still do it. MORE: Jonathan Golds 101 Best Restaurants | Map Otium at the Broad museum is L.A.'s most ambitious new restaurant in years Jonathan Golds 10 best dishes of 2015 Jonathan Golds 5 best L.A. burritos Kevin Spacey has spent so much time around the American presidency that he should have his own Secret Service code name. The actor recently completed his fourth season playing President Frank Underwood on the Netflix political drama House of Cards, which begins streaming March 4. He also wrapped up his first big-screen presidential role in Elvis & Nixon, inspired by the strange 1970 Oval Office meeting between the king of rock n roll, Elvis Presley, and the imperial president. Amazon Studios and Bleecker Street are releasing the feature this spring. Advertisement SIGN UP for the free Indie Focus movies newsletter >> And off-camera, Spacey is known to pal around with former White House occupant Bill Clinton, who is apparently a fan of the actors spot-on impression of him. He loves it, said Spacey, sipping a large cup of coffee recently as he prepared for a long day of press interviews at a hotel in Manhattans NoMad district. When we toured Africa together he used to get up and pretend he was hoarse and say [as Clinton], My voice is gone, my friend Kevin is going to give the speech. So Id get up and start giving his speech, and hed go, Sit down, youre doing too good. Im going to do it. Clinton, Nixon and even Underwood figure into Spaceys new CNN original series, Race for the White House, which premieres March 6 (7 p.m. Pacific time). Each week, the show will look at a compelling presidential campaign from the past using some combination of reenactments, archival news footage and interviews with historians, experts and participants. The races were selected for their historical significance and, perhaps coincidentally, have a high quotient of dirty tricks and bare-knuckle tactics. They range from the 1828 rematch between Andrew Jackson and incumbent John Quincy Adams, which led to the rise of the Democratic Party, to the generational power shift that came with baby-boomer Clintons victory over World War II hero George H.W. Bush in 1992. These races give you a pretty great swath of time, said Spacey, who narrates the series as well as serving as co-executive producer. They show that whether someones ideas travel very slowly or very quickly, there is a lot that hasnt changed in terms of how politics works. Dirty politics While people complain about the deterioration of discourse in the current political environment, Race for the White House shows how ugly it was back in the day too. Supporters of Adams leaked letters to the press that showed Jackson was bad at spelling (just like 2016 Republican contender Marco Rubio is doing to his tweeting rival Donald Trump). They called the general a bigamist and a brutal killer who executed his own men on the battlefield. Jacksons camp accused Adams of being a pimp, claiming he once procured female company for the Russian czar. Such campaign handiwork would make Frank Underwood proud. The intrigue, music and even the credits for Race for the White House are bound to remind viewers of House of Cards, and thats just fine with CNN. We wanted it to feel like a political thriller, said Amy Entelis, executive vice president of talent and development for CNN. We didnt want to make it a history lesson. Entelis looked at a number of election-themed ideas for an original series to run in a year when CNN is providing saturation coverage of the presidential campaign. Most of them were looks at the 2016 race from an insiders perspective, which she believed might be overkill. Then along came the pitch for Race for the White House. Spacey, a fan of Tom Hanks CNN series The Seventies, came attached to the project with Dana Brunetti, his partner at Trigger Street Productions and the British TV company Raw. It might have been one of the fastest greenlights weve given to anything, Entelis said. The premiere episode recounts Nixons loss to John F. Kennedy in 1960, a hard-fought race so close that it may well have been decided on some dubious results in Illinois and in JFK running mate Lyndon B. Johnsons Texas. Nixon, who had trouble adapting to campaigning in the emerging television age, comes off as sympathetic and even heroic for choosing not to contest the outcome. Its a different Nixon than the one Spacey became acquainted with as he studied for the role in Elvis & Nixon. To prepare, the actor spent hours listening online to the obscenity-laden White House tapes that revealed Nixons knowledge of the Watergate break-in, which led to his resignation. He was remarkably grumpy, Spacey noted as he channeled the 37th presidents rumbling cadences. The level of paranoia They are out there trying to get in, trying to get us. He was a man who felt entrapped. A man who felt unhappy. The thing that was really most surprising was his use of language the god damned [expletive deleted] I think that was more shocking than a missing 18-minute gap. Spacey also examined his screen test for Ron Howard when the director was casting his 2008 feature Frost/Nixon. (Nixon was played by Frank Langella.) The reason I wouldnt think of running is because I like to get things done. Kevin Spacey Ron Howard really needed to see if the actors tested could do Nixon, he said. I thought I was talking too slow and thought it was too much of an imitation. I learned quite a lot watching again. Spaceys portrayal in Elvis & Nixon is based more on the presidents essence a public man who didnt like dealing with the public. Its often said he went into the wrong profession for the kind of person he was, Spacey said. You look at private photos of him sitting in the White House, he was kind of uncomfortable being in his own body. Spaceys interest in politics goes back to his teenage years in the San Fernando Valley. He stuffed envelopes for Jimmy Carters successful 1976 campaign and worked on John Andersons independent White House bid in 1980. Run for office? He became friends with Clinton his favorite president, he says back when the Democrat was governor of Arkansas. The actor was also in the ballroom the night Hillary Clinton, the 2016 front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination, celebrated her election to the U.S. Senate. His connection to Washington has been further solidified by Frank Underwood. The Smithsonian recently added a portrait of Spacey in character as Underwood painted by British artist Jonathan Yeo. That blurring of art and reality no doubt aided by the use of real-life TV journalists who eagerly appear as themselves on House of Cards has admittedly become bizarre for Spacey. Hes been told there are a great number of people in China who believe he is the real president of the United States. As comfortable as Spacey looks behind an Oval Office desk, hes never been seriously approached about running for any public office, nor would he consider it. Like many Americans, hes angry about political gridlock. The reason I wouldnt think of running is because I like to get things done, he said. I like to have goals, and I like to achieve them, and I think Id be very frustrated by the situation as it exists now. It doesnt mean I dont admire those in public service. Id be enormously frustrated by not being able to get everything done that I wanted to get done. I might take on tactics of a Frank Underwood. stephen.battaglio@latimes.com Good morning. It is Thursday, March 3. Singer Adele is a big fan of Yayoi Kusamas Infinity Mirrored Room at the Broad. The piece provided a backdrop for her performance at the Brit Awards. Heres what else is happening in the Golden State: TOP STORIES Caught on tape Advertisement Its been 25 years since Los Angeles police officers beat Rodney King with their batons at the end of a car chase. In 1990, the year before that incident, LAPD officers used their batons 741 times; last year, the baton was used in just 54 cases. The baton became a constant and unnerving presence in police interactions with the public, in part because training at the time told officers to avoid getting into close contact with suspects. Los Angeles Times Not-so-welcome wagon For decades, Angelenos have believed Boyle Heights was on the cusp of gentrification. It is finally happening, though very slowly compared to areas like Silver Lake and Highland Park. The working-class community, however, isnt going without a fight. Our point is we have to defend Boyle Heights at all costs. If that means some people are going to get upset or feel threatened, so be it, said Facundo Rompe, a member of Serve the People LA. Los Angeles Times New exhibit A giant external fuel tank will soon join the space shuttle Endeavour at the California Science Center. The ET-94, however, is currently in New Orleans. To get to its new home, the tank will travel on a ship through the Panama Canal to San Diego and then Marina del Rey. Ultimately, it will travel through the streets of Los Angeles to Exposition Park. Los Angeles Times DROUGHT AND CLIMATE Rain is coming: California could experience torrential downpours this weekend, with 12 inches of rain and snow expected in the Sierra. In San Francisco, those storms could bring flooding, strong winds and blackouts. CityLab Hit the slopes: The Lake Tahoe area is expected to get as much as three feet of snow in the next three days. Showers should hit the Bay Area beginning Thursday, with most of the snow falling on Saturday. SFGate L.A. AT LARGE Hiking trail closed: Runyon Canyons hiking trail will close for four months while utility crews install a new pipe. Guess youll have to take your Instagram selfies elsewhere. Los Angeles Times Missing in action: Mayor Eric Garcettis staff was troubled by Southern California Gas Co.s response to the Aliso Canyon gas leak, even as the mayor stayed quiet on the issue, according to newly released emails. The mayor did not hold a news conference on the leak, which was first reported Oct. 23, until December. Every public office should have been more upfront on this issue, said Alexandra Nagy, senior organizer at Food and Water Watch. Daily News What are these spots: Some Porter Ranch residents say theyre coming back to homes covered in dark, oily spots. We still dont feel safe to come back. We have to really clean the house, and were thinking of getting new drapes, said one homeowner. Public health officials say people should not eat any fruits or vegetables covered in the oily residue. CBS Los Angeles International concerns: Could Donald Trumps campaign hurt Los Angeles chances of hosting the 2024 Olympic Games? The International Olympic Committee is based in Western Europe, a region that has targeted the Republican for criticism. IOC President Thomas Bach says the presidential race will not factor into any decision. Los Angeles Times POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT Voter initiatives: Supporters of at least 60 measures are working to qualify their proposals for the state ballot. Here are nine of the nuttiest proposals, including California nationhood, a new drinking age and the elimination of charter schools. LA Weekly CRIME AND COURTS Cop arrested: A 17-year-old in Huntington Beach was stabbed twice as he spoke Arabic with his brother-in-law, police said. One of the three suspects arrested in connection with the attack was identified as an Illinois police officer who was on vacation. Police could not confirm whether the crime was motivated by race. ABC7 Love in Hollywood: Few people get married or divorced in Hollywood without the help of attorney Laura Wasser. One of her strategies to keep celebrity clients out of the tabloids is to hire a private judge to rule on the divorce case at hand. That has proved to be so lucrative that many judges have retired early, leaving inexperienced judges to rule in the cases of couples without means. Bloomberg Cause of death: A longtime In-N-Out employee found dead in the restaurants La Mirada parking lot last week died of blunt force trauma, according to the coroner. Josefina Alcocer likely suffered a fatal blow to the head. Los Angeles Times BUSINESS More diversity: Director J.J. Abrams production company and its agency, CAA, say they are implementing new standards to improve Hollywoods representation of women and minorities. The Oscars controversy was a wake-up call to examine our role in expanding opportunities internally at Bad Robot and externally with our content and partners, Abrams said. Hollywood Reporter EDUCATION Insufficient punishment: At UCLA, students and faculty are upset that a history professor was allowed to return to the classroom following allegations of sexual harassment. Two graduate students accused Gabriel Piterberg of making sexual remarks, pressing up against their bodies and sticking his tongue in their mouths. By allowing him to return the administration is perpetuating the unsafe and hostile climate of our department, according to a letter sent to UCLA Chancellor Gene Block and other campus officials. Los Angeles Times CALIFORNIA CULTURE Streets of L.A.: The new Netflix series Love is all about dating in Los Angeles. And the creators are using it as a vehicle to show off Echo Park and other realities of being a 20-something in the city. Los Angeles Times Butt of a joke: At Sundays Oscars, host Chris Rock cracked a joke at the expense of Asian Americans. The bit involved three young children. The mother of one of those actors explains her feelings on the material: This was not OK and should never have happened. But the angrier people are and more people talk about it, the better it will be moving forward. Public Radio International Thats hilarious: Doing comedy in L.A. is a grind. Heres a week in the lives of comedians. BuzzFeed CALIFORNIA ALMANAC San Francisco will be cloudy with a chance of rain and a high of 61 degrees. In Sacramento, there will be a sprinkling of rain as temperatures reach 62 degrees. Los Angeles will have low clouds and a high of 71. Riverside will be sunny and 76 degrees. San Diego will have low clouds and a high of 68. AND FINALLY Todays California Memory comes from Wayne Davis: I was born in rural Tennessee and moved to Memphis at age 8. I joined the Navy and was sent to boot camp in San Diego in 1954. I stepped off the plane, looked up at all the colorful homes on Point Loma, took a deep breath, and said, Oh, my God! I have finally come home. Except for about a year in Phoenix, I have lived here ever since. I am now 81 and still love my San Diego! If you have a memory or story about the Golden State, share it with us. Send us an email to let us know what you love or fondly remember about our state. (Please keep your story to 100 words.) Please let us know what we can do to make this newsletter more useful to you. Send comments, complaints and ideas to Alice Walton or Shelby Grad. For more than 50 years, it was the little cantina that could. Las Palomas in Boyle Heights was a world of Mexican immigrants who drank earnest beers after a hard day of work. It wasnt especially cool, even in the retro way that hipsters like to ascribe coolness to a place they think gives them the musky scent of danger. But it had a knack for surviving, even after this western edge of 1st Street, with its sloping vistas of the downtown Los Angeles skyline, started to become cool. When the Eastside Luv wine bar moved in right next door, drawing young professionals the children of immigrants the barrio bar trucked on as a refuge for mariachis drinking their goodbye to another day. Advertisement Now, Las Palomas has turned off its lights for good. The neon signs flashing Tecate and Corona have been carted away by loyal customers. In this tiny corner of Boyle Heights at least, its Future 1, Past 0. Join the conversation on Facebook >> For years, Boyle Heights seemed a neighborhood cooped up in the still embryonic stage of gentrification, or gentefication, a term coined to reflect change driven substantially by Latinos with roots in the Eastside neighborhood. Boyle Heights hasnt seen close to as much gentrification as Silver Lake and Highland Park, or even neighboring Lincoln Heights, with a mostly Mexican American community but more ethnic, racial and socioeconomic diversity and a bigger stock of wood-framed 19th and early 20th century Victorian and Craftsman homes. But its hard to imagine a neighborhood that has featured a stronger line-in-the-sand pushback to gentrification. The sense that the big G is just around the corner has loomed over Boyle Heights for years. There has been talk for years about transforming the 14-story Art Deco Sears, Roebuck & Co. building on Olympic Boulevard into a complex of condos, retail space and restaurants. I think part of it is people getting pushed out of their other neighborhoods and coming here, and they dont want that to happen here, said Erick Huerta, who moved into the community when he was 7, left and later returned. Its like the last bastion. Theyre holding down the flag. Conrado Herrera, the owner of the building that houses Las Palomas and also Eastside Luv, said the neighborhood is changing and business has to change with it. You always want to have a space for everybody in the community, but weve also got to deal with whats in front of us, said Herrera, who added that hes from Boyle Heights. Eight years ago, just as the Gold Line light rail was about to open along the spine of 1st Street, then L.A. County Supervisor Gloria Molina was blunt: Naturally, these neighborhoods will be gentrified. But they will be gentrified overnight if we allow developers to. Once the landing spot not only for Mexicans but also for Japanese, Russians, Italians and Jews, Boyle Heights has long been perceived as a neighborhood sitting on the brink of the next metamorphosis. In December, a group of university students that ventured into Boyle Heights on a walking tour was escorted out by activist group Serve the People LA, which blogged that the community is under attack in the form of gentrification and therefore must be defended. The group described the visitors as a diverse but mainly white group including several urban planning students from UCLA. Facundo Rompe, a member of Serve the People LA, said they met with the walking tour ahead of the incident to express concerns and ask them not to come into Boyle Heights. Our point is we have to defend Boyle Heights at all costs. If that means some people are going to get upset or feel threatened, so be it, Rompe said. Rompe, who uses an activist name, said he wants to see more people adopt strategies and tactics that are more militant in confronting gentrification. But others in Boyle Heights say such measures are extreme and do not reflect the community sentiment. Ralph Carmona, who has sat on the Boyle Heights Chamber of Commerce board for around 25 years, said militancy is usually [pushed by] people who are not representative of the vast majority. Maybe people have some sympathy for it but it doesnt necessarily mean thats whats going to make any impact. In the first 11 months of last year, the median sale price for homes in the 90033 Zip Code, which accounts for most of Boyle Heights, was $290,000, up 11.5% compared with the same period a year earlier, according to CoreLogic, a real estate data and analytics company based in Irvine. Camilo Valentin, a Realtor who lives in Lincoln Heights and whose area includes Highland Park, El Sereno, City Terrace and Boyle Heights, said Boyle Heights still remains too rough around the edges for change to come too fast despite dramatic declines in violent crime, including by gangs, over the last generation. But Valentin said change is inevitable. At a recent open house in Boyle Heights, Valentin said about 80% of the people who came were white; the rest were Latinos. He added that some people are willing to rough it out more or less, knowing that within the next three to four years, this is just going to change drastically. Highland Park didnt have a lot of resistance. That thing swooped in within a year, he said of gentrification. Everybody got caught kind of by surprise. Boyle Heights, thats not happening because its very, very rooted. When the white owners of Indie Brewing Co. pitched a tasting room to the chambers board members, they brought their consultant, Ulisses Sanchez, who was raised in Boyle Heights. This is really a community process, especially here in Boyle Heights, Sanchez told the board members. Theres been a strong effort to protect the culture here. Indie Brewing Co.'s plans include community art on the walls of the tasting room; the company wants to meet with Boyle Heights organizations to raise the support needed to help get the OK for the tasting room from the city. We want to be accepted by the community, we dont want to just try and steamroll our way in, said Kevin OMalley, part of the brewery team. You can tell the community is very protective and theres a lot of culture and history here. We want to fit into the culture thats here. Vanessa Baek said she remembered driving through Boyle Heights and seeing posters and other signs of anti-gentrification feelings. When she opened the Heights Deli & Bottle Shop last year on Broadway in Lincoln Heights, she heard murmured chatter about gentrification based on the selection of craft beer and wine. But Baek said she didnt feel unwelcome, saying she was kind of taken aback a little bit by what she saw in Boyle Heights. Las Palomas on 1st Street was a humble neighborhood bar, sure to be missed by a relatively small group of people. As far as change goes, its a ripple more than a wave. Just over the decade that he owned Las Palomas, Jose E. Morales said, he has seen this corner of Boyle Heights transformed. Diez anos, aguantamos alli, Morales said. We held on for 10 years there. brittny.mejia@latimes.com Twitter: @brittny_mejia ALSO UCLA community protests professors punishment for sex harassment Space shuttles external fuel tank will take a long, complex journey to L.A. Donald Trump-Megyn Kelly rematch and other things to watch for in the GOP debate When the video of Los Angeles police officers beating Rodney G. King shocked the world 25 years ago, the baton quickly became a symbol of law enforcement abuse. The grainy black and white images showed a group of LAPD officers delivering 56 crunching blows to the African American motorist. Back then, the 2-foot solid piece of aluminum was an essential tool in the police officers arsenal. In 1990, Los Angeles police officers used their batons 741 times during force incidents, more than any other weapon. Advertisement But the infamous video marked the beginning of the end for the batons reign. By 2015, LAPD officers used their batons just 54 times. The baton offers a dramatic example of how police behavior has changed since the King beating. Authorities said that officers stopped using them for a variety of reasons: Changes in rules and training and the rise of other types of less-lethal weapons, as well as the lasting stigma from those grainy images. Back then, it was pulling out a baton and whacking people, LAPD Deputy Chief Bill Murphy said. After that video played that night, no one hardly ever used the baton. It was banished. It became a symbol. The King beating, on March 3, 1991, was a seminal event in the Los Angeles Police Department history. It began a wave of reforms some of which are still works in progress. Over the last few years, the LAPD began installing video cameras in patrol cars, a key recommendation that the Christopher Commission made in 1991 as part of its assessment of the department. The city also hopes to equip all patrol officers with body cameras in the near future. Despite a quarter-century of reforms, the LAPD, along with other law enforcement agencies around the nation, continues to draw criticism over its officers use of force, particularly against African Americans. Eight of the 38 people or 21% hit by LAPD gunfire in 2015 were black, the department reported this week. African Americans make up about 9% of the citys population. Still, even some department critics say the LAPD is a different institution today than it was when officers battered King during a traffic stop. There are now nearly 10,000 officers, compared with 8,450 then. What was once a mostly white force is now mostly nonwhite, including in the supervisory ranks. Veteran LAPD officers and others say the entire culture of policing Los Angeles was different in 1991. Dealing with significantly higher crime than today, police were much more quick to use force. The LAPD was dogged by criticism that its officers mistreated minority groups, and the King tape was widely viewed as evidence of this abuse. How we dealt with crime, particularly violent crime, was a lot more suppression-oriented, said Deputy Chief Bill Scott, an African American who came on the LAPD in 1989. The baton became a constant and unnerving presence in police interactions with the public, in part because training at the time told officers to avoid getting into close contact with suspects. By then, police were barred from using neck chokeholds on suspects after a string of deaths of people placed in the hold. Officers were trained, Do not get tied up with a suspect. Dont fight on the ground, Murphy said. Original video of incident between Rodney King and four LAPD officers. At the time of the King beating, there were few alternatives. Some police were armed with Mace, but Murphy and others said the spray was hard to aim and sometimes hurt officers. Taser electric stun devices were still in their infancy, and few officers had them, retired Capt. Greg Meyer said. No tool has changed policing in tough situations more than the Taser and other less-lethal weapons such as beanbag rounds, said Charles Sid Heal, a former L.A. County sheriffs commander and use of force expert. LAPD officers are now required to carry Tasers. The mere threat of a Taser, which packs a 50,000-volt punch, can sometimes prompt aggressive suspects to cooperate, Murphy said. In 2015, officers used Tasers 519 times. See more of our top stories on Facebook >> The LAPD has also changed training to give officers more techniques to end altercations with suspects more quickly and less violently. A study by the LAPD a few years after the King beating showed about 62% of altercations between suspects and police officers ended with a struggle on the ground. Murphy said department trainers developed techniques with martial arts experts on overcoming suspects quickly when they are on the ground. I am very confident we know how to take him down now, Murphy said of King. It is a matter of leverage and technique. While old-style batons are still in LAPD cars, most officers today carry a lighter, retractable version. Batons were used in only 3% of all non-life-threatening force incidents last year, according to LAPD records. The King beating generated so much criticism in part because it lasted more than a minute and involved three officers as well as a sergeant who was supervising the group. Stumbling out of a white Hyundai shortly after a high-speed chase in Lakeview Terrace, King, a construction worker who was on parole and drunk, eventually lurched toward one of the officers surrounding him. A stun gun failed to take him down. Baton strike after baton strike rained down on King. Officers Lawrence M. Powell and Timothy E. Wind hit King repeatedly while Theodore J. Briseno kicked him. Their supervisor, Sgt. Stacey C. Koon, directed them as they delivered power strokes that would leave King with numerous broken bones. Both Powell and Wind had taken part in a baton training session at the Foothill station parking lot earlier that evening. The officers were charged, but a jury in Simi Valley found them not guilty. The verdict sparked the L.A. riots in 1992. Two of the officers were later convicted in federal court of violating Kings civil rights and sentenced to prison. Since then, the LAPD has established tighter rules on when officers can use force. When in 2004 another video showed an officer beating a suspect with a metal flashlight, the LAPD drew up new rules and stopped using heavy metal flashlights, replacing them with plastic devices that cannot be used as a weapon. For all the change, the LAPD still faces criticism over the way it deals with African Americans. The 2014 shooting of a mentally ill black man by two officers in South L.A. sparked furious protests of the department. The Police Commission found that one of the officers violated the departments policy on using deadly force in the shooting. Even longtime LAPD critics acknowledge the departments relations with minority communities has improved. But they say there is much more left to do. Blacks represent a tenth of the population, but a third of those subjected to nonlife-threatening force. There is an inherent distrust of police officers in the black community because of the history, said Jamon Hicks, a local civil rights attorney. Last year, the LAPD began a new push to teach officers how to de-escalate tensions without resorting to violence. Between the new training and less-lethal weapons, Murphy and others hope an incident like the Rodney King case would end up differently today. The goal, Murphy said, is simple: Wed talk to him longer, not beat him. richard.winton@latimes.com Twitter: @lacrimes Interested in the stories shaping California? Sign up for the free Essential California newsletter >> ALSO Appeals court agrees Porter Ranch residents need time to move home L.A. hikers beloved Runyon Canyon is closing for three months in April California high court opens door to wrongful foreclosure suits When the space shuttle Endeavour crawled through the streets of Los Angeles to the California Science Center in 2012, it was missing something: the giant external fuel tank on which it rode piggyback into space. There was a good reason. The external tanks, which attached to shuttles bellies, detached and burned up in the atmosphere shortly after liftoff. Museum officials figured theyd have to settle for a fake in their exhibit. Then, last year, NASA agreed to donate the last one in existence. But the tank was in New Orleans and was about as tall as a 15-story building. Getting it to L.A. wouldnt be easy. Advertisement The external fuel tank is called ET-94. (Sean Gardner / For The Times) Next month, though, the tank an orange behemoth dubbed ET-94 will begin its journey to the Science Center in Exposition Park, where it will be permanently displayed with Endeavour. Museum officials on Thursday will formally announce the details of ET-94s trip from NASAs Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans a complex logistical mission involving dozens of scientists, engineers, utility workers and police officers. In the coming weeks, it will travel by sea, cross the Panama Canal and traverse L.A. streets to its final destination. This move is a one-off, said Mark Albrecht, director of operations for the company directing the move, Emmert International which orchestrated the delivery of the 340-ton boulder Levitated Mass to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 2012. We move heavy haul all the time. But this move is so big and tall, and the historic nature of it really sets it apart. The tank sits outdoors at the Michoud facility, where it was built. It is huge but also delicate, covered by about an inch-thick layer of foam. It can be touched only in a few places during transport. Next month, ET-94 will be pulled on wheels by a specially built truck to a concrete pier in New Orleans. The truck will then move to the tanks backside and, using a specially built front bumper, gently push the tank onto a barge, Albrecht said. On April 12, ET-94 will be launched into the Intracoastal Waterway, where it will be pushed by a river tugboat. After reaching open sea in the Gulf of Mexico, the river tugboat will be replaced by a 96-foot ocean tugboat. About three-quarters of a mile of braided steel cable will separate boat and barge to absorb shock from the waves, Albrecht said. The tugboat and barge will travel for seven to nine days, around the clock, at about 6 knots (about 7 mph), Albrecht said. At the Panama Canal, it will wait a day or two in queue before going through six locks a water staircase that will lift the vessel 85 feet to the level of Gatun Lake in the middle of the canal and then back down to sea level on the Pacific side. From there, the tugboat will travel for 17 to 20 days to San Diego, where it will clear customs before its expected arrival at Fishermans Village in Marina del Rey on May 18, according to the Science Center. The tank sitting atop dollies on a 42-wheel transportation device will start its trek along city streets before dawn May 21. It will head to the 90 Freeway, on to Culver and Lincoln Boulevards, then to Westchester Parkway. It will go through Inglewood on Arbor Vitae Street to La Brea Avenue, drive past the Forum on Manchester Boulevard, then north on Vermont Avenue to the museum. The 16.5-mile trek at about 5 mph is expected to take 16 to 18 hours. At 66,000 pounds, ET-94 is less than half the weight of Endeavour, but it is longer. Unlike the shuttle, it has no wings, which will make it easier to maneuver on roadways, said Nathan Miranda, who is managing the move for the Science Center. Officials say no trees will have to be uprooted for the move, something that had to be done to accommodate Endeavour. The space shuttle Endeavour made its final journey last weekend traveling 12-miles from Los Angeles International Airport, through Inglewood, to the California Science Center near downtown Los Angeles. Every pole, phone line, traffic signal and turn of the route has been mapped in detail, said Miranda, who has driven the path so many times hes lost count. Im dreaming about the route now, he said, flipping through a thick book of satellite images of the streets. I cant drive now without looking up and analyzing the wires. As the tank creeps by, there will be rolling street closures, he said. Traffic lights will be temporarily removed, utility wires raised or lowered. For space shuttles, the external tank was, along with twin solid rocket boosters, one of three main sources of fuel. It was the only part of the shuttle stack that was not reusable. It detached about 70 miles above Earths surface and burned up in the atmosphere. Each launch required a new one. Im dreaming about the route now. I cant drive now without looking up and analyzing the wires. Nathan Miranda, who is managing the move for the Science Center The external tank held up to 1.6 million pounds of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. The aluminum tank flexed and vibrated while being pushed by aerodynamic forces of thousands of miles per hour. The tanks were covered with spray-on foam to prevent ice from forming on the outside skin and to insulate the propellants inside. During launch, the foam skin could be several hundred degrees on the outside and several hundred degrees below zero on the inside. ET-94, completed in 2001, was one of three types of external tanks used in the shuttle program. It was called a lightweight tank, intended to propel the shuttle into low-earth orbit. The later version, the super-lightweight tank, could carry more cargo to the International Space Station. Jason King, left, and Justin Levin with LA ProPoint install a weather cover over the hydrogen vent valve on the external fuel tank. (Sean Gardner / For The Times) After the shuttle Columbia burned up on reentry in 2003, killing the seven astronauts on board, NASA reprioritized its missions to complete the space station before retiring the shuttle fleet. See more of our top stories on Facebook >> Museum officials said ET-94, which never flew, is the sister to Columbias external tank, which doomed the mission when a piece of foam broke off during launch, causing catastrophic damage to the shuttle. The Columbia Accident Investigation Board studied ET-94 in depth, dissecting foam from different parts of the tank to understand how it behaved, said Dennis R. Jenkins, the project director overseeing the museums Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center and a former contract engineer who worked on the shuttle program. Today, there are significant pieces of foam missing from ET-94 because of that investigation, he said. Museum officials say it will be repaired. Justin Levin with LA ProPoint hops out of the ET-94 before installing a weather cover over the hydrogen vent valve to protect the tank on its trip to L.A. (Sean Gardner / For The Times) Endeavour is also linked to tragedy. It was built to replace the Challenger, which exploded in 1986, killing all aboard. With stories like this in the exhibit, you can share the complexity of space travel, said Science Center President Jeffrey Rudolph. People realize the inherent dangers, that we do have accidents. We learn from them. We study what happened, we investigate and we move ahead and continue to explore and do our work. ET-94s move is expected to cost $3 million, paid for through a fundraising campaign, Rudolph said. Endeavour, now displayed horizontally in a temporary hangar, and ET-94 will eventually be displayed in their permanent home, the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, expected to open in 2019. They will be set up vertically with the solid rocket boosters, as if the shuttle were ready to hurtle into space. Its just fantastic to have a full stack of real flight hardware, and itll be the only one anywhere in the world, which makes it truly unique, Rudolph said. It makes it a worldwide attraction. In a statement, Mayor Eric Garcetti called the tank an incredible piece of history that will inspire a new generation of Angelenos. Lynda Oschin, chairwoman of the Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Oschin Family Foundation, predicted that ET-94s trip through Los Angeles would be the same sort of spectacle as when an estimated 1.5 million people lined the streets to welcome Endeavour. Its a once-in-a-lifetime experience, she said. I think the streets are going to be lined up again. hailey.branson@latimes.com Twitter: @haileybranson ALSO UCLA community protests professors punishment for sex harassment Refugees buying one-way tickets home after finding Germany intolerable At $2 million a day, Porter Ranch residents get to keep their temporary housing Im Davan Maharaj, editor of the Los Angeles Times. Here are some story lines I dont want you to miss today. TOP STORIES Why LAPD Dropped the Baton Advertisement Twenty-five years ago today, L.A. police delivered 56 baton blows to Rodney G. King after a high-speed chase. The video of the incident and ensuing court action would change the course of L.A. history. It would also change the LAPD. One dramatic example: the deployment of aluminum batons. Heres how different training, the rise of Tasers and bean-bag rounds and that video led to a big decline in baton use by officers. Clintons Book on Trump Hillary Clintons people had prepared a playbook for Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio and Scott Walker. Now theyre putting together one on Donald Trump, but it isnt all that easy. After all, some have taken to calling him Teflon Don for his ability to thrive amid controversy. So what are Trumps apparent weaknesses? A poll showed unease about Trump having control of nuclear weapons, his attitude toward women and his perceived egomania. Take a look inside the Clinton campaign. A Supreme Abortion Fight Whole Womans Health vs. Hellerstedt is the most significant abortion case since 1992. And its a window into how the Supreme Court is operating in the wake of Justice Antonin Scalias death. The courts three female justices led an attack on the Texas law in question, which would shut down about three-fourths of the states abortion clinics. Here are the possible outcomes, which may hinge on how Anthony M. Kennedy decides. Boyle Heights and the Big G Gentrification. The big G. For years, people have said its coming to Boyle Heights. For years, the neighborhood has resisted it. I think part of it is people getting pushed out of their other neighborhoods and coming here, and they dont want that to happen here, said one resident. Its like the last bastion. But is it inevitable? The Sequel to #SpotTheShuttle In 2012, the space shuttle Endeavour crawled through the streets of L.A. to the California Science Center, inspiring thousands to take pictures and giving rise to the Twitter hashtag #SpotTheShuttle. Next month, a giant orange shuttle fuel tank will begin its journey from New Orleans to the same spot in Exposition Park. Read on to see how ET-94 will get here. #SpotTheTank, anyone? CALIFORNIA -- Golfing, tequila and spa treatments: These are the gifts given to California lawmakers in 2015. -- The UCLA community protests the punishment for a professor accused of sexual harassment: a $3,000 fine and a quarter off. -- An appeals court agrees that Porter Ranch residents need more time to move home. -- L.A. hikers beloved Runyon Canyon is closing for four months starting in April because of an aging pipe. NATION-WORLD -- Ben Carson says he sees no path forward and will skip the GOP debate. -- A blunder turns deadly when two Israeli soldiers using Waze drive into a Palestinian camp. -- Did cities collude with a fundamentalist Mormon sect to persecute nonbelievers? A jury will decide. -- Plane debris found in Mozambique resembles a missing Malaysia Airlines jet, a U.S. official said. -- A new World Trade Center transit hub is over budget, past schedule and odd-looking, many say. HOLLYWOOD AND THE ARTS -- Loretta Lynn is 83 and has a message: Use it or lose it. -- Too soon? 10 movies we might be talking about at next years Oscars. -- TV review: ABCs The Family needs more room to grow into its grim story line. -- The Outfest Fusion festival gives screen time to LGBT filmmakers from diverse backgrounds. -- A once-secret Bob Dylan archive will be housed in Tulsa, Okla. -- The head of SAG-AFTRA talks about how to fix Hollywoods pipeline problem. BUSINESS -- Thwarted by the iPhone, hackers turn to other products. -- Developers reveal plans for a $100-million makeover of Ports O Call in San Pedro. -- Energy titan Aubrey McClendon dies in a single-car crash a day after being indicted. -- Nostalgia time: The man who brought back the Hydrox cookie is trying to revive I. Magnin, Robinsons, May Co. and Bullocks. SPORTS -- Steve Sarkisians lawsuit against USC is headed for arbitration. -- Holly Holm, fresh off beating Ronda Rousey, is ready to defend her UFC title against Miesha Tate. WHAT OUR EDITORS ARE READING -- One of the Asian kids who became the butt of an Oscars joke and her mother speaks out. (PRI) -- When the federal government proposed redrawing the borders of Maryland, Virginia, Delaware and D.C. (Greater Greater Washington) -- The forgotten survivors of AIDS. (San Francisco Chronicle) A NEW ROLE FOR ME My first job at the Los Angeles Times was in 1989 as a summer intern. My first story was about a homeless man trying to put his life back together for the sake of his baby daughter. Why am I telling you this? Well, it is Throwback Thursday. And, as you may have heard, Im taking on additional responsibilities as publisher of The Times. Im deeply honored, and I will continue to serve as editor. The goal is for The Times to be the primary destination for everyone interested in Los Angeles, California and the West. This is a mission I feel in my bones. Read on for more about whats happening and about the new LA.com site, a place to savor and celebrate all things L.A. Please send comments and ideas to Davan Maharaj. Mitch Gries said he moved to the neighborhood below Runyon Canyon Park 10 years ago for a specific reason: He wanted to take his beloved dog for daily strolls off-leash. Now, the West Hollywood resident -- along with tens of thousands of other Runyon Canyon fans -- is scrambling to find a different trail to trek with the chocolate Labrador. Its such an inconvenience, the 60-year-old said. On Thursday, city officials gathered at the parks entrance to hold a news conference and respond to the complaints of some parkgoers about its pending closure. Advertisement As officials prepared to speak, dozens of hikers in neon tops and designer leggings ambled up and down the hill with dogs in tow. Keep the park open! a group of young men shouted as they walked by. Dont shut it down! Were here to get shredded! On Wednesday, city officials confirmed that the park will be closed to the public for four months beginning April 1. The closure, they said, will allow workers to replace an aging 6-inch water main that snakes through the canyon for roughly a mile. All 160 acres of the park will be closed, except a yoga field that the nonprofit Friends of Runyon Canyon lobbied to keep open. At Thursdays news conference, officials said closing the trails would allow construction crews to work longer hours, making the repair process faster and more efficient. The closure also ensures the publics safety, they said. We know this is a very loved park, said Joe Salaices, superintendent of operations for the Griffith Park region of the citys Department of Recreation and Parks. Were trying to do this in a condensed format. The repairs will cost the city about $2 million and officials said they were saving a couple of million dollars by having crews work extended, uninterrupted hours. Those savings could potentially be parlayed into other park repairs, including the improvement of roadways and the installation of new water fountains. Salaices acknowledged that shutting the park down was a hard decision, but said the repairs cant wait any longer. Martin Adams of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power said closing the park comes down to an issue of public safety. Officials identified more than 30 leaks in the pipe so far, he said. If the pipe were to burst, it could wash out roads and damage nearby homes. We want to leave behind a better park than what we have now, Adams said. This pipe has a grade of F. Gries and others who attended the news conference werent entirely convinced. Some wondered aloud why the LADWP couldnt keep one of the trails open while working on the pipe. I equate that to closing a freeway down completely for months, when you could keep it partially open and have some access to it, Gries said. He said he understood the need to fix the pipe, but cant help but feel sad over the closure. Its so fun here, he said. Theres people here from all parts of the world. Construction will run every weekday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and sometimes on weekends, officials said. See more of our top stories on Facebook >> Roughly 35,000 people visit Runyon Canyon each week. The LADWP has suggested four other hiking areas for people looking for alternatives: Franklin Canyon, Fryman Canyon Park, the Hollywood Reservoir and Wilacre Park. On Thursday, area resident David Dubinsky said hes thinking of trying out Franklin Canyon. Like many locals, Dubinsky hikes Runyon trails every day. The Los Angeles native said he walks to the park with his friends and neighbors. Its unfortunate, the 51-year-old said of the closure. I love the energy of the people and the smell of nature. It keeps me motivated more than a gym. ALSO L.A. hikers beloved Runyon Canyon is closing for four months starting in April High surf and rain ahead for Southern California Strong winter storm to bring several feet of snow to Sierra Nevada, Lake Tahoe For years, the fight between Silicon Valley and law enforcement leaders over access to encrypted cellphone data has been largely philosophical, a struggle to balance privacy concerns against the ability of police to stop or investigate criminal acts and terror attacks. But for Mark Sandefur, the debate is deeply personal. ------------ FOR THE RECORD March 4, 7:43 p.m.: An earlier version of this story said several law enforcement unions had made a court filing in support of the governments argument. The amicus brief was filed by the California State Sheriffs Assn., the California Police Chiefs Assn. and the California Peace Officers Assn., which are not unions. Also, the last name of Mark Sandefur, whose son was killed in the attacks, was misspelled as Sandfeur and Sanfeur. Advertisement ------------ Sandefurs son, Larry Daniel Kaufman, was among the 14 people killed at the Inland Regional Center on Dec. 2 as a husband and wife sprayed an office holiday party with gunfire during a terror attack. On Thursday, Sandefur weighed in on the dispute between technology companies and law enforcement. In a letter released by an attorney representing several relatives of victims, Sandefur wrote that Apple should help FBI agents trying to access encrypted data on an iPhone 5c belonging to one of the San Bernardino shooters, Syed Rizwan Farook. Recovery of information from the iPhone in question may not lead to anything new. But, what if there is evidence pointing to a third shooter? What if it leads to an unknown terrorist cell? Sandefur wrote in the letter to Apples chief executive. What if others are attacked, and you and I did nothing to prevent it? The issue has also become personal for another relative of a San Bernardino victim Salihin Kondoker, whose wife was wounded in the attack. In a letter to a federal judge posted on Apples website, Kondoker said he was initially frustrated that Apple was opposing the judges court order requiring the company to help FBI agents access Farooks work phone. But he said he came to support the companys position that it was fighting for the privacy of millions of innocent people. Neither I, nor my wife, want to raise our children in a world where privacy is the trade-off for security, Kondoker said in the letter. Kondoker wrote that he believed it was unlikely Farooks phone contains valuable information. Farook and Kondokers wife both worked for San Bernardino County and were issued work phones by the county. Kondoker wrote that it was common knowledge that the county could access communications on work phones. The two letters were made public as dozens of groups filed papers in federal court Thursday seeking to have their arguments placed on record in the legal fight over access to Farooks phone. Several leading tech companies, including Google, Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter and Microsoft, rallied around Apple and argued that ordering the company to write new software to help grant the FBI access to encrypted data on Farooks phone would ultimately endanger the privacy rights of customers worldwide. Several law enforcement associations and the San Bernardino County district attorneys office applied to join the governments argument, contending that Apple is wrong to turn a fight over one search warrant into a larger battle over privacy rights. Law enforcement is not now asking this Court to compel the locksmith to give them a master key to unlock all locks built by this locksmith, read a filing on behalf of associations representing Californias sheriffs, police chiefs and peace officers. The American Civil Liberties Union disputed that standpoint in a 27-page brief. This case is not about a single phone its about the governments authority to turn the tech companies against their users, Alex Abdo, a staff attorney with the ACLU Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project, said in a statement. Full Coverage: San Bernardino terror attack>> In its brief, the ACLU argued that the All Writs Act, the law the government cited in its motion to compel Apples help in unlocking the phone, does not grant the government such power. Although FBI agents have pieced together much about Farook and his wife, they want to examine the contents of the confiscated phone in hopes that it will help answer outstanding questions, such as whether the killers had accomplices. The phone used by Farook runs on Apples newest operating system, which includes enhanced security measures and encryption. FBI agents worried that Farook probably enabled a security feature that destroys access to the phones encrypted data after 10 failed attempts to enter the secret security code he selected. The government wants Apple to write new software to bypass the 10-attempt limit on the code and other security measures built into the phone so agents can use a computer program to find the right pass code. Apple won a crucial round in the fight over the phone this week when a judge presiding over a New York case that mirrors the issues in the San Bernardino case ruled against federal prosecutors who were seeking Apples help in unlocking a phone belonging to a drug dealer. In that ruling, U.S. Magistrate Judge James Orenstein said the All Writs Act does not grant the power that the government sought. U.S. Magistrate Judge Sheri Pym in Riverside, who previously ordered Apple to help the FBI unlock Farooks iPhone, is not bound to follow Orensteins ruling when she makes a decision on Apples request to vacate her order. Orensteins ruling rejected many of the arguments the government made in its initial filing asking Pym to compel Apples help in the San Bernardino investigation. Several other tech leaders including Amazon.com, Airbnb, AT&T Mobility, EBay, Yahoo, Dropbox and Evernote also filed applications in support of Apple. More than 60 companies and organizations along with 85 individual security researchers and professors were expected to file papers in support of Apple, a company spokesman said. In a blog post published Thursday, Microsoft President Brad Smith also took aim at the centuries-old All Writs Act. We believe the issues raised by the Apple case are too important to rely on a narrow statute from a different technological era to fill the governments perceived gap in current law. Instead we should look to Congress to strike the balance needed for 21st Century technology, he wrote. Follow @JamesQueallyLAT for crime and police news in Southern California. Times staff writers Joel Rubin and Paresh Dave contributed to this report. ALSO Facebook comments about Donald Trump could mean deportation for Egyptian student Mental competency cases are surging in L.A. County and supervisors want to know why Rodney Kings daughter remembers a human being, not a symbol UPDATES: 8:58 p.m.: This article was updated with additional information. This article was originally posted at 2:16 p.m An Egyptian student at a Southern California flight school is being held by immigration authorities and facing possible deportation after allegedly posting on Facebook that if he killed Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump he would be doing the world a favor. Emad Elsayed, 23, was taken into custody Feb. 12 by officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for allegedly violating the terms of his admission to the United States, said Virginia Kice, an agency spokeswoman. Elsayed was arrested at a flight training school and is being held in an Orange County jail pending a hearing on his deportation Friday. The agency would not provide further details. Join the conversation on Facebook >> Advertisement Elsayed posted an article on Facebook on Feb. 3 about Trump calling for the banning of all Muslims from entering the U.S. with a comment, his attorney said. In that comment, according to a court filing that sought to keep him in custody, Elsayed said he would not mind being sentenced to life in prison for killing Trump and that if he did so he would be doing the world a favor. His attorney, Hani Bushra, said that the next day U.S. Secret Service agents turned up at the flight academy where Elsayed has been training to become a pilot after the owner reported the Facebook comment to federal authorities. The agents questioned Elsayed about the post and it was obviously not a serious comment, Bushra said, noting that he could find thousands of similar comments on social media. The U.S attorney declined to charge him criminally, so they chose to pursue immigration action, Bushra said. Elsayeds student visa was revoked after his flight school, Universal Air Academy in El Monte, withdrew its support for his visa, his attorney said. Without an educational institutions backing, a student loses that immigration status and can be kicked out of the country. They literally had him terminated from the flight school while the government agents were in the room. The government asked the owner to terminate him from the academy and he did it Bushra said. Bushra said the owner of the flight school has now signed a statement saying that he is willing to reinstate Elsayed, who came to the U.S. last September to study for a pilots license and paid $41,000 in tuition, the lawyer said. When Bushra tried to get Elsayed released from custody, the lawyer said, the government cited Elsayeds statement about Trump as evidence that he is a danger to society and should not be released. At this point, he said, his client wants to get out of jail and get back some of his tuition money. Secret Service officials declined to comment. A federal law enforcement source who was not authorized to discuss the case publicly said that when Elsayed was interviewed by a Secret Service agent he did not withdraw the statement. There has been heightened scrutiny of U.S. flights schools since some of the 9/11 hijackers who flew commercial airliners into the World Trade Center and and the Pentagon attended such schools before the attacks. Alex Khatib, owner of Universal Air Academy, told the Associated Press that federal agents detained Elsayed and federal officials asked him to terminate paperwork from the school that made the student eligible to study for a pilots license. Elsayeds sister Ohoud El Sayed, 21, said that when the family did not hear from him they contacted the academy and learned that he been questioned about a Facebook post and taken into custody. We are all very worried, she said. No one even told us who officers who took him work for ... We dont what the post was about, we kept looking for it on Emads Facebook page but didnt find anything on Trump or U.S. politics, she said. She said her brother had never been interested in politics and didnt take part in Egyptian elections. For SoCal crime & investigations follow me on Twitter @lacrimes ALSO Republican leaders are torn: Accept or reject Donald Trump for president? Editorial: Donald Trump is not fit to be president of the United States Donald Trump-Megyn Kelly rematch and other things to watch for in the GOP debate The blue dumpster was hauled by truck from a South Los Angeles alley to the Los Angeles County coroners downtown headquarters. It was New Years Day 2007, and at a loading dock a team of investigators carefully tipped over the dumpster. One of them, Sarah DeQuintana, a criminalist with the coroners office, testified Thursday that she knelt down to remove a large black bag amid the trash and debris. A zip tie was removed and the red fingernails of a woman could be seen. Advertisement Inside the bag, discarded among the waste, was the corpse of 25-year-old Janecia Peters. Peters is believed to be the final victim of the serial killer known as the Grim Sleeper. Prosecutors allege that Lonnie Franklin Jr., a former Los Angeles police garage attendant, murdered Peters and others in a series of killings from 1985 to 2007. He is charged with 10 counts of murder, including that of Peters, and the attempted murder of another woman. Franklin, 63, has pleaded not guilty. Interested in the stories shaping California? Sign up for the free Essential California newsletter >> As DeQuintana spoke, photographs of the investigators at work at the coroners headquarters were projected on a large screen in the downtown Los Angeles courtroom where Franklin is on trial. In the first photo, the criminalist could be seen removing the black bag from the rubbish. Other photographs showed Peters fingernails inside the bag, then her body, first folded in the fetal position and then on a gurney. Sarah Shields, a forensic scientist for a private DNA laboratory, testified that Franklins DNA profile could not be excluded as a match for DNA evidence found on Peters body. Shields explained that because men have the same Y chromosome as their fathers that continues through the paternal line, she could not say for certain that he was the source of the DNA but she could also not rule him out as a contributor to the genetic sample. Forensic scientist Kelli Byrd said Franklins DNA profile matched genetic material found on the zip tie fastened around the plastic bag in which Peters was found. It was Peters slaying that prompted the search for a serial killer after investigators determined that DNA found on the bag matched genetic evidence left at the scenes of two previous killings. Prosecutors have said all of the victims are connected to Franklin through either DNA or ballistics evidence. For more on the Grim Sleeper trial, follow @sjceasar ALSO Facebook comments about Donald Trump could mean deportation for Egyptian student Families of San Bernardino attack victims ask judge to back FBI against Apple Rodney Kings daughter remembers a human being, not a symbol Three men have been charged with hate crimes in an assault on Latinos at a Los Angeles County park, prosecutors said. Ian Plankey, Richard Daulton and Kevin Stewart pleaded not guilty Tuesday to two felony counts each of assault with a deadly weapon and one count of assault with force likely to cause injury, according to the Los Angeles County district attorneys office. The trio are also charged with battery and assault, with prosecutors contending that hate crimes were committed because of the victims race or ethnicity. Advertisement The alleged attack happened Sunday afternoon at Stephen Sorensen Park in Lake Los Angeles, prosecutors said. The five victims named in the complaint were playing soccer and speaking in Spanish when they were attacked, prosecutors said. Two of the victims were assaulted with a knife, according to the criminal complaint. A Los Angeles County sheriffs deputy told the Antelope Valley Times that the suspected assailants were white men and pulled knives out in the park. The men were screaming racial slurs -- Heil Hitler, AV Skins -- and just numerous racial slurs toward the Hispanics, the deputy said. One of the suspected assailants had a wallet with a Confederate flag and made a Heil Hitler salute, the deputy told the newspaper. Plankey, 20, and Daulton, 19, were being held in lieu of $185,000 bail. Stewart, 25, was being held in lieu of $245,000 bail. The men are scheduled to appear at a Lancaster courtroom on March 11 for a preliminary hearing. For breaking news in California, follow @MattHjourno. ALSO UCLA community protests professors punishment for sex harassment Space shuttles external fuel tank will take a long, complex journey to L.A. Donald Trump-Megyn Kelly rematch and other things to watch for in the GOP debate A headless torso found in a Bay Area levee belonged to a mother who was reported missing and whose husband later committed suicide by jumping off the San Francisco Bay Bridge, Alameda County coroners officials confirmed. Coroners investigators used a right thumbprint from the California Department of Motor Vehicles to identify Shelly Titchener, 57, of Brisbane, officials said Wednesday. Titchener was reported missing Feb. 15, two days after she left home to spend time with a friend and never returned, according to the Brisbane Police Department. Advertisement Her husband, Paul Titchener, 62, committed suicide last Tuesday, just hours after conducting a television interview about his wifes disappearance. Brisbane police said Wednesday that Paul Titchener is a suspect in his wifes disappearance and death. We are not commenting on what information has led us to this determination, a police statement said. We are continuing to investigate whether or not Paul acted alone in this case. Police were working to obtain warrants to search computers and mobile devices belonging to the couple. The electronic devices were taken during a search of the couples home and Paul Titcheners business office on Feb. 24. The San Mateo County Crime Lab will analyze the devices. Police were also trying to obtain license plate information as well as records of the couples bank and credit card use in the days leading up to the incidents. At the time of her disappearance, police received a tip that Shelly Titchener was seen Feb. 15 at a Nordstrom in San Mateo. But police now say surveillance footage does not substantiate the reported sighting. Police were also working to verify statements made by a neighbor who reported seeing her that day. Paul Titchener had told police that he was concerned about his wifes well-being because she had left home without her medication and cellphone and her access to money was limited, police said. At the time, police said that they did not have any evidence to indicate foul play and that the couple had no history of domestic violence. Then on Feb. 21, people fishing near Dumbarton Pier in Fremont reported finding a female torso. Officers who responded to the call said they found the remains on a levee near Marshlands Road. Authorities found additional remains Sunday along the shoreline near the Dumbarton Bridge, Brisbane police said. As they investigated the case of the unidentified torso, police began looking more closely at Shelly Titcheners disappearance. In the television interview, Paul Titchener told a KRON-TV reporter the couple had argued the night she disappeared. Maybe it was a red flag that her thinking wasnt that clear, he told the reporter. She was a little upset at the time. For breaking news in California, follow VeronicaRochaLA See more of our top stories on Facebook >> ALSO Appeals court agrees Porter Ranch residents need time to move home Man is charged in racially motivated attack on Sikh Metro bus driver, prosecutors say L.A. hikers beloved Runyon Canyon is closing for three months in April A man was charged Wednesday in connection with an assault on a Los Angeles Metro bus driver who is Sikh, prosecutors said. KC Tard Jr., 34, faces one felony count of battery with injury on transit personnel in the Nov. 6 attack on Balwinder Jit Singh, according to the Los Angeles County district attorneys office. The attack is being treated as a hate crime. Tard yelled racial slurs, then struck the bus driver before fleeing, prosecutors said. Advertisement I was attacked because of my Sikh religious appearance and Im grateful that authorities reexamined my case and finally brought hate crime charges against the assailant, Singh said in a statement. Acknowledging hatred when it occurs is the necessary first step for combating the problem. Singhs attack sparked concerns among Sikhs who believed the incident was misclassified as a misdemeanor assault. Interested in the stories shaping California? Sign up for the free Essential California newsletter >> The Sikh Coalition, a national civil rights organization, argued that the crime should have been investigated as a hate crime because Singhs attacker had used racial slurs during the assault. They called on the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department to reexamine the case. According to an account provided by the coalition, Tard allegedly shouted that Singh, who wore a beard and traditional Sikh turban, was a terrorist and suicide bomber and accused him of hijacking the bus. After the racial slurs were made, Singh dropped Tard off at Crenshaw and Manchester boulevards in South Los Angeles. But Tard returned and hit Singh in the face, the coalition said. Singh struggled to keep his Metro bus, which had 20 to 25 passengers, from careening into traffic. Although he was under attack, he held his foot on the brake, the coalition said. Once Tard exited the bus, a passenger notified police and Singh was taken to a hospital. He suffered a black eye, a bruised jaw and a swollen face, the coalition said. Singh also battled an eye infection that required weeks of recovery. The coalition said attacks on Sikhs have increased in recent months because of hateful political rhetoric. The Sikh turban stands for justice and equality, Sikh Coalition senior staff attorney Gurjot Kaur said this week. It should be celebrated, not feared, and we will continue to educate law enforcement agencies and Americans alike on the necessary steps required to combat the problem of hate in our country. If Tard is convicted, he could face up to six years in prison for the attack, prosecutors said. For breaking news in California, follow VeronicaRochaLA. Times staff writer Brittny Mejia contributed to this report. See more of our top stories on Facebook >> ALSO L.A. hikers beloved Runyon Canyon is closing for three months in April L.A. City Council grants preliminary approval to DWPs rate hike Youngest victim of Grim Sleeper found dumped in an alley, jurors hear Runyon Canyon, the popular hiking and dog-walking park in the Hollywood Hills with sweeping views of Los Angeles, will be closed for four months starting in April, city officials said. The cause for the temporary closure is an aging 6-inch water main that stretches a mile through the park, according to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. All of the 137-acre park, except for the yoga field, will be closed to the public starting April 1, when crews will begin replacing the pipeline, according to a spokesman for City Councilman David Ryu, whose district includes the park. Advertisement ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FOR THE RECORD A previous version of this article said the park would be closed for three months. It will be closed for four. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Construction will run every weekday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., and sometimes on weekends. The park is scheduled to remain closed until July 31. We are just as disappointed about the park closure as you likely are, said a statement released by the nonprofit Friends of Runyon Canyon, which lobbied to keep the yoga field open. We are looking at this as a short-term inconvenience that will ultimately lead to a more reliable, safer park for the future. See the most-read stories this hour >> Installed in the 1930s, the mile-long pipe has deteriorated to a level that is of serious concern, according to a report written by Joe Salaices, the superintendent of recreation and parks for the Griffith Park region. A break in the line would probably cause major damages, not only in the park but also to properties surrounding the park. City officials considered keeping the park open during construction, but the repairs would have lasted up to eight months, raising costs and posing a public safety risk, they said. Youd have all these pipes exposed, said Estevan Montemayor, the communications director for Ryu. We were concerned that folks would get injured. The new pipe is expected to provide better fire protection and improve water quality for the park, the DWP said. Inside the park boundaries, there have been 15 pipe leaks from 2010 to 2013, according to the most recent DWP data available. Nearly all were 6-inch steel pipes built in 1926. A Times analysis published last year found that about one-fifth of the citys water pipes were installed before 1931 and nearly all will reach the end of their useful lives in the next 15 years. They are responsible for nearly half of all water main leaks. Replacing 435 miles of the citys lowest-graded pipes would cost about $1.3 billion. The analysis found that older hillside areas such as Runyon Canyon accounted for more than a third of the utility systems leaks from 2010 to 2014. Experts said hilly areas usually have more leaks because of water pressure. Water agencies use pumping stations to move water uphill to reservoirs that rely on gravity for downward pressure. That force places greater stress on pipes and can lead to breaks. On Wednesday, the City Council gave preliminary approval to the DWPs first rate increase in four years. The utility said much of the new revenue will go toward replacing aging infrastructure. matt.hamilton@latimes.com ben.poston@latimes.com Times staff writers Joseph Serna and Matt Stevens contributed to this report. ALSO In-N-Out worker slain in La Mirada not killed by gunfire, coroner finds Protests escalate over UCLAs handling of sexual harassment complaints against history professor Glass slide suspended from 1,000 feet up? Its coming to U.S. Bank Tower in downtown L.A. Not even defense attorneys dispute that a polygamous Mormon fundamentalist sect has gone to extreme lengths to preserve its vise grip on the community of Short Creek on the Arizona-Utah state line. For six weeks, tearful witnesses in the governments civil suit against the community in the twin bordering towns of Colorado City, Ariz., and Hildale, Utah, testified to the churchs constant spying and harassment of people considered a threat to the church. Even a defense attorney for the cities, Jeffrey Matura, conceded to jurors that the evidence pointed to church misdeeds that were so abhorrent that if the church were on trial, Id tell you to award [the plaintiffs] money. Advertisement But as Matura said repeatedly in closing arguments in a Phoenix federal courthouse, the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is not on trial. Matura sought to distinguish between the guilt of the church, which he said was evident, and the actions of officials in Hildale, Colorado City and a water board, which he said were the victims of a federal government bent on eradicating the FLDS religion. What [the government wants] you to do is have this deep-seated hatred and disgust at this religion, and take it out on the towns, Matura said. You have to wonder, who or what religion is next? Colorado City and Hildale, collectively known as Short Creek with a population of 10,000, were both founded and operated by adherents of the FLDS faith and, the U.S. Department of Justice alleges, are run by the religions prophet, Warren Jeffs, from the solitary confinement of his Texas prison cell, where he is serving a life sentence. The Department of Justice, on behalf of six plaintiffs who sued the towns and their shared water board, says the FLDS churchs history of denying water service to apostates, running video surveillance on outsiders and delaying police responses to calls for help demonstrates a pattern of collusion between the church and towns to discourage non-FLDS members from moving to the area and punishing those who do. The government focused much of its attention on the misdeeds of the church because, Justice Department attorney Sean Keveney said in his closing argument Wednesday, the division between church and state in Short Creek wasnt just blurred it never existed. He said George Allred, the onetime mayor of Colorado City, sought the imprisoned Jeffs guidance on matters as routine as hiring city employees. He sought the mind and will of the Lord from Warren Jeffs on city business, Keveney said. The government alleges that the cities violated provisions of the Fair Housing Act by denying services to people based on religion, and the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act by having the police departments enforce laws differently where they concerned people who were not members of the FLDS church. NEWSLETTER: Get the days top headlines from Times Editor Davan Maharaj >> A jury of seven men and five women must decide whether, by a preponderance of evidence, the charges are true. The panel began deliberating Wednesday afternoon. Though Matura and his co-counsel framed the towns troubled past of supporting Jeffs as ancient history, a recent development thrust the church back into the news. During the trial, the Justice Department brought charges of food stamp fraud against 11 church members, including Lyle and Seth Jeffs, brothers of Warren Jeffs. The government alleges church leaders directed Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program money meant for impoverished church members to the church instead. The 11 people indicted live in Utah and South Dakota, and all have pled not guilty. This indictment is not about religion. This indictment is about fraud, said John W. Huber, U.S. attorney for Utah, in a statement. Huber has said using federal funds to pay for church needs is one of Jeffs strategies of bleeding the beast of the federal government, one which the government alleges is still an active practice in the Short Creek community. Jeffs is imprisoned in Texas for life plus 20 years for sexually assaulting two underage girls he considered his wives. Attorneys with the federal government allege that when he was captured in 2006, Colorado City modified its old brand of justice, such as outright banishment, and adopted more modern forms of exclusion, such as denying water service to those perceived as threats to the church and its prophet. Some of those new arrivals brought the lawsuit against the cities of Hildale and Colorado City. Those who live under the shadow of the church and its fiduciary collective, the United Effort Plan Trust, watched their cities grow from their formal incorporation in 1985 to include a gas station, a general store and a compound for the polygamous Jeffs and his wives. At all times, they told investigators, Jeffs controlled its utilities and their police force, even as he fled justice. Dear Uncle Warren, began one letter from then-Police Chief Fred Barlow to Jeffs, while Jeffs was still on the run. I rejoice in the peace that comes over me when I follow the directives you sent to me. He signed it, Your servant. The federal government has brought a narrow focus on the FLDS after years of complaints from residents in Utah and Arizona, as well as advocates of church and state separation. The sect is not affiliated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which disavows FDLS teachings. In addition to the civil trial and the food stamp fraud allegations, the Department of Labor last September sued church leaders and Paragon Contractors Corp., alleging they used young children illegally to harvest pecans in southern Utah. Though there were days of testimony from non-FLDS town leadership, current employees of the cities police forces and the water utility, some of the most significant evidence in the governments case came instead from the silence of the towns leaders. When asked about the town government, the FLDS church security force and his own plural marriages, some of them to girls younger than 18, Colorado Citys current mayor, Joseph Steed Allred, smirked at Keveney and replied, I respectfully plead the 5th. Follow @nigelduara on Twitter. See more of our top stories on Facebook >> ALSO Supreme Courts female justices lead attack on Texas law that would shut abortion clinics How Hillary Clintons team is putting together a playbook against Donald Trump Homicides soar in Chicago, marking the deadliest start to a year since 1997 Officials announced that they have fired the Texas state trooper who pulled over Sandra Bland, whose death in jail last summer fueled criticism of police and their treatment of minorities. Trooper Brian T. Encinia, 30, was formally fired Wednesday by Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw, who said the officers actions during the traffic stop with Bland violated department standards. McCraw met with Encinia on Feb. 5 and oversaw months of investigation. I have carefully considered all the points raised by you in our meeting, McCraw wrote in his letter of final termination. I have determined that you have not rebutted the charges set out in the statement of charges of January 28, 2016. No cause has been presented to alter my preliminary decision. Advertisement Encinia stopped Bland, 28, near the Prairie View A&M University campus on July 10 for failing to properly signal a lane change. After a heated argument, the trooper arrested Bland for assaulting a public servant. Bland was found hanged in her Waller County jail cell three days later. Her death has been ruled a suicide. In the initial statement of charges, McCraw told Encinia there were three main reasons for his firing. The first: You failed to remain courteous and tactful in the performance of your duties. You engaged in argumentative discussions with Ms. Bland and you failed to exercise patience and discretion throughout the contact. The second: You prolonged the traffic stop beyond the time necessary to complete the tasks. As a result, You extended Ms. Blands detention without a reasonable justification or legitimate investigative purpose. Third: You failed to follow the seven-step violator interview, which includes greeting the person stopped, stating the violation and explaining what the violator must do. All three grounds were aggravated, McCraw said, by the fact that Encinia was indicted by a Waller County grand jury in connection with the traffic stop. FULL COVERAGE: The death of Sandra Bland>> The grand jury indicted Encinia in January after concluding there was evidence he lied about the circumstances under which Bland left her car. If convicted of the misdemeanor perjury charge, Encinia could face up to a year in jail and a $4,000 fine. His case will be heard in District Court in Waller County. McCraw announced the day of the indictment that he would begin termination proceedings. Encinia has 15 days to appeal McCraws decision to the Public Safety Commission, which oversees the Department of Public Safety. Encinias attorney, Larkin Eakin Jr., the former Waller County attorney, said his client will appeal the firing. Hes disappointed, Eakin said. He added that he considered the firing premature. The director gave in to political pressure rather than waiting until the judicial process played out, he said. The attorney has said Encinia had grounds to stop Bland, told the truth to the grand jury and plans to fight the charge. Encinia turned himself in the day after he was indicted by the grand jury, was released on $2,500 bond and is scheduled to be arraigned March 22. Join the conversation on Facebook >> Encinias appeal will be heard by the Texas Public Safety Commission, a five-member oversight board that can set aside or affirm the firing following a public hearing. Blands relatives have demanded investigative records in the case as part of the wrongful-death lawsuit they filed in August against the Waller County Sheriffs Office, jail officials and the Texas Department of Public Safety. A federal judge in Houston set the case for trial Jan. 23, 2017. An attorney for the family, Cannon Lambert, said he was notified about Encinias appeal. You failed to remain courteous and tactful in the performance of your duties. You engaged in argumentative discussions ... and you failed to exercise patience and discretion. From the statement of charges against Trooper Brian Encinia Its unfortunate that even after having the opportunity to review the video of the stop, that Mr. Encinia is still incapable of accepting the error of his ways and is looking to appeal, Lambert told The Times on Thursday. Blands case was championed by the Black Lives Matter movement and has also become part of the presidential campaign: Her mother, Geneva Reed-Veal, who lives in the Chicago suburbs, has appeared with Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. Lambert said Blands family wishes they knew more about the circumstances of her arrest and death. Documents including the Texas Rangers initial report have not been released. There is frustration in not knowing. I dont think that will ease or cede until they do have information that will allay their concerns, including reports and depositions, he said. He noted that in other cases, police were fired immediately, such as the July traffic stop in which University of Cincinnati police officer Ray Tensing shot and killed 43-year-old Samuel DuBose. For seven months now the family has been pulled in directions that could have been avoided, Lambert said. When you add insult to injury it just makes it harder to rebound. Government attorneys have sought to delay the lawsuit until Encinias criminal case plays out, or dismiss it, arguing that Bland took her life because she was distraught that her family members didnt bail her out of jail. They have also insisted that the Department of Public Safety has constitutional immunity from such lawsuits and that Encinia has similar protection. Lambert said that after a hearing last month, the family is still awaiting a ruling from the judge about whether the case will be delayed pending Encinias criminal proceedings. Twitter: @mollyhf ALSO White Alabama officer charged with murder in black mans fatal shooting World Trade Center transit hub over budget, past schedule -- and odd-looking, many say Did cities collude with fundamentalist Mormon sect to persecute nonbelievers? A jury will decide Donald Trump has at various times promised a healthcare plan that would be beautiful, terrific and unbelievable. But the healthcare outline his campaign released Wednesday mostly highlights standard, if vague, Republican proposals, several of which conservatives themselves say will have little impact on patients health or their pocketbooks. Trump, who is working to consolidate his position as the GOP presidential front-runner, pledges to repeal the 2010 Affordable Care Act, commonly called Obamacare. He repeats what had been the centerpiece of his healthcare discussions on the campaign trail: allowing health insurers to avoid state regulations and sell their plans anywhere in the country. Advertisement TRAIL GUIDE: All the latest news on the 2016 presidential campaign >> And Trump champions several other pillars of conservative health policy. These include allowing all Americans to deduct their health insurance premiums, expanding use of tax-free health savings accounts and giving states more freedom to run their Medicaid safety net programs. We will work with Congress to make sure we have a series of reforms ready for implementation that follow free-market principles and that will restore economic freedom and certainty to everyone in this country, the plan promises. Notably missing from Trumps plan -- titled Healthcare Reform to Make America Great Again -- are promises that everybodys got to be covered, or that he would not allow people to die on the sidewalks, as he claimed earlier. Those pledges drew criticism from many conservatives, who saw them as code words for expanding government health insurance. Trump in the past has advocated a single government health plan for all Americans, akin to systems in Canada and Britain. And although he has said more recently that single-payer would no longer work in the United States, he has praised those systems again during the campaign. Trump is now proposing that Americans be allowed to buy drugs from Canada and other countries where prices are much lower. (That is a change from his earlier calls for Medicare to use its market power to negotiate lower prices for seniors). Trump has also reversed his earlier support for a requirement that all Americans get health coverage. Join the conversation on Facebook >> The Trump campaign did not respond to requests for more details about his plans. Meanwhile, Trumps proposals drew new critiques from across the political spectrum. For the previously uninsured who now have health coverage, there is good reason to worry that their access to needed healthcare will be taken away under a Trump presidency, warned Families USA Executive Director Ron Pollack, a leading consumer advocate and supporter of the current law. To date, the law has expanded coverage to about 20 million Americans, driving the largest decline in the uninsured in at least half a century. It is unclear what would happen to these people if Obamacare were repealed. Many have low or modest incomes and rely on government aid to get coverage. Trump has not specified how he would help these people, beyond promising that his plans would make healthcare substantially more affordable. That is disputed by many experts. Interstate sale of health insurance, for example, might slightly lower premiums, but would not address the much larger issue of high prices by hospitals and other medical providers, which are increasing their market power by consolidating in communities across the country. The biggest barrier to insurers getting into a market is forming a provider network. Allowing them to sell across state lines wont do anything about that, said Carnegie Mellon University economist Martin Gaynor, a leading critic of healthcare consolidations. Trumps proposal to give new tax breaks to Americans to help them buy health coverage also would likely have minimal impact because millions of poorer Americans dont pay income taxes and would therefore be unable to use a tax deduction such as the one he is proposing. Thats not going to help, warned Joe Antos, a leading conservative health policy expert at the American Enterprise Institute. Antos noted that Trump may mean that Americans should get a tax credit to help with health coverage, which, unlike a deduction, would benefit even people who dont file income taxes. A lot might be clearer if we knew whom Trump plans to work with on healthcare, Antos said. But, of course, we dont. To date, the campaign has not indicated who is advising Trump about healthcare. Nevertheless, with his new plan, Trump is offering more information about his healthcare platform than several of his rivals. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who is currently in second place in the race for Republican delegates, has not posted any information about his healthcare plans on his campaign website. And Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who has detailed proposals for improving medical care, has not outlined a broader system for replacing the current health law and its system of guaranteeing coverage. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, the fourth remaining GOP candidate, has arguably the most detailed healthcare platform, including proposals to create a new system of coverage to replace Obamacare and to overhaul Medicaid and Medicare. On the Democratic side, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is proposing a series of new consumer protections that build on the existing health law, including more regulation of drug prices and insurance plans. Her challenger, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, has called for a single government health plan for all Americans. noam.levey@latimes.com Twitter: @noamlevey MORE ON DONALD TRUMP Los Angeles-area student may be deported after online Trump threat Republican leaders are torn: Accept or reject Donald Trump for president? Donald Trump-Megyn Kelly rematch and other things to watch for in the GOP debate Rising from the ground where the doomed twin towers once stood, the milk-white World Trade Center transportation hub was intended as a symbol of rebirth. Instead, the nearly $4-billion Santiago Calatrava-designed building has evoked grumbling about cost overruns and delays and consternation over its unusual appearance. Its nothing like Ive ever seen before, Tim Soha, 42, of Mahwah, N.J., who works nearby at the Bank of New York, said of the hubs distinctive, spiky silhouette. If they were going for ground-breaking, they can certainly check that off the list. Advertisement MORE: Get our best stories in your Facebook feed >> Nestled in a cluster of sleek glass skyscrapers that have soared back into the sky since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the long-awaited transportation hub arrives at a cost nearly twice the original estimate and years behind schedule. Its initial phase is set to open this week. Calatrava, a Spanish architect of international renown, said he was inspired by the image of a child releasing a dove to the sky a symbol of peace when he designed the white-winged building. Not everyone sees it like he does. Comparisons often lean more toward a stegosaurus than a bird in flight. 1 / 5 Workers put some finishing touches on the new transportation hub at the World Trade Center. The first phase of the hub, called Oculus and designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, will open on March 3, 2016. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 5 Members of the media go on a tour of a new transportation hub at the World Trade Center. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 5 Members of the media go on a tour of the World Trade Center transportation hub, called Oculus, designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 5 Workers put finishing touches on Oculus, a new transportation hub at the World Trade Center. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 5 The first phase of the World Trade Center transportation hub will be used by some 100,000 riders of the PATH facility daily. Shops are planned in the future. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) But Calatrava and officials of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the public agency overseeing rebuilding at the World Trade Center, believe New Yorkers will be won over once they get inside and the station begins humming fully as a hub connecting Port Authority Trans-Hudson, the New York-New Jersey commuter rail known as PATH, to 11 subway lines. The planned 100,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space expected to open this year should help too, officials said. This is a project about remembering those 3,000 people lost on that painful day, replacing the heart that was ripped out of the Port Authority as well as the region and the city, said Steven Plate, the Port Authoritys chief of major capital projects. NEWSLETTER: Get the days top headlines from Times Editor Davan Maharaj >> Calatrava, too, evoked the memory of Sept. 11, saying the transit hub a cathedral-like space created by structural arches that form a dome from which exterior spikes extend was an exceptional gesture of rebirth and a highlight of all I have done before. Calatrava and Plate spoke during a news media tour of the building this week designed to soften the blunt assessment of the project made by the agencys outgoing executive director, Patrick Foye. In an interview with the website Politico New York, Foye said he was troubled with the huge cost of the hub at a time of limited resources. In a follow-up interview, he called the project a symbol of excess. When the design was revealed in 2004, officials estimated the hub would cost $2 billion and would be completed by 2009. Plate said the cost increases and delay could be explained by the complexity of the project and the fact that advances in security, green technology and connectivity were integrated over the span of construction. The doubling of the original cost estimate has nevertheless given pause to experts in urban planning, among them Jesse Keenan, research director at Columbia Universitys Center for Urban Real Estate. It came out to be about the same cost as the Freedom Tower. That in itself is a pretty remarkable comparison, Keenan said, referring to the arresting glass-and-steel skyscraper that replaced the fallen twin towers. I do find that to be excessive. Keenan said officials probably underestimated how much it would cost to build Calatravas intricate design. Other Calatrava structures have hit cost overruns and delays, among them an opera house, bridge and airport in Spain. Keenan also noted that developers were dealing with the challenges of constructing over operating train lines. PATH trains have continued to run through a temporary World Trade Center station as the hub was built. Unexpected events, such as flooding in the area caused by Superstorm Sandy in 2012, also pushed up costs, he said. Keenan questioned whether such a large investment was justified for a transportation hub that will serve a relatively small number of commuters. The Port Authority says 100,000 PATH riders use the facility daily, though Keenan said he believed the number was lower. He wondered whether the money might have been better spent on improvements to Penn Station, which he said is used an estimated 600,000 people each day. As for the aesthetics, Keenan, like others, said they may take some getting used to. Its in many ways kind of like an ambiguous tattoo, he said. You dont quite know what it means, but you better start to like it because youre going to have it forever. Haller is a special correspondent. ALSO Romney rips Trump as a phony, a fraud in scathing speech Texas trooper who arrested Sandra Bland is fired for handling of case Supreme Courts female justices lead attack on Texas law that would shut abortion clinics A white Alabama police officer was charged with murder Wednesday in the shooting death of a black man who, a family lawyer says, was walking home when he was slain outside a neighbors house. Montgomery Police Officer Aaron Smith, 23, was arrested with bond set at $150,000, Montgomery County Dist. Atty. Daryl Bailey said Wednesday. I will do everything in my power to protect a police officer who is operating within the law, Bailey said. I will also use every ounce of my power to prosecute a police officer who is acting outside of the law. Advertisement Bailey wouldnt say what evidence led to the charge in 58-year-old Greg Gunns death. Smith posted bail shortly after his arrest. Dressed in a white button-down shirt and a gray sport coat, he held hands with his mother and did not speak during a news conference at his attorneys office. This is on the back of a 23-year-old police officer working by himself in a high crime area, with a larger man who ran. Attorney Mickey McDermott Attorney Mickey McDermott said Smiths arrest was a political witch hunt to quell public unrest. This is on the back of a 23-year-old police officer working by himself in a high crime area, with a larger man who ran, McDermott said. Were sorry for the loss of this man, but he brought it on himself. Smith comes from a multigeneration law enforcement family, McDermott said. His father retired as a major from the Montgomery Police Department and then went to work for the state alcohol control board and the Alabama Bureau of Investigation. Smiths mother is a former cadet with the Montgomery Police Department. Police officers from across the area helped Smith post bail. Gunns death comes amid a national conversation about law enforcements use of lethal force in minority communities, after multiple cases of black men dying at the hands of police. The quick move to charge a white officer with murder in the shooting of a black man stood in contrast to past episodes of police violence dating back decades in Montgomery, where a string of confrontations between white officers and black residents kept tensions high in the 1970s and 80s. In the history of Montgomery, this is not one of our great days, Mayor Todd Strange said Wednesday. Authorities said Smith shot and killed Gunn about 3:20 a.m. Feb. 25. Police Chief Ernest Finley said Monday that Smith deemed Gunn suspicious, left his car and approached Gunn on foot. Authorities have not said what Smith found suspicious about Gunn. The Gunn familys attorney, Tyrone Means, said Gunn was walking home at the time. He said earlier this week that Gunn attended a regular card game with friends on Wednesdays, and he frequently walked from his friends house to his home a few blocks away, where he lived with his mother. Authorities initially said Gunn was holding a stick or cane and the two men had struggled. But Gunns next-door neighbor Colvin Hinson told the Associated Press the stick was an extension handle for a paint roller that belonged to him. He didnt have anything, other than the cane they was talking about was my paint cane laying right there. Been there two or three weeks, Colvin Hinson said Wednesday. Hinson said he was awakened by banging on his front door before he heard gunshots. He opened the door to see Gunn in the grass beside the stick. Hinson said hes always felt safe at home and supports law enforcement, but questioned the shooting. You know I tip my hat to them because we do need them, Hinson said. I just want to know if the protocol is to shoot an unarmed man down dead in front of somebodys house anytime they feel like it. City officials on Wednesday would not confirm if Smith was injured in the incident or if they still believe Gunn was carrying anything. The State Bureau of Investigations will continue to investigate the case, and all findings will be presented to a Montgomery County grand jury. Bailey said he believes Gunns death is an isolated incident, and asked the community not to criticize the citys police department. I want to be crystal-clear that the arrest that is being made today is in no way an indictment on the Montgomery Police Department, Bailey said. In fact, 99.% of the Montgomery police officers do an exceptional job on a daily basis protecting us and our community. They are, in fact, the thin blue line between order and chaos. ALSO UCLA community protests professors punishment for sex harassment Refugees buying one-way tickets home after finding Germany intolerable At $2 million a day, Porter Ranch residents get to keep their temporary housing As voters in a large swath of the nation were delivering victories to Donald Trump in seven states this week, some of the wealthiest GOP donors gathered on a conference call with one goal: to stop the businessman from becoming the standard-bearer for the Republican Party. That effort, to unite behind an anti-Trump super PAC, is the latest in a growing movement among establishment Republicans to rally around an alternative to the GOP front-runner. Donald Trump is unfit to be president. He is a dishonest demagogue who plays to our worst fears. Trump would take America on a dangerous journey, Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Chief Executive Meg Whitman said over the weekend. Whitman, who ran unsuccessfully for California governor six years ago, was among the Republican donors on the Tuesday call, first reported by the New York Times. Advertisement But with Trump leading the delegate count over a fractured GOP field after coming off a dominating seven wins on Super Tuesday, some Republicans worry that it is too little, too late. The horses are out of the barn, said Craig Robinson, founder of the influential Iowa Republican blog. We saw it [Tuesday] night hes showing strength across the board, and I think a lot of that is because of the narrative that people are now accepting him. People have come to terms with his candidacy. Robinson added that he was concerned by the notion of party elites trying to hand-pick a nominee over the will of the voters, saying it would set a dangerous precedent. Other top Republican advisors concede that the effort would have had a greater likelihood of success if it started sooner, but they say they still have a chance to deny Trump delegates and force a nomination fight at the GOP convention. Peoples perceptions on Donald Trump have been shaped by pretty much by Donald Trump over the last eight months. Now, in the space of a few weeks, were trying to reverse that. That is a significant challenge, said GOP operative Kevin Madden. Still, the worse thing to do is to do nothing, so the fact there is an effort and it is focused on exposing Donald Trump and his vulnerabilities in an effort to get a real conservative and save the party is important enough for a lot of folks, he said. GOP consultant Rob Stutzman, who was backing Jeb Bush and is now a bundler for Marco Rubio, noted that Trump won three states on Tuesday by 3 points or fewer. It would have been very helpful to have a real effort up on the air prior to [Tuesday] night, he said. Katie Packer, who is running the anti-Trump Our Principles PAC, which was the focus of the donor call, said fundraising was slow until donors actually perceived Trump as a threat. We would have liked to launch this effort in October. We didnt have the interest or the resources, said Packer, who was Mitt Romneys deputy campaign manager in 2012. Most educated people look at Donald Trump and see him for what he is a big carnival barker and con man. Its inconceivable to people that everybody doesnt see him that way. Donors, she said, started to wake up in January. The group has spent nearly $4.4 million, according to Federal Election Commission records. About $2 million of that was spent in Iowa on a multifaceted effort focused on his business record and the notion that he is not a true conservative. Packer said the groups tracking there showed that its messages hurt Trump. Packer said the group launched two seven-figure ad buys on Friday and Wednesday. Florida is the top focus, but the group is also running ads on national cable TV and in Illinois, and may also advertise in North Carolina and Michigan. Another group, American Future Fund, a conservative nonprofit that does not have to disclose its donors, is spending more than $1.7 million in Florida airing ads accusing Trump University of scamming its students. The Club for Growth, an anti-tax group, announced Wednesday that it is spending $1.5 million on television and digital ads in Florida questioning Trumps business record. What we have is a lot of groups coming together saying, We have to stop Donald Trump; that has to be priority one, Packer said. For the first time in the campaign, theres an aggressive concerted effort going after Trump and the basic premise of his candidacy. All signs point to this battle coming to a head in Florida, which is a must-win for Rubio on March 15 because it is his home state. His campaign and a super PAC backing his bid have significant resources, and the senator plans to campaign there intensely for the next two weeks. But Trump, who on election night Tuesday noted he leadsRubio in Florida polls by as many as 20 points, said he anticipates a brawl in the state and is ready. I know that a lot of groups and special interests and lobbyists who want to have their little senator do exactly as they want, theyre going to put $20 [million] or $25 million into it over the next two weeks, and frankly thats fine, Trump told reporters Tuesday at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla. If he wins theyll have total control, but hes not going anywhere anyway. Times staff researcher Maloy Moore and Times staff writer Joseph Tanfani contributed to this report. seema.mehta@latimes.com For the latest 2016 campaign news, follow @LATSeema on Twitter. ALSO This wasnt the way Chris Christie wanted to make headlines Editorial: Donald Trump is not fit to be president of the United States Clinton wins by easing Democratic split; Trump wins by exploiting GOP divisions After Hillary Clinton built a commanding advantage in the Democratic race on Super Tuesday, some liberal forces that had been more sympathetic to Bernie Sanders appear ready to line up behind Clinton with an eye to the bigger looming challenge: Donald Trump. Though voters in dozens of states have yet to cast ballots and Sanders has amassed a significant campaign war chest on the strength of his grass-roots appeal, Democrats appear more eager than ever to close ranks at a time when Republican divisions are only deepening. Even as Clinton was sweeping to victory in delegate-rich states Tuesday, building an advantage Sanders is increasingly unlikely to reverse, some progressive groups began to realign their messages. Advertisement MoveOn.org, which has formally endorsed Sanders, spent as much of its statement on Tuesdays primaries warning about the threat posed by Trump as it did praising the potency of Sanders message. If Trump is the Republican standard-bearer, it will be crucial for progressives, and all Americans, to unite to defeat a man who represents the antithesis of everything our nation stands for, said MoveOns executive director, Ilya Sheyman. Another group that styles itself as representative of liberal Democrats, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, said Sanders had made Clinton a stronger candidate. The characterization seemed to imply that Sanders challenge had served its purpose by putting Clinton clearly on record in support of the issues that motivate their activist base. Adam Green, co-founder of the committee, said Sanders had helped ensure that the center for gravity in the Democratic Party has shifted to the left -- to what he called its Elizabeth Warren wing, after the Massachusetts senator. He said Sanders challenge pushed Clinton to take more definitive positions on issues like Wall Street reform than she might have otherwise. On the one hand, its a blessing to the overall Warren wing of American politics. But it also has blunted the distinction that Sanders might have had, Green said. Clinton returned to New York on Wednesday to celebrate what she called a Super Tuesday for the history books. But she stopped short of claiming she had the nomination in hand even as she looked ahead to a general election battle promising she would wage a campaign about the future. She left it to surrogates to target Trump directly, but reprised her call for more love and kindness in the country. If we do what we must in this election to bring out a positive message of what we can do together, who we stand for and what we stand for, we will go into the November election with the wind at our back, she said. And if Im so fortunate to be your president, we will work together to make it true. Sanders campaign also brought up Trump on Wednesday as it insisted the senator from Vermont still had a path to the nomination. Clinton would be vulnerable in a campaign against Trump, campaign manager Jeff Weaver warned. He referenced polls that show voters have doubts about Clintons honesty. Integrity will be a key issue in the campaign, Weaver said, adding, You never get to your message if youre always trying to convince people youre honest. Our plan is to win, and win consistently, between now and June, Sanders advisor Tad Devine added. But Sanders hope of fighting through to the end of primary season, including Californias June 7 primary and its massive haul of delegates, sounds like more of a fantasy, said Douglas Herman, a Los Angeles-based Democratic political consultant who worked on President Obamas campaign. This guy is in the final stages of the Sixth Sense movie, Herman said. He doesnt know his campaign is dead. The call for unity against Trump is going to be so important, I dont see how Bernie can keep staying out there and saying hes a viable candidate, he added. Democrats sense that they must unite was evident beyond Tuesdays presidential primaries. Obama made unusual endorsements in two key contested Senate primaries Wednesday, Florida and Ohio, states where party unity in the fall will be essential across the Democratic ticket. Its a particular concern as turnout in the Democratic primaries has been dwarfed by that on the Republican side and has lagged well behind record-setting numbers in the 2008 nomination race. White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said this week there were no plans for Obama to endorse in the nomination fight, though he will cast an absentee vote in the March 15 Illinois primary. Both Secretary Clinton and Sen. Sanders regardless of the final outcome here have succeeded in motivating a significant portion of the Democratic Party to support their campaign, and the unity of the Democratic Party will be critical to our success in the general election, Earnest said. Green said that even as progressives begin to consider the prospect of a general election campaign, what has been good politics for the nominee in the primary will continue to be good politics in the fall. If the net effect of Bernie Sanders staying in is that Hillary Clinton is speaking even more convincingly on the need to hold Wall Street accountable, that only helps her in the general election, he said. Green suggested that Warren herself might soon be ready to make an endorsement one Clinton would very much like to have. Groups on the left have joined Warren in calling on the eventual nominee to commit to naming strong progressive figures to key posts on the Securities and Exchange Commission and elsewhere. Personnel is policy, Warren wrote in a recent New York Times op-ed. Her eventual support will be so important that she has the ability to make concessions particularly on Wall Street issues, Green said. Elizabeth Warren is very good at picking her battles and picking her timing. Staff writer Chris Megerian in Miami contributed to this report. For more campaign coverage, follow @mikememoli Join the conversation on Facebook >> MORE FROM POLITICS President Trump? Whos with him and whos against Clinton wins by easing Democratic split; Trump wins by exploiting GOP divisions Voters prove Donald Trumps dominance and other takeaways from Super Tuesday The following is the text of remarks as prepared for former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, the 2012 Republican presidential nominee, for an address he gave Thursday attacking the GOPs 2016 front-runner, Donald Trump: I am not here to announce my candidacy for office. I am not going to endorse a candidate today. Instead, I would like to offer my perspective on the nominating process of my party. In 1964, days before the presidential election which, incidentally, we lost, Ronald Reagan went on national television and challenged America saying that it was a Time for Choosing. He saw two paths for America, one that embraced conservative principles dedicated to lifting people out of poverty and helping create opportunity for all, and the other, an oppressive government that would lead America down a darker, less free path. Im no Ronald Reagan and this is a different moment but I believe with all my heart and soul that we face another time for choosing, one that will have profound consequences for the Republican Party and more importantly, for the country. I say this in part because of my conviction that America is poised to lead the world for another century. Our technology engines, our innovation dynamic, and the ambition and skill of our people will propel our economy and raise our standard of living. America will remain as it is today, the envy of the world. Advertisement Warren Buffett was 100% right when he said last week that the babies being born in America today are the luckiest crop in history. TRAIL GUIDE: All the latest news on the 2016 presidential campaign >> That doesnt mean we dont have real problems and serious challenges. At home, poverty persists and wages are stagnant. The horrific massacres of Paris and San Bernardino, the nuclear ambitions of the Iranian mullahs, the aggressions of Putin, the growing assertiveness of China and the nuclear tests of North Korea confirm that we live in troubled and dangerous times. But if we make the right choices, Americas future will be even better than our past and better than our present. On the other hand, if we make improvident choices, the bright horizon I foresee will never materialize. Let me put it plainly, if we Republicans choose Donald Trump as our nominee, the prospects for a safe and prosperous future are greatly diminished. Let me explain why. First, the economy: If Donald Trumps plans were ever implemented, the country would sink into a prolonged recession. A few examples: His proposed 35% tariff-like penalties would instigate a trade war that would raise prices for consumers, kill export jobs, and lead entrepreneurs and businesses to flee America. His tax plan, in combination with his refusal to reform entitlements and to honestly address spending would balloon the deficit and the national debt. So even as Donald Trump has offered very few specific economic plans, what little he has said is enough to know that he would be very bad for American workers and for American families. But wait, you say, isnt he a huge business success that knows what hes talking about? No he isnt. His bankruptcies have crushed small businesses and the men and women who worked for them. He inherited his business, he didnt create it. And what ever happened to Trump Airlines? How about Trump University? And then theres Trump Magazine and Trump Vodka and Trump Steaks, and Trump Mortgage? A business genius he is not. Now not every policy Donald Trump has floated is bad. He wants to repeal and replace Obamacare. He wants to bring jobs home from China and Japan. But his prescriptions to do these things are flimsy at best. At the last debate, all he could remember about his healthcare plan was to remove insurance boundaries between states. Successfully bringing jobs home requires serious policy and reforms that make America the place businesses want to plant and grow. You cant punish business into doing the things you want. Frankly, the only serious policy proposals that deal with the broad range of national challenges we confront, come today from Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, and John Kasich. One of these men should be our nominee. I know that some people want the race to be over. They look at history and say a trend like Mr. Trumps isnt going to be stopped. Perhaps. But the rules of political history have pretty much all been shredded during this campaign. If the other candidates can find common ground, I believe we can nominate a person who can win the general election and who will represent the values and policies of conservatism. Given the current delegate selection process, this means that I would vote for Marco Rubio in Florida, for John Kasich in Ohio, and for Ted Cruz or whichever one of the other two contenders has the best chance of beating Mr. Trump in a given state. Let me turn to national security and the safety of our homes and loved ones. Trumps bombast is already alarming our allies and fueling the enmity of our enemies. Insulting all Muslims will keep many of them from fully engaging with us in the urgent fight against ISIS. And for what purpose? Muslim terrorists would only have to lie about their religion to enter the country. What he said on 60 Minutes about Syria and ISIS has to go down as the most ridiculous and dangerous idea of the campaign season: Let ISIS take out Assad, he said, and then we can pick up the remnants. Think about that: Let the most dangerous terror organization the world has ever known take over a country? This is recklessness in the extreme. Donald Trump tells us that he is very, very smart. Im afraid that when it comes to foreign policy he is very, very not smart. I am far from the first to conclude that Donald Trump lacks the temperament of be president. After all, this is an individual who mocked a disabled reporter, who attributed a reporters questions to her menstrual cycle, who mocked a brilliant rival who happened to be a woman due to her appearance, who bragged about his marital affairs, and who laces his public speeches with vulgarity. Donald Trump says he admires Vladimir Putin, while has called George W. Bush a liar. That is a twisted example of evil trumping good. There is dark irony in his boasts of his sexual exploits during the Vietnam War while John McCain, whom he has mocked, was imprisoned and tortured. Dishonesty is Trumps hallmark: He claimed that he had spoken clearly and boldly against going into Iraq. Wrong, he spoke in favor of invading Iraq. He said he saw thousands of Muslims in New Jersey celebrating 9/11. Wrong, he saw no such thing. He imagined it. His is not the temperament of a stable, thoughtful leader. His imagination must not be married to real power. The President of the United States has long been the leader of the free world. The president and yes the nominees of the countrys great parties help define America to billions of people. All of them bear the responsibility of being an example for our children and grandchildren. Think of Donald Trumps personal qualities, the bullying, the greed, the showing off, the misogyny, the absurd third grade theatrics. We have long referred to him as The Donald. He is the only person in America to whom we have added an article before his name. It wasnt because he had attributes we admired. Now imagine your children and your grandchildren acting the way he does. Will you welcome that? Havent we seen before what happens when people in prominent positions fail the basic responsibility of honorable conduct? We have, and it always injures our families and our country. Watch how he responds to my speech today. Will he talk about our policy differences or will he attack me with every imaginable low road insult? This may tell you what you need to know about his temperament, his stability, and his suitability to be president. Trump relishes any poll that reflects what he thinks of himself. But polls are also saying that he will lose to Hillary Clinton. On Hillary Clintons watch at the State Department, Americas interests were diminished in every corner of the world. She compromised our national secrets, dissembled to the families of the slain, and jettisoned her most profound beliefs to gain presidential power. For the last three decades, the Clintons have lived at the intersection of money and politics, trading their political influence to enrich their personal finances. They embody the term crony capitalism. It disgusts the American people and causes them to lose faith in our political process. A person so untrustworthy and dishonest as Hillary Clinton must not become president. But a Trump nomination enables her victory. The audio and video of the infamous Tapper-Trump exchange on the Ku Klux Klan will play a hundred thousand times on cable and who knows how many million times on social media. There are a number of people who claim that Mr. Trump is a con man, a fake. There is indeed evidence of that. Mr. Trump has changed his positions not just over the years, but over the course of the campaign, and on the Ku Klux Klan, daily for three days in a row. We will only really know if he is the real deal or a phony if he releases his tax returns and the tape of his interview with the New York Times. I predict that there are more bombshells in his tax returns. I predict that he doesnt give much if anything to the disabled and to our veterans. I predict that he told the New York Times that his immigration talk is just that: talk. And I predict that despite his promise to do so, first made over a year ago, he will never ever release his tax returns. Never. Not the returns under audit, not even the returns that are no longer being audited. He has too much to hide. Nor will he authorize the Times to release the tapes. If Im right, you will have all the proof you need to know that Donald Trump is a phony. Attacking me as he surely will wont prove him any less of a phony. Its entirely in his hands to prove me wrong. All he has to do is to release his back taxes like he promised he would, and let us hear what he said behind closed doors to the New York Times. Ronald Reagan used to quote a Scottish philosopher who predicted that democracies and civilizations couldnt last more than about 200 years. John Adams wrote this: Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide. I believe that America has proven these dire predictions wrong for two reasons. First, we have been blessed with great presidents, with giants among us. Men of character, integrity and selflessness have led our nation from its very beginning. None were perfect: each surely made mistakes. But in every case, they acted out of the desire to do what was right for America and for freedom. The second reason is because we are blessed with a great people, people who at every critical moment of choosing have put the interests of the country above their own. These two things are related: our presidents time and again have called on us to rise to the occasion. John F. Kennedy asked us to consider what we could do for our country. Lincoln drew upon the better angels of our nature to save the union. I understand the anger Americans feel today. In the past, our presidents have channeled that anger, and forged it into resolve, into endurance and high purpose, and into the will to defeat the enemies of freedom. Our anger was transformed into energy directed for good. Mr. Trump is directing our anger for less than noble purposes. He creates scapegoats of Muslims and Mexican immigrants, he calls for the use of torture and for killing the innocent children and family members of terrorists. He cheers assaults on protesters. He applauds the prospect of twisting the Constitution to limit first amendment freedom of the press. This is the very brand of anger that has led other nations into the abyss. Heres what I know. Donald Trump is a phony, a fraud. His promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University. Hes playing the American public for suckers: He gets a free ride to the White House and all we get is a lousy hat. His domestic policies would lead to recession. His foreign policies would make America and the world less safe. He has neither the temperament nor the judgment to be president. And his personal qualities would mean that America would cease to be a shining city on a hill. America has greatness ahead. This is a time for choosing. God bless us to choose a nominee who will make that vision a reality. Your thoughts on the speech? Tell us on Facebook >> ALSO GOP donors ramp up anti-Trump efforts This wasnt the way Chris Christie wanted to make headlines Editorial: Donald Trump is not fit to be president of the United States Donald Trump flips back: Hes still opposed to high-skilled immigration visas Donald Trump suggested during Thursdays debate that he was softening his opposition to high-skilled immigration. It was a flip from an earlier position. And then, after the debate, he clarified his view - and ended up back where he started. In a statement late Thursday, Trump said he would end forever the visa program for high-skilled workers. The program is important for Silicon Valley and other high-tech industries, but the H-1B visa system has come under scrutiny as companies downsize and replace American workers with immigrants. Heres Trumps post-debate statement: Megyn Kelly asked about highly skilled immigration. The H-1B program is neither high-skilled nor immigration: these are temporary foreign workers, imported from abroad, for the explicit purpose of substituting for American workers at lower pay. I remain totally committed to eliminating rampant, widespread H-1B abuse and ending outrageous practices such as those that occurred at Disney in Florida when Americans were forced to train their foreign replacements, Trump said. I will end forever the use of the H-1B as a cheap labor program, and institute an absolute requirement to hire American workers first for every visa and immigration program. No exceptions. Heres the full exchange with debate moderator Megyn Kelly: KELLY: Mr. Trump, your campaign website to this day argues that more visas for highly skilled workers would, quote, decimate American workers. However, at the CNBC debate, you spoke enthusiastically in favor of these visas. So, which is it? TRUMP: Im changing. Im changing. We need highly skilled people in this country, and if we cant do it, well get them in. But, and we do need in Silicon Valley, we absolutely have to have. So, we do need highly skilled, and one of the biggest problems we have is people go to the best colleges. Theyll go to Harvard, theyll go to Stanford, theyll go to Wharton, as soon as theyre finished theyll get shoved out. They want to stay in this country. They want to stay here desperately, theyre not able to stay here. For that purpose, we absolutely have to be able to keep the brain power in this country. KELLY: So you abandoning the position on your website ... TRUMP: ... Im changing it, and Im softening the position because we have to have talented people in this country. The rapper KRS-One famously posed this question to law enforcement: Who protects us from you? Exactly 25 years after Los Angeles police officers beat up Rodney King near a 210 Freeway offramp, the answer is the same as ever: The camera does, but only to a point. On March 3, 1991, George Holliday, armed with an analog video camera, recorded Kings brutal treatment at the hands of at least four members of the LAPD. Local news aired the video that night, and soon CNN and other networks began to broadcast it across the nation. At once, America bore witness to what black folks have known since Reconstruction: Law enforcement has a much crueler meaning for citizens of a darker hue. Outrage bubbled beneath the surface of this national witnessing, and this outrage erupted when the criminal trial against the officers ended in acquittal. We all watched the same video, yet 12 jurors (10 white and two people of color) could not agree that Kings rights had been criminally abrogated. The ensuing 1992 Los Angeles riots, one of the 20th centurys most destructive insurrections, resulted in 50 deaths, some 2000 injured and more than $1 billion in property damage. But that insurrection should not be remembered simply as an impulsive response to the King verdict; it was a reflection of the ongoing repression of black liberty. Advertisement Twenty-five years later, it is difficult to convey the potency of the Holliday video seeing it now in its grainy glory belies the vivid influence it had on our collective conscience. I was an undergraduate in the South when the video first circulated. The clip radicalized me politically and existentially; it made me understand that any encounter that I might have with law enforcement could end in death. I remain resolute in this belief. Many of the leaders of the Black Lives Matter movement were not yet born when Holliday began recording, but they too are intimately connected to that watershed moment. The Holliday video, its viral circulation and even the subsequent outrage in the streets of L.A. foretold our moment in protest. Black Lives Matter activists triumphantly embrace a radical politics of the present. We need change now, they say. And they mean it. Cellphone footage of Eric Garner in Staten Island, N.Y. who died after a police officer put him in a chokehold and Walter Scott in North Charleston, S.C. shot in the back after a traffic stop recalls Hollidays visual document. We can all be George Hollidays now: Our cameras are smaller, better, faster. For the foreseeable future, well wonder if the intermittent onslaught of snuff videos will dull our senses, make us numb, but the power of the camera (in the hands of civilians) in the ongoing struggle for equal justice under the law is unquestionable. In the contemporary moment, not only can everyone with a smartphone become a George Holliday, but they can also become their own PR firm. Savvy activists like those associated with Black Lives Matter can distribute documentary evidence to more viewers than your favorite cable news station ever could. In many instances, the Hollidays of today use their capacity to circulate content via social media to pressure networks and news outlets to cover the stories (and atrocities) that matter to the movement. Yet today, just like 25 years ago, video evidence isnt enough; the U.S. criminal justice system resists indicting, much less convicting its own. The cops who beat up Rodney King were initially acquitted; the cop who put Eric Garner in a chokehold was not even indicted; the cop who shot Walter Scott in the back is out on bail, awaiting trial. Theres a vast gulf between awareness and substantive change. Fully aware of that gulf, Black Lives Matter activists have begun an aggressive campaign to disassociate the movement from the establishment whether thats the Democratic Party, the black church or well-known civil rights activists. The establishment even the establishment on the left has for too long been invested in the kind of incremental progress that was championed by civil rights leaders. Black Lives Matter activists triumphantly embrace a radical politics of the present. We need change now, they say. And they mean it. This decisiveness, which makes many uncomfortable with the project , might be the only possibility for both sustaining the movement and for making actual progress in eradicating the racial biases in our criminal justice system. A quarter-century from now, no one should have to explain that a video galvanized many, and changed little. James Peterson is the director of Africana studies at Lehigh University, an MSNBC contributor and the host of the podcast The Remix at the Philadelphia NPR affiliate WHYY. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook Hillary Clinton fared well on Super Tuesday, winning seven of 11 primaries thanks in large part to minority voters in delegate-heavy Southern states such as Texas and Virginia. But the perception that she is less of a genuine liberal, or even a credible feminist, than her rival Bernie Sanders continues to prevail among some younger, and often female, voters. In an interesting example of why this might be so, a reader wrote to me recently and asked whether I thought Clinton set back the feminist movement by not leaving Bill Clinton after all the evidence of his infidelities. I always thought she could have done a lot for women if she would have signaled that she was strong, she was her own woman, and she wasnt going to tolerate that kind of disrespect and humiliation, said my correspondent, a 43-year-old woman from Los Angeles. I wrote back what Ive always thought: The Clinton marriage is pardon me while I duck for cover kind of great, even romantic in its own way. Maybe not in a romantic love kind of way (though who knows?), but in the sense of a true partnership that transcends the common conventions of most marriages. Advertisement The idea that the Clinton marriage is little more than a political partnership and therefore a cynical relationship has been lobbed at Hillary and Bill for decades. I dont buy it. I see them as intellectually, philosophically and practically well matched, a pairing thats taken on tasks ranging from raising a child and thinking about how best to effect change in the world. Obviously no one would have blamed Hillary for leaving Bill over the Monica Lewinsky scandal or any number of previous improprieties. But her choice to stay never struck me as a sign of weakness or compromise. It struck me as the choice of a woman deciding that the value of her relationship with her husband was greater than or equal to the humiliations and setbacks caused by a philandering nature she was probably aware of from the get-go. Not that we can ever know what really goes on in other peoples marriages. Maybe Hillary was clueless about Bills proclivities when she married him. Maybe she tolerated his dalliances over the years solely for political expediency. Maybe when the Clintons left the White House, Hillary did focus groups on whether shed have a better shot at a political career with Bill or without him, and were seeing the result. Hillarys choice to stay in her marriage sends the signal that she is strong, that she is her own woman. For my money, though, I think Bill and Hillary both know theyre better off together than apart, especially if together means enjoying the benefits of marriage without the hassle of being constantly in each others company. Given that they own two homes and havent been seen much in public together over the last eight years, it seems possible that they maintain separate households. Besides, being married remains an unspoken requirement for the presidency regardless of gender. The Clintons meet-cute story has been a staple of their narrative for years. It was 1971; he stared at her for so long in the Yale Law School library that she finally walked up to him and introduced herself. In recent weeks, Bill Clinton has been telling the story. In one way or another weve been together ever since, he said while campaigning for Hillary in Iowa. He went on to say that when he asked her to marry him, he told her she shouldnt do it. Ive met the most talented people in our generation in politics, he recalled saying to her. And then I came to law school here and I met you. Youre better than all of them.... You should go home to Chicago and run for office. If youre so inclined, look up this speech (it was Jan. 15, in Marshalltown, Iowa) and watch it for yourself. Turning the dial up on his inimitable earnestness, Clinton puts a dramatic pause between I met you and Youre better than all of them, a pause, I dare say, that would melt the heart or weaken the knees of even the most Clinton-wary feminist. Its a manipulation, for sure (and it seems to have been a successful one back then, given that she married him and supported his political career instead). But its also a clear, and I think authentic, display of admiration and affection, a kind of love song about the particular passion of this particular couple. No two marriages have quite the same yardstick for happiness or success. Hillarys choice to stay in her marriage sends the signal that she is strong, that she is her own woman, one capable of deciding that being together in one way or another can be just as sacred as waking up next to the same person day in and day out. Though I guess it would help to have your own house. mdaum@latimescolumnists.com Twitter: @meghan_daum Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook Two cheers to Mitt Romney for taking on Donald Trump. I say two because Romneys broadside was a mixed bag. Some counts of the indictment focused on the real dangers a Trump presidency would pose (and echoed some of the points made in a Los Angeles Times editorial). Romney criticized the improbable front-runners grasp of policy and warned that Trumps bombast is already alarming our allies and fueling the enmity of our enemies. He also, rightly, argued that Trump lacks the necessary temperament to be president. After all, Romney said, this is an individual who mocked a disabled reporter, who attributed a reporters questions to her menstrual cycle, who mocked a brilliant rival who happened to be a woman due to her appearance, who bragged about his marital affairs and who laces his public speeches with vulgarity. There was also a Republican-specific indictment of Trump, notably the argument that his deficiencies as a general-election candidate would cede the election to the Hillary Clinton. Advertisement A person so untrustworthy and dishonest as Hillary Clinton must not become president, Romney said. But a Trump nomination enables her victory. The audio and video of the infamous [Jake] Tapper-Trump exchange on the Ku Klux Klan will play a hundred thousand times on cable and who knows how many million times on social media. Its understandable that Romney would couch his indictment of Trump in terms of how a Trump nomination would help the opposite party; he was, after all, speaking to Republicans. But there was a weird false equivalence in the implication that both Trump and Clinton are equally unfit for the presidency. And surely Trumps evasion when asked to repudiate a former Ku Klux Klan leader is more objectionable in itself than because it might provide Clinton with an advantage. Finally, though Romney didnt follow Marco Rubio in trying to match Trump in third-grade theatrics, a lot of Romneys attack was personal and arguably priggish. In offering a litany of Trumps sins, Romney himself a paragon of propriety seemed to find Trumps vulgarity as offensive as his cruelty. Romneys final dig at Trump that his personal qualities would mean that America would cease to be a shining city on a hill could come across as snobbish sanctimony, not righteousness indignation. That might not be too persuasive for Trump sympathizers who are tired of being lectured to by their social superiors. Thats why only two cheers for his speech but it was still an admirable attempt to slow the Trump bandwagon. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook With a victory in Tuesdays Michigan presidential primary critical to his campaign, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders has seized on an issue on which he and Hillary Clinton have sharp disagreements trade, which he blames for ravaging the states once-bountiful manufacturing jobs. Theres one big complication: Sanders trade position not only differs from Clintons but from the two most recent Democratic presidents, who remain hugely popular among the partys voters. That has forced Sanders into a narrow path of lauding Bill Clinton and President Obama while at the same time picking at the trade deals both consider central to their legacies. Persistent loyalty to the two former Democratic presidents represents a continued dilemma for Sanders and an advantage for Hillary Clinton. Her husband, Bill Clinton, pushed the North American Free Trade Agreement, against which Sanders campaigned on Thursday. President Obama, in whose administration she served, has pushed the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement, which Sanders vehemently opposes and to which Clinton has offered more mild opposition. Advertisement Polls of Democratic voters casting ballots this year have shown large majorities of Democrats wanting to continue Obamas policies rather than adopt the more liberal approach Sanders has advocated. The one exception, in which voters were closely divided on that question, was New Hampshire, which not coincidentally was the state in which Sanders collected his biggest victory. On Thursday here, Sanders delivered a carefully worded reproach of Hillary Clintons trade positions, contending that deals she had backed as first lady, New York senator and secretary of State had resulted in the disappearance of the American middle class. He cited her support for NAFTA during her husbands presidency and for subsequent deals involving China, Colombia and Mexico. He suggested that her current opposition to the Pacific trade agreement would be reversed were she to become president. On multiple trade deals, she was very, very wrong, and millions of families around America have been suffering because of those disastrous trade policies, Sanders said. He was preceded at the lectern by two Michigan union members who had lost their jobs. As a member of Congress in the 1990s, he had immediately recognized that NAFTA would punish American workers, Sanders said. His contention about the trade deals impact remains under debate two decades after its passage, but Sanders said it should not be. You didnt need a PhD in economics to figure that one out, he said. From the first days that I was in Congress, not only did I oppose NAFTA and virtually every other agreement, but I was on the picket lines in opposition to those agreements. But Sanders bridled when asked by a reporter whether he was suggesting that Obama had abandoned the workers who had spoken on Sanders behalf. Youre trying to play a gotcha type of game, he said. While he and Obama have disagreed on trade, he said, in many other areas, he has been a very good president. Many, many Americans are disappointed and disagree with President Obama, on the Pacific trade deal, he added. Trade policies were a disaster under Republican leadership; they were a disaster under Democratic leadership. SIGN UP for the free Essential Politics newsletter >> Sanders is seeking to merge two political threads. Democrats have become more liberal over the past generation. That puts them closer on trade to labor unions, which in recent decades almost always have opposed such deals on the grounds that they harm American workers. (During Bill Clintons era, by contrast, Democrats were moving to the center on issues like trade.) In the industrial belt and in Michigan specifically, many people blame trade for huge losses of the manufacturing jobs that once gave blue-collar workers many of them Democrats a dependable middle-class income. Demographics may blunt Sanders odds of success as he makes trade a key element of his primary fight. Many of the states remaining manufacturing workers are African American, an important Michigan voter bloc and one that has sided with Clinton in every other state this year. Not by accident, the two workers who spoke at Sanders event in Lansing were African American. Sanders also is fighting good economic trends in the state. While some sectors remain troubled, the economy in Michigan has improved by many measures. December unemployment was at 5.1%, almost the same as the national figure. That marked a decline of almost 10 points from the high of 14.9%, reached in June 2009, a few months after Obama took office. A broader measurement of those who have given up looking for work or who were underemployed has also dropped significantly from the height of the recession, according to state labor statistics. Fights over trade have marked Democratic politics for decades. The passage of the NAFTA agreement was achieved over organized labors angry objections, and those divisions continue to rumble today. Sanders is hoping that they are felt most deeply in the industrial Midwest, where the campaign has now moved. During her campaign, Clinton has taken on the subject of trade around the edges, regularly implying that manufacturing jobs have been lost because of corporate greed rather than trade deals, automation or any other cause. We need more good jobs, jobs that pay well and cant be outsourced, jobs that provide dignity and a path to a brighter future, she said after her victory last Saturday in South Carolina. And dont let anyone tell you we cant make things in America I know we can, and I know we will. Sanders campaign has emphasized the need to upend what he terms a rigged economic system that benefits the wealthy and endangers the middle class. His opposition to trade deals is a central facet of that argument, and for that reason alone the issue is unlikely to go away. Organized labor also is invested in keeping the topic alive in the presidential contest; at last weekends California Democratic party convention, the head of the state labor federation denounced the Trans Pacific trade deal and vowed that labor would not support Democrats who approved of it. Sanders left Michigan after the Lansing event for Nebraska, where Democrats will hold caucus meetings Saturday. He is expected to return to this state for multiple events before Tuesdays primary. Clinton has scheduled what her campaign is billing as a major policy speech about job creation and the economy in Detroit on Friday. Both Democrats will appear in a debate Sunday in Flint, a site chosen because of the national uproar about the lead poisoning of the citys water supply. Sanders went out of his way on Thursday to tie that crisis to his position on trade. When we look at Flint, it is not only a poisoned water system, it is the understanding that trade policies have devastated that community as well, he said. It is time to tell corporate America in a forceful way they are no longer going to throw American workers out on the streets and build shiny new plants in China, Mexico or other low-wage countries that, in fact, they are going to start reinvesting in this country. cathleen.decker@latimes.com For political news and analysis, follow me on Twitter: @cathleendecker . For more on politics, go to latimes.com/decker. See more of our top stories on Facebook >> MORE POLITICAL COVERAGE Republican donors anti-Trump efforts ramp up, with an eye toward Florida The government spends $1.7 billion a year on 770,000 empty buildings, and one Central Valley congressman is fed up Mitt Romney was for Donald Trump before he was against Donald Trump The federal government spends more than $1.7 billion a year to maintain 770,000 empty buildings while other agencies are leasing or buying new space, and Rep. Jeff Denham is fed up. This is something that hasnt been handled in Republican or Democrat administrations because its too big of a bureaucracy, Denham (R-Turlock) said in an interview in his office. Theres no incentive for the agencies to sell. He said if politicians are going to talk about cutting government waste, selling empty buildings is a good start. Advertisement Denham has tried repeatedly to create a federal panel to streamline the sale of federal property. On Tuesday, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee unanimously approved Denhams most recent effort. A similar Senate bill sponsored by Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) was approved by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee in December. The seven-member commission created by Denhams bill would have six years to review most federal property, recommend buildings to sell and suggest ways agencies could consolidate space. The White House Office of Management and Budget would review the recommendations and report to Congress on which properties to sell and why. We have very little communication between agencies, Denham said. Weve seen agencies that will put out to bid huge pieces of property for the next big expansion, the next new thing that they need and only after it gets approved, then another agency goes Hey, wait a minute, weve got half of a building here. The Los Angeles Federal Courthouse is cited as one of the underused buildings. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) The commission also would recommend at least five high value properties not listed as surplus property for sale with a combined value of at least $500 million. The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee will review the bill before it can move to the House floor. The federal government has tried for decades to get a handle on its hundreds of thousands of office buildings, storage warehouses, courthouses, hospitals, parking garages and other structures. In California, the federal government owned more than 271 million square feet of property in fiscal 2014, according to the General Services Administration. How much of that property is not being used is not clear. President Bush created the Federal Real Property Council and a comprehensive property database in 2004. Beyond an annual report, the General Services Administration-maintained database is not available to the public, Congress or other federal agencies. Rep. Jeff Denham (R-Turlock), right, shown in 2013, is pushing to sell empty federal buildings across the country. (Evan Vucci / Associated Press) Under President Obama, the Office of Management and Budget has instructed agencies not to increase their total square footage of office and warehouse space beyond what existed in 2012. Despite those efforts, the Government Accountability Office reported in June that the government continues to hold more property than it needs, leases when it would be cheaper to own and uses unreliable data to make property management decisions. Denhams bill would require the administrations database to be public and include details about each propertys specific location, maintenance costs and use, and why the property is needed. He pointed to the Los Angeles Federal Courthouse and the Veterans Affairs Facility in Los Angeles as examples of underused buildings. They need to have a long-term plan of what those vacancies are going to be used for and whether or not they can combine [with] other agencies, Denham said. Similar legislation from Denham passed the House in 2012, but died in committee in 2013. Denhams earlier attempts were stymied by concerns that they would interfere with an existing requirement that before surplus federal property can be sold, regardless of type or condition, it must be offered to states, municipalities and nonprofit groups that provide services for homeless people. A 2016 Congressional Research Service report found that could add months or years to the process. That was certainly a stumbling block that we had dealt with two years ago in the last Congress, Denham said. The way that GSA had defined this in the past, [a] homeless advocacy group could actually put a hold on any property that we were trying to sell. That created a disincentive for agencies actually trying to sell. Since 1987, only 122 of 40,000 screened federal properties have been transferred to homeless advocacy groups under this process, according to a June 2015 report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office. Denham said surplus federal properties should be available to house the homeless, but the process should be easier. Under his bill, the Department of Housing and Urban Development would decide which federal properties might be suitable and only those buildings would be offered to nonprofits, municipalities or states. It also shortens the screening and application process. When youve got a billion-dollar property, when youve got a heating plant in Georgetown, those are not properties that are going to be used for the homeless, Denham said. Several lawmakers who previously opposed the measure over concerns that it would affect homeless advocacy groups access to surplus property have signed on as co-sponsors, including Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), the ranking Democrat on the Oversight and Government Reform Committee. The highest-ranking Democrat on the Transportation Committee, Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.), said he and Denham spent considerable time negotiating details of the bill and he is quite happy with the final result. See more of our top stories on Facebook >> The Obama administration hasnt taken an official stance on the bill, and opposed it in the past, but Rep. Andre Carson (D-Ind.), told committee members Wednesday that Denhams bill lines up with the presidents efforts to reduce federal property. Denham said the challenge at this point is getting the bill passed during a presidential election. We have, I think, set this bill up for success, but I think, like anything else, this is a challenging year and a challenging political climate. We still have to get it off the floor and marry it to the Senate and ask the president to sign it, he said. sarah.wire@latimes.com Follow @sarahdwire on Twitter. Read more about the 55 members of Californias delegation at latimes.com/politics. ALSO Trumps first congressional endorsement comes from California: Which candidates have support? Why a congresswoman from Los Angeles is talking about Africa Feinstein water policy bill could signal a compromise in sight MTV has beckoned them to Rock the Vote. Lena Dunham and Lil Jon starred in a music video to urge them to Turn Out for What. But across the nation and particularly in California, young voters mostly havent. A dismal 8.2% of the states eligible 18-to-24-year-olds voted in November 2014, the last statewide general election, making up just 4% of voters that year. Nearly half of young people statewide didnt even bother to register to vote. Two UC Berkeley students are looking to change that. A new proposed law drafted by the Berkeley law students and co-authored by a pair of Bay Area legislators would automatically register students at the states public colleges and universities when they sign up for classes online. Advertisement The state already is on the cusp of implementing its new automated motor voter registration law that could place millions of new voters on the rolls. But this new effort is aimed at getting the youth vote which, while much smaller, has been perennially pegged as a sort of sleeping giant to turn out in bigger numbers. The biggest key with any constituency is meeting people where theyre at, and young people are a demographic that is so reliant on technology, said Paul Monge, 26, in his first year at UC Berkeley Law. Over his recent winter break, Monge was mulling how to convince his peers to participate in elections. He and classmate Cindy Dinh, 27, did some research and wasted no time putting their law classes to use, drafting legislative language and typing up a 6-page proposal to circulate among friends for feedback. By early February, theyd met with several lawmakers in Sacramento and submitted the proposal to Assemblyman David Chiu (D-San Francisco) as part of a There Ought To Be a Law contest. Chiu and Assemblyman Rob Bonta (D-Alameda) plan to co-author the Student Voting Act based on Monge and Dinhs idea. Chiu has filed a placeholder bill with skeleton language. These students want to see more of their friends and colleagues registered to vote and educated about the voting process, Chiu said in a statement. They did their research and found a great solution to get more young people registered and to the polls, and I look forward to working with them on this worthy effort. California Secretary of State Alex Padilla said he has also been in talks with officials at the states three public college systems to see what steps can be taken on a voluntary basis. The idea of linking voter registration to class enrollment isnt new. More than a decade ago, the states community colleges established a pilot program that mailed pre-filled voter registration cards to students who indicated online that they were interested. The program was discontinued in 2009. Today, all three campus systems the University of California, the California State University, and California Community Colleges provide links on their websites to the states online voter registration page. Last year, fewer than 15,000 were registered to vote that way a drop in the bucket given there are more than 3.5 million eligible youth voters. Monge, 26, has spent years as a student activist and organizer and says boosting voter turnout among young people is a crucial first step toward greater political sway over concerns like tuition hikes and student loan debt. The only way to ensure elected leaders will listen to such concerns, Monge said, is for young people to vote in blocs and en masse. Dinh said it makes sense to engage young people at a time when theyre learning and being exposed to new ideas more than ever before, and to help them apply that learning. This is step one, Monge adds. If we register, we can vote. If we vote, we can find allies, and if we have allies we can get the policies we want in place. Its not that simple. Young people, especially college students, tend to be the most transient among eligible voters. They move often and dont always know to change their address, meaning voter pamphlets and other election paraphernalia might be sent to their parents homes or lost in the mail. And even with the advent of Californias new motor voter law, expected to be fully implemented by July 2017, many college students also are relatively new drivers who may not need to walk into a DMV for years, meaning theyre less likely to be captured by the states new automated voter registration system than others. But colleges rely on accurate records to send students bills and other important mail, so its a logical place to start, advocates say. Voting rights activists and election officials hope that catching would-be voters early may help turn around the states shrinking voter participation on a larger scale. If you can get someone into the voting process when ... theyve just turned 18 ... you can turn them into a lifelong voter, said Kim Alexander, president of the California Voter Foundation. We have this window of opportunity in 2016 to engage potentially millions of Californians who have never participated before. And we should make the most of that. ------------ FOR THE RECORD 8:36 a.m.: An earlier version of this article identified Kim Alexander as executive director of the California Voter Project. She is president of the California Voter Foundation. ------------ And while getting people to register to vote may not guarantee they actually show up on election day, Padilla said, its an important first step in engaging them. People who dont show up on voter rolls often have no idea an election is even happening, Padilla said recently at a forum on the future of Californias elections. They live off the grid in the political sense and dont receive voter information guides, sample ballots or mail from campaigns. Once a voter is added to the states database, Guess what? Theyll get the sample ballot, theyll get the voter information guide. If nothing else, its governments job to say, Hey, theres an election coming up, and heres whats on the ballot. Its unclear if Padilla will support the proposal, but voting rights activists say hes been increasingly supportive of the concept of automated student registration in recent months. For more on California politics, follow me @cmaiduc ALSO Never eligible to vote, young immigrant plays key role in Clinton campaign Ballot selfies are illegal, but this Bay Area legislator says they shouldnt be Why these Angelenos bothered to vote when more than 90% didnt Rebecca Damodaran was riding her bicycle on her commute home from work at Providence High School Tuesday night. Christopher Black was riding his bike for exercise and to enjoy the nice weather. As the sun set and the sky was streaked pink and blue, car lights shined on Verdugo Avenue and Buena Vista Street, but neither Damodaran nor Black had headlights of their own when they stopped at the entrance to Lincoln Park, near the bust of the 16th president. Damodaran had a light, but it was dead. Black said hes never had a light on his bike since he reached adulthood, and while he thought the law might require him to wear a helmet it doesnt for adults he had no idea it requires cyclists to have lights and reflectors. NEWSLETTER: Stay up to date with whats going on in the 818 >> It makes sense, though, Black said. I just never thought to get any. Rebecca Damodaran answers survey questions for Walk Bike Burbank chairman Mike Hollis during Operation Firefly. (Tim Berger / Staff Photographer) Both Damodaran and Black were in luck, though, as they happened across volunteers with Walk Bike Burbank, a local chapter of the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, who were stationed near Honest Abe, handing out bike lights and packets with information about state laws and safety tips for night-time riding. The unannounced pop-up event is part of an education and bike-light-distribution program called Operation Firefly that runs November through March each year, said Mike Hollis, chairman of Walk Bike Burbank. The program is sponsored by the Laemmle Charitable Foundation, he said, and the lights are donated by Burbank-based Pure Fix Cycles. The goal is to promote bike safety. The roughly two-hour operation was Walk Bike Burbanks second Firefly event this year, Hollis said the group handed out about 30 sets of front and rear lights in January and its the last one until the next season begins in November, Hollis said. Volunteers distributed the sets of white and red (front and rear) bike lights, plus stickers and information cards with tips on how to change a flat tire and how to be safer riding at night, such as wearing white or light-colored clothing and extra reflectors on helmets or shoes. The safety tip card also warns that riders can be cited at night for riding without a white front light and reflectors on the bikes rear, side and pedals. Red rear lights are optional, but recommended. Join the conversation on Facebook >> Evening bicycle rides in urban areas tend to be more dangerous for riders, but a front light helps prevent the most common type of collision, according to the safety card, those with oncoming or cross traffic. Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that in 2013, 68% of the roughly 740 cyclists killed in traffic accidents in the United States that year were in urban areas and more than half, 56%, happened between the hours of 3 p.m. and midnight. The numbers for 2012 were similar. California had the highest number of cyclist fatalities in traffic crashes in 2013 141, accounting for 4.7% of all traffic deaths in the state. Californias rate of 3.68 cyclist deaths per million residents was higher than the national average of 2.35 per million. Black said hes never been in an accident while riding at night, though, he said, I feel lucky. Damodaran said she hasnt, either almost, but no. As he left, Black said he was going to bring his wifes bike back for free lights, too. -- Chad Garland, chad.garland@latimes.com Twitter: @chadgarland -- ALSO: Burbank students are Music Center contest semifinalists Metro tries out express route from North Hollywood to Pasadena In Theory: Can the pope comment on Trumps religion? If Laguna Beach residents have trouble concentrating or are awakened by rumbling from above, the Laguna Beach City Council wants the Federal Aviation Administration to know about it. In a rare act of activism, the council at its meeting last week urged residents to call or email aviation officials if noise from passing jetliners annoys them. One of the things that helps us with the FAA is when we have data points, Councilman Robert Zur Schmiede said. The way we get data points is when people call and complain or email and complain. Advertisement Airplane noise complaints are nothing new in Laguna. The city has relayed residents concerns to the FAA for the last couple of years, but one South Laguna homeowner said she has noticed an uptick in noise since October. The nonstop airplanes over my home continue, Michele Monda told the council. Monda said that for three straight mornings last fall, she tallied an average of 12 to 15 flights passing overhead in 40 minutes or less each day. Planes begin departing from the airport at 7 a.m. That had not happened before, Monda said in a follow-up phone interview. Monda is concerned that not only are flights getting increasingly close to Laguna Beach but that commercial jets could be flying at lower altitudes. When she recently took off on a flight from John Wayne, Monda said, she could see the pool, table and chairs in her yard. Youre telling me at 8,000 feet my eyes could identify that? she said. Monda said she asked the FAA if anything had changed regarding the routes of departing jets or the altitude at which they fly when crossing over land and didnt get a clear answer. Agency spokesman Ian Gregor wrote in an email to the Coastline Pilot that the FAA has not changed any procedures at John Wayne. Mondas concerns come at a time when the FAA is considering new air traffic procedures at airports nationwide, including John Wayne, which is located on unincorporated land surrounded by Newport Beach, Irvine and Santa Ana. The FAA wants to replace traditional ground-based air traffic procedures with satellite-based technology with its Next Generation Air Transportation System. It is also considering a proposal to narrow flight paths at 11 Southern California airports, including John Wayne. Gregor maintains that Laguna Beach would be unaffected by these changes. The agency believes that the changes could save fuel, reduce emissions and delays and shorten flight times by establishing flight paths that are less dispersed than they have been. Currently, air traffic controllers can direct pilots off standard routes to keep planes safely separated from one another and to make up time, Gregor said. Under the proposed system, precise takeoff paths would be programmed into the planes flight plan. The negative, though, as residents see it is that the system could concentrate flights over residential neighborhoods especially in Newport Beach, parts of which sit below the takeoff zone. Flights from John Wayne headed east of Las Vegas are supposed to follow the STREL route. Planes ascend over the ocean, turn around and fly over land near the South Laguna and Dana Point border. The proposed Next Generation flight paths would be virtually identical to the current STREL system, Gregor said, adding the FAA still needs to approve the satellite method, possibly this summer. Laguna Beach Mayor Pro Tem Toni Iseman said during the meeting that the noise residents are hearing could stem from pilots not adhering to the fixed route and turning around earlier, thus moving away from STREL path and over more of Laguna. It comes down to the end of the flight when [pilots] brag about, Were early, Iseman said. One of the ways they get to be early is turn around in a hurry. Our problem could be easily solved by flying out just a little bit longer. Were talking about seconds longer before they turn around. The FAAs top priority is safety, Gregor said. During heavy volume times, it often is not possible to keep all planes in one stream, Gregor said. So [air traffic] controllers will [move] them to maintain an efficient flow of traffic while keeping aircraft the required distance from one another. Iseman and Zur Schmiede formed a subcommittee to study the issue and are working with city staff and Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Costa Mesa) to address residents concerns. Residents can report low-flying aircraft to the FAAs Long Beach office at (562) 420-1755. To report airplane noise, contact the FAAs noise ombudsman at (202) 267-3521 or 9-AWA-NoiseOmbudsman@faa.gov. Amid explosions from enemy artillery, Carlos McAfee arranged for medical helicopters to airlift wounded soldiers to safety. In was a June day 50 years ago in Vietnam. The war was raging. McAfee saw two advisors die while in battle, but he did what he could to prevent more casualties. The U.S. Navy honored the 82-year-old retired Marine lieutenant colonel with its second-highest honor for gallantry in combat, the Navy Cross. Organizers of the annual Laguna Beach Patriots Day Parade will thank McAfee for his service Saturday when the 50th parade rolls through Laguna Beachs streets. Advertisement McAfee can take or leave the accolades, he said Monday at his home near Alta Laguna Park. He did what he had to do. Im delighted the city does it [host the Patriots Day Parade], and its certainly nice to be a part of it, said McAfee, who grew up in Oklahoma City, Okla. Its not a parade about Carlos McAfee. The parade recognizes sacrifices of people who fought for the U.S. in times of war and celebrates Americas freedom. Various community organizations and school bands participate in the procession, and residents have been known to line the streets decked in red, white and blue garb. McAfee spent 20 years in the Marine Corps, focusing on artillery and military intelligence. He learned to speak Vietnamese before deployment in 1965 to the country, where he and other Marines joined the South Vietnamese resistance to northern forces. Testing came quickly for McAfee, a captain with the 5th Marine Battalion. On June 12, 1966, his unit came under enemy fire in areas of rice paddies. The battalion commander died in the incident while McAfee stationed himself under the direct fire of the enemy in order to direct and adjust air strikes and artillery fire, according to a biography on the Patriots Day Parade website. Despite continued enemy fire of automatic weapons, machine guns, mortars and grenades, McAfee directed the medical evacuation helicopters into his area to receive the wounded.... After three hours of intense fighting, reinforcements arrived and were led by McAfee on a counterattack. Through his valiant efforts, he prevented the possible annihilation of a Marine battalion by a numerically superior enemy force, and his courageous direction of the medical evacuation undoubtedly saved many lives. McAfee admitted he doesnt talk much about that day or consider his actions special. I didnt do anything that a well-trained professional couldnt do, he said. When you think about the heroic, mind-blowing things people have done that go unrecognized. McAfee returned to the U.S. and studied operations research at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey. In July 1970, he returned to Vietnam as a major, leading a reinforced artillery battalion that spread across six bases south of Da Nang. He led combat units until their withdrawal the following spring. After retiring from the military in 1975, McAfee joined Hughes Aircraft Co., working on military operations and command systems. NATO officials tapped McAfee for his expertise in this area, and he lived for a time in Europe and Israel, where he met his wife, Waltraud. The two married 37 years ago. Back in the States and not wanting to be idle during retirement, the McAfees decided to explore their acting abilities and ended up playing extras in 100 movies, including The Green Mile, starring Tom Hanks. Carlos particularly liked working with the cast including George C. Scott and Jack Lemmon of the 1999 remake of Inherit the Wind, a fictionalized account of the Scopes Monkey Trial. Carlos played a courtroom attendee as lawyers argued for and against a Tennessee school teacher who taught evolution during the 1920s. It was a kick, Carlos said. In 1997, the couple moved from Laguna Niguel to Laguna Beach, where Carlos has volunteered with the Laguna Beach Police Departments Citizens Academy. Hes absolutely faithful to his country, wants the best for his country, Waltraud said. He teaches me a lot of history. I love him dearly. Saturdays parade begins at 11 a.m. on Park Avenue in front of Laguna Beach High School. When Glendale Unified established its first dual-language immersion program in 2003, the school district became a trailblazer for offering students a Spanish class where they would spend at least 50% of the day speaking and learning in Spanish. Now, students can enroll in Spanish, German, Italian, French, Armenian, Korean and Japanese dual-language programs and spend anywhere from 50% to 90% of the day speaking and learning in their chosen language. NEWSLETTER: Stay up to date with whats going on in and around your neighborhood >> This year, 477 students, or 25% of all of Glendales current kindergartners, are enrolled in a dual-language program. Across the 30 schools in the district, 2,889 students, or 11% of the districts entire population, participate in a program. With many immersion students currently in elementary schools, officials are beginning to address offering dual-language programs at the middle-school level. In some cases, school officials are providing class offerings in middle-school programs based largely on parents requests. Last year, when Glendale school officials surveyed parents with children in the Armenian dual-language program at R.D. White Elementary, about 87% of parents wanted their child to take Armenian as a foreign-language class at Wilson Middle School. Glendale school officials considered offering a science or social studies class taught in Armenian, but with the majority of parents demanding just one class in Armenian, Glendale Unified stuck with their preference. In the coming years, when students in the newer language programs begin to approach middle school, school officials will survey their parents as well, said Kelly King, assistant superintendent for Glendale Unified. Join the conversation on Facebook >> We will be looking at the future cohorts regarding their interest because our intent was to provide that second course for the students, she said. School board member Nayiri Nahabedian said she wasnt entirely surprised that parents elected for one class instead of two, saying some parents want their child invested in learning English. However teachers who have met with those parents assure them that the students will be fine, she added. Test scores, so far, show that students who are in a foreign-language program are highly proficient in English. According to a district report, students who were enrolled in a dual-language immersion program demonstrated higher levels of proficiency in English last year than their counterparts who attended the same school, but were not in a program. For example, roughly 55% of fourth-grade students enrolled in an Armenian immersion program met or exceeded the English standard, while 35% of the students who were not speaking or learning in Armenian achieved that same goal. On another campus, 73% of students learning Japanese also met or exceeded the English standard, compared to 53% of students who were not part of that language program. The ability to offer two courses in middle schools can also depend on whether Glendale Unified can find appropriate staff. Finding instructors to teach dual-language immersion classes is not unlike finding a unicorn, King said. They must be an educator who has a California teaching credential, have studied the language and have the ability to teach academic content using that language. Our biggest challenge and our biggest reward is when we find that teacher, she said, adding that the school district is currently recruiting to fill nine dual-language teaching slots. So far, the districts plan is for French, German and Italian students to enroll in one language course at middle-school or high-school level, King said, but added that the district is flexible. If we happen to find a teacher who has those dual credentials, that they can teach both the foreign language class and one of the content-area classes, at that time, we really would entertain the thought of opening up a second [class]. What appears to be far easier for the district is attracting students to the programs, which are extremely popular. Some parents relocate to Glendale, even from outside the country, so their children can enroll in them, King said. As of Feb. 25, 530 applications were on the districts waiting list for a spot in a kindergarten dual-language class next school year. -- Kelly Corrigan, kelly.corrigan@latimes.com Twitter: @kellymcorrigan -- ALSO: Gunshots heard in Glendale neighborhood but police find no shooter or victim Man leads Glendale police on short vehicle pursuit that ends in car crash, rollover Chase nabs 1 Glendale burglary suspect as 3 flee; case may be linked to other break-ins, police say In the Chinese capital, Beijing, its that time of year again: a time of motorcade-induced traffic jams, stepped-up security, and round-the-clock coverage of dour-faced, dark-suited political representatives discussing and often fawning over the policy guidelines of their superiors. On Thursday, the city kicked off its biggest political event of the year: the two sessions, named after the concurrent meetings of the National Peoples Congress (NPC), a rubber-stamp parliament, and the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). The sessions will last up to two weeks. Security was tight at the CPPCCs opening ceremony at the Great Hall of the People, a massive granite edifice abutting Tiananmen Square. Some guards examined sewer grates with long sticks, checking for suspicious objects; some wielded metal detectors; and some held fire extinguishers to guard against possible self-immolations. Inside, the CPPCCs top official Yu Zhengsheng delivered a work report to more than 2,000 delegates. Advertisement The NPC will begin Saturday. Above all, the meetings are a well-choreographed display of political theater, in which all major decisions are preordained. Thats why ordinary Chinese observers tend to focus less on the meetings political machinery than on occasional slip-ups that put a crack in the facade, exposing the human and thus, fallible nature of Chinas most powerful figures. Internet users have coined the term leiren yulu, or outrageous speech to describe delegates most controversial comments. Here are some of the best (and worst), dating to 2011: 2016 On the first day of the CPPCC, Li Xiusong, a delegate from Anhui province, said China should refrain from building Disneyland theme parks, as they embody Western culture and may inhibit Chinese children from embracing their own heritage. (Shanghai Disneyland, the first on the mainland, is set to open in June.) If children will pursue Western culture when they are young, they will like Western culture when they grow up, he said, according to several Chinese news websites. Hence, they will become uninterested in Chinese culture. Li made no mention of the countless Hollywood movies, McDonalds restaurants, and Apple products that now define daily life in most Chinese cities. 2015 Liu Jian, a major general in the Peoples Liberation Army and delegate to the CPPCC, suggested that China should host a military parade every year, bucking the traditional schedule of once a decade. Anyone who experienced President Xi Jinpings massive military parade in September 2015 might think twice at the prospect in preparation, authorities locked down parts of Beijing, ratcheted up media and Internet censorship, and temporarily shuttered 12,000 factories and power plants across northern China, resulting in untold economic losses. 2014 Officials at two sessions news conferences generally ignore foreign journalists in favor of state media reporters, whom they trust to ask easy, even flattering questions. So perhaps the biggest scandal at that years NPC came when finance officials called on eight Chinese journalists and then Australian Louise Kenney, who introduced herself as a reporter from Australias Global CAMG before asking a question about Chinas agricultural insurance market. The organization, it turns out, is actually affiliated with China Radio International, a state-run broadcaster. (Foreign shill, one Chinese journalist muttered at the presser, according to the Wall Street Journal.) 2013 Chen Guangbiao, a wealthy businessman and CPPCC delegate, has built a reputation in China for orchestrating philanthropic and environmentalist stunts such as distributing canned air in Beijing, indiscriminately handing out bundles of cash, and in 2014, attempting to acquire the New York Times. At the 2013 meetings, his words alone were enough to make headlines. People who have not received nine years of compulsory education should not have kids; those who have received high school education should be allowed to have one kid; and all those above should not face any restrictions, he reportedly said. Chen also proposed creating a National Food Saving Day on which people all over the country would starve for one day to recall the bitter past and think of the sweet present. 2012 Shen Jilan now 86, making her the oldest representative at the NPC unintentionally illustrated the delegates lopsided relationship with their superiors in 2009 by proudly proclaiming that she had never voted no in a meeting since she first became a delegate in 1954. In 2012, she once again raised hackles for championing stricter government control of the Internet. I think someone should administer the Internet just like the Peoples Daily, she said, referring to the Communist Party mouthpiece. The Internet cannot be administered by just anyone We should follow our own principles and avoid turning something good to something bad; we should not allow people to say whatever they want. This is a socialist state led by the Chinese Communist Party. 2011 Wang Ping, a CPPCC committee member, proposed that the government discourage children in Chinas rural areas from attending college. That is because once children from rural areas attend college, they will be unable to return to their hometowns, he said. Furthermore, there are severe employment pressures in the cities. There is no possible way that rural kids who are cramped into these cities can be happy. Chinas urban-rural divide is one of the worlds most striking on average, rural people earn about a third as much as their urban counterparts (about $1,603 per year compared to $4,490), the state-run China Daily reported in 2015. Times staff writer Julie Makinen and special correspondents Chuan Xu and Yingzhi Yang in The Times Beijing bureau contributed to this report. The 15-member United Nations Security Council voted unanimously Wednesday to impose sweeping new sanctions on North Korea, including mandatory cargo inspections and a ban on exports of most natural resources, in response to its recent nuclear and ballistic missile tests. The penalties were approved after seven weeks of negotiations between the United States and China, North Koreas largest economic and political patron. Beijing ultimately agreed to try to pressure the reclusive government in Pyongyang more stringently than ever before. Secretary of State John F. Kerry, who called the sanctions the toughest in more than two decades, said the goal is to hold the regime to account for its increasingly provocative behavior and its growing threat to regional security. Advertisement The resolution requires inspections by U.N. member nations of all cargo going to or from North Korea by air, sea or land. It bars the countrys imports of aviation fuel, which will ground its aircraft, and sharply limits exports of coal, iron, gold and titanium. It tightens an arms embargo to include light weapons, terminates banking relationships with outside institutions, and bans teaching North Koreans overseas in advanced physics, aerospace engineering and other sensitive fields. The resolution also specifically bans North Korea from using ballistic missile technology, even if it claims as Pyongyang has repeatedly in the past that is putting a satellite in orbit. It also freezes overseas assets of 16 individuals and 12 government agencies and banks. The international community, speaking with one voice, has sent Pyongyang a simple message: North Korea must abandon these dangerous programs and choose a better path for its people, President Obama said in a statement after Wednesdays vote. NEWSLETTER: Get the days top headlines from Times Editor Davan Maharaj >> North Korea launched a few short-range projectiles Thursday morning local time in what appeared to be a statement of displeasure with the sanctions, South Koreas Defense Ministry said. A ministry official, speaking on condition of anonymity under department guidelines, said the projectiles were launched from the area around Wonsan on North Koreas east coast. It was unclear where they landed. The Security Council has approved resolutions targeting North Koreas nuclear and ballistic missile programs four times in the last decade. But enforcement was weak, and the sanctions contained enough loopholes that Pyongyang was able to repeatedly defy them. It most recently tested an underground nuclear device on Jan. 6 that it said was a hydrogen bomb, a claim Western experts disputed. On Feb. 7, it put a small satellite in space in a rocket launch that the Obama administration said was a mask for a ballistic missile test. Beijing has resisted tightening sanctions for several years, or enforcing some of those already in place. Chinese authorities worry that the economy of its nuclear-armed neighbor could collapse, creating turmoil on its borders. But North Korean leader Kim Jong-uns continued pursuit of nuclear weapons apparently angered Beijing. The most recent nuclear test came on the eve of the Chinese New Year and after President Xi Jinpings government had explicitly asked Pyongyang to refrain from a test. During the negotiations with Washington, China made clear it did not want to impose measures so punitive that it could jeopardize the stability of North Korea, or harm its already impoverished population. The resolution emphasizes that the new sanctions are not intended to cause adverse humanitarian consequences for civilians. North Korea did not immediately issue any statement in response to the Security Council vote. Earlier this week, it said it would no longer take part in U.N. Human Rights Council sessions examining its abysmal human rights record. Foreign Minister Ri Su-yong accused the council of politicization, selectivity and double standards and of singling out North Korea for criticism. Join the conversation on Facebook >> ALSO Australian cardinal admits ignoring boys complaint about a sexually abusive priest Blunder turns deadly when two Israeli soldiers using Waze drive into a Palestinian camp Developers plan one-stop medical facility in Tijuana convenient to Americans The migrant crisis became a critical bargaining chip in the debate over Britains future membership of the European Union on Thursday, with France warning that a Brexit could bring immigration chaos to its neighbors shores. French President Francois Hollande stated bluntly that there would be serious consequences for Britain if the public votes in favor of leaving the 28-member bloc in a June referendum. Earlier in the day, French economy minister Emmanuel Macron went even further by saying a vote to leave the EU could mean France no longer allows British border police to operate in the port city of Calais. Advertisement His comments stoked fears that this could potentially pave the way for thousands of migrants to arrive unimpeded on British shores. The day this relationship unravels, migrants will no longer be in Calais, Macron was quoted saying in the Financial Times newspaper. Downing Street officials said they had no prior knowledge of Macrons speech, but the statement fell on deaf ears to exit campaigners and the words stitch up and scaremongering were quickly banded around. See the most-read stories this hour >> Donnez-moi un break, said London Mayor Boris Johnson, using broken French to say Give me a break. You have to wonder about the timing of this particular venture, he added. I think this is all part of a project to try and scare people into wanting to stay in the EU when actually all the arguments are in favor of us taking back control and being brave enough to stand on our own two feet. There has been no love lost between Prime Minister David Cameron and Johnson in recent weeks after the mayor, who is also a Cabinet minister, declared his allegiance to the exit campaign despite the prime ministers best efforts to win him over. NEWSLETTER: Get the days top headlines from Times Editor Davan Maharaj >> The two have long been political rivals and many believe Johnsons stance is motivated by his own desire to hold the keys to 10 Downing Street one day. For his part, Cameron dismissed as nonsense any suggestion that there was a conspiracy around Macrons comments aimed at giving an edge to the stay campaign. The best thing to do is to listen to the arguments, to listen to what people are saying, and to understand some of the risks and some of the uncertainties about leaving the European Union, Cameron said. In Macrons interview with the Financial Times, he warned that the 2003 Le Touquet agreement could be threatened if Britain decides to leave the EU. The deal allows British border guards to be stationed in Calais to ensure that anyone without proper papers is denied entry before even reaching British soil. This has led to the establishment of the so-called Jungle encampment, where thousands of migrants fleeing their war-torn homelands in the Middle East and Africa have set up tents while hoping to reach Britain. Attempts to dismantle the camp by French demolition teams this week have been met with fierce resistance. Members of the so-called Brexit campaign said the French statements were all part of a drive by the Euro establishment to keep Britain within the EU and sow seeds of doubt in the minds of British voters. And, they argued, the Le Touquet agreement has nothing to do with the EU as it is solely between Britain and France. If they suddenly turned around and said the border is not there anymore, we are not going to suddenly let very large number of migrants come through the Channel Tunnel into Britain, said Chris Grayling, leader of the House of Commons, who is campaigning to leave the EU. But what it will do is attract large numbers more migrants to Calais, which is not what they want. So were getting mixed message from French ministers. Even though Hollande did not reiterate the strong words of his economy minister, he did not rule out that a British exit could put a strain on the current border control status quo. I dont want to scare you, I just want to say the truth -- there will be consequences, he said, adding that a British exit would not jeopardize the two nations longstanding diplomatic friendship, but would undoubtedly affect British immigration and its economy. Hollande made his comments at a press conference with Cameron at the end of a one-day Britain-France summit in the northern French city of Amiens, where the two leaders discussed security and international issues, including the conflict in Syria and Iraq and the migrant crisis consuming Europe. Cameron announced that Britain would give $24 million to help French authorities deal with the migrant problem in Calais and that unaccompanied child migrants in Calais with direct family in Britain would be reunited with their relatives. This policy is already in place but its implementation has been slow. Britain and France also announced a joint initiative to spend $2.1 billion on a new generation of combat drones, described as the most advanced of its kind in Europe. Boyle is a special correspondent. ALSO Oscar Pistorius denied chance to appeal and now faces sentencing for murder conviction Blunder turns deadly when two Israeli soldiers using Waze drive into a Palestinian camp Honduran environmental leader and rights activist Berta Caceres slain by assailants Australian Cardinal George Pell, Pope Francis trusted finance minister, has admitted ignoring a boys complaint about a sexually abusive priest but denied that he tried to bribe another abuse victim to keep quiet. Speaking on the fourth and last day of hearings before a royal commission on abuse that occurred decades ago in Australia, Pell said it was a disastrous coincidence that five pedophile priests were active in his home town of Ballarat. During a break in the hearing, victims of Australian predator priests who listened to Pells testimony said they felt they had been deceived and lied to. Advertisement We feel George has not been honest and truthful, they said in a statement. The six-hour session wrapped up a week of hearings in Rome during which Pell was warned by a lawyer for the Australian inquiry into child sex abuse that he was implausible when he claimed he knew little about rampant abuse by priests in Australia decades ago. Pell, 74, who was called to Rome from Australia by Francis and is considered the third-highest ranking Vatican official, has long maintained he was oblivious to the numerous priests raping children around him when he served as a priest in Ballarat and later as bishop in Melbourne. After previously giving evidence in Australia to a commission on abuse, Pell declined to fly back this year for a new hearing because of a heart condition, prompting the commission to set up a video link for him from a Rome hotel. Join the conversation on Facebook >> But the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse also allowed Australian victims of priests to fly to Rome to sit in with Pell as he gave evidence to judges who were in Sydney. Twelve victims, their relatives and advisors, paid for by a hugely successful crowdfunding effort in Australia, traveled to the hearings, which were held from 10 p.m. to about 2 a.m. or later over four nights from Sunday, to coincide with morning in Australia. As lawyers for the commission reeled off horrific stories of pedophile priests, Pell blamed fellow churchmen for keeping him in the dark and called it a time of crimes and coverups in the Roman Catholic Church. Commission chairman Peter McClellan told Pell that his description of a Catholic Education Office coverup makes no sense at all, because the office reported complaints about priests to the archbishop and vicar general. The lead counsel assisting the commission, Gail Furness, told Pell the testimony was completely implausible. Pells testimony that he was deceived by church authorities in both Ballarat and Melbourne was an extraordinary position, Furness said. Counsel, this was an extraordinary world. A world of crimes and coverups, and people did not want the status quo to be disturbed, Pell said. While he has earned plaudits worldwide for his defense of the poor and his campaign for a more merciful church, Francis has been accused of not getting it when it comes to cracking down on abuse and on bishops who shift abusive priests from parish to parish. To howls of protest Francis last year dismissed as lefties the opponents of a Chilean bishop accused of covering up for an abuser, and has made no move to breathe life into a tribunal set up at the Vatican to prosecute bishops who do not report abuse. Last month a former abuse victim sitting on a Vatican panel set up to tackle pedophilia was ejected after he complained little was getting done. Pell said that he had asked officials for a briefing about one priest, Peter Searson, after he heard complaints in but was deceived into believing nothing was wrong. The church reportedly substantiated four complaints of child sexual abuse against Searson, who died in 2009. Pell said church officials kept him out of the loop because they realized very clearly I was not cut from the same cloth and would not participate in coverups. On Tuesday, Pell said that abuse carried out by priest Gerald Ridsdale, who was convicted of more than 100 child sex abuse charges, was a sad story but not of much interest to him at the time. He also accused Ballarats then bishop of gross deception by not telling him about Ridsdale. On the final night of hearings, Pell admitted that one boy complained to him about a priest, Father Edward Dowlan, misbehaving with boys at a Ballarat school, but added he didnt do anything about it. Between the hearing sessions, survivors told reporters of how they had been terrorized by priests. Gordon Hill, 72, said he had been raised in a Catholic orphanage where young children were laid on to warm the beds for visiting priests. He said the smell of hair oil triggered a violent reaction in him to this day because it brought back the smell of the priests who raped him. This is not fun, said David Ridsdale, who was abused by his uncle, the priest Gerald Ridsdale. Every victim who came to Rome did so on the condition they would have a therapist waiting for them when they got home. At the final hearing, Pell denied claims made by David Ridsdale that he offered him a bribe to stay silent about his uncles sexual abuse. Ridsdales claims, Pell said, were implausible. The hearings started the same night that the movie Spotlight, about clerical abuse in Boston, won an Oscar for best film. Kington is a special correspondent. ALSO A new U.S. commander takes over a deteriorating Afghanistan war Refugees buying one-way tickets home after finding Germany intolerable Blunder turns deadly when two Israeli soldiers using Waze drive into a Palestinian camp Debris that washed up in Mozambique has been tentatively identified as a part from the same type of aircraft as the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, a U.S. official said Wednesday. Photos of the debris discovered over the weekend appear to show the fixed leading edge of the right-hand tail section of a Boeing 777, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasnt authorized to speak publicly. Flight 370, which disappeared two years ago with 239 people aboard, is the only known missing 777. People who have handled the part, called a horizontal stabilizer, say it appears to be made of fiberglass composite on the outside with aluminum honeycombing on the inside, the official said. Advertisement The Australian Transport Safety Bureau, which is coordinating the search for the plane in remote waters off Australias west coast, said the part was expected to be transported to Australia for examination. Malaysian Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai confirmed on Twitter that plane debris had been discovered that may have come from the missing jetliner. Based on early reports, high possibility debris found in Mozambique belongs to a B777, Liow tweeted. It is yet to be confirmed & verified. @dca_malaysia working w Australian counterparts to retrieve the debris, he added. He urged everyone to avoid undue speculation as we are not able to conclude that the debris belongs to #mh370 at this time. Australian officials have seen photographs of the debris and have been in communication with Blaine Gibson, the U.S. man who found the part, said Dan OMalley, a spokesman for the Australian Transport Safety Bureau. Were aware of these reports that debris has been found in Mozambique, OMalley said. Were working with officials in Mozambique and Malaysia to investigate. Australia will work with Malaysian investigators to examine the object once it arrives in Australia, he said. The ATSB hasnt made any determinations yet about the potential origin of the debris. We have to wait until we have the actual debris examined, OMalley said. Were not going to draw conclusions from the photos. Flight 370 disappeared on March 8, 2014, while flying from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Beijing with 239 people on board. Radar data show the plane turned sharply around as it approached Vietnamese airspace, and then flew back across the Malay Peninsula until contact was lost off the coast of Thailand. NEWSLETTER: Get the days top headlines from Times Editor Davan Maharaj >> Authorities who scrutinized data exchanged between the planes engine and a satellite determined that the jetliner continued on a straight path across the Indian Ocean, leading them to believe that the plane flew on autopilot for hours before running out of fuel and crashing into the water. Despite an extensive search of the ocean west of Australia, where the plane is believed to have crashed, the only confirmed trace of the aircraft has been a wing part known as flaperon that washed ashore last July on the French island of Reunion off the east coast of Africa about 2,300 miles from the current search area. The flaperon bore a stenciled internal marking 657 BB, which is consistent with a flaperon from a Boeing 777. No sign of the passengers, their luggage or floating items, such as life jackets, has been discovered despite the largest and most expensive search in aviation history. Australia has led the multinational search effort, which also includes the Malaysian and Chinese governments. The discovery in Mozambique is unlikely at this stage to impact the underwater search for the plane, taking place thousands of miles to the east, OMalley said. Authorities have long predicted that any debris from the plane that isnt on the ocean floor would eventually be carried by currents to the east coast of Africa. Australian Transport Minister Darren Chester said in a statement Thursday that the location of the debris in Mozambique matches the ATSBs drift modeling and would therefore reaffirm that search crews are looking in the right part of the Indian Ocean for the wreckage. With authorities unable to find the plane and its black box flight data and cockpit voice recorders, investigators are no closer than they were two years ago to discovering the cause of the aircrafts disappearance. There are many theories, including that a rogue pilot deliberately caused the $250-million jet to vanish, but little hard evidence. With the search tentatively scheduled to wrap up later this year, Flight 370 may become one of aviations great unsolved mysteries. In the aftermath of the planes disappearance, the airline industry and aviation authorities around the world pledged to find ways to better track airliners, especially over expanses of ocean where theres no radar coverage. ALSO Australian cardinals claim of obliviousness to child sex abuse is called implausible Blunder turns deadly when two Israeli soldiers using Waze drive into a Palestinian camp A new U.S. commander takes over a deteriorating Afghanistan war Secretary of State John F. Kerry has canceled a tentative trip to Cuba two weeks before President Obama visits the communist-ruled nation as diplomats haggle over which Cuban dissidents the president will be allowed to meet. The back and forth over human rights is another sign of how prickly U.S.-Cuba relations remain despite the restoration of diplomatic ties, and the easing of many travel and trade restrictions, over the last year. It also highlights a potential problem for Obamas planned overnight visit on March 21, the first by a sitting president in nearly 90 years, to the former Cold War adversary. Advertisement Despite the U.S. push toward normalization of relations, the government in Havana has done little to ease its limits on free expression or to improve treatment of human rights activists and political dissidents. President Raul Castro has supported opening the Cuban economy to incorporate free-market elements, including private enterprise and private ownership of homes and cars, for the first time since the 1959 revolution that brought the communists to power. But he has insisted that the political system and the socialist nature of the revolution will not change. His Foreign Ministry official for U.S. affairs, Josefina Vidal, has described the U.S. focus on human rights as hypocritical. Despite that resistance, Obama, in his announcement last month of his two-day trip, said he aims to engage with the Cuban people. Previously, he had said he would not go unless Cuba allowed significant progress on human rights. We determine who we meet with in different countries, Ben Rhodes, Obamas deputy national security advisor, said Feb. 18. And weve certainly indicated to the Cubans that this is something the president will be doing on this trip, as he does on other trips. Kerry, who flew to Havana in August to reopen the U.S. Embassy, had hoped to return by week to lay the groundwork for Obamas visit and to have a human rights dialogue, specfically, he told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Feb. 24. But that trip was scrubbed, officials said Thursday, when arrangements could not be finalized. Kerry is still interested in visiting in the near future, and we are working with our Cuban counterparts and our embassy to determine the best time frame, said John Kirby, the State Department spokesman. Other officials said the new U.S. Embassy, which remains a bare-bones operation, was overwhelmed trying to arrange back-to-back visits by Kerry and Obama. When U.S. diplomats began negotiations for Obamas visit, they said any attempt to block him from meeting dissidents would be a deal breaker, according to a White House official who spoke on condition of anonymity because of diplomatic sensitivities. But political dissidents in Cuba are a varied bunch. Some are so bitterly anti-Castro, they disapprove of Obamas rapprochement and might refuse an invitation. Others, known worldwide, are despised by the Cuban government. Cuba now holds several dozen political prisoners in its jails, according to Cuban activists, down from several hundred a few years ago. But the government still harasses dissidents by detaining them for brief periods. In January, 1,414 political dissidents were detained, the second highest number in years, according to Elizardo Sanchez, head of the opposition Cuban Commission for Human Rights and National Reconciliation. He said 56 of the detainees were beaten. The cost of repression is incalculable, he said in a recent report, noting the stigma and lost employment resulting from even brief arrests. Perhaps of most concern to the Obama administration is the rearrest of five people who were released as part of the surprise announcement Dec. 17, 2014, that Cuba and the U.S. were restoring diplomatic ties after more than half a century. It is hard to speak of progress when they make these rearrests, a senior State Department official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to provide details of private negotiations. We have to keep pushing them on this. Republican presidential candidates and other critics, including some Democrats, have denounced the White House decision to visit Cuba, saying it rewards a still-repressive, undeserving regime. Obamas supporters view his trip as a critical step toward normalization and bringing Cubas economy into the 21st century after five decades of enforced isolation. Do the Cuban people deserve this visit? The answer is overwhelmingly yes, said James Williams, president of Engage Cuba, an umbrella organization of groups that seek the lifting of all trade and travel restrictions. Christopher Sabatini, adjunct professor at Columbia Universitys School of International and Public Affairs, suggested that Obama find ways to make direct contact with ordinary Cubans, much as Pope Francis did with unscheduled stops during his recent visit to the country. The mere fact of a president going to a country isnt a Good Housekeeping seal of approval of a governments behavior, Sabatini wrote on the website he edits, LatinAmericaGoesGlobal.org. But if done right, he added, it can send a strong signal of solidarity with local citizens, rather than an endorsement of the government. Join the conversation on Facebook >> ALSO London mayor reacts to French threats over Brexit: Donnez-moi un break Oscar Pistorius denied chance to appeal and now faces sentencing for murder conviction Australian cardinal admits ignoring boys complaint about a sexually abusive priest The Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) have called on Senate Republicans to fulfill their constitutional obligations and fill the Supreme Court's vacant seat. CHC: GOP's "Obstructionism Knows No Limits" On Tuesday, CHC members united on the Supreme Court vacancy situation, following a meeting that included President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Senate Judiciary Ranking Member Patrick Leahy, D-Vt. The court vacancy affects several cases impacting the Latino community. According to CHC Chairwoman Linda Sanchez, D-Calif., Republicans refusing to fill the vacancy have shown hypocrisy by claiming to defend the Constitution. "Republican obstructionism knows no limits. They claim to love the Constitution and then stand in the way of upholding it. Once again, Republicans are playing politics instead of doing what's right for our country. There are several cases critically important for Latinos before the Supreme Court this year and without a ninth Justice, the Latino community has so much to lose," said Sanchez in a statement, adding that the CHC supports a swift nomination of a Supreme Court justice who will keep the interests of Latinos and all minority groups in mind. CHC Vice Chair Michelle Lujan, D-N.M., said Republicans' refusal to consider a nominee would be detrimental to cases under review. Upcoming cases involve affirmative action and Obama's November 2014 immigration executive actions, which saw the introduction of the Deferred Action for Parental Accountability (DAPA) and expanded guidelines of the Deferred Action for Childhood Accountability (DACA). On Wednesday morning, Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., the only CHC member serving in the Senate, addressed the vacancy. Menendez said he supports Obama's commitment to nominate a qualified Supreme Court justice no matter when the vacancy occurs, whether it is an election year or not. "What is most astonishing is that they claim -- like Justice [Antonin] Scalia -- that the Constitution is carved in stone, that it's undeniable and impervious to interpretation, and yet - somehow -- they then completely ignore what it clearly states in yet another effort to obstruct this President's ability to govern," said Menendez. He added that he and Obama may have their differences, but they agree the vacancy should be filled. Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., shared a similar statement on Tuesday, stating that Republicans have consistently spoken about defending the U.S. Constitution "except when they are against it." "Senate Republicans should do their jobs: hold hearings, vet the President's nominee, and have a vote approving or disapproving. That is what the Founding Fathers meant by 'advice and consent,'" said Gutierrez. Senate GOP's Opposition Last month, McConnell recognized Obama has a right to nominate someone, but noted the Senate also has a constitutional right to provide or withhold consent. Presidents have a right to nominate just as the #Senate has its constitutional right to provide or withhold consent. #SCOTUS Leader McConnell (@SenateMajLdr) February 23, 2016 Grassley, as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, had already announced his fellow committee Republicans agreed to "withhold consent of a Supreme Court nomination until the next U.S. president is sworn in. "We intend to exercise the constitutional power granted the Senate under Article II, Section 2 to ensure the American people are not deprived of the opportunity to engage in a full and robust debate over the type of jurist they wish to decide some of the most critical issues of our time," wrote Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans, including Grassley and GOP presidential candidate Ted Cruz. "Because our decision is based on constitutional principle and born of a necessity to protect the will of the American people, this Committee will not hold hearings on any Supreme Court nominee until after our next President is sworn in on January 20, 2017." Following the meeting with Obama on Tuesday, Grassley issued a statement reiterating his stance that considering a nominee during an election year would be a bad idea. "Whether everybody in the meeting today wanted to admit it, we all know that considering a nomination in the middle of a heated presidential campaign is bad for the nominee, bad for the court, bad for the process, and ultimately bad for the nation. It's time for the people to voice their opinion about the role of the Supreme Court in our constitutional system of government," Grassley said. Despite the vocal opposition, Obama has said he will move forward and will nominate someone soon. __ For the latest updates, follow Latin Post's Michael Oleaga on Twitter: @EditorMikeO or contact via email: m.oleaga@latinpost.com. Apple and the FBI continue to fight over a locked iPhone involved in the San Bernadino shooting case. The tech company insists that the issue is something that could cause every single iPhone owner to worry that his or her data is no longer secure. The FBI counters that they have requested Apple unlock only one device. The FBI wants Apple to release the encryption from an iPhone that is connected to the San Bernardino shooting last year. The agency is asking for a custom-made version of the Apple software iOS so that they can enter the iPhone and search for any clues it may contain, Engadget reports. Access to One Phone or Every iPhone? FBI Director James Comey testified before Congress Tuesday. He said that the whole issue in this case surrounds just one device and that the FBI does not want access to every single iPhone. Comey added he was not familiar with the recent New York case that said the government cannot force Apple to unlock a phone using the All Writs Act, on which the FBI's case is also based. Even though the FBI insists that if the iPhone were unlocked, it would give the agency access to all similar devices, Comey admitted that unlocking the iPhone in question could set precedent for future encryption cases similar to this one. Customer Security Remains an Issue Representing Apple was general counsel Bruce Sewell, who argued that the tech giant was trying to keep customers' data secure by refusing the FBI request. He said removing the encryption from the iOS software would compromise the security of customers everywhere. "The answer is simple. This isn't a one phone issue, and I don't believe it can be contained to one phone," Sewell said. Friends of the Court Help Apple Several groups are helping Apple's cause by submitting opinions as friends of the court, including the American Civil Liberties Union. The ALCU said that a ruling in favor of the government would have "catastrophic consequences," NBC News reports. The ALCU added that a decision in favor of the government would lead to more companies having to reduce their security levels and would lessen customers' trust in their own security. Many more companies are expected to file similar briefs in support of Apple. FBI Did Not Try to Gain Access on Their Own Congressman Darrel Issa, R-Calif., wondered why Comey and the FBI did not try on their own to crack the iPhone's encryption. Issa asked Comey if he had hired an expert to help the FBI get access to the iPhone, but Comey did not have much to say. "How can you come before this committee before a federal judge and demand that someone else invent something if you can't answer the questions that your people have tried this," Issa asked. Comey said he has had many conversations with Apple, but said the FBI did not try on their own to gain access to the iPhone. A World Without Privacy Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., said she was concerned about a world without privacy. She mentioned that Apple's iCloud service had been hacked in the past and admitted that she has several communication apps that she uses to send secure messages. She said she could use those apps to communicate securely and the government would have no way to stop her from doing so. FBI's Big Mistake Finally, the FBI was criticized for making a crucial mistake following the San Bernardino shootings. The agency tried to change the password to the iPhone, causing it to stop backing data up to the iCloud. "As I understand there was a mistake made in the 24 hours after the attack," Comey said. "[That] made it impossible for the phone later to back up to the iCloud, but we'd still be in litigation either way because we wouldn't have gotten everything off the phone." Apple said it will continue to fight this case and believes it could determine the future of customer security. Watch over five hours of arguments in the video below. Donald Trump trails both Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders in a new CNN/ORC poll that took the pulse of voters in a series of hypothetical general election match-ups. Research shows Clinton bests Trump 52 to 44 percent among registered voters, while fellow Democrat Sanders leads the Republican front-runner by an even wider margin at 55 to 43 percent. Data also reveals Clinton would have a harder battle against either Florida Sen. Marco Rubio or Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in a general election match-up than she would against the political neophyte Trump. In the same poll, Clinton trails both Rubio -- 50 to 47 percent -- and Cruz -- 49 to 48 percent. Riding on the heels of his status as the candidate with the most positive favorable rating from either party, Sanders also leads both Rubio -- at 53 to 45 percent -- and Cruz -- 55 to 43 percent. Voters Agree Nation More Deeply Divided Than Ever Overall, 78 percent of all voters agree the nation is more deeply divided this election cycle than it has been at any time in recent memory. Trump tops all the remaining candidates, regardless of party, when voters were asked who would handle the issues of immigration, the economy and terrorism. Clinton is the top choice when it comes to healthcare, race relations and foreign policy. Voters are about evenly split between Trump and Clinton on gun policy. On the flip side, the two respective front-runners are also seen unfavorably by majorities of voters. Almost 6 in 10 have a negative view of Trump -- 59 percent to 38 percent. Fifty-three percent have a negative view of Clinton, with 44 percent of voters seeing her in a positive light. Economy Most Critical Issue for Voters Meanwhile, the economy overwhelmingly remains the most critical issue to voters, with 47 percent calling it most important as they prepare to make their final choices, followed by healthcare at 19 percent, terrorism at 14 percent, foreign policy at 10 percent and illegal immigration at 8 percent. Both Clinton and Trump are also riding the wave of their hugely successful Super Tuesday showings on March 1. After all the votes were counted on the Democratic side, Clinton had won the states of Alabama, Alaska, Georgia, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. Meanwhile, Trump captured Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Vermont and Virginia. Clinton now has 577 of the 2,383 delegates needed to win the party's nomination, while Trump has 319 of the 1,237 he needs. Next up on the election calendar are caucuses in Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Nebraska and Louisiana. The CNN/ORC Poll was conducted by telephone Feb. 24 to 27 among a random national sample of 1,001 adults. Results from the sample of 920 registered voters have a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points. The diseases that the Aedes aegypti mosquito spread in Brazil are getting worse. New reports suggest that more babies are born with microcephaly while dengue cases are also rising. Microcephaly & Dengue in Brazil The Zika virus first hit Brazil and it is giving the country additional reasons to struggle. The Wall street Journal reported that the number of dengue cases and children born with microcephaly, a condition where a child is born with a smaller head circumference, continue to grow. Zika and Microcephaly The Zika virus arrived in Brazil two years ago. At that time, only 147 microcephaly cases were reported in the country. Last year, when the Zika virus outbreak started and the ministry obliged for microcephaly notifications, a total of 641 cases were confirmed. On Tuesday, Brazil's health ministry announced 58 additional cases of newborns with microcephaly. Per Fortune, there are allegations about underreporting the figures. The Ministry of Health reported 462 microcephaly cases in early 2015, but the World Health Organization said that they're at least 6,000 cases annually. This condition has been linked to Zika virus. In fact, the virus was spotted in 82 of those cases. However, these claims still lack scientific evidence. Latin Post previously reported that the Zika virus might cause more serious damage than microcephaly. Two Brazilian babies died with signs of microcephaly. Both have underdeveloped heads and brains. The health professional found evidence of the Zika virus in the newborns' tissues. "This is the strongest evidence to date that Zika is the cause of microcephaly," Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told USA Today. However, he noted that it still needs more testing to confirm if the virus causes the birth defect. In addition, the virus has the potential to damage fetuses that may lead to stillbirth. Dengue Cases in Brazil According to The Wall Street Journal, there are 170,103 suspected cases of dengue in the country. If this is confirmed, the figure shows a 46 percent rise from the reported dengue cases of the same period last year, where the figure was 116,452. Overall, there were 1.65 million dengue cases in Brazil in 2015. The country has been plagued with a dengue epidemic for decades now. Although it is still present, health officials announced that the death rates due to dengue had reduced. Since Feb. 9, only nine dengue-related deaths were reported nationwide, compared to 103 cases in the previous year. The health authorities believe that medical team's increased preparation and quick response aided in this progress. Moreover, public awareness also encourages more patients to seek medication as soon as possible. France's national police has warned parents of the repercussions of posting their children's photos on Facebook. According to authorities, publicizing snapshots of kids can attract sexual predators. Plus, the act could also damage the children's social and psychological health later on in life, the Verge reported. The news outlet wrote that parents who upload photos of their children on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram could be sued by their sons or daughters in the future in accordance with France's privacy laws. If convicted, parents could be sentenced to a year in prison and a fine of 45,000 for sharing the private lives of their kids without their consent, French internet law expert Eric Delcroix said in an interview with France's newspaper Le Figaro, as translated by the Verge. "If, in a few years, the children feel they are victims of infringement of privacy by their own parents, they may demand restitution," Delcroix told Le Figaro, as reported by Digital Trends. "Teenagers are often criticized for their Internet behavior, but parents are no better." France, Germany Taking Action In a Facebook post last month, France's national gendarmerie warned the dangers of the new viral campaign called "Motherhood Challenge," which pushes users to share pictures of themselves with their children. "Protect your children! You can all be proud moms and dads to your magnificent children, but be careful," the gendarmerie wrote on Facebook. "We remind you that posting photos of your kids to Facebook is not without danger!" [PReVENTION] Preservez vos enfants !Si vous avez suivi Facebook, une chaine de publication est a la mode en ce moment... Posted by Gendarmerie nationale on Tuesday, February 23, 2016 Viviane Gelles, an attorney specializing in Internet law, said that under Article 9 of the Civil Code, parents are both responsible for the safety of their children's images, Digital Trends reported. Even if the father and mother are separated, they must check in with each other before posting a photo of their child on social media. If not, one parent could sue the other. France isn't the first country to address the issue. In October 2015, Germany also warned parents that photographs of their children on the Internet could be used by pedophiles, BBC reported. German authorities advised parents to adjust their privacy setting so that only their Facebook friends can view the images. Facebook's Defense Facebook is taking steps to protect children's privacy, the Verge noted. In a conference in London in Nov. 2015, Facebook's VP of Engineering Jay Parikh said that in the future, a warning will alert parents that the photos they're sharing would be viewed by the general public. With this, parents are urged to second-guess themselves before posting the images. Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman wants to be extradited to a U.S. prison from Mexico as soon as possible due to harsh treatment in prison. Guzman's defense team said that the two-time prison escapee asked for a faster extradition to a U.S. prison, a senior Mexican law enforcement official told CNN on Wednesday. His lawyers claimed that Mexico's authorities are subjecting Guzman to "physical and mental torture" to ensure that he doesn't escape the prison again or get too relaxed. "He told me, literally, 'Every two hours, at night, they wake me up to take roll. ... They are turning me into a zombie. They do not let me sleep. All I want is just for them to let me sleep," attorney Juan Pablo Badillo said, as quoted by the news outlet. The Sinaloa Cartel leader is currently imprisoned in the Altiplano maximum security federal prison, the same jail which he escaped from last July using an underground tunnel, CNN wrote. Extradition Process It's indefinite where Guzman might be jailed in the United States, but he faces charges in several cities like New York and Chicago, CNN noted. The Mexican official estimated that the drug kingpin will be in an American prison within the next two or three months. However, he said in January that the procedure would take between six months and a year. Guzman's request to have a speedier extradition contradicted his lawyers' wishes after he was recaptured in January. Badillo said back then that Guzman shouldn't be extradited to the United States or any country because Mexico has "just laws that are detailed in the General Constitution of the Republic," CNN further reported. Jose Refugio Rodriguez, another lawyer of Guzman, said the notorious drug lord instructed him to negotiate with U.S. officials for a lighter sentence and to be detained in a medium-security prison, BBC reported. Rodriguez said his client is now isolated in Altiplano. Guzman is complaining that his cell is "small, cold and he does not see the sun," BBC added. Guzman said he is allowed to talk to his attorney for an hour-and-a-half every day and an hour in the prison patio. He is also permitted to a four-hour conjugal visit and a four-hour family visit every nine days. Mexico previously opposed the U.S. government's efforts to extradite Guzman. President Enrique Pena Nieto, however, said in late January that Mexico has been told by the Attorney General's Office to extradite Guzman "as soon as possible," CNN reported. Cuba health officials announced Wednesday that the country has their first Zika virus case. The patient is a 28-year-old Venezuelan doctor whose husband and brother-in-law previously had Zika virus infection in their country. When the patient arrived last month on Feb. 21, she had a rash and a high fever, which put her under medical quarantine. The woman is a post-doctoral student in gastroenterology and came to Cuba with other post-graduates. According to The Guardian, the patient's first Zika test was negative but the second test, which was given on Feb. 28, was positive. The woman is still hospitalized in Havana and the others who were with her remain quarantined but have no signs of the Zika infection. Cuban President Raul Castro announced last month that he is sending 9,000 troops, as well as 200 police officers, to help eradicate the mosquito that carries Zika virus. Their mosquito eradication efforts involve fumigating neighborhoods and physically destroying the breeding grounds of the Aedes Aegypti mosquito, which is also the carrier of Dengue and Yellow fever. "At this time, it is imperative that all citizens and entities strictly comply with sanitation norms and measures adopted to guarantee anti-vectoral efforts, to avoid contributing to the spreading of epidemics, or other behaviors which promote or constitute a threat to public health," Castro wrote in Granma newspaper addressed to the people. CBC News reports that Cuba's airports and terminals have also been secured and are rife with doctors that are busy monitoring travelers and guests for signs of illness. The measures to keep the borders secure and neighborhoods mosquito-free are ramped up as the country's humid spring and hot summer is sure to bring an onset of mosquitoes. The increase of mothers with babies with microcephalic birth defects has been noted in Brazil, where Zika is rampant. However, it is not proven if the virus is responsible for the disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Just a few days ago, a study found that Zika virus is strongly linked to the rare, neurological Guillain-Barre Syndrome. The study was conducted by studying the blood of French Polynesian patients that were infected by Zika in a previous outbreak in 2013. Guillain-Barre syndrome is an auto-immune disorder where the body attacks the nerves, which can cause muscle weakness and paralysis. Fortunately, the majority of people can recover, but some might experience life-long effects of fatigue or numbness.The researchers say that there will be a case of Guillain-Barre syndrome in every four thousand patients infected with the Zika virus. Diego Dzodan, Facebook's vice president for Latin America, spent the night in jail before he was set free on Wednesday, March 2, following a grant to his appeal that overrules a lower court's decision to take him into custody. The social networking giant's executive was detained from grounds stemming from an impasse reached between the Brazilian government and Facebook, Fortune reports. The law enforcers in the country are asking for access to WhatsApp messages that may help shed light on their ongoing investigation involving drug traffickers. Meanwhile, Facebook reiterated that while they will continue to cooperate and "address questions Brazilian authorities may have," they are also firm on their commitment to uphold user privacy. However, even if the company soften their stand on the matter, Facebook also claims that they do not hold the key to decode the WhatsApp messages. According to a Reuters report, the messaging platform owned by Facebook has started to self-regulate itself back in 2014 and utilized an end-to-end encryption technology that would deny even the company itself from getting access to messaging content. "They are using technology to try to take themselves out of the surveillance business," said Christopher Soghoian, principal technologist from the American Civil Liberties Union. The judge from Brazil ordered the arrest Dzodan following another decision to fine Facebook 1 million reais ($250,000) after the comapny failed to cooperate with the law enforcements' call to get full access to WhatsApp messages. The messaging app, which was acquired by Facebook in 2014, was temporarily closed in Brazil in 2015 due to non-compliance in the investigation of the confidential drug-trafficking case. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg expressed his disappointment at the local court's decision by saying that it's "a sad day for Brazil," Fortune noted. Facebook is not the only tech company currently dealing with such run-in with the government. Apple also remains adamant on their stand to maintain the privacy of their customers after refusing the call from the United States government to develop a way to unlock the iPhone of one of the San Bernardino attackers. Meanwhile, Facebook has already released a statement regarding Dzodan's arrest and eventual release. "Diego's detention was an extreme, disproportionate measure, and we are pleased to see the court in Sergipe issue an injunction ordering his release," a spokesperson from the company said via Fortune. "Arresting people with no connection to a pending law enforcement investigation is a capricious step and we are concerned about the effects for people of Brazil and innovation in the country." Mexico creates the first all-female police force in Acapulco. Acapulco's all-female police force in Mexico is called the Tourist Assistance Brigade. According to Latina, Acapulco's police officials launched the group for tourism, despite the area's notoriety for high crime rates and the existence of gangs. The group was formed in October last year and is comprised of 42 women who are at least 18 years old and up to 28 years only. Their jobs include traffic and tourist assistance, patrolling and detaining criminals. Their monthly wage is equivalent to approximately $400. The Acapulco Police Chief Manuel Flores is reportedly the proud creator of the force. According to Daily Mail, the group is made up of the sexiest women and those who apply need only to be "young, female and pretty." He justifies the official criteria by saying that the Tourist Assistance Brigade is also meant to entice tourists to visit Acapulco. "Tourism makes up 80 per cent of the local economy, and visitors number have dropped since the local gang wars began," Flores told the outlet. "We had to think of a way to inspire confidence in the tourists, and our new faces on the street are not only responsible but very eye-catching." Flores apparently personally interviewed every one of those who applied. "I interviewed every applicant personally. Our studies showed that young females are the least corruptible of all new recruits," he said. "Much of our municipal police force is very corrupt, so we are attempting to bring in as many trustworthy officials as possible." All 42 female police officers have undergone a three-month training program with the country's Federal Forces. The women are knowledgeable in CPR, crowd control and how to defend themselves. They are also physically fit. Acapulco's crime rate has increased over the years. There is an ongoing drug war among organized crime gangs and the police force. The tourism industry has been affected greatly by the murders and gang violence. Lieutenant Lorenzo Leal, the duty officer of the Tourist Assistance Brigade, says that the women police force has been greatly welcomed by the locals, especially those who have had negative experiences with the authorities in the past. Acapulco mayor Evodio Vasquez and state governor Hector Astudillo are very supportive of the all-female force. In January 2016, the mayor personally made the public announcement that the group is considered permanent after it passed the trial month last December. The youth in Latin America is feeling pretty good about themselves and their future. Why? According to a report from City Lab, a survey by the Citi Foundation last year showed that Latin American youth in the city were some of the world's most optimistic on their economic futures. This is impressive -- and a little bit surprising -- considering their respective cities hit low scores on the economic opportunity index. So what are the reasons for the positive outlook of the young people in Latin America? Cultural Character Part of the optimism is the natural tendency of Latin Americans to look at the brighter side of life. A report from Fusion earlier this year revealed that the people in the region were some of the happiest in the world. Colombia even topped the Annual End of Year Survey for 2015 by Gallup and WIN, which measured the happiest nations in the world along with Ecuador, Panama and Mexico. Carol Graham, Brookings Institution senior fellow who studied the economics of happiness and well-being around the world, agreed in the City Lab report. She explained that she grew up in Latin America and it was generally a cheerful place to live. "People love their families, they make time to eat together, they love music," Graham explained. "There is a cheerfulness woven throughout the culture that I think drives up the average [happiness] scores." She added that the material circumstances of even the poorest communites in the region have generally improved over the last decade through social programs and attitude of fellow Latin Americans. High Level of GDP Growth The Latin American youth are also likely looking at the GDP numbers. Even with the low GDP of cities, the region is making strides with economic growth in Latin America. This development has likely encouraged the people to feel better about the futures of their cities. "Some of the cities with a lower GDP happen to be places where the most economic growth is happening," Brandee McHale, President of the Citi Foundation, pointed out. "So even if the overall GDP is low, young people are growing up seeing development happening around them. We can't prove exact causation, but what we're inferring from this is that when [young people] see a dynamic, growth-focused environment, they're very optimistic." Investment Opportunities According to Investor Daily, Felipe Trujillo, head of product development of Sura Asset Management, highlighted the Pacific Alliance (Mexico, Colombia, Peru and Chile) as a good destination to find plenty of opportunities. "You have different flavours in terms of the investment themes that you can bring to investors," he said. The company's regional head of utilities, Felipe Asenjo Wilkins, mentioned certain sectors to benefit from the rising middle class such as consumer staples, healthcare and banking. There are some liberties afforded to adults that some minors are looking forward to as they make their way into the legal age. One of which is the right to purchase and smoke tobacco. However, if you happen to reside within the confines of San Francisco, you just have to wait a little longer. A new law, set to take effect on June 1, has raised the minimum age in purchasing tobacco, including its e-cigarette counterpart, in the city of San Francisco, CNN reported. It was a unanimous decision from the San Francisco Board of Supervisors to approve the legislation that will now raise the legal age from 18 to 21 years old. According to a report from the Institute of Medicine, postponing the initiation of young people to smoking could result to a lower prevalence of tobacco use in the United States. Apart from this, the report also said that the increase in the minimum legal age could reduce the death cases in the country related to smoking. The Institute of Medicine estimates that an increase in the minimum legal age from 18 to 21 years across the nation can lead to about 50,000 fewer deaths from lung cancer, more than 220,000 fewer premature deaths and 4.2 million fewer years of life lost for individuals who are born between 2000 and 2019. As these young people go through adulthood, their brains are still developing and changing and are susceptible to the addictive effects of nicotine. "Tobacco [is] arguably the most addictive substance on the planet, which has no redeeming qualities whatsoever, in any way, shape or form," according to Dr. Sanjay Gupta, chief medical correspondent for CNN. "No matter what your age, smoking is one of the single worst things you can do to your body." Hawaii was the first state to have adopted the higher minimum smoking age while more than 100 cities across the country have already implemented the same law as well. According to a report from Inquisitr, the U.S. government is spending around $170 billion annually just for health care costs related to tobacco use. San Francisco, on the other hand, has spent over $380 million due to tobacco-related healthcare expenditures, lost productivity and premature births, says one study from the University of California in San Francisco. These numbers, go along with the number of lives that can be saved from the adverse effects of tobacco use, are expected to go down with the implementation of the new measure. Contrary to popular belief, people with fewer moles are actually more prone to developing the most serious type of skin cancer. Many used to believe that those with several moles are particularly at risk for skin cancer. About Melanoma According to TIME, a new study published in JAMA Dermatology showed that most individuals with melanoma, which is the most serious type of skin cancer, do not have several moles. Melanoma typically occur in the skin and may develop from a mole that undergoes unique changes. The main cause of the skin cancer is exposure to ultraviolet light among individuals with low levels of skin pigment. About one-fourth stem from moles. Alan Charles Geller of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, who is the principal investigator in the study, stated that several individuals were led to believe that melanoma is mainly a disease of people who have several or many unusual moles. The main finding seems to point out that it is actually the opposite. Fewer Moles Means More Risk The research on JAMA Dermatology involved 566 people from California and Michigan, who were recently diagnosed with melanoma. Doctors noted their total moles and marked unusual ones. Sixty-six percent of the people in the study group had 0 to 60 moles, which doctors deemed fairly small. As people grew older, the number continued to rise. Only 19 percent of individuals 60 years old and above had 20 or more moles. Meanwhile, 73 percent of the study group did not have unusual moles, which were described to have asymmetrical shape, irregular borders, multiple colors and a diameter wider than 20 mm. Geller also showed that middle-aged and older white men who had melanoma had worse prognosis compared to other groups. Although the findings suggest that people with fewer moles may actually be more vulnerable to melanoma, the presence of moles are still strong indicators of serious skin cancer. People with several unusual moles are more likely to have worse prognosis if they develop melanoma. Overall, the study suggests that people with few or no moles should be checked for skin cancer as soon as possible. Geller suggested two things. First, people should personally check their skin and know that the cleaner it is, the more likely they can acquire melanoma. Second, they should visit a doctor and be screened despite of the number of moles they have. Doctors will provide preventive measures and helpful tips on how to protect the skin. Mexico recently came up with its first all-female police force. The creator boasts that the unit is the sexiest in the world and required all applicants to be young, female and pretty. Winning Back Tourists Mail Online revealed that Manuel Flores, chief of police in Acapulco, Mexico, decided to form the Tourist Assistance Brigade, which is comprised of 42 women aged between 18 and 28 years old. The move is to win back tourists who may be hesitant to visit the city due to the rising violence between rival drug cartels. He added that a sexy girl in authority can also take out the aggressiveness among people. Latino Fox News reports that the Tourist Assistance Brigade, which started in Octorber, is an extension of the municipal police. Its main objective is to ensure the satisfaction of tourists. The women patrol resort beaches, control traffic to assist pedestrians and handcuff criminals while waiting for the authorities to arrest them. The women are versed in self-defense, lifesaving methods and crowd control. The girls were trained for three months with the Mexican Federal Forces and now earn about $440 each month. They also make it a point to look beautiful by wearing makeup, styling their hair and keeping their nails manicured. They wear brown Bermuda shorts, sun hats, light blue polo shirts, pink lipstick and sunglasses. Their shift starts at 7 a.m. at the western portion of the bay, where they spend 30 minutes applying makeup. They are inspected by the senior officers of the municipal force before doing their rounds. Not Discouraged to Flirt Flores stated that he actually does not discourage the girls from flirting with tourists to ensure that they leave a good impression. He explained that their goal is to provide a sense of responsibility and confidence. He added that young women are also the least likely to be corrupt. The police chief personally interviewed each applicant. Tourism makes up 80 per cent of the local economy, and visitors number have dropped since the local gang wars began. But its not exist, we have fat chicks too, Flores said. So far, several tourists have enjoyed being chaperoned and assisted by the women. Some consider it an important job and certainly helps brighten peoples day. As for the ladies, they said that they have been getting a lot of good feedback from both locals and tourists. Some are even asking them out. They are currently preparing for spring break, where a lot of college students from the United States are expected to visit. Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio received yet another endorsement on Thursday, and it's from a governor who's among the potential names for vice president. A New Mexico Endorsement Rubio's latest endorsement is from Republican New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez. In a statement released Thursday morning, Martinez will campaign with the Florida senator in Kansas and Florida on Friday and Saturday. "Marco Rubio is a compelling leader who can unite the country around conservative principles that will improve the lives of all Americans," said Martinez. "The stakes for our great country are too high -- and the differences between the candidates too great -- for me to remain neutral in this race. I wholeheartedly trust Marco to keep us safe and ensure a better tomorrow, and I look forward to campaigning with him later this week." According to Rubio's campaign, she will campaign with the Florida senator for two rallies in Oklahoma on Friday and one scheduled in Jacksonville on Saturday. A Vice President Pick? Martinez has been the New Mexico governor since 2010, becoming the state's first female governor and the first Latina elected governor across the country. She has not spoken about working in a Rubio administration, but has already received the endorsement from the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC), a non-partisan organization promoting economic growth and development for nearly 4.1 million Latino-owned businesses. "As New Mexico's first female governor and the first Hispanic female elected governor in the United States, Governor Martinez turned the largest structural deficit in New Mexico's history into a surplus, without raising taxes and while protecting key priorities like education and health care," said USHCC President and CEO Javier Palomarez on Jan. 29. "She's tirelessly advocated for job creation in New Mexico by supporting critical industries in her state. A principled and pragmatic leader, Governor Martinez easily won re-election in 2014, with 48 percent of the Hispanic vote in a state that leans Democrat. Governor Martinez has been a standard bearer within the Republican Party in championing diversity and inclusion," added Palomarez, adding she is an "admirable public servant." The USHCC has also endorsed a Democrat for vice president, recommending U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro. The Road to March 15 The campaigning in Florida will be key for Rubio's aspirations to win the Republican Party's nomination. Kansas is among four states hosting either a primary or caucus. Kansas, Kentucky and Maine will host caucuses, while Louisiana has a primary. On March 6, Puerto Rico will have its Republican presidential primary. But perhaps the most important state for Rubio is his home state: Florida. The Sunshine State will have its primary on March 15, and unlike most primaries and caucuses, Florida is a "winner take all" state. If Rubio wins Florida's primary, he will win all of its 99 delegates. __ For the latest updates, follow Latin Post's Michael Oleaga on Twitter: @EditorMikeO or contact via email: m.oleaga@latinpost.com. Within Silicon Valley's diversity problem -- the under representation of minorities and women in the technology industry -- is a larger issue that has affected women across business for a long time: the gender pay equity gap. Momentum is growing behind the movement to close that gap, as Apple has become the second big firm to commit to embrace gender pay equity. Many other top U.S. technology companies are facing proxy season votes and direct shareholder pressure to focus on the issue as well. Signs of Progress The first company to achieve gender pay equity this year was Intel. As Latin Post previously reported, when the leading tech company on diversity released its bi-annual diversity report for 2015 in February, one of the most impressive accomplishments touted by the chip maker was that it had achieved 100 percent gender pay equity for all of its female employees, at all levels of the company, in the U.S. On Tuesday, Apple confirmed to shareholders that it was the second major tech company to essentially achieve gender pay equity, reaching 99.6 percent equal pay across the company in the U.S. Now those pressuring the rest of Silicon Valley to do the same are planning to move on to Google, Microsoft, EBay, Facebook and other top technology firms to push for more results. One group leading the charge is Arjuna Capital, a progressive partnership with Baldwin Brothers Inc. that focuses on sustainable wealth management and activism on issues such as the gender pay equity gap. "The excellent moves by Intel and now Apple on gender pay equity means that the clock is ticking for the rest of America's major technology companies," said Natasha Lamb, director of equity research and shareholder engagement at Arjuna, in a statement released to Latin Post. "Silicon Valley can no longer claim this is an issue unworthy of its attention. Gender pay equity is critical to creating a diverse and innovative workforce and tech companies cannot sit this discussion out -- they have to speak up for fair pay." More Pressure on the Valley Arjuna is pushing to bring the issue up at shareholder meetings and proxy ballots of other major Silicon Valley companies going into the spring of this year. The firm has filed seven resolutions at leading tech companies asking them to commit to closing the gender pay equity gap. The progressive Arjuna Capital noted that Ebay's vote comes in May, while Google, Expedia and Facebook have votes scheduled for June. Amazon is currently opposing the resolution at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The resolution for Microsoft is now being filed ahead of the company's December shareholder meeting, and Arjuna is in dialogue with Adobe as well. These initiatives represent a roadmap to close the gender pay equity gap, which still causes women across the nation to earn an average of 78 cents for every dollar men earn. The Business Side Like other issues of diversity, Arjuna Capital argues achieving gender pay equity isn't only about social progress, but is also about helping the bottom line -- Arjuna is an investment firm, after all. "Gender pay equity is good for technology companies," said Lamb, "it is good for workers, and it is good for shareholders. A commitment to gender pay equity is essential to driving innovation and performance in Silicon Valley and the rest of the tech world." Arjuna cites a McKinsey & Company study to back up its bottom line claim. The study found that companies with highly diverse executive teams tended to get over 10 percent higher returns on equity, over 91 percent higher earnings performance and 36 percent greater stock price growth. McKinsey advocated eliminating gender pay gaps as one of the best practices to reach improved business performance. As does Arjuna. "It is not simply a question of fairness," wrote Lamb. "It is a question of breaking down the structural bias that keeps women in the back seat and business from reaching its full potential." "Soon we will see which companies join Intel and Apple as leaders and which end up tagged as laggards on paying women a fair wage," she added. "Now, the big question is: Can you be an Amazon, or an EBay, or a Google, or a Microsoft and be pegged as the last major tech company to take action on gender pay equity?" Gov. Dennis Daugaard of South Dakota has vetoed a bill that would require transgender students in public schools to use bathrooms, locker rooms and other facilities that correspond to their gender at birth. He emphatically argued that the bill would put schools in a difficult position of following state law while knowing it openly invites federal litigation. In the end, it will divert energy and resources from the education of the children of the state. Daugaard emphasized that the bill, known as HB 1008, did not address any pressing issue facing the state. "This bill seeks to impose statewide standards on 'every restroom, locker room, and shower room located in a public elementary or secondary school.' It removes the ability of local school districts to determine the most appropriate accommodations for their individual students and replaces that flexibility with a state mandate," Daugaard. Thus, those accommodations include a single-occupancy restroom, a unisex restroom, or the controlled use of a restroom, locker room or shower room. The governor believed that the local school officials are in best position to address such issue. Those Local School Districts can, and have, made necessary restroom and locker room accommodations that serve the best interests of all students, regardless of biological sex or gender identity. State Rep. Fred Deutsch, who authored the bill, said the issue had become a distraction for the state and that he would ask his colleagues to grant the governor's veto. "Further focus on this issue will detract from the other significant accomplishments of the Legislature this session," Deutsch said. Mr. Deutsch conceded that the Federal Education Department had overstepped in its interpretation of Title IX, which bans sex discrimination in federally funded education programs, and that students' biological sex should determine which restroom they use. Heather Smith, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of South Dakota, which had opposed the bill, said the veto was "definitely welcome." "I think this is a very powerful statement for South Dakota students that their governor respects them and wants them to feel safe in school," she said. Meanwhile, the governor was commended by transgender rights advocates. Kris Hayashi, executive director of Transgender Law Center, shared, "Gov. Daugaard made the right call in vetoing this dangerous legislation, sparing South Dakota the risky and costly experiment of becoming the first state to mandate discrimination against transgender youth in violation of federal law and student privacy and well-being." An attorney filed a lawsuit against the Governor of Mississippi, Phil Bryant, seeking to remove the last state flag of the nation, which contains the Confederate battle emblem. The lawsuit was filed on Monday, stating that the flag violates the Equal Protection and Due Process Clauses of the 14th Amendment. The Grenada, Mississippi-based attorney, Carlos Moore continued in his lawsuit that the flag "incite violence similar to the shooting in South Carolina. He is asking it to remove and to declare the flag unconstitutional, according to Clarion-Ledger. Mississippi is the only state that incorporates the Confederate emblem flag into its state flag. The lawsuit also stated that the plaintiff fears for his safety and the safety of other African-Americans because of the state sanctioned hate speech communicated through the said flag, Miami Herald reported. Bryant already released a proclamation, calling the month of April as Confederate Heritage Month. He also added that voters will decide whether to continue to use the flag since 1894. Mississippians voted in 2001 to keep the current state flag via a statewide referendum, News Channel3 reported. Governor Bryant called the filed lawsuit a "frivolous attempt to use the federal court system to usurp the will of the people. The lawsuit was filed after Mississippi legislators dismissed bills seeking to remove the Confederate emblem from the flag. Displaying of Confederate symbols has been long debated since the slayings of black worshippers at a Charleston, South Carolina, church in June. According to Matt Steffey, a Constitutional law expert said, Moore's lawsuit has some issues. He explained, "The 14th Amendment is not usually read to be concerned with symbolic matters, and the flag is by definition a symbol." While Moore is determined to pursue the lawsuit, several hundred people also gather at the Mississippi State Capitol in Jackson for a rally to remove the Confederate battle emblem on Thursday, a month after flag supporters gathered there for their own event. Oregon Governor Kate Brown put into law the Senate Bill No. 1532, raising the minimum wage effective in six years and establishing a three-tiered system that has not been tried anywhere else in the country. Under the newly signed law, by 2022, the state's current $9.25 an hour minimum would climb to $14.75 in metro Portland, $13.50 in smaller cities, such as Salem and Eugene, and $12.50 in rural communities. In an interview, the governor stated that raising the minimum wage is one of her priorities for 2016. She added, "This is a path forward - so working families can catch up, and businesses have time to plan for the increase." She stated, "I started this conversation last fall, bringing stakeholders together to craft a workable proposal; one that gives working families the much-needed wage boost they need, and addresses challenges for businesses and rural economies presented by the two impending ballot measures. I look forward to signing this bill." President Obama commended the Oregon Legislature and Governor Brown for taking action to raise their state's minimum wage. He advised Congress to follow Oregon's example and raise the federal minimum wage now at $7.25 an hour. Oregon is considered unique, since it would be the first state without a one-size-fits-all statewide minimum for all workers. The state is severely separated between the west and the east by economic, cultural and political differences. The goal of the tiered approach is to create a balance of the needs of the more urban west, where the cost of living has heightened rapidly Portland and struggling farming communities in the east, as reported by CBS News. The bill was made as a concession between what unions, businesses and farmers wanted to get. This was an attempt to spoil more aggressive proposals that could go before voters in November. The President of Oregon Farm Bureau said that the Democrats do not value family agriculture. He explained the enormous increase will force many family farmers to try to find ways to mechanize or transition away from labor-intensive products Oregon is known for, like apples, pears, milk and berries. Unfortunately, some will give up and sell, while others will simply go out of business. While an economic analyst, David Cooper, said wage increases have never lead to widespread damaging effects, but expressed hesitation about Oregon's regional approach. "I think any time you create these sorts of somewhat arbitrary geographic districts, that's when you can create opportunities for some sort of economic disruption," he said. He further stated that, he prefers the whole state to have the same wage level, but at a slower pace by region so that everyone can enjoy the same standard and benefits. On Wednesday, an attorney general of Mississippi said he will defend his state's flag against a lawsuit that seeks to eliminate the country's last state flag with the Confederate battle emblem. While Jim Hood believes that the flag hurts the reputation of Mississippi and should be changed, he said his opinion about state laws won't stop him from fulfilling his oath to defend them. Attorney Carlos Moore of Grenada, Mississippi, who filed the lawsuit on Monday, said the flag is 'state-sanctioned hate speech'. Yahoo News reported that the flag makes Moore and other African-Americans fear for their lives. He declareD the flag to be unconstitutional and a federal judge should remove it. Moore cited the killings of nine black worshippers at a church in Charleston last June. Reports say that the white suspect had previously posed for photos carrying a rebel flag that has a blue X dotted by 13 white stars. Meanwhile, Governor Phil Bryant called Moore's lawsuit 'frivolous'. According to ABC News, Gov. Bryant suggested that the voters should decide whether to redesign the state flag that has flown since 1894. In 2001, a statewide election took place and Mississippi voted 2-1 in favor of keeping the rebel emblem. Mississippi's population is about 38 percent black. Twelve different legislations to change the flag were introduced by several lawmakers from various states, says The Washington Post. However, each of the bills stalled in committee and none was submitted to the floor before the deadline last Tuesday. Attorney General Jim Hood said he will rely on a ruling from a similar case which was filed in Georgia back in the mid-1990. A black resident who hails from Atlanta filed a lawsuit over the design of Georgia's flag, however, Judge Evans ruled that 'there is no evidence' in the record that the flag itself implies discrimination against African-Americans U.S. District Judge Orinda D. Evans ruled in January 1996 that she would not make Georgia stop flying its flag because "There simply is no evidence in the record indicating that the flag itself results in discrimination against African-Americans." Hood believes that Georgia's case law will help Mississippi in defending the flag lawsuit. On Wednesday, the Utah state Senate voted to approve a legislation that would abolish the death penalty. As one of the most conservative states in the nation, Utah advances in what had been considered a longshot proposal. Republican Senator Steve Urquhart is leading the matter this year to repeal the death penalty. The Senator cited conservative themes of imperfect governments and capital punishment as costly and inefficient policy. ABC News reported that lawmakers voted to reinstate the use of the firing squad as a backup execution procedure in Utah last year. They argued that if Utah has a shortage of lethal injection drugs, then it must still find a method to kill death row inmates. As Sen. Urquhart's bill was revealed three weeks ago, he recognized that it's not going an easy battle to win approval in a state with strong support for the capital punishment. However, he said that libertarian leanings of the Legislature gave him hope. In Utah, legislations must be read three separate times in each of the two chambers. The bill, which was sponsored by Sen. Urquhart, prohibits death sentences for aggravated murders committed on or after May 10, as reported by The Washington Post. It also bans capital punishment for crimes committed before that date if the death penalty has not been sought yet. According to The Wall Street Journal, death punishment has been abolished in six states since 2007. These states include Maryland, New York, New Mexico, New Jersey, Illinois, and Connecticut. In the US, the use of the death penalty is gradually declining. A study by the Death Penalty Information Center says that 28 people were executed in 2015, which is the lowest number since 1991. Utah's database center revealed that the state has nine death-row inmates and has executed seven prisoners since 1976, and most recently in 2010. Proposals to repeal death penalty have been introduced in at least eight other states in the US over the past year. However, there have been no reports yet of how many are close to joining 19 states and the District of Columbia in abolishing the death penalty. Convicted child sexual abuser priest from Pennsylvania is given a sentence of 17 years of imprisonment on Wednesday. The said priest was arrested after he sexually abused children in an orphanage during his missionary trips in Honduras. According to ABC News, Joseph Maurizio Jr. was convicted in September of molesting three boys. He is convicted with engaging in illicit sexual conduct in foreign places, also known as "sexual tourism", money laundering in connection with the charity and possessing child pornography. Johnstown federal prosecutors urged jurors to sentenced him 30 years imprisonment, however, his defense legal team argued to consider his age, his charitable works, years of service in US Navy during Vietnam war and other considering legal factors. The 70 year old priest lives in Central City, Pennsylvania and had been serving his priesthood in diocese of Altoona-Johnstown, Wall Street journal reported. Maurizio started charity and was funded by the members of the community. The charity also supported the shelters for rural town children in Honduras. Maurizio Jr. took 13 trips to Honduras from 2004 to 2009. Prosecutors reported, during those trips, he committed the crime, on which he sexually abused two underage boys in Honduras shelters. A spokesman for the diocese said, "This is another sad day for our diocese, and, as always, our prayers are with the victims." The New York Times reported, Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown, is also under investigated recently for covering up priest, abusing children. Grand jury's report stated, the former diocese leader, Bishop Joseph Adamec learned Father Mauricio's sexual abused claims in 2009. However, the successor, Bishop Mark L. Bartchak said, Maurizio continued to served as pastor on a church in Central City, Pennsylvania. Evidence at trial also showed that Rev. Maurizio used his position at his charity to gain access to boys and that he bought clothes, shoes and jewelry to gain their trust before abusing them. He has been suspended by the diocese since his rectory was raided and he was charged by federal Homeland Security Investigations agents in September 2014. A couple of Nigerian communities have been given permission to hold Royal Dutch Shell responsible over multiple oil spills in Niger Delta under the jurisdiction of a British court. The lawsuits were the latest of the series of international litigation that Shell has to face for environmental damage stemming from its Nigerian operations. Leigh Day, an environmental law firm which represents the two communities, said that the proceedings should be held in British courts because the oil spills have persisted for decades in Nigeria without being addressed. "The Nigerian courts cannot deal with these cases," said Daniel Leader, a partner at law firm Leigh Day. "This would clearly be a very important precedent because it would mean that Shell could be held to account, not only in Nigeria, but also in the jurisdiction of the parent company for its environmental record," he added. A spokesperson for Shell said in a statement that, the cases should be tried in Nigeria and that it would challenge the jurisdiction of English courts. "We believe that allegations concerning Nigerian plaintiffs in dispute with a Nigerian company, over issues which took place within Nigeria, should be heard in Nigeria," the spokesperson added. It also rebutted that asking the English court to intervene will be a direct challenge to the internal political acts and decision of the Nigerian state. Moreover, Shell defended that there was a sabotage and oil theft involved in the ongoing pollution and it had stopped oil production since 1993 in Ogale, the area where the two communities are located in Nigeria's oil-rich southern Niger Delta. According to Leigh Day, it stated that the 40,000-strong Ogale community in Rivers State, believed that successive spills since 1989 have meant they do not have clean drinking water, farmland or rivers. Whereas, the Bille community claimed Shell should be liable for "failing to protect their pipelines from damage caused by third parties," which is representing the two communities. Amnesty International's UK Economic Affairs Program Director, Peter Frankental, said, "Shell has an appalling record of obfuscation and misinformation with regard to its dealings in the Niger Delta. Our briefing reveals just how irresponsible Shell has been in its operations in the region." He also said that it is disgraceful that Shell has to be dragged to the courts to address the issues. He feared that the money, health, livelihood and emotional anguish of the affected communities could have been spared had Shell simply accepted responsibility and cleaned up the oil spills quickly and thoroughly. Amnesty International said in November 2015 report that, an investigation showed Shell had failed to clear four oil-spill sites in the Niger delta, months after President Muhammadu Buhari said he's accelerating a clean-up of the area. Rhode Island's solitary confinement should be limited to no more than 15 days at a time, according to the lawmakers. It is part of the national movement that would reform segregation of some inmates into small cells. The legislation had been passed on by lawmakers from Colorado to Mississippi. Solitary confinement usually separates inmate from the others into smaller cells. They spend months or years there without much social interaction, Seattle Times reports. Rhode Island's solitary confinement bill was sponsored by Providence Democrats Sen. Harold Metts and in the House by Rep. Aaron Regunberg. The legislation aims to protect the youngest and the oldest, as well as the mentally disabled and other vulnerable groups from being isolated into the prison cell. "It's used for punishment and it's used to break you down," state Sen. Metts said. "If you already have a mental illness, it's certainly not going to help. It'll probably make it worse." Meanwhile, A.T. Wall, Director of the State Department of Corrections claimed that the state doesn't put prisoners in extreme isolations. He explained that they only use disciplinary confinement as a provisional castigation for a bad behavior. Wall also said that administrative confinement on the other hand is used for inmates who were regarded as threats for other's safety, according to ABC News. Prison officers argued that Rhode Island's solitary confinement would take away their freedom to give punishments to inmates in order to have a safe environment. "It disassociates you with everybody," said Alan Lowell, a 25-year-old who spent several years moving in and out of the Cranston complex where the state confines all the prisoners. "You don't leave that room for anything. Everything is brought to you and handed to you through a little hole. I remember every single minute of it. You don't forget stuff like that," Lowell said. "It's called corrections, not confinement. It's supposed to help fix us, not bring us down." In January, Pres. Barack Obama announced forbidding of separating juveniles and low-level offenders in federal prisons. He said that solitary confinement can have devastating, lasting psychological consequences to an inmate, Press of Atlantic City reported. The United Nations had supported such bill that would ban isolation of the prisoners. In December, New York argued on the quantity and the period that prisoners would be isolated. California also supported the move by stopping unlimited isolation of hundreds of gang leaders. Wall remained firm in claiming that Rhode Island's solitary confinement is still less strict compared in other larger states. He claimed that prison officials are considering two things in their system, rehabilitation and safety. Argentine bondholders requested the court to wait a little longer before lifting the injunctions over defaulted bonds by the Argentinian government. However, a US judge rejected the request and ruled to follow the agreed timeframe. Thomas Griesa, a US District Judge in Manhattan, says he understands the arguments given by the creditors to wait for another month, but things have changed significantly and to delay the injunction would be detrimental to the public interest. The original ruling of two weeks will remain as this would allow any arguments that would arise thereafter. The condition of Argentina between its creditors involved repealing its two laws regarding debts and paying its creditors $6.2 billion. These creditors consist of Elliot Management NML Capital Ltd and Aurelius Capital Management who were part of the recipients of the payment, as per Reuters. Despite the agreement, NML creditors urged Griesa to postpone the injunction and wait for 30 days. They said the remaining plaintiffs which holds 15 percent of the claims has not been given a chance to settle their case. According to New York Times, attorney Jessica Sleater represents a 90-year old client who bought Argentine bonds during the 90's for patriotic reasons and still has not been paid until now. Her client who is partly paralyzed plans to use the money to pay the expenses for his disability. Griesa, on the other hand, said there is a pressing need for finality and certainty for those settlements to succeed. Any delay will cause the Argentinian government its capability to pay its creditors. As reported by ABC News, Argentina has refused to pay but everything changed right after Mauricio Macri took office last December 10. Argentina requested to lift the injunction after offering $6.5 billion to settle lawsuits by various bondholders which reached up to $100 million. The issued injunction has prevented Argentina to restructure its debt until it will be able to pay its creditors. A drunken driver who fled police even after being hit with a stun gun likely was acting out due to having post-concussion syndrome, his attorney said. Ricardo Nuno (Courtesy photo) Ricardo Nuno, 66, of the 900 block of Rockland Street in Bethlehem, gave up his right to a preliminary hearing Thursday before Senior District Judge Joseph Barner. Nuno had been facing charges of fleeing/eluding police, resisting arrest, DUI and DUI high rate (0.10 to 0.16). But Freemansburg Police Officer Robert Wieder agreed to amend the DUI charge to general impairment and withdrew the DUI high rate charge. The judge then sent the remaining charges of fleeing/eluding police, resisting arrest and general impairment to Northampton County Court. Nuno's attorney, Paul Aaroe, said a plea deal also includes lowering the felony charge of fleeing/eluding police to a misdemeanor charge at the county level. Nuno plans to enroll in the accelerated rehabilitative disposition program, or ARD, he said. The program, which can run from six months to three years, can result in the expungement of the charges if successfully completed. "He is a law-abiding citizen; he's been married for 43 years," Aaroe told the judge. "He was assaulted ... and that has caused him to have issues." Following Nuno's appearance, Aaroe said his client is suffering from a post-concussion disorder following the December 2014 assault that left him victimized. The assault involved three men attacking Nuno and resulted in him having an orbital fracture in his eye socket, Aaroe said. "He was acting out," Aaroe said. "It explains a lot of the actions of this day." A complication from the attack also includes Nuno having panic attacks, which caused him to bolt from law enforcement, Aaroe said. Nuno at 3:50 p.m. Feb. 18 was in the office of the Freemansburg Storage Depot in the 800 block of Peach Street when Wieder showed up. The officer had dealt with Nuno in a previous incident at that location and smelled "a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from Nuno," according to court records. Police said Nuno left the facility and got into a red 2002 Ford Escape and began to drive off when Wieder stopped him. Weider asked Nuno if he had been drinking, in which Nuno replied he had two beers at home before coming to the storage company, according to police. Nuno failed subsequent field sobriety tests and an initial breath test showed the presence of alcohol, police said. Wieder told Nuno he was under arrest, but Nuno "started to become physically aggressive," pushing the officer, police said. Nuno called his daughter and said he hopes "she feels good about this because now he is being arrested for DUI," police reported. Nuno walked away from the officer and tried to get back in the SUV, leading Wieder to try and grab Nuno by the hand, but Nuno got into the Ford anyway, police said. Wieder told Nuno to stop and get out of the vehicle, but Nuno started the engine, police said. Wieder then shot Nuno with a Taser but it "did not make a sufficient connection to incapacitate Nuno," police said. Nuno drove south through the parking lot of 434 Clearview St. toward Tolstoy Street, as the officer ran alongside, holding Nuno's left hand through the open door of the SUV, police said. Wieder finally let go and Nuno sped out of sight, police said. Within minutes, Bethlehem police had Nuno pulled over and Wieder responded to make the arrest, police said. Nuno is scheduled to appear for a formal arraignment on May 12. Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Hunsberger, Rachel.jpeg Rachel Hunsberger (Courtesy photo) A Bethlehem woman admitted Thursday she slashed her ex-boyfriend in the head, cutting open a wound that required seven staples to close. But Rachel Dawn Hunsberger said she had recently relapsed into using drugs and was upset about her son when she lashed out. She has had enough of Northampton County Prison, where she's been locked up since November. "I'm ready to go home," she told Northampton County Judge Craig Dally on Thursday, adding later through tears, "I can't do it in jail. They're mean." "It's not supposed to be a pleasant place," Dally told her. Hunsberger, 37, pleaded guilty to simple assault. In exchange, prosecutors dropped an aggravated assault charge. Dally wants a psychiatrist to evaluate Hunsberger before she's sentenced. Court records say she came up behind her ex-boyfriend as he was watching TV in an apartment in the 800 block of Main Street in Bethlehem. Then she slashed him across the head. Hunsberger told the judge she was under stress at the time due to problems with her son, who is now 10. She had spent 20 years drug-free but relapsed four days before the incident. She said she was not on drugs when she slashed the victim. Her father said he has custody of Hunsberger's child. "Rachel is a good person," he told Dally. He had no explanation why she snapped but wants her to get the mental health help she needs. Assistant District Attorney Abraham Kassis said he made the plea deal in part because the victim was not cooperating with prosecutors. Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook. A former Easton man who served seven years in federal prison for dealing cocaine was captured in Florida with marijuana stuffed in his pants. Pascual "Paco" Colon admitted in 2008 that he possessed more than five grams of cocaine with the intent of selling it. He was one of a handful of dealers rounded up through Operation Stateline, a 2006 bust where investigators seized about three pounds of cocaine and $17,000 following a six-month investigation. The drug was being distributed in the Easton and Phillipsburg areas. More than 30 people were charged at the state and federal levels. Colon was released from prison in 2012 and moved to Hampton, Hunterdon County, court records say. He got married and got a job working for Readington Farms in Readington Township, according to court documents. But in July 2015 he left the state in violation of the terms of his federal supervised release. He was caught during a traffic stop on Jan. 15 in Kissimmee, Florida, with 4.5 grams of marijuana in the front waistband area of his pants, court records say. He's now charged with possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and proving a false name to law enforcement. He owes $4,912 in child support, records say. Court records say he moved out of his Hampton home in March 2015 and entered a romantic relationship with Jessica Maxfield. Since she's a felon, the relationship violated the terms of his release from prison. His probation officer found alcoholic beverages during a home inspection in April 2015, and Colon admitted he was drinking alcohol regularly in violation of the terms of his release, records say. He received a written reprimand and was ordered to move to a halfway house for six months. Instead, he fled the state, records say. U.S. District Court Judge Lois Goodman ordered Feb. 25 that Colon be detained without bail pending the disposition of his violation of supervised release. Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook. Five people in one vehicle died in a head-on collision Wednesday when the driver crossed the grassy median of a highway in Lehigh County and collided with a tractor-trailer, authorities said. Lehigh County Coroner Scott Grim announced the number of victims toward midnight, following the 3:59 p.m. crash on Route 222 in Upper Macungie Township. Grim said the identities of the five victims may not be confirmed for weeks because of the fire following the crash. "Due to the severity of injuries, forensic testing must be conducted to positively identify each of the victims," Grim said in a news release. "Forensic testing could take several weeks to complete and receive the results. ... "Upon the completion of forensic testing and positive identification, additional information will be released on each of the victims." Grim said it was one of the worst incidents in terms of loss of life in his more than 30 years of police work and at the coroner's office. Grim's release listed two victims as Jane Doe, with the first pronounced dead at the scene by Deputy Coroner Richard Kroon at 4:50 p.m. Kroon pronounced the second Jane Doe dead at 4:53 p.m. One victim identified as John Doe was pronounced dead by First Deputy Coroner Eric Minnich at 4:53 p.m. Minnich also pronounced two victims identified only as J. Doe dead, at 4:54 and 4:55 p.m. Grim said investigators have been unable to immediately confirm their genders. "Autopsies will be performed on Thursday, March 3, on the victims to assist with the determination of the exact cause of death," Grim wrote. "I ruled the manners of death accident." Upper Macungie police Chief Edgardo Colon earlier Wednesday said witness accounts indicate a Subaru Legacy in which the five were riding had been headed north on Route 222 in the area of the highway's split with Route 100. For an unknown reason, the vehicle crossed the grassy median about a quarter mile south of Grim Road and into the path of a Freightliner truck with a JMH trailer, causing a head-on collision. An explosion followed, and both vehicles became engulfed in flames, Colon said. The passenger vehicle was torn into two pieces and two people were thrown from the vehicle. Tractor-trailer driver Richard Eckrote, of Allentown, suffered minor injuries in the crash, police said in a news release. He said on his Facebook page that he was OK after being checked out at the hospital and was grateful for people's thoughts and prayers. The investigation is continuing by the coroner's office and Upper Macungie Township police, with assistance from the Lehigh County District Attorney's Office. The crash closed Route 222 from the split with Route 100 to Grim/Cetronia Road until about 11:45 p.m., the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation said. It occurred about 45 miles east of a 60-vehicle pileup Feb. 13 on Interstate 78 in Lebanon County that killed three people and sent 73 more to area hospitals. That crash occurred during a sudden snow squall that left visibility poor. Conditions on Wednesday at the time of the Lehigh Valley crash were clear and dry, with a cold west wind, after light rain several hours earlier. An accident reconstruction was conducted, police said. Anyone who witnessed the crash is asked to call officer Joshua Forrester at 484-661-5911, Ext. 352. Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. bethlehem benner garage rendering This rendering, distributed by developer Dennis Benner in November 2013, shows his two buildings planned near South New Street in South Bethlehem with a planned parking garage in the middle where the Bethlehem Parking Authority is looking to build a garage. (Courtesy image | Howard Kulp Architects) Three hundred feet? That's less than a city block in many American towns. Yet that's one standard being used to justify a proposed 626-space parking garage on Bethlehem's South Side -- the idea that people working in a six-story building proposed by developer Dennis Benner at New and Third streets won't be willing to walk more than a block to their cars. Strange thinking for a city that prides itself on developing greenways for walking and bike lanes to help commuters get to work. It's also strange that the same parking analysis that came up with the 300-foot limit concluded the city's South Side has a surplus of hundreds of parking spaces -- even before the Bethlehem Parking Authority's proposed $17.7 million deck goes up at Third Street and Graham Place. Stranger still that the parking authority -- despite public demand for justification of a new parking garage -- didn't see fit to release the study until last week, one day after the authority board voted to increase parking rates to underwrite the parking expansion. Well, maybe not so strange. There's room for disagreement on whether the city and the parking authority are preparing for a wave of growth on the city's South Side -- or whether the authority is jumping the gun on a project seen by some as a public boost for the private high-rise next door, to which it will be connected by pedestrian walkways. Essentially, the parking authority and city council are betting that a recent increase in parking rates, along with borrowing, will help spur a building boom on the South Side. At this week's council meeting, residents raised several objections. Among them: The $17.7 million garage, while benefiting from a $2.1 million state grant, will carry a yearly loan payment of $1.16 million and $165,000 in first-year operating costs. Expected first-year revenue is $255,000, about one-fifth of expenses. Last week This round of borrowing doesn't include $7 million needed to shore up the leaky Walnut Street garage and modernize the North Street garage, which will be funded by a future loan. The parking study concludes that parking availability on the South Side wouldn't be pinched until both of two Benner buildings are constructed and filled. The 300-foot walking perimeter essentially red-lines the Riverport Garage as too distant to be of use for growth on Third Street. Mayor Bob Donchez, who supports the parking expansion, cites other projects on the horizon -- Lehigh University's plans for a building at Fourth and Adams Street, a Banana Factory addition and another possible office building on Third Street. Then again, what if those projects don't materialize? This conversation and its consequences would have been easier to handle if the city and parking authority included residents in the thinking behind it. Instead, the authority treats a parking analysis as a secret until a rate hike is approved, and city officials keep promising to get to work on a comprehensive parking strategy. This is no way to conduct the public's business. It's a sure way to drive a wedge between those who make the decisions on growth and those who will pay for them. EDITOR'S NOTE: This post was updated with confirmation of the victim's name. A 30-year-old Bethlehem man found dead early Wednesday morning along railroad tracks in Lopatcong Township killed himself, township police report. The Morris County medical examiner made the ruling and the man's family was notified, police said. Warren County Prosecutor Richard Burke identified the man as Ryan McCarthy, 30, of the 2200 block of Worthington Avenue in Bethlehem. McCarthy died from blunt force trauma, likely from jumping off the bridge, Burke said. McCarthy's body was seen by a passerby just before 6:30 a.m. Burke on Wednesday said it appeared the man either jumped or fell from the bridge. The bridge leads from Route 22 to the Phillipsburg Commerce Center on the old Ingersoll Rand property. Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. There was an eerie inevitability all day at the Laois count centre at St Mary's Hall in Portlaoise last Saturday. Predictions in advance were that barring some sort of miracle or major campaign issue there would be no change in Laois' representation in Leinster House. But the outcome had some interesting lessons for all the candidates and parties. Fianna Fail's topping of the poll with 13,626 was an impressive return, especially for its candidate Sean Fleming. In 2011 he polled a little over 6,000 votes. This year's result also made him the 5th highest vote getter in Ireland - ahead of Enda Kenny. In the context of 2011 and and FF's return to form in Irish politics, the result was positive. FF's members were not just happy with the result but also pleased that they have re-built an organisation. However, the result cannot be seen as overwhelmingly positive. The party ran just one candidate. This strategy was imposed by HQ against local wishes. Splitting 13,600 in two would hardly return two seats except for the fact that the second candidate could have been John Moloney. There will surely be a big push in the party locally to run two the next time, but pehaps now was the chance to lay claim to the second seat. The other point to note for FF is that SF now holds two seats in Laois and Offaly so the losses of 2011 have not been reversed even though this was a much better election for FG. Sinn Fein's Brian Stanley was distracted by John Whelan right through the campaign, he would have been under fierce pressure if Fianna Fail were also in the race. The problem for FF now is that Brian Stanley has got a big endorsement in the face of a sometimes personalised campaign. Sinn Fein will never run a second candidate and will be expecting a FF challenge next time around and will be ready for it. The SF camp will come out of this campaign more pleased than FF or Fine Gael. Brian Stanley's retention of his seat means he can now start the process of making Sinn Fein a permanent force in Laois politics. The more secure his postion the more SF can build locally through electing more councillors etc. They will be overjoyed at seeing off a Labour challenge which left a bitter taste in Stanley's team. Fine Gael say they are happy with the outcome as their share of the vote in Laois was higher than the FG national average. However, this echoes a sentiment expressed by FF after the 2011 election when FF held two of its three seats in the Laois Offaly constituency. It was like winning a skirmish in a massacre. But unlike FF in 2011, FG was never under pressure this time around in Laois even though many seats were lost elsewhere. It will irk Charlie Flanagan that he came third behind a SF candidate but he has taken satisfaction from the fact that there were more than 12,400 first perferences votes for his party in Laois. This total is not too far behind a FF vote that had some momentum. The outgoing Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade expressed his satisfaction at the performance of Thomasina Connell. The first time candidate selected by FG HQ polled an impressive 4,233 first prefereance votes. A Ballybrittas native, with Portarlington connections, she set up shop in Monasterevin. It was this strategy combined with an energetic campaign that paid off. Ambitious and talked of already as possible TD, Ms Connell is yet to committ to a career in politics. As long as Charlie Flanagan is an incumbent, it will be difficult to see a gap opening for a second FG TD. The most disappointed candidate has to be John Whelan. The outgoing Labour Party senator threw as much into the campaign in energy and resources than any other candidate. Ultimately he faced several obstacles that just could not be surmounted. Voter anger against Labour was probably at the top of this list Many local public servants voted Labour last time to protect against pay cuts. It may have been payback time for this group. Sen Whelan may also have made a few bad moves locally. Confrontation with SF over the IRA did not pay off. He also may have erred in the last week during an interview on local radio about Portlaoise's guardians of the elderly. Sinead Moore's first foray into politics with the Green Party was more successful than many anticipated. Some 1,541 gave her their number one vote this time around. Overall Laois needs more candidates next time around to ensure the big three do not take the elector for granted. Sinn Fein will be delighted with the performance of Brian Stanley on a number of fronts. He held a seat, put a Government minister into third place and saw off a fierce anti-SF challenge from Labour. His substantial 8,242 first preference vote is also a big signal to FF that his seat will not be won back easily. But he now must be the poster boy for his partys long term project of building seats on the back of a strong foundation. His first local election in Portlaoise in 1999 ended in defeat. Some 17 years later he has retained a Dail seat he won in 2011. Not alone that but SF have built on his Laois-Offaly win by taking a third seat in Offaly this time around against all the odds. He has been instrumental in all of this But modesty should be Mr Stanleys middle name and it is not a bad card to play at an election time. He said he wanted to thank the people from the bottom of his heart for returning him. It is great to come in second place. I think it shows that we have broadened the vote in this constituency. I think the work that we have been doing in South Kildare has paid off. I think it also shows that there is a large section of the electorate here in Laois and Kildare that want a fair recovery and that our message of a fair recovery resonated with them, he says. He said the Government over promised and exaggerated the money available to them to spend. He also said they neglected to deal with issues such as health, policing and housing. He said the Labour candidate John Whelan should have been telling Government Ministers to take its hands of Portlaoise hospital and not put it up on billboards. He describes the adverts as ridiculous. We were subjected to more than the usual tsunami of abuse, attack and black propaganda from a number of different quarters, he said. He said SF in Laois/South Kildare is very focused. The view we took early on was to go out and say it as it is. Dont overpromise. Be realistic and be committed to providing an alternative. That paid off. The wise and fair-minded people of the constituency made up their own judgement on me, he said. The TD does not believe he would have faced a bigger battle if FF had run a second candidate. What this shows is that we have consolidated that left republican vote for a progressive way forward. At the end of the day Fianna Fail are right of centre in the very same space as Fine Gael, he said. On Portlaoise hospitals future, he said the outgoing Government has hid the report (on the hospitals future) under a cushion until after the election. The people of this constituency will devour any Government party that attempts to downgrade the A&E. I will be doing my utmost to protect it and improve the service at the hospital, he said. He stopped short of saying he would vote against his party to protect Portlaoise A&E as Denis Naughten did over Roscommon Hospital. Instead he said he would seek a guarantee to protect Portlaoise. They were promises given before an election. I am talking about guarantees after an election. I could not see us going into a government that would have as part of an agenda to close the second busiest emergency department outside of Dublin, he said. Dep Stanley said there are red line issues such as the abolition of water charges and property tax before SF goes into coalition with FF or FG. He said SF also wants polices eased on the working poor. We wont be jumping to get into government. The only reason we want to get into government is to bring about political change for ordinary working people. It is not about us being in power, he said. As to the future leadership of Gerry Adams he said all issues around the table would be reviewed. While he said Gerry Adam is a very good leader Mr Stanley said the SF leader would not be around forever and SF was in transition. Dep Stanley did not believe the settled line up of TDs and small list of candidates means Laois would become a soft touch. Despite his third place finish outgoing Government Minister Charlie Flanagan was pleased with the outcome that saw his party's performance in Laois buck the national trend. The combined Fine Gael first preference vote was almost a third of number one seats with Mr Flanagan taking 8,370 of these votes. I am particularly pleased in Laois that we have succeeded in bucking the national trend by securing in excess of 32% of the vote for Fine Gael on what is a bleak and disappointing day nationally, he said. He said he would not have asked for more votes for the party and he is not disappointed with his own vote going into the election as a Minister. He believes his vote was not inflated by the small field of candidates because he was the main Government candidate. Nevertheless, he said it was a great honour to be returned by the people of Laois. He puts the higher than average vote down to a good campaign in difficult circumstances. I admit that there were challenges on the doorsteps and that there were unique and special circumstances in this constituency and I refer to Portlaoise hospital which was an issue in the campaign, and the wind farm issue, he said. Mr Flanagan said he looked forward to working on the hospital issue in the lifetime of the next Government. This will be an urgent and important priority for me as I accept that there is huge concern, he said. He added that this would be his aim irrespective of his status in the Dail. While Portlaoise hospital topped concerns, the Minister said there were a multiplicity of other issues raised on the doorsteps. There was a cocktail of grievances, property tax, water charges, health, crime, public sector pay. I have never experienced an election with such a multiplicity of grievances on the part of the Government, he said. Having said that, he said a stable government is now needed. The economy is in recovery mode and it is dependent on stable government to continue in terms of business, investment, job creation and maintenance. Stability and certainty in the political sphere are important. If we cannot get political stability we will be back on the (election) road before long, he said. As to what would give stability he said it was up to all TDs returned to Leinster House to decide this. There is a duty on 158 TDs to elect a Government. The people have spoken and elected representatives are now charged with the responsibility of responding, he said. Speaking in the count centre last Saturday he refused to comment on a coalition between Fine Gael and Fianna Fail or the shape of the Government. This was Charlie Flanagans eight Dail election. He said his father Oliver J fought 14 elections. Asked about how long he saw himself continuing in politics, the outgoing Minister showed no signs of stepping aside. I enjoy politics. I am both honoured and privileged to have been given a further mandate by the people of Laois and the new area of West Kildare. I look forward to fulfilling that mandate, he said. He said he would look forward to being reappointed Minister if Fine Gael returns to Government. Asked if he would place money on FG getting back into power he said: If we are the largest party we are the most likely to form a Government, he said. Mountmellick CS Transition year student Mark Dunphy has cooked his way to the national final of the Rotary Young Chef competition. Mark aged 16 won the Laois final of the competition, and last week was one of three young chefs selected in the regional final in Cork. He was surprised to win he told the Leinster Express. I was so surprised, I don't know how I got through, the standard was so high, said a modest Mark. He is now preparing to cook his three course meal in a highly competitive final in Santa Sabina School in Sutton, Dublin this Saturday February 27. Mark's meal starts with a chickpea falafel, followed by parpadelle ragout featuring his handmade pasta, and a meringue roulade. After winning the Laois final, he got some professional tips from the chefs at Batoni's restaurant in Emo, and from Imelda Tynan in Portlaoise. Imelda showed me how to make my meringue higher and thicker, he said, also thanking his home economics teacher Margaret Foynes, and his family for their advice and support. He will be one of six finalists in a tense two hour final, overseen by judges. The standard will be very high but I will try my absolute best, said Mark. Andrew Cremin from Laois Rotary Club commended Mark on his success. It was a difficult decision due to the very high standard by all entrants. Thanks to Dave Halpin Jr and Clare Mills , our judges, and special thanks to Regina Mundi College and Sandra Lane for hosting the event, and the School Food Company who sponsor the Ireland leg of the competition, he said. The winner of the national final will represent Ireland in the British and Irish final. The reforms initiated by Erdogans government include, among other things; the reorganisation of schools with 12 compulsory years of education (4 years in the first cycle, 4 in the second cycle, and 4 in the third), the reopening of the Imam-Hatip schools, compulsory education at 66 months (5 and a half years old), and the inclusion of new, free choice options, such as The Life of The Prophet Muhammad, Koran Studies, Modern Languages and Dialects. The fact that there are choices like this available fits in with democratic education. For me, the reopening of the Imam-Hatip schools is a good thing. These schools are not compulsory; no-one can be forced to go there, but the young people who choose to go to these schools general define themselves as conservatives. Its their most important right in my opinion; people are free to go there or not. No-one is restricting this right: the right to self-expression, the right to live freely for oneself. Yesterday in the House of Commons the Liberal Democrats demanded an urgent update on the military situation in Syria and the ability for MPs to hold the government to account. As part of the debate last year on military action in Syria, we said that we wanted to see regular updates to the House of Commons. The Prime Minister agreed to give quarterly statements. Three months on, it is time for David Cameron to stick to his promise. Parliamentary questions have uncovered the UK military airstrikes in Syria have totalled 43 targets in Syria in three months and 319 Daesh targets in Iraq. Foreign Affairs spokesperson Tom Brake said: It is critical that wherever our Armed Forces are in active combat that the government is as open as possible about the progress of that activity. Parliament voted to support the extension of airstrikes to Syria on the basis that we would be provided with regular updates, and 3 months on from that vote it is time for the government to deliver that promise. There is no quick fix solution to fighting Daesh in Syria or Iraq. Success rests heavily on the progression of the peace process in Syria. What is unclear is what progress has been made on attacking ISILs sources of finance, fighters and weapons, what assessment has been made of civilian casualties and whether ISILs overall position has been changed in the last three months. These are the key points we need answers on, answers which the government is duty bound to provide. And this morning he pressed the minister on that point: Leader of the House confirms, after Lib Dem prompting, there will be Syria statement soon. It's already a day late. Need to know RAF impact Tom Brake MP (@thomasbrake) March 3, 2016 Im sure Tom will not let too much time go by before prompting again. Back in December, the Local Tax Commission in Scotland published its report which looked at various ways of raising local taxes. Political parties were urged to bring forward their own proposals. Scottish Conference had a consultation on a well-researched and thorough document. An indicative vote at the end favoured a progressive, fair property and land based tax, which, if formally adopted, would replace our proposal for a local income tax. The basic principles that you would expect from a local tax is that its fair, progressive and takes into account the ability to pay. I have to say Im not entirely sold on the idea of a property tax, although I can see the arguments for taxing property as opposed to income. The proposals outlined in the Scottish Lib Dems policy document do mean that those in the least valuable properties paying significantly less. The SNP announced their preferred solution yesterday. They have the choice of so many new powers and all they did was tinker at the edges, putting up the rate for the four highest bands. Is this really the best they can come up with, embedding the inherent unfairness of the Council Tax yet further? Lets look at my street as an example. Under the SNPs plan, a professional couple in a band D house earning two substantial incomes would pay no more yet a family in a slightly larger property up the street with one worker on a much lower income would pay more. That doesnt make sense. There has to be a way to deal with that sort of anomaly. Secondly, the Council Tax is based on property values that, by 2021, will be 30 years old. This is not the fundamental reform that the SNP promised. Thirdly, and most egregiously, this proposal comes just a week after the SNPs budget imposed 500 million of cuts to local authorities, affecting schools and local services. The SNP had the power to make the change they are currently proposing for this year, yet schools will have to wait a further year for it to come into effect. In fact, the SNP has had the power to make this change for the 9 years that it has been in power, 9 years is also the length of time a child spends at nursery and school and when investment in their education is most effective. The Scottish Parliament is in the process of getting huge new powers, not just the Calman Commission recommendations done via the 2012 Act, but the new powers recommended by the Smith Commission. Liberal Democrats and Labour have proposed a penny on income tax. We have also proposed a zero rate of tax to help the lowest paid. The SNP have come up with rearranging the deck chairs of a tax that they once said needs to go. Im not going to hold my breath expecting much in the way of radical reform from them on the rest of the tax system. Its like theyve been given a Ferrari but drive so slowly that they cant get it out of second gear. Willie Rennie was pretty scathing: The SNP policy today does not tackle the problems in education. It falls far short of what is required. The SNP have cut colleges for five years. Education in schools is slipping down the international rankings. Early education for two-year-olds has stalled. So it is utterly insulting for the SNP to bring forward a policy today that they have had the power to bring in for nine years. If they had acted sooner, they could have stopped the heartache and cuts in Scottish education. Half a generation of young people have missed out on skills and life chances because of the timid SNP. Scottish Liberal Democrats will set out our proposals on local tax reform in due course. We will be progressive, fair and give councils the flexibility to deliver good public services. The SNP have bottled a chance to radically reform our system of local taxation and that is typical of them and regrettable. They have to take full responsibility for that. There is nobody else to blame. UPDATE: Here is Willie pressing Nicola Sturgeon on the issue at First Ministers Questions today. FMQs 3 March 2016 Today at #FMQs I pressed the First Minister on why she wants to wait to invest more money in Scottish education. Answers to Parliamentary Questions show that spending per pupil has been cut in real terms for primary school pupils, secondary school pupils and college students over the last few years. In the meantime, we have fallen down international education league tables.We need urgent investment now to get Scottish education back to being the best in the world. Posted by Willie Rennie on Thursday, 3 March 2016 * Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings A SECOND retail park in Limerick has now come up for sale, with the Childers Road retail park now on the market for 44m. A retail park on the Ennis Road, which includes Showtime cinema and Woodies, also went on the market last week for 15m, following the instructions of a receiver. The Childers Road park, where the tenant line-up is described as second to none, is expected to attract interest from a range of Irish and overseas investors, as funds as joint agents HWBC and DTZ Sherry FitzGerald are anticipating that the new owners could see an income return of seven per cent. The development, which includes Dunnes Stores, Boots, Pizza Hut, Costa Coffee and many others, was built over ten years ago by Alan and Brian McCormack of Alanis with funding from Anglo Irish Bank. Harcourt Life is now handling the sale after acquiring the entire share capital of IBRC Assurance Company. The retail park is currently producing a rent roll of 3.22 million from 14 tenants. Other occupiers include the UK fashion chains Burton/Wallis/Evans/Dorothy Perkins, which pays 400,000 for 15,900sq ft, and Next pays 300,000 for a shop of 15,000sq ft . The other main tenants include Argos, Maplin Electronics, Heatons, Harry Corry, Smyths Toys and Planet Health Club. It comes with up to 1,000 free parking spaces. Meanwhile, the Ennis Road retail park has a rental income of 1.476 million, the initial yield for a new owner will be 9.4 per cent. On Wednesday next, the Brazen Head pub and home to Teds nightclub will go up for sale at the Allsop auction in Dublin for in the region of 400,000, while the former ACC bank at 17/19 Patrick Street, which has a reserve of 695,000 to 755,000. The Williamscourt Mall on William Street, which is home of Guineys, is for sale for 2.5m. SOME 5,000 babies are born each year in the Maternity Hospital in Limerick, the second busiest hospital in the country. While babies born on New Years day are regularly celebrated in the media, this week heralded the arrival of babies born on a unique date, February 29, Leap Year Day, which occurs just once every four years. Nine babies were born in the Ennis Road hospital this Monday, but for staff in the busy hospital it was just another extra day in the calendar year. Some arrived early, some arrived late, but each brought a warm smile and proud, in awe gazes from the sleep deprived mums and dads. One of the first babies born on Leap Year day who officially wont celebrate his real birthday for another four years, in 2020 was baby Jack ONeill, who arrived into the world at 5.57am, weighing seven pounds and one ounce. Jack is the second bundle of joy to be cradled in the arms of mum Fiona ONeill from Martinstown, Kilmallock. Incidentally, her first baby, Jamie, was born on another memorable date in February Valentines day. Proud dad Brian Clancy, from Newmarket-on-Fergus, was more than happy to stand in for the picture with his first son, baby Zeke, who was born three weeks early, as mum Erica Minogue stood back and admired the heart-warming scene of their first picture together. While he was not due to arrive until St Patricks day, Zeke arrived into the world at 2.30pm this Monday, weighing six pounds eight ounces. Rachel OBrien, from Fedamore, who already has a little girl, Sophia, was delighted this time to have a baby boy, John, who was born at 11.21am. I just knew it was going to happen on Leap Year day. But he wont lose out on a party, she said. The birth was grand, a bit different to my first. Easier? No, she laughed, it was a bit harder. Some relatively new arrivals to Limerick were also welcoming their own little arrivals. Baby Ilan, weighing seven pounds and eight ounces, is the fourth girl born to parents Qalid Nur and mum Sacdiya Mohammed, originally from Somalia. THE University of Limerick has announced the appointment of Professor Mel Mercier as Chair of Performing Arts at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at UL. A native of Dublin, Professor Mercier studied at UCC, and later at the California Institute of the Arts, Los Angeles, before being awarded a PhD from the UL in 2011. He has played a pioneering role in the development and delivery of University College Corks uniquely diverse music programmes. He was appointed as the first Head of UCC School of Music of Music and Theatre in 2009 and promoted to Professor in 2015. Professor Mercier said he is delighted to be joining the UL campus, praising the academy's ground-breaking programmes and state-of-the-art facilities, which he said are a testament to the enlightened educational ambitions of UL and the imagination and energy of the Academy's world-class faculty and inspirational founding Chair, Professor Micheal O Suilleabhain. UL president, Professor Don Barry, said they are fortunate to welcome him to UL. I know that Mels unique personal and professional portfolio of education, research, composition and performance expertise and experience will inspire and evolve the Academys remarkable innovations in the Performing Arts into the future, in close and creative partnership with our pioneering staff, students, researchers and alumni, said president Barry. A renowned performer, Mel has collaborated with Micheal O Suilleabhain for over 35 years. He was nominated for a Tony Award in 2012 for the score he composed for the Broadway production of Colm Toibins The Testament of Mary. He is currently working on several projects, including co-devising a new play with writer Pat McCabe and director Pat Kiernan for the 1916 Centenary, and music composition for The Tempest, with director Deborah Warner, for Salzburg Festival 2016. May 3, 2021, 7 PM Following his success as the architect of the Helsinki train station, Eliel Saarinen was a stamp designer, using the lion from Finlands traditional coat-of-arms for all the designs of the 1917 Helsinki issues. By Kathleen Wunderly One of the first actions of the embryonic Republic of Finland in 1917 was to arrange for postage stamps to confirm its new political identity at home and to the world. The Scott Classic Specialized Catalogue of Stamps and Covers 1840-1940 refers to the common-design stamps, Scott 83-108 and 110, issued between 1917 and 1930 in a wide range of single colors and a few bicolors, as the Helsinki issue. Specialist collectors, however, refer to the group as the Saarinen issue, in honor of its designer. Finland is on a peninsula bordered by the Gulf of Bothnia, the Gulf of Finland, Norway, Sweden and Russia. The latter two were historically difficult neighbors: Sweden occupied Finland beginning in the mid-12th century, ceding it to the Russian Empire after losing the Swedish-Russian War of 1808-09. The Swedish influence remains to this day, with both Swedish and Finnish as Finlands official languages. Connect with Linn's Stamp News: Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Keep up with us on Instagram The February 1917 revolution in Russia and the abdication of the czar on March 15 left both Russia and Finland without a legal head of state. The temporary Russian government issued a manifesto in March that was viewed by the Finns as canceling the existing postal rules (dating to 1891 and 1900, and requiring the use of Russian stamps on foreign-bound mail). The problem was that if Russian stamps were no longer to be used, there were no stocks of Finnish stamps to use instead. In April 1917, the Finnish senate began examining how to reintroduce Finnish postal issues. A small committee was set up to prepare proposals for new stamps, and on June 21 the senate approved the idea of 10 stamps of various denominations, intended for use on all mail deliveries within Finland and abroad. All of the new stamps were to have the same design: the Finnish heraldic lion, a national image dating to the late 16th century, with the country name both in Swedish (Finland) and in the Finnish language (Suomi). At one point, it was decided to issue the new stamps on Jan. 1, 1918, but the senate meanwhile raised the postal rates beginning Oct. 1, 1917, and the aim changed to having at least some of the new issues ready then. As it happened, only one of the new stamps, the 5-penni, was ready on that date. Design sketches for the new issues were drawn by two members of the senates committee, Harald Lindberg and Eliel Saarinen, and Saarinens basic design was eventually chosen. Some modifications to meet printing requirements were made to it later by Lilius and Hertzberg Co., of Helsinki, who prepared the plates for printing. Eliel Saarinen (1873-1950) was at that time the foremost architect of his generation in Finland. His first major work was the Finnish Pavilion at the 1900 Exposition Universelle in Paris, displaying his style that came to be called Finnish National Romanticism. His Helsinki Central Railway Station (built 1910-14) still stands as a landmark building in the capital city. Saarinen also became involved in city planning, and was working on a program for greater Helsinki when he was called to help with the new stamp designs. Saarinens design talents ranged from buildings and cities to tapestries, furniture, pottery, and painting, and he designed Finnish banknotes in 1909 and 1922. For collectors interested in all aspects of the Saarinen issues, an exhaustive plate-by-plate study of them is detailed in the 204-page bilingual Handbook of Finnish Stamps, fifth volume, 1986, by the Philatelic Federation of Finland. According to the handbook, the first of the new issues, the green 5p, was printed using chemically etched plates on Sept. 12, 1917, on a two-color press acquired in 1895 from the German press manufacturer Koenig and Bauer. The printing was done by the state stamp printing office (translated in the English portion of the Handbook of Finnish Stamps as the Charta Sigillata Office or Printing Works). The Scott Classic Specialized catalog does not indicate watermarked paper for the Helsinki issue, but the Handbook of Finnish Stamps and some other specialist sources say that edge watermark paper was used, at least in the earliest issues, with a crown and the words Suomen Leimakonittori (Finnish Stamp Office) or Finlands Stampelkontor. The watermark on the paper originally was intended to match the denomination of the stamp printed on it for example, a watermark pennia 5 penni but the Handbook of Finnish Stamps says that mistakes were quickly made, and paper with the wrong watermark for the denomination of stamp often was used. Inaccurate cutting of the paper also led to partial watermarks or missing ones. Later issues in the series (and new printings of earlier ones) were printed on paper watermarked with a posthorn or a swastika, so the whole matter of Saarinen issue watermarks is either a good collecting challenge or a nightmare. According to the Handbook of Finnish Stamps, the early Saarinen issues were perforated on old electric-powered Fisher machines that were on hand in the state stamp printing office, with a perforation gauge of 14 by 14. The Scott Classic Specialized catalog and other sources also list a perforation gauge of 14 on all four sides of some examples. Supplies of the first stamp of the long series, the 5p green, Scott 83, were delivered to post offices on Sept. 28, 1917, and issued on Oct. 1. The rose 10p denomination (85) was issued next, on Oct. 15. A 2p issue had been planned, and a proof of it was submitted to the Universal Postal Union, but the need for that denomination was erased by the postal rate change of Oct. 1, 1917. A Finnish declaration of independence was proclaimed by the national parliament on Dec. 6, 1917, leading to civil war between resident conservative White Russians and pro-Bolshevik Finnish socialists. But the Saarinen stamps proclaiming Finnish postal independence were well underway, with some denominations reprinted over the years into late 1929. Eliel Saarinen moved to the United States in 1923 and became a university professor and prolific architect, earning the American Institute of Architects gold medal in 1947. His son, Eero (1910-61), was one of the influential American architects of the 20th century, and three of his designs appear on United States stamps: Dulles International Airport on a 20 Architecture stamp in 1982 (Scott 2022); the TWA terminal at Kennedy Airport on a 2005 37 Modern American Architecture stamp (3910d); and the Gateway Arch in St. Louis on a 39 Wonders of America stamp in 2006 (4044). Collecting a few examples of the long-running Saarinen issues in your choice of denomination and color will be very inexpensive (many of the stamps are valued in the Scott Classic Specialized catalog at the minimum 25). If you want a perforation variety or scarce imperforate example, those will be selling for several hundred dollars. A full set of the 27 major varieties is valued in the 2016 Scott Classic Specialized catalog at $114.95 unused and $67.60 used. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page. A rare condition known as "broken heart syndrome" is usually brought on by an emotionally devastating or stressful event. But now, a new study from Europe reveals the condition can also be brought on by happy events and positive emotions. This is the first time researchers have linked pleasant experiences with broken heart syndrome, which causes a sudden but temporary weakness in the heart muscle, according to the findings, published on Thursday (March 3) in the European Heart Journal. However, many negative forms of emotional stress, including grief, fear, anger and anxiety, are known to trigger episodes of the condition. Broken heart syndrome can be easily confused with a heart attack because people who experience the syndrome have symptoms such as chest pain and shortness of breath, the study said. These symptoms typically appear within minutes or hours after a person has been through a stressful experience. The syndrome is also referred to as stress cardiomyopathy, but was originally named takotsubo syndrome (TTS) by the Japanese researcher who first described it in 1990. The researcher called it that because the heart's bulging appearance in people with the condition resembled the shape of a "takotsubo," or octopus pot. [10 Amazing Facts About Your Heart] Previous studies on broken heart syndrome have focused exclusively on the negative stressors known to bring on the condition's symptoms. But in conducting this new study, the researchers wondered whether joyful experiences may also trigger the condition in some people. To find out, they analyzed data collected from 1,750 people who were part of the International Takotsubo Registry, a database of men and women in the United States and eight countries in Europe who were diagnosed with the condition. The researchers found that 485 participants in the study had definite emotional triggers preceding the onset of their symptoms. Of these, the vast majority of participants experienced a negative emotional event, such as the death of a loved one, a frightening experience like an accident or friend's illness, an argument, or a financial problem. But in 20 people, or about 4 percent of participants, a positive emotional event a birthday party, becoming a grandmother or great grandmother, a son's wedding, or an unexpected visit from a favorite relative brought on their symptoms. Happy heart These findings broaden the spectrum of emotions known to cause broken heart syndrome, said study author Dr. Jelena R. Ghadri, a cardiologist and research fellow at University Hospital Zurich in Switzerland. Although only a small percentage of participants were diagnosed with "broken heart syndrome" after a joyful or socially desirable event, the researchers were surprised to find that positive emotions can lead to TTS, Ghadri said. The researchers dubbed the 20 individuals with a positive trigger as the "happy hearts," comparing them to the 465 people with a negative preceding event, categorized as "broken hearts." After reviewing both groups' medical records for a variety of factors such as cardiovascular risks, results from lab and heart imaging tests, symptoms, and hospital stays the researchers found many similarities between the "happy hearts" and "broken hearts." Women represented about 95 percent of those affected in both groups. And the two groups had similar symptoms, such as chest pain and shortness of breath, when they were admitted to the hospital. The study also found that happy hearts were slightly older (71), on average, than broken hearts (65). A heart-brain connection? One of the noticeable differences between the two groups was that imaging tests revealed that happy hearts were more likely to have a certain type of the syndrome, called the midventricular type, than were broken hearts.(There are four different types of TTS.) Thirty-five percent of happy hearts had the midventricular type, compared with 16 percent of the broken hearts. [7 Weirdest Medical Conditions] Although this was an interesting and novel observation, the underlying mechanism that may be responsible for this finding is unknown, Ghadri told Live Science. The research team will now investigate brain activity patterns in the people with "happy heart syndrome" and compare those patterns to those found in people with "broken heart syndrome" to learn more about the interactions between the heart and the brain. For now, it's unclear exactly how a person's emotional states play a role in the development of this heart-muscle weakening condition. One hypothesis is that a surge of stress hormones, such as adrenaline, may temporarily damage the hearts of some people, said the Mayo Clinic. Perhaps happy and negative events, while distinct in nature, share a common emotional pathway in the central nervous system, which can ultimately trigger TTS, Ghadri speculated. While researchers learn more, the good news is that most people with TTS often make a quick and full recovery. The heart is weakened for only a brief period of time, and it tends to have no permanent or long-term damage, according to information from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Originally published on Live Science. NASA is working with partners in the aviation industry to design new supersonic aircraft, like this concept plane, that generate softer sonic booms. A new passenger jet that can fly at supersonic speeds without the distinctive but earsplitting sonic "boom" generated when these superfast planes travel faster than the speed of sound is one step closer to getting in the air. NASA has awarded a contract to Lockheed Martin Aeronautics to come up with a preliminary design for the supersonic jet. The company will receive $20 million over 17 months to come up with a preliminary design, according to NASA. The Lockheed team includes individuals from GE Aviation and Tri Models Inc., acting as subcontractors, the agency said. NASA envisions a "low boom" aircraft that emits a supersonic "heartbeat," or a soft thump, rather than startlingly noisy sonic booms, when it breaks the sound barrier. At the end of its contract, Lockheed will be expected to outline the proposed jet's baseline requirements and design in order to meet NASA's expectations for the agency's Quiet Supersonic Technology (QueSST) program. [Supersonic! The 10 Fastest Military Airplanes] After a demonstration version of the jet is built, the vehicle will undergo analytical and wind-tunnel tests, according to NASA. "Developing, building and flight testing a quiet supersonic X-plane is the next logical step in our path to enabling the industry's decision to open supersonic travel for the flying public," Jaiwon Shin, associate administrator for NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate, said in a statement. Once the jet is ready for flight tests, NASA will conduct low-boom flight demonstrations to gauge the public's response to quieter supersonic planes. The actual design and construction of the QueSST jet will be awarded under a future contract, NASA officials said. The loud booms generated by supersonic aircraft prompted the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration to ban overland flights by these aircraft in 1973. NASA, however, said in a previous statement that it is working with the FAA to change those regulations. [Image Gallery: Breaking the Sound Barrier] "We are working with other agencies across the world to support development of new noise certification for supersonic flight, so instead of being prohibited, it would be allowed over land and sea," Alexandra Loubeau, an acoustics engineer at NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, said in a statement released in late 2015. The QueSST jet is the first in a series of X-planes that will receive funding in NASA's fiscal 2017 budget, as a part of the agency's New Aviation Horizons initiative. The initiative aims to make future aircraft safer, "greener" and more efficient, using metrics such as fuel use, emissions and noise to judge their performance. The first flights under NASA's New Aviation Horizons initiative are expected to begin around 2020, depending on funding, the agency said. Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science. A bevy of blind baby "dragons" may soon hatch in a Slovenian cave. Biologists at Postojna Cave, a 15-mile-long (24 kilometers) cave system in southwestern Slovenia, are waiting with bated breath for the arrival of up to 55 baby olms (Proteus anguinus). These underground animals are also known as European cave salamanders, but locals call them "human fish," said Stanley Sessions, a biologist at Hartwick College in New York and a Fulbright scholar at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. That's because their cave-adapted skin lacks pigment and is a fleshy pinkish-white color. Olms are the largest of all cave-adapted animals, but they have long been enigmatic, Sessions and his colleague, Lilijana Bizjak Mali, of the University of Slovenia, wrote in an email to Live Science. They can grow up to 16 inches (40 centimeters) long. In the 1600s, people saw the long, slim bodies of these salamanders washed out of their cave habitats by rain and mistook them for baby dragons an understandable impression, given the olms' frilly gills, which look a bit like the neck frill of a fantastical dragon. The salamanders are blind, but very sensitive to smell, taste, sound and even electric fields, studies have found. [In Photos: Rare Birth of 'Baby Dragons' at Slovenia Cave] Postojna Cave is a major tourist attraction, complete with an aquarium where visitors can see olms in captivity. On Jan. 30, a tour guide noticed a single olm egg attached to the glass. This marked the beginning of the 20-day period in which olms can lay up to 60 eggs. Since then, biologists have counted 55 eggs, mostly clinging to the bottom of a rock and guarded zealously by the olm mother. Spring babies The appearance of the eggs is occasion for excitement among biologists because rearing olms in captivity is difficult, Sessions and Mali wrote. What's more, olms live life in the slow lane: They don't reach sexual maturity until age 14, and they can live to be at least 70 years old. Their metabolisim is so slow that olms can go without food for up to 10 years. They also have an unusually large genome, Sessions and Mali said, with about 15 times as many base pairs of nucleotides as humans. Olm embryos usually take about 4 months to reach the hatching stage, the researchers said, so the aquarium can expect spring babies. An infrared camera allows tourists to see the eggs without approaching the olm tank. It's not clear how many of the 55 eggs will actually hatch, but the offspring will look and function like mini-adults, Sessions and Mali said. "As far as we know, the newly hatched Proteus larvae simply disperse soon after hatching, which is a good thing since the mother or other Proteus could eat them," the researchers wrote. Oddly, the embryonic olms will develop functional eyes, but their eyes degenerate after the early larval stage. By adulthood, the eyes are "nearly useless dots," Sessions and Mali said. [Creepy Crawlies & Flying Wonders: Incredible Cave Creatures] Dragon habitat Olms live solely in limestone caves of the Balkan region, and their range stretches from Italy through southern Slovenia into Herzegovina. Of the 250 locations where they are known to live, most are in Slovenia, Sessions and Mali said. They're protected in that country because of threats to their habitat. The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists olms as a "vulnerable" species. Here a pregnant female olm resides in an aquarium at Slovenia's Postojna Cave. (Image credit: Iztok Medja for Postojnska jama d.d.) Postojna Cave is an enormous series of passages carved out by the Pivka River. Tourist rail lines, first set down in 1872, carry visitors through networks of stalagmite-bedecked caverns. The aquariums at the cave opened in 2010, and the fact that the cave's captive olms are laying eggs is a good sign that the aquarium habitat is well-suited to this sensitive species, Sessions and Mali said. Olms are particularly sensitive to water quality, which makes them a bellwether for pollution in general, the researchers said. "If [olms'] water becomes polluted, so does the drinking water for humans!" they wrote. "So this is considered one of the most important aspects about the olm: It is an environmental indicator species that we must monitor for our own well-being as well as that of Proteus." Follow Stephanie Pappas on Twitter and Google+. Follow us @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science. Artist impression of a Fast Radio Burst (FRB) reaching Earth. The colors represent the burst arriving at different radio wavelengths, with long wavelengths (red) arriving several seconds after short wavelengths (blue). Last week, a group of astronomers announced that they had for the first time discovered the source galaxy for a mysterious type of event known as a fast radio burst (FRB). But only a few days later, another group of scientists produced informal research that suggested otherwise. FRBs release the same amount of energy in a single millisecond as the sun produces over 10,000 years. But what causes them and even where they come from has remained a mystery. Evan Keane, a project scientist at the Square Kilometer Array Organization, and colleagues authored the original paper that claims to narrow down the source location of an FRB by tracing what they interpreted as the afterglow of whatever caused the FRB. But another group, led by Peter Williams, a postdoctoral astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, claims it could just be the belches of a monster black hole. [Top 10 Strangest Things in Space] "We astronomers can currently only get relatively poor localizations for FRBs. For the search performed by the Keane team, they can narrow it down to an area about a quarter the size of the full moon," Williams told Space.com by email. When Keane's team reviewed the region from which the FRBs originated, they found a faint glow within a galaxy along the line of sight. After watching it slowly fade over the course of six days, they concluded that the light had been produced by a sort of cataclysmic collision between powerful objects, such as a pair of merging black holes, which could have subsequently produced the original FRB. But Williams and his team suggest that the glow is instead the result of the bright activity associated with a supermassive black hole at the heart of a galaxy, a feature known as an active galactic nuclei (AGN). "The Keane team's paper does not consider the possibility that the origin galaxy is an AGN," Williams said. "Frankly, I'm not sure why this possibility was not investigated in the paper.") Questionable origins Every day, an estimated 10,000 FRBs explode across the sky. Despite their abundance, only a handful have been detected since their discovery in 2007. Most of these have been found using the Parkes radio telescope in Australia. Pinpointing the sources of FRBs has remained a challenge over the decade and a half since they were first spotted. A number of causes have been suggested for FRBs. These include collisions between powerful objects such as dense neutron stars, which would demolish the sources. Other researchers have suggested less violent origins, such as changes in the magnetic field of highly magnetized neutron stars (the remains of collapsed stars) known as magnetars, which would allow the source to survive the FRB process. Keane's team followed the trail of the FRB back to a galaxy with a dim afterglow suggestive of a powerful collision. According to Williams, however, following the trail is inconclusive. "You can fit a lot of galaxies in that search area, so your odds of seeing an unrelated radio variable are not so bad," Williams said. According to Williams' co-author Edo Berger, a professor of astronomy at Harvard University, the location uncertainty region for the FRB is about 200 times larger than the size of the signal. The FRB could come from anywhere within that region. The radio waves could have even passed through the galaxy, and their source could be hidden on the other side, forever out of sight. "One reason that FRBs are exciting is that radio pulses can travel through all sorts of stuff," Williams said. "They would have no problem passing through a galaxy." Red flags Most galaxies contain a supermassive black hole at their heart. In the Milky Way and others, the black hole is relatively quiet, sporadically consuming stars and dust. In others, material is constantly flowing into the black hole, and the resulting radiation produces a bright glow that can be seen across the universe. The strength of the signal can vary as the supply of material changes over time. For Williams and his colleagues, the constant glow from the proposed source galaxy raised a red flag. "I think that Keane et al glossed over the steady radio emission after the first six days," Berger said. "It was bright enough that only an AGN origin makes sense. This was what alerted us to a problem with their paper as soon as we read it." Williams' team used the Very Large Array, run by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, to observe the galaxy and found that the glow had not only remained steady but had brightened since the original observations, a finding Berger said supported the idea of an AGN source. No current models suggest that an AGN could produce the fast radio bursts. Berger deemed them unlikely sources, because events that occur on such short timescales are difficult to produce near black holes. Williams also thinks it unlikely but not necessarily unreasonable. "We know little enough about the physics of FRBs that I wouldn't want to say it's impossible," Williams said. "In fact, I wouldn't be shocked if an enterprising theorist gets inspired to cook up just such a model based on the past week's events." Williams' team posted an informal paper online, which alerted other scientists of their conclusions. "It looks like it comes from an AGN because of its spectrum and persistence," astronomer Avi Loeb, referring to the afterglow, told Space.com. Loeb serves as chairman of the Astronomy department and Direct of the Institute for Theory & Computation at Harvard University, and was not involved in either study. Keane's team used the proposed source to "weigh" the material in the space it passed through. Their calculations matched models of the distribution of normal and dark matter through space. But according to Berger, those results could be a coincidence. The FRB could lie at approximately the same distance as the proposed source galaxy, which would give similar numbers even if it isn't in the same direction. Loeb agreed that it was likely a coincidence. "Given the error bars on the measurement, such a coincidence would not be unusual," he said. Space.com reached out to the authors of the original research to ask for their thoughts on the idea of an AGN as the source of the glow. "We are, of course, aware of [Williams'] work, and indeed are performing our own ongoing studies," Keane told Space.com. He said that once the studies were complete, they would be reported in peer-reviewed scientific literature, "which is where scientific debate happens." He declined to comment on the informally published results posted by Williams. "We really can't rush the scientific process," Keane said. "I'd have said the same to you if, a couple months ago, you had asked me about last week's or this week's Nature papers, when they were still in the peer-review process." Williams and his colleagues intend to continue observing the proposed source galaxy, monitoring it for activity that might further support or deny the idea that the glow spotted by Keane's team came from an AGN rather than an FRB. Still, without more detailed observations, definitively pinpointing the source may prove impossible. "We may never find out where this FRB came from, or even be able to conclusively prove that it did not come from the proposed galaxy," Williams said. "But I think we are well on our way to showing that there is a compelling alternative hypothesis that explains the galaxy observations without requiring that the FRB originated from the galaxy." [Editor's Note: This article previously stated that Williams' team used NASA's WISE telescope for follow-up obervations, which was incorrect. The group made their observations using the Very Large Array, which is managed by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory.] Follow Nola Taylor Redd on Twitter @NolaTRedd or Google+. Follow us at @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com A piece of a Boeing 777 plane found on the coast of Mozambique this past weekend could be from the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 that mysteriously disappeared in 2014, news sources report. The piece of debris part of a plane's horizontal stabilizer skin with the words "No Step" written on it is currently en route to Malaysia for analysis, according to CNN. Experts think the plane crashed thousands of miles to the east of Mozambique into the Indian Ocean on March 8, 2014, but the location of the newfound debris is "consistent with drift modeling" of the ocean, said Australian Transport Minister Darren Chester, according to USA Today (opens in new tab). If the wreckage is found to be part of the missing plane, it will be only the second confirmed piece of MH370 discovered since the flight went missing, CNN reported. The first confirmed debris turned up on Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean in July, according to CNN. [Flight 370: Photos of the Search for Missing Malaysian Plane] The disappearance of MH370 remains of one aviation's greatest mysteries. The plane departed from Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia with 239 people on board, but never made it to its destination in Beijing. Experts will analyze the newfound wreckage to see whether it matches details from the doomed Boeing 777 flight. "Every manufacturer puts a data tag, or data plate, on every part that goes on an airplane, except for items such as screws, former National Transportation Safety Board investigator Greg Feith told Wired in July. For instance, different plane parts might be labeled with a part number, serial number, bar code or other data, Wired reported. "If that data plate is there, it's relatively easy" to identify a piece and match it to a specific plane, Feith said. Follow Laura Geggel on Twitter @LauraGeggel. Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science. In an unusual medical case, a man in Australia lost his sense of smell for more than a year after he was bitten by a venomous snake, according to a new report of his case. The man has since regained some of his sense of smell, but he is still unable to fully detect smells the way he did before his encounter with the reptile, called the mulga snake, said the doctors and other experts who examined the man's neurological condition about a year after he was bitten and who wrote the report of his case. "As far as I know, he is still affected but somewhat improved," said Kenneth D. Winkel, a toxinologist at the University of Melbourne in Australia, who co-authored the report. The otherwise healthy 30-year-old man went to a neurology clinic at St Vincent's Hospital in Melbourne, Australia, telling doctors that he'd lost his sense of smell about a year before and had not regained it. The man first noticed this bizarre symptom a week after he was bitten by a snake while he was traveling in the Australian outback. The snake bit the man on two of his fingers while he was washing his hands at a roadside restroom, the man told the doctors. A local resident helped out, trapping the snake in the sink and killing it. The man preserved the snake in a jar of alcohol. [3 Unusual Snakebite Reactions] Shortly after the incident, the man went to the emergency department of a regional hospital. The doctors who treated him there found that he had temporary problems with blood clotting, too much protein in his urine and blisters that oozed with a clear liquid. The man stayed at that hospital for three days, during which his doctors gave him medication to prevent the bite wound from becoming infected. However, those doctors did not give the man anti-venom because they considered his symptoms to be "mild enough to not warrant anti-venom administration," according to the report, published Feb. 17 in the Journal of Clinical Neuroscience. The administration of anti-venom is normally recommended when a person is experiencing severe symptoms from a venomous bite, the authors of the report said. A few days after the man was released, he noticed his sense of smell began to deteriorate, and within weeks, he completely lost the ability to smell. A year later, when the man went to the neurology clinic at a different hospital, neurological tests confirmed that he was unable to detect smells a condition that doctors call anosmia. However, the examination of his nose and nervous system did not reveal any other abnormalities, which meant his anosmia did not have a structural cause and therefore was most likely caused by the snakebite, the researchers said. Because more than a year had passed since the man was bitten and his loss of smell was severe, there was not much his doctors could do to treat his condition at that point. Meanwhile, the snake specimen that the man had kept in the jar was sent to the Queensland Museum's herpetology department, where experts identified it as the mulga snake (Pseudechis australis). The culprit mulga snake (Pseudechis australis) snake captured (A), and preserved in methylated spirits (B). (Image credit: Photographs used with permission from case report authors.) The mulga snake is the largest terrestrial venomous snake in Australia, according to a previous study on mulga snake bites. In that study, which looked at 27 cases of people bitten by mulga snakes, the researchers noted that although the bites can be fatal, the most recent case of a fatal mulga snakebite was reported more than 40 years ago. In most cases, bites from a mulga snake can cause symptoms such as inflammation at the bite site, muscle pain and destruction of blood cells. But effects on the nervous system rarely have been reported for bites inflicted by this snake species, the researchers said. However, cases of long-term and permanent anosmia attributed to bites by other types of snakes have been reported, the researchers said. [Oddest Medical Case Reports] It's unclear how often people may develop anosmia after a snakebite, Winkel told Live Science. Overall, it appears to be "uncommon, but not rare," he said. In a previous study done in Australia, researchers examined the effects of the bites from the red-bellied black snake, and found that 1 in 57 affected patients developed anosmia, he said. The red-bellied black snake (Pseudechis porphyriacus) belongs to the same family of snakes as the mulga snake, called elapids. It is not clear whether administering anti-venom soon after a person is bitten may help prevent anosmia, the researchers said. Follow Agata Blaszczak-Boxe on Twitter. Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Originally published on Live Science. The Pentagon is about to pay hackers to break into government security systems. The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) announced yesterday (March 2) that it plans to launch the first "cyber bug bounty program" in the history of the federal government. The so-called Hack the Pentagon program, which is slated to begin in April, will allow vetted hackers to find weaknesses in the department's public websites, applications and security systems, according to defense officials. Participants could win money and recognition for their work, they added. [The 8 Craziest Intelligence Leaks in US History] Bug bounty programs and hackathons are common in private industry. Google, Facebook and Microsoft already use them to expose gaps in their own software. Additionally, these programs can help prevent disruptions in service and reduce the impact of cyberattacks on companies and government agencies, according to cybersecurity experts. "Bringing in the best talent, technology and processes from the private sector not only helps us deliver comprehensive, more secure solutions to the DoD, but it also helps us better protect our country," Chris Lynch, director of the DoD's Defense Digital Service, said in a statement. Participants in the government's Hack the Pentagon program will be required to register and submit to a background check.Once vetted, these hackers will participate in a controlled, limited-duration program that will allow them to identify holes in a predetermined network system, according to the Department of Defense. Other networks, including the departments critical, mission-facing systems, will not be part of the bug bounty pilot program, defense officials said. The new initiative follows the administrations Cybersecurity National Action Plan, announced on Feb. 9, which prioritizes near-term actions to improve cyberdefenses and lists a long-term strategy to enhance cybersecurity across all branches of the U.S. government. "I am confident this innovative initiative will strengthen our digital defenses and ultimately enhance our national security," Secretary of Defense Ash Carter said in a statement. More information about the Hack the Pentagon program can be found on the Department of Defense's website. Details on the requirements for participation and other ground rules will be available in the coming weeks. Follow Knvul Sheikh on Twitter @KnvulS. Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science. The Law Library of Congress and the Librarys Manuscript Division will commemorate the 265th anniversary of the birth of James Madison on March 16 with a panel discussion on the fourth presidents early life, political and personal partnerships and his pre-eminent role at the 1787 Constitutional Convention. The event, which is free and open to the public, will be held from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, March 16 in the Mumford Room, located on the sixth floor of the Librarys James Madison Memorial Building, 101 Independence Ave. S.E., Washington, D.C. Tickets are not required. The program will feature three attorneys and historians whose biographies of Madison were published in 2015: Mary Sarah Bilder (Madisons Hand: Revising the Constitutional Convention, Harvard University Press); David O. Stewart (Madisons Gift: Five Partnerships That Built America, Simon & Schuster); and Michael Signer (Becoming Madison: The Extraordinary Origin of the Least Likely Founding Father, Public Affairs). Historian James Hutson, chief of the Librarys Manuscript Division, will discuss the James Madison Papers, 1723-1859, which are held in the Library of Congress. Hutson is the author of To Make All Laws: The Congress of the United States, 1789-1989 (Houghton Mifflin, 1990) and Church and State in America: The First Two Centuries (Cambridge University Press, 2008). The Librarys James Madison Memorial Building is the nations official memorial to the fourth president, in honor of his achievements as historian, political scientist and statesman. Dedicated in 1980, the building contains a statue of Madison in its memorial hall. Quotations from Madison's writings adorn the walls of the memorial hall as well as the entrance of the building. The Law Library was established in 1832 with the mission to make its resources available to members of Congress, the Supreme Court, other branches of the U.S. government and the global legal community and to sustain and preserve a universal collection of law for future generations. With more than 5 million items in various formats, the Law Library contains the worlds largest collection of law books and other resources from all countries and provides online databases and guides to legal information worldwide through its website at loc.gov/law/. The Librarys Manuscript Division holds more than 70 million items, including the papers of 23 U.S. presidents, from George Washington to Calvin Coolidge. For more information about the collections and holdings of the Manuscript Division, visit loc.gov/rr/mss/. Founded in 1800, the Library of Congress is the worlds largest library with more than 162 million items. The Library seeks to spark imagination and creativity and to further human understanding and wisdom by providing access to knowledge through its magnificent collections, programs, publications and exhibitions. Many of the Librarys rich resources can be accessed through its website at loc.gov. The life of Jacob Riis, a late-19th/early-20th century newspaper reporter and writer, whose stories and photographs of the squalid conditions in New York Citys tenements led to social reform, will be explored in a new Library of Congress exhibition. Jacob Riis: Revealing How the Other Half Lives will open on Thursday, April 14 in the South Gallery on the second level of the Librarys Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C. The exhibition is free and open to the public from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. It closes on Monday, Sept. 5, 2016. The exhibition is a co-presentation of the Library of Congress and the Museum of the City of New York. It combines items from the Librarys Jacob A. Riis Papers and the museums Jacob A. Riis Collection of photographs. Currently, the exhibition, under the title Jacob A. Riis: Revealing New Yorks Other Half, is on display until March 20 at the Museum of the City of New York. Riis is one of the first to use innovations in documentary photography to great effect. He experimented with new techniques of flash photography and created rare images of tenement interiors, as well as outdoor photos of street and city life. He used these pictures as a compelling complement to his written words. Although he was well aware of the power of photography, he did not consider himself a photographer. The Librarys exhibition repositions Riis as he saw himselfa highly skilled communicator who devoted his life to writing articles and books, delivering lectures nationwide and doggedly advocating for social change. He brought attention to the crises in housing, education, crime and poverty that arose at the height of European immigration to New York City in the late-19th century. His crusading journalism led to safer water, better housing, the creation of parks in New York City and other reforms. On display will be correspondence, including three letters from Theodore Roosevelt and one to Booker T. Washington; photographs; fire insurance maps that help show the locations of Riis photographs; drafts and published works; lecture notes; reviews of his lectures; family correspondence and family photographs; appointment books; and journal entries. The exhibition also will feature a lantern-slide projector and camera equipment similar to those Riis useda Blair Hawkeye Detective camera (7 inches by 17 inches by 13 inches), a glass-plate holder and a flash pan. An online version of the exhibition will be available on the opening date at loc.gov/exhibits/. Jacob August Riis was born May 3, 1849 in Ribe, Denmark. The son of a schoolmaster, he was educated locally, leaving school for work at age 15. He immigrated to the United States in 1870. The New York Tribune hired him as a police reporter in 1877, and he wrote about crime and disease, documenting life in the tenements. In 1888, he started working for the New York Evening Sun and started taking photographs, using a new German innovation, flash photography. It was a novel idea at the time to use photographs to substantiate words. The wretched living and working conditions of New Yorks immigrant communities were made vivid by the harrowing images, which were meant to spur his audiences to act. His career as a reformer took shape. He worked at the Sun until 1899. From the 1890s to 1910, he wrote many magazine articles and nine books and lectured nationwide. He died on May 26, 1914. The exhibition has a companion volume, Jacob Riis: Revealing New Yorks Other Half, written by Bonnie Yochelson, who spent more than two decades researching Riis and assembling materials. The 336-page hardcover book, published by Yale University Press in association with the Library of Congress and the Museum of the City of New York, is the first comprehensive study and complete catalogue of Riis images. The book contains more than 600 images and is available for $65 in the Library of Congress Shop in the Thomas Jefferson Building. Credit-card orders are taken at (888) 682-3557 or loc.gov/shop/. The exhibition and its programming at the Library of Congress are made possible through the generous support from the Library of Congress Third Century Fund; Queen Margrethe and Prince Henriks Foundation; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, Danish Ministry of Culture, and the Danish Agency for Culture and Palaces; the Royal Danish Embassy; and the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation. Later this year, other versions of the exhibitioncombining Library of Congress and Museum of the City of New York resources with additional Riis-related objectswill be presented in Denmark. The first will be at the Kunstforeningen GL Strand museum in Copenhagen from Oct. 1, 2016 to Jan. 8, 2017, and the second at the Ribe Kunstmuseum in Riiss home town of Ribe, Denmark, from Jan. 21, 2017 to May 14, 2017. The Manuscript Division of the Library of Congress acquired the Jacob A. Riis Papers in the early 1950s as a gift of Riis second wife and widow, Mary Phillips Riis (1877-1967), who was a longtime social welfare advocate and board member of the Jacob A. Riis Neighborhood Settlement in New York. Additions have been made by generations of the Riis family, including Jacob Riis Owre, Ruth Riis Jones, Oscar T. Owre and Martha Riis Moore. The Manuscript Division also holds the papers of Jacob Riiss son, Roger William Riis (1894-1953), an author and editor. That collection contains family correspondence and other materials gifted by Riis family members Jacob Riis Owre and Martha Riis Moore. The Librarys Manuscript Division holds more than 70 million items, including the papers of 23 U.S. presidents, from George Washington to Calvin Coolidge. For more information about the collections and holdings of the Manuscript Division, visit loc.gov/rr/mss/. The Library of Congress, the largest library in the world, holds more than 162 million items in various languages, disciplines and formats. The Library serves the U.S. Congress and the nation both on-site in its reading rooms on Capitol Hill and through its website at loc.gov. Local News, Crime, National & World News, Press Releases By Long Island News & PR Published: March 03 2016 Suffolk County Police Fifth Squad detectives are investigating an incident during which an Oakdale woman was kidnapped by her former boyfriend who was subsequently taken into custody in Georgia later that day. Medford, NY - March 3rd, 2016 - Suffolk County Police Fifth Squad detectives are investigating an incident during which an Oakdale woman was kidnapped by her former boyfriend who was subsequently taken into custody in Georgia later that day. Christopher Ryan broke into his former girlfriends home, located on Brook Street in Oakdale, at approximately 5 a.m. on March 2. Ryan forced the woman into her vehicle, a 2014 Mercedes Benz, and drove until they reached Ozone Park where he stopped the vehicle momentarily and the woman was able to flee. Ryan fled in the womans car and was located at approximately 10:25 p.m. by the Camden County Sheriffs Office in Georgia. Ryan, 23, of Heather Ave., Medford, will be extradited to face burglary, robbery and kidnapping charges at a later date. The woman, 46, suffered minor injuries. A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Local News, Community, Charity & Cause, Health & Wellness, Press Releases By Long Island News & PR Published: March 03 2016 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced independent pharmacies across the state will now be able to provide Narcan to their customers without a prescription. Albany, NY - March 2nd, 2016 - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced independent pharmacies across the state will now be able to provide naloxone to their customers without a prescription. Naloxone also known as Narcan is a medication that reverses opioid overdose. Improved accessibility to the medication is one of the priorities at the center of the Governors fight to end opioid abuse in New York State. "Heroin addiction has taken the lives of far too many New Yorkers, but today we are taking an important step forward in battling this epidemic, Governor Cuomo said. "By making this lifesaving medication available in drugstores without a prescription, we are continuing to prevent needless tragedies from occurring and ensuring that all New Yorkers have access to this critical medication." The Department of Health provides funding to The Harm Reduction Coalition, the Departments Center for Excellence in serving the needs of substance users. The Harm Reduction Coalition will issue standing medical orders to the more than 750 independent pharmacies outside the five boroughs of New York City, as well as chain pharmacies without a designated prescriber, allowing their pharmacists to dispense naloxone without a prescription. As a DOH-registered overdose prevention program, the HRC is able to issue these standing orders. Many smaller counties in the state have no chain pharmacies and rely exclusively on independent pharmacies. This initiative builds on the Governors other opioid overdose prevention efforts. In January 2016, the Health Department approved more than 480 CVS pharmacies throughout the State as registered opioid overdose programs, enabling their pharmacists to dispense naloxone without a prescription. Earlier this month, the Department took a similar action for Walgreens for more than 460 Walgreens and Duane Read pharmacies statewide. "Making naloxone available in both chain and independent pharmacies ensures that this life-saving medication is widely accessible throughout New Yorks communities, said State Health Commissioner, Dr. Howard Zucker. "Naloxone works by countering the opioids depressive effects on respiration, so an overdose victim can breathe normally. I applaud this latest expansion of access to naloxone, and encourage all New Yorkers to take the opportunity to learn how to administer this life-saving medication, said NYS OASAS Commissioner Arlene Gonzalez-Sanchez. You never know when you may have the opportunity to save a life and give those suffering from addiction the opportunity to be connected to treatment so that they can begin a path towards recovery. Sharon Stancliff, MD, HRCs Medical Director and the physician issuing the new standing orders said, Pharmacists are very much aware of the need for naloxone in their communities and have shown enthusiasm about being involved. The role of pharmacies in promoting public health is vital. The HRC is enthusiastic about our role in facilitating their participation. When administered either through injection or by nasal spray, naloxone temporarily blocks the effects of opioids allowing a stricken individual to regain consciousness. The potentially life-threatening opioids include medicines prescribed to address pain as well as illicit drugs such as heroin. Naloxone poses no danger to individuals who come into contact with it, and has no potential for being abused. It works only if a person has opioids in his or her system; the medication has no effect if opioids are absent. Governor Cuomo signed legislation last year to combat opioid abuse. One element of that legislation was strengthening the State's opioid overdose initiative. Through that initiative, which started in 2006, more than 100,000 community members and public safety personnel have been trained to recognize opioid overdoses, and to respond by administering naloxone and calling 911. More than 55,000 of the responders were trained in the last twelve months. Through their efforts, more than 3,000 lives have been saved since the inception of the program in 2006, with over 1,500 in 2015 alone. In addition, in 2014, Governor Cuomo launched the Combat Heroin & Prescription Drug Abuse Campaign to educate New Yorkers about the risks of heroin and prescription opioid use and provide them with resources. At the Combat Heroin and Prescription Drug Abuse website, New Yorkers can find information about preventing substance abuse; recognizing the signs of heroin and opioid use and misuse; accessing drug treatment and harm reduction services; and making one's home and community safer. Although traditionally administered by emergency medical services or hospital personnel, naloxone can be administered by laypeople with minimal training. Pharmacists are now able to provide this training in addition to dispensing the naloxone to their customers. All individuals who are given naloxone must still go to the hospital with EMS personnel. Naloxone is effective in blocking the effects of an opioid for 30 to 90 minutes. When the naloxone wears off, someone may slip back into a life-threatening overdose. New Yorkers struggling with an addiction, or whose loved ones are struggling, can find help and hope by calling the State's toll-free, 24-hour, 7-day-a-week HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY (1-877-846-7369) or by texting HOPENY (Short Code 467369). Treatment providers can also be located by using the NYS OASAS Bed Availability Dashboard or by visiting the NYS OASAS Find Help page. Visit www.combatheroin.ny.gov for more information on addressing heroin and prescription opioid abuse, including a Kitchen Table Tool Kit to help start the conversation about the warning signs of addiction and where to get help. Independent pharmacies wanting to dispense naloxone under HRCs standing order should send an email to naloxone@harmreduction.org. Looking to stay up to date about all of the news stories and local headlines that are important to Long Islanders? We've rounded up the top coverage for all of the important topics from multiple sources around Long Island, so you can be sure you've got the most recent update on the top stories for Long Island. Have an idea for a news story? Email us at news@longisland.com Columnists Press Releases Al Qaeda military commander Abu Laith al Libi, from his death notice. In the most recent batch of documents that were seized from Osama bin Ladens library and released by the Official of the Directory of National Intelligence, there are interesting nuggets of information that provide details of the composition of al Qaeda over time. In one particular document, a letter dated March 5, 2008 that is likely written by al Qaeda general manager Mustafa Abu Yazid to Shaykh Azmaray, who is Osama bin Laden, there is a brief mention of the death of Abu Laith al Libi. Abu Laith was a revered al Qaeda military commander who was killed in a US drone strike in North Waziristan, Pakistan, in January 2008. The US Defense Intelligence Agency previously described him as an expert in guerrilla warfare. At the time of his death, it was reported that two Kuwaitis and one Libyan were killed alongside with Abu Laith. But the letter recovered from bin Ladens compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, claims that far more than three people were killed in the strike (not just Arabs), and named the other Libyan killed. Note that the author describes all of those killed as brothers. From the letter: In regard to Shaykh Abu al-Layth: he was martyred with Abu Sahil al-Libi and ten other brothers, among them Arabs, Tajiks, and Turkistanis, God accept them as martyrs. Al Qaeda often uses the term brothers to describe members of its organization, but the term can also be used to describe fighters from an allied group. Osama bin Laden, in an interview with Al Jazeera in October 2001, said that all the true believers are brothers. After a drone strike we frequently hear that members of an ethnic group, often Uzbeks, were killed. A common assumption is that these Uzbeks, or Taliks, or Turkistanis are members of another jihadist group that isnt al Qaeda. The Tajiks killed alongside Abu Laith could have been members of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, the Islamic Jihad Union, or other groups that have and continue to operate in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Turkistanis may have been Chinese Uighirs who were members from the Turkistan Islamic Party. Or these Tajiks and Turkistanis could have been bonafide members of al Qaeda, as it is known to let a wide range of nationalities into its ranks. At the end of the day, it matters little. Then as now, al Qaeda remains a dangerous enemy that adapts to its surroundings by either coordinating with local groups or getting members of these local groups to join its ranks. Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal. Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here. Ustad Ahmad Farooq (left), from his death notice. Many of the documents seized from Osama bin Ladens safe house in Abbottabad provide an interesting window on al Qaeda media operations, and the jihadist groups relations with the Taliban in both Afghanistan and Pakistan. An undated letter, written by Ahmad and addressed to Sheikh Mahmud, discussed how al Qaeda in Pakistan interacted with the media and based its own media operations in South Waziristan. Ahmads letter, one of more than 100 released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, addressed the issue of the official Urdu-language spokesman for al Qaeda Organization in the Pakistani media.' Shaykh Mahmud is Atiyah Abd al Rahman, al Qaedas general manager who was killed in a US drone strike in August 2011. Ahmad may in fact be Ustad Ahmad Farooq, a jihadist who had served as the Urdu-language spokesman for al Qaeda in Pakistan and eventually became the deputy emir for Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent. Ustad Ahmad Farooq was killed in a US drone strike in January 2015. Atiyah thought so highly of Ustad Ahmad Farooq that, according to another letter seized from bin Ladens compound, he recommended Farooq be appointed to al Qaedas top council, or Shura Majlis. In the first half of the letter, Ahmad stated that al Qaeda must appoint an official Urdu-speaking spokesman for al Qaeda who should be in constant contact with the Pakistani media and clearly state al-Qaedas position on significant events in Pakistan, especially military operations that target the Pakistani regime and have a direct impact positive or negative on the organization. He then noted that he contacted several journalists whom we know and trust and settled on three who were ideal to establish direct contact to disseminate information. The journalists were from Pakistani news outlets ARY News and Jang, and the Associated Press. Ahmad then reported that Dr. Maqbul advised that al Qaeda manipulate the media by starting a form of competition and rivalry between them to see who can get the latest news or footage from al Qaeda. According to Ahmad, the journalists were adamant that the official spokesman must not delay a statement about al Qaedas position on any military operation lest it be dismissed as old news. Ahmad then proposed that al Qaeda base the media operation designed to work with the Pakistani journalists out of the town of Wana in South Waziristan, which is home to a Taliban group that is supported by Pakistans military and intelligence service. We can contact them [the journalists] from Waziristan either by phone or fax, Ahmad suggested. We can agree on some Wana phone numbers that you can call us on and let us know the facts on something We could also issue this official statement through a phone call from Wana, once we get the facts from you. The town of Wana is administered by the Mullah Nazir Group, which is a Taliban subgroup that is listed by the US as a terrorist organization. Mullah Nazir, who was killed by the US in a drone strike in January 2013, identifed himself as an al Qaeda leader. Al Qaeda could not operate a media office or in any other capacity in Wana without Nazirs support. Keep in mind that the Pakistani government, military, and Inter Services Intelligence Directorate have and continue to view the Mullah Nazir Group as good Taliban, as it does not openly advocate the overthrow of the Pakistani state and opposes the US and India. The government and military have inked numerous peace deals with the Mullah Nazir Group, and did not target it during military operations in South Waziristan. Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal. Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here. In a letter addressed to Mullah Omar in late 2010, Osama bin Laden argued that the West had been undermined and weakened in every respect by the war in Afghanistan. The al Qaeda master believed the jihadists simply needed to be patient, as the West lacked the will to keep fighting and had suffered socially, politically, militarily and economically from the war. Bin Laden offered an economic justification for his assessment, claiming that Americas wise men are telling the government it must reduce the size of the Pentagon budget to lower payments and interest on their (national) debt, which is now a truly astronomical number. You are well aware that some members of NATO mainly Canada have announced that they will pull out in 2011, and opposition parties in the Western countries are calling for them to get out of Afghanistan, bin Laden wrote. Even Obama believes they need to withdraw in the coming months, as he said publicly, but the Republicans and military generals have been pressuring him and [are] saying that their pulling out would be [seen as] a defeat that would affect their standing and interests throughout the world. Bin Laden compared President Obama to former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who oversaw the Russians withdrawal from Afghanistan after a prolonged war. Bin Laden argued that Obama was making the same kinds of statements that Gorbachev once did in his conversations with Russian generals. I dont have money to buy milk for the troops, bin Laden quoted Gorbachev as saying, according to the US governments translation of the letter. Bin Laden also complained about the jihadist operations that caused civilian casualties in both Afghanistan and Pakistan. The al Qaeda masters files are littered with references to the deleterious effects of such attacks. And bin Laden wanted Omar to address the situation directly. On another note, you may have heard the many news reports of people praying in mosques and being targeted in attacks that were attributed to mujahidin especially in Pakistan and Afghanistan recently as well as attacks on certain markets, bin Laden wrote. Dozens of Muslims have been cut down in mosques and public gathering areas just to kill one enemy, and that is not legally permissible [under Islamic law]. Muslims in general, and the mujahidin in particular, need to hear you [Mullah Omar] cautioning them on the serious matter of shedding Muslim blood unjustly, bin Laden advised. Two copies of the 2010 letter were included in a cache of 113 declassified files released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) this week. The letters and memos were recovered during the raid on bin Ladens Abbottabad, Pakistan compound in early May 2011. One version of the letter is dated Nov. 5, 2010. The second, revised copy is dated early Dec. 2010. Both are addressed to the Commander (Emir) of the Faithful, a title usually reserved for the Caliph, or Muslim ruler. Al Qaeda used the title for Mullah Omar after bin Laden swore allegiance to him sometime prior to the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Omar, who likely died sometime in 2013, was succeeded by Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour. Ayman al Zawahiri swore fealty to Mansour on behalf of al Qaeda in Aug. 2015. Al Qaeda has referred to Mansour as the Commander (Emir) of the Faithful since then. (Al Qaedas rivals in the Islamic State use this same honorific when referring to Abu Bakr al Baghdadi, who has been renamed Caliph Ibrahim by his followers.) Bin Ladens letter to Omar shows that al Qaeda used the title Commander of the Faithful for the Talibans chief even in its private correspondence. Indeed, bin Laden emphasized his loyalty to Omar, writing: We are ready to obey your command. Another letter addressed to the Emir of the Believers A short letter addressed to the Emir of the Believers, written in Sept. 2010 by an unidentified author, was also released by the ODNI this week. The missive is brief and its contents are difficult to assess given that its context is unclear. The correspondence is a reply to a letter that was apparently authored by Omar, or by Omars subordinates on his behalf. I have received your kind letter, the Sept. 2010 letter reads, referring to correspondence attributed to Omar. I was so happy reading it and I understood what it contained, the author wrote. The letter reiterates al Qaedas fealty to the Talibans leader: We are saying to you, we heard and are in obedience regarding what you had mentioned. We are your soldiers and we are with you heart and soul in supporting the religion of God Almighty. Al Qaeda skeptical of statements attributed to Mullah Omar The files from late 2010 reveal that bin Laden was likely corresponding with the Talibans senior leadership. And previously released memos found in bin Ladens possession demonstrate that al Qaeda was closely cooperating with the Haqqani Network, which is part of the Taliban alliance, that same year. However, communications between bin Laden and Mullah Omar were interrupted for some time. In January 2010, Abu Yahya wrote to our honorable Shaykh (almost certainly bin Laden) that [o]ne of the important issues was to increase the consolidation of the relation[ship] with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, which praise be to God was already very good. The author, who was likely Abu Yahya al Libi (a senior al Qaeda official killed in a US drone strike in June 2012), warned that the Taliban published statements on some occasions using expressions and phrases that were not known or used before by them. These statements were issued under the name of Emir al-Muminin [Emir of the Believers, or Mullah Omar], but were far from his style and tone. The Talibans Shura Council might have the authority to issue statements on his [Omars] behalf, Abu Yahya explained. In fact, the Taliban did falsely issue statements in Mullah Omars name long after he passed away. Abu Yahya recommended that the Shaykh (bin Laden) correspond directly with Mullah Omar. Our respected Shaykh, what I see is to activate the relationship between you and Emir al-Muminin [Emir of the Believers] through correspondenceso that [it] will create a good impression for them and make them feel that you are close and adopting their case, he wrote. Abu Yahya wanted to thwart any enticements from the Americans, which he didnt think would lure most Taliban commanders but could still cause problems. (The US government has held talks with Taliban representatives, hoping to end the groups alliance with al Qaeda. These efforts have failed.) Writing to Omar would allow al Qaeda to show a kind devotion toward to the Taliban for their huge sacrifices that they provided and are still offering, especially [because] they are facing enticements from the Americans and their allies, which might reach a high level, Abu Yahya wrote. Only the truthful could stay firm; praise be to God, they are the majority in the [Talibans] Emirate. Nevertheless, they need to be stabilized, and your speeches have a special influence upon them, yet this is one of the great jihadi methods. Abu Yahya believed that bin Ladens writings could maintain al Qaedas unity with the Taliban and unite our voice. Bin Laden evidently agreed with Abu Yahya, and began writing to Mullah Omar later that same year. The full scope of their communications cannot be ascertained based solely on the documents released thus far. It is likely that additional evidence of communications with Mullah Omar was recovered in bin Ladens home. But al Qaeda was clearly skeptical, at least for a time, about who was issuing statements in Mullah Omars name. Thomas Joscelyn is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Senior Editor for FDD's Long War Journal. Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here. Luton is a large town, borough and unitary authority area of Bedfordshire. Luton and its near neighbours, Dunstable and Houghton Regis, form the Luton/Dunstable Urban Area with a population of about 258,000. Luton is home to Championship team Luton Town Football Club, London Luton Airport and The University of Bedfordshire. You can find us on Facebook and Twitter. For all the latest news from Luton sign up to our newsletter here. Air France Launches Special Fares to Celebrate New JFK-Orly Route Then, beginning March 7, 2016, Air France will launch special fares in Economy class from New York-JFK to three additional destinations: Bordeaux, Marseille and Toulouse (three of the fourteen unique Air France destinations only accessible via Paris-Orly).Starting June 6, 2016, Air France will offer daily service from New York-JFK to Paris-Orly. The airport offers easy access to Paris, and travelers can take advantage of convenient connections to popular cities in the South of France and beyond.The daily JFK-ORY route will be offered in addition to the four daily Air France-operated frequencies from JFK to Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG). It will be operated by a Boeing 777-200 and equipped with 309 seats 35 in Business, 24 in Premium Economy and 250 in Economy. This route from JFK to Paris's second busiest airport is part of Air France-KLM's transatlantic joint venture with Delta Air Lines.AF37: Leaves New York-JFK at 6:25 p.m., arrives at Paris-Orly at 7:45 a.m. the following day;AF32: Leaves Paris-Orly at 11:20 a.m., arrives at New York-JFK at 1:25 p.m.The specialty fare from JFK to Paris-Orly, starting from $999 for Economy class and $2,898 for Business class, is available for the travel period between July 1, 2016 and August 24, 2016. The Economy fares from JFK to Bordeaux-Merignac, Marseille-Provence and Toulouse-Blagnac, starting from $1,016, $1,025 and $1,198, respectively, are available for the travel period between June 8, 2016 and August 22, 2016. To take advantage of these specialty fares, customers must purchase flights through Air France's website: https://www.airfrance.us/US/en/local/resainfovol/meilleuresoffres/promo-france.htm. Economy bookings to Paris-Orly have to be made by 11:59 p.m. on March 9, 2016. Business bookings to Paris-Orly have to be made by 11:59 p.m. on March 6, 2016. Economy bookings to Bordeaux-Merignac, Marseille-Provence and Toulouse-Blagnac have to be made by 11:59 p.m. on March 16, 2016. Fare conditions may apply.Visit website: Cafe Royal Offers Easter Package in Collaboration with the Renowned Hamleys Toy Store With a little added magic, Cafe Royal is offering the perfect family Easter: refined elegance at one of London's finest luxury hotels; the ultimate toy shop experience and home-made chocolate Easter egg indulgence by Executive Pastry Chef and chocolatier Sarah Barber.During their stay at Cafe Royal, children will experience their dreams come true: a VIP tour of the world's finest toy shop, and the hotel's neighbor, Hamleys. During the exclusive tour of the world-famous shop and magical toy metropolis, children will also be given a goodie bag, including pick and mix treats, and a 10% discount across all toy ranges in store - excluding concessions. Sarah Barber, Executive Pastry Chef and chocolatier of Cafe Royal, is creating beautiful and indulgent chocolate Easter eggs for all the family.Families at Cafe Royal will stay in interconnecting Grand Deluxe Guestrooms and will enjoy playful tickets for an in-room movie experience and popcorn. The stay will also include a traditional English breakfast in the Ten Room each morning of the stay.With Easter often signaling the change in seasons, Cafe Royal is perfectly located to see spring bloom across London's Royal Parks, including Hyde Park, St James' Park and Regents Park, before visiting some of the city's other iconic tourist landmarks.Cafe Royal's Easter Package with Hamleys is available from March 18th through April 3rd, 2016 and starts from 845 (approx $1,190) per family of four. The package includes a second guestroom, only applicable for children 14 years of age and under and grandparents; one Easter egg per person; one movie ticket per room; one VIP tour of Hamleys per stay and one Hamleys goodie bag per child. Stay restrictions may apply. Offer may not be used in conjunction with other offers or negotiated rates.For hotel reservations please contact the team directly on +44 (0)207 406 3322 or via email reservations@hotelcaferoyal.com. For further information please visit Crystal Cruises To Return To Legendary Northwest Passage In 2017 Beginning August 15, 2017, Crystal Cruises' award-winning ocean ship, Crystal Serenity, will sail a 32-day expedition-style voyage traversing the Arctic Ocean from Anchorage/Seward, Alaska to New York City via the legendary route (500 miles north of the Arctic Circle), first completed successfully by Roald Amundsen more than 100 years ago. The announcement comes shortly after the world's most awarded luxury cruise line's plans to reposition Crystal Serenity's 2017 voyages during the spring and summer to Alaska and coastal itineraries.The booking window opens on March 7 with all-inclusive "Book Now" fares starting at $21,855 per person, double occupancy, if booked by April 29, 2016."We are thrilled to offer intrepid luxury travelers a second opportunity to explore this historical sea passage," said Crystal's CEO and President Edie Rodriguez. "Given the tremendous response to our inaugural Northwest Passage sailing in 2016, it's clear that discerning travelers continue to value rare and memorable experiences as much as they prize unmatched luxury."Beginning August 16, 2016 Crystal will be the largest luxury cruise line to ever navigate the route, maneuvering through 900 miles of majestic waterways lined with spectacular glaciers, towering fjords, and vast unspoiled landscapes away from mainstream civilization and tourism, north of mainland Canada.In 2017, Crystal will again partner with Expedition Voyage Consulting by EYOS Expeditions, providers of bespoke expeditions to the most remote regions on Earth in safety and luxury, for the planning of the itinerary's shore-side adventures. Additionally, the line has diligently gathered information and resources from field experts, going so far as meeting with the Inuit elders of the Arctic, to create an expedition voyage that is rewarding and thrilling for guests while also remaining respectful to the local lands and cultures.Following in the footsteps of intrepid explorers, the journey through once-unpassable waterways employs new or enhanced approaches to itinerary scheduling, destination visits, onboard offerings, and safety standards. The first call in the Canadian Arctic is planned for the Hamlet of Ulukhaktok, Northwest Territories, a settlement of just a few hundred people on the shores of the Amundsen Gulf, just 1,400 miles from the North Pole.Ports-of-Call: Anchorage/Seward, Kodiak, Dutch Harbor, and Nome, Alaska; Ulukhaktok, NW Territories; Cambridge Bay and Pond Inlet, Nunavut; Ilulissat, Sisimiut, and Nuuk, Greenland; Bar Harbor, Maine; Boston, Massachusetts; Newport, Rhode Island, and New York, New York.Waterways: North Pacific Ocean; Bering Sea & Bering Strait; Chukchi & Beaufort Seas; Amundsen Gulf; Dolphin & Union Strait; Coronation Gulf; Dease Strait; Queen Maud Gulf; Victoria Strait; Larsen Sound; Franklin & Bellot Straits; Peel Sound; Parry Channel; Barrow Strait; Prince Regent Inlet; Lancaster Sound; Croker Bay; Navy Board Inlet; Eclipse Sound; Baffin Bay; Davis Strait; Labrador Sea; North Atlantic Ocean.Crystal Cruises is the world's most awarded luxury cruise line, having earned more "World's Best" accolades than any other cruise line, hotel, or resort in history. Crystal Cruises has won "World's Best Cruise Ship" in Conde Nast Traveler's Reader Choice Awards for 22 years; been voted "World's Best Large Ship Cruise Line" by Travel + Leisure readers for 20 consecutive years; and the "Best Luxury Cruise Line" by Virtuoso for two-consecutive years (2014 & 2015). In summer 2015, Crystal embarked on the most significant brand expansion in the history of luxury travel and hospitality, introducing three new classes of cruising the recently launched Crystal Yacht Cruises (December 2015), Crystal River Cruises (July 2016), Crystal Exclusive Class Ocean Cruises (late 2018) and Crystal Luxury Air (March 2016).For more information and Crystal reservations, contact a travel agent, call 310.785.9300, or visit Itz'ana Resort & Residences in Belize Announces 27 New Listings With 75 percent of the villas now sold, this new release will add 27 more resort residences to the development. The waterfront homes on the beach and the marina vary from one-bedroom cottages to five-bedroom villas with prices starting at $315,000. The news of these additional residences comes just three months after the property's groundbreaking.Itz'ana features a strong focus on sustainability throughout its design, paying respect to Belize's pristine environment, which warrants the highest levels of responsibility. Part of that commitment is the incorporation of solar panels into the one-bedroom cottage design, and the developer is now offering developer financing on these specific units to reward responsible decision-making.Itzana Three Bedroom Beach Villa ViewPhase One of the residences will be delivered to homeowners by March 2017, while Phase Two will be delivered by August 2017. The resort is scheduled to open in late December of 2016.More information on Itz'ana Resort & Residences can be found at You know what this iPhone unlocking case has been missing so far? Bogeymen. Not boogie-men with the medallions and hairy chests and silk shirts unbuttoned down to their navels and their smooth, smooth dance moves. But bogeymen with the fear and the heart palpitations and the Yeah, its too bad its not the former. Writing for Huffington Post, George Washington University professor Amitai Etzioni has his bogeymen all in a row. Apple: Profit to Trump National Security. (Tip o the antlers to oatmeal33.) News reports that were almost completely ignored by the American media indicate that a considerable amount of radioactive material went missing in Iraq. And its in an iPhone? I wonder what Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, and all those who cheer him on, would say when this bomb is set off in a major American city The Macalope wonders what Etzioni and well, is anybody cheering this guy on? No, so the Macalope wonders what Etzioni would say when millions of iPhone owners have their phones compromised by nefarious parties, which could include police officers trying to hack into their girlfriends phones. Also, clearly there is no other way to stop a nuclear attack than unlocking a smartphone. That much is obvious. If only Apple did not ship that Find My Nuclear Bomb app. Really dont know what they were thinking with that. and a major reason the FBI was prevented from stopping the attack is that Apple provided the terrorists with a completely secure communication tool. Is there a Godwins Law for invoking a mushroom cloud? No? Well, whatever, its not like anything bad ever came as a result of nuclear scaremongering, right? Moreover, Apples lawyers and PR machine launched a campaign to convince the public that it should be allowed to continue to sell its phone with the new encryption powers to all comers all over the world. Encryption is only for party members. The campaign is using what is known as throwing in the kitchen sink As opposed to the very staid policy of threatening vaporization. The 4th Amendment does not state that the government may not search phones, homes, papers and persons; it merely bans unreasonable searches. And we can all agree that any search of your iPhone would be considered reasonable. Its not like you dont publish your texts, your banking records and the location data for your friends and family online anyway. Its only the location of your nuclear arsenal you keep on your phone. Apple argues that this matter should not be decided by the courts but by Congress. This is obviously a disingenuous proposal because it is very well known that Congress is so polarized it cannot attend to most anything. Its not like we can expect Congress to do anything. Or law enforcement. Clearly only Apple can save us from nuclear annihilation. The aliens really cant arrive too soon. Apple fears that if it decodes one phone it will be called upon to decode many others. However, its army of clever lawyers surely can point to special circumstances that exist in the case at hand and hence decoding this phone will set no precedent for decoding others. Apples lawyers will simply use what I like to call lawyer magic to make the entire concept of legal precedence go away. The Macalope wonders what it must be like to have a world view that includes terrorists who blithely leave the location of nuclear bombs on their work phones at precisely the moment after their last iCloud backup and lawyers who dont have to work within all those inconvenient laws. Seems like it might be like an acid trip. However at the end of the day it should not be up to CEOs seeking to maximize profit to have the final say in matters concerning high risk to public safety. Apple asked that Congress clarify the laws an you said we cant expect Congress to do anything. Now youre blaming Apple for trying to make public safety policy. The Macalopes not really sure who Etzioni thinks does anything. Apple is not above the law. Neither is the FBI. What the FBI is trying to do is invoke the All Writs Act, an act designed to cover situations in which there is no existing legislation. But there is existing legislation. And if the FBI can simply invoke the All Writs Act any time it wants to regardless of other laws, what can it not do? Read the decision by Judge James Orenstein in the New York case in which the DEA and FBI demanded Apple unlock an iPhone in a drug case (but, remember, this is all just about that one phone and terrorism). If the government cannot explain why the authority it seeks here cannot be used, based on the same arguments before this court, to force private citizens to commit what they believe to be the moral equivalent of murder at the governments behest, that in itself suggests a reason to conclude that the government cannot establish a lack of unreasonable burden. Thats a mic drop, right there. Unit 10th Marine Regiment 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit 11th Marine Regiment 12th Marine Corps District 12th Marine Regiment 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit 1st Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company 1st Battalion, 11th Marines 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment 1st Dental Battalion 1st Marine Aircraft Wing 1st Marine Corps District 1st Marine Division 1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade 1st Marine Logistics Group 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit 2nd Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company (ANGLICO) 2nd Battalion 2nd Battalion 23rd Marines 2nd Dental Battalion 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing 2nd Marine Division 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade 2nd Marine Logistics Group 2nd Marine Regiment 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit 3D Law Enforcement Battalion 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing 3rd Marine Division 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade 3rd Marine Logistics Group 3rd Marine Regiment 4th Marine Corps District 4th Marine Division 4th Marine Regiment 5th Battalion, 11th Marines 5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade 6th Marine Corps District 6th Marine Regiment 8th Engineer Support Battalion 8th Marine Corps District 8th Marine Regiment 9th Marine Corps District Adjutant Administration and Resource Managment Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps Chemical Biological Incident Response Force Combat Logistics Battalion 31 Combat Logistics Company 21 Combat Logistics Regiment 2 Combat Logistics Regiment 25 Combat Logistics Regiment 27 Combined Arms Training Center Camp Fuji Command Element, Marine Forces Central Command Forward Commandant of the Marine Corps Community of Interest Defense Logistics Agency Defense Media Activity Deployment Processing Command-East Deputy Commandant of Information Director of the Marine Corps Staff Division of Public Affairs Expeditionary Energy Office Field Medical Training Battalion-East Field Medical Training Battalion-West Ground Combat Element Integrated Task Force Headquarters Marine Corps Human Resources and Organizational Management I Marine Expeditionary Force I MEF Headquarters Group I MEF Information Group II Marine Expeditionary Force II MEF Headquarters Group II MEF Information Group III Marine Expeditionary Force III MEF Information Group III MEF/MCIPAC Consolidated Public Affairs Office Inspector General of the Marine Corps Installations and Logistics Marine Air Control Group 28 Marine Aircraft Group 14 Marine Aircraft Group 26 Marine Aircraft Group 29 Marine Aircraft Group 31 Marine Aviation Marine Barracks Marine Corps Air Facility Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station Futenma Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni-Japanese Marine Corps Air Station Miramar Marine Corps Air Station Miramar-EMS Marine Corps Air Station New River Marine Corps Air Station Yuma Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz Marine Corps Base Camp Butler Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base Hawaii Marine Corps Base Quantico Marine Corps Blount Island Command Marine Corps Civil-Military Operations School Marine Corps Combat Development Command Marine Corps Combat Service Support School Marine Corps Defense Services Organization Marine Corps Embassy Security Group Marine Corps Engineer School Marine Corps Engineer School Marine Corps Forces Africa Marine Corps Forces Central Command Marine Corps Forces Cyberspace Command Marine Corps Forces Europe Marine Corps Forces North Marine Corps Forces Reserves Marine Corps Forces South Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command Marine Corps Helicopter Squadron One Marine Corps Installations Command, MCICOM Marine Corps Installations East Marine Corps Installations Pacific Marine Corps Installations West Marine Corps Institute Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow Marine Corps Logistics Command Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego Marine Corps Recruiting Command Marine Corps Security Cooperation Group Marine Corps Security Force Regiment Marine Corps Support Facility New Orleans Marine Corps Systems Command Marine Corps Tactical Systems Support Activity Marine Corps Training and Education Command Marine Corps University Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory Marine Expeditionary Brigade-Afghanistan Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 251 Marine Forces Command Marine Rotational Force - Darwin Marine Wing Support Squadron 371 Multi National Force - West Officer Candidate School Okinawa Marines PEO Land Systems Plans, Policies and Operations Programs and Resources Ready Marine Corps Recruiting Station New York Recruiting Station Pittsburgh Recruiting Station Twin Cities Safety School of Infantry-East School of Infantry-West Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Staff Judge Advocate TF 51/5 The Official United States Marine Corps Public Website The United States Marine Drum and Bugle Corps Train the Trainer School Training Command U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Japan U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Korea U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific U.S. Marine Corps Forces, U.S. Strategic Command United States Marine Band United States Navy Wounded Warrior Regiment La Spezia Container Terminal (LSCT) welcomed the on-time arrival of the largest ship ever deployed by United Arab Shipping Company S.A.G. in its Asia Med trade network. The new A-15 class 15,000 TEU ship, Al Dhail, berthed at Fornelli East for the first time as part of its maiden voyage calling at Mediterranean ports. The Al Dhail is one of many ULCCs deployed in four weekly Asia-Med strings calling at La Spezia, with the port accustomed to handling a growing number of calls by increasingly large ships. Forecasts suggest that 200 calls will be performed by ships of 10,000+ TEU in 2016. The Al Dhail, in arriving fully laden in La Spezia and requiring some 3,000 contractual moves, successfully tested LSCTs infrastructure in terms of water depth and ULCC handling and the totality of the La Spezia System itself. The record volume to be discharged in a single bottom emphasised the capability of La Spezia System to reach end users in locations generating more than 40 % of Italian GDP. As a system, La Spezia has invested hundreds of millions of Euros to improve infrastructure capable of serving increasingly larger ship sizes. The import cargo on the Al Dhail, with thousands of indivdual containers, is one of the highest ever discharged at our terminal, confirming that La Spezia is ideally located to efficiently serve multiple markets here in Italy and into Southern Europe, said Michele Giromini, Managing Director of LSCT. Supply chains using La Spezia take advantage of unrivaled rail connectivity with 14 trains alone departing from LSCT between Saturday and Sunday to major destinations in Northern and Central Italy, enabling Monday morning final truck-mile delivery to the end user. It is the combination of service provided and the advantageous geographical position of La Spezia which global supply chains acknowledge, with 42 weekly port call combinations from Asia, he added. The faint whir of helicopter rotors can be heard in the distance and gets louder as it slices through the desert air overhead. The AH-1W Super Cobra attack helicopter comes to a complete stop, hovering steadily in the sky. A red dash of fire suddenly amasses from the aircrafts mounted rocket launcher, delivering hells fury onto simulated enemies beneath, leaving nothing but a lingering blanket of black smoke. Satisfied with the hunt, the Viper peels off and rejoins its partner, a UH-1Y Venom utility helicopter, completing their close air support mission over the Chocolate Mountain Aerial Gunnery Range in a simulated combat scenario known as exercise Scorpion Fire, Friday, Feb. 5, 2016. The helicopters of Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 469 (HMLA-469), based out of Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, California, are well-oiled war machines ready to rain fire from the sky in support of training and combat operations, but these hovering harbingers of death cant stay fighting and flying on their own. The job is only just starting back at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona, home base for the exercise. Working behind-the-scenes are Marines who ensure every helicopter is prepared to take flight without issue. Maintainers provide support, preventative maintenance, post-operational maintenance and any last minute preflight fixes necessary before the aircraft takes off. UH-1Y crew chiefs, while aiding with maintaining and inspecting on the ground, employ the GAU-21 mini-gun, the GAU-17A .50 caliber machine gun and the M240B medium machine gun in flight to provide additional fire support for ground units. I think its a fifty-fifty job, said Lance Cpl. Jordan Gerecke, a plane captain with HMLA-469. Without us maintainers, the pilots wouldnt know if there was anything wrong with the aircraft, let alone have Marines who are fully qualified and trained to fix it. For the past week, as the sun rises over the mountains of the Yuma desert, HMLA-469s airframe and flight-line mechanics, crew chiefs and avionics technicians line up side-by-side, cranial helmets and goggles in hand, ready to conduct a foreign object debris (FOD) walk. Marines start the FOD walk by lining up and thoroughly inspecting the length of their flight line section for anything that the Yuma winds may have carried in the way. As a staple of life in military aviation, FOD walks ensure there are no damaging debris on the ground to be sucked into an aircrafts engine intake. Once aviation quality assurance representatives and the mechanics have cleared the flight line, the Marines head back to the hangar for a mission brief and plan of the day; a run-down of the essential maintenance and flight checks that need to be done. Maintainers work on each aircraft, around the clock, to be mission capable and to ensure they are ready for the collateral duty inspectors (CDIs) to go through. "Without the maintainers and the supervision of their CDIs and collateral damage quality assurance representatives, the flight schedule would not be maintained as well as it is, said Sgt. Daniel O'Neil, an aerial observer with HMLA-469. Working in the maintenance department, you realize how much [you] affect the flight schedule. You definitely get to see the fruits of your labor when the flight schedule is made and we support all the missions. With the helicopters ready and flight schedule in order, the crew chiefs and maintainers conduct pre-flight checks on the gearboxes and fuel levels. The pilots start their engines and bring the aircraft to a hover at 10 feet. This hover test puts pressure on the aircraft, so the crew can identify broken or worn equipment near the ground, rather than at dangerous heights. Once completed, the crew chiefs ensure that all panels are closed and ready for flight. In the air, the Venom crew chiefs serve as extra eyes to pinpoint targets in their area of operations. While approaching a target location, the gunners mount their weapons, one on the mini-gun the other on the .50 caliber machine gun, and unleash a barrage of accurately-aimed rounds at their target as the senior crew chief gives feedback through the intercom. Its an amazing feeling knowing that you are living the lives kids now-a-days, thanks to videogames and movies, think is an extremely cool job to have, said Sgt. James Hibler a crew chief with HMLA-469. We get to sit up in a helicopter, fly around and shoot really big guns, I love it! Once the mission is complete, the aircraft return to MCAS Yumas flight line to unload unused weapons and ordnance. The crew then receives a mission debrief and the aircraft undergoes post-flight maintenance, resetting the cycle for the next mission. Their jobs may not be easy, but the Marines of HMLA-469 work behind-the-scenes every day to keep the AH-1W Super Cobra and UH-1Y Venoms in flight and in the fight. More Media The Norwegian Minister of Defense visited Exercise Cold Response forces at various training locations across Norway, March 2, 2016. Ine Marie Eriksen Sreide visited both Norwegian forces and U.S. Marines as they execute Exercise Cold Response 16. This is the biggest [exercise] in Norway this year. We are lucky enough to have a presence from 13 allies and partners, said Sreide. The Americans have the strongest and biggest contribution; we are so grateful for that. During Cold Response, the 2d Marine Expeditionary Brigade and Norwegian forces are combining efforts with 11 other NATO allies and partner nations to combat notional enemies in a cold-weather climate. There are a lot of things happening during Cold Response; we have the capacities from all branches, said Eriksen Sreide. The important part of [the exercise] is that we can operate and practice together. Multinational, integrated training has prepared approximately 15,000 troops for the 10-day exercise. The fact that we will be so closely integrated with the Americans during this exercise is something that is very valuable to us, said the Minister. I think it is important to be able to transfer that into operations if we need to. Cold Response is designed to help bolster transnational relations while enhancing the participating countries abilities to respond to global crises. More Media What Is Copper Telling Us? I am going to keep this piece, short and sweet as I believe the charts below will speak volumes about where we are in these markets and more importantly, where we are heading. The world seems to be on the verge of a meltdown but, if so, why are some of the commodities telling a different story? Copper Copper has been on our watch list for sometime now as it is a leading indicator of economic investment and strength and with the recent upside breakout on March 2 all we can say is that copper is trying to tell us something. Crude Oil As well crude oil has found a bottom and heading higher and we are sitting at overhead resistance of $35 and looking good. Gold Of course we are biased as we are serious investors in the precious metals, but gold also is trying to tell us something as we are on the verge of breaking to the upside out of this triangle formation (see below) and heading to the $1400 area. Gold seems to be sensing some monetary panic is coming from Central Bankers. I am highly bullish on the precious metals sector, the common shares and stock warrants. If you are interested in learning more about my services please join me at http://commonstockwarrants.com/. Dudley Pierce Baker Founder Editor Guadalajara Ajijic, Mexico Website: www.CommonStockWarrants.com Email: support@CommonStockWarrants.com Facebook: http://Facebook.com/CommonStockWarrants Disclosure: Neither Dudley Pierce Baker nor CommonStockWarrants.com is an investment advisor and any reference to specific securities does not constitute a recommendation thereof. CommonStockWarrants.com is an online newsletter providing complete details on all stock warrants trading in the United States and Canada. The information and opinions expressed should not be construed as a solicitation to buy and securities mentioned in this service. Disclaimer/Disclosure Statement:PreciousMetalsWarrants.com is not an investment advisor and any reference to specific securities does not constitute a recommendation thereof. The opinions expressed herein are the express personal opinions of Dudley Baker. Neither the information, nor the opinions expressed should be construed as a solicitation to buy any securities mentioned in this Service. Examples given are only intended to make investors aware of the potential rewards of investing in Warrants. Investors are recommended to obtain the advice of a qualified investment advisor before entering into any transactions involving stocks or Warrants. Dudley Pierce Baker Archive 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication. Both winners in Virginias, Henry Countys and Martinsvilles primaries Tuesday Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump were drawing criticism from officials from the opposing political parties in the aftermath. Republican Party of Virginia Chairman John Whitbeck issued a statement Tuesday saying: "It is not surprising that Hillary Clinton has prevailed in the Commonwealth. The battle with Bernie Sanders was significantly more difficult than anticipated and the amount of money and effort put into Virginia by Clinton and her leading cheerleader Terry McAuliffe proves that she has real problems convincing voters she is trustworthy and the right leader for this Country." Two local Democratic leaders criticized Trump. Dwayne Waller, chair of the Martinsville-Henry County Democratic Committee, said: "The Republican side needs to grow up and needs to get rid of Trump. He is a disaster. He is an absolute disaster for this country." Waller criticized Trump for the length of time it took him to disavow white supremacist David Duke, which Waller called a disgrace. Waller criticized Trumps negative comments about Muslims, which Waller called "sickening." Waller also criticized Trumps plan to build a wall between the U.S. and Mexico. As Clinton says, Waller pointed out, this country needs to start caring about one another again. In light of the mudslinging among Republican candidates, Waller said he thinks the only decent GOP candidate is Kasich, who is running a more positive campaign. As for the results in the Democratic primaries, Waller said, "I think the Democratic Party will pick the right candidate. Two very good candidates are running." Waller said he attributes Clinton winning in Martinsville by about 75 percent to Sanders nearly 24 percent, because Martinsville has a significant black population, "and the black community is more or less coalescing behind her. I dont think the black community knows Bernie. Bernie has to win some (more) of the black community. Hes not doing that." "Overall the results in Virginia I think (reflect) the mood of the country, especially among minorities," Waller said. Wanda Green, president of the Piedmont Democratic Womens Club, said of the primary results: "Personally, I think it went very well, the way I hoped it would go. It seems like the working group of people are leaning toward the Democratic Party in Virginia. Im very pleased, I hope it will carry on to other states and she (Clinton) will be the candidate." "It Trump continues, unless he is toppled, he may be the Republican nominee," Green said. "If he is, I think it gives Hillary a better chance. I dont think the United States is ready for Mr. Trump. I dont believe he can do all the things he says." Green also said she thinks Trump needs more political experience. She also criticized Trump for, among other things, disparaging groups of people. "We need someone who can bring people together, not cause division," Green said. W.C. Fowlkes, chairman of the Henry County Republican Committee, said, "The only real surprise (in Henry County) was probably the fact I thought Cruz and Rubio would have been a little bit higher and Trump would have been a little bit lower." According to unofficial results Tuesday night, in the Henry County Republican Primary, Trump received 50.36 percent of Republican votes (2,920 votes); Cruz, 19.52 percent (1,132 votes); Rubio, 18.83 percent (1,092 votes); Carson, 7.19 percent (417 votes); and Kasich, 3.33 percent (193 votes). In Henry Countys Democratic primary, Clinton received 72.68 percent of the vote (1,809 votes), and Sanders, 26.68 percent (664 votes). In the Martinsville Democratic primary, Clinton received 834 votes (about 75.3 percent) of the 1,108 votes cast and Sanders, 264 (23.8 percent). In the Republican primary, Trump received 426 votes (42.4 percent) of the 1,004 votes cast. Rubio, 250 votes (24.9 percent); Cruz, 167 votes (16.6 percent); Kasich, 82 votes (about 8.2 percent); and Carson, 72 votes (about 7.2 percent). Fowlkes said statewide, it was a much closer race between Trump and Rubio, than it was in Henry County. Fowlkes said he believes if Kasich had not been in the race, Kasich supporters might have voted for Rubio, and Rubio might have won in Virginia. Fowlkes said he believes the main reason for Trumps strong performance in Henry County was his emphasis on creating blue-collar jobs, with this area having been hard hit over the years with the demise of the textile and furniture industries. Another attribute of Trump is, "Hes not talking from a pedestal; hes speaking at peoples level," Fowlkes said. Fowlkes attributes Clintons strong performance in the primary to "no alternative if there had been a more middle-of-the-road, moderate candidate, it would have been a much closer race." "Sanders is a socialist. He purports that. Everybody would like to have a free education and all these things.The problem with socialism is whatever money you start with, before long, its gone. Somebody has got to replace it.Money doesnt grow on trees. Younger voters seem to be attracted to someone who is offering everything free," Fowlkes said. If Clinton and Trump end up as the nominees, it may come down to which of the two manage their negatives better, according to Fowlkes. He considers a negative for Trump some of his business dealings, and a negative for Clinton the email controversy and investigation. "Its going to be quite an aggressive race," Fowlkes said. He considers Trump very aggressive and Clinton pretty aggressive. Fowlkes said another element in Virginias primary election Tuesday may have been the possibility of crossover votes Democrats voting Republican and vice versa. Dwayne Waller said he thinks the controversy over the Republicans vow not to consider any nominee by President Barack Obama to succeed Antonin Scalia on the U.S. Supreme Court will be an issue in the upcoming presidential election and will motivate the Democratic Party. Waller said Obama was elected for four years, has the constitutional power to make a nomination and that the Senate should do its job and consider any nomination. BULLOCK William Edward William Edward Bullock, 78, of Fisher Farm Road, Martinsville, Va., passed away on Monday, February 29, 2016 at the Baptist Hospital, N.C. He was born in St. James, Missouri to the late Delmar and Ida Gorman Bullock on April 03, 1937. He was preceded in death just days before him by his wife on Thursday, February 25, 2016, Dorothy Clark Bullock; and a son, Edward Ross Bullock in 2015. Bill had worked for over 36 years with J&J Southeast Container before retiring. He was a veteran of the United States Army and Air Force. He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, William Ray and June Bullock of Vero Beach, Fla.; a brother, Ronald Dale Bullock of St. Louis, Mo.; three grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. His service will be at 2 p.m. held on Friday, March 04, 2016, along with his wife's, in the chapel of Roselawn Funeral Home with his military flag presented then. Interment will be private. The family will receive friends from noon until 2 p.m. in the chapel of Roselawn. Roselawn Chapel Funeral Home is serving the Bullock Family. Online condolences may be made at www.roselawnchapelfuneralhome.com. In Defence of Marxism is committed to safeguarding your privacy. At all times we aim to respect any personal data you share with us, or that we receive from other organisations, and keep it safe. This Privacy Policy (Policy) sets out our data collection and processing practices and your options regarding the ways in which your personal information is used. This Policy contains important information about your personal rights to privacy. Please read it carefully to understand how we use your personal data. 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Please let us know if you have any queries or concerns whatsoever about the way in which your data is being processed by emailing the Data Protection Manager at webmaster@marxist.com SPRINGFIELD -- Headline-grabbing jury awards - like the $32.3 million a Hampden County jury awarded last week to the family of a woman killed when a driver crashed into a Chicopee Cumberland Farms store in 2010 - are almost always reduced during a lengthy appeals process. But those awards also end up shaping the world in which we live, from the labels on packaging to the fences we see around in-ground swimming pools and car-proof barriers around parking lots and streets. "Large jury awards get the attention of property owners and site developers," said Julie Steiner, a professor at the Western New England University School of Law in Springfield. "They also have a way of working their way into our building codes when it comes to safety precautions." Such precautions, warnings and safety features - some now taken for granted - are the good that can come from civil litigation, Steiner said. But she said cases involving tort damages - a wrongful act or an infringement of a right that leads to civil legal liability - suffer from a bad reputation in terms of public opinion. There have been a number of high-profile cases both in Springfield and around the country: Chicopee Cumberland Farms case Kimmy Dubuque, 43, of Chicopee was killed in 2010 when an elderly motorist drove his SUV at more than 70 mph into the store at Grove and Front streets. The driver, who survived, had suffered a stroke and was not charged. Lawyers for Dubuque's family argued that Cumberland Farms should have foreseen the possibility of a car crashing into a building and installed protective barriers. "That case itself is better understood as part of a developing line of premises liability cases across the country," Steiner said. They are called bollard cases. They involve allegations that property owners should have foreseen the possibility of car crashes and installed barriers such as bollards - short, stout poles capable of blocking an oncoming car. Jeniah Gallego case In early February, a Hampden Superior Court jury awarded nearly $30 million to a Holyoke family whose baby suffered a severe and permanent neurological injury. The jury concluded that Dr. David Seubert was negligent in the treatment of now-11-year-old Jeniah Gallego, the daughter of Luis Gallego and Jeanette Gutierrez. The Gallego case was briefly thought to be the largest jury award in Hampden County history. Talcum powder case A Missouri jury awarded $72 million last week to the family of an Alabama woman who died from ovarian cancer. The woman said her cancer was caused by using Johnson & Johnson's well-known baby powder and other products containing talcum. Other examples and their fallout Steiner also used the McDonald's hot coffee case as an example. The public made a joke of the situation, but in reality, restaurant management knew the coffee was dangerously hot and defiantly didn't care when warned. "These cases develop a lore around them," Steiner said. Tort attorneys have argued forever that these cases serve a public good by making property owners, manufacturers and others accountable for safety hazards. It's the point Ralph Nader and others are making with the American Museum of Tort Law in Winstead, Connecticut. One misconception is that if a jury awards $32.3 million, the defendant ends up paying $32.3 million. Steiner said the case most certainly will be appealed back to the trial court. Lawyers will look to procedural errors and legal arguments in the case. "One common (argument) that will pop up relates to if the plaintiffs sustained burden of showing causation," Steiner said. "Was Ms. Dubuque's harm caused by the failure to install the bollards or was it caused by the quirky situation about the stroke and excessive speed? Would bollards have even stopped the car?" Steiner said that most bollard cases involve crashes at much lower speeds, such as a confused driver who hits the gas instead of the brake in a parking lot and runs into a store. Another basis for an appeal would be that the jury's award was excessive. "I would expect that in this case," she said. In order to determine if a verdict was excessive, the court looks at recent awards in comparable cases, a process called remittitur. At the end of the process, the court comes up with a list of comparable awards and then gives the plaintiff a choice: either accept an award lower than what the jury gave you (but toward the high end of this list of comparable awards) or risk a new trial. Most plaintiffs will take less money and an award that fits within the range of comparable cases rather than risk a new trial, Steiner said. "It's an educational process to go through and see what has been awarded in all these other cases," she said. "They know where they stand." Lawyers for both sides could settle at any point, removing risk for both sides, she said. cuba In this March 8, 2015 photo, a tourist gets out of a classic American car in Havana, Cuba. The Washington and Havana December announcement that they would move toward a historic rapprochement appears to have sparked an influx of tourism. (AP Photo/Desmond Boylan) The commonwealth's connection to Cuba may soon become a bit closer. JetBlue announced Wednesday that the company intends to offer daily flights to Cuba from six U.S. cities, including Boston. U.S. and Cuban officials reached an agreement in December to allow for regularly scheduled air travel between the two nations. While the arrangement still only allows for travel on charter flights, as many as 110 flights can be scheduled each day. JetBlue seeks to offer 15 of the allowed daily flights as early as Sept. 8. In the company's application to the U.S. Department of Transportation, JetBlue proposed offering one daily flight between Boston Logan International Airport and Jose Marti International Airport in Havana. If the application is approved, JetBlue will also offer three other daily flights in the Northeast. Two will connect Havana to John F. Kennedy International Airport and one between Newark Liberty International Airport and Havana. Of the 15 daily JetBlue flights, seven will depart from Fort Lauderdale, with four daily flights to Havana and one to Camaguey, Holguiin and Santa Clara. Travelers from Orlando and Tampa will each have two daily options to fly into Havana. If approved, the flights will be on the company's Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft. Travelers will have access to free wireless internet, live DirecTV programming, SiriusXM radio and complimentary snacks and soft drinks. JetBlue is one of eight airlines seeking to submit an application for commercial air service between the two nations. Under the new policy, Americans still cannot travel as tourists, they must do so to visit family, for religious activities or go for one of another 10 sanctioned reasons. Stop & Shop sign Stop & Shop is currently negotiating with employees. (Republican File Photo) Bargaining in the ongoing labor contract dispute between Stop & Shop supermarket and the United Food and Commercial Workers union will resume next week in Providence, Rhode Island, now with the aid of federal mediators. "(The mediators) are Commissioners with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, a Federal agency out of Boston, whose role is to assist both labor and management whenever the collective bargaining process is at a critical stage," said Daniel P. Clifford, president of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1459 in Springfield. "They hope to avoid a complete breakdown in negotiations and reach a settlement as we all do." Philip Tracey, a spokesman for Stop & Shop and its owners the Ahold Group, wrote in a statement: "Stop & Shop is ready and available to continue negotiating in good faith with the five UFCW locals to reach a new contract that continues to offer strong wages and benefits for our Associates and that keeps the Divisions competitive in the New England market." The union represents 35,000 Stop & Shop workers across Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island, he said. Of those, 1,500 UFCW members work at Stop & Shop supermarkets in Western Massachusetts. They have been working without a contract for a week since their last three-year pact expired. The sides are at odds over wages and benefit packages. The Boston-area UFCW voted last weekend to authorize a strike. Springfield-area Local 1459 did not take that step. Clifford said this week that a strike vote creates unnecessary fear and confusion among the membership. But local 1459 might strike if such a move becomes necessary, he has said. sig-hansen.jpg Sig Hansen of "Deadliest Catch." (Discovery Channel photo) Captain Sig Hansen, star of the Discovery Channel's "Deadliest Catch," collapsed on the deck of his ship and was airlifted back to an Anchorage, medical facility. "While Sig was determined to keep going, the crew acted swiftly and insisted that they dock to get him help," Laurie Goldberg, spokesperson for Discovery Channel, told CNN on Wednesday. The 49-year-old Hansen has starred in the reality series set on fishing vessels off the Alaskan coast since 2006. According to FOX News, his daughter shared a photo of Hansen in the hospital on Instagram. She wrote alongside the photo he had suffered a heart attack. "Capt survived the 'widowmaker'!! Beating a heart attack ain't easy. Welcome back boss," Mandy Marie Hansen wrote on Instagram. The post has since been deleted. SPRINGFIELD -- Students from Putnam Vocational Academy received an eyeful and an earful on Thursday during a guided tour of the $950 million MGM Springfield casino project aimed at providing information to them and others about future construction jobs and training opportunities. Fourteen vocational students took part in the tour, meeting with representatives of MGM Springfield and the project contractor, Tishman Construction Corp., along with union labor representatives. "It was very exciting to see what's going to be done, and how it is going to look in the future," said Hector Guaba, a 12th grader in the carpentry program at Putnam. "It get's me more excited to actually see live work and like, what to do." Guaba said he will be telling other students about what he saw on Thursday, and the work that will be done "so they will be inspired." "I am really excited for the opportunity for our students," said David Stevens, a carpentry instructor at Putnam who joined the students. "It's massive. It's so much coordination. The tying of the new and the old, it's just fascinating." The tour and dialogue was very beneficial for the students, and the information will be shared with other students, Stevens said. The MGM Springfield project will provide a minimum of 2,000 construction jobs and 3,000 casino-related jobs, officials said. The complex is scheduled to open by September of 2018. Jason Rosewell, executive director of Design and Construction for MGM Springfield, led the students and officials throughout the 14.5-acre footprint of the casino. He pointed out many tasks ranging from the completed demolition of the former Alfred Zanetti School on Howard Street to the future intricate relocation of the the First Spiritualist Church to a new foundation on Union Street still within the casino footprint for conversion to casino uses. MGM and Tishman officials spoke of tasks such as placing in new underground utilities, efforts to preserve whole buildings and front sections of some buildings, and making sure there is proper foundations for all structures. They noted that 90 percent of demolition material is recycled. Rosewell and union representatives spoke of opportunities for jobs and apprenticeships, and of the importance of the students to do their research in evaluating their future options. "I wish I was a young person - I would love to be on this job site," Stevens said. "I know that some of my kids have the insight, have the physicality and the smarts to take advantage of the situation." "It was very interesting," said Camia Pullen, another 12th grade carpentry student at Putnam. "I got to see how the casino would look. I'm actually kind of interested in working here - I want to work with them. I do carpentry so a lot of stuff here would be interesting to do because it's in my field." Pullen said she wants to see the casino project when it's finished, "and I like the fact they are keeping some of the buildings because of the history behind it. They are not tearing down everything." David Montanez, who is the steward with Carpenters Local 108 that is employed on the casino project, is a 1994 graduate of Putnam. He spoke of the responsibility of workers on the project, and of the pride that laborers can take in their work. Montanez was involved in the construction of the new Putnam Vocational school, and often drives by and takes pride, he said. He joined the carpenter's union right after high school. The information given to the students was valuable because it "gives them a sense of reality, that it is possible to find a successful career right out of vocational school." Chelan Brown, diversity specialist for MGM, said the union jobs that come with the casino project open up other development opportunities. "It's not just a job - it's a lifetime career," Brown said. "Today's tour is part of our outreach to get the word out to people in the area about how to get on the MGM Springfield construction site especially our vocational students that are in the area and want to remain in the area." Brown said the students got a lot of first-hand information not even visible to the public on the fenced in site, and "we want them to spread the message." "We talked about everything from what is currently going on on this site so people can have an idea of the construction activities and all the way to how to join a union, what are the benefits of being in the union, the other economic development job opportunities coming in the area in terms of construction, and the general MGM construction activities." Fiore J. Grassetti, a business agent with Ironworkers Local 7, said the casino project provides union work at good paying wages and benefits. Working on a development project includes being prepared, even for what is worn to the job on a particular day, Grassetti said. Many jobs are outside and other jobs are inside, and workers have to dress properly when there very cold or very warm weather, he said. He joined in, saying there are good-paying jobs available. Welcome to this issue of Vision, the magazine that celebrates the vast range of research and creative scholarship by University of Montana faculty and students. The research enterprise at the University continues to show strong growth. Last year we announced a record year of research awards amounting to $83 million in funding, which was significantly more than the previous high of $71 million in 2009. Indicators this year show that we will most likely exceed last years mark by a significant amount and that expenditures from those awards also are increasing significantly. These metrics indicate UM continues on a path to become one of the nations top-tier research universities a Carnegie Foundation Research Very High Activity University and to demonstrate the value of our research and graduate education efforts to Montana residents and the world. In part because of the tight connection between graduate education and research, I have been asked to assume the position of graduate dean in addition to my role as the chief research officer. I look forward to working with the Graduate School, the Graduate and Professional Student Association, and graduate students in general going forward. Our cover story describes the accomplishments of chemistry faculty member Mike DeGrandpre. He and Sunburst Sensors LLC, led by CEO Jim Beck, received both $750,000 grand prizes in the XPRIZE competition. The news was featured on CBS and in Forbes magazine, Popular Science, Business Insider, The Huffington Post and Yahoo Finance, among others. Thanks to Sunburst and DeGrandpre, our world now has the technology to more accurately measure carbon dioxide acidifications impact on marine life and ocean health reliably and without enormous cost. These sensors have been used in waters ranging from pristine Montana lakes to Antarctic seas. DeGrandpres story indicates the importance of translational research, that is, research leading to product development which in turn directly impacts the citizens of the state and beyond. At UM we have made great strides in technology transfer, entrepreneurship and economic development. Our Blackstone LaunchPad program provides students, faculty and alumni a path from concepts to startup companies. Our business incubator, MonTEC, is full with companies primarily in biotech and information technology, creating hundreds of jobs and generating more than $30 million in venture capital in the past few years. The Montana World Trade Center, housed at UM, provides support for state and local companies wishing to do business overseas. The Procurement Technical Assistance Center helps more than 300 local companies find and secure government contracts. Finally, we recently have started housing the Small Business Development Center for the region. Along with the UM Office of Technology Transfer, these units form the UM Business Innovation Zone (BIZ) under the direction of Joe Fanguy, providing support to more than 700 regional and state companies each year. UM BIZ demonstrates that the Universitys research, creativity and innovation help drive regional economic development. We share more of our activities and accomplishments online. Be sure to follow our Facebook page, our Twitter account and my blog. Help us spread the word about how UM enhances all our lives by increasing knowledge, economic development and regional culture. And Go Griz! Scott Whittenburg UM Vice President for Research and Creative Scholarship Full Edition: http://www.umt.edu/urelations/pubs/Vision%20magazine/Vision%202016/Message.php Chicken will be the best-positioned protein due to its low price position in times of pressure on consumer spending power but rises in production costs and the long-term impact of COVID-19 threaten to disrupt the sector, according to Rabobank. by John Motavalli , Columnist, March 2, 2016 Who will be the gatekeeper for programmatic advertising? As a couple of upstart ad-blocking companies vie for the privilege, charges fly back and forth. With more than 50% of Millennials now wielding ad-blocking software, this matters. Ben Williams, comms/op manager of leading ad-blocking outfit Adblock Plus, the company many in the programmatic industry love to hate, says that its Acceptable Ads effort, which seeks to impose guidelines for digital advertising, will soon be handed over to a board of independent stakeholders. This will consist of advertising groups, content creators, YouTube video creators. Adblock Plus says 30 such potential representatives showed up at a February summit in London. Wed like to get that formed by this year, Williams said, with a firewall between us and our marketplace. But Roi Carthy, CMO of the other major ad-blocking company, Shine Technologies, vows an aggressive move into online ads, beyond the impressive mobile deals recently announced with Three Group in Europe, serving 30-million customers in Italy and the U.K. This deal is significant because Three Group customers will not have to download anything for ad blocking. If Shine can reach similar agreements in the U.S., it will be a game changer. advertisement advertisement As with those in the programmatic space, Shines Carthy is heavily critical of Adblock Plus, which whitelists various advertisers who work with them, allowing their ads to be seen by users of Adblock Plus software. In some cases, not all, Adblock Plus collects a 30% fee from whitelisted clients. We are of a different bent altogether, Carthy says, you have to pay them to be whitelisted, it is not the case with us. But he adds, we are willing to discuss new rules of engagement with the advertising industry, some kind of guidelines. For those with a long media memory, this smacks of efforts in the magazine industry to impose ad guidelines, in that case by the MPA, the industry group. But the facts and the stakes here are very different. A key industry group, the Interactive Advertising Bureau, has heavily criticized Adblock Plus, claiming that their Acceptable Ads effort is a sham and extortion, and that few industry stakeholders will work with them. On the other hand, industry sources assert that the penetration of ad blocking software may be much higher than some estimates. One source, who asked not to be identified, says some internal studies put ad blocking software, a lot of it from Adblock Plus in particular, to be as high as 50% in the U.S., and one estimate says up to 63% of Millennials are using ad blocking. Adblock Plus Williams has a much lower estimate, about 10% in the U.S., but another industry insider says this undercount may be deliberate. Ten percent is low, this person says, adding that it may be in the interests of the ad-blocking industry to offer low estimates as they gather strength, as they are wolves in sheeps clothing. Irelands PageFair puts the number of ad-blocked customers at 144 million worldwide, over 27% of U.S. computer users, with $41 billion in ad revenue worldwide projected to be lost to ad-blocking this year. Can a deal like Shines with Three Group happen in the U.S.? Keep in mind that major mobile carriers such as Verizon actually own ad-supported Web content here, including the Huffington Post. But with an estimated ad-blocking growth adoption rate of almost 70%, the stakes are high. by Laurie Sullivan , Staff Writer @lauriesullivan, March 3, 2016 Are the majority of Google searches conducted made mostly by Democrat supporters -- or have many Americans living in the country given up on the U.S. political system? Rather than suggest that search data can predict the future and the outcome of elections and live events, the data tells us much more about peoples' psyche. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump clearly rose to the top, positioning themselves as frontrunners in the Super Tuesday primary races. Each cemented themselves on the yellow brick road to the White House. As U.S. citizen scratch their heads and take to Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites, many are left wondering about the future of the United States, as evidenced by Google's search data. Searches for the phrase "Move to Canada" rose to their highest point in the search engine's history, eclipsing the previous peak in November 2004 following the reelection of President George W. Bush, according to the Google Trends team. advertisement advertisement A chart on Twitter tweeted Wednesday by Google Trends suggests that the success of Trump and Clinton led people to consider migration options to the north, Canada, after an unusual Super Tuesday election. The two major forerunners, Trump and Clinton, won seven states. An article published in December based on research from Arizona State University, New America, and Slate on the "The Tyranny of Algorithms" propose a Democratic lean for those using Google. Not that the search engine favors Democrats, but it indicates that more tend to use the search engine. The same goes for Microsoft, although more Republicans seem to use Bing. Does the political party you favor correlate to either Google for Democrats or Bing for Republicans? by Daniella Koren , March 3, 2016 Ive had the privilege of talking to those touched by or living with rare disease. This post reflects on statistics and insights gained from patients, caregivers and healthcare providers. According to Global Genes, nearly 30 million Americans are affected by approximately 7,000 rare diseases, (rare defined as affecting 200,000 Americans or fewer per year). Thats one in ten Americans; and worldwide, its estimated that 350 million people suffer from a rare disease. Despite the large and emerging impact of this global issue, according to the Everylife Foundation for Rare Diseases, only 5% of rare diseases have an FDA-approved treatment. Moreover, approximately 50% dont have a foundation supporting or researching their rare disease. What these statistics point to is that rare diseases arent so rare, funding is needed to increase approved treatments, and patient and caregivers need resources in this underserved arena. It is clear that we must further explore how to create connectivity, communication and support. advertisement advertisement Here are insights to be mindful of as you create marketing initiatives for the rare disease community: 1. Network on the coasts People who live on the East/West Coast are generally more knowledgeable about their condition. Patients and caregivers want to network with those who have the best medical care so they, too, can learn about the approaches. 2. The beginning is dark Every respondent shared this comment: There was no information, I had no clue what to do next ... we were in the dark. It was mind-boggling to me how common this was, and although we have Google, there is a void online, from healthcare providers, in the community. 3. Facebook is great, but daunting Most use Facebook religiously to connect with others in rare-disease groups. However, its time-consuming to filter through content to identify knowledgeable peers. One caregiver mentioned she deliberates about whether to post questions, because there will be many responses, but only a few gems. Despite this, there are Facebook pages for most diseases with vibrant, active communities. 4. Expect to give and receive For those early in their diagnosis, its all about gathering as much information as possible, creating a plan with their healthcare provider, and accepting support. For those who have been living with a rare disease, or for caregivers who have lost a loved one, giving and fundraising become the focus. I spoke to caregivers who had lost a loved one, and found that their connection to the rare-disease community was stronger than they realized. With this, many have become support group leaders and continue to support patients with groups, fundraisers, and ongoing phone and email conversations. Those managing a rare disease, or living with someone who suffers from one, have amazing 20/20 hindsight vision, and can really help others in their community. 5. Look beyond the disease One interesting, and now intuitive, insight I gained from one caregiver was that although talking to others within a rare-disease community is important, there may be aspects of managing the disease that are found in other rare (or common) diseases, too. For example, if someone has a child who requires a feeding tube, talking to another about food preparation, cleaning, placement, etc. is helpful, regardless of the disease. To broaden their support network, caregivers may think about their disease traits, and go beyond one community to seek out others with similar experiences. As healthcare marketers, we must continue to learn more about the needs of rare-disease communities so that we can help deliver value, resources and empowerment for this underserved population. by Erik Sass , Staff Writer @eriksass1, March 3, 2016 In one short decade, social media has accumulated the biggest pool of information on human sentiment and emotion ever known, and were only beginning to explore the potential of this huge, constantly growing database in areas ranging from marketing to social science and mental health. On the latter note, the Canadian government is funding researchers who hope to use social media to identify mental illness. This week researchers at the University of Ottawa and elsewhere received a half-million dollar grant to study social web mining and sentiment analysis for mental illness detection. The team, which also includes scientists from the University of Alberta and the Universite de Montpellier in France, will use algorithms to sift social media data to detect individuals at risk of major mental illness or already suffering with it. As part of the complex, three-year long study, the team will partner with a company, Advanced Symbolics, to collect and sample social media data using medical informatics and natural language processing, ultimately developing algorithms correlating linguistic clues with various types of mental illness. advertisement advertisement According to the University of Ottawa, the same techniques can eventually be applied to detecting youth at risk of delinquency and victims of high school bullying. This is just the latest in a series of research programs aiming to mine social media for clinical purposes. For example, last year GlaxoSmithKline revealed that it has collected a trove of social media data consisting of millions of posts about hundreds of drugs, including drug interactions. GSK worked with Epidemico, a technology company focused on healthcare insights owned by Booz Allen Hamilton, to surface and analyze 21 million posts mentioning its product on Facebook and Twitter, including 15 million posts on Facebook alone. Wrinkles, gray hair, poorer physical and cognitive health: these are some of the common manifestations of aging. But could it be possible to reverse the aging process in the future? Studies are increasingly suggesting so. Share on Pinterest Aging is inevitable, but some studies suggest the effects of aging can be reversed. In simple terms, aging is defined as the process of becoming older, which involves a number of biological mechanisms that lead to deterioration of health both cognitive and physical over time. Of course, aging is inevitable. While many of us would like to stop the clock and avoid blowing out those birthday candles an unsubtle reminder that we are another year older it is beyond the realms of medical science. What may be within reach one day, however, are ways to reduce or reverse the effects of aging, and were not talking about anti-aging face creams or cosmetic surgery. Increasingly, studies have focused on strategies that could combat aging at its core the cellular processes that contribute to age-related diseases and changes in our physical appearance as we become older. In this spotlight, we explore the biological causes of aging, investigate what strategies researchers are proposing to fight the effects of aging, and look at what you can do to boost your chances of healthy aging. The genetic aging theory Many researchers believe the effects of aging are a result of numerous genetic and environmental factors, and these effects vary from person to person. The genetic aging theory suggests that, just like hair color and height, our lifespan is influenced by the genes we inherit from our parents. Such a theory may ring true; studies have shown that children of parents who have a long lifespan are more likely to live a longer life themselves. And research from Swedens Karolinska Institutet (resource no longer available at www.nature.com) published in 2013 suggested that the aging process is influenced by mitochondrial DNA that we inherit from our mothers. The team found that female mouse models passed mutations in mitochondrial DNA which they accumulated through environmental exposures during their lifetime to offspring, which reduced their lifespan. But while evidence for the genetic aging theory is strong, the fact remains that healthy aging and longevity is largely influenced by our environment that is, what we eat, how much we exercise, where we live and the compounds and toxins we are exposed to throughout our lifetime. Oxidative stress and telomere length Our DNA accumulates damage from environmental exposures as we age. While cells are capable of repairing most of this damage, sometimes it is beyond repair. This most often occurs as a result of oxidative stress, where the body does not possess enough antioxidants to fix the damage caused by free radicals uncharged molecules that cause DNA damage. Oxidative stress has been identified as a key player in the aging process. Another major cause of DNA damage is the shortening of telomeres. These are the caps at the end of each DNA strand that protect our chromosomes the thread-like structures that contain all our genetic data. Share on Pinterest Telomeres are the caps at the end of each DNA strand that protect our chromosomes; their shortening speeds up the aging process. Telomeres naturally shorten as we age, reducing in length each time a cell divides. But when telomeres become too short, they are no longer able to protect the chromosomes, leaving them susceptible to damage that can lead to premature aging and disease development. A recent study from the UKs University of Cambridge suggests that telomere shortening as a result of environmental exposures may even be passed to offspring. The team found that rats that had lower oxygen in the womb during pregnancy often caused by smoking during pregnancy in humans gave birth to offspring with shorter telomeres than rats that had higher oxygen exposure. What is more, the oxygen-deprived offspring were found to have abnormalities in their blood vessels a sign of faster aging and a predisposition to heart disease. We already know that our genes interact with environmental risk factors, such as smoking, obesity and lack of exercise to increase our risk of heart disease, notes senior author Prof. Dino Giussani, from the Department of Physiology Development & Neuroscience at Cambridge, but here weve shown that the environment were exposed to in the womb may be just as, if not more, important in programming a risk of adult-onset cardiovascular disease. The evidence for telomere length as a major player in the aging process has become so strong that researchers are looking to use telomeres as a biomarker for age-related diseases. Last year, for example, Medical News Today reported on a study in which researchers revealed how a distinct telomere pattern in the blood could be used to predict cancer development. But what if researchers found a way to extend telomere length to protect against age-related diseases and the other effects of aging? Or what if they identified a strategy that could protect against oxidative stress? Such approaches may not be too far from reality. Extending telomere length to slow aging Last year, MNT reported on a study published in The FASEB Journal, in which researchers from Stanford University School of Medicine in California revealed they have discovered a way to increase the length of human telomeres. Share on Pinterest Researchers have uncovered ways to increase telomere length, which could slow aging. The team including study coauthor Helen Blau used a modified form of ribonucleic acid (RNA) that consisted of the coding sequence for TERT the active component of telomerase, an enzyme that maintains telomere health to extend the length of telomeres. By applying three applications of the modified RNA to human cells in a lab, they found they could increase the length of telomeres by around 1,000 nucleotides around 10% in a matter of days. Blau and colleagues said their findings bring us a step closer to combatting both age-related and genetic diseases. One day it may be possible to target muscle stem cells in a patient with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, for example, to extend their telomeres. There are also implications for treating conditions of aging, such as diabetes and heart disease. This has really opened the doors to consider all types of potential uses of this therapy, says Blau. But according to other research, there may be ways in which we can extend telomere length ourselves in order to slow the aging process. In December 2014, a study reported by MNT suggested following a Mediterranean diet typically high in vegetables, fruits, nuts and olive oil, but low in saturated fats, dairy, meat and poultry may lengthen telomeres. From studying more than 4,600 healthy, middle-aged women, the team found that those who had greater adherence to a Mediterranean diet had longer telomeres than those with lower adherence to the diet. Another study, published in September 2014 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, suggested that reducing the amount of time sitting may protect against telomere shortening and extend lifespan. Eradicating mitochondria to rejuvenate aging cells Last month, Dr. Joao Passos, of the Institute for Aging at Newcastle University in the UK, and colleagues revealed a new strategy that they say could reverse the aging process: removing mitochondria from cells. Mitochondria are described as the powerhouses of cells, giving them the energy to function, but previous research has also associated mitochondria with oxidative stress. In their study, published in The Embo Journal, Dr. Passos and colleagues increased mitophagy a process cells normally use to get rid of faulty mitochondria in aging human cells, enabling them to eradicate all mitochondria. They found that eliminating mitochondria from the aging cells triggered a rejuvenation process, reducing markers of cellular aging to levels that are normally seen in younger cells. This is the first time that a study demonstrates that mitochondria are necessary for cellular aging. Now we are a step closer to devising therapies which target mitochondria to counteract the aging of cells, says study coauthor Dr. Clara Correia-Melo. Reversing brain aging When it comes to aging, one of the biggest concerns is how it will affect our cognitive function. The majority of people will see a decline in cognitive skills as they age. This is because certain areas of the brain particularly those linked to learning and memory shrink as we get older, interfering with connections between nerve cells. Others may experience a more severe form of cognitive decline, such as Alzheimers disease, which affects around 5.1 million adults aged 65 and older in the US, though this condition is thought to be triggered by the build-up of plaques and tangles in the brain, rather than brain shrinkage. But increasingly, researchers are uncovering medical strategies that show promise for reversing brain aging. Last month, MNT reported on a study published in The Journal of Neuroscience, in which researchers successfully reversed aging in the brains of rats. The team from the University of California-Irvine gave 11 rats a drug called ampakine every day for 3 months, while a further 12 rats received a placebo. From brain scans conducted during treatment, the researchers found middle-aged rats in the placebo group had shorter dendrites branch-like fibers that aid brain cell communication and fewer dendritic branches than the adolescent rats that received the placebo. The middle-aged rats that received ampakine, however, were found to have dendrites and dendritic branching that was comparable to those of the adolescent rats, suggesting that ampakine may be a promising compound for reversing brain aging. Commenting on the results, study coauthor Gary Lynch says: There is a tendency to think that aging is an inexorable process, that it is something in the genes, and there is nothing you can do about it. This paper is saying that may not be true. New research led by scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, shows for the first time that PET scans can track the progressive stages of Alzheimer's disease in cognitively normal adults, a key advance in the early diagnosis and staging of the neurodegenerative disorder. In the process, the scientists also obtained important clues about two Alzheimer's-linked proteins - tau and beta-amyloid - and how they relate to each other. The findings, to be published March 2 in the journal Neuron, come from positron emission tomography (PET) of 53 adults. Five were young adults aged 20-26, 33 were cognitively healthy adults aged 64-90, and 15 were patients aged 53-77 who had been diagnosed with probable Alzheimer's dementia. The stages of tau deposition were established by German researchers Heiko and Eva Braak through postmortem analysis of the brains of suspected Alzheimer's patients. "Braak staging was developed through data obtained from autopsies, but our study is the first to show the staging in people who are not only alive, but who have no signs of cognitive impairment," said study principal investigator Dr. William Jagust, a professor at UC Berkeley's School of Public Health and at the Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute and a faculty scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. "This opens the door to the use of PET scans as a diagnostic and staging tool." PET scans are used to detect early signs of disease by looking at cellular-level changes in organs and tissue. The results of the scans in this study paralleled Braak neuropathological stages, which range from 1 to 6, describing the degree of tau protein accumulation in the brain. Jagust worked with study co-lead authors Michael Scholl, a visiting scholar, and Samuel Lockhart, a postdoctoral fellow, both at UC Berkeley's Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute. Tau vs. amyloid Their findings also shed light on the nature of tau and amyloid protein deposits in the aging brain. For many years, the accumulation of beta amyloid plaques was considered the primary culprit in Alzheimer's disease. Over the past decade, however, tau, a microtubule protein important in maintaining the structure of neurons, has emerged as a major player. When the tau protein gets tangled and twisted, its ability to support synaptic connections becomes impaired. While a number of symptoms exist that signal Alzheimer's disease, a definitive diagnosis has been possible only through an examination of the brain after the patient has died. The availability of amyloid imaging for the past decade has improved this situation, but how Alzheimer's developed as a result of amyloid remains a mystery. Studies done in autopsies linked the development of symptoms to the deposition of the tau protein. Through the PET scans, the researchers confirmed that with advancing age, tau protein accumulated in the medial temporal lobe - home to the hippocampus and the memory center of the brain. "Tau is basically present in almost every aging brain," said Scholl, who holds an appointment at Sweden's University of Gothenburg. "Very few old people have no tau. In our case, it seems like the accumulation of tau in the medial temporal lobe was independent of amyloid and driven by age." The study revealed that higher levels of tau in the medial temporal lobe were associated with greater declines in episodic memory, the type of memory used to code new information. The researchers tested episodic memory by asking subjects to recall a list of words viewed 20 minutes earlier. Both proteins involved in dementia One question yet to be answered is why so many people who have tau in their medial temporal lobe never go on to develop Alzheimer's. Likewise, adults may have beta amyloid in their brains and still be cognitively healthy. "It's not that one is more important than the other," said Lockhart. "Our study suggests that they may work together in the progression of Alzheimer's." While higher levels of tau in the medial temporal lobe were linked to more problems with episodic memory, it was when tau spread outside this region to other parts of the brain, such as the neocortex, that researchers saw more serious declines in global cognitive function. Significantly, they found that tau's spread outside the medial temporal lobe was connected to the presence of amyloid plaques in the brain. "Amyloid may somehow facilitate the spread of tau, or tau may initiate the deposition of amyloid. We don't know. We can't answer that at this point," said Jagust. "All I can say is that when amyloid starts to show up, we start to see tau in other parts of the brain, and that is when real problems begin. We think that may be the beginning of symptomatic Alzheimer's disease." What the study does indicate, the researchers said, is that tau imaging could become an important tool in helping to develop therapeutic approaches that target the correct protein - either amyloid or tau - depending on the disease stage. In the brain, patterns of neural activity are perfectly balanced. The interplay between activating and inhibitory neurotransmitters ensures that the level of activity stays within the physiological range. During an epileptic attack excitation gains the upper hand resulting in the death of neurons. Researchers of the Bonn University Medical School have now discovered a key player in a signal transduction cascade, which protects neurons from hyperexcitation-induced cell death. These results open a new direction for the development of novel therapy options. The results are now published in The Journal of Neuroscience. Pathophysiological activity often triggers neuronal cell death. This can for example be observed after an epileptic insult. The cause for this hyperexcitation is excessive release of the signaling molecule glutamate. "This neurotransmitter can switch on signaling cascades that act neurotoxic", says Prof. Dr. Schoch McGovern of the Institute of Neuropathology and the Department of Epileptology at the University Clinic Bonn. However, neurons try to protect themselves and prevent the damaging hyperexcitation. The molecular nature of these "body guards" is so far unresolved. Accumulating evidence shows transcription factors to play an essential role in the processes by which neurons protect themselves. These factors switch on certain genes, which then via signal transduction cascades result in the production of neuroprotective substances. These in turn counteract the damaging glutamate-induced hyperexcitability. Increased neuronal cell death in the absence of Syt10 The team of Prof. Dr. Schoch McGovern could now show that the protein Synaptotagmin 10 (Syt10) is an integral part of this protective shield. If rats for example experience an epileptic seizure, the amount of Syt10 in the hippocampal formation of the brain strongly increases. The researchers used neurons from mice, in which the Syt10 gene had been ablated, and stimulated them with a glutamate like substance. This treatment resulted in substantial neuronal death. NPAS4 modulates the production of protective factors The research team discovered, which transcription factor activates the gene for Syt10 in response to pathophysiological neuronal activity. This essential member of the neuronal body guard is called NPAS4. The researchers cultured rodent neurons and added several transcription factors. NPAS4 activated the Syt10 gene and required Syt10 to exert its neuroprotective function. "NPAS4 triggers a signaling cascade that results in the production of neuroprotective factors", says Prof. Dr. Schoch McGovern. Search for novel therapy approaches The molecular identity of the neuroprotective substances is still unknown. "A potential candidate, the insulin-like growth factor IGF-1, was not able to reverse the increased neuronal cell death in the absence of Syt10", reports the neurobiologist. The next step therefore is to test other substances. Once the identity of the neuroprotective body guards is revealed, novel avenues for therapy development open up, for example for stroke and epilepsy patients. "The goal would be to administer these protective substances from the outside in order to prevent neuronal cell death in the brain", says Prof. Dr. Albert Becker, a medical doctor, who was part of the study. However, there is still a long road ahead. Geneticists at the University of Helsinki and the National University of Singapore have teamed up to explore the evolution of musical aptitude in the first-ever empirical study of the evolution of music. The Finnish scientists in the project were supported by funding from the Academy of Finland. The study was published in Scientific Reports, a peer-reviewed scientific journal of the Nature Publishing Group. In the study, the researchers applied genomic methods to identify candidate regions in the human genome showing positive selection regions with musical aptitude. They found that the associated regions contained numerous candidate genes, among them genes known to affect ear function, language development, memory, bird song and the brain's reward mechanism. "We started out from the hypothesis that genetic variants associated with musical aptitude have a pivotal role in musical practices. This assumption is based on the idea that the evolution of the human genome progresses much more slowly than cultural evolution. The structure and function of the auditory system is very similar in modern humans and the first primates, suggesting high evolutionary conservation of auditory perception among species," says Docent Irma Jarvela, the principal investigator of the study. FOXP1, one of the candidate genes discovered, has been previously found to affect both human language development and songbirds' singing. The researchers also identified RGS9 as another gene that is implicated in song learning and singing in songbirds. RGS9 is expressed in the corpus striatum together with dopamine receptors. The striatum is activated by expectations in music. When those expectations are met, dopamine is released in the striatum giving the mind a sense of satisfaction. Another member of the RGS gene family, RGS2, is known to become activated when musicians play music. "Based on their functions, these genes are suitable candidate genes for further studies into the evolution of music," says Jarvela. The results of the study suggest that music and language have common roots in human evolution. An improved understanding of the biological background of musical aptitude can contribute new insights into, for instance, genes that affect normal brain functions, the interactions between genes and the environment and the significance of music as a form of therapy. "The study opens new avenues to study the evolution of music. However, more studies are needed to dissect the role of the candidate regions and genes identified in selection regions," says Jarvela. The article "Detecting signatures of positive selection associated with musical aptitude in the human genome" was published in Scientific Reports. Oxytocin plays a crucial role in modulating the response to pain, but until now the process leading to its release was unknown. An international team1, coordinated by Alexandre Charlet, at the CNRS Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Integratives in Strasbourg (France) and Valery Grinevich from the DKFZ2 in Germany, has just identified a new pain control center situated in the hypothalamus. It comprises some thirty neurons that are wholly responsible for coordinating the release of oxytocin into the blood and spinal cord, thus reducing painful sensations. These findings, which open new perspectives in the treatment of pathological pain, are detailed in an article published in Neuron . That hammer blow on the fingers of the weekend DIY enthusiast must have hurt. But it would have been worse if oxytocin, a peptide synthesized by a region in the brain called the hypothalamus, had not intervened very rapidly in the cerebral processes modulating the pain response. From contractions of the uterus during delivery to the release of breast milk after birth, and not forgetting its involvement in regulating social interactions, anxiety or pain, oxytocin is an essential, but currently somewhat mysterious, messenger. Indeed, the mechanisms which lead to its dissemination had never previously been deciphered. An international team of scientists coordinated by Alexandre Charlet at the CNRS Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Integratives (France) and Valery Grinevich at DKFZ (Germany) focused on the process underlying oxytocin release when pain is perceived. It discovered that the control center in the brain that coordinates the release of oxytocin only comprises some thirty neurons in the hypothalamus. During acute pain or inflammatory sensitization (burns, pinching, cuts, etc.), information is transmitted via the peripheral nerves3 to neurons in the spinal cord. These interpret the intensity of the message and encode it accordingly. The information is then sent to other neurons, which include the small population of 30 small cells in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus that has been identified by Alexandre Charlet's team. These in return activate a family of large, magnocellular neurons in another region of the hypothalamus, which release oxytocin into the bloodstream. The target is the peripheral neurons that continue to send the message responsible for pain to the brain. Oxytocin has "anesthetized" them and thus reduced the pain. However, the thirty controlling neurons do not stop there. In parallel, projections from these cells, or axons, which are up to a meter long in humans, reach the deepest of the ten layers of the spinal cord (where the intensity of the sensory message is encoded) and release oxytocin. Thus via two simultaneous pathways, they diminish retransmission of the pain signal to the brain. Work by the team has thus explained how different populations of oxytocin neurons are coordinated in order to control interpretation of the "pain" message by the nervous system. Discovery of this analgesic control center is promising in the context of treating pathological pain. Targeting this handful of neurons could indeed diminish the adverse effects of potential therapies. At present, the team is continuing to study them, this time in order to discover their involvement in oxytocin release that enables lactation and certain sexual behaviors. 43,000 cases estimated annually in the U.S. alone for indication in initial filing representing an estimated $80 million annual addressable market 65,000 cases estimated annually in the U.S. for broader indication Company intends to ... Please complete this form and we'll send you a personalised information that is requested You may use this for your own reference or forward it to your friends. Please use the information prudently. If you are not a medical doctor please remember to consult your healthcare provider as this information is not a substitute for professional advice. Advertisement While possession, sale and consumption of marijuana remains illegal at the federal level, it is permitted for recreational use in four US states: Alaska, Colorado, Oregon and Washington, plus the US capital Washington.Kagia further said, "2016 will be the tipping point for pot, with 11 states slated to decide whether to allow it in one form or another."The western states of Colorado and Washington pioneered recreational marijuana legalization in 2012, and sales have increased 30% per year on average since then in the United States, according to New Frontier and the ArcView Group, another firm focused on analyzing the cannabis industry.US pot sales climbed to $4.6 billion in 2014 and are expected to reach $21.8 billion in 2020, New Frontier says. The explosion in sales is due mainly to the legalization of recreational pot in some states. Although medical marijuana represented 92% of all pot sales in 2014, its share of the total is expected to fall to 47% in just four years.The market for pot is in full bloom thanks to burgeoning industrial growing operations, marijuana edibles and a higher demand for equipment from those who want to grow - or consume - cannabis at home. And while entrepreneurs see dollar signs behind every joint rolled, so too do state governments that stand to reap massive gains in the form of taxes.IN 2015, Colorado earned some $135 million in taxes and licensing fees on nearly $1 billion in pot sales, according to The Denver Post.The state of Washington, meanwhile, took in $70 million on statewide pot revenue totaling $257 million, a number that came in lower than expected after a pot shortage.As America falls for pot, competition has become increasingly fierce, and the variation in regulations and taxes from state to state has given rise to some tension.The amount of pot a person can grow varies as well, with up to four plants allowed in Oregon and six plants in Colorado, but none in the state of Washington. Six plants are allowed in the US capital Washington, where marijuana advocates celebrated the city's one-year anniversary on Friday for legalizing pot.But the US Congress, which has some authority in the capital's local governance, has prevented the city from regulating its pot market, which means buying and selling marijuana is still illegal.The next president, who will be elected in November 2016, could tip the balance in either direction at the federal level, experts told AFP at a marijuana tradeshow called CannaShow, held just over a week ago in Washington.For those entering the marijuana industry, the market has sparked particular worries and uncertainties such as the fact that all payments must be made in cash since banking services are not extended to the pot industry, the risk of Congressional intervention or even a price war.Moreover growing cannabis, or 'cannaculture' as it is called, is a costly endeavor, with plants needing gallons of water and a constantly warm environment, and thus electricity.According to New Frontier, cannabis is the greediest of crops in terms of electricity, accounting for one percent of all electricity used in the US (the same amount as 1.7 million homes) at an annual cost of $6 billion. Electricity accounts for up to 50% of the wholesale price of cannabis.Despite these pitfalls, pot proponents are quick to point out that legalization of the substance has its societal virtues, such as putting an end to some discriminatory arrests. In the US capital, for example, 91% of those arrested for marijuana-related offenses before legalization were black.Legalizing marijuana also keeps down overcrowding of courts and prisons.Retired Baltimore police commander Neill Franklin, who is part of the advocacy group Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, an organization of officers who speak out against current drug policy, said that 500,000 to 600,000 people are arrested each year for cannabis in the United States.Source: AFP It seems to me that blogging is about as useful a way of passing the time as tossing pebbles into the sea, so for what it's worth - and that's not a lot - here are a few pebbles. During his meeting with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Raad al Hussein, on Wednesday, 2 March, at the UN Office at Geneva, Deputy Foreign Minister Ioannis Amanatidis expressed the Greek governments gratitude for the High Commissioners work in the area of Human Rights and for the tangible, qualitative results of this work, which contributes to the promotion and safeguarding of Human Rights throughout the world. With the High Commissioner we had an in-depth discussion of the violation of human rights resulting from the escalating refugee crisis, Mr. Amanatidis noted. People will continue to flee their ancestral homes as long as wars continue around the world. The countries of the developed world have a duty to protect them, as no one chooses to be a refugee. To deal with the problems in our day, there need to be collective solutions. Unilateral measures and the closing of borders are not a solution. In fact, they have serious repercussions, provoking a large-scale humanitarian crisis, Mr. Amanatidis concluded. Mr. Zeid Raad al Hussein, having welcomed Mr. Amanatidis, stated that the UN High Commission for Human Rights recognizes the major challenges Greece is facing, referring to the verification of the Greek governments predictions regarding the escalation of the refugee/migration crisis. Mr. Zeid Raad al Hussein also praised the solidarity shown by the Greek government and Greek society with the refugees. Earlier, Mr. Amanatidis met with the UN Director General in Geneva, Michael Moller, and, having thanked him for the UNs support on the refugee/migration issue, welcomed the recent statements of support from the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, for Greece. Mr. Moller stated that, due to his institutional role, he will provide his services, expressing his availability to assist our country in any way with the refugee/migration issue. I am open to discussions, and any new ideas are welcome, he stressed. Mr. Moller also noted that, by reaching out to the High Commission for Refugees, he is promoting the candidacy of Lesvos residents for the Nobel peace prize, while he noted how impressed he is by the solidarity shown by Greek society in the management of the refugee crisis. The two collocutors agreed ahead of the reopening of hopeful consultations on the Syrian crisis, on 9 March, in Geneva, under the coordination of the UN special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura that the solution to the refugee crisis is the ending of the war in Syria. Finally, Mr. Amanatidis underscored the need to strengthen the interreligious dialogue in order to tear down stereotypes and promote better understanding between peoples and more effective handling of the migrations/refugee crisis, calling on the UN to do everything in its power to deal with hunger on a global level. Mr. Amanatidis also met with the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Peter Maurer, in a warm atmosphere. The Greek Deputy Foreign Minister conveyed the Greek governments gratitude to the head of the Red Cross, an organization lending practical support to Greece. Mr. Amanatidis briefed Mr. Maurer on the mobilization of the Greek government and Greek society in providing aid and solidarity to the refugees, underscoring that the solution to the refugee/migration crisis is the ending of the war in Syria. Mr. Maurer stated that the Red Cross is at Greeces side, and that he, personally, is prepared to provide all possible assistance to our country, which is being tested at this time. Apart from his support for the Greek side, Mr. Maurer expressed his disappointment at the closing of borders and tightening of border controls, speaking of a violation of international humanitarian law. Concluding, Mr. Maurer acknowledged the additional burden Greek is shouldering and called on the European Union to do more to handle the escalating migration/refugee crisis. Deputy Foreign Minister Ioannis Amanatidis is carrying out a two-day visit to London on 3 and 4 March 2016. On Thursday, 3 March, Mr. Amanatidis will address the inaugural event for the founding of the Association of Greek Academics of Great Britain. During his visit, Mr. Amanatidis will visit the Archdiocese to meet with Archbishop Gregorios of Thyateira and Great Britain, and will be given a tour of the Greek Primary School of London. Mr. Amanatidis will also have a working meeting with the boards of the Greek associations of Great Britain and other Greek community organizations, at the Hellenic Centre. The Deputy Foreign Minister for International Economic Relations, Dimitris Mardas, met at the Foreign Ministry today with the Turkish Ambassador to Greece, Kerim Uras. During their meeting, which took place in a friendly atmosphere, they discussed issues of bilateral interest, with emphasis on the further expansion of bilateral economic and trade relations, ahead of the 4th meeting of the Greek-Turkish High-Level Cooperation Council, which will take place on 8 March, in Izmir. Particular emphasis was put on bilateral cooperation in the transport sector, with a focus on the creation of a high-speed rail line linking Thessaloniki and Igoumenitsa with Istanbul, as well as a ferry link between Thessaloniki and Izmir. Regarding the latter, the Turkish side expressed particular interest, noting its intention to introduce a reduction in port duties at the port of Izmir to make the ferry link more attractive. Finally, the Turkish Ambassador informed Mr. Mardas of the great interest of Turkish companies in carrying out productive investments in Greece. Deputy Foreign Minister Ioannis Amanatidis met in Geneva today, Wednesday, 2 March, with the Deputy Secretary General of the World Council of Churches (WCC), Georgios Laimopoulos, as well as with Peter Prove, Director for International Relations, and Michele Nseir, programme executive for the WCC's special focus on the Middle East, with whom he discussed the refugee crisis, WCC initiatives on the issue, and the potential for cooperation with agencies in Greece. Following the meeting, Mr. Amanatidis stated: At the World Council of Churches, we had an in-depth discussion of developments in the refugee crisis in Greece, as well as of the initiatives the WCC has taken regarding this crisis. At this point, all of the international players and humanitarian organizations agree that any approach or solution must be comprehensive and cover all of the aspects of the issue, covering the range of needs of the refugees, from healthcare to repatriation, when the latter can be carried out in complete safety. I asked for there to be cooperation in this direction with both the Greek government and Church agencies in Greece. Mr. Laimopoulos praised the solidarity shown by the Greek government and Greek society in general in the management of the migration and refugee crisis and made a commitment to mobilize and raise awareness on the issue through the WCCs strong network of contacts. The WCCs Director for International Relations, Peter Prove, underscored that Greece is at the epicenter of WCC interest, referring to priority countries: Greece, as the transit country for migrant/refugee flows, and Germany and Sweden, as destination countries for migration and refugee flows. "I do not see a political path forward," Carson said in a statement posted on his campaign website, though he added, "I remain deeply committed to my home nation, America" and promised to offer details of his future when he speaks Friday at a conservative conference in Washington. He did not explicitly say that he's ending his campaign, only noting that he does not plan to take part in Thursday's Fox News debate. But his longtime businessman and friend, Armstrong Williams, confirmed that the soft-spoken candidate would no longer be asking for votes. "There's only one candidate in this 2016 election on the GOP side, and his name is Trump. That's the reality," Williams said, adding that Sens. Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz also should drop out, as they "also have no path" to the nomination. Carson's exit reduces the active Republican field to four candidates, though billionaire Donald Trump remains the clear leader in earned delegates and voter preference polls. Carson, 64, was one of several anti-establishment candidates who shaped the early stages of a Republican race defined by conservatives' wide-ranging disgust with the nation's direction and GOP leaders' perceived inability to alter it. He ran as an outsider, offering a poverty-to-fame autobiography, his unabashed Christian faith and an unceasing indictment of conventional politics, styling his bid as an effort to combat "political correctness" and what he described as a creep toward "socialism." That formula fueled a steady climb in the polls and a powerful fundraising effort. But his success also brought intense scrutiny. Carson lashed out publicly at questions about his life story, having to explain anecdotes like his claim to have been offered a "scholarship" to West Point. He made foreign policy flubs, from a mistaken suggestion that China is militarily involved in Syria's civil war, to a high profile speech in which he repeatedly mispronounced the name of the Palestinian political and military organization Hamas. And he endured public sniping among some of his closest advisers, some of whom contributed to questions about his overall fitness for the job. The only African-American among the presidential contenders of either major party, Carson announced his bid in May from his native Detroit, where he was raised in a poor neighborhood by a single mother. Though she could not read, Carson said, his mother saw to it that he and his brother received formal educations. Carson attended Yale University and the University of Michigan Medical School. He earned national acclaim during 29 years leading the pediatric neurosurgery unit of Johns Hopkins Children's Center in Baltimore. He directed the first surgery to separate twins connected at the back of the head. His career was notable enough to inspire the 2009 movie, "Gifted Hands," with actor Cuba Gooding Jr. depicting Carson. He rose to political prominence with his address at the 2013 National Prayer Breakfast, where he offered a withering critique of the modern welfare state and the nation's overall direction. The speech restated themes fromCarson's 2012 book "America the Beautiful," but he excited conservatives by doing so with President Barack Obama sitting just feet away. He would often tell voters that he viewed his candidacy as a way to honor the American founders' view of the "citizen-statesman." "If I am successful in this endeavor," he said Dec. 8 in Georgia, "then a lot of other people who are not career politicians but who are very smart will start thinking, maybe I can do that, too, and we will expand the pool from which we selected our leadership." UPPER THUMB Four elementary schools in the Upper Thumb rank among the top 350 elementary schools in the state, according to a recent report released by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. The most recent Michigan Context and Performance Report Card shows a mix of scores ranking the top elementary and middle schools in the state. The report reflects a mixture of the schools standardized test scores, a students socioeconomic status and the percentage of students who receive free lunch better known as a CAP score. CAP scores showing 100 means a schools students did as expected. Above 100 indicates success well above expectations. Because the state switched its standardized testing MEAP to M-STEP during the 2013-14 school year, the report only includes data for a three-year period compared to the normal four years. The top elementary school in the Upper Thumb ranking was Deckerville, which ranked 193rd in the state, and was the only school in the area to receive an A-rating. The biggest thing (the report) shows is that we work together as a team, said Deckerville Elementary principal Yvonne OConnor. Our teachers work hard and have the students best interest at all times. The students mean a lot to us. OConnor credited much of the success to the shining teachers themselves. We strive to make sure our culture is always uplifting and positive, she said. It is a community effort. Deckerville is very honored to receive an A-rating. It takes hard work and we will continue to strive to achieve our goals. Closely following Deckerville and receiving the second best ranking in the Upper Thumb was Bad Axe Intermediate School now known as the elementary school. (It) speaks to the high quality and efforts they (staff and students) put in on a daily basis, said Bad Axe Elementary and Middle School principal Peter Batzer. Our use of proven methods and materials translates into the students success. A recent technology bond going to a vote this May could lead to a brighter future for student success in the Bad Axe district. With hope and optimism that the tech bond passes, we can continue to offer very current and state-of-the-art opportunities for all of our students, Batzer said. The rest of the elementary schools ranked by CAP scores are listed as follows: Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker: 106.66. Cass City: 106.63. Ubly: 102.16. Harbor Beach: 101.79. Unionville-Sebewaing Area: 101.58. Owendale-Gagetown: 97.81. At the middle school level, Harbor Beach grabbed the top ranking in the Upper Thumb and ranked 423rd in the state. The staff works as a team and have high expectations of the students, said Tumara Johnston, Harbor Beach middle school principal. But the students know those expectations and are willing to put in the work to get the end results. Johnston said a great example of working together is some of the experienced teachers helping with newer staff. She added families are another big reason behind student success. Without their support at home, we wouldnt be half as good as we are, Johnston said. The remaining middle schools to submit data ranked: Owendale-Gagetown Junior/Senior: 103.68. Bad Axe: 103.53. Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker: 100.21. Unionville-Sebewaing Area: 97.49. Data was collected from 2,246 elementary and middle schools for school years 2012-14. The results pooled all schools into one statewide ranking. Almost 100 people mostly from Haiti who were rescued from an overcrowded boat off the Florida coast had no food or water for... The two helicopters that collided off the coast of Hawaii in January were from the Marine Corps aviation community most affected by readiness shortfalls and maintenance backlogs, the commandant of the Marine Corps told a Senate panel Wednesday. During a hearing before the Senate Appropriations Committee's subcommittee on defense regarding Navy and Marine Corps budget issues, Gen. Robert Neller said CH-53E Super Stallion pilots were hard-pressed to maintain their currency on the platform with fewer aircraft available to fly. Twelve Marines were killed in the Jan. 14 helicopter collision that took place during a routine night training mission off the coast of Oahu. Neller said Wednesday that the cause of the crash had yet to be determined as salvage crews continue to work to dredge up debris. "Just an update, the air mishap board is still trying to recover all the pieces of the plane and more important all the remains," he said. "And they're on the north shore of Hawaii, which this time of year is big waves and swells, so there's a salvage ship there and they have been challenged to get out there and do their business, but we'll stay at it until we can get to the bottom of what happened." As Sen. Dick Durbin noted, aviation deaths in the Marine Corps in the last year have reached a five-year high, with 24 military fatalities in six different mishaps since January 2015, according to data from the Naval Safety Center. The Marine aviation mishap rate reached a ten-year high in 2014, with 15 mishaps that caused at least $2 million in damage or resulted in loss of life. "When we talk about increasing procurement and such, I'm all for that," the senator from Illinois said. "But if our budget is not designed to prepare for readiness, to protect the lives of the Marines and sailors and others, then we are falling far short of our responsibility." Neller said all elements of the Marine Corps aviation community were facing readiness challenges, but the Super Stallion community was likely the most challenged due to high operational tempo, shortfalls in available aircraft and maintenance issues. The commandant said some of the uncertainty with maintenance was tied to a Navy MH-53 Sea Dragon crash in January 2014 in which three sailors were killed off the Virginia Capes while conducting mine warfare operations. In the wake of that crash, Naval Air Systems Command called for more thorough inspections of Sea Dragons and Super Stallions to improve safety standards. "When you don't have enough aircraft to fly, then your flight hours go down and it becomes difficult to maintain your currency," Neller said. He acknowledged that the Marine Corps "probably kept [CH-53s] in theater a little bit too long" following 15 years of war in Afghanistan and Iraq rather than funneling them into maintenance depots. Now, he said, the Marine Corps needed to rebuild the readiness of its fleet. Neller stopped short of proposing that aircraft maintenance and readiness shortfalls had resulted in the deaths of Marines. But he said an ongoing recapitalization effort that will conclude with the introduction of the CH-53K King Stallion to replace the Super Stallion in the early 2020s is set to get Marine Corps aviation back on track. "We have a plan and we believe we have sufficient funding to do that, it's just not going to happen overnight," he said. "The combination of fielding new aircraft, more rapid procurement, getting the depots to get more throughput, then we get more ready basic aircraft on the flight line and we increase our hours." -- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck. As part of its new Soldier Protection System, the U.S. Army plans to field eye protection that adjusts to daytime and night conditions so soldiers won't have to constantly change eyewear on operations. Senior Army equipment officials on Wednesday discussed the new body armor system with lawmakers at a hearing before the House Armed Services Tactical Air & Land Forces Subcommittee on the ground force modernization budget request for fiscal 2017. Army Lt. Gen. John Murray, Army deputy chief of staff, G-8, told lawmakers that soldiers have typically had to carry two pairs of protective eyewear over the last 15 years -- one for day and one for night. "It doesn't sound like much, but that is a huge deal to not have to physically transition eye protection," Murray said. "The actual lenses do it for you." The Soldier Protection System, or SPS, is a full ensemble that goes beyond torso protection and provides the soldier with improved protection for vital areas such as the head and face. Rep. Niki Tsongas, a Democrat from Massachusetts, asked about the recent decision to accelerate the program and the incorporation of sensors designed to monitor a soldier's vital signs. The Army's 2017 budget request shows a significant increase in research and development of the effort, from about $5 million to $16 million, she said. "The additional funding helps to get us there sooner," said Army Lt. Gen. Michael Williamson, military deputy to the assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics, and technology. "Although we were looking at these systems simultaneously, the way the funding allocated wasn't until 2019 that we could get to the integrated sensor suite." The integrated sensors portion of the SPS is "a really important component because what that will allow you do is not only measure things like heart rate but it will also give you feedback on things like hydration," he said. Eye protection is another key part of the SPS, Williamson said. "One of the more impressive things they are doing is building transitional eyewear that allows a soldier to move from a dark environment into the light and back and forth without the disorientation that occurs because of that change in environment," he said, adding that the new eyewear also increases the blast fragmentation protection by about 10 percent. The new Modular Scalable Vest portion of the SPS features a more streamlined design compared to the current Improved Outer Tactical Vest. The most noticeable feature of the SPS is the new Ballistic Combat Shirt, or BCS, which has been updated with soft armor on the neck, shoulders, high chest and high back to protect against 9mm rounds and shrapnel. The lower part of the shirt is still a breathable, fire-resistant material. It also features the Integrated Head Protection System, which gives the soldier the ability to attach extra armor to the top of the helmet to provide additional protection against snipers shooting down on soldiers riding in an open turret, as well as the armored facemask to protect against gunfire and shrapnel. The SPS is also part of the Army's effort to lighten the soldiers load, Williamson said. "The goal for the entire system is 10 to 15 percent less weight than the soldier carries today," he said. Marine Brig. Gen. Joe Shrader, commander of Marine Corps Systems Command told lawmakers that the Marine Corps often works with the Army on individual protection equipment programs, such as the new "Enhanced Combat Helmet that we have developed with the Army and now are final stages if fielding the first 77,000 of those." --Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com. A newly released investigation into the Navy's four-star commander of U.S. Pacific Fleet clears him of discriminatory action regarding a subordinate, but advises corrective action regarding an error made in an officer's fitness report. The investigation highlights the scrutiny under which senior military officers operate and the standards they must uphold. The Defense Department Inspector General this week released a 2014 investigation into Adm. Scott Swift, the head of U.S. Pacific Fleet who was then the three-star commander of the 7th Fleet. The 17-page investigation was begun when an unnamed sailor filed a complaint claiming that a non-judicial punishment, or NJP, the officer had received was unjust because it was "biased" and based upon "falsified statements," according to the document. The complainant alleged Swift had engaged in discrimination by including a comment about the July 2013 NJP in the fitness report. Such comments are required by Navy policy. Investigators interviewed nine witnesses about the accusations, according to the document. Witnesses including Swift's former flag secretary and division chiefs of staff at 7th Fleet testified that no climate of bias or discrimination existed at the command. Asked about the allegations, Swift was unequivocal. "I don't even know how to respond ... not only does that not comport with my views at all, it doesn't comport with any views that I would tolerate," he said, according to the investigation. The investigation did find, however, that Swift had failed to include comments regarding one staff officer's NJP in that officer's next fitness report in violation of Navy administrative policy. But the error, investigators found, was administrative in nature and not a decision on the part of Swift to disregard fitness reporting instructions. "We recommend the Secretary of the Navy consider appropriate corrective action with regard to [Vice Adm.] Swift," the report concludes. Asked about the investigation by Military.com, Swift deferred comment to Navy Chief of Information Rear Adm. Dawn Cutler. Cutler said the investigation highlighted the exacting standards to which the Navy holds its flag officers. "Though the NJP had been reported to the appropriate Bureau of Personnel performance oversight office (PERS 8) and the information had been included in the officer's permanent record, it also should have been commented upon in the officer's fitness report in the form of a pro forma statement of the offense he was found guilty of," she said in an email to Military.com. "For corrective action, the Secretary of the Navy directed the previous Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. Jon Greenert, to discuss the matter with Adm. Swift and have the omission corrected. Adm. Swift ensured the fitness report in question was corrected to include the required statement." It's not the first time Swift has been affected by the formalities of a military investigation. His move to his current post as Pacific Fleet commander was held up, along with several other key flag officer moves, as the Navy investigated Adm. Samuel Locklear, former head of U.S. Pacific Command, for possible ties to the infamous "Fat Leonard" bribery scandal in which at least five admirals were found to have committed wrongdoing. Locklear was ultimately cleared. Swift was never accused or investigated in connection with the case. --Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck. Sen. John McCain lashed out Thursday at Donald Trump by joining other members of the so-called Republican "establishment" in charging that the GOP presidential frontrunner was unqualified to be the next commander-in-chief. In a statement, the senator lined himself up with the blistering comments of former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, who called Trump "a phony, a fraud," and with a letter from 65 Republican leaders on national security issues who labeled Trump's views on the military "unmoored in principle." McCain, a Republican from Arizona and chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said, "Trump's uninformed and indeed dangerous statements on national security issues" should give Republican voters pause and make them "think long and hard about who they want to be our next commander-in-chief and leader of the free world." In a speech at the Hinckley Institute of Politics in Salt Lake City, Romney singled out Trump's dismissal of calling McCain a "hero" for his Navy service and his resistance to torture as a Vietnam prisoner of war, for which he was awarded the Silver Star. Last July in Iowa, Trump said of McCain that he was "not a war hero. He's a war hero because he was captured. I like people that weren't captured." Romney said of Trump, "There is dark irony in his boasts of his sexual exploits during the Vietnam War while John McCain, whom he has mocked, was imprisoned and tortured." Responding to Romney, Trump said on NCB-TV's "Today" program that Romney's outburst was sour grapes over being a "failed candidate" who had "begged" him for an endorsement in 2012 in his losing race against President Barack Obama. "Mitt Romney is a stiff," Trump said. Trump also hit back on Twitter: "Looks like two-time failed candidate Mitt Romney is going to be telling Republicans how to get elected. Not a good messenger!" The letter from the Republican national-security leaders, who described themselves as representing a "broad spectrum of opinion on America's role in the world and what is necessary to keep us safe," included a laundry list of issues on which they disagree with Trump. "His embrace of the expansive use of torture is inexcusable," the letter stated. "His hateful, anti-Muslim rhetoric undercuts the seriousness of combatting Islamic radicalism by alienating partners in the Islamic world making significant contributions to the effort." The letter appeared on the website War on the Rocks, which describes itself as "a platform for analysis, commentary, debate and multimedia content on foreign policy and national security issues through a realist lens." Among the signatories of the letter were former Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff; Fran Townsend, former homeland security and counterterrorism adviser to President George W. Bush; Eliot Cohen, former counselor to the State Department during Bush's administration; Dov Zakheim, who held Defense Department posts in the Bush and Reagan administrations; and Robert Zoellick, the former president of the World Bank, who was Bush's U.S. trade representative and later served at the State Department. Many of those signing the letter came from the so-called "neoconservative" wing of the GOP and favored the 2003 invasion of Iraq. On the campaign trail last month, Trump said President George Bush's decision to invade Iraq "may have been the worst decision any president has made in the history of this country. Whether [George W. Bush] lied or not, it was a horrible decision." In a campaign appearance in South Carolina, Trump had said that he supported waterboarding and similar interrogation techniques because "torture works" in the questioning of terrorists. "Don't tell me it doesn't work -- torture works," he said. "OK, folks? Torture -- you know, half these guys [say]: 'Torture doesn't work.' Believe me, it works. OK?" Trump's campaign remarks on torture posed a dilemma last week for Joint Chiefs Chairman Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford during testimony before a House Appropriations Committee hearing on the defense budget. Put on the spot about Trump's remarks by Rep. Betty McCollum, a Democrat from Minnesota, Dunford didn't respond directly but made clear that torture was out of bounds for a military that embodies American values. "One of the things that makes me proud to represent this uniform is that we represent the values of the American people," the general said. While he never mentioned Trump's name, he said, "When our young men and women go to war, they go with our values." Dunford added, "When we find exceptions," and U.S. troops abuse prisoners, "you can see how aggressively we address those exceptions. We should never apologize for going to war with the values of the American people. That's what we have done historically, that's what we expect to do in the future. And again that's what makes me proud to wear this uniform." In an appearance last month on "Real Time With Bill Maher," retired Air Force general and former CIA Director Michael Hayden said that stances advocated by Trump during the campaign would pose problems for a military bound by the Uniformed Code of Military Justice and the law of armed conflict. Hayden pointed to the possibility that service members would be forced to disobey orders from a President Trump. He singled out Trump's numerous comments that the U.S. should kill the family members of terrorists. "That will make people think. Because they do not care very much about their lives, but they do care, believe it or not, about their family's lives," Trump said during a debate of Republican presidential candidates in December. "Let me give you a punchline -- if he (Trump) were to order that once in government, the American armed forces would refuse to act," Hayden said. As a member of the U.S. military, "You are required not to follow an unlawful order," Hayden said. "That would be in violation of all the international laws of armed conflict." -- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com. Ian Desmonds path to the Rangers all began earlier in the offseason, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News writes. The club let him know that they would have interest on the off chance that Desmond couldnt find a multi-year deal and was willing to move to the outfield, says Grant, and that indeed turned out to be the case. Things can change, GM Jon Daniels explained. You have to be prepared. You never know when a domino might fall. If you have any interest in that player, you have to express that early on. Daniels has also made clear that he doesnt believe there will be any difficulty in sorting out playing time when Josh Hamilton is ready to return. Heres more from Texas and the rest of the American League: The Padres have brought in southpaw Christian Friedrich on a minor league deal, Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune tweets. It appears that hell join the major league side of camp. Friedrich will presumably join a lively bullpen battle in San Diego. Indeed, hes not even the only southpaw to enter the fray today, as the club also reportedly reached terms with veteran Matt Thornton. The 28-year-old Friedrich, a former first-round draft pick, had spent his entire previous career in the Rockies organization. He was designated for assignment and claimed by the Angels just a few weeks back, but that claim was reversed when an issue arose in his medicals. Friedrich first reached the majors as a starter back in 2012, but didnt stick at the time. He spent all of last year in the Colorado pen, making for his first full MLB campaign, but was only able to manage a 5.25 ERA with 6.9 K/9, 3.9 BB/9 to go with a 47.4 percent ground-ball rate over his 58 1/3 frames of action. -2ff697c0bfc8b7f1.JPG Quicken Loans headquarters in downtown Detroit. (File | MLive.com) DETROIT - Quicken Loans, Credit Acceptance and Plante and Moran have all been named on Fortune Magazine's list of the "100 Best Companies to Work For". The companies ranked fifth, 27th and 33rd, respectively. Kalamazoo's Stryker ranked number 21 on the list. Fortune provided some background on the companies. Detroit-based Quicken Loans jumped from 12th on the list in 2015. According to Fortune, Quicken founder Dan Gilbert's activity in Detroit propelled the company up seven spots in 2016, as they cited the thousands of employees working in Detroit, Gilbert's over $2.2 billion invested in commercial real estate in the city and incentives like a $3,500 cut for those renting in the downtown area or $20,000 forgivable home loans. Fortune reports that 98 percent of Quicken Employees say they feel good about how the company contributes to the community, and 97 percent are proud to tell others they work for Quicken. The most common job at Quicken is the mortgage baker position. The bankers, on average, have a base salary for $23,407, with an average compensation of $97,791. Not listed are the number of hours per week the mortgage bankers work at Quicken. The company employs 11,504 in the U.S. "Our team members know their opinion isn't only welcome, but expected," said Quicken Loans CEO Bill Emerson in a statement. "From providing input on how to improve our existing business, to pitching a completely new company idea, our commitment to a culture of empowerment and innovation creates an atmosphere where hardworking, passionate team members can thrive." Said Gilbert in a statement: "In business you really only need to do two things: Love your clients. Love your team members. And it starts with loving your team members or you can't expect them to love your clients...We pride ourselves on creating the best possible environment for our 15,000-plus team members to thrive, grow and breathe new ideas and 'better ways' into all that we do. Once you establish that kind of culture, the rest takes care of itself." Other southeastern Michigan companies, Credit Acceptance and Plante and Moran, were highlighted for "great challenges" and "great atmosphere" at both companies. Fortune reports Credit Acceptance pays its most common salaried position $61,676 with extra compensation totaling $42,782. Plante and Moran didn't provide pay information. Ian Thibodeau is the business and development reporter for MLive Media Group in Detroit. He can be reached at ithibode@mlive.com, or follow him on Twitter. KALAMAZOO, MI -- People on The Move announces the new title or working role of local people moving from one paid position to another. That includes lateral moves, promotions, new hires or people taking on significant new work assignments. Among those making moves recently were: MANUFACTURING -Humphrey Products Co. recently announced staff changes. Scott Lemons has joined the company's Purchasing Department as its new supply chain manager. Lemons previously worked with Parker Aerospace, Sagem Aerospace and Eaton Corp. The Portage native has a bachelor's degree in economics and management from Albion College. Jordan Nieboer has joined the Engineering Department as a manufacturing engineer. Nieboer is a recent graduate of Western Michigan University, from which he has a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering. HEALTH CARE -The West Michigan Cancer Center & Institute for Blood Disorders has two new care providers. Certified physician assistant Stephen Rucker has joined the Cancer Center's medical oncology team. Rucker has a bachelor's degree in physician assistant studies from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, and a master's degree in physician assistant studies from Jefferson College of Health Sciences in Roanoke, Va. His responsibilities include seeing and evaluating hematology and medical oncology patients and conducting consultations at Bronson Methodist Hospital and Borgess Medical Center. Stacy Ochsenrider has joined the Cancer Center as a certified nurse practitioner, working in its Radiation Oncology Department. Ochsenrider has a bachelor's degree in nursing from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and a master's degree in nursing from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn. Her responsibilities include working directly with radiation oncologists in the pre- and post-radiation management of patients. RESEARCH AND TESTING -The staff at Forensic Fluids Laboratories continues to grow. Kim Somers has joined the company as a legal and scientific coordinator. She has significant experience in the legal field, working as a legal assistant at Plunkett Cooney P.C. She is an alumna of Davenport University. James Dunnigan has joined Forensic Fluids' Specimen Processing and Legal Departments. Dunnigan previously worked as a seasonal archaeologist at Mackinac State Historic Parks and as a graduate teaching assistant at Western Michigan University. He has a bachelor's degree in history from Lake Forest College in Illinois. Forensic Fluids is a Kalamazoo-based oral fluid testing company. BANKING -Kathleen Reenders has been promoted to assistant branch manager at First National Bank of Michigan. Amber Kiel has been promoted to personal banker at the bank's Woodbridge location in Portage. Since joining the bank in 2008, Reenders has thrived in the banking industry and built solid relationships with customers, according to Mary Hoag, vice president and manager of the Woodbridge branch. Kiel joined First National in 2013 and takes on her new responsibilities after demonstrating leadership qualities that make her an instrumental member of the bank's team, according to Hoag. First National Bank of Michigan is a locally owned bank with locations in Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo and Portage. To get moving People on The Move announces the new title or working role of individuals moving from one paid position to another. Items should include the proper name of that person(s) and his or her new title. We also want to mention the position or job the individual most recently held. Be advised that People on The Move is for people who live, work or are known in our readership area. We publish head and shoulders photos of individuals when they are provided to us. They may be sent to ajones5@mlive.com. E-images should be JPEG format of at least 300 DPI. For more information, contact Al Jones at ajones5@mlive.com. The World Affairs Council of Western Michigan will continue its "Great Decisions" global discussion series with "Is Korean Reunification Possible?" The discussion will be presented by Dr. James Person of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C. at 6 p.m., Monday, March 14. At the end of World War II, Korea was divided in two and remained that way after the Korean War. Today, North and South Korea couldn't be further apart. Concerns over North Korea's suspected hydrogen bomb testing has created heightened tensions between North Korea and the world. Person will discuss whether North and South Korea might ever be able to reconcile differences and emerge once more as a unified country. All discussions are held at 6 p.m. Mondays at the Performing Arts Center at Aquinas College, 1607 Robinson Road. The cost to attend is $10 for members and $15 for others. A special March promotion will allow anyone to pay the member rate for the remaining 2016 discussions. Complimentary email memberships are also available at www.worldmichigan.org. No reservations are needed and tickets are available at the door. Free parking is available. FRUITPORT TOWNSHIP, MI - A police officer previously fired after he was arrested for drunk driving was "very ill" when he recently crashed his cruiser into a power pole, according to officials. Fruitport Township police officer Timothy Michael Thompson, 37, was not injured in the crash that occurred on Airline Road near Pontaluna Road in Fruitport around 9:15 p.m. Monday, Feb. 29, according to Fruitport Township Supervisor Brian Werschem. He did not have alcohol nor any controlled substances in his blood, said Norton Shores Police Chief Jon Gale, whose department investigated the crash. Gale said Thompson passed out due to illness before hitting the pole at 41 mph. Power to at least one nearby business was knocked out, he said. Werschem said the officer was "very ill and very dehydrated." Thompson had been fired by the Fruitport Township Police Department after he was arrested in November 2014 for drunken driving while his infant son was in his vehicle. Thompson pleaded guilty in March 2015 to operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated with an occupant in the vehicle younger than 16, which is a misdemeanor. He was sentenced to probation and ordered to pay fines. Thompson appealed his firing through the police union, Werschem said. The matter went to arbitration and an arbitrator ordered the township to rehire the officer, he said. Thompson was back to work for a week when the crash occurred, Werschem said. He called in sick to work Tuesday and has not been scheduled to work since then, Werschem said. "As soon as he gets released by a doctor because of the medical issue, he'll be back to work," he said. The cruiser sustained significant front-end damage as a result of the crash and was not drivable, Gale said. The air bags deployed and Thompson was wearing a safety belt, he said. Lynn Moore is a reporter for MLive Muskegon Chronicle. Email her at lmoore8@mlive.com and follow her on Twitter and Facebook. MIDLAND, MI -- On Thursday, March 3, police took a 51-year-old man into custody on one count of felony murder and one count of first-degree premeditated murder in connection with the Aug. 7, 1991, homicide of Diane Ross. Ross, of Lee Township in Midland County, was attacked by a masked assailant while sleeping in her bed. Her 5-year-old grandson witnessed the attack and later ran to relative's home for help, according to the Midland County Sheriff's Office. Midland County sheriff detectives reviewed the case in 2012 and an additional investigation began in 2013. The investigation uncovered additional witnesses and physical evidence, police said. Police have not released the name of the man arrested pending arraignment. The man was arrested near the Detroit area, according to officials. He is scheduled for arraignment Friday. Bob Johnson is a reporter for MLive/The Saginaw News. Contact him at 989-395-3295, by email at bob_johnson@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Google+. SAGINAW, MI -- The presidential election season is in full swing. With Michigan's presidential primary looming, Saginaw County expects to see visits from some of the candidates vying for the nation's highest office. Organizers of a local Republican Party fundraiser on Saturday, March 5, invited all GOP presidential candidates to the event at the Birch Run Expo Center. Ohio Gov. John Kasich confirmed plans to attend, and organizers are hopeful for surprise visits from other Republican primary contenders as well. Related: GOP presidential candidate John Kasich coming to Birch Run The same venue, located in the Village of Birch Run, played host to Republican frontrunner Donald Trump in August 2015. On Sunday, in neighboring Genesee County, Democratic frontrunners Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are set to square off in another primary debate. Presidents are no strangers to the Saginaw area. We dug into The Saginaw News archive and found dozens of photographs of future, current and former presidents dating back to 1952. It's an amazing collection of images chronicling the Saginaw community's place in presidential history. The oldest photo we found shows Dwight D. Eisenhower speaking to a huge crowd gathered at the city's New York Central station during a "whistle stop" tour in 1952. In the years that followed, Richard Nixon visited the area twice, John F. Kennedy came to the Saginaw County Fairgrounds in 1960, Michigan's own Gerald Ford came three times, Jimmy Carter visited twice and Ronald Reagan stopped twice at Tri-City Airport, now MBS International Airport. Many future and current presidents came in the fall of a presidential election year to campaign. Others came to help mark important milestones, like Gerald R. Ford's speech during a Saginaw Township celebration of the nation's bicentennial in 1976. More recently, Saginaw has seen three visits from George H.W. Bush, one from Bill Clinton in 1992 and three from George W. Bush during the 2000 and 2004 election seasons. Enjoy these historic moments in Saginaw's history on display in the gallery and the video slideshow above. We continue to tell stories and share images of Saginaw County's role in the political process throughout the 2016 presidential election season. Full coverage: Michigan 2016 primary Michigan's presidential primary election is Tuesday, March 8. The nominees will then square off in the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 8. Mark Tower covers local government for MLive/The Saginaw News. Contact him at 989-284-4807, by email at mtower@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Google+. Covenant HealthCare Firefighters from the Saginaw Fire Department were dispatched about 2 p.m. on Thursday, March 3, to the 700 building of Covenant HealthCare near Michigan in Saginaw to investigate smoke coming from the building. (Katy Kildee | MLive.com) SAGINAW, MI -- Firefighters from the Saginaw Fire Department were dispatched about 2 p.m. on Thursday, March 3, to the 700 building of Covenant HealthCare near Michigan in Saginaw to investigate a report of smoke in the building. Firefighters at the scene said that there was no smoke or fire, but they were investigating an odor that employees reported. Kristin Knoll, corporate communications and public relations coordinator, said firefighters were investigating the hospital's third floor. Additional information was not immediately available. Bob Johnson is a reporter for MLive/The Saginaw News. Contact him at 989-395-3295, by email at bob_johnson@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Google+. In downtown Yangon between Mahabandoola and 47th streets, veiled behind a canopy of broad trees, is an unassuming brick building painted in red and yellow with grey window shutters. Inside, its walls are marbled with damp that spreads across the exposed brickwork. In the centre of the room are freshly painted machines, engraved with the words Hughes & Lancaster Limited, engineers and contractors, London & Ruabon. This is the engine room of Yangons decrepit underground sewer system. Installed in 1888, the network of cast-iron tunnels and pipes has been supporting the citys downtown area ever since, said U Khin Maung Tint of Yangon City Development Committee. Designed by British engineers to cater to just 40,000 people living in six Yangon townships, 128 years later the sewers now support more than 350,000 residents. Each day, thousands of gallons of waste from houses and offices in Lanmadaw, Latha, Pabedan, Kyauktada, Pazundaung and Botahtaung townships passes through 313 pipelines into two large cast-iron pipes. In these 36-inch-diameter pipes, which run 30 feet below Anawratha Road and 25ft below Strand and Mahabandoola roads, waste is pushed by air-pumps in the 47th Street building, towards the west of the city, to a processing works in Botahtaung township. Around 70 YCDC workers maintain the network, said U Khin Maung Tint. People dont even notice this huge system, but we are always conducting maintenance to deal with problems in the downtown area, he said. As the city grows, so does the burden of maintenance. The system is urgently in need of new investment, said U Thein Min, deputy head of YCDCs water and sanitation department, not least because it only covers six townships. [The network] is holding out for now, but the population is increasing and the number of high-rise buildings has risen exponentially. We are looking at ways to upgrade the system as a matter of urgency, he said. In the past, we had 22 sewage-pumping machines around Yangon for 240,000 people. Although we now have 40 machines, five have been ruined or blocked so we are running just 35. We really need to work on repairing and upgrading the system as the city grows. Japanese investors have looked at developing the network, but have been faced with a conundrum, he said. The system is so old that any attempts to make new cast-iron underground pipes and archaic air pumping machines to extend the network to other townships would be prohibitively expensive. We dont know why the British government built the system in this way. If we tried to expand it, it would cost more than US$1 billion. Nobody can afford it, said U Thein Min, adding that such systems are almost extinct. Beyond Yangon they can only be found in Pakistans Karachi and Cairo in Egypt. As far as I know, other cities across the world use pipelines, but not such long pipes. They also have separate treatment plants for each township, he said. Since 1962, all household waste water apart from sewage has been redirected into a network of drains, relieving some pressure on the system. Japans Osaka Corporation donated two K100 million machines to Yangon City Development Committee last year that are able to clean the 313 smaller pipes. Major obstructions are unblocked manually, using a special-purpose long iron stick. Until 2003, sewage from the six downtown townships passed each day directly into the Yangon River. In 2005, a sewage processing works was built at Thanhletsun, Botahtaung township. The 5.5-acre treatment plant was built with the citys growth in mind it can purify around 3.25 million gallons of polluted water each day. Around 111,840 gallons of waste arrives daily at the plant through the underground system, making up just over one-sixth of the waste processed each day from across the city. In uptown townships, sewage is collected in tanks and transported to Thanhletsun. From the two main sewers and trucks from other townships around 600,000 gallons enters the factory each day, said an official at the sewage works. We throw the recycled clean water into the river. The waste becomes humus and is treated and dried before being used as fertiliser in the citys parks. The Japan International Cooperation Agency is looking at ways to upgrade the system as part of its 2040 strategic urban development plan for Greater Yangon. It is hoping to build new pipelines beneath some of the citys other townships, as well as smaller treatment plants in the downtown area. Additional foreign investment and expertise will be needed for the ambitious project, which includes the construction of eight new treatment plants, said U Thein Min, adding that experts from Japan, Korea and Australia are already involved. For now however, the project has stalled due to budget issues. A K2 billion loan from Japan would help finance the work, U Wai Lwin, of YCDCs Engineering Department (Water and Sanitation) previously told The Myanmar Times. Weve collected data on the volume of sewage produced by the whole of Yangon, and will use the most advanced technology, he said, adding that costs still needed to be finalised. Translation by Emoon and Khine Thazin Han The launch of new infrastructure projects often sees property prices surge in the surrounding area. But prices in Dala township, where a bridge will be built to connect the area to Yangon, were pushed so high in the past by speculation that the market has remain unchanged. The Korean-funded project was launched in Dala township on February 17, but has been publicly discussed since 2012. The intervening years of delay did not stop a wave of property speculation sending up prices in the quiet township. But now that the bridge has been confirmed and formally launched there are no signs of another surge property agents say the market has remained quiet. The biggest bouts of speculation occurred in 2013 and 2014 following announcements. The government first formally released information about plans to connect Dala township with the rest of the city, across the Yangon River, in 2013. When the project then ran into difficulties and was put on hold, land prices fell and the new owners were unable to sell their holdings. When the Yangon Region government confirmed last May that it would take on a loan from the South Korean government to build the bridge, property prices spiked again. Since then, even though property speculation has slowed, asking prices have remained high. Real estate agents said that stubbornly high prices are making it difficult for people to buy or invest in the land following the projects official launch. In the past, the property market surged because of the project, but because prices became extremely high and didnt go back down that cant happen again, said U Khin Maung Aye, a real estate agent at Shwe Kan Myae real estate agency. Underdeveloped Dala township now boasts property prices similar to townships in central Yangon, which means new buyers are hard to come by, he said. U Khin Maung Aye said that the price of a 250-square-metre plot of land beside the main road in Dala was around K500 million. Once the bridge is actually built and the area develops, Dala will become a good investment and the property market will improve, he added, though this is some five years away. Dala-based real estate broker U Hla Chit said that some of the high land prices are asking prices, and not the price at which land is changing hands. Transaction prices are closer to K60 million for a 2400-square-feet (222 sq m) plot, he said. This is in line with prices in July 2015, when U Hla Chit told The Myanmar Times that prices in wards other than Kyansit Thar, the most sought-after ward, were around K60 million to K70 million for between 1200 and 2400 sq ft. There have been few actual deals since the bridge project was confirmed, with no jump in prices and little movement in general, he told The Myanmar Times this week. There are people eager to buy land in Dala township, he said, but owners who bought following the projects announcement in 2013 do not want to sell at a loss. Local land owners that were forced to relocate to make way for the project received compensation from the government late last year. At that time those land owners said the price of the land that they received in compensation was worth double that of their old plots. U Hla Chit said that this was simply speculation, and did not reflect actual transactions. Expectations are high among the villagers near the controversial Letpadaung copper mine that the incoming National League for Democracy government will take their side in what could be a resumption of hostilities with the operator and possibly police. The residents of the villages around the mine project in Salingyi township, Sagaing Region, believe they have particular reason to expect the support of the next government. In 2012, NLD leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was appointed chair of a commission of inquiry set up to investigate a particularly violent clash in which police used white phosphorous on protesters, leaving scores injured, including Buddhist monks. Controversially, the commission recommended the project continue on the proviso that a number of recommendations were implemented. The villagers say they now want the NLD to ensure the mining company follows the commissions orders. Local anger over the alleged land grabs and environmental degradation associated with the Letpadaung mine has repeatedly flared up. In December 2014, one local resident was shot dead by police during a protest. On February 8, police charged 65 residents with staging an illegal demonstration in connection with an attempt by the Chinese company Wanbao to fence off part of the project zone to build a factory and warehouses. The company has said it hopes to complete the work by May 4 before resuming copper production. All we wanted was permission to cultivate the land. Now we have no work, said Daw Amar Cho, a resident of Tone village, who faces charges for leading the protest. She said she had not yet received any official notification of the police complaint. Wanbao has offered three compensation payments to local residents. The first, of K520,000, was made in 2011-12 in respect of three years of crops. Further payments were then made of K1 million and K1.8 million. Daw Amar Cho said she had accepted the first payment. We all took it. But the second time, they said that in exchange for the money we would have to give up ownership of the land. I didnt take that payment. Activist U Sai Kyaw Aye said that the total land area of the mine project was 7878 acres, and no compensation had been offered in respect of 3000 acres. The villagers took the first payment out of fear. The villagers dont want to sell their land. Wanbao is proceeding against the will of the people, he said. A local monk, U Zin Arrlawka, who also faces charges, told The Myanmar Times, About 200 or 300 people have been charged in total so far. U Soe Hein, a member of Sein Yaung So Activities, a Mandalay-based environmental group, said he had contributed to research by the Myanmar Alliance for Transparency and Accountability, which said Wanbao had implemented only 20 percent of the recommendations of the investigation committee, and much of its activity was just for show. The current government insists that the overwhelming majority have been implemented. They offered us land 20 miles [32 kilometres] away, but it was no good for farming. They offered vocational training, then they gave us Chinese sewing machines that didnt work. He said villagers demanded the full implementation of the recommendations agreed by Daw Aung San Suu Kyis investigation committee. The project is a joint venture between military-owned Myanmar Economic Holdings (MEHL) and Wanbao Mining (Wanbao), a Chinese company and a subsidiary of Chinas state-owned arms firm, China North Industries Corporation, better known as Norinco. The operator of the mine, Myanmar Wanbao, insists that the majority of residents have been compensated and support the project. In a recent interview, U Myint Thein, manager of Myanmar Wanbaos Yangon office, said the company has adopted an environmental conservation plan drawn up by an Australian company, in accordance with international standards. Wanbao will also compensate farmers whose land has been taken, with money and job opportunities. Those who refuse to accept work will receive a monthly grant of US$70, $120 or $160 a month over a 30-year period. The company says 80pc of those affected have already accepted the offer. On the recommendation of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the contract between MEHL and Wanbao was also negotiated to give the state a much larger share. It will now get 51pc of the profits, while Wanbao will get 30pc and MEHL 19pc. But resident Ma Khin Nilar Mya said even villagers who had accepted compensation opposed the mine. Those villagers now say they made a mistake in accepting the compensation, she said. U Soe Hein said, I dont think the company can continue if it accepts all the recommendations of the investigation committee. Wanbao is also pinning its hopes on the new government, but for a far different outcome than residents. Dong Yun Fei, a Myanmar spokesperson for Wanbao, told AFP that the company would start production under the new government and I hope for a better future with them. He added that there are still some problems with local people and it was up to the NLD to quell opposition. Some of them protest sometimes, he said. The question of how to handle this problem is the business of the government. Only they can solve it. But the NLD, keen to avoid confrontation with the military, is likely to tread carefully. Already the project has been the source of tension in parliament, when it was raised during a discussion on February 26 over allegations the current government was trying to rush through deals before leaving office. Military MPs interrupted an NLD representative as he criticised the project, and stood to show their objection. Nevertheless, Ma Thwet Thwet Win, of Wat Hmay village, said she expected the incoming NLD government to take action. UMEHL, Wanbao and the local authorities are to blame for these protests, she said, adding that even apparent concessions on the part of the company had not resolved the situation. Kan village has no water, she said. The authorities promised to provide it, the chief minister held a ceremony, but theres still no water. Clawfoot bath tubs, US$1000 paintings as hallway decorations and intricate wood-carved panelling throughout the rooms sound like a boat? Launched March 1, Heritage Lines Anawratha River Cruiser has all that and more, making it one of the most extravagant luxury travel options in Myanmar. Its inaugural trip will commence March 4, chugging upriver from Yangon on a journey to Bagan. Maarten Perdok, the managing director of Heritage Line, said the company already operating in Vietnam and Cambodia is excited to bring their brand to Myanmar. I think we have built a very unique, beautiful vessel that will be very special on this river, he said. And we will give our guests a truly exclusive look at the Irrawaddy and Chindwin rivers. At 65 metres long and 14 metres tall, the ship offers more cabin space than any other on the Ayeyarwady river, one aspect the company is most proud of. It also sits just 1.1 metres deep into the water, allowing it to travel in shallow waters and varying seasons. With 23 cabins, the ship only accommodates 46 guests. There are also 46 crew members, a target number that Perdok said creates an ideal, one-to-one ratio of guest to crew. It really becomes like one big family during the trip, he said. The launch comes several months after the originally planned date of September 2015. Entirely built in Vietnam, where Heritage Line is based, the ship was floated to Yangon and arrived in mid-July 2015. But a confluence of regulation hang-ups and last-minute itinerary kept the boat docked for months. Perdok made no mention of the delay in his launch party speech. Instead he focused on highlighting the wealth of itineraries available to guests, who can choose from a range of five-, seven-, eight- and even 12-day trips. The standard tourist destinations of Bagan and Mandalay are included on most, but other lesser-known stops are featured as well. Guests will have a chance to examine Kachin liquor distilleries in Shwegu and the old George Orwell residence in Katha. The cheapest stateroom on the shortest cruise will run about US$4000, while the most luxurious suite which has its own Jacuzzi on the balcony costs $12,000. But Perdok said river travel is worth it. Youre very close to life on the river which is quite unique, said Perdok. But then you have your floating hotel, luxury thats always on standby. During the day guests go off on excursions but in no time are back to their cabin, their comfort zone, with a chilled glass of wine waiting for them. With hot season sizzling just around the corner, a party organising group based in Yangon has plotted a beach escape to Ngwe Saung on March 18 to 20. Its not just a party the event, known as SunBoxx is bringing several international DJs to the Golden Land, including the headlining act James What. Parties here arent really what we want them to be, said Max Von Etzdorf, a British expat whos lived in Yangon for three years. We were looking for something a bit more international. Von Etzdorf and James Leatham, another expat, joined together to start Dog & Bone Parties in addition to their full-time jobs. The group hosted a DJ party in Ngwe Saung in November 2015 and hopes to start planning three or four similar events per year. Already theyve seen a growth of interest, with more than 300 people expected to buy tickets to Sunboxx. Our goal is to remain at the forefront of the electronic dance music scene in Myanmar, not just by organising the most exclusive and prestigious of dance music events, but also to be known as the event company which consistently brings in an array of global DJs to different locations across the country, states the Dog & Bone Facebook page. One such global DJ is Sunboxxs headliner, James What. The United Kingdom native has spun at internationally renowned music festivals such as the USs Burning Man at Black Rock Desert and Sona music festival in Barcelona. Currently on a trip through some of Southeast Asias megacities, What will be making a detour to Myanmars west coast because Leatham contacted his management personally. He will be joined by SY, who is flying in from the UK, as well as several international talents from Myanmar such as Karl Ross of Norway and DJ Fisewook. Leatham himself will also be performing. The event will be hosted by the Eskala Resort, a 2014 addition to Ngwe Saungs luxury resort market situated on the northern end of the beach. Guests of the Sunboxx party have been offered a discounted rate of US$100 per night, and tickets to the music festival are $40. Dog & Bone also arranged for private chartered buses complete with complimentary drinks offered to guests for a return rate of $30. Those interested in attending the festival can book a ticket at the events Facebook Page, Sunboxx. Three years of FABulousness will inspire Myanmars party-goers from far and wide to bend their genders and dance the night away for FABs three-year anniversary extravaganza at J-One club on March 5. In honour of its continued success, the anniversary partys theme will be gender bending. Boys will be girls and girls will be boys, said Jeewee, co-founder of FAB. Were asking all guests to change gender for the night. Make-up artists will be on site to help unprepared guests with some eyeliner or a quick moustache. The party starts with pre-drinks at Fahrenheit from 8 to 10pm and moves to J-One Bar where DJs Bay Tar and Mr Y will provide the beats to make your booty bounce until late. More than just fun nights out, the monthly FAB parties have been encouraging members of the LGBT community to be themselves. Our proudest moments are when we hear from young Myanmar LGBTs who have come to FAB for the first time, he said. It can be quite an eye-opener realising theres a club full of like-minded people who understand you and face the same struggles. For some, its the one night each month when they can let their hair down and be themselves ... we hope we can keep FAB going for years to come. FAB opens to all booty shakers from 10pm at J-One Bar located on Bo Cho Road, behind UBC on Kandawgyi Lake near the Japanese embassy. The party goes until late. Entry is K5000. United Nations representatives are continuing to pressure Myanmar on the international stage over its treatment of Muslim minorities and internally displaced people. A high-ranking UN official who recently toured IDP camps in Rakhine, Kachin and Shan states yesterday spoke of his heartbreaking experiences. John Ging, director of operations for the Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), stressed that the welfare of these groups cannot be forgotten in the aftermath of the election as the country continues to transform economically and politically. In Rakhine State, Mr Ging met with some of the 120,000 Muslim Rohingya who are officially called Bengalis by the government and 5000 ethnic Rakhine who remain displaced after communal violence in 2012, which saw more than 150 killed and several villages razed. While acknowledging that the government has made progress in improving the living conditions for some, he also described temporary shelters in a state of collapse and appalling sanitation conditions. Many of the camps lack running water or an operational sewage system. UNOCHA noted that Muslim camp inhabitants continue to face extreme restrictions on their movement, and are denied access to local hospitals. One mother told me that her baby, less than a month old, died from lack of oxygen in December after she was denied access to treatment at the nearby township hospital in Myebon, Mr Ging said. He appealed for an end to such discriminatory policies. [These policies] do not reflect the values of the people of Myanmar or the historical diversity of the country. Segregation and disenfranchisement are flawed and inhumane policies, and history teaches us that they fail every time. In Kachin and Shan states, over 100,000 people remain displaced by conflict and living in temporary camps, despite the ceasefire signed last October. The temporary camps in these states experienced a severe shortage of funding from international aid groups last year, adding to the plight of the displaced. Communities in Kachin raised concerns about the proliferation of landmines as clashes between ethnic armed groups and the Tatmadaw continue. Myanmar has one of the highest rates of landmine deaths in the world. It is the most vulnerable people that suffer most but I am very impressed by their resilience: They have endured so much, Mr Ging said, but added that much more must be done on the landmine issue. In an accompanying statement, UNOCHA noted that not everyone in Myanmar is benefiting in this transition. Mr Ging said the country and international community must work much harder to achieve inclusive progress that will allow the displaced to return. The National League for Democracy has remained largely silent on the issue of displaced Muslim Rohingya, indicating that it would not be made a priority. Presidents Office director U Zaw Htay said yesterday that he did not want to comment on the UNOCHA statement because he had not yet read it. After last years crackdown disrupted maritime human smuggling routes out of Rakhine State, traffickers and those desperate to leave are scouting for alternatives. The ready pipeline of refugees seeking to flee displaced persons camps continues to fuel the multi-million-dollar smuggling industry. But deterred by stories of abuse and the increasing likelihood of not being able to complete the often-deadly journey, Muslim Rohingya who previously have fled by sea in droves are no longer as willing to crowd onto the converted fishing boats and risk being stranded as smugglers desert the vessels. But that doesnt mean they arent still desperate to leave. Now, some are trying to find another way out, like by flights, said Aamir, 24, a Rohingya living in Baw Du Pha 1 camp in Sittwe. (All names of Rakhine State IDPs have been changed to protect identitites.) This way is safer than by boat. Even though its possible to be arrested on the way, that means a prison sentence, not death. Though his odds may be better with a flight, the cost difference is prohibitively high. A place on a smugglers boat costs just K50,000, he said. Many were able to drum up the sum by selling United Nations food rations. By contrast, the cost of forged documents and an air ticket, just to Yangon, is 20 times higher, at more than K1 million per person, he said. The first half of 2015 saw record numbers of refugees and migrants from Rakhine State and Bangladesh crowding on to smugglers vessels. Over 31,000 sailed from the Bay of Bengal to the Andaman Sea, according to UN figures. This represented a 34 percent rise from the previous year, which was up on the year before. But in May, after the discovery of mass graves and jungle trafficking camps in southern Thailand and Malaysia, countries in the region began clamping down on the vast network, enhancing security at departure and arrival points. Boats were left adrift at sea, and more than 370 people died due to abuse and disease making the route three times more deadly than the smuggling circuit in the Mediterranean. In the second half of 2015, the flow of departures slowed, but didnt altogether halt, with another estimated 1600 people leaving on boats. But Aamir is far from the only one trying to flee the IDP camps and their shortage of work, food, healthcare and education through overland routes. Sayyid, 23, said he would rather risk a trip to Malaysia than endure life in a restrictive camp without any job opportunities. I must be able to go to Malaysia whatever happens to me, he told The Myanmar Times. Sayyid, who lives in That Kay Pyin camp, is the oldest of seven, with three brothers and three sisters. He said he has been searching for a broker for three months, but has so far been unsuccessful. Two months ago he met a smuggler who promised to take him to a boat, but cheated him of his money instead. I decided that I must try to go, whatever happens, he said. I must connect with a broker even though they are hiding now because of the crackdown. Sayyid and Aamir are part of a group of 13 people who are all trying to find a way out of the camps they have been stuck in since sectarian violence gripped the state in 2012. Most members of the group are young, male and underemployed. Over 140,000 people, mostly Muslim Rohingya officially referred to by the government as Bengalis remain in the camps. They lack citizenship and are reliant on aid due to restrictions placed on their movement. The Rakhine State government defends the measures by saying the Muslim families are safer in the camps. But the crackdown on human smugglers has made it even harder for the refugees to use their scraped-up savings and find a way out. This crackdown has included the first police case against human traffickers in Rakhine State, which has grown from an initial arrest last year to now involve more than 50 suspects. According to the camp residents, the international attention netted by last years boat crisis has put the trade under increased scrutiny, making it an even riskier journey. People from camps are still finding a way to go abroad themselves, said U Tin Maung Swe, a secretary in the Rakhine State government office. However, we are taking effective action to prevent human trafficking. So we have not seen any more boat people recently. Camp residents told The Myanmar Times in earlier interviews that government and military officials were involved in the human smuggling trade, or were paid to look the other way. These accusations have also been levelled in annual US Trafficking in Persons Reports, the most recent of which was released in July 2015. According to the Anti-Human Trafficking Police Unit, smugglers havent stopped operating theyve just changed their target. In August, nine Muslim children and the mother of one of the teenagers were arrested en route to Yangon. All 10 had agreed to pay K1 million (US$780) each to a broker who promised to arrange them jobs in Yangon. Ali, a 55-year-old resident of Baw Du Pha camp, said the Rohingya IDPs are not allowed to go anywhere without permission. Many of the camps are surrounded by policed checkpoints. He added that they have no identity cards, except for those who hold temporary white cards, masking them essentially stateless. To go fishing or even to go to the hospital in an emergency requires permission from authorities, a process that can be both costly and time-consuming. As we do not have any identity, we become illegal when we go outside our camp, he said. In March 2015, the Immigration Department revoked more than 460,000 white cards across Myanmar, the majority from Rakhine. In June, the state immigration officers doled out pink cards and said the holders of the cards could apply for citizenship through a verification process, but have given no timeline for when that process could happen. According to Ministry of Immigration and Population records, over 50 Rohingya Muslims were arrested for illegally entering Yangon. Police have noted cases this year in North Dagon, Shwe Pyi Thar, Thaketa and Hmawbi townships. The records indicate that the people came from various areas in Rakhine State, such as Ann, Minbya, Pauktaw and Sittwe. A Hmawbi police officer involved in the arrest of the nine children and the mother last August said the smugglers planned to hide the group in a house until arrangements could be made for a flight. We could not open a case for human trafficking so far because we are still investigating the smuggler, said Police Major Min Naing from the Anti-Human Trafficking Police Unit. Currently, those [smuggled] people have been charged under the immigration law and sentenced to imprisonment for breaking this law. But back in Sittwe, the camp residents are no less determined to get to Yangon, Malaysia or beyond. Naeem, 18, wants to flee to Malaysia. He already attempted a boat crossing in 2012 when he was just 14. His mother caught him just seconds before he was meant to depart with a friend. I have heard that it is not a good time for fleeing, but I cant stop thinking about getting a better life abroad rather than staying here. [Its] like being in a prison, he told The Myanmar Times. If I had a job in here, maybe I would not go abroad. But here there is no job for me. It is too hard for me to survive here. Mahmud, 28, said he has no idea what will be happen to him if he tries to flee by boat or overland. He sleeps outside on a mat because its not considered appropriate for him to stay on the floor of a small room he previously shared with his younger sister. I have no job. There is nothing for me to stay for here, he said. I am worried because I heard about the suffering of the boat people and that the Malaysia government no longer accepts boat people. But it is better to sink in the water or be sentenced to prison time than to live here, with no opportunities and no rights. One day after Myanmar workers won a rare victory over Thai employers, obtaining more than US$1 million in compensation from the owners of a canning factory at which abuses were rife, temporary labourers reported being overlooked in the payout. Golden Prize Tuna Canning yesterday capitulated to workers demands for better treatment and compensation for abuses that included illegal salary deductions, unpaid overtime hours and insufficient breaks. Under the watch of Thai police and military officials, the company agreed to a settlement of 48 million baht ($1.3 million), divided between 1750 workers, including over 1400 from Myanmar. Yet between 150 and 200 piecemeal workers say they were not included in the settlement. The workers, who were not salaried but paid according to output, also sought compensation for the exploitative working conditions, according to rights groups. However, the employees denied receiving any payment so far. U Sein Htay, chair of the Migrant Worker Rights Network (MWRN), who has been assisting the Myanmar workers at Golden Prize Tuna, said the network will be pressing for compensation for all workers and will open a case in court if the employer continues refusing to fairly compensate workers. There is evidence that the workers were unlawfully abused, U Sein Htay said. These [piecemeal] workers must receive the same compensation as received by the other workers. He added that Golden Prize employees have long been subject to salaries far below the 300-baht-a-day minimum wage. They have faced abusive supervisers as well as retroactive punishments for trying to seek overtime pay. Ko Aung Ko Win, one of the Golden Prize employees, told The Myanmar Times that he is upset his employer denied him the compensation he is rightfully owed. We also want compensation because we were abused as well, he said. He added that he feels doubly wronged: not paid proper wages and then not paid when the salaried workers were compensated yesterday. Thailand is the third-largest seafood exporter in the world, but the sector has long been rife with abuse. Increasingly, it has come under international scrutiny, including sustaining a bottom, tier 3 ranking on the US Trafficking in Persons Report, and obtaining a yellow card warning from the EU. Telling the truth about tobacco in Myanmar has taken a long time, health officials say. In the wake of this weeks announcement by the Ministry of Health that cigarette packaging will display stern warnings and graphic pictures of tobacco-related diseases, it has emerged that campaigners have been trying for years to pass these measures. Dr Than Sein, head of the Public Health Foundation, told The Myanmar Times on March 1 that the Myanmar government had signed an agreement with the World Health Organization in 2013 to publicise health warnings and tighten controls on tobacco, but had not yet implemented it. Myanmar law has required health warnings in words and pictures since 2006, but those laws too remained a dead letter, he said. Some local brands do display a health warning to escape prosecution, but it is very small, he said, taking up only 2 percent of the area of the packet instead of the 30pc required by international standards. The warnings and pictures now required by the Myanmar government will take up 75pc of the packet area, the health ministry has announced but even that decision was made back in August 2014, by the Myanmar Cigarette and Tobacco Products Consumption Controlling Central Committee. We approached the Ministry of Health to urge them to make this a requirement under the law. We held national workshops with the ministry to share suggestions on reducing tobacco consumption in Myanmar, he said, hailing the governments February 29 announcement as good progress. We will monitor how many cigarette brands comply with this instruction, and whether the rate of consumption decreases or not, he said, citing a nationwide survey that indicated that the display of graphic pictures on cigarette packets could reduce consumption by 5-10pc. Ko Win Naing, a 10-a-day man in his 20s, said the display of graphic warning pictures would make him more aware of the risks of smoking. Pictures like that could persuade me to cut down, he said. I dont like seeing pictures of the inside of peoples mouths. But smoker Ko Amo said, I dont care what pictures they show. If I feel like smoking, Ill smoke. The health ministry says about 26pc of the population smoked, including 43.8pc of men and 8.4pc of women. Neither British American Tobacco nor Myanmar Japan Tobacco responded to requests for comment. You've been warned. Notices went up all over Mandalay on March 1 alerting consumers to watch out for food products that contain dangerous chemical dyes. Mandalay City Development Committee has listed brands of chilli food colouring, chilli sauce, vinegar, soft drinks, lollipops, roasted lablab beans, noodles and tamarind juice. Weve posted notices in all 44 markets in Mandalay, which should help both consumers and shops to avoid these brands. We will take action against any shop found selling these brands. Were also advertising in newspapers to alert people to these brands, U Zayar Nyein, head of MCDCs Markets and Slaughterhouse Department, told The Myanmar Times yesterday. The city authorities acted following inspections carried out by the Mandalay branch of the Food and Drug Administration. These brands include a list of 19 inedible food products detected in FDA inspections two months ago. Inspections are continuing, and we will continue to publicise any further food products containing inedible materials, said Dr Kyaw Kyaw, deputy director of FDAs Mandalay branch. He said the FDA had also conducted checks for school food stalls in upper Myanmar. Translation by Zar Zar Soe Fresh from an ugly fight over an alleged state asset fire-sale, the government and the National League for Democracy have found a new disagreement: where to hold the power handover ceremony. The government has proposed holding the ceremony at the Presidential Palace, while the NLD is pushing for it to be in parliament a much larger venue. Yes, the government proposed to hold the ceremony at the presidents house but we want to hold it at parliament, senior official U Win Htein confirmed yesterday. He said that this was based on his partys reading of the 2008 constitution, in which it is parliament who appoints the president, and the president has to swear an oath at parliament before taking power. Based on that, we believe that the ceremony should be held at the parliament, he said. While the constitution does not say where the handover should take place, U Win Htein said that in the United States the ceremony takes place inside its parliament. The outgoing president and the incoming president go to the parliament together for the ceremony after having breakfast at the White House, he said, adding that internationally it was common for the winning party to lead the ceremony. The five-year term of U Thein Seins government is to expire on March 30, after which it will hand over power to an NLD-backed government. The government will be formed by the president, who will be chosen by a parliament that the NLD dominates thanks to its election win in November. Following that victory, both the government and NLD set up transition committees to negotiate elements of the handover. At the third and most recent meeting, on February 24, the government gave NLD its draft proposal for the power transferring ceremony. It has not yet been released to the public, but Minister for Information U Ye Htut, who sits on the governments five-member transition team, told journalists afterward that the proposal was for a ceremony at the Presidential Palace on March 30 or 31. The NLD was told to respond with any proposed changes by March 17. U Win Htein played down the rift, saying that the NLD would negotiate until it reaches an agreement with the government. We will negotiate We dont want to see a situation where one side is disappointed on the other. So we will discuss it again in coming meetings until we [both sides] reached a situation that we can agree on, he said. The NLD plans to invite foreign ambassadors, parliamentary committee chairs, family members of incoming ministers, representatives of the NLD election campaign committee and some celebrities to the power transferring ceremony, he added. Asked if it would also invite ethnic armed groups, he said, I am considering them. The next meeting of the transition committees is not yet scheduled. U Win Htein said only that it would take place before the transfer of power. The committees were set up on December 10. Minister for the Presidents Office U Hla Tun leads the government team, which also includes U Ye Htut, Presidents Office director general U Hla Tun, Ministry of Construction deputy director general U Manung Maung Ohn and Presidents Office director U Zaw Htay. The NLD team comprises U Win Htein, U Myo Aung and retired Yangon University rector U Aung Thu. Translation by Thiri Min Htun The heat is on. Temperatures are set to rise markedly in mid-March and the month as a whole is set to be warmer than March last year, weather experts say but it will not be the hottest month this year. Daytime temperatures, especially in central Myanmar, will reach new highs over the next few weeks, said U Kyaw Moe Oo, deputy director general of the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology. Daytime temperatures are forecast to rise 2 or 3 Celsius during March in central Myanmar and some parts of lower Myanmar, he said. Above-average temperatures are expected across a large swathe of the country, including Kayin, Mon and Kayah states, and Bago, Ayeyarwady, Yangon, Magwe, Mandalay, lower Sagaing and Tanintharyi regions. The average maximum temperature in March is 30-35C for hilly regions and 35-40C for coastal and delta areas. U Kyaw Moe Oo said, The average temperature of some regions, especially central Myanmar, is 40-41C. Some regions where temperatures usually attain 40C could be hotter this month. We have already observed unexpected rain and high temperatures in the period February 15-20. He added that central Myanmar, Ayeyarwady, Yangon and Bago regions could face higher temperatures than other parts of the country due to the effects of El Nino, and could experience water shortages. DMH director U Kay Lwin Oo said March would not be the hottest month this year. Temperatures have been a bit high in February, two weeks earlier than in previous years. March temperatures will also be higher than the normal average, he said. March is just the start of summer, so the weather will not yet be at its most extreme. But the El Nino phenomenon could drive up temperatures. U Kyaw Moe Oo said the summer of 2016 was expected to be the hottest ever because of El Nino. The temperature gets higher every year due to global warming. According to the World Meteorological Organisation, the five-year period from 2011 to 2015 has been the hottest ever. The forecast is that 2016 will be hotter still, he said. The DMH says the last 10 days of February already broke a number of high temperature records, especially in the cities. The department has also warned of the need for food security measures because of the likely effects of El Nino, including higher temperatures, floods, drought and water shortages, leading to health risks. Adverse weather conditions could also affect electricity generation, healthcare, fisheries, maritime travel and transportation in general. Exactly one month ago, on February 3, the Philippine Congress decided to adjourn until after the coming presidential election in May. By taking that portentous step, the nations legislators prevented President Benigno Aquinos legacy peace accord for Muslim Mindanao becoming law. It was a tremendous disaster for Aquino and it means that he is now likely to be perceived as a failure when he leaves office in June. The peace agreement that his administration had hammered out with the main Muslim Moro rebel group in the western part of the southern island of Mindanao is now stone dead. Although years in the making, it cannot be resurrected in the same form no matter who wins the May 9 election and replaces Aquino, who is term-limited. It is a tragedy on multiple levels, not only because it might have solved decades of civil conflict in Mindanao and perhaps been a template for a similar settlement of Myanmars ethnic conflicts but also because its demise was largely Aquinos own fault. The final accord which he sent to Congress last year was called the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) and it was designed to grant the volatile Muslim Moro community their own autonomous political region. Although it only formalised an existing ceasefire between Manila and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the biggest rebel group, it was seen by many as the precursor of an independent Muslim state. And that, in their view, heralded a potential descent into the kind of blood-letting associated with the creation of other break-away Muslim states like Pakistan and Kosovo. It also spooked Thailand and even China, where concern arose that an autonomous Islamic region in Mindanao might inflame separatist sentiment in their Muslim-majority regions of Pattani and Xinjiang, respectively. Aquinos lame attempts to dispel these domestic and regional fears, coupled with his lacklustre lobbying of legislators and other interested parties, contributed to the demise of the autonomy law. So what now? Well, assuming that whoever replaces Aquino on June 30 will want to try to cement peace in Mindanao, it means the new president must attempt to initiate a new round of talks with the MILF. That will not be easy, given that the autonomy plan was deeply polarising and not only divided most Filipinos, but also split the Muslim Moros into mutually antagonistic factions. It will also require the new president and, indeed, all parties to put the calamitous Mamasapano massacre behind them. That tragic incident in January last year in Moro territory caused the death of 44 special action troops and 17 MILF rebels, and it was squarely blamed on Aquinos indecision and deceit. Consequently, talks on the peace accord became stalled and wary legislators repeatedly contrived to prevent a quorum being present. As a result, no voting on the bill could take place last year. That said, Aquinos key negotiator, Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, still insists that the legislative blocking of the bill will not stop the momentum of the Bangsamoro peace process. She may be right, she may be wrong; much will depend on the policy toward Mindanaos long-festering Muslim problem that is adopted by the next president. Of the five candidates in the election, Senator Grace Poe, who is leading in most polls and who normally aligns with Aquino on most issues, decided against supporting his proposed autonomy bill. Like many others, she feared it might lead to the creation of a separate Islamic state within the Philippines. In her campaign, Poe has asserted that establishing stability and boosting economic development among the disadvantaged Moros is of more urgent concern to her than drafting a new formal peace pact. Of the other contenders, Mar Roxas, a former cabinet heavyweight and grandson of a former president, has been endorsed by Aquino, partly because he has vowed to push for much the same kind of autonomy law. Earlier this year, Roxas said he would utilise the dividends of the peace process gained by the Aquino administration and inferred that he might use the discarded BBL as a basis for a new deal with the Muslims. Frankly, its hard to see that strategy working. Certainly, many among the now disillusioned ranks of the MILF increasingly want a candidate from Mindanao and hence are backing Davao City mayor Rodrigo Duterte. Known as Dirty Harry due to his hard-line stance on crime, Duterte has retreated from his earlier lukewarm backing of Aquinos autonomy plan and now espouses federalism as the only viable long-term solution. He is probably correct. Unfortunately, though, the chances of the politicians in Manila not to mention the partisan judiciary agreeing to such a profound measure are almost zero. Vice President Jejomar Binay, who is running Poe a close second in the latest polls, has opposed the autonomy plan from the start, and due to that and other issues he split from Aquino long ago. In his campaign, Binay rather naively asserts that he will renegotiate with the rebels and other concerned groups to achieve a meaningful and final resolution of the armed conflict. These bland Pollyanna statements are designed to satisfy the non-Muslim majority of the population, while Binay deals with the more serious issue of countering corruption allegations that have plagued his campaign. The final candidate, veteran Senator Miriam Santiago, also attacked the legality of Aquinos autonomy plan, but she is now frail and has no chance of winning the election. Meanwhile, as the frontrunners, Poe and Binay, downplay the need to develop a replacement pact, splits in the MILF have caused mounting frustration and anger that could well lead to a resumption of hostilities. So the portents for peace are not at all good. It just makes Aquinos failed exit even more tragic. Over the past few years, technology has been gunning to make the traditional leather wallet or purse obsolete. Barcodes stored on phones and wearable chips, for example, have been rolled out to speed up the payment process. Now, however, Google is upping the ante after announcing plans for a payment system that does not require customers to use their hands. At all. The Hands Free App is currently available on iOS and Android devices. Upon installing the app and uploading a profile picture, users can make hands free payments at participating locations. The app uses the location and Bluetooth services integrated into smartphones to determine when they are actually in one of these retailers, and when they are, they cam simply inform the cashier that they will be paying using the app. The cashier will then verify the users initials and that their face matches that of the uploaded profile picture, and the credit card attached the app will then be charged. This should make for a much greater user experience when compared to the quick payment options on the market today, says Pali Bhat, Googles senior director of product management. When you think about a user, in a bunch of situations, the experience is quite crummy right now, it's quite clunky, he remarks. You don't want your phone in the way, your wallet in the way, you don't want your cash in the way. These are inconveniences that happen multiple times a day. Googles new Hands Free app would do away with all of that fumbling, and would also represent a step up over even the simplicity of taking out a smartphone and opening an app. Google also says that they will be constantly looking for ways to improve the technology. One possibility will be to utilize in store cameras to verify the identity of users, further speeding up the process. Google is currently employing public testing of the app in the San Francisco area near its headquarters. Should this beta test go well, the mobile payment field will soon gain another powerful and convenient option. Edited by Maurice Nagle Henry Adofo and Michael Attram 03.03.2016 LISTEN Two Ghanaian actors, Henry Adofo and Michael Attram, are expected to make Ghana proud as they have been nominated for the 2016 edition of the Utah Film Awards in the USA. They got nominated for best lead actor and supporting actor for their performances in the feature film 'Freetown' and become the first Ghanaian actors to be nominated for the Utah. Both actors are competing with equally good actors from the USA in their respective categories, as Henry takes on actors such as Henry Ian Cusick ('Just Let Go'), Brian Krause ('Miracle Maker') and Cameron Deane Stewart ('Big Bad') in his category. Attram also contests Liam Bui ('Just Let Go'), Nathan Stevens ('The Cokeville Miracle') and Jasen Wade ('Miracle Maker') in his category. The 'Freetown' feature film got four nominations in all, including Best Feature, Best Supporting Actor, Best Lead Actor and Best Director. The film is about six Liberian missionaries in Monrovia who were caught in the middle of a brutal civil war, fled from the widespread violence of their native country to their destination: Freetown, Sierra Leone. With the help of local church leader Phillip Abubakar (Henry Adofo), the missionaries make the difficult journey only to have their troubles compounded by a rebel fighter bent on killing one of their own. Based on true events, 'Freetown' is described as a thrilling and inspiring story of hope and survival. It is the only Ghanaian production to also get nominations for the Utah Awards. . The Utah Film Award, originally called a Filmed in Utah Award, is an accolade by working film industry professionals in the United States to recognise outstanding achievement in film, series and commercials. The annual presentation ceremony features performances by talented artistes and the presentation of those awards that have a more popular interest. It shares recognition of the film, television and commercial industry as that of other performance arts: Emmy Awards (television), the Cleo Awards (commercial productions) and the Academy Awards. The first Utah Film Awards was held in March 2011 to honour Utah filmmakers. The fourth Utah Film Awards ceremony was held in March 21, 2014 at the Covey Center for the Arts in Provo to a sold-out house, and was broadcast online internationally. This year's Utah will also come off in March. By Francis Addo (Twitter: @fdee50 Email: [email protected]) 03.03.2016 LISTEN Vodafone Ghana Music Awards 2016 Female vocalist of the year nominee, Irene Logan, will be kicking off her pre-album launch tour this weekend in Tamale. The Afrosoul songstress is set to tour regions of Ghana to promote her upcoming album. The tour will start in Tamale for the northern region and Kumasi, Takoradi, Sunyani, Koforidua and others to follow. Irene will be supported by Wiyaala to thrill the northern fans on the 5th and 6thof March, 2016 at Wooden Restaurant & T-30 Bar for spectacular live performance music. The album will finally be launch in Accra in June 2016. The pre-album launch tour in Tamale is being organize by Spectacular entertainement, supported by Wooden Restaurant and T-30 Bar and powered by ilog Production. Accra, March 2, GNA - The Kenyan President, Mr Uhuru Kenyatta, is the Special Guest of Honour at the 59th Independence Anniversary celebration. President John Dramani Mahama would, on Sunday, 6th March, review a national parade of school children, voluntary organisations and security services at the Black Star Square to commemorate the anniversary. The theme for this year's celebration is: "Investing in the Youth for Ghana's Transformation". A statement issued by the Flagstaff House Communications Bureau, and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra, said President Mahama, who is expected to be joined by two visiting heads of state, would deliver the Independence Anniversary Address. This is would be preceded after a march past by security personnel and school children, drills and equipment display by the security agencies and performances by various groups. There would also be parades in all regional and district capitals across the country, while the country's missions abroad would also host National Day events across the world. GNA Accra, March 2, GNA -The visiting Turkish First Lady, Mrs Emine Erdogon has described Ghana as having a special place among African Countries, saying that was why it continued to attract the attention of many nations. Mrs Erdogan who paid a courtesy call on Ghana's First Lady, Mrs Lordina Mahama, who is also the President of the Organisation of African First Ladies Against HIV/AIDS (OAFLA) in Accra, also commended her for her philanthropic work towards the underprivileged in society. As part of the visit, the two First Ladies presented various items to three vocational institutes and two state institutions to help with the training and education of trainees and inmates. The items included 30 industrial machines, 30 over lock machines, 21 hand sewing machines, 48 sewing kits, 15 bag packs, and 42 button cover machines. The beneficiary institutes were the Young Women Christian Association (YWCA) Kayayei Project in the Greater Accra Region, the Atoko Vocational Training Institute in the Volta Region, and Our Lady of Fatima Vocational Training Institute in the Brong Ahafo Region. Each Institute received 10 industrial machines, 10 over lock machines, seven hand sewing machines, 16 sewing kits, five bag packs and 14 button covers. The State School of the Deaf received 80 hearing aids and bag packs, while the Osu Children's Home were given a deep freezer, an industrial washing machine, some diapers, toys, biscuits and assorted items. The two first Ladies later visited the Osu Children's Home, one of the seven orphanages that receives constant support from the Lordina Foundation, to fraternize with them and to share the items to them. The items were donated by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) to the Lordina Foundation, founded by Mrs Mahama, who also distributed to the five institutions. Mrs Erdogon expressed the hope that the relationship between Ghana and Turkey would grow further, especially with the provision of assistance by civil society groups like TIKA. Mrs Mahama thanked her Turkish counterpart, for sharing in her common value of seeking the welfare of the needy and underprivileged in society. She said her Foundation, as part of its programmes, has donated working tools and equipment to skilled persons including tailors, hairdressers, barbers and the visually impaired as start-up support for their businesses. She said items for the vocational institutes were to serve as working tools to help them utilise the skills they had learnt in school, and also create employment for themselves and their families. She, therefore, said the items for the vocational institutes were to serve as working tools that would help them utilise the skills they have learnt in school, and also create further employment opportunities for themselves and their families. 'I can therefore appreciate the impact those support will have on the training of the young ones,' she said. 'To those who are benefitting from these items and equipment, I urge you to take good care of the equipment and make good use of them. Mrs Christiana Addo, Manager of the Osu Children's Home, thanked the First Ladies for the gesture and assured them the items would be put to good use. The Turkish First Lady was on a two- day official visit with her husband, President Recep Tayyip ErdoAYan, to Ghana and they had since left for Nigeria. GNA 02.03.2016 LISTEN Konko (E/R), March 2, GNA - The Akuapem North Citrus Farmers Association have appealed to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to help them to re-plant their orange farms which have withered and some trees dead as a result of the long drought which has hit the district this dry season. Speaking at a press conference at Konko, the Chairman of the Association, Mr Stephen Agyemang said he had been in citrus farming for the past 30 years and has never experienced such long and severe drought as that of this year. He said, as a result of the long drought, the orange trees of the members in the district had either withered or died and many other farms had also been burnt by bush fires. He said since the area has just experienced its first rain since October last year, the farmers would need some support to be able to replant the trees that had died , withered or burnt down by bush fires . The Chairman said the farmers can overcome such challenges in future if they could be assisted to irrigate their farms. Mr Agyemang said the current situation could worsen the unemployment situation in the area and other parts of the Eastern Region. He said citrus serve as source of raw materials for companies in the fruit juice industry in the region which also creates direct and indirect employment to large number of people living in other parts of the Region. Some of the members of the association at the press conference called for the rehabilitation of road network in the area for easy accessibility to their farms. Mr Richmond Yeboah who represented the Akuapem North Directorate of Food and Agriculture Ministry said his department had taken note of the harsh climatic effect on tree crops in the Municipality and had sent reports to their head office for the necessary response. GNA Accra, March 2, GNA - Two pals, one of whom allegedly impregnated a 13 year old girl, in Accra, have appeared before an Accra Circuit Court charged with defilement. Hayford Gyamfi 20, and Selorm Tsekpui 21, are both labourers. Gyamfi has pleaded guilty to the offence; while his colleague, Tsekpui has denied it. The Court, presided over by Mrs Ruby Naa Adjeley Quaison, has remanded the two into Police custody to reappear on March 15 for Gyamfi to be sentenced. Prosecuting, Detective Inspector Judith B. Asante said the complainant was the victim's father who was a mason. According to the prosecutor, both accused persons worked at Manet Estates, near Accra. Inspector Asante said the two accused persons who were friends slept in a kiosk near the complainant's house, and they used to help the complainant. In September last year, the victim visited a barbering shop and while she was returning, Gyamfi lured her into his kiosk and defiled her on two occasions. The Prosecution said later in December, Tsekpui also had sex with her in the same kiosk. On February 22, this year, the complainant detected that the victim was pregnant and when she was interrogated, she mentioned Tsekpui as the one responsible. The Prosecution said the victim also indicated that Gyamfi was also responsible. The complainant reported the matter to the Police and a medical form was issued to the victim. On February 24, this year, Gyamfi and Tsekpui were arrested and during interrogation, Gyamfi admitted having sex with the victim on two occasions in September, last year. Tsekpui, however, denied having sex with the victim. GNA Kumasi, March 02, GNA - The Ghana Grains Council (GGC), has moved to open up market opportunities to boost grains production with the launch of the maiden annual Southern Ghana pre-harvest agribusiness fair in Kumasi. It is meant to provide the platform for farmers, buyers and other agribusinesses to build stronger relationships to grow and expand their economic activities. The fair, which officially opens on Thursday, March 03, is a collaboration between the GGC and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). It would be held under the theme 'Quality sells more' and would bring together, farmers, commodity buyers, processors, transporters, input dealers, mechanization service providers and financial institutions. Mr. Gideon Aboagye, Executive Director of the Council, told a media briefing that there would be an exhibition of tractors and farm equipment, processing equipment, feed products, advisory services and financial products tailored towards agriculture financing. There would also be market place sessions where buyers and sellers would interact, leading to signing of contracts and the development of lasting business relationships. Mr. Samson Konlan, a food security expert with the USAID, said the Agency was working together with the GGC through its Agricultural Development and Value Chain Enhancement (ADVANCE) programme to strengthen the grain industry. The goal of ADVANCE is to substantially raise maize, rice and soybean production through increased market access and trade. He hinted that the programme had reached out to 53,176 smallholder beneficiaries with quality seeds and financial support and said 45 per cent of the figure was women. GNA Kumasi, Mar 2, GNA - A Kumasi Circuit Court, presided over by Mrs. Mary Nsenkyire, has ordered a herbalist to be held in prison custody over the theft of a Hyundai truck valued at GH30,000.00. Konadu Akomea, 48, pleaded not guilty to the offence and would make his next appearance on Friday, March 11. He had hired the truck from its owner, Alex Owusu, under the guise of using it to distribute bags of sachet water to customers in Accra but ended up selling it. Police Chief Inspector Timothy Amoako told the court this happened in May 2014. The accused had convinced the owner that he was going to pay to him GHE400.00 for every week he used the truck for the water distribution activity. He paid for the first two weeks and was never heard of again or seen until his arrest on February 14. Akomea in his caution statement said he used the truck as collateral for a GHE5,000.00 loan. He could however not lead the police to the said creditor. GNA 02.03.2016 LISTEN Accra , March 2, GNA - The National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) of the Ghana Health Service in collaboration with UNICEF have launched a new Behaviour Change Communications (BCC) campaign to encourage Ghanaian households to use Insecticide Treated bed Nets. The new campaign is to build on the current awareness created and translate them into action to encourage every household in the country to sleep under a bed net. Launching the campaign in Accra, Mr Alex Segbefia, Minister of Health, explained that Ghana continued to bear the brunt of malaria as the country recorded 10.1 million Out Patients Department (OPD) cases in 2015, though deaths declined by 3.0 per cent for the same year. The Health Minister explained that the BCC was necessary to improve treatment and surveillance and it was critical for the Test, Treat and Track initiative, adding, 'It is vital for building trust in test results especially when patients receive malaria negative test results and are unsure of what to do next'. He called on families to always hang and use their bed net every night and urged the Malaria Control Programme as well as partners to create demand for replacing bed nets as part of their distributing campaigns. Dr Kezier Malm, acting Programme Manager of NMCP, who gave an overview of the malaria burden in Ghana, said Ghana was among the top 10 countries contributing to the world malaria burden with children under five and pregnant women being the most vulnerable. In 2015, malaria accounted for 38.1 per cent of all OPD cases and seven per cent of deaths and use of ITNs have shown to avert about 50 percent of malaria cases and also prevent 17 per cent of all deaths. 'The impact on the community is maximal when at least 80 per cent of the population is sleeping in an ITN,' she added. Dr Malm noted that over 13.6 ITNs were distributed between 2014 and 2015 alone, but not all the nets distributed were used for its intended purpose. According to the 2014 Demographic Health Survey report, though 68 per cent of households have ITNs, 47 per cent slept in an ITN the night of the survey. She called on health workers to always test all suspected malaria cases for appropriate treatment, and encouraged households to cover puddles around their homes to avert mosquito breeding. Dr Gloria Quansah- Asare, Deputy Director General of the Ghana Health Service, commended the international partners for their tremendous and continuous support in the social mobilization crusade cases in support of the malaria control effort. She assured stakeholders and other partners of their continuous support in the area of advocacy for increased mobilization of domestic and external funding as well as provide guidance to ensure appropriate malaria policies and BCC interventions. Ms Susan Namondo Ngongi, UNICEF Representative to Ghana, commended Ghana for making significant progress with 65 per cent use of nets but said there was still one in three people who were needlessly exposed. She explained that despite the devastating effects of malaria on homes and communities, the importance of a malaria free environment in promoting economic development and poverty reduction has not been fully appreciated. 'We need to convince not just the population but the politicians, policy makers, the private sector, media and civil society so that we can focus attention towards reducing the malaria foot print in Ghana'. GNA Lisbon (AFP) - Angolan Vice President Manuel Vicente on Wednesday denied any involvement in a corruption case that triggered the arrest of a Portuguese magistrate last month. Public prosecutor Orlando Figueira, 54, is reportedly suspected of receiving at least 200,000 euros ($220,000) in return for shelving an investigation into the Angolan politician. "I have had absolutely nothing to do with any payment that, according to the press, would have benefited" the magistrate, Vicente said in a statement. He said the allegations were "completely without foundation," but he was ready to clarify the matter "in order to lay any suspicion to rest". The probe, shelved in January 2012, centred on the origin of funds which Vicente, then the head of Angola's public oil company Sonangol, used to buy a luxury apartment in a Lisbon suburb. According to Portuguese media reports, Figueira received at least 200,000 euros from a subsidiary of Sonangol to bury the affair. In November 2013, Portuguese prosecutors shelved another probe for tax fraud and money laundering involving Vicente. 03.03.2016 LISTEN The problem of school children sitting on bare floor in classrooms especially in the northern part of the country is far from over. After the Kperisi Basic School expose which generated a lot of controversy in the country, it turned out that more schools are facing a similar problem. One of such is the Al-suaredeen Islamic Basic School at Gulabani in Tamale South constituency of the Northern region. The children according to Adom News' Iliasu Abdul Dabre lie flat on the dirty bare floor to write because they are without furniture. He said the pupils many of whom walk from long distances to school have to grapple for space on the floor due to the overcrowded nature of the classroom. Iliasu who expressed dismay the first time he visited the school added that, the teacher cannot walk through the class to supervise class exercise. I was extremely shocked when I saw the children lying on the bare floor he stated while describing the situation on Adom Evening News Wednesday. However attempts to get the headmaster of the school to comment on the issue proved futile. He told our reporter he has been asked by the Municipal Education Directorate not the comment on the matter. . Some of the teachers who spoke to Iliasu on condition of anonymity express worrying at the situation which they said is affecting teaching and learning. They added that the lack of desks in the classroom has made most of the pupils truants a situation they noted could affect the future of the kids. But the Municipal Chief Executive of Tamale, Alhaji Abdul Hanan Gundadoo in an interview with Adom News, said the condition at Al-suaredeen has not been brought to his attention. But he said if the school is approved by the Ghana Education Service (GES), desks will be dispatched to the school. We have about 500 units of desks available for distribution so if it [Al-suaredeen] a GES approved school, they will get some of the tables and chairs he stated. Alhaji Gundadoo said government is still committed to improving the educational sector. Meanwhile, a promise by the Member of Parliament for the area, Haruna Iddrisu to provide desks for the school is yet to materialise. adomonline Sorry, we can't find the content you're looking for at this URL. GigawattMozambique announced this weeka$200-millioninvestment into Mozambique's power sector,alongside several global stakeholders including Standard Bank and the World Bank, amongst many others. The investmentwill assist in harnessing Mozambique's natural-gas resources, which will further benefit many of Mozambique's neighbours in the southern Africa region. This - along with several other projects in the SADC region - will bepresented and discussed atEnergyNet'supcoming Southern Africa Energy and Infrastructure Summit (SAEIS) (www.Southern-Africa-Summit.com), taking place in Maputo, Mozambique 4-6thMay 2016. The summit will celebrate regional co-operation, and promote energy and infrastructure projects that require both private- and public-sector support in order to be realised. EnergyNet'sRegional Directorfor East and Southern AfricaVeronica Bolton-Smith commented that 'regional development is the key to unlocking Africa's energy investment potential - SAEIS will bring together countries from the SADC region to discuss live infrastructure and energy projects which require investment'. This vibrant region has experienced many positive developments in recent years, both in energy and infrastructure development. Progress in governance, institution-building and democratic consolidation are contributing factors to the positive indicators that long-term investors seek. The Summitwill explore some of southern Africa's success stories, and how these can be replicated. Southern Africa has witnessed local private-sector led initiatives, and wider participation in exciting projectssuch as South Africa's ground breaking REIPPPP programme - an initiative which will be explored at the SAEIS. The Summit will also hear from key stakeholders participating in theMoatize/Nacalarailway project,which will runbetween Malawi and Mozambique: aninfrastructure project set to re-define southern Africa and its investment potential. For more information about this meeting: Contact Patti Carbonell at [email protected] Visit www.Southern-Africa-Summit.com Event dates: 4 6 May Location: Maputo, Mozambique 03.03.2016 LISTEN The Progressive Peoples Party (PPP) is saddened about the unfortunate sit down strike embarked upon by the Joint Private Sector Business Consultative Forum. Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA), Food and Beverages Importers Association of Ghana (FBIAG), Ghana Auto Mobile Dealers Association (GADA), Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders (GIFF), Customs Brokers Association of Ghana (CUBAG), Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana are on strike as a result of increases in taxes and the introduction of new taxes by Government. These rampant increases in taxes and the imposition of taxes that have the potential of killing local industries and businesses by the NDC Government are of utmost concern to us. It is the responsibility of Government to ensure that local industries and businesses grow by creating the opportunity and making the economy business friendly for them. Tax incentives, protection against foreign firms, easy access to loans with low interest, restriction on importation of goods that can be manufactured locally are the mechanisms Government is expected to put in place to enable the growth and development of local industries. Instead Government has resorted to rampant increase and haphazard imposition of taxes on local businesses and industries. This reckless decisions on the part of Government has consigned some local businesses to economic scrapheap with no prospects. We are reminding the Government that the power crisis that they plunged Ghana into, resulted in the collapse of local businesses and industries, and loss of many jobs. The few ones that survived and are struggling to find their feet cannot be burdened with Killer taxes. It is important to note that, Government greeted Ghanaians at the beginning of 2016 with over 50% increase in utility tariffs and subsequently about 25% increase in petroleum prices. Amidst these increments, President Mahama and his inconsiderate NDC Government have imposed a 3% special levy on imports and also introduced the ECOWAS common External Tariffs. Valued Added Tax (VAT) has been increased to 2.5% and insurance premiums to about 500%. We also understand that traders have to go through over 20 inspection institutions at the port before they can clear their goods. Is Government insensitive to its own people? Does Government only take delight in imposing of taxes on its Citizens? This loathsome and heedless attitude of the NDC Government must stop. In fact, this should not be happening in Ghana. Government must widen the net and look for proper ways of raising revenue rather than slamming of taxes on innocent Citizens and local businesses. We need to apply proper procurement practices in order to save millions of cedis that we lose to corruption in this country. The Progressive Peoples Party commiserate with the Joint Private Sector Business Consultative Forum in this difficult time, and we wish to remind President Mahama and the NDC government that leadership is not about propaganda. Government must sit with the leadership of the Joint Private Sector Business Consultative Forum and listen to their concerns. Government cannot continue to kill local businesses. Signed: Murtala Mohammed Ahmed National Secretary Many years down the line, the very first President of the Republic of Ghana, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah declared the vision of a free and united Africa, which saw the establishment of Organization of African Unity (OAU) now African Union (AU). A group of passionate young Ghanaians, founding members of Youth Without Borders (YWB) Ghana, made their way to the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia upon invitation by the AU to participate in an Intergenerational Dialogue on the theme: `Harnessing the Demographic Dividend in Africa Towards the Realization of Sustainable Development Goals and AU Agenda 2063. This historic visit brought together over two hundred (200) young leaders from across Africa and the diaspora to engage with Heads of States and Governments, Heads of continental Institutions, Pan African Youth Union(PYU), African Union Youth Volunteers, United Nation Agencies and other global business leaders at the 5th AU Intergenerational Dialogue held on the 27th and 28th January 2016. The two-day event ignited intense and intellectual discussions on issues of development in Africa with major concern on matters affecting the youth. Thematic areas for discussion included: Inclusive and Compulsory Education, Enhancing Economic Empowerment of the Youth Particularly Young Women, Investing in Young People's Health and Well-being, Promoting the Culture of Human Rights, National Consciousness and Diversity in Governance, and Rights Based Approach to Peace Building. The task to represent the millions of Ghanaian youth was not taken for granted; the team did not relent in their efforts to add their voice to the discussion as persons like King David Cartey, Richard Apau, Musa Frimpong, Harriet Yayra Adzofu took turns to address the panel with YWB Executive Director, Musa Frimpong being a member of the organising team for this high level meeting from the African Union Youth Division. The West African Sub region spoke and further led the presentation on Rights Based Approach to Peace Building as one of the thematic areas for discussion with the Heads of States and Governments. This activity strengthened the linkages between the young people and the decision-makers. At the end of the dialogue and deliberation, recommendations were made, set actions were endorsed, including clear commitments to be taken throughout 2016 and beyond by the Heads of States and Governments and African Union Commission. Some of the key resolutions made were to ensure a successful organization of Banjul+10 youth conference in May 2016 in Gambia; to critically examine the effectiveness of the African Youth Charter since its inception in 2006. Recommendations on other areas of priority towards the realization of the objectives set in the theme were presented to African Heads of States and Governments and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma by the Pan African Youth Union. Following the Intergenerational Dialogue, the youth leaders from Ghana had a special dinner invitation from the Ghanaian Ambassador to Ethiopia, H.E. Albert Yankey, where they met and interacted with the President of the Republic of Ghana John Dramani Mahama, the First Lady Lordina Mahama, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon. Hannah Tetteh, Government officials and the Ghanaian community in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on the development of the Ghanaian Youth and the way forward. Subsequently, the team also had the opportunity of observe the 26th AU General Assembly sitting held on 30th and 31st of January 2016, during which they interacted with past and present African Heads of States on gender, peace and youth participation in decision making. These experiences inspired the team to be more assertive with the developmental needs of young people in Ghana, Africa and beyond. The deliberations and experience have led to a renewed commitment of the team to help organise the young people of Ghana in a determined manner to advance progress in society through the activities of Youth Without Borders (YWB-GHANA). Youth Without Borders Ghana is a youth-for-youth development organisation and social movement with national, continental and global outlook. It seeks to courageously challenge the systems around the world of young people that hinder the full realization of their potential and development. Their commitment is to build concrete structures and solutions to address the developmental challenges facing young people and society at large. The group involves highly motivated and committed young Ghanaians with enormous experiences in Youth conferences and Volunteerism both home and abroad who are passionate about helping Ghana find itself again on the stage of excellence, national and regional consciousness by holding socio-economic engagements and stakeholder consultations to unearth the potentials of youth in Ghana. YWB has also recommitted itself to resurrect and relive the Osagyefo dream and make Africa a global player through the power of the youth. Signed: Mr. King David Cartey Director of Communications and Public Affairs [email protected] Standard Chartered Bank has blamed its 2015 full year results on challenging and exceptional period in Ghana and other parts of the world. The banks operating income went up 2% to reach GHS531 million over previous year, however, operating profit declined by 67 percent to GHS91 million. Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered Bank Ghana Limited, Kweku Bedu-Addo, said cyclical and structural shocks in the year under review stressed cash flow that undermined debt repayment capacity across most sectors in the economy. Read the official comment of the bank on the 2015 results below. Standard Chartered Bank Ghana Limited 2015 Full Year Results 2 March 2016, Accra Standard Chartered Bank Ghana Limited comments on 2015 Full Year Results. This week we released our 2015 Full Year Results. Underlying operating income of GHS531m was up 2 percent over previous year however, operating profit declined by 67 percent to GHS91m. Our results are below expectation relative to our initial 2015 projections. The year 2015 is on record in Ghana as one of the most challenging and exceptional years on many fronts. The volatility experienced on global commodity and currency markets, coupled with Ghanas macroeconomic headwinds and three consecutive years of an energy crisis had a material adverse impact on business. During 2015, we had to make very exceptional and unprecedented loan impairment provisions of GHS213m, up 333% from 2014 largely on account of the effects of a massive disruption to working capital cycles across almost all sectors in the Ghanaian economy. Naturally, the Bank is as disappointed with the 2015 operating results as our stakeholders would be due to the material deviation from our consistently good performance over the last decade. Commenting on the 2015 operating results, Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered Bank Ghana Limited, Kweku Bedu-Addo said The nature of these shocks in Ghana have been both cyclical and structural and have persisted for the last three years. We started picking early warning signals in 2013 and the stressed operating environment unfortunately intensified over time. As expected, within difficult operating environments, a lot of businesses would have stressed cash flow which undermines debt repayment capacity across most sectors in the economy. Under prudential and regulatory guidelines we are obliged to take loan impairments on distressed assets. What this means is that we will pursue a dual strategy of recovery and restructuring within the new cashflow realities. Fortunately, our decisions on profit retention in prior years since 2013 has given the Bank a balance sheet that has been able to withstand the severe and unprecedented shocks to the business operating environment in Ghana. This enables us to focus on achieving a quick rebound of the business as a more benign operating environment returns. The focus for 2016 is to continue to invest in technology, improve the customer experience and to introduce innovative products onto the market. We will deliver our medium term strategy through disciplined execution and efficient cost management. We remain proud of our record of consistently stellar operating results over an extended period of time and we are confident that we will restore the business to an attractive growth trajectory once more over the medium term, in line with market expectations. Under the auspices of the Ghana Stock Exchange Facts Behind the Figures session, the Bank will be engaging the investor community, analysts and the financial media. The details will be circulated in the next few days. 03.03.2016 LISTEN Mr. Anas Aremeyaw Anas, Chief Executive Officer of Tiger Eye PI Media (Tiger Eye) and the US-based research and education think tank, Africa Center for International Law and Accountability (ACILA), will hold novel investigative journalism training programmes for practitioners in Ghana and the West Africa Sub-Region. A statement signed jointly by Anas and Mr. William Nyarko, Executive Director of ACILA, said that the key objective of the training programmes is to enhance the capacity of participants in investigative reporting in order to provide accurate and reliable information to the public, promote accountability and transparency, contribute to good governance, rule of law, anti-corruption, and human rights. Anas, winner of several international and national investigative journalism awards, said he was excited about the prospect of sharing the knowledge and techniques of his trade by offering training to other practitioners to enhance their capacity, adding that Ghana and West Africa need more investigative journalists to promote accountability, good governance, and human rights. I am also excited about the fact that these training programmes are in line with my goal of establishing a permanent institute in undercover investigations in GhanaOur collaboration with ACILA, especially with its Executive Director, two-time investigative journalist of the year, and who facilitated the maiden investigative journalism training programme in 2001 which I attended, provides a perfect mutual opportunity for both of us, Anas said. On his part, Nyarko said the training programmes are in line with ACILAs public accountability mandate, adding that participants are the ones who will benefit the most from the Tiger Eye PI Media-ACILA collaboration. We have the demonstrated ability, capacity, techniques and delivery to transform even rookie investigative journalists into award-winning and world class investigative journalists, Nyarko said. The first training session is expected to be held at the end of March in Ghana. A few participants will be selected through a competitive process. More information will be announced in due course. 03.03.2016 LISTEN The propensity to be belligerent comes with the genetic malfunction of people who are frigid and, pompously, rigid. Investors like Shoprite and Game must adhere strictly to laws and regulations of any country that they find themselves in. They are not exactly doing their host nations as much favour as that they are doing to themselves, especially in Ghana, where the opportunity to launder money is as obvious and unguarded, hence the widespread suspicion that they are engaged in this criminal malpractice, too. There are also de facto regulations that are understood to be the norms of doing business, but when investors choose to overlook those procedures with an air of haughtiness, they have to be chided to bring them back on course. Shoprite and Game seem to be two South African Companies that are recalcitrant. They simply wont be told! A conclusive declaration by the Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana to shut down their businesses for one day in protest over CEPS pharaonic directives to be implemented at the ports, including the stamping of excisable items, was taken. All the stores and supermarkets in Accra shut down in religious adherence to this arrangement. However, Shoprite and Game stood out from the midst of their aggrieved lot as the rebels or outlaws. Could it be that their businesses are so big that they are in some form of collusion with CEPS to give their containers priority? Are they paying CEPS officials monthly remunerations to pacify them? What is happening? Or could it be that they are much more influential than the highest authority of CEPS that they can conduct themselves intimidatingly, forcing preferential treatment? It is obvious that by opening their stores, Shoprite and Game defied the very tenets of the association that they belong to. It is not just a simple mistake that can be brushed aside, really. It is a folly that cannot be overlooked. But then again, it seems that the association of importers and exporters is not authoritative or stern enough to be irenic under the unpatriotic circumstances of the renegade investors. Well, it is clear that in dealing with Ghanaians, and all that our nation commits to in terms of ethics, these two business entities are applying the same mask of apartheidism, bigotry and self-centredness that all must eschew in the name of fair trade and peace. It is quite unappealing to say the least; and dirty. Shoprite, Game and all the rebel businesses, let this serve as a wake up rebuke. Be honest and zealous in bringing sanity to investment as your many colleague companies are because as it stands, you do not show the slightest signs of honesty, and respect for Ghanaians. 03.03.2016 LISTEN Ghana is dangerously hurtling down the slippery slope to the era of the PNDC Military regime where the culture of silence prevailed absolutely. It was the order of the day that anyone who dared challenge, oppose or criticise the government, or any of its members or their policies, constructively or otherwise, was either arrested or made to disappear from the land of the living. Everybody had to agree with the government, sing their praises and pay obeisance to tin god Rawlings and his cabal of political vampires. Sadly, the visitation of that era has forcibly dawned once again on Ghanaians by the intentional practice of selective justice under the Atta Mills/John Mahama and John Mahama/Amissah-Arthur NDC-led regimes. When you are not an NDC faithful, your chances of being molested, arrested and, or prosecuted for the same magnitude of offence or jokes that an NDC member will commit, but with impunity, is ten times if not a hundredfold. I quite remember that during President Mills time, an NPP member who responded to an insult by a member of the NDC on Nana Akufo Addo, by similarly teasing President Mills was arrested but not that NDC member who started the whole nonsense. I remember the police charging him with causing fear and panic among the Ghanaian public. I should think to have put out a publication condemning the biases and the stupid politicisation of the Ghana security forces. Again, a prominent member of the NDC, a lawyer by profession or studies, from the Central region said if the Supreme Court decided the case for Nana Akufo Addo, he would support a coup detat in Ghana. He said this during the sittings of the Supreme Court on the election 2012 petition brought against the Electoral Commission and the then doubtfully elected President Mahama, alleging electoral fraudulences that facilitated the victorious election of Presidential candidate Mahama as the President of Ghana. Barely three months or so ago, I heard an NDC member from Kumasi grant an interview on the radio to a radio presenter of either Peace FM or one of her sister stations. He said that the NDC people and he have got their machetes ready to go on rampage to behead NPP people if they embarked on a proposed public demonstration or something of the sort in Kumasi. He went on to say that even DCOP Kofi Boakye was supportive of his stance and would even assist in his acclaimed intended killings. Tried as the presenter did to get him retract his probably spurious, but boastful statement, this idiot stuck to his guns. From the few instances of either banter or seriously intended actions made public by the members of the NDC, none of them was cited for causing fear and panic in public. They were not called for questioning let alone, arrested and prosecuted. If such utterances or statements had been made by members of the NPP or the other Opposition parties members, they would have been arrested there and then. I find this situation nonsensical and extremely dangerous for Ghana in her infant stage of practising democracy. All those court judges and security personnel in the country directly or indirectly helping with the propping up of that silly practice of selective justice will have themselves to blame should the country descend into chaos as a result of that practice. Nothing is working well at the moment in Ghana yet; we have the intensification of the practice of selective justice directed at silencing people all in a bid to strengthening the government. If someone says President Mahama will fall down on 6thMarch 2016 during the Independence Day parade, why should he be arrested and remanded to prison custody by a Court judge? What is the big deal about that? Did the person mean President Mahama will be killed or there will be a coup detat to remove him from office by his use of fall down? In case he simply meant he will fall down as in someone tripping and falling over as it did happen to Nana Akufo Addo when his election campaign platform collapsed and he fell, what is criminal about it? I am really sick and tired of the nonsenses going on in Ghana at the behest of the incompetent, but expert thieves, at the helm of the nations affairs. Find below the entire reproduction of the content of a short news item that appeared on modernghana.com that has so much angered me hence this rebuttal. http://www.modernghana.com/news/678031/man-remanded-for-predicting-the-fall-of-president-mahama.html Accra, March 1, GNA - Kwame Gyebi, a man arrested for allegedly stating that President John Dramani Mahama will ''fall down'' during this year's Independence Day parade has been remanded by an Accra Circuit Court. Gyebi, 33, is being held on charges of threat of death and offensive conduct. The Court presided over by Mr Aboagye Tandoh did not take his plea. Gyebi is expected to reappear on March 14. Gyebi is alleged to have made the comment at a drinking spot at Dzworwulu in Accra and this was witnessed by some people. He was said to have boasted that he knew what he was referring to and dared any one to mark his words and the matter was reported to the Airport Police. Rockson Adofo Visiting Turkish First Lady, Emine Erdogan has commended her Ghanaian counterpart, Dr Lordina Mahama for the numerous philanthropic activities being undertaken to help make life better for the underprivileged in society. She made the recommendation when her outfit with support from the Turkish Corporation and coordination Agency (TIKA) through the Lordina foundation which Ghanas first lady heads, donated a wide range of items to some vulnerable and vocational groups in the country. The YWCA Kayayei Project, Greater Accra Region, Atoko Vocational Training Institute, Volta region and Our Lady of Fatima Vocational training institute, Sampa Brong Ahafo region, received 10 industrial machines, 10 over lock machines, 7 hand machines, 16 sewing kits and 14 press button covers each. Also, 80 pupils from the State School for the Deaf at Adjei kojo in the Tema West constituency received a set of hearing aid, a bag and other items each to help improve their hearing ability. The Osu childrens home, one of the seven orphanages mothered by the First Lady received their fair share of the items. A deep freezer, an industrial washing machine, toys, snacks among others were donated to the home. Emine Erdogan who is visiting Ghana for the first time praised Ghanaians for their warm hospitality and pledged to work towards strengthening the bilateral relations between the two countries. She assured of her countrys support for Ghanas Educational, Production and infrastructural sectors. She said Ghana needed education skills, infrastructure and programmes to develop its youth, especially in the field of vocational training. For her part, Ghanas First Lady, Dr Lordina Mahama thanked the Turkish First Lady for the items, and said they would help the students to utilize their skills and create further employment opportunities for themselves and Ghana at large. She said her outfit would continue to provide the needed equipment to skilled people like tailors, hairdressers and the visually impaired with start-up support for their businesses. She urged the recipients to make good use of the items. The Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP) has presented its State of the Energy Sector and is among other things asking government to renegotiate or abrogate all Emergency Power Contracts that have failed to yield results. Addressing a press conference to highlight issues pertaining to the countrys energy sector, the Deputy Executive Director of ACEP Ben Boakye noted that although the centre acknowledges the efforts being made by government to address the power situation in the country albeit a partial fulfilment of the promised generation addition in 2015 a lot more needs to be done. As part of measures to address the power crisis, Government signed a number of such agreements with some Power Producing companies. Some of these resulted in the arrival of the Kar-Powership and the Ameri plants, among others. At a press conference, the Deputy Executive Director of ACEP Ben Boakye, however emphasized, its about time most of the contracts were at least renegotiated, or completely abrogated to ensure value for money. You have the 370 Megawatts AKSA emergency plant, the 300 Megawatt TEI emergency plant and the 300 Megawatt GEE Power Projects. All these emergency plants have failed to deliver on their timelines and thats why we are saying that if we have hope that KTPP and Asogli phase 2 Project will come on stream this year, then we dont need these emergency plants including the Karpower barges that are coming he noted. The energy expert therefore believes Ghana would obviously need more power in the long-term landed Independent Power Producers, IPPs or power plants so if there is any opportunity to renegotiate for their failure to deliver on time, then this is the time to do it, or we cancel the contract he stressed. ACEP is doubtful the current generation of about 1900MW of power would able to satisfy the countrys demand for power from the grid, which at peak stood at 2,100MW in 2014, and projected by Energy Commission to reach 2300MW in 2015. This, it noted does not even cover demand from Valco, which requires about 350MW to operate fully. It also under-estimates the projections in the demand for power, estimated to grow at 12% in 2015. The centre is therefore asking government to expedite action in realizing the promised 5,000MW by end of 2016. 03.03.2016 LISTEN The ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) has indicated that it would not partake in the upcoming by-election in the Abuakwa North constituency of the Eastern Region slated for March 29, 2016. The by-election has become necessary following the murder of the Member of Parliament for the area, Joseph Boakye Danquah-Adu, on February 9, 2016. He was purportedly stabbed to death by 19-year-old Daniel Asiedu, who is currently standing trial at an Accra court. The NPP on Tuesday elected a science teacher, Gifty Twum-Ampofo, to lead the party in its bid to retain the parliamentary seat. Even before the close of nomination, the NDC had indicated its intention to pull out of the contest, despite boasting that it was going to split into two the votes in the region a stronghold of the opposition NPP during the November 7 elections. A statement issued in Accra yesterday and signed by NDC General Secretary Johnson Asiedu Nketia indicated that the circumstances surrounding the late MP's gruesome murder that brought the nation to a standstill made it impossible for them to contest. According to the statement, the NDC was of the opinion that the scar of grief and sorrow emanating from such a barbaric act would take a longer time to heal, and it would be appropriate to desist from any act that had the tendency to aggravate the pain that JB's family had been subjected to. We wish to indicate that we share in the grief and trauma the late Member of Parliament's family, constituents and indeed the nation are going through. Therefore, it would be insensitive and unsympathetic on the part of the NDC leadership and followers to actively participate in such a by-election, the statement underscored. It added, The NDC does not want to be beneficiary of a criminal act; and we are aware of the disaffection this decision will bring among our supporters because the Abuakwa North happens to be one of the constituencies which NDC considers winnable. We wish, however, to urge our supporters to channel their efforts towards winning the seat in the November 2016 elections. . NPP Laughs The Eastern Regional Chairman of the NPP, Kinston Akomeng Kissi, in reaction, laughed over the NDC's decision not to contest the by-election, stating that it (NDC) was afraid it would lose the election massively thats why it had decided not to contest. The NDC decided to boycott the election because they are afraid to lose. We have lost our MP and we are mourning but as the Constitution mandates, that's why we have picked and filed the EC nomination forms to contest. But if the NDC is afraid to contest, we will go ahead and contest. All that they are saying is baseless. They know they cant steal this time around. I am even surprised the NDC has taken such a decision because they have declared agenda 50-50 project to divide the 33 parliamentary seats with us; so why are they running away from a vacant seat? The NDC knows it will lose the seat drastically since Ghanaians are fed up with their bad governance thats why they have taken such a decision, the NPP regional chairman charged. Reasons Prior to the day the EC announced the date for the by-election, DAILY GUIDE's sources in the regional secretariat of the NDC said that their parliamentary candidate, Anthony Gyimah, had a dual citizenship status and so could not pick the nomination forms to contest. According to the sources, Anthony Gyimah doesnt vote in the constituency, precisely at Akyem-Anyinsin where he hails from, and is waiting for the EC to open its limited biometric registration for him to register and vote in the November polls. Due to these reasons, the NDC decided to field Ambassador Victor Smith, the 2012 parliamentary candidate for Abuakwa North, who lost to JB Danquah-Adu even though he (Smith) was then a regional minister. At the time of filing this report, DAILY GUIDE gathered that some NDC youth in Abuakwa North were angry about the party's decision not to contest for the seat. The youth, this paper learnt, were planning to address the media on Friday to express their disappointment in the party's leadership. FROM Daniel Bampoe, Akyem-Kukurantumi Ben Boakye 03.03.2016 LISTEN The Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP) has appealed to President John Mahama to deliver on his promise to commission PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to evaluate the overpriced and poorly negotiated Ameri deal. At a press conference yesterday in Accra, Ben Boakye, Deputy Director of ACEP noted: We are waiting for this important exercise and we can promise that for every month that this remains undone, we will send the president a reminder. On the current power situation, the organisation said the situation at the moment was too fragile for comfort. Instead of making merry at the modest achievements, we wish to call on the government to go back to work as the energy sector faces more challenges. Mr Boakye said it was intriguing that only 585MW power had been added to the national grid in February, this year even though a total of about 1800MW was lined up by June 2015 for execution and given up to between three and six months to complete from July 2015. The projects included the 220 MW Kpone Thermal Power Project (KTPP), 110MW Tico Expansion Project, 180MW first half of Asogli 360MW Phase II Project, VRA TT2PP (38MW) expansion project, 225MW Karpower ship IPP Project, 250MW Ameri Project, 370MW AKSA Emergency Power Project approved by Parliament, 110MW TEI Emergency Power Project approved by Parliament, and 300MW GE Early Power Project. Seven months on, the addition to the national grid stands at 585MW, consisting of 225MW Karpower ship, 250MW Ameri Plant and 110MW Tico Expansion. This brings total available generation capacity to an average of 1900MW, according to the Energy Commission. We are also told that 220MW KTPP and Asogli Phase II have been completed but are yet to deliver power to the grid. To our curious minds, it is intriguing how 1900MW of power is able to stabilize the demand for power from the grid, which at peak stood at 2,100MW in 2014, and projected by Energy Commission to reach 2,300MW in 2015. It is important to state that it does not cover demand from VALCO, which requires about 350MW to operate fully. It also under-estimates the projections in the demand for power estimated to grow at 12 percent in 2015. . Abrogate unfulfilled projects ACEP urged government to take steps to abrogate all emergency power contracts, adding that alternatively government must negotiate to convert such emergency power solutions to the traditional IPP projects to reduce the high cost associated with emergency power deployment. According to ACEP, the country's power sector challenges were far from over unless urgent steps were taken to revert planning and generation addition to the technical people at VRA instead of ministers-turned procurement officers rushing emergency power agreements through Parliament. Initiate reforms in VRA Government must initiate reforms in the VRA to improve its capitalisation and make it efficient to play its leading role of developing the generation sub-sector. To this effect, government must allow VRA to transform into a holding company with its thermal component operating as a subsidiary with private sector participation. This ensures that VRA accesses all the advantages accorded IPPs such as signing Power Purchase Agreements on its thermal plants with ECG. It stated that in spite of the potential of indigenous gas sources for addressing the fuel problem, the challenges of upstream gas production, especially the associated gas, could undermine fuel security. The need to build a strong buffer can therefore not be understated. However, we call on government to conduct serious due diligence on the various LNG deals it is procuring to ensure value for money and lower cost of power generation. Account for levies It said government must take steps to account for the use of levies collected particularly in defraying the debts of the utilities and to make them to financially viable operations. By Samuel Boadi 03.03.2016 LISTEN George Ofori, leader of the Business Consultative Forum addressing the press recently The three-day strike by traders ended yesterday with a call on government to, as a matter of urgency, review the high taxes or face another strike action. The traders have closed their shops since Monday to protest against high taxes which they claimed were collapsing their businesses. Customers were left stranded, as traders closed their shops. Government on Tuesday met with the joint Private Business Consultative forum to call off the strike, promising a review of some of the taxes but subject to cabinet approval. During the meeting, the Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Murtala Mohammed promised to inform the leaders about the reviewed taxes. The various leaders of the traders' associations have asked their members to open their shops pending the next line of action. The traders are calling for the cancellation of the import duty of between 10 and 20 percent, import VAT/NHIL 17.5 percent, ECOWAS Levy 0.5 percent, EDIFF 0.5 percent, GCNet 0.4 percent, GCNet VAT/NHIL 17.5 percent, Ghana Shippers Authority GHS9, Income Tax in Imports 1 percent, I.D.F (GHS5), Special Tax on Import 2 percent, CUBAG (GHS5) and CCVR 1 percent. Yesterday when BUSINESS GUIDE visited Abossey Okai, Osu, Cantamanto and Makola, some shops had been opened while others remained closed. Some of traders expressed their readiness to continue with the strike until government addressed their grievances. We want to tell government that we are not happy with the taxes. We are waiting for our leaders to give us the go-ahead and close or shops again. We are not happy to close our shop but it has become necessary because we cant bear the high taxes again. . According to them, businesses were deteriorating because the customers find it difficult to buy expensive items. Most of the time we have to reduce the prices so we can sell some parts to get money to take care of our family. Reducing the prices too affects our business badly, they explained. Nana Yaw, a spare parts dealer, said most of their goods had been left at the ports because they dont have money to clear them. The joint Private Business Consultative forum comprising GUTA, Food and Beverages Importers Association of Ghana (FBIAG), Ghana Auto Mobile Dealers Association (GADA), Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders (GIFF) Customs Brokers Association of Ghana (CUBAG) and Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana embarked on the three-day strike. [email protected] By Cephas Larbi 03.03.2016 LISTEN The Supreme Court yesterday set May 26 to deliver its judgement on the suit filed by the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) seeking an interpretation of the aspects of the 1992 Constitution in relation to the appointment of justices of the Court. The BAR Association is challenging the appointment of two Supreme Court judges by the president, even though the council advises the appointment of four instead. As a result, the legal body sued the Attorney General (A-G) seeking the true and proper meaning of the Constitution that states that the president shall upon the advice of the Judicial Council appoint justices of the Supreme Court. The seven-member panel presided over by Justice William Atuguba however set the date for the judgement. The court would also deal with the case involving Richard Sky, a broadcast journalist at Accra-based Citi FM, and an Accra-based lawyer, Kwesi Acheampong, over the appointment of the EC boss. The parties have also agreed to file their consolidated memorandum of issues as they have all agreed to rely on same. This is because the parties realised that their issues were similar. . The plaintiffs had sued over the appointment of the Electoral Commission (EC) boss and Superior Court justices. They believed that the appointments by President John Dramani Mahama should have been done in consultation with the Judicial Service and Council of State, which was not done. The plaintiffs, as a result, dragged the A-G and the Judicial Service to the Supreme Court invoking its original jurisdiction for the true and proper meaning of Article 144 Clause (2) and (3) of the 1992 Constitution. They believe Article 144 specifies that all appointments made by the president to the Superior Courts of Ghana are valid only to the extent that such appointments are made in strict accordance with the advice of the Judicial Council (JC). The plaintiffs, among others, also want a declaration that upon a true and proper interpretation of the said article, a constitutional trust be created in the JC to nominate persons best qualified to serve as justices of the Superior Courts of Judicature. They believe that the JC is required to ensure that such nominations are actually submitted by the president to Parliament for approval after due consultations with the Council of State. By Jeffrey De-Graft Johnson [email protected] 03.03.2016 LISTEN Contrary to the perception that government has lifted the ban on recruitment of employees in the public sector, especially teachers for public schools, a circular from the Ghana Education Service (GES) states otherwise. The GES however, explained that the indefinite ban on new recruitment, re-engagement, biometric registration and others, was to help carry out proper staff auditing. According to the GES, some heads of educational institutions had connived with personnel from the Accountant-General's Office and financial institutions to siphon state funds into their pockets. They do so by faking appointment letters for newly-recruited teachers. In some instances, it was alleged, registered numbers of some teachers who have died are sold to some people who are not teachers. This enables such people to withdraw salaries as practicing teachers. The Deputy Director-General of Education, Stephen Adu has on that note, cautioned Directors of Education who were indulging in all manner of corrupt practices to desist from that. In circular dated February 4, 2016 and copied to all Metro, Municipal and District Directors of Education in the Western Region, Mr Adu warned Directors of Education and their Human Resource Officers who were alleged to be taking money from people with the intention of facilitating their recruitment into GES, to desist from it immediately. . Speaking to DAILY GUIDE, Okae Boafo, Western Regional Public Relations Officer of GES explained that there is the need to caution people from indulging in untoward acts. According to him, the statement from the Deputy Director General of Education did not mean GES staff have been caught taking money from people, but rather to put GES employees on their toes and to prevent them from conceiving such ideas. Meanwhile, some teachers have appealed to the government to consider lifting the embargo on recruitment and the transfer of teachers as it was having severe consequences on some schools. Government has placed a ban on the recruitment of employees in the public sector as part of measures to stabilize the economy and effectively manage the public wage bill. One sector which had largely been affected by the embargo is education. The embargo has over the years increased the rate of unemployment in the country. Critics of government have accused it of imposing the freeze on employment as a directive from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi 03.03.2016 LISTEN The two policemen who allegedly mounted an unauthorized police checkpoint and extorted money from various drivers have been granted bail by an Accra circuit court. They are General Constables Azumah Musah and Faati Jacob Tinob. Although both of them are constables, Azumah was arrested in a police Inspector's uniform. According to the prosecutor, Chief Inspector Ofori Amanfo, the two on February 18, this year at Tabora, a suburb of Accra, extorted cash by means of threat from unsuspecting drivers to the tune of GH247.00. Azumah is facing two other counts of possessing military uniforms and firearms without lawful authority. The court, presided over by trial judge Aboagye Tandoh, admitted the two police officers to bail in the sum of GH10,000 with two sureties each. As part of the bail conditions, the cops are to report to the police Criminal Investigations Department (CID) until otherwise varied by the court. . The two accused persons have variously denied the charges. Sitting continues on March 23, 2016. The court granted the bail it had earlier refused when Francis Kwame Offen, lawyer for Tinob, repeated the application for it (bail). According to the persecution, Azumah was in December last year transferred to Apirade in the Eastern Region and that on February 18, at about 7:30 pm at Tabora junction, a police team from PIPS arrested the accused persons for professional misconduct. A search conducted in the room of Constable Tinob revealed nothing incriminating against him. In the case of Constable Azumah, police reports indicate that a single barrel gun, one unserviceable locally made pistol, two rubber toy pistols, four bullet-proof vests, photocopy of a driver's licence belonging to one Emmanuel K. Kumi, a temporary driver's licence belonging to Sappor James, a police camouflage with inspectors' lanyard as well as military camouflage among others, were found in his room. When questioned about the source of the items, Azumah, according to the police, said that the pistol and the single barrel gun were given to him for safe keeping by his ailing father at Asaam in the Ashanti Region. He claimed he found the military uniform in a tent at the Police Training School in Accra but he did not report to the authorities, while insisting that he bought some of the military accoutrements from the Kwame Nkrumah Circle and Nyamekye in Accra. However, he did not give any reasons for buying them. By Jeffrey De-Graft Johnson [email protected] Nana Akuoko Sarpong 03.03.2016 LISTEN THE PARAMOUNT chief of Asante-Akim Agogo, Nana Akuoko Sarpong, has ordered people who are rearing cattle in his area of jurisdiction to leave with their animals, latest by March ending. He was sad that innocent Agogo residents had been killed, butchered or raped by Fulani herdsmen in addition to cattle causing massive destruction to food crops owned by the indigenes, over the years. The Asante-Akim Agogo traditional leader said his people had had enough of the atrocities committed by the Fulani herdsmen and their cattle, stressing that all cattle should be taken away from his land for peace to prevail. The ultimatum was said to have been issued by the Asante-Akim Traditional Council following a meeting which was held at the instance of Nana Akuoko Sarpong at his palace at Agogo on Tuesday. Alfred Gyimah, a member of the Agogo Youth Association, who was present at the meeting, said Nana Akuoko Sarpong signed a letter to invite major stakeholders in the Agogo cattle issue to the emergency meeting. . He said stakeholders, including cattle owners, security agencies and the association, attended the crunch meeting, aimed at finding lasting solution to the Agogo cattle menace. Mr Gyimah said the Agogo chiefs told the cattle owners in plain language that cattle rearing had been banned at the area, effective the end of March. He disclosed on radio that the chiefs stated emphatically that cattle rearing in the forest and those being kept in houses were not permissible at Agogo any longer, urging those concerned to respect the new rule by the chiefs. Gyimah said the youth of Agogo were happy with the bold order given by the chiefs, and hoped that the cattle owners would move their animals away as ordered to ensure lasting peace. He stated that the Agogo youth's decision to boycott this year's Independence Day parade in the area as well as the durbar of chiefs still holds until all cattle have been taken away from the place. FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi 03.03.2016 LISTEN Former President Kufuor (right), Mr. Gyan (left) in a pose with patrons of the Foundation FORMER PRESIDENT John Agyekum Kufuor is expected to chair the 2016 edition of 'Lifetime In A Portrait Award.' The awards scheme, the brain-child of Initiatives of Change Foundation, a non-governmental organization (NGO), seeks to recognize the contributions of some private sector players who started from humble beginnings and have contributed greatly to the economic development of the country. Mr. Kufuor, in his acceptance speech at his residence in Accra after officials of the Foundation had called on him recently, pointed out the significant role of the private sector in the development of any country. He stressed the need to support the private sector because it is the engine for the economic growth of a nation. The former president gave the assurance that he would chair the awards ceremony on June 29, 2016. Speaking to DAILY GUIDE after the meeting, Executive Director of the Foundation (established in 2006), Kofi Gyan, indicated that this year's awards which are expected to be held at the Banquet Hall of the State House, would feature captains of industry. . According to him, Osei Kwame Despite of Despite Group of Companies, Dr. Apostle Kwadwo Sarfo of Kantanka fame, Azuma Banda of Antrak Air and Ms. Monica Opare of SunBeam International School, among others, are some of the awardees. He told DAILY GUIDE that the rationale behind the awards scheme is to encourage Ghanaian youth that despite any difficulties they are faced with in life, success could be theirs with determination and perseverance. Mr. Gyan explained how individuals like Osei Kwame Despite, Azuma Banda and Ms. Monica Opare from very humble beginnings have managed to succeed in life through determination. He intimated that the Foundation, which focuses on talent hunt and human resource development, has since its establishment provided training and counseling services to many Ghanaians across the nation. According to him, About 50 youth in the Brong-Ahafo Region, 150 artisans in Accra and 15 senior high school students have all benefited from the Foundation's free educational support package. Previous winners of the 'Lifetime In A Portrait Award' include Mr. Kufuor, former Presidents John Evans Atta Mills, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Nelson Mandela, among others. BY Melvin Tarlue 03.03.2016 LISTEN If Rashid Pelpuo had any respect left to his name, he lost it a couple of days ago when he described Dr Mahamudu Bawumia's gesture to the kids of Kperisi Primary School as irresponsible. For someone like him to seek to downplay the empathy Dr Bawumia showed the kids the way he did is the highest mark of irresponsibility, one not compatible with the position he holds as a representative of that part of the country in government. No wonder he is a minister no longer with a portfolio. It is shameful that in the face of this stark reality existing in a primary school in Wa Rashid can throw his weight about as a government appointee who hails from the Upper West Region. His conduct can be likened to those who don flamboyant apparels when their abodes are synonymous with garbage dumps. Of what use is such a personality in government when children who look up to him for support are left to learn how to write while lying on bare dusty floors. It did not take a Rashid Pelpuo to change the lives of the children of Kperisi Primary School; it was the actions of Dr Bawumia and the heroine of Kperisi, Rosina Diedong, which reversed the plight of the kids. . We are restrained from using harsh words to describe the foul emission from Rashid Pelpuo because after all this provides sufficient testimonial about the man who thinks insulting Bawumia can bring him to the front burner of politics. Let him shut up and hide his tail between his legs like a crestfallen mongrel. He is one of those who have cheated the children of Kperisi for far too long. If President John Mahama is looking for those throwing spanners into his works, let him not overlook the likes of Rashid Pelpuo. And this man has the guts to describe Dr Bawumia as irresponsible. Dr Bawumia is more useful to the Northern Regions and Ghana than Rashid Pelpuo whose poor testimonial has been evidenced by this unnecessary garrulousness. His uselessness to the Upper West Region is represented by the sorry situation of the kids of Kperisi. It is unfortunate that Rashid has put himself on the stake to be shot at by concerned Ghanaians outside the propaganda industry. We understand his situation. Dr Bawumia's discovery made worrying headlines and therefore attracted verbal queries for indigenes of Wa in government. What an unwise way for Rashid to extricate himself from the embarrassment represented by Kperisi before the fruitful visit of Dr Mahamudu Bawumia. We are aware of how raining invectives on political opponents can be rewarding in the ruling party. It does not look like the useless attack on Bawumia would change his status at the Flagstaff House as an exalted errand minister without portfolio and perhaps respect, of course. 03.03.2016 LISTEN It seems there is a deep rift between President John Dramani Mahama and Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, former first lady and wife of the founder of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), as the president had allegedly refused to have any kind of meeting with the lady. Members of Friends of Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings (FONKAR) claim that they had made some efforts on three occasions to visit the president together with the former first lady but the office of the president had allegedly refused to respond to their request. We have written about three letters to the office of the president indicating that members of FONKAR and the 2012 flagbearer of the National Democratic Party (NDP), Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, will want to visit the president but there had been no response up till now, they alleged. The FONKAR members were responding to a question as to why they recently visited the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and left the president, during a press conference they organized in Takoradi on Tuesday. The National Coordinator of FONKAR, Joseph Badiako, explained that the group is a non-governmental organization that supports the NDP flagbearer, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings. He said that since the NDP had not been in power, it had no track records and assured that FONKAR would continue to preach and explain the enviable achievements of the NPP to the people because the party's track record surpasses that of the NDC. FONKAR will support the NPP in all radio discussions and protests against the inhumane policies of the NDC government to ensure that Ghanaians vote out the incompetent government, Bediako indicated. He alleged that information reaching FONKAR members indicated that the Electoral Commission was collaborating with the ruling government to disqualify the former first lady from contesting in the 2016 general election as the flagbearer of the NDP. . He noted that the NDP is a registered political party and has strong membership base across the 10 regions of Ghana. He mentioned that the NDP had proven to be an alternative to the incompetent administration of the NDC, stressing that the former would be in power after the general election this year. Mr Bediako claimed that the NDP broke away from the NDC in the build-up to the 2012 general election largely due to the NDC's inability to fight corruption and instead infringed on freedom of speech in the party. The NDP has become a headache to the NDC hence, the series of calculated attempts aimed at disorganizing the NDP's front, including inducing people with money to say all sorts of things against the party, he noted. The FONKAR National Coordinator pointed out that a clear case was what transpired a few days ago when some former members of the NDP held a press conference to announce their purported defection to the Progressive People's Party (PPP). He indicated that the alleged defectors made an allegation to the effect that the NDP was not attractive hence, the decision by Dr. Zenator Rawlings to contest the Klottey Korle seat on the ticket of the NDC. We are not perturbed about what happened and other developments; in any case, Dr Zenator is more than 18 years and she is entitled to freedom of association enshrined in the Constitution, he stressed. From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi The Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast (UCC), Professor George K. T. Oduro said the Central region continues to remain poor because it has been neglected by its natives. He said the case of some educated natives migrating to the other regions of the country to work resulting in their development is worrying. According to him, some of the high performing institutions in the other regions are manned by natives of Central region to the detriment of their land. Also, he noted the absence of manufacturing industries in the region has also worsened the poverty situation of the area. Speaking on the Joy FMs Super Morning Show (SMS) as part of the launch of Joy Ballot Box in Cape Coast, Prof. Oduro said despite being home to stellar educational institutions and tourist sites, the region continues to grow steeper into poverty. The Central region is the fourth poorest regions in the country after the Upper East (UER), Upper West (UWR), and Northern Region (NR) which are first, second and third poorest regions respectively. The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) said By many indicators, these regions are the poorest in Ghana and are indeed comparable in poverty to some of the poorest countries in the world. Prof. Oduro said if the many policies designed to help the Central region are not backed by a commitment to implement, the region will continue to suffer. He advised natives to prioritize working in the region after their studies to help the region. Senior Research Assistant of the Center for Gender Development and Research Referral of UCC, Mrs. Pearl Okrah said her outfit is helping natives to prioritize education and pursue it to the highest level. Story by Ghana|Myjoyonline|Austin Brako-Powers|[email protected] 03.03.2016 LISTEN Felix Yaw Sarpong (fifth left) Prosper Bani (six left) in a pose with participants Representatives of European Union (EU) member states and their African counterparts yesterday in Accra began a two-day intelligence sharing forum on border security in the African sub-continent and Europe. The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) is hosting the conference being organized by Frontex, the European Agency for the Management of operational cooperation at the External Borders of member states of the European Union (EU), in collaboration with Africa Frontiers Intelligence Community (AFIC). Immigration chiefs from Togo, Cameroon, UK, France, among others, are deliberating on how best to share ideas in a bid to help fight recurring cross-border crimes, including terrorism, drug and arms smuggling, as well as human trafficking. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the conference at the Alisa Hotel in Accra, Ghana's Interior Minister, Prosper Bani observed that terrorism and other transnational crimes can only be fought effectively through joint international efforts. In that regard, according to the Minister sharing of intelligence and information is a vital factor. He expressed the hope that the deliberations would go a long way to contribute to the global discourse on security. We hope that it will offer an important platform for intelligence sharing on transnational crimes that threaten the security of the West African sub-region in particular and the world as a whole. The Minister commended AFIC for giving attention to transnational crimes since its formation six years ago, with the aim of bringing African countries and FRONTEX together to exchange intelligence primarily on irregular migration. The establishment of AFIC was partly in response to the growing wave of irregular migration from Africa to Europe, he added. . He said the intervention focused on dangerous travel across the Sahara Desert and voyage across the Mediterranean sea. The attendant issues of deaths and exploitation of migrants, the minister observed, was of grave concern to both continents, and the AFIC discourse was to assist policy-makers design appropriate measures to tackle the phenomenon. Over the years, however, the minister claimed AFIC had developed and duly extended its intelligence exchange to cover all other transnational crimes, including terrorism, drug trafficking and money laundering. He reiterated that the government will continue to support the activities of AFIC, noting that the activities of AFIC, especially the intelligence sharing within the community, are critical to the development of security strategies for all member countries. Director of Immigration at GIS, Felix Yaw Sarpong, in an address, said Ghana as a country is excited to host the first full session of AFIC. He said the network established among member states and organizations had improved cooperation in the combat of transnational crimes. BY Melvin Tarlue Mr. Frimpong Manu (third left) Baafuor Osei Hyeaman Brantuo VI (fourth left) and Mr. Peter Mark Manu (seated first right) in a pose with members of APC and dignitaries after the lecture. 03.03.2016 LISTEN PROFESSIONALS FROM all walks of life hailing from the Ashanti Region, have formed a united front to help support the developmental agenda of their region. This comes with the creation of the Asante Professional Club (APC), a think and do-tank voluntary association of independent professionals of the Asante origin. APC, DAILY GUIDE learned, marks the beginning of a new chapter of collective duty to support the Asante Kingdom and utilize the knowledge and skills possessed by members in various professional fields to advance their shared interest and to reduce the reliance of the Ashanti Region on the Central Government for its socio-economic development. The Club also aims at building reputation and stature in the coming years through the creation of an enabling environment in research and advocacy characterized by intellectual rigour and integrity, this paper gathered. At a public lecture organized by APC on Tuesday in Accra as part of activities heralding its official inauguration scheduled for Kumasi, Vincent Yaw Frimpong Manu, President of APC warned that the APC is not a pressure group or political group, a warning he said was necessary to prevent unscrupulous individuals from deliberately associating the Club with any political party. Speaking under the theme: Projecting the Asante Identity for the development of Ghana, he said the Club intends to promote development within the Ashanti Region and as well project the true identity of the indigenes of the Asante kingdom. He urged professionals from other regions across the country to unite and champion the growth agenda of their respective regions rather than waiting on the central government for assistance. . Special Aide to the King of the Asante Kingdom, Baafuor Osei Hyeaman Brantuo II, who chaired the lecture lamented that the level of socio-economic development within the Ashanti Region has fallen over the years. He expressed the belief that APC can help in the struggle to revive the status of the region. Meanwhile, Professor Kwasi Prempeh presenting a paper on the identity of Asanateman encouraged the leadership of APC to open its doors to every individual interested in the advancement of Asanteman. In attendance at the lecture held at the British Council were members of Parliament from the Ashanti Region, Peter Mark Manu, campaign manager of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Presidential candidate, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. BY Melvin Tarlue Godfred Nwaiwu and Michael Diala, after the robbery incident 03.03.2016 LISTEN A driver, in a heroic feat, has saved a police officer attached to the Marine, Railways and Ports Department of the Tema Regional Police Command from robbery when he knocked down the miscreants on a motorcycle around the main harbour roundabout in Tema. The two culprits, Michael Diala, 43 and Godfred Nwaiwu, 22 both Nigerians who reside at Chisco Station at Circle in Accra were said to have attacked the police officer after he had withdrawn an amount of GH7,700 from a financial institution at Community One in Tema. Narrating the incident to DAILY GUIDE, Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Tema Regional Police Command, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Juliana Obeng explained that the suspects trailed the police officer from the banking hall to the main harbor roundabout where he met his friend and stopped to have a chat with him She said in the course of the conversation, the suspects then on motorbike pulled up and the pillion rider (Godfred) quickly snatched the envelope containing the money from the complainant and they sped off meandering their way through the vehicles. ASP Obeng indicated that in desperation, the policeman raised an alarm and a man who was then passing by in his private car heard the distressed call and chased the robbers and knocked them down with the car. . The robbers sensing danger scattered the money on the ground and took to their heels but were quickly rounded up by an angry mob who wanted to lynch them but only ended up burning their motorbike as the suspects were saved by the police. A total cash of GH6, 340 was recovered from the suspects after the incident. A spot check conducted on them revealed a knife; found on Godfred. According to her the victim arrested them and sent them to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Regional Police Command for further investigations. She said investigations have been completed and the suspects would be arraigned soon. From Vincent Kubi, Tema The Government of Finland and The International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe) have signed an agreement of the implementation of the AFERIA programme with a value of 1 million Euros during 2016-2017. This new initiative is a continuation of a programme named "Climate Change Impacts on Ecosystem Services and Food Security in Eastern Africa" (2011-2015) and aims to implement research-based interventions to manage climate risks and reduce vulnerability in the highlands of eastern Africa. It is aimed at supporting the ability of smallholder farming families living around fragile mountain ecosystems in eastern Africa to adapt to the impacts of climate variability and change through research-based interventions. Known as the Adaptation for Ecosystem Resilience in Africa (AFERIA), the two-year initiative will be coordinated by the Nairobi-headquartered International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), with funding from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland. Globally, and in Africa in particular, sensitive mountain ecosystems provide invaluable services, such as water provision, which are seriously threatened by accelerating land cover and land use change on the upper slopes where most of the remaining mountain forests are located. The capacity of these mountain water towers to store moisture, supply freshwater to the lowlands and reduce peak flood flows during extreme weather events has been compromised mainly by human activities, such as deforestation. The impacts are also amplified by increasing temperatures and variability in rainfall due to global climate change. Through climate change adaptation action plans and technology transfer, the AFERIA Project will disseminate research findings on climate change impacts and implement research-based interventions in different agro-ecological zones including: the Taita Hills and Murang'a County in Kenya; Mount Kilimanjaro region in Tanzania and the Jimma Highlands of Ethiopia. The Project will cooperate with national and local organizations to reach smallholder farmers, especially women and special needs groups. Among the adaptation technologies to be transferred to communities are: drip irrigation, roof rain water harvesting, conservation agriculture, farm forestry and insect pest management. The Government of Japan has decided to contribute USD 2.1 million to the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) for humanitarian mine action work, in coordination with the Sudan National Mine Action Center, in the Republic of Sudan. Aimed at reducing suffering and saving lives, this contribution will enable UNMAS to survey and clear landmines and explosive hazards in the States of Kassala, Red Sea, South Kordofan and Blue Nile. This is a very important and significant contribution that enables the United Nations to continue its essential work. We expect to release more than 1.5 million square meters of land, stated Mr. Habibulhaq Javed, the UNMAS Programme Manager in Sudan. The generous donation will support risk education projects designed to assist 100,000 people living in affected regions and will also allow the United Nations to provide assistance to the children, women and men living with disabilities caused by landmines and explosive hazards. This contribution from the People of Japan, which represents 20 percent of our 2016 budget, will reduce casualties, make it possible for refugees and the internally displaced to safely return to their communities and homes and will improve the safety of humanitarian aid workers, explained the Programme Manager Javed. The contribution will also strengthen the National Mine Action Center's (NMAC) quality assurance and project management capacities, which is a strategic objective of the United Nations in all of its mine action programmes. Ambassador of Japan, Mr. Hideki Ito appreciated the commitment of the Sudanese Government in fulfilling its obligation under the Ottawa treaty. He said The conflict is not over until its remnants are cleared. Japan is pleased to contribute to put a real end to the conflict through this project so that people can enjoy a safe and normal life in peace. He stressed that landmines must be removed not only to save lives but also to open up new chances for development. He hoped that the contribution of Japan in land mine issue in Sudan will assist it in realizing a real end to the conflict and moving forward to economic development for the better lives of friendly Sudanese people. Ambassador Ito, in addition, hoped that other countries will also make contributions so that UNMAS can complete its operations. Reaffirming Sudan's commitments, General Ibrahim Mohamed El Hassan, the State Minister of Defense expressed that We are highly committed towards our obligations under Ottawa Treaty and I am personally keen to see the very last mine removed from our land and our people live in peace and security. Appreciating the contribution from the government of Japan to UNMAS for mine action operations in Sudan, He added Japan is a good friend of Sudan, their contribution to mine action in Sudan is another example of expressing the friendship in practice. The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) and 36 other freedom of expression organisations in Africa and across the globe have petitioned the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights to prevail on Gambian President Yahyah Jammeh to release a journalist who has been in detention for seven months. Alhagie Abdoulie Ceesay, Manager of Taranga FM in Banjul, was first arrested on July 2, 2015, briefly released and re-arrested. After a two-week detention in which Ceesay was held incommunicado with no access to a lawyer or his family, he was brought before a Magistrates Court on August 4, 2015 and charged with a single count of sedition. The prosecution accused him of distributing photos of Gambian President Yahya Jammeh with a gun pointed at him. On 18 November, while the case was still ongoing at the Magistrates Court, the state pressed a fresh seven-count charge against the journalist. These charges were a mere duplication of the first charge at the Magistrates court, except for that of publication of false news. The initial single count charge was later dropped. According to MFWAs sources, Ceesay has suffered from torture and maltreatment and is in deteriorating health. Despite his ill-health and eligibility for bail under Gambian law, and the landmark ruling of the African Court on Human and Peoples Rights, the High Court Judge has denied Ceesay clemency three times. The MFWA together with the 36 African and global freedom of expression organisations, on March 2, 2016, urged the Chairperson of the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights to prevail on The Gambia to release Ceesay. By this letter, we implore you to apply pressure on President Yahya Jammeh to ensure the release of journalist Alhagie Abdoulie Ceesay in consideration of his long period of detention and failing health, and to end the persistent crackdown on free expression, the petitioners said. In the words of Abdoulies brother, Its about time the world start acting or else we fear for the future of the family and the countrys most reputable media house Taranga FM. A copy of the petition was also sent to the U.N Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression, David Kaye. A copy of the Petition to African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights is available here. Flagbearer of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP), Ivor Kobina Greentstreet has called on government to return confiscated assets of the party or pay compensation for using them. He said the party rightfully acquired the assets through contributions of its members and same should not be treated as state properties. We believe these properties should be returned to us or compensation paid thereof or whatever it is that will put us in the same position if we had maintained the properties for so many years, he said. Addressing the media in the Eastern region as part of his Thank you tour, Greentstreet registered the partys displeasure with President Mahama for failing to address the issue of the partys confiscated assets in the state of the nation address delivered February 25. He said they had hoped the President would tell Ghanaians about the status of advise provided by the Attorney-General, but was surprised it was not mentioned. Touching on some parts of the state of the nation address, Greenstreet said both the NPP and the NDC explain their achievements in job creation in terms of figures but ordinary Ghanaians are complaining of not feeling it. He said the way both parties run the economy remain the same and that Ghanaians should consider the CPP as a compelling alternative in the coming election. He reiterated CPPs commitment to use the state as the engine of development. Greenstreet said the CPP will empower industries and ensure that things are done differently. Things cannot remain the same. We cannot bring NPP back or we cannot also allow NDC to remain. The only alternative is the CPP, he said. Greentstreet further said the CPP will react to the Presidents state of the nation address at the appropriate time. Story by Ghana|Myjoyonline|Austin Brako-Powers|[email protected] 03.03.2016 LISTEN Mr. Andrew Awunis dastardly attempt to blame Nana Akufo-Addo for the possibility of the New Patriotic Partys failing to clinch victory in the November general election is all too predictable (See Akufo-Addo Has Minimized NPPs Chances for Victory Awuni Kasapafmonline.com / Ghanaweb.com 3/3/16). The fact of the matter is that ever since Mr. Awuni and his fellow jolly campers and anti-Akufo-Addo factionalists lost the chance to impose their will and favorite presidential candidate on the rest of the partys membership and supporters, they have been zealously scheming to handicap the chances of an Akufo-Addo presidency materializing in the offing. But we know from reliable electoral research and opinion polling that Mr. Awunis favorite presidential horse would have had an even far more difficult chance than Akufo-Addo in clinching victory for the party, with or without the summary suspension of any party chairman. We must also promptly highlight the fact that Mr. Awuni and his sponsors are making much ado about absolutely nothing, in basic Shakespearean parlance, because the suspension of Chairman Paul A. Afoko has precedent in the NPP. Thus, it is insufferably preposterous for the former Kufuor spokesman to claim that the justifiable indefinite suspension of Chairman Afoko is tantamount to the staging of a coup detat. This is quite interesting because when then-Chairman Harouna Esseku was summarily suspended from his post, Mr. Awuni was President Agyekum-Kufuors spokesman. Nowhere did Mr. Awuni publicly assert that Mr. Essekus suspension amounted to a coup detat. And, of course, there is clearly a reason for this; and it is the fact that the straight-shooting Mr. Esseku was not good for business. Back then, the crime for which Mr. Esseku had been suspended was that he had indecently squealed to the press about Messrs. Kufuor and Kwadwo Mpiani having converted the Osu Castle, then the official seat of governance, into a blatant envelope-, or bribe-, receiving command post. Absolutely no investigations were conducted to ascertain the veracity, or otherwise, of Mr. Essekus allegation before the decision to suspend the latter was taken and effected. As of this writing, we still did not know whether Harouna Esseku was fairly suspended or not. Well, the case regarding the suspension of Mr. Afoko is far more complicated than that of Mr. Esseku, in that Chairman Afoko also obliquely stands potentially guilty of bearing false witness for his younger brother, Mr. Gregory Afoko, in the brutal acid-dousing assassination of Mr. Adams Mahama, the former Upper-East Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party. Mr. Gregory Afoko is currently standing trial for this most heinous of crimes against humanity. And, predictably, none of the Awuni camp-mates, notably Messrs. Mpiani and Richard Anane, have spoken to the fundamental question of social justice. Needless to say, if anybody is making the chances of returning the Pachyderm to the Flagstaff House extremely difficult, it is certainly those adamant anti-Akufo-Addo factionalists who would have a man who may well have been directly involved in the brutal assassination of Mr. Mahama steer the affairs of the New Patriotic Party. Dirty politicians like Mr. Awuni ought to have at least a decent modicum of shame. *Visit my blog at: kwameokoampaahoofe.wordpress.com Ghanaffairs 03.03.2016 LISTEN A suspected drug dealer at Kpakome in the Volta region was mistakenly shot dead during a struggle with a police officer over a gun, police say. It was purely an accident Volta Regional Police Crime Officer Superintendent, Adamu Seidu, told Joy News Thursday. The incident occurred during a swoop in the community which the Police was to arrest some suspected notorious criminals engaged in drug-related offences. During the swoop, the man whose nickname was only given as Fulani resisted arrest and struggled with a police officer. A second policeman joined in the struggle with the suspect in an attempt to overpower him. In the process, the gun fired into the 'Fulani', killing him instantly. According to the Police, the suspect dealt in Indian hemp and cocaine. At least 10 other suspects were arrested. 03.03.2016 LISTEN It appears members of parliament are making the work of the Right Honorable Speaker, Doe Adjaho quite challenging for him. The Speaker on two occasions have cautioned members of parliament for conducts he described as "unparliamentary" on the floor of parliament. The first happened on the day the president appeared before the House to present the state of the nation address when members sought to interject the presentation with shouts and heckles. During proceedings on Thursday, the Speaker could not harbour the misconduct of the honorable legislators but to call them to order. This happened when the member of parliament for Assin Central, Hon Kennedy Agyapong was on his feet commenting on the 2016 state of the nation address by President Mahama a week ago. He showed receipts of his electricity bills of three months which had saw wide increments from November 2015 to January 2016 with January haven the highest increment. Hon. Kennedy Agyapong was commenting on the energy crisis which had collapsed businesses but bills kept going up. Voices from the majority side of the house shouted "liar, liar". The shout prompted the minority chief whip and MP for Okere, Hon. Daniel Botwe to draw the attention of the Speaker about the shouts from the majority side. The Speaker, furiously descended heavily on the parliamentarians, citing that "I receive text messages from well meaning Ghanaians about the conduct of members of the House. Listen to Hon. Owusu Ankomah and Hon. Bagbin. Listen to them when they are on the floor", he stated. He said the people of Ghana watch the proceedings of the House and that it would be prudent that members showed a good and befitting conducts. Thursday's debate on the state of the nation address was the second day after the commencement of the debate on Wednesday. Hon. Mahama Ayariga moved the motion during Wednesday's sitting that "this House thank His Excellency the President for the message of the state of the nation", he moved and it was seconded by MP for Adansi Asokwa, Hon. K.T. Hammond. Members from both sides took turns to debate on the address. In moving the motion, MP for Bawku Central, Hon. Mahama Ayariga thanked the president for the level of development he has brought into the country with specific emphasis on the energy crisis and the evidence showed by the president to support his case. Hon. K.T. Hammond who did not share the same view as Hon. Ayariga said the president performed a constitutional demand. "Mr. Speaker on this occasion we had the president who out of constitution demand came to the floor of this house to present the state of the nation to the people of the nation. "In so doing the president was entitled to his own set of optical illusion. What the president is not entitled to particularly in the statement is evidence base, so called. Often times the president did not present to the people of Ghana the precise, the clear and the complete state and the comatose state of Ghana", he noted. During his submission he referred to a newspaper when he wanted to comment on the president's fight against corruption. He said the president claim he is fight corruption but the newspaper had reported that Alfred Agbesi Woyome was asking for addition time to pay the money after a Supreme Court's ruling that he should pay. Mr. Speaker objected to Hon. K. T. Hammond's quote from the newspaper and said that members who would want to quote a court proceedings to a document must go for the proceedings from the court because there has been a ruling that not everything published in the newspaper is correct. "If you want to quote what happened at the supreme court go and get proceedings from the court and quote it. Hon. Members for once let us be serious in this house. Ghanaians are watching us. The whole world is watching. I am not talking for the right or the left or where I sit. I am not going to take it from anybody. If you come to this house prepare before you speak if you don't prepare don't open your mouth", Speaker stated furiously as the house was quite like a cemetery. Hon. Atta Akyea, MP for Abuakwa South commenting on the address on the part of corruption, described the president's fight against corruption which was captured in the address as "using table knife to uproot a mountain". 03.03.2016 LISTEN Ghana's President, John Dramani Mahama, has cautioned a Turkish firm, Mappa, against undue delay and its attendant cost overruns in the construction of the new Kotoka International Airport terminal Terminal 3 a flagship project of the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL). The President made the remarks despite the confidence he said he had in the contractors. He said: I am confident that with the experience of the contractor, the work will be done within the estimated cost. Speaking at the sod-cutting ceremony in Accra yesterday to kick-start the project, the President commended GACL for, without recourse to the central government purse, relying solely on its internally-generated funds to give meaning to the project. I wish to congratulate the Board and management of the Ghana Airports Company for raising all the needed funding for this project on their own balance sheets, without recourse to the central government purse or to any sovereign guarantees, he said, while encouraging all state-owned enterprises and corporate entities to emulate the example of Ghana Airports Company. All corporate entities and state-owned enterprises must work to fund their infrastructural projects to ensure that they pay for the cost of their projects by themselves, he insisted. According to President Mahama, Terminal 3 of the Kotoka International Airport formed part of the series of infrastructural projects lined up in the aviation sector a sector which continues to make significant contributions to the economic growth of the country, through wealth creation and employment generation. Globally, the industry supports 58 million jobs and 2.4 trillion dollars in economic activity annually, he noted. The ultra-modern Terminal 3 facility to be constructed would comprise a five-level facility, expanding up to 45,000 square kilometres of space, and a capacity to process 1,250 passengers per hour. Besides, the terminal, capable of handling five million air passengers a year, would have six boarding bridges, a large retail and commercial area, in addition to three business lounges. This landmark project is expected to be completed by the end of 2017. With the completion of Terminal 3, the Kotoka International Airport will be the most attractive aviation destination in West Africa, President Mahama assured, adding that Accra is already a preferred hub for many airlines. Government's plan to set up a new national airline, under a Public-Private-Partnership arrangement, to support the policy objective of creating the Kotoka International Airport as an aviation hub is also on-going. The President expressed optimism of having at least one aerodrome in every region to open up the country economically, and also facilitate medical and emergency evacuation services. Speaking through an interpreter, the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was in the country to observe the ceremony, said: We are proud of the fact that a Turkish company will be acting as the contractor to build this new terminal, as he expressed the belief that with the new facility, Accra will connect to the world in an entirely different way. Seven Turkish flights currently move daily from Ankara to Accra, but this is expected to double to 14 in no time. It is, therefore, the hope of the Turkish President that this would enhance business relations between the two countries. Pascal Kafu Abotsi ([email protected]) 03.03.2016 LISTEN The Director of Operations of the Ghana Police Service, Chief Superintendent (C/Supt.) Dr Benjamin K. Agordzo, has stated that the atmosphere leading to the November 7 elections is enormously volatile. We are nine months to the elections, and the political atmosphere is heating up already, he said. According to him, the elections are extremely crucial, and that if care was not taken, it could be mired by violence. The stakes are very high, C/Supt. Agordzo revealed on Tuesday during a round table discussion in Accra organised by the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD), under the theme: 'Preventing Election Violence in 2016: Lessons from 2012.' Ghana, in recent times, recorded some frightening pockets of armed clashes involving vigilante groups from the two major political parties in the country the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP). The activities of these party vigilante groups, namely the Bolga Bull Dogs and Azorka Boys from the NPP and the NDC respectively, and the proliferation of arms in the country, could thrust the nation into chaos, argued some security experts. They, therefore, warned that the political landscape in the country leading to this year's presidential and parliamentary elections is heating up, threatening the country's security. Corroborating the fears expressed by the experts, C/Supt. Agordzo said: These, referring to the activities of the party vigilante groups, could disrupt the peaceful conduct of the elections. We cannot afford to fail, he declared. According to him, it was based on this development that the early inauguration of the National Election Security Task Force (NESTF) was performed. The NESTF, according to the Police Chief, was to ensure the overall security of the elections, hence, maintaining peace at the polling stations on election day. He said it would also identify trouble prone areas in all constituencies in the respective regions for effective policing. Continuing, he noted that it (NESTF) would also identify inaccessible areas for advance planning to secure boats, canoes, bicycles, motorbikes and helicopters to lift election officials and materials to secure successful elections. Today, the Election Security Task Force has become an integral part of our system, supporting the Electoral Commission to achieve its mandate, C/Supt. Agordzo told the gathering. Its focus is to plan, implement, monitor and evaluate strategies to ensure preparations of the security agencies and other stakeholders in creating a safe environment for peaceful elections, he added. Former National Security Coordinator Kofi Bentum Quantson said the acrimonies and recklessness that plagued the 2012 elections still linger. According to him, they have assumed dangerous proportions, threatening the entire democratic process. Mr. Quantson, who is also a former Director of the Bureau of National Investigation (BNI), did not mince words when he described inter and intra-party lawlessness in Ghana as incrementally alarming. The nature of our volatile political landscape, plus the intransigent fixed attitudes of leading political actors, and the deliberate negative propaganda in operation, make almost every innocuous activity a thunder box, waiting to explode, he said. He said the current political environment, since the 2012 elections, depicts an exceedingly dry Harmattan shrub needing a little spark to unleash a fiery devastation. That is the reality of our situation, observed Mr. Quantson, who is also a member of the Advisory Board of the Coalition of Domestic Elections Observers (CODEO). The Head of Academic Affairs and Research at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Center, Dr. Emmanuel Kwesi Aning, warned that the clashes that ensued during the Talensi by-election, involving the NPP and NDC vigilante groups, should not be taken for granted. He, therefore, urged that all minor incidences within the country should be viewed as potential sources of electoral violence. Also, he said that moderate incidences should be regarded as potential accelerators of electoral violence, and that there should be targeted admonition and appeals as a strategy to facilitate dialogue among political actors to help minimise their occurrence and impact. Political Industry According to Mr. Quantson, rather than itemising the trigger points, he would encapsulate all the possible flashpoints into a quantum security box labeled the political industry, from which our political arrows shoot at us. He observed that the base of Ghanaian politics, over the years, has transformed into a multi-billion cedi industry, whose operations are targeted at money making, espousing a skewed notion that politics was about acquiring power to make money. This, he stated, accounts, not only for the inter-party political acrimonies, but the alarmingly mindless intra-party bloodletting. By Mohammed Awal ([email protected]) An Accra Circuit Court has remanded into police custody a trader who has been accused of using a cutlass to rob and cause harm to a woman at Dansoman, a suburb of Accra. The accused person, Sadat Musah, has, however, denied all the six charges leveled against him, including escaping from lawful custody, contrary to section 226 of the criminal offences 1960, Act 29. According to him, the cutlass which was used to perpetuate the act was not his, but explained to the court that he was coming from somewhere when a group of persons attacked him with a cutlass. He told the court during a cross examination that he did not know the complainant, Awulatu Osman, from anywhere, until the night he met her at the police station. He, however, told the court that the complainants did not arrest him. The court, presided over by Aboagye Tandoh, therefore, adjourned the case to March 4, 2016 for further cross-examination. Brief Facts Complainant Awulatu Osman is unemployed and a resident of Orisco, a suburb of Dansoman, whilst the accused is living at B.A Opoku, also a suburb of Dansoman. On December 25, 2015, the complainant got up to pray at about 1:00a.m. Just after the prayers, the accused person who was armed with a cutlass caused damage to the complainant's trap door, forced it open, and unlawfully entered the room. The accused person, on seeing the complainant, pulled out a cutlass, used it to hit her on both arms, and asked her to surrender her belongings. The accused person went on to threaten her that if she shouted he would kill her. Along the line, the complainant mustered courage and pushed the accused person down and his cutlass fell. She picked it and raised an alarm for assistance. The complainant's children, who are witnesses in the case, with assistance from their neighbours helped them to overpower the accused person. During the course of overpowering him, the accused person sustained various degrees of injury. The information reached the police, and the Dansoman Police Patrol Team went to the scene and arrested the accused person. Due to the injuries he sustained, the police sent him to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, where he was treated and discharged. On their return to the police station, and on reaching Banana-Inn, a suburb of Dansoman, the accused person opened the door of the taxi cab and escaped. He was chased and re-arrested. Further investigations revealed that on the same day, the accused person had broken the ventilation window of one Richard Kweku Mensah's Toyota 4 Runner private car with registration number GW 7626 V, and stole his two window rollers and two side mirrors. The complainant went close to the accused person and identified him as Sadat, and shouted thief. The accused person then took to his heels, but he was arrested. His caution statement was taken, and he was later charged with the offences and arraigned before the honorable court. By Ethel Mensah 03.03.2016 LISTEN Following a speech delivered by the presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Monday, dubbed Real State of the Nation Address in response to President John Mahama's State of the Nation Address last Thursday, National Democratic Congress (NDC) officials have gone haywire by descending heavily on Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. First it was Koku Anyidoho, Deputy General Secretary of the ruling NDC, and then Kofi Adams, National Organiser. Also, on point to release political missiles on the NPP presidential candidate was Johnson Asiedu Nketia, General Secretary of the ruling NDC, and other influential members of the party. Nana Addo mentioned in his address that the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) introduced in 2008, the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) introduced in 2004, the National School Feeding Programme in 2006, and National Youth Employment Programme in 2006, are key social interventions the NPP was proud to have introduced. Stating that under the NDC government, social intervention programmes have been suffering, Nana continued; Unfortunately, all these policies, which he subsequently embraced, have been badly managed. I have to conclude that the NHIS is suffering a similar fate. The President announced some impressive numbers as those who now subscribe to the NHIS. The reality is that the service is in deep distress, and we now have a two-tier health service, where the NHIS users are the second tier, and the dreaded cash and carry is in operation as the first tier at many health facilities. After demanding that the government names one single social intervention it has introduced since taking over the reign of power seven years ago, Nana Addo described the state of the nation address as an embarrassing exercise in mediocrity. He stressed that the Mahama-led administration has plunged the fortunes of the country into crisis. Nana Addo hinted that last Thursday, while Ghanaians were expecting the President to present the current status of the country, they were disappointed, because his delivery turned out to mirror a situation which bore very little resemblance to what the state of the nation was in reality. The President sought to explain the theatrical show he staged in Parliament, with the claim he was providing us with evidence for the claims he was making about the state of the nation. I am afraid it did not work, and it turned out to be an embarrassing exercise in mediocrity, to borrow a form of words that is doubtlessly familiar to our President, he said. While Koku Anyidoho is saying that the provision of water is one key example of a social intervention the Mahama-led government has introduced into the country, Kofi Adams, on the other hand, has described Nana Addo's address as unnecessary. Speaking in an interview with Joy News, Mr. Anyidoho said: Water is life.what is more of a social intervention if I put money in your pocket and you can't buy water? The NDC Deputy General Secretary continued that the NPP, while in office between 2001 and 2008, could not provide water in its presidential candidate's hometown, Kyebi, in the Eastern Region. Water is life. Is Akufo-Addo saying that there is no water in Kyebi.Kwabeng? 12 years as MP, 8 years as Cabinet Minister was he able to send water to Kyebi, Kwabeng and its environs? Mr. Anyidoho charged. He was of the opinion that the provision of potable water should not be trivialised, stressing that was the reason why Joy News has been doing stories highlighting the lack of water in some parts of the country. On his part, Kofi Adams said what Nana Addo did was only engaging himself in political gimmicks, in his desperate attempt to win the November 7 general elections. Speaking on Asempa FMs Ekosii Sen programme, Mr. Adams said: Nana only spoke English. I didnt hear anything serious being mentioned in his speech. To him, the NPP flagbearer should have informed Ghanaians about the true state of the party he swore to unite, but which he has allowed to go into flames. Since Nana became flagbearer, the NPP has been divided, leading to the death of two of its activists, including its Upper East Regional Chairman, Mahama Adams. He advised Nana Addo to, instead of spending his time on President Mahama, focus his attention on how to bring back disgruntled members such as General Secretary Kwabena Agyepong and Chairman Paul Afoko, who his party had suspended. Another NDC man within the corridors of the Flagstaff House, who wanted to remain anonymous, had this to say; Akufo-Addo is, indeed, very empty. If you say His Excellencys address did not capture the real mood of the country, all you needed to do was to provide an alternative, but, no, all he did was to tell us what he says are the challenges government didnt mention. The source queried; Who told Nana Addo that the spark which pushes and gives us the determination to overcome is disappearing, and that if there was ever a time Ghanaians wanted to remain resolute behind the government, it is now. Okay, the source continued; Granted that this government is not performing, and the future of the country is blight as he seems to suggest, what better alternative does he have? Is it the dictatorial tendencies he is exhibiting in his party, or the numerous corruption allegations he has not been able to tackle? He should give us a break. He, therefore, called on Ghanaians to shun talkers and people who would only criticise but not offer any solutions, adding, Obviously, Akufo-Addo doesnt have that flair. His Excellency John Mahama has proved that he is the man, and he would deliver Ghana from all its challenges in this second term, as evident in what we see now. Following a speech delivered by the presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Monday, dubbed Real State of the Nation Address in response to President John Mahama's State of the Nation Address last Thursday, National Democratic Congress (NDC) officials have gone haywire by descending heavily on Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. First it was Koku Anyidoho, Deputy General Secretary of the ruling NDC, and then Kofi Adams, National Organiser. Also, on point to release political missiles on the NPP presidential candidate was Johnson Asiedu Nketia, General Secretary of the ruling NDC, and other influential members of the party. Nana Addo mentioned in his address that the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) introduced in 2008, the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) introduced in 2004, the National School Feeding Programme in 2006, and National Youth Employment Programme in 2006, are key social interventions the NPP was proud to have introduced. Stating that under the NDC government, social intervention programmes have been suffering, Nana continued; Unfortunately, all these policies, which he subsequently embraced, have been badly managed. I have to conclude that the NHIS is suffering a similar fate. The President announced some impressive numbers as those who now subscribe to the NHIS. The reality is that the service is in deep distress, and we now have a two-tier health service, where the NHIS users are the second tier, and the dreaded cash and carry is in operation as the first tier at many health facilities. After demanding that the government names one single social intervention it has introduced since taking over the reign of power seven years ago, Nana Addo described the state of the nation address as an embarrassing exercise in mediocrity. He stressed that the Mahama-led administration has plunged the fortunes of the country into crisis. Nana Addo hinted that last Thursday, while Ghanaians were expecting the President to present the current status of the country, they were disappointed, because his delivery turned out to mirror a situation which bore very little resemblance to what the state of the nation was in reality. The President sought to explain the theatrical show he staged in Parliament, with the claim he was providing us with evidence for the claims he was making about the state of the nation. I am afraid it did not work, and it turned out to be an embarrassing exercise in mediocrity, to borrow a form of words that is doubtlessly familiar to our President, he said. While Koku Anyidoho is saying that the provision of water is one key example of a social intervention the Mahama-led government has introduced into the country, Kofi Adams, on the other hand, has described Nana Addo's address as unnecessary. Speaking in an interview with Joy News, Mr. Anyidoho said: Water is life.what is more of a social intervention if I put money in your pocket and you can't buy water? The NDC Deputy General Secretary continued that the NPP, while in office between 2001 and 2008, could not provide water in its presidential candidate's hometown, Kyebi, in the Eastern Region. Water is life. Is Akufo-Addo saying that there is no water in Kyebi.Kwabeng? 12 years as MP, 8 years as Cabinet Minister was he able to send water to Kyebi, Kwabeng and its environs? Mr. Anyidoho charged. He was of the opinion that the provision of potable water should not be trivialised, stressing that was the reason why Joy News has been doing stories highlighting the lack of water in some parts of the country. On his part, Kofi Adams said what Nana Addo did was only engaging himself in political gimmicks, in his desperate attempt to win the November 7 general elections. Speaking on Asempa FMs Ekosii Sen programme, Mr. Adams said: Nana only spoke English. I didnt hear anything serious being mentioned in his speech. To him, the NPP flagbearer should have informed Ghanaians about the true state of the party he swore to unite, but which he has allowed to go into flames. Since Nana became flagbearer, the NPP has been divided, leading to the death of two of its activists, including its Upper East Regional Chairman, Mahama Adams. He advised Nana Addo to, instead of spending his time on President Mahama, focus his attention on how to bring back disgruntled members such as General Secretary Kwabena Agyepong and Chairman Paul Afoko, who his party had suspended. Another NDC man within the corridors of the Flagstaff House, who wanted to remain anonymous, had this to say; Akufo-Addo is, indeed, very empty. If you say His Excellencys address did not capture the real mood of the country, all you needed to do was to provide an alternative, but, no, all he did was to tell us what he says are the challenges government didnt mention. The source queried; Who told Nana Addo that the spark which pushes and gives us the determination to overcome is disappearing, and that if there was ever a time Ghanaians wanted to remain resolute behind the government, it is now. Okay, the source continued; Granted that this government is not performing, and the future of the country is blight as he seems to suggest, what better alternative does he have? Is it the dictatorial tendencies he is exhibiting in his party, or the numerous corruption allegations he has not been able to tackle? He should give us a break. He, therefore, called on Ghanaians to shun talkers and people who would only criticise but not offer any solutions, adding, Obviously, Akufo-Addo doesnt have that flair. His Excellency John Mahama has proved that he is the man, and he would deliver Ghana from all its challenges in this second term, as evident in what we see now. 03.03.2016 LISTEN ABLEKUMA SOUTH Legislator, Fritz Baffour, has suggested that the government embarks on aggressive and more vigorous policies that would address the youth unemployment in the country. The Member of Parliament who said his biggest concern is the youth unemployment said the problem must be aggressively tackled by creating an enabling atmosphere for the youth to go into agriculture and cocoa farming in particular. The lawmaker who was reacting to the President's State of the nation address last Thursday on Pae mu ka program on JEM FM in Kumasi said though the President gave a good account of himself, government would have to work hard on human resource development. We have a lot of work to do on human resource, he said. The MP, who described the event as a successful one for Parliament told the host, Reynold Agyemang that, there was the need to encourage food processing to add value to agricultural engagement and not a matter of merely going into agriculture for its sake. The former Minister of Information also frowned on graduate unemployment and suggested that the private industry should produce more entrepreneurs to absorb graduates in the job market. Depending solely on the government for employment is a non-starter, he said. According to him, the country had specific accelerated programmes at Independence to produce graduates as government employees to man the industries. He said, however, that under the current public, private partnership (PPP) policy the private sector must take up a sizeable number of graduates every year to help with the situation. The Ablekuma South lawmaker also disagreed with the host that unemployment is a conditionality of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). According to the Ablekuma South MP, Ghana, as a country, had no choice to go to the IMF since workers salary was very high and that it was a matter of adjustment and not necessary a conditionality. Mr. Baffour, who is the chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Defence and Interior, in stating his position on security declined to support the call for protection for MPs in the face of the gruesome murder of the Abuakwa North MP recently. He said that the security apparatus must be resourced to ensure the safety of Ghanaians. Security of the whole society must be enhanced and not restricted to MPS and stressed that: Every Ghanaian should be free and walk without danger. From Sebastian R. Freiku, Kumasi London, March 2, GNA - The High Court in London today dismissed all claims of corruption, bribery and fraud brought by the government of Djibouti against Djiboutian multimillionaire businessman Abdourahman Boreh - a crushing defeat for President Ismail Omar Guelleh who is contesting a fourth controversial term in the presidential election in April. Mr Justice Julian Flaux, in his judgement of over 260 pages, noted: 'I have concluded that all the claims made by the claimants against Mr. Boreh and his company fail.' At the start of the trial in the High Court on October 8, the Djiboutian government had 16 claims but these were reduced to three as the case progressed. Mr Justice Flaux was not impressed by this. He said in his judgement: 'I cannot recollect a case in which so many claims (let alone ones involving allegations of dishonesty) have been pursued with such vigour and then abandoned at trial. 'No proper explanation has been advanced as to why they were pursued and then abandoned. 'I am left with the distinct impression that the Republic was intent on pursuing a scattergun approach against Mr Boreh of throwing as much mud as it could in the hope that something would stick, even though many of the matters were not ones in respect of which the Republic could have had a legitimate or sustainable claim.' All along Mr Boreh had argued that the claims against him and an earlier false conviction of treason in 2009 were all part of a politically motivated campaign levelled at him by President Guelleh. Mr Justice Flaux agreed: 'This cynical approach to litigation is indicative of the political motivation which Mr Boreh contends lies behind this litigation.' The government of Djibouti's claims against Mr Boreh are related to the redevelopment in 2000 of the rundown and outdated facilities at country's main port. The cash-strapped government turned to Mr Boreh, who was a close friend of President Guelleh, to find investors to help raise the port's standards in order to take advantage of lucrative financial opportunities that became available after Eritrea closed its facilities to landlocked Ethiopia following a bitter armed conflict between both countries. Mr Boreh, using his own money and bringing in investors from Dubai, oversaw the construction of a new oil storage facility known as the Horizon Terminal, and a new state-of-the-art container terminal on wasteland. His construction firm, Soprim, was hugely involved in the building project. Mr Boreh brought in the experienced Dubai Port World (DPW) to manage the facilities, thus transforming the financial fortunes of Djibouti. But the government claimed that Mr Boreh wrongfully acquired shares in the projects and was bribed by DPW to give the management contract to the Dubai-based port management company, all of which Mr Boreh denied. On the issue of the Horizon shares, Justice Flaux noted: 'I am entirely satisfied that Mr Boreh did not obtain the shareholdingbecause of any improper basis. 'He obtained it entirely properly for commercial reasons.' He pointed out that President Guelleh was clearly aware of Mr Boreh's shareholding at the time and he never objected to this. Indeed, as a result of the sterling work that Mr Boreh had done, the president appointed him as Chairman of the newly created Port and Free Zones Authority - a position that he held without pay. Mr Justice Flaux said the container terminal that Mr Boreh was involved in had turned out to be 'a great success, both commercially and financially, for the Republic'. In dismissing the bribery claim, the judge said that payment by DPW to Mr Boreh were legitimate because he 'provided genuine service to DP World'. He said that the government of Djibouti sought 'to portray him as a greedy, unscrupulous, corrupt businessman who would stop at nothing to make himself money, including the betrayal of his country, by agreeing soft terms in the [container] agreement'. Mr Justice Flaux went on: 'That is not the man I observed giving evidence in the witness box for four-and-a-half days. 'I simply refuse to accept the claimant's picture of him as a traitor who sold his country short for what, given his wealth, was the modest amount of $1,2500,000 (as alleged bribes).' He agreed with Mr Dominic Kendrick, one of Mr Boreh's lawyers, that he was 'a patriot'. Mr Justice Flaux added: 'He has a strong desire to improve his country and is justly proud of what has been achieved at Doraleh [container terminal] through his and the Republic's cooperation with Dubai. 'He is not a man who would take bribes to sell his country short.' The judge was critical of the Djiboutian government's long campaign against Mr Boreh, which began with a false conviction of treason against the businessman but which was shown to be false in the High court in London last year. The corruption case was the second attempt by the government to destroy Mr Boreh financially and politically. Mr Justice Flaux said '[The campaign] does cast doubt upon the bona fides of the claims, many of which have been abandoned before and during trial, and of the conduct of this litigation, not, I emphasise, by the lawyers in England, but by those with control of the litigation in Djibouti, the State Inspector General and, ultimately, the president. 'It provides an explanation for why witnesses called by the Republic did not tell the truth, specifically about their knowledge of Mr Boreh's shareholding in Horizon. 'It also provides confirmation of the capricious nature of the regime in Djibouti.' Such harsh criticism of President Guelleh does not augur well for his controversial fourth presidential term attempt - more so after his government has spent some $65 million in a vendetta against his former friend and confidant. Nevertheless, the government issued a statement after the judgement saying that it was 'extremely disappointed with the result of the trial and disagrees with the findings made by the Court'. It said it would be 'exploring urgently with its lawyers the best course of action to take, including the possibility of an appeal'. Mr Boreh's defence team noted: 'President Guelleh's campaign against Mr Boreh has backfired spectacularly.' Mr Boreh, in a sanguine statement after the judgement, expressed 'my deep gratitude and appreciation to Mr Justice Flaux for taking the time to examine this case in such meticulous detail and to produce his judgement with such speed'. He continued: 'It is an honour and privilege to have been able to witness first-hand the English system at work for which this country is famous and of which it is justifiably proud. 'My hope is that Djibouti will take on board the value of the experience we have had and learn from it as an example of how justice can be given transparently and fairly. 'I am also very pleased that the judge has found that DP World did not do anything wrong but has instead been instrumental in the huge success of the Port and Free Zones of Djibouti.' DPW was equally positive about the outcome of the case, saying in its own statement: "We have invested significantly in Djibouti over the past 14 years and are proud of the major contribution we have made. 'We are therefore pleased that the English courts have rejected the allegations made against Mr Boreh, and indirectly against DP World. 'We remain disappointed that the government commenced these proceedings and its arbitration against DP World, which is based on essentially the same charges the court has now rejected. 'We look forward to continuing to contribute to Djibouti's economy and its community, and building on our successful and proud record in this region. 'We will now move forward in earnest to defend our position but we hope that is not necessary as a result of today's judgment." Accra, Mar. 3, GNA - The prosecution in the case involving, a trader Sadat Musah who broke into the room of a woman on Christmas Eve and attempted to rob her, on Wednesday presented its first and second witness. The first witness, Madam Haulatu Usman, told the court that on Christmas Eve around 0200 hrs she was praying when she heard a bang on her door, then she realized there was someone in her room. She said 'I saw the accused person holding a cutlass in her room. He hit me with the cutlass and he asked me to go back into the main room but I refused and a struggle ensued between us'. She said she shouted for help and her daughter who was sleeping in the bedroom woke up and joined me in an effort to disarm the accused person. 'We shouted and our neighbours came to our aid and assisted us to tie him down after which we called the police.' The witness said when Sadat was arrested she gave her statement to the police. The second prosecution witness, Falira Usman who is the daughter of the first witness also told the court that she was also asleep around 0200 hrs when she heard her mother screaming. She said she rushed there only see the accused person struggling with her mother so she assisted her mum in taking the cutlass from him. 'Our neighbours came to our aid and together we tied him up and called the police to arrest him'. The case was adjourned to March 23 for continuation of trial. Musah was charged with an attempt to commit crime to wit robbery, carrying offensive weapon, two counts of causing unlawful damage, escaping from lawful custody and two counts of stealing. Musah on the same day stole Richard Kweku Mensah's two car rollers and two side mirrors after breaking into his Toyota Four Runner vehicle. He has, however, denied the offence. Earlier, Prosecuting Chief Inspector E. Afful said the first complainant Awulatu Osman, unemployed, resides at Orisco, near Dansoman, Accra. On December 25, last year, prosecution said the complainant got up to pray at about 0100 hrs. Soon after praying, Chief Inspector Afful said Musah who was armed with a cutlass, caused damage to the complainant's trap door and entered her room. Musah pulled out a cutlass and ordered complainant to surrender all her belongings and further threatened to kill her if she shouted. Prosecution said Madam Awulatu mastered courage and pushed the accused person's hand and his cutlass fell. Awulatu picked up the cutlass and raised the alarm, which attracted witnesses to the scene. When information reached the Dansoman Police Patrol team, they went to the scene and Musah was handed over to them. Due to the severity of the injuries he had sustained, the Police took him to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital where he was treated and discharged. Prosecution said whiles Musah was being escorted to the Dansoman Police Station, on reaching Banana Inn, Musah bolted from the vehicle which was carrying him. However with the assistance of witnesses, Musah was nabbed by the Police. Chief Inspector Afful said Police investigation revealed that Musah had earlier broken the ventilation glass of Mr Mensah's vehicle and made away with two car rollers and two side mirrors. GNA 03.03.2016 LISTEN Accra, Mar. 3, GNA - A delegation led by Ms Dzifa Gomashie, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, has visited the widow of the late Solomon Otokunor Sampah at her residence in Accra. Other members on the delegation include Monica Quarcoopome, a veteran actress; Francis Dogbe, a leading member of the Actors Guild; Leonora Buckman, the founder of Women in Performing Arts; Oswald Okaitey, a Poet and Elivava, a musician. The visit was a solemn one, where silence pervaded for minutes, and tears were seen constantly rolling down the cheeks of the Minister. The Minister presented 10 cartoons of drinking water and undisclosed amount of money to the widow. The late Solomon Sampah was the Stage Manager of Abibigromma of the National Theatre where the Deputy Minister used to work. Ms Gomashie described the late Solomon Sampah as a versatile performer, who trained and motivated players in the industry to strive to be the best. 'He was a disciplinarian who believed is excellence,' she said. She said the late performer availed himself in the industry and was a professional in the true sense of the word. The Deputy Minister said the late Solomon Sampah has been and would always continue to be a part of her life. The family head expressed gratitude to the Minister and her team for honouring their late kin and national icon. Solomon Sampah died at age 70 and was survived by a wife and eight children - four males and four females. He was born at James Town, British Accra, would have turned 71 on February 14. The Solomon Sampah is well known for the popular Original Hacks commercial and has starred in several movies including 'Foul Play', 'Queen's Bride', 'Owuo Safoa', and 'Ultimate Paradise' television series. GNA 03.03.2016 LISTEN Accra, Mar. 3, GNA - Apostle Joseph Felix Kwesi Mensah, the Rector of Christlike Disciple-makers Movement (CDM) Bible College, has advised Christians to plan their lives well and to work towards fulfilling their goals. He said many Christians do not plan, because they think that if one plans, he is against the Holy Ghost, adding that 'so they say as the Lord leads'. 'Our God is the master planner and so his children must plan their lives,' Apostle Mensah stated in his homily at the end of a three-day retreat at the CDM Bible College at Ayi-Mensah, Accra. The retreat was attended by pastors, elders, evangelists, missionaries, Christlike disciple makers, church workers and students. Speaking on the topic: 'This work must be finished', Apostle Mensah observed that the bible states that anyone who intends to build a tower, must first sit down and assess the cost, whether he has sufficient funds to finish it; or lest haply, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him; 'saying, this man began to build, and was not able to finish'. Apostle Mensah, who is also the Chairman of the Apostolic Council of the Great Commission Church International, said lack of planning leads to wastage of resources. He urged Christians to totally commit their lives to serving and worshiping God, stating that the Kingdom of God demands 100 per cent of your being and that no man can serve two masters; 'you cannot serve both God and money'. He said the kingdom of God is like someone who discovers a treasure in a field; who went away and sold all that he had with joy and came and bought the field for himself. 'To give Jesus half of your life, will not work. To give Jesus three-quarters of your life, will not work it will fail. Jesus demands 100 per cent. Salvation is free, but it will take everything that you have; otherwise you don't intend to be saved,' he added. He said Jesus gave the Great Commission to all Christians, and they must endeavour to carry the gospel to the ends of the world; declaring that Christlike disciple-making is key to fulfilling of the Great Commission. He said taking the gospel to all tribes and nations of the world can be done within one generation, provided Christians are willing to take up the issue of winning souls for Christ very seriously. The CDM Bible College is an international inter-denominational institution that aims to produce Christ-like disciple-makers, who know their specific calling from God and have enough urgency for the Great Commission, to reproduce strategic and faithful disciple-makers who would be labourers for finishing the unfinished task within the generation. GNA 03.03.2016 LISTEN Accra, Mar. 3, GNA - The Tema Regional Branch of the United Cadres Front of Ghana (UCF-GHANA) has condemned the unwarranted attacks on Mr Martin Amidu, former Attorney General and Minister of Justice. A statement signed by Mr Edward Aganaboya Mba, the Acting Chairman of the Tema Regional Branch of the UCF-Ghana, and copied to the Ghana News Agency, said Mr Martin Amidu had been vilified for his comment on issues concerning the Electoral Commission constituting a body known as "Steering Committee for Election 2016 ". 'These developments which are emanating from the former chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Peter Mac Manu and its appendages is rather surprising to us, as regards to the independent thoughts and conviction of Comrade Amidu. 'We are indeed surprised, because the Let My Vote Count Alliance (LMVCA) and the Alliance For Accountable Governance (AFAG), the appendages being referred to - were the same organs which saw Mr Martin Amidu, (rightly so) the hero of our time in his advocacy in the fight against corruption and injustice,' it said. 'Having known Mr Martin Amidu since the days of the 31st December Revolution, he has not changed in his resolve to fight the canker and other vices in society. 'His post-revolutionary loner in the war against corruption and injustice has been well recorded since the National Democratic Congress resumed leadership of this country, the Woyome case being the most visible,' the statement said. It said the LMVCA and AFAG were full of praise and gave him support for his bravery; which the Cadres equally subscribe to even though they may sometimes have differences with his style of approach. 'However, we are shocked at the attitude of these same organs of the NPP when they turn their guns on him just because this time around, he has differed in opinion over the attacks on the chairman of the Electoral Commission (EC), Mrs Charlotte Osei. 'We are especially taken aback, when his critique was based on objective analyses on the constitutionality of persons appointed to serve on state institutions who may one way or the other belong to political parties. 'In addition to his position on the issue, Mr Martin Amidu, stated that there is no constitutional puncturing in what the EC did, conceded that the EC should have still done a thorough back-ground checks on the persons from the institutions so-nominated, in order to have avoided the un-necessary backlash it has suffered based on partisan reasoning,' it stated. The statement said it is trite of capture, that the NPP and its surrogates had problems with the Eminent Persons the EC appointed to delve into the party's petition on their allegation of a bloated voters register loaded with foreigners. It said: 'They brushed a number of them of having sympathy for the NDC. But, surprisingly, the same party made reference to good recommendations by the body they tagged as unfit, which they claimed the EC refused to act on. So, does it means that Ghanaians can have partisan political colours and still work with objectivity?' It said the UCF-Ghana wish to caution all politicians that they do not own Ghana and Ghanaians ought to stand up and condemn the unpatriotic posturing of these politicians and tell them the country would not die because of their desire for power - not leadership. It recounted The Chronicle of September 5, 2006, that in the heat of the cocaine scandals (when partisan politics was introduced to it in 2006), Mr Amidu made this wise counsel to the NPP which is still relevant in the context of this comment and the reference goes thus: 'I suppose the NPP has already learnt what we say in opposition, could haunt us one day in government. The interest of this nation requires that government and opposition be in constant consultation and not in perpetual conflict. 'The NPP has tried confrontation for six years, it has not worked. Why not try consultation and consensus building for the remaining half year,' it said. GNA 03.03.2016 LISTEN Accra, Mar. 3, GNA - The Africa Frontex Intelligence Community (AFIC), an international platform for information sharing and analytical work among border security practitioners workshop is underway in Accra. The two-day workshop, the first of its kind in Ghana, has brought together border security experts from across Europe and Africa to share ideas in confronting recurring cross border crimes. It is being organised by Frontex, the European agency for the management of operational cooperation at the External Borders of Member States of European Union in collaboration with AFIC and it is being hosted by the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS). Mr Prosper Bani, Minister for the Interior, said hosting the AFIC here in Accra, marks another milestone in the recognition of Ghana as a key international partner in the maintenance of global security. He said the AFIC meeting is occurring at a time that national authorities are struggling to manage the impact of the mass migration across the Aegean Sea from Syria and also from North Africa to Europe. Mr Bani said terrorism and other transnational crimes could only be fought effectively through joint international efforts and in that regard, sharing of intelligence and information is a vital factor. 'It is particularly against this backdrop that the Government of Ghana readily accepted to host this year's AFIC meeting in Accra,' he said. Mr Bani said the human tragedy that has been witnessed, especially those involving vulnerable women and children, has been heart-breaking. 'For us in Africa, we note and monitor closely the dangerous journey through North Africa across the Mediterranean,' he said and attributed that to political instability in some North African countries. Mr Bani said another issue of major concern was the proliferation of terrorist acts, especially in the West African Sub Region. 'We are mindful of the heinous terrorist attacks on the people of Paris as well as the San Bernardino case of the United States of America last year. 'we have observed with horror, the despicable actions of Boko Haram in Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Cameroun and Mali. Very recently on account of the serious terrorist attacks suffered by Burkina Faso- the West African sub-region is on a high security alert and Ghana is no exception,' Mr Bani said. 'We hope that [the deliberations] will offer an important platform for intelligence sharing on transnational crimes that threaten the security of the West African sub region in particular and the world as a whole,' he added. Mr Paolo Salvia, Head of Political Section of the European Union (EU) in Ghana, said AFIC provides the common platform to fight illegal migration and human trafficking and affirmed the EU's continuous support for their activities. Mr Felix Yaw Sarpong, Director of Ghana Immigration Service, said being a founding member of AFIC, the GIS was enthused to host the first full session of AFIC in Africa after the mini meeting in Senegal and Morocco last. He said AFIC has come a long way from its birth in Madrid in 2010 as intelligence from its meetings and annual reports has been very vital over the years. Mr Sarpong said the network has improved co-operation in the combat of transnational crimes among member states and organizations. Over the years, AFIC has developed and has duly extended its intelligence exchange to cover all other transnational crimes including terrorism, drug trafficking and money laundering. GNA Takoradi, Mar. 3, GNA - Dr. Albert Brown Gaisie, the Chief Fire Officer of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), says the Service is undergoing a transformation to ensure proactive fire prevention instead the reactive to fire breaks. He said to this effect various District, Municipal and Regional Commanders of the Service would be required to prepare effective contingency plans to deal decisively with fire-related matters. 'They must embark on educational drive in churches, mosques, radio stations, lorry parks and other public places to educate the populace on fire safety measures', he stressed. Dr. Gaisie said this at a staff durbar held in the Western Regional Headquarters of the GNFS at Fijai after touring some fire stations and installations in the Region. The tour was meant to validate and familiarise with some operational and technical measures instituted by the various District and Municipal Fire Commands to ensure fire safety and enhance the socio-economic development of the country. He said the Service wass confronted with complicated and unknown chemicals in its quest to combat fire outbreaks; therefore, it would be required to deal with such dangerous fire cases in order to protect lives and property as well as ensuring safety and health of personnel. He noted that every institution at a point in time undergoes transformation which required sacrifices in view of changes in the society, especially with the emerging threats ofl terrorism and sporadic attacks on institutions and vital state installations and so personnel would be equipped to deal with such risks. To ensure effective implementation of the contingency plans, he said, the fire commanders would sign Performance Audit Agreement with the Service, and occasionally, monitoring teams from the GNFS would undertake unannounced visits to fire posts and stations to undertake audits to ascertain their compliance. He charged the personnel to take proper care of the Service's logistics, saying any equipment or materials request made by any district fire commander would be reviewed and justified before being granted to ensure value for money. 'You must ensure judicious utilization of resources allocated to your Command since it shows how effective and efficient you are as a leader', he said. The Chief Fire Officer announced that the GNFS would soon embark on fire safety courses to enhance the capacity of the personnel and encouraged them to take part since it would aid in their promotions, and also update their knowledge in fire safety management. Touching on the impending general elections in November, Dr. Gaisie stated that some personnel of the Service would be assigned for election-related activities, and urged them to exhibit a high sense of professionalism and discipline. Mr. Obeng Dankwa Dwamena, the Regional Commander of the Westren Region, said the Region has 17 fire stations and two fire posts and revealed that the Juaboso Fire post would be upgraded to a fire station while a facility has been made available for a fire station at Sefwi-Essam in the Bia West District. He said the Region has staff strength of 415 made up of 54 senior officers, 361 junior officers and two civilian employees and indicated that the Regional Command had intensified public education on fire safety at markets, lorry parks and other public places aimed at minimizing the incidents of fire outbreaks. Mr. Dwamena said, this year, the Region has recorded 119 fire cases between January and February with an estimated cost of damages amounting to GHa273,653.00. GNA Accra, March 03, GNA - The formation of the West African Think Tank Network (WATTNet) is very crucial for the sub-region's socio-economic and political advancement, former President John Agyekum Kufuor has said. He said African think tanks could serve as catalysts for the socio-economic and political integration of the sub-region. Former President Kufuor made these remarks in a keynote address at the inaugural conference of WATTNet, on the theme: 'Transforming West Africa for Inclusive Development'. The conference was hosted by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) and sponsored by the Think Tank Initiative of the International Development Research Centre. The WATTNet, a network of think tanks in West Africa, was established in September 2015 with the goal of promoting socio-economic and political development in the sub-region. President Kufuor recounted that the ECOWAS was established over 40 years ago to transform West Africa for inclusive development. The former President noted that despite the fact that the Organisation was trying, there remained a lot to be done to realise the very crucial mission of achieving inclusive development for West Africa. He said there was lack of commitment and resolution by leaders who should be driving this mission to get all of West Africa to become a common unit for socio-economic development to better the lives of our people. 'That commitment is not there. And so the first thing is for those of us committed to influence and also motivate the drive for the realisation of West Africa as a unit,' he said. Former President Kufuor said it was essential that think tanks and people who see the advantage of West Africa unifying to do everything to get leadership to show sincerity and commitment towards realising the ECOWAS vision. 'But even as we work on the leaders, we should also work on the people of West Africa because even if the leaders at the top agree and will be committed, unless they carry their people along with them, I tell you it will still be an uphill task. 'And how do we get the people of West Africa to appreciating the importance of constituting themselves into more or less a common country; the United States of Africa in real terms? How do we do it? We cannot do it, if the people are not made aware of themselves,' he said. On the economy of the sub-region, Former President Kufuor said the issue of the ECO, the proposed common currency for the West African Monetary Zone, had become an insurmountable one; stating that economic giants like Nigeria looked inward when it comes to the issue of a common currency. He said: 'We also, on the economic front, should make our people from government right down to the people generally aware of what's happening. 'The world in terms of the market is fast globalising and one attribute of the global market that we must come to terms with is the fact that our competitiveness is the demand; so if we want to hold our corner in the global market, we should operate with global standards. 'Otherwise, we become dumping grounds. For instance, in Ghana, we have lands, we have water courses that could support quite viable rice production; but what do we find? 'We see that we are dumping sites for rice imported from as far away as Vietnam, China, Japan, India, and farmers are not able to compete with the produce from those far-off places.' He called for the free movement of goods and services within the sub-region to help to promote its integration and socio-economic development. Mrs Jean Mensa, IEA Executive Director said WATTNet seeks to establish a viable sub-regional platform which would enable sustained collaboration among research institutions and think tanks in the region. GNA 03.03.2016 LISTEN Accra, March 3, GNA - A three-day Africa regional conference to discuss and agree on a shared framework for the responsible production of palm oil opened in Accra on Wednesday. Organised by Proforest, which is leading the Initiative on behalf of Tropical Forest Alliance (TFA) 2020, the workshop is being held in collaboration with the Government through the Ministry of Food and Agriculture. The workshop, the first of its kind would help plan the regional initiative process leading towards signing a regional Accord at the Ministerial level on responsible palm oil production later in 2016. The TFA 2020 is a public-private partnership bringing together companies, governments and civil society with a shared goal of reducing tropical deforestation across the globe. Its focus is on agricultural commodities such as palm oil, soy, pulp and paper, and beef products, which drive more than 50 per cent of such deforestation. Speaking at the opening session, Dr Ahmed Yakubu Alhassan, Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, said the TAF 2020 was part of the important process of ensuring that oil palm was produced in a way that protects the environment, bring benefits to communities, provide a conducive atmosphere for industry and businesses to grow, while contributing to Ghana's growing economy. He said it was the belief of the Government that the development of oil palm could be done in a more sustainable manner to help reduce the negative impacts. Dr Alhassan said it was important that palm oil refiners, manufacturers and other actors who influenced the sector directly and indirectly come together to find ways of reducing the likely negative impacts and increase its benefits. 'We believe this can be done by joining forces with allies who share the same vision and who are ready to forge strategic, mutually beneficial partnerships to work towards set goals,' he said. Oil Palm is known to have originated in Africa. Its cultivation has hitherto been on a small scale - primarily as village low-yield multi-crop stands. According to the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) smallholders account for 70-90% of oil palm producers in Africa. 'As we learn from ourselves and share ideas, it is my hope that we not only develop but find constructive ways of supporting the implementation of a set of regional principles for responsible oil palm development that take account of the development plans of our respective countries and Africa as a whole,' Dr Alhassan said. 'Oil palm development is about our people, our livelihood, heritage, our economy and ultimately our legacy. We don't owe its sustainable growth only to the over six million people whose livelihood depends on it, or the consumers all over the world whose lives a better because of the oil palm but to posterity,' he added. He said closing the gaps in the sector and producing oil palm sustainably would require concerted efforts from governments, regional bodies, research institutions, private financiers, investors, and technocrats, to ensure the proper understanding and utilization of oil palm. He pledged government's full support for the program. Mr Abraham Baffoe, Africa Regional Director Proforest, said the workshop sought to build a shared understanding of TFA 2020 and the Africa Palm Oil Initiative and share ideas and experiences on promoting deforestation-free supply chains as a vital element of better economic growth and making progress towards the Global Goals. It will also update stakeholders on progress made in the initial focal countries and develop a framework for a set of regional principles for sustainable palm oil in Africa, including a timeline for reaching a regional agreement. Six leading palm oil producing countries in Africa including Cameroon, Cote D'Ivoire, Gabon, Liberia, Nigeria and Ghana are engaged in the Initiative. Other producer countries are expected to join this first regional workshop, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of Congo and Sierra Leone. GNA 03.03.2016 LISTEN Cape Coast, March 03, GNA - The Cape Coast Polytechnic Association and the Coalition of Central Region Youth groups have staged a demonstration to register their displeasure over the non-inclusion of the polytechnic in the first phase of the polytechnics to be converted into technical universities. The groups together with some lecturers and workers of Polytechnic who were clad in red and black and chanted war songs blocked the main entrance to the school. The aggrieved groups who enjoyed massive support from some workers, market women, and residents from Abura and other nearby communities, refused to allow any vehicle to enter the campus from about 0630hours until around 1030hours. The demonstration, which was calculated to coincide with the Polytechnic's Council meeting, worked to make an impact as Members, including the Rector, the Vice and others, who were attending the meeting were made to walk more than 100 metres from the gate to the Administration Block because the group refused their vehicles entry. The Queen mother of Mankessim and President of the Central Regional Queen mothers' Association, Nana Ama Amissah, III who were also attending the meeting had to walk to the venue. Dr. Don Arthur, the Chairman of the Council, was delayed at the gate for almost an hour, before he was granted passage, and this was even after he had accepted a petition from them. Police officers from the Central Regional Police Command were dispatched to the campus to ensure order. President John Mahama in his State of the Nation address last Thursday, listed six Polytechnics for the first phase of the conversion of polytechnics into technical universities in September but C-Poly was missing on the list. This ,the group disagreed since according to them, the polytechnic ranked sixth in the report of a Technical Committee set up by the National Council for Tertiary Education ( NTCE), in July last year. Their demonstration comes after several appeals to the Government via petitions and media conferences to ensure transparency in the selection process since they claim the polytechnic had been treated unfairly. The NTCE has said the selection process was flawless. At a point, the coalition threatened a legal action against the NTCE, if a tangible explanation was not given. The coalition is made up of the Central Region Youth for Development, Fante Students' Association, Concerned Youth of Cape Coast North, Cape Coast Development Association, Abura Youth Confederacy and Ghana Muslim Students Alumni. The School is, however, expected to reopen this weekend. GNA Accra, Mar. 3, GNA - Dr Kwame Ampofo, Board Chairman of the Ghana Energy Commission, has commended the achievements of President John Dramani Mahama in the development of the energy sector. President Mahama's elaboration on progress made in the country's energy sector affirmed the government's vision to make Ghana the energy hub of West Africa. 'Specifically, President Mahama emphasized the progress his government has made in dealing with the power (dum-sor) situation and expressed delight that the promise he made last year to 'fix' the problem had come true,' Dr Ampofo said in a statement copied to the Ghana News Agency. The statement titled: 'Energy Perspective of the State of the Nation Address,' sought to highlight President Mahama's vision in fixing Ghana's perennial power crisis. It said as a medium to long term process that requires robust policies and planning schedules, effective regulatory practices and enforcing existing legislations are important in ensuring financial soundness in the utilities along the value chain of the power industry. The statement said: 'We must all support the President's outlined plans and strategies through strict adherence to the strategy, complemented by [the] synergy of efforts of all sector agencies'. It said these are essential in realizing the President's vision of fixing the menace of dum-sor and turn Ghana into the energy hub of the West African sub-region. The statement said in the 2015 State of the Nation Address, President Mahama acknowledged the generation capacity inadequacy, the over reliance on hydro, and the fuel supply problems as the underlying challenges that faced the power sector. It said: 'The President took full responsibility for the situation but also forcefully declared that he did not want to merely manage the problem, as has been done in the past, but rather wants to 'fix' the problem, once and for all'. According to the statement Government has made tremendous progress in addressing the power supply shortages and this can be attributed to hard work. The statement said Government has achieved the fastest mobilization of emergency power, which has added as much as 800 megawatts (MW) to the system within the shortest possible time. A breakdown of the power investments includes: KTPP (200MW), TICO expansion (110MW), Karpower barge (220MW), AMERI (250MW) and Sunon-Asogli Phase II (180MW). The statement lauded President Mahama's admission that even though the challenges has abated, more was needed to be done to give the country a sustainable power supply system. It said from the regulation side, the Energy Commission is to expedite the full implementation of all outstanding issues in the regulatory framework established in the Energy Commission Act 1997 (Act 541). The statement said the operational requirements contained in the Electricity Regulations 2008 (L.I. 1937), and the national electricity grid code would see to the establishment of the Electricity Market Oversight Panel (MOP). GNA 03.03.2016 LISTEN Accra, March 03, GNA - The Government is implementing critical operational measures to address the capacity needs of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) to perform its mandatory duties effectively, Mr Prosper Bani, the Minister of the Interior, has said. Speaking at a two-day Africa Frontex Intelligence Community (AFIC) workshop, in Accra, Mr Bani said the Government recognised the role of its border control agencies, particularly, the GIS in combating transnational crimes. AFIC is an international platform for information sharing and analytical work among border security practitioners across Europe and Africa. The workshop, the first of its kind in Ghana, has brought together border security experts from across Europe and Africa to share ideas in confronting recurring cross border crimes. It is being organised by Frontex, the European Agency for the Management of operational cooperation at the External Borders of Member States of European Union in collaboration with AFIC. It is being hosted by the GIS. Mr Bani said the ability of the GIS to play its role in developing and sharing intelligence with sister agencies and its international partners depended, to high extent, on its capacity. He said the first step was the passage of the new Immigration Service Bill which, would bring about considerable change in the organisational structure and functions of the Service. The Minister explained: 'Key among the changes introduced by the new Bill are the Elevation of the Head of Immigration from Director to Controller-General; and the authority for border patrol officers and men to hold arms in the performance of their duties. 'The Authority for immigration officers to issue visas at Ghana's Missions abroad, and opportunities for engagement in international cooperation are others.' The Minister said in advancing national security further, the GIS would from next week begin an intense and continued monitoring of hotels and dwelling places to ensure compliance with the Law. He called for cooperation with the Service as they performed this important and legitimate mandate. 'I expect officers of the GIS to attend to this with professionalism and avoid complaints of harassment and bribery,' he added. Mr Bani, therefore, reiterated the Government's assurance and commitment to ensuring global security. GNA 03.03.2016 LISTEN The fate that befell several hundreds of residents in parts of Adjei Kojo, where over 200 houses were pulled down for alleged illegal occupancy is about happening at the Katamanso Forest, where over 100 acres of the Reserve has been taken over by developers. Large vegetation cover of the famous Katamanso Forest, which is a reserve for games and used to accommodate the Ga-Adangme gods, has been depleted. The fast encroachment on the Forest has, thus, left the green land barren and open for more developers. Mr. Anthony Nukpenu, who is the Presiding Member (PM) at the Kpone-Katamanso District Assembly (KKDA) has bemoaned the destruction of the Katamanso Forest, warning that properties on the Forest land shall be demolished. Due to our own irresponsible conducts and behaviours as Ghanaians, some towns cannot have access to drinking water because our own callous behaviour has destroyed our vegetation and forest. The activities of galamsey operators have totally depleted our forests and polluted our water bodies, Anthony Nukpenu bemoaned. The KKDA PM gave the warning when a section of the media toured the depleted forest by the sons of the royal family of the Afotey-Agbo clan of Katamanso. Mr. Nukpenu explained that KKDA would engage the Forestry Commission, Lands Commission and Ministry of Tourism in a crunch meeting, and one of the proposals KKDA would put forward will be the engagement of the services of surveyors to quantify the number of houses that have been built in the Katamanso Forest. He said KKDA would demolish any house or property that would be found on the Forest land after the two miles of the Reserve had been surveyed. The KKDA PM indicated that about a fortnight ago, the assemblys taskforce was in the Forest to stop some developers after the developers defied notices that they had encroached on the Katamanso Forest. Some land guards, he said, chased the task force out. This time, we are not going to sit idle as these land guards and developers continue to deplete the historical Forest. We are going to meet as an assembly, then hold a meeting with the appropriate state securities to help us flush out the land guards from the Forest. Thereafter, we will move in as an assembly to demolish any structure or properties on the Reserved land, Anthony Nukpenu noted. Joshua Kwei Laryea, son of Royal Family of Katamanso, on his part, warned that the family would rise to protect the Forest. He wondered why some irresponsible people would sell part of the Forest to developers, when we the children and family and custodians of the Forest are keeping it for generations and the State? He fingered the chief of their nearest neighbour, in the Adentan Municipality, for the wanton sale of the over 100 acres of the Forest to developers. Joseph Kwei Laryea recollected how three years ago, a joint security personnel patrolled the boundaries of the Forest to protect it from encroachment. The family, he said, also engaged in the protection of the land; however, he believed that complacency on their part has caused them the depletion. He said: We are going to get the land guards unemployed from today. We will march them boot for boot in this Forest. Kwei Laryea added, Since the land guards want blood bath, we will grant them their request. From Inusa Musah, Katamanso Deputy Minister for Education in charge of Tertiary, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa says Ghanaians should be proud of having Mr. John Dramani Mahama as President of the land. President Mahama, he noted, has always backed his words with action, an example of which he said was demonstrated on the floor of Parliament last Thursday during the first gentleman of the lands delivery of the State of the Nation Address. Interacting with Nana Aba Anamoah on GH ONE TVs current affairs program, State of Affairs, Wednesday, Ablakwa said what fascinates him about the President is the manner in which he narrates real life situation to his audience. For example, in the case of Apim Shulamite, he said this was a young lady who after completing Junior High School, gained admission to a boarding Senior High School but because of lack of funds, her parents couldnt afford to pay school fees. Apim Shulamite who was seated at the public gallery and introduced to the lawmakers during the Presidents State of the Nation Address, according to Ablakwa, is now a beneficiary of the progressively free education policy being rolled out by the first gentleman of the land across the country. She leaves in the Ekumfi District. Because they had no day school, she couldnt go to school and was selling waakye and working in a chop bar. Apim Shulamite is now a student of the newly built Prof. J. E. Atta-Mills Community Day School and is now the Assistant School Prefect of the School. This, he noted, is an evidence-based State of the Nation Address delivered by President Mahama. Tunis (AFP) - Five militants killed by Tunisian forces near the Libyan border had slipped across with the aim of carrying out "terrorist attacks", Prime Minister Habib Essid said Thursday. Essid, in a statement on his official Facebook page, praised the army and national guard units who had eliminated the "terrorist cell sent in from Libya". Their killing in a raid on Wednesday evening had "foiled the terrorist operations the cell was planning", the prime minister said. At least four of the infiltrators were Tunisian nationals, the interior ministry later said, while the fifth was still to be identified. One civilian was killed by a stray bullet during the assault on a house outside the town of Ben Guerdane near the border. An army commander was also wounded. Explosive vests, improvised grenades and a large quantity of munitions were recovered from the slain militants, the interior ministry said. Six foreign passports were also found, it said without elaborating. Defence Minister Farhat Horchani, questioned in parliament, said a gunbattle between security forces and the suspects lasted more than an hour. Troops had been on alert after receiving reports that militants had been slipping across the border this week following a US air strike on an Islamic State (IS) jihadist group training camp in Libya on February 18 targeting a senior Tunisian commander. Tunisia has built a 200-kilometre (125-mile) barrier that stretches about half the length of its border with Libya in an attempt to keep out militants. Deadly attacks by IS on foreign holidaymakers last year, which dealt a devastating blow to the country's tourism industry, are believed to have been planned from Libya. Last month's US strike on the IS training camp outside the Libyan city of Sabratha targeted the suspected mastermind of two of the attacks, Noureddine Chouchane. Washington has said Chouchane was likely killed along with dozens of other militants, and that the strike probably averted a mass shooting or a similar attack in Tunisia. Britain announced Monday it was sending a team of around 20 soldiers to Tunisia to train troops patrolling the border with Libya. Thirty Britons were among 38 foreign holidaymakers killed in a gun and grenade attack on a beach resort near the Tunisian city of Sousse last June. And last March, jihadist gunmen killed 21 tourists and a policeman at the Bardo Museum in Tunis. According to a UN working group on the use of mercenaries, over 5,000 Tunisians, mostly aged from 18 to 35, have travelled abroad to join jihadist groups, especially in Syria, Iraq and Libya. Valentina Mintah with some of the beneficiaries 03.03.2016 LISTEN The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of West Blue Consulting, Valentina Mintah has called for better protection for vulnerable girls in the country such as Kayayei (female porters) and other disadvantaged young women. She said that the future of every developing nation depends on the kind of care given to girls and young women. According to her, proper care will breed good and worthy citizens, while neglect of the girls would be disastrous for the nation. She made this call during a ceremony to make donation towards the completion of a Kayayei Resettlement Center in Kumasi, which is an initiative of the Pamela Bridgewater Project. Ms. Mintah suggested that there should be an effective public-private partnership to work out viable programmes to address the challenge of Kayayei and its attendant problems, especially the abuse they suffer as girls in the hands of unscrupulous person. . She reiterated the support of West Blue Consulting, a world-class IT consulting and technology firm, to disadvantaged girls in the country to realize their dreams and ambitions in life. Project Director of the Pamela Bridgewater Project, Yahaya Alhassan said the Kejetia Kayayei Resettlement Center in Kumasi will be completed in September, this year. He said the center would be very useful in checking human trafficking because Kejetia has long been a transit point for the trafficking of girls and young women. The center would house a clinic to provide free healthcare services to the vulnerable girls and market women trading at Kejetia and public address system to share information on mutual interest to Kayayei and market women. Located at the heart of Kumasi, the Kayayei Center, to be manned by volunteers, would also serve as a data collection point to achieve the resettlement goal. The facility, which is part of the programmes of the Kunata Voluntary Organisation (KVO) to promote the welfare of head porters, would also become a common platform for counseling, education on HIV/AIDS, awareness creation on pre-marital and unwanted pregnancy, which has been a challenge, proper healthcare, report of abuse and security for disadvantaged girls. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Didier Reynders received today his counterpart of the Republic of the Congo, Jean-Claude Gakosso. The two ministers reaffirmed their commitment to maintain the bilateral dialogue, as well as the exchanges between Brussels and Brazzaville. The first round of the presidential elections in the Republic of Congo will be held on 20March. Minister Reynders reiterated the importance of elections allowing free participation of all candidates in the debate. Belgium and the European Union will pay attention to these issues. As part of an exchange on regional issues, the two Ministers discussed the political situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo. On Burundi, Minister Reynders reiterated the importance of achieving an inclusive dialogue between Burundian actors in order to find a solution for the current crisis. Finally, the two Ministers mentioned global issues, such as migration and the fight against xenophobia. According to Didier Reynders, these issues must also be at the heart of the dialogue between the European Union and the African Union. The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, and the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban-Ki Moon, express deep concernabout the upsurge in fighting between the Government of Sudan forces and the Sudan Liberation Army/Abdul Wahid, in the Jebel Marra area of Darfur, and its effect on civilians. Since the outbreak of violence six weeks ago, over 90,000 civilians have been displaced in North Darfur, in addition to 2.6 million already displaced by the conflict. There are also unconfirmed reports of significant numbers of displaced people in Central Darfur which humanitarian organisations have been unable to verify due to access restrictions. The Chairperson and the Secretary-General call on the Government to fully cooperate with UNAMID to facilitate its freedom of movement, as well as that of the humanitarian actors, in their continued efforts to protect and provide assistance to the civilian population affected by the fighting. The Chairperson and the Secretary-General stress that there is no military solution to the conflict in Darfur, and call on all parties to engage in earnest in negotiations for a cessation of hostilities leading to a peaceful settlement of the conflict. They reiterate their support to the African Union High Level Implementation Panel for Sudan and South Sudan, as well as to UNAMID, in their relentless efforts to facilitate the peace process. Addis Ababa, New York, 03 March 2016 Santo Domingo (AFP) - Egypt extradited Frenchman Christophe Naudin to the Dominican Republic on Thursday for his alleged involvement in the escape of two pilots jailed in a drugs case dubbed "Air Cocaine." Naudin, a criminologist and aviation security expert who was arrested in Cairo on February 4, is wanted in the Caribbean nation on suspicion of helping pilots Pascal Fauret and Bruno Odos flee to France in October after they had been sentenced to 20 years in prison for drug trafficking. The pair, who maintain their innocence, were arrested in March 2013 as they were about to depart from Punta Cana in a private jet found to be carrying 680 kilos (1,500 pounds) of cocaine. Convicted of drug trafficking in August, they were released pending appeal but barred from leaving the Caribbean nation. They somehow managed to flee and return to France -- an escape that Dominican prosecutors allege Naudin facilitated. Prosecutor Francisco Dominguez said Naudin would be charged with conspiracy and the trafficking of migrants after reaching Santo Domingo, where he was expected to arrive around midnight after a stopover in New York. Naudin will make an initial court appearance within 48 hours of arrival, the prosecutor told journalists. Fauret and Odos fled back to France vowing to clear their names, but were rearrested in November near the French city of Lyon. On February 11, an appeals court in the Dominican Republic upheld 20-year prison sentences for the two pilots. Paris has ruled out extraditing them. But France's foreign ministry on Thursday confirmed Naudin had been extradited. "France has done everything it could to support Naudin," a statement said. "Our embassy in Santo Domingo is following the situation closely and is ready to provide consular assistance." Naudin's wife Michele said he would not receive a fair trial in Santo Domingo. "The Dominican Republic has already said he will be convicted. We know that there is no justice there, and France knows this, yet it let him leave" Egypt, she told AFP. The affair has prompted keen interest in France, after Interpol in November issued arrest warrants for Fauret and Odos, as well as a far-right member of the European Parliament accused of involvement. Olivier Cadic, France's senator representing overseas nationals, called Naudin's extradition "very bad news for our country." "There is real concern at how France has managed this affair," he told AFP. 03.03.2016 LISTEN The Chairman of the Health Committee of Parliament is proposing the introduction of more taxes to save the health sector from total collapse. Joseph Yileh Chireh believes the taxes will fill a gaping funding hole to be left when the Danish government finally withdraws its financial support to Ghana. The Danish government yesterday announced an end to its donor support to Ghana after almost 22 years. The decision comes at a time when the health ministry has seen a drastic cut in its 2016 budget. The Coalition of NGOs in Health has warned that the ministrys immunization programmes as well as HIV and Tuberculosis fight which are being financed by DANIDA could be hampered. In an interview on Multi TV Pulse programme, Yileh Chireh said the country must explore other funding alternatives. "As far as the committee is concerned we have been arguing for additional taxes but those taxes must be specifically for the health care of Ghanaians," he said. Yileh Chireh suggested the mining and timber companies as targets for those taxes. He said the taxes will not be forced down the throats of Ghanaians but the issue will be debated thoroughly in Parliament before it will be considered and hopefully approved. The Chair of the Health Committee of Parliament Yileh Chireh also proposed the widening of the tax net to rope in several other people who hitherto were not paying taxes in the past. Meanwhile, Parliament is expected to summon Health Minister Alex Segbefia to the floor to explain how the sector will handle the departure of the Danish government. Prior to his appearance before Parliament, the Minister admitted there are challenges but those are not beyond the government. "As a country we have to educate our people about the situation and also begin to plan our budget and our economies to realise that our responsibilities are now greater and we must also learn to deal with wastage. "...But Ghana is on a good footing. It is clear there are challenges but these challenges are necessary at these stage," he said. Sollatek Electronics is working hard to eliminate product counterfeiting as it improves on service availability to Ghanaian consumers. Sales and Marketing Director for Worlwide Sollatek, Dr. Maan Allos, says though efforts to fight the menace in Ghana has yielded some positive results, more needs to be done to nib it in the bud. At a seminar for over 40 business partners in Kumasi, Mr. Maan revealed between five and ten of the companys products have been imitated. It followed a similar seminar organized for customers, retailers and distributors in Accra recently. Established in the United Kingdom 30-years ago, Sollatek is a leading manufacturer of specialist gadgets which protect electrical and electronic equipment. Sollatek products include Voltage protection, telecoms, refrigeration control, Solar and Voltage Optimization products, designed and prototyped by engineers at a facility based in the United Kingdom. These are later distributed to over 190 countries nationwide. Counterfeiting Officials say some people have been arrested in Ghana for faking or imitating Sollatek products, especially, fridge guards. At least, five suspects were arrested and prosecuted last year in Kumasi alone between 2014 and 2015. Similar arrests have been made in Accra as well over the period after officials of Sollatek collaborated with police to cramp down on imitators. Sales and Marketing Director for Worldwide Sollatek, Dr. Maan Allos revealed Sollatek with the support of police has over the years managed to bring the rate of counterfeiting of Sollaatek products in Ghana. We have managed to contain it. It used to be a lot more wide spread than what it is now. I will probably say we dont have the exact figures. In some areas it could be 5 % or 10 % but in other areas, you know there are no counterfeit issues at all so always focus on where Sollatek authorized resellers are. Dr. Maan has appealed for public support to check the illegal practice which he says is dangerous to human life Counterfeits are happening in every aspect of life but as I mentioned earlier, when it comes to drugs, food and electricity, these three areas of counterfeits that you should really not fraternize. These are dangerous to you and your family and could cause catastrophic issues. Dr. Maan Allos has said. Marketing Manager of Sollatek Ghana, Thomas Akogliya called on industries to join the fight against the counterfeit canker. He blamed fire outbreaks on the importation of fake electrical products from China and other countries. Counterfeit is a very big issue facing all industries and we must all ensure we fight the canker. We have a lot of fire outbreaks here and there as a result of people bringing in fake and counterfeit from China and the rest and I will entreat customers to buy from genuine Sollatek dealers. Mr Akogliya revealed. Improved Services Meanwhile, Dr. Maan has announced plans to improve service availability to Ghanaian consumers, as a new service center opens in Kumasi to cater for customers in the Northern sector. The announcement follows appeals by some customers and retailers to authorities to open a service center to cater for demands of those in the Northern sector of Ghana. We are looking to improve our service availability. At the moment we still give our best service through Accra but we are all looking to actually open service center in Kumasi and hopefully that will happen before June. So we hope to be able to offer a very quick turnaround on any issue that you may have. The Speaker of Parliament has issued a stern warning to Members of Parliament to desist from their indecent behaviour. Edward Doe Ajaho said such unruly behavior will no longer be tolerated on the floor. This is the second successive time the Speaker is scolding the MPs for their unruly behavior. On Wednesday he did not take kindly to KT Hammond's reference to John Mahama as a president with "illusions." A day later, another MP made an unruly remark about Assin North MP Kennedy Agyepong, a remark that got the Speaker even more angry. The Assin North MP claimed to have received a letter from a head mistress of a school in his constituency asking for support to pay the school fees of her wards. Kennedy Agyepong wondered how the president could paint such a glorious picture about the country in his state of the nation address when government has not even paid for the mock examination of students. Another MP who was not happy with the comment by Agyepong accused him of being a "liar" but the Speaker was unhappy with that. All of you do this. Both sides. You keep on screaming at each otherIt is unparliamentary, he warned. The Speaker had early on raised concerns about the MPs' heckling, cheers and jeers of President John Dramani Mahama during the State of the Nation Address and will no longer countenance their unruly behavior. He indicated, Thursday, that some Members of Parliament were lucky to get away with the unsavoury comments on the floor in the past but he will no longer tolerate that behavior. The seethed Speaker said that some Ghanaians have been sending him text messages about the conduct of members of the house and that is embarrasing. It is unparliamentary to refer to a member on the floor that he is lying, angry Doe Ajaho said. He advised the legislators to raise the point of order and draw the chair's attention to what they feel strongly about instead of making unruly comments. But all was not gloomy for the MPs as the Speaker cited the conduct of Majority Leader of Parliament, Alban Bagbin and Papa Owusu - Ankomah as good examples worthy of emulation by other members. Papa Owusu-Ankomah Meanwhile, the Majority Chief Whip, Muntaka Mubarak believes the Speaker is not using the Standing orders to the fullest. He said the Speaker can force members who make unsavoury comments to retract or even ask marshals to walk a member out of the house. He added that the naming and shaming of parliamentarians who misbehave will restore sanity to the house. Listen to the audio below. Accra, March 3, GNA - An interim injunction seeking to restrain the Electoral Commission (EC) from going ahead with the limited registration exercise and the pending Abuakwa North Constituency by-election has been dismissed by the Supreme Court. The court, presided over by the Chief Justice, Mrs Georgina Theodora Wood, however, said reasons for the dismissal would be incorporated into the final determination of the substantive suit. The court tasked the EC, the Attorney General (AG), and the plaintiffs to engage in dialogue over the reliefs being sought to ensure clean register for the country. The limited registration exercise is expected to begin in April this year. The court further encouraged the EC to engage more with relevant stakeholders in the election to ensure a more transparent process ahead of the November polls. According to Justice Jones Victor Dotse, a member of the panel, it was better to go to the polls with a credible register while Justice Sule Gbadgbe noted that tolerance and compliance would also promote peaceful elections. The Supreme Court is expected to hear the substantive suit in April. Mrs Dorothy Afriyie Ansah, a Chief State Attorney, said the state relied on its statement of case and affidavit in opposition. Mr Thaddeus Sory, who represented the EC, urged the court to dismiss the application because the plaintiff would not suffer any irreparable damage. According to Mr Sory, the EC had moved to sanitise the Voters Register. Abu Ramadan, a former National Youth Organiser of the People's National Convention, had gone to court with an interlocutory injunction against the EC to prevent it from going ahead with the Abuakwa North Constituency by-election and the limited registration exercise. Abu Ramadan, in his application, argued that it would be 'contemptuous' for the EC to conduct the by-election in Abuakwa using the current voters' register, saying he was challenging the credibility of the said Register in court. He further stated that the public will suffer irreparable damage if the EC is allowed to go ahead with the limited registration before the determination of his substantive case. Given the pendency of the substantive suit and the unresolved issues motivating same, Ramadan contended that it would be improper and pre-judicial for the first respondent to conduct the announced limited registration exercise or indeed any registration exercise and if not restrained, the problems attending to the current voters' register would be compounded at an additional cost to the republic and her citizens. GNA Accra, March 3, GNA - Two persons were, on Thursday, arraigned for conspiracy to commit crime, robbery, and for dishonestly receiving. William Wilson was said to have conspired with one other, now at large, and robbed one Joseph Amoah Azumah of his Dell Laptop computer, valued at Gha1,100.00, one Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime phone, valued at Gha709.00, one Samsung tablet valued at Gha950.00 and GHa3,700.00 cash. Osman Alhassan was also said to have dishonestly received, one Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime phone, valued at Gha709.00, belonging to Joseph. They both pleaded not guilty to the charges. The Court, presided over by Mr Aboagye Tandoh, granted Osman a bail in the sum of Gha3,000.00, with two sureties, one to be a public or civil servant, while William was remanded. The case has been adjourned to March 18, for trial. Earlier the Prosecution, Police Chief Inspector Kwabena Adu, told the Court that the complainant, Joseph, was a Private Security guard living at Akweteman, while William was a mechanic residing at Achimota, with Osman being a trader at Chantan. He said on February 8, in the night, the complainant left home for East Legon in his private car and on reaching a spot near Akweteman Pentecost Church, he parked beside the road to receive a phone call. The Prosecution said suddenly, William and his accomplice one Bonney, now at large, pulled up on a motor bike and attacked the complainant with a pistol and robbed him of the above listed items. Police Chief Inspector Adu said at about 11:00 hours the same night the two went to sell the Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime Phone to Osman in his house at Chantan. He said a tracking software on the phone, however, gave Osman up, as the complainant received messages of its usage. The complainant lodged a complaint with the Police and Osman was tracked and arrested at the Petroleum Estates, New Achimota. A Samsung phone found on him was identified by the complainant as his. The prosecution told the court that William was later picked up; but his accomplice was yet to be found. Osman admitted the offence in his caution statement and stated that he bought the phone at Gha350.00 from William and his accomplice very late in the night, the Prosecution said. GNA Dodowa (GAR), March 3, GNA - The Teachers and Educational Workers' Union (TEWU) of the Trades Union Congress, has developed a five-year strategic plan under which 5000 members would be recruited. The plan aims at enhancing productivity and employment, transparency and accountable governance and the competitiveness of the private sector. Other interventions are research surveillance, monitoring, evaluation and mobilisation of resources to enhance effective leadership of TEWU. The plan, which was developed with key partners such as the Ghana Education Service, private schools and the management committee members of TEWU, would take off from July this year. Mr Raph A. Apaaya, the General Secretary of TEWU, who disclosed this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency at the end of a five-day workshop, said the strategic plan would create a conducive environment for advocacy to sustain union commitment and support for effective action against inequalities from governments. He said the plan also defined goals and objectives which, if effectively implemented by TEWU, would help it realise its vision. 'It is expected that with the realisation of the objectives of the document the union would harmonise the educational sector industrial peace for development,' he said. Mr Peter Lumor, the National Chairman of TEWU, said the union was ready to give critical attention to employers who were the bedrock of the nation. He assured the members that with the new plan 'they will see a new TEWU.' Professor Noah Kumawu, President of the Organisation Development Institute, who took the participants through the strategic planning process, said the plan would make TEWU a vibrant organisation. GNA Cape Coast, March 3, GNA - Professor George Oduro, the Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast (UCC), has called for a paradigm shift in science education from theory to practical application to help solve national problems. He said science education should go beyond learning scientific theories, facts and technical skills to equipping students to understand and situate scientific and technological development in their economic, cultural, political and social context. Prof Oduro said this during the opening of the Seventh Annual Congress of the Ghana Biochemistry Students Association in Cape Coast. The conference, sponsored by Virgin Coconut Oil and attended by students from the universities of Ghana, Cape Coast, Development Studies and the KNUST, was on the theme; 'Positioning the Biochemists in Modern Scientific society for effective nation building'. Prof. Oduro said countries such as China, Japan and South Korea had gained recognition because of their scientific and technological prowess, and that those countries had done so because of their earlier huge investment in science, technology, education and human capital. He, therefore, challenged students to turn the challenges they faced in their various departments into opportunities to enable them to aspire as professional biochemists to help build the society. Prof. Oduro commended the association for providing the yearly platform to establish mentor-mentee relationship between students and professionals and collaborations between sister universities. He urged them to look for possible ways to establish linkages with international biochemist students to provide them with foreign exposure in their quest for nation building and open opportunities for using external support in terms of equipping laboratories and students exchange programmes. He challenged the students to research more into edible oils and sugar- free drinks to determine whether they were really good for human consumption. Dr Kaku Kyiamah, the Chief Executive Officer of Virgin Oil, who educated participants on the various edible oils, said hypertension and obesity were caused by unsaturated vegetable fats which contained high levels of poly unsaturated omega 3 fatty acids. He cited highly technical research data to show that different kinds of diseases, and ailments including headache/migraine and menstrual pains were due to the long chain poly unsaturated omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids from processed unsaturated vegetable oils which was eaten by almost everyone. He said edible oils were essential for good health stressing that good edible oils such as tropical saturated oils could prevent many different diseases such as migraine, white and menstrual pains, infertility, diabetes, neural problems, viral attacks and congenital diseases. GNA Elmina (C/R), Mar. 3, GNA - More than 100 African Journalists and fisheries experts have converged at Elmina in the Central Region to discuss challenges and opportunities in the African fisheries sector and how the media can contribute to its sustainability. The project dubbed: 'The African Journalist for Sustainable Fisheries workshop', is being attended by participants from countries including Ghana, Cape Verde, Gambia, Guinea Bissau Nigeria, Guinea, Liberia, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Tanzania and Togo. The five-day workshop under the theme: "Harnessing the power of the media to raise Awareness on Africa's fisheries", was also aimed at assisting African journalists in producing fact-based reports on fisheries to create awareness and an enabling environment for reforms. It is being jointly hosted by the World Bank and the African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) in collaboration with USAID and the West Africa Sub-Regional Fisheries Commission. The fisheries sector plays a crucial social and nutritional role in Africa. Averagely, fish and fish products account for 18 per cent of animal protein intake by African consumers while the sector provides employment for more than 12 million people. Currently, fisheries and aquaculture sector contributes 24 billion dollars to the African economy, representing 1.3 percent of the total African GDP in 2011. However, this generates far lower returns than was expected, because of over-exploitation, poor management, and illegal fishing. Prof Martin Tsamenyi from the Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security, University of Wollongong , said there is the need to enforce the various fisheries laws to the sustainability of the sector. Mr Brain Crawford, Director of Sustainable Fisheries Management Project of USAID, said open access and subsidies on fuel for fishing were some of the problems facing the sector and must be addressed. GNA Accra, Mar. 3, GNA - Ms Mutinta Chimuka, the Representative of the World Food Programme (WFP), has pledged her commitment to work closely with stakeholders to support and promote the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP). She said the GSFP, which is a school meal initiative aimed at providing a critical safety net and encouraging more regular attendance at schools, needed the support of all stakeholders. Ms Chimuka said among the strategies for support would be the linkage between farmers and caterers to ensure that good nutrition is directly available to the beneficiary schools of the Programme. 'In the fight against hunger, school feeding is a sound investment. School feeding programmes can directly contribute to the reduction of poverty, hunger and the multiple forms of malnutrition [as it ] promotes income, security and access to good nutrition,' Ms Mutinta said at the maiden celebration of Africa Day for School Feeding held in Accra. Ms Chimuka said globally over 370 million children in 131 countries receive school meals, primarily through the national system. 'In Ghana, WFP supports government to provide on-site school meals to 48,000 school children and take-home rations to 30,000 school girls in the northern parts of the country'. 'The GSFP reaches over 1.7 million school children [and the] WFP supports national feeding strategies and systems and contributes to the strengthening of national implementation capacities,' she said. Speaking on the theme: 'Home Grown School Feeding: a conduit for Africa's Sustainable Development', Mr Patrick Acheampong, National Coordinator of the GSFP, said the impact of School Feeding has been critical to the country. He pledged the support of GSFP officials to help the country, and children. Mrs Della Sowah, Deputy Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, urged caterers to form meaningful associations that would help them improve their lot. She said it was the hope of the Ministry to see the GSFP feeding more than three million children nationally as it currently has 1.7 million children as it beneficiaries. Mrs Sowah said new modes of recruiting caterers for the GSFP were among the new policies the Ministry has adopted to streamline the activities of the secretariat of the GSFP. Mr John Kwao Sackey, Municipal Chief Executive of GA East, said the sharing of ideas with caterers and constant interactions between officials of the municipality, GSFP and caterers had helped to sustain the progammme in the municipality. He thanked the caterers of the GA East Municipal Assembly for their support to the Programme. GNA Godwin Tamakloe, Lawyer for NDC Klottey Korley Parliamentary candidate, has described as "irrelevant" a letter from the EC confirming his client (Zanetor Rawlings) is not a registered voter. The daughter of Ghanas former president has been sued by incumbent MP for the area, Nii Armah Ashitey. The ex-Employment Minister is challenging her eligibility to contest the seat she won in a parliamentary primary late last year. Zanetor Rawlings is not a registered voter, he claimed but Godwin Tamakloe will have none of that. We have always maintained that our client was duly vetted by the National Democratic Congress. She didnt vet herself. So as far as we are concerned, we have never put out anywhere any issue about membership. They are making the allegation. Lets see how it goes, Godwin Tamakloe told journalists. Every option available, we will explore it Mr Tamakloe responded when queried on weather his client will explore the option of registering during the limited registration exercise by the Electoral Commission. Commenting on the alleged threat on the life of lawyer for MP, Godwin Tamakloe said, I dont see why anybody should hold anything personal against Gary [Nimako]. I do not think anybody associated with my client will be engaged in that...Lets allow the security agencies to do their work The case has been adjourned to Tuesday March 9 Abuja (AFP) - Nigeria is to break up its state oil firm into 30 separate companies as it seeks to reform the corruption-ridden, under-performing giant, the junior oil minister said Thursday. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) is notoriously opaque and has been accused of withholding billions of dollars in government revenue, prompting calls for an overhaul. Nigeria is Africa's largest oil producer, accounting for a daily output of two million barrels, but most of its inhabitants are poor. The country imports most of its petrol because of a lack of domestic refining capacity. "For the first time, we are unbundling the subset of the NNPC to 30 independent companies with their own managing directors," Ibe Kachikwu, who also heads the NNPC, said in a statement. "Titles like group executive directors are going to disappear and in their place you are going to have chief executive officers and they are going to take responsibilities for their titles," he said. "At the end of the day, the CEO of an upstream company must deliver an upstream result." Thanks to reforms already under way at the NNPC, the company should start making a profit by the end of the year, he said. Oil accounts for 90 percent of Nigeria's foreign exchange earnings and 70 percent of government revenue. But the plunge in global oil prices since mid-2014 has significantly hurt government revenue and public spending. We attempted to send a notification to your email address but we were unable to verify that you provided a valid email address. Please click here to update your email address if you wish to receive notifications. Otherwise, you may click here to disable notifications and hide this message. business Eveready to rejig packaged tea biz, aims at 4-5x growth Eveready India has decided to look at various options to reorganise its business in order to promote its packaged tea business, said the company MD Amritanshu Khaitan. business Govt to hike gas price for ONGC, RIL by 60% While domestically-produced gas is currently priced at an average of rates in gas-surplus countries like the US, Canada and Russia, for deep-sea discoveries yet to be developed, the government plans to price them at an average cost of alternative fuels -- naphtha and fuel oil as well as imported LNG. you are here: BHP announced that an agreement with the Brazilian government was finally formalised. As part of the agreement, foundations will be established to address multiple concerns. When the Brazilian dam disaster hit headlines late last year, investors knew it would hang over the company for months. The disaster left thousands homeless, leaving at least 17 dead. And all because two dams burst. But, instead of months, BHP Billiton [ASX:BHP] will have to deal with the repercussions of this disaster for years. There were talks of BHP having to pay billions of dollars in clean up and humanitarian efforts. Just to give you a visual perspective, the picture below shows the town of Bento Rodrigues before, and after, the disaster. Source: Incakolanews The Agreement The environment was not the only thing damaged. The social and economic welfare of surrounding residents were also affected. BHP and Vale, joint owners of the Samarco mine, have already made efforts to remedy the situation. This morning, BHP announced that an agreement with the Brazilian government was finally formalised. As part of the agreement, foundations will be established to address multiple concerns. There are two types of programs included in the agreement. The first is a reparatory program which will aim to restore the environment. However, it will also help restore local communities and the social conditions of the affected areas. The second program will be a compensatory program. As the name suggests, BHP and Vale will need to provide compensation where remediation is not possible. Compensation will be based on a goodwill basis for certain special projects. Some of these projects will include sewage systems and landfill management. The term of the agreement is expected to be 15 years. And, even though this time period may sound like a lifetime, its still better than waiting around having the situation hang over BHPs head. But lets talk in monetary terms now. Starting from 2016 the Samarco fund will provide: US$500 million in 2016; US$300 million in 2017; US$300 million in 2018. After that, funding will vary between US$200400 million. If BHP or Vale do not uphold their end of the agreement then they are liable for 50% of their stake in Samarco. BHPs CEO Andrew Mackenzie stated this agreement demonstrates our commitment to repairing the damage caused and to contributing to a lasting improvement in Rio Doce. He went on further, stating: This Agreement is an important step forward in supporting the long-term recovery of the communities and environment affected by the Samarco dam failure. It provides a platform for the parties to work together to support the remediation of affected areas. The curious case of BHPs share price Since the start of this week, BHPs shares have been climbing. Yesterday, shares picked up because of favourable trading at BHPs London holdings. And having Standard and Poors come out to endorse BHPs credit rating didnt hurt them either. The second big jump this week actually came today. You might think that paying over US$5 billion spread across 15 year would encourage shares to trend down. However, it seems investors are just happy theres a light at the end of the tunnel with the Samarco situation. Shares opened up 5.16% higher than yesterdays close. BHP shares are now trading at around $17.50 per share, down only 6% for the year. Source: Yahoo Finance BHP might not be making a miraculous turnaround anytime soon. But this is a start. BHP now needs to focus on future earnings. Growing their business in areas that have positive long term potential will be a start. Harje Ronngard, Junior Analyst, Money Morning PS: The market has beaten mining stocks down in recent times. Resource stocks have looked dirt cheap ever since the end of the mining boom. But not all of them are necessarily cheap. Money Mornings top resources analyst, Jason Stevenson, says there are 10 great mining stocks in the market right now. In Jasons report, The Top 10 Australian Mining Stocks for 2016, youll be introduced to 10 extremely cheap mining stocks. Youll find out why now is the perfect time to start buying up cheap, quality resource stocks. And youll also learn about the disturbing trigger for the next great commodities boom. To get your free copy, click here. Cimic Group Ltd [ASX:CIM] traded higher again today. The broader market was up following improvements on overseas markets overnight. What happened to the CIM share price? Cimic Group Ltd [ASX:CIM] traded higher again today. The broader market was up following improvements on overseas markets overnight. Chinas lower expansion on the service side tempered gains in some Asian markets. However, the overall sentiment surrounding oil and global equities have been positive this week. Why did CIM shares do this? CIM is one of the best performing momentum stocks in the Aussie market over the past 26 weeks. Its consistent performance this week continues to make it a good choice for investors. The companys fundamentals are fairly strong with some areas needing improvements. The company has an average rating of Hold. However, market analysts see rising top-line and bottom-line in 2016 and 2017. The company moves with the market but has a larger than 1 beta. That means it moves more than the market does. It has reasonable P/E multiples, at 20.63 times. It pays a good dividend, at 3.03% (yield). Its payout ratio is more than 60%. The company is relatively liquid with a more than 1 current ratio. It is not terribly leveraged. However, it can do with more interest coverage. The company can also benefit from a fatter margin. What now for CIM? CIM is currently on my trading portfolio this week. The positive performance from the company this week can be a result of the broader market doing better. I tend to watch momentum stocks very carefully. The positive outlook for the companys results is encouraging, but that is no promise for consistent stock price appreciation in the future. I recommend investors remain agile. Ken Wangdong+ Emerging Market Analyst, New Frontier Investor The uncertainty around who might win the Presidential election usually gives stocks the shakes for a few months. Uh-oh, youd better start paying attention. Donald Trump is trouncing his way to the Republican (GOP) nomination right now. Markets will react to this. Not only is Trump trouncing the competition, hes doing that despite the fact most of his own party dont even like him. Some of them would even rather vote Democrat. That fact looks even harsher than the quips about his hair. Just dont call it a political campaign. Call it a political insurgency. Thats how strategist John Robb on his Global Guerillas blog describes Trumps run for the White House. Robb says an open source insurgency forms around a single idea. In this case, Robb attributes it to a tweet Trump made in late February that looked like this. Source: Twitter Robb sums up what this means. This explains why: Trump doesnt take policy positions on the small issues most campaigns are built on. Those positions would only divide his insurgency. Trump will ONLY talk about corruption, hypocrisy, underhandedness etc. of the people opposing him. Trump gains ground when he is attacked by the media, the corrupt, and special interests. These attacks demonstrate his devotion to the promise of his campaign. Of course, our beat at Money Morning is the markets. The US has actually seen something like this this before. 120 years ago. A populist politician and his Cross of Gold His name was William Jennings Byran. Bryan electrified the Democratic convention with his famous Cross of Gold speech in 1896. After that speech he won the presidential nomination for the Democrats. Some call it the most famous piece of oration in US political history. In 1896 the US was in a depression. The boom bust cycle was in the deflation phase. Farmers had impossibly high debts they couldnt repay. Labourers were out of work. Unemployment was above 10% for most of the decade after 1894. It was the worst depression in the US to that time. Credit and gold were tight. Byran rejected the gold standard and the control of private banks over issuing American credit. His speech at the Democratic convention ended on this poetic flourish: You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns. You shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold. Bryan was an anti-establishment Populist who targeted monopolists, Wall Street and the bankers. Now compare that to Matt Taibbi writing in Rolling Stone about a Trump rally: He talks, for instance, about the anti-trust exemption enjoyed by insurance companies, an atrocity dating back more than half a century, to the McCarran-Ferguson Act of 1945. This law, sponsored by one of the most notorious legislators in our history (Nevada Sen. Pat McCarran was thought to be the inspiration for the corrupt Sen. Pat Geary in The Godfather II), allows insurance companies to share information and collude to divvy up markets Trump isnt lying about any of this. Nor is he lying when he mentions that the big-pharma companies have such a stranglehold on both parties that theyve managed to get the federal government to bar itself from negotiating Medicare prescription-drug prices in bulk. The strategy is working for Trump. The Age cited one Laura Ingraham, a conservative talk-radio host and political activist, who told the New York Times recently that Millions want the party to go in a more populist direction. I dont tell you all this to give some history or political lesson. The market just might behave the same way in 2016 as it did in 1896 The 1923 book still relevant today The year 1896 wouldnt have looked so far back in 1923 as it does now. 1923 was when trader WD Gann wrote his book The Truth of the Stock Tape. Gann actually suggested traders make a point of studying Presidential election years. Heres why: the uncertainty around who might win usually gives stocks the shakes for a few months. Hes how Byran inadvertently took down US stocks, according to Gann. An extreme decline occurred in July and August, 1896, which was known as the Silver Panic. The whole country got scared and decided that Wm. J. Bryan was going to be elected and that his silver dream would become a reality. Investors and traders sold stocks regardless of value and on August 8th, the average prices of industrial and railroad stocks reached a level which was the lowest from that day until the date of this writing. All Trumps talk about tariffs, holding up immigration, taxes and drugs could really put Wall Street in a spin even if, like Byran, he doesnt eventually win. As we say over at Cycles, Trends and Forecasts, history repeats. Thats why study history as far as back as 120 years ago. US stocks are going to be volatile in 2016. If you want to know to how navigate the dips and the rallies, and identify the buying opportunities, go here. Regards, Callum Investors favourite stocks can be found in the banking, oil and gas, mining and pharmaceutical sectors, according to Morningstar.co.uk data. Banks Recent Ups and Downs Piqued Interest It is no surprise that banking stocks are among the most searched for stocks on Morningstar.co.uk last month, given the slew of disappointing news from European banks. Lloyds Bank (LLOY) is the top stock for Morningstar readers, but its underlying results were a welcome surprise. Although the bank lost 171 million of common shareholders' money in the second half, other figures, such as a rising net interest margin and ultralow loan losses, were much more encouraging, Morningstar analyst Erin Davis says. Perhaps most encouraging of all was the increase in the full-year regular dividend to 2.25 per share plus the announcement of a 50p special dividend. The stock is currently rated as undervalued by Morningstar analysts. Millions of workers enrolled in their workplace pension will soon be invested in higher risk bonds issued in emerging markets. The Government run default scheme NEST, which runs pension plans for more than 69,000 companies with a total of 2.8 million employees, has announced plans to include emerging market bonds in their multi-asset portfolios. Hunt for Yield Outside the UK NEST already invested in government and corporate bonds issued in the UK, US and Europe as well as global equities, cash and property. But investing in emerging market bonds is a first for the pension provider. Emerging market bonds are widely considered more risky than their developed market counterparts; there is a higher risk of default with these types of fixed income, but the investor is generally rewarded for this risk with a higher rate of return. Mark Fawcett, NEST chief investment officer, said that the new mandate was in line with members long-term investment horizon. Emerging markets represent a diverse and opportunity-rich investment universe. This move will give NEST members access to new opportunities for investment growth and allow us to spread risk across a wider range of global assets, he said. Our members are investing for the long term and we make decisions on how to diversify their portfolios against a backdrop of long-term market developments and valuation outlooks. Fawcett added that he thought emerging market debt was currently undervalued, a view shared by BlackRocks head of emerging market fixed income Sergio Trigo Paz this week. Trigo Paz said he was optimistic about the outlook for emerging market debt because local currency sovereign debt would directly benefit from social and politic reforms. He admitted that the asset class was volatile but insisted the fundamentals were sound. Amundi to Run New Mandate NEST has awarded the emerging market bond fund mandate to Amundi Asset Management. Amundi runs both passive and active funds for retail and institutional clients. The NEST mandate will be actively managed, and will invest in emerging market bonds issued in both local currencies and those re-based to the US dollar. This blended-currency approach gives Amundi more flexibility to manage market volatility. Amundi has the experience and expertise to both provide NEST members with access to the opportunities and navigate the risks. It has a strong track record managing emerging market debt since 1999, investing in local, sovereign and corporate debt with good performance history, said Fawcett. Amundi also shares NESTs values, with responsible investment becoming one of the cornerstones of its development strategy, making this choice right for NEST and our members. Morningstar fund analyst Mathieu Caquineau says that they appreciate Amundis considerable efforts to better communicate portfolio holdings to investors in their retail funds, but the firm still has room to improve in order to be comparable to industry standards. Some funds have very reasonable fees and the performance fee structure has improved but a few fee aberrations remain, though, most notably in the fixed income line-up. Through a Freedom of Information request coursed by The Canadian Press through the federal government, it was revealed on Monday (February 29) that several Ontario brokers have been cited by the FSCO for fraud last year. In a Financial Post report, the investigation yielded complaints filed to the FSCO, which regulates brokers in Ontario, by the public between January 1 and July 3, 2015. On at least three separate instances, unscrupulous individuals posed as brokers and provided mortgage brokerage services without licenses. Another broker arranged multiple loans via the use of falsified documents, while illicitly taking 10 to 50 per cent of the loaned amounts. Still another has been accused by investors of lying about the $1.5 million mortgage the latter have been funding; the investors have been informed that the mortgage was the first loan on the property, instead of being the second as was actually the case. The investigation came on the heels of a cloud of suspicion cast over the mortgage broker industry. Last year, premier lender Home Capital terminated its relationships with 45 fraudulent brokers who used false income information, and together have amassed $1.72 billion in outstanding loans. Other industry players welcomed these developments, saying that these would end up raising standards. Theres always enough business out there, you just have to work a little harder to drum it up, Hamilton broker and author Blair Anderson said, adding that tighter economic conditions do not excuse unethical behavior. Regulatory body Mortgage Professionals Canada assured the public that the proportion of erring brokers remains miniscule compared to the more than 25,000 licensed professionals scattered across multiple markets. Over 2,400 licensed mortgage brokers were operating in Ontario alone as of 2014, according to the FSCO. Joel Kowsky CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) NASA space champ Scott Kelly is finally back home in Houston with his family and the swimming pool that he craved throughout his yearlong absence from Planet Earth. Before he could go home to his own bed Thursday, Kelly had to endure more medical tests to measure his body's adaptation to gravity. HOUSTON Officials announced that they have fired the Texas state trooper who pulled over Sandra Bland, whose death in jail last summer fueled criticism of police and their treatment of minorities. Trooper Brian T. Encinia, 30, was formally fired Wednesday by Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw, who said the officers actions during the traffic stop with Bland violated department standards. McCraw met with Encinia on Feb. 5 and oversaw months of investigation. I have carefully considered all the points raised by you in our meeting, McCraw wrote in his letter of final termination. I have determined that you have not rebutted the charges set out in the statement of charges of January 28, 2016. No cause has been presented to alter my preliminary decision. Encinia stopped Bland, 28, near the Prairie View A&M University campus on July 10 for failing to properly signal a lane change. After a heated argument, the trooper arrested Bland for assaulting a public servant. Bland was found hanged in her Waller County jail cell three days later. Her death has been ruled a suicide. In the initial statement of charges, McCraw told Encinia there were three main reasons for his firing. The first: You failed to remain courteous and tactful in the performance of your duties. You engaged in argumentative discussions with Ms. Bland and you failed to exercise patience and discretion throughout the contact. The second: You prolonged the traffic stop beyond the time necessary to complete the tasks. As a result, You extended Ms. Blands detention without a reasonable justification or legitimate investigative purpose. Third: You failed to follow the seven-step violator interview, which includes greeting the person stopped, stating the violation and explaining what the violator must do. All three grounds were aggravated, McCraw said, by the fact that Encinia was indicted by a Waller County grand jury in connection with the traffic stop. The grand jury indicted Encinia in January after concluding there was evidence he lied about the circumstances under which Bland left her car. If convicted of the misdemeanor perjury charge, Encinia could face up to a year in jail and a $4,000 fine. His case will be heard in District Court in Waller County. McCraw announced the day of the indictment that he would begin termination proceedings. Encinia has 15 days to appeal McCraws decision to the Public Safety Commission, which oversees the Department of Public Safety. Encinias attorney, Larkin Eakin Jr., the former Waller County district attorney, told the Texas Tribune that his client would appeal the directors decision. He has told the Los Angeles Times that his client had grounds to stop Bland, told the truth to the grand jury and planned to fight the charge. He did not immediately return calls Thursday. The appeal will be heard by the Texas Public Safety Commission, a five-member oversight board that can set aside or affirm the firing following a public hearing. Blands relatives have demanded investigative records in the case as part of the wrongful death lawsuit they filed in August against the Waller County Sheriffs Office, jail officials and the Texas Department of Public Safety. A federal judge in Houston set the case for trial Jan. 23, 2017. An attorney for the family, Cannon Lambert, said he was notified about Encinias appeal. Its unfortunate that even after having the opportunity to review the video of the stop, that Mr. Encinia is still incapable of accepting the error of his ways and is looking to appeal, Lambert told The Times on Thursday. Blands case was championed by the Black Lives Matter movement and has also become part of the presidential campaign: Her mother, Geneva Reed-Veal, who lives in the Chicago suburbs, has appeared with Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. Lambert said Blands family wishes they knew more about the circumstances of her arrest and death. Documents including the Texas Rangers initial report have not been released. There is frustration in not knowing. I dont think that will ease or cede until they do have information that will allay their concerns, including reports and depositions, he said. He noted that in other cases, police were fired immediately, such as the July traffic stop in which University of Cincinnati police officer Ray Tensing shot and killed 43-year-old Samuel DuBose. For seven months now the family has been pulled in directions that could have been avoided, Lambert said. When you add insult to injury it just makes it harder to rebound. Government attorneys have sought to delay the lawsuit until Encinias criminal case plays out, or dismiss it, arguing that Bland took her life because she was distraught that her family members didnt bail her out of jail. They have also insisted that the Department of Public Safety has constitutional immunity from such lawsuits and that Encinia has similar protection. Lambert said that after a hearing last month, the family is still awaiting a ruling from the judge about whether the case will be delayed pending Encinias criminal proceedings. An Odessa teen is accused of shooting both his parents as they slept while his sister was also in the home. Odessa police have charged James Gabriel McDonald with capital murder in the early morning shooting deaths of his parents, Jana Lou McDonald and James Gregory McDonald, the Odessa president of Security Bank. Cpl. Steve LeSueur, police spokesman, said investigators were still trying to determine what led to the shooting, which was reported at 4:56 a.m. Wednesday at the family home, 5304 Conley Ave. The motive is still under investigation, LeSueur said. But in a probable cause affidavit filed by officers for McDonalds arrest, he told police that he shot and killed his parents with a Taurus 9mm handgun as they slept. Each suffered a single gunshot wound, according to the affidavit. The teens 23-year-old sister, Grace McDonald, told police that her brother came into her room moments before the shooting and told her he was going to shoot their parents, according to the affidavit. Grace advised that she thought he was kidding. Moments later she heard the two gunshots. LeSueur said Grace McDonald was not injured and is not suspected of being involved in the shooting. The affidavit states that officers arrived on scene and met with 55-year-old Karen Hargrove, the childrens aunt, who told police that her nephew, James Gabriel McDonald, shot his parents. LeSueur said police detained the teen without incident. McDonald, who is charged with one count of capital murder, had not been booked at the jail as of just before 8 p.m. Wednesday, a jail spokesperson said. James Gregory McDonald, who went by Gregg, was the Odessa president of Security Bank, a bank official confirmed. Victor Salazar, the senior vice president of banking and marketing at Security Bank, declined on behalf of bank officials to comment about Gregg McDonald or his death. Gregg McDonald and Jana McDonald, both 52, were known for their volunteer work in the Permian Basin. CONTINUE READING HERE. Marcio Jose Sanchez Google is donating $1 million to fight the spread of the Zika virus and help engineers and data scientists determine where it will hit next. Zika has become epidemic in Latin America and the Caribbean since last fall. The virus is mainly spread through mosquito bites and has been potentially linked to birth defects. WASHINGTON (AP) Debris that washed up in Mozambique has been tentatively identified as a part from the same type of aircraft as the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, a U.S. official said Wednesday. Photos of the debris discovered over the weekend appear to show the fixed leading edge of the right-hand tail section of a Boeing 777, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak publicly. Flight 370, which disappeared two years ago with 239 people aboard, is the only known missing 777. People who have handled the part, called a horizontal stabilizer, say it appears to be made of fiberglass composite on the outside, with aluminum honeycombing on the inside, the official said. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau, which is running the search for the plane in remote waters off Australia's west coast, said the part was expected to be transported to Australia for examination. Malaysian transport minister Liow Tiong Lai also confirmed in tweets about the discovery that it appears the debris may have come from the missing plane. "Based on early reports, high possibility debris found in Mozambique belongs to a B777," Liow said in a series of tweets. "It is yet to be confirmed & verified. @dca_malaysia working w Australian counterparts to retrieve the debris." He also urged "everyone to avoid undue speculation as we are not able to conclude that the debris belongs to #mh370 at this time." Australian officials have seen photographs of the debris and have been in communication with Blaine Gibson, the American man who found the part, said Dan O'Malley, a spokesman for the Australian Transport Safety Bureau. "We're aware of these reports that debris has been found in Mozambique," O'Malley said. "We're working with officials in Mozambique and Malaysia to investigate." Australia will work with Malaysian investigators to examine the object once it arrives in Australia, he said. The ATSB hasn't made any determinations yet about the potential origins of the debris. "We have to wait until we have the actual debris examined," O'Malley said. "We're not going to draw conclusions from the photos." Flight 370 disappeared on March 8, 2014, while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board. Radar data show the plane turned sharply around as it approached Vietnamese airspace, and then flew back across the Malay Peninsula until contact was lost off the coast of Thailand. Authorities who scrutinized data exchanged between the plane's engine and a satellite determined that the jetliner continued on a straight path across the Indian Ocean, leading them to believe that the plane flew on autopilot for hours before running out of fuel and crashing into the water. Despite an exhaustive search of the ocean west of Australia, where the plane is believed to have crashed, the only confirmed trace of the aircraft has been a wing part known as flaperon that washed ashore last July on the French island of Reunion off the east coast of Africa about 2,300 miles (3,700 kilometers) from the current search area. The flaperon bore a stenciled internal marking "657 BB," which is consistent with a flaperon from a Boeing 777. Nothing of the passengers, their luggage or even things designed to float, such as life jackets, has been discovered despite the largest and most expensive search in aviation history. Australia has led the multinational search effort, which also includes the Malaysian and Chinese governments. The discovery in Mozambique is unlikely at this stage to impact the underwater search for the plane, taking place thousands of miles to the east, O'Malley said. Authorities have long predicted that any debris from the plane that isn't on the ocean floor would eventually be carried by currents to the east coast of Africa. With authorities unable to find the plane and its "black box" flight data and cockpit voice recorders, investigators are no closer than they were two years ago to discovering the cause of the aircraft's disappearance. There are many theories, including that a rogue pilot deliberately caused the $250 million jet to vanish, but little hard evidence. With the search tentatively scheduled to wrap up later this year, Flight 370 may become one of aviation's great unsolved mysteries. In the aftermath of the plane's disappearance, the airline industry and aviation authorities around the world pledged to find ways to better track airliners, especially over expanses of ocean where there's no radar coverage. ___ Kanye West has been full of surprises recently and he continues to keep fans on their toes. On Wednesday morning (March 2), he took to his personal Twitter account to reveal the cover art and release date for Lil Wayne and 2 Chainz upcoming joint project, ColleGrove. Expect to hear the new music they've been working on when the collaborative tunes drop this Friday (March 4). The cover visuals feature a mix of the two rappers' faces. A profile image of the 38-year-old Georgia native with his eyes closed, covered in the Young Money CEO's infamous tattoos and piercings. From the "Fear God" writing on his eyelids to the piercing under his lips, everything is all there. West accompanied the tweet with this simple caption: "New project with 2 Chainz and Wayne dropping this Friday." Mixing their lives seems to be a common theme with the project. The name of the project comes from their respective hometowns. 2 Chainz grew up in College Park, Georgia, while Weezy spent his childhood in Hollygrove, a neighborhood in New Orleans, Louisiana. Join the two areas together and ColleGrove was born. New project with 2 Chainz and Wayne dropping this Friday pic.twitter.com/IZwN3mnkIS KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) March 2, 2016 The two have not been quiet about promoting their collaboration either. In February, Wayne and 2 Chainz hit the stage together to debut their new single "Rolls Royce Weather Everyday" on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. The song will be featured on it. The "I Luv Dem Strippers" rapper teased information about the project on a Rap Radar podcast saying, "I've got ColleGrove, that I'm working on. That's the me and Wayne project. That will be out, probably sooner than people think." He also posted several images of Wayne to his Instagram, with #ColleGrove in the caption. What still remains a mystery is West's involvement on the project. The super producer, who released his seventh studio album The Life of Pablo last month, did not drop any hints regarding his connection to it. A tracklist has yet to be revealed, so any news of guest appearances or production on the project will remain a mystery until it arrives. 2015 MusicTimes.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Following Super Tuesday, Bernie Sanders immediately returned to the campaign trail, stopping at a "Future to Believe In" rally at the State Theatre in Portland, Maine, where voters who "feel the Bern" were treated to a performance by the Kenya Hall Band featuring Jon Fishman of Phish on drums. During the rally the presidential candidate declared the band "one of the great bands in this country." After warming up the crowd with a performance, the drummer repeated his glowing endorsement of the candidate before the Vermont senator took to the stage and returned the love. "Let me thank, I guess, one of Vermont's heroes, who is now transplanted, Jon Fishman," Sanders said, prompting the drummer to shout "No, thank you!" The candidate continued: "Jon and Phish have made New England proud. They are one of the great bands, have been one of the great bands in this country," Mashable reports. Watch a clip of the candidate's speech below: Bernie Sanders calls @Phish one of the country's great bands at a Maine rally, thanking its drummer for his support.https://t.co/kQryFylxbg Mashable News (@MashableNews) March 2, 2016 Fishman's performance and speech at the Maine rally follows a similar appearance at Sanders event in New Hampshire last month, JamBase reports. The drummer recently shared an official endorsement video in which he urged fans to vote in the primaries. Phish got their start in Burlington, Vermont, around the same time Sanders was elected the city's mayor. The band have followed the politician's three-plus decades in public office and have been feeling the Bern for over a decade. As Rolling Stone points out, Fishman and Phish bassist Mike Gordon performed at a concert in support of the Sanders' senatorial campaign in 2006 following16 years as Vermont's sole congressman. The band also unofficially endorsed the candidate during last summer's Magnaball festival's soundcheck. Listen to Trey Anastasio et. al. yell, "Feel the Bern," starting around the three-minute mark below. 2015 MusicTimes.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Dave Grohl performed solo at the Oscars this year, so could that mark the end for Foo Fighters? This week, breakup rumors have been swirling around the "Saint Cecilia" band. On Wednesday night (March 2), Foo Fighters promised a major band announcement... but the result wasn't quite what fans were expecting. Yes, Foo Fighters trolled us all. Of course, they are not breaking up. The seven-minute video starts off with ominous articles about Grohl's "Blackbird" performance at the Oscars and the resulting rumors that Foo Fighters were done for good or on an indefinite hiatus. The video then cuts to a conversation between Grohl and his longtime producer Butch Vig. Wearing sunglasses and full of enthusiasm for himself, Grohl muses about going solo after his big performance, and Vig has one answer: go electronica. While Grohl records "Phony Baloney" (a song we would actually love to hear in full), the rest of Foo Fighters muse over who should replace him. Riffing off of other frontmen who have gone solo (Sammy Hagar, Gwen Stefani, Chris Cornell, Phil Collins), they finally land on a proper replacement: 98 Degrees' Nick Lachey, who actually does a solid version of "Everlong." But, of course, just like Grohl's song, it's all phony baloney. Foo Fighters are not breaking up, "for the millionth time." Foo Fighters' official band announcement about not breaking up of going solo follow a week of major rumors following the band. Outlets such as Spin, Alternative Press and Page Six all reported that the band was breaking up or taking an indefinite hiatus as Grohl prepped a solo career. 2015 MusicTimes.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. 50 Cent has been making recent headlines with regard to his monetary issues and bankruptcy filing. According to recent reports the rapper has sold his Connecticut home and the mansion will become a senior living facility. According to Rap-Up, per TMZ, the massive home recently sold for $8 million, a drop from Fifs original asking price. Back in 2007, the In Da Club rapper put it on the market for $18.5 mill. The buyer reportedly plans on turning the mansion into an assisted living facility for the elderly. Fif reportedly spent $70,000 a month on maintenance for the 21-bedroom location, which features a helicopter pad, a casino and a nightclub. The music mogul said that the home, which was previously owned by Mike Tyson, had become a financial burden. He filed for bankruptcy last July, after his ex-girlfriend Lastonia Leviston, won a $5 million verdict against him. The Power actor and executive producer previously called his declaration of bankruptcy a business move. When youre successful and its publicly noted, you become a target. I dont want to be the bullseye, he said. I dont want everybody to pick me as the guy that they just come to [with] astronomical claims. Ill take the precautions that any other good business person would take in this situation. Last month, 50 Cent appeared in court after a judge expressed concern over a few Instagram posts showing him flaunting a large pile of cash. "I'm concerned about allegations of nondisclosure and a lack of transparency in the case," Judge Nevins said at a hearing Thursday in Hartford, Connecticut, according to Fox News. "There's a purpose of having a bankruptcy process be transparent, and part of that purpose is to inspire confidence in the process." The photos were brought to Judge Nevins' attention by Leviston. The posts were flagged after Leviston admitted to not receiving any payment from that lawsuit. Take a tour of 50 Cent's former home below: 2015 MusicTimes.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The story of how Fetty Wap and his decision to not wear his prosthetic eye, despite rising to fame and having to be in front of the camera, has inspired a young fan in a similar situation. 11-year-old Jayden Burgos has an insurmountable respect and admiration for the "Trap Queen" rapper, which has led him to also ditch his own prosthetic eye, inspired by Fetty Wap's very publicized decision. This week, the rapper and his young fan finally met in a very feel-good moment captured on Instagram by People Magazine. You can check out more buzzing news coverage from Music Times right here! This meeting took place backstage during Fetty Wap's tour stop in Denver on February 24, which was captured in a great photo that you can check out right here: #FettyWap, who lost his left eye as a boy, inspired 11-year-old Jayden Burgos to face the world without his prosthetic eyeand the #TrapQueen singer finally met his superfan! Click the link in our bio for the story. | : Courtesy Brainz A photo posted by People Magazine (@peoplemag) on Mar 2, 2016 at 9:32am PST "I'm happy I got to meet Jayden and his family," the rapper told People. "He is a really cool kid! It meant a lot to me personally to finally make his wish happen. It's definitely a day we'll both remember!" Jayden's mom also spoke to the magazine about how great of an inspiration Fetty Wap has been for her son and others in this unique situation. "This young rapper unknowingly gave Jayden something we weren't able to give him-the confidence to be different- and I am grateful to him," she told People. "Thanks to Fetty Wap for saying F the world this is me, and for helping make our baby boy just a little more remarkable than he already is." 2015 MusicTimes.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Chris Christie recently endorsed Donald Trump (aka Donald Drumpf) for the GOP candidate for the 2016 Presidential race. Whatever you think of this decision, Christie's facial expression after he introduced Trump at his Super Tuesday victory rally was priceless, saddening and worrisome. As you can imagine, this was quickly followed up by an incredible amount of memes and Vines poking fun at the NJ Governor. Some of the best Vines included snippets of songs, so we'd like to share with you our favorite musical memes of Christie's viral regret below! You can check out more buzzing news coverage from Music Times right here! Perhaps the most popular and on-the-nose Vine featuring some overdubbed music has to be the one with the Curb Your Enthusiasm theme song. Just like the hit HBO series starring Larry David, the closing shot of each episode showed a very awkward moment for the main character, which is clearly the same thing that's happening to Christie in this Vine. "The Sound of Silence" by Simon and Garfunkel is definitely fitting for Christie in this moment, wouldn't you say? Similarly, the "Mad World" piano instrumental also embodies the regret on Christie's face. We usually hear the previous songs on a number of Vines (which is not a complaint!), but using "Once in a Lifetime" by the Talking Heads is a new form of perfection for the politician's regret face. Timing the Vine with the specific "How did I get here?" lyrics has had us laughing out loud all morning! Ronan Farrow's Vine featuring an orchestration of dread will definitely make you laugh as well! Our favorite one involves a callback to Christie's love for Bruce Springsteen, which has been highly publicized because Springsteen has openly criticized the Governor of NJ many times. Check out this masterpiece right here: These Vines were originally compiled by Digg. 2015 MusicTimes.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. We have independently selected these offers and products because we love them and we think you might like them at these prices. E! has affiliate relationships, so we may earn a commission if you buy something through our links. Items are Please enable JavaScript to experience the functionality of this website. - MWEB Sarkodie should have been bigger than ... Sonora, CA A bizarre incident unfolded at a Sonora grocery as a suspect allegedly shoplifts items and then sits down in front of the store displaying the loot all around him then the situation escalated. The Sonora Police Department arrested 26-year-old transient Nicholas Dolman on Tuesday at 10:16 p.m. after a report of a shoplifter at Safeway on Sanguinetti Road. A records check revealed Dolman is on prison parole for assault with a deadly weapon and wanted for violating that parole. Once on the scene, an officer ordered him to stand up and put his hands behind his back, which he ignored. When the officer tried to arrest Dolman, he started fighting with him. Police report Dolman was tased several times, which had no effect on him. With the help from a Tuolumne County Sheriffs deputy called in for backup, the officer was able to handcuff Dolman. Dolman faces felony charges including violation of parole, felony parolee at large, misdemeanor battery on emergency personnel, misdemeanor resisting arrest, and misdemeanor shoplifting. The two officers suffered minor scrapes and bruises in the incident Sacramento, CA Soon you may have to be older than 18 to legally light up in California. The California Assembly Thursday voted to raise the smoking age to 21. The move would make the state among the first in the nation to make the switch. Included in the package of tobacco-related legislation was the regulation of electronic cigarettes and methods to restrict access to tobacco. Critics argue it is an infringement on individual freedoms and the government should not tell adults what to do. Co-author of the legislation, Democrat Assemblyman Jim Woods (D-Healdsburg) says age limits to protect the public are nothing new, In the 1970s we lowered the drinking age to 18Motor vehicle accidents and fatalities skyrocketed in that age group. Eventually, under the threat of losing federal highway funding states gradually moved it back to 21 and we saved lives. Last year this same package cleared the Senate, and stalled in the Assembly. Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) praised the Assembly stating it will also cut cost for taxpayers, Studies have shown that Californians spend more than $9.8 billion treating the effects of tobacco use every year and $3.5 billion is billed directly to Medi-Cal. Raising the legal smoking age will help lower the number of young people who use tobacco, and that means healthier Californians and lower costs for taxpayers. Advocates have said this is the most sweeping tobacco regulation in 50 years. California led the way for the nation with a workplace ban, and the restrictions in bars and restaurants. We are leading the way again. The bills head back to the Senate to approve Assembly changes. Hawaii has already raised its minimum age to 21, as have over a hundred counties and city, including New York city. Policy is a major part of any presidential campaign. International policy itself can be rather difficult to follow due to its complexity. Typically, candidates seeking the presidency include a policy concerning China. During a recent town hall in Manchester, Iowa, Florida Republican and presidential candidate Marco Rubio discussed China and how he would proceed on a policy front. One of the items concerning him most includes the claim that China is practicing how to blow up our satellites. PolitiFact Florida heard the claim and gave it a TRUE rating on their Truth-O-Meter. PolitiFact Wrtier Joshua Gillin said China managed to destroy a Chinese satellite as part of a test in 2007. Their attempts to better that technology continues today, but Gillin points out theyre not the only one trying to develop the technology. You have to keep in mind, the United States does the same thing, Gillin said. As a matter of fact, a year after the weather satellite China blew up, the United States did the same kind of thing. Gillin went on to say China is behind both the United States and Russia in terms of this technology. SOURCES: Rubio says China trying to destroy U.S. satellites Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, Frontier and Silver Airways are all vying to send Florida travelers to Cuba. The five airlines were among eight that filed applications Wednesday with the U.S. Dept. of Transportation for permission to fly between U.S. airports and Cuba. The airlines are largely sticking to major hub cities for these flights, and most of the flights would be to Havana. Delta wants to fly to Havana daily from Orlando, Miami, Atlanta and New York. JetBlue is looking to do four daily flights to Havana from Fort Lauderdale, two from Tampa, Orlando and New York and one daily flight from Boston and Newark. Southwest Airlines want to fly to Havana six times a day from Fort Lauderdale, twice daily from Tampa and once daily from Orlando. Frontier Airlines applied to fly three daily flights between Miami and Havana. Silver Airways, a regional airline in Florida, wants to fly to Havana twice daily from West Palm Beach and once a day from Fort Myers and Fort Lauderdale. They also want to fly to Havana from Key West and Jacksonville several times a week. Some of the airlines are proposing flights to other Cuban cities as well. Information from the Associated Press contributed to this report. Plainview High School senior Cameron Hurta has been named one of the more than 4,000 candidates in the 2016 U.S. Presidential Scholars Program. The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program was established in 1964 by executive order of the president to recognize our nations most distinguished graduating seniors. Inclusion in the scholars program, now in its 52nd year, is one of the highest honors bestowed upon graduating high school seniors. Scholars are selected on the basis of superior academic and artistic achievements, leadership qualities, strong character and involvement in community and school activities. Hurta was selected from more than 3.3 million students expected to graduate from U.S. high schools this year based on his having scored exceptionally well on the SAT/ACT college entrance exams. In addition to excelling in academics, Hurta participates in numerous activities at PHS. He is the band president and saxophone section leader, a tutor for Communities in Schools, a member of the National Honor Society, the Spanish Club, the Debate Team, Student Crime Stoppers, and is one of two student representatives on the School Health Advisory Council. He is active in theater and has participated in One-Act Play competition. His UIL competitions have included headline writing, newswriting, feature writing, editorial writing, and ready writing. He is also a member of the Hillside Youth group in Lubbock. Hurta was recognized by the Plainview ISD Board of Trustees in January for his selection as a state finalist in the State Congressional Debate competition. He was also one of only 30 students in the nation invited to participate in the North American Saxophone Alliance High School ensemble. PHS Principal Tye Rogers said, Cameron is not only an excellent student but a young man of the highest character and integrity. I am anxious to see where his hard work and dedication will take him in the future. Plainview High School is grateful to him for the manner in which he has represented our school. A distinguished panel of educators will review submissions from the 4,000 candidates and select 800 semifinalists in early April. The Commission on Presidential Scholars, a group of up to 32 citizens appointed by the president, will select the finalists, and the U.S. Department of Education will announce the final group of approximately 160 U.S. Presidential Scholars in May. Finalists are awarded the Presidential Scholars medallion and honored for their accomplishments during the National Recognition Program, held in June in Washington, D.C. Hurta, the son of Dina Hurta of Plainview and Kirby Hurta of Houston, has applied to Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia and Duke. He has received an acceptance letter from the University of Texas. In the exact spot where scores of huge prehistoric bison were hunted and slaughtered by the ancestors of Native Americans, a grove of hackberry trees will soon be providing shade for visitors interested in learning more about one of the regions most important archeological sites. A crew from the City Parks Department planted the first three of 19 hackberry trees - all about 20-foot tall -- being placed at the Plainview Point Kill Site following a $2,500 matching grant from Chapman Forestry Foundation in Lubbock. The trees were delivered to the city Monday morning, to Assistant City Manager Andrew Freeman, and are being placed this week along the north and east sides of the planned kill site visitors center. We are moving quickly to get them in the ground, Freeman said. We will also be installing irrigation lines for the trees. The replanting is being down under the direct supervision of Parks Department Supervisor Ricky Summers. Already at the kill site, which is between the Plainview Hike and Bike Trail and Plainview Cemetery on the east side of Joliet, is a National Registered Historical and Archeological Site marker on a concrete pedestal and a Quanah Parker Trail Arrow which sings when wind blows through its tines. Planted in a 60x60-foot arch, the hackberry trees, which already are 4- to 10-inches in diameter, will provide shelter for a planned 30-foot gazebo. While construction of a gazebo may be years away, Freeman said interpretive signage and the addition of life-sized sculptures of prehistoric bison will be coming soon. The initial herd will include only a handful of adult and baby bison, Freeman said, with more added as grant funding and memorial donations become available. Well even consider placing memorial and donor plaques beside each statue, if they wish. The project is designed to bring attention and facilitate visitation at the spot where fossilized bones of the prehistoric bison were discovered in 1947. Associated with the bison bones were distinctive Plainview Spear Points, from 7,500 B.C. ENACTUS, under the leadership of Wayland history professor Dr. Sam Van Hoose, suggested in 2011 the development of a visitors center around the National Registered Historical and Archeological Site. The 22-foot Quanah Parker Trail Arrow were placed at the site in 2013, and a Texas Historical Marker is located nearby, at Fifth and Joliet in front of the Girl Scout Hut. 2013, and a Texas Historical Marker is nearby, in front of the Girl Scout Hut at Fifth and Joliet. The steering committee composed of Van Hoose, Freeman, Llano Estacado Museum Curator Rodney Watson, Corky Terrell, City Parks Superintendent Ricky Summers and City Manager Jeffrey Snyder is overseeing the project. Future project phases will include the construction of a gazebo with benches, brick patio and off-street paved parking. Initial funding for the project is coming from $15,000 earmarked from the citys hotel-motel tax, money raised by Waylands ENACTUS and other city funds and outside grants. ENACTUS continues to accept orders for engraved brick pavers to be installed in the brick patio at the site. Available sizes are 4x8-inch, 8x8-inch and 12x12-inch, at a cost of $100, $250 and $500, respectively. For information and to order, contact Van Hoose at 1900 W. Seventh St., CMB 252, Plainview, TX 79072, or call 806-291-1029. OXFORD A college professor is accused of collecting more than $8,000 in unemployment benefits while she was employed, according to a division of criminal justice statement. Angela Skyers, 48, of 1 Crozier Court, was charged Wednesday with one count of first-degree larceny by defrauding a public community and one count of unemployment compensation fraud. Skyers is the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs at the University of Saint Joseph and a part-time international business professor at Quinnipiac University. The Unemployment Compensation Fraud Unit conducted the investigation after a complaint from the Connecticut Department of Labor. According to the arrest warrant affidavit, Skyers collected $8,033 in unemployment benefits while she was employed from August through October 2012. University of Saint Joseph spokeswoman Laura Sheehan said Skyers was hired in May 2014 and is still employed at the university. Quinnipiac University spokesman John Morgan also confirmed Skyers is employed as a part-time faculty member. Skyers was released on $10,000 non-surety bond and is due to appear in New Britain Superior Court on March 10. blipiner@record-journal.com 203-317-2444 Twitter: @BryanLipiner In a way, this is an instance of a company -- or at least its CEO -- returning to its roots. Starbucks announced that, in 2017, it will enter the Italian market -- the originator of the espresso drinks the chain specializes in, and a key inspiration for the way it does business. IMAGE: STARBUCKS IN PRAGUE SOURCE: STARBUCKS. The coffee giant will not, as per its standard in the U.S., directly own the outlets. Instead, they will be owned and operated under exclusive license by an Italian company, Percassi. According to Starbucks legend, CEO Howard Schultz became enamored of Italian coffee during a business trip to Milan and Verona more than three decades ago. In the press release on the Italy news, the company wrote that, "inspired by the craftsmanship of the Milanese barista, the spirit of the Italian people, their passion for community, their friendliness and taste for quality, Schultz's vision for Starbucks began to take root." The company did not specify at what point next year it will open for business in the country, nor how many stores would be located there. It did say the first one will be in Milan. Does it matter? A handful of outlets in Italy -- assuming that the Italy rollout will be modest at first -- isn't going to make a great amount of difference to Starbucks' fundamentals. The company has planted its flag in European coffee strongholds before. In 2001, it entered Vienna, Austria, home to a unique culture anchored by the city's many traditional coffee houses. Starbucks aimed to open stores at a one-per-month clip, but its java wasn't the sensation it thought it was going to be. These days, it has only 16 outlets in Vienna, not a very robust growth rate during that nearly decade-and-a-half-long stretch. Tourists and curious Italians looking for something different will likely form the customer base of Starbucks' Italy operations. It's good that the company is extending its global reach, but we shouldn't expect much impact on either the top or bottom lines from the move. A secret billion-dollar stock opportunity The world's biggest tech company forgot to show you something, but a few Wall Street analysts and the Fool didn't miss a beat: There's a small company that's powering their brand-new gadgets and the coming revolution in technology. And we think its stock price has nearly unlimited room to run for early in-the-know investors! To be one of them, just click here. The article Instant Analysis: Starbucks to Enter Italian Market Next Year originally appeared on Fool.com. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate San Antonio TV station KSAT retained its traditional bragging rights as the citys No. 1 local news outlet, while KENS recaptured its status as a solid No. 2. KSAT swept every news race, from morning to night, in February Nielsen ratings, which arrived Thursday. Even with late-news co-anchor Isis Romero on maternity leave for part of the month and weekend anchor Myra Arthur subbing next to Steve Spriester, the ABC affiliate held on to a sizable lead at 10 p.m. KSAT, which is the only station to air an hourlong broadcast, delivered an 8.2 rating compared to KENS 5.5 and WOAIs 4.4. A ratings point equals 9,062 San Antonio-area households. Nielsens February numbers, which help determine local stations ad rates, were supplied by KENS and KSAT, and confirmed by WOAI. Its a new world thats flooded with news and information, and were very grateful that South Texas viewers continue to turn to KSAT12 when they expect to get more news, more information and more news they can use, Phil Lane, the stations general manager, wrote in an email. KENS, which welcomed new chief anchorman Jeff Brady in January, also had reasons to celebrate. The local CBS affiliate reclaimed its No. 2 ranking in the morning (5 to 7 a.m.) and at 5 p.m., a status that had been snatched away in recent ratings periods by WOAI. KSAT finished first at 5 p.m. with a 6.6 rating. KENS rebounded to No. 2 with a 5.2, and WOAI fell to third with 4.9. KENS also moved closer to KSAT at 6 p.m. and finished second at 10 p.m. Thomas Cury, the CBS stations relatively new general manager, wrote in an email that he was thrilled his station achieved significant progress this February. The sweeps news was particularly good for KENS anchor Deborah Knapp. Her 4 p.m. newscast maintained its long-held No. 1 status against syndicated fare, and her 5 p.m. show jumped from third to second. WOAI finished third across the board, including at noon for its new midday newscast. Still, Blaise Labbe, director of news for WOAI, said the NBC affiliate made a valiant fight. This was a very competitive ratings period and I am proud of our efforts, Labbe wrote in an email. In the Spanish-language arena, Univision affiliate KWEX continued its lead over Telemundos KVDA. As for prime time, KENS trounced the local competition thanks to CBS behemoths such as the Super Bowl, The Big Bang Theory and NCIS. KENS finished with a 9.1 rating compared to KSATs 5 and WOAIs 3.9. jjakle@express-news.net This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A 26-year-old East Texas man couldn't put up much of a chase, even if he wanted to, when he was pulled over for alleged credit card theft in his pink Power Wheel Cadillac Escalade, which tops out at about 5 mph. RELATED: Texas State student rides her Barbie Jeep around campus after DWI arrest, Internet loves it The getaway cruise ended on Feb. 25 when David Schumaker was handcuffed outside his 130-pound max weight capacity ride in Shepherd, a town of about 2,000 people who know the man by his unique transportation choice. Aside from knowing Schumaker and his Power Wheel trips personally, a woman in the town is now calling him a thief after she reported him to the San Jacinto County Sheriffs Office for stealing her credit card, according to the Cleveland Advocate. RELATED: 'Proud' father of Texas State's Barbie Jeep Girl addresses the 'haters' A friend of the lowrider told KHOU the 12-volt toy is Schumakers means of transportation, he even takes it on road trips to other towns. He rides this thing around just to get around town and everybody bothers him about it, his buddy Chris Fuller, who is now in possession of the vehicle, told the news station. One time I seen him drive all the way from Livingston all the way to here. Im not joking. The trend of adults taking the high road in small cars may have been sparked by a Texas State University student who began riding a Barbie Jeep last summer after being stripped of her license following a DWI arrest. Unlike Schumaker, she wasn't in search of a battery, she was using the Jeep to get around campus because "riding a bike sucks, like really sucks," she told mySA.com. RELATED: This full-size, grown-up version of the classic Little Tikes Coupe could be your new ride The route between the two spots is about 16 miles via US-59, but Fuller told KHOU Schumaker takes the backroads was headed that way before he was caught. Schumaker, who has a record of previous thefts in other counties, is developmentally delayed and has been transferred to a mental treatment facility for evaluation one hes been admitted to several times before his friends told KHOU. At the time of his arrest, Schumaker reportedly was looking for a battery for his toy car, The Cleveland Advocate reported. mmendoza@mysa.com Twitter: @MaddySkye This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A former day care owner and a relative are headed to prison after each was sentenced in a horrific child abuse case involving three adopted children who were starved, beaten and forced to bite each others toes. After a presentence investigation hearing last week, state District Judge Ron Rangel sentenced Iliana Archuleta, 43, to 30 years. Rogelio Archuleta, 30, the nephew of her ex-husband, received a 35-year sentence Tuesday. Each was sentenced on three counts of injury to a child, serious bodily injury by omission, with the identical sentences on each count to run concurrently. The pair had applied for deferred adjudication probation in a plea deal and opted for sentencing by the judge. Tim Archuleta, 45, Iliana Archuleta's husband, is scheduled to appear before Rangel on March 9 for sentencing, court records indicate. He faces up to 20 years in prison. Tim and Iliana Archuleta owned Honey Tree Pre-school and Child Development Center in the 8300 block of Culebra Road. The couple and Rogelio Archuleta, the children's uncle, were arrested in October 2012 by Bexar County sheriff's deputies. The investigation that led to the charges was launched after Iliana Archuleta took her adopted son, then 8, to a hospital because he was having seizures. While there, the boy was observed to have bruises all over his body and appeared malnourished, arrest warrant affidavits stated. A girl, then 10, later told investigators she and her two adopted siblings were being starved, beaten, punished for stealing food, locked in closets and forced to bite each others' toes, and afterward forced to pour bleach on the wounds, the affidavits said. The documents showed that the child told investigators she and her siblings were forced by her parents and uncle, who lived with the family at the time, to sleep in a bathtub, with a sliding door locked and a bucket left for them to use for their waste. The child also told investigators the children sometimes were made to eat butter and drink water until they vomited, and then were forced to consume the vomit as well, the affidavits said. The family had a history with Child Protective Services. The couple had fostered two other children who were removed from the couple's care in 2007 after they were alleged to have been abused, the San Antonio Express-News archives indicates. Staff Writer Jacob Beltran contributed to this report. ezavala@express-news.net Twitter: @elizabeth2863 This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SAN ANTONIO Investigators are still trying to identify a woman whose torched corpse was found discarded in the middle of a street on the Southeast Side more than six months ago. The Bexar County Sheriffs Office on Thursday released a new composite sketch drawn by a forensic artist who had examined the womans remains, which were found in the 8200 block of South W.W. White Road on Aug. 17, 2015. BCSO spokesman James Keith said the investigation into the womans death has been complicated. RELATED: Body found burning in the street on Southeast Side She was found around 5 a.m. in a dark area and her body was on fire, Keith said. Anytime you have a fire, evidence is going to be (lost). Since the discovery, deputies have worked to develop any material evidence that could aid in the womans identification. On Aug. 26, investigators released images of unique jewelry that was found on the womans body, including a metal necklace, a metal bracelet and earrings. RELATED: Jewelry may be key to identifying body found burning in middle of San Antonio street More than a month later, additional images of the shirt the woman was wearing were also made public. Because of this artist we are able to get a good idea of what her face probably looked like and hopefully (get) an idea of who she was, Keith said. As soon as the woman is identified, Keith said investigators will begin talking to people who knew the victim, and hopefully be able to track down those responsible for her death. Anyone with information on the identity of the victim or suspects in the case is asked to call the BCSO Homicide Division at 210-335-TIPS. Tips can also be made by calling Crime Stoppers at 210-224-STOP. mdwilson@express-news.net Twitter: @MDWilsonSA This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A man accused of fatally shooting a man in the head and robbing a gaming room in south Bexar County was arrested Wednesday. Roman Salazar Jr. faces a charge of capital murder after Jimmy Nunez, 36, was found dead at about 11 p.m. on Jan. 28 when Bexar County Sheriffs deputies arrived at a mobile home in the 2700 block of Oak Island Drive. RELATED: Underground casino raid nets 30 8-liners, $100,000 in meth in south of San Antonio BCSO spokeswoman Rosanne Hughes said Salazar was charged with capital murder after it was discovered items were stolen from the gaming room. Witnesses told authorities that the two masked men, including Salazar, entered the home that had been converted into an eight-liner game room. Authorities said it was unclear exactly what happened in the moments leading up to the shooting, but at least one of the suspects opened fire inside, killing Nunez. The man who was killed was initially believed to have been the manager of the operation, but investigators were later able to rule that out as a possibility. RELATED: Man shot in head in illegal gaming room in south Bexar County Authorities have not said exactly what Nunezs role at the establishment was since they began their initial investigation. Numerous witnesses were inside at the time of the incident, but it appears that none of them received any serious injuries, investigators said. RELATED: BCSO releases surveillance footage of fatal gaming room shooting Authorities are still searching for the second suspect. jbeltran@express-news.net Twitter: @JBfromSA This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate AUSTIN The special prosecutor in the abuse-of-power case against Rick Perry said Thursday he still hasn't decided whether to drop the matter a week after the state's highest criminal court ordered that the indictment against the former governor be dismissed. Special prosecutor Michael McCrum of San Antonio said he and his co-counsel, David Gonzalez, "are looking into it, because we owe that to the people of this State, and because we just witnessed an activist court create new law for a public official indicted for public corruption. So, we must take time to carefully review this. "As expressed by the judge's dissent filed this week, however, the (high) court's opinion offers little, if any, direction to the district court on how to react to this new law. So, we owe it to the people to be careful and prudent as to how we respond," McCrum said. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals ordered the indictment to be dismissed last week in a decision by Presiding Judge Sharon Keller, who said the charge violated the constitutional separation of powers because it stemmed from a Perry veto an executive power. One of two judges who dissented, Judge Lawrence E. Meyers, on Wednesday amended his dissenting opinion to take issue with Keller ordering that the case be sent back to the trial court "to dismiss the indictment." "We have no authority to instruct the district court dismiss the indictment on remand, rather we should allow the trial court to decide how to proceed based on our opinion," wrote Meyers, the only Democrat on the court. Perry's lead lawyer, Tony Buzbee of Houston, said Meyers' point wouldn't have any impact on the ultimate disposal of the case. "The court was clear on what it wants done. The indictment has no merit, at all," Buzbee said. He said Perry's team will wait for the high court's order to become final, then ask the trial judge "for final disposition." "As far as we are concerned, this farce is over," Buzbee said. McCrum hasn't said whether he will ask the Court of Criminal Appeals to reconsider the case or otherwise attempt to revive the case against Perry. The case turned on whether Perry, a Republican, improperly used his veto power to try to force out a Democratic prosecutor after her messy, high-profile drunken-driving arrest. Nearly three years ago, then-Gov. Perry vetoed state funding for the public integrity unit overseen by Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg, who served time but declined to resign after her drunken-driving incident. Perry said she had lost the public's confidence. The watchdog group Texans for Public Justice filed a complaint over the veto, ultimately leading to Perry's indictment. The group said Perry had authority to veto the funding but that he had overstepped in trying to leverage that power to force out Lehmberg. Perry said he acted properly and would do it again and that the charge against him violated separation of powers. A coercion charge in the indictment was dismissed last year by the 3rd Court of Appeals in Austin, which found the law underlying it unconstitutional. The Court of Criminal Appeals agreed with that action. The state had said and lower courts agreed that it was too early in the case to address Perry's arguments against another charge alleging abuse of official capacity, saying according to precedent, that only could occur after evidence was heard at a trial. That's because Perry's arguments in general said the abuse-of-power law was unconstitutional as applied to his circumstances. Keller's opinion, however, put Perry's separation-of-powers complaint in the same special category as claims against double jeopardy being tried twice for the same crime. Such claims are allowed to be raised before trial "because the rights underlying those claims would be effectively undermined if not vindicated before trial," Keller wrote. In Perry's case, she wrote, "When the only act that is being prosecuted is a veto, then the prosecution itself violates separation of powers." Her opinion ordered the indictment dismissed, an outcome joined by five other justices on the nine-member court and opposed by two. Judge Bert Richardson of the high court didn't participate in the decision because he presided over Perry's case at the trial court level, an assignment he got before being elected to the high court. He still is presiding judge for the case. pfikac@express-news.net Twitter: @pfikac SAN ANTONIO A collision at an intersection on the West Side sent an SUV barreling into the side of the building Thursday morning. Police said an elderly man driving a pickup south on Southwest 29th Street collided with a woman headed east on San Fernando around 10 a.m. SAN ANTONIO A man drove his SUV through the wall of a North Side home into a bedroom after his brakes failed Wednesday afternoon. Leonard Castillo, Jr. was driving his GMC Yukon in the 7800 block of Northway Drive around 2:15 p.m. just before his brakes failed, police said. Eight months. Thats how long the United States has been without an ambassador to Mexico. Hard to believe, isnt it? For more than 100 years, Mexico has been a steady ally of the United States. In fact, as our third-largest trading partner, Mexico accounts for more than $500 billion in bilateral trade. Not only does it rank second among U.S. export markets, Mexico is also the third-largest supplier of American imports. And lets not forget the impact of U.S. foreign direct investment in Mexico, which, according to the latest United States Trade Representative data, amounts to $101 billion. The economic case here is indisputable. We especially recognize this at the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, where we represent 4.1 million Hispanic-owned businesses that, together, contribute more than $661 billion to the American economy, every year. But lets not make it all about economics. At this point, we should all recognize that the Hispanic community, which is two-thirds Mexican, has become a defining feature of the changing face of America. Without the influx of Mexicans and other Hispanics over the past decade, Midwestern states such as Iowa would have a negative population growth. But instead, Iowas Hispanic population has doubled in the past 10 years as people arrived for work and stayed to build businesses and raise families. Its not just about the influence of the Mexican community on the United States. As we speak, 1 million American expatriates are now permanent residents of Mexico. Thats 1 million of our citizens who live and sometimes work far from home more than anyone else, they depend on the U.S. government to maintain friendly diplomatic ties with Mexico. We need continued collaboration between our two governments. Strong diplomatic ties can only lead to further improvements in cross-border travel and commerce. The importance of this post touches even agencies such as the CIA and the Drug Enforcement Administration, as well as the departments of Agriculture, Commerce and Transportation, all of which are represented at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City. They rely on the presence of an ambassador. So then why has Roberta Jacobson waited eight months and counting to be confirmed as U.S. ambassador to Mexico? No one disputes her qualifications. She is a career diplomat who rose through the ranks of the State Department. Shes had nearly 30 years of working on issues including the Merida Initiative, the resolution of the U.S. water debt with Mexico, and our commitment to the 100,000 Strong in the Americas education exchange program. Since 2012, Jacobson has served as assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs, managing and promoting U.S. foreign policy throughout Latin America. Jacobson was nominated for the position last July and received bipartisan approval by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in November. Since then, there has been an indefinite delay in confirming Jacobson for this post. While we wait for her confirmation, one of our most crucial diplomatic missions in terms of international trade and border security remains without a head of post. The concerns of a few members of the Senate have stalled Jacobsons confirmation. By delaying this vote, the United States is sending a message to Mexico were letting Mexico know that we dont value our relationship with them. But given the crucial importance of managing our 2,000-mile-long border, as well as the commercial and cultural interests at stake, nothing could be less true. The political games that have led to this standoff are unwise at best and reckless at worst. While Jacobson is punished for doing her job, the American people are left hanging. Thats why the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is working with a bipartisan coalition of senators, as well as our 200 chambers across the country, to expedite Jacobsons nomination to be U.S. Ambassador to Mexico. Without a top diplomat in place, the indispensable relationship we share with our southern neighbors may stall, at a time when our mutual economic, security and cultural interests require our bond to be stronger than ever. And were unwilling to let that happen. Its time to let Congress know that the American people expect action. We must confirm Roberta Jacobson as our top diplomat in Mexico or risk weakening our economy as well as our national security. Javier Palomarez is president of the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Despite what youve heard, Americans dont want politicians who tell it like it is. We want politicians who tell it like it isnt. This election cycle, politicians promises have gotten bigger, bolder and less tethered to reality than those of previous presidential races. Voters appear to want candidates who will deliver nothing short of their wildest partisan dreams (and delusions), alongside the unconditional silence and submission of their ideological adversaries. If presidential candidates once promised the sun, moon and stars, this time around theyre promising multiple galaxies, plus the turtles all the way down. Candidates on both the left and right have pledged complete overhauls on nearly every issue voters care about (and some they dont). That includes health care, reproductive rights, the social safety net, immigration, the Constitution, even basic arithmetic. Donald Trump, whose most attractive quality is supposedly his unfiltered frankness, has built his campaign around the preposterous promise that Mexico will pay for a big, beautiful wall on the southern U.S. border, despite all evidence to the contrary including both common sense and loud, unequivocal refusals from Mexican leaders themselves. He also promises that he can get government to swiftly, cheaply and humanely round up and deport 11 million people living in the shadows. And his base which has, until now, long believed in government incompetence and inefficacy above almost any other political principle willingly suspends disbelief. Bernie Sanders likewise promises his base a single-payer Medicare for all health-care plan, despite the fact that Congress has voted more than 60 times to repeal the (comparatively modest) Affordable Care Act. How would either actually get his ambitious plans through? Why, political revolution and magical underpants gnomes, of course. On some issues, the candidates plans are quantifiably more grandiose than those of their predecessors. Take for example their tax proposals. Sure, huge tax cuts have been a staple of Republican presidential candidates for at least the past two decades. One (George W. Bush) even enacted those cuts. But the scale of the cuts that Trump, Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio propose would be unprecedented, according to calculations from Len Burman, director at the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center. Measured as a share of the economy, the three biggest tax cuts of the past six decades were enacted by Bush, John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan. Of those, the largest was Reagans suite of tax changes, which cumulatively led to a revenue loss equaling 2.1 percent of gross domestic product. By contrast, over the next decade, Rubio would cut taxes by an estimated 2.6 percent of GDP, Cruz by 3.6 percent and Donald Trump by 4.0 percent. In other words, candidates are promising to out-Reagan Reagan. Perhaps, you might muse, politicians just propose especially fantastical cuts while theyre on the campaign trail. But by my own calculations, todays candidates are promising cuts that also are far larger than what was proposed by Mitt Romney in 2012, John McCain in 2008, Bush in 2000, or Bob Dole in 1996. The story on the left is not so different. Sanders would raise taxes by about 5.9 percent of GDP, based on revenue estimates from the business-backed Tax Foundation. This, too, is multiples higher than any tax increase enacted in the postwar era. The largest single tax overhaul of all time just like the largest deportation of all time, or the largest health-care reform initiative, or the most ambitious constitutional revisions seems especially improbable over the next four years, regardless of who secures the White House. We are already seeing unprecedented levels of obstructionism, gridlock and allergy to compromise. In 2015, the Senate confirmed the fewest civilian nominations including federal judges, ambassadors, regulatory officials and executive branch appointees for the first session of a Congress in three decades, according to a recent Congressional Research Service report. The Senate Banking Committee has not voted a single nominee out of its committee this session, the first time thats happened in at least 50 years. And yet some presidential candidates now promise theyll be even less cooperative, and concede even less territory to the other side, in the service of delivering the grand delusions theyve pledged their voters. In todays political climate, pragmatism and cooperation appear toxic; big, beautiful, uncompromising promises score votes. Of course, big, beautiful uncompromising promises are also impossible to keep. crampell@washpost.com When we asked readers late last year what our editorial priorities should be in 2016, you overwhelmingly responded that transportation in this community needs to be addressed. As fellow commuters, we feel your pain. There are no easy, cheap or quick solutions to congestion in the San Antonio region, but one glaring weak point is our underfunded bus system. Compared with other major cities in Texas Austin, Dallas and Houston VIA Metropolitan Transit comes up short on sales tax revenue. For example, VIA and the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County serve fairly similar sized areas, but the two are nowhere near similar in terms of sales tax revenue. VIA covers 1,213 square miles, and METRO Houston covers 1,285 square miles, but in 2015 VIA received $166 million in sales tax revenue compared with $542.5 million for METRO Houston. Capital Metro in Austin and Dallas Area Rapid Transit cover 529 miles and 696 square miles, respectively, and yet each also received significantly more sales tax revenue than VIA in 2015. For Austin, it was $211 million and for Dallas it was $519 million. These figures come courtesy of VIA, which also lags these other markets in funding per capita and funding per square mile. If we truly want people in this community to ditch their cars and use public transportation for their commutes, or if we want to ensure workers can easily get to their jobs using public transportation, then VIAs funding will need to be increased. Maybe you dont want to ride the bus, but if someone else is willing to make that switch, thats one less car in your way. Thats why the idea of shifting the city of San Antonios portion of Advanced Transportation District funds to VIA sounds promising. Approved in 2004, the ATD is a quarter-cent sales tax dedicated to transportation. Half of it goes to VIA, a quarter of it goes to the city of San Antonio, and the balance is used to leverage projects across the community. One idea under consideration, thanks to City Councilman Rey Saldana, is to shift all or some of the citys portion of ATD funds to VIA. At present, the city has budgeted to use those funds, about $17 million, for sidewalks and intersection improvements. VIA could use those funds to improve its core bus service. In a perfect world, we could have sidewalks and improved bus service, but with limited funds, you have to give up something to get something. From our view, this is a trade that appears worth making, but with a caveat. This would not be a game changer for VIA. It would help improve service on key routes, but it would not dramatically improve public transportation in this community. People would still wait an hour or longer on many bus routes, and its unlikely service would be rapid and reliable enough to entice people to get out of their cars. Since additional sales tax revenue (besides these possible ATD funds) is not an option at this time, city and Bexar County leaders need to begin a serious examination of other dedicated revenue sources for public transportation. This would likely be some kind of dedicated fee for VIA. We know. You dont want to pay another fee. But we also know you dont like waiting in traffic. Youve told us this, again and again. If this community is serious about addressing traffic congestion, and if our elected leaders accept that only building more roads (which we agree are needed) is not an adequate solution, then we have to get serious about improving bus service for the fast-growing San Antonio region. That likely cant happen without increasing funding for VIA. Re: U.S. welcome mat stays out for Cubans despite debate, front page, Sunday: Kudos to Staff Writer Aaron Nelsen and the Express-News for publishing this much-needed article. For years I wondered why Cubans need only declare political asylum to be welcomed into the U.S. Thousands of Cubans enter the United States every year and are provided all these benefits. Yet people from Mexico who have been here for years struggle to stay alive as they are not eligible. And the migrants fleeing desperate conditions in Central America cannot claim asylum, so they are immediately put in detention centers or deported. I wrote CNN and Fox before the Republican debates and suggested they ask the candidates if they thought Central Americans were given a fair shake in comparison to Cubans who arent kidnapped, tortured, raped and murdered in their homeland. I didnt receive a reply, nor was that question asked. Welfare, food stamps and Medicaid? Even bona fide born citizens, whether white, black or brown, sometimes have a hard time receiving these benefits. Something is very wrong with this policy. Lou Georgieff Gitmo compromise Re: Republicans rip Obama plan to close Guantanamo lockup, Nation & World, Feb. 24: There may be a simple solution to the standoff between President Barack Obama and those in Congress who want to stymie his initiative to close Gitmo. Donald Trump is a big fan of eminent domain. Why not simply seize one of his Gold Coast venues, retool it and turn it into a prison for terrorists from Gitmo? It is seizure for public use, after all. And a very patriotic seizure, at that. Everyone wins: Trump who believes eminent domain is wonderful, the president who closes down Gitmo, and Congress, which has to approve a safe venue. And the 91 prisoners still held there could have Trumpian accommodations for far less than the $5 million currently spent to house each one of them. Charles W. Schraub Back it up Re: Fighting HOV lanes just cheering on congestion, Editorial, Sunday: The Express-News Editorial Board twice asserts that HOV lanes in Dallas and Houston carry far more people than general purpose lanes. As anyone can make unsubstantiated assertions (e.g., Donald Trump), it would have been nice if the board had cited studies substantiating the assertions. Ironically, the half-page picture that accompanied the article seems to belie the assertions. The photo shows four unrestricted lanes full of cars stretching to the horizon. The two HOV lanes are completely empty. Ken Phelps Donalds cover-ups? Would you vote for a politician who seems to have hair plugs and use a tanning bed? To thine own self be true, Donald. Richard Wallish The Donald a child Before I retired, I was a middle school teacher. I loved interacting with the students, even though it was not unexpected to see them handle conflict by blaming others, insulting others and declaring that everybody liked them and, therefore, they were right. That was part of the middle school mindset. I knew that with guidance and a few years of maturation, middle school students had the potential of becoming respectful adults who could handle conflict more appropriately. Today, we are bombarded with images of a presidential contender who is stagnated in middle school behavior. What happened to Donald Trumps development into adult behavior? Betsy Kropp Trump waltz Voters today have lost much of their common sense. This is due to the popularity of Donald Trump. All he brings to the table is loud, obnoxious insanity, not surprising considering America is still fascinated with the Kardashians. This country will start dancing one step forward and two steps back. Fred Machado Wheres balance? Re: Presidents nomination for high court deserves vote, Editorial, Feb. 23: Kudos to the editors for giving us a full column demanding the Senate vote on a replacement for Justice Antonin Scalias seat without once mentioning all the Democratic senators proclaiming just the opposite in election years, the latest example being Vice President Joe Biden when he was chairman of the Judiciary Committee. Really, with such well-documented hypocrisy on display, could the editors not take a balanced view? Nor did they mention the Senates equal right to confirm or reject any nominee, a right contained in the same clause as the presidents responsibility to appoint. James E. Loyd Scary Cruz Re: Cruz says drafting women is nuts, front page, Feb. 9: Ted Cruz has come out as opposed to drafting women, saying, with fundamentalist certainty, it would be immoral for their government to put them including his two little girls, whom he trots out at every opportunity while on the campaign trail in a foxhole with a 220-pound psychopath trying to kill them. He should know that drafting women would not automatically ensure they ended up in the trenches or on the landing beaches. Meanwhile, he apparently has no compunction about exposing our men of draft age to these same dangers, since, in his gung-ho way, he says if elected president he will carpet-bomb ISIS until sand glows in the dark. Stephen King, the master of fright and creepiness, says Cruz is very scary. We must take notice: America doesnt need this trigger-happy jingoist as its commander in chief. He would never get my vote. Jack Wernette, Castroville Posted on 03/03/2016, 1:27 pm, by the City of Steinbach With spring break only a few weeks away, the Steinbach Aquatic Centre is encouraging residents to pre-purchase spring swim times. Spring break is one of the Aquatic Centres busiest weeks of the year and staff are already pre-booking swim times. Although staff try to accommodate everyone as best as possible, pre-booking is recommended to guarantee entrance. Residents are encouraged to review the Spring Break Schedule and book early. Swim times can be pre-purchased in person at the Aquatic Centre and by Visa and Mastercard online or by phone at 204-346-6207. The City notes that there are typically some slow times that people should consider in their plans. Earlier in the week and weekday evenings are usually not as full. This years Spring Break is from March 28 to April 3, 2016. The Aquatic Centre will be closed on March 25 for Good Friday and March 27 for Easter Sunday. Livingston County State's Attorney Seth Uphoff is running against the state's attorney from neighboring Ford County, Randy Yedinak. What is your view of the current state's attorney's performance? Uphoff: I have been working hard to provide strong prosecution and steady leadership for Livingston County. I have strived to ensure that victims' needs are being met, that defendants are being treated fairly, and to provide sound and sensible advice to the County Board. I have successfully prosecuted several high profile cases in my first term, including the prosecution of the murder of a 4-year-old foster girl, whose case was left uncharged by those in the office before me including my opponent. I have worked hard to try to reinstitute the separation of powers and checks and balances that are the cornerstones of our governmental system. I have been diligent in respecting the fiduciary responsibility incumbent upon all elected officials and have already come in over $250,000 under budget in my first term. Overall, I believe I have provided a high level of performance to Livingston County. Yedinak: I think the current state's attorney likes the idea of being state's attorney more than actually carrying out the duties of a state's attorney. The only thing he has been able to accomplish in his 3 years is fight with everyone (judges, sheriff, circuit clerk, probation, police, etc.) and to no end. He has nothing to show for these battles other than thousands of dollars in wasted taxpayer money and countless losing appeals to higher courts. He and his supporters will tell you that he is taking on tough issues and standing up for the people. He picks fights, loses them, appeals the loss and then loses the appeal. Again, I ask, to what end? All one has to do is search the public records of Livingston County to see the plea deals his office agrees to in order to avoid trial. He is rarely in the courthouse, and it is even rarer to find him in court (I know from having worked in his office for 1 years). If he put half as much effort into the administration of his own office as he does attempting to control others, the county would be better off. How would you improve the state's attorney's office? Uphoff: Areas in which I would like to continue working to improve the office are domestic violence, assisting child victims, and Internet crimes against children. I have been working to help improve the prosecution of those cases; working with agencies like ADV & SAS (A Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Service), Childrens Advocacy Center (CAC), and the Illinois Internet Crimes Against Children Tax Force (ICAC). I am currently working in conjunction with the CAC to enlist the use of a comfort dog to aid child victims in opening up to law enforcement in their interviews and to help them through the difficult process of facing the offender and testifying in court. It may even be possible for Livingston County to obtain its own dog for that purpose. I also intend to continue to try to provide better and more comprehensive service to the County Boards civil matters. Yedinak: I care deeply about the office and mission of the state's attorney's office. I will do everything in my power to ensure individuals are held accountable for their actions. In my experience, I have come to realize that we deal with two types of criminals in the criminal justice system: Those we are scared of, and those we are mad at. Those we are scared of are the ones that our prisons are reserved for. As for the ones we are mad at, we need to come up with a more efficient, cost effective manner to hold these individuals accountable. That is where problem-solving courts (for example, drug court, mental health court, etc.) come into play. These courts attempt to address the root of the problem (in other words, why the defendant continues to break the law) in ways that costs significantly less for taxpayers. In order for these courts to exist, the state's attorney's office must agree to participate. Neighboring counties (McLean, Logan, Ford) utilize these courts to much success. The current state's attorney refuses to participate. I support these programs and would look to immediately implement them upon taking office. How would you approach plea agreements? Uphoff: I approach plea agreements as I do prosecution one case, one face, one name at a time. Every person who comes into the criminal justice system comes in with a different set of facts, a different background, and a different criminal history. Each of those factors must be taken into consideration when attempting to determine a just outcome. I believe a prosecutor must work to strike a fair balance between the needs of protecting the public and not further burdening an already overburdened system. Each case must also be evaluated on the strength of the evidence acquired, the probability of success at trial, and the impact on the victim. My office takes these determinations seriously, as they have an impact on the victim, the defendant, and the community. Yedinak: I would approach plea agreements the same way I have always approached plea agreements. I take into the account the actual crime committed combined with the defendant's prior criminal history as well as any input from the victim (if there is a victim to the offense). Taking into account all of those variables, my job is to come up with a plea offer that I believe is fair and consistent with other offers made in the past. How would you involve victims in your decision-making process? Uphoff: In recent years, the state of Illinois has mandated that victims be granted a greater role in how cases are resolved. However, beginning prior to those mandates, I have always worked to incorporate the input of the victim as much as possible. Victims in lower level offenses often do not have as much of a personal interest in the outcome as those who are victims of more serious and more personal offenses, but the effect on the victim is always a consideration for the prosecutor. The more serious and more personal the case, the more we try to determine the effect a particular route may have on the victim. Its not uncommon for victims of sexual assault to want to avoid testifying at trial because of the re-victimization that can occur. They dont want to be forced to re-live the event in front of a room of strangers. They dont want to be vigorously cross-examined and made to feel like liars or exaggerators. They may not want the uncertainty that comes with a trial, as opposed to the admission of guilt that comes with a plea. These are considerations that I weigh carefully when determining whether a plea will be offered, and if so, what that plea will be. There may be times when the victim and the prosecutor cannot exactly agree on a course of action because sometimes the realities of the criminal justice system do not align with the ideal outcomes of the victims. However, Ive been fortunate to have been able to work closely with victims of serious crimes to reach just outcomes that also meet their needs to be able to successfully move forward in their lives. Yedinak: I always try to include victims in cases to the extent that they want to be involved. I discuss with them the potential charges and what I think the likely outcome will be. I also ask for their thoughts on the case, including their thoughts on an appropriate sentence, while informing them that it is ultimately the state's attorney's decision on how the case is handled. This comes in many forms. I have, on too many occasion, met with minor children in sex assault cases. It is important to form a bond with the victim so that they realize you are on their side. While I can never promise victims anything, I always inform them that I will do everything in my power to make sure the person that hurt them is held accountable. It is a weighty and profound responsibility to have, and I do not take it lightly. What message should law enforcement send to victims of sexual crimes? Uphoff: We are here to help and protect you, not to judge you. Too often, victims of sex crimes are afraid to come forward. Sometimes the source of that fear is the offender; sometimes its the system or society. They may be afraid that they will not be believed. They may fear that even if they are believed, they will be judged or labeled. Its the job of law enforcement and the prosecution to ensure those victims know we are here to provide them a place of refuge. Yedinak: I believe the message that should be sent is one of encouragement. Encouragement to report incidents when they occur. Encouragement that they will be heard, believed and that those who are responsible for their harm will be held accountable. These have been the biggest hurdles I have dealt with when prosecuting an individual for a sexual assault. Oftentimes the victim feels they are being victimized all over again by the process. Shifting that focus and encouraging the victim that the police and the state's attorney believe them and are doing everything imaginable to bring their attacker to justice is vital. When should the state's attorney appoint a special prosecutor to handle cases? Uphoff: Statutes and case law outline the times when a prosecutor is required to seek the appointment of a special prosecutor. In the most general sense, a prosecutor should seek a special prosecutor when there is a conflict that will prevent the prosecutor from being fair in the handling of the matter. Most frequently, a prosecutor has a conflict when they have a personal or professional stake in the outcome. However, there may also be times when theres not an actual conflict, but there may be the appearance of one. Some such circumstances may present a situation where the prosecutor should seek another to handle the case in order to avoid even the appearance of impropriety. Yedinak: Pursuant to Illinois law, a state's attorney may petition the court for the appointment of a special prosecutor in those cases where the state's attorney has a conflict of interest or for any reason he or she deems appropriate. It is then up to the court whether a special prosecutor is actually appointed. Special prosecutors are seen, most commonly, in cases where the state's attorney has a conflict of interest. For example, the state's attorney represents the county and its elected officials. Should an elected official be charged with a crime, the state's attorney cannot, legally or ethically, represent that elected official and prosecute them at the same time. Therefore, a special prosecutor would be appointed. Additionally, from time to time, a close friend or family member of the state's attorney may be charged with a crime. Ideally, the state's attorney would treat that person the same as anyone else, most state's attorneys would ask to have a special prosecutor appointed simply to avoid the appearance of impropriety. How open should a state's attorney be with the public? What information should be kept secret? Uphoff: Ethical rules generally guide what information a prosecutor can or should make public. The prosecutor has an ethical duty, not just to the public, but also to the accused. Prosecutors are not to simply seek a conviction, but are to seek justice. In order to ensure the defendant receives a fair trial, the prosecutor must be careful not to improperly heighten the condemnation of the accused. However, a prosecutor must balance that consideration with the need to provide enough information to the public to ensure the publics safety and keep them truthfully informed. Yedinak: As a public office elected by the people, the state's attorney's office should be as open to the public as possible. There is information held by the state's attorney's office that is private (dates of birth, Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers, etc.) contained in police reports received by the state's attorney's office. That information should not be shared with the general public. Additionally, embarrassing details regarding sexual assaults or crimes against minors need to kept private to avoid further traumatizing the victim. This can be a fine line ensuring the public knows what's going on while protecting the privacy rights of those who have been harmed. Thankfully, prosecutors are governed by ethical rules and regulations that dictate what can and can't be shared regarding individual cases. We are strictly prohibited from giving too much detail regarding pending cases. This is mainly done to ensure that the defendant is given a fair trial. Other than health, why would you resign your position mid-term? Uphoff: Its difficult to consider all of the potential issues that could arise that would cause anyone to question whether they should leave their employment. However, other than health, the only reason I would resign my position mid-term is if there were a family emergency necessitating the change. I was elected to serve the people of Livingston County, and I take that responsibility very seriously. I gave my word to fill out my term as the voters chief prosecutor, and aside from addressing the concerns of my family, which are paramount, I would not resign my position mid-term. Yedinak: Other than my own health, or issues related to the health of a loved one, I see no reason why an individual would resign as state's attorney mid-term. AUGUSTA, Maine Maine voters might have the option of deciding what the states new minimum wage would be, as two questions relating to the entry-level wages might be on the November ballot, the Associated Press reports. An initiative by Maine Peoples Alliance proposes the current state minimum wage of $7.50 would be increased to $12 an hour, while business entities have a similar bill of an increase to $10 an hour. Chuck Lawrence, who owns Tradewinds Marketplace, which runs convenience stores, supermarkets and car washes, said that a $12 per hour minimum wage would lead to a reduction in staff and higher prices. That kind of cost increase puts tremendous pressure on cash flow and being able to cover operating expenses, he said. The business group, which unveiled its plan yesterday, outlined bumping the minimum wage to $8.50 in 2017, followed by 50-cent yearly raises to reach $10 an hour by 2020. The Maine Peoples Alliance proposal would start at $9 an hour in 2017, with annual bumps to reach $12 an hour by 2020. The state legislators have a few options. Since the Maine Peoples Alliance has enough signatures to put its plan on the ballot, the legislature could approve the bill outright or reject it (and thus move it to the ballot). Come November, voters could only vote for one of the two measuresor reject both of them. WASHINGTON Super Tuesday shed a very strong light on what the general election campaign is going to look like as Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump performed well and solidified their frontrunner status. More importantly, it was essentially a validation of Trump's campaign style and strategy so far. Whether you are a fan of The Donald or not, it is clear that part of that strategy has been focusing on social issues like immigration, race and other political hot potatoes, while pushing issues important to Main Street merchants to the back burner. To date, there has not been a whole lot of conversation on the Republican side about job creation, economic growth, tax reform and the increasing pressure on small business. Its particularly noticeable because at the same time, the Democrats have been having quite a robust discussion about income inequality, wage stagnation and the shrinking middle class. To date, it has been a very one-sided conversation, often putting a negative light on entry-level employers. As a result of Super Tuesday, it looks like operators can expect a lot more of the same going forward: Republicans talking about social issues at the expense of small business owners, and Democrats talking about wage stagnation at the expense ofyou guessed itsmall business owners. It could be a long year. Joe Kefauver is managing partner at Align Public Strategies in Orlando, Florida. He has more than 25 years of political experience in government affairs, campaign management, lobbying, trade association relations and issue management. Corbyn is Camerons real Brexit headache Politico Brexit Would Make U.K. Trade Less Free Wall Street Journal French economy minister sends double Brexit warning to UK Financial Times Brexit Would Make U.K. Trade Less Free< WSJ/blockquote> Which regulator knows pretty well, so apart from making some noises will not do anything. You just (estimate) doubled the capital requirement (including the fine), so you probably brought CET to about half/two thirds of what its now (say 12, so its now 6), which likely triggers a slew of CoCos (I think the regulatory trigger is around 7% usually), making it exceedingly hard for DB to raise any more equity, which in turn will make anyone wary of trading with DB, which is a death sentence. Consider a simple scenario say DBs VaR system is not-fit-for purpose (for whatever reasons), and regulator fines DB a few bils and forces it from the internal model on standard model. The short answer is doubt it. With DB, Id coin a Too Big To Regulate term. IMO, there are no realistic (and commensurate) actions that a regulator can take on some of the problems facing DB w/o bringing it down. Spanish Socialists fail in bid for power Politico Syraqistan Mosul dam engineers warn it could fail at any time, killing 1 million people ZME Science (resilc). Weve linked to earlier stories on this before.and the risks only seem to be increasing. Big Brother is Watching You Watch Imperial Collapse Watch Supreme Court Trench Warfare White House Said to Be Vetting Appeals Court Judge for Supreme Court Seat New York Times. Belies the Obama powerlessness in the fact of nasty Rs meme. If nothing else, Grassley will suffer if he doesnt move this to hearing. The implicit message is: I gave you guys a perfectly acceptable conservative and you rejected that out of sheer cussedness. Now Im going to start serving up less conservative picks, and extracting a cost if you nix them. Clinton E-Mail Hairball 2016 Why Donald Trumps Tax Returns May Prove Hes Not That Rich Fortune The Trouble with Trump for Bankers American Banker (MS) US Republicans express Trump fears BBC US foreign policy experts round on Trump Financial Times Revenge of the Simple: How George W. Bush Gave Rise to Trump Matt Taibbi (resilc) Romney to Lay Out Case Against Trump in Speech Thursday Bloomberg. This is comical. The Republican party or Mittens himself seem to labor under the delusion that he will reach people outside the choir. Trump Now Leading Among Crucial Republicans Who Hate Trump Demographic New York Magazine The rise of American authoritarianism Vox (kj1313). The tone of surprise and horror is hardly warranted. This is the result of at least 15 years of conditioning, such as constant pounding of the terrorists are under every bed meme, authoritarian schooling, schools requiring constant oversight of children (kids not allowed to walk home), and suppression of dissent and vigorous discourse outside venues that are treated as fringe. Oh, and separately, this means you Sanders supporters who will vote for Trump if the Democrat alternative is Clinton are authoritarians. What the press wont tell you about Trump and populism Fabius Maximus (resilc) How Can I Move to Canada Was Top Google Search Following Donald Trumps Super Tuesday Wins Alternet The Importance of Donald Trump Frank Rich, New York Magazine (Marshall) Strangest contest set to become reality as battle of sexes looms Financial Times McCain: Clintons admission of speaking fees a seminal moment in politics The Hill (resilc) Trouble Lurks Beneath Clintons Victories New York Times Clintons southern firewall of support no sure thing come general election Guardian More than 45K sign petition to arrest Bill Clinton CNBC. Palindrome: The mass visceral negative response to Bill Clintons campaigning at polling stations highlights how a large part of the American population, across ideological boundaries, feels about the Clintons. There were over 76,000 signatures the last time I checked. Link to petition here. Gabbard: People warned me against endorsing Sanders Politico (resilc) Harry and Louise Now Support Sanders Medicare-for-All Plan. With Good Reason. Angry Bear The Revolution Has Begun: After Super Tuesday Wins, Sanders Looks Ahead Common Dreams David Dayen at The Intercept has ferreted out that Larry Fink, CEO of the giant asset manager BlackRock, is keen to become Treasury Secretary, and has positioned himself accordingly. Hesalready has such a strong influence on Hillarys Clintons thinking to the degree that even Andrew Ross Sorkin has taken note of how she closely she echoes on financial service industry matters: could have been channeling Laurence D. Fink. This might seem to be a happy coincidence were not it not for the way Fink has curried favor with as having strong ties to Treasury by virtue of having hired former staffers. Per Dayen: Finks most telling hire, however, is Cheryl Mills, arguably Clintons most trusted confidante. Mills was Clintons chief of staff at the State Department, was deputy White House counsel in the Bill Clinton administration, and is on the board of directors of the Clinton Foundation. Fink hired Mills for the BlackRock board of directors in October 2013, in what observers mused was a ploy to insinuate himself into the Clinton inner circle. Among other BlackRock officials with ties to Clinton: Senior Managing Director Matthew Mallow is a Hillblazer who has helped raise $100,000 or more in donations. Clinton held a fundraiser earlier this month at Mallows New York City home. There is no indication of Fink himself contributing financially to the Clinton campaign. Now the not giving money to Clinton could be a bigger deal than it seems. When Bill became President, he went to great lengths to appoint people who had been loyal donors, particularly long-standing donors, down to low-level roles. Someone I knew who wound up as the #2 in one of the major departments was quite open in saying how he was unqualified for the role, the only reason he got it was for being a early Clinton contributor, and described in some detail how the incoming Administration was rewarding its backers. I am pretty sure the only reason he told me was that this was common knowledge in DC at the time. Now the Clintons may have moved on from these loyalty tests, or Fink could have satisfied them via other means, say by giving to a PAC or the Clinton Foundation. Nevertheless, hes also cultivated ties with Treasury through various hires, such as long-estalished banking industry dealmaker Ken Wilson, and Chris Meade, former Treasury general counsel. As Dayen stresses, Clinton has not ruled out a Treasury Secretary from Wall Street. Indeed, she would probably argue privately that the job requires one, since they need to be able to talk to the markets, and the Bush Administration Treasury Secretaries who were mere corporate executives, like John Snow and Paul ONeill, were generally scored somewhere between lightweight and lousy. But appointing someone from Government Sachs or the other Bob Rubin haunt, Citigroup, might be a bit too controversial. By contrast, asset managers like BlackRock are almost never in the headlines outside the business section, and even there, not very much. But thats no reason to be encouraged. First, BlackRock, along with Pimco, managed to escape being designated a SIFI, meaning systemically important financial institution. On one level, that may not seem so crazy, since asset managers arent part of the central plumbing of financial markets (the payments system and capital markets trading). But that line isnt as tidy as it seems. Asset managers were bailed out in the crisis just past, via the extension of guarantees to money market funds. But the flip side is that the usual risk-reduction approaches for being a SIFI are measures like holding more equity, which make no sense in the fund management context (the risks are at the fund level, and funds hold no equity; holding more equity at the parent level is not going to do much if destabilizing runs were to take place at funds, which are legal entities they merely manage, not own. Admittedly, there are other checks, like on counterparty risk, that would be germane). Nevertheless, it may be a mistake to be so sanguine, since the effect of Dodd Frank and other post-crisis interventions has been to shift risks out of the banking system on investors.which include asset managers like BlackRock. And who would be better able to plead their case than someone with deep knowledge of that industry? Second, the big cause for pause is Finks devotion to the idea that Social Security should be privatized. From Dayen: Fink has also promoted the privatization of Social Security, while mocking the idea of retiring at 65, which is easy for a business executive who sits at a desk all day to say, rather than working on an assembly line or as a waiter. Fink owes his initial backing at BlackRock to Pete Peterson, the former commerce secretary who has been at the forefront of the campaign to cut or privatize Social Security. He sat on the steering committee of the Campaign to Fix the Debt, a stalking horse for Petersons ideas. Privatizing Social Security is another big business looting opportunity. Social Security is extraordinarily efficient from an administrative standpoint, even before you get to the fact that a retirement plan ultimately depends on the future earning power of the economy. But rather than focus on things that support that, like wage growth and productive investment, our elites promote the barmy logic of trying to starve the economy by limiting or even more insanely, eliminating Federal government debt. Private accounts will always be worse due to the much greater costs of running them. And thats why Wall Street salivates over the idea of privatizing Social Security: retail investment is the highest fee part of the market, so the more they can do to get policymakers to drive assets in that direction, the more big financiers will make. And theres every reason to doubt Clintons claim that she wont cut or privatize Social Security. Bill was ready to privatize Social Security, but laffaire Monica intervened. Ordinary Americans need to thank her for her service, in both senses of the word. Measures that lower Social Security payouts in real terms, like chained CPI, have been given the Orwellian label of strengthening Social Security. As Lambert said in a 2015 post, Hillary Clinton on Social Security Expansion: Words are Wind. A Cold Wind.: In summary: Clinton will not commit to Social Security expanson Clinton would like to turn Social Security into a welfare program, destroying it Clinton would like a Social Security Commission, and past such commissions have produced unconscionable results. In other words, if Clinton wins the Presidency and announces Larry Fink as her Treasury Secretary nominee, NC readers will recognize this as a Timothy Geithner moment, that electioneering promises have just been repudiated. Be warned. By Willem Buiter, Chief Economist of Citigroup, Ebrahim Rahbari, Director in the Global Economics Team, Citigroup Research, and Christian Schulz, Director, Citi Economics Team. Originally published at VoxEU Britain will hold a referendum on whether to stay or leave the EU. Current polls point a very close vote. This column argues that Brexit could have serious economic and political consequences for the rest of the EU. The economic and financial frictions could be limited if both parties try to strike an amicable separation agreement. But political considerations, including the desire of the rest of the EU to prevent Brexit emulation, might result in a far more damaging outcome, not just for the UK. Britain will hold a referendum over whether to stay in or leave the EU on 23 June. Current polls point to a very close vote. Brexit is not our base case, but the probability we assign to it 30% to 40% makes it a material risk. Analysis of the potential economic and political consequences for the UK is growing. At Citi, we conclude that while the precise economic impact will depend on many factors, including the future trade arrangement between the UK and the rest of the EU (EUx), its direction will be highly negative. We are particularly concerned about political uncertainty in the UK, including a possible disintegration of the UK into its more pro-European (Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland) and less pro-European parts. Unfortunately for the rest of the EU, Brexit would not be a zero-sum game nor would the economic and political losses be confined to the UK. The rest of the EU would also take a hit, even if we expect the economic impact to be milder than in the UK. UK trade is a far smaller share of GDP for the EUx than EUx trade is for the UK. The assessment of the potential economic and political fall-out from a British vote to leave is likely to determine the negotiation strategies of both the UK and the rest of EU over a follow-on deal. We note that technically, there would be no negotiations about the terms of access (in all economic dimensions) of the UK to the rest of EU; the EUx would determine (according to the Treaty unilaterally) the future terms of access of the UK to the EU. The UK would, of course, set the terms of access of the rest of EU to the UK (in all its economic dimensions). The negotiations on future economic (and political) relations between the UK and the rest of EU would, however, likely be very asymmetric with negligible bargaining power for the UK much less even than in the negotiations on the EU changes required to keep the UK in the EU. What Would Follow Brexit? Most likely, the UK would trigger Article 50 of the EU Treaty shortly after a vote to leave. That would set the clock ticking for a withdrawal agreement to be reached within two years, or else the UK would revert to the default trade arrangement with the EU governed by WTO rules. In this worst-case scenario, the EU would apply its external customs duties on UK goods and services as well as erect significant non-tariff hurdles such as regulations and licenses. For example, passporting of banking and other financial activities would cease. The rest of the EU would be free to impose material restrictions on Londons ability to conduct euro transactions and euro-derivatives transactions. UK citizens could lose the automatic right to work in the rest of EU. An anatomy of the UK/EU economic links Along with the US and China, the UK is currently one of the most important trading partners for the other EU states. In 2010-2014, total exports to the UK were 2.9% of EUx GDP, and total imports from the UK were 2.4% of GDP. Trade in goods such as cars, machinery, and chemicals dominates the EUxs trade volumes with the UK, constituting about 70% of total exports and imports of goods and services. In goods trade, most EUx member states are running a sizeable surplus with the UK, in total 0.6% of EUx GDP in the past five years (see Figure 1). This surplus almost disappears, however, when accounting for foreign value added in exports, which was 30% in 2011 for EUx goods exports to the UK and 23% for UK goods exports to the EUx, according to OECD data. In services trade, most EUx countries are running deficits with the UK, amounting to a total of 0.2% of GDP. This is almost entirely driven by financial services, while deficits of the EUx in other parts of services trade are offset by surpluses in tourism. Leaving aside indirect effects and temporary bumps during the negotiation period, a symmetric 10% one-off decline in exports to and imports from the UK would lead to a one-off reduction of EUx GDP by 0.05% (based on current account data), with negative effects from goods trade outweighing net positive effects from services trade. Subsequently, trade growth would likely be lower than otherwise, increasing the potential losses over time. The damage would be a bit more severe in the manufacturing hubs in central and eastern Europe as well as in the tourism hotspots in the Mediterranean. Figure 1. Widespread goods trade surpluses and services trade deficits with UK Notes: EU countries goods (x-axis) and services (y-axis) trade balances with UK (% of GDP), 2010-14. Bubble size corresponds to total trade with UK in euro billions. Sources: Eurostat, ONS and Citi Research To minimise potential economic losses, the EU might focus its post-Brexit negotiation strategy on free trade for all goods and some services like tourism, where it is running a surplus. By contrast, limiting UK-based financial firms access to the EUs internal market for financial services might set in motion an import substitution process which may eventually benefit at least some EUx member states. However, financial services trade barriers would still be disruptive at least in the short run given the UKs near-monopoly in some sectors. If the rest of EU states fail to replicate the UKs financial services productivity, they would end up permanently worse off when ignoring the short-term Keynesian (demand-driven) benefits. One lesson from the turbulence of the past eight years is that financial links transmit economic calamities from one country to another almost instantaneously and often amplify the original shock. Avoiding a financial crisis is also likely to feature high on the list of the EUxs negotiation priorities. In the case of Brexit, the stakes look particularly high, with the UK exposures of EUx banks, companies, governments and households dwarfing those to Greece in 2012. And even those were sufficient to throw the Eurozone economy into extended turmoil. With UK assets held by EUx residents worth nearly half of the EUx GDP (based on ONS international investment position data), a complete breakdown in relations could easily reduce EUx wealth by a few percentage points of GDP and, in some cases, put additional strains on already-challenged financial systems. A financial crisis remains unlikely in our view and the economic cost-benefit calculus of Brexit might not even be entirely negative for the EUx. For example, EUx member states may try and usurp the UKs position as the EUs most popular destination for foreign direct investment. Over the past 15 years, the UK has received more than 20% of inward EU FDI, but without full access to the EUs internal markets, future FDI flows into car factories or financial services hubs that would have gone into the UK had it remained a member of the EU might be redirected and create jobs elsewhere in the EUx. Figure 2. Top spot up for grabs? Share in EU inward FDI (%), 2000-2014 Sources: UNCTAD and Citi Research The Brexit impact on the rest of the EU via trade and finance will depend on the follow-on agreement between it and the UK. A number of models exist: Norways, Icelands, and Liechtensteins membership of the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerlands European Free Trade Area (EFTA) agreement come close to full membership of the EUs internal market. Only EEA membership would guarantee free mobility of labour, while EFTA membership can include it (and in the case of Switzerland, does). A Turkish-style customs union would cover most goods trade sectors, but the Swiss and Turkish models crucially exclude financial services. Free trade agreements such as those with Mexico or South Korea would also establish free access to the EUs internal market, at least for goods trade. The extension of such agreements to the UK may face political obstacles, but at least the economic damage could be minimised. Political Consequences of Brexit Without the unruly UK, EU decision-making may become slightly simpler, particularly in areas where unanimity is required such as most taxes and social security. This would not necessarily be a net positive, however, if the decisions taken more swiftly and easily without the UK as an EU member were significantly worse than those taken with difficulty and significant delays with the UK as an EU member. Clearly, the weight of the market-friendly/liberal block in the EU (whose current core members include the UK, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, and Estonia) would decline, potentially making the EU less market-friendly. The EU budget would also have to do without the 5 billion or so of net UK contributions (19% of total net contributions to the EU budget in 2014). But the real political risk, in our view, is that Brexit would set a new and awkward precedent. It could trigger chain reactions, such as a backlash against any notion of ever closer union, even where this makes obvious sense, as in the areas of defence, foreign policy, defending the external boundaries of the EU, and certain aspects of environmental policy. Brexit could also encourage national exit movements elsewhere. The anti-EU mood in many EU member states, as reflected in the growing strength of nationalist, nativist, and populist parties in the EU, should not be underestimated. There could also be a rise in regional separatism (e.g. in Flanders, Catalonia, the Basque country or Northern Italy). The rejection of any form of supra-nationalism exemplified by Brexit could also further increase cross-border bail-out fatigue in particular in the Eurozone. As a result, there would be a material risk that the terms of access of the UK to the rest of the EU following Brexit (as regards the movement of goods, services, capital, enterprises, and labour) would be much worse than those of Norway, Iceland, and Switzerland. This would not just (or even mainly) be because a non-EU member wanting closer relations with the EU is likely to be treated better than a former EU member that has seceded from the EU. The need to prevent the UKs exit from the EU from creating a precedent would likely produce tough and damaging terms of access of the UK to the rest of the EU. Pour decourager les autres, the rest of EU would want to make it abundantly clear that it is not possible for an existing EU member state to exit and continue to enjoy most of the benefits of EU membership but none of the costs. Conclusions It is not our base case that the UK exits the EU. If it did happen, it could have serious economic and political consequences for the rest of the EU. The economic and financial frictions could be limited if both parties would try to strike an amicable separation agreement, but political considerations, including the desire of the rest of the EU to prevent Brexit emulation, might result in a far more damaging outcome, not just for the UK. A loss in soft power for the rest of EU following Brexit would be near certain, in our view. Brexit would likely further boost (intra-national and inter-national) political fragmentation in the EU and raise the risk of further EU and Eurozone disintegration. Brexit could therefore have very severe political ramifications for the rest of the EU, even if the immediate economic effects remain modest. The EU without the UK would be an even more impaired regional and geo-political player than the current EU, which already punches far below its economic weight as regards regional and global diplomatic, strategic, security, and military matters. The step from soft power to no power could well be a small one. Steve Thorson, owner of Still Motion Studio, works with clients on a photoshoot in Naples, Fla. on Monday, February 29, 2016. The lifelong avid shutterbug built a 4,500-square-foot photography studio that this year celebrates its fifth anniversary in operation at 3550 Westview Drive. (Logan Newell/Special to the Daily News) SHARE Steve Thorson, owner of Still Motion Studio, works with clients on a photoshoot in Naples, Fla. on Monday, February 29, 2016. The lifelong avid shutterbug built a 4,500-square-foot photography studio that this year celebrates its fifth anniversary in operation at 3550 Westview Drive. (Logan Newell/Special to the Daily News) Steve Thorson, owner of Still Motion Studio, poses for a photograph in Naples, Fla. on Monday, February 29, 2016. The lifelong avid shutterbug built a 4,500-square-foot photography studio that this year celebrates its fifth anniversary in operation at 3550 Westview Drive. (Logan Newell/Special to the Daily News) Steve Thorson, owner of Still Motion Studio, works with clients on a photoshoot in Naples, Fla. on Monday, February 29, 2016. The lifelong avid shutterbug built a 4,500-square-foot photography studio that this year celebrates its fifth anniversary in operation at 3550 Westview Drive. (Logan Newell/Special to the Daily News) By John Osborne, Daily News Correspondent When Steve Thorson moved from Seattle to Naples in 2004, he ditched the rain for sunshine and brought his money management firm with him. A dozen years later, Thorson's still here. His money management firm is not. In its place, the lifelong avid shutterbug built a 4,500-square-foot photography studio that this year celebrates its fifth anniversary in operation at 3550 Westview Drive. "The short story is that the stock market opened at 6:30 a.m. in Seattle, and after doing that for 15 years - where I'd go to bed at 4:30 p.m. - I'd had enough," Thorson explained of the inspiration behind his cross-country move. "So when the opportunity to relocate presented itself, I jumped on it. The original plan was to move to La Jolla, California, but then I found Naples, which is basically the east coast version of La Jolla, only without the cliffs." Thorson said a three-day visit to Naples was all it took to convince himself that he'd found his new home. "After those three days I already had my new house and office, and I loved it," he said. "Right away, I couldn't imagine anything else." While Thorson's love for Southwest Florida would grow even deeper over the years, the same couldn't be said in regards to how he felt to his career at the time. "Everything was going well, but then the country hit a recession and the stock market turned upside down," he recalled of the trying economic times. "All of a sudden, what I was doing wasn't any fun for me anymore." So, to combat that dissatisfaction, Thorson plunged headfirst into the world of professional photography. "I've always had an interest in photography, I've always had a camera with me, so that's what I did through 2007, 2008 and 2009," he said. "But eventually I got tired of shooting the beach and the crocodiles and the Everglades and the same things everybody else photographs here. I wanted to do studio work, but I couldn't find a space around here that was adequate for my needs. So, to make a long story short, I built one." What Thorson built in 2011, he said, is a photography studio like no other around. "This is unquestionably the best photography studio in the region, and I don't say that lightly," he said. "You'd have to go to Tampa or Miami to find anything close. Naples has never had anything like this before, and in my mind, I wanted to eliminate the competition from the beginning." Thorson said 3,000 square feet of shooting space divided into five different sets combine with other features such as editing and storage areas, a large dressing room, a private bathroom and a full kitchen to set his studio apart from its competition. "Fifty percent of my business comes from the professional headshots I produce, and fifty percent comes from renting my space to other professional photographers," said Thorson, then recounted how the latter part of that equation posed an unexpected challenge to his business. "I've always been a pretty good businessman, and I like to think I think things through thoroughly before I try something new," he said. "But I didn't anticipate that local photographers would have no idea how to shoot in a studio since there's never been a studio in Naples at this level. A studio environment is entirely different from shooting the beach or downtown, because everything in a studio is controllable. It boils down to lighting techniques, and I have an extremely vast inventory of lighting capabilities here that is equal to what they have in Hollywood as far as still-photo capability goes." Thorson said he took a hands-on approach to easing the transition into a studio environment for his fellow photographers. "I developed a program where I charge very little for rentals in the early stages and spend that time teaching them how to light," he said. "I'm like their assistant as they work with their clients and getting comfortable in the studio. The client would never hear me tell the photographer how to do things. And over time, the photographers become comfortable with how they like to light things in the studio." StillMotion Studios clients said they appreciated Thorson's business model. "The studio was spacious and clean, with great equipment," said Tessa Tilden-Smith, creative director of Gulfshore Life magazine. "It was a good place for us to work." Gene Schiavone, a part-time Naples resident and staff photographer for American Ballet Theatre in New York City, said much the same. "My clients were very impressed, and that made me look good," said Schiavone, who rented Thorson's space for 20 four-hour sessions. "Steve helped whenever I had a problem or concern, (and he was) a real gentlemen." Thorson said those sort of positive reviews are especially important in a place like Naples. "I call it the incredible shrinking town," he said. "The longer you're here, the smaller it gets." For more information, see www.stillmotion.com or www.proheadshot.photos. SHARE Iberiabank will host a lecture in Spanish featuring local immigration and naturalization lawyer, Erica Luque. She will discuss common immigration issues, including deportation defense, relief for victims of violent crimes, family petitions and adjustment of status. The lecture will be held at 5:30 p.m. March 30 at the branch in Golden Gate, 5247 Golden Gate Parkway. Information: 239-403-2550 The Estero Chamber of Commerce will hold its March Lunch and Learn Event at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday at 23101 Fashion Drive, No. 113 in Estero. Information: esterochamber.org/event-registration/ Appointments The David Lawrence Center has named Sharie Boscaglia as chief administrative officer and Nancy Dauphinais as chief clinical officer. To submit your business news directly online, go to naplesnews.com/BIZwire or email news@naplesnews.com. District 2 Commissioner Georgia Hiller debates during a Collier County Commission meeting at the Collier County Manager building in Naples, Florida on Tuesday, June 23, 2015. Calvin Mattheis/Staff) If Georgia Hiller is as serious as her tone implies in challenging Clerk of Courts Dwight Brock in the upcoming election, she'll have to resign as a county commissioner. But she won't be going away just yet. Florida's complicated resign to run rules say Hiller can remain a county commissioner until two weeks after the Nov. 8 election. That's when her replacement on the commission would take over, assuming Hiller goes through with her campaign to unseat Brock. It works like this: To stay in office as long as possible, Hiller needs to file a letter of resignation with the supervisor of elections, the governor and the department of state at least 10 days before the qualifying period for the office of court clerk. The qualifying period runs from June 20 to 24, so the letter would have to be in by June 10. The 10-day cushion gives potential candidates a chance to consider a run to replace the outgoing official. It also gives the supervisor of elections office time to notify the public the office is coming open, which it would do through legal ads, said Dave Carpenter, qualifying officer for Collier County Supervisor of Elections Jennifer Edwards. If a candidate meets the 10-day deadline, they can make their resignation effective at a date as late as the day the successor takes office or until their newly won position begins, whichever come first. County commissioners take office two weeks after the November election. Clerks of courts don't take office until the following January so a victorious Hiller would be out of an official position only from Nov. 22, when her successor would start, until taking over for Brock in January. She could make her resignation effective some day before the incoming commissioner is to take office, forcing the governor to decide whether to leave the seat unfilled or appoint someone to fill it in the short term. Whatever effective date is selected, the resignation is non-revocable, meaning an unsuccessful candidate can't rescind it and remain in the previous office. Should Hiller miss the June 10 deadline, she'd still have to resign to run for Brock's seat and the resignation would take effect immediately. The supervisor of elections office would then have to set up a special qualifying period for candidates to replace her and the printing of ballots could be delayed, Carpenter said. Hiller's current term runs through 2018, but by resigning two years early, the remainder of the term would automatically become a seat to be contested on the 2016 ballot, Carpenter said. No one has yet filed to run for Hiller's seat. Carpenter said if someone wants to, they can file papers as if running in the 2018 election and when Hiller turns in her resign to run letter, the candidate's bid would be switched to the 2016 ballot. Hiller's Feb. 23 declaration that she will challenge Brock changed the face of the Aug. 30 primary ballot, but it isn't the only recent change. Hiller had been in the race for State House District 106 and the chance to replace Rep. Kathleen Passidomo, who is running for state Senate. Only Bob Rommel, a local businessman, had filed to join her in the August Republican primary. Soon after Hiller announced her clerk bid, Lavigne Kirkpatrick, who ran for county commission in 2010 and 2014, filed initial papers to seek the District 106 seat, setting up a contested primary with Rommel. Another familiar name, that of Collier County Commissioner Tom Henning, appears lower on the slate of upcoming candidates. He's filed to run for a seat of the Greater Naples Fire District. Henning served on the Golden Gate Fire Commission before winning a seat of the county board. So far he's the only candidate in the race. It will be interesting to watch for even more changes, particularly to see who steps forward seeking to replace Hiller on the county commission. (Connect with Brent Batten at brent.batten@naplesnews.com, on Twitter@NDN_BrentBatten and at facebook.com/ndnbrentbatten) SHARE This undated image provided by Burger King, shows the new french fry that the company says has 20 percent fewer calories than its regular fries. The Satisfries will cost about 30 cents more than its regular fries. (AP Photo/Burger King, Noel Barnhurst) 1. Nesting sea turtles, flashing cellphone photos a bad mix Sea turtles digging their nests to lay eggs on Florida's beaches face a new 21st century hazard: someone snapping a flash photo with a cellphone. Tuesday, March 1, was the official start of the sea turtle nesting season. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) reminds people not to take cellphone flash photos of sea turtles on the beach at night, because that can interfere with nesting. Sea turtles have been on Earth for about 110 million years, and eager photographers are hardly a new phenomenon. However, today's widespread use of cellphones and flash photos on the beach creates a risk for Florida's nesting and hatchling sea turtles. Remember to: Remain at a distance from nesting sea turtles and hatchlings. Remove chairs, canopies, boats and other items from the beach at night, because they block the movement of turtles and hatchlings. Turn off or shield lights along the beach, to prevent nesting females or hatchlings from getting confused and going toward lights on land instead of the salt water, where they belong. From now through the end of October, three different species of sea turtle will land on Florida's Atlantic and Gulf Coast beaches to lay their eggs. In 2015, a record number of green turtle nests were documented in Florida: 27,975 on the 26 beaches that the FWC has monitored since 1989. Learn about Florida's five sea turtle species at MyFWC.com/SeaTurtle. 2. City Council meets Monday The Marco Island City Council will meet at 5:30 p.m. Monday, March 7, in the community room next to the police department, 51 Bald Eagle Drive. The council will: Vote on a resolution authorizing a settlement agreement between the city and the Esplanade. On second reading, vote on an ordinance that would regulate the use of fertilizers containing nitrogen or phosphorous on the island. Vote on a resolution approving an order of Fourth of July Fireworks in the amount of $52,000 or less. Vote on a resolution approving a phased approach to improvements at the Marco Island Town Center. BK goes bye, bye Islanders who want to "have it their way" are in for a whopper of a drive to Naples. Burger King has shuttered it's only location on Marco Island after 20 years in business. Regulars discovered the restaurant closed on Tuesday. A sign on the window simply thanked customers for their patronage. Burger King is headquartered in unincorporated Miami. The company began in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacksonville, Florida-based restaurant chain. After Insta-Burger King ran into financial difficulties in 1954, its two Miami-based franchisees, David Edgerton and James McLamore, purchased the company and renamed it Burger King. Over the next half century, the company would change hands four times, with its third set of owners, a partnership of TPG Capital, Bain Capital, and Goldman Sachs Capital Partners, taking it public in 2002. In late 2010, 3G Capital of Brazil acquired a majority stake in BK in a deal valued at $3.26 billion. The new owners promptly initiated a restructuring of the company to reverse its fortunes; 3G, along with partner Berkshire Hathaway, eventually merged the company with Canadian-based doughnut chain Tim Hortons under the auspices of a new Canadian-based parent company, Restaurant Brands International. At the end of fiscal year 2013, Burger King reported it had over 13,000 outlets in 79 countries; of these, 66 percent are in the United States and 99 percent are privately owned and operated with its new owners moving to an entirely franchised model in 2013. County Commissioner Donna Fiala introduces the presentations. Fiala held a town hall gathering Wednesday at the Rose History Auditorium, allowing islanders to address questions to county officials. Lance Shearer/Eagle Correspondent SHARE County Manager Leo Ochs, left, hands off the microphone to Marco Island City Manager Roger Hernstadt. Fiala held a town hall gathering Wednesday at the Rose History Auditorium, allowing islanders to address questions to county officials. Lance Shearer/Eagle Correspondent County Manager Leo Ochs, left, hands off the microphone to Marco Island City Manager Roger Hernstadt. Fiala held a town hall gathering Wednesday at the Rose History Auditorium, allowing islanders to address questions to county officials. Lance Shearer/Eagle Correspondent Marco Island Fire-Rescue Chief Mike Murphy uses toy trucks as props to talk about emergency medical services. County Commissioner Donna Fiala held a town hall gathering Wednesday at the Rose History Auditorium, allowing islanders to address questions to county officials. Lance Shearer/Eagle Correspondent County Commissioner Donna Fiala and Mark Strain, longtime chairman of the Collier County Planning Commission, discuss development in the area. Fiala held a town hall gathering Wednesday at the Rose History Auditorium, allowing islanders to address questions to county officials. Lance Shearer/Eagle Correspondent By Lance Shearer The county came to the city on Wednesday. As has been her custom for 16 years, Donna Fiala, the longtime District 1 County Commissioner who represents Marco Island, held a town hall-style meeting, bringing county officials to address issues and questions that affect island residents. With the Rose History Auditorium nearly full for the 5:30 session, Fiala essentially served as a moderator or master of ceremonies for the string of Collier County staffers who presented brief remarks on a variety of topics, including the "hot button" of Emergency Medical Services. First up was County Manager Leo Ochs, who gave the "big picture" synopsis of county budget inflows and expenditures. Before launching into a recitation heavy on pie charts, he lauded Fiala for her constituent service. "I've never worked with anyone as committed and responsive as Donna Fiala," he said, adding, "Don't believe everything you read in the newspaper." Fiala is running unopposed for re-election. One of Och's slides illustrated Marco Island's share of taxable value in the county, $8.62 billion, which represents 12.29 percent of the countywide total of $70.135 billion. The county budget was at $981 million, he said, down from $1.3 billion in fiscal year 2008, "during the downturn," said Ochs, "we attacked on the expense side" rather than raising taxes. County Museum Director Ron Jamro told the crowd, "Welcome to the Marco Island Museum," which is a county facility. He introduced Marco Island Historical Society president Pat Rutledge, who said, "Everywhere I go, I'm asked 'what about the cat?'" If all goes according to plan, she said, the first of the antiquities to be returned to Marco Island will show up in December, 2018, with more to follow. Coastal Management Programs Manager Gary McAlpin (not McAlprin, as listed in the meeting's printed materials), "the beach guy," gave an update on beach renourishment projects, and said the county is working to improve navigation at the mouth of Collier Creek, where silting in has partially filled the pass with sand, threatening passing vessels. He said the county has placed 3,500 cubic yards of sand dredged from the Marriott to the north of Residents' Beach to build up the slope, and will be adding much more. "We're trying to create a positive slope so it doesn't puddle," to create a "healthier, more attractive beach" that doesn't encourage algae growth, he said. Assistant County Manager Nick Casalanguida addressed the need to raise the elevation of Goodland Drive, that regularly floods, and is a joint city-county issue, even though Goodland is outside the city limits of Marco Island. "We need to get that road fixed - soon. A big storm could cause a significant washout," he said. He also said that a cloverleaf interchange would be constructed where I-75 meets Collier Blvd., and in response to a question, estimated it would be something like 15 years before the overpass at Collier Blvd. and U.S. 41 is built. County Planning Commission Chairman and Chief Hearing Examiner Mark Strain, unmistakable in his trademark Santa Claus beard, joined with Fiala to talk about the considerable volume of residential and especially commercial development springing up on the mainland adjacent to the island "Stein Mart opens March 10 - ladies, write that down," instructed Fiala. Strain said without qualification that Sam's Club would be taking over Courthouse Shadows on the East Trail, while numerous other stores, restaurants, and a Porsche dealership will be joining the 11,000 new residential units planned for East Naples. He also "touched down" briefly on plans for a considerable overhaul of the Marco Island Executive Airport. Finally, it was time to talk EMS. "Now, the big one," said Fiala. She introduced Collier County Emergency Medical Services Chief Walter Kopka, who went over the volume of emergency calls - 36,000 a year, or about 100 every day - in the county, then brought up Marco Island Fire-Rescue Chief Mike Murphy. The county has a plan, being voted on by residents of Collier's unincorporated areas, to consolidate emergency services, and those voters, not including city residents, are scheduled to vote on whether to create an independent fire and emergency response district, covering those areas in the county other than the cities of Naples and Marco Island. City officials have expressed deep concern that the upshot will be to increase costs and/or decrease services for Marco residents, and Murphy left little doubt which side of the question he thinks is best for city taxpayers and residents. He used toy trucks, a firetruck and an ambulance, as props, adding in an aside, "My grandson is really mad at me," to illustrate the problem of having EMS controlled by an outside entity. "You are impacted. All these things are going on right now," said Murphy. "You have no local control." Several city councilors sat in the audience, including Chairman Bob Brown, Victor Rios, and Larry Honig, those who have been most vocal expressing dissatisfaction with the county's action. When it came time for Q-and-A, most of the audience seemed to feel their concerns had been addressed. Many of them are regulars at city meetings, the "usual suspects" who could be counted on to be up on issues, although some did have confusion about the delineation between city and county governmental functions. "I have two messages for Collier County," Rios stood to say before the meeting closed. One, they need to respect the city of Marco Island." And two, he thinks the County Commission should follow the example of the United States Senate regarding the Supreme Court vacancy, and not do anything until a new commission is seated in the fall. SHARE Hilton's Marie Villareal holds the trophy. The Hilton Marco Island Beach Resort & Spa, Marco Island, FL received the AAA Four Diamond Rating for the 17th straight year, in a ceremony at the hotel Wednesday. Lance Shearer/Eagle Correspondent Doug Harper of AAA, left, and Hilton general manager Mac Chaudhry, center, hold the plaque along with AAA insurance manager Gerry Weis. The Hilton Marco Island Beach Resort & Spa, Marco Island, FL received the AAA Four Diamond Rating for the 17th straight year, in a ceremony at the hotel Wednesday. Lance Shearer/Eagle Correspondent Doug Harper of AAA, left, and Hilton general manager Mac Chaudhry, center, hold the plaque along with AAA insurance manager Gerry Weis. The Hilton Marco Island Beach Resort & Spa, Marco Island, FL received the AAA Four Diamond Rating for the 17th straight year, in a ceremony at the hotel Wednesday. Lance Shearer/Eagle Correspondent Hilton general manager Mac Chaudhry, center, congratulates retiring purchasing manager Leslie Molina. The Hilton Marco Island Beach Resort & Spa, Marco Island, FL received the AAA Four Diamond Rating for the 17th straight year, in a ceremony at the hotel Wednesday. Lance Shearer/Eagle Correspondent By Lance Shearer Once again, the Hilton has been honored. On Wednesday, Doug Harper, representing AAA Motor Club South, came by to personally deliver the AAA Four Diamond Award to the Hilton Marco Island Beach Resort and Spa. This is the 17th straight year the Hilton, on South Collier Boulevard, has been honored. The Four Diamond certification puts the Hilton in select company. In all of North America, including the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean, only 1,587 lodging establishments qualify for the award. The Hilton Marco Island Resort & Spa has maintained this celebrated rating consecutively since 1999. Harper and AAA insurance manager Gerry Weis presented a plaque to General Manager Mac Chaudhry and the senior staff of the Hilton Marco Island Beach Resort & Spa on Wednesday afternoon, recognizing the hotel for earning, once again, coveted "Four Diamond" status in the annual AAA ratings. In a rooftop ceremony at the hotel attended by about 30 of the Hilton's managers, Chaudhry credited his employees with the win. "The Four Diamond Rating acknowledges the hard work and dedication of our entire staff. We are committed to providing excellent hospitality and memorable accommodations experience that exceeds our guest expectations," he said. To be included among this group, a hotel must meet strict standards. Hotels at this level are committed to providing every guest with a personalized experience and attentive service in comfortable, high-quality surroundings, according to AAA. They typically offer an extensive array of amenities and guest services. "AAA Four and Five Diamond hotels are refined and stylish with upscale physical attributes. They offer guests personalized attention and extensive amenities in a luxurious setting. Restaurants at this rating level offer a distinctive fine dining experience. They feature highly creative chefs, complex menus, fresh top-quality ingredients and knowledgeable staff," said AAA in a prepared release. "AAA is pleased to recognize Hilton Marco Island Beach Resort & Spa as a Four Diamond Hotel," said Michael Petrone, director of AAA Inspections & Diamond Ratings, in a prepared news release. "To maintain the exceptional standards required for this rating on a daily basis is an outstanding achievement. AAA Four Diamond establishments are attentive to guests needs and consistently deliver memorable travel and dining experiences." For 80 years AAA has used professional inspectors to conduct in-person property inspections. AAA offers the only rating system using comprehensive, on-site professional hotel and restaurant evaluations guided by member priorities. With a far greater inventory than any other rating entity, AAA's rating system covers the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. While he had his senior staff assembled, Chaudhry took the opportunity to conduct a little internal business. He lauded the service of purchasing manager Leslie Molina, who is retiring after years of service. He listened with the staff as comments from hotel guests were read out, and targets for meeting guest satisfaction levels were assessed. Director of Conference Services Marie Villareal came in for some good-natured ribbing after she was singled out for praise by representatives of one business association who had recently stayed at the Hilton. "How much did you pay him?" came the question. The hotel is preparing to perform a significant upgrade to their facilities, although Chaudhry was tight-lipped about the project and not ready to divulge any details. He did confirm some areas of the property on which the renovation will focus, though. The work will include a newly made-over lobby area, pool and pool deck, and redoing the kitchen and restaurant facilities, with work expected to start after the end of tourist season, he said. In 2012, the hotel underwent a $9 million makeover, with upgrades and modernization throughout the guest rooms. In addition to new furnishings, the Hilton added technology to accommodate business travelers or anyone who feels the need to stay connected, with multiple Ethernet connections and electric plugs integrated into desk tables, as well as steam patches on mirrors to ensure guests can see themselves even with the shower going. SHARE 2013-12-17 Jim Breuer at the studio of photographer Greg Pallante in Hoboken NJ. Photo: Greg Pallante By Dave Osborn of the Naples Daily News Jim Breuer says that, as the father of three teenage girls, he has no shortage of standup material. The former "Saturday Night Live" cast member, who performs his comedy Sunday night in North Naples, said the majority of his standup is family life. "That's all I do," Breuer said in a recent telephone interview. "I don't watch news. I don't follow politics. I'm the blue-collar neighbor sitting in the garage with stories to tell. I'm talking about getting older, taking care of parents." His daughters are ages 11, 14 and 16, and wastes little time discussing what it's like to raise them. "You're a referee, you're a detective, you're a therapist, you've got to make sure your wife doesn't kill them," Breuer said. "You step on a fine line to back your wife, even when she may be too far out there with her ways. It's walking on egg shells a lot. "I think I hit a little harder in real-life subjects then maybe some other people. I'm very, very relatable. People will say, 'I thought you were talking about my household.' " Breuer said he knew early on that he wanted to become a comedian, watching legendary comic duos Laurel and Hardy and Abbott and Costello and the 1960s and '70s comedy-sketch variety show "Laugh-In" on television. "I was a street corner guy," Breuer said. "I was the goofball who could imitate anyone and tell all the stories and animate all the stories. I was always into comedy." When he bought Steve Martin's 1977 comedy album "Let's Get Small" at age 9 or 10, he said, he knew that's how he wanted to make a living. "I couldn't believe you can go in front of a crowd and just be funny and make records with that," Breuer said. He also credited comedian Eddie Murphy and his albums in the 1980s for having one of the biggest impacts on his becoming a comedian. Other influences include Don Rickles, George Carlin and Richard Pryor, he said. "It wasn't even I'm going to give it a shot," Breuer said. "It was this is what I'm doing, no ifs ands or buts." His mother resisted, but not his dad: "My father said, 'No, you go out and do what you have to do,' " Breuer recalled. He climbed the comedy ladder quickly, performing as a "Saturday Night Live" cast member from 1995 to 1998 and later appeared on MTV, Comedy Central, VH1 and other TV channels. Upcoming projects include a new rock music/comedy album due out by the end of May, titled "The Metal In Me." "Music is powerful, it's amazing," Breuer said. "The lyrics are going to be very relatable." Song he sings include "Raising Teenage Girls" that he said "sounds like Motley Crue meets Van Halen" and "The Sugar Rush" that sounds like the German metal band The Scorpions. The album cover features Breuer in a small garage, with the appearance of a concert happening inside it. "The whole thing is a concept of this is my fantasy," Breuer said. Breuer said he still enjoys the instant gratification of performing live, but rarely involves audience members in his standup. "I'm up there for me, I don't need to drag them into it," he said. "They need to sit there and relax." Breuer said he hopes his comedy proves cathartic for some, because it certainly helps himself get through life. "I'm their therapist," he said. "And it's so much cheaper and only an hour to come see me instead of seeing a real therapist. "I'm going to do standup forever." Brien Spina, who owns Off The Hook, said those who attend Breuer's shows enjoy his clean humor and creativity. "He has an iconic following and tremendous fan base and it is a pleasure to work with him time and time again," Spina said. IF YOU GO JIM BREUER When: 7:30 p.m. Sunday Where: Off The Hook Comedy Club, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Road, Suite 1100, Naples Cost: $65 or $75 VIP seating, each of which includes beef or fish dinner Information: offthehookcomedy.com or 23-389-6901 Attendees are cleared off Hendry Street by Fort Myers police officers in downtown Fort Myers following a shooting at ZombiCon that killed one and injured five on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. (Carolina Hidalgo/Staff) By Maryann Batlle of the Naples Daily News A second victim in the fatal Oct. 17 ZombiCon shooting has sued. The lawsuit filed on behalf of Kyle Roberts, 20, accuses ZombiCon organizers of failing to provide adequate security. Nonprofit Pushing Daizies and Southwest Florida Security & Investigations knowingly neglected their duty to keep festival attendees safe, Scot Goldberg, Roberts lawyer, said. Clearly, they tried to take the cheap way out, Goldberg said. Angeli Chin, a spokeswoman for Pushing Daizies, declined to comment. ZombiCon is an annual costume event held on the streets of downtown Fort Myers. Last years festival attracted thousands to the historic River District. Roberts, a student at Florida Gulf Coast University, was with friends in a crowd on First Street when someone shot and killed Expavious Tyrell Taylor, 20. A bullet went through Taylors body and struck Roberts wrist, shattering bones in his hand. Roberts has lost range of motion in his wrist and still suffers from pain, Golberg said. This is a young student who was going to go into a career in law enforcement, Goldberg said. Taylor, who lived in Clewiston and Miami-Dade County, died on First Street. In November, members of his family filed a $5 million lawsuit against Pushing Daizies and the security firm it hired. Neither lawsuit accuses the city of Fort Myers or its police department of wrongdoing. Fort Myers Mayor Randy Henderson said the city provided ample security that evening. This is one of the most regrettable things that has happened in the history of our city, Henderson said. Well forever mourn this. But these incidences are virtually impossible to get out in front of. We had just a random criminal activity. No suspect has been named. Photo of modern personal weapon in woman brown leather handbag SHARE By Arek Sarkissian of the Naples Daily News TALLAHASSEE - A bid to resurrect a bill that would allow openly carrying a handgun in public ended Thursday after a Senate leader ruled bringing it back would violate legislative rules. Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, tried to add the proposal as an amendment to a bill already before the full Senate. However, Senate Rules Chair David Simmons, R-Altamonte Springs, determined the move was not feasible, Gaetz said. "The rules chair determined it would be a violation, so here we are," Gaetz said. Gaetz's bill faced a roadblock last month after Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Miguel Diaz de la Portilla, R-Miami, decided not to place it on his agenda. Diaz de la Portilla wanted Gaetz to amend the bill to only forgive accidental public exposures of handguns by concealed weapon permit holders. But Gaetz was not willing to make the change, and the disagreement between the two senators sent the bill into uncertainty. Gaetz brought back his plan in the form of an amendment Wednesday night, but Diaz de la Portilla alerted Simmons that the move violated legislative rules. The bill now stands little chance of seeing the Senate floor as the Legislature heads into the last week of session. Gaetz said the bill will return in future sessions. "I can say this - it will not be the last time this bill will be brought up for debate," Gaetz said. "This bill will come up in another session." Senate Majority Leader Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, had said the bill and other concealed carry-related bills likely required more work to promote public safety as advertised. The House version of Gaetz's open carry plan cleared the House floor Feb. 3 with a vote of 80-38. Gaetz's bill was one of three relating to concealed weapon permit holders that Diaz de la Portilla blocked in his committee. Bills that would have allowed permit holders to carry a handgun on college campuses and in airport terminals also remain in flux. Contact Daily News reporter arek.sarkissian@naplesnews.com or 850-559-7620 Gregg Pachkowski/Special to the Daily News (2) Dr. Eric Hochman talks with Mary Cuthbertson at Gulfshore Concierge Medicine in Naples on Friday. See more photos at naplesnews.com. SHARE Hochman examines Cuthbertson at the medical center on Friday. Gregg Pachkowski/Special to the Daily News Dr. Eric Hochman examines Mary Cuthbertson on Feb. 26 at Gulfshore Concierge Medicine in Naples. Dr. Eric Hochman talks with Mary Cuthbertson at Gulfshore Concierge Medicine in Naples, FL on Friday, February 26, 2016. (Photo by Gregg Pachkowski/Special to the Daily News) Dr. Eric Hochman at Gulfshore Concierge Medicine in Naples, FL on Friday, February 26, 2016. (Photo by Gregg Pachkowski/Special to the Daily News) By Liz Freeman of the Naples Daily News Naples has the highest concentration of physicians in concierge practices nationwide, but the kid-glove care isn't exclusive to the affluent anymore, industry officials say. More average income adults focused on their health will pay for an enhanced relationship with a primary care doctor, giving rise to more physicians converting their practices, said Tom Blue, a board director with the American Academy of Private Physicians in Clearwater. Concierge physicians provide in-depth annual physicals, longer office visits and timely interaction over the phone or with next-day appointments, among other perks. The average annual membership fee is $1,500, Blue said. The academy conducts a survey annually of concierge practices, and Naples and Richmond, Virginia, stand out, he said. "You have the greatest density," Blue said. "It's not a huge number, but relative to the population size, it is enormous." The survey found 40 or more concierge physicians in Naples, while Richmond is in the 30s, he said. The Collier County Medical Society has a list of 35 concierge physicians among its members, and the number is growing, April Donahue, executive director, said. That's out of 115 members in primary-care fields. Concierge physicians limit the number of patients they see to several hundred, and some accept Medicare and commercial insurance, while others will not. What has fueled the migration of physicians to concierge practices over the past 15 years is frustration with low reimbursement, endless documentation for insurers and an inability to have relationships with patients. But a new twist is that many physicians want to incorporate lifestyle medicine namely the value of nutrition, exercise, sleep and stress reducers as a component that isn't typically covered by insurance, Blue said. A 2014 survey by national consulting firm Merritt Hawkins found that 7 percent of physicians plan to transition to concierge or direct-pay practices, while the nationwide number already there stands at 3,500. Dr. Eric Hochman, of Gulfshore Concierge Medicine, who is president of the Collier medical society, said going concierge was the only way he could offer the level of care he wanted to provide. He spends six to eight hours reviewing medical records of a new patient coming to him. Each appointment is an hour. "There is no way you could do that in a (conventional) practice," he said. Patients considering a concierge physician uniformly say their reasons are inability to get through to their doctors, long waits for appointments and difficulties getting prescription refills. "I think (concierge) patients prioritize their health care. It is important to them, and they want care when they need care," Hochman said. "There are three kinds of patients, sick patients, busy patients and patients who prioritize their health care." A 2010 study by the University of Chicago and Georgetown University found that Naples had the highest concentration of concierge physicians per capita, and that likely still holds true, he said. "I would think the relative concentration has increased over the last six years," he said. The fee is worthwhile to some. The annual fee of $1,650 to $1,800 with Boca Raton-based MDVIP, the nation's largest concierge group, is acceptable to people who desire an active role in their health, Bret Jorgensen, chief executive officer, said. "It is not an unreasonable cost," Jorgensen said. "It's the same as a Starbucks each day or a cable bill." Naples resident Anne Doriean, 57, spent a decade going from doctor to doctor for an accurate diagnosis of a breathing problem. Everyone told her it was asthma, but she knew that was off-base. While visiting a friend in Key West who was seeing an MDVIP physician, Doriean saw the different approach. In Naples she signed up with Dr. Jacqui Romero, with MDVIP, and learned she suffered from a narrowed trachea. Doriean went for surgery in Boston, and her quality of life has improved immensely. "Through the process of being an active partner and a doctor being a good listener, they are trying to get to the bottom of your symptoms," said Doriean, a retired superintendent of schools in Michigan. The annual fee is not cost-prohibitive, but it is a consideration. "For me it is worth it," she said. "It was worth the peace of mind knowing my physician here is accessible. It changed the dynamic. It has been money well spent." Patients with MDVIP fall into two broad categories, Jorgensen, the CEO, said. They are in their 50s and want to be proactive in managing their health, or they are 65 to 75 with a chronic condition and want to prevent it from worsening, Jorgensen said. "They might be frequent fliers," he said, referring to patients who have been hospitalized often. For people in Naples and elsewhere who are seasonal, there is reciprocity with an MDVIP doctor elsewhere, Jorgensen said. MDVIP has 860 physicians in 42 states, with two doctors in Naples. "People like the model," he said. "It's a great approach." National studies show concierge patients experience fewer hospitalizations by as much as 70 percent, Jorgensen said. There's no question having more time with patients enhances the quality of care and prevents mistakes, Hochman, in Naples, said. A 2014 study in the American Journal of Managed Care said concierge patients experience 56 percent fewer nonelective admissions and 49 percent fewer avoidable admissions. Where do the left-behind go? When the Affordable Care Act, also known as "Obamacare," was passed in 2010, one concern was where the 30 million people who sign up for insurance coverage could find a primary care physician amid an ongoing shortage in the field and the steady migration of primary care doctors to concierge practices. "There are people spending a lot of time trying to figure that out," Hochman, in Naples, said. "I don't have the answer to that." Jorgensen, with MDVIP, said his group's protocol with converting a traditional practice to concierge is to ensure the patients who don't join the concierge practice have a place to go. "We have 100 doctors signed (to convert) but not yet open," he said. "By the time we go live, we have found another doctor for that patient. What we don't do is abandon the (non-joining) patient." Blue, with the private physicians academy, raised questions about that assertion. "I don't know what that actually means. It sounds good," Blue said. In general, doctors retiring, moving or converting to concierge go out of their way to find referrals for their patients, he said. Some physicians would have retired early if they had not converted to concierge, so the model is keeping some in practice five or 10 more years, Jorgensen said. Romero, with MDVIP in Naples, said she will never go back to a traditional practice. "I had gotten to the point I wasn't loving what I was doing," she said, of her conventional practice before joining MDVIP a few years ago. "I could not go back to the old practice. I am still working long hours but for a better service for all of us. I love what I do." SHARE Scott McIntyre/Staff Naples city councilwoman and mayoral candidate Teresa Heitmann and her husband Jeff Heitmann walk to the next house Feb. 28 in the Naples neighborhood of Royal Harbor. Naples City Councilwoman and mayoral candidate Teresa Heitmann, left, chats with Signe Heybroek while Heitmann and some of her campaign committee walk the Royal Harbor neighborhood talking to neighbors about their vote for Naples mayor on Sunday, February 28, 2016. (Scott McIntyre/Staff) Naples City Councilwoman and mayoral candidate Teresa Heitmann walks through the Royal Harbor neighborhood along with Stephanie Zaiser, right, and Colleen Greenling talking to neighbors about their vote for Naples mayor on Sunday, February 28, 2016. (Scott McIntyre/Staff) Naples City Councilwoman and mayoral candidate Teresa Heitmann, center, checks to see which house is next with Colleen Greenling while walking through the Royal Harbor neighborhood talking to neighbors about their vote for Naples mayor on Sunday, February 28, 2016. (Scott McIntyre/Staff) Related Photos Heitmann campaigns for votes By Greg Stanley of the Naples Daily News In her eight years on the Naples City Council, Teresa Heitmann has earned a reputation as something of a contrarian, a point she calls a strength in her bid for mayor while her opponents call it a weakness. While Heitmann's two rivals, Mayor John Sorey and Councilman Bill Barnett, have had nearly identical voting records since 2012 especially on the more contentious issues to go before the board Heitmann's record stands out for how often she has voted alone. During her latest four-year term, Heitmann voted against the rest of the city council as the lone dissenting vote more than the other six council members combined, according to records of more than 1,200 votes cast by the council during those years. She voted against Sorey and Barnett one-fifth of the time, often over highly debated proposals for housing developments, road and park designs, and the city's environmental policies. Heitmann is quick to note that she has consistently opposed some of the largest housing and commercial developments to move forward in the city in years. "I've said yes to a lot of things," Heitmann said. "But I'll always say no to the things people don't want." What people don't want, she said, is to see large complexes and commercial growth creep into Naples neighborhoods. She cast the only vote in 2013 against the Naples Square project, rezoning nearly 11 acres off Goodlette Frank Road to allow for one of the largest developments in the city's history. The project will include four residential buildings, each with 75 units, and a yet-to-be determined amount of commercial space. Early last year, she voted against rezoning the former Naples Daily News building on Central Avenue to allow for 212 condos, offices, a pool, caf- and other amenities to go up on the 9-acre site. She also cast the only vote against allowing plans for the Hyatt House Naples, the three-story luxury hotel going up on Fifth Avenue South near the Gordon River Bridge. "Does this council ever say no?" Heitmann said. "It's been the same thing for the last 20 years. Over and over again they bring these dense projects that are against what the community wants - that are against how the community wants to grow. Well, I am listening." The city needs to strictly enforce its building codes and development plans, offering developers fewer conditional uses and exceptions to size and density requirements, Heitmann said. "We should give incentives and we want people to develop, but you need to stick within the code," Heitmann said. "Sometimes you have to allow a variance, but not on an everyday basis. I don't even see any kind of give-and-take when it comes to approving projects. I just see the city give more than it should and projects end up in a grand scale that nobody expected." Heitmann also repeatedly voted against Sorey and Barnett as they helped push forward redesigns on Central Avenue and plans for Baker Park, two of the largest projects undertaken during Sorey's time as mayor. In August, when Sorey and Barnett voted in the majority to continue the city's frowned-upon practice of dumping polluted water into the Gulf, Heitmann and two others dissented. Heitmann's voting record has become a defining issue in her bid for mayor. Barnett cast her as a naysayer at the tail end of a recent debate. "She's an expert in saying no to everything others propose, but Ms. Heitmann has few solutions of her own," he said. Heitmann voted alone more than 120 times over the last four years, records show. The other six council members each voted alone a total of 96 times. Heitmann said her voting record is evidence of her vision for keeping a small-town feel alive in Naples. "This is a pivotal point, a real juncture," Heitmann said. "The vision is to have a vibrant, healthy and livable community. But look at what has happened in the last 20 years. My no votes were against many of the things that people are complaining about now - density and poor planning. We need to protect the codes and follow the vision plans that the community has laid out." As mayor, Heitmann said she could build consensus among the council around that vision. "I won't just look for four votes," Heitmann said. "I would make sure everyone has a say and we come together as a consensus for a project that is good for the community and the developer, not just one side." Water rushes through the gates on the Caloosahatchee River at the Franklin locks in Olga. Discharges from Lake Okeechobee are fouling downstream estuaries at the height of tourist season. (Eric Staats/staff) By Bartholomew Sullivan, bartholomew.sullivan@jmg.com WASHINGTON A bill introduced Wednesday by U.S. Rep. Curt Clawson would provide an $800 million emergency appropriation to expedite repairs to the Herbert Hoover dike around Lake Okeechobee and reduce the "adverse environmental impacts from high rains." The Bonita Springs Republican wants the repairs completed by December 31, 2020, four to six years earlier than currently forecast. The bill is co-sponsored by U.S. Reps. Patrick Murphy, D-Jupiter; Vern Buchanan, R-Sarasota; and Alcee Hastings, D-Fort Lauderdale. Mark Perry, executive director of the Florida Oceanographic Society, said the expedited schedule for repairs would be a good thing but will have no immediate impact on lake water levels since the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers won't adjust the 2008 regulation schedule until the repairs are completed. High lake levels have prompted the Corps to send water from the lake west and east, including discharges through the Caloosahatchee River into the Gulf. Southwest Florida leaders argue the discharges are damaging the environment and hurting tourism in the area. Perry said the Corps has already spent $728 million in repairs and has completed a process of filling the earthen dike with a concrete walls down to bedrock in the roughly 15-mile section from Port Mayaca to Pahokee. Other sections still to be worked on include stretches from Pahokee to Belle Glade and around the southern rim to Clewiston. Perry said the repairs were prompted by a 1998 discovery of seepage from 90 locations. Clawson said Wednesday that seeing the devastating effect of discharges from the lake through the Caloosahatchee River from his home in Bonita Springs is "heartbreaking." He said the expedited repairs are just one piece of a long-term plan for improving water quality in Southwest Florida. Murphy said the waterways affected by Lake Okeechobee runoff "are in crisis and require immediate action. By increasing the water storage capacity within the lake, we can reduce the need for these harmful discharges to the east and the west as we continue pushing forward long-term solutions to restore the natural southward flow of the Everglades." The appropriation requested would need to be identified as emergency spending to comply with current rules. Naples Mayor John Sorey during a trip to china. (Submitted photo) By Joseph Cranney of the Naples Daily News The Naples City Council agreed Wednesday to review the city's travel policy for approving expenses, a move that comes after learning Mayor John Sorey offered few details about his expenses on a China trip last year. The Naples Daily News reported Monday that City Manager Bill Moss paid Sorey's $4,228 in expenses in advance and didn't request Sorey's return detailed receipts, including details on more than $1,000 in lodging and $840 on "service to facilitate business activity." Sorey also never offered council members or the public a report on the business he conducted while in China in January 2015. City Councilman Doug Finlay suggested the council hold a workshop in the coming weeks to discuss the city's travel policy. He said he is concerned the city manager is allowed to approve his own travel, in addition to the mayor's travel. Finlay suggested Moss shouldn't be asked to approve an expense for the mayor, who is one of his bosses. Finlay said the council should have a role in approving the city manager's travel. "When a person reports to you, my feeling is you should at least see or at least approve, those travel expenses," Finlay said. "In addition, since council is superior to the city manager. The city manager shouldn't be the highest-level person who sees travel expenses." Sorey supported the idea of a workshop on travel expense policy. "I don't see any reason not to look at it," Sorey said. The meeting was the last for several council members, including Vice Mayor Dee Sulick. Before she left her post, she shared a few lessons. "While our meetings run for many hours, I am thankful that we get to start each meeting with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance," Sulick said, the beginning of a farewell speech. "That's Naples." Sulick, who participated in her last meeting after a maximum term of eight years on the council, has long sought to protect the qualities she feels maintain the city's elegance. Most developers who request special approvals from the council on building plans can tell you that. But specifically for downtown projects, ones that would alter Fifth Avenue South and Third Street, Sulick was often the voice of dissent. Sulick carried that role, finally, on Wednesday. She had issues with a request to put up a 24-inch awning sign on a new restaurant on Fifth Avenue. Sulick led the discussion that ended with the petitioner agreeing to come back in a month with new plans for the sign. Sulick also voiced a concern Wednesday for the restaurants on Fifth Avenue whose outdoor dining tables extend onto the avenue's public sidewalks. She was part of the consensus among the council that asked the city staff to consider charging higher fees for such a practice. "I think we need to look at every one that's on public property," Sulick said. At the end of the meeting, Sulick continued her speech by saying, "Yes, we are a council of seven individuals. We disagree. We debate. Sometimes we listen. And usually, eventually, we come to a decision." Sorey said he didn't always agree with Sulick's positions, but "I have never thought she voted in any other way than what she thought was best for the city." "She's definitely not afraid to go against the grain," City Councilman Bill Barnett said. "She has always shared her opinion. And she states why. She gives reasons." Sulick ended her farewell Wednesday by thanking the city staff. She called them, "our first responders, our problem solvers, our planners that take care of our streets and water supply." "Some will work 24 hours per day, seven days per week to make this community it's very best," Sulick said. "Why? Because that's Naples." The council chambers was full of the city's department directors, who joined the meeting late to see Sulick off. After a final thank you, the city staff stood and clapped. Governor Rick Scott talks at Arthrex in Naples, FL on Thursday, February 18, 2016. (Photo by Gregg Pachkowski/Special to the Daily News) SHARE By Arek Sarkissian of the Naples Daily News TALLAHASSEE Gov. Rick Scott shrugged off rumors again that he will endorse Donald Trump's bid for the Republican presidential nomination, but he will support whoever clinches the nomination. Scott told reporters Wednesday he is still in search of a presidential candidate who can create jobs and support the national economy. He also wants someone who has a plan to destroy ISIS. "We need someone who's going to go to Washington, D.C., cut taxes, reduce regulation (and not) create incentives for companies to move out of this country," Scott said, adding the right candidate needs to, "Create incentives for people to move into this country. We need that." Scott went on to say he would support the candidate who emerges as the GOP nominee. "I will support the Republican nominee," Scott said. Fox News political anchor Bret Baier reported Tuesday night that Scott would endorse Trump during a news conference in West Palm Beach. Scott spokeswoman Jackie Schutz said she told Fox News the governor had not yet chosen a candidate and he was in Tallahassee. Trump Florida Campaign Chair Joe Gruters said Wednesday morning Scott has not made an endorsement. "I have not heard anything," Gruters said. Scott's endorsement of Trump would be a blow to Florida Senator Marco Rubio, who is currently the only Florida GOP presidential candidate. It would also continue Scott's trend toward his disagreement with other Florida Republicans. Many in the Legislature supported former Florida Gov. Jeb Bushs bid for the presidency before he dropped last month, and they have since declared support for Rubio. Republican Party of Florida Chairman Blaise Ingoglia said the party customarily stays neutral before a primary, and Scott is free to support whomever he wants. "As far as what the governor wants, that's his prerogative, he can support whoever he wants that's his right," Ingoglia said. "What we're more worried about is getting the infrastructure there for the November Election." The qualities Scott said he sees in a Republican president mirror the priorities he has carried during his two terms in Florida's top executive office. The governor's relationship with New York billionaire Trump has drawn speculation whether he would lend an endorsement or become a running mate. He declared his fondness for Trump to the nation in a Jan. 6 letter published by USA Today where he praised him for his pursuit of supporting the national economy. He stopped just short of endorsing Trump in the letter, and he batted away questions by saying he was focused on the legislative session. Scott later told Fox News commentator Neil Cavuto he admired Trump's interest in job creation. "Outsiders are winning because they are talking about what Americans care about," Scott told Cavuto. "We need more jobs." Scott's name surfaced again on Feb. 23 when a Washington Post blog included him in a list of choices for Trump's running mate. He dodged questions about being picked as the vice presidential candidate by saying he was focused on his job as governor. TALLAHASSEE A bill that would allow concealed weapons on Florida college campuses passed its first hurdles Wednesday. The measure, sponsored in the House as HB 4001 by Rep. Greg Steube, R-Sarasota, and as SB 68 by Sen. Greg Evers, R-Baker, is similar to legislation that died during the 2015 session when it was blocked by a powerful Republican senator. The plan would strike a section in state law that prohibits concealed weapon permit holders from carrying weapons on college campuses. A total of 32 people asked to speak during the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee meeting Wednesday. Those opposed to the bill students and staff from Florida State University, the League of Women Voters and various political groups said campus police departments already have enough trouble spotting crime on campus. One thing I would want you to consider is that everyone who has firearms, how would police know who the bad people are? said Sean Pittman, who spoke on behalf of the Student Government Association of FSU. Allow these students to go to college, to exist in a university environment and do what theyre supposed to do. Pittman and a handful of FSU students told the board Steubes bill also brought back memories of an incident in December where an alumnus shot and wounded three students at the main campus library before he was killed by Tallahassee and FSU police. Among the supporters of the House bill was University of Florida student Brandon Woolf, whose campus was placed on high alert during the fall 2014 semester when an unidentified man attacked three women. Quite possibly, he might not have attacked after the first woman, Woolf said. If she was eligible for a concealed weapon permit and she successfully defended herself with a firearm, she may have successfully incapacitated the suspect. That man is still on the loose today. The House panel passed the bill on an 8-5 vote. Rep. Ray Pilon, R-Sarasota, who voted against the measure, said although both of his sons carry weapons, he could not imagine allowing them to be on a campus where guns were present. Im not talking about doomsday, and Im not talking about fear, PIlon said. Im talking about ways to make this bill better, and one way is how police can tell the good guys from the bad guys. During regular session earlier this year, the Senate version of the bill died when Judiciary Committee Chair Miguel Diaz de la Portilla, R-Miami, did not include it on an agenda. The Senate bill went before the Criminal Justice Committee, receiving a 3-2 vote on party lines. Evers said he had discussed the measure with Diaz de la Portilla, and Wednesdays committee meeting may have helped him feel comfortable. I dont think Sen. Diaz de la Portilla is 100 percent, yet, but I think hes working through some issues, Evers said. Contact Daily News reporter Arek Sarkissian at 850-559-7620 SHARE Rocco J. Fiordelisi, Naples Fortunate Naples The city of Naples has been fortunate these recent years in the quality of representation that it has had in the office of mayor. These last four years have been a prime example. Naples has wisely made a major change in its election law pertaining to the office of mayor extending the term limit to two four-year terms with a term limit of eight years. We now have a smart hands-on mayor and a candidate for re-election that should and has earned the right to serve a second term. Mayor John Sorey avails himself to the Naples community, meeting on site, having discussions and offering his office in finding solutions. As an example, beach restoration and preservation is an ongoing challenge that threatens all Gulf-side cities and Naples is no exception. The beaches are a lifeline to the tourist industry and the mayor is also well aware of this. We at Naples Cay understand the ever-changing condition of the beaches and appreciate Sorey's effort in finding the appropriate solution and necessary funding to meet these needs. Our community is one of many within Naples, each with its own particular demands in which the mayor and his office are always at beck and call. It is important that we allow Sorey to continue because a job well done should be rewarded. Re-elect John Sorey for four more years. SHARE Hillary Tombazzi, Naples Insurance help The current health-care system is causing ongoing problems for many consumers today. It becomes so confusing to navigate the details and many times customer service representatives are not at all helpful. I was at my wit's end in dealing with ongoing problems with my health insurance company. After numerous phone calls, e-mails and written letters, I was still getting nowhere. And such a waste of my time. Luckily, I found the Division of Consumer Services, under the Florida Department of Financial Services. One of its duties is to assist consumers with all insurance problems. They also offer help in many more areas, including Holocaust Restitution Claims. See their website for a full list. It's www.myfloridacfo.com/consumers or call 1-877-693-5236. They promise a quick response within 30 days. I was very happy with the final outcome of my case. It was handled well by my case worker. Case closed. This agency offers Florida residents a free resource to assist them in finding solutions if they are experiencing insurance problems and getting nowhere. Please take advantage of this wonderful program. SHARE John Allen, Naples Taking credit Neither John Sorey nor his endorsers for Naples mayor suffer any embarrassment for taking credit improperly. Considering his history, it's not surprising. To this point, for over eight uncorrected years, in a Tennessee alumnus magazine, Sorey was listed with attendance and a doctorate from the Harvard School of Business. He frequently intoned at City Council meetings, "at Harvard." Sadly, the claim is false. Equally untrue, his stated role in pension reform. Naples pension reform started in 2011. Bill Barnett was mayor. The whole council was involved; the heavy lifting was handled by Gary Price, not Sorey. See the pattern? Fiscal prudence? His financial bona fides must be questioned. After overcharging for basic utility fees, and at the expense of other parks, he raided the city reserves for his vision park. He pursued senseless costly lawsuits, took a secret taxpayer trip to China and never dropped the millage rate, and proposed a special tax assessment on every property owner for his dream park. Leadership in action? A bold claim one should pause to evaluate considering his contempt of council. Only one of the six current council members endorses Sorey. The majority of a very smart council, duly elected by Naples citizens, having worked with both mayors, endorses Barnett. In fairness, Sorey doesn't take credit for everything. He blames citizens and staff for the Gulf Shore Boulevard North landscape disaster that resulted in the loss of 400 mature trees and cost all city taxpayers more than $500,000. The reality is, as Sorey says too often, Gulf Shore Boulevard North is a perfect case study of a part-time mayoral misfire caused by misplaced priorities of an overextended and underfocused mayor. Voters beware. Some candidates suffer no embarrassment. Preferred Travel of Naples joins with Silversea Cruises and AmaWaterways River Cruises for a presentation on Preferred Travels new Sommelier Series Wine Journeys to be led by Preferred Travels own sommelier Hanz Holzmann. The presentation is Thursday, March 10, at 5 p.m. at the Wells Fargo Building Tenant Community Center, 5801 Pelican Bay Boulevard, Suite 402, in Naples. Presenters include Ina Vainio with AmaWaterways River Cruises, Saul Fonseca with Silversea Cruises, and Holzmann who will join travelers on the cruises. Holzmann will present on wines from the regions to be traveled, and will lead attendees in a wine tasting. The Sommelier Series Wine Journeys include a 10-night cruise to Italy and Croatia aboard Silversea Cruises Silver Wind, September 30 through October 10, 2016. This cruise itinerary includes an option for a pre-cruise two-night Tuscany Wine Tour September 28-30. The AmaWaterways Sommelier Series Wine Journey includes river cruising aboard the AmaDante through Budapest, Vienna and Nuremberg, July 26 to August 4, 2016. Holzmann, who is intimately familiar with the wine, food and cultures of the regions to be traveled, will lead guests in enjoying a truly personalized experience. Growing up in a small vineyard in Austria, Holzmann spent every summer of his college years in a different European country learning about their wines and working in their restaurants. His travels and more than 30-year career in the wine and food industries have taken him to wine regions around the world. He currently is sommelier at Bay Colony Beach Club in Naples, and host of Preferred Travels wine journeys. The Sommelier Series seminar is free and open to the public. Reservations are required as seating is limited to 30. For reservations, call Kit Matthews at 239-261-1177. For information on Preferred Travel, visit www.preferrednaples.com. The surgical center of Facial Plastic Surgeon Dr. Stephen Prendiville has been reaccredited by the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgical Facilities (AAAASF), which is the largest accrediting body for outpatient surgical facilities in the United States. The surgical center was reaccredited for three years, which is the maximum length of accreditation offered by AAAASF. The center has been accredited since 2007. The surgical center is located adjacent to Dr. Prendivilles office in South Fort Myers at 9407 Cypress Lake Drive. I am very pleased that AAAASF recognized the high safety standards we maintain at our state-of-the-art surgical center. The reviewers looked at everything from staffing to cleanliness and equipment and had zero recommendations for improvement. Thats quite an achievement, Dr. Prendiville said. Dr. Prendiville conducts all of his cosmetic surgeries at the surgical center under the strictest guidelines issued by AAAASF. AAAASF was established in 1980 to develop an accreditation program to standardize and improve the quality of medical and surgical care in ambulatory surgery facilities while assuring the public of high standards for patient care and safety in accredited facilities. Today, more than 2,000 outpatient facilities are accredited by AAAASF, which is considered to be the Gold Standard for quality patient care. The vast majority of ambulatory surgery facilities are still unaccredited, operating independent of any peer review and inspection process, according to AAAASF. Dr. Prendiville is the only Fellowship-trained facial plastic surgeon in Fort Myers who is certified by both the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and the American Board of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery. He is recognized nationally as a facelift expert with more than 20 articles published in medical journals and he has served as guest editor for Facial Plastic Surgery Clinics of North America. In 2015, he was selected as one of 100 doctors in the nation to receive the prestigious RealSelf 100 Award from RealSelf, the leading online community that helps people make confident choices in elective cosmetic procedures. Dr. Prendiville has been a reviewer on RealSelf.com since 2008 and has now achieved Distinguished Member status for his responses to patients with questions about facial plastic surgery and skin rejuvenation techniques. Dr. Prendiville also is the past president and secretary/treasurer of the Florida Society of Facial Plastic Surgery. Dr. Prendiville graduated with his M.D. degree with high honors from Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C., and served his residency at Georgetown University. He was awarded a Fellowship in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at St. Louis University in Missouri, where he was a clinical instructor in the St. Louis University Department of Otolaryngology. The general election yielded political upheavel in Tipperary with three of the five seats filled by independents; Fine Gael suffering an electoral wipeout and the county's two outgoing ministers left fighting for the final seat - a battle won by Labour deputy leader Alan Kelly. The county has lost two government ministers in this election with Tom Hayes losing his seat and Alan Kelly most likely going into opposition as a member of a greatly reduced Labour Party. The new political landscape means the south of the county is left with the prospect of not having any political representation in the next coalition government unless either of the Independents Mattie McGrath or Seamus Healy reaches an agreement to support any coalition formed. It's highly unlikely the left-wing Healy will enter into such an arrangment with the mainstream parties. A staggering 41% of Tipperary voters turned their backs on the main parties and gave their first preference votes to Independent candidates. Kerry, where the two Healy Rae brothers secured seats, was the only other constituency in the country to vote so strongly for independents. The big casualty was Fine Gael, which lost both its TDs, outgoing Minister of State Tom Hayes from Golden and Templemore based Noel Coonan, while its third candidate Cllr Marie Murphy from Clogheen was eliminated in the first count. Tipperary is now without a Fine Gael representative in the Dail for the first time in the party's history. The party's first preference vote plummeted by 20% from the 2011 election as the electorate punished the outgoing coalition government for five years of austerity. Tom Hayes, who topped the poll in the old South Tipperary Constituency in 2011, lost out to Labour's Alan Kelly in the battle for the final seat in the seventh count. The 64 year-old has served as a Fine Gael TD for 15 years and says he needs to consult his supporters before reaching a decision on his political future. He said the dramatic drop in the Fine Gael vote was undoubtedly a protest vote against the outgoing government that had implemented tough decisions over the past 5 years in putting the country first, he said. He cited the impact of the abolition of the town councils and amalgamation of the north and south Tipperary county councils to save money and the ongoing problem of patients waiting on trolleys in South Tipperary General Hospital among the issues that prompted voters to vote against the Government parties. Michael Lowry swept back into the Dail in the first count amid huge fanfare from his supporters. It was the fifth time in a row he has topped a general election poll but the prediction that he would have a large surplus didn't materialise. He said it was a "very sweet" election for him because he had done it five times in a row. "We have taken a lot of criticism and we have been subjected to a lot of public scrutiny. I am just so pleased that my family has been able to come through it," he said. South Tipperary's two outgoing Independents Mattie McGrath from Newcastle and Seamus Healy from Clonmel retained their seats against stiff odds. Newcastle based McGrath had been tipped by many to be, at best, fighting for the last seat but instead he was the second candidate elected after nearly doubling his first preference vote. Healy overtook outgoing minister Tom Hayes and Alan Kelly in the 5th count when his vote was greatly enhanced through the distribution of the votes of Sinn Fein's Seamus Morris, and secured the fourth seat in the seventh count without reaching the quota. Along with the Independents, Fianna Fail was the big winner with Jackie Cahill from the Thurles area regaining one of the two seats it lost in its electoral meltdown of 2011. Cahill, a former President of the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association, managed to out vote his arch FF rival Michael Smith, and Smith's transfers brought him over the line in the 6th Count. Fianna Fail's candidate in the south Clonmel Cllr Siobhan Ambrose was eliminated after the second count. Labour deputy leader and outgoing Minister for Environment Alan Kelly won the battle for the last seat after pulling clear of Hayes in the last two counts after benefitting from the distribution of votes of two other north Tipperary candidates, namely the eliminated Michael Smith (FF) and elected FF TD Jackie Cahill's surplus. The delighted Portroe man said he was mighty relieved to be re-elected but admitted it was a "bittersweet" momemt as so many of his party colleagues had lost their seats. He said the fact that the constituency's two ministers were left battling for the last seat was something both Fine Gael and Labour will have to reflect on. "We went into government five years ago to save the country and we did that. Obviously the people aren't fully satisfied with how we did it and we need to reflect on that." He believes Labour should now spend the new Dail term in opposition rebuilding the party for the local and European elections and he believes Fine Gael and Fianna Fail should form the next government. "Its 2016. Its 100 years since the Rising and civil war politics is over. The country requires a stable Government and I think its about time the two of them put their differences aside. There is very little if anything between them and it is time they came together and form a Government. The people voted for that and that is what should happen now, he said. The defeated Fine Gael TDs Tom Hayes and Noel Coonan, however, have argued it's time for the Independents to step up and become involved in whatever new government coalition is formed. Tom Hayes didn't favour a Fine Gael/Fianna Fail coalition. He said the people of Tipperary had voted in three independents so they wanted them in power in governments. "They really need to step up to the plate now and do something instead of whinging from the sideline. They are elected; they have the policies they say to open all the garda stations and rural post offices so let's do it now. This is their opportunity," he said. Noel Coonan said he would advise Fine Gael to stay out of Govenrment and let those people who had promised so much and who did all the complaining, frightening and scaremongering of the people go into government and address the issues and continue to rebuild the economy. "I think one term in government would be an ideal dose of medicine for them," he said. ON A RECENT Wednesday morning (17th February) a group of parishioners assembled in the Church of the Resurrection in Clonmel to mark the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the churchs dedication. As news of Liam o Duibhirs death during the night spread amongst those of us present, it was accommpanied by a palpable wave of sadness. A fellow parishioner, a distinguished citizen, a dear friend, was no longer with us. His death is an unimaginable loss to his wife Triona, and his family, his nearest and dearest; a loss so touchingly reflected in the few beautiful words said by his daughter, Maire, at his funeral Mass. But it is also a very personal loss for those of us who knew him, his friends, his community, the many causes and societies to which he gave so generously of his time and of his many, many talents. As the psalm, also so beautifully read at this funeral Mass, says: All things have their season, and in their time all things pass under heaven - A time to be born and a time to die. In between, there is that comparatively short time to live a life. And Liam lived his life to the full, from his birth in Emly to his death in Clonmel. He blessedly retained all his faculties, and all his interests, up to the last week of his life. The universal comment made by those who knew him, and even by those with a brief acquaintance, was that: He is a lovely man. And he was, indeed, a lovely man, charming, endearing, funny, self-deprecating, principled and a Christian. His devotion to his family is well known, but he also had an extended family of hundreds, maybe thousands, of students whom he taught during his long career, which started in Tralee and continued in Rockwell College, where he became Vice-Principal. Somebody, somewhere, has written: The great teachers - how influential they are - how slender their rewards! Slender, because it takes a lifetime to identify that influence, by which time it is too late to acknowledge it, but, I hope, that Liam experienced at least some of that acknowledgement in his lifetime. He had, of course, an extensive knowledge of so many things and was widely read, but he wore his learning lightly. He had a large library, especially of local history, and with which he was so generous. To those of us who scribble, he was a great source of information - checking on a date, a fact, the one-time existence of something like a small Tipperary creamery - ask Liam, he would find a verification. He was always encouraging to those of us who take to print. He had a sense of place, and a pride in that place: his Ireland, its language, its stories, its music. There was his love for Tipperary - its hills and fields, its traditions, its place-names, on which he was an authority. It was an uncomplicated tir gra - a patriotism - which is so endearingly refreshing, especially nowadays. Above all, there was his great love for the Irish language, which he spoke so beautifully in his own West Tipperary tones, and which automatically evoked a response to his greeting from so many of us when we lapsed into our cupla focail, even if we tripped over our irregular verbs. He made it all so natural and so friendly, and amongst his most recent involvements there was a small group which he met and talked with in Irish each week, in the Place4U Cafe in Morton Street. He had also committed to participate in the short series of lectures on local history currently now being held in the Cafe. Liam O Duibhir had a long association with Clonmel Historical and Archaeological Society, his membership going back over several decades, and he was President for a period of three years. During all of that time he contributed many papers and lectures to the Societys programmes. He also served on the Committee of the Journal of the Tipperary Historical Society and on the Kickham Memorial Weekend Committee. He had many friends, and his friendship enhanced and enriched their lives. On Saturday as he made his last journey down the aisle of the Church of Ss. Peter & Pauls, it seemed that the funeral ceremonial reflected so many of the values and characteristics of his life: the liturgy, the biblical readings in both Irish and English, the music, the beautiful renditions of the traditional airs that he loved, and a church filled with people, all united in grief at the passing of a much loved, much respected man. Somebody whispered to me: There goes the best of Ireland. Ar dheis De go raibh a anam dilis. By Margaret Rossiter Oversight of the four largest mortgage servicers' compliance with the national mortgage settlement is officially over, the watchdog overseeing the process said Thursday. Bank of America, Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo met all requirements of the settlement's servicing standards at the end of the third quarter, said Joseph A. Smith, the settlement's monitor. "The settlement has improved the way these servicers treat distressed borrowers," Smith said in a press release. Smith filed his final compliance reports Thursday with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia for the four banks, officially marking the sunset of rules for the $25 billion settlement. The servicers signed the settlement in March 2012 with federal regulators and 49 state attorneys general after the discovery of widespread "robo-signing" of foreclosure documents. The final monitoring on Ocwen Financial and Ditech Financial, formerly Green Tree Servicing, will be filed later this year, Smith said. Those two servicers had taken over the assets of Residential Capital from Ally Financial, the fifth servicer that signed the 2012 settlement. The servicers still remain accountable to servicing rules enforced by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The banks initially paid $5 billion in fines though Smith said they ultimately gave distressed borrowers $50 billion in debt forgiveness, loan modifications, short sale assistance and refinancing. Stewart Information Services Corp. in Houston has terminated Jason Nadeau, group president of the company's mortgage and title services, according to an 8-K filing dated March 1. Nadeau was group president since 2012 and during his second stint at the company starting in 2007, according to his LinkedIn profile. Patrick Beall, group president who has provided leadership to several business lines during his 30-year tenure at Stewart, will assume immediate responsibility for the group, according to the filing. In July, Stewart exited its delinquent mortgage services business, in which Nadeau was in charge, after the company posted a $3.3 million loss during the second quarter of 2015 and lost $2.3 million the year prior. The company cited an industrywide decline in new delinquencies and pricing pressures on existing contracts for leaving that sector. Stewart declined to comment on Nadeau's termination. Syngenta wants to raise insecticide limit from 0.1 ppm to 4.9 ppm - a staggering increase Scientists develop robot bees to replace bees destroyed by insecticides Inventing profitable problem-solution monopoly while destroying Earth (NaturalNews) Around 95 percent of corn and 70 percent of soy grown in the US and Canada is cloaked in either clothianidin or thiamethoxan. Both chemicals are from a class of insecticides called neonicotinoids. Similar to nicotine, neonicotinoids bind to nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the cells of the central nervous system. In insects, this triggers a suppressive and deadly response at the cellular level.In the rush to protect crops from insect damage, scientists have neglected one important detail. The neonicotinoid insecticides can be absorbed into the plant. As the plant matures, the chemical can be transported throughout the plant, most importantly, into the pollen. Over time, pollinators like honeybees can be weakened and compromised. Massive bee die-offs have been occurring around the world where neonicotinoids are heavily used. Without pollinators, all sorts of plants suffer -- especially key vegetable crops and wild herbs. Honeybees pollinate about one-third of the world's food. Without them, $15 billion in agricultural production would be lost each year.Tiffany Stacker of E&E reported, "Scientists say neonicotinoids can suppress bees' immune systems, making them more vulnerable to viruses and bacteria. The Fish and Wildlife Service agreed to phase out neonicotinoids on wildlife refuges nationwide starting in January 2016."The insecticides are so catastrophic that the European Union banned the use of them two years ago after validating a study linking neonicotinoids to honeybee colony collapse disorder.Disdainfully, chemical giant Syngenta has recently asked the US EPA to lift current restrictions on their insecticides, asking regulators to increase the allowable level of thiamethoxan to 4.9 parts per million. The EPA's current allowable level is 0.1 ppm. Syngenta is basically asking the federal government to approve more than 40 times the amount of insecticide in the environment! This type of increase would speed up bee die-offs tragically, probably wiping 90 percent or more of their population from affected ecosystems within the next decade.That wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing for the biotechnology-chemical industry. As always, they create a problem and then invent a solution, while the natural world is destroyed in the process.At Harvard University, the RoboBee is already up and flying, flapping its wings at 120 times per second. Engineering professor Robert Wood introduced the new robotic bee just a year ago and envisions an entire team of them pollinating fields in the next decade. The bees wouldn't be able to produce raw medicinal honey or propolis. They would simply just pick up and lay down pollen."RoboBees will work best when employed as swarms of thousands of individuals, coordinating their actions without relying on a single leader," Wood and his colleagues wrote in. "The hive must be resilient enough so that the group can complete its objectives even if many bees fail."The project is a breakthrough for micro aerial vehicles, but the tiny bots are still unable to communicate with one another or fly on their own. The current model has to be driven by a person. The challenge that the developers now face is fitting flight muscles, sensors and a battery on the robot bee without it weighing more than a gram.While the RoboBee "solution" could potentially help recover lost pollinators in the natural world, it would overshadow the root problem of an agricultural system dependent on chemicals that are quietly destroying the world and bringing down the entire food system.This is exactly how herbicide-resistant genetically modified crops work too. Engineered herbicide-resistant crops create the need for more herbicides, thus creating more need for profitable, patented seeds.What's really happening at this moment in history is corporations are destroying the natural world for profit and forcing people to be dependent on the technological "fix." (NaturalNews) If you want to be a healthcare worker, or keep your current job as one, then you better be OK with getting the flu vaccine each year; that's according to a relatively new requirement now being mandated in many states across the U.S.Hospital employees are being forced to receive annual flu shots as part of a policy that's mandated based on funding requirements for medical reimbursements through Medicare and Medicaid, as part of the Affordable Health Care Act.The Affordable Health Care Act, paraded into legislation by Obama, requires "healthcare facilities to have a high compliance rate of employees receiving the flu vaccine," as reported byHowever, some nurses are fighting back. One group of nurses from Grand Rapids, Michigan, created an organization in 2012 devoted to fighting mandatory vaccination policies in the workplace. Nurses Against Mandatory Vaccines (NAMV) isn't entirely anti-vaccines, but supports pro-choice when it comes to vaccinations."We believe that all persons should have the right to choose and refuse medical treatment; that means nurses and healthcare workers alike," according to the group's mission statement "NAMV does not support mandatory vaccination policies for healthcare workers of any kind. We are here to stand up and fight back against this policy and procedure, and to fight back against the vaccine companies who clearly lobbied for this law ONLY to pad their own pockets."Another battle is being fought in Boston as the Massachusetts Nurses Association sued Brigham and Women's Hospital in an attempt to "block a policy to require nurses to get flu shots as a condition of employment." The lawsuit is not isolated, as similar actions are being taken in other states.A nurse from New Jersey filed a lawsuit after being terminated for refusing the flu vaccine in 2010 at Hackettstown Community Hospital. Employees were allowed to refuse flu vaccines only upon providing a medical or religious reason not to, and also agreeing to wear a mask.June Valent declined the shot but did not list a medical or religious reason, but she did agree to wear the mask. Soon, she lost her job and was disqualified from receiving unemployment benefits by a Department of Labor board of review after several hearings and appeals from both sides.reported that the board concluded that Valent "engaged in work-related misconduct by refusing the flu shot." However, after taking her case to the New Jersey appeals court, Valent was vindicated when a three-judge panel ruled in her favor.According to, "The three-judge panel wrote that the hospital's policy of allowing religious or medical exemptions to the flu shot requirement 'unconstitutionally discriminated against' plaintiff June Valent by rejecting her refusal to be vaccinated for secular reasons."The judges concluded that endorsing the religious-based exemption while denying her secular choice violated Valent's right to freedom of expression, according to reports Dr. Mark Geier, an MD with a PhD in genetics and over 10 years experience working at the National Institutes of Health, explains in a video interview why the flu vaccine is a total fraud."The CDC does not follow the law for vaccines in requiring long-term safety testing for the influenza vaccine like they do with other vaccines, as it is impossible to test a vaccine that changes every year," according to a summary of Dr. Geier's statements by"So the flu vaccine is basically an experimental vaccine that they want to give out to 300 million people every year. There are also no studies showing the safety of giving the flu vaccine to the same person every single year."Even further, the flu is "'the wrong thing to vaccinate against' because you have to keep re-vaccinating against it every year, unlike childhood infectious diseases, such as smallpox, that are only vaccinated for once." Opiates suppress one of the body's most important functions Big Pharma's opiates cause greater pain long-term (NaturalNews) Pharmaceutical science is pretty good at one thing: creating entirely new health problems. Take Big Pharma's opiate pain meds , for example. Researchers are now finding out that this common class of drugs causes severe opioid-induced constipation (OIC) which may lead to rectal tearing and abdominal pain. This condition, also known as opiate bowel dysfunction (OBD), occurs in up to 95 percent of patients who are chronic users of Big Pharma's opioid (narcotic) pain meds The Australian Pain Society reports, "One of the most common adverse effects of chronic opioid therapy is constipation. Up to 95% of patients prescribed an opioid report constipation as a side effect, which can occur soon after taking the first dose." A side effect like this is no laughing matter . Under the curse of the pain meds, one of the body's most important functions is being systematically suppressed, forcing the body to eat its own waste. According to the American College of Gastroenterology, "constipation may be debilitating among those who require chronic analgesia [pain relief]. ... OIC or OBD affected an average of 41% [of] patients taking an oral opioid for up to 8 weeks."This happens because "opioids cause constipation by binding to specific receptors in the gastrointestinal tract and central nervous system, resulting in reduced bowel motility through direct and indirect (anticholinergic) mechanisms." These medications destroy the body's natural intelligence, blocking the messages that innately tell the body when to empty the bowels.When bowel movements stop, the colon gets backed up with waste byproduct that breaks down and infiltrates the blood. This side effect alone can actually feed a person's pain long-term. Opioid pain meds do not help people manage pain; in the long haul, they shut down an all-important function of the body, instructing the digestive system to stop having bowel movements, and leaving rotting waste caked inside the body. It's a recipe for disease and chronic inflammation.So, are pain meds worth the risk if they "may cause rectal pain and bleeding, abdominal pain and distension, urinary incontinence, faecal impaction, rectal tearing, and, in very severe cases, bowel obstruction and colonic perforation?"As the Australian Pain Society points out, some patients would rather deal with the pain than be cursed with severe opioid induced constipation. "Some patients would rather endure chronic pain than suffer from the severe constipation that can arise with long-term opioid therapy. One study found that approximately one-third of patients missed, decreased or stopped using opioids in order to make it easier to have a bowel motion. ..." They found that in some cases, even after stopping the meds, the body continues to struggle to have a normal bowel movement.It should also be noted that anticholinergic meds work by blocking a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine. In doing so, these meds prohibit acetylcholine from naturally binding to its receptors in the brain. This slows cognitive processing, in practice affecting brain function.The publication,, points out that Big Pharma's opioid pain meds are finally being investigated for all their debilitating effects. Even though they've been used for multiple decades, "we are only beginning to understand and identify the many side effects of opioids. Constipation, nausea, emesis, pruritus, respiratory depression, and somnolence are well known. However, not so well known are effects on immune function, urinary retention, endocrinopathies, gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), gastroparesis, sleep apnea, cardiovascular system, osteoporosis, emotions, dentition, and renal function."As Big Pharma's opiates are leaving people helpless in the long-term, exacerbating entirely new health problems, better pain management strategies exist. Several foods, herbs and spices contain anti-inflammatory compounds that reduce pain while promoting proper digestion and brain function. For example, the powerful compound in turmeric root curcumin is well documented for reducing inflammation throughout the body. Plant-based medicines such as ginger root, cayenne, boswellia, cherry, pineapple and devil's claw, provide pain relief through different mechanisms that work with the body, instead of against it A devastating condition Zika obviously not the only cause (NaturalNews) The arrival of the Zika virus in the Americas, and concern over its possible link to birth defects, have stirred up a storm of panic in the media. But the truth is that the virus and its effects on the human body are poorly studied, and very little is known about it for certain.Given that knowledge gap, we can expect alarmist reports over the next few months to blame any and every cryptic health condition on the virus. Most recently, health experts have raised concern about a possible connection between the Zika virus and a paralytic nervous disorder known as Guillain-Barre Syndrome.According to the FDA product insert, Guillain-Barre Syndrome is a known potential side effect of flu vaccination Guillain-Barre Syndrome is a poorly understood autoimmune condition in which the body's immune system attacks the nervous system, mistaking it for a virus. In some cases, this can destroy the myelin sheath that insulates nerve endings, leading to muscular paralysis. The syndrome typically occurs following a viral infection, though it has also occurred following flu vaccination.While potentially debilitating, Guillain-Barre Syndrome is not in itself a fatal disease. However, complications arising from paralysis can easily turn lethal."What kills people is being paralyzed in an intensive care unit," said Guillain-Barre expert Kenneth Gorson of Tufts University. "It's the complications from being on a ventilator for long periods of time, the risk of blood clots, wound infections from lack of movement or other numerous medical complications that occur in paralyzed patients. Access to quality care is critical."Since Zika arrived in the Americas, health officials have noticed an alarming uptick in cases of Guillain-Barre Syndrome . Therecently highlighted the Colombian town of Turbo, with a population of 60,000, that formerly saw about one Guillain-Barre case a year. Since Zika arrived, the town saw five cases in six weeks, three of them fatal. According to the Colombian government, there has been at least one other Guillain-Barre fatality, also connected with Zika.And the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that among just 80 people in the United States confirmed with Zika (contracted abroad), two have developed Guillain-Barre syndrome."We are seeing a spike everywhere that we are seeing the Zika virus," said World Health Organization (WHO) neurologist Tarun Dua.Even if Zika does turn out to be a potential trigger of Guillain-Barre Syndrome, there are still two problems with the media angle that "Zika is causing a surge in Guillain-Barre cases." First of all, Guillain-Barre Syndrome remains almost as poorly understood as Zika itself. Among other things, it remains unclear why only certain viral exposures trigger the condition.Thus, it is unknown whether Zika is capable of triggering Guillain-Barre directly, or whether it interacts with some other factor, perhaps antibodies to a closely related virus such as dengue or chikungunya.The other problem with blaming Zika for Guillain-Barre is that rates of the latter condition were increasing long before the Zika outbreak began several months ago. A March 2014 article in thequotes neurologist Dr. Ana Delgado of the Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital as saying that Guillain-Barre rates have been increasing, and are perhaps double the "official" incidence rate of one in 100,000. In fact, the National Institutes of Health are considering revising this figure to one in 50,000.Something must be triggering this increase, Delgado said.Guillain-Barre Syndrome due to seasonal flu vaccination is the single most common injury to be compensated through the U.S. vaccine court, according to statistics released in March 2014 (covering the period from November 16, 2013 to February 15, 2014). Learn how herbs can impact your life How to slow down the signs and symptoms of aging (beyond being blessed with longevity genes) Which herbs and supplements are most useful for healthy aging How to incorporate healthy aging strategies into your lifestyle choices Meet the "Natural Nurse" Sorting through the disinfo (NaturalNews) The 2016 Natural Medicine Summit , which is, provides access to a myriad of information about holistic health, featuring dozens of well-credentialed professionals who will be sharing their secrets on weight loss, nutrition, brain health and more. One of the summit's featured presenters is "Natural Nurse" Ellen Kamhi, Ph.D., R.N.A leader in the field of nutraceuticals, or foods that provide medical benefits to humans when consumed, Dr. Kamhi is a guru for alternative medicine, and her credentials are nothing short of amazing.A professional member of the American Herbalist Guild (AHG), Dr. Kamhi is an expert in Herbology who, after completing a "two-year apprenticeship to a prominent 'brujo' or midwife, in Mexico," created a program for a "southwestern college on desert ecology and the therapeutic uses of indigenous plants."Aside from her knowledge about herbs, she is also certified in holistic nursing, reflexology, Bach Flower Remedies, Darkfield Microscopy and Indigenous Medicines. Her presentation, titled "Natural Protocols for Vitality & Aging Gracefully," will reveal how to slow down the signs of aging using natural remedies.Her discussion will disclose:Dr. Kamhi is passionate not only about the power of natural healing, but also about passing her knowledge on to the next generation so they too can benefit from such information. The Natural Nurse teaches people about the importance of holistic medicine via radio and TV programs broadcast throughout the U.S.She has appeared onand has been featured in countless magazines, journals and newspapers including, theande."Dr. Kamhi has been involved in the field of natural medicine for over 30 years. She attended Rutgers and Cornell Universities, sat on the Panel of Traditional Medicine at Columbia Presbyterian Medical School, and is an appointed Clinical Instructor at Stony Brook Medical School College of Family Medicine," according to her bio on the Progressive Radio Network site. "She practices holistic medicine at Long Island Integrated Medical Center, Ronkonkoma, NY."The Natural Nurse will join dozens of other health professionals at the Natural Medicine Summit who will discuss America's thyroid epidemic , natural solutions for menopause, the benefits of acupuncture, the efficacy of herbs and phytomedicine, and anti-aging tips, among other topics."It's getting harder and harder to get really accurate, truthful, and honest information out there, especially on the internet. That's why what you're doing with this summit is so important," said's Jonathan Landsman.Landsman is spot on."Holistic medicine," "homeopathy," and "integrative medicine" have become popular Internet buzzwords, making it difficult to know what information you can trust when it comes to natural health. This is why summits such as these are truly the best place to start for seeking information on natural medicine and wellness.Those who sign up for the summit today will receive instant access to three free gifts, including invaluable information from naturopath Dr. Trevor Cates, who has designed her own non-toxic skin care line.You'll also receive advice from Dr. Daniel G. Amen on how to maintain optimal brain health , including lifestyle changes that can help preserve your memory.If you want to achieve wellness, the Natural Medicine Summit is a great place to start. Remember, it's free, so what are you waiting for? (NaturalNews) What is it about a requirement to label foods containing genetically modified ingredients that so scares the food industry that they would doto prevent that from happening? Why are Big Agriculture and biotech giants like Monsanto so hell-bent on keeping you in the dark about what's in the food they grow for you?Whatever the reason, it must be a bombshell or extremely diabolical because theseare certainly sparing no expense to keep the truth from the public.As reported by the Environmental Working Group, a non-partisan environmental defense organization based in Washington, D.C., big food and associated interests spent an astounding $101.4 million last year lobbying lawmakers to oppose GMO labeling efforts.And official Washington wonders why political outsiders are doing so well this year in the presidential races."As the fight over GMO labeling heats up this year," EWG notes, "spending trends on Washington's K Street point sharply higher." K Street is essentiallyin the nation's capital.EWG reported further, and named names:"The food companies that spent the most last year for anti-GMO-labeling legislation and other issues were Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Kellogg's, Kraft Heinz Co., Land O'Lakes and General Mills. Disclosures filed by these companies reported $20.6 million in expenditures on K Street lobbying to fight GMO labeling and other legislative priorities."Since 2013, the same six companies have spent a whopping $47.9 million to lobby against GMO labeling, among other issues."Meanwhile, the Grocery Manufacturers Association a trade group representing food makers that was among the earliest to file suit against the state of Vermont , after it became the first state in the nation to pass a GMO-labeling law spent $10.5 million in lobbying expenditures, according to filing disclosures, primarily for anti-labeling efforts.An EWG analysis of GMA's lobbying disclosure data found that since January 2014 it had hired nearly three dozen lobbyists and spent $2.8 million on lobbying exclusively against GMO labeling legislation.In summary, the food, farm and biotech industries, since 2013, have disclosed that they've spent $192.8 million on lobbying efforts to prevent federal GMO labeling laws from passing, as well as other issues.That's not chump change, and it means that the food and biotech industrieswhat they're putting in food so much so that they are spending about the same to prevent labeling as they would have to spend to add GMO ingredients to labels (which is what they say they oppose the expense of adding the labeling).EWG reported that the amount spent on anti-label lobbying by big food and trade groups rose sharply over the past year, with the 2015 total exceeding $100 million for the first time a steep increase over the $66 million spent in 2014 and $25.4 million spent the previous year.The environmental non-profit reported further that it's "analysis is based on documents filed with the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives and the Secretary of the U.S. Senate. It counted filings that mentioned GMO labeling legislation among various policy issues and not those that made no reference to the topic."Since Vermont enacted its GMO-labeling requirement, two additional states Connecticut and Maine have also passed laws requiring food makers to include GMO ingredients on ingredient labels. The law is scheduled to take effect in Vermont July 1; the laws in the latter two states are to take effect when additional states in the northeast pass GMO labeling laws as well. A further 17 states are also considering such measures.Big Food and biotech firms are backing legislation introduced by Rep. Mike Pompeo, R-Kansas (a major farm state), which passed the House last year on a vote of 230-45. Critics call it the DARK Act dubbing it the "Deny Americans the Right to Know Act." It was introduced in the Senate by Sen. Pat Roberts, another Kansas Republican, in early February."Roberts' version of the DARK Act would bar states from enacting laws to require GMO labeling and make it harder for companies like Campbell's to make voluntary GMO disclosures," EWG reported. Also, "Pompeo's version would also block state laws prohibiting 'natural' on advertising and labels of GMO foods, and make it virtually impossible for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to set up a mandatory national GMO labeling system." The pressure to stay competitive, offer best-in-class service at prices comparable or better than the competition, and keep customers and employees happy are common imperatives for growth in any dynamic company. Managers, even in the traditional natural product market, are coming around to accepting that technology can enhance operational efficiency. The natural products market has differences that set it apart from others. It is largely composed of small- and medium-sized companies. Decision making is often centralized in a single owner. Many of these companies do not have a dedicated information technology (IT) department. An IT-savvy manager often doubles as IT heada function that is in addition to other duties. Most companies important business decisions are made by a management team composed of the CEO and the heads of marketing, operations, human resource and finance. Most management genuinely believes that involving the IT head in day-to-day decision making is not value accretive to either the IT department or the company. A discussion of investment into IT generally takes places after traditional efficiency-improvement approaches have not yielded the desired results. IT is rarely the first option. Once a determination to induct IT is taken, the IT head is then engaged and debriefed on the business need. From there, the matter is handed over and left to the IT department to select and induct an appropriate IT vendor. The first step is to prepare a comprehensive requirements brief for IT vendors to respond to. Management steps back in only after the vendor is appointed, commences work and starts formally interacting with the organization. The failure to do adequate pre-vendor selection work often results in many technology induction projects getting into trouble soon after the vendor starts work. The root cause is inadequately defined business requirement. In other cases, clients request changes to specifications mid-way during implementation. The demand for mid-project change arises when business notices a misalignment between its business expectations and likely deliverables of the new technology. IT vendors find it difficult to customize or change a product mid-way during implementation. The cost of rework is either prohibitive or technically not feasible. This problem is fairly common in cases where the IT department has an incomplete understanding of the business processes and needs. Conflicts arise, and it becomes a lose-lose outcome for both sides. Smart IT departments with seasoned leadership understand these pitfalls and recommend safe solutions that often are not the best fit to a niche business need. Most recommend inducting an enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution, enhancing the network or hardware capability, as the case maybe. Branded ERP solutions come bundled with best-in-class processes, and implementation does result in substantial improvement in efficiency. Inducting an ERP module or two may not be a complete fit for the specific business requirement, but often does help bring about enhanced organization efficiency. This path of least resistance is good for vendors, clients and the IT department. Everyone goes home happy. However, in the hypercompetitive world, appropriate technology that is specifically directed to solve a business challenge has the potential to bring transformational change. This calls for a much more rigorous IT vendor and technology induction process. This starts with defining the business requirement in clear terms. Business requirement definition can be done by management alone and not by the IT department. Management has the best understanding of existing business process, the challenges faced and the outcomes desired. The IT vendor needs a detailed and well-defined business outline that clearly explains the business processes that require change. While it is understandable that the business user may not be skilled in creating a full use case, they are in a position to describe the business, the challenges and the expected outcomes clearly and in detail. The IT department or a prospective IT vendor can use this input from management to document a formal use case. Such a document is critical for an IT vendor to propose and then induct the best technology fit. The business requirement outline is best accompanied with a detailed enunciation of the existing hardware, software and network specifications. This information is often available in company records. It can be picked from the documents that inevitably accompany a software or a hardware when inducted in a company. The IT vendor documents should also include a detailed note on the technology awareness and skill level of the company workforce. This information will help the IT vendor determine the nature and level of training required in each technology induction phase before, during and post induction. With the detailed business requirements clearly defined, the process of selecting the appropriate IT vendor moves forward. A short list of vendors with the likely capability to bring in the appropriate technology to the company is made. Post proposal submission by short-listed IT vendors, the evaluation process commences. When the company leadership actively engages in the evaluation of the IT product proposed, it rarely faces a problem either during product implementation or in achieving the expected business results. Once the business evaluation is concluded, the IT department looks at the proposed technology from the viewpoint of technical integration with existing IT solutions. In the natural product company settingwhere every dollar investment has counta rigorous IT solution induction process is a critical transformational imperative. Sudhir Ahluwalia is a business consultant. He has been management consulting head of Tata Consultancy Services, an IT outsourcing company in Asia, business advisor to multiple companies, columnist and author of an upcoming book on herbs, Holy Herbs." He has also been a member of the Indian Forest Service. A subcontractor working on the BART extension from the East Bay to San Jose installed 1,400 feet of the wrong sewer pipes under the Berryessa station in San Jose, but project managers say it won't be replaced. A source closely tied to the construction project reported the error to NBC Bay Area's Investigative Unit, concerned the mistake will be an expensive fix for taxpayers in the future. Project specifications call for all underground sewer pipes to be made of PVC plastic, but Skanska-Shimmick-Herzog's subcontractor Hellwig Plumbing installed cast iron pipes instead. Hellwig Plumbing did not respond to a request for comment. Workers were able to replace a portion of the incorrect pipes, but the section under the Berryessa station will remain in the ground because too much work had been performed above the pipes by the time the error was discovered several weeks later. "Metal pipe was used for the water and sewage drains that will corrode, is very rigid and suspect in an earthquake," the source said. NBC Bay Area agreed not to identify the source over concerns about his job. His major concern was that cast iron pipe would not meet the project's stated goal of a 100-year lifespan. Cast iron pipes naturally corrode over time, but the process can be accelerated when exposed to different soil types, water or electricity. It's one of the reasons BART project specifications call specifically for PVC pipe. But the source also said a moderate earthquake could mean the pipes fail much faster because cast iron is brittle in comparison to flexible PVC pipes. "Even though it's going to take a long time to fail, it will fail," the source said. "At that point in time it's going to be exponentially more expensive than it is now to repair." If the repair work is performed now, the source said, the subcontractor would be on the hook for the cost because it was their mistake. But, once the station is built, any future repairs will be paid for by taxpayers. The cost of those repairs will also go up exponentially as an entire BART station is built on top of the cast iron pipes. The Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) is in charge of the construction of the BART extension, although BART will take over ownership once the project is complete. A "stop work notice" obtained by NBC Bay Area shows work stopped along that section of the project once the error was discovered several weeks after the pipes were incorrectly installed. VTA confirmed the work stoppage lasted for 70 days. "We flagged it and a stop work order was issued on it," said John Engstrom, VTA's project manager on the BART extension project. "And I think that speaks for itself. We thought it was important enough that it was one of the very few stop work order that we've actually issued on the project." Engstrom acknowledged the error was significant and says that the subcontractor believed it had the discretion to choose the materials under the project specifications. But overall, he said the project is under budget and tracking six months ahead of schedule. He said lab tests performed during the work stoppage show corrosion won't be an issue. "We really don't feel that that's an issue," Engstrom said. "In particular because we did the analysis to see what the potentials were for this to degrade." But engineers who spoke to NBC Bay Area say they're not so sure the pipes will last in an area with a lot of seismic activity, such as the Bay Area. "In this particular case, being in the Bay Area, which is a seismic area, using a flexible pipe like a PVC or some sort of other plastic pipe is a prudent engineering practice as opposed to brittle pipe," said Dr. Samuel Ariaratnam, a professor and chair of construction engineering program at Arizona State University. Ariaratnam traveled to New Zealand in 2013 after a magnitude-7.1 earthquake near Christchurch to work with the city's rehabilitation team. He said the brittle cast iron pipes in the ground across the city were badly damaged during the quake. "They made a very wise decision that they were replacing all of those pipes with plastic pipe," he said. "So they're actually installing PVC and high density polyethylene pipe in those places that had brittle pipe before." Multiple studies also show PVC pipe can withstand an earthquake significantly better than cast iron: Engstrom said although the specifications called for plastic pipes, he's confident the cast iron pipes will perform equally well in an earthquake. "We're not concerned," Engstrom said. "I would say we're equally confident it behaves under those environments as any of the others." Ariaratnam said he's surprised VTA let the error stand after the subcontractor failed to follow the specifications. "Whether it happened in five years, 10 years, 50 years, 100 years, there's a good chance that it could happen compared to other parts of the country," he said. "That's why I think it's very, very important that you follow what was designed from an engineering specification and not deviate from what was proposed or specified." But Engstrom defended VTA's decision to let the cast iron pipes stay in the ground. "We looked at it and said, Well, we can tear it out, that can happen,'" Engstrom said. "But we're going to take out good work to get to this. So you have to ask yourself, is the cure going to be worse than the disease?" Only time will tell how the cast iron pipes will hold up in the future, but the source said he's certain VTA should repair the mistake rather than risk premature failure. "I think they should do the right thing," the source said. "Acknowledge the error like responsible people and repair it now, at their loss as it is their error, instead of pawning if off on the future taxpayer." If you have a tip for Vicky Nguyen about this or any other story, you can email her directly at vicky@nbcbayarea.com or you can email theunit@nbcbayarea.com or call 888-996-TIPS. Follow Vicky Nguyen on Twitter www.twitter.com/VickyNguyenTV and Facebookwww.facebook.com/VickyNguyenTV Click here to submit tips online And then there were four. Ben Carson's departure from the GOP presidential race means the quartet of remaining Republicans on the debate stage Thursday night get more time for attacks as Donald Trump treads a path to the GOP nomination and his three rivals try to trip him up. Cheered on by many Republican leaders, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and John Kasich are racing the primary clock to March 15, likely their last chance to stop Trump in a series of winner-take-all contests. Some things to watch Thursday night as the candidates meet at 9 p.m. EST for the Fox News Channel debate in Detroit: ___ HE WHO WAS NOT NAMED Love him or loathe him, Trump has taught the poohbahs of the Republican Party what a power grab really is and he's done it by winning over large swaths of the GOP's own core supporters far from Washington. His wobbling over whether to disavow the support of former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke finally gave the Republican leaders of Congress a way to go after the billionaire publicly without uttering Trump's name. Trump responded by saying House Speaker Paul Ryan would have to get along with a President Trump or pay some sort of "big price." On the eve of the debate, Ryan's office confirmed that Trump's campaign had contacted the speaker's staff in a first sign of outreach. Notably, Trump has started talking about unifying the GOP. Look for Trump to be asked about the existential rift in the party and how he expects to govern. ___ RUBIO, RUDE? TRUMP, TOO? The Florida senator who once insisted on staying above the scuffling has leapt right into it, emulating Trump's schoolyard-taunting style. At campaign events in the past week, Rubio made sometimes crude jokes about everything from Trump's tan to the size of his hands he even suggested that the billionaire wet his pants at the last debate. Look for whether a newly confident Rubio, emboldened by his first primary win in Minnesota Tuesday, keeps it up or takes a more statesmanlike approach. And what to expect from Trump? "I can't act overly presidential because I'm going to have people attacking from every side. A very good man, Ben Carson's not there anymore, so now we're going to have more time for the fighting," he said. "When people are hitting you from different angles, from all different angles, unfortunately you have to hit back. I would have a very, very presidential demeanor when I win, but until such time, you have to hit back," he told NBC on Thursday. ___ CRUZ'S STAND Thanks to Rubio's win Tuesday, Cruz can no longer say he's the only Republican who has shown he can beat Trump. But he won three states on Super Tuesday Alaska, Oklahoma and his home state of Texas. And the delegate math shows that Cruz is emerging as the candidate who might stop Trump. Look for some confidence from Cruz, because on Super Tuesday alone he came close to Trump. For the night, Trump won at least 237 delegates and Cruz won at least 209. Rubio was a distant third with at least 94. Even Sen. Lindsey Graham, who a week earlier joked at a dinner about killing Cruz, acknowledged on CBS that the Texas senator might be the party's best hope to beat Trump. ___ KASICH, STILL The debate setting is likely most helpful to Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who is looking for a strong showing in Michigan in the state's March 8 contest, to survive. __ FOX AND TRUMP, FRENEMIES Trump has uttered barely a peep about the fact that Fox News Channel is hosting the debate, and that his sometime-nemesis Megyn Kelly, is one of the moderators. This is a marked change from the upheaval that led to Trump boycotting Fox's debate just before the leadoff Iowa caucuses. Trump had demanded that Kelly be removed; Fox refused and Trump headed a few miles away to host his own event. He later said that could have been one of the reasons he lost Iowa to Cruz. Trump has not tweeted about Kelly in weeks. In an interview with the Associated Press this week, Kelly said she thinks Trump has more confidence now. "He knows he can handle me. He can handle any interviewer," she said. Vermont Senator and Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders will hold a Future to Believe In rally Friday at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville. The event is free and open to the public. Admission is first come, first served, but RSVPs are strongly encouraged. It will be held at the schools Vadabalene Center, a multi-purpose sports and recreation building located at 1 Circle Drive in Edwardsville. Doors open at 8 a.m. with the program set to begin at 10 a.m. Sanders will discuss a wide range of issues, including getting big money out of politics, his plan to make public colleges and universities tuition-free, combating climate change and ensuring universal health care, a release from the Sanders campaign said. In addition to this, the National Nurses Uniteds #BernieBus will appear at a rally Thursday at the Thompson Center, 69 W. Washington, in Chicago to encourage early voting. Sanders will not be in attendance at Thursday's rally, although activists and candidates endorsed by Reclaim Chicago will work to boost early voting numbers. Speakers include Omar Aquino, a Democratic candidate for state Senate, and Theresa Mah, a Democratic candidate for the state House of Representatives, among others. After the rally, voters will walk to cast their ballots at the early voting site at 69 W. Washington. Sanders has ramped up his campaign efforts in Illinois in the lead-up to the states March 15 presidential primary. Last month, Sanders opened a Chicago office on Roosevelt Road in the South Loop. During that trip, he also held an Illinois campaign kick-off event at nearby Bar Louie. Later in the month, Sanders hosted a well-attended rally at Chicago State University and appeared on an MSNBC program broadcasting live from his alma mater, the University of Chicago. Sanders had a respectable showing during Super Tuesday early this week although he trails frontrunner Hillary Clinton. The senator won his home state of Vermont as well as Colorado, Minnesota and Oklahoma, garnering 321 new delegates and bringing his pledged total to 386. Clinton won Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. In doing so, she won 486 delegates, bringing her pledged total to 577. On Wednesday, members of the Illinois House of Representatives came up two votes short of overriding Gov. Bruce Rauners veto of a bill that would have supplied state aid to fund Monetary Award Program (MAP) grants for low-income students in Illinois. This follows a successful override vote by the Illinois Senate. The House fell short of the override as a result of Democrat Scott Drury voting against the proposal and Democrat Luis Arroyo not being in attendance. Rauners office praised Democrat Drury and Illinois Republican lawmakers Wednesday for standing up for taxpayers. Despite the Governor's request that the General Assembly not waste time with a political vote that was never going to pass, the legislature is poised to leave students, universities and community colleges in the lurch for at least a month, Rauner spokeswoman Catherine Kelly said. We continue to urge Democratic leaders not to recess until the General Assembly passes a bipartisan proposal to fund MAP (grants) and higher education. The vetoed bill would have allocated $721.5 million for MAP grants for low-income students and operations at community colleges. Not a single Republican in Illinois House or Senate voted against the governor, citing the states incapability to fund the measure. In a statement, Rauner claimed legislators were wasting their time with a political vote that was never going to pass. SB 2043 can only become law if Representative Franks or Representative Drury succumb to pressure from Speaker Madigan and flip their votes to force a massive tax hike on the people of Illinois, Rauners Press Secretary Catherine Kelly said in a statement. These members sided with taxpayers the first time around because this is a sham bill and an empty promise to students. We believe these members will do the right thing to ensure taxpayers are not left holding the bag. Kelly continued, claiming the governor is committed to funding higher education and MAP grants but does not want to add to the states ballooning deficit or institute tax increases. All of us want to fund higher education and MAP, and we stand ready to work with the General Assembly to find ways to do so without adding to the deficit or forcing a massive tax increase, Kelly said. An alternative Republican-backed proposal, supported by Rauner earlier this week, would allocate money for emergency funding to state universities and community colleges by eliminating the special fund repayment requirement. Senate President John Cullerton commented on the Senates successful attempt to override Rauners veto of the bill Wednesday. The governor has repeatedly let these students down, students who were promised financial aid by his administration, Cullerton said in a statement. Todays vote is an attempt to give the governor the opportunity to honor his administrations commitments and prove that education is the priority he says it is. Following the Houses unsuccessful veto override, Speaker Michael Madigans office announced plans to introduce a new compromise plan Thursday. After listening to the alibi hour Wednesday, the Illinois House will be asked to consider an alternative proposal to end the higher education funding impasse, Speaker Mike Madigans spokesman Steve Brown said in a statement. Amendments to HB2990 and H648 are a new compromise effort that contains an agreed funding source and appropriations for higher education, MAP and a number of human service programs at the same level as was approved by the legislature in May 2015. House leaders will consider a bill Thursday to fund programs at levels previously approved by the General Assembly in May. That funding is tied to an additional measure that would nullify a state requirement to repay $450 million borrowed from special funds to shore up budget holes within 18 months. Illinois has been without an official budget since July of last year. As a result, enrollment has dropped due to cuts in state funding for low-income students. Funding for state universities and community colleges have suffered greatly as a result of the impasse, as have social services Race to Watch is a twice-weekly Ward Room column dedicated to helping voters familiarize themselves with candidates in the lead-up to the March 15 primary elections. This weeks focus is the 7th Congressional District House race. Incumbent Rep. Danny K. Davis will face Thomas Day and Frederick Collins in the March 15 Democratic primary. There are no Republican candidates on the ballot. Davis has served as the U.S. Representative for Illinois 7th congressional district since 1997. Before entering the political arena, Davis worked a variety of jobs. He served as a government clerk, a high school teacher, an executive director of the Greater Lawndale Conservation Commission, a director of training at the Martin Luther King Neighborhood Health Center, and as an executive director of the Westside Health Center. Davis served on the Cook County Board of Commissioners from 1990 to 1996. In 1991, he staged an unsuccessful campaign to unseat Richard M. Daley as the mayor of Chicago. Davis has run on a pro-choice platform, supporting gay rights and a single-payer health care system. He most recently won reelection in 2014, defeating Republican Robert Bumpers 85 percent to 15 percent. Davis serves on the United States House Committee on Ways and Means as well as the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. He is also a member of the Congressional Black Caucus and the Progressive Caucus. Davis reportedly turned down an offer from former Gov. Rod Blagojevich to replace President Barack Obama in the U.S. Senate after Obama assumed his new office. Blagojevich appointed Roland Burris instead. Blagojevich was impeached and removed from office after soliciting bribes for political appointments. This included Obama's vacated Senate seat. Blagojevich was convicted and sentenced to fourteen years in federal prison. He is currently serving his time at Federal Correctional Institution, Englewood in Colorado. Thomas Day is an Iraq war veteran who enlisted in the service mere weeks after the September 11 terrorist attacks. He served for five years in the Armys 101st Airborne division, one of which was in Iraq. He later authored a book in 2007 about his experiences in Iraq. Day also aided in humanitarian efforts in Mississippi and New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Day began a career in journalism following his military service. He worked as a bureau correspondent in Afghanistan in 2009. His work was published in the Washington Post and on CNNs website. Day also provided commentary on CNN for a handful of stories. Day has recently teamed with two fellow Iraq war vets to create The Bunker, a non-profit business community aimed at supporting veteran entrepreneurs and small business owners. Frederick Collins is a 20 year veteran of the Chicago Police Department. He has also served on the Chicago Public School Board on three separate occasions. He has also focused on volunteer work aimed at helping youth and seniors. Computer experts say the state should be worried---very worried---about thousands of computers which no one can find. Tuesday, NBC5 Investigates showed how thousands of items worth millions of dollars had gone missing from state offices. All told, nearly $15 million in state property classified as missing in official reports. Among the missing items, scores of computers which cant be located at virtually every state agency. Thats scary, said Yaniv Schiff, a security expert with the Chicago firm Forensicon. If you dont know where your computers are, you dont know where your data is. Indeed, NBC5 has discovered that the Illinois Auditor Generals office has repeatedly warned state agencies about losing track of computers. Over the last few years, the Auditors office counted a sample total of 2,436 computers missing from eleven state agencies. The machines were valued at more than $3.5 million. But the larger issue was the potential loss of sensitive data on thousands of Illinois citizens. One agency was warned that its missing computers could possibly have confidential information stored on them. Still another was told that The Department had not protected all of its computers with encryption software, increasing the risk that confidential or personal information could be exposed. After promising to do better, that same agency, in its most recent inventory report, admitted 42 more computers could not be located, 21 were lost, and one laptop had been stolen. You have absolutely no idea whose hands that data is now in, Schiff said. Are they being stolen by criminal organizations, or are they simply being misplaced, and somebody on the CTA El platform picks it up and finds health care records? Part of the problem is the paper-based inventory system which the state has utilized for decades. Actually 38 multiple inventory systems, which Chief Information Officer Hardik Bhatt says were grossly antiquated. I would call it technology 2000 years old, he said. Paper was invented 2000 years ago! Remember, Bhatt works for the State of Illinois. But he says he found the inventory tracking systems appalling when he arrived last year, with a mandate from governor Bruce Rauner to get the states house in order. Any number is a big number for us, he said. We should not be wasting any taxpayer resources. We should have been able to account for each of those assets that we have. The man killed inside a Chicago high-rise fitness center Wednesday night in a shocking shooting that has left many in the River West community stunned has been identified as 45-year-old Darrin Joss. Joss was killed just after 7 p.m. inside the 8th floor gym of a high-rise in 500 block of West Kinzie where he also lives, according to police. Witnesses reported seeing a man in wheelchair open fire on Joss, shooting him in the head. Joss was rushed to the hospital, police said, where he was pronounced dead. A suspect wanted in connection to the murder turned himself in to police early Thursday morning. Joss' family said his killing is "absolutely shocking." Joss, a graduate of the University of Iowa, has lived in Chicago since graduation and enjoyed going to the gym and watching sports, including the Hawkeyes and the Cubs, family members said. He dreamed of working in trading at the Chicago Board of Trade. He owned two units in the building, one to live in and the other for work. Joss' Father, Kenneth Joss, said his son's killing has been "the worst nightmare you could ever experience." He called the shooting "senseless" and said his son "would give anyone the shirt off his back." "That's what's so weird about all of this," Kenneth Jones said. "He was just the first one to help someone if they were down." One resident in the building at the time, Brian Gabriel, said he believes the alleged gunman also lives in the River West high-rise. "A gentleman that lives in building rolled up 8th floor to the workout room, rolled up to a guy on the treadmill, shot him in back of the head, wheeled himself out of building," Gabriel said. Aaron Snyder said he saw a man in a wheelchair arguing with another man on a treadmill over a girl, but though he "thought it was a joke." When he heard gunshots, he ran outside onto the pool deck, jumped over a fence and hid for 45 minutes. "You go through a million things, don't know if someone is going to do a mass shooting or anything like that," Snyder said. Witnesses and residents said the tense relationship may have stemmed from the suspect flirting with Joss' live-in girlfriend. Another resident of the building said he lives on the 9th floor directly above the facility where the incident took place. "Literally right underneath my living room is the cardio area of the workout facility where he was shot," Adam Ruetz said. "I heard a very loud bang. I knew it wasn't a truck or anything. A second, second and a half later, I heard another one." Ruetz said he saw the suspected shooter shortly before the incident. "I was on the amenities floor 5 minutes before it happened," Ruetz said. "I said hi to the shooter and he said hey, hey Adam how's it going. He seemed happy, he seemed normal, like he normally was. He was sitting in the common area with another lady." Mike Salazar is another resident whose parking space is right next to the suspect. He said the man accused in the shooting had "always been a little after my wife in a way, always taking it a little bit too far." "Where most people would stop with a simple flirt, you know, hi sweetheart, you look beautiful or something like that, [the suspect] would always take it a little further," Salazar said. "I never took it serious, wasn't anything more than that." The suspect is expected to be charged soon and is set to appear in bond court Friday morning, Chicago Police Department spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said. NBC 5 is not naming the suspect until he is charged. A person who knows the suspect said he suffered a spinal injury from a shooting years ago, which led to him being in a wheelchair. It happened without warning. Keisa King was driving her 2013 Nissan Altima on the Edens Expressway last December, when all of a sudden, it was like an explosion, it was a huge boom. I really thought I got shot at, the Gurnee woman recalled. Seconds later, a gush of wind and the sound of shattered glass forced King to pull off the road in a panic. My heart is racing. Im driving. Im trying to focus. Im looking around. No one is on the road. Did my sunroof just explode? King wondered. NBC 5 Responds found that Kings sunroof did shatter, and she isnt the only one who has experienced it. We found hundreds of complaints describing sunroofs spontaneously shattering, injuring and scaring drivers. The scenario is playing out across the country, and it has captured the attention of federal safety regulators. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating 2011-2013 Kia Sorentos and has asked four more carmakers including Nissan -- for information on a dozen different models with similar sunroofs. KIA Motors says its evaluating the performance of its tempered glass and has been cooperating with NHTSAs investigation. So what is causing sunroofs to explode? Getting the answer can be daunting, according to glass expert Mark Meshulam, who points to three likely culprits. The most obvious: a rock or debris can pop up and hit a sunroof. A flaw can also be caused by installation. The hardest to predict are imperfections in the glass itself. "Tempered glass can be like a ticking time bomb, Meshulum told NBC 5 Responds. "There are little imperfections. They're like little stones. If they happen to be inside tempered glass there's potential that down the road that little stone will grow sufficiently to actually spontaneously break the glass. Proving your glass had an inherent flaw can be difficult because when tempered glass breaks, it shatters into hundreds of little pieces. If that happens, Meshulum said there is a way for drivers to protect themselves and any evidence of a manufacturer defect. If there is a glass break and the glass is still hanging there together, immediately put a piece of duct tape or clear strapping tape over the origin to hold it all together, Meshulum advises. Youve got to do that right away because it will collapse and there goes your evidence, Meshulum says. Once the origin is stabilized, Meshulum recommends putting duct tape over the whole sunroof so motorists can drive safely and get it fixed. If you have an argument from a manufacturer, you can say heres my evidence. Here is the flaw in the glass, Meshulum said. Back in Gurnee, King says Nissan refused to replace her shattered sunroof. "We talked to the dealership and they told us that it was environmental, and I said What does that mean?" King said it cost her $700 to replace, and it cost Nissan a customer. "I'm completely done, King told NBC 5 Responds. "I don't even feel comfortable driving my car because I don't know when this thing or if this thing can explode again." In a statement, a Nissan spokesperson told NBC 5 Responds: The particular issue the customer encountered has not been a common occurrence in the Altima, and there are no related recalls or service campaigns active. We believe this is not the result of any design issue and therefore, it is a matter the owner should resolve with her insurance company for resolution. While Nissan says its not a common occurrence on Altimas, NBC 5 Responds learned that Nissan has received at least 39 complaints of exploding sunroofs on its Murano and Pathfinder vehicles. An Indiana man wont serve time in prison after he pleaded guilty to molesting his young daughter who was diagnosed with cancer, court records show. Jeremy Schwer, 41, faced several years in prison, but his attorney said the childs mother wrote a letter asking the court not to put him behind bars because she needed him to help financially support their children. A judge on Tuesday sentenced him to 12 years of probation. The judges focus was on the best interest of the child in that because this is not a wealthy family, the childs mother and the child and another child need the father working to help them with medical insurance and the cost of living, said attorney John Campbell, who represented Schwer. Schwer had been charged with felony child molesting after prosecutors claimed he fondled and inappropriately touched his 6-year-old daughter, less than two years after the young girl had been diagnosed with a brain tumor. Once the young girl became sick, Schwers wife told prosecutors she and her husband alternated putting the child to bed and caring for her at night. One night, the girl told her mother she touched daddys peepeeluca, a word the family uses to describe private parts, prosecutors said. The girl said it was a secret and her father told her not to tell anyone because if she did he would go to jail. In an interview with officials, the now 7-year-old girl said her dad has a thing like a cat tail, but its in the front. She said she sits on the cat tail with her peepeeluca," prosecutors claimed. The girls mother told authorities she confronted Schwer about what her daughter said and he told her he was asleep when the girl touched it one time, adding that he never hurt her. Schwer was charged in 2015 after his now-estranged wife called the Indiana Department of Child Services. He pleaded guilty to those charges Tuesday. Schwer has been out of jail for the past year, living in his familys home, the same home where the Indianapolis Star reports the Make-A-Wish Foundation had built his daughter a princess castle. As part of his sentencing Tuesday, he was ordered to vacate the home and surrender it to his wife and children, according to court records. He was also ordered to be on GPS monitoring for the first six years of his probation, register as a sex offender and continue treatment at a counseling center. A man in Ohio who fatally shot his roommate almost 40 years ago and ate part of his brain has been denied parole for the seventh time. David Allen Chapin, 60, is currently serving a life sentence at the Allen Correction Institution in Lima, Ohio, according to state records. He has been denied parole at least six times, a spokesperson from the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction told NBC Chicago. Chapin shot his roommate Donald Liming in Milford, Ohio, on Oct. 3, 1978, The Cincinnati Enquirer reports. The pair, who had been friends since childhood, had been arguing about religion; Chapin was a Baptist and Liming said he was a Catholic, a Buddhist, as well as a pagan, according to the publication. Chapin put Limings body into the trunk of his Buick Skylark and drove to a community college he was attending, the Enquirer reported, citing archives. While in biology class, Chapin asked the professor if he needed a corpse to dissect. During the course of his murder trial in Clermont County, Chapin explained to a court-ordered psychiatrist that he devoured part of Limings brain as part of a "mutual agreement" between the roommates, according to the Enquirer. The Ohio Parole Board conducted a closed release consideration hearing on Feb. 1, but couldn't make a decision, according to JoEllen Smith of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. The case was moved to the Central Office Board Review for consideration, which found Chapin "unsuitable for release," according to Smith. However, he will be considered for parole again in Dec. 2018. A Political Action Committee funded by Marlene Ricketts, the matriarch of the family who owns the Chicago Cubs, has started airing attack ads against Donald Trump in the lead-up to the March 15 presidential primary. Our Principles PAC, which has received $3 million from Ricketts, released ads Wednesday attacking Trump for his policies on race and his ill-fated Trump University. Last month, Trump went after the Ricketts in a tweet accusing the family of donating money to campaigns to prevent him from winning the nomination. I hear the Rickets [sic] family, who own the Chicago Cubs, are secretly spending [money] against me, Trump tweeted. They better be careful, they have a lot to hide! The tweet was in response to Ricketts donation to the Our Principles PAC. Chicago Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts responded to Trumps claims during a press conference in Arizona last week. Its a little surreal when Donald Trump threatens your mom, Ricketts told reporters. The fact is, whether its my mom or my dad on his Ending Spending stuff or my sister on marriage equality or my brothers and what they do or what we do with the team, were pretty much an open book. We stand up for what we believe in. Thats what America should be, he added. An Our Principles PAC web ad released Wednesday, titled Unelectable, criticizes Trumps racial policies and features David Letterman saying, I flat-out called [Trump] a racist. In the ad, Trump defends his relationship with African-Americans. I have a great relationship with the blacks, Trump says in the ad. Ive always had a great relationship with the blacks. The ad then features a clip of journalist Karen Hunter dispelling this claim. He does not have a great relationship with the blacks and you can ask five kids from New York City during the Central Park jogger rapist trial when Donald Trump took out a full page ad calling for the death penalty, Hunter said. He wanted to kill these kids and it turned out that they were innocent. The Central Park 5, comprised of four black juveniles and one hispanic juvenile, were wrongfully convicted of a 1989 rape that took place in New Yorks Central Park. The defendants spent between 6 and 13 years in prison before another man confessed to the rape. His confession was confirmed by DNA evidence. Bring back the death penalty, Trumps ad, which ran in a May 1989 edition of the New York Daily News, read. The New York Times called the case, one of the most widely publicized crimes of the 1980s. The Our Principles PAC web ad also references a 1973 Justice Department lawsuit filed against Trump for racial discrimination. The lawsuit accused Trump and his father of violating the Fair Housing Act of 1968. In 1975, the two sides signed an agreement that prohibited the Trumps from discriminating against any person in the terms, conditions, or privileges of sale or rental of a dwelling. The Trumps claimed the settlement was in no way an admission of a violation of the Fair Housing Act. Nonetheless, the Justice Department declared victory in the case. The ad also features former Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard pledging his support to Trump. Running against Donald Trump, at this point, is really treason to your heritage, Duke is quoted as saying on his radio program. I do support his candidacy and I support voting for him. The ad then shows Trump denying having any involvement with Duke. I dont know anything about David Duke, okay, Trump said. I dont know anything about what youre even talking about with white supremacy or white supremacists. A separate ad titled Scam, also paid for by the Our Principles PAC and released Wednesday, will run on national television as well as in Illinois, Florida and Michigan. The ad calls into question the Republican frontrunners now closed Trump University. Former students say Trump University was a scam, costing up to $35,000 for an unlicensed, illegal school that offered no actual degrees, the ad says. A New York appeals court reintroduced a fraud claim Tuesday that was originally brought against Trump University by the states attorney general. In 2013, a $40 million lawsuit was filed against Trump and the school by Democratic New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. The suit seeks restitution and damages for over 5,000 students from across America. Some students paid up to $35,000 to attend the school. The ad claims Trump is facing massive lawsuits for fraud. Trump changed the schools name to Trump Entrepreneur Initiative before it closed in 2010. Donald Trump made millions while hardworking Americans got scammed, the ad says. Trump had an impressive showing on Super Tuesday, winning Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Vermont and Virginia. He currently leads the Republican field with 319 pledged delegates. Illinois Republican primary will take place on March 15. A flight student from Egypt is facing deportation from the United States after being investigated by federal agents for posting on his Facebook page that he was willing to kill Donald Trump and the world would thank him. While U.S. prosecutors have not charged 23-year-old Emadeldin Elsayed, immigration authorities arrested him last month at the Los Angeles-area flight school he attended and are trying to deport him, attorney Hani Bushra said Wednesday. Elsayed, who is being held in a jail in Orange, California, is devastated at seeing his dreams of becoming a pilot dashed over what Bushra acknowledged was a foolish social media post. An immigration court hearing will determine whether Elsayed will be deported. "It seems like the government was not able to get a criminal charge to stick on him, so they used the immigration process to have him leave the country," Bushra said. "The rhetoric is particularly high in this election, and I just feel he got caught up in the middle." Trump is leading the Republican presidential contenders and has used especially tough talk on immigration to win over many voters. He has vowed to build a wall along the entire Mexican border and has called for temporarily banning Muslims from entering the country. U.S. Secret Service agents interviewed Elsayed in early February after he posted a photo of Trump on Facebook and wrote he was willing to serve a life sentence for killing the billionaire and the world would thank him, Bushra said. The agents returned eight days later and told him federal prosecutors had declined to charge him but said his visa to attend flight school had been revoked. He was arrested by immigration authorities. Immigration and Customs Enforcement authorities issued a statement regarding the arrest. "Mr. Elsayed was taken into custody Feb. 12 by officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) for allegedly violating the terms of his admission to the United States," ICE said in the statement. "Mr. Elsayed remains in ICE custody pending the outcome of immigration proceedings before the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR)." Elsayed said he wrote the message because he was angered by Trump's comments about Muslims. He said he immediately regretted it, and he never intended to harm anyone. "It's just a stupid post. You can find thousands of these every hour on Facebook and the media," he told The Associated Press in a phone interview from jail. "I don't know why would they think I am a threat to the national security of the United States just because of a stupid post." Elsayed said the agent who interviewed him mentioned last year's shooting rampage by a Muslim husband-and-wife couple in San Bernardino and the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, which were carried out by Muslims who had sought flight training in the United States. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said in a statement that Elsayed was arrested because he violated "the terms of his admission to the United States." The agency did not provide further details. The State Department and Secret Service declined to discuss the case. A Trump campaign spokeswoman also declined to comment. Elsayed is from Cairo, but he said he spent much of his life in Saudi Arabia, where his father worked as a civil engineer. He came to the United States for the first time last September to attend Universal Air Academy with the hope of returning to Egypt and getting a job at an airline, he said. He said he'd like to continue his studies in the United States if the government lets him stay. If not, he will seek a refund of some of the $65,000 he has spent on his education and use it to study elsewhere. Alex Khatib, owner of Universal Air Academy, said he knows little about the case except that federal agents showed up at his school to interview and later detain Elsayed. Officials asked him to terminate paperwork he had issued so Elsayed could study for his pilot's license, he said. A student at the school described him as "friendly." "He wasn't violent," said Kenyi Veliz, a student at the El Monte flight school. "He was so friendly with everyone. I was so surprised." Khatib said he would take him back if the government allows. "He is honestly a good student," Khatib said. "He seemed to be a good guy." NBC4's Vikki Vargas and Jonathan Lloyd contributed to this report. A Connecticut State Police dispatcher has been arrested on charges of risk of injury and enticing a minor. Middletown police arrested 48-year-old Jeffrey Norton on Wednesday night. Police did not release details on the investigation that led to Norton's arrest. Norton, of Waterbury, is a dispatcher at State Police Troop I in Bethany and has worked for the state police since 2004, according to Trooper Kelly Grant. He was placed on administrative leave on Wednesday, Grant said. According to Connecticut state statutes, the charge against Norton involves any person who uses a computer service to entice a minor under 16 into sexual activity. Norton posted $1,500 bond and is scheduled to be in court on March 16. Former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney offered a scathing assessment of Donald Trump's candidacy, saying if he becomes the GOP's nominee, "the prospects for a safe and prosperous future are greatly diminished." Romney told the audience at the University of Utah Thursday morning that the billionaire developer is not what he seems, saying, "A business genius he is not." Romney said the "bullying, the showing off and misogyny and third grade theatrics" Trump has displayed on the campaign trail show Trump does not have "the temperament of a stable, thoughtful leader" the country needs. The 2013 GOP nominee offered a series of predictions about Trump, saying there are bombshells in his tax releases he would never make public and his immigration talk "was just that." [NATL] Highlights From the 2016 Campaign Trail "If Im right then youll have all the proof that youll need to know that Donald Trump is a phony," Romney said. Romney said, "Trump's bombast is already alarming our allies and fueling the enmity of our enemies." He said Trump insulting all Muslims will keep many of them from working with the U.S. to fight terrorism and his idea to let "ISIS take out Assad" is reckless. "Donald Trump tells us that he is very, very smart," he said. "I'm afraid that when it comes to foreign policy he is very, very not smart." He later brought up Trump's claims that he saw Muslims in New Jersey celebrating 9/11. "His imagination must not be married to real power," Romney said. Trump's Twitter account was silent during Romney's speech, with the candidate having tweeted earlier that he was en route to Portland, Maine. But Dan Scavino, a Trump senior adviser and director of social media, responded on Twitter that Romney was "very bitter." "I don't think he is a fan of the #TrumpTrain," he wrote. Trump's son Donald Trump Jr also panned Romney as a "loser." Someone pointed out that @realDonaldTrump got 60,000 more votes than Mitt in Mass primary - The state where Romney was governor. #nuffsaid Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) March 3, 2016 At a rally in Maine later Thursday, Trump said Romney was a "failed candidate" who had begged him for his endorsement in 2012. "I could have said, 'Mitt drop to your knees,' and he would have dropped to his knees," Trump said. Romney also addressed his past endorsement by Trump on Twitter. "If Trump had said 4 years ago the things he says today about the KKK, Muslims, Mexicans, disabled, I would NOT have accepted his endorsement," Romney wrote. Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin responded to Romney's attack with a Facebook video questioning his conservative credentials and telling Trump not to "take the bait." The machine's deception and nonsensical attack on Trump isn't really an attack on the candidate, it's an attack on conscientious, hardworking, patriotic Americans who know we need a revolution to stop the complicit politicians who are fundamentally transforming America. We found the revolutionary, she said. Donald Trump is the shock the Permanent Political Class needs to wake them up... to destroy their selfish cabal... to respect the will of the people... to make America safe and solvent... to make America great again. Don't take the bait, Mr. Trump. It's not about you. It's about us. And we've got your back, Palin said. In turning up the rhetoric, Romney cast his lot with a growing chorus of anxious Republican leaders people many Trump supporters view as establishment figures in trying to slow the New York real estate mogul's momentum. Romney branded Trump as "a phony, a fraud" whose "promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University" in his speech. "The only serious policy proposals that deal with the broad range of national challenges we confront today, come from Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, and John Kasich," Romney said of Trump's GOP rivals. "One of these men should be our nominee." Following Romney's speech, Sen. John McCain said in a statement that he shares Romney's concerns and added: "I would also echo the many concerns about Mr. Trumps uninformed and indeed dangerous statements on national security issues that have been raised by 65 Republican defense and foreign policy leaders." [NATL] Super Tuesday: Highlights From Across the US "At a time when our world has never been more complex or more in danger... I want Republican voters to pay close attention to what our party's most respected and knowledgeable leaders and national security experts are saying about Mr. Trump, and to think long and hard about who they want to be our next Commander-in-Chief and leader of the free world," McCain said. If Trump had said 4 years ago the things he says today about the KKK, Muslims, Mexicans, disabled, I would NOT have accepted his endorsement Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) March 3, 2016 Earlier on Thursday, Trump called Romney a "stiff" in a phone interview on NBC's "Today" show. "He was going against a president that shouldve been beaten... The problem is no one came out to vote for Mitt Romney," Trump added. He said "millions and millions of people" are joining the Republic party because "they're energized" by his message. Romney has been chipping away at Trump in recent days, but the speech Thursday was his most forceful statement yet and comes as panicked GOP leaders say they still have options for preventing the billionaire from winning the GOP nomination. It was unclear what impact his words would have with voters deeply frustrated by their party's leaders. Trump, meanwhile, was setting his sights on the general election. His campaign reached out to House Speaker Paul Ryan's office to arrange a conversation between the two men, and urged Republican leaders to view his candidacy as a chance to expand the party. [[302756881, C]] "Why can't the leaders of the Republican Party see that I am bringing in new voters by the millions we are creating a larger, stronger party!" Trump said on Twitter. Indeed, there was a surge in turnout in Super Tuesday's GOP primaries. While that could typically be a welcome sign for a party that has struggled to attract new voters in recent presidential elections, GOP leaders were privately grappling with the reality that some of those voters were in fact registering their opposition to the Republican establishment. In his speech Thursday, Romney called this moment a "time for choosing" that will "have profound consequences for the Republican Party and more importantly, for the country." "Of the remaining candidates," he says, "the only serious policy proposals that deal with the broad range of national challenges we confront have come from Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, and John Kasich." The man police say fatally shot a decorated North Texas police officer Tuesday stole the gun during a home burglary before luring police into an ambush, Euless Chief of Police Michael Brown said at a news conference Wednesday afternoon. Brown identified the killer Wednesday as 22-year-old Jorge Gonzalez, a Euless man with a long rap sheet and well known to Euless police. During a news conference Wednesday, Brown said Gonzalez had been in the city's temporary detention facility after being arrested for public intoxication on Feb. 29. He was released at about 11:30 Tuesday morning, March 1, after being given community service. After his release, Euless police said Gonzalez broke into a home near Carr Park and stole several weapons -- handguns and at least one high-powered rifle. Then, Gonzalez walked to the park and is believed to have begun firing rounds. Euless Mayor Linda Martin and Police Chief Mike Brown discuss the shooting that killed Police Officer David S. Hofer and a second man. Brown said 911 calls were received at about 2:45 p.m. with callers reporting gunshots in Carr Park -- some of which could be heard in a 911 recording. Three Euless officers were dispatched to the park and began searching for the armed person. Brown described the park as a popular recreation area with many open spaces, a jogging trail and a large playground. "Unknown to our responding officers, the suspect had taken a position of cover in a drainage ditch," Brown said. "The spot was somewhat below ground and isolated." Police said he was there to kill as many police officers as possible, and succeeded in killing Officer David Hofer. "It is our belief, based upon the facts known to us, that the suspect took this position to ambush responding officers. Three officers initially responded to the scene during the search of the park. Hofer observed movement in the ditch and gave verbal commands to the person. The person stood up, began firing multiple rounds at the officers. Unfortunately one of these bullets struck David," Brown said. The other officers returned fire, fatally striking Gonzalez, Brown said. Brown said Gonzalez had "many" weapons at his disposal in the ditch, and it's unknown if it was a rifle or a handgun that killed Hofer. It's also unknown how many shots were fired in total. Family, friends, co-workers and the community pay tribute to Euless Police Officer David Hofer, who was killed in the line of duty Tuesday. "It's a sad day for this community, for this region and the state of Texas. We lost one of Euless' finest yesterday. We lost a friend, a family lost a son and a brother, a fiancee lost the love of her life. This community lost an officer with a huge heart and a servant's mindset," Brown said. "We are grieving as a department and a community. The outpouring of support has been amazing and is a true testament to the caliber of this city. Please continue to pray for my officers, David's coworkers, the family and all of his friends. We have much to do as investigation progresses." In his short two years with the department, Hofer had been awarded eight commendations. "We will be forever grateful to our brothers in the Euless Fire Department and to the treating staff at Baylor Hospital Grapevine. We knew they did everything they could do to save David's life. We are thankful for the overwhelming support to our community. we've received countless messages of condolences and words of encouragement as we struggle to deal with this senseless tragedy," Brown said. Gonzalez's family told NBC 5 that Hofer knew the family well, had made many visits to the home and was aware of the man's troubled past and meth addiction. Gonzalez's family said Hofer was always courteous, respectful and professional. They also expressed concern over why Gonzalez was released from custody. They said the young man was a daily drug user and still likely high on methamphetamine when he was released. The man police say fatally shot a decorated Euless police officer Tuesday stole the gun during a home burglary before luring police into an ambush, Euless Chief of Police Michael Brown said. Brown said Gonzalez showed no sign of intoxication when he was released from police custody. His family also said Gonzalez started using drugs after he was sexually abused as a young boy. Court records confirm he was the victim of a sexual assault at the age of 8 and a man convicted of the crime is now serving a life prison sentence. Witnesses to the shooting said they heard three separate periods of gunfire -- a total of a dozen or more shots spread out over about five minutes. "I would say two to three shots at first," said Claudia Mascorro, who was waiting in a car line at a nearby elementary school to pick up her daughter from kindergarten. "And then it stopped for a minute or so. And then several more gunshots. About five or so. And then even more after that." Mascorro said there was about a three minute gap between the first volley of shots and the second; followed a minute later by a final "flurry." She said she could easily tell when the rifle was being shot because it sounded "so much louder and deeper" than the volley of handgun shots. "I want everyone to understand completely, that David Hofer's actions were heroic and saved other lives," Brown said. Fallen Euless Police Officer David Hofer was honored by his former colleagues with the New York Police Department. New York City Police Sgt. Amber Cafaro worked with Hofer before he came to Euless. "Officer Hofer was a genuine guy," she said. "You couldn't help but like him." Cafaro and other members of the Brotherhood for the Fallen are planning to come to Texas for Hofer's funeral. "We're all hurting," she said. NBC 5's Frank Heinz and Scott Gordon contributed to this report. Oregon has its marionberry, and Massachusetts its cranberry and Idaho is known for being rather fond of the huckleberry, which is both tasty and cute-of-name. But 'round about Orange County, and specifically Buena Park? It's all boysenberry, you betcha, and with good reason: The wee purple-hued fruit is forever tied to one of the great theme parks, Knott's Berry Farm. And how could it not be, with "Berry" in the name of the very place, and the stories of farmer Walter Knott, who paid a fateful visit to a Northern California farm and subsequently brought boysenberry tastiness to the world? To honor its boysenhistory, and to look to its boysenfuture, Knott's Berry Farm pauses each spring to host its annual Boysenberry Festival. It's blooming like berries on a vine from March 19 through April 3, but don't think this is all about those mainstay boysenberry-themed foodstuffs like jam and pie. Some 70 edibles will be featured, and several will come from the savory side of the menu. Think ribs slathered in a tart berry-esque sauce, fried cheese curd (the boysenberry shows up as a dipping sauce), various breads, boysenberry Belgium beer, and boysenberry wine. New for 2016 is the oh-so-theme-park-ily named "The Fun Stick," which is a "culinary masterpiece that perfectly combines a creamy boysenberry cheesecake, funnel cake, and boysenberry cream." Is it deep fried? Yes, furthering help it ascend to theme-park-y greatness. To keep The Fun Stick company there's The Fun Bun, which is, wait for it, a cinnamon roll "dipped in funnel cake" and then sent to the deep fryer. The boysenberry cream cheese topper is the last addition. Theme park treats, the ante has just been upped. Once already delicious sweets are receiving a funnel cake bath, pre-deep fryer, well, all other amusement-adjacent food-makers everywhere will clearly have to step up their treat-making. Adding to the specialness of the 16-day run are a bevy of live shows. Nosh on your Fun Stick or Fun Bun while you take in the entertainment. It's a grand berry, one of the Golden State's best-known agra-offerings, and it is so tied to a city, and a destination within that city, that not stopping to celebrate it each year seems a shame. So celebrate the boysenberry we shall, in all of its delicious, purple-tastic, shirt-drippy, deep-fried nummy incarnations. NASA's yearlong spaceman Scott Kelly took a long-anticipated plunge Thursday, jumping into his backyard pool, astronaut outfit and all. "Oh, man, that feels good," Kelly said as he floated to the surface. After nearly a year of space sponge baths, Kelly didn't even take time to change out of his blue flight suit. He walked right up to the edge of the pool, tilted sideways and fell in. It was still dark outside early Thursday morning in Houston he'd been yearning for this moment throughout his U.S- record setting mission. A video of his plunge was posted to his Twitter account Thursday, a day after his return from the International Space Station. "There's no place like home," he tweeted. Kelly looking and acting remarkably hearty after 340 days in space was reunited with his family earlier in the morning after a flight from Kazakhstan, where his mission ended. Kelly's girlfriend, Johnson Space Center public affairs representative Amiko Kauderer, and his two daughters, ages 20 and 12, rushed into his arms after he exited the NASA jet. His identical twin, retired astronaut Mark Kelly, and their father were next to greet him. Also welcoming him home: Mark's wife, former Arizona congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. This last leg of his journey, by plane, took a whole day because of weather delays. So it was in the wee hours 27 hours after returning to Earth in a Russian Soyuz capsule when Kelly finally got to Ellington Airport near Johnson Space Center. "I'm used to going 17,500 mph, but this airplane doesn't do quite that," Kelly joked at a brief welcoming ceremony attended by Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden. She brought him a gift of beer from the president and some apple pie. "Nothing's more American than that!" she said. Kelly noted that when he left Houston in February last year, he was still 50. Now he's 52, thanks to his Feb. 21st birthday. "It was a very long trip," he said. "But it feels great. It's great to be back in Texas on U.S. soil." Before he could go home to his own bed and his own pool Kelly had to detour to Johnson to endure more medical tests to measure his body's adaptation to gravity. The main reason for the long trip double the usual station stint was so NASA could gather data that will keep future Mars explorers healthy and happy during the 2-year expeditions planned for the 2030s and beyond. His brother took part in many of the studies as a ground control and unprecedented genetic double. The Russian cosmonaut with whom Kelly spent the year in space Mikhail Kornienko is undergoing his own medical checkups back home in Star City, Russia. Next up for Kelly: a news conference at Johnson on Friday and a continuing series of tests, expected to last for months and possibly a year. Ditto for his brother. "After 340 days off the planet and 5,400 times around it," Mark proudly tweeted, "it's good to have you home, @StationCDRKelly." Lorne Michaels has seen it all in his many years at "Saturday Night Live." So, when Kanye West freaked out after his set had been tampered with on Feb. 13, Michaels wasn't worried about whether the show would go on. Four days later, though, The New York Post's Page Six released an audio clip of the rapper ranting in his dressing room. "Look at that s--t. They took my f--kin' stage off SNL without asking me and now I'm bummed," West said, threatening to cancel. "Now I ain't gonna do this. We're breaking the motherf--king Internet." West calmed down and went on to perform "Low Lights," "Highlights" and "Ultralight Beams." E! News caught up with Michaels at the "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot" premiere in New York City, where he spoke on the incident. As expected, "SNL's" famously calm creator and executive producer shrugged off West's outburst. "That happened in his dressing room," he explained. "Kanye's been on the show a lot of years, and it's always different. He's an artist, you know? A great artist." To prove his point, Michaels referenced West's appearance at last year's "Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special." For his February 2015 appearance, the rapper made a cameo in a "Wayne's World" sketch with Mike Myers and Dana Carvey and also performed a medley of "Jesus Walks," "Only One" and "Wolves (feat. Sia)." "When he did the 40th anniversary show which I wanted him to be part of it had no idea what he was going to do, even 10 minutes before we went on the air. He arrived that day," Michaels recalled. "But he just always delivers, and he's Kanye." At the time of the audio leak, a source told E! News that West "did not yell at 'SNL' staff. This audio was secretly recorded while he was venting his frustration in a private moment with his team. He found out his stage design was changed and taken apart under the direction of the show's lighting director without anyone's approval. He had spent an entire day rehearsing and a lot of hard work into the performance. Dramatic set changes were made 30 minutes before going live. It should be understandable why he was upset after being completely blindsided." A rep for "Saturday Night Live" did not return requests for comment on the audio leak. (E! and NBC are both members of the NBCUniversal family.) PHOTOS: "Saturday Night Live's" 40th anniversary special PHOTOS: Kanye West's most outrageous quotes Residents in Miami-Dade County now have an additional resource that offers affordable spay/neuter services for their companion animals. On Tuesday March 1, at 10 a.m. Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez, City of Homestead Mayor Jeff Porter and Miami-Dade County Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava, District 8 will host a dedication ceremony for the grand opening of the Miami-Dade County Animal Services and City of Homestead Community Spay/Neuter Clinic (Homestead Community Spay/Neuter Clinic) located at 1034 NE 8th St Homestead, FL 33030. The new Homestead Community Spay/Neuter clinic is a collaborative effort between Miami-Dade County Animal Services (Animal Services) and the City of Homesteadthe first county/municipality collaboration of its kind in South Florida. By implementing life-saving programs and services, Animal Services reached a 90 percent save rate in 2015. As the second offsite spay-neuter clinic funded by Miami-Dade County, the new facility marks yet another milestone in the Countys efforts to save the lives of shelter pets. Reducing the number of unwanted and abandoned pets in our community is a major component in reducing shelter intake, said Alex Munoz Director of Animal Services. Spaying or neutering helps ensure that every pet is wanted and that every pet has a forever home, and it gives the ones that are already here a greater chance at getting a home. Spay and neuter surgeries at the new Homestead Community Spay/Neuter Clinic, are available as follows: Dogs Thursday, Friday and Saturday Cost $30 Cats Thursday, Friday and Saturday Cost $15 Appointments are required and can be scheduled by calling 3-1-1. Walk-in service is sometimes available, but on a limited first come, first served basis. The clinic will also offer free Trap, Neuter, Return (TNR) for community cats. The TNR program is an effective and humane method used to stabilize community cat populations. No appointment is necessary for TNR. Police are looking for three thieves who broke into a Target store in Hialeah early Thursday morning. The three suspects broke in through the front door of the store at 1750 W. 37th Street around 3:30 a.m., officials said. Police said the trio grabbed a shopping cart and went on a stealing spree, swiping iPhones, iPads, Playstations and other items then fled the store. Store surveillance cameras captured the break-in and police were alerted by a monitoring company, officials said. Officials said the thieves were covered from head to toe, so no descriptions were available. They were seen leaving in a white Chrysler 200 or 300. Store managers refused comment early Thursday. Anyone with information is asked to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Major Republican donors aren't the only people fearing a Donald Trump presidency after the GOP frontrunner's dominant performance on Super Tuesday. According to search trends, Americans have been inquiring about packing up for a life in the Great White North. Google Trends reported a spike in searches for "How to move to Canada" after the real-estate mogul's victory in seven states on Super Tuesday. Google's data editor Simon Rogers first reported the trend, tweeting the search had spiked more than 350 percent Tuesday night. Queries surged as high as 1,150 percent, according to Mashable's Brian Ries. [[370838901, C]] Most notably, the majority of the searches Tuesday evening were coming from Massachusetts, where Trump won in a landslide, with 49 percent of the vote. Canadian lawmakers got in on the action, with Toronto City Councillor Norm Kelly posting a link to a page detailing how to move to Americas friendly northern neighbor. [[370838401, C]] Tuesday's search interest for "How to move to Canada" was the largest spike since former president George W. Bush was re-elected in 2004. Trump has proven to be popular with a wide swath of Republican voters, but his controversial comments about banning Muslims and building a wall to stop immigration from Mexico, among other things, have sparked concern among other members of the GOP, as well as Democrats. Google wasn't the only tech company talking politics Wednesday. Kayak, the flights, hotels and car rental search engine, is planning to give to 10 people $250 toward one-way tickets to Canada. "Is the election making you want to pack your bags and head to Canada?" the company said in its press release. The giveaway is open to U.S. residents who reteweet Kayak's "#1WaytoCanada" tweets through Friday at 5 p.m. ET. Junior's, Lindy's and Eileen's are all about to get some big cheesecake comeptition. The Cheescake Factory is set to open its first New York City location at the Queens Center mall in Elmhurst, according to the Queens Courier. The chain restaurant is expected to open by the end of this year. According to the Courier, the restaurant will seat about 180 people inside with an additional 48 seats outside. The restaurant is expected to be in a space formerly occupied by a Verizon Wireless and The Children's Place. Were pleased that Cheesecake Factory is going to join us at Queens Center, said John Scaturro, senior manager of marketing at Queens Center mall told the Courier. Theyre going to be able to provide a nice new dining alternative for our community. The plans for the restaurant are expected to be formally revealed at a Community Board 4 meeting on Tuesday. The Cheesecake Factory opened its first location in Beverly Hills in 1978. The chain has grown to nearly 200 locations nationwide. The chain offers dozens of styles of cheesecake along with other desserts and main courses. There are several Cheesecake Factory locations in malls in New Jersey, Westchester County and on Long Island. Mayor de Blasio announced Thursday he will march in New York City's St. Patrick's Day Parade for the first time since he was elected now that gay and lesbian groups can also participate in the celebration. De Blasio boycotted the parade in 2014, when no LGBT groups were allowed to openly march, and again in 2015, when Out@NBC became the first gay and lesbian group to march in the parade. For two decades theres been a blemish on New York City, de Blasio, flanked by representatives from Irish LGBT groups, said at a press conference Thursday afternoon. The mayor was joined by Councilman Daniel Dromm, an openly gay man who broke down in tears as he spoke about the struggle of the LGBT community to be recognized by organizers of the parade. Both the mayor and Dromm evoked the influence Pope Francis has had on the culture of the Catholic church in regards to accepting LGBT Catholics. Francis message of inclusion, de Blasio said, helped set the tone for this years inclusive parade. The St. Patricks Day Parade is slated for March 17. It proceeds along Fifth Avenue in midtown Manhattan. New York's top prosecutor says a Westchester police department has been cleared of any criminal wrongdoing in the jail death of a mother of eight. The probe into the death of Raynette Turner while she was in custody at the Mount Vernon Police Department marked the first time Attorney General Eric Schneiderman undertook an investigation into a fatal police encounter since Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo gave the attorney general authority in those cases. At a news conference in Westchester County on Thursday, Schneiderman said a seven-month investigation found police bore no "criminal culpability." However, his office has compiled a report that includes several policy recommendations for the police department, including measures that would speed up arraignments of arrestees. Relatives had disputed an autopsy that found Turner, 42, died from an enlarged heart and chronic cocaine and morphine use. An attorney for the family did not immediately return a call for comment on Schneiderman's announcement. Police officials in Mount Vernon said Turner was arrested July 25, a Saturday, for stealing a package of crab legs from a wholesale food store. While awaiting a Monday arraignment, she reported not feeling well and was taken by ambulance to a hospital. She was treated for high blood pressure, then returned to her cell a few hours later. Turner was found dead on July 27. Investigators from the attorney general's office interviewed more than 40 witnesses and reviewed surveillance video that captured nearly the entire duration of Turner's confinement, authorities said. They also reviewed more than 1,700 pages of medical records as part of the probe. Among those who asked Cuomo to empower the attorney general to investigate police cases was the mother of Eric Garner, who died after a police chokehold. No officers were indicted in his death. A federal court in Minnesota has created a program to assess the risks posed by terrorism defendants and come up with plans to deradicalize them so they don't engage in similar activities again. U.S. District Judge Michael Davis, who has handled recent terrorism cases in Minnesota, outlined the program Wednesday and called it the first of its kind in the country. It initially will be applied to four men who have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to provide material support to the Islamic State group, and Davis said it could be expanded to supervise other terror defendants, including those being released from prison and re-entering society. "We are being proactive in trying to protect and serve the community," Davis said. Minnesota has the largest Somali population in the U.S. and it has been a target for terrorism recruiters. About a dozen Minnesota residents have traveled to Syria to join militant groups in recent years. In addition, more than 22 young men from Minnesota's Somali community have left the state since 2007 to join al-Shabab in Somalia. Ten men have been charged in the recent Islamic State group cases. One is believed to be in Syria, while five await trial. Four others Abdirizak Mohamed Warsame, Hanad Mustofe Musse, Zacharia Yusuf Abdurahman and Abdullahi Mohamed Yusuf have pleaded guilty. Prosecutors have described the men as friends who recruited and inspired each other to join the Islamic State group. Davis said Wednesday that the court's deradicalization program enlists the help of Daniel Koehler, director of the German Institute on Radicalization and De-radicalization Studies, and that it has two parts. First, Koehler will evaluate the risks posed by the four men who have pleaded guilty and will offer recommendations for deradicalizing each one. The purpose of that evaluation, which is in addition to a standard presentencing investigation, is to give Davis more information as he determines the men's sentences. Koehler will then train U.S. probation and pretrial officers, who will be responsible for supervising the defendants. Davis said the four can object to the evaluation if they don't want to participate. Jon Hopeman, the attorney for Abdurahman, said he just learned of the program Wednesday morning when the judge explained it to attorneys. He said he'll study it to get a better understanding, and will consult with Abdurahman and Abdurahman's family. U.S. Attorney Andy Luger said he supports the court's initiative. "This program is one important step to address terror recruiting by assisting those who want to reject the call of ISIL," Luger said in a statement. The most recent "Downtown Abbey" ended with Lord Grantham, he of the exploding ulcer, striking a rare note of tranquility after the sudden marriage of his tempest-in-a-fascinator daughter, Lady Mary. "It seems all our ships are coming into port," he declared. The maritime imagery proved appropriate for the UK period piece, which launched with the 1912 Titanic disaster and wended its way over six seasons to 1925. The sinking of the supposedly invincible British passenger liner set the course for a series chronicling the last vestiges of a feudal-based, outmoded way of life, buffeted by disruptive technological and social upheaval, not to mention modern warfare. Lord Grantham's peaceful post-wedding reflection could have provided a neat-enough ending for the ITV-PBS drama's run. But "Downton Abbey" sets sail one last time Sunday, marking a final voyage for an unlikely hit on both sides of the Atlantic. "Downton," emerged from its post-Edwardian trappings to connect with todays audience. Much of the credit goes to creator Julian Fellowes for imbuing the program with a (mostly) strong balance of wit and character-driven upstairs-downstairs drama set against a vibrant, century-past landscape. He also instilled in Downton a quasi-contemporary sensibility: If there were Reality TV at the time, feuding sisters Mary and Edith would have been casting cinches for "The Real Ladies of Yorkshire." Conflict stoked by progress (remember how the arrival of a telephone flummoxed head butler Carson in Season 1?) also proved relatable as did tensions between the One Percent and the rest of the world. Not that there was ever any chance of armed insurrection at Grantham Manor. Lord Grantham takes seriously, to the point of worrying himself sick, his duty to care for his underlings, wielding a high hand cloaked in a velvet glove. Carson is even more dedicated to the old ways, keeping up appearances at all costs amid new economic realities. One of the strengths of the shows final run rests in watching various characters slowly acclimate to a rapidly evolving world, one thats soon to change far faster and more irrevocably than any of the Downton set could imagine. Tom and Mary are managing the estate with a forward-looking practicality. Edith broke barriers to run a women's magazine. Sure, Maggie Smith's wisecracking Dowager Countess lost her battle to keep control of the local hospital. But she's shown a practical streak in holding her tongue amid scandal that suggests she's learned how to survive at the top. Adaptation extends to the servants' quarters: Mrs. Patmore, Downtons earthy cook, opened her own (scandal-plagued) bed-and-breakfast. Newlyweds Carson and Mrs. Hughes appear poised to follow suit (presumably sans intrigue). Seemingly ditsy kitchen hand Daisy learned to embrace education and gained a sense of social justice. Ditto for Mr. Molesley, who is on his way to becoming an effective school teacher. Stubborn social mores, though, make life tougher for some than others. Footman Thomas struggled to find a reason to live in an era unaccepting of the love that dare not speak its name. Poor Lady Edith apparently blew her last chance at happiness by concealing her out-of-wedlock daughter from a principled (and newly titled) man who would have accepted the truth, but couldn't live with her deception. Speaking of kids, perhaps perennially star-crossed servants Anna and Bates, thanks to medical advances, will find lasting happiness through a child of their own. Anna's pregnancy and all the little Crawleys running around the manor offer a reminder of what viewers know is on tap for the world, beyond mid-1920s Downton. The offspring will come of age during World War II. Looming even sooner is the 1929 stock market crash, when old money and new sunk into a dark abyss overnight. Smooth sailing may prove elusive for the Downton denizens, even in the short term. As he enjoyed his moment of satisfaction in the latest episode, Lord Grantham, allowed that the manor is destined for new surprises: "I'm sure we haven't seen the last one yet." His words and a preview of the finale portend for some waves as "Downton Abbey" sails off into the sun as it sets on the British Empire. When an American lies wounded on a battlefield, the training of emergency medical personnel can be the difference between life and death. However, some are disputing what the training should consist of and how important the use of live tissue trauma training is in preparing physicians and paramedical personnel. Tissue training is when live animals -- mainly pigs and goats -- are cut, shot or have limbs severed while euthanized as medics try to keep the animal alive. The object is to simulate real world conditions of responding to trauma injuries as closely as possible. Supporters of this trauma training said these types of injuries are far more common on the modern battlefield because of the wide spread use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) which result in massive hemorrhaging. NBC 7 Investigates spoke to a former military doctor at Balboa Navy Hospital, Dr. Thomas J. Poulton, who said he believes the military should stop using animals during medical training because new technology makes it unnecessary. These issues were addressed during a recent briefing on Capitol Hill held by Congressman Ted Lieu of California and PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). The congressman told NBC 7 Investigates, "To me its really barbaric that we are having this kind of practice for some of our medics in the military." PETA argued that the public never hears of the non-human victims of war: animals "who are shot, burned, poisoned, and otherwise tormented in military experiments and training exercises. Lieu is co-sponsoring a bill which would eliminate the use of animals during military medical training exercises. It's called the Battlefield Excellence through Superior Training (BEST) Practices Act. Some services have largely done away with this training; some have not, Congressman Lieu said. We want the DOD (Department of Defense) to issue a directive saying no service shall engage in live training of animals where they basically maim pigs, dogs, goats and go have these folks deal with the injuries. It really is torturing these animals. Lt. Colonel Dawn Sitzhugh, a doctor of veterinary physician, said the DOD has the responsibility to provide realistic training for combat medics. She said the agency is "moving away from animal based training methods" but the department feels the human models or human simulators arent ready yet to provide realistic training. "The feedback we get from our medics was the animal patients provide them with very realistic training before they deploy and that is critical to the success of our mission," she said. The places where "we have been able to replace animal-based training with simulator-based training, the department has done so. She added that its not time to completely drop tissue trauma training because to do that would put members of the military at risk and any compromise of that training puts them at greater risk. Dr. Anahita Dua of the Medical College of Wisconsin doesnt agree. She said, "killing animals is not required at all to insure the training of personnel. What you are gaining is almost nothing. She said of her training was done on human cadavers and reusable models, which show the human anatomy. She argues using animals for training jeopardizes wounded soldiers. When you are training combat medics, Dr. Dua said, you are sending people "who dont particularly do this type of work in the battlefield, and sometimes all the training they get is on animals, and the problem with that is when they are finally faced with a human, you are talking about a completely different anatomy." According to the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, the U.S. military uses more than 8,500 animals every year in its combat trauma training courses, including some raised in San Diego County. NBC 7 Investigates found a Virginia Beach, Virginia-based civilian contractor had a $399,960 contract with the U.S. Navy to provide combat trauma training in the region. A response to a Freedom of Information Request shows the contractor has been issued a "stop order" by the U.S. Navy because they are in violation of local zoning laws. Due to the stop order, the training has been stopped. According to the documents, if and when the company's trauma training is "properly license and permitted," the Navy's stop order will be lifted. Click here to read the FOIA request sent to the U.S. Navy. This story was published with research help from Autumn Shultz, a student at Point Loma Nazarene University. A champ on a 12-foot-tall unicycle, sword swallowers, fire jugglers and a record-holder for high-flying stunts on a pogo stick are among the street performers taking center stage at a quirky festival this weekend at Seaport Village. In its 10th year, the annual Spring Busker Festival goes down from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. this Saturday and Sunday at San Diegos waterfront landmark. As always, the free outdoor fest highlights awe-inspiring, eclectic busker acts from around the nation. This years lineup of professional performers is diverse and, of course, death-defying. The lineup includes The Flying Tortilla, a group of Southern California performers who combine breakdancing, acrobatics, tumbling, circus skills and comedy in their act. Theres also CREW, a San Diego-based percussion group that specializes in repurposing everyday objects for their percussive performance. Then theres Pogo Fred, a multiple Guinness World Record holder who hails from Ohio and performs tricks on his pogo stick, including jumping more than seven feet in the air. Jamey Mossengren a seven-time World Unicycle Champion from Los Angeles will also treat attendees to some stunts as he rides his 12-foot-tall unicycle. Other performers include Martika Daniels, a Kansas City-based busker who, among many tricks, walks barefoot across broken glass. Professional sword-swallower, Murrugun the Mystic, will also perform. Jugglers, comics and others gifted with quirky talents round out the two-day fest. Event organizers say that while the performances are free, tips for the buskers are encouraged. When night falls on Saturday, Seaport Village will host an after-hours, 18+ version of the fest Buskers After Dark, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. This portion of the event includes a DJ spinning tunes, food and drink specials, as well as fire acts, adult humor and high-energy performances. Parking for the Spring Busker Festival is available in the regular Seaport Village parking lots, where guests pay $4 for the first three hours with validation from a Seaport Village business and $3 every 30 minutes thereafter. For the festival, there will also be extra parking available at the nearby Hilton Hotel Bayfront on Park Boulevard. The all-day parking rate there is $10 per car. Free shuttles will be available to take visitors back and forth from the hotel lot to Seaport Village. Shuttles will run every 15 minutes from 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Seaport Village is also easily accessible via trolley or bus. Visit the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System website for route details. Students across America are celebrating Dr. Seuss' birthday on Wednesday in the best way possible: by reading a book. Dubbed "Read Across America," the famed author's birthday has become a celebration of literacy. Thousands of schools, libraries and community centers are celebrating the day, including many in San Diego County. Dr. Seuss, whose real name was Theodor Geisel, died in 1991. He and his wife, Audrey Geisel, were longtime La Jolla residents and made a number of contributions to UC San Diego. If he were still alive, Seuss would be 112 today. An Uber driver was arrested Thursday on suspicion of driving under the influence after colliding with a party bus in the Gaslamp Quarter, San Diego Police said. The crash occurred just before midnight on F Street between 6th and 7th avenues amongst restaurants and nightclubs. The Uber driver ran a red light and crashed into the back of the charter bus, police said. Only the driver was on board the bus at the time of the crash. The Uber drivers vehicle burst into flames, SDPD Lt. Dan Smith said. He was on his Uber shift. We dont know if he had driven anybody yet but he said he had driven downtown to pick up a fare, Smith said. However, a spokesperson for Uber denies that the unidentified driver was on his way to pick up a fare. "This individual was not logged in to the Uber app at the time this incident occurred or on his way to pick up a rider," the spokesperson said in a statement to NBC 7. Video captured the driver fall the ground as officers and firefighters attempted to restrain him. He was eventually cuffed and masked before being transported to a nearby hospital for injuries he suffered in the crash. The party bus driver was also injured and taken to a nearby hospital, police said. Smith said the Uber driver failed a field sobriety test. Its likely the driver will face charges of misdemeanor driving under the influence and resisting arrest, Smith said. He's also no longer an Uber driver according to the company. "We are clearly disappointed that this occurred and have permanently removed this driver-partner's access to the Uber platform," an Uber company spokesperson said. Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump ripped into former GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney at a pre-debate rally in Portland, Maine, on Thursday. "He's a choke artist... He choked like I've never seen anyone choke," Trump said of Romney, who held a press conference in Utah earlier in the day in which he blasted Trump's candidacy, calling him "a phony" and "a fraud." Trump criticized Romney for his loss to President Barack Obama in 2012. "Mitt was a disaster of a candidate. He let us down," Trump said. "That was a race that should have been won." Donald Trump didnt hold back when it came to criticizing Mitt Romney, the 2012 GOP presidential nominee and former Massachusetts governor, after Romneys speech Thursday morning. He also spoke of how Romney "begged" him for his endorsement in 2012. "I could have said, 'Mitt, drop to your knees.'" Trump said Romney "chickened out," and decided not to run this time because he was afraid to run against him. Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker walked away from reporters when they asked for comment on former Gov. Mitt Romneys tirade against Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump. Though most of his remarks focused on Romney, Trump attacked Republican opponent Marco Rubio as well, calling him "a lightweight." He also said he's looking forward to running against Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton. Republican Gov. Paul LePage joined Trump at the rally. LePage has joked on several occasions that he provided the template for being an outspoken politician. "Donald Trump is a little bit like I am," LePage said Thursday. "He is not afraid of the political establishment." About 100 people protested Trump's visit Thursday, holding signs that said "Drump Trump" and "Love always trumps hate." At least four protesters were thrown out of the rally itself, which was held at the Westin Portland Harborview Hotel Ballroom. Republican candidate Ted Cruz is scheduled to visit the University of Maine in Orono on Friday, and Democratic contender Bernie Sanders held a rally in Portland on Wednesday. Both Maine's Republican and Democratic caucuses are scheduled to be held this weekend. A series of patients have reported suffering severe burns from fires while undergoing surgery at D.C.-area hospitals, according to a News4 I-Team review. The incidents, at least four of which triggered lawsuits, date back almost a decade, but some victims and safety advocates said the frequency of the fires reveals a lack of oversight by some government agencies. In a lawsuit filed in Fairfax County Circuit Court in late 2015, Beverly Wilson said she suffered severe burns across her face and other parts of her body from a fire in an operating room of Inova Fairfax Hospital in December 2013. Wilsons civil suit alleged the fire started when a doctor began using an electrical surgical tool. An oxygen mask was being administered to Wilson, the suit said, and the drapes surrounding her face caught fire, triggering her face itself to catch fire. In her complaint, Wilson also said she suffered severe burns, dental injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder. Wilson and Inova reached a settlement agreement Monday, her attorney said. Wilsons suit references a similar incident at an Inova hospital in Alexandria in 2005. During the procedure, an electrocautery unit was used concurrently with an oxygen mask, which had oxygen flowing to it, the suit alleged. Oxygen leaked from the mask and pooled under the drapes, which had been placed about the patients face. A fire erupted and the patient suffered burns to her face and head. Wilsons lawsuit claims Inova designed changes in its surgical procedures after the 2005 incident, which shouldve prevented the 2013 fire. Inova Hospital took steps designed to prevent operating room fires, including but not limited to discontinuing the use of oxygen face masks, lowering oxygen levels and requiring healthcare providers utilizing its operating rooms to implement a checklist of prevention steps before surgical procedures, the lawsuit said. In its court filings, Inova has denied many of the allegations in Wilsons lawsuit. Quality care and patient safety are Inovas top priorities as we strive to deliver the best outcomes for our patients, the hospital said in a statement to News4. When asked whether its surgical procedures were adjusted after the 2005 incident, an Inova spokesman said there was no absolute discontinuation of the use oxygen masks. Not every patient is intubated nor do nasal oxygen prongs meet every patient requirement, he said. While I cannot address specific patient care plans, there are circumstances when a mask is required and/or is a patients preference. These care plans are always developed with the patient in mind. The I-Teams review found other lawsuits filed by other Washington, D.C.-area patients seeking damages for injuries suffered in operating room fires. The patient involved in the 2005 fire, referenced in Wilsons lawsuit, said she suffered second- and third-degree burns. Rita Talbert, of Stafford County, told News4 the fire was similar in cause and devastation to the one alleged by Wilson. Talbert said the injuries were grievous. She said shes undergone 18 surgeries to treat her injuries. I still get angry, she said. Sometimes I just feel like going up there and standing in the hospital and say, Look at me. Look what youve done. Military veteran Steven Vince Anthony sued the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for a 2011 incident at the agencys medical center in Martinsburg, West Virginia. When the cauterizing instrument was applied to (Anthonys) face, it ignited the materials used in the surgery including, but not limited to, the preparation solution, the tenting materials, and the oxygen that was being administered to (Anthony), Anthonys suit said. The lawsuit was settled. Anthony said the injuries to his face and hands were severe and still cause him pain and suffering. If all (surgical) procedures happen the way theyre supposed to, it wont happen, he said. Its completely 100 percent avoidable. The Martinsburg VA Medical Center is committed to providing a safe environment for our patients, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs told the I-Team. We are always looking for ways to improve service, care and safety at our medical center. When there are instances of care that have results outside the realm of expected outcomes, we employ all available resources to identify the issue, the cause and how to fix the issue so it will not happen again. Catherine Reuter said her mother suffered a similar surgical fire in 2002 at a hospital in Washington, D.C. Reuter said her mothers face ignited, causing third-degree facial burns, when the medical team allowed surgical equipment to ignite the chemical compound theyd applied to her mothers face. Its hard to imagine being alive and being in an operating room and being set on fire, Reuter said. Catherine Reuter, who started SurgicalFire.org after her mother was in a surgical fire, suggests patients ask hospitals these questions about surgical fire risk before undergoing an operation. Reuter created a safety organization and website, SurgicalFire.org, to raise awareness of the risk of surgical fires. Hospitals should stage regular operating room fire drills, Reuter said. They should also undertake fire risk assessment tests before performing surgeries, she said. If anybody on your surgical team doesnt know what a surgical fire is, they shouldnt be in the operating room, she said. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said hospitals are encouraged to report fires that occur in operating rooms. The agency said a medical association, the Joint Commission, monitors the risk of surgical fires nationwide. An estimated 200 to 650 surgical fires -- fires that occur in, on or around a patient who is undergoing a medical or surgical procedure -- occur in the U.S. annually, a Joint Commission spokeswoman told the I-Team. The I-Teams review found only some local governments require those fires be reported to health officials. Maryland and D.C.s health departments said they require medical providers to notify the government if a fire occurs during surgery. D.C.s health department reported being notified of two such fires since 2005. In the past 10 years, Maryland hospitals have reported 13 fires in operating suites in which electrocautery has ignited pockets of oxygen, paper drapes or antibacterial scrub liquid, a spokesman for Marylands Department of Health and Mental Hygiene said. There were no fatalities with these events and generally only minor injuries were sustained. But the I-Team found Virginias state health department does not require such reporting. An agency spokesman said the Virginia Department of Health was not specifically aware of the cases involving Wilson or Talbert at the Inova facilities. A spokeswoman for FUSE, an organization which offers educational programs about surgery and surgical equipment for medical providers, said Inova is a test center for its program. Full statement from Inova to News4: Quality care and patient safety are Inovas top priorities as we strive to deliver the best outcomes for our patients. Certainly we regret unfortunate and unanticipated outcomes when they occur, as rare as they may be. We are diligent about conducting root cause analyses following such circumstances, which are, as you know, confidential pursuant to Virginia law. The findings of these reviews guide our continuing efforts toward process improvement. That said, please be aware that every patients care plan is unique based upon his or her individual requirements as well as preferences. Specifically, the quote from 2005 should not have implied or, consequently, be understood as an absolute with respect to the use of an oxygen mask. Not every patient is intubated nor do nasal oxygen prongs meet every patient requirement. While I cannot address specific patient care plans, there are circumstances when a mask is required and/or is a patients preference. These care plans are always developed with the patient in mind. All Inova hospitals are accredited by The Joint Commission, which is recognized nationwide as a level of quality that reflects an organizations commitment to meet certain performance standards. Patient safety is a critical part of our service as a healthcare provider as we seek every opportunity to meet the unique needs of each person we are privileged to serve. The I-Team surveyed local hospitals to check whether they regularly conduct drills to practice and simulate their response to an operating room fire: MedStar Washington: MedStar Washington Hospital Center conducted a comprehensive operating room fire drill in December 2015 with our OR team. The fire drill involved simulating two fire scenarios in the procedure areas. Well conduct another drill in the OR this fall. University of Maryland Medical System: The University of Maryland Medical Center does perform OR fire drills and simulation exercises, and conducted at least a dozen drills per quarter in FY 2015. Adventist HealthCare, Shady Grove: Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center and Adventist HealthCare Washington Adventist Hospital do conduct annual fire drills in the operating rooms at each hospital. In addition, they hold annual in-service fire safety training sessions. George Washington University Hospital: GW Hospital meets and exceeds recommendations regarding OR fire drills, including performing both the drills, as well as offering fire safety education. Frederick Memorial Hospital: FMH held 31 fire drills in 2015, including two operating room specific drills. Johns Hopkins Medicine: (JHMI) does the drills each year and also include annual training on surgical fires for relevant staff. Reported by Scott MacFarlane, produced by Rick Yarborough, shot by Jeff Piper and Steve Jones, and edited by Jeff Piper. A family is still looking for answers after they arrived at their grandmother's viewing last Friday to find someone else in her casket. "I just want her to have a proper funeral and burial, if it's not too late. We just want to find our grandmother," Dana Murphy Mayberry said of her late grandmother Virginia Gray. News4's Pat Collins first reported this story Tuesday. On Wednesday, Horton's Funeral Home said the woman's body they have was identified to them by the Prince George's Hospital Center as Virginia Gray. "The family says not. The hospital says it is," said R. Bowman Horton, owner of Horton's. "The hospital tagged it Virginia Gray, so they're holding to their guns that we have the right person." Gray, who was 83, went to Prince George's Hospital Center on Feb. 19 after becoming unconscious, and later died at the hospital. Horton's said it picked up Gray's body and prepared her for the viewing and burial, but the family has said they are positive the woman they saw in the casket was not their grandmother. According to the family, the body in the casket had two different identification markers, a bracelet and a toe tag. The bracelet had the name Athens Doe, birthdate "01/01/1950" and age 66. The toe tag had the name Virginia E. Gray, birthdate "02/10/1933" and age 83. But both tags have the same ID number. The family also says Gray had surgical scars and the woman's body that was in the casket at Horton's did not have those scars. Horton's said it will do DNA testing to verify the identity of the body, Collins reports. Dimensions Healthcare Systems released the following statement to News4 on Thursday: "On Monday, February 22, a representative from Hortons Funeral Home arrived at the hospital to pick up the body. The funeral home presented a signed release form giving them permission by the family to retrieve the body and the death certificate. Prince Georges Hospital Center has a thorough verification process prior to releasing any bodies from the morgue to include verification of the patients name and medical record number on the body bag, ID bracelet, morgue log and pick up slip to name just a few of the check points. Throughout the verification process, all of the information matched and we are confident that we released the right individual to the funeral home. The situation that the Gray Family is experiencing is extremely unfortunate and we, along with the family, hope that it is resolved soon." Prince George's Hospital Center is a member of DHS. A 9-year-old boy told his fourth-grade teacher a school aide was sexually abusing him on school grounds, but the teacher ignored him, according to a new lawsuit in the troubling child pornography and sex abuse case in Prince George's County, Maryland. The lawsuit filed Tuesday says the child told his teacher at Sylvania Woods Elementary School in Glenarden that school volunteer and choir director Deonte Carraway was molesting him, but the teacher told him to return to his seat. "I don't believe you. Go sit down," the suit says the teacher said. Families previously have said school administrators failed to take action when they were informed of possible abuse, but this is the first time a teacher has been accused of ignoring an account of abuse. On Monday, a federal grand jury indicted Carraway on 13 counts of sexually exploiting children. Prosecutors say the Glenarden resident filmed videos of children age 9 to 12 having sex with him and each other at the elementary school and other locations in Maryland. Prince George's County police have identified 17 victims. Sexual abuse victim advocate Lisae Jordan said the teacher, who is named in the suit, was obliged to report the student's account to police or child welfare officials even if they did not believe it was true. "This is a case where a child is saying 'Someone tried to use me to create child pornography.' That teacher should have reported," said Jordan, who is the executive director of the Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault. In Maryland, everyone -- not just teachers -- is required to report child abuse to authorities. "In Maryland, everyone is a mandatory reporter. So, if you or I know that a child might be being abused, might be being neglected, we have the duty to report that," Jordan explained. However, while the victim can sue the teacher and school board, in Maryland, the teacher cannot be charged with a crime for not reporting possible abuse. "There are not criminal penalties in Maryland. That's something that the General Assembly has really struggled over for many years but resisted," Jordan said. Another gap in Maryland's laws puts children at risk, the advocate said. "Right now, that teacher could fail to report, the police could know the teacher failed to report, and they wouldn't even have to tell the school board," Jordan said. The Maryland General Assembly is considering a law to require police to tell a school board if they know of a teacher who did not report possible abuse. Prince George's County Public Schools declined to comment on the lawsuit and the employment status of the fourth-grade teacher. "PGCPS has a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to abuse reporting," a spokeswoman said. "There is an expectation that staff and administrators report everything." A man fired at police officers responding to a domestic dispute in Fairfax County, Virginia, Wednesday night, just days after an officer responding to a similar incident in Northern Virginia was shot and killed, police say. Syed Javid, 19, walked out of his home carrying two guns and opened fire on officers about 5 p.m. in the Franconia section of the county, police said. Officers in turn fired beanbags at him and released a police dog. Officers were called to a home on the 6200 block of Larkspur Drive about 5 p.m. for what was initially reported as a suspicious event, possibly with guns involved. Officers had been called to the same home about 9 a.m. because of a physical fight between Javid and his father, police said. As officers approached the home, they were fired at, police said. Javid then emerged wearing matching camouflage pants and a hat, carrying two guns, police said. As a SWAT team responded, neighbors were warned to take cover in their basements, and nearby streets were closed. "Initially, he dropped the long gun, refused commands but then dropped the handgun," Police Chief Ed Roessler said. "He was also given commands to go down to the ground so we could execute a safe arrest. He refused those commands and started to go towards the officers." The long gun was determined to be a realistic-looking replica of an assault rifle. No officers or neighbors were hurt. Javid was taken to a waiting ambulance with minor injuries. Neighbor Katie Harvey was trying to pick up her young son from her parents house and found streets in the area blocked. "My parents had been locked in the basement," she said. The police chief noted that Prince William County lost an officer on Saturday as she responded to an eerily similar domestic dispute. "Officer Ashley Guindon gave her life in the line of duty for the same type of event," Roessler said. "This is what we do every day in the Fairfax County Police Department and nationwide as a profession." Javid will be charged pending consultations with prosecutors, the police chief said. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie took to the podium to introduce Donald Trump after Trump's impressive showing on Super Tuesday. As Trump began his victory speech from Florida, Christie stepped back and stood behind him with a blank stare. An animated Trump took questions from reporters while Christie stood motionless in the background and did not maintain the role of "hype man." Soon, Christie was trending on Twitter. "I'm a unifier. I know people are going to find that a little hard to believe but believe me," Trump said to the press. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump was sweeping through the South on Super Tuesday, with the Republican front-runner claiming victory in the partys primaries in Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Virginia and Massachusetts. "We have expanded the Republican party. When you look at what's happened at South Carolina and you see the kinds of numbers that we got, in terms of extra people coming in." What was Christie thinking while Trump spoke? One person on Twitter posted a clip with Simon and Garfunkel's "Sound of Silence" in the background. Here are more of the social media posts that opined on the occasion. . Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders rallied supporters in Maine just days ahead of the state's caucuses. Sanders told more than 1,000 supporters gathered at the State Theater in Portland on Wednesday that people once thought of him as a "fringe" candidate and Hillary Clinton as the "inevitable nominee." He told supporters, "Guess what? She's not so inevitable today." Sanders won his home state of Vermont, along with Colorado and Minnesota, in Super Tuesday voting. The Vermont senator has a strong following in Maine. He drew about 7,000 people to a rally at the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland in July. Sanders isn't the only presidential candidate focusing on Maine. Republican Ted Cruz will hold a rally at Hauck Auditorium at the University of Maine in Orono at 10:30 a.m. on Friday. Maine's Democratic caucus will take place on Sunday. The state's Republicans will hold their caucus on Saturday. The U.S. attorney in Massachusetts is launching a civil rights investigation into allegations of racism at Boston Latin School, the nation's oldest public school. U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz said the probe was prompted by a written complaint from civil rights organizations and community members that raised concerns about racial harassment and discrimination, among other alleged problems, at the prestigious school. "We will conduct a thorough investigation into the recent complaints about racism" at Boston Latin, Ortiz said in a statement. A recently released Boston Public Schools report found seven incidents related to race and ethnicity at Boston Latin between November 2014 and January 2016. According to the school district's Office of Equity, the administration mishandled one such incident, which occurred in November 2014 when a white male student allegedly made a racial slur about lynching to a black female student. Another incident later that month involved racially charged social media posts, which were brought to the attention of the headmaster by two black students. Four students accused of making some of the posts met privately with school administrators and "there were no further issues," the school said. The office issued a set of recommendations to district Supt. Tommy Chang in order to "improve the culture and climate" at the Boston Latin School, which Chang pledged to implement. Chang and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh are cooperating with the investigation, according to Ortiz, although Walsh previously said, "I don't think a federal probe is necessary." In a statement, Walsh and Chang said the investigation will look into the school's culture and other allegations, and will "make recommendations on how the district should move forward." Community leaders in Boston have said they're not happy with the findings of the Office of Equity's investigation. Meanwhile, the Boston's NAACP branch is calling for Boston Latin's headmaster, Dr. Lynne Mooney Teta, to step down. "After weeks of self-reflection and frank conversations, I realize that in important ways I have not succeeded," Mooney Teta wrote in an open letter to the school community last week. "I am truly sorry." Boston Latin was founded in 1635 and names among its notable alunmni five signers of the Declaration of Independence, including John Hancock, Samuel Adams and Benjamin Franklin. Ari Mason contributed to this report. Donald Trump has won the Massachusetts and Vermont Republican primaries, according to NBC News projections. Republican voters gave Trump the win over fellow Republican candidates Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, John Kasich and Ben Carson, who were hoping for strong second place finishes. For Republicans, Massachusetts has 42 delegates awarded on a proportional basis. That means multiple candidates will likely receive delegates. All GOP delegates are awarded based on the primary tally. Trump was projected as the Vermont Republican primary winner overnight. Heading into Super Tuesday, Trump was leading the pack with 82 delegates after winning New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada. Cruz won Iowa and was in second with 17 delegates. Rubio was in a close third with 16 delegates. The Republican candidates spent Monday making a final push for voters. Trump ended his campaigning in Georgia, where he was joined on stage by some big names in NASCAR. Kasich spent the day campaigning in New England, while Cruz focused his attention on Texas. Rubio's stops included Georgia and Oklahoma. In Massachusetts, Gov. Charlie Baker headed to the polls in Swampscott early Tuesday morning. Baker had endorsed former Republican candidate Chris Christie, who is no longer in the running and has not backed another candidate publicly. He didn't say who he voted for, but did say it wasn't Trump or Cruz. Andy Sexton, CEO of the Matthew Project, introduces a series of tributes from the charity to its founder, Peter Farley. Andy Sexton, CEO of the Matthew Project, introduces a series of tributes from the charity to its founder, Peter Farley. Cliff look alike at Cromer Church breakfast Cliff Richard tribute performer Will Chandler will be the speaker at a special Mens Breakfast at Cromer Parish Hall next month, and all men are welcome to come along. Read more Heartsease Lane Methodist church to close As part of a reorganisation of the Norwich Methodist Circuit, Heartsease Lane Methodist Church will be closing towards the end of the year. Read more Free Julian of Norwich reflection and prayer day The Friends of Julian of Norwich present a free Quiet Half-Day with Robert Fruehwirth, author and former Priest Director of the Julian Centre, on Saturday November 12, 10.30am-2pm. Read more What it means for us to repent Nigel Fox believes that now is the time for a tide of repentance, and shares his thoughts about what that actually means for our society. Read more Christmas card shop opens in Norwich church Thousands of Christmas cards from around 30 local Norfolk charities have gone on sale today (October 19) at the Original Norwich Charity Christmas Card Shop inside St Peter Mancroft church in Norwich city centre. Read more Revelation Christian Resource Centre and Cafe Revelation in Norwich is a Christian resource centre, offering a bookshop, a meeting place and a welcoming refuge for refreshment open to visitors of any faith or none. Read more Farewell as Yarmouth church leader moves on Captain Marie Burr, the Salvation Army leader in Great Yarmouth, has paid tribute to everyone at the church and charity after she left her post at the end of last month to move to a new role. Read more Norwich Cathedral chorister in BBC final Norwich Cathedral chorister Alice Platten has her sights set on being crowned BBC Young Chorister of the Year after reaching the final stages of the prestigious nationwide competition. Read more Norwich to hear pastor, Policeman and tramp tale Essex Baptist Pastor Dave McDowell has been a Policeman, fed orphans in India and lived under a boat as a tramp. He will tell his remarkable story at the October dinner of Norwich FGB on Wednesday October 26. Read more Pioneer UK leader speaks at Sheringham church Ness Wilson, national leader of the Pioneer network of churches, was the main speaker at a day of teaching and worship held at Lighthouse Community Church in Sheringham on 12 October, to be followed up by Word and Worship sessions at October half term. Read more Norwich event to give tips on bouncing forwards St Stephens in Norwich will be hosting an evening in October with Patrick Regan OBE, as he explores themes from his book Bouncing Forwards. Read more Youth for Christ lights a fire in north Breckland North Breckland Youth for Christ will be putting on a mini residential camp this year to coincide with Bonfire Night. Read more Delia Smith interviewed at Norwich church Top TV cook and well-known writer Delia Smith spoke about her faith at SOUL Churchs weekly Chapel gathering on October 11. Read more Children's Christian holiday club in Briston A half term childrens holiday bible club is taking place in Briston next week, and there is no charge to take part in the fun. Read more Ashill church puts on music to touch the soul The Fountain of Life Church in Ashill is hosting an afternoon concert in early November with classical, jazz, opera, ballads and pop classics. Read more Fakenhams new rector is officially installed Rev Tracy Jessop has been officially installed as Rector for Fakenham during a service at Fakenham Parish Church on Tuesday September 27, fourteen months after their last reverend retired. Read more Norwich homeless charity holds information evening Homelessness charity St Martins is holding an information evening on Thursday 3rd November at The Forum in Norwich for anyone who would like to know more about the work of the charity and to potentially become a volunteer. Read more The Internet of Things has made many enterprises more efficient. This year it will start making them more competitive. IoT covers a collection of technologies almost as wide as the Internet, and the range of uses is even more broad. Some just help you run your business better, while others can get you into a new business. For example, a shipping company that attaches tracking devices to containers can more easily follow their movements and better understand its operations. If that same company installs temperature sensors inside chilled containers, it can guarantee food and drink shipments will stay cool and charge a premium for that service. This will be a big year for transitions from the first use of IoT, for internal operations, to the second type that enriches the business as a whole, according to research company Gartner. Gartner survey results released Thursday show 14 percent of enterprises will deploy IoT for the first time this year, a big rise from the 29 percent already using it. And while most early adopters were looking inward and trying to save money, the next generation wants to use IoT to better serve its customers. Just over half of today's deployments are internally focused, while only 40 percent are intended to boost revenue or give customers a better experience, Gartner says. IoT use will also expand out from heavy industries like utilities and logistics, with billions invested in capital, to light industries like insurance and retailing, Gartner analyst Chet Geschickter says. These new adopters will also look to make money from IoT. For example, a car insurance company might start by using probes on customers' cars to better understand their driving risk. Then it could use a similar probe to detect whether a vehicle's even being driven and start up a part-time, mileage-based coverage plan. That would be a product that could set the insurer apart from its rivals. Why are enterprises just starting to tap into these new business opportunities? They never thought of them before, Geschickter said. Finding ways to use IoT for profit rather than just savings requires IT, operations and business leaders to put their heads together and think creatively. "This is just now starting to happen," Geschickter said. The survey results show just how early it is in the IoT era. A typical enterprise expects to spend about $7 million on deployments this year, based on the midpoint of estimates made in response to the survey. In most cases, that's trial deployment money, not enough for a full-scale rollout, Geschickter said. The big deployments should come around 2017 or 2018. In addition to getting everyone on the same page about IoT, enterprises face ongoing challenges in security, integration and managing business requirements, he said. Most enterprises -- 64 percent -- eventually will use IoT, according to the survey. It drew responses from 465 IT and business professionals in 18 different industry sectors around the world. Only 9 percent said they didn't think IoT was relevant to their businesses at all. The survey was conducted in November 2015 and asked about plans over the next 12 months and beyond. US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter spoke last at the RSA conference after NSA Director Rogers and Attorney General Lynch because he was prepared for a more substantive dialog with the RSA Conference audience. He had real news to deliver, his opinion to share about encryption that is central to the FBI and Apple iPhone encryption dispute and innovation programs to pitch. Carter is a different sort of Washington bureaucrat. A PhD in medieval history and particle physics from Yale with a second PhD from Oxford who was a Harvard professor of world affairs and held high level Department of Defense (DoD) roles during the Clinton and Obama administrations. Alphabet Chairman Eric Schmidt to lead Defense Innovation Advisory Board During an interview with Kleiner-Perkins partner Ted Schlein, Carter had important news to tell the standing room only crowd. The first headline was Alphabet Chairman Eric Schmidt will chair the newly formed Defense Innovation Advisory Board. Carter said: Schmidt is the perfect choice because he knows the best technical minds who will join the board, travel to all our bases, meet our people and advise me on how the DoD can be more innovative. Hack the Pentagon bug bounty program With the second news headline, he introduced the Hack the Pentagon program. The DoD has joined top firms like Google, Twitter and Facebook that pay cash bounties to security analysts who find holes in cyber-defenses. There is a catch though. Participants must be US citizens, register and pass a background check. Carter laughed at Schleins quip why not hack the Pentagon, everyone else has exposing his sense of humor. DoD need sencryption without backdoors The conversation between Schlein and Carter became even more interesting when Schlein asked about everyones favorite obsession; the contentious and high-profile struggle between the FBI, DOJ and Apple over unlocking one of the San Bernardino terrorists iPhones. Carter would only say that we should not let one case make such an important decision. But after demonstrating that he had the technical chops to fully comprehend encryption and security he said he didnt believe in backdoors, and then he said speaking for the Department of Defense, data is critical and so is encryption, there is no point for us to buy all these planes and ships if we cant connect them. + NOT AT THE SHOW? Follow all the news from RSA 2016 + Carter spoke about innovating to find a solution around the encryption dispute. He said that innovation that allowed the sharing of data under the right circumstances and a working relationship between technology businesses and the DoD was preferable to the alternatives, the worst according to Carter was a law written by legislators who dont have the skills to understand the problem. Silicon Valley is a source of DoD innovation and culture change Carter had two programs he wanted to sell. Both are bridge building programs between Silicon Valley and the DoD to acquire innovation and inspire culture technological change. The defense digital service program is a no strings attached program to attract talented people from the technology and cyber-security fields to bring new ideas and change to the DoD through short-term employment or project-oriented work to help the DoD adapt to the technology and innovation culture. Like the defense digital service program, the Defense Innovation Unit Experimental (DIUX) program connects the DoD more closely with Silicon Valleys innovation culture. Carter called the DIUX office at Moffet field a direct attempt to interface with the Valley with an open charter to simply make people connections and money connections. Carter strongly emphasized that the program was intended to facilitate the connection between innovative and talented people to help the tunnel through the DoD bureaucracy and connect them with DoD money. He also emphasized the X in the program name for experimental. It sounded like Carter was willing to pay for relationships that brought different types of thinking about using technology to solve problems into DoD and might produce an innovative product. Offensive cyber-weapons to destroy ISIL and respond to attacks against the USA US Cyber-command is using offensive weapons against ISIL. Carter said that he was looking at every way to defeat the terrorist force in Iraq and Syria including offensive cyber-weapons to disrupt ISILs command and control, make ISIL doubt the reliability of their systems, remove its ability to control the local population. Carter views cyber-weapons as equivalent to any weapon at his and our enemies disposal. He said that an attack on the United States, whether with a keyboard or bomb is an attack on the United States which put nation-states with a history of using cyber-security against the US such as China on notice. Of all the talks by members of President Obamas cabinet, Carters contained the most content and fewest non-specific appeals for cooperation and partnerships. Plonked is hyping itself as "the NEW Google," a fresh search engine that pledges to make it easier for you to find out stuff about companies in case you want to work for them, buy them, get sales leads or just plain know more about them. (And there I was thinking Alphabet was the NEW Google...) I gave Plonked a surface-level test today, plugging in the names of a few key companies that Network World readers might be interested in. You can use the search engine for free whether or not you sign up, but if you sign up you need to let Plonked sniff around your contacts -- so I'm sure whether you still consider that free. I'm not quite at that level of my relationship with Plonked yet to be giving access to my contacts, so take that into consideration as I share some of the results I found. The first company I popped in was International Data Group, our parent company. I was interested to see that IDG is listed as having "no competitors." That's the line so many vendors we've interviewed over the years have responded with when we ask who their competitors are! Cisco, on the other hand, is shown as having 160 competitors, including the likes of A10 Networks and Juniper Networks. Plonked also serves up a listing of more than 141 Leadership Team members, organized alphabetically by first name. I was invited to sign in if I wanted more details on these big shots. Plonked claims to have indexed more than 200,000 companies and documented more than 850K people-company connections. If you sign up for the search engine you can take advantage of more of its analytical capabilities, including how you or your business might be connected to others. Plonked says its search results are heavily influenced by how companies and people are related to each other. Plonked Perusing leadership team members of IT management company BMC via Plonked The San Francisco company's search engine will also give you information about a company's mentions in the news as well as its venture funding, and you can subscribe to email updates on such information. I somewhat randomly plugged in Trifacta, a data wrangling startup that recently bagged a fresh $35M in funding. My Plonked result, though, showed Trifacta's funding total before that February infusion. I tried Big Switch Networks and Plonked told me it has $35M in funding, but Big Switch says it has more than $90M after a fresh influx in January. So it appears some kinks remain to be worked out, but maybe Google is at least a teensy bit concerned despite its commanding lead in the desktop and mobile search engine markets. When I typed "Plonked" or "Plonked search engine" into the Google search bar, I failed to get Plonked's website directly. MORE: Hottest enterprise networking & IT startups fo 2016 Plonked's pedigree is solid, with Co-founder and CEO Ankur Varma citing past jobs such as development manager at Microsoft and director of software product marketing at power grid networking company Silver Spring Networks on his LinkedIn profile. Co-Founder and CTO Josh Atir was director of software engineering at Silver Spring, and also has had stints at Opsware, Mercury Interactive and the Israeli Air Force, among other organizations. Overall, the company's small team has extensive background in search, machine learning and big data, including at companies like Topsy Labs and Twitter, according to Varma. The company, which started in April 2015, is on the prowl for talent in marketing, sales and the tech side. While Plonked is free for starters, it also lists more advanced accounts for professionals ($25 per month) and enterprises ($250 per month for unlimited users) that will be coming soon. As for the company name, here's how Varma explains it: "March/April of last year, we were interviewing several sales folks we know to get a better sense for how they search/discover targets. We mostly got a lot of complaining about dubious ROIs from lead gen companies and how painful they were to work with. One guy specifically said that he plonked down a ton of money with high hopes, which were never met. The word 'plonked' stayed with me ... after some google searches for domains, we decided to go with it. It was whimsical, catchy and different." Five-piece Welsh band Mabon celebrate InterCeltic music WE needed an excuse to visit New Greenham Arts, an intimate venue we have missed for some time and urgently deserves everyones support. Jamie Smiths Mabon and their Space Between tour looked like a good enough reason. We are now planning to visit Salisbury City Hall in March and the excuse is that we must see Smiths exhilarating five-piece band again while they are local(ish). Smith clearly demonstrates that the Welsh language flows beautifully in song, despite his acknowledged lack of fluency. Luckily, drummer Iolo Whelan has that fluency, as his compositions demonstrated. There was a wonderfully Celtic feel throughout, without being cheesily over the top with tradition, largely because much of what was played was self-composed by band members. The gig visited Wales, France, and Spain on an exciting musical trip, largely dominated by Smiths accordion, although the rest of the group had a chance to shine too, particularly Oliver Wilson-Dickson on the devils violin. The whole was knitted together with some banter not too much, but with a continuing theme. Personal anecdotes explained some of the pieces; one written to celebrate Smiths young son Frank and another for some friends wedding dance. It turned out to be Smiths birthday and, at the end, his mum came forward with a suitably bedecked cake. She had travelled up from Bridgend, which probably has a much more flowing name in Welsh, and the enthusiastic rendition of Happy Birthday was a suitably enthusiastic piece of audience participation. On March 17 at 7 pm, Bishop Steven J. Lopes, the recently ordained first bishop of the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter, will come to Washington, D.C. to celebrate a Chrism Mass, at St. Lukes at Immaculate Conception Church , an Ordinariate parish in downtown Washington. This will be the very first Chrism Mass for the Ordinariate.The Most Reverend Carlo Maria Vigano, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, will be in attendance. As the Holy Fathers personal representative to the U.S., Archbishop Viganos presence at the Ordinariates Chrism Mass is a powerful sign of the Holy Sees support and encouragement for the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter.Since only a bishop can bless the holy oils, Ordinariate priests have until now obtained the oils used for anointing from the geographical dioceses in which they reside. During the Mass, the priests of the Ordinariate will renew their priestly promises, as well.The Chrism Mass at St. Lukes at Immaculate Conception will be additionally interesting because it will be the first such Mass in the Catholic Church celebrated with, the newly propagated Missal which blends language from the Anglican tradition with a fully Catholic Mass.If you are in the D.C. area March 17th, you owe it to yourself to be present for this unique and beautiful ceremony. There will be a wine and cheese reception immediately after the Mass. Mark your calendar!For more information about the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter, visit ordinariate.net (reproduced from the website of St Lukes at Immaculate Conception parish .) During the Trisagion During the Prokimen (the chant before the Epistle) Incensation of the congregation during the Alleluia The chanting of the Gospel The sermon During the Creed, the concelebrating bishops wave the chalice veil over the chalice and diskos (paten). At a hierarchical Divine Liturgy, the principal celebrant places his head under the veil. At the Preface Dialog. After the Consecration, the deacon elevates the diskos and chalice. During the final prayer (the ambon prayer) His Beatitude addresses the clergy and faithful after the liturgy. Earlier today, His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk, Major Archbishop of Kyiv-Halych and leader of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, celebrated a hierarchical Divine Liturgy at the high altar of the Roman basilica of St Mary Major. Several other bishops of the UGCC and a very large number of priests concelebrated; the liturgy was sung by the choir of the Ukrainian College of St Josaphat, and the central nave of the church was packed with the faithful.The sermon was given in Ukrainian, but at the end of the ceremony, His Beatitude briefly addressed in Italian those who might happen to be present as pilgrims in the basilica, which is of course a focal point of the Jubilee celebrations and devotions in Rome. He spoke of the persecutions which the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church has undergone over the years, and how the voice of the Evil One (la voce del maligno) tried 70 years ago to force the Church which he leads to renounce its fidelity to See of Peter. He then stated that the same voice now seeks to convince them to become Orthodox or join the Patriarchate of Moscow so as not to be an obstacle. The celebration of the Divine Liturgy in a Pontifical Basilica in Rome, therefore, is a concrete sign of the continuing fidelity of the UGCC to the See of Peter. He then led the entire assembly in singing a prayer for peace in the Ukraine, to which we unite our own fervent prayers. Columnist Tom Kacich is a columnist and the author of Tom's Mailbag at The News-Gazette. His column appears Sundays. His email is tkacich@news-gazette.com, and you can follow him on Twitter (@tkacich). Steve Hoffman is editor of the Piatt County Journal-Republican. He can be reached at shoffman@news-gazette.com Reporter/Columnist Julie Wurth is a reporter covering the University of Illinois at The News-Gazette. Her email is jwurth@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@jawurth). Reporter Mary Schenk is a reporter covering police, courts and breaking news at The News-Gazette. Her email is mschenk@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@schenk). One of Editor & Publishers 10 That Do It Right 2021 NOTICE: This Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) is intended for persons living in Australia. acetylcholine chloride Consumer Medicine Information What is in this leaflet This leaflet answers some common questions about Miochol-E. It does not contain all the available information. It does not take the place of talking to your doctor or pharmacist. The information in this leaflet was last updated on the date listed on the final page. More recent information on the medicine may be available. You should ensure that you speak to your pharmacist or doctor to obtain the most up-to-date information on the medicine. Those updates may contain important information about the medicine and its use of which you should be aware. All medicines have risks and benefits. Your doctor has weighed the risk of you being given Miochol-E against the benefits they expect it will have for you. If you have any concerns about being given Miochol-E, ask your doctor or pharmacist. Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again. What Miochol-E is used for Miochol-E is used to constrict the pupil of the eye during cataract surgery and other types of eye surgery. It belongs to a group of medicines called parasympathomimetics. It works by mediating nerve impulse transmission. Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why this medicine has been prescribed for you. Your doctor may have prescribed it for another reason. This medicine is not addictive. It is available only with a doctor's prescription. There is not enough information to recommend the use of this medicine for children. Before you are given Miochol-E When you must not be given it You must not be given Miochol-E if you have an allergy to: any medicine containing acetylcholine chloride any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet. Some of the symptoms of an allergic reaction may include shortness of breath, wheezing or difficulty breathing; swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body; rash, itching or hives on the skin. You must not be given Miochol-E after the expiry date printed on the pack or if the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering. If it has expired or is damaged, return it to your pharmacist for disposal. If you are not sure whether you should be given this medicine, talk to your doctor. Before you are given it Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant or are breast-feeding. Your doctor can discuss with you the risks and benefits involved. If you have not told your doctor about the above, tell him/her before you are given Miochol-E. Taking other medicines Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including any that you get without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop. Your doctor and pharmacist have more information on medicines to be careful with or avoid when you are given Miochol-E. How Miochol-E is given Miochol-E is given as a single dose during eye surgery. If the surgery is for removal of a cataract, it is given following placement of the intraocular lens. Your doctor will prepare and administer Miochol-E for you. How much is given In most cases, 0.5 to 2 mL is enough to constrict the pupil of the eye sufficiently. How it is given Miochol-E is made into a solution immediately before use. This solution is run through a small tube into the front chamber of the eye. If you are given too much(overdose) If you are given more Miochol-E than you need, your doctor may need to give you an injection of either atropine sulfate or adrenaline to control symptoms. Symptoms of overdose may include slow heart rate, low blood pressure, flushing, breathing difficulties and sweating. Because acetylcholine is rapidly broken down by the body, symptoms of overdose are unlikely to occur. While you are being given Miochol-E Things you must do Keep all of your doctor's appointments so that your progress can be checked. Things to be careful of Do not drive or operate machinery until you have recovered from your eye surgery and your vision is normal. Side effects Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are being treated with Miochol-E. All medicines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious, most of the time they are not. You may need medical attention if you get some of the side effects. Do not be alarmed by the following list of side effects. You may not experience any of them. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to answer any questions you may have. Tell your doctor if you notice any of the following and they worry you: slow heart rate dizziness or lightheadedness due to low blood pressure breathing difficulties flushing, sweating abnormal vision. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice anything else that is making you feel unwell. Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some people. Product description What it looks like Miochol-E comes in a vial and an ampoule: the vial contains a white powder and the ampoule contains a clear, colourless solution. The contents are mixed immediately before use to form a clear, colourless solution. Ingredients Miochol-E contains 20 mg of acetylcholine chloride as the active ingredient. It also contains: mannitol sodium acetate magnesium chloride potassium chloride calcium chloride water for injections. Sponsor In Australia, Miochol-E is supplied by: Bausch & Lomb (Australia) Pty Ltd Chatswood, NSW 2067 Phone: 1800 251 150 In New Zealand, Miochol-E is supplied by: Bausch & Lomb (NZ) Ltd c/- Bell Gully Auckland Vero Centre 48 Shortland Street Auckland 1140 New Zealand Toll free number: 0508375394 By Eleanor McDermid The Recurrence Risk Estimator (RRE) for ischaemic stroke has been validated in a prospective, multinational study. Although the tool's sensitivity was low, specificity was high, at 90% for identifying high-risk patients and 93% for low-risk patients. In an accompanying editorial, Graeme Hankey (The University of Western Australia, Perth) and Chee-Keong Wee (National Neuroscience Institute, Singapore) suggest that "[t]he greatest value of the RRE could perhaps be its ability to accurately identify the one-third of patients with ischemic stroke who are at low risk of a recurrence." The RRE categorised 540 of the 1468 patients as low-risk (RRE score of 0) and the cumulative 90-day recurrence rate among these patients was 0.8%. By contrast, there were 170 patients in the high-risk category, among whom the recurrence rate was 11.9% for those with an RRE score of 3 and 25.0% for those with a score of 4 or more. However, 3.5% of patients with a score of 1 had a recurrent stroke, as did 5.4% of those with a score of 2; although the recurrence rates were low, this low-to-medium risk subgroup was the largest and therefore accounted for the greatest proportion of strokes in the cohort. This may limit the usefulness of the RRE in clinical practice, say Hankey and Wee. The study cohort consisted of 814 patients from the USA and 654 recruited in centres in South Korea and Brazil. The RRE had similar predictive ability in the US and Korean/Brazilian cohorts, Hakan Ay (Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA) and study co-authors report in JAMA Neurology. The total possible score for the RRE is 6, with 2 points available for clinical predictors (stroke within previous month and large-artery atherosclerosis or uncommon aetiology) and another 4 points for the number, age and distribution of infarcts on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This is another possible limitation, say the editorialists - that the RRE requires rapid access to brain MRI. However, they say that the tool "is simple to use" and is "plausible as a prognostic instrument because the variables reflect the cause of the stroke and its activity and instability." They add: "Further research that tests the value of adding newly identified potential predictors (eg, blood or other imaging markers of underlying cardiovascular disease activity) promises to further improve the predictive ability of the RRE and other prognostic models." Licensed from medwireNews with permission from Springer Healthcare Ltd. Springer Healthcare Ltd. All rights reserved. Neither of these parties endorse or recommend any commercial products, services, or equipment. The Association for Gerontology in Higher Education (AGHE) -- the educational branch of The Gerontological Society of America -- is proud to announce its awardees. The presentation of the awards will occur at AGHE's 42nd Annual Meeting and Educational Leadership Conference, taking place from March 3 to March 6 at The Westin Long Beach in Long Beach, California. This event provides a forum for professionals in the field of aging to present their work and share ideas about gerontological and geriatric education and training. Visit http://www. aghe. org for complete details. Clark Tibbitts Award Presented to Case Western Reserve University Friday, March 4, 4:30 p.m. This award was established in 1980 to recognize individuals who and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to the advancement gerontology as a field of study in institutions of higher education. Hiram J. Friedsam Mentorship Award Presented to Jan Abushakrah, PhD, Portland Community College Saturday, March 5, 8:30 a.m. This award, named for an outstanding mentor in gerontology, is given to an individual who has contributed to gerontological education through excellence in mentorship to students, faculty, and administrators. Administrative Leadership Award Presented to Pinchas Cohen, MD, University of Southern California This award, honors administrators on AGHE member campuses who have made exceptional efforts in support of gerontology or geriatrics education. Mildred M. Seltzer Distinguished Service Recognition Presented to Lynne G. Hodgson, PhD, Quinnipiac University; Sheldon E. Steinhauser, Honorary DPS, Metropolitan State University of Denver; Bob G. Knight, PhD, University of Southern California; Barbara Gillogly, PhD, American River College; and Leslie A. Morgan, PhD, University of Maryland, Baltimore County Friday, March 4, 5:30 p.m. This award honors colleagues who are near retirement or recently retired. Recipients are individuals who have been actively involved in AGHE through service on committees, as elected officers, and/or have provided leadership in one of AGHE's grant-funded projects. David A. Peterson Gerontology & Geriatrics Education Best Paper of the Volume Award Presented to Ariadne Meiboom (MD, PhD student), VU University Medical Center Amsterdam; Chantal Diedrich (MD, PhD student), VU University Medical Center Amsterdam; Henk de Vries, MD, PhD, VU University Medical Center Amsterdam; Cees Hertogh, MD, PhD, VU University Medical Center Amsterdam; and Fedde Scheele, MD, PhD, VU University Medical Center Amsterdam, for "The Hidden Curriculum of the Medical Care for Elderly Patients in Medical Education: A Qualitative Study" The purpose of this award is to recognize excellence in scholarship in academic gerontology in AGHE's official journal, Gerontology & Geriatrics Education. Distinguished Faculty Award Presented to Elizabeth M. Zelinski, PhD, University of Southern California Friday, March 4, 8:30 a.m. This award recognizes persons whose teaching stands out as exemplary, innovative, of impact, or any combination thereof. Part-Time Faculty Honor Presented to Gregory D. Bearce, MBA, MAG, University of Southern California Friday, March 4, 5:30 p.m. This award recognizes part-time and/or adjunct faculty for their contributions to gerontological education at an AGHE member institution. Rising Star Junior Faculty Honor Presented to Pamela Pitman Brown, PhD, Winston-Salem State University Thursday, March 3, 4:30 p.m. This award recognizes new faculty whose teaching and/or leadership stands out as impactful and innovative. Student Leadership Award Presented to Amy J. Plant, MA, Youngstown State University Friday, March 4, 5:30 p.m. This award recognizes students whose leadership has advanced the goals and mission of AGHE as well as the respective goals of their AGHE-affiliated institutions. Graduate Student Paper Award Presented to Reath M. Melendez, MLIS, California State University Long Beach Friday, March 4, 5:30 p.m. This award recognizes excellence in scholarly work by a student at an AGHE member institution who presents his or her work at the annual meeting. Book Award for Best Children's Literature on Aging Presented to Laurence Anholt for "Papa Chagall, Tell Us a Story" (2014) in the Primary Reader Category; Lauren Castillo (honorable mention) for "Nana in the City" (2014) in the Primary Reader Category; and Naomi Shihab Nye for "The Turtle of Oman" (2014) in the Elementary Reader Category Friday, March 4, 5:30 p.m. This award recognizes positive portrayals of older adults in children's literature. Research from an investigator at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and colleagues from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and other facilities, shows differences in a certain type of small protein vary by race and may contribute differently to the development of lung cancer in African Americans and European Americans. Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey researcher Sharon R. Pine, PhD, assistant professor of medicine at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, is the co-lead author of the work to be published in the March 4 issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26711330). She shares more about the work. Q: Why is this topic important to explore? A: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States and has a poor five-year survival rate of only 16 percent. This in part can be attributed to the disease being diagnosed at a later stage. Identifying biomarkers of lung cancer may improve early detection and ultimately increase survival. African Americans have a higher chance of developing lung cancer and have lower lung cancer survival rates as compared to European Americans, which research shows may be due to differences in genetics, environment or modalities of care. Identification of biomarkers that would uniquely distinguish African Americans at a high risk of lung cancer may help to bridge the gap in lung cancer racial health disparities. Our work involves cytokines, which are small proteins released by cells that affect communication between cells. Our team hypothesized that a difference in serum cytokine levels between the two populations may yield some answers. Genetics & Genomics eBook Compilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year. Download a copy today Q: What did you and your colleagues find? A: We analyzed the levels of ten serum cytokines in blood samples from over 450 African-American and European-American lung cancer patients or healthy adults. We found the levels of six cytokines were significantly higher among European Americans than African Americans. The levels of two cytokines were associated with lung cancer in both races, but other elevated cytokine levels were associated with lung cancer only in African Americans. We then verified our findings by testing patients enrolled in the prospective Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial and the Wayne State University-Karmanos Cancer Institute case-control study. Q: What is the implication of these findings? A: These findings suggest that cytokine levels in the blood vary by race and may contribute to lung cancer differently between African Americans and European Americans. Additional work would be needed to confirm our results, but our data suggest that testing for these cytokines could help identify African Americans who are at an increased risk of developing lung cancer, and thus, potentially improve survival for lung cancer patients. Google is providing UNICEF with a $1 million grant to support the charitys efforts to combat the Zika virus. turtix / Shutterstock.com Google volunteers are also working with UNICEF to create a data processing platform that will map information about Zika in order to visualize potential outbreaks. Estimates suggest that 80% of people who have Zika do not display any symptoms and the Aedes mosquito, which transmits the virus, is both widespread and difficult to eliminate. Raising peoples awareness about how to protect themselves from infection is therefore key to combating Zika, as is supporting organizations dedicated to developing diagnostics and vaccines. As a company that is experienced in data analysis and driven to help people find information, Google is in a good position to help, both quickly and on a large scale. Since November, Google has seen a 3,000 percent increase in the amount of global search interest in Zika. The company has now added extensive information about the virus, in 16 languages, that includes descriptions of symptoms and Public Health Alerts to keep people updated. To help UNICEFs efforts on the ground, Google is providing a $1 million grant that will be used to raise widespread awareness, reduce mosquito populations, aid diagnostics and vaccine research and support governments with the development of transmission prevention strategies. UNICEF aims to reach 200 million people in Brazil and across Latin America who are affected by or vulnerable to Zika. Compared with many other pandemics, Zika has been particularly difficult to identify, map and contain. Google have therefore also committed to establishing better ways to visualize the threat so that at-risk communities can receive the support they need. Google engineers, designers and data analysts are now working with UNICEF to create an open source platform that will process data from sources such as weather and travel patterns. The ultimate goal is to identify the risk of Zika transmission in different regions and help UNICEF, governments and NGOs pinpoint how and where time and resources should be focused. Google has also launched a matching campaign for Google employees that is hoped to generate a further $500,000 for UNICEF and the Pan American Health Organization, to aid their work on the ground. A new study from the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing's Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research (CHOPR) shows that patients, who undergo elective hip and knee surgery in hospitals with inadequate nurse staffing and poor nurse work environments, are more likely to require re-hospitalization. The results are set for publication in a future issue of the International Journal for Quality in Health Care, but are available now online here. The cross-sectional study analyzed data of more than 112,000 Medicare patients in nearly 500 US hospitals and points to hospital nurses as a likely answer to the need for reducing postoperative readmissions. The most common reason patients were readmitted was for postoperative infection. Hospital nurses are essential to the prevention of infection. They are responsible for administering antibiotics prior of surgery, caring for the surgical wound, monitoring for signs and symptoms of infection or sepsis, and maintaining diligent hand washing practices. However, when nurses are inadequately staffed and resourced, time demands detract from the diligent work of nursing. These study findings come at a time when hospitals' reimbursements are contingent on demonstrating satisfactory performance on patient outcomes. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) mandatory Hospital Readmission Reduction Program and Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement Program are placing hospitals financially accountable for patient outcomes including readmission rates following elective hip and knee replacements. Accounting for patient characteristics and hospital features, every additional patient in a nurse's workload is associated with an eight percent increased likelihood of a patient being readmitted within thirty days of discharge following the surgery. Patients who underwent surgery in hospitals where nurses reporting having supportive environments, including strong collegial relationships with physicians and autonomy in clinical practice, were 12 percent less likely to be readmitted. "These study findings are consistent with decades of prior research demonstrating the role hospital nurses play in ensuring safe outcomes for surgical patients," said the study's senior author Matthew McHugh, PhD, JD, MPH, RN, Associate Director of CHOPR. "Nurses work around-the-clock providing care to patients before, during, and after surgery, making them the likely healthcare providers to identify and intervene on early warning signs that could lead to a negative health outcome." While only six percent of Medicare patients undergoing elective hip and knee replacements are readmitted to the hospital within thirty days, every hospitalization puts patients at risk of acquiring serious complications and injury. "This study supports the notion that hospital nurses are fundamental to ensuring high quality care and outcomes for patients," said the study's lead author Karen Lasater, PhD, RN, and a Postdoctoral Fellow at CHOPR. Penn Nursing's Barbara Medoff-Cooper, PhD, RN, FAAN, Selected for Induction to the International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame Barbara Medoff-Cooper, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Ruth M. Colket Professor in Pediatric Nursing in the Department of Family and Community Health at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing (Penn Nursing) has been selected for induction to the International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame by Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI). The STTI Hall of Fame was developed to recognize nurse researchers for their lifetime achievements in and contributions to research and to mentoring future nurse researchers. Medoff-Cooper was selected for her pioneering research work in infant development, feeding behaviors in high-risk infants, and infant temperament which has had a national and international impact on the care of preterm infants. "I feel truly honored to be selected to be a member of Sigma Theta Tau's International Honor Society," said Medoff-Cooper. "The selection by my peers for this prestigious honor is especially gratifying since STTI's mission is to advance world health and celebrate nursing excellence in scholarship, leadership, and service." Medoff-Cooper is the developer of the Early Infancy Temperament Questionnaire which is widely used around the world. Another innovation, which she developed with a colleague at the University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering, is the Neonur device, a patented feeding device used to assess newborn sucking. Medoff-Cooper's research has changed the way clinicians across all disciplines and around the world care for premature and chronically ill infants resulting in improved developmental progress and the infant's ability to feed and grow. "The impact of Dr. Medoff-Cooper's scholarly work has been well-documented through her record of funding, her strong publication record, her global consultations and presentations, her numerous honors and awards, and, most importantly, through her dedicated mentorship," said Penn Nursing Dean Antonia M. Villarruel, PhD, RN, FAAN. "She is sought out by faculty and students from around the world for her mentorship and guidance. We congratulate her for this important milestone in her distinguished career." Medoff-Cooper will be one among 19 STTI members who will be celebrated at the 27th International Nursing Research Congress, which will take place July 21-25, 2016 in Cape Town, South Africa. Source: University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing State laws mandating influenza immunization for people who work in health care increase their vaccination rates, according to new research led by the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. The analysis, published in the Journal of the National Medical Association and funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, looked at influenza immunization rates from 2000 to 2011, a timespan in which states with flu vaccination laws aimed at health care workers climbed from two to 19. "Flu vaccination for all health care workers has long been recommended as one of the most effective ways to avoid infecting vulnerable patients with influenza, which kills thousands of people every year," said lead author Chyongchiou Jeng Lin, Ph.D., associate professor in Pitt's Department of Family Medicine. "State laws mandating that health care workers get flu vaccinations are an effective method to potentially save lives." From 2000 to 2005, only Maine and New Hampshire had flu vaccine requirement laws for health care workers. During that period, the average flu vaccination rate for health care workers was 22.5 percent. From 2006 to 2011--when 19 other states, including Pennsylvania, passed similar laws--the average vaccination rate for health care workers increased to 50.9 percent. The states do not have equal vaccine laws. Some mandate that health care employers pay for the vaccines; some require formal documentation, and others, like Pennsylvania, require only that certain health care workers--such as those in long-term care facilities--get vaccines. To do their analysis, Dr. Lin and her team assigned scores to each state based on the rigor of its law. "We're finding that the higher the score--meaning the state has a law and includes components like a mandate or education--the greater the probability that the vaccination rate among health care workers will be higher," said Dr. Lin. Advisory committees and health care organizations, such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, recommend that all health care workers receive an annual flu vaccine to reduce the spread of flu among staff and patients, and to decrease staff absenteeism. In a previous study, Dr. Lin and her colleagues found that individual hospital policies that mandate influenza vaccination can nearly double their vaccination rates. And, when coupled with a state law mandating health care worker flu immunization, those rates nearly triple. UPMC is on the Immunization Action Coalition's Honor Roll due to its systemwide policy that requires all employees in clinical settings receive the influenza vaccine, unless they have an exemption. Exempted employees must wear a mask throughout flu season. "By getting immunized against the flu, the health care worker is, in essence, building a fence to protect patients, who perhaps can't get immunized or whose immune systems are so compromised that the vaccine isn't as effective," said senior author Richard Zimmerman, M.D., M.P.H., professor in Pitt's Department of Family Medicine and Graduate School of Public Health. "I'm vaccinated every year to protect my vulnerable patients. I also do it to protect my wife and children because I don't want to take the flu virus home and give it to them. And finally, I do it to protect myself." Since the study, several more states have added laws that, in some way, address flu vaccine requirements for health care workers, bringing the total to 33 states. Flu vaccination rates among health care workers also have increased to 66.9 percent in the 2012-2013 season, the most recent for which comprehensive data are available. Dr. Martin Blackledge THOUGHT LEADERS SERIES ...insight from the worlds leading experts Up until now, how much has been known about the replication of the H5N1 influenza virus? A great deal, that of course cannot be summarized in a few phrases, however I would like to point out the significant increase in understanding that resulted from the recent crystallographic structure of Influenza polymerase from the Cusack group in Grenoble, and published in the journal Nature. What did recent research by scientists from the CEA, CNRS, University Joseph Fourier, the EMBL and the ILL reveal about the molecular function of a protein that plays a key role in the replication of H5N1? We were able to show that one small domain of the polymerase, the part that is essential for entry of a piece of the polymerase into the cell nucleus, changes its conformation to allow it to interact with the transporter protein than takes it into the nucleus. Without this change in conformation entry cannot occur and viral replication is not active. Image credit: ILL What role did nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) play in this research? NMR allowed to directly visualize both conformations, the conformation that is essential for function, and the conformation that is necessary for entry into the nucleus. These conformations are continually in exchange in solution, and NMR allows us to observe the two conformations at atomic resolution, and to measure their rate of interconversion. How did small angle scattering (SAS) and single molecule Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) help to elucidate the mechanism? SAS provides information about the overall shape of the protein in solution, while FRET provides information about long-range distances and the way they change over time (their dynamics). Both of these sources of information are highly complementary to the information derived from NMR. Image credit: ILL In addition all three approaches can be used to study the interaction between the polymerase and the transporter protein than carries them into the nucleus. Can you explain the temperature dependency of the open and closed forms of the protein? The open and closed forms are in equilibrium in solution, the rate of exchange depends on the temperature: the higher the temperature the more open conformations are present in solution. Were you surprised by this finding and how do you think it can be explained? The only conformation that was known (from X-ray crystallography) was the closed conformation, and this clearly could not interact with the transporter protein. We know that the polymerase acts in the nucleus, and that it therefore must enter the nucleus somehow, so we suspected a second conformation or state might exist that was different from the crystalline form. Our findings both discover and characterize this state of the molecule. Image credit: ILL What impact do you think this research will have? We now understand better how the polymerase enters the nucleus and this opens up new fields of investigation. How important do you think solution-state structural biology will be in future studies? Solution state studies are essential, as the cellular environment is also a solution, albeit a highly complex one. Proteins move in solution, and their dynamic motions are essential for function. Where can readers find more information? In the article that we have just published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society About Martin Blackledge Martin Blackledge is a research director at the Institut de Biologie Structurale CEA-CNRS-UGA in Grenoble. His group uses Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy, in combination with other experimental and theoretical biophysical tools, to study the role of protein dynamics in biological processes at atomic resolution. He graduated from Manchester University with a 1st class honours degree in Physics and an M.Sc in high energy particle physics, before completing his thesis, developing techniques for localizing NMR spectroscopic measurements in vivo at the University of Oxford, under the supervision of Professor George Radda. He then spent three postdoctoral years (1989-1992) in the group of Professor Richard Ernst (Nobel prize for Chemistry 1992) in the Physical Chemistry department of the ETH Zurich, where he began studying biomolecular dynamics using NMR. He then moved to Grenoble where he took a position at the Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique, and is an independent group leader since 2007. He has published around 190 articles in peer-reviewed journals during his career. Community theater will return to the Academy Center of the Arts after nearly three years when Youre A Good Man, Charlie Brown opens Thursday. Our job here at the Academy is to engage the citizens of our community in arts and culture, says Executive Director Geoff Kershner. Having community members have a chance to go through a production process and create a piece of theater and then to share that with their community, I think, is a really important activity. Kersher would know. Growing up, he participated in community theater through the Fine Arts Center, which merged with the Academy of Music in 2004 to create what is now the Academy Center of the Arts. I have a lot of fond memories of what that did in regards to my own experience growing up and being a part of a community of people, he says. Charlie Brown will be the first community show the Academy has presented since Legally Blonde, the Musical in May 2013. With previous leadership in the organization, there was a real focus on bringing in national acts, he says. Before stepping into the role of executive director last year, Kershner says he heard from many locals who wanted to see it return to the organization. This, to me, is really about [us] providing something the community wants and something thats really good. He says they chose Charlie Brown because of its mass appeal, which combines nostalgia with a timelessness that never fades. Along with local actors, the musical also will feature a live orchestra. Were really trying to create an accessible, open environment at the Academy, and Charlie Brown is a fun show that is great for both adults and children, he says. Its going to allow us to provide something for the community that is going to be wide-reaching. Following Charlie Brown, the Academy will hold auditions for its next production, The Fantasticks, which opens in the spring. In the meantime, Kershner promises some surprises from the Peanuts-inspired musical, even for those who have seen the show before. Ill just say that Linus blanket kind of comes to life in a way during one of the numbers, he hints. The Academy Center of the Arts, 600 Main St. Contemporary Art for Adult Children, featuring the work of Susan Webb Tregay, will open in the Academy Gallery, while an exhibit of charcoal drawings by Emily Beasley will be on display in the Up Front Gallery. The Arts & Education Building Lobby will be showing the Annual Lynchburg City Schools Youth Art Exhibition & Art Crawl. The First Friday reception runs from 5 to 8 p.m. and will include music by the Farm Use String Band. (434) 528-3256, www.academycenter.org. Satellite galleries: Magnolia Foods (2476 Rivermont Ave.) and Flint Property Group (2484 Rivermont Ave.): The oils of Russ Voelker through March 26 Westminster Canterbury (501 VES Rd.): The pastels of Sarah Raessler through April 8 5th Street Arthouse, 520 5th St. An Exploration in Flame Worked Glass will feature recent work and live glass blowing demonstrations by Deena Ruiz and Jonathan Baker from 5 to 8 p.m. (434) 528-5724, www.facebook.com/5thStreetArtHouse. The Lodge of the Fisherman, 4415 Rivermont Ave. Local artist Lillian Brue, who works in mixed media, will be the featured artist at the Lodge this month. There wont be a First Friday reception, but the Lodge is open from 8 to 11:30 a.m. every Friday. (434) 470-6378. Lillian Brue: An artist in motion Brues work is on display in a solo show that runs through the end of the month at the Academy of Fine Arts and in the Lynchburg Art Clubs National Fall Juried Show, which is up through Oct. 18. The Lynchburg Art Club, 1011 Rivermont Ave. Artists Paul Clements, Sally deNoird and Kelly Mattox will be showing their work this month, with a reception from 5 to 8 p.m. Clements is known for his frequent public art projects, including the LOVE sculpture at the entrance of the Percivals Island Trail and the lit metalwork that hangs along the Bluffwalk downtown, while Mattox creates vibrantly colored abstract work and deNoird is a nurse, mask maker and photographer. (434) 528-9434, www.lynchburgartclub.org. The Lynchburg Museum, 901 Court St. The museum will highlight the history of the Lynchburg Foundry Company during First Friday, with a reception from 5 to 8 p.m. Opening in 1896 under the name Lynchburg Plow Company, the foundry survived 113 years before closing its final plant, Archer Creek Foundry in Campbell County, in 2009. For more than 100 years, the Lynchburg Foundry employed thousands of people in Central Virginia. The company began with plows and over the years made pipes for the Panama Canal and automobile parts for GM, Ford, Chrysler and Toyota. During World War II, the firm made engine parts for the U.S. Navy and castings for the secret atomic bomb Manhattan Project. The exhibit will include historic photographs, company documents and items made by the Foundry. (434) 455-6226, www.lynchburgmuseum.org. Lynchburg Public Library, downtown branch, 900 Church St. Local authors Heather Elizabeth King and Susan Viemeister will be on hand for Author Night, which runs from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Both will be reading from their latest releases Kings Zoe Matthews, the Undead Ghost, and the Demon, and Viemeisters Dear Charlotte and will also discuss their journeys to publication. Prospective writers are encouraged to attend and ask questions about their craft, the publishing industry and anything else. (434) 455-3820. Focus On: Local author Heather Elizabeth King releases first fantasy novel King has written seven erotic romance novels under the pseudonym Adrienne Kama, and currently is transitioning into a different sort of fantasy with the zombie-fueled backdrop of Tainted Love. Renaissance Theatre, 1022 Commerce St. Christine Rooney will be the featured artist this month, with a reception from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Rooney paints landscapes and cityscapes with an emphasis on a single object as the main subject, such as light, trees, shrubs, sky, horizon or land, representing the individual spirit. She works in a variety of mediums: silverpoint, graphite, encaustics, pastels and oils. (434) 845-4427, www.renaissancetheatrelynchburg.org. Rivermont Studio, 1204 Rivermont Ave. The exhibit Transitions, featuring the work of Inez Berinson Blanks, continues with a reception from 6 to 8 p.m. Blanks also will be reading some of her poetry at 7:30 p.m., along with Kathy Cudlin, known throughout the state for her photography, and Charlotte Morgan, author of One August Day and Protecting Elvis and a Pushcart Prize recipient. (540) 460-7114. Riverviews Artspace, 901 Jefferson St. Lost in Translations, featuring the mixed media paintings and drawings of Eleen Lin, will open in the Craddock-Terry Gallery, with a reception from 5:30 to 8 p.m. In her work, Lin reiterates folklores and classic literatures into contemporized cross-cultural narratives. The paintings not only mix and match different cultural narratives, but also intertwine different visual languages and use of medium. The artist will be in attendance and give a gallery talk during the opening. The reception also will feature live music by Honey Brandy. (434) 847-7277, www.riverviews.net. Riverviews Co-op Gallery, 901 Jefferson St. The new exhibit Spring Surprises will open during First Friday, and Deliece Blanchard will be the featured artist. The gallery is open from noon to 4 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. (434) 847-7277, www.riverviews.net. TOOLRY, 901 Jefferson St. Nugent Kos will exhibit new works on paper, mixed media and collage pieces in A Contextual Vision, which opens with a First Friday reception from 5:30 to 8 p.m. The work uses process, color, movement, texture and scale to share a sense of wonder and interest in human connection to the natural world and our environment. (571) 379-2572, www.toolry.com. The derailment of a train carrying highly volatile crude oil in downtown Lynchburg two years ago would not have occurred if CSX Transportation had time to carry out the recommendations of a working group on rail failure accepted two weeks before the accident, a federal safety agency has concluded. The National Transportation Safety Board issued a report Wednesday that concludes the accident was caused by a defective rail that had been discovered the day before the derailment and was scheduled for repair the day after the accident. But mounting concerns about microscopic rail defects in three earlier train derailments had led to formation of a working group whose recommendations had been accepted by a federal Rail Safety Advisory Committee on April 16, 2014, two weeks before 17 crude oil tanker cars derailed in downtown Lynchburg. Before the guidelines were implemented by CSX, the Lynchburg accident occurred, the report states. If they had been implemented, this accident likely would have been prevented. CSX spokesman Rob Doolittle said the company was evaluating the NTSB report for lessons to prevent future incidents. Though CSXs rail replacement protocols exceeded federal regulations at the time of the Lynchburg derailment, we have since implemented further enhancements to reduce the time limit for replacing rail on key crude oil routes following the detection of a defect, to within 24 hours, Doolittle said. Three of the derailed tanker cars in Lynchburg tumbled down an embankment into the James River; one ruptured, spilling almost 30,000 gallons of crude oil that either burned in a fiery plume or went into the river. The accident caused more than $1.2 million in damage, not including the cost of environmental cleanup. No one was killed or injured, even though the derailment occurred just before 2 p.m. on April 30, 2014, as the lunch crowd was leaving a local restaurant adjacent to the tracks in downtown Lynchburg. The derailment resulted in the evacuation of six blocks along the riverfront, affecting about 350 residents and 20 businesses. It also intensified federal concerns about the safety of so-called unit trains of more than 100 tanker cars carrying crude oil from the Bakken shale region of North Dakota to terminals and refineries. The train that derailed in Lynchburg was more than 6,400 feet long, with 104 tanker cars carrying Bakken light crude oil that federal regulators have found to be highly volatile. It was traveling to a terminal in Yorktown to be stored and eventually loaded onto barges for shipment to refineries near Philadelphia. Another CSX crude oil train derailed in February 2015 in Mount Carbon, W.Va., on its way to the Yorktown terminal. The oil train route passes directly through downtown Richmond and Williamsburg on its way to Yorktown, as well as Covington, Clifton Forge and Lynchburg. The NTSB investigation of the Lynchburg accident officially determined the probable cause of the derailment as a broken rail caused by a reverse detail fracture with evidence of rolling contact fatigue. A reverse detail fracture is a progressive crack caused by cumulative stress that normally begins just below the rail head, the report explained. The fracture occurred about 2 feet from where the rail had been repaired more than three weeks before the accident, the report said. The derailment occurred at a sudden break of the outside rail of the track as it curved to the right along the river bank. In the months after the derailment, an official at the State Corporation Commission revealed that CSX had found a microscopic defect in the rail on April 29, 2014, the day before the accident. The report said CSX planned to replace the rail on May 1, 2014, but never had the chance. Under the railroad companys engineering standards, it had five days from the discovery of the defect to either replace or repair. The Federal Railroad Administrations track safety standards did not address rail defects of the size the CSX inspection found, but only when they reach four times the size of the defect found in the area of the Lynchburg derailment. But the rail administration already was concerned about track safety after three previous train derailments that NTSB investigations had traced to rail defects from rolling contact fatigue, or the cumulative effect of train traffic on track rails. In late 2012, the FRA established the rail safety advisory committee, which formed a working group on rail failure that met throughout the next year. The group proposed new performance-based recommendations for determining rail wear and internal rail inspection criteria, the NTSB report said. These criteria ensure the FRAs ability to effectively monitor rail integrity programs that require track owners to quickly identify and remediate areas that could lead to a derailment. The NTSB report predicts that these guidelines should significantly reduce rail accidents caused by broken rails resulting from rolling contact fatigue and improve the industrys rail risk management program. Doolittle said, CSX also is committed to continuously improving our ability to detect and correct rail defects before they can cause an incident. He said the company has the lowest rate of derailments caused by crack defects in the industry, but said it is working with the railroad administration to develop new inspection processes that will enhance our ability to quickly and accurately identify rail flaws. Not all superheroes are mutants, billionaires, or aliens from distant planets; some have seriously impressive supernatural powers. And, with Moon Knight set to join the MCU (perhaps with Oscar Isaac in the role), it made us think of superheroes who draw their power from magic and the supernatural. Many folks know characters such as Doctor Strange and Hellboy that brush up against the supernatural, but they're just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to magic-wielding superheroes. So, say the magic words and wave your hands as we materialize our list of the ten greatest supernatural superheroes of all time. 10. Hellboy (Image credit: Dark Horse) While not necessarily a wizard by trade, Hellboy has extensive knowledge of the supernatural... and being the son of a demon doesn't hurt with his magical prowess, we're sure. 'Red' has had a string of limited series along the way to both live-action and animated film stardom, as well as spinoffs including the years-long BPRD title. He's fought demon after demon, as well as a plethora of creatures from different folklore around the globe. What keeps Hellboy so alluring is the imagery that Mike Mignola first embedded in our brains 20+ years ago: the environments and landscapes of Hell, along with Hellboy's massive silhouette, and the fact that despite his bestial form, Mignola and a slew of creators over the years have made him seem human. 9. Scarlet Witch (Image credit: Marvel) Oh, Wanda. The origins of your powers are so back and forth, you almost didn't make the cut. She was originally born with the mutant ability to generate "hex spheres/bolts" that could manipulate probability, then she was a caster of Chaos Magic, and then some sort of combination of the two. Though her powers aren't magic-based in the MCU (nor particularly clearly defined), in comic books, Wanda Maximoff is one of the most powerful magic users in the entire Marvel Universe. And, if WandaVision's apparent plot is any indication, the mystical may find its way into Wanda's MCU world yet. 8. Ghost Rider (Image credit: Marvel) Like Hellboy, Ghost Rider isn't specifically a magic user, but his powers are uniquely supernatural - and infernal. Ghost Rider is the name of a few prominent Marvel characters, starting with Johnny Blaze in the '70s in the modern era. Subsequent lore has established 'Ghost Rider' as a title for those that host the Spirit of Vengeance dating back to the earliest, prehistoric days of the Marvel Universe. With his flaming, ghastly vehicle - classically a motorcycle but the current guy drives a car, and we've even seen mounts like horses and mammoths - Ghost Rider dishes out his brutal Penance Stare to those who deserve vengeance, forcing them to feel the torment of every wrong they've ever caused. 7. The Demon, Etrigan (Image credit: DC) "Gone, gone the form of man! Rise the Demon Etrigan!" Created by Jack Kirby in the early '70s, Etrigan and his human host, Jason Blood, have been staples in the magical scene of DC since their debut. Etrigan's ties to Arthurian legend give him a prestigious, mythical feel, and being a demon, his powers are pretty profound. His hellfire breath is notoriously powerful; although, in Etrigan form, he has the same weaknesses as other demons, including being susceptible to iron and holy powers. 6. Timothy Hunter (Image credit: DC) With his round glasses, dark hair, and pet owl, Tim Hunter is often mistaken for Harry Potter's twin (though he predates the boy who lived). And while Neil Gaiman and J. K. Rowling may have been drinking from the same well, the two characters couldn't be more different. Tim Hunter was the star of DC/Vertigo's Books of Magic series that told the story of Tim's destiny to be the greatest wizard of his age. Along the way he met magical guest stars like a blonde Zatanna, John Constantine, Merlin, Phantom Stranger, and of course, Death of the Endless. Books of Magic itself was basically a comic dedicated to the mystical and magical characters of the DC universe interacting and engaging with one another, with Tim as the central character - the heir apparent to DC's magic. A recent Books of Magic series focused on a rebooted version of Tim Hunter as part of DC's Sandman Universe pop-up. 5. Moon Knight (Image credit: Marvel Comics) Resurrected by an ancient Egyptian god and imbued with super powers, Marc Spector is the Moon Knight - the fist of Khonshu's vengeance. Despite sometimes affectionately being called 'Marvel's Batman' thanks to his cloaked cowl, vigilante ways, and arsenal of themed gadgetry, Moon Knight takes the concept of a nocturnal crimefighter in a decidedly different direction with magical powers granted by moonlight, and enemies that often amount to werewolves and vampires. Imbued with supernatural power and a unique horror flair, Moon Knight is one of the next additions to the MCU, with Oscar Isaac in talks to play the fist of Khonshu. 4. John Constantine (Image credit: Vertigo/DC) Once one of the core characters of DC's Vertigo line, John Constantine has had his share of magical adventures without really using magic at all. Though Constantine is quite an adept sorcerer, his primary skills are sleight-of-hand and hypnosis - though he is known for busting out his hellfire cigarette lighter and necromantic incantations when things get a bit thick. His occult knowledge has come in handy countless times when aiding fellow supernatural beings and humans alike. Constantine's title Hellblazer left its mark over at Vertigo before Constantine joined the core DC Universe in the 'New 52' era as part of Justice League Dark. Constantine has consistently anchored his own title, with his latest DC Black Label 'Sandman Universe' series having recently wrapped. 3. Zatanna (Image credit: DC) DC's Mistress of Magic. Everyone's favorite fishnet-clad, raven-haired, sassy sorceress. Created in 1964 by Gardner Fox and Murphy Anderson, Zatanna was involved in DC's first major crossover, as she searched for her father, the famed magician Zatara, who was a character back in the Golden Age of comic books. Instead of relaunching Zatara as DC had done with characters like Green Lantern and the Flash (giving them more sci-fi based origins this time around, and igniting the Silver Age), DC created a completely different character entirely to take the magician's mantle - his own daughter. Zatanna's powers have shifted over the years from powerful spellcasting to just controlling the elements and everything in-between, but her magic is almost always verbally controlled by speaking her spells backwards (ekil siht). During the rare occasions that she's rendered voiceless, she can write out what she needs - backwards and in her own blood - and it works just the same. 2. Doctor Strange (Image credit: Marvel) Stephen Strange started out as a renowned neurosurgeon who lost his way and found a new life as Earth's Sorcerer Supreme. Trained by the Ancient One in the mystical arts, Dr. Strange was given powerful artifacts, most notably the Eye of Agamotto to aid in his quest to stop the threat of malevolent warlocks and demonic entities alike. Strange has been a member of the Avengers, Defenders, Midnight Sons, and the Illuminati, making him a central figure in Marvel lore. Though he has lost the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme more than once along the way, he's always managed to prove his worth and retain it once more. His powers are unsurpassed in the Marvel Universe ranging from astral projection and telepathy to stopping time and unconsciously destroying galaxies. Strange is also a key player in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with a major part in Avengers: Infinity War, Endgame, and his own solo film series - including the upcoming sequel Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which could change quite a bit about the MCU's landscape. 1. Lord Morpheus, Dream of the Endless (Image credit: DC) While the others on this list are conjurers of magic, Dream is the physical manifestation of dreams and stories. Now we're talking serious magic. Dream is one of the Endless, created (mostly) by Neil Gaiman, Sam Kieth, and Mike Dringenberg in the 1980s (Destiny is an older DC character who was adapted to the tale). They are all inconceivably powerful beings, older than gods, and each a manifestation of a universal constant. Morpheus reigns over dreams and his own realm called the Dreaming, his powers more cerebral than physical. When we're introduced to him in the first arc of Sandman, we see what he is capable of. He tricked the Devil himself and let his enemies suffer with eternal nightmares. He's prideful and angry, and conscious of his responsibilities, yet does not accept, nor want change. His magic is infinite, and when he died, he was reborn into infant Daniel Hall with even greater power. Gaiman is notoriously protective of Morpheus, arguably his most beloved creation, so his appearances since his original series wrapped have been limited. Gaiman did return to the character last year with a special anniversary mini-series entitled Sandman: Overture - and the Sandman mythos serves as the anchor of the current DC Sandman Universe pop-up. Now, the Sandman has been adapted as a popular Audible audio drama series, with a Netflix TV adaptation on the way. Red Hulk, Ronin, and more: 10 Heroes and Villains whose secret identities were hidden from readers There's a longstanding superhero tradition of hiding the identity of certain characters even from readers Do some good with Nestle The campaign actually takes off on tomorrow when Nestle staff will fan out across the country to do good deeds for members of the public - all absolutely free. Introducing the programme, Alana Stewart-Gomez, senior consumer marketing manager at Nestle, said the good deeds will include giving fresh fruit and fresh flowers, paying taxi fares, helping people cross the street; sharing hugs and offering milkshakes from the Nestle Milkshake station. In a statement, the company said the Do Some Good campaign hopes to engender good sentiments and positivity throughout Trinidad and Tobago, and keep those feelings going throughout the campaign which ends on April 14, 2016. Denise dAbadie, Nestles Corporate Communications Manager, said the campaign was part of the companys way of giving back to society by creating an opportunity for all of us to literally do some good. Do some good for ourselves, do some good for others, do some good for our country. She said Nestle has already been doing some good through its Wellness Caravan in which it offers free Body Mass Index (BMI) and Body Fat testing as well as free one-to-one nutrition consultations working with its consumers to make sure that they lead a healthy lifestyle. dAbadie added that Through our Breakfast programme where, again through one-to-one nutrition consultations and product sampling, we show consumers what a healthy breakfast looks like and the real value of having breakfast every day. We do some good through our Healthy Kids Programme in schools where primary school students are taught the basics of leading a healthy lifestyle. She said with the high incidence of obesity, particularly childhood obesity, hypertension and diabetes in the country such initiatives as the Healthy Kids Programme cannot be understated. We are proud of what we do at Nestle. We are proud to be considered the number one expert and leader in nutrition in Trinidad and Tobago, she said. Also speaking was Country Manager, Michel Beneventi, who urged staff and those in attendance, as they thought about the Do Some Good programme, to think about what good they can do for themselves, their families, their community and for the country. In these difficult economic times, I would like to suggest that you do some good by supporting your local farmers, by buying your very own locally produced fresh milk. He said Nestle has been leading the development of the local Dairy industry for the last 54 years since the company was approached by the late Prime Minister, Dr Eric Williams in 1962 and invited to invest in Trinidad and Tobago. He said Nestle was the only company which collected local fresh milk from all its dairy farmers. Did you know that we introduced Mulatto grass to our farmers, a grass which is of high nutritional content for the production of high quality fresh milk? Did you know that we train our local partner farmers in the management and sustainability of dairy farming? Did you know that we are the largest local producer of liquid milk using our very own local fresh milk? Did you know that our Nestle Full Cream Milk is made solely from the fresh milk collected from the dairy cows in Trinidad and Tobago? In response to a question, Beneventi said Nestle could not pretend that its Do Some Good campaign would change the country but If we are negative, you know negative generates negative. He said the company was hoping that its campaign would have a snowball effect in the country. Hand in hand with the Do Some Good campaign, the company is also launching a redesign of the packaging of three of its popular brands of milk. Stewart-Gomez said that when the company did consumer tests of the new package designs, consumers agreed that the new packages were very eye-catching, contemporary and looked Trinbagonian. Members of the public can use social media and make pledges to do something good for themselves and others using the hashtag #Do Some Good. Consumers are also being invited to follow the campaign on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and via the website www.nestlemilks.tt or download a mobile application to follow the 30-day Do Some Good challenge which will require them to do good deeds which cost nothing or very little. Black Monday blues ETFs are expected to trade in lockstep with the stocks they own, with very little tracking error. It is noteworthy that when the S&P 500 fell as much as 5.3% in the opening minutes of trading, the $65 billion iShares Core S&P 500 ETF fell as much as 26%, some 20 percentage points below its fair value. ETFs trade like stocks, but they are not stocks; if this is forgotten then it can lead to big losses which were experienced by some unfortunate investors during the Black Monday market turmoil. The growth of ETFs to more than US$2 trillion in assets, half of which has accumulated in the past five years, should be cause for concern. Additionally, on Black Monday, volatility adversely affected the futures markets, hurting liquidity by making it difficult for market makers to obtain information that is vital to valuing ETFs. Then, once buying and selling began later in the morning, prices moved so sharply, they triggered trading halts for 900 ETFs. This experience has shown that ETFs can be vulnerable to price swings during periods of market stress, partly because some are less liquid than stocks. ETFs have become one of Wall Streets premier products and have been marketed as alternatives to what we know as tangible assets. In reality these are just paper products that give investors price exposure, and do not provide any protection from broader economic risks such as defaults on exchanges, the bankruptcy of a trustee or a broker, or an outright currency collapse. A review of data for the last few years reveals that precious metal ETFs like GLD and SLV, have built a market capitalization that is now estimated in the hundreds of billions of dollars, acquiring a lopsided hold over the trading of electronic gold and silver. It appears that these funds have diverted novice investor demand away from physical bullion. Individual investors lured by high returns may not realise that the prospectuses of these funds contain vague legal terminology. In addition, it is not possible to tell who holds the liabilities: is it the Trustees, the custodians, or the sponsor? ETFs, such as GLD and SLV, appear not to provide information/evidence of their holdings. They also appear to avoid audits by using multiple sub-custodians, and quite surprisingly permit Trustees to lease their holdings. An examination GLD or SLV suggest the existence of counter-party risk. ETF investors are also exposed to overnight risk, stock market closures, bank holidays, and financial market meltdowns that heavily cripple its liquidity claims. The continuous 24/7 liquidity of tangible bullion is far superior to GLD, SLV, and other paper ETFs or electronically traded counterparts. The most understated yet significant risk about ETFs is the possible collapse of the electronic pricing mechanism. The selloffs of the last decade as well as the most recent sell off on August 24 2015, have cautioned us of the meltdowns that result from pricing distortions in electronic markets. It must be remembered that a large proportion of the volume for these ETFs comes from high frequency algorithmic trading; hedge funds and leveraged institutional traders target individual investors by making use of disruptive price mechanisms. Since ETFs are mainly exposed to mis-pricing, their prospectuses contain complicated clauses permitting them to function even though there are a lot of price divergences from their underlying assets. It is imperative that investors with any exposure to ETFs should review the underlying and inherent risks these vehicles contain. At present there exists a Bull Market for precious metals that co-exists with significant economic and political uncertainties. Investors face the challenge, given todays world of electronic trading, to acquire tangible assets, without settling for paper. There are a number of institutions in Trinidad and Tobago that appear to have an interest in ETFs and there are those that are investing in these instruments. Although the Financial Institutions Act (FIA) limits investments outside of the country to 20 percent of the size of an institutions assets, both the institutions and the regulatory authorities need to exercise great care given the risks that these instruments pose and that they are not meant for long term investment. One is left to wonder if the regulatory authorities in this country are even aware of the existence of ETFs and the risk they pose. Watching as our wild spaces burn Over the history of the biosphere, fires have been a rare event for most habitats, although the frequency of bush fires is thought to have increased as early humans expanded into new areas. However, these infrequent natural fires are now competing with the majority of bush fires that are started by modern humans with modern motives; humans are the leading cause of bush fires worldwide. Historically, fires do not occur in ecosystems that are either too dry for lush vegetation to provide sufficient fuel, or too wet for fire to take hold. Thus, fire activity is highest in tropical grasslands and savannas, and lowest in arid deserts and moist forests. Trinidad falls within an ecoregion where fire is not considered to be a significant part of ecosystem development, although fire may have played a role in the evolution of small areas of natural savanna (eg in the Aripo Savannas). Of the different forest stands in Trinidad, exotic pine and teak plantations are most at risk of bush fires, but any forest with an open canopy or near areas of grass or bamboo is vulnerable. Even in normally humid forest stands, a week of consecutive dry days provides enough fuel at ground level to allow bush fires to take hold. Therefore the risk is greatly increased when the dry season is severe, as it is predicted to be this year. Major threat Bush fires are a major threat to Trinidads forests, as they are largely composed of fire-sensitive plant and animal species. As fires become more frequent, fire-sensitive species are replaced by fire-tolerant species over time, thus making the landscape more uniform and less diverse. Recurrent fires deplete the supply of seedlings from long-lived species, resulting in more open, fire-prone forest stands. In the most extreme case, forest cover is replaced by fire-climax grassland. Such grasslands burn frequently, preventing the return of trees and providing fuel for future fires that may spread to adjacent habitats; several examples of this can be seen on the south-facing slopes of the Northern Range. As for much of the tropics, all of Trinidads natural habitats are classified as fire degraded due to the alteration of the natural fire regime. This disruption of the natural fire regime largely developed in the 1990s, with former plantations and State-owned forest giving way to unplanned, unpoliced, and often illegal, settlements. By the end of the 1990s, the Forestry Division estimated that each year more than 6,000 acres of forest burn and some 100 acres are permanently lost. Once the tree cover is lost, the bare soil loses its ability to retain water and may become vulnerable to landslides DEAL WITH MURDERS Newsday was told by senior police sources that Commissioner Williams yesterday mandated all divisional commanders, Police Secton heads and task force units to put together a priority offenders list and target persons, who according to intel, have been engaging in continuous criminal activities. Division heads were also instructed to find ways and means of reducing the amount of murders, shootings and woundings committed in their respective divisions. The meeting of all divisional heads, head of sections and units was called by Commissioner Williams, following last weeks launch of the 2016 anti-crime initiative. Newsday understands all Divisions will use the priority offenders list to target persons who are known repeat offenders, persons suspected of being involved in criminal activities, persons already before the courts and persons on outstanding warrants. Newsday understands that apart from the priority offenders list, officers have been asked to seek and flush out others who may not be on the list, but who have been identified as persons intent on breaking the law. At the meeting yesterday, divisional commanders using Computer Statistical Reporting, were able to review their progress in crime fighting as well as measure their detection rate in order to implement measures for improvement. The officers were also addressed yesterday by other executive members of the Police Service. A source told Newsday that Acting Commissioner Williams is very concerned about the spate of murders and is also concerned over the amount of crimes in which guns are used. He has asked that all heads set a specific target in terms of removing illegal firearms and ammunition from their divisions. This he believes, will go a long way in reducing serious crimes especially murder. Officers were also asked to improve their interaction with the public because it was noted that fostering a partnership with the public will go a long way in assisting in the fight against crime. Additionally, officers were asked to increase their visibility and carry out more anti-crime exercises to keep the criminals on the run and to restore a sense of peace in the country. Officers who attended the meeting yesterday gave their commitment to do all that they can to bring crime down to a minimum. The Southern Division has the record for the highest number of illegal firearms seized so far for the year. This division has the record for the largest reduction in crime. Thirty-one illegal firearms have been seized under the supervision of Southern Division Commanders - Snr Supt Irwin Hackshaw and Detective Inspector Don Gajadhar. Some of the weapons recovered include Tec 9 sub-machine guns, pistols, shotguns and revolvers. The weapons were seized from the Moruga, Princes Town and La Romaine areas. The nine Police Divisions in the country are: Northern, North-Eastern, Western, Central, Southern, South-Western, Port-of- Spain, Eastern and Tobago. No politics in Malcolm Jones case Speaking at his ministrys Cabildo Chambers headquarters in Portof- Spain, Al-Rawi declared, The fact is the management of this litigation by the Office of the AG, this AG, has been very,very clear and at full arms length. He continued, The position of distance was further preserved because I kept the exact legal team that was involved in the proceedings from day one. Recalling this legal team (Vincent Nelson QC, Gerald Ramdeen, Israel Khan and Varun Debideen) was created under his predecessor Anand Ramlogan, Al-Rawi said, Had I had any form of intention of seeing some form of Machiavellian intervention, political intervention, I would have changed the legal team. He reminded reporters, When Mr Ramlogan came into the saddle, he changed legal teams almost immediately in a number of cases of litigation, including Section 34. Stating that the WGTL arbitration proceedings were closely and completely related to the High Court proceedings against Jones, Al-Rawi reiterated that Nelson and Russell Martineau SC advised there was a prima facie case against Jones, resulting in a claim being made against Jones in May 2013. Explaining that the WGTL arbitration and its related documents were not part of those proceedings, the AG declared, Therefore it is ludicrous for (Opposition) Senator (Wayne) Sturge to suggest it is clear that all documents were at the court. They were not at the court. He disclosed that while Jones matter was due to be heard on February 22, Petrotrin failed to file witness statements because the attorneys who were managing the matter had not taken witness statements and had not produced evidence to the court. Al-Rawi said had the matter proceeded as Sturge,so boldly suggested, there would have been no evidence before the court. The court would have been subjected to deciding the case on the basis of one partys evidence only and we would have had to have paid 100 percent of the prescribed cost in the matter which was millions of dollars in legal fees. Saying that Jones made an application for disclosure of witness statements in the WGTL arbitration, as part of his defence, Nelson was clear in his advice that, it could not be held back, and said he was not consulted about if it could. That application was being resisted by the team of attorneys representing Petrotrin. Indicating that Nelson further advised that, litigation was approached on an all cards face up basis, the AG stated, The question on deck right now is why did the last administration suppress material evidence in this matter and what would they have done if this matter had gone to trial? Referring to Nelsons written advice dated October 11, 2015, Al-Rawi observed, It is on the back of their own advice that the litigation was brought to an end. He countered that were he to accept the UNCs position, what I would be invited to do, is proceed with litigation bound to fail, bound to cost millions of dollars in damages, if not damages then costs and also, not to accept the very advice of the very attorneys who managed the litigation from day one. These proceedings involved the suppression of witness statements which clearly both Anand Ramlogan and Garvin Nicholas, had responsibility for, because the Office of the AG was managing the litigation, Al Rawi said. Saying there are two written opinions from Nelson and one from Martineau pertaining to this matter, Al-Rawi said he would not bow to a request by former government minister Devant Maharaj to make these legal opinions public. For now, the obligation of the State is to preserve its evidence and certainly its opinion evidence or its opinions received which can assist in future litigation or present litigation, he said. The AG indicated two of the opinions, are still receiving attention in terms of litigation and other consequences. The third opinion (Nelsons advice of October 2015), Al-Rawi explained, is something which is a little bit more confined and which is being considered right now as to whether there will be any impact on future litigation and future interests for Petrotrin. Reviewing a copy of a February 2 letter which Devant Maharaj reportedly received from Debideen, Al-Rawi said this letter did not support Maharajs claim that no advice was given to discontinue the matter against Jones. Saying Maharaj must now explain how he got this letter and Debideen had a, duty of care and legal responsibility under the Legal Profession Act to ensure that client-attorney privileges are kept intact, Al-Rawi said Maharaj failed to produce the related correspondence to Debideen from Petrotrin and the Ministry of the AG. Indicating he would not be taking advice from Maharaj or Sturge on this matter, the AG said in his letter, Debideen requested to be removed as instructing attorney in the case against Jones. However Al-Rawi added, we were not prepared to allow him to come off record unless there had been a full handover of all of the files and there was none. Riot police called out The local contractor was reportedly owed approximately TT $4 Million, and had obtained a Court order to seize heavy machinery belonging to the company, including a D8 Bulldozer over loader, two excavators, and two 950 Front end Over loaders. The drama unfolded at just after 9 am, when four trucks, together with a Marshal of the Court and several police officers in a marked police vehicle, arrived at the Golconda site and attempted to drive onto the compound. However, the workers, numbering approximately 25 persons, quickly realised what was taking place, and moved from their camp site located just in front of the main gates and formed a human barrier in front of the gates. A number of other workers then proceeded to place old tyres and pieces of wood on the driveway leading to the compound. A call was then made for back up and officers from the Guard and Emergency Branch (GEB) equipped in full riot gear, including shields, helmets, and body armour, arrived at the site and took up positions just in front of the protesting workers. A number of appeals were then made to the workers by police officers who informed them that the Court order had to be fulfilled, and they were appealing to the workers not to break the law. An empty 25-seater police maxi then arrived on the scene as the riot police officers took up positions in front of the workers. One worker asked about the purpose of the police maxi to which another worker said this was for those workers who refused to move from in front of the gates. Then after being informed that they had two choices- to leave the gates or get locked up, the workers abandoned the gates, and went into their camp. Officers then removed the tyres from the road and also shifted the tent to allow the vehicles to enter the compound. Speaking to reporters during the stand-off, OWTU representative, Jameel Thomas, said similar action had been used by other contractors, and the company may sell out their assets to repay their debts, and leave the workers unpaid. Religious heads blast TTUTA head on Concordat Additionally, they expressed concern about his desire to have the Secondary Assessment Exam (SEA) abolished and a school system based on zoning. Archbishop Joseph Harris of the Catholic Church; Satnarayan Maharaj, Secretary General of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha; president general of the Anjuman Sunnat ul Jammat Association (ASJA), Yacoob Ali and several others weighed in yesterday on the issue. Maharaj stated in no uncertain terms that Sinanan did not know what he was talking about and that his suggestions, could only hurt the education system. The whole world is going in to pre-school education, that is, at the age of three; and he is talking about starting at seven. So this Davanand Sinanan has called no conference of teachers...because hes representing teachers. He has called no conference to arrive at these conclusions, Maharaj said. He added that the implementation of Sinanans proposals would leave the poor at a disadvantage, since the wealthier classes could always place their children in private schooling. Moreover, he questioned whether Sinanan had consulted with teachers who he represents, and even his executive, as his statements do not necessarily reflect the reality of what is taking place in the school system. In addition, Maharaj said that most of the violence was taking place at government secondary schools. He noted that while there will always be pushing and shoving, and that kind of jostling in all schools with young children, denominational schools usually are more disciplined. Maharaj stated, too, that the problem was not with teachers or the schools, but with parenting. On the issue of zoning, he felt to institute that would breach the constitutional right of a parent to choose what school they would prefer to send their child. Significantly, president of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha (SDMS) Principals Association, Usha Rampersad- Gokool, in a press release yesterday expressed her support for the Maha Sabha Board of Education. Rampersad-Gokool stated that her organization strongly supports the stance taken by the SDMS Board of Education, that the Concordat of 1960 must be retained as is. In fact, she added that because of the Concordat, denominational schools have been able to produce top calibre and disciplined students at both the primary and secondary levels. ASJA head, Yacoob Ali, agreed that denominational schools are better performing and dismissed Sinanans contention that they encourage the exclusion of certain students. On the issue of school indiscipline, he commented, Concordat is a document merely establishing the right of the denominational boards to run schools. We all know that the denominational schools are better run schools, and they do not have the problems that take place otherwiseDiscipline begins at home. Archbishop Harris echoed the sentiment of Maharaj, saying that Sinanan has been making no sense. Mr Sinanan is totally mistaken. He doesnt know what hes talking about. Number one, we have the teachers who teach and who therefore, whether a school is in Port-of-Spain, or San Fernando, or Chaguanas can be an elite school. Its not an easy issue simply to say it is because of the Concordat. Remember, we only get 20 per cent of the children; the government sends 80 per cent of the children to our schoolsWe dont choose the per cent of children that come to our schools. Whether there is a concordat or not, if we use the system that we use now, children will apply, parents will apply to schools they consider better. Harris asked rhetorically why religious schools were being dumped on, and noted that they do better. Additionally, he said would not have a problem with zoning once all the schools were of the same level. He also said it is difficult for parents who work in one part of the country, to leave their children unsupervised in another part, giving the example of a couple working in Portof- Spain, with a child attending school in Arima Spiritual Baptists celebrate 65 years The Spiritual/Shouter Baptist faith is a unique religion, comprising elements of Protestant Christianity and African doctrines and rituals. It is also one of the few religions indigenous to Trinidad and Tobago. From 1917 to 1951, the faith was banned in Trinidad by the colonial government of the day. The legislation to enact this ban was called the Shouters Prohibition Ordinance and it was passed on November 16, 1917. The reason given for the Ordinance was that the Shouters made too much noise with their loud singing and bell ringing, and disturbed the peace. Chairman of the Congress Rev Dr Hazel-Ann Gibbs- De Peza, at a media launch earlier this week, said the one day given to celebrate Shouter Baptists is not enough and as such, activities spread over a month, will be held. She noted that while they had applied for State funding for their celebration, they have not received a response as yet. We are not sure whether we would be getting any funding, and if so, how much, Gibbs-De Peza said. Attempts to contact Culture Minister Nyan Gadsby-Dolly went straight to voice mail. Gibbs-De Peza said Spiritual/Shouter Baptists should no longer be ashamed to say they are members of this faith, and should rejoice in this celebration. Secretary of the Congress, Bishop Winston Ironside, said they would celebrate their 65th year of freedom (repeal of the Ordinance) with great joy, adding that they would forever carry this time of peace in their hearts. Get the news faster. Tap to install our app. Access Newser even faster. Click here to install our app on your desktop. X (Newser) Anders Behring Breivikthe man who killed 77 people, many of them teenagers, in 2011is suing the Norwegian government, alleging his treatment while imprisoned has been "inhumane" and "degrading," AFP reports. Breivik's lawyer claims his client has "clear isolation damage" after nearly five years alone. He says Breivik is only able to interact with prison staff and lawyers and is too uncomfortable with how much his mail is monitored to form correspondence relationships, according to Reuters. Breivik was sentenced to 21 years in prisonthe maximum allowed under Norwegian lawfor a bombing outside a government building and shooting at a youth camp. He's been cut off from interacting with other prisoners ever since. On Wednesday, the Norwegian government denied Breivik's claims that it's violating his human rights. The measures which have been applied to the plaintiff ... are well within the limits of what is permitted, AFP quotes a government document. It points out he has three cells he can move freely between, a computer, a TV, and a PlayStation. He's also allowed to cook his own meals and walk in the yard. The government argues it is trying to prevent Breivikwho had previously called prisons "ideal recruitment places"from creating an "extremist network." There are limits to his contacts with the outside world which are of course strict," a government lawyer tells AFP. "It pretty much has to be that way." A hearing on Breivik's claims is scheduled for later this month. (Read more Anders Behring Breivik stories.) (Newser) A Chick-fil-A operator in Georgia wants to stop families from being distracted by their phones while sharing a meal together. So he came up with the "Cell Phone Coop," a box in which family members place their (silenced) phones while they're eating in a Chick-fil-A restaurant, and he came up with a pretty good incentive to convince them to do so: free ice cream. Each member of a family that successfully completes the challenge and informs their cashier will get a free "Icedream" cone, Chick-fil-A says in a statement. "We really want our restaurant to provide a sense of community for our customers, where family and friends can come together and share quality time with one another," Georgia operator Brad Williams explains. The challenge has taken off, and more than 150 locations now offer Cell Phone Coops on their tables. The company suggests you call your local Chick-fil-A to see if it's taking part, Fortune reports. (Read more Chick-Fil-A stories.) (Newser) One day after Donald Trump cemented his hold on the GOP nomination, Mitt Romney has gotten the rumor mills churning with the announcement that he'll give a speech Thursday morning in Utah about the state of the election. At NBC News, Andrew Rafferty cuts right to the chase with a tweet: "Close (Romney) aide says he won't endorse or get in, but tomorrow's speech 'will be worth covering.'" ABC's Rick Klein had a similar tweet: "Romney is not getting in this race, sources telling us." One safer bet is that Romney will go after Trump, as he has been doing aggressively of latewarning of a "bombshell" in his taxes and calling Trump's response to white supremacist David Duke's praise "disqualifying." The Washington Post suggests Romney's speech will echo one he gave last month in which he said the national electorate was fed up with "the failure of current political leaders to actually tackle major challenges, or to try at least." And given the election year, there's speculation that Romney is remaining visible in case something crazy happens at the GOP convention, as per this line in coverage at CNN: "In Washington, Utah's Sen. Orrin Hatch told CNN, 'If the convention is locked up, there's a possibility' Romney would run for president." At Hot Air, blogger Allahpundit has a similar sentiment: "This does, however, look an awful lot like Romney putting himself back on the radar of #NeverTrump conservative voters at the very moment that theyre starting to look around for an 'in case of emergency, break glass' candidate." (Read more Mitt Romney stories.) (Newser) The man known as the "UVA killer" will in all likelihood spend the rest of his life behind bars after pleading guilty to killing two Virginia college students over the past seven years, NBC News reports. Jesse Matthew was sentenced to four life sentences on Wednesday as part of a plea deal that will allow him to avoid the death penalty. The deal was supported by the families of both of his victims, according to WTVR. Matthew's lawyer said his client agreed to the plea "to not have the sentence of death hanging over his head," the Washington Post reports. NBC states the deal "all but assures he will never be a free man again." Matthew has no chance of parole, early release, or geriatric release. Twenty-year-old Virginia Tech student Morgan Harrington disappeared in 2009 after attending a concert at the University of Virginia. Eighteen-year-old Hannah Graham was a UVA student when she disappeared five years later. Matthew worked at the UVA medical center at the time of the disappearances. "Today's events do not bring Hannah back to us," Graham's father said during Wednesday's hearing, per NBC. "But at times like this, we must take comfort where we can." Graham's mother described her daughter as a "heroine" for giving her life to help police arrest a serial rapist and murderer hiding in plain sight." Matthew was sentenced to three life sentences last year for sexually assaulting and attempting to murder a 26-year-old woman in 2005. (Read more Jesse Matthew stories.) (Newser) For all those thinking the federal ban on "smoking" tobacco on commercial flights doesn't apply to electronic cigarettes, here's your unequivocal answer from the Department of Transportation: Nope. The DOT on Wednesday officially banned vaping "in all forms, including but not limited to electronic cigars, pipes, and devices designed to look like everyday products such as pens" on all planes entering, exiting, and flying around the US. The announcement expands on a statement previously issued by the department that it had considered to be "sufficiently broad to include the use of electronic cigarettes" but that NPR reports was seen by some to have a loophole: It did not explicitly define "smoking," and e-cigarettes release vapor, not smoke. Ars Technica notes that no US-based carrier had explicitly allowed the onboard use of e-cigarettes. But the DOT's lack of a crystal-clear ruling led to things like the FAQ on the website for blu eCigs, which asks, "Can you vape on a plane?" and answers, "It depends"; it notes the DOT hadn't issued an official ban and instructed fliers to check with individual airlines or ask their flight attendant. In its now-official ban, the DOT specifically calls out the "number of harmful chemicals" that studies indicate are in aerosol fumes, and it notes that while further research is required to "fully understand the risks," it will take a "precautionary approach" in the meantime. Passengers are already barred from both transporting battery-powered portable electronic smoking devices in their checked bags and charging them on board aircraft. (Vaping is apparently still allowed here.) (Newser) "We can't do the Rubio thing anymore." That's what Fox CEO Roger Ailes recently told a host at the network he leads, or so reports Gabriel Sherman for New York. Until now, according to Sherman, Marco Rubio has enjoyed support from Fox, including softball interviews, "enthusiastic boosters" among the network's pundits, and key bookings. (One example: the first prime-time response to President Obama's Oval Office address on ISIS.) All that is over, with Ailes saying he no longer has confidence in the Florida senator's ability to win"We're finished with Rubio"three Fox sources tell New York. (Rubio took just one state, Minnesota, on Super Tuesday.) But perhaps more importantly than that, sources say, Ailes is pretty ticked off about a Feb. 27 New York Times article that documented what was at that time a previously unreported 2013 dinner at News Corp.'s HQ. During the meeting, Rubio and Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer asked News Corp. founder Rupert Murdoch and Ailes to keep Fox pundits from "savaging" bipartisan immigration legislationlegislation Rubio "ultimately abandoned." Ailes, a source tells Sherman, "hates seeing his name in print": "He was appalled the dinner was reported." Rubio, "and to a certain degree Fox News, are still paying for that dinner," in the February Times article's view. Fox News Executive VP Michael Clemente offered this strongly worded response to the New York piece: "Consistent with the golden standard of Shermanonymous' 'reporting' on FOX News and Roger Ailes, there is no credence to this narrative or the many other works of fiction he's repeatedly been proven wrong on. Lacking any on-the-record sources, and desperate for attention, his stories are full of made-up quotes, but New York magazine doesnt seem to care about his overwhelming lack of credibility, journalistic integrity, and deeply partisan agenda." (Read more Election 2016 stories.) (Newser) Just hours after it was hit with harsh new UN sanctions on Wednesday, North Korea fired several short-range missiles toward the Sea of Japan. A South Korean defense official says the exact type of projectile fired from the eastern coastal town of Wonsan is being investigated, adding that all of the missiles fell into the sea, Yonhap News reports. There were six projectiles shot, Al Jazeera reports; they could have been missiles, artillery, or rockets. It's not the first time the isolated country has carried out "live firing near or across its borders when facing international condemnation," according to the Guardian. The new sanctionswhich have buy-in from China, North Korea's traditional allyaim to clamp down on Pyongyang's "defiant testing of nuclear bombs and ballistic missiles," the New York Times reports. In January, for instance, Pyongyang said it successfully detonated a hydrogen bomb, a claim that has been much disputed. The toughest restrictions placed on North Korea in two decades, the sanctions include mandatory inspections of cargo leaving and entering the country, a ban on sales or transfers of small arms and light weapons to North Korea, and a ban on the export of various fuels and minerals to the country. (Read more North Korea stories.) (Newser) A nanny from Uzbekistan accused of decapitating a 4-year-old girl and brandishing her head outside a Moscow subway station said during an apparent interrogation captured on video that the killing was an act of revenge against President Vladimir Putin for Russian airstrikes in Syria. Gulchekhra Bobokulova, 38, was detained in Moscow on Monday after the child in her care was killed. Video footage posted online Thursday appeared to show police interrogating her. It was not clear where the video originated, and the AP could not verify its authenticity or the circumstances in which it was taken. She appeared to be wearing the same clothes she wore during a court appearance on Wednesday. Putin's spokesman said it was difficult to judge the testimony of a woman he called "clearly deranged." In the video, she says the killing of the child was done in revenge. Asked who it was revenge against, she says "the one who has spilled the blood." Asked who that was, she replies: "Who spilled it? Putin has been dropping bombs." Russia has been carrying out airstrikes in Syria for five months to support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's offensive against rebels. The Investigative Committee, Russia's top investigative agency, would not confirm or deny the authenticity of the video, but spokesman Vladimir Markin warned that Bobokulova's words should be treated with caution. "The motive for a crime committed by a person who was diagnosed with schizophrenia often does not coincide with the explanations that they give later," he said, adding that investigators will look into all possible theories. (Read more Russia stories.) (Newser) A day spent posing for selfies with his girlfriend and a gun turned out to be fatal for a man in Washington state. The Skagit Valley Herald reports the unnamed man accidentally shot himself in the face Sunday while taking a photo. The girlfriend of the 43-year-old from Concrete says they had been snapping photos with the gun throughout the day; her beau reportedly removed the bullets before posing, then returned them to the gun between photos, per the Skagit County Sheriff's Office chief of patrol. The man apparently thought the gun was unloaded during his last picture, but there was one bullet in the chamber, causing what police are so far calling his accidental death. And he's far from alone in meeting this kind of demise: Citing a Priceonomics study published at the end of January, CBS News reports there have been 49 selfie-related deaths since 2014four of them attributed to guns. Nearly 30 people died a selfie-linked death in 2015 alone, many of them in India and Russia. (Read more selfie stories.) (Newser) A pair of German lawyers are hoping to squeeze a $163 million fine out of Mark Zuckerberg by claiming Facebook allows users to post anti-Semitic messages and other hate speech, Vice reports. "I think Facebook has changed German societynot for the good," attorney Chan-jo Jun says. It's against German law to incite hatred using Nazi symbolism, yet such symbolism occasionally finds its way onto Facebook. In Germany, only peoplenot companiescan be charged with a crime, which is why the lawyers are setting their sights on Zuckerberg, according to Fortune. As evidence for the criminal complaint they filed against Zuckerberg last month, they point to more than 300 Facebook posts and pages that include swastikas, threats against migrants, and more. Zuckerberg addressed the issue at a meeting last month in Germany. "Hate speech has no place on Facebook and in our community," Vice quotes the CEO as saying. "Until recently in Germany, I don't think we were doing a good enough job, and I think we will continue needing to do a better and better job." Facebook has removed some of the posts cited by the lawyers but claims otherssuch as a user wondering why Obama isn't "sitting in a concentration camp"don't violate its community standards. The attorneys already tried suing German Facebook executives, but prosecutors refused the case. They're currently also trying to get a European Facebook executive charged with being an accessory to inciting racial hatred. Vice notes that's unlikely to happen. (Read more Mark Zuckerberg stories.) (Newser) Mitt Romney took his shots at Donald Trump Thursday morning, and Trump returned fire Thursday afternoon. His verdict: Romney is "irrelevant" after running "one of the worst campaigns in the history of politics." At one point, Trump took a shot at Romney as two-faced because he said Romney was "begging" for his endorsement four years ago. "I could have said, 'Mitt drop to your knees.' He would have dropped to his knees," Trump said during a campaign stop in Maine, reports the Hill. He also said Romney "chickened out" of this year's race only because he feared running against Trump. "He's a choke artist." He called Romney's assault against him "very nasty," adding, "I thought he was a better person than that." Trump, who had to pause four times during his speech as police escorted protesters from the room, dismissed Romney's criticism of his business savvy. "Nobody knows more about free trade than me," he said. "I made so much more money than Mitt." And as for Romney as a presidential candidate: "He let us down. He let us down," Trump said, per Politico. "He was horrible in the third debate. Something happened." (Read more Donald Trump 2016 stories.) (Newser) In January, the US Supreme Court ruled that the way Florida's death penalty was carried out was unconstitutional. Now, in reaction to that decision, the state is overhauling its system, with the Florida Legislature sending a bill to Gov. Rick Scott that would mandate at least 10 out of 12 jurors recommend execution before it's able to be greenlit by a judgenot simply a majority of the jurors, as is currently required, the AP reports. Florida's Supreme Court put two executions on hold after the high court's ruling, and other cases across the state have also been in limbo since. The US Supreme Court's ruling came about because juries only hold an advisory role in execution decisions, meaning a judge could reach a different decision than a jury, even if it was a close vote. The case that the ruling was based on was that of Timothy Hurst, convicted of killing his manager at a Florida Popeyes in 1998. The jury in his case was divided almost down the middle (seven for execution, five against), and the judge chose execution. (One of Hurst's lawyers filed a motion last month arguing his case should be moved to a lower court that can impose a sentence of life in prison.) Florida legislators at first considered requiring the jury decision to be unanimousFlorida is one of only a few states that doesn't carry that mandatebut state senators reached the 10-2 decision as a "compromise" with the House, which Capitol News Service says wanted the jury requirement to be 9-3. At least one state senator says that compromise is a mistake. "Judges are uncertain in regard to what the jury really decided," state Sen. Geraldine Thompson tells the service. "With a unanimous verdict, they know without question that this is the will of the jury." (Read more death penalty stories.) Fairbanks, AK (99707) Today Mainly cloudy with snow showers around this evening. Low 26F. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 50%.. Tonight Mainly cloudy with snow showers around this evening. Low 26F. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 50%. New Delhi: Celebrations erupted on the JNU campus after JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar was granted interim bail in the sedition case on Wednesday, with the varsity students and supporters now awaiting his release from jail. University students and teachers welcomed the decision by singing songs, taking out torchlight victory march, amid beating of daflis and chants of azaadi. Many students and teachers hugged each other on the campus as the news spread. The celebrations broke out first outside Parliament Street Police Station where students had been camping since noon on Wednesday. Shouting victory slogans for Kanhaiya, they marched from Sabarmati Dhaba, which was the venue for the February 9 controversial event, to the administration block, where the protests have been going on since then. I have been leading this protest against crackdown on students and branding of university as anti-national and I am glad that Comrade Kanhaiya will be back and lead the movement from now on, JNUSU Vice President Shehla Rashid Shora said. JNU Teachers Association General Secretary Bikramaditya Choudhary said, It is a relief to see one of the students being granted bail. Our fight will now continue until the sedition charges are dropped and other two students Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya. Kanhaiya Kumar, a PhD student, was arrested on February 12 in connection with an event on the campus related to Afzal Guru. Members of the ABVP, the students front of RSS, had objected to the event and written to the Vice Chancellor against allowing it on the campus, prompting the university administration to order its cancellation of the march apprehending that it might disrupt peace. But the organisers went ahead with the programme despite withdrawal of permission and held a cultural programme, art and photo exhibition on the issue. Five other students Umar Khalid, Anirban Bhattacharya, Ashutosh Kumar, Anant Prakash and Rama Naga, were wanted by the police in connection with the case. After being on the run for 10 days, they resurfaced on campus last Sunday. While Umar and Anirban later surrendered, three others have communicated to police that they are open to questioning, as and when required. Academicians and scholars from across the globe including Noam Chomsky have come out in support of JNU students and condemned the police action against them. While there were celebrations on campus Wednesday night, members of ABVP said bail doesnt mean he has been declared innocent. Bail against a bond of Rs 10,000 doesnt mean he has been proved innocent. The case is still going on and he has also ben instructed by judiciary to cooperate with police in investigation. This is not victory for the Left but a normal procedure, Saurabh Kumar Sharma, Joint Secretary, JNUSU said in a joint statement. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley expressed hope that the Aadhaar Bill, which seeks to give legal status to the unique identity number, will be passed in the ongoing Budget Session. ...the Aadhaar legislation. I hope to see it through this session. It is an important law that can rationalise subsidies. The whole dispute about privacy set aside, its a certification that nobody claims money twice, he said during the Rajya Sabha TV programme Spotlight. Meanwhile, sources said, the Union Cabinet today approved the bill so that it could be introduced in Parliament. In his Budget speech, Jaitley had said government will undertake significant reform including enactment of a law to ensure all government benefits are conferred to people who deserve it by giving a statutory backing to the Aadhaar platform. Till date over 98 crore Aadhaar numbers have been generated. On the banking sector, he said the banks have to be strong to support growth. We need to see the impact of private sector balance sheets on the balance sheets of public sector banks. These are challenging areas to address... The challenge is to build firewalls around your system in response to global situation, Jaitley added. On MNREGA, he said there is no point following the UPA system of accounting. ...you get a clap by sanctioning huge amounts and end up spending a fraction of it in most of the UPA rule. The revised estimates for development was much lower than the budgeted ones, he said. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Washington: Pakistan Foreign Affairs advisor Sartaj Aziz today discussed the Afghan reconciliation process and positive developments in Indo-Pak relationship with US National Security Advisor Susan Rice here. Rice appreciated the sacrifices made by Pakistan military in its successful endeavours to confront the security challenges posed by terrorist elements, according to a statement issued by the Pakistani Embassy here. Aziz briefed Rice on the recent positive developments concerning Pakistans relations with India, the official statement said. Aziz, the foreign policy advisor to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, reiterated the importance of reconciliation process in Afghanistan, while reassuring that Pakistan would provide the necessary support for an Afghan owned and Afghan led initiative in this regard. He also stated that improved management of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border was key to the ultimate success in efforts to root out the scourge of terrorism in the region, the statement said. The two leaders reviewed the current state of Pak-US bilateral relations and expressed confidence that strategic partnership between the two countries would further strengthen and deepen in various areas of cooperation. While recognising the significance of continued high-level engagements between the two countries, Rice said she is looking forward to the visit of the Prime Minister of Pakistan to Washington at the end of March for participation in the Nuclear Security Summit. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Mumbai: A woman from Manipur was allegedly assaulted by a man in Mumbais Santacruz area, reports said on Thursday. The 26-year-old was allegedly kicked, punched and was also dragged by her hair, triggering outrage. He hit me, then kicked me in the abdomen. When I tried to resist, he molested me and tore my clothes. He began to hit me again, and I fell down. Then he grabbed my hair and dragged me by it on the street for a few metres, the woman was quoted as saying by news daily. The assailant, who was unknown to her, pushed the womans friends aside when they tried to help her. The onlookers allegedly did not help her. Because of our Northeast facial features, people believe that we are from China or Nepal. Because of this discrimination, no one came to my sisters rescue, the victims sister was quoted as saying. My sister is in trauma right now. Culprits should be punished, she told ANI. According to the woman, the even the police refused to file an FIR in the case when she went to the police station to file a complaint. I dont understand Marathi, so I did not know what was written in the complaint copy, but assumed he had filed an FIR. I was shocked when my sisters friend told me it was only an NC. Later, I figured out that he hadnt even mentioned the entire crime in detail in the complaint, she said. However, the police registered an FIR later on Wednesday, reports said. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Google photos is a storage service where you can sync all of your photos in one place. With unlimited storage and set resolution, its quite easy to find anything you have ever uploaded, even years ago. Now its getting even better! Google Photo users will now get a small batch of new tools. The photos team on Tuesday came up with new online editing tricks. Now you can jump between photos while remaining in editing mode, without losing the changes you made. Also if you like, can now choose a specific aspect ratio for your photos by selecting any of the four options: original, square, 16:9 and 4:3. The updated Google photos will not only offer the previous regular options of increasing, decreasing or adjusting brightness, colour, and vignette but will also have numerous colour filters such as Mars, Ceres, Venus etc. You can now navigate between photos while staying in editing mode. Your edits will automatically save, and undoing them is simple -- just click Revert to Original, said the company in a post on Google Plus. In February, Google announced its plans to drop support for Picasa desktop app on March 15. While the data stored on Picasa web albums will be transferred to a user's Google Photos account from May 1, 2016. Google Photos offers unlimited storage space to its users for storing, photos and videos. It was earlier a part of Google Plus and was made into a separate app last year. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today reached out to the opposition, saying he needs their support for improvement in his government, even as he attacked the Congress over disruptions in Parliament while skipping the raging issues like JNU and Dalit students suicide. Modi, speaking in the Lok Sabha, used wit and barbs as he responded to the attack by Congress over various initiatives of his government, including Make in India and MNREGA. Slamming the Congress for disrupting Parliament and stalling bills, he said the main opposition party was doing so because of inferiority complex of its top leaders. He also invoked the statements made by Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and first President Rajendra Prasad by reading out their statements against stalling of legislative business. He deplored the tu tu, mai mai (blame game) attitude by political parties for scoring points, saying the officialdom rejoices over this and nation suffers. This government also needs improvement which cannot happen without your help. I am new, you are experienced. I need the benefit of your experience. Governments will come and go. Let us work shoulder to shoulder, Modi said while replying to a debate on Motion of Thanks to the Presidents Address which was approved later. He said a democratic country like India cannot be left at the mercy of the bureaucracy as he sought to underline the importance of the Legislature, saying even a single MP of any party should be treated like Prime Minister. In his 75-minute speech, Modi, however, did not respond to the specific issues raised by Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders, like his visit to Pakistan, blackmoney, JNU and Dalit student Rohith Vemulas suicide. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday termed himself a first timer and called the Opposition experienced while he was replying in Parliament on the Motion of Thanks on the Presidents address. He gave three suggestions for Parliament which are as follows: 1. Only women lawmakers should speak in Parliament on March 8, to mark International Women's Day. 2. For a week, in one or two sessions a year, only first-time members should be allowed to speak... Not because I am a first-timer, but we need a whiff of fresh air of ideas. 3. Members should all sit an extra day on Saturday during a session to debate India's role in fighting climate change. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Every year fashion weeks are remembered for beautiful model looks and dresses. New York Fashion Week has just come to an end and we are already looking forward to next Fall's graphic liners and funky nail art. Paris Fashion Week 2016 has just started and we all are ready to see top models, shooting street style snaps, new trends, celebrity sightings and much more. Prepare your pin it button-clicking finger and have a look at some of the best looks of Paris Fashion Week: Hyderabad: Accusing the Andhra Pradesh government of cheating Kapus, quota stir leader Mudragada Padmanabham today threatened to launch a fresh agitation seeking the communitys inclusion in the Backward Classes category. Kapus are cheated by the TDP government. Another agitation is imminent and the intensity of the fresh stir would be much higher as the community members are seething with anger, Padmanabham said. The agitation by the community at Tuni in East Godavari district had turned violent when the protestors went on a rampage setting on fire a passenger train, a police station, and police and private vehicles on January 31. Padmanabham said a detailed plan of the agitation will be announced in the next couple of days after a meeting with Kapu leaders tomorrow. I and my followers are ready to go to jail if police arrest them in connection with the January 31 incident during the Kapu Ikya Garjana, he said, alleging that police are threatening the community members who had attended the protest rally. Padmanabham, who is spearheading the stir for reservation in education and jobs in Andhra Pradesh, accused Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu of ignoring the assurances he had given to Kapus. Kapus are denied loans which are being cornered only by TDP leaders in name of Janmabhoomi Committees. It has been about three weeks since I called off my fast, but the government is yet to fulfill its promises, he claimed. He said Kapus are deliberately being denied loans for participating in the January agitation. Only 30,000 applicants are selected for granting loan out of 3.5 lakh applicants from 13 districts under Kapu Welfare Corporation, he alleged. The Kapu leader had sat on a hunger strike last month, but called it off on the fourth day on oral assurances given by a team of TDP leaders sent by the CM. He had claimed he was promised the government would release Rs 500 crore for the Kapu Welfare Finance Corporation in the present financial year and allocate Rs 1,000 crore every year from the next budget. He was reportedly promised that Manjunath Commissions report on inclusion of Kapus in the BC list would be submitted before seven months, and cases would not be booked against innocent people in relation to the Tuni violence. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi : Delhi Police have ensured tight security for JNU Students Union president Kanhaiya Kumar who was released from Tihar jail today after he got bail in a sedition case. Kumar was released at around 6.30 PM, following which a team of officials of Delhi Polices west district escorted him till one point from where a South district police team took him to the JNU campus, a police source said. Earlier in the day, police mounted heavy security outside the Jawaharlal Nehru University gates where a group was spotted protesting against Kumar. Apprehending clashes following Kumars release, police issued an advisory to all district, traffic and PCR units asking them to maintain a strict vigil, especially in and around the JNU and Delhi University campuses. The advisory says that in case Kumar gets bail, there is a possibility that he may visit places like Jantar Mantar, JNU and DU with a large number of his supporters, including students groups like AISF and AISA and members of some political parties, a police source said. It says that ABVP and other right wing groups, including some political leaders, may oppose such gatherings and there is a possibility of clashes among the groups. In view of the sensitivity and gravity of the matter, a sharp vigil by local police is recommended to avoid any untoward incident, he said. The advisory was first issued when police opposed Kumars bail plea in the high court. It was reissued yesterday, the source added. Kumar, who was arrested on February 12 in connection with a sedition case over a controversial JNU event, was yesterday granted interim bail for six months by the Delhi High Court which said he has to cooperate in the ongoing investigation and appear before investigators as and when required. Kumar was attacked by a group of men at the Patiala House Court complex here when he was taken there on February 17. Following the incident, the high court had come down hard on Delhi Police and said it will be answerable if any of the students arrested in connection with the case suffered even a scratch. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi : The Supreme Court would hear on March 11 a plea seeking quashing of criminal prosecution, suspension and other actions taken against Gujarat cops in the 2004 alleged fake encounter killing of Ishrat Jahan in view of recent testimony of jailed LeT operative David Headley. The matter, which was mentioned for urgent hearing before a bench comprising Chief Justice T S Thakur and Justice U U Lalit on March 1, will now be heard on March 11, sources said. The plea, filed by advocate M L Sharma, refers to the statement recorded by Headley, the Pakistani-American terrorist, in a Mumbai court that Jahan was a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative. Gujarat Police personnel, including the then DIG D G Vanzara, are facing trial in a Mumbai court for their alleged role in the encounter. The plea, which cited the recent statements before a special court recorded by Headley, who allegedly conspired with LeT in plotting the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, said the facts are now undisputed that all four persons killed by Gujarat Police, including Ishrat Jahan, were terrorists. The judicial proceeding and statement of David Headley, who conspired with LeT in plotting the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, stated via video conference and recorded in the special court at Mumbai that four persons, including Ishrat Jahan who were killed in June 2004 by Gujarat Police, were a part of LeT terrorist organisation belonging to Pakistan and they were assigned to kill then Chief Minister of Gujarat, Narendra Modi, it said. The plea sought a direction to close criminal proceedings and action taken in FIRs lodged by CBI against the Gujarat Police personnel and others, saying it was unconstitutional within the judicial facts and evidences of Headley. It also sought a direction from the court declaring that killing of a terrorist is not an offence under Indian law and proper compensation be paid to the state police personnel in the interest of justice. It also wanted initiation of suo motu perjury/contempt proceedings against the then Home Minister and CBI Director for concealing true facts before the Supreme Court and the Gujarat High Court and for filing a false affidavit pertaining to facts about Ishrat Jahan case. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Islamabad: Pakistan today accused India of engaging in an unhelpful blame game over the Pathankot terror attack and said cooperation and understanding were needed to take the investigation forward. During a weekly news briefing here, Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said cooperation and understanding is the need of the hour to take the investigation into Pathankot incident forward. Commenting on the Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar statement accusing Pakistan of the attack, he said blame game on the part of India is unfortunate and unhelpful, Radio Pakistan reported. Parrikar on Tuesday told the Rajya Sabha that the terror attack on the air force base in Punjabs Pathankot was carried out by Pakistans non-state actors who operate with the support of the Pakistani establishment. Zakaria said a Joint Investigation Team has been formed and modalities are being worked out for its visit to India to probe the matter. He said Pakistan has denounced terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and believes all nations need to collaborate with each other to defeat this menace. To a question, the spokesperson said Pakistan and India are working on the dates for the Foreign Secretary-level talks. Responding to another question, the Spokesperson said Pakistans nuclear arsenals are only meant to deter any aggression against its territorial integrity. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Beijing: With US pitching for a quadrilateral security dialogue with India, Japan and Australia, a wary China today said it has no objection to normal cooperation between the countries but it should not be aimed at a third party. We have no objection to relevant countries normal cooperation, but we believe that relevant cooperation should not be targeted against third party, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told reporters here without directly mentioning China. He was responding to a question on remarks made by Admiral Harry B Harris, Jr Commander, US Pacific Command, in New Delhi, proposing a quadrilateral cooperation between the US, India, Japan and Australia. One idea to consider is initiating a Quadrilateral Security Dialogue between India-Japan-Australia and the United States. Adding the US into this dialogue can amplify the message that we are united behind the international rules-based order that has kept the peace and is essential to all of us, he had said. Though he did not specifically mention China, Admiral Harris said powerful countries were seeking to bully smaller nations through intimidation and coercion and made the case that a broad naval collaboration was the best way to avert it, media reports said. He also hoped for a joint patrol in the Asia Pacific region in future. Hong also gave a similar reply to a question on Malabar exercises held in December last in which Japan was invited to take part along with the US and India. We hope that cooperation among relevant countries will be conducive to regional peace and stability as well as security instead of harming interests of a third party, he said. Hongs remarks come in the backdrop of two articles in the last few days in state-run Global Times which lashed out US attempts to rope in India for joint patrols in the disputed South China Sea. While one article said India cannot afford to loose Chinas support by joining US patrols, another article on February 26 in the same daily said, any move by India to join the US navy for jointly patrolling the disputed South China Sea will be against its national interest and it would divide Asian countries and further escalate regional tensions. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi : A Thank You message was all that a senior official got from Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, two JNU students at the centre of a sedition row, when he sought to interrogate them in the case. Khalid and Anirban declined to appear before District Magistrate Sanjay Kumar, tasked with probing the case, and sent him a Thank You note. New Delhi District Magistrate Sanjay Kumar had on February 23 gone to Jawaharlal Nehru University to interrogate Khalid, Anirban and another JNU student, Ashutosh Kumar, hours before the first two surrendered to police. I wanted to interrogate Khalid. When I heard news of them (Khalid and Bhattacharya) being back in JNU after their disappearance, I went there on February 23 to interrogate them. I was sitting in a room while Khalid along with Anirban and Kumar was in another classroom that day. I sent a message to Khalid on his phone to appear before me, but he sent back a message saying they would first consult their lawyers. They added a Thank You in the message, Kumar said. Khalid and Anirban are in police remand since their surrender and subsequent arrest on February 24. Police have also questioned Ashutosh twice. On March 1, a Delhi court sent Khalid and Anirban, arrested in the sedition case over a controversial event on the JNU campus, to 14 days judicial custody. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi : The Supreme Court today allayed BCCIs apprehension that it will face ICCs ire for carrying out drastic restructuring of the Board by including a CAG nominee into it saying the appointment under the judicial order does not amount to government interference. The apex courts assurance came after senior advocate K K Venugopal, appearing for the BCCI, said implementing the Justice R M Lodha Committee recommendation to include CAGs nominee in the Board will go against the rules of the ICC. To this the bench of Chief Justice T S Thakur and Justice F M I Kalifulla said whether BCCI apprehends that ICC may suspend it if a CAG nominee is appointed in the apex council. The CAG nominee will not be exactly the government person, he will be a court appointed official in the board, then why there will any problems to ICC, the bench said. However, when Venugopal said that ICC rules clearly say that no government interference should be there in the functioning of boards, the bench said, You are discharging a public function. You want free hand while dealing with crores of rupees. Where is the government interference with the board? He (nominee) will be appointed by the authority of the court. What is the worry in that, the bench asked. It asked the BCCI to tell ICC that the CAG nominee has been appointed by the Supreme Court to only look after any irregularities and misappropriation if any in the board. Our interference doesnt mean, governments interference, the bench said and added that it may consider the suggestion at a later stage that the nominee should have an advisory role in the board. SC pulls up BCCI over reluctance to accept Lodha panels The Supreme Court today pulled up the BCCI for its reluctance to comply with the recommendations of the Justice R M Lodha panel, including the one to keep ministers away from cricket administration, observing politicians wanted to hold such posts for power and clout. The apex court also took umbrage against some state cricket associations, which sought a fresh hearing before the Lodha panel, saying these bodies cannot be allowed to filibuster or delay implementation of the recommendations of the panel which was an expensive committee and had grabbed international headlines. It was international news that we had formed the Justice Lodha Committee to suggest reforms in cricket. The whole world knew it. Now you come to us and say the recommendations were a bolt from the blue for you and you were not consulted... What were you doing? Waiting at fence for a written invitation?, the bench comprising Chief Justice T S Thakur and Justice FMI Kalifulla said. There is no question of you wanting it. We, the Supreme Court, will decide whether we are inclined to send some restricted issues back to the committee for its decision, that too within a limited span of time... Lodha Committee cost a lot of money for BCCI. It is not an easy committee. It was an expensive committee, the bench said. When senior advocate K K Venugopal, appearing for BCCI, raised objections to the committees recommendation for keeping politicians away, the bench asked, Why do you want the ministers to be there?. When Venugopal gave the example of former Union minister late N K P Salve, who was a prominent cricket administrator, contending that it lends leadership and experience to the cricket body, the bench said, You want to make it as a precedent. Referring to his submissions made just before this when BCCI objected to the inclusion of a nominee of the CAG in the crickets administrative body, the bench said, You do not want the nominee of the CAG, but you want politicians. You want ministers and government officers to be involved. You say that they have contributed to the game. The country is endowed with people of talent that we cannot deprive you of capable and honest people who want to contribute, the bench said. The bench said, The feeling is that politicians may want to hold the post for power and clout. It is the source of aggrandisement, that is why this recommendation has been made (to keep politicians away). Guest speaker presents a comparative discussion on homophobia in the country Malawi as part of the annual research symposium week at UC, Tuesday March 1, 2016. NEWTOWN If you wear your gun in public, you would have to show your permit to police even if you were not behaving suspiciously, under proposed legislation being reviewed Thursday in Hartford. The change, which is supported by gun control advocates and Connecticut police chiefs, aims to end the recent public confrontations police have had in Bridgeport and Milford with gun carriers who know they dont have to produce a permit if they arent breaking the law. My argument is just show police your damn permit, and there wont be an issue at all, said state Rep. Stephen Dargan, a Democrat from West Haven who co-chairs the committee where the bill will be heard. Were not taking away peoples right to bear arms, but we are trying to eliminate an issue that puts police in a difficult situation. Under the proposal, police would no longer need reasonable suspicion that a crime is being committed before they can ask to see a permit to carry. To gun rights advocates, that is not only offensive, but illegal. Its the same as racial profiling, said Scott Wilson, president of Connecticut Citizens Defense League. Doing away with reasonable suspicion does not hold water in other legal cases, and there will be a challenge to this bill if it is signed into law, whether it would be us, or the NRA or maybe the ACLU. Police chiefs across the state disagree. We had a situation here in Farmington where a guy with a gun was riding a bicycle across from the college on the sidewalk in front of a bank, said Farmington police Chief Paul Melanson. I dont know if he is a good guy or a bad guy and what am I supposed to tell the college and the bank? The easiest solution is to require everyone to produce their carry permit when asked, he said. We have lots and lots of police officers who are passionate about gun rights we are not trying to impact that at all, Melanson said. All we are looking to see is, Yep, this person has a permit, and then Im confident about the background checks that go with that. Local gun control advocates say the bill is timely. In January, a Redding woman who became uncomfortable seeing a man wearing a gun while shopping at Caraluzzis Bethel Food Market started a boycott that spread to Big Y in Newtown, forcing the state-wide Connecticut Food Association to mediate. If someone is open-carrying in a store in Newtown, it would certainly raise concerns because of what happened at Sandy Hook and the level of post-traumatic stress disorder that we are dealing with here, said Po Murray, chairwoman of the Newtown Action Alliance. A police officer should be authorized to check the permit to be sure the person is a good guy with a gun and not a bad guy with a gun, said Murray, whose group has called on Newtown merchants to ban open carrying of firearms in their stores. In an era of mass shootings in public places, this is just common sense. State Rep. J.P. Sredzinski, a Republican representing Monroe and Newtown who sits on the Public Safety and Security Committee where the law change will be heard, said he understands both sides of the issue. I do have concerns with the infringement of the rights of people, and I do understand how this could be seen as an invasion, said Sredzinski, who manages a 911 call station in Stratford. However, day-to-day, law enforcement does require this type of thing from people. The committee has until mid-month to decide whether to pass the bill onto the House for a vote. Seven states, including Vermont and Maine, allow people to carry firearms without a carry permit. In 30 other states, no permit is required to carry firearms openly, according to opencarry.org. Connecticut is one of 15 states that requires a permit. The open-carry debate has been in the headlines all winter. In December, a man wearing a handgun drew an armed police response when he walked into Macys in Milford. In January, a man with a gun in a holster got into a confrontation with three police officers when he tried to order a sandwich at Subway in Bridgeport. Police chiefs say the confrontations are unnecessary. That is exactly what we are saying, said Putnam police Chief Rick Hayes, the president of the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association. We are looking out for the safety of the officers, the person with the open carry and the general public. rryser@newstimes.com; 203-731-3342 NEW MILFORD A local man will spend the next four years in prison after pleading guilty to a heroin sale that led to the overdose death of Christopher DeFino. Ryan Jordan, 26, of Pumpkin Hill Road in New Milford, pleaded guilty Tuesday to a reduced charge of conspiracy to commit sale of narcotics. Jordan was sentenced to 10 years in jail, to be suspended after four years, followed by three years probation. Jordan has been incarcerated since his arrest last July, when he was held on $350,000 bond. States Attorney David Shannon was not available for comment this week. Jordan was arrested on charges of sale of narcotic substance/non-dependent, and conspiracy to commit the sale of narcotic substance following an investigation into DeFinos overdose death last June. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled the cause of DeFinos death as heroin toxicity, accidental overdose. I want no vengeance, nor feel any ill will toward Ryan, said Terri-Lynn DeFino, Christophers mother. My hope is that he serves his time in a place that allows him to grow into the kind of man we can all be proud of. Hes better than he thinks, better than the mistakes he made. I hate what he did but I dont hate him. Nothing will bring my son back. Text messages on DeFinos and Jordans cell phones and the testimony of Jared Beatty, a mutual acquaintance of the two men led to Jordans arrest, officials said. Beatty and Jordan had visited DeFino at his parents house the night of June 21, 2015. Jordan sold DeFino three bags of heroin during that visit, after selling him one bag of heroin earlier in the day, court records state. DeFino, 25, was found dead the next morning in his bedroom at his parents house. Terri-Lynn DeFino said her son suffered from depression brought on from a serious injury when he was 15 that left him with chronic pain. He had been clean from drug use for three years, she said, but shortly before his death, he had moved home when his depression worsened. Addiction is a symptom of being desperate to turn everything off, she said at the time of her sons death. My son was a wonderful guy, but depression sucked him in. Beatty told investigators he had gone to Jordans home to help with a truck that had broken down. Beatty said he was trying to collect money that Jordan owed him, and Jordan asked him for a ride to DeFinos house to give DeFino something. Beatty told investigators he was unaware of what was happening until after they had left DeFinos, and Jordan received a call from DeFino saying he wanted more heroin. Beatty is facing charges of accessory to sale of certain illegal drugs and conspiracy to commit sale of certain illegal drugs. He was arrested last July and is free on $200,000 bond. His next court date is March 18 on the pre-trial docket. stuz@newstimes.com; 203-731-3352 Government of Canada doubles investment in Canada Summer Jobs program VAUDREUIL, QC, Feb. 26, 2016 /CNW/ - Peter Schiefke, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister (Youth) and Member of Parliament for Vaudreuil-Soulanges, encouraged eligible Quebec employers today to take advantage of a newly enhanced Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) program that will create up to double the number of available student jobs. While visiting the Commission scolaire des Trois-Lacs, Mr. Schiefke urged interested employers not to miss the new application deadline of March 11. The Government of Canada announced last week that it will support the hiring of up to 70,000 students across the country through the CSJ in 2016, approximately double the 34,000 hired under the program last year. Approximately 80 students were hired in the constituency of Vaudreuil-Soulanges by employers funded by the program last summer, while more than 8450 students benefited across the province of Quebec. CSJ creates summer job opportunities and provides valuable work experience for youth intending to return to their studies in the next school year. The program also helps employers generate jobs that focus on priorities important to their local communities as well on a number of national priorities that include: employers who help welcome and settle Syrian refugees to Canada , as well as Syrian students; , as well as Syrian students; Indigenous people, who are among the fastest-growing segments of the Canadian population; small businesses working to become more innovative, competitive and successful, in recognition of their key contribution to the creation of new jobs; and cultural and creative industries looking to create jobs and to strengthen our rich Canadian identity. This latter priority will support the planning of Canada's 150th anniversary of Confederation in 2017. The Government of Canada is extending the application deadline for the program by two weeks to March 11, 2016, and invites all eligible employers to apply at www.servicecanada.gc.ca/csj or by visiting a Service Canada office. Applicants approved for funding will be able to hire students as early as May 2016. Quotes "With these new investments in the Canada Summer Jobs program, we want to help youth get the right work experience to launch their career and contribute fully to our economy, here in VaudreuilSoulanges." Peter Schiefke, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister (Youth) "We are always happy to hear of programs that favour student employment. They allow youth to acquire significant work experience and offer financial support that is often essential to pursuing their studies." Francince St-Denis, President of la Commission scolaire des Trois-Lacs Quick Facts The annual budget for Canada Summer Jobs will increase by $113 million to $220 million for each of the next three years, beginning in 201617. to $220 million for each of the next three years, beginning in 201617. This is the first increase to the Canada Summer Jobs annual budget since 2009. Not-for-profit employers can receive up to 100 percent of the provincial/territorial minimum hourly wage and mandatory employment-related costs. Public-sector employers and small businesses with 50 or fewer employees can receive up to 50 percent of the provincial/territorial minimum hourly wage. Canada Summer Jobs is part of the Government of Canada's Youth Employment Strategy, which helps young people, particularly those facing barriers to employment, get the information and gain the skills and work experience needed to make a successful transition to the labour market. Backgrounder Doubling the Canada Summer Jobs Program Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) provides funding to not-for-profit organizations, public-sector employers and small businesses with 50 or fewer employees, to help create summer job opportunities for students. Aside from helping to create employment, the program also delivers important diverse community services that can range from youth services organizations, summer camps to services for seniors. Students learn transferrable skills such as public speaking, time management, self-confidence and organizational skills. The Government of Canada announced on February 12, 2016 a doubling of the number of summer jobs to be created from over 34,000 in 2015 to nearly 70,000 in 2016, 2017 and 2018. The new funding will be allocated to Canada's 338 constituencies on the basis of the most recent Labour Force Survey and the most recent census. As a result, constituencies with higher levels of unemployed students will receive a greater allocation than constituencies with lower levels of unemployed students. Canada Summer Jobs program funding has also doubled to $220 million annually for the next three years beginning in 2016, up from $107.5 million in 2015. This is the first annual increase to the Canada Summer Jobs program since 2009. Not-for-profit organizations may be eligible for up to 100 percent of the minimum wage and up to 100 percent of mandatory employment-related costs. Public-sector and private-sector employers are eligible for up to 50 percent of the minimum wage. Employers approved for funding must agree to hire youth who are: between 15 and 30 years of age at the start of employment; registered as full-time students in the previous academic year and intending to return to school on a full-time basis in the next academic year; Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or have official refugee protection status under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act ; and ; and legally entitled to work in Canada in accordance with relevant provincial or territorial legislation and regulations. Applications will be assessed and participating Members of Parliament will ensure that local priorities are reflected, using the following criteria: service to local communities; jobs that support local priorities; jobs that support national priorities; jobs that provide career-related experience or early work experience; jobs with a salary that contributes to the student's income; employers who provide supervision and mentoring; project activities that are directed toward members of, and support the vitality of, an official language minority community; and; employers who intend to hire priority students (students with disabilities, Indigenous students and students who are members of visible minority groups). Examples of local priorities may include: special events (sport, cultural or other events on a local, provincial/territorial, national or international scale) including Canada's 150 th anniversary of Confederation; 150 anniversary of Confederation; locations (such as rural or remote areas or areas of high unemployment); and, sectors (such as tourism, culture, agriculture, private sector). Employers can apply online at servicecanada.gc.ca/csj. Information about accessing this application is available by calling 1-800-935-5555, or by visiting any Service Canada Centre. Employer applications must be submitted by March 11th, 2016. The announcement is the first of the Government of Canada's commitments to youth made under the New Plan for a Strong Middle Class, which also includes expanding the other components of the Youth Employment Strategy and pre-apprenticeship training. Follow us on Twitter SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada For further information: Jennifer Frezza, Communications Director, Office of Peter Schiefke, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister (Youth), 450-510-2305, [email protected]; John O'Leary, Director of Communications, Office of the Honourable MaryAnn Mihychuk, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, 819-654-5611, [email protected]; Media Relations Office, Employment and Social Development Canada, 819-994-5559, [email protected] Record net income of $448.4 million Gross insurance premiums up 7.4% 10.8% increase in assets under management and administration to $45.7 billion Net insurance and annuity premiums hit the $4 billion mark LEVIS, QC, March 3, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - For the period ended December 31, 2015, Desjardins Financial Security (DFS), a subsidiary of Desjardins Group specializing in life insurance, health insurance and retirement savings, posted net income of $448.4 million, up 52.0% over 2014. Contributing factors include improved claims experience across most sectors and various investment opportunities. The newly acquired operations of State Farm in early 2015 and changes in valuation assumptions in the normal course of business also generated a positive net income variance. The company's gross insurance premiums totalled $266.2 million, up 7.4% over 2014, $137.3 million of which was generated by State Farm's operations. Net insurance and annuity premiums reached $4.1 billion compared to $3.9 billion in 2014. Insurance sales totalled $450.5 million and total sales in the savings sector stood at $2.1 billion. DSF continues to enjoy excellent financial strength, with a 16.5% return on shareholder's equity. As at December 31, 2015, assets under management and administration were up 10.8%, totalling $45.7 billion, compared to $41.3 billion at the end of 2014. "More than five million Canadian rely on our expertise to ensure their financial security," says Monique F. Leroux, Chair of the Board, President and CEO of Desjardins Group and CEO of DFS. "Every day, our teams strive to give our clients the peace of mind they're looking for. These results are a testament to the effectiveness of their approach and of our pan-Canadian development approach which allows us to not only be more profitable, but also to increase our ability to innovate for the benefit of our members and clients." "We're continuing to grow, as evidenced by our net income and net insurance and annuity premiums," said Denis Berthiaume, President and Chief Operating Officer of DFS. "We successfully integrated State Farm's operations; we took a rigorous management approach amid difficult market conditions; and we've continued to meet our clients' needs. All of these factors contributed to a solid performance in 2015." Highlights (In M$, unless otherwise indicated) 2015 2014 Variation Q4 2015 Q4 2014 Variation Net income 448.4 295.0 52.0% 147.0 55.6 164.4% Gross insurance premiums 3,887.4 3,621.2 7.4% 971.6 924.0 5.2% Net insurance and annuity premiums 4,063.1 3,888.2 4.5% 1,021.0 958.2 6.6% December 31, 2015 December 31, 2014 Return on shareholder's equity 16.5% 13.1% Assets under management and administration 45.7 G$ 41.3 G$ 2015 fourth quarter results For the last quarter of 2015, net income totalled $147.0 million, compared to $55.6 million in 2014. This represents an increase over the same quarter last year, which is primarily attributable to changes in valuation assumptions and improved claims experience. Insurance premiums totalled $971.6 million, compared to $924.0 million in 2014. Insurance sales reached $108.4 million compared to $93.0 million in 2014. Total savings sales stood at $525.7 million. Results by business sector for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015 The savings sector posted total sales of $2.1 billion at the end of fiscal 2015, compared to $3.1 billion in 2014. Individual savings recorded total sales of $434.8 million, up 23.8%. In group insurance, the volume of premiums from groups and businesses and from plans offered through financial institutions, including the Desjardins caisses, stood at $3.0 billion, compared to $2.9 billion at the end of 2014. Group and business insurance sales totalled $163.2 million. Sales for plans offered in financial institutions stood at $210.2 million. The volume of individual insurance premiums totalled $851.0 million, compared to $672.3 million in 2014, up 26.6%. Total sales recorded by the financial security advisors assigned to Desjardins caisses and by the SFL network and Desjardins Financial Security Independent Network financial centres were up 34.3%, to stand at $77.1 million, compared to $57.4 million in 2014. About Desjardins Financial Security Desjardins Financial Security, a subsidiary of Desjardins Group, the leading cooperative financial group in Canada, specializes in providing life insurance, health insurance and retirement savings products to individuals and groups. Every day, over five million Canadians rely on DFS to ensure their financial security. The company employs over 3,800 people and administers $45.7 billion in assets from several cities across the country, including Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City, Levis and Halifax. For more information, visit the company's website at www.desjardinslifeinsurance.com. SOURCE DESJARDINS FINANCIAL SECURITY For further information: (media inquiries only): Valerie Lamarre, Public Relations, Desjardins Group, 514-281-7275 or 1-866-866-7000, ext. 5557275, [email protected] / [email protected] QUEBEC, March 3, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - Cominar Real Estate Investment Trust ("Cominar" or the "REIT") (TSX: CUF.UN) announced today its results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year 2015, and a new role for its Chief Operating Officer, Sylvain Cossette. Highlights for the Year Ended December 31, 2015 Increased net operating income (1) of 18.5% of 18.5% Increased recurring distributable income (1) of 19.4% of 19.4% Disposition of income properties for a purchase price of $98.0M Decreased debt ratio to 53.9% Repurchase of units under the REIT's normal course issuer bid ("NCIB") "I am pleased to inform you that I will be transferring the role of President to Sylvain Cossette, while retaining the role of Chief Executive Officer. The role of President will be in addition to Mr. Cossette's current role of Chief Operating Officer of Cominar. Cominar has undergone significant growth over the last four years, and I view this promotion as an important step in the pursuit of our organic growth and operating goals," stated Michel Dallaire, Chief Executive Officer of Cominar. "As Chief Executive Officer, I remain the senior executive officer of Cominar and fully responsible and committed to our strategy, including finances, acquisitions and developments which remain key to our success and future. I will also be working closely with Mr. Cossette in the pursuit of his objectives and areas of responsibility, being leasing, operations, asset management and talent management," added Mr. Dallaire. "Our excellent performance in the Greater Quebec Area and in the Montreal industrial segment as well as the important acquisitions completed in 2014 enabled us to increase our recurring distributable income by 19.4% and to increase our distribution at a sustainable level over the long term," said Sylvain Cossette, President and Chief Operating Officer of Cominar. "During the 2015 fiscal year, we implemented a capital recycling program and disposed of selected income properties. The net proceeds from these dispositions were used to reduce our debt ratio and repurchase units under our NCIB. While we are maintaining our long-term debt ratio target of 50%, we have set our 2016 year-end target goal at 53%," said Gilles Hamel, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Cominar. (1) Non-IFRS financial measure. See relevant section for definition and reconciliation to closest IFRS measure. PRESENTATION OF RESULTS For the year ended December 31, 2015, operating revenues increased to $889.2 million, up 20.2% compared to fiscal 2014 when operating revenues were $739.9 million. Net operating income(1) reached $487.5 million, up 18.5 % compared to net operating income in 2014. Net income for fiscal 2015 increased to $272.4 million compared to $199.5 million for fiscal 2014. Cash flows provided by operating activities reached $263.9 million for fiscal 2015 compared to $229.0 million in 2014. Recurring distributable income(1) reached $268.9 million, up 19.4% compared to 2014. The basic recurring distributable income per unit(1) amounted to $1.60 for fiscal 2015. Recurring funds from operations(1) for fiscal 2015 reached $302.2 million, up 18.5% over fiscal 2014. Recurring funds from operations per unit fully diluted(1) amounted to $1.79 in 2015. Recurring adjusted funds from operations(1) for fiscal 2015 reached $261.6 million, up 18.7% compared to 2014. Fully diluted per unit, they amounted to $1.55 in 2015. FINANCIAL SITUATION As at December 31, 2015, Cominar's debt ratio decreased to 53.9%, down from 56.1% as at December 31, 2014. At the end of fiscal 2015, total assets reached $8.2 billion. As at December 31, 2015, the unsecured revolving credit facility used was $381.2 million, down $76.1 million from December 31, 2014. Cash available was $318.8 million as at December 31, 2015. ACQUISITIONS On April 23, 2015, Cominar acquired 3 industrial properties located in the Greater Montreal area, for a purchase price of $34.5 million paid in cash. DISPOSITIONS On September 30, 2015, Cominar announced that it completed the sale of one industrial and mixed-used property and two office properties located in Montreal, for a total purchase price of $98.0 million. This amount contributed to reduce our debt ratio to 53.9%. FINANCING On July 6, 2015 and September 8, 2015, Cominar redeemed early all of the Series E and D convertible debentures respectively totalling $186.0 million and a weighted average interest rate of 6.15%. These transactions eliminated the dilutive effect of the convertible debentures. (1) Non-IFRS financial measure. See relevant section for definition and reconciliation to closest IFRS measure. SHARES During fiscal 2015, Cominar set up an NCIB and repurchased 530 836 units for a total consideration of $7.7 million. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS AFTER DECEMBER 31, 2015 On January 20, 2016 Cominar announced the suspension of the distribution reinvestment plan. This suspension does not affect the regular monthly cash distribution. On January 29, 2016, Cominar completed the sale of a portfolio of ten retail properties located in the Quebec and Montreal areas and in Ontario, for a sales price of $15.2 million at a 6.7% capitalization rate reflecting an increase in the fair value of these properties in our books. Under the NCIB, Cominar has repurchased, since the beginning of fiscal year 2016, 2,072,976 units for a consideration of $30.0 million. Since the beginning of the program, Cominar repurchased a total of 2,603,812 units for a total consideration of $37.7 million. RESULTS OF OPERATIONS Quarter Cumulative For the periods ended December 31 2015 2014 % 2015 2014 % ($000) ($000) ($000) ($000) Operating revenues 217,049 217,492 (0.2) 889,175 739,884 20.2 Operating expenses 94,274 92,057 2.4 401,687 328,605 22.2 Net operating income (1) 122,775 125,435 (2.1) 487,488 411,279 18.5 Finance charges (41,652) (46,402) (10.2) (176,208) (149,385) 18.0 Trust administrative expenses (4,138) (3,723) 11.1 (16,384) (12,977) 26.3 Share of joint ventures' net income (399) 8,923 (104.5) 1,427 10,918 (86.9) Change in fair value of investment properties (23,322) (33,951) (31.3) (23,322) (33,951) (31.3) Transaction costs business combination (5,143) (100.0) (26,667) (100.0) Income taxes (264) 688 (138.4) (567) 236 (340.3) Net income 53,000 45,827 15.7 272,434 199,453 36.6 Net income per unit (diluted) 0.31$ 0.29$ 6.9 1.62$ 1.45$ 11.7 (1) Non-IFRS financial measure. See relevant section for definition and reconciliation to closest IFRS measure. NON-IFRS FINANCIAL MEASURES Net operating income, recurring distributable income (DI), recurring funds from operations (FFO) and recurring adjusted funds from operations (AFFO) are not measures recognized by International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS") and do not have standardized meanings prescribed by IFRS. Such measures may differ from similar computations as reported by similar entities and, accordingly, may not be comparable to similar measures reported by such other entities. The following table presents a reconciliation of cash flows provided by operating activities to recurring distributable income and recurring adjusted funds from operations: Quarter Cumulative For the periods ended December 31 2015 2014 2015 2014 ($000) ($000) ($000) ($000) Cash flows provided by operating activities as shown in the consolidated financial statements 107,679 110,266 263,942 229,030 + Adjustments - investments in joint ventures 444 (332) 2,018 782 - Amortization of other assets (404) (243) (1,079) (884) + Transaction costs business combination 5,143 26,667 - Provision for leasing costs (5,100) (5,790) (22,300) (19,840) + Initial and re-leasing salary costs 661 620 2,763 2,238 + Change in non-cash working capital items (32,808) (39,147) 23,508 (12,837) Recurring distributable income (1) 70,472 70,517 268,852 225,156 - Capital expenditures maintenance of rental income generating capacity (2,483) (1,976) (7,207) (4,793) Recurring adjusted funds from operations (1) 67,989 68,541 261,645 220,363 (1) Non-IFRS financial measure. See relevant section for definition and reconciliation to closest IFRS measure. The following table presents a reconciliation of the cash flows from operating activities with funds from recurring operations: Quarter Cumulative For the periods ended December 31 2015 2014 2015 2014 ($000) ($000) ($000) ($000) Cash flows provided by operating activities as shown in the condensed interim consolidated financial statements 107,679 110,266 263,942 229,030 - Adjustments investments in joint ventures(2) 836 (8,528) 759 (8,673) + Amortization 1,077 185 2,476 5,320 - Compensation expense related to long-term incentive plan (486) (377) (1,970) (1,414) + Recognition of leases on straight-line basis 1,609 73 7,303 3,854 + Excess of proportionate share of net income over distributions received from the joint ventures (399) 8,173 1,227 9,443 + Transaction costs business combination 5,143 26,667 + Write-off of deferred financing costs 1,021 2,232 1,522 + Initial and re-leasing salary costs 661 620 2,763 2,238 + Change in non-cash working capital items (32,808) (39,147) 23,508 (12,837) Recurring funds from operations(1) 78,169 77,429 302,240 255,150 ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION Cominar's consolidated financial statements and management's discussion and analysis for the year ended December 31, 2015, will be filed with SEDAR at www.sedar.com and will be available on Cominar's website at www.cominar.com. (1) Non-IFRS financial measure. See relevant section for definition and reconciliation to closest IFRS measure. (2) Including Cominar's proportionate share in joint ventures. CONFERENCE CALL ON MARCH 3, 2016 On Thursday, March 3, 2016 at 11 a.m. (ET), Cominar's management will hold a conference call to present the results for fiscal 2015. Anyone who is interested may take part in this call by dialing 1 888 390-0546. A presentation regarding these results will be available before the conference call on the REIT's website at www.cominar.com, under the Conference Call header. In addition, a taped rebroadcast of the conference call will be available from Thursday, March 3, 2016 at 2 p.m. to Thursday, March 10, 2016 at 11:59 p.m., by dialing 1 888 390-0541 followed by this code: 882644#. PROFILE AS AT MARCH 3, 2016 Cominar is the third largest diversified real estate investment trust in Canada and currently remains the largest commercial property owner in the Province of Quebec. The REIT owns a real estate portfolio of 556 properties in three different market segments, that is, office properties, retail properties and industrial and mixed-use properties. Cominar's portfolio totals 45.3 million square feet spread out across Quebec, Ontario, the Atlantic Provinces and Western Canada. Cominar's objectives are to pay growing cash distributions to unitholders and to maximize unitholder value through proactive management and the expansion of its portfolio. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This press release may contain forward-looking statements with respect to Cominar and its operations, strategy, financial performance and financial condition. These statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as "may", "will", "expect", "estimate", "anticipate", "intend", "believe" or "continue" or the negative thereof or similar variations. The actual results and performance of Cominar discussed herein could differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Such statements are qualified in their entirety by the inherent risks and uncertainties surrounding future expectations. Some important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations include, among other things, general economic and market factors, competition, changes in government regulation and the factors described under "Risk Factors" in Cominar's Annual Information Form. The cautionary statements qualify all forward-looking statements attributable to Cominar and persons acting on its behalf. Unless otherwise stated, all forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. Cominar does not assume any obligation to update the aforementioned forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable laws. SOURCE COMINAR REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST For further information: Michel Dallaire, Eng., Chief Executive Officer, Sylvain Cossette, B.C.L., President and Chief Operating Officer, Gilles Hamel, CPA, CA, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Tel: 418 681-8151, [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] Sal de los Angeles Deposit Has Historical Resource of 2.8 Million Tonnes Lithium Carbonate Equivalent at an Average Lithium Grade of 556 mg/l VANCOUVER and TORONTO, March 3, 2016 /CNW/ - Lithium X Energy Corp. ("Lithium X", or the "Company") (TSX-V: LIX) is pleased to announce that the Company has entered into a binding letter of agreement (the "Agreement") with Aberdeen International Inc. ("Aberdeen") (TSX:AAB) to acquire up to 80% of Potasio y Litio de Argentina SA ("PLASA"), which owns 100% of the Sal de los Angeles lithium-potash brine project, which was previously known as the Diablillos Project ("Sal de los Angeles Project", or the "Project") in Argentina. The Sal de los Angeles Project covers more than 95% of the Salar de Diablillos property located in Salta province at an average elevation of approximately 4,050 metres above sea level. The Project includes 32 mining claims covering approximately 8,156 hectares and is located near FMC Corp.'s Salar de Hombre Muerto lithium deposit, one of the world's largest lithium operations. (Refer to Figure 1: Sal de los Angeles Project, which can also be found on the Company's website, www.lithium-x.com.) "The acquisition of Sal de los Angeles is a special opportunity for Lithium X," said Chairman, Mr. Matysek. "It is one of the few known lithium brines that is amenable to conventional processing. The project has both near-term development potential and scale. Salta province is a mining-friendly part of Argentina where we have enjoyed previous successes and maintain good relationships." "The election of President Mauricio Macri has increased investor optimism and enhanced the business climate in Argentina." Matysek added. David Stein, Aberdeen's President and CEO, remarked, "Aberdeen is thrilled to partner with Lithium X to develop the Sal de los Angeles project. In a short period of time, Lithium X has built an exciting company with an impressive team, and we saw the opportunity to benefit from being part of a larger, growing lithium company. We see Sal de los Angeles becoming the flagship asset of a new dynamic, multi-project lithium company with the potential to deliver strong returns for our shareholders over the longer-term." Lithium X will issue 8,000,000 common shares to Aberdeen International for a 50% interest in the Project on closing. Lithium X has the option for a 26 month period (the "Option") to acquire an additional 30% interest by issuing common shares worth $5,000,000 to Aberdeen and fulfilling several terms, including incurring $3,000,000 in exploration and development expenditures over a two-year period and completing a feasibility study on the Project. As part of the agreement, Lithium X will be considered the initial operator of the project for as long as the Company maintains interest greater than or equal to 50% in the Joint Venture. "The acquisition is another milestone as Lithium X moves towards our goal of becoming the world's go-to pure play lithium company," said CEO Mr. Paes-Braga. In order to exercise the Option for an additional 30% interest, Lithium X must issue common shares to Aberdeen valued at $5,000,000 based on a 10% discount to the 20-day volume-weighted average price of its common shares at the date of exercise. If Lithium X does not exercise the Option, Aberdeen has the right following the option expiry for a 30-day period to acquire a 1% interest in PLASA back from Lithium X for $166,000 in cash. In the event that Lithium X does not meet the expenditure commitment or complete the feasibility study within two years, Lithium X must transfer 20% of the PLASA shares back to Aberdeen, resulting in Lithium X holding 30% of the outstanding PLASA shares. Lithium X and Aberdeen will enter into a shareholder's agreement governing PLASA following closing that will provide for management of the Project, including that Lithium X shall be the operator, and including other standard joint-venture terms including dilution of interest. A Scalable Argentinian Salar Approximately C$19 million has been invested in the property by previous operators, including $16.2 million in work completed at Sal de los Angeles between 2010 to 2015. Work included extensive exploration and definition drilling, pump tests, seismic & gravity geophysical surveys, basin and solute transport models, evaporation and metallurgical testing, and running a continuous pilot ponding plant on-site. A Preliminary Economic Assessment for the Project (the "PEA") prepared by SRK Consulting (US) on Dec. 22, 2011 for Rodinia Lithium Inc. outlined an operation producing 15,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate ("LC") per year and approximately 51,000 tonnes of potash ("KCl"). The PEA projected a 34% internal rate of return ("IRR") pretax and a US$561-million pretax net present value ("NPV") at an 8% discount rate. The PEA also outlined an option to increase production to 25,000 tonnes LC and 85,000 tonnes potash per year. This increased production scenario generates a much higher pretax NPV estimate of US$964 million, along with a pretax IRR of 36%. The PEA does not include an analysis of after-tax economics. Lithium carbonate pricing of US$5,000 a tonne was used in the PEA. The PEA is preliminary in nature and includes inferred mineral resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves, and there is no certainty that the PEA will be realized. The latest resource statement for the Sal de los Angeles lithium-potash brine deposit, dated Dec. 22, 2011, estimated an inferred brine resource of 2.8 million tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent and an inferred brine resource of 11.2 million tonnes of potassium chloride equivalent. The average inferred resource grade was estimated at 556 mg/l Li and 6,206 mg/l K. Higher grades were found in the northern portion of the Project, where sufficient land for the construction of well fields and evaporation ponds is 100% owned by PLASA. Lithium X is treating this mineral resource as historical. This historical estimate also uses descriptions such as "in-situ inferred resource" and "recoverable inferred resource" that are not recognized terms under the 2014 CIM Definition Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves. A qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify this historical estimate as current mineral resources and the Company is not treating the historical estimate as a current mineral resource for the Sal de los Angeles Project. Lithium X will be completing an up-to-date mineral resource estimate and technical report done in accordance with current NI 43-101 and CIM standards within 180 days of this press release and will reflect or update the results reported in the PEA . Pursuant to the Agreement, Lithium X has agreed to increase its Board of Directors to seven members at its next annual general meeting, after which Aberdeen has the right, so long as it owns over 15% of the outstanding shares of Lithium X, to nominate two members to the Board for a period of one year. After that, so long as it holds 10% of the outstanding shares of Lithium X, Aberdeen has the right to nominate one member to the Board. Aberdeen also has a pro rata right to participate on any future equity financings so long as it holds a minimum of 8 million Lithium X common shares and 10% of the outstanding shares. A finder's fee of up to 400,000 shares will be paid to third parties by Lithium X. The transaction is subject to the parties entering into a definitive agreement in respect of the acquisition by April 15, 2016, and to the approval of the Toronto Stock Exchange and the TSX Venture Exchange. The technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by William Randall, P.Geo, who is a Qualified Person as defined under NI 43-101. As Vice-President Project Development of the Company, Mr. Randall is not considered independent. About Lithium X Energy Corp Lithium X Energy Corp. is a lithium exploration and development company with a focus on becoming a low-cost supplier for the burgeoning lithium battery industry. The Company is exploring a large land package in Nevada's Clayton Valley, contiguous to the only producing lithium operation in North America Silver Peak, owned and operated by Albemarle, the world's largest lithium producer. Lithium X is listed on the TSXV under the trading symbol LIX. For additional information about Lithium X Energy Corp., please visit the Company's website at www.lithium-x.com or review the Company's documents filed on www.sedar.com. Join the Company's email list at http://lithium-x.com/subscribe. About Aberdeen International Aberdeen International is a private equity investor and advisor focusing on the global mining and natural resources industry. African Thunder Platinum, Aberdeen's premiere investment, is a lower-cost platinum group metals producer in South Africa's well-known Bushveld Complex. Aberdeen has further enhanced its mineral investment holdings with the acquisition of the Diablillos lithium/potash project in Argentina. For additional information, please visit our website at www.aberdeeninternational.ca and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and check out Aberdeen's YouTube Channel. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS "Paul Matysek" Paul Matysek Executive Chairman Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. This news release contains certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities legislation (collectively "forward-looking statements"). Certain information contained herein constitutes "forward-looking information" under Canadian securities legislation. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "expects", "believes", "aims to", "plans to" or "intends to" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made and they are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, standard transaction risks; impact of the transaction on the parties; and risks relating to financings; regulatory approvals; foreign country operations and volatile share prices. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward looking information. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that are incorporated by reference herein, except as required by applicable securities laws. SOURCE Lithium X Energy Corp. Image with caption: "Figure 1: Sal de los Angeles Project (CNW Group/Lithium X Energy Corp.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160303_C6576_PHOTO_EN_634944.jpg Image with caption: "Lithium X Energy Corp. (CNW Group/Lithium X Energy Corp.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160303_C6576_PHOTO_EN_634940.jpg For further information: for further information on Lithium X please contact: Brian Paes-Braga, President and CEO, Director, Tel: 604-609-5137 [email protected]; Investor Relations, Mario Vetro, Tel: 604-687-7130 ext. 105, [email protected]; for further information on Aberdeen International please contact: David Stein, President and Chief Executive Officer, +1 416-861-5812, [email protected]; Rob Hopkins, Manager, Investor Relations, +1 416-861-5899, [email protected] A FEDERAL JUDGE GOT IT RIGHT FOR A CHANGE By Chuck Baldwin March 3, 2016 NewsWithViews.com Here is the report as covered by TheIntercept.com: Apple scored a major legal victory in its ongoing battle against the FBI on Monday when a federal magistrate judge in New York rejected the U.S. governments request as part of a drug case to force the company to help it extract data from a locked iPhone. The ruling from U.S. Magistrate Judge James Orenstein was issued as part of the criminal case against Jun Feng, who pleaded guilty in October to drug charges. It is a significant boost to Apples well-publicized campaign to resist the FBIs similar efforts in the case of the San Bernardino killers. The report continued: Perhaps most devastating to the FBIs case is Orensteins recognition that the purpose of the FBIs request is not simply to obtain evidence in one particular case, but rather to grant the government broad, precedential authority to force Apple and other tech companies to take affirmative technological steps to cooperate with criminal investigations generally. That the FBI is seeking to establish broad precedent is a key argument made by Apple and its supporters in the San Bernardino case. To accept that the U.S. government has this power, ruled the court, is to vest law enforcement agencies with statutory authority that Congress itself never enacted. And again, The judge also accused the government of trying to manipulate secret judicial proceedings to obtain powers for itself against Apple that public debate and Congress would never permit. It is, Orenstein wrote, clear that the government has made the considered decision that it is better off securing such crypto-legislative authority from the courts (in proceedings that had always been, at the time it filed the instant Application, shielded from public scrutiny) rather than taking the chance that open legislative debate might produce a result less to its liking. Because the government wants the courts rather than Congress to grant this power, the governments interpretation of the breadth of authority the AWA confers on courts of limited jurisdiction raises serious doubts about how such a statute could withstand constitutional scrutiny under the separation-of-powers doctrine. Continuing: Finally, the ruling recognized that forcing Apple to compromise its own security systems at the behest of the U.S. government would impose a considerable cost far beyond financial expenses. This cost, Orenstein wrote, is particularly high since--rejecting the FBIs claim in the public debate that its request is limited to just one phone the record of this case makes clear that the burdens the government seeks to impose on Apple under the authority of the AWA are not nearly so limited. To the contrary, it clearly intends to continue seeking assistance that is similarly burdensome --if not far more so--for the foreseeable future. See the report here One of Apples attorneys was even more direct in assessing the importance of this case: Apples attorney painted a scary picture if Apple loses its fight with the FBI. In an interview with CNNMoneys Laurie Segall on Friday, Ted Olson warned of a government with limitless powers that could listen to your conversations. Olson said the demands would mount. You can imagine every different law enforcement official telling Apple we want a new product to get into something, Olson said. Even a state judge could order Apple to build something. Theres no stopping point. That would lead to a police state. See the report here Hooray! A federal judge got it right for a change. The three separate branches of government are supposed to serve as a check and balance when the other branches begin usurping constitutional liberties. For the most part, they have NOT done that. This particular U.S. Magistrate Judge did what courts are supposed to do: serve as a check to the overreach of the executive branch. Virtually every abridgment of our Bill of Rights is committed in the name of public safety or national security. Most of us are patriotic, law and order people who want justice served. But in truth, the interests of justice and liberty are mutual. And this particular case--mandating that cell phone companies unlock the security and privacy features of cell phones--is fraught with violations of basic civil liberties, because the electronic search sought by the feds extends WAY BEYOND the individual suspected criminal. The specific case above is only one of at least ten where the federal government is currently attempting to force cell phone companies to unlock the privacy features of their customers phones during criminal investigations. The ramifications of this prospective breach of personal privacy are staggering. Unlocking a persons cell phone would be worse than the current broad e-surveillance that is going on every day. This is a very specific and finite search that involves a persons most private and intimate details. Smartphones are more than talking devices; they record online searches, shopping data, travel information, medical information, private communication, and financial information--along with the personal information of EVERYONE CONNECTED to that cell phone. In other words, its not just the targeted persons (presumably a suspected criminal) privacy that is being breached, but EVERYONE with whom that person had contact. Can you imagine the amount of private information of totally innocent people that potentially would be subject to police reports--all of which become "public record" and, therefore, available to the media, Internet bloggers, etc.? Please read that paragraph again and let it sink in. To get a little taste for just how much private information is stored on your smartphone and how dangerous it would be for the government to be able to freely unlock the information stored on your smartphone, read this article. Im not sure whether the American people comprehend just how serious an abridgment of privacy it would be if Apple loses this case, but in many respects, this is a technological Waterloo for liberty. I dare say this is a more egregious assault against our privacy (technologically speaking) than even the Patriot Act itself. And, unfortunately, all of the remaining GOP presidential candidates--Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, John Kasich, and Donald Trump--oppose the protection of cell phone privacy. The Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have said they are neutral. But we all know that Clinton is as Big Government as Big Government gets. And if Sanders is truly in favor of cell phone privacy, why does he fudge his position? In the name of national security, the war on terror, the war on drugs, law and order, etc., both Democrats and Republicans are turning America into a George Orwell 1984 surveillance society. And if history teaches us anything at all, it teaches us that a surveillance society is always a precursor to a Police State. ALWAYS. At any rate, THANK YOU Judge Orenstein. Every obstruction to the burgeoning surveillance society that a judge or governor or State legislator or sheriff or congressman or senator can muster is much appreciated--and very needed. P.S. Once again, I recently delivered what might be the most important message for RIGHT NOW that I could ever deliver. It is entitled The Right Of Revolution As Justified In Natural And Revealed Law. The DVD of this critical message contains the Biblical and Natural Law principles that have been so long forgotten and that are so desperately needed. These are the principles that our Founding Fathers (Christians and unbelievers alike) firmly understood and applied to Americas fight for independence. And these are the principles that this current generation of Americans MUST relearn if we are to have any chance of reclaiming the liberties that are so quickly slipping away from us. As I survey the political and spiritual landscape of America, I believe this message is of the HIGHEST PRIORITY. I urge readers to get this DVD. O rder my sermon DVD The Right Of Revolution As Justified In Natural And Revealed Law, click here. The immediate past Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, on Wednesday failed to appear before the ad hoc committ... The immediate past Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, on Wednesday failed to appear before the ad hoc committee of the House of Representatives investigating the crude oil swap contracts of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.The former minister neither appeared in person nor sent a representative to the hearing of the committee, which is chaired by an All Progressives Congress lawmaker from Kwara State, Mr. Zakari Mohammed.The committee had summoned Alison-Madueke and a former Managing Director of the Pipelines Product Marketing Company, Mr. Haruna Momoh, in connection with the lifting of crude oil worth $24bn in exchange for refined petroleum products.Two crude oil trading firms, Duke Oil and Tranfigura reportedly lifted the crude oil between 2011 and 2014 without valid contracts.The summons were issued after three former GMDs of the NNPC Mr. Austin Oniwon, Mr. Andrew Yakubu and Mr. Joseph Dawha had informed the committee that Alison-Madueke approved the contracts without signing any valid agreements with the firms.On Wednesday, however, the former minister failed to show up at the committees sitting.Momoh too did not come.Instead, he sent his younger brother, Mr. Suleiman Momoh, to inform the committee that he was ill and would not be able to appear before the panel on Wednesday.Mohammed was left bewildered when he called for appearances and realised that Alison-Madueke was absent.He said the committee would take the appropriate steps to address the absence of the former minister, but he did not elaborate on the nature of the steps.Mohammed stated, Anybody who knows the former minister and Momoh should tell them that they are daring the parliament and we will take the appropriate measures against them.However, Momohs younger brother, Suleiman, rose to register an excuse that his elder brother was ill.He is ill and he will not be able to attend this session of the committee, Suleiman added.The committee rejected Suleimans excuse and directed him to tell Momoh that he must appear before the panel.Meanwhile, the Federal Inland Revenue Service told the session that Transfigura defaulted in tax payments to the Federal Government to the tune of $642.5m.The agency disclosed that in 2010, the tax value of the firms trading was $613.7m; in 2011, it was $2.7m; and $2.5m in 2012.It added that the tax value in 2013 was $2.4m; and $2.2m in 2014.The agency explained that after applying the relevant tax laws to the operations of the firm for the period covered, the total tax liability stood at $642.5m.In the case of Duke Oil, the FIRS informed the panel that it calculated $4.7m as its total tax liability.The computation was based on the commissions Duke Oil charged on its services, the agency said.The committee also asked the Nigeria Customs Service to ignore a 2008 directive by the Ministry of Finance that the NCS should not inspect petroleum product cargo declared by importers.The NCS had told the committee that the directive was given to forestall any possible delay in the offloading of products for distribution downstream.Mohammed noted, The Customs and Excise Act is more important than any letter from any ministry in 2008.We will invite the Permanent Secretary, who issued that directive, to appear before us and explain why it A Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday sent a former Minister of Interior, Mr. Abba Moro, and a deputy director in the ministry, F. ... A Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday sent a former Minister of Interior, Mr. Abba Moro, and a deputy director in the ministry, F. O Alayebami, back to prison till today when a ruling on their bail applications would be delivered.Justice Anwuli Chikere had on Monday ordered the accused persons to be remanded in prison shortly after they were arraigned on 11 counts of N675m fraud bordering on the March 15, 2014 Nigerian Immigration Service recruitment.But the judge also on Monday granted their co-accused, Mrs. Anastasia Daniel-Nwobia, a former Permanent Secretary of the ministry, a tentative bail in the terms and conditions of the administrative bail granted her by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on February 22.Daniel-Nwobia was also on Wednesday allowed to return home pending the scheduled ruling on the bail applications on Thursday.Moro, Daniel-Nwobia and Alayebami were on Monday arraigned along with the firm contracted to handle the recruitment, Drexel Tech Nigeria Ltd.During the hearing of their bail applications on Wednesday, the EFCC represented by its lawyer, Mr. Aliyu Yusuf, opposed the defendants bail applications.In his application, Moro stated that he was suffering from acute diabetes and high blood pressure.He, like other accused persons, also pledged to attend the trial, and would not jump bail.The EFCC, in its counter-affidavit, faulted the claim, arguing that, while in its custody, and throughout investigation into the case, Moro neither complained of ill-health nor was he treated for any ailment.The anti-graft agency also faulted Moros pledged to abide by the bail conditions and attend trial, stating that it had to revoke the administrative bail earlier granted him.An EFCC investigator, Isa Joshua, stated in a supporting affidavit, that The defendant/applicant conspired with other defendants to award a contract for the provision of online enlistment and recruitment services to Drexel Tech Nigeria Limited, knowing that the company had no legal capacity to enter into the contract.He told the court that Moro would frustrate its effort to apprehend others involved in the alleged crime as they were being trailed by EFCCs operatives.Moros supporters, mostly young men and women, thronged the court on Wednesday wearing T-shirts, with his picture embossed on them.After the proceedings, as Moro was being taken away to prison, the supporters sang his praises as he was being led to a waiting prison van.Some of them wept as Moro was being taken away.Prison officials also attacked journalists, who were trying to capture Moros exit on camera. The Nigerian Army has approved the dismissal of a former Commander of the Multi National Joint Task Force, Enitan Ransome-Kuti, by a Spec... The Nigerian Army has approved the dismissal of a former Commander of the Multi National Joint Task Force, Enitan Ransome-Kuti, by a Special Court Martial on October 15, 2015 to demotion.Ransome-Kuti was demoted from the rank of brigadier-general to colonel.This was contained in a letter by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, containing the decision of the Army Council on Ransome-Kutis case.The letter dated March 1, 2016, which was signed on behalf of the COAS by Col. O.N Taiwo, also directed that Ransome-Kuti be immediately released from custody.This followed a threat of legal action issued by Ransome-Kutis lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), in a letter dated February 26, 2016 and addressed to the COAS.Falana in the letter demanded the immediate release of his client whom he said had completed the six months imprisonment passed on him last October.But the Chief of Army Staffs letter dated March 1, 2016, stated that the Army took its decision to reverse part of the verdict of the court martial on Ransome-Kuti at its meeting on February 22, 2016.The former MNJTF commander was arraigned on three counts of failure to perform military duties and miscellaneous offences relating to service property.After his trial he was discharged and acquitted on the first count.He was found guilty of the second count following which he was dismissed from the Nigerian Army and sentenced to six months imprisonment.The Chief of Army Staffs letter with reference number, AHQ DOAA/G1/300/197, on Ransome-Kutis case was titled, Army Councils decision for implementation: Brig.-Gen. E.A Rasome-Kuti (N/8301).The COAS letter reads in part, Consequently, I am directed to inform you that Reference B has conveyed to the headquarters that the Army Council in its last meeting on Feb 22, 2016 confirmed the conviction of the accused senior officer on Count 2 but commuted the sentence of dismissal to reduction in rank from brigadier-general to colonel.The council also quashed the findings of guilt and award of six months imprisonment awarded by the SCM on Count 3 and replaced same with a finding of not guilty. The senior officer was thus discharged and acquitted on Count 3.Accordingly, I am directed to request AHQ to release the senior officer from close custody. I am to also request AHQ MS to post him out of jurisdiction. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has filed 10 counts of money laundering against the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, Ai... The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has filed 10 counts of money laundering against the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh (retd.), accusing him of removing a total sum of N3.9bn from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force between January and December, 2013.Badeh, who has remained in EFCC custody since February 8, is charged along with a firm, Iyalikam Nigeria Limited, before Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in Abuja.The relationship between Badeh and the company is not disclosed in the charges.Badeh, who is also a former Chief of Air Staff, will likely be arraigned along with the company on Thursday (today).Another judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja, Justice James Tsoho, had on Monday fixed March 4 (Friday) for ruling on Badehs bail application.The anti-graft agency in the charges, numbered FHC/ABJ/CR/46, 2016, accused Badeh and Iyalikam Nigeria Limited of spending the total sum of N3,974,362,732.94, on acquisition, construction, renovation, furnishing of various properties, including a shopping mall in many choice areas of Abuja.Some of the properties were said to have been purchased, renovated and furnished for a son of the former CDS, Alex Badeh (Jnr.).The properties allegedly include a mansion at No. 6, Ogun River Street, off Danube Street, Maitama, Abuja, which the defendants were said to have purchased with N1.1bn.The accused also allegedly bought a commercial plot of land at Plot 1386, Oda Crescent, Cadastral Zone A07, Wuse II, Abuja, for N650m.They were said to have paid N878m for the construction of a shopping mall at Plot 1386, Oda Crescent, Cadastral Zone A07, Wuse II, Abuja, and another sum of N304m to complete the construction.The anti-graft agency also accused them of paying N260m to purchase a duplex at No. 19 Kumasi Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja, for Badehs son.The sum of N60m was said to have been paid for the renovation of the property and another N90m to furnish the property.The accused persons also allegedly paid N330m to one Honourable Bature to purchase a duplex at No. 14 Adzope Crescent, Off Kumasi Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja.They were also accused of paying N240m to Rabiu Isyaku Rabiu to buy a semi-detached duplex at No. 8A Embu Street, by Sigma Apartment, Wuse II, Abuja.They also allegedly renovated a private property at No. 2 Nelson Mandela Street, Asokoro, Abuja, with N62m.In the charges signed by EFCCs Deputy Director, Legal and Prosecution Department, Aliyu Yusuf, the anti-graft agency alleged that the sum of N3.9bn was removed from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force.The commission alleged that the various sums of money were part of proceeds of Badehs unlawful activities, which it said constituted a criminal breach of trust and corruption.The money laundering charges are said to be contrary to Section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.Some of the charges read, That you, Air Chief Marshal Alex S. Badeh (whilst being the Chief of Air Staff, Nigerian Air Force) and Iyalikam Nigeria Limited between January and December 2013 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did use dollar equivalent of the sum of N1,100,000,000 (one billion, one hundred million naira only) removed from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force to purchase for yourselves a mansion situate at No. 6 Ogun River Street, off Danube Street, Maitama, Abuja, when your reasonably ought to have known that the said funds formed part of the proceeds of unlawful activity (to wit: criminal breach of trust and corruption) of Air Chief Marshal Alex S. Badeh and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.That you Air Chief Marshal Alex S. Badeh (whilst being the Chief of Air Staff, Nigerian Air Force) and Iyalikam Nigeria Limited between January and December 2013, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did use dollar equivalent of the sum of N650,000,000 (Six hundred and fifty million naira only), removed from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force, to purchase for yourselves a commercial plot of land, situate at Plot 1386 Oda Crescent, Cadastral Zone A07, Wuse II, Abuja, when you reasonably ought to have known that the said funds formed part of the proceeds of unlawful activity (to wit: criminal breach of trust and corruption) of Air Chief Marshal Alex S. Badeh and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.That you Air Chief Marshal Alex S. Badeh (whilst being the Chief of Air Staff, Nigerian Air Force) and Iyalikam Nigeria Limited between January and December 2013, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did use an aggregate sum of N878,362,732.94 (eight hundred and seventy-eight million, three hundred and sixty-two thousand, seven hundred and thirty-two naira, ninety-four kobo), removed from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force and paid into the account of Rytebuilders Technologies Limited with Zenith Bank Plc for the construction of a shopping mall, situate at Plot 1386 Oda Crescent, Cadastral Zone A07, Wuse II, Abuja, for yourselves, when you reasonably ought to have known that the said funds formed part of the proceeds of unlawful activity (to wit: criminal breach of trust and corruption) of Air Chief Marshal Alex S. Badeh and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15(2)(d)of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act. The senator and media mogul wrote an open letter to the youths of Nigeria. Read below.. Youths of Nigeria, I want to communicate with y... Youths of Nigeria, I want to communicate with you today. I noticed that there are too many divisions amongst our youths and as a stakeholder in Nigeria and parent of Nigerian children, I believe I ought to intervene.Youths, do not make the mistakes my generation made. Do not see yourselves through tribal and religious lens. My generation of Nigerians did that and look where it has led us. You must do better.It is foolish for any youth to fight another youth over APC or PDP. Let me ask you, what is the difference between the APC and the PDP? Half of the members of the APC are former PDP members and vice versa.Let me ask you youths a question: Do the APC and the PDP fight over you as you fight over them? How many ministers have they given you? How many ambassadors have they given you? How many heads of parastatals have they given you? That's right, the answer is ZERO!So resist the desire of vested interests to control you and use you to fight other youths on social media and in real life.What youths do not realize is that you are victims of divide and conquer. You make up 60% of the population yet account for 0% of the federal cabinet!Your price should be more than a plate of rice and a handshake. Work together not against each other! Come on Nigerian youths, be smart!If you think after you have been used to fight each other these vested interests will hand power to you, think again. Their kids who are abroad will do same to your kids!It is time to end the hate and come together for Nigeria's good. Long after we are gone, you will be around. So learn to get along.As I have said and I will keep saying, the youths are the leaders of today if only they will resist being used by vested interests.How old is Trudeau, the Canadian PM. He was 43 when he became PM. You can be much more than a thug or Twitter overlord. You can be like Trudeau's.My name is Ben Murray Bruce and I not only want to make commonsense, I also believe in the Nigerian youth. President Mohammadu Buhari on Wednesday held bilateral talks with the visiting Turkish President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, at the State... President Mohammadu Buhari on Wednesday held bilateral talks with the visiting Turkish President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, at the State House, Abuja.On arrival at the Presidential Villa at 11:49am, the Turkish leader was honoured with a grand presidential reception, military parade and 21- gun salute.President Buhari and Mr. Erdogan are still holding talks at the time of filing this report.Mr. Erdogan, who is visiting four African nations, was in Ivory Coast and Ghana earlier in the week.He will also visit Guinea in continuation of his working visit to the continent. The Senator representing Benue South, Senator David Mark was today, March 2, sworn-in into the Senate for a record 6th time. The Appeal ... The Senator representing Benue South, Senator David Mark was today, March 2, sworn-in into the Senate for a record 6th time. The Appeal Court sitting in Markurdi annulled the election of the former Senate President last year and he was declared winner of the re-run election held on Saturday, February 20.Senator Mark was sworn in at exactly 11 am in the hallowed chamber by the Senate President Dr. Bukola Saraki after taking the traditional oath of office and allegiance.Shortly after the swearing in, Senators at the plenary session rose in solidarity with Senator Mark as they took turns to hug and exchanged banters with him.He is the only Nigerian to have contested a Senatorial position six times, won and was sworn in accordingly. He was Senate President from 2007 to 2015. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday alleged that another Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Joseph Nwobike, transfer... The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday alleged that another Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Joseph Nwobike, transferred a sum of N750,000 to Justice Mohammed Yunusa of the Federal High Court, which the anti-graft agency claimed to be a bribe.It also alleged that another judge from the Port Harcourt Division of the Federal High Court received N300,000 from Nwobike, which the EFCC also claimed was a bribe.These allegations were contained in a counter-affidavit filed the EFCCs lawyer, Mr. Wahab Shittu, in reply to a better and further affidavit filed and allowed by Justice Mohammed Idris in a N2.5bn suit filed against the EFCC by Mr. Rickey Tarfa (SAN).In the counter-affidavit, an operative of the EFCC, Moses Awolusi, averred, Investigation has also shown that as part of this chain of fraud, Mr. Joseph Nwobike (SAN) also transferred the sum of N300,000 to Hon. Justice H.A Nganjiwa.That investigations further revealed that Honourable Justice M.N. Yunusa, as part of this scheme of fraud, also received the sum of N750,000 from Mr. Joseph Nwobike (SAN) and Co.But Nwobike, in his statement to the anti-graft agency, which was also attached to the affidavit, explained that the money was not meant to bribe the judge.He said it was the judge who asked him for financial assistance in respect of his ill mother who was undergoing dialysis due to a failing kidney.Nwobike explained, Sometime ago, Justice Yunusa requested to see me. When I got there, he pleaded with me to assist him with some funds since his mother was undergoing dialysis.He stated that (one of) her kidney had packed up and that he needed assistance. I felt sorry for him. I told him that I did not have funds, but that I will assist him when I get some money.I requested for his account details which he obliged me. When I got some money about two weeks after, I gave the money to him and he thanked me when he saw me along the corridor of the Federal High Court, Fresh revelations have emerged on the alleged abduction of Ese Oruru, the 14-year-old from her parents home in Bayelsa. Yunusa Yellow... Yunusa's dad Yunusa Yellows father, Dahiru Bala, on Wednesday, said his son was an house help to the Orurus family for 10 years in Yenagoa.He also said that he was opposed to the marriage of his son to Ese because he (Yinusa) was already engaged in the village.His words: Yunusa was a domestic help to Orurus family for 10 years and when he told me of his love relationship with Ese, I opposed him because we already have a bride for him in the village. Apart from being engaged, he also said allowing his son to marry Ese will be against his religion.The relationship between my son and Ese was built on ignorance of their religious background which made it difficult for any of us to support their marriage proposal. Dahiru Bala revealed that the teenager reportedly said to be 5 months pregnant converted to Islam on her own free will. Sequel to the request of Ese, she was converted to Islam on the order of the District Head before he was taken to the Emirs palace for his final say.On arrival at the Emirs palace, a senior counsellor who took the brief summon the Sharia Commission to take custody of Ese Oruru till the arrival of the emir the next day. Yunusa Father Shedding more light, Bala said that the emir who subsequently met with them ordered that the Sharia commission should liaise with the Assistant Inspector General of police, zone 1 to return her home with immediate effect.According to Yunusas father the much anticipated return of Ese Oruru to Bayelsa was truncated by her when she broke down in the AIG office and raised questions on safety to her life back home. Subsequently, the move was halted to pave for investigation.The peasant farmer who was surrounded by his village men during the encounter said that the last we heard of Ese Oruru was that she was in custody of Sharia commission who kept her in the home of the District Head at Kura. The principal of Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary School, Ikorodu, Olaoluwa Adeyemi, on Wednesday said the gunmen who seized three stu... The principal of Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary School, Ikorodu, Olaoluwa Adeyemi, on Wednesday said the gunmen who seized three students of the school on Monday gain entry after destroying a part of the schools security fence.He spoke while taking the Deputy Governor of the state, Idiat Adebule, and other state government officials who visited the school round the premises.The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that gunmen, on Monday night, around 8:30 p.m, abducted three female students of the school, owned by the Lagos Anglican Diocese at Agunfoye-Lugbusi in Ikorodu, Lagos State.Mr. Adeyemi said the gunmen, on gaining entry from the back, started shooting sporadically to scare the students and teachers away.He said all efforts by the management to rescue the abducted pupils from their abductors were not successful as the gunmen overpowered them with sophisticated guns and other weapons.They came with sophisticated guns and weapons and started shooting sporadically to frustrate us from rescuing our pupils they had abducted as everybody was running for safety.I got the governor on phone about three hours later and he contacted the Commissioner of Police and other top security agencies.They were all here immediately and ever since then, they have been working tirelessly to ensure that we secure our pupils.We are trusting God; we place our hope in Him that these children would return back to this school safely, he said.Also speaking, Michael Fape, Bishop of the Anglican Church of Nigeria, Remo Diocese, expressed concern on the security situation in the country.Mr. Fape urged the government at all levels to prioritise security and provide employment for youth so as to engage them more positively.He commended Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, for their quick response.He said the police commissioner personally led the search operation and expressed optimism that with the efforts put on ground by the government and various security operatives, the pupils would soon be released to the school.The deputy governor, who led the government delegation on behalf of the governor, said the visit was to express governments sympathy to the parents of the affected pupils and the management of the school.She said the state government along with various security operatives in the state had swung into action since the sad occurrence on Monday night.The visit became necessary as a responsible government to express sympathy with the parents of the victims and to share in the pains that the absence of their children would have caused them.We assure you that the state government is working tirelessly with other security agencies to ensure the safety and early rescue of the pupils.We are very confident that in no distant time, these girls will be rescued and returned back to their parents, she said.(NAN) A senior Director in the Kaduna State Ministry of Finance, Alhaji Aminu Sambo has been reportedly kidnapped by unknown gunmen. The Nat... A senior Director in the Kaduna State Ministry of Finance, Alhaji Aminu Sambo has been reportedly kidnapped by unknown gunmen.The Nation gathered in Kaduna Wednesday that, Sambo was abducted by unknown armed gang in his Kan Gimi farm, located in Igabi local government area of the state last Saturday.A source in the Sambos family revealed that, Sambo who resided in Unguwan Dosa area of Kaduna metropolis has so far spent five days in the kidnappers den since he was whisked away to unknown destination.The family source while begging kidnappers for Sambos unconditional release further explained that, the armed men were demanding huge amount of money before his release.According to him, I was not there but our brother Aminu Sambo was kidnapped last Saturday in his farm in Kan Gimi. We are praying and begging kidnappers to release him unconditionally. Sambo is gentle man to the call who loves peace. We are pleading with kidnappers not to harm him wherever he is.Although, it was gathered that, security operatives whom were said to have launched thorough search for the release of the Director were making progress.Meanwhile, when contacted Kaduna State Police Command spokesman, Abubakar Zubairu, on telephone, over the incident he did not answer nor return the calls. There were indications on Wednesday, that the kidnappers who stormed Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary, Ikorodu, Lagos, Monday night, a... There were indications on Wednesday, that the kidnappers who stormed Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary, Ikorodu, Lagos, Monday night, abducting three Senior Secondary School female students have reduced the ransom to N20 million per student.Timilehin Olisa, Tofunmi Popoolaniyan and Deborah Akinayo, all SS2 students were whisked away at about 9:30pm on Monday from their classroom while they were having prep.Timilehin, it was learnt is the daughter of the States Anglican School Management Board.It was learnt that the kidnappers contacted the father of one of the girls on Tuesday, demanding N200 million in exchange of the three students.Yesterday the kidnappers demanded for as much as N200 million for the students.They have however succumbed to passionate pleas by their contact in the school, and reduced their demands to N20 million.Besides, the kidnappers have been discovered to be militants turned vandals.They were said to have gotten the number of the man they contacted from his daughter, and allegedly made it known that their target was the school.It was learnt that the criminals first call to the man was ended abruptly and they called him again to pass their massage.This development was said to have provoked an emergency meeting between the schools management, victims parents and security agencies led by the Police Commissioner Fatai Owoseni, which lasted till the early hours of Wednesday.Three other meetings were held between 11am and 4:15pm with the school authorities, the combat squads and heads of intelligence agencies.However, it could not be ascertained if the school would negotiate with the kidnappers, although they were expecting their call at the time of filing this report.Meanwhile it was learnt that security agencies have been completely surrounded the school.It was gathered that the suspects location have been identified and several crack teams of military personnel, police and DSS and the local vigilante group known as Oyabo have been deployed into their hideout.NE also learnt that the criminals were still within Lagos and shocked to a corner.It was learnt that the parents and teachers have intensified prayers for the release of the girls, just as academic activities did not start until past 10am. Mrs. Iara Oshiomhole, wife of Edo State Governor has described Nigerian children as special, saying the children are always happy and ful... Mrs. Iara Oshiomhole, wife of Edo State Governor has described Nigerian children as special, saying the children are always happy and full of joy, no matter the circumstance.She gave her assessment at the launch of her pet project christened We Care Trust with a mission to care for underprivileged Nigerian children. Mrs. Oshiomhole who said she is very passionate about the needs of children said: when I came to Benin, I saw little children full of love, joy, clapping their hands, dancing and singing, welcoming me.I remember coming here, feeling overwhelmed with their love, the joy that these kids showed me. I remember these little children that live in some not too beautiful condition. I feel the joy, I love them. I remember that people that were with me couldnt keep their eyes from tears.Everybody was shedding tears. Meanwhile, these children were welcoming us as strangers into their homes, and some of them even into their rooms with all their hearts, full of love and joy. This is what I cannot forget. We have to be honest. There is something special about our Nigerian children. These children are naturally happy, and I cannot deny it.So, what we always hear is love, love, love. Love is something that grows. If you keep love, if you choose love, love will continue to choose you. So, my friends, lets come together and lets choose love. And we cannot do it alone, we have to do this together. We have to start giving this love back, we have to try to get these children a better life. We have to do that together. So, I am asking all my friends, family members, please, help me in this.Thank you very much for listening and God bless you. Speaking to reporters after the ceremony, Governor Oshiomhole said the project is purely the initiative of his wife. According to him, she paid a visit to some orphanages, and found that there are a number of children who are being cared for and the terrible condition that prevail in many of the orphanages, and the fact that they dont have access to regular income to ensure the welfare of those kids, and she felt that she should organize something on a sustainable basis that she can sustain even long after we have left government, to refocus public attention to those orphanages.But what most people do once in a year, maybe during your birthday or something, people go to the orphanages. But the need of the kids is every day. Then, she felt there has to be a more systematic way to provide support.It is purely her own initiative, it is purely her drive. As you can see for the first time, I had no remarks, because it is not my day. But I am happy that she thought about it. Over N137 million was raised from pledges and cash donations from donors who included Alhjai Aliko Dangote, who was represented on the occasion. The House of Representatives on Wednesday asked the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, to urgently deploy his men to rescue ... The House of Representatives on Wednesday asked the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, to urgently deploy his men to rescue the three girls, who were abducted from the Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary in Ikorodu, Lagos State, on Monday night.The news of the abduction of the girls broke on Tuesday just as Ese Oruru, the 14-year-old girl kidnapped in Bayelsa State and forced into marriage in Kano State, was released.The House, at a session presided over by the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, noted that the Lagos incident was an indication of rising security concerns in the country.The House passed a resolution as it named a 10-man committee to visit Lagos State to find out the circumstances leading to the abduction of the schoolgirls.A member from Lagos State, Mr. Babajimi Benson, had drawn the attention of the House to the abduction of the girls under matters of urgent public importance.Benson said, More than 24 hours after the sad incident, the Nigeria Police Force and other concerned agencies of government have not been able to reunite the abducted girls with their parents.The House is worried that insecurity in Ikorodu Federal Constituency is becoming worrisome as the security agencies are finding it difficult to protect lives and property.Another member, Ekpoattai Ime, said the incident must be traumatic for the parents of the girls.The lawmaker added, I urge this House and the IGP to intensify efforts to rescue the girls.Girls are now kidnapped every day in Nigeria, even women; this is sad.The House passed the resolution just as members of the Bayelsa State caucus at the House demanded the prosecution of the kidnapper of Ese, Mr. Yunusa, aka Yellow.The members commended all those who fought for the release of the minor, particularly the media and non-governmental organisations.They claimed to have no knowledge of the kidnapping of Ese until the past week, especially through the media.Speaking on behalf of the caucus, Mr. Duoye Diri, who represents Yenagoa Federal Constituency, called on Arase to ensure that Yunusa was prosecuted.We condemn the act and we ask that justice must be done in this case, he stated.A female member of the caucus, Sodaguwa Festus-Omoi, said it was high time the Child Rights Act was domesticated by the states in the North.They have to go back to the Act, else this type of crime will continue.At the level of the parliament, we have female legislators from the North. We will sit and discuss all of this, she said.Meanwhile, the management of BMJS on Wednesday began raising the fence at the hostel end of the school, through which gunmen gained access to its premises and abducted the three pupils on Monday night.BMJS is a co-educational secondary school owned by the Lagos Anglican Diocese.The fence borders uncompleted buildings and bush.Our correspondent, who was at the school on Wednesday, noticed three bricklayers, erecting blocks to raise the level of the fence.Also, there were indications that the school had started negotiations with the kidnappers, who reportedly demanded N300m ransom for the release of the girls said to be in senior classes.About 15 gunmen had, around 8pm on Monday, stormed the Science and Technology block of the college, where pupils were said to be reading for their upcoming examinations.Academic activities had yet to recommence in the school while there was still a heavy presence of armed policemen on the premises.Some panic-stricken parents had temporarily withdrawn their children from the school while others blamed the attack on inadequate security and the low fence through which the invaders gained access to the institution and escaped from the school.An official of the college, a woman, was heard discussing the ransom on the telephone with somebody in Yoruba.Standing at a corner, near a confectionery shop in the school, the woman was heard saying, The pupils are not allowed to leave the school but parents, who do not believe in God, have been coming to pick their children. Only pupils, sitting the ongoing UTME, are allowed to leave the school to take the exam.Those bandits have contacted the school and they are demanding N300m. It seems negotiation is ongoing and I learnt they have reduce it down to N100m.A police source, who spoke to one of our correspondents on condition of anonymity, also said he was aware of the development, adding that the police would rescue the children and ensure that their captors did not get any ransom.He stated, They have made contacts with the school and they are demanding N300m. That is their wish but it will never come to pass. We are working closely to get the pupils rescued unhurt.The abduction was caused by the schools ineffective security. The school is supposed to have made arrangements to get policemen to secure the premises. They dont have adequate security. Their fence should be high and barbed all through.A source close to the school confirmed the negotiation, saying, It is true. They (kidnappers) initially demanded N300m but the school said it was too much and they reduced it to N100m. The negotiation is still ongoing.Attempts to confirm the development were abortive as calls made to the line of Bishop Babatunde Adeyemi of the Badagry Diocese, one of the proprietors of the school, rang out.A teacher and some parents, approached by one of our correspondents, directed him to the principal, Ven. Olaoluwa Adeyemi, who said he did not want to address the press at the moment.While a student was about to converse with newsmen, his teachers, from afar, shouted and ordered him to leave.Dont talk to him. He is a journalist, they shouted.A teacher, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the tension in the school had stalled academic activities, adding that the mode of the attack was traumatic.He said, Lectures have not resumed. We are still praying for the return of the girls and we hope they will come back safely. The attack was terrible. It lasted for about 20 to 25 minutes. The gang came in and escaped through the fence.The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, came to the school again on Wednesday and met with the principal behind closed doors.Owoseni told journalists to leave the school premises and allow security agencies to work with the school. A Federal Capital Territory, Senator Dino Melaye, mocked the Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, on Wednesday, while contributing to a... Dino Melaye A Federal Capital Territory, Senator Dino Melaye, mocked the Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, on Wednesday, while contributing to a motion seeking the need to patronise products made in Nigeria.Melaye, who is from Kogi-West senatorial district, while contributing to the motion by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, which advocated the need to patronise products made in Nigeria, took a swipe at Oshiomhole, saying Nigerians should not emulate the governor whom he said opted not to patronise Made-in-Nigeria women but a foreign one.Melaye was referring to Iara, the wife of Oshiomhole, whom he married from Cape Verde in the Southern African region.He, therefore, advised Nigerians not to only patronise goods made in Nigeria, but also made-in-Nigeria women.He said, I want to celebrate the Made-in-Nigeria senator for bringing up this motion. In considering goods produced in Nigeria, we must look at the enabling factors that will necessitate the goods.It is beyond having one made in Nigeria attire and having over 70 designers attires in your wardrobe. We must reduce the allocation for made-in-Nigeria goods and services to the basics.What are those factors limiting the production of these goods? We must tackle them. We must also begin to look at our legislation, then we will begin to talk about made-in-Nigeria goods.We will also move in order to encourage made-in-Nigeria products and begin to talk about made-in-Nigeria women.Apologies to my uncle, the Governor of Edo State, we must as a people stop paying dowries in dollars and pounds. It is time for my colleagues here to become born again. Tottenham missed the chance to go top of the Premier League with a 1-0 defeat at West Ham as Michail Antonio continued his hot streak at... Tottenham missed the chance to go top of the Premier League with a 1-0 defeat at West Ham as Michail Antonio continued his hot streak at Upton Park.Having come from behind to beat Swansea City 2-1 at the weekend, Spurs went into Wednesday's clash with their London rivals with the chance to move ahead of leaders Leicester City, who were held to a 2-2 draw by West Brom 24 hours earlier.But Mauricio Pochettino's side paid the price for a lacklustre first-half display, with Antonio's early header proving the difference in a frenetic derby encounter.Antonio converted a Dimitri Payet corner to net his fourth goal in four home games for Slaven Bilic's team, who perhaps should have been more than 1-0 up at half-time following a dominant first 45 minutes.Tottenham responded well in the second half and looked the more likely to score as they attempted to make it a happy 44th birthday for their manager and move above Leicester on goal difference.However, it was Bilic and the home fans who were provided with reason to celebrate, as West Ham held on to maintain their push for Champions League qualification.It took Antonio just seven minutes to break the deadlock with his second goal in as many games as he met Payet's set-piece from the right with a powerful near-post header that Hugo Lloris could not keep out.Lloris redeemed himself somewhat eight minutes later, producing a fine diving save to his left to turn Mark Noble's long-range drive behind.Payet had a curling effort deflected wide late in the half and Spurs will have been relieved to head into the interval only a goal down given the pressure they were forced to soak up.Ben Davies lashed wide shortly after the restart in what was Tottenham's first shot of the match, with Erik Lamela then heading well wide at the near post in the 53rd minute.A rejuvenated Tottenham continued to surge forward in search of an equaliser and will have been wondering how they were not level when Adrian pulled off an excellent double save to keep out Toby Alderweireld's fierce low effort and Harry Kane's follow-up.Dele Alli - who was left on the bench after picking up an injury in the warm-up against Swansea last time out - was thrown on in place of Nacer Chadli as Pochettino tried everything to find a leveller.But, after West Ham defender James Collins limped off to be replaced by Reece Oxford, the visitors were fortunate not to fall 2-0 down when Antonio spurned a chance to double his tally, firing over from Payet's superb free-kick in the 66th minute.Tottenham were unable to punish West Ham for Antonio's profligacy, though, and remain three points behind Leicester going into the weekend's meeting with neighbours Arsenal, who also suffered a disappointing evening after losing 2-1 to Swansea. The parents of Ese Oruru have denied claims that Yinusa worked for them, describing several of the claims made by his father as false. ... The parents of Ese Oruru have denied claims that Yinusa worked for them, describing several of the claims made by his father as false.Yinusa did not work with us for 10 years as the father claimed. That is not true. We only got to know about him in the area in 2012, her mom said.Ese and her mom had been taken back to Bayelsa from Abuja by the police on Wednesday. However, her journey back home is not yet complete as she was made to spend the night at the Police Officers Mess in Yenagoa.2Her mom and two of her siblings are currently at the officers mess to see her. The police have insisted that only her immediate family members can see her, with Journalists also denied entry.It is expected that Governor Seriake Dickson will meet the 14-year-old and her parents later today. WILLINGBORO TWP. -- The man accused of gunning down a gas station worker last November was indicted Thursday by a Burlington County grand jury. Eramus Canty, 32, of Ridgewood Way in Burlington Township, was indicted on one count of first-degree felony murder, one count of first-degree robbery and one count of certain persons not to have firearms. Eramus Canty Matthew Mwinsori, 42, of Willingboro, was fatally shot on Nov. 25, 2015 during a robbery at the Quick N Go convenience store along the 100 block of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Co-workers and customers recalled him as a peaceful ex-soldier who emigrated from Ghana. Canty, who was identified as a suspect after the incident, was arrested on Dec. 19, 2015 by police in Asbury Park. He was taken into custody without incident, according to a release from the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office. According to investigators, Canty entered the convenience store on the night of the incident and demanded money. Mwinsori, who moved from West Africa to be closer to his sister, was shot multiple times during the encounter and died approximately an hour later. Canty, whose arraignment has yet to be scheduled, currently sits in the Burlington County Jail on $750,000 bail. Greg Adomaitis may be reached at gadomaitis@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregAdomaitis. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook. MOUNT LAUREL TWP. -- A drug rehabilitation facility is headed south after seeing its proposals rebuffed by communities in Camden and Burlington counties. According to philly.com, Recovery Centers of America withdrew on Monday its proposal for a 328-bed Mount Laurel facility and will instead pursue another in Mays Landing. The report adds that local residents launched a petition effort well before any approval down from the township's zoning board. The King of Prussia, Pennsylvania-based group previously proposed facilities in Haddonfield and Gloucester Township which would have fit into plans for a chain along the East Coast. Earlier this year, Haddonfield commissioners voted to acquire the property Recovery Centers of America was eyeing. "We wanted to make sure (the borough) had control of the land. We wanted to see that there's appropriate, private development. And we wanted to make sure it was tax-neutral," Mayor Jeff Kasko said in January. The Gloucester Township denial resulted in litigation brought by the developer, according to previous reports. The facility there, which would have been located near Camden County College, would have boasted 37 beds. Recovery Centers of America's new Atlantic County plans include the acquisition of an existing drug and alcohol outpatient center, according to the report, which adds that the owner-operater recently died. Greg Adomaitis may be reached at gadomaitis@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregAdomaitis. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook. BRIDGETON -- An assistant prosecutor in Cumberland County is suing the county prosecutor and the county alleging he was discriminated against because of his military service as a reservist, the Daily Journal reports. Dennis J. Hernon, of Atlantic County, an Army Reserve member, filed a two-count lawsuit Monday against Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McRae, reports say. Hernon alleges Webb-McRae showed discrimination toward him including a time she "sabotaged his training," reprimanded him, and demoted him, the report says. The lawsuit also alleges that the prosecutor pushed him to complete a psychological evaluation and mocked Hernon's service tours, stating that she called them vacations, the report says. Cherry Hill attorney Matthew S. Wolf is representing Hernon and the county is being represented by Theodore Baker, the county solicitor. Brittany Wehner may be reached at bwehner@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @brittanymwehner. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook. Screen Shot 2016-02-24 at 1.22.02 PM.png Maya Young, who said on Facebook she was from Vineland, was stabbed to death in Philadelphia on Saturday, Feb. 20. (Facebook photo) PHILADELPHIA -- City police have identified a man and woman accused of stabbing a 25-year-old transgender woman to death last month. Tiffany Floyd and Jose Pena (Photo provided) Philadelphia residents Tiffany Floyd, 24, and Jose Pena, 19, are both charged with murder and conspiracy in connection with the death of Maya Young, a city resident originally from Vineland. Young was found suffering from fatal stab wounds on Penn Street on Saturday, Feb. 20 just before midnight and died of her injuries at 12:21 a.m. the next morning at Frankford Aria Hospital. Floyd was taken into custody on Tuesday and Pena was apprehended Wednesday, but police identified the two for the first time on Thursday morning. The death of Young, who was described by friends as a sweet and honest woman, stirred grief and anger in the city's LGBT community. Organizations that deal with the issues trans individuals face say violence, employment issues, homelessness and other issues often plague them at disproportionately higher rates. We have lost six trans people in 2016. Monica Loera, Kayden Clarke, Veronica Banks Cano, Maya Young, Nino Jackson, and Demarkis Stansberry. venus dikhadijah selenite (@venusselenite) February 29, 2016 Join us in honoring life of #MayaYoung, 25 yr-old black trans woman murdered in Philadelphia Feb21 #StopTransMurders pic.twitter.com/T3D129Cju6 The Task Force (@TheTaskForce) February 24, 2016 Michelle Caffrey may be reached at mcaffrey@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @ShellyCaffrey. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook. TRENTON -- Full-day kindergarten has become increasingly common in New Jersey schools as communities respond to parental demand. Now, lawmakers are debating whether to make it mandatory statewide. The Senate Education Committee on Thursday approved a bill that would force the roughly 20 percent of districts not offering full-day kindergarten to begin doing so in the fall of 2018 or 2019, depending on the district's demographics. The proposal is part of series of a bills introduced by Sen. Teresa Ruiz to transform early childhood in New Jersey, beginning with expanded home visitation for new mothers and culminating with a full-day kindergarten experience. "It's a conversation that we have to have," Ruiz said. "The number one question is is funding. But if we don't begin talking about this today, another 10 years will pass and we will still have communities with half-day kindergarten." Once considered the beginning of a child's formal education, kindergarten has already been replaced by preschool as the starting point, said Cecilia Zalkind, executive director of the non-profit Advocates for Children of New Jersey. Other supporters of the bill said many students are already enrolled in full-day preschool and attending half-day kindergarten would be taking a step back. The proposal would cost about $78 million, according to Ruiz's office, but investing in full-day kindergarten for students could prevent problems later on in school and effectively save state resources, said Sen. Shirley Turner, who cosponsored the bill. Aside from the benefit for students, the full-day program would also help families, Turner said. "We are not living in an 'Ozzie and Harriet' world anymore," Turner (D-Mercer) said. "We don't have very many families who can afford for the mothers to stay home and take care of the children." Sen. Michael Doherty (R-Warren) said the package of bills, which include expanding public preschool, seem to stem from a default notion that children need to be rushed into government institutions. Many families don't need or want full-day kindergarten and those parents would rather have their children at home for part of the day, he said. Local school boards should be trusted to make the decisions that are right for their community, Doherty said. "I don't think we need a one-size fits all mandate from Trenton," said Doherty, who voted against the bill. "This is not the American way." Representatives from the New Jersey School Boards Association, New Jersey Association of School Administrators and New Jersey Principals and Supervisor Association testified in support of the bill. But they also said there are logistical problems that would need to be addressed, including how school districts would pay for full-day K. Along with requiring full day kindergarten, Ruiz wants to consolidate child-related services offered by five different state departments into a new Department of Early Childhood. The proposal calls for shifting staff from other departments rather than hiring new employees, according to Ruiz's office. Ruiz and state Sen. President Stephen Sweeney also hope to allocate $103 million for the expansion of public preschool, restore before and after school programs in former Abbott districts and launch a pilot loan program that gives private preschool programs government loans. All of the bills were approved by the Senate committee on Thursday. Adam Clark may be reached at adam_clark@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on twitter at @realAdamClark. Find NJ.com on Facebook. NEWARK -- As the investigation into the latest attempt by a jail detainee to escape custody at University Hospital continues, a city official says changes are being made to how inmates are supervised while receiving treatment at the facility. Following the February 25 escape, which left one officer severely beaten, all detainees transported to the hospital for treatment will be supervised by two Newark police officers at all times, said Acting Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose on Tuesday. Ambrose said he gave the order immediately following the incident, during which Jose Rodriguez, 44, allegedly attacked his lone police officer escort and then fled the facility. Rutgers police officers apprehended Rodriguez minutes later near a parking lot on South Orange Avenue, officials said. The injured officer, whose name has not been disclosed, was "briefly separated" from her partner when the attack began, officials said. The exact reason for the separation is under investigation, Ambrose said. Also under investigation is whether another officer was called in to replace the absent police guard as per protocol, he added. Following the escape attempt, all prisoners transported to the hospital are to remain bound unless their shackles interfere with their treatment, Ambrose said. Officers will also conduct a risk assessment of each detainee before they are taken to the hospital for treatment, he added. Rodriguez' brief escape is fourth such incident since March 2015. Elijah Shabazz, 46, evaded police capture for more than a month after walking out of a guarded room at University Hospital in March of that year. Three months later, Martin Sanchez, 34, walked out of the hospital undetected after receiving treatment. In August 2015, Michael Majette, 40, of East Orange ducked his police guards while receiving treatment at the hospital, escaping through a bathroom door. Both men were apprehended a short time after their respective escapes. In the wake of Sanchez' escape, University Hospital and police authorities met to address "common concerns" and changes to prisoner custody procedures. The exact details of changes in protocol made as a result of those meetings were not disclosed. Police and hospital officials met on Monday to again address detainee supervision protocols, Ambrose confirmed. A joint-discussion of the protocols is ongoing, he said. Vernal Coleman can be reached at vcoleman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @vernalcoleman. Find NJ.com on Facebook. DEPTFORD -- The township's police department has adopted an initiative to use plant DNA to fight property crime, with the added goal of getting the technology to senior citizens for free. DNA marking is a method of tracking property in which owners mark an item with a solution containing plant DNA, then register their names with a special serial number. When a stolen object -- anything from a watch to a car -- is recovered, investigators simply shine an ultraviolet light on the item to find the mark. A sample is then tested in a lab to determine who owns the item. Deptford used to offer free engraving to residents who wanted to mark their property, but the program was not a popular one. "When I started [police work] in the 1990s, you'd engrave a drivers' license number on the back of a television," said Sgt. John Leone of Deptford's Community Policing Unit. "But you could remove that very easily," added Cpl. Todd Graves. "And if it's anything of value, it loses some of its value the second you mark it. Engraving was basically useless with jewelry." That, said Leone, is why the department has teamed up with the Stony Brook, New York-based firm Applied DNA Sciences. The program has already been adopted across Camden County. Deptford is the first town in neighboring Gloucester County to get on board. "It's not uncommon to catch a burglar with a lot of property. If a guy has 10 phones or a few laptops, we can scan them," Leone said. "Marking has been around for more than 50 years, but as far as using the botanical DNA, that's where we're unique," said Mike Nizich, security asset sales director for Applied DNA Sciences. "DNA is already accepted into court. When one of our marks is sent to us, we send back a report from a certified crime lab, which is strong evidence." "More importantly, beyond prosecution, is that the owner is more likely to get their stuff back," said Graves. Ideally, said Leone, police would like every homeowner in town to obtain their own kit, which retails for about $70. But for at least 500 senior citizens, the program will be free, provided the department can find the funding. Leone and Graves are courting businesses, charitable organizations and individuals for donations to the program. The department will also receive a discount on kits purchased for seniors. "Our target community are senior citizens, because they're some of the most at-risk for property crime," he said. "And we want to see them get it with ease. We'll clear all the hurdles for them." Seniors who want to participate will receive their own kit, along with training on how to mark their belongings. Then, police will register them online with the lab's database. The department will also install signs similar to those used by alarm companies at the entrances of neighborhoods with high concentrations of senior citizens enrolled in the program. "We're looking for donors who want to help saturate the community," said Leone. "It would be great if we could have it in every home in Deptford, but even if it's only 5, 10 or 15 percent, that's 15 percent more than we previously had." Anyone interested in donating can contact Deptford's Community Policing Unit by emailing jleone@deptford-nj.org. Andy Polhamus may be reached at apolhamus@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @ajpolhamus. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook. HARRISBURG, Pa. -- The future of the Cooperative Extension Service in Pennsylvania is at stake as funding has been removed in the proposed 2015-16 budget which has yet to be adopted. A rally by Pennsylvania horsemen is planned for March 9 at the Capitol prior to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture budget hearing. E-mail charliepaequinecouncil@gmail.com for details about the rally. Penn State Extension benefits horsemen of all ages through programs such as 4-H, research and educational seminars. The programs are funded through the Land Scrip Fund. Penn State President Eric Barron has threatened to lay-off some 1,100 PSU agricultural extension employees at the end of the current fiscal year because of the state budget impasse. Penn State has so far not received any of its roughly $270 million in state aid for 2015-16 because of the ongoing budget stalemate between Gov. Tom Wolf and the state legislature. Some $50 million of that goes directly to support the agricultural extension services, which reach all 67 counties and, one could say, are Penn State's original branch campuses. This part of the appropriation was vetoed by Gov. Tom Wolf in December. Barron said Penn State can't continue to absorb the roughly $70 million total cost of the agricultural extension operation within its general education budget. According to the Pennsylvania Equine Council Legislative Chairperson, Linda Golden, "If zero funding stands, it will include the elimination of Penn State Extension and the loss to Pennsylvania of approximately $80 million of federal money leveraged by these state funds. The PEC is urging horsemen to contact state legislators to ask that the Land Script Fund be replaced in the budget. Click on this link to find your legislator. Meanwhile planning is already underway for the next fiscal year. In his testimony before the state Senate Appropriations Committee, Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding outlined two possible paths for the state's agriculture industry -- one that invests in the long-term health of the commonwealth versus one that ignores the stark realities facing the state and underfunds critical services like education and public safety. Redding said Governor Wolf's budget for the 2016-17 fiscal year represents the preferred path for Pennsylvania -- one that will lead to a brighter future and make needed investments in agriculture. Redding also called attention to Governor Wolf's support for the department's partners in research, animal health, and higher education. The governor's budget proposes a $2.4 million increase to the Agricultural College Land Scrip Fund. This proposal would mark the largest increase for the college and Extension since fiscal year 2011-12 when funding was cut by $10.5 million, or 19 percent. "The governor's proposal for the College of Agricultural Sciences is a clear indication of this administration's support for Penn State's land grant mission," Redding added. "We recognize the importance of teaching research and Penn State Extension's benefits to society. We want to see funding restored for this fiscal year, but to do so requires a complete and balanced budget, along with a 'non-preferred' appropriations bill for Penn State University." Governor Wolf proposed level funding for the state's Pennsylvania Animal Diagnostic Laboratory System, or PADLS, which is a three-lab system supported by the commonwealth. Operated by the department, the University of Pennsylvania's School of Veterinary Medicine and Penn State University, the lab system is on the front lines of defense in protecting animal health by engaging in cutting-edge research and diagnostic testing. Secretary Redding will testify before the House Appropriations Committee on March 9. For more information on Governor Wolf's 2016-17 budget proposal, visit www.budget.pa.gov. For more information on the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, visit www.agriculture.pa.gov. Enter the 2016 Horse News Photo Contest For current equestrian news see Horse News or check out the online version of the print edition. Horse News covers everything equestrian in the mid-Atlantic area and can be reached at horsenews@hcdemocrat.com To subscribe to the print edition call 908-948-1309. For advertising e-mail mchapman@njadvancemedia.com. Find Horse News on Facebook Read the Washitah Nation manifesto that squatters used to flummox the NOPD The federal government plans to pour $125 million into the fight against a mysterious disease that has ravaged corals in Florida and much of the Caribbean, and now poses a dire threat to the treasured reefs off the Louisiana and Texas coasts. WASHINGTON (AP) The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol has issued a subpoena to Donald Trump. The nine-member panel sent a letter to the former president's lawyers on Friday, demanding his testimony under oath by mid-November and outlining a series of corresponding documents. The decision by lawmakers to exercise their subpoena power comes a week after the committee made its final case against the former president, who they say is the "central cause" of the multi-part effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election. It remains unclear how Trump and his legal team will respond to the subpoena, if at all. Depth at safety what Saints should focus on in free agency: Larry Holder Shriners will cover all costs for Cassandras surgery Sudbury Shriners wish to acknowledge the impending surgery for Cassandra Degn at the brand new Canada Shriners Hospital in Montreal. We know that she will be in good hands. Rena Richer, left, has opened a bank account, and set up a donation jar to help 14-year-old Cassandra Degn and her family cover basic expenses during a surgery scheduled in Montreal in the summer. Cassandra is expected to be in Montreal for three to four weeks counting her recovery. Photo by Jonathan Migneault. Sudbury Shriners wish to acknowledge the impending surgery for Cassandra Degn at the brand new Canada Shriners Hospital in Montreal. We know that she will be in good hands. Also, we need to correct a major inaccuracy that appeared as part of a recent article in your newspaper. Not only is the cost of surgery covered for patients, but so are all of the related transportation, accommodation and meal costs for the stay in Montreal for the patient and a parent or guardian covered by the Shriners. Cassandra was seen at the former Shriners Hospital in 2013 and the surgical and non-surgical costs were looked after. We admire that the owner of Barnwood Designs, Rena Richer, is committed to raising funds to cover non-surgical costs for the Degns. However, the philanthropic efforts of all Shriners, including the Sudbury Shriners, is to ensure that we carry out our mission to provide the highest quality care without regard to race, colour, creed, sex or sect, disability, national origin, or ability of a patient or family to pay. Monies are not requested from the community to support a Shrine child family to pay while going to or from Shrine hospitals. The Sudbury Shrine Club is this areas oldest service club and will celebrate 100 years of continuous community service in 2021. We remain, from that early beginning, committed to ensuring that treatment for children with orthopedic problems is accessible at our hospitals to all families regardless of means. In addition, pediatric specialists from our Montreal Shriners Hospital, in co-operation with NEO Kids, conduce orthopedic clinics in Sudbury several times a year. Thanks for the opportunity to correct the inaccuracy. Nels Conroy Childrens Treatment Chair, Sudbury Shriners Club Le Salon du livre du Grand Sudbury, which will be held at the Radisson Hotel and other venues May 4-7, has released a portion of the lineup for this year's event. The event, in its seventh year, is Sudbury's French-language book fair. Le Salon du livre du Grand Sudbury, which will be held at the Radisson Hotel and other venues May 4-7, has released a portion of the lineup for this year's event.The event, in its seventh year, is Sudbury's French-language book fair. About 30 Canadian authors will take part this year.Guests of honour include authors Patrice Desbiens, Suzanne Aubry, Lea Clermont-Dion, Simon Boulerice and Didier Leclair.The event also includes about 100 student workshops at the region's French and French immersion schools. There will also be a series of 36 on-site workshops during the event.For more details, visit www.lesalondulivre.ca Northwest Indiana wants to help, so the popularity of the Crown Point Community Foundations annual volunteer fair should come as no surprise. This years event will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 5, at Crown Point High School, 1500 South Main Street. More than 90 nonprofit organizations will participate in the fair, now in its 7th year. Individuals in the community wanted to get involved at nonprofit organizations and the nonprofit organizations were in need of volunteers, says Angela Leimer, marketing and program coordinator with the foundation. We realized the growing need and filled in the missing link with the Volunteer Fair. What began with 40 exhibitors has now more than doubled in size, and more than 500 people attended last years event looking for opportunities to make a difference. This gives the community the opportunity to learn about the local nonprofits and to see the services that are available in their community, Leimer says. People can match their talents and passions with a nonprofit organization in a casual and personal setting. Pastor Joyce Davis with Gods Appointed Place Food Pantry knows firsthand the power of bringing volunteers together under one cause. The pantry, an outreach ministry of G.A.P. Church, opened in March of last year. Since then, it has provided food for about 4,000 individuals. This level of service could not have happened without the help of kind-hearted volunteers that we met at the Crown Point Community Foundations 2015 Volunteer Fair, Davis says. Frank Klobucar, chaplain and volunteer coordinator at Crown Point Christian Village, has participated in the volunteer fair every year since it began. We get a lot of exposure, not only as a place to volunteer, but also as a place to bring loved ones for any of our five levels of care, he says. We have had several great contacts through the years through the volunteer fair. It acts as a great connector with those who want to make a difference and letting them know where they could help, plugging in with their special abilities. There are also great opportunities at the fair for groups and volunteers to connect and meet one another. At this years event, a record number of animal rescue nonprofit groups will be in attendance. Other organizations include Meals on Wheels of NWI, Food Bank of NWI, Camp LRCA, Campagna Academy, Dyer Arts Visionaries, Exceptional Equestrians Unlimited, Girls on the Run NWI, Harmony Handbells, Indiana Ballet Theatre and the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore and so many more. Several organizations offer volunteer opportunities for all ages. We welcome individuals 13 years of age and older to become a volunteer at the G.A.P. Food Pantry, Davis says. We have been blessed to have high school students in need of community service hours to help out, as well as families. Several times, parents desiring to teach their children about serving have joined a volunteer crew for the pantrys Saturday distributions, she says. Youth are needed to help carry bags of food to the cars of our seniors and the disabled, Davis says. If volunteer work does not fit an individuals schedule, the organization invites individuals, groups, organizations, schools and stores to host food drives, as well as other fundraisers. Potential volunteers will have the opportunity to engage in one-on-one conversation with representatives from the organizations, as well as receive physical information such as packets and handouts. It helps the individual develop a sense of the organization and where it is headed, and if its a good fit for them, Leimer says. For those who want to give back right away, the Heartland Blood Center will host a blood drive during the volunteer fair. For more information, please visit Spring-Into-Action.org. CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. NASA space champ Scott Kelly is finally back home in Houston with his family and the swimming pool that he craved throughout his yearlong absence from Planet Earth. Before he could go home to his own bed Thursday, Kelly had to endure more medical tests to measure his body's adaptation to gravity. Kelly's girlfriend and his two daughters, ages 20 and 12, rushed into his arms after he exited the NASA jet that brought him back to Houston from Kazakhstan in the wee hours of Thursday. His identical twin, retired astronaut Mark Kelly, and their father were next in line to greet him. This last leg of his journey, by plane, took a whole day because of weather delays. Kelly's 340-day space station mission set a NASA record. Fresh off winning most of the delegates in the Super Tuesday primaries, Hillary Clinton rallied in Manhattan Wednesday night, getting the mayor and governor to temporarily stop their political feud. Josh Robin filed the following report. Hillary Clinton is back in New York. She was home with a who's who of New York political figures. Clinton may not have unified a Democratic Party, where many want Bernie Sanders as its nominee, but she did get the mayor and governor to - briefly - embrace. Theirs is a collective goal, with a shared bogeyman in Donald trump. "There's a lot of finger-pointing and insulting going on over in their primary. Now, maybe some people think that's entertaining, but I tell you, this is serious business. It really matters when you're running for president," Clinton said. Governor Andrew Cuomo mocked Trump's grand plan for a wall. "The big wall. A long wall. A thousand-mile wall. Like the China wall, but wider, but higher, but nicer. Good-looking wall. I'm going to build a wall," Cuomo said. It was a cooler greeting for Mayor Bill de Blasio. A smattering of boos washed over as he exited. It was perhaps organized labor's response to his reluctance to require a union-backed wage on affordable housing. "Donald Trump offers exclusion, division, negativity," de Blasio said. But Bernie Sanders comes first. The Vermont senator is flush with cash and says he's not going away. "In America, it shouldn't just be a billionaire or Wall Street that is able to contribute hundreds of millions of dollars to the candidates they like, but ordinary people, young people, senior citizens, who are able to say, 'This is my country. This is where I want it to go.'" Clinton didn't mention Sanders, instead sticking to a general election she says must usher in healing. "I honestly believe we need more love and kindness in our country right now," she said. But behind the scenes, her aides now dismiss Sanders' chances as pie in the sky. The Democratic contest continues this weekend, with races in Maine, Nebraska, Kansas and Louisiana. Mayor Bill de Blasio is ending his two-year boycott of the St. Patrick's Day Parade. The mayor says he will march in the 255-year-old parade for the first time after parade officials dropped its longstanding ban on allowing gay groups to march under their own banners. In a statement, de Blasio said Irish LGBT New Yorkers can celebrate their heritage by marching in a parade that represents progress and equality. De Blasio skipped the parade in 2014 when no gay groups were allowed to openly march. He skipped it again last year when only one group was allowed to take part. This year's parade will take place on Thursday, March 17 along Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. Members of the group Irish Queers have been protesting this ban for years, and say they're looking forward to this year's event. "I've been part of this protest for over 20 years, so I'm glad that this day has finally come," said Eustacia Smith of Irish Queers. "Just to be clear, the parade committee includes many of the same people who supported the boycott over the years and who continue to march in the parade at times when the parade committee was saying horrible things about Irish LGBT people," said Emmaia Gelman of Irish Queers. "If it's a turnaround, we really appreciate it. If it's a change of the times, we appreciate it. We're just glad that it's over." Last year, the mayor took part in a "St. Pat's for All" parade in Queens. De Blasio will also take part in this Saturday's St. Patrick's Day parade in Rockaway. As the NYPD plans to roll out at at least 1,000 more police body worn cameras this year, it says the video isn't for the eyes of the public. Dean Meminger has a follow-up story on NY1's battle with the NYPD over the footage. NYPD officials are holding firm. They will not release unedited video from police body cameras. And if they have to release edited video, they have now asked a judge to make NY1 pay for it, a cost that could be more than $121,000. "Your station made an indiscriminate request to have every minute of body footage from inception until now to put out their without restriction, without review, without concern for the legitimate privacy interest of New Yorkers," said Lawrence Byrne, NYPD deputy commissioner of legal matters. In newly filed court papers, the NYPD argues that the court must decide whether taxpayers pay to edit the footage to address privacy concerns or whether a multibillion-dollar corporation pays for it, namely, Time Warner Cable, which owns NY1. In a Freedom of Information request last year, NY1 asked for five weeks of video. The department's response was that it wanted to charge NY1 $36,000 to pay for an officer to edit the video first. In January, NY1 sued, asking a state judge to order police to release the footage without a fee. The department now says it could take a year to edit the video, costing $121,000. The NYPD argues it's all about privacy. "A police officer approaches you, stops you, asks you for ID, says, 'Sorry, Mr. Meminger, we had a description of you, clearly you weren't involved, have a nice day, go on your way.' Should NBC be able to report Dean Meminger was stopped as suspected robbery suspect?" Byrne said. "There's a lot of complex privacy issues." NY1 says it would use editorial judgement with footage. In court papers, the station calls the high fee a way to block media access to analyze police tactics. The body camera program was started after a federal judge ordered it when she ruled the NYPD was violating the rights of people of color with stop-and-frisk. NY1 says it will continue to pursue its legal rights to see those police videos. A protest by Bill de Blasio and many Democratic politicians ended Thursday when a large LGBT Irish group was added to the roster of marchers in the St. Patrick's Day Parade. NY1's Courtney Gross filed the following report. It's a pastime Mayor Bill de Blasio has not partaken in: marching in the St. Patrick's Day Parade. "No, I am not planning on marching in the parade. I haven't in the past," the mayor said in 2014. For the first two years of his tenure, de Blasio boycotted the parade, taking the side of LGBT groups who had long been banned by parade organizers from marching. It's a ban that dated back to 1992, which, at the time, created controversy for one of de Blasio's predecessors, David Dinkins, who also decided to sit the parade out. "I will not be able to lead the long green line up Fifth Avenue," Dinkins said. That didn't stop either Mayor Michael Bloomberg or Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, though, who donned green and waved Irish flags up fifth avenue. De Blasio said no. He wanted an inclusive parade, one he says the city now has after a 24-year political battle, which pit some of the Irish against the city's LGBT community. "This March 17, we will all march together," the mayor said. On March 17, a coalition of LGBT groups will come together under one banner, known as the Lavender and Green Alliance, and march up Fifth Avenue. They will be one of just two LGBT groups participating in the parade, bringing out a host of emotions for those officials who have been fighting to be included for decades. "Your historic gesture of welcome like a miracle of hospitality undoes the anguish and pain of exclusion and discrimination," said Brendan Fay of the Lavender and Green Alliance. "There were many times when we wanted to give up and we never thought we would see this day," said City Councilman Daniel Dromm of Queens. A long fight, for sure, but at the Irish Consulate on Thursday, a representative from the parade's board of directors was not interested in rehashing how this compromise came to pass. "It's a hard day, and we are moving forward," said Frank McGreal, a member of the parade's board of directors. "That is the word of the day, moving forward. That's it." The mayor said he would be marching with the city's uniformed servcies and that he would join the alliance for part of the parade. Thousands of sick veterans including many from New York who believe they've fallen ill because of contaminated water at one of the nation's legendary Marine bases say the Department of Veterans Affairs is turning a deaf ear to their plight. Our Michael Herzenberg has the results of his exclusive NY1 investigation. Mark and Rene Cifelli just got married, but they are truly living each day together as if it will be their last. Mark is dying. "The doctor said there's nothing we can do for you," Cifelli explains. "He was really just giving me comfort drugs." Cifelli, who lives in North Tonawanda, N.Y., outside of Buffalo, has stage four colon, lung and liver cancer. He says his doctors blame exposure to chemicals when he was a Marine at Camp Lejeune, N.C., in the 1980s. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is providing him with medical care, but it has rejected his application for disability benefits three times. "I am angry," Cifelli told NY1. "Semper Fi, always faithful. That wasn't being faithful to the Marines that served." Cifelli is among thousands of Camp Lejeune veterans who have filed disability claims alleging they got sick because of exposure to the toxic chemicals, including trichloroethylene (TCE), tetrachloroethylene (PCE), vinyl chloride, and other contaminants. The VA acknowledges that in 7,300 of the claims, there is "limited or suggestive evidence of an association with the contaminants in the water." But NY1 has learned that VA medical experts denied nearly 6,500 of those claims, an 89% rejection rate. "I've been outraged," said New York City attorney Craig Unterberg, who was diagnosed with kidney cancer last year. He lived at Camp Lejeune in the early 1970s when he was a toddler, drinking and playing in the water. Now hes working with veterans and other civilians from the base, fighting for the VA to better help those who have fallen ill. "We need the VA to act quicker, we need them to lower the burden that is on people to try to get their claims approved." As many as 900,000 service members, plus an unknown number of civilians, were potentially exposed to the contaminants from 1953 to 1987. The chemicals leaked into the groundwater from industrial sites inside Camp Lejeune and a dry cleaner just off the base. President Obama signed a law four years ago making VA medical care less expensive for veterans and civilians who drank Camp Lejeune's water and suffer from any of 15 medical conditions, most of them cancer. "This bill ends a decade-long struggle for those who served at Camp Lejeune," Obama said. More than 21,000 vets have been helped as a result, but many like Cifelli want disability benefits, too. "Everybody's let us down, from the President on down," he says. Some say they are overwhelmed fighting their cancer while working. Disability payments, they say, would let them focus on the fight to survive, or at least let them better enjoy their final days. Cifelli says he doesnt have the "energy to continue at the pace I'm going." The VA has heard the complaints and says it will grant the disability benefits for eight medical conditions. But that new policy is not expected to take effect for at least a year. Some of the sick veterans fear they wont live that long. For those with illnesses that still won't be covered, like bladder or breast cancer, the same application process for disability benefits will still apply, with its high rejection rate. At 9 a.m. on Monday, if you had peeked through the storefront window of Dashwood Books on Bond Street in Manhattan, you would have seen a body on the floor, sleeping or possibly dead. Slowly, out of tattered Japanese robes emerged whitened feet, gnarled and aged and terribly exposed. It was a startling sight, and no less unsettling if you knew those feet belonged to the dancer Eiko, whom you had come to watch. Such was the case for the dozen or so spectators who were attending the first of a series of daily solos that Eiko is performing for three weeks at various times of day in seven East Village locations. These are the core of Platform 2016: A Body in Places, a multidisciplinary program focused on this extraordinary artist. To many people, the sight of Eiko alone is shocking enough. For more than 40 years, she has been half of the husband-and-wife duo Eiko and Koma. Since Koma injured his ankle two years ago, Eiko, now 64, has been experimenting with solos. Where their duets were at once difficult to witness and hard to turn away from, the experience of an Eiko solo is, if possible, even more intense. Without Koma, theres no buffer between you and her uncanny presence. When she turned 16, Sarah Bakewell used some of her birthday money to buy a copy of Jean-Paul Sartres Nausea (1938). She fell in love with the book (cover blurb: a novel of the alienation of personality and the mystery of being) and soon realized she had stumbled across a philosophy called existentialism. It redefined concepts like being, existence and freedom. While still at entry level to this thinking, she went to a park in Reading, England, and stared protractedly at a tree, hoping to understand it more deeply. The year was 1979. Although Sartres huge public funeral would not occur until the next year, his philosophy was already outre. But Ms. Bakewell delved into his and other existentialists work as an increasingly serious scholar, branching out to the point of trying to complete a Ph.D. on Martin Heidegger, whose writings on phenomenology led to the birth of existentialism, but hardly left him well disposed to it. When Sartre wrote Being and Nothingness, with a title echoing Heideggers monumental Being and Time, Heidegger wrote to its author, Your work is dominated by an immediate understanding of my philosophy the likes of which I have not previously encountered. What he said privately, according to the American scholar Hubert Dreyfus, was, How can I even begin to read this Dreck! Anyway, Ms. Bakewells timing was terrible. Structuralists, poststructuralists, deconstructionists and postmodernists dominated academia by the 1980s. In that light, the dizziness and anguish of existentialism were out of fashion. Ms. Bakewell put aside the ideas she had once loved and let decades go by. And now that theyve achieved the Nothingness of Existentialism for Dummies (from the Amazon blurb: Have you ever wondered what the phrase God is Dead means?), she has brought them back. Questions are welcome, he said in his opening statement. Each of them has an adequate, logical and reasonable response. There is no need to speculate, conjecture, imagine or extrapolate. There is no need to draw conclusions in a vacuum. Detailed explanations exist; the only thing missing has been a willingness to listen to them. As for nagging accusations that he had allowed the utilitys power plants to burn fuel with unlawful levels of sulfur, he said that testing for sulfur was always done in compliance with the authoritys applicable protocols. No one has shown they have a monopoly on the truth, he added, nodding to differences of opinion that had cropped up in certain situations. By following rules set by the power authority, he said on Tuesday, he was able both to buy fuel that was within acceptable margins of error, and to approach the most effective, efficient and economical operating practices. Almost immediately after he made that statement, the going began to get rough. You are the second witness to talk about acceptable margins of error, said the main investigator, a retired prosecutor named Cesar Lopez Cintron. The first had been Mr. Clarks former deputy in the Fuel Procurement Office, Edwin Rodriguez, who has held the job since Mr. Clark retired. He testified last week. Both those statements on acceptable margins of error are absolutely false, said Mr. Lopez Cintron. Mr. Rodriguez cut his own testimony short last week and walked out in the middle of his appearance, after Mr. Lopez Cintron ordered his lawyer to leave for violating procedural rules. Mr. Rodriguez has since offered to return, but the special committee has not yet decided whether to receive him. First computer monitors became commoditized. Then it was TVs, and finally smartphone screens, he said. Sharp may be in bigger trouble that it initially acknowledged. Last Thursday, the same day Sharps board voted in favor of selling the company, its suitor, Foxconn, abruptly suspended its offer. Foxconn cited the new material information revealed at the 11th hour by Sharp. According to the person with knowledge of the situation, the information was a list of about 100 contingent liabilities potential costs that could emerge depending on business conditions or other matters totaling close to 350 billion yen, or $3.1 billion. Sharp declined to comment on the negotiations. Sharp chose Foxconn over an investment fund backed by the Japanese government. The fund, Innovation Network Corporation of Japan, already owns troubled LCD assets once run by Toshiba and others, and government officials see it as a potential savior for Japans flat-screen industry. Still, the fund may need to take a second look at Sharps books to see what might be lurking inside. Sharp was blinded by its early success in flat-screen TVs, employees and experts say. Soon after the Kameyama factory started churning out TVs, Sharp started work on an even bigger Japanese plant, near its Osaka headquarters in the industrial suburb of Sakai. Four times as large as Kameyama, it cost more than $4 billion to build. By 2012, three years after production began, the factory was operating well below capacity, and Sharp decided to sell part of it to Foxconns billionaire founder and chairman, Terry Gou. Write-offs related to its initial investment are part of the reason Sharp has lost more than $10 billion over the last half decade. Rise and shine: The third day of Paris Fashion Week begins at the Grand Palais for the Chloe show at 10 a.m., followed by a quick Metro or Mercedes ride (depending where you fall in the pecking order) to Carven in the Jardin des Tuileries an hour later. Grab a coffee while you can inside, of course, given the forecast is for yet more driving rain. Then, time for a spot of gothic refinement by Sebastien Meunier, the creative director at Ann Demeulemeester, at 1 p.m. before heading to the Musee dArt Moderne for the latest by Julien Dossena for Paco Rabanne. The minimalist aesthetic of Mr. Dossena will be at odds with what awaits at 3: the Balmain collection by the Paris king of bling, Olivier Rousteing, at the Hotel Potocki, sported by his Insta-troupe of models. Kendall Jenner, Gigi Hadid and Joan Smalls all walked last season. Its into the belly of the Palais de Tokyo for Rick Owens at 6 p.m. Two hours later, anyone who has a ticket will be off to Lanvin and the first collection from the house since the creative director Alber Elbaz was ousted last October. The final show of the night is Vetements, the gritty avant-garde street label headed by the newly crowned Balenciaga creative director, Demna Gvasalia. Those who can, will be off to celebrate late into the night. The Balmain after-party at Laperouse promises to be a particularly good time. Stripped of all context, it sounded like an ordinary request for directions. I asked, How do I get there? the man testified on Wednesday in Federal District Court in Brooklyn. But the man doing the asking was an undercover agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the man doing the answering was the target of a terrorism investigation. And the destination, never mentioned aloud, only insinuated, was Syria, particularly the section controlled by the Islamic State. That question How do I get there? and the answer provided by Tairod Pugh, a 48-year-old airline mechanic who was growing frustrated with his life and enamored with the Islamic State, delivered the most dramatic, but also most enigmatic, moment yet in his trial, which began this week. Although scores of Americans have been charged with supporting, or trying to support, the Islamic State, Mr. Pugh is one of the first to go to trial. The number of personal injury claims filed against New York City for episodes at the Rikers Island jail complex and other city correctional facilities surged last year in what the city comptroller, Scott M. Stringer, called a troubling indication of a continuing plague of violence and mismanagement. The claims, most of which come from Rikers, resulted from violent encounters between inmates or between inmates and guards, as well as more routine injuries and accidents, Mr. Stringer said in a news conference on Wednesday. The claims dont lie, Mr. Stringer said. We have obviously a crisis of violence and an untenable situation. Mr. Stringer said that in the 2015 fiscal year, which ended June 30, his office received 2,846 personal injury claims from the jail system, an increase of 27 percent from the previous fiscal year, when there were 2,245 claims filed. In 2010, there were 1,204 claims. It was a moment several awkward months in the making: Mayor Bill de Blasio, who was notably slow to endorse Hillary Clinton, the Democratic presidential front-runner, would finally appear on stage with her on Wednesday, to introduce her at a rally at the Javits Convention Center. Only it did not quite work out that way. Mr. de Blasio did appear at the rally, as one in a set of nesting dolls that included other New York public officials as well as the actor John Leguizamo who drummed up enthusiasm at the rally before Mrs. Clinton spoke. He followed the New York City public advocate, Letitia James (Sounds like a mayor, one attendee said of her speech); the city comptroller, Scott M. Stringer (who took the stage to Taylor Swifts Shake It Off); and the City Council speaker, Melissa Mark-Viverito. Mr. de Blasio bolted onto the stage, microphone in hand, to cheers and a smattering of boos, including from a man bearing a black-and-yellow sign with the word Solidarity. But he was almost immediately upstaged both in the order of speakers and in the crowds response by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, who was given the prime slot as the last official to speak before Mrs. Clinton. I tell you, Im so excited, Mr. Cuomo said, appearing at ease in the campaign setting and garnering the bigger cheers of two New York Democrats who have become rivals. (Mr. de Blasio listened intently and clapped at Mr. Cuomos applause lines.) Mayor Bill de Blasio is ending a two-year boycott of the nations largest St. Patricks Day parade after organizers agreed to fully drop a longstanding ban on gay and lesbian groups marching under their own banners. Mr. de Blasio, a first-term Democrat, said on Wednesday that for the first time he would take part in the parade, which proceeds along Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, on St. Patricks Day, March 17. He skipped the parade in 2014, when no gay groups were allowed to march openly, and he skipped it again last year, when only one small lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender group was permitted. Image The St. Patricks Day parade in New York in 2015. Credit... Chang W. Lee/The New York Times The St. Patricks Day Parade is a New York City tradition, but for years, Irish L.G.B.T. New Yorkers could not show their pride, Mr. de Blasio told The Associated Press. Finally, they can celebrate their heritage by marching in a parade that now represents progress and equality. A 28-year-old Queens man was sentenced on Wednesday to 55 years to life in prison for shooting a New York City police sergeant twice in the legs as he was being pursued by the police, prosecutors said. The man, John F. Thomas, was convicted in June in State Supreme Court in Queens of multiple charges, including first-degree attempted murder of a police officer and aggravated assault of an officer, prosecutors said. On the night of Aug. 8, 2012, the authorities said, the sergeant, Craig Bier, was on patrol near 107th Avenue and Union Hall Street in Jamaica with his partner, and Mr. Thomas ran away from them when they identified themselves. Image John F. Thomas Credit... New York City Police Department Sergeant Bier followed after him. Mr. Thomas was blocked by a fence, prosecutors said, and he pulled out a gun and opened fire, hitting Sergeant Bier, who was 44 at the time, once in both legs. Mr. Thomas surrendered to the police a month after the shooting. When New York Citys Transit Police Department merged with the New York Police Department in 1995, the citys leaders signed an agreement. It said the officers disconnected not only administratively but also by being above and below ground would finally get a radio system that would allow them to talk to one another. That never happened. On Wednesday, more than 20 years later, a new plan to have all city officers use the same frequency bandwidth was announced by the police and leaders of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. At the heart of the plan is a simple fix: All officers radios will be reprogrammed to allow them to communicate over ultrahigh frequencies on the street and in the subway. But its use was delayed for years, mainly for reasons that had nothing to do with technology, the police commissioner, William J. Bratton, said at a news conference. This is something that was stalled in bureaucracy and infighting for decades, he said, acknowledging his deputy commissioner for information technology, Jessica Tisch, who, he said, helped to unravel it and move it forward. A New York City police horse tossed an officer to the pavement and took off down a busy Midtown street on Wednesday after being spooked by a loud noise, the authorities said. The police said a sergeant was riding the horse, named Gunny, on 48th Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues around 7:25 p.m. when the animal was frightened by a sudden sound from a truck that was being unloaded nearby. The officer, still connected to the horse through his stirrup, was dragged on the ground before managing to get himself loose, the police said. He was taken to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening, they added. The horse ran free as some onlookers took to social media to share their reactions. Theres an escaped police horse running against traffic in Times Square, a comedy writer, Mike Scollins, wrote on Twitter, calling it insane. While he is often accused of taking a pessimistic tone, when it comes to how he talks about his own success, he strikes one of self-aggrandizing optimism. He promises to make America great again, and that combined with the symbolism of his own financial standing make for a promise of individual economic prosperity for all his supporters. Its a resonant message. In general, Americans, even those with few means, end up aligning themselves with the wealthy in the hope that they, too, will eventually get rich. We consistently overestimate anyones chance of moving into a higher economic stratum and we fervently believe our own hard work will make us rich someday. This is part of why a majority of Americans feel the country benefits from having a wealthy class. Mr. Trumps promises about the American dream also go along with the well-documented intolerance of his supporters. The dream they want to revive was not equally available to all races. In part because of racist government policies and exclusions from programs, whites were able to step up the income ladder while blacks were kept on the bottom rungs. Mr. Rubio is a different sort of candidate from Mr. Trump, and his approach to the American dream through his own experiences and some of his proposals veer in another direction. As a child, he watched his parents struggle. He has frequently talked about what they sacrificed and how hard they worked when he was growing up. While he hails his own economic mobility, rising from being the child of a bartender and a maid to a United States senator, his is not exactly a rags to riches story. He has a long history of financial difficulties: carrying large amounts of credit card, student loan and mortgage debt; facing foreclosure on a second home; liquidating a $68,000 retirement fund; and getting in trouble for intermingling transactions on a state Republican Party credit card with his personal spending, including repairs on his minivan. Donald Trumps flirtation with the Ku Klux Klan should come as no surprise. He has functioned for years as a rallying point for birthers, conspiracy theorists, extremists and racists who are apoplectic about the fact that the country elected a black man president. These groups have driven the Republican Party steadily rightward, helping to create a national discourse that now permits a presidential candidate to court racist support without paying a political price. Every era of racial progress engenders a racist backlash. The one that is still unfolding in the wake of Barack Obamas presidency bears a striking resemblance in tone to the reaction that swept the South after Reconstruction, the period after the Civil War when former slaves were granted constitutional rights and black Americans served in interracial governments that came to power in the former Confederacy. The sight of former slaves eagerly lining up to vote and electing their fellow citizens to public offices was anathema to Southerners who had justified slavery, and believed that Negroes were not fit to govern because they were not actually persons. And early historians of this period embraced the Southern view that Reconstruction governments were corrupt and incompetently run. But as the historian Eric Foner has written, Reconstruction was doomed by two developments: Washingtons decision to no longer enforce the rights of African-Americans in the South, and the rise of the Ku Klux Klan and related white supremacist groups that brought to bear a campaign of murder, assault and arson that can only be described as homegrown American terrorism. States like Texas pass laws strictly regulating abortion clinics for one reason: to make it hard, if not impossible, for women to obtain a safe and legal abortion. But the Supreme Court justices often act as though political reality does not penetrate the courts thick walls. So it was a relief when, during oral arguments on Wednesday, the four liberal justices took turns tearing apart the claim by Texas lawmakers that their 2013 law which has already shut down about half the roughly 40 clinics in the state is about nothing more than protecting womens health. The case before the court, Whole Womans Health v. Hellerstedt, is a challenge to that law, which requires abortion clinics to meet the strict standards of ambulatory surgical centers and to require their doctors to have admitting privileges at local hospitals. Versions of this law are on the books in 23 other states, part of a carefully designed, decades-long effort to undermine womens constitutional right to abortions. Despite some 500 new appeals that had piled up during a four-week midwinter break Justice Scalia died in that time the court added no new cases to its docket this week. The argument calendar for the current term closed in late January, meaning that any cases accepted from now on wont be heard until after the new term begins in October. But who will be filling the ninth seat then? Will anyone? While it takes the votes of only four justices, a minority, to grant a case, a majority of five is needed to prevail on the merits. The distance from four to five can be unbridgeable and abruptly so, as Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr., architect of the constitutional attack on public employee unions, has no doubt discovered. He had the upper hand back in January, when the court heard argument in Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association. The union was on a clear path to losing by a vote of 5 to 4, freeing workers who chose not to join public unions from paying for the unions collective bargaining work. Now its probably just a matter of days before the court announces a 4 to 4 tie vote. That would be an unanticipated reprieve for labor unions (which won in the lower courts, and a tie vote affirms the lower court judgment) and a blow not only to the anti-union forces but also to the justice who by his repeated invitations to bring just such a case had nurtured their carefully planned litigation campaign. Thats not to suggest that Justice Alito is about to fold his tent. On Monday, he issued an opinion dissenting from the courts refusal to hear a prisoners complaint against the North Carolina prison system for failing to accommodate his wish to get together with fellow Jewish inmates for an hour every week to pray and study religious texts. At 11 pages, Justice Alitos dissent was unusually long for an opinion of this kind. Its the first time in his 10 years on the court that I can recall him ever expressing empathy with a prison inmate. The case, Ben-Levi v. Brown, had some unusual features. Israel Ben-Levi, born Danny Loren, is a 68-year-old man serving a life sentence for rape. After his two-page handwritten petition arrived at the court last June, North Carolina waived its right to respond. The court ordered a response and, after the response arrived, took the case to conference five times before denying it on Monday. Justice Scalia participated in the first four of those conferences. Its a good bet that he was planning to sign, or perhaps had already signed, Justice Alitos dissent from the denial; the two justices had previously collaborated on such opinions, aimed at calling public attention to what they saw as the courts failure to attend adequately to religious claims. Mr. Ben-Levi complained that prison officials violated his First Amendment right to free exercise of religion by imposing a rule for Jewish inmates that it didnt apply to others. Based on advice from a rabbi that Jewish worship requires a minyan or quorum of 10 adult Jews, the states policy provided that if Jewish inmates wanted to meet in a group for religious purposes, they had to meet in a group of 10 unless a rabbi agreed to supervise a smaller group. There were evidently only three Jewish inmates in the Hoke Correctional Institute, and no rabbi around. The day after Justice Antonin Scalias death, Senator Ted Cruz released a campaign ad warning, Were just one Supreme Court justice away from losing on abortion, among other issues. The ad showed Donald Trump, in a 1999 interview, saying he is very pro-choice. Mr. Trump, who says he is now staunchly pro-life, hasnt talked much about abortion at his rallies, preferring to focus on building a wall and banning Muslims from the country. But the vacancy on the court is a reminder that the next president will have great influence over the future of reproductive rights. The Supreme Court, where a conservative majority would threaten Roe v. Wade, is only the beginning. The next president will also have the opportunity to shape the federal judiciary at lower levels. While the Supreme Courts decision on Texas abortion restrictions this term may clarify what kinds of regulations states may impose, lower federal courts will still have a big role in determining how regulations are carried out. The next president will also play a crucial role enforcing federal laws that affect reproductive rights. When several states last year barred Planned Parenthood from receiving Medicaid reimbursements, the Obama administration notified them that they were in violation of federal law, which says Medicaid patients can receive care from any qualified provider. An anti-abortion president might choose to enforce this law less aggressively. What could be more alien than a virus? Its a nanobiological weapon a microscopic protein shell holding a few genes that hijack a cells internal machinery, forcing it to make new viruses. The battles we fight with these alien enemies brings malaise, scars and even death. Yet as foreign as viruses may seem, the boundary between us and them is turning out to be remarkably blurry. We use DNA from viruses to do things that are essential to our own survival, scientists are finding. Somehow, we have managed to domesticate some of these invaders. A number of viruses replicate by inserting their DNA into our own genes. On rare occasions, their genes get passed down to future generations. At first, the newly acquired genes behave a lot like regular virus genes. They can still coax host cells to make full-fledged viruses that can escape and infect other victims. The research-based artist Kapwani Kiwanga, best known for the ongoing series she started in 2011 of cut-flower arrangements symbolic of African independence, is having a big Armory week. Shes represented in the fair twice, both as the recipient of its Artist Commission, headlining the fairs Focus: African Perspectives spotlight section, and in a joint booth operated by her representation Galerie Jerome Poggi, Paris, and Galerie Tanja Wagner, Berlin. So shes created two separate Armory projects one plant-derived and the other stemming from an eerie photograph. Kiwanga was born in Canada and currently resides in Paris, but she still has strong familial ties to Tanzania, a nation known for its cultivation of the Agave species sisal, which produces a robust fiber often found in rugs and rope. Unconsciously, I have some organic things I need to get out of my system, she admits but clarifies, Its not so much about identity as it is experience. In the galleries booth, shes hung large sheaths of sisal on the walls, and in one work, slung between two tall posts perhaps a gesture to thresholds or border markers. The sisal bundles exist in a liminal space, as Kiwanga explains; somewhere between being processed disassembled somehow and yet not been reassembled. Today, though, Dys is perhaps best known for creating the outre total beauty looks of the Comme des Garcons runway shows in Paris. While beauty covers the spectrum of hair and makeup, he is quick to clarify that he is not a makeup artist. The face, for him, is more like a canvas: Rei Kawakubo never liked makeup so much anyway, and she liked the way I paint, so she decided to ask me to do all the total looks. Dys has been working on hair for Kawakubo for more than 30 years; theirs is a singular collaboration in the sense that it requires very little communication. Sometimes I have no idea what she was doing with the clothes. She will just give me an abstract idea it can even just be a color, he says, and often I dont even see the clothes until the day before. When we meet, 10 days out from Paris Fashion Week, theres been no brief from Kawakubo yet. This is normal, says Dys, adding that Comme des Garcons is the only fashion show he does now. Throughout the 90s, he worked with Chanel, Yohji Yamamoto and John Galliano as well. (It was Galliano, a longtime collaborator he worked on the designers groundbreaking fall/winter 1994-1995 collection at the 18th Century hotel particulier of the Portuguese socialite Sao Schlumberger who first encouraged Dys to indulge in his passion for photography.) Since he began working in the early 1980s, Dys has rigorously documented his own creative process inside large Canson scrapbooks that he fills with Polaroids, sketches and poetry. He has hundreds of volumes stacked in this studio, including one for every Comme des Garcons show he has worked on. I am having a nervous breakdown, he says with amusement pointing to the piles of books that lay open on the floor and table. I have all these books and so much on my brain. Born Pierrick Le Verge in the coastal town of Douarnenez in Brittany, Dys took his artist name from the mythological city of Ys a fable likened to that of Atlantis. The story made a mark on him as a child an outlook and imagination he maintains to this day. Its the wellspring for many of his ideas, including his particular fascination with strong women throughout history: Marie Antoinette is a recurring muse as attested by the towering pouf wig in one room as is Queen Elizabeth I. A portrait Dys painted of the actress Cate Blanchett, in character as Queen Elizabeth I, is propped against a wall in the largest salon. This piece feels like its giving a nod to 1970s feminist artists who had wonderful ideas, but also really essentialist ideas that people have rightly criticized them for. Im obsessed with the women who get called essentialists and get thrown in the garbage, and then none of their ideas get talked about. Its like, Well, that person did central core imagery work and believed in this binary system of male and female and therefore all their ideas and art are stupid. But then you look at something like Judy Chicagos Dinner Party. Its one of the most important pieces of feminist art. It changed the art landscape forever, but it was in her garage being ruined, in the essentialist trash can, until it wound up at the Brooklyn Museum. Were not going to keep moving forward if we dont look at peoples ideas from the generation before and say, This part is totally interesting, and this part totally pisses me off. We should be critiquing, but we dont need to throw the baby out with the bathwater. I saw this sculpture as something that would be in that essentialist trashcan and I was like, I have to save it! I had to save it because I also saw it as a feminist historical object. And since someone was getting rid of it for cheap, it fits with my obsession with the erasure of feminist artists. When I was a young feminist I would have looked at the sculpture and been like, Thats so messed up, oh my God, its like a womans torso chopped off. Its the vivisection of women. I would have been totally self-righteous about it. But I fell in love with it on so many levels. I was like, It makes me laugh. It makes me cry. The piece is funny to me, but I dont think its un-feminist that I think its funny. I imagine these two girlfriends found it in the woods and thought it was funny, brought it home, got stoned and got out the drill, put it on this triangle base and were like, This is art. And who decides if its art? Its like God. You have to have faith. Its like saying, I believe this is art, and therefore its art. You can think its just some stupid thing off of eBay, but I believe its a really great piece of art because its funny and it makes me think. My favorite part about obtaining this piece was bidding on it. For a while, I was bidding against someone and I wanted to know who the other person was. My fantasy was that we would get into a crazy bidding war and we would end up being best friends. I wanted to meet whomever was bidding against me. Id tell them I really wanted it and they would be like, Okay, you can have it! or Ill share it with you. Ill meet you at the coffee shop every so often. But then the person just stopped bidding! Im moving right now and this was the first thing I unpacked from the first box that I opened. Its moved with me to four different apartments, and who knows where it was before me! I have lots of pictures and paintings and sculptures in my house and Im always thinking that Im going to move stuff around, hang the wall like a gallery, but I never do. But this piece I move it to wherever Im spending the most time I want it in my eye line. The F.B.I. argues that it is not asking for any sort of permanent back door and is merely asking for help in circumventing a single phones password protection. People in the tech industry worry, however, that the request for help in the San Bernardino case is merely a prelude and point to a number of other pending cases in which law enforcement authorities would like Apples assistance. The software Apple is being asked to create could be considered a back door because it could provide special access to information that would otherwise be inaccessible thanks to passwords or encryption. Secretary Carters comments, though short on specifics, highlight the challenges various government agencies will face as they seek cooperation from Silicon Valley as the court fight between Apple and F.B.I. continues. Also on Wednesday, Secretary Carter said Alphabets executive chairman, Eric Schmidt, would head a new Defense Innovation Board to help connect tech companies and entrepreneurs with various Pentagon initiatives. And he announced a Hack the Pentagon initiative, which would reward hackers who find and turn over vulnerabilities in the Pentagons computer systems. I dont think we ought to let one case drive a single solution, Secretary Carter said, referring to the F.B.I.-Apple dispute. We have to innovate our way to a sensible result. And we need to do that because you can easily think of alternatives. One is a law written by people who dont have the technical expertise, one written in anger or grief, and thats not likely to work. It is a remarkable moment for the technology industry, with many different companies and organizations rallying around a single company Apple in a major legal case against the United States government over privacy and security. Yet behind the scenes, it took time for some of the tech companies to make the decision to support Apple. Several feared the showdown with the government was too risky and could have far-reaching implications for the tech industry if Apple lost. Those misgivings ultimately did not win the day. About 40 companies and organizations are expected to file court briefs on Thursday backing Apple as it fights a judges order to help law enforcement break into an iPhone used by a gunman in the San Bernardino, Calif., terrorist attack last year. Dropbox, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Snapchat and Yahoo are among the tech companies expected to sign on to briefs in the case, according to people with knowledge of the plans who spoke on the condition of anonymity. More than 40 individuals, including prominent security experts and academics, are also planning to sign briefs, which will focus on themes like free speech, the importance of encryption and concerns about government overreach. The Republican debates have included very little discussion of health care policy. But the issue has roared back into the conversation, and is likely to come back again at the Detroit debate on Thursday. The Republican field is united in wishing to repeal the Affordable Care Act, the 2010 law known as Obamacare. But the remaining candidates have not developed detailed proposals about what would come next, though they have less comprehensive ideas that they speak about on the stump. Heres our look at a few favorite talking points and how well they match up with the evidence. All quotations come from last weeks debate in Houston. Donald Trump: I will not let people die in the streets. More Americans die of preventable illnesses than residents of many other Western countries. But very few of them die in the street. Or on the sidewalk. Hospitals used to be able to turn away patients when they faced life-threatening emergencies, but Congress did away with that right in 1986, when it passed the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act, known as Emtala. It said that any hospital that accepted Medicare dollars (thats nearly all of them) also had to treat patients with an emergency medical condition without regard for those patients ability to pay. As a result, patients who are really sick can get emergency treatment right away and that was true for decades before Obamacare. Delmer Berg, the last known living veteran of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, which vainly fought against Fascisms advance into Spain in the late 1930s, died on Sunday at his home in Columbia, Calif. He was 100. His death was confirmed by Marina Garde, the executive director of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives in New York, who said Mr. Berg was believed to have been the only survivor left of the nearly 3,000 quixotic young Americans who volunteered for the Spanish Civil War in a bloody prelude to World War II. About 800 of those who volunteered were believed to have been killed. Mr. Berg, an unreconstructed Communist, was a 21-year-old union-card-carrying hotel dishwasher in 1937 when he spotted a billboard for the brigade and, through the Young Communist League, enlisted. After cobbling together bus fare to New York, he boarded the French luxury liner Champlain for France. I was a worker, Mr. Berg told The Modesto Bee, a California newspaper, in November. I was a farmer. I was in support of the Spanish working people, and I wanted to go to Spain to help them. Over four years, the stores food-stamp sales rivaled those at Costco and Walmart, the indictment alleges. The money, it says, paid for a $30,236 Ford F-350 truck, a $13,561 John Deere tractor and $16,978 in paper products, among other items. Meanwhile, local residents said, mothers in ankle-length dresses and braids fought in line over the scarce supplies of cold cereal and meat doled out at the distribution center. For 60 years, the state of Utah and the state of Arizona looked the other way when it came to this groups practice of polygamy, said Robert Hoole, a Salt Lake City lawyer who has represented many former members of the fundamentalist church. In the vacuum that was created by their looking the other way, a host of secondary crimes grew up, and this group became a criminal enterprise. Image Lyle Jeffs was among those taken into custody. Credit... Davis County Jail, via Associated Press In interviews, lawyers, defectors and scholars who have researched the fundamentalist church said the crackdown was happening now because the allegations of criminal behavior became too widespread to ignore and because enough people who left the church agreed to testify for the government. One of them was Dowayne Barlow, 47, a former aide to Lyle Jeffs who left the fundamentalist church in 2012. He was in federal court in Phoenix on Wednesday, awaiting the jurys decision. In an interview, he said, The government, they came as true freedom fighters. Theyre going to liberate us. But some warned that it would be naive to say that the end of the sect is near. For members of the church who deeply believe in the tenets of the faith, who are deeply committed to it, things like this can actually have a counter impact, said Amos Guiora, a law professor at the University of Utah who has interviewed dozens of former church members and written extensively about them. The leadership can say, See, government really hates us. Carmen M. Ortiz, the United States attorney for Massachusetts, announced an investigation on Wednesday into alleged civil rights violations at the prestigious Boston Latin School. Earlier this year, two black students used social media to draw attention to what they described as simmering racial hostilities there, and an investigation by the district found administrators had violated internal policy in one of seven episodes related to race. Last week, a group of civil rights organizations urged Ms. Ortiz to investigate claims of racism and harassment at the school. Ms. Ortiz said that Mayor Martin J. Walsh and Tommy Chang, the superintendent of the citys schools, were cooperating with the effort. Spurred by Donald J. Trumps mounting victories, a small but influential and growing group of conservative leaders are calling for a third-party option to spare voters a wrenching general election choice between a Republican they consider completely unacceptable and Hillary Clinton. While he has gained intense popularity on the right, Mr. Trump has alienated key blocs in the Republican coalition with his slash-and-burn campaign. For many, his initial refusal last weekend to disavow an endorsement from David Duke, the white supremacist, was a breaking point. Two top Republicans, Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska and Gov. Charlie Baker of Massachusetts, said this week that they would not vote for Mr. Trump in November. Mr. Trump has alienated voters from several wings of the party: mainstream Christian activists, who view his angry outlook as antithetical to their faith; centrists, who see him as the most divisive politician in a generation; and national security experts, who have recoiled from his praise for autocrats like President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia and believe he should not control nuclear weapons. WASHINGTON As Hillary Clinton moves toward the Democratic presidential nomination, she faces legal hurdles from her use of a private computer server as secretary of state that could jar her campaigns momentum in the months ahead. Foremost among a half-dozen inquiries and legal proceedings into whether classified information was sent through Mrs. Clintons server is an investigation by the F.B.I., whose agents, according to one law enforcement official, could seek to question Mrs. Clintons closest aides and possibly the candidate herself within weeks. It is commonplace for the F.B.I. to try to interview key figures before closing an investigation, and doing so is not an indication the bureau thinks a person broke the law. Although defense lawyers often discourage their clients from giving such interviews, Democrats fear the refusal of Mrs. Clinton or her top aides to cooperate would be ready ammunition for Donald J. Trump, the Republican front-runner. A federal law enforcement official said that barring any unforeseen changes, the F.B.I. investigation could conclude by early May. Then the Justice Department will decide whether to file criminal charges and, if so, against whom. What, you might ask, could be worse than a thoroughly failed presidential candidate returning home as a lame-duck governor to a $10 billion budget deficit and a recalcitrant legislature? Chris Christie is finding out. In a remarkably swift descent, Mr. Christies endorsement of Donald J. Trump for president, his repeated side-by-side appearances with the real estate mogul and his adoring, 31-minute televised gaze at him on Tuesday night have turned the Republican governor into the subject of unusually biting and intense ridicule. Six New Jersey newspapers issued a joint editorial calling for Mr. Christies resignation on Tuesday, an extraordinary show of disgust on the same day that the publisher of a major newspaper in New Hampshire took the unusual (and seemingly unnecessary) step of rescinding its previous pledge of support for him as a presidential candidate. Boy, were we wrong, read the scalding essay in The New Hampshire Union Leader, which lamented that rather than stand up to the bully, Christie bent his knee to Mr. Trump. This week the three of them talked about their preparations and how they see their roles. Tough questions Fox News shattered cable news records with 24 million viewers for its first debate, in August. Mr. Trump was angered that night by Ms. Kellys questioning of his treatment of women, including insulting remarks he has made in the past. After the debate, he seemed to suggest that she had been menstruating. He skipped the second Fox News debate after the network refused to remove Ms. Kelly from the panel. Ms. Kelly described her question as a level 10. One of the reasons the first debate was so dynamic was because we opened up with a 10 for each candidate, said Ms. Kelly, explaining that the moderating team was trying to probe the Achilles heel of each candidate and get them to respond. That wasnt as much about having the candidates spar, it was more about this is who you are, this is what you stand for. He for some reason didnt think that question was fair, and then, I think, spent many weeks proving to the world it was fair, Ms. Kelly said. On Thursday night, since Mr. Trump and his opponents are well known by now, Ms. Kelly added, I doubt the very first question of the debate will be from me to Trump. Thats not to say there wouldnt be a 10 for him Thursday night. We probably want to ease into it a little more. The Twitter account of the brash, outsider Republican is rife with conspiratorial accusations, declarations of dubious veracity and a stream of oftentimes crass language. Other party leaders say they wouldnt be able to work with him. He has a truly incredible history of making irresponsible and outrageous statements, said Matt Mackowiak, the vice chairman of the Travis County Republicans in Texas. That past will come to light, and it will be used against Republican candidates. It might sound like party angst over Donald J. Trump, the Republican front-runner in the presidential race, but its not. Meet Robert Morrow, the newly elected chairman of Travis County Republicans who is sparking a revolt among fellow party members because of public behavior that might make Mr. Trump blush. On Super Tuesday, the day Mr. Morrow unseated the countys incumbent in a decisive victory, he tweeted up an inflammatory storm aimed at both Republicans and Democrats. He referred to Bill Clintons penis, said the Bush family are criminals and should be in lockdown in a federal prison, accused former Gov. Rick Perry of Texas of being a rampaging bisexual adulterer and said Hillary Clinton murdered 76 people at Waco. There were many more, filled with highly crude language. ATLANTA A white police officer in Montgomery, Ala., has been charged with murder in the shooting death last week of Gregory Gunn, a 58-year-old black man, officials said Wednesday. Investigators would not discuss what led them to file the murder charge against the officer, Aaron Smith. But city officials on Wednesday afternoon appeared to back away from their initial assertions that Mr. Gunn, whose father was among the citys first black police officers, had been carrying a stick or another object that could have been perceived as a weapon. In the history of Montgomery, this is not one of our great days, said Mayor Todd Strange. He said that the city would seek to fire Officer Smith, 23, who has been on the force in Montgomery, the Alabama capital, since 2012. The state has been investigating the Feb. 25 shooting, and Mr. Strange said: We trusted the process last Thursday. We trust the process today. And we will trust the process in the future. Dick Bradsell, a career bartender who was considered the father of the cocktail revival that took root in London in the 1990s and continues to flourish today, died on Saturday at his home in London. He was 56. The cause was brain cancer, his daughter, Beatrice Bradsell, said. Mr. Bradsell took up the cause of mixology as a teenager in the 1970s. At the time, bartending was not considered a career for the ambitious, and British drinking habits did not extend far beyond a pint at the pub and an occasional gin and tonic. But by the turn of the century, his influence was felt not just in London but throughout Britain and as far away as Australia, thanks to bartenders who were either trained by him directly or inspired by his cocktail creations. A number of his concoctions became modern classics around the world, in particular the bramble a mix of gin, lemon juice, sugar and creme de mure, with a blackberry garnish and the vodka espresso, more commonly known as the espresso martini, made with vodka, coffee liqueur and fresh espresso. MADRID Spains Parliament on Wednesday handed a defeat to the leader of the Socialist party in the first round of his long-shot attempt to become the countrys next prime minister. Even though the party leader, Pedro Sanchez, will get another opportunity on Friday, when Parliament will hold a second round of voting, the result is likely to be the same. In turn, that would then raise significantly the likelihood of new elections in June to help break the deadlock among four main parties the outcome of the last election just a few months ago. Mr. Sanchez won 130 votes on Wednesday, short of the 176 votes that he needed to form a majority coalition. His votes came from lawmakers from his own Socialist party, as well as those of Ciudadanos, or Citizens, a center-right party that recently reached a coalition deal with Mr. Sanchez. But conservative lawmakers from the Popular Party of Mariano Rajoy, the incumbent prime minister, as well as those from the left-wing Podemos Party, led the voting against Mr. Sanchez. MOSCOW Prosecutors in southern Russia rested their case on Wednesday in the trial of a Ukrainian military pilot, asking for a lengthy sentence in the drawn out and highly publicized proceedings. The request to the judge for a 23-year prison term for the pilot, Nadiya V. Savchenko, suggested that the trial, the most talked about in Russia since the prosecution of members of the punk protest group Pussy Riot in 2012, could be drawing to a close. Ms. Savchenko, 34, is charged with murder in connection with the deaths of two Russian journalists who were reporting from eastern Ukraine. Image Nadiya V. Savchenko during an appearance in court in the southern Russian town of Donetsk on Wednesday. In their closing arguments, Russian prosecutors on Wednesday asked the judge to give Ms. Savchenko 23 years in prison. Credit... Sergei Venyavsky/Agence France-Presse Getty Images Many of the details of the case are disputed, but it has potent political symbolism for both sides of the conflict. CAIRO Egypts Parliament on Wednesday expelled a well-known television personality turned lawmaker over a dinner he had with the Israeli ambassador a vote that exposed a raw nerve in the mostly tranquil relationship between the two countries. The lawmaker, Tawfik Okasha, had already been attacked with a shoe by a fellow lawmaker three days earlier over the same episode, which highlighted Egyptian sensitivity toward Israel, 37 years after the two countries signed a peace treaty. Although Egypt and Israel enjoy close security cooperation, particularly in the struggle against Islamist extremists in Sinai, many Egyptians view Israel with hostility over its policies toward the Palestinians, and public interactions with Israeli officials are considered taboo. Speaking by telephone, Mr. Okashas lawyer, Khaled Suleiman, said he had been expecting a backlash for meeting the ambassador, but nothing close to this. Who knows when a dance partnership will blossom? Alessandra Ferri and Herman Cornejo were members of American Ballet Theater at the same time, but didnt discover their chemistry until they were cast as the leads in Cheri, Martha Clarkes 2013 production about an older woman and her young lover. Ms. Ferri was 50 and Mr. Cornejo was 32. On Wednesday at the Joyce Theater they expanded their pas de deux with TRIO ConcertDance, which also was a showcase for the American pianist Bruce Levingston, whose vivid hands floating over keys is like a dance in itself. He performs selections by Philip Glass, Scarlatti, Satie and Chopin, which makes the mostly languid choreography easier to endure. While it isnt a tacky evening Ms. Ferri, who is Italian, and Mr. Cornejo, from Argentina, have too much innate elegance for that the programs unofficial theme, sensuality, grows more prosaic over time. Certainly, both exude heat, but its not close to what Ms. Ferri had with Julio Bocca, her longtime partner at Ballet Theater. A bigger test comes in June when she and Mr. Cornejo will dance Romeo and Juliet there. The two solos stood out most, showing the dancers as individuals unencumbered by the schmaltzy potential of looming romance. (I lost count of how many times Mr. Cornejo held Ms. Ferri from behind or nuzzled her.) But Senza Tempo, to Bach, by Fang-Yi Sheu, captured a sliver of her purity in a simple exploration of port de bras and walking. Momentum, choreographed by Mr. Cornejo to music by Mr. Glass, is an unpretentious exploration of his clean virtuosity. There are only six surviving sculptures by Jackson Pollock. Now the Dallas Museum of Art owns one of them. The museum has acquired one of two untitled works created by Pollock in the summer of 1956, while he was recovering from depression at the home of his friend Tony Smith. Only one other museum in the world has a Pollock sculpture (the other is the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston), and the work joins the museums Pollock paintings: Cathedral (1947) and Portrait and a Dream (1953). This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, Gavin Delahunty, the museums senior curator of contemporary art, said he told the collectors Gayle and Paul Stoffel in seeking their help in the purchase of the sculpture from the Tony Smith estate. They immediately were on board. BERLIN Germany will pay for at least another year of research and hire extra people to establish the provenance of works owned by Cornelius Gurlitt, a reclusive Munich collector who sat on a trove of 1,500 artworks acquired by his father, a dealer for the Nazis, Germanys culture minister said before her first official visit to the United States. The minister, Monika Grutters, said in an interview on Friday that the decision to spend more money and effort on the Gurlitt collection is what we owe the victims, and she reaffirmed Germanys pledge to return any looted art to its rightful owners or their descendants. Issues surrounding the collection have overshadowed Ms. Grutterss 26 months in office. In January, after a two-year, nearly $2 million investigation, a task force she appointed announced that it had found the rightful owners of just five of the works whose provenance was in doubt. Her nine-day trip began last weekend in California, where she attended an Oscars party. On Tuesday, she traveled to Silicon Valley, now an obligatory stop for German ministers grappling with the impact of huge American technology companies. Her particular focus there was on Google, which has come under intense scrutiny by European privacy regulators. Museums and galleries are in Manhattan unless otherwise noted. Full reviews of recent art shows: nytimes.com/art. A searchable guide to these and many other art shows is at nytimes.com/events. Museums Bronx Museum of the Arts: Martin Wong: Human Instamatic (through March 13) Fervor, desire and coded insider-outsider knowledge crackle through this career retrospective of one of our great 20th-century American visionaries. Expanding on an earlier survey at the New Museum, the Bronx exhibition takes the artist from precocious juvenilia to unearthly little pictures done the year before his death from AIDS in 1999. Along with his art we have the traces of his countercultural life as mythologist, homoeroticist, existential tourist and urban resurrectionist. And all revolves around his mystical visions of ghetto New York. Neighborhood buildings are fortresslike, crushing, sinister. Yet miracles abound: Windows glow gold; night skies bloom with stars. 1040 Grand Concourse, at 165th Street, Morrisania, the Bronx, 718-681-6000, bronxmuseum.org. (Holland Cotter) Brooklyn Historical Society: Personal Correspondence: Photography and Letter Writing in Civil War Brooklyn (through June 19) The Civil War officially ended when Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant in the spring of 1865. For many people who lived through it, though, the war never ended at all, and it lives on in letters sent to and from the battlefield. Thousands of these ended up half-forgotten in attics and bureau drawers; a small stash comes to light in this exhibition, which consists of just one little room with a lot in it including letters, Civil War souvenirs and explanatory texts with everything as readily accessible as if in a well-packed suitcase. 128 Pierrepont Street, near Clinton Street, Brooklyn Heights, 718-222-4111, brooklynhistory.org. (Cotter) Brooklyn Museum: Agitprop! (through Aug. 7) Most art is political, whether its means to be or not, and politics is what this group exhibition is all about. Photography, prints and performance are favored media because theyre, in different ways, portable, readily legible, easily reproducible and disposable ready to change as the news changes. The Brooklyn Museum show has change built in. Its been conceived as an exhibition in progress, and at this point, early in its run, it looks like one, only half there and thin. But theres more to come in cumulative stages, with artists chosen by artists already in the show joining on Feb. 17 and again on April 6. Among the later arrivals will be young activist collectives like Occupy Museums and Not an Alternative. 200 Eastern Parkway, at Prospect Park, 718-638-5000, brooklynmuseum.org. (Cotter) The painter Abbott Handerson Thayer ran an impractical household. In the early 1900s, he and his dutiful second wife, Emma, raised his three children in ramshackle buildings in Dublin, N.H. Fervent believers in the benefits of fresh air, they let snow drift into their sleeping cabins. Pets and wildlife, including monkeys and porcupines, roamed their rooms. Mr. Thayer was prone to mood swings, and he sometimes destroyed his canvases or stowed them under a kitchen sink. Wealthy devotees like the art collector Charles Lang Freer assisted the family financially, while Mr. Thayer spent time portraying angels and pondering how to adapt animal camouflage patterns for military use. Last year, Kevin Murphy, the curator of American art at the Williams College Museum of Art in Williamstown, Mass., unearthed troves of Mr. Thayers unpublished artworks and photos. A small fraction of the material will go on view next Friday in an exhibition, Not Theories but Revelations: The Art and Science of Abbott Handerson Thayer. The artifacts came from Mr. Thayers descendants and the estate of the journalist Richard Meryman, whose family had been friends with the Thayers. The show will explore how Mr. Thayer, using principles derived from the natural world, developed ideas for concealing troops, battlefield equipment, battleships and submarines. Some of his terms for his observations were as abstruse as background-picturing on obliteratively shaded birds and the cooperation of interposed vegetation with concealing colors. YOU didnt stay the course. Oh, you enjoyed the Crawleys of Downton Abbey when they were the hot new thing. You hung on when the menfolk went off to fight the Great War. You saw Matthew miraculously walk again; you blessed his marriage to Lady Mary; you shed a tear for dear Sybil. But then you drifted. Maybe, from time to time, some of the doings filtered back to you. A downstairs rape. An upstairs blood barf. Bateses in and out of jail. And what about that evil servant who ended a dynasty with a bar of soap? Is she still there? If youre honest, all that filters back to you now is a swirl of headbands and cloche hats and drop-waist tea dresses and evening jackets and Maggie Smith, sailing in at some pregnant juncture to crack wise. Justice Scalias death and the loss of a reliably pro-business vote have already caused Dow Chemical to pay $835 million to settle an antitrust price-fixing case that it had lost in lower courts and that was on the Supreme Courts docket. (A 4-to-4 tie at the Supreme Court would have left the lower courts adverse decision in place.) Among Supreme Court precedents at risk, according to Ms. Epstein, are 16 involving business activity, unions or tax policy, including Walmart Stores v. Dukes, which denied class-action status to female employees of the discount retailer. Additional rulings in jeopardy that are of keen interest to business include Citizens United, which struck down limits on political contributions by businesses and labor, and Ashcroft v. Iqbal, which made it easier for courts to dismiss cases alleging discrimination. Ms. Epstein, along with Judge Richard A. Posner of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and William M. Landes, a law professor at the University of Chicago, wrote an in-depth assessment of business cases before the Supreme Court. In it, they conclude that four of the 10 justices since 1946 friendliest to business are now on the court (Samuel A. Alito Jr., John G. Roberts Jr., Clarence Thomas and Anthony M. Kennedy) and a fifth was Justice Scalia. The sitting justice who is least friendly to business is Sonia Sotomayor, exactly the kind of liberal jurist many Republicans fear Mrs. Clinton would choose. As Akhil Amar, professor of constitutional law at Yale and author of Americas Unwritten Constitution, put it, Senate Republicans should remember that a compromise candidate today may be far better for them than the justice they may get stuck with if the November election does not break their way. And if Mr. Trump is the nominee and wins the election, there is no guarantee he would name a conservative in the Scalia mold. Who would Trump appoint to anything? Hes a wild card, Ms. Epstein said. Mr. Amar said that if viewed through the lens of negotiating strategy, some kind of grand bargain might be possible: In business, the question always is, is there an overlap between the bid and ask price? In other words, can Obama offer the Republicans something they want, and at what price? If so, it might be in both parties interest to reach a deal. SAN FRANCISCO Elliott Management, the hedge fund that has become a specialist in shaking up technology companies, has found its new target. Shares in Qlik Technologies, a business analytics provider, were up nearly 5 percent in midday trading on Thursday after the hedge fund disclosed owning a nearly 8.9 percent stake in the company. In a regulatory filing, Elliott said that it had begun discussions with Qliks management about moves that could strengthen value for shareholders, including a potential sale of the company or other strategic moves. Over the last decade and a half, she and 100 others who attended the New York University School of Law received that support from a scholarship program that paid their full tuition and also gave them access to a network of luminaries including federal judges, law firm partners and even Supreme Court justices. Graduates, who typically are the first in their families to seek a professional or graduate degree, have gone on to jobs at elite law firms such as Davis Polk & Wardwell or Shearman & Sterling, as well as public interest jobs. The scholarships which each provide about $175,000 for three years of legal education are for those from disadvantaged backgrounds, said the programs founder, Anthony Welters, a 1977 N.Y.U. law school graduate who is executive vice president of the health care company the UnitedHealth Group. The program aims at economic diversity, said Mr. Welters, 60, an African-American who grew up in Harlem and was the first in his family to pursue an advanced degree. After stints as a Capitol Hill aide and securities lawyer, he made his fortune when AmeriChoice, the Medicaid services provider he founded, later merged with UnitedHealth. Its not just giving cash, he said of the program, which he and his wife, Beatrice, a former American ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago, founded in 1998. They called it AnBryce, a name derived from the first initial of each family members name. Its more than academic credentials. It takes a hell of a lot to become a successful lawyer. These students can compete; they just have to know the rules of the road. Those rules are crucial to securing jobs at premier law firms, which can pay their partners salaries in the millions of dollars but where varied personal backgrounds can often be missing. African-American and Latino lawyers are scarce at the coveted partner level, hovering around 2 percent for each group. Ms. Hernandez is joining a select group since about a few dozen Hispanic women are partners at firms that have 500 to 700 lawyers each. LONDON The Swiss banking giant UBS said on Thursday that its business in France had been placed under formal investigation by the French authorities for possible witness tampering after a complaint by a former employee. The announcement of the inquiry came less than two weeks after judges in France concluded a 19-month investigation into whether the bank helped French clients hide funds from the countrys national tax administration from 2004 to 2012. The judges are in the process of determining whether to send that case to trial. On Thursday, UBS said that a judge in France had decided to put the bank under formal examination for potentially interfering with a witness, but not for moral harassment, another accusation by the former employee who made the complaint. We strongly deny these allegations and are confident that we can vigorously defend our rights and position, UBS said in a news release. PARIS Given the current uneasy state of things in France the controversial dismantling of the migrant camp near Calais, the scanning of bags at Paris Fashion Week and, depending on the show, guests; the organizers announcement that they would not disclose locations publicly because of safety concerns it takes a certain amount of gumption for a designer to claim as a muse the first woman to ride a motorcycle solo across the Middle East (and then around the world). But that is what Clare Waight Keller, creative director of Chloe, did, quoting Anne-France Dautheville on her invitation and papering her mood board with photographs of the adventurer on a bike. She even created a baked-mud path for a runway. I was taken with the idea of a woman just deciding to go on her own journey, Ms. Waight Keller said backstage before the show. That attitude, that sense of courage, and cultural discovery. It felt right for now. And yet, at the same time, a linear direction to Ricks wanderings is implied by the invocation, early and late, of John Bunyans The Pilgrims Progress. We must be going somewhere, toward some place of redemption. Bunyans allegorical City of Destruction and also, perhaps, the Celestial City that is its antithesis is incarnated by modern Los Angeles. Its architecture, its vegetation and its light are all exquisitely rendered by the great cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki, who just won his third consecutive Oscar. Los Angeles, like Paris and Manhattan, is vulnerable to cinematic cliche and at the same time, through the right eyes, endlessly resistant to it. Mr. Lubezki can infuse Sunset Boulevard, Venice Beach and other often-filmed spots with a beauty that feels erotic and metaphysical at the same time. As it happens, the confusion of eros and cosmos or maybe, to be generous, their mutual entanglement is Ricks big problem, and also Mr. Malicks. At its most literal level, Knight of Cups is an encyclopedia of its protagonists love affairs, casual and serious, painful and frolicsome, blonde and brunette. There are threesomes, pillow fights, rooftop debauches and skinny-dipping parties. Also a marriage (to Cate Blanchett), an affair with someone elses wife (Natalie Portman) and a trip to Las Vegas with a stripper (Teresa Palmer) who drops pearls of wisdom from the edge of the stage. 82 Years Ago Journalists are still cheering, objectivity be darned, for Spotlight, awarded the Oscar for best picture on Sunday. This was not, however, the first time a newspaper movie won. That honor fell to It Happened One Night, in 1935. The 1930s were the golden age for Oscar-nominated newspaper movies, albeit those in the screwball comedy vein reporters were the heroes, but not exactly exemplars of the Fourth Estate. Still, at least five newspaper movies were nominated for best picture in the decade before 1941s Citizen Kane (nominated but not chosen sorry, Rosebud). And there were other fine specimens not nominated. To an extent, the films shortfalls feel bound up with high expectations for Ms. Fey. As Kim, she wants to show how the risky search for scoops in Kabul feeds something within her without really sustaining her. But somehow the effort translates into this talented performer holding back a little too much, losing the expressive verve that firing on all pistons as a comic seems to give her. It also doesnt help that Ms. Feys sharpest past work has simultaneously skewered the archetype of the neurotic single professional and complicated it with a self-conscious edge that this film could use. Thats not to judge Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (the title is a play on a common profane phrase using the military phonetic alphabet) by its stars previous successes. (The Afghan setting streamlines the book; Ms. Barker, now an investigative reporter for The New York Times, also went to Pakistan.) But the films directors arent as sure-footed as they were with the manias of I Love You Phillip Morris. The Afghan portrayals bend between affectionate understanding and cheap shots. Some of the films shorthand reflects the cut-to-the-chase caricature of someone forced to adapt to frequently hostile surroundings (in which Kim is harassed as an independent woman in the streets). But the film also rests in a tidiness thats at odds with the messiness of the milieu. And even when we are exposed to glimpses of wartime violence and menace, its undercut by fuzzy platitudes near the end of the film. Ms. Barker seems to have earned the reward of such a reassuring conclusion, but its not clear the movie has. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot is rated R (Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian) for language, sexual content, drug use and images of war. Running time: 1 hour 52 minutes. Of course, Gene said, he understood that people on the block would not want him staying in his Explorer. I didnt want to be living there, either, he said. He had chosen his car as a refuge, he explained, to stay clear of people who knew him and the hazard of pity. On some TV series, one of the characters said, The thing thats toughest about going home is that people want to know: What happened to you? Gene said. He does not have much of an answer for that. By his account, much of it corroborated in public records, Gene grew up in Boise, Idaho, one of two children. A voracious reader as a child, he discovered chemistry in college, and earned a Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. A grant from the National Institutes of Health paid for his postdoctoral work. At a large pharmaceutical company, he worked with a team on variations of an immunosuppressant, and compounds useful in treating diabetes. Records list him as a co-inventor on at least 44 composition of matter patents in the United States and Europe. (The patents are owned by the company.) Gene said he was married for three years in the late 1990s, and records show that he once owned a house in Princeton Junction, N.J. By 2004, he said, he was unhappy in his job and living on the East Side of Manhattan. When his mother, who was living in Arizona, had a stroke that year, he said, he took a three-month leave of absence, and never went back. Why not? Perhaps, he speculated, the trauma of 9/11 had affected him. And, he said, he had been unable to find a position close to his old rank. They wanted someone cheap, he said. They werent going to pay $115,000 for a bench chemist. He moved to Brooklyn and took a job with Barnes & Noble in Park Slope that paid about $10 an hour. He also managed to run up $40,000 in credit card debt. How? Going out, eating, he said. Like I was still making $115,000. When he needed a new place to live, a co-worker at the bookstore, Bob Matheson, offered him a ground-floor apartment in the building that he owned with his wife, Diane. Gene moved there in 2008. An $800 rent was discussed but he never ended up paying anything, he said, because of problems in the apartment. Ms. Matheson led a hermitic existence, and after Mr. Matheson fell ill, Gene said, he recalled accompanying her in 2013 to a medical appointment. She told him she had not been outside since Bush v. Gore, Gene said. Mr. Matheson died, and some months later, in fall 2013, Ms. Matheson also died. Under arrangements made by the Mathesons, he was given a year to move out of the house, Gene said, and was offered $10,000 by the estate to leave earlier. Instead, he stayed until he had to go. (Less than a month later, the building was sold for $2 million; renovated, its three apartments are in contract to sell for an aggregate of $4.8 million, according to the website StreetEasy.) LONDON In the Year of the Hair, Boris Johnson of the blonde mop trails Donald Trump, but not by much. The London mayors decision, which he has described as agonizingly difficult, to come out in favor of a British exit from the European Union in a June referendum has sent British politics into a tailspin. Given Johnsons popularity, as impervious to his buffoonery as Trumps to his bullying, the decision has also given a significant boost to the Brexit camp and dented the Remain Campaign. British withdrawal from the 28-member European Union is now an option with a leader. Johnson, writing in the Telegraph, suggested that if Britain stays, We will continue to sit trapped like passengers in the back seat of some errant minicab with a driver who cannot speak English and who is taking us remorselessly and expensively in the wrong direction. The mayor, whose second four-year term ends this year, likes to wax metaphoric. In an interview with The Times, he compared himself to James Bond up against the evil baddie who is hell-bent on subverting democracy around the world through a supranational organization. Britain trapped in Europe was like a slowly boiling frog, he suggested. The range of his metaphors is matched only by the extent of his ambition. Boris on Europe is also Boris on Boris. He wants to be the next prime minister of Britain or whatever is left of it in 2020, the date of the next election. IN my 36-year tenure in the United States Senate nearly half of it as chairman or ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Committee I presided or helped preside over nine nominees to the Supreme Court, from both Republican and Democratic presidents. Thats more than anyone else alive today. In every instance we adhered to the process explicitly laid out in the Constitution: The president has the constitutional duty to nominate; the Senate has the constitutional obligation to provide advice and consent. It is written plainly in the Constitution that both presidents and senators swear an oath to uphold and defend. Thats why I was so surprised and saddened to see Republican leaders tell President Obama and me that they would not even consider a Supreme Court nominee this year. No meetings. No hearings. No votes. Nothing. It is an unprecedented act of obstruction. And it risks a stain on the legacy of all those complicit in carrying out this plan. I would ask my friends and colleagues and all those who love the Senate to think long and hard before going down this road. Some have taken comments I made in 1992 to mean that I supported the same kind of obstructionist position as a senator. But that reading distorts the broader meaning of the speech I gave from the Senate floor that year. Once the military rule ended, the witnesses who had accused Ms. Hasina recanted, claiming their stories were extracted under duress; these retractions were reported in The Daily Star. Even so, over time, my father came to regret his judgment in deciding to run the original story without corroboration; on Feb. 3, on the occasion of The Daily Stars 25th anniversary, he went on a late-night talk show and said as much. The following morning, the airwaves were awash with his confession. The son of Prime Minister Hasina, Sajeeb Wazed, called for my fathers arrest on charges of treason, alleging that he was the cause of Ms. Hasinas incarceration. Since then, scores of lawsuits charging my father with criminal defamation and sedition have been lodged in courts all over Bangladesh. This is only the latest chapter in the states targeting of The Daily Star and Prothom Alo. In March 2015, The Daily Star published a photograph of a recruitment poster produced by the banned Islamist group Hizb-ut-Tahrir with the caption terrorism rears its ugly head; Ms. Hasina told Parliament that the paper had helped the radical cause by printing the photograph and the state would move against those who had published it. In August, a sudden drop in advertising from the telecoms sector was widely believed to have been ordered by state intelligence. And now this. Doubtless, the publication of unverifiable reports based on confessions made by people in custody though a common media practice in Bangladesh should be questioned, and this could be an excellent opportunity to revise journalistic practice. Instead, the state is exploiting the chance to double down on its suppression of free speech. When something like this happens to someone you love, it is difficult not to focus on his immediate safety. Yet the harassment of my father is not about the governments ire against one man, but about the stifling of the independent media in Bangladesh and the general narrowing of critical space. Ms. Hasina herself has now gone on the record that she, too, believes the rumor that my father was behind her arrest. Rather than investigating the intelligence task force, which coerced the confessions, or the judicial process that led to the case against Ms. Hasina, or the officials involved in her arrest, the government has brought down the full force of the state on a newspaper. My father sent a text message to me in London the other day. Im being sued for 17 billion dollars, he wrote. This is more than the total budget of the country at independence. I hear the smile behind the words. I also feel the sadness behind the smile. To the Editor: Re A Stern Message to North Korea (editorial, March 3): Once again the Security Council has had its moment of self-gratification by voting unanimously for stringent sanctions against North Korea. North Korea showed its mettle by firing six projectiles in defiance. The sanctions have loopholes that are easily skirted by the stroke of a pen. Recently, North Korea suggested meetings leading to a peace treaty, to formally end the nearly 66-year-old Korean War. The United States flatly spurned the idea, for the North refuses to accept Washingtons conditions. It is the plain truth that only diplomacy and upfront discussion with Pyongyang will settle the matter. Until then, we can expect endless cycles of sanctions and pious speeches. ROBERT CAMBRIA New York The writer is a former chairman of the Committee for a New Korea Policy. Milan THE British have a reputation for being calm under pressure. Its a stereotype, sure, but its something I noticed time and again in the decades I spent working in and reporting on the country, from my interactions on the street to the goings-on in Parliament. Its written into their literature and their language, all of which seems intended to remind the world of a simple fact: They will not overreact. Rudyard Kiplings famous lines If you can keep your head when all about you/Are losing theirs and blaming it on you are not just words from a poem. Together, they express Britains creed. Admirable, of course. But when it comes to Europe these days, the British are not keeping their heads at all. The prelude to the referendum on Britains membership in the European Union, to be held on June 23, is turning out to be everything but calm and composed. The British are excitable, passionate, emotional. The two camps should we stay or should we go? have been at each others throats for some time. The debates on TV and in Parliament regularly devolve into shouting matches. Concessions recently gained by Prime Minister David Cameron in Brussels will not change this. The decision of his rival Mayor Boris Johnson of London to support the Brexit camp will make the struggle even more heated. The British have always looked down on Southern Europeans including us Italians as dangerously emotional. But this time, they are following our lead. And this is unfortunate, as the rational arguments are all on one side. MUMBAI, India Babulal Varma cant wait to be able to sit on the terrace of his three-level penthouse towering about 900 feet above the chaotic streets of Mumbai, enjoying a cup of tea while admiring the views of the Arabian Sea. Mr. Varma, the managing director of Omkar Realtors & Developers, has booked himself one of the best spots at the top of what he describes as his dream project, Omkar 1973, a luxury three-tower supertall residential development that his company is building on a former slum site. Everyone wants to get away from the crowd, Mr. Varma said. People want to go up. Youre away from the noise, youre away from the pollution. Developers are increasingly putting up ever taller residential buildings in Mumbai, noticeably transforming the citys skyline. Three of the 10 tallest residential towers under construction worldwide are in Mumbai, according to data from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, based in Chicago. These include what would become the tallest residential tower, World One, which is under construction and designed to reach more than 1,400 feet. It is scheduled for completion next year. These companies, which are often fierce competitors, have joined together to voice concern about the attempted government overreach in this case, which threatens the integrity and security of their products and privacy rights of consumers in general, said Neal Katyal, a lawyer at Hogan Lovells for the tech companies and a former acting solicitor general of the United States. Image Tech firms were initially careful in their support of Apple in its fight with the F.B.I., but now they are more forcefully backing Apple. Credit... Philippe Huguen/Agence France-Presse Getty Images Edward J. McAndrew, a lawyer at Ballard Spahr who is not involved in the Apple matter, said it was highly unusual to see a flood of briefs by so many parties this early in a case. He called the outpouring Supreme Court-level advocacy and said the campaign was intended to have influence beyond the court with legislators and others. This is a show of force, said Mr. McAndrew, a former federal prosecutor who focused on online crimes. This is a battle for public opinion. Bruce Sewell, Apples general counsel, said on Wednesday that the company was humbled by the outpouring of support. The case between Apple and the government became public last month, when a federal magistrate judge in California ordered the company to bypass the security functions on the iPhone. Timothy D. Cook, Apples chief executive, opposed the order, arguing the case could have far-reaching implications for other devices and software, with governments everywhere able to demand more access to tech companies data. It is the consensus of the seriously cool that nobody was ever cooler than Arthur Rimbaud. More than a century after his death, this French poet still blazes as the unwashed apotheosis of the outlaw artist, a beautiful, sexually fluid renegade genius who, as one of his early biographers put it, lived in three years the literary evolution of modern times. At the end of those three years, he was only 20. But by then he had conducted and ended a fabled love affair with the older Symbolist poet Paul Verlaine and written the entire body of visionary verse that would anticipate future iconoclasts in art movements from Surrealism to punk rock. No, he didnt die young (he lived on to a disease-riddled 37), as is traditionally expected of this particular breed of cult idol. Instead, he one-upped the usual gorgeous corpses by walking out on his glory with a sneer and refusing to look back. In other words, Rimbaud was the opposite of nostalgic, which means he probably wouldnt care much for Rimbaud in New York, which runs through Sunday at BAM Fisher. This earnest collage tribute piece from the Civilians, written and directed by Steve Cosson, celebrates Rimbaud as the man who invented downtown as a state of mind. When Donald Trump talks about health care, he sounds as if he wants to do something different from the rest of the Republican field. But his health care plan, released Wednesday night, looks a lot like what his competitors have already presented. On the stump, Mr. Trump has tended to buck Republican anti-Obamacare orthodoxy. He has always called for repealing the health law, which he describes as a bureaucratic disaster and an economic drag. But he has repeatedly expressed enthusiasm for some of its ideas and ambitions. He has admired single-payer health care systems in Canada and Scotland. He has said that the government must take care of the lowest-income Americans. He has endorsed a provision of the law that prevents insurance companies from denying coverage to people with prior illnesses. He often repeats that the United States needs a system to prevent people from dying in the streets. The impression he gives is that the United States ought to help provide health insurance to the public, only in a less cumbersome, expensive way. We have to take care of people in this country, he said at last weeks Republican debate, adding that he didnt care if his compassionate health care proposals lost him the election. The compromise bill would make it more difficult to hand down death sentences by requiring a jury vote of 10 to 2. Jurors currently can recommend a death sentence by a simple 7-to-5 majority vote. The change falls short of the unanimous verdict that death penalty critics in Florida sought for capital punishment cases. It continues to make Florida an outlier; only one other state, Alabama, allows a 10-to-2 death verdict as opposed to a unanimous decision in capital punishment cases. Republican supporters of the bill said that if it became law, Floridas death penalty system would be stronger and satisfy the Supreme Court. Democrats did not entirely disagree, but they expressed disappointment over the Legislatures decision to dodge the chance to bring Florida in line with other states. This is a step in the right direction, said Senator Arthenia L. Joyner, the Democratic leader. I would prefer a unanimous jury verdict, but you cant always get what you want when you want it. The bill also addresses the Supreme Courts chief grievance in its January ruling: that Florida law gave too much power to judges in death penalty sentences and not enough to juries. Under the bill, juries would have to decide unanimously on the aggravating factors that warrant a death sentence. Aggravating factors include circumstances that are especially brutal, for example, or a murder committed with premeditation. Under current law, some jurors could decide on one aggravating factor, others could decide on another, and some could choose no factors. No unanimity was required. The legislation would require a jury to turn over its findings on aggravating factors to the presiding judge. The judge would then issue a sentence based on only those aggravating factors, although the bill gives the judge the power to override the jury and sentence someone to life in prison. Florida judges do not currently know which aggravating circumstances juries have selected, making them free to choose their own, essentially overriding the jurys grounds for recommending death. The Supreme Court ruled this a violation of the Sixth Amendment, which guarantees the rights of people accused of crimes. ATLANTA Less than a year after the Supreme Court recognized a constitutional right to same-sex marriage, conservative lawmakers across the country are pushing for a new round of legal protections for opponents of gay rights. But the proposals are meeting the kind of resistance from business interests and gay rights groups that similarly motivated, but less specific, legislation faced last year in Arkansas and Indiana. The dispute is escalating here in Georgia, where the Senate last month approved a measure barring adverse action by the government against anyone following religious beliefs about marriage, including that marriage should only be between a man and a woman. Though some of Georgias senior elected officials, including the House speaker and governor, both Republicans, have expressed caution about the proposal, business groups are taking no chances. We think the lessons learned in Indiana should allow for some straight thinking by our Legislature that this would be harmful to Georgia if passed in the current form, said Jenner Wood, the chairman of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and one of the founders of Georgia Prospers, a coalition of more than 400 companies, including Coca-Cola and Google, that oppose the bill. Lawmakers in at least seven other states have proposed similar bills, according to the Human Rights Campaign, a gay rights group. The measures are usually known as First Amendment Defense Acts, a new front in the legislative conflict over religion and gay rights. And Mr. Grassley finds himself on that road. Its a volatile year, and Senator Grassley is in the middle of a constitutional crisis, said Senator Richard J. Durbin, Democrat of Illinois. I wouldnt be surprised if across the country there is a new level of interest in House and Senate races. Remember what Trump said, Delay delay delay, Mr. Durbin said. Mr. Grassley has come under fire in Iowa for his refusal to hold hearings on a potential nominee for the Supreme Court after the death of Justice Antonin Scalia last month. The issue became more local for Mr. Grassley on Wednesday when it was revealed that the White House was considering Ms. Kelly as a potential replacement. Then came word that Patty Judge, 72, a former Iowa lieutenant governor and state agriculture secretary, will seek the Democratic senate nomination to challenge Mr. Grassley. For their part, many Republicans on Thursday, as they strolled into a lunch of various meats and chocolate-covered bacon sponsored by the other Republican senator from Iowa, Joni Ernst, declined to say whether they would prefer to have the Supreme Court nominee named by Mr. Trump or Mr. Obama. I wouldnt want to rank it, said Senator Jeff Flake of Arizona. Senator John McCain, the senior senator from Arizona, who earlier in the day criticized Mr. Trumps foreign policy credentials, said he had no idea if Mr. Trump could make a suitable choice for the court. Nevadas other senator, Dean Heller, a Republican, laughed at the question. While Democrats did not directly link Mr. Trumps inflammatory racial statements to the Supreme Court issue, they have made a concerted effort to tie the Republicans refusal to consider Mr. Obamas nominee to Mr. Trumps rise in the presidential race, and to frame the court fight as a battle over civil rights. To emphasize the point, Democrats brought forth Representative John Lewis of Georgia, a hero of the civil rights movement, and others to highlight Supreme Court decisions like the one ending the Montgomery, Ala., bus boycott in 1956 and Brown v. Board of Education, which desegregated schools. The split is more regional than partisan. Coastal Republicans fear the destruction of their tourist industries as much as seaside Democrats, while landlocked members of both parties envision new revenue for schools and highways. Representative Mark Sanford, a former South Carolina governor and a conservative Republican from Charleston, is fiercely critical of his states current Republican governor, Nikki R. Haley, for her support of the drilling. Its a lesson to how to be tone deaf to the American public, he said. Hearings were held in this congressional district and communities up and down the coast, and the response was overwhelming they came out with resolutions against the drilling. There is an amazing disconnect between what people are saying in the statehouses and in the areas that would be most impacted. In Raleigh, State Representative Rodney Moore, Democrat of Charlotte, saw things the way Ms. Haley does: Its a good thing if it can generate revenue for our state, if it can be done safely. The fight is playing out as a global oil glut has driven down prices to more than 10-year lows and depressed domestic exploration and extraction. But the industry sees the Atlantic drilling, which would not start for at least five years, as a long-term investment in a future in which oil prices rebound and supplies remain volatile. If theres one thing for sure in the oil and gas industry, its change, said Andrew Radford, a policy adviser for the American Petroleum Institute, the oil and gas industry lobby. Having new exploration opportunities is really important for the industry to replace the resources were producing now. The Atlantic Coast States interest in pursuing drilling off their shores is relatively recent, as is the legal authority to do that work. While offshore drilling has been an integral part of the coastal economy of the Gulf of Mexico since the 1940s, lawmakers from both parties in the Atlantic Coast States resisted the push by oil companies to explore Atlantic waters, supporting a longstanding legal moratorium on Pacific and Atlantic coastal drilling. That calculus changed after a 2006 law, written by former Senator Mary L. Landrieu, Democrat of Louisiana, which for the first time required oil companies to pay a portion of offshore drilling royalties directly to nearby Gulf Coast states. The emergence of a presumptive presidential nominee typically begins a process of closure in American politics. The 2016 Republican campaign is producing the opposite. Prominent Republicans have reacted to Donald J. Trumps rise with a degree of anguish not seen in a presidential campaign in a half-century, a response that stems partly from his hard-edged appeals to white voters and partly from his willingness to defy conservative policies. The first of those factors has caused misgivings ever since the start of his campaign, when he said some immigrants from Mexico were criminals and rapists. It has continued through the primaries with his equivocation about the Ku Klux Klan, his reference to the Latino heritage of a hostile judge in a legal case, and his observation about a protester that Id like to punch him in the face. Mr. Trump says such raw rhetoric stands out because it bucks the constraints of political correctness. His defiance of philosophic orthodoxy is just as rare. A campaign that has played a cautious expectations-setting game is now making brash predictions, saying there is no way it will lose in Mr. Rubios home state. He himself left no room for error, declaring Wednesday, We will win in Florida. Mr. Rubios biggest threat in the state, Mr. Trump, has come under an unrelenting assault from the party establishment, with the most extraordinary shot yet coming from Mitt Romney, a former Republican presidential candidate. On Thursday, Mr. Romney urged party members to rally around one of Mr. Trumps rivals, without saying which one. Mr. Rubios allies say his big bet in Florida is reflective of his tough predicament. Is it threading the needle? said Tim Griffin, the lieutenant governor of Arkansas, a state Mr. Rubio lost on Tuesday. But he noted that with unexpected developments like the withdrawal of Ben Carson from the race on Wednesday, there are still a lot of unknowns. We all talk about how difficult it is to thread a needle, Mr. Griffin said. But there are a lot of people walking around with clothes on. Which means theres a lot of needles being threaded. The Rubio campaign and its allies insist that they have plenty of money to sustain a campaign for the foreseeable future. They have not released figures to back up their confident projections. But people who have been briefed on the fund-raising activities of the campaign and the super PAC backing the Florida senator say that money started rolling in after his second-place finish in the South Carolina primary. Terry Sullivan, the campaign manager, even boasted to donors last month that while his finance team might not want him to say so, they had nothing to worry about financially. The defiance coming from Mr. Rubio and his campaign brings new attitude to a candidate always better known for his precision and predictability. Adjusting to that new role has not been without its complications. The online outbursts have become customary during presidential election cycles: Im moving to Canada! And this week saw plenty of them, as Hillary Clinton and Donald J. Trump collected victories on Super Tuesday. That night, Google recorded a sharp rise in searches that included the phrase move to Canada, and many Twitter users vowed to flee north. Reports of the Canadian immigration website buckling under heavy traffic were, however, exaggerated. That was an unrelated technical problem, the agency said. By Wednesday, news organizations were offering helpful guides on how to flee the United States. This is mostly talk, of course. Recent American political history is strewn with the empty promises of self-exile from the losing side. (See Eddie Vedder, Robert Altman and Rush Limbaugh, among others.) In the latest go-round, much of the dismay seems focused on the political ascendance of Mr. Trump. Thousands of Americans, including at least a few celebrities, claim to be exploring their options. MILWAUKEE President Obama said on Thursday that enrollment in health coverage under the Affordable Care Act had reached a new high, 20 million, and he called the law an overwhelming success in this city and around the nation despite Republicans implacable opposition. Congressional Republicans have tried and failed to repeal Obamacare about 60 times, Mr. Obama said to an audience here. They have told you what they would replace it with about zero times. He continued, his voice rising: If they got their way, 20 million people would have their insurance taken away from them. Twenty million people! The 20 million figure includes people who have received private health insurance on exchanges, those who gained Medicaid coverage under state expansions and young adults who were able to stay on their parents health plans until age 26, the administration said. Adding to the intrigue, it will be the first time this year that Mr. Trump will face Megyn Kelly, the Fox News anchor with whom he feuded last year. Mr. Trump erupted in anger after the first Fox News debate, when Ms. Kelly questioned his history of making sexist statements. He then spent days savaging her on social media and suggested that her tough line of questioning was a result of a hormonal imbalance. Mr. Trump skipped the last debate hosted by Fox before the Iowa caucuses in January, but he has agreed to participate on Thursday. He will also have more time in the spotlight, since Ben Carson announced on Wednesday afternoon that he would not be attending. Mr. Carson, the retired neurosurgeon, said he saw no path forward for his campaign after a string of poor showings in the Super Tuesday contests. Recent polls show Mr. Trump holding a double-digit lead in Michigan, but his opponents are hopeful that greater scrutiny will erode his advantage. Mr. Cruz and Mr. Rubio are both campaigning hard in the state, and Gov. John Kasich of Ohio has focused on Michigan as a place where he should perform well. MEXICO CITY An indigenous activist in Honduras who won a prestigious international environmental prize for fighting a dam project despite continued threats was assassinated on Thursday in her hometown, officials said. Gunmen broke down the door of the house where the activist, Berta Caceres, was staying in La Esperanza, in western Honduras, and shot her early Thursday, human rights groups said. Ms. Caceres, 44, had led a decade-long fight against a project to build the Agua Zarca Dam along the Gualcarque River, which is sacred to the Lenca people. The campaign involved filing legal complaints against the project, organizing community meetings and bringing the case to the Inter-American Human Rights Commission. Last year, she won the Goldman Environmental Prize, which is awarded to grass-roots leaders who build community support to protect the environment. The killing of one of Hondurass most prominent environmental activists casts attention on the countrys dismal human rights record. It comes just after President Juan Orlando Hernandez traveled to Washington and Mexico City last week to argue that his government was turning the corner in combating the violence that makes Honduras one of the most murder-plagued countries in the world. BEIJING A young Tibetan monk died this week after setting himself on fire in Sichuan Province to protest Chinese rule, according to a Tibet advocacy group. It was the first known act of self-immolation in a Tibetan area of China since August. The monk, Kalsang Wangdu, 18, set fire to himself on Monday, according to Free Tibet, a group based in London. On the same day, a 16-year-old Tibetan student, Dorjee Tsering, committed the same act in Dehradun, a city in India, while shouting Free Tibet, the group said. He survived and was in a hospital in New Delhi. On Tuesday, Hillary Clinton, the front-runner to be the Democratic presidential candidate, held up a black-and-white photo of Mr. Dorjee while talking in Minnesota to the president of the Tibetan National Congress, an advocacy group. HONG KONG Its all right to cry, even when youre the leader of the worlds most populous nation. That was one message in an online report on Wednesday carried by several Communist Party and state media outlets that described a handful of known times when President Xi Jinping of China had shed tears. The story didnt portray Mr. Xi as weepy with just four documented cries since the 1960s, hes no John Boehner, the former House speaker. Rather it sought to show him as someone who feels deeply about family, friends, average citizens and model officials. It appears to be part of a broad effort to humanize Mr. Xi and build a cult of personality around him, an endeavor that has gone beyond anything dedicated to recent Chinese leaders. State and Communist Party news outlets as well as Chinese social media have carried cartoons, songs and photos of the daily life of Xi Dada, a nickname for the Chinese leader that means Daddy or Uncle Xi. A video of a new song that holds up Mr. Xi as the ideal sort of man a woman should marry has been widely viewed on Chinese websites in recent weeks. It is the sort of praise that would be unimaginable for his predecessor, Hu Jintao. Lawmakers are calling on the Pentagon to fully reinstate a decorated United States Army sergeant whose career status is under review after he hit an American-backed Afghan militia officer for raping a boy. The Special Forces member, Sgt. First Class Charles Martland, helped to beat up the militia commander, Abdul Rahman, in 2011 after he abducted a boy and kept him chained to his bed as a sex slave. Sergeant Martland, who was on his second deployment with the Green Berets in Afghanistan and who received a Bronze Star for his actions during a Taliban ambush, later wrote to the Army that he and a Special Forces captain, Dan Quinn, felt that morally we could no longer stand by and allow the Afghan Local Police to commit atrocities. Captain Quinn had summoned Abdul Rahman after the boys mother took her son to the American base in Afghanistans northern Kunduz Province to complain about the abuse. Policies put in place by a number of countries along the path from Greece to Germany, the preferred destination for most migrants, have effectively limited passage across the borders to Syrians and Iraqis while blocking the progress of Afghans and people from a number of Middle Eastern countries and North Africa. On Thursday, 200 people occupied the train tracks on the border near Idomeni, holding signs saying Merkel, Help Us and We Just Want to Pass. Aid agencies warned of a possible risk of infectious diseases, given the areas limited resources. Mr. Tusks visit to Greece was his second in just over two weeks. Greece, still recovering from an economic meltdown in 2009 that led to three bailout packages from Europe, is bracing for the migrant crisis to continue for the next two to three years, Yiannis Mouzalas, a minister for migration policy, told a group of Greek mayors this week. Over the past few days, Mr. Tusk, a former prime minister of Poland, has made a sort of reverse pilgrimage along the so-called Western Balkans migration route, visiting Austria, Slovenia, Croatia and Macedonia and Greece before reaching Turkey. Greece and the Greek people are paying a very high price for the problem they themselves did not create, Mr. Tusk said. I want to state here very clearly that the European Union will not leave Greece alone. Mr. Tusks talks in Greece and Turkey were a prelude to a meeting in Brussels on Monday of European Union and Turkish leaders to address the crisis. In November, the European Union offered organizations helping refugees in Turkey 3 billion euros, or about $3.3 billion, to help deal with the situation. But Turkey which is itself sheltering 2.7 million of an estimated 4.8 million Syrian refugees is asking for more support for its position in dealing with the civil war in Syria and other regional issues. MADRID The Spanish authorities on Thursday announced the seizure of about 20,000 military uniforms that were being shipped from Spanish ports to fighters with the Islamic State and other Islamist groups, according to the Interior Ministry. The uniforms were part of a shipment declared as secondhand clothing to pass through customs, the ministry said, and were hidden inside three shipping containers intercepted in the ports of Valencia and Algeciras. Some other military accessories were also seized. The ministry said in a statement that the seizure was linked to the arrest in early February of seven people accused of operating a logistical support network that provided military equipment to the Islamic State as well as the Nusra Front, a branch of Al Qaeda operating in Syria. From the days of Copernicus to our own time, scientists have tried to teach us humility: that our minuscule species is only a speck on a tiny planet in one of the least important galaxies of the seemingly incommensurable universe. And yet, with stubborn pride, we see ourselves at the center of everything known and unknown, decreeing what things are, under what label they might be permitted to exist and what place they should be allotted on our library shelves. In the Judeo-Christian tradition, even God submits to our chutzpah and brings to the brand-new Adam all the creatures he has made to see how Adam would define them. And whatsoever Adam called every living creature, Genesis tells us, that was the name thereof. In the beginning was a dictionary. Some of the earliest examples of written texts that have come down to us are proof of our passion for putting things in order. Many of the fragments of clay unearthed in Sumeria (in modern-day Iraq and Kuwait), where the earliest known writing system was invented more than 5,000 years ago, belong to ancient dictionaries, ledgers and encyclopedic catalogs, from rudimentary inventories of goats and sheep to detailed chronological tables of the heroic lives and deeds of kings. Our passion for putting things in order has no end. Jack Lynch, a professor of English at Rutgers University, Newark, and a scholar of lexicography, has written a lively and erudite history of that passion. Ill argue, Lynch says, with only a small bit of exaggeration that the reference book is responsible for the spread of empires, the scientific revolution, the French Revolution and the invention of the computer. He then proceeds to unfold a sort of reference book of reference books, one of those magical volumes of infinite regress that, if it were to attain perfection, would include itself in its listing, and so on until the end of time. With admirable modesty, however, Lynch has constrained his work to just over 450 pages, in which he manages to discuss legal and scientific works like the Code of Hammurabi of the 18th century B.C.; the lexicographical volumes of what was then called the Dictionnaire de lAcademie Francoise and Dr. Johnsons Dictionary of the English Language; repertories of censored books like the Catholic Churchs infamous Index Librorum Prohibitorum of 1559; rules of social conduct like Emily Posts Etiquette in Society of 1922; geographical atlases including Abraham Orteliuss Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, credited with first imagining continental drift; sprawling encyclopedias from Amarasimhas Sanskrit Amarakosha of the fourth century A.D. to Diderot and DAlemberts masterpiece of the Enlightenment, LEncyclopedie; medical manuals from Avicennas Kitab al-Qanun fi al-tibb of 1025 to the D.S.M. (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) of 1952, which seems to confirm the Cheshire cats dictum that were all mad here. Lynch ends, unavoidably, with Wikipedia, now in its 16th adolescent year. When I moved to Brooklyn in 1999, Id never heard of Greenpoint a working-class Polish community out past Williamsburg with questionable subway access before the apartment broker sold me on it. My landlords lived upstairs, among clear vinyl tablecloths and a shrine to Pope John Paul II. I ate bigos, a savory, tart stew cooked so long that its many meats fell to nearly spreadable shreds, and incredibly cheap pirogi in fluorescent restaurants, where I would laugh in amazement at how much pork and potatoes five bucks could get you. I walked around my new neighborhood, looking into shops filled with sacks and sacks of rye bread and hundreds of sausages dangling in the windows, wondering how long it would take me to learn all their names. I wanted to be a part of the community, to integrate, but I never became anything more than an interloper. The cold looks I sometimes got on the street confused and bothered me, until I realized that I wasnt just a new neighbor, that by paying more in rent than the families around me, Id made living in Greenpoint just that much more expensive for them. I realized those fluorescent dining rooms were populated mostly by single men, men whod left their families back in Poland while they tried to make some money in America. I realized that, when I was amused by those massive plates of food, Id never really thought about how hungry Id be if I spent the day building furniture, or moving it, as many of them did. By the time I moved away a couple of years later, I hadnt learned the names of any of the sausages. So I was glad, a few weeks ago, when Monika Woods showed me how sweet her life in the old neighborhood had been. Woods also landed in Greenpoint when she first arrived in New York City, about half a dozen years after I left. With her stylish, oversize glasses, she might also be taken for an outsider. But she moved to the neighborhood because she was born in Poland and missed hearing strangers talk to one another in Polish; because the first restaurant she went to used the same plates her grandmother kept in Poland. To much of the world, Studio Ghibli has defined Japanese animation since the 1990s, producing classics like Hayao Miyazakis Princess Mononoke and Isao Takahatas Grave of the Fireflies. But those titans of the genre havent made a film in three years. Mr. Miyazaki, 75, announced his retirement from features in 2013, and while Mr. Takahata, 80, is a producer of the coming Ghibli release The Red Turtle, he has announced no definite plans to direct more films. And Ghibli itself has not released a film in nearly two years. Anime would seem to be at a crossroads. Ghiblis twilight raises the question of who is to step into the breach to be the next Miyazaki or Takahata? Interviews with a pair of Americans versed in anime provided names that might belong on that list. But they also suggested that the question itself might be misplaced. Eric Beckman, artistic director of the New York International Childrens Film Festival and president of GKids, which distributes Ghiblis films in North America, pointed out that the studios success has not just been about Mr. Miyazaki and Mr. Takahata. The company, which the directors founded, has provided a support system for its filmmakers larger budgets, a pool of staff animators, creative freedom that is unlikely to be matched. Its a way of producing films that I think isnt done elsewhere in Japan, he said. More attention could be lavished on these projects. Particular directors could see their visions through. I hope you brought your sense of humor, said Mimi Greeley, greeting a visitor on Wednesday to her apartment, where she was accessorized with a walker, a hot pink feather boa and a tiara on her head. Not bad for a woman who turned 100 on Thursday. Mrs. Greeleys apartment, at the eastern end of 72nd Street in Manhattan, overlooks the East River and Roosevelt Island, the residential sliver in the river that looked much different when she first beheld it in the 1930s as a young nursing student. They called it Blackwells Island then, and none of those buildings were there, said Mrs. Greeley, who lives alone. She shops, cooks and cleans for herself, and has ranks of friends and relatives vying to take her to lunch and dinner. Her mind is sharp, and she is perfectly capable of walking to local restaurants and taking a cab to the doctors and the movies. A week later, Javad called and told me how things had gone. He had telephoned Mehri he said her name, I did not and she had agreed to go with him to see the cleric. As promised, the cleric had issued a backdated marriage certificate that showed them, at the date of filming, to have been sigheh, or temporarily married. Under sigheh, the duration of the marriage is determined in advance; it could be as short as an hour or as long as a decade. If a child is born, he or she is a rightful child, with all legal entitlements from both parents. When the sigheh expires, the couple should separate, unless the arrangement is mutually extended. The practice has existed for centuries but is shunned by younger and less traditional Iranians, who see it as an archaic religious loophole that effectively legalizes prostitution. Javad had taken the certificate back to the court at Evin and paid a small fine. The punishment they had dangled over him, execution by stoning, the punishment they had used to force him to denounce me before the cameras, was null. But he had been required to turn over his passport and was barred from leaving the country. In the days that followed, we talked several times. But I felt as though I was speaking to a stranger. Javad was broken, pleading during each conversation for me not to leave him. He sounded so unwell that regardless of my own feelings, I was worried for him. His denunciation of me had not yet been released, and the threat of it hung over our heads. He kept saying he wanted to see me and the girls, but it was impossible. I tried to keep it from our daughters, but Nargess finally confronted me. She had overheard something Id said on the phone; she wanted to know what was happening. After I told her, she just kept demanding: Why would he do such a thing and speak against you? Why would he go with that woman? I decided to be frank. Nargess worked in The Hague, researching and documenting terrible atrocities. She needed to see how that work connected to what she was experiencing in her family. The field of human rights is not about pretty words; it involves the abuse of the vulnerable by those who wield power. That was the line that connected massacres in Sarajevo to atrocities in Sierra Leone to the systematic persecution of dissidents in places like Iran and Russia. The first time I visited the Grand Canyon, I froze. Try as I might, it was too much to take in. As I neared the canyons edge, my confident stroll quickly slowed. My fear of heights was yanking on my reins. I may have whinnied. I grabbed the protective railing and squeezed with both hands. I looked down, down, all the way down to the bottom of the canyon floor. I took a picture, acknowledged my insignificance and vowed never to do anything remotely foolish in the eyes of Mother Nature. In 2007, Lynne Meadow, the artistic director of Manhattan Theater Club, sent me Blackbird, David Harrowers soul-scorcher of a play. Joe Mantello directed Alison Pill and me in a production that ran Off Broadway. Two characters a man, Ray, and a young woman, Una confront each other 15 years after their very illegal relationship, when he was 40 and she was all of 12. The play is brutally unforgiving and requires an emotional commitment that is difficult to rise to once, let alone eight times a week. I had done the research on my character. Id imagined myself taking a horribly different life path. As an actor, I went there and stayed there for the entire run. When we closed, Joe & Co. talked about a move uptown. Alison and I talked about getting adjoining rooms at Bellevue. Nine years later, Scott Rudin called with the opportunity to do Blackbird on Broadway. I liked the boldness of the choice. The commercial risk. That there was still room at the top of the theatrical food chain for something this controversial. As drama, the fateful meeting of Ray and Una was as compelling now as it was then. Unapologetically raw and full of terrible truths, the play confronts the audience from the first page on, never letting up, never letting go, tearing into those watching it as much as it does those of us on stage trying to survive it. Still, I was hesitant. Most roles are been there, done that. What cinched the decision to return was that Ray still terrified me. Ellen Page, 29, best known for her Oscar-nominated role in Juno and recently starring in Freeheld with Julianne Moore, has become an advocate for L.G.B.T. rights after coming out as a lesbian in 2014. In the past year, Ms. Page developed and produced the documentary series Gaycation with her friend Ian Daniel. The series, created with Vice and the filmmaker Spike Jonze, the creative director of the new Viceland channel, follows Ms. Page and Mr. Daniel as they explore lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender groups around the world. Following are edited excerpts from a conversation with her. Q. How did Gaycation come to be? A. Spike Jonze is a good friend, and I was crashing at his place in New York while I was working on a movie. He said, Hey, were making a network, if you have any TV ideas. The next day I texted my idea to him and then it went really quickly. Ive always loved travel shows so much. Were you and Ian experienced travelers? Myself more than Ian. Because of my job, Ive had the great fortune of going to lots of different places. But to be honest, I havent had much experience as a gay traveler, so that was something new to me. Like when I was going to Tokyo to do press years ago, I wouldnt be going to the gay district because I was very closeted. I didnt even know it existed. So getting to experience that was awesome. Here it is, a little soup dumpling in its swirled debutante skirt, looking so innocent, until you bite its neck and the steam roils out. Let it rage. Its a last gasp, before you suck up the broth within. Nearly everything on the menu at Yaso Tangbao in Downtown Brooklyn summons up the streets of Shanghai: those soup dumplings like sleeping volcanoes, waiting for a trigger; giant shaggy pork-belly meatballs, called lions heads, majestic and mystifyingly airy; a cool, monochromatic huddle of chicken thigh, poached and submerged in Shaoxing rice wine, that tastes gentle, with vague allusions to mushrooms and licorice (though if you eat too much, it may make your head swim). Then there is sauerkraut, tucked into two tightly wound spring rolls, darkly bronzed and glistening, giving no hint of their unorthodox interior. It is an excellent innovation: Often spring rolls are dipped in vinegar, but here the pickled flavor is already inside, bracing, alongside its precursor, fresh Napa cabbage, and ground chicken. Zongxing Tu, the chef, worked in Germany in the 1980s before coming to New York and making his name as a master of soup dumplings at the first Joes Shanghai in Flushing, Queens. The three bottles I chose were all entry-level wines, generally produced in quantity, often from the youngest vines or least-prized parts of the vineyard. They also require the least amount of aging, which makes them more immediately accessible than bottles that may have greater potential but would not be as enjoyable for a few years. Even so, these wines gave a distinct suggestion of whats possible in better versions, which Id encourage seeking out if you liked these. Almost everybody noted the earthy minerality that is a distinct component of nerello mascalese grown in the volcanic soils of Etna. For me, these wines each displayed the elemental tang of iron, which one reader, Martin Schappeit of Amherst, Va., communicated with graphic eloquence. Like the blood of a dead animal, he wrote of the Biondi. This wine was dark, earthy, mysterious, fascinating. JKM of Washington, D.C., noted a peculiar earthiness that I will guess is related to the volcanic upbringing of these wines, while Bailey Hoffner of Norman, Okla., found a musty depth to the aromas of a 2005 Calabretta, coincidentally one of my favorite Etna producers. Ali of New York sensed in the Biondi ashy ground, earth, animal barn and white vinegar. Now, I will say that Alis reference to white vinegar threw me for a moment. No wine producer would ever want vinegar to be associated with a wine; it generally indicates spoilage and would indeed be a flaw. But her use of the word came in an otherwise positive description. Returning to the wine, I could see what she meant. It had a savory, herbal element that combined with the lively acidity may be reminiscent of a, ahem, very good vinegar, which has a tart tang that is a long way from the acrid industrial versions. Otherwise, I found the Biondi to be a typical example of an Etna Rosso, with earthy, tart flavors of sour cherries, a lean, graceful texture and a tight, focused aftertaste that fused fruitiness with a hint of bitterness. Shareholder meetings can be dull as dirt, even for corporate governance enthusiasts. The Walt Disney Companys annual powwow is an exception. For a start, Disney is one of the few remaining mega-corporations selling single shares, which are often held by children. That means children, as investors, can ask questions. At this years meeting, held on Thursday in Chicago, a girl quizzed Robert A. Iger, Disneys chairman and chief executive, on his favorite movies. He named Toy Story and the original Cinderella, which he said his grandparents took him to see as a boy. (Aww.) Disney also tends to put on a show, unveiling exclusive movie footage and making at least one splashy announcement. And because Disney is a symbol of America, the company often draws activists looking to make a point about one cause or another; at the 2009 meeting, a group protesting golden coffins, or posthumous benefits for executives, handed out four-inch nails. (This longtime Mouse reporter keeps one on his desk.) Then there is the folksy minutiae. Among the pressing shareholder concerns this year were the size of a Disneyland parking lot, whether Harley-Davidson motorcycles are used in Marvel films and whether the next annual meeting could, pretty please, be held in Hawaii. At least this year did not include complaints about the trading of collectible pins, a perennial meeting topic. Here are a few highlights: ALISO VIEJO On the ground floor of the new Homewood Suites by Hilton, glass walls in the Lodge restaurant and lounge slide open so guests can step out onto a patio with an expansive view of Aliso Viejos future. Right now, that view is of the wooden skeletons of 435 luxury apartments being built by Shea Properties. Expected to be finished this summer, the apartments will complete the Vantis master-planned community. The project came one step closer to fruition Feb. 25 as local officials and the Aliso Viejo Chamber of Commerce joined Homewood Suites in cutting the ribbon on the new 129-suite hotel. Mayor Mike Munzing, elected in 2012, said he remembered when everything underfoot was dirt. Seeing it go from being a thought to something we talked about to a finished product is unbelievable, Munzing said. Munzing and other local leaders have hailed the hotel and the apartments as key components to Aliso Viejos evolution as a hub for technology and engineering companies. A decade in the making But getting to this point has taken more than a decade of decisions, design, redesign and building that at several points has left residents and business owners concerned and frustrated. Development of Vantis began in 2006 with a plan to create 41 live-work units that provide space for businesses on the street level and residential townhouses above. The site project also featured a parking garage and a five-story office building. Beau Nokes, president of the Aliso Viejo Chamber of Commerce, has operated his law firm out of the Vantis office building since 2008. He said that the location always has had great potential for success for residents and business owners alike. Its very easy to live and work around here, and its a short walk away from (Aliso Viejo) Town Center, Nokes said. Its really ideal. Although tenants moved in in 2010, the development stalled in taking full shape as the housing market crash in 2008 meant 10 fewer live-work units needed to be built. By 2013, with an increasing need for housing for Aliso Viejos young tech and engineering workers, Shea Properties began planning to complete the development with a luxury hotel and apartments instead of with live-work units. Despite concerns from a small group of residents that such additions would not fit with the existing portion of Vantis, the City Council unanimously voted to move forward with the additions, ending years of uncertainty about the sites fate. In a decade of changes to the projects scope, the citys tech and engineering sectors have grown steadily and show no signs of slowing. Welcoming tech workers Representing Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, Laguna Beach Mayor Steve Dicterow last week congratulated Homewood Suites staff for providing international businesspeople a place to stay while visiting Aliso Viejos many technology and engineering companies. Aliso Viejo is known throughout the world for its high-tech industry, Dicterow said. Inevitably, people from around the world who want to do business with these companies will need a place to stay, and this hotel provides another second option in the city. A 2015 study by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technologys Sloan School of Management found that, when compared to other Southern California cities, Aliso Viejo was a hotbed of successful entrepreneurship. Those numbers include technology and biomedical businesses like medical instrument company MicroVention, which is building a $100 million, 205,000-square-foot headquarters across the street from Vantis. The headquarters is expected to employ more than 800, spokeswoman Cathy Demyanovich said. Vantis is a natural place for them to stay, Munzing said. We want young professionals to have a place to stay when they interview at these companies and a place to live when they get these jobs. Changing character Though most people think of Aliso Viejo as a place where families settle down, the character of the countys youngest city is still evolving, Munzing said. The (Vantis) area may feel a little more urban after all is said and done, but its not going to fundamentally change Aliso Viejo, he said. Lisa Naegele, a 21-year resident, agreed but said she is concerned about an increase in traffic along Aliso Viejo Parkway. Naegele said weekday morning traffic on the street is already bad because it is a direct route to Aliso Niguel High School and branches off toward several other elementary and middle schools. A lot of the people moving into Vantis will be coming or going to work around the same time kids are going to school, Naegele said. And with a lot of new drivers making their way to the high school, its going to increase traffic in that area drastically. Nokes said hes confident that any additional traffic would both be manageable and beneficial to the businesses in Vantis. Theres a lot of great businesses here, and theyll benefit greatly from having more people living here and coming out of Homewood, Nokes said. Im excited to see it become an even more vibrant community. Contact the writer: 949-667-1933 or cyee@ocregister.com Twitter: @ChrisMYee SACRAMENTO Californias district attorneys began campaigning against Gov. Jerry Browns initiative to reduce the states prison population on Wednesday with support from a national advocate for abducted children. The Democratic governors plan would undermine 35 years of laws and voter initiatives designed to protect the rights of crime victims, said Marc Klaas, whose 12-year-old daughter Polly was kidnapped and murdered in 1993. All of that is being torn asunder. Its like were being knee-capped by the executive branch, Klaas said at a news conference with the California District Attorneys Association. Brown wants voters in November to increase sentencing credits for adult inmates and allow earlier parole for non-violent felons. The state Supreme Court is weighing the associations lawsuit contending that Brown improperly amended his proposal onto an existing juvenile justice initiative. District attorneys said they are launching a publicity campaign to counter the $24 million that Brown has in his campaign fund to support his proposal. This is something to support criminals, Klaas said. This has got nothing to do with crime victims. We become revictimized. Initiative spokesman Dan Newman criticized the district attorneys for trying to block a vote. This important reform measure will protect public safety and prevent court ordered prison releases, Newman said in an email. Home-care workers have some of the toughest jobs in America: handling, on a daily basis, children and adults suffering from mental disabilities, autism, cerebral palsy and Alzheimers. Yet they often earn no more than minimum wage and are frequently cheated out of overtime and other pay, according to the U.S. Labor Department, which is investigating the industry in Orange County and across California. In the past year, federal officials audited about 50 home-care companies in San Diego and Orange County, some serving the disabled, others serving the elderly. Almost every single one we looked at had violations, said Rodolfo Cortez, director of the Wage and Hour Divisions San Diego district office. Many of the violators are small businesses with two or three homes. But this week, federal officials announced a wage theft case against Elizabeth Homes Adult Residential Care, one of Orange Countys largest operators. The Buena Park-based chain of 18 homes will pay $227,000 in back wages and damages to 138 workers. In November, Agape Cottages, a chain of 10 homes in Placentia, Fullerton and Santa Ana, was assessed $195,000 for misclassifying workers as independent contractors to avoid paying wages legally due. Statewide, federal labor officials conducted more than 390 investigations of residential care facilities in California last year, and charged operators more than $4.5 million in back wages for some 1,500 workers. Disability advocates suggest the incentive to underpay home-care workers stems in part from the industrys difficult economics, which are heavily influenced by a fraying of the social safety net. Home care is paid for by state and federal agencies. But rates have stagnated since the recession, barely allowing a profit for operators such as Elizabeth Homes, said Larry Landauer, executive director of the Regional Center of Orange County, a nonprofit that dispenses government funds to 430 homes for the disabled. Elizabeth Homes operates six-bed homes for disabled adults in Buena Park, Anaheim and Cypress. Over two years, the chains owner, Elizabeth Santos, failed to pay for all hours worked and for overtime at the legal time-and-a-half rate, labor officials found. Employees were often unable to take uninterrupted meal breaks, and were not paid for training hours. And the chain neglected to keep proper records, the labor department said. Santos, who said most of her workers earn the California minimum of $10 per hour, attributed the findings to honest mistakes on her part. Over the past 25 years of operations, she said she had believed she was only required to pay time-and-a-half when employees hours exceeded 80 over a two-week pay period. However, federal and state laws require paid overtime for any hours over 40 in a single week. State law also mandates any work over eight hours in a single day must be paid at a time-and-a-half rate. Cortez said overtime violations are rampant in the industry, but that an operator who has been in business for years should know the rules. Many employers in the residential home-care field fail to properly compensate workers, he added. Better cared-for workers results in better cared-for patients. Elizabeth Homes gets between $4,000 and $6,500 a month per patient, depending on the severity of their disability. Of that, about $1,000 a month comes from Social Security. The rest is paid through state and federal Medi-cal and Medicaid funds. But Landauer said that given mortgage payments, insurance, utilities, food, vans for transportation and labor costs, including health insurance for workers, economically, it is very hard to make ends meet. Santos is a wonderful operator, he said. But many providers do try to find some shortcuts. She serves very tough consumers and has a great reputation with families, he added. Many of the disabled need hand-over-hand assistance to brush their teeth, dress and bathe. Sometimes they bite the staff. They smear walls with feces. Santos said that many of her employees are immigrants who send money back to the Philippines. I try to give my employees more overtime so they can get more money, she said. That may be somewhat easier thanks to a healthcare financing package passed Tuesday by the California legislature. After two years of protests from disability advocates, the law boosts the $6 billion disability budget by $300 million. However, in a system that serves nearly 300,000 disabled adults and children a year, Landauer said, Thats not much. California is one of the lowest-paying of the 50 states. On the other had, he added, California is the only state that guarantees care for every disabled person. Other states have waiting lists, in some cases more than a decade long. Contact the writer: mroosevelt@ocregister.com; on Twitter @MargotRoosevelt The Supreme Courts unprecedented decision last month to block President Obamas plan to reduce carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants is both dangerous and wrong. Last summer, the Environmental Protection Agency announced its Clean Power Plan to limit greenhouse gases. Twenty-nine states filed a lawsuit to block these new rules. Although the rules seem unquestionably valid, the court has kept them from going into effect while the matter is being litigated. Coal-fired power plants produce more carbon emissions than any other source. Controlling them is a crucial aspect of dealing with the effects of climate change and an essential part of President Obamas effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to at least 26 percent below 2005 levels by 2025. It also is critical to the Paris Agreement, the first international treaty to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Without the Clean Power Plan, the United States cannot meet its obligations under this treaty, and this first international effort to deal with the crisis of climate change likely will be doomed. The states filing a lawsuit objecting to the Clean Power Plan claimed it was a power grab and part of a war on coal. The suit was brought by states with Republican governors and was praised by Republicans in Congress. It is disturbing that something as basic as the need to protect the planet has become a partisan fight, with some Republicans even continuing the absurd assertion that there is no link between carbon emissions and global warming, despite overwhelming evidence proving the connection. Perhaps not surprisingly, it was the five Republican appointees to the Supreme Court who stopped the Clean Power Plan, over the dissent of the four Democratic appointees. This order was issued just four days before Justice Antonin Scalia died. Without his presence, there would not have been five votes for the stay. But it remains in place because there are not five votes to lift it. The states asked the District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals to enjoin the regulations while their challenge was being heard. That court unanimously denied the request, but set the matter for expedited briefing and arguments in June. Never before, not once, in American history has the Supreme Court stepped in at this point and issued an order blocking regulations from going into effect. Its approach always has been to leave the matter in the lower courts until they have rendered their decisions. Indeed, long-standing principles of federal court jurisdiction generally keep the Supreme Court from getting involved until there is a final judgment from a lower court. It is particularly disturbing that the court would do so here where the authority of the federal government to act is so clear. The Clean Air Act, a federal law adopted in 1970, requires that the federal government limit air pollutants that might harm public welfare. In 2007, in Massachusetts v. Environmental Protection Agency, the Supreme Court ruled that greenhouse gases fit well within the Acts capacious definition of air pollutant, and thus the EPA was obligated to regulate them. The courts action means that these regulations will not go into effect before the end of the Obama presidency. By the time the D.C. Circuit decides the case and there is a chance for Supreme Court review, Obama will have left office. Even if the courts allow the regulations and a Democrat wins in 2016, the delay in implementation will make it much more difficult to achieve the goal of reducing carbon emissions on the schedule set by the Obama administration and the Paris accords. At the very least, the court should have explained its order. Five Republican appointees to the Supreme Court blocked an environmental initiative by a Democratic president and granted the request of Republican governors. This has the appearance of partisanship and not reasoned decision-making. An explanation of the reasons could have made this seem a reasoned choice and not an arbitrary exercise of judicial power. It is baffling and deeply troubling that climate change has become a political issue. It is absurd that Harvard-educated Sen. Ted Cruz could declare, Climate change is not science. Its religion. But I would hope that the Supreme Court would be above this political absurdity and recognize the urgent need for action to control carbon emissions. At the very least, I would hope that the court would have followed the usual procedures for challenges to a regulation. But it didnt and the planet, and all of us, likely will be the worse for it. Erwin Chemerinsky is dean of the UC Irvine School of Law.